text:
Recently I have been amazed at the number of people receiving opiates chronically for pain. I have been challenged in my practice about how to respond to these people and whether or not to prescribe opiates or start people on opiates when they ask. Some of the people I meet have been on opiates for years at relatively high doses, so I wondered about the risks of benefits of these practices. I am reticent to start opiates among people who are not taking them, but likewise, I don't want to suddenly stop opiates for those people who have been taking them for years.
I found a paper written by Drs. Jane Ballantyne and Jianren Mao called Opioid therapy for chronic pain and published in The New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 349, no. 20, pages 1943-53, 2003). These authors wrote that the published trials on opiate use for chronic pain left two important questions unanswered: Is opioid therapy beneficial in the long term (over a period of years rather than months), and does the dose have an effect on the efficacy and the safety of long-term therapy? Few, if any studies, have addressed these questions. A fundamental principle of acute pain management is that the dose of an opiate should be increased until maximal analgesia is achieved with minimal side effects. Experts advise that in the treatment of chronic pain the initial dose increases should be achieved within weeks, doses should be moderate and further increases in the dose should be introduced with extreme caution.1 However, my experience has been that many physicians take a much more liberal approach to dose increases. Some patients with chronic pain receive doses as high as 1 g or more of morphine (or a morphine equivalent) per day, which may be five or more times the doses validated by the literature (see Ballantyne and Mao). In my experience and in that of Drs. Ballantyne and Mao, patients receiving opioid doses of this magnitude rarely report satisfactory analgesia or improved function. Although the clinical trials carried out to date have not examined the efficacy and safety of prolonged, high-dose opioid therapy, they say that evidence is rapidly accumulating that, in the treatment of patients with chronic pain, opiate doses should be limited in order to maintain both efficacy and safety.
I find these patients who are on high dose opiate therapy and still complaining of severe pain difficult to manage. Clearly, the answer is not to further increase their already high dose of opiates, get this is what they demand and feel entitled to receive. Since tolerance develops, the doses requested become higher and higher and for uncertain benefit.
So what is chronic pain? The International Association for the Study of Pain states that it is pain that persists past the healing phase following an injury.2 However, it's difficult to know when the healing phase ends, so most people definite chronic pain as pain persisting 6 months after the initial onset. We know from animal studies that the nerves in the spinal cord that transmit pain signals to the brain undergo dramatic reorganization during those six months in which the pain becomes chronic.3, 4 The brain also remodels itself over time to feel more pain than it is currently feeling. The process in both the spinal cord and the brain has been called allodynia. Most of us have experienced during the course of recovery from a sunburn in which even a gentle breeze against the burn feels painful. Once this remodeling has happened, then reducing chronic pain requires changing the brain. Within the brain, large overlaps exist between the circuits that manage pain from the body and social pain, sadness, and emotional distress, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to tease apart the pain related to signals from the body, to sadness, and from our sense of distress.
Further complicating matters is the belief of many patients that the cause of their pain can be located by an X-ray. Patients often bring me their X-rays to "prove" that their pain is "real". Actually, they don't have to prove pain to me. I understand that pain is real, though I believe the perception of pain occurs in the brain itself (just as does our perception of all body sensation, including vision, hearing, smell, and touch). Studies don't actually prove that X-ray findings have any relation at all to pain. Dr. Maurits van Tulder and colleagues reviewed all the available studies on this matter to determine if there was a relationship between X-ray findings and back pain. They concluded that no firm evidence existed for the presence or absence of a causal relationship between X-rayfindings and back pain.
So what about this phenomenon of tolerance that I introduced above? Opioid tolerance develops with the repeated use of opioids and brings about the need to increase the dose to maintain pain relief. There are two types of tolerance, association or learned and non-associative or adaptive. Associative tolerance is linked to environmental cues and involves psychological factors, mediated in part through the seeking system of our brains so well-described by Jaak Panksepp. The seeking system is also called the mesocortical dopamine system and it drives us to seek for things. Seeking has been found in studies to be more rewarding than findings. Patients on opiates learn to seek opiates. Nonassociative tolerance is an adaptive process at the cellular
level that involves a reduction in the turnover rate and number of receptors to opiates and/or a reduction in the sensitivity of these receptors to opiates.6-8 In patients receiving prolonged opioid therapy, increased production of an opiate made by the body itself (called dynorphin) has been found in the spinal cord dorsal horn neurons (where the relay station happens between the nerve coming to the spinal cord from the body and the nerve going into the spinal cord). This is associated with enhanced sensitivity to pain and may be an important reason why opiates do not seem to provide long-term pain relief.
Long-term use of opioids also appears to be associated with the development of abnormal sensitivity to pain. Studies suggest that this opiate-induced abnormal pain sensitivity has much in common with the neuropathic pain10,11 and has been observed in patients treated for both pain and addiction.12-15 Animal studies suggest that the cause is irreversible neurotoxic changes including cell death mediated through the NMDA-receptor.16-18
I continue to prescribe opiates for people who are already taking them if they are willing to work with me to address some of the other aspects of their chronic pain and to learn methods of managing pain that are not opiate-driven. This is primarily because of my own experience that increasing the opiate dose doesn't actually seem to improve function or reduce pain on a long term basis. It seems to have a temporary effect which wears off by the end of the month when further dose increases are requested. What I require is that people
1. Attend our pain management/education group at least twice monthly. We complete pain diaries during the group along with measures of the severity and type of pain.
2. Engage in body/movement therapy of some type at least once weekly. This can be physical therapy, yoga, t'ai chi, chi gong, or supervised exercise.
3. Be willing to try non-opiate medications which can reduce reliance on opiates.
4. Undertake counseling with someone knowledgeable of pain for at least two sessions per month, either within our practice or outside of it.
Patients are often skeptical about being asked to move, but studies confirm that this is helpful for back pain. For example, Dr. Claus Manniche and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen9 studied the effect of 30 sessions of intensive dynamic back extensor exercises for patients with chronic low back pain over 3-months. They divided their 105 patients into 3 groups: a treatment group, an alternative group which underwent 20% of the treatment group's exercise program, and an alternative group in which treatment consisted of heat, massage and mild exercise. The exercises worked as long as one year afterwards. Irrespective of sex, age, duration and degree of severity of back trouble, or of pre-existing sciatica or abnormal findings upon X-ray of the spine, patients obtained a favorable result from the training program. No one got worse as a result of the program.
I am willing to increase opiate medication if pain increases, but only when that increase can be justified by a documentable improvement in function on some important level (work, activities of daily living, ability to care for others, etc.). Otherwise I can only increase opiate doses with the support of a consultation from an established pain clinic physician who agrees that an increase in opiates is warranted. I have found that rarely does the pain clinic at Dartmouth University, which is the one closest to me, recommend opiate therapy in a patient who is not taking these drugs, when the condition is not life-threatening and shows no definite likelihood of quick resolution. Nevertheless, I like patients to hear this for themselves. I use Dartmouth to prevent me from seeming like the bad guy who's standing in their way of relief. This is because the road to relief is not an opiate freeway but a rather bumpy, narrow country road with deep ruts and pot holes. Like Old County Road near my friends in Stamford, Vermont, it may have been abandoned by the County 20 years ago and will only cause your axle to break should you try to drive on it.
Lost prescriptions are not refilled, so I recommend keeping opiates under lock and only carrying a small amount on one's person. If this is a problem, we can prescribe lower quantities -- either one week at a time or two weeks at a time. Keep these pills away from dogs, toilets, sinks, and microwave ovens.


text:
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Within the last few years, step training's popularity has climbed rapidly. An estimated 10 million people have tried step training.
Could 10 million steppers be wrong? On the contrary—vigorous stepping provides the cardiovascular benefits of running but stresses the joints little more than walking. Performed to invigorating music with creative choreography, this low-impact workout is also lots of fun.
Before beginning a step-training class, be sure that your step—the platform—is secure and at the proper height for your fitness level. If you are new to step training, or just beginning a fitness program, start with a platform height of 4 to 6 inches. (Regardless of fitness level, the platform height should not require bending your knees more than 90 degrees.)
Keep the area around your platform dry and remove objects that could interfere with your workout.
Proper body alignment during step training helps prevent injuries. While stepping:
If you initially find step training difficult to follow, focus on learning the foot patterns and omit arm movements. You can add arm movements later.
Remember that raising your arms above shoulder level makes your heart work harder and can leave you breathless. So, if you have a hard time keeping up, lower your arms and catch your breath.
To avoid injuries caused by too much stepping, alternate step-training classes with a variety of aerobic workouts like bicycling, walking or other recreational activities.
Step-training workouts may seem difficult at first, but beware—they're habit-forming! Just remember to maintain proper body alignment and stepping technique to keep you stepping injury-free for years to come.
American Council on Exercise—Step Training by Sabra Bonelli
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Episode 401: Muppetland
31,563pages onAdd New Page
this wiki
this wiki
|Muppet Babies
|Air Date
|September 19, 1987
|Written by
| Sindy McKay
Larry Swerdlove
The Babies create their own theme parks. Baby Kermit designs a Western-themed park, Baby Fozzie has a comedy-themed park, and Baby Skeeter creates an adventure-filled park in the style of Indiana Jones. Baby Gonzo swipes all of the Babies' items and uses them to make his own super-duper theme park full of chickens.
- A clip of Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera is used, from the 1925 movie of the same name.
See also
|Previous episode:
|Next episode:
|Back to the Nursery
|Water Babies


text: Care Instructions Care Info Newport Sunbrella ® Charcoal Modular Loveseat Cushions Do not leave spills unattended. For outdoor use. Do not use abrasive cleaner. Outdoor fabric is mold, mildew and fade resistant. Spot clean with mild detergent and water. Cover or store indoors during the winter and/or extreme weather. Remove or stand wet cushions to aid in drying time. We recommend the use of our Indoor Outdoor Fabric Guard.


