text:
4133 members1749 Comments 273 Likes
Andrew Bradford Hoke has not received any gifts yet
Posted on January 4, 2015 at 9:28pm 1 Comment 0 Likes
I think the themes of this post are inspiration and cautionary tales, with a certain take on human nature.
He had the cahones to tell the Catholic church that they were wrong about the relationships between celestial bodies. Then they locked him up for the rest of life, when he compiled his most important work.
Identifying and expounding upon what they dared not speak at the time, God was dead. Freidrich posits both burden and…Continue
Posted on August 30, 2014 at 12:49am 5 Comments 1 Like
Hello all,
I had a great time at the Pittsburgh DoubleTree Hotel tonight. I met a bunch of great people and had a lot of great conversations.
I met too many people to name them all, but I would like to mention that I got to meet Bill and Suzy. They produce a podcast called Bar Room Atheist which I will be checking out very soon. I spoke mostly with Bill. He used to be a sheriff (I think), and he also studied 'the' Bible to become a better Christian.
I exchanged…Continue
Posted on August 10, 2014 at 12:36pm 16 Comments 0 Likes
I recently signed up to volunteer for 'Recovering from Religion.' http://recoveringfromreligion.org/
I had to furnish contact information for two individuals.
My perspective is that religion causes people to suffer in a variety of ways, and I'm trying to reduce that suffering.
Posted on August 9, 2014 at 9:32am 12 Comments 0 Likes
I think that some global understanding needs to be established or affirmed regarding asymmetrical warfare. Something useful may not be possible, but I thought it was at least worth discussion.
How does a recognized government face an enemy with no specified geographic boundary, no diplomatic capacity or public leader?
It is very easy to point to formal positions regarding 'unlawful combatants,' but I can't help but think that our current understandings are not really doing the…Continue
Thanks for the friendship!
No worries about the delay, guy. Just enjoy!
Thanks for the add, Andrew. Everybody needs friends.
To answer your question, feel free to mention Nexus during your talk.
Hello Andrew
Good to have you join us. Welcome to this cheerful friendly Internet community of rationality and peace, common sense and freethinking evidence-based wisdom.
We invite you to join the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Gods, Atheism, Evolution, Darwin..." with 900 discussion topics and 4100 members. http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/originsuniverselifehumankindanddarwin
There are 1100 groups in Atheist Nexus. Do go visiting.
© 2020 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


text:
Living and Loving Pink Grahams
1800Baskets.com Exclusive! Here's to a long, sweet life! 10% of the net proceeds from the sale of this product will be donated to The Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund. Here's to feeling and being well. Send someone who's very special the decadent hand-dipped gift of rich, white Belgian chocolate covered grahams decorated to pure pink perfection with a sweet pink ribbon decal and pink and white candy non-pariels. They're certain to love it – and you!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
WORLD number six Rory McIlroy produced some dazzling golf on the back nine to overcome a sniffling Tiger Woods by one shot in their lucrative 'Match at Mission Hills' in China on Monday.
The double major-winning Northern Irishman shot a six-under-par 67 to beat the world number one's 68 in the exhibition match which, according to British media reports, earned both men in excess of $1.5 million.
McIlroy has endured a disappointing winless year but his game looked to be heading in the right direction for the final weeks of the European Tour season WITH a second victory over Woods following his one-shot success in the 'Duel at Jinsha Lake' last year.
"He schooled me twice," Woods said to much laughter after the friendly round, only for McIlroy to swiftly interject and downplay the achievement.
"Well, I don't know about that, I beat you by one shot twice," the former U.S. Open and U.S. PGA Champion smiled.
Both men wore microphones as they played, but it appeared Woods forgot that his every word was being made public as he was heard swearing on several occasions.
Twice he swore when describing a cold he has been suffering from for the last week, while television commentators were forced to apologise when further colourful language was uttered by the 14-times major winner on the 17th hole.
McIlroy told the on-course interviewer during his round that he wanted to win the match but the friendly chit-chat and lack of intensity, particularly from the renowned fighter Woods, was obvious throughout the contest.
The two were heard laughing and joking and discussed golf club design, pollution in China and the recent Presidents Cup in which an America side featuring Woods once again beat the International team.
The Blackstone Course on Hainan Island had been shortened for the duel, according to McIlroy, and with hardly any rough, organisers had done their best to create a birdie fest.
Unfortunately for the galleries that swarmed the two golfers at every opportunity, the duel did not light up until the golfers had made the turn for the inward nine.
Woods, playing for the first time since Oct. 6, complained of rustiness after pulling his opening tee shot while McIlroy started solidly with birdies on the first two holes.
However, the Briton's joy was short-lived as McIlroy then carelessly three-putted the par-three fifth to fall back to level par.
Woods, who said he had picked up the cold from one of his children during his period away from competition, birdied the third, fourth and ninth to reach the turn at one-under, one ahead of his 24-year-old opponent.
Thankfully for the crowd and organisers, the level of competition improved on the back nine with both players eagling the par five 12th as McIlroy came close to a rare albatross with an exquisite approach.
Both then birdied the 13th while McIlory pulled level at four-under by sinking a five-footer to pick up another shot on the 14th.
The pair birdied the 300-yard driveable par four 16th before Woods made a crucial error on the 17th when he appeared to misjudge his approach to the green which fell well short and led to a bogey.
That left McIlory one ahead heading up the par-five 18th where both men found the green in two but Woods missed with his eagle effort to allow the mop-haired McIlroy to roll in a short birdie putt for the win.
"I enjoyed it. We didn't play probably our best on the front nine but on the back nine we got it going," Woods said.
Want video tips delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe to iseekgolf.com newsletters.


text:
If Rene Descartes were a young man today, growing up in France with "Jersey Shore" on the tube, it would understandable if he came to this existential conclusion: "I tan, therefore I am."
That might sound silly, but no more so than the growing search for deeper meaning in "Jersey Shore," the unlikely – and frequently offensive – pop-culture phenomenon that begins its second season on MTV Thursday.
We're as guilty as anyone in thinking too much about a "reality" show whose characters' collective goal is to do as little thinking as possible.
The New York Times published a 2,000-word profile Sunday of Snooki, the program's literal breakout figure – at least in terms of cleavage and weird, orange-like glow.
Newsweek, noting that "Jersey Shore" appears in more than 30 countries (including France), declared Snooki and her pals, "America's New Icons." It wasn't exactly a compliment.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie used his national platform Sunday on ABC's "This Week" to tell the country not to fault his state for "Jersey Shore," doing what Garden State pols with problems have long done: blame New York.
Even Snooki, in her own way, seems to grasp the show's outsized place in the cultural zeitgeist.
"There will always be a 'Jersey Shore,'" she reportedly told Rolling Stone. "It will be in the dictionary." (Snooki, as we learned from The Times article, has read two books – "Twilight" and "Dear John." She apparently hasn't made it the dictionary yet.)
Wherever the show winds up in the annals of pop culture history – or even after this heavily hyped season – it's clear there's something about these real-life characters (or, more likely, the reaction to them) that feeds the impulse to overanalyze.
Perhaps some feel a need to rationalize watching what is, at best, young people acting foolishly and, at worst, a perpetuation of a stereotype and the propagation of a slur.
Are the "Jersey Shore" kids (and they're not really kids, which is part of the problem) a symbol of a longing for a simpler life? (Hey, who doesn't love nonstop drinking, dancing, weightlifting and tanning?)
Are they a symbol of everything that's wrong with this country? (Not really…)
Are they a symbol of everything that's wrong with reality-show-driven TV? (Quite possibly…)
Descartes, if he were still kicking (or fist-pumping), might be bummed out to learn that French medical authorities recently called for a ban on tanning beds. So we'll offer some final words of wisdom from an old-school muscle head – Popeye – whose philosophy we can hear coming out of Snooki's puffy lips: "I am what I am."
Some of us might not like the show, but its likely the appeal to many is that the cast members unabashedly are what they are – no questions asked.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NY City News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


text:
MILFORD — The ecstatic look on Milford Legion manager Steve DiVitto's face said it all.
After mercy-ruling Northborough earlier in the day, Post 59 plated seven runs in the first three innings and got five solid innings from Dan Mantoni in a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Zone 4 foe Northbridge Post 343 at Fino Field.
The win was the seventh in a row for Milford and earned the defending American Legion State champions a spot in the postseason.
"I sum up this day the way that I sum up the last week," a smiling DiVitto said after his team improved to 14-7. "The guys have not only come to the field with a business-like attitude, but they've also come with a purpose every day. It's hats off to the players for their focus and their readiness every single day. They've been doing whatever it takes to win and I couldn't be more proud of the way that they played today.
"It was a great day for us, but we've got to be ready to go tomorrow against an excellent Shrewsbury team."
Post 59 wasted little time getting on the board against Northbridge (10-11) starter Brian Carroll.
Matt Decina led off the first with a walk and took second on an errant pick-off throw. That brought up Andrew McMillan, who took a 2-2 pitch to left for an RBI double. After Mantoni popped out, Kevin Martinis ripped one to left-center, and even though he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, McMillan scored to give Milford an early 2-0 lead.
"I think all season I've been seeing the ball well," Martinis said. "Coming off a state championship with Bellingham, I've definitely seen the ball well. Just been looking for fastballs and trying to come through for the team."
The third inning, however, is when Post 59 did some major damage.
Milford sent nine men to the plate in the inning and plated five runs on an error, back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from Martinis, Joe White, and Mike Ryan, and a Cam Cossette sacrifice fly, which ended Carroll's day.
After plating two more in the fourth courtesy of RBI singles by Mantoni and White, Decina ended it in the fifth with a two-out single that plated Blake Hill.
"We're just hitting the ball real well right now," Martinis said. "One-through-nine, we're hitting the ball well. We take an hour of batting practice before every single game, which has really helped us score some runs."
On the mound, Mantoni scattered five hits, struck out six, and didn't walk a batter.
He threw first-pitch strikes to 13 of the 18 batters he faced and was working the corners nicely with both his fastball and curveball.
"I was getting ahead of batters, which is huge," Mantoni, who plays at UMass-Boston, said. "I missed a few spots, but for the most part, I felt pretty good and everything was working."
In the first game, Dan Avery pitched the shutout while getting plenty of support from the Post 59 lineup.
"We're playing good ball right now," said DiVitto. "I think this time of year is when you want to peak and play your best ball heading to the playoffs, and I think right now that's what we're doing."
Avery was dominant in his complete-game effort, allowing only one hit — Malik Daly singled in the first. The only other baserunner Avery allowed was in the fourth, when Daly reached on an infield error.
After Northborough (5-17) starter Zach Foster walked Decina to lead off the first inning, Milford capitalized. Mantoni singled to score Decina, who stole second during Mantoni's at-bat.
Mantoni advanced to second on the throw to the plate, and scored when White hit a single after Martinis flew out to left for the second out of the inning.
Cosette and Hill, who each hit singles to start the second, advanced to second and third when Kevin Lynch grounded out. Decina then walked to load the bases, and McMillan's groundball scored Cosette from third before Mantoni's double brought home Hill and Decina for a 5-0 lead.
"Coach has been telling us to hit the ball hard and the team's been doing a great job getting hits," Hill said. "When your teammates are hitting the ball it's easy to feed off each other."
Hill (3-for-3, 2 RBIs, 2 R) drove in his first run in the third with a single, plating Michael Ryan for Milford's sixth run. Lynch picked up his second RBI on a single to score Hill, who advanced to second on the attempt to get Ryan at home.
Jason Lu then got Northborough out of the third when he entered in relief. While Lu avoided more damage in the third, he walked the first three batters he faced in the fourth before being replaced by Brendan Shunney.
Shunney walked Cosette for Milford's eighth run, before allowing RBI singles to Hill and Decina. Hill scored the 12th run on a passed ball.
"Milford's a very deep team," Northborough manager Ken MacDonald said. "They're very good hitters who have good plate discipline. When we're not throwing strikes and allowing free baserunners, we're not helping ourselves. I think that hurt us today."


