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Shock Study: Voters Manipulated by Politicians!
Submitted by Michael Nystrom on Tue, 01/01/2013 - 10:44Average voter is unable to accurately assess politicians, new research shows
(Phys.org)—A new study has thrown doubt on the ability of the average voter to make an accurate judgement of the performance of their politicians, showing that voter biases appear to be deep-seated and broad.
Prior research has suggested that random events such as shark attacks or hurricanes decrease the votes received by incumbent politicians, regardless of their actual performance in office. Similarly, voters appear to give undue weight to recent economic performance and are easily swayed by rhetoric.
In a series of novel experiments, researchers Gregory A. Huber (Yale), Seth J. Hill (University of California, San Diego), and Gabriel S. Lenz (University of California, Berkeley) found that voters are susceptible to these biases even when given financial incentives to behave otherwise and when the information necessary to avoid these biases was readily available.
This in turn makes voters vulnerable to being manipulated by politicians.
The findings suggest that incumbents who associate themselves with good news for which they bear no responsibility, implement policies that generate good news close to elections at the expense of overall voter welfare, and use rhetoric that encourages people to focus on how they feel in the here and now, ignoring the long-term, could benefit at the ballot box.
Read more at Phys.org
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Politicians don't associate themselves, Fox News does this.
Fox News decides what to run before and after they interview a candidate.
Fox News decides what else is talked about.
The media is the monster that baits-and-switches these criminals.
They take corrupt lawyers who have done nothing to better anyone else's lives and they promote them as caring politicians holding newborns and crap.
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Voters allow politicians to manipulate them.
I haven't read the article entirely, but so far I'll retain blame where it should be, on the voters. I can't help but feel this news, which boils down voters discerning truth and falsehood, is precursor for one of two oh-so-helpful tools for voters, law or a service from a company that benefits from government (regardless the sphere of government -- local, state, federal). More law or more fascism. Or more both. More aid for voters to understand their legislators. Right.
That's "aid," as in the introduction of a medium to (further) influence people what to think about their elected officials which affects what people do without meeting Or Else, a reduction of self providence. That "do" turns into "can do," the ability to do.
How so? Well, would the politician have access to who voted for whom and for what? If so, he could elevate his outlook on his constituency as numbers to the point of You voted against me, so you will face difficulty. If not personalizing his distaste, his legislation at least would be more collectivist than beforehand. Watch for more "polls." More polls, thicker cover to present the illusion that the mass of people is better off. More additions to the mass, the more mass legislation, naturally stamping out the freedom person, the thinker, the person least likely to be manipulated or who won't be manipulated.
Proximity to politics isn't good or bad. What diffentiates good and bad here is the path of proximity: self or nonself.
I'll have to click the link to read the rest of the article, but so far I'm suspicious.
School's fine. Just don't let it get in the way of thinking. -Me
Study nature, not books. -Walton Forest Dutton, MD, in his 1916 book whose subject is origin (therefore what all healing methods involve and count on), simple and powerful.
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Last paragraph:The findings
Last paragraph:
The findings also raise a warning about the adequacy of civic education programs and media coverage of elections to help citizens to accurately judge the performance of their representatives. Understanding how to improve voter decision-making may have important implications for democracy.
Last sentence:
Understanding how to improve voter decision-making may have important implications for democracy.
First, "may" (read: permission) should be might (read: possibility).
Second, yes, understanding voter decision making is important and it's something neither the government nor anybody, any body (of people), working with it needs concern itself about more than it has. In fact, this subject is something both entities should remove themselves from.
If there are regulations, let them be from the individual. Who's concerned about politics will go the distance, he'll learn what's what. The mentally adrift will float away and the focused will persist and achieve accurate assessment.
School's fine. Just don't let it get in the way of thinking. -Me
Study nature, not books. -Walton Forest Dutton, MD, in his 1916 book whose subject is origin (therefore what all healing methods involve and count on), simple and powerful.
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G. Eward Griffin:"If America
G. Eward Griffin:"If America is to survive as a free nation,its citizens must become far more politically educated than they are at present."
Bob Marshall
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What gets me are the Liberals
What gets me are the Liberals who know about Obama and still support him. I watch people and how they react when angry or how they treat innocent people they hate or perceive as the enemy. I am not referring to defending yourself when attacked but the innocent people in Iraq where 25% of babies are born with birth defects through depleted uranium and the killing with drones. The Liberals are delusional to think that Obama will not turn on them.
"With enough of us, around the world, we'll not just send a strong message opposing the privatization of knowledge — we'll make it a thing of the past." ~ Aaron Swartz
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Voters can be manipulated by politicians? *gasp*
Say it isn't so.
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Maybe it's shocking that they had to do a study on it at all.
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Lol... true that
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Before you continue to show
Before you continue to show your ignorance look at the 2008 and 2012 exit polls.See who the seniors voted for and which groups were the largest voters for Obama both times.
Bob Marshall
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When a government consists of persons
whom the public cannot trust or even understand, it is NOT a government FOR the People BY the People, is it?
Since when was it ok for public SERVANTS to turn their MASTERS into SLAVES!!??
When we let them. When we flood Twitter with news of Kanye and Kim being preggers instead of the "Last minute" Faecal Cliff BS we KNEW was gonna happen like clock-work, that's when
"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience"—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
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Another use for HAARP
"Grab your coat and get your hat
Leave your worries on the doorstep
Life can be so sweet [for politicians]
On the sunny side of the street..."
When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.
~ John Muir
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[This in turn makes voters vulnerable to being manipulated by politicians]...
...and Reuters, ...and AP, ...and news media networks, ...and radio/tv/movie/music industry writers, producers, celebrities, ...and advertisers, ...and teachers, ...and peers.
[...even when given financial incentives to behave otherwise and when the information necessary to avoid these biases was readily available.]
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Heidi Montag: I Would Advise Women To Be Careful Around Al Roker
In their first radio interview since leaving Costa Rica, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are again rustling feathers, this time with Today Show anchor Al Roker who they had an interview with early Monday morning [see video above].
The duo, who have now officially quit NBC's I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, appeared with Roker to discuss their much talked about experience on the show, but were offput by Roker's questions.
"I'm still trying to figure out, was the weatherman asking us questions? I thought we were getting interviewed by Matt Lauer or something," said Pratt of Roker who reports weather for the Today Show.
LISTEN | Heidi & Spencer "Shocked" by NBC's Al Roker
"I was shocked at how rude he was – I was crying afterwards because I couldn't believe I felt personally attacked," said Montag. "I wanted to say to him, do you feel proud of how you're talking to me right now? I'm just a young woman and you're coming at me so aggressively and meanly and mean-spirited. I just wanted to talk about the show and my experience there and how fun it was, and he just made it a very uncomfortable and awful experience," said Montag. "I really would advise women especially to be careful around him because I feel like he definitely came and attacked me and I did not appreciate that at all."
We'll get Al Roker's reaction to Heidi & Spencer's attacks in a scheduled interview Thursday, June 18!
LISTEN | Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt (FULL INTERVIEW)

subset: commoncrawl


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Square Enix made more money this year than it lost last yearEarlier this year, we noted that Square Enix was no longer bleeding money. In the first three quarters of the company's 2014 fiscal year (the last nine months of 2013), it boasted a net income of 5.18 billion yen ($51.15 million). At the close of the 2014 fiscal year (March 31, 2014), Square came away with about 6.5 billion yen ($65M) in net income. This is a dramatic swing from the previous fiscal year, wherein the company saw a net loss of 5.75 billion yen ($56.72M). A lot of this has to do with the success of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, now at over 2 million registered users. Square also deemed Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster, Thief and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition sales "favorable." Remember when you said Final Fantasy XII HD was a possibility if Final Fantasy X HD sold well, Square? Holding you to that. Square Enix notes $65M in net income for this fiscal year [Polygon] Comments not appearing? Anti-virus apps like Avast or some browser extensions can cause this. Easy fix: Add [*].disqus.com to your software's white list. Tada! Happy comments time again.
Did you know? You can now get daily or weekly email notifications when humans reply to your comments.
Final Fantasy XIV's Gold Saucer is amazing if you like Triple Triad or Chocobo Racing 12:00 PM on 02.27.2015 |


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In this May 29, 2011 file photo, IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon, of England, celebrates after winning the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis. As IndyCar prepares to start its new season, the racing death of two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Wheldon is still much on the minds of everyone.
St. Petersburg, Florida city leaders and IndyCar officials honored the late Dan Wheldon by naming turn 10 on the racetrack after him. Wheldon was killed in the final race of the season in Las Vegas.
Dan Wheldon''s car bursts into flames in a 15-car accident during the IZON IndyCar World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 16. Wheldon, 33, died as a result of the accident.
England's Dan Wheldon died Oct. 16 when he was involved in a 15-car accident in the opening laps of the IndyCar season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Patrick made history in the 2005 Indy 500, passing Dan Wheldon to take over first place late in the race. She settled for a fourth-place finish.
Dan Wheldon drives his No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda with a setting sun during the IndyCar Series Spring Testing at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.


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Oh no!
This is definitely not the way to any junkyards.
What could have caused this?
Well, something technical went wrong on our site.We might removed the page when we redesigned our website.
or the link you clicked be old and does not work anymore.
What can you do?
You might try retyping the web address and trying again.Or please use the search bar above to search for junkyards near you by your zip code.
Or you could take you back to the JunkYardsNearMe home Page.
Or you could use the site map to find what you're looking for.
One more thing:
Our Team is here to help you fix the issue. Please contact us and let us know what went wrong.Be sure to let us know what Web Browser and Operating System you were using when this occured.


