text:
CBD is a non-psychoactive chemical that is found in the cannabis plant. New studies on CBD are generating all over the world and there is a lot of study going on in regards to the varied benefits of CBD Energy Shots. With so many new products on the market today, it can be challenging at best to determine which ones will work for which conditions. So it should come as no surprise that a guide like this may be needed to sort through the various types of products and decide which products may benefit you the most.
Most consumers who have an interest in cannabis have seen new and innovative CBD Energy Shot products cropping up all over the place.
CBD Energy Shots in Fort Worth
With e-liquids, tea, oils, and crystals, many are struggling to make sense out of the products. This guide will help you to determine which products will serve you best.
CBD Rich Oil
This is derived from the CBD and has no THC so it has no chance of causing psychoactive effects. The THC is the compound that is responsible for causing the psychoactive effects. The CBD eases pain and inflammation and more. CBD is extracted from the flowers of the cannabis plant. The extract is then mixed with hemp seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil or other oils. The CBD is mixed to aid in the digestive process, without mixing it wouldn't digest properly.
Keep in mind that hemp seed oil is vastly different than CBD oil. Hemp seed oil comes from the seeds of the hemp plant. CBD oil comes from the flowers of the cannabis plant. The best products will use cold pressed hemp seeds and they impart a delicious flavor to the products that they are included in. Hemp seeds have no THC or CBD in them whatsoever.
While CBD oil is widely and readily available both online and offline like CBD Energy Shots, it would be advisable to look for a certified and trusted supplier for the same. You do not want to use an inferior product in the name of CBD oil.
To use it, you can place a drop or two directly underneath the tongue. Your body will then absorb it directly into your system. You can also add a drop or two to your cooking, your smoothie, your tea or coffee, your baked goods, or put a drop on your salad. Wherever you put it, it will work its way into your body and help heal you from within. Hemp seed oil is available in many supermarkets. It offers up plenty of Omega 3s and Omega 6 oils and may also be used in lotions and soaps. It may also be used in lieu of petroleum and eco-friendly plant materials.
CBD Water and CBD Energy Shots, Whats Better?
These are derived from the plant and then further refined to isolate only the CBD compound. The product is then put through a winterization process and slowly heated up to remove any fats or lipids from the product. A rotary evaporator is then utilized to remove any remaining traces of the plant material. Finally, you have a decarboxylated product via a meticulous heating process that activates the cannabinoids and renders the chemicals to be bioavailable for the consumers who purchase the products.
More versatile than the oils, the CBD crystals are able to be added into cooking, drinks, swallowed whole as a pill, however, they can also be dabbed or made into an e-liquid to be smoked. Crystals can also be sprinkled over cigarettes or joints.
Pros And Cons Of Crystals
Crystals are very highly concentrated forms of CBD. In many cases, they are 99.8 percent pure. Producing a more instantaneous effect than other methods, they offer up a quick solution for pain or inflammation. However, since you're only isolating one of the many cannabinoids, you're losing a variety of terpenes from your final product.
CBD E-Liquids
E-liquids are designed specifically to be used in e-cigarettes or vaporizers. Starting with pure CBD crystals, they precisely measure out the dosage of CBD. They then combine this with vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol. The higher quality products such as Harmony will then add in terpenes and aromatic compounds from the cannabis plant in order to enhance the flavor of the final product.
These can then be used to replace nicotine in e-liquids in regular e-cigarettes or portable vaporizers. All you have to do is add in the e-liquid to the tank in the vaporizer and follow the instructions for inhaling the vapor. When prepared properly, you can use them in all of your e-cigs. Some e-cigs aren't able to be manually refilled, however, there are refills available for these that offer CBDs.
E-cigarettes are a trend today and they are discreet and convenient for travelers and those who wish to vape in areas where smoking in strictly prohibited. You can find these in various dosages and you can use them discreetly at your own discretion.
CBD Tea
Made up from the leaves and the buds of the CBD-rich hemp plan, you can use this to make tea. The extracts from the plan will bind to the fats during the heating of the product. If you wish to get the best effect you'll want to make sure that you add in some fats such as milk, cream or coconut oil. This will give you a sweeter and more subtle flavor as well as aid in the delivery of the product.
Always brew your tea in hot water and remember to add in the milk or cream or coconut oil. This will offer a weaker delivery of the product, but it will still give you many of the benefits of the products mentioned above.
CBD Energy Shots Fort Worth
Keep in mind that the delivery preference is all up to the individual user. Various methods work better for one condition over another. Everyone has their own personal preference and it's important to take this into consideration when buying your products and using them. If you are using it for pain, you may find that one preference works better than another one for your needs. Also, keep in mind that there are various strengths of the products and you can adjust the strength by the dosage or delivery method.
Focused Energy is designed to give you the edge in life to be your personal best, every day – career, sports, personal life… It will provide an all day balanced energy and mental clarity, not just the short-term surge of the competitors.
Focused Energy – Natural Ingredients with Matcha Tea
- 25 mg of 99% Hemp-Derived CBD
- Matcha Tea
- Caffeine Energy
- PhamaGaba Focus
- Vinpocetine Focus
- Provides quick and sustained energy*
- Promotes mental focus and clarity throughout the day*
- No Sugar, Preservatives or Carbonation just healthy results*
CBD Energy Shots Fort Worth TexasThe Increasing Popularity Of High-Quality CBD Oil Supplements
Finding a good supplier of the high-quality CBD oil can be difficult. However, as the popularity of the product has increased, the availability of the product has also increased. That said, it is vital that you only buy from a reputable supplier, so that you can be sure that your product has met stringent extraction method and quality standard regulations, guaranteeing that it is free from hexanes and other toxins, contaminates and impurities.
One highly recommended supplier of the best-quality CBD oil is this company. They follow a strict production process and carry out regular lab tests on the final product. The marijuana laws in San Francisco are pretty relaxed and in Colorado both recreational and medical marijuana are legal. However, in other States, it is important to check the legality of purchasing CBD oil. Fortunately, obtaining a medical marijuana card is easy enough and it is the best way to get access to both medical marijuana and CBD oil supplements.
Another great supplier of CDB oil is this company. From the company's website, you can order the supplement risk-free. What's more, they ship to all States in the USA, but you will need to inquiry about the legality of your purchase when you enter your shipping details.
One of the main reasons why CDB oil is becoming so popularity is because it's very easy to adjust the dose. You can begin with a low dose of 5mg and monitor how your body reacts. You can then increase the dose gradually until you achieve the desired results. The oil is not thought to be addictive and it is virtually impossible to overdose. If you take too much, however, you may feel a little disoriented depending on the ratio of CBD:THC in the preparation. CDB oil tinctures typically cost around $60, as the popularity of the product grows, however, it is expected that prices will drop dramatically. At the moment, the preparations are still unfortunately quite expensive.
With the correct dose, you should experience a noticeable improvement in your symptoms. If you fail to experience any relief from your pain, anxiety or insomnia, you can start to increase your dose gradually until you feel the effects of the supplement. In order to get the greatest relief, you need to use the oil on a daily basis. It is important to note that you can take upwards of 100mg if necessary.
Those who require an exceptionally high dose may find CBD oil capsules more convenient. The capsules begin in approximately 25mg doses, unfortunately, however, the capsules tend to be more expensive than tinctures. Further alternative delivery options include vaporizers and creams. You can order vaporizer and topical creams by clicking here. Many people have reported a huge reduction in psoriasis and eczema symptoms after using CBD creams.
The effects of CBD oil typically last for four to five hours. Those taking the supplement for chronic anxiety relief might want to combine the supplement with additional neurotransmitter enhancers and adrenal suppression treatments. Unlike THC, CBD does not suppress natural feel-good endorphins.
There are thousands of CBD oil reviews published online and very few of them talk about any unwanted side effects. It is important to note that while the supplement is not an FDA-approved pharmaceutical, thousands of people are using it to effectively manage various medical aliments.
It is fair to say that more research needs to be done into the benefits and potential side effects of long-term CBD use. However, there is a lot of published research about the use of cannabinoids to effectively manage the symptoms and/or cure more than 23 different diseases and medical conditions from hypertension, to cancer to Parkinson's disease. You can read some of that research by clicking here.


text:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
And so we wait
....for Tom Cheek to rightfully receive his due. I'm past the point of outrage on this one, really, but recognition for (arguably) the most important voice of baseball this country has ever seen is long past due.
....for the Jays to take a run at that one free agent bat still kicking around the market. Damon? Delgado? Gomes? Branyan?
....for Alex Anthopoulos to pull the trigger on one of those deals he's been sitting on for the past weeks. He's hinted at working on a few things, and you know he'd like to make one more deal before spring training.
....for one of the bullpen arms to get moved. AA is stockpiling arms out there, and we've been reading lots of whispers of Frasor and/or Downs being available. Even in the Jays cone of silence, where there's smoke, there's fire.
....for Rod Barajas to get a job. I'm not even concerned about the compensation pick at this point (I'm lying), but Rod's got a family to feed, man. Do it, Omar.
....for continued progress from Dustin McGowan. Just how big of a boost to the pitching staff would a healthy Dusty be? Massive. McGowan/Marcum/Morrow/Romero/Cecil/Rzepczynski. 5 rotation arms aren't enough.
....for the start of spring. Because I'm sick of this long cold fucking winter already.
15 comments:
- Stedron said...
Where'd you get the picture of Tom Cheek?
Too soon?
- February 2, 2010 at 8:11 AM
Such a tasteless comment Stedron. No doubt, some of Tom's friends and family frequent this blog.
- February 2, 2010 at 8:19 AM
- Roy said...
...for The Bullpen Gospels to be released.
- February 2, 2010 at 9:02 AM
- The Ack said...
^ good call Roy. Baseball Prospectus 2010 too.
- February 2, 2010 at 10:00 AM
- Stedron said...
Oh please. I'd say the same thing about my own family. Obviously a joke in bad taste, but spare me. I'm not the only one that was thinking it.
- February 2, 2010 at 10:57 AM
- MJK said...
getting a bat for the sake of winning 5 more games is pointless with this year's team but might have been a good idea for any of the previous 4.
the only reason to get a bat is to cockblock Cito's lust for playing Bautista at Snider's expense, and that means getting someone who can lead off.
- February 2, 2010 at 11:09 AM
- Peter DeMarco said...
While I fully believe Tom Cheek is the greatest radio play by play man in the history of baseball. It is not surprising to me that he hasn't won this award. His competition just has much more national exposure than he ever has, and I think that sways the opinion of the voters.
- February 2, 2010 at 11:22 AM
You may probably be very curious to know how one can make real money on investments.
There is no need to invest much at first.
You may commense earning with a money that usually goes
for daily food, that's 20-100 dollars.
I have been participating in one project for several years,
and I'm ready to share my secrets at my blog.
Please visit blog and send me private message to get the info.
P.S. I make 1000-2000 per daily now.
http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]
- February 2, 2010 at 12:43 PM
- KrazyKanuck said...
Here's to hoping Dusty gets going this season without any setbacks or further injuries. I've always been a big fan of his (and GOD who doesn't love those kickass sideburns), and I hope the best for him. I think he has a TON of potential to be an ace, he just needs to put it together. We saw it against Colorado...
I'm very excited about getting him back in the rotation.
- February 2, 2010 at 1:32 PM
@Anon 12:43
Who spends $100 per day on food?!?! Even $20 a day for one person is a little steep... I mean, I guess it's not so bad if you're making the kind of money you claim... but really, you could save yourself thousands every year if you... Oh wait, this is a baseball blog! My bad...
- February 2, 2010 at 2:34 PM
- Mylegacy said...
On Cheek - agreed overdue.
On Damon - do it AA - NOW!
On a trade - ain't gonna happen. AA wants a trade - but it takes two to tango. Something might come of the talk later this year.
On bullpen arms - we really NEED more - duh - after all we've only got: Tallet, Richmond, Camp, Carlson, Frasor, Downs, Janssen, Accardo, Hayhurst, Roenicke, Collins and Farquhar - not to mention McGowan and at least three of the young starters who don't make it starting.
Please Rod - sign a Major League contract I want that ninth draft choice (before the fourth round).
While I think Dustin will likely end up in the pen when he's recovered. He's a great guy, a great story and I hope he has many happy endings. God knows - the kid is a battler!
As to the start of spring - man I can hardly wait - however, weather wise here in Nanaimo the rose bushes all have new growth, the crocus' are blooming and the daffies are up but not bloomin' yet. It's tough here sitting in my den looking out on the ships in the harbour - man this is such a tough life. Giggle, giggle.
- February 2, 2010 at 2:42 PM
- MelancholyInker said...
Word! Good article Ack!
Just one comment:
McGowan starting in the pen kinda scares me. I just blogged an article about Dusty on my page. I would hate to see him end up like Morrow. He's a starter and I think he should remain one. Thoughts?
- February 2, 2010 at 3:26 PM
- The Ack said...
I think starter is where he'd have the most value if he can hold up, of course. I just wonder if he'll be similar to Papelbon (shudder) in that shoulder woes deem the pen a better fit (don't ask me how/why exactly that works for health reasons). Worked out well for Boston, though. Call it a Plan B?
- February 2, 2010 at 3:34 PM
- MelancholyInker said...
Hmmm... in spite of my hesitation about moving Dusty to the pen, your idea isn't unbearable if he can't shake the shoulder problems. I must admit, I hope we never need plan B though, ya know?
- February 2, 2010 at 3:42 PM
Not sure where to post this but I wanted to ask if anyone has heard of National Clicks?
Can someone help me find it?
Overheard some co-workers talking about it all week but didn't have time to ask so I thought I would post it here to see if someone could help me out.
Seems to be getting alot of buzz right now.
- April 1, 2010 at 2:25 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Latest research
Discover which publications have used Understanding Society data by using this search facility. The research can be filtered by subject, publication type, author and year of publication.
Please let us know about your research
- Remove Meena Kumari filter Meena Kumari
- Remove Science And Technology filter Science And Technology
- Remove Health filter Health
Phenome-wide association analysis of LDL-cholesterol lowering genetic variants in PCSK9
Amand F. Schmidt, Michael V. Holmes, David Preiss, Daniel I. Swerdlow, Ghazaleh Fatemifar
The transferability of lipid loci across African, Asian and European cohorts
Karoline Kuchenbaecker, Nikita Telkar, Theresa Reiker, Robin G. Walters, Kuang Lin
The association between self-rated health and underlying biomarker levels is modified by age, gender, and household income: evidence from Understanding Society – the UK Household Longitudinal Study
M. Pia Chaparro, Amanda Hughes, Meena Kumari, Michaela Benzeval
Are flexible work arrangements associated with lower levels of chronic stress-related biomarkers? A study of 6025 employees in the UK Household Longitudinal Study
Tarani Chandola, Cara L. Booker, Meena Kumari, Michaela Benzeval
Early-life inequalities and biological ageing: a multisystem Biological Health Score approach in Understanding Society
Maryam Karimi, Raphaële Castagné, Cyrille Delpierre, Gaëlle Albertus, Eloïse Berger
Assessing potential shared genetic aetiology between body mass index and sleep duration in 142,209 individuals
Victoria Garfield, Ghazaleh Fatemifar, Caroline Dale, Melissa Smart, Yanchun Bao
The authors reply
Amanda Hughes, Yanchun Bao, Melissa Smart, Tyler Gorrie-Stone, Eilis Hannon
The transferability of lipid-associated loci across African, Asian and European cohorts
Nikita Telkar, Theresa Reiker, Robin G. Walters, Kuang Lin, Deepti Gurdasani
Multivariate genome-wide analyses of the well-being spectrum
Bart M. L. Baselmans, Rick Jansen, Hill F. Ip, Jenny van Dongen, Abdel Abdellaoui
Genome-wide association analyses of risk tolerance and risky behaviors in over 1 million individuals identify hundreds of loci and shared genetic influences
Richard Karlsson Linnér, Pietro Biroli, Edward Kong, S. Fleur W. Meddens, Robbee Wedow
Socioeconomic position and DNA methylation age acceleration across the lifecourse
Amanda Hughes, Melissa Smart, Tyler Gorrie-Stone, Eilis Hannon, Jonathan Mill
Leveraging DNA-methylation quantitative-trait loci to characterize the relationship between methylomic variation, gene expression, and complex traits
Eilis Hannon, Tyler J. Gorrie-Stone, Melissa Smart, Joe Burrage, Amanda Hughes
Age modification of the relationship between C-reactive protein and fatigue: findings from Understanding Society (UKHLS)
Better governance, better access: practising responsible data sharing in the METADAC governance infrastructure
Madeleine J. Murtagh, Mwenza T. Blell, Olly W. Butters, Lorraine Cowley, Edward S. Dove
Leveraging DNA methylation quantitative trait loci to characterize the relationship between methylomic variation, gene expression and complex traits
Eilis Hannon, Tyler J. Gorrie-Stone, Melissa Smart, Joe Burrage, Amanda Hughes
Gene-environment interactions between education and body mass: evidence from the UK and Finland
Vikesh Amin, Petri Böckerman, Jutta Viinikainen, Melissa Smart, Yanchun Bao
Associations of C-reactive protein and psychological distress are modified by antidepressants, supporting an inflammatory depression subtype: findings from UKHLS
Vitamin D and cognitive function: a Mendelian randomisation study
Jane Maddock, Ang Zhou, Alana Cavadino, Elżbieta Kuźma, Yanchun Bao
Unemployment and inflammatory markers in England, Wales and Scotland, 1998–2012: meta-analysis of results from 12 studies
Amanda Hughes, Meena Kumari, Anne McMunn, Mel Bartley
A guide to the biomarker data in the CLOSER studies. A catalogue across cohort and longitudinal studies
Milagros Ruiz, Michaela Benzeval, Meena Kumari
Biomarker, genetics and epigenetics data
Meena Kumari, Melissa Smart, Michaela Benzeval
Socio-economic inequalities in C-reactive protein and fibrinogen across the adult age span: findings from Understanding Society
Apostolos Davillas, Michaela Benzeval, Meena Kumari
Genome-wide analysis of health-related biomarkers in the UK Household Longitudinal Study reveals novel associations
Bram P. Prins, Karoline B. Kuchenbaecker, Yanchun Bao, Melissa Smart, Delilah Zabaneh
Multivariate genome-wide and integrated transcriptome and epigenome-wide analyses of the well-being spectrum
Bart M. L. Baselmans, Rick Jansen, Hill Fung Ip, Jenny van Dongen, Abdel Abdellaoui


text:
On Google's earnings call yesterday, some analysts honed in on a particular trend: declining cost-per-click rates, or CPCs.
Google's ad revenue is determined largely by two factors: the number of clicks on ads ("paid clicks") and how much advertisers pay for each click ("CPC"). The first number has been rising fast — it was up 39% in Q1 of 2012, compared with the previous year.
But the second number has started to decline, and was down for the second consecutive quarter (as compared with a year ago).
Google said that the factors driving CPC are very complicated, and include foreign exchange rates, rising mobile usage of Google (where advertisers pay lower prices per click), faster growth in developing countries (where prices are lower), and changes in ad quality all have an effect.
Most analysts seem to agree that CPCs, taken in isolation, are not the best measure of Google's business. But if you're looking for a reason why the stock went down today, other than the new class of stock the company announced, this might be it.
Follow the Chart Of The Day on Twitter: @chartoftheday
Business Insider Emails & Alerts
Site highlights each day to your inbox.
Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.


