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Kino's Journey (Movies)SynopsisThese are two short movies designed as additions to the original Kino's Journey anime, the first being a prequel that depicts Kino's relationship with the "master" briefly seen in the first series and the second being a visit to an additional country. ReviewWarning: This review contains spoilers regarding the original series, especially the fourth episode. Proceed at your own risk if you have not completed it. I have nothing but admiration and love for Kino's Journey. Its episodic philosophical explorations make for some of the most fascinating television I've yet encountered, and that, combined with two excellently placed leads and a haunting underlying story, has made it into one of my favorite anime series. Although short, every episode delivers a punch, and not even the weakest stories fail to leave me with a long train of thought afterwards. Thus it seems, on the outside, that I would express the same enthusiasm for the additional stories that were released as short theatrical features following the show's conclusion, but although I still recommend them to anyone who liked the original series, it turns out to not quite be the case. For although the movies largely carry the spirit and intent of the television series, they feel like afterthoughts to a show that, in my opinion, could not have ended on a better note than it did, playing out like interesting but inessential side stories as a result. Of the two movies, Life Goes On, which depicts Kino's time with the "master" briefly seen near the end of the series as well as her guilt over the death of the original Kino, adds the most to the story. Those interested in seeing how exactly our Kino went from being a dress-clad child to the androgynous motorcycle traveller will find this fascinating, as will those interested in seeing the development of her relationship with Hermes. The story, as it is, reveals quite a bit about her and the original Kino but frustratingly little about her master, and since that seems to have been the point of making this piece in the first place, it's possible to come away feeling let down. Still, it plays out as masterfully as any other episode of the series, showing its uncanny ability to lure the viewer into a lull and then hurl something utterly frightening and unsettling at them. Although this piece is helmed by a different director (with Takashi Watanabe replacing Ryutaro Nakamura), it's very much in keeping with the spirit of the show, and while it would, if placed in the context of the main series, be one of the less compelling episodes, the show's overall quality makes that issue fairly insignificant. Conversely, however, For You feels like an afterthought through and through. This entry, which consists of a visit to a country that uses technology to lock itself away from exposure to the outside , would fit directly into the main series if it had been made at the same time, although the slightly increased running time and some gorgeous animation courtesy of SHAFT do make it noticeably different. It is, in essence, an extra story taken out of the original light novels, and that is the problem, for while Life Goes On was at least able to perform a function distinctly separate from the series, that of expanding the main character's background, this simply feels like an extra episode. The story, unfortunately, is possibly the weakest Kino's Journey tale, for while I found the country itself to be fascinating, the central story, that of a sick girl exchanging letters with a boy sent to the city's surrounding wastelands as part of a Sometimes, sequels just aren't necessary. Nothing bearing the name Kino's Journey will ever be a waste of time, in my opinion, but I also think that the original television series may have been best left as it is: I loved it, found it satisfying, and really didn't need anything else.. While this shouldn't stop a dedicated fan of the series from watching these additions, don't expect stunning revelations in philosophical storytelling. That was the original series' job, and that job has long since been completed. A weak four stars for Life Goes On and a definite three stars for For You hardly compare to the splendor of the original series. The rating reflects the fact that the spirit of the original would, on the whole, be more or less the same without these additions. — Nicoletta Christina Browne Recommended Audience: "Life Goes On" has one violent and unsettling scene, and both episodes contain ethically disturbing content. Nothing is gratuitous, however, and these specials are as devoid of profanity and fan service as the original series was. The tone, as well as the difficult content, will make this unappealing and inappropriate for children. Version(s) Viewed: Digital Source Review Status: Full (2/2) Kino's Journey (Movies) © 2005 and 2007 A.C.G.T./SHAFT |
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Nothing can be more blissful on a rainy day than to be curled up in your bed, reading a book while sipping a steaming hot cup of tea and a crunchy snack to munch on.
Ideally a bowl of peanuts or chips would suffice for me but today I decided to be a bit naughty!!
Normally I resist anything deep fried but today all my resolutions went out of the window and I decided to make mixed vegetable fritters/pakoras to have with my tea. I know even if I breathe air, it all goes and settles down on my hips but what the hell, once in a while it is okay to throw caution to the winds, put down your guard and indulge in the things you enjoy!!
These pakoras are an all time favorite snack in India - extremely simple to make and truly delicious.They are also popularly known as bhajiyas. There are endless variations of making these pakoras. This recipe calls for potatoes, onions and spinach but you can also make them with eggplant slices, cauliflower florets or jalapenos. My favorite is green chillies stuffed with potatoes - really makes the smoke come out of your ears but oh!! it is so worth it.
You can easily find the chick pea flour, also called 'besan' or 'gram flour' in any Indian or South Asian grocery store. .
Serves 4-6
- 1 cup potato, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup packed spinach, roughly chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup chickpea flour/ besan
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- water as required to make a slightly thick batter (i used about about 1/4 cup)
- oil for frying
Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan till hot. (You can also insert a deep fry thermometer till it reads 300.
In a bowl combine chickpea flour, cumin seeds, salt and 1/4 cup water and stir for 3-4 minutes till you form a smooth batter.
Stir in the potatoes, onions and spinach leaves.
Working in small batches, drop about 2 tsp- size amount mixture into the hot oil, turning as needed until golden and crisp, about 5-6 minutes.
Repeat this process till all the batter is used up.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pakoras to paper towels to drain.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or coriander chutney and don't forget your cup of tea!!

subset: commoncrawl


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Any Rig in Any Environment
Compatible with any HDMI or HD-SDI camera, Sphere is the most flexible 360º monitoring and streaming solution for 4-camera VR rigs. Its 4 USB ports offer an integrated power solution for GoPro rigs and its stereo analog audio input allows you to embed the output of your soundboard right into the live feed.
Sphere also includes twin Lemo connectors for redundant power and dual 10/100 Ethernet ports for Internet connectivity and attaching a second Sphere unit. A $1000 license is required for live streaming to the Web
Sphere Stitching Engine
Sphere is unique in that it doesn't require a PC to stitch panoramic footage into a 360º format. Instead, the stitching engine is iOS based and offers real-time compositing of up to 8 1080p camera feeds, allowing you and your crew to be more mobile than ever before.
Stitching Configuration Options
The Sphere iOS application offers numerous parameters for tweaking your 360º footage to your liking. In addition to multiple lens correction options, you can adjust the image rotation and edge alignment of your stitch from the app's intuitive UI.
Color Calibration Settings
Users can calibrate each camera's white balance, tint, and color profile right from the Sphere application. If you need a quick calibration, the application can color match across all video feeds at the same time to provide a balanced image instantly.
In-App Recording
The Sphere iOS application allows you to save individual 360º snapshots and your stitched video footage directly to your iPad's hard drive in MP4 format.
Wireless and Internet Connectivity
Sphere connects to wireless access points and the Internet via a 10/100 Ethernet jack. To enhance the wireless range of your Sphere stream, we recommend connecting the device to a Ubiquiti access point for a robust WiFi signal up to several thousand feet.
Support for up to 8 Cameras
Should you need more than 4 cameras for your 360º production, a second Sphere can be daisy-chained using the device's 10/100 Ethernet port.
Technical Specifications
iOS – TERADEK VR APP
- Requires iPad Pro or newer
- Supported streaming platforms: YouTube 360
- Supported Output Resolution:4Kp24 and lower
- Number of Supported Cameras: Up to 8 (requires 2 Spheres for more than 4 Cameras)
Video Inputs
- 4 x Full Size
Supported Input Resolutions
- 1080p 23.98/24/25/29.97/30
- 1080i 50/59.94/60
- 1080PsF 23.98/24/25
- 720p50/59.94/60
- 480p59.94, 576p50
- HDMI input supports RGB 4:4:4, YCrCb 4:4:4, YCrCb 4:2:2
Video Codec
- Compression Algorithm: Baseline, Main and High Profile H.264
- Bit Rate: 250 Kbps to 10 Mbps
- Built in Video Scaler and Deinterlacer
Video Processing
- Built in Video Scaler, Deinterlacer, frame rate converter
Protocol Support
- Network Protocols: TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, DHCP, NTP, SSL, IGMP
- Transport Protocols: TDS (supported by iOS app only for now)
- Audio Compression: AAC-LC
- 4 x Embedded HDMI Audio Input
- 1 x Analog Line adjustable gain
- Dimensions: 4.33″(110mm)W x 4.33″(110mm)D x 1.36″(34.5mm)H
- iOS: Sphere App
- WebUI
- Factory Reset
- 2x Ethernet: 10/100BASE-T
- 2x 2 Pin Lemo Power input
- Nominal power consumption: 18W system (encoding at 1080p)+ up to 20W for USB + up to 24-56W fused at a maximum of 2 amps for PoE
- Auxiliary Power Input: 12-28V DC
What's in the Box
- 1x Sphere
- 1x Sphere Mounting Bracket
- 1x GoPro VR Camera Rig
- 1x Teradek Case (Medium size)
- 4x 18 inch HDMI Micro to Full (Type D to Type A)
- 1x Ethernet Cable
- 1x Power Supply Unit with 24V to 2pin Lemo – 60 Watt AC Adapter