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West Fargo VFW/Cooties host community fundraiser
Arthur W. Jones VFW Post 7564 and Military Order of Cooties Pup Tent 8 at 308 Sheyenne Street, West Fargo will hold the 9th annual fund raiser to benefit community and youth programs on Thursday evening, February 6th. The event starts with a social hour from 6 – 7 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., and door and raffle prizes given following dinner.
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Email us at email@example.com and we can help you.


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Marketplace Display Ads Classifieds Dir. of Advertisers
Mail: Syngenta believes lawsuits have no merit
Sen. Al Davis: No packer ownership of hogs
More opinion
Farm Bill sign-up extended
Bill to change investigation, punishments of livestock cruelty cases
More Ag News
Click Here for theHOTTEST SHEETS!
Former Husker football star Monte Kratzenstein will speak July 12 at the Gothenburg High School.
Kratzenstein, a three-year letter winner (1987-89) for the Huskers, started in 18 straight games and earned a spot on the all Big-8 honor roll. He taught and coached at Bellevue East and Millard West from 1990-99, then moved to Kearney to work in sales and clinical service for the cardiac medical industry.
Kratzenstein currently works for Nebraska Salt and Grain.
Kratzenstein talk in Gothenburg will help launch fundraising for a Family Life Center for the Crossing Fellowship, a community-building Christian ministry.
An informal dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and Kratzenstein will speak afterwards.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc. 1300 E 4th St., Suite F North Platte, NE 69101


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Newark mayor takes to Twitter to help amid Sandy
Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, N.J., took to the streets and the tweets over the last couple of days to help the city make it through Superstorm Sandy.
Booker spent much of yesterday and last night driving around in an SUV loaded with diapers, water, and other supplies for citizens in distress, personally enforcing curfew on some roaming teenagers, and coordinating crews to move the homeless to shelter. Along the way, Booker was communicating with citizens via tweets and direct messages:
When one man tweeted at Booker that a tree had fallen on his aunt's house, the mayor apparently sped to the scene:… Read more


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I dun understand love.
what is love anyway?
i believe it is nothing but a bug which bites us to make us aware of its existance.once aware,it slowly layer by layer,eats us up.soon we are more vulnerable to getting hurt,pain and harm.we open ourselves like dumfucks and allow the person to enter into our so called perfect lives to permenantly alter our perception on things.
it changes u,fooling u that it is for the best.it twists and turns you in such a way,u'd forget what you originally were.
i mean,if the peron turned out to be a jerk,its just another reason to bleed.
one becomes emotionally dependant,physically AND spiritually dependant too.one loses themselves in the other.
is that what love is all about?
losing urself?
suddenly,all the decisions CANNOT be taken without his/her consent.
i mean,where the fuck is ur induviduality??!!
shudnt love make a person grow as an induvidual and make them love themselves more than ever?
are we,as the youth,taking the wrong meaning of Love?Are we misusing the word?do we really KNOW what love is?
arent we too young to love someone else?i mean,here we are,stressing over our brand new pimple or a bad hair day.HOW can we fall in love with someone else,when we havnt learnt to love ourselves FIRST?!!
only when you love yourself,are emotionally stable,are self confident and reached that level of self actualization,can you truly PEACEFULLY fall in love.otherwise,there is just gona be too many ego clashes,non compatibity blah blah.
maybe thats why they say that teenagers cant really fall in love.
maybe what they are trying to tell us is that,with age,comes a certain level of self actualization.
and maybe,just maybe,thats when you WILL fall in that little pit(:P) called love.
this does not however say that i dunt believe in love.
i do.i really do.i just feel that there is a perfect timing for everthng.its all written up there.we just have to wait for Princess/Prince Charming,dont we? =D
(note: no offence to ANY human being out there in love or a strong believer in teenage love.im just expressing my feelings here=) )
we'll said and in my oppionon sadly true.
Come Josephine in my flying machine
Going up she goes up she goes
Balance yourself like a bird on a beam
In the air she goes there she goes
Up, up, a little bit higher
Oh, my, the moon is on fire


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In spite of the blistering mercury burning up thermostats and keeping all but the most dogged culture vultures cinched to the nearest air-conditioning unit, this Saturday night's Wynwood gallery crawl promises a lineup of shows and events that will give you plenty to pant about, not to mention ubiquitous complimentary cocktails to cool you.
The expansive multiculti offerings range from video of a high school drill team, to aboriginal Dreamtime paintings, to a sprawling group video show exploring concepts of migration in art. There's also an exhibit boasting 500 historic and contemporary Latin album covers riffing on the relationship between graphic design and music, capped by a live concert featuring Spanish music icons Nacho Canut and electro-pop band Fangoria's Alaska to ratchet up the vibe.
First off, at 7 p.m., check out Katie Murray's exuberant depiction of a Queens, New York high school all-girl drill squad executing a complex series of precision movements at World Class Boxing (170 NW 23rd St., Miami), where the Big Apple photographer's first video is on view.
As the young women display their graceful and flowing moves on the hardwood floor of their school's gym in Girls in 4/4, the booming sound of their agile and powerful footsteps fills the gallery with a rhythmic, thunderous din.
Murray spent four years filming footage for the video to capture the dynamic nature of the team, which included the artist's younger sister. Murray began by using still photography but found it too static to capture her collective portrait of youthful femininity, contemporary ritual, and the nature of urban pop culture and group dynamics.
The resulting video aptly conveys her subjects' lithe bodies in forceful motion as they perform regimented routines that emphasize transitional movements, spatial synchronicity, and the expressive emotional gestures typically associated with dancers.
Murray, who earned her MFA at Yale in 2000, is also a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Fortune, Vice, and Sweet 16.
World Class Boxing is also showcasing "Mystic Visage," a compelling group show that explores the mask as an object used to both disguise and protect, empowering the user to articulate the most veiled thoughts more freely while imbuing rituals with mystery and power. Culled from the Scholl Collection and curated by Desiree Cronk, the exhibit includes sculpture, drawings, and photography and boasts names such as Cindy Sherman, Gabriel Orozco, Fergus Greer, and Jack Strange. Call 305-438-9908 or visit worldclassboxing.org.
Downwind at Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts (2043 N. Miami Ave., Miami), "The Inspired Dream: Contemporary Aboriginal Art" corrals a dozen artist from Down Under in an exhibit showcasing art inspired by Australia's indigenous belief systems and the region's unique creation myths.
Once marginalized by the Western art world, aboriginal art has earned international acclaim over the past four decades, and the gallery is presenting a revealing survey by some of its most talented practitioners. Artists represented include Betty Mbitjana, Walangkura Napanangka, Ningura Napaurrula, Takariya Napaltjari, and Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi.
Many of the works on display make reference to the "Dreamtime," during which creation is believed to have taken place. The term can be understood as the "timeless time" or a period of formative creating or perpetual creation. The Dreamtime involved the creation ancestors' travels, still followed today by those who seek traditional wisdom along dream paths leading to important cultural sites all over the country.
Through this fashion, art links Aboriginal people not only to their history but also to the land itself. A new generation of artists is keeping the tradition alive by tapping the distinctive, eye-catching symbols and designs.
One can discover the swirling, abstract dots and dashes in vibrant patterns such as Ngaminya, a large canvas by Napaurrula that appears to depict the cosmic whirl of a nascent universe in rich, monochromatic tarry-black, bone-white, and oxblood-red hues.
The "Dreaming" stories are considered intellectual property among the diverse indigenous Australians and are passed on protectively from generation to generation, especially among those who retain tribal connections.
For example, Gabriella Possum Nungurrayi "owns" the "Seven Sisters" Dreaming, also known as the story of the Pleiades, a tradition she inherited from her maternal line. For those seeking insight into a largely marginalized culture, this is a rare opportunity to do so outside a museum setting. Call 305-576-1804 or visit dlfinearts.com.
Taking center stage at Diaspora Vibe Gallery (3938 N. Miami Ave., Miami) in the Design District is a group video exhibit featuring artists from throughout the United States, England, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Peru.
"Exodus" seeks to examine the use of video to generate dialogue and investigate the media's influence on world events, popular culture, and the migration of artists in society. All works on display will run concurrently and continuously in the gallery, creating an unruly techno Tower of Babel that challenges traditional representations of art and perceptual notions of time. While the concept seems confounding on paper, the exhibit yields some interesting gems if one takes the time to wade through the visual noise.
Catch Chantal James's The Wasteland: Funabem's Story, a four-minute piece narrating the daily grind of an impoverished worker at Jardim Gramacho, South America's largest landfill and the communities that have sprung up surreptitiously on the outskirts of the Dante-esque dump site. Located near the eternally hip-grinding confines of Rio de Janeiro, the landfill receives nearly 12,000 tons of garbage a day and is home to 20,000 damned souls, most of whom earn their keep sorting through raw refuse for their sustenance or selling recyclable materials to survive.


