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At this "hospital" on Front Street near the Secaucus town center, a "Doctor Is In" sign hangs in the window. Walking in the front door, visitors find themselves in the "triage" or intake area. A few steps later is where all the serious "care" takes place, in the "surgery" center.
But this facility doesn't cater to humans; it specializes in the treatment of other loved ones – those of the cotton, fabric, and plastic kind. Stuffed animals, dolls, and figures.
The Secaucus Doll and Teddy Bear Hospital was founded by Luis and Ana Casas of Bogota, Colombia, seven years ago, and is still going strong, even through the Great Recession. Even in hard economic times, a price can never be put on love.
Luis had worked at a doll factory during the summers in his native country. With his brother, he founded a doll hospital in Bogota, worked at one in Manhattan after emigrating here, and then opened this, his own clinic. Ana, his wife, is the "head nurse," and other family members are on staff, including her sister Alba Sanchez (sewing), and daughter Jeannette Gonzalez (porcelain and other types of figures).
The hospital employees have great expertise, pay fine attention to detail, and are extremely dedicated. Ask Leo Rogers of Morristown, a collector of medieval knight figures for more than 30 years. He has found himself at the hospital not once, but twice.
"No patients ever die here. They always go home healed and looking fit." – Ana Casas
He was happy to find the Secaucus facility for their care.
"Both knights required extended stays," Rogers said.
During his first visit, he recalls Ana telling him his "patient" would be safe with them.
"No patients ever die here," she told him. "They always go home healed and looking fit."
Words of thanks and praise
One reconstituted figure was a 16-inch Motschmann Baby doll, a "Taufling Baby" from 1850. A woman from Pennsauken in South Jersey was happy they could fix it.
In fact, the Casas' bulletin boards are full of thank you letters and notes from those overjoyed with their work.
"Thank you so much for the great job repairing my husband's teddy bear," reads one. "It now sits on his dresser where the dogs can't eat him."
"We received Baby back last week and she looked better than we ever imagined," said another. "Her cheeks were pink and she was healthy all over."
From close & far away
Much of the time, the Casas never see the faces of their clients. A good portion of their business is of the mail order variety, basically because it has to be. The hospital has treated "patients" from more than a dozen U.S. states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.
And foreigners are not foreign to the family skills. Staff members have also treated dolls and stuffed animals from Canada, China, England, and Spain.
Making a difference
Besides earning a decent living, why do they do they work they do? Because it makes a difference in people's lives.
"It's because the work is sentimental," Casas said. "It makes us sometimes cry, all of us, because behind the teddy bear or doll there is a very sad story – and sometimes it's also very happy."
The head nurse related the instance of a teddy bear that came in minus its head, lost to an overzealous dog.
"But the owner is a child," Casas said. "She has it 12 years already; she got it as a little girl. This teddy bear went through with her a very, very complicated treatment for cancer and the cancer went away.
"She was sick and now the parents want to repair it," she continued. "It's going to be a Christmas gift for her. She's going to be very happy, because she loves this teddy bear."
The hospital is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information about the Secaucus Doll and Teddy Bear Hospital, call (201) 223-2332.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at email@example.com.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Whisky Review: Corby Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky
Posted by Arctic Wolf on June 17, 2010
Henry Corby began his involvement in the distilling industry in approximately 1841, buying and selling grain at a grist-mill on the banks of the Moira River. By 1859, his distillery operation had become as important as his milling operation and so the distillery was incorporated as a separate company.
In 1881, Henry's son, Henry (Harry), took over, and through the next ten years the Company began to bottle their own brand of whisky and sold it under the name of Corby. From 1905 to 1935, the company experienced a series of mergers and acquisitions which first resulted in the assets of Corby, and Wiser's being consolidated and then in 1935, Hiram Walker – Gooderham & Worts Ltd. became the majority shareholder in the H. Corby Distillery Limited, acquiring 51% of the company's equity.
Throughout the period of the 1960's to the present, Corby established itself as a leading spirits company, expanding the distribution of its domestic portfolio and increasing its representation of internationally renowned spirits. Acquisitions of leading worldwide brands and trademarks, and an expansion of the portfolio to include rum, gin,and vodka, as well as other spirits has allowed the company to enter the global stage with its portfolio of products. Currently Corby Royal Reserve, Hiram Walker Special Old Rye Whisky, and the Wiser's family of whiskies are all produced by Corby Distilleries Limited.
I was presented with a bottle of Corby Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky about eight weeks ago from the National Brand Ambassador for Corby and Wiser's. This was part of a larger allotment of samples which was provided when they learned I planned to do a series of reviews of their whiskies on my blog. The bottle is labeled as a Canadian rye spirit and is bottle at 40 % alcohol by volume. Here is an excerpt from my review:
"…I taste a nice old-fashioned rye profile with a light dryness that goes for the tonsils. The rye is crisp on the tongue with the dryness has the ability to slightly pucker the palate. A good dose of caramel arrives with the rye, and the oak spices carry flavours of fresh fruit and citrus peel… "
You may read the rest of the review here:
Review: Corby Royal Reserve Canadian Rye Whisky
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As a matter of fact, I have seldom seen a claim to royal ancestry that was adequately sourced or had any sources at all. This lack of sources is much more common in countries such as the United States, where royal descent is viewed differently than it is in a country with a reigning monarch. I am reminded of the series of blog posts that I see from time to time asking if you are related to some famous movie star or political figure or another. There is an underlying, incorrect by the way, assumption in all of these claims, that the pedigree showing the relationship is accurate and correct. You might be impressed to be related to someone important, but how reliable is your own pedigree? How carefully has the connection been established?
OK, to start out, kings and queens had children just like the rest of the population. So, it stands to reason that their descendants can trace their ancestry back to some king or queen. What is not usually carefully researched by the claimants is each step in the relationship, even when the supposed relationship comes from an "accepted resource." It is also apparent that most of the discussion on this topic is by people who know little or nothing about doing research in the claimed royal lines. It is far different for a careful researcher in England to claim royal ancestry than it is for someone from the United States, who sees an online family tree showing royal ancestry and copies it.
Another crucial point here is the time period of the claimed connection. Many of the connections I have seen to royalty, make the connection back in the 1600s or even the 1500s when the research is much more difficult and errors are more common. There are absolute limits to the accuracy of any genealogical claim that goes far into the past. A recent book is cited by Nathan W. Murphy of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah in his post "I Have My Family Tree Back to Adam and Eve" Part 2: (I suggest reading Part 1 also).
Family Trees: A History of Genealogy in America. By François Weil. Published by Harvard University Press, Online bookstore; 2013. ISBN 9780674045835. 320 pp.
In that book, the author, François Weil, Chancellor of the Universities of Paris, as quoted by Nathan Murphy, states:
Genealogy was originally the prerogative of kings and princes. The oldest surviving royal genealogies in Europe go back to the sixth century A.D. for Gothic sovereigns, to the seventh century for their Irish, Lombardic, Visigothic, and Frankish counterparts, and to the eighth and ninth centuries for Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian kings. (pp. 10-11)In doing any research in this area it is important to rely on the most recent and reliable sources. Any pedigree dating back to the 1800s or 1700s is suspect merely because more current research may have corrected earlier errors. Copying an undocumented pedigree from an online family tree is misleading and a total waste of time. Bad genealogical practices are bad whether or not they produce a connection to a bank robber or a king.


