text:
DT Blanco "Flexa$™"
You ain't never heard a flow this wet.
If Levii Ru$$el is the Monarch of The Supreme S**T Cult (short for culture) then DT Blanco is its battle axe weilding viceroy that you don't want to cross. Known as the supplementary half of Supreme Sh**t DT Blanco recently released her tribute to the lone star state that she calls home and a Dallas staple aka "flexin." "Flexa$™," produced by Mister Mammoth – perfect name if he's producing beats like this – is a track that exudes that trippy drugged out sound we've come to expect from the state where everything is bigger.
An unabashed and uninhibited flow from DT rises to the top of the cream that is this track. You've never met a rapper like her but hopefully she'll be around long enough that you won't have to find one. Check out the video above and get familiar because she will "turn out yo bitch!" if you sleep.


text:
Process For Indigenous Candidates
The Admissions Committee recognizes the critical shortage of Indigenous physicians in Canada and the need to educate more Indigenous physicians to serve as role models and address the health care needs of Canada's Indigenous people. The Committee has developed an alternate process for assessment of Indigenous candidates. Up to a maximum of four qualified Indigenous students per year may be admitted to the M.D. program by the alternate process. Indigenous candidates may also choose to apply through the regular admission process.
At the time of submission of their application to OMSAS, Indigenous candidates should submit:
- A separate letter to the Chair, Admissions Committee, in which they declare their Indigenous ancestry and give specific information about First Nation, treaty, community, or organizational affiliation. The letter should request consideration by this alternate process, and should expand on the candidate's academic and personal background, and reasons and motivation for wishing to become a physician.
- A letter of support from an individual representing the First Nation, community or organization to which the applicant belongs.
- Proof of ancestry
A panel consisting of representatives from the Admissions Committee and the Indigenous community will review the files of all candidates who wish to be considered by this alternate process and select candidates for interview. The panel will pay particular attention to academic commitment towards a career in medicine. (Only in exceptional circumstances will candidates with an average GPA of less than 3.0 and an average MCAT score of less than 8 (Old MCAT) or 120 (New MCAT) be selected for interview.)
Candidates identified by the screening panel will be invited for interview at the same time as the general pool of applicants. The candidates will participate in the MMI. The panel interview team will include representatives from the Indigenous community.
For recruitment events or questions pertaining to Indigenous involvment at Queen's School of Medicine, please contact Ann Deer
Useful Links:Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada

subset: commoncrawl


text: Hello Mr. de Lauzirika, I run the blog Strange Shapes, which covers the first three Alien movies, and I have been researching the whereabouts of original Alien performer, Bolaji Badejo. According to Dennis Lowe, who worked on Alien, and Les Barany, HR Giger's agent, Mr Badejo is believed to be dead (Mr Barany is currently helping me validate these claims). Post-1979, Bolaji simply disappears - he appears in no Alien interviews or media. I was wondering if you could provide me with any information regarding Bolaji, if you are privy to any. I would imagine that, when piecing together the Quadrilogy material, you too would have searched out Mr Badejo, or may have heard from Ridley Scott or associates as to Bolaji's fate post-Alien. Thank you very much for your time, Valaquen.


text:
Zotz Power Candy - 48 /Box
Oh, sour candy. How many ways do I want to eat thee? All of the ways. That's right, we want to eat all of them! Are you a sour person? We understand that sour candy may not be for everyone. But for those of you who love it, we understand that you may just be in candy heaven with these ZotZ Power Candy!
The perfect match of sour power and fun, ZotZ Power Candy is one of a kind! This is one of the harder candies to find out there, so the fact that we're selling them here is a big deal! And each case contains Apple, Cherry, and Watermelon flavors. Maybe you grew up eating them? Or maybe you didn't and feel like you were deprived of a childhood. Whatever the case, just one bite and you'll be happy as a clam.


text:
Design Surfaces
Applying our versatile design surfaces, we can perfectly imitate wood surfaces. Your advantage: The desired wood look can be obtained while enjoying the familiar advantages of metal ceilings.
Besides diverse woods, different fantasy designs - for example marble or copper - can be realised. Thus, there are no obstacles for your individual ceiling design.
ARTline - Design Powder Coating
- Imitation of wood surfaces and fantasy decors
- Suitable for interior areas
- Resistance against UV radiation, solvents and chemicals of many kinds
- Fire behaviour fulfils the building material class A2-s1, d0 according to EN 13501-1 and Class A according to ASTM E 84
GRAPHICline - Print Technology
- Complete freedom of design due to the possibility to apply your desired image on different surface structures and materials
- Model picture or illustration is realised colour-fast, gloss-fast and light-fast with a photorealistic resolution up to 1200 dpi
- Realisation on an unlimited surface possible
- UV resistance due to special sealed finish
EFFECTline - Grinding Technology
- Variations in grinded three-dimensional metal optics
- Extremely versatile: useable in prestigious entrance areas and hotels as well as in airports and railway stations
- Unique effects in combination with light
SPREADline - Customised, image and scattered perforation
- Individual arrangement of the perforation with different perforation shapes
- Transmission of images as image perforation
- Suitable for an effective combination of luminaires and loudspeakers


text:
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007
Turn a Cardboard Box into a Flintstones-Style Vehicle
I just realized I've been recycling toddler play vehicles. I've been wasting a wealth of corrugated fun. Box Train Express brought me to this revelation. Box Train is "a designer, manufacturer and distributor of child-size corrugated box vehicles." Specifically, trains.
Intended for 18-months-and-up, we're talking about a bottomless and flapless box drawn and colored to look like a train. The bottom of the box has rounded edges made to look like train wheels. Incidentally, without flaps or a bottom, these trains fold flat when stored.
As indicated in the company's photo gallery, the product was born from a child's 4th birthday party that featured homemade train boxes.
Like Fred Flintstone hopping into his Flintmobile, your child hops into the box, picks it up and starts chugging with feet power.
In the smallest configuration—many sales packages are geared toward parties—you are buying a set of four colorized cardboard boxes that look like trains: a steam engine, two box cars and a caboose. Each train box has a friendly face on its front, I'm sure just coincidentally similar to the popular Thomas the Tank Engine. You can also buy white boxes with the trains outlined—your kid colorizes them as he sees fit.
At almost $30 for a single set of four train boxes, parties aside, I'll go ahead and ask the obvious. Why not make box vehicles yourself at home? One web page talking about a Flintstones-themed party even suggests you make box vehicles.
Anyhow, consider watching for a suitable box to come your way via your normal purchases, then let your child decorate it as anything he wants…. a car, train, boat, helicopter or even a transmogrifier.
Flickr photos of kids in cardboard cars:
- Cardboard Box Train (two seater)
- Drive In Movie Night (straps on mobile cars)
- Nicky and Bryce drive cardboard box cars (stationary on floor)


text:
Cam's 2012 Holiday Wish List
It's the holidays, and the time of year to start thinking about what you want Santa to be placing under your tree. This year's list will feature stuff that's very likely to find its way in to my Christmas stocking, as well as objects which I crave, and can only dream of owning. All of the writers and editors will be publishing theirs over the next few days, and I'm kicking mine off with a bang.
IXOOST – from around €5,000 ($6,500 approx)
The IXOOST is the motor racing fan's ultimate dock. Essentially, it's a custom made-to-order speaker and charger unit crafted from carbon fiber and metals and using genuine parts from racing cars. The one pictured above is my own personal customized set up using the engine from a Ferrari F1 car. The cost comes to €5,357 for my chosen version. You can have systems with 4, 5 or 6 speakers, change colors of the leather cladding, stand unit, exhaust tips, control wheel and the bolts that hold the thing together. It's possibly the most unique gift anyone could buy me.
StickNFind Bluetooth Stickers ($49.95 when released)
You might have to put this one on my Birthday list, but, I still want one! The StickNFind Bluetooth sticker and companion app help you keep track of keys, phones, cats and various objects you like to lose regularly. Using an onscreen radar, you can find your object no matter where it is. Right now, it's on popular crowd-funding site, Indiegogo and has already surpassed its target of $70k.
Phillips Hue Connected Bulbs £179.95 for set, £49.95 for single bulb ($199.95 and $59.95 respectively)
Phillips Hue lights have made the news. They're awesome. Simply plug in the base station, connect it to your home network and screw in the light bulbs around your house. Once you're set up, you can control them all using an iPad changing brightness and color. You can even do it remotely if you've forgotten to switch your kitchen light off before you leave the house. Sadly, since it would set me back the best part of 500 British pounds to kit out my house.
Sphero – £99.99 ($129.95)
An iPhone/iPad-controlled ball? What's not to love about that? The Sphero is an awesome looking gadget, not only do you control it using your iPhone or iPad, there are also a collection of virtual reality apps that work alongside it, giving an extra dimension to the appcessory.
iZZi Orbit – $239
I love anything that helps me take better shots with my iPhone. I already have the 3-in-1 Olloclip Photo Lens system. But, this KickStarter project looks fantastic. It has 3 lenses (telephoto, fish eye and wide angle) built in which rotate around a single point. The case itself is made to feel more like a traditional camera and built from aircraft grade aluminum. What's not to love?
iTunes Gift Card
I know, it pales in comparison to the other gifts on the list, but I can think of a million things worse than receiving an iTunes Gift Card. I love downloading games, magazines and apps for all my products. Not to mention videos.


text:
'Andy Murray' in yob attack
A LIFELIKE sand sculpture of tennis ace Andy Murray that took a month to make has been destroyed by yobs.
Vandals decapitated the intricate image of Murray celebrating this summer's Wimbledon win on the same night that he crashed out of the US Open tournament.
Artist Mark Anderson created it for his Sandworld beach display in Weymouth, Dorset. The sculpture and those of Monsters Inc. characters Mike and Sully and comic book hero Iron Man were housed in a temporary beach building.


