text:
NEW YORK (AP) - Rudolph Giuliani donning drag. Edward Koch stepping out of the mouth of a man-eating plant. Michael Bloomberg wearing a harness and flying 20 feet in the air while dressed as Spiderman.
NEW YORK (AP) � Rudolph Giuliani donning drag. Edward Koch stepping out of the mouth of a man-eating plant. Michael Bloomberg wearing a harness and flying 20 feet in the air while dressed as Spiderman.
The annual Inner Circle, the New York City news media's answer to the White House Correspondents Dinner, gives mayors a chance to let their hair down � or, just as likely, put on a wig � and poke fun at both themselves and the city they lead. Their appearances, which attempt to earn goodwill with the reporters who cover them, also can help shape their image in the public eye.
"At a time when it is hard to break through the 24-hour media cycle, this is one way to do it and to do it in a way that is positive and self-effacing," said Jeanne Zaino, political science professor at Iona College. It will give Mayor Bill de Blasio "a chance to reach a broader and different audience in a positive way."
This Saturday's show, which features a two-act reporters' production followed by the mayor's rebuttal show, will be de Blasio's debut and it comes at a time when the mayor could use a good headline. He has seen his poll numbers tumble, he's dealt with a few political missteps � from calling the NYPD to inquire about the arrest of a political ally to the handling of a pair of snowstorms � and he has enjoyed less-than-warm relations with the City Hall press corps.
But de Blasio seems game to make a good impression. The mayor, who frequently cracks jokes at public events � to varying levels of success � released a video this week in which he "trains" for the performance with actor Steve Buscemi. In the short video, de Blasio practices his jazz hands, pretends to growl like an animal and even uses a ventriloquist's dummy to poke fun at an incident earlier this year when he was caught not using his hands to eat his city's signature dish.
"He eats pizza with a knife and fork and they call me a dummy?" de Blasio has the doll say, badly.
Details about de Blasio's appearance have largely been kept under wraps. But the mayor, a Democrat, is expected to forgo enlisting the help of a Broadway cast like Bloomberg did, instead opting for a no-frills performance featuring a few celebrity friends.
"Our basic philosophy is that you can never have too much Steve Buscemi," said mayoral spokeswoman Rebecca Katz.
The reporters' show is always filled with jokes � some cringe-worthy � and a parody of songs that make fun of that year's current events, including a 2008 reworking of the song "Love Potion No. 9" as "Client No. 9," to mock former governor Eliot Spitzer's alias in the prostitution case that led to his resignation.
"There are a lot of crazy moments, including a member who once was so tipsy on stage he fell off the stage, without injury," said Henry Goldman, a reporter at Bloomberg News and vice president of the Inner Circle, "and another performer who once appeared on stage without wearing underwear, to the surprise of some in the audience."
This year's show, which will be held in a Manhattan hotel ballroom in front of a crowd of journalists and politicians, is entitled "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" and it pokes fun at de Blasio's efforts to combat income inequality by portraying him as a vigilante trying to steal from the rich to give to the poor.
But the spotlight is inevitably stolen by the mayor's response.
Bloomberg, known for his buttoned-up persona, surprisingly drew big laughs on stage every year. He would dress in absurd costumes, from a hippie to a superhero, and his deadpan, understated performance meshed nicely with the silliness erupting around him.
Mayors have enlisted big names to help: David Dinkins did a fake newscast with Mary Tyler Moore, while John Lindsay did a song with actress Florence Henderson. But Giuliani's turn as "Rudia" remains the show's most unforgettable highlight.
The brash conservative donned a pink gown, blond wig, high heels and makeup to sing "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" on stage in 1997 and brought the character back three years later. The surprising turn graced the tabloid front pages and became a punchline for David Letterman for weeks.
"It will be interesting to see how much de Blasio pokes fun at himself Saturday night," said Goldman. "To the extent he's able to laugh at himself, he's going to have a very successful night."


text:
Yankees invite ticket holders from Mariano Rivera Bobblehead Night to redeem tickets for complimentary game during 2014 regular season
The New York Yankees today announced that fans holding tickets for Mariano Rivera Bobblehead Night on September 24, 2013, may redeem their tickets for complimentary tickets to any regular season game at Yankee Stadium during the 2014 season excluding Opening Day and Old-Timers' Day (subject to availability).
Season ticket holders, group leaders and individual-game suite licensees who no longer possess their physical tickets from Tuesday's game should contact their Yankees ticket representative for assistance. Fans who purchased their tickets for Tuesday's game through the Yankees Ticket Office or yankees.com and who no longer possess their physical tickets should e-mail [email protected].
Please note that the Yankees can only accept tickets with valid bar codes for the September 24, 2013, game.
Fans may redeem their tickets at Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket Windows beginning when 2014 individual-game tickets go on sale to the general public through May 31, 2014. Fans will be able to redeem their September 24, 2013, tickets for select Field Level, Main Level, Terrace Level and Grandstand Level seats.
"The strength of this organization comes from the lifelong relationships we have developed with our fans," Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost said. "Although a perfect storm of circumstances beyond our control led to the delay in the distribution of last night's promotional item, the fact remains that our fans were inconvenienced. It matters little why - only that they were. We take last night's event seriously, and to apologize to our fans and express our loyalty to them, we are inviting all ticket holders from last night's game back to Yankee Stadium for a complimentary game during the 2014 regular season."
For complete information about the Yankees' redemption policy with respect to the September 24, 2013, game, please visit www.yankees.com.
Fans who did not redeem their bobblehead vouchers before leaving Yankee Stadium on Tuesday may redeem them at either of the Yankees' two remaining home games tonight and Thursday provided they have valid tickets for these games. Voucher redemption will take place inside Gate 2 through the end of each game. Fans who are not attending either of the Yankees' two remaining home games should mail their vouchers and their mailing address to: Fan Services, Yankee Stadium, One E. 161st Street, Bronx, NY 10451. Yankees Fan Services will mail them one bobblehead per original voucher received. Lost or misplaced vouchers as well as copies of original vouchers will not be honored.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What can I say? May just blew right by. But I have a gorgeous new nephew. He's perfect and tiny and seeing DD hold him was just precious.
I've been battling with some raging hives recently, which has also kept me off the radar. I don't know if they are a side effect of my hideous hayfever, or another symptom of coeliac disease kicking my arse, but I can tell you, I'm fed up. On a good day, my face is sore and dry. On a bad day, which is more frequent, I feel like I've burnt my skin and then had the remnants exfoliated. It's especially agonising around my eyelids, which makes blinking 15,000 times a day a real effing pain. So I'm trying a combination of natural and chemical remedies based on the severity of the symptoms every day. I'm now acutely aware of my face, which is hilarious because I've never placed a lot of value on it. The height of make-up for me is mascara AND lipstick, which I definitely can't wear now – so I'm walking around like the victim of a bad facial, exuding a gentle whiff of antiseptic steroid cream. Dead sexy!
Given the facial situation, I've been staying indoors as much as I can to avoid pollen and pollution – bonus time to read a lot more and learn a new craft: crochet! I'm on the simple stitch, straight line game, and feel confident that I will have a lap blanket by this winter, in multi-coloured stripes. Woop! Silver linings and all that.
I'm now waiting for Me Before You to appear in the cinema tomorrow. I loved the book by Jojo Moyes, both laughed and cried through it, and I'm desperately hoping that the movie does it justice. There's been a media shitstorm around the whole Dignitas issue, and I'm keen to see how the movie tackles it. It's a divisive topic, but I believe it can be handled well.
And on a really joyful note, the broad beans & sweet peas DD planted have not just survived, but thrived, under my ministrations! The broad beans are still too tiny to eat, but they are growing every day. My toxic thumbs may be a thing of the past, folks!
How about you? Is it spring where you are? How's your hayfever? What are you reading?


