text:
Sometimes he rants, sometimes he smiles. Sometimes he jokes, sometimes he sighs. Sometimes he's happy, sometimes he's sad. Sometimes he's good, sometimes he's bad. Sometimes he's there, sometimes he's gone. Sometimes he stalls, sometimes he's done. But whatever Marcelle says, whatever he'd do, you can be sure, it's true! It's true!
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Chip Tsao, Redux: Okay, I Think People Missed The Point...
April Fool's day certainly brought out some insanity, but I think that thanks to the sTiCkYcApS, my latter post ended up being largely ignored. I don't blame you, really. I wouldn't read it either, if I were in your shoes.
So for now, allow me to reconstruct the gist of that post without killing your eyes and braincells...
.:There Are Only Two Things That I Hate...:.
Y'know, Chip Tsao's article has raised so much ire from us patriotic Filipinos, and with good reason. As a nation, we have worked so hard to establish ourselves as good, trustworthy workers who are world-class wherever we go. We are blessed with exceptional English, which is more than can be said for Mr. "Cheap Chow". He calls himself a "patriotic Chinese". Well, I'm a patriotic Filipino, too. And I will not take any insults against my country lying down. No way, no how.
When I read his drivel, I think I realized that his brain went on a hygiene. It was just so rude and so crass, which is just typical, I guess. This is precisely what I expected, since we all know that the other countries out there are all envious of the Philippines, that's why they resort to dragging our country's good name down in the mud.
I only hate two things, really: racist pigs... and the Chinks. Sadly, Tsao fulfills both criteria, and insulted, no, desecrated, the honor and integrity of this country by calling us a "nation of servants". How dare he call us a nation of servants? Also, why is this a bad thing? Are servants not an honorable people? So why am I getting riled up about this again? Oh, that's right, because he's a yellow, buck-toothed, racist pig. But the thing is, he's only 98.7% Chinese. 1.3% is made of melamine. Or SARS. I forget.
Chip Tsao deigned to insult this country. A country that revels in pride with our world-class citizens, like Manny Pacquiao, whose every single fight is a fight for the honor of our country (Although I still don't know which network will pay through the nose to have his next fight on their screens.). Or a Willie Revillame, who is a true patron of the masses. Or even Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the paragon of intellect and temperance. And sanity. By the way, she also proved you Chinks invented corruption.
Y'know, Chip, I think it's wrong that you insulted my country like that.... so guess what? I'm going to insult your country, too. How's that for showing you that we Filipinos are nothing like you land-grubbing, baby-killing Chinese? And it's funny, because, so many of you go here, and yet you look down on us despite how well we treat you ingrates.
You go here, you start your business, you get richer than any of us, then what? You tell your daughters to marry "only Chinese"? If you hate us Filipinos so much, then go back to China! That's the problem with you yellow-skinned people: your eyes are so narrow you can't see the problem with yourselves. You're all racists, all of you. And you eat cats and have lead in your toys, which results in why you all think and act like that. You smuggle drugs into our country, and enrich yourself off of our backs. And your women! Good gawd, your women! Such atrocities to the concept of "beauty"! Thin, small, and batteries (AA)! Disgusting.
You called us a nation of "servants". Well, looking at Ongpin, you are a nation of "firemen, hardware owners, and firemen who own hardwares". I bet you deliberately don't save a door or two when rescuing someone's house from a fire just so you can sell them a new door. That's how you guys penny-pinch, anyways.
Yet somehow, you find the nerve to denigrate us? In God's eyes, we are all equal, you inferior piece of crap!
And yeah, you really should let Louisa go already. The kind of mistreatment you give her is just terrible. What if all the helpers in Hong Kong collectively decided to go on strike, huh? Or if they all collectively spit in your food? What then? You guys are screwed, I tell you. You'd have to rely on some sweaty Arab, or some stinky Indian, or some fat, uneducated Mexican, or some thieving negro, instead of us noble Filipinos.
I don't care if you apologized for your article already. Satire? What's that? Is that like Satay? You insulted us, and all these excuses about you actually targeting your own people (R-ight. A "patriot"? Lashing out at his own people? Try harder, Chip.) in your piece and it only being tangentially about Filipinos is a bald-faced lie. We know this is about us. It's always about us. We're on to you, Chip. You're not fooling anyone.
I know I can't write half as well as you, but I demand you write better than you do so you don't offend anyone with what you write! I know you like writing because you can't talk, what with your stupid floppy tongue accent. That's probably why BBC let you go already.
Not only did you insult our nation, but you insist on stealing the Spratly islands, which are rightfully ours. Just because it's in the South China sea, does not mean it's yours, you mongoloid. We will go to war against you because we want to hurt your "patriotic feelings".
You cashed in a shot at us, Chip, so I'm punching you out a receipt with interest. We patriotic Filipinos stick together, and we will not dignify your tactless comments by stooping to your level, you Chinese monkey.
And the next foreigner who deigns to call us Filipinos "incapable of getting a joke" will get a kick in the head. How dare you impugn our sense of humor?!? Don't you know that we're the sixth happiest country in the world?!? So you're wrong! And we Filipinos? We rule! Filipino Pride, y'all!
.:More Filipino Pride:.
In other news, I'm extremely disappointed that Lance Corporal Smith is still in the U.S. Embassy. Screw that unpatriotic ingrate, Nicole (Oh, wait. That's what Lance Corporal Smith did.). She left behind this mess, and now we have to fix it. Did she really get raped or not? I think she did, since being drunk means, ya know, you're not in a position to give actual consent.
I'm annoyed that the Americans protect their own. Just because they're Americans, does that mean they should get off scott-free if they actually commit a crime in another country? That shouldn't be tolerated.
In the meantime, here's hoping these Yanks can follow our shining example.
These Americans should really stop protecting their own when they did something wrong. Let them deal with the consequences themselves.
.:All Hail Roilo Golez!:.
Nothing says "Champion of the Filipino People" quite like Roilo Golez. You see, Mr. Chip Tsao, when he made those disparaging comments about the Philippines as "a nation of servants", and a nation that has "no right to the Spratlys", was definitely dead serious when he said it. Like all the other Chinese people who don't know any better, Roilo Golez stands up for our rights and is a true class act.
I'm a bit worried though, because since Chip Tsao is Chinese, he obviously must know Karate. I hope Roilo Golez is prepared to whip this guy silly, because I wouldn't want that crud-eating grin of his plastered all over the internet again after he somehow miraculously wins against Golez. Probably by cheating.
Roilo Golez is the true example of what a leader should be: he will definitely have my vote come the next elections if he decided to run for Senate or something.
There is no need to settle things amicably when we can resort to violence! Go, Team Pacquiao!
THE NECESSARY DISCLAIMER: This is satire. This is not meant to be taken seriously and is an exaggerated picture of how some people could be so overly sensitive to every little comment thrown our way yet be every bit as horrible as the people they despise. Normally, I would assume people are intelligent enough to understand this, but given recent comments I've read online regarding the Chip Tsao issue, I can no longer assume this level of comprehension.
Also, most of my Chinese jokes came from Stanley Chi of the Comedy Cartel, who's obviously a Chinese guy. The very American first name and single-syllable family name sorta gives it away. =P
31 comments:
- OneTamad said...
Mister V,
Mwahugs to you.
- Kel Fabie said...
I am honored, kind sir. Very much so. :)
- momblogger said...
I knew it was a satire. I didn't react violently because I believe in the Filipino People. I know we are not just a nation of servants. But Haha, i enjoyed your version of this satire.
- Kel Fabie said...
@momblogger: Thank you very much! I hope when all of this blows over, I would figure out how to reach Mr. Tsao. I find his very self-effacing, tongue-in-cheek writing style very entertaining and witty.
- joyfulchicken said...
Nicely done. I applaud you.
Oh wait, you insulted my glorious chink race! You must die!
- momblogger said...
@joyfulchicken- you made me laugh! wahaha
Your humble servant.
- Kel Fabie said...
@joyfulchicken: Why do I have visual images of you saying that with your mouth not moving in sync to the words?
I think that satires are more entertaining and not easily misinterpreted when it is watched or heard.I know you all feel that we all have the same education you guys have and have the same "intelligent" sense of humor. But the reality is that most filipinos don't even know what a satire is so it is understandable that we react so violently about an article that says we are "a nation of servants" ,and says a part about an (imaginary) brilliant filipino maid getting mistreated. The point is you, the educated people or "intellectuals" who laugh at the inability of your countrymen to understand the genres of literature (correct me please if i am wrong)should not add more insult to injury.Please be a little more understanding and EDUCATE your less fortunate countrymen through a "language" that they can understand (direct and simple instead of doing a satire ponting out the "dumbness" of "patriotic filipinos". The problem is not with the common folk and mister v with your "witty" style of writing i think that you can write more satires against our corrupted government and make people aware of that.
(I am sorry if my ideas are a little bit jumbled.congrats on your "witty" but unfunny satire.peace)
- Kel Fabie said...
@eraserhead: "Unfunny" is relative, but I won't touch that very subjective discussion with a 10-foot pole.
However, I have a bone to pick with your imposition of burden upon me. As a person who does write against corruption in the government often enough in this blog, your plea obviously falls flat, since I already do what you ask me to do.
In case you haven't noticed, some of the links in these posts have been links to my own blog posts where I do take my shots against perceived wrongs in the government.
And please. If I believed we all had "the same" level of education, would I even need to place a disclaimer on my post? The fact that I did only underscores that I recognize that is not the case.
Your arguments come from your inability to view the Filipino people as anything but untouchable. I am sorry, but in a world where people are free to defend their opinions as they see fit, that line of argumentation does not fly with me. Save for Rick Astley, there are no sacred cows I would not dare write against in this blog.
- Kel Fabie said...
Furthermore, I have nothing against people who could not understand satire for what it is.
What I do have problems with, on the other hand, are people who react to what they perceive as racism with more racism.
Surely, any sane person cannot expect that racism responded to with more racism can be right, can they?
- joyfulchicken said...
I guess the lesson here is that people shouldn't react violently to things they don't understand.
@momblogger: I'm glad that I made you laugh.
@Marcelle: Blame the incompetent Filipino dubbers for that.
- OneTamad said...
I'll just leave this here...
He should write things straight to the point. What an asshole.. dami pang segwey.. eh may saltik pala talaga ulo niyan e!
Posted on 30-Mar-09 at 9:44 pm | Permalink | Edit "
- Unknown said...
without the delivery, gestures and facial expression, printed text is easier to misinterpret than the spoken word. i agree you needed a disclaimer for this.
then again, anyone who knows you knows that you cannot possibly hate the chinks. lol!
- Kel Fabie said...
@Abby: Whatever do you mean? I have no idea. :P
- miss choi said...
Question (and this has bothered me for the longest time): why would people go an extended rant then add "peace" at the end of it? What's the point?
Wala, naisip ko lang. Di ba? Think about it.
- Kel Fabie said...
@miss choi: I think it's because like saying "in my opinion" before going off, adding "peace" at the end of a long rant is, in the mind of the writer, a magic shield that protects what he has to say from disagreement, and clears his conscience in the event someone gets offended.
In this specific case, though, I'd like to think almost everyone who read this understood that the slurs I threw out were a caricature of the overblown reactions towards the Chip Tsao issue. As erasmusa was quick to point out, anyone who knows me knows that the last people I would EVER hate are the Chinese. And it's not just because I'm 12.5% Chinese...
- sineasta said...
hala! satire pala, ah. agree na sana ako sa lahat ng points, eh. hehehe.
yeah, if people follow your blog, they'd know you're not the kind who'd hate the "little kita" people. right, sandara? hehehe. pop star na raw siya sa korea ngayon, alam mo ba 'yun?
waw shield na pala ang peace ngayon ah.haha gusto ko lang maglagay ng peace kasi alam kong magrerespond kayo dun sa akin violently.haha ayaw ko naman ng discussion opinion ko lang talaga kaya nga "comment" dba parang comments and suggestions.at tsaka opinion ko lang yun pasensya na kung na "rant" kita.ibig nyo po bang sabihin na gusto nyo lang ng "raves"?so what kung hindi ako natawa sa satire mo,problema ko na un.haha
sorry naman kung ayaw mo ng peace eh di war nalang yung end.haha joke lang.uu nabasa ko yung disclaimer at naiintindihan ko naman daw ang satire yung ayaw ko lang eh parang kahit yun comment nililimit nyo.
haha at tsaka sorry ngayon lang ako nakabasa ng post sa blog na to di naman talaga ako blogger eh.sabagay parang nagpreach nga ako hehe. sorry na garud ayaw ko na ng ganitong discussion eh kasi alam kong gugulo lang ang mundo at alam kong talo rin lang ako sainyo hehe.wak ka mag alala may bukas pa.
yan peace na talaga( or magic shield that protects me from disagreement and clears my conscience if anyone gets offended).
PS: I have nothing against the chinese.kung tito ko nga 50% chinese eh haha
- Kel Fabie said...
@eraserhead: I have no idea what the Hades you just said. I don't even remember caring whether or not you laughed at my "satire". In case you didn't know, satire is not always out to be funny.
To coin this guy I know: It's simple, really. The Philippines is not perfect. DEAL WITH IT.
We are slowly turning into a nation of Boyet Fajardo's who go off into "creative outbursts" at the drop of a hat no matter how shallow the reason is.
And no, nowhere did I say that "peace" and "in my opinion" are legitimate "shields" against being criticized. So here's my critique for you: you have a full keyboard. You have spellcheck. LEARN TO USE THEM BOTH.
"@miss choi: I think it's because like saying "in my opinion" before going off, adding "peace" at the end of a long rant is, in the mind of the writer, a magic shield that protects what he has to say from disagreement, and clears his conscience in the event someone gets offended."
Oh sorry about the "sms" spelling.Ok I agree with you. Happy now?
- Kel Fabie said...
Reading comprehension fail. In case you haven't noticed, I said that it's all "in your mind". It's NOT a magic shield. It's all in your mind.
Good Gawd.
- Neil said...
I, uh, umm... I dunno what to say.
- Kel Fabie said...
@Neil: In my opinion, peace!
- Kel Fabie said...
And, oh, eraserhead, you can piss off.
My blog, my rules.
You wanna act like an idiot? Do it in your blog. Not mine.
I ain't publishing your comment. I ain't havin' it.
That was so gay.
(Ok I won't post any comments in your blog. This is the last post. Sorry for all of this and once again in my opinion,peace. Don't publish this comment, it's kind of a goodbye to you Mrs. Marcelle. Sorry again)
Disclaimer: The author assumes that this message is read by people with a Superiority Complex and who are fans of Rick Astley. And the author also love 80's music especially Michael Jackson.
- Kel Fabie said...
A testament to idiocy right up there. Color me amused. Hee.
- Kel Fabie said...
I love how the idiot runs his mouth off because he's hiding behind his computer then has the audacity to use "gay" as an insult.
Please, internet tough guy. You're not scaring anyone, and you're not looking awfully patriotic, either.
- OneTamad said...
You have to admit, though, that "Mrs. Marcelle" bit was pretty clever.
I am not actually scaring anyone duh? And yeah the internet is a fun way to be tough hehe so you were actually insulted by the word "gay".
The term "Gay" also means merry and I just used sarcasm to exaggerate the fact that this argument is pointless and it is getting too personal(I am sorry I think I started this part hehe).It is also occupying space on your comment box. Do you agree? and yes I am an idiot.
(wow you actually published that comment haha guess my guess is right you contradict everyone who does contradict you.just admit you are wrong for once.nobody's perfect or untouchable right)
- Kel Fabie said...
@OneTamad: Meh. I've heard better barbs from the Bebigerls.
@eraserhead: Oh, my! I thought you're not going to comment in my blog anymore?
And oh yeah, I was wrong. I was wrong to think there was any way to speak rationally to an intellectually challenged bigot like you. Take your bigotry with you back to the dark ages. This is not the blog for it.
Yes I agree calling someone an intellectually challenged bigot isn't a bigot. And for me posting on your blog, you posted my comment which I clearly meant as a personal message to you hence anything written in that comment does not exists technically in my idiotic brain. And according to my idiotic experiences, bigots like me don't tolerate others' opinions and I believe all that wouldn't agree in what I have to say are also intellectually challenged bigots like me.
(Look man I know I was rude and idiotic to comment how unfunny your piece of work was because it is your blog after all and calling you merry was not a good idea and is very "bigotic" of me. Ok I realized my idiocracies and bigotries, now I am offering an apology for the closure of this irrational and intellectually challenged argument)


