text: I bought a Radica Gamester GBA Jukebox at Best Buy ($20 before GGC, clearanced from $100). I'm trying to decide whether to keep it. On one hand, I already have an iPod. On the other hand, I like listening to music while playing GBA games, so this might be cool to have for $15. Anyone have one? If so, please share your thoughts. I haven't even been able to find reviews of this thing on Google. Hell, even Radica's website doesn't seem to acknowledge that this product exists.


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Shobhna Jethwa murder: Sultan Khan jailed for life
A man who stabbed his married lover more than 20 times in her home in Luton has been jailed for life.
Sultan Khan, 51, will serve a minimum of 15 years in prison for the murder of mother-of-three Shobhna Jethwa.
A jury at St Albans Crown Court convicted Khan last week and heard the couple had rowed over compensation he got after a building site accident.
Mrs Jethwa's body was found by her children, aged 12 and 16, when they got home from school on 9 September 2011.
'Practical support'
The court heard the 44-year-old victim was cheating on her husband Rajesh with Khan, who she called "The Old Man", and a younger lover, restaurant worker Ashiq Hussain, who she called "The Short Man."
Khan, of Durbar Road, Luton, suffered a major pelvic fracture when he was hit by a lorry on a building site, in May 2011.
In the days before the murder, there were lengthy phone calls to Khan from Mrs Jethwa, who "did not leave him alone", the court heard.
Jailing him, Judge Andrew Bright QC said: "Shobhna Jethwa gave you practical and financial support after the accident.
"She helped you find accommodation and prepare you meals.
"Shobhna Jethwa wanted a share of the money.
"You told her you wanted to go back to your wife in India and support your daughter in London."
Defence barrister John Burton QC said Khan had not gone to the house to kill his lover, but to give her a top-up card for her mobile phone.

subset: commoncrawl


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While the details are pretty limited at the moment, it appears as if Google will be launching a 3G capable version of the Nexus 7 tablet in the not to distant future. The details are coming by way of Paul O'Brien over at MoDaCo, or more specifically, coming by way of a person that Paul refers to as a "very well placed insider." Simply put, said insider has stated that a 3G Nexus 6 will be coming in around 6 weeks. And while the exact launch date and release markets still need to be confirmed, Asus is reportedly already ramping up production. Time will tell just how accurate this will end up being, but me for one — assuming we see a Nexus 7 with Verizon 3G — my current model Wi-Fi only model will be sold.
Via [MoDaCo]