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The Worst Best Movie
Why on earth did The Searchers get canonized?
The Searchers, John Ford's epic 1956 Western, is a film geek's paradise: It is preposterous in its plotting, spasmodic in its pacing, unfunny in its hijinks, bipolar in its politics, alternately sodden and convulsive in its acting, not to mention boring. Impossible to enjoy, and yet not as obviously medicinal as, say, The Spirit of the Beehive, The Searchers segregates the initiated from the uninitiated; and so it is widely considered, by the initiated, at least, to be among the four or five best movies of all time. At his maiden screening, a young Cahiers du Cinema critic named Jean-Luc Godard wept, later adding, "How can I hate John Wayne … and yet love him tenderly … in the last reel of The Searchers?" Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader routinely name The Searchers as one of their favorite films, adding, "I see it once or even twice a year" (Scorsese), or, "I make sure to see The Searchers at least once a year" (Schrader), though such encomia have the curious effect of making the movie sound dutiful and unpleasant, like a prostate exam. Maybe the analogy isn't so outlandish as it seems.
Even its adherents regard The Searchers as something of an excruciating necessity. The film, which is now out in a plush new DVD re-release, tells the story of Ethan Edwards, an Ahab-like obsessive who spends seven years searching for his little niece Debbie, kidnapped by Comanche Indians. ("Co-mansh," in Ethan's defiant pronunciation.) As played by John Wayne, Ethan is an embarrassing relic, a man who once fought proudly for the Confederacy and who now glories in his hatred of Indians. Ethan's racism may be cloddishly depicted, but it's the source of all the movie's kinky allure. Ethan wants to find Debbie not to rescue her but to kill her for having been contaminated by what Ethan imagines to be her society, such as it is, with Indians. "She's been living with a buck," spits Ethan, referring to Debbie's probable marriage to Scar, the Indian warrior-chief who engineered her theft. *
Coming to The Searchers for the first time, I was surprised at how fidgeted-together this supposedly great film is, how weird its quilting is, of unregenerate violence with doltish comic set pieces, all pitched against Ford's signature backdrop, the buttes and spires of Monument Valley. Though visually magnificent, the movie is otherwise off-putting to the contemporary sensibility, what with its when men were men, and women were hysterics mythos and an acting style that often appears frozen in tintype. (Hank Worden's turn, as the lovable village idiot, is particularly gruesome in this respect.) Not coincidentally, pop critics like Pauline Kael, who found much in the film "awkward," "static," and "corny," and Roger Ebert, who finds the movie flawed and "nervous," have been the most vocal dissenters in the cult of The Searchers. Its reputation lies elsewhere, with two influential and mutually reinforcing constituencies: critics whose careers emerged out of the rise of "film studies" as a discrete and self-respecting academic discipline, and the first generation of filmmakers—Scorsese and Schrader, but also Francis Ford Coppola, John Milius, and George Lucas—whose careers began in film school. The hosanna chorus for The Searchers is impossible to imagine, in other words, without the formalized presence of film in the university curriculum. The question, then, is: Why did the curriculum attach so intensely to so obviously flawed a movie?
That Ford should be admired and dissected by a legion of academics would have been amusing to Ford, a self-styled man's man (and by many accounts, a self-styled drunk's drunk) who once said, "My name is John Ford. I make Westerns," as laconic a kiss-off to one's nerd-cultists as one could imagine. But of course, it is Ford's status, and even more so Wayne's, as troubling anachronisms that help levitate the reputation of The Searchers. For everything in The Searchers can be said to be "problematized," that favored term of art for film and culture studies, starting with the old standbys race and gender but moving on quickly to Wayne and Ford themselves. As has been pointed out, Wayne's image, a vital component of which had been made in war films like Back to Bataan and The Sands of Iwo Jima, films contemporary to a popular war, was in serious decline by the 1970s; and that image, the distillation of white American machismo, was not surviving an unpopular war intact. (Both Ford and Wayne were vocal supporters of the U.S. intervention in Vietnam.) The argument that Ford, and by extension Wayne, set about in the mid-'50s to "subvert" (another film-studies byword) their own meticulously constructed personas as defenders of a heroic code of the unsettled West was first floated in the early days of film studies, and has been catnip to the institutional critic ever since.
For what The Searchers fails to provide (by way of pleasure) to a paying audience is well-compensated for by what it offers up (by way of raw material) to the interpretation factory. Every woman in the film is a tautly drawn and sexless pioneer wife, until we finally see the Comanche-adopted Debbie, played by the ravishing Natalie Wood. "These are my people," says little Debbie, now not so little and quite the stone fox in her snug Comanche outfit. "Unt-mea. Go. Go." Later, in the climax of the film, Ethan finally has Debbie in his sights. He has scalped—though not himself killed—his nemesis, Scar, but does not know that Debbie has at last consented to return to white society. And so he prepares, gun drawn, to exterminate her. I stand with the detractors of this silly film, but what follows must count as one of the more thrilling moments in anyone's movie-watching life. Wayne places his hands under the terrified Natalie Wood's armpits, then raises her up to the sky, examining her—murderously? Paternally? He then drops her into his arms and utters his first soft words of the film: "Let's go home, Debbie."
Now, "Why didn't he kill her?" is right up there with "Why does Hamlet dither?" and "Did the governess really see Quint and Miss Jessel?" as one of the great seminar unanswerables; it is sure to keep discussion going for the allotted 50 minutes, along with: Wait, why did he want to kill her in the first place? Was he in love with Debbie's mother, his milquetoast of a dead brother's dead wife? Why is Debbie the only hint of good sex in the movie? Are Ethan and Scar doppelgängers? Does Ethan spare Debbie because the scalping of Scar has purged him of his own most perturbing desires? Who knows? In later years, Wayne was asked about the strange depth of Ethan's obsession. "He did what he had to do," answered Wayne, mangling the basic details of the plot. "The Indians fucked his wife." A movie made by semiprimitives will submit more docilely to extensive Rorschaching than a self-consciously dark and mature Western like Little Big Man or McCabe and Mrs. Miller. As is so often the case, Kael deserves the last word: "You can read a lot into The Searchers, but it isn't very enjoyable."
Well, not quite the last word. Why did The Searchers become, as one critic has put it, the "Super-Cult movie of the New Hollywood," inspiring such '70s classics as Star Wars, Taxi Driver, and Hardcore? In styling themselves as something other than well-credentialed nerds, the first generation of film school grads to take over Hollywood had two archetypes of directorial cool to draw upon—the sly European émigré (Wilder, Lubitsch, von Stroheim, Lang) or the homegrown American he-man (Ford, Huston, Hawks). They sampled liberally from both, of course, but in Ford's Ethan the avatars of New Hollywood found a very romantic allegory for the director as monomaniacal obsessive, on a quest that others along the way may only find perverse. Ethan was reborn in Travis Bickle, et al., because Ethan and Travis Bickle were means for allowing otherwise unworldly men to live out, vicariously, an earlier romance of moviemaking, before filmmakers pedigreed themselves with advanced degrees. (Ford hadn't gone to film school; he started as a studio ditch-digger.) Ah ha! So that is why Ethan doesn't kill Debbie! Because at the end of the day, the half-crazed auteur must finally give way to the crowd-pleaser, right? And so when Wayne finally hunts down Debbie, only to raise her up, it's a moment of pure cinema. …Well, I don't know. And neither did John Ford.


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Topic: Review of Star Wars Clone Trooper Helmet
I thought I should post this in here, since its about a toy/collectable. But of course, feel free to move it.
Last friday, I happened upon this at my local toy store on my way to the train station.
http://www.amazon.com/Clone-Trooper-Voi … B0013TM6KY
It's a plastic helmet, which is meant to be the clone trooper helmet from Star Wars. At first, I was skeptical, thinking that this thing was probably just the front piece, then it had like a head band to hold it to your head. But it's actually the entire helmet. I decided to get it, cost around 499,- kroner (Norwegian currency, around 88 bucks.)
I took it home, and it took about fifteen minutes to get it open. (Tie downs, plastic, it was a nightmare!) It comes in six pieces, which you have to put together to get the whole helmet. And the pieces don't fit together 100%, which is a bummer. (But nothing a little elbow grease and brains can't fix. More on that another time.)
It's got some sound effects, the speaker sits on top of your head, with buttons on the right side of the helmet. There's two buttons which gives off various clone trooper sound effects, and one larger button on the bottom, which gives your voice a statticy sound with a radio "on-off" sound. The helmet, is way to large for children, but fits adults perfectly. There is also an udjustable head strap that you put snap on inside.
Would be cool, but unfortunately, the mike sits below your chin in the helmet! Which means A.) You have to shout very loudly to get the mic to pick up your voice, drowing out the neat static effect, or B.) You have to hold the helmet up a little so the mic and your mouth align. Another bummer, but like above, it can be fixed if you take the time.
Here's some pictures of the thing, and me wearing it.
Through the eyes of a clone trooper...
I find the helmet quite interesting, especially the possiblities for it. There's one thing that caught my eye. On the sides (close to your ears) there are small prefforated holes, looks like the designers had intended to put speakers or something like that on the inside. Begs for a radio/walkie-talkie mod!
I plan on messing around with this helmet, and here is a quick list of what I intend on doing.
1.) Radio mod with speakers. I'd love to intertwine the radio with the built in mic so you get the radio sound effects as well as the static noise when you use the walkie-talkie.
2.) The "grill" down by the mouth, I intend on making it glossy black, unlike the dark grey it is now. I'm also going to be adding black foam behind it, to cover up the openings.
3.) I plan on permenantly attaching all the pieces with glue, so they sit tight, and won't come loose.
4.) Put a layer of tint over the visor, because you can clearly see it in the picture with me wearing it, that my eyes show.
5.) Eventually use plaster or another type of filler to close gaps, openings, and anything else that shouldn't be ajar/open on the helmet.
6.) Fix the openings on the rear grill thingy.
7.) Give it a very glossy paint job with a clear coat.
More ideas will come, if you have any, shoot them up here. I'll be making a new thread with a complete list, and progress pictures.
Overall, I'll give the helmet a six out of ten rating. Awesome helmet, but falls short on stupid things like mic placement, the visor is bigger then it should be, pieces that don't fit the way they should. Worth eighty-eight bucks? No, but you won't have to pay that much for it back in the states! And don't get this for any kids, you'll have to use a lot of foam on the inside to make it sit properly. Even then, will the kid have problems looking out. (That's based on the reviews I've read on the helmet.) Remember, the helmet is BIG.
Click the pictures for larger versions.


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Ex-Iowa, Nebraska pastor sentenced in sex assault
OMAHA, Neb. —
A former minister already sentenced for sexual assault in Iowa has been given a 30-year sentence in Nebraska.
Fifty-seven-year-old Efrain Umana had pleaded no contest and was convicted of sexually assaulting a minor in Omaha. Court records say he was sentenced on Thursday.
The sentence is to run at the same time as his Iowa sentence. He'd been convicted in January 2011 in Pottawattamie County of sexually abusing four females. Most of those incidents occurred at a church Umana led in Council Bluffs.


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Gabriel Landeskog scored a goal and assisted on rookie Nathan Mackinnon's go-ahead score, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Saturday night for their second six-game win streak this season.
Ryan O'Reilly also had a goal and Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 29 saves for the Avalanche, whose 12-1 start is the best in franchise history. P.A. Parenteau added an empty-net score at 19:22 of the third.
Brendan Gallagher scored a power-play goal for the Canadiens.
Landeskog, who had the game's first goal, fired a shot from the wing that bounced away from goalie Peter Budaj. Mackinnon backhanded the rebound into the net to put the Avalanche on top 2-1 at 8:01 of the third. Little more than three minutes later, O'Reilly got a wraparound shot through Budaj for another goal.


