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By Lisa Desjardins, CNN
Follow on Twitter: @LisaDCNN
Editor's Note: Listen to the full story in our player above, and join the conversation in our comments section below.
Washington (CNN) – Gun legislation is locked in negotiations behind-closed-doors. As is immigration reform. The most frequent public activity for Republicans and Democrats in Congress remains criticizing each other.
And yet, there is a chance that Congress may be slowly getting more done, or at least avoiding gridlock, than in the past few years.
[2:18] "I think they finally recognize that it was unacceptable. That the partisan divide was so great it impeded progress."
– Olympia Snowe, former Republican Senator and current chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Commission on Political Reform.
CNN looked through the past three months of votes in the House and Senate and discovered that of the major measures that received final votes, many passed with substantial bipartisan support in both chambers. What Snowe and others hope is a sign (if a modest one) of progress, others see as simple maneuvering.
[2:51] "Very little of what goes on will result in a policy change or a policy. Instead, it's positioning. It's spin. It's just trying to make people think you're doing something when you're not really accomplishing much at all."
– Stan Collender, Qorvis National Director of Financial Communications and former staff member of both House and Senate Budget Committees.
To hear more, including specifics on the votes that may signal a shift in Congress, listen to our story above. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to CNN Soundwaves on our SoundCloud page.
Gun Control is like asuckAssn()gger.
A few notes on Gun Background Checks.
A Russian Officer once said that, "...The only reason we didn't attack you was that you can't get two Americans to agree on anything, and you're all heavily armed."
Gun Background Checks would probably be acceptable to the anti-gun control folks if it could be guaranteed that the weapon serial numbers are not included in the Gun Background Checks.
What is a "Gun Background Check?" A Gun Background Check is a request for buyer personal history information from the gun dealer to the law enforcement agency of the Federal Government Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The purchaser and dealer complete a Federal Form 4473, and NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System). If the person wanting to buy the gun is cleared by the ATF then the gun dealer is by law allowed to sell them the gun.
The problem for anti-gun control folks is that the Gun Background Check is tied to the serial number of the gun, and the anti-gun control folks believe that the government cannot have that information that they consider a violation of their 2nd Amendment Rights.
This is worth repeating.
Make no mistake, Gun Background Checks are de facto Gun Registration. The dealer keeps the Gun Background Check Forms, but the gun serial numbers are forever tied to the buyer through these Forms, and in case of invasion, the first thing the enemy would do is to get those Forms then to get the weapons. Just like in the movie "Red Dawn." And, a disarmed public is an enslaved public.
Now, if you doubt this Gun Background Check information, call your local gun dealer and ask about it.
Gun Registration is unconstitutional, therefore de facto Gun Registration Gun Background Checks are unconstitutional. QED.
And where exactally in the Constitution do you see the part about gun regisration being illegal?
And it will get even better when we vote out the rest of the GOP next year, then we can really get something done.
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ANARCHY, ANARCHY, really in the end of it all the country needs a good revolution, that is all
Down with both parties they both have sold the America and her citizens out . ITS TIME FOR A NON CORRUPT LEADERSHIP THEY GOT TO GO.
Wouldn't that be something, Congress cooperating. All you haters, especially the brainwashers that make a fortune fronting for the rich and powerful, would have nothing but your pathetic lives to bemone. And I didn,t say R or D, both own pathetic haters.
Elected officials and their minions working for the good of the republic instead of towing the line with their eyes on their own prize is almost inconcievable. But with these trying economic times what is to become of the lawyers and xpoliticos who have sunken to lobbying for the highest bidders and the entertainers that fill the airways and printed page at the bidding of sponcers and advertisers? No worries mate, the whores seem to survive.
Well you are only as good as your leader. Obama is spinning agenda after agenda. Nothing is getting done in congress and I am thankful for that. This wave and push from the left will end soon enough. 3 years and counting. Just for the record Obama and Bloomberg forced my hand I went out and bought 2 ar15s and 1 ar10...what a blast. Going to buy another over the weekend (and a 32 oz soda for myself) . Its good to have freedoms, next I am going to make a large donation to the NRA, America stand up and fight back against the left.
That sounds pretty childish and immature. And paranoid. I'd expect nothing less...................
Bahaha. You are going to be quite upset come 2014, 2016, 2018 and even 2020... brace yourself.
I bet your IQ is lower than that 32 oz soda.
Why do you liberals inst people and through temper tantroms like little kids when someone feels different than you? Hate monger, go suck obamas tit
Funny how you Trolls like to spew nonsense here in the Political forums.
I am Left and Liberal and I also have Weapons (not guns amateurs) lol and I Also believe you should too!! So how does that grab you Mr Troll?
Will you also get in a Homosexual Relationship and Smoke Weed, Scott? That will show the Left who is Boss.
Maybe he she get in a homosexual relationshiand make you his bitch
Did you cheat your way out of first grade English and spelling johnny my boy? I mean wow:/
You are by far the biggest redneck ive ever heard of scott:/ what the hell is wrong with you, you over paranoid gun freak:/ nobody wants to hear about your lame guns:/
Hey Scott. Only as good as our leader? I disagree. I was not a dickhead for the eight years GW was messing things up.
remember Olympia Snowe sold out to the admin many times and on the health care mess she voted yes
...........have they found thinking life............in Minnesota's 6th District yet?
I'd be getting along well with others if I just got back from a vacation I didn't earn, too.
Of the people, by the people s*rew the people.!
Lets face it- big money is involved ( NRA) . Elected officials want to get back in power and if they think there is a risk of losing votes ( NRA vows to see that anyone who does not play ball with them will not get in)they will not take the risk. Sad but true. What this means is the American electorate MUST get involved and hold their elected officials to account. They must get educated on the FACTS and not what they hear a few days before an election. The power is with the people however the public is responsible for how they vote. Being informed and standing up for what you believe is a must. Letting people like Michelle Bachman, Sarah P.alen, Mitt Romney decide our future is scary and yet we the electorate continue to vote them in. We must ensure we vote people in who have integrity, intelligent and who want what is right not what it can do for them is the only way to get results. As for Obama how lucky the American people are to have him- you don't know how lucky you are. There is a man of integrity!!!!!I'm not a Republican or an democrat but I can see an honest man when I see him. He is so far the savior of America and I think history will show that he was all about America and not about his own ego!!!!!
"This message brought to you by the Democratic National Committee"
I'm neither Democrat or Republican, but I'm also not so dis-illusioned as to how much damage our current president has done in regard to worsening an already out-of-control national deficit by bringing on programs that can't be supported at this time, and unfortunately being so far to the left and unwilling to negotiate from what he "thinks" "his" voters want, that the divide between 2 equally valid and valuable right and left sides has become almost unworkable. This IS NOT a sign of a great leader - a great leader would strive to bring us closer together as a country so we can have balanced change that all can get behind and be proud of (congress included). It's a shame, I was hoping for more, but I know it's a tough job.
@morris people speak of the NRA as if it is its own entity. It is a collection of a specific group within the electorate as are all special interest groups (including the Sierra Club). They work to represent that specific group's opinions. If what they represented went against what the members (the electorate) wanted then they would see a decrease in membership = funds = influence. Instead, when the government appears to threaten the specific interest of this group (the 2nd Amendment in the Bill of Rights) you see that their membership increases.
Follow the money? You know that the NRA (an special interest group formed to protect OUR second amendment, not further themselves financially) is not even in the top 20 largest lobbies? You say we need to be informed, well, get informed yourself. The big money is drugs and insurance, they are the ones everyone should be rallying against!
Are you on drugs? Obama is all agenda and lies. Killing this nations. Get a education yourself man sheeeesh
The legislation they're actually passing has little to do with the soap opera playing out in the media. The way both sides continue to spend on porkulus bills to enhance their careers you'd think there wasn't really a budget problem at all.
Politicians making deals to help themselves? I never would've guessed.
The GOP is going to help? Work together with the Dems? I thought it was the GOP that was going to filibuster so nothing can be done.
They all have the same basic agenda: help themselves. If they are agreeing on something its because it helps all of them. If they are arguing then it's because they are each representing the interests in whichever side they are taking. We are not part of the equation. If you understand this, it makes it a lot easier to understand what is going on in Washington.
I@dd:: For the most part, I agree with your first two sentences. The rest is pure crap and so typical of those that base every comment on" liberalism" or "conservatism", regurgitating any sound byte they hear from irresponsible individuals that supposedly represent the interest of the general public. Both Republicans and Democrats are guilty of this. Its time to stop using those terms and engage in intelligent conversation that focuses on the topic, leaving out the biased editorials. For the record, I do not think Congress is getting along. Quite honestly, I think this is the worst session in many decades.
The US mainstream news media supports polarization and divisiveness. Anyone who can generate hate is given a headline. Obama exceeds at this so he gets lots of headlines. Beohmer is really laid back. The news media hates him because he won't say that Obama is the devil. Liberals have become the most divisive group in the world and are probably going to kill more innocent people than the Muslim Brotherhood. News journalists should worry. There could be an American Spring or Summer when left wing extremists are eliminated from society. The New York Times would die.
Sadly the only time when both sides get along is when the drums of war are banging.
If they're getting along, it must be because they found a new enemy to fight together... probably the politically incorrect American.
CNN: "Huh? Congress is getting along?" I say: CNN, Huh?
This country was built on hate and greed and teapublicans have demonstrated this trait first hand for the past four years. They don't seem to believe in the old American cliche of "one nation under God" or in "united we stand, divided we fall." But I'm please that some of them are starting to open up and come to their sense.
Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer – I like how you blame one party. It is pretty naive and gives understanding as to why we are in the mess that we are in – people do not want to see the whole issue, just the other side. People in this country no longer accept responsibility for the actions that they, or those they support take, they just want to either blame and demonize the other person (group). I guess we all forget the old rule of – "those that are without sin may caste the first stone."
Get a clue – it is BOTH Parties that are the issue. Neither wants to work with the other on Anything. They all want what they want, and if they do not get it, then they complain and blame the other. I am sure that some one is going to bring up the line of "We won, President Obama is in office – get over it." First – I am not Democrat nor Republican, I vote across both parties, and unfortunately being a realist, I vote for who I think is going to do the least amount of damage, not the best person (because there is no longer a good politician). Second – There are 536 elected positions (I am counting President and Vice President as one elected position, since technically, one vote goes for both). President Obama is just one of those positions. Is he the most important? Does what he says always go? Yes he has the right to Veto and law, but there is a method to override that Veto, so in reality – he may have more overall power, but there are other checks and balances – so no – you did not win as big as you think.
Talk about naive, do you really think that anybody believes your bs about not being a republican? Your final line defined you.
I don't believe they are REALLY getting along that well. However, they do know that they are history in 2014 if they do not put forth at least some effort to DO SOMETHING over these next months.


