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Drawing the Line
Last night, President Obama powerfully called on the Congress to end the "political circus" and act on jobs. His agenda featured proposals that have traditionally gained bipartisan support. He indicted the failed conservative notion "that the only thing we can do to restore prosperity is just dismantle government, refund everybody's money, and let everyone write their own rules, and tell everyone they're on their own — that's not who we are. That's not the story of America."
Republican presidential front-runner Texas Governor Rick Perry immediately scorned the need for action, calling for "smaller government, less spending and a president with the courage to offer more than yet another speech." Republicans seem intent on championing more job-killing cuts in government, more tax breaks to companies already sitting on a trillion in profits, more deregulation of banks and corporations even as we struggle to get out of the mess caused by Wall Street excess.
The president has drawn the line. If he fulfills his promise to take this agenda across the country, Americans will begin to understand the choice that only they can make.
A Modest Proposal
The president's American Jobs Act is bold enough to draw a stark contrast with conservatives. But it is worth noting just how modest it is, how cautious in conception and conservative in substance.
Size Matters: The White House cleverly surprised observers with the size of the program — $450 billion over one year, a faster spending rate than the original Recovery Act. But no one should be confused; this is a modest plan, a first step at best. It is too small to have much effect on unemployment, and too limited to help put the economy on track.
More than half of the money follows the wisdom of the Hippocratic Oath: first do no harm. $175 billion goes to extend – and somewhat deepen – the payroll tax cut that would otherwise expire in December. $49 billion extends unemployment insurance. $35 billion is provided to save the jobs of teachers and cops who are targeted for layoffs in the coming year.
These are good things to do, and will reduce the drag that government cuts and austerity would otherwise have on the economy. But they keep things from getting worse, and do little to make them better.
A significant part of the agenda consists of measures designed to appeal to conservatives but that will have little effect. Over $70 billion goes to a range of tax breaks for employers that hire workers – the employer payroll tax reductions, a tax break for hiring veterans, subsidies for hiring the long-term unemployed, etc. The overwhelming bulk of these tax breaks will reward companies for jobs that they would have created without them. Few companies will decide to add new employees in a lousy market because of a one-year tax break.
The jobs plan includes over $100 billion for investment in infrastructure – in repairing schools, rebuilding roads, seeking an infrastructure bank. This will put people to work.
But we will never have a better opportunity to launch a major multi-year initiative to rebuild America, to equip our country with a modern infrastructure for the next century. We can borrow money for virtually nothing. The construction industry is flat on its back, with workers and machines idled. The needs are staggering, as the president suggested. Our decrepit infrastructure is increasingly not just a burden on our competitiveness; it is a danger to health and lives. The president's plan is likely to be rejected by the Republican Congress as "big spending." But in fact, it is too small to be a down payment on the initiative that we should be launching.
The White House suggests that the plan may add 1% to 2% to GDP growth next year – but that's in contrast with the hit the economy would take if the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance aren't extended. In an economy that has stalled, this is but a first step.
Cribbed Conception
Obama does better than any political leader in challenging the know-nothing conservatism of our time, and contrasting it with the public investments and public policies that have been essential to America's prosperity and to building a broad middle class.
But it is striking how cribbed his agenda is. This is a moderate, corporate Democrat struggling to address the economic meltdown. In the face of a right-wing majority in the House and public concern about deficits, the president embraces a conservative framework.
For example, the President returned to his most powerful theme – that we must build a new foundation for growth; we can't simply recover to the old economy that was built on debt and bubbles – and didn't work for working people in any case. This requires a serious focus on reviving America's manufacturing prowess, a new strategy for the global economy, a concerted effort to capture a lead role in the green industrial revolution that will sweep the world.
The president referred to this challenge last night. But his call for passing traditional bilateral trade deals, too small to be anything but symbolic of the old failed corporate trade strategy, reveals his establishment caution.
Keynes is dead; long live Keynes
At the Republican debate, Texas Governor Rick Perry goofily announced that the crisis – caused by a financial wilding and bipartisan conservative disarming of the cops on the beat – proved that "Keynes was dead."
The president's call for action indicts Perry's belief that you are on your own. But, he too abandons Keynes by announcing that his program will be paid for in fiscal cuts and tax hikes beginning in 2013. As Martin Walker of the Financial Times has written, the financial markets are telling policy makers to borrow and spend – with interest rates near record lows. Yet policymakers, abandoning Keynes, remain fixated on deficits and debt.
Worse, the president went out of his way once more to put Medicare and Medicaid on the table for a grand bargain with Republicans for dramatic deficit reduction over the next decade. He promised to detail this in another presentation next week, threatening to once more deflate the debate we need over jobs with a return to a debate that is utterly divisive over deficit reduction.
Progressives are demanding action on jobs. An inspired president on the stump is vital to making that case. His agenda is a first step, designed to attract bipartisan support. If Republicans oppose this, they will be turning their backs on working people either out of misguided ideological extremism or for partisan political advantage. The president is right. It is time to act.


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[This essay originally appeared as part of a roundtable over at The Hooded Utilitarian.]
Reading Daniel Clowes' Ghost World again got me to thinking about John Barth's nihilist novel, The End of the Road. The latter begins at a bus station; the former ends at a bus stop. And much like Barth's protagonist, Jacob Horner, Enid spends the duration of the story searching for an identity, but only succeeds in finding what she's not. Horner is a middle-aged academic type who's managed to think himself into a hole, not seeing any potential action as better grounded than another -- sort of an infinite regress of self. Thus, he's sitting in a bus station in a state of existential paralysis, not able to even come up with a good reason to get on a bus and leave his former (non-) life behind. The abiding gloom that pervades all of Ghost World's vignettes -- undercutting Enid's hipper-than-thou detachment from those around her -- is a sense that she's headed to the same destination as Horner: nowhere.
I figure there must be some consilience here, since kinukitty's main reason for not liking Clowes' book -- that it's neither real nor funny -- reminds me of Barth's prefatory defense of his story:
Jacob Horner […] embodies my conviction that one may reach such a degree of self-estrangement as to feel no coherent antecedent for the first-person-singular pronoun. […] If the reader regards [this] egregious [condition] (as embodied by the [narrator]) as merely psychopathological -- that is, as symptomatic rather than emblematic -- the [novel] make[s] no moral-dramatic sense. [p. viii]
I realize that if one has to defend something as funny, it's never going to make it so to those not laughing. This is particularly true of existentialist humor, since it's kind of the obverse of prat falls, namely only funny when it happens to me. So I'm going to stick to the reality of Enid's predicament. The End of the Road is a bit abstract, where Horner goes through a series of fanciful psychotherapeutic treatments in search of a cure (the search is, of course, at the insistence of a psychiatrist). The most relevant of these is mythotherapy, which involves acting in a chosen character role with the purpose of having it stick through habituation -- an irrational solution to a rational psychosis. Clowes treats the identity formation of teenagers in much the same way, but with a recognizant teen who, like Horner, can't ignore the ontological arbitrariness undergirding the whole process. Just because teens regularly slip into an adult role without much of a hitch doesn't mean that there's not a good deal of truth in her depicted inertia.

subset: commoncrawl


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The agency's Fleet and Equipment Operations, commonly referred to as the Transportation Equipment Fund (TEF), is a non-appropriated program responsible for the acquisition, asset management, upkeep, logistical support and disposal of the agency's wide variety of vehicles and support equipment; including the agency's wireless communications equipment. The program provides full logistic support for its inventory through 35 equipment repair facilities and 130 fuel stations throughout the state. The fuel infrastructure also fully supports the Washington State Patrol. Vehicle repairs and fuel are provided to other governmental entities on request and on a fee basis.
Sustainability Transportation in Motion


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State of the World 2004: Special Focus: The Consumer Society
January 2004
245 pages
"The environmental movement as we know it today could not exist without the extraordinary
researchers at Worldwatch"
Bill McKibben, best-selling author of The End of Nature
A Bangladeshi child eats a bowl of rice. An American child plays with a plastic doll. A woman in Finland talks on a cell phone. A man in Zimbabwe fills his car with gasoline. A Japanese woman reads a newspaper.
Think of the objects you buy and use in any given day. Now, try to imagine that there are more than 1.7 billion human beings in the consumer society—and their numbers are growing yearly. In many cases, excessive consumption burdens societies with bulging landfills, declining fish stocks, and rising obesity levels. Meanwhile, there are still another 2.8 billion who consume too little and who suffer from hunger, homelessness, and poverty.
On the Worldwatch Institute's thirtieth anniversary, this special edition of State of the World examines how we consume, why we consume, and what impact our consumption choices have on the planet and our fellow human beings. From factory-farmed chicken to old-growth lumber to gas-guzzling cars, many of the things we buy support destructive industries. But businesses, governments, and concerned citizens can harness this same purchasing power to build markets for less-hazardous products, including fair-traded foods, green power, and fuel-cell vehicles.
With chapters on food, water, energy, the politics of consumption, and redefining the good life, Worldwatch's award-winning research team asks whether a less-consumptive society is possible—and then argues that it is essential.