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Guest Blogger
CAPTCHA-less Security: Accessibility of CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA is perceived as a quick and effective way to stop bots from performing abusive actions on a website. But how accessible are the codes for persons with disabilities, finds out Karl Groves.
Bots are often deployed to do things like automatically enter spam into email forms or comment forms. They can also be used to submit fraudulent entries in other forms such as registration forms or to voting forms. CAPTCHA works by presenting a challenge to the user (typically in the form of an image containing jumbled-up letters) which must be solved to proceed in the interaction flow.
On the surface, CAPTCHA seems perfect because bots only have access to that which is in the document source. Text within images cannot be seen by an internet bot and therefore the bot cannot submit a response to the challenge. This is also why CAPTCHA is an accessibility problem. Requiring vision to solve the CAPTCHA locks out all persons who are blind. Lest we think only persons who are blind are impacted, they can often also lock out low-vision users and those with dyslexia – particularly when there's a lot of "noise" in the image.
Some have attempted to create alternate versions of the typical image CAPTCHA, such as the well-known reCAPTCHA which combines audio with the image. In nearly all cases, some problems with accessibility still remain. For instance, reCPATCHA is still inaccessible to the 45000-50000 Deaf-blind persons in the United States.
CAPTCHA is also not as effective as some may believe. Automated means of beating CAPTCHA have around since 2003. As CAPTCHA techniques advance, so do the means of beating them. There are even services which will employ humans to beat CAPTCHAs.
Keep this in mind at all times when considering CAPTCHA or any other security approaches on your site: The level of effort expended at abusing a system is directly proportional to the perceived benefit gained by the abuser. This applies to the recommendations I make below as well. CAPTCHA is, in many cases, very effective. Otherwise websites wouldn't use it. But it does lock real people out of your site and it can be beaten. For those reasons, I'd like to discuss some approaches of thwarting website abuse without CAPTCHA.
CAPTCHA-less Security Approaches
Because all of the code for all of my sites (except this one, ironically) is home grown, I've developed my own code to handle security as well. This has its advantages and disadvantages, primarily because it took a long time of learning (some of which painful, to be honest) for me to get my code where it is today, but I'm proud to say that using the below approaches, I've wholly eliminated all spam and fraudulent registrations on my sites that use this code. Keep in mind, the more attractive a site is for abuse, the more that abusive users will try to find exploits. As I said earlier, in certain scenarios even humans can be employed to simply overcome whatever automated methods you have in place to fight abuse. Here's what I've used with success.
Filter, Validate, Escape
Not directly related to CAPTCHA is the need to filter, validate, and escape all input. This is something every developer should be doing at all times when developing systems which utilize forms. This is something that could take up several postings related to security. Instead, I'd like to point you to Chris Shiflett and encourage you to read his articles, blog, and the books he's written on this topic. I'll go over some of these topics here and encourage you to check Chris Shiflett's work out for more details
Filter all input
Input filtering is the method by which you validate all incoming data and prevent any invalid data from being used by your application. It's very similar in theory to how water filtering works, where impurities in water are not allowed to pass Chris Shifflett.
In my approach, I filter all input from superglobals. Any key from a superglobal array that I do not expect is automatically removed. For instance, if I'm only expecting 'id' from $_GET then that is the only key that is kept. Furthermore, I strip out any input I consider out of bounds for the type of content expected. For instance, if I'm expecting a number for the value of 'id', then all non-numeric characters are stripped. If I'm expecting alphanumerics, than anything not a letter or a number is stripped, etc.
Validate everything
Validate strongly to ensure that input adheres to very specific constraints. In the PHP forms class I created for use on all my sites, I have 48 different types of validation ranging from simple string length validation to rather involved regular expressions. The type of validation in use in the final implementation depends on the type of expected input, but everything is validated in some way after input filtering. Even if a field isn't required, it still gets filtered and validated against various rules meant to prevent abuse. For some of the validation rules, the user is permanently blocked from access as soon as a submission fails.
Escape Output
In this process, any input is escaped to prevent SQL injection, XSS, mail header injection, and so on. Upon accepting submission, most of these things are validated against rather strong rules in the first place. Any signs of abuse result in immediate banning of the offender. Still, all submissions are escaped and submissions stored in a database use prepared statements. On the way out, content is escaped as well. This extra step may be seen as redundant, but helps act as an added protection (in this case, protecting the user in case previous steps were inadequate).
This article is republished from the blog http://www.karlgroves.com/2012/04/03/captcha-less-security/.
About the author: Karl Groves has nearly a decade of professional experience in web design/ development and more than six years experience doing usability and accessibility consulting for some of the largest eCommerce & software companies in the world as well as some of the largest US Federal agencies. Get in touch with Karl Groves.
Related Blog: Accessibility and Social Media - an overview by James Coltham. Click here to read.
Related Article: Recommendations for Providing Accessible Technology for Students to Enhance Personalized Learning. Click here to read.
Related Publication: Web Accessibility for Better Business Results (Innovation Series White Paper Published by G3ict). Order a copy of the report.


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Get the MotoGP 08 [ALL] Trailer off WP (39mb)
MotoGP is the world's premier motorcycling championship consisting of 18 Grands Prix hosted around the globe. It features the world's top motorcycle manufacturers such as Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Kawasaki, KTM and Aprilia, who provide machinery for the world's best riders, including reigning World Champion Casey Stoner, Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa.
The 2008 grid also includes Japan's Shinya Nakano, plus newcomers for the new season, such as 250cc World Champion Jorge Lorenzo and last year's World Superbike Champion, James Toseland, from the UK.
Commenting on the announcement Mark Beaumont, executive vice president, officer and head of Capcom consumer software publishing in the Americas and Europe said: "We are really excited to have signed this long term agreement with Dorna Sports, which for the first time grants one publisher worldwide multi-platform rights to the adrenaline fuelled world of MotoGP. We feel this move to a single publisher will greatly benefit our ability to develop titles that deliver greater authenticity and excitement to the consumer."
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, the exclusive holder of all commercial and TV rights to MotoGP commented: "Capcom has already shown its ability to deliver a title that captures the essence of MotoGP and we look forward to working with them over the next five years."
More articles about MotoGP 08


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Have one to sell?
2015 Ultra Thin The Avengers 3D Phone Case for iPhone 6
by Unknown
Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
- 100% Brand new and keep your phone fashion
- Special hybrid prevents external scratches and shocks or dirt
- Lightweight design,Comfortable touch and Durable keep
- Available to any photo or image you like for your unique Iphone Case
- Nice designed by Creative team
Have a question?
Find answers in product info, Q&As, reviews
Product description
1. Protects your Phone from scratches and accidental bumps.
2. Image Selects: besides our very offered pictures, you can email us the photo your favourite.
3. Hybrid technology: High-tech Blend Materials and Smart Laser Driver Technology make your phone shock absorbent and scratch resistant.
4. Allows access to all buttons and ports, with opening for top and side buttons, charger port/dock connector, headset jack, speaker, camera lens and flash
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text: Bing adds enhanced video search, richer location data Published on September 09, 2013. Redmond, Wash.—Microsoft Corp. has augmented its Bing Internet browser with improved video search functions as well as new location-based product data. Bing's video search now features additional filters, larger video thumbnails and hover previews with a larger pop-out window. : Related searches have been added to the right rail, the company said on the Bing blog. Also, through a partnership with online media company Local Corp. and its Krillion shopping platform, Bing searches will include richer data from more than 75,000 locations, including relevant retail locations, brands, categories and product availability data and details, according to a statement by Local Corp. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


text: Brad Pitt is set to play Steve McQueen in a biography chronicling the actor's life. McQueen made a living with his starring roles in The Great Escape and Bullitt, but is better known to us for his love of fast bikes, fast cars, and his three ex-wives. So, we can expect to see Pitt in some iconic cars, and on some vintage bike on the 70′ screen.


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IDT Super QuickInfo:
An extra 1.7 ¢ per minute charge will apply when calling from Hawaii and US Virgin Islands, and calls from Alaska, which will incur an additional 15¢ per minute charge.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
ABC's "This Week" — Reps. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, and Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
NBC's "Meet the Press" — Gov. Jay Nixon, D-Mo.; Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., and Michael Turner, R-Ohio; Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore; City Councilman Bernard Parks of Los Angeles.
CBS' "Face the Nation" — Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.; NAACP president Cornell William Brooks
CNN's "State of the Union" — Nixon; Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and William Lacy Clay Jr., D-Mo.
"Fox News Sunday" — Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas; Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.