text:
Sites allowing anonymous comments strive for balance without going over the top.
A male teacher from an area high school stood accused of having a sexual relationship with a teenage female student. The news story, in its online version at PJStar.com, drew the collective scorn of a group of people that seemed gleefully eager to blast the teacher with comments on the Web site. Online editor Jerry Smith watched as anonymous rumor followed anonymous rumor. Invective followed invective. Hate piled atop hate. Smith pulled the plug. "I took down all the comments and made it impossible for any new ones to be added," Smith said. "I'd had enough. It was all way over the top." In an era of questionable conduct occurring on MySpace and Facebook, courts and the public in general brace for what is brewing as a battle over free and decent speech over the Internet, especially when it comes to anonymity. It's not just an issue for news media, Web sites and blogs. Online misbehavior also is proliferating on the political battlefield, as evidenced by anonymous comments fueling speculation about Democrat Barack Obama's ties to the Muslim world. Even Hollywood has caught on, as evidenced by the movie, "Untraceable," starring Diane Lane as an FBI agent trying to hunt down a killer who posts videos of his victims on the Internet. As more people log onto the killer's Web site and post messages on it, the quicker the victim dies. "People read it on the Internet and think it must be true," said Steve Helle, a University of Illinois journalism professor. "I think it's a process of education, and the public is developing more skepticism toward Internet speech." As one top city official said, "I just feel dirty" whenever reading an abundance of anonymous comments on the Journal Star's Web site. "That's the conundrum," managing editor John Plevka said, referring to anonymous comments that are obviously beyond the bounds of common decency and the inability to monitor what readers write every minute of every day. "We know there are comments that are over the top, but some of it is subjective," Plevka said. "What is over the top to me might not be to a 20-year-old. It's a tough call. Unfounded rumors, racial (epithets) ... yeah, that is completely out of bounds." Plevka acknowledged that not only the Journal Star, but also the entire newspaper industry, is reassessing its commenting policies. Disallowing comments, as Smith did with the teacher and the sexual-assault story, has been rare at the Journal Star in the year it has allowed online anonymous commentary, although Smith routinely deletes objectionable comments and has banned individual writers from posting on the Web site. The Chicago Tribune last month did shut down comments on its Web site for all political news stories. It also pulled comments on a variety of controversial subjects, including race, immigration and rape. Tribune public editor Timothy McNulty wrote that the anonymous writers posting on those subjects had become "so nasty, obscene and racist that the boards were beginning to read like a community of foul-mouthed bigots." McNulty also said that one writer started a rumor about an affair between two candidates for office. In Peoria, rumors and unfounded allegations about interim city manager Henry Holling, before he was hired, prompted the city council to blast the nature of the anonymous comments. Mayor Jim Ardis, who's not shy about criticizing the local media, said it diminishes the integrity of a media organization that allows anonymous comments on its Web site. "Blogs are one thing, but ... when you see the major publications allowing that type of comment, without authentication, I think that is problematic and jeopardizes the credibility of those groups," Ardis said. One longtime media representative agrees. Charles Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at the University of Illinois at Springfield and a former Chicago Sun Times reporter, said he believes it is a mistake for newspapers to allow anonymous commenting. "A newspaper that opens up its Web site and allows people to post stuff anonymously and doesn't filter it out is the equivalent of the newspapers publishing whatever is written on the wall of the corner tavern," Wheeler said. "Reporters use anonymous sources, true, but it's not some guy cooped up in his apartment with tinfoil walls." Wheeler said historically, reporters have always used anonymous tips, but that those tips are confirmed before they are reported. "I think it goes back to the fact the print media is really scrambling to stay relevant with all this online stuff, especially with younger people," Wheeler said. It's not just newspapers. All forms of media, including independently run blogs, are facing an influx of anonymous commentators who post questionable material. "I understand sometimes people know things and if their name is attached to things they will suffer some kind of damage to their career. I'm more than willing to help with someone on that, but I can't be a party to someone anonymously putting stuff out that I can't confirm," said Jonathan Ahl, news director at local public radio station WCBU. Ahl also runs his own online blog, which received anonymous comments blasting Holling. Billy Dennis, who runs the blog Peoria Pundit, decided after he received a barrage of anonymous comments about Holling that it was time to make people register on his site before commenting. Dennis also said other issues, such as the often divisive Kellar Branch rails versus trail saga, had resulted in questionable commenting. "A guy with an opinion on the railroad issue accused another as a pedophile. I had to ban him," Dennis said. "How do you correlate a position on the Kellar Branch with a pedophile is a stretch." But the trend of anonymous commenting likely is not going away anytime soon. As long as there is the First Amendment, there will be anonymous comments. "The (Supreme) Court has always cited the Federalist Papers as an example of anonymous speech that was integral to the founding of the republic, which was rather critical," said Steve Helle, a U of I journalism professor. This doesn't mean that there hasn't been a lot of legal activity of late regarding anonymous speech, Helle said. "The libel suit is a tool to uncover anonymity," Helle said. "Courts are struggling with this. There is a majority trend that says the plaintiff has to establish a legitimate case before the court will enforce a subpoena to uncover the identity of an anonymous poster." Federal law grants newspapers, blogs and other electronic forms of communication immunity by stating they cannot be treated as the publisher of the comments. Despite this law, there have been challenges. In 2006, Craigslist, the online classified giant, was sued by a Chicago legal group for a discriminatory posting on its Web site that violated federal housing laws. That case has since been dismissed. Don Craven, an attorney with the Illinois Press Association, said even though newspapers are not legally liable for what is written by an anonymous poster, in some cases, publishers have had to release identifying information to courts of someone who wrote something on their site. "I encourage newspapers to make as part of the policy statements that someone agrees to when they make a post about something that they understand their identifying information is not a secret," Craven said. "If required to turn it over, the newspapers will do so." Scott Hilyard can be reached at email@example.com. John Sharp can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
Good morning lovelies! Rise and Shine!
It's World Coffee Day today, 29th Sept 2014.
Baci is part of the Chaswood Group of restaurant. Pinch of Salt Card members will get a cup of complimentary coffee on World Coffee Day, that's happening today, on 29th Sept 2014.
This place offers Coffee, Pizza, Sandwich, Gelato and Pasta.
Read about the BACI STORY here
Baci is a place to savour the good things in life. Fresh cafe styled food, quality Italian Coffee served fresh, it is a great place to relax and chill with the company of friends.
Oh Yes, it's self service. Clearly written at the entrance door.
As I stepped in, this place mezmerises me with its European charm.Step right up to the counter and place your orders as this is a self service cafe.
The General Manager, Quenton was very warm and friendly.
I told him that this was my first visit to Baci.
I had my flat white and it was heavenly.
Coffee prices are reasonable, given the cosy and relaxing European inspired coffee place atmosphere.
Besides coffee, this place also offers a variety of mouth watering gourmet handmade sandwiches. Food presentation was great too.
Check out the variety of bread. From Baguette to Panini's, one is spoilt for choice.
Cakes are aplenty too!
Tantalizing cakes!
Happy Rainbow Cakes. Gosh! The sight of this is pure joy.
They even have pies too!
How thoughtful. Lemon Water is spotted at the side to quench one's thirst.
Noticed some seating at the sides that were of Japanese influence.
That's because there's a Japanese International school nearby this neighbourhood.
And I see some of these children around here having their lunch.
My girlfriend had the Berry Sensation Red Leaf Tea.
Tea comes with refill and served in such a cute cup.
We also tried their pizza as I am a fan of pizzas, especially Italian Pizza.
My verdict: It was really good. And I mean it. The crust was crunchy.
Topped with rich toppings. This just made my day.
This was the Turkey Han Hawaian. It comes in a standard size (8 pieces)
Priced at RM 16.90, it's a steal!
After my first cup of coffee, I then tried their freshly squeezed juices.
Priced at RM 9.90 per cup.
The crowd builds up close to lunch time and can be pretty packed.
See, it's almost full now.
Comfort seat.
Look there's even a nice long sofa at the corner to cater for bigger groups.
This was sighted close to the entrance of the outlet. A cosy corner for two.
Baci is locate at :
Lot G47, Ground Floor, Citta Mall,
No. 1 , Jalan PJU 1A/48, Ara Damansara,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Tel: +603-7831 8051
Website: http://www.baci.com.my/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/baci.my
Baci Opens on Mondays to Sundays from 10.30am to 10.00pm


text: I did not take this photo. The woman on the donkey and the man on the camel wearing the white hat are my great great grandparents. I never knew them but this photo of them in front of the Sphinx and Great Pyramid has always been one of my favorite images. One day I will visit Egypt to recreate this iconic scene.


text:
By Sandra Beck, Military Mom Talk Radio
Recently I had acupuncture done for my headaches. I have a lot of them and you can pretty much set your watch by them on Mondays and Tuesdays. Those are my show days and high stress for me around my company, kids and social obligations.
Mitra my doctor said to me that she sticks needles into these energy channels and interrupts them so the make new pathways and free up the meridian or something like that. I didn't really understand the physiology but I got the point- literally.
When we interrupt a pattern or a habit – either through change or sticking a needle in a meridian we force ourselves to do things a little bit differently.
If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results I needed to stick a pin in my life if I was every going to get out from under these headaches.
So this week I moved my schedule around and lightened my load on Monday and Tuesday. I still got a headache both days but they weren't the debilitating ragers from the past. I am going to continue to stick more pins into my schedule and break up the channels that don't serve me. It's worth a try, because I was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. No more insanity.
Sandra Beck is the host of Military Mom Talk Radio and the single mother of two boys ages 5 and 8. She is an author, internet brand strategist. She has worked with the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army for over 20 years and is passionate about helping women lead their families successfully the specific challenges of military life.