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|Chicken baked with a barbecue glaze with garlic and ginger.
Spicy Ginger Garlic Chicken
A yummy way to jazz up chicken without adding a lot of fat. I used some super gargantuan, bone-in chicken breasts here and then just sliced them up, but this works well with a cut-up whole chicken, or thighs and legs. If you're looking to cut back on fat, remove the skin. These are also great grilled.
Recipe: Spicy Ginger Garlic Chicken©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 1 hour | Yield: About 4 servings
- 1 (2 to 3 pound) of whole chicken, cut up
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun/Creole seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Whisk together the other ingredients and brush both sides of chicken. Bake, turning at least once, and basting occasionally with the remaining glaze, until chicken is cooked through and internal temperature of dark meat reaches 175 degrees; 165 for breasts, about 1 hour. Total time will depend on what chicken pieces you are using, and what size they are.
Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com
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©Deep South Dish
☛ Are you on Facebook? If you haven't already, come and join the party! We have a lot of fun & there's always room for one more at the table.
Check These Recipes Out Too Y'all!
Spicy Sweet Bacon Chicken Breasts
Crispy Panko Coated Ranch Chicken
Southern Stewed Chicken


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The following Field Safety Notices are available for Brazil. Please click on a product to view the relevant field safety notice.
Note: Please ensure you have read the Field Safety Notice relevant to your product before downloading the software.
samaritan PAD 300P
SAM 300/300P Field Safety Notice
SAM 300P Upgrader (1.4.2/3.2.0)


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Thanks for listening!!
These courses will appeal to genealogists/family historians looking for education/knowledge that will take them beyond just their ancestors names, and birth, marriage, death dates/locations. The courses are all fun because Pat makes them that way! Pat has been teaching and speaking at seminars for 18 years from Whitehorse to Scotland. She continues to write new courses and will be offering courses again in Fall 2017 through Arcola East Community Association Regina, and online!!


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NORTH CHARLESTON — Almost seven decades after the largest naval battle in American history, a handful of aging veterans of the Battle of Leyte Gulf gathered Monday recalling the sinking of their destroyers and the harrowing 52 hours they spent in shark-infested waters without food or water, praying for rescue.
Five survivors are attending this week's reunion of the USS Johnston-Hoel Association. There are among eight remaining survivors from the two destroyers lost when they attacked a far stronger Japanese force in October 1944 to help cover the escape of six American escort carriers in the Philippines.
The destroyers took on a Japanese task force of 23 vessels, including four battleships.
John Oracz, 86, of Grand Rapids, Mich., who served on the Hoel, said started it all started unexpectedly. He was going to breakfast when a star shell landed behind the ship.
"I said 'Where the hell did that come from?" The next thing I realized there were salvos all around us. I couldn't see any battleship or anything. They were 22 miles away over the horizon," he recalled.
When the order came for the crew of the sinking Johnston to abandon ship, Dusty Rhodes, 87, of Winfield Kan., recalled helping get a float net over the side. The large net helped those who abandoned ship stay afloat until they could be rescued.
It wasn't until years later, at a reunion, that he finally met the sailor who helped him get the net down. Without that net, Rhodes doubts he would have survived.
The Hoel lost 252 crewmen while 89 survived the battle and ensuing ordeal. A total of 152 from the Johnston were lost while 144 survived.
"It never really occurred to me that we wouldn't be picked up," said 86-year-old Larry Morris of Harrodsburg, Ky., who was aboard the Hoel. "But in spite of that feeling, later when it developed we were picked up by accident, then I got scared."
There was no immediate search for American survivors because of worries that Japanese vessels still controlled the waters in the area.
"What made it bad was when a man would die there was nothing you could do to help him," said Glenn Parkin, 89, as he fought back tears. "You would take off their dog tags and they would float 3 or maybe 5 feet and then the sharks would get to them," said Parkin, of North Salt Lake City, Utah.
George Miller, of Taylorsville, N.C., said the group he was with would let the dead go at night to spare the agony of seeking sharks take their comrades.
"What was in our minds most of the time was that could be me," Morris said.
But none of the five survivors said they ever gave up hope they would be rescued.
"I had a rosary in my pocket and I was keeping up with that all the time," Oracz said.
The association plans to keep meeting, despite its dwindling numbers. The group is already planning a 2012 reunion in the Midwest. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that an average of 737 World War II vets die each day.
On Tuesday, the survivors and about 35 family members and friends attended a memorial service at the chapel of The Citadel military academy. Later in the day they planned to visit the Civil War submarine Hunley, the first in history to sink an enemy warship.


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Is there going to be a game of Dune run here? If so, what is the status of the game? I'd be interested. I actually have the original A/H version, but have never played PBEM.
SLOTerp wrote:I hope there is a game here. I've asked the potential GM to post info here but I'm unsure of his timetable. He is recruiting so I'm sure there would be a space at the table.
I own the original A/H as well. I think the last time I played was about 30 years ago . They play it at WBC so maybe I'll give it a try there.
SLOTerp wrote:Turn based games are a bit more challenging to conduct PBEM. Christina successfully did it here with GoT. GM has to track a lot more things.


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/ Report Reveals Conservation Efforts Have Strong, Positive Impacts in Watershed
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USDA Study Shows Wind Erosion Control Greatest Conservation Need in Missouri River Basin
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2012 – A new study shows that conservation practices have made great strides in reducing pollutant losses from cultivated cropland in the Missouri River Basin. The study – called the "Assessment of the Effects of Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland in the Missouri River Basin" – showed that conservation practices, such as building terraces and reducing tillage, reduce the runoff of sediment by 76 percent, nitrogen by 54 percent and phosphorus by 60 percent.
"This study shows the hard work of conservation-minded farmers and ranchers is having positive benefits for waterways downstream," said Dave White, chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. "We are seeing cleaner water in the Missouri River, which means that we are sending cleaner water to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Conservation efforts – like the ones we have seen in this basin – are testament to the importance of conservation on the landscape level."
The report is part of USDA's tradition to assess the effects of conservation practices and how they can be improved. It is part of a series completed for USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) and it covers Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
"These reports compose part of the scientific backbone that we use to improve and update our conservation efforts," White said. "We use the assessments to strengthen our service to our Nation's landowners and natural resources."
Although conservation practices installed by producers have reduced the runoff of sediment and nutrients in the Missouri River Basin, wind erosion remains the top conservation concern in the region.
The report found that 18 percent of cultivated cropland in the region has a moderate or high need for additional conservation practices to further reduce sediment and nutrient losses from the basin. Although this percentage is lower than in other regions studied by USDA, it represents more than 15 million acres in the vast Missouri River Basin. Soil and nutrient losses through wind erosion, particularly in the western part of the basin which is drier, are the most critical conservation concern in the region.
If additional conservation practices were implemented, NRCS technical experts estimate that the conservation practices would reduce runoff of sediment by an additional 28 percent, nitrogen by an additional 13 percent and phosphorus by an additional 12 percent. Comprehensive conservation planning that includes both erosion control and nutrient management practices is needed to simultaneously reduce sediment and nutrient losses through wind, runoff and leaching.
Download a fact sheet, a summary or the full report for the Missouri River Basin.
In addition to the Missouri Basin report, USDA also posted an update to the Upper Mississippi River Basin report, which was originally released in draft form in June 2010. The update includes slight changes to computer modeling protocols and the inclusion of a sub-region between the outlets of the Missouri and Ohio rivers that was not included in the draft report. Download a fact sheet, a summary or the full report for the Upper Mississippi River Basin.
Learn more about USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project.
About the Report:
This CEAP-Cropland report uses computer simulations to compare losses of sediment and nutrients from cultivated cropland to losses that would be expected if no conservation practices were in place. Additional simulations suggest potential for further reductions in sediment and nutrient losses through use of additional conservation practices in areas of greatest conservation need. Estimates in the study were based on an extensive survey of farming and conservation practice use at selected National Resources Inventory (NRI) sample points throughout the region from 2003 to 2006. The farmer survey data and information from other sources were statistically expanded to represent the entire region. The study included conservation practices installed with USDA or state assistance as well as those installed through landowner initiative and expense.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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Policy and Links| Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | WhiteHouse.gov


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Hello, welcome to my userpage. Maybe your here because I wrote something you liked/hated and you want to praise/murder me. Maybe your creepy and just want to stalk me. Whatever the case, your here, and you want to know more about me.
All About Me[edit]
I am 19 years old and am a student at Queens University in Kingston Ontario, Canada. I speak French German Smurf as well as 1337. My birthday is September 4th. I write uncyclopedia articles in my free time. My hobbies are hockey (go figure), lacrosse, baseball, video games and ketchup. I am currently majoring in geography with minors in history and chemistry.
|I'm training to become an Uncyclopedian cage fighter.
My Works[edit]
London's Association of Women Drivers- First Article
Bad Directions- First nominated article
Loitering- A fun article to read
UnPoetia:The Break Up- A quick little poem
Life of an IP- A concept I'd like to work on more
User:Fuentfue/Negative Potato- A rewrite of a rewrite of an article, one of my favourites
UnNews:Rafael Nadal Thinks He Disappointed Millions By Losing French Open- First UnNews, got second lead


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It may look like a winter wonderland for parts of the region today, but expect mostly snowy and icy conditions in Henderson and Transylvania counties.
It may look like a winter wonderland for parts of the region today, but expect mostly snowy and icy conditions in Henderson and Transylvania counties.
"We had a pretty good heavy rainfall out of the storm last night with about 2-4 inches of rain," National Weather Service meteorologist James Oh said. "It may warm up slightly today, but conditions will be icy."
Snow should continue falling lightly until this afternoon, with forecasts predicting accumulations of between 1-2 inches. Oh said parts of Transylvania County reported about a half-inch of snow accumulation this morning, and he said he expects the region has more snowflakes headed its way.
"There's actually heavier band of pressure moving in from the Southwest that's going to maybe produce 1-2 inches over Transylvania County and Henderson County from now until noontime," he said, noting temperatures will remain around the 32 degree-mark with an even colder wind chill. "With the cloud cover, we're not thinking melting is going to be that impressive and icy conditions will likely stay."
Henderson County Fire Marshal Wally Hollis said emergency crews are focused not only on icy conditions, but also on the flood warning Henderson County is still under and the high wind conditions expected later today.
"We're monitoring the stream gauges and monitoring the situation as a whole, " Hollis said. "With the high winds, it's probably going to bring more trees down. Those are our concerns right now."
Right now, the concerns for the North Carolina Department of Transportation is reviewing the state of secondary roads, said Henderson County maintenance engineer Jason Willis.
"We had our day crew come in at 6 o'clock this morning. We've just been out in the county," he said. "We're out there right now."
When local DOT crews went out to check the interstate system and primary roads this morning, Willis said it was not snowing.Willis also said he received no reports of accidents in the county this morning.
However, at 8:45 a.m., Duke Energy reported 2,076 customers were without power in Henderson County.
"The bulk of those customers are experiencing outages due a tree falling on the power lines on Blythe Street," said Duke Energy spokesperson Catherine Butler. "Others are related to the general poor weather at this point."
Butler said the estimated time of power restoration is 10 a.m., and she noted crews are already working to get the power back on in Henderson County.
Duke Energy reported 1,684 customers were without power in Henderson County at 10:30 a.m.
As the day turns into evening, Oh said there's a possibility that the rain and snow from the last 24 hours could freeze tonight, creating possibilities for black ice.
"The cold air has started to move," he said. "It will be windy and chilly and, with temperatures plunging into the low teens, the wind chill factor will be in the single digits. It will make icy conditions for the entire area."