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Obama, Clinton duel to a draw on Super Tuesday
He won more states; she won more big states and a few more delegates. Battle to last through March at least, analysts say.
Elise Amendola/AP
The Democratic presidential contests on Super Tuesday turned out a couple of surprises: Hillary Rodham Clinton won Massachusetts despite Barack Obama's endorsement by some of the state's leading political figures, and Senator Obama beat Senator Clinton in Connecticut, next door to her adopted home state of New York.
But mostly the day ended as it began: a muddle. Obama won 13 states to Clinton's eight, but she won more populous states, giving her an edge in the delegate tally.
The night's only casualty was the prediction, made by Clinton as recently as December, that the fight for the Democratic nomination would end with the crush of coast-to-coast contests Tuesday.
"Nothing decisive happened tonight," says William Mayer, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston who is an expert on the party nomination process. "If I happened to be running a campaign, I'd say, 'OK, what's the next primary? Get a good night's sleep because tomorrow we're getting up.' "
Obama won his home state of Illinois and its neighbor, Missouri, a national bellwether for the general election. He also racked up victories in the heavily black states of Alabama and Georgia and across a broad arc of the Midwest and Rocky Mountains that included Republican-tilting states like Kansas, Colorado, and Idaho.
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Chrono Tales Prepares Two New Servers
Ray Media Group Limited has announced the launch of two new servers for Chrono Tales, scheduled for around February 18. This comes after a successful launch and thousands of active players in game regularly.
In addition, the Chrono Tales team has detailed more about Survival island, one of the daily in game events. Survival Island consists of 13 floating islands that players can traverse and attack freely on. When the islands open, players will have 10 minutes to prepare themselves for the event, with notifications every 30 seconds. Once the event starts, the islands slowly begin to close, leaving combat with others a forgone conclusion. Prizes are awarded based on performance, with extra prizes given for the top three players.


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Develop interest and confidence in advanced science by building science vocabulary and math skills while exploring physical science concepts. Topics include matter, gravity, density, motion, simple machines, electricity, light, and more. Includes CD-ROM with interactive exercises that are automatically scored and printed plus printable worksheets and reading activities. Supports NSE standards.
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I am excited to have found the Lenox China factory in Kinston, North Carolina.
It is the ONLY fine bone china factory in the country…which is a little hard for me to believe… I will be sending them a letter this month to request a special tour of the factory.
Hopefully, it will be the first china factory that I visit over the next year an a half.
I hope to include:
Haviland in Limoges, France
Royal Copenhagen in Denmark
Wedgwood in England
and Noritake in Nagoya, Japan
This week has been a rich one!
Friends from all over the country have been connecting me to incredible media…
Either china or breaking related or both.
Thanks to David, Axwagon, Cyndi, and Amy!
David asked this question:
What would happen to teacups glued back together after they've broken?
Then answered it with this quote:
"You may see a cup of tea fall off a table and break into pieces on the floor
but you will never see the cup gather itself back together and jump back on the table. The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future giving a direction to time. I began to wonder what would happen when the universe stopped expanding and began to contract. Would we see broken cups gather themselves together on the floor and jump back onto the table? That seemed to me the universe would have to return to a smooth and ordered state when it re-collapsed. If this were so time would go backwards when the universe began to collapse. People in the contracting phase would live their lives backward. They would die before they were born and get younger as the universe got small again."
-Stephen Hawking
Axwagon sent this scene from a from Roy Andersson film–Du levande (You, the Living, 2007).
the WHOLE table…
The Lenox China Company is running the following Facebook promotion:
A CONTEST YOU'LL FALL FOR! Every time the season changes, we'll be launching a new contest just for our friends here on FB! Our Fall contest is designed to bring out the poet in all of us. Just pick out your favorite Lenox pattern (for ideas, visit www.lenox.com) and write a short (4 to 8 lines) poem about it, ending with the pattern name. Post your poems here, we will choose our favorites and the winners will get eight Lenox place settings in the pattern of their choice.
This is a link to their Facebook page.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE enter this contest!
And if you win you can donate your china to David and I…
We would like to someday some move up to filming the breaking of a full set of china.
We can immortalize your china for you!
(we will both be entering!)
I personally want to break a set of "Autumn"–it is in the TOP 25 at Replacements!!!
And Amy White turned us on to this song about breaking by Nick Lowe:
"I love the sound of breaking glass
Especially when I'm lonely
I need the noises of destruction
When there's nothing new
Oh nothing new, sound of breaking glass.
I love the sound of breaking glass
Deep into the night
I love the sound of its condition
Flying all around
Oh all around, sound of breaking glass
Nothing new, sound of breaking glass…
Safe at last, sound of breaking glass."
Very interesting week…
While at Replacements this time around, I was able to work with Jill Slatter.
She is their resident Etiquette Specialist.
You too can learn from her at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Vbtc42fco
Thank you, Jill!
I visited Replacements again for three days in late August.
I spent most of my time living with around 25 to 30 examples of china, crystal, and flatware with a pattern name 'Melissa'.
I figured out very early on that there is no 'Melissa' Haviland china.
This would have been the ideal candidate for 'self' portraits.
I have happily settled for the range of patterns named 'Melissa' for the subjects of a series photographs and possibly drawings.
None are particularly entrancing, but they are all charming in their own way…
I was able to roam the showroom and storerooms of Replacements.
I compared shapes of gravy boats…
While at Replacements in May I was able to spend a significant amount of time with Haviland china…
During the week of May 10th, I was able to spend more time at Replacements. It was a very fruitful visit due to the generosity of Keith Winkler and his fellows within the company. I was on premises from 10am until 4pm Monday through Thursday. During this time I collected over 1,500 images of china, crystal and flatware.
I was excited to spend time walking the stacks in the warehouse and in the showroom. I came upon many of the top 25 patterns during my investigations. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed Runnymede-Blue by Wedgewood. I was not at all interested in the pattern when experiencing the teacup on its own…but a table laid with Runnymede is lovely.
Is this the case with many of the patterns?
This is an interesting pattern for Replacements. It has always been a top seller for them. At one point Wedgewood decided to no longer make Runnymede-Blue. Replacements persuaded them to pull it out of retirement. It continues to be a top seller.
"We create, honor and preserve traditions by connecting our customers with their most cherished memories" Replacements, Ltd. motto
I was able to spend two 9-5 days at Replacements during Spring Break. Guided by my contact from the company, Keith Winkler, I was able to meet a number of the Replacements staff and begin to get a view into the workings of the business. I spent time with staff from the sales floor, research, purchasing, order processing, imaging, etc.
It is a large and successful retail business, so it is humming with life and energy. Most of the workers are long-term and very happy to be there. It is a very supportive and positive work place. And inspirational place in many ways.
During the last three hours of this first visit, I spent time with 25 teacups. These teacups represented the top 25 china patterns in LIFETIME sales at Replacements. By dollar amount. This means that the top seller, Spode's "Christmas Tree", which costs around $30 per teacup and saucer, had multiple tens of thousands of buyers. But Royal Copenhagen's "Flora Danica", which costs around $600 per teacup and saucer, would need only around a thousand buyers to come in at its 18th place.
This is the first time that I EVER held a $600 teacup.
And what an object it is. "Flora Danica" was BY FAR my favorite of the 25. Lighter and smaller then the rest. Delicately hand painted with a truly over the top amount of gold. Each piece of the china showcases a different flower, snaking around the surface…its latin name painted on the bottom of the piece with the back stamp.
In the Fall, I approached Replacements, Ltd. about the possibility of working with them as an Artist in Residence.
Founded in 1981 by Bob Page, Replacements, Ltd. is a distributor of china, flatware, crystal, etc.
They have over 13 million items in their stocks, representing over 300,000 patterns spanning over 100 years. Replacements buys and resells these items, pairing the buyer with the missing piece of their family china…
I have been referring to their website and purchasing items of china through them for about 5 years. In the summer of 2009, I began to visit their store front in Greensboro, North Carolina. They offer a tour of the facility, which after moments of experiencing–made me realize that I needed a deeper look…
The Replacements staff responded very positively to my inquiry, meeting with me in February to begin discussions of how this relationship could develop. I was then able to spend my first full days at their store in March 2010.
In 2009, I was fortunate enough to receive an
Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence award.
This award allowed me to create "Contemplating a Need for Indulgence",
improve my studio space, and to assist me in acquiring the materials needed
to begin the current body of print work.
The current print series will debut in the exhibition "Brand" at the
Southern Graphics Council Conference in Philadelphia in March 2010.
Deep thanks to:


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Chk1, an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase, has been implicated in cell cycle checkpoint control in lower eukaryotes. By gene disruption, we show that CHK1 deficiency results in a severe proliferation defect and death in embryonic stem (ES) cells, and peri-implantation embryonic lethality in mice. Through analysis of a conditional CHK1-deficient cell line, we demonstrate that ES cells lacking Chk1 have a defective G(2)/M DNA damage checkpoint in response to gamma-irradiation (IR). CHK1 heterozygosity modestly enhances the tumorigenesis phenotype of WNT-1 transgenic mice. We show that in human cells, Chk1 is phosphorylated on serine 345 (S345) in response to UV, IR, and hydroxyurea (HU). Overexpression of wild-type Atr enhances, whereas overexpression of the kinase-defective mutant Atr inhibits S345 phosphorylation of Chk1 induced by UV treatment. Taken together, these data indicate that Chk1 plays an essential role in the mammalian DNA damage checkpoint, embryonic development, and tumor suppression, and that Atr regulates Chk1.
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Six admit planning to bomb English Defence League rally
Six men from the West Midlands have pleaded guilty to planning to bomb an English Defence League rally.
Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud, Zohaib Ahmed and Jewel Uddin admitted preparing an act of terrorism. All six will be sentenced on 6 June.
Five of them took a homemade bomb to an EDL rally in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, last June but arrived after it ended.
They were caught after their car was stopped and found to have no insurance.
Police and security services had no intelligence about the planned attack, although one of the would-be killers, Jewel Uddin, was under surveillance in relation to another terror plan.
After the hearing at Woolwich Crown Court, Assistant Chief Constable of West Midlands Police Marcus Beale said: "Their capability was clear.
Jewel Uddin was under surveillance because of his links to other identified extremists. But he wasn't being watched around the clock because 24-hour coverage only occurs when a suspect is thought to be planning an attack and is in the closing stages of their preparations.
The British police and MI5 don't have the manpower that the East German Stasi once had, so counter-terrorism investigators deal everyday with competing requests for resources for covert operations. Uddin was, in the jargon, a person of interest whom investigators wanted to better understand.
But given what they knew of his connections, did they make the right call? The case has inevitable echoes of 2004 when MI5 had come across a man from West Yorkshire on the periphery of another investigation. They never got to the bottom of who he was until he led the 2005 suicide attacks on London.
"They created devices that would have certainly maimed and possibly killed people depending on how close they were.
"Their intent was very, very clear. In my view they were very dangerous."
Tommy Robinson, aka Stephen Lennon, leader of the EDL, said he welcomed the convictions.
'Female devil'On 30 June 2012, the EDL, an anti-Islamic group that says it supports peaceful protest, held a rally in Dewsbury, despite attempts by the Muslim community in the town to have it stopped.
Police estimated there could have been as many as 750 EDL supporters in attendance, as well as dozens of police officers and passers-by.
As the rally was taking place, the five men travelled there in two cars, one of which was carrying a homemade bomb constructed out of a modified firework and containing 359 nails and 93 ball bearings.
They also had two sawn-off shot guns, parts of other explosive devices, knives and a long printed message, dated the same day, describing their motivation and calling the Queen a "female devil".
It said: "To the EDL (English Drunkards League). O enemies of Allah! We have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah... you should know that for every action there is a reaction.
"Today is a day of retaliation (especially) for your blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad. We love death more than you love life. The penalty for blasphemy of Allah and his Messenger Muhammad is death."
However, the men arrived after the EDL rally had broken up because the right-wing group had insufficient speakers to carry on later into the afternoon.
No one is yet daring to suggest the era of big, 9/11-scale jihadist terror plots is over, but there is one characteristic that marks out nearly all recent terrorist convictions in Britain: The self starter.
Of the 145 people convicted of terrorism offences in Britain between 2001 and 2012, government officials say an ever-increasing number have become radicalised here and decided to carry out an attack without any formal direction from al-Qaida's leadership.
This is in contrast to the earlier, massive plots like the 2006 liquid bomb plot to blow up several airliners over the Atlantic.
Many of those caught and convicted have embarked on the road to violence by reading inflammatory material online, discussing it on internet chat forums or by reading al-Qaida's online magazine, Inspire.
Often these would-be jihadists then make their own way to Pakistan's tribal territories, hoping to get military training from charismatic leaders.
Sometimes it ends in disappointment and failure.
But officials warn against any complacency. They say just because plots are amateurish that does not stop them posing a serious risk to British lives.
The would-be attackers left the town but were stopped by a traffic police officer on the M1 motorway for having no car insurance.
Days later, when the impounded vehicle was searched, the weapons were found - sparking a manhunt across Birmingham.
Under surveillanceFollowing their arrests, it emerged that Uddin was already known to the police and MI5.
He was an associate of another group of Islamist terrorists, also based in Birmingham, who were jailed last week for planning an attack to rival the 7 July and 9/11 atrocities.
Uddin was under partial counter-terrorism surveillance, and five days before the aborted EDL attack, a West Midlands surveillance officer watched him and another man go to a homewares shop near his home in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham.
Police later established that the man accompanying Uddin was fellow plotter Omar Khan - and that the pair had bought some of the knives eventually found in the car boot.
A second member of the group, Ahmed, had been separately charged with possession of jihadist magazines that included bomb-making instructions. He was on bail at the time of the failed bombing.
Responding to suggestions police could have arrested Uddin earlier, ACC Beale said: "We didn't fail to join the dots.
"We were doing what was right and proportionate at the time."
Five of the men were from Birmingham - Uddin, 27, and Khan, 28, both from Sparkhill, Ahmed, 22 from Saltley, Hasseen, 23 from Tyseley, and Hussain, 24, from Moseley - and one, Saud, 22, was from Smethwick.
All changed their pleas from not guilty on Tuesday via videolink, admitting preparing an act of terrorism between 1 May and 4 July 2012.
Mr Robinson told the BBC he believed the plot was targeted at him personally.
The EDL leader said he had intended to travel to Dewsbury to be part of the rally but had been unable to go at the last minute for family reasons.
A statement from the Birmingham Coalition of Muslim Organisations and Mosques, which says it represents most of the city's 230,000 Muslims, said: "The Muslim community in Birmingham wishes to make one thing absolutely clear: These acts are not carried out in our name."


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Technique - Sew
Placemats for almost every holiday! These fun and festive 15" round place mats include Santa, a snowman and a turkey, and are easy to make. Also great to use for centerpieces and gift-giving!
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Truform Stocking, Below Knee Open Toe Style (Firm) 20-30mm L
1.0 pr
{{productModel.jsonData.ruleMessage.prefix}} {{productModel.jsonData.ruleMessage.link.name}} {{productModel.jsonData.ruleMessage.suffix}}
Ship to you only - {{productModel.rebateText}}
- Relieves tired, aching legs & swelling
- Helps relieve moderate varicose veins
- For sitting/standing over long periodsmore
{{receiveingOptions.inventoryData.pickupAvailableMessage}} {{receiveingOptions.pickupMessage}} {{receiveingOptions.inventoryData.pickUpChargeThresholdMsg}}
In stores Not sold in stores - {{receiveingOptions.inventoryData.pickUpChargeThresholdMsg}}
Not sold in stores
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These medical-grade stockings utilize graduated compression technology to help restore leg health - ideal when sitting or standing for long periods. They help provide relief from tired, aching legs, uncomfortable swelling, moderate varicose veins and other related conditions throughout the day. The open toe design accommodates a variety of foot lengths and allows for easy toe inspection. Knit-in, defined heel pocket provides added durability and easy stocking orientations for a proper fit. Traditional smooth, opaque texture and neutral color helps conceal blemishes.
- Targeted compression for an average ankle size
- Doctor-recommended, therapeutic graduated compression
- Size L fits 9-3/4" - 11" (24.7-28 cm) ankle circumference, 15-1/2" - 18" (39.4-45.7 cm) calf circumference, greater than 15" (38 cm) length to knee
Made in USA
A health care professional should be consulted to evaluate, diagnose and recommend appropriate compression therapy. Fitting: Measure around smallest part of the ankle, and around the widest flare of the calf. Then measure the length of your leg from the heel at the floor to the bend in the knee. For men: Choose an open toe style if your shoe size exceeds the following: Medium - shoe size 11-1/2. Laundering: Wash gently with mild soap or detergent in lukewarm or cold water. Do not wring or twist. Rinse until water is clear. Roll in a towel to remove excess moisture. Dry flat away from heat and sunlight..
� 2012 Truform Leg Health


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UM Athletes Won't Have To Testify About Nevin Shapiro's Gifts As School Pays Back $83,000
Donna Shalala may finally be able to stop worrying about this check from Nevin Shapiro. |
Looks like that's not going to happen. UM has agreed to pay a bankruptcy court $83,000 to settle any illicit Ponzi scheme cash Nevin may have passed on to its players.
The agreement -- which you can read in full below -- likely means that no one will ever be able to compel the 70-plus athletes that allegedly got free stuff from Shapiro to talk under oath.
By paying up now, UM can avoid admitting any guilt and avoid subpoenas.
Here's the statement the school released this morning about the payment:
"The university has agreed to return $83,000 in monies received both directly and indirectly from Capital Investments owner Nevin K. Shapiro.Combined with the recent reinstatement of basketball player DeQuan Cook, whom Shapiro alleged he'd paid $10,000 to join the UM team, Shalala and her athletic department have to be feeling better about their prospects of avoiding major sanctions.
This amount includes payment of $3,000 in penalties levied by the NCAA on 11 current student athletes who received improper benefits from Mr. Shapiro. The agreement was the result of a lengthy negotiation process and brings closure to the university's obligations in the bankruptcy case."
Still, Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, reiterates to The Miami Herald this morning that she believes the settlement is just a fraction of what Shapiro gave to Canes athletes.
"Based on what I know, the settlement is but a footnote in comparison to what Mr. Shapiro provided in the way of benefiting UM," Perez tells the paper.
Here's the full settlement agreement:
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
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As for the natural gas reserves, The New York Times reports that the region holds about 30 percent of the world's undiscovered natural gas, an amount equal to Russia's proven gas reserves, which are the world's largest. But most of the natural gas estimated to be in the Arctic is also in Russia: as the Associated Press reports, the majority of it is concentrated in two Russian provinces.
How much would it cost to extract it?
Pumping oil out of the hot desert is one thing. Pumping it out of the Arctic seabed is another matter altogether. The New York Times's Dot Earth blogger, Andrew Revkin, calls Arctic drilling "ridiculously hard," and he directs readers to a story he wrote in 2004 that highlights the challenges of drilling there.


