text:
Reader comments are listed below. Comments are currently closed and new comments are no longer being accepted.
"The referendum vote is likely to turn on economics. Polling in 2011 by ScotCen Social Research found that four-fifths of Scots who thought the economy would be a lot stronger under independence backed it. Support for independence dropped to less than a tenth among those who believed the economy would be a lot weaker."
This statement likely gets the causality the wrong way round. It's probably not that people are choosing how to vote based on their long term economic predictions. Rather, like with most pieces of policy, those who are in favour of independence will convince themselves it's also a panacea, whereas those against it will invariably come to the conclusion that it would be an absolute disaster.
"The referendum vote is likely to turn on economics."
No and Yes and No.
No: Whether you support independence or the Union depends on where your emotions lie. The rest is rationalisation.
Yes: Nationalists feel they have to make a case whereas the Union is the default, which will remain if a vote to change doesn't happen. Nationalists are compromising their independence argument to accommodate economic concerns. Scotland with its own currency or as a member of the Euro are coherent positions, regardless of whether they are desirable. Not so as a member of Sterling. You want some things separate and some things in common? We can do that for you, David Cameron could say - it's called the United Kingdom. A qualified independence is not an emotionally compelling proposition.
No: Independence will happen if 50% of Scots votes yes. Nothing else counts and people will make up their own minds.
It would seem to me that there will need to be a second referendum, if the first one results in a yes to independence. Having agreed to independence, it will take some time to sort out the financial details that go with it, allocating credits and debts.
It is quite possible that the Scottish negotiators may be so keen on the separation, they will agree a deal that may not be to the liking of all of the Scottish population, hence the need for a second referendum. Also, as this will directly affect the population of England and Wales, should they not get to vote on it also?
Xin Chao
There will not be a second referendum if there is a yes vote.
The decisions made after the referendum will be made by the Scottish government.
The Scottish government is chosen by the Scottish people and if the majority don't like the direction or decisions it makes then they will change the government.
A government cannot put every decision to a referendum.
The Scots will vote ONLY for what they they think the English don't want.
Nothing more, nothing less.
If you are not Scottish, it is laughable.
The sooner they leave the Union the better.
I always thought that it was a mistake for the SNP to involve too much economics in their arguments - purely because it is very hard to make a case that Scotland would be better off outside of the UK purely on economic terms - you can certainly make a case that says it 'might' be better off, but there isn't anything that clearly makes the case that 'Scotland would definitely be economically better off outside the UK'.
So the SNP invariably get bogged down in economic arguments, which they can neither win nor lose, as there are so many unknown variables.
An argument on cultural grounds (i.e. - that the Scottish and English are fundamentally different peoples) would, IMO be an easier argument to make - and probably the fundamental core of what drives people to be for or against independence.
I always thought that it was a mistake for the SNP to involve too much economics in their arguments - purely because it is very hard to make a case that Scotland would be better off outside of the UK purely on economic terms - you can certainly make a case that says it 'might' be better off, but there isn't anything that clearly makes the case that 'Scotland would definitely be economically better off outside the UK'.
So the SNP invariably get bogged down in economic arguments, which they can neither win nor lose, as there are so many unknown variables.
An argument on cultural grounds (i.e. - that the Scottish and English are fundamentally different peoples) would, IMO be an easier argument to make - and probably the fundamental core of what drives people to be for or against independence.
Following a hypothetical 'yes' vote for Scottish independence i would expect there to be a second referendum. One involving all the peoples of the United Kingdom asking whether we are satisfied with the resulting financial, legal and political structures created. Such a major constitutional change which was not put to the whole country would lack any legitimacy. In a divorce both sides have the right to equal representation and a fair distribution of assets and liabilities.
Oh and think we should spit up the Children. England will keep Wales and Scotland can have Northern Ireland ;-)
I can see where you are coming from, Chris. It's a constitutional minefield, though. Who gets to decide whether a territory can secede? In terms of sovereignty it should be the territory itself and alone. In this case Scotland.
Who determines the terms of secession? Until the secession happens the government of the unified state is constitutionally in charge of the whole shebang. Of course that government will transition into representing the residual state. So while they can't stop independence if the seceding territory votes in favour, they can certainly demand their pound of flesh.
Canada has addressed this constitutional issue with its Clarity Act.
I doubt however that the SNP Scottish Government accepts this. They act as if they are the sovereign government, untrammelled by any constraints from Westminster. Perhaps understandable given what they represent, but they have no respect for constitutional niceties.
niqaryt: As often with these existential decisions, voters fall into three main camps: enthusiastic supporters; confirmed nos; and a larger group that is sceptical but could be convinced.
The SNP don't have to convince the first group: - they will vote Yes anyway. They can't convince the second group: they will vote No. If they can convince the sceptics, they will win the referendum and achieve independence. So they try to maximise the benefits of independence and minimise the costs. You keep everything you have at the moment but get more.
Trying with difficulty, as I read it. Costs are significant. Not least because the disruption will take its toll while negotiations drag on. Meanwhile the benefits of independence are vague - as you point out.
Xinchao: I would agree with you that negotiations after the referendum could well lead to results that fall short of what voters were expecting. But by then it's too late. You are already down the road.
You fail to mention the main benefit of independence - democracy. The Scottish parliamentary system is by far more democratic than the UK 2 house system ever was, or ever will be. Independence means self-determination, which may or may not result in future SNP leadership. I agree that the "sceptics" will decide the vote but I doubt they will not be won over by empty promises, neither will they be frightened off by scare-mongering. How current problems are being tackled by Scottish government and UK government will be the main decider.
Let's have a vote in England as to whether they stay or go.
Technically you would need to ask the Welsh and Northern Irish as well. Unless you are suggesting that England votes for independence from the remainder of the UK.
In any case Scotland is a net contributor to the UK's Treasury coffers, so kicking it out might be a bit daft.
You'd be better off holding a referendum on whether to kick out somewhere like the Falklands or Gibraltar - places that don't really bring the UK much benefit, cost a lot of money to defend and create tension with other countries.
But as a Scot, broadly I agree with you. If England no longer wished to be in a union with Scotland, then breaking it would be fair enough. However there isn't much evidence that anyone in England really does want the union with Scotland to end, so the referendum would probably fail. (As indeed it looks like the one for Scottish independence will probably fail).
"In any case Scotland is a net contributor to the UK's Treasury coffers, so kicking it out might be a bit daft."
yes dear, of course it is.
But it would have the benefit of getting rid of a huge bloc of Labour MPs.
And NI should be unified with Eire and Falklands with Argentina and Gib with Spain.
Wales can stay.
Treasury figures indicate it is. I'm not sure what your source is? (If it's the Daily Mail then I'm afraid they are usually wrong about such things).
No they don't-SNP interpretation of the figures show this but really it doesn't matter, what matters is whether lor not the people of Scotland have the backbone to stand on their own two feet as an independent nation. The evidence to date suggests not which is rather depressing.
The week ahead: A very normal affair
Football and politics: David Cameron's own goal
America's Ukrainian mission: Training wheels
Britain's election campaign: April 25th: Nick Clegg tilts towards the...
An earthquake in Nepal: Shaken in the mountains
The prime minister: An interview with David Cameron
The future of New York City: They are coming, but will you build it?
Democracy in America
Have you listened to The Economist Radio on Facebook?
The Economist Radio is an on-demand social listening platform that allows you to listen, share and recommend The Economist audio content
Test your EQ
Take our weekly news quiz to stay on top of the headlines
Want more from The Economist?
Visit The Economist e-store and you'll find a range of carefully selected products for business and pleasure, Economist books and diaries, and much more


