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Record number of 44 countries register for second edition of CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup
This accounts for 80% of the CEV member countries, with a terrific increase since the inaugural edition that came to a close in 2012 shortly before the London Olympics where 31 and 32 National Federations had registered for the men's and women's competition respectively.
The CEV is currently looking for organizers of the first round tournaments scheduled for May/June; applications have to be submitted by February 14 at the very latest.
"These are terrific figures" says CEV President André Meyer, "which follows on the great success of the inaugural edition. The CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup has triggered a real breakthrough for the sport in many countries and we are confident that this positive trend will continue as the second edition gets underway later this year. We hope many National Federations will come up with their bids to host one of the tournaments scheduled for the first and second round. We expect Beach Volleyball will further flourish in Europe and reach unprecedented standards via the second edition of the CEV Continental Cup."
The 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup is set to get underway later this year as per the competition format that was approved last September by the CEV Board of Administration in Copenhagen.
Once again, as it was the case in 2012, the eventual winners of the Continental Cup will participate in the Beach Volleyball tournament of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro while another two countries will have a second opportunity to qualify to the Olympics via the Intercontinental Final Round that will also take place in 2016.
The 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup will feature teams from the following countries: Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta (only women), Moldova (only men), Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino (only men), Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden (only women), Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine.
The following countries will be making their debut in the competition after missing on the inaugural CEV Continental Cup leading up to the 2012 London Olympics: Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Moldova, and San Marino. After Great Britain participated in the 2010-2012 edition, this time the home countries England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland have registered for the competition.
The basic principles for the 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup read as follows:
- Each Federation participates with two [2] teams per gender
- The Competition will be divided into six [6] rounds including a Semi-final and Final Round with the first [1st] Round starting in May/June 2014
- The top eight [8] National Federations from the CEV Country Ranking as of December 31, 2013 will move directly to the third [3rd] Round, in order to provide a more even level of competition in the first [1st] and second [2nd] Round
- To ensure more opportunities for all countries to progress in the competition, a Losers stage is planned after both the first [1st] and third [3rd] Rounds
- Semi-finals and Finals are planned to be played without the athletes having already qualified a spot for their National Federations via the FIVB Olympic Ranking
The first round is scheduled for May/June 2014 and there will be a total of 8 tournaments whose composition will be determined via a Drawing of Lots scheduled for February 22.
As per the CEV Country Ranking (as of December 31, 2013), the following countries will skip the two opening rounds of the 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup:
Men: Netherlands, Poland, Italy, Germany, Latvia, Spain, Austria, and Russia
Women: Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Spain
A second round starring all losers of the first round is scheduled for August/September 2014.
The competition will then continue as follows:
- 3rd Round with 8 tournaments, starring the NFs qualified through Rounds 1 & 2, plus the top 8 NFs from the CEV Country Ranking (see above)
- 4th Round with 4 tournaments between Losers of the 3rd Round
- Semi-finals and Finals featuring 16 and 8 countries respectively.


text:
A recent electronic cigarette review by the web site WebMD asks the rhetorical question, "Are E-Cigarettes Here to Stay?" The author makes a rather clever point that "Electronic cigarettes are picking up steam..." She refers to a recent study in the American Journal of Public Health" that highlights a growing public awareness of electronic cigarettes among the American public (about 40%, according to their survey).
Stating the obvious
Who are more likely to use e-cigarettes? Wouldn't that be existing smokers? That is what the study found, and yet the piece seems to express a surprised curiosity over that fact. Of course existing smokers would want to use electronic cigarettes, which contain about 3,998 fewer ingredients than burning tobacco. A novice smoker (say a teenager) doing an impromptu electronic cigarette review, would probably rather light up and blow real smoke than the wimpy steam e-cigarettes emit and would probably not "graduate" to e-cigarettes until hooked on nicotine.
Perhaps the author has never smoked and gone through the difficult withdrawal from nicotine, and like so many antismoking advocates just does not understand how difficult it is to stop puffing on toxic cancer sticks. Now that e-cigarettes are on the market to throw a lifeline to both the poor smokers and nonsmokers harmed by secondhand smoke, it seems that antismoking forces are (ironically) opposing a product that doesn't foul the air and has proven to be a smoking cessation tool.
Not marketed that way, though
The article says that e-cigarettes aren't regulated by the FDA "as a drug delivery device because they are not marketed as quit-smoking aids." That is a somewhat misleading statement. The FDA actually tried to regulate e-cigarettes as a drug delivery device but lost their case in court. It wasn't the FDA who decided that e-cigarettes are not marketed as quit-smoking aids. The court ruled that e-cigarettes were, similar to cigarettes, nicotine delivery devices and should be regulated like cigarettes. The FDA still has not come out with definitive regulations on electronic cigarettes – perhaps because they should not be regulated exactly like real cigarettes?
Specious "unknowns"
Then the article cites several "unanswered questions" about the safety of e-cigarettes, which any smoker could readily answer:
• Do e-cigarettes encourage former smokers to take up smoking again and "re-ignite their nicotine addiction?" Any ex-smoker knows the danger and undesirability of resurrecting a habit that was so very tough to defeat. The existence of electronic cigarettes would not factor into a decision to get re-addicted to a drug they worked so hard to kick.
• Are people who smoke now using electronic cigarettes to quit or to get around indoor smoking laws? So what? Whichever reason applies, quitting or keeping the air free of harmful cigarette smoke would both be good things. If the smoker is not interested in quitting but wants to keep smoke out of the air, that's one less cigarette inhaled into the lungs and one less butt discharged into the environment. Besides, strictly speaking, electronic cigarette reviews need to take into account something very important about their nature: e-cigarettes are harm reduction devices that, at the very least, mitigate the harm of smoking, and, at best, could be used to stop altogether.
• Finally, how are electronic cigarettes affecting nonsmokers who have never smoked? Are they "gateway products?" The answers are undoubtedly: (1) not at all, given the minute traces of stuff in the steam exhaled by e-cigarette smokers, and (2) the "gateway" to cigarette smoking would more likely be the single cigarette from the $5.00 cigarette pack and not the costlier electronic cigarette kit or disposable kind.
FDA, et. al, want a perfect world with lousy options.
So antismoking advocates continue to urge "greater regulation of these products until these questions are answered." In the meantime, the FDA continues to urge people wanting to quit use approved "smoking cessation tools" (nicotine gum, patches, lozenges), which, unfortunately have about a 90% failure rate.
One voice of reason
The article ends on a more balanced note citing one voice of reason: physician, Michael Siegel (associate chairman of community health sciences at Boston University School of Public Health) who points out the obvious fact that if electronic cigarettes were taken off the market "smokers would be forced to go back to cigarette smoking."
The real question about FDA's electronic cigarette review
Do the FDA and their antismoking colleagues really want smokers to go back to blowing smoke? Or is the "smoke blowing" being done on behalf of the pharmaceutical companies who market "approved" smoking cessation devices?

