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Phyllis Jean Boucher
ESCANABA – Phyllis Jean Boucher, 83, of 1416 Stephenson Ave., Escanaba, passed away Monday afternoon, July 1, 2013, at the Christian Park Health Care Center in Escanaba following a brief illness.
Phyllis was born July 22, 1929, in Gladstone, the daughter of Joseph and Evelyn (Swanson) Darion. She was raised in Gladstone where she was a 1947 graduate of Gladstone High School.
Phyllis was united in marriage to Donald R. Boucher on Dec. 29, 1948, at the St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Escanaba. They resided in Iowa while Don attended Iowa State College. They returned to Escanaba in 1957 where they raised their six children.
Phyllis was a member of the St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and the V.F.W. and AMVETS Auxiliaries. She was an avid collector, collecting antiques, dishes, silverware, stamps and coins. She also enjoyed "refunding," refinishing old furniture and going to the casino.
Survivors include her sons, Daniel Boucher of Wells, Timothy (Carole) Boucher of Escanaba, Douglas (Kris) Boucher of Escanaba; daughters, Lynn Spalla of Gladstone, Debra (David) Wiltzius of Coleman, Wis., Rebecca (Scott) Thomas of Mosinee, Wis.; brother, Allan "Bud" Darion of Gladstone; 10 grandchildren, Daniel (Yvonne) Boucher, Dana (Michael) Griffith, Rick Boucher, Joseph Thomas, Don Boucher, William "Bill" Boucher, Kelly Thomas, Samuel (Sarah) Wiltzius, Kaleigh Boucher, and Danielle Boucher; seven great-grandchildren, twins, Emma and Sydney, Hailey, Zachary, Noah, Will and Macie; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In addition to her parents, Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband, Donald in 1999; son, Donald James in 1958; son-in-law, Gregory Spalla in 1993; sister, Nancy Darion in 2006; sister, Eleanor Darion in 1993; and brother, Glenn in 1992.
Phyllis's family will receive friends on Monday, July 8, from 2 to 4:15 p.m. at the Skradski Family Funeral Home in Escanaba. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 5 p.m. at the St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Escanaba with Rev. Fr. Emmett Norden officiating. Luncheon will follow in the Parish Hall. Burial will take place on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Escanaba.
The Skradski Family Funeral Homes of Escanaba and Gladstone are assisting the Boucher family. Please visit www.skradskifuneralhomes.com where you can express your sympathy to the Boucher family, or to leave a memory tribute about Phyllis.


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You are here
Let's Celebrate National Small Business Week – Together, Online and in your Community!
Comments welcome on this page. See Rules of Conduct.
Let's Celebrate National Small Business Week – Together, Online and in your Community!
SBA is gearing up for National Small Business Week, June 17-21. This year we are taking the show on the road offering educational panels and workshops on topics like how to start business, social media 101, how to protect your business against cyber security threats, how to start exporting, just to name a few.
The week will kick off in Seattle on June 17, followed by events in Dallas, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. We'll end the week in Washington, DC were we will honor small businesses from across the United States and culminate in the announcement of the National Small Business Person of the Year.
Check out the full conference schedule here.
Hang Out with SBA and Industry Experts
As part of National Small Business Week, SBA will host a series of Google+ Hangouts which will be streamed live at www.sba.gov/smallbusinessweek, http://www.youtube.com/sba, and http://plus.google.com/+sbagov. All Hangouts will start at 4pm ET. Topics and panelists include:
Panelists from Twitter, Constant Contact, W20 Group and Google will hang out. Bill Murphy Jr., author and columnist for Inc.com will moderate the Hangout.
Panelists from Yelp, LinkedIn, OpenSky, Dun and Bradstreet Credibility Corp., Google and Manta will hang out. Rieva Lesonsky, CEO of GrowBiz Media will moderate the Hangout.
Panelists from the SBA's Office of Entrepreneurial Development, America's Small Business Development Centers, and Women's Business Centers will hang out. Fran Tarkenton, NFL legend and entrepreneur will moderate the Hangout.
Panelists from Wells Fargo, SCORE, SBA Office of Capital Access, and SBA loan recipient Ninkasi Brewing Company will hang out. Calvin Goings, SBA regional administrator will moderate the Hangout.
How can you get Involved?
You can still register for events in St. Louis, and Washington, DC. If you can't travel, you can still take part by joining live streaming webcasts of all events and Hangouts as they happen (keep an eye on the event website and follow SBA on Twitter and Facebook for more details as the event approaches). If you are tweeting, the official hashtag is #SBW2013.
About the Author:
Natale Goriel
SBA Official

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Topic: Railstutorial.org's screencasts or Pragprog.com's 4th Edition AWDR?
I want to build a RoR application and am considering both railstutorial.org (free ebook, $85 for videos) and the Agile Web Development with Rails 4th Edition (Beta, ebook, $24, no video).
Which would you recommend to someone who is completely new to Rails?


text: Bucketworks. That is the name of a unique meeting space in Milwaukee. They promote themselves as "The Worlds First Health Club for the Brain." We are going to be delivering one of our Life Cycles: bike building, teambuilding programs at their facility in April. The magic of this partnership is that for the past 17 years of delivering teambuilding programs and eight years of our bike building Life Cycles programs, I have been using the term Neurobics to describe what we do. Neurobics is defined as exercise for your brain. Research has shown that if you are right handed and brush your teeth with your left hand one day each week you will decrease your chances of getting Alzheimer's in latter years. Our body thrives on learning and growing. We are built to adapt to our environment, however we are also built to create safe predictable environments. This tug of war between growth and security is at the heart of our programs. We strive to inspire people through our teambuilding events enough to not only cause them to consider a new behavior but create enough motivation that they would be willing to catch themselves and their team being themselves and adopt the new habit when no one is watching. Would you be willing to brush your teeth once this week with your off hand? Try it. You have nothing to loose. It will cross some new wires in your brain and you might solve that nagging problem you have been facing at work. Check it out. It works!


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iHerb Customer Reviews
Savings of: $1.87 (17% off)
Great alternative to peanut butter!
Posted by TrueReviews on Nov 15, 2013
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Very good source of magnesium
Posted by Reviewer2954358 on May 24, 2011
Tastes great and one serving provides lots of minerals including magnesium. Because of these excellent nutrition qualities, I think I will be switching to this butter from an old staple - peanut butter.
Great product!
Posted by Reviewer1369954 on Jul 16, 2013
My son absolutely loves this spread, will eat tons of it by the spoon if I let him. Tastes a whole lot like peanut butter.
Perfect sunflower seed butter
Posted by Reviewer2219064 on Sep 02, 2013
Organic + no salt or sugar = perfect sunflower seed butter! Very healthy, vegan, safe for those with nut allergies, and tastes GREAT. Spread on celery then sprinkle raisins on top, or spread on gluten free wraps with preserves sweetened only with fruit juice (such as St Dalfours)for a perfect "pb & j", the possibilities are endless!
Heaven in a jar for peanut allergy sufferers.
Posted by Reviewer1271518 on Dec 30, 2010
I'm allergic to gluten, refined sugar, peanuts, and a myriad of other things, so when I found sunbutter's sugar free organic sunbutter, I nearly jumped for joy. It has turned out to be my all time favorite food. I hope they never stop making it, or else breakfast is going to be awfully boring again!
Posted by Reviewer1207034 on Apr 16, 2012
I can't buy organic in the area. I combine this w/ organic Almond butter and jam. Healthier than pb and my kids love it!
Just delicious
Posted by 5290389290612397617 on Dec 04, 2013
Love this organic spread on toast, in cookies and smoothies, and on top of oatmeal and smoothie bowls.
Peanut butter killer!
Posted by Rosiee on Sep 18, 2012
I don't have a severe peanut allergy, but when I eat peanuts/peanut butter , it is usual for me to develop a rash somewhere on my body. Peanuts are not so easy on the liver, and generally are some of the least healthy "nuts" (they are from the "Beans" family). Of course this review shouldn't be focused on peanut butter, but I use it to make my point. Yes, peanut butter is tasty, and there is nothing wrong with eating is as long as you don't have a peanut allergy, BUT I find Sunflower butter and Tahini (Sesame "butter") to be EXCELLENT, much more nutritious and healthy alternatives to it. This one is great - no salt or any unnecessary additives, I'm free to recognize the natural flavor. I personally find it delicious. As ingredient to my homemade protein bars or just straight out of the container, it makes for a great snack.
I love this product!!!
Posted by Danil35 on Sep 05, 2013
Such a nice creamy texture. Easy to spread and use in receipes. Great taste too!!!
Tasty butter
Posted by 5245572736140825319 on Sep 25, 2013
Love sunflower seed butter, has it's own taste and is sweet without any sugar.


text:
Raksha Bandhan
Friendship Day
Independence Day
Friendship Day SMS
Friendship is a silent gift of nature.. More old .. more strong.. more clear.. More close.. more warm.. Less words.. more understanding
Friendship is a language spoken by heart... not written on paper, not given by pledge... it is a promise renewed everytime we keep in touch.
A deep friend is like rainbow, when the perfect amount of happiness and tears r mixed, the result is a colorful bridge between 2 hearts.
At night, look at the sky. If you see a falling star, don\'t wonder why,just make a wish. Trust me it will come true,\'cause I did and got you
Do your feet never hurt ???? ... You are wandering around my thoughts all day long....
Your eyes are soft en tender,as sweet as they can be.There\'s one thing you must remember, you are the one for me!!!
I always thought loving some1 was d greatest feeling, but I realised loving a friend is even better, v lose ppl v love but not true friends
Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was choice, but falling in love with you was completely out of my control.
this WORLD, where everything seems UNCERTAIN, only one thing is DEFINITE. You\'ll always be my FRIEND, beyond WORDS, TIME & DISTANCE
Without humor, life sux. Without courage, life is hard. Without love, life is hopeless. Without friends like you, life is impossible!


text:
President Shimon Peres visits Canada: 'Israel's Dove of Peace'
thanks, for notes here and in other threads.
the news.sympatico.cbc article says Baird admits Iran hasn't said it would build a nuclear bomb.
Baird ought to critique Israel and the US and other known nuclear bomb-makers.
also, the article notes Baird's reversed view of economics; "Obviously, the situation in Greece is very, very different. Obviously there's some tough medicine that's required and sometimes the patient doesn't like it."
Austerity makes recession worse, in France, and elsewhere, and has turned recession in Greece into depression.
It did give some hope, that people in recent elections chose alternate economics.
I want to know what we are to make of the official flouting of a whole body of law that specifically enjoins the entry of any 'credibly suspected' war criminal, and if entry is effected, compels Canada to hold such a person for investigation and prosecution. That IS what the law says, and it is somewhat alarming that it can be ignored, without even a mention. Especially after Bush and Cheney and Splitting the Sky. It is known. Well known. Peres wouldn't be flying to Spain or even England, (with or without free passage for his oxygen tanks), because of the very real possibility of his apprehension there. Not to mention riots in the streets by outraged crowds if those governments attempted to permit such a reprehensible mass murderer entry.
I would also have thought it appropriate , that a supposedly 'progressive' site like Rabble.ca, might have reported something of the bloody and murderous misdeeds of this official's long and awful past. And perhaps also, since his time here and itinerary have been known for some time, have published the details of protests and demonstrations planned to receive Shimon Peres with something other than the shameful servility with which it appears our government and opposition dishonour themselves.
The now permanent presence of an Israeli military attache whose well publicized membership on the infamous 'DIRTY 200' List of Gaza War Criminals, was announced nowhere except here. This should also be cause for alarm. Not because I described this individual, quite correctly as a dirty Zionist war criminal, which he most certainly is, but because nobody else did. Anywhere. And believe me I searched. No mention was made by any Canadian media of his Gaza crimes or his position on the well publicized 'DIRTY" list. Obviously official Canada knows. Or should - including the NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair. So now we all know what 'an ardent supporter of Israel in all situations and circumstances' means - it means shaking hands with the devil. On your behalf and in your name. You put him there knowing this was his position, some of you here. You are soiled with him.
I think that we must examine with some rigour and honesty how it is that once again, Canada's so-called 'progressives' have, in the main, so spectacularly failed to launch. At this point in history, with the role of Zionist Israel so central to a rapidly expanding global order of imperialist warmaking and planetary destruction, and with such a heinous and violent 64 year crime spree - crimes against humanity ongoing in occupied Palestine, and especially in their gestapo gulag inside which hundreds now starve themselves to death for justice and assistance from the international community - for these barefaced monsters to come and go so freely here without complaint, commentary or confrontation except by the usual exemplary few - is appalling. Shocking. Shameful. And unacceptable.
Let us hope in his time remaining here, that all who truly understand the evil that Shimon Peres represents, brings to us, and involves Canada in furthering, will raise their voices and make it clearly understood that he is neither welcome nor wanted here. And that furthermore, the grave and continuing crimes of this dirty Zionist regime, shall not be permitted to continue.
thanks, for notes here and in other threads.
also, the article notes Baird's reversed view of economics; Obviously there's some tough medicine that's required and sometimes the patient doesn't like it."
thanks and I agree with you Leigh and can think of nothing better than administering some medicine to the minister myself. I can almost guarantee he wouldn't like it either but it would make me feel right as rain again. In such cases, one out of two aint bad..
Please Distribute Widely (last minute advisory guaranteed to produce minimum turnout)
Protest The Visit Of Shimon Peres to Canada
When: Wednesday, May 9th, 7PM
Where: In front of the Sony Centre, 1 Front Street, Toronto, (Front and Yonge)
This Wednesday, May 9th, Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, is giving a talk at the SONY CENTRE, one week before the anniversary of the NAKBA, and after three weeks of the mass hunger strike by over 1500 Palestinian political prisoners.
Shimon Peres, as Prime Minister, was responsible for the first QANA massacre in 1996 when Israel deliberately fired anti-personnel shells into a UN compound in Southern Lebanon where 800 refugees were seeking refuge. As a result 106 civilians were killed and 116 injured.
Show your rejection of this war criminal's visit to Canada and your support for Palestinian political prisoners by participating in this protest.
JDL Welcomes President Shimon Peres to Toronto - Protest Against Killer Omar Khadr
"Protest against killer Omar Khadr, Wed, May 9 @ The Sony Center, Toronto @6:00-7:30.."
these people ALWAYS show up - unlike many Canadian 'progressives'...
Anti Khadr [Jewish Defence League ] Activists Downtown Rally (and vid)
"Noisy activists handed out flyers Wednesday night outside a downtown speech by Israeli President Shimon Peres. The demonstrators were calling for terrorist Omar Khadr not to be brought to Toronto to serve the remainder of his jail term..."
'Ardent Supporter of Israel in all situations and instances' meets Cast Lead War Criminal
It's have fun and make up your own slogan time!
"They haven't kicked his gang out of the Socialist International yet, either.."
NDP Unfriendly To Israel - by Michael Coren
"...Opposition and NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, on the other hand, may personally support Israel, and certainly relies on Jewish support in his parliamentary riding, but he is increasingly a head without a body, a manager with a rebellious staff. In fact for someone like Mulcair to claim the NDP is the natural and long-term friend of Israel is an insult to Israelis as it is to the NDP membership...
This is a party sinking deeper into an irrational anti-Zionism, made all the muddier and darker by the influx of separatist MPs in orange clothing who are intimately connected to Quebec Islamic politics...
You're one of the last people left in the pro-Israel room in the house of Canadian socialism, my friend..."
But we all know you'll try much harder (and succeed!) to be nicer to Israel in future. You can do it Dippers!
Please see definitions 1#
Hi Aunty Semity you back here again?
OK, let's go with the Canadian flow: MODS, PLEASE REMOVE "or Dirty Zionist War Criminal?" from title, thanks.
President Shimon Peres: 'Be My Friend For Peace'
A Mother's Day Manifesto and Shimon Peres
"President Obama has announced he will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Israeli President Shimon Peres
According to the book 'Israel and the Bomb' by Avner Cohen, Peres played a key role in the Israeli nuclear weapons program. According to declassified documents published by scholar Sasha Polakow - Suransky in 2012, Peres even offered to sell nuclear tippied Jericho missiles to Apartheid South Africa.
According to the book 'Divert', part of the clandestine Israel nuclear program even involved stealing US government-owned nuclear material from the NUMEC plant in Pennsylvania. This occurred while Peres was in charge. Giving a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Peres is tantamount to rewarding the ONLY nuclear proliferator in the Middle East.."
thanks for news here. "Giving a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Peres is tantamount to rewarding the ONLY nuclear proliferator in the Middle East.." helps clarify contradictions.
I also heard on CBC radio that Palestinian prisoners had gone on hunger strike and now the Israeli government must give recent evidence of reasons for imprisonment. Israel had been imprisoning people without charges.
(post 44) is offensive.
nuclear weapons, including those of the US, and nuclear power, in Canada and elsewhere, are destructive and unnecessary.
Obama Honors Israeli Criminal With Medal of Freedom
US President Barack Obama has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Israeli President Shimon Peres, the man who has overseen the killing of Palestinian women and children by Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories for decades.."
not much of surprise..the Israeli zionist machine has the U.S. government in their back pocket..and as if the ongoing Palestinian apartheid isn't enough to change minds,the ongoing racist war on African migrants (who Israel describes as 'infiltrators') should sicken the supposed 'free world',especially Obama who has African roots.
The impunity and support continues...it's sickening..there's not a more disgusting and putrid state on the face of the planet.
Dear UNESCO: You're Not Going to Honor Shimon Peres? Really?
"...There is no other country in the world that continues to colonize, humiliate, oppress, kill and maim wantonly another people, indigenous to the region, than Israel does to the Palestinians. Shimon Peres presides over the highest office of Israel and has overseen the many wars waged against the people of Palestine adn the neighbors of Israel since before the country was founded in 1948. He is the person credited with establishing Israel's not-so-secret nuclear weapons program that poses an existential threat to the people in the region..."


text:
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text:
The critics have spoken and, not surprisingly, Roberto Bolaño's nearly nine-hundred-page novel 2666 [4], published last year by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, took top honors in the fiction category of the National Book Critics Circle [5] Awards, which were announced last night at a ceremony in New York City.
There was a surprise for poets, however, when, for the first time in NBCC history, two awards were given in a single category. August Kleinzahler [6] won for Sleeping It Off in Rapid City (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) and Juan Felipe Herrera won for Half of the World in Light (University of Arizona Press).
Other winners included Dexter Filkins for The Forever War (Knopf) in the category of nonfiction, Ariel Sabar for My Father's Paradise: A Son's Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq (Algonquin) in autobiography, and Patrick French for The World Is What It Is: The Authorized Biography of V.S. Naipaul (Knopf) in biography.
Click here for a list of the finalists [7].
Last year, Mary Jo Bang won the NBCC Award in poetry for Elegy (Graywolf), Junot Díaz [8] won in fiction for The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead), and Edwidge Danticat [9]won in autobiography for Brother, I'm Dying (Knopf).


text:
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presided over the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Signing Ceremony for the Jordan Compact at the U.S. Department of State on October 25, 2010. At the ceremony, the Secretary was joined by Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, MCC CEO Daniel Yohannes, and Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammad Najjar. The MCC Jordan Compact shows the strength of the U.S.-Jordan partnership.
Secretary Clinton said, "The United States will invest $275 million through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. I was very excited to share this good news with King Abdullah in person and I'm pleased to witness the official signing today. This will be a tangible demonstration of this friendship that exists between the people of Jordan and the people of the United States.
"Because of the upgrades that will be made to the water supply network and to improving waste water collection and expanding a key wastewater treatment plant, nearly two million people will gain more reliable access to clean water, many for the first time. These projects will help Jordan manage its water resources while saving money and protecting the environment. And over the long term, such improvements to Jordan's water system will help spur sustainable economic growth and improve public health. But the impact will be felt right away with much needed new construction jobs as projects begin. This is a real partnership."
In closing, the Secretary directed her words to the people of Jordan, "In a time when many families here in the United States are tightening their own belts and making difficult sacrifices, we are making this investment in your country because we believe in Jordan's promise and we are committed to Jordan's future. Americans understand that a strong and prosperous Jordan is good for the region and good for the world. We want to work with you to realize our shared aspirations and shape the future together. That is what this agreement is all about."
You can read the Secretary's full remarks here.


text:
At A Glance
Name: Wayne Leifert
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In Nucleic Acids Research this week: nanopore sequencing workflow to detect antibiotic resistance in gut microbes, TSSPlant tool, and more.
Because gene-edited organisms can cross borders, Gizmodo wonders whether there should be an international body to govern their use.
HHS Secretary nominee Tom Price is to go in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today, NPR's Morning Edition reports.
Prior to being closed, Theranos' Arizona lab failed an inspection by regulators, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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Versions available for this page: CUBRID 8.2.1 | CUBRID 8.3.0 | CUBRID 8.3.1 | CUBRID 8.4.0 | CUBRID 8.4.1 | CUBRID 8.4.3 | CUBRID 9.0.0 |
In this isolation level, uncommitted updates may be lost, which makes a transaction unrestorable (cannot be rolled back) because the data are committed before the end of the transaction. CUBRID does not support this isolation level because this can cause the updates made by the user to be lost. However, if this isolation level is specified, CUBRID provides an appropriate level to the user application.
The following are the rules of this isolation level:
Note A transaction can be restored in all supported isolation levels because updates are not committed before the end of the transaction.


text:
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Explore at your own pace – see Yas Island and the Sky Tower.Find out more
Discover the Gold Souk, Burj al Khalifa and the Jumeriah Mosque.Find out more
Take your adventure to the skies to see the spectacular Arabian Gulf.Find out more
Explore the world of Ferrari at this high-octane theme park.Find out more


text:
Moderators: peeker643, swerb, danwismar, furls
by Hikohadon » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:15 pm
by aoxo1 » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:47 pm
by fairvis » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:58 pm
by furls » Fri Oct 01, 2010 7:22 pm
by fairvis » Fri Oct 01, 2010 10:18 pm
by aoxo1 » Fri Oct 01, 2010 11:32 pm
fairvis wrote:Who cares about the Emerald Bowl anyways? People watch football to watch football... the bowl games (outside of one) are meaningless anyways, what's the difference keeping them around when they have exactly the same meaning- placing teams at the year-end poll?
by Hikohadon » Mon Oct 04, 2010 2:56 pm
fairvis wrote:The playoff proposals will all fall on deaf ears, because the current situation makes good money for everyone. Massive realignment to foment a playoff scenario is a non-starter. The only thing that would make sense would be to have all 11 current conferences get an autobid, and then 5 at-larges. 16 teams, first two rounds at the higher seeded team. This would keep the regular season intact, as you'd have to win your conference (or be lucky and get an auto-bid). There would be no maximum amount of conference teams in the playoffs- if the SEC had three or four teams in the top 10, then they'd all make it. It would kill the BCS, but the lesser bowl games would become like the NIT. People still watch the NIT, and it still makes money. There would be little argument from the teams "left out" as they'd still have the bowl game practices and the money associated with it- plus, they then should've won their conference.In this scenario, for example, last season would've had:1. Alabama2. Texas3. Cincinnati4. TCU5. Florida*6. Boise State7. Oregon8. Ohio State9. Georgia Tech10. Iowa*11. Virginia Tech*12. LSU*13. Penn State*14. Central Michigan15. East Carolina16. TroyIt's the only way that's fair, it's the only way that it would be done. Even with conference realignment, it would work... championship game winner gets in or regular-season champion gets in.
by Love child of shawn kemp » Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:14 pm
by jb » Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:20 am
by Triple-S » Tue Oct 05, 2010 12:09 pm
Swerb wrote:Go start a blog if you want to tell the world your incomprehendible ramblings.
Cerebral_DownTime wrote:I have a big arm and can throw the ball pretty damn far...... maybe even over those moutains. The Browns should sign me, i'll let you all in locker room to drink beer. Then we can all go out the parking lot to watch me do motorcycle stunts.
by Hikohadon » Tue Oct 05, 2010 1:42 pm
jb wrote:Hiko, address how it makes everyone more money and falates the big conferences so the competitive deck is stackd more in their favor and that starts get get real.Cause that's all tht matters.
by Madre Hill, Superstar » Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:39 pm
Hikohadon wrote:It's hard to understand why they're resisting.
by Hikohadon » Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:13 am
Madre Hill, Superstar wrote:Hikohadon wrote:It's hard to understand why they're resisting.The mob rules. Everyone in the NCAA wants a piece of that sweet sweet CFB money pie. Viewing time and interest is pretty close to a zero-sum game. Give the remaining bowl games NIT-level interest and a lot of schools aren't making as much money as they used to. I point back up thread to what Furls said about there now being 35 bowls. We're almost at the point of eventually seeing Minnesota vs Vanderbilt in the Discount Drug Mart Bowl.
by Triple-S » Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:22 pm
by Triple-S » Sun Oct 17, 2010 12:52 am
by Triple-S » Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:46 pm
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Breast cancer
All about breast cancer, including symptoms, risk factors, causes, and preventing breast cancer. Screening and diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and breast cancer, including mammograms, ultrasound and biopsy. Treatment information includes surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiotherapy, biological therapy, research, and clinical trials. Coping with breast cancer information includes managing after surgery, coping with menopausal symptoms, and breast cancer in pregnancy. Lastly, a section about breast cancer that has spread, including treatments and coping with secondary breast cancer.
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Skip to comments.Mother Of Alleged Occupy Cleveland Conspirator Calls For Death of FBI Informant
Posted on 07/25/2012 12:34:19 PM PDT by Nachum
The mother of Connor Stevens, one of five Occupy Cleveland members accused of attempting to bomb a Cleveland-area bridge on April 30, called for the death of the FBI informant in the case at a protest this morning. People are infuriated by sexual predators: put em away, kill em, how dare we have sexual predators! You know what that informant is? A sexual predator, only its under the guise of the FBI, said Gail Stevens, discussing the case with reporters in Akron.
Ms. Stevens assigned blame for the alleged bomb plot to the FBI, claiming her son Connor who is 20 years old was entrapped. Stevens went on to say, None of them have a car! None of them have a drivers license! But that criminal did. He drove them around, he took care of them, he worked with them 12 hours a day. That is a predator, and thats what happened in this case. They were taken in by a predator. To me, even worse than a sexual predator.
All five of the defendants in the case are adult males. Anthony Hayne, who pleaded guilty in todays court appearance, is 35 years old.
As reported by ABC 5, Supporters of the five held signs Wednesday that read Stop FBI Entrapment and Justice Dont Be Blind. The mother of one defendant says the suspects were manipulated by an FBI informant. In the story featuring the interview with Ms. Stevens, ABC 5 makes no mention of Occupy Cleveland although the alleged bomb-plotters were heavily involved with the far-left protest group.
(Excerpt) Read more at ohio.mediatrackers.org ...
Sounds like a real bunch of go-getters.
What did Nazi Pelosi call the Occutard protesters?
Spontaneous and Fresh and Vibrant or something like that?
All you have to know is how the FBI covered up the murder of Kenneth Michael Trentadue and you know they are capable of anything.
Pretty much.
Whitey Bulger.
Just like a loyal democrat! This video says it all.
The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.
I think her quote means something to the effect of - everyone everywhere is freaked out about sexual predators, to the point some want to kill them. But here we have a sex predator as an FBI informant.
And if that is her point then she is correct (among other reasons why informants many times backfire).
This is why I'm beginning to believe in collective punishment.
All those enabling "mommas" that say their (recently shot while committing a violent crime) boys were "good boys" and accessories (like Gail Stevens) need to be locked up along with their broods.
Sorry biatch, sexual predators take their victims unwillingly. Your son WILLINGLY went along, intending to blow up a bridge, along w/ his sicko buddies.
Unless this FBI informer took a gun to their head and FORCED them to attempt to blow up the bridge, YOU are just making excuses. Guess the apple DOES NOT fall far from the tree.
Sounds like your son is as stupid and ill informed as you are.
No, she's not saying that. She's saying the FBI informant is a predator and as bad as a sexual predator because he got her darling adult baby boy's confidence and then turned him.
Now we know where this stupid kid got his view point from...
Yeah, you're right. And I even read the whole article.
But my other point remains - I don't think she's calling for his death, as the headline states.
All five of the defendants in the case are adult males.
If Connor Stevens mother had bothered to gain her son's trust and admiration, he might not be in the pokey today. There's a reason that the FBI's tactics worked. Maybe the young man wanted to please someone he admired — like a father or a mother.
These guys were just begging to be set up and the feds were more than happy to oblige.
I'm not a fan of this kind of crap on the part of the feds but I'm also no fan of stupid.
He can't be found? How strange!
Check out this video on YouTube:
Sent from my iPad
Yeah, I'm not inclined to agree with the Occutards, but if they are saying that the FBI infiltrated an informant in their group as an agent provacateur, to encourage them to commit crimes so the FBI could make a big arrest, well, that sounds exactly like the FBI SOP for dealing with "domestic threats". They've done the same thing to militias and survivalist groups for many years.
A good rule of thumb is, if you are in any group, and someone starts suggesting that you guys should bomb something, the one doing the suggesting is working for the FBI.
The way to stop that is everyone in the group to report him to the fbi.
The nut doesn't fall too far from the tree.
Ya beat me.
I am just curious. Is this the same Gail Stevens that is pictured in this story: http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/politics&id=8744086 ?
Probably a fairly common name, but I was just wondering.
Hehe, yeah I guess that might work.
I'm waiting for a real FUBAR operation to happen where the FBI informant is egging on a group that ends up being composed completely of informants for other agencies. Who would they arrest then, each other?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Japan surrenders
This log from the U.S.S. Missouri records preparations for the September 2, 1945, surrender of Japan to the Allied powers, which ended World War II. The surrender proceedings themselves are summarized in the 8 A.M. to 12 P.M. entry. The entry continues on the next page of the logbook and records the times when every party signed the document.
National Archives, Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel


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>Runner's World - My Event Ratings>
In short: Blimey those hillsIn full: Long time since I have been to Penistone. I suppose I ought to have known what " as flat a course as you can get in Penistone meant " ! Date of review: June 30, 2013
In short: I like Clumber, I liked the new courseIn full: What t shirts ? We certainly weren't offered any. The goody bag wasnt in a bag but like a Crackerjack armful ( note age of runner ). The instructions with distance from car park were a down right lie. It was never 5 minutes to the old registration point this time more like 15. Black marks for One Step Beyond all roundDate of review: October 6, 2012
In short: Hot day good race goody deficientIn full: Admittedly a hot day but most drinks stations were too short. Result . Stop. Queue. Only water to drink after the race. A few gallons of squash would have been a good investment. Not usually picky about goody bags but this was poor. Could be so much better as an event Date of review: May 27, 2012
In short: Great well organised race. Shame about the litter loutsIn full: Really good organisation as we have come to expect and as enjoyable as 20 miles can be. Very disappointed with a number of my fellow runners. Not only discarding bottles everywhere but one guy in front of me threw his bottle 10 yards across a hedgerow in to a ditch. Normal behaviour or does tiredness affect people?Date of review: March 18, 2012
In short: Fog didnt help but the organisation was a bit flakyIn full: Never seen a finish quite like it . Cars parked made it very narrow and runners competing with cars buses etc made it less than safe. 90 degree bend 25 yards from finishDate of review: November 21, 2011
In short: Wonderful as everIn full: Loved the humour at the sponge station in the woods. Certainly gave this runner a lift Date of review: October 30, 2011
In short: Just get the organisation right !In full: I have done this race several times and the early chaotric organisation had improved year on year . But this year back to shambolic. One Step Beyond should be ashamed of the pre race arrangements. I keep coming back cos of ClumberDate of review: September 26, 2011
In short: What a race. Dozens of cold and smiling helpers.Special thanks to the kids in the car park and at finishDate of review: February 28, 2010
In short: Loved to new finish , great raceIn full: Lovely day , nice course , really enjoyed it and great BLUE t shirt. Couple of niggles. Start needs straightening out ( even if its a 10.75k ) and 3 and 4k markers can't both have been right. Great eventDate of review: December 13, 2009
In short: Wet, cold and grey. Enjoyed it thoughIn full: Very well organised , think the t shirt is great ( apart from it being red......being from the blue side of Sheffield) Nice touch with the cookie at the end Date of review: November 29, 2009
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text:
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in a case in which FTC accused memory-maker Rambus of anticompetitive behavior in deceiving a standards-setting body. Earlier this year the Court of Appeals did not find any violations made by Rambus and said that the technology developer was not guilty.
The has filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (CADC) in Rambus' favor. The CADC expressed "serious concerns" about the evidence on which the Commission relied for a number of its findings and held in particular that conduct by Rambus at a standards setting organization JEDEC did not injure competition. The FTC thinks otherwise.
In a unanimous decision in April of this year, the CADC determined the FTC failed to demonstrate that Rambus harmed competition. In March of this year, a
"We are not surprised by the FTC's filing and we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will confirm the decision of the CADC," said Tom Lavelle, senior vice president and general counsel at Rambus. "We will file our response in the near future, and I note that the rulings of the FTC's administrative law judge, the CADC and a federal court jury in March of this year confirm that our position is the correct one."
The FTC brought antitrust charges against Rambus in 2002. A three-month trial was held in the spring of 2003 before Chief Administrative Law Judge Stephen McGuire, who issued his initial decision exonerating Rambus with over 1600 findings of fact in its favor in early 2004. The FTC's own Complaint Counsel appealed the decision of the fact-finder to the full Commission, which reversed the ALJ and found Rambus liable for violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act.


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Skip to comments.80 is the new 65 when it comes to retirement, survey says
Posted on 11/16/2011 7:45:49 PM PST by newzjunkey
When it comes to retirement, many middle class Americans said 80 is the new 65 and plan to delay retirement because of worries over money, according to a new survey.
Wells Fargo bank asked 1,500 Americans who earned between $25,000 and $99,999 and ranged in age from 20 into their 70s questions about retirement, savings and Social Security for its seventh annual retirement survey... On average, Americans have saved only seven percent of their desired retirement nest egg, with a median of $25,000 saved versus a median retirement goal of $350,000...
"We did find a bright spot among middle class Americans - more than three quarters do not want to retire with mortgage debt..."
(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...
Life expectancy was 60 when Franklin Delano Rat-bastard forced SS upon the nation. That's why the age of retirement was set at 62. The bastard played no different than Bugsy Siegel.
Wow, very nice! Where is that?
I don;t think there is retirement mentioned in the scriptures....it mentions widows and such but it doesn't appear God established we should do so. Why don't you share where God mentions retirement?
My brother has done likewise....though he has no intentions of retiring until he can't work...he loves his job. But he too buys used vehicles and lives far less than his means could provide him. He enjoys saving his money and his wife is thrifty as well.
BTW I know a gal who has lived below the poverty level most of her life with no outside aid....not only is she surviving but she has no debt. She says she lives within her means and that is the secret to being independant and without debt.
I honestly don't know how she does it when you hear so many complaining who are on the welfare rolls...here this gal works at her job daily...gets her paycheck at weeks end and somehow makes it work. Really quite amazing.
Hence the reason all these people say they have to work until they are 80.
That is the secret.
Do it, and one day you will wake up realizing you matched your (probably six figure, by then, income) before you got out of bed.
A distinction without a difference.
I`m counting on "The Rapture " for my retirement.
Yes, I'd be interested in hearing that as well . . .
For this to function, you need to have enough kids raised to be successful to the point that between them they can take of you. You will also need to pour enough love and attention into them that they will do so.
Not only is this a principal found in scripture, it is how things have been done in most of the world throughout most of history, modern western nations not withstanding.
Absentee parents with latchkey kids or people who choose not to procreate earn the lonely end they generally get.
Anyone who imagines they can retire with $250K in the bank is delusional.
Its probably slightly better than that because you can draw down your principal if you assume a reasonable time horizon for living (let's say 20 years max after you retire). But you also have to adjust for inflation.
So.....my estimate is that $1.5M is really the current minimum if you want to maintain a middle class lifestyle.
They want people to work till they drop dead...
Easily it must be savings in excess of 1 million.
When I hear of people who have not begun to save, I am in amazed!
You have that right. You need $1,000,000 in investments to generate $50,000 a year, assuming a measly 5% return. And with returns averaging 1% and inflation thrown in you are going to need a lot more than $1,000,000 to have a sustainable income through retirement.
Yeah, you wouldn't want me to be your nurse at age 80. You wouldn't even want me to be your nurse at age 64 which is why I retired. Dealing with potentially dangerous drugs in a chaotic environment with constant interruptions, heavy lifting, working 12hr shifts on your feet the entire time is not for anyone who is not mentally very sharp and in good physical condition.
I would be thrilled if my investments were returning 1%. All they are doing is dropping like a stone in value and my investments are fairly conservative.
I know what you mean, .25% on my last 1 year CDs. I have lately been investing for Dividends, large blue chip companies that have a record of increasing, and not missing dividend payments. 6% return last year.
I know what you mean, .25% on last year' CDs. I have lately been investing for Dividends, large blue chip companies that have a record of increasing, and not missing dividend payments. 6% return last year.
we have nurses now working past 65.....its the economy of course but one nurse confided in me that she can't see being home with her retired husband all the time...LOL!
Yep, you got it.
Vietnam is quite friendly to the US nowadays... and it's a place that's very cheap to live on a fixed income, like retirement.
I retired at 55, now 57. Working until age 80 is fine if one never had to do a physical thing in his life.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Business Owners to Obama: This Is What You Need to Do Now
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Now that the election is over, small-business owners want change -- and they want it fast.
That message was loud and clear when many told TheStreet on Tuesday that they were voting for Republican Mitt Romney instead of President Barack Obama.
But, for better or worse, Obama has been re-elected by the country for a second term.
That means health-care reform is here to stay, taxes will likely increase, and a stalemate that has plagued Congress will stretch on unless the president can find a way for both sides to work together.
Small businesses are struggling, with many blaming Obama for over-regulation and under-funding.
In an October survey by Guidant Financial, Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA) gave a picture of all that is needed to get small businesses growing: "It is absolutely a priority to simplify the tax code, get rid of government red tape and allow our businesses the freedom, flexibility and economic certainty to do what they do best: create, innovate and build."
Small-business owners and industry members shared with TheStreet what the president needs to do to win their favor.
Small Business Administration
"The economy is doing a little better, which helped Obama. Hopefully, he comes back wiser in the second term and tries to help small businesses," says Rohit Arora, CEO of Biz2Credit.com.
"Obama should focus on strengthening the existing small-business lending programs and SBA instead of creating new entities like Secretary of Business, etc., which will increase the bureaucratic red tape," Arora says.
Health Care
"Accelerate creation of the state exchanges for insurance under the Affordable Care Act so we can start reaping the benefits of the pooled state-wide purchasing power and hold our rates down," says Keith Camhi, co-founder and CEO of Great Play , an 11-unit franchise of children's fitness establishments. "Health-insurance costs have been the fastest-growing expense line in our business, and these exchanges promise to be very helpful for that."
"The one thing I would ask President Obama is whether or not he will allow the Bush tax cuts to continue. The lower rates afforded by the cuts allow for money that would not be available to be invested in infrastructure, new employees and research and development. I understand the sunset provisions, but the president has it in his power -- as does Congress -- to extend them or, better yet, make them permanent," says Marc Spector, a principal at Spector Group, an architecture and design firm in New York.
Nick Balletta, CEO of TalkPoint, a global technology firm specializing in audio and video webcasting, echoes that. "Extend all the tax cuts that are currently in place permanently," he says.
"Expand small-business tax deductions for health care and hiring new employees to businesses with more than 25 workers," Noah Breslow, CEO of small-business lender On Deck Capital .


text:
Monday, July 19, 2010
Drugstore Makeup Tutorial - Smokey Eyes with a Pop of Color
I'm back with another tutorial! This entire look was done using drugstore makeup. I think it's really important to show how you can create great looks with affordable products. It's important to know what to look for and how to use them...I show you some really good drugstore items that I use on the regular. The look is a very wearable smokey eye with a pop of color. This is my first time using the whole zoom in method to film the tutorial, lemme know if you guys like it!
To see the look and tutorial, click here!
Check out the video tutorial!
Here's What I Used:
NYX eyeshadow base in skin tone
Neutrogena Nourishing Eye quad in Tea Biscuit
L'Oreal Liquid Lineur Intense in Carbon Black
Napoleon Perdis Eyeshadow Trio in Amsterdam
Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown
Ardell #107 lashes
Duo Lash Adhesive in Dark
L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black Mascara
Rimmel Fix and Perfect Foundation Primer
Revlon Beyond Natural Concealer in Medium
Rimmel Cool Matte Foundation
Cornsilk Translucent Pressed Powder
NYC Bronzer in Terracotta Tan
Jemma Kidd Color Adapt Cheek Color
Evian Spray
Elf Bronzer in Warm Tan
L'Oreal Lipstick in Fairest Nude
I also used all drugstore/craft store brushes.
The final look!
I took these pictures using my camcorder. It's not quite as clear as the digital camera pictures I usually look but it's a lot easier than switching memory cards. Let me know what you all think.
Hope you enjoyed, Ciao Bellas!
FTC Disclosure: I bought all items with my own money.
Atlanta Makeup Artist
15 comments:
- Hell Notes for Beauty™ said...
Very simple and pretty look. Loving the loreal lipstick.
- July 19, 2010 at 12:52 AM
- Gigi said...
Love the look! been looking for looks using pops of color on the upper or lower eye area.
- July 19, 2010 at 1:06 AM
- Niika said...
i like =]
- July 19, 2010 at 1:11 AM
- EYECONIC CREATIONS said...
Great tutorial! Very soft and pretty :)
- July 19, 2010 at 1:59 AM
- Yami said...
Wow, this look is so pretty. I really like how you put the purple~!
- July 19, 2010 at 2:09 AM
- rena said...
luv it!
great look!
- July 19, 2010 at 3:46 AM
- Marta said...
Loved, the zoom camera and the all products cheap and easy to find. I hope you make other videos like this.
Please put the brands and numbers of the brushes than you used, ok ?
Excuse my english, I'm using a translator.
Kisses, from Brazil
- July 19, 2010 at 7:01 AM
- mina said...
Love that lipstick!
- July 19, 2010 at 11:06 AM
- tricia torralba said...
I also have the same lipstick.:) i love the color. However, after i reapplied the color and finish it with a lipgloss, it starts to look muddy... I'm not sure whether the weather is to blame..
- July 19, 2010 at 2:03 PM
- jackeetm said...
So pretty! Simple and fun!! Love it!
- July 19, 2010 at 4:16 PM
- Dye-A-Graham said...
Ooooohhh I love this look...you blended the heck out of those colors, mama! hahaha You look beautiful, Ren...I'm going to try this for work tomorrow...thanks for sharing.
- July 19, 2010 at 4:23 PM
- Chibu74 said...
wow, love it
- July 19, 2010 at 5:51 PM
- DisturbiKa said...
Love the zoom camera! Some products are not that cheap in my country. For example, a L'oreal eye liner can be 13 dollars, which is good in dollars, but when you exchange to my money is a lot for an eye liner! Still a good price, but not exactly what we can call cheap.
The look is really nice!
- July 19, 2010 at 10:46 PM
- Makeup by Yolisa said...
this is very pretty - i love good quality drug store products.
- July 20, 2010 at 2:59 AM
- Tina-Bobeena said...
thanks for this post!!!!
- July 21, 2010 at 8:02 PM


text:
Lance Chapin Skater Profile
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Hometown: Baton Rouge FL, Stance: Regular, Age: 27, Status: Am
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text:
John Matel serves as Team Leader of the Al Asad Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team in Iraq.
Public perceptions of Iraq are not wrong; they are just out of date. Media coverage of Iraq has dropped in almost perfect correlation with progress made toward peace and stability. As a result, the picture persists from pre-surge 2006 but it is not 2006 anymore. It is post-surge in Anbar Province where a significantly more secure Iraq exists rebuilding, learning, governing, producing and starting to make huge strides along the road to prosperity.
Members of my ePRT recently made a visit to Al Qaim, near the Syrian border, and this provides a good example of what I am talking about. Back in 2006, Al Qaim was a bloody battleground, with AQI cutting off heads and hands while insurgents moved around the province with near impunity. This is the picture we all saw in 2006 of Marines fighting building to building and making gains street by street is the one unfortunately far too many of us still recall. The picture in 2008 shows an area of growing prosperity, with markets full of people and things to buy, homes and businesses being rebuilt and people looking to and planning for their future.
During the visit, ePRT affiliated trainers were just finishing up a course for city managers and local officials on project development and anti-corruption efforts. About forty officials attended the four-day program and even on the last day of the training they were involved, excited and animated. A four-day course will not solve Iraq's governance problems, but at least these officials had the ability to imagine and work toward a future better than the past.
Not far away is a vocational training center, run by a USAID contractor. It is graduating its second class of students since it was founded just over a year ago and a third class is already oversubscribed. Young Iraqis are learning all sorts of useful basic skills, such as electrical work, heating and air conditioning, appliance repair, auto mechanics and many construction trades. Students are enthusiastic and are already giving back to the community. For example, in the wood working classes they are assembling desks and bookcases for local elementary school rooms. Graduates are hired by local firms eager for employees with proven basic skills. They are offered good wages, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Demand for graduates far exceeded supply in the first two classes and there are plans to expand the program and make it self- sustaining by getting the businesses that benefit from the program to help fund it.
Iraq's various wars and the late insurgency took a heavy toll on the men of Al Anbar leaving many widows and orphans. One of the ways we are helping address their situation was by opening women's sewing centers, where they are offered training in sewing and tailoring. This is not a temporary fix. These skills can provide basic income and the chance to start a small home business. Graduates get a sewing machine and some basic materials upon graduation to get them started. Empowering women even in a small way that enable them to prosper in specially heartening given the plight of so many widows and orphans across Western Anbar.
A proven way to jump start small businesses is with small loans (microfinance). The microfinance program in Al Anbar made its first loans last November. The number now has reached 211, totaling almost $500,000 and 100% of the payments have so far been made in full and on time. Our team met the owner of a small tire repair shop who benefited from the loan program. He bought a computerized tire balancing system, which increased his customer numbers several fold while saving him time and allowing him to do a better job faster. We talked to another small merchant/manufacturer who creates custom steel rebar and angle iron for construction. When we asked him how his business would have been w/o the small loan program, he told us that he would clearly and simply not have a business at all without the program.
Iraq is certainly no paradise and but what is important here is that it shows what has been done, what can be done and what continues to need to be done here in Iraq. Behind the thriving shops and busy markets are wrecked buildings and damaged lives. Terrorists continue to lurk in the shadows looking for weak spots and openings. But Iraq today shows an unquestionably brighter picture than in 2006 or even back when I arrived just a few months ago in September 2007. The Iraqi people are proving resilient in the face of enormous challenges and demonstrating every day and many ways that if given a chance to improve their lives, they will take it and they will grasp at this new life with a vigor that we often do not see in even more developed situations. The people of western Anbar risked their lives to break free of the grip of AQI and the insurgency. Now they are building the lives they fought for. In our small way, we are helping.
SNP in Syria writes:
Mr. Matel, We thank you for the effort, the hard work and determination. It is not easy to transfer the Iraqi people to 21st century in short period of time after languishing under U.S. and Western backed diabolic Baathist rule for so long. These Iraqis did not receive any reprieve from anyone while they were under such an atrocious Baathist regime that was installed by the CIA against the will of the people decades ago and unconditionally supported.
You better be prepared for life long stay, train your kids for such a noble service of setting up mom and pop sewing sweatshops as the future U.S. President McCain said, It is going to take a 100 years for Iraq to come to age, and he is correct, it is going to take that long, considering Iraq was for more than 40 years under such a destructive Western backed Baathist regime and CIA hand picked evil ruler Saddam who literally brought Iraq into an oblivion conditions, he managed with the help of the United Nations to destitute the Iraqi people.
Frankly, considering it's massive oil wealth (not knowing that the West got all that cash for weapons) it was shocking to many Syrians to see on television screens the first images coming out of Iraq during the illegal U.S. invasion of the country on a false, fabricated causes, as they marched up to forcefully occupy Baghdad against all international laws and treaties. Syrians witnessed for the first time the level of infrastructure desolation, backwardness, abject poverty of the destitute Iraqis. It was shocking to many who had imagined Iraq to be somehow, albeit to lesser extent, on the level of Kuwait. Rather they saw images of Iraq of the 16th century similar to today's images found in Syria, Egypt and Gaza.
Dan in Oklahoma writes:
What plans and preparations are being made to sustain redevelopment efforts, for all of Iraq, in the event that U.S. support is dramatically reduced? Are Radio Schools or other distance learning efforts being planned to help provide remote self-help instruction? In brief, can the current efforts be sustained with minimal, direct American participation. I would appreciate your observations in anticipation of any major changes after the next election. Thanks.
Ronald in New York writes:
Perception, deception...
Sorry, no sale. The situation in Iraq has been exacerbated by U.S. invasion, intercene violence and the brutality of Blackwater and other private, unaccountable creations of the State Dept. Trying to spin a tale of USAID improvements is quite disturbing and exploitive. In a large way, we have hurt Iraq, and it is pathetic that State would try to write a positive outcome in this piece.
DipNote Blogger John Matel writes:
@ Ronald in New York --
It depends on what you think I am trying to sell. I am not an expert on Iraq policy nor on the Middle East. What I know here in w. Al Anbar I know from personal experience and from talking to people who have lived through the recent past. You are entitled to your own opinions about Iraq but not to your own facts, and it is a fact that even in the short time I have been here (now approaching five months) significant progress has been made in improving lives. I see from the physical evidence that places which were battlegrounds a few months ago are coming back to life. I know from talking to people how terrible the insurgency was. Remember the sequence of events. The people of Al Anbar started to fight the insurgents and that is one of the things that made success possible. It was their fight that we helped win.
I can also give you another observation as an eye witness. Actual war damage was/is not the biggest problem with getting industries up and running. State owned enterprises were poorly managed and not well maintained for many years; they were not so much destroyed by war as just run into the ground by bad management.
UN sanctions played a role in this, but when you see Saddam's palaces, some of them built during sanctions and all of them beautifully maintained throughout that time, and compare them with power stations, factories or refineries, which seem to have little maintenance and no investment during that same time, you can clearly see his priorities.
So my "sale" is simple and I believe evident to anybody who looks around. Conditions now are amazingly different from those of 2006. I believe that many people still have not gotten that message and view the situation through the prisms of 2006 or before. Your posting would tend to provide evidence that I am correct.
@ Dan in Oklahoma --
Iraq is a strange mix of contradictions. I read information today telling me that there are internet cafes in all significant towns in W. Al Anbar and that 25% of the population has internet connectivity in their homes. This is astonishing in a county that had virtually no open internet just five years ago and even more astonishing when you consider the isolation and remoteness of western Al Anbar. Cellular phones have experienced an even steeper exponential growth.
I don't write this to astonish you, but to suggest that we may be dealing with an entirely different paradigm now that distance shrinking technologies are coming literally online. Radio was a mass technology of an earlier distance learning era. If a significant % of the population has access to Internet, that can be a more appropriate and targeted tool.
This also goes to your question re sustainability. We underestimate the Iraqis and their ability to get what they want given the opportunity. Again, the Internet provides the paradigm. When I arrived at post, I considered setting up Internet "hot spots" to encourage local connectivity. Some people thought this might be a bridge to far in this remote place. Not only was it not too far out, the Iraqis were already doing it themselves.
I believe that if we set some of the processes in motion and there is a reasonable security and market economy condition, Iraqi initiative will do the rest. Right now is the crucial time to help get them over the hump.
When you consider how far this place has come since the terrible days of the insurgency, it really does move at warp speed relative to its past.
@ SNP in Syria --
I am a little surprised by your evident nostalgia for the pre-Baathist Kingdom of Iraq. Of course, it is true that subsequent regimes made it look like a golden age in comparison. Your imaginatively conspiratorial view of the history that followed is fascinating, but I am curious how that would work as a general proposition. Given your formulation, how do you explain current conditions in your own country? Who is pulling those strings, in your opinion?
When I look at the junk heaps of Saddam era weapons, I see mostly Soviet made equipment. Around Al Asad, there are MiGs literally lying in the desert. But there is no pre-2003 American equipment to be seen. Since the physical evidence indicates where the bulk of the "support" came from, did you consider the Soviet Union a "western" power.
Re: the broken infrastructure, please see above. You are right. The place was horribly mismanaged. It is a general problem of dictatorial socialism and oil wealth may actually have exacerbated the problem, but this kind of speculation is getting beyond my experience.
Re: being in Iraq in the development business for a long time -- I think you underestimate the Iraqi people. They have made a lot of progress since you saw the shabby images you said were featured on your government controlled media. The whole point of my post is to update the image and bring it into the present tense.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Hey John, got an idea to toss your way.
How about you have some of the Iraqis you are in contact with add their 2 cents worth to those irreconcilable with success.
Kind of wonder if some of them might enjoy a go in addressing some of the more asinine previous comments I've read so far here.
I think if what the Iraqi people needed was to know the U.S. is serious about providing security, they have reason to believe it now.
And do it for themselves.
So if I were to ask one of them a question, it would have to be, "What do you think about being a nation builder?"
Aye well, my point being there's some 30 years worth of construction experience suggesting the world we live in is made by nations of nation builders, on many levels.
Joe in Tennessee writes:
I believe the Handwriting is on the wall actually...in more ways than one. It would be positive propaganda to paint walls such as this all over Iraq. It is a productive image.
And Eric: You can't defend every single communication line, building, water line, etc. Even here in the U.S. it would be impossibility, especially given the magnitude of zealotries involved.
The objective was to establish a working base of security so the Iraqi citizen would DEFEND themselves. Simple things like Citizen Patrols, which work well here in America, need to be implemented. The people have to care about their own security and over ride their fears staged in a false religious unity. The only enemy they now have is themselves.
To be honest Eric, as far as Security is concerned: The United States is ahead of the original Navel War College estimation given to both Congress and the Senate for security in Iraq before this war was voted in. Politics is pushing changes, not facts.
Heather in California writes:
John, thank you for all your hard work. Some people may refuse to believe in the progress that is being made, but I'm glad to see that skepticism is not deterring you.
SNP in Syria writes:
@ DipNote Blogger John Matel -- Unfortunately the whole Middle East never got a chance to stand on its feet since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire after WWI. The Western Colonialist right away devised the Sykes-Picot Treaty, divided the whole area into colonial cantons and gone to the league of Nation to ask for permanent Mandates. We are still living in that history, still to this day, nothing has changed. It is yet to blow up in your or your children face. You, like others are living in a daydream land of your own false imagination and the feel good hype you are trying to sell.
We have no respect, nor confidence, in the Iraqi people whatsoever. They will never make it out of this, not even in Five thousand years. A nation that will tolerate 90 years consecutively a Western installed Bedouin king from the Arabian desert to rule over them, a British installed ruthless dictator, then a CIA installed thug named Saddam, and never rise up against any of these rulers and install own respected nationalist leader, is a disrespected dead nation of people that have no honor and no dignity, just like the typical humiliated, coward many Moslem nations that you see all over the world. The plotters of Iraq invasion knew for a fact, that Iraqis will simply submit to them and live with the occupation for a hundred years.
Islam, was not a religion to bring salvation from a god that live of the Seventh floor to the ungodly Syrian Nation, but just as Christianity before it was a Persian concocted sedition plot, Islam is a seditious, sinister conspiracy to subjugate the Great Syrian Nation to surrender and live under utter defeat and humiliation to the invading nomadic Airab Bedouins that are led by a sinister entity with a sinister, evil plan.
Iraqis, like many in the Middle East abandoned their culture, history, identity and civilization, stopped worshipping the true Universal Creator and chose to worship an Airab god named "SIN" and his daughters "Anaat and Alaat." They all now bow down in humiliation and face the house of Qaba (formally known as the house of Anaat and Allat) rather than own Ziggurats, Heliopolis or Antioch. They have no dignity and no honor.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ Joe in Tennessee -- Joe, I think you misunderstood that I was putting myself in an Iraqi's shoes as to whether the perception of U.S. intent to "get serious" about security in their eyes had produced confidence on a social level for them to seize the moment as it were.
That America has taken security seriously from get go is not the issue, we have. It's more a matter of results having taken time and strategy adaptations to bear fruit.
Also, Iraqis have witnessed a sustained effort on the part of the Iraqi government as well, and that has had probably as much to do with creating the conditions for an awakening in the first place, as much as anything the U.S. has done.
Naturally enough, Iraqis have taken to the notion that this is their fight to win, not just the fight of those helping them win their right to a better future.
Therin lies the key to stability and sustainability of the effort on all levels.
Some question if the cost is worth it. I wonder if folks after D-day thought it was worth 6000 U.S. casualties on one day in June 44 to defeat Hitler? They who doubt should ask the French.
I'm not exactly comparing apples and oranges here...
Results matter.
Thanks for the info, and the debate.


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Family of missing man asks for public's help
Ruth Erkkila
CALUMET – Ruth Erkkila, 93, passed away Jan. 28, 2013, at GardenView Assisted Living and Memory Care in Calumet.
She was born on Feb. 2, 1919, in Calumet, a daughter of Carlos and Violet (Munch) Cane. Ruth attended the Public Schools of Calumet through the 10th grade when she left school to help out with the family business, Cane's Taxi.
After her marriage to Reino Erkkila of Calumet, she devoted her life to being a homemaker for her family. Ruth especially enjoyed sewing, cooking and baking for her children, grandchildren and friends. She and Reino built their own home, sauna and garage on Lakeshore Drive and were able to spend many enjoyable years there together.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Reino; her parents; and brother, Louis.
She is survived by her son, Robert (Ginny) Erkkila of Calumet; daughter, Ruth (Gary) Albig of Brooklyn Park, Minn.; her loving sister, Violet (Francis) Cloutier of Laurium; and grandchildren, David (Mary) Erkkila of Brighton, Mich., Dan (Barb) Erkkila of Durango, Colo., Carrie (Dan) Huuki of Atlantic Mine, Susan (Steve) Kangas of Laurium, Mark (Amy) Erkkila of Calumet, Kurt (Renee) Erkkila of Laurium, Ruth (Greg) Storm of Laurium, Gina (Jeff) Erickson of Laurium, Kristen (Jeff) Voorhies of Comstock Park, Mich., Jodi (Jason) Skoog of Laurium, Jenny (Doug) Leaser of Elk River, Minn., Alan (Irina) Albig of Boise, Idaho and 44 great-grandchildren. Ruth is also survived by her brother-in-law, Harry (Caroline) Erkkila of Laurium; sister-in-law, Winnie (Erkkila) Jarvinen of San Bruno, Calif. and numerous nieces, nephews and a few cousins.
A memorial service will be held for Ruth at the Ryan Funeral Home in Calumet on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 1pm. Friends may call at the funeral home prior to the service from 11am to 1pm.
The family would like to thank Dr. Dawn Lee and the nursing staff at Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital, the staff and residents at GardenView Assisted Living, who welcomed Ruth and supported her with loving care during her stay there, and especially to our cousin, Albert Erkkila and his wife Rita, who looked after our mother and assisted her in so many ways since the passing of our father in 2005.


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Kylie Minogue isn't known for her conservative outfits, but the blonde Australian shocked even her most devoted fans when she stepped out onto the stage during a Scissor Sister's performance in Glastonbury looking lovely.
Minogue wore a cape, a lacy body suit, thigh-high boots and bright blue eye shadow for her surprise appearance.
The sultry songstress looked fantastic, and even though her get-up was a little racy, it seemed completely appropriate for the campy show.
Her impeccable eye makeup made the look, and women who have a fun night out planned should seek to emulate Minogue.
To match her makeup, apply a bold, cream-based blue eye shadow, followed by a streak of liquid liner on top of the shadow, for extra definition.
To make lashes stand out, use black, navy or green water resistant mascara. An acrylic-based tubing mascara is ideal for those who want a product that won't clump, smudge or smear.
The singer paired the dramatic eye makeup with subtle pink lips. Ladies who attempt her bold look should remember to keep the rest of their products simple.


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"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. "
Understanding Your Choices
Like home shoppers, private air travelers have only two main options-renting and buying. The numerous other alternatives are just variations on these basic choices, but, oh my, how the marketers of business aviation try to convince consumers otherwise.
To be fair, the tweaking of options is often in response to the marketplace and frequently results in good opportunities for consumers. But buyers must never forget that the devil is always lurking in the details.
The table on page 8 outlines the main offerings available to private air travelers. Here's a closer look.
Basic charter is similar to renting a hotel room or house for a short time. Block or volume charter is akin to negotiating a discount when reserving a large block of hotel rooms or one room at a fixed time every month. Fractional ownership is like buying a timeshare in a vacation home. Ownership of an aircraft, by oneself or in partnership with others, is similar to owning a house. Leasing an aircraft, new or used, is like renting a house for an extended period.
Having a company manage your owned or leased airplane is akin to paying an agent to take care of everything to do with your property-from hiring and paying the staff to repairing the furnace to maintaining the garden. Allowing an aircraft management company to charter out your airplane is analogous to having a property manager rent your house to others when you aren't using it.
The only private aviation option that defies comparison to real estate is the so-called jet card. This is a charter deal that's similar in use to a prepaid telephone or debit card, though with a much larger minimum payment.
Among this year's trends is one exemplified by two of the major business aircraft manufacturers-Bombardier and Cessna. Both have arrived at a point where they're not only selling and supporting their aircraft product lines, but are also providing a full range of private-travel options to consumers. While their paths to this destination were different-and are stories in themselves-the outcomes are strikingly similar.
Bombardier, via its Flexjet subsidiary, today offers charter, block charter, jet cards, fractional ownership and aircraft management of your owned airplane, which the company will also charter out if you wish. And yes, Bombardier is still happy to sell or lease to you a new or used airplane, which you may fly away to your own hangar on your home airport and operate with your own flight and ground crews. And the company will help you arrange financing, take your current airplane in trade and maintain your new one under warranty at its factory and authorized service centers.
Cessna Aircraft, via its CitationAir division, is doing the same thing. Besides some program details (remember the devil?), the major differences are the aircraft models offered. Each manufacturer deals only in its own aircraft (although both will, of course, take in trade and resell used airplanes built by other companies).
No other business aircraft manufacturers provide all these user options. Hawker Beechcraft actually did feature such offerings a while ago, when it was part of Raytheon Company, but it ended up selling its fractional (Flight Options) and charter and management businesses.
Dassault Falcon has a small charter operation based at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, but its Web site link for "Fractional Ownership" goes to NetJets, which operates jets from other manufacturers as well as some Falcons.
Neither Gulfstream nor Embraer offer consumer options. However, General Dynamics, which owns Gulfstream, in 2008 bought Jet Aviation, which does manage and charter aircraft, though these two businesses remain separate entities under the parent company.
It's too early to judge whether the "old country buffet" approach will work for Bombardier and Cessna. Both of their product lines do lend themselves to the concept, however. Gulfstream's and Dassault Falcon's lines, which lack entry-level and light jets, would appear not to. Embraer's budding and expanding roster of jets could eventually embrace the concept and, given the company's stated goal of becoming a major player in the market, there's no telling what might emerge.
An interesting coda to the jet manufacturers' stories is the situation with two major business turboprop companies-Italy's Piaggio and Switzerland's Pilatus. Neither offers consumer options. However, separate, non-manufacturer fractional operators devoted solely to their products are doing well. These are Avantair, which flies only the Piaggio Avanti twin-engine turboprop, and PlaneSense, which features only the Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop. In fact, these two fractional providers have fared better in the current economy than the ones dealing in jet aircraft.
NetJets, which is the king of fractionals and not affiliated with any single manufacturer, faces well-publicized problems, but new management seems intent on cutting costs to levels that will turn the company around. Gone or at least much less firm than in past years, however, are the blockbuster aircraft orders that NetJets had with Cessna, Dassault Falcon and Gulfstream.
Flight Options, Flexjet and CitationAir have all seen headier days, which is a major reason for the latter two's embrace of new approaches.
We should mention that many charter/management companies use such tactics as well, offering all the same consumer options that Bombardier and Cessna do, except for selling new aircraft directly from the factory. Some even offer advice and assistance to customers looking to buy new aircraft or buy and sell used aircraft.
Meanwhile, one hybrid charter/fractional company, California-based XOJet, appears to be carving out its own successful niche. Few charter companies actually own the airplanes they put out for charter. Rather, the aircraft are owned by individuals and companies unrelated to the charter company, except through their aircraft management contracts. XOJet, however, owns most of its fleet; what it doesn't own, it has sold to customers, for whom it manages the airplanes. The fleet consists of just two models, the Cessna Citation X and Bombardier Challenger 300. These were selected, the company says, because their performance and size make them particularly efficient for U.S. transcontinental charter and fractional operations. XOJet also offers fixed-pricing on a network of city-pairs across the U.S.
Switzerland-based VistaJet, like XOJet, owns most of its fleet and it will manage your owned aircraft. However, VistaJet offers block charter instead of fractional deals. It also operates outside the U.S., uses only Bombardier airplanes and has a charter tie with Flexjet for U.S. flights. Finally, VistaJet doesn't offer fixed prices on select routes, as XOJet does. The size of VistaJet's business jet fleet is second only to that of NetJets Europe outside the U.S.
XOJet's and VistaJet's business models appear to be working and both these private companies profess to be sufficiently capitalized. Commercial aviation is a tricky business, however, and the proof will be in the longevity of these outfits. In the history of business aviation, more than a few highly hyped and ostensibly solidly backed aircraft charter and fractional companies have gone out of business.
On the pure charter front, two developments deserve mention. Richard Branson's Virgin Charter online marketplace for air charter folded last October. (At the time of its launch in March 2008, I suggested that "online charter booking could become as commonplace as online airline booking in a few years," but I wasn't the only one making optimistic predictions: CNNMoney.com in 2007 named Virgin Charter one of "15 companies that will change the world.")
Two other business-to-business companies that focus on online charter-U.S.-based CharterX and Sweden-based Avinode-merged this year. While their Web sites aren't for consumers, charter operators and brokers use the CharterX and Avinode online scheduling systems to match requests with operators. This merger should benefit end users by identifying a greater number of flights and more timely availability of empty-leg flights.
Another options trend-while somewhat amorphous-is the increasing appearance of private-aircraft membership clubs (jet-it-together.com) and charter brokers promoting ride-sharing (evojets.com), and sometimes a combination of the two (greenjets.com). All are based on charter, some involve an element of charter brokering and all are online (see "Share a Ride, Save a Bundle?" in our April/May 2010 issue).
Their main marketing pitch is lower cost, though Greenjets promotes its eco-friendliness as well. Some Web sites are affiliated with a specific charter operator (cogojets.com, for example, shares common ownership with Jet Linx Aviation); others (jetcharterpool.com) are simply trying to connect travelers so they can match trips and share a jet. This is definitely an area where the consumer should apply the timeless axiom, "buyer beware." A cautionary note: All such concerns, as well as pure charter broker sites, should post statements indicating that they do not own the aircraft they are finding for users-a requirement of the feds in the U.S.
Making private air travel more affordable-as these operations are trying to do-would seem a good way to expand the industry. The problem now is that the industry is already too expanded for the current level of usage. The inventory of used jets, while below its high in 2009, remains well above "normal" levels, which is keeping used-jet prices down and depressing sales of new jets. The number of jets available for charter also exceeds demand, forcing some charter operators and owners of managed aircraft to offer charter rates as low as, or even below, their hourly operating costs. Still, increasing the number of customers has to have good effects in the long run.
Though the basic private air travel options-rent or buy-will remain with us unless and until changed by regulation, the industry continues to evolve. Operators will likely keep designing and offering new ways to present their products within the limits of the regulations and good business practices.
How do you pick what's right for you from this ever-changing smorgasbord of private air travel options? In a word, carefully.
Do your own research, talk to friends who use private aviation (or even hitch a ride with them), visit the facilities of charter and fractional operators, talk to representatives of the aircraft manufacturers, seek advice from industry experts and consultants, go to trade shows and other events organized by the National Business Aviation Association, the European Business Aviation Association and others, and continue to read this publication and visit our Web site (bjtonline.com). As business aviation changes, we'll keep you in the know.
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text: Not a bad question at all. If you take a sharp object like an ice pick and stick it in and wiggle it around a little bit in several places, you will start to have pieces come off. For want of an ice pick, a fork or nail would probably do just fine. This particular tuocha seems rather lightly compressed and pretty dry (not very dense feeling). You might be able to just sort of apply pressure in opposite directions with your two hands moving gradually around the tuocha and loosening it with this pressure till you can pull chunks out.Ron Gilmour wrote:Ok, dumb beginner question: What exactly do I do with that big ol' tuocha in my "Year of Green" package? Take a hammer to it? Steam it to break it up?


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- Home
- Shows & Schedule
- Oliver's Twist
- The Boat Trip
Oliver's Twist
The Boat Trip
Jamie's friend Brian is a man who has everything, including a brand new motor boat. It is moored in a little town called Windsor - home to the Queen of England! Jamie decides to make a suitably posh picnic feast of champagne, strawberries and lobster.
(Episode: JO1B14)
Recipes from this episodeAll Oliver's Twist Recipes
Brian's Eton MessRecipe courtesy of Jamie Oliver