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"Me and a friend in berry at bugs lake having fun...." Bugs Lake
"The fishing is pretty good there. Lots of small bass..." Higginbothams Lake
"I fished at camp cosby, with my granddad and we cought a bass. we used artificial bate...." Old Camp Cosby Lake
"I have been up to this lake a couple of times, and can only find a public spot to fish at the main marina. You have to pay to fish there, $2.00 per day I believe. If you..." Highland Lake Dam
"This lake has been drained and they are building multi-family housing and a large shopping center here...." Hickman Lake
"The bass have been in the shallow creeks around boat docks and laydown timber. A 1/4-oz. Brush Hog in green-pumpkin color flipped into the shallow fallen timber is..." W K Wilson Lake
Tips, tactics, gear reviews for everything from bass and bluegills to stripers and bluefish - if it's fishing related, we cover it.
Get the latest outdoor news regularly.


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Economic opportunity
Watch the video above to learn how we're empowering young people in Africa to go after their dreams, start their own businesses, and succeed — no matter what challenges they may face.
A roadside stand in South Sudan selling soap; an internet start-up in Gaza; a tofu processing plant in Indonesia: The global economy is connected by complex and dynamic markets. Mercy Corps believes in harnessing this inherent power to provide better opportunities for the world's poor and vulnerable, half of whom live on less than $2/day.
Local communities themselves have the ability to drive this change and no two situations are alike. For this reason, we take a holistic, locally-led approach, working with communities, their systems and structures to build businesses, increase income and improve employment opportunities. Even in the most fragile and informal markets, we focus on intentional, market-based solutions, ones which can succeed and expand long after we've left.
Learn more about our approach to market systems development ▸
Mercy Corps promotes safe, decent and equitable income opportunities for individuals around the world.
Learn about our approach to make markets work in crisis ▸
Mercy Corp's market-driven approach to crisis response leverages the capacities of non-aid actors in local and global economic systems and gives crisis-affected individuals the ability to drive their own decisions and secure their own lives and livelihoods.
Learn about our approaches to the "world of work" — employment, employability, entrepreneurship and job creation ▸
Forty-two percent of the world is under the age of 25; Mercy Corps tailors employment programming to the unique needs of male and female youth.
Myanmar: Cookstoves to the rescue
Myat Soe and his family lost their house, fishing business and small grocery in the 2008 cyclone that devastated Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Delta. Afterwards, they moved in with his father and struggled just to make ends meet.
Haiti: Insuring women-owned businesses against natural disaster
I have been in Haiti for a mere 36 hours and have already waded through a river, trekked through rice fields, climbed mountains and stumbled upon a buzzing open market in a remote village in the Central Plateau.
Myanmar: Changing times
Change was a theme that kept cropping up during my visit to Myanmar earlier this year. The changes the country has seen since my grandfather lived there in the 1940s. The changes Cyclone Nargis brought in 2008 to the thousands of families it affected.
Mongolia: Khureltogoo, carpenter in rural Mongolia
Since 2005, Khureltogoo has secured two loans totaling $16,000 thanks to guarantees provided by Mercy Corps. He used them to renovate a workshop, add a drying facility and purchase high-powered, modern equipment.
Japan: Restarting small businesses
Palestine (West Bank/Gaza): Getting Google to Gaza
Through an innovative Mercy Corps' partnership with Google and the Source of Hope Foundation, young Palestinian web developers receive firsthand training and mentoring from engineers and business people from cutting-edge technology companies – as well as potential seed capital funding.
Iraq: 'I'm an employee now'
Hamid Jassim is the 52-year-old father of a big family – he has two sons and three daughters, and is known in his community as Abo Mustafa. I met him while he was working as a laborer on a project for the rehabilitation of Basma Kindergarten, in the Jalawla neighborhood outside of Khanaqin.
Palestine (West Bank/Gaza): Empowering the techno-geeks of Palestine
This summer, I attended an event in the Gaza Strip with 100 computer-science students and budding entrepreneurs about the latest open-source software and development tools, showcased by engineers visiting from Google.
Indonesia: Old wounds reopened in Ambon
"Ambon manise," (am-bone mah-nee-say) muttered the bewildered project coordinator of Mercy Corps's Spice Up the Deal Project, as we stood watching midnight fires erupt in Ambon City below us.
Ethiopia: A sense of pride
We were recently asked to create a large-scale permanent photography collection for the gallery attached to our Portland Action Center. This image by Thatcher Cook was one of the selections.


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Winder city clerk Gloria Andrews resigned from her post this week. The Winder City Council was scheduled to appoint administrative specialist Rebecca Bowen as interim clerk Tuesday night. City administrator Don Toms said that after Bowen successfully serves in the post for 90 days, the appointment could become permanent. She has worked for the city government for a few years. Bowen worked initially in Winder Municipal Court, then worked in finance, human resources and the city clerk's office.
For the full story, see the July 3 issue of the Barrow Journal.
Bowen to be named interim Winder clerk
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Biking The Wineries in Queenstown
Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand - a mountain biking guides take on biking the stunning wineries in Gibbston Valley.
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Queenstown, the adventure capital of New Zealand, a town buzzing with the joys of tourism. Happy holiday makers are everywhere and the list of entertaining adventurous activities is endless…
As a mountain biking guide working in Queenstown, I want to offer my take on a rather organic experience away from the main tourist trail - something for all riding abilities. I am an semi-professional multi-sport athlete and it is the quality of cycle trails in the Queenstown Basin that played a large part in my decision to base myself here.
The Queenstown Trail Network is 120 km long and winds its' way through much of the Queenstown basin, extending out to Arrowtown and through to the Gibbston Valley, the home of some very popular wineries. Around the Basin offer a specific "Bike the Wineries Full Day Tour" and there is the option to upgrade this trip by adding a guide… lucky me!
Here is my account of a recent trip where I was lucky enough to tag along:
Driver Lisa and I picked up our clients in Queenstown and drove them out to Arrowtown. I chatted to the group of 4 with whom I would be spending the day. It's always fun to share some stories and get to know the clients, with a bit of light banter always thrown into the mix to get everyone relaxed before our ride.
Reaching Arrowtown the group were fitted to bikes and briefed on the latest trail conditions. In no time we were away and riding. Instead of heading straight onto the trail, I suggested that we check out Arrowtown. The group were keen on this idea and as soon as someone mentioned "coffee" the pace quickened! We cruised the main street and marvelled at the historic "western saloon" style buildings, a reminder of the gold rush which catalyst growth in the region. We rode through to Provisions Cafe and enjoyed hot coffee and delicious sticky bun(s), before linking back onto the cycle trail.
Energised by our pit stop (and full of caffeine) we enjoyed the feeling of settling into our rhythm on the bike as the blood rushed into our muscles. The scenery was beautiful as we meandered along beside the Arrow River, taking time to stop for photos.
The mountain bike trail took us over some spectacular swing bridges, through purpose built underpasses and even over the Karawau Bungy Bridge before we reached the Gibbston Valley, and our first winery. This first section was 15 km long and took us about 1hr 45min including stops. A nice start to the day!
The afternoon was spent visiting the wineries - tasting wine and eating cheese. We went to the Gibbston Valley Winery, The Gibbston Cheesery, Peregrine Wines, the Gibbston Tavern and Kinross, before being picked up by Lisa from Mt Rosa at 4.30 pm.
An extremely enjoyable day, that took us through Arrowtown, Bungy and to numerous wineries, satisfying the need to ride, as well as taste the wine. How lucky am I to do this as a job!
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Bike The Queenstown Wineries | A full day of riding winery to winery
A full day self-guided tour of the Gibbston Valley wineries. Transport from Queenstown to Arrowtown to begin your adventure, maps and details of the wineries supplied. Enjoy this spectacular wine country at your leisure, knowing you have a ride home.


