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"Why did you not support McCain in 2000? He would have been a far better president than Bush - again I point to your error in judgement. The McCain of 2008 is not the McCain of 2000. He was not only 8 years younger, but much more of an independent. He has since lost that and is now following the party line, learning much from the Bush/Rove team."McCain of 2000 did not get the nomination. Don't you think he learned a few things and has since changed his campaign decisions? Obama was way over to the left when he started this campaign cycle and now because of pressure from his 300 advisers is trying to move to the center just as Bill Clinton did. All candidates do whatever they have to do to get elected. Sad, but true and a failure of our system. "The question is simple: How much blood and treasure were the lives of Saddam and his two sons worth?"The persons that convinced me to support the war was Bill Clinton and Colin Powell. I figured that Bill was the closet to the problem having been president for 8 years and having to put up with SH and his kids. He may not have waged the war at all, but he most certainly supported the war early on. Colin Powell influenced millions of people to support this war. You can say all you want that Bush lied, but why on earth didn't Powell know this? You can say he was duped but that doesn't make me feel any better. What did he miss seeing? I have gone back and re-read lots of quotes that Powell made prior to the war. He left absolutely no doubt about the WMDs. The crazy thing is that now it is revealed that there were in fact some that did not believe SH had those WMDS. O.k., why then did Powell not believe them? Past history? So your above question depends on events and people that are fortunately no longer with us. I always felt that as bad as SH was, that his kids would be much worse. SH was old school so to speak. I doubt seriously he would ever have joined up with the thugs that eventually took over Iraq before getting booted back to Pakistan. However his kids I believe would have no qualms about hooking up with any group that might benefit the boys. Sadly MicCalifornia, most Americans have thought little about this war. It is sort of like the gas crunch going on. When the price of gas got over 4/gal the sales of the big cars ceased, but now that prices are coming down many Americans are looking for the "deal" and those SUVs will be big sellers again. It is really pointless to harp on the money spent because those numbers are so huge that they can't be comprehended by most voters. People just tune it out because they really feel they have little power to do a darn thing. I personally do not want to pay for more social programs, but if Obama is elected I will see my taxes raised whether I like it or not. You might think the Iraqis have a corrupt government, but frankly ours isn't for the people by the people either.
I've never liked Bush or his dad, however, the media has hounded this guy from the git-go because most of them wanted Gore in office and were exquisitely disappointed that several hundred Florida voters went for Bush instead of Gore in 2000.Clinton sometimes gets credit for an economy that he inherited from Bush I and Reagan. "Clinton's" balanced budget was the result of huge increases in treasury revenue in during the dot.com run-up (remember the NASD at over 5000 in March 2000?) that started coming apart in 2000 -- his last year in office, leaving Bush a recession that was seriously compounded by the effects of 9/11.Not to defend Bush. Although his strategic decisions weren't wrong in the context in which they were made, the combination of incompetent execution (eg, Paul Bremer and Don Rumsfeld in Iraq), an anti-Bush domestic media and a leftist main stream media in EU and we have what we have. The current international (if one owns Freddie or Fannie -- and many non-Americans do) mortgage mess could have and should have been prevented.Obama, however is this generation's reincarnation of Jimmy Carter -- you remember him, the most feckless American President since WWII, in the running for the worst of the entire 20th Century. Carter was elected in 1976 as a result of Nixon's Watergate and -- again -- an American 4th Estate that is mostly left. Same path as Obama's.Obama is a classic liberal-leftist. He's a pragmatist only when he must be, and then usually in service of his attempts to advance himself politically. He's an empty-suit when it comes to any sort of executive or leadership experience. He has none --will have no motivation or ability to stand up to the half-wits Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.My advice is that if McCain doesn't look like a winner in late October, sell all your equities, both domestically and internationally. Obama is a deer in the headlights... as he shows over and over again for those who pay attention. (See Saddleback last weekend, see April 16 debate with Hillary... take away the teleprompter and ask serious question and he pretty much folds.) Obama will be a disaster for the West.
I believe the article contains an error when it says "Mr Obama is a black man in a country that denied black people the vote as recently as 1964". Black men could vote from 1870 and black women from 1920, though not all of them.
Every president from George Washington (1789-1797) to Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) was elected by voters who were exclusively white men with property.
Only in 1870 were non-white men given a voting right.
Only in 1920 were women given a voting right.
Even after 1920, not all adults could vote. A voter had to pay a poll tax to become eligible for voting. This kept most of the poor people out of the system. Every president until and including John Kennedy (1961-1963) was elected by the rich. The poll tax was abolished in 1964.
To all the Kathie10s of the world,
The question is simple: How much blood and treasure were the lives of Saddam and his two sons worth?
If you think 4000 soilders dead and .8 trillion dollars is appropriate and you think Allawi and Maliki are Washington and Jefferson then BRAVO!!!
But the majority of the independents and a chunk of the Republican party think this tragedy should have been avoided.
To GANARASKA THINK TANK:I think life in the US feels more like being on PCP, methamphetamine, and heroin simultaneously. This is a time when opposites exist which shouldn't. However, they do. I am a physician who is looking for work; however, my practice was shut down due to massive federal and state regulations and corporate greed. At the same time, we are not a healthy population and need physicians. The entire population expect to be lied to constantly; hence we are. "Neo-con" is an epithet these days. I've seen it spelled "Neo-CON" as in con-man or convict. However, the population aren't paying much attention to what is happening either. So things get by us.In sum, many of us are not pleased with the choice we have and would like to have a couple of alternatives on the ballot. The primary election system needs to be changed. It's a long, grueling beauty pageant. It's a relic of the 18th Century. We no longer need it. Candidates are analyzed to death, and we hear the same droning drivel for months. Positions taken and abandoned. Enough. Get it over in 3 major primaries in 2 weeks. Then the general. And let us keep the Electoral College lest the cities on each coast determine the outcome.-john
Kathie10,Why did you not support McCain in 2000? He would have been a far better president than Bush - again I point to your error in judgement. The McCain of 2008 is not the McCain of 2000. He was not only 8 years younger, but much more of an independent. He has since lost that and is now following the party line, learning much from the Bush/Rove team.Kathie, once Bush is out of office, you will see a flurry of exposes. They will depict a glad handler who turned over power to others, because he had limited ability to comprehend the issues. You forget President Clinton left the government with a surplus, with a USA that was admired and respected worldwide, and a healthy economy. This was not easy to achieve given the deficit left by Ronald Reagan.The subsequent stock market crash, 9/11, mortgage meltdown are not Bush's creation. But the war is all his, the deficit is his (Clinton managed to work with a Republican majority), the inappropriate hirings (Brown, Meier), changing scientific reports for political reasons, etc. Again, Kathie10, the international community disagrees with you, just as they did when the American public supported Bush in his rush to attack Iraq. And they were right.