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Reves Center a founding partner of Williamsburg, CSIS Global Forum
William & Mary's Reves Center for International Studies in cooperation with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (CWF) will establish the Williamsburg/CSIS Forum, a ground-breaking partnership to promote the development of effective political and economic systems in parts of the world where they are currently weak or lacking.
The forum will hold a series of major international conferences jointly in Williamsburg, Va., and Washington, D.C.
The first conference, "The New Egypt: Challenges of a Post-Revolutionary Era," will take place April 21- 25, 2013, and will explore the dramatic events following the fall of the Mubarak regime and the future course of Egypt's difficult transition to democracy.
The forum will be attended by a wide range of Egyptian participants – including politicians, diplomats, business leaders, academics, military experts, economists and media representatives – as well as U.S. authorities on the Middle East.
The forum will build on the unique assets of the partners. A significant goal of the sessions held in Williamsburg will be to assess whether lessons learned from past efforts to develop stable political cultures and institutions, such as the American Revolution and its aftermath, are helpful in considering contemporary political and economic challenges around the world.
"We believe our own history and the principles of citizenship and self-government can provide a valuable starting point for discussions about the establishment of democratic institutions and political and economic development today," said Colin G. Campbell, president and CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
CSIS, one of America's leading think tanks, will contribute its bipartisan expertise in international and security issues, and its worldwide contacts and experience. Conference segments held at CSIS headquarters in Washington will focus more specifically on immediate policy challenges, such as, in the case of Egypt, the country's future dealings with the West and other countries in the Middle East.
"This important and imaginative partnership brings together two great American institutions, CSIS and Colonial Williamsburg," said John Hamre, president and CEO of CSIS. "The partners will leverage their unique resources to promote stronger political institutions around the world, enhancing global stability. We are delighted that the College of William & Mary will join us in this exciting project."
The objective of the forum is both to help countries and regions advance their visions of political and economic development and to familiarize experts with the latest thinking on these issues in different circles around the world - without promoting any particular system or path to better functioning governance.
Leading the Forum will be Reginald Dale, director of the Williamsburg/CSIS Forum at CSIS, James Horn, vice president of research and historical interpretation at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and Stephen E. Hanson, vice provost for international affairs and director of the Reves Center for International Studies at William & Mary.
"William & Mary is excited to participate in this important new partnership with Colonial Williamsburg and CSIS," said Hanson. "Combining the remarkable international resources of our three institutions in the Williamsburg/CSIS Forum will generate ideas and insights that can truly change our world for the better."
The Forum is made possible by support from Anita A. and James D. Timmons and other Colonial Williamsburg supporters.


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Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Syphilis: A Sexual Scourge with a Long History
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that begins with genital sores, progresses to a general rash, and then to disfiguring abscesses and scabs all over the body. In its late stages, untreated syphilis can cause heart abnormalities, mental disorders, blindness, other neurological problems, and death. It appeared prominently in Europe at the end of the fourteenth century, and by 1500 syphilis had spread to much of the continent. The explorer Vasco da Gama carried it to Calcutta in 1498, and by 1520 syphilis had reached Africa and China. It was considered the sexual scourge of the sixteenth century.
Infectious Knowledge
Al Capone, one of the most notorious gangsters of all time, contracted syphilis around 1927. After being imprisoned on Alcatraz Island, Capone's syphilis was far advanced and he was reduced to a babbling idiot despite treatment from prison doctors.
For centuries, syphilis remained a major component of the infectious disease landscape throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. The United States has been no stranger to the disease, which most likely arrived with fifteenth- and sixteenth-century explorers. The rate of syphilis peaked in the U.S. in 1947 at 106,000 cases, but was dramatically reduced following the widespread introduction of antibiotics.
By 1996 in the United States only 11,387 cases of syphilis in its infectious stages were reported to the CDC. African Americans are 34 times more likely to be reported with syphilis than whites. In October 1999, the CDC launched a national campaign to eliminate syphilis in the United States by 2005. Since then, a steady decline in the number of people infected with syphilis reflects the positive efforts of this program.
The Cause
Infectious Knowledge
Microbiologists Schmudinn and Hoffman in 1905 discovered and isolated the bacterium that causes syphilis. In 1906 German bacteriologist August von Wassermann, working in conjunction with Albert Neisser, discovered the Wassermann reaction, a blood-serum test that could determine if a person had syphilis. German scientist Paul Ehrlich, in 1908, began his research to find a better drug to fight the disease by testing hundreds of different arsenic compounds on syphilitic rats. One compound was found that effectively destroyed syphilis without destroying the rat. He called it Salvarsan, which in English means "I save."
Treponema pallidum is the bacterium that causes syphilis. Syphilis can move throughout the body, damaging many organs over time. After initial penetration, the bacteria enter the lymph capillaries, where they are transported to the nearest lymph gland. There, they multiply and are released into the bloodstream, where they invade every part of the body.
How Syphilis Is Spread (Watch Out for Sores!)
In acquired syphilis, the bacterium enters the body through skin or mucous membranes, usually during sexual contact. It can be spread from the sores of an infected person to the mucous membranes of the genital area, the mouth, or the anus of a sexual partner. The bacteria are very fragile, and the infection is not spread by contact with objects such as toilet seats or towels.
Congenital syphilis occurs when a pregnant woman with syphilis passes the bacteria through the placenta to her unborn child. People at risk for syphilis, like other STDs, are those who have had multiple sex partners and engage in high-risk sexual practices. An infected person who does not get treatment may infect others during the first two stages of the disease (see the next section) when sores are present.
Syphilitic Symptoms
Syphilis is characterized by four prominent stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary (also called the late stage). The primary stage is marked by the appearance of a sore, called a chancre, which usually occurs 10 to 21 days following exposure but may take up to three months to appear. The chancre is generally found on the penis, vagina, or rectum but may also develop on the cervix, tongue, lips, or other parts of the body. It is usually painless and disappears within a few weeks regardless of whether or not it is treated.
Antigen Alert
Syphilis can invade the nervous system, causing neuro-syphilis, which may result in headaches, stiff neck, and fever from inflammation of the lining of the brain. Neurosyphilis may cause paralysis and insanity, as well as a degeneration of the spinal cord, causing a stumbling, foot-stamping gait.
Secondary syphilis is distinguished by a skin rash that appears up to 10 weeks after the chancre heals. The rash, resembling measles or chickenpox, may cover the whole body or appear only in a few areas, such as on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet. Fever, indigestion, or headaches may accompany the rash. The rash usually heals within several weeks or months. In some cases, ulcers may appear in the mouth. Scalp hair may drop out in patches, creating a "moth-eaten" appearance. Other symptoms include mild fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands. Pain in bones and joints and heart palpitations may develop. However, the symptoms, which generally tend to be mild, disappear without treatment but may reoccur over the next two years.
Next, the disease goes into a latent or hidden stage when it is difficult to detect the bacteria even with tests. If left untreated during the latent stage, 50 to 70 percent of people who carry the disease suffer no further consequences. However, approximately one third of those infected develop complications of late, or tertiary, syphilis in which the bacteria damage the heart, eyes, brain, nervous system, bones, joints, or almost any other part of the body. This stage can last for years, or even decades. Late syphilis is the feared stage, because it can result in mental illness, blindness, other neurological problems, heart disease, and death.
Congenital Syphilis: Infection During Pregnancy
A pregnant woman with active untreated syphilis will pass the infection to her unborn child. Up to 70 percent of such pregnancies will result in a syphilitic infant. Most babies develop symptoms such as skin sores, rashes, fever, weakened crying, swollen liver and spleen, jaundice (yellowish skin), anemia, and various deformities between two weeks and three months after birth. Sometimes the symptoms of syphilis don't appear for many years, and older children may develop symptoms of late congenital syphilis, including damage to their bones, teeth, sight, hearing, and brain.
Diagnosing "the Great Imitator"
Infectious Knowledge
In 1932, the United States Public Health Service, in cooperation with the Tuskegee Institute, initiated a study in Macon County, Alabama, to determine the effects of untreated syphilis. From 1932 through 1972, 399 low-income African American men with latent syphilis went untreated for the disease after being offered "so-called" free medical care. The men, the most educated of whom completed seventh grade, were told they were being treated for an ongoing condition of "bad blood." They were never told that they were part of a study, nor were they informed that they had syphilis. Government doctors failed to offer standard treatments, nor did they offer penicillin once it became the standard method of curing the disease. The study was stopped in 1970 only after its existence was leaked to the public. By that time, at least 28, and perhaps as many as 100, men had died as a direct result of complications caused by syphilis.
The surviving men received treatment only after the experiment became public. In December of 1974, the government agreed to pay approximately $10 million in an out-of-court settlement: $37,500 per participant. The lessons learned from this "holocaust era" experiment formed the basis for current-day human subjects research guidelines. On May 16, 1997, the surviving participants of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study gathered at the White House and witnessed President Clinton's long overdue apology on behalf of the United States government.
Syphilis has sometimes been called "the great imitator" because its early symptoms resemble those of many other diseases. People who have more than one sex partner should consult a physician about any suspicious rash or sore in the genital area. Individuals who have been treated for another STD, such as gonorrhea, should be tested for syphilis.
Syphilis can be diagnosed by evaluating a combination of clinical signs and symptoms, direct microscopic observation in tissue or blood, and antibody-based blood tests. The principal screening tests for syphilis are the VDRL (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) and RPR (rapid plasma regain) tests, which detect a rise in antibody following infection. The later the stage of infection, the greater the ability of the tests to detect antibodies.
While blood tests can provide evidence of infection, they may give false negative results for up to three months after infection. In addition, blood tests for syphilis can sometimes be positive even though a person isn't infected with the disease. Interpretation of blood tests for syphilis can be difficult, and repeated tests are sometimes necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
With Proper Treatment, There Is a Cure
At one time, mercury was given to people suffering from syphilis, but it probably poisoned more people than it helped. Today, syphilis is treated with penicillin. Other antibiotics, such as tetracycline, can be used for patients allergic to penicillin. It is important that people being treated for syphilis have periodic blood tests to ensure that they have been cured.
Individuals with syphilis that has invaded the nervous system may need to be retested for up to two years after treatment. Fortunately, proper treatment will cure the disease in all stages.
The Best Protection
Not having sex is the best protection against acquiring syphilis and other STDs. Open sores associated with syphilis may be visible and are infectious during the active stages of the disease. Any contact with these infectious sores must be avoided to prevent the spread of the disease. Latex condoms can reduce the risk of syphilis; however, lesions may occur in areas that cannot be covered or protected by a condom. Testing and treatment early in pregnancy is the best way to prevent syphilis in infants.
There is no vaccine for syphilis, no acquired immunity to syphilis, and past infection provides no protection! A person can be infected with syphilis, treated, and then become reinfected, once, twice, or a hundred times.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dangerous Diseases and Epidemics © 2002 by David Perlin, Ph.D., and Ann Cohen. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.