text:
Claudia Camp Antiques
Eclectic furnishings from the latest antiques fairs in England, France, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden. We go to vintage markets, from farmhouses to warehouses hidden deep in the woods to look for wares with just the right age and patina--and even new and exciting products from local merchants. Now we bring those exciting finds to your home.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Two large fires burning out of control in Lassen County
7/30/2010 Update:
Constantia Fire: The fire is now 100 percent contained. Most suppression resources have been released. The few remaining crews will continue to patrol and rehab fire lines. Some smoke may still be visible from the interior of the burned area. This will be the last update unless significant new fire activity occurs.
7/29/2010 Update:
Constantia Fire: The 1,369 acre Constantia Complex is 73 percent contained. Firefighters continue making progress at mopping-up 500 feet inside the fire perimeter. Dozer and hand lines are being repaired while damage to some dirt roads from fire traffic is also being repaired.
Hot and dry weather conditions are forecast today as firefighters will continue detecting any remaining hot spots on the fire.
Some fire fighting resources will be moved to other fires today. However, sufficient resources will remain for any new starts that may be found. Air tankers are also available in the area, should they be needed.
Eight hand crews, four engines, one dozer, one water tender, and two helicopters remain assigned to the fire for a total of approximately 320 firefighters.
Agencies providing resources include Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Lassen County as well as private contractors.
Other California Fires:
West Fire, Kern County Southeast of Tehachapi
* 1,436 acres of timber, 25% contained
* 35 structures have been destroyed and 150 residences and 500 commercial properties are still threatened
* Expected containment on July 30
Russell Complex, Lassen County
East of Straylor Lake
* 100 acres of timber, 100% contained
Bull Fire, Kern County
USFS – Sequoia National Forest / Kern County Fire
Outside Kernville
* 16,074 acres - 12% contained
* Expected containment August 10
McDonald Fire, Lassen County
BLM – Northern California District
3 miles northeast of Termo
* 7000 acres - 10% contained
* Expected containment August 2
For the latest statewide fire map:click here.
To watch the latest CAL FIRE situation report video: click here.
Weather Forecast: A LOW PASSING THROUGH NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA WILL BRING DRY THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA THROUGH THIS MORNING. BEHIND THE LOW...A DRIER AND STABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL BRING DECREASING SURFACE HUMIDITY...POOR RECOVERIES ON MID AND UPPER SLOPES...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR BREEZY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WINDS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS...
Constantia Fire: Good progress was made Tuesday in the containment of the 1,495 acre Constantia Fire Complex near Doyle, CA.
Flames from the Constantia Fire can be seen from Constantia Road, near Highway 395.
The two fires making up the 1,495 acre Constantia Complex are 60 percent contained. One fire has been mapped at 1,414 acres and the other has been mapped at 81 acres.
Today, firefighters will continue mop-up and begin to rehabilitate dozer lines as well maintaining readiness for potential new fire starts.
Resources include 12 hand crews, seven engines, one dozer, one water tender, seven helicopters and air attack for a total of 450 firefighters. Air tankers are also available in the area, should they be needed.
John Kidd, Incident Commander of the team brought in to manage the fire said; "The folks working on this fire put in a long hard day and the results are showing. We're not done, but if the weather holds we'll continue to make good progress."
The Constantia Fire began on Saturday evening July 24 as a dry lightning storm passed through starting several fires in the Diamond Mountains.
Other Lassen County Fires: The McDonald Fire, one of more than 80 lightning fires ignited since Saturday, has burned about 750 acres on McDonald Mountain, about three miles northeast of Termo in northeast Lassen County.
The Susanville Interagency Fire Center said 275 personnel had been assigned to the blaze this morning. It was 15 percent contained by fire lines, with full containment predicted for Friday,July 30.
There are no structures threatened. The fire is threatening critical habitat for sage grouse, an upland bird whose populations are closely monitored by wildlife specialists.
Last night's weather allowed fire crews to continue to strengthen control lines on the Russell Complex. Today, most resources will be released to return to their home units and/or be reassigned to other fires within the state. Remaining resources will patrol the fires checking for any hot spots within the fire's interior. Tomorrow, crews will begin the fire rehab process: removing fire hose, trash and beginning to return the land to its natural state.
Crews are also continuing to respond to fire reports in the wake of four days of thunderstorms across northern California.
Fire officials urged area residents and visitors to be extremely careful with fire any time they are outdoors. Campfires should be doused until they are cold to touch, vehicles should be driven only on established roads and firewood cutters should ensure that their chainsaws have spark arresters in good working condition.
Additionally, officials asked drivers to be alert for fire engines, crew buses and equipment transport trucks on highways and secondary roads as fire crews move to reported fires.
7/27/2010 Update:
Weather Forescast: ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY AND INTO TONIGHT AS THE MOIST SOUTH FLOW CONTINUES OVER THE AREA. SOME STORMS MAY TURN DRY LATE THIS EVENING AND EARLY TONIGHT OVER THE NORTHERN SIERRA AND PLUMAS NF. A DRIER AND STABLE SOUTHWEST FLOW SHOULD REACH THE AREA BY THURSDAY WITH DECREASING SURFACE HUMIDITY AND BREEZY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WINDS.
Constantia Fire: The three fires making up the 1,700 acre Constantia Complex are 51 percent contained. Resources include 15 handcrews, eight engines, two dozers, two water tenders, eight helicopters and air attack for a total of 354 firefighters.
Today firefighters will continue structure protection, conduct structure assessments (for what?), develop contingency plans in the event of winds (or additional lightning?), secure fireline and begin to mop-up 500 feet from the fire perimeter to provide (?) In order to determine a more accurate fire size, a flight to GPS the fire perimeter will also take place this morning.
One house, several outbuildings and vehicles were burned on July 25. One firefighter suffered a burned hand; no other injuries have been reported.
The fires were started by lightning on July 24 near the Constantia Road area of Long Valley, 5 miles south of Doyle, California and are burning in grass, brush and timber.
Kidd's Type 2 Incident Command Team assumed management of the Constantia Fire Complex last night.
Representatives from various local, state and federal agencies are assisting.
The public is encouraged to drive with extra caution along highway 395 due to fire traffic is in the area.
Russell Complex: Crews were able to make good progress on the Russell Complex yesterday. The Russell Complex includes nine fires burning in timber, juniper and brush. Warm temperatures, gusty winds and rugged terrain challenged firefighting efforts, but resources were able to hold the fires at 250 acres. Yesterday's thunderstorms caused more fires which were quickly controlled by air and ground resources. One of those was the Paul Fire that was discovered last night and contained.
Firefighters will work today to establish and strengthen control lines and patrol the area for any new fires. In addition to the resources on the fire line, fire personnel and equipment are staged in various locations throughout the county, ready to respond to any new fire starts.
Plumas National Forest Fires: A lightning event moved through eastern Plumas County over the weekend creating a handful of mostly small fires, from 1/10 to ¼ acre in size. Two fires, Meadow View and Gulch, were 15 and 103 acres. Three additional small fires (0.10 to .25 acres) were detected yesterday. Locations of the fires are on the eastern portion of the Plumas National Forest. All fires are contained and holding and continue to be patrolled.
July 26, 2010 — Update: The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center is reporting that three structures were lost to the Constantia Fire Complex on Sunday, July 25, with some outbuildings and parked vehicles lost on private land. On Sunday, July 25, winds also blew the fire further southwest into Plumas National Forest.the fire is still estimated at 1,700 acres and is still 10 percent contained. Structure protection engines are in place, and the Lassen County Sheriff's Office still has an evacuation warning in effect. For more detailed information on the evacuation, call 257-5161. Click below for more information about the fire.
The recent lighting storms resulted in over 6,000 lightning strikes in California.
Update: The Susanville Interagency Fire Center is reporting that since Saturday, July 24, it has responded to 62 small fires in Lassen County. the two largest fires include the Constantia Complex, located along Highway 395 near Doyle, Calif., and the second largest is the Russell Fire, near Russell Dairy Spring in an area southwest of Little Valley. The Constantia Complex, which is being handled by the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center, has burned more than 1,800 acres and is listed at about 30 percent contained. SFIDC officials have said there is no estimate on when the complex might be contained. A Type 2 Incident command team is expected to take over control of the incident on Tuesday, July 27.
The Russell Fire has burned more than 200 acres so far with no containment. About 200 fire personnel, 13 fire engines, six bulldozer crews, seven water tenders and a helicopter have been assigned to the fire.
Weather conditions are still extreme enough to allow for aggressive fire behavior, as crews focus on structure protection and the strengthening of fire lines.The National Weater Service out of Reno, Nev. is calling for possible thunderstorms in Lassen County throughout the day.
Keep checking lassennews.com for updates on county fire updates as they become available.
July 25, 2010 — Update: While many resources are being dispatched to handle the Constantia Fire near Doyle, the recent lightning activity has caused dozens of smaller fires in outlying areas around Lassen County, according to Susanville Interagency Fire Center Public Information Officer Jeff Fontana.
As of 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 25, Fontana said there are roughly 56 lightning-caused fires in across several areas of SIFC's jurisdiction district. The largest of the fires is currently bheing labed as "3-9," a roughly 50-acre fire located approximately 15 miles northwest of Eagle Lake. Fontana said an incident command team has been assigned to the fire and should be seting up resources as of 8 a.m. on Monday, July 26.
As for the other fires in the region, Fontana said there are currently five being addressed by the Cal Fire personnel assigned to Susanville, 17 being handled by Cal Fire units near Bieber, and one by Cal Fire units in Alturas.
On the Lassen National Forest side, seven fires are being dealt with in the Hat Creek Ranger District, three in the Eagle Lake Ranger District and five in the LNF's Lake Almanor District.
The Bureau of Land Management's West Valley District has also reported 13 fires, with two fires seen in the Ravendale area.
July 25, 2010 — Update: While air support efforts on the Constantia Fire have ramped up, the overall containment is now at unknown percentage, according to information from the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center as of 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 25.
Christie Kalkowski with Sierra Front Information confirmed the fire is still estimated at about 800 acres.
Currently, SFIDC is coordinating several air units to help combat the blaze. Kalkowski the center currently has six lead planes/air attack planes in the air coordinating drop efforts. Two airtankers are also at the scene, including a heavy tanker capable of dropping 2,000 gallons of water or retardant and a single engine tanker capable of dropping 400 gallons. They also have two helitankers in the air capable of dropping 1,500 gallons and a Type 2 helicopter capable of a 500 gallon drop.
Keep checking lassennews.com for more updates on county fire activity as it becomes available.
July 25, 2010 — Update: As of 2:56 p.m. on Sunday, July 25, The Constantia Fire is being reported at 800 acres in size. The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center is reporting the fire has moved Southeast to the flats, and is actively burning within railroad facilities. The evacuation order is still in effect for Constantia.
Fires that originated in front of the primary blaze caused have caused rapid rates of spread, pushing the fire from the Lassen National Forest onto the Plumas National Forest.
SFIDC is reporting extreme fire behavior predicted throughout the day, with abundant lightning predicted around the core of the storm area.
A SFIDC press release said there is a red flag warning is in effect through the evening. Heavy lightning is expected, with strong, gusty outflow winds and thunderstorms becoming stronger and wetter throughout the Sierra Front.
The press release said fire personnel will be actively engaged in structure protection, patrolling and handline construction throughout the day.
Roughly 160 fire personnel are assigned to the fire as of right now, with 10 engines, two water tenders, two bulldozer crews, five hand crews and five command staff.
Responding agencies include fire resources from the Susanville Interagency Fire Center, The U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, and the Nevada Division of Forestry.
Keep checking lassenews.com for more updates on county fire activity as it becomes available.
Original Post: Lightning storms have caused fire activity in several parts of Lassen County, leaving local and state fire agencies working hard to contain multiple fires.
The largest of the fires is the Constantia Fire, located in the Constantia community near Doyle along Highway 395. The fire started about 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 24, the fire was roughly 400 acres in size. According to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center, the Constantia residential area is threatened, with Lassen County fire personnel in place for structure protection. SFIDC is also reporting that so far, one residence and at least two out buildings have been lost. The fire is currently about 30 percent contained. The Lassen County Sheriff's Office is reporting that an evacuation order is in effect. For more information on the evacuation order, call 257-6121.
SIFC Co-Center Manager Scott Henry said the center has committed five engines with four strike teams to the Constantia Fire. He said that due to the lightning, fire activity has also been reported in the Hat Creek, Bieber and Lake Almanor communities. He said SIFC fire agencies are responding to various fires of different sizes. He added SIFC is currently in the Lightning Plan, which allows for rapid, measured responses to any reported fire.
Keep checking lassennews.com for more updates on county fire activity as it becomes available.


text:
1) Real Desktop 1.22 Fehlt Ihnen die gewisse Ordnung, das Feeling von einem echten Schreibtisch, einfach die Realität? "Real Desktop" gibt Ihnen dieses Erlebnis wieder zurück! License:Commercial, $24.48 to buy Size: 4096KB
2) Talisman Desktop 3.1 Talisman is a desktop manager and shell-replacement for Windows 9x/XP/Vista/7. The program lets users design their own desktops and interfaces or choose from hundreds of downloadable themes, which work either atop or as complete shell replacement. License:Shareware, $25 to buy Size: 8833KB
3) WinClock 1.0 Free transparent alarm clock on desktop with easy-to-use reminder and calendar. Superior visual effect powered by high quality antialiasing bitmap rotation. Easy-to-use clicking-through functionality. Skins changable. License:Freeware, $ to buy Size: 0.65 MB
4) LogonStudio 1.0 Stardock LogonStudio allows Windows XP users to edit, change, and apply new logon screens. LogonStudio comes built with a visual editor to make it easy to create your own logons which can then be uploaded to websites to be used by others. License:Freeware, $0.00 to buy Size: 1844KB
5) Softany Monitor Control 2.04 Manually turn off monitor, start screensaver. automatically disable screensaver License:Shareware, $16.95 to buy Size: 747KB
6) Timer 12 1.0.1 This super multiple Timer application will get the job done. 12 individually controllable Timers with Pictures, Titles, Start, Stop, Resume and Reset Buttons. An easy to read large display with excellent graphics with control over the screen size! License:Shareware, $10.00 to buy Size: 1659KB
7) Elefun Screen-Mate :: Elefunia-Butterfly 1.00 The EleFun Multimedia Company has released the first screen-mate Elefunia. Elefunia is a butterfly which sits at your task bar. This is a marvelous and very interactive butterfly. Just point a cursor at the butterfly and it will fly up and then ... License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 2520KB
8) Taskbar Hide - hide windows program 1.28 Hide windows program (hide applications)completely through a hotkey or as an icon in system tray.Hide some less used icons from tray.Arrange the windows on taskbar based on your choice.Automatically maximize all new windows or only new IE windows. License:Shareware, $19.95 to buy Size: 747KB
9) WinBoss 1.2 WinBoss is a system tray application that hide (all) running programs with one keyboard hit. Useful when Boss is coming, or to hide less important application from cluttering the desktop. License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 551KB
10) SmartGesture Lite 1.1.1 Fulfils commands detecting gestures which are drown by pointing device(tablet pen, touchpad, mouse). Can open files, run programs, surf the Web, imitate keys combination pressing. It has simple, intuitively understood interface. License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 1.05 MB
1) Advanced Desktop Shield 2.81 Advanced Desktop Shield - protect public access PCs, stop users from changing desktop wallpaper and screen saver, deleting, creating and renaming desktop icons, changing display settings and so on. Backup, restore and manage desktop layout License:Shareware, $39 to buy Size: 728KB
2) 1 Click & Go 1.289 1 Click & Go looks as a Windows toolbar designed for easy access, open and execute files and folders that you often use. Program similar well-known Microsoft Office Panel, but not lose configuration in case of a system crash. It supports the Drag&Dro License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 302KB
3) Easy Desktop Keeper 2.81 Easy Desktop Keeper lets you save, restore, manage and lock your desktop layout or layouts of PC users including placement of desktop icons, files and folders located on the desktop, desired wallpaper and screen saver. License:Shareware, $39 to buy Size: 728KB
4) Mini Desktop Stopwatch 1.0 This stopwatch and countdown timer helps you getting things done faster. Set short deadlines for yourself and start working - the timer will help you staying focused on the task. License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 4213KB
5) Comfort On-Screen Keyboard Pro 4.1 The software displays a unique virtual keyboard on the screen and enables you to use the mouse cursor or the touch screen to type text in any available language. Ideal for using on Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC), TabletPC and kiosk. License:Shareware, $19.95 to buy Size: 3157KB
6) Real Desktop Standard 1.57 Real Desktop haucht Ihrem herkömmlichen Desktop neues Leben ein und verwandelt diesen in einen echten Schreibtisch. Erleben Sie die faszinierende Dynamik mittels revolutionärer Darstellungsart auf Ihrem Desktop. License:Freeware, $0.00 to buy Size: 5806KB
7) Active Tray 2.2.1 Active Tray will supercharge your system tray, providing you with additional features and greater flexibility, making you much more productive. Imagine being able to add programs, documents, links and many other timesavers to your system tray! License:Shareware, $24.95 to buy Size: 1283KB
8) Active Dancer 3.91 Active Dancer is a free software featuring real strippers on your desktop. They say hi in the morning, remind you of your appointments and dance and strip for you whenever you want them to. The desktop version is free and unlimited. License:Freeware, $0 to buy Size: 23317KB
9) Actual Window Rollup 6.0 Actual Window Rollup opens new opportunities for efficient window management. It allows you to roll up window's contents in a single click or keystroke, so that you can get quick access to underlying information. It works for all types of windows. License:Shareware, $19.95 to buy Size: 3604KB
10) Actual Transparent Window 6.0 Actual Transparent Window offers new ways of working with multiple windows: it lets you easily set and vary transparency level of any window, either manually via title button or automatically depending on a window state (active/inactive/moved/etc.). License:Shareware, $19.95 to buy Size: 3602KB


text:
Very nice indeed! I'll be sure to try this out when I get home. Really hope the improved tablet support is going to make a difference.
Currently with my Intous 5, the quickbuttons behave very weird in some scenarios, compared to Windows. And lets not even speak of the touch/gesture-support


text:
Top Definition
The act of a male raising his legs and proceeding to masturbate manually with the hand inverted so the middle, ring, and small fingers are above the thumb and forefinger. If done correctly, the visual image should be of a man "salting" his own testicles, or eggs.
So the morning after, that bitch came in with some breakfast in bed, and I told her "give me breakfast and head," and she said "why don't you just salt the eggs?"
מאת oatmeal145
8 בינואר, 2010


text:
Cheap ski holidays in hundreds of ski resorts worldwide.
The ski area of Nassfeld is in the Carnic Alps in Southern Austria, close to the borders with both Italy and Slovenia. This fantastic area has a remarkable snow record. The hotels are located in two of the villages within the Nassfeld Area. In Tröpolach there is a recent addition - Millennium Express gondola which gives you easy access to the heart of the ski area. Alternatively you can stay right up in the ski area, close to the piste, in Sonnenalpe - a unique chance of staying over the border in Italy while spending your days skiing and boarding in Austria. Après Ski Après ski is mainly based in and around the hotels. CUBE has lively bars and nightclub with guest DJs, the Carinzia has a stylish hotel bar and the Al Gallo Forcello entertains their guests with occasional traditional music. Activities Tröpolach: • Snow tubing • Tobogganing • Snow biking • Snow scooter • Airboarding • Ski fox • Floodlit skiing (2.2km) • Skating (Presseggersee natural ice rink) • Sleigh rides • Curling • Guided snow shoe walks • Winter walks • Horse riding Eating out At the many mountain restaurants enjoy a range of delicacies, not only Austrian but, due to the proximity of Nassfeld to the borders, Italian and Slovenian too. Other amenities Tröpolach: • Banks • Shops • Post office Sonnenalpe: • Small shop with post office Family choice Nassfeld is a great resort for families with an excellent ski school and lots of family activities. For younger children there are two daytime options: "All in One" Bobo Mini Club: Full day club for 2-5 year olds which combines play (mini-tubing, snowman building, etc. and indoor play) with a little skiing. "Take Care" kindergarten: Half or full day non-skiing care for 2-5 year olds.
You do not currently have any holidays in your shortlist.
You currently have in your shortlist.
"I was so impressed with the way Laura handled my initial call that as soon as I got home I decided to forget all of the other agents and companies and call her straight back and book the holiday. Thank you again Iglu for being so user friendly and more importantly thank you to Laura for being such an asset to your company and the sales profession."


text:
To find a doctor, call 800-667-5356 or click below:
Find a Doctor
Request an Appointment
En Español (Spanish Version) More InDepth Information on This Condition
Definition | Causes | Risk Factors | Symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment | Prevention
Related Media: Cataract Surgery
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens. It leads to decreased vision. The lens of the eye focuses an image onto the retina at the back of the eye. This is where an image is processed, and then sent to the brain.
As the cataract matures, it often causes glare, and decreased vision, contrast, and color sensitivity.
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
The lens of the eye is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a way that keeps the lens clear so light can pass through it. A cataract forms when some of the protein clumps together and starts to cloud an area of the lens. A cataract won't spread from one eye to the other, although most people develop cataracts in both eyes at similar times.
There are several causes of cataracts, including:
Factors that may increase your chance of a cataract include:
When a cataract is in the early stages, you may not notice any changes in your vision. Cataracts tend to mature slowly. Vision gets worse gradually. Some people with a cataract find that their close-up vision suddenly improves. This is only temporary. Vision is likely to get worse as the cataract becomes cloudier. Because the decrease in vision is gradual, many people do not realize that they have a cataract until it is discovered during a routine eye examination.
A cataract may cause:
These symptoms can also be signs of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional immediately.
The only way to diagnose a cataract is to have an eye examination. Your eye doctor will examine the lens or do some tests to learn more about the structure and health of your eye.
A comprehensive eye examination for cataracts usually includes:
For an early cataract, vision may be improved by using different eyeglasses, magnifying lenses, or stronger lighting. If these measures don't help, or if vision loss interferes with daily activities such as driving, reading, or watching TV, surgery is the only effective treatment.
Cataract surgery involves waiting until you are ready to have to have it so that it doesn't harm your eye. While you wait, your cataract will get cloudier with time.
Cataract surgery is almost always performed in one eye at a time. After the cloudy lens is removed, the eye surgeon places an intraocular lens (IOL) in its place. An IOL is a clear lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye.
After cataract surgery, most people need reading glasses or for distance vision. There is a relatively new option, multifocal intraocular lenses, which focus for both near and far distances in the same lens. Many who receive multifocal intraocular lenses may not need to wear glasses.
To help reduce your chance of a cataract:


text:
The Woods People
Small yard, about .25 acre, inherited along with the house by my partner in 1999 when his mother died. She had a beautiful garden, but after several years, it had fallen into ruin. The house is surrounded by pine trees and shrubs; it feels as though we're in the woods even though it's in a NY village. In 2003 I brought a yardful of hostas from my sister's house (she hated them) and started poking around in the back garden. The following year dozens of flowers that had been dormant sprang to life! We added birdbaths and a small in-ground tub for the neighborhood animals to drink from. When we started seeing frogs, we decided to expand the pond. These pics go from May to late August, 2008. We added a shallow, rock filled and surrounded pool in the front hosta area as a ground birdbath (and raccoon hangout). We love it and so do this year's three frogs. The garden is a mix of annuals and perennials that we add to each year. We can also be found on Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/jannetie
Comments / Q&A
More Inspirational Yards You Will Enjoy...
Zen Landscaping Tips from the Eye of the Storm
The Tao that can be spoken may not be the Tao, but the Zen that can be seen is definitely "on trend". YardShare members Tracy and Wendy Evans show us how it's done with their lovely landscape in Hurricane, Utah.
Revel in These Charming Snowscapes
Landscapes are usually most stunning during those times of the year when you can actually see the ground. But there is an eerie beauty to a yard covered in freshly fallen snow as well.
YardShare to the Rescue in Sioux City
YardShare member Masman35 in Sioux City is looking for some ideas to boost the appeal of a very plain yard. This homeowner doesn't like the rocks or the existing bushes...
Video: Choosing A Site For A Vegetable Garden
Ed Bruske, Master Gardener and president of D.C. Urban Gardeners, offers tips on the best locations for your vegetable garden.


text:
$8.99 to $9.99
Contains a common food additive and a derivative from the castor bean to safely and effectively kill fleas on contact. Read More
50% Off 16.9 oz. Deflea RTU Shampoo (3MD1)
Buy 24 oz. Deflea Pet & Bedding Spray (3MAA) Get 50% off 16.9 oz. Deflea RTU Shampoo (3MD1)!Must add Deflea RTU Shampoo (3MD1) to cart for discount to apply.
No limit. While supplies last. Ends 5-18-2015.
Contains Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (a common food additive) and Undecylenic Acid (a derivative from the castor bean) to safely and effectively kill fleas on contact.
The natural ingredients soften the waxy exoskeleton until the internal organs are saturated and the insect quickly dies. The gentle, yet powerful formula works for all stages of an insects life.
Safe for use on dogs and puppies over 12 weeks old. Safe for use with other flea control products. Treats dogs, carpets, bedding, upholstery and other pet areas.
Do not use on cats!
- Brand: Natural Chemistry
- Ingredient: Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate and Undecylenic Acid
- Size: 16 oz, 24 oz
You May Also Like
DeFlea Shampoo for Pets, Ready to Use
50% off Deflea Spray with purchase!
$6.99 to $11.29
$7.89 to $11.29(4)
Natural Flea and Tick Shampoo, 16.9 oz
Get 50% off Matching Natural F&T Spray with purchase!


text:
126.96.36.199 address profile
Updated 0 seconds ago
Overview for 184.108.40.206
% This is the RIPE Database query service. % The objects are in RPSL format. % % The RIPE Database is subject to Terms and Conditions. % See http://www.ripe.net/db/support/db-terms-conditions.pdf % Note: this output has been filtered. % To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag. % Information related to '126.96.36.199 - 220.127.116.11' % Abuse contact for '188.8.131.52 - 220.127.116.11' is 'firstname.lastname@example.com' inetnum: 22.214.171.124 - 126.96.36.199 netname: EUTELIA descr: Clouditalia Communication S.p.A. descr: Via Giulio Vincenzo Bona, 67 descr: I-00156 Roma descr: Italy country: IT admin-c: CIA25-RIPE tech-c: CIA25-RIPE mnt-by: CLOUDITALIA-MNT status: ASSIGNED PA source: RIPE # Filtered role: CloudItalia IP Admin address: CloudItalia Communication S.p.A address: Via Giulio Vincenzo Bona, 67 address: I-00156 ROMA address: Italy remarks: Peering issues: firstname.lastname@example.com admin-c: AA28690-RIPE tech-c: SC1267-RIPE tech-c: FG6-RIPE nic-hdl: CIA25-RIPE mnt-by: CLOUDITALIA-MNT abuse-mailbox: firstname.lastname@example.com source: RIPE # Filtered % Information related to '220.127.116.11/18AS15589' route: 220.127.116.11/18 descr: Clouditalia S.p.A. origin: AS15589 mnt-by: CLOUDITALIA-MNT source: RIPE # Filtered % This query was served by the RIPE Database Query Service version 1.78 (DB-1)


text:
Choose Options
Chadwicks Signature!
Long-Sleeve Stretch Poplin Shirt - Women's Sizes: This shirt has just enough stretch to fit perfectly without pulling across the front or gaping at the button holes. Best-selling style with a shirt collar and button front, this classic blouse is shaped with princess seams.
Buy 2 or more for just $26.99 each!
(Buy-2 pricing does not apply to markdown colors)


text:
Jerome Russell's Temporary Spray-in Natural Color Highlights
Join the Conversation
Gina E.Metallic Salts?Are there metallic salts / metals in here that can interfere with chemical treatments?Reply to this postDec 18, 2013Link to this post
Tilok M.GTLDec 6, 2012Link to this post
ChelseaOld Comb!This product is GREAT. However, when using any color, I advise to use an old comb unless you want to be constantly washing your comb! When you brush/comb out your hair the color comes onto it because it is temporary, so instead of messing up your great comb, USE AN OLD ONE! :)Reply to this postJul 24, 2012Link to this post
CarolStickyI want a lighter brown. The coffee brown is too dark. I hate the stickiness of the product. My hair gets weighted down. I wish they had a product that was not as sticky.Reply to this postMay 2, 2012Link to this post
Jan L.MinnesotaWhich Color Do I Choose?You used to have a color chart - I can't find one now. I've changed the color of my hair and I'm not sure whether to use the light auburn, bronze or copper. The stores here (Walgreens, the only store I have found to carry your products) only have the reds, blues and other wild colors. I have told many friends who color their hair how GREAT your spray colors work between coloring (I can go three months without a color using your sprays) but can't get them anymore so I order them online. Without the color chart I don't know which color to order. Please help!! I LOVE the sprays and want my friends to use them too. Thanks much!!Reply to this postApr 12, 2012Link to this post
Folica Hair ExpertColor ChartIf you look to the left of the image, you'll see alternative images. The second one is the color chart. You can also look at the color chart through this link: http://s2.folica.com/img/product/p/p8193/additional-image-1/jerome-russells-temporary-spray-in-natural-color-highlights-416x416.jpg Hope this helps!Apr 13, 2012Link to this post
Have a question or a tip to share?
If you'd like to hear more about how this product worked (or didn't) for people with hair like yours, take advantage of our network of experts and customers by posting a question. Or, if you've used the product and want to post a tip or advice, go for it.
Post A Message


text:
Nice to see the popularity of a place like this, and kudos to the Duggans for making it happen. Further educating people about how good coffee CAN be is fantastic. I just want to let readers know that coffee is NOT science, although there are some important details to be aware of, and learn, in order to produce basic coffee easily on par with Portola at home. Won't get into those, but do know that you can do this at home (don't be intimidated by all the fancy gear at Portola). Spend $50-100 or so on basic gear, get some fresh-roasted coffee, and you're on your way to producing world-class manual-drip coffee (OK, you'll also need to read a bit about HOW to properly make coffee too). Espresso is a more challenging, and having a piece of kit like the Slayer is good, but not imperative (lots of people produce espresso on par with the Slayer at home on sub $1000 machines... which many would think is still a ridiculous amount to pay for an espresso machine).
Also, if the beginning of the article really is how it happened, I'd recommend that Truman listen to what people ask, and answer their questions (which I'm sure he typically does). The question was about adding (I assume cold) milk to a cup of "pour-over" coffee, to which he went off into a "lesson" about the affects of steaming/heating milk. While that was awfully "fascinating", and I'm sure some folks would be impressed, it didn't even come close to answering a simple, and legitimate question.


text:
We found 2 sites within 18 miles of Egglestone with 1 bookable
Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham, England Show on map |
Non-electric mixed pitch | unlimited x | From £12/€16.68/AU$23.01/$17.91/17.23Fr per night | |
Electric mixed pitch | unlimited x | From £15/€20.85/AU$28.76/$22.38/21.54Fr per night |
Richmond, North Yorkshire, England Show on map |
Want to see more? We're only showing the sites that are bookable on Pitchup.com.
Show campsites and holiday parks that aren't bookable through Pitchup.com...


text:
* mandatory field
Rosetta and Philae live
With this feature, follow this European space adventure which should allow us to learn the secrets of the Churyumov-Gerasimenko comet. What's happening now, but also a reminder of the mission stages.
Apollo 11: forgotten history & urban myths
So many repeated rumours have grown up over time surrounding the first steps on the moon that it is sometimes hard to tell history from myth.
ALMA expedition
The Cité de l'espace at the heart of space news! From 8 to 14 December, come on a journey with us to the ALMA and Paranal observatories in Chile and to the site of the future European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).


text:
Please Note: By clicking a link to any resource listed on this page, you will be leaving this site.
American Sexual Health Associationhttp://www.ashastd.org/This nonprofit organization is dedicated to preventing sexually transmitted diseases and offers hotlines for prevention and control of STDs.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)http://www.aap.orgThe AAP is committed to the health and well-being of infants, adolescents, and young adults. The website offers news articles and tips on health for families.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)http://www.acog.orgThis site offers information on numerous health issues. The women's health section includes readings on pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum care, breast health, menopause, contraception, and more.


text:
Strategic Capital Management, LLC (A)
Erik Stafford, Mark Mitchell, Todd Pulvino
Revision Date:Apr 08, 2002Publication Date:Aug 13, 2001Discipline:FinanceSource:Harvard Business School |
Product number:202024-HCB-ENG Length:3p |
English Hardcopy Black & White
Also Available in:
English Hardcopy Black & White | $ 6.93
Strategic Capital Management, LLC, is a hedge fund that is planning to make financial investments in Creative Computers and Ubid. Creative Computers recently sold approximately 20% of its Internet auction subsidiary, Ubid, to the public at $15 per share. Ubid's stock price closed the first day of trading at $48, giving Ubid a $439 million market capitalization. Paradoxically, the parent's stock price did not keep pace with that of its subsidiary. At the end of Ubid's first day as a public company, Creative Computers' equity value was less than the value of its stake in Ubid. The market prices implied that Creative Computers' non-Ubid assets had a value of negative $79 million. The relative prices and ownership link between Creative Computers and Ubid suggest a potential arbitrage opportunity. To evaluate how best to exploit this investment opportunity, Elena King, the manager of the hedge fund, must understand both the risks and expected returns associated with different long and short equity positions.
learning objective:
To develop an understanding of how arbitrage acts to enforce the Law of one price and to keep markets efficient. To provide a venue to discuss the various real, world market imperfections that can prevent arbitrageurs from immediately eliminating mispricings in equity markets. This case is best taught at the end of a capital markets module.
subjects covered:
Arbitrage; Capital markets; Efficient markets; Hedging; Investment management; Spin-offs
- Geographic: New York
- Company Employee Count: 5
- Company Revenue: $12 million revenues
- Event Year Begin: 1998
- Event Year End: 1999


text:
HEAT oven to 350°F.
MIX wafer crumbs, cinnamon and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Transfer 3 cups batter to medium bowl; stir in melted chocolate. Pour over crust.
BAKE 30 min. Meanwhile, stir zest and liqueur into remaining batter; refrigerate until ready to use.
REDUCE oven temperature to 325°F. Spoon remaining batter over baked chocolate layer in pan; bake 30 min. or until center is almost set. Run small knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
HEAT marmalade just until warmed; spoon over cheesecake just before serving.


text:
Top Definition
adj: having an offensive or foul smell and unslightly appearance, often associated with a large turd left in the toilet overnight.
John went to use the bathroom in the morning before his jog and as he approached the toilet he noticed the most braren of all sites and smells, a large turd had not been flushed and was not floating on the surface and was the size of a corn cob. The odor was overpowering and John was unable to run that morning
charmcityluva tərəfindən
21 Sentyabr 2009


text:
Jack Kelly
09/28/11 Solyndra isn't the only green energy firm to receive government loans and then go bust 09/26/11 Scandals proliferate --- But most media are playing them down 09/19/11 Desperate Dems are scheming 09/19/11 Obama's do-nothing sequel 09/13/11 Heat and hooey 09/08/11 The kids expect to get screwed 09/07/11 Let's kick Rick 08/31/11 Why do the White House and the media still care about CAIR? 08/29/11 Education chief gets an F 08/24/11 Chicken Little Gore goes on a tirade 08/23/11 Gangster government's solution: Let's kill the (financial) messenger 08/16/11 Dems assumed wrong and will likely pay accordingly 08/15/11 Union supporters strain to find a silver lining 08/11/11 The man who never was 08/08/11 It's up to voters now: To achieve real spending restraint, Obama must go 08/02/11 Progressive economic failure 08/01/11 Cut the Gordian Knot 07/26/11 ObamaCare strangling business? You ain't seen nothing yet! 07/25/11 The problem is spending … yet the Dems keep pushing for higher taxes 07/19/11 Why are Republicans in Washington losing while Republicans in Minnesota win? 07/18/11 You'd think these numbers would frighten Dems 07/13/11 A preview of what may happen if President Barack Obama and House Republicans don't resolve their impasses 07/11/11 Furious --- America should be; Fast --- why is so little happening? 07/06/11 Halperin's truth 07/04/11 Don't count out the snowbilly from Alaska 06/28/11 Postponing defeat 06/27/11 The most law-flouting president since Nixon 06/21/11 Who else in Washington knew about Gunwalker? 06/20/11 Sarah Palin's e-mails reveal the truth 06/08/11 That twit knows her history --- and continues to outsmart the media 06/06/11 Weiner's troubling tweet: Dems would rather focus on their lies about Medicare 06/01/11 Skeptics have the facts about tornados and global warming 05/31/11 Pakistan is a mistake 05/30/11 Obama the Weak: Republicans will look stronger come 2012 05/27/11 Putting 'Palestinian' claims under the microscope called history 05/24/11 Fallout and failure 05/19/11 High flyin' Ryan 05/17/11 A strategy more politically correct than militarily sound is chiefly to blame 05/16/11 Pretending an enemy is a friend 05/10/11 A helluva show that may have profound implications 05/05/11 White House's dithering and confusion should send clear message 05/03/11 Pakistan is much more an enemy than a friend 05/02/11 Meanwhile, Obama says: 'Let them buy smaller cars.' 04/28/11 "Energetic government" is innovation's greatest enemy 04/25/11 Unions on the ropes: Public employees are fighting back, but they seem almost sure to lose 04/19/11 Feisty v. fouled up 04/19/11 Darn right, it's time to worry! 04/18/11 Obama to Soak Rich and Please Dems 04/12/11 Boehner's remarkable triumph --- over grandstanding conservatives 04/11/11 Why are we fighting for a government that defiles our values? 04/05/11 Rather than cover Obama, journalists chose to cover up for him 03/31/11 No plan, no clue 03/29/11 Bringing hope and change to the rest of the world 03/28/11 Murky mission in Libya: Neither our objectives nor our role is clear 03/22/11 The national debt is just the tip of the iceberg 03/21/11 The Duke of Wisconsin: Dems might find themselves on the wrong side of Waterloo 03/15/11 Dems about to get vocal about Obama 03/14/11 Dems spare NPR; They won't cut even the most frivolous things 03/09/11 America's least marketable commodity 03/07/11 Obama, blank slate 03/01/11 Journos' selective skepticism 02/28/11 Fighting for the public 02/22/11 Late to the freedom party 02/21/11 High-speed spending: Why Obama's rail dreams make no sense 02/09/11 The biggest loser 02/07/11 Obama would let the fox in the henhouse 02/03/11 Don't pass this gas 02/01/11 The bizarre irony of Obama's global multiculturalism 01/31/11 Faceoff over the debt 01/26/11 Greening America will soon turn the folks red 01/24/11 Blame the right 01/20/11 It is natural for politicians to be attracted to wind power, but . . . 01/18/11 We know who they fear --- and why 01/12/11 Journos who run the asylum 01/10/11 Who is a threat? It's not unreasonable to identify the radical Muslims among us 01/04/11 For those in government there are few consequences for failure, or even for deliberate sabotage 12/24/10 A scam just for the educated and enlightened 12/21/10 He's colorless but competent --- and he may yet be president 12/20/10 Obamacare suffers a convulsion 12/14/10 There are more acts to come in this farce 12/13/10 Will the mayor run? Bloomberg could bring down Obama, and lift up Palin 12/07/10 Delusions, defined 11/23/10 Stopping START 11/22/10 Most dangerous man in America? 11/19/10 Woe be unto those who assert their constitutional rights 11/15/10 President Foot-in-Mouth? Don't rule it out 11/10/10 Stop them from doing 'good' 11/08/10 Dem fantasy: He'll just go away 11/02/10 The mainstream media visits the great unwashed middle of the country 11/01/10 Troubled TARP: Obama & Co. have bungled the bailout 10/26/10 Blaming everyone but themselves 10/25/10 Shutting up the spies: Intelligence agencies want to hide their dirty linen 10/18/10 Confusing threats to Democrats with threats to democracy 10/11/10 Pentagon coverup? Intelligence agencies may have known about the lead 9/11 hijacker 10/05/10 Obama needs a 'no man' 09/20/10 The GOP earthquake 09/06/10 Obama's victory lap 08/31/10 Beck, the Next McVeigh? 08/30/10 There is something that doesn't seem right about cutting defense spending when we're in the midst of two wars 08/20/10 Desperate Dems forced to find guts 08/10/10 We're nearly at krytocracy 08/09/10 How to Start Fixing Congress 08/05/10 A movement of Democratic 'birthers'? 08/03/10 Winner in Sherrod's threatened suit against Breitbart may surprise you 08/02/10 Digging out of the ditch 07/26/10 Obama mishandles the race card again 07/19/10 When in doubt, the Dems pull race card out 07/13/10 Isn't is fascinating how self-styled progressives so often look backward? 07/12/10 Our scofflaw president 07/05/10 Swimming upstream: Even 'spendaholic' Europe is urging fiscal restraint on the United States 06/24/10 McChrystal was no McArthur; Obama is no Lincoln 06/22/10 Get our troops out of Afghanistan now 06/15/10 Profiles in cowardice: Victims who aren't 06/14/10 Public workers are straining state budgets and ought to accept cuts 06/08/10 From photo-OP to OOPS! 06/07/10 The thrill is gone 06/01/10 The truth will indeed hurt 05/31/10 Sloth in charge 05/25/10 Why was Admiral Blair fired? 05/24/10 Dems: No reason to celebrate 05/17/10 Obama administration's changing rhetoric about terrorism? 05/13/10 The cleaning of the GOP house begins 05/11/10 Our loss of massive air superiority 05/10/10 After confessed Times Square bomber turned out to be Connecticut Dem, will the rhetoric finally change? 05/04/10 What is most scandalous about the Arizona law 05/02/10 Skimping on the Air Force 04/27/10 If a 2010 victory isn't to be Pyrrhic, Republicans had better figure out what went wrong in 1996 and 1948 04/26/10 Thin-skinned libs smear critics 04/22/10 Selective ignoring and ignorance 04/21/10 Stupidity masquerading as financial reform 04/19/10 Split up the CIA 04/13/10 Clueless has nothing on phoniness, Mr. Obama 04/12/10 Nuclear naivete 04/05/10 (b) Bullies complaining about violence 04/05/10 Waxman's witch hunt 03/30/10 Time to face a hard reality: Our friends are not his friends 03/26/10 ObamaCare dangers: Fiscal and otherwise 03/23/10 Why Dem euphoria may be premature 03/19/10 Dems in power no longer trust each other 03/16/10 Why now? 03/15/10 Administration animosity against allies not limited to Israel 03/10/10 A datum which must be galling to moonbats 03/08/10 It's not the staff: The president's problem is named Barack Obama 03/02/10 Fatally flawed and finally finished 03/01/10 Macbeth and health care summit 02/24/10 Latest administration pick is unclear who the enemy is 02/23/10 Restore the balance of power the Founders intended 02/22/10 Presidential petulance: When Obama feels thwarted, he sets Biden loose 02/17/10 Change, in deed 02/16/10 Biden finally says something fascinating 02/15/10 Globull warming: Climate alarmists keep scrambling for evidence 02/10/10 Weakling protectors 02/05/10 Why banks are certain that anti-fat cat rhetoric will never turn to action 02/02/10 Credibility of global warming alarmists is melting a lot faster than the glaciers and the polar ice caps 01/29/10 Same pig, but different lipstick 01/27/10 For Dems, a silver lining in Brown cloud 01/26/10 Why the economy is only getting worse 01/19/10 Purposely overlooking radicalism 01/14/10 The pefect storm may have formed in the Bay State 01/11/10 We should have seen administration lip service on terrorism coming 01/06/10 Handicapping our qualification-challenged protectors 12/29/09 Reckless solution givers 12/23/09 Clueless in Copenhagen 12/21/09 Obama helps the fat cats 12/15/09 Climategate is resonating 12/14/09 Palin is up, Obama is old news 12/01/09 Our incurious media 11/24/09 Obama seems oblivious to the shambles about him 11/18/09 Obama still campaigning … to be a one term president 11/13/09 Worse than willful blindness 11/09/09 Centrist Dems beware 11/02/09 Palin power 10/27/09 Will Dems ignore this referendum? 10/26/09 The defeat that made Reid look like a putz 10/21/09 Winning by default? 10/19/09 Dancing Bear traps Hillary 10/16/09 Fact-checking outrage 10/14/09 'Scientists' clinging to faith in the face of reason 10/13/09 Obama dithers toward an Afghan defeat 09/29/09 Sarkozy's views of Obama justified 09/27/09 Obama is wrong on Chavez wannabe 09/23/09 Obama received exactly nothing for selling out America's friends 09/22/09 Death panels plural are already in place 09/21/09 Joe Wilson was right 08/31/09 Gutting the CIA: The Obama administration further debilitates a damaged agency 08/25/09 Exit stage left, Panetta now 08/24/09 Libs play the race card: Health-care debate drives Democrats to desperation 08/18/09 Point for Palin 08/17/09: Who you gonna believe? Me…or your lying eyes? 08/11/09: Response to manipulation is education 08/10/09: An angry mob of political terrorists brandishing Nazi paraphernalia is certainly something to worry about 08/07/09: Is it god for … America? 08/04/09: The most important reform 08/03/09: Obama's future depends on his ego 07/28/09: Obama learns that when you push the Gate(s) too quickly, the returning force can come back and knock you over 07/27/09: Who's the narcissist? 07/22/09: Dems still trying to resurrect dead assassination plan 07/20/09: Not so stimulating 07/13/09: Obama's breathtaking naivete Or is it a hint of something worse? 07/07/09: Palin's priorities 06/30/09: Obama is intervening on the wrong side in Honduras 06/29/09: Obama's popularity is fading because at some point people pay less attention to words and more to deeds 06/25/09: Barak Obama, Bystander in Chief 06/23/09: Why Obama wants to rush a health care reform bill through Congress before we're aware of what's in it 06/22/09: Foreign folly 06/17/09: The mullahs' mettle and Obama's 06/16/09: Palin power: She's drawing big crowds and ignoring the D.C. cognoscenti 06/15/09: Terrorists banished to the beach on your dime 06/09/09: In Cairo, Obama picked sides 06/03/09: Intelligent but seems to know little about intelligence, Obama is caught off-guard 06/01/09: Sotomayor, from those who know her 05/25/09: The Norks are encouraged by Obama. There's no wonder why 05/25/09: Obama's fuel-ish policy will further wreck auto industry 05/22/09: Obama's diversion tactic only brought more attention to his ideological opponent 05/21/09: Wither the GOP? Not according critics' own cited polls 05/20/09: Death as a cost-cutter 05/19/09: Pay attention to what happens in California. It's a harbinger of things to come everywhere 05/18/09: The witch hunt has caught the witch 05/14/09: The John and his enablers 05/13/09: Of cheapshots and churlish children 05/12/09: Like Pelosi, Obama is discovering that pandering to the moonbats isn't cost free 05/11/09: There's little evidence that thinking about the unthinkable has produced any new thinking 05/05/09: Why would some at the CIA want to sabotage President … Obama? 05/04/09: Rigid Republicans 04/29/09: Something in the air 04/28/09: What will Napolitano say next? 04/27/09: Tortured logic 04/21/09: Obama visits CIA HQ: Torture is anything that makes captive terrorists uncomfortable 04/15/09: President Pantywaist? 04/06/09: The limits of 'dialog' 03/23/09: Obamateurhour goes prime time 03/20/09: Paying the piper as an act of self-preservation 03/17/09: Memo to Prez: There are places where on the job training is not appropriate 03/16/09: Dems unleash the attack dogs But they picked wrong target in Limbaugh 03/13/09: Geithner's half-baked plan is proven to actually be raw 03/10/09: It's not just the economy, stupid. Obama administration already failing in foreign policy areas, too 03/04/09: Then and now 03/03/09: No excuses: Why newspapers are dying and why it's the mainstream media's fault 03/02/09: It's put-up time for Obama 02/24/09: Jimma Obama now, there's a scary thought 02/23/09: Obama and the increasingly polarized Congress 02/17/09: Like a guy who expects a girl to put out if he buys her a hamburger and a beer 02/16/09: Paddling backward on a sea of pork 02/11/09: The president's porkalooza 02/09/09: Taint extant 01/30/09: Afghanistan is about a lot more than appearing tough 01/28/09: All of Obama's promises come with an expiration date 01/26/09: Still better off than most, with opportunity at hand 01/22/09: Libs will miss Bush most 01/19/09: Guess who came to dinner? Obama is right to break bread with critics 01/14/09: We've got to stop hacking away at the golden goose 01/12/09: Obama should be grateful for Bush's gift 01/08/09: How to doom a presidency in one simple step 12/31/08: Why Hamas succeeds 12/26/08: The genius of the do-something Congress 12/23/08: We're like alcoholics who've been on a 30-year bender 12/22/08: The ripples of recession: Desperate adversaries might lash out 12/15/08: Swimming in Chicago's cesspool: The Blagojevich saga of corruption and venality has just begun 12/10/08: The world's most corrupt democracy 12/08/08: Pakistan must get rid of terrorists in its midst 12/02/08: Bankruptcy and bailouts: 'Can't allow?'; More like 'can't prevent' 11/24/08: Not so smart after all 11/18/08: Clinton as Secretary of State isn't so Hillary-ous 11/12/08: GOPers must get a visionary and quick 11/11/08: Sarah Palin, domestic (media) abuse survivor 11/10/08: The GOP has lost its way: It's time for Republicans to do some soul-searching 11/04/08: A candidate's threats of bankrupting an idustry isn't news? 11/03/08: The media have done too little to explore mystery candidate Obama 10/28/08: The mullahs' plan for the world's economy? 10/27/08: Biden's right; Obama will be tested, and he'll probably flunk 10/20/08: The meme continues 10/14/08: Did you hear …? You most certainly did not! 10/13/08: McCain must demand Obama answer about Ayers and others radicals 10/06/08: How would you describe somebody who says things which are not true with passionate conviction? 10/02/08: Cowardice and bi-partisanship 09/29/08: Biden's Foot-in-Mouth Diseaser 09/23/08: WashPost scribes caught furiously spinning on behalf of Obama at the expense of their own paper 09/22/08: Crony capitalism 09/16/08: Bid'n his time? 09/09/08: The reason for the news media's panic is clear 09/08/08: Sarah Barracuda: Palin should strike fear in the hearts of Dems 09/02/08: McCain's masterstroke 08/26/08: Slow Joe, the outsider!? They must think we're stupid 08/25/08: Obama is his own worst enemy: Democrats know their man is faltering 08/19/08: Liars, cheaters and incompetents 08/18/08: Silence on Georgia: The Left gives Russia a free pass 08/13/08: History never repeats itself exactly, but there are frequent echoes, because greed, stupidity, and cowardice are universal human traits, and our capacity for self delusion seems infinite 08/12/08: Obama's proposals are either counterproductive or not achievable 07/30/08: A man who admits no mistakes 07/28/08: President Narcissist 07/22/08: Al Gore wants you to do as he says, not as he does 07/21/08: Dems have prevented drilling while chasing phantoms 07/15/08: When Obama returns from Iraq and bows to reality his position will be difficult to distinguish from McCain's 07/14/08: McCain must sound the trumpet 07/10/08: Good news from Iraq, who'd thunk? 07/02/08: Why we remain safe 07/01/08: Where ice caps grow 06/30/08: Energy fantasies: Independence is impossible, but we need to develop new sources 06/24/08: If eating crow allows you to win, eat crow! 06/23/08: Time mag and Murtha aren't the only miscreants in Haditha saga 06/18/08: AWOL on ANWR 06/17/08: There goes another one: Obama seems blind to the ethical problems of his associates 06/11/08: This Messiah is anything but humble 06/08/08: Would prominent Islamists be turning non-violent if violence hadn't failed so spectacularly in Iraq? 06/04/08: McCain's chosen one? 06/03/08: Give Obama the potato test 05/27/08: Not so smart after all? Obama keeps putting his foot in his mouth 05/21/08: The perfect veep who'd never be president 05/20/08: Spinning Mookie: Al-Sadr is not as big a deal in Iraq as the U.S. press makes him out to be 05/19/08: Is Obama ready for prime time? 05/16/08: The bitter wind from Mississippi has replaced complacency with panic, but many GOPers don't know what to do about it 05/14/08: Academic pariahs 05/09/08: Ignorance and ignoring: Obama and the scribes who cover him 05/07/08: Why are we doing something so maliciously stupid? 05/06/08: How Obama will win 04/28/08: The man behind the curtain 04/24/08: Questions about character are only appropriate if they are directed at GOPers 04/22/08: Bitter libs 04/14/08: Dems unleashed 04/03/08: al Sadr's cease fire 04/02/08: The company Obama keeps 04/01/08: McCain GOTCHA!s should evoke yawns rather than headlines 03/26/08: On the verge of victory 03/25/08: Dem race is far from over no matter what pundits assert; How Hillary can still win and may well do so 03/20/08: In search of a true black uniter 03/17/08: The lefties' Fallon fantasy 03/12/08: What Obama's advisors reveal 03/08/08: Why the Obamas don't advertise about their standard of living 03/04/08: Hillary's superiority 02/29/08: NYT grasping at straw thinks they're darts; Buckley v. Cunningham 02/27/08: Waiting for Hillary 02/26/08: There is a difference between being ruthless in politics, and being good at it 02/25/08: Advice for Obama: Stay away from matters of substance 02/15/08: Poor Hillary 02/12/08: Pelosi still needs a reality-check on Iraq 01/29/08: Hillary for president! 01/22/08: Pity the political reporters? 01/15/08: (Sen.) John Come Lately 01/14/08: The least worst candidate 01/02/08: Pols' milking Bhutto assassination went sour 12/31/07: Do we deserve our military? 12/26/07: Bush has destroyed America's respect and support of our traditional allies? 12/24/07: The Huckaboom may turn out to be the best thing that's ever happened to Romney 12/11/07: A very big if 12/04/07: Only the self-deluded can continue to deny what's happening 11/27/07: If you want to lose a war, who better to deliver that message than a loser? 11/20/07: It's true: Iraq is a quagmire But the real story is not something you have heard 11/14/07: Striking America's most vulnerable 11/13/07: Here's a tip for the Dems: Most normal people don't pay much attention to politics a year before the election 11/06/07: Though Hillary has a solid base of support, there is a ceiling on it 10/31/07: GOP sweep in the offing? 10/23/07: Politicization of science, and the prostitution of journalism 10/22/07: Nostalgia for the bad old days 10/16/07: What that outspoken LtGen. actually said 10/09/07: Reconsider Benedict Arnold and Charles Lee? 10/09/07: On a roll in Iraq: The U.S. and its Sunni allies are dismantling al-Qaida 09/25/07: Can Newt save the Republic and the Republicans? 09/24/07: Syria's move: Assad is under competing pressures to either attack Israel or make peace 09/18/07: al Qaida has lost 09/11/07: Does Osama's latest rant sound familiar? 09/04/07: GOP scandals get more press 08/29/07: America first? 08/20/07: NASA-affiliated institute cools off global warming debate 08/14/07: If there were fewer primaries, there'd be more interest in each of them 08/09/07: The New Republic needs to reconsider editor's duties 08/02/07: Neo-Copperheads find truth is too hard to handle 07/27/07: For outed private, it would have been smarter to be branded a liar 07/23/07: Iraq dire, not deteriorating 07/06/07: Bi-partisan strangling of policy that finally makes sense 06/29/07: Bi-partisan strangling of policy that finally makes sense 06/25/07: Big battle, small news 06/18/07: Will the fools ever learn? 06/15/07: The coming revolution? Leaders in both parties have been blase about failure because failure has had few consequences for them 06/11/07: In search of the GOP un-Bush 06/05/07: There are indeed two Americas and two types of Americans 06/04/07: Bush betraying base 05/30/07: Hated for wrong reason 05/21/07: Order on our borders: GOPers blocked immigration reform, leaving Dems to fashion a sensible compromise 05/15/07: Why this pro-lifer will likely be voting for Rudy 05/14/07: Jefferson, Rushdie and the Fort Dix Six 05/09/07: Sarkozy was likely elected more in spite of his pro-American sentiments than because of them 05/02/07: Too bad the born again dove trying his darndest to rehabilitate his reputation can't answer some basic questions 04/30/07: Plugging their ears: Dems don't want to hear anything that might alter their views on Iraq 04/24/07: Phony showdown with Prez in offing 04/19/07: There is a difference between feeling safer and being safer 04/17/07: A lesson President Bush never seems to learn is that policy is personnel 04/16/07: The road to victimhood 04/12/07: Why is the West making excuses for inexcusable Iranian behavior? 04/11/07: Getting past Me, Myself and I 04/02/07: No wonder Sen. McCain is frustrated 04/02/07: Gore's hot air turning green? 03/27/07: What would Lord Nelson do? 03/26/07: The lessons of "300" 03/23/07: The more you know, the less you believe 03/19/07: Hypocrisy is winning, or, Why conservatives are waiting for an end to the Bush administration 03/13/07: Over-educated public servants 03/07/07: Sabotaging the war effort? 03/06/07: Sacrifices are something others make 02/27/07: Sacrifices are something others make 02/26/07: A "slow bleed" strategy to stop the surge probably would backfire on the Dems 02/20/07: Only if everything we now know to be false were true 02/14/07: Truth, not "consensus", will prevent future 9/11s 02/12/07: The politically ambitious among the privileged should have to serve before they could "serve" 02/09/07: Do something the scaremeisters don't want you to: Think 02/06/07: We must immediately fix the "radar of policy" 02/02/07: Message to UN scaremeisters: The planet is always getting either warmer or cooler 01/23/07: Troop surge, though barely begun, already is producing beneficial results 01/19/07: Bumbling against terror, con't 01/16/07: Nifong-ing Scooter? 01/15/07: We definitely can still win in Iraq if we stop repeating the mistakes 01/09/07: When generals speak, prez should listen sometimes 01/03/07: Emulate Ethiopia's success kill the enemy 01/02/07: Bumbling against terror: The FBI's record doesn't inspire confidence that we're being well protected 12/27/06: Impending economic catastrophe that could trigger Middle East war 12/22/06: More troops but to Iraq? 12/19/06: Where the Prez can get sound advice on Iraq 12/18/06: Good riddance! Kofi Annan's U.N. has produced more scandal than peace 12/14/06: What Sun Tzu could teach realists about the Iraq war 12/12/06: Terrorists posing as journalists? 12/11/06: Just short of a joke 12/05/06: Bolton bolting result of partisan pique; America's deprived of able public servant at critical time 11/28/06: Ever think that bright young people today enlist in the Armed Forces to protect their homes, their families, our freedoms? 11/27/06: Beware Iraq's neighbors 11/21/06: Why Democratic control of Congress could be a step toward victory in Iraq 11/20/06: GOPers should stick to principles, lose the gloom 11/14/06: Are the Dems already aiming for a boot in the jack-ass? 11/13/06: Staying the course is not attractive if you think the ship of state is headed for the rocks 11/07/06: Will voters take revenge on … the media? 11/06/06: Wheat vs. chaff: Throw the bums out 11/02/06: I knew James Webb What goes around comes around 10/30/06: When will the president do what it takes to clean up the militias and win in Iraq? 10/24/06: Which will go first, the current Iraqi government, or all hope of victory in Iraq? 10/18/06: Why is North Korea America's headache? 10/16/06: Dems blew it on North Korea: Now they should join GOPers to force changes in the country's behavior 10/10/06: North Korea's nuclear test? Yawn 10/09/06: I'm in a state of skepticism: There's reason to question Bob Woodward's reporting techniquesou cannot trust them with your money either 10/03/06: Removing Iraq's training wheels 09/28/06: Lack of intelligence in those who cover it 09/26/06: Outrageous, but true: Intelligence community using secret intelligence for partisan political purposes 09/25/06: Who are the ones suppressing the facts on Iraq? 09/20/06: When the American Hiroshima comes as promised, our senators won't be guiltless 09/15/06: America is forced to pick sides and Bush's popularity rises 09/12/06: An anti-war book even supporters should read 09/06/06: Santorum shows his mettle for nation to see 08/29/06: Journos who tell the truth for the right price 08/28/06: A law unto herself 08/18/06: Though always unpleasant, defeats can be useful 08/15/06: This war has been suspended, not ended 08/14/06: The friends of Ned Lamont: Zealous Dems relish a return to the leftie '60s 08/08/06: When Western media act as terrorist propagandists 08/07/06: Helping Hezbollah win 07/31/06: Submission to tyranny is worse than war, and tyrants tend not to bargain in good faith for part of what they want if they think they can get it all by force 07/25/06: Clues about coming Arabian apocalypse? 07/24/06: No peace from the U.N.: Israel must take its own steps to defang the terrorists 07/18/06: Let's hope the Israeli-Hezbollah war intensifies 07/17/06: High noon approaches for the moonbats 07/12/06: About that high profile doubting GOPer 07/11/06: West is giving Kim what he craves 07/06/06: Saddam's secrets and ours 06/28/06: Our policy of going only after the leakers (and fitfully at that) obviously hasn't worked 06/23/06: Black-eyed Dan and the media's race for truth 06/21/06: Give Murtha a louder mic please! 06/20/06: Moonbats as kingmakers 06/19/06: The clearing of Karl Rove confounds libs 06/13/06: Finally a must-read about Iraq war 06/09/06: Dagnabit, we got a big one! 06/07/06: Tolerance is no match against hatred 06/01/06: Cold blooded murder? More like hot-blooded over-reaction 05/31/06: Another vicious regime is tottering, so why to toss a lifeline? 05/30/06: Bi-partsianship has been achieved and America will suffer 05/24/06: Cheerleading journos may get what they want to their detriment 05/23/06: Conservatives need to see the big picture 05/16/06: NSA database story is wrong-number; but important al Qaida news is missed call 05/15/06: The GOPers' base is mad. The anger won't be assuaged by pathetic gestures to appease the Left 05/10/06: Hayden nomination as long planned Bush counter-offensive? 05/08/06: Al-Qaida in Iraq, running scared, is changing tactics 05/01/06: Bush drills a dry well 04/25/06: The CIA leaker had no agenda, huh?s 04/24/06: How an initial, inexcusable failure came to follow a great success 04/18/06: He thinks as well as he fights 04/17/06: OOPS! 04/11/06: Media polluting the land with recycling 04/03/06: The logical solution to immigration problem likely won't see light of day 03/28/06: Now more dangerous than al Qaida 03/27/06: All bad news, all the time: People are tired of journalistic practices that obscure the reality of good news 03/21/06: Journos who don't know but have convinced us that they do 03/15/06: Muslims — and liberals — must stop making excuses for Islamic violence, or an ugly situation will get uglier still 02/28/06: Dagnabit — No Iraqi civil war! 02/21/06: The real scandal about the WMDs 02/17/06: Fact-checking al-Gore's (latest) outburst 02/14/06: Frantic Democrats are playing the race card to keep their most loyal voting bloc on the plantation, but it's not the trump it used to be 02/13/06: Prophet and loss: U.S. media's failure to print the Danish cartoons is craven 02/07/06: Appeasers finally beginning to get it? 02/01/06: About those missing WMDs ... 01/31/06: For Israel, the Hamas victory is liberating 01/24/06: Outraged libs want reform? 01/19/06: Double standards in the public's right to know 01/13/06: In search of a leader to clean House and Senate 01/11/06: Latest lunatic thug is putting world on notice 01/09/06: Did Castro kill Kennedy? 12/30/05: Washington Post's pre-emptive strike had accuracy of drive-by shooting 12/28/05: It is talk that matters, not action 12/22/05: Open up Miller's old jail cell! 12/16/05: Celebrating the democratic wedding of heresy and immorality 12/12/05: Prez knows not to change a sound strategy when it's clearly bearing fruit 12/07/05: Prez knows not to change a sound strategy when it's clearly bearing fruit 11/30/05: Time for GOPers to clean their House and Senate 11/16/05: Finding better ways to protect our soldiers must be our highest defense procurement priority 11/09/05: Why the Islamists may well succeed 11/07/05: About that Iraq deception 11/01/05: Curses. Foiled again! 10/28/05: Giving up armed resistance for politics 10/27/05: Prez is in a pit dug in large part by his friends 10/20/05: Suicide death in Syria stirs up the pot 10/17/05: Prez's claim that Iraq is the central front in the War on Terror confirmed by al Qaida big 10/12/05: The media is remarkably incurious about terrorism coincidences 10/10/05: Knock it off: The conservatives whining about the Miers nomination are a petulant bunch 09/30/05: Goss is shoveling as fast as he can but it may not be enough 09/27/05: Go, Rummy, go home 09/26/05: What slowed down disaster response to Katrina? Let's look for the lawyers 09/20/05: (Journalistic) Disaster: When emotions and opinions dominate facts and reason 09/15/05: Brown may have been wrong man for the job but it's not reflection on the rest 09/08/05: Settled wisdom vs conventional wisdom 09/06/05: The finger of blame is being pointed in the wrong direction 08/31/05: Breaking Iraq apart will splinter the region 08/29/05: An unquiet American 08/25/05: Unspinning the NY Times' military mendacity 08/22/05: Dangerously disabled 08/15/05: Able Danger now they tell us 08/12/05: It's time to teach the media about the war they're covering they're having a hard time on their own 08/08/05: Is Iran our new target? Intelligence seems to say so 08/03/05: It's still a War on Terror however you call it 08/01/05: Quagmire for al-Qaida: Terrorists are feeling the heat in Iraq 07/26/05: With friends like these.... 07/25/05: One small defeat for terrorists, one large potential victory for humankind 07/14/05: That Islamic radicals are capable of mounting an occasional attack outside of Iraq proves that Iraq has not been a drain on their attention and resources? 07/08/05: Memo to the truly objective: Leakers are people with an agenda. At best, they tell just part of the story 07/07/05: Army has to follow rest of military's tactics in military recruitment 07/06/05: Winning the war at home first 07/04/05: Iranian election is a harbringer of a new era 06/29/05: Dems' irrational fear doesn't allow them to see clearly 06/27/05: Freedom is in the Middle East air 06/23/05: Our republic and colleges 06/20/05: Gulag Gitmo grandstanding: Dems fulminate over prisoners, but they are treated well 06/10/05: Dean is making alot of noise but not the type the Dems want to hear 06/07/05: The liberal media refuses the accept the truth about Iraq even when it is shown to them 06/06/05: It's not a shut case on the Watergate mystery 05/30/05: When will the media get it right ? 05/26/05: Ground in Social Security debate shifting in favor of GOPers 05/18/05: Dem reinventing? 05/12/05: Suicide attacks in Iraq signal the weakening not strengthening of insurgency 05/06/05: Fixing Social Secutity is doable but only if we're willing to sacrifice 05/05/05: GOPers have lots of ammo to fire in ethics war Dems started 04/28/05: With Syria leaving Lebanon, can democracy be soon behind? 04/27/05: Memo to Republicans: Is anybody in the House? 04/18/05: G.I. Jane is here to stay, and that's mostly a good thing 04/13/05: Can Canada solve the world's energy woes? 04/08/05: Things aren't as bad as they seem but not as good as it looks 04/07/05: Political intentions are clashing with military needs 04/04/05: The wheels are coming off the Future Combat Systems program 04/01/05: Scandal at UN doesn't necessarily mean the end of UN 03/29/05: Some people can't accept the truth even when it's handed to them 03/28/05: Starved of justice 03/23/05: Terri Schiavo: She would have better off being one of the protected species 03/21/05: Willing to serve 03/18/05: The wrath of the moonbats 03/15/05: No better friend; no worse enemy 03/11/05: Italian journo refuses to accept the truth 03/10/05: Lebanon as democracy epicenter? 03/04/05: Bush Doctrine gives libs new dish to eat Crow 03/01/05: Free Speech failing on campus 02/24/05: Can Syrian domination of Lebanon be at its end? How the War on Terror is shifting its locale and focus 02/22/05: Can Howard Moses Dean take the Dems to the Promised Land? 02/15/05: Media lynch mob tries to out-blog the bloggers (and fails miserably) 02/11/05: Journalism double standard: Doesn't the media get it? 02/09/05: Pentagon is about to be transformed into a slaughterhouse for sacred cows 02/04/05: The Toy Story: How the media is creating or, rather, re-creating history 01/31/05: Are the Democrats trying to lose the black vote? 01/27/05: More on adopting Nixon's Vietnamization program to Iraq 01/25/05: Has Sy Hersh finally done something productive? 01/21/05: Why they're still alleging fraud where none exists 01/19/05: Another mainstream media disgrace 01/17/05: Prez needs to adapt Nixon's Vietnamization program to Iraq 01/12/05: It may look like a duck, walk like a duck and quack like a duck, but it's really just a parakeet 01/10/05: A GOP president will appoint first black chief justice, first black woman justice 01/06/05: If bureaucracy and BS could fill an empty stomach, the UN could feed the world 01/04/05: Newspaper sale$ decline should be blamed on the journos 12/31/04: Ingrates of the world unite 12/15/04: Our heavy reliance on the Guard and Reserve raises more pressing questions than who gets first dibs on new equipment 12/13/04: Make new head of Homeland Security the fella who thought it up 12/08/04: Draft alternatives 12/06/04: So why exactly does the CIA conduct paramilitary operations? 12/01/04: No UN would be an improvement over the one we've got now 11/25/04: Washington pols need to learn that act in haste, repent at leisure 11/19/04: Why we love journos 11/17/04: CIA dysfunction 11/15/04: On the verge of victory 11/10/04: The real reactionaries 11/08/04: Victory is coming 11/05/04: The era is over 11/02/04: Osama bin Laden is correct to believe that his fate is in the hands of the American electorate 10/28/04: The October surprise was on the media BUSTED! 10/26/04: American envy and telling the Limeys to #%^&^-off 10/25/04: Where's Osama? 05/24/04: Clown commission: Events of 9/11 deserve more than this inquiry 05/18/04: Ignoring the truth doesn't make it go away 05/12/04: Bush's courage 05/10/04: Winking not blinking in Falluja 05/07/04: Scandals: Real and ignored 05/05/04: So who are these chickenhawks? 05/03/04: Some things are more important than domestic politics 04/30/04: Memo to White House: Crush the insurgents in Fallujah already 04/22/04: No, I'm not THAT Jack Kelley! 04/20/04: And if the WMD are found ... Connecting the dots 04/19/04: Who is behind the Iraq insurgency? 04/14/04: Shame on the 9/11 Commission 04/11/04: Iraq's insurgents can't win, unless we let them 04/08/04: Our message to terrorists: There will be no Mogadishu moment in Iraq 04/02/04: Journo advocates for economic misery should get real 03/31/04: It's Dick Clarke's American grandstand 03/25/04: Lying when not necessary makes most wonder but not the media 03/22/04: This could become campaign issue No. 1 03/12/04: A year into Operation Iraqi Freedom , only the most blind of partisans can deny that significant progress has been made in Iraq 03/10/04: Economy is being politically driven 03/08/04: Kerry is no Gore 03/05/04: Kerry's curious foreign policies 02/05/03: Does the FBI have the ability to protect us from terrorists already here? 02/03/03: The "Axis of Weasels" 01/29/03: A bit of the jitters 01/27/03: The world's mediocre intelligence agency 01/21/03: By reaffirming GOP opposition to racism, president demonstrates willingness to confront liars 01/16/03: Why the United States should withdraw all of its military forces from South Korea as rapidly as we reasonably can 12/16/02: Debunker mentality: It's hard work not seeing ties between Iraq and al-Qaida 12/12/02: GOP ideologues turning on Lott --- better sacrifice the leader than the party 12/06/02: Curing our democracy of afflictions 12/02/02: Conscription, like the horse cavalry, is an artifact of a bygone time 11/27/02: What Saddam faces 11/25/02: Why war with Iraq can be averted 11/19/02: A draft would harm the military 11/12/02: The 2002 elections and Nixon 11/07/02: Democratic overreaction to our recent "cosmically important" election 10/30/02: Show North Korea we're serious: Polish off Saddam 10/22/02: The squealing in the Pentagon is a proof of Rummy's effectiveness 10/16/02: The tactical challenge we face 10/10/02: Silence more despicable than seditious noise 10/08/02: Bu$h and the bu$ine$$ of war 10/01/02: Gore's calculated risk may well get him the Dems' nomination 09/25/02: Schroeder may find the fruits of victory sour 09/25/02: Making Saddam change his spots 09/19/02: Bush's resolve already has paid dividends 09/17/02: Courageous Iranians 09/13/02: If you never served in the military, you have no right to an opinion 09/10/02: Why the 'air marshals' will fail 09/05/02: Resurrecting the "Happy Darky" 08/31/02: Are Bush's inactions against Iraq calculated? 08/23/02: Dems can't take the minority vote for granted any longer 08/20/02: No proof of Saddam's wrongdoing? Yeah, right 08/15/02: Mineta's war on what? 08/13/02: When Gore said he wanted to be his 'own man,' what was he thinking!? 08/08/02: Picking a tree for Cheney's hanging 08/06/02: Fears about the Department of Homeland Security are misplaced 08/01/02: The greatest strategic deception since Eisenhower convinced Hitler the Allies were going to land at the Pas de Calais? 07/30/02: State Dept.'s anti-American actions 07/26/02: Journalists are making sure Americans can't differentiate between the stock market and the economy 07/23/02: Iran's is on the verge of a social and political explosion. So why is media ignoring it? 07/17/02: FBI isn't supposed to stand for Foolish, Blind and Incompetent 07/12/02: The ICC tramples on rights Americans take for granted 07/09/02: Was LA International Airport shooting, in fact, good news? 07/02/02: What the "intelligence community" can learn from Alexander the Great 06/28/02: Muslim link in Oklahoma City bombing revisited 06/25/02: A good environmental scare needs two ingredients - an impending catastrophe, and someone to blame for it 06/21/02: Stirring the security pot 06/18/02: Why the military is so messed up 06/14/02: Vast majority $68.7 billion proposed for weapons will be spent on systems of little use in the war on terror 06/12/02: Bush saw them and raised them, and he's holding the aces 06/10/02: Some heads need to roll 06/04/02: A new draft for the 'war on terror'? 05/31/02: So the FBI has finally caught up to our priorities? 05/29/02: Taking on common sense 05/23/02: Political terrorists 05/21/02: There is a great deal to fret about, but I've never been more optimistic 05/15/02: If there is a way for America to lose the war, Gen. Tommy Franks can find it 05/13/02: Impartial justice against Americans by the UN? 05/07/02: Want to win the 'war on terror'? Reinstate the draft 05/03/02: An expanded NATO is needed as a counterweight to the UN and the EU 04/29/02: Islamic 'smarts' 04/26/02: Did Bush play his Aces with Abdullah wisely? 04/23/02: Why peace in the Mideast is closer than ever 04/19/02: What the Arabs of Gaza and the West Bank gained from the "peace accords" 04/17/02: Logical Muslim allies 04/10/02: How to guarantee an infinite Mideast war 04/08/02: Saddam's American friends 04/05/02: Arab winners and sinners 04/01/02: Why is the commander of U.S. Central Command not coming clean to the American people? 03/31/02: Dubya under attack … by conservatives 03/26/02: Saddam watch coming to an end? 03/21/02: Get the Jews! 03/19/02: It's time pols and gov bureaucrats be held to the same standard of accountability we insist for corporate execs 03/15/02: Khaki Throat 03/12/02: Making foreign cheaters pay 03/08/02: Timidity and indecision by senior American commanders 03/04/02: Why 9-11? Ex-CIA officials come clean 02/25/02: Don't rule out a quick victory --- even if prez says otherwise 02/21/02: Saving our military from itself 02/19/02: Front Page fiction 02/15/02: Our European allies are like the fat kid who wants to play quarterback 02/13/02: Is the Army in danger of becoming "irrelevant"? 02/11/02: So, I "propagate hatred" … 02/06/02: Bush whacking the media 02/04/02: Why serious folks disregard the European Union --- and why Bush must, too 01/30/02: Give economy pneumonia in order to protect it from a cold 01/28/02: Media is its own worst enemy 01/25/02: Journalists making road to peace a bumpy ride, or: A case study in stupidity 01/23/02: Toward a stronger defense at a lower cost 01/21/02: How Bush could be Generations X and Y's Kennedy ... and guarantee a GOP victory in the midterm elections


text:
Young arms take hill to open Rays-Red Sox series
After a strong showing in Spring Training, Rays right-hander Alex Cobb didn't miss a beat in his first start of 2013. Can he keep it up in Friday's showdown with an American League East rival?
Tampa Bay and Boston will kick off a four-game set Friday at Fenway Park, where Cobb will toe the rubber for the Rays against Red Sox lefty Felix Doubront.
Doubront gave up three runs on nine hits in his first start, but Cobb couldn't have been much better in his season debut. Cobb held the Indians scoreless over 7 1/3 innings Saturday while striking out six, an encouraging sign that the 25-year-old might be ready to take a step forward in Tampa Bay's rotation.
"I feel good right now. I felt good during Spring Training. Carried over into the season, so I'm trying to stay on that momentum," Cobb said. "I'll try to stay consistent with my delivery throughout the game and the rest of the year."
History would indicate this is a good matchup for Cobb, a Boston native. In 34 plate appearances against Cobb, current Red Sox hitters have posted a combined .148/.324/.259 batting line, and Cobb owns a 2-1 record and 2.81 ERA in three career starts against Boston. But Cobb thinks he can improve on those impressive numbers.
"I haven't felt extremely comfortable there the last few times I've pitched there. I think that's in the past," Cobb said. "I've had some success, but they haven't been my crispest performances."
This will be the first meeting of the season between these two AL East clubs. While the Rays finished third in the division with a 90-72 record last year and the Red Sox went 69-93 and finished fifth, last year's season series was actually a 9-9 split.
Quite a bit has changed for both clubs, however, since their last regular-season meeting. The Rays went through their annual roster revamp, overhauling their lineup and bullpen while dealing away durable starter James Shields. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have upgraded their bullpen and added Shane Victorino, Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew, former Ray Jonny Gomes and dynamic rookie outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to their lineup.
That bullpen has been a focal point early in the year -- pitching well for the most part, though Joel Hanrahan blew his first save Wednesday night and three relievers could not escape the seventh unscathed Thursday in another Red Sox loss.
"The ninth inning presents such a unique environment or atmosphere in and of itself, I think as much as coming into Boston -- and I don't want to say that's the reason for it -- but [Hanrahan] is facing hitters he hasn't seen for quite a while," manager John Farrell said. "And the reason is the way the lineups are constructed here, you don't have that pitcher or pinch-hitter who has been on the bench all night showing up late in the game. It's a little bit of a different animal, the lineups in the American League."
Cobb isn't getting caught up in any changes, though, instead opting to rely on what's worked so well for him this year -- and in years past against Boston.
"I don't really have to look over them too much. It's early in the year, you can't really look at video yet to see what guys are doing," Cobb said. "It's kind of too early for that. Just kind of go off how I feel and what I've done to them."
Rays: Niemann undergoes successful surgery
• Rays right-hander Jeff Niemann will miss the rest of the season, as expected, after having successful surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. The operation was performed by Dr. Keith Meister and repaired Niemann's labrum and rotator cuff.
Niemann lost the battle for the fifth spot in the Rays' rotation to Roberto Hernandez and was set to pitch out of the bullpen this year. But Niemann, whose velocity sharply declined during his excellent spring performance, began to feel significant pain as he prepared to make that transition and finally said he wouldn't be able to compete at the Major League level without the surgery.
• Designated hitter Luke Scott (right calf strain) ran sprints in the outfield Wednesday at Rangers Ballpark and said afterward he will return to Tampa Bay's lineup sooner than expected. The Rays initially said Scott could miss three to five weeks.
"I believe I'll be back much sooner than that," Scott said.
Red Sox: Victorino thriving
Outfielder Shane Victorino has been batting second against lefties and righties this year, which wasn't the original plan, but has been working nicely.
"I think once we started the season, his at-bats from the left side of the plate have been consistent, they've been fairly equal to the right side," Farrell said. "What Daniel [Nava] has done with providing protection behind Will [Middlebrooks] and really in the short run -- he's been almost a middle-of-the-order type of bat -- whether it's getting an inning started with a walk or an extra-base hit, it gives us the ability to lengthen out the lineup a little bit and protection in that middle of the order."
Victorino went 2-for-4 out of the two-hole Thursday, scoring a run.
Worth noting
• The Rays donned letterman jackets on their chartered flight from Texas to Boston on Wednesday night, their first themed road trip of the season and their 23rd overall since manager Joe Maddon began the tradition in 2008.
It would appear to be an appropriate choice, as weather forecasts predict temperatures ranging from 38 to 63 degrees for this upcoming four-game series.
• Doubront is 2-1 with a 3.91 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against the Rays. Tampa Bay's hitters have posted a .302/.416/.381 batting line in a combined 77 plate appearances against Doubront. Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar leads the way with four hits in 10 at-bats against him.
Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.