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'Blood minerals' in DRC's Kivu
29 Jul 2007
The ensuing mineral smuggling led to a self-financed war of occupation. Many well-written articles and reports have been compiled about mineral smuggling in the Congo during the 2nd Congo War (1998-2003), and I will not recount them except to say that from 1998-2001, coltan was the most desired mineral in the Congo. When the 2nd Congo War began in 1998, coltan was valued at $20 (U.S.) per pound. By the end of 2000, it was worth more than $200 (U.S.) per pound.[1]
Prices soared due to skyrocketing demand from the electronics, defense, and aerospace industries. From 1998-2001, the U.S. was the world's top coltan importer. China, fueled by its role in manufacturing the electronics industry's components, became the largest coltan importer in 2002. Coltan was processed into its two component minerals (columbite and tantalite) and used heavily during the launch of the Sony Playstation and in the booming cell phone industry. More recently, these minerals are used in portable mp3 players like IPods and computers.
Coltan's value tumbled down swiftly in late 2001. Ironically, the U.S. was partially responsible for the drastically plummeting price when the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) released their burgeoning surplus stock onto the open market for purchase in December 2000. The sudden and dramatic increase in supply sent the market price crashing down.
Since coltan mining is no longer as profitable, cassiterite has become the most desired mineral in the Kivus and the Congo contains a third of the world's cassiterite reserves.
Cassiterite is normally found in the same mining areas as coltan and its value lies in the fact that it yields tin after smelting. New environmental laws enacted in Japan and the European Union (E.U.) in 2004 forced all lead-based solders to be replaced with tin as soon as possible, raising its demand considerably because solder is heavily used in the electronics industry. Cassiterite also has applications in the automotive industry and can also be used as a metal coating to prevent corrosion. China's exponential growth in the industrial economy sector also contributed to a greater market demand for cassiterite.
The largest cassiterite mines in the Congo are located near Kasese and Kalima in Maniema Province, near Walikale town in North Kivu Province, and Kamituga in South Kivu Province. The cassiterite ore located near Walikale is particularly valuable because it is chemically bound to a high-grade form of iron that can be separated and sold separately by traders for additional profit. The most valuable mine in Walikale Territory is in Bisie, located north of Walikale town. Bisie contains diamonds, uranium, cobalt, cassiterite, and bauxite deposits. There is a 45 kilometer path from Walikale town into the Kakalo Forest where the mine is located and it often takes several days to get there by foot. After digging up the minerals in Bisie, traders meet the artisanal miners in the village of Mubi to appraise each dig's value.
The ore is purchased by private buyers or licensed comptoirs. A comptoir is a business that buys the raw minerals extracted from the mines before they are processed. They, in turn, sell them to the mineral processing companies. Each comptoir generally specializes in one or two specific minerals and many of the owners in the cities are foreigners, often of Lebanese or Pakistani descent. Smugglers who do not have export licenses often purchase minerals and then sneak across the Rwandan border on foot under the cover of darkness. From Mubi, wealth buyers and comptoir owners have the minerals flown out in small charter planes to Goma or Kigali for refining and/or export to international refineries.
Mubi has the only viable airstrip in the area besides Nzovu. It was used as a makeshift airstrip during the 2nd Congo War to deploy soldiers deep into Walikale Territory. The Mubi airstrip was originally a road connecting Mubi, Walikale town, and Kisangani, but it degraded so much during the years Joseph Mobutu was president, vehicles can no longer safely travel on it. The road is tarred, but filled with numerous gaping potholes and only small charter or cargo planes can land there effectively. In recent years, there have been several plane crashes on the road. Rebuilding this road is a priority of President Joseph Kabila's administration to facilitate better access to the mines.
There are smaller cassiterite deposits around Luwowo in Masisi Territory, but the infrastructure is so poor, it can only be worked by artisanal miners at the present time. Mataba Hill, also located in Masisi Territory, has coltan deposits and a lesser amount of cassiterite. Currently, most of the hill is owned by Edouard Mwangachuchu, who set up a mineral exporting firm called MHI. In 1996, Mr. Mwangachuchu was a political refugee in the U.S. after escaping the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL-CZ) and Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) invasion. When he returned to the Congo, he founded MHI in 1998 with his business partner; an American physician from Baltimore named Robert Sussman. They purchased land usage rights on Mataba Hill from the Rally for Congolese Democracy's (RCD)[6] Mining Department, bypassing the Congolese Ministry of Mining. They then proceeded to hire armed guards to protect their investment.
The Mumba/Bibatama open pit mine near Ngungu is also highly coveted. There are additional cassiterite concentrations in Punia, Kalima, and Lugushwa. Farther north in Lubero Territory, Munguredjipa and Muhinga also have high-grade ores. South Kivu Province has smaller cassiterite mines currently controlled by the Forces Combattantes Abacunguzi (FOCA), the Rasta, and Mai-Mai who have refused to integrate into the Congolese national army (FARDC).
Rwanda has seeks to gain control over Walikale's mines through allied businesses in the Congo. In 2004, middle men were purchasing stolen and illegally mined cassiterite from Walikale Territory and transporting it to Rwanda through Goma. The Rwandan border town of Gisenyi, just across the border from Goma, has a cassiterite and tantalum smelting plant operated by the South African Metal Processing Association (MPA). In 2004, MPA sold the majority of their refined cassiterite to Metmar Trading. Metmar had a lucrative contract with ISCOR (Iron and Steel Association of South Africa), a company that was eventually bought out by Mittal Steel. MPA also had a deal with Soci't' Aurif're et Industrielle du Kivu et du Maniema (SAKIMA) SARL for 37 mining concessions.
MPA was founded by Bruce Stride and Brian Christophers. MPA is associated with Tibere Rujigiro, a major financial backer of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) party. Mr. Rujigiro is a business partner of South African Nick Watson, an executive manager of MPA. MPA is the parent company of Mining Processing Congo (MPC), a leading cassiterite buyer and exporter in Goma. The 2005 phonebook for the Democratic Republic of the Congo lists Mining Processing Congo SPRL's manager as Norbert Friedrich.
In Goma, MPA has a subsidiary called Metal Processing Congo. Metal Processing Congo is one of the largest coltan and cassiterite purchasing agents in the Kivus. It is also often abbreviated as MPC, which can lead to confusion between Metal Processing Congo and Mining Processing Congo. A 2005 phonebook from the Democratic Republic of the Congo lists Metal Processing Congo's manager as Ivo Blauwers.
Currently, MPC and a company called Bangandula Mining Group are in a legal battle over the right to mine Bisie. MPC holds a prospecting permit from the Land Registry in Kinshasa, but Bangandula has a leasing agreement for the concession with SAKIMA SARL. MPC insists Bisie does not form part of the concession Bangandula is leasing. Chantal Bashizi, Director of the mining land register, agreed with MPC but the local mwami (chief) has not sided with either firm, meaning that customary laws for land-usage rights have not been enacted. The situation deteriorated to the point where an MPC employee was killed at the company's camp on 29th October 2006.
While MPC was dealing the death of an employee, Bangandula tried to sweeten the deal by promising to allow artisan miners on the concession, but a look behind the scenes at Bangandula reveals a troubling history. In 2005, the Bandagula Association owned by Babuni Motokotoko, Fikiri Mayani, and Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka received a mining permit from the North Kivu Provincial Minister of Mines, Emmanuel Ndimubanzi Ngoroba. In June 2005, they created Bangandula Company SPRL and quickly sent their representatives to Walikale Territory to get a mining contract from the resident Bassa clan. The contract allowed them to send the minerals extracted from Bisie to purchasing agents in Goma, including MPC and Sodexmines, their supposed rivals.
After the contract was signed, Bangandula Mining Group was formed as a joint venture between Bangandula Company SPRL, Modeste Makabuza's Saphyr Society, Mapatano, and 10 private investors, including Alexis Makabuza, Modeste's brother. He is the primary shareholder and controller of the deal. SAKIMA (chaired by Amisi Mudjanahery), with the support of the Minister of Finance and the (then) RCD-G Minister of Economy, signed a deal with Bangandula for the concessions in Walikale Territory, again bypassing the Congolese Ministry of Mines. Mr. Makabuza immediately set up barricades from Walikale town to Hombo and forced artisan miners to pay mineral extraction taxes. It was even reported Mr. Makabuza is partly responsible for
the death of the MPC employee because the Mining Group works closely with the FARDC's non-integrated 85th Brigade to control access to the mine, providing an example were Rwandan allies and Kablia loyalists are willing to work together when the profit margin is high enough. Soldiers from the 85th Brigade were responsible for the death of the MPC employee on 29 October 2006.
The 85th Battalion is comprised of ex-Mai-Mai fighters who fought against General Nkundabatware, the Rwandan backed commander of a group of Tutsi soldiers in North Kivu. The 85th Brigade continues to control access to the mining area. The soldiers have stolen large quantities of bauxite from other miners in the area, intimidated rival tradesmen in the area, set up roadblocks, illegally taxed local artisanal miners, raped women, and tortured the rape victims' respective husbands if they resist. They also force locals to mine for them. This is despite the fact Walikale Territorial Administrator Dieudonn' Tshishiku and North Kivu's Provincial Director of Mining Emmanuel Ndimubaze have declared the area unsafe and unsuitable for mining. The dilapidated mine is at high risk for collapse.