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Fundamentally, the December payroll number showed a disappointing 74,000 gain, the smallest number in about 3 years. There were forecasts of 193,000 and the revised number for November was 241,000 new payrolls. However, many experts seem to think that the Fed won't pay much attention to this report and will stay on the path in terms of tapering. I've read maybe another $10 billion taper in January. Funny because I could have sworn that the Committee would continue to be "data driven" paying particular attention the unemployment numbers and inflation.
It is again quite confusing these gold (COMEX:GCG14) fundamentals as Carl Tannenbaum, chief economist at Northern Trust here in Chicago told CBS's Marketwatch, "I don't think [the December payroll report] means anything for the Fed," adding "This isn't the happiest economic news but it's not a disaster." That doesn't imply the Fed will be "data driven" to me. According to Bloomberg, "The Fed minutes released Jan. 8 didn't describe a detailed schedule for asset-purchase reductions. The central bank will 'continue to do, probably at each meeting, a measured reduction' in the pace of purchases, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said last month."
Again it sounds like they have a plan in place for tapering regardless of any economic data, whether it be jobs, inflation, consumer confidence, retail sales or any other type of economic data releases. "Data driven," yeah right, sounds like more confusing and mixed messages from the Fed.
Technically, on the weekly gold futures chart below I have also added some of my favorite technical indicators. They are the 9-, 20-, and 50-day simple moving averages (SMA'S), Bollinger bands (BB's, light blue shaded area) and candlesticks. These indicators tell me that gold futures are in a short to mid-term "super-trend" down. I say this because the 9-period SMA (red line) has crossed under the 20-period SMA (green line) as both SMAs are pointing lower on very sharp angles AND the market itself is trading right on or just below the 9-period SMA (red line).
The 9-period SMA is now, according to my technicals, the first area of resistance on this chart and as long as the 9-period SMA trades below the 20-period, the "super-trend" down stays in effect. The second area of resistance is the 20-period SMA (green line). Finally, according to my favorite technicals, the 50-day SMA (blue line) is the final area of key resistance. It is also important to point out the fact that all of my trend identifying indicators on this weekly chart are pointing down. Both the top and bottom lines of the BBs (light blue shaded area) and the 9-, 20-, and 50-day SMAs are all pointing lower on a nice downward angle. Remember, no technical indicators work 100% of the time. Only time will tell where we go from here.
Weekly Gold Futures Chart
It is also important to note that trends can and do change at the drop of a dime with no warning whatsoever. So for those physical bullion buyers, in my view, buying gold on any sort of dip or pull back such as we are seeing now could work out very well in the long run. However, for options on futures over the next 45-120 days I remain bearish.
Also, if gold continues to be in a mid-term "super-trend" down on the weekly chart, there could be an abundance of potential option set ups. Everything from buying puts or bear put spreads in a 3-to-1 ratio with a specific hedge in the form of buying a call for protection to selling calls with unlimited risk. If the market trends sideways we can still sell calls, but that requires a very well-funded account, has unlimited risk, and is not for everyone.


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Beaumont/Port Arthur
A woman claiming to be someone else was arrested for marijuana possession and failure to identify after police say they caught her behind a Vidor business collecting copper wire.
While we harbor no disrespect for the Wall Street Journal who called us "that scrappy little paper from Southeast Texas," we prefer to think of ourselves as simple seekers of the truth. We're of the opinion that headlines and sound bites never tell the whole story. Our readers demand all the facts, facets and flavors of every story or event. And, they expect to be informed, educated and stirred to action.
For this week's New York Times crossword puzzle, pick up a copy of this week's The Examiner on newsstands now.


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Jennifer Lopez Asked to Quit Fiat Gig Amid Rumors of Terrorist Links
Oh no, J. Lo! Jennifer Lopez is under fire for Fiat once again, but this time the allegations are much more damaging than graffiti copyrights or being superimposed into the Bronx. An advocacy group is calling for the 'Papi' singer to drop her Fiat endorsement because of the automaker's ties to Iran's weapons program. Say what?!
The Huffington Post reports that the non-profit United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) released an open letter to Lopez, urging her to cut ties with the Italian car company. A rep for UANI wrote, "By endorsing Fiat, you are serving as a spokesperson for a company that freely does business with a regime that is developing an illegal nuclear weapons program, financing and sponsoring terrorist groups including al-Qaeda, has killed American and NATO soldiers and is recognized as one of the world's leading human rights violators." Whoa.
The ties come not directly from Fiat itself (which is what Lopez promotes), but from a Fiat subsidiary, Iveco. Iveco sells trucks in Iran, and some of these trucks may have been used to move weapons and "stage gruesome public executions." That's a big jump from just killin' it on the floor.
UANI gave Lopez a Jan. 18 deadline to announce her decision to stick with or nix being the face of Fiat. UANI spokesman Nathan Carleton said that if she stays, "This campaign will continue, and we have plans to continue highlighting [Lopez's] involvement with Fiat if necessary." UANI sent a similar letter to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne to urge the company to stop trading with Iran, pointing out that Kia and Toyota have already done away with their deals with the troubled and troublesome nation.
To be fair, we highly doubt that J. Lo was aware of the ties to terrorism, especially since Fiat's direct name wasn't associated with the allegations, but rather Iveco's. Lopez simply has the most recognizable face to attach to UANI's cause.
Considering she's a judge of a show called 'American Idol' — a beacon of pop culture democracy — we think it's safe to leave J to the L-O off any F-to-the-B-I watch lists.


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The Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) is composed of more than 70 high-quality, remote-sensing research stations for observing and understanding the physical and chemical state of the stratosphere and upper troposphere and for assessing the impact of stratosphere changes on the underlying troposphere and on global climate.
While the NDACC remains committed to monitoring changes in the stratosphere with an emphasis on the long-term evolution of the ozone layer, its priorities have broadened considerably to encompass issues such as the detection of trends in overall atmospheric composition and understanding their impacts on the stratosphere and troposphere, and establishing links between climate change and atmospheric composition.
Following five years of planning, instrument design and implementation, the NDACC began network operations in January 1991.


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product description
Related Products:
Burke, Bill, M.S.
Carbon Steel
Work by Mastersmiths
Blade Style - Hon Kasumi Style
Buffalo Horn
Carbon Steel - 52100
Distal Taper
Japanese/Asian Knives
Single Bevel
Wood - Ebony
Daniel's Picks
Maker: Bill Burke, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 91589
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***Blade length: 10.12 in.Total length: 16.12 in.Blade height (at heel): 1.45 in.Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.12 in.Item weight: 6.30 oz.Blade: 52100 carbon steel forged to antique wrought ironHandle: Octagonal macassar ebony with a buffalo horn ferule
Description: Bill Burke, who was honored as a Mastersmith June 2006, is known for creating some of the best chefs knives and hunters that can be found anywhere. His attention to geometry and balance on his chef's knives, not to mention the exceptional edge holding clearly sets him apart. This traditional single bevel yanagi immediately grabbed my attention.
The yanagi is a traditional Japanese knife used to portion boneless fish fillets. It is mainly used for a drawing cut. The heel of the knife is placed on the fish and the knife is lightly pressed down, letting the weight of the knife do the work while drawing the blade toward you. Sashimi knives are also excellent for slicing other boneless meats.
Traditional Japanese chef's knives differ from European styled knives in that they are sharpened with a bevel on only one side. The opposite side is slightly hollowed. Consequently, this right-handed knife can be honed to a sharper edge than can double bevel knives.
The blade was forged using the Kasumi technique -- a forging process which creates the misty appearance at the lamination line between two kinds of metal. It was hand forged from a combination of hard 52100 carbon steel forge-welded to a piece of Jigane wrought iron. Like his hunting knives, this yanagi was pre-tested for edge flex and cutting ability before assembly. The heat treatment followed the formulas developed by Mastersmith Ed Fowler in conjunction with Bill and creates some of the sharpest and most long lasting edges found anywhere. The wrought iron was recovered from an 1800's era anchor chain. The most exacting standards as well as considerable time are required for this type of forge work. After forging and heat treatment, the blade is tempered for a razor sharp, long lasting edge.
The traditional octagonal handle is formed from macassar ebony and has a front, jet black buffalo horn ferrule.
Truly a work of art!
Availability: Not currently available


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The now defunct Rodeway Inn at the corner of Loockerman Street and Route 13 soon will give way to a Home2 Suites by Hilton.
The furniture has been removed and protective fences raised around the now-vacant Rodeway Inn on East Loockerman Street. All that's needed now is the wrecking ball.
In place of the 51-year-old building, Thomas Kramedas said his family will build a Home2 Suites, an extended stay facility that's a new addition to the Hilton Hotels brand.
Kramedas is president of Axia Management and son of Avelina Kramedas, who owns the property.
"The Loockerman East property is where my grandparents started in the 1950s with The Hub restaurant and Quality Inn motel," Kramedas said in an email to the Dover Post. "I'm proud to redevelop this property and make it an attractive gateway to downtown Dover."
Because of the new hotel's central locale at the corner of U.S. Route 13 and Loockerman Street, its guests will be able to walk to local attractions, have lunch downtown or go for a run around Silver Lake, he said.
"I feel this will be a great place to stay when visiting Dover," Kramedas said.
According to the Hilton website, the Home2 Suites brand was launched in 2009 and already has 14 hotels throughout the country. The hotels feature larger rooms than conventional hotels, with kitchen facilities and other amenities sought by people who will be staying for more than just a day or two.
His family, which owns numerous properties throughout Kent County, has been a Hilton franchisee for years, Kramedas said. The Home2 Suites concept was perfect for Dover as it will attract military personnel, contractors and relocating families.
"We are also looking forward to accommodating guests from the new Kent County sports complex that will be opening soon," he said.
The old Rodeway opened in 1962 as a Quality Inn hotel with 94 rooms. It was long associated with The Hub restaurant, now TGIFridays, which also was owned by the Kramedas family.
The new project, which has been under development for four years, will keep the TGIFridays restaurant and a set of attached office buildings but will include an 11,230-square-foot retail facility with a total of 237 parking spaces.
The four-story Hotel2 Suites will be of brick construction with the main entrance to the east. The retail shops will be one story tall, with an exterior of brick and stone veneer. The front of the shops also will face Loockerman Street.
The city of Dover's planning commission approved the project in May 2011. One year extensions of the site plan approval were granted in May 2012 and again in May 2013.
Kramedas said construction will start this July following removal of the old building and swimming pool from the 4.3-acre site.
The new 90-room hotel will open in May 2014.