subset: commoncrawl


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Public Comment
A Note on Social Welfare Programs
The context for this note is the public policy debate that we'll be entering in a few scant weeks when the sequestration debate is taken up in connection to the slightly post-poned debt ceiling debate. Here are some progressive talking points you'll soon be meeting (for the good reason that they are sound):
1) Raising the retirement age is terrible public policy while unemployment is so high for young adults. Asking people to stay on the job longer when there is a shortage of jobs is plainly crazy. (I believe that there are factions of the financial elite who will strongly endorse this argument just as their are factions that would be thrilled to dump employer-provided health insurance entirely. Corporations don't like being in the business of supplying individual pensions when that interferes with their flexibility to change who's on payroll.)
2) Similarly, the flexibility of the younger part of the workforce is obviously tied to the welfare of seniors. Further reducing and delaying benefits directly increases the financial and care giving burden on younger workers, harming their earning and saving potentials at a time when, to cope with the demographic bubble, we need to increase the earning and saving potentials of younger workers. (This part should have a lot of appeal to middle class and working poor younger workers who are currently fretting about what is to become of their baby boomer parents. At least I know that it's on my mind.)
3) This next bit is a little tricky. Put a progressive floor on payroll tax revenues as follows:
Implement generous means testing and a raise on the earnings cap for payroll taxes. If the private sector isn't producing enough employment to cover the programs' costs, but is producing plenty of income, the tax burden needs to go up on higher incomes. If employment improves, the extra burden on high earners can be reduced. In this way, as a matter of policy, we can fairly keep payroll tax revenues stably in proportion to anticipated need for benefits.
The law could actually be written that way: Variable payroll taxes on high incomes could be either or a mix of a variable ceiling on taxable income or progressive but variable rates. The level of the new progressive part of the payroll tax would be varied automatically to hold revenues to some constraint. So there would be an employment-related floor on payroll tax revenues.
(The money party objection to this would be that it implies raising taxes (on high income earners) during contractions in employment so "job creaters durpdy durp" and arguments along those lines. As we saw in the election, though, there is pretty strong popular rejection of that argument. It is in any event a huge retreat from "OMG, the gov't is going bankrupt!")
4) Reducing health care costs is the #1 biggest thing we can do to reduce projected benefits. This is fantastic news because other than the political barriers, it's very easy and painless to make huge progress. The government is paying far too much for prescription drugs, thanks to lobbyists, for example. These are the kinds of hard choices we need to make to bring down cost projections going forward: choices that some of the wealthiest individuals and corporations may not like because where we anticipate excessive governmtent spending, they see themselves as the likely recipients, who will get that spending as windfall revenues and profits. If the government starts paying a fair price for prescription drugs, their profits will be smaller. Well, they can still make a decent profit even if the government is allowed to negotiate on price and now it's very important to move in that direction.
5) The government spends a lot to provide a safety net with the likes of unemployment insurance, housing assistance, foodstamps and WICs support, ... And yet in the pockets of poverty in this country so much of that spending is inefficient because communities are under-served. Access is scarce, for many, to healthy, affordable food. Many of the nation's poorest live in areas from which it is economically hard to escape and where the environment, even the housing in which people live, is unhealthy. These conditions drive up the nation's health care costs and put huge obstacles in the way of kids who should be getting an education and preparing to join the workforce. We should create local citizen commissions to advise local housing authorities and authorize a process for administrating federal tax relief incentives to projects that improve the housing stock and food security in low-income neighborhoods in deep cooperation with the people living in these pockets of poverty, who have the greatest interest in the outcomes. (E.g.: Federal tax incentives to create cooperative groceries, urban farming, brownfield restoration projects, lead paint and other toxic substance removal from residences, installation of modern insulation in regions with cold winters, high-priority small business assistance, and community recreation facilities.)
My intent (failed or not) here is to suggest a positive program that is easy to grok on a naive, intuitive level and that also seems plausibly realistic to a policy implementation wonk. I haven't personally tried to quantify any of it, though (so that's a big weakness, I admit, but then again the alleged quantifications of money-party policy platforms aren't what carries them, I think.).
Thomas Lord blogs a bit on news and politics at berkeleynativesun.com and hopes to see some of you there. He'd like to see that website grow organically into something larger than his own tedious voice and so writers with some chops who might want to explore contributing from blogs of their own there are invited to get in touch (write to firstname.lastname@example.com, for now.) Oh, and readers and commenters ... we'd like them too! A word of caution to commenters used to that other Berkeley side-show of a news site: don't be a jerk.


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Cruz stars in new kids coloring book
It's a bird! It's a plane! Nope, it's Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, in coloring book form.
Cruz is the "real life superhero" featured in a new coloring book for kids, "Ted Cruz to the Future," published by the Really Big Coloring Book company.
Story Continued Below
The activity book seeks to teach lessons about Cruz's personal life, the American political system and the Bible. One page features a quick profile of the Cruz family, noting that Cruz met his wife, Heidi, while working on George W. Bush's presidential campaign. Another page lists the Ten Commandments underneath the caption, "'In God We Trust:' National Motto of America."
( PHOTOS: Key quotes from Ted Cruz)
"We've talked to a lot of parents around the country, and they really enjoy seeing modern day people in children's literature," RBCB Founder Wayne Bell said in a promotional video posted on YouTube. "It's sort of a comic book as well; it highlights his family, who he is, and what he does."
RBCB has waded into political waters before, with comic books like, "Yes We Did: President Barack Obama 2008," and "The Tea Party Coloring Book for Kids."
The company notes that it did not speak directly to Cruz or his staff in making the comic book, "in order to provide a fair objective review on this positive role model and real life superhero."
( QUIZ: Do you know Ted Cruz?)
"RBCB created this comic coloring and activity book not as an endorsement of Senator Ted Cruz but rather as an educational tool to be used in schools and perhaps as a handout for groups, clubs and organizations," says a statement on RBCB's website. "All information is fact-based, evidenced in truth and is made available to the public."


text:
October 1, the deadline for credit card companies and retailers in the U.S. to make the switch to the new EMV chip standard and replace the old magnetic strip on credit cards, has come and gone. But according to Forbes, nearly 60 percent of consumers have yet to receive their new upgraded credit cards, nearly 70 percent haven't gotten any information at all about the new chip technology, and those who have received the chip-enabled cards have no idea what the change is all about.
Retailers are probably glad that the new credit cards aren't in heavy circulation yet. Although they are responsible for any credit card fraud occurring at their place of business, merchants have been very slow to adopt the new technology. As International Business Times reported, only 27 percent of businesses were ready for the new standard on October 1, and by the end of the year, the number is expected to reach 44 percent of merchants who accept credit card payments.
The point of the new cards is to decrease the risk of credit card fraud and provide a safer way for financial transactions. Similar to the European credit card experience, the new chip cards will change the way we check out at stores. Card users insert the card into an EMV terminal, where it remains throughout the duration of the transaction. No more swiping a magnetic strip. However, in its survey on consumer awareness of the new EMV changes, Harbortouch found that half of the respondents don't believe that security is going to improve with chip-embedded cards.
All we know for sure right now is that the adoption of the new system is progressing slowly. So why are businesses – and in turn, consumers – so hesitant to embrace EMV chip-enhanced credit cards?
Related Topics : SharePoint, Web Video and Voice Conferencing, UK, MySpace, Intranets
With an historic shift toward e-commerce, it's more important than ever that retailers have the right pieces in place to successfully capture online traffic and drive conversions. ... More >>
Digital innovation is by far the biggest influencer, changing the way we do just about everything, from shopping to communication to running a business. ... More >>
In addition to posing a critical challenge to company branding, web scraping threatens sales, SEO rankings and can undermine the integrity of content that took resources to produce. ... More >>


text:
Windows - Other
Trillian Pro 3 1 10 0 + Best Skins and Plugin Pack
Download your torrents safely! And Anonymously!
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Name:Trillian Pro 3 1 10 0 + Best Skins and Plugin Pack
Infohash: 56C8917396E0BD17895801B9217169256E0A22BC
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Trillian Pro 22.214.171.124 + Best Skins and Plugin Pack
Trillian™ is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings.
What`s New for 3.1:
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text:
So. Most people that meet me think I'm a pretty relaxed non-competitive kind of guy.
You know, that's bullshit.
I'm actually an incredibly and annoyingly competitive guy.
Sometimes passive aggressive.
It's just that a lot of the people I hang with, and sometimes myself, don't notice until well after the fact.
I have been over to people's houses. Had kind of crappy food. Noted it consciously or subconsciously.
Months, or years, later, I have caught myself improving their dishes and trying to serve it back to them when they were visiting my house. Pretty shitty. I'm not proud, but sometimes I have to police myself even if others don't notice.
I was chatting with a friend who participates in cocktail competitions, and he was saying stuff like, "taste is subjective," and, "you just can't take that sort of thing personally."
And I'm like, "Bullshit."
Sure. You do your day job. Whatever. It rolls off your back.
When you put yourself and your taste out there it matters. And when you fuck up or when people don't get it, it hurts.
In general, my life philosophy has been to avoid pain.
Sometimes this has meant avoiding risk taking.
Not to be all dramatic about it or anything. But maybe I should think about that.


text:
More Premium PSN Rumor Support for E3 2010
Joystiq cites multiple sources and believes that Sony will unveil PSN+ at E3 2010 during its press conference. The service will "will focus on giving paid subscribers additional bonuses without limiting online multiplayer between paying and nonpaying users."
The additional bonuses cited are:
- "Access to a rotating list of PSP Minis and PSone Classics"
- "Exclusive in-game DLC"
- "Discounts to the PlayStation Store"
- "'First Hour' demo access to full retail titles"
- A PlayStation Protection Plan
- Cross-game chat
- Auto-patching for recently played games
The content of both rumors seem very different, but other than a discrepancy about cross-game chat, seem to fit together. The European-focused rumor from VG247 suggests a music-streaming service, while the US-based rumor focuses on the games.
From The Chatty