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This was supposed to be Steve Clark's election. Eighteen months ago conventional wisdom held that Clark -- the City of Miami mayor turned Dade County mayor turned city mayor -- would return one more time to county hall and easily outpace his younger, more energetic rivals for the coveted and powerful new job of executive county mayor. His only possible obstacle, backers said, was the state of his health -- a prescient assessment, as Clark died this past June after a six-month battle with cancer.
Predictions of a Clark victory had little to do with his being the best candidate or the most qualified candidate to take charge during this critical period in Dade's history. After all, Clark was not much of leader, or even much of a thinker. He catered to special-interest groups and allowed lobbyists unprecedented access and influence over governmental affairs.
What made Clark so formidable was the consistent support he drew from all segments of Dade's diverse population, making him far and away the most viable candidate. In that respect, Dade County may never again see another politician like Clark.
With no single candidate currently capable of galvanizing voters and scoring a certain victory, the race for Dade County mayor is up for grabs among the four major contenders: former Miami mayor Xavier Suarez, and county commissioners Maurice Ferre, Alex Penelas, and Art Teele. On September 3 voters will go to the polls to cast their ballots. A runoff among the top two finishers -- a foregone conclusion, experts predict -- will be held a month later, on October 1.
"This is the Super Bowl of Dade County politics," says Rob Schroth, a well-respected Washington, D.C., pollster who has been retained to analyze the mayor's race for WLTV (Channel 23), and whose previous clients have included the Miami Herald. "You have four of the best-known and most powerful politicians in Dade running, and I don't think a lot of the same rules are going to apply here. This will be a knock-down, drag-out fight in which the two left standing will then have to battle each other 30 days later in a runoff."
In public the candidates can be fuzzy dreamers, speaking in the broad generalities their pollsters have told them will resonate with voters. They will be opposed to crime, in favor of the environment, supportive of a strong economy, concerned about taxes, eager to cut government waste, and committed to reasonable management of urban growth. They will use television and radio advertising to define their image, convey their message, and convince you to vote for them -- all in 30 seconds or less.
And naturally they will speak about uniting this divided community. Those speeches, however, will be delivered with a fair amount of hypocrisy. For each candidate knows that in order to be elected, he must secretly play to Dade's racial and ethnic divisions. Effective exploitation of those divisions will be one part artistry and one part meticulously precise science.
From the perspective of the candidates and their campaign advisers, there is no such thing as a "Dade County voter." Instead there are six distinct groups of voters: blacks, Jews, non-Jewish Anglos, American-born Hispanics, Cuban-born Hispanics, and Hispanics born in neither the United States nor Cuba. Victory at the polls will require a different strategy for each, and development of those strategies has required detailed analysis of the number of registered voters in each group, what percentage of them are likely to vote, and -- most important -- how many of their votes must be won in order to succeed.
Call it ethnic arithmetic.
If that seems shamelessly cynical, consider this: Political campaigns are never really about issues, they are about numbers. What percentage of Cuban-born voters does Penelas need in order to give him a shot at a runoff? How large a turnout among black voters must Teele generate to keep his campaign alive? How many percentage points is a Miami Herald endorsement worth in the American-born Hispanic community? How much is it worth in the Jewish community?
With such intense scrutiny being given to all manner of issues, members of the voting public might be forgiven for developing their own hardened cases of cynicism. For instance, they might well wonder whether Teele's opposition to the development of Homestead Air Force Base by a group of Cuban-American investors is based upon principled objections to the selection process or because he needs the support of non-Jewish Anglos in South Dade? Does Penelas truly believe that the gasoline tax is an evil abomination or is he catering to Cuban-born voters because his analysis tells him they form the foundation of his campaign?
Though the candidates and their staffs are reluctant to acknowledge it publicly, such considerations (and dozens of other questions) are being studied, analyzed, and fretted over. Pollsters and consultants are being paid tens of thousands of dollars for answers, all of which derive from a few basic assumptions. Registered voters in Dade County number approximately 775,000. Actual voter turnout on Tuesday, September 3, is predicted to be somewhere between 33 percent and 37 percent, which means 255,000 to 285,000 votes will be cast in that first round of balloting.
Because four powerful candidates are running, the consensus among experts is that the race will be very close, with no candidate expected to achieve outright victory by garnering more than 50 percent of the votes. Pollster Schroth is estimating that the top two candidates -- whoever they may be -- will finish with 27 percent and 26 percent of the vote, while the other two will trail closely with 24 percent and 23 percent. Others believe the spread will be even closer. In separate interviews, each of the candidates predicted that anyone who captures 27 percent of the vote is almost assured of making it to the runoff.
The four top candidates have in their minds a specific goal, a magic number of approximately 75,000 votes. If they can persuade that many people to vote for them -- in a county of two million people -- then their political careers remain alive and they can advance to the October 1 runoff. But how do they get there?
Registered Voters: 160,000
Projected Turnout: 30-40 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 48,000 to 64,000
On a recent Sunday, Art Teele was standing at the pulpit of St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church in Overtown, reading from the Old Testament's Book of Nehemiah, and eliciting a steady chorus of Amens and Praise Be the Lords from those who came to hear the politician's sermon. "You should have been a preacher!" one woman exclaimed while shaking his hand after the service. "You have the gift."
Teele was happy to accept the compliment, but what he really needs is the woman's vote -- and that of thousands of other blacks like her.
In the first round of voting, Teele's entire campaign will be won or lost in the black community. In order for him to make it to an October runoff against one of his Hispanic rivals, blacks must turn out in large numbers (between 35 and 40 percent) and Teele must receive at least 80 percent of their votes. If he walks away with anything fewer than 45,000 votes in the black community, his chances plummet.
That task was made considerably more difficult this past Monday when Bill Perry, Jr., former executive director of the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority, announced his candidacy for Dade mayor. "I think my chances of winning are as good as anyone else's," declared Perry, who is black. Perry is wrong, of course. Compared to the four major candidates, his chances of victory are virtually nil.
Assuming for the moment that Perry is neither stupid nor completely blinded by an enlarged ego, the only real purpose for his candidacy would be to siphon black votes away from Teele in hopes of keeping the commissioner out of a runoff.
As Perry is closely linked with several of Alex Penelas's closest advisers, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that Penelas's campaign is at least partly responsible for Perry's kamikaze candidacy. But it is also true that in picking up the support and encouragement of H.T. Smith, a respected black leader, Perry has come to symbolize the apprehension many blacks feel about Teele.
Teele has always been something of an anomaly in the black community because of his Republican Party roots, but he is hoping that while fellow blacks may not always trust him, they will be pragmatic enough to vote for him.
The real loser may be Maurice Ferre, who, prior to Perry's entry, stood the best chance of picking up the black anti-Teele vote. His campaign was counting on between fifteen and twenty percent of the black vote to help carry him to a runoff. At one point during his tenure as mayor of Miami, Ferre captured more than 90 percent of the city's black vote. His good reputation among black leaders, at one time damaged by his having fired former Miami city manager Howard Gary, has been restored. In fact, H.T. Smith says he had been leaning toward endorsing Ferre -- at least until Perry joined the battle.
Teele's greatest ally in this campaign will come from the black-oriented media -- the weekly Miami Times and radio stations such as WEDR and WMBM -- and from the pulpits of every black church in the county, where the sermons will likely argue that this election will be the black community's best chance of seizing the mayor's seat for many years to come. And that blacks must not only vote black, they must vote Teele.
Registered Voters: 180,000
Projected Turnout: 50 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 90,000
With three well-known Hispanics in the race, many observers have believed that Cuban-born voters would be profoundly divided. But here again there is a contest within a contest. This time the magic number is 40 percent. Any candidate who can accumulate at least 40 percent of the Cuban vote (about 36,000 people) is assumed to be a lock for the runoff.
The important question is whether that number is achievable. Penelas's campaign staffers believe it is, and the candidate has positioned himself well in this community. He spearheaded the effort to have fellow Cuban Armando Vidal appointed as county manager. He consistently voted with Latin Builders Association president Carlos Herrera's plans to develop Homestead Air Force Base. He became a vocal critic of the county gasoline tax at just the right time. And his opposition to a new downtown sports arena has kept him regularly on Spanish-language radio over the past few months.
He has far more money than any of his rivals, thanks largely to the fundraising abilities of the so-called three amigos: attorney Christopher Korge, lobbyist Rodney Barreto, and former Latin Builders Association president Sergio Pino.
But holding on to his base will be a challenge. In no other voting bloc will any candidate face such stinging attacks as those Penelas can expect from Cuban voters. His greatest foes, however, won't be rival candidates (at least not directly), but other local Cuban politicians, most notably the obstreperous Joe Carollo, who is on the verge of being elected mayor of the City of Miami, and Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, who has been a long-time supporter of Ferre and is expected to continue that support in this election.
"With Joe beating on Penelas from Miami and Raul working on him in Hialeah, Penelas could begin to feel that squeeze," says political consultant and former Miami mayor David Kennedy, an adviser to Ferre's campaign.
While Ferre's camp knows that it is impossible for him to win 40 percent of the Cuban vote, they also realize that the closer they can draw to 30 percent, the more likely it is those votes will be coming from Penelas -- which may well explain why Ferre, after supporting the gas tax for years, finally buckled under the pressure of a Spanish-language radio blitz and supported a reduction.
A strong showing among Cubans for Suarez would be between 30 and 35 percent, but Suarez will have to rely on a door-to-door, grassroots, get-out-the-vote effort because he has virtually no money left in his campaign coffers and cannot afford to produce or air commercials on either radio or television. While such community-oriented campaigns are not impossible, they are extremely difficult, especially when facing such well-financed candidates.
For Teele, every vote he receives from Cubans is manna from heaven. He does have friends in the Cuban community, however, and he may try to exploit the fact that he is the only registered Republican in the field, even though this is a nonpartisan race. If Teele could win even four or five percent of the Cuban vote, he'd likely do cartwheels down Calle Ocho.
Registered Voters: 75,000
Projected Turnout: 30-40 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 23-30,000
There are more than 12,000 registered voters from Colombia in Dade County, plus another 2500 from Spain, 2500 from Honduras, almost 6000 from the Dominican Republic, 1500 from Mexico, 3000 from Chile and Venezuela, and almost 20,000 from the rest of Central and South America. Add to that nearly 25,000 registered voters from Puerto Rico and the prevailing view that all Hispanic voters in Dade are Cuban comes tumbling down.
This is a segment of the community in which Maurice Ferre should do extremely well. Without having to say a word, Ferre, who was born in Puerto Rico, becomes the standard-bearer for all non-Cuban Hispanics. And on election day, he benefits from the festering anger and resentment (some might argue jealousy) many of these voters may harbor toward their Cuban brethren.
But how this group votes, and more important if this group votes, is wholly dependent on Ferre. In the same way Teele needs to generate a large turnout in the black community, and Penelas must secure a substantial base among Cubans, so Ferre's chances of making the runoff increase sharply if he can boost the vote count in areas such as the Puerto Rican stronghold of Wynwood and the Central American havens of Little Havana. His goal is to push the turnout to 40 percent (about 30,000 people), and then capture at least 15,000 of those votes.
Penelas and Suarez understand that this segment of the Hispanic vote is Ferre's, but each will nonetheless try to walk away with between 5000 and 6000 votes. Teele, still last in line for Hispanic scraps, will hope to take between 2000 and 3000 votes.
Registered Voters: 200,000
Projected Turnout: 30-33 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 60,000 to 66,000
When Steve Clark became ill and it was obvious he would not run for county mayor, the search for a Great White Hope began in earnest. Surely, the pundits reasoned, there must be an Anglo candidate who could mount a serious bid. After all, historically Anglos have trounced Hispanics and blacks in countywide races. Up until 1993 Anglos controlled seven of the nine county commission seats. Indeed it was that apparent unfair advantage by Anglos that led a federal judge four years ago to declare Dade's system of electing commissioners to be a violation of the rights of Hispanics and blacks.
So where's that unfair advantage now?
A few well-known Anglo politicians were available, among them former state representative Mike Abrams, former county commissioner Charles Dusseau, and current commissioner and former state senate president Gwen Margolis. But none was willing to enter the fray, and so there will be no white knight. That leaves non-Jewish Anglo voters in something of a quandary. It also has the potential of turning those voters into kingmakers. "They will choose the next mayor of Dade County," predicts pollster Rob Schroth. "They are the swing voters."
None of the candidates can get to his magic number of 75,000 votes without help from non-Jewish Anglos. "Right now, there is a tremendous reservoir of goodwill in that community that still exists for Suarez," says Schroth. "The question is whether or not he will be able to hold on to it." According to recent polls, this is the only category of votes in which Suarez has a commanding lead -- upward of 35 percent. If he loses that lead, it will be extremely difficult for him to make it up in any other category.
The stakes are high for all candidates. In Teele's case, as it is impossible for the black vote alone to carry him to a runoff, and because he can't expect more than token support in any of the Hispanic categories, he must win a combined total of between 17,000 and 20,000 votes in the Anglo groups (Jews and non-Jews). And because the Jewish vote is comparatively small, he must win the bulk of it here by capturing 25 to 30 percent of non-Jewish Anglos.
Teele's activities make it clear he recognizes the gravity of the situation. On that same Sunday he preached at the Baptist church in Overtown, he also addressed the predominantly white congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Miami. When he kicked off his campaign, he roared down to South Dade in a trio of helicopters and, using Homestead as a backdrop, reminded the public of his efforts to help rebuild that community after Hurricane Andrew. And with the exception of Katy Sorenson, no one has been a more outspoken critic of the development plans for Homestead Air Force Base, a political position that has endeared Teele to the many South Dade residents who also oppose the plan.
One advantage Teele will have over Suarez is money. Last week Suarez's campaign reported it was nearly broke after having initially raised close to $200,000. Teele, who brought in more than $300,000 in just two weeks, has almost all of that still in the bank. And while Suarez, Ferre, and Penelas will have to air commercials on both Spanish- and English-language radio and television, Teele can concentrate all his money on English-language stations.
Neither Penelas nor Ferre needs to do as well as Teele or Suarez among non-Jewish Anglos in order to survive, but neither can afford to languish. Each needs to pick up about twenty percent of the vote, and there is no reason to believe each couldn't do considerably better. This segment of the voting public contains more "undecideds" than any other.
Of course, Teele isn't the only one with money to spend on advertising. Both Penelas and Ferre have hired nationally renowned media advisers to produce their commercials. Penelas in particular appears prepared to spend a small fortune raising his profile in the Anglo community.
The one key variable money can't buy is the Miami Herald's editorial endorsement, which may be announced as early as this week. Penelas says he has ruled out any chance of gaining the paper's support, and believes it is a contest between Teele and Ferre, a sentiment shared by many. For both of those candidates, as well as for Suarez, the Herald's endorsement is estimated to mean between five and possibly eight percentage points in the Jewish and non-Jewish Anglo communities, and a slightly lower figure in the American-born Hispanic community.
In terms of total number of votes within those three segments, the Herald endorsement could be worth an additional 5000 to 8000 votes on the journey to 75,000.
Registered Voters: 60,000
Projected Turnout: 40 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 24,000
Once the dominant power in Dade County politics, the Jewish vote has steadily declined over the years and is now primarily concentrated in the high-rise condos of Aventura and the retirement centers of Sunny Isles and Miami Beach. Despite its failing political health, the Jewish bloc is a segment candidates desperately covet, as signaled by the brazen dealmaking that recently occurred between Penelas and Commissioner Gwen Margolis. In exchange for her endorsement, Penelas pledged that if he is elected, he will appoint her chairwoman of the county commission.
Margolis's ability to deliver the so-called condo vote remains in doubt, however, and Penelas is expected to spend a considerable amount of money on advertising to reach Anglo voters overall, and Jewish voters in particular. Among Jews, a good showing for him would be 25 percent of the vote, or about 6000 ballots.
In order for Ferre to make the runoff, he will have to do much better than Penelas in the Jewish community, securing closer to 35 percent of the vote, or about 8400 ballots. Toward that end, Ferre has lined up the support of half of the newly elected Aventura City Council, as well as its mayor Art Snyder. He also counts long-time activist Ginger Grossman and State Sen. Ron Silver among his allies.
If Ferre decides the overall race is so tight that he needs to stretch his lead in the overwhelmingly Democratic Jewish community, it is almost certain he will attack both Penelas and Teele for their ties to the Republican Party. Ferre is quick to recall Penelas's trip to New Hampshire last winter in support of Bob Dole. (Penelas, a registered Democrat, says he was just tagging along with his wife and isn't endorsing anyone for president.)
And Ferre gleefully describes the image of Penelas embracing conservative U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms during a recent banquet in Miami sponsored by the Cuban American National Foundation, a photograph of which ran in Diario Las Americas. "Oh yeah, I plan to use it," Ferre says of the picture. "You can't embrace Jesse Helms in one community and then, when it suits your purpose, act as if you are a staunch Democrat in another community."
Likewise Ferre is expected to attack Teele's association with House Speaker Newt Gingrich and loudly point out (at least within the Jewish community) that Teele is a lifelong registered Republican who worked for Ronald Reagan. Which is why estimating Teele's support in the Jewish community causes fits for so many political consultants. Some argue that the traditional liberal support among Jews for blacks (along with apprehension over the rising Cuban dominance in Dade County) will naturally guarantee Teele between 20 and 30 percent of the vote. For his part, Teele is counting on it.
Lost in this battle is Suarez, who has neither Ferre's string of endorsements nor Penelas's money to attract significant interest in Northeast Dade. But the former Miami mayor has great name recognition and a group of energized volunteers he hopes will attract about 20 percent of the vote.
Registered Voters: 50,000
Projected Turnout: 40 percent
Expected Votes Cast: 17,500
Until recently pollsters and consultants lumped this category of voters in with the overall Hispanic-Cuban-foreign-born category. But as their numbers have grown it has become necessary to separate them because they do not predictably view the world the same way their parents do.
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Though determining their precise numbers is tricky, most consultants agree they represent about fifteen percent of the total Hispanic vote. They are the children of those who came to the United States in the Sixties and Seventies, they are under 35 years of age, college educated, and politically less conservative than their parents. They read the Miami Herald, get their news from Channel 7, and they are much more likely to listen to WSHE-FM (103.5) or WIOD-AM (610) than to Spanish-language stations such as Radio Mambi or La Cubanisima.
On election day, American-born Hispanics can be expected to go to the polls at a slightly higher rate than Anglos but at a lower rate than their parents. It would be to Penelas's and Suarez's advantage to draw them out. In the case of Penelas, their support can be attributed to the fact that he is one of them -- a 34-year-old attorney whose parents came from Cuba. He is the symbol of their generation, the embodiment of their readiness to assume power.
Suarez's support, on the other hand, derives from the same attributes that make him attractive to Anglos -- he is seen as clean, untouched by the corruption and special-interest pandering that taints those already in power at county hall.
In the end, Penelas and Suarez are hoping to secure between 30 and 35 percent of the vote each (between 5000 and 6000 votes apiece). Ferre will be satisfied with between 20 and 25 percent. Teele will try to claw his way to about ten percent of the vote.


