text:
An article in today's The USA Today titled, "With Many Still in Dark, Groups Shed Light on Health Care Law," aims to correct misinformation about ObamaCare. Ironically, the article is itself a monument to misinformation.
It begins:
True or false: The new health care law will cut Medicare benefits for seniors. It will slash Medicare payments to doctors. It will ration health care.
In three polls conducted last month, large percentages of Americans answered "true" to each statement. All three are false.
In fact, two of the three statements are 100-percent true.
First, ObamaCare will cut payments to the private health insurance companies that provide coverage to the 20 percent of Medicare enrollees who participate in the Medicare Advantage program. That will eliminate many types of coverage for seniors in Medicare Advantage. That should be painfully obvious, but if you require confirmation, visit FactCheck.org. ObamaCare will also ratchet down the price controls that Medicare uses to pay hospitals and many other health care providers. It should likewise be obvious that that will reduce access to services that are ostensibly "guaranteed" to all enrollees. But again, if you need confirmation, check in with Medicare's chief actuary, who works for President Obama. We can debate whether that's good or bad. What's not up for debate: ObamaCare in fact "will cut Medicare benefits for seniors."
Second, it is also true – ipso facto – that ObamaCare "will ration health care." To ration is to limit consumption. When ObamaCare reduces coverage for Medicare Advantage enrollees and reduces access to care for all Medicare enrollees, it limits seniors' consumption of medical care. We can debate whether that's good or bad. What's not up for debate: that is rationing.
Finally, yes, it is technically false that ObamaCare "will slash Medicare payments to doctors." But since current law will slash Medicare payments to doctors if Congress does nothing, and since an earlier version of ObamaCare would have eliminated those cuts, but ObamaCare's architects dropped that provision so as to make ObamaCare appear deficit-neutral… well, perhaps the public can be forgiven if it confuses "eliminating a provision that would have prevented cuts in Medicare payments to doctors" with "slashing Medicare payments to doctors."
USA Today continues:
The debunked idea raised by opponents during congressional debate that "death panels" could make end-of-life decisions is seen as real by nearly half of those surveyed.
I'll rate this statement misinformed and misleading.
First, Sarah Palin's claim about "death panels" was true at the moment she said it, even if she didn't know why.
Second, by rationing Medicare enrollees' access to medical services (see above), ObamaCare will effectively make end-of-life decisions for seniors. According to Medicare's chief actuary, ObamaCare could force one in six hospitals to stop accepting Medicare patients. If ObamaCare results in there no longer being a hospital bed waiting for Grandma at the end of her life, that's an end-of-life decision. It wasn't a personalized decision. It's not even necessarily the wrong decision. But let's drop this nonsense about ObamaCare not making end-of-life decisions for seniors. And ObamaCare did create a panel that will make many of these implicit rationing decisions. It's called the Independent Payment Advisory Board.
But my guess is that people tell pollsters that ObamaCare will make end-of-life decisions because they understand the Golden Rule, and that he who pays the piper calls the tune. So long as the government purchases medical care, it will be the government that decides who receives it and who doesn't. And ObamaCare gave government a lot more of the gold.
USA Today packed a lot of misinformation into this one sentence:
The National Council on Aging posed 12 questions about the law to 636 seniors and found that fewer than 17% of them knew half the answers.
Actually, it's NCOA that doesn't know the answers. Here are a few of their poll's true-false questions:
- "The new law will result in future cuts to your basic Medicare benefits." A plurality of seniors (42 percent) responded "true." And they're right: as Medicare's chief actuary has explained and as NCOA should know, ObamaCare will reduce access to care for Medicare enrollees. That's a benefit cut, unless you think "coverage without care" counts as a benefit. Yet according to NCOA, the correct answer is "false." Just 22 percent of seniors agreed.
- "Under the new health reform law, Medicare Advantage plans will cut benefits and increase premiums." NCOA says the correct response is "don't know," and that's the answer that 56 percent of seniors gave. Perhaps seniors haven't read the chief Medicare actuary's report, which found that ObamaCare "will result in less generous benefits packages" in Medicare Advantage and "when the MA provisions will be fully phased in, enrollment in MA plans will be lower by about 50 percent." But NCOA should have read that report, and should therefore know that the correct answer is "true."
- "The new law is projected to increase the federal budget deficit over the next ten years and beyond." Again, a plurality (49 percent) responded "true." Again, they're right. Yet NCOA thinks the correct response is "false." No doubt NCOA would point to the Congressional Budget Office projections that ObamaCare will reduce the deficit. But those projections are valid only if ObamaCare "remain[s] unchanged throughout the next two decades, which is often not the case for major legislation." The CBO wrote this would particularly be a problem with ObamaCare, which "would maintain and put into effect a number of policies that might be difficult to sustain over a long period of time." So one could reasonably interpret the CBO to have projected an increase, not a decrease in the deficit. Alternatively, seniors could have been thinking about former CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who projected in The New York Times that ObamaCare "would raise, not lower, federal deficits, by $562 billion." There are lots of reasons why "true" is in fact the correct answer. (One of them is that NCOA used the passive construction "is projected.") Only 14 percent of seniors agreed with NCOA.
- "As a result of the new law, the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund will be extended by about 9 years to 2026." A majority of seniors responded "don't know" (54 percent), while another 22 percent responded "false." Either answer is more correct than NCOA's preferred answer ("true"). There are no assets in the Medicare "trust fund." Thus there is no date by which those non-assets will be exhausted. Indeed, the "trust fund" has absolutely no effect on Medicare's solvency. The very premise of this question is a fraud. Someone needs to educate seniors about the Medicare trust fund, but NCOA is not the group to do it.
- "The health care reform law will cut Medicare payments to doctors." A plurality of seniors responded "true" (45 percent), while only 14 percent of seniors gave NCOA's preferred response ("false"). But again, perhaps seniors can be forgiven on this one (see above).
USA Today should have dug a little deeper.
More misinformation:
More than four in 10 people in the Kaiser poll wrongly believe the law included a government panel to make end-of-life decisions for Medicare patients.
Again, ObamaCare does include a panel that would implicit rationing decisions, including for Medicare patients at the end of life (see above).
More misinformation still:
As the Department of Health and Human Services issues the regulations needed to implement the law, it's trying to get the facts out through its website, healthcare.gov. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is helping, most recently with a cable TV ad featuring Andy Griffith.
FactCheck.org found that Andy Griffith used "weasel words" to "mislead" seniors about ObamaCare. How is USA Today not aware of that?


text:
Lady Gaga to Launch Born Brave Bus on Tour to Raise Mental Health Awareness
Lady Gaga and her Born This Way Foundation are setting up mental health awareness booths at the shows on the upcoming North American leg of her Born This Way Ball, which launches next month in Canada.
In the wake of last week's tragic shooting in Newtown, Ct., which left 26 people dead -- 20 of them children -- and a nation in mourning, Gaga is doing her part and using her fame to raise awareness for at-risk youth and to help prevent and avoid more senseless tragedies such as this.
For the 27-city Born Brave Bus Tour, the BTW Foundation has invited the National Council for Behavioral Health to set up stations outside of each show, allowing little monsters and fans to meet with psychologists if they require help or need someone to talk to. It's quite a resource for troubled youth.
Cynthia Germanotta, Gaga's mom and her partner in the BTW Foundation, said (quotes via WENN), "Now more than ever, our kids need access to support within their communities, including mental health services. By connecting youth to these local resources, we hope to plant the seeds that will help them deal with today's challenges and inspire them to continue exercising their strength and bravery well after the Born Brave Bus leaves town."
Gaga is doing a revolutionary thing by being preventive, as opposed to merely reactionary. Bravo times 10 to the BTW Foundation for identifying an area where it can provide support.
Watch the Lady Gaga 'Born This Way' Video

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What would you do?
What would you do… You are sitting in an airport and the lady next to takes s call from her husband. She starts to get emotional and louder. Then you occupant overhear, he wants a divorce!!! She starts crying harder. It is obvious something is wrong. What do you do??? Buy get a drink? Tell her you are sorry? Move away quietly? Advise her men are evil pigs. (This seriously happened to a friend & on Private Practice.)