text:
The sexual act of climaxing in which two people are role playing, one as an ostrich and one as an egg. Typical in the North Country of New York, this act involves the male (or more masculine partner) to sit on the female (or more feminine partner) just as an ostrich would sit on an egg. When the female climaxes, this is considered the "hatching" of the egg.
OMG, I'm hatching so hard right now!
You be the ostrich, I'll be the egg. Now sit on me, I want to hatch!
You be the ostrich, I'll be the egg. Now sit on me, I want to hatch!
by Charles Steeleworthy IV February 11, 2013
a dance move consisting of subtle repetitive bending of the knee into partial squat while flexing pussy. associated predominantly with techno and early house styles. often performed with no facial expression.
this place was dead till ada started hatching the shit out of that egg now everyone is on the floor focused as fuck.
by chickenmuch September 21, 2014


text:
Before a project can be bid on by a business, TxDOT must let it, or make it available for bidding. The letting and bidding process with TxDOT allows the Agency to get the most competitive pricing on a project and allows multiple businesses to compete for business with TxDOT.
Prepare to Bid


text:
To signal the start of the 2nd Maine Militia's final meeting, held recently in Parsonsfield, a small cannon was fired. As the report echoed across the hills, those attending settled in under haphazardly strung tarps, ready to hear to the militia's valedictory address, to be delivered by Carolyn Chute, the novelist. Chute, who has long used her very political novels, and the acts of her public life, to speak for individuals locked in punishing cycles of institutional poverty, founded the 2nd Maine Militia with her husband Michael in 1995, so it was fitting that she would be the one to say goodbye.
Wearing shades, a camouflage jacket, ammunition belts that crisscrossed her chest Santa Anna-style, and a homemade button that said The Real Homeland Security, Chute started with an imagined news-show transcript. Questions like Should we regulate slavery? Should we regulate cannibalism? were debated. The media were not her only targets. She also decried the American educational system, stating that results would never change so long as "Education is synonymous with tournament . . . Do not grade children like meat: Grade A, Grade B, and Soupbone." Finally, she addressed the raison d'être for the meeting, calling the day's gathering "The final 2nd Maine Militia celebration, the end of the world party. This is it. We aren't having any more 2nd Maine Militia stuff. We're done."
But Chute wasn't done. Always a fiery speaker, she asked the crowd, "What is America? The Grand Canyon and the pine tree? OK. A flag? Freedom, or some other twisted, abstract word? Or is it a country? Nope, it isn't even a country anymore. The WTO (World Trade Organization) has stolen our government, above the one we see on maps. The rulers are a cartel, they're above national, mega-titans behind closed doors. They are like Caesar, pharaohs. TV, all mainstream media and schools have trained us well to believe that there is an America." And yet, despite that, she still identifies as a kind of patriot: "I think the American flag is beautiful. I'm fond of it." From childhood, she remembered the words, "'Liberty and justice for all,' which was a lie then, and it still is, but I feel it as a wish, and I feel it with tears. I would like to think of this flag as mine." To Chute, the oligarchs who run the world "are not to be admired and given any more of our blood and labor. They are the enemy, and we should get off our knees. They are of another nation, another planet. They are from the most dangerous, evil place, which has no boundaries, no loyalties, no ethics, only growth, like cancer, eating and devouring." She concluded with a plea for unity among the have-nots, and whoever else was disregarded or forgotten by "the system."
It was heartfelt and memorable, but the crowd didn't require much convincing. They were not Democrats or Republicans; they weren't the militia stereotype of paranoid gun-nuts, either. Plenty of well-armed Second Amendment enthusiasts were in attendance (my band played later, and our payment included a single, symbolic bullet), but there were also hippies, union organizers, lefty politicos, fair-trade activists, farmers, and several representatives from the Vermont Secession Movement; the roughly 60-person crowd constituted a panoply of northern New England's radical progressive leadership. After finishing her statement, Carolyn turned the meeting over to whomever wanted to speak. One by one people stood and discoursed on the evils of corporate bottled water, gun rights, how the dollar was bound to collapse, the proposed Plum Creek development, and how to submit testimony to legislative committees in Augusta. The Vermont Secessionists spoke about how, once the federal government crumbled (that this would happen was taken for granted), the Republic of Vermont would enjoy better relations with most nations than the US currently does. Several people thanked the Chutes for their work, and vowed to continue the 2nd Maine Militia's progressive struggle.
Later, when the sun had set and less than a dozen people remained, Carolyn sat beside the fire and told me why she had called the final round-up. "It's the last one because I think the price of gas is going to go so high that no one is going to be able to get here," she said, a laugh in her voice. But then she admitted to other pressing concerns, like her work as a novelist, and the peace she needs to produce her art. "It's such a struggle for me. I have poor concentration and I have to have total seclusion," Carolyn said, while clutching a bouquet of roses that been another of the day's presents. Her latest book, 2008's The School on Heart's Content Road (Atlantic Monthly Press), is the first installment of a five-novel cycle, and the subject of Chute retiring upon completing the project came up. In response to professed dismay at that prospect, she said, "The thing of it is, through the '90s, I wrote this giant manuscript, and I broke it down into five books, which may be actually four books, I'm not sure. Four or five. That is the organizational part, the everything, practically, but I don't know if I could begin a book again. I'm so fuzzy-headed now. It'll take me a while to finish these, anyway."
I didn't argue too much, but it's doubtful that anyone, even her critics, or those who don't understand everything she does and stands for, would ever call Carolyn Chute "fuzzy-headed." However, her husband did second the notion of her needing space to work. Michael Chute, himself an artist whose work was part of a 2007 show featuring contemporary, self-taught artists at USM called "Off The Grid: Maine Vernacular Environments" said, "She's really a private woman, and she needs peace and quiet." But when it was suggested that the 2nd Maine Militia might not be disbanding, and rather having its last meeting for the foreseeable future, he nodded and said, "That's right. We'll never die."
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text: Alright guys, I wanna hear everything a cop, meter maid, firefighter, etc has told you about your trucks that are illegal. Im not talking the obvious with super black tails or dark tint. I'm talkin absurd stuff. I have the flomaster 40 series (cat back, so within state regs) on my 5.3 and was told its illegal by a cop recently after being stopped for my tails, BUT they are aftermarket Hella LED tails, so theyre a lot brighter than your standard tails. Im curious to hear about different states and what they determine as illegal on our great trucks! Lets keep it rollin..


text:
Nprhs.com is a 1 year old domain, situated in United States. The domain is linked to the IP address 18.104.22.168 which is provided by the hosting company Hurricane Electric.
It was registered by xierenlin , who can be reached at . The site is owned by xie renlin. Registration details show that it was registered on 09 Jan 2016 through ename technology co., ltd. and will expire on 09 Jan 2017.
The site returns a status code of 200. The site is being served through nginx.