An excellent essay that in my opinion captures the essence of Obama mania - a blank screen that allows people to project onto, the desperate need for change, simple slogans that promise change that facilitate the projection of a change agent and a break from plutocracy and vested interests.What is the end game? My guess is he will lose.Why? 1. He has shown his true spots as an opportunist and this is shattering the projections of many of his idealistically motivated support group - he desperately needs this group if he has any chance to win as this article points out2. Ultimately there are too many people who will not vote for a black person when the time comes to put their mark on the voting cardBut it is difficult to be sure because there are at least four possible big events that could unfold between now and election day that could sway things and might even prevent the election from taking place - ie, George Bush enacts existing legislation that allows him to maintain control in a war situation.1. A massive meltdown on Wall street and global financial markets as a number of big financial institutions collapse2. An attack on Iran that is either directly initiated by the Bush Administration or that is initiated by Israel but drags the USA in3. An escalation of Georgia etc. into a full blown NATO vs Russia conflict (world war 3 potential)4. Another terrorist attack on American soil
Rhino - I actually don't think America is thrilled with Obama. I think the youth likes him because of his youth, his swagger that connects more with younger people. His image has nothing to do with his ability to lead, his ideas for America going forward, and frankly how any of his ideas can actually get implemented. Obama started this campaign with a very different tone. It is hard to say who the real Obama is because our political system doesn't allow truth. But it can be reasoned out that in order to pay for a significant increase in social programs for those that Obama feels need that income redistribution, the top wage earners will not be able to do all the supporting. The very rich will remain very rich because they move their money around to get the best deal, pay the least amount of taxes and so the threat of their tax bracket going up will only give their accountants a few more things to think about. Does anybody on this board really think that the Kennedy clan is paying taxes at the highest rate possible with any of their investments? You can bet the farm they are not. The only public "rich" person I have ever heard get pretty darn annoyed when the "rich" were being chastised as evil people was Whoopie Goldberg that explained she worked hard for her money. I personally do not begrudge the rich one single dime of their money because whatever life I made for myself I worked hard also and really never wanted that much. So where I live and what I have I am content with. The liberal left adores Barack because for reason I do not share they feel very guilty about having more than they basically need and want others to give away what they have worked so hard to get. Life is unfair. The people born in 3rd world countries got a really crappy deal and only when we leave this earth will we know why that is so. The extreme left has a penchant for the academic world believing they have all the answers even though they have not ventured out of their classrooms to fight it out in the real world. Barack is one of them. I get that. We can't forget the black community that pretty much supports Barack because he is one of them. The sad fact is though that is a form of racism that is the very thing that has held them back. They aren't supporting Barack for his agenda as much as they are supporting him for the color of his skin. It would be no different than the white community coming out publicly as has the black community for Barack that they will ONLY vote for a white person. How awful is that???? Haven't we already been there????The biggest problem with this particular election is that we have an unregistered 3rd party which is the media. They decided some time ago to give Clinton the boot and back Barack. In doing so they have done all they can to slander McCain and Clinton, hidden secrets that might make the democratic party look very bad, and have literally shoved Barack and his family down our throats. They apparently took their cue from Oprah when she decided that playing fair this time around was not an option and banned all candidates from her show except Barack. Yes, it is her show, but the message is an awful one because it is exclusionary. Every candidate should be treated equally from the media, including the likes of talk show hosts because if we are to declare that America is open to all religions, all political views, all races, we should not be supporting the idea that clamping down on one candidate while extolling the virtues of another is healthy for any a free society.
The article on Senator Obama cover many important issues and challenges he will face is elected the next President of the United States of America. None of us know the future, but a ppray to God if he is elected President of the US, the US Congress (Senators (men and women) and Congressmen/women) will all come into the Whitehouse as "Eagles" and become "True Servant-Leaders" and become "Solution-Managers" and "Solve the Issues:De-regulation (the US industries that were De-regulated in the 70s,80s,and90s are the cause of the US and Global Economy "Meltdown," "Wall Street" have to be regulated, "all Americans" at the age of 18 years must serve in a branch of the military or government service (there will be "no exceptions"),all Americans will be required to "save" a certain percent of their income each year (in CD and saving bonds), and lastly "Social Security Funds" can "only be used for the original purpose (can not use to fund other projects and when a person dies that individual's family will receive at least $200,000 cash death benefit as a minimum. I wish Sen. Obama, his family, his administration, and OUR Country "The United States of America," God's blessings of Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding, Love, Health, Faith, Hope, and Courage to continue to Fight for the Rights, Freedom, and Justice for all Men,Women, and Children on this Global Earth.
Anonymous,Newsweek came out this week with a big article on what Bush did right and other columnists are now coming around. It is all about energy and the safety of this country. History will see Bush as the man who created a democratic nation in the heart of the middle east that has huge oil reserves and will be our ally in this world of every increasing demand for oil.It took too long and if he had listened to McCain earlier about the surge it would have ended sooner.Have you forgotten we were going into a recession after the dotcom bust when Bush took office then 911 happened and seriously affected the economy? Despite those things our unemployment rate was about 5%, historically low (France and Germany are 9%)and now we are paying the price for a lot of foolish people who bought homes they knew they could not afford and criminal behavior of those who talked them into it. The house bubble had to burst. It is not Bushes fault.The economy cycles.History will not see Bush as the boogy man. As for McCain, only one of his crashes was his fault. His planes failed and he was shot down, tortured for five years, refused to be released early unless his comrads could go also and came home a changed man dedicating the rest of his life in the service of his country. He is well liked by the Democrats and has crossed the isle to work with them many times.He did not do anything wrong in the Keating thing. The judge said he used "poor judgement" in having anything at all to do with Keating who was one of his constituants. That was it.John McCain is a much beloved guy in the capital. He is a hero with a lot of life experience.Obama is not up to the job, at least not the most important job in the world. Would you take a sharp car salesman with two years experience and fantastic gift of gab out of the car showroom and make him CEO of General Motors? I think not. That is what the Democrats are asking the voters to do.
All presidential elections in the US are very close and usually too close to call. If Obama has a marginal lead, that could easily be wiped out by racists that can never be detected in polls. If he wants to win, he should beg if he has to, to have Clinton with him. Not to do so is arrogance and defeat. That would be tragic, we don't need another shallow right wing president.
I'm a Canadian, a mouse living next door to an elephant, a somewhat unpredictable and I think at times psychotic pachaderm.
Canadians are profoundly effected by anything that happens to that elephant.
Obama represents at least an attempt on the part of the electorate to persuade that elephant to change direction, but the neocon ideology is so much a part of the American political character that great change is unlikely, unless:
The citizenry of the United States is deluded, living an unrealistic life, much like those of us in neighbouring Canada.
The general populous has'nt suffered, has'nt seen catastrophic personal loss or been forced to pay great sums of tax money to overcome problems.
Nine-eleven, while it shattered the US allusion of untouchability, isolated by two oceans, in itself saw the destruction of only two buildings and the loss of three thousand lives. Compare this to Coventry in WW11 or Dresden.
Americans have no idea of the terror of real devestation.
Therefore the US and many Canadian residents have no idea of how bad conditions can become in warfare.
Even if we provide some troops, real war happens somewhere overthere.
Therefore, with liberal doses of jingoistic hero worship and gun adulation as exemplified by the rantings of the National Rifle Association, expect no appetite for real change even if Obama is elected.
Too bad - American and the world tragically needs change.
To Kathie10 who is so worried about Barrack Obama as president. Who do you think is president right now - the man you helped put into office? You should have been so afraid in 2000/2004. You picked a man who started a war which has killed so many young Americans and so many innocent Iraquis. Please, please reflect upon your judgement. What went wrong back in 2000/2004 when you thought Bush was so right? Learn from that mistake. The problem is not Obama, the problem is how you are making choices.