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Witch Switch: Hubble, Bubble, Granny Trouble by Tracey Corderoy
My Granny's kind of different.
She wears a black, pointy hat.
And everywhere she goes, she takes her cats and frogs and bats--even to the movies.
People are bound to talk, and Granny is not exactly acting like your average low profile storybook witch. Granny lets her true self hang out, as she brews up slime soup, runs errands around town on her classic broom, and makes her granddaughter's teacher's pants disappear.
Why can't she do the sort of things other grannies do?
So this ordinary granddaughter sets out to do a makeover on Granny--to make her more...normal-ish. Granny loves being herself, but she loves her grandchild more, and she makes a effort to blend in.
Granny really tries. She knits. She takes the city bus instead of her broom downtown and gets a standard Granny-type curly hairdo and a normal pet. She wears flowery little aprons.
A happy ending? Well... not exactly.
Something was not quite right. She seemed like someone else's Gran.
"I'm kind of bored," Grany said.
It's a witchy work-up on the old "be careful what you wish for" theme, in Tracey Corderoy's brand-new Hubble Bubble, Granny Trouble (Nosy Crow/Candlewick Press, 2012) Granny story which affirms the tried-and-true thought that what makes the perfect granny is that she loves you a lot.

subset: commoncrawl


text: PSA Rentals is a family owned and operated property management business located in Ames, Iowa. We have been serving the Ames rentals and housing market for over 30 years. We have a large selection of apartments, duplexes, and houses. PSA Rentals has properties ranging from small efficiency apartments, to large 4 bedroom houses, and much more. If you are on the market for a rental in the Ames area, take a look at the properties we have to offer!


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Exploring Earth Science
April 08, 2014
April 08, 2014
Junior physics major Garth Ornelas has been selected to participate in a unique research and mentoring program sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
The program is called Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students, or RESESS, and it is designed to increase the number of historically underrepresented students entering the geosciences.
Ornelas was one of 11 students selected to participate in the program in summer 2013 and will be participating again in the summer of 2014.
Students who are selected for the program spend 11 weeks conducting independent, original research projects under the guidance of a research mentor. Ornelas spent the summer of 2013 working with John McCartney, an associate professor of geotechnical engineering and geomechanics at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
His research project involved using a large centrifuge to study the hydraulic properties of an unsaturated silt layer. The hydraulic properties of unsaturated silt are used in soil-atmosphere interaction models that take into account the role of infiltration and evaporation of water from soils due to atmospheric interaction. Such models are often applied in slope stability analyses, landfill cover design, aquifer recharge analyses and agricultural engineering.
The sediment Ornelas used for his research project came from the Bonny Reservoir in Colorado, which was created in 1951 when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built a dam on the South Fork of the Republican River. The reservoir was drained in 2011 because of a 2003 court decision which said that Colorado owed the state of Kansas billions of gallons of water under a decades-old water-rights deal called the Republican River Compact.
The project Ornelas did is detailed on the RESESS website and was featured on a 2014 calendar published by the program.
The RESESS program provides funds for participants to present their research at a scientific conference, and Ornelas presented a poster based on his research at the December 2013 meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.
His mentor for summer 2014 will be Matthew Pritchard, an associate professor of geophysics at Cornell University. Pritchard plans to have him work on some projects related to glacier change in Russia, such as monitoring glacier velocities and elevation change. This will be done by using different types of satellite images.
Ornelas said he has been interested in geology since he was very young. "My mother is a geophysicist and when our family went on camping trips we enjoyed looking for fossils and other interesting stones together," he said. "My rock collection quickly grew as did my interest in the Earth."
Ornelas said he discovered the RESESS program on the National Science Foundation's Pathways to Sciences website. His application detailed how he would like to help other underrepresented students as part of his career.
After he graduates from Southwestern, Ornelas said he plans to go to graduate school for either geophysics or engineering.


