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03 October 1997
The announcement on Sunday by the French energy company, Total, that a consortium it leads had signed a $2-billion contract with Iran to develop a major gas field in the Persian Gulf moved editors in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America to conclude that a "major confrontation" was in the making between the U.S. and the EU over trade sanctions against Iran. At issue are sanctions outlined in the 1996 Iran-Libya Sanctions Act--also referred to as the D'Amato act-- which would require President Clinton to impose sanctions on any foreign country investing more than $40 million a year in Iran or Libya's energy industries. Paris's right-of-center Le Figaropredicted a particularly dire situation: "Between the U.S. and Europe, we are in for a war with commercial and political repercussions." A majority of commentators focused on what they said was the "center of the debate": international objection to what they perceived as the U.S.' imposition of "extra-territorial" legislation in contravention of international laws of commerce. Without exception, analysts railed against what they saw as U.S. attempts to "legislate to the world." "The arrogance with which the U.S. tramples on international law and the WTO...cannot be accepted," intoned left-of-center Frankfurter Rundschau. A number of observers saw in the French-led consortium's deal-making with Iran a challenge to the world's remaining superpower and its "Pax Americana." Moscow's reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily judged that "suddenly..both Europe and Russia [are] flaunting their independence from the Americans. America's striving for domination does not endear it to Europe and prompts the Europeans to form a united opposition front." In Cairo, pro-government Al-Ahram contended that the French company's move "took courage" and that this "French defiance should be an example to all countries" that must deal with America. One daily in Islamabad implored Muslims the world over to "take a unified action...to reject U.S. extra-territorial legislation on Muslim and non-Muslim countries alike." A few media voices targeted their criticism at more than just the U.S., seeing "opportunism" as the deciding factor for all nations--including the Europeans--as they pursue their foreign policy and economic agendas. Other commentators examined the possible courses President Clinton might take to head off a full-fledged "trade war" between the U.S. and the EU over Iran. Many agreed with Paris's right-of-center Le Figarothat this was the dilemma facing the U.S. president: "To punish Total means to enter into a major crisis with Europe.... To do nothing would mean recognizing America's weakness." A number of analysts joined London's liberal Guardian in its call for "calm diplomacy" and compromise between the trading partners. Several pundits held out hope that a solution would be forthcoming. Others, however, were far less sanguine. Ankara's pro-Islamic Zaman, for example, insisted that America will not bend on its policy toward Iran. Only a minority of observers addressed what one referred to as "the main question: What to do with Iran, which is suspected of being involved in terrorism?" A few, concluding that the U.S. policy of isolating Iran has been a "failure," endorsed the EU's "critical dialogue" policy of limited engagement with Tehran. But more acknowledged that really "nobody knows how to deal with a provocative state like Iran that challenges the international community." This survey was based on 42 reports from 18 countries, Sept 29-Oct 3. EDITOR: Diana McCaffrey and Kathleen Brahney
To Go Directly To Quotes By Region, Click BelowEUROPE FRANCE: "What To Do With Totalitarian States" Pierre Beyleau observed in right-of-center weekly Le Point (10/4): "For his first diplomatic test, Ambassador Rohatyn is stepping on tricky ground.... He will need all his business experience to avoid a major conflict between Europe and the United States over Total's contract with Iran.... But Felix Rohatyn may be reasonably optimistic: Washington has been sufficiently vague to leave the door open for a compromise.... The main question remains: What to do with Iran, which is suspected of being involved in terrorism? The West is again confronted with the dilemma it faced with the USSR. Does trade with totalitarian nations help these nations to change or does it re-enforce the regimes in power? In the case of Iran, no one has an answer. But everyone, including the United States, has a clear idea of their own interests." "Iran: Europe Scores A Few Points" Right-of-center Les Echos editorialized (10/2): "Madeleine Albright has acknowledged the limitations of U.S. influence in the contract between Total and Iran, thus underscoring the partial failure of Washington's unilateral containment policy toward Iran.... Europe's pragmatism when its comes to its policy toward Iran is comparable to Washington's pragmatism toward communist China. This should lead to some soul searching across the Atlantic." "A Step Against The Pax Americana" Jean Daniel wrote in left-of-center weekly Le Nouvel Observateur(10/2): "The United States has given Algeria reason to hope and continues to isolate Iran.... In approving the Total contract, the French prime minister has taken a step against the Pax Americana." "Dilemma For The U.S." Mouna Naim speculated in left-of-center Le Monde (10/1): "If the United States decides against imposing sanctions, it will have set a precedent which other companies will put to good use. On the other hand, if Washington decides to take action against Total and its partners it will be a 'causus belli' with the European Union. Neither of these two possibilities is satisfactory for Washington.... The United States is convinced that imposing a quarantine on Iran will push Iran's regime toward democracy.... To date, this strategy has not been successful." "U.S. Is Isolated" Pierre Haski pointed out in left-of-center Liberation (10/1): "The United States is finding itself isolated.... At the center of the debate is the notion of extra-territoriality, rather than the contract itself.... This first test of the D'Amato law is, in fact, having a boomerang effect, and the United States has decidedly lost the first round. It is now in the uncomfortable position of having to decide for or against imposing sanctions.... The debate over the 'morality' of Total's contract has...taken a back seat to the controversy over the U.S. legislation." "America's Bluff" Pierre Rousselin argued in right-of-center Le Figaro (10/1): "Washington is beginning to realize that the use of economic sanctions is not a strategy but a bluff.... To punish Total means to enter into a major crisis with Europe.... To do nothing would mean recognizing America's weakness.... Caught in this embarrassing position, Washington has opened an inquiry to buy some time.... Meanwhile everybody is watching, especially Mohammed Khatami, who can't help rejoice." "The Challenges Of The Persian Deal" Left-of-center Le Monde editorialized (9/30): "With this deal Total is challenging the United States...and exposing itself to U.S. sanctions. But beyond Total, what is in the making is a confrontation between Europe and the United States, because the D'Amato legislation goes against international laws of commerce.... Europe believes that by maintaining a certain level of cooperation with Iran it can force Iran to be more transparent.... Hence Europe's 'critical dialogue' with Teheran, which Washington disapproves of.... Whatever the U.S. reaction, Washington will have to deal with the questions raised by the Total contract: how to deal with Iran and how to justify the right it has taken of unilaterally imposing international sanctions." "A Transatlantic Wrestling Match" Jean-Jacques Mevel wrote in right-of-center Le Figaro (9/30): "Between the United States and Europe we are in for a war with commercial and political repercussions. In terms of foreign policy, the United States cannot disregard the Total contract because Tehran is proclaiming it as a triumph against the United States. But the diplomatic costs could be very high." "Total Challenges Washington" Alexandra Schwartzbrod wrote in left-of-center Liberation (9/30): "Total, supported by the French government in its endeavor, has taken the risk of provoking a new diplomatic conflict between Europe and the United States.... But if France has given its support, it is obviously because it has more to gain than to lose.... The D'Amato sanctions, according to Total, will have very little impact on the company, while future oil deals with Iran are in the making. This in turn has the American oil industry up in arms because it does not fully agree with Washington's intransigence." "Total Ignores The D'Amato-Kennedy Law" Elisabeth Rochard wrote in centrist La Tribune (9/29): "Total has done it again. It just signed a $2 billion contract with Iran.... The threat of the D'Amato-Kennedy law does not seem to bother Total President Thierry Demarest: 'The D'Amato law has not been acknowledged by either Paris or the European Union.... Our position is very simple: by working in Iran we are not doing anything that goes against any international law.'" GERMANY: "Declaration Of War" Martin Winter had this to say in an editorial in left-of-center Frankfurter Rundschau (10/1): "Whatever happens in this row about the U.S. sanction policy on Iran, one thing is clear: Nobody will be happy about it. The contract between Total...and Tehran...is enormously burdening the climate between Europe and the United States. The demonstrative support by French Premier Jospin and the brusque rejection of Washington's demarches have had the effect of a declaration of war in the U.S. capital.... "There is no doubt that Washington must be blamed for the confusing situation. The arrogance with which the United States tramples on international law and the World Trade Organization to enforce its policy on other countries...cannot be accepted.... Congress will make this case a litmus test on whether President Clinton is serious about his policy towards Iran. This test will create a fix for the president, because Russia and Malaysia are partners in the deal. He will certainly not want to create problems with Russia nor stir up emotions in Malaysia, which is increasingly distinguishing itself as anti-American mouthpiece in Southeast Asia.... There is still time to agree on an informal settlement that would allow all sides to save face. The question is whether Clinton has the necessary courage and the necessary strength to do so." BRITAIN: "War Dance In The Gulf" The liberal Guardian had this op-ed page commentary by diplomatic editor Ian Black (10/1): "Bill Clinton is firing the opening salvos in what could be a new transatlantic trade war, though it is only the latest installment in the old and long-running story of America's obsession with truculent men in turbans.... There is room for flexibility. Calm diplomacy can avert a full-scale trade war.... One likely solution would be for President Clinton to waive his right to punish Total, extract a cosmetically tougher EU line and deny Tehran a significant tactical victory. If cool heads reign on both sides of the Atlantic, it should be possible to avoid the commercial equivalent of a shooting war--and keep the real baddies firmly in their boxes." ITALY: "From Moscow To Tehran, The Smell Of Good Business Is Back" Provocative, classical liberal Il Foglio contended (10/2): "The wind of `European counterattack' against U.S. 'diktats' raised by the Total-Iran oil deal--a sign of political opening in grand style from Paris to Tehran--has brought euphoria also in Italian circles, which are traditionally on the front line when it comes to 'critical dialogue' with the Ayatollahs' regime. Notwithstanding U.S. threats and the sanctions called for by the D'Amato bill, experts of Middle East affairs foresee a revival of European initiatives after the 'big chill' which culminated in the withdrawal of EU ambassadors from Tehran. The same observers note that it is a question of which other European nations will follow Paris in its resumption of economic relations with Iran.... As for Italy, everybody is aware of the positive feeling towards Tehran both on the part of Prime Minister Prodi and Foreign Minister Dini, a feeling which sometimes has exposed Rome to Washington's rebukes but which has also favored national economic interests. Pushing towards a 'dialogue' is not only Total...but several other companies, from the French Elf Aquitaine to British-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, to Spanish Respoil. And, obviously, the Italian Eni. But not only oil businessmen are pushing for a `dialogue.' `At the present time,' Italian Foreign Ministry sources point out, 'the obstacle remains the German position, which is bound, for the sake of consistency, to the verdict on the Mykonos case.' But according to the same sources, negotiations are under way for the return of EU ambassadors, in such a way as to resume normal relations while at the same time sparing humiliation to the Bonn representative." "Diplomatic War" Ennio Caretto filed from Washington for centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera (10/1): "The Total case...has kicked off a diplomatic war, almost a second Gulf War, but among allies this time.... France's determination...may still prompt the United States to reflect. Last night, White House spokesman McCurry made a partial retreat, saying that the issue 'is being examined and it will take some time to decide.' But the Republican majority in Congress insists that the Europeans 'should be taught a lesson.'... President Clinton, therefore...may be forced to intervene and impose the lightest sanctions among those at his disposal. In this case, the European Union would resort to the WTO, and we would shift from diplomatic to trade war. A compromise seems unlikely." "Dangerous Confrontation In The Making" Leading business daily Il Sole 24-Ore had this from New York (9/30): "The United States is ready to take action against the French oil company, Total...but this will happen only after an investigation is carried out. In brief, this is the position taken by the American State Department after the 'challenge' launched by Total against the so-called D'Amato Act.... The makings for a dangerous confrontation between France--and in the last analysis the European Union--and the United States are all there. It is now up to the United States to make the next move." "Serious Quarrel Over Total" According to PDS (leading government party) L'Unita (9/30): "It is a quarrel again between the United States and France.... The quarrel is a serious one and risks projecting its negative effects into relations between Washington and the old continent for a long time. The Americans have made the fight against terrorism their battle cry in the Middle East and accuse Europe of being willing to do business with suspect regimes at any cost...hence the 'critical dialogue' with Iran.... Europe has never accepted (the D'Amato Act's principles) and state that the Americans are free to impose sanctions, but that they cannot...punish those which do not conform. Hence its appeal to the WTO.... This is an all out fight. Clinton, on the basis of the D'Amato Act, can choose between two sanctions in a list of six.... At stake are relations between Europe and Iran. Tehran is inviting the Europeans to send their ambassadors back." RUSSIA: "Europe, Russia Flaunting Their Independence" Gennady Sysoyev said in reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily(10/2): "President Boris Yeltsin yesterday condemned the United States' attempts to block the (Iranian gas) deal. He said, 'We have signed this document and we will not back down.' Suddenly, Iran has become a kind of catwalk, with both Europe and Russia flaunting their independence from the Americans. America's striving for domination does not endear it to Europe and prompts the Europeans to form a united opposition front." "New Fight Brews" Boris Vinogradov observed in reformist Izvestia (10/2): "It seems like a new fight is brewing between Europe and the United States, similar to the one that broke out last year over the Helms-Burton act. Washington has its ambition, and Europe its prestige and dignity, on the line. But there is no absolute unity among the Europeans, as only Belgium and Spain have officially voiced their unqualified support for the French. Others prefer to wait-and-see." "Gazprom, Total Not Scared" Aleksei Portansky wrote in a reformist Izvestia's weekly supplement, Finansoviye Izvestia (10/2): "If Total has already expressed its attitude toward the threat of (U.S.) sanctions, saying that it is not afraid, Gazprom has so far