So what would a McCain presidency be like? Shouldn't we be as informed about McCain's stance on issues and what sort of president he would be? After complaining about Obama fatigue, why is the media (Economist) writing so much about Obama and so little about McCain? Obama gave you a week to focus on McCain and yet you choose to ignore him? Is it perhaps because he is a bit dull and his speeches all the same old speeches? Just think how exciting your magazine will be if McCain is president.
Folks, experience does not equal qualification. George Bush had business experience: they failed. He had leadership experience: in a job largely considered to be a figurehead. He has a MBA: and turned record surpluses into record deficits in record time.No indeed, experience < /> qualification.McCain claims the "values" high ground: yet cheated on his wife and divorced her. He has military experience: crashing planes and getting put in prison. He has business experience: in the Keating 5 scandal. He claims to be ignorant of economics in a time when the economy is in the forefront of the minds of the citizenry. He loses his temper, swearing profanities in public at both his wife and colleagues. He confuses Shia with Sunni, Iraq with Afghanistan, Somalia with Sudan. Obama is no saint, no messiah, no panacea. But he is a very smart man, very organized, and very inspirational (check out the numbers of his volunteer army). He knows how to listen, how to correct course based on new information, and how to surround himself with smart advisors. His policies are sketched out in at least as much specificity as McCain's (check the website).Neither candidate is perfect. And neither has executive experience. But Obama is pretty darn strong, and much more capable of learning on the job than the man he will likely replace.
I have never been more worried about a candidate for President than I am about Obama, who is the most unqualified person in recent history to be the Democratic choice. He has no management experience at all, is a Jr. Senator with two years in the Senate where he did nothing, and has a shady history in Chicago politics. He is the most liberal person in the Senate putting him at odds with mainstream Americans.He may be smart but is very arrogant with tendencies toward grandiosity and when qustioned without a script can't even answer what his core beliefs are. This guy is a creation of the media with a gift for making grand speeches. He is better suited to be pastor of a large church not the leader of the free world.Can you imagine how pleased Putin would be to have this guy win?He is a vapor thin shadow compared to the courage and long history of McCain's service for his country. These are very tough times in the world and we need someone very strong and experienced to stand up for and lead this great country.
I agree with others here who say that they don't expect Obama to win. His "qualifications" seem mostly to be about style, not substance. And, even worse, his fans seem enamored of what he's NOT: NOT old, NOT white, NOT Clinton, NOT Bush. All of that is tremendously exhilarating to those who are in a funk, but you can't vote against past disappointments by voting for Obama. The Democrats will be asking people to vote for a man who has virtually no experience that would recommend him for this position. That was the same thing they did in 2004, putting up a senator (and ex-war protester who went on to invoke his "war record" ad nauseum) with decades of time in the Senate without a single significant bill to his name. I'm no fan of John McCain, but I can't see people overlooking his gravitas in favor of a pretty boy like Obama. Personally, it's still that "bitter clingers" remark in a townhall meeting that turned me off Obama. That wasn't a faux pas or a slip of the tongue: it reflected how he really feels about rural and/or lower middle class Americans. It's unbelievably snobbish, and I can't see electing such an elitist bigot to office.
John McCain was born into privilege, the son of an admiral, he barely got through Annapolis, barely passed his flying tests (crashed 3 planes), but his father put him on an aircraft carrier. Not to deny him his government service, the government has served McCain pretty well; he has never had to worry about health insurance, job security or the GDP. Now he is an extraordinarily rich man, with a private jet and many homes. As far as scandals go, he was directly involved with a savings and loan scandal that cost old people their life savings. I don't believe Obama was ever involved with Rezko's shenanigans. Given the choice between thoughtful judgment and simplistic judgment, I'll take the former. We cannot afford Iraq; we cannot afford to lose in Afghanistan; we can't afford a missile defense system that doesn't work; we can't afford to start a new cold war with Russia. We need new approaches to energy and more jobs here at home. FDR knew what to do; he made government work for people, and Wall Street benefitted. Obama needs to make government work for people. Wall Street can coast on its bloated profits for a while.
Obama is a politician. Politicians are elected by the people to serve the best interests of his/her constituents. Obama was so fearful of making decisions that he voted "Present" 130 times in Illinois, instead of doing his job of "Yes" or "No."Was this ignorance or apathy?I am an American veteran of WWll, and my country needs someonewith experience and courage as its leader...not a coward who has no convictions, nor guts enough to say yes or no to the laws which affect the very people who trusted him to represent them.J. E. Masquelier
It would be interesting to see an index of GDP growth/efficiency vs. religious influence on politics.Somehow the USA over the last decade and Italy since - ooh a few hundred years - may show the advantage of separating church and state along the lines of "render unto Ceasar..."
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These bold red posters aren't just propaganda, but also a warning of how the top 1% of the wealthy may be looking down upon the rest of us: the so called 99%. The poster above is especially ominous; will we as a global community be able to stay steadfast and sway the giant that controls the majority of our world resources and wealth? Find out more about Fro, the Los Angeles based designer behind these posters or order prints at frodesignco.com.
See Also DRAWING ON WORLD ISSUES: THESE MAKE YOU THINK
Via: designlov.com

subset: commoncrawl


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GRANITE CITY, Il (KMOV.com) --In the wake of a spate of school shootings, the Madison County Sheriff's Department plans to evaluate more than a dozen schools in the county to make sure they're prepared for a crisis.
The superintendent for the Granite City School District, Dr. Harry Briggs says administrators have a close relationship with the local police department. Briggs also says all of the district's buildings have lockdown capacity and the high school has a $500,000 security camera system.
However, the superintendent says more needs to be done, starting with more school resource officers.
According to Briggs, the district has two resource officers, but the cost of adding more is prohibitive. He hoped help will come from the federal level
"That's hopefully what the obama administration will do," Briggs said. "Years ago when we instituted a resource officer program in schools, we had funding from the state, and from the federal government. And I'm hopeful that some of that will come back. I think certainly, in light of what's happened that it's needed."
In the meantime, the Sheriff's Department is offering building walk-throughs that would allow officers to evaluate facilities and make recommendations to increase student safety.


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CHC helicopters halts some North Sea flights after ditching
The operators of a helicopter which ditched in the North Sea south of Shetland have suspended operations using aircraft of the same type.
All 19 people on board the Super Puma EC 225, part of the CHC Helicopters fleet, were rescued safely.
The incident happened off Fair Isle, about 32 miles south of Shetland, and the alarm was raised at about 15:30.
The helicopter had been heading to the West Phoenix drilling rig, west of Shetland.
A spokesman for CHC Helicopters said: "All 17 passengers and two crew have been picked up by the standby vessel Nord Nightingale following the controlled ditching."
He added: "All 19 people on board are safe and well.
"CHC's primary objective is always the safety of our passengers and crew, and our pilots' actions today are consistent with that.
Today's ditching, involving a Super Puma EC 225, is the fourth serious incident involving this type of helicopter in the North Sea in the past four years.
In May all 14 people on board a Super Puma EC 225 were rescued when their helicopter came down around 30 miles off the coast of Aberdeen during a flight to an oil rig.
In April 2009, disaster struck a different model of the Super Puma aircraft, an older AS 332 L2. It was returning from BP's Miller oil platform when it suffered a catastrophic gearbox failure and crashed off Peterhead, killing all 16 people on board: two pilots and 14 oil workers.