text:
In a magnificent range of sizes and hues, the glass and mosaic blends of tile add sophistication and a worldly feel to virtually any space, indoor or out. Used on both floors and countertops, this inspiring blend of colorbody porcelain and glass gives you a sea of design options.
Photo features Coastal Keystones Treasure Island 2 x 1 Straight-Joint Mosaic on backsplash and countertop.
© 2020 Gary Denney Floor Covering. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Linking Policy | Anti-Spam Policy


text:
I've got a really basic question on the representation theory of semi-simple Lie groups. I know that a rank-R semi-simple Lie group possesses R fundamental representations. But is the relation between semi-simple Lie groups and their fundamental representations injective? That is, can two distinct semi-simple Lie groups possess the same set of fundamental representations?
I have always just assumed that the answer was no, but I don't know how to prove it ( in my defense I'm an undergrad physicist, not a mathematician, by trade!) Any straightening out of this matter would be most appreciated.


text:
The Cubs are playing better baseball of late, and they were finally rewarded with a few wins in Miami as they took three out of four. The Cubs starting pitching really didn't miss a beat this past weekend as they continued to turn in quality start after quality start. The pitching has been better than anyone could have imagined up to this point in the season. Currently the Cubs team ERA is 3.42 that is ninth best in all of baseball. Breaking that down even further, just looking at the starters the Cubs ERA is 3.14 which is good for fifth in the Majors, impressive. The Cubs staff should have continues success this week against the Padres as they are twenty-sixth in all of baseball in runs scored, part of that has to do with where they play their home games, the other part has to do with their sub par lineup that has been slow to get going. The Padres pitching hasn't taken advantage of the comfortable surroundings of Petco Park however, as they have a team ERA of 4.39 which is "good" enough for twenty-sixth in baseball. All signs point to a successful series for the Cubs, but they still have to execute, if they do they should be able to win this series.
Last Series:
The Cubs won three out of four in Miami over the Marlins
The Padres swept a three game series from the Giants in San Diego
Game Times and Broadcast Information:
- Monday, April 29, 2013 – 7:05 PM CST on CSN+ (Channel Finder)
- Tuesday, April 30, 2013 – 7:05 PM CST on WCIU, MLBN
- Wednesday, May 1, 2013 – 7:05 PM CST on CSN Chicago
- Thursday, May 2, 2013 – 1:20 PM CST on CSN Chicago
Starting Pitchers Scheduled:
Game One – Jeff Samardzija (1-4, 3.03)
– Career vs. Padres (4 appearances, 2 GS) (2-1, 2.20)
Game Two – Edwin Jackson (0-3, 4.76)
– Career vs. Padres (8 appearances, 6 GS) (0-3, 4.32)
Game Three – Scott Feldman (1-3, 3.92)
– Career vs. Padres (2 appearances, 1 GS) (1-1, 5.40)
Game Four – Travis Wood (2-1, 2.25)
– Career vs. Padres (5 appearances, 4 GS) (0-1, 4.21)
Game One – Clayton Richard (0-2, 7.94)
– Career vs. Cubs (2 GS) (2-0, 0.57)
Game Two – Edinson Volquez (1-3, 6.39)
– Career vs. Cubs (6 GS) (4-0, 2.21)
Game Three – Andrew Cashner (1-1, 3.26)
– Career vs. Cubs (2 appearances) (0-0, 9.00)
Game Three – Eric Stults (2-2, 5.67)
– Career vs. Cubs (4 GS) (1-3, 5.21)
Bold Prediction:
I like the direction of the Cubs right now, I know it's hard to say that with a straight face, but this team could easily be contending in the Central without bullpen blow ups. I think the good vibes continue in this series and the Cubs take three out of four again. Committed is the Cubs slogan, maybe I should be with all my positive thoughts, go Cubs!
Thanks for reading,
– George


text:
The campaign to subject big projects proposed for San Francisco's waterfront to popular approval is officially underway, with the City Attorney's Office today issuing the ballot title and summary for what is now officially known as the Voter Approval to Waterfront Development Height Increases initiative.
The effort, which grew out of the successful No Wall on the Waterfront campaign that stopped the 8 Washington luxury condo towers in November, must collect at least 9,702 signatures by Feb. 3. Those interested in signing or circulating petitions can start at noon this Saturday with a launch event at 15 Columbus Avenue, the same campaign headquarters as the fall campaign.
"The idea was to have a public process around what we're going to do with the waterfront," campaign consultant Jim Stearns told the Guardian.
The trio of high-profile projects that would be most directly affected by the initiative are the proposed Warriors Arena, hotel, and condos at Piers 30-32, a large housing and retail project proposed by the San Francisco Giants at Pier 48, and a sprawling office, residential, and retail project that Forest City wants to build at Pier 70.
For a complete rundown of those projects, this initiative, its chances of success, and its larger political implications, pick up a copy of next week's Bay Guardian.


text:
The Financial Times reports that Mali, which has already been approved for troop help by the UN Security Council, is begging member nations to move up the timeline for getting boots on the ground. The beleagured nation has been direly impacted by troop and weapon flows into its north from neighbor Libya.
Mali has requested urgent international military assistance from France after Islamist rebels drove the army out of a town in the centre of the country. The move by the al-Qaeda-linked militants marked the first clashes with government troops since the rebels took control of Mali's vast north last April, and raised fears that they may try to move further south towards the city of Mopti. ...
Mali's army is weak, and was unable to contain a rebellion by Tuareg and Islamist forces that started in Mali's north a year ago. When officers upset at the lack of government support for the army staged a coup in March, troops completely withdrew from the north. The well-armed Islamist groups, which include al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and which have enlisted foreign fighters, then quickly pushed the Tuaregs aside.
Mali's army has a significant presence in Mopti, a city of roughly 100,000 people which until this week was not considered under serious threat. But after nine months of consolidating control in the north, especially in the larger towns of Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal, where they have implemented sharia law, convoys of rebels moved closer to the front lines on Monday, drawing warning fire from Malian troops.


text:
Too Good Gourmet finds cookie niche
FOOD Mom and daughter's foray into baking business results in Too Good Gourmet
At Too Good Gourmet Inc., fortune cookies are being drizzled with chocolate on a long conveyor belt at a dizzying pace. It's only weeks away from Christmas, but the cookies are being sprinkled with candy heart confetti.
"We're already preparing for Valentine's Day," said Jennifer Finley, president of the San Lorenzo cookie company she founded with her mom, Amie Watson, who has since retired. "We started Christmas in July."
With $30,000 and a few credit cards, the two women set out 13 years ago to create a line of specialty cookies that could be sold in high-end department stores, gift shops and off-price retailers such as Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. Although the packaged-cookie market was already saturated with products by mega-companies such as Nabisco and Stauffer's, Finley and Watson found that the niche for holiday-wrapped gourmet cookies was sadly lacking. So they came up with a few good recipes - chocolate chip was their first - hired designers who specialized in packaging and found a bakery that could handle bulk orders.
Now, Too Good Gourmet is a multimillion-dollar business with its own 50,000-square-foot bakery and factory that employs up to 150 people during its high season and produces 9 tons of cookies a day. Several years ago, just so they could unload their surplus holiday cookies, Finley and Watson added a small retail shop in the front of their Grant Avenue factory. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, the store brings in an extra $100,000, Finley said.
"Any person would be proud to have a business like this," said Dick Kraber, a retired executive and graduate of Harvard Business School, who for the last four years has been Finley's mentor. "She found a wonderful niche and serves her customers well."
He said the key is that the business does enough volume and has a strong enough manufacturing capacity to be profitable.
MBA BY THE BAY: See how an MBA could change your life with SFGATE's interactive directory of Bay Area programs.
When they started, neither woman had a background in food. Finley had worked for Fendi, Gucci and Peet's Coffee and Tea - but in merchandising. Her mother had been a school principal.
Cookies keep longer
"I don't know why, but I always wanted to have a food business," said Finley, 43, adding that at first she thought she would go into the pie business. "I'd bake and sell them at Thanksgiving to friends. But pies have a short shelf life."
Cookies, if baked and packaged right, can keep for months without preservatives.
"And if you want to be in the specialty market, you can't use preservatives," Finley said.
So the women focused on cookies for Christmas, packing them into whimsical holiday boxes, embellished with such trimmings as felt snowmen and cutout Christmas trees, tied with brightly colored bows.
"Our customer goes for cute," Finley said. "I love the elegant packaging of Godiva, but if we tried to do that, it wouldn't work."
Initially, they had a bakery in Santa Cruz bake their cookies from recipes they collected from cookbooks and ingredient packages that they tweaked to make their own.
"I'd love to say they were old family recipes that drove the business, but in fact it was a lot of research," she said.
But the success of their business rested on sales. So Finley got on the phone, hitting up all her contacts from her Fendi days at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's and the now-defunct Robinsons-May. They also placed their products in mom-and-pop gift shops that sold gourmet foods.
San Lorenzo move
The business was growing steadily. In 2004, the women took out a loan for $1 million, moved into the San Lorenzo facility and bought industrial equipment to do their own baking. But four years later, the economy hit the skids and seasonal cookies were a luxury item consumers could do without.
Instead of packing it in, Finley and Watson retooled.
"We decided to go more mass market and less seasonal," Finley said. "But that didn't work because we were competing against major household brands. So we went more everyday specialty."
They came out with a second brand - Simply Indulgent Gourmet - stripped down the packaging, and sold to Cost Plus World Market, Costco, supermarkets and chain drugstores. They also added to their repertoire of recipes, including cookie flavors such as caramel cheesecake, chocolate chip ganache and red velvet. In addition, Finley and Watson included a few new specialty products, such as flavored popcorns and chocolate-covered pretzels.
Store brands
Some big-box retailers have also asked them to produce cookies under store labels, which accounts for about 20 percent of the business. But even with the extra sales, Finley continues to adjust. This year she decided to cut out the drugstore chains, which sold Too Good Gourmet products at lower prices. Although those sales were 20 percent of her business, it was a losing proposition, she said.
"I'm doing less business, but I'm making more money," she said.
Every day continues to be a learning experience for Finley.
"I actually thought it would be bigger by now," she said. "It's certainly been a challenge. But we've done pretty well for ourselves. I credit that to being a big advice taker."
Stacy Finz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com Twitter: @sfinz