text:
Fidelity Contrafund Holds Up Through Hard Times
This fund's recent performance, one of the best of the Kiplinger 25, is being boosted by cheap blue chips and gold mining companies.
Through the bumpy months of spring and summer, from the stock market's peak on April 29 through September 8, Fidelity Contrafund (symbol FCNTX) tumbled 9.2%. But Contra lost three percentage points less than Standard & Poor's 500-stock index, making it one of the better-performing stock funds in the Kiplinger 25 during the correction.
Shares in undervalued blue chips, such as Coca-Cola (KO), which has climbed 9.8% so far this year, helped the fund, says manager Will Danoff (all returns are through September 8).
Another boost came from gold. Contrafund owns shares in several leading gold companies, including Newcrest Mining (NCMGY.PK) and Randgold Resources Ltd. (GOLD), where production is growing. Shares in those companies have climbed 1.5% and 36.9%, respectively, this year. Says Danoff: "I'm not looking for gold prices to appreciate. I'm looking for well-managed companies that are in a position to grow. If the price of gold appreciates, even better."
With the market well off its high, Danoff is on the prowl for good opportunities: "What do you do in this kind of environment when the whole market goes down?" he asks. "You buy." He's keeping an eye out for blue chips with an edge -- a new product, a strong position in India or China or other growth markets, and strong cash-flow generation. Danoff says it will be easier for these kinds of companies to maintain their market share or even gain share during uncertain times. He's also looking at smaller companies, including those that have gone public in the past five years and should be able to generate earnings growth no matter the economic environment. Earlier this year, Danoff made an investment in social networking Web site Facebook, which is not yet publicly traded. And he's tilting toward emerging markets, where he says "there are fewer headwinds" than in the U.S. and Europe.
Since taking over management of Contrafund 20 years ago, Danoff has seen assets balloon to more than $100 billion at times -- the fund currently holds $73.7 billion. Large funds often get cornered into becoming closet index portfolios; it becomes difficult to generate returns that outpace the broader market. But size hasn't been a problem for Danoff: The fund's 11.0% annualized 20-year return trounces the broader market index as well as its peers (funds that invest mainly in large, growing companies). Over the past year, Contrafund returned 12.7%, beating the S&P 500 by 2.6 percentage points and the category average by one point.
Not that there haven't been a few bumps along the way. After a few years of average performance -- the fund lagged the S&P 500 from 1994 to 1998 and held some 700 stocks -- Danoff says he realized that there was a limit to the number of companies he could follow. The potential extra returns from the 300 smallest positions weren't big enough to justify holding them in the portfolio. "Bill Miller [of Legg Mason Value] was doing well then, and I thought his outsize position in Dell and AOL made his record," Danoff says. "I thought, gosh, if I really like something, I should bet bigger." So he trimmed the number of holdings in Contrafund to about 400. As of July 31, the fund held shares in 492 companies.
Danoff has learned a few things this year, too. For starters, he admits that he was wrong about technology stocks, which account for 31% of the fund's assets. He thought many tech companies looked cheap and that the move toward cloud computing and smart phones would drive up their share prices. "That hasn't played out as well as I'd hoped," he says. Shares in Nokia (NOK) and Research in Motion (RIMM) have tumbled 35% and 46%, respectively, so far this year. "It's not quite steady as she goes, but I'm doing what I always do," says Danoff. "That the share prices are down is an opportunity for me."


text:
Tax Watch: Can't Pay Your Taxes? Here's What to Do
That deadline to file your income taxes is getting closer, and right about now you may be worried that you can't pay. Jonnelle Marte joins MoneyBeat with tips on handling one of the biggest taxpayer fears. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... it is not seen in April that he'd be coming for you know what whatever you don't have the money to pay Uncle Sam should you worry when Leah's ... of them one of those that bought we of help as we do have reminded every Monday to know Mark A is here with access to a season ... the desert on the real concern for people in the new deadline coming up in Ube don't you know you don't have the money what you do ... so the first thing you want to even if you know you're not able to count on if you want to file your return by people Fifth scheme ... and the reason for that is that you can avoid the late payment ... site in a filing pay a penalty of five percent of body without ... soul file of April fifteen there if you don't if you did in Iraq and the Reedy get more time is very easy to get a text file an extension opera Nixon when ... buys used to what on August for yes it's almost anybody can get a four month extension you haven't at least until August to finish before then ... I thought was inching into a new story is that the IRS if they want their money ... but it seems like a really will come to work with you ... Fashion making easier for you to get them out ... of course they are they want their money so they're willing to wear confused ... and in all day very differ ways you can reduce the penalties and interest it you can now get ... an idea that the worst thing so this is good ... do people really pay with credit cards ... you've got these debts to pay your tax bill ... Bennett was ... that has obviously high interest rates so if you know that you maybe you just need a few more minds and any of you have a very low interest rate on your credit card ... that my candidate Siena on you you don't have to pay a fee of around two eighty percent of what you all ... on most of the time it's not can it be that the best way to do it because of the interest card most people ... been Tuesday you would have to pick a card to be much higher than what the iris is charging right and if you go in softeners No with the D tells ... so that's great I'm a Utah most of ... it the senator to getting an extension of the iris will give you more time especially if you a lesson ten thousand dollars ... in utility compete and I spent three years ... on a bill that could be an extension or a priest on the payment had previously ... and once you're on the payment I knew auction of muscle all ... less interest ... on the onthe MON peeler came back so ... you know don't work with you via ... an ... IPO and wouldn't you know you don't owe them any money ... a new statewide I know I don't know the money ... if I liked ... uses so fired tear ... and what about if you are to be refinanced a you're not aware of the calamity that many on the table ... and ... you will get you off I will get the refund if you don't file ... and you wonder if the clock started on the BCP and the deadline for exotics ... trading at S has two years from this time you fall or return ... to body UNE from never filed in its limited and so when they can come back in case there is an issue in an IV them ... and then ... very lasting if you owe them some money ... whatever you'll do whatever you have ... been paid as well as the sum to pay what you can now again ... that the more money that did the with the longer you wait the more the interest and penalties will occur ... Sophie pillion can now ... aam you know the billion for us and especially feeling it a few more weeks to have the best ... UBS and the interest will be so


text:
View All Calendars is the default. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar. Subscribe to calendar notifications by clicking on the Notify Me® button, and you will automatically be alerted about the latest events in our community.
May 7, 2019, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM @ Landmark Pop-Uptown Gallery
Meet artists Linda Pearce and Jack Turpin at their exhibit Eccentric Narratives at the Landmark Pop-Uptown Gallery in Central Plaza.Artists Elizabeth Hollick and Elizabeth Carefoot may also be on hand. The show is the second part of Seriously Quirky!


text:
Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
At the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay we offer help, hope and healing to all people experiencing life's problems and challenges, big and small. We are located in Tampa, Florida, and provide services throughout the State and beyond.
We can help you deal with the devastating trauma of sexual assault or abuse, domestic violence, financial distress, substance abuse, medical emergency, suicidal thoughts, emotional or situational problems.
We are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Dial 2-1-1 where you will receive free, confidential crisis counseling, along with referrals to a Crisis Center service or to over 4,600 other community resources.
Sorry, there are no upcoming events


text:
Changes are in store for the way reverse mortgages are processed that might make it more difficult for some borrowers to qualify.
For fees that can amount to as much as 5% of a home's value, reverse mortgages allow people age 62 or older to convert their home equity into cash. The homeowner can elect to receive a lump sum, a line of credit or monthly payments. The loan is due, with interest, when the borrower dies, moves, sells the house or fails to pay property taxes or homeowner's insurance.
In the past, the amount a borrower received was determined by his or her age and property value, says Peter Bell, president of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. But on Oct. 5, the Federal Housing Administration, which insures virtually all reverse mortgages, told lenders that they are also free to consider a borrower's "financial capacity and credit assessment criteria … in the origination and approval of" reverse mortgages.
Starting a week ago, MetLife Bank, the largest originator of reverse mortgages, began examining applicants' finances. The goal: To gauge whether they have enough in the way of income and assets to cover the ongoing costs of defraying property taxes and homeowner's insurance premiums.
Mr. Bell says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees FHA, is working on new regulations–likely to debut in 2012–that would require lenders to perform such financial underwriting. As a result, he adds, "it is possible that some borrowers who could have gotten a reverse mortgage before" will no longer qualify.
Still, Mr. Bell says, the number of people likely to be affected will be nowhere near the numbers impacted when, in response to falling home values, HUD cut the amount of equity that reverse-mortgage borrowers could extract from their homes. From fiscal year 2008 to 2011, the volume of Federally-insured "home-equity-conversion" reverse mortgages fell 35%.
The new regulations are also likely to give lenders the right to require borrowers with smaller financial cushions to receive monthly payments, rather than a lump sum. To ensure that borrowers have enough cash to cover their property taxes and homeowner's insurance premiums, the new regulations may also allow lenders to set aside a portion of a reverse mortgage's proceeds for those expenses.
In recent years, the number of reverse mortgage borrowers at risk of default on these loans due to an inability to pay insurance and property tax bills has risen. Mr. Bell says a new counseling program has put about 60% to 70% of those in arrears on a path towards retaining their homes.