text:
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Welcome, Paige! Glad you could join us. :D
Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends. You might also like Young Atheist Women, Medical Atheists, Humane Atheists, Women Atheists, Female Atheists, and possibly Feminist Atheists.
I also recommend Eco-Logical and Climate Concerns, since the climate is changing so drastically.
After you've searched for topics of interest in "Groups" above and in the "Forums", don't forget to look at recent activity which hides along the right margin of the page all the way at the bottom.
On a personal note, I've developed an animated gif technique, sort of "pull quote marries slideshow". Samples are scattered across various groups, but you can find them easily by going to my twitter account. Each tweet has a link (after the description and before the hashtags) to a visually rich example here at Atheist Nexus. If you like them, please follow me
I can only imagine - been there in the past myself. Have yourself a LOT of fun on the weekend!!
It is, for the most part. Have a great weekend! =)
Welcome aboard! =) Hope all is going well with you today...
Hello Paige
You have found the right place. Welcome to this world of rationality and peace, where pure common sense is enough to lead to the open freethinking wisdom common to non-believers like you and us.
We invite you to join the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with 700 discussion topics and 3700 members.
Welcome, Paige. Best wishes on your studies and on finding a place accepting of all people regardless of their beliefs.
Hmm, is small-town Michigan that judgmental? I would think that at least a college town would be a bit better.
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These Yellow Gold Plated Sterling Silver feature a beautifull round dyed white agate ball.
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Ancient cultures used to carve cameos of gods and mythical heroes into Onyx, and carry them for courage.
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REAL NAME: Adam Birch
5' 9", 191 pounds
BORN: July 18, 1979 in Fairfax, Virginia
NICKNAMES: Joey Matthews, Mercury
As 2005 began, Joey Matthews was one of those wrestlers that had name recognition among serious students of the sport, having appeared in a myriad of independent organizations over the last ten years. However, casual fans of wrestling knew little of him. That all changed when Matthews became Joey Mercury, one-half of MNM, two-time WWE tag team champions.
Trained by Jimmy Cicero, Adam Birch debuted as Joey Matthews in October 1996. A year after his debut, he won the first of many tag team titles with Christian York: the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation tag team titles. Over the next several years, Matthews and York (sometimes wrestling as the Bad Street Boys) would travel to many different independent organizations and win the tag tean titles: the Steel City Wrestling Tag Team titles on December 20, 1998, the Atlantic Terror Championship Wrestling tag titles on January 15, 2000 and the Virginia Championship Wrestling tag team titles on December 1, 2001 to name just three. On February 3, 2001, the Bad Street Boys defeated Rick Michaels and David Young to become the NWA World tag team champions, a reign that lasted two weeks.
But as frequently as York and Matthews teamed together, they also found themselves facing each other on opposite sides of the ring. On May 8, 1998, Matthews beat York to regain the Southern Championship Wrestling Junior Heavyweight title in Wendell, NC on May 8, 1998. Victories over York also netted Matthews the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance Light Heavyweight title on January 9, 1999, the OMEGA Light Heavyweight title on January 29, 1999 and the Maryland Championship Wrestling Cruiserweight title on May 21, 1999.
In 2000, Matthews and York traveled to ECW, where they lost to Danny Doring and Roadkill at Anarchy Rulz and then lost to Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger at November to Remember and Massacre of 34th Street.
After ECW, Matthews and York appeared in Ring of Honor in 2002, and teamed together on several occassions, before Matthews joined a faction called Special K. He also worked for various indy organizations such as Xtreme Pro Wrestling, Maryland Championship Wrestling and Pheonix Championship Wrestling.
As recently as Valentine's Day 2003, Matthews teamed with his long-time tag team partner, York, in a loss to Mexico's Most Wanted on an Xtreme Pro Wrestling card. Two months later, York and Matthews teamed up to take on Phil Brown and Pat Cusick in a dark match before a Raw broadcast.
Over the next few months, Matthews was wrestling for three of North America's largest wrestling organizations: WWE, TNA and ROH. His early months in WWE saw him taking on Lance Storm, Crowbar in dark matches, and Matt Hardy, Ultimo Dragon and A-Train on Velocity. He teamed with Krazy K and took on Matt Hardy's brother, Jeff during a handicap match in Ring of Honor in July. In August 2003, Matthews lost to Chris Sabin in NWA-TNA.
After spending some time in November 2003 at the Ohio Valley Wrestling training centre, Matthews made several appearances in 3PW where he upset A.J. Styles before defeating Jerry Lynn and Sabu to become the number one contender to the 3PW title. Then, on April 17, 2004, he defeated Raven to win the championship, a title he would retain until August 21st, when he lost the belt to Christopher Daniels.
Meanwhile, Matthews was still active in both WWE (losing to Rhino and Maven on Sunday Night Heat) and TNA's X-Divison (taking part in a 20-Man Gauntlet match in August that saw Petey Williams claim the X-Division title).
In the fall of 2004, after a short tour of Puerto Rico's WWC and a falling out with 3PW, Matthews (now known as Joey Mercury) began teaming with Johnny Nitro in Ohio Valley Wrestling. With Melina Perez as their manager, the team became known as MNM. After a victory over the Dudley Boyz in one of their first matches together, MNM went on to hold the OVW Southern tag team titles from November 10, 2004 to January 19, 2005.
Their first televised appearance in WWE came during an April 2005 appearance on Carlito's Cabana in which they attacked Rey Mysterio and served notice that they would be a team to be reckoned with in WWE. It took only a week, and a victory over Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero before they were WWE tag team champions. MNM would retain the titles against Guerrero/Mysterio, Hardcore Holly/Charlie Haas and other teams. Their first tag title reign came to an end on July 24th at the Great American Bash when they were defeated by Heidenreich and Road Warrior Animal.
MNM would battle the ill-fated team of Chris Benoit and Booker T before turning their attentions towards regaining the titles. Remaining in the title hunt, MNM would win a four-team match (which included the Mexicools, LOD, and William Regal/Paul Burchill) on October 28, 2005 and regain the tag team titles.
It appeared that MNM were headed towards a showdown against the Mexicools at Armaggedon in defence of those titles, but just days before the pay-per-view, MNM were dethroned by Rey Mysterio/Batista. MNM would regain the tag team titles, thanks to Mark Henry.