text:
Town Square
SRVUSD Must Divert Students from Green Valley and Los Cerros Schools, and the Situation is Slated to Get Worse with Proposed Development
Original post made by Danville Parent, Danville, on Oct 9, 2011
Moreover, this situation is slated to become dramatically worse. SRVUSD was asked by the Town of Danville to comment on San Ramon-based developer SummerHill Homes proposed major new subdivision on Jed Magee's land along the Diablo Road corridor. This was the school district's warning:
Novemer 16, 2010
Mr. Crompton:
Thank you for allowing the District the opportunity to comment on the above-mentioned project. ... The project is within the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The resident schools for this project are Green Valley Elementary, Los Cerros Middle, and Monte Vista High Schools. Due to overcrowding in the Dist1ict, it is possible that students residing in this subdivision may be diverted to other schools.
Karen DeJesus
Facilities Planning Analyst
Do Danville and Diablo residents want to find their children diverted to schools across town? (Even worse, some but not all of your children?) Do you want to live year after year with the annual anxiety of the "lottery" to find out if your child has been diverted across town, disrupting your life and theirs? If not, oppose SummerHill's disastrous subdivision. Go to the Town website here for contact information for our Town Council members...
Web Link
...and call them personally to let them know where you live, and that you oppose the additional traffic and school diversions that SummerHill Homes new subdivision will create. You can also email them as follows:
Karen Stepper: email@example.com
Robert Storer: firstname.lastname@example.com
Mike Doyle: email@example.com
Newell Arnerich: email@example.com
Candace Andersen: firstname.lastname@example.com
These folks need to know how much you care, and that you are watching to make sure that they protect your children, your rights, your interests, and your lifestyles. Tell them!
Another good resource is www.save-our-creek.com . This is a growing grass-roots organization of local residents banding together to protect their interests against the powerful out-of-town developer SummerHill Homes. Sign their petition, join their advocacy efforts, and contribute to their legal fund, before it's too late!
a resident of Danville
on Oct 9, 2011 at 11:14 am
The web link for the Town Council should have been:
Web Link
a resident of Danville
on Oct 9, 2011 at 11:43 am
What -- 44 comments and over 1000 views weren't enough for this author?
Besides, ANYONE whose kids get diverted from Los Cerros to Charlotte Wood ought to thank their lucky stars.
a resident of Los Cerros Middle School
on Oct 10, 2011 at 8:55 am
I have a child at Los Cerros and we were told that it would be next to impossible to change any of the children's schedules once they were handed out the first day of school because every class was "full". Who are the Danville Town Council members working for, SummerHill Homes and Jed Magee, or the thousands of families that just want their kids to attend local schools that aren't over their capacity!


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Click on the link above, to be connected to our Service Department website. There you will find access to free software downloads and owner's guides.
Click on the link above to access previously sold televisions and home audio & video products.
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text:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Giants intend to keep the door open for a closer who so often shut it on opposing teams.
Vice president of baseball operations Bobby Evans said Wednesday that the Giants will continue to monitor Brian Wilson's first foray into free agency, and remain open to bringing the rehabbing closer back. Wilson, non-tendered last week, is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery and surveying a market that is thin on quality relief pitching.
The Giants are set at the back end of the bullpen, with Sergio Romo scheduled to close and get the occasional breather from Jeremy Affeldt, Javier Lopez and Santiago Casilla.
"It's hard to argue with what got us through the 2012 season," Evans said. "But we'll still stay in touch with Wilson's agent in case there's the opportunity to bring him back."
Wilson made just two appearances last season before going under the knife. He began light throwing in October, and Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday that Dr. James Andrews has told Wilson he will be cleared for spring training and ready for opening day.
The Giants aren't as sure, and Evans said the focus with Wilson would be on what he could provide during the season's stretch run, not the first few months. But, Evans added, "Wilson knows his body best. ... (Opening day) is a great goal, and I wouldn't put it past Brian to reach that."
Wilson was unhappy with the nature of contract negotiations with the Giants before being non-tendered, but the front office has kept in touch with agent Dan Lozano and hopes to take one last shot at Wilson before he makes a final decision.
In addition to adding a right-handed reliever, the Giants would like to find a right-handed hitter to platoon with Gregor Blanco in left field.
Cody Ross is unlikely, because the Giants are looking to find a player willing to take a one-year deal and Ross is seeking a long-term commitment. Nick Swisher, another rumored option, was ruled out long ago. Swisher was part of a "big-ticket item" list that was considered unrealistic by Sabean, a group that also included outfielders Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn and B.J. Upton.


text:
i haven't been to a formal class on beekeeping, but i did get a chance to assist working some hives with experienced beekeepers in the beginning. i have done a fair amount of reading, and i have learned alot from the good members here on beesource.
in the end though, for me, and has been posted above by others...
nothing compares to the time spent with the bees,
and maybe more so the failures than the successes.


text:
While the airbag light saga continues on my BMW, the Volvo dealership has given me a decent new car to drive while mine is in the shop. It's a base model 2013 Volvo C30 with the Turbo 5 cylinder. Exterior: I truly love the way this car looks on the outside. It's got great aluminum wheels and a very sporty, modern appearance. Some LED lights would make it even better and I think may be offered on higher trim levels. The doors are on the large side which makes getting in and out easy in the open, but next to impossible in tight parking spots. I like the glass rear hatch though the opening is a little small.Interior: What a horrid little car on the inside. A Chevrolet Cobalt would give this car a run for it's money on interior style and a Honda Civic feels down right luxurious compared to this car. The materials are adequate for it's price and the cloth seats are above average in material quality. The plastics that are everywhere scream cheapo and look like something from a 2000 model Civic. The radio and information displays are of the same quality and just as appealing as my Ti-83 graphing calculator. The center stack is crowded with very small buttons and the steering wheel controls are kind of confusing. The front seats are plateau flat with no lateral support what so ever and aren't very comfortable. They have a nice range of adjustment that ranges from down right unpleasant to manageable. The rear seats are much better and lazy boy soft, but there is absolutely 0 leg room. There is more than enough front passenger room and the headrest are the best I've ever experienced.Engine: What a gem of an engine. It seems to have power everywhere with none of the vibrations. It pulls just as strong from idle as it does at redline. It truly is the best of both a small turbo 4 and the BMW inline 6. This car would easily out run my 325i.Ride and Drive: This care rides much better than my 325i while still remaining sporty. I like the lighter weight of the steering wheel better for daily driving though I wish it had the BMW's ratio instead of the family car one it has. Feedback is adequate for a fwd car and TQ steer is there but not Saab bad. The 5 speed tranny is well tuned and shifts buttery smooth, but the shifts are long when at WOT. Downshifts don't require much throttle but are delayed. In manual mode it will not hold a gear. Throttle mapping is much better in this car than my BMW.It makes a great hwy cruiser as it's every bit as quite or more than my BMW inside with almost no wind noise. However, the headlights are rather pathetic compared to the BMW's HID units. The brakes are strong with less initial bite which I like better, but don't build up as nicely or deliver as much feedback as my BMW.Conclusion: If this car had an interior worthy of it's price, or even one as good as a Sonic/Fiesta or any other modern car I would probably consider one if I got a different car. It would be nice to have more rear legroom, but children and most women would be fine sitting back there.
I love the C30 so much...
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata2015 Ducati Monster 8211996 Ford Ranger1968 Ford F-100 Ranger (For Sale)
The car loses me with the rear end.
Thed:I love the C30 so much...If it had an interior at least as good as a Civic, I would seriously consider working out a trade on my BMW.
Abracadabra's_Audio:The car loses me with the rear end. I agree, the front looks good then it turns into WTF did they do to the back and ruin it for? Never thought it was full of cheap plastics. Whats those cars sale for? 30-35k?
Does it shift at like 5k rpm? I mean are you never able to get it to redline in manual mode only in auto?
The C30 has a great interior, padded everything as far as im concerned. I should know, i drive an S40 as my daily driver. they have the same exact interior and i'm sure the cobalt doesn't have a padded dashboard and padding over the doors.
They had to save some cash somewhere so I guess they chose the interior.
----------------------------Grace, Pace, and SpaceAwarded Best Back Troll
The interior was okay....when it launched, but like the S40 they let it whither away, and now like the S40 it's also going bye-bye.
Good point, when i bought my S40 in 07 it had the best interior from everything i cross shopped. A little sad that its considered below average though, the only hard plastics i know of are the lower parts of the doors where the little cubbys are.
Well I just got back from driving it another hour going to look at some properties and I must say.. it's a hell of a lot of fun to drive. Man or man what a sweet engine with gobs of power! The transmission really does have a good shift algorithm and always seemed to find the right gear. When hustled hard in manual mode it will downshift on it's on which sucks. The high beam lights are much much better than the low beams. Driving it at night is nice because I can't see the horrid interior.The car really handles nice. I ran it pretty hard through some roundabouts and 180 degree on and off ramps. It starts to push like any other fwd car but sharpens up nicely when you ease off the throttle. I could tell with a larger rear sway bar you could really make this thing rotate. I love the steering weight and in reality enjoy driving this car more than my 325i.As for a padded dash, idk if it is or not as I haven't touched it. Everything that I care to touch is hard plastic and ugly and bland as can be. When I parked it tonight I was smiling but I know when I see it in the morning on my way to work I will be shaking my head.
I'd sooner have to old front end, anyway. Better exterior and interior in one-- woot!
----------When life throws you a curve, downshift and take it vigorously.Pheobe's@478,000-ish miles. (RIP original engine 475k)Youtube
I've always liked Volvo's. I loved the last gen S40, and the C30 when it debuted. Too bad theyre both dead now. At least we still have the S60 and the new V40(even though we cant get it here yet.)
_______________________________________________________________"there is nothing patriotic about hating your country, or pretending that you can love your country but despise your government."Bill Clinton, 5 may 1995
I've been driving Volvos since I was 14 years old. For the last ten years I've been driving the turbo 5 and I love it!!! As much as I like an inline 6, the Volvo 5 is just better. Volvo re-introduced a new straight six a few years back and it's a good engine no doubt, but it just doesn't produce the horsepower or the fuel economy of the turbo 5. Volvo is now talking about fazing it out...it's a mistake. I'm just glad it's still around for now. I would love to have the new V60 T5, but alas, not in America I guess I will have to move back into a sedan (wagon man for the last 12 years). My current wagon is a Platinum Edition 850. Beautiful pearl white paint and black leather interior. Stock it had 222hp, but I've upped mine with an R ECU. I'm at 240hp these days. Great fun to get down on it...lovely growl from the turbo 5!!! Get around 20-21mpg around town and about 29 on the highway. If Volvo threw a bit of new technology at this motor, it would easily turn more hp and better mpg. Oh wait, they already have, it's in the new S60 T5. 250hp and a bit more mpg I think. Volvo for life!
I know im beating a dead horse here but i took a nice hard sit in my S40. I sat in there touching everything and i still have no idea what hard plastic your talking about. The part of the door under the window is padded, the armrest is padded and covered in leather, the center armrest is padded and covered in leather and the dashboard is padded. I also have the wood option so the center waterfall and trim is a dark wood. The cup-holder area is also high quality plastic. The only thing i can think of is when Volvo did the 2008 refresh they updated the center armrest and they might have changed out the higher quality plastic on the cup-holders and surrounding areas with something cheaper but my 2007 S40 has a very nice high quality feel. Its much nicer then any fiesta or cobalt ive sat in.


