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FOLLOWING a phenomenal growth which started shortly after independence and has continued over the years, some people with inverted mindsets now want Zimbabwe to lower its flag of triumph in education for reasons best known to themselves.
Shame on them! This indictment is directed at the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council which, ironically, is reported to have wanted to reduce the minimum examination pass mark following a decline in the 2012 Advanced Level pass rate blamed on examinations being difficult.
But thanks to the intervention of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart, who personally directed that the minimum benchmark should not be decreased.
Such a move, it should be understood by everyone, would result in a lowering of standards with A-Level graduates thronging employment places or seeking enrolment at universities armed with certificates that do not portray any academic strengths at all.
In fact, reducing the minimum pass mark would be tantamount to a dilution of standards in Zimbabwe's educational system, with a corresponding poor quality of service offered by school-leavers employed in various sectors of the economy.
If anything, the public examinations from Grade Seven through Ordinary Level to Advanced Level should be maintained, if not toughened altogether in order for Zimbabwe to remain ahead of other African countries in the rate of literacy.
Such a consolidation of the growth in education, which has seen the establishment of a university in almost every province, should be seen to be logical consequence to the expansion in the country's education.
After independence some African countries followed a disastrous route, like one suggested by Zimsec and the result has been a lowering of standards with pupils writing Ordinary Level examinations in Form Five and with Advanced Level examinations abolished altogether.
Attaining high standards of education, and therefore of literacy, is not a picnic and those in Zimsec who wanted Zimbabwean students to go picnicking in their exams should be identified and given short shrift.
Some will remember how standards were kept high in Rhodesia with some candidates who passed public examinations in Standard Six proceeding to work as teachers for example, not to mention Junior Certificate graduates some of whom proceeded to head schools in their own right.
Independence and freedom from colonial rule should not mean a relaxation in any standards; on the contrary the old track record in the educational system should be maintained, even bettered and that is exactly what the Zanu-PF Government did - and did it better in a shorter time than that which whites had at their disposal and with abundant resources available for use.
Which is why a strong case exists for tough action to be taken against teachers who sleep in their classes and then extort money from parents for extra lessons conducted away from school premises.
One is bound to suspect that, away from the prying eye of the school head, the private lesson teacher do symbolic work in their fleecing of parents.
Charitable people will perhaps call these teachers "opportunists" but it is probably more fitting to liken them to opportunistic diseases that spy on the human body for an opening in the skin to bore into the flesh and gnaw away at they host as if ignorant of killing it in the end.
That is what the teachers against whom some parents from Bulawayo recently petitioned the Ministry of Education for action - opportunistic diseases.
It is all very well for the ministry to state that private lessons may be conducted for public examinations pupils and leave it at that. The most sensible thing to do to protect parents, their children and their meagre financial resources is probably for the ministry to crack down on offenders, and be seen to do so, as a deterrent to would-be opportunistic diseases.
Having tested human blood, so to speak, the offending teachers are wont to laugh off any threats by the ministry as nothing but inconsequential threats.


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The Port St. Joe Quilt Guild, long known for its charitable acts and contributions to the veterans Wounded Warrior program, donations of quilts to area schools and agencies for children and seniors, had members participate in the Central Panhandle Fair in Bay County.
They were big winners.
Bonnie Wynne won six first-place blue ribbons and five second-place red ribbons on her 11 entries.
June Davis, Guild president, won second place, red ribbons, for her three entries, a quilt front, pillow and table runner.
Nancy Davis, newest member of the Guild, one four first-place blue ribbons and Best in Show for her Christmas quilt.
The Guild is looking for new members and meets twice a month at St. James' Episcopal Church. Please contact June Davis at 229-1089 if you like to attend a meeting.

subset: commoncrawl


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|« Back to Article
Watson to serve as U.S. Ryder Cup captain in 2014 at age 65
associated Press | December 13, 2012 | Updated: December 13, 2012 10:15pm
Photo By Seth Wenig/STFTom Watson attends a news conference in New York, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. The Americans are bringing back Watson as their Ryder Cup captain with hopes of ending two decades of defeats in Europe. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
NEW YORK - Weary of two decades of defeat in Europe, the Americans are breaking from precedent with a captain uniquely suited for the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland.
Tom Watson will be by far the oldest man to fill the role and the first repeat captain for the U.S. since 1987. But he's also the last American to lead the team to victory on the road, and he knows how to win in the blustery Scottish weather.
"We are just really tired of losing the Ryder Cup," PGA of America president Ted Bishop said Thursday at a news conference at the Empire State Building.
The Americans have lost seven of the last nine Ryder Cups and have not won away from home since 1993, when Watson was the captain at The Belfry in England. They are coming off a staggering loss this year at Medinah, where Europe strung together a remarkable rally from a 10-6 deficit going into the final day to win by one point.
Watson is the first repeat U.S. captain since Jack Nicklaus in 1987.
"Tom Watson will do a fine job," Nicklaus said. "Tom always has been a wonderful golfer and he remains one, but Tom is also a good leader."
His selection received an immediate endorsement from Tiger Woods. The Stanford alums have never been particularly close, and Watson has criticized Woods for not showing respect for the game with his demeanor on the course.
"I think he's a really good choice," Woods said in a statement. "Tom knows what it takes to win, and that's our ultimate goal"
Watson breaks the PGA of America's prototype in a big way. The eight-time major champion will be 65 when the Ryder Cup is played at Gleneagles. Sam Snead was 57 when he was captain in 1969. The oldest European captain was John Jacobs (56) in 1981.
Watson dismissed talk that the Europeans were more motivated than the Americans in recent years.
"This responsibility is a challenge," Watson said. "But I've been there before, and I welcome it."


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Tweet Prompted Evacuations
Posted: April 13, 2013 at 2:33 a.m.
University of Arkansas administrators evacuated two architecture studios Friday after a student posted a threatening tweet.
This story is only available from our archives.
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Kampala — Omwony Ojwok is a legendary figure in Uganda's political history. A man with glowing academic qualifications, he dedicated the greater part of his life to the liberation of his country.
Born on June 1, 1947 in Abwor, Labwor county, Kotido district, Ojwok, was twice forced into exile.
In the early 1970s, he was forced to flee to Switzerland after he clashed with Idi Amin over a press release he issued condemning the killing of two foreign journalists in Mbarara.
He returned to Switzerland in May 1980, when the army overthrew President Godfrey Binaisa.
A linguist who spoke English, French, Latin, Lango and Ateso with as much fluency as his mother tongue Acholi, Ojwok was both a lawyer and a professor.
During his first time in exile, he pursued a Masters degree in International Relations and a Masters in International Law, specialising in Third World investments, at the University of Geneva.
In 1978, half way through his Doctorate in Law in Geneva, he relocated to Tanzania to join the struggle to oust Amin. He later resumed his Doctorate course at Dar-es Salaam, where he lectured, while also taking part in the liberation struggle.
Since 2001, he has been Minister of State for Economic Monitoring. From 1999 to 2001, he was the Minister of State for Northern Rehabilitation.
Before becoming a minister, he led the Uganda Aids Commission for five years.
But he will be most remembered for his role in the "Gang of Four", a group of Ugandan intellectuals in exile, which also included Edward Rugumayo, Dan Nabudere and Yash Tandon.
The four played a crucial role in convening the 1979 Moshi Conference.
The conference, which was chaired by Prof. Tarsis Kabwgeyere, brought together all Ugandan factions to chart a way forward for Uganda in the post-Amin era.
The four later took up posts in the National Consultative Council, the then parliament under the chairmanship of Rugumayo, with Omwony Ojwok as secretary, Nabudere as chairman of the political and diplomatic commission, while Tandon held the portfolio of information.
Ojwok lectured in more than 10 universities across the world, among them the distinguished Oxford University in the UK, as well as the universities of Toronto (Canada), Nairobi (Kenya) and Dar es-Salaam (Tanzania).
Christened John, a name he rarely used, Omwony Ojwok was stung by the political bug early in life. In his early 20s, he was already involved in active politics.
His long-time friend Edward Rugumayo, who was presiding over a function in Fort Portal yesterday, spoke of his fallen colleague with nostalgia.
"I have lost a permanent friend, a friend of more than forty years with whom I shared a common political path," an emotional Rugumayo said.
He described Ojwok as committed and brilliant. "He was a person with no political, religious and personal prejudices. He was a patriot and a dedicated family man.
"He was hard working to an extent that he did not look after himself. That is the most unfortunate part of it all."
Highlights of Ojok's illustrious career
- Born on June 1, 1947 in Labwor county, Kotido district
- Studied at Lacor Seminary (Gulu) for junior leaving certificate and joined St. Mary's College, Kisubi in 1963.
- He also at studied at Wauwatosa East High School in Wisconsin, USA, under an exchange programme
- Was in Ntare High School for his A' levels, where he met President Museveni and minister Eriya Kategaya
- Graduated with a Bachelors of Laws from Makerere University in 1972
- Abandoned a post-graduate Law Course in the 1970s after a run-in with Idd Amin
- Fled to Switzerland, where he pursued a Masters Degree in International Relations. Also did a Masters in Law, specialising in Third World Investments
- In 1978, he abandoned his PhD studies at the University of Geneva and relocated to Tanzania
- Organised the Moshi conference in 1979, which brought together anti-Amin forces
- Served as director Uganda AIDS Commission (1994-1999), minister for northern rehabilitation (1999-2001) and State Minister for Economic Monitoring (2001-2007)


