text: Category Manager A (Casting Machining) Location: Shanghai Report to: Supply Chain Director of Architectural Hardware Group, Greater China, ASSA ABLOY Responsibilities Be responsible for leading and coordinating AHG all entities to implement category management sourcing strategies and activities for the categories like machining, casting, forging, stamping, and other related commodities. Be responsible for sourcing strategy design and execution for assigned categories Coordinate and initiate category management projects accordingly to the plan Work with each entity sourcing team to select and establish a competitive supply base in terms of best cost, quality, and supplier service to support company business strategy and growth. Lead and conduct strategic sourcing activities to achieve annual supply management target. Be responsible for sourcing process improvement and execution for sourcing decision transparency and effectiveness Work with other group or division for sourcing leverage and maximization of the benefit. Follow ethic conduct requirement of the company Other jobs assigned by company or supervisor Competency Requirement Bachelor degree or above in mechanical or other engineering major Has relative working experience in category management for more than 5 years Has strong knowledge and experience in strategic sourcing management Working experience in mechanical product sourcing is preferred Has good skills in negotiation with suppliers Good communication skills and leadership strong self-motivated. English skill: good speaking and writing Any queries, please contact Julie Wang via her e-mail: email@example.com Please send your application to HR before February 20, 2014.


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What are Leap Options and How Do They Work
Long-term Equity Anticipation, or LEAP options, are actually contracts which grant investors the right to buy or sell
stock at a fixed price - prior to the expiration date.
the seller is referred to as the writer. As far as fulfilling the contract is concerned, it is the writer's responsibility to manage it if, and when, the holder of the LEAP option decides to exercise his/her right to purchase the offered stocks.
LEAP's are not all that different from other options, but there is one fundamental characteristic that sets them
apart: their expiration date is further out in the future. This is a big advantage for investors, as it tends to be easier to forecast long-term trends in stock prices. However, options remain a greater investment risk for the first time investor than simply buying the stock outright. It is also true that LEAP's can provide great returns when things go as planned.
Assume that an investor was interested in buying Microsoft's stock which is currently trading at $25 a share. While undeniably, Microsoft is a quality stock with great potential; its stock price may never increase enough to justify risking a direct stock purchase. In such a case, the investor might decide to buy a LEAP option for the stock as follows: Microsoft August 30 call at $2.
This Microsoft Leap is a type of call option, which means that the investor has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase the stock at the strike price before the expiration date. In the above sample, the investor has purchased a LEAP involving Microsoft stock that will expire in August (LEAP's are generally written for 3 years). Options always expire on the first Saturday following the third Friday of the month of their expiration.
The strike price is $30, which means the investor is betting that the price of Microsoft stock will at least touch this amount on or before the expiration date. But if the stock were to be exactly at $30 on the day the investor decided to exercise the option, it would still amount to a net loss on the investment. There are two reasons for this: the call price and commission fees.
The call price amounts to the premium paid to purchase the LEAP. On this transaction involving one Microsoft LEAP, the total premium comes to $200. Because options are sold in 100-share blocks, the call price is multiplied by the 100 shares of stock.
Investors need to also be aware that the commissions charged for option transactions are higher than those assessed for stock transactions. While the commission fees vary from institution to institution, they tend to be around 25-30% higher than typical stock trades. For the purposes of our sample, assume the commissions were $30 to purchase the LEAP and $50 to exercise it.
Therefore, if the price of the Microsoft stock was at $38 at the time the investor chose to exercise the option, the total cost would be: $3,000 (100 shares multiplied by the $30 strike price) + $200 premium + $80 in commissions for a total of $3,280. Since the investor had 100 shares of Microsoft stock worth $38 after the transaction, the total profit for this transaction would be $520 (prior to tax considerations).