In February 2009, a Super Puma EC 225 ditched in fog a short distance from a BP oil platform in the ETAP field, 125 miles (200km) east of Aberdeen. All 18 people on board survived. Crew error and a faulty alert system were blamed.
"The flight was being operated on behalf of Total."
Those on board the helicopter have praised the pilots for the way they handled the incident.
Passenger Michael Mashford said: "It's strange because yes, I was afraid, but all the training that we do kicked in.
"Everybody was very very calm. One of the guys that's normally one of our rescue guys, he's very cool, calm and collected and he kept people calm and we did everything that's expected of us.
"We all got into the rafts, got away from the helicopter. No problems at all."
Nick Mair, regional vice president of western North Sea at CHC, said: "Plans are under way for the recovery of the aircraft.
"We are temporarily holding flights using the same type of EC225 aircraft pending receipt or confirmation of certain information from the crew involved in today's incident and technical follow-up."
In May, all 14 people on board a Super Puma EC 225 were rescued when their helicopter came down around 30 miles off the coast of Aberdeen during a flight to an oil rig.
Jake Molloy, from the RMT union, said: "Coming so soon after another ditching, and culminating in four incidents in the space a little over three years, it's bound to cause a bit of concern on the ground.
"I think what's absolutely vital now is to get communications out to reassure the workforce and their families, that their means of transportation to and from their work is safe."
Survival trainingBob Lauder, industry body Oil and Gas UK's health and safety policy manager, said: "Oil and Gas UK is pleased to hear that all 19 people on board this helicopter have been successfully rescued.
"This is testament to the skill of the pilots, as well as the comprehensive survival training which all offshore workers must undergo to prepare them for this type of situation.
"We now await more information on the cause of this incident."
Balpa, the union which represents professional pilots, praised the actions of the helicopter crew.
A spokesman said: "Today's incident again highlights the importance of trained flight crew. We are in contact with the two members concerned to offer them our full support.
"It appears that the pilots performed a controlled ditching into the North Sea which is an extremely challenging manoeuvre.
"The ultimate aim of a ditching is to ensure that all the passengers and crew get to safety, which is exactly what has happened in this case."


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Condo, 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath (Sleeps 2)
This 1 bedroom 1 bath condo is a quiet, clean, comfortable place to stay within a gated community. There is a King sie bed, a terrace off the bedroom facing the pool/spa and early morning sun. A terrace off the front facing the afternoon sun and offers mountain views of the San Jactinto and San Andreas. Everything you need is in the unit...all you need to do is come to the desert!!! 5 minutes from the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 10 minutes from the downtown shopping and restaurants. You are minutes to many golf courses...Taquitz Creek, Indian Canyon, Cimmaron and Escena public golf courses. 30 minutes away from the world class shopping of El Paseo and The River...and...lady luck....20 minutes around the corner...Agua Caliente, Fantasy Springs, The Spa Resort Casino and Morongo Casino 30 minutes away. Our rate is $l700 per month plus a cleaning fee of $100 and a $500 refundable deposit. No smoking, no pets. To confirm a reservation, please call...
* Hiking
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* Health/Beauty Spa
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Bringing style to Old Town Scottsdale, Derby Public House is the latest venue to arrive on Saddlebag Trail. Where modern vintage aesthetics meets a fun loving ambiance, high quality and whimsical dishes are offered with a hearty supply of specialty drinks and cocktails along with our long line of draft beers on tap. Eat. Drink. Get lucky. Welcome to the Derby Public House.
Derby Public House
4420 N. Saddle Bag Trail
Scottsdale, AZ 85251


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Chocolate Wasted Ice Cream & Treats Truck Hits the Houston Streets Friday
Remember when you were a kid and would hear the jingle of the ice cream truck coming down the street? Photo courtesy Olivia Luisa Garcia Chocolate Wasted Ice Cream & Treats will open for business Friday, August 22.
Nowadays, we tend to get our ice cream and popsicles from either the grocery store or one of the various ice cream shops around town. Yes, these are great, but what happened to the right to your neighborhood experience that traditional ice cream trucks provided? And again, that jingle?
A new updated version is about to hit the streets of Houston. Susan Sahwani-Garcia, owner of Chocolate Wasted Ice Cream & Treats, originally wanted to open a homemade ice cream mobile eatery, but as she began developing her project and realized how expensive that would be, she decided to start her business as a traditional ice cream truck selling all the classic treats and local products.
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Ultra in Cape Town sets the tempo
Kristan Wood
Ultra South Africa was held in Cape Town last weekend and with some of the best local talent in the electronic dance music scene playing the event, it has set the bar high for 2015. -
Your #lovecapetown weekend: What's on from Friday 27 February to Sunday 1 March, 2015
Rob Peters
Another busy weekend coming up in the Mother City with exhibitions, harvest festivals and live music on offer. Take a look at some of the top picks for this #lovecapetown weekend! -
Cheer on the riders of the Cape Town Cycle Tour
The Cape Town Cycle Tour (previously Cape Argus Cycle Tour) is one of Cape Town's biggest sporting events and attracts visitors from around the world as both participant and spectator. This 109 km the largest timed cycling event in the world and we're super proud to be able to host it. If you would like to feel the festive buzz of the race, why not head out to one of the spectator points listed below and cheer on all the cyclists? We're pretty sure they'd appreciate the support! -
Six reasons to visit Design Indaba Expo in Cape Town
Rob Peters
The Annual Design Indaba Expo in Cape Town is South Africa's premier showcase of high-end African design, with exhibits from all of the design sectors under one roof. This year will undoubtedly reveal a fresh new wave of talent and design excellence with a number of new exhibitors. We bring you six reasons why you HAVE to visit the expo this year.
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Future Cape Town: Regenerative, connected, strong and diverse
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Phase control of absorption, dispersion and gain of weak signal field in erbium doped optical fiber
- Indranil Bayal,
- Bibhas Kr Dutta,
- Pradipta Panchadhyayee,
- Prasanta Kr Mahapatra
- … show all 4 hide
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We have studied the optical response of a weak signal field in a three-level quantum system consisting of the energy levels of Er3 + ions doped in ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF (ZBLAN) fiber material. It has been shown that absorption and gain can be significantly modified by changing the conditions of phase-coherence induced in the system by the resonant fields. The role of broad-band incoherent pumping on gain equalization is investigated. Our results highlight gain leveling over a substantial range of frequencies at a particular condition of dynamically induced phase-coherence. On controlling phase-coherence, the propagation of signal field can be achieved either in subluminal or in superluminal regime.
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- Title
- Phase control of absorption, dispersion and gain of weak signal field in erbium doped optical fiber
- Journal
Journal of Optics
Volume 41, Issue 4 , pp 235-242
- Cover Date
- 2012-12-01
- 10.1007/s12596-012-0087-8
- Print ISSN
- 0972-8821
- Online ISSN
- 0974-6900
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Additional Links
- Topics
- Keywords
- Induced phase-coherence
- Absorption
- Dispersion with subluminality and superluminality
- Gain without population inversion
- Gain leveling
- Authors
- Indranil Bayal (1)
- Bibhas Kr Dutta (2)
- Pradipta Panchadhyayee (3)
- Prasanta Kr Mahapatra (1) (4)
- Author Affiliations
- 1. Department of Physics and Technophysics, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, 721 102, W. B., India
- 2. Department of Physics, J. K. College, Purulia, 723 101, W. B., India
- 3. Department of Physics, P. K. College, Contai, Purba Medinipur, 721 401, W. B., India
- 4. West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, 700 064, W. B., India


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Generally, they begin as an irritation to the dog's skin, such as a flea bite or a moist area where bacteria can gather. This creates an inflammatory response at the site, which leads to redness and itching. The real problem with hot spots is that they itch so much, they can drive a dog to self mutilate by scratching or biting at the irritation. A small insect bite can dramatically change into a large oozing and painful wound several inches wide in as little as six hours.
