text:
Guidant Microwave Surgical Ablation System AFx FLEX 10
The AFx FLEX 10 is a microwave probe that is used for the ablation of cardiac tissue. The AFx probe creates long, continuous lesions, heating cardiac tissue to create even and symmetrical lines of predictable and controllable depth. Shielding on non-ablative surfaces ensures directed energy delivery, minimizing risk of collateral damage.
The AFx probe is flexible and malleable, allowing the surgeon to shape the device to the contour of the tissue and accommodating variations in surgical approaches. The AFx probe's versatility allows its use in epicardial or endocardial, off-pump or on-pump, and beating heart or arrested heart procedures.
Video: Robotic Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
with Flex-10 Microwave Ablation
For more information:
Return to MAZE Procedure
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Phone: 323.442.5849 Fax: 323.442.5956 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright © USC Cardiothoracic Surgery


text:
Wind at My Back (CA)
33 Fans
Wind at My Back is a Canadian family drama set in the small mining town of New Bedford during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It follows lives of Honey, recently widowed mother, her children and other the members of the Bailey family as they live through a period marked by hardship and uncertainty.
Played by:
Character Bio
[No description found for this character]
[no screenshots found]
- see Episode List
Del Sutton Quotes
|Season 2 / Episode 8: - Careers
Grace Bailey: [about imagining telling May what she considers a crazy idea] I can just hear my mother.
Del Sutton: Just because you can hear her doesn't mean you have to listen to her.
Del Sutton Photos
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thanks to b16 for providing the nandroid off his GSM Galaxy Nexus for all of us to use.
Note: This is the same rom I've been working on for the past few days that I had posted in AshG's thread over here. Just decided to create my own thread for it here.
MD5: 5e359eccd906815fff5fba4e54dcd26e
Change Log:
Version 2.6
- fixed hdmi
- fixed verizon apps not working
- fixed gps (discovered that gsm vendor lib files were being used. replaced with cdma)
- updated all google apps to most current
- updated Superuser app and su binary
- updated market app to 3.7.13
- updated maps app to 6.9.0
- reverted kernel to completely stock version
- several minor fixes
- MMS fix (The mms apk was not configured properly for verizon due to the jelly bean rom coming from a GSM phone. It was causing pictures to be overly compressed and look like crap. Also, videos received via mms would not play).
- Fixed bluetooth range and quality.
- WiFi fix
- slow GPS lock fix
- moved misplaced lib files
- fixed no ringtone or notification sound by default
- fixed updater script to actually format system
- fixed ERI text to say Verizon Wireless
- Boot into Recovery
- Wipe Data / Factory Reset (if coming from previous version you should be fine with a wipe cache and dalvik-cache)
- Install .zip
- Reboot
- Enjoy


text:
Nice job...
I know this will be brought up so I will just copy/paste this for everyone. Although I sure by now everyone knows how to do it. I went by these instructions and found it was extremely easy. So Here you go:
Your doing this at your own risk. I am not a certified Yamaha mechanic and only expressing my thoughts and veiws on adjusting valves. If for any reason you don't feel comfortable doing this, take it to your Yamaha certifed mechanic.
1. Make sure your machine is clean prior to starting this task. It's very easy to get dirt, grime and mud into the valleys where the valves are. It's never fun to work on something dirty and I suggest giving her a bath prior to starting anything below. Also be sure you have a clean working area for those bolts that fall out or could roll away.
2. Please folks remember your working with gas and removing fuel lines with vapor. It only takes a spark and boom your machine is in flames. Also keep good ventilation going to help keep your mind clear and your body healthy.
3. Start by removing the seat by pushing against the plastic latch until you pop the seat up.
4. Remove the positive battery cable prior to anything to help prevent sparks which is located under the black rubber cover under the seat. This will require a large phillips head screwdriver.
5. . Remove the front radaitor cover which is secured by the 2 allen screws directly under the handle bars. Once the 2 bolts are out, slide the cover towards the rear of the machine which will allow the "feet" to come out of the grove.
6. Next on the list is removing the tank cover which is only held on by plastic inserts and the gas cap.
7. Next let's remove the front fenders by removing the bolts and plastic inserts that bolt everything down. This will consist of 2 allens with 10mm nuts and 3 other 10mm head bolts "2 under fender" and one directly in the front of the radaitor. Lastly there are 2 more that secure the front and rear fenders near the battery tray.
8. There is a vent tube "clear" that you must remove near the bars and then unplug the display unit's feed "witch" to allow removal of the complete front section.
9. Gas tank removal requires you take the 4 10mm bolts out and removal of the fuel pump power connector and the fuel line itself. When removing this remove the black retainer plastic which will allow you acces to the orange clip. Take your time and slowly pull back the arms which will allow it to slide away from the line and gain you the space needed to pull the line off. I would strongly suggest you get a zip loc bag and place it into there to help prevent spillage of fuel. Lastly remove the 2 plastic inserts near the rubber and then remove the tank.
10. Next and the hardest is the heat shiled for the tank. There are groves cut in the front that hold the wires near the stem. Remove these and the vent tube in the bottom. Take your time as this part is difficult to remove wihtout damaging it. Once you get the lines free pull it to the rear to remove it.
Now for the easy stuff !!! VALVE adjustments!!
11. Please clean all around the covers....dirt will always find it's way into these areas!!!!!!
12. Remove the Timing Mark accessory screw with the allen tool
13. Remove the Crankshaft end cover which will allow you to turn the engine over. This will require a 14mm allen or you can also use the other end of your spark plug tool.
14. Remove the spark plug with the tool kit you have in the rear.
15. There are 3 covers that need to removed. They are held by 8mm head bolts. These are on the top near the FI, another near the exhaust pipes and then the one where your timing chain is located.
16. Now since the Raptor is a 4 stoke "Intake- Compression-Power-Exhaust" we need to get the engine to TDC or top dead center on the compression stroke. This is easily done by using the 22mm deep well socket and rotate the engine Counter Clockwise until 2 things happen. First you need to align up the mark on the flywheel with the mark on the case. There are 2 marks... the "H" which is used for timing and then a plain "I" mark which is used to identify TDC. You will know your on the right stroke because near the timing chain you will see the line on the cam gear and the case also match up. there should be very little resistance once your there and the plug is out. Wiggle the rockers and they should be semi lose. If you have (0) clearance your not on the correct stroke.
16. Now get your taper feeler gauges out which should be in MM to measure these engines. Start with the intake and measure each one. If correct, there should be .09 mm- .13mm. When you measure there should be a slight resistance when sliding it through. If it's tight then you know you need to losen the nut and turn the tappet adjuster counter clockwise to losen it slightly or vise versa. Once you can slip in the feeler gauges and feel just a slight resistance, hold the tool still and tighten up the nut and recheck it one more time. Next goto the other valve and follow the same procedures again without turning the engine over. Adjust this one accordingly.
17. After adjusting the intake side I would roate the engine a few times Counter Clockwise and recheck these once you've found TDC again to ensure you have it perfect.
18. Next move onto the exhaust and follow the same procedures except this time you want clearances to be .16mm - .20mm so you will need to swtich out your gauges for the next size up. The small taper set you can order really help out here when trying to do your valves. Once you've done both here rotate the engine over a few times and locate TDC and recheck all of these.
19. Once your certain you've got them correct, spin the engine about 20 times and then locate TDC once again and check them all once again as a tripple check....then button her up.
20. Reinstall in the reverse order and I would suggest an oil / filter change to top off the job after your start it and warm it up to flush any possible contamination away into the filter.
1. Make sure duing all this process you don't drop anything into the engine. Commen things include bolts for covers, O ring for covers, allen tools or sockets. I would use a rag and cover everything when your not directly in that spot. I do suggest you pick up an expandable magnet to help retrieve anything that could fall just in case.
2. Let me explain some theory here on valve adjusting....like how tight should I put in on that scale etc.
When adjusting valves the whole reason your doing this is to keep clearance in acceptable ranges. If you get to tight, the valves never close completly and can burn valves or lead to the valves hitting the piston. If you get them to lose then you will create slop which leads to less HP because your valves are not opening as much which will limit the air traveling through. There are 2 parts to a cam that are important. You have Duration and you have Lift. The duration is "at the highest point of opening" the total time the valve remains there allowing air in. The lift "total valve height opening" which allows the air to flow through creating HP.
Now the reason you purchase after market cams is for both increase lift and duration to bump HP. The reason you need after market springs is to compensate for the increased lift and prevent floating of the valves when using more radical cams that have a different ramp leading to the peak point. If you adjust your stock cam on the tight side it will provide more lift increasing HP but will require more attention sooner. The main thing you DON'T want to do is create to little gap and create PSI losses which burns valves becausing your looking for that little extra lift. Hence the reason you have the minimum specs. I would always adjust them for the lighter side because, as valve and seat wear happens the valves move closer to the tappet requiring more adjustment.
There's not much to this style of adjusting other then taking the time to do this properly. Keep everything clean and always put bolts back into the holes so your not playing the guessing game during reassembly. Listed below are the tools needed for the job. The complete thing takes about 3-4 hours and is very easy guys/gals.
1. 3/8 Drive Ratchet
2. 3/8 Drive Torque wrench that measures in "IN-LBS"
3. 3/8 Swivel
4. 3/8 Drive 8mm, 10mm and 22mm (Deep well for 22mm) sockets
5. 3/8 Drive 6" extension
6. 3/8 Drive 4mm, 6mm and 14mm Allen sockets
7. 8mm, 10mm, 14mm combination wrenchs
8. Stock Spark plug tool
9. Small Standard screwdriver and Large Phillips screwdriver
10. Taper set of "MM" feeler gagues...."Dealership"
11. Tappet adjusting tool "Dealership"
12. Expandable Magnet
13. Set of "CROWS FEET" "to tighten the adjusting nut on valves"
1. Locknut for valves------------------------------------------- 10 FT LBS or 120 IN lbs
2. Timing Mark Acc Screw--------------------------------------- 4.3 LBS or 51 IN lbs
3. Crankshaft End cover------------------------------------------7.2 LBS or 86 IN lbs
4. Spark Plug ----------------------------------------------------9.4 LBS or 113 IN lbs
5. Camshaft Sprocket cover--------------------------------------7.2 LBS or 86 IN lbs
6. Valve covers both intake and exhaust--------------------------7.2 LBS or 86 IN lbs
06 Raptor 700, bill ballance carbon fiber full exhaust, wideband o2, k&n Intake, outerwears, ccp stabilizer, upp case saver, pro taper se bend, 15t, hids, holeshot hds, alba action carbon fiber grill and tank cover, carbon covers, se suspension.
Wifes: 04 Raptor 350hmf slip on, dynojet , k&n intake, 14t, pro taper se raptor bend, holeshots
I have the same info that is condensed with pics that is in a PDF file. If you want I can email it someone so that they can post everyone to use.
The more info we can post, the better, that will make it like it was at the RF, only better now.
Coop we miss you brother..
Two Thumbs up to Johnny Baja. I'm glad I only need to check every 80hrs because it is time consuming but instructions are spot on for my maiden voyage. The 09 plug wrench has a 17mm end so you need to buy a 14mm plug socket. I expected to find tight intake valves but found loose intake/exhaust on the longer tappet side of each?! Super write up. Thanx
Need some help putting everything back together. To what does the vent tube under the heat shield connect to? If nothing, how should it be routed so that it's not just dangling?


text:
FIO: 'ION' Real Competition for Storage, Says Piper; Sale Will be Tough, Says Lazard
The Street late yesterday and early this morning weighed in on the importance of flash memory server acceleration technology provider Fusion IO's (FIO) announcements this week of two different product initiatives: a software program called "ION," and a partnership with NetApp (NTAP) to make products combining their respective technologies.
Fusion said on Monday it will collaborate to make its "acceleration" technology work better with NetApp's operating system software for its storage devices, and its appliances for "caching" data. It then announced on Wednesday that ION will be sold on a purpose-built server device that spreads the benefits of the company's acceleration technology throughout a data center.
In a note to clients this morning, Piper Jaffray's Andrew Nowinski, who has an Overweight rating on shares of Fusion, and a $38 price target, writes of the ION machine that "this feature enables Fusion-io to deliver the performance benefits of an in-server architecture, while also providing the 'shared' capabilities of external storage arrays."
He thinks the combination of ION and the NetApp deal could provide real competition for EMC (EMC) and other vendors of traditional storage equipment:
Combining the ability to share PCIe cards (via ION) with data protection functionality (via NetApp), we believe legacy high-end storage arrays will begin to face real headwinds from these "software-defined storage" architectures, similar to the way the networking space is transforming to a software-defined network (SDN
And Lazard Capital Markets's Edward Parker, who rates Fusion stock a Neutral, wrote that ION, "which is essentially a server bundled with Fusion-io drives and new data management software such that the server, or a cluster of servers, can effectively operate as a storage array or a SAN," is a positive step, given that Fusion's traditional sales of so-called PCIe cards may not be sustainable over the long term.
However, Parker thinks it may be a tough route to market for Fusion without having the product bundled by Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) or another vendor:
The server vendors won't be interested in pushing a software defined solution since they're focused on selling more hardware. It doesn't appear like an OEM partner is bundling and driving the solution, which means Fusion-io will have to spend a lot of resources to get it to market. We also note that it's possible to bundle a similar solution with PCIE cards, commodity hardware and open source software, so we look to get a better assessment of the solution.
Fusion shares today are up 78 cents, or 4%, at $18.97.


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Select residents allowed into Devonshire Square after fire
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Residents of the Devonshire Square Apartments still can't return home after a fire broke out Wednesday, but about two dozen of them are being allowed in to get personal items.
A fire broke out at the apartment complex on East Uintah Street on March19. About 100 families haven't been allowed back since.
On Monday (03/24/14,) the apartment management contacted certain residents telling them they would be let in to get some things, not to stay overnight. They were told to be there between 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. By the early afternoon, a growing group waited to be let in. Finally, at around 3 p.m., residents began to enter the building.
"I feel fantastic that I was able to get some of my stuff," Tiffany Jones said. "It was needed."
Jones said she took as many clothes and items as she could. Not everyone was as fortunate. Of the group waiting to be let in, several were turned away.
"The fire entrance to my hallway is boarded up, and we can't get in," Sherry Rundles said.
A message on the apartment complex's website said in part,
"We are continuing to make progress, and agencies are working around the clock to help us prepare the community for your return. After all agencies have approved re-entry into the community, our residents will be able to come back to Devonshire Square in phases."
Meanwhile, the Colorado Springs Fire Department is investigating why smoke alarms in the unit where the fire started apparently didn't work. The apartment complex doesn't have a building-wide fire alarm system, because it wasn't a requirement at the time it was built, and city ordinance does not require retrofit installation.
CSFD said the building had no violations in its last fire inspection in September 2012. It plans a follow-up inspection next week.


text:
My house is a 60 year old cape style home. I am planning on replacing the downstairs front windows because the seals have broken. I'm hoping to take advantage of the 2010 tax refund for these windows.
I'd like to replace these windows with an updated look, while giving the house curb appeal. I'd also like to have better ventilation on the right window, so I'm considering double hungs for that window replacement.
For the left window, I've got a few thoughts. The first is to keep it similar to what is there, making the picture window slightly narrower and the double hungs wider. The second option is to use 3 equally sized double hungs for uniformity. The third option is to use a wide double hung in the middle (approx 42") with 2 narrower double hungs on either side (approx 36-38").
current measurements: the window on the left is approx. 120" wide, the window on the right is approx. 80".
I'm interested in opinions or other suggestions.


text:
RALEIGH -- The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission became the first state fish and wildlife agency in the nation to receive approval for its Wildlife Action Plan -- a long-term strategy to conserve fish, wildlife and natural areas across the state to enhance wildlife populations and the quality of life for North Carolinians.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the N.C. Wildlife Action Plan, which makes North Carolina eligible to receive federal funds beginning in fiscal year 2006 through the State Wildlife Grants program. From 2001-05, the Fish and Wildlife Service gave North Carolina more than $6.1 million under this grant program.
The funds primarily will be dedicated to the conservation of a wide variety of non-game animals, including: northern flying squirrels, which inhabit high-elevation forests in the southern Appalachians; peregrine falcons, which nest on rocky cliffs and outcroppings; Northern pine snakes, which live only in three small, disconnected areas of the state due to habitat loss; robust redhorse, a rare fish found in North Carolina only in the Yadkin/Pee Dee River system; Eastern box turtles, North Carolina's state reptile, which can be found statewide for now; and gopher frogs, which breed in temporary ponds that can be found in longleaf pine forests.
For more information, visit www.ncwildlife.org or www.fws.gov.


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South Dennis, MA, USA < change city >
Reception Sites (51)
Photographers (23)
Bands (18)
Caterers (15)
DJs (13)
Florists (12)
Cakes (10)
Wedding Day Beauty (10)
Limos (7)
Rentals (6)
Coordinators (5)
Invitations (5)
Officiants (4)
Bartenders & Beverages (2)
Videographers (2)
Wedding Fashion (2)
Decorations (2)
See All Vendors >
Dottie Lovely - The Cake...
Orleans, MA, USA
4 ratings, 4 reviews, 4 weddings
The cake was excellent. Dottie was great to work with and accommodating. She not ...
Delicious Desserts
Falmouth, MA, United States
3 ratings, 3 reviews, 4 weddings
She specializes in Cape Cod Wedding Cakes. She was very sweet and bubbly. She kne...
Cape Cod Cakes
600 Route 28
West Yarmouth, MA 02673, USA
2 ratings, 2 reviews, 2 weddings
The owner, Julie is an artist and her cakes are beyond delicious. We had more pe...
27 Tara Terrace
Bourne, MA 02532, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
My cake was absolutely perfect and gorgeous! I loved it, and it tasted wonderful!
Cupcake Charlie's
28 North Street
Mashpee Commons
Mashpee, MA 02649, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
YUMMY! Why go anywhere else? Penny is wonderful to work with too!
Cakes By Liz
280 Norton Ave
Vineyard Haven, MA, United States
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
My easiest vendor - I did not worry about a thing because Liz did such a good job...
Mv Bakery
Marthas Vineyard, MA, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
competitive pricing, cupcakes were great, they had a tower we could use to displa...
Casual Gourmet
31 Richardson Road
Centerville, MA, United States
Cakes/Candies, Caterers
4 ratings, 4 reviews, 5 weddings
The cake itself was very good, moist and flavorful. However, the cake arrived wit...
Creative Baking Co.
115 Corporation Street
Hyannis, MA 02601, USA
Cakes/Candies, Caterers
1 rating, 2 reviews, 2 weddings
We knew exactly what we wanted: yellow chocolate and chocolate frosting. The own...
Krazy Kakes
Buzzards Bay, MA, USA
1 rating, 1 review, 1 wedding
Some of the best cake I've ever had. The buttercream frosting is the perfect flav...


text:
Printing History
...for baby announcements and related birth stationery
How did social stationery printing come about? How did it evolve into the form that it is today? What country did it come from? Where did the practice of announcing important occasions with fine stationery start?
European Aristocracy
The traditions and history of social stationery and its uses are helpful to understand when making your stationery selection. Invitations to and announcements of social occasions were used by the elite in Europe beginning in the late 17th century. The royal class would announce a new member of the family or invite their peers to a celebration by handwritten, delivered notes. Since writing was a privilege of the educated, handwritten invitations and announcements were preferred and mass producing notes was considered poor taste.
Almost without exception, those who handwrote notes did so with excellent, cursive penmanship. Since invitations and announcements were handwritten, each note could be individually customized with the recipient's name and address. Hot wax seals, often of the family crest, were used to close the envelope. Servants hand delivered these announcements and invitations on horseback.
The printing press had no role in social invitations or announcements until the end of the 19th century. In the beginning printed notes were expensive so the aristocracy began sending mass produced notes as a signal of their wealth. Printed stationery became available to the masses when industrialization drove down the cost of printing. The original printing process required the placement of a tissue between announcements in order to prevent the drying ink to damage the next announcement. That is the origin of our modern day card tissue.
As printing became available to the masses, the publishing industry invented lithography, a process that enabled the reproduction of high resolution images and artwork. To distinguish themselves from the common folk, the elite began the practice of engraving their announcement. This required a craftsman to manually carve the text into a metal plate. To this day, engraving still represents the highest quality stationery.
Today's technology has improved the engraving process, but it is still highly manual. Thermography was invented as a lower cost alternative to engraving. Thermography uses heated ink and a special resin to create a raised print image that simulates engraving.
All of these forms of printing announcements are still widely available. Recently, there has been an emergence in custom announcements that are handmade and assembled. These birth announcements often resemble children's pop-up books and have moveable die-cuts like animals or windows.
Today, we have many options for announcing the birth of a new baby or any other social occasion. With desktop publishing software and personal printers, it is even acceptable for people to print their own stationery. But the finest stationery still requires a traditional printing processes. An Evite in your inbox cannot compare to receiving a finely engraved card.


text:
Scania 2012 Profit Drops on European Truck-Price DeclineChristoph Rauwald
Scania AB, the Swedish truckmaker controlled by Volkswagen AG, said profit dropped 29 percent in 2012 because of pricing pressure and lower production rates amid an economic decline in its main market of Europe.
Net income fell to 6.65 billion kronor ($1.04 billion) from 9.42 billion kronor a year earlier, Soedertaelje, Sweden-based Scania said today in a statement. Revenue declined 9.2 percent to 79.6 billion kronor.
"Customers are hesitant about investing in new vehicles in view of the uncertain economic climate," Chief Executive Officer Martin Lundstedt said in the statement. At the same time, truck and bus orders rose 24 percent in the fourth quarter amid a "replacement need," while new emissions standards may also add to demand, he said.
Europe accounted for 45 percent of Scania's truck deliveries last year, an increase from 44 percent in 2011. The economy of the 17 nations sharing the euro went into recession in the third quarter, and the European Central Bank is forecasting a 0.3 percent contraction in 2013. Scania said it has reduced first-quarter production in Europe by 15 percent from the previous three-month period because of declining sales.
Scania fell as much as 3.3 percent and was trading down 0.1 percent at 137.9 kronor as of 10:02 a.m. in Stockholm. That pared the shares' gain in the past 12 months to 18 percent.
Capacity Plans
The manufacturer plans to increase annual production capacity to 120,000 trucks and buses by 2015 from 100,000 vehicles in 2012, according to a year-old plan that Lundstedt reiterated on Sept. 26. Under that strategy, Scania's capacity would rise to 150,000 commercial vehicles at the next peak of the business cycle.
Demand for commercial vehicles in December fell to the lowest level since October 2009 in Europe, industry association ACEA said yesterday. Registrations of new heavy trucks in Europe declined in all major markets, plunging 16 percent in France, 20 percent in Italy, 21 percent in the U.K., 27 percent in Germany and almost 40 percent in Spain.
Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, wants to forge a European truck alliance between Scania and its second truck unit, Munich-based MAN SE, to reap cost savings and take on global market leader Daimler AG. Wolfsburg, Germany-based VW owns 75.03 percent of MAN and said Jan. 9 that it plans to make an offer for full control.


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Bujuku - Mubuku - Day 3 - The real bog begins
Trip Start Dec 16, 2005
125Trip End Jun 12, 2006
Map your own trip!
Loading Map
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Show trip route
Hide lines
Today we hit the real bog. Apparently yesterday was just a taster. I was all gaitered up but a lot of the day was spend jumping from log to grass tussock and back to log. During the day the two main bogs were the Upper and Lower Bigo bog. Good day for wildlife, saw Blue Tailed Monkey, the colourful Rwenzori Turaco and some brilliant dark green flycatchers. Lots of interesting vegetation also, lobelias and some joshua like looking plants.
Caught a few glimpses of Margarita, the tallest peak on Mt. Stanley and also Uganda and the 3rd in Africa. Later that day passing Lake Bujuku we arrived at Bujuku hut and the starting point for ascents on Mt. Speke. Oh and a 3rd day without rain!
After a quick chat with an American tour group (one guy was 69 years old and was going to do the 3 biggest mountain in the Rwenzoris followed by Kilimanjaro and Meru - very impressed) I did a quick hike up through the 'Joshua Trees' to the 14000ft Stuhlman Pass and the Congolese border. After quickly crossing the border visa and passport less I returned down getting some great views of Mt. Baker with a cloud line halfway down and Lake Bujuku at the bottom.
Had a successful custard making experience that evening.


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On September 13, 1996, Guatemala applied its death penalty, which had not been utilized since 1983. Roberto Giron and Pedro Castillo were convicted in 1993 for the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, but whether they were guilty or innocent of this heinous crime, the defendants were not afforded due process in their trial or appeals.
As Legal Director for the Centro para la Accion Legal en Derechos Humanos (CALDH) in Guatemala, I served along with Helen Duffy and attorneys from the Institute for Comparative Studies in Penal Science as counsel for Giron and Castillo in appealing their death sentences, and witnessed firsthand the judicial irregularities in this case. It is my belief that the trials of these men and the events leading up to the executions are emblematic of a dangerous trend in Guatemala of compromising due process and basic human rights in order to combat a perceived rise in crime.
At least 7 times in 1996, mobs publicly lynched suspected market-place thieves, literally burning suspects alive in the streets. There have been even more already this year. The March 1997 Report of the UN Human Rights Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) commented on this situation and noted that the state has failed to prevent and punish such acts. Guatemalan citizens are frustrated with crime, corrupt police and dysfunctional courts. The Government is trying to satisfy demands of the public to bring crime under control, and President Alvaro Arzu, in fact, was elected in 1995 after promising in his campaign to reinstitute the death penalty. Against this backdrop, it is not politically expedient in Guatemala to protect defendants' rights. International efforts to defend these rights or work for improvement in Guatemala s prisons have been criticized by the Guatemalan press, which has stirred up public outrage over the crime rate. The press has also raised nationalistic attacks on international human rights workers and compared the UN and the Organization of American States (OAS) to the Spanish Inquisition.
Clearly the crimes of rape and murder, especially when the victim is a child, must be remedied by the state. Legitimate public outrage demands it. Regardless of the nature of the crime, however, Guatemala must honor the principles of due process guaranteed by its Constitution. Whether or not the defendants were guilty, Roberto Giron and Pedro Castillo were denied due process, and thus their executions were unjust.
Denial of Due Process
Due process is protected in Guatemala by Article 12 of the Constitution. The Guatemalan Penal Procedure Code dictates that a criminal defendant has the right to legal counsel at all times after arrest and the right to be immediately informed of his rights as set out in Articles 142 to 164. Giron and Castillo were afforded neither. They were arrested on April 18, 1993, but were not afforded legal representation until April 27th.
Without the assistance of legal counsel, the defendants made vaguely inculpatory statements during this critical phase. The police asked the defendants repeatedly if they had committed the crime and why. The suspects denied it and could not remember where they were or what they were doing at the time of the incident. Ultimately, when asked why they had committed the crime, Giron said, I do not know what happened to me. This was interpreted as a confession.
The fact that Giron and Castillo were not afforded legal counsel during their interrogation alone violates their procedural rights. The declarations made during this phase should have been excluded from trial not only on that basis, but because of the manner in which they were extracted. The interrogation was, as evidenced by the transcript and the defendants' accounts, suggestive and coercive, in violation of Article 12 of the Political Constitution of Guatemala. Moreover, one of the defendants was illiterate and could not read the "confession" that he allegedly signed and which constituted the principal evidence against him.
When the defendants were finally assigned legal counsel, it was in the form of two students from the San Carlos University of Guatemala. At the time, the Penal Procedure Code permitted substitution of a non-lawyer for a lawyer, however, this provision applied only in jurisdictions where there are fewer than four lawyers. Dozens of licensed attorneys practice in Esquintla, the jurisdiction where these defendants were tried.
The student attorneys were not assigned to the case until the early proceedings were completed. They were supervised by a faculty member who is a licensed attorney, but the student- faculty ratio in this clinical program was sixty to one. In addition to missing the early proceedings because they had not yet been assigned to the case, the students missed many of the subsequent proceedings following their assignment to the case, including the first scheduled hearing before the presiding judge. This arrangement did not satisfy defendants right to "effective assistance of counsel" as required by Article 146 of the Penal Procedure Code.
There were also due process problems during the trial itself. Nearly all witness statements were taken during the period when defendants were detained but had not yet been assigned legal counsel. These statements were used at trial as evidence against defendants, but the defendants were denied the right to confront and cross-examine these witnesses because the judge refused to allow them to be called to testify at trial.
After the conviction, a series of appeals and requests for injunctions seeking a stay of execution for the condemned ensued. Lawyers and judges, long subject to threats and attacks in Guatemala, received direct and indirect threats of violence for filing or hearing motions to stay the executions. It is therefore not surprising that each attempt to reverse or stay the sentence was rejected by the courts. President Arzu rejected a clemency plea from the condemned and his position was not wavered by a similar appeal from the Guatemalan Conference of Bishops and Pope John Paul II himself.
The Commission Responds
On August 13, 1996, defendants counsel filed a Petition for Precautionary Measures with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the OAS (the Commission) under Article 29 of the Commission's Regulations. This is an equitable remedy that permits the Commission in urgent cases to request Member States to take all measures necessary to protect the life and integrity of persons. We argued that the above inconsistencies in the criminal procedure were contrary to Guatemalan law and the dictates of the American Convention on Human Rights (the Convention), of which Guatemala is a party, and that Petitioners were at imminent risk of loss of life without due process.
The Commission did not request Article 29 Precautionary Measures immediately, but instead issued a communication requesting that the Government of Guatemala answer questions regarding the procedural anomalies alleged by Petitioners. The Commission set out two provisions in its request: first, that Guatemala must reply within two weeks; and second, that if Guatemala set an execution date within those two weeks, the Commission would make its final determination on the merits whether to order Precautionary Measures with or without the Government's input.
The Government responded within the prescribed period, but before the Commission could analyze its reply and make a determination, Guatemala announced at 4:30 p.m. on September 9, 1996 that the execution would transpire at dawn the following morning. Counsel for the Petitioners contacted the Commission that night and reiterated our request for Precautionary Measures. Pursuant to Article 29(3) of the Commission's Regulations, the Chairperson of the Commission issued a Request for Precautionary Measures that asked the Government to suspend the execution until the Commission had an opportunity to review the case and reach a decision on its merits.
Just after midnight, the Commission communicated this request to Guatemala's Execution Judge, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the OAS, and the President of Guatemala. At 3:30 a.m., the Execution Judge told reporters that as no further appeals were possible, the execution would proceed at dawn. Moments later, three judges from Guatemala's Supreme Court arrived at the prison, and ten minutes later, the Execution Judge announced that the execution was stayed, citing international pressure as the rationale.
Although the Guatemalan Government acknowledged receipt of the Request for Precautionary Measures, on September 12, 1996, it transmitted a letter to the Commission from the President of both the Judicial Branch and the Supreme Court which concluded that Guatemalan domestic law does not provide for the implementation of Precautionary Measures and that the Supreme Court would therefore allow the execution to be carried out. Their position was essentially that the Commission had no binding authority. At 4 p.m. that day, the Execution Judge announced once again that the executions would proceed the next day at dawn. He further threatened judicial recourse against any lawyer who dared to file any more motions for a Stay of Execution. The Commission was notified of Guatemala's decision and did not take further action.
The Giron & Castillo case calls into question the authority of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Are countries obliged to adhere to Commission pronouncements only when it is politically convenient? How will the Commission sustain such a challenge to its authority? I would argue that the current Statute of the Commission should be reexamined. The Commission should be empowered to sanction governments who disregard its mandates, or, in the alternative, cases involving impending loss of life should be directly transferable to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Under the Guidelines of the UN's Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), in cases where a criminal defendant faces the possibility of execution, that defendant is entitled to a heightened level of due process protections. MINUGUA has observed repeatedly that the Guatemalan court system is inefficient, under-resourced, and plagued by corruption. Until the court system is improved, Guatemala should be prohibited from applying the death penalty in any case.
The Press and Human Rights Groups
The Guatemalan press corps is fraught with corruption and a lack of professional ethics. According to one exiled Guatemalan journalist who wishes to remain anonymous, For years a group of journalists tried to professionalize the field. Now the only Guatemalan journalists who are not dead or in exile are faferos (corrupt) and orejas (government informants). The press coverage of events leading to the execution of these defendants was highly sensationalized . Many news outlets launched ad hominem attacks against the condemned and the attorneys representing them.
|This excerpt from an editorial by
Estuardo Zapeta which appeared in Siglo XXI (21st
Century) on September 12, 1996, demonstrates the frustration
and resentment felt by Guatemalans over the criticism of international human rights workers:
A todos esos extranjeros, que para principiar no hablan bien el espanol y ya quieren venir a darnos lecciones y a contarnos las costillas, he aqui mi mensaje: Go home (sin traduccion). VĀyanse por la misma puerta por la que entraron. No los queremos aqui. Nosotros no pedimos que ustedes vinieran ni les hemos dado la bienvenida; loosers (sic) que en sus paises son unos fracasados y aqui quieren ser Robin Hoods y Madres Teresas.
To all those foreigners who first of all do not speak Spanish well and who want to come here and give us lectures and count our ribs, here is my message: Go home (without translation). Go out the same door you came in. We do not want you here. We never asked you to come nor did we welcome you; Losers who in your countries are complete failures and here you want to be Robin Hoods and Mother Teresas.
The executions took place on September 13, 1996, and were performed by a firing squad. After a forensic doctor determined that Giron and Castillo had both survived the initial gunshots, however, he requested the squad leader to deliver a pistol shot to each man's head. This method of execution sparked a great deal of controversy in Guatemala, and in October 1996, this controversy inspired the Guatemalan Congress to pass unanimously a law changing the method of execution to lethal injection.
Guatemala has a vibrant human rights community, but the emotions driving this case led many of its members to avoid speaking out even though many agree that the defendants had been denied due process. Even the newly-formed coalition of human rights groups, the Alliance Against Impunity, declined to issue a statement because, as one of its leaders stated, "the political costs are just too high."
Pedro Castillo and Roberto Giron are dead, but the issue is not. The lawyers of the deceased have requested a hearing during the next session of the Commission. They will argue that the execution of the Petitioners was in violation of the right to due process and the right to life. The outcome of this process remains crucial because the death penalty is being sought in more than seven cases currently pending in Guatemala. This will no doubt continue to be a key issue for some time.
The execution of two defendants tried and convicted without due process has dire implications for Guatemala, which is at a critical turning point. Peace accords signed on December 29, 1996, have terminated the 36-year bloody civil war, the longest war in Central American history, between the government and leftist insurgents. During the war, Guatemala had one of the worst human rights records in Central America, but times supposedly have changed since the early 1980's when Military Dictator General Rios Montt ignored an order from the Inter- American Court to cease executions by "special tribunals" (see Advisory Opinion #3 of the Court). Guatemala has begun a long-awaited process of reconciliation, and for this to succeed, the Guatemalan State must lay the institutional foundations for the legitimate administration of justice with consistent respect for the rule of law to ensure a democratic future.
* William
received his J.D. from
in 1990
and is currently pursuing his LL.M. at
. At the time of submission of this article, he was the
Legal Director of
, a Guatemalan
. He is currently representing several petitioners in
cases pending before the Inter-American Commission and Court. The opinions expressed herein
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Board or the Center for Human Rights and
Humanitarian Law.
© Copyright 1997 The Human Rights Brief
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Many good business analysts have evolved into strong software project managers--a natural career move accelerated by the shortage of experienced software project managers. Unfortunately, no one seems to be stepping into the analysts' vacant ecological niche. In this week's column, Payson Hall warns that business analysis is becoming a lost art. And it's the software project team ecology that is suffering the most from this trend.
Once upon a time, in the early days of computing, there was a plethora of creatures called "business analysts." Business analysts are people with technical knowledge, business knowledge, and analytical and communication skills. They frame business problems in technological terms during project definition, and help manage the business implications of technology solutions during implementation. Sadly, the business analyst role is going the way of the dodo bird, 8-track tapes, and mainframes in many modern software organizations.
Many good analysts have evolved into strong software project managers--a natural career move accelerated by the shortage of experienced software project managers. Unfortunately, no one seems to be stepping into the analysts' vacant ecological niche. Business analysis is becoming a lost art. While there are still folks with the title on their business cards, true business analysts are a rare and valuable species in the twenty-first century, and many projects are paying a steep price for their absence from software project team ecology.
As the demand for good software project managers continues to exceed supply, I've noticed a dangerous trend toward assigning people with good, general project management skill (but no software project experience) to software implementation projects. This trend is inadvertently encouraged by those evangelizing professional project management, who sometimes downplay the relevance of domain expertise in their zeal for espousing the commonalities among projects. While it's true that project managers in various disciplines use similar processes for definition, planning, and execution, it is challenging to develop a clear project definition and corresponding task list without domain expertise. In most specialized disciplines, this challenge is addressed by adding subject matter experts to the team. Most people would want a grizzled construction veteran at the right hand of a project manager, overseeing construction of their home. Unfortunately, many organizations don't appreciate that software development is as specialized as building construction. In days gone by, when their population was plentiful, business analysts were the subject matter experts that helped keep things together for the software project manager with minimal software experience.
Two projects I reviewed recently desperately needed business analysts to assist with implementation planning. Although both project managers were bright and competent people, neither had much software project experience. Neither project had strong business analysts on the team, nor recognized the deficit. Both projects had clear statements of the system functionality to be provided. Both procured vendors/systems integrators to deliver that functionality (one through custom development, the other through off-the-shelf product implementation). Both project managers assumed that the vendor would handle the implementation details. Neither appreciated the magnitude of the work that lay beyond the boundaries of what the vendors had agreed to do, nor the challenges inherent in establishing those boundaries.
A good business analyst could have helped define the projects better, more clearly establishing vendor responsibilities, and set better expectations with the affected business units regarding the impact of the changed software systems being implemented. Anyone with a software background can come up with most of these questions. As you reviewed the list, you probably felt a twinge of guilt from personal oversights in your younger days. While asking the questions is simple, developing comprehensive answers is much more challenging and requires business knowledge specific to the implementation at hand.
A good systems integrator might identify and address some of these issues. It is also easy to see how some issues could easily fall through the cracks or be defined to exist beyond the bounds of a vendor's responsibility. This is exactly why the elusive business analyst must be preserved as a vital part of the project team. We need business analysts


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We've all had them , but when does it become excessive and down right disrespectful and what can I do about it ? . Here's the problem. I register my bees with the county who in turn passes on the location of the yards to the crop dusting company . I also go by and mark my yards on the map at the crop dusting companys office. As a rule , the crop duster is not supposed to spray pesticides within a mile of a bee yard during the day time. An almost impossible task in this valley i must admit. However I constantly see them flying and spraying right next to my yards. Most of the times I don't have any kill but sometimes like the other day there is mass amounts of dead bees. Alot of times they just write it off as being harmless fungicide but anyone in the know can smell the difference.
Here's the even bigger problem. I don't own the property most of my yards are on. The farmers have been nice enough to allow me to place my bees on their land thats not being used or I put them on county or blm land. The farmers would argue that my yards are impeding their pesticide applications -
What could possibly be done ? what are you doing ? - I'm lost and don't want dead bees. ---


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Who doesn't love a good summertime festival? There's plenty of fun waiting this month, with festivals involving duck orchestras, hot tubs, beer-brewing and flowers.
Plus there's Wireless and Lovebox, a feminist festival from the Royal Shakespeare Company, a weekend of learning to be French at Borough Market and Bankside (with baguette making classes) and there's the quirkiness of Hyper Japan, where you can take part in heaps of Japanese fun and games. There's an LGBT day party witha 'Hello Sailor!' theme at Tobacco Dock in the Docklands, comedy lovers are treated to two festivals of stand-up, with Bridget Christie at ARGComFest and David Baddiel at Ealing Comedy Festival, while food fanatics can indulge and explore at Waterloo Food Festival and Munch. Browse our gallery below to see the best festivals happening in London this month.
July festivals in London
July festivals in London
1/15 Watch This Space
National Theatre, Jun 27-Aug 31
Hit the road for some free outdoor entertainment with dancers, musicians, jugglers and acrobatics. For ten weeks performers like Bambolina & Dodo (pictured) and Joey, the War Horse, will be popping up around south London to make visitors smile.
2/15 Ealing Summer Festivals
Various locations, Jun 28-Aug 31
A variety of festivals at Ealing's parks kicks off at the family-friendly Greenford Carnival in June, with zumba, face-painting, music and dance. Then the action continues with the Ealing Beer Festival, followed by festivals of comedy, blues and jazz. You'll get a chance to see David Baddiel (pictured), urban trio The Takeover and the Heidi Vogel Quintet.
3/15 Wireless Festival
Finsbury Park, Jul 4-6
London's main event for hip hop, dance and R&B will feature global stars like Kanye West, Drake, Pharrell, Ellie Goulding and reformed rap duo Outkast.
Pic: David M. Benett/Getty Images
4/15 British Summer Time
Hyde Park, London, Jul 4-13
Black Sabbath will take centre-stage on July 4 to open proceedings, with support from Soundgarden and Faith No More. For serious rock fans who don't want to endure the epic Glastonbury experience – Neil Young and his heavyweight backing band Crazy Horse will dominate July 12, with The National and rousing piano man Tom Odell appearing earlier in the day. Sunday July 6 is aimed at screamy tweens, with the unholy union of wishy-washy boybands McFly and Busted, appearing as McBusted, plus more pop heartthrobs including the Backstreet Boys, The Vamps and Lawson. Tom Jones headlines the family day on July 13 and The Libertines will play on July 5.
5/15 Rooftop Brewing
Netil 360, Sat Jul 5
Party on a roof! Beer, brunch and alfresco disco might sound like a recipe to make you vomit, but breakfast is from 11am until 3.30pm and the disco doesn't start until 4.30pm, giving your innards a chance to settle at this all-day party. Travelling brunch company Yolk will supply egg-based dishes, there's a hot tub, and you'll get to bust a move to the sound of UK bass sensation Danglo and DJs Alfresco Disco.
6/15 ARGComFest
The Garage, Jul 5-6
Comedy lovers are in for a treat with this weekend-long festival of stand-up, featuring 32 previews of the best shows heading up to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Funny folks on the bill include Bridget Christie (pictured), Josh Widdicombe, Josie Long, Nish Kumar and Jonny and the Baptists.
Read more in our guide to Edinburgh comedy previews in London
Edward Moore
7/15 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Hampton Court Palace, Jul 8-13
The world's biggest annual flower show returns to the grounds of the striking royal palace. As well as exploring several flowers and gardens you can also do some market-style shopping, learn organic recipes from top food experts like Mary Berry in the Cookery Theatre, hear live music and see a fireworks display at the end.
8/15 Camden Lock Live
Camden Lock Market, Fri Jul 11
The urban boutique festival will return for its second year with a programme packed with special festivities. See line-up of talented performers, including rapper and singer Tigger Da Author and Whinnie Williams, on three stages, and you can learn to pop and lock at a hip-hop dance workshop.
9/15 RSC Midsummer Mischief Festival
The Courtyard Theatre, until Sat Jul 12
The Royal Shakespeare Company presents a whole month of fresh plays with a special theme of 'well-behaved women rarely make history'. Timberlake Wertenbaker's The Ant and the Cicada, about two very different sisters in a battle to save their family home in Greece asks probing questions about the economics of our world. This is presented alongside Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again (pictured), by Alice Birch, about women's struggle to be radical in a double-bill with the same cast. There's also a free exhibition exploring the work of the RSC's first female theatre director Buzz Goodbody and you can take part in theatre craft workshops.
XOYO, Corsica Studios, The Amersham Arms & Goldsmiths University, June 30-Jul 3
NIME stands for New Interfaces for Musical Expression, which basically means ways technology is involved in music. The related BEAM festival has all the fun, practical demonstrations of that concept, like gigs. It includes Imogen Heap (pictured) who will give a performance with her gloves, which create, record and replay music by responding to hand gestures. There's also an art installation by artist Kathy Hinde involving water sculptures that have an effect on music when they're played with, a duck orchestra and music controlled by facial expressions.br>
11/15 Munch
Holly Grove Park, Jul 12-13
Explore the best of what Peckham has to offer at this free food and culture festival, where visitors can treat themselves to tasty street food, sip wine, see a variety of performances including dance and circus, check out stalls and take part in workshops.
12/15 Bastille Festival
Borough Market and Bankside, Sun Jul 13
Families can expect entertainment from magicians and street performers, while foodies can enjoy fine wine, French cookery demonstrations and take part in French bread making classes with baking experts Bread Ahead.
Pic: Flikr
13/15 Lovebox
Victoria Park, July 18-19
It's a cliché but its true, Lovebox really does offer something for everyone (assuming everyone likes music, that is). The line-up features Katy B, Chase and Status and Horse Meat Disco. You can see Nas perform his landmark Illmatic album in full or watch New York darling A$AP Rocky; and for those with more leftfield tastes there's everyone from M.I.A to Mount Kimbie.
14/15 Hyper Japan
Earls Court, Jul 25-27
Celebrate Japan's traditional heritage at the biggest J-culture event in the UK. You'll get to explore all kinds of quirky Japanese delights like fashion, manga drawing workshops, Japanese food (with lots of sushi and sake) and performances from various acts, including the bizarre mime, techno and puppetry group Siro A.
15/15 Out on the Dock
Tobacco Dock, Sat Jul 26
With its cheeky 'hello sailor!' theme, the festival will be spread out in three dockside arenas and various vaults, where an all-star line-up of DJs and performers – including drag queen Jonny Woo, (pictured) – take over the night with hot and heavy bass lines. If that's not enough there's a vintage fun fair as well as pop-up stores and a food market.
- More about:
- Festive Events (including Carnivals)
- Food
- Music
- Theatre


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I've been doing a lot of looking today and have found many opinions on exhaust changes/upgrades, but I have a different approach and question I'm hoping to get some help with. To begin, I just purchased a used 2011 CTS-V sedan 31 days ago and I made it exactly 30 days without having an accident. No, it wasn't my fault and it had nothing to do with power. I was rear-ended by a young girl messing with her radio rather than looking where she was going and /or stopping. Well, upon getting an estimate this morning I learned that the repairs include about $2000 for the exhaust so I am now looking for input on what I should replace the stock system with. I do not want to void the warranty, but I do want a more aggressive sound. Living in CA, I need to keep the car legal so I can keep it registered so I'm guessing a CAT back may be my best option? Looking for input and recommendations that will give me a good sound, but not so loud I can't hear the stereo? I will most like add the Air Raid CAI at the same time. Insurance is going to be paying for an exhaust, I might as well get the one I want, right?
Thanks in advance for any input on the repetitive topic.


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Groupies shine some light on the situation with a Xenon HID Waterproof Search Light. The light features rubber anti-skid particles on the base for a good grip that won't damage a car's paint job and has an impressive 4 700 lumen illumination, making it perfect for lighting up dark nights and cutting through fog. As well as it's impressive lighting abilities, the lamp also boasts a remote control capable of being operated from 100m away and boasts an impact resistant and water-resistant design, making it the go to choice next time you lose your keys in a field or partake in a bout of grave robbing.
What you need to know:
- Wireless remote control lamp
- 360 Degree Rotation
- Wireless remote control at 90 degrees up and down, 360 degrees horizontally
- Optimised compact design
- Impact resistance, water-resistance
- Base designed with a PDA and rubber anti-skid particles for not doing damages to the vehicle paint
- Working voltage: DC12V
- Output power: 5W
- Lumens: 4 300+400lm
- HID Bulb: H1
- Remote control range: Max 100 meters
- Dimensions (mm): 200 (L) x 180 (W) x 225 (H)
- Lens dimension (mm): 135 (W) x 75 (H)
- Package contains: One search light and one remote control


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The gallery calls this show "Vintage Paintings from the '50s–'70s." I'm not easy with the "Vintage" part, and not just because I'm a little vintage myself. Most of these works look as fresh as if they were done last year.
Ken Greenleaf can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
"VINTAGE PAINTINGS FROM THE '50S–'70S" | works by Jean Cohen + Bernard Langlais | at Aucocisco Galleries, 89 Exchange St, Portland | Through January 28 | 207.775.2222
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Windows Vista introduces a breakthrough user experience and is designed to help you feel confident in your ability to view, find, and organize information and to control your computing experience.
The visual sophistication of Windows Vista helps streamline your computing experience by refining common window elements so you can better focus on the content on the screen rather than on how to access it. The desktop experience is more informative, intuitive, and helpful. And new tools bring better clarity to the information on your computer, so you can see what your files contain without opening them, find applications and files instantly, navigate efficiently among open windows, and use wizards and dialog boxes more confidently.
Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit)
Reviewing Service Pack 2 RC (Jul 6, 2010)
Reviewing Service Pack 2 RC (Mar 7, 2009)
Installed SP2 and the 2 security updates and my DVD copy programs stopped working. Uninstalled them and they now work again. Seems MS has not changed it ways yet.
Reviewing Service Pack 2 RC (Mar 6, 2009)
I installed the ISO with no problems. So far, I don't see any difference concerning performance or anything else, except that I gained about 18GB on my hard drive. That alone gives it a 5.
No comments yet


text:
The Russian connection: See all our coverage | Read about our investigation
"DON'T BE A PALEFACE!" That was the slogan for an iconic 1958 Coppertone ad—the one with the frisky puppy tugging at the pigtailed girl's bathing suit, revealing her perfect tan line. Not anymore. In the past 30 years, the incidence of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, has jumped 159 percent, and in just the past decade, the number of Americans diagnosed with skin cancer has increased by nearly a third. Epidemiologists blame several factors—ozone depletion, migration to the Sunbelt, the popularity of tanning beds and tropical vacations. Whatever the reason, the skin-care industry hasn't missed a beat: Transforming suntan lotion into sunscreen and sunblock, it's gone from promising sun worshippers enviably rich tans to guaranteeing solarphobes no color at all.
So if you've ventured into the sun protection aisle lately, you've probably noticed a distinct shortage of fun in the sun. "Advanced sunscreens technology shields skin 6 layers deep from skin aging UVA rays," boasts an $11.99 tube of Neutrogena Age Shield Sunblock. Not to be outdone, Spawellness Extreme Protection SPF 100 claims that it actually "reduces the formation of melanin." And even the Coppertone girl has kept up with the times: On the UltraGuard spf 70+ spray bottle, she's still getting pantsed by a puppy, but is noticeably pastier than she was 50 years ago.
As a freckled paleface with a family history of melanoma, I've contributed my share to the $1 billion a year sunscreen market. I'll admit that I usually go straight for the top-shelf tubes. But despite my spf 45 Neutrogena's many advertised merits—"age shield" formula, antioxidants, and an impressive-sounding additive called Helioplex—sometimes I burn anyway, even if I've just been out for a short walk. Can sunscreen really provide perfect sun protection? Color me skeptical.
I'm not the only one wary of sunscreens' sunny claims. Sonya Lunder, a senior researcher with the Environmental Working Group, says that many of the products are overhyped: Last year, EWG tested nearly 1,100 sunscreens and found that the majority are less effective than they claim. Among the most misleading are "broad spectrum" formulations that purport to block both UVA and UVB rays. (UVA penetrates the skin, causing wrinkles and other skin damage; UVB causes sunburns. Until recently, it was thought that only UVB caused cancer; now scientists suspect that UVA does, too.) Mona Saraiya, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's cancer division, is particularly worried about broad-spectrum claims, since manufacturers aren't required to quantify the exact amounts of UVA or UVB protection. "SPF numbers don't tell you how much protection those products provide from UVA," she says. SPF ratings indicate a sunscreen's overall strength, but don't tell you which type of UV rays is blocked.
Also, the Food and Drug Administration requires sunscreens to be topical, which means that your skin won't absorb them into the bloodstream. But last year, a CDC study found the common UVA blocker oxybenzone in the urine of 2,500 people who regularly used sunscreens. Another CDC study found that babies born to mothers whose urine contained significant amounts of one type of oxybenzone weighed noticeably more or less at birth than those in a control group. The highest concentrations of the chemical occurred in white women, who use more sunscreen.
The most effective alternatives to chemical sunblock are the "physical blockers" zinc and titanium, once synonymous with a look only lifeguards and Australians could pull off. Today's products are more translucent, but aesthetic improvement comes at a price—many of them (Burt's Bees SPF 15, for example) contain nanoparticles. Although a few preliminary studies have suggested that the nanoparticles in sunscreen don't permeate the skin, nanotechnology still makes people nervous. With good reason: Not a lot is known about how chopping a substance into tiny pieces might change its properties and behavior.
EWG's tests were the latest salvo in a decades-long campaign to shed some light on sunscreen (see the 1998 Mother Jones story "Sunscam"), but the FDA's rules for sunscreen labels have not changed significantly since the products fell under its jurisdiction in 1978. In 2007, the agency finally proposed new regulations: Manufacturers would be required to back their claims with more scientific evidence, and labels would include separate rating systems for UVA and UVB protection, a warning that sunscreen alone can't prevent skin cancer, and an advisory that consumers should also wear protective clothing and limit their sun exposure.
Commonsense stuff, but the sunscreen industry has lobbied against it anyway. The Personal Care Products Council has recommended that the FDA stick with the current, vague spf rating system. Johnson & Johnson urged the agency to let labels say that sunscreens "help prevent" skin cancer, insisting that this "clearly conveys that sunscreens serve as just one part of a multifaceted skin protection program." Since the initial proposal, not much has happened—an FDA spokeswoman would say only that it is "finalizing the rule."
It's unclear when the new FDA rules might finally take effect, or what form they will take. In the meantime, you can still protect yourself. Remember, says Martin Weinstock, chair of the American Cancer Society's Skin Cancer Advisory Group, that sunscreen is not a coat of armor: Cover up, and if your shadow is shorter than you, seek shade. Forget the SPF 90, says the CDC's Saraiya. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays, and SPF 45 blocks 99 percent—a negligible difference. You should apply two ounces of sunscreen every two hours—that goes for supposedly sweat- or waterproof ones, too. Check the ingredients, even if you bought your goop at Whole Foods: "All natural" is just another labeling claim. And if your tube is older than three years, it's probably past its prime.
That oxybenzone may be seeping into my body doesn't worry Weinstock so much as the cash seeping out of my pockets. "An inexpensive sunscreen properly applied is much better than an expensive one that sits on the shelf," he says. Until the Helioplex hawkers convince me otherwise, I'm switching to the cheap stuff.
Update: Are sunscreens still shady? Environmental Working Group has released its 2009 Sunscreen Guide. I blog about it here.
* Correction appended: An earlier version of this story erroneously described "Sunscam" as a cover story. We have corrected the error.


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[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: st: Stata 11 Random Effects--Std. Errors
"David M. Drukker" <email@example.com>
Re: st: Stata 11 Random Effects--Std. Errors
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:58:42 -0500 (CDT)
Steven Archambault <firstname.lastname@example.com> and Mark E Schaffer
<email@example.com> have asked whether -xtreg .., re vce(robust)-
changed its meaning between Stata 10 and Stata 11, and if so why the change
was made.
The answer is yes. We made the change because we found that the new method
is robust to a broader class of deviations from identically distributed
For future reference, I recommend typing
. help whatsnew10to11
as a first check on whether and why there is a difference between Stata 10
and Stata 11.
For the case at hand, the help file for whatsnew10to11 says
4. Concerning existing estimation command xtreg:
a. Specifying -xtreg, re vce(robust)- now means the same as
-xtreg, re vce(cluster panelvar). The new interpretation is
robust to a broader class of deviations. The old interpretation
is available under version control.
b. Similarly, specifying -xtreg, fe vce(robust)- now means the same
as -xtreg, fe vce(cluster panelvar)- in light of the new results
by Stock and Watson (2008).
c. xtreg now allows the in range qualifier.
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
* http://www.stata.com/support/statalist/faq
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/
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Brandon Stosuy's anthology of Downtown New York literature, Up Is Up, But So Is Down, was selected by the Village Voice as one of their 25 favorite books of 2006. ADAC, his book-length project with the artist Matthew Barney is out in 2013 on Dashwood Books. His column on heavy metal, Show No Mercy, has appeared on Pitchfork since 2006.
Best New AlbumDecember 10 2015
The 60-year-old avant-goth great on the sounds and artists that have meant the most to her throughout the years, including Chaka Khan and Johnny Cash, traditional Greek ballads and horror-movie scores.
The iconoclastic artist talks about her politically-minded new electronic album, being deeply disappointed with the Obama presidency, and taking part in a system that doesn't have humanity's best interests at heart.
After kicking out their original singer for spewing hate online, the Colorado metal band return with their first album in seven years—which you can listen to first right here.
Our Show No Mercy columnist Brandon Stosuy and other Pitchfork contributors count down their favorite metal releases of the year, including records by Deafheaven, High on Fire, Prurient, Baroness, Bell Witch, Tribulation, Sannhet, and more.
The Texas duo talk to Brandon Stosuy about the inspirations behind their creepily majestic new LP, Bottom of the Morning, including: Dionne Warwick, comedian Bill Hicks, cannibalistic rats, the Beach Boys, Bob Barker's suits, and the death of God.
As the frontwoman for an alt-rock band, Amalie Bruun had to weather through some serious Internet blowback when she decided to start a new project inspired by the sound and fury of Norwegian black metal. But now, the trolls have largely been silenced by her triumphant debut album. By Brandon Stosuy.
Mixing eerie drones with pummeling noise, Locrian have built up an eclectic catalog over the last 10 years. Brandon Stosuy talks to them about their latest and best release, Infinite Dissolution, a concept album about the end of humanity.
With his new album as Prurient, Dominick Fernow personalizes the shuddering sounds of static while offering surprising moments of contemplation. Brandon Stosuy talks to him about writing love songs and finding truth between fact and fiction.
Theatrical metal act Tribulation talk to Brandon Stosuy about wanting to give their audience more than just music, emulating the eeriness of horror movies, and their new LP, The Children of the Night.
Named after a storied poltergeist, Seattle duo Bell Witch make slow, heavy music that evokes the suffocating experience of mourning. Brandon Stosuy talks to them about ghostly trauma, being trapped in a coffin, and pissing off death metal dudes.
Brandon Stosuy sits down with burgeoning Brooklyn trio Sannhet, who are making a name for themselves with epic instrumental tracks as well as a positively blinding light show. Also: Listen to an exclusive stream of their new album, Revisionist.
Brandon Stosuy breaks down his favorite metal releases of the year, along with year-end metal lists from Zoe Camp, Grayson Haver Currin, Jason Heller, Kim Kelly, Andy O'Connor, and Saint Vitus bar's David Castillo.


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- Hawaii Police Department - http://www.hawaiipolice.com -
Wanted: Benevides 04-20-10
Hawai'i Police Department
Juvenile Aid Section
Lieutenant Lucille Melemai
Phone: 961-2254
April 20, 2010
Report No. C10004544
The Hawai'i Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a 22-year-old man wanted for questioning in connection with a stolen vehicle reported in Hilo on February 12.
Julian Richard Benevides is described as 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, with a medium build, black hair and brown eyes.
He is also wanted in connection with an abuse investigation and has an outstanding no-bail probation warrant.
Police ask that anyone with information on his whereabouts call Detective BJ Duarte at 961-2279 or the Police Department's non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.
Article printed from Hawaii Police Department: http://www.hawaiipolice.com
URL to article: http://www.hawaiipolice.com/wanted-benevides-04-20-10
Copyright © 2014 Hawaii Police Department. All rights reserved.


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Cold feet on Fionnuala(75 Posts)
DH and I thought we had our name pretty much agreed, we were choosing between these three options:
Fionnuala Olive Bo
Fionnnuala Ottitilie Bo
Fionnuala Romilly Bo
But then I got cold feet on Fionnuala. I like it but don't the shortened versions of Fionnuala much, Nula and Finn are a bit too masculine for me. We thought we'd use the nickname Lula but now I'm not so sure.
Other names I like are:
Sophie (but DH hates it)
Tabitha (likely go be shortened to Tabby and my niece is Abbey)
Ottilie (likely to be shortened to Tilly and other niece is Lilly)
Isabel (but close friend has pipped me to the post)
Any thoughts on Fionnuala or any of the above would be great!
And also meant to say 'folk with no Irish aren't used to the name'... Blaming baby brain while I can, sorry...
Meant to say btw either way I still love the name, partly because I've never met a bad one and Nuala is a nice NN.
AThing, that's a wee bit bold! Don't want to out myself but have a relative called fionnuala, and although the older Irish family members pronounced more of the sounds 'oo-uh-la', she is mostly Finoola or Funoola depending on the person to be honest with no oo-uh-la. She doesn't bat an eye at either but would with one where each sound was voiced. (To be honest I think the confusion is that 'Finoola' to an Irish or Scottish person is often said with an 'u' sounds, it wasn't my intention to say it was like a London English i. Some of my relatives take the 'uh' really far, though which is why I wanted to differentiate.)
It isn't like that with all names I grant you,in some rarer ones in the family I think they pronounce each sound, but that may be because folk aren't used to the name. Partly generational, partly dialectal, partly anglicisation creeping in? Maybe. I don't live in Ireland so wouldn't be sure enough.
Or Brenda.
Nuala and Brenda would be pen pals.
I'm Irish too.
Fionnuala is really not one of my favourite names. I wouldn't place it with Gertrude, it's not that bad, more of a Michelle or a Nicola. All the Fionnualas I know were born in the 70s. A bit dated.
As for Nuala............very, very dated. A real middle aged woman's name, farmer's wife. In England the equivalent would be Maureen or Patricia.
I like Tabitha though!
Fionnuala is nice but Nuala is a very dated name in Ireland - the Irish equivalent of calling your baby Shirley or Gail.
Ah, the dialects excuse.
Which dialects is it that don't recognise the pronunciation of a broad vowel sound?
Dún Laoghaire dialect?
The full Fionn is not normally pronounced in such a long name, but the vowel sound is not i, it is u.
That's not about dialect.
Unless you mean London dialect.
Yep it is, though it sounds closer to Finoola in some dialects (like in my family if you said Fyon-uala they would think you were being weird ;))
It's weird how people get all up in arms about keeping the Irish spelling, but then use an anglicised pronunciation that doesn't match.
Isn't Fionnuala technically supposed to be like 'fyun-oo-(ah)-la'? With the first syllable pronounced like the name 'Fionn' (which is fyun - fee-on said quickly)? 'Fin-oo-la' sounds very anglicised to me!
Unfortunately I'm also siding with the poster in Ireland who says it's in the same category as Gertrude - I don't really know how else to describe it though! It's not quite an old lady name, and it's 'normal', but still a bit weird somehow. That probably doesn't make any sense...
Indeed daughter, you're right - was clumsily trying to make the same point re Orla/Orfhlaith, some spellings will be Old Irish, some modem Irish and some anglicised. Only some (and it strikes me as ones never used in Ireland) are 'fake' to me. (cough Efa cough)
I really like Fionnuala. I would stick with that. You never know what nicknames a child will end up with. My daughter is Sophia and her nickname is Johnnie, fgs.
Fionnuala is so much prettier than your other choices, I would go with your first preference. Not keen on the Bo, either.
I think Fenella is an anglicised version of Fionnuala.
Technically, I believe Fionnuala is a reformed version - the really Irish spelling is Fionnguala or Fionnghuala (the gh is silent), and I have come across two Fionnghualas living in England as well. But Fionnuala is perfectly fine, and definitely used in Ireland - it's not considered a "fake" spelling or anything. If you're worried about pronunciation, probably best to go with that one I'd guess.
loving ottilie
A lovely, elegant name imo. I think Finola is very lovely too. There is also Una...
A little Fionnuala would have no more trouble than any other child learning to spell her name afaics -- Irish children learn to do it after all, even those whose names have BH or MH combinations.
The Fionn part is more of a Fun than Finn sound but again this is a subtle U sound that may be hard for speakers of British English to hear or do. The A is a schwa so it's not quite -noola for the ending, more like Noo-uh-la, but the UH is barely noticeable.
Thanks flying and forget. If we go with Fionnuala we will definitely go with the correct spelling and I guess people will just have to learn how to spell it.
Foo is a sweet shortening. Orla is a beautiful name.
Like Nuala a lot. And I second the 'please keep the Irish spelling'. I'm probably having Orla if dc is dd - but that's as widely used in Ireland as Orfhlaith - I have never seen anyone spell Fionnuala any other way.
Love the name Fionnuala. I don't put it in the same category with Gertrude!!
I'm Irish, living in the UK, with an even weirder spelled name. I wear a name badge at work which makes things harder as my name isn't pronounced at all like its spelled. I've had many people suggest that I change the spelling, I find that really insulting! I don't suggest that you change the spelling of Worcester sauce or Gloucester.
Go with Fionnuala & please don't change the spelling. My Fionnuala friend gets called Foo.
Thanks for the really helpful comments. I'm not keen on Fiona or Fion although it's similar Fionnuala has a different feel to me and I quite like the shortening to Nula or our own made up version of Lula. Thanks for the suggestions though it really helps to think about it from all angles.
Thanks for sharing your experience daughteroflir that's really helpful.
Are you based in the UK? Would Fiona or Fion sound similar enough but more 'usual'?
Isobel is a Celtic name too (Scottish) - you could always have Fionnuala Isobel? If you're looking for a shortened form to use from the beginning I would personally go with Nuala as I think it's by far the prettiest (and it's also the most "Irish", depending on whether that matters to you).
Personal experience - well, people usually either pronounce it right first time, or they ask about it and it becomes a talking point (like I said, it attracts a lot of interest/compliments!). Gets misspelled sometimes, but that happens to a lot of people and it's not often enough to bother me - I just correct people if I want to! Personally I love it, wouldn't change it, and as I live in England I like having a name that reflects my/my family's country of origin.
Fen as nickname for Fionnula?
boymeetsworld, good point that Fionnuala Olive is the one I've stuck with. I think my heart tells me that's the right name, it's just my head thinking of our little girl having to always spell her name out to others her whole life, correcting pronunciation etc.
I think I may just be lacking the courage of my convictions, thanks boy and secondcoming, I think that may well be our name choice if I can just cast my doubts aside.
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
Still loving Fionnuala Olive out of those. The other combos don't sound as 'right' together. I think with Irish heritage & surname you can perfectly justify the name choice plus the fact this is the only name combo youve stuck with since start of thread says a lot about what your heart's telling you.
Really don't like Saffron, one of my all time worst names. But that's just personal taste. & Isla is ok but bit candy fluff American nowadays although I know it's original roots are far from it.
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Taylor Swift graces the cover of Vanity Fair for their April 2013 issue, and opens up about, gasp, her love life- and has a few choice words for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Amy and Tina won some serious praise after their hilarious hosting gig at the Golden Globes, and at one point, they took aim of Taylor Swift's oh-so-dramatic love life.
Oh, burn! Taylor is famous for taking shots at her exes in her songs, but apparently she can only dish it out. Amy and Tina warned Taylor to stay away from Michael J. Fox's son, and Taylor responded in Vanity Fair, calling attacks on her romantic entanglements "sexist." Swift also name dropped Katie Couric, claiming she once said to her that "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." Cat-ty!
The 20 Hottest Photos of Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift's a nice girl ... well, not always. Let's take a closer look at that not always.Click here to read more
Amy Poehler got wind of Taylor's comments and responded to The Hollywood Reporter saying, "Aw, I feel bad if she was upset…That being said, I do agree I am going to hell. But for other reasons. Mostly boring tax stuff."
Tina was a bit harsher, telling Entertainment Tonight that "It was a joke. It was a lighthearted joke."
Amy and Tina can expect to be the subject of Taylor's next album.


text: Amazes me the 5 cent shine was sold by the shine of the young man promoting it - with woolen turtleneck and pleaded trousers and shiny boots. Even the young boy to the far right looks snappy. Great looking hat, striped waist coat, corresponding well knotted tie, and fabulous corduroy coat with tailored collar. Even the fingernails are manicured. A touch of formality with the tie, and a splash of casualness with the knot loosened. Woolen V-Neck sweater with corresponding green in the tie. Brown cap, although darker than the stripped suit, pulls from the suit's color cousins. Trousers have unique front pockets - not found too often in today's wear - and without a belt (perhaps suspenders underneath). Not sure if the white shirt is short or long sleeve. If long, the lack of cuffs seems off-set a tad. Fabulous array of mixed blues and mixed solids with plaid waist coast. Not sure if the leather double holster shoulder belts would have its place in today's 911 environment - but I am sure they could be modified into another dress item - especially since the tie color could pull from the brown leather straps. And lets not forget the buttons were probably made of bone. My favorite dress jackets for taller men - that of a high 3-4 button outer coat. I was going to guess this photo shows an inner waist coat, but a closer look seems to be another matching jacket of sorts. The great looking corresponding grey tie looks to be a cousin to one of the above photos. ************************* We can certainly learn of the best of the past and how great designs still remain great today. David


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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
WFS Financial/Wachovia Dealer ServicesInternet United States of America
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I would love to get in on the class action lawsuit!! In the last year alone, I have been charged over $200 in late fees for automatic payments that come directly from Wachovia Bank. I have spent over 16 hours (accumaltive) on the phone and during any one phone call have spoken to atleast 3 different people that couldn't tell me what the late fees were from. I have been hung up on atleast a half a dozen times. I was told a few times to call back when I had more information and the money to make a payment. In one sitting, I was on the phone with them for over 2 hours and spoke to 6 different people in 5 different departments. They are beyond rude!! I have had two of the Wachovia Bank managers sit in on the calls to assist me. And they got the same run-around that I did.
I just made my last payment on my car. 95% of the payment were for late fees. Now that I made the last payment, they can tell me what the late fees were for. It was for insurance that they added to my car 2 years ago. I received no notification regarding it. And now I have a collection account pending from the insurance company that they added, for non-payment. I am now fighting with the insurance company to get removed it from my credit report!
Please contact me if there is going to be lawsuit. This company is horrible!!! I want my money back!!
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 04/26/2010 11:51 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/wfs-financialwachovia-dealer-services/internet/wfs-financialwachovia-dealer-services-wfs-charging-late-fees-insurance-internet-596864. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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SUBMITTED: Monday, April 26, 2010POSTED: Monday, April 26, 2010
I'd also like to be included in a class action against Wells Fargo/Wachovia. Since WF took over Wachovia, they've charged me late fees as well when my payments were on time. The ONLY notice I received that Wachovia was now WFF was AFTER I'd made my payment a couple of months ago to Wachovia. They claimed it was late because I hadn't mailed it to WF - Um, I would hace had I known it had changed. They also sent me a form stating they hadn't received updated insurance information from me for 18 months. When did this practice begin because I've NEVER had to do that before. My insurance has always been current and as it should be with regard to my policy. Also, WF has only had my loan for 2 months so how can they say they haven't received nsurance info. from me for 18 months?? They're a mess and I want my money refunded for the invalid late fees as well.
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Over My Shoulder
A soft autumn breeze blew the auburn leaves on the old oak tree in the garden, which rustled noiselessly before detaching themselves lazily from their branches and coming to rest in the overgrown grass below.
A girl, Clara her name was, watched chubby faced with a red lollipop in one hand and her face squished against the wrought iron fence. Her bright blue eyes were two wide saucers gazing transfixed at the cottage which stood in the centre of the garden.
She had passed this house every day as she went to and from school and it had always intrigued her, and although its garden was unkempt and the cottage old and ominous looking there was something about it which always interested her. Its unearthly beauty.
The front door was blood red and was set back in a little porch. The door contrasted with the black walls which surrounded it making it seem as though you were walking into the mouth of a beast. The cottage itself has a hushed air that even the birds don't dare disturb; its white washed stone wall peppered by the shrunk sight of black-rimmed windows and the blood red door.
To all the children who lived in Clara's little town, the old cottage with the iron gates surrounding it was 'spooky'. "There's a witch in there!" Naughty Tommy Robson calls as he runs past her on his way to school, wearing his holey shoes and his scabby legs on show. Clara doesn't see that though. The cry of school children in their red and white uniform identical to hers become muted as though she has turned them off and all Clara can hear is the silent whisper of the house – begging for her to come inside.


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Two C. Oregon families get start on their dreams
One gets the keys to new home, other starts building theirs
BEND, Ore. - Two local non-profits are helping two Central Oregon families with a dream come true: owning their own home. NewsChannel 21 was there at ceremonies helping to honor them Thursday -- one a dedication, the other a wall-raising.
The Collins family has lived in Bend for the past seven years. And in all that time, they have been looking to own a home. But their finances wouldn't allow it.
A family pastor blessed a new home Thursday, and for the Collins family, it's a home of a lifetime.
"They needed to have something that was stable and affordable for their income," said Robin Cooper, Bend Area Habitat for Humanity manager.
For seven years, Rick, Lynelle and their four children have needed a home.
"As a family that just came from nearly nothing to where we are now is phenomenal," Rick Collins told the assembled crowd. "It's a blessing. I can't thank you guys enough."
It was the 101st such celebration for Bend's Habitat for Humanity chapter.
"They've got their own home and their place to just rest and be a family," said Cooper. "But then they have this monthly payment that stays the same for 20 to 25 years and keeps their family going."
In Redmond, another ceremony tool place, helping to keep a Central Oregon family on their feet in a combined effort by the non-profit group First Story, the YouthBuild program and Hayden Homes.
"It takes everybody working together to make these dreams come true," said Laura Handy with the Heart of Oregon Corps. "Both our young people and for the family moving into the house."
At-risk youth raised the walls for a home that the Borden family plans to move into.
"We can give back to the community doing just like this right here -- we get to build houses," Michael Jones, a YouthBuild student. "We get to give it away to a family. It feels pretty good."
The Collins family feels pretty good, too, about moving into their new home.
"It's a dream come true," Lynelle Collins said. "I woke up this morning with happy tears. It's been a lot of sweat and hard work, but it's a dream come true today."
This home is the 101st home built and renovated by Habitat, a global organization that uses sweat equity, volunteers and donations to help people become homeowners.
Families buy homes from Habitat with a zero interest loan and the mortgage payment is less than what they have been paying in rent.
Learn more about the programs at http://www.bendhabitat.org/ and http://www.heartoforegon.org/youthbuild.htm