refrained from comments. From what its representatives say unofficially, it appears that the Russians basically identify with the Europeans in rejecting outside pressure. But, since the Americans have not announced an investigation into the Gazprom case, Moscow apparently does not want to provoke them. The opinion in Gazprom is that U.S. sanctions are unlikely to hurt it in any serious way." "U.S. May Have To Face EU" Reformist Izvestia ran this comment (10/1) by Boris Vinogradov: "During a Gore-Chernormyrdin session in Moscow recently, the U.S. vice president said that the gas contract, along with Russia's other contracts with Iran, was an undesirable element of international politics. Viktor Chernomyrdin and Boris Yeltsin were just as tough, replying that Russia will remain true to its commitments and felt free to choose its economic partners by itself. Foreseeing Washington's negative reaction (to the gas deal), Moscow made its position known and later, during President Chirac's visit to Russia, demonstrated 'full coincidence' of views with France. Should the United States use sanctions against Total and its partners from Russia and Malaysia, it would have to face the EU and political implications in relations with its Atlantic partners and allies." BELGIUM: "Clinton's Choices" In independent Le Soir (10/1), Pierre Lefevre remarked: "So far, the threat of has sanctions remained theoretical. Bill Clinton, for instance, turned a blind eye to the Canadian and Turkish contracts with Iran and to Italian contracts with Cuba. "But Total's investment, a $2-billion contract, can hardly remain unnoticed. It even looks like a provocation.... This issue comes at a very bad moment for Bill Clinton. The U.S. administration is torn between two approaches toward Iran. On the one hand, it is tempted to take advantage of the accession to power of a moderate religious man, Mohammed Khatami, to improve its relations with Teheran. Big U.S. companies, excluded from Iranian and Iraqi markets, long for normalization. On the other hand, showered with reports of Iran's attempts to acquire nuclear weapons, the White House must pretend to turn the screws. The Total contract will force it to take a stand." CANADA: "Commercial War?" Montreal's liberal, French-language Le Devoir argued (10/1): "The controversy surrounding the contract signed between Total and Iran brings back almost point by point, the confrontation that the construction of the Euro-Siberian pipeline between Europe and ex-USSR had created, in 1982, and that the Americans had lost.... Since last Sunday, Europeans, Russians and Malaysians stand together and firm against the measures foreseen by Washington.... In Washington the industrials have not stayed outdone. The American Chamber of Commerce has let known that it was against any punitive measures that never work.... Faced with of this roadblock, it seems clear that the Total affair will find a rapid and without doubt happy conclusion.... An American spokesperson has opened a door.... Putting aside the coercive elements of the D'Amato law, James Rubin has put the emphasis on a necessary 'concerted action' to deal efficiently with the Iranian regime. Nice formula, that will allow to avoid a commercial war and, and to save the face of everyone." NORWAY: "U.S. Is Not The UN" Conservative Aftenposten held (10/1): "The United States and its allies are once again on a collision course. The core of the dispute is quite uncomplicated: The United States claims to have the right to impose its own laws on other countries to protect American national and other important interests.... The critics of this U.S. practice have good arguments. America has set the limit for acceptable investments in Iran at $40 million. Anything above $40 million is therefore immoral and unethical support for a terrorist regime. This dollar-and-cents morality does not hold water. We suspect that this is not a question of ethics but of American economic interests.... The United States may be the only remaining superpower, but that does not give it the right to act as a world legislator, police and moral guardian. The UN can pass sanctions on behalf of its member countries. The United States can do the same on behalf of its states. But the United States must realize that it is not the United Nations." "Total Opportunism" Independent tabloid Dagbladet commented (10/1): "On Sunday, the French oil company, Total, signed a $2-billion contract to develop a gas field in Iran. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of State says that the United States will impose sanctions on Total because the company is in violation of an American law prohibiting major investments in Iran and Libya.... The U.S. habit of passing laws and applying them beyond their own territory is far from unproblematic. No matter how one feels about the regimes in Iran, Libya and Cuba, the U.S. role as a self-appointed world police on its own terms reminds us of Ayatollah Khomeini's self-appointed police authority on Islamic terms.... Total, and thereby France and the EU, is bluntly and without shame demonstrating the principles the West now operates by: neither freedom of speech nor human rights, which benefit us all, count when economic interests are at stake." SPAIN: "Total Challenge" Liberal daily El Pais editorialized (10/1): "It would be absurd and dangerous for the United States and the European Union to get involved in a new trade war over the announced investment of the French oil company Total in Iran. "Heretofore, the United States has never applied the D'Amato law.... These confrontations are always damaging for all of the parties and even more so at this moment because the United States and EU are in the middle of general trade negotiations.... The Total case can't be seen as isolated. It can aggravate the bad relations between the United States and France...and in any case, the Europeans will see American sanctions as an insult not just to a French company but to the whole EU.... It would be better if the United States--the President and the Congress--use the margin of maneuver within the law to do nothing.... Beyond this case, it's evident that the U.S. pretension to impose unilaterally its own laws on international trade is totally intolerable." SWEDEN: "Threat Against Trade" Conservative Svenska Dagbladet held (10/2): "The reason for the (Iran-Libya) sanctions act is said to render more difficult the financing of terrorism. This may be true, but since the law only includes Iran and Libya, it primarily is an attempt to impress a domestic audience. From the point of principle--whether the United States has the right to use a sanction and confiscatory policy to force other countries to dance to the tune of Congress--the motives for the act lack interest. The United States has no such right. The law is just an unpleasant combination of protectionism and misguided foreign policy.... And a (U.S.-EU trade) conflict only will strengthen the forces within the EU that speak about trade blocks with protectionist overtones.... The United States must bear in mind its responsibility. There are no winners of a trade war but the protectionists on both sides of the Atlantic." "Business Deals With Iran" Independent, liberal Dagens Nyheter maintained (10/1): "U.S. companies are compelled to refrain from making business deals with Iran...but the U.S. efforts not to let others invest in the state of the mullahs are not very respected internationally.... French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin does, however, express the views of many Europeans when contesting the U.S. right to enforce its law upon the rest of the world. But what to do? Nobody knows how to deal with a provocative state like Iran that challenges the international community." TURKEY: "No Chance That There Will Be Pliancy In U.S. Policy" Fikret Ertan wrote in pro-Islamic Zaman pro-Islamic (10/1): "The assignment of Martin Indyk, the founder of 'double isolation' policy, as an undersecretary for Middle East affairs is another sign of America's determination to isolate Iran. Indyk is officially still the ambassador to Israel, but he already bid his farewell and departed Israel. In the near future he will be confirmed by Senate and will become one of the most powerful officials responsible for Middle East affairs. Indyk is very influential in the Clinton administration's foreign policy. Dual containment, which was his decision and was confirmed by the administration, been in application since May 1993. The whole idea of this policy is to keep Iran and Iraq under a very strict control and pressure. Since he has been assigned to a more powerful position and has never mentioned a change of policy, there is no reason for him to change the policy of 'dual containment.' During the application of this policy, America was left alone from time to time or had arguments with the European countries, but never thought of changing its policy. Now, it will argue about Total with France and will try to make France to accept Total and will try some sanctions, but will never change its mind. "America is determined to isolate Iran and Iraq. It is doing its best on this subject. Due to the composition of the...Clinton administration the pliancy with Iran and Iraq will be possible only if these countries accept America's wishes. Since this is not possible, there is no chance of pliancy with these countries. And no one should expect any until the end of the Clinton administration." EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC AUSTRALIA: "Europe Mobilizes For Total War" A senior columnist for the national, business-oriented Australian Financial Review (10/2) commented, "The 'Total trade war' arrived fully loaded, almost as if Total and its political supporters and opponents quickly acknowledged that this was one worthy of a real punch-up.... Canberra feels just as strongly about American extraterritorial laws. Total's move and its instant backing from Paris and Brussels deserve vocal support from Canberra if Australian companies are not to continue to be told by Washington where they can and can't do business." INDONESIA: "EU Blasts U.S. Sanctions" The government-oriented, English-language Indonesian Observer opined (10/3): "It looks as if sanctions will remain a key instrument of U.S. policy for the foreseeable future.... There is no overriding logic to the U.S. sanctions policy.... Much of the impetus behind the Middle East sanctions policies is purely domestic, the momentum sustained largely by the Israeli lobby. The considerable economic costs to the United States of this policy have not deterred President Clinton and Congress from pursuing it. The costs of targeting Iran, Libya and Syria in terms of U.S. trade reached an estimated $7 billion, including a loss of jobs in the neighborhood of 300,000 to 350,000." "U.S. Should Not Over-React" Independent Suara Pembaruan commented (10/1): "In terms of international economics and energy, France and Iran have achieved something dramatic.... Therefore, the United States had better detach these matters from political enmities and see this cooperation among Iran, France and Malaysia in the proper perspective. The United States need not be skeptical and over-react, but should be realistic and tolerate these regional developments, particularly Iran's offer to restore the ties, frozen since 1970s." MIDDLE EAST EGYPT: "French Example For Whole World" Ibrahim Nafie wrote in pro-government Al-Ahram (10/1): "The United States threatened to take action when a French company took enough courage, defied the White House...and made a deal with Iran.... The French company does not recognize U.S. authority over the world...and is certain that it has not violated any international law.... On the other hand, the pretexts of the American administration do not seem logical...because the whole world knows that the core of weapons of mass destruction in the region is Israel.... This French defiance should be an example to all countries. Will France succeed?" MOROCCO: "U.S. Imposing Legislation On Entire World" El Arbi Mefdal wrote in opposition, leftist Assiyassa Al Jadida(10/2): "The signing of the big gas deal between Total and Iran has ignited intense anger in Washington. This deal is a major challenge to the D'Amato law, which violates international law and imposes U.S. legislation on the entire world. The deal has sent Washington into a crisis and has reunited the European Union, with Eastern and Western nations both firmly against the U.S. position.... Washington will be compelled to swallow the D'Amato law, or it will be subject to ridicule, with all its interests at stake." SOUTH ASIA PAKISTAN: "U.S. Threats Of Sanctions Against France" Rightist English-language Pakistan Observer said (10/3): "One was expecting that the Clinton administration might change its attitude in dealing with Iran following the election of a moderate president in Tehran. Unfortunately, however, the latest decision points to the fact that Washington is pushing Iran towards radicalization. A decision to impose sanction on Total would play into the hands of hard-liners in Tehran and seriously sour transatlantic relations. It is also counter-productive in political terms, since it creates tension between Europe and the United States.... Muslims should take a unified action, in line with the UN Charter, to reject U.S. extra- territorial legislation on Muslim and non-Muslim countries alike." "Paradoxes Of Perversity" In the editorial view of the radical, pro-Iran Muslim (10/3): "The latest arm twisting by the United States against France's determination to go ahead with an oil/gas pipeline with Iran could lead to a France-U.S. rupture with concentric effects throughout Europe, especially Germany which is trying to come out of the 'guilt complex' imposed upon it by 'Zionism.'... The Muslim-Third World, Asia and especially Japan-China could take a cue and stand up to arrogant arm twisting by the U.S.-Zionists." LATIN AMERICA ARGENTINA: "A Clash Between Two Policies" Ruben Guillemi wrote in leading Clarin (10/1): "From Paris to Washington, the first sparks between two opposing policies regarding the Iranian Islamic regime started yesterday: the inflexible American D'Amato law, that punishes businessmen who make important investments in the Persian nation, and the 'critical dialogue' of the European countries, which favor political and commercial relations. The third protagonist is the Iranian government that took over last August, which, pressured by the urgent need for capital, is facing a slow opening that is well regarded by Western eyes. The United States and Europe fight over this slow reform to prove it is the best example of the success of their own policies. But since yesterday, Paris and Washington have taken the dispute to the verge of arm wrestling.... Although the United States, France and Iran speak fundamentally in political terms, the core of the crisis is millions of dollars: those lost by an Iran that has one of the most generous oil fields while its economy is collapsing, and those lost by world industry, unable to invest in that country, the second-largest world reserve of oil and gas. The dilemma faced by Washington vis-a-vis its European allies is: how much longer can the pressure of growing oil demand be resisted? President Clinton is walking a dangerous tightrope, with a diplomatic crisis hovering on one side, industrial pressure on the other, and to his right, the roaring domestic front, not willing to allow the president make concessions to the Islamic regime." BRAZIL: "The U.S. Intention To Legislate To The World" Center-right O Estado de Sao Paulo editorialized (10/1): "There are two very important issues in this impasse, but of different natures. The first involves the relationship between morality and politics. It was not difficult, in Washington, to find justification for maintaining normal commercial relations with China, despite the accusations of human rights violations by the Chinese government. It was said that if economic relations were closer, it will be easier to promote the defense of these rights. It was considered a convincing argument, especially due to the size of the Chinese market. The second issue involves international relations. Two centuries ago the French government supported 13 North American colonies in their rebellion against England. 'No taxation without representation', said the settlers, refusing to obey the laws approved without their participation. French, Russians and Malaysians have already discovered that this slogan...is not valid outside the United States." ## For more information, please contact: U.S. Information Agency Office of Public Liaison Telephone: (202) 619-4355 10/3/97 # # #
Europe Middle East East Asia and the Pacific South Asia Latin America and the Caribbean