If your dog has a hot spot now Treatment must be directed at stopping the growth of the hot spot and eliminating the cause. In many dogs the initial cause is fleas or allergies, but lesions below the ear may indicate an ear infection, those near the hip may be related to an anal gland infection, and so on. Whatever the cause, if it can be detected, it must be treated while the hot spot is being treated.
Step by step: first aid Since hot spots can get serious very fast, you should have your dog see a veterinarian as soon as possible. While you are waiting to bring your dog to the veterinarian, you can do some things to make your dog more comfortable:
Clip the hair over and up to about an inch surrounding the skin lesion to allow air to get to the inflamed tissue and also to make it easier to treat.
Clean the area gently with a non-irritating shampoo, such as our Septi-Soothe® Shampoo or Itch Stop Shampoo. Rinse, and dry thoroughly but gently.
Make sure your dog leaves the lesion alone. This may mean the use of a cone collar (an Elizabethan collar) so your dog cannot bite at the hot spot. Or, clip his nails and put socks on his feet to prevent him from scratching it.
What your veterinarian will do Your veterinarian will examine your dog and look for possible causes. Tests may include skin scrapings to check for mites and other parasites, and cultures for ringworm. Your veterinarian may suggest a drying agent such as Burows Solution. If the hot spot is very painful, your dog may need to be under sedation while the area is clipped and cleansed. Your veterinarian may also prescribe an oral antibiotic and medication for the pain and inflammation. He will also help diagnose the cause of the hot spot and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Prevention Preventing this problem is not that difficult if the underlying cause can be found. Many dogs that have repeated problems with hot spots can have the incidence greatly reduced by keeping their hair clipped short during the summer, giving them frequent medicated baths, and reducing the underlying problem through flea control, allergy management, and other preventive measures. Our recommendation for flea control is a topical flea preventive, such as Bio Spot® SPOT ON® for Dogs or K9 Advantix® II products. Allergies should be kept under control according to your veterinarian's recommendations. Nutritional supplements we recommend include a combination of Vitacaps, Biotin, and the topical Itch Stop. Depending on the location of the hot spot, cleaning the ears regularly and expressing the anal glands as needed may also be beneficial.


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Client Results
Excellent and Compassionate Team!
My 82 year old mother needed to sell her home of fifty years. It was a heart breaking and emotional time. Helen and her team were extremely sensitive and navigated the situation with efficiency and grace. Not only did they get us a great price for the property, but they made the process of selling painless. "The Keit Team" are excellent Real Estate agents but more than that, they are compassionate. That's the best endorsement.
Pat Troy - Fresh Meadows
Satisfied Seller
I want to thank you and your firm for selling our home. This was the easiest closing I have been a part of because of your expert knowledge of the field, marketing analysis, and ability to dot every i and cross every T. Your work ethic and integrity was superb, as well as your patience in dealing with all the parties/personalities
Thank you
Satisfied Sellers!!!
Dear Helen,
We are all delighted the deal worked out so well and thank you for your help.
And we'll certainly remember to call you with any referrals or for ourselves if we want to look around somewhere.
All the best,
Amy and John - Howard Beach
Happy Sellers
Your professionalism, courtesy and thoughtfulness made for a speedy sale. We would like to thank for all the extras and time spent with us.
You and your team are excellent! Here's hoping we can send referrals your way.
Wishing you the best,
Marisa and Joseph - Ozone Park
Marisa and Joe - Ozone Park
Please accept my gratitude for a job "well done"! You made the entire process painless for me in selling my Mom's Co-op in such a short time period. Without your extra help and hard work, I'm not sure how I would have accomplished this effort, especially since I live in Connecticut! The rest of your team, especially Ross Keit, is also to be complimented. My overall experience in this real estate transaction was extremely positive, and I greatly appreciate the professionalism employed by The Keit Team.
Best regards,
Marty K. - Whitestone, NY
Marty K. - Whitestone
Expression of Gratitude
Dear Helen and Ross -
I want to express my gratitude for your help in the recent sale of my coop in forest Hills. I have sold property in many places around the country but have never had such an efficient, easy sale. The advice I received from Helen and Ross was accurate and the rapid sale speaks for itself. They helped me prepare the unit for sale, connected me with a painting contractor, clean-out company, closing attorney and assisted at every turn. I found them easy to reach, always willing to listen and help, very professional, and knowledgeable at every step of the process. I highly recommend them without reservation.
Ray E. - Forest Hills
Exceptional Work!!!
Hi Helen and the Keit Team,
My family and I just wanted to express our gratitude to you and your team for their exceptional work in getting our house sold. You have allowed us to move on to the next chapter in our lives, seamlessly. Thank you to Ross and everyone else who contributed to the professionalism at Keller Williams that made every interaction pleasurable.
Good Luck to you and I will gladly do business with the Keit Team again.
Peter & Suzan Grassi - Flushing
Peter and Suzan Grassi
Happy Seller
Dear Helen and Ross, When we embarked on the journey to sell the house we had lived in for over 30 years, it was with great trepidation. We knew we had a lot of cleaning up to do and lots of stuff to get rid of. Also, living in Vermont and Florida made it hard to be there for each step. You made it so easy for us. First, your expertise was crucial in setting the right price to sell and what to do and what not to do in the house. You were ready with a person to clean out our mess and Ross was there to see that all went well. When the weather report said a cold spell was coming, Ross was there to check on our oil burner. It was a good thing that he was proactive. We did indeed have a problem. Again, Ross was there to have it fixed. At every turn, when my son arrived late without a key, when our friends needed a place during Hurricane Irene, when our meters needed to be read,Ross was there. I can't thank you enough for taking care of all the details so carefully. A great weight has been lifted from our shoulders and we are very grateful. Above all, however, the two of you are such nice people that it was a pleasure to work with you. I will gladly recommend you to anyone selling a home. Thanks again, JudyJudy I. - Bayside
Happy Seller
Hi Ross,
Thank you for your professional service of helping me to sell my house at Flushing, New York City. I was a pleasure to work with you. If I know any of my friends and relatives are going to sell their property, I will highly recommend you to them.
Once again, you did prefect, professional and excellent job on selling my house.
Mr. Li - Flushing
Job Well Done!!!
Please accept my thanks for
a job well done. The process of selling today is so difficult but with your
experience and guidance we were able to close on our house. Thank you again for
your help and patience and be assured I would recommend you and your company. –
Elise Johmann – Long Island City
Elise Johmann - Long Island City
Successful Short Sale!
