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In addition, the Cards hold a slim half game lead in the division, led by this team of prospects. Several roster changes have been made recently, contributing to a 4-2 week which included the longest game in franchise history.
Tuesday, May 7th, Tulsa 0 at Springfield 2
After getting roughed up for the first time in 2013, Boone Whiting made his sixth start of the season on Tuesday night at Hammons Field. Whiting bounced back strongly as he rediscovered his control, needing just 80 pitches to get through seven innings. In those seven shutout innings, Whiting didn't walk a Tulsa batter and struck out seven while allowing just four hits.
Following Whiting, lefty Kevin Siegrist entered in the eighth inning and struck out two batters before turning the game over to Michael Blazek, who threw a scoreless ninth. Blazek earned his sixth save in his sixth opportunity and lowered his ERA to 0.75.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals didn't need to put up much to support Whiting's outstanding effort but they came up with just enough to top the Drillers. Out of the team's six hits, slugging first baseman Xavier Scruggs had two, including his fourth double. Both of the team's runs were driven in by Ruben Gotay, who slammed his 11th double to left center, scoring Whiting and Mike O'Neill. Tommy Pham reached base twice but was caught stealing second base and was picked off at first base.
Thursday, May 9th, NW Arkansas at Springfield (postponed because of rain)
Friday, May 10th (Game 1), NW Arkansas 4 at Springfield 6 (7 innings)
After being rained out in the third inning of Seth Blair's start on Thursday night, the Cardinals were set for yet another double-header, their fourth already this season. Richard Castillo took the mound for game 1. Castillo gave the Cardinals what they needed, absorbing six innings of work, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six. Castillo earned his second win, Keith Butler entered in the seventh and surrendered two hits but also struck out two in route to his fourth save and first since returning from Memphis.
Pham once again had the big day at the plate for Springfield going 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in the fourth. Pham's home run, his sixth of the season, gave him a team leading 24th RBI, one ahead of Scruggs, who also added a RBI. Pham raised his average to a team-leading .340. Also getting in on the action was Audry Perez, who slammed a two-run home run in the second inning into the Naturals' bullpen in his 2-for-3 bid at the plate. Gotay, also adding two hits, collected his team-leading 12th double. Shortstop Jake Lemmerman hit his third double of the season as the Cardinals took game 1.
Friday, May 10th (Game 2), NW Arkansas 5 at Springfield 4 (7 innings)
After losing a spot in the rotation to the rainout after a few innings on Thursday, pitching for Game 2 of the doubleheader on Friday came in the form of "starter by committee." Nick Greenwood took the first turn on the hill but couldn't get through the third after surrendering all five of the Drilllers runs in his final frame, leaving him on the hook for the loss. After entering for Greenwood to get the final out of the third, Ramon Delgado pitched two more innings allowing one more hit before Justin Wright and Deryk Hooker threw consecutive hitless frames to finish the Cardinals pitching effort.
Down 5-0 entering the sixth, Springfield nearly mounted a comeback that started with Vance Albitz, who was 2-for-3 and doubled, driving in Luis Mateo for the Cardinals first run. O'Neill, the next batter, also 2-for-3, came up with Albitz on second and Travis Tartamella on third and drove the ball just over the left field fence to bring the Cards to within a run - but the comeback would stop there. Outfielders James Ramsey and Chris Swauger each added two hits apiece in the Cardinals Game 2 loss.
Saturday, May 11th, NW Arkansas 5 at Springfield 4 (20 innings)
With the bullpen already strained from the double-header on Friday, Saturday brought the longest game in Hammons Field and Springfield Cardinals history. At a final time of five hours and 38 minutes, the heartbreaking 20-inning affair was started by Scott McGregor, making his seventh start following his no-hit bid in his last outing. McGregor, although not as strong as his last start, was still solid, allowing just three runs on nine hits while striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings.
Siegrist followed McGregor with 1 1/3 scoreless innings striking out two then Blazek took it to extra innings through the 11th with three scoreless innings. Kevin Thomas followed with an outstanding 2 2/3 innings while striking out five. Hooker was handed the ball in the 14th and gave 2 1/3 perfect innings before the team was forced to look to infielder Vance Albitz to take the mound. Albitz actually gave the team three scoreless innings, throwing 47 pitches through the 19th inning. Albitz wasn't lighting up the gun but was effective as he struck out two batters in his three innings. Finally, journeyman infielder Ruben Gotay took the mound in the 20th and surrendered the game-winning home run to Juan Graterol.
For the lengthy affair, there was surprising little offense overall. The Cardinals were a team 12-for-68 at the plate, scoring four runs on 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Most of the offense came off the bat of Gotay, who delivered his first home run of the season, a three-run shot to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Starlin Rodriguez had his first hit in the game in the 20th inning to nearly tie the game again.
Sunday, May 12th, NW Arkansas 4 at Springfield 7
Finishing up the four-game set with the Naturals, Anthony Ferrera made his fifth start of the season. Ferrera was solid in his attempt to even his record at 3-3 and minimizing the pressure on the bullpen by lasting six innings. Ferrera allowed just three runs to come across out of nine baserunners stemming from six hits and three walks.
Wright entered in the seventh and allowed another run to cross on four hits but eventually struck out the side. Butler took the mound in the eighth to throw two scoreless innings for his fifth save.
Of the Cardinals eight hits, the only multi-hit game came from Mike O'Neill, who added an RBI and raised his average to a team-leading .340 with Pham recently hitting a small slide. Pham did have two RBI though, giving him a team-best 26 on the season. Other RBI came from Scruggs, Swauger, and Lemmerman while catcher Cody Stanley added his first RBI in his Double-A debut.
Monday, May 13th, Springfield 10 at Tulsa 4
With Boone Whiting moving up to Memphis to take John Gast's spot in the rotation while he is in St. Louis, an opportunity presented itself for Tim Cooney to make his Double-A debut in Tulsa to begin a eight-game road trip. Cooney had a solid debut on the mound, giving the Birds five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits and striking out seven Drillers' batters. After Cooney, Delgado entered in the sixth and tossed three innings allowing one more run before Siegrist handled the ninth inning with a perfect outing, striking out two.
The bats provided plenty of support for Cooney. His Double-A debut was perhaps more impressive at the plate as the lefty went 2-for-3 with a double in his first at bat. It was Scruggs who had the biggest day though, going 3-for-4 with his team-leading 10th home run and his sixth double. His three RBI also gives him a Springfield-best 27, one ahead of Pham and Gotay. The latter also had three RBI in the game in his 3-for-6 performance. Gotay added his 13th double with Jake Lemmerman contributing a RBI double as well in the win.
Who's Hot
Mike O'Neill - Now leading the team and third in the league with a .340 batting average and leading the league with a .483 on base percentage. Xavier Scruggs - Scruggs is now second in the Texas League with 10 home runs and fourth with 27 RBI and has seen his average rise to .296.
Who's Not
Nick Greenwood - The lefty is not off to a good start since coming back to Double-A, allowing 10 runs through his first four innings of work.