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|Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was an English pastor, preacher, poet, and hymn writer. Wrote about 600 hymns including When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Am I a Soldier of the Cross, and Joy to the World. Considered the founder of English hymnody and children's hymnody. Published books of poetry, hymns, and three volumes of theological discourses.
|Isaac Watts. Biographical sketch.
Isaac Watts. Biographical sketch.
Isaac Watts, Founder of English Hymnody. Biographical sketch.
Isaac Watts: Hymn Writer.
Isaac Watts. Short biography.
Isaac Watts. Short biography.
"Our God, Our Help in Ages Past". Isaac Watts's life and hymns.
"Am I a Soldier of the Cross?" - Isaac Watts.
Dr. Isaac Watts: Dying With Religion.
Isaac Watts: His Life and Hymnody. Short biography.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748. Short biography.
Isaac Watts. Short biography.
Isaac Watts. Short biography.
Memoirs of the Rev. Isaac Watts. PDF
Isaac Watts: Titles of Some of His Familiar Hymns.
eBooks about Isaac Watts.
Recommended Book:
Isaac Watts: Father of English Hymnology by N.A. Woychuk. St. Louis, MO.: SMF Press, ©2002. ISBN 1880960532. 92 pages.
See more recommended Christian biographies.
|< Biography Index


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POUR on the tomato ketchup and pile into the pizzasit might just save your life. To add to the growing list of the health benefits of lycopenethe pigment that makes tomatoes redcomes the news that it may destroy cancers of the mouth.
A team led by Betty Schwartz, a biochemist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was exploring the anticancer properties of a range of substances that occur naturally in food. Among other things, the researchers were looking at pro-vitamin-A carotenoidsplant pigments that the body converts into vitamin A, such as the carotene that makes carrots orange.
The researchers were seeing what effect these precursors would have when added to cultures of human oral cancer cells. As a control, Schwartz decided to use lycopene, because it too is a carotenoid, but the body does not convert it into vitamin A. To her surprise, she found that the tumour cells given ...
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Book your room at Best Western Hotel Salicone
Get an overview of this hotel3-star hotel with free breakfast and indoor pool
Situated in Norcia, this hotel is 0.8 mi (1.2 km) from Saint Benedict Square and 11.8 mi (19 km) from Basilica di Santa Rita. Spoleto Roman Amphitheater and Rocca Albornoziana are also within 32 mi (52 km).
Hotel Features
Along with an indoor pool, this hotel has a health club and a bar/lounge. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, a poolside bar, a sauna, and a steam room are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 71 rooms provide minibars, premium bedding, and satellite TV. Guests will also find coffee makers, free local calls, and hair dryers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool and a seasonal outdoor pool, Best Western Hotel Salicone provides a health club and a sauna. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a poolside bar and a bar/lounge. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 3-star property offers access to a business center and meeting rooms. This business-friendly hotel also offers a steam room, multilingual staff, and coffee/tea in the lobby. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Total number of rooms - 71
- Number of floors - 3
- Elevator/lift
- Tennis on site
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Free breakfast
- Concierge services
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fireplace in lobby
- Health club
- Airport transportation
- Meeting rooms
- Multilingual staff
- Poolside bar
- Free self parking
- Train station pickup (surcharge)
- Sauna
- Steam room
- Indoor pool
- Outdoor seasonal pool
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Free WiFi
Family Friendly Amenities
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Minibar
- Premium bedding
- Hair dryer
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Phone
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Bathrobes
- Bidet
- Bathtub only
- Satellite TV service
- Desk
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Blackout drapes/curtains
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and a seasonal outdoor pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club, a sauna, and a steam room.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Snowboarding nearby
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scooter/moped rentals nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
- Aerobics on site
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Volleyball on site
Hotel Policies
Check-out time is 10 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available.
Pets allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.


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soon but I'm having a tough time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something completely unique.
P.S My apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing troubles with your RSS.
I don't understand why I cannot subscribe to it. Is there anybody having similar RSS problems? Anyone who knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanks!!


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Edmund Morris has 3 media appearances.
Filter: featured, adult only
Edmund Morris
To The Best of Our Knowledge, Sunday, January 9, 2011 at 0am
Edmund Morris
Booknotes, Sunday, December 5, 1999
Edmund Morris discusses Dutch : A Memoir of Ronald Reagan.
Why did Pulitzer-winning Theodore Roosevelt biographer Edmund Morris controversially choose to write his authorized biography of Ronald Reagan in the form of a historical novel? There's a clue in a quote the book attributes to Jane Wyman, Reagan's first wife. As Ronnie speechified about the Red Menace at a 1940s Hollywood party, Wyman allegedly whispered to a friend, "I'm so bored with him, I'll either kill him or kill myself." This anecdote, if true, is more revealing than Nancy Reagan's charge in the book that Jane had attempted suicide to get Ronnie to marry her in the first place. Jane was no intellectualMorris cracks that "If Jane had ever heard of Finland, she probably thought it was an aquarium"but he found to his horror, after years of research, that he felt much the same as Wyman. Reagan was as boring as a box of rocks, as elusive as a ghost. Decades before Alzheimer's clouded Reagan's mind, he showed a terrifying lack of human presence. "I was real proud when Dad came to my high school commencement," reports his son, Michael Reagan. After posing for photos with Michael and his classmates, the future president came up to him, looked right in his eyes, and said, "Hi, my name's Ronald Reagan. What's yours?" Poor Michael replied, "Dad, it's me. Your son. Mike." Despite deep research and unprecedented accessno previous biography has ever been authorized by a sitting presidentMorris could get no closer to Reagan's elusive soul than Reagan's own kids could. So Morris decided to dramatize Reagan's life with several invented charactersincluding a fictionalized version of himself and an imaginary gossip columnist who makes wicked comments on Reagan's career. This is one weird tactic, forcing the reader constantly to consult the footnotes at the back of the book to sort things out, and Morris makes it tougher by presenting his invented characters as real, even in the footnotes. Ultimately, the hubbub over Morris's odd method is beside the point. His speculative entry into Reagan's life and mind is plausible, dramatic, literary, and lit by dazzling flashes of insight. The narrator watches the young Reagan as a lifeguard (years before the real Morris was born): One tunnels along in a shroud of silvery bubbles, insulated from any sight or sound . . . . Others may swim alongside for a while, but their individuality tends to refract away, through the bubbles and the blur. Often I have marveled at Reagan's cool, unhurried progress through crises of politics and personnel, and thought to myself, He sees the world as a swimmer sees it. We cannot verify Morris's notion that Reagan probably approved the illegal Iran-Contra funding without having a clue it was illegal, or that the "Star Wars" program sprang from his love of Edgar Rice Burroughs's first novel, A Princess of Mars, which featured glass-domed cities. But however bizarre and ignorant his thoughts were, however cold his heart, Morris believes, the guy did crush the Evil Empire and achieve greatness. Morris achieves a kind of greatness, too, but one wishes he had written a more straightforward dramatization of history. Tim Appelo (timspalding)… (more)
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The adidas Men's Tech Fit Cool Short Sleeve Compression Top in black boasts a techfit™ cut, which generates maximum muscle power, acceleration and endurance, allowing you to perform at your best, whilst the tight fit provides extra support. With breathable climacool® ventilation for optimum moisture management, the top features a combination of soft seams and flatlock seams to reduce chafing and irritation. - L.M.
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It's easier to get a tree from the attic (Image: Plainpicture/ESTA)
If you're pining for a real tree but not for its needles in your carpet – or green just isn't your colour – we have glad tidings for you
IF YOUR household celebrates Christmas, you may well have chosen to put up an artificial tree this year. Fake Christmas trees have been around almost as long as the real thing, but they first began to sell in large numbers in the 1930s, when a toilet-brush manufacturer realised it could make them cheaply by slightly altering its product. Artificial trees are now more popular than the real thing, some surveys suggest, not least because they can last for years and don't drop annoying needles all over the carpet.
But tree growers aren't giving up without a fight. They have long been trying to develop more attractive trees to ...
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.