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You may know her as the extremely gorgeous Victoria's Secret model. Or maybe you know her as the wife of equally gorgeous Orlando Bloom. Well now you can know her as spokeswoman for a Japanese laundry detergent, Bold.
For the first commercial, Kerr interacts in a friendly conversation with her neighbors… while driving a pink car filled with laundry detergent. If you think thats a little weird, wait until you a load of the actual dialogue:
Neighbor A: What have you been up to?
Miranda: I went shopping.
Neighbor B: You bought too much!
Miranda: *shrug and a wink*
Neighbor A: Ah, Bold!
Miranda: It's so cute and pink!
Neighbor A: Pink?! Anyway you look at it, it's blue!
Miranda: The liquid is pink!
Neighbor A & B: It's pink!
Miranda: It's pink!
If you didn't notice- pink is obviously something to be excited about. Check it out for yourself:
The next commercial that Kerr stars in shows her actually purchasing the massive amount of detergent. Unfortunately, this time Kerr doesn't get to show off her (rather impressive) Japanese speaking skills. All she needs to do is strut down an aisle with a cart full of detergent and the whole store goes nuts for it:
As strange as these lines are, they certainly can't go wrong with a pretty girl snuggling a towel right? Besides, having Miranda Kerr is quite the step up from their former, more awkward, spokeswoman:


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(visited by jim bazemore, Kevin Craig and Cole Bazemore)
17-Jan-2003 -- We arrived in the vicinity of Isle de Guadalupe 48 hours later. Reach did 154 nautical miles in the first 24 hours out of Ensenada. Most of the time was over six knots, with a reef in the main and 'Monty' at the helm. The constant winds and accommodating swells supported this record breaking pace. We were now really on our way. The crew spent the crossing getting the at-sea routine, sea legs and watches down. I did the 7 to 11PM and again the 3 to 7 AM, with Kevin picking up the midnight and morning watches. It was beautiful following the near full moon cross the sky and the rising sun was welcomed as it washed out any left over 'watch stupor'. We saw little traffic, a freighter hauling goods north and a princess cruise ship hauling tourists south.
Reach dropped anchor on a narrow ledge at the north east end of Isle de Guadalupe. The place has volcanic origins, rising 5500 feet off the sea floor to a height of 1200 feet. From the distance it looked like eastern Washington flood basalts. However, up close one could see the violence of spent cinder cones and the veining of fracturing rock. This 20 by 5 mile speck of exposed mountain top is the western most part of Mexico. It is managed by the Mexican Navy with commandant's house located with eight permanent fishing families on south end. I couldn't imagine this place being administrated by a career guy.
The return to Baja from Isle de Guadalupe took almost three days. Our plan was to head east to Turtle Bay (just south of Bahía Sebastian Vizcaíno) for a quick overnight, then south 245 miles to Bahía Magdalena (Mag Bay). With our sea legs and daily schedule in place, I expected an uneventful and routine crossing.
The taste of lobster and butter was still on our lips when Kevin caught a 15 pound yellow fin tuna. What a magnificent fish, looked like a rocket in the water. There were just enough hands and feet to land the fish, dig out the net, find the camera, and, oh yea, sail the boat. You would think we never saw a fish before. Kevin was clearly more excited then Cole or me and required an extra ration of beer to wind down. We filleted the critter out and enjoyed raw, grilled, seared, boiled and leftover tuna for two days.
Our other excitement was passing through and documenting a confluence for the Confluence Project (www.confluence.com). We were reminded by an e-mail from Jerry of Kevin's participation in documenting a confluence in Southeast Alaska a few summers ago. A quick check of their web site identified a confluence a few miles east of Isla de Guadalupe. The Confluence Project is an interesting endeavor. The organizers are asking volunteers to find and document our world from the arbitrary framework of primary intersections of meridians of longitude and lines of latitude. The locations include all land-based confluences plus those at sea that offer views of landfalls.
Based on participation, this project appears to be creating a confluence of its own. The site offers a page showing every photographed confluence overlaid on a world map. One can click on pixel-sized individual pictures to zoom to or view groups as regions. In a way, the project is showing the forest and the trees. Mario Lossa, the Spanish essayist, says 'awareness of the forest creates the feeling of generality, the feeling of belonging that binds society together and prevents it from disintegrating into a myriad of [selfish] particularities." We are indeed a small world.
Reach approached its confluence (29N 118W), not with the sprit of lofty ideals, but with the gusto of boys with toys. Gadgets that is. We raced towards our destiny with my hand held GPS duct taped to the steering pedestal with the confluence coordinates programmed in. Kevin would pilot the boat to within 100 yards then transfer navigation down below to Cole and me. We were at the navigation station with digital camera in hand, waiting to capture the 'event' on the desktop GPS. From topside, Kevin was yelling "One mile. One-half mile. 1000 feet. 500 feet. You got it!" Reach was moving over 7 knots on a broad reach as Kevin transferred navigation. "Go south a little." Cole would relay the message up. "Now back north, hold it there, yes, yes." The digits on GPS screen ticked down showing we were right on course. "What happening down there?" Kevin screamed down. "Hold it steady, steady, yes! Yes! We got it!"
High fives all around, the camera captured 29 00.01N 118 00.00W. With system error included, we were within 50 to 80 feet of the arbitrary position. Our names and the pictures of the three of us looking back at Isla de Guadalupe will be entered on the Project's web site later this spring. Why this is almost as exciting as having an asteroid fragment or some disease named after you.


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Advertisement |
Chad Steven Henne (born July 2, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan. While attending, Henne became the second all time true freshman starting quarterback in Michigan history; accumulated a total of 32 wins in regular season play, 8,740 offensive yards, and 87 touchdowns; and in his senior season, led the Wolverines to a Capital One Bowl victory over Florida. He was subsequently rewarded as the game's MVP after throwing for over 350 yards.


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The environment has a text editor which is designed specifically to make writing Lisp source code easier. By default it emulates the GNU Emacs text editor, and you should refer to the LispWorks Editor User Guide supplied with your software, for a full description of the extensive range of functions and commands available. It can also emulate a KDE/Gnome style text editor.
The Editor features a comprehensive set of menus, as well as a number of different views, and its interface is consistent with the other tools in the environment. This chapter gives a complete description of these aspects of the Editor, as well as giving you a general overview of how the Editor is used. If you have not used Emacs before, this chapter tells you all you need to know to get started.
The Editor is integrated with the other tools and offers a wide range of operations. The most commonly used of these can accessed using menu commands. The full range of editor commands is accessed via the keyboard commands described in more detail in the LispWorks Editor User Guide . These operations range from simple tasks such as navigating around a file, to more complex actions which have been specifically designed to ease the task of writing Lisp code.
By becoming familiar with the menu commands available, you can learn to use the Editor effectively in a very short space of time, before moving on to more advanced operations.
Like many other tools, the Editor offers a number of different views, which you can switch between using the tabs at the top of the Editor window. Unlike other tools, one view in particular is used more often than any other.
You can create an Editor using any of the following methods:
Ctrl+X Ctrl+F
. Type in the name of a file that you want to edit. If the file is not in the current directory, enter the full pathname.
Note: this chapter assumes you are using the default Emacs emulation. Thus one way to open a file is with the keystrokes Ctrl+X Ctrl+F
as described above. If you use KDE/Gnome keys, you would use instead the keystroke Ctrl+O
You can always discover which key to use for a particular editor command, or conversely which command is invoked by a particular key. See Help with editing for details.
LispWorks IDE User Guide (Unix version) - 12 Feb 2015


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For free help with your job search, call (800) 776-8383
Sentara CarePlex Hospital is a technologically advanced, acute care hospital, and Certified Primary Stroke Center located in Hampton, Va.
The 224-bed hospital offers an eICU® to monitor patients even more closely with state-of-the-art equipment and computer software. Sentara CarePlex Hospital provides care through advanced surgical programs, emergency cardiac intervention and fellowship-trained physicians. It is also home to the Orthopaedic Hospital at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, the area's first dedicated orthopedic hospital, taking specialized orthopedic care to a new level.
Sentara CarePlex Hospital has conducted a community health needs assessment of the area we serve. Read the assessment and how we are working to address the areas of greatest need.


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This product has been archived
Product SupportKey Features
Family fun happens just about everywhere; luckily, that's exactly where COOLPIX S32 can go! It can dive underwater down to 33 feet deep, handle drops from up to 5 feet high, and you can even take it in the snow when temperatures are as cold as 14°F—places many wouldn't want to bring a smartphone. The COOLPIX S32 will keep capturing outstanding high-resolution photos and Full HD 1080p videos with stereo sound. Oversized buttons and intuitive menus make operation a breeze, and the camera's low-light image sensor helps capture sharp photos underwater, indoors at parties, outside when the sun is setting—all without a flash!
Bring the camera, leave the worry
Waterproof and shockproof
The COOLPIX S32 can go diving up to 33 feet deep, withstand drops of up to 5 feet and can play in the snow at temperatures as cold as 14° F, so even the roughest conditions won't stop you from recording precious memories. Safe to take to the beach, pool, playground and any place fit for family fun—you can always get a great shot of the action.
Let everyone have a turn
Oversized buttons for point-and-shoot ease
Taking great photos and videos with the COOLPIX S32 is so easy, everyone can have a turn using the camera. Its oversized buttons are friendly to hands of all sizes, and you won't have to adjust any settings to get great shots—just point and shoot and let the camera do the rest. This is a camera designed with the whole family in mind.
Record superior videos
Full HD 1080p videos with stereo sound for dazzling movies
If you want a compact camera that shoots stunning Full HD videos, the COOLPIX S32 delivers. Full HD 1080p means exceptional video quality. Record the action, then connect to an HDTV* and watch your videos come alive. A built-in mic records high-quality audio in stereo. Your videos will look and sound phenomenal.
*Requires optional cable
Frame the perfect shot
3x wide-angle NIKKOR glass zoom lens gets you closer to the action
Every COOLPIX is designed around a genuine NIKKOR glass lens, the legendary optics that have made Nikon famous. The COOLPIX S32's 3x Zoom NIKKOR lens is great for everything from wide-angle group shots to close-up portraits. Plus, Electronic Vibration Reduction helps keep every video steadier, even if your hands are not.
Superior low-light performance
High-performance CMOS image sensor lets you shoot without a flash
Imagine being able to shoot without a flash at weddings, concerts, parties—anywhere your flash normally fires. You won't have to interrupt a moment to capture it, and your photos will look more natural and true to your memory. The COOLPIX S32 performs so well in low light situations that, in most cases, using the flash is optional. Of course, when the lighting is extremely poor and you need a flash, it'll be there.
Turn the ordinary into extraordinary
Easily apply fun and creative Image Effects like fisheye, toy camera, cartoon and more right from the camera—no need for additional photo or video-editing software.
Sharper photos of moving subjects
When your subject is moving fast, Motion Detection automatically kicks in and selects a faster shutter speed and higher ISO (light sensitivity) to help you get sharper, clearer photos.
Flatter your friends and family
Create beautiful photos of the people you care about. Smart Portrait System activates several features ideal for portraits, like Face Priority AF, Skin Softening, Smile Timer and more.
Let the camera call the shots
Easily match your situation to one of the Scenes and Effects modes like underwater, night, close-ups and more.
LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.


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"Our government should never, ever prosecute somebody for saying `I did not do it."'
Less theatrical, but just as self-assured, was the voice of Clemens himself, heard on an audio tape in one of the first pieces of evidence presented at the trial.
"I have never used steroids," Clemens is heard saying without hesitation during a 2008 deposition on Capitol Hill. "Never performance-enhancing steroids."
Clemens' confidence and Hardin's Texas charm featured prominently on Day 6 of the retrial that seeks to determine whether Clemens lied to Congress -- at the deposition and at a hearing that followed -- when he denied using steroids and human growth hormone. The first attempt to bring the case to court ended in a mistrial when the government introduced inadmissible evidence.
The jury also heard from the trial's first witness, congressional staffer Phil Barnett, who happened to be on the stand when the mistrial was declared last July. The government is using Barnett to help establish that Congress had the right to conduct its hearings on drug use in sports.
The court adjourned early in the afternoon for the rest of the week because the judge had a previously scheduled out-of-town trip. The trial is scheduled to resume Monday.
Hardin's opening statement was a contrast to the more pedantic approach Monday from prosecutor Steven Durham, who attempted to link together many dates and facts designed to portray Clemens as an all-star who took performance-enhancing drugs to lengthen his career and then became "trapped in a web" of lies to cover up his actions.
Hardin is known as a master of connecting with jurors, and he had no trouble grabbing their attention. He was at his most riveting when he displayed a map of the United States showing all the locations of the people the government had interviewed in an attempt to gather evidence against Clemens.
"One hundred three federal law enforcement officers over whether a baseball player used steroids!" said Hardin, his voice rising and his index finger raised emphatically in a not-so-subtle attempt to play to the popular notion that the case is a waste of taxpayer money.
At one point, Hardin fumbled at the podium, looking for a piece of paper. "I'm not acting like Columbo. I am Columbo," he said to the jurors, some of whom smiled at the reference of the 1970s television detective show.
Hardin called the case "a tale of two men" -- Clemens and Clemens' former strength coach, Brian McNamee. McNamee, the government's key witness, has said he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH and kept a needle and some gauze from one of the injections.
Hardin said the evidence collected by McNamee is a "mixed-up hodgepodge of garbage," and showed a photo of a slightly crushed beer can in which some of it was kept. He contended that the needle was used to inject Clemens with vitamin B12 and later altered by McNamee to make it appear that it had been used for steroids.
The lawyer tried to call into question McNamee's motives, showing the jury the cover of an unpublished manuscript called, "Death, Taxes and MAC: The Autobiography of Brian McNamee," with the "X" in "Taxes" formed by two crossed syringes.
"Is there any market for this book if he hadn't made these allegations about Roger Clemens?" asked Hardin, who also showed a picture of McNamee appearing on the Howard Stern show in 2009.
Hardin also challenged the notion that Clemens testified voluntarily in 2008. He said that Clemens appeared after receiving an invitation from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee because he knew he'd be subpoenaed if he refused. Clemens didn't want to testify, Hardin said, but did want "the world to know he hadn't done what he had been accused of."
But in one of the recordings of the deposition the prosecution played, Barnett tells Clemens at the outset: "We thank you very much for being here today and being here voluntarily."
Barnett said the Clemens testimony during the deposition was important to the committee as it evaluated whether the 2007 Mitchell Report was an accurate barometer of the steroids problem in baseball -- and what actions the committee needed to take to respond. His testimony is meant to counter claims by Clemens' defense that the 2008 hearing was a "show trial."
Clemens, wearing a pinstriped suit, sat at the defense table, occasionally taking notes, and watching the exhibits on a small monitor. Jurors might have been puzzled at how old he looked: Hardin twice referred to Clemens as being born in 1982 -- instead of 1962.
Hardin also had to back down from his previous day's criticism of the judge for not allowing Clemens' wife to sit in the courtroom for opening statements. Hardin initially claimed that Debbie Clemens was permitted to stay for opening statements last July; she was not.
"I apologize. I misremembered," said Hardin, drawing laughs for reprising the word used famously by Clemens at the 2008 hearing. "The only thing I ask is that you not charge me with perjury."
ABC13's Jessica Willey is in Washington DC covering the trial and will have live reports on Eyewitness News.


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"For seminal contributions to the synthesis, fundamental understanding, and applications of ZnO nanostructures in sensing, energy harvesting, and piezotronics."
Background:Dr. Zhong Lin (ZL) Wang received his PhD from Arizona State University in 1987. He now is the Hightower Chair in Materials Science and Engineering and Regents' Professor at Georgia Tech. Dr. Wang has made original and innovative contributions to the synthesis, discovery, characterization and understanding of fundamental physical properties of oxide nanobelts and nanowires, as well as applications of nanowires in energy sciences, electronics, optoelectronics and biological science. His discovery and breakthroughs in developing nanogenerators establish the principle and technological road map for harvesting mechanical energy from environment and biological systems for powering a personal electronics. His research on self-powered nanosystems has inspired the worldwide effort in academia and industry for studying energy for micro-nano-systems, which is now a distinct disciplinary in energy research and future sensor networks. He coined and pioneered the field of piezotronics and piezo-phototronics by introducing piezoelectric potential gated charge transport process in fabricating new electronic and optoelectronic devices. This breakthrough by redesign CMOS transistor has important applications in smart MEMS/NEMS, nanorobotics, human-electronics interface and sensors. Dr. Wang's publications have been cited for over 62,000 times. The H-index of his citations is 121. Dr. Wang was elected as a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2009, member of European Academy of Sciences in 2002, fellow of American Physical Society in 2005, fellow of AAAS in 2006, fellow of Materials Research Society in 2008, fellow of Microscopy Society of America in 2010, and fellow of the World Innovation Foundation in 2002. He received 2013 ACS Nano Lectureship award, 2012 Edward Orton Memorial Lecture Award and 2009 Purdy Award from American Ceramic Society, 2011 MRS Medal from the Materials Research Society, 1999 Burton Medal from Microscopy Society of America. Details can be found at: http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu
David Vanderbilt, Chair; S. von Molnar; C.M. Soukoulis; S.W. Cheong; G. Boebinger