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Sarah and John Gabrielsen
Russell Petrie and Grace Lozinski
Brad Schmitt
Brad Schmitt
Matthew and Kenya Beckmann
Sheri and Bill Morrison
Sheri and Bill Morrison
More than 450 revelers gathered at The St. Regis Monarch Beach for a festive tradition that not only commemorated the season in chic SoCal style, but also raised funds for research, clinical trials and patient support services at Hoag Hospital. Indeed, the foundation's annual Christmas Carol Ball was a night of celebration. Guests were treated to everything from a live auction to an incredible meal prepared by Executive Chef Frederic Castan. String Theory, meanwhile, amazed with its jaw-dropping performances on enormous instruments—including a massive harp suspended from the ceiling. A final touch? Attendees bid for a cause on items like providing care for a child with Type 1 diabetes for a day—just another way to spread cheer. –Photos courtesy of Elle Photography
Photography by:


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Series News: Five of Seven WKA Road Racing Nationals Confirmed for 2014
The 2014 WKA VEGA / TS Racing Road Racing Series driven by Mazda schedule is taking shape, and while the entire 2014 national schedule is not yet complete, five national events are now confirmed for the upcoming season.
Of course, the national series will kick off this December 27-30 on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, where enduro races from across the country will commence for this year's edition of the WKA Road Race Championships.
Pre-registration is now open for the Daytona Road Race Championships. Go to http://worldkarting.com/downloads/eb-2014/daytona_rr.pdf to download the entry form.
Round two of the 2014 Road Racing campaign will be the traditional spring stop at Carolina Motorsports Park for the Johnny Jacumin Memorial / Zoom Zoom Nationals Road Race, Manufacturers Cup doubleheader. This year the big Kershaw event will take place April 4-6, when the weather should be terrific in South Carolina.
Rounds three and four will take the series to the Midwest for the annual Dart Kart Club-hosted and promoted WKA nationals.
The series will travel north to Grattan Raceway in Belding, Michigan, for a May 16-18 date; 2014 will mark the third straight year Dart Kart has hosted a WKA national at Grattan.
Only four weeks after Grattan round four of the national series will take center stage at the popular Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, always one of the biggest WKA national events of the season. The Mid-Ohio WKA national is set for June 13-15.
August is a big month for WKA racing with Manufacturers Cup (South Bend, Ind.), Gold Cup (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Road Racing all in action.
For Road Racing, the series will make its debut at a brand-new venue August 22-24 in North Carolina, the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NCCAR), a premier Southeast auto racing facility located just of Interstate 95 near Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
NCCAR is a two-mile, 40-feet wide bi-directional serpentine road course with half-mile straightaway, 11 constant radius corners, large grassy run-off shoulders and minimal barriers.
The track should be perfect for a national road-race karting event. Other benefits to this new facility include a wealth of hotels and restaurants within minutes of the track, and terrific proximity for WKA's east-coast road racers. The track is located just south of the Virginia / North Carolina line off I-95, giving our Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast racers and teams a convenient, mid-coast venue for a national race.
To learn more about NCCAR, visit http://NCCAR.us .
Woodbridge Kart Club-hosted national events are To Be Announced.
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By STEVE DALE
Certified Animal Behavior Consultant
When you decide it's time to bring a pet into your life, it's best to make an informed decision about the right kind of pet for you.
Begin by having a realistic conversation with yourself. Be honest about the time and resources you can dedicate to care and what kinds of qualities you are looking for in a pet. Think about how much time you can commit to this new member of your family, including giving them the appropriate level of exercise (not much to consider for hamsters, but Australian shepherds require more of an outdoor workout than Dachshunds). Talk to all family members about the decision and what their expected responsibilities will be. Keep in mind that any pet chosen for your children is ultimately yours. Adults are responsible for any medical bills and ensuring pets are cared for when a video game becomes a higher priority than scooping the litter box.
This process is vital because people who make the wrong choice tend to want to relinquish their pet. If there are children involved, the only lesson learned is that animals are expendable – hopefully, not the lesson you wanted for them.
In exploring possible pets, dogs are often the first kind many people consider. When weighing this choice, don't be swayed by trends or popular culture. After watching the movie "Babe," it may be a romantic notion to want a Border collie (the breed that appears in the movie), however, like any dog, the possible challenges may not be presented on the screen.
"You've gotta be crazy," says Patricia McConnell on choosing the breed. "Unless you're crazy like I am." McConnell, an animal behaviorist and Border collie owner says, in reality, the breed truly needs an outlet for their intensity or they can develop behavioral or temperament problems that aren't easy to deal with.
"In other words, they can be exhausting," she says.
Since keeping a dog can be quite a challenge and breeds vary in behavior and needs, it helps to do some research before selecting a particular breed so you can separate out fact from fiction.
Cats are the most popular pet in America, yet there are many misconceptions about keeping our feline friends. Chief among them is the belief that they're ideal for people with little or no time.
"You're always hearing, if you're a busy person, get a cat," says Liz Palika, an author of numerous pet-related books. "I don't believe that's correct. Cats deserve and require as much attention as dogs. Of course they don't require the kind of labor involved in taking them outside to do their business and to socialize, but they need to play and thrive on attention from people."
So, are there any ideal pets for the busy person who can't offer that level of attention?
"There really aren't many," says pet-author Audrey Pavia. "All pets take up some time." However, for first-time pet owners and those purchasing pets primarily for the kids, smaller pets are often a good starter.
Pavia suggests hedgehogs, admittedly a prickly choice. "Hedgehogs aren't so cuddly," she says. "They do get to know their people by smell. Still, they really don't need to interact with us." Caring for hedgies is a matter of providing food, a wheel (specially made for hedgehog feet), and a clean cage. They are active at night though, so be aware that they could keep light sleepers awake.
Hermit crabs won't fetch your paper, but they are interesting pets to watch. They don't need your conversation, but the do require other hermit crabs because they live in large groups in the wild. Keeping two or three is important (Maintaining more is work, of course). Even crabs require a little elbow room (that is, if they have elbows), so don't overdo it with a herd of too many crabs in too small of a space. With proper care, crabs can live around a decade so it's a commitment may definitely last for some time.
That can be the problem with long-lived pets. What happens if a young child loses interest as they age? A snake or larger lizard could live for 15 years or more, so you need to think about what happens to the animal when your child goes away to college." Most dorm rooms don't welcome pet residents. Requiring even longer-term planning are large parrots. Some parrot species live longer than some people (more than 70 years). You literally may require a will that includes who the caretaker for your pet will be when you go on to your reward.
Though they can be long lived, one advantage of a pet snake is that you don't have to run home from work or school because you're worried your slithery friend may be lonely. That tongue doesn't flick back and forth because she wants to kiss you. She's sensing her environment.
"Having a reptile is fascinating, like a little nature in your home," says Palika, a reptile rescuer for many years. She recommends a corn snake for beginners. They are bred not only for spectacular color combinations, but also for temperament.
"I believe they kind of enjoy being handled some, but overdoing it will cause stress," she says. As adults, they don't require daily feeding (In fact, twice a month is usually acceptable) and their environment is relatively easy to maintain. You won't have to worry about tripping over their toys as you might with a dog, cat, or a ferret.
If there's any pet with a sense of humor, it's the ferret. Ferrets are constantly in motion or sleeping. There is no middle ground. Because they're so inquisitive, you need to ferret- proof whatever room they're cavorting in. Remember that because of their flexible backbone, they can squeeze into small spaces. So they don't get themselves into too much trouble, they can't really be trusted to play alone without adult supervision. Two ferrets are best, and three is even better. They tend to pine for lost friends who pass away. If one dies, at least there's another buddy if you begin with a trio.
While ferrets are the life of the party, rabbits are the wallflowers. They enjoy being with their people, but they don't enjoy being the center of attention. Rabbits are a good choice for gentle people in a quiet household, and not ideal for young children, according to Pavia.
"Generally, they (rabbits) don't enjoy being picked up and really don't like to be cuddled," she says. "They prefer simply sitting in the room, and being petted every now and again, but not being smothered by their people."
If you're seeking a small interactive pet, a rat may not sound like the perfect choice –, but it might be. Palika taught her rats, Weed and Flower, an assortment of rat tricks.
"They were more like circus rats," she says. "We really enjoyed them and bonded with them. They're smarter, more affectionate, and not quite as fragile as gerbils, hamster, or Guinea pigs." However, being smart, rats require more human interaction than other more common rodent choices, and as a result will require more of your time.
If you really want a smart pet, as well as a real challenge, your best bet are parrots. Most experts agree, parrots are generally as smart, or even brighter, than dogs and cats.
Palika agrees, and adds, "It's also like having a two-or-three year old in the house for years and years and years without ever growing up." Various species have different needs, but no parrot is afraid to express its point of view.
"People ask me all the time to choose a quiet parrot for them," says Liz Wilson, a parrot behavior consultant. "I tell them, 'get fish.'"
While you clearly don't have to take a fish for a walk and they don't require your interaction, maintaining their environment can be a lot of work (Assuming were not talking about a betta fish in a bowl – which is far less labor intensive). Of course, you can always hire a professional aquarist to do that work for you, while you sit back and enjoy their beauty.
Studies show that watching fish is a stress-buster, but then so is petting a cat or a dog (or likely any other pet). It turns out that science is now demonstrating that pets are good for us, but when we make the wrong choices, it can all go sour fast. And that can be stressful and, therefore, unhealthy. Once we've chosen a pet, it's important to avoid wildly unrealistic expectations.
"The trick is to accept them for what they are," says Palika "And then every pet is the perfect pet."
Steve Dale is widely known as the "Ann Landers of the pet world." He writes "My Pet World," a syndicated, twice-weekly column, offering animal lovers of all kinds the latest news and information on their furry, feathered and scaled companions. Listen to Steve Dale's WEEKLY RADIO SHOW, "Pet Central," on Saturdays at http://www.wgnradio.com; or Steve's syndicated radio shows: "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." Learn more at http://www.petworldradio.net.