Team Transactions
May 12th - C Travis Tartamella sent to Triple-A Memphis
May 12th - C Cody Stanley received from High-A Palm Beach
May 12th - INF Vance Albtiz sent to Triple-A Memphis
May 12th - OF Adam Melker activated from DL
May 12th - RHP Boone Whiting sent to High-A Memphis
May 12th - LHP Tim Cooney received from High-A Palm Beach
North Division Standings
|Texas League North
|NW Arkansas
The Cardinal Nation Top 40 Prospect Watch
#11 Jordan Swagerty - Still working on building strength at extended spring training.
#13 James Ramsey - Ramsey is doing what is asked of him through his first full week at Double-A, hitting a solid .316 with a .480 on base percentage. Still hasn't shown power as none of his six hits were for extra bases.
#17 Starlin Rodriguez - The slick-fielding second baseman went just 4-for-20 at the plate this week.
#22 Kevin Siegrist - Siegrist has adjusted well to life as a reliever as he struck out six batters in 3 1/3 innings of work in three appearances this week.
#25 Boone Whiting - After bouncing back with seven shutout innings in his last start, Whiting earned a promotion to Triple-A to fill a spot in the rotation with John Gast in St. Louis.
#30 Seth Blair - Blair's last official start was on May 1st as his most recent turn in the rotation was washed out due to rain.
#32 Mike O'Neill - O'Neill just keeps getting on base and he is leading the league at doing just that.
#38 Audry Perez - The catcher was 3-for-16 with a home run and three RBI this week. His average still sits at just .176.
#39 Tim Cooney – The lefty was solid in his Double-A debut on Monday striking out seven batters in seven innings.
#40 Keith Butler - Despite being in Memphis for nearly a month. Butler is still fourth in the Texas League in saves.
What's Next
The Cardinals will finish a eight-game road trip with the next three in Tulsa before heading to Little Rock for a four-game set with the second-place Travelers.
Follow me on Twitter: @BrandonJMahler
© 2013 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com and stlcardinals.scout.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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U.K. Defense Agency Loses Appeal Over Iraq Death Negligence
The U.K. Ministry of Defence lost an appeal to avoid a negligence lawsuit by the family of a soldier killed when his lightly armored vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb while he was on patrol in Iraq in 2006.
Private Lee Ellis' sister and daughter may sue over claims the Ministry breached its "duty of care" by assigning Ellis a vehicle that was ill-equipped to withstand so-called improvised explosive devices, the Court of Appeal ruled in London today.
The ruling "establishes a principle that the Ministry of Defence -- like any other employer -- does owe soldiers a duty of care and this duty extends to providing safe equipment," Jocelyn Cockburn, a lawyer for Ellis's daughter Courtney and his sister Karla, said in a statement handed out in court.
Nearly 180 British soldiers died during the country's eight-year involvement in the U.S.-led Iraq war before troops were withdrawn in 2011. The claims in the case, some of which involve a friendly fire incident during the first days of the invasion, include claims that soldiers weren't properly trained or given equipment to protect from attacks.
"Our thoughts and concerns remain with those that were injured and the families of those that sadly lost their lives," the Ministry of Defence said in an e-mailed statement. "As this is likely to be subject to further legal action it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."
Roadside Bombs
The three-judge panel upheld a lower-court ruling that the Ellis's, and relatives of two other soldiers killed in identical circumstances, can't sue over claims the defense agency breached European human-rights law, because the deaths occurred outside its jurisdiction. The other human-rights claims were filed by the families of Private Philip Hewett and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, who were killed by roadside bombs in 2005 and 2007, respectively.
In the negligence case, the Ministry argued the deaths were covered by "combat immunity" and that it's "not fair, just or reasonable to impose a duty of care in the provision of suitable equipment," according to the judgment. The court rejected that defense, saying the facts should be determined at trial.
The families argue the vehicle, a Snatch Land Rover, was taken out of service after soldiers were killed by roadside bombs in 2005 and "should not have been put back into such use," according to the judgment.
The negligence ruling also applies to another set of claims in the case filed by the family of a soldier killed in a so- called friendly fire incident in 2003, and two soldiers who were injured with him. They claim the military should have provided better vehicle-recognition training and technology that could have prevented it, according to the judgment.
The ruling is a "landmark decision" showing the Ministry can't use the legal protection of the battlefield to avoid providing adequate equipment, said Shubhaa Srinivasan, a lawyer with Leigh Day & Co. who is representing the family of Stephen Allbutt, who died in the friendly fire incident.
"It is a morally and legally indefensible position to take," Srinivasan said. "As a prudent employer, the MoD can have no excuses now and must get on with the business of ensuring that troops are properly equipped."
Allbutt, along with Corporal Dan Twiddy and Trooper Andy Julien were in a Challenger II tank when they came under fire from another British tank on the fourth day of the Iraq war in 2003, Srinivasan said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Larson in London at firstname.lastname@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Answers Home
» Health & Wellness
» Allergies
Kitten sneezing and wheezing a lot?!
Ollie is 7 months old and I have had her for 2 months now and in the past week I have noticed that she sneezes a lot more than she had been and has started to wheeze.. she is still very active and eats normally.. could this be allergies?? or more likely a URI??
Asked by
on Apr 1st 2011
in Allergies
- Cast your vote for which answer you think is best!
Remember that it is very difficult to diagnose what's wrong with a cat over the Internet. Even if we are veterinary professionals, we can only guess at what the issue might be. Upper respiratory infections can be very insidious. If a kitten is otherwise healthy, they can take a while to develop. Unfortunately, before you know it, you have a VERY sick kitty on your hands. In the case of allergies, you need to speak with a vet, share with them your lifestyle and answer their questions about what might be causing the allergy. In any case, your baby does need to see a vet. URI's are one of the top causes of kitten mortality and they are very treatable.
Izadore (Izzie) answered on 4/1/11. Helpful? / 0


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Here's how it occurred:
1. Venezuela's Hugo Chavez calls former Spanish prime minister Aznar a "fascist."
2. Chavez interrupts current Spanish prime minister Zapatero.
3. Spanish King Juan Carlos tells Chavez to "shut up."
Let me get this straight. King Carlos of Spain started this?
According to a Nov., 11th AP story, it was Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who first "triggered the exchange by repeatedly referring to former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar as a 'fascist.'" Chavez, reportedly also piled on the defamatory remarks by adding, "Fascists are not human. A snake is more human."
The AP account proceeds to lay out the course of events:
Spain's current socialist prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, responded during his own allotted time by urging Chavez to be more diplomatic in his words and respect other leaders despite political differences.
"Former President Aznar was democratically elected by the Spanish people and was a legitimate representative of the Spanish people," he said, eliciting applause from the gathered heads of state.
Chavez repeatedly tried to interrupt, but his microphone was off.
Spanish King Juan Carlos, seated next to Zapatero, angrily turned to Chavez and said, "Why don't you shut up?"
At this point, the only thought in my head was what took so long for someone to tell Chavez to shut up. We've seen Chavez act like this in the past.
But today, almost a week later, the LA Times has developed a different take with their presentation on the front page of Section A. The headline, print edition, proclaims, Monarch's words with Chavez start a battle royal. The on-line web headline is slightly different with, "King's words to Chavez start a battle royal." One can almost sense the vote amongst the staff: 11 hands for "Monarch," and ten for "King."
While not readily seeing the need to visit the dictionary to look up the word "start," I was pleased to find some amusement in the exercise. According to Dictionary.com, a few common uses include:
- to rouse (game) from its lair or covert
- a beginning of an action, journey, etc.
- the position or advantage of one who starts first
- a place or time from which something begins
LA Times staff writer, Chris Kraul, actually got started with a great opening line:
Someone finally told Hugo Chavez to shut up, and the Spanish-speaking world can hardly stop talking about it.
Kraul proceeded quite well through a couple more paragraphs with an accurate enough timeline for the exchange:
Chavez was repeatedly interrupting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at a summit of leaders of the Spanish-speaking world in Santiago, Chile, last weekend when the Spanish monarch could take it no more. Leaning over from his position a couple of seats away from the president, a clearly exasperated Juan Carlos said: "Por que no te callas?" -- "Why don't you shut up?"
Suddenly Kraul finds reason to debate who is doing the insulting here:
What was uncertain after a week's worth of controversy was who put whom in his place. Political spinmeisters differed on which of the two men came off looking worse: Chavez for his boorish lack of etiquette, or the king for unregally insulting a national leader at a forum whose theme was "social cohesion."
I sense that the "spinmeiesters" are at the LA Times, for how can there be any legitimacy in the view that ends with Chavez only suffering from a 'boorish lack of etiquette" and King Carlos tearing down the theme of "social Cohesion?" Chavez's all too usual outbursts are anything but boorish. In fact history suggests to us that such words often enough end in war. How in the world did Kraul lose the way here?
Unfortunately, while the angle seems to shift from what Chavez did to what King Carlos caused, we can see that the spin was all designed to speak to a longer look back at history and, I suspect, why Chavez is simply getting even:
The king's five words at the Iberoamerican Summit set off an avalanche of speculation about the political and economic repercussions, and the deeper cultural meaning of the remark in the run-up to the 200th anniversary of independence for the former Spanish colonies.
Kraul gets back to his opening approach to the story with, "Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, who ceded his time at the forum so Chavez could continue his harangue, said, 'We aren't subject to any king,'" and then entertains the reader with:
Latin American newspapers and television commentators have had a field day. A sketch in the Colombian capital's El Tiempo showed Chavez wearing a crown, sitting on an oil barrel and saying: "I'm the king around here."
Hidden away in this gem of a story are a few interesting little pieces of information that the MSM has had little interest in sharing with its viewers and readers: Chavez and his decrees are not as popular with the citizens of Venezuela as are with the US media. In fact apparently he's not even so popular with the rest of Latin America. Chris Kraul provides the LA Times reader with a bit of parity here:
But others doubt Chavez's criticism will resonate elsewhere across the continent. Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are generally admired for their charitable works and efforts to unify the region, and Spain gets high marks for its liberal immigration policies, which have fostered strong transatlantic ties. A poll released Friday by Latinobarometro, a nonprofit public opinion firm based in Santiago, revealed that Chavez is no more popular in Latin America than President Bush, a frequent target of his barbs, and is less popular than Zapatero or Juan Carlos.
In Latin America, "Spain has the best image of all countries . . . much better than the United States, for example," said Latinobarometro Director Marta Lagos
Wait till Hollywood finds out about this. Sean Penn, are you paying attention here? Possibly the season's predictions were right. It could be a very downtrodden Christmas season for the spirit in Hollywood, if they were to learn the truth about Chavez.
There is opposition to Chavez. These citizens of Venezuela have had little, if any, coverage in the US media. This scene was published by the BBC, on October 8, 2006, during the presidential race between Hugo Chavez and the opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales:


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Lulu DK Fabrics was launched in 1998 after Lulu happened to visit a small artisanal fabric mill in France. The men there worked by hand in the detail-oriented manner of another time. Mesmerized, Lulu worked feverishly to adapt motifs from her fine art paintings into textile designs, with a clear mission – to merge the artistry and craftsmanship of the old world with the youthful modernity and joie de vivre of the new. Not long after its inception, Lulu expanded her brand to include wall coverings and in recent years, she has also collaborated with the luxury bed linens firm Matouk, Elson & Co. carpets and Elite Leather to bring her inspired, wholly original style to their product lines.
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Lulu DK fabrics have been featured in Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Vogue, the Wall Street Journal and Town and Country, amongst others. Her textiles decorate some of the world's premier luxury resorts, including the Four Seasons, the W and the St. Regis. Additionally, Lulu's patterns have been featured on the sets of Sex in the City and Friends.
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STACEY BENDET - Fashion Editor
Launched in 2002, alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet is a sophisticated, yet eclectic brand with a playful sensibility, which epitomizes the personality and quirky style of its founder, Stacey Bendet.
It all started with Stacey's search for the perfect pair of pants. While designing web sites for other fashion designers, she finally decided to stop searching and came up with the idea to make her own.
The line gradually grew to become a full lifestyle collection offering everything from party dresses and coats to embellished t-shirts and sweaters, to the pants with the perfect fit that started it all. In the spring of 2008 a kids line was introduced, and with the birth of Stacey's daughter Eloise last year, the line has grown to include t-shirts, sweaters, dresses and coats for little girls. Stacey is also expanding into accessories with jewelry and scarves and will be launching the alice + olivia shoe collection in 2011.
Check out Stacey Bendet's Profile.
ELYSE WALKER - Fashion Editor
As far as professions go, fashion stylist and mathematician might well be polar opposites, but in the world of Elyse Walker, these two interests created a unique and powerful formula that ultimately led to her expansive, thriving boutique in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles.
Armed with extensive experience, Walker launched her namesake store in 1999, carrying designer clothes, shoes, handbags and accessories. Since its opening in 1999, Elyse Walker has expanded three times, quadrupling the boutique's original size.
Over the years, Walker has built a reputation as a sharp stylist with an eye for color and proportion and a keen buying sense. She is known for dressing her clients from head-to-toe for occasions ranging from the soccer field to the boardroom to the red carpet.
July 2010, she launched elysewalker.com, providing forward-thinking shoppers an unrivaled e-commerce experience. Featuring sharp buyers, stylists and editors, whose fingers are continually on the pulse of what's next, elysewalker.com brings it's avid shoppers a compelling and unique look at fashion. Elyse Walker is the Editor-in-Chief of EW magazine.
Celebrity fans of her store and style include: Jennifer Garner and Kate Beckinsale.
Check out Elyse Walker's Profile.
BETH BLAKE and MELISSA AKEY - Fashion Editors
Beth Blake (at right) launched Thread Bridesmaid in 1999 for one very simple reason: She had nothing to wear to her sister's wedding. After searching for chic bridesmaid dresses and coming up empty-handed, she decided to simply design the dresses herself. One wedding, seven bridesmaids dresses and hundreds of compliments later, Beth realized she wasn't the only one looking for stylish bridesmaid dresses, and soon thereafter launched Thread.
Melissa Akey joined Thread three years later, and by then girls were buying Thread dresses to wear not just to weddings, but to parties of all kinds. And so, in 2006, Beth and Melissa launched Thread Social, a line of perfect party dresses and quirky separates. Thread Social's nostalgic and flirty aesthetic became an instant favorite of girls everywhere, from girls next door to fashion editors, and the line has since been regularly featured in magazines such as Elle, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle and Teen Vogue.
Prior to launching Thread, Beth worked for American Vogue and Chanel, while Melissa was at Barneys New York and Stila Cosmetics. While both women currently live in New York City (Beth in Tribeca with husband Corbin and son George, Melissa in Williamsburg with husband Alex), both originally hail from the Midwest, a circumstance that may explain their fast friendship, their love for all things shopping and their kill-'em-with-kindness approach to business.
Celebrity clients include: Jennifer Lopez, Lea Michele, Rashida Jones, Kim Washington, Sophia Bush, Madeleine Martin, Angie Harmon, Vanessa Hudgens, Kim Kardashian, Kate Walsh, Kelly Ripa, Marcia Cross, Cheryl Cole.
Check out Beth Blake and Melissa Akey's Profile.
JO GARTIN - Fashion Editor
In 2001, Jo Gartin planned her own wedding. While some brides-to-be become overwhelmed by the planning, Jo relished the creative process and began experimenting with floral and stationery design. One year after walking down the aisle, she started her company, love luck and angels - named after a childhood preference to end all correspondence with the signature phrase!
After working with several friends on their weddings, word of Jo's enviable style and professional work ethic spread quickly throughout Hollywood garnering nationwide press and a loyal group of clients, who retained love luck and angels for events of all kinds. Jo offers clients a boutique À la carte menu of everything one could wish for when planning an event. She showers clients with unique ideas, personal touches and impeccable presentation... all ensuring a celebration remembered by all.
Throughout the last six years, Jo's custom invitations, exquisite floral design and memorable events have drawn a clientele that includes Brooke Shields, Courteney Cox Arquette, Kate Walsh, Molly Shannon, Taye Diggs, Tori Spelling, Tim Allen, Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen. In 2010 Jo planned ABC Television's The Bachelor Wedding Primetime Event and partnered with Crate and Barrel as its wedding correspondent.
Her first literary endeavor, Jo Gartin's Weddings: An Inspiring Guide for the Stylish Bride, lets brides-to-be in on the secrets of one of Hollywood's most sought after wedding planners and is available at Amazon and all leading bookstores.
Check out Jo Gartin's Profile.
ASHUNTA SHERIFF - Beauty Editor
Time spent working with master teachers such as Vincent Longo, Laura Mercier and Pat McGrath and experience with high-profile celebrity clientele has polished Ashunta Sheriff into one of today's top makeup artists, constantly sought out to create the hottest trends in beauty. Ashunta has spent the last 10 years molding and creating her own signature flawless clean beauty technique.
Ashunta's "less is more" foundation theory keeps her clients looking fresh and beautiful. However, she also loves drama and feels that makeup should be a fun form of expression. Ashunta's creativity and bold, trend-forward style, has allowed her to introduce amazingly innovative products to her clients, new markets and women worldwide.
Ashunta has worked in all mediums of makeup ranging from Broadway, film and advertising to runway and red carpet. Ashunta's client base includes some of today's hottest stars. Her excellent skin care knowledge and use of quality products to nourish clients' skin, provides the "it" glow that Ashunta is known for.
Ashunta has been recognized with many accolades from top magazines including the Beauty Genius of the Year Award from ELLE and a feature in the Glamour Beauty Stars anniversary issue.
Ashunta looks forward to continuing as a leading force in the "new school" of makeup artistry, creating timeless beauty and fun new trends for years to come.
Ashunta has worked with celebrities including: Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Ciara, Hillary Duff, Ashlee Simpson, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, India.Arie, P. Diddy and Usher.
Check out Ashunta Sheriff's Profile.
KARA ROSS - Fashion Editor
In 2003 Kara Ross was founded, which has rapidly grown from its origins in fine jewelry and is known for its bold and unique use of exotic skins and gemstones across several jewelry lines, handbags, and belts. The newest addition to the brand is the Kara Ross Gemstone Collection, debuting this fall through exclusive US launch partners Neiman Marcus and Net-a-Porter.com, Harrod's in the UK, Holt Renfrew in Canada and TSUM in Russia.
Kara's pieces have been featured internationally in top fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W, and Elle, as well as on celebrities including Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria, Anne Hathaway, Demi Moore, Alicia Keyes, Miley Cyrus, and Oprah.
Check out Kara Ross' Profile.
SALLY HORCHOW - Lifestyle Editor
Sally Horchow is a lifestyle expert, journalist, on-air personality, celebrated L.A. hostess, and co-author (with her father, Roger Horchow) of "The Art of Friendship: 70 Simple Rules for Making Meaningful Connections" (St. Martin's Press, 2006). Sally regularly contributes her point-of-view on all lifestyle trends to publications like The New York Times, The Huffington Post, PureWow.com, and DailyCandy.com, she is a Contributing Editor at the Los Angeles Times Magazine, and she has appeared as both guest and host on multiple national television and radio shows - from NBC's Today to CBS's The Talk.
Sally is a Producer on the upcoming Broadway revival of the musical, "Annie." She creates "Sally Horchow"-branded charitable events for Gilt Groupe, and she has served as a spokesperson for Pepperidge Farm and Philips Electronics.
Check out Sally Horchow's Profile.
AMY SWIFT - Lifestyle Editor
As the founder of SMARTY, a network for entrepreneurial women, Amy sees thousands of products and services a year, often designed and created by small business owners inspired to solve a problem or add their creative edge to the marketplace.
Monthly, her team produces events and panel discussions designed to highlight business stars, design leaders and fascinating personalities in an effort to connect women through authentic, entrepreneurial stories.
Check out Amy Swift's Profile.
JEN PATE AND BARB MACHEN - Family Editors
Jen and Barb are the creators and hosts of the award winning web series, Jen and Barb, Mom Life. Both married over a decade with four children between them, they are celebrating family life while maintaining their own identity, not an easy task!
With over 70 episodes under their belts, interviewing experts from psychologists to sports stars, and over 50 million views, Jen and Barb have their finger on the collective pulse of moms: what they are talking about, what they are looking for and what they need.
Check out Jen Pate and Barb Machen's Profile.
IDA HSIANG - Beauty Editor
Ida has a passion for style and trends, be it fashion or beauty, and translating them to wearable, every day looks. Able to travel the world extensively, Ida brings a global view point that is eclectic and accessible to all. With degrees in Literature and Fashion Design and a FIDM alum, Ida has been able to do what she loves, which is writing and editing about the latest in fashion and beauty, for Stylehive, FashionNomad, Like.com and others.
Check out Ida Hsiang's Profile.
SOPHIE OKULICK - Accessories Editor
Sophie Okulick is the Accessories Editor for ThisNext.com, a California native and the designer of contemporary wood jewelry line, Sophie Monet. Designing wearable sculptural pieces keeps Sophie on the tips of her fashion toes while on the constant lookout for new inspiring looks.
Check out Sophie Okulick's Profile.
LOREN SIMPSON - Editor on a Budget
Loren eats, breathes and lives for FASHION! A consummate Stylista, Loren has worked under one the top-celebrity stylists in the nation assisting on both cover shoots and red carpet looks celebrities including Blake Lively, Ashlee Simpson and Molly Sims. She began, her fashion career as Assistant Editor for both Marie Claire and Domino Magazine. Loren's signature style incorporates current high fashion trends with classic pieces creating looks that are both fresh and timeless AND fit for a budget!
Check out Loren Simpson's Profile.


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simple way to add a lot of nutrients to just about anything you already
eat. I love the nutrition that almonds provide and it is amazing that
something as easy (and enjoyable) as eating almonds could shed pounds and lower your
cholesterol. Here are some suggestions on ways to boost the nutrition and texture of your next meal!
Ten Simple Ways to Use Sliced Almonds
1. Mix them into your yogurt cup!
2. Add them to your bowl of cereal and milk!
3. Top your next salad with them!
4. Bake them into your batch of muffins!
5. Chop them up and add them to the breadcrumbs next time you bake chicken tenders!
6. Put some on your ice cream or frozen yogurt!
7. Toss some into your pasta salad!
8. Mix them into your side of rice!
9. Add them to your tuna or chicken salad!
10. Sprinkle some on your pancakes!
Search SELF.com for great recipes using almonds and use the tips above to start eating healthier today!


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I was listening to a very serious commentary on the Fiscal Cliff issue on television when I heard the commentator say that he had been talking with a prominent member of the House of Representatives who said that there were "50 people in the House he believed God gave a goose for." (paraphrased from an elderly memory) I employed my recently-acquired technology skills in replaying it and, sure enough, it was something like that. He clearly used the term God gave a goose.
I have never heard that idiom before. It amused me, so I looked it up and found that the actual reference is to an idiom that says "He ain't got the brains that God gave a goose."
The interesting thing I found in researching this "redneck" comment is that commentators online are more concerned about protecting the reputation of geese than they are in repeating the idiom. There are those who point out the wisdom geese have in the way they create their "v" shaped formation to fly South in the winter and back in the Spring. They seem to know about wind patterns and aerodynamics which help them in their flight.
And then there was the person who wrote a blog about the way geese preen themselves and remove the clutter that has gathered inside their feathers so that they are less burdened by unwanted weight and irritating pests. She writes:
"When I was a kid a favorite saying was "He/she doesn't have the sense that God gave the goose." Well, the new year is coming and my 2008 resolution is to keep birdyboo's geese in mind. I plan to spend more time preening my mind. In other words, I plan to start having the sense that God gave the goose."*
I like geese. They have good qualities, including beauty, about them. But they also leave a horrible mess wherever they choose to spend a few hours on their snow bird trips. Dock owners, for instance, do everything they can to get rid of them. But I have to agree that they may be the victims of unwarranted harassment by this idiom.
When applied to the intransigent members of the House of Representatives, however, I welcome the idiom's use. The 50ish members who refuse to budge from their ultra-conservative perspectives seem to be incapable of thinking intelligently about what is important for the nation. They are so caught up in their own ideological issues that they are blind to the need for compromise and collaboration. In doing so, they may just drive this nation over the proverbial cliff, the results of which are not pretty.
Indeed, they may not have the sense that God gave the goose.
Photo Credit: Jim Nelson


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Discover the railway station at your leisure or calculate your itinerary. Then navigate intuitively thanks to the 360° high-definition images.
Before arriving at the station, check gares360 on your pocket PC or on your Smartphone in order not to miss your connecting train. Whether you're in a hurry, or a passenger with reduced mobility, view your itinerary according to your profile.


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$50 more than what you would paid if you were to pre-order one instead - $479 and $579 for its 16- and 32-gigabyte versions respectively. Does that make BestBuy's offer any less tempting? Well, if you have your mind set on a Toshiba Thrive, perhaps it would be a better idea to put down your credit card as the tablet is expected to hit the market around July 10.
On the other hand, if waiting is something that you do not like and $50 are not going to break your bank, head down to a nearby BestBuy store and see if you can spot the tablet on the shelves over there. Make sure you let us know if you are a Toshiba Thrive owner already by bragging about it in the comments below!
source: Thrive Forums via SlashGear


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Plymouth Fury for Sale
Selected Filters:Type of Ad: Vehicles for Sale Make: Plymouth Model: Fury Remove All
1969 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Staunton, IL
Fury III Convertible, true survivor, all orig paint, good orig int, old school cragar true wire spoke wheels, new dual exhaust, sounds great, new... More
Advertiser since 1993
1968 Plymouth Fury Fury
Stratford, NJ
Great Affordable Classic that the whole family can drive....Custom Interior with Custom top an wheels........ More
1970 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Milwaukie, OR
1970 Plymouth Fury ConvertibleVIN # PM27G0D189330318 V8AutomaticRecent Paint, Interior and TopStriking Color ComboRuns and Drives GreatThis is a great summer driver! It gets looks... More
1966 Plymouth Fury
Lakeland, FL
We are always open to offers and trades! Call Derek for details at 727-361-8036... More
Advertiser since 2013
1978 Plymouth Fury
Hammonton, NJ
1978 Plymouth Fury Station WagonIn great condition and runs very well.Year 1978 Mileage 30000 Body Type station wagon Make Plymouth Vehicle Title Clear Model... More
Advertiser since 2010
1962 Plymouth Fury
Whitehall, PA
Beautiful 1962 Plymouth Fury 361 Golden Commando, 4 speed. This Fury is outstanding with show chrome, polished trim, perfect instrument cluster, and outstanding upholstery.... More
Advertiser since 2013
1964 Plymouth Fury Super Stock "426" Stage 111 Clone
Oak Glen, CA
1964 Plymouth Fury Super Stock "426" Stage 111 Clone now available. 2-Time "Best of Show" winner. 18 "Class Win" trophies. "1st Place" in 2004 and "2nd... More
Advertiser since 2001
1962 Plymouth Fury
Sioux City, IA
1962 Plymouth Fury Registered with Galen's Registry. Fender tag decoded by Galen's Tag Service, LLC. (please see pictures), the Galen Govier documentation will be presented... More
1968 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Dearborn, MI
For sale in our Detroit showroom is a phenomenal 1968 Plymouth Fury III Convertible. This 1968 Plymouth Fury has just 2800 miles since her... More
1977 Plymouth Fury Hazzard Co. Police Cruiser
Concord, NC
This is the car for those who wants a bit of fun with their classics. After all, a 1977 Plymouth Fury dressed in... More
Advertiser since 2008
1967 Plymouth Fury
Midvale, UT
This 1967 Plymouth Fury III Convertible is a true ''Tennessee Barn Find'' and has 33,123 actual miles! With only 4,523 made in 1967 and... More
1967 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Houston, TX
This numbers matching 1967 Plymouth Fury III is for sale in our Houston Showroom. The car is powered by a 383 CID Commando V8... More
1961 Plymouth Fury Convertible
Alpharetta, GA
For sale in our Atlanta showroom is a custom 1961 Plymouth Fury convertible. This Plymouth Fury for sale is a looker with voluptuous lines... More
1966 Plymouth Fury Coupe
Alpharetta, GA
For sale in our Atlanta Showroom is a big block powered 1966 Plymouth Sports Fury. Stuffed with a MOPAR classic 440 cubic inch big... More
1963 Plymouth Fury 2Dr. Hardtop
Downers Grove, IL
1963 Plymouth Fury 2Dr. hardtop. 440 cubic inch dressed to look like a 426 ramcharger with the 2x4 crossram. Hooker headers, 4spd trans with... More


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Hi i am rendering from the command line on a MAC, i am rendering only ambient occlusion with the mental ray preset on a render layer.
i have a few scenes, the first one render no problemlike this:
Render -cam Plano8b -im plano8 -s 800 -e 1275 -rd (path)plano8b (Path)filename.mb
the probem comes with the next scene, its all setup the same but only renders vector render...
any clues? thank you.


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Continue »
A Guide to Shopping Online
Whether you're among those 4 million or a seasoned online shopper, you'll find great holiday shopping tips in the Fool's online shopping special feature:
An Introduction to Online Shopping: Why would a Fool want to shop online and what kind of groovy gifts can one buy there? Robyn Gearey introduces the world of online shopping.
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A Look at Business Raters: How do you know you're getting what you order and at a good price? Fool David Wolpe takes a look at the online business raters. Find out why it pays to rate before you buy.
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Collette Dinnigan
Fashion Designer
Collette Dinnigan is one of Australia's most iconic fashion designers. Her career has spanned over 21 years and she has shown collections in Paris almost every season. She has dressed over one hundred internationally acclaimed actresses and has a strong retail presence worldwide.
The Mandarin Oriental is one of my favorite hotels in Hong Kong. I love the old style décor. Chinoiserie makes me feel as though I am living in a period of unabashed decadence balanced with good taste and charm.
Be sure to ask for a harbour view room – the name alone is an explanation as to why. The service is great. Not once did I feel like the concierge had grown weary of my ceaseless requests.
Breakfast at Café Causette is, in my opinion, one of the best in the city. It is an international smorgasbord with offerings for everyone. When the sun goes down, a cocktail in the M Bar on the top floor of the hotel is a great way to end the day.
Collette's Rating
A Part of the Ambassador Review Series


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Welcome! And awesome Buick!
This is a discussion on Hello all.. new member within the New Member Hangout forums, part of the Community - Meet other Enthusiasts category; Welcome! And awesome Buick!...
Welcome! And awesome Buick!
- Will
Current Car: 2015 Honduh Civic SIgh
Previous Cars:2014 Golf TDI, 2012 WRB WRX Hatch, 2004 RSX-S, 1998 Grand Prix GTP
"Isn't it amazing how smart you feel when you just aren't being stupid?"
Congrats, and welcome.
Build Thread
ProTuned Stage 3ish '11 WRX Ltd HB (SWP) ~ 354 awhp 404 ft-lb tq on E85
Friends don't let friends drive Mitsubishis.
welcome those are both awesome cars
2011 Subaru WRX Premium
1988 Ford Mustang GT
2000 Jeep Wrangler TJ
Welcome aboard and congrats on the Subie!
2005 SPT WRX Wagon
"Watch out boys, because girls love mods on a WRX too!"
Blobeye Syndicate Member #009


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Training Camp Battles: AFC West
Training Camp Battles: AFC West
We've looked at three divisions so far, and now we round off the AFC with a stop in the West.
The past decade has seen no team take a true stranglehold on this division and with Norv Turner in charge in San Diego, they remain just as likely to stumble their way through the season as to throttle the other three teams on their way to the playoffs. The Broncos will have their big free agent catch on display, the Chiefs will be looking to get healthy and rebound, and the Raiders are starting anew with fresh leadership in place–and all will have an eye on the West crown.
But, camp comes first so let's take a look at each team's significant August battles as we edge ever closer to the start of some real football!
Position: Tight End
The Players: Jacob Tamme, Joel Dreessen, Julius Thomas, and Virgil Green
The Battle: The Broncos are looking to give Peyton Manning a solid and quick outlet on every throw, so they figure to run multiple tight end sets as often as they can. They passed up the chance to reunite Manning with Dallas Clark, one of his favorite targets for years in Indianapolis, instead signing Jacob Tamme and Joel Dreessen in free agency. Tamme was once Clark's understudy, and Dreessen, quietly had a impressive season in Houston.
Both Tamme and Dreessen will likely figure heavily in the Denver plans, pushing incumbent young players Julius Thomas and Virgil Green down the depth chart. Green has some position flexibility, but is also serving a suspension for taking a banned substance before he obtained an exemption from the league. Tamme is very much a receiving option before a blocker, but Dreessen was our sixth-ranked TE last season and–outside of penalties, he picked up six–he graded well in all facets of the game to end up with a +10.2 overall.
2012 is going to be about keeping Peyton Manning healthy and always giving him somewhere to go with the football, so the tight ends are going to be a prominent feature of that offense.
The Verdict: Tamme and Dreessen are both likely to see significant snaps as part of the tight end-heavy Broncos offense. Though Dreessen might be the more complete player, Tamme has the advantage of being familiar with Manning from their time in Indianapolis. Virgil Green may have a chance to contribute when he returns from his suspension, but he will likely have to rely on his versatility to do so, while Julius Thomas may find himself as the odd man out just trying to see the field.
Position: Left Guard
The Players: Ryan Lilja and Jeff Allen
The Battle: Ryan Lilja is one of those players that teams are constantly looking to upgrade on. He does nothing fantastically, but also isn't a liability in any area either, finishing the season just above average with a grade of +1.9 in 2011. His run blocking wasn't fantastic, and is the weaker area of his game, especially as he gets up in years, and the Chiefs need to be able to run the football to be successful. Lilja is definitely good enough to get the job done, but without ever standing out as a dominant player, he is always going to be thought of as replaceable, and the Chiefs might just have the guy to replace him.
They took Jeff Allen in the draft with the 44th overall pick and he figures to be given a chance to unseat Lilja for the starting job, sooner or later. Allen picked up an injury and was sidelined for OTAs, but expects to be back in action for training camp where he will be given a long look by Chiefs coaches for the job.
The Verdict: In a case like this, the Chiefs know what they have in Lilja, and it's more than good enough to go into the season and get the job done. They also know that they can do better, and so they're going to use training camp to get an idea if Allen can step in right away and be an upgrade. If he shows he can do exactly that, then there is little Lilja can do to keep his job. This battle is going to come down to how well Allen can show in camp, and whether the Chiefs think that's a better option than their baseline from Lilja.
Position: Cornerback
The Players: Ron Bartell, Shawntae Spencer, DeMarcus Van Dyke, Chimdi Chekwa amongst others.
The Battle: In the past eighteen months, the Oakland Raiders have completely overhauled their cornerback stable. Since they had to bow out of the race for Nnamdi Asomugha due to the finances, they have set about a major turnover; getting rid of everybody else that was in the group and bringing in a host of young players and a few ageing veterans on the cheap in this year's free agency. They let go of Stanford Routt to address the crazy contract situation the new regime inherited, and they now have to cobble together a set of corners from the group they have.
Ron Bartell is a quality corner at his best, but he is coming off a serious neck injury and, at 30 years old, with a season away from the game, it's a big ask to expect him to step right in and perform. Shawntae Spencer is the other player of the group with experience to note, but he tumbled down the 49ers' depth chart last season and saw just 87 snaps over the year. 2010 was the last year he saw significant action and he allowed 70.1% of the throws into his coverage to be complete, which is far from good.
After that duo, Oakland is hoping someone can step up from the young players and demand playing time. Van Dyke and Chekwa both saw time last season as rookies but neither stood out in a positive way, though Van Dyke certainly flashed some impressive coverage ability. There is talk that Chekwa is better suited for a safety role, but the Raiders have those positions well covered so he will likely be given a chance to earn a spot at corner.
The Verdict: If Bartell can show he is healthy, then even given the time he has missed he should be the class of the group and have one of the starting spots nailed down. The opposite side is not so clear, with the Raiders hoping Van Dyke is the player who can win the job. If he has a strong camp, he could do that and overtake Spencer for the other starting spot.
Position: Nose Tackle
The Players: Antonio Garay and Cam Thomas
The Battle: The Chargers have a few interesting battles to be played out through training camp, but the most interesting one might be the battle for the nose tackle spot. For years they were set at the position with the immovable object of Jammal Williams in the middle, but now they have a pair of players battling to start Week 1. Antonio Garay is the incumbent starter, re-signed in free agency to a modest two-year contract after attracting little significant interest elsewhere. Cam Thomas is the second-year player who has a good chance to unseat the veteran and is the main reason the Chargers didn't push hard to keep Garay off the market.
Garay isn't far removed from an excellent season, but his best work is done as a pass rusher where he can use his strength to manhandle offensive linemen out of his way and penetrate into the backfield. By contrast, Thomas is at his best stuffing the run, in a prototypical nose tackle spot in the middle. Though their grades wee not dissimilar last season (+4.0 for Garay, +5.8 for Thomas) the makeup of those grades definitely was. Garay notched a +7.3 grade for his pass rush, despite only three sacks on the season, whereas Thomas earned a +6.2 grade for his run defense.
Thomas is certainly the long-term plan for the Chargers at the position, but the question is how far away is that long-term transition, and could it happen as early as training camp?
The Verdict: The most sensible option for San Diego would be to install Thomas as the starter and give him the two-down run stuffing role that he is best suited for, while keeping Garay fresh for pass-rushing duties in sub-packages, which in today's NFL will actually earn him more snaps in the long run anyway. Unfortunately, the Chargers seem to be obsessed with having their best players starting on defense regardless of situation, and it may be costing them. Garay moving to that role could also be a boon to the woeful play the Chargers have had at DE for a while now, because he is a legitimate threat inside in those situations. I suspect Garay will keep the starting NT job for a while longer.
Follow Sam on Twitter: @SamMonson … and our main Twitter feed too: @ProFootbalFocus .
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Sam is a Senior Analyst at Pro Football Focus, as well as a contributor to ESPN and NBCSports.
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3 Knives-Arrow Head Bald Eagle, Mexican, Schrade-Walden
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: Militaria & Weapons
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Sep 29, 2009
- Channel: Auction House
Description: One has a stainless steel arrowhead shaped blade with a bald eagle head on either side. IT comes with a leather sheath that has lots of fringe and a matching eagle head.
The Mexican made knife has horn inlaid on the handle; a bird of prey head on the pommel; the image of a burro, mountain and cactus on one side of the blade; and the other side has the phrase "Mpuname con valor y sere tu defensor." (I think this translates roughly as Use Me With Valor, and Secure Your Defense"). Made in Oaxaca.
The Schrade-Walden has a handle the looks, and feels, like wood. It was made in the USA and is numbered H-15. Dimensions: Ranges from 8.5" x 4" to 14" long. Condition: The Schrade has some text on the opposite end of the blade that is mostly illegible. I thas some rusting and scratches. Its sheath has some stains, scruffs, wear. The others have some wear, minor pitting, scratches. May need cleaning and/or polishing. Shipping Notes: See normal shipping instructions. Seller Notes:
FREE PICKUP at our Tacoma Operations Center or at any of our 21 WA State Stores (see Tacoma Goodwill website for locations and hours). Allow 3-5 days for Store Pickup. Items must be paid online before requesting pickup.
SHIPPING CHARGES are based on the estimated packed weight, size, distance and US PRIORITY MAIL INSURED... read more


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Moderator: Mahavihara moderator
Seeing that you singled me out, I'll try give a bit more detailed response (knowing you like long posts) and hoping to encourage your abhi studies.
The first thing that comes to mind is precision. I.e. when reading a sutta, I'd always end up with several possible interpretations and wondering which one is correct - even after considering the context, the audience, different translations, then consulting the commentaries by modern teachers (which can vary quite a lot in opinion, etc). In that situation it becomes very hard to figure out how do Buddhist teachings apply to my experiences, which are just as hard to make sense of. I mean, it's pretty hard to nail down what exactly is the experience of mindfulness, or awareness, or more subtle stuff like vicara, passaddhi, etc, even without different people giving different definitions.
Secondly (since I know you're keen on sila these days), it really helps tremendously in observing daily experiences more accurately. I.e. since learning about a/kusala roots and other cetasikas, rapid change of cittas, etc, it is now possible to be aware of such situations for example when giving a gift – there's a brief metta and generosity, then in the next split-second there's conceit about it, then there's aversion that there wasn't enough gratitude from the other person, then there's blaming myself for feeling aversion, then there's remembering the goodnes of the act of giving, etc, etc, and all that in the space of a couple of seconds. Before I mostly didn't notice all that. Not that you couldn't get hints on all this from the suttas, but with abhidhamma it all becomes much more blatantly obvious and hard to ignore. So, I'd say abhidhamma helps with figuring out what's kusala and what's akusala, which I believe is the preliminary requirement for insight.
Thirdly, when it comes to meditation, which I believe is what you wanted to know, I mostly do samatha, so on that front it also works to nail down the differences between mental factors involved and whether they are akusala or kusala – i.e. is there chanda or lobha, is there right or wrong concentration, right or wrong effort, is there passaddhi or is it attachment to a concept of calm, etc. So, it helps again with accuracy and being more vigilant – abhidhamma makes it blatantly obvious how horribly fast a kusala moment can grow into an akusala one, even if all that you have on your mind is the breath.
Anyway, all this is still, I believe, a conceptual level of understanding, i.e. no stages of insight yet, nor seeing the ultra-rapid change of cittas, nor the difference between a pannatti nimitta and a navattaba nimitta, etc. So I'd say abhidhamma is very helpful even if panna is not on the ultra-fast level of discerning individual dhammas and cittas. And still, I think anyone can see that the mind changes at least a dozen times per second, so even at this point, abhidhamma is very much applicable (i.e. all that about rapidity of cittas, the 3 marks, different a/kusala states, etc) and will eventually lead towards the point when the accuracy of seeing increases to insight-level speeds.
Of course, when it comes to things we can't yet see directly, I find it's kind of helpful to know about them a bit and then just move on, instead of going too far into intellectual speculation about it. In fact I don't see any difference here between approaching the suttas, or abhidhamma+sutta. So, kind of keep the focus where it is most helpful practically. I.e. if there's interest in sila, then it's very helpful to keep reconsidering what is metta, what is generosity, what's the near enemy, what's the far enemy, what's the proximate condition, what are co-nascent mental factors in each of those, etc. In this way it becomes easier to recognise all this in real-life and abhidhamma can provide a wealth of hints there. Obviously not much point yet going into too much speculation about navattaba etc.
Hopefully, once akusala and kusala are thoroughly understood in experience, then insight proper becomes possible, and at that point abhidhamma will really shine imo, as it's all about insight in the fist place. In fact, I have to admit that I couldn't really understand what's exactly meant by insight until abhidhamma. And I wish I could get it all just from the suttas, but, probably don't have enough kusala accumulations for that, so I need more detailed abhi explanations to make it all a little more obvious and easier to notice in real-life.
phil wrote:But we still aren't experiencing in Abhidhamma terms when that goes on, are we?
Ben wrote:Hi Bodum
If you were living closer, I would loan you my copy.
mikenz66 wrote:I suspect that there are many Abhidhamma experts who do give the practical information that you are seeking. Just not a lot obvious teachings in English, unfortunately...
A second important point that I found very helpful was
when I began to study the Abhidhamma. The Abhidhamma
is Buddhist metaphysics. It involves the study of Paramattha
Dhamma, of the ultimate realities, different mind and body
processes and characteristics, different consciousness and
different mental states.
When I first went to Penang, I was very interested in
Abhidhamma teaching, as I had not heard of it before.
Although I had come across such books they were very
technical, containing bombastic words which did not make
too much sense to me, especially as my English was not
too good. For example, Cetasika was translated as mental
concomitant—"What is mental concomitant?" They used
the word "perception" and I wondered what they meant
by perception. The dictionary says "to perceive" is
perception. What then is to perceive? Perceive is to know but then
what is the difference between consciousness and knowing? It is not
very precise. However, when you have grasped the knack of studying,
you realise it is not just a matter of memory but rather the study has
to be related to one's experiences, one's practice and so forth.
Fortunately at the time, there was a teacher who taught Abhidhamma
and he related it to daily life. When one is practising, it is helpful to
relate it to the practice. When I had a number of questions and I
was not in intensive meditation, I would analyse them and read
whatever I could and then I would ask him the questions. This helped
me to be very aware of the different states and conditions of mind.
It also helped to define more clearly the meditation object.
For example, when one talks about greed and craving and one
looks at the Abhidhamma, it gives clearer definitions with which one
can relate to the different consciousness that operate. Then when I
went out and looked at other monks I thought, well, there is greed,
this one is having greed, look at him eating that way, he is having
greed. Then I began to appreciate the Abhidhamma. Not many monks
study the Abhidhamma so I was fortunate in being able to detect these
things that happen in the mind and the body. That helps a lot in
the practice, it cuts out many defilements, it increases the mindfulness
and so forth. Of course, within the teaching itself, many things are
said concerning the practice.
Chris wrote:Phil said: So how do you (all) see Abhidhamma within your practice? What are you finding from it that you don't find fully served by the suttanta? Again, I'm not asking this to dispute Abhidhamma. I'm hoping to have my Abhidhamma studies kick-started again.
Hello Phil,
I found that a good grounding in the Abhidhamma saved me from the all-too-common error of thinking that understanding the Suttas was fairly straight forward, and all that was necessary. For me, the Abhidhamma is the primary school area of Buddhadhamma which needs to be thoroughly grasped, otherwise the higher level courses in the Suttas are misunderstood. Certainly, the Abhidhamma is essential in understand Anicca and Anatta and Dukkha - particularly Anatta - and basic to progress in meditation.
phil wrote:.... But Buddhogosa's commentary said nothing of the sort, the deeds in question were to be understood as conventional. So I think there is a danger of reading paramattha into very basic teachings that are not to be understood in those terms. I think this is another kind of "all-too common error" that we might be slipping into at times because of our appreciation of Abhidhamma. As we know, the Buddha didn't teach the deep Dhamma to people until he knew their minds were ready. I have a hunch we are all too easy about forgetting that.
phil wrote: Yes, I see what you mean. I think having come across Abhidhamma at DSG made me more sensitive to that kind of thing. But we still aren't experiencing in Abhidhamma terms when that goes on, are we? Aren't we just forming a story about what we take to be paramattha only because our thinking has become a bit more responsive/attuned than before?
phil wrote:pt1 wrote:Thirdly, when it comes to meditation, which I believe is what you wanted to know, I mostly do samatha, so on that front it also works to nail down the differences between mental factors involved and whether they are akusala or kusala – i.e. is there chanda or lobha, is there right or wrong concentration, right or wrong effort, is there passaddhi or is it attachment to a concept of calm, etc. So, it helps again with accuracy and being more vigilant – abhidhamma makes it blatantly obvious how horribly fast a kusala moment can grow into an akusala one, even if all that you have on your mind is the breath.
I wonder how there can be that kind of insight going on in samatha
phil wrote:Eventually there will be better understanding of all those akusala moments, or there won't, but for now I will think about conventional behaviour and assume it is developing more kusala cittas than akusala. But at least I want to understand Abhidhamma in theory, that is better than not understanding it at all!
mikenz66 wrote:When we are developing sila and concentration we are working with conventional concepts. The aim of third area of the Path, developing insight wisdom, is to see things in paramattha terms.
Of course, it is helpful to have (conceptual understanding of) the paramattha dhammas, three characteristics, etc, in mind while working on all aspects of the path (as in the quote from Bhante Sujiva that I gave above)...
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FLORENCE – Francis Marion University professors, students, government officials and dignitaries will meet Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 3:00 p.m. in the Cauthen Educational Media Center Lecture Hall (room 114) for a symposium on the Confederate flag controversy in South Carolina.
"The Flag Flap. Why should we care?" is a FMU Mass Communication Critical Issues in the News symposium. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.
Ed Freedman, FMU associate professor of mass communication, will moderate the discussion. Presentations by several FMU faculty members will be made during the symposium and a discussion with panelists from throughout the state, representing both sides of the argument, will follow.
The symposium will also be open to questions from the audience.
"We feel this is an issue that is being discussed on campus, in the Florence area and throughout the state. We feel this symposium will bring some light to the controversy," Freedman said.
The symposium will look at the NAACP's economic boycott of South Carolina, the history of the Confederate flag, the symbolism of the flag, and the results of a Florence area survey on the subject of the flag. For more information, contact Freedman at 843-661-1682.


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Need a Crock Pot? Just Borrow It
Sometimes borrowing an item makes more sense than buying it. Maybe someone is cooking for a big party, but doesn't want to store that crock pot in his or her kitchen forever.
Alan Berger, executive director of Neighbor Goods, is betting that lots of people have this conundrum. Berger's list of the benefits of borrowing versus buying is long: "You save money, you save space in your house, it's good for the environment, we don't have to produce as many goods, we don't have to transport or distribute as many goods."
Neighbor Goods currently encourages people to create groups in their community to facilitate lending and borrowing household goods. But Berger is searching for a physical location in central Brooklyn where people can come during set hours to borrow or rent items. He has amassed a collection of household goods like waffle makers, air mattresses, tools and baby care items from donors and lenders.
"A lot of people are kind of left out of the sharing economy because they don't have access or are not very tech savvy. So one of the things we're trying to do with this physical site is make it accessible to everybody," said Berger. He said they are thinking about ways to make a physical space self-sustaining and are considering a membership fee or a delivery fee.
Through this system, Berger believes communities can become more connected and self-reliant, needing to buy less and less. He hopes to have the library of household goods up and lending in late July.