text:
Rubber Match
Well, we're down to the rubber game this afternoon at Shea. Winner takes the series and moves into first place.
Offense again was soft last night, other than the two solo home runs. Brett struggled with his command big-time but was still encouraging. He bent but didn't break.
Madson had nine consecutive scoreless appearances end. He hadn't given up a home run since April 29 when Jose took him deep for the game-winner. He's a big part of a strong bullpen and just had one of those outings.
After today, the Phillies and Mets meet only twice more, two games in Philly in August and three at Shea during September's first weekend.
Braves Weekend
Back home for three games starting tomorrow night before heading out on the road again. Seems as if we have way more road games than home games.
Tomorrow and Saturday afternoon are sell outs and a few tickets remain for Sunday's afternoon game.
Chipper left the game last night with a hamstring problem. Braves don't play today.
National TV
FOX on Saturday afternoon (3:55) and ESPN Sunday Night (8:00) in St. Louis on August 3.
Starting on August 16 (at San Diego), we're on FOX for five straight Saturdays.
Comment Corner
In response to a comment yesterday, Harry Kalas had some eye surgery during the All-Star break and he's on the same prognosis we use many times for players, "day-to-day."
He's anxious to get back to the booth.
2 Comments
I am so bummed over the Phillies dropping back to second place, especially after the amazing performance from Jamie Moyer! And then I got the results of this week's MLBlogs Fan Blog rankings today too and I am right behind a Mets blog in the rankings…ugh! She's the #6 Fan blog and I am #7 (http://mlblogs.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/07/latest_leaders.html). Can we not get out from behind these Mets? Well, I am the #1 overall Phillies Fan blog though :o) So, there is that. I am now determined to beat the Mets blogger! Let's hope our Phillies dropping to second place has given them new life as well and that they come out fighting against the Braves! Also, please give my best to Harry – everyone misses him!!
Jaime Moyer pitched such a good game and deserved the win, but hey thats baseball. The Phillies should do well against the Braves if Chipper is missing.