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By DAVID GREEN
Fayette's Normal Memorial Library board intends to ask voters to approve a 0.75-mill levy next May in an effort to restore a portion of the cuts in service made last month.
Due to funding problems at the state level, allocations to libraries fell by about 30 percent. Like most libraries in Ohio, Fayette's board of directors responded by cutting back on the hours of operation.
In mid-September, hours were reduced from 49 to 29, with evening hours only once a week and no Saturday hours.
Since the library is a school district library, permission to seek a levy must first be obtained from the Fayette Board of Education.
Library board vice president Mike Figgins explained to the school board Monday night how funding cuts are affecting the facility.
Revenue a year ago came in at $152,500. For 2009, cuts made for the final quarter of the year dropped revenue to $119,000, and the projection for next year stands at $111,250. The library's fund balance might shrink as low as $15,500.
The library board aims to ask approval of a five-year, 0.75-mill operating levy in the May 2010 election. If approved, the first collection from the levy would arrive in May 2011. The levy would bring in about $30,000 annually and cost a typical homeowner less than $15 a year, Figgins said.
"That still won't make up everything," Figgins said, "but it will allow us to add some hours."
He's hoping the state will restore some level of funding.
Library director Sally Canfield told the board that the reduction in hours makes it difficult for many patrons to make use of the library's services. In tough economic times, in particular, the availability of internet service is important for job searching and for those who can no longer afford to pay for an internet connection at their home.
If the levy passes, board member Kirk Keiser asked, what would be restored?
Canfield said the most likely choice would be to schedule Saturday hours again.
Board president Paula Schaffner asked if the library had sought a levy in the past. Fiscal officer Irene Fether said this would be the first time.
The school board must decide whether or not to approve the request no later than 75 days prior to the election.


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Hello! Although much of the first three weeks of June found me busy getting ready for our daughter's Open House, I still did job jar tasks nearly every day. But thanks to previous tasks that had involved heavy cleaning before June had begun, I found that I didn't have as much cleaning as I would have otherwise. So this system works well! (still had plenty of cleaning to do though.)
And how did the June tasks go? Well, I worked on filing and decluttering as well as some cleaning chores.
I prayed for someone, wrote a letter to a woman I know who had recently entered a nursing home, and made a special treat for our daughter.
I enjoyed reading a shelter book, a cookbook, did some birdwatching, worked on craft projects (came up with a good idea for a Thanksgiving craft), took photos and did some sewing.
I used my mom's paraffin wax spa kit, did some spiritual exercises, went on walks, and tried the following aromatherapy "recipe":
Twinkle Toes Foot Bath (from Gooseberry Patch)
1 pint boiling water
6 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 drops lavender essential oil
Pour boiling water over mint leaves; let steep eight minutes. Strain and add sea salt; let cool. Add lavender essential oil. Pour into container large enough to soak feet or pour into pint jar with tight-fitting lid to use later or to give as a gift. Makes one bath.
I had everything on hand, so this was easy to make and smelled nice too. It made for a pleasant soak of my hard-working feet.
Well, on the next month starting tomorrow. Hard to believe that this year is already half over!


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If you find this item at a lower price elsewhere including shipping and any taxes, please email us or give us a call and we will do everything we can to beat any valid online competitor's price! Be sure to include the link to the other site. *We can not price match local stores, warehouses, price clubs, or prior sales and the item must be new and in stock. Please see our guarantee for more details.
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The frame is made of a high impact resin that is UV-protected to prevent fading. The frame has been tested for snow loads up to 10.89 lbs. per sq. ft. and wind speeds up to 55 mph. Strong resin connectors are used to quickly snap the frame together, and the entire unit is backed by a 7 year warranty.
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text:
People and Brands:
Medium: Black acetate/viscose crepe and metal filigree buttons
Date: Spring 1991
Country: France
Credit: Gift of Pauline Tsui
Women's Wear Daily recently characterizeed Karl Lagerfeld as "fashion's consummate overachiever," an apt description for a man who for many years has designed for Chanel and Fendi, as well as his eponymous label. For this collection, Lagerfeld revised the proportions of his garments ever so slightly—shortening the drop waist skirt and elongating the jacket.
Object Number: 2001.63.8


text:
Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper Fitted Sheets - Organic Cotton
- 40% Rayon/60% Organic Cotton
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It's everything you could want in a fabric! So luxuriously soft it seems to caress your baby's skin. It is naturally absorbent to keep your baby comfortable and dry. Breathable, durable and beneficial to babies sensitive skin. It's naturally antibacterial, and even inhibits the growth of mildew and odors. And it's green... the fastest growing plant on earth and it needs no pesticides or chemicals to grow.
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Sold by:


text:
Well, I can say the Terrahawks blu-rays are fantastic.
The picture quality is far better than the DVDs, which I think were just tape transfers.
They might have baked the tape a bit first but that's all they were.
There are a few shots and scenes that are a bit fuzzy but I think that's due to the focus or depth of field of the cameras used to film it.
I'm comparing it to the Thunderbirds blu rays (which look better) and I guess Terrahawks was shot on 16mm while Thunderbirds was done on 35mm (?).
There are also lots of scenes with black backgrounds such as in space and in the credits where the black is not-at-all uniform and washes out to grey on the right-hand side.
This is pretty noticeable on a 16:9 screen where you have black space on either side.
I would have figured that it would have been fairly simple to correct that issue.
The modelwork holds up very well against 1080p scrutiny.
The panel lines; especially on Battlehawk really come out on a lot of the shots and you can see much better how much energy went into making the hero vehicles (and the enemy ones).
Zelda's saucer ship has an interesting veiny pattern on its hull that's similar to that on the Alliance Astrofighters from Star Fleet.
That comes across much clearer in the blu ray.
The series itself is better than I remember it too. I finished the Sporilla episode and there hasn't been a dud episode up to this point.
Dominique was quite surprised at 'what awful person' Ninestein was.
I think he's just there as a series of buttons for Zero to push.
In the Gold episode, Zero knows that Ninestein will *demand* rock samples as soon as Zero 'assumes' that no rock samples will be needed.
The banter between Kate and Hawkeye is great.
- Give it a try, Hawkeye
- Just say when and it's 10-10!
Hawkwing is also one of the best vehicles in any Gerry Anderson series along with Battletank.
I think Hawkwing is so awesome because there's nothing conservative about it. The launch sequence is fabulous yet still believable. It's like they came up with whatever idea would be more impressive than the Thunderbirds launch sequences.
That it can transfer the upper cockpit module between the two vehicles, which can then separate, is clever.
There are lots of realistic weapons like rocket pods and missiles on the model as well as the main red laser.
It has lots of nice details such as the wings that fold down to fit the ship into its launch tunnel and the smaller swing-wings that open out at lower speeds.
Overall, the ship looks great as well, whether it's combined or separated.
The Battletank meanwhile succeeds because it is conservative. It's low profile and a simple wedge-shape overall.
The megazoid control modules are great because their appearance (down to the eyes and the placement of their laser guns etc) co-ordinates with the Zeroids.
It's a nice detail that the Zeroids feed telemetry to the tank and relay instructions from the human commanders.
The fact that it has two 'heads' is good too because it can see (and fire guns) in two directions at once and it has 'high-availability' in case one head gets destroyed.
The missile launcher on the back is also a great idea because it can fire while moving and presumably hit targets beyond its line of sight; especially if it has a Zeroid spotting the target.
There are no dud vehicles either. They all make sense and look the way they should do given what they do.
The soundtrack is brilliant too- it's really sugary and enjoyable. Listening to it's like drinking pink Calpol.
The other thing I noticed is that the incidental launch themes are re-arranged for subsequent uses, which is unusual in TV shows.
So the same exact version of the Hawkwing launch theme never seems to get used back-to-back so far.
So, I will be getting the 2nd and 3rd volumes once I've finished this one.
I remember that there's an episode where Battletank gets destroyed but it gets brought back for the next episode.
I can't remember which episode that is.
I guess they have a ready supply of Battletanks and Hawkwing upper wings back at the base.
In episode 2, Hawkwing had a replacement wing straight away after using/loosing it episode 1.


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Bloomfield Hills' Maple Theater set to reopen
Local moviegoers will soon be able to frequent their neighborhood theater once again in Bloomfield Hills for art and mainstream films. The theater has been renovated with several improvements designed for comfort.
The Maple Theater will host its grand opening celebration, Thursday through Sunday, kicking off with a charity event to benefit Variety, The Children's Charity.
The grand opening benefit party is 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Thursday. To purchase tickets, email a request to firstname.lastname@example.com or call 248-258-5511.
The evening will include a strolling supper provided by Matt Prentice, drinks, and a private showing of "The Sessions," an independent drama/comedy film starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy. Tickets are $100 each. Valet parking will be provided.
Throughout the grand opening weekend, "The Sessions" will be shown as well as "The Other Son."
The newly renovated facility features three movie theaters with larger screens, boasting 700 seats, more legroom and wider aisles. The extensive renovation has a larger enclosed lobby, which includes a bar, a Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company cafe as well as a welcoming fireplace. Each movie theater will also feature club seats in the back two rows, with tables and access to wait service for food and drinks.
"We've designed the new Maple Theater to offer an upscale movie-going experience for the local neighborhood and cinephiles all across metro Detroit," said Jon Goldstein, principal, Cloud Nine Theater Partners. "Those looking for a night out at the movies will now have the opportunity to meet friends, have some coffee, dessert and a drink -- all while enjoying high-quality films."
Patrons who frequent the movies will be able to sign up for the Maple Rewards program, a free program that features a loyalty card to earn points towards giveaways.
The Maple Theater will present special events throughout the year including specialty screenings and sneak previews of movie releases. These specialty screenings include the return of "Secret Cinema," which will show a classic movie every third Thursday of each month. Goldstein also plans to feature operas, Broadway shows, concerts and popular television shows. In addition to the new digital equipment found in most updated theaters today, The Maple Theater will be one of a few local venues to maintain 35mm film equipment for special classic screenings.
The Maple Bar will be open daily from 3 to 10 p.m. offering beer, wine and liquor to movie patrons. With 12 beers on tap, many locally brewed beers have been thoughtfully selected. The new retail location at The Maple Theater, Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company will offer specialty coffees, baked goods and other foods from artisan producers.
This will be the company's second retail location (the first located in Midtown in Detroit) in addition to its locally based roasting facility. The cafe will open daily at 6 a.m., with a separate entrance facing Maple Road to service customers throughout the day.
Previously known as The Maple Art Theatre and owned by Landmark Theatres, the newly named Maple Theater will continue to feature independent films as well as discerning mainstream films to appeal to moviegoers of all ages. The Maple Theater is also available for private special event rental.
Jon and Lauren Goldstein started renovations July 23 with the help of Roman Bonislawski of Ron and Roman Design.
Cloud Nine Theater Partners, an offshoot of Highline Investments, which is an investor in multiple theaters across the country, took over ownership of The Maple Theater on Feb. 1.
The Maple Theater, 4135 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. Visit themapletheater.com or call 248-750-1030.


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Mind Stereo (Transparent Corporation) is a brainwave entrainment media center for your mind. You can test-drive Mind Stereo with a free trial (no credit card required) and discount coupon.
Mind Stereo Screen Flashing Integration
Mind Stereo has all the features of ordinary media player: playlist, equalizer, reverb, echo and other effects. What is unique to Mind Stereo are its brainwave entrainment options, delivered through audio and visuals effects including:
– Sound modulation, effects and filters
– Binaural beats & and other tone-based entrainment
– Flash integration into visual plugins
– AudioStrobe (for use with compatible LED glasses)


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In the five years that I have been reviewing MP3 players for CNET, I have seen a lot of strange ones. I have seen MP3 player shoes, MP3 player sunglasses, MP3 player keychains, MP3 players for toddlers, and even Apple's confounding buttonless iPod Shuffle design.
But the Galaxy Muse might be the worst MP3 player design I've seen yet. The navigation interface is difficult to see, impossible to feel, and infuriating even when it's working properly.
Like the Apple iPod Shuffle, the Galaxy Muse is roughly the size of a wristwatch. On its face you'll find a few markings that indicate the touch-sensitive controls for volume, Track Skip, and Play/Pause. On the review unit we received, these markings were made with dark-gray ink on dark-blue plastic, making them impossible to see in low light. And because the Muse is as smooth as a glass pebble, there's no way to physically differentiate the controls either.
But to really take this ill-conceived design over the top, Samsung set the controls to automatically go to sleep when not in use. Considering that it's impossible not to touch the volume-up button when pinching the clip open, putting the controls to sleep may have seemed like an ingenious way to prevent people from accidentally blasting their eardrums. And while it may prevent lawsuits over hearing loss, it also makes the navigation seemingly unresponsive, as you need to touch the controls once to wake them up, and then again to carry out their intended function. Repeated use only makes this unintuitive system more infuriating.
The rest of the device is relatively unremarkable. You get a headphone jack at the top (headphones included) a plastic clip on the back, a power switch on the right edge, and switches for hold and shuffle on the left.
For better or worse, the headphone jack also doubles as a charging and data transfer port. This makes for a slightly tidier design compared with adding a Micro-USB port, but it comes at the expense of requiring two small, not-easily-replaceable adapters for standard USB and Micro-USB.
The inclusion of both adapters makes it possible to sync music files from either a computer (via USB) or compatible Samsung smartphone (via Micro-USB). Not surprisingly, Samsung's flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2, are compatible with the Muse once a free app has been installed.
The Muse is a basic 4GB MP3 player cut from the same cloth as the similarly minimalist Apple iPod Shuffle. There's no screen, and no method for dialing up a specific song or album. You simply turn it on and pray that the song you hear is something you like. If it isn't, you can skip between songs using the capacitive touch controls on the front. There's also a switch on the side that can change the playback mode to either shuffle all the songs randomly or play them sequentially.
Audio formats supported by the Muse include MP3, WMA, FLAC, and OGG. Noticeably absent is any support for AAC, the music format of choice for Apple and its iTunes store.
The most intriguing feature of the Muse is that it's capable of syncing music either from your computer or directly from a compatible Android device. A headphone jack adapter that converts to standard USB is used for traditional computer syncing (via mass storage mode). As anyone who's owned an iPod Shuffle will tell you, these odd little cables are easy to lose and relatively difficult to replace compared with a standard Mini- or Micro-USB cable.


text:
Should Parents Fight in Front of the Kids?
Should you fight in front of your kids? The American Academy of Pediatrics says no. Others say fighting in a productive way, modeling disagreement and resolution is helpful. Andrea Petersen discusses. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... the ... kids that got reaction from many is no new research suggests the chances actually ... the more complicated and he came to me right now is WSJ's Pursell Journal reporter ... Andy Peterson ... I ... so a lot he would be like no no no no no never fight for the kids are back in at this level that there are times when it is o K kind of ... a possible through that ... the short answer to that question should you buy your kids is actually assets if you're able to do it in a way ... that is healthy which means respectfully ... no name calm eyeing the third hurling insults no slamming the door and walking out in anger diplomacy but I'm right I was and I think it's a it's funny because ... that's um assess the costs of being a child psychologist told me ... yet there are some experts including the president the American Academy of Pediatrics you say you should not affect the fight on for your kids ... something because it is so hard to do in a healthy way it's hard to fight well because your emotions are just upgrade on the other one wasn't like it he felt like a nice it would be fine right but the thing is actually some really tangible things that couples can do ... to be able to fight while ... the thing is is is it ... the experts say is that ... people to model constructed ... conflict resolution and problem solving is actually a really great thing to be of the kids are kids because all everyone is going to ... come up ... he has had disagreements in our life so I mean it means is a mean taking a breather like a walking away for five minutes of what was the other side of Tesla things you can see why I was I thought was a great suggestion from an expert than light at the child study Center and what you said that ... in how the cutoff for her anger ... and so on a scale of one to ten each person in a couple of decides ok at what point do they encircled the sense ... is that for one person to be a fine for another person can get seven ... as a base to agree in advance of when they can to fight if they feel that they are ... the top five ... they can be put to the box on the fight and table if or when the kids run around ... your spouse can also call your ... like me you really seem like you're at and seven right now so within analysts' estimates of NAV and seven the other by adding a light sensor way to really do keep make sure that the key discernible plot centers on Summers opposed exploding ... out one couple I talked to has had an unofficial five minute will ... suffer if something can ... you know it if it goes again five minutes that's where they think that they start to get into trouble others raised voices and there's ... the dredging up past ran for accented answer to get ugly and probably might want to thank you to use their points when he gets really tense in a car when everybody's having any aren't yet dinnertime when you're hungry not the best time he had just wait wasn't pre amps years to try to prevent by cutting its other suits lot when you know that there's really tight tension times so it's how the right you can generally can be healthy to have conflict resolution of the children because I seem to be a grown up in this world you have to know how to address conflict ... is there a moment when you pick things you can recognize an in your child if if things are in not taking a well written warning sign right there and they're not aching obviously at crying tidbit ... that's a that's a real a warning sign that the is pretty out is that there other things and in one day in its own significance for this reason was ... and is is it that second during the headlights reaction that means that they really feel like they're in danger ... other cancer called surf camouflage painted ... caves where they started ... the slump over and look kind of depresses that's just the cabin side not ... I Not and also if data start misbehaving themselves something to do that to try and divert their parents' attention away from the fights and toward them or some kids actually try to get the middle they take sides ... will start trying to mediate that's awesome because I knew what he wasn't able to leave my ... descendants for this right now I mean we couldn't talk ... this is that they can get it right is actually has actually at me a couple things I think first of all a sort of a societal shift where is there's a lot of parents who grew up ... in a late seventies eighties early nineties that the kids into Morris and are starting to have given the fences around now ... and they're really ... thinking about the impact that their parents fighting we're not fighting had on them and they wanna do things differently there's also a growing body of research showing ... What's de Stockton's conflicts and a really negative facts that ... that witnessing it ... really her full angry conflicts can cure for cancer ... research depression and ... anxiety behavior problems so ... that there's a there's renewed Athens emphasis on ok what is it look like to actually fight in in a constructive way yet fastening everybody


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A catenary curve is the shape taken by an idealized hanging chain or rope under the influence of gravity. It has the equation $y= a \cosh (x/a)$. My question is:
What is the shape taken by an idealized, thin two-dimensional sheet, pinned on a plane parallel to the ground, under the influence of gravity?
The answer surely depends on how it is pinned to the plane, the boundary conditions. Natural options are:
- A disk sheet fixed to a circle.
- A square sheet fixed to a square.
- A square sheet pinned at its four corners.
The middle option above would look something like this when inverted:
(Image by Tim Tyler at hexdome.com.)
I don't think any of these shapes is a catenoid, which is the surface of revolution formed by a catenary curve. Is there a simple analytic description of any of these surfaces, analogous to the $\cosh$ equation for the catenary curve? I have been unsuccessful in finding anything but simulations of solutions of the differential equations.
This question arose in imagining a higher-dimensional version of the property that an inverted catenary supports smooth rides of a square-wheeled bicycle (explored in this MO question). Thanks for pointers!


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Alaska Fire Portal
The Alaska Fire Portal provides information about fire science and technology relevant to Alaska. Our goal is to provide "one-stop shopping" for resource managers, decision makers, scientists, students, and communities who want access to the results of efforts to understand and manage fire and fuels on lands in Alaska. Content may also be relevant to boreal forests of western Canada.
A substantial amount of the Alaska-related content was originally compiled through the FIREHouse project (the Northwest and Alaska Fire Research Clearinghouse), funded by the Joint Fire Science Program, and its two related projects: the Alaska Reference Database, (which was merged the FRAMES Resource Catalog, accessible through the "Catalog Records" tab below) and the Alaska Fire and Fuels Research Map, hosted through the AICC ArcIMS mapping website.
Check out the JFSP Fire Exchange(s) located in this region
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Alaska Fire and Fuels Research Map
The Alaska Fire and Fuels Research Map provides online site-level information and locations for fire and fuels-related studies through a map interface. Funding was provided by the Joint Fire Science Program and it is hosted through the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center.
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The Alaska Reference Database provides a listing of fire research publications relevant to Alaska and a venue for sharing unpublished agency reports and works in progress. The Joint Fire Science Program provided initial funding.
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On April 6, 2020, the Fire Management Board (FMB) established the Wildland Fire Medical and Public Health Advisory Team (MPHAT) to address medical and health-related issues specific to the interagency administration of mission critical wildland fire management functions under a COVID-19 modified operating posture. The COVID-19 MPHAT is tasked with providing medical and public health expertise, advice, coordination, and collaboration with external subject matter experts and developing protocols and practices for all aspects of COVID-19 planning, prevention, and mitigation for wildland fire operations. Guidance found on this page has been issued via FMB Memorandum. They may be updated as appropriate and necessary to respond to the evolving situations and work conditions surrounding COVID-19.
Job: Prescribed Fire Crew (multiple positions) - The Nature Conservancy - various locations (posted Oct 30, 2020)
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has numerous fire positions at various levels open in several states.
Details are available at careers.nature.org (search for "fire").
Closing dates vary.
Job: Student Trainee (Natural Resource Specialist) - US Forest Service - Girdwood, AK (posted Oct 27, 2020)
The Internship Program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school and while getting paid for the work performed. This Student Trainee position will be filled as an Intern appointment. The appointment is indefinite and is expected to last for the duration of the student's academic attendance.
The Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) is composed of professionals from around the world, who together play a key role in wildland fire and fire ecology research, education, management, and policy. AFE values the diversity of perspectives and range of experiences held by its members. AFE aims to actively cultivate the future of fire and resource conservation by investing in future leaders through the AFE Mentoring Futures Program.
The committee will meet in November to match participants. All are welcome to participate.
This study is collecting feedback from female firefighters regarding the design, fit, and mobility of their personal protective clothing. Females firefighters in the US are invited to participate.
General: COVID-19 and Fire Season 2020: Discussion Forum at the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (posted Apr 16, 2020)
With multiple agencies/entities, groups and task forces all working to find solutions for operational concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the need for a space to share information is apparent. This forum serves as a platform to ask questions, as well as to share ideas, information, and solutions.
Rescheduled from March due to COVID-19 concerns. IAFC is planning a new, virtual event format. This virtual experience will provide access to educational resources on timely issues and the insights you need to keep your community safe.
The IAFC'...
Topics will include: Satellite-derived data, WildfireSAFE, tips for remote fire analysis assignments, etc.
register for free at:
AFSC Fire Science Workshop Part 2:
Simulcast of the Boreal Fires team presentations from the Alaska EPSCoR Fire and Ice All-Hands Meeting.
This session will provide brief updates from the boreal fire science projects supported by the...
Part of the RMRS Land Manager-Focused Fall Webinar Series
Presenters: Shawn Urbanski, Research Physical Scientist, and Duncan Lutes, RMRS Fire Ecologist
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California Fire Science Seminar Series
Presenter: Courtney Schultz, Professor of Forest and Natural Resource Policy, Colorado State University
Extensive wildfires across the US West and their dramatic effects for ecosystems, human health...
Part of the FIRE x FAUNA: Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Effects on Wildlife series sponsored by Forest Service Research and Development
- Cannabis cultivation and wildfires: Where there's smoke, there's smoke, Adam Cummings, Ecologist ...
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A Virtual Conference, for Real World Problems
Join the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) on a trip around the world through the lens of wildland fire. Across four days in May 2021, the IAWF will present real world risks and...
The International Association of Wildland Fire is presenting this workshop in partnership with the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) and the Western, Southeast and Northeast Regional Strategy Committees.
Be a part of history! For the first time in 120 years, the Society of American Foresters National Convention is going 100% virtual for 2020. At a time when foresters crave community and learning, SAF2020 is here to deliver that and so much more.
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Born to burn: Characterizing fuel loads, flammability and plant traits across spatio-temporal gradients of black spruce dominated communities
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Sponsored by the USFS Southern Research Station


