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Brussels, 31 May 2011
EU Economic governance: a major step forward
The EU and its Member States have taken a series of important decisions that will mean stronger economic and budgetary coordination for the EU as a whole and for the euro area in particular. In this way, an imbalance that has existed between the two parts of Europe's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is being rectified. The decisions will ensure that Member States more closely coordinate their economic policies – something the crisis has shown to be essential. As a result, the EU's interdependent economies will be better placed to chart a path to growth and job creation. It is a major step forward.
The new economic governance is based on the three main responses to the crisis:
1. Reinforcing our common economic agenda with closer EU surveillance
2. Safeguarding the stability of the euro area.
In 2010, the EU responded to the sovereign debt crisis by setting up temporary support mechanisms, which will be replaced by the permanent European Stability Mechanism (ESM) in 2013. These support measures are helping to safeguard the financial stability of the euro area. They are conditional on rigorous fiscal consolidation and reform programmes, and are developed in close cooperation with the IMF.
3. Repairing the financial sector.
The EU has established new rules and agencies to address any problems earlier and make sure all financial players are properly regulated and supervised. Further work will be carried out, including the more systematic and rigorous bank stress tests currently taking place. A healthy financial sector is essential to allow businesses and households access to credit.
1. Reinforcing our common economic agenda with closer EU surveillance
A common framework is essential for the EU to tackle its economic challenges and return to a stronger growth path. In the past, the lack of a clear system of economic governance between Member States led to imbalances and lost opportunities, and made the EU more vulnerable when the crisis hit. To ensure that those days are behind us the Commission proposed the Europe 2020 strategy, which was endorsed by the European Council in June 2010. The strategy brings together (1) a common economic agenda and (2) a stronger EU surveillance framework, which should be decided upon and monitored in a synchronised way (3).
1.1 Europe 2020, the Annual Growth Survey and the Euro+ Pact
The Europe 2020 strategy * 1 is the EU's common economic agenda – a plan to move beyond the crisis and boost smart, sustainable and inclusive growth over the next 10 years. It deals both with short-term challenges linked to the crisis and the need for structural reforms and growth-enhancing measures needed to help Europe recover from the crisis and make its economy more resilient to economic shocks in the future.
Europe 2020 is based on a simple and effective delivery mechanism, made up of targets, concrete priority actions and monitoring. It consists of:
1.2. Tighter EU surveillance of economic and fiscal policies
Over the past few years, the EU has not been able to respect the goals it set itself on economic and fiscal policies, partly because of a surveillance mechanism that was not stringent enough. To address this, on 29 September 2010 the Commission presented six legislative proposals (the so-called Six-Pack11). The European Parliament and the Council are expected to give their final agreement to the package in June 2011. The package has three main objectives:
- 1st objective: Stronger preventive action through a reinforced Stability and Growth Pact
Member States must avoid excessive public deficits (beyond 3% of GDP) and excessive debt (beyond 60% of GDP), so as not to put fiscal sustainability at risk. These rules are enshrined in the Treaties and detailed in the Stability and Growth Pact* (SGP).
This is achieved both through surveillance of national budgets and surveillance and coordination of economic policies (based on Article 121 of the Treaty). To this effect, each year Member States set out the structural reforms and efforts needed to achieve fiscal sustainability in their Stability or Convergence Programmes* (SCP).
The new governance system introduces three key changes:
When Member States do not respect the thresholds laid down in the Treaties, the Excessive Deficit Procedure* (EDP) is triggered. However, the current fiscal situation in almost all Member States, and the sovereign debt problems in some, show that the existing EDP was not effective. The Commission has proposed giving teeth to the SGP through better enforcement and the ability to fine Member States (as outlined above). The two key changes are:
- 3rd objective: reducing macro-economic and competitiveness imbalances.
Over the past decade, Member States have made divergent economic choices, leading to competitiveness gaps and to major macroeconomic imbalances within the EU. A new surveillance mechanism will be set up to identify and correct such issues much earlier. It will rely on the following main elements:
1.3. The European Semester
In the past, the EU Institutions looked at economic policy in the spring and fiscal frameworks in the autumn, with the implementation by Member States of commitments made at EU level only reviewed retrospectively. Basically, we decided on economic objectives without necessarily knowing how much money we could mobilise.
From now on, Member States and the Commission will discuss structural reforms, growth-enhancing measures and fiscal surveillance at the same time. These discussions will occur at EU level every year from January to June (the European Semester*12 actually refers to the first semester of each year). In this way, Europe will ensure consistency between economic decisions and budgetary constraints so as to reinforce their effectiveness and improve delivery at national level. The extra commitments taken under the Euro+ Pact will also be fully integrated into this new process.
How will it work?
2. Safeguarding the stability of the euro area
The economic crisis has put great pressure on public finances, increasing levels of deficits and public debt in all Member States. Three non-euro area Member States have been granted financial assistance by the EU (through the balance of payments mechanism), IMF and World Bank, in exchange for agreeing to implement programmes of fiscal consolidation and structural reforms. The first was agreed with Hungary, which received disbursements of €5.5bn between October 2008 and November 2010. A second programme was approved for Latvia in January 2009, in exchange for assistance of up to €7.5bn. And a third programme was agreed with Romania for €5bn in May 2009. The Romanian and Latvian programmes are currently ongoing.
The evolution of sovereign debt has become a matter of serious concern since 2010 and has closed access for some euro area Member States to sustainable sovereign debt refinancing on the market.
To guarantee the stability of the euro area as a whole and assist individual Member States in financial difficulties and/or under serious market pressure, temporary mechanisms have been set up as a backstop of last resort. An agreement has also been reached on a permanent mechanism to be put in place as of 1 July, 2013.
Financial assistance can be provided to a euro area Member State which requests it, subject to strong conditionality reflected in an economic adjustment programme to be negotiated by the Commission and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in liaison with the European Central Bank (ECB). With such mechanisms, the EU has the capacity to act to defend the euro, even in the most stressed scenarios. They are a clear reflection of the common interest and solidarity within the euro area, as well as the individual responsibility of each Member State before its peers.
- Mechanism of bilateral loans (for Greece). An ad hoc mechanism was set up on 2 May 2010 to face the imminent threat of Greek insolvency. The euro area Member States agreed to provide, together with the IMF, €110bn of financial assistance to Greece in the form of bilateral loans, with specific interest rates, for a period of three years. These loans were made conditional on a strict fiscal consolidation programme, and were discussed with the Commission, the ECB and the IMF. The Commission monitors progress through quarterly missions and reports to Finance Ministers.
The agreement of 11 March 2011 aligned the maturities of both the future and already disbursed tranches of the loans to Greece with those of the loan to Ireland (seven-and-a-half years on average). Furthermore, it was decided to reduce the pricing of both the future and already disbursed tranches of the loans of the Greek facility by 100 basis points.
- Temporary mechanisms worth up to €500bn (2010–2013). In the face of persistent pressure on the sovereign debt markets, the euro area Member States and the Commission decided on 10 May 2010 to set up two temporary financial backstop mechanisms worth up to €500bn to support any other euro area countries which could need financial support. These are the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism* (EFSM), based on guarantees from the Community budget up to €60bn; and the European Financial Stability Facility* (EFSF), an inter-governmental body providing up to €440bn in guarantees from the euro area Member States. The IMF decided to complement these mechanisms with a potential financial support to euro area countries of up to €250bn.
In November 2010, Ireland requested €85bn in assistance from these newly set up mechanisms, following a sharp deterioration in its fiscal position due to extraordinary banking problems which came on top of the impact of the recession. A programme was negotiated by the Commission, the IMF and the ECB. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden decided to complement this assistance mechanism with bilateral loans14.
In light of the Irish experience and in order to face any other request before 2013, the 24-25 March European Council further improved key elements of these temporary mechanisms. The pricing of the EFSF's loans (and subsequently those of the EFSM) has been lowered to better take into account the debt sustainability of the assisted countries, while remaining above the funding costs of the facility, in line with the IMF's pricing principles. The EFSF's scope of activities has also been made more flexible: it may, as an exception, intervene in the primary debt market (i.e. buying newly issued sovereign bonds) in the context of a programme with strict conditionality. Finally, the agreed lending capacity of the EFSF of €440bn will be made fully effective, as recommended by the Commission. The amendments to the EFSF legal agreement will be prepared so as to allow national parliamentary procedures to be completed by the end of June 2011, in full respect of national constitutional requirements.
In May 2011, financial assistance of €78bn was also granted to Portugal to enable the country to deal with its financing difficulties. Two thirds of the assistance will come from EU sources: €26bn from the EFSF and €26bn from the EFSM, with the remaining €26bn provided by the IMF. The assistance will be disbursed over three years, conditional on the outcome of quarterly assessments of Portugal's implementation of the agreed programme, comprising an ambitious fiscal adjustment, a wide range of reforms to enhance growth and competitiveness and measures to reinforce the stability of the financial sector.
- European Stability Mechanism* (as of 1 July, 2013). Last autumn, euro area Member States decided to set up a permanent mechanism, enshrined in the Treaty, as a structural response to any future request for financial assistance beyond 2013.
The European Stability Mechanism15 (ESM) will provide a permanent crisis resolution framework and will assume the role of both the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) in providing external financial assistance to euro area Member States from 1 July, 2013. Access to ESM financial assistance will be provided on the basis of strict policy conditionality under a macro-economic adjustment programme and a rigorous analysis of public-debt sustainability, which will be conducted by the Commission together with the IMF and in liaison with the ECB. The beneficiary Member State will be required to put in place an appropriate form of private-sector involvement, according to the specific circumstances and in a manner fully consistent with IMF practices. Non-euro area Member States may decide to participate in operations conducted by the ESM on an ad hoc basis (as it is the case now with Ireland).
The terms of the ESM, including its governance, capital structure and repartition, location, instruments and IMF involvement, were agreed by the euro area summit on 11 March and confirmed by the European Council on 24-25 March. The ESM will have an effective lending capacity of €500bn (a total subscribed capital of €700bn, from which €80bn will be in the form of paid-in capital and €620bn in a combination of committed callable capital and of guarantees from euro area Member States).
The Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (Article 136) will be amended to set up the ESM. After the Commission and the European Parliament gave their positive opinions, the European Council agreed on this change in February and March 2011, paving the way for national ratifications.
3. Repairing the financial sector
Since the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008, EU action has focused on filling in the gaps in financial sector regulation and strengthening the supervision of this sector, with a view to improving stability, transparency and confidence.
In parallel, work is ongoing to ensure the viability of the banking sector and overcome the crisis.
Annual Growth Survey (AGS) – Presented by the Commission at the start of each year, the AGS sets out the economic priorities for the EU to boost growth and jobs for the next twelve months. The AGS is the basis for the Spring European Council to issue its guidance, which is then translated into national plans by April/May. The presentation of the AGS also marks the start of the European Semester.
Euro+ Pact – The Euro+ Pact is a complementary agenda to the AGS, setting out additional reforms to which the euro area Member States have committed, and to which other Member States can sign up if they wish (Bulgaria, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania have done so). The Pact, agreed in March 2011, focuses on competitiveness, employment, sustainability of public finances and reinforcing financial stability.
Europe 2020 – This is the EU's common economic agenda: a ten-year reform strategy to boost growth and job creation while promoting social inclusion and combating climate change. Agreed in March 2010, the strategy sets out five levers for growth and five targets to be achieved by 2020 in relation to employment, research & innovation, energy, education and poverty reduction.
European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) – Established in May 2010, the EFSF is an inter-governmental body able to lend up to €440bn to euro area countries in need of financial support. The euro area Member States themselves provide the loan guarantees. The EFSF will be replaced as from 1 July, 2013 by the ESM.
European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM) – Also set up in May 2010, the EFSM is available to provide loans of up to €60bn to euro area Member States in need of financial support. The EFSM is guaranteed by the Community budget, without being effectively paid from the budget itself. The EFSM will also be replaced by the ESM as of 1 July, 2013.
European Stability Mechanism (ESM) – The EU's permanent crisis resolution mechanism will be operational from 1 July, 2013. It will replace the EFSM and the EFSF as the vehicle through which financial assistance will be provided to euro area Member States in need. Assistance will be on the basis of strict policy conditionality and tied to a macro-economic adjustment programme. The terms of the ESM were agreed at the March 2011 European Council. It will have an effective lending capacity of €500bn. To allow for the establishment of the ESM, a change has been agreed to Article 136 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.
European Semester – Starting in 2011, the first half of each year will see a cycle of intensive policy coordination between the EU Institutions and the 27 Member States on both the economic agenda and budgetary surveillance. This is a key element of the enhanced economic governance. The Semester kicks off in January with the presentation by the Commission of the Annual Growth Survey, which sets out the priorities for the EU in terms of economic reform and fiscal consolidation. These priorities are then discussed and endorsed by the March European Council. In April, Member States submit their National Reform Programmes and their Stability or Convergence Programmes to the Commission and to their peers. The Commission then issues recommendations on these programmes, which are endorsed by the June European Council and formally adopted by the Council in July. Member States take this guidance into account when they draw up their budgets, which are debated in national parliaments in the usual way in the second half of the year – ensuring that this process includes a European dimension for the very first time.
Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) – Member States must avoid excessive public deficits (beyond 3% of GDP) and excessive debt (beyond 60% of GDP). The Commission has proposed to strengthen the existing Excessive Deficit Procedure, which is aimed at preventing governments from breaching these thresholds. When a Member State does not respect the thresholds, the Council decides on the basis of a recommendation by the Commission to launch an Excessive Deficit Procedure. Euro area countries placed in EDP will be requested to make a non-interest-bearing deposit worth 0.2% of their GDP and to take a course of corrective action as recommended by the Council. If a country fails to comply with the recommendation, the deposit will be converted into a fine.
Excessive Imbalance Procedure (EIP) – A key element of the EU's new economic governance is the emphasis on tracking and correcting macro-economic and competitiveness imbalances, particularly within the euro area. Using a scoreboard of around ten indicators, the Commission will detect imbalances emerging in different parts of the economy. On a recommendation from the Commission, the Council can open an Excessive Imbalance Procedure against a Member State in which imbalances exist or are at risk of emerging. For euro area countries, a failure to correct imbalances in accordance with an agreed roadmap and within a specified deadline can lead to the imposition of fines of 0.1% of GDP.
National Reform Programme (NRP) – All Member States submit in April/May an NRP to the Commission following the March European Council. This sets out the economic reforms and growth-enhancing measures to be passed over the coming year and beyond to move the Member State in question towards the targets it has signed up to in the context of Europe 2020. Member States present their NRPs together with their Stability and Convergence Programmes (which focus on fiscal consolidation). The Commission bases its country recommendations on both plans.
Stability or Convergence Programmes (SCP) – In the weeks following the March European Council, Member States submit to the Commission their plans for sound public finances and fiscal sustainability. For euro area countries, these are called Stability Programmes; for other Member States, Convergence Programmes. The Commission assesses these programmes together with Member States' National Reform Programmes over the course of April/May. Its recommendations are endorsed by the June European Council and formally approved by the Council shortly afterwards.
Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) – The Stability and Growth Pact is the framework through which the EU ensures the fiscal sustainability of all 27 Member States and of the euro area in particular. The reforms to the EU's economic governance that will be formally agreed in June 2011 will make the SGP clearer, stronger and more effective, at both the prevention and enforcement stages. Public debt and public deficit criteria will be placed on an equal footing for the first time. Member States will be required to make significant progress towards medium-term budgetary objectives and expenditure growth will have to be kept in line with GDP growth. The Commission will recommend fines of 0.2% of GDP for euro area countries which fail to take corrective action to achieve these objectives within an agreed timeframe. These fines will apply unless a qualified majority of Member States votes against them.
* all items referred with * are explained in the glossary attached to this MEMO
See IP/10/225
See IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200
See IP/10/1288 and MEMO/10/473
See IP/10/1124 and MEMO/10/408
See IP/11/63 and MEMO/11/43
See IP/10/1434, MEMO/10/532 and MEMO/10/533
See IP/10/1541 and MEMO/10/602
See IP/10/1729 and MEMO/10/687
See IP/10/1390, IP/11/469 and MEMO/11/239
See IP/11/22 and MEMO/11/11
See IP/10/1199, MEMO/10/455, MEMO/10/454 and MEMO/10/456
See IP/11/22 and MEMO/11/14
See MEMO/11/11
See IP/10/1768
See MEMO/10/636
See MEMO/10/434
See IP/10/1353, MEMO/10/506 and MEMO/10/660
See MEMO/11/6
Side Bar