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The Smart Thing for the U.S.
The Right Thing for the World
Our event, "Neglected Tropical Disease Research in Louisiana: Saving Lives and Creating Jobs," was held in New Orleans. Learn more about the impact of NTDs in Louisiana with these videos that were shown at the event!
Global health research and development is working to improve lives overseas and here at home. Every day, researchers across the country are creating tools to combat killers like HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and neglected tropical diseases. Researchers funded by the public, private and philanthropic sectors; pharmaceutical and biotech companies; medical device manufacturers; and public and private sector partnerships in the U.S. have played a crucial role in developing preventative measures, diagnostics, devices and medicines, but there is still much work to do. The U.S. needs to strengthen its investment in this important research, not only because it saves millions of lives worldwide but because it benefits the health of Americans, spurs new businesses and jobs in the U.S., helps protect our troops on the ground, and promotes global stability and security. Federal funding for global health R&D is the smart thing to do for the U.S. and the right thing to do for the world.
Nice Save Ad Campaign
See how some of these global health R&D investments have paid off, sometimes unexpectedly and in multiple ways, for the advancement of all health. Click on the images at right to learn more about our Nice Save campaign, which highlighted four of these discoveries. Each has made a difference in preventing or combating deadly disease.


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The Vodafone shareholder group Efficient Capital Structures continued to hound the company to drop its 45% share of Verizon Wireless at a shareholder's meeting today. Vodafone's apparently been sinking money into the venture, resulting in fewer dividends to investors, and Verizon's been issuing none whatsoever while dealing with debt.
"Verizon Wireless has been a cash drain for Vodafone, a situation forecast to continue for another eight years unless agreement is reached with Verizon Communications," said ECS in a statement. … ECS also rejected claims by Vodafone that there would be tax implications if the Verizon Wireless holding was spun-off.


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Current Time
user posts + reviews
user review | Hotel
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Posted on: April 2, 2012 at 10:59AM
This is a great opportunity to be the first to review the Fairmont Royal York hotel. I have often stayed at this hotel on my visits to Toronto and would recommend it to anybody. It has plenty of amenities to suit everybody, restaurants, bars, sauna, pool, shops, cafe's. You can ride the "rocket", (subway) to the uptown district without even going outside. There is also the underground shops which stretch for several blocks. This makes the hotel very central even thought it's downtown. The is also Union Station directly opposite, very handy. One fabulous place to stay.
See All Member Reviews see more information, plus our editorial review ›


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Ecologist Eric Berlow doesn't feel overwhelmed when faced with complex systems. He knows that more information can lead to a better, simpler solution. Illustrating the tips and tricks for breaking down big issues, he distills an overwhelming infographic on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan to a few elementary points. (Recorded at TEDGlobal 2010, July 2010 in Oxford, UK. Duration: 3:43)
Watch Eric Berlow's talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find other talks and performances from our archive of 800+ TEDTalks.


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Posted 3 years ago
(507 items)
This is my Maternal Great Grandfather , Maternal Grandmother , my Mom and me . Also stunning wallpaper :-) a beautiful chair my Great Grandfather is sitting in also . 4 generations were not as likely to happen back then as they are today . I have at one point had 5 generations living when my grandson was born . That made the papers . It is becoming more common now. I Cherish this photo .


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Summertime is the perfect season for camping, gardening, hiking, and picnicking, but carries the risk of a tick bite. Read up on the diseases ticks carry, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Summer is the time for hiking, gardening, picnicking, and simply enjoying the great outdoors. It is also prime tick season -- which means increased exposure to the serious infectious diseases they carry. "According to the New York Department of Health, ticks are most active late spring through mid-August," says Lou Paradise, president and chief of research of Topical BioMedics, Inc., Rhinebeck, NY, the makers of the Topricin line of natural pain relief and healing creams. "Now is the time to avoid contact with them and be aware of the symptoms of Lyme and Babesiosis, two dangerous tick-borne illnesses.LymeThe Lyme disease bacterium (Borrelia burgdorfen) is carried by a group of closely related species of ticks known as Ixodes. Ticks in this group include deer ticks, western black-legged ticks, and black-legged ticks. These tiny terrors are small-typically no larger than a poppy seed-and transmit the bacteria when feeding on warm-blooded hosts, including mice, deer, dogs, and humans. The bacteria enter the skin through the bite during feeding and eventually make their way into the bloodstream. Lyme disease is named after the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first diagnosed among a group of the town's residents in the mid 1970s. Since then, Lyme disease has affected a growing number of Americans. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 23,305 cases of Lyme in 2005, and current statistics now estimates that more than 35,000 Americans contract it annually. Some experts believe the number of cases is much higher, and the CDC has gone on record as saying that they believe only 10-12% of Lyme disease cases are actually being reported to them. Most documented cases have occurred in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, with some incidences reported from western states, including Oregon and northern California. The NY Dept. of Health reports that in 60 to 70 percent of Lyme disease cases, the first symptom is a rash that occurs at or near the site of a tick bite and has a round, "bulls-eye" appearance. It can be between 2" and 6" in diameter, and lasts up to five weeks. Other symptoms occur from several days to weeks, months, and even years after a bite. They include "flu-like" symptoms, such as aches and pains in muscles and joints, chills and fever, headache, sore throat, stiff neck, swollen glands, dizziness, and fatigue. Even if these symptoms fade away, untreated Lyme disease may lead to arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, and an irregular heart rhythm. BabesiosisBabesiosis is another infection transmitted by ticks and is caused by a parasite that lives in red blood cells. The babesia microti parasite infects and destroys red blood cells, and the disease-which is a malaria-like illness-can cause hemolytic anemia. Symptoms begin anywhere from five days after a bite or longer, and may include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, nausea, tiredness, and a rash. Unlike Lyme, Babesiosis has been known to be fatal. Therefore diagnosis and treatment should begin as soon as possible after it is contracted. The disease was originally documented off the Massachusetts coast, where it was known as "Nantucket Fever." It is now on the rise and rapidly spreading across the United States. "According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were six cases of Babesiosis here in the Lower Hudson Valley in 2001," says Paradise. "There were 119 cases documented in 2008, which is a 20-fold increase. Clearly, we should all take steps to avoid coming in contact with ticks." Tricky DiagnosisBecause tick bites are usually painless, the incubation period is long, and the symptoms so varied, a tick-borne disease may go unrecognized for weeks or even months. Moreover, these diseases often mimic other conditions-such as the flu, meningitis, or in some instances Multiple Sclerosis -- making it easy for there to be a misdiagnosis. Further complicating matters is the fact that diagnostic tests are not always accurate or conclusive. Test timing is a factor in diagnosis. According to Sally Hojvat, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Microbiology Devices at the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, "It's important to know that blood tests that check for antibodies to the bacterium that causes Lyme disease are not useful if done soon after a tick bite. It takes two to five weeks for initial antibodies to develop."A single tick bite can transmit more than one tick-borne illness-besides Lyme and Babesiosis-such as anaplasmosis, bartonella and tularemia. These co-infections further complicate diagnosis and treatment. Tick-borne disease threat doesn't end when a victim is bitten. There is some history documenting how an individual exposed to these pathogens can pass them through their blood-including from a pregnant woman to her unborn child, and through blood transfusions. In fact, the FDA has reported that over the past 10 years, babesiosis has infected more than 100 Americans via transfusions, and 11 of them have died. Federal regulators are now struggling with how to protect the blood supply because there is currently no efficient test available. Prevension and Defensive MeasuresAvoiding contact with ticks and disease prevention are the first and best lines of defense against tickborne infections. Here are some tips to help keep you and your family safe from these tiny threats. --Ticks and disease are carried by deer, mice, and other common woodland creatures. Keep these uninvited guests away by installing a deer fence and moving brush piles and wood piles (where mice find shelter) and bird feeders (a source of food for rodents) away from your house and play areas.--There are a number of plants you can cultivate around your yard that repel ticks, including lavender, garlic, pennyroyal, pyrethrum (a type of chrysanthemum), sage, American beauty berry, and eucalyptus.--If your lifestyle permits, raising chickens, ducks, and guinea hens will help keep the tick population down as these feathered friends have a voracious appetite for them.--Keep your lawn manicured and avoid walking in wooded, brushy, and grassy areas. When hiking in an overgrown or wooded area, try to stay near the center of the trail. Do not sit on stone walls, where woodland creatures like to live -- and which attract ticks.--Keep in mind that ticks attach easily to bare flesh. When outdoors, protect yourself and your children by wearing long sleeves and long pants, preferably in light colors so you can spot a tick more easily. Wear shoes and socks that you tuck pant legs into or a pair of tall boots.--Your four-legged friend may pick up an unwanted hitchhiker after being outside. Be sure to inspect pets for ticks after they've been outside as they may deliver a tick to you, and they can also become sick with Lyme disease.--After being outdoors, remove clothing and wash and dry at a high temperature as ticks may be lurking inside the folds and creases. Washing alone will not kill ticks-even with bleach -- it's the heat of the dryer that does the trick.--Take a shower or bath within two hours of coming back inside, then perform a whole-body tick check. In the case of Lyme disease, infection from a tick to a human typically takes 30-40hours, so spotting and removing them quickly is an important first defense. (It is uncertain how long it takes for Babesiosis to spread).--If you discover a tick attached to you, carefully remove it. Using tweezers, grasp it close to the skin and pull straight back without twisting or yanking. There are also devices on the market today that are made for effectively and efficiently removing ticks. Avoid pressing or squeezing the tick's belly as it can push bacteria into your body. Similarly, do not use the heat of a match that you light and blow out, or petroleum jelly.After you've removed the tick, disinfect the bite area. Save the tick for possible identification by a doctor or the local health department.Article courtesy of Topical BioMedics, Inc.
More Safety & First Aid Articles
Fire Prevention Week Promotes Working Smoke Alarms Ask the Expert: What Should I Know About Sudden Cardiac Arrest? Ask the Expert: What Should I Know About CPR and CPR Training? Ask the Expert: What are the Booster Seat Requirements for Kids? Ask the Expert: At What Age Can Children Legally Sit in the Front Seat?
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happen is we're gonna play the song and you're gonna sing your heart out. The music is gonna stop. The lyrics are gonna disappear. You're gonna give us three missing lyrics.
Yes, I am.
Alicia, are you ready?
I'm so ready.
All right. Get on your feet. It's time to party. Hit it.
Ready, get on your feet.
You say I know it's a waste of time. There's no use trying. What was so clear is now overcast with mixed emotions. Deep in your heart is the answer. Find it I know it will pull you through. Get on your feet. Get up and take some action. Get on your feet.
[unknown]. Everybody is on their feet. Good job, Alicia.
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BCPO chief's term ends March 11
BACOLOD City Police Office chief Pedrito Escarilla is stepping down from his post as he retires from the Philippine National Police (PNP) service on March 11.
Escarilla, who stayed as BCPO...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
MORE than half of the total private elementary and secondary schools in Central Visayas that have applied for a tuition hike for the next academic year are from Cebu City and the rest of the province.
Seven come from Cebu City, five from Cebu Province, two from Lapu-Lapu City and one each from Mandaue City and Bogo City, or a total of 16 schools from the 30 schools that have applied for the increase, according to Department of Education (DepEd) 7 records yesterday.
"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.
In Bohol, only 12 schools have applied for an increase, while two are from Negros Oriental.
According to the DepEd 7's partial list of schools with confirmed tuition hikes, Lahug Christian School in Lahug, Cebu City will raise tuition at the nursery, kindergarten, preparatory and elementary levels by 10 percent.
Capitol Center SDA Elementary School at the Capitol Site, Cebu City will also impose a 10-percent hike on its elementary enrollees.
The Proverbs Ville Academy in Lapu-Lapu City will implement the 10-percent hike on its pre-school students in June.
Other private grade schools in the rest of the province and in Cebu City are raising fees by less than 10 percent.
In Bohol, the NOCAH Emmanuel Learning Center Incorporated in Valencia, the Holy Trinity School Foundation in Tagbilaran City and the Tubigon Baptist Church Learning Center have been given the go-ahead to raise their tuitions.
DepEd 7 Director Recaredo Borgonia said schools are not allowed to raise tuition by more than 10 percent.
Other schools in Cebu City whose applications have yet to be approved are the University of Southern Philippines Foundation, University of San Carlos, St. Mary's Academy of San Nicolas and the Holy Rosary School of Pardo.
From the Province of Cebu are Cecilia's College, Mary Help of Christians Schools Inc., Mary Queen of the Apostles School of Cebu Inc. all in Minglanilla; Exceed Learning Center in Naga; and the St. Augustine Academy Inc. in Alcantara.
The Royal Child Academy of Naga Inc. in Basak Lapu-Lapu City has also applied for a tuition hike, as well as the Mother Serafina Learning Center in Mandaue City and Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges in Bogo City.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
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EZ2 Lotto 11AM | 05-02 |
EZ2 Lotto 4PM | 28-16 |
EZ2 Lotto 9PM | 17-18 |
Lotto 6/42 | 07-25-12-27-42-33 |