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Erlend Oye and The Rainbows Live in Bangkok on at The Jam Factory. The venue was lovely and cozy with a crowd of approximately 300 people. Erlend Oye got us all singing, jumping, waving our hands and dancing to rhythm. He even taught us some Italian words to sing along to his Italian song "Dico Ciao" and letting us listen to the Keyboard guy of The Rainbows singing a song in Icelandic. I personally don't know the song but Icelandic language sounds absolutely beautiful. It was really special. Erlend Oye and The Rainbows sure got us all entertained. Thank you for such a great show. Talking about Icelandic I just have to mention Sigur Ros a band from Icelandic. Their songs are awesome that you don't need to understand Icelandic to enjoy their music. It can easily pull you in. Anyhow, Sorry in advance for the photo quality. All the photos and video were taken with my iphone. I have to admitted that sometimes I get lazy to bring my proper camera since it's too heavy. I am sure you guys understand :)
I opted for crop top and teamed it up with my colorful vintage skirt, crossbody bag, and a pair Jeffrey Campbell shoes.
I was trying to upload several videos I recorded during the gig but it didn't work because the files are too big. In case you wish to see more videos can head over to my facebook page. I'll try to upload more. Have a great day!
B' Style Voyage


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Privacy Policy
Lake Washington School District is the sole owner of the information collected. We will not sell, share, or rent this information.
This Web site takes every precaution to protect our users' information. When users submit sensitive information via the Web site, this information is protected both online and off-line. While LWSD uses SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, we also do everything in our power to protect user information off-line. All of our users' information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job are granted access to personally identifiable information. Our employees must use password-protected screensavers when they leave their desk. When they return, they must re-enter their password to regain access to your information. Furthermore, ALL employees are kept up-to-date on our security and privacy practices. Every quarter, as well as any time new policies are added, our employees are notified and/or reminded about the importance we place on privacy, and what they can do to ensure our customers' information is protected. Finally, the servers that we store personally identifiable information on are kept in a secure environment, in a locked room protected by a monitored burglar alarm.


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Raymond offers a variety of public and private events throughout the year. Each offers a unique experience and atmosphere such as the Generations Release Event or the Wine Club Valentine's Day Dinner. Please check back often to view our upcoming events at the winery as well as around the country.
From our Crystal Cellar to the Grove there is a wide array of beautiful spaces to host a private event, party, meeting or intimate dinner allowing seating for anywhere from eight to one hundred guests. Please view our "Host An Event" section for more details.


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Indicative Rate * AU$125 to AU$450
Breeze is a new standard in affordability and style in the rapidly expanding Brightwater community. A gated hotel complex, secure and safe. Short stroll to the shops, parks and recreational facilities. Brightwater tavern, cafes and restaurants are just across the road.
The complex offers self-contained apartments and townhouses, full kitchen and laundry facilities, complimentary secure parking and visitor parking available. Private patio/balcony, swimming pool and barbecue area. Air-conditioning and heating, free wi-fi and meal charge back options available.
Perfect for all sized families or people traveling in groups such as sports teams or schools. Close to Kawana Lake and Stockland sports ground, and the University of the Sunshine Coast is only 10 minutes away.
Ring direct to secure the best rates and your ideal room type.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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Make a Donation to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
Terms and Conditions. Your donation will be processed through the merchant services of PayPal, which is the company used by eBay and many other organisations. You do not have to have a PayPal account in order to make a donation on this page, PayPal will accept all of the credit and debit cards listed above. If you already have a PayPal account you will simply need to enter your email address and password in order to complete the transaction. In every case PayPal's secure server system will verify your details before completing the money transfer. Note that in the case of recurring donations, if you do not already have an account PayPal will ask you for a password so that you can change or discontinue your payments at any time. Gift Aid. Gift Aid allows us to reclaim the tax you have paid on your donation to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This increases the value of your donation by almost a third at no extra cost. You must pay an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax that the Seventh-day Adventist Church will reclaim on your donations in the tax year. Completing a Gift Aid declaration does not affect your tax status or commit you to supporting the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for a specified length of time. If you pay tax at the higher rate you can claim further relief in your Self-Assessment tax return. If you are not a UK taxpayer, your donations cannot be treated as Gift Aid donations.
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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Hold on there. The population trend (unbridled escalation) does put humanity in an awkward position. But before anyone starts murdering billions consider this. Instead of engineering a virus that fills the graveyards, how bout targeting the genital tract. If such a facility exists where by Red Deathes can be conjured up in 30 minutes or less, surely it could spare a few extra computer cycles to produce a kinder, gentler strain to decimate humankind (or at least future HK). A global sterilization...Imbued with a great freedom--an un-legacy if you will, allowing yet another bio-anomaly (that had it coming) to be swept up under the mat of evolution??? Err..maybe not, but imagine all the wondrous exercises in & of futility :) Perry E. Metzger (perry at snark.imsi.com) wrote: : In article <Pine.SOL.3.91.950214212319.18448A-100000 at corona> Patrick O'Neil <patrick at corona> writes: : >> Drexler's ideas suggest a future of boundless wealth, opportunity and : >> adventure, not for a few billion, but for trillions. Drexler's science : >I know of his fantasies. : Fantasies? I'm afraid that you don't seem to have a rational viewpoint : here. Drexler's work is, sorry to say for you, a reality. STMs have : already been used to nanoposition individual atoms. Genetic : engineering already produces perfect macromolecules to nearly to : specification. One or the other of these technologies will lead us to : nanotech within fifty years at most. However, I find the fact that you : are an evil individual on a Hitlerian scale far more disturbing than : your ignorance. You said: : >I would just as soon engineer a virus strain that is aerosol : >transmissible, perhaps a hemmorhagic flu, in order to correct the : >population bomb downward towards the 2 to 3 billion mark than live in : >utter muck with trillions. : How dare you plot the deaths of billions of people? You are the lowest : form of scum on the planet. Does the suffering and murder of literally : billions of people not even phase you? Or are you simply one of those : disgusting lefty amoralists that thinks that mass murder is okay so : long as its for the good of the cause -- Pol Pot being one of your : fellow travelers. : I assure you that were I in the room with you right now, and if I : thought that you were seriously able to carry out your threat, I would : have no hesitation whatsoever about killing you in self defense. I do : not care to see the deaths or suffering of all those I hold dear so : that a creature like you can feel good about the planet being empty. : -- : Perry Metzger perry at imsi.com : -- : "Just another selfish, me first kind of guy."


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Celebrate World Ocean's Day with Depth and Win the Full Line!/
Officially recognized by the UN in 2008, but unofficially celebrated since 1992, World Oceans Day allows us the opportunity to delight in our world ocean and explore our personal connections to the sea. I cannot think of a more better time for us all to get involved. In light of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which might soon reach the Atlantic Ocean, doing all we can to preserve our waters is now more important than ever.
Some companies are supporting World Oceans Day with products, such as La Mer is with their special edition in blue, and another fine company, Depth. Depth, a hair and skincare company, realizes the importance of the ocean and its inhabitants, especially as their company was founded by a marine biologist that uses sea-based ingredients to clean, nourish and refresh skin and hair. So, to commemorate and honor World Oceans Day, Depth will donate $1 from each unit of it's line sold from June 8th through June 15th to the National Audubon Society for Gulf oil spill recovery.
The Depth collection consists of shampoos, conditioners, hand soaps, body wash, hand and body lotions, and shave creams in four exclusive scents: Mangrove Citrus, Sea Berry, Orange Blossom and Bay Coconut.
Hair Care
Infused with a unique blend of sea botanicals, certified organic aloe vera and natural emollients, Depth Shampoos and Conditioners are ultra-hydrating, refreshing, and moisturizing. All hair care items are $9.99 each.
- Refresh Daily Shampoo – For all hair types. Keeps hair soft, healthy and nourished with a nutrient-rich blend of vitamins and sea botanicals
- Drench Hydrating Shampoo – For dry and damaged hair: Gentle cleansers work to nourish and restore essential moisture, ideal for color treated hair
- Immerse Daily Conditioner – For all hair types. Nutrient-rich to maintain healthy, beautiful hair without weighing it down
- Submerse Deep Conditioner – For dry and damaged hair. This creamy conditioner provides deep nourishment and ultra-hydration for extra healthy hair
Hand Soaps & Body Washes
Luxurious, refreshing and extra-gentle, Depth Hand Soaps and Body Washes are enriched with ultra-hydrating sea botanicals and organic aloe vera to naturally cleanse, moisturize and soothe the skin. The Hand Soaps are $7.99 each while the Body Washes are $9.99 each.
Hand & Body Lotions
Lightweight and quick absorbing, Depth Hand & Body Lotions are enriched with ultra-hydrating sea botanicals and organic aloe vera to moisturize, soothe and nourish the skin. The Hand and Body Lotions retail for $9.99 each.
Shave Creams
As smooth and silky as algae, Depth Shave Creams are enriched with hydrating sea botanicals and natural emollients to provide an effortless glide for a soft, comfortable shave, while an abundance of organic aloe vera moisturizes and nourishes the skin. The shave creams are $6.99 each.
Depth products are sold exclusively at Whole Foods. To learn more about the products and read the story behind the brand, please visit their site at DepthBody.com.
One lucky Beautiful Makeup Search reader will win the entire line of Depth products. To enter, all you have to do is a leave a comment on this post, telling me why the ocean is important to you.
Please note that this is not a judged contest, one winner will be selected randomly from all correctly submitted entries. The random comment will be chosen after 11:59 PM EST on June 15th, 2010, when the contest closes. Be sure to leave an e-mail address where specified in the comment form (only I will see this), as you will have just 72 hours from being notified to respond in order to claim your prize. Open to US residents only, aged 18 years and older. Only one entry per e-mail address please.
*Prize donated by brand or brand representative, exclusively for this giveaway. We would like to thank them for their sponsorship and support of this giveaway.