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Quick Wok-Fired Squid with Greens
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Click the heart, it's called favoriting. Favorite the stuff you like.Got it!
Author Notes: This dish doesn't get much easier to assemble. It requires less than 10 minutes of actual cooking time and about 10 minutes to prep the ingredients (even fewer if you buy your squid already cleaned).
I love the addition of the fish sauce to this dish. It adds a salty and savory note.
Depending on what's in season, you can add any number of greens, such as spinach, pea shoots, snow peas, tatsoi, and chives. - wildgreens —wildgreens
Food52 Review: We had never had squid prepared this way before, and now we wonder why. The clean, Southeast Asian flavors (ginger, garlic, lime juice, chile, fish sauce, basil) make great counterpoints to the pleasantly chewy squid, and the tingling heat keeps you wanting more. (We used only one serrano, as ours was large, but if you like spice, by all means use two.) The wilted greens, which char lightly on their first pass in the wok, still retain a little crunch and soak up all the tangy juices -- we couldn't stop sneaking back to the pan for extra forkfuls. - A&M —The Editors
Serves: 2-4
tablespoons olive oil
pound squid, bodies and tentacles, cleaned and sliced into ½ inch rings (frozen is fine)
pounds greens, such as bok choy
serrano chiles, finely diced (we used 1)
garlic cloves, thinly sliced
piece ginger, grated
tablespoons fish sauce
teaspoons brown sugar
tablespoons lime juice
bunch basil, about 1 ounce (three large stems or 1 cup lightly packed)
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When smoking hot, sauté the greens until wilted about 5 minutes, set aside.
- Add a little more olive oil to the wok, add the serrano chiles, garlic, and ginger. Add the squid and cook about 2 minutes.
- Mix the fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime. Add the fish sauce mixture and cooked greens, toss in the basil leaves and sauté until the basil is wilted.
- Serve over brown rice, or barley, which acts as a sponge to soak up the juices created during the cooking process.
- Your Best Squid or Octopus Recipe Contest Finalist!
More Great Recipes:
Seafood|Make Ahead|Gluten-Free|Entree


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: Local News
Big Ol' Fish - July 26
Submitted: 07/26/2013
- 15 year old Max Semrow of Eagle River was fishing recently on a private lake in Oneida County. While using a rubber worm on a hook, he got a strike. When he reeled in his prize, he landed this 21 inch Large mouth bass - the biggest one he's ever caught. It weighed 5 pounds. After the picture the fish was released.Olivia Woolf of Manitowish Waters was fishing with her mom and brother, when she had quite a day. While fishing on a nearby lake, Olivia caught this beautiful sunfish. Not to be outdone, she also hauled in a 10 inch large mouth bass. I'm told she was using special green eyed night crawlers on her Barbie fishing poll. Both were released after a quick picture. And Tomahawk's Toni Russo caught this 10 1/2 inch Blue Gill on the Elk River near Phillips. She was using a night crawler for bait. This one proved to be part of a very good meal.
Written By: Newswatch 12 Sports
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Suffolk University students will come together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by volunteering at local human service agencies on Monday, Jan. 21.
The University's first-ever Martin Luther King, Jr., Service Day will see students visiting the Oasis Coalition Women's Group, Rosie's Place and the Boston Rescue Mission, all of which serve homeless or indigent people in Greater Boston.
Students will interact with people of all ages in many activities, including playing games, engaging in arts and crafts, and preparing and serving meals.
"This is an opportunity for our students to honor Dr. King by serving others just as he did all of his life," said Carolina Garcia, director of Suffolk's Organization for Uplifting Lives through Service (S.O.U.L.S.). "This also allows our students to participate in community service while reflecting on the work that Dr. King did years ago and how it all connects to what they're doing now."
MLK Service Day is open to all students.
Suffolk University's annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., luncheon, hosted and sponsored by the Office of Diversity Services, will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 22, with bestselling author and award-winning filmmaker A.K. Asante, as the speaker.


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The Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes at St. Louis Children's Hospital offers a full range of clinical services for pediatric patients with endocrine and growth disorders, diabetes, and bone and mineral metabolic disorders.
Most new patients can be diagnosed and treated on an outpatient basis. For children newly diagnosed with diabetes (approximately 80 to 100 each year), a brief hospital stay is usually recommended to initiate diabetes therapy and to provide proper education for the patients and parents.


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Fryer Parts
- Restaurant Equipment Parts & Hardware
- Cooking Equipment Parts
- Fryer Parts
- FitsBrand:Imperial
- On Sale
Fried foods are as insanely popular as they ever were which is why serving up some scrumptious samples and delectable entrees with the help of a functioning fryer is an excellent way to stay on top of the game. Given the nature of the fried food beast, it's pretty easy for the components and fryer parts working behind the scenes to get a little greasy and worse for wear at times. Fortunately, many of these parts are a piece of cake to replace or repair, and picking up a few essential extras when you get the chance, can make all the difference. We've got all the strainers, stoppers, pans, baskets, and gaskets you need to create the fryer-fueled favorites your customers, friends, and family can't get enough of!
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If there's one thing that really excites me about online casino gaming it is the slot machines. They are constantly under development, and there's always new really cool launches of new games, with new functions and features. I think this is also the reason as to why slot machines have become the most popular game amongst casino players by far in later years. The development is going quite fast, and slot machines have really evolved in later years, with leading software developers like NetEnt, Betsoft, Microgaming and Playtech constantly pushing the boundaries. What's becoming more and more popular now, are the 3D slots – Slot machines with absolutely stunning graphics and animations. They really do add an extra dimension to the game, and makes it much more fun to play. Below, I have listed my favorite 3D slot machines at the moment.
After Night Falls
After Night Falls is a new slot machine from Betsoft, which is one of the market pioneers when it comes to 3D Slots. Here, we get a look into the world of the private inspector Rousseau, as he is trying to solve his latest case. Help him find out who has been cleaning out the safes of the many houses in his neighborhood. Spin the wheels and chase the cat burglar through the dead of the night – Your help will be rewarded with massive wins if you manage to catch the thieves before the end of the night! This slot machine has several interesting features such as a free spin round, moving wilds and Double up feature. Try visiting sites like casinoonline.re/se in order to find casinos that are offering this exciting slot machine .
Mad Scientist
Mr. Walter Prescott is a talented Scientist who have been working long and hard to complete his life work, which is to turn everyday objects into gold. Join this crazy alchemist on a crazy cash adventure, where you have the opportunity to cash in on some fantastic wins. In this five reel slot you will play with symbols that belong in the scientist laboratory, such as electromagnets, potions, pressure bars and hazardous material. This slot machine is also packed with some really good bonus features that are activated by hitting certain combinations on the reels.
This is the game to play for anyone who has a secret fantasy of becoming a real guitar slinging rock'n'roller. Rockstar kind of reminds you a bit of the classic videogame Guitar Hero, although this machine can actually make you rich! Get your rocks on, pour a cold refreshing beer and start playing this exciting game, which includes symbols of different rock stars as well as instruments and contracts. If you match three guitars on the same winning combination you will activate the epic guitar solo feature, where some really nice wins can be made if your solo is good enough. The main thing you are looking for, however, is the golden tickets. When you get three or more tickets on the same combination you will start the Rock Concert bonus round, which is your opportunity to prove yourself on the music scene – You will get a chance to multiply your winnings by clicking the pegs as they slide along the fret board of your guitar!


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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- After days of somber news, as South Africa's former leader Nelson Mandela clung to life in intensive care, a sliver of hope emerged Wednesday: He was responding better to treatment for a lung infection, President Jacob Zuma told Parliament Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Zuma's spokesman, Mac Maharaj, had told a radio interviewer that Mandela's health was unchanged, and that he remained in serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital.
Mandela fell ill last week and was rushed to the hospital early Saturday after his condition deteriorated sharply.
"I am happy to report that Madiba is responding better to treatment from this morning," Zuma said, using Mandela's clan name in a speech before a vote on the budget. "We are very happy with the progress that he is now making, following a difficult last few days."
Zuma urged people around the world to keep Mandela and his medical team in their thoughts and prayers.
"We appreciate the messages of support from all over the world," he said. "It is an honor for us as South Africans to share Madiba with the international community. We fully understand and appreciate the global interest in this world icon. We are so proud to call him our own."


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- Multi-Round Cartridge Filter Housings > FM12X3
12-round 30 in. Cartridges, 3 in. Flange; 250 gpm max
100% stainless steel design, V-band clamp lid closure, pressure rating 150psi. Available in 304 or 316ss.
Disclaimer: Watts product dimensions in U.S. customary units and metric are approximate and are provided for reference only. For precise measurements, please contact Watts Technical Service. Watts reserves the right to change or modify product design, construction, specifications, or materials without prior notice and without incurring any obligation to make such changes and modifications on Watts products previously or subsequently sold.
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AZ Plumbing and Air conditioning Corporation is one of the fastest growing full service Plumbing, Remodeling, appliance and HVAC companies in the United States. Having the unique ability to hold all 5 licensed in 3 different states gives us the advantage of servicing customers efficiently in North and South Florida, Alabama and Texas. When you need a qualified technician, contact your local AZ Plumbing contractor. Our technician are clean and professional, and they get it fixed right the first time. You know the price before we start. Our workmanship and parts are guaranteed.
AZ is part of the energy star and many building department.
For you consideration you will find links to all building departments AZ is registers with. Having registrations with the city's building department will give you a peace of mind that a licensed technician walks into your home.
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A Williston pawnbroker was charged last week with dealing in stolen property after an investigation into a residential burglary led back to his place of business.
Daniel Thomas Moll, 54, of Chiefland was arrested last week following a three-week investigation.
The Levy County Sheriff's Office reports the following arrests:
• May 30, Chastity Nicole Baxman, 33, Otter Creek, out of county warrant.
• May 31, Bruce Vincent Cherbonneau, 53, Williston, battery. Bond $5,000.
ª May 31, Lori Lee Cherbonneau, 48, Williston, violation of condition of release. Bond $2,500.
• June 1, Covarrubias Gonzalez, 52, Immokalee, battery. Bond $10,000.
• May 30, Billie Jo Grant, 32, Fanning Springs, robbery. Bond $75,000.
• May 25, Juanita Batten, Bronson, DUI
• May 20, Carolyn Berryhill, Gulf Hammock, false Medicaid claim, pay for Medicaid referral.
• May 20, Lori Cherbonneau, Williston, careless driving, DUI and damage property. Bond $250.
• May 25, Jeffery Neal Cherry, Bell, disorder intoxication in public place, battery. Bond $2,000.
• May 25, Todd Evan Davis, Archer, possession of cocaine, possession marijuana not more than 20 grams. Bond $6,000.
• May 5, Tonya Andrews, 39, Chiefland, petit theft. Bond $10,000.
• May 11, Ronald Allen Bouchard, 21, Williston, domestic battery by strangulation. Bond $100,000.
• May 5, Jeremiah Mitchell Branch, 32, Old Town, DWLSR, FTA. Bond $10,000.
• May 5, Keegan Campbell, 24, Gainesville, DWLS.
• May 7, Shelby Cooper, 19, Beverly Hills, disorderly intoxication. Bond $500.
• May 2, Robert Abatie, 66, Cedar Key, DUI. Bond $2,500.
• April 28, Erica Sue Allen, 36, Inglis, writ of non support.
• May 2, Jacob Logan Anderson, 20, Old Town, petit theft. Bond $1,500.
• April 29, Cody James Blair, 22, Bronson, VOP.
• April 28, Sylvia Chisolm, 30, Fanning Springs, robbery. Bond $75,000.
The Levy County Sheriff's Office reports the following arrests:
• April 27, Klaytin Ezrha Adams, 34, Chiefland, two counts possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, listed chemical for manufacturing controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, keeping a shop for drugs.
Staff Report
Levy County Sheriff's deputies investigating vehicle burglaries came across an active meth lab in Chiefland and arrested two people operating the business on Sunday, according to a Sheriff's Office press release.
The Levy County Sheriff's Office reports the following arrests:
The Levy County Sheriff's Office in partnership with the Levy County Prevention Coalition will be participating in the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency's National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative.
Copyright © 2018
The Williston Pioneer is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Levy County and Williston, Fl, and the surrounding area.


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By McKenzie Benoit
Big 12 Campus Correspondent
Humble, spunky with long, purple hair are just a few things that make senior women's cross country runner Martina Tresch stick out from the others.
A native of Rueti, Switzerland, Tresch's passion in high school was running. She finished third in the 1,500 meters, and she was runner-up in the 5,000 meters at the 2009 Swiss National Championship. High school was not going to be enough though. She wanted to continue her running career, and Kansas State was calling her name.
"I think that it is just good luck that I ended up [at K-State]," said Tresch. "I saw that Coach [Michael Smith] made athletes that were not superstars in high school just really respectable runners. I thought this was a place where I could really develop my running and that is why I wanted to come here."
Tresch was excited to be at K-State, but coming to a new country was a little difficult at first for her.
"The language barrier was difficult when I first came here, and it sometimes still is," said Tresch. "The whole team has welcomed me very well. Everyone cared so much about me which made it easier. I think we have a very good family feeling in Manhattan."
The atmosphere at K-State has been very welcoming to Tresch when she arrived to compete for the Wildcats in 2009. The sense of family and comfort has made her feel like being at home even when she is 5,000 miles away from her actual home.
"I did not have a whole lot of expectations when I first got here and did not know what I was getting myself into," said Tresch. "I am definitely glad it turned out that way. I was meant to end up here. I am thankful everyday for the people that I have met here."
Tresch has accomplished many things as a member of the Wildcats, ranging from finishing first place at the J.K. Gold Classic in her cross country debut as a freshman in 2011 to running in all six races for K-State, including the 2011 NCAA Championships where she finished 47th .
As an athlete though, there are always a few bumps in the road.
Last season, Tresch suffered an Achilles injury that forced her to redshirt her senior year in order to have another year of eligibility to run for K-State. With last season off, she is not going to let the injury put her a step back from everyone else.
"My Achilles is still sore, but we are trying to make it work day by day. Right now, we have it managed very well," said Tresch. "I do not let it bother me, and I go out and compete in cross country to the best of my ability."
Not many would know that Tresch had an injury last season. Her attitude and motivation keep her going every single day. Head cross country coach Michael Smith thinks she is mentally and physically tough.
"[Martina] has learned to adapt, and she has learned to become more patient," said Smith. "Injuries happen, and she has learned that injures are not forever. The things that she has dealt with are not career enders; they are just bumps in the road. She has learned to just roll through them, and have an attitude that allows her to come back from them and be successful."
Tresch is not in the sport of cross country for herself. Her teammates mean the world to her. She is a team player according to Smith.
"The injury was very tough on her, but look where we are now," said Smith. "She not only does this for herself, but she derives a great deal of pleasure with being with others. It is that much more fun when your team is competitive. In this sport, it is not just about the individuals. This is more about teams, and she is a team player."
Tresch is an individual that does not just care for herself, but for the team. As the lone senior on women's cross country squad, it is her responsibility to be the leader of team.
"I want to help my team get better," said Tresch. "I am not sure how much I can teach them, but I want to be there for them. I feel like I am a person someone can talk to in good or bad times. I want to be the encourager of the team."
That is just what Tresch does too.
Sophomore Mary Frances Donnelly does not know where she would be as a runner today without the help and guidance of Tresch. She believes Tresch is a quiet leader, but more importantly leads by example.
"[Martina] has been awesome," said Donnelly. "She is an amazing leader. She is a role model to so many of us. I love looking up to Martina, and being able to train with her. She is such a positive person. She is the rock of the team. She is a very humble person, and very motivated. You will never hear her complain. She is always giving it her all."
With the 2013 season underway, the women's cross country team placed first in the J.K. Gold Classic Duals and second in the Woody Greeno Invitational. The team is already coming out strong, but with Tresch being the leader of the team, she also has goals in mind for this season.
"I want to get a high team finish this year for the Big 12," said Tresch. "I have been here for so long now, and I have seen this team go through so much and develop. I think we have the people to do something special this year."
With being a leader comes great responsibility. Tresch realizes that it is her job to make sure that her and her teammates work hard to get the level they want to be by the Big 12 Championships in November.
"I am really looking forward to Big 12 competitions. We have a great group of girls on our team that can do something big," Tresch said.
Coach Smith believes that he has the right group of girls that will compete and strive to perform at the best of their abilities.
"We have runners, and we have depth," said Smith. "Those things usually equal success. My task is to keep them healthy and point them in the right direction, and they will do the rest. We are on a path to climb a mountain. We have gotten halfway up, and I can see the summit. I am hoping they make a push towards the summit, and we will be on top of the mountain looking down, and they all feel good about themselves."
Tresch and her teammates are in the race for each other and makes supporting each other a priority. Tresch thrives on that. Her best memories are not only competing to the best of her ability, but also being with her teammates, her second family.
"Being out on the course for a race and coming into the last straight away and into the huddle are times that give me chills," said Tresch. "We are all there together saying our prayer. We are getting ready for the big thing. It is indescribable."
Even though this is Tresch's last season as a Wildcat, she will not only take away her abilities of techniques of running that her teammates and coaches have taught her, but also take away life long friends and values that will help her succeed to her future.
"When playing in any sport, you learn a lot about yourself: how to push yourself, how to be disciplined and being strong," said Tresch. "It's not just for yourself, but for your teammates as well. To represent yourself, but even greater, something bigger."


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May 12th – 13th 2012 is World Migratory Bird Day. This year's theme is 'Migratory birds and people - together through time' and people all over the world will be celebrating migratory birds and the special relationship humans share with them.
Humans have a long relationship with birds, using them as food, for sending messages and as symbols of power or prestige. Migratory birds connect continents, cultures and people as they display amazing endurance as their long distance journeys.
Migrating birds are particularly vulnerable because they rely on a number of habitats as they prepare for and make their migrations. Human activities are now threatening their survival as the construction of buildings, power lines and wind turbines can act as barriers that make migrations more difficult for the birds.
World Migratory Bird Day is an annual event held to raise awareness of migratory birds and the threats they face. Many fun and interesting events are being held worldwide including bird watching, beach cleaning and a birdhouse design competition. You can find out what events are happening near you here.
Related links:


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Hello all.
Descent From Eden is a mixed venue Old World of Darkness game set in Vancouver Canada modern day. We are a diced/sheeted game that accept. Vampire (Camarilla/Sabbat), Mortals, Mage, Sorcerers and now Demon.
We are located on the Darkmyst IRC server. You can locate us on the #Descent_From_Eden channel. We are a friendly group that play when ever there are people keen. Come check us out if you are looking for a hobby that you can put what ever time you wish in, meet new people on line and have fun building your character within the city setting.
you can find Darkmyst on irc.darkmyst.net on chat programs like mIRC, chatzilla and Mibitt.
Check out our Forums for setting information and more.
Game: #Starwars_Outlaws
Location: irc.darkmyst.net
Game Info:http://starwars-outlaws.nstars.org/
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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backend default {
.host = "127.0.0.1";
.port = "80"; change to "81"
Monday, July 2, 2012
BitNami WordPress now with Varnish Cache
We have just updated BitNami WordPress to version 3.4.1 This version bundles a ready-to-use version of Varnish Cache.
Varnish Cache is a web application accelerator (also known as a caching HTTP reverse proxy) that can be installed and configured in front of any HTTP server and takes care of caching the content being served. This blog post will show you how to configure a BitNami WordPress Amazon micro instance to use the Varnish for improving the performance.
By default, Varnish is disabled. You can enable it by renaming the control script:
$ cd /opt/bitnami
$ sudo mv /opt/bitnami/varnish/scripts/ctl.sh.disable /opt/bitnami/varnish/scripts/ctl.sh
$ sudo ./ctlscript.sh start varnish
Varnish is installed with a default configuration file, agnostic to the web application being cached. Using this configuration file, although achieving high performance, could lead to some contents not bring properly refreshed in the cache so your users would get an outdated version of your site. The solution is to use a customized VCL configuration file. A good source is the Varnish examples page. In this example, we will change our default.vcl configuration file to a WordPress-specific one (you can find the source file here).
$ sudo mv wordpress.vlc /opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/
Varnish runs on port 81 by default. You may want to change it to port 80 and change Apache to a different port. We are going to use port 81 for Apache and port 80 for Varnish in this example. You will need to perform the following changes in the server configuration files:
Listen 80 change to Listen 81
VARNISH_PORT=81 change to VARNISH_PORT=80
/opt/bitnami/varnish/etc/varnish/default.vcl where it is specified the Apache port.
You can now restart the servers:
$ sudo /opt/bitnami/ctlscript.sh restart
In our real life tests running WordPress on an Amazon Web Services micro instance server, a Varnish-enabled instance was able to accommodate between 5 and 10 times more simultaneous users than a vanilla WordPress server.
7 comments:
But this only cache static content, how about dynamic content?ReplyDeleteReplies
Varnish does cache dynamic content.Delete
When i execute varnishtop I have this error:Delete
Error opening terminal: xterm.
Any ideas?
Can you check if this solve your issue? http://answers.bitnami.org/questions/4612/error-using-tput-unknown-terminal-xterm-colorDelete
It has not worked. I have the same error when I execute the commands:Delete
If I execute tput I have this error:
tput: unknown terminal "xterm"
The problem is in the TERMINFO. The workaround is:ReplyDelete
Adding export TERMINFO=/usr/share/terminfo in the
/wordpress-3.4.1-0/scripts/setenv.sh works ok.
why not memcache ?? Why varnish?ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Mplus Home
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Multiple group analysis within GGMM
Mplus Discussion
Growth Modeling of Longitudinal Data
Joo-Young Lee
posted on Sunday, February 28, 2010 - 10:35 pm
I'm trying to conduct a multiple group analysis for gender within GGMM.
When I ran separate GGMM's for males and females, the best-fitting solution for males was 4-class model, and the best-fitting solution for females was 3-class model.
What I want to do is to compare two analogous(similar-looking) trajectories from males and females in a multiple group analysis.
For example, from 2 separate GGMM's, class #4 of male and class #3 of female seem to be very similar in developmental pattern, and I want to examine whether their intercept and slope are significantly different.
I tried to start from example 8.8(GMM with known classes), but couldn't figure out how to write an input when I have different number of classes for males and females.
Would you please provide tips for writing up the input?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Monday, March 01, 2010 - 9:21 am
I would just look at these qualitatively and not try to do a statistical test unless both males and females have the same number of classes and the same classes.
posted on Friday, July 06, 2012 - 12:33 am
I have a GMM with 4 classes for girls and 3 classes for boys. I would like to compare them with regard to significant differences of intercept and slope.
With regard to your answer above: will it never be possible to do a multiple group analysis with different numbers of classes?
If so, do I have other possibilities to compare them?
Michael Spaeth
posted on Friday, July 06, 2012 - 5:43 am
From a statistical point of view your analysis plan is very tricky and I, personally, have never seen it in a publication. You would need the same number of classes and essentially the same trajectory classes (with regard to intercept, growth rate, and number of growth factors) in each subgroup respectively. If I were you, I would stick to qualitative descriptions for each subgroup (i.e., male/female) and I would try to explain (on a sound empirical basis) why you found 3 trajectory classes for boys and why there were 4 for girls. Especially the latter finding sounds very interesting and may have the potential for a nice discussion. See Wiesner, Weichold, & Silbereisen, 2007 for a similar examination of gender-specific GMMs for alcohol use. They also compared gender specific GMMs on a qualitative basis.
Michael Spaeth
posted on Friday, July 06, 2012 - 5:46 am
uupps, I meant "theoretical basis" not "empirical basis")...
posted on Friday, July 06, 2012 - 7:22 am
Thanks a lot for your opinion. That was my idea before submitting my manuscript... but the reviewers critizised that I did only qualitative descriptions for girls versus boys and suggested to do a multiple group analyses... That is the reason I asked the question...
posted on Monday, July 09, 2012 - 5:01 am
One related question:
... so I can answer to the reviewer that a multiple group analysis is not possible (or not advisable) with different numbers of classes in girls and boys?
Thanks a lot again!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Monday, July 09, 2012 - 12:05 pm
If girls and boys have classes that are very similar, you could compare those classes using multiple group analysis. But if the classes for girls and boys are different substantively, it would not make sense to compare them.
posted on Thursday, July 12, 2012 - 5:15 am
What do you mean when you say "very similar"? Does that mean the values of mean intercept and slope should be similar?
And what about the different number of trajectories in girls(4) and boys (3)? Will that be a problem?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, July 12, 2012 - 9:57 am
I mean that the trajectories of the classes have the same meaning for boys and girls, for example, start high and decline by a similar amount. You would compare only the trajectories that are similar for boys and girls. You would not compare all trajectories.
Hanno Petras
posted on Thursday, July 12, 2012 - 10:13 am
Dear Carolin,
you might find the following paper useful:
Schaeffer, C.M., Petras, H., Ialongo, N., Masyn, K.E., Hubbard, S., Poduska, J., & Sheppard, K. (2006). A comparison of girl's and boy's aggressive-disruptive behavior trajectories across elementary school: Prediction to young adult antisocial outcomes. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 500-510.
download paper contact first author show abstract
"Multiple group analysis and general growth mixture modeling was used to determine whether aggressive� disruptive behavior trajectories during elementary school, and their association with young adulthood antisocial outcomes, vary by gender. Participants were assessed longitudinally beginning at age 6 as part of an evaluation of 2 school-based preventive programs. Two analogous trajectories were found for girls and boys: chronic high aggression� disruption (CHAD) and stable low aggression� disruption (LAD). A 3rd class of low moderate aggression� disruption (LMAD) for girls and increasing aggression� disruption (IAD) for boys also was found. Girls and boys in analogous CHAD classes did not differ in trajectory level and course, but girls in the CHAD and LAD classes had lower rates of antisocial outcomes than boys. Girls with the LMAD trajectory differed from boys with the IAD trajectory."
hide abstract
posted on Friday, July 13, 2012 - 7:54 am
Thanks a lot Linda and thanks a lot Hanno, you are very helpful!
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Apr 1, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Be careful who you think are friends...wait and see their true colors
Oct 31, 2009 at 7:37 pm
love the photo!
Oct 22, 2007 at 10:24 pm
I was at year one last week and didnt get to see the first bandit! I was mad!!!! Great pics! was that on the way to the year one experience and the bandit run?


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
"There is such joy in the building when you are here," said Pastor Larry Baird of Trinity United Methodist Church as he addressed the 110 women who attended the 25th anniversary celebration of Women of the Word on Thursday, Dec. 13.
Trinity Church is hosting the interdenominational Christian group for a second year as the women from Grand Island and surrounding communities in Erie and Niagara counties engage in a weekly small group and lecture-formatted Bible study. The 2012-13 topic is the Old Testament Book of Genesis.
Women of the Word, nicknamed WOW, began on Grand Island in 1988 with lessons brought from California by Barbie Bird of Whitehaven Road Baptist Church. Together with 26 women from other Island churches, Bird approached the Grand Island Ministerium for permission to begin the group, opening it to women of all ages (and their pre-school children). The pastors told Bird that the interdenominational nature of the group would prove to be a problem, but to go ahead and try.
The group launched in the fall of that year, with lessons written by Lois Lindley, founder of Workmen of the Word in California. Other WOW groups have functioned across the country and internationally, but the Grand Island version is the only one with members having diverse Christian church affiliations. All groups have the common goals of using the Bible alone as their final theological authority, of increasing Bible literacy and of nurturing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Honored at the anniversary celebration was Beryl Kinney, who has functioned as one of the teaching leaders at WOW since its inception. After watching a commemorative video tribute, Kinney commented that WOW's success must come completely from God, especially in light of the fact that people said the concept would never work. She elaborated with a verse from the Old Testament book of Proverbs: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."
Women of the Word is on Christmas break right now, but will resume small group and lecture time on Thursday, Jan. 3, at 9:30 a.m. Women are encouraged to join at any time during the WOW year. No previous Bible experience is necessary. For a nominal fee, care for infants and a pre-school program for 3-to-5-year-olds are available to moms and grandmothers who attend.
For more information, email [email protected], or contact Patty Cancilla at 716-773-9109 or Kathy Duff at 716-773-2684.


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Jack Reacher wrote:I hope this topic doesn't come off as being too dark, but I think its an interesting philosophical question. To me it seems that a spiritual belief is a belief that is really based on a kind of faith, there is little scientific evidence that supports it but none that rejects it. In order to actually believe in a spiritual concept, you have to think of it in an irrational way, in other words believe in it simply because your intuition thinks its right.
I'm not sure if i really understand this post. I think you are just maybe questioning your own beliefs about spirituality and wondering if others feel the same?? The good old idea about the right brain and left brain being separate and operating independently. A lot of things that are spiritual are considered "irrational" but how do we know that's just what we've been told?? How do you know if you don't operate with both your rational and irrational mind as a spiritual being??? And if these experiences are so irrational why do they happen to even the most rational minded most scientific minded people?? In fact why does it happen at all ?? That's more like it!
Hmm i don't even really know what spirituality is apart from the fact that it's living as a spirit in a body and having different experiences on different levels. I used to think spirituality was a path, and I'm spiritual but then my own experiences have challenged my own beliefs. Maybe there's different definitions of everything, and it need not necessarily be put in one box. I'm only going to speak for myself. Since being outside the confines of religion I've learned much much more about the universe, the Bible, the human mind, society, possible answers to so-called "unexplained scientific phenonema" like bermuda triangle, bigfoot, aliens, ESP, psychic ability, deja vu, ufos, and it goes on and on and on and on, and also other galaxies, aspects of myself, the nature of reality, the human body and health and literally still learning.I used to think some of these things were "evil" since that's what I was taught, and I didn't even know about some of these things ...or so i thought...maybe i already did...but all it was doing was limitting myself and my mind. The more i studied them the more my mind opened or maybe even "re-opened".
I feel like any questions we could possibly have already have an answer because there's tons of information out there on the internet and even through psychedelics like DMT, ayahuasca, in books, ancient artifacts, ancient carvings and sculptures, through lucid dreams and even some people are and have been able to access Akashic records like Edgar Cayce and others..Is there anything we couldn't possibly do or access?! It's like someone somewhere has already answered the question or discovered it, maybe ancient civilisations already drew it on carvings and walls. Like how people discover the way the solar system is , or the structure of the earth or the flower of life and how it's the template from which every living thing is created and about so-called hidden things that our governments, illuminati, secret societies or whatever are trying to distract us from. What if we already know these things?? What if you could simply tap into the collective unconscious mind and draw out everything you wanted..it's not like this hasn't been written about or studied in psychology or metaphysics!! Of course these may be considered irrational, or may have been, but i feel most could even be explained and studied by science if scientists wanted..how about the face on Mars, or polar shifts that have occured changing the position of the north and south poles due to major catastrophes like Noah's flood..? There's evidence of all this and it wasn't just based on intuition.. There's a video on youtube about this but i think it might be too challenging...Peter wrote:Yip, to me they are belief systems and I dont want to be a part of them. When I express experiences and people tell me that they are deeply spiritual and so on I say not they are not. They are experiences and and that's all, I toss out belief systems like bad apples as fast as I can. Oh? is my ideal a belief system LOL
There's nothing wrong with believing or thinking that there's more out there than you've been told or having "extraordinary "experiences because i guarantee you there's someone out there who has had the same..It's pretty much like the 100th monkey experiment..somehow someone somewhere will always know something that you know and eventually you start hearing more of it or seeing it more frequently and you realize that more people are becoming aware of it or doing it. Isn't that what is happening now? It's like consciousness travels and many people are questioning reality whereas before everyone was stuck to their orthodox beliefs and views they were force-fed with growing up, pretty much like I was. it just shows you want to know more of something that you probably already knew or someone already knows and has published or yet to publish etc..it doesn't mean you're crazy or a freak..you shouldn't view spiritual experiences as "bad apples" but rather something you can learn from. Why would you put them in that category?? But it's up to you if you choose to not be a part of it since you are the captain steering the ship and no-one else.So basically, are all spiritual practices really just coping mechanisms to briefly escape reality?
I happen to think the most curious, most spiritual, most deep seeking/thinking people are some of the most interesting and intriguing people around since they tend to make the most discoveries, have the most significant influences and breakthroughs in their fields. There's Tesla with Tesla energy and his inventions which are now being investigated and expanded on by croatian scientists, Andrew Basiago and his teleportation experiments, there's Robert Monroe with the institute of OBEs and research, Reich with orgone energy, there's Bill Hicks who spoke about how life is just like a ride at an amusement park and how it's not "real", Bob Marley who always sang about legalizing marijuana and freeing our minds and cannabis has been known to have medicinal properties. There's Bruce Lee who was highly philosophical in everything he did and there's many others like Tupac, Michael jackson and so on and sadly they are all dead. Everyday someone makes a discovery or proposes something and many times they are shut down or called "Hippies", "fake" "conspiracy theorists", and so on. Quantum physicists have made discoveries about time and space being one and the same, there's been disclosure by ex-cia and other ex government officials and members about advanced technology etc. Many of these people have been influential in their fields and/or worldwide through and didn't they make a mark and question everything?? Many of them were highly respected and they may have been seen as "nutjobs" the moment they started questioning but all it was was that they just one day started to see things differently which actually accomplished something huge. I doubt they were highly irrational people. I doubt Bill Hicks, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, George Carlin, Ghandi , Bob Marley, Martin Luther King, Bruce Lee and Michael Jackson lacked logical left brain functions when they spread the messages they did. You could say they lived more in the "right brain" intuitive way promoting peace, love, freethinking and freedom but they were also very smart which is associated with "left brain" side. Most have passed, but they did accomplish something great and heroic.They gave us a different perspective of life and reality as we know it.
There's nothing wrong with being religious either, but this is my path i chose since it is helping me and although it has often helped me to "cope" i feel that spirituality and other densities/dimensions and planes of existence do exist because there's things that that occur that we can't explain. I believe there's much more to know and just cos science hasn't disclosed it publicly does not mean it doesn't exist. I've learned more in the 5 years outside christianity than in the 11 years of a strict religious life. Also many of my questions have been answered. It's basically like previously being in a dark box with a tiny hole in and being exposed to seeing through that tiny hole for most of your life, but then you are freed from that box and you now find yourself looking from outside the box, able to see all the different dimensions, and everything else out there;pretty much like your consciousness and perspective expanding. Of course many of my views and previously held opinions were not only challenged by shattered and now I'm a very different person from who I used to be, and i dare say much better person. In some ways spirituality and "breaking free" from limitation has been a major source of comfort knowing that things do happen in the world for a reason and that we're constantly changing as beings on this planet.
At times i have often wanted to only be experiencing spiritual things and not be around materialism or mundane everyday things and often felt i couldn't cope with the stresses of life and it often made me depressed, since i find myself in some horrible situations and i felt like the harder i pushed away facing everyday without having a massive spiritual life changing lucid dream or OBE or even astral projection experience, the harder it was to have those experiences because I was depending too much on them and maybe limitting their function as a result or my ego get in the way. I realized that the day I didn't struggle as much or care as much to go through something spiritual to help me get on with the day, it just happened, freely. In other words i "flowed" with the flow of things. Maybe you should too. Maybe the two are not inseparable, and maybe everyday is some sort of spiritual experience. We could just be higher beings residing in a body, otherwise we wouldn't go to other states when we sleep at night (dreams)? People couldn't have NDEs or astral project if we were just solid bodies/machines with nothing else and all these unexplained spiritual phenomena like time travel and being able to travel through space. Believe it or not my greatest consolation comes from knowing that everything we're experiencing now is not going to last forever, and there's the possibility that reality may only be just a holographic projection of our minds;an illusion.
That's why we should have fun for the moment we have whether we choose to do it in materialistic things or in "Higher things" its your choice but I intend on living life based on my beliefs, and what resonates with me and i think that's fine too !!!
Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion.


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WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — A Colorado man accused of attacking his estranged wife and kidnapping his three-year-old son has been ordered deported from Canada.
Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board ruled Friday that Monty Ray Turner should be deported because of the serious criminal charges.
Turner, 51, is suspected of breaking into his estranged wife's Colorado home last month, attacking her with a stun gun and pepper spray and kidnapping their son.
Turner and his son were discovered the next day at a motel in Brandon, Manitoba.
Turner's lawyer said at a hearing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that her client wants to return to the U.S. as soon as possible to face the charges.


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Scores for Oct. 5
Mio AuSable 26
Au Gres-Sims 48
Standish-Sterling 17
Manistee 0
Oscoda 52
Hale 20
Whittemore-Prescott 14
Brown City 18
Gaylord 6
Ogemaw Heights 56
Scores are posted as they are reported. To report a score call 989-787-0476.
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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — More same-sex couples are obtaining marriage licenses and getting married in Boulder County even though gay marriage remains illegal in Colorado.
Clerk Hillary Hall began issuing licenses Wednesday after a federal appeals court ruled that Utah's same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional. More couples showed up Thursday to get licenses and some were quickly married by simply signing their certificates, a process allowed under Colorado law.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver put the ruling on hold in case of a possible appeal, so Utah's ban is still in place. Colorado also has such a ban.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers and legal analysts say the decision has no legal impact until the case is settled.
Levi Healy and Josh Hufford, a couple in their 30s from Denver, said they decided to get married before Suthers tried to stop the effort.


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At the Fanfaire!
Art and law panel discussion
Attorneys Bert Krages and Leonard DuBoff.
Last year, this lecture was one of the most interesting and highly attended. The speakers share information regarding copyright issues. Then, answered questions from the audience.
This year, weve added a second session of this popular lecture. The subjects will be what has been a hot topic on several websites including this one.
Your right to take photographs is in Very Serious Danger. and other legal issues we photographers face regarding first Amendment Rights issues. Then we will have another round on Copyrights and both will follow up with Questions and answers form the audience.
For more information of these two speakers go to,
www.krages.com and www.dubofflaw.com.
For more information about PPF and the Fanfaire, call or email Robert Brummitt at 503-614-0161 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Visit Portland Photographers Forum website at www.portlandphotoforum.org.