Additionally, the soldiers terrorize travelling salesmen in transit from Bukavu. 85th Battalion soldiers have even fought amongst each other for total dominance over the mining area and its illicit taxation system. The 85th Battalion's commander, Colonel Samy Matumo, denies all wrongdoing despite the admittance of Colonel Delphin Kahimbi, (then) Deputy Commander of the 8th Military Region (North Kivu Province). President Joseph Kabila and the FARDC's Chief of Staff, General Kisempia Sungila Lombe, have done nothing to integrate these men into the FARDC, nor have they seriously tried to stop the rampant human rights abuses. The only recorded disciplinary action is the arrest of a soldier from the 85th Brigade for killing a civilian in Walikale town.
As valuable as the mine in Bisie is, the Lueshe mine located in Rutshuru Territory (North Kivu Province) may be even more valuable. The mine contains an extremely valuable deposit of pyrochlore. The chemical composition of this ore is so unique; numerous chemistry reference manuals give it its own name: "Lueshite." The only other place pyrochlore can be extracted from is Arax', Brazil. The village is located on a mining concession owned by the Soci't' Mini're du Kivu (SOMIKIVU). There are a number of housing quarters built on the site that originally housed the site's workers.
Pyrochlore is a radioactive compound comprised of a niobium compound bound to a form of tantalum called a microlite. The niobium (also known as columbium) is currently more desirable than its sister component. It is primarily used to create heat-resistant steel and glass alloys used in various construction materials. The steel alloys are widely used to construct oil pipelines and the glass alloys are used in the corrective lenses of eyeglasses. Niobium is also used in nuclear reactors, air frames, jewelry, chemical processing equipment, magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) machines and superconducting magnets. When niobium is combined with iron, the super-alloy ferroniobium is formed, which is used in jet engines, rocket assembly, furnace parts, automobile and truck bodies, railroad tracks, ship hulls, and turbines depending on the percentage of niobium composition.
The tantalum is used to create electronic capacitors used in cell (mobile) phones, laptop computers, video game systems, pacemakers, surgical instruments, pagers, automotive electronics, camera lenses, digital cameras, camera lenses, global positioning systems (GPS), electronic capacitors, lithium ion batteries, prosthetics, surgical implants, and fiber optics. It can also be alloyed with other metals to create heat-resistant compounds widely used in jet engines, nuclear reactors, and various missile parts.
The importance of the Lueshe mine is hardly a new discovery. One former NGO worker I interviewed stumbled upon the Lueshe mine back in 1986 while wandering around Rutshuru Territory looking for a local priest. He told me he did not have any idea the mine was there. Curious to learn more about this mysterious mining facility, he allowed a Belgian mining technician to give him a tour of the place. The technician explained the pyrochlore was being mined for its niobium, which was being used to create the heat-resistant tiles on National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space shuttles. He proudly proclaimed that a nearby airstrip on a coffee plantation served as the landing point for a military official from the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) who occasionally visited the mine. The Belgian worker also casually explained how the local water supply had inadvertently been poisoned with arsenic during the mining operations. In the late 1980s, the NGO worker I interviewed was involved in projects to improve the abysmal infrastructure in Goma, which had fallen into almost complete disrepair as a result of President Mobutu's kleptocratic regime. The city was frequently without electricity. Naturally, he was excited to learn a power line was being built from Bukavu up to Goma. It was even more exciting because it was very rare to see President Mobutu spend money on infrastructure. Clearly, this power line had great significance to him. It did not take long to find out what it was. Not long after construction began, the hapless citizens of Goma were told the project was delayed indefinitely. It turned out the Zairian government told the contractors to divert the power line away from Goma and connect it to the Lueshe mining site instead.
Lueshe is located on the former SOMIKIVU mining concession that was owned by a group of German shareholders that included the former manager of SOMIKIVU, Karl Heinz Albers. As a result of a trust agreement, the German shareholders continued to control SOMIKIVU's activities. In 1982, SOMIKIVU was created as a joint venture between Nuremburg-based Gesellschaft f'r Elektrometallurgie (GfE) and the Zairian government. GfE was a subsidiary of Metalurg Incorporated, a company headquartered in New York. Mr. Albers first gained the majority ownership rights to mine the Lueshe site through a joint venture between Metalurg Incorporated and SOMIKIVU, which bestowed 70 percent of the shares in SOMIKIVU to GfE while 20 percent was owned by the government of Zaire.
Minority shareholders included Coffimines, and Sobaki (based in Brussels). Mr. Albers personally acquired majority control over the Lueshe mine in 1993 when one of the German firms he worked for, GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH, gave him their shares in the project. Mr. Albers business partner (and Board of Directors member) in GfE was the (then) RCD's Minister of Finance, Emmanuel Kamanzi.
When Laurent Kabila evicted Joseph Mobutu and took power, he dissolved SOMIKIVU, much to the displeasure of international backers. However, Mr. Albers was able to continue mining on the property by dealing directly with the RCD's parallel government administration that was inaugurated in 1998 with the help of the Rwandan Government. Mr. Albers effectively bypassed the Congolese Ministry of Mines by paying off the RCD for land-use rights to mine Lueshe without interference from their armed wing, the Congolese National Army (ANC). The RCD was interested in doing business with Mr. Albers because he was the largest coltan trader in Goma at the time and he had virtually unlimited access to the Rwandan export market, which meant money for the rebel administration's war expenses. The RCD moved their illegally-mined coltan from the Congo through his business networks to refine and export the ore while laundering the profits. The arrangement worked out so well for both parties, the RCD even loaned him ANC soldiers to stand guard over the Lueshe concession.
After 1997, one of Mr. Albers business partners was Dr. Mis Tshaba Mulombu III, President L. Kabila's former presidential advisor and the former Chief of the Rwandan Secret Service in Goma. Meanwhile, since SOMIKIVU was dismantled, the Congolese Government no longer recognized GfE's contract. Instead, the Congolese Government sold the rights to mine Lueshe to a newly inaugurated company named Edith Krall M'tal Congo SCARL (owned by Austrian Michael Krall) in 1999. Mr. Krall owned a copper/cobalt plant in Jinja, Uganda and he wanted to expand his operations. The Lueshe mine officially reopened in early 2000.
Mr. Krall sent a team to scout the Lueshe site in early 2000. When they arrived, they were greeted by RPA and ANC soldiers guarding the mine. The workers retreated to Goma, where they were promptly arrested by RCD immigration officers. Mr. Albers, who was living in Kigali at the time, was informed of the arrest. He reportedly ordered the officers to kill all the members of the delegation. The RCD Chief of Secret Services refused the order and set them all free. The workers were later contacted by ANC soldiers who said they would allow Edith Krall to mine the land, but only if the company purchased weapons for them. Krall employees returned to Goma after the Lusaka Accords were signed, but they avoided Rutshuru Territory until 2003. Mr. Krall has been in a legal battle for Lueshe ever since.
Through his network of businesses, Mr. Albers enjoyed a virtual monopoly over coltan exportation. Mr. Albers also owned GBC, Goma's main coltan exporter during the coltan boom of 2000. GBC was the primary seller of unprocessed tantalum to H.C. Starck, a huge mineral processing company owned by The Bayer Group A.G. through at least 2002. Mr. Albers also conducted business with COPIMAR (Cooperative for the Promotion of Artisanal Mining Industries), a mineral exporting firm managed by RPA Major Dan Nzaremba, and with
other Rwandan firms like Godefrey Bayoli Stones, the General Business Company Rwanda, and Great Lakes Trader Kigali.
Mr. Albers United Nations (U.N)-blacklisted firm Masingiro was the parent company of GBC. Masingoro was a mineral trading company that was later integrated into Karl Heinz Albers Holding International (KHA). Masingoro shipped pyrochlore from Lueshe to be assayed for purity by a British firm called Alfred Knight Holdings (AKH). AKH had a branch in Kigali and they also owned a subsidiary in Congo's Katanga Province that closed in 2005. AKH completed numerous lab assays of pyrochlore shipments for Mr. Albers from 2002-2004 and was a re-exporter of cassiterite and coltan. The only pyrochlore in the area is found in the Lueshe mine, so it is extremely unlikely AKH could not have known were the minerals they tested were coming from. From there, the pyrochlore was shipped to Europe, chiefly through the port city of Rotterdam, Holland.
Another subsidiary of KHA is the Niobium Mining Company (NMC) Limited based in London. NMC Metallurgy SARL was opened in Kigali as a subsidiary of NMC. NMC Metallurgy acquired the Karuruma smelting plant from the Rwandan Government as part of Rwanda's mass privatization plan to attract foreign investors and generate more income for the Rwandan war "efforts" in the Congo. The Karuruma plant's creation was partially financed by the Rwandese Commercial Bank, which was run by John Madder, a KHA shareholder. The bank was previously owned by Rwanda's R'gie des Mines du Rwanda (REDEMI). REDEMI was established in 1988 from the Soci't' des Mines du Rwanda (SOMIRWA). Interestingly, REDIMI ran a coltan processing plant in Gatumba in 2004, the same year the massacre at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) camp in Gatumba occurred. REDEMI also ran a cassiterite-processing plant in Rutongo, Rwanda.
A British firm called A&M Minerals Limited, a subsidiary of The A&M Group, also got in on the act. A German named Michael Herzfeld (Manager of A&M's offices in New York and Brussels) wired money to Mr. Albers in exchange for the ability to process the pyrochlore he mined from Lueshe. Mr. Herzfeld also supplied SOMIKIVU's de facto manager Modeste Makabuza with chemicals used to refine pyrochlore from Lueshe, which Mr. Makabuza likely used in conjunction with the cassiterite purchasing store he owns.