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About Abattoir
This is nothing more than a stereotypical knee-jerk reaction to the patent system from those who don't understand it. The fact that no-one noticed that the patent application was deemed abandoned last month is quite revealing. FYI: all patent applications are published after 18 months, and remain published, no matter how ridiculous they are. That does not mean they are considered "patents".
For those who want to double-check their facts before denouncing all patents, please check out Public PAIR from the USPTO. The facts that the attorney for the patent application in question had his telephone number disconnected, AND that the patent application had been issued a non-final rejection, are public information.
The latest firmware for the Asus O!Play has fully developed YouTube streaming capabilities. Unfortunately, it looks like they decided to disable this functionality at the last second, as the necessary sections for the config file are just commented out.
Fortunately, it's easily fixed. The config files are just XML, so you just have to make the partition read/write. There is a community for this at www.minimodding.com.


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Palau de la Música
Valencia's nightlife is full of people who are ready to have fun, feel the music and dance. The most popular area is the neighbourhood known as the Barrio del Carmen, right in the old part of town, although the clubs and bars around the Avenida de Aragón, and Cánovas, Honduras and Xúquer squares are also very well known. And the younger student vibe is to be found centred around the Avenida Blasco Ibáñez. If you're visiting the city in July and August, check out the beach areas and the Paseo Neptuno promenade, as this where is the partying goes on for longest in the summer.
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350g left over Easter egg chocolate, broken into pieces
3 tbsp golden syrup
200g digestive biscuits
100g mini eggs
100g mini marshmallows, extra for decoration
Place the biscuits into a plastic freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin until some have turned to crumbs but there are still pieces of biscuit remaining.
Tip the mixture into a 24cm/9in square baking tin and smooth the top with a wet spatula.Pour over the reserved 125ml/4½fl oz of the melted chocolate mixture and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Decorate with extra marshmallows.
Refrigerate for about two hours or overnight. To serve, cut into 24 fingers.


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Seismologists at Stanford are learning from their roommates over in the biology department and rigging up a distributed computing system to gather quake data from laptops with accelerometers. It's used to save resources for scientists by using assets (your laptops) that are already deployed in a widespread area. They're rolling this out primarily in quake-heavy areas like SF and LA, but should be spreading to other zones later.
If you've got a MacBook, iBook or Powerbook made after 2005, you too can join the effort to tell people about quakes after it already happened, or maybe even act as a warning system. "Even just a few seconds of warning may be enough time for people to take cover and automated systems could slow trains and divert traffic from vulnerable bridges." And if you think that your constant table bumping from your activities at your computer will trigger The Big One over at EarthquakeHQ, "the Quake Catcher Network's software will analyze shakes sensed by a computer's accelerometer and report only big movements to the central server, ignoring the vibrations from a passing truck, a bump to a table, or even a minor earthquake." [Stanford via Technology Review]


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New Pokemon Rumble Announced for Wii U
Japan will be getting an all new Pokemon Rumble title for the Wii U eShop. Can a Western release be far behind?
As Joystiq indicated, the game (dubbed Pokemon Scramble in Japan), will be available this spring. It will include nearly 650 different Pokemon, and will allow for up to 100 to battle it out at the same time. Pokemon Rumble will be playable by up to four people, just like previous entries.
Japan got similar versions of the Nintendo 3DS and Wii iterations of Pokemon Rumble before North America and the rest of the world, which means there's definitely a chance we could see the game before the fall release of Pokemon X and Y. Just how it will make use of the Wii U GamePad remains to be seen, but more Pokemon is always good news for masters training around the globe.


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Allison Parsons
Class of 2013
Major/Minor: Human Development
The education department offers the wonderful, close-knit relationships with professors that many small schools offer, and this was one of my favorite things.
What makes the program here so unique and rewarding is the combination of this personal approach with the amazing opportunities available at this well-connected, big-name school.
My experiences as a Human Development major at Washington College have brought me so far during my time here. In my sophomore year, I decided to participate in the College's study abroad seminar in Tanzania. I spent 16 days traveling throughout the country and seeing a world that was so incredibly different from the one I knew back home. For two days I worked in local schools, spending time with students who spoke Swahili. Participating in this summer seminar has been one of my most rewarding experiences at WAC.
Right from the start, I had an amazing support system. It's a challenging program, and to say that I would have made it through without the relationships that I have formed with other education interns and our two elementary professors would be a lie. I've spent this past year interning in the fifth grade at Worton Elementary School. I was there for two full days a week during my fall semester, and have been there full-time (5 days a week) for the entire spring semester.
Initially, I hadn't expected fifth grade to be a good fit for me. After my student-teaching experiences I am definitely glad that I was given this challenge. I have learned so much about the educational field, as well as about myself as a future teacher. I've learned that we have a lot more impact on a student's life as a teacher than most other people in this world. And while we may only have one year to make an impression, that impression could remain with a child for the rest of his life. This philosophy has motivated me to try my hardest every day to make that lasting impact on my fifth graders' lives.
Several opportunities to interact with educational leaders in Maryland also have been hugely rewarding. These professionals offered advice and gave us insight into what the educational field is like after college. In a few weeks the Elementary interns and I will be presenting our Action Research projects at a Maryland Professional Development conference in Towson.
As a freshman, I decided that I wanted to graduate in three years so that I could teach abroad for a few months during what would be my fourth year. Thanks to the ongoing support of my professors, I will graduate this May. On September 1 I leave for the Dominican Republic to teach English literacy through a volunteer program called Outreach360. Washington College has provided me with the support, tools, and confidence to know that I am ready to enter the world of education, and ready to start making an impact in children's lives in our country and in others.