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This would be amazing.
Type: Posts; User: Rowebin
This would be amazing.
:) Im so gutted, had it bookes ages ago. Things always come up at the same time..
Hi - Not sure what section to put this in/allowed to so please feel free to remove.
I have two tickets to see DDP Q+A In Cardiff on March 3rd Last admission is 7:15pm.
As I can no longer go do...
My opinion is that to be a great wrestler you have to have a massive ego. You have to believe you are the best, and you have to show and tell everyone else you are the best there is. No one else...
Since 2010 you say? Go on then..
Heyman guys vs Vince or HHH guys, aka Evolution.
As someone else said, I don't think the WWE travel does him any good. With his style of wrestling at his age he needs the lesser schedule.
He is a smart man, he knows what to say and when to say it. Vince pays his bills so why ever say he likes the competition?
If TNA really took off and looked to have a good stable long term future...
I think there is a line and this would more than likely cross it.
It would go against wrestling being a "sport" as it would highlight a performance enhancing drug, and diminish any actual testing...
Batista, the MMA thing was a curve.
A few strong main event Teddy Long style tag team matches mixed with pre aranged match against a heel champion could see him in good stead for a face run as champ. No more of this cash in after the...
Like Hogan and Flair?
Doesn't sky have to advertise it's own packages too. They may also gain money from advertising WWE on their non sport channels, like they do with football.
Having been reading some of the news updates on the site it made me think.
Is the WWE gearing up for a Past vs Present set up next year.
With rumblings of a re-match of Cena/Rock.
Cm Punk vs...
Thank god someone else can view this without their head up their arse.
This comment nailed it spot on.
Agreed, there has to be a reason he is the top guy...


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MIAA Softball Tourney Openers Moved, Tiger Softball Drops in Rankings
Due to the weather forecasted for Overland Park, Kan. on Thursday, the MIAA Softball Championship Tournament will now begin on Friday at 2 pm. All teams are still slated to play two games on Friday, with the second starting at 4 pm. Games on Saturday are now slated to begin at 11 am and the championship is slated to begin at 9 am on Sunday. The format remains double elimination.
Fort Hays State plays Pittsburg State to open the tournament on Friday at 2 pm and then will play either Missouri Western or Truman at 4 pm. Catch the games with Jonathan Zweygardt on KAYS.
The Fort Hays State softball team is ranked No. 15 in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Wednesday (May 1). Fort Hays State moves down four spots from No. 11 last week after going 3-1 this past week in conference play. The Tigers enter the MIAA Tournament at 41-9 overall, the first 40-win season in FHSU softball history.
Fort Hays State is one of two schools from the MIAA referenced in the poll. Central Oklahoma, the MIAA regular season champion, moved up to No. 12 in the rankings this week after going 4-0 last week. The Bronchos were No. 21 in the poll last week. Missouri Western received votes for the poll once again.
Within the Central Region, Southeastern Oklahoma State remains the highest ranked team in the nation, up to No. 2 this week from No. 3 last week. Minnesota State-Mankato is also in this week's poll at No. 23. Minnesota-Duluth and Winona State received votes. Click on the photo to the left for a closer look at the rankings.


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If a potential customer enjoys your advert, they are more likely to buy your product. It's a simple enough concept, but it is extremely difficult to know how well your advert is being received in the real world. Now a new system could help advertisers know exactly how their latest offering is going down with viewers, just by watching their face.
The system, developed by Daniel McDuff and colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, looks at how muscles in the face move in response to watching a video. Software can then classify what counts as positive facial responses and smiles during the video and from that predict which adverts the viewer most enjoys.
The team collected more than 3200 videos of people, whose faces were filmed by their own computer's webcam as they watched three adverts online during the Super Bowl in 2011. After each commercial – one for Doritos, one for Google and one for Volkswagen – the viewers were asked if they liked the video and whether they would want to watch it again. They had three choices of response: "Heck ya! I loved it!", "Meh! It was ok" and "Na… not my thing".
Smile intensity
An algorithm was trained on an area around the viewers' mouths to gauge how much they were smiling throughout each commercial. The smile intensity was tracked during the video and then used to predict whether the viewers would respond positively or negatively (the "Meh" response was ignored). In tests, the system made correct predictions more than 75 per cent of the time.
The system would be a boon for advertisers trying to grab the attention of potential customers on the internet, says Abhinav Dhall, who studies similar face recognition technology at the Australian National University in Canberra. "It is a showcase of mature emotion-recognition technologies that work well out of the lab environment," he says.
In future, the system could be used to personalise adverts for viewers as they watch programmes online, depending on their reaction, or as a more effective way of testing how good a new advert is at appealing to customers. The work was presented at the IEEE's Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition conference in Shanghai, China, last month.
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.


text:
Google gets World Cup fever
To be honest, there's not really much to say about this, but Google has added a nice little touch to the bottom of its results when you search for the term "world cup".
Er, that's it really, only to say that clearly the search engine is getting as excited as we are in Pocket-lint Towers over the prospect of a month-and-a-bit of international football action. The thrills, the spills, the nil-nils; it all makes us shiver in anticipation.
And don't forget to check out our World Cup 2010 coverage on Pocket-lint. Is your living room ready for the big kick off?


text:
Al Maya Group in Retailing (United Arab Emirates)
Al Maya Group in Retailing (United Arab Emirates)
Published: July 2013
Publisher: Euromonitor International
Product ref: 174323
Pages: 3
Format: PDF
Delivery: Immediate download
Al Maya announced plans to further expand its outlet volume in the United Arab Emirates during the forecast period, especially with its own chain Al Maya Supermarket. Due to increasing congestion and the rising price of fuel the company expects consumers to increasingly prefer local grocery retailers during the forecast period and will thus seek to open outlets in under-served residential areas.
Euromonitor International Local Company Profiles are a concise set of briefings detailing the strategic direction taken by a company. Discover key contact details, the company background and their competitive positioning through this collection of snapshot company profiles.
Product coverage: Non-Store Retailing, Store-based Retailing.
Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.Why buy this report?
- Get a detailed picture of the Retailing market;
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
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Body of elderly man found in River Derwent
Published at 08:50, Tuesday, 05 February 2013
The body of an elderly man has been found in a Cumbrian river.
Emergency services were called to the River Derwent at Camerton - near an area known locally as Cod Fitz - at 2.50pm yesterday.
The man has been identified as Henry Stephenson, aged 80, of Gote Road, Cockermouth.
His family said this afternoon (Tuesday): "He was a lovely person, he was a very private man who had lived in Cockermouth most of his life.
"We can't believe he has gone and he will be missed by us all."
Police are not treating his death as suspicious.
The coroner has been informed.
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
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RELIGIOUS leaders in Rwanda have petitioned the United Nations to distance itself from the recent controversial report by the UN Group of Experts claiming that Rwanda is aiding the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The religious leaders strongly questioned the integrity of the experts, report methodology, and why the so called experts were conclusive yet basing on insufficient evidence.
In a statement to the UN, a copy of which The Sunday Times has seen, the clerics expressed their deep concern over the confusion caused by the UN Mapping Report on the DRC (2010) and UN Group of Experts report (2012) about the situation in the Eastern DRC.
In the November 9, statement signed by Rt Rev. Onesphore Rwaje, head of Anglican Church in Rwanda, the clerics called upon the UN to begin a comprehensive, inclusive, and impartial process to finding lasting peace and security in the DRC.
The religious leaders expressed disappointment at the unfair attempts to undermine and derail Rwanda's modest progress towards economic and social transformation.
They further called on UN to cooperate with the African Union and regional bodies, including the Intergovernmental Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to set up conditions for peace, dialogue and reconciliation between the government of DRC and the defecting groups while seeking ways to help the DRC build solid institutions and consolidate democracy.
"The armed groups in the DRC are the outcome of a complex long-standing historical and political reality. A durable solution would require a deeper analysis of the situation in order to identify the root cause of the conflict and address real issues accordingly," reads the statement in part.
The clerics appealed for immediate humanitarian assistance for Congolese refugees who have been abandoned and considered as second class citizens, calling for their fundamental rights to be protected.
The controversial report accuses Rwanda and Uganda of providing support to M23 in the form of direct troop reinforcement in DRC territory or weapon deliveries among other allegations.
The two countries have repeatedly dismissed the allegations as baseless. Early last week, the UN reportedly distanced itself from the experts report, explaining that the views expressed by the experts didn't necessarily reflect that of UN position.
Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, who is also India's Permanent representative on the Council, was quoted by media saying the report was yet to be considered by the Sanctions Committee concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The religious leaders say the decision by some donors to suspend aid to Rwanda was rushed and unjustified.