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Last year's Droid Incredible grabbed my attention as a challenger to the iPhone.
It was such a good product that HTC and Verizon are labeling their latest effort the Droid Incredible 2. While a sharp device, there are some features missing.
This isn't meant to be a traditional review (links to those below), but written from the perspective of an iPhone snob who thinks users should consider one of Apple's smartphones before looking elsewhere.
The screen on the Incredible 2 has been expanded from 3.7 inches to 4 inches with a great looking 480x800-pixel resolution Super LCD touch screen. It's surprising nearly a year later that the iPhone 4 still has the best looking screen (albeit 3.5 inches) with 960x640-pixel resolution.
The Incredible 2 has fairly has a minimalist design, right down to the Droid-themed boot screen, which, unlike others in the Droid family, doesn't look like it is trying to kill you. There is a large rocker volume button on the left along with a MicroUSB port. The top has a lock button and audio port, which my headphones sometimes had trouble connecting with. There is no dedicated camera shutter button.
The buttons across the bottom light up when in use and are capacitive. The buttons' icons rotate with the phone, a nice touch.
The speaker on the phone is not the strongest performer, but it does a passable job.
The phone's plastic back feels rubbery but solid, where as the glass back on the iPhone 4 has me always in fear of shattering.
For storage, the Incredible 2 has 1 GB internal storage and 16 GB external storage, expandable up to 32 GB. It runs the older Android 2.2 operating system with 768MB RAM and a second-generation 1GHz Snapdragon processor. In all, it runs as snappy and almost as solidly as the iPhone 4.
User interface and software
Android continues to dominate the iPhone when it comes to notifying users of incoming email, text messages, etc. HTC has customized the windowshade pulldown notifications to also include a handy list of most used applications.
The included widgets such as the agenda and favorite contacts are best in class, something the iPhone still lacks. And Android still does multitasking better, although at the cost of battery life.
To the iPhone's advantage, I dislike the Incredible 2's onscreen keyboard more than most Android phones (FlexT9 is my new favorite replacement keyboard). And HTC's included social media apps are below average and may confuse some users that this is the main way to get to Twitter and Facebook.
Web browser
The stock browser on the Incredible 2 is on par with the iPhone in speed, but also can play Flash moderately well in some cases.
Although it has a 8 megapixel camera with a flash and can record 720p video, the Incredible 2 still doesn't surpass the iPhone 4's camera. Both also have a front-facing camera for video chats.
Battery life
The Incredible 2 is above average compared to other Android phones and I rarely hit a low battery by the end of the day. But the iPhone 4 still leaves me with more juice.
Unfortunately, no 4G LTE chip and faster data service in the Incredible 2. But in addition to talking to Verizon's CDMA network, the Incredible 2 has a SIM chip to work with overseas carriers. Verizon's iPhone 4 also is 3G only and does not have a SIM chip, although the AT&T version of the iPhone does.
Like the iPhone, you can turn the Incredible 2 into a WiFi hotspot with 2 GB of data for an extra $20 a month.
Like the iPhone 4 16 GB model, the Incredible 2 is $199 with a 2-year contract.
The Incredible 2 is the Toyota Camry of smartphones. Nothing flashy, but a solid overall experience. There isn't enough new here for owners of the Incredible 1 or other recent Android phones to switch.
While the iPhone 4 offers a better out of the box experience and better selection of quality apps, the Incredible 2 and Android offer the chance to customize it to your liking.
If you are in an area where Verizon is expecting to launch 4G LTE service this year, I'd still consider seeking an LTE phone. But if you are looking for a great 3G phone and International calling on Verizon, check out the Incredible 2.
Other reviews
• CNet
• PC World
E-mail Jeff Haywood: firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him twitter.com/jeffhaywood

subset: commoncrawl


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The Becahi and Catty wrestlers stayed undefeated in league duals Wednesday night, each earning impressive wins.
Nazareth hung around with Becahi through the first several bouts, and trailed 20-11 at one point. But the Golden Hawks rolled from there, eventually winning 40-17 to remain undefeated in the LVC. Liberty also remained unbeaten, the Hurricanes beat Easton Wednesday night.
Catty's wrestlers won big over Palmerton at home, 49-24 to stay perfect in the Colonial League. Palmerton led 9-0 early in the dual but Catasauqua dominated beyond that point to earn the victory on their home mat.


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OLDMANS TWP. — History was made at the Second Baptist Church of Pedricktown.
An overflow crowd on Sunday witnessed the final sermon delivered by the Rev. Dr. Edward W. Dorn. After 36 years as pastor, Dorn, 79, is stepping down.
During his final service, Dorn baptized two church members.
He gave thanks to all who has supported him during his years as pastor, especially his wife, Charlotte.
There were also words of praise from visitors and members of the congregation alike for Dorn who has not only made an impact on his own church, but through his service in the community around the region.
At the end of Sunday's gathering, Dorn was installed as Pastor Emeritus of Second Baptist.


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Mac Updates: MLCC's OS X 10.8.3 Ready, rMBP SMC Update 1.1, AirRadar 2.3
Apple just pushed out a beefy OS X update, so third-party Mac updates will soon be flowing freely. That said, if you just updated to OS X 10.8.3 and your Mac's running a bit slow, there's a very good chance that Mountain Lion Cache Cleaner can help.
Northern Softworks Mountain Lion Cache
Cleaner 7.0.6 (download) is OS X 10.8.3 compatible, but there's more in this release than just that:
— Fixes a reported issue with MLCC's Menu Bar item
— Adds the ability to show system info at login
— Updates MLCC for OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion
— Minor optimizations and improvements
A full Mountain Lion Cache Cleaner license can be purchased on Amazon's Mac Download Store for $9.99 — I use and highly recommend this app.
Mac Updates: Unexpected Utility
For Retina MacBook Pro owners, one of the happy and unexpected byproducts of the just released OS X 10.8.3 is an additional 20 minutes of battery time. However, Apple has more goodness to share in the form of the MacBook Pro Retina SMC Update v1.1 (download), which resolves a "rare issue" (Ed — Aren't they all?) where users may experience slow frame rates when playing graphics-intensive games on the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Additionally, it includes bug fixes for Power Nap, wake from sleep and fan control.
Last up, Koingo Software has delivered AirRadar 2.3 (release notes, Mac App Store, $19.99), which delivers a single bug fix. Why mention it? AirRadar is an exceptionally useful utility if you need to sort out wi-fi network availability and performance — very, very useful and there is fully functional 15-day trial.
Related posts:
— Mac Security: Apple Patches Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain LionWhat's New in Safari 6.0.3
— What's New in OS X 10.8.3
— Mac Security: Apple Patches Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion
— Skype for Mac 6.3 Brings New Call, Dial Pad Features
— Mac Updates: Evernote, Dropbox, Office for Mac, Flash Player and Boom!


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You are here: Home Our Products : Orthotics : Neuro Rehabilitation : WalkAide
WalkAide SystemF6POWC7WW9
- A Major Step Forward in the Treatment of Foot Drop
- WalkAide is a medical device designed to improve the walking ability of people experiencing foot drop. WalkAide simulates the typical nerve-to-muscle signals in the leg and foot, causing the foot to lift at the appropriate time in the walking cycle. The resulting movement is a smoother, more natural and safer stepping motion.
- WalkAide uses advanced sensor technology to analyse the movement of your leg and foot, then send electrical signals to your peroneal nerve, which controls movement in your ankle and foot. These gentle electrical impulses activate the muscles to raise your foot at the appropriate time during the step cycle.
Patient Kit Includes:
- WalkAide unit
- WalkAide cuff
- WalkAide electrode lead cable
- WalkAide electrodes (pack of 4)
See Product Specifications below video
Click here to watch more WalkAide VideosDownload Brochure
Product in detail


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Mark Lennihan/Associated Press
Mark Lennihan/Associated Press
NEW YORK � Triple Crown contender I�ll Have Another is headed to new digs, along with his potential 10 rivals in Saturday�s Belmont Stakes.
They�ll take up residence no later than noon Wednesday in a special barn where every move and visitor will be closely monitored, a change in routine that has angered some trainers. New York racing officials mandated the last-minute move as part of new rules to ensure that the race is run fairly.
Like a real prison, the so-called detention barn has bare bulbs illuminating every stall and visitors have to be logged in and out. Instead of being spread out in barns around Belmont Park, all Belmont runners will be sequestered in stalls next to each other.
Track workers were busy fixing up Barn 2 on Monday for the incoming residents. The trainer and his horses who had occupied the barn were moved elsewhere to make room.
The stalls were pressure washed, then given a fresh coat of yellow paint with a layer of finely ground dark stone spread on the cement floor to ensure even footing. Straw bedding would be put down later. Outside, a worker ignored the rain and brushed dark green paint on the aging barn.
Trainer Doug O�Neill, who is facing a 45-day suspension in July, plans to move I�ll Have Another into the special barn on Tuesday. Since arriving from Baltimore two weeks ago, the colt has been staying in a stall borrowed from another trainer since O�Neill is based in California.
O�Neill accepts the new rules, although he�s not thrilled about having to uproot I�ll Have Another so soon before he tries to become the first horse since 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont.
�The obvious negative thing is a lot of horses do get distracted when they change stalls,� he said Monday. �It sounds silly, but it happens.�
Michael Matz, who trains Union Rags, and Dale Romans, who oversees Dullahan, don�t like being forced to sequester their horses on short notice.
�Do they make this stuff up as they go along?� Matz wondered last week when the new rules were announced.
Added Jim Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, �It�s not what we�d want to do.�
Romans was blunt, wondering who would be on the hook if his horse fails a test.
�Them, for guarding my horse, or now am I still responsible for everything?� he said before answering his own question. �I�d still be responsible, but still don�t have any control.�
The scrutiny on O�Neill has been intense since the California Horse Racing Board last week announced his suspension and a $15,000 fine in the aftermath of one of his horses testing positive for an elevated total carbon dioxide level nearly two years ago. He�s had other similar violations over the years.
Adding to the charged atmosphere is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo�s takeover of the troubled New York Racing Association, which has gone through bankruptcy proceedings and a state bailout in recent years.
While New York officials didn�t single him out in changing the rules, O�Neill knows their move hasn�t made him popular with his fellow trainers.
�I�m sure Matz and Romans probably want to kill me, but I think it�s a good thing,� he said about the detention barn, which was abandoned at Belmont in 2010.
�I like the thought of showing the general public that all the horses are in the same locker room, they�re all being looked after real thoroughly, just the transparency that our game probably lacks is key.�
Not every horse reacts the same way to changes in their routines, whether it involves location, feeding or care.
�When horses are moving in there, sure, it�s going to be a little anxious,� said Barnes, who is overseeing Baffert�s Belmont horse Paynter until the Hall of Fame trainer arrives Wednesday. �There will be horses hollering, but they should all settle in pretty good I would imagine.�
O�Neill hopes his colt will take the move in stride.
�Fortunately, I�ll Have Another has a good disposition that I don�t think it will be distracting to him, but you never know,� he said.
Along with the horses go equipment, feed and hay, making the move more labor intensive than simply walking the horses to their new stalls. Upon arrival, they will each have a blood test to be reviewed that night by a drug lab.
Everyone associated with the horses, including trainers, assistants, veterinarians, grooms, hot walkers and owners, will have to pass through 24-hour security. Vets have to give advance written notice of any planned treatments.
�This way you�ve got everyone in an isolated setting,� O�Neill said. �Hopefully none of the horses get distracted and they all settle in good and they all present themselves well. At the end of the day, people can say, �Wow, they were all looked after, and they all ran great.��


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HourlyLess than 30 hrs/week
Start DateAugust 20, 2013
We are looking for a detail-oriented and highly experienced business reporting analyst who also has Salesforce and SQL Server DBA skills to create reports, build dashboards, create and maintain Salesforce campaigns, etc. for the marketing team. The position could quickly develop into a full-time position for the right candidate.
Responsibilities include the construction and maintenance of marketing campaigns in Salesforce, construction of SQL queries for database analysis, development and maintenance of reports and dashboards - in both Excel and SFDC - for the marketing team, and the implementation and management of a data quality program.
-Proficiency with Excel, including data manipulation functions (vlookup, concatenate, scrub, etc)
-SQL Server DBA skills or datamining skills
-Salesforce experience, including campaigns and reporting
-Knowledge of marketing metrics and concepts, such a funnel conversion and revenue attribution, a plus
15 - 20 hours a week for an on-going position. At least five hours per week must be worked in the Central time zone in order to conference with the marketing operations manager and other key stakeholders (schedule TBD between the hiring manager and candidate).
Applicants chosen will be required to do a test to demonstrate abilities with the tool.
About the Client
United States
Houston 03:30 PM
Jobs Posted
65% Hire Rate, 12 Open Jobs
Over $50,000
Total Spent
403 Hires, 105 Active
Avg Hourly Rate Paid
231,883 Hours


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Product Information
Fresh Forward Interchangeable Wrist Attire ONLY $45 - Two Diamond Faced Watches with Interchangeable Faces and Watch Straps! Make Hundreds of Combinations! ($90 Value)
Pimp your look big time with these hot watches from Fresh Forward! Simulated diamonds on the face will draw attention to the numbers and your funky fashion sense simultaneously. With today's Your Best Deals you will get two rad time-tellers for $45, a $90 value! With interchangeable faces and watch straps you will be able to make hundreds of combinations! Deck out your wrist with Fresh Forward's beautiful fresh bright colors. There are 12 simulated diamonds in the face of the watch which you will absolutely love!
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Au Naturale Inc.
About Us
Contact Us
Driving Directions
About Us
Contact Us
Driving Directions
Au Naturale Inc.
is a premiere natural hair salon located in the East Germantown section of Philadelphia.
In business since 2000, we specialize in natural hair styling, maintenance, and education.
All work performed by licensed
cosmetologists, we also offer permanent color, eye brow arching, shape ups, and trims.
Experience our relaxing, professional environment while we strive to make your natural hair journey an educational and fulfilling one. Have questions about your natural hair? Our knowledgeable staff can assist and educate you during your visit!!!
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text:
A former contracts manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority, who is cooperating with investigators in an ongoing federal probe of the agency, was sentenced Wednesday to 50 months in prison for taking $25,000 in kickbacks.
Kerri Bizzell, 43, who handled small construction contracts, pleaded guilty in May to extorting the money from two contractors. She also admitted obstructing a grand jury by trying to prevent a contractor from disclosing the payments.
U.S. District Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg ordered her to repay PHA the $25,000.


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News Plzeň lose 4:1 to Lyon in first leg of Europa League round of 16 tie
Viktoria Plzeň were beaten 4:1 by the French club Olympic Lyonnais on Thursday night in the first leg of their round of 16 tie in the Europa League, European soccer's second tier club competition. Plzeň got off to a bright start when Tomáš Hořava opened the scoring after two minutes, but the hosts drew level soon afterwards and took the lead in the second half. The second leg takes place in West Bohemia next Thursday.
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For the daily news summary, available after 8pm CET, click here.
All stories
Constitutional Court rejects Savov complaint
The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint by fugitive businessman Frantisek Savov with regard to information that the Prague State Attorneys' Office made available to the British judiciary in support of an extradition request. The request was granted earlier this year and the businessman claims that the office overstepped its powers in releasing certain papers to the British authorities. The judge ruled on Friday that his complaint was unsubstantiated. The 44-year-old businessman is wanted on suspicion of large-scale tax evasion and money laundering. Savov, who owns the Mladá Fronta publishing house and a series of publications including the business paper E15 and Euro magazine, has denied any wrongdoing.
Police president: If violence persists, Czech officers could be deployed in Britain
If attacks against foreign nationals in Britain were to persist, and the Czech community and tourists from this country felt endangered, the Czech Republic would negotiate the possibility of having Czech police officers deployed in selected parts of the country, Police President Tomas Tuhy told Czech Radio on Friday. Police chief Tuhy, who said he had consulted the matter with the British police, said such an arrangement had been put into practice in Croatia and Bulgaria, at the height of the tourist season. Although Czech officers have no powers in a foreign country they can help resolve problems in cooperation with the local police and their presence is seen as reassuring. At present there are a number of Polish officers in Harlow, where a Polish national was killed.
Explorers confirm Czech Hranice Abyss deepest underwater cave on the planet
A team of explorers has just confirmed that Hranice Abyss, located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, is deepest underwater cave on the planet. A Czech-Polish expedition, led by the legendary Polish diver Krzysztof Starnawski, descended deep into the flooded limestone abyss Hranicka Propast this week and found it to be far deeper than previously thought. The underwater cave is 404 meters deep, making it the deepest underwater cave in the world, 12 meters deeper than the previous record holder, 392-meter-deep Pozzo del Merro in Italy. News of the discovery appeared in the National Geographic which co-funded the expedition.
Former deputy labour minister sentenced to six years for abuse of office
A court has sent former deputy labour minister Vladimír Šiška to six years in prison for abuse of office. Mr. Šiška was found guilty of signing a disadvantageous contract with the firm Fujitsu Technology on a system for the distribution of social welfare benefits. He failed to announce an open contest for the contract, incurring losses to the state of 282 million crowns. Former labour Minister Jaromír Drábek resigned over the scandal back in 2012.
Central register of misdemeanors to go into operation
A central register of misdemeanors is to be put into operation on October 1. According to Justice Minister Robert Pelikan, who made the announcement at a press briefing on Friday, the register should enable the authorities to take a tougher line with repeat-offenders, who could be given higher fines for misdemeanors like petty theft and disturbing the peace. The data is to be retained for a period of five years.
Europa League: Sparta Prague beat Inter Milan
Czech football club Sparta Prague stunned visitors Inter Milan in their Europa League group stage match at Letná on Thursday night, getting two goals from Václav Kadlec in the first half. Inter got a goal back in the final 19 minutes but Holek headed in a third goal after the Italian side's Ranocchia was sent off. Sparta now have three points from two games in Group K, putting them in third spot.
Czech PM calls on British counterpart to take action against attacks on foreign nationals
Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has appealed to his British counterpart, Theresa May, to take action against hate crimes and and violence directed against Czechs and people from other European countries living and working in the United Kingdom. In a phone call on Thursday, Prime Minister Sobotka said the Czech government was alarmed by the increase in hate crimes in Britain. A Czech businessman was brutally beaten to death by a BMX gang in London last week. A month ago, a large group of British teenagers attacked two Polish men and one of the victims died.
Tennis: Kvitová advances to semi-finals at Wuhan Open in China
Czech tennis player Petra Kvitová has advanced to the semi-finals of the women's singles at the Wuhan Open in China on Thursday after defeating Johanna Konta of Great Britain 6:3, 6:4. She is set to face Simona Halep of Romania.
Czech competition agency approved acquisition of Čedok by Polish Itaka
The Czech anti-monopoly office on Thursday approved the acquisition of the oldest Czech travel agent Čedok by Polish tour operator Itaka. The former owner of Čedok, US-based Odien Group, is stepping out of the tour operator market altogether to focus on hotels and resorts. According to server e15.cz, the new owner paid over half a billion crowns for the acquisition. With turnover reaching around 2.0 billion last year, Čedok is estimated to rate as the country's fourth biggest tour operator.
Documentary about Czechoslovak CIA agent enters cinema distribution
A new documentary film called RINO, a portrait of Karel Köcher, most successful Czechoslovak spy of the Cold War, who infiltrated CIA during the 1970s, has entered cinema distribution s on Thursday. The documentary, which premiered at last year's Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, was directed by Jakub Wagner, who interviewed numerous former US agents and other officials for the film.


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most abundant circulating wbc. 4k per microliter. usually first to arrive at infection, emigration, (+) chemotaxis, limited phagocytic, fill up with pathogen.
44 per microliter. emmigration, most basophils are in tissue, (+) chemotaxis, almost no phagocytosis.
2k per microliter. emmigration, can move back and forth between blood and tissues. (=) chemotaxis, no phagocytosis. specific immunity. provides memory or immunity to pathogen after initial exposure.


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An instructor explaining the use of child seat belt to some of the volunteers.
DOHA: The Kulluna Health and Safety Campaign recently organised a training course in the safest use of children's car seats.
The course, part of an initiative to raise awareness to improve child safety, was attended by volunteers from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) and other organisations with a shared goal of keeping Qatar's children safe.
Dr Khalid Abdulnoor, Director of Hamad International Training Centre (HITC) and Chairman of Kulluna said, "The course comes as part of our campaign to increase awareness among the people about the importance of children's safety at home and outside home, to minimise child injury and death resulting from parents' failure to follow safety rules for their kids, particularly while in cars."
Course instructors included HMC staff and instructors from the US – all specialists in the field of child safety. About 40 volunteers were trained in the use of various types of car seats, with a focus on how to install them, perform inspection and maintenance and select the suitable car seat for children. The course aimed at providing knowledge to a volunteer group who can then teach others.
"Instructors were brought from the US to conduct the course to create a technical elite among Qatar's population, who will then educate others at public places and raise awareness about the importance of car seats," Dr Abdulnoor said.
Kulluna has special educational caravans moving between places, such as schools, public parks, shopping malls, and residential compounds, offering child safety advice. If anyone is unable to benefit from it, they can contact HITC, which provides free expert-led education on how to select, install and maintain children's car seats.
The Peninsula


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November 09, 2004
Bar/None Records
Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Americana, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter, Alternative/Indie Rock
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Album Review
Unlike a lot of performers whose earliest musical experience involved playing a bunch of shows nobody saw with a handful of local bands, when
Freedy Johnston
began writing songs, he bought a four-track cassette machine and began working up his compositions by his lonesome, which might have something to do with why his formative work doesn't betray much in the way of outside influences.
The Way I Were: 4-Track Demos 1986-1992
compiles home recordings of (mostly) previously unheard
compositions from a few years before his 1990 debut album,
The Trouble Tree
, up to the recording of his critical breakthrough set, 1992's
Can You Fly
, and it sounds like the long-lost companion to
's gloriously odd and oft-overlooked introduction. Displaying a goofy sense of lyrical surrealism and a childlike
joie de vivre
The Way I Were
picks up from where songs like "Nature Boy" and "Fun Ride" off
The Trouble Tree
came from, and while only a fool would argue against the more mature work
produced on
Can You Fly
This Perfect World
, this set will remind listeners why they were so taken with
The Trouble Tree
when it first arrived. As
dusts off New York City in anticipation of a visit from his girlfriend, covets the
tickets and 100,000 guitars he's getting for his birthday, or revels in a beautiful woman's traffic tickets, you sense no one would have written the songs quite this way, and their slightly twisted glee is a beautiful and charming thing to hear. And while the hired hands he brought to the sessions for his "real" albums may have had more in the way of chops, the compact arrangements and surprisingly intelligent thumbnail production reveal that the strength of
's vision wasn't limited to his songwriting. Would that every songwriter had juvenilia as strong and as entertaining as what
has unearthed on
The Way I Were
Mark Deming, Rovi
Track Listing
She's a Goddess
I Got the Papers Right Here
This Really Happened
I Do, I Do
Love Songs About Girls
The Enchanted Car
Happy Birthday
Captain Astro
Light of Doubt
When the Cryin's Done
I Can't Stop Shaking
The Man With the 4-Stroke Heart
Friend in the City
I Know Two People Who Love to Fight
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Can You Fly
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Bright Eyes
I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
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Chris Bootcheck, Nefi Ogondo and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez held the New Britain Rock Cats (47-48) to just a pair of hits as Reading (39-55) recorded a 4-1 win at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday to kick-off the second half of their season.
Bootcheck picked up his first win as a Fightin Phil, going 6 innings, striking out 4 and allowing just 1 run and 1 hit. Ogondo and Gonzalez closed the door in the final three innings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 6 combined.
Peter Lavin and Brock Stassi homered for Reading, who took an early lead and never looked back.
The series continues on Friday in Baseballtown at 7:05pm.


text:
Duke Medicine contracts with most major health insurance plans. Before scheduling your hospital or clinic visit, we recommend you check with your health insurance plan to learn the specifics of your coverage.
To see a list of insurance plans accepted by Duke Medicine, please visit the health insurance page on dukemedicine.org.
For additional assistance or if your health insurance plan is not listed, please call the Duke Consultation and Referral Center at 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.


text:
|EcommerceBytes-NewsFlash, Number 2384 - October 05, 2010 - ISSN 1539-5065 2 of 5
Bonanza (formerly Bonanzle) announced a new promotion in which sellers can participate in theme-based sales called Bonanza Rush. Each Rush is limited to a specific category, takes place at a set-time, and is held in a single location. All sale items in a particular Rush will appear on one dynamic page; by providing a single URL, Bonanza and participating sellers can promote the sale in emails, on the site, and on sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Bonanza Rush differs from Bonanzas, which were held by sellers in their booths at any time. Bonanza said, "By pooling multiple sellers who have similar merchandize together in a single Rush we can provide great value to our buyers and more focused marketing."
Sellers wishing to participate in a Rush sale can check their "Sell" page and click on the "Sign Up for a Rush" tab. They enter their discount and click "Join," and the site will send a notification once the date and time of the sale has been set.
Bonanza said it would advertise Rush sales selectively through targeted email marketing and social outreach efforts on Facebook and Twitter. More information is available on the announcement on Bonanza's blog.
About the author:
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Email this story to a friend.
2 of 5
Bonanza Improves Usability of Feedback Pages - December 10, 2010
Bonanza Nominated for Techflash 'Startup Deal of the Year' Award - November 19, 2010
Bonanza Marketplace Gets a Rush from Flash Sales - November 11, 2010
Bonanza Gets Ready for Its First Rush Sale This Week - November 04, 2010