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- Elasticated waistband
- Made from a stretchy jersey fabric
- 95% Viscose, 5% Elastane
- Inner leg length: 28", 30"
- Machine Washable
- Available in leg lengths: 28"/71cm, 30"/76cm
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Plus Sizes: 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32
Fit & Fashion Notes:
Made from a stretchy jersey fabric for extra comfort, these stylish leggings are a must have staple for your wardrobe!
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Taking a Break
Phillies Insider will take a short break. Will start twice-a-week posts during the offseason starting on October 16. More frequent posts are always possible.
Thanks for you your support all season. During September's rankings, Phillies Insider was 11th among the top 50 MLB Pros category of blogs. All the credit goes to you for checking in on Phillies Insider. Hopefully, you didn't fall asleep two often.
Meanwhile, check www.phillies.com/alumni for photos and features on Phillies Alumni.


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You are hereHome >
Ed's Blog
Event 5/11 re new book on black box decisionmaking & consumers
Update: CFPB's speaker will be Peggy Twohig, Assistant Director, Office of Supervision Policy.
U.S. PIRG Education Fund and the Center for Digital Democracy are excited to announce that Professor Frank Pasquale (University of Maryland Law School) will discuss his new book "The Black Box Society: The Secret Algorithms That Control Money and Information." (Harvard University Press, January 2015)
Seminar: Looking Inside The Black Box Society
Save the Date! Monday 11 May, 9AM-12 PM Noon, (the event is free and open to the public but an RSVP is required to attend in person (due to space limitations). A livestream link will be provided to those who RSVP for the livestream only).
RSVP HERE for "Looking Inside the Black Box Society" (http://bit.ly/1FAvSBj)
Following Professor Pasquale's presentation, panels of civil society and government experts will discuss the implications of his findings for economic and employment opportunity.
The event will be open to the media and public and will be live web-streamed.
Looking Inside The Black Box Society: 9:00-noon, Monday, 11 May
Where: Public Citizen, 1600 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009 (Google Map). The event is free and open to the public but requires an RSVP (http://bit.ly/1FAvSBj). Livestream will be available. Please RSVP for "Livestream only" option.
9:00-9:30 AM Registration and Coffee
9:30-10:00 AM Keynote Address and Commentary by Professor Frank Pasquale, author, "The Black Box Society" (Harvard University Press 2015)
10:00-11:00 AM Panel 1: Empowering Citizens and Consumers in the Digitally Data-Driven Financial Services Era: What new policies and practices are required to protect economically vulnerable consumers? Professor Pasquale will be joined by advocates for a discussion of the impact of the Black Box on economic opportunity and possible reform policies.
- Sarah Ludwig, co-director, New Economy Project-NYC (formerly NEDAP). Sarah was a leader in the recent campaign to win a ban on the use of credit reports for employment purposes at the NY City Council. (confirmed).
- Alexis Goldstein, former Wall Street technology executive and Communications Director for Other98.com. (confirmed).
11:00-12 Noon: Panel 2: What do policymakers need to do to "open" up and make accountable the "Black Box?"
- Jessica Rich, Director, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection (confirmed). The FTC BCP has issued recent reports on privacy and data brokers, has held a series of its own workshops on privacy, data and potential discrimination and has conducted enforcement actions against firms using digital data tools without complying with applicable consumer protection laws.
- Peggy Twohig, Assistant Director, Office of Supervision Policy (confirmed). The CFPB has issued reports (latest, May 2015) on the credit reporting industry and, under authority granted by Congress, since fall 2012 has supervised (examined) the activities of larger participants in credit reporting markets (essentially, examination authority gives CFPB the right to look inside the black box).
About the USPIRG Education Fund and Center for Digital Democracy Project on "Data and Consumer Protection: Ensuring a Fair and Equitable Financial Marketplace:" (PROJECT HOME PAGE)
"Looking Inside the Black Box Society" is one in a series of events hosted by USPIRG Education Fund and CDD to promote needed discussion of the impact of the digital marketplace on economic opportunity. The project has also authored path-breaking research, including the Suffolk University Law Review article "Selling Consumers, Not Lists" and the report "Big Data Means Big Opportunities and Big Challenges: Promoting Financial Inclusion and Consumer Protection in the "Big Data" Financial Era." The project home page has links to more reports and case studies, including several recent reports explaining online lead generation.
USPIRG Education Fund and CDD acknowledge the support of the Ford Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment and the Digital Trust Foundation for support of our research and education work on data and financial opportunity. We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the work, events, reports and investigations are those of the authors and organizations alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Foundations. We also thank Public Citizen for the venue.
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Internet Archive Waybackmachine.
|1987 VHS cassette
Two of the "new" songs from the film, "All Together Now"/"Hey Bulldog" was a 1972 45 rpm single in a number of countries.
|1987 VHS cassette
|Digi pack with card slip case, booklets, 4 plastic film cells and stickers
|Yeah, it looks like the 50th anniversary year of the Beatles as an EMI recording group will commence with this release. It will also be made available again as a regular DVD. Due out May 29th. Is it too much to ask if they could make this release non wide screen? The 1999 colour and music restoration saw the VHS released with the full picture, whereas the DVD was severely cropped and zoomed in to make it look like it was made for wide screen... Look, if people with 16:9 TV's prefer to fill their screens, they all have zoom buttons on their remotes, there's no reason to do it for them.
|Like always, a wave of merchandise will no doubt follow in the wake of the Yellow Submarine film, and the official Beatles stores around the world are gearing up.
|The Beatles on tour: Glasgow premiere
|Rehearsals at the Donmar theatre. Photo: Robert Whitaker.
|Rehearsals at the Donmar theatre. Photo: Robert Whitaker
|Mal's flat
|Mal's flat
|a signed copy
|Beryl Marsden
|The Paramounts
|The Koobas
|The Marionettes
|Steve Aldo
|The Moody Blues
|The guitar in question was George Harrison's Gretsch "Country Genleman".
|Alf in his heyday
|John showed no respect for Paul's colourful tie at the press conference
|Tuning up at the Empire, Liverpool
|Pattie with George's parents
|"Save the Cavern Club!" fans
|Gas masks
|A piano was standing on it's side in the wings of the stage, and Paul posed beside it. The Beatles Monthly Book cover this concert by sending their regular photographer Leslie Bryce, which is why we have so many photos from this day.
|Rehearsals at the Donmar theatre


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I would've held this Magnavox speaker to my ear and pretended to be deaf, saying clever things like "What's up, sonny?" Matt Richmond combined it with some scraps of walnut to create an iPod dock.
The SF-based designer found the speaker horn at an antique store, carved out slots for the horn and iPod, and installed a channel to carry sound between the speaker and MP3 player. With the multitude of really mediocre iPod docks out there, it's great to see someone create something so unique out of their own garage. [BoingBoing Gadgets]