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"Sustaining the Living Prophets," Ensign, May 1996, 84
General Young Women Meeting
30 March 1996
Sustaining the Living Prophets
There is always a feeling of excitement for me as I know young women are gathering for our annual Young Women meeting. Tonight my excitement feels more like a whisper—the witness of the Holy Ghost whispering to me that a prophet of God has a message just for young women.
Our theme for this meeting is "Stand As a Witness by Sustaining the Living Prophets." As you think of the word sustaining, ask yourself this question: Is sustaining the living prophets different from having a testimony that we have prophets? When we sustain, it means we do something about our belief. Our testimony of the prophet turns into action when we sustain him.
My faith in a living prophet began in Primary and continued with me into my growing-up years. I had a testimony that we have prophets, but I hadn't thought about what it meant to sustain the prophets.
In general conference in October 1994, Elder David B. Haight said: "When we sustain the President of the Church by our uplifted hand, it not only signifies that we acknowledge before God that he is the rightful possessor of all the priesthood keys; it means that we covenant with God that we will abide by the direction and the counsel that comes through His prophet. It is a solemn covenant" (Ensign, Nov. 1994, 14–15).
I pondered the words of Elder Haight. I considered the commitment I was making when I raised my hand and made a solemn covenant with God that I would sustain the prophet.
The following April, the members of the Church sustained President Gordon B. Hinckley as prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust as his counselors. I watched the young women when, for the first time in history, you were asked to stand as a separate group; and I asked myself, "Do the young women know what it means to sustain?"
President Hinckley said at that conference: "The procedure of sustaining is much more than a ritualistic raising of the hand. It is a commitment to uphold, to support, to assist those who have been selected" (Ensign, May 1995, 51). When we sustain, it affects our behavior. President Hinckley also quoted the Doctrine and Covenants, section 107, verse 22, where we are told that the First Presidency, or "three Presiding High Priests," are "appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church."
I often discuss our theme with young women and ask what it means to them to "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places" (Mosiah 18:9; quoted in Personal Progress [booklet, 1990], 6). I believe it means that we show by our behavior what we believe. Surely we are standing as witnesses of God when we sustain his living prophets, especially when we know what it means to sustain. We will abide by the direction and counsel of the prophets. We indeed become witnesses when we make this solemn covenant.
As a young child, I believed we had a prophet and that he spoke the truth; but I'm not sure I understood that the prophet was speaking to me personally. When I was a young wife and mother, my husband spent two years in the air force. We lived in military housing on Long Island, New York. While tending our young children, I often visited with neighbors who had come from all over the country. One day as a neighbor and I were talking about our beliefs, she became curious about what was different about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I told her briefly about the Restoration, and I explained that the restored Church of Jesus Christ has a living prophet today. This really seemed to pique her interest, and she wanted to know what the prophet had said. As I started to tell her about the Doctrine and Covenants and modern revelation, she said, "But what has he said lately?" I told her about general conference and that the Church had a monthly publication with a message from the prophet. Then she got really interested. I was so embarrassed to admit that I hadn't read the current message. She concluded our conversation by saying, "You mean you have a living prophet and you don't know what he said?" In that situation I hadn't shown what it meant to sustain.
I'll suggest another way to think of the word sustain. When you play a violin, if it is in tune you can move the bow across one string and the other strings vibrate. The harmonious strings not only help sustain the sound, but they enlarge and carry the sound.
As each of us listens to the prophet and responds to his message, if we are in tune we can carry his message with us. Others will feel the prophet's message because of the way we act. In this way the message doesn't end tonight—it just begins. Isn't that exciting to think about? We can make his message be a force for good in our own lives, but also in our homes, in our neighborhoods, and at school.
When the prophets speak to us, it is as if our Heavenly Father is speaking to us. In the first section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verse 38, it states, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same."
Fortunately, in this day of satellites and modern technology we can see and hear the prophet. We can read and reread his messages. This blessing is not yet available to many young women in distant lands. This is a sacred night for those of us who have gathered to hear President Hinckley's message for young women.
Tonight, as President Gordon B. Hinckley has a message for each one of us, we as young women, mothers, and leaders want him to know that we have a message for him and his counselors, President Monson and President Faust. We sustain you. We know what it means to sustain: we will abide by the direction and counsel you give us. We will uphold you by our confidence, faith, and prayers. In general conference next week, as we young women and leaders raise our hands to sustain the living prophets, we understand that we are making a solemn covenant. We know as we follow the counsel and direction of the living prophets, we will be better prepared to "make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation" (Personal Progress, 6).
It is my prayer that we will show by our behavior that we are a covenant people, that we sustain the living prophets. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.


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Paolo Arcà
1953 -
Paolo Arcà (12/05/1953), an Italian composer (born in Rio de Janeiro). He studied music with Irma Ravinale and V. Gobbi Belcredi at the "Santa Cecilia" Conservatory of Rome, graduating in composition, piano, orchestral direction, choral music and choral direction. He subsequently specialized with Franco Donatoni at the Accademia Chigiana of Siena (1982) and at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome (1983).
Winner of first prize at the International "France Culture-Musique Contemporaine 2" Competition of Avignon, his works have been performed at numerous festivals and other contemporary music events.
Requiem per le vittime della mafia - Offertorio
Offertorio from Requiem per le vittime della mafia is for soprano, mezzosoprano, choir and orchestra. Duration: ca. 10'.
This requiem is a collaborative composition of Marco Betta (Lux aeterna), Lorenzo Ferrero (Introito), Carlo Galante (Dies irae), Paolo Arcà, (Offertorio), Matteo D'Amico (Sanctus), Giovanni Sollima (Agnus Dei) and Marco Tutino (Libera me) on a text of Vincenzo Consolo (1933), an Italian writer.
First performance: 27/03/1993, Cathedral of Palermo.


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Meal Information
The conference will provide dinner on Friday, November 11 and both breakfast and lunch on Saturday, November 12. Meals will be served in the Weyerhaeuser Board Room. If you have a special dietary need, please contact me early, so I can relay that request to the caterer.Dinner, Friday, November 11
Please gather together to meet and mingle with colleagues at 5:30 in the Weyerhaeuser Boardroom. At 6:15pm we will begin dinner. Main dinner choices are between a thyme marinated pork tenderloin served with a creamy apple brandy sauce, a blue corn tortilla encrusted white fish and for vegetarians, a butternut squash ravioli with sage cream sauce and toasted walnuts. All dinners are served with a salad of spring mix, pears, gorgonzola cheese and pear vinaigrette, a seasonal vegetable medley and assorted rolls and butter. Additionally, the pork and fish are served with pureed sweet potatoes. Dessert is a Bailey's Irish Cream Ganache chocolate cake.
Breakfast, Saturday, November 12
Breakfast will begin at 8:00am in the Weyerhaeuser Boardroom. It will include whole fruits, assorted yogurts and assorted breakfast breads, bottled juices and coffee and tea.
Lunch, Saturday, November 12
Lunch will start at 11:45 in the Weyerhaeuser Boardroom. Sandwich choices include a turkey foccacia, a caprese ciabatta and a curried chicken salad croissant. Salad choices include a field green salad with dried cranberries, candied pecans and a balsamic vinaigrette and a wild mushroom and orzo salad. Fresh sliced fruit, cookies and bars, assorted sodas and water are also provided.


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Detective awarded Badge of Bravery for saving wounded officer's life
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Senators from two states came together Thursday to honor a detective who put his life on the line to help a wounded colleague.
Baltimore County Detective Roy Gibbs was awarded the Congressional Badge of Bravery for moving into the line of fire to save the life of a fellow officer during a shootout.
"Something was going down and my help was needed, that's pretty much what I was thinking," Gibbs recalled.
Gibbs said he didn't think twice about putting his life at risk.
"Didn't really have any time to be emotional about it," he added. "You're just kind of thinking what needed to be done."
The Badge of Bravery is reserved for law enforcement officers like Gibbs who engage in exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty.
While Gibbs is a detective in Baltimore he's a resident of Hanover, Pennsylvania. He said he has trouble talking about that moment of courage but the senators who honored him had plenty to say about it.
"Detective Gibbs was tested and met the ultimate test with willingness to put his life on the line," Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said.
"When a man or a woman risks his or her life in the service of their community – to save a fellow officer in this case – that deserves recognition," Pennsylvania Sen. Patrick Toomey said.
Gibbs is one of just 18 recipients of the award. He was chosen through an extensive nomination process by the U.S. attorney general.
The commemoration is a testament to the remarkable courage displayed by Gibbs, according to Casey.
"Pay tribute in a very formal way to a detective who put his own life at risk to help a fellow officer," Casey said.
Congress passed the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008 to honor the men and women of law enforcement who risk their lives on a daily basis.


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Amanda Bynes has "99 problems" all right, but come on, is Jay-Z really one of them?
The troubled actress is back in the news—this time for allegedly tweeting "ugly face" and then linking to a photo of the rap kingpin, which she later scrubbed from her feed.
While it's not out of the question that the 26-year-old Bynes simply had her Twitter account hacked, it's also possible Amanda may simply have been looking for a feud and then thought better of it.
The rest of Bynes' tweets from the last few days meanwhile consist of brief, cheery updates on her activities ("Loving New York!," "I just got done working out") and various Twitpic self-portraits.
In any case, her since-deleted diss fits right into the erratic behavior the erstwhile Nickelodeon darling's exhibited of late, not to mention run-ins with the law—from misdemeanors hit-and-runs, a DUI arrest and other traffic violations to her decision to retire from acting and strip her Twitter page down to nearly nothing back in August.
A rep for Bynes was unavailable for comment.


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DADT, Bradley Manning and the Gay Bullying Agenda
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Was Private Bradley Manning's "WikiLeaking" a Gay "Extortion" to Get DADT Repealed?
….and other DADT issues that will never go away
DADT repeal in the "big picture"
What has really riled liberals during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is that we have a volunteer military. We have great young people who are so proud to be American that they sign up in sufficient numbers to field our armed forces. Though they try now and then, it has proven difficult and fruitless for liberals to protest war deaths, when the fallen have offered to die. The optic of harassing the bereaved families of American soldiers is not sympathetic.
Thus, the only way for the left to attack the military and all this annoying patriotism is to destroy it from: : within. By cracking open the spit-and-polish military discipline to demand the inclusion of open homosexuality, liberals can begin demoralizing one of the last stalwart, conservative, and patriotic government bureaucracies. Career warriors will now be forced to take meetings, get sensitivity training and be distracted from the prosecution of two wars. Hesitations will now occur where there never were any, because words and actions will have consequences. The new "gay" military certainly will know its "rights" and will be generously funded by activists to push for more entitlements from within the system.
Repeal of DADT is just one more progressive step to shrink our defenses and weaken us in the world. That long-term goal has only a little to do with gays, but they are useful tools for now. Gay soldiers are just one way to create chaos and distraction and eventually end our military.
The Ubiquitous Gay: Agenda in the Bay Area
I am a heterosexual conservative who lives in the suburbs, pays property tax and has grown children who grew up here. Because I live in the very liberal San Francisco area, I have been observing the gay rights movement personally since 1989. It's really not possible to "avoid" this pervasive social issue. There is now "Harvey Milk" day in public schools, to celebrate the murder of a gay pedophile elected official. God forbid you happen into San Francisco by accident during the "Bay to Breakers" race; you and the kids will see naked gay sex acts on the sidewalk with police standing by watching. It is, of course, not "hip" to complain about these affronts to good sense and decency. Everyone not gay in the bay area, has learned to live in fear of being "homophobed." There can be dire consequences: for being unabashedly heterosexual.
Gay rights groups are the bullies, not the "victims"
My observations over the years make me conclude that rather than being "victims" of bullying, gay rights activists are the bullies.
The most recent documented and anecdotal proof of this is the defense of man/woman marriage in California. In a "nut"shell, gay marriage was first banned by state law, the law was then ignored by the San Francisco mayor who started issuing gay marriage licenses, and the law was later thrown out bythe State Supreme Court. Voters then undertook a statewide petition to change the California Constitution to declare "marriage" to be [only] between a man and woman. The referendum won with nearly 8 million votes and 52% approval, but was recently thrown out by a gay federal judge in San Francisco. When the case was appealed this month, a judge with a gay activist wife was on the bench.: : The gay Republican group, Log Cabin Republicans, concurrently funded yet another legal challenge to DADT : in the federal court based in Los Angeles.: : The liberal judge there demanded an immediate end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell with her ruling and tried to enforce it with an injunction.: At every turn in the legal road, gay rights groups have had the superior financing and the upper hand.
All of the above took years and millions of dollars in attorney's fees, advertising and lobbying. The "untold" story about gay marriage in California is how viciously the gay rights groups, in the state and around the country, attacked their political opponents.
I have written extensively about how the church and pro-marriage groups and individuals who donated to the Proposition 8 (anti-gay marriage) campaign were tracked through their campaign donation records.: Mormons, Catholics, and pro-marriage contributors,: were telephoned, stalked, threatened with death, their employers were contacted, their homes and personal information were posted on maps online, their children were photographed….one of the men who was listed in the Proposition 8 lawsuit as a party, feared for his life by trial time, withdrew from the case and refused to testify. The: "mainstream" media: mostly ignored this story. If this had been "tea party" supporters using these tactics, what do you suppose the news coverage would have been?
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal vote comes as a result of "gay-mail" by Private Bradley Manning in WikiLeaks??
I agree with Colorado Patriot over at GayPatriot blog that it is a GOOD thing that the repeal of DADT was handled as a "stand-alone" bill and not tacked on to the defense appropriations and that it wasn't being forced on the military and American public by a judge's decision. (He neglects to mention that there IS a federal judge's ruling in Los Angeles which is mandating gay military service.)
What concerns me is CP at GP goes on to say that the main benefit of allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces is to "preserve national security."
My heart stopped when I read it.
What does he mean by that? I guess I hadn't really considered that closeted gays in the military pose a security risk because they can be blackmailed, but apparently this is an "open secret" in the gay community?
Colorado Patriot at GayPatriot:
After this repeal is implemented and gay men and women are allowed to openly serve, as I've mentioned before, those with security clearances will no longer be blackmailable (for being homosexual, that is) and therefore no longer pose that threat to national security.
As I've maintained from the beginning of this debate, the real reason for repeal of this policy should be rooted in national security. While I regret that, even up to the end (as I watched speeches on C-SPAN2), that argument was rarely raised, and when so, was poorly made, the end result will be that national security is strengthened. In these days of Wikileaks and our lowest-ranking members having access to our highest-priority information, removing this security risk is vital.
His reference to WikiLeaks admits what many in the "politically-correct" brigade of journalists (liberal and conservative) : have refused to cover, but which I have discussed many times:
The great untold story of the WikiLeaks scandal is that Army private Bradley Manning joined the military knowing full well that if he admitted he was gay on his application, he would not have been hired. So it is with each and every gay person who has been serving "under cover" since DADT became law in the 90s.
Manning was deceptive and knowingly broke the law by applying to the Army. Once inside, Manning decided that which end he has sex with is much more important than our national security. Spending hours on duty complaining on social networks about how "unfair" the military's DADT policy is/was, he went into the unspeakably traitorous "black zone" of morality: he sought out Julian Assange of WikiLeaks and then stole more of the American people's money by using his "on-duty" time pretending to dub off Lady Gaga music onto a CD. What he was really doing: was : downloading America's security secrets and diplomatic cables…thousands, if not millions of them, and emailing them to WikiLeaks.
Manning is currently in the "brig" at Quantico, Virginia and he is still a whiny little worm. Manning has put American soldiers, spies and foreign agents and our diplomatic personnel at risk by stealing classified documents. While a "secret" grand jury is considering charges against him, he has been "leaking" again. In recent days, he has been using his attorney and sympathetic sob-sister media like Glen Greenwald at Salon to complain about his solitary confinement. Among other things, he is mad he can't have a "real" pillow and blanket.
All this treachery against his own country, because he was unhappy about the military policy which he knowingly violated when he lied about his sexual preference to get hired.
If I read Colorado Patriot/Gay Patriot's blog post again, what he is saying is, gays have been lying for years to get hired into military jobs, and knowingly setting themselves up to be bribed by people who would do this country harm.
What is patriotic about that? This is similar to the argument about amnesty for illegal aliens. If gays have known what the law is, what "entitled" them to break the law only to complain later about the system that is giving them a great career and benefits? And if they know that by lying about who they are, they put national security in peril, what is so patriotic about that? I can think of many words to describe that, but "patriotic" is not one of them. Treasonous deserving of hanging comes to mind.
For weeks, Americans and military professionals who have balked at the complexities and realities of what gay military service will mean, have been clobbered repeatedly for being provincial and hateful. We have been told how patriotic gays are waiting to sign up to die for their country.
Now that they have their wish, lo and behold, we get a very straight-forward statement from the gay community ( and I consider Gay Patriot a very prominent voice for conservative gays) that basically, gays have been knowingly putting us at risk, as Bradley Manning did, because they think they have the "right" to not follow the law.
Since I am well aware of the violent, bullying tactics used by gays against Proposition 8 supporters in California, I think I can read between the lines of Colorado Patriot's essay.
Thus, I consider Colorado Patriot's blog to be a very good insight into the kinds of pressures the gay community: has been putting on the Congress to achieve this vote in the Senate.: His blog post shows that the gay community has been committing an "extortion" against America — legalize us or we will keep joining the military and doing what we can on the inside to jeopardize the system.
Reading this post, I begin to wonder: was Bradley Manning's gay Facebook whining and WikiLeaking treason contrived to put pressure on the Congress? Has the Congress: been informed that there are more gay soldier-weasels like Manning who will pull the trigger on national security?
I am so shocked about what Colorado Patriot wrote and it occurs to me, it is likely very true. It is frightening. As he points out, none of this "national security risk" posed by gays was discussed by any Senator on the floor or in any committee. He thinks: Congress missed the point.: I certainly agree!
The damage that has now been done
Right now I am seething at this vote to repeal DADT and how it occurred. I weep for our soldiers who are going to have to deal with the chaos of a policy that is hurriedly approved with no thought to them.
Something as complex as this has been shoved into a few hours of discussion before Christmas. What an insult to our military that this is all the Senate felt was needed. The much-vaunted "report" to Congress was apparently an excuse for some Senators to vote yes, but as anyone knows who has followed the "survey" and the "report" as they were being formulated, a methodology was used to achieve a desired result.
Already, CNS News has discovered a report by the Defense Department which says straight soldiers will be ORDERED to shower with gay soldiers and will be ordered to share bathrooms and sleeping quarters so as not to "discriminate" against gay soldiers. Our DOD is actually taking time to make reports on this.: And so it begins.
I am also thinking of the total clustef++k that the San Francisco Police department has become over the years, with constant bickering and litigating over gay promotions, and assignments and who used to be what sex. It also infuriates me that gays and lesbians will now use their political power to make the military the "gay employment insurance policy." They will no doubt go to the front of the line in all considerations or they will sue.
Since the Immigration Control and Enforcement agency is now paying for "transgender medicine" for illegal aliens in American jails, I suppose now American taxpayers will be mandated to foot the very expensive medical treatments for military gays who will have or get HIV/AIDS from theirU.S. : government-sanctioned risky behaviors. How much is that AIDS cocktail costing per month nowadays? What do we do with HIV/AIDS soldiers? Force healthy soldiers to wear rubber gloves to go to battle with them and risk infection? Give the HIV soldiers a military pension and insurance for life? Nice work if you can get it.
In San Francisco, even the million-dollar-plus expense of sex-change surgery is paid by city residents. Is it any wonder that San Francisco's unfunded pension and health liabilities for city workers have exploded in 10 years?
Hey, America, something to look forward to: Sgt. RuPaul!
The things that the "politically-correct" crowd won't say but should say are:
I will turn up my spam filter after posting this, but this sense of "gay entitlement" and forcing the American Congress and public to spend so much time on people who want to have gay sex is offensive. We are not "homophobes" just because we don't appreciate having to obsess the way you all do about what goes on in your pants.
What liberals don't "get" about conservatives, is, we don't give a hoot what you do behind closed doors, we just do not want to hear about it. Paris Hilton aside, heteros just don't need to discuss what happened between the dessert tray and the hot tub last night.
What DOES bother us, is, you are forcing us to legislate rights for a "preference." No matter what you say about how you FEEL, there is no peer-reviewed science to show that you are genetically gay. None. You can point to this or that study, there is NO PEER-reviewed science. This is why gays offend many in the black civil rights movement. These are not equivalent causes. Huff and puff all you want about your "rights," but what concerns constitutionalists and conservatives is, what will we do about the next "preference." What will we do when the shariah law enthusiasts "prefer" to marry 2-year-olds at the courthouse? That day is coming sooner rather than later, thanks to the gay rights movement.
Gays may respond to that paragraph and say that Muslims also "have a right" to their happiness. Watch what you ask for. Read the Koran and see what Islam's punishment is for homosexuals. There's no way homosexuals and shariah are going to "co-exist" in any society. I have written more than once that gays need to recognize that their protection and safety depends on the strength of the conservative movement and the Constitution. Gays should DEFEND the right to bear arms and support the military personnel who are defending western civilization, which includes the freedom of gays to be gay.
Many Americans are justifiably offended to have to spend the "people's time" on an issue of sexual preference, when we have Iran building nukes and a president who wants to dismantle our national defense. Sorry, but no matter how many of your liberal air-smoochers (and so-very-anxious-to-seem-"cool"-and-not-homophobic-conservatives) tell you how important your "issues" are, they just aren't.
Americans should be even more offended, that in a time when our troops are dying in two wars, we have some skinny gay twerp named Bradley Manning getting even more people killed because he's mad at America for giving him his cushy office job.
And let's walk that back that point a little more. We have MILLIONS of people out of work right now that would LOVE to have the job of an Army private like Bradley Manning has/had. Millions of those workers would gladly put on an Army uniform, go to work and do an honest 8 hour day instead of listening to Lady GaGa, hate-chatting on Facebook, and putting fellow soldiers in danger.
And in the end……
My "secret" hope is that we aren't quite done with Don't Ask, Don't Tell. There are procedural steps before it takes effect. Maybe they should be reviewed by the new Republican "cavalry." I will pray for that. This repeal of DADT was done too quickly because it would never, ever come for a vote next year and gay rights activists know it. This vote was taken without any hearings for the public or notice of what the policy change will truly mean. The "study" to Congress is/was a joke.
In the meantime, I would like to request of the gay community which seems to have unlimited financial resources to litigate DADT and gay marriage in every state or venue, now that you have finally "won" your case in the Senate….can we please stop discussing gay sex and gay problems and gay this and gay that? You won. Will you please STFU so our country can finally have time to solve some REAL PROBLEMS? It's enough already.
Why not divert those millions in lobbying fees and advertising and do some good works instead? It is very narcissistic to invest so much in your sex life.: Contributing to more gay causes doesn't count.
If ANY organized gay advocacy group decides to defend Private Bradley Manning, don't be surprised if you never, ever, ever win anything from the American public ever again. In fact, if you end up defending him, don't be surprised if you lose the legal ground you just gained.
Gays and lesbians who truly are patriots and want to serve in our wars and kill the Islamic terrorists who threaten our way of life have my thanks and my best wishes for a great military career. Kill as many of them as you can, because if the Taliban and Al Qaida get the chance, gays and lesbians will be the first to go.
See complete UNCOVERAGE.net archives for WikiLeaks
Skinny, Narcissistic, Rapist Computer Hacker Says U.S. Gov't Should Resign?
Update: NYT Finds Military Homosexual Scandal Linked to WikiLeaks
Gay Activist Soldier Gave US Military Secrets to WikiLeaks
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The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium will host the Moksha Festival this Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.
Moksha is a two-day celebration of wellness, spiritual expansion, and conscious living through yoga, health, ayurveda, sacred music, and healthy food.
About 3,000 visitors are expected to visit the festival that will feature more than 100 vendors that's a mix of individuals and businesses that offer services and products for yoga, health and Ayurveda lifestyles, yoga and ayurveda Schools, industry associations, and health food.
There will be 14 bands leading kirtans and sacred music on two stages including Jai Uttal (pictured).There will be 20 classes and workshops focusing on Yoga (Asanas), Pranayama, Meditation,Ayurveda, Nutrition, Indian Classical Music, Sanskrit, Jyotish, and Vaastu.
Various healing modalities will be represented such as Ayurveda, Energy Healing, Massage Therapy, Polarity Healing, BREEMA, and many more.
Tickets (starting at $10) can be purchased online or at the door. Civic Auditorium is located at 1855 Main Street in Santa Monica.
For more information, call 310.651.0717 or visit mokshafestival.com.


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LOL. It happens to me all the time wen I travel.
When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. Quote by Susan Heller found here
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself. Saying from Josh Billings I found here
If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier that other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.
Nice quote from here
Find yourself and express yourself in your own particular way. Express your love openly. Life is nothing but a dream, and if you create your life with love, your dream becomes a masterpiece of art. - Quote by Don Miguel Ruiz found here
Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours.-Audrey Hepburnfrom this site


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Complementary to "The Future is Here," Mike Efting,president, Viachem, Ltd., offers insight on how the industry is responding to consumers' desires for innovative and results-driven antiaging products.
What role does innovation play in bringing enhanced quality of product to consumers?
Innovation is the life blood of new product introductions. We're seeing major personal care companies increasing their R&D budgets in 2010, and planning to introduce new, higher quality products into the market.
For example, to target the growing aging population, which is expected to grow as much as 115% over the next 10 years, many companies are targeting the segment with innovative and high-end quality products tailored to their needs. Necessity is the mother of invention, which is why we saw 2009 bring the first introduction of an antiaging aftershave by Dermaplus. This month, Olay is expanding its antiaging offering with facial and full-body creams, lotions and body washes.
How do innovations help products achieve marketing/technical goals?
All products have a "life cycle", especially in the personal care industry. Consumers can be fickle, motivated by competing factors (price, brand, ingredients), and have constantly evolving needs (from feminine hygiene to diapers). New products, especially niche products, help personal care producers meet their marketing goals. Especially when tailored to popular trends as in the use of botanicals (now organic botanicals) in creams, lotions, conditioners and shampoos. When we work with our end-use customers, it's to understand how to incorporate fine or specialty ingredients into products in development to ensure the best product possible.
Again, the growing aging population, as well as the spending power of younger demographics. I also feel the economic downturn had a lasting effect on the buying habits of those with limited spending power, reinforcing the need for affordable development.
What is the future of skin rejuvenation?
With the burgeoning aging population, product developers and marketers have a real opportunity to capture the pursuit of "youth" through skin treatments. Given budgetary restrictions for clinical treatments, skin rejuvenation is being adapted to products available from brands, or sub-brands, familiar to this demographic. Again, Olay has a handful of antiaging introductions this month, CoverGirl cosmetics is targeting the market with new products, men have antiaging aftershave and even dishwashing liquid from Dawn promises to beautify hands.
Stem cell technology, cell-targeting and even research into fetal skin healing presents real opportunities in the development of everything from antiaging formulations to scar-smoothing.
One obvious limitation is any controversy that may come with these approaches. However, the possibilities of these technologies include revolutionary solutions for everything from burn victims to products specifically formulated to various areas of the body, namely antiaging. These technologies are fully dependent on the resources dedicated, both staff and financial, as well as imagination, innovation and ability to apply learning in the lab to the development of real products.
What is new and upcoming in innovative technologies from the industry?
One innovative technology that emerged in 2009 was the glycation process, which impairs the functioning of biomolecules that weaken skin structure at the cellular level. Anti-glycation agents, then, prevent this weakening, which leads to a less firm surface and a greater tendency towards wrinkling. Again, we see the focus on antiaging product and ingredient development as driven by consumer demand.
The increased cost of R&D and more costly ingredients affect the finished product costs. This increased expense can compromise the progress of product innovation.
What innovations would you like to see for the industry?
The industry would benefit from developing greener ways to produce finished and raw material ingredients and products. This kind of innovation not only has obvious environmental benefit, but it also will appeal to younger consumers, and upcoming product and ingredient developers.
What innovations are on the horizon? Where is the industry heading?
Again addressing the demand for affordable solutions in the antiaging skin rejuvenation category, we're seeing more complementary pairings of internal and external solutions. For example, combining dietary supplements containing coenzyme Q10 and a selection of antioxidants and minerals designed to decrease skin roughness and fine wrinkles, with a topical lotion solution and marketing the pairing as an "antiaging system", which has the potential to replace more expensive and invasive products. We've also seen this kind of pairing in marketing acne treatments.
From what other industries can we learn from and glean new ideas?
More so than other industries, we can learn from and glean new ideas from other cultures. Our industry, while rich in development, is short on history, whereas other cultures have a lengthy track record of innovation with diverse products, treatments, solutions, herbal remedies, etc.
How can companies demonstrate responsibility in the marketplace, with regard to ingredient innovation?
Again, we can work to develop greener ways to produce finished and raw material ingredients and products. We can examine ingredients in packaging and packing products to minimize negative environmental impact.
What can the industry do differently in preparation for meeting the needs of tomorrow's consumers?
The industry can evolve its development and introduction process to be more interactive – something we've seen in the auto industry as executives engage with customers using social media. The upcoming generation has a need for instant gratification, and expects corporate responsibility and responsiveness. Participating in the conversation through blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets can help the industry understand preferences, concerns, complaints and highlights – from actual products to packaging to marketing.
How does innovation keep brands connected with younger and younger generations of consumers?
Innovation with many products today seems to be tied more the marketing, tying the product to celebrities or popular characters, rather than promoting its benefits. Again though, engaging through social media allows brands to understand preferences for product performance and ingredients, and respond accordingly. The company marketing sunblock needs to know if the Lycus UV Maxgard benzophenone effectively provide the stated UV protection.
What role does the need for sustainability have in ingredient development?
In terms of raw materials, it's essential to fully examine the sustainability of any natural ingredient as a source. For example, if we found an exotic plant that had great medicinal purposes, we cannot use this ingredient commercially until we have fully determined its sustainability in its natural or a simulated environment. One key area affecting how products are perceived, believe it or not, is in the packaging. Expect to see more bio-plastics, which are more environmentally friendly as opposed to carbon-based plastics. Smaller packaging, and the marketing of it, speaks volumes to consumers about what's "inside." In addition, endorsement of healthy or natural claims by regulated agencies or associations create a credible perception, allowing perception to avoid the "snake oil" factor.
How can cosmetics products merge high-tech and natural ingredients?
Natural cosmetics can easily reap the rewards of high-tech ingredients. For example, we've seen an increase in sales of Lycus' UV Maxgard benzophenones based on the incorporation of sunscreens into cosmetics and lotions that would not have contained such ingredients a decade ago. The more demanding consumer expects fewer products to do more, and they expect us to "put it together" for them, similar to the natural multi-vitamin and high-tech acne treatment.
What new or upcoming finished products feature innovative ingredients You are excited about?
With all the resent concerns about DiButyl phalates in the market in both nail lacquers and packing products we are excited about the very effective greener alternatives products such as Tributyl Citrate and Acetyltributyl Citrate offered by Jungbunzlauer through Viachem.


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A new exhibit about the 1980s is opening at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, featuring interpretations of icons like Ronald Reagan, Andy Warhol and Jesse Jackson, along with pieces that reflect on important issues from the decade: drug use, nuclear proliferation, AIDS and feminism.
"This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s," opening Saturday, includes about 140 paintings, photographs, movies and sculptures by some of the biggest artists from the era: Keith Haring, Jeff Koons, Robert Mapplethorpe and Julian Schnabel.
Exhibit chief curator Helen Molesworth, of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, said the financial crisis of 2008 reminded Americans of Black Monday in 1987, priming a look back at the earlier decade. A sequel to the movie "Wall Street" came out in 2010 and chart-topping pop star Lady Gaga channels some of the audacity of 1980s darling Madonna.
"It was time to revisit this period and think what happened then and what is its legacy for us now," Molesworth said.
The 1980s' signature bright neon colors, big hair and graphic elements are present in the exhibit, but the artwork largely focuses on the decade's social and political issues. In a play on Robert Indiana's famous "LOVE" sculpture, which was reproduced on a postage stamp, an entire wall is filled with the same style of block letter design, but instead of "LOVE," the word is "AIDS," in green, blue and red.
In another piece, a red carpet leads to a velvet-roped oil painting of Ronald Reagan set across from a 13-foot-tall black-and-white negative of a nuclear protest. A work by Cuban artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres simply displays two clocks side by side, both set to the same time.
Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, whom rocker Patti Smith wrote about in her 2010 National Book Award-winning memoir "Just Kids," is represented by three pictures of a male model. Black-and-white photographs by Tseng Kwong Chi show Keith Haring's graffiti-inspired drawings in the New York subway system. Both Mapplethorpe and Haring died of AIDS.
"It reiterates how a lot of artists in this time were making art out in the public," coordinating curator Karsten Lund said. "You're getting a show that speaks to pivot points in the decade."
The exhibit is broken up into four categories: "The End is Near," "Democracy," "Gender Trouble" and "Desire and Longing."
"It does take a very particular viewpoint to have us think about the 80s in ways that are beyond money and pop music," MCA chief curator Michael Darling said.
The exhibit includes works from The Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It runs in Chicago until June 3. It also will show at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis from June 30 to Sept. 30 and at The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston from Oct. 26 to Jan. 27 (2013).
If You Go...
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago; http://www.mcachicago.org or 312-280-2660. Open Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; $12 suggested admission ($7, students and seniors). "This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s" runs Feb. 11-June 3. The show moves to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis June 30-Sept. 30 and The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Oct. 26-Jan. 27 (2013).


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Berlin, Germany - When Benedict XVI arrives in Berlin this week, he will be greeted in his homeland by a Lutheran chancellor, a gay mayor and a divorced, remarried Roman Catholic president.
The breadth of potential social and religious conflicts represented by the German leadership reflects the state of a nation that is proud of, but also sometimes indifferent and antagonistic toward, the German-born pontiff — and the church he represents.
In a weekend address on German television ahead of his Sept. 22-25 visit Benedict told viewers he was especially excited to visit Berlin and speak in the German parliament.
"All of this is not religious tourism, even less a show," the 84-year-old pope, born Joseph Ratzinger, said an address broadcast on ARD television late Sunday. "It is about bringing God back into our field of view; God who is often missing, but so very needed."
Not all Germans are so convinced.
Protests have been organized at all the pope's planned stops during his four-day trip. Some opposition lawmakers have said they will not attend his address to parliament and gay and student groups have announced demonstrations to be held in Berlin and Erfurt.
"We are against discrimination, unequal treatment, against the banning of condoms and we want to make that clear," Joerg Steinert, director of the German Gay and Lesbian Association told Associated Press Television News. "We will be visible when the pope addresses parliament."
Berlin's openly gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit, has said that he welcomes the pontiff's visit to the capital and will meet with him personally. He has also expressed understanding for the protests planned by gay, leftist and other groups in Berlin.
"It is to be expected that in a city such as Berlin, people will be critical in their view of the Catholic Church and want to express that," said Wowereit.
Unlike Benedict's Bavarian homeland, Berlin is largely Protestant, or secular — a leftover of decades of Communist rule.
Yet even in the more staunchly Catholic southwestern city of Freiburg — the final stop on the pope's journey — a group calling itself "Freiburg Without the Pope" has been printing T-shirts depicting the city's historic cathedral sheathed in a bright pink condom.
Church organizers say the pontiff is aware of the planned protests, but is choosing instead to focus on the 260,000 people who are expected to attend Masses in Berlin's Olympic stadium and at an airfield in Freiburg, as well as a historic ecumenical service to be held with German Lutherans in the home of the Reformation.
Roughly 30 percent of Germany's 82 million inhabitants are Catholic — an equal number are Lutheran — but the Church has been losing members in recent years.
The Vatican's views on contraception, the role of women, homosexuality and its handling of the sexual abuse scandal that rocked Germany last year are seen by many here as outdated and out-of-touch.
"We are in an ongoing crisis, a shift in society, but also in the church," said Christian Meisner, a spokesman for We Are Church, a movement that calls for reforms in the Roman Catholic Church and has planned protests at all three of the pope's stops. The group was launched in Germany and Austria, but has spread to other nations.
Even an issue such as the refusal to allow remarried divorcees, such as German President Christian Wulff, to accept communion sparks heated discussions over how the Church can hold up its claims of mercifulness and forgiveness.
A recent poll indicated most Germans don't think the papal visit is particularly important. Only 14 percent of 1,008 Germans surveyed by the Forsa institute between Sept. 8-9 said the visit was of personal importance to them, compared with 55 percent that said it held "no importance whatsoever."
"There is a great potential in religion, when it is able to carry a message of hope, but that is not happening right now," Meisner said.
The potentially most sensitive topic in Germany is the church's handling of last year's sex abuse scandal. Hundreds of Germans came forward with claims that they had been sexually or physically abused by Catholic priests.
The claims sparked soul-searching within the Church and prompted Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, who heads the German Bishops Conference, to call for a process of dialogue in the church here.
Asked in an interview with the news agency dapd whether the pope would meet with abuse victims, as he has done on trips to the United States and Great Britain, Zollitsch refused to comment, although local media have reported that such plans have been made.
"The pope knows the reality of this issue in our country. I cannot say whether and, if so, how he will address it," Zollitsch said.


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America continues its race to the bottom of the pile because of a government that refuses to do the things that made us the great nation we were and should be. President Obama gave a news conference today and made a statement I simply had to fact check because it seemed unbelievable.
Not one American airport was in the top 25. You can find the Skytrax ranking here. The first American airport to appear, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Intl Airport, comes in at number 30. The first major hub in the US appears at number 36, Denver.
While we continue to cut and cancel projects to upgrade our infrastructure, we are being passed by many. Singapore, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Beijing, Munich, Vancouver, Tokyo, Auckland, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Narita, Cape Town, Tambo, Lima, Melbourne, and many others are all ranked above us. These are in industrialized, 2nd world, and third world countries.
So as the little undisciplined boys and girls in Congress implement stop gap measures to relieve the inconvenience of delayed flight to both themselves and the more affluent by shifting monies that would otherwise go to improve airports, America falls behind. This shortsightedness of our politicians is fatal to our middle class. Infrastructure isn't built overnight. Bad infrastructure hurts efficiency and is partially responsible for our American companies and international companies seeking better venues.
Those that continue to preach patriotism should take heed. Their intransigence in Congress, their belief in the proven fraud that is an austerity policy and their disdain for taxing appropriately those that have sucked most of the sweet juice out of America makes them the most unpatriotic bunch. We all know who they are, Right Wing Tea Party Republicans. This is neither partisan nor conjecture. It is fact. It is fact that they killed the bill. It is fact that they killed the infrastructure bill. It is fact that they refused to close loopholes to mitigate the sequester.
Whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, a Libertarian, or an "other", it is your patriotic duty to force your representative to do what is best for your district, your state, and your country. While one can blame those who are casting votes in Washington, those voting for these obstructionist must take responsibility. We do get the government we deserve. 2014 is near. What say you?
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Brix Scale
The use of the Brix Scale in Vineyards
Viticulturalists in California use the Brix scale to measure the sugar content in grapes. Monitoring sugar content during grape maturation allows vineyard managers to efficiently manage their harvest teams.
The Brix scale gives an objective number that vineyard managers use to evaluate vineyard conditions. This measure is critical for both dry and sweet wine production. Other countries use different methods and scales to measure sugar levels.
The Brix scale measures the percentage of sugar in grapes by weight. This is measured by refractometry and is expressed in degrees Brix. At 25 degrees Brix, the grape has approximately 25 grams sugar per 100 grams liquid.
Each vineyard block has an optimum sugar level for harvest. This is dependent on a multitude of factors, but is generally between 19 and 25 degrees Brix. Sugar concentration is just one of the factors that vineyard managers must evaluate in determining proper harvest time, and contributes to the complexity of this process.
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