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Europe dodged a bullet last week in its efforts to manage its debt crisis, which is now in its third year. The Greek election kicks the can down the road a bit, and gives the eurozone a chance to focus on other pressing problems. It looks like the European endgame is to muddle through the succession of challenges posed by the common currency while the Continent prepares for a more disciplined fiscal union. The economic imbalances in Europe are seemingly too severe and intractable to do much else. It is not clear whether Greece, for example, will be able in the long term to both remain in the eurozone and meet its obligations, but at least the day of reckoning has been put off for a while.
The inexorability of the debt-driven economic turmoil on the other side of the Atlantic suggests that there may not be a practical political solution to what is fundamentally an economic crisis. The best that can be done is to hope that it can be managed in a way that minimizes collateral damage to the global economy. There is a lesson here about the limited effectiveness of short-term political intervention in the operation of economic forces - call it the ineluctable modality of the political. Unfortunately for the United States, that lesson seems to be lost on Washington.
Over on this side of the Atlantic, there is a collective delusion about these events that makes European leaders look positively Olympian. The United States is borrowing and spending money at an unsustainable pace, on the pretense that the same laws of economics that threaten Europe don't apply here, even though a case can be made that here is where it all started. Now we even hear thebizarre notion that European "headwinds" are interfering with the administration's initiatives to revive the economy and threatening the president's prospects for re-election. It is not his fault, he suggests.
The chattering class jumped right in. The Eurostorm could cost Mr. Obama the presidency, warned Niall Ferguson in Newsweek. In The Washington Post, Dana Milbank coyly suggested we ask Europeans who will win the election. Politico's Ben White lent his political support to the theory, noting that the president even had learned the proper pronunciation of "Hollande," the family name of France's new chief executive. Last, but not least, Ezra Klein announced in his blog that he had long been in sympathy with the theory that a handful of Euroleaders could decide the 2012 U.S. election. If lemmings had a theme song, it would surely sound like this.
The irony of it is, well, delicious. Could it be that the American liberal establishment thinks that the very continent that fell in love with Mr. Obama and helped validate him four years ago is now trying to sabotage his re-election? Can it be that the lifelong proponents of Eurocratic-style government solutions for the excesses of our undisciplined - but heretofore productive - economy are now blaming Europe itself for the fact that their policies are neither working nor popular? Or is it simply another case of losers making excuses and finding scapegoats? Perhaps it is now time to roll out the malaise speech and find out.
Fundamentally, it is all nonsense, of course. The hard facts are that the economic turmoil in Europe has brought a measure of relief to the American middle class that the condescending neglect of the Obama administration could not. As funds have flowed into the relative safe haven of Treasuries, long-term rates have fallen and the housing market is finally showing some signs of stabilizing. And the relative appreciation of the dollar and the economic stagnation in Europe have combined to bring some much-needed relief in energy prices to the American consumer. Without Europe, gasoline was headed to more than $5 a gallon. Obama administration policies have hurt both housing and energy, and the Europeans may have rescued the administration from the effects of those policies. Those are hardly headwinds. But bad news on jobs makes for desperate excuses.
The scariest part of the delusion about Europe is the knee-jerk response to the crisis. In the face of the glaringly obvious failure of debt-financed public-sector spending as economic strategy in Europe, there are those who clamor for even more borrowing and public spending in the United States. As the story goes, that will help isolate this country from the effects of the European recession. There is admittedly a perverse logic to this seemingly irrational notion. If we create our own sovereign debt crisis in the United States, it certainly cannot be said that we were undone by Europe's. We need to create our own fiscal disaster, thank you very much. If liberalism is to commit suicide, then it must be done American-style, so that we can take the rest of the world with us. Apparently, that is the new ideal of American leadership.
A word of caution may be in order to all the former Europhiles inside the Beltway. Be careful what you wish for. If Europe manages its way through this crisis and brings fiscal discipline to that fractious continent, it will have succeeded in accomplishing what the Obama administration has not even attempted to do here. It is not the case that it cannot be done, as the Simpson-Bowles and Ryan plans prove. It is rather the case that the current commanders of the all-powerful federal establishment lack the discipline to do it. They would rather lay the burden of their fecklessness off on the next generation of Americans and blame foreigners. It might be good politics, but it's irresponsible policy. If the global economy begins to turn its attention to the United States, our leaders could well wake up to the self-evident conclusion that their position is both untenable and unsustainable. What will be done then? There will be nobody else left to blame.
Warren L. Dean Jr. is a lawyer and an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law Center.
Copyright © 2017 The Washington Times, LLC.


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Picking our 10 favorite mountain bike trails for our week of cycling is like asking a parent to pick their favorite kid: we love them each for different reasons. Still, armed with a Rolodex of memorable rides, we set out to catalog the best of the best. The IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) and other groups have been creating mouthwatering single track all over the world as diverse as the styles of bikes in your local shop — and they keep getting bigger, better and longer.
Those we've selected run the gamut: day rides (fill a CamelBak, pack a lunch, leave at the crack of dawn, spend the day on the bike, have a couple of beers and then pass out), point-to-points, loops, multi-day beauties; there are trails that roll, drop and climb through forests, plains, mountains, deserts and everything in between. Two things they share, though, are an IMBA "Epic" rating, and the fact that you'll talk about them for years to come.


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As teens become more independent in their food choices, they sometimes enjoy indulging in some not-so-healthy options. And if their friends have similar eating habits, they may underestimate how bad their diets really are because it seems normal to hot dogs and cookies for lunch.