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Rental Fees
Email for more information or call 704-878-3429
Garfield Park
409 Garfield Street
Newly Opened! Offers site amenities such as shelter with picnic tables, grill, benches, restrooms, playground, trash cans, plantings and signage. This park is great for family reunions, church functions, and community events.
Martin Luther King Jr. Park (Lakewood Park)
911 Lakewood Drive
(NAME CHANGE: City Council renamed Lakewood Park to Martin Luther King Jr. Park effective April 3, 2017)
In addition to the lake and the surrounding woods, this park features three large picnic shelters, two playgrounds, walking trails and a waterfront gazebo, which is one of Statesville's most popular formal photo locations. Martin Luther King Jr. Park also boasts a large open air amphitheater and twenty-four lighted,paved and fenced regulation horseshoe courts, which have been the site of two World Horseshoe Tournaments.
Statesville Park & Soccer Complex
2012 Simonton Road
This new complex features 7 full size soccer fields, a concession stand, 2 large playgrounds,including the areas only fully ADA compliant structure, 3 picnic shelters and over two miles of paved walking trails. Leadership Statesville Class of 2007 added our newest feature which is an 18 hole Disc Golf course!
Disc Golf Course (Located in the Statesville Park & Soccer Complex)
2012 Simonton Road
The goal of the Class of 2007 Leadership Statesville Program was to create a lasting community project that would enhance the overall quality of life in the Greater Statesville Region. With help from the local business community, the Leadership Statesville Class of 2007 is pleased to introduce you to the Bell & Howard Chevrolet Disc Golf Course, a free venue open to citizens of all ages and abilities.
MacAnderson Park
433 North Race Street.
This park features two miles of walking trails and a variety of outdoor fitness equipment, all made possible through donations by Iredell Memorial Hospital and Davis Regional Medical Center. This park even has a water fountain for your dog!
Harris Park
400 Lerain Court.
This park features informal football and softball fields, two outdoor basketball courts and a picnic shelter, a playground and a small meeting room.
Kimbrough Park
1833 Greenbriar Road.
This park features a multi-use slab with basketball goals, an informal baseball field, a large playground and a picnic shelter. There is also a small lake.
Caldwell Park
Corner of East Broad Street and Oakwood Drive. This park features 10 lighted tennis courts, 4 of which are clay courts. The courts are open to the public and do not require rental or reservations. There is also a picnic shelter on site (reservations available) and a large playground.
Albert B. McClure Park
1230 Museum Road
This park features 3 baseball/softball fields as well as 2 picnic shelters, a large main shelter with dressing rooms and a concession stand. The fields can accommodate both adult softball and youth baseball leagues.
Abernathy Ball Field
1325 Alexander Street
This is a single purpose area with a lighted softball field with bleachers, restrooms and a concession stand.
Cochran Street
1000 Cochran Street,
Approximately 4 acres, this is a single purpose are with lighted softball field and restroom/concession building.
**All the parks listed here have restroom facilities. Please be aware that the restrooms close for the winter. For information regarding some of our smaller neighborhood parks, please call our Administrative Offices.
Alex Cooper Park
1500 Fifth Street.
1.4 acres, located on Wilson Lee Boulevard. The park was named after Alex Cooper who donated land to the City for the park. It has an outdoor asphalt
Newtonville Community Park
Located on North Mulberry Street. This park has 7.24 acres, the park has playground equipment, and a picnic shelter with tables and grills.
Pecan Park
136 North Center Street,
Located behind First ARP Church. This area is a 1.2 acre open space surrounded by trees with picnic tables for the convenience of downtown shoppers and workers to eat lunch and relax.
South Statesville Park & Playground
2.5 acres, located on Raleigh Avenue in South Statesville. The park contains a multi-use slab with two basketball goals, playground equipment, and a picnic shelter with tables and a grill.
*All of the Community parks listed here do not have restroom facilities.
Andrews Natural Area/ASMO Greenway
In 1999, Tom Andrews and family donated 8.85 acres of land along Sharpe's Creek to be preserved as a natural area for use by City residents. ASMO North Carolina Inc. donated money for construction of a Greenway linking Salisbury Road and Statesville Middle School. The project was completed in the fall of 2000.
Corbett Property
Located at 433 South Race Street, this 7 acre area was donated to the City in 1993 by the Corbett Family for recreational purposes. This area is used as a passive recreational area and connects the greenway and MacAnderson Park to Statesville HIgh School.
Fourth Creek Property
This 23.35 acres was purchased in 2003 from the Hollingworth family. This site will be used as a passive, natural area connecting to the greenway.
Gaither Property
This 65.17 acres was purchased from the Sam Gaither family in 2002 and remains undeveloped. Hardwood forests, White Pines, Virginia Pines, and Gregory Creek provide a scenic setting for visitors. The Gregory Creek Greenway loops around the entire property.
Bike Trail: Please check back shortly for a map and detailed information for the Bike Trail.
Lynn Miller
Superintedent of Parks & Public Grounds

