text:
|A tough job but someone has to hand
over the apples [From UNDOF's website]
A Ynet article today ["Fearing terror attacks, IDF boosts forces on Syrian border"] says the IDF is mainly concerned at this stage with the danger of shooting attacks from the Syrian side on the contract workers putting up a sophisticated border fence that includes sensitive new alarm systems incorporating a fiber that sounds an alarm at the slightest touch. But it's clear that the far greater concern is with how dangerous the border is likely to become when a new Syrian jihadist regime is in place, which seems inevitable.
The Ynet report says Syrian rebels released a video clip yesterday (Saturday) showing their men firing weapons close to the Israeli-Syrian border and within sight of a UN sign indicating the area's demilitarized status. Another scene captures verbal threats from one of the rebels:
"We are now in front of the occupied Golan, the blessed land sold by Hafez Assad... For 40 years, not a single gunshot has been fired on this land. For 40 years, not a single gunshot has been fired towards Israel..." [Ynet]
The UN has had a contingent of 'peacekeepers' in the area since 1971. But the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) that was established by Security Council resolution has seen prouder days. 21 soldiers from the Filipino contingent of UNDOF peacekeepers were kidnapped by Syrian rebels earlier this week and were handed over toJordan's Foreign Minister yesterday.
Ensuring that such embarrassments are less likely to happen in the future, UN management in New York has changed the ground rules, as Times of Israel reports:
UN peacekeepers on Syrian border halt night patrols: International teams fear more kidnappings, violence; Israel beefs up border security | Times of Israel | March 9, 2013 | Peacekeepers from the UN's UNDOF mission have ceased patrolling the Israel-Syria Golan Heights border area at night, for fear of being kidnapped or hurt in the violence in the area, Israeli TV reported on Friday night... The news came as the UN continued efforts to extricate 21 members of UNDOF from the Philippines who have been held captive since being kidnapped Wednesday by rebels from a group calling itself the Martyrs of the Yarmouk Brigades. Their convoy was stopped on the outskirts of Jamlah, a Golan village less than a mile from the Israeli border. Eight more UN peacekeepers fled to Israel Friday, abandoning their posts to escape the fighting between the rebel groups and forces loyal to President Bashar Assad... The IDF has urged the remaining three UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) member-nations — Austria, India and the Philippines — not to abandon the 40-year mission, after Japan and Canada withdrew their forces in recent months, and Croatia announced plans to do so, a Channel 2 report said.
The outcome?
The reduced patrols in the buffer zone, which extends for some 50 miles along the border, are already enabling al-Qaeda forces among the Syrian rebels to take greater control of the Syrian side of the Israeli border, and Israel has accelerated work to bolster security at the fence, Channel 10 reported Friday night. Israel has also deployed troops from the standing army to replace the reservists who usually guard the border, the report added. [Times of Israel]In case anyone fears an outbreak of do-nothing-ness on the part of the UNDOF men, their website assures us differently:
March 5, 2013 – UNDOF assisted again after more than one year in Apple Crossing in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross. An eight-year-tradition continued when a range of ICRC trucks transferred apples again from A-Gate to B-Side... Within the next three months 18.000 tons of apples like Golden Delicious and Starking Delicious will be transferred. With assistance of UNDOF Military Police in coordination and traffic management, all apple boxes were carefully delivered to B-Side. The ICRC and UNDOF peacekeepers were well prepared to assist in this important procedure. The first apple crossing in UNDOF's history took place in the year 2005, when 4.000 tons were transferred. It happened then after 31 years of no trading activities between Syria and Israel... [UNDOF website]


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Chapel Hill: Community
'Hold These Truths' confronts Japanese-American internment
PlayMakers Repertory Company will present the regional premiere of "Hold These Truths," written by Jeanne Sakata, April 23-27.
Inspired by a true story, "Hold These Truths" takes place in Seattle during World War II, where University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi fights U.S. government orders to forcibly incarcerate people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. As he struggles to reconcile his country's betrayal with his passionate belief in the U.S. Constitution, Hirabayashi journeys toward a greater understanding of America's triumphs — and confrontation with its failures.
Hirabayashi (1918-2012) was an American sociologist best known for his resistance to Japanese-American internment during World War II, one of only three persons to openly defy it. After being convicted for curfew violation, he was sentenced to 90 days in prison. The verdict was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in Hirabayashi v. United States (1943). In 1987, the U.S. Court of Appeals Ninth Circuit overturned his conviction. In 2012, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hirabayashi for his principled stand.
Stage and screen performer Joel de la Fuente will reprise his role as Hirabayashi plus over 30 other characters in the one-man drama, which had its New York premiere in October 2012 with Epic Theatre Ensemble. He was nominated for the 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance. The New Yorker said his performance was "gripping … eerily true to life." The Washington Post called the play "eloquent" and Fuente "magnetic."
Fuente plays Dr. Johann Pryce in the Netflix original series "Hemlock Grove" and appeared for 10 seasons on "Law & Order: SVU."
Playwright Sakata, who is also an award-winning actress, became enamored of Hirabayashi's story and interviewed him in the late 1990s. Members of her father's family were forcibly expelled from their homes and locked up behind barbed wire in the Arizona desert during World War II, but she said they refused to talk of these painful wartime years. Sakata said meeting Hirabayashi "has been a life-changing and redemptive experience."
Director Lisa Rothe directed the 2012 world premiere of "Penelope" for PlayMakers. She has also helmed productions at Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, Chautauqua Theatre Company and Tony Randall's National Actors Theatre. In addition to her work in theater, she is developing a new opera ("Ada") presented by The Center for Contemporary Opera. Rothe has taught and directed for many theater programs including NYU's Graduate Acting Program, Yale School of Drama and The Juilliard School.
Carolina Asia Center, the University of North Carolina's flagship organization for Asia-related activities, is sponsoring the opening night reception for "Hold These Truths."

subset: commoncrawl


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If no ObjectType directive has set the type and the server does not find a matching file extension in the MIME types table, the type still has no value even after type-by-expression has been executed. Usually if the server does not recognize the file extension, it is a good idea to force the type to be text/plain, so that the content of the resource is treated as plain text. There are also other situations where you might want to set the type regardless of the file extension, such as forcing all resources in the designated CGI directory to have the MIME type magnus-internal/cgi.
The function that forces the type is force-type.
For example, the following directives first instruct the server to look in the MIME types table for the MIME type, then if the type attribute has not been set (that is, the file extension was not found in the MIME types table), set the type attribute to text/plain.
ObjectType fn="type-by-extension" ObjectType fn="force-type" type="text/plain"
If the server receives a request for a file abc.date, it looks in the MIME types table, does not find a mapping for the extension .date, and consequently does not set the type attribute. As the type attribute has not already been set, the second directive is successful in forcing the type attribute to text/plain.
The following example illustrates another use of force-type. In this example, the type is forced to magnus-internal/cgi before the server gets a chance to look in the MIME types table. In this case, all requests for resources in http://server_name/cgi/ are translated into requests for resources in the directory D:/oracle/webServer7/https-server/docs/mycgi/. As a name is assigned to the request, the server processes the ObjectType directives in the object named cgi before processing the ones in the default object. This object has one ObjectType directive, which forces the type to be magnus-internal/cgi.
NameTrans fn="pfx2dir" from="/cgi" dir="D:/oracle/webserver7/https-server/docs/mycgi" name="cgi" <Object name="cgi"> ObjectType fn="force-type" type="magnus-internal/cgi" Service fn="send-cgi" </Object>
The server continues processing all ObjectType directives including those in the default object, but as the type attribute has already been set, no other directive can set it to another value.


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Marion Cunningham's crusade to preserve the nightly supper hour came of her concern that without it children would never learn table manners or the give and take of dinner conversation. Not only that, she worried that such traditional American dishes as roast chicken, iceberg lettuce salad and strawberry shortcake would become endangered species.
Her devotion to standard American fare made her a venerated figure in the food world whose revised edition of "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook," a basic text for home cooks since 1896, brought her philosophy back into the mainstream.
Published in 1979 and revised in 1990, "Fannie Farmer" regained its place as a classic, selling close to 1 million copies, and brought the shy, silver-haired Cunningham wide admiration as a cookbook writer, syndicated columnist and teacher with her own television show.
"Marion Cunningham epitomized good American food," Judith Jones, her longtime editor at Knopf, said in a statement Wednesday. "She was someone who had an ability to take a dish, savor it in her mouth and give it new life. At a time when Americans were embracing all kinds of foreign cuisine, Marion Cunningham's love and respect for American food helped 'The Fannie Farmer Cookbook' once again earn a place in kitchens across America."
Cunningham, who had Alzheimer's disease, died Wednesday at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif., said Clark Wolf, a food consultant and longtime friend. She was 90.
She got her start late in life as a protege of James Beard, the chef and writer revered for championing the American culinary tradition.
"If Beard was the father of American cooking, Cunningham became its mother," former Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl wrote in The Times in 1992, when she was the newspaper's food editor.
In spite of her attachment to familiar foods and simple recipes, Cunningham won the affection of dozens of younger, celebrity chefs whose more exotic tastes leaned toward smoked pheasant and lambs ear lettuce. They considered her a mentor.
"Marion was a traditionalist, but an enlightened traditionalist," said Alice Waters, founder of the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. "She could appreciate every conceivable food, the way she could connect with every conceivable person."
Waters first met Cunningham in 1974, when she brought Beard to dinner at Chez Panisse. Soon afterward, Waters and Cunningham took a Chinese cooking class in San Francisco and later traveled to France and China on food tasting expeditions. When Chez Panisse was getting off the ground, Cunningham pitched in, looking for new talent when a difficult chef stormed out of the kitchen.
Cunningham's own professional life was comparatively calm. Working in the compact kitchen of her ranch house in Walnut Creek, with a vintage electric stove and a refrigerator from Sears, she tested thousands of recipes for her cookbooks and columns, taught introductory classes to adults and prepared simple meals for visitors, many of them food editors and restaurant chefs.
Her fanciest cooking equipment included a large blender, a heavy-duty electric mixer and two waffle irons. She kept the cherry pitters, the newfangled measuring spoons and other gadgets in the garage, because what mattered to her was "not what I cook with but how cooking and food puts me in community with others."
Born Marion Enwright on Feb. 7, 1922, she grew up in Glendale. In 1942 she married Robert Cunningham, whom she had known since kindergarten. He was a lawyer with a taste for canned pork and beans and well-done red meat. She once summed up his culinary range this way: "He doesn't like homemade bread and he doesn't like vegetables. The only green thing he says he likes is money."
During the first years of marriage the Cunninghams lived in a small house near the ocean in Laguna Beach. He served in the Marines; she pumped gas to earn extra money and later managed a service station.
"I always used to think I would own my own station," she said in a 1991 interview with the New York Times. "I know more than most women about cars."
Their modest income as newlyweds encouraged Cunningham's family-style approach to menus. "During the five years we lived in Laguna," she wrote in an article about home entertaining for The Times in 1990, "every friend we knew from our school days arrived to visit (and often to stay). In order to feed this steady stream, I made casseroles, stews, soups and big hearty salads with thick creamy dressings. All good to eat and cheap to make."
Convenience and frozen foods had already begun to appear on store shelves in the 1940s, "but they weren't a convenience to me," she wrote. "I couldn't afford them."
After the war, the Cunninghams built a house in the San Francisco Bay area suburb of Walnut Creek, where they raised their two children and lived together until Robert died in 1988 after years of failing health. Her survivors include two children, Mark and Catherine.
The clear, blue eyes and inviting manner that defined Marion Cunningham's public image in later years hardly suggested the difficulties she faced as a young wife and mother. Through her 30s, she struggled with alcoholism and phobias that made it impossible for her to ride in elevators, airplanes and nearly every other form of transportation.
"I couldn't even have children until I found a hospital with a maternity ward on the ground floor," she once said.
Friends said it was a testament to her strong will that Cunningham stopped drinking completely and got over her fears to the point where she traveled the world to quench her curiosity about regional foods.
Her indomitable will showed itself in small ways too. When Cunningham and Waters traveled in Paris, Waters saw it flare up in a Paris restaurant.
"Marion insisted on ordering a cup of coffee before dinner," Waters said. "I whispered, 'Marion, do as the French, it's coffee after dinner.' But she would not hear of it." She also insisted on speaking English. Not a single attempt at "merci" crossed her lips. "I'd say to her, 'Marion, it's just to be polite.' But for her, it was, 'thank you.' "
Even close friends rarely talked with Cunningham about her personal battles. "For her fears, Marion got professional help," Waters said. "But with her alcoholism, it was more a matter of her deciding she'd had enough. She wasn't willing to live that way anymore."
In 1972, at the age of 45, Cunningham went to Seaside, Ore., to take a cooking class with Beard. For the rest of her life she considered it a moral victory: She had overcome her fear of travel.
"It was my first trip outside California and it was a big deal," Cunningham later recalled. Love of food got her off the ground. "James Beard was my favorite cookbook author," she said.
The two westerners, both advocates of American cookery, struck up a friendship. Several years later Beard asked Cunningham to be his assistant. She worked with him on his cookbooks and traveled the country with him.
Not long after they met, he recommended her to Jones, who was his editor at Knopf. She was looking for someone to revise "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook," an outdated classic that combined how-to tips with nearly 2,000 recipes.
"Unbeknownst to me," Cunningham later said of that conversation.
"I didn't really want the job," she admitted after her revised edition was published in 1979. "But I knew James was trying to help me. I prayed I wouldn't get the job." It took her five years to test all the recipes. Along the way, she added suggestions for how to use a microwave oven and a food processor — tools unknown when Fannie Farmer, the New England cooking instructor, published "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book," nearly 100 years earlier. (The book evolved into the version that Cunningham revised.)
Throughout the project, Beard remained Cunningham's faithful supporter. "If I was being indecisive," she recalled, "James would say, 'Remember, you're Fannie Farmer.' "
Despite his encouragement, Cunningham was plagued by fear of failure. "I kept thinking, 'If I ever get through this and I'm not humiliated and it's OK, I'll be lucky,' " she said.
She did get through it, partly by swimming every day in her outdoor pool and walking her golden Labrador retriever. She went on to write six other books on baking, breakfasts, suppers and cooking with children. Her success enabled her to buy a Jaguar, which she drove every night into her 80s to dine out with friends in San Francisco.
After years teaching grown-up beginners her skills, she wrote a book for them on learning to cook. She saw the need for one because her students couldn't follow such typical recipe instructions as "blanch," "fold" and "form peaks."
Her common-sense, authoritative style and engaging manner had a memorable effect.
"She walked into a room and there was a hush," Ellen Rose, who owned the Cook's Library bookstore in Los Angeles, recalled of the author's appearance there. "People were in awe."
"There's always a demand for her books," Rose added. "She's kept pure American cooking alive. In the '80s, American food was fashionable. In the late '90s, people got into comfort foods. After Sept. 11, 2001, they started cooking at home more often. Marion Cunningham's books fit all those niches."
Nothing could have made Cunningham happier than a food trend that brought people together around the dinner table. She believed that home-cooked meals for family and friends are the crux of a civilized society and warned parents about the hidden cost of fast-food meals eaten on the run.
"Young people don't know how to participate in dinner table conversation," she told The Times in 1999. "They haven't learned the art of telling stories, recounting their day or sharing food."
By the end of her life, Cunningham's honorary awards formed peaks of praise around her. In spring 2003, she received a particularly meaningful prize, the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2004 she published her last book, "Lost Recipes," a collection of unfussy, trustworthy dishes, such as Bess Truman's Ozark pudding. She hoped the recipes would convince a new generation that "bringing ready-cooked meals home is not the same as cooking something in your own kitchen ... where you fill the house with good cooking smells, and where you all share in a single dish, taking a helping and passing the platter on to your neighbor. Nothing," she wrote, "can replace that."
Rourke is a former Times staff writer.


text:
Surat al-Kahf, 61-70
But when they reached their meeting-place, they forgot their fish, which quickly burrowed its way into the sea. (Surat al-Kahf, 61)
We understand from this verse that Musa (as) and his young servant had planned to eat fish. However, Allah made both of them forget itand allowed it, at this moment of opportunity, to escape into the water.
Now, someone cannot forget or remember something at will. Here, Allah made them forget the fish, for this forgetfulness was written in their destinies. This being the case, irrespective of how hard they try to remember, they cannot do so unless Allah wills it.
There are many reasons behind this forgetting. For example, Musa (as) has been told to come to this particular place to meet an important and blessed person, about whom more is revealed later on. To reach their destined meeting place, Musa (as) and his young servant travel for a long time. However, they need more detailed information about the exact location, because the area described as "where the two seas meet" is quite large. Without this detailed knowledge, they might have trouble finding this person. This is where one of the reasons for the fish's escape becomes apparent: It is a sign, because the fish pinpoints the exact location for this meeting.
In a wider sense, this verse points out the importance of pinpointing the exact location for any meeting. The meeting point in this case of Musa (as) is a memorable one, defined by an important sign. Generally speaking, a meeting's exact location should be determined and make known in order to prevent difficulties and loss of time, and to make it easier for the people to meet.
When they had passed on, he said to his young servant: "Bring us our morning meal. Truly this journey of ours has made us tired." (Surat al-Kahf, 62)
This verse reveals that after Musa (as) and his young servant have passed the meeting point, they become tired and hungry. When they want to prepare the meal, they remember the fish and realize that they have left it behind. Allah makes them forget the fish and then, at the appropriate time, remember it, thereby pointing the meeting place out to them.
It is important that Allah chose the fish, for Musa (as) and his assistant would definitely remember it when, following their long journey, they would become tired and hungry and so look for it. As eating when hungry is a necessity for all human beings, it seems that Allah chose the fish to lead them to the meeting point.
He [Musa's young servant] said: "Do you see what has happened? When we went to find shelter at the rock, I forgot the fish. No one made me forget to remember it except Satan. It found its way into the sea in an amazing way." He [Musa] said: "That is the very thing for which we were looking!" So, following their footsteps, they retraced their route. (Surat al-Kahf, 63-64)
When Musa (as) and his young servant realize that they have left the fish behind, they also remember where they forgot it: a rocky area. This rocky place where the two seas meet is the place where Musa (as) is to meet the blessed person. Thanks to the fish, Musa (as) pinpoints the exact place for this meeting at which, it is supposed, he was to meet Khidhr (as). The fish, having fulfilled its purpose, disappears into the sea. Also in the verse, Musa's servant states that Satan had made him forget about the fish. Satan's ability to make people forget is also mentioned in other verses, as follows:
When you see people engrossed in mocking Our Signs, turn from them until they start to talk of other things. And if Satan should ever cause you to forget, once you remember, do not stay sitting with the wrongdoers. (Surat al-An`am, 68)
He [Yusuf] said to the one of them he knew was saved: "Please mention me when you are with your Lord," but Satan made him forget to remind his Lord, and so he stayed in prison for several years. (Surah Yusuf, 42)
… All might belongs to Allah. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Yes, indeed! Everyone in the heavens and everyone on Earth belongs to Allah… (Surah Yunus, 65-66)
It must be remembered here that Satan, by himself, has no power. Allah, the sole owner of all power and strength, gave Satan the power to cause people to forget. No being can do anything by his or her own willpower. Allah governs all, as the verse "… There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock…" (Surah Hud, 56) states, the actions of all living beings, including Satan. Therefore, in reality Allah, not Satan, made Musa (as) and his young servant forget the fish, for it was in their interest to do so and their destiny, determined by Allah, called for it.
In Surat al-Kahf 64, we understand that Musa (as) and his young servant realize that the place where they left the fish was the meeting place, and so "they retraced their route" to that very spot.
They found a servant of Ours whom We had granted mercy from Us and whom We had also given knowledge direct from Us. (Surat al-Kahf, 65)
As was mentioned earlier, Allah is most compassionate, graceful, and merciful toward His servants. Musa (as) sets out to meet Khidr (as), someone to whom Allah has given mercy. Therefore, Allah's attributes of grace and mercy are reflected on him, which has caused him to receive a superior knowledge from Allah and to become one of His distinguished servants. In the coming parts of the narrative, we will see many examples of his superior sense of mercy.
Here, we are reminded of the concept of compassion in the Qur'an. As Allah states in "… then to be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness and compassion. Those are the Companions of the Right." (Surat al-Balad, 17-18), being compassionate is one of the main characteristics of a believer.
Believers who devote their lives to win Allah's good pleasure do their best to abide by His rules. Their sense of compassion is derived from their genuine faith, for they know that nothing happens unless Allah wills it and that they are dependent upon what He may grant them. This awareness makes them modest. People who are not modest cannot be truly compassionate because they are self-centered and thus value their interests and desires above all else. For this reason, they do not consider other people's needs and therefore, quite naturally, cannot feel compassion and mercy for them. Modest people, on the other hand, who have completely submitted to Allah will feel a deep sense of compassion for all other innocent creatures.
One reason why the believers are so determined to be compassionate is their desire to win Allah's good pleasure. As the verses say, Allah is the most Compassionate of the compassionate, and so the believers strive to live by compassion as much as possible: "Were it not for Allah's favor to you and His mercy [you would have suffered many difficult situations] for Allah is All-Gentle, Most Merciful" (Surat an-Nur, 20). Totally dependent upon Allah's grace and compassion, and earnestly seeking His mercy, they are as compassionate as they can be to other believers.
As with everything else, their compassion comes from the Qur'an's guidance. And because of this, they are compassionate only where Allah commands it and with those people whom He has destined to receive that compassion.
Sometimes the love and compassion felt for a fellow believer makes intervention and criticism inevitable, even though this may be hard or difficult to do. However, such actions can become necessary when wrong actions are committed, for the Qur'an commands Muslims to forbid the wrong. This is real compassion, too, for every Muslim can confront fellow Muslims in an attempt to prevent them from engaging in forbidden activities, but they cannot confront the reality of their brothers and sisters going to Hell. This is why Muslims encourage fellow Muslims to abide by the values pleasing to Allah and thus help them to win Paradise. If they did not consider their fellow Muslims' destiny in the Hereafter, and thereby simply observe what wrong acts other Muslims might do, how could they claim to have true compassion?
In: "A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you; he is gentle and merciful to the believers" (Surat at-Tawba, 128), Allah describes our Prophet's (saas) sense of compassion. And, those who take guidance from this example of morality will be sensitive to one another's destiny in the Hereafter and behave as commanded by Allah.
Musa said to him: "May I follow you, on the condition that you teach me some of the right guidance that you have been taught?" (Surat al-Kahf, 66)
From this verse, we can deduce that Musa (as) has already received detailed information, through revelation, about whom he was to meet. He makes a real effort to go to the meeting point despite its distance from his current location, because, even if he encounters hardship while making his way there, he is certain that he will derive a great benefit from meeting with this very special person.
Then, as soon as they meet, Musa (as) recognizes him, as well as his superior character and knowledge, and asks to join him. This shows that he probably already knew that this special person had been taught much superior knowledge (Allah knows best). It is also probable that he received a revelation that this person was on the righteous path and was a guide for it, and that he should join him and learn from him for those very reasons (Allah knows best).
He said: "You will not be able to bear with me." (Surat al-Kahf, 67)
As we understand from the verses, Khidhr (as) also has detailed information about Musa (as). Moreover, it is possible to deduce that Khidhr (as) knows things about the future because Allah has informed him of them. Upon hearing Musa's (as) request, Khidhr (as) responds straight away that Musa (as) is not patient enough to travel with him. Why would he say such a thing, before anything happened, before even seeing how Musa (as) would behave? The reason for this is that Khidhr (as) knows part of the future (Allah knows best).
Such knowledge indicates that everything happens according to Allah's will, because only He gives such knowledge to his chosen few, and only as much of it as He wills. Thus, Khidhr (as) could only reveal such knowledge of the Unseen by Allah's will.
Everything that will happen to Musa (as) is, as stated earlier, already concluded, and every moment thereof is known in Allah's presence, for He has written it in destiny. This is evidence that people will experience only the destiny that Allah has written for them. Another verse also emphasizes that believers must submit to Allah and their destiny, and trust Him, as follows:
Say: "I possess no power to harm or help myself, except as Allah wills. Every nation has an appointed time. When their appointed time comes, they cannot delay it a single hour or bring it forward." (Surah Yunus, 49)
"How indeed could you bear with patience something you have not encompassed in your knowledge?" (Surat al-Kahf, 68)
Many troubling, pleasing, and joyful things can happen to people in the course of a day. However, because most people do not think of Allah and the fact that He has already written everything in destiny, they try to explain whatever happens to them as "luck" and "coincidence." However, this prevents them from seeing things in the light of goodness and from drawing beneficial conclusions. For this reason, they become troubled, sad, and unhappy. This is a major difference between the believers and the unbelievers, because the believers are aware that everything is created by Allah's will and for their ultimate good.
Those who have a deep understanding of this reality succeed in being content and seeing the hidden beauty and ultimate good behind everything, irrespective of their position in this world. Allah has created everything that we will ever experience, regardless of whether we consider them good or bad, with a subtle plan and with His endless wisdom and intelligence. He controls all of life, for He is the sole Governor all all that exists. Allah creates everything in a perfect and matchless form, with wisdom and beauty. Therefore, humanity must recognize and appreciate this perfection and try to see the wisdom and goodness in everything knowing that Allah's infinite knowledge creates only the most faultless results. Those who believe in Allah, measure everything with an eye for goodness, and interpret things in this way will always find goodness and beauty both in this world and the next.
Believers know that whatever happens to them, even if it appears to be reallybad at the time, is created by Allah to try them. As people who submit to Him, they always display good character. On the other hand, those who do not comprehend destiny's reality are hopeless and suffer at every turn.
Allah's intellect is unlimited; humanity's is limited. Given this reality, people can deal only with the visible side of things and interpret them according to their own understanding. Therefore, they might interpret something that, in reality, is full of goodness and beauty as negative and unfortunate, and vice versa. In such situations, believers need to submit to Allah's infinite knowledge and wisdom and look at things from the perspective of goodness in order to see the truth, because everything that appears to be negative is, for the believers, "a lesson in destiny." Allah says in one verse:
… it may be that you hate something when it is good for you, and it may be that you love something when it is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not know. (Surat al-Baqara, 216)
Musa said: "You will find me patient, if Allah wills, and I will not disobey you in any matter." (Surat al-Kahf, 69)
As we can see in the verse, Musa (as) responds immediately in a Muslim way by saying "In sha' Allah" (if Allah wills). This expression shows the believers' submission to Allah, that they understand how destiny works and are aware that only Allah can grant them success. As we mentioned in the explanation of Surat al-Kahf 23-24 above, it is Allah's command not to say "I will do this tomorrow," but to say "if Allah wills."
Through this answer, Musa (as) draws our attention to the importance of saying "In sha' Allah" before beginning something, reaching a decision, and planning something for tomorrow, because, ultimately, only Allah bestows success and the necessary capabilities to achieve it. It is essential for Muslims to remember this great truth: Only Allah knows and governs everything that occurs in the universe.
He said: "Then if you follow me, do not question me about anything until I myself make mention of it to you." (Surat al-Kahf, 70)
The narrative of Musa (as) and Khidhr (as) re-emphasizes the importance of obeying the Prophets and Messengers. Believers must pay attention by showing strict respect in their allegiance. In connection with this, people must see the wisdom and goodness in the actions of the Messenger to whom they have given their allegiance. They must expect goodness in everything that the Messenger does and, if they cannot see the inherent wisdom, must wait patiently and respectfully for its explanation. Believers must not upset the Messenger by asking unnecessary questions or indulging their curiosity.
If the underlying wisdom of the words or actions is not immediately apparent, Muslims must wait respectfully for Allah's Messenger or chosen one to explain it. Those who adopt this perspective will realize immediately that the word or action was appropriate and recognize their mistaken initial response. The verses say that if the person to whom allegiance is given feels the need to explain the wisdom behind the action, decisions, and words, he will do so. For instance, Khidhr (as) says: "… until I myself make mention of it to you" thus indicating that he will explain the underlying wisdom at the appropriate time


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When someone you've sent upgrades to a paid Listery account, you'll receive a 20% recurring commission while their account remains active.
For you, there's no selling or support because we take care of it. All you need to do is send us prospects using the links we supply.
Include your affiliate link in marketing emails, put it on your website or blog or promote is by social media. The choice is yours.
GloboMailer's system is designed for individuals and large companies, whether you want to send your regular monthly newsletter to your small list of subscribers or your daily offers to your list of 30 million, we can support all your needs. We are able to offer dedicated servers or shared servers depending on your requirements. Our cloud hosting architecture allows us to scale our resources for consistency, reliability and redundancy, therefore meeting all our customers` requirements.
Affiliates earn a monthly recurring commission of 20% on sales.
Own your own autoresponder script. Easy sell for webmasters. An autoresponder that installs on their websites without any monthly fees. Fully customizable and the script is not encoded. Use on unlimited websites.
Affiliates earn 50% commission on sales. 365 day cookie. Instant PayPal commissions available.
The GraphicMail application, developed by Quattro, now has over 6000 customers, with support offices in 17 countries – making it a global leader in its market. Organizations as diverse as Europcar, Cox Communications, Harvard University and Oxfam use us to maintain relationships with their distributors, customers, students and members.
Become a partner by joining our email marketing affiliate program. Earn R350 per new customer referred, who signs up for a GraphicMail account.
We'll track the sign-ups you referred and credit your account. You can log into your account at any time to monitor the sign-ups and the credits on your account which you've generated.
MailMachinePro is dedicated to assisting small businesses connect with their customers and clients through cutting edge email marketing technology. Our software makes it easy to manage mailing lists and create, send and track email newsletters and autoresponders.
The two-tier affiliate program pays 20% on the first tier plus 25% on second tier commissions.
The Direct2Desktop is an RSS and email publishing alternative. Delivering messages to customers' desktops is a major function of this software.
Affiliates earn 30% on each sale. Commission is paid once a month via PayPal.
Using our innovative and proven duplication system Easy Contact Pro will expand your business at a rapid pace. Our duplication system takes care of your prospecting, marketing and lead generation. Our innovative system will move your leads through the identification, sorting, education, exposure and the sign-up process. Easy Contact Pro duplication system eliminates the guess work and provides you and your distributors with all the tools, features and resources you need to build a consistent residual income.
The two-tier affiliate program pays 20% on the first tier plus 10% on second tier sales.
PLR Newsletters provides high quality, customizable Private Label content in hot niches, ready to plug in to any autoresponder with a few clicks of your mouse. Easily build multiple responsible opt-in lists that will make you money month after month.
Affiliates earn recurring commission of 55% on subscription sales for the lifetime of the membership. As we keep the quality of everything so high, the retention rate of our members is also extremely high, meaning that a sale you make today could easily still be earning you commission in one or two years time. All sales will be tracked and managed by ClickBank and you will be paid bi-monthly. Clickbank also give you access to commission reports 24/7 so you can monitor your progress.
SeoAftermath Member Autoresponder hosting delivers instant information to prospects just like the thousands of other autoresponder companies on the Internet but our autoresponder will also follow up with your prospects automatically at predetermined intervals. Our Members also have many free items they may download, Rebrand articles, scripts for their website, tools to help grow their business online or start one from scratch and 100s of pre-made basic webpage templates, Members can completely automate their marketing system that will make money around the clock.
Affiliates earn monthly recurring commission of 40% commission on sales for the lifetime of the membership. You can have unlimited contacts in your list, and with our pre made sign-up templates that you can edit to fit your needs, no website needed. All updates and new services provided by SeoAftermath are free to all members.
Note: You must be a member of SEO Aftermath to take part in this affiliate program
iContact is the leading email and social media marketing provider for small to mid-size businesses with over 70,000 clients and 700,000 users. With iContact anyone can easily create, send, and track email newsletters, auto-responders, surveys, social media and RSS feeds..
Affiliates earn $5 per Free Trial referred and $125 when a Trial upgrades to a paid account.
TurboRespond.com is the leading and top professional autoresponder and email marketing service available on the Internet today.
Every successful Internet Marketer relies on autoresponders to market their products and services to their lists and we offer lucrative and recurring commissions on all your referred new members. Free trial available. Our program is free to join, is two-tier and pays 20% on first tier sales and 15% recurring commissions plus 10% on the second tier.
There is a huge demand in the market right now for an affordable email marketing tool. Ecourse Wizard provides a quality solution while being cost effective.
Affiliates earn 50% commission on sales. This is a two-tier program paying 10% on the second tier.
BestAFS offers unlimited autoresponders. They have both free and paid versions. Paid version includes up to 51 follow up messages, personalized messages, html or text messages, control center available 24/7, ad tracking system, reminder service, acts as a list server and much more. The affiliate program allows you to earn 50% residual commission each month autoresponder is in service. Sales, tracking done through ClickBank. Submitted by Rich Gordon, BestAFS..
Ansa-Me.com is a fully featured autoresponder and scheduled newsletter service, options include: Unlimited Autoresponders, Timed responder series, Scheduled broadcasts, Split mailing, Email tracking, Form generation, Full html image hosting, Huge testimonials list, Floating popups, and the list goes on and on. Affiliates earn residual commisssion of 50% on all subscriptions for the duration of the subscription up to 5 years. Monthy payments via PayPal. Submitted by Terry Benge, Ansa-Me.com..
MaxSponder is a full featured multi follow up autoresponder program that you can use on your domain for your own marketing efforts or to sell/give away autoresponder accounts. The affiliate program is two-tier offering a 20% commission on all direct sales and a 10% commission of all subaffiliate sales. Submitted by Steven Chabotte, MaxSponder..
AWeber Advanced Autoresponders deliver instant information to prospects just like the thousands of other autoresponder companies on the Internet but their autoresponder will also follow up with your prospects automatically at predetermined intervals. How's that for a completely automated marketing system that makes you money around the clock?
Affiliates earn recurring commission of 30% on sales.
If you're looking for an autoresponder with all the bells and whistles that the 'big names' offer, as well as a lot more for a fraction of the price, then look no further. Up to 52-sequence messages, mailing list, auto unsubscribe, send unlimited amount of messages, personalize, HTML or Text, create subscription forms in seconds and loads more. Two-tier affiliate progam pays 30% on the first tier and 15% on second tier sales. Submitted by Paul Bulford..
QuickTell has taken the pre-programed follow-up method to new heights and created a new leader in this field. For $20 per month, you can have unlimited autoresponders with up to 20 follow-up messages per autoresponder. Also included, a daily log so you can track your traffic. Their two-tier commission pays 25% ($5) first level and 25% ($5) second level. Just get 4 to sign up and your account is paid. Click here for more information. Recommended by Lonnie Greenawalt.
(You have to sign up to become an affiliate)..
Big Marketing Autoresponders offer eMarketing for the new millennium. We have the most features for the best price. Two-tier affiliate program pays 35% residual commission on direct sales and 15% on sub-affiliate sales. Submitted by Susan Lassiter-Lyons, Big Marketing Autoresponders..
We believe ours is the easiest, most effective email and database management system on the Web. Perfect for any small business and network marketer online. Two-tier residual income. Approximately 6% and 3%. We give you tons of online marketing strategies, your own realtime tracking center, successful ad copy and headlines, animated banners, logos and training. Submitted by Mark Wittkowski, Postmaster Online..
With Easy Responder Professional anyone can start his or her own free or paid auto responder service. Two-tier affiliate program pays $50 on first tier sales and $5 on the second tier. Submitted by Dolores Pepper..
MyAutoresponderPro is a professional, full-featured autoresponder system that will help you to automate your daily email operations, and put your website on autopilot. No monthly fees and can be used on an unlimited number of domains. Affiliates earn 60% commission on sales. Submitted by Jakob Holmberg..
1MerchantCart is a complete merchant solution with shopping cart, affiliate system, email management, product management, autoresponders, ad trackers and much more. All in one box. 1MerchantCart eCommerce Suite has combined all of the most powerful tools for an online business into one amazing business package that anyone can use to automate their business on any website. Affiliates earn 50% commission per $197 sale. Submitted by Thomas Breher, 1MerchantCart..
The Autoresponder system of the next generation. Follows up with your prospects automatically up to 10 times. 30% and 10% two-tiercommissions. Get paid as long as your referral uses our service. Dana Goldberg..
Follow up email autoresponder installed by the customer on their own site. No monthly fees, no advertising messages. Simple to install on almost any Unix host. Instant download after payment. Affiliates earn 75% commission on sales via ClickBank. Submitted by Trevor Dumbleton..
Get Response! offers probably the most powerful autoresponders on this planet – Smart Responders(tm). They send personalized marketing messages and follow up at pre-set intervals. Free trial available. Make 25%-30% commission from all sales and 10% from sales made by your sub-associates! Don't forget – that's a repeat business. You will be getting money for each customer you refer every month as long as we bill him. Two-tier. Recommended by Szymon Grabowski..
eCust.co.uk offers a simple to use, cost effective email autoresponder system. Two-tier affiliate program pays 40% on the first tier and 14% on second tier sales. Monthly payments via PayPal. Submitted by Robert Holmes, eCust.co.uk..
SmartAutoresponder.com offers unlimited ten message personalized automatic follow-up auto responders. The affiliate program is two-tier and pays 30% residual commission for the lifetime of the customer. On the second tier affiliates are paid 10% on everything their sub affiliates earn. Submitted by Donald Saunders, SmartAutoResponders.com..
Now you can send unlimited follow up emails with file attachments automatically from your website. Make as many sequential letters as you need and send them at the interval you specify. Unlimited autoresponders, unlimited follow ups, unlimited users. One-click "remove-me" link. Easy to set-up and configure in 10 minutes. EZ -Response works without cron jobs. Affiliates earn 30% commission on sales, plus for every 100 unique visitors referred affiliates receive $5 in bonus dollars toward the purchase of EZ-Response Follow Up Autoresponder. Submitted by Sonny Tuttle, EZ-Response..
TrafficSlam All Pro package provides the tools and training to automate your traffic generation, tracking, management, capture, and follow up tasks. Two-tier affiliate program pays $17 on the first tier and $5 on second tier sales. Commission payments via PayPal. Submitted by Rod Wasinger, TrafficSlam…


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From LinuxMIPS
The BRIDGE ASIC is used as the PCI hostbridge in the SGI IP27 family of machines, and also on SGI IP30. It interfaces between the internal Crosstalk connect one the one side and the 64-bit, 33MHz PCI bus on the other side. It supports 32-bit PCI cards by providing an address translation mechanism allowing 32-bit PCI cards to access the entire 64-bit address space of the system. BRIDGE also allows to specify a few attributes in 64-bit DMA addresses rsp. the address translation tables allowing to maximize performance.
Linux support
Linux support BRIDGE but is currently limited to 64-bit cards only on IP27. There is no such limitation on IP30.


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I always admired the one she made for her baby girl so for her to remember that and take the time to order me a pattern and the yarn was so thoughtful. I love the colorway she picked too. If by chance I do have a girl, this adorable red dress would be great for Christmas and Valentine's day. Thank you SO much Meylnda!!!
It's obvious I'm not having a hard time finding cute baby girl knits to work on. I do need to get some baby boy outfits done too. Do you have any favorite baby boy knits? Leave me a comment, I would love to hear yours suggestions!
P.S. My Maude Honeycomb Blanket is blocking as we speak!
P.P.S. If you follow Meylnda's blog - don't worry, she alive and doing well and will be back to posting very soon :)


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Never been a huge fan of 'romantic dramedies' (thanks, Mr Judd Apatow) but Crazy, Stupid, Love is somewhat of an exception. While it's far too long and suffers from some of the tonal unevenness often seen in such films, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this clever meshing of different stories about the beauty, excitement, angst and heartbreak of love and life.
Crazy, Stupid, Love is driven by several damaged but very likeable characters. There's Cal (Steve Carrell), a middle-aged man who discovers his wife (Julianne Moore) has been cheating on him with a colleague (Kevin Bacon). There's Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a wealthy playboy and expert in the art of seduction who takes Cal under his wing until he meets Hannah (Emma Stone), a young lawyer stuck with a loser boyfriend. And there's Cal's 13-year-old son Robbie (Jonah Bobo), who is obsessively in love with his babysitter Jessica, (Analeigh Tipton — who apparently was a high ranking contestant on America's Next Top Model?!), who has a secret crush of her own.
It's a ridiculously amazing ensemble cast that also features the always-brilliant Marisa Tomei (who almost steals the show) and everybody's favourite husband from Fargo, John Carroll Lynch. The performances really elevate the overall quality of the film, and I was personally surprised by Carrell's drama acting chops as well as Gosling's comedic acting chops. For me, the standouts were Tomei, Gosling, Bobo and Tipton, but there were no weak links.
What impressed me most about Crazy, Stupid, Love was that the comedy side of it was genuinely funny (perhaps not gut bustingly so but amusing enough) and the drama side of it was actually romantic and emotionally effective too. There aren't many romantic dramedies I can think of in recent times that tick both boxes. It also did a fabulous job of linking all the characters and stories together in a way many ensemble cast stories do but in a cleverer way. This was not one of those sugar-coated, lovey-dovey movies with a predictable ending, even though it's at times (bitter)sweet and full of heart.
I still don't like romantic dramedies but if they can all be like Crazy, Stupid, Love (except a little shorter than its 118-minute-but-felt- longer running time) then I might be more willing to give them a try.
4 stars out of 5


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PHOENIX - College football is in for some big and, some say, much-needed changes with the switch to a four-team playoff.
Before we get to that, there still are a couple more seasons under the current system; the playoffs don't begin until 2014.
And this one will be worth watching.
There's plenty of interesting story lines, from Penn State trying to rebuild in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal to Urban Meyer's return to coaching with Ohio State.
There's no shortage of great players, either.
Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley skipped the NFL for the chance at a national title, Michigan's Denard Robinson is a blur even without his shoelaces tied and Wisconsin's Montee Ball is like trying to tackle a wrecking ball.
Great teams? Could be a few of those, too. USC, LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon -- the BCS could be under a lot of strain this season with those teams all bidding for No. 1.
So to get you ready, we've got a rundown of some of the things to watch out for this season.
USC. Barkley is back. So is his top target, Robert Woods. Former Penn State running back Silas Redd was a nice addition. Postseason eligible again, the Trojans aren't aiming for just any bowl; they want a trip to Miami and national championship.
Alabama. The Crimson Tide have won two of the past three national championships. They figure to be contenders for another.
LSU. The Honey Badger is gone. All those other NFL prospects -- such as defensive end Sam Montgomery and safety Eric Reid -- should keep the Tigers from missing him.
Oklahoma. The Sooners have a record-setting QB in Landry Jones, a brick wall of an offensive line and with the return of Mike Stoops, Bob's feisty little brother, they should be good on defense, too.
Oregon. LaMichael James and Darron Thomas are gone? Big deal. The Ducks have plenty of other players who can fly in those new winged unis.
Arkansas. QB Tyler Wilson and RB Knile Davis are back, coach John L. Smith has calmed the storm after Bobby Petrino's motorcycle crash and subsequent firing. All Arkansas has to do now is get by Alabama and LSU -- its only two losses a year ago -- which isn't as farfetched as you might think. Both visit the Natural state, one early (Alabama on Sept. 15) the other late (LSU the day after Thanksgiving)
Florida State. The Seminoles' return to prominence has been rumored for years. Under coach Jimbo Fisher, it may actually happen this season.
Wisconsin. The Badgers are hungry after consecutive Rose Bowl losses and they have Ball, one of the nation's best running backs.
Michigan State. Behind RB Le'Veon Bell, the Spartans could be on the verge of breaking a Rose Bowl drought that goes back to 1988.
Texas. Mack Brown's crew appears to be headed back to the big stage behind a helmet-rattling defense.
West Virginia. The Mountaineers could make their first season in the Big 12 championship-worthy.
Barkley, USC. Projected as a high NFL draft pick, Barkley became an instant Heisman Trophy front-runner when he announced he was coming back for his senior season.
Ball, Wisconsin. The Badgers' star running back changed the pronunciation of his name from Mon-tee to Mon-tay. Whatever you call him, dude's good.
Robinson, Michigan. The Wolverines' electric quarterback has churned out more than 8,000 yards in his career, most of those the past two seasons. Imagine what he could do if he tied his shoes.
New season has many story lines
PHOENIX - College football is in for some big and, some say, much-needed changes with the switch to a four-team playoff.


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What's on in Perth today, find City of Perth Events, local community events, free and cheap events for families with kids of all ages. You'll find listed family shows, free events in Perth, local community events, fairs, farmers markets, City of Perth events, even events at your local library. You'll never be bored again and you'll be the first to know what's on in Perth!
If your event is FREE you can add it here: ADD YOUR OWN EVENT
Animal Move and Sing with Kenwick Library
November 5 @ 9:30 am - 10:30 am
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Tuesday, repeating until December 17, 2019
When: Tuesdays, 9.30am – 10.30am
Get ready for school with this imaginative movement program.
Help your child develop their language and movement skills by singing songs and moving like animals in a fun, play environment.
Animal Move and Sing is a free program for children aged 2 – 4 years with their parents or carers (siblings are also welcome).
Parents please note that children under 6 years old must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times.


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First, Steve Reed came over and put Elrod Hendricks in a bearhug. Steve Kline did the same moments later. Jay Gibbons was next and then Miguel Tejadawalked across the clubhouse to Hendricks' locker and gave the Orioles'longtime bullpen coach a firm pat on the back.
Nearly three weeks after suffering a minor stroke, which he admitted hadhim scared and feeling he "was not going to make it," Hendricks returned tothe Orioles' clubhouse and put on the jersey he has worn for 37 years.
"It was a good feeling," Hendricks said of being back with the Orioles forthe first time since April 14, when he had the stroke while the Orioles wereplaying against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"I missed it enough where I don't know what it's going to be like inretirement, but I know that I am not going to like it. I watched the gamesevery night. I was like an addict. At a quarter to 7, I'd check my watch tosee what time it was, and then at 7 o'clock, I'd turn on the TV andconcentrate on the game. I got into the game as if I was coaching."
Hendricks, 64, wore his trademark grin throughout a 12-minute talk with themedia in the dugout before yesterday's series finale with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was 20 pounds lighter, the only visible effect of the stroke,although he said "my mind is still working faster than my mouth."
After getting permission from his doctors to return to the team and totravel with the Orioles when they go on the road, Hendricks will officiallyresume his duties as bullpen coach in tomorrow's series opener with the Kansas City Royals. Yesterday, he just returned to speak to the media and get the"feel back of the clubhouse."
"The guys in the clubhouse and on staff are really glad to see him," saidOrioles manager Lee Mazzilli, who jokingly reminded Hendricks that the Orioleswon eight straight at one point while he was gone. "He'll be here a long timeafter we're all gone. He's a special person to all of us."
Steve McCatty, who has served as bullpen coach in Hendricks' absence, willreturn to Triple-A Ottawa, where he is the pitching coach.
Hendricks began his talk with reporters by reeling off several people whomhe wanted to thank. Among those were Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos, whochartered a plane to return Hendricks to Baltimore six days after he washospitalized; Orioles vice president Mike Flanagan, who was on the plane topick him up; and several current and former teammates, like Brooks and Frank Robinson, Boog Powell and Earl Weaver, who provided almost daily phone calls.
Hendricks said he was especially motivated by a phone call from formerteammate Moe Drabowsky, who has cancer.
"He's been going through a great ordeal for the last four, five years andhere I am, three, four weeks prior to this and I am trying to cheer him up,"said Hendricks. "And here he is on the phone, telling me, `Hey, you are goingto be fine.'"
However, Hendricks saved his biggest thanks for Orioles head trainer RichieBancells, who noticed symptoms of a stroke when Hendricks went to the trainingroom after the final game against the Devil Rays and quickly rushed him to alocal hospital. During the ninth inning in the bullpen, Hendricks said hecouldn't communicate that he needed help.
He also said he wanted to join the Orioles on their flight back toBaltimore, but his instincts told him to go see Bancells.
"Richie probably single-handedly saved my life," said Hendricks. "I amindebted to him. He got me [to the hospital] in the nick of time.
"I just thought when I was in the hospital, how many people have diedbecause they didn't get to the hospital on time. ... How lucky I was that Igot there in time and got the right treatment."
Pitcher on way out?
Mazzilli said he has had discussions with executive vice president JimBeattie and Flanagan about dropping from 12 to 11 pitchers, but no decisionhas been made. Reliever Rick Bauer has not pitched since April 20 and leftyJohn Parrish pitched Monday night for the first time since April 20.
"We talk about things every day, what we want to do," said Mazzilli. "Everyday, Jim, Mike and I speak about how you want to tweak a team up, whether it'sadding or subtracting players. That's just an everyday occurrence, but I don'tknow what it's going to lead to yet."
Frankly speaking
Rafael Palmeiro's second-inning single yesterday was his 2,942nd hit, tyingFrank Robinson for 28th place on baseball's all-time hit list.


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The Government's Big Society Programme [pdf]
Big Society Network [external website]
Big Society Network Blog [external website]
Big Society in the North [external website]
Big Society De-regulation Taskforce
The Charity Commission [external website]
The independent regulator for charities in England and Wales.
Department for Education - Free Schools [external website]
Free Schools are all-ability state-funded schools set up in response to parental demand. The most important element of a great education is the quality of teaching and Free Schools will enable excellent teachers to create schools and improve standards for all children, regardless of their background.
Barrier Busting - devoted to helping local people get things done for their community [external website]
Local Government Information Unit - Big Society Learning Network [external website]
Department for Communities and Local Government - Big Society [external website]
Eden Valley (Cumbria) [external website]
Windsor and Maidenhead [external website]
Sutton [external website]
Liverpool [external website]
Citizenship Foundation [external website]
The Foundation encourage and enable individuals to engage effectively in their communities and in democratic society at large.
Community Builders Fund [external website]
The Fund supports organisations at the heart of of communities with finance, training and resources
National Federation of Community Organisations [external website]
Association of Charitable Foundations [external website]
Access to Volunteering [external website] The Access to Volunteering Fund is a pilot that aims to increase the number of disabled people in volunteer positions by breaking down the barriers they currently face when wanting to volunteer.
British Youth Council [external website]
British Youth Council run training workshops, create volunteering opportunities and build inspiring campaigns which give everyone aged 25 and under a chance to make a positive contribution to society both in the UK and other countries.
Capacity Builders [external website] Capacity Builders invests in improving the quality of support and advice available to charities, voluntary and community groups and social enterprises.
Catch 22 [external website]
Catch22 is a local charity with a national reach. They work in over 150 towns and cities, with tens of thousands of young people every year – supporting young people with tough lives who are facing difficult situations. They may have had tough upbringings or are living in difficult neighbourhoods.
Charity Trustee Networks (CTN) [external website]
A free membership organisation for trustees which offers, amongst other benefits, 'trusteefinder', the largest free national recruitment portal for trustees.
Community Service Volunteers [external website]
The European Year of Volunteering [external website]
Institute of Fundraising [external website]
Professional membership body for UK fundraising. Its mission is to support fundraisers, through leadership, representation, standards-setting and education, and it champions and promotes fundraising as a career choice.
KnowHow NonProfit [external website]
Enables an online community of individuals and organisations in the voluntary sector to share knowledge and expertise, and inspire effective practice. It aims to improve the efficiency of non-profit organisations by increasing the knowledge and skills of people working in the sector-especially those new to training or who are 'hard to reach'.
i-volunteer [external website]
i-volunteer is a social action network connecting people that want to get involved in their community with others that share the same passion and interest and with charities and community groups that need help. The site includes useful networking tools plus facilities to blog, promote events and create groups to run projects and campaigns.
NAVCA [external website]
NAVCA is the national voice of local support and development organisations in England. We champion and strengthen voluntary and community action by supporting our members in their work with over 160,000 local charities and community groups.
National Council for Voluntary Organisations [external website]
National Youth Agency [external website] - We are an independent charity, and the partner of choice for local government, local authorities and third sector organisations, delivering with them, and advising and supporting them in the development of programmes and policies for young people. Increasingly, we also work in partnership with the private sector.
Timebank [external website]
TimeBank is a national volunteering charity that supports individuals and businesses to find rewarding volunteering. We also design our own projects that give volunteers the opportunity to have an impact in the community.
Volunteering England [external website]
V(inspired) [external website] v, the national young volunteers service, is an independent charity dedicated to helping young people volunteer in ways that matter to them.
Youth Action Network [external website] for all young people to have the opportunity to participate in youth action volunteering and develop their own solutions to community needs
YouthNet [external website] provide emotional support to young people through online advice and guidance, and help them give back by providing a fast, easy route to all types of volunteering.
Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy [external website]
Directgov – Giving money to charity
Tax Effective Giving [external website]
Comprehensive information about all forms of tax-efficient giving. Aimed at everyone involved in charitable giving: charities, fundraisers and donors.
Social Enterprise Ambassadors [external website]
Social enterprise is about changing the world through business. The Social Enterprise Ambassadors are leaders of some of the country's most successful social enterprises. Learn more about these exceptional people, their businesses, and how you can get involved.
Social Enterprise Coalition [external website]
The Social Enterprise Coalition represents a wide range of social enterprises, regional and national support networks and other related organisations.
Business Link - how to set up a social enterprise [external website]
Social Enterprise London [external website]
We offer a world leading programme of events, training, research and consultancy, and run the largest network of social enterprises anywhere in the UK.
UnLtd [external website]
UnLtd is a charity which supports social entrepreneurs - people with vision, drive, commitment and passion who want to change the world for the better. We do this by providing a complete package of funding and support, to help these individuals make their ideas a reality.
Giving Nation Challenge [external website]
The Giving Nation Challenge is alearning programme. It aims to boost learning about charities, social enterprises and individual giving. It does this by providing a unique new curriculum-based active learning resource and a grant to help schools get going.
Go-Givers [external website]
Go Givers is a leading national programme funded by the Cabinet Office to develop caring, concerned citizens with the confidence and skills to make a difference to their communities, both local and global.
KnowHow NonProfit [external website]
Enables an online community of individuals and organisations in the voluntary sector to share knowledge and expertise, and inspire effective practice. It aims to improve the efficiency of non-profit organisations by increasing the knowledge and skills of people working in the sector-especially those new to training or who are 'hard to reach'.
Matthew Taylor - RSA [external website]
New Economics Foundation [external website]
If you'd like to suggest a link to add to this page, email the Digital Communications Team.
To help us understand your needs and improve our website, please fill out this questionnaire. The survey should take 1-2 minutes to complete.


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Expect to see more mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the agricultural equipment industry. That's according to a recent report issued by Robert W. Baird & Co., a global investment bank.
The recent report, prepared by Baird's Investment Banking Department, states that the agricultural equipment sector "appears to be in the early stages of a multi-year growth phase across markets." As major manufacturers such as Deere, AGCO and CNH experience overseas and domestic sales growth, they and their competitors are focusing on more aggressive expansion strategies, including M&A, the report continues. Baird has been involved in two such acquisitions recently, namely the purchase of Woods Equipment Company by Blount International, and the just announced acquisition of Drives LLC by the Timken Company.
"We expect the strong M&A activity from the last 12 months to continue in this space over the next few years," said Joe Packee, director of Baird's Investment Banking group and one of the report's authors. Packee cites various reasons for the rise:
- Growing food demand, particularly in emerging markets
- Increased demand for alternative fuels and the crops that support them
- High commodity prices and farmer income
- Farm consolidation
- Product innovation
- Cyclical factors, including replacement demand
The global agricultural equipment market is estimated to represent more than $100 billion in annual sales of tractors, related attachments, spraying equipment, combines and harvesting equipment, hay and forage equipment, planting and seeding equipment, grain-handling products, and tillage equipment. Baird research projects sales increases in Brazil, Russia, Eastern Europe, China and India — markets with "vast growth potential." Domestically, a projected 50% increase in biofuel crops over the next decade will drive equipment demand for both new hardware and replacement parts, which in turn will support consolidation trends among manufacturers and suppliers.
For more information, call 1-800-792-2473 or write: Robert W. Baird, Equity Research, 24th Floor, 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202.


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Travel Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
Check the following sites if you want one stop shopping for your travel needs. Each of the sites below offer a wide variety of services, including the purchase of airline tickets, hotels and rental cars. Some also offer useful travel tips and suggestions. Check out our other resouce pages for more site and travel siggestions, from booking airline tickets to hotel rooms, and see the web guide in the right column for more specific travel and vacation suggestions and resources.
Book Your Trip
Expedia Travel
This site from Microsoft is probably the best overall travel site. Along with features that let you book a flight, reserve a room or rent a car, this site is loaded with original content describing vacations, destinations and other travel tips.
This site offers vacation packages, car rentals, hotel reservations, flights and more to meet all your travel needs.
This site offers useful content including links to Frommer's for its city guide.
This site is very well organized and easy to use, with travel news and other features appearing on the home page. Frommer's provides the destination guide information.
Another useful site. Don't be thrown off by the name, you can also use this site to tailor your vacation to your exact interests and needs, including tour packages and specialty lodgings.
General Travel SitesNew York Times - Travel
The times finally figured out that they had to open up all of their content, so we no longer have to worry about good content slipping into the subscription area. The Travel section is fantastic, with interesting stories about a wide variety of travel options all around the world.
USA Today - Travel
Great resource for travel news and vacation ideas. The site also has helpful guides to many cities in the United States and around the world.
Travel Blogs
Here are some travel blogs to give you some ideas, and you can find more on our Travel Blogs page:
The Single Dude's Guide to Life and Travel
These guys are hilarious, and this is a great blog for any guy who wants to make sure they find at least one thing during their travels - single women! They'll tell you about great spots around the world like Kiev, which we discivered on our World Tour.
Rambling Tart
Our friend Krista describes herself as "a 30-something Danish-Canadian lass who loves to write, travel and cook with people I love."
Travel Bargains
If you're looking for low prices, you should also check the following sites:
The deals on this site for hotels, airfare and car rentals are sometimes truly amazing. HotWire.com allows you to search for hotels, flights and car rentals by location and date, but certain details are not disclosed until you book the item. For example, for hotels you'll know the general location of the hotel, like Mid-Town or the East Village in New York, the amenities and the star ranking. When you do a search you'll usually have plenty of options, and you'll often find a deal that meets your needs. This site works best for hotels and car rentals. Good flights without wacky departure times or connections are harder to find.
After checking the general travel sites, it's always a good idea to try Priceline.com. If you find a great flight for $250, you can always try to bid even less, say $150, on Priceline. The other sites provide a gauge of what Priceline might accept. If they decline your bid, they sometimes give you a hint on a counter-offer you can make that would be accepted, like maybe $220 in this example. It's worked for us, so give it a try. Also, their service continues to improve. If you book a flight with them, you'll immediately receive an e-mail on a successful bid you could submit for a car rental, and our experience has been that these suggestions provide great deals.
Philly apartments
Find your next home in Philadelphia.
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If you need to know more about a transaction on your account, you can supply the details of the transaction and information you require.
We will then research this transaction and supply the necessary details to you.
Sometimes you actually need to see a copy of cheques you have written. When you request copies of vouchers (cheques & deposit slips) we will fax copies back to you.


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Major General Mohammed Hussein Ali is, without doubt, the most effective police chief Kenya has seen in a long time.
When he got the job back in 2003, the Kenya Police had practically ceased funtioning as an institution. While there is currently lots of talk about police reforms, the situation back then was extremely bad.
Police patrols had stopped. There were no vehicles as most lay grounded in government yards across the country. The few police stations with vehicles did not have money for fuel. Police housing was in a deplorable state. The police command was not working thanks to corruption, under-funding, political interference and plain incompetence.
Crime was at an all time high, as Kenyans got used to car-jackings, robberies, burglaries, cattle rustling and political violence. There seemed little that anybody could do about it, as the Police Commissioner's office became a revolving door of top cops leaving in frustration.
Critics of Ali would argue that nothing much has changed. For sure, Kenya still experiences a relatively higher crime level compared to similar countries in the region. Robberies, burglaries, cattle rustling and political violence plague the nation. Memories of the 2007 – 2008 political and ethnic clashes are fresh in the minds of many, and have provided ample ammunition for Ali's critics who describe him as a failure because of the bloodshed.
Police housing has only witnessed a marginal improvement despite billions invested in new units. It seems there was such a huge backlog of housing that it will be a long time before police officers can live in comfort.
However, the problems of crime, cattle rustling, political violence and ethnic militias are a result of structural problems in Kenyan society and should not be blamed on one man. Indeed, some of Ali's critics have been implicated in the violence that left over 1,500 people dead after the 2007 elections.
Crime is caused by a growing youthful population that cannot find enough jobs, and therefore joins criminal gangs to gain psychological and financial security. This is why groups like Mungiki and others exist. Extreme income inequalities between Kenya's elite and the majority poor have worsened the bitterness felt by disenfranchised youth.
Cattle rustling is a result of competition for pasture and water mostly in the arid and semi arid areas of Kenya. Since communities see little chance of growing their herds in the face of climate change, the obvious solution is to raid their neighbours for more livestock. Politicians have worsened cattle rustling by either inciting their constituents or defending them from arrest.
Political violence is another structural failure in Kenya that Maj Gen Ali could not solve. Politicians and their parties are quick to play the ethnic card whenever they are arrested for criminal activity. They make it seem as though their tribe is under attack.
Without comprehensive reforms in Kenya's political, economic and social dimensions, no police commissioner can salvage the situation.
Nevertheless, Maj Gen Ali did his best. Under his six year tenure, Ali re-introduced police patrols across the country. He re-equipped the police force with new patrol vehicles and trucks. He helped supply officers with modern policing equipment. He increased the recruitment of police officers as part of a long-term revitalization strategy. He improved the flow of information between the police and the public, with the best highlight being a video on the Mount Elgon operations against the Sabaot Land Defence Force.
Maj Gen Ali was a no-nonsense police chief who believed in using all available means to get the job done. For this reason, he got in trouble with the international community for ordering the abduction and execution of thousands of people in 2006 as part of the "War against Mungiki." This will remain a blot on Ali's career. (Search the Nairobi Chronicle for articles on extra judicial killings)
It is unfortunate that Ali's tenure at the helm of the police force has become victim to the Kibaki – Raila and Grand Coalition Government political intrigues. Kenyans are wondering how far politicians will go to destroy the country's vital institutions for purely selfish reasons.
For sure, the new police chief has a tough job living up to the standards of his predecessor. Mathew Iteere has an even tougher job living up to the expectations of politicians and their demagoguery.
Filed under: Analysis, News | Tagged: corruption, crime, extra judicial killings, kenya government, kenya police, Mathew Iteere, mohammed hussein ali, mwai kibaki, Philip Alston, raila odinga | 2 Comments »


text: Blackbird and Alden originally came together on a smooth leather interpretation of the Tugger Work Boot originally released at the tail end of last year. An update has been released with an "Earth Reverse" colorway featuring a reversed calf leather material. However the same plain-toe profile is maintained alongside a Goodyear welted outsole. Available now at Blackbird.


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Jerry McDonald is covering the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis this week. He just attended the news conference of new Raiders coach Dennis Allen. Here is the transcript, as provided by Jerry:
Q: Raiders talking to a lot of linebackers and and D-ends at senior bowl, wimbley has contract issues, where are you with that?
Allen: I think obviously, defensively that is going to be a priority for us. I think I was really pleased with what the Raiders were able to do last year offensively. I know from having to defend against them, they were a real challenge to defend. Defensively, if you look at the defensive rankings, not too different than what the situation I came into last year with Denver. So it's obviously a high priority for us and we've got to get better in that area.
Q: Where do things stand with Wimbley, Huff, players that may or may not have contract issues . . .
Allen: Right now, with all those guys, we're looking at all our options and what we have to do from a financial standpoint to make sure we put ourselves in the best position to get the best players out there and be on our final 53-man roster. So between Reggie and myself, we're working through all those scenarios right now.
Q: Expect more changes besides Stanford Routt?
Allen: Well, there will obviously be changes, I don't know what those changes will be yet. Those are all the scenarios that we're going through right now.
Q: Where are things with Bush, franchise tag candidate?
Allen: Again, we're going to look at all those options. I won't get into the specifics of exactly what we're going to do and exactly what our plan is going to be, but I will tell you this, but we will look at all of our existing free agents, we're going to look at all of our existing players that are under contract that have high numbers and we're going to evaluate what we need to do to give the organization a chance to be successful.
Q: Excited about going up against Broncos twice a year?
Allen: I think I'm excited about going up against everybody next year. I wouldn't single them out any differently. I obviously have a lot of respect for what they've done over there. I think John Elway, Brian Zanders, John Fox do a tremendous job and I know they'll have the team ready to play whenever we go up against them and we'll do our best to have our team ready to play going up against them.
Q: Mentioned at press conference think too much is made of 4-3, 3-4 system, have you identified a primary base defense or something working through?
Allen: Those are really all the things we're still working through. We'll see, after we go through free agency, after we go through the draft, which grouping gives us the best chance to be successful. I would expect that we'll be very multiple in that regard.
Q: What can you tell us about Jason Tarver, your choice for D-coordinator?
Allen: I think Jason Tarver is an extremely bright young coach. He was a part of the San Francisco 49ers defenses, and I thought they were extremely well coached, extremely talented, when I interviewed Jason, there was no doubt in my mind that this is a guy who had answers for everything. I'm extremely excited about working with him, and I think, with him and the defensive staff as well as myself being involved in the defense, I'm excited about our opportunities.
Q: How hands on will you be with the defense?
Allen: I'll be involved. I'll be involved in both aspects of the team. Offense, defense, special teams, all of it. But I would say, especially this first year, I'll probably spend a little bit more time with the defense.
Q: Thoughts on development of Rolando McClain?
Allen: He was a guy that was picked real high in the draft, and I still see a lot of talent in Rolando McClain. I got a chance to speak with him the other day. I think he's excited about coming in, and being involved with the new regime. We're going to give him every opportunity to prove that he's the type of player that he's capable of being. I think if he's willing to come in and work and do the things we ask him to do, he'll reach that potential.
Q: Greg Knapp's offenses featured a lot of bootlegs, zone blocking, can Carson Palmer fit with Knapp's scheme?
Allen: I think absolutely he can fit. And I also think that part of what we do as coaches is we have a system that we're going to run, but we're going to try and put our players in the best position for them to be successful. We're not going to force-feed something if it doesn't fit what a guy does really well, we're not going to force-feed that. But I do think when you look at Carson Palmer, that he does have the same type of athleticism. He's as athletic as Matt Schaub, who they had in Houston, to really be really be able to run that same package.
Q: Did you want to speak about Ed Donatell about a spot on your staff?
Allen: There are a lot of people that I considered, that I had on my list, and Ed would have been one of those guys that I had on my list, but I think once I had an opportunity to really sit down and talk to Jason, there was no question in my mind that he was the guy.
Q: When did you start getting into the draft?
Allen: Well, I spent the first couple of weeks trying to put together a coaching staff, so it was just really recently that we've really kind of gotten involved in the draft. We had the free agents that we had to evaluate as a coaching staff, and we're kind of in the introductory process of getting ready for the draft.
Q: Is it less of a priority because you have so few picks?
Allen: No, I don't think so. I told the coaching staff the other day, the most important thing that we can be doing right now is picking players, and making sure we got the right guys on our team, and so the offensive scheme, the defensive scheme, that's going to take care of itself, but we've got to make sure we've got the right guys to be a part of this football team, so there's nothing more important to us right now than making sure we get the right guys.
Q: How is McFadden's foot, any chance he wouldn't be back next year?
Allen: Not as far as I'm concerned. I think he's an extremely dynamic player. Again, from playing the Oakland Raiders twice last year, they were much more challenging to defend when Darren McFadden was in the backfield, and having that kind of two-headed monster between him and Bush, that was a real challenge. Darren is a vital part of what we're going to try and get done next year.
Q: Is his foot better?
Allen: Yes, his foot is better. He was back in town, working out last week, and we got a good evaluation on him. Darren will be ready to go whenever we get ready to kick off the season, that's for sure.
Q: McFadden chronic foot problems, anything organization has looked at, practice fields, etc.?
Allen: We're looking at everything within the organization, how we can improve in every aspect of the organization, and obviously practice fields is one of the things that we're looking at. Is there something we can do to improve that, and is their a correlation between the foot injuries and the practice fields. If we can deduce there is a correlation between the two we'll do everything we can to get them right.
Q: Matt Shaughnessy, Jacoby Ford, they're good to go?
Allen: Absolutely, they'll be ready to roll.
Q: Routt gone, any chance Huff is a corner?
Allen: Again, that question is to be determined after we find out exactly who we have on the team to find out what are options are. The one thing do I do know about Michael Huff is he's an extremely good athlete and he has skills athletically of a corner, and so that obviously would be an option for us, but again, we won't make any decisions along those lines until we know exactly what we got.
Q: How would you describe first couple of months on the job? Anything unexpected, surprises?
Allen: Fast. Fast. Well, I think one of the things that you find out as a head football coach is that it's difficult to put together a good staff, because there's a lot of guys that you might want to try to get that you can't get out of other contracts and different roadblocks and hurdles that you got to jump over, but I think we weathered that storm and the one thing that I wanted to make sure that we did, was I didn't want to rush into anything or hurry into anything, and I think having that patience allowed us to put together a good staff.
Q: Performance of offensive line last year part of the reason Steve Wisniewski was retained, for continiuity?
Allen: Yeah, I think keeping some of that continuity within the offensive line. I think there was an element there that we wanted some people that did have some knowledge of the Raiders organization and the way that things have been done in the past, and I think he's obviously, I wouldn't say he's a bright young coach, but I'd say he's a bright and up and coming coach and I was really impressed with him when I met him for the very first time.
Q: Raiders of past reputation for putting emphasis on speed. What's your feeling on where 40 time fits into player evaluation?
Allen: It only fits after we find out whether this guy on tape when we look at him, if we feel like he's a good football player. That's where 40 times come into effect. If you got two guys that when you look at the tape, these guys are about the same football playing wise, well let's take the faster guy. But we're not going to take guys just because they run real fast. Because that doesn't co-relate to being a good football player.
Q: How much of the team do you think you've actually spoken to, guys under contract?
Allen: I've probably spoken to about 75 percent of the team, and I think everybody is really excited about getting in and getting started and being a part of the offseason program and being a part of what we're going to try and do and how we're going to be a little bit different.
Q: Seymour part of long-term plan?
Allen: We've spoken with Richard, and he's excited about the opportunity, and Richard is obviously part of our plans and we feel real good about Richard.
Q: Penalties such a big issue, how clear that up?
Allen: I think the first and foremost thing is guys have to be held accountable for their actions. That's always what I believed in, and I think now with the organizational structure I feel about our ability to hold our guys accountable to do the right things, for the right reasons and doing it that way all the time. And we'll preach that message and preach that message, and we'll hold guys accountable to doing it the right way.
Q: How have you and Reggie worked together putting things together?
Allen: First and foremost, I think our relationship has been outstanding. We've discussed every situation that comes up, we've always discussed it. I've come to him with questions about coaching staff, he's come to me with questions about personnel issues, and I think that's the way you run a top quality organization, when your head coach and your general manager can see eye to eye, and can have conversations, and we might not always agree, but at the end of the day we've got to make sure we can come to the best decision for the Raiders and that's what I'm excited about working with Reggie, because he's a top quality human being and I think he's an excellent talent evaluator.
Follow me on Twitter: @corkonthenfl


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Nation's largest landfill is closing after half-century
INDUSTRY, Calif. The nation's largest landfill, where 130 million tons of garbage has been dumped, is closing Thursday after more than a half-century of service.
The 630-acre landfill is about 20 miles east of Los Angeles and served as a regional waste facility. Its gates are being shut because a permit for the site, which is nearly filled, expires on Halloween.
The landfill, which opened in 1957, has accepted more than a third of Los Angeles County's trash and stands as high as a 40-story building.
At its peak some 25 years ago, the landfill accepted the maximum of 13,200 tons per day. Items taken to the site included burned-out storefronts from riots following the Rodney King verdict and buildings destroyed by a 1987 earthquake.
Garbage from the county's 88 cities eventually will be put on trains to an abandoned gold mine more than 200 miles away. In the interim, trash will be buried in nearby counties.
Losing the site won't lead to a trash crisis because more private companies in recent years have added their own landfills.
It will take a couple of years to clean up the area that could be turned into a park that will connect to existing hiking trails. Giant vacuum tubes also will continue to remove methane gas and send it to a plant that has been converting it into energy for nearly 30 years. The gas will provide enough juice for 70,000 homes for the next two decades, officials said.


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Welcome to the Department of Rural Student Services
RSS congratulates the 2019 graduates - and reminds continuing and new students to complete the FAFSA and sign up for classes.
Founded in 1969, Rural Student Services (RSS) is an academic advising department with over 50 years of experience in working with students from all over the state of Alaska. We are here to assist you in achieving student success by linking you to current information pertinent to your education, lifestyle, and goals. RSS is known for its welcoming and friendly environment. Many students find a meaningful connection at UAF through RSS.
We can help you with:
- Academic Requirements
- Class Registration
- Finding Financial Aid
- Housing Options
- Major Declaration
- Career Exploration
Events in the Gathering Room
Contact Us At:
Rural Student Services
Main Floor Brooks Building
P.O. Box 756320
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6320
(888) 478-1452 (Toll Free Within Alaska)
(907) 474-7871 (Local)


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Petricka called up to replace Troncoso in bullpen
MINNEAPOLIS -- Right-handed reliever Ramon Troncoso was placed on the disabled list Saturday with pericarditis, a swelling of the lining of the heart.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Troncoso came to the field Friday with some chest pain and was sent to the hospital.View Full Game Coverage
MINNEAPOLIS -- Right-handed reliever Ramon Troncoso was placed on the disabled list Saturday with pericarditis, a swelling of the lining of the heart.
White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Troncoso came to the field Friday with some chest pain and was sent to the hospital.View Full Game Coverage
"Apparently, a few years ago, he had it," Ventura said. "I think about three years ago, or he had something similar. They recognized right away and started treatment yesterday."
To fill Troncoso's spot in the bullpen, the White Sox purchased the contract of right-hander Jake Petricka. The Fairbault, Minn., native -- who will wear No. 68 for the South Siders -- found his way to the clubhouse at Target Field on Saturday, said hello to the coaching staff and was promptly told he had to stretch in 15 minutes.
Ventura said the right-hander was someone he had his eye on to bring up in September, but with the need now Troncoso was the pitcher recommended for the job.
"There's not going to be a breaking-in period," Ventura said. "He's up here.
"He throws hard, it's more about location right now and being able to come up here and just pitch. … The way our games are, you know he's going to get used."
Petricka got the call Friday night as he was packing his bags in Scranton, Pa., for a flight Saturday morning to return home with Triple-A Charlotte. He initially got a text from manager Joel Skinner and wasn't sure if he was about to receive good or bad news.
"It happened to be good," Petricka said. "It's an amazing feeling."
When he realized the White Sox were in Minnesota, he said the opportunity couldn't have come at a better time. He noted before Saturday's game that he has about 30 to 40 friends and family in attendance, despite the possibility he wouldn't even pitch.
Prior to the game, Petricka did say he wouldn't mind getting in the game, just to get his first outing out of the way, but he also planned on just taking in the moment. He was actually surprised he got the call in the first place, especially given the fact he just switched to relief this season.
Petricka started the season at Double-A Birmingham and was promoted to Charlotte in early July, making his first appearance with the Knights on July 4. Over 10 games, he pitched 15 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs on nine hits and seven walks while striking out 17, for a 1.17 ERA.
"There were a lot of guys down in the' pen but a few guys in front of me, I felt," Petricka said. "I'm just happy for the opportunity.
"I just want to show I can compete with these guys and throw strikes. That's the biggest thing -- attack the zone. If you get hit, it's better than walking people."
Kelly Erickson is an associate reporter for MLB.com.


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Bender named chief justice Colo. Supreme Court
updated with link to news release
Justice Michael L. Bender on Wednesday was named chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court, according to a news release from the court.
Chosen by his colleagues on the court, he will take the position Dec. 1.
Bender succeeds Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey, who announced her retirement in May. Her last day on the bench is Nov. 30. She joined the court in 1987, and has been chief justice since 1998.
Bender, who has been a public defender in Denver, Jeffco, and for the state, joined the court in 1997. He also previously worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
"I am pleased and honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve in this capacity," Bender said, according to the news release. "I look forward to continuing the important initiatives Chief Justice Mullarkey undertook in her remarkable career and working with the other branches of state government to ensure our courts are prepared to face the challenges of the future."
Bender got his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1964. He got his law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1967. He is married to Helen H. Hand. They have five children and five grandchildren.