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What does HOLU stand for?
What does HOLU mean? This page is about the various possible meanings of the acronym, abbreviation, shorthand or slang term: HOLU.
We've found a total of 1 definition for HOLU:
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HOLU | Holiday Used |
Still can't find the acronym definition you were looking for? Use our Power Search technology to look for more unique definitions from across the web!
"HOLU." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2015. Web. 4 Mar. 2015. <http://www.abbreviations.com/HOLU>.


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New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
Hello all.
For book typography I've used for years and have become intimate w/ Electra, MFB's Bodoni Book, and several other Linotype digitizations.
Only now getting around to asking (after having excitedly gone to purchase an OT Electra, expecting full ligs to be a part of it), Why on earth do they only feature fi and fl ligatures, whereas their Monotype peers feature full f ligs?
The ff, ffi, and ffl ligs in the metal Electra are very handsome. I'd love to be able to use them still.
Any wisdom much appreciated,
In the old ASCII-8 encoding there was limited room, and Windows sacrificed "ff", "ffi" and "ffl". In turn, MacOS failed to support the thorn and eth for example (so you couldn't set Icelandic). The worse thing about all that wasn't the missing stuff in each OS, it was that although the bottom half of ASCII-8 (basically ASCII-7) was standardized, the upper wasn't. That might have been because Apple needed to sell itself as being typographically savvy (which it no longer bothers with - now it's all about music and movin' pitcherz) and it saw the fancy ligatures as more important than compatibility.
hhp, thanks very much for this.
If I'd like to have access to the complete f ligatures for Electra, would I pay someone to modify an OT version of Electra for me? Pardon the naivete here; I don't know what's possible. For years I've simply kerned the f into the fi and fl ligs, but that's like spray-painting a dead lawn green.
Would very much like to deploy them as I design and set a new book by one of the world's renown authors.
And make WAD happy (wherever he is).
All the best, JC
I thought there would already be a version with the extra ligatures.
If you do need to have those added, there are quite a number of people here who could do it for you. Including yours truly. :-) One thing to work out is the permission to modify Electra. The EULA (licensing agreement) of Monotype -now the owner of Linotype- does not seem to permit it (although we might be able to acquire permission).* There is a work-around however: Adobe happens to sell Linotype Electra, and their EULA does permit modification**... If the copy you have was not purchased from Adobe you might have to buy another copy from them first.
* See point 9 here:
There is however a reference to "permitted modifications" in point 13...
** I once modified Garamond Premier for a client.
If you'd like to discuss this directly: hpapazian at gmail dot com
Parkinson's Electra Pro (from Linotype) has five f-ligatures (ffi fi, ff, fl, and ffl) as well as other opentype features.
Ah, good (and no great shock).
It does however seem different in some respects:
Thanks, HVB and hrant.
I'm either a stubborn a**hole, or too wed to Linotype Electra, but Parkinson's f, lacking that slightly winglike aspect, worries me.
However, given it's current and Parkinson must have factored offset printing into his rethinking of it, I should buy it and try it.
Hrant: I'll email you about custom ligs. This would be ideal, as I've slowly kerned and rekerned (in Quark) my copy of Electra over the years.