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|Summary of the 3D laser vision surgeries for four age groups
|Age 18+
Kenny Chesney
|Age 21+
3D Implantable Contact Lens
TN's first
|Age 45+
3D FOREVER YOUNG™ lens surgery
TN's first
|Age 60+
3D laser cataract surgery
Charlie Daniels
World-class laser eye surgeon:
- Kiwanis Nashvillian of the Year
- Harvard & MIT graduate (MD, magna cum laude), board certified ophthalmologist
- One of the few 3D laser cataract and 3D LASIK surgeons with a PhD in laser physics
- Published a major paper in the world renowned journal "Nature"
- Implanted the state's first new premium lens for 3D laser cataract surgery
- Trained in 3 of the nation's top 4 ophthalmic institutions (Harvard Medical School (MD, magna cum laude), Wills Eye Hospital (ophthalmology residency), Bascom Palmer Eye Institute (corneal fellowship))
- The ONLY exclusively 3D bladeless all-laser LASIK center in Tennessee
- TN's FIRST center that offers 3D Laser SMILE®
- TN's FIRST center that offers 3D laser cataract surgery
- TN's FIRST center that offers 3D Laser KAMRA
- FIRST to offer 3D FOREVER YOUNG™ lens surgery to reduce need for readers/bifocals!
- TN's FIRST & ONLY smart eye surgery
- FIRST and ONLY in TN to perform cross-linking for keratoconus
- 100% 3D bladeless LASIK since 2002 (longer than 99% of the surgeons in the US)
- Over 55,000 3D LASIK and laser cataract procedures (including on over 4,000 doctors)
- Former panel consultant to the US FDA Ophthalmic Device Panel
- First in the world to perform a 3D image-guided high-definition LASIK
- First in the world to perform a 3D image-guided laser cataract surgery
- First surgeon in the US to perform a new Intacs surgery to treat severe keratoconus
- Founding director of Vanderbilt Laser Sight Center
- Founded a 501c(3) non-profit charity: Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration
- Helped patients from over 40 states and 55 countries
- Eight US patents for inventions of corneal imaging and treatments
- Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Harold Lamport Award for Biomedical Research, Harvard Medical School & MIT
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Association of Chinese Physicians
- Eight major textbooks in the cataract/cornea/LASIK field. Learn more...
World-class technology:
- TN's FIRST 3D LASIK and 3D laser cataract surgery technology for you to see your best. Learn more...
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- Click here to learn more about Dr Wang and staff doctors.
- What would contact/glasses cost me?
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free consultation


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division cases
This information was filed in the traffic division of Marion County District Court. All fines include court costs.
Holly L. Bethe, Hope, April 15, speeding (95 in a 65 mph zone), $291.
Jerry L. Davis, Herington, April 14, child passenger safety; restraining systems and seatbelts, $156.
Mandana A. Dowlatshahi, March 24, failure to yield to pedestrian or vehicle working on roadway, $201.
Brian W. Hiebert, 415 N. Locust St., Marion; placed on six months unsupervised probation April 14 due to probation violation.
Michael V. Yowell, McPherson, April 9, speeding (74 in a 65), $141.


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I can't use the databases. The screen says "welcome to [[null]]" and doesn't list any databases, just a "finished" button and on the left it says "invalid authorization."
The software we use requires cookies to work properly. If you have your cookies disabled, or if the cookie is corrupted, you will not be able to access the databases. You'll see a blank database list, an invalid authorization notice, and a message that says "welcome to [[null]]. Make sure your cookies are enabled. If they are, try clearing your cookies and your cache.


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NASHVILLE – The Lipscomb Bisons used a balanced attack to dispatch Oakland City University 121-54. Seven Bisons scored in double figures with freshman forward Brian Wright leading the way with 21 points.
The game started on a sour note for Lipscomb when sophomore center Adnan Hodzic injured his lower leg on the opening tip.
"I don't want anyone to go down, especially him, because he has worked so hard," said head coach Scott Sanderson. "He's going to be day-to-day. It was swollen up a little bit, but if there is any way for him to play on Tuesday, he will get back. He's a tough player with a high pain tolerance."
The Bisons were not deterred and opened the game on a 14-2 run over the first 5:04.
"We knew we had to play harder since he is a big part of our offense," said Wright. "We all stepped our game up."
Lipscomb scored their most points in a game since scoring 128 against Virginia-Intermont on Dec. 3, 2000.
Sophomore guard Josh Slater and freshman center Rob Murphy scored 15 points each. Sophomore forward Michael Teller scored 14 points. Senior Michael Lusk added 13 while sophomore Brandon Brown and senior Thomas Pfaff each scored 12.
Pfaff recorded the only double-double of the game by notching 10 rebounds.
Lusk tied a career high with seven assists. Freshman guard Jordan Burgason and Slater added six apiece.
Sanderson was pleased with the way his team ran their offense and controlled the ball.
"We had 47 field goals on 32 assists," said Sanderson. "We had 77 possessions and we only turned the ball over nine times. I was proud with the way we took care of the ball."
The Bisons scored 49 points off 30 turnovers. Lipscomb had 24 steals
Lipscomb shot a stellar 61 percent from the field while holding Oakland City to 37.9 percent.
The Bisons were 11-of-26 from behind the arch for 42.3 percent. Oakland City was 2-of-18 from the 3-point line.
Lipscomb's bench combined for 69 points including 15 points off 6-of-7 shooting by Murphy.
"Rob Murphy came into the game and played terrific for us," said Sanderson. "He was very active on both ends and played great around the basket. I didn't anticipate playing him that much, but he saw an opportunity to go in there and he went in there and played very, very well."
Lipscomb held a 60-20 advantage in the first half. It was the most the Bisons had scored in the first half since also scoring 60 against Indiana University Southeast on Jan. 25, 2001.
Nathan Schumacher and Brandon Hopf were the high scorers for Oakland City with 11 points each.
Lipscomb remains perfect in season openers in Allen Arena improving to 8-0. The 67-point victory was also the largest margin for the Bisons inside Allen Arena, besting a 41-point victory over the University of the South on Nov. 18, 2003.
"We've played great at home over the past seven or eight years," Sanderson said. "Our crowd is important to us. Our student section has been great and our season ticket holders are good too."
Lipscomb opens their season 1-0 while Oakland City falls to 0-1.
The Bisons are back in action Tuesday night in Allen Arena at 8:15 p.m. against Tennessee Tech. The game will renew a rivalry between two teams that have played 39 times, but have not met since 1974.
Story by Trevor Garrett of the Lipscomb Athletics Media Relations Department


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Blue John Stone is a rare, semiprecious mineral found at only one location in the world - a hillside near Mam Tor, just outside Castleton, in the Derbyshire Peak District National Park, England. The name Blue John derives from the French Bleu Jaune meaning Blue Yellow.
Blue John is a form of fluorite and was discovered as miners were exploring the cave systems of Castleton for lead.


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CHARLESTON — People along the coast have a few options in an era of global warming expected to bring more frequent, intense storms and the kind of devastation recently seen with Superstorm Sandy: They can move back from the shore, elevate buildings or build levees to keep the floods at bay.
CHARLESTON — People along the coast have a few options in an era of global warming expected to bring more frequent, intense storms and the kind of devastation recently seen with Superstorm Sandy: They can move back from the shore, elevate buildings or build levees to keep the floods at bay.
But a pair of scientists at Georgia Tech and Clemson suggest another alternative, although it sounds a bit like science fiction. Their research shows it is possible to raise the coastline itself.
Leonid Germanovich of Georgia Tech and Lawrence Murdoch of Clemson, both environmental engineers, have worked out the math and are proposing a method of flood protection they call SIRGE, or solid injection for raising ground elevation.
The idea is relatively straightforward. They envision injecting sediment-laden slurry into hydraulic fractures in the ground. If repeated in adjacent areas and over a wide area, it works to push up the surface of the earth. They suggest a series of pumps and wells to force the material underground.
The proposal, and the extensive scientific equations that accompany it, were published in 2010 in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society. The Society, dating to the 1660s, is the national academy of science in the United Kingdom and has 1,400 fellows worldwide.
After a 1900 hurricane devastated Galveston, Texas, killing an estimated 8,000 people, the city rebuilt after the ground level was raised as much as 17 feet.
"It's been shown with the Galveston example, if you can increase elevations, that is your best bet in safeguarding areas against flood," Murdoch said.
While you can't elevate every building in a community, another approach might be to raise the level of the ground below it. A similar technique has been used on smaller scales.
For example, when a tunnel is drilled under a city, a technique called compensation grouting is used above it, injecting material to keep the surface above stable so it doesn't sink. Perhaps the best-known example is the grouting done under Big Ben in London when a subway tunnel was built, Germanovich said.
Using SIRGE, the sediment would likely need to be projected 300 or more feet below the surface. The paper suggests that, in theory, at the upper end, it might be possible to raise the coast 10 meters, about 33 feet.
"From what the people who work on these issues are saying we should expect higher sea levels and larger intensity storms," Murdoch said. "If that is the case, then the problems we saw with Sandy are going to be more frequent."
The Southeastern Coastal Climate Network calculates that in the past 90 years, the sea level has risen a foot in Charleston. It's worse elsewhere. The U.S. Geological Survey reported last summer that in the 600-mile swath from Boston to Cape Hatteras, sea levels are rising much faster than in other areas around the globe. Since 1990, the sea level has risen almost 5 inches in Norfolk, Va.
Murdoch said that currently, building levees is the go-to technology for dealing with sea level rise. The problem, he said, is levees tend to fail. "In view of that, we need another technology," he said.
Both scientists agree there is an awful lot to be worked out in attempting to raise the ground level — everything from what it might cost to how it would be carried out.
"It seems like it would have an important place if it could be developed," Murdoch said. "We haven't seen any showstoppers yet. But we think society should pursue this to see if it's viable."