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Once You Go Black, You Never Go Back!Friday, June 18th, 2010
WWE fans, your jaws are gonna drop when you see this! Here are photos of Mickie James being fucked by a black dude. And you know what they say… Once you go black, you never go back! The photos show the wrestling hottie's vagina being stuffed by the black guy's love sausage.
Get a load of these pictures featuring a black stud's extra-sized cock penetrating this luscious wrestler chick's pussy. Mickie James is a WWE Women's Champion, she currently aspires to be a country singer.
If you want to see more of the sexy Mickie James naked pictures, click on the link.


text: Care Instructions Care Info Rectangular Sunbrella ® Charcoal Patio Umbrella with Black Frame Do not leave spills unattended. For outdoor use. Do not use abrasive cleaner. Outdoor fabric is mold, mildew and fade resistant. Spot clean with mild detergent and water. Cover or store indoors during the winter and/or extreme weather. Do not dry clean. Care for nicks and scrapes immediately with Rustoleum. We recommend using a soft brush to remove dirt and dust. To prevent mildew during storage,fabric and furniture must be dry. Clean surfaces with a dry or damp soft cloth. We recommend the use of our outdoor furniture covers. If the powdercoat finish is chipped, the exposed area should be sealed to prevent moisture from getting under the paint. Do not tumble dry. Store indoors during off season We recommend the use of our Indoor Outdoor Fabric Guard. We recommend the use of our Outdoor Furniture Protector.


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Hey guys, I was checking out the mock draft section and one poster mentioned a comp pick for the loss of A.Ross. That got me thinking about this subject because my knee-jerk reaction was that we probably wouldn't receive any this year due to a couple factors...
Here's how it looks
Aaron Ross - signed 3 year / 15 mil contract; but only started 9 games
Mario Manningham - signed 2 year / 10 mil contract; started 10 games
Jon Goff - signed 1 year minimum deal; IR before season started
Martellus Bennett - signed 1 year / 1.8 mil contract; started 16 games
Stevie Brown - claimed off waivers / minimum deal; started 11 games
Sean Locklear - signed 1 year / vet minimum deal; started 10 games credit to shane4177
So, is it within reason that we receive a comp pick? Maybe. If we do I don't expect it being higher than a 6th, but I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't get one at all. If anyone can think of a free agent that we picked up other than Brown and Bennett let me know.
By the way, the NFL determines comp picks based on an inequity of free agents lost vs. gained, but contract value and playing time are heavily considered in the decision. Some kind of elaborate equation is used.


text: They are a hood style which I like better because you can unzip it and let it hang over your back when you need to. The hood stands pretty much upright when fully zipped bit I like to wear a ballcap under it to keep from getting sunburned. The hood is very roomy.


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Brass Tacks produces wines that capture the unique essence of the varietal as well as the region in which it thrives. The fruit is sourced from regions and vineyards that are among the best suited for the varietal and wines are produced in small lots to ensure quality.
brass tacks (noun) - the most fundamental considerations; essentials; realities (usually used in the phrase "get down to brass tacks." View all Brass Tacks Wines
About North Coast
Beyond Napa and Sonoma in the north you find a couple of other counties producing great wine. Among these are Mendocino and Lake County. The northernmost California winegrowing regions, these two counties are right above Napa and Sonoma, geographically. Yet, wine-wise they are very different – both from their southern neighbors and from each other.
Notable FactsMendocino has a high amount of organic vintners and vines. The first winery to settle here was Fetzer, which practices organic viticulture and holds some of the most vineyard land in the area. Mendocino has many pockets of micro-climates while Lake County, being smaller in size, is less diverse climactically. As for the grapes, Chardonnay is the most popular in both counties, but there are also some excellent Sauvignon Blancs, particularly in the Lake County. In red wine, Zinfandel leads the way, followed by Rhone Blends and Petite Sirah. The reds in both counties are complex and sumptuous. Anderson Valley is a sub-AVA of Mendicino and is quite well known for its excellent cool climate, producing the delicious Roederer Estate sparkling wines and some wonderful cool-climate Syrah.
About California
The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.


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Steps from the Falls in Niagara
Crowne Plaza Niagara Falls – Fallsview Hotel • Niagara Falls, Canada
Escape Kit
- A One-Night Stay for Two in a Traditional Room ($119) or a Fallsview King Room ($149), Sundays through Fridays
- $40 Fallsview Dining Gift Card Valid for Dinner at the Rainbow Room by Massimo Capra
- Winery Tour and Tasting Passes at Peller Estates and Trius Winery at Hillebrand
- Late 1 p.m. Checkout
- Combine Unlimited Vouchers for an Extended Stay
The Destination
More than 20 million people per year can't be wrong. Spewing more than four million cubic feet of water over its ledge every minute, Niagara Falls, in all its majestic fury, has rightly earned its title as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, drawing four times as many annual tourists as the Grand Canyon. And in Niagara Falls, Ontario, visitors find themselves perfectly situated to catch the show at its best.
The Digs
The grand dame of Niagara hotels, Crowne Plaza Niagara - Fallsview Hotel sits across from the Falls and just steps from the main attraction. Built in the 1920s, this AAA Three Diamond property offers direct indoor connections to the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark, Casino Niagara, several restaurants, and other attractions. But before the fun begins, check in to your room. Traditional Rooms feature one or two double Deep Sleeper beds, a sitting area, and a full bathroom, and all are equipped with cable TV and wireless Internet (for a charge). A Fallsview King Room, situated on floors seven through nine, affords unparalleled views of the Falls and all the same amenities.
The Diversions
• Tour and taste wine at both Peller Estates and Hillebrand
• Dine on local rack of lamb or wild trout at Rainbow Room by Massimo Capra
• Feeling lucky? Try your hand at the Casino Niagara
"The Crowne Plaza was simply outstanding. The service truly was exceptional, the food at the restaurant local and fantastic, the views of the Falls were perfect, and the entire feel and décor of the hotel is sensational."-- TripAdvisor
30 day money-back guarantee
Can't find the dates you want? Dog ate your passport? No worries. You have 30 days post-purchase to return your voucher, no questions asked.
the fine print
- Vouchers may be combined to extend stay
- Valid for travel until April 30, 2013
- Reservations required and subject to availability
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- Not valid for Saturday night stays
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy applies; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Blackout dates are February 15, 17, March 10-15 and March 29
- Based on double occupancy, no additional charge for children under 18, additional adults are $20 per person per night
- Dining credit is for dinner only and cannot be combined
- Transportation is not included for Wine tour/tasting
- Self Parking is available on site at $19per day and $30 per day for valet
- Taxes and resort fees are not included and will be collected at redemption
- All deal components must be redeemed during one stay
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON April 30, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON April 30, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON April 30, 2013 • Enjoy By April 30, 2013
Other conditions apply
Except where noted in the fine print:
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Phone: (09) 307 0486
Rating out of 10: Food: 7, Service: 7, Value: 8, Ambience: 9
There can be little argument that customers at Harbourside enjoy one of the best settings in Auckland. You are presented with the constant changes of the port, spinnakers red in the sunset, ferries hustling about and often the monumental bulk of a cruise ship. On our most recent visit you could, if bored, even catch the movie on the giant screen of the floating holiday camp moored nearby and then watch it daintily manoeuvre out of its parking space.
It's a matchless venue for showing off the city to visitors and not surprising that a group led by the owners of Botswana Butchery, the eatery downstairs in the Ferry Building, bought Harbourside late last year to end the run of Tony Adcock and his team who have operated it since 1988.
At the moment it is still under the transitional direction of Adcock's team and is running as efficiently as ever. It's a production line operation, and that's not meant as a criticism. This is a Rolls Royce production line: sound, dependable food consistently turns up, displaying great ingredients and competent cooking.
Unsurprisingly for a restaurant that describes itself as a "seafood bar and grill" the menu is dominated by fish and we started with two marine courses. We sometimes play the game of "if you could only have one New Zealand dish, what would it be?" and here the two favourites were on hand.
There's not much better than a fresh Bluff oyster, served on the half shell, glistening and bursting with that flavour that can, for once, be accurately described as unique. But then there were the seared Northland scallops. These weren't the biggest specimens but they did produce that wonderful combination of the tender shellfish with a caramelised edge, set off here by a little square of pork belly.
Where to go from this promising beginning? Staying with the fish produced an expertly piece of grilled kingfish, which in other places can sometimes be overdone and dried out, but here was moist and succulent and complemented with confit tomatoes and ratatouille, fragrant with basil.
Almost perversely I went for the duck. This was standard fare with a confit leg and roast breast, again professionally prepared with the richness of the duck balanced by a sharp little citrus and fennel salad. We bulked out the meal, although it wasn't really necessary, with potatoes tastily done in duck fat and green beans enlivened with a hint of mint and a sprinkle of sauteed shallots.
The one disappointment of the evening arrived with the leaden sponge of the plum roulade and an accompanying pistachio icecream that lacked punch. But the berry tart with vanilla custard, remembered with enthusiasm from our last visit, was again excellent, a pleasing blend of flavours and textures.
This satisfying food was served with well-oiled efficiency, with the staff well-schooled in getting customers quickly and comfortably settled and offering unsolicited apologies for a couple of later delays so small we had hardly noticed as we sat relishing the view.
Over the years I have tended to think of Harbourside as a lunch venue but this visit displayed its attractions as a dinner venue too. The new owners may have other ideas for the place but the cliche of "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" crossed my mind.
Our meal: $260 for two first courses, two mains, two desserts and five glasses of wine.
Wine list: A terrific list, strong on New Zealand wines with plenty of other choices and good by the glass.
Verdict: A perfect place to show off the City of Sails (and why did the council want to get away from that great label?)


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'Disability for a Day' promotes equal access
Community leaders experience use of wheelchairs
BEND, Ore. - Several Central Oregon community leaders experienced a day with a disability as Central Oregon Coalition for Access put on their annual event Monday, raising awareness for the American's with Disabilities Act.
The participants borrowed wheelchairs for a couple of hours and said it was a major eye-opener, as they saw the city in a whole new way.
"I've seen people that after the event will just go on with their lives," said COCA Steering Committee member Bend Hill. "I've seen other people that have literally changed the way they work, like city workers, street workers, and ODOT."
Hill has been in a wheelchair for 26 years. He looks forward each year to the 'Disability for a Day' event.
"There are points where the sidewalk is sloped this way, and you're really afraid you're going to topple over into traffic," said Bend City Councilor Victor Chudowsky, who took part in the event. "So people have to keep in mind that it's not just the matter of difficulty. In some cases, it's dangerous."
A door without an automatic opener or a simple curb poses a big challenge every day for people with a disability.
"If I have to use a curb ramp that's a mile or a block down the road, I'm not going to go there," Hill said.
Advocates say the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed 23 years ago this week, is not just a set of guidelines to build a city. They say it points to the bigger picture: civil rights.
"When accessibility is not good, it disenfranchises so many people who want to participate, and go to jobs and restaurants," said COCA Steering Committee member Carol Fulkerson.
"I think what it boils down to is equality," said Chudowsky. "People who have disabilities or are in a wheelchair want to same opportunity."
City leaders are hopeful for the future. Chudowsky says a portion of the city's revenue is now put away each budget cycle, leaving a set amount of money to upgrade more sidewalks and ramps throughout Bend.
"I just feel that the experience that these people had today will affect the designs and decisions they make going forward," Fulkerson said.
Advocates say they don't expect the city to change overnight, but there are ways for businesses to make the upgrades with tax breaks from the government.


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Wayne Law Library Director elected to IFLA Standing Committee
DETROIT (March 28, 2011) – Virginia Thomas, director of the Arthur Neef Law Library at Wayne State University, was recently appointed to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Standing Committee on Law Libraries. Standing Committees develop policies, carry out surveys and other projects, prepare guidelines and organize open sessions and workshops at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to serve with colleagues worldwide to advance law librarianship," said Thomas.
The IFLA is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. It is the global voice of the library and information profession. Founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1927 at an international conference, the IFLA now boasts 1,600 Members in approximately 150 countries around the world. IFLA was registered in the Netherlands in 1971. The Royal Library, the national library of the Netherlands, in The Hague, provides the facilities for its headquarters.
- ### -
The Wayne State University Library System consists of the university's five libraries: The David Adamany Undergraduate Library, the Purdy/Kresge Library, the Shiffman Medical Library, the Arthur Neef Law Library and the Science and Engineering Library and the School of Library and Information Science Program.
Wayne State University is a premier institution offering more than 350 academic programs through 11 schools and colleges to nearly 33,000 students.