text:
Like our counterparts in the built environment, information architects provide services that create vision and strategy. Our IA consultants help you plan and structure places that serve complex needs and audiences. The result? Visitors engage with your websites, intranets, and portals and leave satisfied.
Whether it's the digital equivalent of your corporate headquarters, a place to tell your story, your online store, or a combination, your digital places serve many purposes and people.
We work with your team to understand what kind of place your website wants to be, and how to measure success. We identify the trade-offs and competing demands that need to be balanced.
We facilitate organizational alignment around goals and priorities.
Many different kinds of people visit your digital place. Each of them have something they want to do. Some are quite sure of what they want. Others are not so sure.
We help you identify the people you most want to serve, and learn how they want to engage with you online and how they talk about the world.
We meld this understanding into various kinds of models, such as personas. Models help you and your team stay focused on your priorities as you design your site.
Information architecture provides the system of language that forms the foundation of your digital place. With this strong foundation, your site will be easy to use, scale over time, and delight your visitors.
Our IA consultants deliver a set of blueprints and specifications, like sitemaps and wireframes, tailored to your needs. So whether your developers are in-house or overseas, using agile, waterfall, or "agile-fall", we will deliver the right level of detail.
Some clients come to us with smaller projects like, "I need to fix the interaction design of my fundraising page." We might start with user experience research before reworking the page, or even a user experience assessment.
The information architecture of your digital place supports your visitors at multiple levels—from global navigation that ties everything together to the detailed interaction that boosts engagement and sales, and everything in between.
Depending on your situation we tailor our process to fit the level of detail you need…
When Herman Miller needed to dramatically increase the number of products sold on their site, we helped redesign navigation to support the increased selection.
We made it easier to find things on the City of Ann Arbor's site by introducing simpler global navigation and new templates for sections such as Parks & Recreation.
We helped the American Concrete Institute re-imagine how they engaged with both members and visitors, from students to industry veterans.
Our information architecture consultants work well with all types of development approaches, and are well versed in both waterfall and Agile product development cycles.
Depending on the size and complexity of your organization and site, we can tailor our information architecture consulting services to meet your needs.


text:
The antiSOCIAL Comedy Jam 5.0
The antiSOCIAL Comedy Jam 5.0
antiSOCIAL comedy jam is where some of the best comedians in the country come together to try out their new material with an objective to leave the audience in splits of laughter. Accompanied by some new, upcoming comics in the Indian Stand-up scene who will also be testing their metal in the field of humour and aim to hone their comedic talent.
- Date :
Wednesday, September 14, 2016 - 8:30pm to 11:00pm
- Time :
- 8:30 pm to 11:00 pm
- Phone No :
- 02265226324
- City :
- Mumbai
Stay updated on premium parties & Lifestyle events in your city : Sign Up On LiveInstyle.com


text: On Fri, Feb 09, 2007 at 14:23:53 +0200, Yitzchak Gale wrote: >Hi, > >I would like to use FFI for the first time. Can someone give me a >really, really simple complete example? > >I want to be able to take a simple C program and access a function from >it in Haskell. A simple example of the other way around would be nice, >too, but I don't happen to need that just now. > >I started reading the Addendum, but that looks like it would be a lot >easier to read if I saw a simple complete example first. Everything I >found on the wiki seems way beyond that - maybe I missed it. > >I am using GHC. I am not using Windows. Shameless self-promotion: http://therning.org/magnus/archives/238 /M -- Magnus Therning (OpenPGP: 0xAB4DFBA4) magnus at therning.org Jabber: magnus.therning at gmail.com http://therning.org/magnus -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 189 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://www.haskell.org/pipermail/haskell-cafe/attachments/20070215/7efe49d3/attachment-0001.bin


text:
Ridge Monte Bello Red 2007
Ridge Monte Bello 2007 Private Cellar Gift Set
Our superior wine gift presentation is guaranteed to impress. A bottle of Ridge Monte Bello Red 2007 is delivered in a striking Napa "wine box" presentation with a pair of Riedel Vinum XL glasses. This custom made wooden gift box is a joy in itself with its dual sliding lids and accompanying gift items. A grand impression is made from the moment the recipient opens the first lid to discover your personal gift card affixed with a wax seal.
Any discerning wine drinker will also recognize the quality of two Vinum XL Riedel glasses and appreciate the unique dachshund-shaped pewter cork toy. Delectable confections from Sanders Fine Chocolatiers and a classic, handmade wine opener round out this superlative gift, leaving a lasting memory of your thoughtfulness.
We're sorry, this product is currently unavailable.
We're sorry, this wine selection is currently unavailable.
Click here for additional wine choices.
Ridge Monte Bello Red
Ridge Monte Bello Red 2007
About as close to Bordeaux in California as you get, from the classic cigar box, cedar, tobacco leaf and dill scents to the tight band of mineral, dried currant, sage, cedar and sandelwood notes. Full-bodied, elegant and persistent, this is most interesting on the finish, where the flavors are long and lingering.
Tasting Notes:
Opaque ruby. A complex, heady bouquet displays red- and blackcurrant, pipe tobacco, cigar box and rose oil, with suave spiciness gaining strength in the glass. Sappy and sweet, with mineral-laced red and dark berry preserve and cherry-vanilla flavors complemented by smoke and floral pastille qualities. The finish shows sweetness as well as tanginess and leaves a gentle smoky quality behind.
79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Best from 2014 through 2024.


text:
Winds of change.
So after seeing Walt doing some hot wire work on his MiG-15, I thought why not give a quick try on this mini size build. After all I can use the same templates I made for making the folded Depron fuselage. That is right, the poster board templates should be good enough to do something like this.
I also just brought home some 1 1/2" Pink foam, to compliment my supply of 1/2" stuff. I do want to get some 3/4", 1", and 2" now! Guess it is making my day, as they say. White EPS, Pink, Blue, etc could all be used here. I think something is available anywhere around the World if one searches. I do like pink for it is firm enough, sands easy, and doesn't pop little beads all over when working with it. Use what you like I say.
I was worried about weight at first. A solid (more or less) fuselage, instead of built-up? Well so far I am finding this just may be the ticket. So I am confident enough to move forward. I also think this may be the new wave for me to do some builds I may have put off before because they wer too complex. I did some nacelles this way once, and just didn't go further. So now is the time, and I am liking it. Hope you do too.
I do have some hot wire stuff I built, and it is as simple as using a 10 amp or so Brushed ESC, batteries, wire, and a servo tester to drive the hot wire. But for now, sometime ago I did buy a ready made hot wire cutting wand from Woodland Scenes, the Rail Road area in the LHS carries these (on line, I think Hobby Lobby Craft stores does too).
So here first is the cheapest way to get a hot wire cutter if you don't want to put one together yourself. However the home made kind is more versitle, and If you already have the Brushed ESC (2 wire, DC), probably cheaper too!
Thank you. I too like your Yak 15 in the 40mm size. Sure came out looking great. I need mine to be much lighter with only a 30mm EDF in it. Some of you building styles are also very interesting and helpful to me with some great ideas. You did a very detailed build and detailing. I too fear the thrust angle issues with the exhaust so far below the CG, but we will be ready for that! Thanks again!
I cut 2 pieces of pink foam, and placed them together so that in essence the fuselage parts will be split down the middle. I spot glued the blocks well outside the area that will make up the final part (near edges)These were trimmed to a final length fore and aft, of the station section I am working on, based upon the template set I made.
I first started with using the two 1/8" holes in my formers (from the Depron build) to locate the templates onto my foam. A few straight sewing pins made a secure way to keep them in place and hold the two block halves together. A line was drawn around the perimeter to get my formers the right height (station lines) and I used the slit in the foam blocks as alignment of the center of the templates. Hope that makes sense.
I used a brass tube to drill an access hole to feed my wire through, and promptly cut out the duct hole in the foam. Nice and precise actually. Very impressed. You can see the results here of my SECOND attempt, because the first one was a learning curve. There is also a need for some post sanding and shaping by hand with the sanding block, but this went very quick and easy.
Last edited by Freddie B; Jul 26, 2012 at 06:30 PM.
What the heck.................
So that first attempt that didn't go so well. If you twist the wire, like in not keeping it parallel with the edges as you cut, it will stretch and pul into some convelouted wierd shapes and take some major shply turns inside the template edges.
1st rule, keep wire fairly parallel to the edges as you are cutting.
If you just cut across both exterior templates, you get a very straight line. OK for some fuselage sections, but not on the nose section (noting the very small front, and much wider aft section). This is like a camber line in an airfoil, undercutting the true countoured shape we are after. Needed to cut against the template edge on each side, but leave a fat center section in-between. Sort of like a 'V' shape cut.
2nd rule, cut exterior of the nose section from both ends, leaving the center section wide, finish sanding to final shape.
See what I mean?
Let's talk about templates.
Before you walk away thinking this is too much trouble. Do note nose section was cut using a simple card stock template, no problem. I used a poster board, but manilla file folders or cardboard would work well too.
I also will state right now, 90% of my fuselage was completed in one day. Try to do that bending and forming Depron or other sheet foam. Probably faster if you don't take breaks for chores, posting, and yard work.
But I found that a roll of aluminum roof flashing is ideal. It is so thin you simply cut it with standard scissors. They will never burn even if you had too hot a wire. They also make good templates to repeat a build, draw you plans after the fact, and are just too easy not to give a try. I also found it is easier to get a final edge the exact size you want (no raised edges from sanding), and also no nicks for the wire to catch.
For holes you can drill and trim, using a Dremel and sanding drum to smooth things out. I have a hand held sheet metal punch that I really like, but not needed unless you like to collect cool tools.
So either way, cardboard, or aluminum was just as quick for me. Some guys use formica, plywood, wire glued to ply or card stock. So many ways. Everyone has threir favorite. This was just fast and easy for me. I would make templates anyway, so why not use them as tools too!
Just another notation on templates.
Note yellow cardboard (poster board templates). And shiny Aluminum templates. Both work. The aluminum are just a quick, so I actually re-made all my cardbaord ones out of aluminum. They are stiffer, more durable, and how else is a guy going to do a Yak -15, and a Yak-17, and then probably a Yak-21 and do it quickly?
So section number two was next. Note template shape makes for the final duct section and the exit hole in the nacelle shaped bottom. Trim foam blocks to length, draw alignment lines. pin templates, cut with hot wire. I finish up with the sanding block (we are artists right?) but only rough for now, We will final sand when everything is glued together.
Once the templates are removed, the blocks will split where the seam was, so we need to be able to re-align them right. So before removing the template I decided to make some very tiny, 2mm location dowels and matching holes in the sections. This will allow seperation, and re alignment multiple times before I am ready to glue everything together. After all we need to sand, shape, fit, and goof around making airplane noises as we go.....
So since things can get might thin sectioned here, how do I do this accurately? Well I took a long sraight pin, and poked it through one half of the foam, until I was sure it went into the opposite foam block in my sandwich. Now I have tiny pin holes that touch exactly aligned in each center section.
Split the blocks apart, and poke/twist a 2mm sharp toothpick into the pin marks, each side. I then cut tiny 2mm dowels from toothpicks, and glued them into one side only. Now both sides can be put back together and be matched perfectly. See photos.
You didn't get it yet? Too much work to re-make that one, darn....
Lowes only has Blue, but it is soft and squishy. I do not like handling soft and squishy anything because it is so tender you look at it and it gets damage. The pink weighs slightly more but will not show squish marks from heavy handling, and does not tear when you go to sand it with course paper..
We all know anbout white foam. But it is the lightest I think. I just wish they carried 2lb density around here and then I just migh build with that!
So here we go. I figured that the first two sections should be joined. I would probably take and remove some more foam in section #2 before joining, but this is all a prototype anyway.
Using the 1/8" dowel holes and short dowels (no glue on dowels) I can plug the sections together. The dowels are on the split, so they will fall away later when we seperate the parts.
5 minute epoxy was used to glue Section #1 to section #2, and as the dowels held alignment, I just held everything together while the glue set. i kept glue away from the edges that will need final sandng so as not to create hard spots, or get everything stuck premature. The seams will all be good to go with further processes as we will see later.
Some photos show the parts glued together., then seperated at the split centers, like an ARF (cough, cough). I also have section #3 in the photo, waiting to have it's core removed in a bit. Look close and you can see the little dowels, holes, and how this all works. I tried Walt's Filler Receipe in the duct, just to make sure my transition of the two sections is smooth and nice.
I didn't mention these three sections as they sit, with more foam to be removed weigh in at 18g so far. That is pretty light considering how much foam is still in these blocks.
I will link to Walt's filler recipe later, unless he steps in and re-states the process here.
Last edited by Freddie B; Jul 26, 2012 at 08:52 PM.
Man!! I take one day and take the wife to the beach for the day(a big sacrifice! Time away from the Mig build and now I'm sunburnt!!!) and while I'm gone for the day you just go completely foam crazy on me here!!!! Fred,, looking great! Post some pics of the pieces laying together, each half? On the work bench s I can get a better idea on how your splitting the fuse? Or am I even close to what is goin on here, I'm overwhelmed by all this work and pics,,, I haven't even visited my own Mig thread yet!!! I swear, ive had some totally irrational thoughts of buying a teeny fan/motor setup now!!! And it's all your fault!!. Man I gotta get up north and get me a load of PINK foam!! Can't get it here!!! Anyways wow Fred coming along fantastic,,oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about keeping the wire parallel to the templates or you get something nasty looking ... Gotta go look at my Mig, maybe post a pic or two later... Mig or sunburnt me!W
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text:
|Brown Gradient
|Light Tortoise / Light Gold
Light Tortoise / Light Gold metal frame.
Brown Gradient polycarbonate lenses.
Lens shape is Aviator.
Unisex style. 100% UV protection.
Available in 3 colour variations.
Authentic Carrera product, comes with its branded Carrera carrying case and all other material provided by the manufacturer.


text:
Gleaning with Seacoast Eat Local! We have been invited to Brandmoore Farm to glean tomatoes and eggplant this Friday (9/6/13)! Once harvested, this fresh produce will be delivered directly to local food pantries and soup kitchens. Come join us on the farm, get your hands dirty, and make fresh food available to everyone in our community!
Brandmoore Farm Gleaning this Friday!
Brandmoore Farm, 70 Sligo Rd, Rollinsford, NH
Friday, September 6, 2013
8 am – 12 pm
Due to a new grant from NH Farm to School, Seacoast Eat Local will be coordinating gleaning projects in the Seacoast region! Through this work we aim to make a critical connection between local farms, gardeners, and other producers, and the many food pantries in our area.
Volunteers Needed: We need 10-15 people to help us harvest tomatoes and eggplants from the fields
We need 1-3 people to help us wash and bag up the swiss chard
We need 1-2 drivers who can help us deliver this delicious food to local food pantries.
RSVP to Caty at firstname.lastname@example.com (you will be emailed more details and directions). Cell: (603) 568-4874


text:
College Football Hot Seat Rankings: Indiana's Lynch Next on Chopping Block?November 16, 2010
College Football Hot Seat Rankings: Indiana's Lynch Next on Chopping Block?
Soon after posting the hot-seat rankings last week and placing Dan Hawkins on top, Colorado fired the embattled coach.
So who will get the kiss of death this week?
New Mexico's Mike Locksley is an easy target.
It can't be Washington State's Paul Wulff after an upset of Oregon State.
Keep reading to learn who are the top 10 coaches on the hot seat this late in the season.
10. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest
Last Week: NR
2010 Record: 2-8
Just a few years ago Jim Grobe was the toast of the ACC, as he guided Wake Forest to a conference championship.
Now the Demon Deacons have one of the nation's worst defenses and the program has returned to its normal place at the bottom of the ACC standings.
Grobe is an outstanding coach, but Wake Forest has dipped much lower than anyone expected. At his age, some folks have to wonder if it's not time for a change.
Hot Seat-ometer: 0.5 (on a scale of 1-5)
9. Mack Brown, Texas
Last Week: 10
2010 Record: 4-6
Mack Brown makes it back-to-back weeks on the hot seat. This is unusual territory for the Longhorns coach.
However, Texas is playing well below its talent pool and someone has to get the blame.
No one really believes Brown will get the axe for the down season, but there will be some changes made this offseason to make sure this type of year doesn't happen again.
If it does, then Brown does become more of a target.
Hot Seat-ometer: 1.0 (on a scale of 1-5)
8. Bill Stewart, West Virginia
Last Week: 3
2010 Record: 6-3
Bill Stewart has this great overall record and the Mountaineers have a winning record this season following a blowout win over Cincinnati this weekend.
What everyone still remembers are two inexcusable losses to Syracuse and Connecticut a few weeks back.
So instead of waiting to play Pittsburgh for the Big East championship in a couple weeks, the Mountaineers are fighting and scratching to stay in the race.
WVU also needs some help to win the title even if the Mountaineers don't lose again.
None of this is good news for Stewart.
Hot Seat-ometer: 1.5 (on a scale of 1-5)
7. Paul Wulff, Washington State
Last Week: 4
2010 Record: 2-9
Washington State's 31-14 romp at Oregon State may be all Paul Wulff needed to save his job.
The former Cougar has not had many wins to celebrate since taking over in Pullman, Wash., but there are many people near the program who really believe he's made some big strides with the program — even if it doesn't show in the "W" column.
It's impossible to take him off the hot seat yet, but climbing out of the top five is a big step for Wulff and his team.
Hot Seat-ometer: 2.0 (on a scale of 1-5)
6. Ron Zook, Illinois
Last Week: NR
2010 Record: 5-5
Just when it looks like Ron Zook is free and clear of the chopping block, he goes out and loses a triple-overtime heart-breaker to Michigan and follows that up with an unforgivable loss to Minnesota.
Zook still has a chance to save his job. All he has to do is win one of his final two games against Northwestern or Fresno State.
The reason Zook moves up so far on the list after being absent for so long is because of the loss to Minnesota — a team that had yet to win a Big Ten game this season.
This loss might cost Illinois a winning season.
Hot Seat-ometer: 2.5 (on a scale of 1-5)
5. Dwayne Walker, New Mexico State
Last Week: 6
2010 Record: 2-8
Dwayne Walker knew what he was getting in to when he was hired by New Mexico State following the 2008 season.
Still, it's not clear how much of an improvement he's made since taking over.
A 41-20 loss to Louisiana Tech is the Aggies second consecutive defeat, and it's unlikely they'll upset Nevada or Hawaii in the final two games of 2010.
Hot Seat-ometer: 3.0 (on a scale of 1-5)
4. Ricky Bustle, Louisiana-Lafayette
Last Week: NR
2010 Record: 2-8
No one can argue that Ricky Bustle isn't trying to win, even though the Ragin' Cajuns lost their sixth game in a row, losing 24-23 at Florida Atlantic.
The Cajuns had a chance to tie the game after Blaine Gautier's 43-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Wolfe with 1:45 left, but Bustle chose to go for the win and went for two.
The attempt failed and so did the ensuing onside kick.
Still, six straight losses are not sitting well.
Hot Seat-ometer: 4.0 (on a scale of 1-5)
3. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State
Last Week: 9
2010 Record: 4-6
Dennis Erickson is a good guy and he probably doesn't deserve his fate.
The Sun Devils must upset UCLA and Arizona to even finish .500, and they still wouldn't earn a bowl berth.
Arizona State has been so close this year with near-misses against Wisconsin, Oregon, Oregon State, USC and Stanford.
But all anyone will remember is that they were all losses. And the good-guy thing only goes so far.
Hot Seat-ometer: 4.5 (on a scale of 1-5)
2. Mike Locksley, New Mexico
Last Week: 2
2010 Record: 1-9
One week after getting his first win of 2010, Mike Locksley's team returned to form and lost to Air Force 48-23.
It seems like New Mexico would follow the lead of Minnesota and Colorado and begin the transition from Locksley to a new coach now.
But paying off his contract may prove too costly for the small program.
Hot Seat-ometer: 5.0 (on a scale of 1-5)
1. Bill Lynch, Indiana
Last Week: 5
2010 Record: 4-6
Bill Lynch is another one of the nice-guy coaches who just doesn't win enough games.
Wisconsin didn't make it any easier on Lynch either, by putting up 83 points on the Hoosiers Saturday.
How unlucky is Indiana this year? The Hoosiers don't even get to play Minnesota, which would likely be a Big Ten victory.
Lynch knew entering the season he was on a short leash. Now he needs upset wins over Penn State and Purdue for even a 50/50 shot at surviving.
Hot Seat-ometer: 6.0 (on a scale of 1-5)


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One of the two unit of measure modes you can select when you turn unit of measure on.
When you select Multiple U/M Per Item as your unit of measure mode, you can create any number of units of measure—called a unit of measure set—for a particular item. This is especially useful for inventory items that you buy in one unit of measure and sell in a different unit of measure. For example, you might buy candles in boxes of 12 but sell those candles individually.
When you create a unit of measure set, you specify which units of measure should be used where in QuickBooks. For example, you specify which unit of measure should appear for an item on a purchase form and which unit should appear on a sales form.


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Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. - APRIL 6, 2011: Virgin America provided an in-flight look at Virgin Galactic's WhiteKnightTwo and its attached SpaceShipTwo rocket-powered plane. Billionaire founder, Sir Richard Branson, predicted his airline will compete easily with the stalwarts of the industry.
Photographed for the Chicago Tribune
- Filename
- virgin_gallactic_whiteknightwo_spaceship_two_flight_airplane_2.jpg
- Copyright
- © 2011 Dave Getzschman, All Rights Reserved
- Image Size
- 4082x2721 / 4.3MB
Gensler Richard Branson SFO San Francisco International Airport SpaceShipTwo T2 Terminal 2 Virgin America Virgin Galactic WhiteKnightTwo Bay Area California United States North America Flight In-Flight Plane Aircraft Transportation Travel Tourism Innovation Space Ship Airplane Window Birds-Eye-View Pacific Ocean Horizontal Color Image Outdoors Photography Mode of Transportation Technology Space Travel Rocket-Powered
- Contained in galleries


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These luer adapters were designed to work in a wide variety of applications. By connecting any male luer to any female luer, you can easily create your own quick connect union or adapter. Each Quick Connect Luer Adapter conforms to ISO requirements for medical luer taper configuration and performance (45 psi/3.1 bar).
Select the right product for your fluidic needs. Filter by product category in the left-hand column. If you know the product specifications for your part, continue to narrow down your search results by selecting from the list of product attributes.
Partner with IDEX Health & Science on the optimization and validation of your fluidic pathway.
Get our new Optofluidics Catalog. Browse our fluidic and optical products and explore our pathway capabilities.
Locate a Distributor or Contact Us, or find us on social media:


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Canadian Online Casinos
We offer reputable online casinos that accept players from Canada. Every casino listed here has been carefully selected and thoroughly researched. These online casinos are amongst the best on offer. Their bonuses, game quality, fairness and player support is outstanding. We are sure you will find a Canadian online casino that is just right for you.
Canadian Casinos


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Operation Guide 3M-50 To turn your 3M-50 ON, press the MODE button on the right side. This cycles the 3M-50 through HEAT, COOL, AUTO and OFF modes. The 3M-50 programmable communicating top cover Reset thermostat operates via a high-quality, easy-to- button use touch screen.
HOME Screen Control Screens Before you operate the 3M-50 please get familiar with these basic control screens. All the 3M-50 functions are accessed through these screens: HOME, MENU, PROGRAM and MANUAL. The 3M- 50 touch screen technology allows you to select (by touching) an item and change it using the +/- arrows or the time arrows.
MENU Screen The MENU screen is the gateway to many functions or settings of the 3M-50. It is displayed when you press the MENU button. [See page 10 for details] Set Time Chirp set Filter Timer set Touch this area to set...
PROGRAM Screen The PROGRAM screen sets the 3M-50 control for your home HVAC system. Press and hold PROG for 10 sec to access it. After that it is displayed when you press the PROG button. [See page 8 for details]...
MANUAL Screen The Manual Screen control screen is where you can make temporary changes to your 3M-50's operation. From the Full HOME screen, touch the main temperature display to use this screen. [See page 13 for details] Manual Override Indicator...
Make this simple HOME screen the default for your 3M-50, switch the mode to OFF and hold the PROG button for 12 seconds. This Simple HOME screen gives you limited access to the 3M-50's features, only the target temp can be changed.
Initial Settings Press MENU to access the following commands (from HOME screen). Set day of the week Touch the Day of the week area to cycle through the days of the week to select the current day. Set time of day Touch the Time of Day arrows to move the time selection forward or backward until it displays the current time.
All Days TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM: Make sure the 3M-50 mode is set to either HEAT or COOL, then press the PROGRAM button. This puts you at the PROGRAM screen [see page 4]. The programmed start time is displayed in the upper left.
PROGRAM cont. Select the day you want to program. The day of the week starts at SU - Sunday and can be advanced to the day you want to program. Touch the day of the week area to cycle through the days of the week to the desired day. Select the time slot (period) you want to program (MORN, DAY, EVEN, NITE).
(HVAC cycling rate) This feature allows you to set the desired variance in temperature between the 3M-50 setting and the room temperature required before the heating or cooling system will turn on—from 0.5° to 2.0° F (.25° to 1° C). For example, if SWING is set to 2.0° F and the 3M- 50 is set to 70°F Target Temperature, the heat cycle will start when room temperature drops to 68°F.
Set - Touch this to change the temperature display scale from o F to o C . FILTER - AIR FILTER ALERT - The 3M-50 can be programmed to remind you when the HVAC sytem's air filter needs changing. Touch FILTER. The display will show the usage to date.
To UNLOCK , Press MENU. Touch and hold icon for 5 seconds for 2 bars (if not there already). Then touch and hold the icon for another 5 seconds. Each 5 second touch and hold must be separate. Touch to return to the Home screen. CALIBRATE Your thermostat was accurately calibrated at the factory to ±1°...
Recommend 2°F for very cold climates and the 4°F for warm climates. MANUAL Screen Functions The 3M-50 has 4 manual override commands. The manual screen is accessed by touching the large current temperature display in the middle of the HOME screen.
MORN, DAY and EVEN) and a different target for NITE. EMER (in HEAT PUMP type) If you set your 3M-50 for HEAT PUMP with auxiliary heat, EMER function is available on the MANUAL screen. If you touch EMER, it displays EMER|ON. Your HEAT PUMP is disabled and auxiliary heat is your sole source of heat.
The mode button sets the 3M-50 to HEAT, COOL, AUTO, or OFF modes. Press it once to step to the next mode. If the 3M-50 is in OFF and you want to return to the mode you were previously in, touch the OFF indicator on screen.
RESET button The RESET button re-boots the 3M-50 processor. It does not effect the user programs that have been stored in permanent memory. Compressor Protection The 3M-50 has a minimum cycle time of 4 minutes to protect your compressor in cool and in heat pump (if you have one). The Home screen will show a small clock and A/C during this time and the compressor will not come on until the 4 minute delay is over.


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Yep, pirates and assassins. And tech. But our latest round-up of top tech stories also outlines the problem with seeing online advertising as a numbers game, the man behind one of tech's biggest companies and the plan behind Google+.
This opinion piece uses the analogy that traditional advertisers were like Mad Men's Don Draper: they thought about what people would respond to, and were successful, because there were no metrics to prove otherwise. But online, most things could be tracked and neatly quantified — until social media arrived. You may not get a direct click on your ad, but perhaps a customer bought your product after they arrived at the store and remembered your tweet while they were browsing. Even with all the analytics data in the world, it's not easy to quantify hazy ideas like 'influence'.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos: the ultimate disrupter
This profile of Fortune's Businessperson of the Year, Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos, delves into everything from Bezos' customer-focused mindset and love of innovation to his long-term business strategy. And yes, the boss of one of the world's biggest bookstores likes to read.
How big brands – with help from Google & Yahoo – finance online piracy
Ever wondered where your ads end up online? Well, if you're using one of the top ad networks, there is an 86% chance your ad is sitting on a pirate site somewhere, making it some cash. According to a recent study, a number of big brands aren't even aware that their ads are showing up on sites with illegal content — although they may still be reaching their target audience after all.
An interesting argument — although if you're not an iFan, you're probably going to have to restrain yourself from trolling the comments before you've reached the conclusion. Slate's Farhad Manjoo argues that the recent demise of the once-lauded little netbook is due to two products: the iPad and the MacBook Air (and, subsequently, their countless clones and similar gadgets produced by competitors). While it's more likely other factors played as important a roll (the slim profit margins on the devices and condensed user experience, for example) it's still interesting to look back and see how short a product's life-span can be.
Why the Google+ long game is brilliant
It's quite difficult to categorise Google+. Yes, it's often called a Facebook competitor, but Google views it as more of an over-arching system: they say that Google+ is Google. And while the social network portion saw massive sign up rates but lower current active user numbers, the fact is that its features are being integrated into all other Gproducts — and how many people go through a day without using search, Gmail or YouTube?
Some say Google+ is a deadzone, but others can't live without it — and as everything Google becomes more cohesive, it's likely that, in the long-term, you'll find yourself using Google+ features more and more.


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Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera is determined to stop Leicester winning the Premier League title this weekend.
Leicester can claim the Premier League title on Sunday if they take all three points away from their meeting with United at Old Trafford.
However, Herrera insists the home side will not be thinking about LeicesterÂ's title hopes and instead will be focused on trying to secure a top-four finish.
The midfielder admitted that the Foxes deserve to win the title this term but insists he would rather see them do it in a weekÂ's time when they host Everton at the King Power Stadium.
Herrera said: "First of all I have to say that we think about Manchester United, we are still in the race, we have to be in the top four it's very important for us.
"After that it is true that we are playing against Leicester, a very good side who are playing fantastic. But we don't want them to win the title at Old Trafford – I think they deserve to win the league but I hope they can do it at home.
"We are Manchester United and we have to win because we have to be in the Champions League next season.
"Leicester can win the league at Old Trafford but it is not our business. Our business is Manchester United, we have to fight until the end for the top four and that's what we are going to do."
With HerreraÂ's words in mind, punters using their free bet may want to back United to take all three points in SundayÂ's clash.


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Toledo, Ohio's water supply is now safe to drink, Mayor D. Michael Collins said Monday morning. "Our water is safe," Collins said, according to The Associated Press. "Families can return to normal life."
With that announcement, the mayor lifted a three-day-old ban triggered by raised levels of the chemical microcystin, a likely result of algae blooms fed by runoff contaminated by farm fertilizer and sewage-treatment sludge.
Ohio Drinking Water Emergency 'not over yet'
Boiling the water only serves to make the toxin more concentrated, officials said..
John Bacon
USA Today
August 4, 2014
A toxin discovered in a northwestern Ohio treatment plant left 500,000 people scrambling for drinking water for a second day Sunday.
Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins said preliminary testing showed toxin levels were improving at the city's plant, but he said officials were waiting for federal officials to analyze more samples before determining if the water is safe to drink.
"All of the results continue to improve, which gives us hope," Collins said Sunday. "But this is not over yet."
Results of the latest tests, expected to be announced Sunday night, were delayed until after 1 a.m., The Blade of Toledo reported. "We're doing new testing," the mayor told the newspaper.


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Mark Newman of the University of Michigan has produced a map of the presidential election in which each county is colored red or blue depending on who won it.
It is pretty striking how many counties Romney won. It is also striking that Obama got 2.5 million more votes than Romney. If the blue counties are as blue as the red counties are red, that means that more people live in the small number of blue counties than in all the red ones combined. In other words, while there aren't many blue counties, that's where most of the people live. To give an example of this disparity, 3.8 million people live in the 469 square miles of the city of Los Angeles. This is half a million more people than the combined populations of Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, which together cover 1.6 million square miles. These four states are 3,400 times larger than Los Angeles but have appreciably fewer people. In other words, while the land area of the red counties is vastly greater than that of the blue counties, there are hardly any people living in many of them.
The map clearly shows Obama's strengths: the Northeast, the upper Midwest, the West Coast, and the Colorado-New Mexico axis. There is also some strength in the South. In Southern Florida, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties are full of New York transplants who are strong Democrats. There is also a blue band that curves down from North Carolina. These care counties with large black populations.


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Hamas unlikely to be the abductors
There is no aspect of the disappearance of three Israeli boys from a West Bank settlement yeshiva that does not touch on someone's concerns about Palestine/Israel. What we are posting here this week is, we hope, a judicious selection, a mere drop in the ocean of coverage. Take your pick (but do read Gershon Baskin) from:
1) JPost: Encountering Peace: Who did it?, Gershon Baskin on why Hamas are unlikely cause of boys' disappearance.;
2) Haaretz: Israeli campaign against Hamas is effort to impose new order in West Bank, Amos Harel on the wider aims of Operation Brother's Keeper;
3) Tikun Olam: Israeli Media Deliberately Mangles Israeli Palestinian MK's Interview on Kidnapping, Lieberman Calls for Death Sentence Against Her, Richard Silverstein on trying to make Hanan Zoabi responsible for boys' disappearance;
4) Jewish Journal: The kidnapping dilemma: How to respond beyond the search, Shmuel Rosner tries to make sense for himself out of the noise about the disappearance;
5) Mondoweiss: Mainstream piece lays settler teen abduction at feet of 'illegal' and 'indefensible' occupation, Philip Weiss on how one man changed his understanding;
6) Mondoweiss: The Israeli crackdown on the West Bank as seen from the Qalandiya checkpoint, Raff Piccolo on the effects of the search on Palestinians;
Thousands of Israelis take part in a massive prayer at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel.Photo by Abir Sultan / EPA
Encountering Peace: Who did it?
My reason for doubting Hamas's involvement is that the single most important thing to Hamas right now is to assure its continued ability to rule Gaza.
By Gershon Baskin, JPost
June 18, 2014
The most important thing at this time is to bring Gil-Ad Shaer, Eyal Yifrah and Naftali Fraenkel home safely to their families as quickly as possible.
The fact that it is not absolutely clear who is responsible for their abduction and that no demands have been made does not necessarily mean that they are not still alive and well. There is a massive manhunt ongoing and the abductors are most likely not in the position to communicate with anyone outside of their hiding place without being discovered.
If Hamas is in fact responsible for their abduction, the chances of the boys remaining alive and well are quite high, because Hamas will clearly desire to trade them for Palestinian prisoners. In any case the captors are in no rush to announce their responsibility or to issue their demands. Time is on their side.
If it is Hamas, which I admit I have great doubts about, the operation was probably decided by the cell which undertook it, without the direct participation of either Hamas's military wing Izzadin Kassam, or its political wing. However, even if no organizational decision was made to abduct the Israeli teens, Hamas may be forced to claim responsibility and take charge of any possible negotiations. In such a scenario, the negotiations will most likely be undertaken by Hamas personalities outside Palestine and therefore more difficult for Israel to reach.
My doubts regarding Hamas's responsibility stem from among other things conversations with several Hamas leaders in Gaza. In those conversations, immediately after the abductions became known to the public and later as well, it was quite clear that those with whom I spoke with had no knowledge of the kidnapping.
They said they could not imagine Hamas having undertaken the operation. It also seemed to me to be illogical that Hamas was behind it.
The Israeli intelligence people I have spoken to, on the other hand, are 100 percent convinced Hamas is behind the operation. I don't have access to the raw data that they have collected. A large part of the belief that Hamas is responsible is apparently based on the two Hamas operatives who disappeared last Thursday – the night of the abduction.
My reason for doubting Hamas's involvement is that the single most important thing to Hamas right now is to assure its continued ability to rule Gaza. The single largest threat to its power base in Gaza is its isolation from Egypt and the total dependence of Gaza on Israel.
The Rafah crossing to Egypt is Gaza's lifeline and Hamas believes that it is essential to have it opened.
This is so important to Hamas that they capitulated to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on every single issue in the reconciliation negotiations, that led to the national reconciliation government consisting of not a single Hamas member.
Even on the issue of deployment of forces along the Rafah border, Hamas agreed that troops loyal to Abbas would be stationed there. On the issue of the integration of Hamas military forces into the PA security apparatus, Hamas agreed to request the assistance of Egyptian President Abdel Sisi to come up with a plan. This is the same Sisi that declared Hamas a terrorist organization and shut down some 1,000 smuggling tunnels into Gaza.
Hamas is well aware that if it were to carry out such a kidnapping operation, the agreement with Abbas would be over and Rafah would not be opened. It is true that Hamas would then be in the position to negotiate for the release of Palestinian prisoners, but this is not likely to occur very quickly. Hamas also remembers quite well that while it held Gilad Schalit for five years and four months, over 3,000 Gazans were killed and the entire economy of Gaza was brought to its knees. It gained the prize of 1027 prisoners, but paid a very heavy price.
We must also remember that the West Bank is not Gaza. Israeli intelligence in the West Bank is perhaps the best in the world. If the boys are alive, their captors will have to come out for supplies or have supplies delivered to them. There will have to be some kind of communication between them and those who will be authorized to negotiate.
In the meantime, I would imagine that they are hiding somewhere underground. There are hundreds, if not more, caves, wells, cisterns and other possible hiding places in the south Hebron hills. During the second intifada hundreds of wanted Palestinian combatants hid in those hills and caves without being caught. Most of those who were caught were picked up when making a visit to their families or coming back into the towns and cities for food and supplies.
My guess would be that the operation was either carried by a local group, not necessarily associated with a movement but with good organization, or by a salafi-jihadi group.
You don't have to be master terrorist to abduct Israelis in the West Bank or in Israel proper. There are enough young Israelis traveling at all hours of the night and day all around the country. The kidnappers probably used a stolen car – one that they either stole themselves or that they bought in the Hebron area.
There are many of these stolen Israeli cars available and for sale.
They had to prepare a hiding place with supplies.
Most of the people in the region know of many such places, especially because many of the people living in the area are Beduin or have Beduin roots. They have wandered these areas for hundreds of years. The [abductors] had to have some friends pick them up from the burnt getaway car and take them to a safe, prepared hiding place.
Not terribly complicated, and they also had the advantage of an eight-hour lead.
It could also be a salafi-jihadi group that was inspired by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. There are probably at least 10,000 members of Hizb al Tahrir in the greater Hebron area. This group has not been a major target of the intelligence community because until now it has appeared to be an "intellectual" group mainly preparing the ground for a return to the good old days of the Prophet. This group has not been based on an ideology of violence, because it believes the time is not right. But the successes of ISIS in Iraq and Syria could have pushed the button.
For the sake of the boys, it would be much better if it was a local organization wanting to free relatives in Israeli prisons, or Hamas, than these salafi groups; the latter would probably be much more interested in killing Jews than freeing Palestinians from prison.
I believe that the best chance of finding them quickly is to working hand-in-hand with the Palestinian security forces whose knowledge of the area, coupled with Israeli intelligence, provides the best asset for the search. It would also be wise not to be locked into the conception that Hamas is responsible, because it could turn out that it was not Hamas.
The author is the co-chairman of IPCRI, the Israel Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives, a columnist for The Jerusalem Post and the initiator and negotiator of the secret back channel for the release of Gilad Schalit. His new book Freeing Gilad: the Secret Back Channel has been published by Kinneret Zmora Bitan in Hebrew and The Negotiator: Freeing Gilad Schalit from Hamas from The Toby Press.
Israeli campaign against Hamas is effort to impose new order in West Bank
Operation Brother's Keeper goes beyond its initial goal to bring three kidnapped youths home; it has a political context for the Netanyahu government.
By Amos Harel, Haaretz
June 19, 2014
As the seventh day of Operation Brother's Keeper dawns, the end is nowhere in sight. The intensive search for the three teenagers and their Hamas captors has yielded no reported breakthrough.
We know that terrorists from the Hebron region were arrested – some of whom are being toughly interrogated for quick information about the abduction.
A vital piece of information at the right moment could lead the security forces to the cell, enabling them to find the abducted youths.
The security forces' efforts are justified. The government's duty is to protect its people. When three innocent youths are abducted on their way home, using any proportional military means is legitimate. But it seems the time has come to say a few things about a central aspect of the operation, which is going way beyond its initial goal – the campaign against Hamas in the West Bank.
So far the IDF has detained some 280 Palestinians, mostly Hamas people, raided the movement's offices, closed a radio station, confiscated computers and seized documents. The complete absence of armed resistance in the West Bank so far makes Israelis believe this is a low-cost operation.
"The IDF Spokesperson's Office released footage of Tuesday's IDF raid on Hamas's Al-Aqsa television and radio station Wednesday, giving a rare glimpse into Israel's crackdown on the terror organization." From Arutz Sheva, June 18th.
Expanding the strike on Hamas has a clear strategic rationale – Israel wants to separate the Palestinian Authority and Hamas again, after their reconciliation agreement. The Israeli measures even coincide, to a certain extent, with the PA's interest, since the latter is furious with Hamas for the damage it believes the abduction has caused the Palestinian efforts in the international arena. This was reflected in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' harsh criticism Wednesday of the abduction.
But the campaign against Hamas also has a political context. The Shalit deal is seen by Israel's right wing as the Netanyahu's government's great disgrace, due to the release of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the abducted soldier. The deal still hangs heavy over Netanyahu. Earlier this week he was challenged by far right minister Naftali Bennett, who pushed forward the bill restricting the release of terrorists. At the same time there are increasing indications that many of the terrorists released in the Shalit deal returned to terrorist activity.
So the abduction poses a great political risk for Netanyahu. In addition to the sympathy for the youths' families, the right wing and settlers feel great rage. The prime minister must ride this tiger if he doesn't want to be caught in its fangs. Punishing Hamas enables the Israeli public, most of which is in favor of a military strike on Hamas, to release steam. In days like these, even usually restrained politicians tend to rant and rave.
Even MK Shaul Mofaz, of the opposition, called for the mobilization of reserve troops to smash Hamas in the West Bank, as though he were still chief of staff. But the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield was a perfectly justified operation, which came in response to the terrible terror wave and reduced the threat on Israel's civilians. Brother's Keeper may turn out to be a little different.
Meanwhile, enthusiasm is running high. The operation provides lots of photo ops for the prime minister and the ministers. It has also completely turned around the political agenda, in which Netanyahu had been on the defensive in the midst of a crisis in Likud, along with his failed attempts to influence the election of the new president.
At last something for the soldiers to do in the West Bank. Photo in Hebron by Issam Rimawi/Flash90)
From the IDF's point of view, the situation even offered a few advantages. The units, which had been busy with policing duties and almost didn't train due to the budget controversy, returned to operational activity.
But as time goes by and the abducted youths are not found, the frustration rises. The IDF is powerful and has unusual capabilities. When the result is not achieved, however, armies tend to look for other ways to express their ability.
The hundreds of Hamas people detained this week were mostly the usual suspects. If the Shin Bet had substantial information about their involvement in terrorist activity, they would probably have been arrested earlier. Most of them are members of the organization's political wing and are indirectly associated with terror. The emphasis on striking the "civilian infrastructure" looks like an exhibition.
In the army too there must be officers who are beginning to question the benefit of such acts. In the security cabinet discussions, the attorney general is taking a moderate, skeptical approach in a bid to restrict reckless moves.
Israel had better remember that when an operation continues, things tend to get complicated and could lead to trouble — the loss of soldiers, or the killing of Palestinian civilians. Israel is trying to impose a new order in the West Bank, which is not directly associated with the abduction.
Israeli Media Deliberately Mangles Israeli Palestinian MK's Interview on Kidnapping, Lieberman Calls for Death Sentence Against Her
By Richard Silverstein
June 18, 2014
Israeli Palestinian MK Haneen Zoabi told Tel Avi Radio today that she understood the motivation of those who kidnapped three Israeli teenagers. What she didn't say is anything like what is being claimed across Israel and in the U.S. Jewish media. First, the transcript of her full statement as quoted in Hebrew by Roy Peled here:
Why is it considered strange that people living under Occupation, and living lives so insane amidst a reality in which Israel kidnaps [Palestinians] daily, is it so strange that they act this way? They aren't terrorists. Even though I do not agree with them, they are people who see no possibility of changing their own reality. So they are forced to use these means until Israel wises up and sees the suffering and feels the suffering of the other.
My translation (above) is somewhat different than the one you'll read linked at Facebook.
This is JTA's completely mangled version which has made the rounds of every Israeli media outlet:
They are people that cannot see any way to change their reality, and they are forced to use these means until Israeli society wises up a bit and sees and feels the suffering of the other.
That's it. No "though I disagree with them." No context. No nuance. That is what the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation has become for Israelis. The enemy is a cardboard cutout, a Jack in the Box clown who pops out saying the most disgusting things possible. Israelis have no patience. They don't want to listen. They prefer bowdlerizing reality as they bowdlerize what Palestinian leaders like Zoabi say.
Here is a Twitter dialogue of the deaf between Max Blumenthal and the Jerusalem Post reporter who published the false version, in which she claims she never heard Zoabi say "even though I don't agree with them," as she listened to the radio show in her native language.
Israeli journalism is as yellow as it gets when Palestinians are involved. It stoops to the lowest, basest of human instincts. If the world permitted lynching, Israeli media would cheer at the prospect. Except unlike the Ramallah lynching which so rightly traumatized Israelis, this would be officially sanctioned, legal lynching. There is little difference between the National Enquirer and Israeli media when it comes to this sort of reporting about Palestinians.
As a result of this scandalous, deliberate bit of character assassination, Zoabi is being skewered on TV and in print media. They call her terrorist. They call her traitor. They call not only for her to be expelled from the Knesset, but to be killed. No less a figure than Avigdor Lieberman, always one who may be counted on to make colorfully provocative statements about Arabs, called for a virtual death sentence for Zoabi:
Not only the kidnappers are terrorists, but Haneen Zoabi is one as well. The judgment against the kidnappers is the same as the judgment against the inciter Zoabi, who encourages kidnapping, must be identical.
Yes, there will be pro-Israel apologists who will remind us there is no death sentence in Israel, so Lieberman couldn't possibly have meant she should be killed. But we all know that Lieberman doesn't give a fig for judicial sentences. He's referring to the death sentence the IDF will mete out to the kidnappers when it catches them. Just as Obama ordered the summary execution of Osama bin Laden, Netanyahu has told the IDF that they should kill the kidnappers if they find them. Perhaps he doesn't even have to tell the IDF. It is understood between them with a wink and a nod that this will be the outcome.
Every Israel remembers what happened to the Bus 300 kidnappers captured alive and then executed by having their skulls crushed by rocks like bugs by Shabak executioners. This was wasn't even the first such summary execution. But it grabbed the attention of the entire nation. Now such an execution wouldn't cause the scandal it did back then. Now the executioner would be praised to the heavens and made a Shabak chief.
Of course, the IDF will say the kidnappers were armed and fired at them when apprehended. There will be a firefight, the terrorists will throw bombs. The army had no choice but to liquidate them. And it's a good thing they did. Bringing honor to the army and restoring the dignity of the nation. And some of this may even turn out to be true. The perpetrators of the kidnapping may indeed resist. But the reason they will is that they know their fate is to be executed when captured.
Similarly, this is the fate Lieberman is wishing for Zoabi. He'd love for the IDF to put a bullet through her skull. Of course, he can't say this. So he cleans it up a bit and says she deserves to share the kidnappers fate. But every Israeli knows what he really means.
Returning to Zoabi's interview, what she said is indeed precisely what all Palestinians feel about the abduction. They wish it didn't have to happen. But given their misery at the hands of Israel, and the seeming permanence of their suffering, one could anticipate such feelings. But her omitted demurrer conveys the sense: just because one understands them doesn't mean that one shares them.
Of course Zoabi's statement was provocative. It was meant to be. What does she care what Israeli Jews think about her? They don't vote for her anyway. That, in a nutshell is the problem with the Israeli political system. It rewards politicians and parties for carving out their ethnic niches and protecting them fiercely, even if it means stoking the hatred of other groups. There is, of course, a way to stop this dysfunction and fragmentation. But it's a solution most Israelis treat just as Count Dracula views garlic or the rising sun: the one-state solution. A single state would force all Israeli parties to cobble together inter-ethnic coalitions. It would force Israeli Jews and Palestinians to find common ground at least to a greater extent than they do now.
On a related matter, I've accused Bibi Netanyahu of lying in blaming Hamas for the kidnapping. Now, a former Mossad unit chief, Rami Igra, tells the Jerusalem Post that he too believes Bibi is wrong. The reason that the former is blaming Hamas, Igra says, is purely political:
"The facts are very simple," he said by phone. These kids have gone missing…but no one has claimed responsibility, and their bodies have not been found. There have been no facts presented to the public that they have been abducted by Hamas, so we need the correct information."
…"The fact that he is naming who abducted these kids is more political than based on fact," he said. "Netanyahu says that the people who did this are part of a terrorist organization, and we all agree. But at this point, while it could be true, it is premature."
Igra continued: "At this stage, there are only indications that they have been abducted but no evidence. They could have been killed. We hope this is not the case and that they were abducted, but we don't know yet."
Make no mistake. I am not claiming Igra is an angel sent from on high to tell us all the truth. He is after all a former Mossad officer and willing to lie for his country when it suits. But in this case, he is telling us the truth because that is what suits. We have a grizzled veteran of Israel's intelligence wars telling us that his Mossad contacts tell him that the prime minister is the emperor with no clothes. We should take notice.
The kidnapping dilemma: How to respond beyond the search
By Shmuel Rosner, Jewish Journal
June 18, 2014
On Oct. 10, 1994, not long after midnight, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) office got a call from the brother of a soldier, Nachshon Wachsman: The soldier was supposed to come home but never made it. The brother was somewhat concerned. Six hours later, the mother also called. Wachsman was still missing. It took the military five more hours or so, until, at 11:35 a.m., it activated the procedure for locating missing soldiers. A friend was quickly located. He had dropped Wachsman off around 5 p.m. the previous day. The next day, a demand was made by a Palestinian group that Israel release Palestinian prisoners, or else. The demand, in blunt language, was addressed to the "dog Rabin" — then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Ronen Bergman's "By Any Means Necessary: Israel's Covert War for its POWs and MIAs" tells the Wachsman story in great detail. It began much like the kidnapping of three young Israelis this week, and ended in heartbreak. The military was successful in locating the place where Wachsman was being held. It was less successful in getting him released — both Wachsman and an IDF special unit officer, Nir Poraz, were killed. No Palestinian prisoner was released. No demand was met.
Three groups of IDF soldiers participated in the break-in to the house where Wachsman was being held. Poraz was heading one of them, his friend, Yair Lotan, a second force, and the third force commander was Nitzan Alon — now an IDF general and commander of Israel's Central Command, the man in charge of the forces now searching for 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach and 16-year-olds Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Shaar.
Just three weeks ago, an Israeli cabinet meeting became tense over the issue that has suddenly became relevant in the last couple of days: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, backed by the attorney general, decided to postpone a vote on legislation he had committed himself to passing. The law — which was approved by the government a couple of days later — would enable the courts to sentence murderers for life in a way that would prevent their future release for any reason. The authors of the new legislation, members of the right-wing Habayit Hayehudi Party aim to prevent Israel from ever again releasing prisoners in exchange for peace talks, as it did last year. The legislation would also prevent the government from exchanging prisoners for abducted Israelis.
Writing for Slate two weeks ago, I explained that Israel's "need of such legislation is testimony to the slippery slope that the releasing of terrorists can become." The list of such releases is long, and the story of Wachsman is the exception, not the rule. Three years ago, Israel got the abducted soldier Gilad Shalit back from Hamas captivity in exchange for releasing 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. In 1985, Israel released 1,150 prisoners to get three soldiers back. Israel, as I reminded Slate readers, "has repeatedly paid heavily for information, for bodies of dead soldiers, for a drug-dealing Israeli colonel kidnapped by Hezbollah. It got used to paying." Bergman, in his book, claims that the "trauma of the failed attempt to release Wachsman remained a scar in Israel's collective memory." He even seems to believe that it contributed somewhat to Israel's reluctance to initiate a similar military operation in an attempt to release Shalit — a more complicated case, as Shalit was being held in the Hamas-controlled territory of the Gaza Strip.
As I am writing this article, the fate of the abducted youngsters is not yet known. It is interesting to note, though, that in Israel the public seems to have toughened its position regarding possible deals with the kidnappers. The pendulum that tilted toward more accommodation following the Wachsman tragedy, might be edging back toward a less compromising stance following the heavy price paid in the Shalit deal.
On June 15, two Knesset members demanded to quickly adopt the recommendations of a committee to set an uncompromising criteri[on] for exchange deals. In 2008, a committee headed by former High Court Chief Justice Meir Shamgar was appointed by then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak, following a heavily criticized deal in which Israel let murderers go in exchange for body bags. The committee pushed to limit the price Israel pays in prisoner swaps, but Israeli governments were reluctant to fully adopt the recommendations, fearing that such a move would tie their hands in future situations that they could not foresee.
Tying the hands of the government is exactly what the above-mentioned Knesset members now intend to do. One of them, Ayelet Shaked of Habayit Hayehudi, was also behind the legislative initiative that enables the courts to sentence murderers to life without release, no matter the circumstances. The other, who publically called on the government to adopt the Shamgar recommendations and apply them to the current case of abduction, is Elazar Stern of the Hatnua Party. Curiously, Shaked is a member of a party that gets most of its votes from the community of settlers and settler supporters to which the abducted teens also belong. Stern, more of a political pariah, is also a member of the Zionist-religious community. So their call for restraint is clearly based on strong belief, and not rooted in lack of care for the families and the kidnapped teens.
A lot of ink was spilled during the week on this question of care and carelessness. Following days of fruitless searching, and lacking in information of ability to assist, Israelis turned to self-reflection: Are we being too patriotic? Too cynical? Too hateful? Too polarized? Do we hate the settlers, do we love them, do we care enough about the three boys? A right-wing writer was furious to discover that the Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade on June 13 had not been canceled because of the abduction. When, in synagogues, one nation of Israelis gathered to say prayers for the missing teens, he wrote, the "other nation ended its gay parade in a hangover."
So, Israelis wondered: Is this a good time to talk about the occupation, or the worst time to talk about it? Are the residents of the "state of Tel Aviv" disengaged from the sorrow of the rest of the country? Is it OK to keep broadcasting reality shows and the World Cup on TV?
The answer to all of the above is — yes and no. The need for all of the above was the need of the powerless. There was nothing Israelis could do throughout these four days, except to pray, to go on with their daily lives, or to bicker (or all of the above). A vocal minority chose bickering. The media, which needs to fill hours and hours of broadcasts with something, turned to this minority to see some action.
The bickering comes from all sides:
From the left: It is about the settlers, about the irresponsible habit of hitchhiking, about the inevitability of violence because of the collapse of the peace talks.
From the right: It is about the settler-hating left, about how the left excuses terrorism, about the cruelty of Hamas — an ultimate proof that no peace process has any future.
From the center: It is about Israeli society's lost ability to show solidarity, about the vile conversation, about the Facebook-made radicalization of Israeli culture.
Most of these complaints are overstated, or false.
In the "state of Tel Aviv," where I live, I could hardly find neighbors who are unsympathetic or uncaring about the abducted boys. If there are such Tel Avivians, they are a small minority. Ignoring them would be the better policy.
And I also refuse to be shocked by people who wonder if the culture of hitchhiking should not be seriously discussed. Wondering about hitchhiking doesn't necessarily amount to a "blame the victim" mentality. In fact, the opposite is true: Those who agree that the enemy is heartless and cruel are also those who might want to be pragmatic about making life more complicated for kidnapers and murderers. Is the right to hitchhike so sacred that we should stand up for it at any cost? Telling teenage girls not to hitchhike because of the fear of sexual predators doesn't amount to surrendering to predators, and telling teenage settlers not to hitchhike because of the fear of terrorist predators doesn't amount to surrendering to terrorism. It's a pragmatist stance that's worth hearing out.
A very frustrating feature of the abduction is that Israelis have to deal with its meaninglessness. Its sheer, meaningless cruelty. The abduction is not going to prove to anyone that Palestinian terrorism is merciless and abhorrent — we know that already. We've seen buses blow up; we've seen families slaughtered in their sleep; we've seen heads smashed, youth murdered. It is also not going to teach us a lesson about the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian situation — we know it's complex, and we suspect it will remain complex for many years to come. And it is not going to convince Israel that the occupation isn't viable — continuing the occupation is problematic, but Israel isn't yet certain there is currently a better alternative.
That there is a debate within Israel about these questions is understandable and healthy. That such debates become more fierce and emotional when the country is searching for three lost boys is to be expected. And yes, it is also natural for many Israelis to miss the long-lost days of unity and harmony. Thirty years ago, it was easier to be unified. The country was much smaller, 3 million strong, not 8 million. The issues were less controversial; the occupation still young; the hope for a coming peace still alive. The press was less garish. The culture was more naïve.
And yet — and yet — if this horrid crime of abduction is a test for Israeli society, I see no reason for great worry. The debate, the anger, the nonstop bickering, the fiery exchanges on social media, are all a sign of strength. Israelis truly care; Israelis are highly engaged; Israelis feel the need to say something, to do something. Yes, at some moments this has an aftertaste of a superfluous quarrel — but is that not the case with almost all family feuds?
On June 17, the three families of the abducted youngsters gathered together for the first time. They, too, could do very little as the search continued. Their short TV and radio appearances were admirable. Content and subdued, they demanded little and asked mainly for other Israelis to keep praying for their sons. Other Israelis were not always as restrained in their response. As usual, the mix of emotion, drama and politics bequeath radical suggestions and objectionable comments.
As Israel was searching for the missing boys, it was also acting with greater means than usual against Hamas' infrastructure in the West Bank. The new Palestinian government provided Hamas with an opportunity to better its position in this Fatah-dominated area, a process that Israel was following with great concern. Alas, up until the abduction, the calls from Israel for the international community to take action against the new government and refrain from working with it fell on deaf ears — not even the United States was willing to put its relations with the Abbas administration on hold because of the formation of the Hamas-backed government. The kidnapping gave some Israeli officials a hope that its concerns can be communicated more clearly now, and will provide more legitimacy in taking action against Hamas.
The latter conclusion has proved right, at least in the days following the abduction. Israel was operating in areas of the West Bank into which it doesn't usually enter with massive forces, and the world seemed to accept the necessity of taking such action when the lives of three civilians are hanging in the balance. As for the other hope — that the world will suddenly rediscover its distaste for Hamas as a result of the kidnapping — the result was mixed. Soon after the abduction, Israelis started to notice and complain that this highly dramatic story failed to make huge headlines abroad. The world, they were forced to realize, is currently interested in the much bigger story of Iraq, and the much more positive story of the World Cup. The world is also not going to base its policies on the sporadic tragedies that befall Israelis (and Palestinians) from time to time.
Mainstream piece lays settler teen abduction at feet of 'illegal' and 'indefensible' occupation
By Philip Weiss, Mondoweiss
June 17, 2014
Max Fisher, formerly of the Washington Post and the Atlantic, doesn't use the word apartheid in this piece about the West Bank for his new shop, Vox, a startup led by Ezra Klein; but he doesn't use the words "two-state solution" either. He says bluntly that the occupation is the source of unending oppression, and it produced the abduction of the settler teens that took place on Thursday.
what of the national Israeli policies that created the occupation — this most damaging aspect of the conflict — and then inserted three teenagers onto its front lines?
The headline and deck are great:
"The end of 'both sides'
"Israel's occupation of the West Bank is indefensible"
You can say that's old news, but it's good that this intelligence is entering the inner courts of the establishment. The piece itself is distinguished by its sensitivity to the Palestinian point of view; Fisher even reckons that there is no logical response to unending occupation but violence. Here he goes, walking in the shoes of the Palestinians:
But to many Palestinians the scale of the reaction [to the teen abduction], and its severe impact on thousands of civilians, looks an awful lot like collective punishment, the practice of punishing an entire population for the crimes a few individuals, which is barred by the Geneva Conventions that regulate international conflict. Many of the 100,000 Palestinians who commute to jobs in Israel have been prevented from crossing the border to get to work, much less see family on the other side of the line, and in Gaza most gas stations have had to shut down for lack of fuel imports…
Here he tiptoes up to the line of acceptable speech on oppression breeding violence:
And while it would be wrong to blame the Israeli victims for their own kidnappings, one would still think that Israelis might want to question the role of Israel's occupation of the West Bank. As children, the kidnap victims surely cannot and should not be held personally culpable, but they could be considered an extension of the occupation, which has been far from a peaceful endeavor. And what of the national Israeli policies that created the occupation — this most damaging aspect of the conflict — and then inserted three teenagers onto its front lines?
He is careful to speak of a cycle of violence and both sides being to blame. He'd lose his license if he didn't. But he knows who is primarily to blame.
There has always been, and there remains, plenty of culpability to go around in this conflict, plenty of individuals and groups that squandered peace and perpetuated suffering many times over. Everyone is complicit and no one is pure. The crisis over the kidnapped students shows all this. But it is also highlights what has become perhaps the most essential truth of the Israel-Palestine conflict: for all the complexity of how it came to be and why it's continued, for all the shared responsibility for this week's crisis and everything that led up to it, the conflict predominantly matters for the human suffering it causes. And today the vast majority of that suffering comes from Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Today, the suffering has become so disproportionately administered by the occupation and so disproportionately felt by Palestinians that, in a conflict famous for its complexity and its gray areas, this is an issue that looks less gray all the time: the occupation is wrong, it is the problem, and Israel is responsible…
And he doesn't let up.
But while it's accurate to say that "both sides" participate in this awful cycle, that "both sides" indulge their worst habits in ways that perpetuate the conflict, there is an essential truth that is not about "both sides": it is utterly disproportionate. Only the Palestinians are under military occupation. While the conflict hurts everyone here, any one Palestinian is far more likely to be hurt than any one Israeli, and is apt to be hurt more deeply.
More evidence that the discourse is shifting. Soon politicians will be able to say this.
The Israeli crackdown on the West Bank as seen from the Qalandiya checkpoint
Raff Piccolo, Mondoweiss
June 17, 2014
Office workers, labourers, students and the elderly often pass through Qalandiya checkpoint near East Jerusalem on a daily basis. They are often placed far away from the violence of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Yet that distance has become notoriously smaller as they are often made the subject of punishment for a crime in which they had no involvement or knowledge.
The kidnapping on Thursday night of three Jewish religious school students: Gil-Ad Shaer,16, Eyal Yifrach, 19, and Naphtali Fraenkel, hitchhiking in Gush Etzion (south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem) can be felt right across Israel and Palestine including the Qalandiya checkpoint.
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) response, dubbed 'Operation Bring Back Our Boys' has seen about 150 people arrested. The sweeping arrests began in Hebron on Friday and have continued into the wider Judea area. Most of the arrested were members of Hamas, including its leadership.
Whist Israel has the right and duty to seek the safe return of the young boys, it has unfortunately taken the position 'that what is relevant is not where the attack took place, but where the attack originated, and that the terrorists set out from areas under PA control.' Thus every Palestinian will ostensibly be held responsible until the boys are safely returned or found.
As a result not only has Hebron, and the greater Judean region come under an increased IDF presence in recent days, but even remote places have come under greater surveillance. This is not to say that the lack of proximity to Gush Etzion wholeheartedly rules out any given location. However the IDF must only act if and where it has reliable information that requires them to expand their increased sphere of presence. A case in point here is the Qalandiya checkpoint.
Every day I make the journey from Ramallah to East Jerusalem for work. Being less than 20 kilometres in distance it would ideally take about 20 minutes to get to work. However that is not the case, the trip is made to last about an hour each way by the checkpoint.
The checkpoint features as a gateway in the Israeli constructed Wall (also known as the 'Security Fence', 'Separation Barrier' or 'Apartheid Wall') dividing Ramallah from East Jerusalem. It is one of the busier checkpoints given the high population density of the area. It well known that most of those who travel between the checkpoint do so, so as to make their way to work, school or carry out other basic daily tasks (such as attending a doctor's appointment). Experience corroborates these observations. Every day, whilst lined up at the checkpoint, I see people carrying their lunch (presumably going to work like me), children dressed in their uniforms and carrying their books (presumably going to school), and elderly men and women (presumably going to see the doctor).
Given the early hour that I travel through the checkpoint on a daily basis, it does not normally take me so long to pass through, usually ranging from 2 to 10 minutes. During religious holidays, such as Ramadan, passing through the checkpoint is also known to be delayed as people attempt to get home to be with family and friends.
The time it takes is very much dependent upon the mood of those staffing the checkpoint. Sometimes not all four gates will be open. Other times the guards may be eating their lunch, in clear view, forcing people to wait until they have finished. Or they could be busy sending an SMS, again people just have to wait until they have finished. Sometimes they are not even interested at all and you can simply pass through without them even looking at your ID.
In the shadows of any incidents of violence or otherwise, elsewhere in the country, the checkpoint is not spared from feeling the brunt of the response. With the kidnapping of the young Israeli Jewish students hitchhiking in Gush Etzion the checkpoint suddenly ground to a halt. Long lines of students, labourers, office workers and the elderly, lines which had not previously existed at this early hour, suddenly appeared over night.
The sudden change in circumstances could be felt. One elderly gentleman had become visibly distraught with the situation, yelling and arguing with others waiting in the line. At times he attempted to turn around and leave the line but found his exit blocked by fences and locked gates. At the other end, in the line up to one of the gates, people began to complain that the line was not moving, despite the path ahead being clear.
As conceded above, Israel has the right and duty to secure the safe return of these three young boys. However they must ensure that their actions are targeted and based upon reliable intelligence, especially the further they move away from the immediate scene of the crime. With the Qalandiya checkpoint, the case is thin. The area surrounding Qalandiya is not known for its support of Hamas (the group accused of the kidnapping), so how does it and the people that pass through on a daily basis suddenly come into the equation?
Either the sudden increase in time it takes to get through the checkpoint is unrelated to the kidnapping of the young boys or the people passing through the Qalandiya checkpoint were being collectively punished for the kidnapping of the young Israeli Jewish students, a crime of which they had no knowledge or involvement.
It is from the Qalandiya checkpoint that the fear reverberates. Palestinians have clearly received the message.
The trip home at the end of the day is normally at least an hour. But today it takes no more than five minutes. Palestinians are staying clear of the checkpoint and the IDF. As I make my way into the city centre of Ramallah it is the same. Shops are normally open until 7 or 8 at night, however today many are unusually closed. People have abandoned the daily travel through the checkpoint, and closed their shops. They have left to be with their family, seeking refuge in their homes. The only crime for which they are being punished; they are Palestinian.


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