Eamon has been worth his weight in gold in helping with the completion of this sale - which seemed like an impossible task. Thanks for all your guidance and knowledgeRobert - Woodside
First Time Home Seller
Thank you Eamonn! You were professional, responsive, well-informed and a joy to work with throughout. Thank you for helping us to sell our first home and for always being cool under pressure. We will be certain to refer you to anyone looking for a place in the area or beyond.Sowon and Jeremy Sawyer - Woodside
Satisfied Buyers
We wanted to thank you for the job you did in helping us purchase our home. The entire process went so smoothly thanks to your guidance and support. Your team was very responsive in addressing any question or concern we had, no matter how small. That gave us a lot of comfort throughout what can be a stressful process. You were extremely instrumental in making sure everyone involved in the process remained on track to close on time. Thanks for recommending Quontic Bank as our mortgage lender. We were so pleased that we were able to close the deal within 30 days, which is unheard of with most mortgage lenders.
Michelle & Scott Gilbert
Michelle & Scott Gilbert - Little Neck
Satisfied Sellers
Thank you again for all that you and your team did on our behalf throughout the process of selling our home. From the moment we met with you at our dining room table to discuss the possibility of working with you, we were so profoundly impressed by your expertise, your thoroughness, and your honesty. You are truly a pro! We really enjoyed working with you, and we very much appreciate your honesty and your expertise.
Peter and Laurel West - Bayside
Peter and Laurel West - Hollis Hills
Great Job!!!
I just wanted to take time to thank Ross Keit of Keller Williams Realty. As a first time home buyer, he did a great job guiding me through the purchase of my coop. He was extremely professional and very knowledgeable. I couldn't ask for anything more than what he did for me. Thanks again for all your help and I would be sure to recommend him to anyone I know who is looking to buy or sell.
Phillip aboboutros - Bayside
Impressed Seller!!!
Now that my closing has
passed I wanted to thank you for your help. Your guidance and intel of
what you have been seeing in the current housing market really helped and I
truly believe maximized the sale of my apartment. Selling your home is
very nerve racking experience, especially when you are selling out of state due
to my job relocation. Your over communication was very appreciated and helped
ease my nerves. Whenever I called or emailed I received a response
with-in minutes. I used your services when I initially purchased my
apartment and then again when I sold it. I just wanted to thank you for
your hard work, guidance, etc throughout the process and I will recommend you
to friends and family...hopefully sometime soon when I move back home to NY as
well. I wish you the best of luck.
Jared S. - Great Neck
Great Job!!!
"It was a pleasure working with Ross and his team. He got our apartment sold quickly and did a superb marketing job. He was always available,very professional, and worked hard to negotiate us a great deal...smooth transaction start to finish."Nic C. - Kew Gardens
Happy Sellers!!!
Helen - Both Linda and I would like to express our sincere thanks to you and your wonderful team, for walking us through the process of selling, not only our home but also our Mom and Dad's home. At first it seemed like a monumental task, but you sat down with us, and re-assured us that everything would be fine.You guided us from the listing process, to the closing process in your kind, gentle, and experienced manner. Your experience with elder care also eased my elderly Mom and Dad out of their home of 40 years, and into their brand new residence.
Looking back on the whole experience, it went so well due to your complete understanding of what is needed to make the move painless.
Thanks so much, not only from us, but from my 89 year old Dad and 87 year old Mom,
Linda and Bob A. - Flushing
Happy Seller
Hi Helen – thank you for helping me sell my Aunt's house. I knew when Jon gave his recommendation that I would be in good hands. This past year has been overwhelming and you made my responsibility a little easier.
Grateful Seller
Thanks for all you did to help me sell the coop. I am certainly happy that Betty gave me your name. I did not realize all the work the listing agent does. At least what you did for me. Do stop to visit when you are in Connecticut visiting family.
Julie - Sunnyside
Happy Seller!!!
We could not recommend Helen and Ross more! After my father's death we had to sell my parent's house quickly due to health issues with my mom. I lived out of state and was in the process of selling my own house in Texas and buying a house in PA to care for my mom. Needless to say it was a very stressful period! Helen and Ross were able to get us a quick sale and they were in constant communication with my brother and I. They were both professional and compassionate during this entire process! Thank you again Helen and Ross!
Donna Farrell - Whitestone
First Time Home Buyer
It was my first time buying a home and I lucked out finding a real estate agent that was capable of being on top of my every request. Ross was with me through the entire process educating me and giving me honest advice that helped me find a great home for a good price. I never felt he took advantage of trying to make more money out of me through commission rather he helped me make decisions based on what was better for me. Anything I asked of him he took care of right away which was what I appreciated the most. Even in his busy schedule, his attentiveness made me feel like I was his only client. From the start of the search to the closing he made himself available to be there. I would highly recommend Ross Keit to anyone looking to buy or sell and definitely plan on doing so.
Carol L. - Douglaston
Extremely Satisfied Client
My experience with you
and the Keller Williams Realty firm was nothing short of spectacular.
From the beginning of
the process of selling my home you were professional, knowledgeable, kind
and effective. My home was viewed by many people on your website and the
traffic of people coming to view the house was great.
You and your firm made
the process of selling my childhood home easy as A-B-C. You will
definitely be my first choice for any future real estate transactions that I
may need in the future. I will also be recommending your services to all
of my friends that are in need of a Realtor.
I am glad we met. It
was absolutely the best decision!
Thanks again!
Mark M. - East Elmhurst
Grateful Seller
They always make you feel like you are their only client, responding to e-mails and phone calls quickly and efficiently, no matter how busy they were.
Always pleasant, they worked very easily with us every step of the way to make sure that everything went as smoothly as possible from listing to closing. They fulfilled every promise, always doing what they said they would do.
Paula A. - Bayside
Satisfied Seller
Bob Marsilio
Happy Seller
Glenn Staub - Seller
Satisfied Buyer
Helen and Ross,
Thank you for your help in the purchase of our home. The entire process went so smoothly thanks to you. You showed the utmost in professionalism and were always responsive and helpful at every step of the process. Ross was tremendously helpful in terms of coordinating the inspection and other tasks that needed to be done before closing. We were able to close in just over one month thanks to your dedicated efforts, and would recommend you wholeheartedly to anyone looking to buy or sell.
Best regards,
Jason K. - Bayside
Satisfied Seller
Helen, we could not ask for a better realtor! You made a very difficult and intimidating experience very easy. The Keit Team demonstrated professionalism and attention to detail that made the process seamless – everything from listing the property to reviewing inspection reports and all the way to closing was so well managed! Ross took the time to explain everything, and he did so very clearly and with obvious insight, that revealed to me how much knowledge, as well as hard work, they knew about the real estate market. The Keit Team is one of the most impressive real estate professionals I have had the pleasure of working with.
Kind Regards
Keisha Newell
Keisha Newell - Laurelton
Satisfied Relocation Seller
"The Keit Team at Keller Williams Realty Landmark are dedicated professionals following through the process from beginning to end using all the marketing methods at their disposal, resolving situations quickly, and making one of the aspects of my relocation process as hands-off as one can possibly hope for. I highly recommend The Keit Team at Keller Williams Realty Landmark for anyone who needs one aspect of their relocation process to be worry-free!"Louis Lovas - Rego Park
Satisfied Seller
"From our very first meeting with Ross Keit of Keller Williams Realty Landmark, we knew we had found the right person to help with the sale of our co-op. Mr. Keit is an excellent listener who immediately understood our needs and concerns. He has superb communications skills and his follow-through was consistently excellent. Having had an awful experience with another realtor regarding this sale, Ross was a breath of fresh air. From start to finish, we were able to close on our co-op in four months – amazing! Ross is a pleasure to work with and we are incredibly grateful for his assistance.
Marilyn, Flushing
Seller's Great Experience!
This was our first experience selling a house. The level of care and professionalism of the Keit
Team was astounding. I knew we were in great hands from start to finish. All potential buyers were
screened and appointments made at our convenience.
They took all the uncertainty out of the process and all questions were answered.
I would recommend the Keit Team to anyone buying, selling, relocating. They do it all with
exceptional attention to detail while making you feel you are their only client.
Tom and Loretta C.
Happy Sellers
Dear Helen and Ross,
JP and I wanted to thank you for handling the sale of our home. We knew from the moment we met you that you would be the right person to partner with! I realize the last few weeks were hectic, however I wanted to thank you for keeping me calm and working through the challenges of the sale.
We received the box of brownies :) Thank you!
We'll certainly keep you in mind for referrals in the future.
All the best,
Vanessa and JP
Vanessa and JP - Bayside, NY
Grateful Seller
I just wanted to take a few
minutes to write you a note and let you know how much I appreciated your help
with the sale of my late mother's home. During this very stressful time for me,
getting over the sudden loss of my mother and having to sell her home quickly,
I met you Helen. I felt very comfortable from the start and knew it was a good match.
Your advise,direction,calm reassurance and expert advice throughout the entire process
made it much easier to let go of the last piece of my mom, especially with 35
years of family memories in that house. Your professionalism in carrying out
your responsibilities as my agent were beyond reproach…your attention to details,
responding to every phone call and keeping me abreast of everything that was
happening certainly took a lot of the pressure off me. You made me feel like I
was your only client-you just can't get any better than that!!
I want to thank you for all
the effort, hard work & patience during this entire process. You are by far
a professional who is conscientious and as motivated as I have ever seen. From
day one you made it your goal to help us and listen to what we were looking to
achieve. You went out of your way to make sure we had all the information day
to day-setting up appointments- and providing the friendly service that is
often hard to find these days. You were extremely confident & knowledgeable,
always smiling and willing to help in any way possible. No matter what the
obstacle was, you solved it!! You sold that house and got the job done in 6
I want to express my
sincerest gratitude and appreciation on behalf of myself and my entire family
and wish you continued success in all you do and remember that should I ever hear
anyone discussing buying or selling a property, now or in the future, whether
they are family, friend or foe, I will not hesitate for 1 second to recommend
you and the "Keit Team" as the people to call.
Patricia Filippone
Pat Filippone and Family - Whitestone
Seeing First-time Home Buyers Through the Process
"Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers. Rozalin and I were thrilled to get them! We would like to thank Sheena and you again for all your efforts to see us through the process of buying our first home."Michael Wise - Bayside
Good Efforts Appreciated
"Thanks for the lovely gift basket! It was a pleasure working with you and I appreciate all of your good efforts!"Edith Netter - Bay Terrace
Home Sale in Record Time
"Dear Helen, We are absolutely ecstatic about the sale of our house in such record time. During this recession and hearing daily the depressing news about the decline in home sales, we had braced ourselves for a long drawn out sales period. However, you kept telling us that you were working with us and that any potential buyer will be pre-qualified by Wells Fargo, so there will not be any major problems once a buyer is confirmed. From the time we listed with you and Keller Williams we have been very pleased with your professional communications with us. The entire listing and marketing aspects were encouraging and exciting. We moved from New York on March 23, 2009 having confidence that our home was marketable, in excellent condition and in the hands of a reputable and trustworthy agent. We sincerely thank you for the caring and supportive manner in which you dealt with in selling our home. We have many wonderful former neighbors, who may decide to relocate in the future and will not hesitate to recommend you to them as their real estate agent and the Keller Williams company."Mr. and Mrs. Carter - Fresh Meadows
Expertise, Guidance, and Constant Communication
"Dear Helen, Thank you so much for your help in selling our family home. We were very satisfied with the outcome of everything - couldn't have been better and you were key to the process. Your expertise and guidance were invaluable and your constant communication made us feel informed and confident throughout the process."Helen Clemente - Richmond Hill, NY
Taking the Stress and Anxiety out of Selling a Home
"Dear Helen, Sidonie and I want to thank you for the efforts put forth in the sale of our house. You took the problems, stress and anxiety out of selling the house. Your professionalism came through at every stage and your help has been greatly appreciated. We would not hesitate to recommend you!"Sidone Kay / Bill Rokoff - Whitestone, NY
Making the Tumultuous Process of Moving Easy
"Helen, You helped make the tumultuous process of moving easy and manageable. You prepared us for all the stages of the move and your expert marketing and know-how helped us realize a top sales price for our home. Always professional and a pleasure, we would recommend you to anyone preparing to buy or sell property!"The Beermans - Fresh Meadows NY
Excellent Direction in Selling an Apartment
"Just last week I closed on a property in Queens, NY. It was one of many apartments for sale of similar size and I expected that with so much competition it might not have been an easy sell. I was given excellent direction and guidance by Helen Keit and my apartment sold rather quickly and for a satisfying $ amount. Thank you again Ms. Keit for your fine service to us."Helen Rubino - Howard Beach, NY
Professional, Caring and Kind
"Working with Helen Keit for the purchase of our home was a smooth and seamless process. Highly professional, caring, thoughtful and kind - Helen truly knows how to communicate and respond in the most professional and respectful manner; quick and timely, thorough and very knowledgeable she was a pleasure and made the difference in the most daunting process of buying a home!"Athena and Julius Motal
Helping a Family Sell Their Parents' Home After 50 Years
"During a sensitive time in our lives with our mom, you were able to guide us through the sale of her home which she lived in for over 50 years. My sister and I want to thank you for all your hard work and professionalism. Your experience in managing families with elder parents was evident through this transaction. In today's fast paced, internet world it is so nice to meet someone who has the caring patience necessary in dealing with the older community and their feelings. We wish you well for the coming year. Thank you."Angela and Barbara – Corona, NY
Advice Leads to a Sale in Record Time
"Jerry and I want to thank you for all you did to help us sell our apartment. You are a true professional and we are grateful that we listened to your advice. It helped sell our apartment for the price we wanted in record time. We hope to have the opportunity to recommend you to other people wishing to buy or sell. Thank you again!"Martha K. Sklar – Flushing, NY
Help Moving to An Assisted Living Facility
"I want to thank you for all your help in making a move to an assisted living facility. It was difficult for me after living here for 40 some years but you coordinated the sale as well as the move itself – which made it so much easier for me."Mrs. Homm – Fresh Meadows
Selling a Property When Others Couldn't
"Thanks for selling my property in a timely fashion, where others couldn't. It was a pleasure working with you, and you certainly have my recommendation should you need it. All my best to you and Ross for your hard work."Mark Filip – Jackson Heights


text:
I don't know much about Revlon Nail Enamel in Sultry other than it's pretty, I saw it at Rite Aid, and I wanted it.
I didn't even bother to look at the display it was in, but I do know it's a new shade, alongside many other new ones. This was the only one out of about 8 other shades that stood out to me. Bright blue with pink shimmer? Sign me up!
Note: Not cruelty free


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House Rules
Allowed Classes
The big one: no spellcasting or similar (manifesting, soul binding, etc) classes, except incarnum classes (and see below). From the SRD: The Barbarian, Fighter, Monk, Rogue and variants (UA, etc) are all OK. The Paladin and Ranger are OK with non-spellcasting variants (such as the ones from Complete Warrior or Complete Champion). Magic of Incarnum Of course, the Incarnate, Soulborn and Totemist are all good. Completes The Scout, Ninja, Samurai and Swashbuckler are appropriate. Tome of Battle Crusader, Swordsage, Warblade: all good. Other Knight, Marshal, anything without casting or casting-like abilities. |
Soulborn The Soulborn's bonus feat list is extended to include Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Improved Essentia Capacity, Open Chakra and Shape Soulmeld Sapphire Hierach You no longer need spellcasting to get into the Sapphire Hierach PrC; instead, it grants it. Further, the class is generalised to cover any alignment. Soulcaster You no longer need spellcasting to get into the Soulcaster PrC; instead, it grants it. Soul Manifester You no longer need manifesting to get into the Soul Manifester PrC; instead, it grants it. |
Azure Talent: You do not have to be Psionic to take this feat. In fact, doing so makes you Psionic. The PP granted by each point of essentia increases by 1 for each point of essentia invested - so instead of getting 2PP for 1E, 4PP for 2, etc, you get 2PP for 1, 5PP for 2, 9PP for 3, etc. So long as at least 1 point of essentia is invested in it, this feat also allows you to use a single 1st-level power (chosen when taking the feat) with manifester level equal to twice the invested essentia, less 1. You use Cha as your key stat. If you gain the ability to manifest powers from another source (i.e. Soul Manifester), you use your manifesting level from that source if it's higher. This replaces Wild Talent and Hidden Talent. Incarnum Spellshaping: Once per day you may invest essentia into this feat and choose a number of incarnum spells to prepare. You may prepare one spell level for the first point of essentia, two for the second, three for the third, and so on (these stack) and cast each of these once that day. Your caster level is equal to the twice the amount of essentia invested, less 1 (1=1, 2=3, 3=5, etc), and Cha is your key stat. If you gain the ability to cast spells from another source (i.e. Soulcaster) they may be treated as spells from that source (same caster level if higher, etc). Open Chakra: You can always bind a soulmeld to the opened chakra, regardless of any chakra binds you may or may not have from a meldshaping class. Psycarnum Infusion: I'm going to stomp on abusing this with certain incarnum feats. If you use it with Azure Talent, the PP is not temporary so you can't choose to spend it first - thus, you lose PP again as soon as you stop using Psynarnum Infusion. You can use it with Incarnum Spellshaping or Midnight Metamagic, but once the spells are chosen they can't be changed and once they're cast, that's it, reinvesting the essentia doesn't give you more. Shape Soulmeld: If you can already shape soulmelds, the soulmeld you get from this feat remains separate, and is always shape-able regardless of your other meldshaping limits. However, the maximum number of soulmelds is limited by your Con. Scribe Scroll/Imprint Stone/Craft Staff: Do not exist. Brew Potion/Craft Wondrous Item/Craft Magical Arms and Armour/Forge Ring: See "Crafting", below. |
Full Transparency
Unless an effect is specific to spells, powers, soulmelds etc (DM's discretion), it applies to all such things. This is an extension of Psionic/Magic transparency; now, Psionics and typical Magic are now considered Incarnum for these purposes. Psicraft is now part of Spellcraft. Use Psionic Device is now part of Use Magic Device. Knowledge (Psionics) no longer exists - replace any bonuses/requirements/etc with Knowledge (Arcana). Craft Psionic Arms and Armour is now part of Craft Magical Arms and Armour (see "Crafting", below). |
Crafting Magic Items
Since spells and powers will be available to very few people and even then, they will be quite restricted, a crafting overhaul is in order. Thus, I'm going for a more Pathfinder-like approach. Brew Potion Requirements: Changed to Manifester Level 1, or Craft (Alchemy) 4 ranks. Brewing potions is now considered an alchemical process. To brew a potion, you make a Craft (Alchemy) check against a DC of 13 + spell level + caster level. If you fail the check, you use up half your materials (so 1/4 the base price) and the time spent. You gain a +2 synergy bonus on this check if you have 5 ranks or more in Spellcraft. There is no XP cost to brewing potions. Special: A Potion of Cure Light Wounds (CL1) has a DC of only 13. Craft Wondrous Item/Craft Magic Arms and Armour/Forge Ring Requirements: Any Caster Level requirement is replaced with a Meldshaper Level one. Forge Ring specifically only requires an ML of 7. To craft an item you must make a Spellcraft check halfway through the process, or lose half your materials (so 1/4 the base price) and any progress you've made on the item. The DC is 5 + item's caster level. Further, you can make an item without the required spells by raising the DC by 4 per spell, or without other requirements by raising the DC by 6 per requirement. You gain a synergy bonus appropriate to the type of item: Amulet/Ring - Craft (Jewellery) Armour - Craft (Armourworking) Weapon - Craft (Bowmaking or Weaponsmithing) Craft Wand Unchanged, except there is no XP cost. |
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Linger in Shadows is not a game, but rather an experiment into the realm of interactive digital art. Created by a collective of talented artists based in Poland known as Plastic, Linger in Shadows delivers cutting-edge graphics technology and is the first "demoscene" project to ever hit a home console. Bringing this underground digital art culture exclusively to the PLAYSTATION Network, it delivers a truly unique journey that will challenge and entertain you, and change the way you think about games and art forever. Dive into the world of Linger in Shadows, where a dark and mysterious creature lingers in the shadows, protecting the ancient Temple on its high perch above the ruined city below. Use the SIXAXIS controller to interact with and manipulate the environment and the very fabric of time and reality.
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Posted on Feb 3rd 2015 3:30PM
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text: I am new here and to smart phones. I recently installed Note Everything, Rings Extended & Missed Reminder. Just wanted to give back a little since I have gotten so much useful info here. I hope some find this useful. Note Everything (only have this for 2 days) Just what I was looking for. I downloaded the free version and played with it for a day. Liked it but wanted to be able to set a reminder for notes. The paid version ($4.00 or $4.99) lets you do that. This is easy to use, adding notes is quick. With the paid version you can set reminders (sound, vibrate, LED, Wake screen, alarm repeats, time interval of repeats). Paid version also gives you the ability to make checklists. Missed Reminder (just got today) I wanted something to give me an audible reminder when I leave my phone in my office and I miss a call or text message. This does the trick. You can set it to turn the screen on, vibrate, play a tone, blink an LED, have a pop up, intervals of notifications, how many times to repeat notification. The only thing I don't like about this (not really a big deal) is that when I get a text message and go to messages, I can see the message without actually tapping it to open that particular message (if they are short). If you don't open the message then you will get a notification. Rings Extended On my thunderbolt certain sounds can only be used for ringtones, others for notifications etc... (as far as I can tell). This app takes care of that and lets you use any ring tone, any notification sound or any other sound for anything you want. When you go to change a sound, rings extended will come up as one of the choices to use. I just click it and have anything on my phone available to use. I know many of you have other apps you may use for the same thing and that in your opinion they are better because.... I had a need and these fixed what I needed. I am happy with them and wanted to share with others. Thanks