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A Comfy Nook in the Uinta Mountains
Bear River Lodge • Summit County, UT
Escape Kit
- A One-Night Stay in a One-Bedroom Cabin with One Full-Day Snowmobile or ATV Rental ($199)
- Or, a One-Night Stay in a Two-Bedroom Cabin with a Your Choice of One Snowmobile or ATV Rental for Two Full Days or Two Machine Rentals for One Full Day ($379)
- Combine Unlimited Vouchers for an Extended Stay
The Destination
One of the few North American chains that runs from east to west, the Uinta Mountains top off at more than 13,000 feet—making this rugged range the tallest in the continental US. Dotted with Douglas-firs, most of Uinta's pine-lined peaks are stationed in northeastern Utah, with a few extending into southern Wyoming. Here, summits are wrapped in bands of cliffs, forming a flat surface where mountain goats and bighorn sheep can graze in the high alpine zone.
The Digs
Surrounded by spectacular mountains and thousands of acres of national forest, The Cabins at Bear River Lodge offers exceptional access to the Utah wilderness. Equipped with a gas-log fireplace, a barbecue grill, a big-screen TV, a fully stocked kitchen, and an oversized tub, your resplendent log cabin is also an impressive part of the landscape. Bring your friends or family or both—with plenty of space to spread out, everyone can carve out a comfy little nook here. Rev up your slick snowmobile in the snowy season and speed over powdered valleys. Or, hop on your ATV in the summer months and hightail it down the dirt trails.
"If you're the type that loves being outside, no matter the reason, you'll be in your element here."-- 10Best
escapes 30-day promise
LivingSocial gives you up to 30 days to return your unused voucher for a full refund. Once you've made a reservation, you are subject to the merchant's cancellation and refund policy. If you want to secure your preferred dates of travel, we strongly recommend that you complete reservation with the merchant within 30 days of your purchase—after that, LivingSocial will not issue any refunds.
the fine print
- Vouchers may be combined to extend stay
- Reservations required; subject to availability
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- One-bedroom cabin can accommodate up to four (4) and the two-bedroom cabin can accommodate up to eight (8)
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy applies; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Blackout date(s): Memorial Day Weekend (May 25-27, 2013)
- Voucher cannot be combined with any other discounts, vouchers, or gift certificates
- Sales tax not included and will be collected at redemption
- Add an additional snowmobile or ATV rentals directly with merchant for $75 with any voucher purchase; please inquire with merchant at time of reservation
- Option B: If combining vouchers for more than one-night stay, take both machines on the same day or have one machine rental for two consecutive days
- All deal components must be redeemed during one stay
- Please note: Snowmobile season runs through approximately March 31, 2013 and ATV season starts about April 1, 2013
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON June 15, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON June 15, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON June 15, 2013 • Enjoy By June 15, 2013
Other conditions apply
Except where noted in the fine print:
• Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion
• Tax and gratuity are not included
• Merchant is responsible for the quality of the products or services provided to you at redemption
• LivingSocial Terms and Conditions - https://www.livingsocial.com/terms
Original Price:
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Town Square
Just what WAS Romney thinking? Selective perceptions in the Republican bubble zone
Original post made by Oliver Towne, Another Pleasanton neighborhood, on Nov 9, 2012
Whence Romney's confidence? Do he and his staffers not read? Of course they do, but only selective sources that belong to the right wing echo machine. Objective sources -- credible pollsters, Nate Silver and Princeton Election Consortium, among others -- gave ample evidence that Romney was going to lose by over 100 electoral votes. Silver gave Obama a 92% chance of victory; Princeton gave Obama a 100% chance of victory. The latter projected 332 electoral votes for Obama, and a 2.4% victory among the popular vote.
Silver and Princeton are well respected. They do science and have no identifiable political bias. Prior to the election approx 1/2 million people were clicking onto Princeton's site each day. We must assume some of Romney's staff were familiar with the sites and their scientifically based projections of a resounding Obama victory, a victory that would ring out even truer than his first of 2008, as voters now were going to elect him based upon his record, not simply his soaring rhetoric.
So? What were Romney, Ryan, their wives and their staff thinking? What was Rove thinking? What were optimistic Republicans, some who had donated tens of millions to Romney's cause, thinking?
Well, they weren't thinking very well at all. Just as so many Republicans deny the science of evolution, the science behind warnings of global warming, so here they denied the science of defeat that was projected confidently, with scientific backing (Princeton feeds over a quadrillion variables into its computer scheme), by qualified scientists who have spent decades perfecting their science. But rather than heed the science, they chose to believe Rasmussen instead, unable to recognize that over the entire election cycle Rasmussen, ARG, and several other partisan pollsters were lying with statistics in order to create the illusion of Romney momentum and victory. Both Silver and Princeton took Rasmussen's polls into account, but in so doing, both automatically subtracted 3-4 pts from Romney and added 3-4 points for Obama. You see, those who really think about these things, objectively, know that Rasmussen systematically skews its results and has done so for years. (What would you expect from a pollster who also writes opinion pieces in rightwing rags about 'Obama's disasterous policies and how the American public must reject them'.)
In short, the Romney team and its supporters chose to deny science, deny math, deny reality. They chose instead to believe the spinmeisters at Fox, and their own propagandists such as Krauthammer, Coulter, Rasmussen. (George Will predicted a victory for Romney ... in MINNESOTA.) Increasingly they have come to live in their own bubble, which permits them to exclude considerations of science, math, reality. (See George Will above.) And so, in this election, the American public not only resoundingly rejected a Republican presidential candidate, but rejected a deficient way of thinking that has increasingly over the years proved disasterous for those who continue to cling to it in the face of fact, in the face of a glaring reality that they cannot come to acknowledge. The election was a great victory for Obama. It was a great victory for the American people. It was a great victory for rational thought.
Comments (13)
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 7:12 am
Oliver, you hit the nail squarly on the head. Good job.
a resident of Birdland
on Nov 9, 2012 at 8:46 am
liberalism is a disease is a registered user.
Clearly, Romney was counting on a better turnout amongst Republicans and Independents--at least as many voters as McCain counted on.
As far as extending your missive to scientific theory, etc., you can't even get a group of scientists to reach concensus on a subject, why would you expect all politicians of a certain stripe to agree on the same theory? Even you on the left are not all lemmings to the global warming religion.....many dems think the earth is going through yet another cycle and that man cannot impact those natural fluctuations one iota.
When Al Gore lost his bid for the White House, I'm sure you must have whined about how so many voters ignored man-bear-pigs global warming hysteria.
As long as govt grants are forthcoming, the institutions benefitting from the influx of cash will be beholden to their masters.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 9:44 am
Al Gore won the popular vote in 2000.If you want to talk about the validity of the electoral college process, that's an entirely different argument...
I refuse to be distracted by idiotic strawmen arguments like the ones you've put forth, "liberalism". This isn't about political ideology; it's about seeing the numbers for what they are. Interpretations will vary, the methodology for collecting data might be erroneous, but there aren't TWO sides to reality! Statisticians like Nate Silver are so successful in their jobs because they refuse to let personal beliefs cloud their interpretations, which is what any true scientist/ scholar should do in their work.
If it were about government handouts, why aren't the folks in Mississippi, Alabama, etc. voting for the Democrats in droves? You see the highest rates of poverty in those areas. Indeed, many who voted for Obama wouldn't have benefitted from those programs personally.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 9:59 am
Oliver, this is a clear and accurate explanation. Thank you. Let's hope this experience brings the Republican Party back to reality so they can once again contribute to our governing process.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Nov 9, 2012 at 10:16 am
Stacey is a registered user.
Oliver wrote: "So? What were Romney, Ryan, their wives and their staff thinking? What was Rove thinking? What were optimistic Republicans, some who had donated tens of millions to Romney's cause, thinking?"
They were _hoping_ for _change_! LOL!
Lib wrote: "you can't even get a group of scientists to reach concensus on a subject"
Um, yes, there is scientific consensus on the subject. It's only in the political sphere where there appears to be no consensus.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Nov 9, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Stacey is a registered user.
Ho ho! Hannity must believe in evolution! Web Link "On Thursday, Fox News commentator Sean Hannity said that he has "evolved" on the issue. In Hannity's high-speed world, evolution can occur over 48 hours."
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Thank you Oliver! My vote in this election was definitely more about rejecting a certain way of thinking (e.g. one that excludes reality, science, math, etc.) and not as much about supporting a certain way of thinking.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Has somebody named themselves "liberalism is a disease"?
Wow! Sounds like somebody needs to become a citizen of another country, because in America we honor the ability to have separate views without the loss of integrity on either side.
Extremist seem to boiling in their oats. Sad.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 9, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Milo, the first step to a cure is admitting you have a problem. Your veiled threat of deportation of those that don't agree with your leftist utopia is unbecoming of what we've all come to know about liberals....where's your tolerance that leftist a always preach to there's about?
I'll tolerate your hypocrisy if you tolerate the fact that I'm right.
a resident of Dublin
on Nov 10, 2012 at 9:39 pm
I thought your piece was better than what is usually found here. Too bad people like -liberal is a disease- and -mittens- have to spew such ignorance onto the page, although by doing so they help to confirm your point.
I think there's a better theory than the one you offer, though my alternative does not make you necessarily wrong, even if I'm right. In brief, Romney knew he was going to lose. I saw him on Monday Night Football the night before the election (and I think his only 'interview' over the past 6 weeks or so - not even yet elected and he already was dodging the press!). On MNF he looked like a forlorn soul about to be taken to the gallows. He looked as if he knew he was cooked. Why then all the false bravado over the final two weeks when the scientific stat guys had Obama locked in to a three-point victory? They needed to keep up the charade in order to keep the big bucks flowing in for Romney as well as other candidates, many of whom had incurred large debts.
At the end of the day, they may have chosen to look stupid rather than to have looked corrupt. I agree with you that they appeared rather stupid, for the good reasons you offer. But they were corrupt until the bitter end. Either way, or (probably) both, the good guys and gals won.
a resident of Vineyard Hills
on Nov 12, 2012 at 11:53 pm
franco is a registered user.
I agree with Lynn regarding Romney. As a flipflopper who lied his way into his nomination by the "base", he had no choice but to play it out to the end. It actually is to the ideologues and the "base" that I think Oliver's comments apply.
They so much believed their own propaganda that they were delusional to the very end. Rove refused to accept anything but his own "math" even when the Fox News propaganda channel called the election for Obama. The Fox newswoman asked him if his math was something Republicans do to make themselves feel good! It was also reported that many followers in the "base" actually became ill after learning Obama won(discussed on CNN).
Recently I've heard various terms applied to this phenomenon. "Epistemic closure" is a concept that is essentially "groupthink". I quote from RationalWiki:
<<<<<Julian Sanchez of the Cato Institute adapted the term "epistemic closure" to describe what he perceived as the behavior of conservatives:
""Reality is defined by a multimedia array of interconnected and cross promoting conservative blogs, radio programs, magazines, and of course, Fox News. Whatever conflicts with that reality can be dismissed out of hand because it comes from the liberal media, and is therefore ipso facto not to be trusted. (How do you know they're liberal? Well, they disagree with the conservative media!) This epistemic closure ... >>>>>>
The other term is confirmational bias. This is similar. Essentially one listens only to those sources that confirm one's biases.
It is sad that so many in America cannot think for themselves and allow themselves to be guided by these phenomena.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Nov 13, 2012 at 11:17 pm
To the liberal msnbc crazies, Romney was neither corrupt or stupid. He could have saved our economy, not more of the same, that's why many dems want him on a WH econ committee, to show them the way.
Romney was honorable, and saw it thru to the end, even though it had been lost in the Primary with the scary, scary superstitions of Santorum and the Bachmans. They just kept crusading and wouldn't shut up. The really crazy chattering of religious extremists who are clueless to what 'limited' government means. They are a burden that is destroying the Republican party...no way can we win nationally.
The far left is equally crazed, but have no problem corrupting the election process, a speciality of union thugs.
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Nov 14, 2012 at 9:32 am
Stacey is a registered user.
It was Romney who picked Palin, I mean Ryan, as a running mate. You know, the guy who runs faster than the laws of physics?
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Livermore trustees demonstrating wisdom
By Tim Hunt | 12 comments | 1,439 views
2017 guide to summer camps
Looking for something for the kids to do this summer, learn something new and have fun? The 2017 Summer Camp Guide features local camps for all ages and interests.


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You're bangin' your chick doggy style and just before dumping your load, you pull out and jam an umbrella in her ass and while reciting today's weather forecast you drop a clump of MAN-aisse on her back.
Joey was hitting Linda from behind when he decided to give her a slick reuben. It's a good thing his umbrella was ready.
by Barry McCockinher May 05, 2008


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text: Hi Folks, I have a strange problem with dozen of co-domains associated to a main domain called mywebsite.com Some of these domains seem to work and they redirect the user to mywebsite.com the main domain. Other domains seems to redirect at 244.232.22.112 that is the main shared IP domain server. If the co-domain are called with the www.mywebsite.ext works and the user will be redirects to www.mywebsite.com. If I call the domain with simply mywebsite.ext the user will be redirects to the main shared IP. This is the code of the Vhosts_ispconfig.conf file at /etc/httpd/conf/vhosts Code: <VirtualHost 244.232.22.112:80> ServerName www.mywebsite.com:80 ServerAdmin [email protected] I need to redirect all the domains, maintaining the domain name written in the url bar, in the main domain. Have I to create two co-domain: *.mywebsite.net and mywebsite.net Thanks Have you any idea about this problem? Regards


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You will be very happy with it, that I am satisfied
You will be very happy with it, that I am satisfied
I know I am very happy with the one I got. I have had mine about 5 years now. Good luck with yours.
I have had my .40c for about 5 or 6 years now. Just went out and bought me a full sized 2 months ago and getitng my wife her 9mm Thursday for her birthday.
I ordered a new M&P 9mm Pro Series last July and it arrived in early August. I shoot this gun better than any of the guns in my carry stable.
Am I the only one ho was disappointed the OP didn't update with how it went and how he liked it?
i apologize fro the long delay work has been stupid busy...... but anyway i really like the m&p i have put almost 300 rounds thru it since saturday me and my brothers bought a case at a local gun show and split it. im use to my rifle looking thru the scope at the target still trying to get use to focusing on the front sight. seems odd that everything is out of focus but i must admit it works. with each mag my groups were starting off embarssing to ok this is getting better i cant seem to post pics if soemone can help me with that that would be great
Ammunition Online at Factory Direct Prices | Freedom Munitions Its worth checking out and lets you practice for a lot cheaper than retail. Cheers!
2000 rds and still like new.... good to hear and thanks for the link that will be something i will be doing is ordering bulk
I just took my S&W M&P Compact 9mm home. It is the perfect solution for me to carry concealed. I love it so far. I will post back after range testing it.
Hmm that's weird. I can pick up 300 rounds of federal premium at the Wal-Mart here for $58.15 including tax or I can get the Freedom munitions which from the picture is just Winchester rounds 250 for $77.50 shipped to my house. So I can get Federals at Wal-Mart for .19¢ a round as compared to .31¢ a round from that website. Of course ammo prices vary from place to place too. I can only compare it to here. What is funny I am only paying .02¢ a round more for 250 more rounds of a .40 as compared to just your box of 50 rounds of 9mm.
The other issue is that Federal is almost always out of stock when I go to WalMart. We just got CC in WI a few months ago so more people are buying more ammo and WalMart just can't keep up. I also bought the Blaster reman ammo from that site which is slightly cheaper than the new stuff. Just put 170 rounds through my M&P yesterday and only one FTE, but it turns out I've never cleaned my extractor and it was very cruddy! So that should solve that!
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack! Hey jwingfield, how's that new M&P treating you?
Buy ammo at a gun store,
Congrats on your new M&P....it is a very nice weapon and the guys I know with one all shot them very well
Anyway, sorry for the threadjack! Hey jwingfield, how's that new M&P treating you?
at first my m&p treated me real nice then yesterday i had truglo TFO's installed green in rear and front. then she got upset with me she would not let me hit the target so we had a little heart to heart talk and towards the end of my time at the range yesterday she flet a better about her new sights. but all in all im very happy with my m&p. im thinking of getting another set and putting the yellows in the rear that might help a little.
You should have convienced "her" that the new sights were more like a new purse or new pair of shoes. Then "she" would have been happy.


text:
|Topic Review (Newest First)
Dig an area alongside the pond, but keep it separate from the pond with whatever materials you can (retaining wall sort of thing), or move it enough away from the pond that the soil will not collapse. Plumb it with some large pipe (like 3" or 4" pipe) with holes for the intake. Most of this lies on the bottom of the pond.
Use the soil you dig to build a waterfall, not too far away. Plumb the outlet of the pump with whatever size pipe is appropriate (Depends on pump output).
If you will get fish that eat plants you can still plant the pond, but keep these areas separate from the fish, for example with some mesh that will keep the fish out, but allow water to flow through.
Thanks Diana, but I cannot add another pool to it, partly due to its aesthetics and partly coz I am not a landscape designer, and I cant imagine what I ll make
However, I will certainly look into adding a water fall to it.
I want my pond to somewhat resemble this:
This is very very Hi-tech, but I dont want an exact copy. I just want it to be planted, and if I dive in, I should be able to spot the fishes in it i.e. the water should be clear.
Also, I am using plants native to the area, so they will grow anyhow. I just want clear water, and stable water.
Can you make this work:
Make it a 2-part pond, with the smaller pond uphill from the main, lower pond.
The upper pond would be where you could have certain plants, perhaps plants that prefer part shade (if this end of the system was under some trees) or additional filter media. Perhaps some form of media that would grow lots of bacteria. The upper 'pond' might be a large tank (like a water trough for animals). Or it could simply be another hole in the ground.
Then dig a winding stream bed for fairly slow water movement, lots of rounded stones, lots of emersed plants. At least 20' (7 meters) long, no more than a 2' drop along 20'.
The slow water movement will allow stuff to settle out of the water, and the emersed plants, growing in the stream will use that settling material to grow. Since they are in the air they have no lack of CO2, so can grow as fast as they want. The exposure of lots of water to the air will improve the gas exchange. Oxygen enters the water for the fish (if the plants are not producing much, like at night) and CO2 enters the water for the plants during the day.
Then a waterfall into the main pond. It does not need to be very high to be nice, and the splashing increases the gas exchange in the pond itself by causing ripples in the water.
The formula to make a nice sounding waterfall: You need 1000 gallons per hour for every 1' width of the waterfall. So if the waterfall is 18" wide, you need at least 1500 gph.
Metric: (very rough conversion) For every .3 meters width of waterfall you need 4000 liters per hour of water movement.
If you think you can move 56,000 gallons 2 times per day, that is not too far off 112,000 gallons per day. Divide by 24 = over 4,000 gallons per hour minimum. You could have a good waterfall with that.
I am not sure about sealing the pond, do you have access to Portland Cement? Does it mix with the local soil and set up? Around here, 5 bags of portland cement (100 lb bags) are mixed with 1 cubic yard (a bit less than 1 cubic meter) of a specific blend of sand and gravel. You might check with local builders who would know about products available to you.
Thanks for the reply
Well, I wanted it to be planted with Valls,cabomba,crypts etc. Hence, I wanted a filter so people can actually see them. Also, I an not interested kois, coz they ll probably die of heat or get eaten by birds and they are not native to India. This pond is neighboring one of the largest national parks of Asia, and one of the most well preserved too. A lot of homework will have to be done before adding any fish, in case it escapes. Right now I am thinking of adding small shoaling natives, in huge numbers.
And yea, even I am thinking now do I really need a lot of filteration. The pond is quite big and can easily start its ecosystem. I think I should first make it hold water, see how it goes. If it clears up I ll let go of the filter. Else I ll do something.
Do you think $12/meter is a good price for butyl liner?
do you need a filter for the pond? are you going to be growing koi or tilapia in it? There are several large koi ponds around my area that only use "fountain" style pumps for aeration and no other filtration. When they're that big at 56000 gallons, they start up their own ecosystem pretty quick. I'd plant it with lilies and marginal plants and let them do some of the work.
As for making the thing hold water, I don't know what kind of clay would help, but nothing beats a liner. I know it's expensive, but I don't know what else will hold water for you... clay is porous, so even if it's some nice clay, it'll still absorb and pass water through it.
First pond,BIG {Planning ATM}
Hi all,
I have a 25'x50'x6' "Hole" at my farmhouse. It was meant to be a pond, but it couldnt. The thing was, when my father dug it, they were completely unaware about the workings of a pond. We still are, but with me active in this hobby I am hopping to make this pond work. Atleast hold water.
The first issue is, it does NOT hold water. Even in the rainy reason, it only fills up about 3-4'. And that water stays from June to mid-February. After that it dries up. The rainfall is adequate [140-200 cms Annually] and the temperature goes down to 4-5C in December to 40C in May. The soil is, well not good. The region does not have much clay, however some 30-40 Kilometers from that place, the soil is good enough to make double storey houses. I think I can use that soil [Clay?] to make the bottom of the pond. The budget atm does not allow for lining the entire pond. The cost comes to around $6000 using butyl liner.
Second issue is filtration. We already have 20000G swimming pool, with a filter to match [Sand filter probably]. However no one uses the pool, and I can use that to filter the pond. But while the pool is 20K gallons, the pond is 56K. I dont think it can do the same filtration with the pond. I am thinking of going DIY here. Maybe make another sand filter. I have the skills at hand (not mine though] but I cant find the right specs for this size a pond on the net. In my planted tanks, I keep an average of 2-3X turnover per hour. That is simply not possible for this pond. The max I can get is 2-3X per DAY. Is it enough to atleast see the bottom? Tips?
Can I have some budget friendly tips on making the water stay?
I am guessing the liner shop is taking me for a ride with the prices.
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what is it about an sti that makes it faster and more powerful than a plain wrx. im just not sure and am curious. Thanks
This is a discussion on WRX vs. WRX STi within the Comparison: WRX vs World forums, part of the Community - Meet other Enthusiasts category; what is it about an sti that makes it faster and more powerful than a plain wrx. im just not ...
what is it about an sti that makes it faster and more powerful than a plain wrx. im just not sure and am curious. Thanks
bigger injectors for one, and on the 05s and below the wrx's only have a 2.0 liter engine the sti's have 2.5, and lots of other stuff
like first poster said before 06, wrx was a 2.0L
Wrx has a smaller turbo, different block, intercooler, exhaust, tune etc.
STi also has a much better suspension, 6spd m/t and of course the brembos.
IMO if you can do it spend the extra on the sti, its more than worth it
so about how much would it cost to bring a stock wrx up to sti standards in terms of the engine im just curious if it would be cheaper to buy a wrx over an sti and beef the engine up
if you can afford it, go for the sti, or you'll be doing more than "beefing up the engine"... the wrx tranny can only hold X amount of power. you'll more than likely have to upgrade that to an STi one anyway
your friendly, neighborhood subaru girl
abbigale : 06 impreza wrx tr: cobb stage II
ok that was my big question cause im going cobb on the suspension so eliminates getting an sti for that reason but if the engine is that different than it makes sense to spend the extra dime, thanks
sti is a much better platform and yes the tranny and brembos alone are worth the extra it costs to get an sti let alone the ej25,vf39,tmic,interior,suspension,exterior etc etc
get the sti
This question has been asked more times than the sun has set.
Use the search! It's your friend!
Past Subies - '11 STI Limited stage 1+ and '04 STi stage 2+
'13 Wrangler Rubicon - custom front bumper w/12k lb winch & off-road lights, skid plates, diff guards, etc.
'04 Porsche 911 Turbo GT2 clone 600 HP/TQ
'77 F-150 heavily modded for off-roading
06 GTO M6 Quicksilver, SLP 455 Bobcat, LS7 Clutch w/ SS line (RPM tune:373rwhp/373rwtq)
07 WRX TR M5 Garnet Red Pearl w/ Straight PPGs and Cusco front LSD (Agile tune:307whp/343wtq)
if u buy a used wrx, u could definately save money getting it to sti specs over a brand new sti.
Or u could just buy a used sti and put more stuff in it and be faster than the wrx either way
I don't think this has ever been asked before.
-The J 𒂼𒄄
"Driving most supercars is like trying to manhandle a cow up a back staircase. . . This is like smearing honey into Keira Knightly" -JC


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The man who brought Ryan Nelsen to Toronto FC says his managerial potential was obvious more than a decade ago and he has the potential to coach "at the highest levels in the sport".
Kevin Payne, who took over as Toronto CEO in November, was the architect of the shock swoop for Nelsen, signed while still a Queens Park Rangers player and despite his having no managerial experience.
Payne knows Nelsen well, as he was in charge at DC United when Nelsen arrived in Washington in 2001; the fresh-faced Cantabrian made an immediate impression.
"He was a recent college graduate but carried himself like a man," Payne told the Herald on Sunday. "He didn't act like a 23-year-old and commanded immediate respect. Almost instantly, he became a leader in the dressing room."
Payne says the young New Zealander was interested in the dynamics of the dugout from an early stage.
"Back then, I spent a lot of time talking to him," recalls Payne. "I found him very mature and thoughtful and he expressed an interest in management in those days. Early on, there were qualities that became more and more apparent as I observed him. I stayed in touch while he was in England and it was always on my mind."
Payne also revealed Nelsen volunteered as an assistant coach at George Mason University, an affiliated college with the MLS franchise and spent one to two hours most days coaching there with Fran O'Leary, now Nelsen's No2 at Toronto. For almost four years, Nelsen trained with his MLS side in the mornings before joining the University team in the afternoons.
"I think, at that stage, (he) had a real brain for the game and had an eye on going into coaching when his career ended," said O'Leary at the time of Nelsen's appointment. "So even though (he) was at the front end of (his) playing career, (he was) already looking to the back end and a career in management.
"He has a lot of leadership ability, a real interest in leadership and thinks a lot about the game," says Payne. "It always resonated to me that Ryan would be a great coach. In a way, I believe throughout his career he has always been a coach and he can make it to as high a level as he chooses; in time, it will be up to him what he does but I expect him to be at this club for many years to come."
Despite Payne's optimism, the reaction to Nelsen's appointment has been far from positive among the MLS media, particularly in Canada. Nelsen has a wealth of playing experience but has yet to coach professionally at any level, and doesn't hold any Fifa or UEFA coaching badges - often a prerequisite for a professional manager but not a requirement in the MLS.
"I can see why people would think this is a gamble," says Payne, "and they have the right to think that. But to my mind, it definitely isn't. Ryan has all the right attributes to be successful and anyway I have done this (hired young coaches) successfully before at DC United."
Payne made Piotr Nowak manager of DC United in 2004, a year after the Polish international had hung up his boots. The untried Nowak took DC, then captained by Nelsen, to their first MLS title since 1999. Payne also appointed current DC manager Ben Olsen, a contemporary of the New Zealander who was 33 when he took over, the youngest in the history of the MLS. Meanwhile, Jason Kreis was 34 when he became head coach at Real Salt Lake and just 36 when they took the 2009 title.
"This is a great league to begin as a manager," adds Payne. "In the MLS, you have to do a lot of actual coaching - unlike many of the other leagues like the Premier League. It is more of a teaching league here; there are a lot of great athletes but they don't have the experience and have a lot to learn. Also, all of the teams have the same resources [the MLS has a salary cap of around US$3 million ($3.54 million)] and often it is down to the quality of the coach as to whether you perform or not."
Nelsen's experience as a player with DC United between 2001 and 2005 will hold him in good stead. Though the league has evolved significantly (in 2005, there were 12 teams and four dedicated football stadiums; now there are 19 teams, most with football-specific grounds) the quirks which tripped up many other managers, remain. The huge travel demands, different climates, salary cap, draft system, ownership structure and convoluted play-offs will be second nature to Nelsen.
Toronto have been serial under-achievers, only once going close to the play-offs and churning through seven coaches in six seasons. They finished bottom (19th) last season (5 wins, 8 draws, 21 losses) and 16th in 2011. So, no pressure then?
"There was no general strategy in the past and we are taking a different approach," says Payne. "There is a lot to rebuild and I was looking for a partner - there will be no short cuts. Ryan is very well organised and loves process in developing a team. The players understand what is required and why we are doing what we need to do."
Given Payne's close ties with Nelsen, the club will be patient with the 35-year-old but expect progress. They are one of the best resourced clubs and have a new US$25 million training facility.
Their owners, Toronto Maple Leaf Sports, have deep pockets and the club have an extensive academy programme.
"We need to be competitive," says Payne. "We want to be in the conversation for the play-offs. I expect us to be an extremely hard team to play against and a difficult team to beat."
Football in North America
• Football's first foray into North America was spectacular - with players like Pele, George Best and Franz Beckenbauer playing in front of huge crowds in the 1970s - but short-lived, as the North American Soccer League folded in 1984, 16 years after its inception. The NASL had some of the best team names seen in world sport, including the California Surf, Tulsa Roughnecks, Jacksonville Tea Men, San Diego Jaws, Minnesota Kicks and the San Diego Sockers.
• The 1994 World Cup gave the impetus for the MLS and it kicked off two years later. It started in 1996 with 10 clubs and has since expanded to 19.
• The MLS has evolved into somewhat of a professional breeding ground for New Zealand players, often after a stint at an American university. Some, like Ryan Nelsen and Simon Elliott, go on to bigger and better things while others spend their careers in North America. Dan Keat (LA Galaxy) and Jake Gleeson (Portland Timbers) are two recent All Whites plying their trade in the US.
• Like most American sports, the competition is divided into conferences (Eastern, 10 teams; Western, nine) and there is no promotion-relegation system.
• DC United and LA Galaxy are the most successful MLS clubs, with four titles each. Along with Toronto, who joined the league in 2007, the other Canadian clubs are Montreal Impact (joined in 2012) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (since 2011).
• Apart from David Beckham, other stars to grace the MLS in recent times include Juan Pablo Angel (Chivas USA), Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle), Denilson (Dallas), Thierry Henry (New York), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) and Rafa Marquez (New York).