One of Mr. Albers business partners, Johanna K'nig, helped facilitate the purchase of minerals extracted from Lueshe through a complicated network of German businesses. She also forged the certificate of authenticity to hide the fact that the minerals were smuggled from the Congo. The operation apparently had the blessing of Germany's Foreign Ministry until at least 2002. The capital from these sales provided the RCD and the Rwandan Government with income they could use for military spending to prolong the war of occupation. In early 2004, when it was clear Mr. Albers business empire was crumbling, she personally visited the mine with Modeste and Alexis Makabuza. She announced to the Congolese locals working there that the mine was now the property of the German Republic and she ordered them to continue working without pay under the command of the RPA.
Another business partner of Mr. Albers was Dr. Johannes Wontka, the technical director of SOMIKIVU before it was dissolved. He reportedly told a Rwandan officer to execute any Krall associates who tried to gain access to the mine. The officer refused to carry out his orders and instead told the police. The general prosecutor of North Kivu asked Dr. Wontka to come to Goma and provide proof of GfE's right to mine Lueshe. Dr. Wontka was arrested at the border trying to flee to Rwanda. He was arrested and GfE's mineral stores in Goma were impounded. Doretta Loschelder, the German Ambassador to Congo, promptly announced Germany would withdraw all its investments in the Congo unless Dr. Wontka was released. The Minister of Justice caved in and set him free. He immediately fled to Rwanda.[39]
In 2004, after several demands to Interpol for an inquest into his business activities, Mr. Albers filed for bankruptcy and was put under house arrest in Goma. Mr. Albers resigned from SOMIKIVU and put a French national named Julien Boillot in charge. Mr. Boillot was an administrator for NMC. Mr. Boillot eventually turned over control of SOMIKIVU to Modeste Makabuza in April 2004.[40] In the meantime, Mr. Albers delegated control of the remainder of his firms and then fled Kigali for Germany in 2004.[41]
Roughly two months after Mrs. Koenig visited Lueshe, Rwanda made their move to obtain physical control over the mining sites in Walikale Territory and Lueshe. In a well-conceived plan of misdirection, a group of dissident former ANC soldiers (led by General Laurent Nkundabatware)[42] seized control of Bukavu, South Kivu's largest town, with the aid of the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF).[43] The occupation of Bukavu forced Mission of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and the FARDC to bring in a large number of reinforcements to control the situation. A number of these soldiers were moved down from North Kivu. Once the number of troops was reduced in North Kivu, another RDF contingent invaded the Congo and drove the Mai-Mai and FOCA out Walikale Territory and the periphery of Lueshe. They then proceeded to export minerals from these mining sites back to Rwanda on cargo flights and by land.[44]
Prior to the occupation of Bukavu, General Nkundabatware used Lueshe as a rear base for his soldiers. General Nkundabatware continued to utilize the former employee housing units as a rear base and the mine itself as an income source for his men since at least January 2004, when his men were first spotted guarding the mine.[45] Employees of Edith Krall Consulting (Krall M'tal Congo's parent company), SOMIKIVU, and MONUC all reported General Nkundabatware himself stayed on the mining site several times during the summer of 2004 following the Bukavu crisis.[46]
One of the most troubling aspects of these revelations is that Mrs. K'nig's visit coincided with his stay in Lueshe. General Nkundabatware eventually lost control of the mines in Walikale Territory, but he was able to retain control over Lueshe. The U.N. received several reports of his soldiers occupying the Lueshe mine well into the summer of 2006.[47] In the meantime, General Nkundabatware was living and training his men in Kiloliwe, Masisi Territory. In August of 2006, General Nkundabatware announced the creation of his own political party, the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). Its headquarters is located in the town of Kitchanga in Masisi Territory. Kitchanga has a pyrochlore and niobium processing factory which can be used to refine minerals extracted from the Lueshe mine.[48]
Raw pyrochlore entering the European market is almost automatically assumed to be from Congo because Lueshe is the only major pyrochlore mining site in the relative area. Since Lueshe is in rebel-controlled territory, and the Lueshe mine is officially closed, any potential buyer of the pyrochlore would have serious legal and ethical issues to answer for if they actually bought it. Therefore, if Rwanda is exporting it, serious concerns should be raised because Rwanda does not have an internal source of pyrochlore. Moreover, pyrochlore can be chemically examined and matched to the mineral composition trends of Lueshe ore, thereby identifying it origin. However, if General Nkundabatware's sympathizers take the pyrochlore, then chemically treat it to yield niobium, and then Rwanda exports the niobium abroad, suspicion is reduced because there are several mines in the area refined niobium could come from. As an arbitrary example, say hypothetically a country has a small number of its own mining sites for coltan, niobium, and cassiterite. That country could say the minerals they are exporting originated from one of these sites and were treated at a smelting plant within the same country. All that is needed from there is a forged certificate of origin and an importer who would not ask questions. Essentially, this is a carbon copy of the diamond smuggling racket Charles Taylor ran in Liberia. The end result is that it is much more difficult to identify exported tantalum niobium as originating from the Lueshe mine. Additionally, at the present time, there is no independent and impartial commission that certifies any of the aforementioned minerals as "conflict-free."
Throughout the summer months of 2006, General Nkundabatware reinforced his army through forcible child conscription from both the Congo and Rwanda, and by integrating demobilized RDF soldiers with his men. These soldiers infiltrated the Congo and gathered in Virunga National Park. In November, a Congolese National Police (CNP) officer gunned down a Rwandan relative of General Nkundabatware's named Eric Musafiri Mayugi, a recently demobilized captain in the RDF.[49] This event set off a brutal series of battles in North Kivu that forced General Nkundabatware to retreat to Rwanda after his men lost ground to the joint FARDC and MONUC forces.
The fighting finally subsided in mid-January, after General Nkundabatware enlisted Rwanda's help to negotiate a peace agreement. They ironed out a deal to "mix" General Nkundabatware's soldiers with ex-Mai-Mai units and former Local Defense Force (LDF) soldiers and deploy them in North Kivu. It wasn't long before the newly-integrated soldiers loyal to General Nkundabatware carried out their own missions. They attacked FOCA positions in North Kivu and murdered several Hutu and Hunde civilians they accused of collaborating with their enemy in Nyamilima, Buramba, and Katwiguru.[50]
One of the blowback effects of these attacks was the displacement
of FOCA and Mai-Mai fighters to the Ugandan border area near Nyakakoma, Vitshumbi, and Virunga National Park to the west. The Lueshe mine, located on the road from Vitshumbi to Rutshuru town, is not far from these hideouts. The proximity of these rebel groups to the Lueshe mine and the supply routes south to Goma and south-east to the Rwandan border and Volcanoes National Park were a direct threat to General Nkundabatware and his Rwandan backers, who desperately needed the income from selling the ore. FOCA and Mai-Mai occupation of Virunga was also a threat because demobilized RDF soldiers and Rwandan civilians sent to fight for General Nkundabatware were still crossing over into Congo and congregating in Virunga National Park. These soldiers were also abducting Rwandan and Congolese children and training them in the forest.[51]
At the end of March, in a series of events eerily familiar to the end of 2004, Rwandan officials reported FOCA elements had fired artillery across the border and killed Rwandan civilians. No independent investigation was ever conducted to confirm or disprove these claims. Rwandan President Paul Kagame quickly met with Congolese President J. Kabila and Foreign Affairs Minister Mbusa Nyamwisi and told them to take immediate action to remedy the situation. The situation was made all the more dire when FARDC soldiers loyal to General Nkundabatware shot at a MONUC reconnaissance helicopter.
In April, the FARDC soldiers loyal to General Nkundabatware launched attacks against FOCA and the Mai-Mai along the axis north of Lueshe. FOCA elements counterattacked in Rutshuru town, temporarily cutting off the road south of Lueshe. They were repelled and FOCA retreated to Nyabiondo to plan another offensive. After the fighting subsided, General Nkundabatware threatened to withdraw his men from the mixed brigades, claiming the mixing process was a failure. North Kivu's Governor, Julien Paluku, set up new barriers in Goma to help prevent mineral smuggling to Rwanda.[52] RDF Chief of Staff James Kabarebe was called in to mediate between General Nkundabatware and the Congolese Government.[53]
General Nkundabatware and his Rwandan backers will do everything they can to keep Lueshe under their control and they may make a move to re-exert control over Walikale Territory sometime in the future. Rwanda's infrastructure was annihilated during the Rwandan War and genocide that lasted from 1990-1994. Rwanda does not have much of a mining industry and the fall of coffee prices in the very early 1990s left Rwanda with little prospects for a viable economy. Rwanda cannot support all its expenses on its own. Rwanda has tried to generate income through private investment, but this strategy has not provided them with enough revenue to allow economic autonomy. This is why the Congo's minerals are so crucial to Rwanda and why the "blood minerals" trade continues today in Central Africa.
David Barouski is an African Affairs researcher and a Political Science student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He is a regular c
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Here are some photos taken on Monday, Sept. 19th at the Magic Kingdom! Sorry for the delay with MiceChat being down. But hopefully better late than never!
One area of Emproium side of Main Street gets a refurb wall.