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MIDTOWN — Celebrators marking the centennial of Grand Central Terminal are toasting the birthday with a 100-year-old drink.
The Campbell Apartment, which is inside the historic station, will serve up the sort of fruity drink popular in 1913 when people wanted to cover up the taste of harsh liquors.
The Centennial Punch is made with a surprisingly strong mix of papaya, pomegranate and lemon juices, along with Hendrick's Gin, Sandeman Founder's Reserve port — and a dash of champagne for that celebratory flavor.
The luxurious, wood-lined cocktail bar could be the perfect place to enjoy that centennial drink — when the building was just 10 years old, the room became an office for financier John W. Campbell. The bar still retains much of the grandeur of old New York.
The terminal as we know it today first opened in 1913.
The drink is served in a pilsner glass and costs $15.
"It's quite a large drink, so you're getting a lot of bang for your buck," McClure said.
The Centennial Punch
2 oz. Hendrick's Gin
1 1/2 oz. Sandeman Founder's Reserve port
2 oz. papaya juice
1 oz. pomegranate juice
splash of fresh lemon juice and simple syrup
Directions: Shake ingredients very well with ice and strain over new ice into ice-filed pilsner glass.
Top off with sparkling wine and stir briefly.
Garnish: cinnamon stick and freshly grated nutmeg.


text:
by G. Patrick Battell, July 2005
This is one of those frequently asked questions that regularly gets an airing either on Christian radio or in church circles.
Another question asked, is Freemasonry Christian?
So I must answer an emphatic NO to both questions, but also try to perhaps qualify why the Born Again Christian can never seek membership to be a Mason or any other secret society. Or even wish to do so.
Regrettably, however was the fact that former Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher was indeed a practicing mason all his life.
The Church of England has long had the problem of how to deal with Freemasons in their broad church. Rowan Williams, whose father was in the Craft, used to block the promotion of practicing Masonic bishops, before he was promoted to Canterbury.
In Martin Short's book, 'Inside the Brotherhood' he shares the following account of one Anglican Primate who wasn't happy to learn of a Masonic burial in an Anglican Church:
"……I found that the words 'Jesus Christ' were omitted from the prayers and the word 'Architect' substituted. Worse still, the cross was to be removed from the altar…. I thought that in this case it would be better for the service to take place in a Masonic temple….this line I took stirred up a hornets' nest. I was warned that I had offended important benefactors and that the diocese would suffer financially. It might have done so" (pgs. 76, 77.)
"Secret societies must be either Christian, non-christian, or anti-Christian", wrote George L. Hunt in his book 'Secret Societies'. Although this statement was written over a hundred years ago it's meaning is just as relevant today, if not more so!
In recent years the Masons have tried hard to reinvent their battered and tarnished image, by allowing members of the press and public to come and visit their Lodges, during out of hours. One recent Masonic newsletter that was sent to me, had the following quote, about the need for more "good news" stories, from the local press: "…Now that we are achieving good coverage in the local press we are looking to other means of spreading the good news about Freemasonry." This same publication boasted of the numerous good works that they do in their areas, with the sum raised by them, for the years 2004/2005 being 200,037. It would appear that they are trusting in their own righteousness, not Jesus' to receive Eternal Life (Rom. 10:1-4.)
At this stage I must lay my cards on the table and state categorically that to my knowledge there have never been practicing Freemasons in my family. How could there be? As a fourth or fifth generation Roman Catholic, had not the church forbidden membership to freemasonry? And by no less than nine papal bulls issued by fuming Pope's! All this was to change covertly after Vatican II, when I suspect the ecumenical plot allowed masons to join the fold. If you're still not sure of the Roman Catholic view, just check the 1994 Catechism; you will find no mention of freemasonry and why a Catholic cannot seek membership. Today I don't think they – the hierarchy – could care less what you wish to do with your spare time. Accept possibly promote the Social Gospel!
So can a Christian be a Freemason? The first question is why would he want to (yes, I know some lodges allow women): "The Order of the Eastern Star can and does include both men and women." But they remain very much male driven.Incidentally the knights of DeMolay are a related organization that a young Bill Clinton was attracted to join when he was 15 years old. According to 'Freemasonry today', young Bill enlisted in DeMolay at Hot springs in Arkansas in 1961. He later stated: "I enjoyed learning all parts of the ritual. I grew up in a family with no money and no political influence. I had a lot of breaks; a lot of people helped me. DeMolay I think helps that". He would later become a Rhodes scholar: Cecil Rhodes was himself a highly respected millionaire Freemason. Also according to Dr Peter S. Ruckman, President Clinton became somewhere in his political career a born again Christian, so make of that what you will!
George L. Hunt states that: "Secretism is not only non-Christian, but that it is anti-Christian." Heavy stuff you may say, but are they religious these Masons?
They most certainly are! Just listen to what Albert Pike, Grand Commander and Sovereign Pontiff (recognise that word?) of Universal Masonry) has to say: "Every Masonic lodge is a temple of religion."
Or as Dr Albert Mackey a highly respected mason wrote in his book 'The encyclopaedia of Freemasonry': "Masonry is an eminently religious institution. The truth is masonry is undoubtedly a religious institution."
Or as Sir John Cockburn, past deputy grand master of South Australia said:
"Masonry, is a form of worship in which all religions can unite". (And boy, aren't they just promoting that today?)
Incidentally according to the author Jim Shaw, himself a previous 33rd degree Mason who was saved from the darkness of masonry and brought into the light of Jesus Christ, he writes:
"Masonry, contrary to popular belief, is NOT based upon the Bible. Masonry is actually based on the Kabala (Cabala), a medieval book of magic and mysticism."
This dangerous statement is also reinforced by no less that Albert Pike. He said: "Masonry is a search after light. That search leads us directly back, as you see, to the Kabala." (Check out James' article on this website about the Kabbalah.)
Now one thing this website is clear about and that is: you must get out of religion! Have nothing to do with it. It cannot save you! No two ways about it! I mean would you wish to be mixed up with these people? Remember – masonry excludes the name of Christ from prayer. The precious name of Jesus is excluded from every passage of Scripture that is read in the lodge:
For example, this verse is how is should read, but Masons omit the following words:
"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us" (2 Thess. 3:6.)
The same is used to mangle 2 Thess. 3:11, 12:
"For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread."
This is not genuine Christian behaviour, neither should it ever be accepted as such.
"When Masonry mutilates the Holy Scripture by deliberately omitting the name of the Messiah it is no longer the God-breathed, inspired word of God. It is religion without Jesus Christ as Saviour and Redeemer."
This statement by the late Jim McCormick himself an astute observer and writer of numerous articles on Freemasonry over the years is confirmed by Albert Pike in his lexicon of freemasonry He writes: "A Christian Mason is not permitted to introduce his own peculiar opinions with regard to Christ's mediatorial office into the lodge."
"It is interesting that in 'The Builder', a well known Masonic book, there is no entry in the index for: 'Jesus' or 'Christ.'
In 'Coils Masonic Encyclopaedia' no such entry is listed either. Neither does 'Holman's Masonic edition of the Holy Bible' include an entry of either 'Jesus' or 'Christ'. So I have to ask: does this not show the scornful attitude of any Lodge toward Christianity? All prayers in the lodge it seems are Christ-less prayers. How sad.
So where does that leave the Christian as regards worship in the lodge? Assuming he has got this far!
Well he can use the volume of Sacred Law (VSL), the Koran, Vedas, the book of Mormon, or gita. He can choose Mohammed, Zoroaster or the angelus for inspiration, if he so wishes. He can worship in any lodge behind closed doors in Trafalgar sq, off Broadway or near the neverland ranch (if he should wish to.)
Yet did not Jesus proclaim: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14: 6). So what is going on here, I have to ask. And don't be taken in by the all 'seeing eye' familiar in the lodge and on the back of a dollar bill. It is not the eye of God as masons claim but rather:
"The all seeing eye (that) was the symbol of deity in the ancient mysteries of Egypt."
Secretism, it seems, announces another route, another door independent of the Lord Jesus Christ. This I will not accept! Christ is not on the level with Mohammed or Buddha or Confucius, Sitting Bull or Pope Benedict XVI.
Freemasonry also states that: "If you deserve and purchase your path to heaven you are being saved by your own works, not God's works." This is from the Freemasons pocket companion. The true Christian knows that good works can never save you. Only the precious blood of Jesus Christ can achieve this. Nothing else. And if it did, what was the point of the Crucifixion?
"He that is of God heareth God's words" (John 8:47.)
So why are young men attracted into becoming Freemasons?
In the Masonic Catechism the novice is asked:
"Why did you become a Freemason?"
"To obtain a knowledge of the secrets and mysteries preserved amongst the brethren."
In the commercial sector it can offer promotion and in bringing in new business to the firm if a man is approached to join the lodge. This is very much a sweetener as well as the colourful regalia. And don't all men love a uniform and the whiff of secret societies? (For the purpose of this article I have excluded the Illumminati, the Trilateral group, the Bilderberg group and other assorted anti-Christian institutions.) It should also be remembered that: "Many ministers, elders, deacons, trustees and Sunday school teachers", have all requested a place in the Lodge. And shame on them!
Remember: Masonic rites are idolatry. This is clearly witnessed in the initiation oaths especially in the first 3 degrees. Even God is re named the great Architect of the Universe! Masons will not find him in the Grand lodge in the sky! Rather they will meet the one true God at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20:11.)
The apostle Paul was correct when he warned those seeking the truth not to yoke with those who practice such acts. Did Jesus not warn: "Swear not at all" (Matt. 5:34.)
In the 19th degree of the 33 degrees of Freemasonry, the candidate is marked with balm with the words said over him:
"Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
We must see this as blasphemy and unacceptable.
Incidentally in the same degree (19th) the candidate is presented with a sash embroidered with the 12 signs of the zodiac. The Bible clearly forbids this divination (Deuteronomy 18:10). Again the Christian should and must reject such a practice if it is offered to him.
And what about secret hand grips? And mumbled Oaths muttered in the dark (please read what the Apostle James says in his Epistle 5:12 about this matter). The apprentice is warned that his throat will be cut, his tongue and heart will be torn out and his discarded body will be marked and disembowelled, if any lodge secrets are revealed to non-masons, or I suppose his family!
So why would any sane person in his right mind want to go along with this malarkey? One more thing a Christian should look out for are: Masonic rings cuff links and tie clips as well as fleece lined aprons and silk festooned ties, crystal glass or pewter decanters.
My final advice to any Christian who has joined freemasonry is to get out of it: burn the regalia – don't wait. And if you've got kids or grandchildren they'll love to assist you in stoking that fire in the garden. Perhaps your wife will also be very glad of your decision!
Remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 6:17: "Come ye out from among them", he later qualifies this in Ephesians 5:11:
"Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret."
So what more encouragement do you need?
G. Patrick Battell, July 2005
Get out while you can Brethren,
Love and God Bless,