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Quick Info :
mosquito coil
1.Mosquito coils should be stored in a dry, cool, ventilated, room.
2.Keep away from fire and heat.
3. Do not mix with food, beverage, seeds, and inflammable and explosive materials, feed, etc. during storage or transportation.
4. Keep out of the reach of children.
5. When transport or use do not violently shock, so as not to break.
(black mosquito coil)
1. We are not only factory,but also have own brands Confo & CongFuKing and do promotion from Year 2008,can help customer do promotion in potential market with our experience.
2. Provide products to more than 20 countries in most continent,can follow your local restriction and cultural better.
3. We have own factory in China, Benin & Cambodia,can delivery goods in time and send goods from nearest factory for different area to reduce transport time and cost.
Xiamen Bilink Industry Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer of pest control chemcials for 8years.We have both factories in China , Benin & Cambodia.
Our brands Confo & Confuking has been running for 8years with good reputation because of good quality,we have overseas factories to provide more efficient service and rapid response.
Our main product includes plant fiber mosquito coil, black mosquito coil, electric mosquito liquid, pesticide spray, essential balm, frangrance incense coil, fly repellent and washing powder. We put persistent effort to develop new product, improve the quality by strict quality control system and new technology,equipment.Our Team: 100 factory workers, 5 R&D staffs, 5 Q&C staffs and have a professional logistics company.
Company history : Start pest control business since Year 2008 with Benin factoryTogo,Kenyaoffice,and OEM products from other factory,and then build up China factory and Industry co.,ltd since Year 2013,which brings a new milestonefor our group.Since 2013,we begin to invest more resource into R&D,QC,market promotion and now develop more and more good quality,competitive products for our customers. Now our market has expanded from Africa to Asia,Europe with more than 20 countries. We aim to be top brand suppliers for the world pest control industry.
Besides own factory for mosquito coil, insect killer spray, we also purchase products for customer, like used shipping container,container parts, hardware tools. Welcome to contact us if any purchasing demand.
black mosquito coil 60boxes coils in one strong carton,1960cartons in one container
500 cartons
Payment term
L/C,T/T,D/P,Western Union,Paypal
Supply ability
50000 Cartons / month
Delivery time
Delivered within 30days upon receipt of your deposit.
1.Are you a factory or trading Company?
--We are a factory.
2.Can we use our own logo or design for sticker?
--Yes,we do provide OEM and ODM.
3. How about sample and charge?
--Sample is free, but freight cost. After the order is confirmed, we would pay back the express cost.
4. Sample delivery
--Samples are usually for free,but the freight would be charged. After the order is confirmed, we would pay back the express cost.
5. What is your MOQ?
--500 Cartons
6. How long is the lead time?
--About 25 days, also depending on quantity.
7. What about the payment?
--30% deposit in advance, 70% balance upon copy of B/L, by T/T or West union.
8. What are your main products?
--Our main product includes plant fiber mosquito coil, black mosquito coil, electric mosquito liquid, pesticide spray, essential balm, fragrance incense coil, fly repellent and washing powder.
9. How can we get detailed price list?
--Please office us detailed information of the product, specific packaging requirements and purchasing quantity.


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Politics & Government
Like or don't like EPA's power-plant rule? Now's your turn to tell them why
Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are taking their controversial power plant rule to the people this week, with a series of public hearings that could generate 1,600 comments.
In a conference call with reporters Monday, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy – who testified before Congress on the rule last week – said that the hearings will give citizens a key opportunity to give their two cents on the proposal, which has generated strong pushback from the power industry and Republicans in Congress.
For McCarthy and the Obama administration, the rule is seen as a necessary step to help reduce the kind of carbon pollution that contributes to climate change. She also said the proposal was written with significant input and that it affords states flexibility to handle carbon pollution emissions within their borders.
"We don't have to sacrifice a healthy economy for a healthy environment," she said, seeking to rebut an argument she said is bound to come up in the hearings. "But you don't have to take my word for it – look at the history." She added that "we can do this in a way that keeps our energy affordable and reliable" and that "states have the smarts and the skills to pull this off."
The hearings will be held in Atlanta, Washington, Denver and Pittsburgh, each over two 11-hour days. Speakers get five minutes. EPA officials will be on hand, although McCarthy is not attending any of the hearings.
The EPA will also take written comments – some 300,000 have already come in; all comments – written or verbal – are treated equally. Comments will be taken until Oct. 16.
The rule at issue was released last month by the Obama administration and is designed to substantially reduce carbon pollution in the nation – a process that could shutter older coal-fired power plants and spur development of more wind and other alternative energy sources. It requires that states develop plans to lower carbon pollution by specified amounts.


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Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Promo: Paul and the Gospels
Over at the T&T Clark blog is a promo of me and Joel's forthcoming volume Paul and the Gospels.
Posted by Michael F. Bird at 4:29 PM
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You're St. Melito of Sardis!
You have a great love of history and liturgy. You're attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins.
Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!
You're St. Justin Martyr!
You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find "seeds of the Word" in unexpected places. You're patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers.
Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!


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WebKnox Proxies API
Begun as a research project from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and the University of Technology Dresden, WebKnox is an ontology-driven fact extraction engine built to provide direct, fast, and complete answers to questions on any topic a user can think of. To answer a question WebKnox uses external services that might have previously provided an answer or computes an answer using its knowledge base. If those options fail, WebKnox tries to find an answer on the fly. WebKnox hosts a suite of REST APIs delivering a range of web services. The WebKnox Proxies API allows applications and websites to retrieve public proxies. The API can deliver proxies in a batch or individually, and allows users to report dead proxies.


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Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Note: From Donna Deane.
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cracked pepper
1 pear
1 apple
1 lemon, cut in half
1 endive, sliced crosswise
5 cups mixed salad greens
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
1. Combine the rice vinegar, cranberry juice, cranberries, shallot, sugar, rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Let the dressing stand for the flavors to meld.
2. Meanwhile, cut the pear into quarters then core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish filled with water and the juice of half a lemon; the liquid should cover the fruit. Cut the apple into quarters, core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish with water and the juice of the remaining lemon half to cover.
3. Just before serving, drain the pears and apples. Toss together in a large bowl with the endive and salad greens. Arrange the salad on a platter and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Serve the dressing alongside.
Each serving: 250 calories; 1,143 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 5.99 grams fiber.