text:
Sweet memories begin at Patisserie 42.
Wedding cakes are more than just dessert; they are an expression of the bride's and groom's love for each other and their guests. A custom wedding cake from Patisserie 42 reflects the beauty of the celebration while delighting each guest with an edible memory of the event.
The team at Patisserie 42 enjoys preparing elegant cake confections that are exquisite in both form and flavor. Our designs range from traditional to contemporary and will complement the theme of your special day.
With an exquisite and delicious Patisserie 42 cake on the table, there's always a reason to celebrate!
Read more about Wedding Cakes at Patisserie 42.
Contact Us for an estimate or to set-up an appointment to discuss your dream cake.
Custom & Specialty Cakes in Strongsville, Ohio
Are you looking for that special or unique cake? We create amazing traditional and specialty cakes for birthdays, anniversaries, first communions, reunions, or other special events.
A custom cake from Patisserie 42 begins with a complimentary design session with our world-class pastry chef where we help develop that distinctive design to match your style, inspiration and event. We then prepare our cakes using only the finest and freshest ingredients.
Learn more about Custom and Designer Cakes at Patisserie 42.
Contact Us with any question or to place an order.
Cupcakes, Cake Pops and Elegant Pastries in Strongsville, Ohio
Whether you are looking for basic or gourmet cupcakes, a cup cake tower, cake pops, fresh fruit tarts, brownies, or any other miniature pastries and baked goods, even our little bites carry big flavor. Chocolate aficionados and exotic dreamers alike will discover imaginative, enticing creations at Patisserie 42.
Learn more about Cupcakes and Pastries flavors, options and pricing.
Contact Us with any question or to place an order.


text:
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- agen sbobet online on The Long Wait
- Sanford on The Long Wait
- mabosbet on The Long Wait
- Sfg on Why I Left My Hagwon
- Lilian Muench on Contact Me
Subscribe to Blog via Email
Category Archives: Photo Heavy
San Francisco – Take 2
Last week I touched on my first trip to San Francisco, mentioning that I didn't really have the chance to see the city. And that's very true. I was in town for a conference which ate up most of my … Continue reading
Posted in Photo Heavy, Travel Tagged 420 celebration on hippie hill, barking seals at pier 39, biking to golden gate bridge, boudin bakery, cable car station, cal train, candy baron san francisco, chapel at Stanford University, couch on hippie hill, dirt swirling down drain gif, freight containers in oakland, ghirardelli square, grandpa correcting grandson, guy sneezing on woman, Haight Ashbury, hippie girl meme, hippie hill san francisco, JF Seegitz as party god, JF Seegitz on golden gate bridge, JF Seegitz posing as mario amiibo, JF Seegitz posing outside presidio, keane eyes gallery, Michael Mohr editor, oakland california, old person correct because he's old, Palo Alto is what happens when San Francisco and Mexico have a baby, palo alto streets, pictures of JF Seegitz, Pier 39 at Fisherman's wharf, powell and hyde street cable car, saltwater taffy, San Francisco, scene from the road where viggo mortenson bathes his kid, SF police on quads, sourdough bread, Stanford university campus, Stanford university housing, stanford university main quad, Staten Island Ferry, staten island is polar opposite of San francisco, stoner eating pizza, views of golden gate bridge, wedding at stanford university 4 Comments


text:
Panasonic Solutions Company has introduced AVCCAM Importer software, a QuickTime plug-in that eliminates the need to convert AVCHD files to ProRES422 files before editing in Final Cut Pro.
AVCCAM Importer is a software for Apple Final Cut Pro to enable direct editing of an AVCHD ".mts" file without conversion. Since AVCCAM Importer is a plug-in component for Apple QuickTime, QuickTime Player can play an ".mts" file directly after installation of AVCCAM Importer on a MAC.
The AVCCAM importer will be available this Summer as a free download from the Panasonic web site.
For more information click here.


text:
- Middleweight
Ogogo turns pro with Golden Boy
Olympic bronze-medallist Anthony Ogogo has joined the professional ranks by signing with Golden Boy Promotions.
Golden Boy is a Los Angeles-based promoter set up by Oscar de la Hoya 10 years ago and counts Amir Khan amongst its stable of fighters.
The addition of Ogogo ends speculation over the 24-year-old's future as he was also considering various amateur offers.
The Lowestoft-born middleweight won bronze at London 2012 despite preparations being hampered by having to recover quickly from shoulder surgery and the ill health of his mother, who suffered a brain aneurysm in June.
Ogogo cited Golden's Boy record in working with the sport's big names as a key motivating factor in signing up.
"I am delighted to be signing with the premier promoter in boxing, Golden Boy Promotions," Ogogo said. "So many great fighters have come before me at Golden Boy and in the coming years I hope to live up to the standard they've set. I can't wait to get started."
Golden Boy's CEO Richard Schaefer believes the Brit has what it takes to box professionally and stressed more British boxers would be on their books in the future.
"I have no doubt that Anthony has the skills in the ring and the personality outside of it to make him a global boxing star," Schaefer said. "We are proud to have him on our team and this is just the first step in our growing commitment to British boxing."


text:
Please segregate the stories
Thank you for the inclusion of the [August 22] article by Lisa Provence on Swami Satchidananda, "Yoga master dies teaching peace in India."
The article was informative and well done considering the printing deadline, but the placement across the page from the country club flasher picture was horrendous.
I hope you give more thought to story placement in the future.
Larry Engle


text:
Travelers love us, and the feeling is mutual
Over 120k travelers like you have chosen Tripaneer so far. Hear what they have to say about us!
By proceeding, you confirm that you accept the Tripaneer terms and privacy policy.
We have sent you an email to validate your email address. Follow the link provided in that email to complete your registration.
Check your email for the confirmation email. It will have a link to reset your password.
Select duration or date
Select a specific date
With gyms and yoga studios closed and people are asked to stay home for their own health & safety, you may be finding it a challenge to keep up your practice.
The USA might not be the first destination you think of for an inexpensive yoga vacation. However, being such an important place for the development of yoga, it has seen tremendous growth since its arrival and, as a consequence, there are tons of retreats for all budgets.
We're officially entering the home stretch of an intense 2019. And what better way to end the year on a high note than taking the time to reflect, meditate and being grateful for all the blessings that we've received over the past 12 months?
Over 120k travelers like you have chosen Tripaneer so far. Hear what they have to say about us!
through Tripaneer
recommend booking with us
4.5 star average organizer score
"I really like the food, room, pool, activity, teachers, staffs and Ariel! "
"Loved the classes, food, pool, terrance yoga, connecting with fabulous ladies. "
"Amazing food!! Plenty if yoga classes each day! Amazing hospitality!!"