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A guide to black pepper, one of the most popular and widely used spices in the world.
Black pepper is probably the most important and popular spice in the whole world. It is added to almost every savoury dish, hot or cold, imparting a sharp and pungent flavour.
Native to southern India, black pepper sparked the start of the spice trade between Asia and Europe and the need for this valuable spice prompted European explorers to travel and trade all over the world.
Black pepper or black peppercorns are obtained from the pepper plant. This plant grows in tropical areas such as India and Southeast Asia to a height of several metres.
The pepper plant
The pepper plant is allowed to grow for a minimum of three years during which time small flowers form, which then develop into berries.
The berries are subsequently picked or harvested, whilst they are still green in colour and unripe, and then dried until they shrivel and turn dark brown or black in colour. The end result is what is known as the peppercorn.
The history of black pepper
Black pepper has a history of at least 4000 years. It is indigenous to India and gradually began to make its way eastwards to Southeast Asia where it is now also cultivated and grown. Some of the major producers of black pepper nowadays are India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China.
Pepper was so valuable for a number of reasons, one of them being its ability to disguise food that was not as fresh as it should have been. It was also used to liven up and give a kick to dishes that were somewhat tasteless and not very appetizing otherwise.
For these reasons and more pepper was not only used as a spice and seasoning for food, it was also a used as a method of payment in exchange for other goods and even to pay taxes, dowries and even rent.
In ancient Greece, pepper was offered to the gods in sacred rituals and was even swapped for gold. Fortunately, nowadays pepper is not that expensive.
The health benefits of black pepper
Black pepper is known to treat and help a number of ailments. The essential oil of black pepper is often added to massage blends and applied to aching or painful joints and muscles, whether the pain is sports related or through arthritic or rheumatic pain.
Black pepper also plays a major role in the metabolism and the digestion of food and it can help to settle the stomach and relieve gas.
Below are other healing qualities that black pepper is known or reputed to have:
Black pepper induces sweating, which consequently cools down the body and relieves feverish symptoms.
Black pepper is useful for those with poor circulation.
It is said to promote mental clarity, which is useful when studying.
It can help clear up colds, viral infections and flu when prepared in a tea.
Black pepper helps to prevent gas and flatulence.
It induces urination, which is good when the kidneys are not functioning properly.
Black pepper is a powerful anti-oxidant.
It is antibacterial, which was useful for meat preservation before the time of refrigerators.
Black pepper helps to break down and digest fats and meat proteins much more easily, as it induces the production of saliva and gastric juices needed for digestion in the stomach.
Black pepper is a good source of manganese and iron, which are important for the body to function correctly.
Components of black pepper are often added to mouthwashes and gargles used to treat sore throats.
Black pepper is a stimulant that can stimulate various parts of the body such as the heart, kidneys, circulation and the stomach.
When foods are eaten with black pepper, the body is able to absorb valuable vitamins and nutrients from the food much easier.
Black pepper has been used to treat fatigue and tiredness.
It stimulates the appetite and has been used to treat anorexics and people with eating disorders.
A strong black pepper and mint tea will help clear chest and lung infections and bring up unwanted mucous and phlegm.
Buying and storing black pepper
Black pepper can be bought either as whole peppercorns or ground pepper. Ground black pepper is not as pungent or flavourful as freshly ground peppercorns and it does not keep for as long either.
One of the reasons why black peppercorns were so valuable centuries ago is because they can be stored for almost indefinitely without losing their quality, taste or aroma.
Dishes always taste better when freshly ground black pepper is added near the end of cooking time or just before serving.
Ideas for using black pepper in the kitchen
Black pepper can be added to almost any savoury dish imaginable but surprisingly, it can also be added to sweet biscuits and cakes in order to spice them up and add a quirky twist.
Here are some more ideas of how to use black pepper in your cooking:
Add to salad dressings with salt, olive oil and cider vinegar.
Add to
, egg
and other cheese and egg dishes.
Black pepper can be added to strawberries or pineapple.
It can be added to soups, stocks, sauces, marinades and stews.
Use to flavour homemade hamburgers, rissoles and sausages.
Use to rub onto meats, poultry and fish before roasting or cooking.
Use to make pepper sauce.
Add to biscuit mixtures for spicy sweet biscuits.
Season seafood with black pepper.
Add to mashed potato.
Use to flavour dips, salsas and cold sauces.
Black Pepper Recipes
A number of recipes that use black pepper as one of the main ingredients. Includes recipes for salmon, chicken and steak.
Chinese-Style Black Pepper Steak
This is a highly seasoned and flavoursome dish that can be prepared in minutes. Serve with rice, noodles or stir-fried vegetables.
1½ lb (680 g) of fillet steak
2 onions
2 tbsp of dry sherry
1 - 2 tbsp of whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of sunflower oil
3-inch piece of fresh root
2 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of sesame oil
First of all the meat needs to be cut into very thin slices. This is best done with a sharp knife.
Slice the onions into thin rings.
Peel the ginger and then grate it finely.
Place the sliced steak and onions with the ginger into a large bowl or dish.
In a separate small bowl mix together the dry sherry, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil.
Pour this mixture over the meat and onions and mix well so that everything is coated with the marinade sauce.
Cover the dish or bowl with cling film and place into the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
Place the peppercorns into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or something heavy. If you have a pestle and mortar, even better.
Remove the meat dish from the fridge and stir in the crushed peppercorns.
Heat the tbsp of sunflower oil in a large wok and once the oil is hot, add the steak and onions.
Stir-fry until the steak is cooked to your preference.
Remove from the wok and serve with stir-fried vegetables, rice or noodles.
Black Pepper Chicken
The chicken breast pieces are marinated in ginger, pepper and garlic, stir-fried, cooked with chillies and lemon juice and finally garnished with coriander.
4 - 6 chicken breasts
7 fl oz (200 ml) of boiling water
2 fresh green chillies
1 finely chopped onion
1 oz (30 g) of chopped
2 crushed cloves of garlic
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tbsp of
olive oil
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 tsp of ground black pepper
1 tsp of ground white pepper
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and set aside in a bowl.
Mix together the garlic, ginger, black pepper, white pepper, pinch of salt and the olive oil.
Add to the chicken pieces and mix well, making sure that each piece of chicken is coated with some of the garlic mixture.
Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan, add the chopped onion and fry for 3 minutes.
Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for about 10 minutes until the chicken has browned and cooked through.
Cut the green chillies in half lengthways and add to the wok together with the boiling water.
Make sure that the water covers the chicken. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
Serve the chicken and sprinkle with the chopped coriander.
Peppered Salmon
The salmon fillets are encrusted with black peppercorns and fried. Serve with a fresh green salad or a light sauce.
4 salmon fillets (6 oz / 170 g each)
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of whole black peppercorns
1 tsp of sea salt
Wash the salmon under running cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Brush the salmon fillets with a little olive oil.
Roughly crush the black peppercorns with a pestle and mortar or by placing them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin or saucepan.
Mix the pepper with the sea salt and brush onto the tops of the salmon fillets.
Refrigerate and allow the flavours to infuse for about an hour.
Heat the remainder of the olive oil in a frying pan and add the salmon fillets once the oil is hot.
Fry on both sides for about 3 minutes on each side.
Remove from the heat and serve.
Pepper Biscuits
These peppery biscuits can seem a bit tricky to make, but they are well worth it.
2 oz (55 g) of caster sugar
1 oz (30 g) of plain flour
1 oz (30 g) of unsalted butter
1 egg white
½ tsp of ground black pepper
vegetable oil
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Grease a baking tray with a little of the vegetable oil.
Melt the butter over a gentle heat and set aside.
Whisk together the egg white, sugar and salt with an electric whisk.
Stir in the flour, melted butter and the ground pepper and mix well until a smooth batter has formed.
Take a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture and drop it onto the baking tray. Spread the out so that it forms a circle with a 4-inch diameter.
Repeat with another teaspoonful of batter and situate alongside the first.
Place into the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until the biscuits are golden at the sides.
Remove from the oven and lift one of the biscuits and curl over a rolling pin and then do the same with the other.
Leave the biscuits in position until they have set but in the meantime prepare the next set of biscuits and place in the oven to bake.
Repeat until all the mixture has been used up and all of the biscuits have set and cooled.
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The McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism invites you to register for the Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide, October 11th to 13th 2007 to be held at the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal.
To register, please click here.
Registration Fees*: (taxes included) $350
The registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks and cocktails.
Registration fees can be paid with credit card through the registration
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A block of rooms at the preferential conference rate of $179 per night,
single or double occupancy (breakfast, taxes and services not included),
has been reserved on a first-come, first-served basis at the Hotel Omni
Mont-Royal. To reserve a room, please contact the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal
and mention "McGill Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide."
Hotel Omni Mont-Royal
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Who thought what of their Indianapolis afternoon...
An all-Ferrari front row for the US Grand Prix, but this time its Rubens Barrichello on pole. Another excellent performance from Takuma Sato, a season-best eighth on the grid for Olivier Panis and a frustrating afternoon for Jarno Trulli. The drivers explain
Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari (1st, 1m 10.223s):
It is great to take pole here at Indy where there were so many Brazilians cheering, I could even hear them in the cockpit. The car has been good all weekend, although I think Michael made a bit more progress than me today. Before pre-qualifying, we made a small change to my car that was an improvement. In the first sector, the car did not feel so good but then it improved in the second sector, which is important, as it is the longest. I think I am driving better now than at any point this season. Although I am naturally a right foot braker, I have been using my left also now and like a footballer who can score with both feet has an advantage, it means my driving has improved. Now I am looking forward to having a great race tomorrow.
Michael Schumacher, Ferrari (2nd, 1m 10.400s):
I cannot complain, because I am on the front row with my team-mate alongside me, so we have to be happy with that. Of course I would prefer to be first, but Rubens has done a better job than me and to be honest I expected to be further back. I lost the lap in the second sector where the car was sliding around too much, especially in a couple of corners, where Rubens obviously found a better solution than me, But that is our strength in that we always push each other and that means we have to give 100% all the time. I will still be aiming for the win tomorrow and I expect an interesting fight between us and also with whoever else comes along.
Takuma Sato, BAR (3rd, 1m 10.601s):
"I'm pleased with third on the grid for tomorrow. It was a shame that we couldn't reach the Ferraris as we were looking good in practice this morning. I'll settle for third and an all-BAR second row is great for the team. It was a little bit gusty out there so maybe our lap time was affected by that. Obviously I have a great opportunity for tomorrow which I intend to make the most of. My first priority is to finish the race but I would really like to finish it at least where I started. I'm really looking good for tomorrow's race and fighting for my first podium."
Jenson Button, BAR (4th, 1m 10.820s):
"I wasn't very happy when I got out of the car but fourth is better than I thought we were going to end up. When Taku did his first run, obviously he was running after me when the circuit was cleaner and he had more wing than me, so we tried that setting and it was pretty awful actually. Loads of oversteer. In hindsight I wish we had kept the car as it was. It's difficult when you are going out third in for the first run to know what to do with the balance, so I thought we would have learnt more about the conditions from Taku's run but obviously we didn't and I had a lot of oversteer. It should be a good race however and it's great that both Taku and I will line up together tomorrow."
Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams (5th, 1m 11.062s):
I am a little bit disappointed with this result, because I believe theres more in the car than fifth position. In my pre-qualifying and qualifying laps the balance of my car wasnt perfect and this cost both Ralf and myself a better grid position. . But all in all I believe we have a good race car and starting from the third row is still promising. I would really like to give all the Colombian fans which have come here to support me, something to cheer about.
Ralf Schumacher, Williams (6th, 1m 11.106s):
It was a decent qualifying, nothing special really, I would say I drove a reasonable lap. It looked a bit better for us in pre-qualifying, but still I had some problems with the balance of my car, which has been the case all weekend. The continuously changing wind and the dust are obviously not helping the situation, but then its the same for everyone. Lets wait and see what the race brings.
Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren (7th, 1m 11.137s):
"We did better than expected as the car has been quite difficult to handle so far this weekend. However we managed to find a good balance and an overall improvement in time for qualifying, which is what it's all about, so overall I'm pleased. It will be a difficult race tomorrow, but we have a strong strategy and will do our best, so hopefully we will be reliable and score some points."
Olivier Panis, Toyota (8th, 1m 11.167s):
"During yesterday's practice sessions, we set a solid base for the weekend gathering valuable data about the tyres. In today's sessions I felt comfortable in the car and my qualifying lap went well. I am quite happy with my starting position for the race and from eighth on the grid, it is certainly a realistic target to score points tomorrow. We are getting the full potential out of the TF104 and everyone continues to do a great job. On the one hand, to be only one tenth from the top five is a shame, but on the other, it shows the positive development of the entire team."
Fernando Alonso, Renault (9th, 1m 11.185s):
"We have improved the car a lot since yesterday, and the engineers have done a great job to give us a much more competitive car. I didn't have any problems on my lap, and made no mistakes; in fact, I am feeling quite confident for tomorrow. I am only starting from ninth, but the times are very close and given our fuel load, I think we are on a good strategy. The tyres are working well, so everything is in place for a strong race."
Mark Webber, Jaguar (10th, 1m 11.286s):
My first practice session this morning was productive and the car was feeling good. The second session was however, cut short when I braked late on corner six and ended up in the gravel. The damage was not too extensive and the team did a great job making the repairs in time for my qualifying session this afternoon. Going into this afternoons qualifying session I was confident that the car was well set-up and balanced. I am really pleased with my qualifying lap. It felt good out there and the car is in good shape. You have to be careful to control your aggression here as pushing too hard only slows you down. The track temperature was also increasing this afternoon and with that the grip was decreasing. The balance in particular is good on the long runs and I am in looking forward to the race. We believe we have a good strategy in place and we are in a points fighting position.
Cristiano da Matta, Toyota (11th, 1m 11.691s):
"I was expecting more from qualifying today based on our performance in the practice. I suffered with less grip than in the previous sessions, which prevented me from attacking as much as I have been able to throughout the weekend. Nevertheless, we have demonstrated more competitiveness at this track than at any other all season, so I remain optimistic for the race."
David Coulthard, McLaren (12th, 1m 12.026s):
"I was reasonable happy with the balance of the car in the first run. We didn't make any changes between sessions, so I was a little bit surprised when the car felt different. I got out of shape in the corners and used more traction control which just soaks up the time. It will be a tough race tomorrow, and a lot will depend on track temperature."
Christian Klien, Jaguar (13th, 1m 12.170s):
I was enjoying my practice sessions this morning and the cars pace was improving all the time. Going into qualifying my car was well set-up and the balance feels good. My first qualifying sector was encouraging and an accurate reflection of the cars pace. My final qualifying was not perhaps as good as I would have liked and slightly slower than the first but I am still pleased with my 13th position. I will be looking to make a good start and given our strategy going into tomorrow I feel that we are in a good situation. I will certainly be doing what I can to score points and I am really excited about competing in my first US race here in Indianapolis tomorrow.
Giancarlo Fisichella, Sauber (14th, 1m 12.470s):
"We suffered with lack of rear-end grip in qualifying, which we expected after yesterday. Although my lap today was not perfect, I know we have a good race strategy. In other races we have had good race pace and proved that we can do well, so I'll be pushing hard again tomorrow."
Felipe Massa, Sauber (15th, 1m 12.721s):
"Considering the performance over the whole weekend I think I had a reasonable lap. The race will be very tough for us, but others have also been and we still scored points in them, which of course is always our goal."
Nick Heidfeld, Jordan (16th, 1m 13.147s):
We have struggled slightly with our car balance here for some reason, although we have improved it over the weekend so far thanks to the engineers hard work. During qualifying it was a little bit difficult as the car was nervous to drive. It has been cooler today which has suited us a bit better than yesterdays conditions and it will be interesting to see what happens in the race tomorrow.
Giorgio Pantano, Jordan (17th, 1m 13.375s):
Im pretty happy with my qualifying although I know I made a little mistake on corners 7 and 8. I had a car problem this morning and lost a little bit of time because of that, which hurts a little bit as I am learning the track and every lap is valuable. Im happy still, because Im not far away from my team mate Nick and thats a promising position for having a good race.
Gianmaria Bruni, Minardi (18th, 1m 14.010s):
"This morning, in the first practice session, we got a good balance in the car, but then in the final session, the car developed a lot of oversteer, possibly because the track temperature went up quite a bit, affecting the grip. In my qualifying run, the first sector was not bad, but then I struggled with traction on the infield section. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the race tomorrow, as we are reasonably close to our nearest rivals in terms of lap times. It should be interesting."
Zsolt Baumgartner, Minardi (19th, 1m 14.812s):
"My best time this morning was good, and it's just a shame I couldn't repeat it this afternoon in qualifying. I made a couple of mistakes on the final run and the car also developed quite a bit of oversteer. I'd like to thank all the guys, who have put in a lot of effort this weekend. I think it's going to be a difficult race tomorrow, but I'll try to reward them with a good result."
Jarno Trulli, Renault (20th, no time):
"Naturally, I'm extremely disappointed. I had trouble exiting the garage because first gear would not engage, and then the car would not change gear properly on my lap; at this time, we think the problem was caused by the steering wheel. Looking ahead, it will be tough race tomorrow but we can still look to score points."