text:
First Look: Pig and Khao
GalleryFirst Look: Pig and Khao
The Fatty Crew Hospitality Group (Fatty Crab, Fatty 'Cue...) is well-established in New York in its particular form of Southeast Asian restaurant, true to the flavors of the region if not always specific dishes, food taken seriously but served in essentially casual restaurants, with a sense of humor and plenty to drink.
Pig & Khao, the first restaurant from former Top Chef contestant Leah Cohen (in partnership with the Fatty team), falls neatly into that genre. Her points of departure are Thailand and the Philippines, rather than Zak Pelaccio's usual Malaysia, but aren't always orthodox interpretations. (Salmon skin chips, the salmon from nearby Russ & Daughters, make an appearance; a grilled chicken salad is alive with flavors of lime and fish sauce and cilantro and dried shrimp, but isn't an interpretation of any particular Thai dish.) But the invocation of hot, sweet, and sour is all there; more than a few bites had us reaching for a bite of raw cabbage to cool our mouths down.
It's a long, slim space with an open kitchen, the welcome smell of grilling wafting through the place even in the early hour we were there. But while early autumn's still with us, the better seats might be out back. They're intending to keep the partially covered outdoor patio open through the year as long as weather permits. In the corner, they're installing a tap where, for $15, you've got self-serve all-you-can-drink beer with your meal. (Expect beers to rotate; it might be PBR, might be a Brooklyn Lager...)
Check out the slideshow for a peek at a few dishes and cocktails.
Pig & Khao
68 Clinton Street, New York NY 10002 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
CleanUSBDrive is an utility to eject any external drive removing those files that you don't want to see in your smartTV multimedia-browser, for example. It cleans all drives from system junk before ejecting, with a very high performance.
- Simple and fast
- Very minimalist design
- Status bar App
- Remove .DS_Store, ._AppleDouble, Thumbs.db, .Trashes, .Spotlight, .TemporaryItems files, and many other kinds of annoying files (fully configurable)
- Select what type of files do you want to remove
- Eject drive automatically after clean
- Works with any external drive (USB, Thunderbolt, FireWire)
- Launch-at-login option
- Progress bar
What's New
Version 1.2.4:
- Minor bug fixed.
OS X 10.10 or later, 64-bit processor
Download Now


text:
Claustrophobia: The Downward Struggle is an indie RPG roguelike, with a retro graphic style and a terrible sense of humour. The game takes place in a series of ever descending randomly generated dungeon floors, packed full of monsters to slaughter and loot to pillage. The game plays like a traditional roguelike, but with a clean UI, a slick, action orientated combat system, and a massive range of enemy types, skills, gear and room designs. With features like crafting, skill trees, characters development, and just-one-more-room style gameplay, Claustrophobia is a love letter to traditional RPG rougelikes. Create your ideal hero, build your own custom class, then set out on your quest for glory, slaughter, and anything shiny!
No mods were found matching the criteria specified. We suggest you try the mod list with no filter applied, to browse all available. Add mod and help us achieve our mission of showcasing the best content from all developers. Join now to share your own content, we welcome creators and consumers alike and look forward to your comments.


text:
QNX Opens Neutrino Source Code; Interview: QNX' CEO
2007-09-12 Original OSNews Interviews 70 Comments
QNX has announced that they are going to open up the source code to their QNX microkernel operating system. The press release reads: "Effective immediately, QNX will make source code for its award-winning, microkernel-based OS available for free download. The first source release includes the code to the QNX Neutrino microkernel, the base C library, and a variety of board support packages for popular embedded and computing hardware." Read on for more information, as well as an interview with Dan Dodge, CEO of QNX.


text: Tutoring in the areas of physical education require availability of appropriate venues for the sport. We will need an available court for either sport (tennis, basketball, etc), or area to practice basic throwing, blocking, or other skills for self-defense, field sports, etc. Please have 1-2 adequate locations in mind before contacting me, as I may not know all viable locations in your travel radius. I am able to transport you if needed via parental permission if your under 18. (Specifics) Archery: Training in this art will require an adequate safety zone area. Martial Arts: This specific tutoring will not contain object damaging/breaking. Only rudimentary tutoring in lower belt training. Please note the style in practice as there are many styles from various cultures of Asia and Africa you may be asking for assistance with.


text:
Oxford dictionary
Bully (noun): a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidation over those who are weaker.
Bully (verb): to use strength or or influence to intimidate someone, typically to force him or her to do what one wants.
There is so much being written right now about bullying. The newest focus of bullying has been put on homosexuality, but in the last week I've also read two other accounts of bullying. One is over at Bust magazine, where you can read article about how women are bullied because of their social choices. And the other is on a mama's blog, where you can read about how a girl was bullied because the daughter chose a water bottle that was different then all the other girls, and was too "boyish."
The second article is titled "bullying starts in first grade" but you know what? It doesn't start in first grade. It starts the moment we want our kid to be someone other then they are. It starts the moment we want other kids to be someone other then who they are. And it happens EVERYWHERE. Not just with gay kids, or with sexually promiscuous girls, or girls who choose the star wars water bottle over the pink water bottles. It happens to adults, to parents, to people everywhere! Our country was based on bullying. In fact, it seems as though every industrial country exists because of bullying. And of course that is not to say that bullying does not go on in "non" industrial countries. It seems pretty pervasive…
While thinking about this topic while out on a run, I was mystified and quite overwhelmed at the topic of bullying. "It's everywhere!" I was realizing. "How did this happen? What can we do?" where some of the questions popping up in my head. One could surely do a historical overview to find some of the original causes of our current culture of bullying, which has basically reflected the last three thousand years or so of bullying. And while I actually might find that interesting, and have gone down paths such as that before (and have some rather long papers from college to prove it!), I thought I'd go a bit inward with this. (and those that know me are saying, "*of course* she's taking this inward"! {BWG!}
Where does bullying really live? What is this bullying all about, on the inside, for me? Well, we know that bullying lives within us, because it seems fairly obvious that most of us are in constant battle with ourselves. And if I ask the question, "where does it come from" and I go inward a bit, I come up with the pretty obvious answer: on every level, bullying comes from me.
I don't just mean that *I* bully others. I mean, yes, I do! I can freely admit that I have
bullied my daughter from day one. I bully other kids. I bully my husband. I bully other parents! Every time I have judgment, in my opinion, that has some bullying energy behind it. And when the judgment extends to words and actions, then there is full fledge bullying going on! So yes, bullying comes from me. And I am not happy about that. At all. And I am doing my best to stop bullying. That is a topic in an of itself. HUGE!!!!
But what I also realized is that bullying comes from me, in that *I bully myself.* And here is where it gets a bit more tricky and words start to feel limited to me, but I'll do my best. When feelings come up, rather then *feel* them, our culture encourages us to do anything but feel them. We might feel them for a bit, especially when we're unable to hold it all in anymore, but rarely do we feel our feelings to the point of integration. And more importantly, rarely do we take responsibility for our feelings. We are much more likely to get angry at someone or something. Or become a victim. Guilt, shame, blame. Rarely does feeling our feelings lead to integration and empowerment.
So what does this mean for our kids? Well, it can be subtle or it can be quite overt. It can mean that when my kid wants to do something, and I judge her want, and show my judgment through facial expressions or other body language, or in more obvious ways such as tone of voice or value ridden language, I'm using my influence over my kid. I'm using my influence as mother, as "permission giver," as {insert role here}
As I stated above, we've all done this. And perhaps not all of it's "bad." We've all read of how to convey messages to our kids using facial expressions…. The baby goes to something we might think of as dangerous, and we scowl or use vocal inflection to let her know that we don't approve of that. When the baby changes course, we go back to smiling and coo-ing at her. And then as the child grows older, this type of exchange continues to occur, on a larger scale level, with more intent, and with more judgment and with the desire to exert more control.
So what does this have to do with feelings? When our kids want to do something that we don't agree with, it seems to be the easiest and most popular route to react to what is being requested.
Kid: "Can I have candy for breakfast?"
Mama: "Why in the world would you want to do that to your body?"
"Only if you want to get cavities."
"Sure, if you're ok with acting like a crazy person."
"I'm not ok with you putting poison into your body."
Notice how all the responses are judgment laden, and overt a very clear desire on the part of the parent, in hopes that the child will make a different choice. What might happen if, instead of responding with a reaction based in fear, the mom took a moment to think about what was coming up inside of her. And what if she allowed her self to have that fearful conversation *inside of her head* and went into that fear. What if she were to find some clarity about what the reaction of fear was all about for her?
I have the suspicion that if parents choose to completely feel their feelings, and choose to feel what was coming up inside of them when their kid wanted to do something that mentally triggered them into either saying no or wanting to control, then the need to bully our kid into submission would not be occurring on the level it is.
So, how does this fit into the larger bullying that is going on, out in the world? It seems clear to me, that if kids are being bullied from a very young age, by those that raise them, that it would only make sense to bully others as a way to feel a sense of control over their own environment.
The hot topic these days is teen suicide. Is it any wonder why there is an increase in our kids wanting to kill themselves? Is it any wonder why there is an increase of kids in their single digits expressing thoughts of suicide? Bullying is not just coming from parents; it's coming from everywhere. The energy of bullying permeates across race, religion, class, ect.
What might possibly kill the effects of bullying? I realize it sounds pretty airy fairy, but it seems to me that love might kill the effects of bullying. And not just love from others either, but an inner self-love.
What **is** the opposite of bullying? Acceptance? Love? That might be taking it too far, at least according to the dictionary, which uses the words allow and liberate… (That feels pretty good to me…. To be a liberator of my child, or any other person, rather then a bully…) But the energy behind the opposite of bullying, for me, is found in love and acceptance.
And what, then, is the opposite of bullying oneself? Self-acceptance? Self love? How can we get there? Will blaming, shaming, or feeling guilt lead to self-acceptance or self-love? Not for me! Every person is different, but for me, feeling my feelings has led me to truly loving and accepting myself. And in doing so, helps me to love and accept my child. Is this an easy path? Not always. Is it an empowering path? Yeah, it is. Is it a path filled with love and acceptance? Absolutely.