text:
Used 2018 FordFlex Limited SUV
- Stock: 8324
- Odometer
- 29,430 miles
- Fuel Economy
- 16.0/23.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- Black
- Interior Color
- Other
- Body
- Transmission
- 6-Speed Automatic
- Engine
Ford Flex
Detailed Specifications
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd row head airbags
- 4-wheel ABS Brakes
- 50-50 Third Row Seat
- 911 Assist
- ABS and Driveline Traction Control
- Anti-theft alarm system
- Audio System Premium Brand Speakers: Sony
- Audio System Premium Brand: Sony
- Audio controls on steering wheel
- Bluetooth wireless phone connectivity
- Braking Assist
- Bucket front seats
- Compass
- Cruise control
- Cruise controls on steering wheel
- Digital Audio Input
- Driver and passenger heated-cushion, driver and passenger heated-seatback
- Driver seat memory
- Dual illuminated vanity mirrors
- Electrochromatic rearview mirror
- External temperature display
- Front Ventilated disc brakes
- Front and rear reading lights
- Front fog/driving lights
- Fuel Consumption: City: 16 mpg
- Fuel Consumption: Highway: 23 mpg
- Heated driver mirror
- Heated passenger mirror
- In-Dash single CD player
- Leather seat upholstery
- Leather/chrome shift knob trim
- Leather/genuine wood steering wheel trim
- MP3 player
- Manual Folding Third Row Seat
- Manufacturer's 0-60mph acceleration time (seconds): 7.0 s
- Memorized Settings for 2 drivers
- Memorized Settings including door mirror(s)
- Memorized Settings including pedals
- Metal-look center console trim
- Navigation system with voice activation
- Painted aluminum rims
- Passenger Airbag
- Power Adjustable Pedals
- Power liftgate
- Power remote driver mirror adjustment
- Power remote passenger mirror adjustment
- Power remote trunk release
- Power retractable mirrors
- Power windows
- Privacy glass: Deep
- Radio Data System
- Rear air conditioning with separate controls
- Rear heat ducts with separate controls
- Rear seats center armrest
- Remote engine start
- Remote, digital keypad power door locks
- Side airbag
- Simulated wood dash trim
- Simulated wood door trim
- SiriusXM AM/FM/HD/Satellite Radio
- Speed Sensitive Audio Volume Control
- Split rear bench
- Stability controll with anti-roll
- Tachometer
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
- Total Number of Speakers: 12
- Trip computer
- Tumble forward rear seats
- Video Monitor Location: Front
- Wheel Diameter: 19
- Wheel Width: 8
Dealer Notes
Ford Certified Pre-Owned!!!
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
Best vehicle
By Rios on Wednesday, August 31, 2016Purchased a 2013 Limited, best vehicle ever. Comes loaded with Park Assist for those that can't parallel park. Great in tight situations. The adaptive cruise is phenomenal, slows down when it gets close to traffic (distance adjustable). Now the warning sensors will keep you on your toes if you get too close and forget to brake. Now the six seater is the way to go with the front driver and passenger seat with a/c blowing up your hi-nee, freaking awesome. The refrigerator/freezer in the second row worth having on road trips. The Flex rides like a sedan but has the looks of a Chevy Tahoe lower version but has more rear space with the third row up than a Tahoe. The towing capacity is awesome had the biggest U haul trailer you can rent hooked onto the back.
- 5.0
Best vehicle I've owned.
By Kristoph on Tuesday, July 16, 2019Currently I have 201,000 miles on my Flex SE with a tow package and it has performed flawlessly. Cost of ownership other than brakes and tires has been 50.00! Replaced a window switch and a headlight, otherwise the entire vehicle is all original all the way down to the belt and plugs. MPG mixed is 23.4 and freeway mileage is amazing, running close to 30 loaded up and the cruise set. Tow package is a must, it transforms an already great people hauler into a great vacationer. Make sure to find one with a luggage rack and the possibilities are endless. Ohio climate is starting to take its toll on the body after 10 years but nothing that can't be fixed.
- 5.0
this is the best car
By flex fan on Thursday, January 09, 2020this is a great car ,looks great ,drives,rides ,handles,confortable after a long drive my back doesn't hurt,safe , lots of room ,4wd but it's easy normal to enter exit, not hard to find in a parking lot , when you are inside the car you have 6 - 9 " headroom ,you have 4 -6 " to the door you feel safe has plenty of power .
New Arrivals
2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE
- Please Call
Quick Specs
- Sedan
- Gold Exterior
- 2.0L I4 16V MPFI DOHC Hybrid Engine
2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid SEL
- Please Call
2019 Ford Fusion Hybrid SEL
- Please Call
2017 Ford Fusion Energi
- Please Call


text:
Crewbrothers and crewsisters;
It has been said to me that bumping a topic of a certain age- i.e. the only other thread here so far, which dates back two years or so- is considered often to be a bad idea, so here it is.
Interestingly enough, my acquaintance with Hepcats as a published print comic began with #11 (the original DD printing), which I believe is the next installment for the current webcomic. Mind you, as I have seen no activity on the Hepcats CG page since discovering its 'resurrection', I have no idea whether or not to expect any frequent updates. What little I have heard online of Mr. Wagner's travails between Antarctic Press' reprints (all of which I own, if it's worth mentioning) and the present day does not engender a great deal of hope in me. Of course, having only heard from online posters and not having met the man himself- online or otherwise- I can only presume certain facts to be accurate beyond what little I do know.
In any case, I'm glad Mr. Wagner decided to attempt to restart Hepcats in some form or another. Erica's backstory had only begun by Issue 12- which AFAIK was the last printed work to date, other than the 20-30 pages of Way Of The World (which I think were quite good), and as a 'catch-up' fan (having only discovered the series at #11) I was looking forward to seeing more of HC after #12. As there have been no posts in this forum for close to two years, and no activity on the main page since November of last year, I would very much appreciate it if someone of authority here, should there still be active monitoring of this forum, would post me back with, hopefully, some degree of update. I am very fond of the albeit-short run Hepcats had, and I hope Martin will continue working on rebuilding the Hepcats' fanbase.


text:
New Zealand 60-0 Ireland, Hamilton, June 23
Poking the bear
Graham Jenkins
June 23, 2012
New Zealand's Aaron Cruden offloads in a tackle during an eye-catching 23 minute cameo © Getty Images
We should have known better. New Zealand never fail to deliver two games in a row and any hopes of another heroic performance from Ireland were blown away by an All Blacks side clearly determined to reassert their dominance.
Ireland were a shadow of that side that came so close to an historic first victory over New Zealand but you sense even in top form they would have struggled to live with the All Blacks in this kind of mood. They hosts failed to hit their straps in Christchurch where a first defeat to the Irish would have been of seismic proportions.
Unsurprisingly we witnessed a record-breaking backlash that came despite head coach Steve Hansen making six changes - such is their enviable strength in depth. The most significant of those was the introduction of Aaron Cruden at fly-half in the place of the injured Dan Carter. Not so long ago the enforced absence of their first-choice playmaker was enough to put the whole nation on edge but not now.
Cruden's classy cameo, before succumbing to injury himself, set the tone for this one-sided affair with the Chiefs' fly-half relishing the chance to underline his strong Super Rugby form in front of his home crowd. But he had to share the plaudits with Chiefs team-mate Sonny Bill Williams who produced arguably his best rugby in All Blacks colours. But they, and wingers Hosea Gear and Ben Smith, owe a debt of gratitude to their pack that was relentless in their quest to dismiss widespread reports that they were bullied by the Irish last time out. At the heart of that effort was Richie McCaw whose pursuit of excellence and hunger for success shows no signs of abating.
This was McCaw's100th Test start - a career milestone that leaves the mark of England's Jason Leonard (104) and the record held by South Africa's Victor Matfield (105) well within his grasp. But more significantly this was his 94th Test victory - a result that sees him eclipse the record previously held by Wallabies legend George Gregan. His winning percentage may not match that of his team-mate Conrad Smith but the influential centre has little chance of joining McCaw in the Test centurions club.
McCaw's career offers the perfect blueprint for rising star Sam Cane who celebrated his first Test start with outstanding display that included two tries. It was not exactly a passing of the torch as McCaw, who moved from his usual openside berth to No.8 to accommodate his younger cohort, has plenty of miles left on the clock but this game will at least serve as reminder that New Zealand's rich history of world-class No.7s looks set to continue.
Ireland's performance failed miserably to hit such spectacular heights. The likes of prop Mike Ross offered only glimpses of the grit and determination that rocked the All Blacks last time out. Tackles were missed time and time against as New Zealand peppered a visibly weary Ireland defence and that workload soon took its toll. Put simply, this was a game too far for Declan Kidney's charges.
The likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Sexton and Rob Kearney may have lit up the European rugby stage over the last few months but were largely ineffective on a forgettable night for Irish rugby. Ireland's biggest ever defeat at the hands of the All Blacks may serve as impetus for them to raise their game again come the new northern hemisphere season which may yet reap rich dividends for Ireland and the British & Irish Lions. But right now they must accept they are second best - by some way - and that a victory over the All Blacks machine remains as remote as ever.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Graham Jenkins is the Senior Editor of ESPNscrum and you can also follow him on Twitter.
Communication error please reload the page.


text:
LIHEAP AT 2013-6 Estimates of Quarterly Obligations for FY 2013
Transmittal No. LIHEAP-AT-2013-06 Date: August 23, 2013
SUBJECT: Estimates of Quarterly Obligations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
RELATED The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act, Title XXVI of the
REFERENCES: Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, (Public Law 97-35), as amended; P.L. 90-577 (Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968); Form ACF-535 (OMB Clearance Number 0970-0037, approved for LIHEAP use through 9/30/2014.
PURPOSE: To collect from LIHEAP State grantees estimates of their quarterly obligations under the FY 2014 LIHEAP Program.
DUE DATE – September 1, 2013
CONTENT: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection of certain data to be used by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the LIHEAP Program. The data to be collected are grantees' estimates of obligations they will make each quarter under the FY 2014 program. Grantees' participation in the data collection is voluntary.
Grantees must respond by September 1, 2013. If grantees wish to receive more than 25 percent of their grant in each quarter, they must submit this information. If the information is not received, grant awards will be made in the amount of 25 percent of the grantee's allocation in four quarterly grant awards for FY 2014.
We recommend that grantees request as much funding as the state anticipates it will need during the first quarter of FY 2014 in the event of an extended Continuing Resolution. Once the quarterly allocations are set, our ability to change them is constrained by our OMB apportionment. The data must be received by September 1 in order to be used in our apportionment request to OMB.
The information collected is used to substantiate budget requests for low-income energy assistance payments and to make awards based on each State's needs. However, the availability of funding is dependent on Congressional action to provide funding via an appropriation or continuing resolution and the apportionment of funds by OMB.
The data must be submitted in ACF's On-Line Data Collection system (OLDC) at https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ssi. In OLDC, the report is titled "Allocation Estimate (ACF-535). This form will enable the Administration for Children and Families to target grantees' needs for FY 2014 funding authority.
If funds will be carried over from the FY 2013 program to begin the FY 2014 program in October, please make sure that the quarterly estimates take this into account.
This form is due September 1, 2013. Please note that the submission must be entered in OLDC. No paper copies will be accepted.
SUBMISSIONS: On-Line Data Collection system (OLDC)
TO: https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ssi
Lauren Christopher, Energy Program Operations Branch Chief
Division of Energy Assistance
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Lauren Christopher
Energy Program Operations Branch Chief
Division of Energy Assistance
Office of Community Services