text:
Based on 2019 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery-pack age/condition (if applicable), and other factors.
|4-Wheel Disc Brakes
|AM/FM Stereo
|Adjustable Steering Wheel
|Aluminum Wheels
|Automatic Headlights
|Auxiliary Audio Input
|Back-Up Camera
|Bluetooth Connection
|Brake Assist
|Bucket Seats
|CD Player
|Child Safety Locks
|Cloth Seats
|Conventional Spare Tire
|Cruise Control
|Daytime Running Lights
|Driver Adjustable Lumbar
|Driver Air Bag
|Driver Illuminated Vanity Mirror
|Driver Vanity Mirror
|Engine Immobilizer
|Fog Lamps
|Front Head Air Bag
|Front Side Air Bag
|HD Radio
|Heated Mirrors
|Intermittent Wipers
|Keyless Entry
|Knee Air Bag
|Leather Steering Wheel
|MP3 Player
|Pass-Through Rear Seat
|Passenger Air Bag
|Passenger Air Bag Sensor
|Passenger Illuminated Visor Mirror
|Passenger Vanity Mirror
|Power Door Locks
|Power Driver Seat
|Power Mirror(s)
|Power Steering
|Power Windows
|Privacy Glass
|Rear Bench Seat
|Rear Defrost
|Rear Head Air Bag
|Rear Spoiler
|Rear Wheel Drive
|Requires Subscription
|Satellite Radio
|Security System
|Stability Control
|Steering Wheel Audio Controls
|Tire Pressure Monitor
|Tires - Front On/Off Road
|Tires - Rear On/Off Road
|Tow Hitch
|Tow Hooks
|Traction Control
|Trip Computer
|Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers
|Type: New
|Year: 2019
|Make: Toyota
|Model: 4Runner
|Trim: SR5
|Doors: 4
|Exterior: Barcelona Red Metallic
|Interior: Black Graphite
|Stock Num: 190555
|Vin: JTEZU5JR1K5198742
|Mileage: 0
|Fuel Economy: 17/21
|Engine: 4.0 L 6
|Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic w/OD
|Fuel: Gasoline
|Drive: RWD
|Model Code: 8642
|Stock Number:
$699.00 Dealer Administrative Charge is not included in advertised price. All prices and offers are before state, city and county tax, tag, title and license fees. Out of state buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes and fees, as well as title/registration fees in the state that the vehicle will be registered. All prices and offers include all factory rebates and incentives which the dealer retains unless otherwise specifically provided. Dealer not responsible for errors and omissions; all offers subject to change without notice, please confirm listings with dealer. By filling out this form, you authorize our dealership to call, text, or email you in the future. Price may include dealer installed options where applicable.
Rick Hendrick Toyota of Fayetteville, NC is a member of Hendrick Automotive Group and HendrickCars.com family. All Hendrick Automotive Group pre-owned inventory is available atHendrickCars.com


text:
Jamón Ibérico de Bellota - Sliced
To keep this perishable product at its best, expedited shipping is required
We are proud to offer true Jamón Ibérico, made from the meat of the famed Ibérico pig in the small village of La Alberca in the region of Castille y Leon in Spain. This is the primary pork product of infatuation in Spain. However, the absolute holy grail of Ibérico is Ibérico de Bellota.
Every Bellota pig has its own acre of land, located in a wide open area called the Dehesa. The pigs live in this environment for two years, until they are fattened during the Montanera season. This is when the holm and cork oak trees drop their fat acorns and the pigs gorge themselves. The combination of open space to roam and a diet of rich acorns creates an even distribution of silky fat throughout the meat, resulting in a flavor and texture unlike any other ham.
The extensive marbling makes for an incredibly silky texture, and the flavor is meaty and salty, but with a sweet and faintly fruity, nutty finish. The pigs are slaughtered (sacrificed is the word the Spanish like to use) and the legs are cured and aged for between two and four years.
Jamón Ibérico constitutes only about 5% of the total jamón production in Spain, and Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is only 10% of the those Ibérico hams. For more information on what makes this jamón so amazing, please visit https://www.formaggiokitchen.com/education/jamon
|Country of Origin


text:
VANCOUVER, WA — Nautilus Inc.'s $2.31 million acquisition of the Universal® brand of fitness equipment has added another brand to Nautilus' stable. The company already owns Nautilus®, Bowflex®, Stairmaster®, Schwinn Fitness® and Pearl Izumi®. The Universal addition creates potential in its consumer segmentation strategy, said Gregg Hammann, chairman and CEO of Nautilus.
"The Universal brand consistently surfaces as one of the strongest in the fitness category and will serve as an excellent platform for our continued innovation and diversification in many of our sales channels," he said.
Universal Gym Equipment was formed in 1957 and produced single- and multi-station weight training and cardiovascular equipment for commercial, business and home use. The company emphasized dynamic variable resistance by designing equipment based upon research surrounding human motion and mechanics. Flexible Flyer acquired the brand in 1998 and has sold products under license.


text:
The Open Door: A Novel
Story Line Press, 1997 - Fiction - 199 pages
It is the late 1930s when Myron Adler and Faye Raskin - the most mismatched couple imaginable - meet and marry. Myron owns a live poultry market in the Brooklyn Battery and Faye, the haughty and pretentious daughter of a well-to-do Manhattan jeweler, leads a fantasy life filled with high-class suitors. Through the 40s and 50s, as the Adlers raise two sons, their difficulties erupt in troubling, sometimes violent ways. The Open Door, Floyd Skloot's powerful third novel, traces how Richard and Daniel Adler respond to a home environment of physical and emotional abuse and grow up to become radically different men.
With candor and precision, Skloot captures the nuances of second-generation Jewish immigrant life. He skillfully presents the pulse of mid-century Brooklyn - where the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Mad Bomber, Mafia heavies and two-bit boxers populate a world the Adler brothers struggle to comprehend.
What people are saying - Write a review
THE OPEN DOORUser Review - Kirkus
A third novel from the author of, most recently, Pilgrim's Harbor (1992) traces the travails of a dysfunctional Jewish family from the 1930s through the mid-70s. Myron Adler and Faye Raskin are a ... Read full review
Common terms and phrases
asked ball baseball baseball cards Brooklyn brother Bud Collyer Cesar Franck chair chicken Daniel Danny thought Danny's dinner Dinwiddie Dodgers door dressed Ebbets Field Everly Brothers eyes face father Faye Raskin Faye's Ferris Fain floor friend Irma Gabe glass gonna hair hand he'd head hear heard hell hospital Idstein Irving Jackie Palisade Jules Kaddish knew Lake George licorice listen living room Long Beach looked loved Mad Bomber Mickey Mantle months morning mother moved Myron Adler never night night terrors nodded parents Peggy Cass Peter play Rabbi Horowitz radio Richard Sally seemed shoulders sleep smile Sophia staring stood stop Sunday sure talk tell thing told took turned Uncle Joseph voice wait walked wall watch week What's window woman wonderful


text:
Free Entry
An opulent bronze, marble and sandstone cenotaph has stood in Esk since 1921, even though it took another 58 years for the surrounding park to be proclaimed as a memorial reserve.
The foundation stone was laid in December 1920 by Colonel Graham Butler, the original medical officer who landed with the Queensland 9th Battalion at Gallipoli.
The Esk Patriotic Committee had started fundraising in 1916. They needed £885, a high price for a community paying a high human cost. Of the 545 men from the Esk district who enlisted, 83 died.
All the names are captured on this monument. Fixed bronze plates on the base bear the names of the dead. The others' names appear on huge bronze plates fixed to recessed marble panels.
Designed by Georg Brockwell Gill of Ipswich, the stonework was executed by masons Frank Williams & Co. Art metalwork was supplied by Wunderlich Ltd of Sydney.
The memorial park, proclaimed in 1979, was extended four years later. It now includes a stone memorial to Captain Patrick Logan, commandant of the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement who was murdered while exploring the Brisbane Valley in 1830, and plaques honouring those who died in WWII and post-1945 conflicts.