text:
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Giving Birth in The Gambia
Anyway, I finally went to my first appointment with my "earth mother" (jordmor) here in Denmark. This is the woman who is assigned to deliver our baby; the American/British equivalent is a midwife. Nobody here is assigned a doctor for delivery - unless for some reason you are pegged as having a high risk pregnancy. My first appointment was supposed to be around week 13, but because things are so backed up here, I had to wait until just before week 19.
I don't know what I was expecting - but I was expecting something. But she (actually there were two of them there) just talked to me. "Wow - that's great you run so much! You saved me time convincing you to exercise. You should take more iron. Here are some brochures about breastfeeding. Here's the number to call when you go in labor." They didn't weigh me, take my blood pressure, measure me. And then they were like - "well, since you're just two weeks away from the next appointment with us, we'll just skip that one and you can come back in week 29. See ya in the third trimester! Good luck! Keep running!"
I admit, I did get to listen to the fetal heart sound for the first time. Sure that was nice, but I knew it would have a heart beat since I feel it kick nearly hourly.
So I started thinking... is it actually dangerous to give birth in Denmark? I mean how they heck do the ever get the impression something is wrong?
And that's when I started thinking about giving birth in places like The Gambia. I did a bit of research and found their infant mortality rate is around the 31st highest in the world. Angola actually has the highest at almost 20%! So is Denmark even close to this? Of course not. Denmark's infant mortality rate is .46%, the 12th lowest in the world and is, not surprisingly, lower than that in the US (.63%). But this number isn't really that interesting when talking about giving birth. Infant mortality rate includes all deaths in the first year of life. Most infant deaths that occur in the third world are sometime later in that first year due to infection.
So what about actual birth outcomes? Everyone reading this knows that mothers and babies alike are much less likely to die at birth in the developed world than in the third world. But why is this? And what if I told you that in the 1940's the perinatal and maternal mortality in the US were similar to what they are in the 3rd world now (between 3 and 4%)? What is it then that has made the difference and what should all mothers worldwide have available when giving birth?
Unfortunately the answer is not at all simple. So much changed between the 40's and the 60's. Well, actually, the improvement is not that complicated when it comes to maternal death; that rate fell drastically after the introduction of penicillin in the 50's. But what about perinatal mortality? In developing countries, most perinatal mortality occurs due to the baby in some way getting stuck, the umbilical cord getting compressed and the baby asphyxiating before it can come out. A myriad of things came together at once in the 50's and 60's ensuring that this basically never happens in the developed world anymore: fetal heart rate monitors and people who know how to read them, quick access to a person skilled with forceps or a cesarean section with anesthesiologists and obstetricians. APGAR scores give an idea of how the baby is doing seconds after birth and neonatal intensivists are on hand to take over if the baby was not doing well. And prenatal ultrasounds give warning when there may be a problem in utero. This, along with many, many other little interventions, is the modern "obstetrical package". And it consists of so many elements that have never been analyzed separately, so it is tough to say what really made the difference. Today almost all perinatal mortality occurs due to premature birth, and with access to a neonatal intensive care unit, it is only the very, very premature that don't survive. And, in all honesty, when born before 25 weeks, most will lead a life fraught with disabilities and health problems (there are exceptions).
So, thankfully, I have access to all of these modern interventins here and that is why Denmark does just as well as The US (I should also mention that there are two sets of ultrasounds here - my second is next week) and for much less money.
But, when my earth mothers asked if I wanted to give birth at home, I said no, no, no. And why, if my water breaks before 33 weeks, I'm going to have SR drive me to Copenhagen - or I'll drive myself. I have to be near a good NICU.
Normally I am not one for much medical intervention. But I have worked in the 3rd world delivering babies - and have seen how frequently things can go wrong. I was involved in a case where the umbilical cord came out before the baby- the family doc there gave me a warm saline bottle to hold the cord in, so the cord wouldn't spasm in cold air and cut off the blood supply. I sat there for almost an hour in the middle of the night, with my hands between this woman's legs. She only spoke Tz'utujil , and well, a little Spanish, so we were able to very little small talk. The Fam Med doc, who normally would have had my help, set up for a c- section. Finally another family doc arrived to set up the anesthesia. We performed a c-section, the baby was delivered, and the mother could not stop hugging me. But an hour later, the baby started not breathing properly and not reacting right. I apologized to her, but I will never know if she understood. They were driven to Guatemala City and the baby died on the way.
This is not a reality people reading this blog deal with and if they ever did, they would sue. When the blood supply of a baby is compromised time is brain cells and very, very unfortunately nothing happened quickly that night.
It's probably good for me to put things in perspective - and admit that most of the things I talk about on this blog (exercise, weight gain, etc) are not factors that make a big difference in birth outcome.
The modern "obstetrical package" is one of the few examples in medicine of an group of interventions that has saved a huge amount of lives. But, the other side of this coin is that deliveries in the US (and Europe) have become over-medicalized. Women's labors are started if they go slightly past their due date. If labor is too slow or there is even a blip of heart-rate deceleration on the heart rate monitor, women are rushed to the OR for a c-section. Not based on evidence, but simply on the idea that one must "do everything" and "not take chances". I'm not criticizing; it is tough to make decisions when it's no longer ethical to due a study about not using one of the interventions.
To end this post on a running note, this is perhaps one of the biggest benefits of running while pregnant: much lower chance of emergency c-section. Babies heart rates don't decelerate - they are strong due to all of that blood flow variation they have gotten through their exercising mom. So doctors worry less. Also, babies of running moms are much less likely to be large for gestational age and, to some extent, they are less likely to go beyond their due date. Run for your own health - and run to avoid the risks of the overmedicalization of labor and delivery! But the real risk of problems at birth is dependent on where you live - not what you do.
I have to thank The WHO, The CIA, James Clapp and Atul Gawande for their writings and reports, which I used in this blog post.
And finally, since SR is in Portugal this weekend, I have turned to dreaming about singing a pop duet with Enrique Iglesias. My two running songs of the day were "Escape" and "Heartbeat" by Enrique Iglesias. The only downside is his lyrics are uninteresting. But they worked well on my long run- on the first warm day of the year in Denmark!
11 comments:
- SteveQ said...
Lots of countries have "The" in their names, from The Czech Republic, to The United States of America to The People's Republic of China.
Risk of complications, especially during delivery, are all based on poverty. There's a shockingly high mortality rate in the US, given the quality of medical care available - to those who can afford it.
- 6 March 2011 at 20:26
- mmmonyka said...
@SteveQ: Countries you mentioned have THE there because "republic", "states", "country" is included in their name and then you must use THE. But there are really only very few countries that have THE without rep, states etc in the name. I did not know that Gambia has THE, probably because one can say just Gambia and it is not a grammatical mistake. However, saying Netherlands without the THE, that's a mistake.
@SLG: You see, you found people in the medical/OB circles who support your decision to stay active!:)
I have not done any research or anything, but I have read few stories about pregnant runners and their deliveries and it seems that most of them went past their due date. I have no numbers on this though, it was only my observation, maybe it was just a coincidence. But I thought wow, it must have something to do with mothers being active. Have you done any actual research about due dates and exercise?
- 7 March 2011 at 01:39
- Marathon Mom said...
Great that you found medical people who believe that exercise is okay (and important) during pregnancy, having this during my pregnancy was so nice. I think it would be great if more midwives were able to deliver in the US (at least in MN) to decrease the "medicalization" of birth. I wanted my labor/birth to be as natural as possible, but still have all the interventions if I needed.
I agree with Steve, the risk of complications in the US is high with the medical care available, but very much based on economic level.
- 7 March 2011 at 03:56
- sea legs girl said...
(somewhat along the lines of mmmonyka's comment)I had gone so far as to think of The United States, The United Arab Emirates, The United Kingdom and The Phillipines - but take a look at South America and Africa: not a single The there except The Gambia. And all of the other "the's" seem to have something plural about them, thus somehow deserving a "the".
I admit that my source for the US's infant mortality rate was questionnable - couldn't find it listed with WHO or CIA. I had expected it to be higher than what I wrote.
Mmmonyka, I took the delivery info from a James Clapp study where 100 exercising women were matched with 100 non-exercising woman who were the same age and same socioeconomic status. The exercising women had the greatest chance of delivering in week 39, the non-exercising in week 40 (the study actually made me wonder if due dates are actually "naturally" a little earlier than 40 weeks, but that's all my speculation).
Marathon Mom,
I totally agree. I loved my midwife in the US. There is no need for everyone to have an OB-GYN as long as there is one available - it seems like this may be the direction the US is going, too. That would be good and so unlike the US to save money!
- 7 March 2011 at 07:23
- Sarah said...
Have you read Birth Day by Mark Sloan? It's a pediatrician's account of the science, history, and "wonder" of childbirth. I am sure you already know all the science but don't know how much history you got in medical school. He compares and contrasts the crazy things we Americans insist upon with what the rest of the developed world does with respect to medical care and childbirth.
P.S. Thank you for your blog!!! I am 21 weeks along with my first and nobody but my husband gets/supports my running habit.
- 7 March 2011 at 17:10
- SteveQ said...
The Democratic Republic of Congo (was Zaire for a while). The United Arab Emirates.
- 7 March 2011 at 17:24
- Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...
You may, if it makes me stand out more for you, call me The Glaven. With a long "e", please. THEE Glaven.
In fact, it's no longer optional. You now MUST call us Thee Glaven or we will not acknowledge anything you say. And we will refer to ourself with the royal "we" from now on.
If you don't like it? You may kiss our royal @$$.
- 7 March 2011 at 19:59
- sea legs girl said...
Sarah, thanks so much for commenting. That sounds like a book I would like - and one thing for sure is I don't know all of the science behind anything :). Probably no medical school puts enought weigth on history; the only way one can begin to understand science and medicine is through history.
And now that I'm done pontificating on such sophisticated matters, it sucks that you friends and family don't get your running in pregnancy. Thank goodness for your hubby! And if your doctor/midwife doesn't support it, I would love to have a little discussion with them! Good luck in your pregnancy - and maybe consider starting a blog. You'll suddenly find a whole community of people "get" your running while pregnanct :).
- 8 March 2011 at 13:26
- sea legs girl said...
Steve Q! I SAID The United Arab Emirates! Add to the list The Faroe Islands and my plural theory holds with the exception of republics. I am starting to think "gambia" means collection of tribes or some sort of plural concept. Nope - looked it up: the country is called The Republic of The Gambia because it is the country of the Gambia River. It IS an outlier in that it is named after the river The Gambia! Mystery solved.
Glaven, I simply refuse to refer to y'all as THEE Glaven (one of you in there must understand). I prefer That Glaven. Much more condescending.
- 8 March 2011 at 13:37
- Kate said...
I go to a practice in the US that is half midwives, half OB/GYNs, but I see one of the midwives. Idea is that the OB's are always there, on call, if you need one, but otherwise you just stick to the midwife. I think this is SO fantastic and it's a shame it's not more widely available in the US. With my first pregnancy/birth, I went to a practice of only OB/Gyns. When I switched for my second pregnancy, I asked the midwife what she perceived the major difference to be between the midwives and the doctors, seeing as how all of the prenatal testing and appointments were basically the same. She said, "we just treat pregnancy and birth as a normal process that's part of one's life, not as a medical condition that needs to be 'dealt with' (unless individual circumstances would dictate otherwise)." That makes so much sense to me.
Unrelated: I don't think you meant this, but I think your post makes it sound like not going past one's due date should be considered a good thing, as opposed to just a neutral thing from a medical standpoint. I was confused by that. Both of my girls were born past their supposed due dates, and other than feeling uncomfortable at the end of pregnancy (as all moms do), I was fine with that. I think there's too much focus on due dates in the U.S. and not enough of letting the baby come out when it's good and ready. I have no studies to point to but do think that the rise of inductions is statistically correlated to a higher incidence of unplanned c-sections. I know some people have valid reasons for inducing, but I'm of the opinion that most would be better off by just sticking it out and waiting.
- 8 March 2011 at 21:01
- sea legs girl said...
Thanks so much for the comment. And I completely agree with you. Sometimes it is hard to word things right. I don't think there is anything unhealthy about going over the due date. I simply (agree with you again) think that too many women are induced. Not that this is necessarily unsafe, but I've certainly witnessed enough to know it's very unpleasant and I would always personally refuse being induced. The other problem with going over the date is the baby gets larger and c-sections are deemed necessary more often because of that. Again, nothing in and of itself unhealthy - but I still look at giving birth slightly before 40 weeks as an advantage because of the way modern obstetrics is. There. Hope that made sense.
- 9 March 2011 at 06:14


text:
$12.90 $29.00 You Save 55% ($16.10)
100% Combed Cotton, 623 Thread Counts Per 10 CM Square, Combed cotton is extremely soft cotton that is made by treatment of cotton before being spun into a yarn. It is more expensive than conventional cotton because of the process it has passed through. Combed cotton is very idea for bed linen and clothing most especially bedding materials that will have direct contact with the skin. Bedding materials with combed cotton can easily be identified and distinguished from other cotton materials available in the market. Combed cotton is also softer because there are no threads in it that will stick out, and all dirt and impurities have been removed.
Our fabric has been treated to achieve a particular appearance therefore proper care is needed to maintain its soft and smooth effect
Your bedding will keep getting smoother and softer after every wash and should be changed every week or so, alternating between sets to preserve quality.Try not to bleach whenever possible.
Wash on a cool or warm cycle, and hang dry naturally recommended to preserve fibers, colors and elasticity. If you're using a dryer, choose a low heat and a low tumble cycle. Cool to warm iron if needed.
All our bedding is designed to support both your practice and the planet. We've made mindful choices about the fabrics we use, how we dye them and the processes by which they all come together. We use fabrics either made from recycled polyester, organic cotton and plant-based material because they are kinder to the earth and comforting to your body and they gone through stringent check and has passed any test from harmful substances.
Hotelier Prestigio™ Brownie Beige Embroidery Bolster Case


text:
KDE China User: A KDE Meeting in Beijing
On March 30th,2012, at Beijing, China, a grand meeting called KDE China User was held. This meeting has provided KDE users, community members and technophiles concerned about KDE's development with a nice "face-to-face" opportunity, to discuss about KDE's latest and cutting edge technology trends. Read on to find out what transpired at the meeting and what the future might hold for KDE in China.
About the organization
The meeting was sponsored by RedFlag Linux and held by Linux-ren.org. RedFlag is the biggest Linux vendor in Asia and has long been using KDE software by default in its desktop Linux, promoting KDE in China. Linux-ren is the biggest Linux community in China and has its own community release, Qomo Linux, also using KDE software. Both organizations have been fostering a great number of KDE software users in China.
The meeting
At the meeting, Rick Xing, Director of Linux Desktop research and development at Red Flag, gave us a detailed introduction on the history of KDE. He technically clarified the development history of KDE software, from KDE 1.0 to the latest Plasma workspaces, applications and KDE Platform. In particular, he made a in-depth introduction to the latest KDE software, and gave a live demonstration of the Plasma Desktop workspace and its various visual effects and capabilities.
[align=center]KDE China User group discussion[/align]
A salon discussion took place at the end of the meeting. Within it, Rick Xing and Zuo Hongsheng, the leader of Qomo project, had an intensive discussion with participants on topics such as KDE's current situation, how to participate in the KDE community, how to effectively translate news and documents of KDE, and how to better support the localization and popularity of KDE.
The future
The discussion has placed a eager hope for Linux-ren.org to assemble resources from the community to timely and correctly translate KDE's official news, technology materials and such, and integrate into RedFlag Linux and Qomo Linux the translated version of KDE summary info to better serve KDE China Users. Linux-ren.org is pleased and ready to realize the hope.
Linux-ren.org will continue holding such KDE user meetings in future, and will bring similar discussions into many Universities in China.


text:
Simple twists of fate: DNA study reveals how gene regulation works
A novel Brandeis University study this week in PLoS Biology reports on some of the molecular gymnastics performed by a protein involved in regulating DNA transcription. Using state-of-the art tools, researchers observed the shape and behavior of individual DNA molecules bent into tight loops by Lac repressor, a protein from the bacterium E.coli that switches on and off individual genes.
The study brings scientists an important step closer to understanding the phenomenon of gene regulation, a process elemental to biology from maintaining cell stability in bacteria such as E. coli to helping facilitate the most complex processes of human development and disease. The research was carried out by former Brandeis Ph.D. student Oi Kwan Wong in collaboration with scientists from Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina.
To switch some genes on or off, a protein has to bind to two different places on the gene simultaneously, creating a loop from the DNA. Although such loops are common, many of their features are poorly understood. Using atomic force microscopy and tethered particle motion (TPM), a technique pioneered at Brandeis, the researchers were able to look at single molecules of DNA to infer the shape of the loop, which is not visible. They discovered that many earlier models of loops were probably wrong because they required the DNA to bend and twist in ways incompatible with the behaviors the scientists observed in the single DNA molecules.
Atomic force microscopy enabled the researchers to view the shape of the DNA molecules, while TPM revealed the behavior of the DNA molecules. In the TPM experiments, a tiny plastic bead only a millionth of inch in diameter was attached to the end of a DNA molecule. By computer analysis of the bead movements seen in a microscope, the scientists were able to monitor the DNA as it looped and unlooped, revealing the details of the molecule's behavior.
But in addition to these sophisticated techniques, the researchers found a simple yet ingenious way to visualize just how the protein bent and twisted DNA: by creating three-dimensional models of the DNA loops using binder clips and tape. That simple trick helped the scientists determine which models were possible and which were unlikely.
"What we demonstrated in this paper is that, contrary to what many scientists thought, the structure of the protein is flexible and can take on different shapes, helping to minimize DNA bending or twisting in loops, and thus, maximize stable gene regulation," explained Wong's Ph.D. advisor, biochemistry professor Jeff Gelles. "We believe the protein has the ability to change its shape to accommodate different sized loops and different amounts of DNA, helping cells maintain genes in a switched on or switched off state."
"We think it is possible that the characteristics of this genetic switch are examples of a general phenomenon that helps explain gene regulation," said Gelles. Poor gene regulation is implicated in many diseases and cancers, and understanding how it works in even a simple bacterium may pave the way for the development of antibiotics.
"The key is that the protein can change shape "on the fly" to accommodate different kinds of loops, or different spacing between different parts of the DNA. This is the way that the protein may have evolved to make gene regulation more reliable," said Gelles.


text:
ViaSat High Speed Internet is available in even the most rural areas of Pennsylvania.
Speak with a ViaSat Internet specialist today.
Limited Time Offer
With three different options, ViaSat customers have the freedom to pick a plan that meets their individual or family needs. All plans come with download speeds of either 12 Mbps or 25 Mbps. Getting connected to ViaSat is as easy as:
ViaSat customers have access to an online dashboard that lets them view their monthly data usage. If you need more data, you can easily upgrade your plan through this page or purchase data packets. Buy More Data comes in the following amounts:
Bundling ViaSat's Voice and Internet services saves you $120 during the first year of service. Keep up with your friends and family with unlimited calling to all 50 states and Canada. Plus, none of your calls count toward your monthly data cap so it is a truly unlimited experience. ViaSat uses Voice over Internet Protocol and the equipment is so easy to install that you can do it yourself. You also get the added benefit of your VoIP phone working with your smartphone. This feature lets you:
ViaSat Customers have the option to purchase Easy Care in addition to the regular internet service. Easy Care is free for the first three month and then is $5.99/month after that time. It gives you peace of mind if something goes wrong with your service.
We're happy to help. Call now and speak with an Internet specialist.
Skip the hold. Have an Internet specialist call you at your convenience.Get Started


text:
Find out how our environmental solutions can help you
With expert energy and waste assessments, high-tech, energy efficient equipment and processes, and our environmental packaging portfolio we have holistic solutions to your environmental challenges.
43% of consumers say that an environmentally sound package makes them much more likely to consider a brand.
Read our latest research on how environmental sustainability is impacting perceptions and behaviours of the modern consumer and what you should do about it.
Today, businesses are only as good as their sustainability credentials.
We help you to raise industry standards through sustainable innovation. Environmental research shows 43% of consumers express a willingness to pay a higher price for environmental features when choosing a food or beverage package. This is why we've extended our packaging range to include more products with increased renewable content and reduced environmental impact.
Efficiency is at the core of every sustainable, successful business.
We help you reduce your waste and energy consumption so that you can cut costs across your entire production line and make room to grow.
We've already helped others cut water consumption, product waste, CO2 emissions, and energy costs.
We can help you navigate regulatory requirements and strive to push beyond your environmental and climate goals. Whether you need to reduce water use or improve energy efficiency, we have a range of services and solutions to support you.
Recent years have shown a significant number of consumers are looking to buy environmentally sound products because they want to preserve the environment for future generations. Are you ready to meet their needs? Our Product Development Centre can provide the inspiration you need to drive innovations in sustainability.
See how we enabled Kaslink to expand into the oat milk market in Finland.
Our holistic approach starts on the factory floor with our processing solutions, where we can improve efficiencies across food safety, product quality and environmental performance.
Partner with us to share our unrivalled expertise and experience in delivering sustainable results.
91% of consumers frequently look for environmental logos when shopping. With recyclable, responsibly sourced packaging made using the latest technology, you can build a position as a sustainable business leader.
Read about how we have reimagined food packaging to be the sustainable choice for the environmentally aware customer.
Our insights and expertise help you prepare for emerging environmental challenges, such as saving energy by detecting steam and water leakages instantly.
How can our digitalisation solutions make you an environmental leader in the food and beverage industry? Find out here.
Light weight and space efficient, Tetra Recart® carton packages are easy to transport. With more units per truck compared with cans, that means less trucks on the road and reduced carbon emissions.
Read how Tetra Recart carton packages can help you cut your carbon footprint.
With growing consumer trends in non-dairy and vegetarian products, Finnish food Company Kaslink was ready to take the leap to stay ahead of the competition.
Read how we helped Kaslink with our customised and cost-effective solution for plant-based drinks.
The more you know, the better your factory runs. With its operations digitalised by us, leading Chinese dairy manufacturer Mengniu found out how to do more with less.
Read how we helped Mengniu Dairy to make the transition to 'Dairy 4.0.'
Today, true sustainability means everything we do must make a positive contribution to the environment, not take from it. We call this "Planet Positive". At Tetra Pak, we're on a journey to becoming climate positive by focusing on plant based materials, using renewable energy, developing ever more innovative and efficient processes and aiming for total recycling.
Find out how we can help you meet your sustainability ambitions


text:
Hey guys,
I try learning unhooked, starting with Raleys and Sbend.
I ride Cab Switchblades and feel like the bar pressure is quite strong. I am not buff, but not weak either. Still, I feel its quite difficult for me to hold on to the bar and edge as well. Is a different kite like the FX better suited for that or should I just keep going to get the hang of it? Anyone else got that problem as well or can give advise?


text:
Integrated Rotary Axis CMM Probe -- VAST XTR Gold
Thanks to the integrated rotary axis, the new VAST XTR gold probe always positions the stylus in the direction of the feature being measured, maneuvers effortlessly through gaps and thus gets wherever it is needed.
Product Overview
VAST XTR gold is based on the VAST XT gold design. The navigator and performance functions are fully supported by VAST XTR. VAST navigator is an expert system that recommends the optimal measuring speed for the desired accuracy. The VAST performance function enables the stylus to scan interrupted contours without sacrificing speed or precision.
The key differentiating feature is the integrated swivel joint. It enables the stylus mount to turn as far as possible in 15 degree increments and thus always be positioned at the right angle to the part.
VAST XTR with the integrated swivel joint is as reliable and accurate as traditional "fixed" styli. Users can rely on the precision they are accustomed to. There are a wide range of workpieces on which the probe flexes its muscles. These include parts with many features and angular positions such as those on gear housings for helicopters and locomotives. VAST XTR gold is also suitable for rotationally symmetric workpieces such as ventilation gears or turbines. Thanks to the swivel joint, the probe reaches interior gears that until now could only be measured using complex stylus configurations.
The new sensor also has a particularly positive effect on large and heavy parts, e.g. in shipbuilding, in wind power or in the heavy equipment industry. With workpieces weighing more than five tons, it is difficult to find a rotary table suitable for the required accuracy and workpiece weight.


text:
Brown Hair With Blonde : Gorgeous Red Brown Blonde Hair Color Submitted Through Tumblr
This digital photography of Gorgeous Red Brown Blonde Hair Color Submitted Through Tumblr has dimension 1280x848 Pixel. To see this image in High Resolutions, Just click on the image above. You can see a gallery of Brown Hair With Blonde at the bottom below. Find information about Brown Hair With Blonde articles only at Sophie Hairstyles.
Brown Hair With Blonde - Horry County Police Looking For Parents Who Absconded Toddler. Courville described white woman born feet inches tall weight blonde hair brown eyes may driving silver gmc sierra license plate jct damaged front bumper possible tap out.
Brown hair blonde highlights qhairstyles. Brown hair blonde caramel highlights pictures via here free compilation famous motivational inspirational quotes from people.


text:
Windows 7 has definitely been making lot of waves these days and hopefully Microsoft should not repeat fiascos it had with Vista for its release in June 2009. In the past, we had shared the screenshots of the Windows 7 M3 build and also told you about the Windows 7 customization pack for Windows Vista.
If you are Windows XP user we had told you about the Windows 7 transformation pack for XP, but if you are looking to just get a Windows 7 theme for Windows XP, you are in luck.
A Deviant Art user has released a Windows 7 theme, that can be used for Windows XP. The theme looks really beautiful and definitely gives Windows XP a much needed facelift.