text:
Friday, September 08, 2006
Stupid Bus Numbers
Why are school buses identical? Is that some kind of joke? Wouldn't it be easier if one bus was green, one was a double-decker, and one had a spoiler and a disco ball? If I rode a bus to school that had a giant unicorn painted on the side, I bet I could find that bus again when it came time to return home.
Identical buses… what a terrible thing to do to kids. There are lots of other terrible things you can do to kids, but I'll save those for another day.
29 comments:
- Sam Nielson said...
Yes!! And it got even worse when they started using two sets of numbers with a dash in the middle. At the very least they need to use symbols instead. So you identify your bus by the image on front, whether a square, circle, star, rainbow, skull, or pentagram.
In other news, I saw a bus hit a motorcycle yesterday. Amazingly, the bike driver seemed okay afterward. The motorcycle itself didn't fare so well.
- September 08, 2006
- Hans said...
lol that's funny! Great illustration with nice colors and good composition. Very appealing.
Have a great weekend,
- September 08, 2006
- afroman said...
haha this looks great! nice variation in style. i really like the composition too.
- September 08, 2006
Really cool style, Shane! Looks like something you'd see on TV (Foster's!). - Danielle
- September 08, 2006
- Kevin Keele said...
This does have a bit of a "Foster's" vibe. I like it a lot.
I never lived far away enough from my school as a kid to ride the bus. I used to be kind of jealous of kids who got to while I was always walking or riding my bike. Your post has shown me that maybe my bus-less methods of getting to school weren't so bad. Thank you, Shane.
- September 09, 2006
- Jarrett said...
Hey Shane, great piece here. I can totally understand your pain. I took school buses right up until I finished high school *tear*
- September 09, 2006
- Joe said...
Funny stuff. Unfortunately I never had bus problems so I can't really relate. I was too busy walking uphill both ways to school in 3 feet of snow. I really like the bus designs, very nice.
- September 11, 2006
- Goody said...
Shane, I love the bus numbers on each of these busses. No wonder you were confused, doesn't the school district know of any numbers besides 1 and 7? If not I fear you had an inferior education my friend.
- September 11, 2006
- Ben Reynolds said...
ahaha..So true! i've been there too man...nice job, looks cool.
- September 11, 2006
- Ryan Wood said...
Hah, you captured how stupid those bus numbers really are, that they contained about 50 numbers. They couldn't just shorten it to--BUS NO. 9? Good stuff, Shane.
- September 11, 2006
- Unknown said...
hahahahaha so awesome! I almost forgot my own fears about gettin on the wrong bus...thanks for dredgin that one up ;)
I got heart burn and a tension head ache just thinkin about those days
amazing with the stories Shane ...wow
- September 11, 2006
- Brian Cutler said...
What about the dreaded "bus safety film" day that was sure to come at least once a year. A day where we were forced to watch happy and innocent children die in horrible ways because they didn't obey the bus safety rules. Ok, so the films didn't show any blood and gore, but I'm still emotionally scarred because of them. Love the Art Shane!
- September 11, 2006
- Halya said...
I told you I'd be back! Wahahaha! I really like all of your character designs. I don't know what word to use to describe them right now, but I like 'em all :D
- September 11, 2006
- Jo Bling said...
Wow! Nice bold designs, Shane. Very nice indeedy, sir.
- September 12, 2006
- Ken said...
I feel your pain! cool and funny pic mate! diggin your rabbits below too
- September 12, 2006
- Audrey said...
This has such great depth and it's definitely something we all have experienced! I like how the buses are like gazing monsters. Thanks for the comments and support! :)
- September 12, 2006
- Carol Roque said...
that must be why i was always afraid of rding in one!
great job in illustrating this!! those buses definately look like monster!
- September 17, 2006
- Ron Jensen said...
Wow. this looks great. Did you use flash to do this? Rad story too. Poor kid. Thanks for the visit to my gallery.
- September 25, 2006
- aeneadellaluna said...
I never had a bus to school.. I used to walk or my parents would take me..here in Portugal there isn't that costume :) which is nice.. :) don't complaint..at least you have a bus!
- April 27, 2007
- Katie McDee said...
Great illo! I love the numbers on the busses and the overall compo. Love your blog too!
- April 27, 2007
- ChatRabbit said...
Ha! Now that's a fun interpretation of the theme! So true, too!
- April 27, 2007
- Catnapping said...
hehehe. i love that your bus' numbers are so alike. imagining the dylexic kid on that one cracked me up (two of my brothers were dyslexic.)
when i was in school we had to travel off post in busses. but the biggest number was 20. so it wasn't too hard to remember. and they were all coming back to the same base anyway.
life was simpler in those days. LOL
- April 27, 2007
- ELLA ELVIANA said...
haha, i never thought school busses could be so dreaded there (we never experienced any school bus)! nice idea.
- April 29, 2007
- Jannie aka Chickengirl said...
ahh! I've got my own nightmare story about school buses when I first came to the US for school. I am all for the giant unicorn painted on the side!
- April 29, 2007
- Jim Pearson said...
Nice job - the sense of the little kid being dwarfed is just great - really strong piece.
- April 30, 2007
- lili said...
Very true and very funny.Great illo. Love the near panic in the kids body language.
- May 02, 2007
- Larry Lee said...
This one made me laugh out loud. I thought it was pretty good when I first looked at it. It became hilarious when I read the numbers on the buses. This is so true to life!
- May 02, 2007
- arvindh said...
wow great detail!
- May 03, 2007
- Michelle Lana said...
Hehe...funny take! Ya, I hated the bus too :)
- May 03, 2007


text:
Flexi Paint gun metal has been designed for costumes and prop makers alike.
No harsh fumes or over powering smells.
Extremely versatile
- It is water based and can be thinned with water.
- Acrylic can be added to perfect which shade you need.
- It can be applied using a brush, sprayed on with an air brush /cup gun.
Flexi Paint gun metal is
- Non toxic.
- Latex free
- Doesn't crack
- Strong bonding
- Highly flexible
- Durable
- No mixing of parts
Tests have shown its bonds to :
- EVA Foam
- Plastazote
- Upholstery foam
- Latex
- Fabric
- Polyurethane soft foam
Flexi Paint is used to coat foams, latex and fabric, it then provides a finished flexible, durable rubber service. No latex is needed, no primer is needed. Acrylic paints may be added in small quantities to customise the shades.
Comes in a wide selection of colours.
Water based so brushes and sponges can be washed clean with warm soapy water.
Please see our directions of use for more details.
We recommend applying a silicone spray/lubricant/oil to your finished, dry project, this will help protect it and will also avoid any parts sticking together.
Please Note; even though the project is dry it still maintains a "tack" which will cause parts or other pieces to stick to it unless the spray/oil is used.
Important information
All colours will dry darker.
Metalliacs will show once dry.
Clear comes milky white but will dry transparent. – Thin with water for best results. Apply in even layers and avoid pooling.
Acrylic paint & powder pigments can be mixed in to any Flexi Paint colour as well as clear
Once your project is dry, don't forget to use Silicone Spray/Lubricant/Oil to remove any tack and protect your project.
500 gr
View also: https://www.flexipaint.co.uk/


text:
HELSINKI, Finland, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Patria, the Finnish defense company, says it is pursuing a new design concept for its future armored wheeled vehicles.
The concept is built on the success of its 8x8 armored modular vehicle, an armored personnel carrier, which has been ordered by seven countries.
Unique features of the concept for future vehicles include modular architecture, allowing easy vehicle adaptation to various roles, a more efficient payload capacity and an integrated terrain control system.
Patria said its future vehicles will be able to operate a 120mm mortar system.
"The new vehicle concept with very high standards has been provided by us at Patria, a company with the proven track record and solid owners committed to take care of the life-cycle support of its products," said Seppo Seppala, president, Patria Land Systems and Land Services. "The unique technology know-how is a very valuable asset for us in the future and ... we want to provide even better vehicles for our customers in future."
Patria announced its concept for its future vehicles at a defense and security equipment exhibition last week in England.


text:
I was excited to hear that AMD is "considering" pimpin' up some of its *cough* lower-end CPUs. According to DigiTimes, the 2600+ will come to sport a 333MHz FSB, and all of their T-bred CPUs down to the 1700+ will be moving to a 0.13 micron fab. The extension of the 2600+ to support the 333MHz FSB may reflect yield problems at the company. Except to major OEMs, their high-end CPUs launched on 10/1 still aren't flowing as fast as the company would like. The 2700+ and 2800+ currently do not appear on PriceWatch, nor the Ars Shopping Engine, nor a handful of other vendor sites.
With the reported two new strategies, AMD may be able to reduce production costs for its Athlon XP line and at the same time expand market acceptance for its higher-end products. Though currently its Athlon XP 2600+, 2700+ and 2800+ are still quoted at relatively higher prices, the market predicted that AMD is likely to cut prices to a more competitive level after Intel introduces its 3.06GHz Pentium 4 processor on November 14, which may in turn help boost Christmas buying.
Heh, not to mention the increased overclocking potential of the lower-end CPUs. It will be interesting to see what those units can do once the transition is made.