text:
For many of the families who live in the Smokey Mountains near Cullowhee, running water and electricity are considered luxuries. Unemployment is high, and parents also can't afford the extra cost of buying school supplies for their children.
The families aren't without hope, though. For the past five years, True Life Ministry in Gastonia has partnered with churches in Cullowhee to help the families in need.
Mulls Memorial Baptist Church in Shelby is joining the effort this year. Mulls new pastor, Jeff Self, had worked with True Life at his home church in Lincolnton. He introduced the ministry at Mulls and asked members for their involvement.
"We are trying to be more active and involved in the community," Libby Glover, Mulls team leader, said. "For me it has become more of a calling. I think any time God calls you to do something, you should listen."
The trip on Aug. 10 will be the second time a team from Mulls has visited the area. In December, members of Mulls participated in the True Life Ministry Christmas mission. They served more than 170 families during that trip.
"We distributed Bibles and witnessed to people," said Mulls member Barbara Glover. "We helped them carry their items to the car, and we witnessed to them."
Her heart was touched by the maturity of the older children.
"We had one bicycle per family and I saw a lot of the older kids stepping back to let the younger ones get a bicycle," she said. "I was amazed."
Participating in the trip in August are Libby Glover, Barbara Glover, Pam and Jimmy Jones, Susan Barnett, Sharon Champion, Amy Champion and Associate pastor Scott Holland.
True Life Ministry started the Christmas trip to the area 14 years ago, coordinator Danny Reece said. In 2008, the Rev. Charles Jackson from Speedwell United Methodist Church in Cullowhee came to the Christmas ministry. After meeting and talking with Jackson, Reece and the True Life board of directors added the back-to-school trip.
"We were led by the Holy Spirit to do this trip to supply school supplies to the less fortunate in this mountain community each August," Reece said in an email. "The Rev. Jackson gets the word out each year. These people have lost their jobs and need help in providing for their children's needs for school. As in all of our projects, we provide the physical needs and also share the love of Jesus with everyone who attends."
Want to help?
True Life Ministry in Gastonia, Mulls Memorial Baptist Church in Shelby, Elevation eGroup in Gastonia are partnering with Speedwell United Methodist Church and Weslyanna United Methodist Church in Cullowhee to provide school supplies to families in need in the Smokey Mountains.
Donations of school supplies are needed before Aug. 9 and can be dropped off:
- In Shelby at Mulls Memorial Baptist Church, 3299 Fallston Road. Call the church at 704-484-1655 and leave a message or email Libby Glover at email@example.com.
- In Gastonia at True Life Ministry in the Greater Gaston Baptist Association office, Rankin Lake Road. For more information or to arrange for donation pick up, call Danny Reece at 704-864-5109.


text:
Windows - Other
Download your torrents safely! And Anonymously!
Torrent info
Infohash: 22E0133586C1E57B943701305061C32760B7422D
Total Size: 2.72 MB
Magnet: Magnet Download
Seeds: 0
Leechers: 0
Stream: Watch Full Movie @ Movie4u
Last Updated: 2015-01-31 21:36:38 (Update Now)
Torrent added: 2008-06-27 16:00:34
Alternatives:FriendBlaster Torrents
Torrent Files List
FriendBlasterPro v10.x Patch.exe (Size: 2.72 MB) (Files: 2)
FriendBlasterPro v10.x Patch.exe233.00 KB
setup.exe2.49 MB
Announce URL:
Torrent description
Grasp the power of a site which receives over 1 billion hits per day, to your advantage when marketing your product, service, event, or bands. Marketing with FriendBlasterPro through MySpace accounts is the cutting edge way to advertise to a large audience and being cost effective at the same time.
related torrents
Torrent namehealth leech seeds Size
FriendBlaster Pro with v10 x crack1 6 2.72 MB 0
Friendblaster Pro 10 4 0 New Patch By Blackdeath0 0 2.00 MB 0
Friendblaster Pro 10 3 2 Cracked Lillbert0 7 2.00 MB 0


text:
New York
We provide weight loss services
for the following areas of New York:
The Proper Weight Loss Philosophy
When you're looking to lose weight with a weight loss physician, having the right mindset is key. Weight loss isn't easy, and having the wrong philosophy when approaching health and nutrition can make it even more challenging. At our medical weight loss practice, we believe that losing weight shouldn't be about deprivation, but about making healthier choices for your body.
As a premier weight loss physician, Dr. Surikov believes that a gradual, healthy approach to losing weight is best. This means finding those challenges that affect you, such as cravings, and discovering ways to effectively battle and eventually bid goodbye to them. Losing weight should be all about the positive, as being upbeat and optimistic about weight loss is what will allow you to keep the weight off long after the program itself has ended.
A Great, Personalized New York Weight Loss Service
Dr. Surikov offers patients like you a safe and secure weight loss clinic in which to shed unwanted pounds. As a weight loss doctor, he truly demonstrates his care for his patients. He gets to know each patient and he closely monitors each person's progress to ensure that the weight loss service is truly helping the individual.
He believes in supporting each patient throughout their journey toward a healthier mind and body, and his empathy and consideration are unparalleled among weight loss specialists. Whatever your concerns are about losing weight, you can rest assured that Dr. Surikov is eager and willing to answer all of your questions and hold your hand every step of the way.
At his weight loss clinic, each person's care is customized to meet their needs. Whether you're looking to lose a few pounds to get ready for beach season or you've been struggling to lose a significant amount of weight for years, Dr. Surikov's medical weight loss practice is for you.
The Role of Weight Loss Counseling
Along with actually giving you the tools you need to lose the weight, a truly great weight loss doctor will also help you to understand the reasons for your weight gain so that you can effectively keep the pounds off. That's precisely what Dr. Surikov strives to do. He provides thorough evaluations and examinations to each patient and helps them to understand the root cause for the excess weight.
Unlike other weight loss physicians, Dr. Surikov also believes in listening intently to his patients. He understands that each individual is often deeply aware of their struggles when it comes to weight. From your first appointment to your last, know that Dr. Surikov will always be receptive to what YOU have to say. After all, losing weight is all about enhancing your life and ultimate happiness.
The Importance of Nutrition in New York
When it comes to losing weight, few weight loss physicians deny the importance of nutrition. At Dr. Surikov's practice, nutrition is the primary focus of each program. He believes in using all-natural methods to help patients to fight those specific cravings that have led to the weight gain in the first place. He teaches all about nutrition and how to make healthier choices for your body. He provides realistic goals for you so that you can continue to enjoy the foods you love while still losing weight! This makes maintaining a healthy weight so much easier in the future.
Contact Dr. Surikov
If you've been researching weight loss specialists in the New York area and you're ready to finally lose the weight and keep it off, don't hesitate to give Dr. Surikov and his staff a call today to schedule a consultation. We know you won't regret it!


text: Sarah Palin knows why women don't like her — and, no, it's not because (as adviser Rick Davis asserted) she's pretty, competent and happy. She thinks women aren't flocking to McCain-Palin because, she says, the media puts "a kind of spin on the my record or my positions." Would those be the positions on pay equity, abortion, health care, taxes, the environment, energy exploration, foreign policy or who should pay for the forensic exams after a woman is raped? Yeah, thought so. [Think Progress, ABC News]


text:
Ronan Measurements' Next-Gen X96SI/R Integral Microprocessor
X96SI/R explosion-proof microprocessor includes a patented optical coupling that allows the microprocessor and detector assembly to be mounted to any configuration. It is fully Ethernet-capable as standard. Modular to mount to Ronan's solid scintillation, flexible scintillation or ion chamber detectors, X96SI/R is ideal for continuous level measurement.


text:
Our Cabana Bright Twin Peaks Top raises the bar with its casual yet chic t-shirt style. It's tried and true classic fit is punctuated with exaggerated pockets. The back keyhole detail give this top both fashion flare and solid coverage. 100% cotton. Open neckline with self-trim. Asymmetrical hem. Cap sleeves. Machine wash cold. Made in the USA.
about our color - garment dyeGarment dye is the process that makes Fresh Produce clothing look and feel sun washed and beach worn. We sew up the style and then dip it in Fresh Produce color. The process requires heat so all of our garment-dyed clothing is pre-shrunk, soft, and fabulous! (This is also why size specifications can be slightly different.) We love how garment dye brings out the individual personality of each garment -- just like our customers, no two are exactly alike! Color variances and/or fading are normal. All of our colors are either reactive, pigment or optically dyed. Reactive dye is infused through and into the fiber of the fabric, offering a consistent, flat look. Pigment dye (such as in our Peri, Flamingo and Sunkissed colors) is a surface dye that creates high/low coloring and variation, giving a casual, worn look. White is the only color dyed optically which increases the brightness of our whites.
wash & care - keep your colors brightAt Fresh Produce we're all about keeping it easy. Unless otherwise noted in the description, all of our products can be machine washed in cold and tumble dried on low. We recommend our garment-dyed pieces be washed separately and inside out before wearing. Please avoid contact with light colored fabrics and upholstery as there might be some color rub. Do not use detergent bleaches, stain removers, or fabric softeners. For stains, we recommend using a mild dishwashing detergent (Hint! DAWN) directly on stains, let sit for 15-30 minutes, then wash as usual.
fabrication specificsFor more information about the specific fabrics we use, or other terms on our site, please reference our FP Glossary
Our styles fit just like our attitude—relaxed and carefree. Did we mention we hate fuss? Throw-on-and-go pieces are casual, easy-to-pair and designed to have you out the door in no time. Our clothes are crafted with a relaxed fit in quality fabrics meant to flatter and move, never to cling or restrict. The unique garment dye process gives each style it's own character—always pre-shrunk, soft and vibrant, ready to be worn again and again.
|33" - 34"
|25" - 26"
|35" - 36"
|35" - 36"
|27" - 28"
|37" - 38"
|37" - 38"
|29" - 30"
|39" - 40"
|39" - 40"
|31" - 32"
|41" - 42"


text:
The Craven County Board of Commissioners will continue paying � for now � for federal day-care subsidies and some federally funded, county-operated safety net programs.
The Craven County Board of Commissioners will continue paying � for now � for federal day-care subsidies and some federally funded, county-operated safety net programs.
Meeting at noon Monday in a session resumed from their Oct. 7 regular meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to continue to underwrite day-care subsidies with the expectation of being reimbursed once the federal government shutdown has ended.
Little has changed about the federal shutdown since the county board first considered its impact last week. But as the clock ticks, so does the county�s investment and specific information on which services the county doesn�t feel like it can do without.
The Women with Infants and Children program (WIC) operated by the Craven County Health Department presently appears to have continued funding from the state through Oct. 31. But Theresa Ellen, assistant health director, said, �If the shutdown continues after Oct. 31, we will have an issue.�
She said there appears to be funds to transfer within the department budget to continue operating the $236,000, temporarily suspended Healthy Children program until reimbursement arrives.
But some of the programs operated by the Craven County Department of Social Services are not as easily sustainable. Director Kent Flowers said, �These programs affect some of the youngest people and oldest people who are unable to take care of themselves. I personally don�t see how we can justify, have any right to deny protection to the most vulnerable people in our society.�
Social Services programs in addition to the day-care subsidy, which costs less than originally thought now that school is back in session, include Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services, Foster Care and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The day-care subsidy cost in Craven County is now figured at about $85,000 a week, with the other programs increasing the total Craven County cost to about $128,000 a week.
Subsidies go to about 80 child care centers or homes for more about 900 children � about 85 percent for offspring of working parents, 8 percent to special needs children or parents or those who are job seeking, 3 percent to parents in school for a maximum of 18 months, and 4 percent for Child Protective Services, Child Welfare or Foster Care.
Flowers said if subsidies aren�t continued, �Who will care for the children? Will they have appropriate care or none at all? What will employers do when employees are not able to work? What about the lost employment?�
Justifying the continued upfront funding for the other programs in addition to daycare subsidies, Flowers relayed some specific instances of recent weeks where grave consequences could have easily been the result of not having intervention care available.
They included: an elderly woman who had a 104-degree fever and kidney infection who could have died if she hadn�t been checked on and directed to medical attention; a man with an infected injury infested with maggots who would have had a leg amputation without attention; a father on crystal meth who started stabbing a mattress on which a baby was lying; and a newborn with cocaine addiction who needed placement until the mother suspected of still using the drug cleaned up her act.
He said that by cutting funding for those programs �society puts some in desperate circumstances that could result in desperate actions to take care of their families.�
DSS already has taken actions to freeze all vacant positions, release all contractual staff including two social workers, allowing only mandated travel and essential purchases, and stopping all overtime.
They plan to make further cuts for the loss of Social Service Block Grant and TANF money, including reassigning some staff to perform protective services mandated by law and temporarily reduce or suspend any services that would not subject clients to risk of harm.
Craven County Human Resources Director Amber Parker said between 40 and 50 employee jobs would be directly threatened if the programs were not funded, and Craven Area Regional Transit System Director Terry Jordan said that program would be indirectly affected by reduced ridership.
DSS Business Manager Kim Morton said that while daycare services reimbursement has essentially been promised to come eventually, �we have not been given any further information� on the others.
Chairman Scott Dacey, attending the meeting electronically from Washington where he is monitoring congressional action, said, �Nobody has suggested these programs will be carved out. I think we have a real expectation that we will be reimbursed as soon as the government comes back to work.�
Vice Chairman Tom Mark, who held the gavel for the meeting, said, �I think we should continue. We can�t do this indefinitely, but I don�t think we will have to.�
The board meets in regular session at 8:30 a.m. Monday and plans to consider the situation with any new action by Congress and information from staff.
Neighboring Jones County has suspended day-care subsidies for 149 children, which costs about $500,000 a year. Jones also is looking for additional funding from Smart Start, like Onslow County has done, in order to continue providing day-care subsidies.
Pamlico and Carteret counties have given notice that they will suspend day-care subsidy funding in 10 days, and Lenoir County�s notice puts the suspension date at Oct. 31.
Beaufort County is waiting to see what happens in Congress on Oct. 17 before taking action.
Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
ReleasesBack to
Kenny Burrell
This album is one of guitarist Kenny Burrell's best-known sessions for the Blue Note label. Burrell is matched with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Major Holley, drummer Bill English, and Ray Barretto on conga for a blues-oriented date highlighted by "Chitlins Con Carne," "Midnight Blue," "Saturday Night Blues," and the lone standard "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You." ~ Scott Yanow


text:
"Purposeful Misinformation": How Right-Wing Media Are Smearing San-Antonio's Proposed Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
Blog ››› ››› CARLOS MAZA
"Ludicrous." That's how San Antonio City Councilman Diego Bernal described the effort by right-wing media outlets - including Fox News - to smear a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance aimed at combating bias against LGBT people.
On July 23, the right-wing website OneNewsNow published an article criticizing an effort by the San Antonio City Council to update its non-discrimination policy to include discrimination against LGBT people.
The updated policy would prohibit the city government and its contractors or vendors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation in employment. In addition, it would also prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in housing and places of public accommodation. It would also allow City Council members to consider a person's history of anti-LGBT bias when making appointments to boards and commissions, stating:
No person shall be appointed to a position if the City Council finds that such person has, prior to such proposed appointment, engaged in discrimination or demonstrated a bias, by word or deed, against any person, group or organization on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, age, or disability.
That provision drew the ire of conservatives, who claimed that the ordinance was an attempt to limit Christians' freedom of speech.
Before long, several right-wing media outlets picked up on the controversy, with each new iteration of the story presenting even wilder claims about the ordinance's supposed threat to religious liberty.
WND claimed the measure would create a "permanent ban on participation in city government, business or employment" for anyone who "takes[s] the Bible at its word and follow[s] it." An editorial in The Washington Times accused the measure's backers of promoting "bigotry" against Christians and claimed it would restrict free speech, writing "George Orwell is alive and hiding in Texas."
The horror story eventually earned the interest of Fox News' resident anti-gay mouthpiece Todd Starnes, who on July 30 peddled the myth that people who merely attend a church that opposes gay marriage might be barred from public office.
By July 31, the story made its way on to Fox News' America Live, where conservative commentator David Webb condemned the measure as part of a "broader anti-religion effort" and warned that the "thought police" would be punishing people because of their personal religious beliefs:
None of this right-wing fearmongering was based in reality, of course. As City Councilman Diego Bernal explained during an interview with Media Matters, the "by word or deed" language being seized upon by conservative media outlets only made explicit a power that the City Council already had:
The most important line in that is "no person shall be appointed to a position if the city council finds..." That's not automatic. That's not strict liability. The way that works is, if I'm going to appoint you to a board or a commission, the whole council still has to vote in you as a nominee, right? And my colleagues can vote for or against you for whatever reason they want. All that provision meant was, of the things you can consider are past deeds or words. But I can do that without that provision. I can not vote for you because I don't like your shoes... That's sort of the discretion authority that the council already has. And it's the current law. [emphasis added]
The proposed ordinance would have merely added bias against LGBT people to the list of "prior discriminatory acts" that the city council could consider when making appointments.
Still, Bernal decided to delete the "word or deed" section from the proposed ordinance in order to ameliorate unfounded concerns about free speech and religious liberty.
Bernal expressed his surprise at the conservative media's willingness to distort facts in order to gin up opposition to protections for LGBT people:
What's been the most difficult is that I am of the constitution that I am wired to understand when people disagree with me and I'm wired to understand when people disapprove of what I'm doing. I'm new to the concept of lying about something, of misrepresenting something, of twisting something. [emphasis added]
The San Antonio ordinance isn't the first time a local LGBT measure has been targeted by national conservative media outlets. In early 2012, when Hutchinson, Kansas, proposed a city non-discrimination ordinance to protect LGBT, Fox News' Starnes and Mike Huckabee smeared the measure, claiming it would undermine religious liberty. It was eventually defeated in a public vote.
Instead of focusing on important issues - like the prevalence of anti-LGBT discrimination, the effectiveness of non-discrimination policies, and the popularity of similar policies among Fortune 500 companies - right-wing media outlets hijack debates about civil rights by peddling fanciful horror stories about religious liberty. "Maybe I'm naïve but I was expecting to have a conversation on the merits. And I was prepared to defend the merits," Bernal said. "But we're not even having that conversation." He continued:
I don't mind people saying they disagree and listing the reasons why they disagree. And there's a very stately or gentlemanly way to do that. But I've been taken aback by the amount of purposeful misinformation and I find that to be very harmful. Because I believe that instead of saying "you should oppose this because of these reasons" or "you should oppose this based on moral or religious grounds," they're' saying if this passes it will result in this, and whatever this is isn't true. Whether it's keeping people off working commissions, disallowing them from running for council, or resulting in the arrest of Christians. That's ludicrous. That is ludicrous. So at any point someone speaks to the public or addresses the public and tells them that something will befall them that is not true, not only is it scary but it's dangerous. [emphasis added]
- Posted In
- Network/Outlet
- Fox News Channel, The Washington Times, WorldNetDaily, Fox News Radio
- Person
- Todd Starnes
- Show/Publication
- America Live
Instructions for signing up and claiming your comment history are located here.
Updated rules for commenting are here.


text:
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
In this, our maiden and necessarily exploratory episode, we test (if you will pardon the mixed metaphor) the PhoenixFire waters. We list (still provisional) titles of the programs that will take us through the next few months. They are, we hope, sufficiently self-explanatory to convey a preliminary sense of our interests, our aims, who we are and where we stand. And we've chosen a representative mix from our menu to talk about in some detail; effectively providing trailers for features to come. If it all sounds appetizing, stay tuned.
5 comments:
- Carolyn said...
John -
I am really enjoying your show. Can't wait for the next installment.
- January 9, 2007 at 8:30 PM
- Spot said...
I didn't check the list until the show was almost over. The AF quote about the flak being heaviest over the target was a new one for me and I will remember that for sure. Hail Atlantis! It would really be nice if these shows were archived on CD so we could collect them and listen to them in the original format where I'm sure the sound quality would be better.
- January 9, 2007 at 9:28 PM
- BarbieG said...
You GO, JAW! Phoenixfire Rocks!
I thoroughly enjoyed your first show Tuesday night. I came away from it feeling enriched and intrigued. Your observations evoke many questions and begin so many ideas swirling about one's mind.
Keep it up.. I'll keep listening!
And yes, please consider offering these shows on CD.. I'll be the first in line (move over, spot!) hehe.
Any chance your autobiography will be available in print? I'll challenge spot to the front-line position on that one, too.
Happy New Year, and we're off to a great start!
--Barbie G.
Chittenden, VT
- January 10, 2007 at 1:38 PM
- EdM said...
Good Luck to ya with your new show! I'll be listening in religiously.
With a little luck Chris and I will bump in to ya in Luxor next month.
- January 11, 2007 at 1:26 AM
- GIZA said...
Hi John,
I DREAM of winning the lotto so I can give up the Day Job!
When I do you'll have one hell of a sponser!
Until then I'm all ears.
Liverpool, England.
- February 3, 2007 at 12:49 PM


text:
By JOHN FLOWERS
ADDISON COUNTY — The sea of humanity that gathered in the nation's capital on Jan. 20 for the inauguration of President Barack Obama has now receded, and local residents have trickled back to Addison County with pictures and memories they said would last a lifetime.
MIDDLEBURY — Mediation has failed to resolve differences between the parties contesting a conditional approval awarded by the town last fall to a proposed Staples in The Centre shopping plaza, so the dispute will now have to be settled in Vermont Environmental Court.
By ANDY KIRKALDY
PANTON — The Vergennes-Panton Water District board has in hand a report saying that its 37-year-old Panton plant needs at least $5.2 million of repairs and upgrades, and estimates that paying off a bond to fund that work could mean a hike of $306 a year for a typical residential customer.
BRISTOL — In a high school girls' basketball game longer on grit and drama than on precision and flow, visiting Middlebury survived a spirited fourth-quarter rally by Mount Abraham on Friday, 36-35.
Subscribe to Online Edition
Online PDF Print Edition
Copyright 2011 Addison Independent | 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753 | All Rights Reserved
Site Development by Surf New Media


text:
Welcome back for day two of the divisional round. As always, make yourselves comfortable down below in the comments.
Houston at Baltimore (CBS): According to Adam Schefter, if the Ravens win the Super Bowl this year, many believe Ray Lewis may retire. Ray Ray and the Baltimore defense will look to continue their streak of 10 straight home victories—during which they have allowed an average of 15 points.
The undefeated-in-the-playoffs-Texans hope to end that streak with their crazy-deep team. Third string rookie quarterback T.J. Yates hopes to connect a few more times with Andre Johnson before something traumatic happens to either, or both, of them. Arian Foster will also help, maybe. Although he is coming off a 153 yard, two touchdown performance, he was held to a mere 49 yards in a 29-14 loss to Baltimore earlier this season. [CBS]


text:
Last minute building code issues forced the long-awaited opening of the renovated and expanded Commerce Public Library to be postponed until Monday.
The facility is now scheduled to open at 10 a.m. on Monday.
The library was originally scheduled to open Thursday, Jan. 24, at 10 a.m.
Books can be returned at the facility's book drop. No fines will be levied for materials turned late as a result of the delay.
Library re-opening delayed to Monday
No Trackbacks
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)


text:
|Allegro CL version 9.0
Unrevised from 8.2 to 9.0.
8.2 version
Arguments: lamp
A property of the
widget. This generic function returns the number of blank pixels by
which to shift the label strings rightward above or below the columns
of images in a
lamp widget.
The value may be specified at creation time with the
column-label-offset initarg, or anytime later by
calling (setf column-label-offset). This
value is used only when the value property of the lamp widget is an array.
This property may be used as a fudge factor to make the labels appear as aligned as possible with the lamp images, adjusting for the internal leading of the widget's font.
Copyright (c) 1998-2017, Franz Inc. Oakland, CA., USA. All rights reserved.
This page was not revised from the 8.2 page.
Created 2012.5.30.
|Allegro CL version 9.0
Unrevised from 8.2 to 9.0.
8.2 version


text:
Representatives from a dozen U.S. cities are gathering in Portland, Oregon, this week as part of a yearlong program with Portland State University's Urban Sustainability Accelerator (USA) that helps cities implement sustainability projects.
"There is no shortage of plans for sustainability projects, but implementation is the challenge," said Robert Liberty, director of the Urban Sustainability Accelerator, which is housed at PSU's Nohad Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. "Our program helps turn urban sustainability plans into reality by assisting cities with the implementation process."
The five-day convening is actually two events in one: a reconvening of the first cohort of cities to complete USA's year-long program, and a first meeting of the next group that will begin the program. The gathering takes place at Portland State, with expert-led consulting sessions and field trips to see examples of sustainable development around Portland—from green infrastructure and streets designed to accommodate transit, bike, pedestrian, and vehicle traffic, to energy conservation efforts encompassing entire buildings and districts, to sustainability-focused neighborhoods such as the SoMa EcoDistrict, south of downtown Portland's Market Street and encompassing Portland State's campus.
The inaugural cohort includes 20 participants from eight urban areas across the country plus a California regional planning agency. They are reconvening in Portland after a year in the USA program to celebrate their project successes, compare notes and ideas, and meet the cohort of new cities.
"Waco has benefitted tremendously from our participation in the USA," said Chris McGowan of the Greater Waco Chamber, who is attending the gathering. "Robert, his team, and the resources made available to us over the past year have been invaluable to our community's effort to advance our downtown revitalization initiatives."
Portland, Maine, another of the eight cities in the USA's first class, enjoyed seeing the "innovative development that has taken place in the 'younger' Portland," according to Jeff Levine, Portland Maine's director of planning and urban development. He also praised USA for access to national experts, which he said helped his city to "work on issues related to urban living and growing sustainably."
The 2014 cohort of cities will focus on a theme of joint city-university sustainable redevelopment projects. Participating cities include: Duluth, Minnesota; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and Auburn, Alabama, with their respective university partners: University of Minnesota Duluth; New Mexico State University; and Auburn University.
"The partnership between Auburn University and the city of Auburn has always been strong, and I'm excited for this chance for us to work together to improve downtown Auburn as the gateway to both the city and the Auburn University campus," said Auburn Mayor Bill Ham Jr.
Also attending the convening are representatives from cities interested in the program and eager to get a taste of what it's like.
"We're pleased with the attention that our theme of city-university collaboration has received," said Judy Walton, USA program administrator.
The USA's inaugural theme—sustainable downtown redevelopment projects—will be carried on by a group of cities from the Sacramento region who will begin to work with the USA as part of a second cohort this fall.
About Urban Sustainability Accelerator
The Urban Sustainability Accelerator helps mid-sized and smaller urban areas implement sustainability projects and is made possible through support of PSU's Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, The Institute for Sustainable Solutions and a grant from the Summit Foundation. (www.pdx.edu/sustainability-
About Portland State University (PSU)
Located in Portland, Oregon, PSU has about 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. PSU's motto is "Let Knowledge Serve the City," and we provide every student with opportunities to work with businesses, schools and organizations on real-world projects. Our downtown campus exhibits PSU's commitment to sustainability, and sustainability is incorporated into much of the curriculum. (www.pdx.edu)


text:
A dream, an idea, an adventure… with the purpose of transmitting our culture into high fashion handcrafted jewelry, HFM2 was created, which combines textures, shapes, metals and semi-precious gemstones, to create unique pieces with a very Mexican spirit. HFM2, based in Mexico City, has 4 different design styles brought together to create handmade accessories made by artisans who combine ancient techniques with modern, original and unique procedures. We are committed to provide high quality products and the best customer service. In each piece you can see reflected the passion of a warmth and nice country, and the colors and ideas characteristic of diverse locations in Mexico. We have carefully selected the best variety of semi-precious gemstones.
This piece features Czech crystals on a 22k gold plated hoop.
Reviews (0)
HFM2 is dream…an idea…an adventure… the purpose of transmitting a culture through trendy handcrafted jewelry. HFM2 is a Mexican team that has been working creatively for many years to develop high-quality, trendy products with a competitive edge. Along with this success, HFM2 is proud to provide employment opportunities in their workshops to many Mexican craftsmen, who are constantly being trained with new ideas and skills in order to create different and better lines


text:
The waiting list to adopt a child isn't like other waiting lists.
"A lot of people think you're moving up on a list as time passes," says Kristen Anderson, 37, a school librarian in Evanston. "But that's not how it works."
She and her husband, Jamie, 42, an advertising executive, started the process in 2011. Their inclusion on a waiting list means they've completed the paperwork and background checks and home visits. They've composed a book of photos and stories about themselves.
One page reads: "Kristen always says teaching is learning twice. Parenting, we feel, is living twice. We will bring our child on the journey that is life — working, serving, learning."
Their adoption agency uses the book to match them with their eventual child.
"It gives the birth family an idea of who we are and what it would be like for their child to be in our home," Kristen says.
It's lovely. And excruciating.
"I call them bites, when we find out somebody's interested in our profile," Kristen says. "We had a bite last summer, and we got all excited, but it was a no. That one was so disappointing. We've had two other bites, and after the third I feel like I'm getting used to this process and learning to remain neutral until we find out they really did choose us."
When possible, the agency tells them why a family passed them over.
"Recently we got feedback from a birth family that they didn't think we had 'the time to parent,'" she says. "They were obviously looking for a stay-at-home mom."
Working parents hear this a lot: Someone else raises your kids while you work. As though parenting only occurs during office hours. As though you surrender your parental responsibilities, love, vulnerability when your child spends the day with another grown-up.
I love my daughter's first-grade teacher, but she's not raising her. She didn't teach her to ride a bike. She doesn't paint my daughter's toenails. She's never taken her to the emergency room at 2 a.m. (Though I might let her.)
Most jobs leave plenty of time to parent.
We're asking all the wrong questions in this work/don't work discussion. Can women effectively parent and work? Of course we can.
How about: What makes you the best version of yourself? What do you want your kids to see you doing? What makes you happy?
We have Warren Buffett, in Fortune, touting the economic benefits of a country using 100 percent of its human capacity, instead of just the male half. We have Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg urging women to lean in for the good of our sisters. We have journalist Hannah Rosin declaring "The End of Men" (her 2012 book) and recording how women are outpacing men.
Women in the workplace have never had more cheerleaders.
But that doesn't erase the doubters. And it doesn't provide enough clarity when one woman, one mom, one would-be mom, is trying to decide what's best — not for society, but for her family.
Here's what's best for her family: What's best for her.
"A content, fulfilled mom who loves her work with a passion and is making a difference will pass that on to her child," Arden Greenspan-Goldberg, a nationally recognized family therapist, told me. "The two are not mutually exclusive."
Leaving a job to devote yourself to child-rearing is a beautiful decision. It makes many parents very happy. Other parents derive joy from their careers.
The joy, I think, is the important part.
Kristen is reminded lately of a quote from author Richard Wright: "Life becomes sufficient unto life; the rewards of living are found in living."
It seems to me a wonderful motto upon which to frame this endless debate: What do you find rewarding? Do that. Do it with your whole heart and do it happily.
"I've always felt that my work gives me purpose," Kristen says. "It's a way of serving others."
Is there a better way to parent, than with purpose?
Twitter @heidistevens13


text:
In winter, trees take on urgency in the landscape, looming larger than they ever do in summer. They stand so still and stoic against the bitterest winds, patiently waiting until the sun warms them out of their stupor and allows them to breathe and bend again.
They are not sentient, we are told, and we are lectured against the personification of non-human life forms, but I cannot help feeling a twinge of anxiety when I see a tree in distress. It's a physical thing with me. I feel the same way I do when I encounter a person or an animal in pain.
I know I am not alone in this somewhat irrational attachment to trees. There are many people like me who just plain like trees.
I am the immediate past president of Tree Canada, a foundation that was started over two decades ago to plant trees where people live in this vast country, and I know that there are many tree lovers out there. Among them is my tree-loving friend, Bill Vander Zalm, the former premier of British Columbia, who recently quashed the HST in that province. I mention Bill and his recent doings to illustrate how tree fanciers come from every walk of life.
Can you imagine growing up, then, in a cityscape of concrete with no trees? It must be so de-humanizing. Yet for years, it was the fashion to strip schoolyards of their trees and fill in the playgrounds with asphalt. When Tree Canada discussed the schoolyard greening with one reluctant Ontario school trustee, he responded with the excuse that trees were dangerous because, he said, they provided a place for kids to hide! I have a vision of a kid playing hooky, pasted up against the off-side of a tree, rigid with the fear of being discovered.
It seems that for all those who love trees, there are others who, just as irrationally, hate them. There was the case of the Vancouver miscreant who systematically poisoned a boulevard tree in front of his condo because it obscured his view of the ocean. There was the Winnipeg man who destroyed a boulevard crabapple because it dropped its fruit on his lawn.
These vandalisms happen all the time, sometimes even on private property. Case in point was the elderly Winnipeg woman who, with her much loved husband, had planted a lovely birch some 30 years ago. The tree was at the height of its beauty and maturity when he died and she took her grief to the west coast. She returned some months later to suffer a second bereavement. While she was away, her next door neighbour had called in a tree service which topped the tree to just above eight feet off the ground. Imagine how this woman felt when she returned to find nothing but a tall stump, a remnant of the tree that symbolized her happiness with her just-deceased husband. The neighbour felt no remorse. The tree was dropping leaves on his property.
These stories break my heart, but there are many other stories that do just the opposite. For example, in the playground of a school in a downtrodden part of Winnipeg, there is a tree that was planted in 1881. It was an accidental tree, brought there by a young girl who heard about a tree planting taking place at her school and thought she would help. She found a wild tree and dug it up, arriving at school only to learn that the tree planting was for dignitaries only. An understanding teacher observed her heartbreak and arranged a private ceremony to plant the child's tree. It still grows there today, 131 years later.
Why do trees matter so much to us? Who knows? But I delight in the artistic way the white pine thrusts its limbs into the air of the Canadian Shield and I mourn the loss of the hundreds of thousands that were stripped away across the land in the building of Canada's railways, shipping industry and cities. (I know. It's stupid. They will grow back, given a chance.)
I have to pause in awe as I travel under a cathedral of interlocking American elms that shelter many of the streets of Winnipeg, and I am thankful that we still have these elms unlike Truro, Nova Scotia. There most of their beloved elms fell to the scourge of the Dutch elm beetle. The people of Truro, though, so loved their trees that rather than burn them when they died, they stripped off the bark and carved the likenesses of their pioneers in the standing wood.
I remember my thrill on seeing for the first time, a handkerchief tree in Malaysia and then learning that there is actually one of these growing in Vancouver and several in the Carolinian forests of southern Ontario. It gave me a special sense of connection with a county half way around the world.
You're being maudlin, I tell myself when I start to speak of these things, but there's a part of me that whispers back, "Who cares! I love those trees."


text:
From its origins as an even heavier alternative to the blues-based heavy rock that rose to popularity in the late 60's and early 70's, to contemporary sub-genres that push the stylistic and aesthetic boundaries in even more brutal directions, metal is the true musical voice of resistance.
Critical Mass showcases metal in all its various forms, paying salute to classic figureheads from throughout the genre's history as well as presenting the newest and freshest from styles such as death metal, black metal, thrash, grindcore, speed & extreme metal.
Plus, once a month The Quest takes you on an epic journey through the harsh and battle scar-worn terrain of power, symphonic & Viking metal.
In this episode of Critical Mass, Pete Lancaster catches up with Gav and Dan from Perth metal legends CHOKE, previews the upcoming SLAYFEST REUNION gig, and brings you all the latest from MACHINE HEAD, SAXON, WINDHAND, BLEEDING GODS, HFMFM, RATKING. and more!


text:
Day View
12 am (no events)
1 am (no events)
2 am (no events)
3 am (no events)
4 am (no events)
5 am (no events)
6 am (no events)
7 am (no events)
8 am (no events)
9 am (no events)
10 am (no events)
11 am (no events)
12 pm (no events)
1 pm (no events)
2 pm (no events)
3 pm (no events)
4 pm (no events)
5 pm (no events)
6 pm (1 event)
Free Animal Healing Sessions by The Lightfoot Way (6:00 pm - 8:00pm)
From Calendar: Events
Location: Friends For Life No Kill Shelter, 107 E. 22nd Street, Houston, TX 77008
Kim Shotola and Allison Culver from The Lightfoot Way offer free animal healing (consultation) sessions on a monthly basis at Friends For Life. Sessions may include information on your animal's nutrition, energy work, and animal communication. To attend, you MUST notify Kim or Allison via email or phone. Due to high demand, no walk-ins will be allowed.
To RSVP or find out more information, visit http://www.pet-health-advisor.com/freeanimalhealing.html
7 pm (no events)
8 pm (no events)
9 pm (no events)
10 pm (no events)
11 pm (no events)
Mini Calendar
About This Page
The "Day" page is meant to show events that are happening within the selected date. Additionally, this can be filtered down to a selected calendar (if you came to this page from the Calendars page).
It makes use of the following function:
- Calendar:Cal in Day mode to display events that are happening within the selected date.
- Calendar:Cal in Mini mode to display a Mini Calendar that links to days that have events.
- Calendar:Calendars to display a list of all available Calendars.


text:
Florida Gulf Coast University
Academic and Curriculum Support
10501 FGCU Blvd. South
Fort Myers, Florida 33965-6565
Cathy Duff, Associate Vice President
(239) 590-7043 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Aimee Anderson, Executive Secretary
(239) 590-7339 or email@example.com
The mission of the Office of Academic and Curriculum Support is to support and advance the strategic initiatives of Academic Affairs and the University. Academic and Curriculum Support brings a university-wide perspective to the development, delivery, and evaluation of academic programs and services and facilitates the planning and development of cross-college initiatives.
Academic and Curriculum Support has administrative responsibility for the following functions and units:
Academic Learning Compacts describe expected core student learning outcomes for graduates of each baccalaureate degree program. Expected core student learning outcomes focus on content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills.
Curriculum Development includes development, review, and approval of courses, degree programs, minors, and certificates; staff support for the Undergraduate Curriculum Team and the Graduate Curriculum Team; publication of the university catalog; maintenance of numerous academic policies; and oversight of the degree audit system (Degree Works)


text:
1974 National Champions
OU History & Tradition | National Championships
This Oklahoma team, the first of three national championship squads for Barry Switzer, controlled the college football world like few others.
Only one opponent played the Sooners within 14 points and four failed to score a touchdown. At the same time, OU led the nation in scoring offense with an average of 43 points per game to finish the season as the only undefeated team in the country at 11-0.
Oklahoma was loaded with talent, evidenced by its eight All-Americans, the most of any season to that point. OU's wishbone offense, triggered by RB Joe Washington, FB Jim Littrell and QB Steve Davis, averaged 73.9 rushing attempts per game, which still stands as an NCAA record.
Combined with a tough defense led by senior All-American Rod Shoate, a swift and punishing linebacker, and a defensive front comprised of Lee Roy and Dewey Selmon, and defensive end Jimbo Elrod, it's easy to see why the Sooners were so highly regarded.
The Sooners opened the '74 season as the top-ranked team by the Associated Press. It marked the first time since 1957 OU debuted at No. 1, and it was the first time in 11 years Oklahoma sat atop the AP poll.
Despite being a 43-point favorite against Baylor, the Sooners struggled in their season opener, needing three fourth-quarter touchdowns to secure a 28-11 victory. The win didn't impress AP voters, and OU dropped to No. 3 behind Ohio State and Notre Dame.
The Sooners quickly rebounded by destroying Utah State and Wake Forest in back-to-back weeks by a combined score of 135-3. Eight Sooners scored touchdowns against Utah State, while nine players found the end zone against the Demon Deacons.
Next up for the Sooners was the Red River Rivalry, and the Longhorns would easily represent Oklahoma's toughest challenge yet.
It turned out to be the equivalent of a final exam. Trailing 13-7 in the fourth quarter, OU dug into its bag of tricks with a reverse to split end Billy Brooks, who scampered 40 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Still, the extra point was ruled no good to the chagrin of Sooner kicker John Carroll, leaving the game tied at 13-13.
Oklahoma's defense rose to the challenge, led by Shoate, who finished the game with 21 tackles, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The last statistic was the critical one, as the Sooners forced a Texas fumble on the next possession, which Shoate recovered at the 50. A 37-yard field goal from Tony DiRienzo minutes later was the difference.
"This was as close as a game can be," Coach Switzer said afterwards. A testament to how hard it was fought in the trenches, OU offensive tackle Mike Vaughan reportedly passed out from exhaustion following the game.
The Sooners followed it up with a pair of blowouts over No. 16 Colorado, 49-14, and Kansas State, 63-0. Joe Washington rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns against the Buffaloes, while eight players found the end zone vs. the Wildcats.
After a sloppy performance on a soggy field in a 28-10 win at Iowa State, Oklahoma blanked a tough Missouri squad 37-0, a team that had already beaten Nebraska and scored 82 points in its previous two games. OU's third shutout of the season ran its record to 8-0, and stunning news came out of East Lansing, Mich., where Michigan State upset top-ranked Ohio State, 16-13.
Oklahoma regained the No. 1 ranking and, following a 45-14 win over Kansas, traveled to Lincoln with a Big Eight title on the line. A victory would put OU in the driver's seat, while a loss would give the Huskers a share of the crown.
OU changed up its defense for the Nebraska game, using man-to-man coverage instead of zone. The move paid dividends, as the Sooners intercepted four passes, including three by Randy Hughes, while the offense rolled up 482 yards on the ground despite not completing a single pass in the contest. The victory earned Oklahoma its second straight Big Eight Championship with one game still remaining against Oklahoma State.
Against the Cowboys, OU faced a 13-10 deficit late in the third quarter before scoring five TDs during a seven-and-a-half-minute span. The 44-13 victory marked OU's 20th consecutive win and 29th straight game without a loss.
When Alabama fell to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, the Sooners were left as the nation's only unbeaten team.
A No. 1 ranking in the final AP poll confirmed who the best team in the country was, and OU laid claim to its fourth national championship and first since 1956.


text:
Interesting new service announced by AK Automotive in North East England.
I have never used the company and therefore I cannot comment on their work. AK prepare the cars that GoodwoodSportsCars import from Japan and also prepare track cars for customers.
A number of enthusiasts with MK1 cars remove both front and rear sub frames to strip down the suspension, powder coat the sub frames and suspension arms and then rebush the arms, clean the underside and undercoat with all the areas being accessible. They also remove and inspect the fuel tank. Then replace with new suspension.
Now it appears that the cars in Japan are going for more at auctions and the trade of importing the Mk1's may well fall due to the cost of bringing in a car in from Japan.
Therefore AK Automotive are now offering this is part of their refurbishment programme for the early cars.
The main problem here is where do you stop i.e. new brake lines, new suspension bolts, repair rust of course, well why not put in a new fuel tank then the cost is say £6,000. We have not even got a new hood yet and while you are at it rebuild the engine.
I'm afraid that I would rather go for a newish Mk3 or a Mk4 probably but of course others will have other views.
In saying that as always Mazda basically tells you when you PCP a Mk4 that it will drop 50% of value in three years.
No doubt others will comment.


text:
Fonts in LaTeX, Errata
About seven months ago, Vasile Gaburici alerted me to the fact that
otftotfm has had experimental support for OpenType fonts TrueType outlines for quite some time. Furthermore, it will use kerning tables that
ttf2tfm will ignore. I am now finally getting around to writing a post to highlight this fact.
It seems likely that
otftotfm may also work on pre-OpenType TrueType fonts because the OpenType font format is essentially the same as the TrueType format with potentially additional tables. At least, when I did cursory search on my computer I could not find any TrueType fonts that proved to be incompatible with
Therefore, if you want to use a TrueType font with pdfLaTeX you should ignore the instructions I give in ∃xistential Type Fonts in LaTeX, Part Three: pdfTeX and TrueType and use the same instructions as I gave for OpenType fonts in Fonts in LaTeX, Part Two: pdfTeX and OpenType. For your convenience, I have also created an updated the zip file for the example that uses
otftotfm instead of


text:
Unfortunately for the writer, the IP's of his submissions recorded in the Sitemeter IP audit trail for HC Renewal were of a health IT vendor, Meditech, as described in the post. Even after the post, the abuse continued. Only after I contacted the General Counsel of that organization did the abuses stop.
At Bob Wachter's blog "Wachter's World" I have been following a quite serious Sept. 2012 post entitled "Putting the "A" Back in SOAP Notes: Time to Tackle An Epic Problem". The post concerns the effects EHRs have on clinician cognition. Dr. Wachter thoughfully concludes:
... All in all, I am pleased that UCSF went with the Epic system and I remain a fan of electronic health records. And Larry Weed was right: we must have a structure to record what is happening to our patients, and his problem-oriented approach remains the most appealing one. (Ultimately, one wonders whether natural language processing will make such a structure less important, in the same way that I no longer pay much attention to filing documents on my Mac now that its search function is so powerful.)
But the time is now – before our trainees build habits that will be awfully hard to break – to recognize that electronic medical records do more than chronicle our patients' histories, exams, and labs. They are also cognitive forcing functions, ever-so-subtly modifying our approach and language into something that can either improve our clinical care and teaching, or not. Let's show these computers who's boss, and put the "A" [clinician assessment - ed.] back in SOAP.
The post is followed by a largely thoughftul comment thread of dozens of comments.
A new comment has appeared as follows, from an anonymous user "EPIC" whose self-submitted URL is "epic.com":
Physicians – thanks for your thoughts. However, we are not mind-readers and we can only work within the bounds of our archaic code. If you think you have it rough, you should hear what we hear from the nurses, you know, the underpaid ones that actually provide patient care and have to put up with your whining, bossiness, and superiority complexes. Anybody can memorize A&P. It takes common sense to use a computer. Perhaps time spent complaining could be more effectively be used in Epic ClinDoc training. Gotchya…
The problems of health IT are all due to whining, complaining, bossy, conceited physicians who just won't learn how to use the EHR properly...who, by the way, lack common sense and should just shut up and read the manual ... gotchya!
The response I've left requires no additional comment:
S Silverstein, MD December 7, 2012 at 3:18 pm #To whomever left the reply "Physicians – thanks for your thoughts" under the pseudonym "EPIC"… Your comment is, quite simply, perverse. It reflects an unfitness for you, if the comment is serious, to be involved in any aspect of healthcare.
Your comment might have been at least humorous if it referred to, say, IT issues in a nail parlor or pizza shop.
We are discussing, however, IT problems in patient care, that affect everyone, including the most ill of patients who expect the healthcare system to focus on their needs.
Further, you show a lack of understanding of what the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently made plain: the concept of "use error":
… The EUP (EHR usability protocol) emphasis should be on ensuring that necessary and sufficient usability validation and remediation has been conducted so that use error [3] is minimized.
[3] "Use error" is a term used very specifically to refer to user interface designs that will engender users to make errors of commission or omission. It is true that users do make errors, but many errors are due not to user error per se but due to designs that are flawed, e.g., poorly written messaging [or lack of messaging, e.g., no warnings of potentially dangerous actions - ed.], misuse of color-coding conventions, omission of information [or poorly presented information - ed.], etc.
Take your perverse attitudes and ignorance elsewhere. Preferably far from your nearest healthcare facility.
Scot Silverstein, MD
Drexel University, Philadelphia
I am curious if the IP audit trail, if any, of Dr. Wachter's blog shows the IP of "Mr. Epic" and whether the IP shows the comment was truly coming from EPIC itself.