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Restaurant Photos
Photos: Look inside Scotch and Sausage, a new restaurant in Dallas
Photo: Alexandra Olivia/Special Contributor
The menu at Scotch & Sausage in Oak Lawn features 24 seasonal sausages which can be ordered with a traditional bun, lettuce bun, or with a side of sauerkraut and triple fried french fries.
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Harvard study suggests 'Jesus' wife' text not fake
BOSTON -- New scientific tests suggest a fragment of papyrus in which Jesus speaks of "my wife" is more likely an ancient document than a forgery, according to an article published Thursday by the Harvard Theological Review.
The text, which is written in Coptic and is roughly the size of a business card, specifically contains the phrase "Jesus said to them, my wife."
Karen King, a Harvard professor of divinity, said the papyrus probably dates to eighth century Egypt, based on radiocarbon dating and tests on the ink's chemical composition.
"If it was written in the eighth or even the ninth century, it's still an ancient document," she said in a conference call Thursday. "It's not a modern forgery."
But, she stressed, the fragment doesn't prove that the historical Jesus was actually married. Most reliable evidence from early Christianity is silent on Jesus' marital status, King said.
Brown University Professor Leo Depuydt, in an analysis also published Thursday by the Harvard Theological Review, was not convinced of authenticity. He said the text contains grammatical errors that a native Coptic speaker would not make.


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Cholesterol embolization syndrome (CES) is associated with endovascular procedures or anticoagulation, which disrupt atheromatous plaques within large arteries releasing cholesterol crystals.1 These crystals lodge in the vasculature of various organs, most commonly the skin.2,3 Cutaneous involvement classically presents in the distal lower extremities as livedo reticularis (49%), gangrene (35%), cyanosis (28%), ulceration (17%), nodules (10%), purpura (9%), and splinter hemorrhages.4 We report a case of CES with proximal cutaneous lesions mimicking calciphylaxis.
A woman in her 50s with an approximately 20 pack-year smoking history experienced a myocardial infarction, prompting anticoagulation therapy with heparin, cardiac catheterization, and stent placement at an outside hospital. Postoperatively, she initiated aspirin and clopidogrel treatment. Seven days after initiation, her lower back, buttocks, and thighs developed painful erythematous plaques, which progressed to nodules and ulcerations over days to weeks. A biopsy performed at the outside hospital suggested vasculitis. Prednisone treatment was initiated, and clopidogrel therapy was discontinued. As her ulcers continued to enlarge and her proximal arms developed mottling, she was referred to our clinic for evaluation.
At presentation, she had normal blood pressure and no gastrointestinal or neurologic complaints. On the buttocks, thighs, and right calf were firm, tender, erythematous nodules and ulcerations with overlying eschar (Figure 1). Violaceous livedoid plaques were present on the lower back, buttocks, thighs, and proximal arms bilaterally. The distal extremities appeared normal. We considered CES, given the livedoid changes and history of endovascular intervention, while calciphylaxis was considered based on the appearance and location of the lesions. We also considered medium-vessel vasculitis.
A and B, Violaceous livedoid plaques on the bilateral flanks, buttock, and proximal thighs, with deep ulcerations on the lower back and buttocks. Although not shown in these images, livedoid changes were also present on the bilateral upper arms, and, in contrast to the classic presentation of CES, the toes were notably spared.
A 6-mm punch biopsy specimen from an ulcer on the buttock demonstrated cholesterol clefts in the lumen of deep dermal arteries without evidence of calciphylaxis or vasculitis (Figure 2). Aside from leukocytosis (white blood cell count, 18 000/μL), findings of other blood tests were normal, including vasculitis assays such as antinuclear antibody and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody tests. Results of retinal evaluation by our ophthalmology colleagues were unremarkable.
A 6-mm punch biopsy specimen from an ulcer on the left buttock shows cholesterol clefts within the lumen of deep dermal arteries, consistent with cholesterol embolization syndrome (hematoxylin-eosin, original magnification ×200).
The histologic findings were diagnostic for a proximal cutaneous presentation of CES without systemic involvement, likely caused by anticoagulation therapy (heparin) and endovascular intervention (cardiac catheterization). It is unclear if aspirin or clopidogrel contributed to the manifestations. Supportive measures were initiated, including wound care, smoking cessation, and weight loss. Her cardiologist initiated pain management measures as well as treatment with statins and antihypertensive agents. The skin lesions healed over 1 year.
In CES, disruption of atheromatous plaques causes microemboli to occlude downstream vessels. Cholesterol embolization syndrome due to endovascular procedures usually occurs hours to weeks after the procedure, whereas anticoagulation-associated CES presents weeks to months after initiation of anticoagulation.
Cutaneous involvement of the distal lower extremities manifesting as livedo reticularis, pain, and/or blue toes with intact pulses is the most frequent finding, seen in 35% to 90% of patients.3,4 Common systemic manifestations include hypertension (66%) and acute renal failure (33%).2 Other findings include gastrointestinal manifestations (19%-33%); Hollenhorst plaques in the retinal arterioles (22%); and, rarely, central nervous system involvement.2- 5
When found on histopathologic examination, cholesterol clefts within vascular lumen are pathognomonic for CES. As vessel involvement may be focal and segmental, step sections into the tissue block may be required to identify the involved vessel(s).
Standard treatment is supportive and includes local wound care. Resection of ischemic tissue can provide symptomatic improvement. Additionally, referral to a cardiologist should be considered. Statin therapy may stabilize atherosclerotic plaques, reducing recurrent embolization.6 Anticoagulation and endovascular intervention directed at the emboli source should be reserved for life-threatening cases, as additional dislodgement of cholesterol crystals may occur following such treatment.
Given the cutaneous features of CES, dermatologists often play a role in diagnosing this condition. Proximal cutaneous lesions are atypical but do occur and may cause diagnostic confusion with calciphylaxis. A high index of suspicion in the appropriate clinical context and a low threshold for skin biopsy are required to diagnose CES.
Corresponding Author: Frank Wang, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Health System, 1910 Taubman Center, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (email@example.com).
Published Online: June 11, 2014. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2013.8846.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.
Additional Contributions: We are indebted to Laura VanGoor, BFA, for assistance with graphic material. Ms VanGoor is an employee of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
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Drumschool is the alter ego of Robin Hirst a producer of various styles of electronic dance music. Learning his craft studying at Leeds College of Music. Inspired by the likes of David Morales Danny Rampling and Erick Morillo. This has lead to several successful releases under his belt The only way is forward for this rising young talent.
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Size guide
Here you can find an illustration of the human body where the most important measurements are demonstrated. In order to get your measurements as accurate as possible please measure the below areas close to your body. When taking your measurements stand straight but also try to be as relaxed as possible.
How To Measure
A. CHEST - Measure over the fullest part of your chest
B. WAIST - Measure around the smallest part of your waist at your natural waistline
C. HIP - Measure over the fullest part of your hips
D. INSEAM - Measure from the crotch to the floor without wearing shoes
Women's Sizes
International standard measurements in centimeter
Women's Shoes
Important Notice: due to dissimilarities in the translation between different types of measurements systems, variations can appear from style to style


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ZFS snapshot visualization in GNOME
By user13342361 on Oct 13, 2008
Time slider is one of the new feature that will be available in OpenSolaris 2008.11.
Time slider provides an automatic way to backup your data on the same disc
using one of Sun's ZFS filesystem unique features, snapshots.
With time slider you can browse and recover files from snapshot backups using the GNOME file manager.
If you prefer to watch a video rather than read the rest of this post, I've also made a 3 min screencast about time slider.
This feature is made on 3 separate components :
- The ZFS automatic Snapshots SMF services developed by Tim Foster :
These services are used by time slider to schedule recurring snapshots on ZFS filesystems.
- The Time slider SMF service and UI developed by Niall Power :
This service determine when and which zfs filesystem to snapshot based on a set schedule (by default : at every boot, then every 15 minutes, then every hour, then every day, etc.)
This service also monitor the snapshotted filesystems and avoid filling them up by removing the oldest snapshots based on a user predefined percentage of filesystem to be used.
- And finally the nautilus ZFS snapshot visualization integration I developed. This part, explained below, allow the user to browse and restore files graphically using the GNOME file manager.
A big thanks to :
- Tim for his help on top his "real" work :)
- Usability wise to Calum Benson for his ideas and Jaime Guerrero for the slider, icons and name.
How to enable it ?
Time slider is disabled by default on OpenSolaris. You can enable it via System -> Administration -> time slider setup.
How to Browse my snapshots ?
To browse your on-disk backups open any folder with the file manager and see if the restore icon is enabled
(icon highlighted in the image below).
If it is enabled this means that backups of this directory are available.
Once pressed an additional navigation bar appears. It gives you information about :
- the timeline your can explore.
- your current location in the backup timeline (the image below shows that you are still browsing your current directory)
- the number of snapshot backups available for this directory and the space used by the overall zfs snapshots.
You can then drag the slider into the past to retrieve previous versions of
your documents and folders. You can open all your files in read only mode.
Note that from build 101 onward if you browse in list view mode (as oppose to icon view) a "restore information" column automatically appears.
This column gives you contextual information about either :
- the number of different version available for each file, if you browse in the current/latest version of a directory.
- the difference (if any exist) between the snapshotted file and the latest version of the file.
How do I restore files from backups ?
You can restore previous versions of files and directories by either :
- simply drag and dropping them into another file manager window.
- by right clicking on the mouse and selecting "restore to Desktop".
- copy and pasting the selection to present time.
Note : You can disable the zfs snapshot timeline visualization in nautilus via the global preferences dialog (menu edit->preferences). Once in the dialog select the "Preview" tab and in the folder section uncheck "Visualize ZFS snapshots timeline".
Where is the source ?
The zfs automatic snapshots hg repository can be found here. Its spec-file can be found here.
The time slider repository can be found here. Its spec-file there.
The nautilus visualization patch for nautilus can be found here.
If you want to create either the packages or simply build the code use the JDS common build environment.
What's next ?
The next possible steps among others for this project are :
- UI enhancements :
- a restore tab plugin for the file properties dialog.
- clutter based slider widget to provide more information about about the snapshots available.
- graphical mean to modify time slider's schedule.
- new features :
- removable media based off disk backups
- network based backups
If you want to get involved you can grab the code and play with it. If you want to contribute let me know :)
Update (Fri Nov 14) :
- changed screenshots to integrate the new time slider icon in nautilus (see comments)
- added info about the disable option in nautilus (see email thread for details)


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A New Challenger Appears! X-men vs. Street Fighter CPS2 Arcade - This 8-Bit Life
I was leaving the office this past Friday and just happened to take a route that was a bit different than my usual one. I drove past a second hand exercise equipment store with a few arcade cabinets outside and had to stop. At first glance the X-Men vs. Street Fighter looked like it was in playable condition but the cabinet looked pretty iffy.
When I talked to the owner he initially quoted me about $399 for the machine and against my better judgement I laughed at him. I asked if he'd be willing to go lower and he asked what I'd pay. I took a longer look at the machine and offered $150 and he accepted; clearly he wanted to take the chance that I was gullible. To be fair though I found later that when parted out this whole thing could easily fetch $400 or more on-line. Cat did me a solid; I've offered him a deal if he ever needs any IT work.
We plugged it in there and everything worked great aside from some of the buttons and the marquee light. Of course there was also the serious water damage to the body from years of sitting in the elements. It really is a wonder that this thing still works and is in the condition it is. The CRT is absolutely perfect, though it needs the picture adjusted a bit to make it fit correctly.
And then there's the issue of the suicide battery. See, this particular game runs on a system developed by Capcom in the mid 90's called CPS2. These games have a widely known flaw with how they store the encryption keys that are meant to prevent piracy. The game board (cartridge or "B Board") that connects to the motherboard ("A Board") has a 3.7 volt axial lead half-AA battery that is used to provide power to the chip that stores the encryption keys when the game is turned off. Once this battery drops below about 2 volts the game is rendered unplayable unless you send it in to Capcom for a sizable fee. This can be remedied by simply soldering a new battery to the board within an hour of removing the old one.
I plan to post here as I improve and repair the machine but for now here's a video tour of the cab and a To-Do list for the future:
- Replace the Suicide Battery with a keystone socket for easy battery replacement
- Repair the wood cabinet, hide cosmetic defects, or build a new one
- Replace the marquee backlight
- Swap out all switches for brand new ones
- Clean the game board and motherboard
- Clean all contacts
- Clean the glass and the facia of the control panel
- Recalibrate the monitor
- (possible) Install a signal splitter so video can also be sent to an external source
- Test other cartridges with the motherboard
- Locate side-art, new panel art, new marquee and install these
- Other stuff I haven't thought of yet


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SOUTH African banks will pay for their sins when they begin to feel the effects of non-performing loans in 2013, following an increased number of unsecured loans granted this year.
Unfortunately for the responsible formal lenders, consumers are more likely to first pay off debts to informal lenders because of threats the latter can exert, said TMS30x30's banking research director Petar Soldo.
He expects the unsecured lending market to grow, although not at the same levels seen in past 18 months. There may be changes made to the present garnishee system, which will have an effect on the ability of credit providers to recover debts.
"What is harder to forecast is what will happen in the informal lending market. Unfortunately there are no reliable statistics on this market - and what tends to happen is that, as consumers can no longer access the formal credit markets, they turn to the informal markets," he said.
According to Moody's, non-performing loans stood at 4.4% of gross loans in August 2012, following an improvement over the past two years.
The rating agency recently downgraded SA's banking system outlook to negative from stable despite the sector having been voted as the world's second best by the World Economic Forum.
According to Patrice Rassou, head of equities at Sanlam Investment Management, rating agencies have not given local banks enough credit for being well run and managed.
Looking ahead to the new year, he said local banks are trading at around fair value with good growth visibility.
Competition in the vehicle finance market is expected to go up as demand surges. New vehicle sales grew 7.3% year on year in November, to 53134 units, according to Naamsa figures. Domestic sales for the year to date are 9.8% ahead of the first 11 months of 2011.
* This article was first published in Sunday Times: Business Times


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As those that have watched the company for some time know when it comes to upcoming products, tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) typically plays its cards close to the vest. However, that isn't to say the company's above sending the occasional signal to investors, either. One notable example was Apple's massive dividend hike in April, where those willing to read between the lines were handsomely rewarded. Apple's executive team has been signaling for some time that new products are around the corner, and the company recently made another move that should also suggest that something big is in the works, as Fool contributor Andrew Tonner explains in this video.
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Shedding It
Adventures in peace and quiet
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
There were six of us trying to live in a two-bedroom rental cabin in Glacier that winter. Money was tight. Floor space was at a serious premium.
Compounding these issues were the increasingly detrimental effects of an insidiously popular and (then) brand-new video game called "Grand Theft Auto." With my own eyes, I watched all five of my cabin mates became addicted to it.
Suddenly—almost literally overnight—they went from spending every possible moment hitting mad kickers and carving deep turns through the heavies to investing the majority of their time and energy huddled around a 60-inch big screen with the surround-sound cranked up so loud that a freight train full of screaming hyenas could have come roaring through our walls and nobody would have been able to hear it over all the gratuitous street crime and violence.
Inevitably, it became exceedingly difficult for me to catch a proper night's sleep. And the less sleep I managed to get, the more nerve-strained and primordial I grew.
Driven near to the breaking point on a daily basis, I soon decided to set up camp on our back deck so I could lay down and count my blessings peaceably amongst the frosty, hibernating-friendly quietude of the Upper North Fork Valley.
Unfortunately, our back deck wasn't even close to being far enough away to muffle the resonating catastrophe of simulated gang warfare emanating unabated from our living room. So I promptly gathered my bed things and plunged ever-deeper and away into the night.
I ran and I ran and I ran. And when I finally stopped, I found the forest had sufficiently enveloped me. Immersed in the darkness, I couldn't immediately discern where I'd escaped to. But wherever it was, it felt better and exceedingly more mellow than the obnoxious orgy of synaptic obliteration I'd just escaped.
Gradually, as my night vision intensified, I was able to see that I was standing in front of our woodshed—a cozy little weatherproof outbuilding full of kiln-dried mill ends that we used to heat our cabin.
"Jackpot!" I thought as dragged my -40 F sleeping bag in through the door and spread it out on a bed of smooth, solid wood.
Finally, at long last, I managed to lay down comfortably and quietly enough to listen to owls hoot and hear my own breath again. The ensuing slumber proved as deep as it was bottomless. Ten years might just as easily have passed in the precious few hours I nodded off.
I wound up spending quite a bit of time reading, meditating and counting sheep in that woodshed over the next few months. And the season kept getting better.
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