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Data Storage
How Cisco IT Deployed a Storage Area Network (SAN)
Read this brief case study summary to learn how Cisco improved its data storage capabilities by installing Multilayer Director Switches to create a SAN.
ERP data storage improves usage, system management, and provisioning speed with Cisco multilayer director switches.
For data storage, Cisco maintains a rapidly-growing infrastructure. Its data storage resources have doubled in size every year, reaching more than 2 petabytes (PB) in 2004. In the mid-1990s, the Cisco data storage infrastructure consisted of about 90 percent direct-attached storage (DAS) and 10 percent network- attached data storage.
During the early 2000s, Cisco migrated to storage-area networks (SANs), which allowed data storage resources to be pooled into a large shared storage facility while improving overall data storage utilization and reducing costs. The data storage migration began with the deployment of Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Director Switches for enterprise resource planning (ERP) and data warehousing business functions at the Cisco data center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Subsequently, Cisco IT deployed the Cisco MDS 9509 and Cisco MDS 9513 Multilayer Director Switches within the Cisco global network. Now, virtual SANs (VSANs) are used for additional network security. Storage management has been consolidated with the SAN islands. Specific tasks, such as data storage provisioning within the new SAN, are accomplished with greater flexibility. Servers and data storage devices can be added as needed, without the additional expense and lead time of installing an additional Fibre Channel switch.
This deployment provided significant business benefits, including:
- Improved data storage utilization
- Improved system management and reliability
- Faster provisioning
- Improved data availability
- Lower capital and management costs
- Simplified data storage management
- Increased network performance and speed
- Enhanced data security and integrity
- Better positioning for data storage growth
For more information please visit: Storage Networking


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Danvers, MA (PRWEB) February 08, 2013
Wireless Analytics, wireless expense and mobility device management pioneer, today announced their partnership with iPass Inc., the global Wi-Fi roaming leader for enterprises and telecom service providers, and will be reselling iPass Open Mobile Enterprise (OME) Service to its medium to large-size enterprise customers located through the Northeast United States.
With this partnership, Wireless Analytics provides its customers (who have a large base of global traveling workforces) the ability to seamlessly connect to the internet and corporate network through more than 1.2 million Wi-Fi access points around the world, including in-flight. iPass OME will be included in the Wireless Analytics "Mobile Management Made Easy" service portfolio and billing administrative support capabilities, making it extremely easy for customers to engage, perform and simplify departmental charge backs and manage their iPass services. The end result is a significant reduction in access costs, improved security and an improved user connection experience for Wireless Analytics' customers.
"As an iPass partner, Wireless Analytics can now offer our customers access to the iPass network and services to help them manage the influx of mobile devices that are coming into the enterprise and the associated connectivity costs," said Erik Eames, CEO, Wireless Analytics. "Partnering with iPass is important for Wireless Analytics and our customers because it broadens our current connectivity services, giving our customers access to the world's largest commercial Wi-Fi network, and therefore broadens the range of solutions we can deliver to our enterprise customers."
"By working with Wireless Analytics, we are able to add value to their customers when they are working on the move," said Christophe Culine, senior vice president and general manager, iPass Enterprise. "Wireless Analytics recognizes the growing importance of the mobile office, and by becoming an iPass OME reseller, Wireless Analytics customers have easy access to global wireless connectivity at a predictable cost."
iPass Open Mobile enables organizations to provide mobile employees with seamless connectivity to the world's largest commercial-grade Wi-Fi network of more than 1.2 million hotspots including in-flight Internet, hotels, airports and business venues around the world. Open Mobile provides a consistent user experience across smartphones, tablets and laptops while avoiding costly roaming charges and expensive Wi-Fi day passes. Organizations gain visibility into enterprise, group, individual and device mobility, and can easily control expenses and security to reduce the total cost of enterprise mobility. For more information, please visit http://www.ipass.com/solutions/.
About Wireless Analytics, LLC
Wireless Analytics works directly with C-level management to make wireless mobile management easy and efficient, giving them the tools to enable employees to work anywhere and anytime. Supporting the mobile workforce since 2003, Wireless Analytics provides outsourced mobility management services such as online visibility and reporting, wireless policy development, cost analysis, procurement, complete help desk services, inventory management, and carrier invoice management. To learn more, please visit http://www.WirelessAnalytics.com.
About iPass Inc.
iPass helps enterprises and telecom service providers ensure their employees and subscribers stay well connected. Founded in 1996, iPass delivers the world's largest commercial-grade Wi-Fi network and trusted connectivity platform. With more than 1.2 million Wi-Fi hotspots across 124 countries and territories, iPass gives its customers always-on, frictionless connectivity for smartphones, tablets and laptops anywhere in the world – simply, securely and cost-effectively. Additional information is available at http://www.iPass.com or on Smarter Connections, the iPass blog.
iPass® is a registered trademark and Open Mobile is a trademark of iPass Inc. Wi-Fi® is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners.


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BANNER ELK, N.C. – The Coker men's volleyball team suffered a 3-1 loss to the Bobcats of Lees-McRae on Saturday (Feb. 15) in men's collegiate volleyball action.
The Bobcats jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after taking set one 25-17, thanks to a 7-3 run to close the set. The match would get tight in set two as the Cobras and Bobcats battled fiercely with neither team taking a two point lead until the score was 16-14 in favor of Lees-McRae. The battle would continue as Coker pushed the Bobcats to their limit before losing the set 25-22.
The third set would be a dandy as both teams took big leads and eventually squandered them. Lees-McRae took a commanding 13-9 lead early in the set to put the Cobras on the ropes. However, after going down 14-10, the Navy and Yellow would use a 6-0 run to take a 16-14 lead and force a Bobcat timeout. The two teams would go back-and-forth the rest of the set, but Coker would ultimately come out victorious with a 25-23 win to force a fourth set.
The fourth set would be tightly contested just like the second set, but there would be no big comeback for the Cobras like the third set. After a Cobra point to make the score 18-16 in favor of Lees-McRae, the Bobcats would go on a 5-0 run to take a 23-16 lead that would prove to be insurmountable. Coker would tag on two more points before losing the set 25-18.
Jared Geizer had team-highs in kills (13), digs (6) and blocks (3) to lead the Cobras on the day. Luke Hansen and Leshon Alexander knocked home nine and eight kills, respectively. Ricardo Ferrer set the Cobra offense with a game-high 42 assists, while Cooper Lyon had six digs to lead the defense.
Coker returns to the court on Tuesday (Feb. 18) when they take on Pfeiffer University. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Release written by Coker sports information graduate assistant Sharod Williams '13.