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- Musician's Friend Best Selection, Price & Service. Guaranteed.
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Packed with educational and entertaining demos by the UK's hottest chefs, The AEG Big Kitchen is the place to get your foodie fix.
Watch as your favourite chefs take to the stage and pick up the tricks of the trade along the way.
Don't miss Jamie Oliver, Gennaro Contaldo, Monica Galetti, Nathan Outlaw, Gizzi Erskine, Ashley Palmer Watts and many more using AEG appliances on the main stage during cooking demonstrations.


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Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl Season 6 Not Yet Confirmed — Is It Happening?
UPDATE, 5/11: It's official! Gossip Girl is returning for a sixth season! More details here.
As of Friday, May 4, The CW has now officially made a handful of early pickups for their 2012 fall season — and Gossip Girl has not yet made the cut!
The network announced this week that they've signed up for another season of The Vampire Diaries, 90210, and Supernatural, which still leaves a whole lot of shows in limbo as they approach their scheduled season finales in the coming weeks! Rumors are also circulating that the CW has made a likely commitment to superhero-themed newbie Arrow for fall, which means somebody currently on the roster is getting the boot!
Gossip Girl has joined the unenviable ranks of shows seemingly on the bubble at the network — counting itself among the lower-rated Nikita and Hart of Dixie — but we've been hearing for months from producers that they aren't intending the fifth season to be the last (which would, you know, make the decision for the show NOT to return all the more harsh…).
What's really going to happen!? Only time will tell, but our money's on that rumored shortened sixth season, which would allow fans to see the show to a proper conclusion and keep 'em loyal to the network.
If not, it'll be one heck of a rollercoaster to wrap all of the storylines up in the next two eps — and we've got some ideas on how it could all go down!
Want more Gossip Girl goodness? Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter! You know you love us. XOXO


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Montana's Stillwater Mine ordered closed after death
November 1, 2011 at 6:53 am in The Daily Republic
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) A central Montana precious metals mine was under a partial closure order Tuesday as authorities investigated the death of a worker who crashed while driving a piece of equipment 1,200 feet underground.
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New York, NY- April 8, 2014 – (Techsonian) – CANADIAN OIL SANDS, (COSWF), filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities the Corporation's 2013 Annual Report (which includes the Corporation's audited consolidated annual financial statements for the year ended 31st December, 2013 and related management's discussion and analysis) and Management Proxy Circular dated 17th March, 2014.
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CANADIAN OIL SANDS (OTCMKTS:COSWF) decreased -0.19% and closed at $21.00on a traded volume of 300,359.00 shares, in comparison to 95,738.00 shares of average trading volume. So far this year, the stock is up over 11.7%.
The company has a total market capitalization of 10.20 Billion.
Has COSWF Found The Bottom And Ready To Gain Momentum? Find Out Here
Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, (CPRX), recently reported that the pricing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 11,325,000 shares of its common stock at an offering price of $2.21 per share. In connection with the offering, Catalyst has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,698,750 shares of common stock to cover over-allotments, if any.
Catalyst Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRX) plunged -8.85% and closed at $206 on a traded volume of 1.73 million shares, whereas its average trading volume is 1.07 million shares. In the last three months, the stock is up 1.98%. The Intra-day range for the stock is $2.04 and $2.26.
Why Should Investors Buy CPRX After the Recent Fall? Just Go Here and Find Out
CytRx Corporation, (CYTR), declared that an investor of CytRx Corporation (CYTR) has filed a federal securities fraud class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ:CYTR) dropped down -6.87% and closed at $3.39 . So far in three months, the stock is down -47.28%. The 52-week range for the stock is $1.95 and $8.35 and during the previous trading session it marked $3.60 as its highest price. The overall traded volume that day was 2.32 million shares.
Will CYTR Get Buyers Even After The Recent Decline? Find Out Here
Danone SA (ADR) (DANOY) produces and distributes food and beverage products. The companys Fresh Dairy Products division provides yogurts, fermented fresh dairy products, and specialized dairy products.
Danone SA (ADR) (OTCMKTS:DANOY), after opening its shares at the price of $14.24, jumped up 0.82% to close the day at $14.24. The stock ended on a traded volume of 290,089.00 shares, in comparison to 1.00 million shares of average trading volume.
The 52-week range for the stock is $13.11 and $16.12 and during the previous trading session the stock scored the highest price of $14.30. It started the day at $14.24.
Will DANOY Get Buyers Even After The Recent Decline? Find Out Here
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As promised in a previous post, we visited Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, IN, in late December.
Nick's is one of my favorite places to eat and is very popular with the locals. In fact, on the Monday we visited, we arrived at 11am to find a somewhat empty restaurant. By 11:30, about twenty people had filed in for lunch and were definitely regulars.
Nick's breaded pork tenderloins are made fresh in the restaurant. According to the Summer 2007 issue of Hoosier Farmer, Nick's pork tenderloins are purchased pre-cut and twice cubed from The Meat Shop in Huntington. The tenderloins are pounded out thin and flat and marinated for at least 24 hours in a buttermilk marinade. The extra-tender marinated tenderloins are then dredged through a cracker crumb breading. They are rested for a couple of hours and deep fried. The resulting breaded pork tenderloin is extremely tender and juicy under the crisp and crunchy batter. On our visit, it seemed as though the tenderloins were a little thicker than I remembered and overall a little smaller, though most probably the same amount of meat. A well-made Hoosier tenderloin will far outstretch a hamburger bun, and Nick's version still does that. I ordered mine with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, and mustard, with a side of onion rings. Nick's onion rings are freshly made in house and fried to a perfect crispness. The onion rings are very crunchy and aren't greasy like many other onion ring varieties end up being.
My mom is a huge fan of the very hard-to-find breaded cheeseburger. I have only ever seen this in Northern Indiana, at a now-defunct Warren, IN, restaurant and also at Nick's. Here's a photo from the Hoosier Burger Boy blog which is a menu sighting at an undisclosed Indiana location. These, unfortunately, are not made in house, but Nick's does buy them in to serve on their menu. This is a hamburger patty, topped with a slice of cheese, that has been breaded in a crispy batter. The resulting patty is then deep fried, with the cheese becoming liquefied in the process. It's definitely a unique item, but when it comes to Nick's, I am more of breaded tenderloin fan.
Huntington, IN, is the hometown of Dan Quayle. He was eating at Nick's when he first considered running for Congress in 1976, and also ate at Nick's right before being announce as George H.W. Bush's running mate in 1988. As such, Nick's honors their famous hometown son with a Dan Quayle burger. It's featured prominently on the menu alongside the Breaded Pork Tenderloin and a Bison burger. It's a 1/2lb. ground chuck burger with grilled onions, lettuce, and tomato. ordered the Bison Burger, which came with a salad instead of fries for the more health conscious. I had a bite and it was fine, nothing mind-blowing, a decent buffalo burger.
For those who are unable to make it to Nick's and are craving a tasty breaded pork tenderloin of your own, fear not, there is an excellent website that explains the proper methodology to make one yourself. In fact, it was while researching breaded pork tenderloins for a 2007 Super Bowl party (Indiana food was required since the Colts were playing), I first got excited about going to Nick's. I had first read of the restaurant in Roadfood, but it's David site and excitement that helped impress the need for a visit on me. David visited Nick's, and the very kind and helpful owner showed him how she made breaded pork tenderloins for the restaurant. In fact, when we first visited, I mentioned to the owner how excited I was to try some of their Sugar Cream pie, and that's when she gave me her recipe. Also, on this recent visit, I was considering ordering some deep fried macaroni and cheese because my dad had never had it. The waitress definitely steered me away from ordering it because she wasn't a fan, but then later brought us out a couple to sample so we could see for ourselves. This extreme kindness is unusual to those on the east or west costs, but this is the very friendly Midwest.
While the recipe for this sandwich is readily available, it's the attention to detail and patience that is key to Nick's success. It takes time to do all of the steps right, letting the tenderloins marinate overnight and letting them rest before frying, but this results in a delicious breaded pork tenderloin. I hereby induct Nick's into the Hamburger Calculus Hall of Fame. It brought the world the breaded tenderloin sandwich and continues to serve up a top-tier version of this Hoosier and Midwestern classic.
Tags: buffalo burger, hall of fame, hamburgers, indiana, onion rings, pie, roadfood, tenderloin