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The "Black Thursday" backlash is growing louder as the hours tick down to Thanksgiving.
Critics of this year's early Black Friday store openings —which have pushed the annual shopping frenzy from the wee hours of Friday morning into Thanksgiving evening — have been airing their grievances. They argue the early opening times prevent retail employees from enjoying the holiday with their families.
But don't expect the complaints to deter retailers or shoppers. Many retailers have been opening earlier for years. Besides, you can always shop online on Thanksgiving day.
Employees of both Target and Wal-Mart have publicly criticized the Thanksgiving evening openings, and Change.org, a for-profit social change advocate, claims to have collected 350,000 signatures from people against Target's opening on 9 p.m., including some who have said they were Target shareholders. (Read More: Don't Let Thanksgiving Become 'Black Thursday':Target Employees)
"Target can keep repeating the line about customers wanting to shop on Thanksgiving all it wants," said Casey St. Clair, a Target employee who was quoted in a press release issued by Change.org. "The fact remains that 350,000 shoppers have signed my Change.org petition, and they're all saying the same thing: Thanksgiving should be about family, not shopping. Black Friday is one thing; turning Thanksgiving from a family holiday into a consumer spectacle is another."
Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder confirmed the discount retailer had received the petitions from the group, but that the store "looks forward to welcoming shoppers at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving evening."
"Target's opening time was carefully evaluated with our guests, team and the business in mind," Target's Snyder said. "Across the country, team member preferences were considered in creating our store staffing schedules. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest of the year, and we appreciate our Target team's flexibility on this weekend and throughout the holiday season."
According to Snyder, only one third of the Target sales staff will be working on Thanksgiving night, and those employees will be receiving time-and-half, plus extra holiday incentive pay, for their work.
Meanwhile, some Wal-Mart employees continue to talk about walking off the job at hundreds of stores on Friday, the day that had traditionally been known as the start of the holiday shopping season. Late last week, Wal-Mart filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board to stop a group called OUR Walmart, which is comprised of current and former Wal-Mart workers, from holding protests. (Read More: Protest Backed by Union Get Wal-Mart's Attention)
Federal Labor officials said Monday they will make a decision on the request quickly.
Not Alone in Opening Early
Although Target and Wal-Mart have received the lion's share of the attention for their early openings, the two discount chains are hardly the only retailers making such a move. Both Kmart and Meijer ave long been opened on Thanksgiving Day. Meijer will have so-called doorbuster deals — deep discounts on limited quantities of merchandise — for shoppers who arrive at their store at 6 a.m. on either Thursday or Friday.
Stores in Tanger Outlets ill open at 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and Sears and Toys 'R Us ill begin their doorbuster deals at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving as well. Many malls are opening at midnight.
Although not all the stores will be open, look for a party atmosphere at stores that cater to teens such as Aeropostale, American Eagle and Buckle, which will welcome the late-night crowds. As was the case last year, teens are expected to turn out at malls for bargains and to socialize with friends.
The bottom line is the holiday season is competitive, and no one wants to be left behind. And this year, there may be even more urgency. Holiday sales have gotten off to a sluggish start, and overall sales gains are not expected to be as rich as they were last year. (Read More: Dear Bargain Hunters: Don't Be a Turkey on Black Friday)
Off to a Slow Start
Still, industry analysts expect stores to be busy as shoppers rush out to snag deals.
"While the holiday shopping season is off to a relatively slow growth start, if the country experiences good weather conditions, Black Friday 2012 still has an opportunity to exceed $21 billion in total retail sales," said Michael McNamara, SpendingPulse's vice president for research and analysis. "This would set a new record for the busiest shopping day in U.S. history, up from $19.3 billion in 2011."
The National Retail Federation said it's expecting 147 million people to shop Black Friday weekend, which they define as Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a slight decrease from the 152 million who planned to do so last year.
Online Shopping, Turkey in Hand
Of course, there are some who would argue online shopping makes the argument against shopping on Thursday moot. Last year, many retailers including Best Buy, offered some Black Friday bargains online on Thursday. They will be doing the same this year.
In addition, Thanksgiving ranked among one of the busiest days for shoppers who purchased holiday gifts via their smartphone or tablet computer last year, and analysts do not expect that trend to change.
Shopping online can yield big deals. A study conducted by online coupon website RetailMeNot found shoppers snagged some of the biggest bargains on Thanksgiving Day, rather than Black Friday. (Read More: Despite the Scorn, Consumers Embrace 'Christmas Creep')
And retailers this year are planning to be even more generous with their free shipping offers, which should make shopping online an even better option.
J.C. Penney, for example, is offering free shipping from Thanksgiving day through Monday, Nov. 26, which is also known as Cyber Monday. So despite, J.C. Penney's relatively late start — it actually pushed its Black Friday start time back this year — shoppers can still peruse their deals, turkey in hand, on Thanksgiving.
Couple that with some of the already generous deals that have been circulating and it seems there are plenty of deals for bargain hunters to snag, whether they shop Thursday, Friday or some other day entirely.
A summary of select retail openings follows:
Best Buy
lack Friday: Most open at 12 a.m.
Online the Black Friday Sale begins Thanksgiving Day.
J.C. Penney
lack Friday Hours: 6 a.m. - Until 11 p.m.
Black Friday Early Bird Sale: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
hanksgiving: 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thanksgiving Night Doorbusters 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Black Friday Doorbusters Sale: 5 a.m. To 11 a.m.
Black Friday Hours: Thursday at Midnight - Friday at Midnight (Opened 24 hours)
Black Friday Early Bird Specials: Midnight on Thursday - Friday 1 p.m.
Saturday - 6 a.m. – Midnight
Black Friday Hours: starts 12 a.m.
Black Friday Morning Specials: 12 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Saturday Special Sale: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Old Navy
Thanksgiving Day Hours: Some locations will be opened.
Black Friday Hours: Opens at 12 a.m.
hanksgiving: Opens at 8 p.m. through 10 p.m. on Black Friday
Black Friday Door Busters: 4 a.m. - 1 p.m.
hanksgiving Hours: 9 p.m. - 12 a.m.
Black Friday Hours: 12 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Black Friday Doorbusters: All Day with the exception of a few offers that go on sale at 4 a.m. until Noon.
Toys 'R Us
hanksgiving Hours: 8 p.m. through Black Friday - closing at 10 p.m. (most stores)
Doorbusters: Start on Thanksgiving at 8 p.m. while supplies last.
Victoria's Secret
Calls their event "Pink Friday": Most stores open at 5 a.m., but a few will open at midnight.
hanksgiving night opens at 8 p.m.
8 p.m. on November 22:
Deals on Toys, Gaming, Home and Apparel
10 p.m. on November 22:
The BIG Event - Brand Name Electronics
5 a.m. on Nov. 23:
Savings on Gifts from Jewelry to Tires
-By Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC.com News Editor
Questions? Comments? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Christina Cheddar Berk on Twitter @ccheddarberk.


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The HOT topic for real estate that everyone was talking about coming up to the new year is official, but with an asterisk regarding the extensions of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and American Taxpayer Relief Act. This is a little lengthy article, but worth your extra 15 minutes to digest. While federal government has extended the tax law, California to this date has not extended their tax law, but more importantly the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness has been definitely extended. What does all this mean to you and your situation, whether owner-occupied or an investment property that is upside down and you're wanting an answer to what you have to do, CALL ME for help. Letting a property go to foreclosure or doing a Deed in Lieu could put you in a liability situation for all the debt of a Trust Deed. I work with CPAs and attorneys that can help. After over 20 years of short sales, hundreds closed, you owe it to yourself to only talk to the BEST! CALL NOW! JOHN A SILVA — 619-890-3648. MAKE IT YOUR BEST YEAR!
III. Extension of Mortgage Cancellation of Debt Relief
Q 4. What is mortgage cancellation of debt relief?
A. As a result of a foreclosure on a recourse loan, a short sale or a deed in lieu of foreclosure, a lender may cancel, reduce or forgive the debt that the borrower owes on the loan. The IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board consider this cancelled or forgiven debt as income to the borrower. As a result, the forgiveness or cancellation of the whole or a portion of the loan balance, often termed "cancellation of debt income," may result in a tax liability.
The cancellation of debt income is generally treated as "ordinary income," as opposed to capital gains income which is taxed at a lower rate, and the taxpayer will typically receive a 1099 tax form from the lender in the amount of the cancellation of debt.
Under the tax law there exist various situations where the cancellation of debt income is not taxable including bankruptcy, insolvency and when there is a foreclosure on a non-recourse loan. However, for most homeowners involved in a short sale, foreclosure or deed in lieu of foreclosure, the tax relief provided by the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 (H.R. 3648) signed by President Bush on December 20, 2007 and subsequently extended by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, provides the most important protection against having to pay tax on the cancellation of debt income.
As a result of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, Internal Revenue Code §108(a)(1) (E) was added and provides that a taxpayer will not be taxed upon cancellation of debt income if the following conditions are met:
The property sold in the short sale is the taxpayer's principal residence, as that term is used in IRC §121.
The cancellation of debt is Qualified Principal Residence Indebtedness under IRC Section 163(h)(3)(B). Qualified Principal Residence Indebtedness is a loan secured by the residence used to acquire, construct or substantially improve the residence. The income relief provided is capped at $1,000,000 in the case of a married person filing a separate return and $2,000,000 for all others. Any reduction of indebtedness excluded by IRC §108(a)(1)(E) will be applied to reduce the basis of the taxpayer's principal residence, but not below zero. This could result in a higher amount of capital gains tax owed by the taxpayer. Also the cancellation of debt relief provided by the law, therefore, does not apply to any portion taken as "cash out" and not used to substantially improve the residence.
Q 5. How does the American Taxpayer Relief Act affect the mortgage cancellation of debt relief?
A. The original law applied to indebtedness discharged before January 1, 2010. That end date was extended by three years from 2010 to 2013 pursuant to H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The new law extends the date one year further to any indebtedness discharged prior to January 1, 2014.
Q 6. Does the federal law apply to potential cancellation of debt income under California tax law?
A. No. California has its own cancellation of debt relief law which has been codified as California Revenue and Tax Code Section 17144.5 which is similar to the federal law but with some significant differences (see next question). That law has expired. However, C.A.R. has sponsored Senate Bill 30 (Calderon, D- Montebello) to extend California's debt relief protections which is currently pending. The proposed law would be effective retroactive to January 1, 2013. Information on the status of the bill can be found at www.leginfo.ca.gov.
Q 7. What are some of the differences between the state and federal law on cancellation of debt on qualified principal residences?
A. California law has different limits for maximum indebtedness and the amount of cancellation of debt income that can be forgiven which are detailed below:
The maximum amount of qualified principal residence indebtedness is $800,000 for married couples filing jointly, registered domestic partners filing jointly, single persons, head of household, or widow/widower; and $400,000 for married couples or registered domestic partners filing separately;
The maximum amount of debt relief income that can be forgiven is $500,000 for married couples filing jointly, registered domestic partners filing jointly, single persons, head of household, or widow/widower; and $250,000 for married couples or registered domestic partners filing separately.
This is an excerpt from California Association of Realtors Legal — Part 2 coming next week will be on Taxation of Foreclosures and Short Sale.


