text:
In 2007 DSM Desotech, a business unit of DSM Resins and part of Royal DSM N.V., launched its UVention group, dedicated to the formulation of custom UV/EB curable coatings for a wide variety of industries. Since that time, two new business areas have been added to the UVention portfolio: UVolve Instant Floor Coatings and UVaCorr anti-corrosion coatings for tube and pipe applications.
Most recently, DSM Desotech expanded its UVaCorr instant-cure, corrosion preventative coatings to Europe's steel tube and pipe market. The UVaCorr product line, which has been used for the past 15 years throughout North America, includes both clear and colored coatings designed for protection of steel tube and pipe, particularly during storage and transport to end-use destinations.
UVaCorr products, which are now certified for use in the Venjakob Ven Spray Pipe system, have several performance advantages over traditional solvent-based and waterborne tube and pipe coatings including instant cure for high-speed processing; 100% solid coatings for higher applied coverage and no VOCs; better salt spray resistance for enhanced performance; and smaller equipment footprint with reduced energy requirements.


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New messages in the last hour
Get a response within minutes
92% percent of messages responded to
(Please Note: We are currently full and are not recruiting Beta Testers at present. Any future recruitment will be announced in the PSN General boards)
What is a Beta Tester?
Among other things a Beta tester is fundamentally a valued member of the Official PlayStation® Community. He or she is noted for their contribution to the community and is expected to maintain a respectable level of contribution throughout their participation in the Beta trials. As a token of our recognition and appreciation of this we have included this person in our Beta community who help us publicly test unreleased PlayStation® titles.
What does a Beta Test involve and what is required?
Participating in the tests does not require a technical mind - we need a variety of people with differing amounts of technical expertise to help us test the games. However, you must be flexible and be prepared to set aside some of your spare time and evenings to participate in specific Test Nights and general game testing.
A Beta Test can last anything between 2 to 6 weeks per game, during which time our testers may be asked to take part in at least one Test Night per week. Test Nights take place on weekday evenings and can last from one to two hours each.
All titles that are sent to our Beta testers are Beta versions only and will not be useable once the testing is complete. It is also
likely that the Beta testing of a game may be limited to specific levels, tracks or the online functionality of a game.
Public recruitment! -We run these from time-to-time. Any one can sign-up and this is the easiest way to get involved.
Get recommended! - We also run occasional private recruitment where our current Beta testers can "recommend-a-friend". If you are a beta tester and know someone that you feel would make a good candidate for our program then be sure to look out for these!
Forum Engagement! - Being a beta tester is, first and foremost, all about being a great member of the community. We take special note of our Forum engagement anayltics for potential additions to our beta community.
Firstly, the only forms of recruitment for the private Beta community are those listed above. Please be aware that unfortunately there are many hoax messages and chain mails that circulate that are completely false in their nature. We do not send out PSN chain messages and we will never ask for your email address.
Finally, please be aware that we will not tolerate any activity involving the selling, trading, bargaining or the manipulation of kudos for a position within the beta trials. Action will be taken against the accounts of all parties involved in such activities.
Nota bene on participation -
When the amount of people that the system removes reaches a specific figure we will be looking to the Official PlayStation Community to fill those spaces and so we will run a public recruitment. Providing that an individual adheres to the required criteria they will be able to apply for the Beta Trials. This should open the opportunity up to many more people giving them the chance to prove themselves as another valued member of our Beta Trial community.
Website ©2015 Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. All content, game titles, trade names and/or trade dress, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. All rights reserved. More info

subset: commoncrawl


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"Oh it's hot and it's sticky and it's naaaaasty," said drag goddess Lady Bunny [1] of the current New York City summer weather. "And that's just how I like it. The kind of men I like can't afford to leave the City when it's hot, so they just have to strip down and stay put, right where I can get at 'em.
"Let those other queens got to Provincetown or Fire Island or wherever. Lady Bunny's got everything she needs right here: sweaty men and a big can of hairspray."
Watch you don't explode there, Bunion! We need you to make that flight to San Francisco to star at the weekly Some Thing party on Fri/2 [2] (10pm-late, $8. The Stud, 399 Ninth St., SF.)
Speaking of which, does Miss Bun-Bun have to buy an extra seat on the plane for her trademark ginormous blonde wig?
"No, just for my fat ass! And then I have to buy another seat for the scabies."
But then her voice dropped into a more serious register -- these were her wigs after all -- and she said, "You know, it's sometimes nervewracking to travel with my priceless hair sculptures. But I've just learned to stack them in a carry-on and then I just tease them when I bring them out. I don't know how to do all the hot rollers and other things the queens all do.
"Marke, I'm just a tomboy with makeup and a poor taste in clothes."
Lady Bunny was off and running in her trademark perky Southern drawl from the second she picked up her landline for our chat. Landline? Please tell me at least she has a Princess Phone. "Oh no, just a regular old phone. I heard Carol Channing still had her landline and I just love her. Of course, mine has those big buttons for seniors."
I've known Bunny since way back in her Wigstock [3] days, when she hosted the huge outdoor drag festival that ruled the NYC gay scene for like 3000 years (1984-2005).
And it's kind of wonderful, the way she moved to NYC from Atlanta on a wing and a prayer in the '80s with RuPaul -- and adorable DJ Larry Tee, who invented electroclash and has been seen here a bunch of times lately -- and now, she's a TV personality as Dean of Drag on RuPaul's Drag U. show and celebrity judge on Drag Race, as well as remaining one of Ru's besties [4]. Clubkids: all grown up!
"I got on fabulously with every queen on Drag Race that I met -- except one, who shall remain nameless, but I think everyone knows who she is," drops Bunny casually. "I mean, I know nothing about reality TV. I grew up with Lucille Ball and Leave It To Beaver. But I do love a paycheck, so why not?"
As ever though, Bunny is appearing all over with her comedy parodies of hit songs, her filthy double-entendres -- and now with a cute club-ready song of her own, "Take Me Up," which showcases her more serious singing talents. In as much as Bunny can ever be serious.
Oh, wait on that -- Lady Bunny does have a second reputation, beyond the wigs and parodies, as an outspoken political commentator. Her blog [5] is usually aflame with her acerbic sentiments, some of which can cause even seasoned political observers to grasp their burning ears. (For her recent thoughts on SF, check this out [6].)
"How can I keep my mouth shut when there's so many travesties, so much injustice going on. I mean, take that incident recently when Michelle Obama told the protesting lesbian to be quiet or leave [7] that fundraiser -- and it was like the whole gay community was saying, 'Go Michelle!' But that woman was raising attention about how we don't have rights, how we still don't have the same rights as everybody else. And the gay community was telling her to be quiet! These kinds of things enrage me, so I let it all out. Anger is a very potent emotion!"
Does she ever let it all out on stage? "Oh you know, people want the comedy, they want the parodies, and to be entertained. They don't want some queen browbeating them about political stuff in the middle of their party."
So what can we expect when she hits Some Thing on Friday? "I'm so excited to be back in SF -- I'm an ooooooold friend of [Some Thing party founders] Glamamore and Juanita More. And I even patched things up regarding an old fight with Heklina. I'll have to find something else to fight with her about now!
"But, you know, it's just going to be me up there with my dirty jokes and my filthy mind and a little music -- straight out of the gutter and on your face!"
[1] http://www.ladybunny.net/loader_flash.html
[2] https://www.facebook.com/events/640783472609807/
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigstock
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0VlEp2NxK0
[5] http://blog.ladybunny.net/
[6] http://www.sfbg.com/blog.ladybunny.net/2013/07/notes-from-sf.html
[7] http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2013/06/05/salon-says-ladies-shush-people-paid-good-money-michelle-obama-and-rape


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Arts & Life
'Old Boy'
Film critic David Edelstein reviews Old Boy, a South Korean film that won the Grand Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
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Don't judge a book by its cover
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Desperate Housewives episode, see You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover (Desperate Housewives). For the song popularized by Bo Diddley, see You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover.
The English idiom "don't judge a book by its cover" is a metaphorical phrase which means "you shouldn't prejudge the worth or value of something, by its outward appearance alone".[1]
Early reference[edit]
- In George Eliot's The Mill on the Floss (1860), Mr Tulliver uses the phrase in discussing Daniel Defoe's The History of the Devil, saying how it was beautifully bound.
- The preceding version was then publicised by the 1946 murder mystery novel by Edwin Rolfe and Lester Fuller, Murder in the Glass Room, in the form of "You can never tell a book by its cover."[2]
See also[edit]
- ^ Hirsch, E. D., Joseph Francis Kett, and James Trefil. "Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover". The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. 3rd edition. 2002. Print. *MLA Format*
- ^ "Judging a Book: New P. G. Wodehouse covers from W. W, Norton", The Quivering Pen, 20 June 2012.
External links[edit]
|This vocabulary-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


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CloneSpy is a fast and capable tool which can help you to find and remove duplicate files.
And while that's probably the program's most common application, it can also look for files which aren't quite identical. You can have it search for files which are the same name, say, or the same name and a similar size, or even just zero length files, whatever they happen to be named.
This is perhaps a little trickier than it should be, thanks to CloneSpy's less than intuitive interface. The program displays two "pools" where you can add folders, for instance; it can run in "Pool 1 only", "Pool 2 only" or "Both pools" mode; and you can make or add CSC (checksum) files. What does all this mean? We didn't know at first, either, so expect to spend a while browsing the Help file (itself fairly complex) before you properly understand what's going on.
Other elements of CloneSpy are fairly straightforward, though. You can have the program automatically delete duplicates according to your preferred rule (older, newer, small, larger, longer name, shorter name, more) just by selecting it from a list, for instance.
And in our tests the program seemed to find duplicate files extremely quickly, maybe faster than anything else we've used.
But please note, as ever with this kind of tool, treat it with extreme caution: used carelessly it can trash your system to the point that Windows won't start again. Don't use CloneSpy unless you fully understand what you're doing, and you've a full and recent backup to hand.
Version 3.22 brings (History):
- Fixed: CloneSpy no longer fails to move files to the recycle bin or another folder on Windows XP (regression since v3.21).
CloneSpy is a powerful and extremely fast duplicate file finder. It's also a little complicated to use, so be careful - delete something important and you could easily trash your PC.


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Country/Date of Origin: Portugal/1800s
There are three native sight hounds in Portugal, all closely related. Podengo (meaning running hound) are divided by size. The largest, about 25 inches at the shoulder, is used mostly for coursing hares. The middle size Podengo, or Medio, is about 18 inches tall and is used to chase, catch, kill and retrieve rabbits. The smallest size called the Pequeno is a warren dog that is often used in concert with the Medio. It is sent down the rabbit hole to flush the quarry to the waiting coursers.
The two larger size Podengos are hunted singly or in pairs in the manner of Greyhounds. The Pequeno is traditionally hunted in packs like a Beagle.
The Pequeno is a true miniature sighthound. The largest size is believed to be the original form and it is thought that the other two sizes were bred down from it. The Pequeno most likely has some terrier blood mixed in.
FCI Group: 5 (Hound)
About This Breed:
Other Names
Body Type
Health Concerns
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Sometimes, manufacturers require that products be advertised only at their suggested prices.
When we choose to sell these items for less, we display the sale price only in the cart. To see the price, click Add to Cart.
Miniature Portuguese Rabbit Hound, Small Portuguese Warren Hound
AKC Group: Miscellaneous
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Featured217 E. Club Center Dr., STE B, San Bernardino, CA
An Indoor Go-Karts Racing facility with party rooms. Amusement attraction for kids and adults age 8 to 80. Video games, music and lots of racing. Professional indoor go-karts that can reach up to 45 … Read more » miles an hour. Party facility for 12 to 900 guests.
FeaturedOrange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County,, Irvine, CA
Dress up parties for girls, themes include princess tea party, tea party, diva party, spa girls party, alice in wonderland, fancy nancy, under the sea tea party or fairy tea party! We come to your loc … Read more » ation and bring all the magical decorations and fun activities to entertain your guests. All the girls get a party favor and have a special tea party with manner lessons, decorate a craft, play a game, hear a story,walk the red carpet, and fun trivia. All parties are approx. 2 hours. We service the Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Riverside, San Diego, and Orange County areas. Can accommodate your special requests prices range from $200.00 and up rent a party and do it your self as well or have a hostess come to you and entertain. Rent party props Children's dress up tea parties, kids tea parties, princess tea party, fairy tea party, diva party, spa party for girls, dress up parties, birthday parties, girl scouts, brownies, daisy's, mommy and me tea parties, graduation parties, themed parties, glamor party,
Featured17420 Carmenita Rd, Cerritos, CA
Birthday & Event Parties We will make your party a memorable party full of fun. We have many themes for your party from which you can elect one of your favorite themes. You can just relax and have … Read more » fun in your party by taking pictures and videos, and all the setup, service and after party cleanup is done by our Oodles staff. 2 full hours of fun! - We provide full use of our state of the art facility for YOUR guests only! Star of the show! - We make our special guest feel like a star! Crown & throne included! Activities and more! - No matter the age, we provide an action-packed day for your celebration. All Parties include at-least 1-2 party host, 2 hour use of facility, tables, chairs, set-up & clean up. Birthday child gets a free kids gym class for a month! You can bring your own food for your guests. Unlimited free play for 2 hrs. No coupons or tokens needed. Circle time, ball pit & plenty of games. Separate dining room. No matter the event, we guarantee OODLES of fun!!! Oodles is located in a premium kids-friendly retail location (not in a warehouse) with ample parking space for more than 200 cars with Full AC & Heat in entire facility. Parties at other Gyms and Facilities are in Warehouse where there is forced air only due to Warehouse limitations. Package #1(SILVER PACKAGE) - $199 Includes up-to 30 guests including Kids (Ideal only for small parties. Valid Monday - Thursday only) Exclusive use of facility including our 1 world class party staff. Guest provides all food, cake, drinks, paper utensils and decorations. Package #2 (GOLD PACKAGE) - $299 Includes up-to 60 guests including 20 Kids. Guest count above 60 charged at $10 per guest including kid. Maximum 120 capacity. Exclusive use of facility including our 2 world class party hosts. Guest provides all food, cake, drinks, paper utensils and decorations. Package #3 (DIAMOND PACKAGE) - $399 Includes up-to 80 guests including 30 Kids. Guest count above 80 charged at $10 per guest including kid. Maximum 120 capacity. Exclusive use of facility including our 2 world class party hosts. Guest provides all food, cake, drinks, paper utensils and decorations. Package #4 (PLATINUM PACKAGE) - $499 Includes up-to 80 guests including 30 Kids. Guest count above 80 charged at $10 per guest. Maximum 120 capacity. Includes package #2 and We provide cheese pizza for kids (4 Large) juice, paper utensils, birthday cake & 1 free oodles kids gym session for each child. __________________________________________________________________________________ *Member prices shown above. If not already a member, a $35 membership fee will be added to each party package. * A 9% Service Tax will be charged on all transactions. $100 deposit required to book a party (applied towards balance). *All deposits and payments are non-refundable. Full birthday package payment to be paid before 1 week of party date. Birthday Party Timings: *Mon - Friday: 7:00pm onwards *Saturday & Sunday: 12-2pm; 2:30-4:30pm; 5-7pm; 7:30-9:30pm *Extra hours may be added if schedule allows. Fore more information please visit us at www.oodlesusa.com Add-ons: Pinata - $25 (you can bring your own Pinata filled with wrapped candies, bags & stick. We provide the rope and hosting) Themed Parties - You can bring your own theme. We charge $25 for allowing the 15 mins time for theme to be installed if time is available and provided theme doesn't damage Oodles facility. We charge $50 for outside entertainers visiting Oodles. Additional Hour - $149/hour Face Painting - $50 Extra 30 minutes for decorations (if requested for package #2 and if time is available) - $50 (Usually the party room is already decorated and tables/chairs are always setup) Goody bag - $8.00 per goody bag (includes $10 - $30 worth of credits for Oodles classes + the fun stuff for boys & girls depending on age. Goody bag content can be discussed with the Party planner) Party Photos Oodles Birthday Party & Events FAQ'S Do you allow a Pinata? - Yes. We do allow pinatas. The guest provides the pinata and our instructors will assemble, host and provide stick for your use. The cost for this option is an additional $25. Is there anything we are not allowed to bring? - We will do our best to accommodate your needs, although there are some things we strictly do not allow such as, confetti, fire crackers, food items which can leave a odor or alcohol. Contact the party planner if there is something in question that you would like to provide at your event prior to your arrival. Do you have TV's to display our photos? - Yes! We have to flat screen TV's where you can display a slide show of your birthday child. Do you have drinking water? - Yes, but cups are provided only for pkg 3. It's highly advisable to bring your own water case. How early can we arrive? - You can arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled event as our party hosts are hard at work preparing for your party. How many tables and chairs do you have along with the capacity Oodles can accommodate? - We have 7 tables. They are the 6 ft. rectangular foldable tables and will fit any standard rectangular table cloth. We also have provide 2 kids 4ft tables. We have around 60 chairs. - We can accommodate 80 – 100 total (including kids). - If guest number goes over 60, a charge of $10 per person will be applied the day of your event. Can we bring our own food? - We have no restrictions on outside food and we have parties of all Ethnicity with variety of foods being catered. There will be a clean-up fee charge for any damage to the flooring as as result of outside food. - Example: Curry items or any liquid falling on carpet/wood causing excessive damage will be charged a clean-up fee depending on the damage. Charge will be assessed by the party staff. Is there a dress code? - We suggest all participants wear comfortable clothing that is easy to move in. We allow socks or bare feet in our gym, no shoes allowed. We discourage any loose hanging jewelry or hats as this causes a safety concern when performing gymnastics. Can we extend our party past the 2 hours? - Yes. You can add an extra hour for $149. There is a 4 hour maximum. Is gratuity included? - No. Gratuity is usually paid in cash directly to the birthday staff. Do you have a jumper? - Yes. We do have small jumper for kids aged 1-3. Do you have music and speakers? - Yes. We have a good collection of music along with laser lights for dance parties. You can also bring your own music and we can play it as long as it's in MP3 or CD format. Is the party hall decorated? - Yes. Party hall is already decorated but you can bring in balloons and more decorations. Is there a face-painting and birthday party themes to choose from? - Yes. We provide face-painting service for $50 - You can bring your own theme. We charge $25 for allowing the time for theme to be installed and $50 if any outside entertainer is being called for your party. Still have questions? Contact us at email@example.com or call us at (562) 888-1496 and one of our staff members will be happy to assist you. We look forward to celebrating with you!
FeaturedIrvine Spectrum, (Bella Terra) Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway -Mission Viejo, CA, Irvine Huntington Beach And Mission Viejo, CA
Bold Girlz is the number one girls' birthday party place in Orange County offering fashion theme birthday parties, rock star parties, spa parties, hair and makeup services. We have a fashion runway a … Read more » nd a private party room/beauty salon for the perfect girl party. We also offer Mobile parties serving Orange County, CA Serving Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Long Beach, Mission Viejo, Ladera Ranch, Irvine. We are provide Girl Scouts Community Service Projects and Etiquette Workshops.
16880 Seville Ave, Fontana, CA
The Fontana Women's Club provides a unique space for any occasion. We are available for Birthdays, Weddings, Bridal showers, Baby showers, business meetings, plays and performances, classes, and celeb … Read more » rations of any kind. The space comes with tables and chairs for 200 people. We have a full kitchen that is ready to use, and allow catering from outside companies. We work with any schedule and pride ourselves on catering to each and every one of our customers. If you have questions please feel free to call us today.
1405 E Washington St, Colton, CA
Enjoy amusement rides, waterpark, mini-golf, go-karts, the largest batting cage complex in Southern California, laser tag, redemption arcade, roller skating, food, and more! Offering the best Birthday … Read more » Parties, Team Parties, Group Events, Class Parties, and Specials throughout the year. Something Fun for Everyone!
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Because "Girls just wanna have fun!" We provide the Ultimate theme parties for girls. We have spa, luau, tropical, fashion, princess, tea parties, glamour, mother and daughter, rock star, pop star, … Read more » custom and so much more. We specialize in making your girl-centric event completely unique. We promise a once in a lifetime experience filled with laughs, memories, and whatever you like best.
9450 7th Street Suite M, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Our beautiful 2000 Sq ft location is the perfect place for you to host your next event! The ballroom features beautiful dark wood floors, a food preparation area, plenty of space and tons of parking. … Read more » Our professional dancers can also provide entertainment for your party, whether it be an entertaining group class for your guests to participate in, or beautiful performances of dances of your choosing to create an amazing show! Wedding Receptions Birthday Parties Graduations Dance Parties Much More! We also offer party rentals. Tables, chairs, linens, etc at great prices with NO DELIVERY OR SETUP FEES!!! Call us today to schedule a consultation!
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12600 N. Mainstreet, Rancho Cucamonga, CA


text:
10 Final Fantasy Characters Who Almost Ruined Their Own Games
These characters almost made us wish the series' title were more literal.
No matter what happens in future installments, Final Fantasy's legacy is secured. No other franchise in gaming history could possibly hope to accomplish as many feats as Final Fantasy in a 25 year long reign. Since its inception, the series has become renowned for a sense of innovation; always willing to experiment with gameplay, visuals and story in ways that capture the imagination and draw you into its various worlds.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Final Fantasy's immense success is the division it inspires within its own fanbase; everybody has their own favourite game; their own favourite character; their own favourite villain… It doesn't matter how many times people try and classify one aspect of one game as "the best"; others will always be willing to step up and fight the corner of their favourites.
This all stems from the high standard of game we expect from a Final Fantasy release and its these high standards that have perhaps led to a slight diminish within the series. Final Fantasy XIV's failed launch was seen by many as the first major blunder within the franchise, though others pinpoint the beginning of the series' demise as far back as Final Fantasy VIII.
All of that is irrelevant though. Even if Square Enix release a dozen failed MMOs, the quality and standard of the Final Fantasy games leading up to it will not be diminished. Still, within these games, there are elements that are slightly off-putting to us as players. With a wide variety of characters and story arcs, you'd expect to be more interested in certain characters ahead of others; that's simply human nature.
Interestingly though, some characters seem to be placed within the series simply to annoy us. Why else would you introduce "heroic" characters with wildly inflated egos and aggravating personalities? This article seeks to highlight ten characters who challenged us with their appearances throughout the series; characters who annoyed us, upset us or offended us with their pointless ways. Whether it was an annoying personality or habit or an infuriating sidequest which wasted our time, these ten characters should be ashamed for their crimes against us – the players.
Of course, as already stated, this isn't a definitive list. Everybody's opinions will be different here so please feel free to disagree and add your thoughts to the comments below; I'd wager that there's at least one character on this list that everybody can agree on though.


text:
Breakin' All the Rules - Trailer
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Breakin' All the Rules
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Richard Roeper reviews Chris Rock's "Top Five"
Think Like a Man Cast Interview (2:12)
The men and women of Think Like a Man share their thoughts on relationships
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We talk to Gabrielle Union about the faces of love and working with Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry's Good Deeds - Premiere (2:12)
Tyler Perry, Gabrielle Union, and Rebecca Romijn hit the red carpet
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Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, and Romany Malco hit the red carpet
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Richard Roeper reviews Django Unchained starring Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio
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Jamie Foxx, Tatyana Ali, and Garcelle Beauvais come out for the 2013 NAACP Image Awards
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ON NOVEMBER 7, 2002, POLITICIANS AND OTHER LUMINARIES--including Boston Mayor Thomas P. Menino--gathered at the corner of Tremont Street and Malcolm X Boulevard in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood. They held shovels and awaited a photo op to celebrate the ground-breaking of a new mosque for the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB). It was a special occasion. The design for the $22 million mosque included a125-foot minaret as well as a 75-foot dome over the prayer hall. Al Jazeera joined the local Boston media on hand to chronicle the day.
It must have seemed noble and high-minded to offer such public support for the construction of a prominent mosque, especially since it had been only a little over a year since the 9/11 attacks. Senator John Kerry, who couldn't attend the event, sent a letter "recogniz[ing] the outstanding work of the Islamic Society of Boston" and praising the project for coming along at a time "when the need for cross-cultural understanding and cooperation has never been greater."
But the good feelings didn't last. In the following months, the Boston Herald and Boston's Fox Channel 25 published reports documenting the ISB's ties with terrorists, terror supporters, and anti-Semites. The Herald reported that members of the ISB's Board of Trustees had at one time included one of the Islamic world's most prominent and vocal supporters of terrorism and another gentleman who would become notorious for his anti-Semitic writing. The media also reported that one of the ISB's eight founders was a genuine terrorist who had since been arrested, convicted, and sent to jail.
There followed lawsuits. The ISB sued Fox Channel 25, the Boston Herald, and 14 other private citizens and organizations for having conspired to defame the organization. Meanwhile, a citizen of Boston sued the Boston Redevelopment Authority for giving the land for the mosque to the ISB at a price significantly below market value.
But even though this is a story framed by two lawsuits, it is not a tale of legal intricacies or lawyerly hairsplitting. It is, instead, a case study in how the leadership of a large American Islamic group woos and works with politicians, attempts to intimidate its adversaries, and claims to champion moderation--all while keeping company with prominent proponents of hatred and violence. THE LAND TRANSFER AND THE ISB
IN AUGUST OF 2000, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) conveyed the land for the mosque to the Islamic Society of Boston. Established in 1957, the BRA is run by appointees of the mayor; its function is (among other things) to hand out or sell city-owned land for the betterment of the community.
There were a few curious aspects of the land transfer to the ISB. Both the BRA and the ISB agreed that the land was worth slightly more than $400,000. But because the land was conveyed, not sold, this figure was somewhat arbitrary. Indeed, many observers close to the situation believed that the market value of the land far exceeded $400,000.
Even so, the City of Boston asked that the ISB pay only $175,000 in cash. The theoretical "balance" of $225,000 would be "paid for" by a variety of services the ISB would provide to the community in the future. According to the agreement, these "services" included maintaining a nearby play area, giving a series of lectures at neighboring Roxbury Community College, and "assist[ing] the Roxbury Community College Foundation in its ongoing fund raising campaign."
It seems an odd arrangement. After all, Mayor Menino is normally adamant about the separation of church and state. As Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby recently noted, Menino is the kind of fellow who, in column, wrote "about the lighting of Christmas Trees all over Boston--yet not once [did] he use the word 'Christmas' to modify the word 'tree.'" It also seemed strange that the city would extend an apparent financial handout to an organization capable of raising the cash to complete a $22 million construction project.
And there was another oddity about the conveyance. According to Boston City Councilor Jerry McDermott, to get the signatures of the ISB trustees, the paper work had to be sent to Saudi Arabia.
THE LAND TRANSFER AND THE POSSIBLE government subsidy that accompanied it focused media attention on the Islamic Society of Boston.
Although the ISB widely and often claims to champion a "path of moderation, free of extremism" and "condemns all forms of bigotry," it has had relationships with some unsavory figures. For example, one of the Society's founders, Abdurahman Alamoudi, has been languishing in a federal prison for the past 18 months because of his ties to terrorism; his sentence calls for him to remain under government supervision for the next three decades. United States Attorney Paul McNulty called Alamoudi's conviction a "milestone in the war on terrorism."
While Alamoudi had not played an active role in the ISB for several years, the ISB has had more recent (and repeated) contact with other unpleasant characters. Take Yusuf Abdullah al-Qaradawi, a prominent Islamic cleric whom Islam scholar John Esposito of Georgetown has praised as a proponent of a "reformist interpretation of Islam."
He is not, however, as reformist as some might hope. In 1995, al-Qaradawi gave an address at the Muslim Arab Youth Association's convention in Toledo, Ohio where he vowed that Islam would "conquer Europe" and "conquer America." Earlier this past year, Al-Qaradawi declared that women should never lead men in prayers, calling the idea "heresy."
This was a step backward from al-Qaradawi's previously progressive attitude towards women: In 2003, he became the first prominent cleric to unequivocally support the concept of female suicide bombers. Al-Qaradawi declared that "women's participation in the martyrdom operations . . . is one of the most praised acts of worship." He went so far as to say a woman could participate in such an operation without her husband's consent and even, if necessary, travel without male chaperones and without wearing a veil. At the time, a spasm of female suicide bombers emerged. It is a trend which continues today.
Al-Qaradawi may or may not have served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the ISB. His name has appeared on relevant IRS forms as one of the Society's seven trustees. But the ISB insists that he was listed because of a clerical oversight; they maintain that IRS documents notwithstanding, he was not actually a trustee.
The ISB does not dispute the fact that they have repeatedly used al-Qaradawi as a tool to raise funds for the Boston mosque, printing a brochure that highlighted al-Qaradawi's enthusiastic support of the mosque and playing a videotaped message of support from him at a 2002 gathering. Today the ISB's website has a page devoted to defending al-Qaradawi and their relationship with him.
THEN THERE IS WALID FITAIHI, who, all parties agree, is in fact a member of the ISB's Board of Trustees. Fitaihi was one of the co-signers of the land conveyance between the ISB and the Boston Redevelopment Authority.
Fitaihi is also the author of an article in an Arabic language newspaper that labeled Jews "murderers of prophets" and claimed that Jews "would be punished for their oppression, murder and rape of the worshippers of Allah." Fitaihi also exhibited scorn for the "Zionist lobby in America . . . which has recruited many of the influential media."
Fitaihi's writings came to the public's attention in October of 2003 in the Boston Herald and prompted a letter from the local chapter of the Anti-Defamation League requesting that the ISB take action against Fitaihi.
The ISB initially responded that it was "shocked" by the nature of Fitaihi's writings. Ultimately, however, it supported Fitaihi, claiming that "the articles were intended to condemn particular individuals whom he believes were working to destroy one of Islam's holiest sites, killing innocent children, and thereby blocking the possibility of peace in the Middle East; the articles were not meant to incite hatred of an entire faith or people." The ISB did not explain how the "Zionist lobby in America" had any role in the ills on which Fitaihi's writings focused.
THE DEVELOPMENT of the ISB's mega-mosque and the surrounding controversy have, so far, generated two lawsuits. The first suit began as an action the ISB initiated against the media outlets who reported on the ties between the ISB and al-Qaradawi, Alamoudi, and Fitaihi and raised doubts about other ISB board members.
What separated this action from similar suits--such as the Holy Land Foundation's suit against Dallas Morning News reporter Steve McGonigle (a case that was dismissed within days of the government shutting down the Holy Land Foundation for terrorist ties)--was that the ISB later extended the suit to over a dozen private citizens who had spoken to the media about the ISB. The lynchpin of the ISB's case is that the private citizens and the media outlets named as defendants had relied on information from a man who, in the words of the ISB's complaint, "is known . . . to be a widely discredited and self professed 'expert' on radical Islam and Islamic terrorism."
The "discredited" and "self-professed" expert (who is also one of the defendants) is Steve Emerson--a semi-permanent resident of cable and network news shows, the head of the Investigative Project, and the author of 2002's best-seller American Jihad.
Virtually the entire case for showing negligence on the media outlets' part and malice on the private citizens' part rests on showing that the defendants should have known that, according to the ISB's complaint, "Emerson's research and findings have been routinely, publicly and severely criticized as both uninformed and biased against Muslims."
THE FACT that the ISB's suit depends on proving that Steve Emerson is widely known to be "discredited" is a fair measure of its frivolous nature. The complaint offers only two supporting sources for this key point. One is a negative review of an Emerson book from the May 19, 1991 edition of the New York Times. (The Times Book Review gave a positive review to Emerson's American Jihad in 2002.)
The other article the ISB complaint cites comes from a Weekly Planet piece from May of 1998, which says, "Emerson has no credibility left. He can't get on TV and most publications won't pick him up."
In the past year, Emerson has appeared on MSNBC 65 times, Fox News 78 times, and NBC 16 times including multiple appearances on The Today Show and The Nightly News.
BUT HANGING THEIR CASE on Emerson's credibility is the ISB's story and they're sticking to it. Their attorney, Howard Cooper, maintains that using Emerson for source materials irretrievably damns the defendants.
Cooper also laments that the ISB had been attacked by a cabal distinguished by "its extreme intolerance of Muslims." Which is a strange accusation.
One of the private citizens named in the suit is Dr. Charles Jacobs, the head of a group called the David Project (naturally also a defendant), which is dedicated to a "fair and honest understanding of the Middle East conflict."
But Jacobs is perhaps best known for his ongoing campaign against the human slave trade. Jacobs is the founder and chairman of the board of the American Anti-Slavery Group. Founded in 1993, Jacobs's organization is responsible for helping free over 80,000 slaves and receives support from across the political spectrum from the likes of Jesse Helms, Barney Frank, and Al Sharpton. He has also been a prominent advocate of calling attention to the genocide in Darfur--where many Muslims have recently been murdered.
In short, the ISB's lawsuit is nearly as contemptible as it is ludicrous
THE SECOND SUIT has more potential. Filed by Boston resident James Policastro against the BRA and the City of Boston, it alleges that the city provided an unconstitutional subsidy to the ISB by conveying the land for the mosque at a price below market value. What may make the Policastro suit incendiary is that the discovery process could uncover what went into the BRA's land grant to the ISB.
According to Evan Slavitt, Policastro's attorney, "any government subsidy to a religion is an implicit violation of the establishment clause." Because part of the purchase "price" for the land was a lecture series (along with other difficult-to-quantify considerations), the city may have trouble refuting the notion that the conveyance was unconstitutional.
But the city might face a bigger embarrassment still. Again, according to Slavitt, the details of how the city signed off on the deal with the ISB are unclear. These details will likely see the light of day thanks to the Policastro suit.
For this story, repeated inquiries were made to both the mayor's office and the BRA, asking (1) whether or not the BRA and/or the mayor's office were aware of the connections between the ISB and Abdurahman Alamoudi, Walid Fitaihi, and Yusaf al-Qaradawi; and (2) what due diligence went into qualifying the ISB before the land was conveyed to the organization.
The only response given was the following statement issued by the BRA:
In 1957 the BRA was established to carry out the federal government's Urban Renewal Program. As such, the BRA has certain powers to catalyze development within an urban renewal area. These powers are essential to government in a city constantly changing in light of demographic and economic pressures.
In 1997, the BRA Board approved the disposition of land that had been vacant for decades to the Islamic Society of Boston. This land conveyance, like multiple others before it and since, was motivated by the agency's core mission--to redevelop and revitalize the city in part by creating civic, cultural, and religious buildings around which communities thrive.
FORTUNATELY, not every Boston official has been so circumspect. City Councilor Jerry McDermott represents Boston's Alston and Brighton neighborhoods; the 38-year-old is also chairman of the City Council's Post Audit and Oversight Committee. In that capacity, McDermott has been aggressive in pursuing what seems like a waste of city resources in subsidizing the ISB's land purchase.
While McDermott began working on the issue from a "dollars and cents" perspective, he has become concerned with the allegations regarding the ISB. He has ordered a hearing to investigate the matter, to which he invited the ISB to testify. The ISB informed him that, given its pending litigations, it will not appear.
McDermott finds the BRA's statement dismaying. "It's unbelievable," he says. "Now that these issues have come to light, you'd think they'd be concerned."
As thanks for his efforts, McDermott says that the ISB has been trying to intimidate him by threatening legal action. He also says that he has received menacing phone calls at his home where he lives with his wife and two daughters.
For his part, Steve Emerson sees a larger lesson in the Boston contretemps. Extremists "are adept at getting a toe-hold" in America, he warns. But what's truly worrisome is that this time "it's happening at the behest and with the sanction of the government."
Dean Barnett writes about politics and other matters at soxblog.com


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American English: /ˈpɪf(ə)lɪŋ/ British English: /ˈpɪflɪŋ/
Translation of piffling in Spanish:
- [colloquial](affair/matter)
ridículoExample sentences
- Australia itself does not even have any long bridges - the longest in the country is still the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which is absolutely piffling by international standards.
- This amounts to a piffling seventy pence per grand invested per year - wow, I'd like some of that!
- It's left mostly to the actors to bring the premise to life, recreating the piffling small talk, self-congratulation and unease that are the chump change of real-life social intercourse.
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» Trans Mongolian Part 2: From Russia with
Trans Mongolian Part 2: From Russia with Love (and other catastrophes)
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May 10th 2006
Published: May 12th 2006
Ellen Around the World
Red Square, Moscow
Key Learnings from Russia:
1. Too much 'wodka' on the train invariably leads to a hangover which is further enhanced by the rocking sensation of the train. Not recommended.
2. A pack of wet wipes and ample application of deodorant in the toilet cubicle of the trans-mongolian, is no substitute for a real shower or banya (particularly evident on day 4).
3. Money cannot buy style - as demonstrated by those rich Russian women who think the highest heels, biggest hair and brightest 80s get-up equals style.
4. When travelling with the same group day in, day out where strange food is being eaten, all conversations really do turn to shit (literally). Those offended may substitute for 'loose stools', 'firm stools', etc, etc...
5. 'Niet' is the most useful word from my Russian phrasebook. Perhaps because it is the only Russian word I seem to be able to remember.
6. Do not joke with the guards at the Russian border. It will not speed up your interrogation!
My entry into Russia was fraught with drama. At border control, I was marched off the train for a full scale interrogation by some serious looking Russian military in dull uniforms leaving
Russian Provodnitsa & I
The beauty conscious provodnitsa was soon on our side when we gave her a nail file and sachet of foot soak. She loved us!
the rest of my group reeling in shock (and later I found out relief it wasn't them). It transpired that the Russian authorities firmly believed I was an imposter travelling with a fake passport and I was challenged to prove my identity with a signature and ID check, followed by an interrogation leaving me feeling like poor Schapelle Corby. It seemed that my passport had been tampered with (specifically the stitching), and they thought either me or the passport weren't genuine! In true Russian style they were somber, scary and did not crack a smile, however, after what seems like hours (just over an hour) of interrogation (my tracksuit pants practically frozen to the cold metal seat) they released me and I was allowed to return to the train and travel on into Russia.
The Russian part of the train journey was split into two parts - two nights from UB, Mongolia to Irkutsk, Siberia and three nights from Irkutsk to Suzdal (just outside of Moscow). So with no showers and limited facilities - save the samovar (boiling water tank) which we used to make innumerable teas and cup-a-soups and the restaurant car - it was important we got
Russian Orthodox Easter
For Easter we were given hard boiled eggs to decorate on the train
on side early with the Provodnitsa. We secured our comfort and happiness for the journey with a nail file and sachet of foot soak we gave to our beauty conscious Provodnitsa and were soon free to store our wine in her personal fridge and receive other special privileges - like access to the toilet when it wasn't supposed to be open.
Outside the train silver birch trees, snowy fields and frozen lakes screamed past the window. Every now and then we glimpsed a wooden cottage with brightly coloured shutters, or a fisherman fishing through a hole cut in the ice. Inside the train we were warmed by mugs filled with Siberian 'wodka' and local delacies like pirozhki (pies) and ravioli like parcels filled with potato or meat sold by babushkas at lonely railway stations. I had so many plans for things to do on the train - like read a few books, write in my journal, sew the button back on my 3/4 pants (yes, probably a little ambitious I admit), but the truth is with such great company and so much to see, time flew by and I didn't even have time to pick up a book.
Local home, Listvyanka
For many Siberians who reside by Lake Baikal, fishing is their main source of income.
Our first stop in Russia was at a small town called Listvyanka beside Lake Baikal (which was still completely frozen over). Baikal is the worlds deepest lake and holds 20% of the worlds fresh water supplies and is very sacred to the Siberian people. In fact, they are so proud of their Lake, that they've established the Lake Baikal Museum, where we were subjected to a particularly statistics oriented presentation (questions weren't really welcome) by the pointer wielding Natasha. The afternoon was spent settling into our homestays and exploring the town. I stayed with a Russian lady, Ludmila, who conveniently spoke no English (but did speak fluent German) in her small apartment outside town. It was more of a business transaction than a stay with a real family and despite the sensational food (like Omul from Lake Baikal of course), very comfortable room and smiling Ludmila - I really did feel a little dissappointed. Where were the questions in broken English about my family, my home, my travels?! I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but the Russian version of Neighbours was on, so I ate alone in silence.
In Russia, taxis are particularly hard to come
Russian Banya Experience
Pictured with 'vennik' (dried birch branches) used to beat yourself with whilst inside the sauna. Very invigorating!
by and hitch-hiking is apparently incredibly common. Our guide had booked us the use of a traditional Banya (sauna) to help wash away the grime we'd accumulated from several days on the train (and for the Aussies and Kiwis a unique way to celebrate Anzac Day). Unfortunately I was stuck in town and running very late. I powered back toward my homestay at record speed - but still had quite a distance to go - when a Russian girl pulled up beside me and asked me whether she could give me a lift - I was really moved my how friendly and interested she was. Certainly a contrast to my first impression of Russian people and a really nice change from the stereotype. Needless to say, I made it to the Banya in time and I've got to say it really was a highlight! The wooden banya building was seperated into several rooms. There was changing rooms with towels and large white toga-like sheets, a tea/chill-out room with table, chairs, music and tea, a showering room and finally a steam room (like a regular sauna). Basically you go into the sauna at intervals where you beat yourself or each other
Streets of Irkutsk
Paris of the East?
with dried branches (vennik) of birch. When this all gets too much, it's out to the tea room - before repeating the process once again. Very invigorating, although we couldn't follow the local tradition of jumping in the Lake or the snow as the lake was frozen and there was no snow!
After our homestay we left for the neighbouring city of Irkutsk which was once described as the 'Paris of Siberia' (a compliment the Siberians are holding onto for dear life!). The city was quite pretty in a shabby Euro chic type way and as it turns out the people are very friendly. On a night out in Irkutsk a group of us finally tracked down a restaurant to eat at when we were met with only a russian menu and no phrasebook handy to translate the cyrillic. In desperation (for our business) - the owner ran out of the store dragging back the beautiful Marsha and her boyfriend Roman. Marsha was an English-speaking university student and what began as a quiet night with her boyfriend, turned into a full scale menu translation. What a night! The food turned out to be Chinese (but delicious all the same)
Suzdal Sunset
One of the 40 churches in the UNESCO town of Suzdal.
and the owner even got up on stage at the end of the evening and sung us some traditional Russian songs! Other highlights of Irkutsk included the Faberge Egg exhibition, the Decembrists Museum and wandering the parks and gardens.
Our next stop was Suzdal. A tiny, Unesco heritage listed town with cosy-looking log cabins decorated by intricate and often colourful eaves and shutters. Our accommodation fell through and the group ended up a renting a massive cottage to stay in - which was quite luxurious. Though after three nights on the train, with thirteen people - a few more showers wouldn't have gone astray! Suzdal is famous for its many churches, monasteries and other religious buildings - apparently at one time there was a church for every 12 people who lived there (now there's about 40 in total)! From Suzdal, it was onto Moscow ...
Moscow was not the dark, grim and oppressive ex-communist strong hold I expected. Instead it was very much an exciting, modern, clean and prosperous European capital city. My first taste of the city was the Moscow Metro which is world famous, not just for being efficient, but also for its impressive station architecture
St Basils Cathedral, Moscow
We arrived in Red Square on Labour Day (which used to be May Day). No military men in sight!
(think chandeliers, mosaics, gold) and ridiculously long and steep escalators! Rumour has it that there is still a secret metro which was built in the 1960s in operation. Catching the underground was an achievement in itself with all the station names in Cyrillic (and our map in English of course!). Highlight of Moscow was the cobbled Red Square at night. St Basils the Cathedral built by Ivan the Terrible with its brightly coloured domes reminiscent of a Disney Palace dominates one end of the square. The story goes that Ivan blinded the two architects that built it to ensure that none more beautiful could be built. The other sides of the square are bounded by the Kremlin, Lenin's Mausoleum (which was unfortunately closed) and GUM - the largest shopping centre in Russia (complete with KGB inspired doormen in old style hats and long coats). In the evening of May Day (now Labour Day since the fall of Communism) the square was abuzz with people strolling, couples in passionate embraces, amateur paparazzi and children holding helium balloons.
Reeling from my passport experience and fresh with direction from Canberra (via Dad) to seek Consular advice in Moscow I set off for
Me & the KGB
Aka the doormen at the GUM shopping centre, the largest shopping complex in Russia.
the Australian Consulate. On the ever-reliable directions of the Lonely Planet I arrived at the Australian Consular Generals HOME (no consular office) where unfortunately I did not receive an invitation for a lamington and cuppa. Instead I followed some further misdirection, until I found someone who did not run when I approached them for directions (yes this did happen) and eventually found my way. On arrival I was so relieved to have finally made it I fell through the doors of the Australian Consulate - half expecting a VB and meat pie (sauce please) to be thrust into my expectant hands. No such luck. A decision was made that my passport was not normal and I should hot-foot it to London pronto to get a new one. Goodbye plans to travel through Eastern Europe from Russia. Hello plans to visit England, Scotland and Ireland!
Exhausted from this inconvenient and completely uncalled for holiday administration, I spent the remainder of my time in Moscow in less strenuous pursuits. I admired the art of Da Vinci, Monet, Cezzane, Gauguin et al at the Pushkin Museum and as always it was breathtaking. However, I was completely baffled by the famous statues including
Cruising the Moscow River
many of Michelangelo's masterpieces I was seeing that seemed to have been assembled here. It all clicked when I saw the complete temple of Zeus from Olympia assembled in a room (which I had seen last year in Olympia), and realised they were all plaster casts of the original. I suppose back in Communist times, Russians would never have been able to see the real thing. Another highlight was the Cosmonaut Museum, who knew that they sent dogs into space before humans? I saw the stuffed little critters and their spacesuits on display and was treated to a Russian space documentary/propoganda and told to 'sit down, ruski!' (when I stood up to ask whether there was an English version that we could understand). Another great way to see Moscow proved to be from a ferry on the 'Moscow River' which was perfect relaxation after marching around all the above-mentioned tourist haunts. From Moscow, we caught another overnight train to St Petersburg. Fortunately, I did not end up in the same cabin as the Russian man wielding an enormous odorous fish and a cooler full of vodka!
St Petersburg was beautiful and filled with grand architecture, immense gardens, palaces, statues
Bronze Horseman
and Venice-like Canals which we explored by boat. We really had hit Europe and for the first time since Beijing we saw many other international tourists. Treated to a walking tour by the refreshingly young and humourous Vera - we strolled the streets of St Petersburg and admired St Isaac's Cathedral, Nevsky Prospect (main st, St P), the Church on Spilled Blood and the Hermitage. The Hermitage is one of the worlds finest art galleries - though unlike its rich relations in the Louvre, MOMO etc - the Hermitage is literally that large, sprawling and uncrowded that you often have a room on your own to take in the art. It's also evident that the displays are not so well kept, visitors are allowed to take photos, some rooms are shabby and poorly lit by fluorescent lights and outside light shines on some masterpieces causing irrevocable damage. What is most unique about the Hermitage is that part of it was a palace, so many of the rooms are incredibly ornate with lots of gold, frescos, lavish furniture and exceptional views of the Neva River.
A visit to St Petersburg would not be complete without a visit to the Marinsky
Kirov Ballet, Marinsky Theatre
Theatre to see the ballet and what better night than the last night of our tour. The lavish theatre was built in the 1800's and is home to the Kirov Ballet. Never having seen the ballet before, I was concerned I might find myself regularly checking my watch, but I was pleasantly surprised. The performance was of Odette and both the dancing and the music were sensational. In fact, our group finished the night with a few drinks at a local Irish bar and were joined later on my some of the principal dancers of the Kirov. Funny to see such feminine looking blokes drinking beer and smoking, unsurprisingly we drank them under the table! We ended the night with a bottle of Russian Champagne - a fitting end to my Russian journey!
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Ellen Around the World
I'm an Aussie girl who's mad about travel! Me and my pack have covered lots of ground over the past few years .... 2003 - 3 months leave to backpack Europe & Canada 2004 - Holidays in Bali, Indonesia 2005 - Holidays in Turkey, Greece & Thailand 2006 - 5 months leave to travel around the world - India, Nepal, to China, across Mongolia and Russia, through Eastern and some of Western Europe. Then home via Canada and the US. January 2007 - Holidays, North Island, NZ September, 2007 I decided I needed a break from the corporate grind and resigned from Ford in Australia, to do a year ...
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Brief history of Russia
Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynas...
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Trans Mongolian Railway
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Lake Baikal
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22nd February 2009
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I love truth...
Hi, girl ! You wrote about the styles of Russian women... It's just envy... I see your own style.... Excuse me... but you looks like poor Ukrainian homeless girl.... Furthermore, you never understand Russians... Your observations are mostly stupid... Sorry...but it is a scientific fact... Your prejudice is obvious... It's impossible to understand Russia sitting in the cheapest carriage of the train... There are a lot of luxury carriages... The obstacle is only your income.... But it is completely different story...
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Swindon Robin's Australian star Troy Batchelor
Michael Reeves, Deputy sports editor / / Sport
TROY Batchelor has dedicated Swindon Robins first win of the Elite League season to injured teammate Darryl Ritchings.
The Abbey Stadium side claimed a 57-36 success over Belle Vue Aces on Thursday night, and the Robins' Aussie skipper was quick to devote the result to their injured friend. Ritchings remains in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital with head injuries following his crash in last week's match against Coventry, which also left him with a broken ankle.
"It was a performance for him (Darryl)," Batchelor said. "I'm sure that he will want us to go out there and to doing our thing. We got the win and we will dedicate it to him.
"We all know the risk of speedway and we know what can happen, it is sad to see things like that happen and you don't wish it to happen on any rider or person."
Batchelor, who only arrived back in the UK at the start of the week following his appearance at the Grand Prix in New Zealand, was pleased to see the side hit back following their defeat to Coventry Bees.
Simon Gustafsson and Nick Morris, both scored 11+2, leading the way for Alun Rossiter's team over the Manchester-based outfit. Nicolai Klindt also put in his best display of the fledgling campaign with an 8+1.
"It was nice (to win) after last week," said Batchelor, who weighed-in with an 8+2 against the Aces.
"The boys lost at home and things weren't so good, but we have bounced back with a big win.
"Simon and Nicolai, some of the second string and reserves were going really well, so things are looking good for the future."
Batchelor admitted that he feeling the affects of last week's travelling ahead of the meet against Belle Vue.
"I felt like it was about 8 o'clock in the morning," he said. "I didn't know what is going on.
"I was feeling really tired, I'm glad to get this out of the way and finish with a win."
Batchelor is now set to return to Poland for more testing and racing ahead of Good Friday's double-header with Poole Pirates - starting on the south coast at 11am with the return leg at Blunsdon at 8pm.
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Troy dedicates first win to injured Darryl
A very nice gesture Troy ! You have proven why Rosco named you Captain, we are all behind you in wishing Darryl a full and speedy recovery!!
A very nice gesture Troy ! You have proven why Rosco named you Captain, we are all behind you in wishing Darryl a full and speedy recovery!!


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"Have no doubts, Assad will go to the very end."
When I met my colleague Ayman Abdel Nour a few days ago in İstanbul, his words were uttered as if there was a necessity to disperse any hope that the downfall of the Syrian regime would be possible to speed up.
We agreed even before we took up the conversation, so to speak. But Abdel Nour is not just an outside observer: His past as a close friend and advisor to Bashar al-Assad counts heavily. It has been four years since he quit the ship (long before the Arab Spring started), and he is one of the important figures of the Christian opposition to the Baathists, by running a blog (all4syria.info). His ability to cover Syria from within, by key sources in many crucial places (including the depths of Damascus) is impressive.
Here are some points from our conversation:
Assad is in complete control. It is not that he is somehow a hostage of the Baath cadres that have blood on their hands. He runs the entire operation. Despite the bombing that killed some members of his inner circle, his composure has not been shaken. He has a vast, global intelligence network, simply because there are many Syrians abroad who have access to it in many capitals.
Assad acts with the conviction that he is some sort of messiah sent with a special mission to save Syria. The sense, the delusion of grandeur, came to him in the early stages as he assumed power. Part of the blame is on the shoulders of some members of the Arab League; in a meeting, when he made a speech as a new leader, some elderly leaders approached him and told him that he was the only hope for the leadership of a powerful Middle East. This changed him. Pushing the promises for change aside, he stopped listening to advice. He told the government that the only policy with the West (the EU, etc.) would be based on "promise, promise but delay." He utilized duplicity as the means for survival. Turkey was part of it; when it realized he had a demonic mind, it was already too late.
But, initially, he had to agree to an "opening" with Turkey because the powerful and loyal Sunni business circles of Syria demanded it. It worked well because the agreements with Ankara lacked the dimension of reform and human rights, as opposed to relations with the EU. Given that, Assad acted towards Turks as if he would deliver, pretended to listen to them, with full awareness of what he was not going to do.
Turkey's current policy is, in broad terms, correct. But a big mistake remains concerning the dimension of humanitarian aid and refugees.
Ankara has acted selectively, and its choice to single out the Muslim Brotherhood as the only channel to distribute aid and non-combat logistics disappointed, alienated and miffed other parts of the opposition. It has remained a partisan approach, which needs to be corrected. Also, the miscalculation of the number of refugees -- because Ankara may have predicted the swift downfall of the regime -- led to a rejection of international cooperation.
The claims of an al-Qaeda presence in the civil war are not to be taken seriously. When Bashar's father, Hafez, came to power, he fought the Sunni opposition not by direct confrontation but from within. Assad built his own version of terrorist groups and took some of their leaders from Syria's Mukhabarat (intelligence agency). Note that many of the jailed so-called Salafi terrorists have now been released from jail. One can easily guess the reason.
The pro-Assad powers are playing an "exhaustion" game. It aims to wear out international opinion by continuous killings and massacres so that when it comes to the table, there is a single item on the agenda. If Assad can re-establish full control in Syria (which seems almost impossible) he will be using precious time, served by Russian moves, to entrench the regime along the coast. Syrian foreign office sources say that Assad acts with the knowledge that at the end of the day, the Nusayri/Alawite statelet will be recognized as the legitimate Syria (with Assad on top) by Russia. (The end of Assad's reign may only then become an issue). Moscow would thereby be able to enhance its presence in a strategic location, just 80 kilometers from a NATO base in Cyprus. The issue of a divided Syria along sectarian lines was a top agenda item when President Vladimir Putin visited Israel. The US, NATO and the EU are dismayed by these moves, and the power struggle from now on will be between a united Syria without Assad or a divided Syria with him. The latter will serve to worsen the situation in the region, certainly.
If Abdel Nour's assessments are correct, we may see the efforts of Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN envoy for Syria, as devoid of meaning. He will only serve to play for time, for all players, including Turkey.
Until the real game starts, the world will have to wearily watch the continuous loss of human lives.


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Apple's got so big that it is building a new campus to complement its campus at One Infinite Loop. Here are 51 facts about the new Apple campus, which is referred to by many as the 'Spaceship Campus' due to its flying-saucer-like design.
Update 03/02/2016: Most recently updated to include a new drone video showcasing the progress being made at the site of Apple's spaceship HQ.
Speaking of flying saucers, YouTube user MyithZ flew a drone over Apple's 'spaceship' campus in January 2015. Watch the video below to see how the new campus is shaping up.
The drone-touting YouTuber went back with his drone in February 2015, showing us how much difference a month can make at Apple's new campus.
Watch it here:
Then, in April 2015, another video of Apple's Spaceship campus was uploaded to MyithZ's YouTube Channel in 4K:
It's fascinating to see how quickly the building work is coming along, and it seems that MyithZ seems to agree. Here's his May 2015 update on Apple's new campus:
And if that wasn't enough, he recently posted another to showcase just how quickly the campus is being built (in glorious 4K, of course). You really get a sense of the size of the project, and the scale of the task at hand. Select parts of the building are now recognisable, including the hidden car park.
The latest video, shot seven months later in February 2016, showcases real progress on site and we're starting to get a real idea of how vast Apple's new HQ will be.
How big is Apple's new campus?
1. The new Apple Campus will be set in a 2.8 million-square-foot area.
2. That's a 176-acre site.
3. It will house more than 13,000 Apple employees in one building.
4. The building is more than a mile around.
5. There will be 300,000 square feet of research facilities and underground parking.
6. In May 2014, Apple leased 290,000 square feet of new office space in Sunnyvale known as Sunnyvale Crossing. It is thought that this additional space comprises seven buildings and will provide room for around 1,450 workers. It is located near to the new 'Spaceship' campus as well as the current 'Infinite Loop' campus.
Watch this video of Apple's presentation about the new campus to the City of Cupertino:
Read: Top ten Apple spoof videos
New Apple Campus design
7. The four-storey circular structure will have huge walls of glass that will allow employees to look out from both sides of the ring.
8. Peter Arbour, an architect for Seele, the company that makes the glass staircases in Apple stores around the world, told Bloomberg: "It is something like six kilometres of glass."
9. British firm Foster+Partners have been appointed as the architects for this colossal building. Previous projects include Wembley Stadium, Canary Wharf Underground Station, Stansted Airport, London's Millenium Bridge, HSBC HQ at Canary Wharf, the Maclaren Technology Centre and the Hearst Tower in New York.
10. In an interview with Architectural Record, Forster+Partners founder and chairman Norman Foster explained that he was inspired by the idea of a London square, where houses surround a park. This eventually evolved into the present design: a circular structure surrounding a large outdoor park.
11. Foster reveals in the video created to promote the Campus 2 project to the City of Cupertino's planning commission (watch it above) that in the original plans there was no circular 'spaceship' structure. Foster said: "It didn't start as a circular building, it really grew into that. So the idea of one building with a great park was really borne out of a very intensive process."
12. Despite aiming to be self-sufficient and earth-friendly, the range of materials used in the construction will without a doubt be the top of the line. "As with Apple's products, Jobs wanted no seam, gap or paintbrush stroke showing; every wall, floor and even ceiling is to be polished to a supernatural smoothness. All of the interior wood was to be harvested from a specific species of maple, and only fine quality 'heartwood' at the centre of the trees would be used," an insider told Business Week.
13. As a consequence of the large size of the building, the sections have been broken up with cafes, lobbies and entrances.
14. In the interview linked above, Foster explains that, when planning the layout of the building, the architects had to consider the different departments that would need to work together, and considered vertical proximities as well as horizontal ones.
"Of course, you have got an enormous range of skills in this building: from software programmers to designers, marketing, retail," he said. "But you can move vertically in the building as well as horizontally. The proximity, the adjacencies are very, very carefully considered."
15. Since Jony Ive's promotion to Chief Design Officer, there has been speculation that he'll be designing elements of Apple's new campus, including desks and chairs to be used by employees.
16. A significant segment of the building is the restaurant, which opens up to the landscape.
17. The car park is buried below the landscape so there are no rows of parked cars to spoil the view.
18. A video made by Technology Integration Services was created based on publicly available information about Apple Campus 2; the company has no affiliation with Apple. The video depicts additional buildings along with the main 'spaceship' building and gives an indication of how vast the greenery will be in the area. A fountain can be seen in the middle of the campus along with a performance stage, presumably for presentations to Apple employees. Watch the video here.
19. This picture shows the Apple Campus 2 site when it was being prepped for foundation work with the first walls having been erected, running around the perimeter of where the main building will stand. This is where construction crews poured the foundation.
20. Phase two of the project, includes the creation of research & development buildings and other secondary buildings for meetings and presentations, requires demolition to clear land along N. Tantau Avenue then took place. Current residents, Panasonic, are based opposite the site. Panasonic's response to Apple's new headquarters is not known although tensions could run high between the neighbouring businesses should Apple ever branch out into the TV market.
21. Building contractors Skanska and DPR were fired from the Campus 2 project in early 2015 and was replaced by Rudolph and Sletten & Holder Construction.
22. The termination of the contract meant Skanska lost out on around $800 million in revenue.
23. Prior to the Apple's issues with Skanska and DPR, Rudolph and Sletten worked on the interior of the campus and Holder Construction was handling the electrical, mechanical and plumbing infrastructure of the building.
How much input did Steve Jobs have in the new campus?
24. According to Norman Foster, Apple's late CEO Steve Jobs requested that he be considered a part of the team rather than the client.
25. Jobs wanted the new campus to reflect the Californian landscapes from his childhood, Foster claims in the video.
26. Apple's 'senior arborist', David Muffly, reveals in the video that part of Apple's plan was to bring California back to Cupertino.
27. Steve Jobs was inspired by a large space known as the Main Quad on the Stanford campus.
When will Apple's new campus be ready?
28. Although the project was intended to be ready by mid-2015, setbacks put the plans behind schedule. Apple plans to move into the main structure by 2016 whilst other secondary buildings will be completed on a rolling basis.
How environmentally friendly will the new Apple campus be?
29. The new Apple Campus will aim at being self-sufficient. Most of the power for the facilities will come from an "on-site low carbon Central Plant", according to an Apple Insider report. Apple intends to use alternative energy sources to power the campus, as part of its pledge to use 100 percent renewable energy at its facilities.
30. After revisions to the original plan, Apple showed that will be able to complete the project without having to remove any dirt from the area.
31. The structure will be outfitted with solar panels around the top of the building. It will run mostly off the Cupertino power grid but will use it as a backup electrical supply.
32. 7,000 trees will surround the campus. Apple has hired a leading arborist from Stanford University to help landscape the area and restore some of the indigenous plant life, including apricot orchards.
33. All landscaping is intended to make the area look very park-like. It will include jogging paths and walking trails around the building.
34. The former HP campus on which Apple's Campus 2 is being built was covered in buildings, concrete parking lots and non-indigenous decorative trees ill-suited to the specific Pacific climate. The strongest of the trees will be replanted and augmented with sturdy species that will flourish to create large open expanses of greenery.
35. Apple VP of Environmental Initiatives Lisa Jackson reiterates that 80 percent of the site will be so-called "green space" while the main building will go without air conditioning or heating for 75 percent of the year thanks to natural ventilation. Further, 100 percent of the campus' energy will be sourced from renewable assets like solar power and bio fuels.
36. Foster compared the new Apple campus to an airport, telling Architectural Review: "If you compare these very large buildings in terms of the area enclosed by the amount of external wall, they're very efficient, so they consume less energy. They're also a better experience because you're not leaving one terminal, going outside, onto a road, or into a tunnel, or onto a train to get to another terminal. You're not worrying about what the hell is happening to your bags as they leave one place and you hope that they end up in the other place.
"Overall, it's a better experience - it's more sustainable, it's more economic. And, architecturally, it's more interesting. The same is true with the very large Apple building."
37. The new campus will reportedly use recycled water and will use 13,300 feet of pipeline to share the supply between it and Cupertino.
How much will the new Apple campus cost?
38. The budget for the new spaceship-like headquarters has ballooned from less than $3 billion in 2011 to almost $5 billion.
39. Not everyone is happy. It has been reported that angry shareholders have attacked the $5 billion project, labeling it wildly extravagant.
40. According to Bloomberg, although $1 billion is less than 1 percent of Apple's cash reserves, shareholders have complained that too much is being spent on this vast project while nothing is being handed back to stockholders.
What facilities will there be at the new Apple campus?
41. The main building will include a wellness centre. This $75 million fitness centre will probably cater for the needs of the entire Apple community in Silicon Valley, which is around 20,000 people.
42. The headquarters will be fitted with a new 1000-seat underground auditorium which will allow Apple to have presentations in the same building, instead of having to go to San Francisco every time.
43. The new underground parking facilities will increase the number of spaces from 10,500 to 14,200.
44. Due to its underground location, this will triple the amount of landscaped area in the campus.
45. Despite rumours and an unsuccessful campaign by David Greelish, Apple will not open a museum at the new HQ. As Phil Schiller explained, Apple is "focused on inventing the future, not celebrating the past".
46. There will be miles of jogging and cycling trails.
47. 1,000 bikes will be kept on the site and available to staff to get around the campus.
48. A new Caffè Macs employee cafeteria has recently opened at Apple's Cupertino campus. Designed solely for Apple employee use, the general public is not allowed entry to the building, having been designed as an area for Apple employees to discuss work in a secure and private area. The cafeteria, built over two years and in a 21,468 square foot space, has been designed by Foster + Partners, the same agency responsible for Campus 2.
The building's kitchen, server and espresso bar have been billed as smaller versions of the ones that will feature at Campus 2, enabling the food service team to test the design and layout of the kitchen and serving areas on a smaller scale. The cafeteria at Apple Campus 2 is expected to be eight times larger and span two floors.
The structure of Caffè Macs Alves is reminiscent of design plans for the new campus, containing high ceilings, stonewalls, glass façade and terrazzo floors, all of which are design signatures of Apple Campus 2.
What will happen to the old Infinite Loop Apple HQ?
49. Even with this new colossal project opening in 2016, Apple has no plans to destroy its existing headquarters building located at 1 Infinite Loop in Cupertino.
What used to be on the site?
50. It is located on the former Hewlett Packard campus.
51. The local area of Cupertino has missed revenues from Hewlett-Packard since they left the site however the construction of Apple Campus 2 has lead to the City Council's budget being boosted by an extra $30.6 million. $8 million of the extra revenue will be used to pay off the city retiree medical unfunded liability, with another $8.3 million being used to fund pavement maintenance. The remaining extra funding will be transferred to the city's capital reserve.
See also: Careers at Apple - all corporate, retail jobs and how to get them


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Located near the town centre and with excellent transport links, Premier Inn Stockport South is a good choice whether you're in the area for a big celebration or business event. There's the Tudor mano...More about Premier Inn Stockport South
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Gotta say most girls in porn don't deserve the worst... this bitch does. Shut up and put the dick in your mouth!
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Are you Xian-ming Shi?Claim your profile
Publications (3)0 Total impact
Article: [Study on the application and evaluation of methods for gene and antigen detection in plague surveillance program].[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To apply and evaluate new methods regarding specific gene and antigen detection in plague surveillance program. 1798 samples from natural foci of plague were tested, using internal quality control multiple-polymerase chain reaction, F1 antigen marked by immuno chromatographic assay and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Culture of Yersinia pestis and reverse indirect hemagglutination assay were used as reference diagnostic methods. The overall positive rate of culture on Yersinia pestis together with gene and antigen detection was 7.34%, showing an 16.81% increase when comparing to 6.28% using Yersinia pestis culture method alone. The rate of coincidence was 97.13%. The new standard being used for specific gene and antigen detection could increase the positive rate of diagnosis on plague.
Article: [Molecular biological characteristics and genetic significance of Yersinia pestis in China].[Show abstract] [Hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To understand the molecular biological characteristics in order to analyse the genetic background of Yersinia pestis in China. Primary datum on ribotyping, pulsed field gene electrophoresis (PFGE), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and insertion sequence (IS) of Yersinia pestis were used and under cluster analysis. Genetic interval and various methods of recognized molecular feature between different strains were evaluated. Ribotypes the PFGE types seemed to be corresponding. Stains from Microtus fuscus and area in Tibet Zhongba belonged to 7 copy rRNA gene and the genetic interval were the far more with 6 copy rRNA gene stains, and not definite with RAPD, but with many exceptions. The genetic interval between strains were showed by resemble value. Yersinia pestis in China had its own manifold, particular molecular biological characteristics due to natural barriers, geographical complex, circumstances in Tianshan Mountains and Gandise Mountains areas. Yersinia pestis were limited to separateness, evoluted only in certain areas to form a great many gene types.
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ABSTRACT: The strains of Yersinia pestis isolated in different period and different natural foci in China were analyzed. Traditional and molecular biological methods were used. Rhamnose fermentation, rRNA gene copy number, nitrite reduction, and the glycerol fermentation were important characters for typing, and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profile could reflect the genetic distance between the strains. The strains could be divided into 15 genetic types by those 6 characters with each of them covered an isolated geographical territories. The characters of strains were described; the genetic relationship of different types, their evolution, and the forming and shift of plague natural foci were analyzed.


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Carnage from movie Spider-man 4
I was hoping they'd made a Spidey 4 ya know with Tobey Maguire and stuff with a Carnage. But I like the pic.
This better be the movie version.
Can't wait! I LOVE that guy!
Ahaha, Brilliant!
Yay someone actaully made him look kool for the movie if he was like this lol