Work continues on the Main Street Train Station as part of Town Square area is blocked off. (Which also shortens the parade route)
Signs to attempt to help the guest traffic flow. Good thing the park is very empty these days.
Main Street Station on the right side as you exit.
A closer shot of the workers. I wonder if the lights mean they are doing some night work here too?
Even closer...
Main Street Station on the left side as you exit.
The tarps don't look too bad from the front for photos... it's from the Main Street end where you can see tarps and walls everywhere.


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Essay Writing Tips for XAT
By Gaurav
In English
Dec 22nd, 2010
1 Comment
4665 Views
What is looked for in XAT Essays?
- Subject knowledge
- Clarity of thought
- Flow of ideas
- Examples
- Facts
- Correct usage of grammar
- Correct usage of words
- A neat hand-writing
How should you write a XAT essay?
- Always write in paragraphs
- It's not a natural but learned skill
- Different paragraphs express different ideas that contribute to the main idea
- A paragraph should ideally contain :
- Topic Sentence: it is the 1st sentence expressing the main idea of the paragraph- Say what you are going to say
- Supporting Sentences: they expand the main idea expressed in the topic sentence- Say it
- Concluding Sentence: rounding off what has been said or a logical conclusion of the idea in the topic sentence- Say it again!!!
Precautions while writing XAT essay?
- Follow a flow of paragraphs
- Always let the first paragraph be an introduction to the subject matter
- Expansion/ support/ refutation of the idea must follow in subsequent paragraphs
- The last paragraph must have a conclusion of the main idea
- There could be two forms of writing- Deductive and Inductive
- You should have good knowledge of the topic to write about
- Read the directions carefully
- Recognize action words- discuss, evaluate, argue, comment etc.
- Focus on the issue rather than peripheries
- Choose words with precise meanings; avoid ambiguity
- Do not use Jargon
- Do not use Slang
- Do not use Cliché
- Do not use Abbreviations
- Do not use Quotations without acknowledgments
- Make tentative statements; avoid definitive statements- it leaves a scope for further discussion
Where to prepare for XAT essay ?
- Regular reading of: Newspaper editorials, News papers, News websites & Non-fiction article etc
- Discussions with friends and family
- Informational thinking
XAT Essay topics from XAT-1999 to XAT-2010
Source: Written by experts of CL on Career Launcher's CAT Blog. If you want to know more then go CL's Blog.
Xat Essay
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As is my wont here, I'll be following a major event, in this case the Jon Stewart (plus Stephen Colbert) rally in DC all day, via online and TV, with updates added from the top with a time stamp.
Late Saturday update: Expert company hired by CBS to do aerial count of turnout at Glenn Beck's rally in August—they came up with 87,000, give or take a few—just announced its findings for the Stewart/Colbert demo. The number: 215,000, or 2 1/2 times the Beck turnout.
2:55: Closes with Jon thanking crowd for restoring HIS sanity. Brings out Tony Bennett for great "America the Beautiful" (Tony can still hit the high notes). Then everyone there for Staples' "I'll Take You There." Kareem on stage with everyone else. Comedy Central signs off at 3, C-SPAN still with crowd and questions from viewers.
2:45 Jon finally turning serious, long hit at media, defense of doing good work, almost preaching. "We live in hard times, not end times." "If we amplify everything we hear nothing." "We work to get things done every damn day." Only place we don't "is here [DC] and cable TV."
2:35 As I predicted, wingnuts going nuts over Cat Stevens at rally.
2:25 Jon and Stephen at podiums. Robots. Some fun slaps at scary cable news reports. Equal opportunity, plenty of Keith and Ed Schultz hits. Too equal?
2:20 Sheryl Crow, as promised. With, surprise, Kid Rock. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as example of good Muslim. Surely the biggest example.
2:10 Fun Jon & Stephen duet. Then more awards. Fear award for Mark Zuckerberg for not protecting privacy on Facebook.
1:55 Jon and Stephen hand out sanity and fear awards. Great Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Tweedy song.
1:35 Jon and Stephen compromise on O'Jays and "Love Train." CNN cuts to Ted Nugent at GOP rally in W. Virginia.
1:25 Cat "Yusef" Stevens on to do "Peace Train." Kind of gutsy given usual rigthwing attacks on him. Or is it Jimmy Kimmel portraying Cat? No, real, and Ozzie interrupts for the "Fear" side.
1:20 Fox showing Tea Party rallies—thanksgod they ignored Guido Sarducci at Jon's rally. Now Sam Waterston on to read Colbert poem that is pretty good.
1:10 Colbert arrives after lame first few minutes with Jon and Stephen off-stage.
1:05 Jon claims 10 million there and perfect "demographic" of USA. Then on to Daily Show correspondents in crowd. Colbert due at 1:20. Interesting: 6 second tape delay online live vs. TV pickup.
12:55 Jon takes stage. Only Fox cuts away for it briefly. "Some folks" have gathered, they say. "Star Spangled Banner" by "4 Troops" group. Then Jon begs for no littering.
12:50 First crowd estimate from the stage: 150,000. Or: 1,150,000 in BeckWorld. Sign in the crowd: "Birthers for Hawaii statehood." Crowd size should peak at 2 pm.
12:40 Now on to the comedy or at least performance art. Doing the wave. Even Olivia Munn would be an improvement on this. The 100 Huff Post buses stuck in traffic may turn back to NY if they have heard about this.
12:35 Another cool sign: Little girl in a princess dress with the sign "I'm taking back my tea party."
12:25 Sign spotted in crowd: "GET BIG GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY CAULDRON."
12:20 The Roots return to 1973 with Bil Withers classic tune. Jon Stewart still set for 1 pm. CSPAN covering fulltime now. And natch Comedy Central.
Noon The Roots kick it off right on time with hip-hop. Colbert tweets his early estimate of crowd: 6 million. Must be using Beck as spotter.
11:45: Fox into 2nd hour of counter-programming. Jack Welch, even.
11:40 What's gotten little coverage so far: "Sanity" rallies in other cities.
11:30 Live feed from NBC via TPM here. Ironically, ad next to it right now for GOPer who is leading Colbert fave John Hall in hot NY race for House.
11:25: CNN and MSNBC cut away once in awhile for reports from rally. Spotted one Fox mention but Neil Cavuto anchoring from Manhatttan with the handful of New Yorkers not at rally walking behind him on street.
11:00 NYT live blog up and running. "We haven't seen a crowd like this since the inauguration," one attendee claims. The (likely) success of this rally once again will put the lie to mainstream pundits, including the many liberal naysayers, further diminishing what's left of their brand. But we'll see.
10:40 Andy Borowitz notes that if Cheney was still Veep he would have declared a terror threat level "RED" for the mall today.
10:30: Luke Russert on MSNBC just called the early turnout "amazing," saying it seems well on its way to reaching the promise of the Facebook signups, over 200,000 (or 2 million, in Beck math). I have predicted stupendous turnout from the beginning and questioned the naysaying of pundits, liberal and otherwise.
10:20: No CSPAN coverage yet. MSNBC shots show sunny day and large crowd already on the mall. Reports: AT&T service already "spotty" on the Mall.
10:15 Following Twitter reports, one placard reportedly says "This Sign Is Heavy" as competition begins for most witty. Also reports from the Huff Post buses (or is that busses?), and Twitter pics. Arianna in a tweet claims 10,000 people on 200 vehicles.
10:10 My first ever DC rally: the first truly giganic antiwar demo, November 15, 1969, more than quarter million strong. Many followed. Spoke at 1995 rally to mark 50th anniversary of Hiroshima bombing.
A new edition of Greg Mitchell's award-winning "The Campaign of the Century: Upton Sinclair's Race for Governor of California and the Birth of Media Politics" has just been published.


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Richard Parker appears in the following:
Lone Star Nation: How Texas is Transforming America
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Election Day in Texas may not have any big cliff hangers, but the state is proving to be a laboratory for 21st century American politics.
Boston Tea Party
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Yesterday's victory by Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts' special election may have big implications for the national Democratic agenda. Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com breaks down the vote and the lessons learned. Then, Trudy Lieberman of the Columbia Journalism Review, and Richard Parker, lecturer in public policy at ...


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Book flights from Hamburg (HAM) to Fuerteventura (FUE)
Flying from Hamburg
Hamburg Airport (HAM) is located approximately 8 kilometers northwest of the city center. Flights from Hamburg connect to many locations within Germany and across Europe. Book your flights with airberlin and arrive relaxed, refreshed, and ready for your vacation.
Hamburg Airport Information
You can enjoy watching the arrivals and departures from the airport's panoramic observation decks, and inside the terminal you will even find a model airport exhibition. Have a drink or a meal at one of the airport's bars and restaurants, or do some shopping for books, clothing, souvenirs, travel accessories, and duty-free items.
Services offered within Hamburg Airport include a post office, pharmacy, and banking facility. Relax and rejuvenate with an acupressure massage on the Passenger Pier. Travelers can also make use of one of the terminal's internet stations or hook up to the airport's Wi-Fi.
Getting to the Airport in Hamburg
The S-Bahn train to Hamburg Airport runs every ten minutes between the airport and the central railway station, and takes less than 30 minutes. Driving by car or taking a taxi to Hamburg Airport will take about half an hour. Long and short-term parking is available, as well as exclusive parking for preferred members.
Arriving in Fuerteventura
Travel to Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canary Islands located on the warm waters of the Atlantic. The island itself is made up of 28% nature reserves and is sparsely populated with small towns.
First Time in Fuerteventura
Several kilometers of sand dunes stretch impressively down to the aquamarine waters of the ocean. The peak of Jandía Massif and various other mountainous formations on the island provide a wealth of geological wonders accessible to travelers with tickets to Fuerteventura.
Your Fuerteventura
Flights to Fuerteventura in July will allow you to witness the thrills of the windsurfing World Championship event, a competition featuring professional riders from around the world. Get in touch with your inner sailor with a visit to the harbor and old town of Igramar.
Making the Most of Your Fuerteventura Holiday
Flight deals to Fuerteventura are most easily found during the periods of March to May and September to November. Attractive prices sets airberlin apart from the competition. The weather is pleasant year-round, so it is a good idea to look for cheap hotels in Fuerteventura during the off-season, when less visitors travel to the island.


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Intellectual Development Plastic Building Blocks Toy (150-Piece Pack)
Model QL-057 A Quantity 1 piece s per pack Color Multi-color Material PE Specification Allows children to experiment and create shapes and structures with different
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Color: White + Red + Multi-Colored Brand: N A Model: Bus-8-150 Material: Plastic Quantity: 8Piece Number: Proportion is 1: 150 Size: Proportion is 1: 150 Suitable Age
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Originally written on Fox Sports | Last updated 9/2/12
Tony Abreu drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep. Abreu's three RBIs matched his career high, set on Sept. 18, 2007 while with Arizona at Colorado. Abreu, appearing in his eighth game since his Aug. 8 promotion from Triple-A Omaha, delivered a two-run two-out second inning single, scoring Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain. Salvador Perez, who walked to lead off the inning, scored the first run of the inning on Eric Hosmer's sacrifice fly. Abreu's two-out sixth inning single scored Hosmer, who had doubled, and broke a 4-4 tie. The Twins jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Justin Morneau's groundout in the first and Chris Parmelee's homer in the next inning. In the fifth inning, Billy Butler singled home David Lough, who had four hits in his first two big league games. The Twins tied it in the sixth on a two-run single by Alexi Casilla on a full-count pitch with two out and the bases loaded against Tim Collins. Whil...
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Informing the National Immigrant Integration Strategy in New York
On July 28th and 29th, Administration officials from the White House Domestic Policy Council and the Departments of Education and Labor held three outreach sessions with immigrant students and workers, service and advocacy organizations, policy makers and funders in New York City to discuss challenges and opportunities in immigrant integration. These sessions were held as a part of the New Americans - Citizenship and Integration Initiative.
We held our first roundtable at LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), with the help of their Center for Immigrant Education and Training, in Queens on Thursday, July 28th. After a warm-welcome from Gail Mellow , President of LAGCC, both immigrant students, alumni and leading service organizations provided helpful feedback and discussed how their best work on the ground related to the Initiative's pillars of civic, economic, and linguistic integration.
After LaGuardia we headed over to New York City Hall, where we were welcomed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Fatima Shama, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. Commissioner Shama's office helped gather a group of over twenty community leaders, which included policy makers, advocacy and research groups, funders, and representatives from major service delivery systems, including adult education and public libraries who serve immigrants, refugees, and others in the City. We were also joined by Jorge Silva Puras, the Small Business Administration Regional Administrator.
On Friday, the Literacy Assistance Center hosted our third and final roundtable with a group of interagency city teams from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Houston participating in the close-out session of the Great Cities Summit sponsored by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education. These cities combined represent over forty percent of the immigrant population in the U.S.
Input from these and other sessions will inform the development of a national immigrant integration strategy, which we hope to launch later this year.
The need for opportunities to learn English was mentioned by several participants. One of the adult immigrant students in LaGuardia's Language Immersion Program talked about English as the language of opportunity and put the problem this way: "No English [means] no opportunities."
In addition to the need for more ESL opportunities, some of the main themes that came up during the roundtable sessions included the need for improving information about available services, considering the role of libraries in the provision of information and services, sharing information on what works, and the role of the federal government in incentivizing integration by working with both the immigrant and receiving communities on education, housing, and other issues.
We look forward to working together with our colleagues at the Department of Labor again when we head to Detroit later this week to hold another roundtable on immigrant integration.
Johan Uvin is the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education.
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FEATURED ARTICLEAdvertising: Opportunities in Storytelling
• Point of View
One of DH's core services is advertising. True, advertising often exists solely to sell something (a product, service or project) or to build an image, but we believe it can be so much more. It is a business strategy and an important expression of an...Read the full article


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The Dew Files – Episode 1
First of many, I assume. Dew, love ya man. Don't ever change. by
First of many, I assume. Dew, love ya man. Don't ever change. by
Alarming just begins to cover it. by
I can't say I'll rush right out and see this one. But, then again, I'm not all that sure I won't see it either. George Continue reading
One time out on the road, a few years ago, when I actually rode a bike more than once every two weeks (yeah, it's that Continue reading
I don't really care what anyone says about this post, up or down. I'm feeling this one. I've listened to this song something like 72 Continue reading
I'm not sure how this will all play out yet. Well, no one is. But it looks like some good news from where I'm standing. Continue reading
Another day, another dollar. Another week, another five bucks. Can't say I'm sorry to see it gone. At least I've been riding my bike to Continue reading
The snow and cold weather just keeps on coming through. People keep telling me, "Hey, at least the trails will be in great shape!" Continue reading
Snowing like all hell again in Flagstaff, Arizona. File this under "the view from my window": Big Jonny declined excitement. File this under "fucking up Continue reading
I spend last Sunday in hiding. I avoided the telephone and internet, and most people truthfully, until the magic hour of 2:00 pm. For that Continue reading


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Top reader travel photos of Canada
Take a look at our favourite Canada reader travel photos as submitted to our #SUNtravelpics weekly feature.
Bowlers roll gutter ball in choice to exclude
DEAR AMY: What is the "PC" (politically correct) way to exclude the developmentally disabled from an organized group?
Richards investigated for OxyContin
NHL veteran Mike Richards is being investigated for allegedly possessing a restricted substance while attempting to cross the Canada-U.S. border.
Dubai to build office building with 3D printer
Dubai said it would construct a small office building using a 3D printer for the first time, in a drive to develop technology that would cut costs and save time as the city grows.
NHL's Vegas dreams a hot mess
Looks like the NHL is bringing in 3-on-3 overtime for next season. That should be interesting — it's a change many have been calling for.
Father fears stepson has been caught by 'cougar'
DEAR AMY: I have a stepson who has been dating and living with a "cougar" since he was 23-years-old. He is now 33. She is 14 years his senior.
Markstrom, Vey re-sign; Weber not qualified
The Canucks re-signed Jacob Markstrom and Linden Vey on Monday, but also didn't give a qualifying offer to Yannick Weber.
Sesselmann has nothing to apologize for
An open letter to Canadian women's national team defender Lauren Sesselmann.
New operator sought for Stanley Park eatery
After announcing its closure following 25 years in the business, the Fish House in Stanley Park restaurant is closing.
B.C. residents join landmark cancer research
Canada's largest-ever cancer research platform was officially launched Monday by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer;
Climate change stunts pink salmon: Study
Climate change acidification in freshwater — from high concentrations of carbon dioxide — stunts the development of pink salmon.
New Giants coach 'will be great for Vancouver'
Lorne Molleken is the new coach of the Vancouver Giants, and a former captain of the veteran WHL bench boss says that's a good hire.


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Joined Mar 2004
224 Posts
Hi guys I'm back to show you what I've been doing on my heli. I have managed to fit the larger 8008 blades. But it took a bit of work, cos I didn't want to remove any material from the blade roots (except for rounding them off at the holes to the same size as the old blades), so I had to make Alum shims to the top and bottom plus 2 square spacers in the middle of the blade holders, so the gap would be larger, and the blades would then be able to slide right in. Plus the blade holders are a lot stronger now.
I used 2.5mm screws to bolt the blade holders together with nut's and there is now a brass bushing pressed into each of the blade root holes, and a 6mm screw and nut fits the blades to the blade holder. Now the heli looks a heck lot better with larger rotor blades than the smaller 8006 ones. The tail motor is a n60 with a 8008 tail blade. But I still have to come up with some kind of current limiter so the tail transistors won't burn out, as for them. I have soldered in four connecters and the tail transistors plug in to the board now, so if they burn up, I can easily replace them (I've done that mod to all my receiver boards)...
OH here's the new version of the QS8006 receiver board. But it didn't come with the motor wires, so I sucked out the holes and soldered in the wires. Thought which is motor 1 and 2, is motor 1. The one with the long shaft (Motor A)
Joined Feb 2011
279 Posts
Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I've been on the forum, apparently there's no new improvement updates by G.T Model, otherwise the thread would be a lot more active.
It starting to look like G.T Model might be falling behind the competition though, I just saw this large size 3.5 channel helicopter on eBay today and wanted to put a link to it here; http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-powerf...item2eccf8ebb3
Apparently this new helicopter came out late last year and is similar in size to the Qs8006 helicopter, but does have some exciting new features on it.
Here's a brief description on this new large size helicopter.
Helicopter Name --- BR6508 Helicopter (claimed to be made by Bo Rong?)
Helicopter Length --- listed at 130cm {51.2 inches long} (its length is similar to the Qs8006)
Transmitter --- 2.4Ghz (rated up to 305 feet) (Definitely a step in the right direction for big size helicopters, also the transmitter supposedly has trim buttons for both the throttle and turning joysticks)
Forward and backward movement --- all movements are controlled with (a servo) the Lower rotor blades (no tail rotor)
Frame (side plates) --- Aluminum (looks great, similar to the metal used on the original version Qs8006)
Rotor Main Blades --- The main blades are big and wide, also appear to be very durable. (rotor diameter is claimed to be a good size at 680mm or 26.7") By comparison the Qs8006 rotor diameter is approx. 23.7"
Tail Rotor --- none needed, but has an imitation one on it just for looks
Helicopter Battery --- 11.1V 2000MHA (appears to use an actual Li-Po battery)
Motors --- uses two motors that are supposedly 540 size (brush type)
Has LED lights --- Can be turned on and off by the transmitter
The BR6508 helicopter can also be bought with an optional video camera --- Video camera is controlled with the transmitter
Other things that caught my eye about this helicopter is that the helicopter appears to have a heavy duty balance bar mounted onto an aluminum mast (Not 100 percent sure its aluminum, but it looks to be a very sturdy, durable setup), the helicopter also has extra heavy duty double gear reduction main gears for running the main rotors.
Also the helicopter uses a double frame setup (looks great and would probably make repair work easier).
From what I can see the helicopter looks like a step in the right direction for large size helicopters.
The new helicopter does have one negative though, the helicopter is pretty pricey at this time (close to $200.00), but hopefully the price will come down as more sellers sell them.
If anyone one out there has been flying one of these helicopters, I would be interested in hearing about it here on the forum. Also a new recent video showing the BR6508 flying would be great too.
Joined Oct 2014
5 Posts
I dont know if this is the right spot to put this but I have the qs8006 and it came it faulty, havnt even been able to fly it yet I bought a new mother board because the first one was obviously soldered wrong from the factory, the new one is completely different than the replacement (new one is a V1, original is a V2) I know it will still work, I just cant find any diagrams or anything to wire it up. Can someone take a picture of their connections on the V1 board please? I want to be able to fly this thing atleast once before I hunk it in the trash
Joined Feb 2011
279 Posts
Hi chris850,
I hadnt worked on a new version PCB board for the Qs8006, but for past version boards and where to solder the wires on check out my post (and photos) on page 39 post 574.
Heres a link to that page; http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...620210&page=39
Also for wiring the board up there are a couple of posts with photos towards the beginning of the thread (Also if I remember right, Ken posted a diagram back then), but not sure of which pages though.
If that doesnt help, try posting a photo of the board that your working on for more precise help.
Joined Apr 2015
2 Posts
Trouble flying Qs8006
I got one of these for christmas and have tried to fly it but am having lot's of trouble. it's like it doesn't have enough power, it lifts off the ground but it kind of wallows around. I can't get it to fly forward very much and even in the very slightest breeze it uncontrollable. I've got a small helicopter that i've flown outdoors and it flies great, and easy to control so i don't think it's me. Any suggestions on what i can do to get it to fly better.? It's in need of repair after the last crash so i can't post any video or photos.
Joined Feb 2011
279 Posts
Hi Rotorhead56,
I would try putting the transmitter to the high power setting (by using the high/low power button) to see if that helps. Once the high/low power button is set on the high speed setting, the tail rotor will spin much faster giving the helicopter a little better forward and backup speed.
I believe the wallow around effect that you describe might be caused by either over applying the tail rotor power too quickly (causing the helicopter to pendulum it's tail up and down) or the air that day was moving around some making the helicopter more unstable and harder to fly. For best (and easiest) flying the air should be calm and the helicopter will fly around much more smoothly and easier.
Joined Apr 2015
2 Posts
Where's a good place to buy spare parts?
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Self-driving cars more Jetsons than reality
Angela Greiling Keane, Bloomberg News | February 6, 2013 | Updated: February 6, 2013 8:24am
Photo By Mercedes-Benz
Fighting wrong-way driving: Mercedes-Benz introduced a system that can detect wrong-way signs and alert drivers to the dangers. The system hopes to prevent drivers from unintentionally driving on the wrong side of the road.
Photo By Leah Jones, Flickr
Rearview camera that senses danger: A few automakers are making more intelligent rearview camera systems. Infiniti developed a system that alerts drivers to potential dangers, such as telephone poles or oncoming cars. If the driver ignores verbal and visual warnings, the car will slow down to avoid a potential accident. (Photo: Leah Jones, Flickr)
Photo By Dodge
Rain-sensing wipers: Automakers are ramping up technology inside the car, but they aren't ignoring the outside. The Dodge Dart comes with rain-sensing windshield wipers. The safety feature will ensure you'll always have a clear view.
Blind spot protection: Vehicles can now alert drivers about potential dangers when changing lanes. Several automakers, such as Infiniti, have developed blind spot protection systems that use radar to alert drivers to dangers. (Photo: Arthur Chapman, Flickr)
Lane keepers: Drivers can easily get distracted and drift into the next lane, but automakers may have solved the issue. Using a camera, a car can detect lane markers and alert drivers if the car starts to drift into the next lane. If drivers don't get the hint, the car can nudge itself back into the lane. (Photo: Nick Heber, Flickr)
Photo By Mercedes-Benz
Speed Control: Using sensors, a car can maintain a safe distance away from other vehicles in its lane. The feature enables drivers to use cruise control without adjusting it for slower vehicles.
Photo By Melissa Phillips, Houston Chronicle
Interactivity: A car's dash used to just house a CD player, but that is no longer the case. Manufacturers are introducing high-tech dashes, like the Dodge Dart's system, that can read text messages, tweets and give drivers real-time traffic conditions.
Brake assistance: Cars can detect whether a driver is going too fast and slow them down to avoid a potential accident. (Photo: Kaptain Kobold, Flickr)
Google Inc. sees self-driving cars being available to consumers in three to five years. Regulators and the insurance industry aren't so sure it can happen that quickly.
Software and electronic sensors couldn't fail and would have to anticipate and react like a human. States may have to decide how to license machines rather than people. Insurance companies have to reassess how to assign fault after accidents. Safety standards have to be rewritten to focus on electronics along with mechanics.
"The improvement can be such that we can make cars that drive safer than people do," Anthony Levandowski, product manager for Google's self-driving car technology, told a Society of Automotive Engineers meeting in Washington last week. "I can't tell you you'll be able to have a Google car in your garage next year. We expect to release the technology in the next five years. In what form it gets released is still to be determined."
Classic Cars: Are these models destined to be classics?
U.S. auto-safety regulators are eager to reap the safety benefits that may come from taking human error out of driving. About 33,000 people die annually in traffic crashes in the U.S., with that number falling yet killing almost as many people each year as suicide.
David Strickland, head of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, used an analogy to "The Jetsons," a 1960s animated television comedy featuring gadgets including a flying car that folded into a briefcase.
"It's going to make a huge difference in reducing crashes overall," Stickland said in an interview.
Road Tests
While crash-avoidance systems that can alert a driver or apply brakes in advance of a wreck are coming to cars now, autonomous vehicles "are a long way off," he said.
The self-driving car is among projects stemming from Google's practice of letting employees develop ideas not necessarily tied to online search and digital advertising. The car is allowed on public roads for testing purposes in Nevada, California and Florida.
Self-driving cars: Are cars already driving themselves?
Google hasn't indicated interest in producing the cars for sale. "Our focus is on the technology itself," Jay Nancarrow, a spokesman, said in an e-mail.
The company has demonstrated it on the streets of Washington and other cities where it might need to win favor for such a car to be considered road-worthy. Google also established a connection with regulators by hiring Ronald Medford, NHTSA's deputy director under Strickland, as of last month as director of safety for the self-driving car.
Foolproof Software
Levandowski, who helped design the self-driving car, says Google's biggest challenge is ensuring reliability of the software that makes the car drive, because a failure would mean nothing is controlling the vehicle.
"We're really focusing on building in the reliability so we can trust and understand the system will perform safely in all conditions," Levandowski said. "How can you trust the system? How do you know how it can perform? How do you design it with proper processes in order to understand and minimize failure? How do you bake into a car redundant braking?"
In a car driven by a person, if the power steering fails or a light goes off, a person would be in control to figure out what to do. A self-driving car would need to be taught how to respond to all sorts of scenarios that may occur with little to no room for error.
Such cars would also need to acquire the sort of judgment a person would have to know that a ball rolling into a street may be followed by a small child running after it.
'Massive Challenge'
NHTSA enforces vehicle safety standards that govern the minimum performance everything from the design of windshield wipers to internal trunk releases. Some of the standards date to the agency's creation in the 1970s.
The agency would need to create standards for electronics of a self-driving car and figure out how to test them, said Dan Smith, associate administrator for vehicle safety.
Gasoline rising: Experts say gasoline rising faster than usual
"It gets to be a massive challenge to figure out how will the government come up with a performance standard that is objective and testable for so many different scenarios where failure could possibly occur," Smith said at the SAE panel. "Part of that has to do with if we should be looking at the underlying electronics."
The National Academy of Sciences, in a report a year ago, said NHTSA must "become more familiar with and engaged in" setting automotive-electronics standards in existing cars, without mentioning the potential of self-driving technology.
Deciding Fault
The insurance industry, which has given drivers discounts on premiums for new auto technologies such as air bags, says it would similarly promote safety advances from self-driving cars. Still, it would have to decide whether it can assign liability to a company, or a piece of software, after an accident.
"It's a legal morass right now, and unfortunately it will take court decisions to work this out," Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, a New York- based industry group, said on the SAE panel.
"Right behind the first autonomous vehicle is the first autonomous vehicle ambulance chaser," he said. "They will be there faster than you can imagine looking for any sort of accident that might be attributable to a deep pocket."
Hartwig predicts it will take 15 to 20 years for truly autonomous vehicles to populate U.S. roads. Chuck Gulash, senior executive engineer of Toyota Motor Corp.'s technical center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said the industry may not get all the way there. The driver may need to retain control even if the car can make most of the decisions, he said.
While Google envisions a car that will let drivers in California save on a hotel stay while driving the back roads to ski at Lake Tahoe from their homes in the Bay Area, Toyota foresees a car that will be so smart it will react before a driver can to prevent a crash.
"For us, autonomous is not synonymous with driverless," Gulash said on the SAE panel. "The driver needs to be in control. We're developing technologies on a continuous basis to provide more assistance to the driver."


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Veteran Member
Date Joined Nov 2011
Total Posts : 1020
Posted 1/23/2012 8:09 AM (GMT -6)
Should everyone take milk thistle while on antibiotics even if there is no elevation of most liver enzymes? Is there any danger to it when combined with certain antibiotics? Is 175 mg the maximum safe dose?
What does it actually do to help your liver?
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined Mar 2009
Total Posts : 2117
Posted 1/23/2012 8:29 AM (GMT -6)
Here's a little piece on the benefits of milk thistle. I myself had a problem with elevated liver enzymes when first diagnosed. I take milk thistle ever since and have never had a problem.
Post Edited By Moderator (borderlyme) : 1/23/2012 3:57:15 PM (GMT-7)
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined Jul 2011
Total Posts : 1432
Posted 1/23/2012 4:57 PM (GMT -6)
(Just added the hyperlink).
Co-Moderator, Lyme Disease Forum
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined Jul 2011
Total Posts : 1432
Posted 1/23/2012 4:58 PM (GMT -6)
My doctor didn't put me on milk thistle (I take Hepatox) until my liver enzymes came back elevated (and within just a month or so they're back down to normal, thankfully). I don't think it would hurt to support your liver a little extra, but if you don't need it, it might not be necessary to spend the money on it...
Co-Moderator, Lyme Disease Forum
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Veteran Member
Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 898
Posted 1/23/2012 5:56 PM (GMT -6)
My doc and acupuncturist both recommended the milk thistle due to its liver supporting qualities. I have gall stones too so my detox pathway through the liver was sluggish. This on its own can cause neuro Lyme like symptoms and then, add the Lyme and it's like London brain fog! Lol. It can't hurt and its not too expensive. I also do an herbal tea called Everyday Detox instead of coffee these days and it seems to help. Jeez, I am all backwards ...the Herbals to help my liver go on the top end and now the coffee goes in the bottom end. Maybe I should move to the land down under!
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined Jul 2011
Total Posts : 1432
Posted 1/23/2012 6:27 PM (GMT -6)
Good point yazzer - my guess is that if I started milk thistle early on, my liver enzymes never would've been elevated in the first place!
I used to drink peach detox tea - really yummy! I've been drinking root tea lately instead, which I think is also supposed to be good for detoxing.It's always nice when your "medicine" tastes good!
Co-Moderator, Lyme Disease Forum
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Regular Member
Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 330
Posted 1/23/2012 7:56 PM (GMT -6)
Hi summer3
From what I have gathered, most forumites here are taking between 600-900mg per day, and there doesn't seem to be a good reason to not take it. Especially while under treatment. I haven't encountered anyone that says it interacts negatively with anything else, but talk to your doctor about
it if you have one.
from a previous thread:
SickMan said...
When I was fighting my disease as Meniere's Syndrome, I ran into the problem of how to get doctors to believe the stuff I read on the internet. Most doctors just roll their eyes when you try to show them something you found on the web.
Enter PubMed. PubMed is the National Institutes of Health clearinghouse for medical research. Articles published on PubMed are the same articles that doctors read in the medical journals. It doesn't mean that the research is all accurate, but it does meet the standards for medical research and has been peer-reviewed. If you search PubMed for "Milk Thistle" you'll find these and many more www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
Here are studies concerting Milk Thistle and Liver Protection
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21633595 Silybin and the liver: from basic research to clinical practice.
"On the basis of literature data, silybin seems a promising drug for chronic liver disease"
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20564545 Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future.
"Silymarin has been used to treat alcoholic liver disease, acute and chronic viral hepatitis and toxin-induced liver diseases"
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21560654 [Hepatoprotective properties of silymarin].
"The results of clinical trials and systematic reviews of silymarin use show high efficacy of the drug in patients with amanitine, drugs, and other toxic injuries of liver, viral hepatitis, NASH."
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20034535 Silymarin, the antioxidant component and Silybum marianum extracts prevent liver damage.
It can reverse the damage from hepatitis c
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22091246 Effects of silybum marianum on patients with chronic hepatitis C
"This study indicated that in patients with CHC performing silymarin (650 mg/day) for 6 months, improved serum HCV-RNA titer, serum aminotransferases (ALT, AST), hepatic fibrosis and patient's quality of life"
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17548793 Review of clinical trials evaluating safety and efficacy of milk thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn.).
"Promising results have been reported in the protective effect of milk thistle in certain types of cancer, and ongoing trials will provide more evidence about
this effect. In addition, new established doses and improvement on the quality and standardization of this herb will provide the much-awaited evidence about
the efficacy of milk thistle in the treatment of liver diseases. Milk thistle extracts are known to be safe and well tolerated, and toxic or adverse effects observed in the reviewed clinical trials seem to be minimal. "
Other studies show that Silybin and Silymarin (extracts of Milk Thistle) are beneficial for a whole range of issues besides just the liver, including reducing tumor growth.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21300790 Investigating the potential for toxicity from long-term use of the herbal products, goldenseal and milk thistle.
"In contrast, the radical-scavenging and antioxidant properties of silibinin and other flavonolignans in milk thistle extract may have contributed to the decrease in background tumors in rodents in the present studies. "
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20015009 Silibinin--a promising new treatment for cancer.
and may improve amyloid plaque build up in Alzheimers
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21071836 Silymarin attenuated the amyloid β plaque burden and improved behavioral abnormalities in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model.
"These results suggest that silymarin is a promising agent for the prevention of AD."
However, it can effect blood concentrations of warfarin, so if you're like me and take warfarin (Coumadin), you need to monitor your pro-time carefully while taking Milk Thistle
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Veteran Member
Date Joined Jun 2011
Total Posts : 898
Posted 1/24/2012 7:40 AM (GMT -6)
LOL - "forumites" - love it - sounds like a rare crystal gem of some sort...
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined May 2007
Total Posts : 19589
Posted 1/24/2012 11:58 AM (GMT -6)
Coming back on the forum after a day of migraines - it took me a minute to get that - forumites!!! LOL!!!
One thing I would like to add - watch yourself when you start milk thistle!! I had a bad herx when I tried it, as it will help to get rid of toxins in the liver. My Acu doc later determined that I have trouble with detoxing, and so I have to use different ways to detox. Most don't have this kind of a reaction from what I have seen over the years of being active here, though.
Co-Moderator, Lyme Disease ;)
Treating with Acupuncture, Traditional & Modern Chinese Medicine & Western Herbs. Before tx, I had all but 20 of the symptoms on the "Master Symptom List"
"Absence of proof is not proof of absence" - Dr. Edwin Masters, great LLMD & researcher -RIP
I break up my post because my eyes have been effected by TBI's as well, making long paragraphs very hard to read.
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Forum Moderator
Date Joined May 2007
Total Posts : 19589
Posted 1/24/2012 12:58 PM (GMT -6)
While looking for some other info, I just came across a Hepatitis info page about
using milk thistle and the possible interactions with abx and other medications - I think we should all read over this one, as it's always better to be safe than sorry!
Co-Moderator, Lyme Disease ;)
Treating with Acupuncture, Traditional & Modern Chinese Medicine & Western Herbs. Before tx, I had all but 20 of the symptoms on the "Master Symptom List"
"Absence of proof is not proof of absence" - Dr. Edwin Masters, great LLMD & researcher -RIP
I break up my post because my eyes have been effected by TBI's as well, making long paragraphs very hard to read.
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New Member
Date Joined Sep 2012
Total Posts : 2
Posted 9/10/2012 5:58 AM (GMT -6)
So it turns out that you can only have some reaction to milk thistle if you have other problems besides your liver. I always thought that side effects can only be obtained when you take more than the prescribed
milk thistle dosage
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New Member
Date Joined Sep 2012
Total Posts : 1
Posted 9/13/2012 6:37 AM (GMT -6)
You mean over dose? Yeah well almost everything in the world we take so excessively has proven to kill us like the man who drank pure carrot juice everyday that caused him his death. Oh well, I guess that's one of the
milk thistle benefits
, we won't really have that much side effects at all.
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text:
YIELD: Serves 8
ACTIVE TIME: 45 min
TOTAL TIME: 2 3/4 hr
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Arrange rhubarb in 1 layer on a lightly oiled shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until very tender. Cool in pan on a rack.
Purée rhubarb in a blender, scraping down sides several times, until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Purée strawberries and corn syrup in blender. Force purée through a fine sieve into a bowl and discard seeds. Stir one third of rhubarb purée into strawberry purée.
Stir together remaining rhubarb purée and ice cream and freeze until firm enough to scoop, 1 to 2 hours.
Layer strawberry-rhubarb purée and ice-cream mixture in 8 (6-oz) stemmed glasses.
Serve immediately.
Cooks' notes:
· Rhubarb may be roasted 1 day ahead. Cool and chill, covered.
· Rhubarb and strawberry purées may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Each serving has about 158 calories and 2 grams fat
Nutritional analysis provided by Gourmet


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C2 Corvette Headers - Exhausting Solutions
Helping A Big-Block Breathe
Tom Benford
Aug 30, 2010
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Corvette Central
Sawyer, MI 49125
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C2 Corvette Headers - Exhausting Solutions
A fender apron will prevent belt buckle scratches and also provides a good surface for resting tools. Nitrile gloves will keep you from getting "grease monkey" paws while working.
Here is the reproduction exhaust manifold and the tubular headers (for the driver-side) from Corvette Central manufactured by McJack's Corvettes. Corvette Central was also our source for the manifold gaskets, studs, bolts, and other hardware for this article. The 2-inch primary tube, 16-gauge headers are handmade and welded at McJack's. A big plus with these headers is that the steering box, A-arms, frame rails, idler arm, and A/C boxes all clear them and-very important since the project car is a four-speed-the clutch jack-shaft clears them, too. The headers have 21/2-inch collectors, exactly the same as the stock cast iron manifolds.
I like using a magnetic tray while working to hold nuts, bolts, and other pieces during the disassembly, as well as any new hardware that will be used for the installation. It holds everything securely and is located right where you need it.
After elevating your Corvette and supporting it securely with jackstands, go underneath it and disconnect the exhaust pipes from both exhaust manifolds using a 1/2-inch socket. One of the three studs (with the green arrow pointing to it) is broken on this manifold.
Here's the stock passenger-side manifold with the broken stud. Refurbishing this manifold and replacing the stud will be a future project.
Use spark plug boot pliers to remove the plug wires without damaging them.
A 9/16 socket will remove the manifold mounting bolt that also secures the dipstick tube. Then pull the tube up and out of the oil pan.
Take off the plug wire shielding with a 7/16 socket (if so equipped), remove the seven remaining 9/16 bolts to free the exhaust manifold, and then take off the manifold. It isn't necessary to remove the spark plugs on the passenger side, although their removal will be necessary on the driver side.
Once the manifold is off, use a razor scraper to remove any remaining gasket debris left on the head. A clean surface ensures a leak-free installation of the new manifold or header. Repeat steps 6 through 9 for the other side of the engine as well. You will need to remove the alternator mounting bracket and spark plugs to gain enough clearance to get the manifold out of the engine bay.
The studs are supplied with the reproduction manifolds, and they have to be threaded into the manifolds before installing them.
Locking pliers can be used to tighten the studs into the manifolds.
One side of the manifold/header gasket is flat, and the other side is foil-coated and dimpled (the dimpled side is shown here). The flat side goes against the engine, and the dimpled side faces the manifold or header.
Blackened bolts with lock washers like the one at the upper left are used for securing the exhaust manifolds to the engine. I opted to use stainless bolts with lock washers to secure the silver ceramic-coated headers, however.
Position the gasket on the manifold, insert a bolt, and thread it into the head. Insert another bolt or two and snug them up to hold the manifold in place while you install the remaining bolts, then tighten all of them.
If you're installing headers instead of the manifolds, the procedure is basically the same. Position the gasket, insert a bolt, thread it into the head, follow with the remaining bolts, then tighten them all. Repeat the process for headers on the other side of the engine as well.
Back underneath the car, insert a sleeve and donut (if required) in each exhaust pipe and reattach the exhaust pipes with nuts on the studs (for manifolds) or nuts and bolts (for headers), tightening all three on each side equally.
Here's a look at the passenger side of our big-block with the headers installed. Now that it's breathing a bit easier, there are a few more ponies on tap when stomping on the loud pedal!
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This month we're bringing you Part 2 of our Official Guide to Corvette Headers. With the right header package (headers, downpipes, intermediate pipes, and catalytic converters, if needed) and a well-matched exhaust system ("Great Pipes," Aug. '09), you should be able to all but eradicate the exhaust-gas flow restrictions that prevent your Corvette from reaching its full potential. - Vette Magazine
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Top Definition
Someone who twitters constantly, usually about insignificant or trifling events.
I took Bob off my twitter email alerts, because he twitters about everything, every second. Honestly, do I need to know when he's taking a dump? He's a straight up twidiot.
von BRSZ 29. Januar 2009
10 more definitions
An idiot that tweets way too much about stuff no one cares about all day long. Can be found retweeting the most mundane things and @ing two or more times per tweet.
"Just have some peanuts Lol #peanutsareawesome @foxnews @otherpeople #StuffIDo" Why do I keep reading about this Twidiot?
von Barakuba 19. Februar 2010
A person who tweets their crimes.
Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay toad tax! #bloodycyclists - I'm a total twidiot
von johnflesh 25. Mai 2013
People who tweet.
I refuse to engage in tweeting like those other twidiots.
von DaveWsanmateo 10. August 2011
One who spends too much time tweeting, too little living.
Bob: Did you hear how Mike almost missed his plane/wedding/job interview because he fell off a curb while tweeting about his jog/facebook page/morning coffee?
Tom: He is such a twidiot!
Tom: He is such a twidiot!
von KatieKakes 29. September 2009
Twidiots means twitter and idiot online cyber thugs who likes to argue, troll, and spam you for stupid reasons.
foolish cyber internet thugs that thinks they're tuff behind computers and thinks they can get away with anything because they live in different regions them twidiots are menacing
von Rokai 8. August 2014
Being on Twitter, but not knowing how to use really it to interact with others.
All these people keep talking about Twitter, but I just don't get it. I must be a total Twidiot.
von jennaphoto 29. April 2009


text:
The publisher of Dwell Magazine has partnered with a Los Angeles real estate firm to launch a property search website, Dwell Homes, that caters to buyers with a taste for modern architecture and design. DwellHomes.com is powered by Live International …
Property search site launches with focus on modern homes
Mirrors don't have to be kitschy
8 tricks to enhance interior architectureread more
Bauhaus-style architecture too 'severe' for its own good
Design works well in theory, but in real life not so muchread more
Home design using elements of surprise
The real trick is knowing when to break the patternread more
'Mysterious architecture' creates drama, suspense
Intriguing spaces are more memorable than those that simply functionread more
First impressions are made at the front door
Home's entrance is seldom high on remodeling prioritiesread more
'Forever-and-ever' suburban homes back in style
Today's buyers looking for flexible, accessible spaceread more
Does China build quickly and cheaply for a reason?
In today's changing world, some believe permanence is pointlessread more
Chinese architecture comes full circle
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text:
Marble Loaf Cake
|1 1⁄4 Cup (20 tbs)
|3⁄4 Cup (12 tbs), softened
|All purpose flour
|1 1⁄2 Cup (24 tbs)
|Sour cream
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs)
|Vanilla extract
|1 Teaspoon
|Baking powder
|1⁄2 Teaspoon
|Baking soda
|1⁄4 Teaspoon
|1⁄4 Cup (4 tbs)
|Espresso glaze
|1⁄2 Cup (8 tbs) (adjust quantity as needed)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9" by 5" loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter or margarine just until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, sour cream, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and eggs; beat until mixed. Increase speed to high; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.
3. Remove half of batter to medium-sized bowl. Beat cocoa into batter remaining in large bowl until blended. Alternately spoon vanilla and chocolate batters into pan. With knife, cut and twist through batters to obtain marbled effect.
4. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. With spatula, loosen cake edge from pan. Remove cake from pan; cool completely on rack.
5. When cake is cool, prepare Espresso Glaze. With spoon, drizzle glaze over top of cake in crisscross pattern. Let cake stand until glaze is set.


text:
2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Crafters
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Beaded Winter Scrapbook Photo
By: Sue Zimmerman and Suzanne Chase for Kreinik
We are adding the craft to your Craft Projects.
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Create a beautiful scrapbook design using a winter photo, treasure tape and diamond beadlets. This is an easy project that helps bring your photo to life!
- Winter photos of your children
- 1" Treasure Tape™ roll
- Diamond Beadlets®
- Kreinik Tapestry #12 Braid 152V Vintage Sienna, 5982 Forest Green
- Kreinik 1/16" Ribbon 032 Pearl
- Shallow tray or pan
- Mount your photo onto cardstock or your scrapbook page, leaving at least 1/2" clear on all sides.
- Lay Treasure Tape™ around border of your photo, with half on your photo, and half on the cardstock or scrapbook paper. Remove red liner to expose sticky part.
- Begin thread embellishing: make soft curves of snow by laying 1/16" Ribbon 032 Pearl along the bottom.
- Then make tree trunks by laying strips of #12 Braid 152V Vintage Sienna. Use our photo as a guide for making a branch and tree trunk.
- Make the pine trees or leaves on the branches by laying #12 Braid 5982 back and forth, as shown in the photos.
- When thread embellishing is complete, lay your photo in the shallow pan, and cover all remaining sticky areas with the Diamond Beadlets®.
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