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Immigrant stories are integral threads in the American narrative. And while there are many monuments and museums that testify to Americans' origins as immigrants, few films do the same.
Filmmaker James Gray says this surprised him, since immigrant stories are inherently cinematic. They weave together international settings, powerful characters and narrative arcs built around survival and reinvention. While mainstream Hollywood films often focus on superheroes and commercial guarantees, Gray argues, contemporary world cinema is bursting with stories about borders, migrants and their journeys.
Gray's new film, The Immigrant, revisits the American immigrant experience. It opens with misty, sepia-toned scenes of 1921 New York City, as a young Polish woman disembarks at Ellis Island.
Ewa, played by Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard, is separated from her sister and saved from deportation by a shadowy businessman named Bruno, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Bruno draws her into an unforgiving world of gambling, prostitution and struggle in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
This is not a rags-to-riches American tale, and it's not meant to be.
"That to me is a fantasy," Gray says. "I just don't see the value in that, because in a way it makes the American dream seem less interesting, approachable, tangible."
Instead, he says that he was inspired by his grandparents' story and by the desire to excavate the painful memories of their early years in the U.S.
The Immigrant opened at the Cannes Film Festival last year and has earned raves from critics for its nuanced portrayal of what is often a mythologized chapter in American history. The film was shot on location at Ellis Island.
If The Immigrant is about the arrivals at American shores, a new film from Pakistan is focused on the departures gate. It's called Zinda Bhaag, which translates to "run for your life."
Pakistan is a staple of international news coverage, usually as a hotbed of crisis and turmoil. But the country also made news when it submitted Zinda Bhaag last fall as its first film for Oscar consideration in five decades. It's a film about the way Pakistan's crises have fueled an entire emigration generation — young people trying to get out at any cost.
The film's director, Farjad Nabi, says that emigration is especially common in northern Pakistan. "You would find a belt where every second family has a person outside Pakistan working, and you see all these billboards: 'Study in Australia, UK, go to Poland, go to Bahrain.' "
Since Pakistan is frequently deemed a security threat, the illegal immigration industry is also booming. It follows that young people with ambitions of improving their lives often risk imprisonment, deportation and even death.
Nabi and his co-director, Meenu Gaur, have turned the true stories of those young people into a vibrant, colorful film about three 20-something friends from Lahore "running for their life."
While the film is rooted in Pakistan, Gaur says it shows the face of modern migration. "In a sense, it could be about three boys anywhere in the world who want to change their lives."
Gaur adds,"But it's a doomed journey."
The two films also join a global tradition of filmmaking about the hustle and triumph of migration. Here are a few of my other favorite films about immigration:
America, America (1963)
Elia Kazan received three Oscar nominations for this personal and passionate three hour opus about his uncle's harrowing journey from Anatolia to New York City, concluding with an image of immigrants docking before the State of Liberty and featuring the iconic line: "My name is Elia Kazan. I'm a Greek by blood, Turk by blood and an American because my uncle made a journey."
El Norte (1983)
From the Criterion Collection: "Brother and sister Enrique and Rosa flee persecution at home in Guatemala and journey north, through Mexico and on to the United States, with the dream of starting a new life. It's a story that happens every day, but until Gregory Nava's groundbreaking El Norte (The North), the personal travails of immigrants crossing the border to America had never been shown in the movies with such urgent humanism. A work of social realism imbued with dreamlike imagery, El Norte is a lovingly rendered, heartbreaking story of hope and survival, which critic Roger Ebert called "a Grapes of Wrath for our time."
In This World (2002)
A British docu-drama directed by Michael Winterbottom that recreated the journey of two young Afghan boys leaving a Pakistan refugee camp for a better life in London. Shot on location in multiple countries, the film provided an almost journalistic look at illegal immigration across Asia and Europe. It also won the Golden Bear prize at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival.
The Namesake (2006)
Mira Nair's adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's best-selling novel about an Indian-American family's journey from Calcutta to New Jersey, with a heady mix of self-hate, relationship drama and generational clashes wrapped in a lush, emotional film.
Sin Nombre (2008)
Before he became the force behind HBO's True Detective, filmmaker Cary Joji Fukunaga's debut feature was this harrowing indie film about the illegal journey from Mexico to California, atop trains and across militarized borders.
Which other films — recent, old, American and otherwise — that examine that bittersweet immigrant journey have stayed with you?
The story of migration and questions of who belongs and who doesn't have been a central theme in conversations around the world for centuries. Two new films explore the push and the pull of immigration from different sides of the issue and different sides of the globe. NPR's Bilal Qureshi reports.
BILAL QURESHI, BYLINE: Last fall, Pakistan submitted its first film for Oscar consideration in five decades. It's called "Zinda Bhaag." Translation - run for your life.
MOHSIN HAMID: It's a story about the Pakistani dream which is, you know, to get the hell out of Pakistan.
QURESHI: Novelist Mohsin Hamid served on the jury that chose "Zinda Bhaag" as the year's best film.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Foreign language spoken).
QURESHI: It's the story of three twenty-something friends fed up with their lousy lives in Pakistan and hustling to get out. Farjad Nabi is one of the film's directors.
FARJAD NABI: Across northern Pakistan, I would say, you would find a belt where every second family has a person outside Pakistan. And you see all these billboards - study in Australia, study in UK, go to Poland, go to Bahrain. So it's a huge industry, both legal and illegal.
QURESHI: Nabi says the people who choose that path can face imprisonment, deportation, even death. And he says that darker reality is one that audiences need to see.
NABI: These stories about illegal immigration, they're all around you. And they surround you like a mythology - that such-and-such crossed the border in such a way, and such-and-starch had to be deported for this particular reason. And this mythology is kind of a street lore.
QURESHI: Co-director Meenu Gaur says the characters that bring that street lore to screen are the face of modern migration.
MEENU GAUR: At one level I think our - the film we wanted to make was very, you know, rooted in Pakistan.
GAUR: But it's also, I think, a very, very universal story in the sense it's a story about - it could be about three boys anywhere in the world, you know, who want to get over their life circumstances. They want to change their lives, but it's a doomed journey.
QURESHI: If Pakistan's filmmakers are focused on the departures gate, the new film "The Immigrant" explores the arrivals at our shores. The film opens on Ellis Island as a young woman named Ewa, played by Oscar-winning actress Marion Cotillard, disembarks from Poland in 1921.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: What was your occupation in Poland?
MARION COTILLARD: (As Ewa) I was a nurse for an English diplomat.
QURESHI: Ewa arrives with ambitions but no money, and she's soon drawn into a seedy world of prostitution, gambling and loss. Director James Gray says he didn't want to follow in a long Hollywood tradition of telling the immigrant success story.
JAMES GRAY: I have real faith in the human race, but this doesn't mean that the art that we produce has to be about success because no matter how well we do, there is always a struggle.
QURESHI: James Gray says the immigrant was inspired by his grandparents' story.
GRAY: You know, it was not the kind of, like, you know - (Imitating grandfather) I came to America, and I was rich. You know, that to me is a fantasy, and I just don't see the value in that because in a way it makes the American dream seem less interesting, approachable, real, tangible.
ACTOR: How is it that you found yourself here, at this very moment, in America?
QURESHI: Gray shot scenes on the real Ellis Island. It's a museum today, but he still remembers when he saw those buildings for the first time, years ago on a visit with his grandfather.
GRAY: You walked in, and it was, like, half-filled-out forms - immigration forms on the floor with footprints on them and half-filled-out cups of coffee in the mess hall and paint chipping and the ceiling falling, but you felt the history. And my grandfather walked us through where he had entered and where he stood and where he waited in line as best he could remember and started to, you know, of course, started to cry. And to be there shooting, I cannot tell you the level of satisfaction and joy that I had.
QURESHI: In the case of the film "Zinda Bhaag" from Pakistan, there was also an element of life imitating art.
NABI: We had this double-task of introducing a modern technology and training a new crew.
QURESHI: That's director Farjad Nabi. In a country where the film industry has been dormant for years, his team had to train first-time actors and set designers, essentially creating jobs. Novelist Mohsin Hamid says that means they were telling their generation's migration story without having to run for their lives abroad, as the film's title suggests.
HAMID: For the vast majority of these young Pakistanis, they're not going to be able to get out. So even if that was a sustainable model - going abroad and working there and sending money back - it's not going to be something that can be the dream for most people. So Pakistan will have to create a local version of the Pakistan dream, where young people can find good jobs - have their different traditions and attitudes and values safeguarded.
QURESHI: Both "Zinda Bhaag" and "The Immigrant" are ideas-driven films. They're global stories about crossing borders - about arrivals and departures. And they bring a modern sensibility to the traditional take on the immigrant's dream. Bilal Qureshi, NPR News.
CORNISH: You're listening to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Designer: Pat Sloan
1⁄3 yard of black print (appliqué foundation)
1⁄8 yard of red print (appliqué foundation and appliqués)
Scraps of assorted green, red, tan, cream, gold, and brown prints, and stripes (appliqués)
2⁄3 yard of green print (backing and binding)
18x31" of quilt batting
25"-length of jumbo burgundy rickrack
Lightweight fusible web
Finished quilt top: 25x12"
Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.
Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.


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Tropical Cocktail
1 Dash Angostura Bitters. (1 dash Angostura Bitters)
1 Dash Orange Bitters. (1 dash Angostura Orange)
1/3 Crème de Cacao. (1 barspoon Bols Creme de Cacao)
1/3 Maraschino. (1 barspoon Luxardo Maraschino)
1/3 French Vermouth. (2 oz Noilly Prat Vermouth)
Stir well, strain into a cocktail glass, with cherry.
Well, if there is anything that might put me off of drinking, it's probably this concoction. Jeez, equal parts of French Vermouth, Maraschino, and Creme de Cacao? It doesn't even have any booze!
I had some idle hope that this could be saved, a la Chrysanthemum, to make a pleasant light aperitif Coctkail. Nope, this just doesn't appeal, at all, even slightly dried out. I can't imagine what this would taste like as the dessert cocktail it sounds like in the recipe.
After a few months of over doing it, what with the trips to Spain, Chicago, and Wisconsin, it was about time to cut back significantly on the drinking. There was just a little too much grease in the wheels, things were getting a little blurry.
I have a couple friends who manage to balance abstention with bartending, so I thought I would give that a try for a while.
Got through a couple weeks of drying out, started feeling pretty good. Michele was proud of me. I was only straw tasting at the bar, and only tasting Savoy Cocktails. It was quite pleasant not to have quite the adjustment on Mondays that I had been having, from the drinking to the sober life.
Feeling good, it seemed like it was about time to get some things out of the way: Visit the Dentist, Get a check-up from my Doctor.
Dentist visit went well, they even praised me for the job I had been doing flossing. Gum health good. Woo!
Visited the Doctor. Blood pressure good, cholesterol not bad, Doctor said I was seeming pretty healthy.
Then later in the week, I got a call. My Doctor would like to schedule a visit to a specialist, to follow up on some of the numbers in one of the tests. They were a little high for someone my age.
Yeah, that's just great. Just like life. Mostly give up drinking, feeling healthy, good attitude. Then the Doctor tells you, "Oh, by the way, you might have cancer."
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.