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TORONTO – Ontario's Liberal government is dismissing opposition calls for a judicial inquiry into cancelled gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga.
The Progressive Conservatives don't support the NDP's call for a public inquiry into the cancelled energy projects, and say they want a judge who cannot be influenced by government to head any probe.
Premier Kathleen Wynne didn't address the Tories' demand directly, but she rejected the idea of a public inquiry into the cancellation of the gas plants, which the Liberals say cost taxpayers $230 million.
Wynne says all the answers the opposition parties are looking for will come from either a legislative committee or an auditor general's investigation.
The Conservatives say they'll call a judicial inquiry if they win the next election because they can't force the minority government to agree to one.
Wynne also dismissed accusations that she misled the public by saying all the documents on cancelled gas plants were released months ago, when another 600 pages turned up last week.
Wynne says they were basing their statements on information they had at the time.
But NDP Leader Andrea Horwath accuses Wynne of deliberately misleading the public and the legislature.


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Mad Men: The Authorities Come Calling
Tonight on Mad Men, the ceiling came perilously close to crashing down on the men of SCPD. Don, Roger and Lane had been childishly living just on the edge, and tonight, that little push came to send them over.
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce has always existed in a tenuous place by relying too heavily on one large client, Lucky Strike. After Lee Garner Sr.'s "incapacitation" and a change in philosophy amongst the company's board of directors, SCPD is fired. The realization of SCDP's imminent doom because of this is not lost on Roger, who all but grovels at the feet of Lee Garner, Jr. And once again, we see how little Roger has actually done: he inherited the account the same way he inherited the company and everything else in his life.
[There was a video here]
Lane, we're made aware, has settled into single life in the city. He's been dating a bunny at the Playboy club and seems to be quite happy. But all the changes when his father arrives in New York for the express purpose of bringing Lane home to settle things with his wife. When Lane refuses, his father takes the extreme action of a harsh disciplinarian and Lane falls into line. And we see how, even though he's the man at SCDP, to his father, he's just a little boy with a mess to clean up.
[There was a video here]
And, of course, things almost fell apart completely for Don. After a new client requires a Department of Defense clearance that results in background checks, Don's false identity comes close to being realized by all. But Betty lies for him and Pete does what he can to protect him. None of it stops Don from having a panic attack about having to come clean.
[There was a video here]
Don then comes clean about what happened in Korea to Dr. Miller and they dropped the account, so everything is all good for him. But, never before have we seen Don ready to give it all up, ready to stop lying. Will that feeling be as fleeting as his attempt to curtail his drinking from a few episodes ago or has Don truly turned a corner? With only a few episodes left in Season 4, we won't have to wait too long to find out.


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- Telephone:
- 07825 984383 | 07804 206559
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Key factsPrint summary
IN EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR AGE AND MILEAGE, HUGE SPECIFICATION WITH OVER £5,400 WORTH OF LAND ROVER OPTIONAL EXTRAS FITTED, 2 KEYS, GOOD MATCHING TYRES FITTED ALL ROUND, FULL SERVICE HISTORY ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL BOOK PACK AND ALL MANUALS PRESENT, EXCELLENT EXAMPLE, VERY RARE MODEL WITH A HUGE SPECIFICATION, PLEASE BOOK YOURSELF IN FOR A TEST DRIVE, ANY INSPECTION WELCOME, EVERY CAR IS FULLY CHECKED AND HPI'D WITH A CERTIFICATE, 22 INCH ALLOYS AND SIDE STEPS FITTED , 3 months warranty, Next MOT due 20/03/2020, Full dealership history, Clean bodywork, White Full leather interior - Excellent Condition, Tyre condition Good, Four wheel-drive, Metallic Silver, 5+ owners, £6,995
This car comes with
Electric Sunroof, Centre Console Cooler Box, DVD (Twin Screen Rear Entertainment System), Privacy Glass Rear of B Post, Personal Telephone Integration System (Blue Tooth), BI-Xenon Adaptive Head lights, Tow Pack, 19 inch 5 - V Spoke Alloy Wheel, Automatic Climate Control, Cruise Control, Front and Rear Park Distance Control, Heated Front Screen, Heated Front and Rear Seats, Metallic Paint, Powered Front Seats with Driver Memory, Premium Navigation System, Radio High Audio System - Radio/CD Player/MP3/6 CD Autochanger, Rain Sensor, Ultrasonic Alarm System, Upholstery - Premium Leather
- 201905248289604
- 2005
- 05
- £6,995
- 700
- 135,000
- Cars
- guOUWTfeOEQ=
Vehicle summary
|Body style
|Engine size
|2720 cc
|Fuel type
|Number of doors
|Number of seats
|Gearbox type
|CO2 emissions
|271 g/km
|Insurance group
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (miles)
|0 miles
|Standard manufacturer's warranty (years)
|3 years
|Standard paintwork guarantee
|3 years
Performance & economy
|Fuel consumption (urban)
|22.2 mpg
|Fuel consumption (extra urban)
|33.6 mpg
|Fuel consumption (combined)
|27.7 mpg
|0 - 60 mph
|11.9 seconds
|Top speed
|120 mph
|Engine power
|187 bhp
|Engine torque
|325.00 lbs/ft
|1812 mm
|Height inclusive of roof rails
|No details available
|4788 mm
|2745 mm
|2170 mm
|Width including mirrors
|No details available
|Fuel tank capacity
|84 litres
|Minimum kerb weight
|2455 kg
|Interior features
|Exterior features
|Rhodium Finish
|Metallic Paint
|Electro - Chromatic Interior Mirror
|Rear Wash/Wipe
|On Board Monitor
|Exterior Mirrors - Powerfold and Adjustable, Heated with Memory, Auto Dimming
|Cruise Control
|Spare Wheel Alloy 19 x 8 Reduced Section
|Heated Front and Rear Seats
|19 inch 5 - V Spoke Alloy Wheel
|Radio High Audio System - Radio/CD Player/MP3/6 CD Autochanger
|Tail - Mounted Rear Spoiler
|Centre Console
|Body Coloured Bumpers
|Harman Kardon System: 8 Speakers, Passive Subwoofer
|Headlamp Power Wash
|Power Adjustable Steering Column
|Heated Windscreen Washer Jets
|Rain Sensor
|Cornering Lights
|Audio Amplifier
|Premium Navigation System
|Upholstery - Premium Leather
|Heated Rear Screen
|Automatic Climate Control
|Heated Front Screen
|Powered Front Seats with Driver Memory
|Leather Covered Gear Knob
|Leather Covered Steering Wheel
|Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
|Drivers Airbag
|Bi-Xenon Headlamps
|Dynamic Stability Control (DSC)
|Front Passengers Airbag
|Centrally Mounted High Stop Lamp Mounted In Rear Spoiler
|Automatic Headlamps
|Electric Parking Brake (EPB)
|Front and Rear Head Restraint
|Front Fog Lamps
|Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
|Central Door Locking
|Power Assisted Steering
|Centre Rear Seat Belt
|Front and Rear Park Distance Control
|Traction Control System (TCS)
|Curtain Airbags and Side Airbags
|Ultrasonic Alarm System
Please note
This includes MPG figures which are calculated under European Standards, in test conditions, and will vary under normal driving conditions. The information displayed above describes the typical specification of the most recent model of this vehicle. It is not the exact specification for the actual vehicle being offered for sale which may vary. Specifications for older models may also vary. Please contact us prior to purchase to confirm the exact specification of this vehicle.
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Finch touts Bridgeport's role in 'greening' America
Bridgeport mayor touts eco-friendly businesses
Bill Finch wants his fellow mayors across the country to turn green with envy.
The Bridgeport mayor took advantage of Earth Day on Tuesday morning to boost the progress of Eco-Technology Park, a development of reclaimed derelict industrial land on the west side of the city that has attracted several companies that have a basis in recycling materials or clean-energy use.
"Our goal is to become one of the `greenest' cities in the country," said Finch, who co-chairs the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Task Force. "And as Bridgeport continues to become one of the greenest cities in America, Eco-Technology Park serves as a hub for `green' job creation, moving our city toward an even more sustainable future."
Before an audience of about 25 at AKDO, an importer and distributor of natural stone slabs on State Street, Finch participated in a panel discussion of how several businesses are using "green" technology or plan to implement it in the city.
Easton-based NuPower, a renewable energy developer, is finalizing plans to take waste heat from the Wheelabrator waste-to-energy plant in Bridgeport and use it to keep downtown buildings warm.
"There's enough heat for the entire city," said panel member Scott Guilmartin, a principal in NuPower, estimating that the heating bill for buildings that NuPower serves through its project will be reduced by 15 percent. "We're very optimistic about the potential. We expect to break ground in 2015."
Bridgeport Biodiesel, a plant that converts used cooking oil into fuel, currently processes 1 million gallons of kitchen grease a year and plans to expand its operations to 10 million gallons, according to panel member Bill Malone, president of Enviro Express Natural Gas and a principal in the biodiesel business.
"Bridgeport will be the largest biodiesel company in the mid-Atlantic area. We're on a race to zero waste," Malone told the audience, noting that the operation employs nine people but could add 30 more as the business expands over the next 24 months.
BGreen 2020
Finch on Tuesday led a tour of companies on the west side of the city involved in "green" business, including EnviroExpress' liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas vehicle fueling station.
"We have 100 trucks a day that come to get gas," Malone said, adding natural gas burns cleaner than diesel and natural gas-fueled trucks travel farther on a fill-up than diesel vehicles. "It's not your grandfather's gas station."
The highlighted businesses are consistent with the city's BGreen 2020, a plan that outlines 64 strategies that target improving Bridgeport's quality of life through the cleaning of the city's soils and waterways, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and attracting "green" businesses and jobs.
The first stop on Finch's walking tour was Dominion Power's fuel cell power facility that began operating in late 2013. The plant was developed by Danbury-based Fuel Cell Energy.
"It's three-times as efficient as a traditional power plant," he said. "The power goes to the grid -- enough for 15,000 homes."
Sewage treatment
The tour also included Wheelabrator, Tri-State Flexi-Pave, a company that recycles old tires into permeable pavement, and Captain's Cove Seaport, which adjoins the city's former landfill where United Illuminating plans to locate 9,000 energy producing solar panels by June 2015.
The Bridgeport City Council last month approved a plan to lease 16 acres of the site to UI.
The city's quest for "green" even extends to its sewage treatment operations.
The Water Pollution Control Authority last year began a 20-year partnership with Ontario, Canada-based Anaergia that will allow Bridgeport to utilize renewable energy generated from organic waste including wastewater sludge and food scraps using an anaerobic digestion technology.
The city has signed a memorandum of understanding with Green Point Energy Partners, a developer and financier of renewable energy facilities that capture methane from organic municipal solid waste, to build a food-waste digester in the Eco-Technology Park. The facility and greenhouse will create 35 to 40 jobs and can be operational by late 2016.
Recent arrivals at the Eco-Technology Park, besides Tri-State Flexi-Pave, include Park City Green, a mattress recycling business and American Oil Solutions, a recycler of hydrocarbon products. Green Depot, a supplier of environmentally friendly building and lifestyle products and services, also is expected to open at the park.
The new arrivals employ about 150 people, producing $9 million in annual personal income, said Paul Timpanelli, president and CEO of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council.
"Every business in town is impacted by that," he said.