text:
Every year, on the evening of October 31st, millions of children across the world paint their faces, dress up in costumes, and go door to door collecting treats. The adults often decorate their houses with ghostly figures, carve scary faces on pumpkins, and put candles in them to create "Jack-O-Lanterns." Unfortunately, among the millions of people indulging in this custom, many are also Muslims. This article will shed some light on the significance and origins of Hallow'een, and why Muslims should not participate in it. (Text Source: Troid.org)
Listen the Excellent lecture: Halloween: An Impermissible Celebration in Islaam - by Br. Abu Sufyaan 'Abdul Kareem McDowell. - from albaseerah.com
MashAllah Br. Abu Sufyaan hafidhahullah gives some good tips based on his own experiences on how should a Muslim reply to the wishes on occasions of the non-Muslims' festivals. What to do and say when someone gives you a gift on the occasions like Halloween, Christmas, etc.? The brother gives some anecdotes on how to give Da'wah with hikmah without compromising the principles of our deen.The below is taken from troid.org:
Origins of the Hallow'een Festival
The ancient Celtic (Irish/Scottish/Welsh) festival called Samhain is considered by most historians and scholars to be the predecessor of what is now Hallow'een. Samhain was the New Year's day of the pagan Celts. It was also the Day of the Dead, a time when it was believed that the souls of those who had died during the year were allowed access into the "land of the dead". Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with Samhain continue to be practiced today on the 31st of October. Most notable of these customs are the practice of leaving offerings of food and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed revelers, and the lighting of bonfires. Elements of this festival were incorporated into the Christian festival of All Hallow's Eve, or Hallow-Even, the night preceding All Saint's (Hallows') Day. It is the glossing of the name Hallow- Even that has given us the name of Hallow'een. Until recent times in some parts of Europe, it was believed that on this night the dead walked amongst them, and that witches and warlocks flew in their midst. In preparation for this, bonfires were built to ward off these malevolent spirits.
By the 19th century, witches' pranks were replaced by children's tricks. The spirits of Samhain, once believed to be wild and powerful, were now recognized as being evil. Devout Christians began rejecting this festival. They had discovered that the so-called gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings of the pagan religions, were diabolical deceptions. The spiritual forces that people experienced during this festival were indeed real, but they were manifestations of the devil who misled people toward the worship of false idols. Thus, they rejected the customs associated with Hallow'een, including all representations of ghosts, vampires, and human skeletons - symbols of the dead - and of the devil and other malevolent and evil creatures. It must also be noted that, to this day, many Satan-worshippers consider the evening of October 31st to be their most sacred. And many devout Christians today continue to distance themselves from this pagan festival.
The Islamic Perspective
Iman (faith) is the foundation of Islamic society, and tauheed (the belief in the existence and Oneness of Allaah) is the essence of this faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of this iman, and of this pure tauheed, is the primary objective of all Islamic teachings and legislation. In order to keep the Muslim society purified of all traces of shirk (associating partners with Allaah) and remnants of error, a continuous war must be waged against all customs and practises which originate from societies' ignorance of divine guidance, and in the errors of idol worship.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) issued a stern warning: "Whoever imitates a nation is one of them!" (Abu Da'oud). Muslims should heed this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the kufar in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to follow the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and especially of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are ordered to enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allaah will certainly afflict you with torments. Thereafter, even your du'a (supplications) will not be accepted." (Tirmidhi). From an Islamic standpoint, Hallow'een is one of the worst celebrations because of its origins and history. It is HARAM (forbidden), even if there may be some seemingly good or harmless elements in those practises, as evidenced by a statement from the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) "Every innovation (in our religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something good" [1]. Although it may be argued that the celebration of Hallow'een today has nothing to do with devil-worship, it is still forbidden for Muslims to participate in it. If Muslims begin to take part in such customs, it is a sure sign of weak iman and that we have either forgotten, or outrightly rejected the mission of our Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) who came to cleanse us from jahiliyyah customs, superstitions and false practises.
Muslims are enjoined to neither imitate the behaviour and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit their indecencies. Behaviour-imitation will affect the attitude of a Muslim and may create a feeling of sympathy towards the indecent modes of life. Islam seeks to cleanse the Muslim of all immoral conducts and habits, and thus paving the way for the Qur'an and Sunnah to be the correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behaviour. A Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behaviour and moral character, and not a blind imitator dependant on other nations and cultures.
Even if one decides to go along with the outward practises of Hallow'een without acknowledging the deeper significance or historical background of this custom, he or she is still guilty of indulging in this pagan festival. Undoubtedly, even after hearing the Truth, some Muslims will still participate in Hallow'een, send their kids "trick-or-treating," and they will try to justify it by saying they are doing it merely to make their children happy. But what is the duty of Muslim parents? Is it to follow the wishes of their children without question, or to mould them within the correct Islamic framework as outlined in the Qur'an and Sunnah? Is it not the responsibility of Muslim parents to impart correct Islamic training and instruction to their children? How can this duty be performed if, instead of instructing the children in Islam, parents allow and encourage their children to be taught the way of the unbelievers? Allaah exposes these types of people in the Qur'an: "We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practise falsehood" (23:10). Muslim parents must teach their children to refrain from practising falsehood, and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and festivals. If the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic heritage, they themselves will, insha Allaah, abstain from Hallow'een and other non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentines Day, etc. The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: The Final Hour will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (inch by inch). (Bukhari). Islam is a pure religion with no need to accomodate any custom, practise or celebration that is not a part of it. Islam does not distinguish between "secular and sacred;" the shari'ah must rule every aspect of our lives.
"You must keep to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading."[2]
"When the people see a person committing a wrong, but do not seize his hand to restrain him or her from the deed, it is likely that Allaah will punish them both." (Abu Da'oud, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi)
"Whoever imitates a nation is one of them." (Abu Da'oud)
What to do on Halloween
We have established, beyond doubt, that the celebration of Hallow'een is absolutely forbidden in Islam. It is HARAM. The question arises as to what to do on this night.
- Muslim parents must not send their kids out "trick-or-treating" on Hallow'een night. Our children must be told why we do not celebrate Hallow'een. Most children are very receptive when taught with sincerity, and especially when shown in practice the joy of their own Islamic celebrations and traditions. In this regard, teach them about the two Islamic festivals of Eid. (Eid-ul-Fitr is fast approaching, and this is the perfect time to start preparing them for it.)
- It must also be mentioned that, even Muslims who stay home and give out treats to those who come to their door are still participating in this festival. In order to avoid this, leave the front lights off and do not open the door. Educate your neighbours about our Islamic teachings. Inform them in advance that Muslims do not participate in Hallow'een, and explain the reasons why. (Give them a copy of this flyer if needed.) They will respect your wishes, and you will gain respect in the process. "A person who calls another to guidance will be rewarded, as will the one who accepts the message." (Tirmidhi)
Finally, we must remember that we are fully accountable to Allaah for all of our actions and deeds. If, after knowing the Truth, we do not cease our un-Islamic practises, we risk the wrath of Allaah as He himself warned us in the Qur'an: "Then let them beware who refuse the Messenger's order lest some trial befall them, or a grevious punishment be afflicted upon them!" (24:63). This is a serious matter and not to be taken lightly. And Allaah knows best. May Allaah guide us, help us to stay on the right path, and save us from all deviations and innovations that will lead us into the fires of Hell.
[1] The Hadeeth was reported as Marfoo` by Al-Harawee but it was graded Da`eef by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Ahkaam-ul-Janaa'iz.
What is confirmed is that it is a statement of `Abdullaah ibn `Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (radiyallaahu `anhumaa). This was reported by Al-Baihaqee in Al-Madkhal ilas-Sunan (#191), Ibn Nasr in As-Sunnah (#70), Ibn Battah in Al-Ibaanah (#205) and Al-Laalikaa'ee in Sharh Usool I`tiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah (#126).
It was graded Saheeh by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in his checking of Islaah-ul-Masaajid (p.15), in As-Saheehah (2735) and Ahkaam-ul-Janaa'iz (124), by Shaykh `Alee Hasan Al-Halabee in `Ilm Usool-il-Bid` (p.92) and by Shaykh Mash-hoor Salmaan in his checking of As-Suyootee's Al-Amr bil-Ittibaa` wan-Nahy `anil-Ibtidaa` (p.64). Shaykh Saleem Al-Hilaalee said in Al-Bid`ah wa Atharuha As-Sayyi' fil-Ummah (p.42): "Its Isnaad is Saheeh like the sun!"
[2] This is reported by Ahmad (4/126), Abu Daawood (4607), Ibn Maajah (43,44), At-Tirmidhee (2676), Al-Haakim (1/95-96), Ibn Hibbaan (5) and others. However, it is not in Saheeh-ul-Bukhaaree.
Related Links:
Related Links:
- [Blog] Congratulating on new Gregorian year, the new Hijri (lunar) year, and the Mawlid
- Greeting The Kuffaar On Their Festivals - Imaam Ibn Uthaymeen - 2 Pages [PDF]
- [Blog] Greeting The Kuffaar On Christmas - Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen
- Mother's & Father's Day - Restricting Good Treatment Of Parents - CTI Research - 10 Pages [PDF]
- Questions: Hadith-Sunnah/Bidah
- Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries - by Shaykh Muhammad Saleh Al Uthaymeen
- Valentines Day - Yawm al-Hubb - by 'Abdul 'Azîz Aal ash-Shaykh
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa.imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa.
- [Blog] Why Muslims Don't Celebrate Valentine's Day - Ibraheem ibn Muhammad Al-Huqayl


text:
|The way is clear. Long ride ahead.
According to wolframalpha, the current distance is 35.66 million miles, or 3.2 light minutes. That means it would take me 271.39 years to ride there @ 15 mph, so, I'm looking more toward warp factors to lower that toward the 3.2 minute range. As Venus nears its closest approach to earth, this would appear to be the time to do it. The moment is right. The mirror makes it look so feasible. The deep blue sky is so inviting. Ride, dreamer, ride.
That's a Bike Peddler Take A Look mirror zip-tied to my helmet. New perspective, fresh views, added safety, etc.


text:
Tooth Whitening Pros – About us Greater London (Westminster)
When booking your laser teeth whitening with Tooth Whitening Pro you will know that you are in good hands and can be confident that we are trusted specialists. The latest in whitening technology from the USA and Germany is used and that we will improve the
whiteness of your teeth at just one, pain free treatment session.
We at TWP are full insured, trained and specialists in the laser whitening system and have received a precise and thorough training in safe and hygienic cosmetic laser teeth whitening techniques.
You will find that our specialists are personable, discreet and will treat you in a most relaxed and comfortable manner.
On the day of your appointment will undertake a consultation of your teeth prior to providing any treatment that will confidently show you the levels of whiteness you can expect after the laser whitening treatment by using the industry standard vita bleaching shade guide used by dentists worldwide.
We employ only the most trusted equipment and materials that have been successfully used to provide reliable and effective teeth whitening in the UK since 2007.
OUR AIM is really simple and that is to provide our customers with a thoroughly professional teeth whitening treatment that is cost-effective, pain-free and offer long-lasting whitening results (from 18-24 months in most cases).
Please call us now to find out about our latest offers and for the location of your nearest Tooth Whitening Pro Clinic
See how Tooth Whitening Pro can improve your smile and your confidence by calling us now to learn about our latest special offers – Click here
See the amazing laser teeth whitening results – Click here
Learn more about laser teeth whitening FAQs – Click here


text:
Lets look at the concept a bit:
The CSS
In the main CSS styles we will use ids to identify our elements to be changed so we can reference them individually. I found it is best to do it this way so you can make a rule for just that element with certain class or group of classes added to it. For example:
If I have a div with the id of content, I would use:
#content{ //cool styles here }
This will set my base for all my transitions. So, if I want my text color to change in my transition I would add a base color here. This goes for most style rules, some I have not yet found a way to transition (text-align is one that comes to mind).
Once the base styles are created by the id we can make some id with a class rules for the transitions. By this I mean a rule like so:
If my id is content and my class is red I use:
#content{ color:blue; } #content.red { color:red; }
This will give me red text when the class is added to the id of content.
We still don't get a transition though, so lets talk about that. In order to get an animation we need to add a transition in the main part of the style base (The id style). This is the first rule that the styles will transition from.
The CSS transition rule has four properties:
- transition-property
- transition-duration
- transition-timing-function
- transition-delay
These properties can be set individually but i prefer to set them all in one line. So now we need to see what it looks like.
With the id of content we want to transition all possible rules in 1 second using the ease-in-out timing function.
#content{ color:blue; transition: all 1s ease-in-out 0s; // This is the magic rule } #content.red { color:red; }
The jQuery
We will use jquery not for the animation functionality, but the ability to add events and classes with elegance and grace with very little work. If you don't understand jQuery yet, head over to jQuery.com and read up.
Now with the basic idea of what is going on it is time to try it out with some examples.
Example 1
For this example we will have a button that will be clicked and an element will grow out of it and fade in.
<button id="showForm">Show my form</button>
This is your content

For this example I added two classes that are id spacific and set the transition to all at 1 second with the ease-in-out timing function and a zero second delay.
#content { color: blue; opacity: .0; position: relative; top: -10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; width: 200px; border: 1px silver Solid; background-color: white; transition: all 1s ease-in-out 0s; } #content.active { opacity: 1; top: 200px; margin-left: 20%; } #content.red { color:red; }
The jquery simply selects the button by id and adds an click event handler and adds an anonymous callback. In the callback it selects the id of content and adds and removes the active and red classes.
$('#showForm').on("click", function () { $('#content').toggleClass('active red'); });
Example 2
This example is a bit like the other, the difference is the the element will toggle the classes on the click of the element it-self.

click me!

The css will change size position on the page and color of the text and box-shadow.
#otherContent { position: relative; top: 0px; color: green; width: 100%; box-shadow: 8px 8px 15px 0px #c0c0c0; border-radius: 0px; padding: 3px; transition: all 1s ease-in; } #otherContent.active { padding: 10px; color:red; top: 200px; width: 50%; margin-left: 20%; box-shadow: 1px 1px 15px 0px #000; border-radius: 10px; }
When the element with the id of otherContent is clicked it will toggle the class #otherContent.active on its self, which will transition all the rules in one second using the ease-in timing function and no delay.
$('#otherContent').on("click", function () { $(this).toggleClass('active'); });
Example 3
This example will be different, it will be swapping images in a basic manner. It is not the ideal way to switch elements but it is an example. It will use the click of the visible image to transition a new one in using two classes. One class will change the opacity and the other will change the left alignment.

#photos img { width: 200px; height: 200px; position: absolute; top: 150px; left: 0px; transition: all 1s ease-out; } #photos img.inActive { opacity: 0; } #photos img.right { left: 200px; }
$("#photos img").on("click", function () { $(this).toggleClass('inActive right'); $(this).siblings(".inActive").removeClass('inActive right'); });
I hope that this gave you a good idea on how to use use the CSS3 transitions using the click to add classes to your elements.
Full Code For Project
This post has been edited by laytonsdad: 04 June 2014 - 11:37 AM


text:
Technical Service on ZipBooks since 2019.
Within 30 miles of Metropolis, IL
ZipBooks is lovingly made in Utah, USA.
Great! We just need a little more info so we can send your project to Demo and any other qualified ZipBooks Pros in your area.
You'll get a max of 5 proposals.


text:
gTLD Application Analysis by simMachines
Describe the mission/purpose of your proposed gTLD
Full Legal Name
E-mail suffix
Alibaba Group Holding Limited
The intention of the Applicant, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (hereinafter referred to as "Alibaba" or "Applicant"), in filing this .Alipay application is to proactively protect the ownership of its "Alipay" trademark at the Internet Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) name space, and to provide a trusted, hierarchical and intuitive namespace for businesses and consumers that use Applicant's broad range of online e-commerce, trade, and payment services.
In addition to this ASCII application for the .Alipay string, the applicant will also be filling three other gTLD strings, namely ".Alibaba", ".Taobao", and ".Tmall". These four applied-for strings consist of core business competency of Applicant and represent the ultimate and reputable brand value in the Internet marketplace. All four applications submitted by Applicant are considered to be critically important to Applicant's existing and future businesses.
Applicant and the "Alipay" brand
The brand "Alibaba" is transliterated from the Chinese brand: "阿里巴巴" which was founded in Hangzhou, China, by the Applicant in about 1999. Applicant is a privately held holding company registered in Cayman Islands and established in 1999 by Mr. Jack MA (as known as MA Yun in Chinese), a pioneer who has aspired to help make the Internet accessible, trustworthy and beneficial for all Chinese as well as for everyone in the world. As of today, Alibaba, through the operation by its subsidiaries and affiliates (together referred to as "Alibaba Group"), reach Internet users in more than 240 countries and regions, and have more than 25,000 employees in some 70 cities in Greater China, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. Alibaba Group has promoted it various "Alibaba" trademark, namely: "Alibaba Group", "Alibaba.com", "Alibaba.com Global Trade Starts Here", "Alibaba Cloud Computing" extensively in relation to its businesses.
The following businesses are wholly owned or affiliated with Alibaba Group:
Alibaba.com Limited (hereinafter referred to as "Alibaba.com") (HKSE: 1688.HK; www.alibaba.com, www.1688.com and www.aliexpress.com) – a publicly listed company at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in relation to e-commerce businesses
Taobao Marketplace (www.taobao.com) - consumer-to-consumer (C2C) online shopping platform. Applicant is also applying for a .taobao gTLD for brand protection purpose.
Tmall (www.tmall.com) - business-to-consumer (B2C) online retail marketplace for branded products. Applicant is also applying for a .tmall gTLD for brand protection purpose.
eTao (www.etao.com) – a search engine designed for online shoppers
Juhuasuan (www.juhuasuan.com) - the most comprehensive group shopping platform in China
Alibaba Cloud Computing (www.aliyun.com) - advanced data-centric cloud computing services platform
China Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com.cn) - one of China's leading internet portals
Alipay (www.alipay.com) - third-party online payment platform. Applicant is also applying for a .alipay gTLD for brand protection purpose.
Among the companies listed above, Alibaba.com (HKSE: 1688.HK) is the flagship company of Alibaba Group and is the global leader in e-commerce businesses. Through the operation by its affiliates, Alibaba.com makes it easy for millions of buyers and suppliers around the world to do business online through three marketplaces: a global trade platform (www.alibaba.com) for importers and exporters; a Chinese platform (www.1688.com) for domestic trade in China; and a transaction-based wholesale platform (www.aliexpress.com) geared for smaller buyers seeking fast shipment of small quantities of goods. Together, these marketplaces form a community of more than 76 million registered users in more than 240 countries and regions as at 31 December 2011.
As part of its strategy to transition into a holistic platform where small companies can build and manage their online businesses easily, Alibaba.com also offers Chinese traders a wide array of business management software and Internet infrastructure services through its subsidiaries and affiliates, including but not limited to, HiChina ZhiCheng Technology Ltd., an ICANN accredited domain name registrar. Alibaba.com also owns Vendio Services, Inc. and Auctiva Corporation, the leading service providers of third-party e-commerce solutions for online merchants in the United States.
The "Alipay" brand was founded in about October 2003 as an online payment service provider for shoppers at the www.taobao.com marketplace.
Launched in 2004, Alipay platform (www.alipay.com) is Chinaʹs leading third-party online payment solution with nearly half of the share of the country's third-party online payment market according to Q4 2011 and FY2011 Core Data on China's Third-Party Online Payment Market: iResearch Consulting Group. It had more than 650 million registered accounts as of December 2011. On November 11, 2011, Alipay set a record for the highest daily number of transactions, facilitating 33.69 million transactions during the 24-hour period. Alipay platform is currently operated by Alipay.com Co., Ltd. ("Alipay") which is an affiliate and independently-run company of Alibaba Group.
As the preferred online payment tool of Internet merchants in China, Alipay provides an escrow payment service that reduces transaction risk for online consumers. Alipay was a key catalyst in the growth of the online retail market in China from RMB1 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in 2003 to RMB248 billion in GMV in 2009 according to iResearch China Internet Market Annual Review Report 2009: iResearch Consulting Group.
With the rapid development in term of the popularity of online shopping and e-commerce in China, and strong demand of trustworthy, user-friendly, and reliable online payment method for the Chinese Internet users, Alipay has become the most preferred and popular online payment method in China with more than 500,000 external merchants ranging from and not limited by, online retail, virtual gaming, digital communications, commercial services, utilities payment, etc. Alipay partners with more than 100 Chinese banks and financial institutions, including 19 leading national banks, as well as other leading International payment service provider such as Visa and MasterCard. Alipay currently supports transaction in 12 major foreign currencies.
In May 2011, Alipay obtained a license to operate in China from the People's Bank of China following the restructuring of Alipay. Alipay was the first third-party payments platform to have granted with such a license, and such license has enabled Alipay to continue serving Taobao and its other customers in China.
Alibaba has secured trademark rights for the mark "Alipay" internationally in about 72 countries.
Potential Business Models
Applicant is still analyzing potential use options on the type of .Alipay domain names that will be permitted to be registered and by whom. The current approach is to initially allow only a limited number of Corporate Internal Users (CIU) to apply ⁄ register limited number of second level .Alipay domain names. Besides Alibaba Group, a CIU may be a representative of an entity (registrant) and the entity is wholly-owned or affiliated with Alipay. This conservative approach shall meet the trademark protection purpose, and minimize potential technological, marketing and operational risks. Such restricted approach will be reviewed at the regular basis and subject to change depending upon a range of external factors. A consultative process with ICANN and relevant stakeholder shall take place prior to determination of any change of this approach. Most likely, Applicant will not make any such determination until after the first three years of operation.
Full Legal Name
E-mail suffix
Magic Pass, LLC
Donuts Inc. is the parent applicant for this and multiple other TLDs. The company intends to increase competition and consumer choice at the top level. It will operate these carefully selected TLDs safely and securely in a shared resources business model. To achieve its objectives, Donuts has recruited seasoned executive management with proven track records of excellence in the industry. In addition to this business and operational experience, the Donuts team also has contributed broadly to industry policymaking and regulation, successfully launched TLDs, built industry-leading companies from the ground up, and brought innovation, value and choice to the domain name marketplace.
ICANN and the new TLD program share the following purposes:
1. to make sure that the Internet remains as safe, stable and secure as possible, while
2. helping to ensure there is a vibrant competitive marketplace to efficiently bring the benefits of the namespace to registrants and users alike.
ICANN harnesses the power of private enterprise to bring forth these public benefits. While pursuing its interests, Donuts helps ICANN accomplish its objectives by:
1. Significantly widening competition and choice in Internet identities with hundreds of new top-level domain choices;
2. Providing innovative, robust, and easy-to-use new services, names and tools for users, registrants, registrars, and registries while at the same time safeguarding the rights of others;
3. Designing, launching, and securely operating carefully selected TLDs in multiple languages and character sets; and
4. Providing a financially robust corporate umbrella under which its new TLDs will be protected and can thrive.
Donuts' financial resources are extensive. The company has raised more than US$100 million from a number of capital sources including multiple multi-billion dollar venture capital and private equity funds, a top-tier bank, and other well-capitalized investors. Should circumstances warrant, Donuts is prepared to raise additional funding from current or new investors. Donuts also has in place pre-funded, Continued Operations Instruments to protect future registrants. These resource commitments mean Donuts has the capability and intent to launch, expand and operate its TLDs in a secure manner, and to properly protect Internet users and rights-holders from potential abuse.
Donuts firmly believes a capable and skilled organization will operate multiple TLDs and benefit Internet users by:
1. Providing the operational and financial stability necessary for TLDs of all sizes, but particularly for those with smaller volume (which are more likely to succeed within a shared resources and shared services model);
2. Competing more powerfully against incumbent gTLDs; and
3. More thoroughly and uniformly executing consumer and rights holder protections.
This TLD is attractive and useful to end-users as it better facilitates search, self-expression, information sharing and the provision of legitimate goods and services. Along with the other TLDs in the Donuts family, this TLD will provide Internet users with opportunities for online identities and expression that do not currently exist. In doing so, the TLD will introduce significant consumer choice and competition to the Internet namespace – the very purpose of ICANN's new TLD program.
This TLD is a generic term and its second level names will be attractive to a variety of Internet users. Making this TLD available to a broad audience of registrants is consistent with the competition goals of the New TLD expansion program, and consistent with ICANN's objective of maximizing Internet participation. Donuts believes in an open Internet and, accordingly, we will encourage inclusiveness in the registration policies for this TLD. In order to avoid harm to legitimate registrants, Donuts will not artificially deny access, on the basis of identity alone (without legal cause), to a TLD that represents a generic form of activity and expression.
No entity, or group of entities, has exclusive rights to own or register second level names in this TLD. There are superior ways to minimize the potential abuse of second level names, and in this application Donuts will describe and commit to an extensive array of protections against abuse, including protections against the abuse of trademark rights.
We recognize some applicants seek to address harms by constraining access to the registration of second level names. However, we believe attempts to limit abuse by limiting registrant eligibility is unnecessarily restrictive and harms users by denying access to many legitimate registrants. Restrictions on second level domain eligibility would prevent law-abiding individuals and organizations from participating in a space to which they are legitimately connected, and would inhibit the sort of positive innovation we intend to see in this TLD. As detailed throughout this application, we have struck the correct balance between consumer and business safety, and open access to second level names.
By applying our array of protection mechanisms, Donuts will make this TLD a place for Internet users that is far safer than existing TLDs. Donuts will strive to operate this TLD with fewer incidences of fraud and abuse than occur in incumbent TLDs. In addition, Donuts commits to work toward a downward trend in such incidents.
Donuts has consulted with and evaluated the ideas of international law enforcement, consumer privacy advocacy organizations, intellectual property interests and other Internet industry groups to create a set of protections that far exceed those in existing TLDs, and bring to the Internet namespace nearly two dozen new rights and protection mechanisms to raise user safety and protection to a new level.
These include eight, innovative and forceful mechanisms and resources that far exceed the already powerful protections in the applicant guidebook. These are:
1. Periodic audit of WhoIs data for accuracy;
2. Remediation of inaccurate Whois data, including takedown, if warranted;
3. A new Domain Protected Marks List (DPML) product for trademark protection;
4. A new Claims Plus product for trademark protection;
5. Terms of use that prohibit illegal or abusive activity;
6. Limitations on domain proxy and privacy service;
7. Published policies and procedures that define abusive activity; and
8. Proper resourcing for all of the functions above.
They also include fourteen new measures that were developed specifically by ICANN for the new TLD process. These are:
1. Controls to ensure proper access to domain management functions;
2. 24⁄7⁄365 abuse point of contact at registry;
3. Procedures for handling complaints of illegal or abusive activity, including remediation and takedown processes;
4. Thick WhoIs;
5. Use of the Trademark Clearinghouse;
6. A Sunrise process;
7. A Trademark Claims process;
8. Adherence to the Uniform Rapid Suspension system;
9. Adherence to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy;
10. Adherence to the Post Delegation Dispute Resolution Policy;
11. Detailed security policies and procedures;
12. Strong security controls for access, threat analysis and audit;
13. Implementation DNSSEC; and
14. Measures for the prevention of orphan glue records.
As a senior government authority has recently said, "a successful applicant is entrusted with operating a critical piece of global Internet infrastructure." Donuts' plan and intent is for this TLD to serve the international community by bringing new users online through opportunities for economic growth, increased productivity, the exchange of ideas and information and greater self-expression.


text:
Sterling Gates on Your Superwoman Guesses
Supergirl #37Soon after the debut of a new creative team on Supergirl, the title also got a new caped Super-character, complete with heat vision, the power of flight and the familiar S-shaped symbol on her chest.
But who is Superwoman?
Newsarama recently asked readers to take a shot at guessing the identity of Superwoman, offering to run the top five guesses by Supergirl writer Sterling Gates. Now, Gates has shared his feedback, listing not only the five most popular guesses, but reacting to a few other guesses that he thought merited response.
For those readers who haven't been keeping up, Superwoman is now hanging out on New Krypton with Supergirl and approximately 100,000 other Kryptonians, the survivors of Brainiac's bottled city of Kandor who recently jettisoned themselves from Earth's surface.
And from what we've seen of Superwoman, her intentions aren't as heroic as her caped counterparts. Avoiding spoilers for the current "Who is Superwoman?" storyline in the Supergirl title, let's just say she's not only brutally demonstrated her heat vision, but throws a mean punch. And her actions are getting the attention of everyone from the cops to journalist Lois Lane.
Supergirl #38So now we'll turn it over to Sterling Gates, who lists what he calls the "Usual Suspects" in the order voted by Newsarama readers, with responses to each one:
SUSPECT ONE: Thara Ak-Var - "Supergirl's best friend from childhood, Thara Ak-Var was captured by Brainiac when he bottled the city of Kandor and removed it from Krypton. Eventually, she became the head of Zor-El and Alura's security team within the bottle city, a title that, as she pointed out to Supergirl in the "New Krypton" arc, she wasn't just given. She earned it.
"As her oldest friend, Supergirl trusts her completely and will even turn to her for advice. However, as we saw in Supergirl #37, their relationship can be at odds when it comes to Alura's orders. Maybe she'd put on a mask so she could operate in secret, outside of Alura's reach…"
SUSPECT TWO: Karsta War-Ul/a.k.a. Kristen Wells/a.k.a. The Third Kryptonian - "Karsta War-Ul served as a sub-commander in the imperial Kryptonian Army under Admiral Dru-Zod, where she made many enemies. Eventually, Karsta hid from them on Earth under the assumed human name Kristen Wells (a name not lost on longtime Superman fans, as it was the secret identity of the Pre-Crisis Superwoman). She recently helped Superman defeat the space pirate Amalak, and when we last saw her, she was returning Amalak to the proper authorities, having also agreed to face up to her own wartime crimes.
Supergirl #39"If she learned of the Bottle City of Kandor's return, if she'd learned of the return of 100,000 Kryptonians, it would make sense for her to return to our solar system. It would also make sense, in light of her crimes, for her to wear that mask…"
SUSPECT THREE: Alura Zor-El - "Supergirl's mother and the leader of the New Kryptonians. A lot has happened to Alura Zor-El lately. She's led her people to safety and created a new planet for them to live on, helped heal her daughter from long-term Kryptonite poisoning, seen her husband murdered by the villain Reactron, and been continually questioned by her nephew Kal-El about the murder of some "worthless Earth policemen." Alura's relationship with her daughter and her nephew grows more and more strained everyday as her duties to New Krypton strain her familial ties.
"It's possible that she's put on a mask to create a second relationship with Kara. For what purpose, it remains to be seen. It is also worth noting that, as a high-profile Kryptonian figure, it's well-nigh impossible for her to move and operate freely as Alura. But if she were covering her face with a cowl…"
SUSPECT FOUR: Lucy Lane - "Lois Lane's sister. Lucy Lane, as we saw in the New Krypton Special #1, joined the US Army a few years ago to follow in her deceased father's footsteps. She and Lois don't get along, as she feels that Lois' abandonment of their father contributed to his death. Readers of New Krypton Special, however, know that General Sam Lane is alive and well, working against the Man of Steel.
"Is it possible that Lucy Lane has found a way to have Kryptonian powers and is working all the angles against the Girl of Steel? Lucy would have a very, very good reason to don that mask, then…"
SUSPECT FIVE: Linda Danvers - "The former owner of the codename 'Supergirl.' Linda Danvers operated as Supergirl for years, but eventually retired from superheroics. She popped up recently in the Reign in Hell series with her fiery angelic powers restored, but she very well could've finished up her adventures there and returned to our plane of existence, only to find 100,000 Kryptonians living on Earth, and young Kara Zor-El using the "Supergirl" moniker.
Supergirl #40"Given her long heroic history, maybe she assumed the new codename and mantle of Superwoman to teach Kara Zor-El all she knows about being a superhero…"
MISCELLANEOUS SUSPECTS (While these didn't make it into the Top Five Superwoman Suspects, Gates said he thought some of them were good guesses and "absolutely worth mentioning"):
Supergirl-Black - "A doppelganger last seen in the first few issues of the current Supergirl series, Supergirl-Black was created when Supergirl was exposed to Black Kryptonite, causing her to split into two different versions of herself. Supergirl-Black was all of the angry and "evil" aspects of Kara's personality, and if she's reemerged, she'd want to wear a mask to hide her own nefarious agenda from the Girl of Steel..."
Lara Jor-El - "Superman's mother. It would shake Kal-El to his core, to discover that his mother was still alive, and he might call into question everything he's come to believe. So maybe she would have good reason to keep that mask on…"
Lyra Kam-Par - "Alura's personal secretary. We don't know much about her yet, save for the fact that she seems to have her own set of plans. Since Lyra's only just started working for Alura, the mask could be what keeps her her job…"
Lesla Lar - "An exact twin of Kara Zor-El in the Silver Age, Lesla Lar was a super-scientist living in the Bottle City of Kandor who wanted nothing more than to be Supergirl. Maybe now all she wants to be is a Superwoman…"
"Who Is Superwoman?" runs through Supergirl this spring, and began with issue #37.