subset: commoncrawl


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The British Coast
PUBLISHED: 15:26 17 July 2012 | UPDATED: 22:03 21 February 2013
Reader's top 10 photographs for The British Coast.
Top 10 British Coast Photographs
Each week, Mary Brooks, Editor and Publisher of Great British Life carefully selects her favourite photographs from Great British Life readers.
Mary chooses a new theme each week, and this week the theme is'The British Coast'.
Scroll below to view the impressive chosen images.
All 10 images have been uploaded by Great British Life readers.
Click hereto upload your photographs for the chance of them being featured on next week's Top 10 photographs page.
The next Top 10 Photographs will be 'Fascinating Flowers'.


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Friday, January 20, 2012
More Ichiro`s Malt temptation
Just the label of this latest offering from Ichiro`s Malt is enough to send me scuttling for my wallet, but the thought of the whisky inside makes the temptation almost too much to resist.
The 11-year-old single cask bottling (only 309 bottles are available at just below 8,000 yen a pop) is a sequel to the previous "The Game". The new 59.4-percent version has been finished in a "mizunara headed hogshead," which means that only the two ends of the large cask used for the final maturation were made of mizunara (Japanese oak) . That may result in a subtle hint of the typical mizunara influences.
1 comment:
Sadly...it was gone before it was really available.
If anyone knows any stores that have this in Tokyo...and not at a crazy rate, feel free to give them full credit, 'eh?
- January 23, 2012 at 9:33 AM
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Thursday, October 06, 2005
Clint and Nadines Wedding - The vows.
Posted by Sandcastle at 1:21 PM
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Digital Photographs of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, BC, Canada. Check it out here to see great pictures of BC Rocky Mountains, Rivers, Local Birds, Wildlife and much much more.


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The CIA Must Rely More on Collecting Human Intelligence
Earlier this summer, when the CIA released the "family jewels" — nearly 700 pages of documents detailing some of its most infamous and illegal operations dating back to the 1950s — the question that immediately came to mind was: Why now?
After all, Director of Central Intelligence Bill Colby had let some of those secrets out during the Church Committee hearings in the early 1970s. When Colby made the initial revelations, there was widespread anger among the old agency hands, particularly those from World War II's Office of Strategic Services, the CIA's precursor. Much of this anger resided in the division known as the Clandestine Service, which thought it owned most of the jewels. Colby had betrayed them. More gems dropped out of the bag in subsequent years.
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Two Years Ago Today: Drilling Inside the Pit
A couple photos from an early morning visit to an exploration drill rig inside an active mine. The sun was just coming up over the east wall of the pit, about to blind us. Mud on the bench floor is from a water truck passthrough to keep dust under control.
The pit was busy, as pits often are, with haul trucks going back and forth from the shovel, just in front of the rig. The driller was being annoying because I said to keep drilling. (Hey, it's his job!)
Posted by Silver Fox at 7:59 AM
Labels: drilling, exploration, mining, nevada, year
2 comments:
- GeologyJoe said...
now THAT is some serious drilling!
at best I only get to supervise a standard bedrock drinking water well.
- Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 10:08:00 AM PDT
- Silver Fox said...
Drill size is probably about the same to a water-well rig. It can be hectic drilling in a mine pit - tyring to get a rig in and out or moved...
- Friday, May 22, 2009 at 1:07:00 PM PDT
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The Duck Creek Horticulture Society is holding its annual plant and yard sale on Saturday, May 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking lot of First Presbyterian Church, 118 W. Commerce St., Smyrna, across from Citizens' Hose Company.
Flowers, assorted vegetables, and herbs will be sold. Perennial plants from members' gardens are also sold; members have divided the perennial plants from their flower beds.
Yard sale items are also on sale. The society's "no-longer-needed items" are available at low, low prices. Items are of good quality.
Proceeds from the sale benefit the DCHS Scholarship Fund.


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Since this is a site dedicated to all things drink related, and milk is a delicious drink, I should probably tackle the debate over raw milk. This is an interesting topic because it encompasses science, politics, health and flavour and I have become increasingly interested in the future of food. But let's talk about milk.
Louis Pasteur was one of the greatest scientists in human history. His research on germ theory and vaccinations has probably saved or extended billions of lives. He developed the process of heat treating food and beverages to kill off bacteria which help prevent spoilage and foodborne illnesses. This process was named after Pasteur and was called pasteurization.
For well over a century pasteurization was considered an important aspect in food safety, though it was not practised universally around the globe, but the potential health hazards of raw milk were recognized globally.
From 1998 to 2011 the CDC has reported that, among dairy product outbreaks, 79% or 148 incidents involved raw milk. These resulted in 2,384 illnesses, 284 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths. Most of these illnesses were caused by Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Listeria. The most serious part was that 82% of the outbreaks involved at least one person younger than 20 years old. Raw milk accounts for only 1% to 2% of total dairy consumption.
Raw milk advocates make a number of claims and use them to promote their agenda. I've decided to discuss each one individually to see where it leads.
Claim: Beneficial Bacteria
The concept of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, is a pillar of the raw milk movement, but it is completely false. There are no beneficial bacteria present in raw milk expelled from a cows teat as the milk is actually sterile. The presence of bacteria would indicate an infection and the milk would be unfit for sale. Bacteria is present everywhere else in the process (udder, milk processing equipment, farmers hands, etc.), and until you can prove that licking all those items is beneficial, I'll just ignore the healthy bacteria propaganda.
Claim: Beneficial Enzymes
Humans are the only animals that deliberately drink the milk from another creature. Having said that, cows milk contains enzymes for baby cows, not people.
Raw milk advocates seem to believe that the enzymes in raw milk are miracle drugs that will solve their health problems and make them super-human. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and it is. Biologically, enzymes help process food into things the body can utilize and also perform metabolic processes that sustain life. We aren't cows though, so why do we need cow enzymes? Humans can live a perfectly healthy life without ever consuming cows milk. There are even people who believe that consuming cows milk is unnatural and unhealthy.
I like milk and cheese, but scientifically I do not see a case for bovine enzymes being useful to a human.
Claim: Farmers Don't Get Sick
If you live on a farm, and have a cow, there are no laws restricting you from drinking raw milk from that cow. Advocates often use this as proof raw milk is safe. It's not as black and white as they make it seem.
Humans are highly adaptable and our immune system can learn to defend against bacteria and viruses eventually building up an immunity. The problem is when we are introduced to large numbers of foreign bacteria which often leads to unpleasant side effects. Don't believe me? Go eat street food in Mexico or India. The locals do just fine eating the street food, but many of us will have some nasty side-effects and just may require a prescription for Cipro. In some cases the side-effect can be debilitating, taking months to recover.
Centuries ago, only farmers drank raw milk, and they drank it very fresh, usually within hours of milking. The rest of the milk was used to make things like cheese and butter. When consumed fresh, raw milk is fairly safe because bacteria have not had time to reproduce to a level that is dangerous. However, under the right conditions, it may only take a few hours for the bacteria to multiply to that point.
Some people's immune systems can handle raw milk, especially those who were raised on a farm and were exposed to the bacteria. Other people will not do well and that is a problem.
Claim: Tastes Better
It is a possibility, but as with everything it all depends on the producer and drinker. Raw milk has a richer flavour because it may have more fat and people love fat which could be the attraction. It could be that the milk is non-homogenized, also resulting in a richer texture.
There is also the lure of illegality that often makes things taste artificially better. I've done enough research on taste science to understand the attraction to raw milk. The most desirable things in life are those things we can't have.
Claim: You Will Know the Farmer
Meeting the farmer doesn't mean much. The trick with raw milk is cleanliness, but cows live in a world full of excrement. Sure, a farmer can clean the udders, but it only takes a few bacteria to contaminate the whole milk batch. In one outbreak the cause was a single hair from a cow that fell into the milk and put 19 people into the hospital.
If a fly lands in your soup, you'll send it back to the kitchen. If you have ever been on a cow farm try counting how many flies there are and look where those flies like to spend their time (hint, a nice steaming pile of fresh crap). Remember, it only takes one fly, that wants a little sip of fresh milk, to contaminate the whole batch.
For all the naysayers and raw milk advocates, it doesn't matter how clean you think your farmer is, it takes one lazy farmhand to mess up. It's one thing to milk for your family, another to milk for the faceless consumers in a distant store.
I've worked in the food and beverage industry for many years and even though I've worked with professionals, everyone has a bad day. A bad meal at a restaurant could make a dozen people sick, a bad day at the farm could mean hundreds of ill people, possibly thousands if the raw milk has a widespread distribution.
So where did that lead us?
My opinion is this, drink raw milk if you like but please don't give it to children, their immune systems do not have the ability to deal with things like e.coli. Under no circumstances would I give my kids raw milk.
As a parent of two young kids, I would never put my kids at risk of contracting E. coli, listeria, salmonella and campylobacter all for a bag of mystery enzymes that have very questionable health benefits. Seriously, what magical benefits can raw milk impart to my kids that a healthy diet doesn't already do? If anyone comments "what about flavour?", I just add chocolate syrup to the pasteurized milk and voila my kids are in flavour heaven.
As for sellers of raw milk, I believe it should be allowed but with rules and regulations. In Germany they seem to have a reasonable set of rules that require the milk be bought at the farm gate, uses only milk produced at that farm, the milk is no older than two days and must have a warning label "Raw Milk – boil before usage". I would also add that the sellers need to be insured and held liable for any illness caused.
I also believe that any health claims need to be scientifically proven as well. Whether it is corporations or ideologically minded groups, when entering a market there is a tendency to overstate the potential upside and downplay the negatives. In raw milk's case, the health benefits are way over-stated and the potential for illness is very much downplayed.
Raw milk becomes more complicated as this movement grows. Right now raw milk consumption represents only 1% to 2% of total milk consumption, but capitalism dictates that if you can sell raw milk for more money, with less processing, that means increased profits. Once a Wall Street banker smells profit, they will grab the opportunity to upscale the production, using low-cost labour and aligned it with corporate values. Translation: foodborne illnesses will go up.
For me, I'll stick with pasteurized milk because it is safer, there are no additional health benefits to raw milk nor does it taste epically better than the pasteurized version. That's just me though, I think like a scientist, please feel free to drink as you see fit, just don't feed it to children.
Note: aged cheese, made from raw milk, is generally safe and there are technical reasons why so I see that as a separate and distinct argument from raw milk consumption.
Effect of Raw Milk on Lactose Intolerance
Campylobacteriosis outbreaks in the state of Hesse, Germany, 2005-2011
Recurrent outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infections associated with a raw milk dairy
Food safety hazards associated with consumption of raw milk.(2009)
Two outbreaks of campylobacteriosis associated with the consumption of raw cows' milk.
Consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk and milk products by pregnant women and children.
Escherichia coli 0157:H7 infections in children associated with raw milk (California, 2006)
Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection associated with drinking raw milk (Washington and Oregon, 2007)
A prolonged outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections caused by commercially distributed raw milk
Food safety: unpasteurized milk: a continued public health threat.
Foodborne pathogens in milk and the dairy farm environment
Unpasteurized milk. The hazards of a health fetish.
Raw milk and the protection of public health
Incidence of Listeria spp. in raw milk in Shahrekord, Iran.
The incidence of Listeria spp. in soft cheeses, butter and raw milk in the province of Bologna.
Incidence of Listeria species in raw and pasteurized milk produced in São Paulo, Brazil
Occurrence of Listeria species in raw milk and dairy products produced in Northern Ireland


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Our rams are busy now. We weighed and sorted all the lambs and sent the young replacement ewes (below) to meet one ram, while sending the second Hampshire ram to breed the experienced ewes.
Bob let that group into the alfalfa field behind the barn where they found an open gate and got into my garden. Something had to eat the frozen Brussels sprouts.
The heaviest wethers went to the auction market where they averaged 125 pounds and got the top price of $1.60 a pound.
On Monday, we shipped boxes of frozen lamb on dry ice to family in Maryland and North Carolina. Merry Christmas!
New baby lambs are due in April.


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A&E Announces New Premiere Date for THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE
A&E Network has picked up a new real life series, THE GOVERNOR'S WIFE, it was announced today by David McKillop, Executive Vice President, Programming, A&E Network. The series follows former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards and his 34-year-old wife, Trina, as they redefine a "new normal" in the new South, and will premiere Wednesday, March 13 at 10PM ET/PT.
The series follows Trina as she attempts to fit into the former governor's upscale world and busy social life while trying to get along with daughters twice her age and corral her teenage sons. Between school projects, running for president of the Homeowner's Association, fending off skeptics who think she's a gold digger, and thoughts of adding a baby of their own to the mix, the Edwards clan' truly represent a new take on the modern family.
"The Governor's Wife" is produced for A&E Networks by Leftfield Pictures ("Pawn Stars") and SSS Entertainment. Executive producers for Leftfield Pictures are Brent Montgomery, David George and Dominick Pupa. Executive producer for SSS Entertainment is Shaun Sanghani. Executive producers for A&E are David McKillop, Elaine Frontain Bryant, Drew Tappon and Devon Graham.
Edwin Edwards, now 85 years old and still dubbed the "King of Louisiana," shocked the state (and his family) when he married Trina Grimes Scott, a woman 50 years his junior. They became pen pals while Edwin was serving an 8 ½ year prison sentence for bribery and extortion, charges stemming from his tenure as Governor of Louisiana, and married when he was released. This colorful couple heads a newly combined family comprised of Edwin's daughters, Anna, a 62-year-old, four-time divorcée and Victoria, a hardened 60-year-old ex-showgirl, along with Trina's sons from a previous marriage, Logan, 15 and Trevor, 13.
About Leftfield Pictures
Leftfield Pictures, founded and owned by Executive Producer Brent Montgomery, produces a wide array of unscripted television, including the mega-hit Pawn Stars, and its spinoffs Counting Cars, American Restoration, Cajun Pawn Stars, and Pawn Stars UK, the franchise's first international format, for History; Ball Boys for ABC; the "Oddities" franchise for Science, which includes Oddities, Oddities: San Francisco, and Odd Folks Home; Health Inspectors for Food Network;Monster In-Laws for A&E; Bid & Destroy for National Geographic Channel; and the upcoming Celebrity Yard Sale for Lifetime, featuring Lance Bass, and Guntucky for CMT, along with new series for History, A&E, and Animal Planet. For more information visit www.leftfieldpictures.com
About A&E Network
A&E is "Real Life. Drama." Now reaching more than 99 million homes, A&E is television that you can't turn away from; where unscripted shows are dramatic and scripted dramas are authentic. A&E offers a diverse mix of high quality entertainment ranging from the network's original scripted series, including "The Glades" and "Longmire," to signature non-fiction franchises, including the Emmy-winning "Intervention," "Duck Dynasty," "Hoarders," "Beyond Scared Straight" and "Storage Wars," and the most successful justice shows on cable, including "The First 48." The A&E website is located atwww.aetv.com.


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Twins Outlast Cleveland in 12 Innings [PHOTOS]
CLEVELAND -- Darin Mastroianni scored the go-ahead run from second base on an infield hit in a two-run 12th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat Cleveland 6-5 on Tuesday night, tying the Indians for fourth place in the AL Central.
Mastroianni singled with two outs and stole second off Scott Maine (1-1), the team-record 10th pitcher used by Cleveland. Alexi Casilla then poked a ball between first and second that second baseman Jason Kipnis fielded in short right. But Casilla was safe when first baseman Matt LaPorta fielded Kipnis' throw, but was not on the bag. LaPorta held the ball before reacting too late to throw out Mastroianni at home.
Tyler Robertson (2-2) pitched 1 1-3 innings for the win. Glen Perkins worked the 12th for his 12th save.
Pedro Florimon singled home an insurance run later in the 12th. It was needed as Carlos Santana hit his 16th homer in the bottom half to get Cleveland within 6-5.
Cleveland loaded the bases in the 10th, but didn't score as they dropped to 11-38 since July 26.
The Twins broke a three-game losing streak and improved to 7-3 in extra innings.
Joe Mauer and Denard Span both had three hits for the Twins, who have won 11 of 14 from Cleveland since the Indians took the first three meetings this season.
Mauer went 3 for 4 with two walks and is hitting .325 as he continues a late-season surge for a fourth AL batting title. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera started the day at .330, followed by Mike Trout of Los Angeles at .329.
Span opened the game with a double into the right-field corner off left-hander David Huff and went to third on Ben Revere's bunt single. Mauer singled home Span and Revere scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Morneau. That was the 20th run driven in by Morneau against Cleveland this season, tying Harmon Killebrew's team mark set in 1962 for the most against the Indians in a season.
Cleveland cut it to 2-1 in the bottom half on consecutive singles by Shin-Soo Choo and Kipnis and an RBI groundout by Asdrubal Cabrera.
Lonnie Chisenhall tied it at 2 with a 428-foot homer into the Indians' bullpen in the second, but Eduardo Escobar's RBI groundout put the Twins ahead 3-2 in the fourth.
Cleveland loaded the bases on three singles against starter P.J. Walters in the sixth. Brian Duensing came on and struck out Chisenhall, then gave up two runs.
One scored when third baseman Trevor Plouffe misplayed a line drive by Casey Kotchman for an error. Ezequiel Carerra put Cleveland ahead 4-3 with a run-scoring groundout, hustling down the first-base line to beat the relay throw and avoid a double play.
Minnesota tied it at 4 on Josh Willingham's RBI single in the seventh.
Huff gave up seven hits and three runs over 4 1-3 innings in his first start. He had pitched twice in relief since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus, beating the Twins with 3 1-3 scoreless innings on Sept. 7.
Walters allowed four runs -- two earned -- over five innings.
* Cleveland had used nine pitchers in a game in 1971 against Washington and 2006 against the Twins.
* Indians LHP Rafael Perez has been shut down for the season with left shoulder inflammation. He has been out since April.
* Indians manager Manny Acta expects DH Travis Hafner (lower back) to play this week. Hafner has been out since Aug. 6.
* Twins RHP Matt Capps (shoulder) is expected to pitch in the Instructional League.
* The Twins are expected to announce Wednesday they are switching their Class A affiliate in the Midwest League to Cedar Rapids (Iowa) next season after eight years in Beloit (Wis.).


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Today there were a Christian mas, Muslim martyr prayer and a concert as well at the Tahrir square.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Getting Married in square
Today there were a Christian mas, Muslim martyr prayer and a concert as well at the Tahrir square.
11 comments:
I would like to send this couple a wedding gift.
You can contact me via Facebook
facebook.com/aeltohamy or Twitter aseltohamy
and I hope when I come back to visit Free EGYPT I get to meet you and thank you face to face
I live in NJ USA
- Anonymous2/07/2011 01:59:00 AM
I know that now is not the time but I'd like to point something out and ask you for a favor.ReplyDelete
Ok first let's point something out. Your last sentence reads:
"Today there were a Christian mess, Muslim martyr and a concert as well at the Tahrir square."
Which translates into:
النهارده كان في فوضى مسيحية وشهيد مسلم وكمان حفلة في ميدان التحرير
Which, if read by someone who is a first time visitor to your blog would make them think you're crazy or you just choose words at random and stick them together in a sentence.
Now that that's out of the way, allow me to ask you for a favor:
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop sodomizing the English language with a baseball bat covered in broken glass for the love of God!!!
You seem to do this every time you're excited and the sad part is that it makes it very hard for the reader to understand what you're saying because half the time we're trying to make sense of your sentences. Bel3aks ya benti, enti momken tekooni bet3allemni nas el engeleezi ghalat kaman. Why not follow Nawara's example and just go with Arabic?
- Anonymous2/07/2011 03:39:00 AM
Zeinobia, I understood you very well without speaking a word of Arabic. Ignore the above poster and SOLIDARITY! You have no idea how proud so many of us throughout the world are. You've struck a HUGE blow against the world order.ReplyDelete
Hasta la victoria siempre!
- Almasri Alhor2/07/2011 04:14:00 AM
Hello Zenobia,ReplyDelete
While this picture is very uplifting and I wish the newly married couple all the best. I feel very afraid and very unhappy!
I was watching Al Jazeera Arabic & English, and saw that the vice-dictator Suleiman has managed to trick a few parties into talks and discussions.
I am very unhappy about the way these talks have started.
The revolution asked for the resignation of the dictator, the vice president, the lifting of the state of emergency, the dissolution of the two houses of parliament, a new constitution and a totally free and independent judiciary and press.
In my opinion the revolution should have also asked for the dissolution if not the banning of the so called National Democratic Party (NDP).
Tell me, did the French revolutionaries sit down with the French King and started meetings and talks and discussions?
As far as I know the French king eventually went to the GUILLOTINE.
So the dictator and his regime (including the army top brass) should feel grateful that they are still alive!
The parties that are talking to the vice-dictator today have absolutely no connection with the young revolutionaries.
I am afraid that the dictator is using the old regime tricks and deceitful ways to circumvent the revolution .
- Anonymous2/07/2011 06:16:00 AM
I, for one, adore broken English. Authenticity is what counts. Errors in grammar, vocabulary, idioms, colloquialisms, etc. are all forgiven when you bring refreshing news like this post.ReplyDelete
Is this believable? In less than 2 weeks Egypt is cleansing the ills of 30 years. Examples of genuine national unity, camaraderie and caring. Sense of devotion and responsibility between young men and women.
January 25 is the start of new phase, challenging but the best is yet to come.
Given that most of us English speakers are totally illiterate in Arabic, we appreciate Zeinobia's taking the time to keep us informed - immensely! It is very gracious of her to offer us her thoughts.
And her meaning is always very clear indeed - her spirited writing keep us coming back for more.
- Libyan Girl2/07/2011 11:35:00 AM
Zenobia's english is 10 times better than the arabic of US western and israeli officials on our tv screens. She's communicating in the opposite direction without being a proffessional or getting paid for it, and doing it succesfully as can be seen by the number and variety of visitors on her blog and followers on Twitter. I'm sure you can do much better though, start a blog and show us why don't you?ReplyDelete
P.S. Nawara Nejm is awesome, I think she should have a mock-news show on Egyptian state TV once it restructured like the Tunisian one has
Egyptians will never seize to be creative :)ReplyDelete
The marriage of Ola and Ahmed shows how much faith in the future people can have when they have a vision.ReplyDelete
Or as the famous J.K. Rowling once said:
"We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better."
You people in Tahrir, in Alex, Ismailia, Beni Suef, Suez and all over Egypt - you are proving to the world that you have the power to imagine better. That is why you will win. Because they are empty inside, they don't have that power, you have. Don't ever forget what you have inside. The power to imagine better that you show to the world makes you invincible.
I have never been more proud to bean Egyptian than these days.ReplyDelete
Zeniab: you are doing an amazing job and allowing our voice to reach the English speaking world! Do not stop please.
- Anonymous2/08/2011 04:25:00 AM
Before you criticize the translation of Arabic to English try to use the Google Arabic/English translation service. The result is ALWAYS incoherent. The person whose translations you criticize may have tried to use it.ReplyDelete
Thank You for your comment
Please keep it civilized here, racist and hateful comments are not accepted
The Comments in this blog with exclusion of the blog's owner does not represent the views of the blog's owner.


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Has a rising star ever flamed out so quickly?
It was just a few months ago, that many Republicans were looking to pin their fortunes to South Carolina's Gov. Mark Sanford. The fact that he was defiantly rejecting the federal stimulus money pegged him exactly as the bold, defiant individual that a beleaguered and dispirited party needed to counter the Obama phenomenon.
Yet, in barely a week, Sanford's future has seemingly evaporated. It began earlier this week with a bizarre, "Where's Gov. Waldo?" storyline that had everyone trying to figure out exactly where the governor had gone for the weekend -- and then culminating today in a stunning news conference where the governor admitted to having a long affair with a woman in Argentina.
Cue up the jokes: "Apparently, Sanford wasn't against all stimulus!"
Or: "South Carolinians are most upset not that Sanford strayed, but where: Apparently "mistress" is one more job the state is now outsourcing to South America! Damn that NAFTA!"
While in many ways it couldn't be considered a surprise (what is, these days?), as Sanford's press conference unfolded, it still came as a bit of a shock. Not quite up there with Eliot Spitzer-involved-with-prostitution-ring shock, but still something that came nearly out of the blue. That said, as such "I have sinned" announcements go, this could be considered one of the "better" ones. The New York Times called it a "rambling" performance, which it was. However, that fact humanized Sanford. This was no slick statement clearly written by committee. On the contrary, he sounded like a truly remorseful man -- as opposed to a "politician." He apologized to his wife, family as well as advisers and the public.
But, especially notable, Sanford stood there alone. Unlike, the Eliot Spitzer debacle, Jenny Sanford wasn't there by his side, enduring the humiliation of a husband admitting his infidelity in public. Who's idea that was is unclear. However, Mrs. Sanford's own released statement made one thing quite clear: She had kicked him out of the house two weeks ago, in what she referred to as a "trial separation."
Whether Sanford pays a larger price than merely stepping down as chairman of the Republican Governors Association remains to be seen. He may have attracted a certain sympathy factor based on the press conference. However, the release of e-mails between the governor and "Maria from Argentina" -- and whether state resources were used for his affair could cause him serious political complications for some time. And, don't forget, many South Carolina Republicanscouldn't stand their governor before this. It's not like he has a lot of political goodwill upon which he can fall back.
As much as this is a personal tragedy for the governor, his wife and their four sons, the national Republican Party has to wonder if it's snakebit. Over the last two weeks, it would be fair to ask, what Republican politicians are NOT cheating on their wives (well, except for Sarah Palin)? Sanford's announcement came one day after Nevada Sen. John Ensign apologized to his GOP colleagues for the affair that he admitted to last week. Sanford followed Ensign also in resigning his GOP leadership position (Ensign was head of the Senate Republican Study Committee, the fourth-highest ranking member).
It's always difficult for a party out of power to compete with the megaphone of the White House. However, during a two-week period when Barack Obama is beginning to show some political bruises, sex scandals involving possible up-and-coming party leaders are getting in the way of Republicans producing a clear-cut opposition message.
Pretty soon the party might start requiring chastity belts be worn by any other candidates considering throwing their hats in the ring.
Stay tuned.
New York writer Robert A. George blogs at Ragged Thots. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.


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Tag: Denim Dudes
Back in blue: The 501® Jean: Stories of an Original
I've only come back to wearing blue jeans very recently, I've had a thing about black denim for quite a few years now, which has seen me go through various cuts of Acne Jeans and more recently, versions from Robert James on the L.E.S. in New York, whose black denims are blacker than black.
Interestingly, my first port of call on my return to the blue denim fold was to find a pair of Levi's 501's, the looser cut (albeit in the newly-tapered 'CT' version), higher waist and general sense of deja vu creating a perfect counterbalance to more obviously contemporary pieces, like my beloved Common Projects low tops and Gucci knitwear and blouse-y shirts.
I say interestingly, because tonight I'm off to the opening of "The 501® Jean: Stories of an Original", a three-part … Read More »


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Do you remember that news Youm 7 published about that lecture of Noam Chomsky in University of Columbia that did not take place except in the MB media !?
Do you remember how the MB supporters insisted that the famous professor attacked UAE and accused it of plotting against Egypt because Suez Canal will bring Dubai down !?
Well the professor has reacted and sent Youm 7 email , specifically to Khaled Salah , its editor in chief where he made it clear it was untrue that he had lectured at Columbia university recently and spoke about Egypt. He also demanded that the news to be removed.
Youm 7 did remove the report but it did not apologize or explain to its readers that it was untrue , the thing which made Chomsky angry sending another email to Salah.
El Shorouk Newspaper published the email. I copied it here.
Subject: False Attribution
Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 09:26:50 -0500
From: Noam Chomsky <email@example.com>
To: <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Dear Mr. Salah,
Many people have brought to my attention an article that was posted on your website on January 2, 3, and 4. The original link to the article, which has not been accessible since January 5, is:
The article attributed statements to me which I never made and in a lecture which never occurred. The original title was:
"In an a lecture in Columbia University on the Egyptian Revolution, Prof. Chomsky said: President Morsi's plans for the development of the Suez Canal is the main reason for the hostility of Dubai toward the new Egyptian administration. UAE represents the counter-revolution against Egypt's and Syria's Revolution and it plans on ruining the recent Cairo-Ankara alliance."
The last time I gave a lecture at Columbia University was on October 17, 2011, nearly 15 months ago, on a topic totally unrelated to Egypt, the UAE, and President Morsi. The article is totally made up out of whole cloth and, unfortunately, continues to be reproduced and circulated by various news outlets, sometimes with a slightly different title. Here is an example:
Under the circumstances, I would like to request that you publish a correction in your website, acknowledging that the original article was erroneous, referring to statements I never made and to a lecture that never took place.
Noam Chomsky
It is worth to mention that Ahmed Abu Hashima , the partner of MB's business tycoon Hassan Malak in Al Masryeen steel has acquired Youm 7.
I wonder what the MB supporters will say when they read this or even when they will wake up from that illusion they are following.


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A new foreclosures grant is poised to help the Lancaster County housing market.
As part of an initiative called the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Lancaster County may soon receive enough money to redevelop several foreclosed homes in the area.
Developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the S.C. State Housing Finance and Development Authority, the program works to acquire and redevelop foreclosed homes so they don't become a detriment to their surrounding neighborhoods and communities.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Lancaster News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
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Posts TaggedXMPP
I'll say this about my iPhone: it's a lot easier to connect with people with it than it is while using a Mac. My Mac doesn't have anywhere near the messaging options: there's no Whisper or Facebook Messenger available for Mac, and iMessage is often a lukewarm offering at best (although I am grateful it's there). Google Hangouts is abysmally bad in Chrome and my iPhone — much worse than Gmail Chat ever was, in my opinion — so I've rarely used it.
But it's hard to simply swear all these apps off — after all, some people might not have my number, and for them, Facebook or Hangouts is the easiest way to get in touch. That's why I was glad to try out Flamingo, a Mac app built from the ground up for Google Hangouts, Facebook messaging, and even XMPP. Is it worth the purchase? Read on to find out.


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Home Page
The human story of Wisconsin spans 12,000 years, from the first Native Americans to today's diverse rural and urban populations. Over the past one hundred years, archaeologists have recorded and investigated thousands of sites left by western Wisconsin's earlier inhabitants. Through the study of these sites and their accompanying artifacts archaeologists are working to reconstruct the unique and changing lifeways of the region's early inhabitants. Explore this section of MVAC's web site to learn what archaeologists have discovered about how these early inhabitants lived in the region we now call western Wisconsin.
Educators: This information is available as a series of PDF files for ease of use in the classroom.


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A growing number of young kiwis now see entrepreneurship as a viable career choice which places New Zealand on the "cusp of a wave" it cannot afford to miss, says the author of guide for budding business leaders.
Dr Ian Hunter said interest in entrepreneurship and innovation had increased massively among young New Zealanders in the last decade.
This was largely because of the success of people like Trade Me founder Sam Morgan and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, he said.
"We have seen some great high profile cases of hugely successfully young entrepreneurs.
"I think what's happened through the media is that it's been increasingly legitimised as a career choice."
Hunter, who spent 20 years as an academic at the University of Auckland Business School, said New Zealand's economy would ultimately lose out if young innovators were not supported.
"We're on the cusp of a wave and we either support that or miss it. Anything we can do to support young people is going to be great for this country."
Innovation and entrepreneurship were "a key ingredient" in economies being able to pull themselves out of recession, he said.
While big companies added "a few jobs here and there", it was the smaller, fast-growing businesses which contributed high job numbers, he said.
The government needed to be pouring more money into the regions, where grants could be allocated to promising entrepreneurs. Investing in start-ups would yield "good bang for their buck", he said.
Hunter's lifelong passion for supporting young business leaders eventually led to him writing The Young New Zealander's Guide to Entrepreneurship.
"The book teaches readers how to come up with new ideas, manage projects, run a team and be more alert to the commercial reality of their business decisions."
It was a handbook for young Kiwis who had the desire to turn a good idea into a successful business, he said.
Endorsed by the Young Enterprise Trust, the book includes advice from business leaders such as Sir Peter Leitch, Sir Stephen Tindall and Anne Norman.
The Young Enterprise Trust is an independent charitable trust which now has around 30,000 participants.
It has played a huge role in fostering interest in innovation and entrepreneurship in New Zealand, Hunter said.
Three people who buy the book get the chance to spend the day with and get personal advice on a business idea from one of the experts featured.


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Lafourche Parish public schools earned a "B" and Terrebonne schools came within half a point of at that grade, according to new data released Monday by the state Education Department.
Lafourche Parish public schools earned a "B" and Terrebonne schools came within half a point of at that grade, according to new data released Monday by the state Education Department.
Both school systems posted improvements of several points over last year's grades.
Lafourche schools earned a District Performance Score of 107.3; Terrebonne schools earned a score of 104.6, the report says.
To earn a "B," a school system must earn a score of 105.
Both districts did better than the state average of 100.5.
Lafourche's score grew by 11.4 points, or 11 percent; Terrebonne's score grew by 7 points, or 7 percent.
The scores are part of an annual state-issued report card. They are based heavily on test scores, but also include attendance and drop-out rates.
Each school gets an individual letter grade; those scores are then combined to create a district's overall score.
The scores have existed since 1997, but the state only started assigning letter grades to schools last year. Both school districts earned C's in 2011.
Seven school districts earned an A grade this year. One made an A in 2011. Of the 70 school districts in the state, 29 made an A or a B this year.
One school in each parish earned an A — South Lafourche High School, with a 125, and Houma's Mulberry Elementary, with a 124.9.
In Lafourche Parish, six schools got B's, 15 got C's and seven got D's. In Terrebonne, 11 schools got B's, 15 got C's and eight got D's. No local schools got F grades.
Only a handful of schools in either parish failed to improve their scores this year. The state designated 10 schools in Terrebonne Parish and seven schools in Lafourche Parish as "Top Gains" schools, putting them among the fastest-improving schools in the state and earning them a small financial "bonus."
Local high schools fared particularly well — every high school improved by a letter grade.
School administrators in both parishes say they're pleased with the growth, but they want to improve further.
"Anytime you see your scores increase by that much, it's a good thing," Lafourche Secondary Schools Supervisor Bubba Orgeron said. "The goal is to be an A district. But we're very proud of the work we've done to bring this score up. We're very proud of our teachers and their hard work."
Terrebonne Superintendent Philip Martin said the school district had aimed to get that 105 score.
"Obviously we would have liked to get just that little bit higher and get that last fourth of a point," Martin said. "But I want our teachers to know I'm proud of them. I know, and they know, that we're going to get it next year."
Schools also improved state-wide. In addition to more A-ranked districts, the number of schools earning an A jumped from 98 to 163. Overall, the state average score grew by nine points.
The number of F schools increased from 115 to 157, but only because the standards for earning a D increased — under the old standards, fewer schools would have failed.
State Education Superintendent John White said at a Monday news conference in Baton Rouge that schools will have to work harder to keep increasing scores. Standardized tests will soon get harder, and the standards for earning high letter grades will continue to rise.
"Schools across Louisiana continue to make progress, which means more children are gaining the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers," White said. "While this year's grades are good news, schools will need to continue to work hard to maintain these good grades as Louisiana raises standards in the coming years."
Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at email@example.com.


text:
Major Section: PROOF-CHECKER
Example: :instructions (induct prove promote (dive 1) x (dive 2) = top (drop 2) prove)
See defthm for the role of
:instructions in place of
hints. As illustrated by the example above, the value
associated with
:instructions is a list of proof-checker
commands. At the moment the best way to understand the idea of the
interactive proof-checker (see proof-checker and
see verify) is probably to read the first 11 pages of CLI
Technical Report 19, which describes the corresponding facility for
When inside the interactive loop (i.e., after executing
help to get a list of legal instructions and
(help instr)
to get help for the instruction


text:
Hello All,
I have a Bolt 2011 12M and would like to renew my quiver.
I want a kite with a strong lifting power and the draft seems to be the perfect kite.
What would you advice me to do ?
Sell my 12 Bolt and buy a 9 and 14 Draft ?
With my 12 Bolt i could go up to 25 knots, but even though hangtime was really poor...
So i am thinking now a 9 / 14 could be a good quiver if the 9 allow me to go up to 30knots and +
What is your opinion about my choice ?
Thanks for your reply.


text:
We are using tools to analyse our users' behaviour in order to optimise our website. You can object to this at any time here.
We are using tools to provide you with individual product information for marketing purposes, also beyond our website. You can withdraw your consent at any time here.


text:
BRANDON — New England Woodcraft has bought the former Neo EMS (Nexus) building on Mount Pleasant in Brandon.
Jeff Thurston of New England Woodcraft confirmed the sale on July 19. According to the new deed and property transfer papers filed with the Brandon town clerk, the Forest Dale-based company bought the 33,000-square-foot building at the corner of Prospect and Cedar streets for $340,000. The 2008-2009 assessed value of the property, which includes 5.7 acres of land, was $863,000.


text:
LOVE - 70% Organic Bamboo/30% Organic Cotton Sleep Slip
Beautiful, super soft and lightweight Sleep Slip. Great for comfortable sleep as bamboo and cotton is breathable and thermal regulating, but also great as a layering everyday piece for your wardrobe! Comes with one of your favorite Water Me Well messages printed on the INSIDE of the front.
- Soft and breathable
- Thin straps and flare skirt
- 70% viscose from organic bamboo / 30% organic cotton jersey
- Made in the USA
- Machine wash cold or warm, tumble dry low, do not bleach
- Printed with water based ink Direct to Garment method, super soft!


text:
Lately I have been listening to a band called the tUnE-YarDs, and I have fallen head over heels in love with them.
A couple of weeks ago we saw them perform at the Scala in London and yesterday we saw them at the Fleece in Bristol. EPIC band. BEAUTIFUL people. SWEET SWEET chunes.
Have a listen to their newest album: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2011/apr/11/tune-yards-whokill-album-stream
Hope you enjoy as much as we do!
lots of lOVe.


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Prayer - like the Holy - is available to all people, regardless of doctrinal position (or lack thereof), church membership, prior life experiences, political and ethical values, or belief in prayer's usefulness.
It's tempting to pray for things we want, then to sit around and wait for them to happen. When they don't fall into our laps, we become bitter and angry at God for ignoring us. The problem is, we've only prayed, we have not acted. We've prayed dishonestly.
Rarely do we realize the steady, ongoing growth of intimacy produced by
the constancy of this our interaction with God. Prayer is the switching
on, or the opening of circuits, of power between our Creator and
Without prayer (communication with God), a Christian begins to wither and grows distant from his/her faith. Eventually the faith dies and the Christian, while perhaps thinking that he/she is a good Christian, has really died too.
I saw a truth deeper than the simple words "praying
always" conveyed. What I saw was that prayer belongs in every season
that we pass through in
our lives spiritually.
Without the
constant prayer exchange between myself and God, life would be unbearable.
Berdaches, it's
said, were accepted in the native world, and viewed as having mystical powers.
They were colorfully portrayed in the 19th century art of George Catlin and
other artists. Some in the gay community today feel a great connectedness
with the berdache, and a yearning to be similarly powerful and accepted in
American society.
The fundamentalist's definition of
God is too small. It doesn't allow any room for individual thinking or
doctrinal differences.
I have experienced in a small way that service brings me closer to God, and that I can enrich my own spiritual life by sharing it with others. My current personal goal is to become a more conscious instrument of God's will in my community.
This Christmas we could ponder the limits we can be expected to observe
regarding mercy and justice - just as Peter and Jesus pondered the
limits of forgiveness. Does our involvement in justice and mercy end in
our own communities, cities or countries?
don't know why I'm gay. I've snuck down to the library and read a bunch
of books about it, you
know. Some people say its genetic. That's what I think makes the most sense.
other people think its caused by having a bad relationship with your
dad, or being too close to your mom."
Shepard demonstrated the importance and the risk of "coming
out." He died during the night after National Coming Out Day. What
effect has all of this had on you? What do you plan to do about your own
life and mission?
Silence killed Matthew Shepard. The silence of Christians who know that
our scriptures on homosexuality are few and murky in interpretation and
far outweighed by the words of a savior whose only comment on human
relationships was to call us to never judge but only to love.
Falwell, Pat Robertson and all the other right-wing Bible thumpers were
racking up face
time on talk show after talk show, decrying her
bravery as "promoting homosexuality" and calling her names like
"degenerate." Now, when a young man, 21 years old, loses his life to the
brutality that these men create with their talk of a war against the
"homosexual agenda" where are they? They are strangely silent.
We must not let the death of Matthew scare us into inaction.
Resources for action after the death of Matthew Shepard.
For Spong, Christianity is all about breaking down the barriers that separate people from God. He sees the ultimate of acceptance of gays and lesbians into the church as part of the natural order of this barrier breaking action of Christ.
that innate understanding of spirituality needs is guidance. That's what
Helminiak offers in his new book, Religion and The Human Sciences, An
Approach via Spirituality.
I've felt a
healthy sense of accomplishment. I've recalled the lives we've
touched and helped. I've
thought about the ministries we've reclaimed and -- literally! -- the
lives we've helped to
I honestly don't know where I would be without MCC. This denomination came to me in one of the darkest moments of my life and shined the light of God into it. For that I am eternally grateful.
Readers sound off on what they like and dislike about Whosoever.
Readers share their praises.
Why is it that so many Christians prank call our Heavenly Father?
Whether it is anticipated with light or heavy heart, we help give birth to Christmas. We help in all of our seasonal rituals. We bring the birth of
Christmas in the lighting of candles, the writing of letters, the singing of carols, the baking of cookies, the welcoming of friends and relatives
into our homes, the remembering of treasured Christmases, the wrapping of presents.
is one thing to believe that God exists. It is quite another thing to listen
to God. It is what is meant by the word "obedience." The root of the word "obey" is
"to listen."
What getting messed up means to me is that a theological education demystifies many of the things about the Bible and the Christian religion that have always seemed magical.
This world is
all about what's in it for me, including one of those WWJD bracelets.
How can the transgendered, whether male or female, be comfortable with himself/herself within his/her gender? To address this issue it is necessary to
understand who and what a transgendered person is.
Ideas and understandings of sexuality have changed greatly over the
centuries. People in biblical times did not share our knowledge of
customs of sexuality; we do not share their experience.
Holy Humor!
Comments? Please fill out our Reader Survey!


text:
Where to learn more about simulation and immersive learning:
Samuel Merritt University's (SMU) Health Sciences Resource Center (HSSC) has ongoing relationships with all of the following organizations:
Professional Associations ↑
Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE): ASPE is the international organization for professionals in the field of Standardized Patient methodology. ASPE is dedicated to:
Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH): SSH's more than 2,000 members are educators and researchers united by a desire to improve performance and reduce errors in patient care using all types of simulation.
Society in Europe for Simulation Applied to Medicine (SESAM): Founded in Copenhagen in 1994, SESAM is a network of European educational institutions that sponsors annual conferences on advances in simulation and the current applications of these advances.
California Institute for Nursing and Healthcare (CINHC): CINHC was founded in 2002 in response to the looming nursing shortage in California to develop strategies to address the nursing shortage and other nursing issues that affect the health of all Californians.
California Simulation Alliance (CSA): A state-wide alliance to support simulation use in nursing through education, faculty development, best practices, research, awareness, and collaboration. There are 7 state-wide collaboratives that comprise the CSA, including the Bay Area Simulation Collaborative.
Bay Area Simulation Collaborative (BASC): A project of the Bay Area Nursing Resource Center, BASC is comprised of members from the schools of nursing and hospitals from the Bay Area. The Samuel Merritt University Health Sciences Simulation Center is a regional BASC Center of Excellence and Apprentice Training Center. We host educational events and facility tours for BASC members, provide consulting services, and help develop faculty training and scenarios.
Simulation Innovation Resource Center (SIRC): SIRC is an e-learning web site co-sponsored by the National League for Nursing and Laerdal Medical Inc. At the site nursing instructors learn how to develop and integrate simulation into their curriculum, and interact with experts and peers.
International Nursing Association for Clinical Nursing Simulation and Learning: INACSL's mission is to "promote and provide the development and advancement of clinical simulation and learning resource centers." Various workshops and conferences are sponsored by this organization.
Vendors ↑
Education Management Solutions (EMS): This Pennsylvania-based company is the leading developer of performance assessment software, simulation-center management solutions, and digital audio-video systems for simulation-based training. SMU uses EMS's integrated digital audio-video and clinical assessment system to document student progress and competency.
Gaumard Scientific. Founded in 1946 by a World War II trauma surgeon, this company develops innovative teaching simulators for nursing care, emergency care and OB/GYN. SMU's HSSC uses Gaumard's [Noelle® birthing manikin] (CW: Link to this manikin under Facility/Equipment/Manikins) and its neonate [HAL®] (CW: Link to this manikin under Facility/Equipment/Manikins) to train nursing students and practicing physicians. These training adjuncts allow us to realistically simulate the drama of obstetrical and neonatal emergencies, which require early recognition, critical thinking, leadership and smooth execution of team work.
Laerdal Medical: This company first came to international prominence in 1960 with its invention of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training manikin known as Resusci-Anne. Today Laerdal is an industry leader in simulation equipment and software programs — and a supportive partner of SMU, having worked closely with our staff to design the HSSC and develop its equipment. In 2009 we were proud to be named one of Laerdal's 16 [Centers of Educational Excellence] (CW: Link to this section under What's New/Honors) for integrating simulation into the core of the university curriculum.


text:
Minecraft Light-Up Diamond Ore
Avoid things that go hissssss in the night
- Inspired by Minecraft; made by ThinkGeek
- Tap to activate light: low, medium, bright
- Not as gifty as actual diamonds but much less expensive
It took us quite a while after coming out with the Minecraft Light-Up Redstone Ore to debut this Minecraft Light-Up Diamond Block. If you play Minecraft, you know why that is. With an average of 3.097 diamond ore per chunk sized area, it took our warehouse a long time to find enough ore to mass-produce these. Even branch mining, it took a while to make enough for all the fans, especially since we had so many diamonds sunk into the diamond pickaxe and sword.
Light up the face of a Minecraft fan with this little Minecraft light. A 3" cube, the light can be set to low, medium, or high (or off), depending on how severe the Creepers-under-the-bed problem is.
Product Specifications
- Light for fans of Minecraft
- Officially-licensed Minecraft collectible
- Tap to light up: low, medium, high, off
- Auto Shut Off: Redstone Ore Light will shut off after 3 minutes of continued use.
- Materials: ABS plastic construction, glows with internal LEDs
- Batteries: 2 AA (not included)
- Dimensions: 3" x 3" x 3"
- Weight: 6 oz.
- Ages 6+


text:
Difference between revisions of "Nickfile (NK2)"
From ForensicsWiki
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m (Nickfile format (NK2) moved to Nickfile (NK2))
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Revision as of 11:29, 31 January 2009
Microsoft Outlook uses the Nickfile (NK2) to store e-mail address aliases.
The file type is also known as the Outlook AutoComplete File or the Nickname file.
MIME types
The actual mime type of the NK2 format is unspecified
File signature
The NK2 has the following file signature: hexadecimal: 0D F0 AD BA
Note that other sources claim that the file signature is hexadecimal: 0D F0 AD BA 0A 00 00 00
The NK2 basically contains a list of items. The attributes of these items are defined by the Microsoft Outlook Message API (MAPI).
See also
- A great deal of information about the format has been documented by the libnk2 project, including some of the Nickfile format specifications and MAPI definitions.


text:
Service Projects
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
Scout Spirit, Active, Special Needs, Eagle Projects, Scoutmaster Conferences,
Boards of Review, Appeals, Courts of Honor, Time Extensions, and more.
| The official source for the information shown in this article or section is:
Guide To Advancement, 2011 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #N/A)
|This topic is under discussion at MeritBadge.Net. Click here to view or join the discussion.
Second Class Rank
|— Advancement Policies #33088, page 27
Star and Life Ranks
|— Advancement Policies #33088, page 27
Eagle Scout Rank
- Boy Scout Requirements #33215
- Advancement Policies #33088
- Eagle Scout Service Project
- 12 Steps From Life to Eagle


text:
'Dungeons' from SinisterSoft is coming soon mobile, tablet, desktop and TV platforms. It was created by Anthony Ball and his daughter Lucy (age 7). Lucy, togther with George (5) and Dylan (12) added the monster sound effects within the game.
Featuring up to 8 players and classic retro arcade style action, it's sure to be a hit!
'What Rhymes With Martians?' from SinisterSoft is now available for iOS via the Apple AppStore, Android via the Google Play Store and Kindle via the Amazon App Store. 'What Rhymes With Martians?' was created by Anthony Ball and Faye O'Neill, their daughter Lucy (age 6) voiced the speech effects within the game.
A new and exciting variation of the popular 'match 3' style games, 'What Rhymes With Martians?' is exploding onto the Apps market with fast moving puzzle action.