text:
AUSTIN––The Texas average rig count as of August 15, was 899, representing about 49 percent of all active land rigs in the United States. In the last 12 months, total Texas reported production was 802 million barrels of oil and 7.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The Railroad Commission of Texas' estimated final production for June 2014 is 76,953,161 barrels of crude oil and 523,906,040 Mcf (thousand cubic feet) of gas well gas.
The Commission derives final production numbers by multiplying the preliminary June 2014 production totals of 64,710,024 barrels of crude oil and 457,559,860 Mcf of gas well gas by a production adjustment factor of 1.1892 for crude oil and 1.1450 for gas well gas. (These production totals do not include casinghead gas or condensate.)
Texas natural gas storage reported to the Commission for July 2014 was 264,335,927 Mcf compared to 386,569,206 Mcf in July 2013. The August 2014 gas storage estimate is 266,423,509 Mcf.
The Commission's Oil and Gas Division set initial September 2014 natural gas production allowables for prorated fields in the state to meet market demand of 8,472,823 Mcf (thousand cubic feet). In setting the initial September 2014 allowables, the Commission used historical production figures from previous months, producers' demand forecasts for the coming month, and adjusted the figures based on well capability. These initial allowables will be adjusted after actual production for September 2014 is reported.


text:
Microsoft is licensing the new user interface (UI) in Office 2007 for free so developers can build applications that look similar to the programs in the suite, the company said Tuesday.
Microsoft is licensing both design and functionality of Office 2007's RibbonX UI, as well as offering guidelines for implementing it, through a new program, said Takeshi Numoto, Microsoft general manager for Office Client. Developers and ISVs (independent software vendors) can sign up with Microsoft on the Web and register products that will use the UI.
More information about the new licensing program can be found on Microsoft's Web page.
Microsoft said it decided to launch the licensing program after being approached by ISV partners that wanted to build applications using Office 2007 as a platform.
The RibbonX UI is a completely new interface for Office 2007 that is designed to make common Office features easier to use.
According to Numoto, the company has spent hundreds of millions of dollars revamping Office 2007's UI; indeed, it is the suite's most significant new feature. The company wants "qualified developers" to be able to use these investments, but it also wants to protect its proprietary investment from unauthorized use.
"The new licensing program enables developers and ISVs to benefit legally from Microsoft's innovation by using the UI for their own applications," he said.
Andrew Brust, chief of new technology for New York consulting firm twentysix New York, said a new formal program for licensing RibbonX makes a lot of sense because the UI is "the result of a significant investment by Microsoft in usability research and UI development," and Microsoft naturally wants to protect that.


text:
Stonewater Ranch is a 370 acre resort development located in the scenic foothills of Alberta. Just two hours from Edmonton and one hour from the gates of Jasper National Park, it will feature a premiere 18 hole golf course and an equine facility. An impressive group of amenities designed for an active lifestyle will include a health club, trail systems, shops, conference facilities, restaurants, and much more. Three kilometres of scenic frontage along the pristine McLeod River and two creeks on the property provide for an unparalleled natural setting for visitors and residents alike.
Environmental initiatives will be incorporated into the design and operation of Stonewater Ranch. Storm water and waste water recycling are two conservation measures that exemplify the approach that is being taken on environmental matters throughout the development.
Single family residential, town homes, condominiums, hotel, and RV lots will be phased in over a multi year development program with construction expected to commence in approximately one year. Approximately 1300 units (plus retail, office and storage units) will provide sufficient density to create an attractive and viable resort.
A resort centre is planned to be the focal point of Stonewater Ranch. It will accommodate many of the amenities and be designed as an urban resort village. Architectural controls, professional landscaping and careful planning throughout the project will ensure lasting value and product demand for many years to come.
The on-site and off-site recreational opportunities in the vicinity of the Stonewater Ranch property are impressive and include activities for all seasons. Professional management of the project will coordinate a program of activities throughout the year.
Stonewater Ranch
22557 Twp. Rd. 522
Sherwood Park, AB T8C 1G6
Office: (780) 467-8967
Fax: (780) 464-5752


text:
Too many cars, not enough workplace chargers
Eager to reduce energy use, German software company SAP installed 16 electric vehicle charging ports in 2010 at its Palo Alto campus for the handful of employees who owned electric vehicles.
Just three years later, SAP faces a problem that is increasingly common at Silicon Valley companies - far more electric cars than chargers. Sixty-one of the roughly 1,800 employees on the campus now drive a plug-in vehicle, overwhelming the 16 available chargers. And as demand for chargers exceeds supply, a host of thorny etiquette issues have arisen, along with some rare but notorious incidents of "charge rage."
"In the beginning, all of our EV drivers knew each other, we had enough infrastructure, and everyone was happy. That didn't last for long," said Peter Graf, SAP's chief sustainability officer and the driver of a Nissan Leaf. "Cars are getting unplugged while they are actively charging, and that's a problem. Employees are calling and messaging each other, saying, 'I see you're fully charged, can you please move your car?'"
SAP is now drafting charging guidelines for its EV-driving employees.
Consider it the dark side of workplace charging, which has joined on-site sushi chefs, massages and stock options as an expected perk in Silicon Valley.
"If you want to attract the best people and top talent, EV charging is a must-have," said Graf. "It's a recruitment tool."
Campbell-based ChargePoint operates the world's largest network of electric vehicle charging stations - 15,000 across the United States, Europe and Australia. It tells its corporate clients - including Google, Facebook, Target, Whole Foods and Disney - that they need one charging port for every two of their employees' electric vehicles.
Charging an EV can take as little as a half-hour, to "top it off," to as long as eight hours, depending on the vehicle and how much it is already charged.
"If you don't maintain a 2-to-1 ratio, you are dead," said ChargePoint CEO Pat Romano. "Having two chargers and 20 electric cars is worse than having no chargers and 20 electric cars. If you are going to do this, you have to be willing to continue to scale it."
PG&E expects to see as many as 800,000 electric vehicles on the road within its Northern California territory by the end of 2020, up from just 20,000 now, and the valley is a hot spot of adoption. In addition to home charging stations, there are nearly 20,000 public and workplace electric vehicle charging stations across the United States, according to a tally maintained by the Department of Energy. Of those, more than 5,000 are in California.
But at many workplaces, the number of electric cars is multiplying much faster than the number of charging stations. Adding new chargers is not always easy, as many companies lease their facilities instead of owning them outright, making them loath to install permanent infrastructure. In addition, the chargers themselves are expensive.
George Betak learned firsthand the perils of "charge rage" last fall when he worked at Yahoo's Sunnyvale headquarters, where he said more than 100 employees who drove plug-in vehicles regularly tussled over limited charging spots.
Betak, who no longer works at Yahoo, drives the all-electric BMW Active E and one day made the grave mistake of unplugging a colleague's Chevy Volt.
"I needed to be somewhere by 6 p.m., and all of the active chargers were full. I couldn't plug in all day," he said. "There was a Volt that appeared to be finished charging, so I unplugged it so I could get a half-hour boost. The Volt isn't pure electric - it also has a gasoline engine. The next day, I learned that the Volt owner was furious, and he sent out this email blast saying that I stole his charge. It was awful."
Many electric vehicles have apps that communicate its level of charge to the owner, and some workplaces urge employees to make sure those alerts are set up, so cars can be moved as soon as they are fully charged. In typical Silicon Valley fashion, one company has turned to technology to juggle the charging logistics.
Infoblox, a network control company, has 260 employees at its headquarters in Santa Clara. Of those, 27 have plug-in electric vehicles, or roughly 10 percent of the workforce. But the company has only six charging stations, a shortage that has led to the creation of an internal "EV user" distribution list, as well as a shared calendar for managing charging slots.
"You have to book your charging time on Outlook," said David Gee, Infoblox's executive vice president of marketing and the owner of a Tesla Model S. "You can only book for a two-hour window. But Rule No. 1 is: No one touches anyone else's car without permission."
The 27 EVs at Infoblox include several Nissan Leafs, Toyota Prius Plug-Ins, Chevy Volts, a Ford Focus EV and a few Model S sedans. But there's no hierarchy among the vehicles, nor do top executives get special charging rights. If anyone overstays their allotted time, the emails come fast: "Will the owner of the red Leaf in Bay #3 move their car now?"
"It's a highly egalitarian community," said Gee. "Public shaming is the best motivator."


text:
Research In Motion last week said that a million BlackBerry owners worldwide stopped using their phones during the company�s most recent financial quarter, the first such decline in the device�s history.
It reported other bad news as well, a month before introducing its new BlackBerry 10 phones to the public. Revenue fell 48 percent in the company�s fiscal third quarter, ended Dec. 1, to $2.7 billion from $5.2 billion a year earlier.
After a favorable tax gain, RIM reported net income of $9 million or 2 cents a share. A year ago during the same period, RIM earned $265 million, or 51 cents a share. The company said that using nonstandard accounting methods to adjust for the tax gain and other pretax charges led to an adjusted net loss for the third quarter of $114 million, or 22 cents per share.
Analysts had expected a loss of 35 cents a share, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters. Nevertheless, RIM�s shares fell about 9 percent in after-hours trading. Before RIM�s announcement, shares closed at $14.12, up for the day by 3.6 percent.
The company has pinned its hopes on the BlackBerry 10 to win back customers who may have defected to iPhones or phones using Google�s Android operating system. RIM said 79 million customers are using BlackBerry devices.
�We believe the company has stabilized and will turn the corner in the next year,� Thorsten Heins, the chief executive, said in a conference call with analysts. �We are realistic about our competitors, but we know that customers in this industry demand and respond to innovation.�
Until now, RIM had been able to offset the drastic drop in the BlackBerry�s popularity in its traditional markets, particularly the United States, through increased sales in developing countries. Because every BlackBerry user generates high-margin monthly fees from carriers for RIM, the most recent quarter�s loss of subscribers is more than just a symbolic setback.
In the conference call, Heins indicated that RIM had been reducing those fees, which account for 36 percent of RIM�s revenue, in a bid to keep BlackBerry�s product offerings alive.


text:
Well, yes, Windows 8 Release Preview has been released. As Microsoft reimagines Windows, here is your chance to take it for a spin on a variety of form factors, including the new generation of touch devices. Let's dive into the details, and get started.
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
- RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
- Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
- Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
Of course, you will need a tablet or a monitor that supports multi-touch for the touch experience on Windows 8. The OS requires a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768 to access the Windows Store and at least 1366 x 768 to snap apps.
Windows 8 Release Preview is available in 14 languages – Arabic, English, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. The Windows 8 Release Preview Setup program will automatically detect your current language selection. If you don't have one of these languages selected, you can choose the language you want to download.
Microsoft has surprisingly allowed for upgrades to Windows 8 Release Preview from all Windows versions going back to as far as Windows XP. If you are upgrading from an earlier preview version of Windows 8, while your files will be saved in a Windows.old folder, it would be otherwise a clean installation with nothing else preserved. In the most seamless upgrade experience of all, while upgrading from Windows 7, all programs, Windows settings, and User accounts and files are retained. From Windows Vista, you lose the installed programs and from Windows XP, you lose everything except the User accounts and files.


text:
Accelrys Subsidiaries to Pay $16 Million to Settle Arbitration
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Two subsidiaries of San Diego-based Accelrys Inc., have agreed to pay $16 million to Borealis AG as part of a settlement agreement to resolve pending arbitration, according to an Accelrys filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The wholly owned subsidiaries, Symyx Technologies Inc. and Symyx Solutions Inc., are involved in arbitration before the London Court of International Arbitration. In the dispute, which began before scientific business intelligence software company Accelrys acquired Symyx in 2010, Borealis claims certain software and professional services did not meet agreed-upon terms.
Accelrys will pay $5.9 million of the settlement out of pocket, with the rest covered by insurance.
The settlement payment is being made with no admission of liability by either party, and each party has agreed to release all claims against the other, according to Accelrys' SEC filing. The company said it had accrued a reserve of about $10 million related to the case.
Earlier in December, Accelrys acquired Ireland-based Qumas for $50 million in cash.


text:
With unwavering resolve and a firm eye on the road ahead, Schubert Verpackungsmaschinen focuses on the current and future requirements of its customers. The company is boldly charting its entirely independent course in terms of technology with its commitment to modular and intelligent TLM packaging lines. Its objective is to provide customers with future-proof solutions that are easy to use, are flexible in terms of format, perform extraordinarily well and exhibit excellent functional stability. At regular intervals the company unveils major leaps forward in innovation that offer customer benefits in new dimensions, thereby conquering new market segments with new technologies.
This family-owned group currently run by the family's second generation was established 50 years ago and employs 1,250 people. Thanks to an atmosphere of mutual trust and a high degree of individual responsibility, the company has succeeded in developing its very own culture of innovation. The Schubert Group comprises German and international subsidiaries from the fields of IT, engineering, precision parts and packaging services.
Approaching from the southeast, there is no overlooking our administrative building.
A friendly welcome awaits visitors and our receptionists are on hand to make sure they have a pleasant stay.
The pleasant and welcoming visitor suite is located on the ground floor of the administrative building.
The engineering department produces three-dimensional designs, working in close contact with the production control system.
Determing the right package for a product is a special challenge.
The parts for our TLM packaging machines are manufactured in our parts manufacturing department and by 35 sub-suppliers located in and around Crailsheim.
One of the highlights of our tour is a welding robot hard at work welding together TLM machine frames.
TLM machines are idividually painted according to the customer's colour preferences.
The logistics centre ensures that each individual component is in the right place at the right time.
TLM packaging machine modules are assembled on a assembly line.
The machine modules are joined together to form complete lines in two final assembly departments and are set up to perform their intended packaging task.
Because the construction of packaging machines calls for highly trained staff, we run our own trainee workshop.
The canteen takes care of the physical well-being of employees and visitors.
Every year our 800 strong workforce builds around 120 packaging machines.


text:
or make 4 interest-free payments of
fortnightly with
More info
Wonderful cards to collect, send or frame.
High quality print on 250gsm C1S artboard.Blank inside, cellophane wrapped with envelope.Each card measures 170mm x 125mm.
This image is also available as a Wall Print.
FREE Shipping Australia wide.
Let's keep you up to date + 10% off your next order!
Sold Out


text:
United Kingdom
United States
World English Go to Usborne.com
Usborne Quicklinks
Quicklinks for internet-linked books
Click on the links to visit the recommended websites.
Websites to visit
Count to 10 at the seaside
Click on "Play" then click on objects in each scene to count. Note: The number "9" in this activity is written differently in Little Wipe-Clean Numbers.
Can you count the ladybird's spots?
Note: The number 1 is written differently in Little Wipe-Clean Numbers.
Count some snacks for cat
Note: The number 4 is written differently in Little Wipe-Clean Numbers.
Fun songs about numbers
Note: The numbers 1 and 3 are written differently in Little Wipe-Clean Numbers.
Helicopter number rescue
Find a number between 1 and 100.
Count to 100 song
Sing along and count to 100.
Write your own numbers then watch a pencil trace them
Online fun with virtual pencils, paints and stamps
Children can use their fingers on phones and tablets to write numbers and draw pictures.
Websites to visit
A quick guide to how children learn to count
Fun ideas for building maths skills
Tips and ideas for enjoying maths with your child
Videos may not be available where you are due to BBC copyright restrictions.
Children, make sure you follow these three simple rules when using the internet:
For more tips, see Internet safety for children.
Adults - we recommend that children are supervised while on the internet. The content of a website may change at any time and Usborne Publishing is not responsible for content on sites other than its own.
For more on internet safety, see Internet advice for adults.
Websites with interactive content may not work on your tablet or smartphone, but you can view them on a computer. Find out more…
Little wipe-cleans
Little wipe-clean numbers
Help little ones learn to count and write numbers up to 100 with this friendly activity book. Durable, wipe-clean pages mean children can practise again and again and there are links to websites with advice and more activities to help children learn to read and write.
Felicity Brooks is an Editorial Director and writer at Usborne Publishing. She studied English and Drama at Exeter University and worked as an actor, teacher and lexicographer before starting work in children's publishing in the late 1980s. She has written and edited hundreds of children's titles, including stories and novelty books for pre-schoolers and books about history, geography, languages, science, maths, nature and the arts. Her books have won the TES Senior Information Book Award, the Aventis Science Books Prize, the SLA Information Book Award, the Sheffield Baby Books Award and Practical Pre-school Gold and Silver Awards.
Websites do occasionally experience problems. If a link isn't working we recommend leaving it a while and trying again. If the site is still down the following day please report the problem using our contact form. We will fix the problem as soon as possible, or find an alternative link.
If this is the first time you have used Usborne Quicklinks and you can't see ANY links, you may need to adjust your web browser settings. To find out how to do this, see Help & Advice.
The links in Usborne Quicklinks may vary slightly from those described in your book because when a website closes down, or we find a better site, we update the links in Quicklinks. (If we remove any of your favourite sites let us know!)
To view and print out files in .pdf format, you need the free Adobe Reader software. Download Adobe Reader.
Sound files should play on a computer, tablet or smartphone. If you have difficulty, make sure you have the most up-to-date version of your web browser, or on a desktop computer, download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player (see Technical help).
To hear midi files, you need a free program such as Windows Media Player, Real Player or Quicktime. Make sure your speakers are switched on! For more about these programs, see Technical help.
© Copyright 2020 Usborne Publishing. Web design & Development by Semantic


text:
Obama Right on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Secretary Gates's new guidelines for "don't ask, don't tell" are consistent with the Obama administration's plan to alter—and eventually reverse—the misguided policy. Both the guidelines and their ultimate goal deserve broad public support.
In the nearly 17 years since it was enacted, DADT has impeded military effectiveness by prohibiting motivated and well‐qualified individuals from serving their country.
A new generation of military leaders, both officers and enlisted, has seen the harm and injustice done by this policy, and is ready for change. As this cohort advances through the ranks, and as an earlier generation that was not willing to change retires from service, we should anticipate a relatively smooth transition to a policy that has been adopted in many other countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Israel, and the United Kingdom. But the strong leadership shown by President Obama, Secretary Gates, and Chairman Mullen on this issue will likely prove the essential final ingredient to ensuring that DADT dies.
Click the player below for more about why it is time to scrap the policy: