text:
Provider Directory
Product / Service Directory
Contact US
Manager Login
Turnaround & Maintenance Service: Providers Products & Services Detail
302 State Street
South Houston, TX 77587-3028
United States
Tracy Sue
Phone: 713-941-3797
Phone: 800-456-8721
Fax: 713-941-3797
Providing quality products with honesty, integrity and dependability when it comes to isolation or testing piping— "We're It"! We have the largest inventory available for both rental and sale. Our inventory consists of close to one million pounds of isolation and hydro-test paddle blinds and blind flanges available for immediate delivery. Flange sizes from ½ in. to 66 in. with flange ratings of 150# to 2500# made to ASME/ANSI B16.5 and B16.4 standards; flange weld-test plugs available for rental or sale in any size and rating less than 24 in.; and other products include industrial isolation plugs, grip-type, plumbers-type, inflatable, and Double Block and Bleed plugs. We also offer EZ Purge, EZ Vent Blinds, and our "new" EZ Vent-Purge Blind. USA Industries takes pride in the quality of the blinds we provide. Every piece we ship, whether for rental or purchase, is ground to a smooth-edge finish, stamped and color coded for easy identification. We maintain the most comprehensive line of tube plugs available which includes over 300,000 in stock and production capacity of more than 4,000 plugs per day. Our new Snap It Jr and Sr plugs with through-the-tube plugging capabilities provide: "Consistent, Controlled Installation" with pressure ratings up to 7,000 psig. In addition, our new EZ Torque gaskets are used with our Shoulder plugs in fin-fan assemblies and are graphite coated to provide easy installation.
Fittings,Bleed Rings (Drip Rings)
Flanges,Weld-Test Plugs
Heat Exchangers,Tools
Leak Detection,
Orifice Plates,and Flanges
Pipe,Testing - Isolators and Plugs
Tube,Brass Tube Plugs
Tube,Cleaning - Tools and Systems
Tube,Expanders for Heat Exchanger Repairs
Tube,Hydraulic Tube-Pulling and Cutting Tools
Tube,Installation Tools
Tube,Plugs - 316 Stainless-Steel
Tube,Plugs - All Metals (1/4 in. to 4 in.)
Tube,Plugs, Titanium
Tube,Removal and Installation Tools
Tube,Rotating Brush Cleaner


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Shopping & Retail
Located a half mile from Mr. C Beverly Hills is the famed Rodeo Drive, the epicenter of all things fashionable in Los Angeles. Rodeo Drive includes high end shops as Tod's, Faconnable, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, and Harry Winston. The Westfield Century City Mall is also located 1 mile away from our Beverly Hills hotel, which includes over 100 boutiques featuring premier brands, over 10 restaurants and a AMC/IMAX Movie theater with 15 theaters.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Mar 25, 2014 8:50 AM
Limp locks? Just spritz in a little bit o' volcano and you're good to go! No, really. The key ingredient in Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture & Volume Spray ($25) is zeolite, a natural volcanic mineral that promotes volume and texture and removes toxins. Other ingredients... [More]
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Mar 17, 2014 9:00 AM
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Mar 16, 2014 8:06 AM
Think of AG Hair's new BB Cream Total Benefit Hair Primer ($26) as the ultimate in multipurpose hair care products. The super silky cream goes on when your hair is still damp and helps create both fullness and softness as your 'do dries. It'll also... [More]
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If you're tired of dry, damaged hair that feels like straw, TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Keratin Infusing Shampoo ($6) is a quick and easy way to infuse some life into your tresses. This miracle worker of a shampoo will make your hair so soft, you'll want... [More]
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Obviously a unicorn's horn is its greatest source of power, which must be the secret behind the mythical beasts' ridiculously gorgeous manes. Now we're not saying that A Beautiful Life did anything untoward in order to get some of that magic, but they must have... [More]
Mar 10, 2014 10:35 AM
Add moisture back to your hair by having a weekly date with a dollop of Klorane's Hair Mask with Papyrus Milk ($24). After you wash your hair, run a bit of the mask through your locks and busy yourself with something else for a few... [More]
Mar 6, 2014 10:20 AM
Sometimes it's a little bit harder to anticipate when or where you're going to get your next shower when you're on an epic adventure, so be sure to pack LuLu Organics' Travel Size Hair Powder ($10) with you. If your hair feels clean, you can... [More]
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Ladies (and the three gentlemen who read this blog, hello to you, too), does your manly man have a beard? Whether it's a hipster lumberjack beard, Glamour Beard, or a full-on Brawny Paper Towel mustache, it needs the same love and conditioning that the hair... [More]
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Formulated for your hair and not your taste buds, Brown Butter Beauty's Herbal Rich Hair Tea ($6) uses organic goodies like rosemary, nettle, lemongrass, and marshmallow to add smoothness and strength to your locks. Steep the herb packet in a bowl with boiling water for... [More]
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It's kinda ridiculous when you realize that it takes you longer to comb through your wet hair than it does to shower. Guess it's time to introduce a spray-on conditioner, like the Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner ($15), into your routine. Toss a few quick... [More]
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Limp locks and dry 'do? Or are you rocking a stand-on-end static-filled style? We've dealt with all three, and that's just this week. But we're telling ya, the Herbalosophy Nourish Masque ($29) is helping us make a full recovery. After we shampoo, we smooth in... [More]
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It took a few applications to figure out how to best use AG Hair Cosmetics's new High & Dry Matte Volume & Finish Spray ($24), but we got it. It's not supposed to be sprayed over your whole head, nor is it supposed to provide... [More]
Jan 29, 2014 10:15 AM
We'll be the first to admit we're not always the perfectly coiffed types, but even when a messy ponytail is our 'do of choice, we spray our locks in place with a bit of Amazon White Clay Thickening Hair Spray ($24) from Taya. It smooths... [More]
Jan 24, 2014 9:30 AM
Waking up to an itchy scalp and crunchy, dry hair is hardly a happy way to start the day. Solve the problem before you tackle anything else. A good lather with JĀSÖN Natural Restorative Biotin Shampoo ($11) oughta soothe your dry skin and add a... [More]
Jan 21, 2014 10:10 AM
It's not in the budget to visit drybar every time we want to rock a blowout. Hoarding all of their fabulous products, however, may help us achieve similar results at home. Once we perfect the look we want, the Money Maker Flexible Hold Hairspray ($25)... [More]
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Casual Approach to Evidence (Multi-Thread ST-4)
View Single Post
Windu Chi
@Windu Chi
: Banned
Join Date
: Apr 2004
: Getting revenge on that traitor, Anakin.
: 882
Originally Posted by
As I understand it, much of the southwestern US is actually owned by the US government and there are many military bases throughout. Even if you rely on such sources as the history channel, military channel, etc.., it becomes obvious that a lot of classified activities are going on out there. Given that the Roswell incident took place in the early stages of the cold war, it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to conclude that a great deal of classified aerial activity was going on in this region. It would make a lot of sense, from a national security pov, to a) keep such activities top secret and b) misdirect, probably with stories of UFOs, people away from the goings on at these bases.
Maybe they, the air force are building
; small
and the Navy might be building
; the gigantic
airline pilots reports.
That could be another possibility to explain all the secrecy.
Or, they could be building high power particle beam weapons and high energy plasma weapons, or cold plasma physics application to cloaking jet fighters.
Future weaponry can also explain what the hell is going on there.
I will pick both of these as explanations.
Or, what else the hell could they be hiding there?
After the speeds of SR-71 planes, flying multiple times faster than mach 3: 2,224.36471mph will be more effective higher above the atmosphere or in space; higher attitude less dense air, less drag, lower the temperatures experience by air friction in low air density. Or more effective in space with lower g forces; safer
g forces cause by climbing and maneuvering, operating in space far from
lessen the possibility of grayout and have safer
g forces that is cause by a plane diving, operating in space will of course lessen the possibility of redout. Also operation in space will lower the possibility of dying if far from gravitational influences of
and the
, lower the possibility of pilots dying or the aircraft or spacecraft itself being destroyed from the very high deadly g forces experience with extreme sharp turns in the process of maneuvering at speeds many multiple times higher than mach 3.
Unless they got some sort of
technology that will have
dampers in the aircraft cockpits that will negate pilots from experiencing g forces when maneuvering and allow the secret aircraft or spacecraft to ride a gravitational wave for attitude control and manevering action, but why would they threaten to kill people for coming in
Area 51
for that?
will solve a lot of problems; lessen the rocket fuel mass for interplanetary travel ; negate gravity or counter it, don't have to have hundred thousands of pounds of rocket fuel of chemical reaction mass as the mass of the
goes up, for the potential energy needed to convert in kinetic energy of motion of thrust velocity to reach Earth's gravitational field escape velocity of 6.96mi/s aprox. for interplanetary travel.
Also going that fast, 25,053.7mph aprox.(
mach 33.79 aprox.
) or the
regime, the lower specific heat capacities of surface material will cause for most aircraft moving at those speeds through the atmosphere to burn up due to atmospheric friction that will ionzie the atmosphere gases to a couple 1000 F* plasma temperatures, if maintain at those
velocities in the confines atmosphere for long periods of time.
Also with
technology, commercial jet aircraft airline planes can fly to space at lower velocities like their 300-600mph velocity ranges and also escape the Earth gravitational field, since gravity is negated or cancel completely, of course if these airplanes are refitted with rocket engines or maybe more powerful thrust ion engines or engines that don't need to breathe in air for operation, also other technical details for successful space operation for commercial jet aircraft.
technology will allow easy access to space for civilians.
Or, aerospace engineers can use the force of gravity itself for spacecraft propulsion, with
technology that will lower the dependency on very large amount of rocket fuel payloads for interplanetary travel or cancel that dependency completely.
And with
technology we would probably finally make
travel possible and open the
Milky Way
galaxy up for exploration.
Originally Posted by
Afterall, it becomes quite easy to marginalize people who claim that UFOs are secretly kept hidden away somewhere, but who can't produce a piece of tangible evidence to prove their case. The whole UFO scenario then becomes an effective mask behind which the govenrment could continue with such projects as the SR71, U2, B2, etc... in relative secrecy. Increasingly sophisticated satellite tech does make this a bit more difficult, but not impossible.
How would you explain all these thousands of people who claim they have been abducted by aliens other then the
explanation; they are crazy, nut cases, delusional; it is in their minds?
Would you say the government is behind alien abductions,
and behind cattle mutilations?
Last edited by windu6; 01-14-2007 at
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Nov. 21, 2010
IRVINE, Calif. - For the Arizona Wildcat women's tennis team, play wrapped up at the UC-Irvine Invitational on Sunday, after being rained out on Saturday.
Freshman Lacey Smyth won the gold singles title after defeating Byron from UC-Irvine in the championship match, 6-2, 2-6, 10-6. Junior Debora Castany lost in the blue flight singles final against Smith from UC-Irvine, 6-2, 6-3. In the consolation singles final, freshman Kim Stubbe lost 6-3, 6-2 to Kwan from UC-Irvine.
"It was a difficult day to play after no activity yesterday, but we were happy to see Lacey win another tournament," head coach Vicky Maes said. "Regardless, I thought we looked a bit rusty and I had hoped to see more energy overall. We simply cannot afford to come out flat like that. Overall, we got to play a lot of tennis this fall and we have a very exciting season to look forward to."
The Cats will play next on Jan. 21 in Tucson, as the team takes on Northern Arizona at 12:00 p.m.


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A teen's rape goes viral and became a shocking experience when 16-year-old Jada from Houston saw her nude pictures in public. The alleged rapist with the Twitter name @WhiteboyLaflare has by now taken his Instagram and Twitter page off public view (or was taken down by Twitter), but the heated discussion about the alleged rape is continuing on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. As reported by the Christian Post on July 14, the alleged rape of 16-year-old Jada by Innel Yahia is still under police investigation and no charges have been filed. Some sources say that Innel is 17. The above video mentions that he is 18.
Usually, rape victims are not identified by the media. However, as reported by KHOU Houston, Jada's mother agreed to her daughter speaking about her rape because "she has nothing to hide and wants the people who did it to be caught." Jada's mom chooses to remain anonymous.
In June, Jada, who is a high school junior, was invited "to the home of a friend of a friend." During the party at the nice-looking home in southwest Houston, the teenage boy -- who was the host -- offered Jada a drink of punch after which she passed out.
"She claims she passed out and had no clue about what had happened until disturbing tweets, pictures and videos started to appear on social media. Jada said she was raped that night. Kids have been sharing them with their cell phones."
What Jada does remember is that she never told anyone to take off her clothes or to rape her. "I had no control," she says. After finding out through her classmates that pictures of her naked, passed out body had been shared through tweets, photos, and videos on social media, Jada felt raped not just once – but twice, she says.
Instead of turning her anger inward, Jada decided to share her anger with the public and to stand up against her rapist. "I'm just angry," said Jada. "There's no point in hiding," the 16-year-old says. "Everybody has already seen my face and my body, but that's not what I am and who I am."
Unfortunately, what and who Jada is – is being played out on social media sites – instead of a courtroom. The alleged rapist, Innel Yahia, wrote on his Twitter page WhiteboyLaflare (before it disappeared from the public eye), that "HOW ITS RAPE? YOU HAD 2 MONTHS TO SAY SOMETHING BUT YOU AINT SAY SHIT TILL YOU GET EXPOSED?"
Innel disputes what Jada is saying about her alleged rape. Even though he admitted that the events at the Houston house went into the early hours of the morning, that he took pictures of Jada while she was naked, and that he shared them online without her consent, he claims that she knew what she was doing. He claims that she was the one who poured herself a drink.
Similarly, one of Innel's supporters writes the following on Twitter:
"Jada was not raped. I live in Houston and know the true story, she was embarrassed that they exposed her nudes so she lied and said it was rape, her own friend was there, caught on tape as well, couldn't keep her story straight with hers. I think its very annoying she's getting all this publicity for lying when people of Houston know the truth. It's truly sad she will mess up this boy's life just because she was mad for being exposed as a hoe."
After the 16-year-old teen's rape went viral, AdviseShowTV published a recorded phone call between Innel and Jada. Around minute two of the above video, Jada can be heard talking about the nude pictures. When she asks him, "what did you take pictures for," he answers, "cause I'm childish." Jada laughs at his comment (minute 2:55). Innel then continues. "It's not cool, it's over with, I deleted everything." Jada replies, "no, it's not over with, I'm really mad." She then asks, "who took my clothes off?" Listening to the phone conversation between the teen girl and the teen boy does not appear to be a conversation between a rapist and a rape victim but two teens having gone too far. If Innel is innocent of having raped Jada, it's time for him to speak to the media.


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let $f:\mathbb R^n\longrightarrow \mathbb R$ a continuous map and $\alpha\in \mathbb R$ . let $$A=\{(x_1,\cdots,x_n)\in \mathbb R^n\;|\; f(x_1,\cdots,x_n) < \alpha\}$$ How to show that $A$ is open in $\mathbb R^n$ and to what extent this result can be generalized?
I know that the complement $A^c=\bigsqcup_{k\geq \alpha} B_k$ where $$B_k=\{(x_1,\cdots,x_n)\in \mathbb R^n\;|\; f(x_1,\cdots,x_n) =k\}$$ and that $B_k$ is closed because $B_k=f^{-1}(\{k\})$ but we can't deduce that $A^c$ is closed since this is not a FINITE union.


text:
Winter 2003
- New Improved IS Web Site
- The Focus is on "U"
- ISDS Begins 11i Upgrade
- ISDS Moves
- Current Usability Task Force Projects
- Choice Eliminates Spam
- Hints and Tips
- Questions and Answers From Users
ISDS Moves
ISDS has relocated to the Michie North Building at 918 Emmet Street. "While the more
isolated environment at 2400 Old Ivy Road was helpful in our 'project' phase,
this new location will allow us to work more closely with both our partners and
the people we support," says Virginia Evans, Assistant V.P. for Integrated System
Deployment & Support. New and In the Works Projects from the IS Usability Taskforces
FUSS members, from left: Mike Boblitz, Neal Grandy, Nancy Pace, Rose Chisholm, Sandy Layne, Melissa Clarke, Florence Buchholz, Rick Seaman, Angie Wooten.
Finance Usability & System Solutions (FUSS) Task Force
- Prior to its designation as the FUSS task force, this group refined, enhanced, and improved the usability and functionality of existing FM and LD reports.
- Based on a straw
poll of Fiscal Administrators,
the FUSS group is currently
focused on communication and
knowledge transfer in the subject
area of month-end reconciliation
requirements, policies, and
procedures. FUSS is partnering
with the Division of Training
and Financial Administration
to create both a new class
and a web site focused on reconciliation.
- FUSS is working on a method to exclude end-dated projects and awards from month-end reconciliation reports.
Manual Encumbrance Task Force
- In September, this task force rolled out an extension to the Grants Management (GM) module to aid users in creating and maintaining manual encumbrances. This new functionality is available to the UVA GM Encumbrance Specialist responsibility.
- A new parameter was added to the existing FM_Expenditure Detail by Project report to allow old Oracle Manual Encumbrances to optionally be excluded from the report.
Click here for procedures.
Grants Task Force
This task force was charged with creating and improving reports for principal investigators and other grants administrators. To date they have created five Discoverer reports specifically for this group. Currently, they are working on a sponsored program-related addendum to the basic reconciliation course being developed by the FUSS task force.
HR Reports Task Force
This task force is working on 3 new reports and changes to a fourth. These reports will be published in the ODS for users with the 'UVA ODS Specialist Limited' responsibility. Users will be notified by Central HR when these reports are available.
- HR_Employee Roster by Org: This report provides a departmental employee roster of employees who have their Primary Assignment Organization assigned to a specified department.
- HR_Current Salary Information: This report can be used by departments to identify groups of employees who will have a salary change. This report is based off a non-date tracked folder/view. It can be run by Org or MBU.
- HR_Faculty Report: This Discoverer workbook contains 4 tabs (reports), all related to faculty. The individual tabs show data in each of the following areas: Basic Employee Information, Tenure Information, Endowed Chair Information, and Qualification Information.
- UVA_Employee Information for Labels: The new version of this report will provide an option to show employees on-leave and/or suspension. The following columns have also been added: Hire Date, Home Phone, and Additional Titles.
LSP Task Force
This group is currently working on 11i workstation sizing and any necessary desktop upgrade (j-initiator, Discoverer, etc) requirements.BACK TO TOP
Choice Eliminates Spam
ISDS has created two new mailing lists, automatically subscribing all Integrated System users and fiscal administrators, but giving them the option to unsubscribe if they do not want to receive messages. These include:
- IS Downtimes: Notice of out-of-the-ordinary system downtimes. These notices are also posted on the Current News web site.
- IS Bulletins: IS Exchange and other notices of general interest to system users.
If you are not subscribed
or know of someone who
is not subscribed to either
of these lists but would
like to be subscribed,
please click here.
Targeted emails to people with specific Integrated System responsibilities are not optional since they convey information that those users must have to do their work. Those messages will be sent from an IS User Notice account.
Hints and Tips
From Nancy Eagle, Office of the V.P. for Finance
- Shift + tab to navigate backwards between cells instead of using the mouse to move there.
From Tara Poleski, ISDS
- Shift + F5 will copy the cell above.
- Shift + F6 will copy the entire line above. (Be aware, if you have attachments to the line above, the attachments copy also)
- When you go to the List of Values and put the first letter before the % sign, it takes you to that letter of the alphabet in the list. For example, I use travel a lot...so I just type a T%, and find, and it takes me right to all the travel expenditure types.
- If you know expenditure types by heart, such as regular wages OTM on the time sheets, you just type reg in the field and tab, and it fills it in.
Please send your hints and tips to Carole Horwitz at email@example.com so they may be included in the next issue of IS Exchange. If your tips are published, we will send you a thank you gift for helping out your fellow users of the Integrated System.BACK TO TOP
Questions and Answers From Users
We encourage you to send questions, or answers to questions you have heard, to be included in future issues of IS Exchange. Please send them to Carole Horwitz at email@example.com.


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Lightning @ Red Wings - 3/30
Posted March 30, 2014 - 03:41 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 03:50 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 04:23 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 04:30 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 04:40 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 04:45 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 06:32 PM
Posted March 30, 2014 - 09:35 PM
This game was at times awesome, infuriating, and terrifying.
They're all must-wins from here on out and Detroit played like it early, showing a lot of jump after playing less than 24 hours earlier. They controlled play for almost the first ten minutes and got the game's first six shots. Of course, former Red Wing Valtteri Filppula got Tampa on the board with just their second shot, so it looked like it was going to be one of those nights.
The Wings responded, though. Joakim Andersson's backhander from down low bounced off goalie Ben Bishop to tie things up and then Gustav Nyquist's incredible individual effort put them up 2-1.
I think that first period really decided the game. If the Wings hadn't rebounded then, they wouldn't have later on.
The second and third were somewhat sloppier but with each team adding one goal, Detroit was able to hold on for the win.
Johan Franzen drives me nuts. Jonas Gustavsson drives me nuts. The officials drive me nuts. But it's okay if I'm nuts at the end of the night as long as the Wings come away with two points.
It should also be noted that Justin Abdelkader was pretty invisible in his return from injury, which I'll take as a good thing given his role tonight. He slotted in on the bottom six, didn't make any egregious mistakes, that's good enough.
The win ends Detroit's run of 10 games in 17 days, during which they went 6-3-1. They've got two days off before they finish the season with seven games in 12 days.
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Gun lobbyist insists Australian gun laws are useless to Americans
- From: news.com.au
- January 18, 2013
- Australian laws won't help Americans solve gun violence crisis
- John Howard wrote gun control opinion piece for US paper
- Obama pushing for major gun control package
AMERICANS don't want to be lectured to on gun control by Australians the president of the Gun Owners of America said in fiery interview on ABC TV.
"We're not interested in being like Australia, we are Americans," said the group's leader, Larry Pratt, on the 7.30 Report. "The rifle is the emblem of a free man," he added.
Mr Pratt's comments came after John Howard published an opinion piece in The New York Times, describing how his newly-elected government changed gun laws after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
He bristled at suggestions that Australia's gun laws could serve as an example for an America looking to curb gun violence in the wake of the Newtown shooting, in which 20 children were shot dead in a school by a lone gunman.
Asked by host Leigh Sales why his organisation won't consider trying some of the restrictions announced by President Barack Obama, Pratt's response was blunt. "Once you've give it a try, there's no going back," he said.
He said the $500m package Mr Obama had announced would not curb gun violence and was more about controlling citizens and limiting their liberty.
"There are politicians that think it's their job to rule us and it's our job to be ruled…and that's why it's our job to vote politicians out of office," he said.
He also said the only way to prevent future mass killings in US school is to arm teachers and train them to take out killers.
"The armed teacher is going to be much more likely to take out a gunman than a policeman that takes 20 minutes to get there," he added.
The Gun Owners of America describe themselves on their website as "the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" and Mr Pratt chaffed when Sales referred to semi-automatic weapons as assault rifles.
He said guns with the capacity to shoot multiple rounds aren't military grade and ordinary citizens needed them in situations like Hurricane Katrina,when law and order could beak down.
In his article in The New York Times, Mr Howard described how deranged gunman Martin Bryant used two semiautomatic assault weapons to murder 35 people and wound 23 others.
"After this wanton slaughter, I knew that I had to use the authority of my office to curb the possession and use of the types of weapons that killed 35 innocent people," Mr Howard wrote. "I also knew it wouldn't be easy."
Mr Howard describes how his government financed a scheme to buy back high powered guns and pressed the states to enact uniform laws prohibiting their ownership and possession in 1996.
There has not been a mass-killing by a gunman in Australia since the reforms. A 2007 report found co-authored by Andrew Leigh, now a Federal Labor MP, found the Port Arthur gun buyback has saved between 128 and 282 lives a year.
The gun reform was politically painful to the Howard Government, Mr Howard admits, linking the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in part to the gun laws.
"Many farmers resented being told to surrender weapons they had used safely all their lives," Mr Howard wrote "Many of them had been lifelong supporters of my coalition and felt bewildered and betrayed by these new laws.
"I understood their misgivings. Yet I felt there was no alternative."
Few Australians would deny their country is safer today as a consequence of gun control, he wrote.
Mr Howard has said in the past that his National Firearms Agreement was one of his proudest achievements in office.
However in the article, the former PM said that it was not up to him to make the minds of Americans up for them.
"It is for Americans and their elected representatives to determine the right response to President Obama's proposals on gun control."
"I wouldn't presume to lecture Americans on the subject."
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Comments on this story
Dave E of Brisbane Posted at 10:01 AM January 18, 2013
The average American is in favour of the right to bear arms. It will be an uphill battle, but Obama has four years to win it if he wishes to drag America back to the realm of civilised nations. Gun ownership can be a responsible thing but it would be a lunatic that thinks unrestricted gun ownship is a responsible thing either for an individual or for society as a whole. Sometimes innocent people need to have their rights restricted for the good of society. This was one of those cases. Howard did the right thing on this - it was leadership as we have rarely seen in the modern era. No posturing, tears or attempts to appear human and caring. Just action that aimed for a result and delivered it.
dexxter of melbourne Posted at 9:40 AM January 18, 2013
Agree on the gun buyback and the actions taken in Australia, yet every day we do hear of a shooting - not necessarily fatal - somewhere in the country. There needs to be tighter control of illegal firearms as we may have become complacent in chasing these down. When you see the commentators on US cable channels such as FOX largely decrying any form of gun control as a left wing issue designed to remove their liberty, it is not difficult to see the challenge that their country has....and people will continue to die and excuses be made for inaction of any form.
Alan of Adelaide Posted at 9:40 AM January 18, 2013
How many mass killings did Australia have BEFORE Port Arthur? How many people need to die, to qualify as a "mass killing" ? Do they need to all die at once, or do the bikie and gang warfare shootouts count?