Here are the four worst food habits teens have and what you can do about them:

1. Skipping Breakfast

According to the American Dietetic Association, more than half of male teens and more than two-thirds of female teens do not eat breakfast on a regular basis. Eating breakfast can upstart your teen's metabolism, which helps with weight control, mood, and school performance.

Ensure your teen eats a healthy breakfast by making the foods readily accessible to him. Make it a part of your routine to put breakfast on the table and sit with your teen while you both enjoy a healthy breakfast. Or, if time is a problem, look for quick and healthy breakfast options that are perfect for on-the-go meals.

2. Eating Too Many Foods from the 'Other' Food Group

Think of the food pyramid, the 'other' food group is the smallest section at the top with what is supposed to be the least amount of servings. Teens tend to eat too much high fat and calorie snack foods that are categorized in the 'other' food group.

Help your teen break this habit by having fruits and healthy snacks available more often then having high fat and calorie snacks available. It is easier to grab a bag of chips at the grocery store than it is to pick up fruit that needs to be washed and peeled.

3. Dining Out Often

Teens hit the fast food restaurants much more often than they did when they were younger. This tends to be because of school, sports and work schedules overlapping regular meal times.

To circumvent this bad habit, talk to your teen about only eating fast food once a week. Then make dinner and healthy food available to him when he has the time. This is as easy as fixing a plate for him and allowing him to heat it up when he gets home from his sports practice.

4. Drinking Soft Drinks

 A study looking at American youths aged 6-17 found an increase in the prevalence of soft drink consumption from 37% in 1978 to 56% in 1998. You can help your teen choose a healthier drink by having fruit juice and water available and not buying soda. Or try fruit flavored carbonated water instead of soda. My teens really like these.

One common denominator for getting teens to eat healthier and avoid these bad food habits is your active role in providing healthy foods. When you get in the habit of making these foods more readily available to your teen, you will see a change in their eating habits.


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Went out for the Wednesday night Team Evergreen ride at White Ranch. I didn't get many pictures and the light was crappy. Oh well. I was struggling tonight on the climb. Yeah, I could offer a thousand excuses but no one would believe me anyway. Needless to say, though I wanted to give up at Round Up Loop, I continued on to savor the Mustang downhill goodness. Yeah, no pics of that. It's downhill.
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Old World Santas
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Travel around the world with Santa! Always in style, these whimsical Santas have a personality of their own. Journey with Santa and explore new worlds. Each Santa is richly robed with incredible detail and will positively delight Santa collectors in every corner of the world.
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Many communities throughout the United States lack outdoor play space. The shortage of safe, age appropriate, and appealing play spaces available to American children is shocking. For example, in Baltimore four recreation centers will shut down at the end of the summer, officials recently announced. We need places for children to exercise and be active if we are going to combat the national childhood obesity epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half the children in the country live in a neighborhood without a park or community center within walking distance.
This makes the remaining playgrounds even more precious. So if a neighborhood school has a playground why do so many school districts lock playgrounds, making them off-limits to tax-paying families who need a place to play?
There is a wealth of research that supports the positive outcomes of play for children, both emotionally and physically. School play spaces are community resources that should be fully utilized, especially given the soaring childhood obesity rates, so keeping playgrounds open after school hours, on weekends and over the summer can lead to healthier communities.
Are school playgrounds in your community left open for community use or locked?


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Measuring the Bachmann buzz
The Minnesota-based Smart Politics gauges just how much more attention Bachmann gets over the average House member from her home state:
Story Continued Below
A Smart Politics study of news transcripts from ABC, CBS, CNBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and NPR (via Lexis/Nexis) since January 2009 finds that Erik Paulsen has appeared or been mentioned on far fewer broadcasts than any member of the Minnesota U.S. House delegation … Contrast that coverage to each of Paulsen's non-Bachmann Minnesota U.S. House colleagues who have appeared or been mentioned in an average of 55 broadcasts over this 2+ year span.
Bachmann, who was in another stratosphere when it comes to national political coverage and media appearances even before her presidential bid, came in at 3,098 mentions by this measure of national media attention. (Multiple mentions on the same broadcast were not counted).
DFLer Keith Ellison was next, appearing or being mentioned on 194 broadcasts, followed by Republican John Kline at 25, DFLer Tim Walz at 19, DFLer Betty McCollum at 16, and DFLer Collin Peterson at eight.
That is quite literally the kind of publicity that you cannot buy.


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comparison of the US constitution and the Michigan constitution
Examine the provisions in the US Constitution (Article III) and in the Michigan Constitution concerning the Supreme Court of each government. Write 1-2 pages single-spaced describing the differences in the way the justices are selected and the time that they serve on the bench. Are there advantages to having the state supreme court function differently than the federal supreme court? If not, which system do you believe is the most desirable, the federal or the state system? If you consult sources other than the two constitutions and the textbook, you must provide an APA style reference list that includes them.
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Hudson River Rats drop pair in St. Croix Valley baseball league play
The Hudson River Rats slipped to 2-5 in St. Croix Valley Baseball League play over the weekend after losing to defending league champion River Falls, 14-4, last Saturday, June 23 and dropping a 6-2 decision Sunday at St. Croix Falls.
The River Rats will visit the Ellsworth Hubbers this Friday night, June 29 for a 7:30 p.m. contest and travel to Spring Valley to face the Hawks Saturday, June 30 at 7 p.m. They return home to host the Haugen Hornets in a non-league game Sunday at 1 p.m. at Grandview Park.
Last Saturday at River Falls, Ben Christenson ignited a four-run Hudson fourth inning with an RBI double as the River Rats erased a 4-0 Fighting Fish lead. But the River Rats' bats went dormant against Fighting Fish starter and UW-River Falls head football coach Matt Walker from that point on.
Walker retired the River Rats in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, and the Fighting Fish exploded for five runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth before getting an RBI single from Nathan Brom in the bottom of the seventh to end the game, 14-4, by virtue of the ten-run rule.
Brian Sparstad went 5 2/3 innings on the mound and was victimized by a pair of River Rats errors that resulted in six unearned runs for River Falls. Sparstad was lifted for Andy Edholm after giving up a two-run homer to former River Rats catcher Joel Schaffer in the sixth that gave River Falls an 11-4 lead.
Sunday at St. Croix Falls, the Bandits jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead and scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before the River Rats scored twice in the top of the sixth to make the final 6-2. Hudson had five hits in the game while committing five errors.


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TUBINGE, Germany, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- It's been confirmed Syria has 10 cases of polio, and two German researchers warn the infectious disease could silently spread to Europe as refugees move about.
Dr. Martin Eichner of the University of Tubinge in Germany and Dr. Stefan Brockmann of the Reutlingen Regional Public Health Office wrote Thursday in a letter to the journal The Lancet hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Syria and seeking refuge in neighboring countries and Europe.
Polio can spread silently from person-to-person -- only 1-in-200 unvaccinated individuals infected with wild-type poliovirus 1 will develop acute flaccid paralysis -- but infected individuals can spread the virus unrecognized. In about 1 percent of cases, the virus enters the central nervous system, infecting and destroying motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis.
Polio is primarily caused by a virus that spreads among people, but it can also survive in water and sewage.
It could take a year of silent transmission before one acute case of paralysis case is confirmed and an outbreak detected, although hundreds could carry the infection, the researchers wrote.
The inactivated polio vaccine, which is used throughout Europe, only partly prevents vaccinees from infection, but it reduces transmission and is highly effective in prevention of paralysis.
In regions with low vaccination coverage, e.g., Bosnia and Herzegovina at 87 percent, Ukraine at 74 percent or Austria at 83 percent not enough of people are inoculated so herd immunity -- enough people are vaccinated or immune so those at risk have low risk of being infected -- might be insufficient to prevent sustained transmission, the researchers said.
"Vaccinating only Syrian refugees -- as has been recommended by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control -- must be judged as insufficient; more comprehensive measures should be taken into consideration," the researchers said in their letter. "Oral polio vaccination provides high protection against acquisition and spreading of the infection, but this vaccine was discontinued in Europe because of rare cases of vaccination-related acute flaccid paralysis. Only some of the European Union member states still allow its use and none has a stockpile of oral polio vaccines."
In addition, routine screening of sewage for poliovirus has not been done in most European countries, but this intensified surveillance measure should be considered for settlements with large numbers of Syrian refugees, the researchers said.
Wild poliovirus had not been detected in Syria since 1999 and prior to the conflict, immunization coverage in Syria was about 95 percent, UNICEF officials said.
About 500,000 children in Syria have not been vaccinated against polio in the past two years due the fighting, health officials said.
In October, health authorities in Syria, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and neighboring countries had begun planning and implementing a comprehensive immunization program to vaccinate children against polio, measles, mumps and rubella, in both government-controlled and contested areas. About 2.4 million children d younger age 5 were scheduled to be vaccinated.
However, in an environment of widespread displacement and continual population movements, even a single polio case poses a serious threat across the region, UNICEF said.


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Hilary Rosen, the out lesbian CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, announced that she will step down from her position at the end of 2003, according to Billboard.com. "I have young children, and I want to devote more of my time to them," Rosen said in a statement. "This has been a difficult decision, but I know it is the right one for my family." Rosen has been with the RIAA for 17 years and was named CEO in 1998. She is the longtime life partner of Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, a Washington, D.C.-based gay rights advocacy group.
The RIAA board will begin a formal search for Rosen's replacement over the next few months, and RIAA president Cary Sherman is expected to remain in his current position.


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When the Orioles win, Baltimore rejoices.
As a kid, I knew immediately by glancing at the cartoon bird on the front page of The Sun, where Jim Hartzell's creation left little doubt whether the beloved Birds had won or lost the night before. Granted, things got tricky for late-night games or West Coast tilts, but you get the idea.
Hartzell's bird heralded every game result on the paper's front page from 1966 until 1979. It debuted in 1954, when the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and the artist suggested to team ownership that they needed some sort of symbol for the club. It appeared on everything from corporate checks to Sporting News dispatches, cigarette lighters to coffee mugs. But it was most widely known by its in-season, results-oriented appearances - over morning coffee, during bus rides to work, on doorsteps and stoops across Charm City.
Other artists later penned the Oriole, and Hartzell died in 2003. The bird - regardless of whoever was behind its appearance, has remained a fixture in Baltimore.
The folks at the Charlestown retirement community in Catonsville, as lively a collection of seniors as you'll ever want to meet, love their Birds and their baseball. So it's only natural that they have put their own spin on this tradition of glancing at a cartoon bird and immediately knowing whether the Orioles won or lost their most recent game.
Pictured here is the small, stuffed Oriole that nests outside of a Charlestown resident's apartment. If the Orioles win, the bird gleefully holds a card announcing the score. If the Orioles don't, well, that's a bird of a different feather. After losses, the bird is turned around, facing the corner in shame until the next victory releases him from his own personal purgatory.
As traditions go, this one is pretty longstanding. It's been going on for about 20 years.
Here's hoping the Charlestown Oriole spends more time out of the corner than in it for the remainder of the second half.
(A tip of the ol' ballcap to Mel Tansill, public affairs manager for Erickson Living, for the photo and explanation.)


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Written on: 02/06/2013
I have now had my Alpha Blade for 2 weeks, and it is such a dream of a machine. The PC arrived on time. Unpacked it and set it up, only to find that it kept on crashing ! However once I contacted Palicomp and got talking to a very friendly and patient Rich on the Support Line, he managed to get me up and running in no time. Problems were mostly mine, apart from a faulty Ram chip. (which was replaced with no problem very quickly).
Rich had to eventually remotely fix my Windows re-install from his end. It was quite 'scary' to see the speed with which he got me up and running.
His patience was faultless, and his manner impeccable. I cannot praise him enough. As for the machine/Monitor etc... It is fantastic! Quiet and FAST.
Many thanks again for all your help. Will certainly recommend Palicomp to my friends and colleagues.


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Sign up for our daily recaps of the ever-changing search marketing landscape.
Google's Penguin Update Makes The Wall Street Journal
The Google Penguin Update is now mainstream after The Wall Street Journal covered it in a feature story named As Google Tweaks Searches, Some Get Lost in the Web.
The story interviews a few small business owners who were hit hard by the update. One business owner saw his sales drop to $25,000 this month, down from $68,000 the previous month. Another small website owner saw roughly 30% of his traffic disappear over night. And another lost 20% of their traffic. Most of the article goes through small business owners who lives have changed for the worse due to this update. But there are some stories that lead me to believe they are not directly related to Penguin.
Again, there were several updates last month – Penguin was happened on the 24th. But there were two Panda refreshes, link network penalties, bugs and many more updates.
Even if all those cases were not Penguin related, Penguin is now main stream after hitting a major publication like the Wall Street Journal.
You can read the story over here.
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Schuylkill police step up aggressive driving enforcement
PennDOT alerts motorists to refrain from driving aggressively and has partnered with local and state law enforcement agencies to crack down on unsafe driving behaviors that often lead to serious or fatal traffic crashes.
Area police departments conducted Aggressive Driving Enforcement Friday in Schuylkill County.
Most crashes occur in good weather conditions. When combined with the beautiful spring weather, speeding, tailgating and running red traffic lights put drivers and other road users, such as motorcyclists, at great risk.
Other aggressive driving behaviors include making careless lane changes, passing in no-passing zones and running red lights or stop signs also make conditions more dangerous than necessary for other motorists. In PennDOT District 5, Schuylkill County participating police departments include Ashland, Butler Township, West Mahanoy Township; Blythe Township; New Castle Township; St. Clair; Schuylkill Haven; West Penn Township; Tamaqua; and Rush Township.
Over 62 counties were identified for increased aggressive driving enforcement. The Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement and Education Project includes over 300 municipal police departments and Pennsylvania State Police patrolling over 300 roadways or corridors from six Aggressive Driving regions.
Some Pa. crash statistics include:
• 231 Pennsylvanians were killed in crashes in which speed was the prime contributing factor. (2009)
• There were 34,716 speed-related crashes in Pennsylvania (2008).
• Police reported that speeding was by far the most prevalent form of aggressive driving.
• Municipal and State Police totaled 278,000 citations and arrests during 2009. Approximately 43 percent of citations written were for speeding. (2009)
Here are some tips for defensive driving near aggressive motorists.
Stay calm, ignore rude gestures, and avoid eye contact with aggressive drivers.
Drive according to road and traffic conditions.
Leave more space between vehicles.
Pay attention to driving; avoid distractions.
Buckle up - Even the best drivers can be in a crash. Buckling up is the best way to protect yourself in a crash.


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Bridget T.
Review for Foundation for Photo Art in Hospitals Inc, St. Louis, MO, USA
The photos are amazing! Seeing a display of Elaine's photos in a hospital setting immediately made me remember the power of a beautiful photograph. You immediately become relaxed and most of your fears drift away which is important in a hospital setting. They are all so beautiful. After seeing her displays, I came back and finished hanging photos in my office. I now have a more relaxed atmosphere where I spend a lot of my time. Keep up the wonderful work Elaine.
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The Firing Line Forums
The Hide
NFA Guns and Gear
> Sten MKll & MKlll's . What is the difference in them?
View Full Version :
Sten MKll & MKlll's . What is the difference in them?
April 28, 2000, 01:44 PM
Is one of the guns more reliable,or what is the difference?
George Stringer
April 28, 2000, 10:41 PM
Doddle, they differ only in externals. The barrel and jacket on the Mark II are shorter, it has a different bolt handle design and a simplified buttstock. Also on the mark II the magazine housing can be turned on the axis of the receiver to act as a dust cover for the mag and ejection ports. As far as which is more reliable I have no idea. George
James K
April 29, 2000, 05:02 PM
AFAIK, there is no difference in reliability. The Mk II is more common and cheaper. The STENs aren't pretty, but they work, and parts are still cheap.
4V50 Gary
April 30, 2000, 12:41 AM
The Mark III Sten was a further development of the earlier Stens. Development should not be mistaken for refinement but rather simplification. As part of the simplification, the barrel jacket on the Mark III was not detachable as on the earlier Stens and was part of the actual receiver itself. The cheap just got cheaper. But hey, in wartime, who needs fancy?
May 7, 2000, 02:43 PM
Only difference that really matters is that the barrel isn't removable on the MkIII. I actually like the magwell on the III a little better as the MkII tends to wobble a bit. For that alone, I would think the MkIII is slightly more reliable.
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PROTESTERS marched through Oxford city centre to campaign against the use of fossil fuels.
The Fossil Free Future demonstration started in Radcliffe Square on Saturday morning and marched its way to Bonn Square.
Speakers at the event included Dr Brenda Boardman, a trustee of Low Carbon Oxford North and emeritus fellow at Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute.
The campaigners were calling on businesses, as well as Oxfordshire's councils and Oxford University, to stop investing in fossil fuel companies.
James Rainey, a 20-year-old biology student at Balliol College, below, is a member of Oxford University Student Union environment campaign.
He said: "It would make a massive statement if the university decided to divest its endowment in fossil fuels.
"It should put its money in something else rather than investing in things that are potentially undermining our futures."
Oxford University spokesman Stuart Gillespie said: "Oxford University Student Union has asked the university to divest its endowment from holdings in companies involved in exploration for, or exploitation of, fossil fuels.
"In order to provide a fully-considered response, a consultation has been launched to seek evidence and opinion from across the collegiate university.
"The university's socially responsible investment review committee will collect views and make a recommendation to the university council in the autumn on what response to make to OUSU's representation."
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Archive for Thursday, December 6, 2007
Principals say testing deterrent to drug use
Reported drug and alcohol use is about the same in De Soto USD 232 as it is in Johnson County and even in Kansas, according to the 2007 Kansas Communities that Care Survey.
However, Mill Valley High School Principal Joe Novak said that doesn't mean there isn't a problem.
"I can't concern myself with what may be accepted, what is happening, what others are doing," Novak said. "I think if we commit to education then we have to look at our kids one at a time."
That is why Novak, as part of a special school board committee, is looking into requiring seventh- through 12th-grade students who participate in school activities submit to random drug tests.
The committee, which was formed in November 2006, emphasized at its community meetings last week that data from the Kansas Communities that Care Survey shows that students in the districts are abusing drugs and alcohol.
Committee members stressed that random drug testing, if approved, would be part of a comprehensive strategic plan for addressing drug and alcohol use in the district. Novak said its purpose was to deter students from drug use and not to serve as a "gotcha" technique.
The Kansas Communities that Care Survey asks sixth-, eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students about their use of alcohol and tobacco as well as risk and protective factors. Since 1994, the survey has been administered annually free of charge to districts that volunteered to participate. The survey is supported by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services/Addiction and Prevention Services. About 220 districts and 70,000 students participate in the survey each year. The De Soto School District's 2007 response rate was about 75 percent.
According to the 2007 survey, about 36 percent of the district's 12th-graders and 19.6 percent of its 10th-graders said they had consumed five or more alcoholic drinks in a row at least once in the past two weeks.
Countywide, about 34 percent of 12th-graders and 21.6 percent of 10th-graders answered similarly. Statewide about 33.7 percent of 12th-graders and 22.9 percent of 10th-graders had the same response.
At the community meetings, several parents said they wanted to see alcohol as one of the things the district would test for if a policy were put in place, but they were concerned that it would not catch many students because alcohol leaves the body quickly.
Board President Janine Gracy, who also works as the director for the Regional Prevention Center, said some tests could detect alcohol in the system for up to 48 hours after it is consumed.
"Everybody is concentrating that all of these tests would happen on a Monday morning, well that is not the case," she said. "If it could be established there may be testing times on a Saturday."
The committee still is looking into whether testing on weekends would be a possibility, but Gracy said the district also needs to focus on other drugs including marijuana, LSD and prescription drugs.
"With LSD, we're not talking about a drug like alcohol that is legal when you are 21," she said. "That is hard core stuff."
About 4.9 percent of 12th-graders surveyed in the district said they had used LSD in the past 30 days compared to 3.6 percent of 12th-graders in Johnson County and 2.9 percent of those in the state.
Marijuana also is an issue, Gracy said.
"It seems to be that drug is the 'no big deal' drug," she said. "There are other drugs that we see a trend line and we see it go down, decreasing in use. With this drug we just don't see that downward trend."
According to the survey, about 19 percent of district 12th-graders and 9.6 percent of 10th -graders have used marijuana in the last 30 days.
That compares to about 20 percent of 12th-graders and 15 percent of 10th-graders in the county, and to about 16.6 percent of 12th-graders and 12.7 percent of 10th-graders statewide.
Nationally teen drug use continues to decline, according to information provided by the Office of National Drug Control Policy in Washington, D.C. In 2006, about 15 percent of teens said they used drugs in the past month according to a survey of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students called Monitoring the Future. That is a 23 percent decrease from 2001.
De Soto High School junior Josh Stanley said he has heard people say that De Soto High had a marijuana problem, but he said that was not the case.
"We really don't have a problem at all," he said. "It's just a handful of people that do it. It's really not as big as they are making it out to be."
Mill Valley senior Andrew Walters said he didn't think his school had a drug problem either.
"I don't think we're worse than any other high school," he said.
However, Mill Valley junior Dedan McEllhiney said if the district could afford it, it could help the school.
"If there is a random drug test every once in a while it might clean up the school a lot," he said.
Novak said as a principal he knows that students are using drugs and alcohol but he can't do anything about it unless a student is caught or he is told by a student.
"Do I hear about a party every other weekend or twice a month where these things are happening?" Novak asked. "Absolutely. Can I take action? Absolutely not because again it's hearsay."
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Participants ask friends and loved ones to sponsor them for a certain amount of money for every minute they masturbate during the Masturbate-A-Thon, or simply for having the nerve to turn up and take part!There are also prizes up for grabs. From Guardian:
In aid of global sexual and reproductive health agency Marie Stopes International and HIV/AIDS charity Terrence Higgins Trust, and sponsored by ID Lubricants (UK), the leading UK brand of personal lubricants, the event also aims to act as a public education device to increase the use of self pleasure as a strategy for safer sex. The Masturbate-a-thon seeks to raise awareness of, and dispel the shame and taboos that persist around, this most commonplace, natural and safe form of sexual activity.
Prizes will be on offer for those who clock up the most orgasms and those who can masturbate the longest - the current record, according to the organisers, is a chafing eight-and-a-half hours.Eight-and-a-half hours!!! Crikey!
To qualify for the record, the organisers say "at least 55 minutes of every hour shall be spent self-pleasuring by manual or sex toy stimulation" with participants getting just five minutes to "replenish and renew".
(Thanks Sir Thomas)


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ORDWAY, Colo. (CBS4) – The female corrections officer killed at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Ordway last week was stabbed to death with a kitchen knife.
Sgt. Mary Ricard was killed on Sept. 24 with a single stab wound to the neck while breakfast was being prepared, according to the Crowley County coroner.
An inmate, Miguel Contreras-Perez, has been named as a person of interest but has not yet been charged.
Another officer at the prison, Sgt. Lori Gann, was seriously injured in the attack.
Contreras-Perez is serving 35 years to life for kidnapping and sexual assault.


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Hans Lund
Found 10 Records, 10 Photos and 256,020 Family Trees
Born on 9 Aug 1794 to Niels Lund and Anne Elenora Lund. Hans married Anna Dorthea. Hans married Ane Sofie Lund and had 10 children. He passed away on 18 Apr 1861 in Fodby Af Brandbyld.
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Surname meaning for "Lund"
Scandinavian, German, and English: topographic name for someone who lived by a grove, Old Norse lundr; the word was adopted into northern dialects of Middle English and also into Anglo-Norman French. There are a number of places in England named with this word, as for example Lund in Lancashire, East Yorkshire, and North Yorkshire, Lunt in Merseyside, and Lound in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Suffolk, and the surname may derive from any of these. The Swedish surname is probably more usually ornamental. When surnames became obligatory in Sweden in the 19th century, this was one of the most popular among the many terms denoting features of the natural landscape which were adopted as surnames, usually compounded with some other such term.


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I Will Sup with Him!
- Artist: Marcia Denise "Princess" Bradley
- Format: CD
- Release Date: 5/6/2003
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'I WILL SUP WITH HIM' © 1997 by Marcia Denise 'Princess' Bradley Marcia Denise 'Princess' Bradley, a gentle spirit, loved children. She worshiped and praised God through song and service. Her career was devoted to teaching in daycare and ministering to the needs of others through song and prayer. She received a B.A. degree in Music from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C. Marcia learned that her journey on this earth was not to be for long, and through her faith in God prepared each day for a brighter tomorrow. On this journey, she discovered the ultimate joy in 'Praise and Worship', which was reflected in her commitment to the Christian community of faith. It was in her acknowledgement that we should 'praise and worship God at all times' that she found strength to go on. During one of her visits to her hometown, Bishopville, South Carolina, while sitting at the lake, where her father often fished, she wrote... 'people enjoy living this slow content life. I feel good that I can tell them where and with whom I'm going.' It was from her spiritual strength that she was anointed to write, 'I Will Sup With Him'© 1997. On November 14, 1998, at age 36, she went to a brighter tomorrow! There are other songs, but only the angels will hear them!


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National adds design help in Finland and Estonia
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SANTA CLARA, Calif.--In a move to expand its chip design capabilities for battery-powered applications, National Semiconductor Corp. today announced it has acquired Fincitec Oy of Finland and ARSmikro OU in Estonia in transactions valued at a total of $15 million.
Fincitec, based in the city of Kemi, was founded in 1986. Launched in 1997, ARSmikro in Tallinn provides analog design services for Fincitec, which specializes in ultra-low voltage and low-power ICs.
In addition to adding design expertise, the acquisitions will expand National Semiconductor's presence in the European region by adding a total of 55 employees from the two companies, said the Santa Clara-based chip company.
"The addition of Fincitec and ARSmikro's engineering expertise will enhance our ability to offer a more complete energy management capability to manufacturers of portable devices," said Peter Henry, director of portable power systems at National.
National said Fincitec specializes in ultra-low voltage/low-power mixed-signal, logic and system-on-chip ASIC solutions, especially devices suited for handheld battery-powered applications. Fincitec's design and test capabilities provide a complete solution from specification-to-mass production in CMOS, BiCMOS and bipolar technologies, according to National.
The transaction "significantly strengthens the semiconductor industry in Finland," said Paavo Takalo, president of Fincitec who is also chairman of ARSmikro.


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Java Draw Created Oct 06, 2012 338 x 470px Unless noted Copyright 2012 kalyaniabhi.
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Fri 21 Feb 2014
Filed under: Opinion,Regional
"As in the past, so in the future, the people of India will stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Burma, and whether we have to share good fortune or ill fortune, we shall share it together." These were Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's words in 1948, on the day of Burma's independence from Britain. Since then relations between the two countries have fluctuated between friendship, neglect and outright hostility, yet India's rise on the international stage and Myanmar's "democratic transition" are forcing both governments to reassess the nature of bilateral relations based on regional geopolitical developments.
India views Myanmar's emerging political transformation as a strategic and ideological opening that offers New Delhi an opportunity to dilute Chinese influence while expanding India's strategic depth. While India cannot expect to rival China's influence in Myanmar in the near or even medium term, it can have an impact on that relationship. In turn, Myanmar stands to gain from a stronger relationship with India on a variety of levels, whereas China views the strengthening relationship between India and Myanmar as a strategic threat.
India has long prided itself as the world's largest democracy, as well as being a leader of the Non-Aligned Movement. At previous junctures in their modern history, both of these factors contributed to the dynamics that shaped the India-Myanmar/Burma relationship. Throughout the 1950s, ties were cordial, however the 1962 coup d'état in Myanmar led to a deterioration of relations. During the two decades of General Ne Win's junta, ethnic Indians were targeted, being viewed as "privileged" during British colonial rule. The nationalist wave that followed led to the expulsion of many ethnic Indians from the country. India pursued a rather disinterested and neutral policy vis-à-vis Myanmar throughout the majority of the Cold War. By the late 1980s, New Delhi began to play an activist role by sponsoring the democratic opposition — seeking to establish itself as a beacon of democracy in Asia.
New Delhi soon learned that such an idealistic approach to foreign policy did not advance its strategic interests, nor did it help the democratic struggle in Myanmar, as the repressive nature of the regime only worsened. As the military junta in Yangon grew hostile toward India, China became the regime's closest ally. India's approach to Myanmar's government subsequently shifted toward realism by 1995, as New Delhi accepted that the ruling junta was there for the long term. Thereafter, India became one of only eight governments in the world to sell arms to Yangon, underscoring the degree to which the bilateral relationship fluctuated since independence.
Following the commencement of Myanmar's "democratic transition" in 2012, which led to the lifting of international economic sanctions, India's government and some of its private companies saw a strategic opportunity to influence the subcontinent's periphery. Indian firms such as ONGC Videsh, Jubilant Oil and Gas and the Century Ply-Star Cement group commenced operations in Myanmar. Total Indian investment in the country now approaches $300 million. Yet this is a small fraction of the total $43 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) that has reached Myanmar and the majority of its FDI continues to originate from China. While a decrease in Chinese FDI in Myanmar has ensued since 2012 the government in Naypyidaw remains dependent on China (and Russia) for its military armaments. Here, India is simply not in a position to compete, and probably will not be for many years to come–if at all.
India's lack of capacity to become an influential trade and investment partner is driven by several factors, which include India's underdeveloped energy infrastructure, which limits New Delhi's capacity to transfer and distribute Myanmar's oil and natural gas in India, the reality that the two countries' mutual border is undeveloped, which contrasts with Myanmar's border with China, and bureaucratic hurdles and red tape that impede the cross-border trade and investment process.
India has every reason to want to embrace Myanmar at this time, and to make as much progress as is possible on the trade and investment front. New Delhi's interest in integrating India's isolated northeast with the rest of the country will continue to provide Indian officials with an incentive to deepen economic, political and military ties with Myanmar. Yet security dilemmas on both sides of the border constitute major concerns for Indian authorities. For example, the Buddhist-orchestrated pogroms against Myanmar's Muslims have led to a radicalization of some Muslims in the region, which threatens to result in retaliatory attacks against Buddhist institutions in India and other corners of South and Southeast Asia. The Naga community, situated on both sides of the border, will also remain a concern for both governments as the concept of "Nagaland" potentially threatens both states' territorial integrity.
From Naypyidaw's perspective, deeper ties with India can alleviate some of its own concerns about destabilizing developments on its side of the border, while also demonstrating that the country can balance its partnership with China along with other regional actors. Given Myanmar's economic and political dependence on Beijing, it should be expected that the government in Naypyidaw will only do so much, and with caution. Even if Myanmar's relationship with China does not fundamentally shift (and we do not expect that it will), India–and other countries such as the United States and Japan–offer Naypyidaw greater leverage against Beijing by emphasizing that Myanmar has other options. Chinese officials view the gradual development of economic, political and military relationships with India as a threat to Beijing's unique relationship with the country.
Myanmar's government understands the value it provides to both India and China. India's security dilemmas and its interest in new sources of oil and natural gas will continue to drive its ambitions vis-à-vis Myanmar for the foreseeable future. At the same time, China's access to the Bay of Bengal via Myanmar, and the security of energy accessibility via its landlocked southern provinces, make Myanmar an important strategic partner for Beijing. Within this context, deepening ties between India and Myanmar will remain an issue for China.
Regardless of whether Myanmar completes it democratic transition or retreats to resume its previous pariah status, its geostrategic significance and natural resources will continue to shape the balance of power in a region where Chinese and Indian interests intersect. China and India can indeed coexist in Myanmar, but China will maintain a distinct advantage by virtue of its recent history, the nature of its military assistance, and its alignment of long term interests with Naypyidaw.
Daniel Wagner is CEO of Country Risk Solutions, Senior Advisor with Gnarus Advisors, and author of the book "Managing Country Risk". Giorgio Cafiero is a research analyst with CRS based in Washington.
This article was reprinted with permission from the East-West Center (EWC).
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/giorgio-cafiero/can-china-and-india-coexi_b_4824140.html?


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Thailand: Clubs, Nightlife, and Ladyboys (videos and photos)
Thailand, a mysterious land filled with questions and intrigue for many westerners, especially Americans. My questions were, what is the nightlife like? What type of music do the DJs play? Are there really ladyboys everywhere? Those questions, and more, were burning in my brain, so there was only one way to find out... go there for two weeks! Click through to follow me through the exciting nightlife of Thailand.
After 3 planes, 2 boats, and over 27 hours in travel and layovers, I was ready to kiss the ground once I got to my final destination in Thailand. I went strait to Koh Tao, a small island north of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. Instead of hitting the bed and sleeping my time away, I hit the ground running It was time to enjoy what Thailand had in store for me. I went from Koh Tao, to Koh PhaNgan, to Koh Samui, to Phuket, to Koh Phi Phi, back to Phuket, then finally to Bangkok.
Koh Tao is small and is known for its diving scene, but it also has a small but consistent party scene almost year round. In the pic above you see a firedancer at the common beach party. Check out the videos of these firedancers below:
3 Firedancers
BEACH PARTIES, MUSIC, and BUCKETS
Listen to the music in these videos. Sound familiar? The music largely is the same music played at clubs in America. The beat keeps around 130 bpm providing rhythms to keek bodys pulsing and firedancers dancing all night long. These partys dont stop till way after the sun comes up. One of the most popular parties in the world is Koh PhaNgan's Full Moon Party. Its likely the worlds largest beach party, with beats pumping up and down the beach all night and morning long. They also celebrate the Black Moon and Half Moon with smaller (but still big) parties, and pretty much every other night of the week as well. So there are plenty of parties to attend on any given time.
All the beach parties have the live entertainment like the previously mentioned firedancers. You will also find simple party games like connect four, musical chairs, even large jump rope (sometimes the jumprope is in flames) to keep the party social and add a bit of different intrest to the party. These nuances make for a very fun atmosphere and really bring the party to life.
No matter if you are on the islands or in Bangkok, you can expect a similar musical experience, however each place is distinctly different on how the party feels. The music is, how they say, "same same". You will hear all the latest chart topping electro/dance songs. I heard Rihanna's "We Found Love" a bagillian times, but thats ok cause that song is amazing. Overall, the music is danceable and the DJs are smooth, but there is a lack of personal touch from DJ to DJ. No scratching, not juggling, very few remixes, and no one is trying to break a new musical style. The music is a bit stagnent and could use a real mix-master or two to liven the night scene up, especially for the loocals.
While walking down the beach you might want to stop and get yourself a "bucket". This bucket will make the night a bit more fun and as you become more intoxicated listening to the bumping music. Buckets are filled with a small bottle of whatever liquor and whatever mixer your little heart desires. They give you about 8 straws and the idea is get one and share it with all the party people out that night. The price is around 200 or 300 baht (or about 6 to 9 USD). When buying one, bargin the price down! They will go down, if not, there are 50 other bucket people right next to you. Its all the "same same, but different".
Bucket Seller: Jamie Fucking Rockstar
CLUBS, GOGO BARS, and REGULAR BARS
The clubs in the islands are interesting. Most are open on all sides possible and have either a traditional roof or just fancy tarp-like covers to protect against any rain. Its as if you are outside, but you clearly are inside the club. Once again, there are buckets for sale, and they are just as social. Mix drinks and beers are marked up to be a bit more expensive, but we are talking Thailand prices so the most you will pay for a drink is about 120 baht (about 4 USD) You cannot bring in outside drinks to most of these places, but you can however walk in the streets with an open container (works if you are on a budget).
Just like the beach parties, the music is all "same same". Again, the DJs are smooth but lack personal flare. Some clubs DJ music Videos, some just have big screens with TV playing, go figure. But all the clubs (and beach parties) are filled with plenty of available girls who want to dance, drink, and party! But finding one that is not working that night may be a bit more tricky. The going rate is 1000 Baht (about 30 USD) for a short term companionship and it could be more if she stays all night. Also, its not easy to tell if she is working or actually likes you. Often, the girl will proposition you right up front which takes the guess work out of the equation. But if you like her and you dont want to leave at that moment with her, she will move on and find a real customer. Its a bit off-putting.
Once you get to Phuket or Bangkok or even Pattaya, the clubs are mainly indoors. You can still hear the music bumping down the street the entire night, but you have to go inside. Usually there is more security at the doors in these places, which can be a good thing. Its not unheard of to get in a scuffle at one of these places, yes it happened to me, so its good no one was packing. Those interaction can happen at any club on the planet, I imagine. But dont be fooled, just because these clubs have a slightly different feel, the music and DJs are again, all "same same". The same songs all night in every club. The only point in club hopping is to find a different crowd of people, different girls or maybe a better light show.
Club Hollywood Dance Floor
More Club Shots
Club Hollywood, Patong Beach, Phuket
While the clubs are largely the same, you can break your night up by going to the local gogo bar. The girls come in droves to work at these places. Gogo Bars can be indoors or outdoors. The indoor ones are more like strip clubs. The outdoor clubs have cheaper drinks and have girls on poles on every bar, of course dressed in skimpy clothing but keeping it all on. If you are so inclined, at any of these places you can bring home one of these girls by paying a bar fee, then paying the girl whatever price you agree on. Yes, prostitution is very common. You can take it or leave it, but thats how it is.
But lest not forget about the Ping-Pong shows. This is like an indoor Gogo Bar, or strip club, but the girls actually do special performances, like shooting ping-pong balls out of their whoohaas. The entrance is usually free, but the first drink is 500 baht (15 USD) and the following drinks are discounted to about 200 baht (6 USD) plus you will be buying a 200 baht drink for the girl they assign to you (she gets a kick back for every drink you buy). It is pricey, but you have to go at least once while you are there. For me, the girl was shooting darts from you-know-where, and popping balloons. They pulled me up on stage and had me hold the end of a balloon with my teeth with the balloon floating above my face. A few seconds later... and ... POP! The balloon burst and I was completely unharmed from that very dangerous twat-dart-gun. Pretty impressive! Unfortunately, they would not allow any pictures of that.
The bars are fundamentally different for many of the popular tourist areas in Thailand. Yes, you can sit there and enjoy a few drinks but not without being asked to play simple bar games with the girls working there. Its not just the bartender and you, there are also the girls that are sitting around the bar and the ones that call you into the bar. For the bar games, the common deal is if they beat you (at connect four or some dice game or whatever) then you have to buy them a drink (these girls also get kick backs from the bar). What if you win? Well, that depends on the bar, sometimes you can get a free drink, but most of the time the girl just gets frustrated and goes away. Thats a good thing if you just want to check your email and have a few beers. Just like these Gogo Bars, if you like the girl, you must pay the bar fee to take her away from the job.
Also, at the bars there are usually a few pool tables to play on. These can be a lot of fun. If the place is not crowded you can just hop on and play with your friends, usually for about 20 baht (about 75 cents), or you play the winner. Loser pays and winner stays, pretty typical for bar pool. But the twist is the Thai girls. Do not underestimate them at all, also do not make any serious bets on the game. They will run the table before you get a shot. There are many quality players, but even if you suck, you should still play. After all, its all in good fun.
Yes, they are real and yes, it can be hard to tell a ladyboy from the real thing. They are at the clubs, bars, on the streets, on the beach, wherever. Its not polite to ask if the girl is a ladyboy and it can cause more trouble than its worth. However, there are ways to tell if a convincing ladyboy is a man or a woman. From a distance she might look hot, but once you get closer you can usually tell. If not, most of the time, the voice is a dead giveaway, you will say to yourself "damn, either that chick been smoking since she was 10, or she is a dude!". Or maybe she has unusually large hands for a girl. Also, an important note, most real thai girls or "ladys" dont really get all that dressed up when they go out. They will wear skimpy shorts and a revealing tank-top, but the ladyboys go all-out! Im talking very high-heals, super nice/sexy dress, lots of makeup, the whole nine (some real girls do that too, so its tricky). Overall, if she is suspect and fits any of those criteria, she could be a man.
All that being said, the ladyboys provide a niche entertainment that cannot really bo found anywhere else in the world. Carve out some time, if you are in Thailand, and go see a Cabaret Show. The ladyboys lip sync, dress up, and perform the latest and greatest hits. Their dance routines are well rehearsed and actually pretty impressive. The shows are very fun and very funny, especially when they pull up guys from the audience,dress them like ladys, and make them dance. Its great! Check out the video below for the Cabaret Show in Koh Tao. Also, watch the video of Soi Crocodile in Phuket. Soi Crocodile is a street dedicated to all ladyboys. There is a huge crowd that gathers there everynight to see the spectacle. This Soi, or street, is right in the middle of the hottest strip along Bang-la road in Patong Beach, Phuket.
Soi Crocodile, Ladyboy Street show, Patong Beach, Phuket
Ladyboy Gaga - Telephone. Cabaret Show, Koh Tao
So, my opinion, go to Thailand! Dont expect much from the music scene, but do expect to have a f-ing awesome time! Go find some trouble and put yourself in situations that you would not normally put yourself in. Things are basically safe there, so have some fun. As far as DJing goes, go with low expectations and you will enjoy yourself.
DJ Color TV
Very good read! Well done! Sounds like you had some great experiences!
Thailand is awesome! I was really amazed at so many things there. The cultural differences are a real surprise, especially the different attitudes about sex and sexuality.
Thai Girls are for you to make you feel good and happy. They are for sure there for your good time, they will talk with you, entertain you as well, But it is also true they are just after your money. if you will spend more money you will definitely get back more…….. here i introduce a new thailand thai girls site which gives us a lot of information…………….
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I helped a fellow mum with the table settings for a School Fundraiser located in the school hall. The budget was $150 for 13 tables. The inspiration came from Magnolia's Square's exquisite styling. We bought striped material from Spotlight for $10 metre. Scissors Paper Cake bottles and bottles/jars collected by mum's for centrepieces and filled them with single stem flowers. The 'sweets' table also had the same fabric as a tablecloth, Kraft wrapping paper was used to cover the not-so-pretty wall and paper doilies taped together for paper prettiness. Discarded tomato pasta sauce jars covered in Kraft and tied with twine created inexpensive vases. Best of all the night was a huge success!
Decor on a shoestring budget
Labels: table setting
Posted by :: imprintables:: at 8:20 PM
4 comments:
- Kim @ Frost Me! said...
love the natural look! The bird cage tags are my fav part!
Kim @ http://frostmeblog.blogspot.com
party inspiration
- May 24, 2010 at 10:45 PM
- Christi Bennett @ pisforparty said...
Everything looks great and very chic!
- May 25, 2010 at 6:13 AM
- We like to party... said...
I love these shoestring ideas. Next party will include them!
- May 29, 2010 at 10:27 AM
- Erika said...
Lovely and earthy. Perfect for a garden party..
- June 7, 2010 at 11:18 AM
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Flaws in Endair-A Secure Routing Protocol for MANETS
Routing is the one of the essential criteria at network level in mobile ad hoc networks. Ad hoc network routing protocols are difficult to design, and secure because unable to handle rapid node mobility and network topology changes. It has been realized by many researchers, and several "Secure" routing protocols have been proposed for ad hoc networks. However, the security of those protocols has mainly been analyzed by informal means only. In this paper, the authors argue that flaws in ad hoc routing protocols can be very subtle, and they advocate a more systematic way of analysis.
Provided by: Interscience Open Access Journals Topic: Mobility Date Added: Jan 2012 Format: PDF


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Results 41 to 50 of 199
Jun 17, 2014, 04:46 PM #41
Jun 17, 2014, 04:57 PM #42Member
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What about grom of the year? Remember me!
Jun 17, 2014, 06:23 PM #44
i rarely speak on these threads because its entertaining enough just to read. time is a perk of running your own business...
i cant even keep my mouth shut because sun bather bob just deserves KOTY. get off your foamie brah. maby show a lil respect by silence or actually going surfing for once.
yankee keep killin' em u got my vote.
Jun 17, 2014, 06:58 PM #46
Yankee, say something mean aboot me. Please.
Jun 17, 2014, 07:25 PM #47
Jun 17, 2014, 07:35 PM #48
And if Son is intentional, whose son are you bathing, anyway?
Jun 17, 2014, 08:01 PM #49
I did make a post today about over the weekend surfing, soft top works just fine, first decent waves I've ever surfed, which makes me super happy.
I'm glad I made such an impression on you. I think you've got a crush
I still think you're mad about me calling you BS on the thread about you knowing all your gun friends, the ones that live in brooklyn right? None of them can fight I remember you saying. For the record, a gun license hasn't been issued to a private person outside of politics and celebrity in Manhattan or the five boroughs since Bloomberg took office. Nice try sparky, thank you come again. Stop talking about things you don't know about, it makes you look silly.
I vote Slashdog for biggest consumer of haterade.
Guess what, I'm surfing my soft top tomorrow too. Maybe Thursday as well. I love it. Do you love it?
Jun 17, 2014, 09:25 PM #50Banned
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