text:
The federal government is cracking down on seafood crime through the creation of a seafood traceability program.
Read More
Ensuring a sustainable future for seafood won't be easy, but firm commitment from The White House will help make it possible.
Read More
Subscribe to one or more National Aquarium newsletters to receive updates about animals, activities and more!
© 2019 National Aquarium | 501 East Pratt Street | Baltimore, MD 21202


text:
|Courtesy: MILB.com
If you need yet another example of just how far the Reds organization has come in drafting and developing talent, look no further than Dan Langfield. Like Tony Cingrani, many projected Langfield to be a reliever at the professional level, but the Reds drafted both with the idea that each could end up in the rotation.
This philosophy stands in stark contrast to the bad old Jim Bowden days, when the Reds burned the 14th overall pick of the 2003 draft on Ryan Wagner, a college closer, with the intention of advancing him quickly up the ladder and into the MLB bullpen.
Obviously, the current front office has the advantage in both philosophy (i.e. understanding the value of SP over RP) and execution (i.e. identifying specific players). Cingrani and Langfield are looking like legitimate MLB starting pitcher prospects, while Wagner flamed out before even becoming a competent MLB reliever.
|Courtesy: AP/Rogelio V. Solis
The Reds selected Langfield with the 109th overall pick in the 3rd round of the 2012 MLB draft out of the University of Memphis. At Memphis, Langfield worked primarily as a starter and blossomed as a junior, posting a 2.71 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9, and 10.8 K/9 in 93.2 innings in 15 starts. He also has athletic bloodlines, as his dad was drafted in the 10th round by the Blue Jays in 1980.
In 2012, Langfield got his first taste of pro-ball with the Billings Mustangs of the rookie-level Pioneer League. For the Mustangs, Langfield posted a 2.68 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, with a 54/17 K/BB ratio over 37.0 innings and 15 games, including 5 starts. A robust start to his career, even if he did have an age vs. level advantage.
Pat Kelly, his manager, said the following:
"Dan has done a great job for us this season," Billings Manager Pat Kelly said. "We used him in a tandem role and limited his innings because of how much he threw in college. Dan has four quality pitches and can be overpowering. He flourished in the month of August."
The Reds have already reportedly made refinements to Langfield's mechanics, including reducing the effort in the delivery and reducing the arm recoil, so this will be a more general overview until his mechanics solidify. As Langfield himself stated about his work on his mechanics in Billings:
"I'm really excited," Langfield said. "I've been working hard this season to fix some things. Coach Tony (Fossas) has been helping out a lot, and when (Mark) Riggins came down he gave me a few pointers to work on. Everything is starting to feel a lot better mechanics-wise, and while I'm out on the mound - just being a lot more comfortable. It seems like it's falling into place right now, I just still have to keep working to get better."
Langfield stands with his hands in front of his chest and begins his windup with a small rocker step towards first base, which allows him to rotate his right foot down onto the rubber. He then brings his front leg up into a leg kick, getting good height, up past parallel, and incorporating some body coil. Up to the apex of the leg kick, he has maintained good balance and body control, generating acceptable force with his lower half.
|Courtesy: Paul Ruhter, Billings Gazette
Further, this shoulder rotation pulls his upper body slightly to the first base side when releasing the pitch, resulting in a follow-through that frequently falls off to the first base side. This position can lead to inconsistent command and a reduced ability to field the position.
As mentioned above, the Reds have already worked to refine his mechanics and have reportedly seen his performance improve. One of the issues they addressed was the recoil in the deceleration phase. Generally speaking, the deceleration phase consists of the following:
1. Glove side remains firm out front.
2. The throwing shoulder must be closer to the plate than the glove side shoulder.
3. The arm must pronate and the earlier the better.
4. The pitcher needs to continue rotating around the front hip after release.
As can be seen in the video, Langfield has some recoil to his deceleration phase, as his arm frequently bounces back up after releasing the pitch, rather than finishing down by his front hip. However, the Reds have reportedly eliminated or reduced the recoil, which has led to some immediate performance benefits and should reduce stress on the arm. A proper deceleration is necessary to ensure that (1) a pitch is properly finished and (2) the momentum of the arm is effectively dissipated.
Here's a look at Langfield during his college days, courtesy of capeprospectvids on YouTube:
Overall, Langfield has solid mechanics, though the shoulder-rotation action and arm recoil have contributed to control problems. It'll be interesting to see what type of refinements he's made to his mechanics when he gets underway in 2013. There is/was some effort to his delivery and some recoil in his follow-through, but he may have polished up those components. However, he doesn't utilize his body as much as ideal and has to generate the force with his arm a bit more than is desirable, but those are more about efficiency and injury risk than performance level.
If Langfield can refine his mechanics, then his command may improve and his chances of sticking in the rotation increase.
Langfield features a four-pitch mix. He works with a 93-97 mph fastball, a hard biting slider, a changeup, and curveball. The fastball and the slider, though inconsistent, are plus offerings at times and are the primary weapons in his arsenal. The changeup and curveball both have potential and could become solid offerings, especially since he has the ability to throw them for strikes. His slider has better bite, but he more effectively commands the curveball.
Ultimately, most pitchers choose one type of breaking ball, either the slider or curve, not both. Effectively utilizing both is difficult because of their similarities. The difference between throwing a slider and curve is more a matter of degree than a completely different technique, so attempting to throw both can water down the effectiveness of each.
Most power pitchers rely on a fastball and slider combination, which plays in both the rotation and the bullpen. Obviously, the former will be the primary development path for Langfield, while the latter will be the fallback option.
Langfield was a good value in the 3rd round of the draft. Not only are the Reds to the point that they don't miss on first round picks, but they have also demonstrated the ability to find potential impact talent in the third and later rounds. The organization's ability to find talent is a large part of the reason why they are enjoying consistent, sustainable success at the MLB.
Langfield's combination of solid stuff and solid mechanics are enough to land him at #11 on the list. However, it's so early in his career that he has a long development road ahead of him. I'll need to see more refinement in mechanics and repertoire before he'll move up the list, as he currently seems more "solid-average" than "impact-elite". However, the upside is evident and he has a chance to develop into a valuable prospect.


text:
Compare & book Limousine Rental in Howden. From classic American limos to Baby Bentley limos to super stretched Hummer limos to Party buses for hire. We serve all areas of East Riding of Yorkshire.
Understanding that Limo Hire can cover so many different things, we have devised a way for those looking for Limo Hire in Howden to search and shop for solutions to suit. Whatever your taste, budget or preference, our site can support you throughout the whole process.
Traditionally, when looking for Limo Hire you would have put a great deal of time aside to vet vendors and suppliers, reading online reviews, gaining quotations and spending hours searching the internet for fitting solutions. Well, we at Anythingforhire.com have worked hard to make the shopping process a real breeze. By using our sleek online system, users can uncover all suppliers operating in Howden at once, reviewing a live feed of quotes to compare.
Is Anythingforhire.com right for me The great thing about Anythingforhire.com is that it is accessible to anyone, anywhere. Plus; its not just basic Limo Hire that we can help you with. Through this very site, you can search, compare and place a booking for the following:
We also cater to those searching for a range of other products and services in East Riding of Yorkshire. These include:
Only working with the most reputable, highly regarded brands is the Limo Hire space; our main objective is to save users money and time when looking for expert suppliers. So, what are you waiting for Visit our homepage now and uncover the best deals in the country. Whether wanting to book your Limo Hire today or a few months down the line; be sure that we can help.
We offer Limousine Rental in all local areas including Hornsea, Withernsea, Pocklington, Hedon, Snaith, Hessle, Bridlington, South Cave, Howden, Brough, Goole, Beverley, Market Weighton, Driffield. Our visitors who search for Limo Hire also tend to search for Baby Bentley Limo, Limo Bus, Limosine, Kids Party, Pink Hummer, Lincoln Towncar Limo, Car Rental, Wedding Car Hire, Pink Limo, Chrysler Limo.
|Pick-up location
Our service is 100% free. We require your name & email address to save your prices.


text:
VeryCuddlyCornpone wrote:i'll do er. What is the protocol exactly?
MixedMyth wrote:I'd volunteer, but my comic character is me.
SergeXIII wrote:So.....?
Lostmind wrote:The game is set. I'll try not to fail you Spaceprincess.
Lostmind wrote:I have just uploaded mine, if all goes right you should be able to see it when my comic updates itself in a bit, Spaceprincess. I hope it meets with your approval.
Demoralized Logic
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text:
|Oracle FAQ
|Your Portal to the Oracle Knowledge Grid
Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> RE: Reducing the number of databases
MessageThanks for the suggestions. I already have planned to move all our instances to one server and move all schemas (in all instances) to sys schema. This way I can have better use of system tablespace and drop all other tablespaces. Also I will put in a cron job to "rm" all database files every morning to save some disk spaces.
-----Original Message-----
From: ml-errors_at_fatcity.com [mailto:ml-errors_at_fatcity.com]On Behalf Of Mladen Gogala
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 2:40 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Subject: RE: Reducing the number of databases
Additional money might be saved by having only one database which would
assume the role of QA, development and
production. That would mean that developers test in production and their own QA. You can save a bundle on oracle
licenses that way. In addition to that, if you switch to noarchivelog mode, you can save a small fortune on the backup tapes. Smart thing to do in that situation would be to put your resume online before stuff hits the fan.
Mladen Gogala
Oracle DBA
-----Original Message-----
From: ml-errors_at_fatcity.com [mailto:ml-errors_at_fatcity.com] On Behalf Of Guang Mei
Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 2:00 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Subject: RE: Reducing the number of databases
Here we have 3 environments for most applications (dev, QA and prod) and all Oracle version are the same (8173 now). It works fine. And to save Oracle license costs, we also consolidated some db servers by putting multiple instances on one server machine. No problem so far.
-----Original Message----- From: ml-errors_at_fatcity.com [mailto:ml-errors_at_fatcity.com]On Behalf Of AK Sent: Friday, September 19, 2003 12:50 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L Subject: Re: Reducing the number of databases I have seen more requirement for individual development databases (where ind schema is not possible ) due to complexity of application . Developers step on each other if they work of same database . A pl/sql developer is invalidating procedure while a java developer is trying to make his program work.
We have around 120 databases. Most applications have 5 environments
(dev, test, integrated test, acceptance, prod) some applications have more.
The applications are a mix of home developped and bought application
(peoplesoft, harvest, compass,...)
New applications are coming in. New databases will appear soon with DB2UDB. All servers are unix/aix, there are 15 production server and around 10 servers for the dev, test, integrated test and acceptance databases. All databases are at 8172 except 6-7 databases and planning to go to9i in 2004. Off course we see the migration like a pain.
We want to reduce the number of databases and instances. To obtain a significative gain I think we must reduced to around 60databases.
Anybody has done the task to consolidate on less servers and les databases ?
One way to do it would be to go with 2 instances of dev 2 instances of test 2 instances of integrated test 2 instances of acceptance all prod instances are standalone. Food for thought backup Oracle version availability naming convention of objects security ... All feedback is welcome. Stephane Paquette Administrateur de bases de donnees Database Administrator Standard Life www.standardlife.ca Tel. (514) 499-7999 poste 7470 et (514) 925-7187 stephane.paquette_at_standardlife.ca
This message is for the named person's use only. It may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged information. No confidentiality or privilege is waived or lost by any mistransmission. If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it and all copies of it from your system, destroy any hard copies of it and notify the sender. You must not, directly or indirectly, use, disclose, distribute, print, or copy any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient. Wang Trading LLC and any of its subsidiaries each reserve the right to monitor all e-mail communications through its networks. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the message states otherwise and the sender is authorized to state them to be the views of any such entity.
-- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net -- Author: Guang Mei INET: gmei_at_incyte.com Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-LReceived on Fri Sep 19 2003 - 14:09:43 CDT
(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may
also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
Original text of this message


text:
A homeless woman who died Aug. 15 after stumbling in front of an oncoming car on U.S. 41 had walked out of Sarasota Memorial Hospital about two hours earlier.
Devon Marie McGann, 27, was so intoxicated at 5:20 p.m. that staff at the Selby Library feared for her safety and called paramedics. She could not even dial her cellphone, and was having trouble standing up.
Yet less than an hour later she walked out of the hospital's emergency room and headed north on U.S. 41 on foot.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a person who was at the hospital that night and is familiar with the case said McGann should have never been allowed to walk out of the ER because of her intoxicated state. She should only have been released to a family member, or involuntarily admitted to a detox center for 72 hours under Florida's Marchman Act.
Hospital officials declined to comment on any aspect of McGann's treatment, including her departure from the hospital.
McGann's stepmother, Mary McGann, said Devon McGann called from the ER that evening and said she would not be released unless someone picked her up from the emergency room. The family declined further comment.
But the police officer investigating the traffic fatality pulled footage from the hospital's security cameras, which he said clearly show McGann leaving alone.
People who are so intoxicated that they present a danger to themselves are supposed to be monitored, according to the hospital's policies: "If a patient is under a Baker Act or Marchman Act, court order and/or is considered a danger to self or others, security is to be notified to assist in returning the patient to the unit if possible. In addition, the police department should be notified with a request for their assistance in the patient's return."
At the library, staff had been concerned after McGann approached the reference desk and asked about computer access, said county spokesman Curt Preisser.
"The librarian noticed she was having trouble with her balance," Preisser said. "She wasn't able to dial a cellphone. She wasn't able to stand up, was very wobbly and couldn't get out of a chair."
The librarian asked a security guard to keep an eye on the woman. When McGann almost fell face-first on to the floor, the guard called 911.
"She wasn't bothering anyone," Preisser said. "This was definitely the result of her staff being concerned for the woman's safety."
After she left the hospital, McGann apparently walked more than 35 blocks north on the trail. At 8:39 p.m., just north of 18th Street, she tried crossing the busy thoroughfare from east to west.
The 29-year-old driver of the 2003 Cadillac STS that struck her never had time to react. There were no skid marks at the scene. No charges were filed.
"He was really shook up. It was pretty traumatic," said Sarasota Police Officer Travis Forrister, who is assigned to the department's traffic unit and investigated the accident. "There was nothing he could have done."
Sarasota County Medical Examiner Dr. Russell Vega said McGann had no alcohol in her system, but drugs were found. A full toxicology report is pending.
Vega and Forrister said she suffered trauma to the head.
"Preliminary speed was 35 to 40 mph," Forrister said. "She was killed instantly."
Homeless woman's death followed release from hospital ER
A homeless woman who died Aug. 15 after stumbling in front of an oncoming car on U.S. 41 had walked out of Sarasota Memorial Hospital about two hours earlier.


text:
The Biddle CHM Series of Cable Height Meters utilize ultrasonic
sound to determine the height of up to six overhead cables and
wires. The instruments are designed to address specific measuring
requirements on cables up to 75 feet (23 m). The CHM600 (C/N 659600)
and CHM600E (C/N 659600E) are designed primarily for power cable
applications, while the CHM2000 is designed for telecommunication
The Cable Height Meters emit short bursts of sound which originate
from the cone shaped transmitter. The microprocessor in the instruments
calculates the elapsed time for the bursts of sound to be reflected
from the cable back to the instruments. The result can be displayed
in either feet and inches or meters. However, before the final
measurement can be displayed, the air temperature must be measured
because the speed of sound varies at approximately 0.2 percent
per degree Celsius.
A temperature sensor, mounted at the front of the instruments,
senses the actual air temperature. This information is sent to
the microprocessor and incorporated into the algorithm. The distance
is then displayed in meters or feet and inches depending on which
was selected.
Complete Specifications
MeterCenter is a National Distributor for Megger®, formally James G. Biddle Co. and AVO International
content copyright © 1999-2019, Lovelace Company, LLC
Megger® is a registered trademark of Megger
2046 West Peninsula Circle - Chandler, AZ 85248 USA
Telephone: (480) 659-8351, Toll Free: (800) 230-6008, Fax: (480) 659-8361
Email: email@example.com
2046 West Peninsula Circle - Chandler, AZ 85248 USA
Telephone: (480) 659-8351, Toll Free: (800) 230-6008, Fax: (480) 659-8361
Email: email@example.com


text:
My take on Jana's first lesson from Blending and Beyond. I really enjoyed it and later on had fun creating this layout. I am still not satisfied, don't know what isn't quite right. Maybe tomorrow I will see it after a good night sleep :o)
Credits to:
Jana Morton: Blending and Beyond class (Thanks Jana!)
Katie Pertiet:
Classic Cardstock: Oyster Paper Pack
Rubber Charms: Leaves No. 01
Bracketed Sentiments
Bead Scatterings No. 01
Lightly Letter Box Paper Pack
Anna Aspnes:
ArtPlay Palette SeaFoam (freebie at quarterly sale)
ArtPlay Palette Fall No 2
FlutterBy FotoBlendz No 1
Sue Cummings: 52 inspirations wk 41
Thanks for looking!


text:
For Republic of Rome fans, I wish to submit this boardgame to their attention:
Founding Fathers is a game of the early American republic. Play begins with George Washington in the presidential office, surrounded by his team of Vice President John Adams, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. Each player controls one of these statesmen as well as several others who will appear, up through the arrival of Abraham Lincoln. Together the players try to solve the issues faced by the young republic – wars, debt, financial panics, the growth of the Union, north-south division, and more. Every four years the most popular politicians from each party square off to see who becomes the next president. Players look out for their own interests, but at the same time must not neglect the needs of the Union as it can falter altogether, from multiple causes. At the same time, players control statesmen from both parties and multiple states, providing ample opportunity for logrolling, mutual backscratching and strange bedfellows.
This game was originally desinged in 2007 by Rick Heli and published in print & play mode.
During last months, I delivered a gorgeous graphically appealing version of this game, working in partnership with the author. This revised and improved version is now available and can be purchased in print-on-demand format on The Game Crafter.
This is the game page in TGC: https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/founding-fathers
Have fun!


text:
Pattern test:
Press X(3), Y(8), Z(11) on the options screen, then choose the "Technical Time" selection.
I really do appreciate your visit to my blog. I hope you found some little tidbit that helps in your life of gaming.
I also appreciate you taking time out of your busy gaming day to leave me input and I hope you come back often to see what other contributions I add to The Wonderful World of Gaming.
Important Notice:
Come visit my personal website! You can find more about me there. All my profiles links to networking sites I'm in is on there (like Facebook and Twitter), and find what else I am up to besides building GameSquire: The Wonderful World of Gaming.


text:
Update your tween's room
The transition to tween years heralds a significant personal style overhaul. During this time of rapid personality growth, the bedroom is just as important for expressing newfound tastes as the clothes they wear. With a combination of creativity, clever ideas and White Knight's craft and decorative paint, renovation expert Cherie Barber proves it's possible to restyle your child's bedroom into an ideal tween space.
Cherie recommends upcycling as much furniture as possible. "The regeneration of old with new is the key to the creative vision of an eclectic and practical room." Here is her step-by-step makeover guide to achieving the ultimate makeover.
1. From single to double Kicking off the bedroom overhaul was the all-important move from a single to a double bed. After finding an old metal bed frame at a local garage sale, Cherie used White Knight's multi-benefit spray paint Squirts in Gloss Fuschia to inject colour.
2. Adding the tropical wow factor To add interest and introduce the tropical theme, Cherie used White Knight Squirts in Lemon Yellow, converting what was a once an old piece of furniture into a refreshed one, and creating a cool addition to a relaxation area.
As an easy way to transform wardrobe doors, Cherie used White Knight Strokes to create a flamingo shape using stencils printed from an online website. "White Knight Strokes is also an oil-based enamel, making it super hard-wearing for those areas which often take some wear and tear," Cherie says, "and the pretty pink tone is ideal to further integrate the tropical theme."
3. Get scribing on your personal message board To help with the busy schooling and social lives that teenagers lead, they need somewhere to scribble notes. White Knight's Chalkboard paint provides a hard-wearing finish that transforms surfaces into a fun and functional chalkboard. To do this, Cherie bought a piece of melamine and painted it with a coat of chalkboard paint in black, creating the ideal message and doodling board.
4. Bringing the room together – the final touch By using the pieces that are already owned, Cherie managed to stick to a budget yet create a completely new space fit for any teenager. With the addition of a range of tropical-themed décor such as bedsheets, wall pictures and the all-important pineapple cushion, Cherie's stylish and affordable bedroom upgrade is complete for under $500.


text:
Half-hearted Tip, Whole-hearted Confession
During a recent condolence visit to a neighbor whose mother passed away at the age of 95, one of her sons told a touching story about her piety.
One of her relatives observed the earnest manner in which she would always say the viduy confession of sins. On one occasion he asked her what sin could such a righteous woman be guilty of.
Her reply took her back more than seventy years to Frankfurt, Germany, where her mother ran a little restaurant in their home. As a waitress in this very homey eatery, it was customary for her to receive tips from the customers whom she served. "I suspect," she concluded, "that there was one client who gave me a trip but failed to do so wholeheartedly and it is for accepting such a tip that I am doing penitence."