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DENVER (CBS4) – The Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area wants you to read their latest report about the impact of legal weed since 2013. So you know, they're the feds.
Tom Gorman runs the local office and says his study is filled with valuable facts for other states considering legalization. He says it's a must read for parents, too.
"Here it is," he says candidly. "You decide whether you think (marijuana) is good or bad."
Gorman says his group pulls the data from national drug usage surveys, highway transportation statistics and police investigations.
RELATED STORIES: Marijuana Legalization Story Archive
Here are the highlights in just three years since legalization:
- Marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 48 percent.
- Over 20 percent of all traffic deaths were marijuana related compared to only 10 percent six years ago.
- Marijuana-related emergency department visits increased 49 percent.
- Marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 32 percent.
- Marijuana-related calls to the Rocky Mountain Poison Center increased 100 percent.
- Diversion of Colorado marijuana to other states increased 37 percent by vehicle and 427 percent by parcels.
- Colorado youth now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 74 percent higher than the national average.
- Colorado college-age group now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 62 percent higher than the national average.
- Colorado adults now rank number one in the nation for marijuana use and 104 percent higher than the national average.
Brian Vicente is with Sensible Colorado. He's a marijuana activist and co-author of Amendment 64, the measure passed by voters to legalize marijuana. He questions the Rocky Mountain HIDTA's data.
"They kinda just hand pick statistics and try to present this case that the sky is falling in Colorado," says Vincente.
He believes the average Coloradan is happy with legalization based on jobs and tax revenue.
Gorman says there's a dark side too. Colorado youth, college age and even adults now rank number one in the nation for pot use according to RMHIDTA.
Gorman believes are kids are mostly paying the price based of legalization based on what school resource officers are seeing on the front lines.
"These kids are going out at lunch and getting loaded," says Gorman. "They sit in back of the class and are not being educated. Is this good? Is this the workforce that we want? Are these the people we want leading this country later on?"
Teen Use Of Marijuana In Colorado
Cannabis DUI Statistics And Trends In Colorado
Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact
Jennifer Brice is a reporter with CBS4 focusing on crime and courts. Follow her on Facebook or on Twitter @CBS4Jenn.
It will be in the ballot in az this Nov ,,hoping they don't legalize ,,card holders in our state are not able to buy guns or be a gun owner ..one way to control guns ..I believe in the benefit of cannabis use ,,in the health department ..but most users will mix it with alcohol ..talking by experience …it is a big market ..and all about the greed of money $$$$"$
gypsy, I agree with you except I doubt the medical value. I have metastatic cancer and my oncologist said I could get a prescription from her, if that's what I wanted. I've had it for 10 months. I find the usual pain relievers and nausea drugs do the trick and I expect they are way better regulated. Most people who want to get out of their heads with MJ will use one or more other drugs, including alcohol, for the same reason. I suggest young people stay clean, experience a non-drug inspired laugh and smiles and enjoy real life :)
"Brian Vicente is with Sensible Colorado. He's a marijuana activist and co-author of Amendment 64, the measure passed by voters to legalize marijuana. He questions the Rocky Mountain HIDTA's data."
Of couse he does. And he was high when he read the report.
If this guy wanted to have a real discussion on these claims he must also bring in the effects of alcohol. The numbers on alcohol related deaths, ER visits, health related costs, etc are staggering compared to all other drugs, including pot combined. Just one mans opinion and he is entitled to it, but exaggerating and playing with numbers to promote your weak argument isn't.
Just keep in mind that HIDTA owes its existence, and budget, to prohibition and the war on drugs, and its beneficiaries will fight tooth and nail to keep their power and positions.
Ridiculous!!! Just more propaganda from the Feds!
This reporter must have been completely baked. Why else would she spell Brian Vincente's name 'Brain'? Ant editors there?
These are great statistics (lies) from the Federales.
It sounds like they are just looking for a boogie man under the bed. I don't think there are really more people getting high I think more people are willing to admit it now that it's legal. When I was in high school a large percentage of kids had tried pot or used it regularly. Have test scores and graduation rates in high schools or colleges been effected? Were the people engaged in the fatal wrecks and emergency visits on any other drugs or alcohol? Sounds like a bunch of voodoo statistics and you know the definition of a statistician. He's the guy that stands with his head in a hot oven and his feet in a bucket of ice water and says on the average I feel fine
Gorman is fighting to maintain his livelihood so it's safe to assume that he will say or do anything to persist prohibition. Sad to see someone trying so hard to sell prohibition. Damn parasite!
They could really try harder to solve the 600+ homicides in Colorado instead. Yeah, he's concerned about his damn job and has no credibility.
Corrupt Law Enforcement Officials who prefer to ruin peoples lives over Marijuana possession rather than solve real crimes who fund their departments toys and salaries with monies acquired through Marijuana home raids, seizures and forfeitures, – Your Days In Office Are Numbered. Find new careers before you don't have one.
There is absolutely no doubt now that the majority of Americans want to completely legalize marijuana nationwide. Our numbers grow on a daily basis.
The prohibitionist view on marijuana is the viewpoint of a minority and rapidly shrinking percentage of Americans. It is based upon decades of lies and propaganda.
Each and every tired old lie they have propagated has been thoroughly proven false by both science and society.
Their tired old rhetoric no longer holds any validity. The vast majority of Americans have seen through the sham of marijuana prohibition in this day and age. The number of prohibitionists left shrinks on a daily basis.
With their credibility shattered, and their not so hidden agendas visible to a much wiser public, what's left for a marijuana prohibitionist to do?
Maybe, just come to terms with the fact that Marijuana Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that's approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think, and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide!…and Support All Marijuana Legalization Efforts!
Fear of Marijuana Legalization Nationwide is unfounded. Not based on any science or fact whatsoever. So please prohibitionists, we beg you to give your scare tactics, "Conspiracy Theories" and "Doomsday Scenarios" over the inevitable Legalization of Marijuana Nationwide a rest. Nobody is buying them anymore these days. Okay?
Furthermore, if all prohibitionists get when they look into that nice, big and shiny crystal ball of theirs, while wondering about the future of marijuana legalization, is horror, doom, and despair, well then I suggest they return that thing as quickly as possible and reclaim the money they shelled out for it, since it's obviously defective.
The prohibition of marijuana has not decreased the supply nor the demand for marijuana at all. Not one single iota, and it never will. Just a huge and complete waste of our tax dollars to continue criminalizing citizens for choosing a natural, non-toxic, relatively benign plant proven to be much safer than alcohol.
If prohibitionists are going to take it upon themselves to worry about "saving us all" from ourselves, then they need to start with the drug that causes more detriment to our society than every other drug in the world COMBINED, which is alcohol!
Why do prohibitionists feel the continued need to vilify and demonize marijuana when they could more wisely focus their efforts on a real, proven killer, alcohol, which again causes more detriment to our society than all other drugs, COMBINED?
Prohibitionists really should get their priorities straight and/or practice a little live and let live. They'll live longer, happier, and healthier lives, with a lot less stress if they refrain from being bent on trying to control others through Draconian Marijuana Laws.
The pot smokers on here don't care what happens to the young people and chicldren of Colorado and never have. Just like other aqddicts, pot smokers care only for themselves, what they want and are completely selfish. Selfishness is the hallmark of addiction. They always say the same things, regardless of the harm to others and to children.
Brian, I have seen so many lives destroyed by Marijuana. Literally hundreds of personal friends I know. Your love of pleasure has blinded you. I call you to no longer intoxicate yourself, and instead be filed with the Holy Spirit. Jesus can set you free from the bondage of sin. He saved me and my life has never been better. He took away the drug addictions and gave me a future and a hope.


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Recorded 30 minutes ago at "font de canaletes", the fountain on La Rambla de Barcelona. When Barça (the club) wins, people gather at canaletes to cheer for their favourite club. This time Barcelona has won the Champions League (against Arsenal), so, more than reason for hundreds (thousands) of crazed fans to go crazy. NOTICE: this is just a very raw preview, tomorrow I upload edited versions of my whole recording.
woooooh! awesome, thanks.
Perfecto, thanks so much!
very nice!! Thank you!!
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Annoying video ad on TFL
Hi Floyd,
Just wanted to let you know that this morning, some video ad kept appearing in the upper left-hand corner of every TFL page that I visited, automatically playing and announcing "Meet Kathy Gross, a pet nutritionist at Hills...".
Literally, every page I have visited has this ad playing automatically. And I even tried it in several browsers (Firefox and Chrome).
I understand the need to have advertising to help fund TFL, but hopefully this can be done without including ads that play back audio on every page and are outside of a user's control...aside from turning down my computer's volume.
Here's a screenshot of the ad in question (from Firefox), captured this morning around 12:20pm


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Videos | September 2, 2010
What's Up September 2010: International Observe the Moon Night
Get ready for International Observe the Moon Night on September 18
Transcript:Music: Theme
Jane Houston Jones: What's Up for September? The moon.
Hello and welcome. I'm Jane Houston Jones at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. September 18 is International Observe the Moon Night. This annual event is inspired by last year's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's journey to and orbit insertion around our moon. Images from its first year include all 6 manned lunar landing sites and close-ups of the lunar surface.
You can join astronomers around the world at lunar observing events and observe the ten-day-old moon. This is a night when many of the most recognizable lunar features are visible. Or you can even hold your own Observe the Moon event. And you don't even need a telescope. The moon takes about 29 days to go around the Earth once. And it also takes the moon about 29 days to spin once on its axis. This causes the same side of the moon to always face the Earth. We can see the moon's far side only from spacecraft. Sometimes the moon's far side is referred to as the dark side of the moon in poetry and songs. But this isn't accurate. As the moon orbits Earth, the portion we see illuminated changes.
The first phase, called the new moon, is just a sliver. It's difficult to see at first, but each night it gets bigger and brighter. The next phase is called the first quarter, because the moon has traveled one quarter of its 29-day orbit around Earth.
International Observe the Moon Night falls halfway between the first quarter and the full moon. A full moon is the next phase, on the 14th day of the lunar cycle. Don't miss the full moon of September, called the Harvest Moon. It rises in the east just before Jupiter on September 23rd. Then the illuminated portion visible to us shrinks to the last quarter. Use this moon observing journal to record the lunar phases for yourself. Be sure to check out the International Observe the Moon Night website and join me, along with thousands of other amateur astronomers on September 18 sharing the moon views with your community.
To learn more about all of NASA's missions visit www.nasa.gov That's all for this month. I'm Jane Houston Jones.
Music: Theme
NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology