text:
What is that she liked?
He wondered... She wasn't a typical Mumbai chick.. Her agra-ness was something that he loved and got confused about...
Her smile made his nervous system go on a standby mode. While her demeanor rendered him to gawk at her, probably resulting in her thinking of him as a terminal pervert.
She wasn't someone who dressed in coherence with her looks. Her simplicity, or rather her ignorance about fashion somewhat killed the amount of head turning prowess that she actually possessed.
"Halwa wali", is what he referred to her as.. Her bhabi made the most awesome halva, and he fed on it.. Mannerless-ly. This surprised her, she probably had a different view about guys from Mumbai. His dehati-ness and total lack of being 'bollywood-ish', probably made her cringe. Also it may have even enabled her to develop a complete dislike towards him.
As the last day of the coursework approached closer, he put his thinking capacity more towards the execution of his final plan, i.e, final plan about asking her out than towards the upcoming exams.
Three exams were scheduled to be conducted back to back on the same day. That was one of the problem. Another being that he had no 'final plan' as such to execute.
'Take her out on a excursion around delhi'...
'Take her out on a shopping spree!!'
'Take her to the candy shop...'
The thoughts flowed in...
'Movies! Romantic stuff..! Ashiqui 2?' he thought.
Star Trek was going to be released soon. But he was not going to ask her out for that movie..
'Obviously not!' He exclaimed almost loudly! 'May be this is what sacrifice meant.. For a girl you like... thou shall sacrifice on Star Trek!' he pondered.. and felt the nerd in him getting disappointed.
In the midst of this all, he saw her outta nowhere.. The heck! Where did she come from!? He thought for a moment about teleportation, but killed that thought to entertain more important thoughts like: What the F is he gonna say!?
ETA : 10 seconds...
Confrontation in ...3...2...1...
"Hey Bhumika, when are you leaving?"
"Um?..Exam ke turrant baad, kyun?"
"Bas ayse hi, I have to stay here for almost 10 days more after the exams!..."
He made a sighing face to invoke an 'aww' response from her...
She gave him none.. Just nodded in acknowledgement...
He continued..
"I was considering going for this ashiqui movie, suna hai kafhi chal rahi hai.."
"Haan, humein bhi dekhni thi, par waqt kahan hai.."
"Kya tum exam hotay hi, paper professor ke muh pe markar Agra ki train pakadnewali ho?"
She giggled.
That rendered him speechless, he simply loved the sight of her smiling. It was astonishingly soothing...
Aaaannndd he was about to gawk..
"Nahi ji, hey bhagvan! hum aisa kyon karein?! Hum thode hi aap bumbayee walon ki tarah battameez hai?"
She smirked after that..
"Mein? BattameeZ?!"
"Haan! Aur nahi toh kya.."
"Theekh hai, consider this as another battameezee, exam ke baad kya tum mere saath ashiqui dekhne aoogi?"
She looked... Didn't say anything...just looked. May be, he wondered... she went into a standby... Or was she taken aback?
"Theek hai, aaoongi"
She left.. He tried to act normal. He couldn't. Every attempt that he made to act normal was making him look even more abnormal.
She was dressed differently. She had put an effort to look better than usual. It was still on the very realms of simplicity.
He had promised himself that he wouldn't gawk, but with a beauty like this by his side, cladded in a white punjabi dress with a glittering dupatta and a scintillating mukhda, he simply couldn't help.
"Kya hai, aap aise kyon dekh rahe ho, kya mere chehre pe kuch laga hai?"
"Haan, dher saari khoobsoorti"
She smiled.. And mocked him about his apparently filmy behaviour.
They watched the movie... Rather she watched the movie, while he watched her. Even though the onscreen heroine was hawt, with a hawt butt.
He has never seen anyone so much into movies. And probably she has never seen anyone so much into her. Almost on the verge of awkwardness.
"Hey Sun Na.."
She looked upto him. Yes he was taller. She didn't think about his height before. But Ashiqui 2 had manipulated her brain into thinking such stuff.
"I had a very nice time..." He paused.
She kept looking.. Before she could reply in reciprocation.. in the name of formality.. He spoke again..
".... at the institute.. all the people I met... I made some friends.. and before one of them bids adieu tomorrow, I need to give a little gift or something.. you know.. small token of thank you.. to her.."
She was puzzled..
"Could you help me pick a gift or so for her? There is an archies shop nearby..Please!?"
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.. Was this "Lets go for a movie" was just a bahana so that he could bring her to select a gift for some bimbo back at the institute?
She was getting furious for sure, but kept her composure.. She wanted to get this over with. She was hurt.
"OK" She replied blankly.
"Thank you Thank you sooo much!" He started to walk ahead of her.. now in his own world.. heading straight for that archies shop!
She was surprised to see how callous he was to the emotional trauma that he had rendered upon her by saying rather stupid stuff.
They entered archies. The shop was gleaming with girly stuff. Seriously girly stuff. So girly, that even gay guys wouldn't want it.
She was fascinated by the section of little teddies!
'Aww.. the cute little ones!' She smiled contently. Almost forgetting about the purpose of this visit.
He was busy finding cards. And was strangely disappointed with them. Finally he picked one.
"THANK YOU! " She read it aloud, exclaiming and questioningly!?
"That is it? That is what you are going to pay 200 Rupees for? Ek bada sa THANK YOU!?"
"What!? That is what all I want to convey!.. par wait a second.."
He pulled out that cutest little teddy from that teddy collection and said..
"There! What do you think of this little guy!? Would she find it cute!?"
He made the air-quotation marks with his fingers as he said 'cute'.
Without really waiting for her verdict, he proceeded and stuck that teddy's butt on the top of the card.
"Hey Bhumika!"
"Could you write something sweet on the card for me.. in hindi? You know.. devanagari script?"
"What!? Why!?.. I mean what do you want me to write?" She was this close to snap.. but she kept her cool.
"Okay.. Here.. write this with an Ink Pen..."
She was about to question this choice but she just wanted to get over with this stupidity of his..
"You would require to translate this angrezi thingie I say in hindi...OK!?"
She nodded...
"Your presence soothes my mind."
"Your talks soothes my nerves..."
She giggled.. and thought of mischief and translating this into some nonsense. But with the innocence that she held onto, any such deed by her would be an act of "baattameezee".
He continued.. and she translated...
"Though we haven't known each other for more than a few weeks, I would like to know you more."
"Your friendship is what I seek."
"Thank you for accepting me in your world, even for this short time."
"I shall miss you."
She was surprised to the amount of emotion he carried for this girl.. and yet be so stone hearted towards her.. 'Selfish bastard' she thought..'All guys are just selfish bastards'.
"Now all I have to do is give it to her.. Arey! we forgot to write the 'Dear whoever' thingie at the top!"
She sighed. Removed the cap of the pen and sighed again.
"Haan, bolo.. "
Till then he got busy with the cashier.
She hated being kept hanging like this.. but unknowingly started computing the permutations of the names of various possible girls at the institute to whom this card may get addressed to, which kept her occupied.
"Dear Bhumika" He stood very close to her as he said it. Almost whispered it into her ears.
"What is so shocking about it!?"
"Nothing." She stood there confused.
He smiled at her. Took the pen from her, wrote her name on the card in the curviest devanagari and gave the card to her.
Her face held the cutest smile ever. Cuter even than the butt stuck teddy.


text:
" Address: Via Francesco Albani, 41 / 20148 Milano / Italy "
Walking up the steps from the exit at Lotto Metro Station in Milan, we noticed lots of Bruce Springsteen fans milling around. There was a stall set out at the top of the steps selling T shirts with the star's face on so we knew we had come out at the right exit. The excitement was growing minute by minute but before we trundled off to look at the mighty football stadium of San Siro we decided to look around for a bite to eat. It was about three o'clock and we hadn't eaten since breakfast and knew that the meal we were about to eat would be the last of the day. We were in the correct place, Italy, with pizza and pasta being on all menus, filling and delicious.
After a 10 minute walk around, we came upon a long tree lined avenue called Via Francesco Albani. I could see there were a couple of restaurants on this avenue intermingled amongst the stylish boutiques. The first restaurant was La Nouva Tavernatta, it looked attractive enough with a chalk board out the front advertising the specials of the day. The door to the trattoria was open and it seemed full with people enjoying themselves. A menu board hung on the wall covered in glass so we stood and studied it. Italian menus always take me a long time to read as there are so many courses. As we pondered, a young man dressed in a bright purple shirt with a long black pinafore tied around his waist asked us if we were ready to order and we said we were still thinking but he was okay with that.
Eventually, we decided to order one large pizza, Quatro Staggioni with a bowl of mixed salad. We went and sat at the metal tables outside under a shady tree. It was very humid and I couldn't wait to order a glass of beer. A different waiter came this time or perhaps he was the owner of the trattoria, he looked more authorative but also a bit of a character dressed in his denims and striped braces. He placed a peach coloured cloth over the table, two really thick linen serviettes, a container filled with bread sticks and a basket of crusty bread that had been broken into pieces. A large bottle of Grapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Firenze and a bottle of balsamic vinegar appeared on the table but no plates to put the bread on so we could soak up the olive oil and vinegar. It was good to see a bottle of olive oil on the table as this never happens in Warsaw, we always have to ask for oil and vinegar.
We gave the second chap our order and also ordered two medium jugs of beer. These cost 5 Euros each which I thought was a little steep but when they came to the table I was relieved as I was so thirsty and the beer was cooling and refreshing. Two men sat at the table next to us and it was interesting to note that they were also Bruce Springsteen fans that had met before in Milan. While I was drinking I was also doing a bit of eavesdropping. They were discussing albums and saying which their favourite tracks were, also favourite gigs.
Finally, after about a 15 minute wait the bowl of salad came to the table, followed by the pizza. The pizza was large enough for us to share. It was slightly burnt around the edges but the texture of the base was thick, crispy and once bitten into, fluffy. I loved the large, thick slices of cooked ham on the top of the pizza, what I call real ham and not thin tissue paper, synthetic ham that you get in a lot of pizza restaurants. The sliced mushrooms were fresh and not dried and I am not sure about the artichoke whether it was fresh or not but they were very tasty. After cutting the first slice I could see that the tomato base was made up from tomato pulp rather than puree and there was a decent amount of mozzarella cheese spread across the whole of the pizza.
My husband said he would eat some salad before tucking into the pizza. The sald was disappointing, a huge glass bowl filled with mostly lettuce and some of the ends of the pieces of lettuce were turning brown, I picked these out and left them at the side of my plate. Other ingredients consisted of baby tomatoes, cucumber and onion. There was so much lettuce we had to cover it with oil and balsamic vinegar to make it palatable. I was first to taste the pizza, it was still hot from the oven and the cheese had melted nicely but left strings falling down when bitten into. It tasted good, not too doughy and all the ingredients were fresh. I did try some of the salad but I agreed with my husband, it wasn't the best. We managed to finish off all of the pizza between us although I think I ate more pieces. We then had a breather, soaked up the atmosphere and watched people walk by while still listening to the conversation on the next table.
Before finishing off our beers we also finished the pieces of bread after dipping them in olive oil. We were full and knew we would last out for the duration of the concert without wanting anything else to eat or drink as we knew beer would be expensive at the stadium. The young waiter with the pinafore came back to ask us if we had enjoyed our meal. We said, yes, and didn't mention anything about the salad. He asked if we wanted coffee, we declined. He then asked if we were here for the Bruce Springsteen concert and we told him we were indeed and very excited about seeing him. He said his best friend who lived in Milan, was Polish and lived in Warsaw, was going too as he was a huge Springsteen fan. What a small world!
We rose from our seats, other fans came out of the restaurant, the waiter wished us all a great night and we went on our way to Bruce and San Siro.
Do I recommend the restaurant? Yes, I do as it is in a nice shady spot and they do a good pizza. By the way the toilets are Turkish style and to get to them you have to go through two saloon type doors that are really difficult to push open. You need strong muscles to open the doors. Our meals as described above came to just under 30 Euros including two beers and a basket of bread. If you don't want the bread I should send it back as they will charge you 5 Euros for it. Service was very good and the waiters seemed friendly.
Address: La Nuova Tavernatta
Via Francesco Albani
Metro Stop: Lotto

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Release Date: 1987 |
Album Rating: 3.5Desperately looking for a t-shirt of this, or something - coffee mug, sticker, mud flaps that i can frame.
You can listen to the full album here:
Just listened to this for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Not bad, but definitely nowhere near the band's best.
Digging: Beastmilk - Climax
Album Rating: 3.5I believe evil invaders earns that point, but custom's definitely up there for me
sweet review I need to re listen to this one
Digging: Langhorne Slim - Lost At Last, Vol 1
Album Rating: 3.5sweet album but pales in comparison to de classicz!1
is this worth checking out?
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


text:
Download MakeUp Blush Tutorial apk 1.0 free for Android smartphone
Posted by Adendood in Lifestyle | May 19, 2015 | 1 Comments
Apk file size: 2.9 MB
With this application of makeup blush tutorials-step by step you will get to learn about contouring, eye makeup & lip makeup for casual, party, wedding or any type of event. It is very easy, simple and practical to make blush makeup. Fantastic tricks that designs to paint your face, eyes & lips. A lot of ideas and images for you to follow step by step. Makeup blush tutorials step by step shows you the correct way to apply mascara, put on eyeliner, create smokey eyes, use foundation, shape your eyebrows, apply blush, cover up acne, put on lipstick and much more.
Adendood part of our Lifestyle and have average installs from 1000 to 5000. Last Update May 19, 2015. Google play rating is 93.3333. Current verison is 1.0. Actual size 2.9 MB.
Similar applications
1 Comments
John Boobsky
My wife really like this app! For couple days she tried from coach videos and now she became really great at makeup


text:
PL\SQL to generate HTML (1 messages)
Has anyone ever used PL\SQL to generate HTML? How does this compare to J2EE?
- Posted by: Collin Goredema
- Posted on: July 10 2001 12:52 EDT
Threaded Messages (1)
- PL\SQL to generate HTML by Eric Ma on July 10 2001 19:58 EDT
PL\SQL to generate HTML[ Go to top ]
I assume you are talking about using Oracle's proprietary OAS PL/SQL cartridge. It is a nice product with good performance and scalability, mainly for displaying and updating data on the web. However, it lacks many key features supported by the J2EE API. It was hot between 1997-1999 but today few people develop new systems using it.
- Posted by: Eric Ma
- Posted on: July 10 2001 19:58 EDT
- in response to Collin Goredema


text:
Business Is It?
By Roxanne Roberts
Adultery: It's sexy, salacious and scandalous, but is it any of our business? If you ask most people about what they do in their own bedrooms -- and whom they do it with -- they say it's a personal matter. End of discussion.
Or is it?
Is it personal if an elected official -- someone who asks to be our leader -- cheats on his or her spouse? If politicians lie to their families, can we trust them to tell us the truth? Does someone who speaks of morality, character and family have a right to pull the curtain when the public servant and the private persona are at odds?
The polls say most Americans think President Clinton's private life is his business. We elected him to the highest office in the land not once but twice. His approval rating has never been higher, even if last week's polls report that many people believe he's lying about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
In the famous "60 Minutes" interview in 1992, Clinton answered allegations about a history of adultery with a non-denial: "I'm not prepared tonight to say that any married couple should ever discuss that with anyone but themselves. . . . The only way to put it behind us, I think, is for all of us to agree that this guy has told us about all we need to know."
Hillary Rodham Clinton offered essentially the same answer last month in a "Today" interview. "I learned a long time ago that the only two people who count in any marriage are the two that are in it." Host Matt Lauer pressed the first lady with a hypothetical question: "If an American president had an adulterous liaison in the White House and lied to cover it up, should the American people ask for his resignation?"
She paused and offered that they should be "concerned" before conceding, "Well, I think if all that were proved true, I think that would be a very serious offense."
Can an unfaithful husband be a faithful president?
History says yes. At least 13 U.S. presidents -- and that's probably a low estimate -- have managed to faithfully execute their duties to the nation while exercising their executive privilege with the ladies. Clinton, if the rumors are true, joins the list of Romeos at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The difference is that we know during, not after, the fact.
Washington pretends to be shocked each and every time. But this town is crawling with charismatic, powerful politicians and adoring admirers. Long hours have a way of adding up to long nights. Old game, new faces.
In the early '80s, a young Washington writer had an affair with a married congressman. "A top Democratic aide told me they had a three-river rule: If there are three rivers between you and your wife, it's okay to cheat," she says.
Marriage therapist Lori Gordon was married for 17 years to a Senate staffer who was unfaithful to her. "What I learned later was that this was condoned behavior on Capitol Hill," she says. "It was fair game for anyone in a position of power. It wasn't that they were unhappy at home. It was just too seductive."
Adultery? Washington didn't invent it. It's just not sure what to do about it.
A Well-Traveled Road
Remember Gary Hart? In his 1988 presidential bid, the long-married Hart dared reporters to catch him in a compromising position, snuggled with Donna Rice on the aptly named boat Monkey Business and was forced to drop out of the race in '87. Anyone that reckless with his private life was deemed a poor choice for the professional demands of the presidency. The "character" question -- the private life of politicians -- was suddenly fair game for public debate.
On "60 Minutes," Clinton defined character as "the continuing struggle for integrity." Good intentions were the emphasis, not the end result of those efforts. "But if there were something really terribly wrong with my character, in terms of my fitness to serve in an executive position," he asked, wouldn't it have been revealed during his long political career? Arkansas voters heard the rumors of philandering for years and repeatedly elected him anyway.
Infidelity can be a major or minor sin, and the public decides when to make it their business. Allegations of adultery crippled the public aspirations of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, ended the presidential ambitions of Virginia Sen. Chuck Robb and derailed the gubernatorial ambitions of Rep. Joe Kennedy after stories emerged about his late brother, Michael. On the other hand, allegations of infidelity have done little damage to New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. And D.C. Mayor Marion Barry was reelected with relative ease, even after a hotel room tryst led to his being prosecuted on drug charges.
And now, in the center ring, Roy Romer. The Democratic National Committee chairman and Colorado governor held an extraordinary news conference two weeks ago. With his wife of 45 years at his side, Romer admitted to a 16-year "affectionate" relationship with a former aide, B.J. Thornberry, which he said will continue with his wife's blessing. Romer denied the relationship during his statewide campaigns in 1990 and 1994, and still says he was not lying because it was never "sexual." "I was strictly accurate, but not expansive," said Romer. "I didn't have the confidence I could be this forthcoming and still serve in public life."
Is this personal? Or public? Lori Gordon, who founded Pairs International, a marriage counseling program in South Florida, believes that the private lives of public officials have become our business, whether we like it or not.
"Public officials are role models," she says. "In the past, affairs were hushed up. With Clinton, this is public information and it affects standards of behavior, it affects marital commitment, it affects families, it affects the bottom-line level of trust overall. It makes us more cynical. The loss of love, hope and expectations is corrupting our culture."
In many traditional societies, adultery is a public concern precisely because it involves issues of children and property, says cultural anthropologist David Murray. Inheritance is the critical issue to ensure the orderly transfer of property among generations; adultery undermines that order. Modern sanctions are rooted in the same concerns: Infidelity is wrong because it threatens the emotional and economic security of families.
"Even in the absence of children, infidelity is a betrayal, a treason to the family structure," says Murray. A public standard of marital fidelity should apply to politicians, he says, because marriage and public office both involve oaths of faithfulness. A man who will betray his wife may betray other vows.
Murray has three theories for Clinton's soaring approval ratings in the wake of the Lewinsky allegations: One, public indifference to his private life is a sign of cultural decadence; second, we are rallying to the office and not the person; and third, we are in denial and protecting the president's privacy is a way of protecting ourselves.
If the president is guilty of the allegations, says Murray, it is another sign that the social order is falling apart. "This is a loose thread in what may be a cheap suit. If we pull on the thread, we're worried it will unravel all the way down to our ankles."
Public Opinion
Most Americans, no matter what they do in their private lives, believe sex outside marriage is wrong.
The General Social Survey, conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, has been studying public attitudes on adultery for 20 years. In a nationwide sampling of more than 30,000 people during that period, more than 90 percent of Americans say infidelity is "always wrong" or "almost always wrong."
Ask married couples about their own marriages and the numbers are even higher -- 99 percent say they expect their spouses to be faithful, says Judith Treas, a sociologist at the University of California.
(And while we're at it, toss out that stereotype of European Sophisticates and American Puritans. Yes, Americans are more conservative when it comes to infidelity, but a 1994 study of 24 industrialized nations shows that very few countries think adultery is socially acceptable: The average "always wrong" rating is 66 percent. "This is not a Made in the U.S.A. moral issue," says Treas.)
Still, approximately 1 out of 5 men and 1 out of 8 women will be unfaithful at some point in their marriages, according to data collected since 1990 by the General Social Survey. Sociologists believe it is impossible to get totally truthful answers concerning adultery, but these percentages are consistent in a number of studies.
Surveys suggest that men are unfaithful more often than women because they have more opportunities away from home and children. As more and more women enter the workplace, their numbers are inching up.
Why cheat? Why climb Everest? Because we can. "One of my clients boasted of having four affairs going simultaneously -- a tremendous feat of time management if not moral fortitude," says University of South Carolina psychologist Howard Rankin.
Because there are plenty of temptations, hormones and the thrill of the new. "What does she have that I don't?" cries the apocryphal heartbroken wife. "She's not you," replies her husband.
Why? Because we rationalize infidelity. It's not adultery if I love the person. It's not wrong if I don't love the person.
"Women are more offended by emotional involvement with another person," says Treas. "And men tend to discount the importance of physical sex as indicative of fidelity to the marriage."
Which brings us back to the allegations about the president. What should one make of America's reaction to the latest scandal?
Since the Lewinsky allegations surfaced last month, Clinton's approval ratings have soared, stunning and delighting the White House. His job approval is 66 percent, according to this week's CNN/USA Today poll. Here's where it gets weird: Sixty-five percent of the respondents said moral leadership is "very important," and 62 percent said they thought Clinton is lying about the allegations.
A Gray Area
"To be honest, I don't care," says author Michael Baisden, who interviewed 300 men for his book "Never Satisfied: How & Why Men Cheat." "Even though he's the president, infidelity is very personal. That's between him and his wife. I don't want to get involved in the president's bedroom. It's a matter of whether or not he's doing his job."
The argument for privacy is pragmatic: As long as a politician performs honorably in the public sphere, private life should be just that. Too much public scrutiny will prevent qualified people from going into public service.
Joe Turnham, a prospective Democratic candidate for a U.S. House seat in Alabama, said the allegations about Lewinsky "will elevate the scrutiny of public officials. I have to wonder: Do I want the world to know my deepest, darkest secrets?"
It was one thing to discover those dark secrets after the fact: John Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt were respected and mourned long before their affairs became public knowledge. With President Clinton's alleged indiscretions, the public gets daily gossip on the evening news.
"The whole thing is just so sordid," says Richard Taylor, author of "Love Affairs: Marriage & Infidelity." "It seems to me that this is nobody's business except Mrs. Clinton's. I don't think we elect politicians to be role models."
Ray Sahelian, a family physician from California, says voters have a realistic view of their leaders. "Realizing that the president is also only a human being like themselves, many Americans understand his urge to be with other women and condone it as long as Hillary does not object," says Sahelian. "I would call it moral realism, rather than a moral decline. It's being more in touch and honest about the reality of human sexual desire and need."
The first lady's role has been critical: If she had acted wounded or depressed, then the public's reaction would have been more protective toward her and resentful toward her husband. A wife's public humiliation is often seen as worse than the infidelity itself. Contrast Mrs. Clinton with Princess Diana and the backlash against Prince Charles. Both royals admitted to extramarital affairs. When Diana died in August, her adultery was forgiven but his affair was blamed for driving her away and, eventually, killing her.
"I tell people that adultery is such a hot issue; the level of destruction that can be wreaked on a family is rarely worth an outside relationship," says Sanford Ain, a Washington lawyer who specializes in divorce. "Infidelity is an issue in divorce but is rarely the cause of the breakup."
The courts aren't usually interested in who's at fault when adultery is an element in a divorce, Ain says. Although adultery is a crime in Virginia, Maryland and the District, it is not prosecuted and rarely is a significant consideration in the division of property in divorce proceedings.
"The ground is shifting dramatically," says Paul Costello, press spokesman for Rosalynn Carter and Kitty Dukakis. "Remember the furor when Carter admitted to 'lust in his heart?' That was only 20 years ago. The American people seem to have become much more cynical about politicians in general, or more libertarian in their views: What goes on between two consenting adults in the privacy of their bedroom is private."
And Costello adds a footnote: Richard Nixon, who was forced to resign from office, never had a hint of scandal concerning extramarital affairs.
"You walk down a slippery slope when you equate private morality with public leadership," he says.
A Fine Line
Kathy, who lives in Northern Virginia, has been married for 23 years and has three children. Her husband was unfaithful, repeatedly. They separated, they went to counseling, and the marriage took a long time to heal. "The anger wouldn't go away for the longest time," she says. "And when you have anger, you can't make anything work."
She looks at the allegations about Clinton and Lewinsky with the eye of someone who has lived through it. If the stories are true, she thinks the president has emotional problems he's not addressing. But ultimately, she says, this is the Clintons' problem -- not the country's.
"I know nobody in the world is perfect," she says. "Where do you draw the line and say, 'This person is not perfect enough to be president'?"
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company


text:
PHOENIX — If it weren't for programs like the USDA's Summer Food Service Program, needy valley children would not have access to nutritious meals during their summer vacation.
The program is administered by the Arizona Department of Education and every year feeds millions of meals to hungry kids across the state.
"In 2012, Arizona served over 3.3 million meals in the Summer Feeding Program," said Mary Szafranski, deputy associate superintendent of health and nutrition services for the department of education. "That represents that there are a lot of children needing that food."
According to the Department of Education, the Summer Food Service Program was established to ensure that low-income children, 18 and younger, continue to have an opportunity to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Free meals, that meet federal nutrition guidlines, are provided to all children at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income children.
"They just go up and get their meal," said Szafranski.
Currently, the Arizona Department of Education is looking for SFSP sponsors. To learn more, visit azsummerfood.gov/sponsors.
If you need to find out where your child can have access to free meals anywhere in the state, visit azsummerfood.gov. Follow the link to food site locations and enter your zip code.


text:
Treasury Secretary Gets a Chilly Reception
Senators Grill Geithner in a 3½-Hour Hearing
WASHINGTON -- Timothy Geithner's first sales job as Treasury secretary was greeted Tuesday with skepticism from two key constituencies: Wall Street and Capitol Hill.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid steadily in the hours after Mr. Geithner's morning announcement of the Obama administration's revamp of the financial-sector rescue effort. The Dow ended the day down 4.6%, nearly 400 points.
On the Hill, senators from both parties grilled Mr. Geithner for 3½ hours in the afternoon during his first appearance before Congress in his new job, with many complaining about the lack of details in the plan.
"Is there a concrete plan here, and if so, how do we assess it? We need to see it...operational details," Sen. Richard Shelby (R., Ala.) told Mr. Geithner.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) was more blunt: "There's not a hell of a lot here to get a sense of."
Mr. Geithner's appearance was intended to inform the Senate Banking Committee about the details of the Obama plan. The administration has the power to make the changes on its own and doesn't need lawmakers' approval.
But administration officials say it is important that they win congressional confidence in their handling of the financial-rescue effort, particularly if they need at some point to request more government funds to supplement the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, authorized last fall. Treasury officials and Mr. Geithner on Tuesday said they have no immediate plan to ask for more money from a skeptical Congress, but did suggest it may be necessary.
Mr. Geithner himself needs to win policy makers' trust as Mr. Obama's point man handling the financial crisis, especially after a tough confirmation process marred by questions about taxes he had neglected to pay.
During his Senate appearance Tuesday, Mr. Geithner stressed that Congress and the administration need to work together to deal with the financial crisis.
Responding to Mr. Shelby's complaints about the lack of details, Mr. Geithner said: "You're right. We are going to be very careful to flesh out the details."
Overshadowing Mr. Geithner's attempt to build support for the TARP relaunch is the lingering anger and frustration lawmakers feel toward former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Members of Congress have frequently criticized Mr. Paulson's changes of direction with the TARP program. Those concerns put added pressure on Mr. Geithner.
Banking Chairman Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.) said the onus is on the Treasury, and the Obama administration as a whole, to "reassure the American people that their money is in good hands."
"The public simply has no understanding about how government assistance will help, if at all," Mr. Dodd said.
Some lawmakers acknowledged Mr. Geithner's difficult position. Sen. Robert Bennett (R., Utah) called his challenge "as nasty a briar patch as anyone has ever tackled," while Sen. Jon Tester (D., Mont.) said the comments from the new Treasury chief inspired a level of confidence that wasn't present when Mr. Paulson was in charge.
Write to Michael R. Crittenden at email@example.com


text:
Monster Mash still enjoys some rotation around Halloween almost 50 years after it was first released. The song was a number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1962, but didn't enjoy the same status across the pond - the BBC had banned it for being "too morbid." It was re-released in 1970 and 1973 and finally reached #3 on the UK charts in 1973.
Pickett released some other holiday novelties such as Werewolf Watusi, The Monster Swim, and a Star Trek-inspired tune called Star Drek. There was also a 1980s sequel to Monster Mash called The Monster Rap in the 80s. However, I kind of like the King Kong song set to clips from the movie:
Pickett passed away of leukemenia in 2007, but the Monster Mash lives on.


text:
New York, 7 February 2013, Art Media Agency (AMA).
Armory Focus, the annually curated section of The Armory Show, will highlight the gallery and artistic landscape of a chosen geographic region. Director of the Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh) Eric Shiner was selected to curate Armory Focus: USA – which is to present 17 established and emerging galleries. The Andy Warhol Museum – one of the four Carnegie museums in Pittsburgh – will thus be particularly present at the Armory Show venues from 6 through 10 March 2013. The event should be an opportunity to present "a broad snapshot of the country's contemporary cultural practice".
On occasion of the show, Eric Shiner remarks, "The Armory Focus section will approach the very broad topic of 'America' through the eyes of over 20 artists who make it the subject of their work (…). Some might critique America, while others celebrate its history, legacy or absurdity. One hundred years after the avant-garde made its American debut at the 1913 Armory, today we must ask what, if anything, is new, shocking, or revolutionary."
A series of special exhibitions are scheduled on occasion of Armory Focus: USA.


text:
Advice on classes
We have compiled tips on classes at MIT based on the experiences of upperclassmen.
Advice for freshmen
It is okay to take 8.01 and 8.02 rather than 8.012 and 8.022: it is better to learn the material well than to just get by and not really understand the concepts in the more difficult courses.
The same reasoning can be applied to math classes (like taking 18.03 over the theoretical 18.034).
8.282J (Introduction to Astronomy) is a good 9 unit class offered in the spring that you can take as a fifth class while staying within the credit limit.
Advice for upperclassmen
It is worthwhile to take 18.06 before 8.05, because knowledge of linear algebra will help tremendously in quantum mechanics.
It is also helpful to take 8.09 before 8.05 as it will help you understand quantum mechanics better conceptually.
Even though it is not required, it is important to take 8.09 because a portion of the physics GRE covers material from this course.
Outside the set physics curriculum, take classes appropriate for your interests and intended subfield. Senior year especially, you have lots of flexibility in your schedule to take physics (and non-physics) electives.
Suggested electives
- 8.282J: Intro to Astronomy
- 8.284: Modern Astrophysics
- 8.286: The Early Universe
- 8.287: Observational Techniques of Optical Astronomy
- 8.901: Astrophysics I
- 8.902: Astrophysics II
- 7.03: Genetics
- 7.05: General Biochemistry
- 8.593J: Biological Physics
- 7.02: Intro to Experimental Biology
Computational physics
- 6.01 and 6.02: Introduction to EECS I and II
- 12.008: Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach
- 18.330: Intro to Numerical Analysis
- 8.231: Physics of Solids I
- 6.152J: Microelectronics Processing Technology
- 6.781: Submicrometer and Nanometer Technology
Condensed matter physics
- 8.231: Physics of Solids I
- 8.511: Theory of Solids I
- 8.512: Theory of Solids II
- 8.513: Many-Body Theory for Condensed Matter Systems
Plasma physics
- 8.613J: Intro to Plasma Physics I
- 8.614J: Intro to Plasma Physics II
- 8.913: Plasma Astrophysics I
- 8.624: Plasma Waves
Astronomy at MIT
The Department of Physics and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences offer courses in astronomy and astrophysics. This is the MIT astronomy website.
There is an astronomy minor available. The requirements can be found in the MIT course catalog.


text:
Chicago v. the Second AmendmentNews at Home
Last month, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether Chicago must respect the Second Amendment "right of the people to keep and bear arms."
Mayor Richard M. Daley argues that it does not apply there, and that in "an urban landscape, the 2nd Amendment becomes the enemy of ordered liberty, not its guarantor."
Ignoring those citizens who may need guns to protect their families in their own homes, Daley conjures a parade of horrors, such as "criminal street gangs with the right to carry guns" using violence "to control the drug trade."
The Bill of Rights was originally intended to prevent a tyranny by the federal government. But when the Civil War ended slavery, the Southern states passed the Black Codes, which deprived African Americans of basic rights – including gun ownership.
The 14th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted in 1868 to prevent states and localities from violating these rights.
Today, Chicago has its own equivalent of the Black Codes, which it argues is constitutional because everyone is equally deprived of rights. In Chicagospeak, an 1866 petition of freed slaves complaining that South Carolina prohibited them from possessing firearms only sought "an equality requirement."
But in Congress, Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner said they should be protected "in keeping arms" and "in complete liberty of speech" – not that they could be equally deprived of these rights.
That same year, Congress passed legislation protecting the "full and equal benefit" of laws for "personal liberty" and "personal security," "including the constitutional right to bear arms." "Full," not just "equal."
Introducing the 14th Amendment in Congress, Senator Jacob M. Howard of Michigan referred to "personal rights" like "the right to keep and bear arms," explaining that the amendment would compel the states "to respect these great fundamental guarantees."
Without these rights, "a people cannot exist except as slaves, subject to a despotism," Howard argued. Chicago says this was just Howard's personal view, even though no one in Congress disputed it and the speech was published on the front page of the New York Times.
Guess who Chicago relies on? The racist opponents of the Fourteenth Amendment. One was Senator Thomas A. Hendricks of Indiana, later President Grover Cleveland's vice president, who objected to blacks having "civil rights and immunities which are enjoyed by the white people," including the right to bear arms.
Another was Senator Reverdy Johnson of Maryland, the lawyer for the slave owner in the 1857 Dred Scott case, which refused to recognize African Americans as citizens because it would give them "the full liberty of speech . . ., and to keep and carry arms wherever they went."
Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts – who later became vice president under President Ulysses S. Grant – complained that Southern militias were "visiting the freedmen, disarming them," but the city of Chicago would ignore the rest of Wilson's sentence: "perpetrating murders and outrages on them." Is that okay?
Enough of the historical company that Chicago keeps. What does Chicago say to the Supreme Court about its gun ban today? Enacted in 1982, it's been quite a success: "Handguns were used in 402 of the 412 firearm homicides in Chicago in 2008." If that's a success, what's a failure?
Its imagination gone wild, Chicago reserves the power to ban "a weapon generally in common use for lawful purposes in one locale (such as a high-powered hunting rifle with precision sighting equipment popular in rural Illinois)," to preclude its "use by Chicago gangs seeking to assassinate rivals."
Aside from the assumption that any firearm can be demonized and banned, are we to assume that criminals will obey gun laws while oblivious to the laws against murder? Deer hunters who reside in the Windy City had better watch their behinds.
The National Rifle Association is a party in the case, which is titled McDonald v. Chicago. We'll see what the Supreme Court thinks of Mayor Daley's disrespect for constitutional rights.
comments powered by Disqus
More Comments:
Jane Simons - 5/2/2010
Intelligent post, America is indeed a great nation. Joshua Levine's new book is a real triumph. A number of book publishers are bringing out fan books already.
Jane Simons - 5/2/2010
This is an excellent point. One book publishers and
self publishing will produce excellent work too.
Arnold Shcherban - 4/30/2010
This constitutional right has become obsolete and hugely(murderously) anti-productive long ago.
Does anybody in its sober mind thinks that handguns or even automatic assault rifles can protect one or a group of ones from the "bad" government who has most powerful enforcement agencies and Army in the world?
Not coincidentally this country is the most violently criminal among all democratic and civilized ones.
Wake up, America and look who actually lobbying for and profiting from this murderous amendment...
Certainly not those whom they call "Main Street".
- The Dark and Divisive History of America's Thanksgiving Hymn
- In America, there was a time when even 'Thanksgiving' was a fightin' word
- Was Walt Whitman 'gay'?
- Victims of Canada's 'Gay Purge' to Get Apology from Trudeau
- Should Trump Be Impeached? What Founding Father James Madison Gave as Grounds for Impeachment.
- Is This Professor 'Putin's American Apologist'?
- Vietnam veterans challenge Ken Burns on the accuracy of his epic documentary
- OAH historians say events of the past year show they were right to emphasize freedom as the theme of the 2019 annual convention
- Why being a historian is about so much more than producing displays for museums
- Historian Says Textbooks Have Shaped Our Attitudes On Race


text:
Al Davis may have finally cut the chord with JaMarcus Russell but he is not done defending the former No. 1 pick.
The Oakland Raiders owner held a legendary press conference last week, where he was suppose to introduce new head coach Hue Jackson but instead Davis decided to talk about everything from Tom Cable's alleged abuse issues to the greatness of Jason Campbell.
While Davis may have spent the first five minutes of the presser espousing the values of his new quarterback, the San Francisco Chronicle's David White reports that in a side conversation with reporters Davis again defended his selection of Russell.
The former No. 1 overall pick is of course out of the league but Davis says that doesn't mean he wasn't a better pick than other players from that year's draft class that are still playing in the NFL.
Russell was chosen ahead of star running back Adrian Peterson and standout wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
But Davis doesn't care.
"JaMarcus hurt a great deal," Davis told the Chronicle. "But the ones they wanted to take instead of JaMarcus, Brady Quinn, hasn't played yet. There was some talk of Calvin Johnson. But you can take a look at Calvin up at Detroit. How many games did they win this year, Detroit, do you know? Six? Yeah. But up until now, Calvin hadn't done anything for them. He had been eulogized, but he hadn't made a lot of indelible impression on the won and lost."
The folks in Detroit are laughing about the comment. Detroit Free Press Sports Writer Dave Birkett admits that Davis "has the same number of playoff appearances as Johnson the last four years -- zero -- is right that Johnson hasn't been a part of too much winning in his first four NFL seasons. But Johnson did make the Pro Bowl this year."
JaMarcus meanwhile is busy defending himself in court against allegations that he enjoys sipping illegal "sizzurp."


text:
The critics are mildly enchanted by this third animated instalment in the adventures of a motley crue of prehistoric creatures living in a frozen world. It's evidently entertaining stuff, though no one seems to be able to rouse themselves to get particularly enthusiastic about the movie. Nevertheless, there's a definite consensus that this is exactly the right film to go and see if you have very small children in tow.
Ice Age 3 sees Manny the mammoth, Elle the lady mammoth, Diego the sabre toothed tiger and Sid the sloth venturing into a newly-uncovered lost world beneath the ice, where dinosaurs roam and the snow is nowhere to be seen.
The hook this time is that Elle is pregnant, a situation which causes Sid to develop his own broody feelings, and Diego to wonder whether it's time he move on to pastures new, now that his pal Manny has some fathering to do. Meanwhile, Scrat the sabre-toothed squirrel is still desperately trying to hold on to his acorn, though this time he has to choose between his beloved seed and an attractive new romantic prospect.
"Sure, this threequel is more plasticine than Pleistocene, but as a zippy summer diversion it'll do more than nicely - in fact, it's comfortably the best of the series," writes the Daily Telegraph's Tim Robey. "[However] school trips to Carlos Saldanha's film aren't recommended, or teachers will spend the next week trying to explain that dinosaurs didn't live in a vast hothouse under the glaciers, and woolly mammoths called Manny probably weren't on chummy terms with sabre-toothed tigers called Diego."
"Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a sometimes lively, sometimes listless wilderness adventure that will keep the kids cool and mildly entertained for a little while," writes the LA Times' Betsy Sharkey. "You'll have to decide for yourself if that's worth the pumped up price it will cost to experience the mood swings in 3-D."
"Here is the second sequel to this pleasant and likable animation, now on release in both 2D and 3D, which interestingly caters for an under-exploited audience: really little kids," writes our own Peter Bradshaw. "Very few of the smart new wave of animations get U certificates: but the Ice Age series comes fully endorsed as a safe ride for all ages."
"Some have expressed displeasure at the design and voices of the leads. I disagree – but I do think Simon Pegg's Artful Dodger-like weasel is a vocal cliché too far," writes Time Out's Derek Adams. "Similarly, some of the anarchic, comical segues featuring Scrat the squirrel and a newfound love are beginning to feel overfamiliar. As with the two earlier films, it's all a mite disorderly in tempo but often highly amusing and great fun in the main."
I found Ice Age 3 a distinctly by-the-numbers affair. The sidestory antics of Scrat aside, there were precious few laughs and no real feeling that anyone aside from the animation team was really pushing themselves. You can pretty much tell exactly what's going to happen, and what each character is about to say, at least 20 seconds before they do so. I actually found myself almost drifting off at one point, which would never happen when watching a movie from Pixar, or even one of the better films from another stable such as Dreamworks' recent Monsters Vs Aliens.
Did you manage to catch Ice Age 3 over the last week? Do you agree that it's much-needed entertainment for the under eights? Or are you holding out for Pixar's Up to provide the animated real deal?


text:
This memorable, heartbreaking story opens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1974, on the eve of a revolution. Yonas kneels in his mother's prayer room, pleading to his god for an end to the violence that has wracked his family and country. His father, Hailu, a prominent doctor, has been ordered to report to jail after helping a victim of state-sanctioned torture to die. And Dawit, Hailu's youngest son, has joined an underground resistance movement---a choice that will lead to more upheaval and bloodshed across a ravaged Ethiopia.
Beneath the Lion's Gaze tells a gripping story of family, of the bonds of love and friendship set in a time and place that has rarely been explored in fiction before. It is a story about the lengths human beings will go in pursuit of freedom and the human price of a national revolution. Emotionally gripping, poetic, and indelibly tragic, Beneath the Lion's Gaze is a transcendent and powerful debut.
©2010 Maaza Mengiste (P)2010 Tantor
"Not an easy read"
Relevant to present-day Africa and the Middle East, Beneath the Lion's Gaze is a powerful book that was not easy for me to read. The descriptions of events within the novel were brutal, horrifyingly violent and disturbing vivid. Maaza Mengiste fictionalizes the reality of the last days of Emperor Haile Selassie's despotic rule of Ethiopia and the beginning of the Derg reign of terror following his overthrow. While not easy to read because of its heartbreaking tales of torture and death, the story and suspense was generally quite riveting because it was so excellently written.
The prose was often poetic in its descriptions that sometimes lifted you up in its lyricism and then threw you to the ground with the horror of the events depicted. I am thinking particularly of a scene where one of the monsters of the book, "the colonel," commits suicide. While perhaps we cheered that the villain was dead, we were jolted by the sudden surprise within the description of the act and the realism of the complexity of the character who acted so abominably out of his own love and loss.
This is a story of contrasts: It is about loyalty and betrayal, power and powerlessness, action and passivity. And, while belief in god is often questioned, there are never any satisfying answers. Why did merciful and compassionate god cause these innocent people to experience the horrors they were forced to endure. How could a doctor whose raison d'etre was saving lives commit euthanasia on a young girl.
Mengiste's characters are richly described, believable and completely compelling of us to care about each of them. The author has they and we the readers probably wondering if what these people had before was really worse than the aftermath of what overthrew their leaders, the Derg. The horror is mind-boggling. I read this book because it was a selection for a book club.
However, it reminded me of the periods and places in history I have stopped reading about because to the pure personal agony that I felt while reading. For me, though, this was more than just another book. It was an experience that will stay with me for some time to come.
Most of the characters in the book had some kind of religious belief and throughout they question why what is happening to them. In the end, I think that the resolution and reconciliation of the people experiencing this terrible time is summed up in one unbelievable sentence:
"When you are convinced that everything that happens is the will of God, what is there to do but wait until God has mercy?"
They had much more belief than I.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


text:
Twin Cat Warrior(level select version)
3,271 views
- Description
- P1 use w,a,s,d to move and jump,P2 use arrow keys to move and jump.Grab all gems and arrive terminal postion safely to finish level,avoid the water or you will die!
- Instructions
- there are two cats live in the forest,they practiced martial arts since childhood。One day,devil king came to the forest,he forced all animals live in forest to work for him,and builded a Palace for his play.The only way to defeat the devil king is collecting magic gems in order to gather power,so our double cat warrior will set out for adventure of collecting gems.Although there will be many dangers along the way,they are very smart,as long as they all cooperate to overcome various difficulties.This version you can select free any level you haven't finished yet to challenge.
Review Twin Cat Warrior(level select version)
No Reviews to Twin Cat Warrior(level select version)


text:
The Washington Redskins have had a tough year. They sit in last place in the NFL's competitive NFC East division, despite a high payroll and expectations. Fans are aggravated and have begun calling for the head of team owner Daniel Snyder.
Who does Synder turn to, to protect his image? Karl Swanson, his public-relations "henchman," of course. Swanson is the subject of a Washington Post profile piece today. He uses both verbal and physical tactics:
When journalists have sought comment from the Redskins owner in public, the linebacker-size Swanson has often gotten in front of the media mob, shielding his boss from questions.
Swanson is Snyder's proxy because Snyder rarely speaks for himself. The team owner says he doesn't grant interviews during the regular season, and rarely does so at other times.
Swanson has experience as a reporter, having worked at the Associated Press. His tough love approach has lead to turnover within the organization, as the team has had "seven directors of communications during Snyder's 11-year ownership, a rate that exceeds the turnover in the head coaching job," reports the Post.
[image: Swanson, right, with owner Dan Snyder, left, and Vinny Cerrato, a Redskins VP]


text:
Fairbanks police don't seem to be too keen on the "Occupy" protests. Two protesters were ordered Tuesday morning to stop occupying a public park in Alaska's second largest city.
The two protesters, students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, braved subfreezing temperatures to occupy the city's downtown Veterans Memorial Park, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, where they slept Monday night in the gazebo, "wrapped in doubled-up sleeping bags."
About 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, police officers reportedly woke them up and told them to leave, demanding permission in writing from Fairbanks's mayor to remain. The permission was granted much later in the day due to a state holiday.
Over the weekend, more than 100 Fairbanksans marched downtown, the News-Miner reported, in conjunction with other, similar events staged across the globe. Anchorage's "Occupy" protests have attracted hundreds.
Elsewhere in Alaska, a lone woman and her dog are protesting Wall Street and the jobless recession with an "Occupy the Tundra" demonstration in the remote rural hub of Bethel.


text:
Sold for:
Start Free Trial
or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Sold Date:
- Source: eBay
We combine shipping on multiple orders.
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND TERMS OF AUCTION BEFORE BIDDING. Please see my other auctions to save on shipping. We buy many of these items at auctions and estate sales and have not owned them since new. These items are vintage items and we do our best to describe the overall condition of the item, but it is up to you to email me any questions before bidding. We buy these items AS IS and we are selling them AS IS. With regard to insurance, we are not responsible for packages which are not insured, or if the item is not covered by insurance. (Insurance does not like to pay claims on damaged items unless the package has been run over by a semi or the package is lost.) Please bid accordingly or do not bid. Pennsylvania residents to add 6% tax. I will accept other forms of Checks take 7 to 10 to clear, then merchandise will ship. Please keep in mind that we must hear from you within 3 days... read more


text:
Yesterday saw the opening of the city's first 3D cinema at Cinestar in Township. A red carpet event showcasing the Hollywood film, Avatar, had been organised by owners Ali Chaudhry and Faraz Chaudhry.
The organisers said they had spent a large amount of money to get the latest technology. A 3D cinema, they said, cost 10 times an ordinary cinema and the entire cinema had to be renovated in order for the 3D technology to be installed. They also hoped to add three more screens and IMAX technology to their cinema house. "We want to revive the cinema. Our focus is youth who embrace new technologies," said Ali Chaudhry. He said that they had special discounts for students.
The event was well attended. The audience's enthusiasm and excitement were palpable. Cinema-goer Sobia said, "3D is about bringing life to a big screen. It's good to know that people are taking initiatives to revive entertainment through cinemas." The cinema owners hope to showcase many 3D films in the coming months. Unfortunately the lack of 3D film production in Pakistan means that no Lollywood film will be shown. However, the Bollywood film, Wanted is slated to be screened.
The cinema is going to offer 3D glasses for an affordable price. Glasses can be re-used at further showings.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2011.


text:
Saturday roll call: No Dennard, Gregory
FOXBOROUGH — Cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who has been listed on this week's injury report with a knee injury, was one of two Patriots not spotted at Saturday's practice. Safety Steve Gregory, who hasn't practiced all week with a broken thumb, was the other.
Dennard hadn't missed a practice since Sept. 9, the last time prior to this week that he was on the injury report. He was listed with an ankle injury, but played in that Thursday night game against the Jets in Week 2.
Players were in sweats and shells again, working out on the lower grass practice field behind Gillette Stadium, which will be used this afternoon for the UMass-Akron game.
The Patriots are still at 52 players on the active roster, one under the maximum allowed. Running back Shane Vereen, who is eligible to play on Monday at Carolina for the first time since Week 1, has practiced all week. Vereen was placed on the injured reserve list with a designation to return, which is where he remains.


text:
For a guy who always looks like he might punch you out, Louis C.K. has evolved into a likable Every-pissed-off-man.
He's riding high on the success of his critically lauded sitcom Louis, returning for its second season next year. The show's a bit like the poor slob's Curb Your Enthusiasm, but with more ice cream and profanity. Mr. C.K. (nee Szekely) has been around for what seems like forever, and though he seems like he's pretty much given up on everything -- being attractive, finding love -- his comedy is full of healthy doses of sound advice. "I finally have the body that I want. It's a hard thing to achieve -- and I did. And I'm going to tell you have exactly the body you want. You just have to want a shitty body. That's all it is. You have to want your own shitty, disgusting body."
Is it true you throw out your material after you've performed it for a year? Yes, or until I've committed it to a special or, in the case of last year, a season of my show Louie.
You're quoted as saying, "The more upsetting the subject matter, the likelier there is something funny there." What tough topics are left for you to tackle?
Well, there's the whole planet Earth. People are afraid of a lot of things.
If you could call a moratorium on one overused standup premise, what would it be?
A lot of comedians in L.A., even comics that consider themselves liberal or "alternative," still make jokes about the guy in the restaurant kitchen or the leaf blower man being Mexican. Most people doing those jobs are from Central America. The Mexicans own those businesses. And shitting on someone simply for their station in life, as if that guy is also a Northwestern grad from New Jersey who chose to come to L.A. to blow leaves instead of doing cool things with his mom's money like do comedy, is just not that compelling. It's not even that it's offensive. I don't get offended. But it's so boring and outdated and, coming from a liberal alternative horn-rimmed glasses fuckpotato, it's hypocritical.
What do you do all day when you're on the road? Is there anywhere that you are treated like royalty?
There's a great restaurant in Washington, D.C., where they greet me like I'm the president. I like going there. Because I am the president.
What's the funniest thing about L.A.?
All these crazy Mexican fuckers in the kitchen with their leaf blowers. What is up with that???
How frequently do you write new material? Does it get easier?
I don't sit down and write material. I just collect it. Like putting out a big leaf to catch rainwater and then I lick it off later and get bugs on my tongue. No, it never gets easier.
What do you tell people who've never seen live standup to convince them to give it a try?
Come on, you piece of shit. Go to a standup show. What's your fucking problem?? You standup-less cunt.
What do you do when the crowd doesn't warm up to you? Is there anything you can do to save the show?
If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.
You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!
It's all up to the person on stage. They can tell the future and they control every single thing that happens, even the things they don't control. If you lose the crowd, you stink. Also try talking louder and being sillier and funnier.
Do your kids think you're funny?
All my girls and I do is laugh. They make me laugh probably more than I do them. But yeah they think I'm funny.
Thu., Dec. 2, 8:15 p.m., 2010


text:
James Joyce's Dublin
James Joyce was one of the most respected of the many literary talents to came out of Ireland's capitol city. He is best known for "Ulysses," an episodic, cutting-edge (for the early '20s) book that is still considered a classic today. In a strange way, this book was tailor-made for a walking tour. This is because the hero, Leopold Bloom, wanders around Dublin's streets over the course of a single day, and also because many of the places depicted in the book are still standing.
The James Joyce Center offers a Footsteps of Leopold Bloom tour, as well as tours that visit the scenes from Joyce's famous short story collection, "The Dubliners." Joyce's works are featured, along with those of other Irish luminaries, on the Literary Pub Crawl, a walking tour with stops in pubs where professional actors perform the works of Joyce, Beckett, Wilde and others.


text:
Allot MobileTrends Report Records the Rise of Application-Centric Mobile Operators
Study of 175 Global Operators finds that 85% include Apps and Content in Data Service Plans
Jul 15, 2014, 05:00 ET from Allot Communications Ltd.
HOD HASHARON, Israel, July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Allot Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ: ALLT), a leading supplier of service optimization and revenue generation solutions for fixed and mobile broadband operators and cloud providers worldwide, today announced the release of the Allot MobileTrends Charging Report H1 2014, which surveyed the data plans and charging trends of 175 mobile operators worldwide, covering more than 2.4 billion mobile subscribers globally.
Highlights from the global study include the following findings:
- 85% of operators are leveraging apps to attract customers and increase ARPU Operators who offer application-centric plans show higher ARPU and lower churn. This trend is even more prevalent in developing countries.
- More mobile operators are choosing to collaborate with OTT app and content providers 37% of operators had at least one OTT partnership; up from 26% in 2012
- Facebook is mobile operators' top choice for zero-rated apps 45% of operators offer at least one zero-rated app and 65% of those zero-rate Facebook
- Unlimited data plans are in decline. Shared data plans are on the rise From 2012 to 2014, operators offering unlimited data plans have diminished from 35% to 15% while operators offering shared data plans with shared data caps increased from 29% to 42%
"The findings of the latest Allot MobileTrends Charging Report show that operators are connecting more and more to the digital lifestyle of their customers as they move from selling gigabytes to selling services and applications-centric benefits," said Allot Communications AVP Marketing, Yaniv Sulkes. "As more mobile operators become application-centric, it is a win for all: operators are attracting consumers, content providers benefit from higher traffic and consumers enjoy better quality of experience."
Download the Allot MobileTrends Charging Report H1 2014 here.
Application-centric data plans become global standard offering Driven by the evolving mobile ecosystem, the majority of operators globally are transforming into digital lifestyle providers by offering value-based data plans that expand options beyond standard calling and data packages with premium opt-in offerings. Sponsored and toll-free data, zero-rated apps, media streaming services and cloud storage services are just a few examples of areas where operators and content providers are coming together to create value-based offerings that increase the value of the service and generate incremental revenue.
More collaborative partnerships between mobile operators and OTTs Mobile operators and content providers have seen the value in collaborating to monetize network traffic. These partnerships are benefitting operators by attracting subscribers, OTT providers by gaining loyal mobile users and subscribers through better QoE.
Facebook is the top zero-rated OTT social media app offered globally Zero-rating, or offering free social media access, has positive benefits on the ability of operators to attract more subscribers, keep them engaged and reduce churn.
Unlimited Data Plans To Become Extinct Operators are replacing unlimited data plans with shared data plans for multi-devices, especially those operators with LTE networks. As the mobile ecosystem continues to evolve, and subscribers use more than one mobile device, options for joint monthly data allowances and sharing data among family members have an increased appeal for subscribers. Charges for tethered traffic have steadied at 29% since 2012, and have simply been aggregated with the subscriber's total volume usage.
About Allot Communications
Allot Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ, TASE: ALLT) is a leading global provider of intelligent broadband solutions that put mobile, fixed and enterprise networks at the center of the digital lifestyle and workstyle. Allot's DPI-based solutions identify and leverage the business intelligence in data networks, empowering operators to analyze, protect, improve and enrich the digital lifestyle services they deliver. Allot's unique blend of innovative technology, proven know-how and collaborative approach to industry standards and partnerships enables network operators worldwide to elevate their role in the digital lifestyle ecosystem and to open the door to a wealth of new business opportunities. For more information, please visit www.allot.com.
Forward Looking Statement
This release may contain forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of Company management. Such statements involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to compete successfully with other companies offering competing technologies; the loss of one or more significant customers; consolidation of, and strategic alliances by, our competitors, government regulation; lower demand for key value-added services; our ability to keep pace with advances in technology and to add new features and value-added services; managing lengthy sales cycles; operational risks associated with large projects; our dependence on third party channel partners for a material portion of our revenues; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Allot Communications Maya Lustig | Director of Corporate Communications +972.9.7616851 | email@example.com
Finn Partners for Allot Communications Amy Farrell, 617-366-7149, email@example.com
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140715/126970 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140715/126969
SOURCE Allot Communications Ltd.


text: North Dallas Honey 5 Gallon pail. North Dallas Honey is a local North Texas Honey that is raw and unfiltered. They heat up the honey just enough to run through cheese cloth in order to take out the "Bee Knees" and wax, making sure not to kill the antioxidants and enzymes.


text:
Cut-a-Thon to benefit Grant student council food drive
Every year the Grant Career Center Student Advisory Council sponsors a Food Drive to provide food baskets and holiday essentials to families in need at the Career Center. Each class works to provide a happy holiday for families and to make sure that all members of the Grant family have an enjoyable holiday season.
Graduates of the cosmetology program remember fondly food drives in their past and have asked if they can share their talents with the community and help raise needed funds to support the Food Drive. Therefore, the Cosmetology class and licensed graduates of the programs will be sponsoring a Cut-a-thon, Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Career Center Salon, located on State Route 125 in Bethel.
Licensed graduates and cosmetology students will be providing haircuts to people of all ages in exchange for a donation of a minimum of 10 cans to the Food Drive Fund or a cash donation of $4. Students will also be accepting donations of nonperishable food items throughout the campaign.
Help yourself to a new holiday haircut and help the students to provide a wonderful holiday to families in need, all in one easy stop.
For more information, call Grant Career Center at (513) 734-6222.


text:
numfarr:ranton:NZtechfreak: JPK firmware just leaked, will check out what the early users are reporting at XDA (I was going to flash to JPH today, but might be JPK instead!).
if you flash to jpk will it have any ui changes or branding additions for europe.. (i have the NZ new version of the phone)
Seems good so far. The NZ phones have a Vodafone-specific flash but I don't know what it does. There is no branding on the leaked JPK so far. It may change your phone's region to Korea though, you may want to backup /efs/nv_data.bin.
I've used Astro to search my phone and I don't have a file named nv_data.bin. I don't have any file with a .bin extension. My efs folder is empty [shrug].


text:
1. Grand-liker.com
Using this website you can get 10-200 likes instantly on your status or photo.
You can re submit it after 15mins.
2. Hublaa.me
Using this website you can get 290+ likes instantly on your status or photo.
You can re submit it after 15mins.
3. Moeliker.net
It works as same as hublaa does.
It gives 300 likes instantly.
But this site is little spammy!
4. Vliker.com
Using this website you can get 250+ likes.
And resubmit after 15mins.
5. Djliker.com
This website is a really awesome one!
As I told about LikerHub this is next to it.
I like it's android app.
You can get maximum of 250+ likes using this.
6. fb-autolikers.com
This website also have an android app there by making it an efficient autoliker site.
And report says this is the most trustable autoliker in the world.
It gives +250 likes instantly.
Few Suggestions on Using Facebook Auto Likers
*.Never use Auto Like services from your genuine Account.
*.Auto Likers need Access Token which works like a password.
So using it through your personal account may result account compromised.
*.Getting Auto likes on Status or Photo is also against Facebook usage terms.
So Facebook may apply restriction into your accounts.


text:
ELVs remain a contentious issue for IRB
John Taylor
April 15, 2008
"The northern hemisphere is waking up to the implications of the new ELVs and, and if you believe the reports, the IRB is masterminding a campaign to force their introduction in Europe." John Taylor writes
Suddenly, the northern hemisphere is waking up to the implications of the new Experimental Law Variations and, if you believe the Sunday Times, the IRB is masterminding a campaign to force their introduction in all European competitions for a 12 month period from the start of next season despite grave misgivings from the various stakeholders.
'Not so,' says the IRB's Steve Griffiths. 'The matter was raised from the floor at our recent meeting and it was the French who suggested that they needed at least two years before the next World Cup.'
The inference was that they should be trialled sooner rather than later or Europe was going to be at a serious disadvantage if and when they are introduced.
The IRB is carefully monitoring every trial and their statistical analysts are constantly updating and refining their results.
They insist no decisions have been taken and that this is not merely a PR exercise leading to a rubber stamping of the recommendations of the Laws Project Group - the working party responsible for the ELVs.
The almost hysterical opposition from those who see themselves as custodians of the principles of Rugby Union is based on the thesis that this is an Australian inspired plot to make the game more attractive as a spectacle even if that means stopping the contest for the ball at scrum, line-out and breakdown.
They fear a homogenised player type and a game that is indistinguishable from Rugby League.
The IRB point out that all the changes obey the charter for the game which says contests for the ball at scrum and line-out are sacrosanct as is the principle that it is a game for players of all shapes and sizes.
The real raison d'etre behind the ELVs is to simplify some of the laws and make the referee less of a dominant figure. Some of them have not worked as far as I am concerned (that's why they are experimental) but anything designed to shut-up the referee is worth a try.
Referees no longer just arbitrate - they manage the game and if you haven't got a loud voice you just cannot referee effectively which is crazy. They spend most of their time bellowing instructions to the players - they are more like coaches.
Even when they are making decisions based on law far too much is left to their interpretation. Matches are too often decided by penalties awarded in error for offences that do not merit a kick at goal in the first place.
Take this true story from the 2003 World Cup Final. Referee Andre Watson briefed the forwards from each side before the game, stressing that he did not want such an important match decided by front-row offences.
'If I give a penalty at the scrum you can put your mortgage for your house on the fact I had no choice - 100% it will be a penalty,' he said.
He then proceeded to penalise the England front-row at every crucial scrum despite it being obvious that Australia were completely out-muscled and just could not cope.
Finally, as he got up from the deck to discover England had been blamed yet again for the collapse that resulted in Elton Flatley levelling the scores just before full-time, England hooker, Steve Thompson, cracked. 'Ref,' he said. 'Your house must be a s***hole.'
In contrast, Alain Rolland soon sussed that Australia were under the cosh in the 2007 quarter-final and England were able to use their demonstrable superiority up front to secure victory.
In Watson's case (although he still refuses to admit it) it was a clear case of the referee getting it wrong and almost causing a travesty of justice.
Matches should not be decided by scrum offences unless they are so persistent they constitute foul play. A scrum is a contest for possession. If you offend you forfeit possession by conceding a free-kick.
You do not deserve to concede three points until it becomes obvious you are preventing the opposition from taking full advantage of their superiority in this department by deliberately collapsing, going-up or illegally wheeling - and the dominant scrum has every opportunity to demonstrate that superiority because they can opt for another scrum instead of the free-kick. That ELV makes perfect sense.
Twenty years ago Welsh referee, Clive Norling, pointed out it was possible to award penalties for at least 20 offences at every lineout. He maintained every one of them was preceded by closing the gap which only merited a free-kick and refereed accordingly.
That precipitated a change in the laws reducing lineout penalties enormously. This is merely doing the same at the scrum.
Super 14 rugby is so fast and loose it is difficult to make a true assessment of the laws but, significantly, teams like the Crusaders with a really strong scrum have still been able to use it to good effect.
Rugby has had more law changes over the past 50 years than almost any other sport and it will continue to evolve despite the Luddites. We cannot really evaluate these proposals until we have seen them in action in the northern hemisphere so it is time to bite the bullet and try them out.
+ Click here full details of the ELVs being investigated by the IRB
Communication error please reload the page.


text:
HURRICANE-force storms might destroy trees and sand dune systems but they can't destroy community pride as the people of Ballyheigue showed when they carried out a massive, post storm clean-up that unburdened the beach of over 400 bags of rubbish.
Over 60 locals of all ages took part in the operation that transformed the beach in the space of just three hours.
"Looking at the scale of the rubbish and damage initially you would think you would never be able to make a start on it, but three hours later it was like a different beach thanks to the hard work of everyone who took part," Ballyheigue Fianna Fáil County Councillor and clean-up organiser John Brassil said.
"The response was extremely heartening and shows just how fantastic a community we have here and how much Ballyheigue values it beach."
Locals were divided into teams and given specific areas to clean in an operation that saw trailer loads of sorm-driven rubbish removed from the iconic beach.
"We're halfway there now so I'm pretty confident our next clean-up will get us all the way. However, the storms dumped a lot of stones into the dunes that will have to be removed using heavy machinery.
"I've been talking to the engineer for the area and we have a plan in place so I'm confident that will be addressed soon," Cllr Brassil said. Up to six metres of sand was washed away from the foot of the dunes by the succession of recent storms, with the sea breaching a wide area close to the village.
It is hoped that Kerry County Council's application for Government funding for storm repairs will provide up to €25,000 to deliver dune protection for Ballyheigue.
"The other big concern is erosion along the Cliff Road. The cliff face is flush with the road now in parts, but Kerry County Council have also included this in its application and I would be hopeful that a figure somewhere in the region of €300,000 to €400,000 would provide rock armour protection here that would last us another century," Cllr Brassil said.
The clean-up was one of the county's first major community efforts following the stormy period. It took place on the same weekend as the Fianna Fáil councillor launched his campaign for re-election to the county authority that was attended by party MEP Brian Crowley at Kirby's Bar.
"The EU Regional Fund is available to help Ireland protect its coastline, but no application has gone in for aid for the State in what I believe is completely unacceptable," Cllr Brassil said.


text:
tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post2312053569527411579..comments2017-02-06T13:01:04.981-08:00Comments on Havenscourt Homestead: A Peck of Peppers, and more!Kitty Sharkeyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post-42458221343634198042010-10-08T00:22:21.350-07:002010-10-08T00:22:21.350-07:00wow, kitty, the harvest looks great!wow, kitty, the harvest looks great!G-D SQUADhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post-39520395292785562082010-09-30T19:22:27.919-07:002010-09-30T19:22:27.919-07:00The hottest pepper I grew were Peperoncinis. I le...The hottest pepper I grew were Peperoncinis. I let them ripen until they were red which makes them a little bit spicier. I don't do well with hot spicy foods, so I stick with the mild peppers.Kitty Sharkeyhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post-58501719432868582732010-09-30T12:36:40.019-07:002010-09-30T12:36:40.019-07:00Well, our climate here in Vallejo isn't much d...Well, our climate here in Vallejo isn't much different than Oakland. Did you grow any hot peppers? If so, did they actually get hot? That's something we're struggling with now, though I was told there was a trick to get them hot. We shall see.Rachelhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post-34511359697208526302010-09-30T11:55:41.660-07:002010-09-30T11:55:41.660-07:00Thanks Rachel. I've been hearing a lot of tal...Thanks Rachel. I've been hearing a lot of talk lately about how hard it is to grow peppers here in Oakland. I figured a picture was worth a thousand words.

I attempted germinating a few seeds this year. Although the plants grew to about 2 or 3 inches, they didn't survive the transplanting process. I think my main downfall was starting them too late.

Since I only managed to get a couple of banana peppers last year, I thought it would be better to concentrate on location this year. Now that I've finally found the correct spot and had such success from starts, I think I'm going to give germinating my own plants another try next year.Kitty Sharkeyhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033302086554998860.post-66864272199448711522010-09-30T11:39:24.064-07:002010-09-30T11:39:24.064-07:00If you have a seedling mat and soil mix that doesn...If you have a seedling mat and soil mix that doesn't contain peat (I like to use a terrestrial orchid mix) then peppers are really easy to grow from seed. The trick is to start them really early - February at the latest. Plus the bonus is that you can get so many different varieties that you can't find as plants. I have a primer on how to start them here: http://www.dogislandfarm.com/2009/12/january-planting-schedule-planting.htmlRachelhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Jair Jurrjens
Jurrjens was scratched from his last start with a sore right knee and a subsequent MRI revealed a small horizontal tear in his meniscus. Manager Bobby Cox said the injury was not a flap tear, which is good news for Jurrjens owners. The menisci are fibrocartilage disks that sit within the joint capsule of the knee. They serve as a shock absorber for the knee and aid in stabilization. However, because of their location they are prone to being torn when the knee is twisted. The tears can be small, like in the case of Jurrjens, and cause minimal problems. More significant tears, like a flap tear or a bucket-handle tear, can limit range of motion and being extremely painful. The Braves hope Jurrjens will make his next start Sunday with rookie Brandon Beachy on standby. However, even if he can go, Jurrjens is a risky play. Marlins pitcher Ricky Nolasco attempted to pitch through a meniscus injury and was shelled, giving up six runs on seven hits in just two innings of work. Nolasco has since been shut down and will undergo surgery to repair the torn meniscus.
Jose Valverde
The Tigers have been without their closer as Valverde nurses an elbow injury. A MRI revealed no structural damage and the team is calling the injury tendinitis. Bony protuberances known as the epicondyles are located on both the medial and lateral aspects of the humerus and serve as an origin and an insertion site for numerous muscles of the elbow. This location leaves the area very susceptible to inflammation following the repetitive motion associated with various sports. When tendons in this area become inflamed the condition is known as either tennis elbow (lateral inflammation) or golfers elbow (medial inflammation). Baseball players are much more prone to medial elbow injuries as evident by the high number of Tommy John surgeries required yearly. Valverde will not be requiring surgery but he will need time to rest the area. Manager Jim Leyland said his closer would pitch again when Valverde feels confident in his elbow and is able to pitch effectively. Phil Coke will assume closing duties until Valverde returns.
Andrew Bailey
Oakland�s closer is also dealing with elbow soreness and will travel to visit orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews sometime in the near future. Bailey did undergo Tommy John on his elbow in college, however, the pain is not on the inside of the elbow but instead on the lateral aspect. Bailey battled tennis elbow at the beginning of the season and feels this latest setback may be associated with that incident. However a visit to Dr. Andrews is always a bad sign and fantasy owners should begin looking for saves elsewhere. Craig Breslow threw a scoreless ninth for Oakland on Monday to collect his third save of the year.
Joe Mauer
The reigning AL MVP remains day-to-day with a bothersome left knee. Mauer tweaked the knee at the plate against Oakland and has sat out Minnesota�s last two games with inflammation. Inflammation is a natural part of the body�s line of defenses against damage and foreign pathogens. However, it must be carefully controlled to prevent it from becoming a chronic issue and potentially damaging healthy tissue like cartilage. In the knee ,a myriad of things can cause inflammation including tendinitis, bursitis, or meniscal damage. Fortunately for Mauer and the Twins, a MRI revealed no structural damage. Mauer may receive a cortisone injection for the issue that should also provide some pain-relief as the inflammation decreases. The injury is maddening for fantasy owners in the midst of a playoff run especially when you consider Mauer�s .383 post All-Star break average. Sadly, Mauer owners will miss his bat for at least four or five games with plenty of day offs down the stretch now that the Twins have clinched the AL Central title.
Tyler Colvin
The Cubs' outfielder suffered one of the scarier injuries of the season over the weekend. Colvin was injured after being struck by a sliver of teammate Wellington Castillo�s broken bat. The splintered bat struck Colvin just below his left collarbone, creating a puncture wound. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a pneumothorax, better known as a collapsed lung. The lungs are surrounded by what is called the pleural cavity. This fluid-filled cavity aids in respiration and helps maintain the pressure of the lungs. If punctured, the cavity fills with air and the lung on that particular side collapse resulting in pain and difficulty breathing. Colvin had a tube inserted and will remain hospitalized until the proper homeostatic pressure is restored. While his long-term health will be fine, Colvin�s 2010 season is over. He finishes with a .254 average and 20 home runs and will be an intriguing fantasy option in next year�s drafts.
Coco Crisp
In the midst of a red-hot second-half, Crisp has suffered a fractured left pinkie and will likely miss the remainder of the season. Crisp suffered the injury while sliding into third, making this the second time this season he has fractured the left pinkie while sliding into a base. He missed nearly eight weeks of action to start the season after breaking the distal phalange on his fifth finger. He has again broken the distal phalange but in a different location closer to his fingertip. The fracture is nondisplaced and should not require surgery but a hand specialist has advised him against playing the remainder of the year. Rajai Davis, Chris Carter, and Matt Carson will man the outfield in his absence.
Crisp is the latest example of the dangers of sliding head-first. While many slide headfirst believing it is quicker, a study by University of Texas researchers found no significant difference between the feet-first and head-first methods. Even if the speed difference is negligible, the inherent risks in a head-first slide are greater. Fingers and hands are extremely vulnerable to injury from being stepped on or caught on the base. Several players including Atlanta�s Jason Heyward and Philadelphia�s Chase Utley have missed time this season after jamming their thumbs on the bag. Head injuries are also more likely to occur and be significant. While it is difficult for fantasy owners to select players based on their sliding styles, it is an associated risk that they should keep in mind.


text:
America faces a true financial crisis. The president has responded with a hackneyed political gimmick
On Monday night, the Senate voted on the Buffett Rule tax proposal, which would have added a surtax on earned income over $1 million. The result was a foregone conclusion; the proposal needed 60 votes to overcome the threat of a GOP filibuster, and the procedural motion failed with only 51 votes. In the end, one Republican and one Democrat crossed party lines, but it didn't make any difference, as the House would not have passed the bill or even brought it to a floor vote. This vote was purely symbolic.
Of course, symbolic votes are hardly new, especially in election years. Both parties will try to force the other to cast votes that will be tough to defend in November. The Republican-controlled House staged a symbolic vote on Barack Obama's budget proposal earlier this month, which failed to garner even one vote from the president's fellow Democrats. We can expect even more of these stunt votes as the summer rolls into the fall campaign.
SEE MORE: Obama's Buffett Rule: Just a political gimmick?
The White House has run out of ideas, and will do almost anything to distract Americans from finding that out.
In this case, though, the failure of the Buffett Rule bill puts the Obama administration in a tough spot, especially after the stunt vote on Obama's budget. The problem? Team Obama has nothing else to offer on the budget or the economy. In fact, President Obama has spoken of nearly nothing else but the Buffett Rule for the last eight months, since the launch in September of his "fairness" campaign. The White House has sold this proposal as a panacea for nearly all of the nation's financial ills. The White House spins this surtax as a debt and deficit stabilizer "for the next decade" (September), as well as a strategy for economic growth (in his most recent Saturday address), and finally both, as David Axelrod argued on Fox News Sunday.
SEE MORE: Would Obama's corporate tax cut speed the recovery?
Wow! The Buffett Rule must provide an amazing amount of revenue — or so one would think listening to this hype. But it would actually raise just $31 billion to $47 billion … over ten years. Compare that to Obama's own proposal for the FY2013 budget, which had a projected deficit of more than $900 billion, and ask how $47 billion "stabilizes" the annual deficit, let alone the national debt. As for economic growth, Obama's 2009 Cash for Clunkers spent more than $3 billion in three weeks and didn't do anything more than move demand from a future month forward. The American economy will generate more than $14 trillion in this year; even the higher-end number of $4.7 billion would amount to a tiny sliver of the economy, hardly enough to create a hiccup in growth — even if one believes that taking capital away from investors and putting it into the hands of government amounts to a growth strategy.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner hit the Sunday talk show circuit this weekend, appearing on both NBC's Meet the Press and ABC's This Week to discuss economic policy. On both shows, Geithner spent most of his time either talking about the Buffett Rule or defending the economic performance of the Obama administration. On Meet the Press, David Gregory asked him point-blank to defend the anemic recovery of the past three years, to which Geithner asserted, "If you measure what we did relative to the record of the United States in past crises, and the record of other countries, history will judge what he did as remarkably effective crisis management."
SEE MORE: Is the Buffett Rule fair?
Remarkably effective crisis management? First, the crisis management mostly took place in the fourth quarter of 2008, when George Bush and Democrats on Capitol Hill pushed the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) into law. The bailout itself started well before Obama took office, although he requested and received the second tranche in the first few weeks of his presidency. Obama and his administration like to confuse the crisis management part of the story with the $787 billion stimulus plan, which the administration claimed would keep unemployment below 8 percent — a level which, three years later, the U.S. has never yet dipped below.
If Geithner wants to compare that record to previous American crises, he's more than welcome to do so — but he won't like the results. The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank has a website tool that allows one to graphically compare post-World War II recessions and recoveries, and the Obama recovery comes in dead last among them:
(Courtesy of The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis)
The U.S. faces significant economic and fiscal problems, joblessness among them. We do need to stabilize our national debt, which has grown by more than $4.4 trillion in the three years since Obama signed the FY2009 omnibus budget bill two months after taking office ($11.066 trillion to $15.539 trillion at the end of last March), after the Democratic-controlled Congress refused to pass a budget for Bush to sign the previous September, as required. We need tax reform to simplify and broaden the tax base and get more revenue through growth, and we need rapid job creation to fuel that revenue increase.
Instead, though, the Obama administration has spent eight months and uncounted hours of presidential stump time demanding a tax tweak that would solve only 0.45 percent of the annual deficit crisis, provide no growth opportunity at all, and do nothing to create jobs. The Treasury Secretary can only point to three-year-old crisis management as a defense of the administration's economic policies. No one in the White House has a plan to solve the larger problems, and as this weekend shows, they don't even want to talk about the larger problems anymore. All they want to discuss is how unfair life is, reminisce about the good ol' days of 2009, and point out to anyone listening that Mitt Romney is really, really rich.
The Obama administration has the opposite problem. They are intellectually bankrupt. This weekend demonstrated that the White House has run out of ideas, and will do almost anything to distract Americans from finding that out.
View this article on TheWeek.com Get 4 Free Issues of The Week
Other stories from this topic:
- Opinion Brief: Why doesn't General Electric pay taxes?
- Opinion Brief: Is it finally time for an internet sales tax?
- Controversy: Do the super rich have a 'duty' to pay higher taxes?
Like on Facebook - Follow on Twitter - Sign-up for Daily Newsletter