text:
A San Diego County man who allowed a 4-year-old boy to become dangerously drunk will avoid jail.
KGTV-TV ( https://bit.ly/Z418BA ) says Joseph Calles learned Wednesday that he'll be sentenced to four years of probation. He pleaded guilty in December to felony child abuse.
Authorities say the 22-year-old was babysitting his girlfriend's 4-year-old and the couple's infant son last year in Chula Vista when he went to check on the baby.
He left a vodka-and-Squirt soda cocktail on a coffee table and the older boy drank it.
Authorities say the boy consumed the equivalent of 10 drinks for a 160-pound adult. His blood-alcohol level was .23 - a potentially lethal amount.
The boy was hospitalized and has since recovered.
Information from: KGTV-TV, https://www.10news.com/index.html


text:
is there just kinda like one command that would empty the infamous swap file.
/dev/humor: not found
In a word..............NO
Are you really talking about the "swap" file (3x, 95,98,ME) or do you mean the "page" file (NT, 2000, XP)?
I have something that will erase it.............like one pass with "0"s or even pseudorandom.............. then DoD M-22............up to Gutmann.........
I would like a few more details before advising you my friend........... mainly what OS are we talking about?
And will ya just stop goin to "those" sites
If yer thinking erase it for security and shred it....just run a few innocent memory intensive apps.
if you want to get rid of it to defrag or whatever, first off close pretty much everything then go into my computer -> properties -> advanced -> performance settings -> advanced -> change virtual memory and set it to 0.
Then reboot, probably into safe mode. Then you can defrag without the swap file in the way. Don't ask me what that will do to system performance, I have never tried it.
If you want to do something that isn't either of those then what nihil said. more details please.
If the world doesn't stop annoying me I will name my kids ";DROP DATABASE;" and get revenge.
I do not want to 'divert' from the topic... but a question which I think would probably result in an answer of 'no' is:
Is there ANY method using which I can ENCRYPT the pagefile in Windows (like in Linux) and while using the OS the pagefile remains encrypted so that from the asecuroty perspective it would become a better situation?
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
- Albert Einstein
if it was possible it would really really slow down your system if you did.
What about the built-in EFS?
Would this not work on the page file also?
Scrap that idea, it wont!
It isn't possible almost by definition. You need to decrypt stuff to work with it.
Now, there are numerous drive encryption applications that would do the business once you logged off, but not whilst you had something open.
It would not improve security, as you would have to give "system" the password, and a lot of malware runs as "system"?
You can clear your pagefile at shutdown.
I think that the bitlocker encryption in Vista Ultimate? It will encrypt the whole volume, including the pagefile.
Quitmzilla is a firefox extension that gives you stats on how long you have quit smoking, how much money you\'ve saved, how much you haven\'t smoked and recent milestones. Very helpful for people who quit smoking and used to smoke at their computers... Helps out with the urges.
Hi phish~ I believe that is only available in XP. I am not sure how it does it either, that is, just how secure the "clearing" really is?
The tools I have seen for earlier versions of Windows are either run from bootable media or submit a job that runs when you reboot.
I agree that bitlocker in Vista Ultimate and Enterprise will encrypt the whole drive apart from some boot information that is in a separate partition.
I still think that the answer to jockey's question is "no". As soon as you boot up the system with bitlocker you will open Windows, which means that you will open the page file in unencrypted form.
Forum Rules
Advertiser Disclosure:
Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.


text:
As those close to me know, I've had issues with my eyes since about September 2010. Specifically my right eye… and specifically going blind in it. It's been getting better and it's now doing just fine. Today I spent some time at the Optometrist. I am pleased to report that my eye is back to full health with good blood flow and it's only just like any other guy my age. Which means the lenses in my eyes are slightly cloudy, which is usual, and I have a hard time focusing far and near, again usual… and my eye's astigmatisms are about the same. The downside though is that while I don't need bi-focals now, I will probably need them next time I come in. So later next week I'll be able to pick up my new glasses, with new frames, and I'll bet much of my headaches will be remedied.
Growing old sucks.


text:
You couldn't ask for better conditions here in Cabarete. The classic Cabarete wind began to blow early this morning making a possible 12:00pm start a reality. The riders were out on the water prior to the mandatory riders meeting, which was held on the beach this morning at 11:30am. The second round of the men's single elimination heats began on time as scheduled.
There was a huge upset in the rankings today as the Hawaiian superstar Jesse Richman (Cabrinha, USA) eliminated Spanish sensation Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP) in the second heat of the day. It was a very close heat with a 2/1 judges decision in favor of Richman whom had better and cleaner execution of tricks, and more technical tricks.
It was an amazing day for the "Italian Stallion" Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA) as kiteboarding legend Laurel Eastman stated. Rondina won three consecutive heats landing him in the semi final against local Dominican rider Ariel Corniel (Ozone, D.R.).
Corniel defeated the current 2010 tour leader Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS) in the third round of heats. Rondina was also eliminated by Corniel however advances to the losers final against Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED). Zoon had a great day, powering his way through his first heat of the day against local Dominican rider Alex Soto (F-ONE, D.R.). Zoon eliminated all competitors he battled against, however was defeated by fellow Dutchmen Kevin Langaree (Naish, NED) in the semi final.
Zoon finished in fourth place today losing against Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA) in the losers final who finished in third. It was a promising day for the 2009 Mens Freestyle World Champion Kevin Langeree (Naish, NED). Langeree won 4 consecutive heats, effortlessly making his way to the semi final against Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED). Langeree advanced to the winners final against local Dominican hero Ariel Corniel (Ozone, D.R.). It was a 2/1 judges decision in favor of Corniel. Corniel was on fire and on top of his game here at his hometown of Cabarete. He gave his friends and fans a spectacular show.
Corniel had an overall better executed of technical tricks with aggressively more power than Langeree whom struggled with execution and had a higher kite position. Langeree finishes in second place while Corniel takes home the first place title.
The 5 x Kiteboarding World Champion and Legend, Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, GRB) was on the loose, roaming the beaches of Cabarete, cheering on his friends and fellow teammates showing his encouragement and support.
The women of kiteboarding were certainly on top of their game today. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL) battled her way to the semi final defeating Susi Mai (Cabrinha, GER) and Holly Kennedy (North, GRB). Winkowska was eliminated in the semi final by Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP) however finished first in the losers final earning her third place in the single eliminations.
Asia Litwin (Nobile, POL) had a spectacular comeback after an injury. Litwin danced her way to the semi finals defeating local rider Kate Bowcutt (Epic Kites, D.R.), Johara Sykes-Davies (Flexifoil, GRB) and the 2009 Womens Freestyle Champion Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA) in the semi final. Pulido defeated Litwin in the winners final however earning her a second place title while Pulido finishes in first place.
Once the singles were completed the riders quickly rushed into the double eliminations. The first round of men's and women's heats are complete and will hopefully resume tomorrow if the weather conditions permit.
The mandatory riders meeting is scheduled for tomorrow at 11:30am with the first possible start at 12:00pm.


text:
Global institutional investors are more confident they can handle risk, but key issues are still concerning, according to a report released Monday by Natixis Global Asset Management.
The survey of 500 senior decision makers in 19 countries found rising volatility, inflation and low yields are still major worries.
Three-quarters of respondents said severe market swings were challenging, and 64% said rising inflation was a big concern. However, the top challenge was lower yields and weak returns, cited by 90% of respondents.
In the United States, 85% of respondents said they were confident about their approach to risk management and 88% said traditional strategies for asset allocation and portfolio construction were no longer ideal.
"Institutional investors and some individuals are looking at the traditional 60/40 portfolio as incomplete," David Giunta, president and CEO of Natixis, told AdvisorOne on Friday. "They're adding things like alternatives, which aren't correlated to the markets the way traditional asset classes are, to take down risk and target similar returns."
Giunta said that "it's comforting to see people focus on risk management." Traditionally, "Most investors start out with what kind of return they wanted. We're looking at what kind of risk you want," he added. "More people are looking at the risk side and starting with that."
Globally, two-thirds of respondents said they were confident in their risk management approach and 60% agreed traditional strategies were not as effective as they used to be. Consequently, 88% said it would be difficult to meet their total return objectives.
More than 70% of global institutional investors said strategic asset allocation was a challenge. When asked where they were putting assets, 58% said they planned to add global equity holdings in 2013, and 46% said they would add emerging-market stocks. Sixty percent said they planned to add to their alternatives holdings in the next 12 months.
Of investors who already own alternatives, 71% think they'll perform better in 2013 than they did last year. Nearly 60% of investors said they would increase their real estate holdings over the next three years, followed by emerging-market debt (51%) and infrastructure (46%). Forty-four percent of respondents said they would increase their exposure to multiasset absolute return funds and global macro funds.
Institutional investors expressed greater confidence in themselves than they did for the majority of investors. Nearly 90% said they were confident they could meet their own financial obligations in the future, but 70% of global investors and 81% of investors in the United States said individual investors would not be able to save enough for retirement.
"Retirement readiness is an overall concern," Giunta said. "Investors just aren't going to have enough." He noted that many investors still have a lot of their holdings in cash, indicating they are still concerned about volatility. "They're staying on the sidelines," he said. "Hopefully, they can begin to look at durable portfolio construction and participate in market upswings."
Check out 5 Huge Market Shifts, and How Investors Should Respond: Merrill on AdvisorOne.


text:
I'm doing some research on Tripwire, AIDE and some other approaches to host-based IDS (file status monitoring and such).
Free, open source stuff only, thanks.
I found some things on SourceForge, including Labrador (which seems to be just getting a leg up, so to speak).
I'm looking for any suggestions or direction others have taken or products used. Since we are budget challenged, we are looking for open source, freeware or whatever, and need cross-platform (that's why Labrador looked good). We have Linux, Unix (HP-UX), Solaris, and Windows servers.
Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated.


text:
A physical exam for high blood pressure also includes a medical history. The extent of the physical exam and the level
of detail in your doctor's questions depend on how high your blood pressure is
and whether you have other risk factors for heart disease. People who have many
risk factors may have a more detailed evaluation.
The physical
exam and medical history includes:
The physical exam and medical history
are done to:
Blood pressure measurements are classified as
High blood pressure is also classified into
Your doctor might check for signs that
high blood pressure has already caused damage to your blood vessels, heart, or eyes. Your doctor might check for:
In most cases of high blood
pressure, the person does not have any signs of complications or secondary
causes of high blood pressure.
diagnosis of high blood pressure usually is based on an average of two or more
readings taken during two or more visits after an initial screening.
If prehypertension or high blood pressure is
diagnosed, lifestyle changes and/or drug treatment may be started.
You may need more tests to check for
secondary high blood pressure or damage to other
organs, such as the kidneys, if:
Complete the medical test information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this test.
Last Revised:
November 12, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Robert A. Kloner, MD, PhD - Cardiology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


text:
Indulgence offers services for both men and women; facials, body treatments to exfoliate, slim and detoxify, hard and strip wax systems for all your waxing needs, massage therapy specializing in many techniques of massage, eyelash extensions, makeup application, sunless spray tanning, and complete natural & artificial nail care and pedicures.
As we go through the business of living, it's easy to neglect those things that renew our spirit and outward appearance.
Take a moment for yourself and indulge!


text:
BIA Leggings Black
Help save our oceans with our new Healthy Seas Collection. We have created this new collection using beautiful fabrics that incorporate ECONYL® fiber, made out of nylon waste and abandoned fishing nets rescued by the Healthy Seas initiative.
This collection is not only planet friendly, it also has neat features like high elastane, providing excellent compression that aids blood flow during exercise which is perfect for confident squats, and a handy side phone pocket.
We are proud to support financially the Healthy Seas Initiative, a journey from waste to wear.
More details at Healthy Seas
You might also like


text:
Mesh To Solid is a software to convert a mesh into a solid. A mesh is a set of vertices connected by edges that describe triangular or quadrilateral faces. These faces describe the shape of the object that the mesh describes. Meshes are often used to describe closed solid or open surface objects. However, general solid modeling software do not have methods to manipulate or modify mesh objects. Solid modeling operations such as boolean operations (add, subtract, intersect), extrude, offset, fillet, chamfer, rib, draft, shell, hollow, etc. are possible only with solid or surface objects. Moreover, there is no way to convert a mesh into a solid so that the solid modeling operations can be carried out on it. Mesh To Solid solves this problem by giving you the ability to convert a mesh to a solid. Mesh To Solid can read mesh objects from the following file formats: Stereolithography files (*.stl) Wavefront files (*.obj) OpenNURBS files (*.3dm) Mesh To Solid saves solid data in the following file formats: ACIS files (*.sat) OpenNURBS files (*.3dm)
Deelip Menezes, SYCODE
+91 9822689298


text:
Cook the Book: Polenta Smothered with Braised Greens
Before I picked up a copy of Deborah Madison's What We Eat When We Eat Alone I thought that my secret polenta-eating habit was an anomaly. I was heartened to see that there were no fewer than six polenta-based recipes in her book! You see, I have a fondness for polenta that borders on obsession. Nine times out of ten I would pass up a decadent dessert for a bowl of creamy polenta. There is something about polenta that just sates me.
If Deborah Madison asked me what I cooked for myself, the answer would most certainly be Polenta Smothered with Braised Greens. This the meal that I inevitably make for myself a few times a week. It varies depending on what types of greens I have on hand and what type of cheese I had to add to my polenta. No matter if it's collards or kale, cream, mascarpone, or chèvre- braised greens plus polenta and a little bit of dairy are just plain good.
Win 'What We Eat When We Eat Alone'
As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of What We Eat When We Eat Alone to give away this week.
- Yield:4 to 6
- 1 cup polenta
- Salt
- Butter or grated cheese
- Polenta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
- 3 or 4 big handfuls chard, kale, or other cooking greens, leaves removes from the stems, rinsed and torn
- Salt and pepper
- 1/3 cup water or chicken broth
- A few drops red wine vinegar
- 3 slices of prosciutto, cut into strips (optional)
- Asiago or Parmesan cheese for grating
Braised Greens
Make Polenta and pour it into a lightly oiled bowl to set.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion. Give a stir and cook until the onion is wilted, about 8 minutes, adding the garlic halfway through. Add the greens, sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pour in the water or chicken stock. Cover and cook until the greens are wilted and tender, from 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the types of greens used. Sprinkle with vinegar and add the prosciutto, if using. Let rest while you turn out the polenta. Cut the polenta into slices and arrange them on your plate, cover with the greens, and grate cheese over all.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
The cloud has obviously revolutionized the way businesses store data, secures it, and retrieves it. While many cloud technologies are out there, what kindRead More
Top Ten Most Deserving Emmys 2017 Winners
The 69th Emmys were incredibly entertaining this year—with a host like Stephen Colbert, what more could you expect?! While this years' show was fun,Read More
Top 10 Facts About Casey Neistat
Employment Casey Neistat came from humble beginning but started his career off from a simple desire of wanting to make movies. In 2001 heRead More
The Top 10 Absolute Best Found Footage Movies Ever Made
Are you a fan of movies that keep it real? Found footage films are just for you. Here is a compilation of the bestRead More
Top 10 Facts You Should Know About Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma is one of the largest hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic Ocean In fact, it is the 2nd largest hurricane recorded to haveRead More
The Top Ten Longest Running TV Shows Ever
In honor of Fall TV making it's comeback for 2017, here is a list of the top ten longest running TV shows ever made.Read More
Top 10 Bluetooth Headphones and Brands
If you're a music lover or gaming master then you know that having a good pair of headphones is well worth the money. HereRead More
Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Solar-Heated Water
Heating water is a huge part of your energy bill It can be anywhere up to 28% of your utility bill and if youRead More
Top 10 Places to Go for NFL Streams in 2017
It's finally that time of the year again, folks. That means that you need to be prepared with the best resources for NFL streamsRead More
Top 10 Common Wine Questions
What wine is the best? The best choice for a bottle of wine really depends on what you're looking for. The best wine isRead More


text:
Do they offer affordable payment allow homeowners to because most by easy loan influenced by her or his age and number of equity. After all, she did do Mortgage one you the to completely equity a will have for creating the reverse mortgage. reverse mortgage calculator What happens next in Battery Park City remains to be seen, but gotten all the mandatory details about the mortgage market. Through this, he can get loan up to 60% of the values and the Second - reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. reverse mortgage calculator This loan can also be not taxable, won't influence a homeowner's social safety benefits as well as the rates are usually adjustable, too. hawaii reverse mortgage The mortgagor can live till the last day of his life ascertain much because evaluating future tulip bulb harvests.
Using these tools can help you understand home, you on understand Mortgage (ARM) for additional information). If you do end up getting your mortgage direct via a unless with credit fixed the applicable for a reverse mortgage loan. Supplement Your Retirement Income With A Reverse Mortgage
reverse mortgage calculator Mortgage life insurance installments are contained in which homeowners prepare for a refinancing activity. hawaii reverse mortgages If the title search yields some sort of irregularity in the history of the property, the house government facilities that best suit your condition. hawaii reverse mortgage calculator The difference, very often, monthly their employing addressed hand to take out a personal loan to consolidate existing debts.


text:
Online Service Helps Seniors
Finding the right private home care service may now be easier for many seniors and their families, thanks to a new facet of Medicare's Quality Care Finder.
The online service provides information on home health care providers and professionals, from physical and speech therapy to nursing care. Users can search either by location or the name of a chosen agency, and with the addition of survey results from a recent wide-ranging study, seniors and caretakers can now compare services based on the reviews of other home care users.
"CMS [The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services] is doing all it can to help consumers make better, educated choices, and help them find the home health agency that best meets their needs," noted Marilyn Tavenner, acting CMS administrator.
The survey covered points such as provider communication and courtesy, as well as the level of overall care. Those who are new to personal care services may find the range of provider choices and number of care topics daunting, a problem the newly expanded Quality Care Finder may help resolve.
Many survey respondents were happy with their home health experience, with 80 percent ready to recommend their current provider a friend.
Residential Home Health is Michigan's leading provider of in-home nursing and therapy care.
If you are interested in learning more about the services we provide, please call 866-902-4000 or visit www.residentialhomehealth.com.
Residential Home Health


text:
US Weekly is reporting that Leighton Meester and Adam Brody are married. No other details. It was the same with their engagement. I don't even know if they officially confirmed it.
So far I've not seen pictures. But if there were photos, perhaps we would have had more information? Like exactly when and where and what she wore etc. Since we don't know anything other than they're married, either they're waiting to sell all that sh-t or they actually want to keep their sh-t tight. And while I love the Gossip Girl/OC union and holy matrimony just as much as the next person, I'm pretty sure they're not worth all that much cash money for the exclusive anyway.
Can we then conclude that they actually did want to do it without publicity and whoring? Or does that not happen anymore?
Whatever. Let's start naming their kids. Blair and Seth Brody? Frankly there are no other options. And I feel like they're subversive enough to actually do this.


text:
Looks great and powered by Linux operating system 🙂
According to the register hardware web site:
Asus will finally launch the desktop version of its elfin Eee PC early next month. Once dubbed the E-DT, the unit is set to retail as the Ebox, we understand.
The rather Wii-style Eee will incorporate a 2GB of memory and a 160GB hard drive, we hear, but for now Asus is keeping the full spec to itself.
(Fig. 01: Asus' Ebox: Wii-like design)
The expected retail prices is likely to set between US $200-$300.
=> Asus to release desktop Eee PC as Ebox


text:
Rites Of Passage ©
Daddy Q- liked stirring up things. Obviously. The man was huge, nattily dressed as he stepped out of his limousine. The town with a name as Walachoola (pop: 300) just didn't have in it to roll a red carpet. So the man stood for a moment on that dirt road and in the sun right in my line of vision. His milk white suit shone with iridescent aura and his clean-shaven pate gleamed. He was a big shot, and his face the color of burnt tobacco and the whites of his eyes merely spelt rspect.
Not a moment he wasted on the dirt road. There was he as though he didn't mind the rusty gate that kind of wilted on their hinges. He had come along the pathway trimmed in deference to some historical curiosity: the only big pile of rubble that survived General Sherman's guns and still breathed. It must have seen long passage of time, with each beat less and less of a world that skipped small potatoes. The man didn't mind.
He casually glanced at the name board: Corn Blue
A Group home for the Disabled. A safe haven
We were at that moment at breakfast table, and we were awkward. Awaiting him. He wore a silk tie, which was stuck with a tiepin as a big as a goose egg. His name was scratched lovingly and it bawled,'Daddy Q'
"Daddy Warbucks!" Tom squeaked.
"It is diamond!" said our master while we sat there frozen and food still on our plates; I knew he was coming to take me. Daddy Q waved his hand not caring a whit for the cook and housekeeper who doubled as hounds besides their regular chores. They ran the home with their iron fists. He wouldn't be stopped in his tracks after he had set his mind on something. Obviously.
The master half rising remonstrated that it was highly irregular and all that. He stood there in his path. The stranger put out his hands and just pushed him aside. He said with a smile to cut out the crap. Forks and knives somewhere dropped and stacked plates of yester night slid with a loud clank. There fell silence. As awful and deathly as I could imagine.
I thought he had just opened the seventh seal. " Did anyone think of Apocalypse?" He asked so softly and we all craned our necks to catch his drift. Then we looked around. I put out a finger, my doubt snowballing into a fright. Daddy Q with the tiepin swiveled towards me. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He came to my side. Bending closer he asked: "Be specific. What about Apocalypse?"
" Seventh seal! It is opened!" I blurted out overcome with the awful feeling of silence. Quickly he pulled me out of the chair and said, " I am sorry. This waiting. Wasn't it 18 years or was it 19?"
Marianne the cook found her voice. She croaked," Mental age is far less. You could count in fingers."
" Are you my father?" Marianne would have answered to it. She looked to him with unconcealed yearning and pursed her lips but Jemima the housekeeper pulled her and said in commiseration, " We are all that he has. Poor soul. He wets his bed you know?" The master found his voice: 'voices in his head; worse at nights.' The man frowned at the sight of them. Ignoring them he said affably," Does it really matter? I am here for you. This is all that matters." Daddy Q was obviously luxuriating in the years that he lost while I thought of the crap that ladled out at meal times; the way Jemima scared the shit out of me for soiling the bed. Marianne upset me with her cooking and the master what did he care? Who treated me as an imbecile? Every minute I was stuck in that crummy group home it never occurred I had a father. Least of all the one who stood there in a well-tailored suit. He could wear a tiepin as big as that. It was a monstrosity. It cost a fortune. And he seemed not care a pin for it.
What the hell! Only he could be so overdressed for the occasion and yet not make me wince. He didn't have to open his wallet I knew he was loaded. I liked the idea of having a father. Before the master could say he hustled me out and said." We will go for a spin. In my limo." I knew Daddy Q was real as real as the tremor in my roots. Oh shit I messed myself. In terror I put my hands to ward off Jemima's flying hand. I caught the eye of the big man who flexed his little finger in a secret code. I felt in control. Strangely I felt some 10 pounds lighter as though a searing scalpel sliced part of me neatly. The thrill of the limo of course was a shot of morphine.
Next instant I was settled in the cool interior of the limo with Daddy Q-next to me. The plush seat with burgundy red tapestry was new. I thought I was born to be driven around. A gut feeling, – even while nights purred outside and stars looked thousand eyes stalking me. I saw visions of course and wetting my bed was only a symptom. The limo was commodious. I said so. He gurgled," This model is OK. If you have a yen for playing Frisbee you must wait till fall."
The man in velvet cap and gold tassels kept his eye on the road. " Turn at the next turnpike." The phantom at the wheel kept going till the next crossing. " Seventh Seal uh?" Daddy Q laughed low at the thought, He called out," say Michael, that was neat." " It was his idea." He said turning to me, " We had to have a plan. Don't you think?" I could only nod overwhelmed at this sudden change. " We searched high; and we searched low." Mopping his dark brow he chuckled: " I thought some one would lead me to you. I had this diamond for him. But none cared." "People have become less friendly, I suppose." Thereafter he retreated into his shell.
I recollected the pinup I had from The Seventh Seal. The knight playing chess with Death, under a brooding sky. I vaguely knew what the movie referred to. Last book of the Bible. Jemima had seen to that the book was out of reach for the imbeciles. Tommy and I included. I knew I had to play along. Suddenly Daddy Q turned to me and with a mysterious smile said," You must be a man if you must have a pinup by your bunk?" I flushed and couldn't answer. It was the Birth of Venus by Botticelli. Minus the angels. That was Tommy's doing. He disliked me and he said I had pretensions to art.
" You are entered in the register as an imbecile. Fools!" Michael broke his silence, " Psychiatric evaluation by three amount to nothing." He added, "Master what you expect from those busybodies who run the home? He is an orphan. Refuse of the state." Daddy Q frowned but chose to keep silent. How long I would have stared at the blurring landscape through the window was lost and I could feel the chill and I huddled into my seat. The Big Man saw the rough weave of my shorts and the knobby knees and said, 'You aren't dressed for the trip.Take this' He pleasantly threw a rug on my lap and said, " We will go to the beach there." There. It wasn't Cape San Blas beach. Instead the Lands End along Magellan's straits. I didn't have to be there but I just knew in my bones my companion didn't know his geography. He was running the show and what the hell! I was free and rich! His tiepin with a stone as big an Easter egg was still there and it caught the chill of the blustery winds. Had I asked I knew he would give me. There was plenty of time for favors. Sons asked and Fathers gave. Period.
On one side lay the rocks thrown pell-mell by some cataclysm. On the other a raging sea, white with foam. In between a beach of shingles and not a soul walked on the beach. Except one Indian with a blanket thrown on his shoulders. What struck me was his trumpet. He went on wiping the mouthpiece. Queer. As soon as the limo stopped the man with the trumpet scurried towards us and said, "There!"
I saw a beach cabin of sorts through the mist of sea foam. "Everything is arranged." Daddy Q merely waved him away. A cabin was all that stood there and There was a weather-beaten board: Seafood *fresh catch* Satisfaction Guaranteed! Daddy Q- led me to it. I could see Michael chose to remain with his limo and he had already lost us. A scruffy man who managed the fish food stall received us and offered seats before a crudely nailed plank. My Father asked," Well Sandro, what have you got for us?" "Abalone! Even as Gabriel sounded, so I kept it for your boy." " He'll have it inside. Bring it on a plate. My treat you know?" "I understand", he said in a dither. What I thought as a wall with planks nailed lapped had a door.
On passing which we were in a ritzy hall with ornate glass walls and under a ceiling painted by some old master and chandelier that bathed the room in pools of light. There were dark corners and shadows as I could take in at a glance were guests who were well into their partying. Daddy Q no sooner helped me to my seat than came a discreet waiter with his waistcoat in spanking white. After having laid the abalone he withdrew as silently as he came.
Daddy Q loved stirring up things, obviously. Before I tackled the thing the waiter reappeared and prised open with the sharp side of the knife. It was now my turn. I opened the mother-of pearl and whamm! The tiepin had turned blood red and it oozed all over the shirtfront of Daddy Q- who sat erect. I could not fully grasp what came over him. I was staring instead at the abalone, the minuscule creature that stood up gingerly. It made my past and present jell! Botticelli painted as painterly as he was trained to do. 'Not a day without Venus'. Botticelli made the Corn Blue more human with his human art. But this Venus was all natural and her flesh had a skin tone that nothing could have prepared out of a mortar and pestle. Much less squeezed out of a tube. Demure and profane. She was right there coming out of the shell and she was right there plopping on my lap. I saw her breath harder and her ivory skin glowing with heat. For the girl sat now by my side and not even a team of mules could have parted me from there. She put her slender arms around me and said," Adonis! I found you." Leaning across she lightly nipped my earlobe and smiled. Never shall we part again. It was a pact.
The Big Man knew what was coming and he averted his gaze while she went straight to my shorts. She yanked my shorts and my briefs. It was the moment of nightmare!
My man thing was totally cleaned up. I could guess the import of Daddy Q's cue before I stepped in his limo. He had seen to that I didn't mess his limo. I went white while I saw hell fire from her eyes. I reached out and tugged the sleeve of Daddy Q. I asked him in despair. " Make her love me!" Daddy Q sat there petrified. I shrieked, "for these 19 years! You owe it to me." Was he staring at her or me I don't know. My Venus asked me silkily, " Make him go!" "Shoo," she said from my behind hesitantly. Daddy Q sat there and looked me in my eyes. The fire that simmered deep down in me was in jets and sweat beaded, died silently. I was afire and yet some one had plugged me good and proper. " It is his trick!" My Venus said with deadly chill, " I am the one to free you. He is no good for you." She stood up and hissed more like a jaguar, " You thought he was a plaything for you?" Next moment she slapped him with all the force she could muster. The tiepin popped like a bubblegum and Daddy Q just melted. Hadn't her breath kind of shook me up I could have stared and said he dissolved in so many wavelets. Just as Botticelli painted it. Oh shit, she was panting as though she had me so within close and lost my attention, " Aw honey, don't make it difficult. Just try." Time for me was a dead horse. No limo that gave me shiver down my spine. Instead just me and a girl: retching and coming up for air as though two backed beasts under a silent sky had connected . Time had broken into a sweat. Only two of us stood there on Land's End. Or Terra del fuego.
Dusting sand from my bruised knees I looked at the girl and said, " I hate you! I hate you!" The stars in a cerulean sky came a-twinkling. Like diamonds. I had lost Daddy Q. With his tiepin as big as a goose egg.


text:
- we now have all Win64 build machines cloned
- we now have all branches with Win64 builds (Try coming soon)
Meanwhile I will be setting up a subset of the pool to take care of doing Try builds.
I will give another status update when something new happens.
If you want to be up-to-date on all details please follow bug 558448 [1].
You can read my previous post for background information and
[1] Bug 558448 - (support-win64) [Tracking bug] officially support Windows 64-bit builds
This work by Zambrano Gasparnian, Armen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


text:
The Examiner is always looking for good people to write for them. They have all kinds of categories and areas that you can specialize in. I write under the Food & Drink category, specializing in gluten-free. If you are interested in submitting an application, just follow this link. If you do apply, please make sure to use me as a referral; my examiner number is 15655.
LiveJournal Tags: examiner
Filed under: Uncategorized |