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$10K to spend, what bike?
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Mr. Motivated
Joined: Jun 2002
Location: Stanley, NC
Oddometer: 1,873
Originally Posted by
I'd rather have a KTM 950 Super Enduro, but then I like bikes with good suspension
and lots of power. I also like bikes with chain drive so I don't ever need to deal
with a catastrophic final drive failure. Instead I just buy new a chain and sprockets
and keep riding. If you like to ride in a sporty manner and not just cruise, you owe it to
yourself to try a KTM with an LC8 engine. It is one of the greatest motorcycle engines
ever made, and it is remarkable for its light weight, its power characteristics, and its
compactness, all of which make bikes with the LC8 huge fun to ride.
I test rode a BMW 1200 GS and it was the most disappointing bike I have ever ridden. It's
quite heavy ( I believe the BMW claim for weight is inaccurate and that scales will verify this )
the suspension felt like a Buick, the brakes were over-assisted, the switchgear layout was
crazy and illogical, and it just felt ponderous. I think the people who own these
things are victims of mass hypnosis or maybe it is a situation similar to the old tale
of "The Emperor's New Clothes" where many people agree about something that is
not even true because they want to be part of the "in crowd".
The BMW is a heavy road bike which pretends to have off road capabilities but
pretend IS the correct word. It's no more suited to any real off road riding than
a Cadillac Escalade is to racing the Dakar Rally. Again, it is a road bike
with styling which pretends it can go off road. As long as you are comfortable
with that reality it might be a great bike for you. But I prefer never to ride one
of the piggish things again. By the way, back in the day I owned a BMW R90S
and rode it many miles, so I do have some experience with BMW. I had to laugh
when I shifted the 1200 GS and its transmission clunked nearly as badly as the
transmission in my R90S, which was built over three decades earlier. WTF, BMW,
why can't you build a transmission that doesn't feel like a Gravely mower blade
drive selector ?
My experience was
I rode my 950SE of 4+ years to a demo day at the euro-bike dealer in Charlotte, and demoed an R1200GS. I have never been so immediately comfortable on a bike. It wasn't ponderous, or sluggish, or clunky. I was completely adjusted to it before I shifted to third gear the first time. Good, useful power; good, nimble yet stable handling; very comfortable.
I think the difference between our experiences shows me how test rides are really limited in their usefulness. If you can't spend enough time with the bike to set it up for yourself, you can't even make an educated guess about how well it will work for you. Sag, handlebar angle, control positions, throttle free play, etc. Also, the GS I rode had 10,000 miles on it. I suspect that the previous owner must have been close to my size, and had the suspension and ergos sorted for himself, so the setup of that bike must have been really close to meeting my tastes. On the same demo day, I rode a 1200 Multistrada, and it handled like a bus, which is totally wrong. The rear shock must have been set up for a 150-pounder.
Several weeks later, I demoed a Super Tenere. I didn't get on with it as quickly as with the GS, but the longer I rode it, the more I liked it. I would buy a Super Ten if I could. It only had 25 miles on it when I threw a leg over, and wasn't set up for me at all, which probably explained some of the adjustment time, but I could tell that I would enjoy that bike; and would buy it over the GS for lots of reasons.
I do agree with your opinion on the GS in that it is a street bike. It's a sport-touring bike that fits tall people, as are most of the big trailies.
Before getting any further off-track, to the OP: the Super Tenere is proving to be pretty much bullet-proof, and they are reaching your price range on the used market. One listed on the FM within the last two weeks at $9500.00. The Wee-Strom can do the job, but I've ridden them, and find them a little too un-interesting; although completely competent and even confidence-inspiring.
The KTM LC8's are solid, reliable bikes as long as you deal with the issues, which are well-known and manageable; but unless you need the off-road prowess, or unless the character of that bike just speaks to you, the routine scheduled maintenance is just too time-consuming.
Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.
Albert Einstein
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Over 50 percent of Tri-Cities area businesses sold alcohol to minors during compliance checks
OLYMPIA - On Feb. 14, 2013, 10 businesses across Benton City, Kennewick, Pasco and West Richland failed liquor compliance checks conducted by the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB). Officers checked 19 businesses for sales/service of alcohol to minors.
The 10 businesses were cited for selling alcohol to investigative aides working with officers. Nine of the failed compliance checks were for selling beer or wine. One of the 10 licensees – Pasco Liquor Store - failed their compliance check by selling spirits to WSLCB investigative aides.
Compliance checks
The WSLCB and local authorities regularly conduct compliance checks of area businesses licensed to sell alcohol. These businesses include restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, neighborhood markets, taverns, wine bars and sports/entertainment facilities. Compliance checks are proven tools to reduce the sale of alcohol to minors.
Investigative aides assist officers with compliance checks. These individuals are from 18 to 20 years old. They must either present their true identification or none at all if asked by a clerk.
Liquor enforcement officers are empowered to issue Administrative Violation Notices to businesses that fail compliance checks. Fines or temporary license suspensions can be issued depending on the severity of the infraction or the frequency with which a business has been cited.
Businesses that sold alcohol to a minor:
- Tienda Y Carniceria, 1009 Dale Ave, Benton City
- Just A Minute Mart, 712 9th St, Benton City
- White Buddha Lounge & Café, 1360 N Louisiana St #F, Kennewick
- Red Lion Columbia Center Kennewick, 1101 N Columbia Center Blvd, Kennewick
- Twigs, 1321 N Columbia Center Blvd #901A, Kennewick
- The Pub, 7001 W Clearwater, Kennewick
- Pasco Liquor Store, 2735 W Court St #B, Pasco (3rd violation in two years)
- West Richland Beer and Wine Shop, 4003 W Van Geisen St #E, West Richland
- West Richland Municipal Golf Course, 4000 Fallon Dr, West Richland (2nd violation in two years)
- Ty's, 3880 Van Geisen St, West Richland
Businesses that did not sell alcohol to a minor:
- Pik-A-Pop, 505 9th St, Benton City
- Ki Be Market Grocery and Feed, 1215 Horne Dr, Benton City
- Kennewick Red Apple, 902 S Washington, Kennewick
- Tony Roma's, 8551 Gage Blvd #A, Kennewick
- Mizu Sushi and Roll, 1321 Columbia Center Blvd #907, Kennewick
- Albertson's, 5204 W Clearwater Ave, Kennewick
- Safeway, 2825 W Kennewick Ave, Kennewick
- Fred Meyer, 2811 W 10th Ave, Kennewick
- Atomic Food, 1212 N 4th Ave, Pasco
The Washington State Liquor Control Board's mission is to promote public safety by consistent and fair administration of liquor laws through education, voluntary compliance, responsible sales and preventing the misuse of alcohol and tobacco.
Contact: Mikhail Carpenter, WSLCB Communications, 360-664-1621