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As bankruptcy-driven disappearances and suicides haunt Wenzhou, we check in with leading China debt expert Victor Shih.
Editor's note: this article is part of our "Cracks in the Wall" series about the challenges facing China's economy.
BOSTON — China's economic miracle is showing signs of faltering. Growth has slowed to 9.1 percent — still a ferocious pace for any normal country, but a relative slump for China. Meanwhile, the government has begun putting the brakes on lending, in an effort to tame inflation and avoid a serious bubble.
But now there's evidence of real economic pain in China. In cities like Wenzhou, entrepreneurs have found themselves mired in debt — so hopelessly that some have gone into hiding or committed suicide.
To put the matter in perspective, we interviewed Dr. Victor Shih. An expert in Chinese politics and economy, Shih has been following the debt situation closely, and was among the first to warn of potential trouble ahead. An associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, Shih holds a Ph.D. in government from Harvard. (The interview has been condensed and edited by GlobalPost.)
GlobalPost: When we spoke over the summer, you warned that the public debt level in China -- including local and central governments, as well as state owned companies — held potentially staggering amounts of debt: between 80 and 150 percent of gross domestic product. At the low end, that's similar to France, which currently has a perfect credit score but is under pressure from ratings agencies. At the high end, it's nearly as bad as Greece. Do you still stand by that assessment, and how have things changed over the past quarter?
Yes, the low end — 80 percent — would be government debt alone. If you include debt that state-owned companies hold that the government is potentially liable for, the number would approach 150 percent of gross domestic product.
There's been a slight improvement lately, in that the rate of increase in lending has slowed down a bit. Local governments are now having trouble borrowing from the banks. On the other hand, they are able to roll over existing debt. So non-performing loans in China remain low, because the central government has instructed banks to allow local governments — and I suspect a lot of state-owned enterprises — to roll over a lot of the existing debt.
Meaning that they get new loans to cover their old loans.
Shih: that's right.
We're hearing that business owners in Wenzhou are committing suicide or going into hiding because they cannot pay their creditors. Many have borrowed from relatives and friends, or used their homes as collateral, so they're in big trouble both financially and socially. One woman who allegedly borrowed $45 million has now vanished. The situation has gotten so bad that Premier Wen Jiaboa recently paid a visit.
Are these debt problems happening elsewhere, and is it the beginning of a bigger problem — like a bursting Chinese credit bubble?
It is a serious problem, but I don't think for the moment that it is a systemic problem. First, informal lending — by private individuals or unregulated credit companies to private companies or individuals — is still relatively small compared to China's entire financial system. And of course, there are different estimates as to how large this informal lending is. It ranges from 5 trillion renminbi to 10 trillion renminbi ($786 billion to $1.52 trillion).
We have to remember that there is as much as 70 trillion renminbi ($11 trillion) in China's banks. Moreover, this kind of lending tends to be relatively local, so while a cross-regional contagion is not impossible, the scale is not likely to be very large.
Is there a point at which rolling over loans will no longer be possible, or is that not a risk, because China — as a centrally-planned economy — can simply print money?
That poses a problem to the economy. Of course when you print money — which not only China but the rest of the world is doing these days as a way to deal with financial difficulties — you can bail out financial institutions. However, China constantly enlarges its monetary base, and that causes persistent inflationary pressure.
So instead of having a steep crash in the financial system, residents and taxpayers in China have to pay for these financial difficulties through an inflation tax