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Gregory Brian Davis
Position: K
Height: 6-0 Weight: 202 lbs.
Born: October 29, 1965 in Rome, GA
High School: Lakeside
College: The Citadel
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 9th round (246th overall) of the 1987 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 19 (5014th overall since 1950)
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Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Has Two Dimensions,...
Peptide Drugs Are Not Only Diverse...
To Conduct Cellular Censuses Sequence Deeply...
Scientific Misconduct Is Jeopardizing the Quality...
BioLineRx negotiated a worldwide, exclusive license to French firm Genoscience's hepatitis C therapy candidate BL-8020. The license effectively marks BioLineRx' entry into the growing HCV therapeutics market, which the firm says is already worth an estimated $6.5 billion annually.
BL-8020 is an orally administered drug developed to inhibit HCV-induced autophagy, which represents a mechanism of action that differs from currently used anti-HCV drugs, Genoscience claims. Preclinical safety and efficacy testing suggested the candidate demonstrated synergistic activity when administered in combination with other anti-HCV drugs.
Existing treatments for HCV are characterized by severe side effects, long treatment duration, and the development of resistance, remarks Kinneret Savitsky, Ph.D., BioLineRx CEO. "In these respects, BL-8020 has demonstrated a safety and efficacy profile, may shorten therapy duration, and may combat resistance by acting as an add-on platform which can potentially be combined with other oral hepatitis C therapies to increase their efficacy."
Genoscience is focused on the development of drugs against viral diseases such as HCV. To this end the firm is exploiting a technology platform that combines expertise in drug resistance with molecular modeling using its GenMol™ software, to enable the design of highly targeted molecules that will bypass drug resistance issues.
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Labor force demographics, 2008
January 05, 2010
The overall labor force participation rate, the proportion of the population that is in the labor force, peaked at 67.1 percent in the late 1990s into 2000 and then began to trend down. The participation rate was 66.0 percent in 2008.
Among the major race and ethnicity groups, Hispanics continued to have the highest labor force participation rate (68.5 percent) in 2008, while the participation rate for blacks was the lowest (63.7 percent). The participation rates for whites (66.3 percent) and Asians (67.0 percent) were roughly midway between the rates for blacks and Hispanics, continuing a long-term pattern.
Compared with annual average data for 2007, the participation rates for whites and Hispanics were down slightly in 2008, while the rate for blacks held steady and the rate for Asians continued to trend up.
These data are from Current Population Survey. To learn more, see, "Labor Force Characteristics by Race and Ethnicity, 2008," Report 1020, November 2009.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Labor force demographics, 2008 on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2010/ted_20100105.htm (visited June 25, 2016).
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A native of Warrenton, North Carolina, Braxton Bragg was one of six sons born to Thomas Bragg and Margaret Crosland. Arriving on March 22, 1817, he was the younger brother of future Confederate Attorney General Thomas Bragg.
Braxton suffered much ridicule as a child due to rumors which were spread stating his mother had been incarcerated for having murdered a black freeman. This resulted in Braxton's birth taking place in prison.
Thomas supported his family by working as a carpenter and contractor. In time, he prospered to such a degree, he sent Braxton to one of the best schools in North Carolina, the Warrenton Male Academy. A prolific letter writer, Braxton spoke fondly of his father; however, he never mentioned his mother.
When Braxton was ten, his father prepared the way for his military career by soliciting a nomination for him to the United States Military Academy. At that time, his eldest brother, John, had been elected to be a state legislator. John contacted North Carolina's US Senator Willie P. Mangum, for help with the appointment. At the age of 16, Braxton was admitted to West Point. While attending the Academy, he became classmates to a host of future Civil War generals; among them Jubal A. Early, John Sedgwick and William H. T. Walker.
Blessed with a superior memory, Braxton excelled in his academic pursuits. He also received a much smaller number of disciplinary demerits than the majority of his classmates. On graduation day in 1837, Braxton ranked fifth in a class of fifty and received a commission into the 3rd U.S. Artillery at the rank of second lieutenant.
Beginning his military career as an assistant commissary officer, Bragg was stationed in Florida and served in the second Seminole War. Due to his assignment, he saw no actual combat. He did, however, begin to suffer from a number of illnesses, likely due to the tropical climate. He received a temporary medical transfer to Philadelphia where he was assigned recruiting duty. In October 1840, he was back in Florida, assigned as commander of Fort Marion near St. Augustine.
Bragg developed the reputation for being a strict disciplinarian, someone who was literally "by the book". In the memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant, a story is found in which Bragg is a company commander at a frontier post where he also served as the post's quartermaster. As company commander, Bragg submitted a requisition for supplies; then as quartermaster, he refused to fill it. Regaining the hat of company commander, he again submitted the requisition, with additional information stating his reasons for the request. As quartermaster, he once more denied the petition. Finding himself now at a personal impasse, he referred the matter to the post commandant. The commandant's response to Bragg was, "My God, Mr. Bragg, you have quarreled with every officer in the army; and now you are quarreling with yourself!"
Rumor had it in 1847, during the months of August and September, some of Bragg's troops attempted to assassinate him. During the more serious of the two incidents, a 12-pound artillery shell exploded under his cot. Though the cot was destroyed, Bragg escaped without injury. Suspicious of the perpetrator's identity, Bragg did not have enough evidence to press charges. An Army deserter by the name of Samuel R. Church later claimed responsibility.
In 1843, the 3rd Artillery was transferred to Fort Moultrie in Charleston, South Carolina. Here Bragg met and became close friends with three future Union Army generals; John F. Reynolds, George H. Thomas and William T. Sherman. Reynolds and Thomas were both lieutenants at the time and reported to Bragg.
Though controversial in tone, Bragg continued his prolific writing with a series of nine articles which were published in the Southern Literary Messenger under the nom de plume "A. Subaltern". In his writings, he attacked the policies of then General in Chief Winfield Scott, due to having the attitude Scott was a "vain, petty, conniving man." He also aired his grief regarding many of the administrative policies, along with officers of the army, while including a number of thoughtful recommendations he felt the Army would be wise to utilize. (Though ignored at the time of Bragg's writings, in the early 20th century, his ideas were revisited and a number of them were incorporated.)
Labeled as the most cantankerous man in the Army, Bragg stood alone among junior officers with respect to the number of high-ranking enemies he could now name. Court-martialed and convicted, censored by the Secretary of War, the Adjutant General and the Commander of the Eastern division; Bragg was hated by both the Commanding General of the United States Army and the Commander of the Third Artillery. It went without saying, Bragg's future with his regiment, and the Army as a whole, was definitely uncertain.
Though the actual reason is unknown, many historians believe Bragg's temperamental swings were a result of his poor health. The fierce migraine headaches, along with rheumatism and poor digestion which had plagued him for years served to intensify the irritation of his personality. Sporting a black beard streaked with gray and coupled with his sour disposition, Bragg displayed the appearance of an individual many years his senior. British war correspondent William Russell described Bragg as, "A tall, elderly man of spare and powerful frame. His face is dark and marked with deep lines, his mouth larger and squarely set in determined jaws and his eyes look out at you from beetle brows which run straight across and spring into a thick tuft of black hair."
Enter in Representative James G. Clinton, a Democrat from New York and political opponent of Winfield Scott. Having read Bragg's articles, Clinton called on him to testify before the House Committee on Public Expenditures in March 1844. In defiance of the congressional subpoena, Scott ordered Bragg not to testify, then had him arrested and sent to Fort Monroe, Virginia. There Bragg was court-martialed for disrespect towards superior officers and disobedience of orders. Acting as his own attorney, Bragg endeavored to turn the tide and make the trial a condemnation of Scott. Instead, he was found guilty, received an official reprimand from the Secretary of War and a two-month suspension at half pay. Some considered the punishment to be little more than a slap-on-the-wrist, due to the fact Bragg was not deterred from voicing future critical remarks about his superiors.
Bragg and his artillery company were placed under the command of General Zachary Taylor on March 1, 1845 during the Mexican-American War. Displaying bravery and distinguished conduct, Bragg received a brevet promotion to captain after the Battle of Fort Brown in May 1846, then to major after the Battle of Monterrey in September.
Bragg's efforts regarding discipline and new light artillery tactics now made him widely admired professionally. Following the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847, Bragg was promoted to lieutenant colonel and earned national fame. Instrumental regarding the timely placement of artillery into a line gap, Bragg staved off a more superior Mexican attack.
Bragg also threw his support behind Colonel Jefferson Davis and the 155th Infantry (also known as the Mississippi Rifles). In doing so, he earned the admiration of the man who would later become the U.S. Secretary of War, followed by President of the Confederacy.
Now a hero, a northwest outpost, Fort Bragg, California, was named for him and Braxton was awarded a ceremonial sword from the citizens of Warrenton. Of the honor, Congressman David Outlaw wrote: "Col. Bragg having, no thanks to them, won for himself a brilliant reputation, is now the object of the most fulsome adulation. Those who formerly sneered at the Braggs as plebeians, as unfit associates for them, they are glad to honor. With what scorn must Col. Bragg, in his secret heart regard them."
A celebratory tour of sorts was now held for Bragg. Traveling to New York, Washington, Mobile and New Orleans, Bragg was honored in each location. It was during this tour Bragg arrived in Thibodaux, Louisiana and visited Evergreen Plantation. Here he met a young sugar heiress, 23-year-old Eliza Brooks Ellis, known to her friends as Elise. On June 7, 1849, Elise and Braxton were married. The newlyweds then reported to Braxton's new post, Jefferson Barracks in Missouri on September 10th.
A relatively comfortable assignment, the couple called Missouri home for four years. Bragg was then transferred to Fort Gibson in present-day Oklahoma. Here they remained for eight months, then moved to Fort Washita near the Texas border. The conditions at both forts, Gibson and Washita, were too primitive for a married couple. After six months, Bragg requested a leave.
The couple returned to Thibodaux and Bragg went to Washington to confer with Jefferson Davis, now Secretary of War, to reassign his artillery battery somewhere else. Davis declined this request. Bragg then resigned from the Army on December 31, 1855, with the resignation becoming effective on January 3, 1856.
Braxton and Elise now purchased a sugar plantation, 1,600 acres in size and located three miles north of Thibodaux. Employing his stern disciplinarian mannerisms and military efficiency in the way he ran the plantation, Bragg's efforts became immediately profitable, despite the fact there was a relatively large mortgage on the property.
Bragg also became active in local politics. Opposed to the idea of secession, Bragg believed no majority could set aside a written constitution within a republic. In the coming days, however, his belief would be severely tested.
Prior to the Civil War, Bragg served as a colonel in the Louisiana Militia. Governor Thomas O. Moore appointed him to the state military board on December 12, 1860. This board was charged with the responsibility of creating a 5,000-man army. Though he opposed secession, Bragg accepted the assignment.
On January 11, 1861, Bragg and a group of 500 volunteers traveled to Baton Rouge in an effort to convince the federal arsenal commander to surrender. At the same time, a state convention on secession was called and established a state army. Governor Moore appointed Bragg to the rank of major general on February 20, 1861 and commander of the New Orleans forces.
On March 7th, Bragg's rank was raised to that of Brigadier General of the Confederate States Army. His command now extended over forces in Alabama and western Florida. Bragg was promoted to major general on September 12th and was in command of some of the most highly disciplined troops in the Confederate Army.
Now President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis approached Bragg to take command of the Trans-Mississippi Department. Bragg declined Davis's request because he was concerned about the prospects of victory west of the Mississippi River; due in part to the fact the troops were ill-disciplined and poorly supplied. Following Bragg's decline, Edmund Kirby Smith received the command.
Bragg later approached Davis with the suggestion he change his strategy. Rather than attempting to defend every square mile of Confederate territory, Bragg felt forces should be moved away from the Gulf Coast and relocated further north; concentrating a large number of them in preparation for an attack by the Union Army in Tennessee. In February 1862, Bragg transported approximately 10,000 men to Corinth, Mississippi, charged with the need to improve the poor discipline already displayed by the Confederate troops under the command of General Albert Sidney Johnston.
During the Battle of Shiloh, Bragg's troops conducted an initial surprise advance under orders to attack in a line formation approximately three miles in length. Before long, Bragg's unit found themselves near the center of the battlefield in a location known as the Hornet's Nest. The conflict lasted for hours and utilized a piecemeal frontal assault. General Johnston was killed during the battle and General P.G.T. (Pierre) Beauregard now took over and appointed Bragg as second in command.
Beauregard's cancellation of a late afternoon assault against the Union's final position frustrated Bragg because he felt the strongly defended position was their last opportunity for victory. On the second day of battle, the counterattack by the Union army forced the Confederates to retreat back to Corinth.
On April 12, 1862, following the Battle of Shiloh, Bragg was the recipient of public praise and a promotion in rank to full general by Jefferson Davis. The sixth man to achieve that rank, Bragg would be numbered among only seven full generals during the history of the Confederacy. His promotion was backdated to April 6th, in line with the first day of Shiloh.
Following the Siege of Corinth, General Beauregard took sick leave and Bragg was left in temporary command of the army in Tupelo, Mississippi. Prior to leaving, however, Beauregard failed to notify President Davis of his actions; thus the general was classified as AWOL for two weeks. Due to Beauregard's perceived poor performance at Corinth, President Davis wanted to replace him. The general's AWOL status provided Davis the reason he needed to carry out his plan. On June 17, 1862, Davis appointed Bragg as Beauregard's successor to be commander of the Western Department, which included the Army of Mississippi.
Chattanooga was the site for the meeting of General Bragg and General Smith on July 31, 1862. A plan devised by the two generals involved moving troops into Kentucky through Eastern Tennessee in an effort to rid the Cumberland Gap of Union defenders. Smith sought to arouse Confederate supporters in the border state, then draw Major General Don Carlos Buell's Union forces beyond the Ohio River. Bragg was looking at other options, one of which involved retaking Corinth. He also considered advancing on Buell's army, though doing so through Middle Tennessee.
Despite the fact Bragg was the ranking general in the theater, President Davis named Kirby Smith's Department of East Tennessee to be an independent command, which would report directly to Richmond. Davis's decision would now cause difficulty for Bragg during the campaign.
Bragg and Smith both set out with the attitude Buell's army could be destroyed. Once that was accomplished, they would move their troops further north, expecting to receive the appreciation of the local populace. Then following a grand battle in Kentucky against any remaining Union forces, a Confederate frontier would be established on the Ohio River.
Things changed on August 9th. Rather than comply with the original plan, Smith now informed Bragg he would not follow through with the agreement. Instead, he would bypass the Cumberland Gap and move north. This would leave only a small holding force available to neutralize the Union garrison. Due to President Davis's decision, Bragg was unable to command Smith to remain with the original plan. Consequently, Bragg now centered his focus on Lexington instead of Nashville. He did, however, caution Smith of the fact Buell would now be capable of defeating Smith's smaller army prior to the time Bragg's forces would be able to join them.
Starting out on August 27th, Bragg's troops left for Chattanooga shortly before Smith's reached Lexington. Smith soon captured Lexington and Richmond, which gave him control of the center of the state. He now threatened to move on Cincinnati.
Bragg met with Smith in Frankfort on October 4th to attend the inauguration of Confederate Governor Richard Hawes. During the ceremony, cannon fire from General Buell's Union troops was heard. As a result, organizers canceled the inaugural ball scheduled for later that evening.
On October 8, Union and Confederate troops met unexpectedly as General Bragg's troops searched for a source of water in the area. Bragg sent orders to Major General Leonidas Polk to attack what he envisioned to be an isolated portion of Buell's command; however, General Polk was not motivated to begin the fight until Bragg arrived in person. When Polk did attack the Union's left flank, those troops were forced to fall back. At day's end, Major General Alexander M. McCook's forces were driven back about a mile. Bragg quickly learned this was merely a limited tactical victory against a minor portion of Buell's army and a large number of reinforcements were on the way.
General Smith now pleaded with Bragg to take advantage of the success they had achieved: "For God's sake, General, let us fight Buell here." Though Bragg replied, "I will do it, sir," he quickly demonstrated a vacillation which had now become simply perplexing to Generals Smith, Hardee, and Polk. He now ordered his army to return to Knoxville through the Cumberland Gap, referring to his actions as a "withdrawal" rather than a "retreat".
Though his actions angered his critics, Bragg had multiple reasons for the withdrawal. He was in receipt of disheartening news from northern Mississippi which informed him of the defeat of Earl Van Dorn and Sterling Price at Corinth, along with Robert E. Lee's failure in his Maryland Campaign. Aware of the fact his army had little to gain from an isolated victory, Bragg's major concern was that a defeat could cost them not only the bountiful food and supplies they had collected, but also his army. Writing a note to his wife, Bragg told her, "With the whole southwest thus in the enemy's possession, my crime would have been unpardonable had I kept my noble little army to be ice-bound in the northern clime, without tents or shoes, and obliged to forage daily for bread, etc."
President Davis now received numerous complaints from various senior generals regarding Bragg's behavior. General Cheatham vowed he would no longer serve under Bragg, while Polk and Hardee requested to have Johnston replace Bragg. Add to this the fact Breckenridge was on the verge of challenging Bragg to a duel and things were not looking too good for the general. President Davis now ordered Bragg to report to Richmond and explain his actions. In the end, Davis left Bragg in command despite the fact Bragg's relationship with his subordinates was now severely damaged.
Still the man in charge, Bragg began to strike back. First, he court-martialed McCown for disobeying orders. Then he went after Cheatham for being drunk and disorderly during the battle. This was followed with blaming Breckenridge for inept leadership.
As this self-destructive donnybrook continued to escalate, it possessed the power to severely damage the entire Confederate Army if it was not stopped. Sensing the possibility of this dangerous outcome, Bragg confided to a friend it might "be better for the President to send someone to relieve me." Bragg put that same remark in a letter he wrote to Davis.
In receipt of Bragg's letter, along with those from several of his generals, President Davis sent General Joseph E. Johnston to investigate. At the time Johnston left, Davis's mindset was that Johnston would find the situation requiring him to take command since he was Bragg's superior. Instead, when he arrived, Johnston discovered the Army of Tennessee to be in good condition; so much so he informed Bragg that his troops were "the best organized, armed, equipped and disciplined army in the Confederacy."
When Johnston's discovery caused him to refuse to take command, Davis ordered Johnston to send Bragg to Richmond; however, Johnston delayed Bragg's departure because Elise Bragg was very ill. By the time her health improved, lingering medical problems which continued to plague Johnston due to a wound he received at the Battle of Seven Pines now made it impossible for him to assume command.
In February 1864, following further humiliation in other battles, Bragg was transferred to Richmond to replace Robert E. Lee as acting military adviser to President Jefferson Davis. Unfortunately, Bragg did not possess the same level of capability previously demonstrated by Lee. This resulted in another assignment for Bragg, that of overseeing defenses in various Confederate cities. Among those to which he was assigned were Augusta, Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington.
Regardless of the effort Bragg put forth as a commander, he continued to come up lacking in the skill level. When Fort Fisher was lost, the blame was laid squarely in the lap of General Bragg, attributed to ineffective command and confusion. By the end of the war, the size of Bragg's command had been reduced to that of a division. The final conflict Bragg led was in the Battle of Bentonville as they faced troops under the command of General Sherman. The battle ended with the Confederates retreating to Georgia. This occurred at the same time Lee surrendered and the Civil War was approaching its conclusion.
Following the war, Bragg lost his Louisiana plantation and became a civil engineer. He designed a drainage and levee system for the state of Louisiana, then became Alabama's chief engineer, charged with improving Mobile's harbor. Upon completion, Bragg became an inspector for the railroads of Texas.
On September 27, 1876, Bragg was crossing a street with a friend in Galveston when he suddenly collapsed and died. He was 59 years old at the time and laid to rest in Mobile Alabama.
- - - - -
Many historians consider Braxton Bragg to be one of the most controversial of the Confederate commanders and through the years have sought to denigrate the general. They base their claims on a variety of self-serving accusations from several of Bragg's irritated subordinates without challenging these remarks; each of which was uttered by an individual who endeavored to blame his own failures on Bragg.
Though he displayed excellent skills in the organizing and training of soldiers, he proved slow in capitalizing on the enemy's setbacks. Bragg also had difficulty in dealing with his subordinates. Only his relationship with Jefferson Davis kept Bragg in command. In the end, Bragg became one of the most hated men of the Civil War.
Despite the fact Bragg's military record was uneven during his years of service, in 1918 the Army named their largest installation for a "brave, resourceful, hard-bitten fighting man...a soldier's soldier...a fighting man who saw action in three wars and won distinction in each of them." (Army War College). The boundaries of Fort Bragg stretch across Cumberland, Hoke, Harnett and Moore Counties in North Carolina.


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All things Mother Earth Living
by Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor at Large
mulch, mulching, gardening, eucalyptus, cocoa, pine bark, melaleuca
It's time to mulch.
Over the weekend, I put all my plants in the garden soil, still soggy from last week's spring rains. I want to lock in that moisture and stop the weeds that are already poking up between the strawberries and the kale. Mulch blocks weeds, regulates soil temperature and moisture, fights erosion, and keeps my garden looking neat. "Mulch is the solution to so many gardening problems," Joe Lamp'l states in "Garden to Make a Difference." A good layer of mulch will keep the soil temperatures in my garden as much as 10 degrees cooler this summer and help prevent disease in my plants.
My mulching options expand every year. I'll avoid relatively low-priced shredded cypress—one of the most popular mulches on the market—because of it s high environmental costs. According to University of Florida data, the timber industry grinds nearly 3 million more cubic feet of cypress than it replaces every year to produce mulch. Slow-growing cypress, which stores and filters water and provides a vital wildlife habitat, is difficult to replace.
With help from Natural Home & Garden's great article, "Mind Your Mulch," I'm weighing the pros and cons of the following environmentally friendly mulches. What's your favorite?
Renewable eucalyptus grows rapidly on commercial plantations, and its pleasing scent deters fleas and other lawn and garden pests. Eucalyptus ages from golden yellow to reddish tones and may need to be replaced before the season's end because it settles into the soil.
Exotic Australian melaleuca, or paperbark tea tree, has invaded more than half a million acres of Florida wetlands. Forestry Resources of Fort Myers, Florida, has joined environmental groups seeking to remove melaleuca and turn it into mulch. Termites do not favor melaleuca, the mulch will not significantly alter soil pH, and it holds its shape well. Known as FloriMulch, it's available at gomulch.com.
Smell, shell-shaped cocoa hulls, available in larger garden centers, are the byproducts of commercial cocoa grinding. They contain 2.5 percent to 3 percent nitrogen, and their low acidity makes them ideal for roses. Snails and slugs are said to shy away from this mulch, but dog owners should beware. Cocoa hulls contain theobromine, the chemical that makes chocolate toxic for canines. Cocoa mulch may develop a layer of harmless mold that can be removed with water or raking.
Pine bark and needles
Usually obtained as byproducts of other lumbering uses, pine bark chips retain their shape and color longer than shredded wood mulches, and pine needles nourish acid-loving plants. Pine bark chips tend to float away in heavy rain, making them unsuitable for sloped landscapes.
What's abundant in your area?
Look into local resources such as straw, peanut and pecan shells, corn husks, chemical-free sawdust or composted manures. If you use freshly chipped wood, add a nitrogen fertilizer to offset decaying wood's tendency to tie up soil nitrogen. Many local landfills and recycling centers provide free tree waste mulch.
Mulching Tips
1. Allow soil to warm up a bit in spring before applying new mulch.
2. When mulching trees, mulch out to the tree's drip line but leave a few inches bare around the trunk. If mulch becomes hard and matted, fluff to allow air and moisture to get through.
3. Always check your mulch's freshness. If it smells sour or rotten, it could harm your plants.
4. Overly thick mulch suffocates roots. Most mulches work best in 2- to 4-inch blankets.
Peanut shells, cocoa hulls, and pine bark and needles make great mulch. Photo by Joe Coca
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Michael Dwayne Jackson
Michael Dyson
Position: WR
Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 lbs.
Born: April 12, 1969 in Tangipahoa, LA
High School: Kentwood
College: Southern Miss (school history) (Jackson college stats)
Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 6th round (141st overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 43 (1998th overall since 1950)
Other SR Links: College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Promote your website or business by sponsoring this page for $10 on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Your message will replace this ad.


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Research Paper
Asymmetric Forceps Increase Fighting Success among Males of Similar size in the Maritime Earwig
Version of Record online: 17 AUG 2012
DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02086.x
© 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH
Volume 118, Issue 10, pages 943–954, October 2012
Additional Information
How to Cite
Munoz, N. E., Zink, A. G. (2012), Asymmetric Forceps Increase Fighting Success among Males of Similar size in the Maritime Earwig. Ethology, 118: 943–954. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02086.x
Publication History
- Issue online: 6 SEP 2012
- Version of Record online: 17 AUG 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 28 JUN 2012
- Manuscript Revised: 15 FEB 2012
- Manuscript Received: 29 DEC 2011
Funded by
- NIH-RISE. Grant Number: 5425-GM059298-12
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Extreme asymmetric morphologies are hypothesized to serve an adaptive function that counteracts sexual selection for symmetry. However, direct tests of function for asymmetries are lacking, particularly in the context of animal weapons. The weapon of the maritime earwig, Anisolabis maritima, exhibits sizeable variation in the extent of directional asymmetry within and across body sizes, making it an ideal candidate for investigating the function of asymmetry. In this study, we characterized the extent of weapon asymmetry, characterized the manner in which asymmetric weapons are used in contests, staged dyadic contests between males of different size classes, and analyzed the correlates of fighting success. In contests between large males, larger individuals won more fights and emerged as the dominant male. In contests between small males, however, weapon asymmetry was more influential in predicting overall fighting success than body size. This result reveals an advantage of asymmetric weaponry among males that are below the mean size in the population. A forceps manipulation experiment suggests that asymmetry may be an indirect correlate of a morphologically independent factor that affects fighting ability.


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District 10 basketball playoff primer
The District 10 basketball playoffs opened Thursday night with eight games featuring Class AA and Class AA boys.
In this postseason, 49 teams (25 boys and 24 girls) will vie for D-10 titles in eight classes — four boys and four girls — with PIAA playoff berths on the line as well.
Here's a look at each class, including predictions, outlooks and the top players to watch:
2013 champion: Kennedy Catholic
Favorite: Cochranton
Contenders: Erie First, Kennedy Catholic
Dark horse: Eisenhower
Breakdown: There isn't a lot of mystery among the District 10 Class A contenders. Cochranton defeated Erie First 57-45 on Jan. 10 and Kennedy Catholic 51-30 four days later. The Cardinals also swept Eisenhower in region play, winning each game by at least 22 points. Erie First, which is making its first District 10 playoff appearance, defeated Kennedy Catholic 58-36 on Feb. 6. Cochranton has won seven games in a row and looks like the clear-cut favorite. Erie First has size and ability and could be a big threat to the Cardinals if the two meet for the District 10 Class A championship.
Key players
Nick Dickson, Cochranton, 6-1, sr., guard — Dickson is a 1,000-point scorer and can dominate games with his scoring ability. He is averaging 12.6 points per game and can be a difference-maker for the Cardinals.
Valentine Sangoyami, Erie First, 6-10, sr., center — Sangoyami makes up a formidable inside duo with 6-6 Augustine Mathias. The Eagles are making their first playoff appearance in District 10 and Sangoyami is a major matchup problem for opponents.
Andre Campbell, Kennedy Catholic, 5-7, jr., guard/forward — Campbell has stepped for the Golden Eagles, which were scrambling for a leader after Chris James transferred to Farrell. Campbell is scoring 14 points per game for Kennedy.
Eisenhower def Rocky Grove
Erie First def Commodore Perry
Cochranton def Eisenhower
Erie First def Kennedy Catholic
Third-place game
Kennedy Catholic def Eisenhower
Cochranton def Erie First
Past 10 champions
2013 — Kennedy Catholic
2012 — West Middlesex
2011 — Rocky Grove
2010 — Rocky Grove
2009 — Kennedy Catholic
2008 — Kennedy Catholic
2007 — Kennedy Catholic
2006 — Kennedy Catholic
2005 — Kennedy Catholic
2004 — Kennedy Catholic
2013 champion: West Middlesex
Favorites: Fairview, West Middlesex
Contenders: Mercyhurst Prep, Wilmington
Dark horse: Seneca
Breakdown: There could be a few upsets in the Class AA boys bracket this season. After Fairview and West Middlesex, the rest of the field is loaded with teams that have the ability to surprise a team or two. Fairview and West Middlesex easily won their respective regions and could be a dream matchup for the D-10 championship. Fairview has strong guard play in Ben Kocan, Andy Niland and Marc Corbin along with two solid forwards in Shannon Jackson and sophomore Harold Coles. West Middlesex has maybe the best player in Class AA in Trey Staunch to go with talented players in Ryan Dogan, Josh and Christian Porterfield. Seneca has been red-hot lately and Mercyhurst Prep has been solid all year. After West Middlesex, there was a three-way tie for second in Region 2, leaving some question marks in Mercer County.
Key players
Trey Staunch, West Middlesex, 6-3, jr., forward — Staunch is already over 1,000 career points as a junior and is one of the top players in District 10. He is averaging 21.7 points per game and will be a big test for several defenses in the D-10 playoffs.
Shannon Jackson, Fairview, 6-2, sr., forward — Jackson was with the Tigers for the playoffs last year but was still coming back from an injury. He has been a different play this season and a big-time rebounder for Fairview.
Rocco Agnello, Mercyhurst Prep, 5-11, sr., guard — Agnello has been one of the steadiest guards in Class AA this season and is a leader for the Lakers. He is scoring 13.7 points per game and can take over games when his team needs him to.
Fairview def Wilmington
Seneca def Reynolds
Mercyhurst Prep def Mercer
West Middlesex def Cambridge Springs
Fairview def Seneca
West Middlesex def Mercyhurst Prep
Third-place game
Mercyhurst Prep def Seneca
Fairview def West Middlesex
Note: Predictions were made Wednesday evening.
Past 10 champions
2013 — West Middlesex
2012 — Mercyhurst Prep
2011 — North East
2010 — Mercyhurst Prep
2009 — Fairview
2008 — North East
2007 — North East
2006 — Mercyhurst Prep
2005 — North East
2004 — Union City
2013 champion: General McLane
Favorites: East, Farrell
Contenders: Strong Vincent, Oil City
Dark horse: Hickory
Breakdown: It's rare to have an eight-team field consisting of eight teams with a realistic shot of winning the District 10 championship. Class AAA began the season as one of the most wide-open classes and the regular season didn't sort anything out. Every team in Region 5 had at least three region losses, while every team in Region 6 had at least two. East and Farrell won their respective region titles and each is athletic enough to get by tough defenses. Strong Vincent has speed and a young, but growing team, while Oil City is loaded with scorers in its starting lineup. Even teams with strong defenses like General McLane, Girard, Hickory and Grove City could get hot and make a run. District 10 Class AAA has had four schools win five championships in the past five years and this year could make it five in six years.
Key players
Malik Miller, Farrell, 6-0, so., guard — Miller was having a breakout season before injuring his arm in late January. He missed eight games but returned to the court Monday and is still getting his rhythm back. He is scoring 13.4 points per game and is a big part of the Steelers' offense.
Kyree Kirkland, East, 6-2, sr., guard — Kirkland is an explosive scorer that can go to the rim or hit shots from the outside. He leads by example on the floor and is averaging 17.4 points per game this season.
David Morris, Strong Vincent, 6-0, fr., guard — Morris has played with veteran-like poise this season and will need to keep it going in his first playoff appearance. The freshman is scoring 18.2 points per game and has developed into a leader for the Colonels.
Farrell def Girard
Strong Vincent def Hickory
Oil City def General McLane
East def Grove City
Strong Vincent def Farrell
East def Oil City
Third-place game
Farrell def Oil City
Strong Vincent def East
Note: Predictions were made Wednesday evening.
Past 10 champions
2013 — General McLane
2012 — General McLane
2011 — Franklin
2010 — East
2009 — Farrell
2008 — General McLane
2007 — General McLane
2006 — General McLane
2005 — Franklin
2004 — General McLane
2013 champion: Cathedral Prep
Favorite: Cathedral Prep
Contenders: McDowell, Central Tech
Breakdown: Just like Class A, almost no mystery in Class AAAA this season. All three teams have seen each other twice this season in region play. Cathedral Prep went 4-0 in Region 7, while McDowell went 2-2 and Central Tech 0-4. McDowell's only other loss this season came to Thomas Jefferson as the Trojans finished an impressive 19-3. Prep has put together dynasty-time numbers in the District 10 Class AAAA playoffs, losing one game in Mark Majewski's six seasons with the Ramblers. Prep will be chasing its fifth title in that span, with Strong Vincent's title in 2010 as the only year the Ramblers didn't win D-10.
Key players
Matty Harris, Cathedral Prep, 6-2, sr., guard — The UMass-Lowell recruit is one of the top pure shooters in the area and has come up with several big shots in an important games this season. He is scoring 20.2 ppg and is a big part of the Ramblers' success.
Michael Beck, McDowell, 6-3, sr., guard — The Trojans need Beck to lead the way in big situations as one of the top players in the area. Beck is scoring 16.3 points per game and is a brutal matchup for guards and forwards.
McDowell def Central Tech
Cathedral Prep def McDowell
Past 10 champions
2013 — Cathedral Prep
2012 — Cathedral Prep
2011 — Cathedral Prep
2010 — Strong Vincent
2009 — Cathedral Prep
2008 — McDowell
2007 — Cathedral Prep
2006 — Cathedral Prep
2005 — Cathedral Prep
2004 — McDowell
2013 champion: Kennedy Catholic
Favorite: Kennedy Catholic Contender: Cochranton
Dark horse: Rocky Grove
Breakdown: Kennedy Catholic and Farrell have dominated Class A girls basketball for decades and the two rivals could meet in the semifinals. Kennedy has nine District 10 Class A championships in the past 13 years, while Farrell has three titles in that stretch. Kennedy has a new coach this season in Chris Mele, but the Golden Eagles adjust to a new system and dominated Region 1. Taylor Hood has stepped up as a leader for Kennedy with 12.8 ppg, while sophomore April Bocian is scoring 10.5 ppg. Cochranton looks like the biggest contender for Kennedy after winning its first region/conference title in 31 years. The Cardinals have a strong set of players that were big contributors during volleyball and have playoff experience in Madison Bernarding, Kendell Dickson and Morghan Egli.
Key players
April Bocian, Kennedy Catholic, 6-2, so., forward — Bocian had a breakout freshman season and has carried that over to become a leader this year. She is scoring 10.5 ppg and is a force inside.
Madison Bernarding, Cochranton, 5-6, sr., guard — Bernarding was injured during the playoffs last season and came back to have a big senior season. She is scoring 15.5 points per game and is an important player for the Cardinals.
Amber Nerlich, Rocky Grove, 5-5, sr., guard — Nerlich has developed in coach Todd Wetjen's system and is scoring 14.3 points per game. She will be a big factor if the Orioles make a run.
Farrell def Youngsville
Rocky Grove def Reynolds
Kennedy Catholic def Farrell
Cochranton def Rocky Grove
Kennedy Catholic def Cochranton
Past 10 champions
2013 — Kennedy Catholic
2012 — Kennedy Catholic
2011 — Kennedy Catholic
2010 — Farrell
2009 — Kennedy Catholic
2008 — Farrell
2007 — Farrell
2006 — Kennedy Catholic
2005 — Kennedy Catholic
2004 — Iroquois
2013 champion: North East
Favorite: General McLane
Contenders: Mercer, Sharon, Girard
Dark horse: Seneca
Breakdown: Class AA girls is another class that seems to be wide open in the playoffs. General McLane has played the most consistent basketball this year, but the Lancers also lost to Girard 40-35. The Lancers and YellowJackets each have experienced groups back, while Seneca has played each team tough in Region 4 play. Down in Region 2, Sharon and Mercer have been improving throughout the season. Sharon came within a few plays of knocking off North East in the D-10 Class AA quarters last winter. The Tigers have a 1,000-point scorer in Tanayja Sanders, while Mercer boasts 1,000-point scorer Alexis Arkwright. Fairview is also a big storyline as the Tigers are making their first playoff appearance in possibly 30 years.
Key players
Michelle Jahn, General McLane, 5-8, jr., guard — Jahn is one of the top scorers in Region 4 and has the ability to knock down outside shots throughout each game. She had five 3-pointers against Fairview on Tuesday and is averaging 12.1 ppg.
Alexis Arkwright, Mercer, 5-8, sr., guard — Arkwright is averaging 16.7 points per game this season and went over 1,000 career points in the first half of the season. She is a tough matchup for most defenses.
Maria Welch, Girard, 5-11, jr. guard — Welch is tall enough to be a forward but quick enough to be a guard, which makes life tough for her defender. Welch is scoring 13.1 points per game and could take over each playoff game.
General McLane def Cambridge Springs
Sharon def Seneca
Girard def Wilmington
Mercer def Fairview
General McLane def Sharon
Girard def Mercer
Third-place game
Sharon def Mercer
General McLane def Girard
Past 10 champions
2013 — North East
2012 — Villa Maria
2011 — Villa Maria
2010 — Villa Maria
2009 — Villa Maria
2008 — Villa Maria
2007 — Villa Maria
2006 — Sharon
2005 — Lakeview
2004 — Seneca
2013 champion: Franklin
Favorites: Hickory, Villa Maria
Contenders: Mercyhurst Prep, Slippery Rock
Dark horse: Franklin
Breakdown: Hickory-Villa Maria seems to be the dream matchup for the District 10 championship, but the Hornets and Victors will need to win some big games to meet next week. Hickory will have to get by Conneaut, which boasts two 1,000-point scorers, before possibly meeting Mercyhurst Prep in the semifinals. Hickory is the only undefeated team in District 10 between boys and girls and has dominated throughout the season. Mercyhurst Prep has been solid at times but couldn't get by rival Villa Maria. The Victors have put together balanced scoring and one of the best defenses in District 10. Lindsey Mifsud, a Seton Hill recruit, is averaging 12 points per game, while Shanice Morris and Morgan Putnam are adding 8.7 and 7.9 ppg, respectively. The big question will be the healthy of Amesha Harden-Pullium after leaving Monday's game with a leg injury. Hickory has a loaded lineup with two 1,000-point scorers in Nikki Arbanas and Holly Grober, while Nicole LaCava could be a difference-maker after getting hurt in the playoffs last winter.
Key players
Holly Grober, Hickory, 5-11, sr., forward — Grober is going to finish as one of the top scorers in Hickory history and is a tough matchup with her size. She is scoring 14 points per game and completes a solid inside-out scoring duo with speedy guard Nikki Arbanas.
Morgan Putnam, Villa Maria, 5-5, jr., guard — Villa knows what it has with solid guards Lindsey Mifsud and Amesha Harden-Pullium but Putnam has come on strong lately and her defense could be key against teams like Hickory.
Emily Stoicovy, Mercyhurst Prep, 5-7, jr. guard — Stoicovy has plenty of experience and emerged as a leader for the Lakers. She is scoring 12.3 points per game and could play a crucial role in the postseason.
Hickory def Conneaut
Mercyhurst Prep def Franklin
Slippery Rock def Harbor Creek
Villa Maria def Grove City
Hickory def Mercyhurst Prep
Villa Maria def Slippery Rock
Third-place game
Mercyhurst Prep def Slippery Rock
Villa Maria def Hickory
Past 10 champions
2013 — Franklin
2012 — Franklin
2011 — Mercyhurst Prep
2010 — Slippery Rock
2009 — General McLane
2008 — General McLane
2007 — Slippery Rock
2006 — Franklin
2005 — Mercyhurst Prep
2004 — Franklin
2013 champion: McDowell
Favorite: McDowell
Contender: Central Tech
Breakdown: Class AAAA girls is pretty straight forward with just one game. Central Tech and McDowell split during Region 7 play to each earn a share of the Region 7 title. The Falcons won 41-34 in overtime on Jan. 2 before the Trojans defended their home court Jan. 27 with 48-25 win over Central Tech. Both teams have shown signs of becoming a very good team this year and the two have combined to win eight of the past nine D-10 Class AAAA championships. McDowell has six titles during that stretch and Central has two.
Key players
Molly Rinkevich, McDowell, 6-1, jr., forward — Rinkevich has come back from injury to average 8.5 points per game and give the Trojans a presence in the paint. She is a perfect scoring complement to quick guard Marissa Molnar.
Abby Klemm, Central Tech, 5-7, jr., guard — Klemm has been dominant for the Falcons this season with 12.4 points per game and can quickly get to the rim. Central Tech will need its offense to show up in a big way against McDowell and Klemm is a big part of that offense.
McDowell def Central Tech
Past 10 champions
2013 — McDowell
2012 — McDowell
2011 — McDowell
2010 — Strong Vincent
2009 — McDowell
2008 — McDowell
2007 — Central Tech
2006 — McDowell
2005 — Central Tech
2004 — Mercyhurst Prep
—Tom Reisenweber


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She makes a good point – millions of Christians in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq would love to flee but have no where to go.
by Evelyn Gordon
In recent months, a new consensus has emerged: For the first time in millennia, Judaism has lost its title as the world's most persecuted religion; today, that dubious honor goes to Christianity. "Christians are targeted more than any other body of believers," wrote Rupert Shortt in a 54-page report for the London-based Civitas institute in December, which meticulously documented their persecution on a country-by-country basis. Even politicians have begun grasping this fact: German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly deemed Christianity "the most persecuted religion in the world" in November. In short, as one commentator put it last week, Christians have become the new Jews.
There are two reasons why Christianity has displaced Judaism as the world's most persecuted religion. One, obviously, is increased persecution of Christians, which stems largely from the rise of radical Islam: Though non-Islamic countries like China also repress Christians, only radical Islamists kill them wholesale. The other is that today, Jews face less persecution than ever before in history. And that is entirely due to the existence of the State of Israel.
Were hundreds of thousands of Jews still scattered throughout the Islamic world, as was true a century ago, they would assuredly face persecution no less severe than Christians do. But they aren't, because most have relocated to Israel. [……]
Many Christians, too, might like to leave places like Egypt or Iraq. But unlike the Jews, they have nowhere to go: No country on earth will automatically open its doors for them–with no questions asked and no numerical limitations–the way Israel does for Jews. And still less would any country do so for Jews if Israel didn't exist.
A decade ago, at the height of the intifada, a fellow Israeli complained to me that Israel had failed in its mission to be a safe haven for Jews. […..]
Technically, she's correct: A Jew in Israel is far more likely to be killed just because he is Jewish than a Jew in Europe or North America. What she failed to grasp is that this is precisely the measure of Israel's success: Israel today is the most dangerous place to be a Jew because any Jew living someplace more dangerous can relocate to Israel instead–and almost all of them have. In short, the fact that almost no Jews today live someplace more dangerous than Israel is proof positive of Israel's success as a haven.
[……] If Israel didn't exist, Judaism would still top the list of the world's most persecuted religions, and Jews would be slaughtered throughout the Islamic world just as their Christian brethren are today. And nobody who cares about the Jewish people–or about saving human lives in general–could truly think that alternative is preferable.
Read the rest – Religious persecution and safe havens
Tags: Evelyn Gordon


text:
Here we were getting a moments rest and then the latest Quad SLI driver falls into our hands from an anonymous source. No rest for the wicked, I guess!
We are benchmarking two GeForce 9800 GX2 cards (that is a grand total of four GPU's) under Quad SLI Vista 64-bit with Intel quad-core processor clocked at 4GHz right now.
We will have a performance preview online soon with a cut down number of benchmarks due to time constraints under the circumstances.
In a default run of 3DMark06 in the picture below we can see that the Quad SLI platform is capable of 207 FPS under test 5.
Stay tuned for the article - it will be online soon!


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A Chinese government program is in the news again this week after it was announced that it has been seeing the amount of participants increase, a trend indicative of the need for a closer look at the country's child welfare services.
The program in question involves small booths known as "baby hatches" designed to give struggling parents the option of leaving their children in a safe environment if they are not able to care for them, as opposed to being abandoned in trash cans or in front of hospitals. Started in 2011 with the first deposit center, the program has grown to 32 across the country.
The idea behind these 'baby hatches' is simple: they are commonly found near government-run orphanages or child welfare centers and consist of small standalone rooms with a crib, incubator, and air conditioning. When someone places a baby inside the hatch, staff at the center are alerted and collect the babies, many of which are sick or have a wide range of disabilities.
Women of China notes Tuesday that since the program got started, about 1,400 unwanted babies have been left at the centers. The total amount of abandoned babies nationwide is much, much higher; estimates put the number at around several hundred thousand children but some suspect the real grand total could push the number into the millions.
Despite the program's expansion, some hatches are closing due to the orphanages being full. The Guangdong Province capital city of Guangzhou, for instance, ceased accepting babies at its local facility after seeing 262 babies left there in less than two months. CBS News spotlighted a couple who tried to leave their disabled newborn daughter there, only to find it closed. The child died at only about 12 hours old and the father may face charges for abandoning a baby.
Another of these facilities recently opened on June 1, which was also International Children's Day, in the eastern city of Jinan and has been the subject of several stories after receiving 106 babies in the first 11 days alone. In 2013, the city received 85 babies total throughout the entire year.
The orphanage that set up the hatch soon began imposing new rules in hopes of decreasing the amount of babies left there, including a 'locals only' rule barring people who live outside Jinan from depositing their babies there. One man from Sichuan, located about 1,000 miles away, told CNN that guards had turned him away when he tried to leave his baby, citing the new rule. A local mother was told to first take her baby to the hospital to seek free treatment and return to the baby hatch if unable to secure it.
Other new rules at this particular baby hatch include a requirement that babies left there be less than a year old and only dropped off between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Orphanage workers and guards are also now on hand 24 hours a day to keep watch over the hatch.
As for government-level answers to the increased number of children left at the hatches, the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs has reportedly set a goal of drastically increasing the amount of social welfare workers dealing with the abandoned children from 10,000 to two million by next year. Dr. Wang Zhenyao, a retired Ministry official, also says the government should subsidize parents so they can take care of the children themselves. The state-run Xinhua News Agency, meanwhile, said the ministry is working with the China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption to draft management regulations.


text:
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This exhibition examines how transportation -- from 1876 to 1999 -- has shaped our American identity.
See more than 100 historic and cultural touchstones of American history from the museum's vast holdings.
To celebrate Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday, the museum hosts 10 rare and important documents from the Springfield library and museum.
This gallery traces NASA's manned space program beginning with Project Mercury's Freedom 7 (5/5/61); then the Gemini Project (1965-66); followed by the Apollo Program (1967-1972), with Apollo 17 as the last manned exploration of the moon.
See 100 original drawings and artworks that were used to create postage stamps, including entries for the famous Elvis stamp design competition.
Explore how African artists create striking works of art, using images from an array of domestic and untamed animals, in this exhibition dedicated to young audiences.
Asia Trail is home to the following Asian species: sloth bears, fishing cats, red pandas, clouded leopards, Asian small-clawed otters, giant pandas, and Japanese giant salamander.
This gallery provides an overview of mail service in America from colonial times through the 19th century, stressing the importance of written communication in the young nation.
The National Zoo is home to hundreds of birds from all over the world.
Examine iconic works and major pieces never before seen in the United States by Brian Jungen (Dunne-za First Nations/Swiss/Canadian), widely regarded as the foremost Native artist of his generation.
This exhibition shows how butterflies have evolved, adapted, and diversified with their plant partners over millions of years. Includes a live butterfly experience (tickets required).
Stroll along the walkways in the Butterfly Habitat Garden to see four habitats of native plants that attract a variety of colorful butterflies spring through fall.
Cheetahs and other animals of the African savanna can be seen engaged in natural behaviors in a grassland setting similar to their natural habitat.
This exhibition introduces the study of soil science and demonstrates the vital role soil plays in sustaining human welfare, assuring future agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability.
All of the old favorites are on view in the exhibition hall—Diplodocus, T. rex, and Triceratops—and more.
As part of the Zoo's campaign to save Asian elephants, this expanded and transformed home for the Zoo's Asian elephants provides new indoor and outdoor space and features a variety of habitats that support the natural behavior of the multi-generational herd.
Learn about Egyptian burial ritual and cosmology and what they reveal about life in ancient Egypt.
This exhibition features a full set of photorealist prints of city scenes created from 1972 to 1991 by this artist.
This exhibition provides a look at life from an ant's point of view through large-format photographs of ants going about their daily business, a cast of an underground ant city, and a live ant colony.
In celebration of its acquisition by and for the American people, the famous and iconic portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart will leave the nation's capital for a cross-country tour.
Page Last Modified: 2/25/2016


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Shannon Kingery represents TMC on the 2015-16 Women's Basketball NAIA Scholar-Athlete list... More
Juniors Bianca Cubello and Megan Lindsley cap 2015-16 campaign with All-American honors... More
The Master's College women's basketball team's 2015-16 campaign concluded at 25-6 after being handed a 55-62 loss to Campbellsville University in the NAIA Div. I Women's Basketball National Championship Second Round... More
For the first time since 2008, The Master's College women's basketball team advances to the second round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament after beating Loyola University 59-57... More
The Master's College women's basketball team will take on Loyola (La.) in the first round of the NAIA Tournament next Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. (CST) at the Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, Mo.... More


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Video Industry News Video Company News Technology Industry News Technology Company News Novelty Industry News Novelty Company News Gay Industry News Gay Company News Legal Industry News All Company News
Released: Jan 30th, 2008
Running Time: 104 Min.
Director: King Midas
Companies: Exquisite Multimedia, King Midas
Cast: Donna Red, Hershey (I), Kiwi, Cuntre, Rico Strong, John E Depth
Critical Rating: AAA
Genre: Gonzo
It certainly is monster booty, but unfortunately all the hanky panky with the monster ass is completely routine in this volume of the African American series. However, one positive aspect of the title is that it gets right to the point, without dragging on.
Treasure Cunt's vehicle breaks down, and she has the audacity to just stroll into John E. Depth's pad and raid his refrigerator. Depth teaches her a lesson by hastily hitting her from behind. He then moves her to a sofa for full dick treatment before dumping a hefty dose of spunk on her mug. Kiwi's backside is so big that one might wonder what kind of cock could possibly have any impact on it. That is, until Rico Strong whips out his monster wang, and all questions are answered in a hurry. Hershey has trouble taking Strong's tool, but still gives it the old college try. Jordan Rains exhibits gusto in her scene.
Retailing: Padding for the ethnic section.


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The VIZoSPHERE
A new diversion of mine: mapping twitter accounts related to information visualization with gephi:
This map shows 1645 twitter accounts related to the topic of information visualization. The accounts were determined as follows: For a subjective selection of "seed accounts"[1], the twitter API was queried for followers and friends. In order to be included into the map, a user account needed to have at least 5 links (i.e. follow or being followed) to one of these accounts. The size of the network nodes indicates the number of followers within this network.
[1] The seed accounts were; @moritz_stefaner, @datavis, @infosthetics, @wiederkehr, @FILWD, @janwillemtulp, @visualisingdata, @jcukier, @mccandelish, @flowingdata, @mslima, @blprnt, @pitchinteractiv, @bestiario140, @eagereyes, @feltron, @stamen, @thewhyaxis
See also
10 Responses to 'The VIZoSPHERE'
Ciao Moritz, it's great to see how many people added to the conversation after 5 years ;)
Another awesome work, Moritz. Simple and brilliant.
Keep it up!
@TSSVeloso / @visualoop
[…] Moritz Stefaner had some fun with Gephi for a view of a whole lot of those people. He calls it the Vizosphere. This map shows 1645 twitter accounts related to the topic of information visualization. The […]
[…] Karte VIZoSPHERE von Moritz Stefaner zeigt, wie die Visualisierungscommunity auf Twitter vernetzt ist. Dazu hat er […]
[…] Source: Well Formed Data By Julianne Commins, on 26 July, […]
Nice work! Any plans on making nodes searchable?
Beautiful, insightful, useful – great work!
In light of your interest in information aesthetics, any thoughts on the game Go? To an experienced eye, strong moves tend to look elegant and poor moves look crude. Food for thought, and thanks for sparking my interest.
[…] attempt to map the twitter community around the resonate festival, using a technique similar to the vizosphere I made earlier. This time around, I used a zoomable SVG map, which makes text labels searchable. […]
[…] Amanda Pereira resgatou um trabalho bem conhecido do Moritz Stefaner, o Vizosphere, lançado em 2011. É uma visualização criada em Gephi exibindo os relacionamentos entre 1645 […]
[…] like Santiago Ortiz' 'Data visualization references network, or Moritz Stefaner's Viziosphere give a pretty good idea of how vast and rich the data visualization community is. Others like […]


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They had to workout naked. As if that wasn't bad enough the final challenge was a cumming contest between the three pledges the winner was exempt from having to suck a big fat cock.
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