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Where college football's conference races stand
- Arizona State wins the Pac-12 South with a victory on Saturday at UCLA
- A loss by Duke in one of its final two regular season games would muddle the ACC Coastal
- The stakes are high in the Nov. 30 Iron Bowl%2C where the winner of Alabama-Auburn takes the SEC West
Counting Dec. 7, when multiple conference meet to decide their respective champions, there are only three full weeks left in the 2013 regular season. For the majority of teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, there are only two games left before the beginning of the postseason. Even with so little time left, nearly every conference remains undecided. Here's where things stand across the FBS after Week 12:
American Athletic Conference: Central Florida sits in the driver's seat after sneaking past Temple, 39-36, to move to 5-0 in American play. Cincinnati and Louisville are tied for second place at 5-1, followed by Houston, 4-2. The Knights are sitting pretty in the race for the league's automatic Bowl Championship Series bid thanks to a pair of crucial head-to-head tiebreakers against the Cardinals and Cougars. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: UCF, Cincinnati, Louisville and Houston.
FOOTBALL FOUR:Rating and debating college football
ACC: Florida State clinched the Atlantic Division in Saturday's 59-3 win against Syracuse. Clemson, 7-1, could still earn an at-large BCS bid by beating rival South Carolina to end the regular season and finishing 11-1. Things are far more muddled in the Coastal Division. Who wants to play the Seminoles? Duke will win the division by beating Wake Forest and North Carolina on the road to finish 6-2 in conference play. But one loss could allow Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Miami (Fla.) or UNC to win the division. It's complicated. All we know: One of those teams will play FSU on Dec. 7. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: FSU, Clemson, Boston College, Maryland, Duke, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Miami.
Big 12: Baylor continues to roll offensively, with another series of big-play explosiveness leading to Saturday's 63-34 win against Texas Tech. Now 6-0 in Big 12 play, the Bears are in the driver's seat. But after beating Texas, Oklahoma State can take control of the conference by beating the Bears at home on Nov. 23. Texas could conceivably still win the league, but that would entail a huge collapse by both the Bears and Cowboys. Even if UT is mathematically in the mix, this is now a two-team race. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Baylor, Oklahoma State, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State and Texas Tech.
Big Ten: Ohio State stands one win away from clinching the Leaders Division, thanks to October's win against Wisconsin. But the Badgers remain very much in the hunt for an at-large BCS bid should the Buckeyes reach the BCS National Championship Game. In the Legends Division, Michigan State's win against Nebraska essentially hands the Spartans the divisional title. Barring a surprise, it'll be the Buckeyes and Spartans for the Big Ten title. Teams that clinched bowl eligibility: Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin.
Conference USA: As expected, the East Division will be settled on Nov. 29 — East Carolina at Marshall. Even if Marshall loses its next game to Florida International, it will enter the finale within one game of the Pirates. Over in the West, North Texas – the league's nicest surprise — has the tiebreaker against Rice. To lose the division, UNT (5-1) needs to drop one of its last two while Rice (5-1) wins out. While East meets West to decide the conference title, you could make the case the league's best teams are ECU and Marshall. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: ECU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Rice and Tulane.
Mid-American Conference: Northern Illinois' midweek win against Ball State was big, but the Huskies can't feel secure about notching another West Division title until they get past Toledo on Wednesday. Under the radar, the Rockets have remained in the championship hunt. The East will be decided Nov. 29, when Buffalo (5-1) plays host to Bowling Green (5-1). Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Ohio, Northern Illinois, Ball State and Toledo.
Mountain West Conference: We could be headed for a rematch. After taking the regular season matchup, Fresno State might have to beat Boise State again in the league title game to take home the Mountain West title. Both are sitting pretty: Fresno is a game and change ahead of San Diego State in the Mountain Division, while Boise holds the tiebreaker against co-West Division leader Utah State. The MWC championship game is played at the divisional winner with the best record. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Fresno State, Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State and San Diego State.
Pac-12: Oregon has retaken the lead in the Pac-12 North Division, thanks to Stanford's second conference loss of the season. That defeat, at USC, renders the Cardinal's tiebreaker against the Ducks obsolete. For Oregon, wins against Arizona and Oregon State to end the year seals a spot in the Pac-12 title game in December. In comparison, the Pac-12 South remains far from decided. Yes, three teams are eliminated: Arizona, Colorado and Utah. Another three teams are within one game of the divisional lead with two games to go: Arizona State sits at 6-1, a game ahead of USC and UCLA, both 5-2. How will this be settled? On the field, of course. ASU holds a tiebreaker against USC but meets UCLA on Nov. 23. UCLA and USC meet on Nov. 30 – though ASU can render that game meaningless by beating the Bruins. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Arizona State, UCLA, USC and Arizona.
SEC: This won't be your normal Iron Bowl. On Nov. 30, Alabama and Auburn will meet for all the marbles: the SEC West Division, the SEC and, at least for the Crimson Tide, a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. Even if Auburn loses, the Tigers could still claim the SEC"s at-large BCS bid. After beating Florida to finish 6-2 in league play, South Carolina can sit back and root against Missouri – since the Tigers must win against both Mississippi and Texas A&M to finish 7-1 in the SEC, offsetting the Gamecocks' head-to-head tiebreaker. One Missouri loss hands the Gamecocks another East title. In addition to Auburn, teams like USC, Missouri and Texas A&M can make a case for a BCS bowl. Teams that have clinched bowl eligibility: Missouri, South Carolina, Georgia, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, LSU and Mississippi.
ANALYSIS:Different pressures in Iron Bowl
Teams that have accepted a bowl berth: Brigham Young will play in the Fight Hunger Bowl against the sixth pick from the Pac-12. After beating South Alabama 42-14 Saturday, Navy accepted a bid to the Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl. The Midshipmen will meet the third pick from the Mountain West.
Paul Myerberg, a national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @PaulMyerberg.


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zwickiLine for Flexible Low-Force Testing.
These extensometers are used for direct extension measurement in tensile tests, flexure tests, and alternating load tests. They all possess a large measurement range featuring stepless adjustment to suit the specimen being tested. Clip-on extensometers and extensometers with sensor arms are in direct mechanical contact with the specimen via knife edges positioned at right angles to the gage length.
The demands placed on extensometers vary as widely as the applications for which they are used. The criteria used to determine the most suitable extensometer for a given application or range of applications are also highly varied. The principal factors determining extension measurement requirements are the properties of the material to be tested, the specimen shape and dimensions, and the test standards that have to be complied with (for example, ISO 6892, ISO 527, ISO 10113 etc.). Among other things they define the test sequence, the characteristics to be determined, and with what accuracy, and the environmental conditions, such as the test temperature.
ZwickRoell has a comprehensive selection of extensometers, ranging from an analog clip-on instrument to the fully automatic universal extensometer. ZwickRoell extensometers are designed with the operator in mind. They should be as simple as possible to clamp on the specimen and to operate. Our many years of experience in developing and designing extensometers, manufacturing the instruments in-house from start to finish and performing a wide variety of installations are your guarantee of state-of-the-art extensometry. ZwickRoell's innovations have placed the company at the cutting edge in many areas.
The crucial advantage of extensometers featuring non-contact measurement is that they can be used right up to break without risk of damage, even with specimens which are critical in this respect.


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*Alternately titled – This is what happens when you watch too much HGTV on the plane ride home from BlogHer.
I recently confessed on my BlogHer recap post, "I watched too much HGTV on the plane ride home and have all kinds of projects in mind for myself (and ones we will need to spend good $ on) on how to stage our home for selling next year. Just what I need – more projects!"
Well, one of the first projects I decided to tackle this weekend was to beautify the outside of our house a bit – ya know, do some landscaping (something I've never tackled before) and add the oh so important "curb appeal." 😉
I've often talked about the lack of sun in my yard (both front and back), so when I decided to put in some new plants I had to make sure they could handle a crapton fair bit of shade. I asked for suggestions on Twitter, and got many recommendations for hostas. Lynn at The Human Being Blog (who also lives in CO) recommended vincas and hybrid hydrangea in addition to hostas.
I went to The Home Depot in search of all of these plants and didn't find exactly what I was looking for in the shade-tolerant, perennial category, but did walk away with some hostas, coleus, impatiens, and a vinca (or periwinkle) plant, as well as a few bags of red cedar mulch.
I started off by putting in a new flower bed around a tree in the backyard. It adds some color back there and I think really helps tie the two sides of the yard – grass on one side and playground mulch on the other side – together. I know there's a patch of dirt right next to the flower bed, but I've planted clover and grass seed there a few days ago and it's already filling in.
Then I tore out the majority of the plants in the front flowerbeds – the flowerbeds that have looked almost exactly. the. same. for the past nine years that we've lived here and which consisted of about 80% of Snow on the Mountain (as seen below).
I forgot to take a before picture until I'd already pulled out some of the plants, but this gives you a rough idea of what it looked like. Rather boring, with just a bit of color thanks to some flowers my mom planted in June.
Here is the after picture:
I'm soooooo pleased with how it turned out. I think it looks so much more put together and hopefully adds that "curb appeal" I was looking for. 🙂
Next on Amy's HGTV home improvement project list is to get new counter tops (and possibly new sink and floor) in the kitchen and to enclose our upstairs loft to make a fourth bedroom (will make 3 bedrooms upstairs and one in the basement). There's also a need for new carpeting (though I want to wait until Julian is potty trained for that one) and paint. Let the fun begin. Whee! 🙂
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Jøtul has the world's biggest and most experienced network of dealers. They are happy to help you through the entire process of buying a fireplace. Whether you choose to do the job yourself or to take it to a dealer, there are certain things you should consider before getting started.
It is a good idea to involve a dealer early on in the process
In order to give you good advice, our dealers need some information. We have made a list of things that you should find out before you get in touch with a dealer. You find the list here. We do this in order to ensure that the advice that we give you are suitable for your needs, living situation and budget. Based on this, we will give advice you on placement, type of fireplace or wood stove, chimney solutions, fire safety and regulations that will need to be considered.
Installation of fireplace or wood stove – is it difficult and what does it cost?
In Norway you are legally allowed to install a fireplace or wood stove yourself. You can also choose to outsource the entire installastion. Usually, you have to pay for two people for four to five hours. This then includes preparations, transport etc. The installation job at a customer's residence can take as little as two hours or it can take a whole day. This depends on how big the project is and the type of fireplace or wood stove is being installed.
Removal of old fireplace and wood stove
Many dealers offer to remove your old fireplace or wood stove and often the old wood stoves are sent back to Jøtul to be melted down and turned into new, modern fireplaces and wood stoves. It can be a good idea to bring a photo of the old wood stove or fireplace when you go to the shop and they will give you a rough estimate of what it will cost to remove the old installation. If it requires a lot of work and tearing down of brickwork, the cost may increase slightly. You can also get advice on existing regulations, as well as how to proceed in connection with this. You can also remove the old fireplace or wood stove yourself. Remember that the old opening in the chimney must be closed up in the correct way, if it is not to be used for the new fireplace.
Rehabilitation of the chimney or installation of a new steel chimney
Old chimneys might need rehabilitation or perhaps you want to put a fireplace somewhere where you don't have a chimney? If you want to assess the condition of the existing chimney, the easiest way is to contact the chimney sweep association or one of our dealers. They will quickly give you an answer and inform you about the next steps to take. Alternatively, you can install a steel chimney. Today, these can easily be installed later in most homes and cabins.
Approval, inspection and service
Before a new fireplace can be used, the installation needs approval. Our professional dealers can help you get approval of the installation and send a report til the chimney sweep association with the local authorities. If you choose to do it yourself, you have to contact the chimney sweep association to have them do an inspection and approve the installation before you send the documentation to the local authority. It is also possible to get advice on use, service and maintenance.


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Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are getting married – and they wanted their nearest and dearest with them to celebrate.
On Saturday, the pair attended a cocktail party hosted by Biel's stylist, Estee Stanley, at her Los Angeles home. And the soiree drew out a bevy of stars: among the 100 guests were Ellen DeGeneres, Amy Adams, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Timbaland. Biel's parents, Kimberly and Jonathan, were also there for the celebration.
As for the couple, a source tells PEOPLE, "Justin and Jessica arrived at the party looking very excited. Jessica was stunning in a long dress with her hair down."
"Estee created a very warm, welcoming and festive party for the couple," adds the source.
After some live music, a deejay took over and guests danced to popular hits, including Madonna's "Holiday," Michael Jackson's "Good Times," Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" and Usher's "OMG."
Justin and Jessica "danced and looked very happy," the source says.
Afterward, there were speeches, and the source says Timberlake seemed really "touched" by Timbaland's remarks. "You could tell that they have a very special friendship," the source says.
The couple left the party at 12:30 a.m. and returned to their Hollywood Hills home.
source: people.com


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Watch video of the event from C-SPAN (Nan's testimony starts at about 54 minutes in):
This is Nan's statement:
Mr. Conyers, distinguished members of the Judiciary Committee, thank you for inviting me to join you for this important conversation about the sequester, the shutdown, and access to justice.
As President of Alliance for Justice, I am proud to speak on behalf of our more than 100 member organizations, all of which are committed to a justice system that truly serves all Americans. Yet today, we see the evenhanded administration of justice being threatened at every turn.
|Nan Aron
As of today, more than 90 federal court judgeships sit vacant—that's more than one in 10 federal judgeships across the country. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has deemed 39 of those vacancies "judicial emergencies," meaning there are simply not enough judges to handle the caseload in those courts.
When there are too few judges, the wait for justice can be unbearable. Individuals and businesses often have to wait months and even years to stand up for their rights in court. Memories may fade, witnesses may die, financial and personal calamities may be compounded.
For example, in the Eastern District of California, which was home to two judicial emergencies until one was finally filled in March, it took nearly four years for a civil case to get to trial. With waits like those, victims too often give up on ever seeing justice served.
Republican obstruction at every step of the judicial selection process is to blame. This obstruction takes many forms: Republican senators refuse to work with the President to recommend nominees for vacancies in their states. Some refuse to return "blue slips" for nominees they previously supported—as we've recently seen in Florida. Votes are delayed for months, even on noncontroversial nominees, while a huge number of nominees are filibustered.
The games being played with the budget will do enormous damage to our system of justice, but those problems are being piled on top of a mountain of dysfunction that already exists.
In Texas, for example, there are currently nine federal judicial vacancies without nominees, six of which are judicial emergencies. One of those judicial emergencies is Judge Furgeson's seat, which he vacated nearly five years ago. If you add up the time those nine seats have been vacant, it amounts to more than 15 years. Each day, each month, each year without a judge means justice is being denied to the people of Texas.
Yet the Texas senators—one of whom, Ted Cruz, will be familiar to anyone following the government shutdown—are all too happy to let these benches sit empty. The judicial selection commission they set up to recommend nominees for the vacant district court seats has not even started interviewing candidates.
And now we've added the sequester and the shutdown to this already untenable situation. Court personnel, Department of Justice lawyers, and federal defenders have been furloughed and downsized. Despite growing caseloads, court staffing levels are at their lowest since 1999. Many civil cases are on hold.
This will only get worse as the shutdown persists. More court staff could face furloughs, and judges will be forced to devote scarce resources to their criminal dockets, slamming the brakes on the civil justice system.
The upshot is that plaintiffs seeking to vindicate civil rights, collect disability benefits, resolve business disputes, recover lost wages, or prevent some imminent environmental harm will be stuck in a holding pattern.
The impact on indigent criminal defendants—some of the most vulnerable members of our society—has been particularly dire. About 90 percent of federal criminal defendants require court-appointed counsel to satisfy their constitutional right to adequate representation. But the sequester has forced Federal Public Defender offices, which were already stretched tight, to cut and furlough their ranks, and the shutdown promises more of the same.
In August, former Ohio Federal Public Defender Steven Nolder wrote on AFJ's Justice Watch blog about why he fired himself rather than having to sacrifice his staff attorneys to the sequester. As Nolder wrote, "If the intention is to dismantle the 'gold standard' of our nation's public defense systems, our lawmakers are succeeding."
In fact, the status of our entire justice system as the world's "gold standard" is at risk.
When the courts and the entire judicial system are starved for funds, justice is weakened. But when that harsh reality is combined with a court system already reeling from the effects of political gamesmanship and endless obstruction, we jeopardize not just the ability of courts to resolve disputes and dispense justice, but faith in our democratic system itself.
If we are to be a beacon for people all over the world who long for justice, the obstruction must end.
Thank you, and I am happy to answer questions at the appropriate time.


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25 October, 2009
Lori White TaylorUntil this past Friday night in Las Vegas, this 1992 show in Miami was the only time I'd had the experience of a live U2 show. Our seats were high in the sky, but centered to the stage. I remember hearing wonderful rocking music.....stuff that I'd listened to since the early eighties. Bono was very energetic and entertaining. He phoned the White House, got a live operator, and chatted her up whilst on stage. Loved it! Can't believe that it took me this many years to make a return engagement. This time, we got to be a part of the walk on for Aung San Suu Kyi. So very glad to have these events and moments to remember. Thanks!


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BOTfriends: Building AI chatbots with Google APIs
About BOTfriends
Founded in 2017, BOTfriends is a German startup that develops conversational interfaces with the help of machine learning, such as chatbots for clients including Porsche.
With an inventive approach to Google APIs, German startup BOTfriends builds personality-rich AI chatbots for clients including Porsche.
Google Cloud Results
- Reduces workload for HR responding on a social media platform by 25% according to BOTfriends
- Improves reliability and satisfaction by testing and autoscaling chatbots with App Engine
- Increases user engagement by more than 100% according to BOTfriends
Cut response workload on a social media platform by 25%
Founded by four friends in 2017, BOTfriends is a young startup specializing in conversational interfaces, such as chatbots and voice assistants. Since the company's first project—a recruiting messenger chatbot created for Porsche—BOTfriends has developed bespoke solutions for a variety of purposes, modifying and re-educating its machine learning system for each client. Each BOTfriends conversational interface can provide its own personality and tone, as well as embedded media, multiple languages, push notifications, integrated webviews, location services, and image recognition.
"There are so many branches in industry where conversational interfaces really work," says Michelle Skodowski, one of the company's co-founders. "They can be deployed in HR, in customer service, or in media with news chatbots that give you updates. We optimize internal communications, too, with integrations in different messaging platforms."
"We discovered the easy-to-use interface of Google Cloud Platform, and straightforward software development kits, and saw a truly efficient way to build our products. We were selected for GCP for Startups, where we received credits and hours with developers. The suport GCP offers for startups is just great."—Michelle Skodowski, Co-Founder, BOTfriends
The team came together while two of them worked as an intern for Porsche. When interns wrote to Porsche through its social media page, the HR department took some time to respond to the volume of queries and follow-up messages requiring replies. Seeing an ideal opening for an AI chatbot, the BOTfriends team created one for the task.
"In the beginning we weren't really sure where to host everything," says Michelle. "Then we discovered the easy-to-use interface of Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and straightforward software development kits, and saw a truly efficient way to build our products. Google's APIs outperformed all of the alternatives that we tested, and then we had the good fortune to be selected for GCP for Startups, where we received credits and hours with developers. The support GCP offers for startups is just great."
Building on an ideal base
No longer the preserve of online customer services, increasingly sophisticated AI conversational interfaces are a rising trend across multiple areas of industry, business, and leisure. "It's a new technology and there's so much to try out," says Michelle. "Event areas, for example, are one really big use case among many. With a chatbot we can communicate with people through their messaging app, so they don't have to download anything. They can just ask for information and the chatbot will tell them. That's a major change."
BOTfriends developed its original product for Porsche, creating a recruitment chatbot based on a popular messaging platform. "We developed it with guided communications, at first," explains Michelle. "There were simple buttons for a user to click through, rather than text. But then we saw that users were writing whole sentences and we recognized a need for natural language processing. We looked at providers for natural language processing services and compared products from three major companies. With Dialogflow, Google was the best provider." More than a single service, however, BOTfriends required a comprehensive platform solution to take its plans to the next level.
"We use Google APIs and Dialogflow as a base from which we develop individual solutions for customers. Now when a company comes to us with highly specific requests, we can mix and match Google APIs to develop a bespoke solution."—Michelle Skodowski, Co-Founder, BOTfriends
By building its solution on Google Cloud Platform, BOTfriends can focus on developing new products instead of maintenance thanks to GCP managed services, while making use of a wide range of leading APIs. "The machine learning capabilities on Google Cloud Platform made Google the obvious choice for us," says Michelle. "It gives our chatbots the sophistication to stand out." With the flexibility of Google App Engine, BOTfriends can distribute traffic onto different chatbots to test which performs the best. In addition, autoscaling on App Engine means BOTfriends chatbots can handle almost unlimited requests without compromising availability.
"We use Google APIs and Dialogflow as a base from which we develop individual solutions for customers," says Michelle. "Now when a company comes to us with highly specific requests, we can mix and match Google APIs to develop a bespoke solution."
Scaling across the language barrier
With an immediate demand for German-language interaction, the BOTfriends team recognized the central role of translation services in their products.
"The Cloud Translation API is without doubt the best service of its kind on the market," says Michelle. "It means we can have conversations with anyone around the globe, without the work of sourcing our own knowledge bases in every language. It's not yet perfect, so we let users know that they're reading an automated translation and give them the option to switch to English, if they prefer."
Inventing with APIs
According to BOTfriends, the Porsche chatbot reduced the workload of the relevant HR team by over 25% and led to an increase in engagement of more than 100%. Now the four founders are looking to automate the training of their chatbots further, to simplify the process of creating new bespoke products and prepare for operations at scale. At the same time, they're set to deliver new services with an inventive approach to Google APIs.
"We want to use Cloud Natural Language API to analyze sentiment, so that frustrated users can be escalated to human staff," says Michelle. "We are looking to use Vision API to give product-specific information. We want to use Speech API to translate speech into text for chatbot. We are always learning in the cloud and finding new possibilities."
About BOTfriends
Founded in 2017, BOTfriends is a German startup that develops conversational interfaces with the help of machine learning, such as chatbots for clients including Porsche.


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