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Forty years ago this past summer Congress was faced with the challenge of passing a new farm bill. I'm sure the requisite number of hearings was held and a flock of issues raised, including the impact of the legislation on the federal budget.
But once the Agriculture Committees drafted a new farm bill, it was introduced in the Senate on May 23, 1973, and passed on June 8 by a vote of 78-9. The House Ag Committee version was introduced in the House on June 20 and passed on July 19. President Nixon signed the bill on Aug. 10.
So in the space of 57 calendar days, Congress introduced, debated and passed a new farm bill. In contrast, this Congress or rather the current Congress and its immediate predecessor have been working on a farm bill for nearly three years.
The latest timetable has Congress not taking up the farm bill until October, and it appears that unless the House reaches an agreement with the Senate on nutrition programs, it may not complete its work on the legislation this calendar year, either. (See http://southwestfarmpress.com/government/farm-bill-conference-likely-early-october.)
If it wasn't such a serious topic for farmers, it would almost be funny. The Congress of the United States cannot pass a bill aimed at feeding the country because some of its members won't recognize a percentage of its citizens go to bed hungry most nights.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, who has shown the patience of Job during the long months of maneuvering over the farm bill, summed up the situation very succinctly in a meeting with his constituents the other day:
"It shouldn't be this hard to pass a farm bill that makes sure we have food."
You can debate the merits of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps) and who's deserving of benefits until the cows come home. But the facts, as reported by USDA recently, are that 14.5 percent of U.S. households suffer from chronic hunger and a larger percent don't earn enough money from their hourly wages to feed their families day in and day out.
Proponents of the nearly $40 billion in cuts in the SNAP and other nutrition programs claim that something's wrong with the program because the number of recipients has risen to 48 million people. That the number of recipients has steadily increased during one of the worst recessions since the 1930s surely shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.
While this debate drags on, the national media are having a field day criticizing farmers for receiving millions in farm program benefits while part of the Congress wants to remove 4 million to 6 million Americans from the SNAP program. One of their favorite targets is a member of Congress who reportedly has received $3.5 million in farm program subsidies.
Anyone who has followed the farm program debate for years knows that this is comparing apples to oranges. But that argument is lost on the general public who see the issue as members of Congress beating up on poor people.


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On the evening of 24 January 2013, comedian and naturalist Bill Bailey unveiled this striking portrait of Alfred Russel Wallace at the top of our grand Central Hall staircase, near to the Charles Darwin statue.
As they gather around the famous Diplodocus bones in the Museum's most impressive meeting space, visitors can now enjoy the gaze from on high of the two greatest figures in natural history - not to mention the two greatest beards.
The unveiling of the painting marked the official launch of Wallace100 and the Wallace Letters Online resource which are part of the celebrations in this year's anniversary of Wallace's death. The Museum plays a central part in these activities and forthcoming events.
Guests at the Wallace100 launch event taking photos of the portrait being unveiled. Sir David Attenborough was among those who attended.
Alfred Russel Wallace 1823 - 1913 was an intrepid explorer, brilliant naturalist and remarkable intellectual. It's sometimes overlooked that he co-discovered the process of evolution by natural selection with Charles Darwin. But this year's anniversary events should help redress the balance.
As a long-time admirer of Wallace and also the Patron of the Wallace Memorial Fund, Bill Bailey has been in the media spotlight a lot of late talking about Wallace's under-recognised contribution to our understanding of the natural world.
Bill Bailey and the Museum's Wallace expert, Dr George Beccaloni (right), at the unveiling in our Central Hall.
Museum curator and Wallace expert Dr George Beccaloni (above right), tells me how pleased he is to see the portrait return to its original place near the statue of Charles Darwin after an absence of over 40 years:
'The Central Hall is a beautiful space, but it has always struck me as being a little "cold" and my aesthetic sense was disturbed by the fact that the memorials on the wall of the central staircase are asymmetrical - there being nothing on the wall above and to the right of the Charles Darwin statue to match the monument to Selous on the opposite side.
'With the unveiling of the Wallace painting both problems are gone. The space seems a lot warmer with Wallace looking benevolently down at the crowds and the painting fills the empty gap superbly on the wall near Darwin. Perfect!'
George Beccaloni
The magnificent oil painting by artist J W Beaufort was donated to the Natural History Museum in 1923. At its original unveiling, the President of the Royal Society said of Wallace and Darwin in his opening speech:
'Circumstances arranged that the discoveries of these two men came, as it were, at the same moment and on the very same theme side by side before the scientific world. Such an attendant circumstance might, in some cases, have proved an embarrassment to one or other of them, but, as we all know, instead of being an embarrassment it formed a bond of generous association between them, each one of them striving to exalt the merits of the other. That part of the history of science will ever remain as a noble and inspiring feature connected with the work of these two men. Therefore the picture that we have there is not only a memorial of one whose memory is part of the historic treasure of science, but it will also be an abiding source of inspiration for the future, inasmuch as it represents a noble trait of character as well as genius, which went together in the personality of Alfred Russel Wallace.'
Follow the painting up to the newly-opened Treasures Cadogan Gallery to discover Wallace's insects on show. And you can find out a lot more about the history of Wallace's portrait in George's Wallace100 blog.
Read the news story about the unveiling and Wallace100 launch
Find out about the Wallace100 celebrations
Keep updated on all the Wallace events coming up at the Museum and nationally


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The reaction of Champions Tour members to Augusta National's decision to admit women can be summed up in one word: bravo.
"That's terrific," Hinsdale resident Jeff Sluman said of the announcement Monday that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and business executive Darla Moore have knocked down the club's gender barrier.
"I know Condi loves golf. In the locker room, we all talked and thought she might already be a member."
Fuzzy Zoeller, who won the 1979 Masters, said he had heard "through the grapevine" that this was coming.
"It's a tremendous move for all parties," he said. "It's 2012. Let's get on with the real world here."
Sluman, Zoeller, Hale Irwin and Chip Beck spoke Monday at the East Bank Club. They took part in the announcement that the Champions Tour is coming to the Chicago area, as the Tribune reported in June.
North Shore Country Club, in Glenview, will host the June 21-23 event, during which amateurs will be paired with the world's best over-50 players for the Friday and Saturday rounds.
Encompass, a division of Northbrook-based insurance giant Allstate, will be title sponsor for at least three years.
"I would describe North Shore as stately and stout," Encompass President Thomas Ealy said. "It will be a fantastic challenge for the pros."
All the top players are expected to come to Chicago for the event, including Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw and 2013 tour newcomers Vijay Singh, Steve Elkington and Rocco Mediate.
The event also will have a celebrity element on pro-am days (Wednesday-Thursday) and possibly the weekend.
Event organizers will recruit the likes of Michael Jordan, and Sluman is trying to enlist good friend Bill Murray.
"I haven't gotten a 'yes' or a 'no,'" Sluman said, "but as long as he's not doing a movie, we hope he will make it."
It will be the first senior event in the Chicago area since Harborside International hosted the SBC Senior Open in 2002.
"When you go to a great golf course in a great town with a great sponsor, it's going to be a home run," Champions Tour player Tom Kite said.
Also a home run, according to Irwin, was Augusta National's decision to end its men-only membership policy.
"There's no way you can say that golf will succeed without the female," Irwin said. "We need women. It's great news."
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein


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Welcome to In Balance Physiotherapy. Located at Yonge and St. Clair in Toronto, we are owned and operated by Kathleen Shortt, Registered Physiotherapist, BScPT, FCAMT.
In Balance Physiotherapy offers a range of services to clients of all ages, with specialization in, Orthopedic Manual Therapy, Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation, Vestibular Rehabilitation and Post-Surgical Breast Rehabilitation.


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Pictures: Get the scoop
Who knew that there are almost as many ways to scoop ice cream as there are flavors at the grocery store? We did the research to find the most efficient tools to serve the ice creams, sorbets and gelatos you're dipping into this summer. From old-fashioned scoopers to newfangled spades, we checked out the lineup and are ready to announce the winners. -- By Lisa Futterman, Special to Tribune Newspapers
Copyright © 2019, Chicago Tribune


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ACICS Historical Archives internet site was launched during an opening ceremony at the offices of ACICS, hosted by Dr. Albert C. Gray, President and CEO, ACICS, and Ms. Jeanne Herrmann, Chair, ACICS Board of Directors. The Historical Archives, spread over nine collections, contains more than 20,000 pages, 1,300 publications and hundreds of one-of-a-kind photographs that illustrate more than 100 years of ACICS's rich legacy. To learn more, please visit ACICS Historical Archives.
Contact Us »
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Independent Colleges and Schools.
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Tribe non-tenders catcher Marson, two others
CLEVELAND -- Injuries kept catcher Lou Marson on the disabled list for the Indians for most of last season. The emergence of Yan Gomes as the Cleveland's starter behind the plate pushed Marson down the depth chart.
On Monday, Marson was dropped from the Indians' roster.
CLEVELAND -- Injuries kept catcher Lou Marson on the disabled list for the Indians for most of last season. The emergence of Yan Gomes as the Cleveland's starter behind the plate pushed Marson down the depth chart.
On Monday, Marson was dropped from the Indians' roster.
The Indians decided against tendering Marson a contract for the 2014 season, making the catcher a free agent this offseason. The Tribe did tender contracts to six of its nine arbitration-eligible players, a list that includes Justin Masterson, Michael Brantley, Drew Stubbs, Marc Rzepczynski, Vinnie Pestano and Josh Tomlin. Cleveland avoided arbitration with relievers Frank Herrmann and Blake Wood with one-year contracts. Herrmann and Wood will each earn $560,000 with the Indians in 2014.
The deadline for tendering 2014 contracts to any unsigned members of a 40-man roster was 11:59 p.m. ET Monday. The Indians also non-tendered journeyman outfielder Matt Carson and right-hander Tyler Cloyd, who was designated for assignment on Nov. 25 to clear a spot on the roster for recently signed outfielder David Murphy.
Cleveland, which now has 38 players on its 40-man roster, has interest in possibly re-signing Marson on a Minor League contract that would include an invitation to Spring Training.
The 27-year-old Marson served as Cleveland's primary backup catcher from 2010-12, hitting .216 with a .594 on-base plus slugging percentage across 236 games. Marson's primary skills come on defense, where he is lauded for his game calling and ability to control the running game. Marson struggled in the latter area over the past two years due to a right shoulder issue that ultimately sidelined him in 2013.
Marson first landed on the disabled list in early April after suffering neck strain during a home-plate collision with Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings on April 6. The catcher rejoined the Indians later in the month, but was shelved with the right shoulder injury on April 28. In all, Marson appeared in only three games (five plate appearances) for Cleveland last season.
While Marson was on the DL, Gomes stepped up admirably, hitting .294 with 11 home runs, 31 extra-base hits and 38 RBIs in 88 games for the Indians. By the second half, Gomes took over as the Indians' starter behind the plate, forcing Carlos Santana into a role that included rotating between first base, designated hitter and catcher.
The 32-year-old Carson -- a veteran of 12 professional seasons -- spent 20 games with the Indians last season, working mostly as a defensive replacement or pinch hitter. In 11 at-bats, he hit .636 for Cleveland and provided one of the season's highlights. On Sept. 19, Carson delivered an RBI single to right field in the 11th inning to give the Indians a 2-1, walk-off victory over the Astros.
Herrmann and Wood -- both working their way back from Tommy John surgery on their right elbow -- will be in camp this spring as part of Cleveland's bullpen competition. Herrmann, who worked in 95 games between the 2010-12 seasons for the Tribe, missed all of last year. The hard-throwing Wood (3.75 ERA in 55 games for the Royals in 2011) sat out '12 and appeared in two games for the Indians last season.
Eligible players who are tendered contracts must file for arbitration by Jan. 14, and the two sides would then exchange salary proposals by Jan. 17. If an arbitration case remains unsettled, the salary would be determined one of the hearings that run from Feb. 1-21. Teams can reach an agreement with its arbitration players at any point prior to a scheduled hearing.
According to arbitration salary projections by MLBTradeRumors.com, Masterson ($9.7 million) would be in line for the largest 2014 salary among Cleveland's eligible players, followed by Stubbs ($3.8 million), Brantley ($3.7 million), Rzepczynski ($1.4 million), Pestano ($1.3 million) and Tomlin ($1.1 million).
The Indians have not gone to an arbitration hearing since 1991, when the club did so with both Greg Swindell and Jerry Browne.


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Because we enjoy torturing our customers here at Pulp Fiction, allow me to wave some slick Warhammer 40K miniatures in front of your face then inform you they won't be on sale until tomorrow.
Yeah, sorry about that.
However, if you are swinging by tomorrow you should look into the new Space Wolves and Necron miniatures for 40K. These include a Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf, Fenrisian Wolf Pack, the Thunderwolf Cavalry, and the new Tyranid Tyrannofex/Tervigon.
Showing its Dungeons & Dragons roots, Thunderstone Advance goes on sale today. Some folks out there may find that surprising to hear because the game isn't officially scheduled for release until later in the month, but Pulp is allowed to sell the game early as a pre-release benefit. This redesign of the game refines many of the previous version's elements. Mostly, the game works overtime to give players as many options to tailor their experience as they please. A new two-sided board lets players select the level of difficulty they wish to play as do the new monster card levels. If you've never gotten into the game before, but are a fan of D&D and/or Dominion, this is the time to start playing.
Triple the Dominion, triple the fun.
Following in the footsteps of Alhambra and Carcassonne, Dominion now has its own Big Box edition coming packed with three versions of the now classic deck building game. Those three versions, by the way, are Alchemy, Prosperity, and the original, base Dominion game. If you've never gotten into this hit card game, this is a great way to purchase three of excellent versions of the game for a cheaper price.
Today we also received a restock on some Indy RPGs that need a little love and affection. First up is Umlaut: Game of Metal, a storytelling, GM-less game akin to Fiasco where players create their own heavy metal groups then chart their rise to the top of the heap. On the darker side of things are Hot War and Cold City. Hot War is set after an apocalyptic Cold War-era nuclear barrage, giving gamers a setting of horrific violence and power-jockeying survivors to explore. Cold City is a companion volume set in Berlin after the terrors of WWII. Players command the Reserve Police Agency as they round up monstrous creatures risen from the ashes of the war.


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Intel 'Lynnfield'
Next-gen Core i7 - and Core i5
We also tested the overclocked Core i7 940 with Turbo Boost disabled and found that the feature doesn't have much value - its speed increase is marginal. You'll often find that the overclocking fraternity disable SpeedStep and Turbo Boost when they are working with Core i7 to assist stability.
And so we come to our first experience of overclocking the i7 870 and we have to admit that it didn't go especially well.
We raised the CPU core voltage slightly along with the QPI voltage, which is intriguing as Lynnfield uses DMI rather than QPI, but that's what the Bios calls it nonetheless. With these settings we were only able to raise the base clock from 133MHz to 150MHz which resulted in a pathetic clock speed of 3.3GHz. We ran the overclocked i7 870 with Turbo Boost on and off, and also with HyperThreading disabled to mimic how a Core i5 770 might perform when Intel gets round to inventing it.
Our results clearly show that both HyperThreading and Turbo Boost play their part in increasing performance, and this is especially clear in the 'All CPUs' test in Cinebench. In an older benchmark, such as PCMark05, the benefit is minimal.
Things would be a good deal clearer if we were able to spell out our test results, but the Intel NDA makes things tricky. At this stage in the proceedings, our view was that the i7 870 was marginally inferior to the i7 940. The snag here is that the i7 940, which has been replaced by the 950, is an expensive luxury as you can overclock a £200 Core i7 920 close to 4GHz if you use a decent motherboard.
Asus P7P55D Deluxe: ideal for overclocking?
Things took a turn for the better when Asus sent us a P7P55D Deluxe motherboard along with the assurance that it overclocks like a dream. We ran the i7 870 with the same settings we used on the Gigabyte mobo, although the QPI voltage setting has been renamed IMC. Initially, we found no difference to the clock speeds we could achieve. However, Asus was adamant that Lynnfield requires the bare minimum of voltage. This is somewhat strange as the P7P55D Deluxe has three switches that allow you to use enhanced voltage settings in the Bios for Ram, CPU and IMC.


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This position is responsible for a high level of technical knowledge and application of that knowledge to department testing, clinical relevance, and complex problem solving skills. This position serves as a department resource, and is responsible for assisting with department compliance with all pertinent laboratory accrediting agency and regulatory requirements (e.g., CLIA '88, JCAHO, CAP, OSHA).
Exciting opportunity available for a Medical Lab Scientist (MLS) / Medical Technologist (MT) / Clinical Lab Scientist (CLS) to join the Laboratory team in Alaska's "Golden Heart City"! Fairbanks, Alaska is located in the interior of the state where you can find adventure, culture, solitude or scenery. The Clinical Lab testing area for clinical lab including microbiology, chemistry, hematology, and blood bank. Testing performed in this area affects diagnosis and treatment of patients and any disease states for both the in patient and out patient settings including Tanana Valley Clinic, Cardiology Clinic, Cancer Center and various health care offices in the area and beyond. Preferred candidates will have a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Lab Science, and must have an MLS/ASCP certification or equivalent. Experience in blood bank or transfusion service highly preferred.
About Fairbanks Memorial HospitalFairbanks Memorial Hospital is a non-profit facility owned by the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation. A Joint Commission-accredited facility with 152 licensed beds, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital is the primary referral center for residents of Alaska's interior. We have a strong patient to nurse ratio and a culture of Shared Leadership. In addition to our exceptional clinical environment, our location offers incomparable lifestyle rewards away from work. In Fairbanks, small-town living, spectacular natural beauty and endless recreation combine to create a one-of-a-kind place to live, work and play.
*Relocation, housing assistance and bonus are available for experienced Medical Lab Scientists!*
Position available
40 hours week, 8 or 10 hour days
Varied Shifts with weekend and call rotations
Performs all functions according to established policies, procedures, regulatory and accreditation requirements, as well as applicable professional standards. Provides all customers of Foundation Health with an excellent service experience by consistently demonstrating our core and leader behaviors each and every day.
NOTE: The essential functions are intended to describe the general content of and requirements of this position and are not intended to be an exhaustive statement of duties. Specific tasks or responsibilities will be documented as outlined by the incumbent's immediate manager.
Students may be hired at the job title equivalent to their future certification under the following conditions: Student is enrolled in a clinically recognized program (MLS), Student's Clinical rotation in the core area must be completed prior to working in that core area and Student must complete program and pass certification test within one year of hire. Where no certification is available a Bachelor's Degree with two years of experience is required. MLS/ASCP certification or equivalent. (Equivalent is defined as ASCP, AMT, HEW, AAB.) If no current U.S. certification, it must be obtained within one year. Individuals with specialty certification may only work in the discipline of their specialty. A current license in state practiced as required by state law.
Demonstrates excellent problem solving skills, and high level of self-motivation. Communicates effectively in oral and written formats sufficient to demonstrate comprehension. Use of mathematics, performance of detailed work; working with frequent interruptions, multi-tasking, problem solving, and memorization, Ability to take direction and assimilate instructions quickly.
Basic computer skills are required.
Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Laboratory Science preferred. Specialty certification in department's area and Bachelor's degree in a chemical or biological science preferred with exceptional skills and highly developed interpersonal skills.
IP - Typical Indirect Patient Care Environment: (CSPD Instrument Technician, Lab Technician, Pharmacist)
Foundation Health Partners is an EEO/AAP employer; qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.
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Allison Fleming
I had a spot on the top of my right foot for a while, and it began changing over time, getting dark and raised. It would trouble me to look at it, but I'd move on and not do anything. I now call this my "blissful ignorance." This past summer there was a flyer hanging in the coffee station at work for a 5K run in memory of a colleague's brother who passed from melanoma, leaving behind two young sons. Every time I walked passed the flyer I had a nagging feeling that I need to get it checked out, for my children, if nothing else.
On Sept. 23, 2013 I went to a local dermatologist and she indicated that rather than biopsy a piece she'd like the surgeon to remove it entirely the next day. On Sept 24 it was removed and sent for biopsy. The following Monday, Sept. 30, at 8:30 am I had just arrived at my office in NYC and my cell rang. It was my dermatologist who asked if I were driving and could talk. "The results are back and you have melanoma. Get a pen, and take this information." She proceeded to refer me to Memorial Sloan Kettering. I spent the rest of the day in a complete fog. The definition of torture is telling someone they have melanoma and not being able to schedule them for TWO WEEKS. On October 16, my husband and I went to see two doctors at MSK, one of which was a surgical oncologist. His plan was reincision of the foot that would require a skin graft from my left thigh, in addition to Sentinel Nobe Biopsy in the groin. Fortunately, we were able to schedule this just a week out, and on Oct. 22 I had the surgery. We returned to NYC for follow up last week and were blind-sided by two things, First was the appearance of my foot, a giant horrifying crater. The second was the biopsy results and the lymph node was positive. He then informed us that we have a decision to make - whether to remove ALL of the lymph nodes, but indicated that there is not enough data available to clearly say that doing so truly affects outcomes, and then discussed the side effects of lymphedema. I'm scheduled for CAT and PET scans on Nov. 12 and 13.
I'm an Irish Catholic, blue-eyed blonde who grew up spending summers at the NJ Shore. Young and dumb as many of us were in the 70s and 80s, but as a Mom I chase my children with sunscreen all day long and slather myself in nothing less than 30 SPF. But the damage was done, and this is now my battle.
I am new to this journey and still trying to have a night where I don't cry myself to sleep. The support of friends and family has been overwhelming and truly lifting me up. Putting the gloves on for the fight ahead, and very interested in taking on some fundraising and awareness efforts.
hi(1/24/2014 - 11:58am)
How are you doing now ? Is everything going ok ?
hope you are well
Hi how are you doing now ??(6/30/2014 - 6:45pm)
Hi how are you doing now ?? do you mind me asking your dignosis breslow depth and clarks level i was diagnoised in january in my leg also hope your ok...


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More specific: Bird seed, Nuts and shells, and Seeds.
Part of Plant-based foods and Plants.
Place in your Green Bin
Please place this item in your Green Bin.
This applies to Brown paper bags, Used diapers, Used feminine hygiene products, Pet waste, Paper takeout food containers, Greasy pizza boxes, Microwave popcorn bags, House plants, Food, Tea bags, Flowers, Used incontinence pads, Paper muffin cups, Paper ice cream cartons, and Soiled paper food packaging.
Tip Author
Added 65 tips. Joined March 29, 2011.
This account unofficially represents the City of...
About this Tip
Added April 5, 2011.
Last updated September 20, 2012.
Applies to Toronto.
- nuts
- seeds


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After a decade of accomplishing big things as the resident company of two small cities, the only thing Aspen Santa Fe Ballet has left to prove is just how good a dance troupe it can be.
So these days, it's not about developing audiences or balancing the books or managing personnel change, or even convincing the world it is one of the most exciting contemporary outfits in the U.S. It's about dancing, honing the repertoire, commissioning works that can set it apart.
The company now moves with the sort of confidence that only success can bring, lots of flourish, dare, athleticism. A classicist might fairly fault it for leaning too far toward the contemporary at the expense of traditional ballet, but the troupe has honed a winning personality and makes the most of it.