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St. Helens
Lava Canyon
Hiking Trail
Easy with a hard option When St. Helens blew in 1980, it sent nearly four billion cubic yards of debris (enough to fill 982 Rose Garden Arenas) careening down the mountain, revealing this two-thousand-year-old canyon. Today, the route takes hikers across a suspension bridge over the Muddy River and within sixty feet of a majestic turquoise waterfall. The terrain beyond this point isn't for the fainthearted: steep slopes, creek crossings, and narrow paths line the way to the Ship, a giant, tar-colored lava flow discarded by the volcano 3,500 years ago. —Victoria Nguyen
ROUND TRIP: Up to 5 miles NEAREST TOWN: Cougar, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 75 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 364
UPDATE: The Lava Canyon trail is closed for maintenance for the month of July 2009, and is due to re-open in August. Contact the Forest Service at 360-247-3900 for updated information.
Silver Star Mountain
Hiking Trail
Moderate The 1902 Yacolt Burn wiped Silver Star clean of firs and pines, leaving behind enriched soil ripe for wildflowers. This month, more than a hundred varieties, such as Western buttercups and tiger lilies, line the way to the top (4,390 feet). There, you'll trade floral splendor for an equally stunning sight: sweeping views of Gifford Pinchot National Forest and four snowcapped peaks. —VN
ROUND TRIP: 5.5 miles NEAREST TOWN: Yacolt, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 48 miles PACK: 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland; Green Trails Map No. 428; a jeep (for rough roads)
Lewis River
Biking Trail
Moderate This fast, smooth single-track traces the scenic Lewis River through old-growth Douglas firs and western red cedars every bit as grand as California's redwoods. It's an up-and-down roller-coaster ride that will wear the winter right out of your legs, and it has five access points, so you won't be short on out-and-back options. Most bikers start near Curly Creek Falls, where the trail is flattest and least populated with hikers. Or, for dramatic scenery, crank your gears up the northernmost stretch, where you'll find a series of rushing waterfalls and dark pools perfect for a cool dip. —Ariel Bleicher
ROUND TRIP: Up to 26 miles NEAREST TOWN: Cougar, Wash. DISTANCE FROM DOWNTOWN: 83 miles PACK: Mountain Biking Oregon; Green Trails Map No. 365; Northwest Forest Pass ($5)


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By Ray McGovern
Without integrity and courage, all virtue is specious, and no amount of structural or organizational reform will make any difference.
Though a 2004 law gave most of the DCI's intelligence community-wide authority to the new position of Director of National Intelligence — after the failure to prevent the 9/11 attacks and after the false intelligence analysis on Iraq's WMDs — the same principles regarding integrity and courage apply to the DNI.
Instructive lessons can be drawn from the performance of George Tenet, the sixteenth CIA director since the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency in 1947, and from his predecessors regarding what attributes a director needs to discharge the duties of the office as the National Security Act of 1947 intended.
Consortiumnews.com Editor's Note:
An underlying factor in the national security crises confronting the United States has been the corruption of the U.S. intelligence process, with analyses tailored to fit the desires of the policymakers and with laws bent to permit torture and other abuses.In this guest essay, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern reflects on what went wrong and what now needs to go right.
911truth.org Editor's Note:
Ray McGovern is now a regular guest on "Tell Somebody," hosted by Tom Klammer, broadcasting Tuesday evenings from 6-7pm CENTRAL time.… Continue reading
November 29, 2008
by Sherwood Ross
Global Research
In violation of its pledge to the United Nations not to recruit children into the military, the Pentagon "regularly target(s) children under 17," the American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU) says.
The Pentagon "heavily recruits on high school campuses, targeting students for recruitment as early as possible and generally without limits on the age of students they contact," the ACLU states in a 46-page report titled "Soldiers of Misfortune."
This is in violation of the U.S. Senate's 2002 ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Pentagon recruiters are enrolling children as young as 14 in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps(JROTC) in 3,000 middle-, junior-, and high schools nationwide, causing about 45 percent of the quarter of million students so enrolled to enlist, a rate much higher than in the general student population. Clearly, this is the outcome of underage exposure.
In some cities, such as Los Angeles, high school administrators have been enrolling reluctant students involuntarily in JROTC as an alternative to overcrowded gym classes! In Lincoln high school, enrollees were not told JROTC was involuntary. In Buffalo, N.Y., the entire incoming freshman class at Hutchinson Central Technical High School, (average age 14), was involuntarily enrolled in JROTC. In Chicago, graduating eighth graders (average age 13) are allowed to join any of 45 JROTC programs.
"Wartime enlistment quotas (for Iraq and Afghanistan) have placed increased pressure on military recruiters to fill the ranks of the… Continue reading
December 1, 2008
Agence France-Presse|Rawstory.com
The US Department of Defense plans to deploy 20,000 troops nationwide by 2011 to help state and local officials respond to terror or nuclear attacks and emergencies, The Washington Post said Monday.
Citing Pentagon officials, the newspaper said the plan calls for three rapid-reaction forces.
The first 4,700-strong unit, built around an active-duty combat brigade, is based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and is already available for deployment, according to General Victor Renuart, commander of the US Northern Command, it said.
Two additional groups will later join nearly 80 smaller National Guard and reserve units made up of about 6,000 troops to support local and state authorities nationwide, The Post said.
They will all would be trained to respond to domestic chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive attacks.
The newspaper said that civil liberties groups and libertarians had expressed concern that the plan could undermine the Posse Comitatus Act, a 130-year-old law restricting the military's role in domestic law enforcement.
Before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, dedicating 20,000 troops to domestic response — a nearly sevenfold increase in five years — "would
have been extraordinary to the point of unbelievable," Paul McHale, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense, said in remarks last month noted by the Post. But the recognition that civilian authorities may be overwhelmed in a catastrophe [Hurricane Katrina might be used as an example] prompted "a fundamental change in military culture."
"The Pentagon's plan calls for three rapid-reaction forces to be ready for emergency response by September 2011," the Post added.…Continue reading
December 2, 2008
Everyone knows that deploying 20,000 troops on U.S. soil violates Posse Comitatus and the Constitution.
And everyone understands that staging troops within the U.S. to "help out with civil unrest and crowd control" increases the danger of overt martial law.
But no one is asking an obvious question: Does the government's own excuse for deploying the troops make any sense?
As the Washington Post writes:
Before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, dedicating 20,000 troops to domestic response — a nearly sevenfold increase in five years — "would have been extraordinary to the point of unbelievable," Paul McHale, assistant defense secretary for homeland defense, said in remarks last month at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. But the realization that civilian authorities
may be overwhelmed in a catastrophe prompted "a fundamental change in military culture," he said.
But homeland defense is doing nothing to stop the creation of new terrorists or to prevent bad guys from attacking.
If They Wanted to Stop Terrorism . . .
Remember, the war on terror is a hoax which is actually weakening national security (see this, this, this and this).
And the Department of Homeland Security, instead of protecting vulnerable targets, has instead randomly made up lists which include kangaroo centers, petting zoos and ice cream parlors as high-priority terrorist threats. And the administration is refusing to fill important positions at DHS so that our security can be protected.
The government is… Continue reading
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
by Michael Collins
An Amendment –
The president shall not have the right to grant pardons or clemency.
Michael Collins
"Scoop" Independent News
(Wash. DC) The prospect of the criminal in chief, George W. Bush, issuing pardons to his co-conspirators is repugnant to all citizens who've paid any degree of attention over the last eight years.
He neglected his duty prior to 911 resulting in a devastating attack on the nation.
He started an illegal war based on lies that caused injury and death to tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers and the deaths of over 1.2 million Iraqi civilians.
He ordered the illegal wire tapping of citizens, a clear violation of law.
He stopped scientific research causing the suffering unto death of those with illness and injury that could have been healed during his term.
The list goes on. Bush ruled like a tyrant with the wisdom of an adolescent sociopath.
Right now this man who should have been impeached and subsequently jailed for his crimes is planning last minute pardons and acts of clemency for his friends, co-conspirators, and others who meet his deviant criteria for release from legal obligations.
Highly motivated citizens and legislators are seeking legal precedents and rationales to stop Bush from pardoning his collaborators.
Hopefully, their efforts, one of which is impeachment, will meet with success. Allowing those who attacked the people to walk away free after the death, destruction and ruin they've caused will… Continue reading
Marie Colvin
December 14, 2008
The Sunday Times
As a convoy of blue-and-white United Nations trucks loaded with food waited last night for Israeli permission to enter Gaza, Jindiya Abu Amra and her 12-year-old daughter went scrounging for the wild grass their family now lives on.
"We had one meal today – khobbeizeh," said Abu Amra, 43, showing the leaves of a plant that grows along the streets of Gaza. "Every day, I wake up and start looking for wood and plastic to burn for fuel and I beg. When I find nothing, we eat this grass."
Abu Amra and her unemployed husband have seven daughters and a son. Their tiny breeze-block house has had no furniture since they burnt the last cupboard for heat.
"I can't remember seeing a fruit," said Rabab, 12, who goes with her mother most mornings to scavenge. She is dressed in a tracksuit top and holed jeans, and her feet are bare.
Conditions for most of the 1.5m Gazans have deteriorated dramatically in the past month, since a truce between Israel and Hamas, the ruling Islamist party, broke down.
Israel says it will open the borders again when Hamas stops launching rockets at southern Israel. Hamas says it will crack down on the rocket launchers when Israel opens the borders.
The fragile truce technically ends this Thursday, and there have been few signs it will be renewed. Nobody knows how to resolve the stalemate. Secret talks are under way through Egyptian intermediaries, although both… Continue reading
Michael Connell, the Bush IT expert who has been directly implicated in the rigging of George Bush's 2000 and 2004 elections, was killed last night when his single engine plane crashed three miles short of the Akron airport. Velvet Revolution ("VR"), a non-profit that has been investigating Mr. Connell's activities for the past two years, can now reveal that a person close to Mr. Connell has recently been discussing with a VR investigator how to tell all about his work for George Bush. Mr. Connell told a close associate that he was afraid that the George Bush and Dick Cheney would "throw [him] under the bus."
A tipster close to the McCain campaign disclosed to VR in July that Mr. Connell's life was in jeopardy and that Karl Rove had threatened him and his wife, Heather. VR's attorney, Cliff Arnebeck, notified the United States Attorney General , Ohio law enforcement and the federal court about these threats and insisted that Mr. Connell be placed in protective custody. VR also told a close associate of Mr. Connell's not to fly his plane because of another tip that the plane could be sabotaged. Mr. Connell, a very experienced pilot, has had to abandon at least two flights in the past two months because of suspicious problems with his plane. On December 18, 2008, Mr. Connell flew to a small airport outside… Continue reading
It's not about them–it's about us
December 15, 2008
by Mike Ferner
During the rush to get the Nuremberg Tribunals underway, the Soviet delegation wanted the tribunal's historic decisions to have legitimacy only for the Nazis. U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Robert Jackson, serving as the chief prosecutor for the Allies, strong-armed the Soviets until the very beginning of the tribunal before changing their minds.
In his opening statement Jackson very purposely stipulated, "…Let me make clear that while this law is first applied against German aggressors, the law includes, and if it is to serve a useful purpose it must condemn aggression by any other nations, including those which sit here now in judgment."
Can there be a better reason for prosecuting George Bush and his administration for war crimes than those words from the chief prosecutor of the Nazis, a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, with the full support of the U.S. government? Robert Jackson's words and the values this nation claims to stand for provide sufficient moral basis for putting Bush and Cheney, their underlings who implemented their policies and the perverted legal minds who justified them all in the dock. If those are not sufficient reasons, there is a long list of binding law and treaties — written in black and white in surprisingly plain English.
Bush imagined, and his attorneys advised, that he could simply wave aside these laws with "they don't apply." Imagine how a judge would treat even a simple traffic court defendant who… Continue reading
By Jordy Yager
December 17, 2008
A crumbling economy, more than 2 million constituents who have lost their jobs this year, and congressional demands of CEOs to work for free did not convince lawmakers to freeze their own pay.
Instead, they will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries, and watchdog groups are not happy about it.
"As lawmakers make a big show of forcing auto executives to accept just $1 a year in salary, they are quietly raiding the vault for their own personal gain," said Daniel O'Connell, chairman of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a non-partisan group. "This money would be much better spent helping the millions of seniors who are living below the poverty line and struggling to keep their heat on this winter."
However, at 2.8 percent, the automatic raise that lawmakers receive is only half as large as the 2009 cost of living adjustment of Social Security recipients.
Still, Steve Ellis, vice president of the budget watchdog Taxpayers for Common Sense, said Congress should have taken the rare step of freezing its pay, as lawmakers did in 2000.
"Look at the way the economy is and how most people aren't counting on a holiday bonus or a pay raise — they're just happy to have gainful
employment," said Ellis. "But you have the lawmakers who are set up and ready to get their next installment of a pay raise and go happily along their… Continue reading
Dec. 29, 2008
Associated Press
MIAMI – U.S. prosecutors want a Miami judge to sentence the son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 147 years in prison for torturing people when he was chief of a brutal paramilitary unit during his father's reign.
Charles McArthur Emmanuel, also known as Charles "Chuckie" Taylor Jr., is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9 by U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. His conviction was the first use of a 1994 law allowing prosecution in the U.S. for acts of torture committed overseas.
A recent Justice Department court filing describes torture — which the U.S. has been accused of in the war on terror — as a "flagrant and pernicious abuse of power and authority" that warrants severe punishment of Taylor.
"It undermines respect for and trust in authority, government and a rule of law," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Heck Miller in last week's filing. "The gravity of the offense of torture is beyond dispute."
Remainder of article at msnbc.com…Continue reading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date : 12-30-2008
For more information, please contact: (Gaza) Ewa Jasiewicz, +972 598 700 497 / firstname.lastname@example.com
(Cyprus) Lubna Masarwa +357 99 081 767 / email@example.com
(U.S.) Greta Berlin, +1 310 422 7242 / firstname.lastname@example.com
(Larnaca, Cyprus, 10:00 am) On Tuesday, December 30, at 5 a.m., several Israeli gunboats intercepted the Dignity as she was heading on a mission of mercy to Gaza. One gunboat rammed into the boat on the port bow side, heavily damaging her. The reports from the passengers and journalists on board is that she is taking on water and appears to have engine problems. When attacked, the Dignity was clearly in international waters, 90 miles off the coast of Gaza.
The gunboats also fired their machine guns into the water in an attempt to stop the mercy ship from getting to Gaza.
As the boat limps toward Lebanon, passengers have been in contact with the Lebanese government who have said the captain has permission to dock and are willing lend assistance if needed. Cyprus sea rescue has also been in touch, and has offered assistance as well. The Dignity clearly flies the flag of Gibraltar, is piloted by an English captain and has a passenger manifest that includes Representative Cynthia McKinney from the U.S. The attack was filmed by the journalists, and the crew and passengers will report on Israel's crime at sea once they arrive in Lebanon.
On board the boat are doctors traveling to this impoverished slice of the Mediterranean… Continue reading
By Cernig
Wednesday Dec 24, 2008
Via my Newshoggers colleague Anderson comes this:
By a vote of 180 in favour to 1 against (United States) and no abstentions, the Committee also approved a resolution on the right to food, by which the Assembly would "consider it intolerable" that more than 6 million children still died every year from hunger-related illness before their fifth birthday, and that the number of undernourished people had grown to about 923 million worldwide, at the same time that the planet could produce enough food to feed 12 billion people, or twice the world's present population. (See Annex III.)
The Bush administration, speaking for the U.S.A., therefore must consider it tolerable that 6 million children die every day – children who could be fed if we weren't wasting billions on stealth fighters, littoral combat boondoggles and non-effective defense against non-existant ballistic missiles from Iran.
Just so you get that, here it is again:
… Continue reading
In favour: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
The United States gave Israel free reign Friday on whether to send troops into the Gaza Strip, insisting that the key to a ceasefire is an Israeli demand for Hamas to permanently halt rocket fire.
But the White House said it has asked Israel to try hard to avoid civilian casualties as reserves were called up for an expected ground incursion on top of a week of air strikes that has killed more than 400 Palestinians.
"We've been in regular contact with the Israelis," White House deputy press secretary Gordon Johndroe told reporters when asked if US officials were trying to prevent a possible ground offensive.
US officials have urged the Israelis "to be mindful that any of the actions that they're taking in Gaza avoid unnecessary civilian casualties and also to help continue with the flow of humanitarian goods," he said.
"So I think any steps they are taking, whether it's from the air or on the ground or anything of that nature, are part and parcel of the same operation," Johndroe said.
"Those will be decisions made by the Israelis," he said.
"Israel has a right to defend itself from these rocket attacks, and so we'll see," Johndroe said when asked about progress toward a ceasefire.
After briefing Bush about events in Gaza, just 18 days before he hands the White House to his successor Barack Obama, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington was pursuing diplomacy with its partners in the Middle East.…Continue reading
by Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories
For eighteen months the entire 1.5 million people of Gaza experienced a punishing blockade imposed by Israel, and a variety of traumatizing challenges to the normalcy of daily life. A flicker of hope emerged some six months ago when an Egyptian arranged truce produced an effective ceasefire that cut Israeli casualties to zero despite the cross-border periodic firing of homemade rockets that fell harmlessly on nearby Israeli territory, and undoubtedly caused anxiety in the border town of Sderot. During the ceasefire the Hamas leadership in Gaza repeatedly offered to extend the truce, even proposing a ten-year period and claimed a receptivity to a political solution based on acceptance of Israel's 1967 borders. Israel ignored these diplomatic initiatives, and failed to carry out its side of the ceasefire agreement that involved some easing of the blockade that had been restricting the entry to Gaza of food, medicine, and fuel to a trickle.
Israel also refused exit permits to students with foreign fellowship awards and to Gazan journalists and respected NGO representatives. At the same time, it made it increasingly difficult for journalists to enter, and I was myself expelled from Israel a couple of weeks ago when I tried to enter to carry out my UN job of monitoring respect for human rights in occupied Palestine, that is, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as Gaza. Clearly, prior to the current crisis, Israel… Continue reading
Dec 15, 2008
by David Chandler
Architects & Engineers for 911 Truth (AE911Truth.org)
In its draft report, released in August 2008, NIST attempted to cover up evidence that WTC7 fell at freefall, but the coverup was transparent. In its final report, released in November 2008, NIST finally acknowledged freefall, but couched it in a bizarre framework that continues to deny its clear significance. Part I [of this video] chronicles NIST's attempted obfuscation and eventual admission of freefall. Part II demonstrates that their replacement theory is based on fabricated evidence and is a continuation of the coverup. Part III will spell out the significance of NIST's admission of freefall.
Go to www.AE911truth.org and sign the petition for a REAL investigation.
WTC7: NIST Finally Admits Freefall (Part I)
NIST has now officially accepted that WTC7 came down with the acceleration of gravity, but they still couch it as a phase in a 5.4 second interval they claim matches the 5.4 seconds required for their model to collapse 18 floors. The starting point of their 5.4 second interval is totally arbitrary. This new video highlights the August 26 technical briefing and allows Sunder and Gross to shoot holes in their own feet.
[Ed. Note: 28,393 views as of this posting]
WTC7: NIST Finally Admits Freefall (Part II)
Comment at YouTube: Some viewers have questioned the details of the measurements shown in this video. I have created a FAQ page to deal with these questions. See www.911speakout.org/WTC7-Measurement-FAQ.pdf
[Ed. Note: 2,974 views… Continue reading
21 hours ago
AFP at www.google.com/hostednews
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The outgoing White House administration will next week hold a joint "disaster scenario" exercise with top members of
the incoming team of president-elect Barack Obama, US officials said Friday.
"I'm not going to go into the details of it, but it is a disaster scenario where the government would be very much tested," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said.
"It is an exercise scenario, a hypothetical scenario that is designed to test and tax the capabilities of the federal government," he added.
He did not specify whether Obama or vice president-elect Joe Biden would take part in Tuesday's three-hour long exercise, saying merely it was part of regular training events and had not been motivated by any specific threat.
A huge security blanket is being thrown over Washington for Obama's inauguration on January 20, with up to two million people planning to converge on the US capital to witness the nation's first African-American president being sworn into office.
"It is a very public event … and one that gathers, you know, leaders in a very small environment, essentially. So obviously we have a lot of concern about it," Stanzel said.
"But there is no credible threat at this point to the inauguration that is precipitating this."
Stanzel said Tuesday's exercise was part of President George W. Bush's commitment to ensuring a smooth handover of powers in the first transition to take place since the September 11, 2001 attacks.
He said senior… Continue reading
by Janice Matthews
911truth.org (link to article)
911truth.org was contacted this week by Charles W. (Bill) White, of Houston, who provided extensive information to Russ Baker in the writing of his explosive new Bush dynasty historical expose, Family Secrets: The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America. More about him is in his letter to Senator Levin, below, wherein he expresses grave concern for the safety of nearly 6,000 Sailors and Marines who will carry out their duties aboard the Navy's new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush.
Today, that ship was christened in spite of White's caution. An AP article, "Bush Visits Aircraft Carrier Named After Father," describes the new ship and her christening thus:
It's the perfect gift for an old Navy flier: 1,092 feet of flattop.
"What do you give a guy who has been blessed and has just about everything he has ever needed?" asked President George W. Bush from aboard the Navy's newest ship. "Well, an aircraft carrier."
The USS George H.W. Bush, a steel-gray vessel longer than three football fields and built at a cost of $6.2 billion … is one of the Nimitz class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the largest warships in the world.
"The ship that bears our dad's name is more than 95,000 tons of aluminum and steel," Bush said from a podium tucked under the flight deck. "She will carry nearly 6,000… Continue reading
January 13, 2009
by Larisa Alexandrovna
New information surrounding the December plane crash which killed GOP internet consultant Michael Connell casts doubt on some of the rumors and speculation surrounding his death but doesn't close the books on the circumstances surrounding the Republican technology star's tragic end.
Michael Connell, a high-level IT guru for the Republican National Committee and the US Chamber of Commerce, died Dec. 19, 2008 at 5:53 PM ET when his airplane crashed near Ohio's Akron-Canton airport.
Although there has been speculation in the media about the possibility of sabotage in Connell death, authorities do not suspect foul play. The official investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not yet determined the cause of the crash; their final report is required to be produced within a year.
Connell's ten year-old, seven-passenger, single engine Piper Saratoga II crashed into an empty house on Charolais Street in Lake Township, Ohio. The plane's right wing clipped a flagpole in the front yard before it broke up, set fire to the garage, and tumbled some 50–60 feet along the ground toward the back yard of a neighboring home.
Connell was thrown from the burning plane and killed instantaneously by massive blunt force trauma, according to the Stark County coroner's report. Although the body was not burned, fingerprints were required to confirm identity, according to Captain Lorin Geisner of the Greentown Fire Department.
According to Geisner, Connell's personal items recovered from the crash site included a passport, a driver's… Continue reading


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The South African Under 20 Women's National Team (Basetsana) is back in camp preparing for the return leg of the of the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup qualifier against Ghana.
South Africa takes on Ghana in a match that will be played in Accra on Saturday, 14 April 2012.
Basetsana lost the first leg second round clash by two goals to nil (2-0) at the Sinaba Stadium (Saturday, 31 March 2012).
The FIFA U20 Women's World Cup will be held in Japan from 8 August - 9 September this year.
The Basetsana squad has been training at the Edenvale Sports Grounds since the start of camp on Saturday (8 April 2012). They have already played a practice match against the Edenvale Boys Club where they won two nil (2-0).
They will face Diambars Under 15 boys in the second practice match scheduled for this afternoon (Tuesday, 10 April 2012).
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Basetsana squad list:
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Emperor Charles V and his brother, the Archduke Ferdinand, persuade the Pasha (ruler) of Buda to agree to an amnesty in the ongoing war over Hungary.
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It is extremely difficult to find a mashup that pleases everyone. Case in point, the Cudi / Flo & The Machines tune we posted a few weeks back. While most approved there were still some negative... Read more »
Umm, is he serious with that hair style? Anyway, here's the remix that Con was talking about yesterday of YC's "Racks on Racks" single featuring Young Jeezy, CyHi Da Prynce, Bun B, B.o.B, Big Sean, Cory... Read more »
If you come here often you already know this: I'm a sucker for covers of hip-hop songs. I don't know why, but it just seems like a good idea to me. Maybe it's the simple, to... Read more »
The song is called "Feel It" and one version has Nelly on it and one has Sean Paul.DJ Felli Fel & T-Pain, Flo-Rida, Sean Paul, Pitbull – Feel It(Same as above) – (Sean Paul) + (Nelly)... Read more »


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According to the Office of the Dean of Students:
"To submit to your instructor a paper or comparable assignment that is not truly the product of your own mind and skill is to commit plagiarism. To put it bluntly, plagiarism is the act of stealing the ideas and/or expression of another and representing them as your own. It is a form of cheating and a kind of scholastic dishonesty which can incur severe penalties. It is important, therefore, that you understand what constitutes plagiarism, so that you will not unwittingly jeopardize your college career."1