Clearly the investor could have made a higher profit had he/she simply purchased the stock outright. However, many LEAP options are used to hedge investments or serve as an insurance in the event of loss. Consider the same initial transaction, but this time; assume that the stock, for some unforeseen reason, indeed drops in value to $20 per share. Buying the stock outright would have cost $2500 (recall that Microsoft was trading at $25 at the time the investor considered buying the LEAP) and a $5 drop in price would have amounted to a $500 loss plus commissions. As stock commissions tend to be 25% lower than option commissions, that would equal $60 total for both buying the stock initially and also for selling it. The net loss would be $560. But, with a LEAP, the loss is cut to $280 ($200 premium price plus commissions). So while options cut into potential profits, they also provide investors with a safety net that shields against losses. Plus, by locking in a strike price, there is the potential for huge profits if the stock price increases before the expiration period.
However, options can be much riskier than standard stock transactions, because of the all-or-nothing aspect of options. If an investor buys a LEAP and does not exercise it prior to the expiration date, it becomes worthless and all fees related to it are lost. Imagine if an investor had $20,000 and put all of that money into stocks. Even if the stock lost 50% of its value, the investor would still have $10,000 left (minus commissions).
LEAP's are somewhat like a deposit on stocks. Investors only need to put a little money down to reserve the stock of their choice. If things go well, the investor still needs to pay for the stock when they exercise the LEAP, but are guaranteed a profit (assuming they don't exercise the option before it rises above the strike price!). However, if things go poorly, they do not need to pour more money into the investment.
By InvestorGuide Staff

subset: commoncrawl


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Many thanks to Beth Evans-Ramos at Mama Knows Her Cocktails for letting us share this bit of deliciousness. Cheers!
My Redventure celery is finally red and ready! I cut my first batch of it for an appetizer plate I was putting together to take to our friends' house. I was about to put some of the celery leaves I had removed into the pot for the worm bin. Then I woke up, and realized these leaves were way too tasty for the worms. Into a cup of vodka they went for a quick infusion. Two days later, the Celery-Infused Vodka was ready, and the Redventure Romp Cocktail was in motion. I decided to up the ante and muddled some of the vodka with a sprig of tarragon for even more savory garden flavor. Also a little lime, turbinado syrup and tonic water. The Redventure Romp Cocktail is quite the light and lively garden cocktail. Redventure celery is part of the Drunken Botanist plant collection. I got my seeds from Territorial Seed Company, and some plants via Log House Plants. Every cocktail garden needs this lovely addition.
Redventure Romp Cocktail
- 2 ounces Celery-Infused Vodka
- sprig of tarragon
- 1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 ounce Turbinado simple syrup
- 2 1/2 ounces tonic water
- garnish of Redventure celery stalk
Muddle the tarragon in the Celery-Infused Vodka in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add the lime juice, simple syrup and tonic water and stir. Strain into your serving glass, and garnish with a stalk of Redventure celery and a sprinkle of finely chopped celery. Add a few ice cubes and serve.
Celery-Infused Vodka
Mix 1 cup of good quality vodka with an equal amount of celery leaves. Taste after one day to be sure it is not getting bitter. I let mine infuse for two days. Strain out the leaves, and pour into a clean bottle.


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Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, November 2009, pg. 15
Special Report
Israeli Organ Harvesting: From Moldova To Palestine
By Alison Weir
In August Sweden's largest newspaper published an article suggesting that Israel had been taking Palestinian internal organs. The article, by veteran photojournalist Donald Bostrom, called for an international investigation.
Israel and its partisans immediately cried "anti-Semitism," and Commentary's Jonathan Tobin asserted that the story was "the tip of the iceberg in terms of European funded and promoted anti-Israel hate."
The fact is, however, that Israeli organ harvesting—sometimes with Israeli governmental funding and the participation of high Israeli officials, prominent Israeli physicians, and Israeli government ministries—has been documented for many years. Among the victims have been Palestinians.
Nancy Scheper-Hughes is Chancellor's Professor of Medical Anthropology at the University of California Berkeley, the founder of Organ Watch, and the author of scholarly books on organ trafficking. She is the pundit mainstream media call upon when they need expert commentary.
While Scheper-Hughes emphasizes that traffickers come from numerous nations and ethnicities, including Americans and Arabs, "Israel," she states, "is at the top. It has tentacles reaching out worldwide."
In a lecture last year she explained that Israeli organ traffickers "have a pyramid system at work that's awesome...they have brokers everywhere, bank accounts everywhere; they've got recruiters, they've got translators, they've got travel agents who set up the visas."
But this is no ordinary business. Organ traffickers prey on the world's poorest, most desperate citizens, promising them what seem like astronomical sums of money ($1,000 to $10,000) in return for vital internal organs. As Scheper-Hughes points out, organ trafficking consists of "paying the poor and the hungry to slowly dismantle their bodies."
Organ sales have been illegal in most countries for years, and the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime includes in its definition of human exploitation the extraction of organs for profit. Until very recently, however, the Israeli government not only permitted organ trafficking, it funded it.
Israelis are the leaders in "transplant tourism"—traveling to other nations to buy internal organs. While affluent individuals from numerous countries engage in this practice, Israel is unique in several ways.
First, Israelis partake at an extraordinarily high rate. According to a 2001 BBC report, Israelis buy more kidneys per capita than any other population.
Second, Israelis have the lowest donor rate in the world—one-third to one-fifth that of Europe—due in part to beliefs that Jewish religious law prohibits organ removal as "desecration of the body."
Third, the Israeli government has enabled it. In testimony before a congressional subcommittee in 2001, Scheper-Hughes described what she termed Israel's "national "˜program' of transplant tourism." For many years the Israeli health system subsidized its citizens' "transplant holidays," reimbursing Israelis $80,000 for medical operations abroad, with the remaining costs largely covered by government-subsidized insurance plans. In addition, Israel's Ministry of Defense has been directly involved, as members of the ministry or those closely related to them accompany transplant junkets.
Israeli traffickers have utilized people from diverse locations—the West Bank and Gaza, the Philippines, Eastern Europe. A BBC report described the situation in Europe's poorest country—homeland of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman—where 90 percent of the people earn less than $2 a day: "Hundreds of Israelis have created a production line that starts in the villages of Moldova, where men today are walking around with one kidney."
In China not long ago an Israeli paid a broker $100,000 for a kidney transplant from an 18-year-old girl. She herself received $5,000, and died following surgery. In Brazil a legislative commission found that Israeli traffickers no longer were content with just kidneys; they had begun inquiring into additional body parts—lungs, livers and corneas.
In her testimony, Scheper-Hughes pointed out that "The sale of human organs and tissues requires that certain disadvantaged individuals, populations, and even nations have been reduced to the role of "suppliers.' It is a scenario in which only certain bodies are broken, dismembered, fragmented, transported, processed, and sold in the interests of a more socially advantaged population...of receivers."
In a 2008 lecture Scheper-Hughes discussed the motivations of Israeli traffickers. One was greed, she explained. The other was "revenge, restitution, reparation for the Holocaust." She said some Israeli brokers and doctors had told her: "It's kind of "˜an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' We're going to get every single kidney and liver and heart that we can. The world owes it to us."
At times traffickers coerce reluctant sellers. Levy Izhak Rosenbaum, the alleged trafficker recently arrested in an FBI sweep in New Jersey, reportedly carried a gun; when a potential organ seller wanted to back out, Rosenbaum would use his finger to simulate firing at the person's head. Rosenbaum, believed to be part of a ring centered in Israel, is the first case of trafficking to be prosecuted in the U.S.
More often organ theft involves dead bodies—or those alleged to be dead.
Israel's very first successful heart transplant, in fact, used a stolen heart.
In 1968 Avraham Sadegat unexpectedly died two days after being hospitalized for a stroke. When his family was able to retrieve his body (the hospital initially refused to release it) they found his chest covered with bandages—odd, they thought, for a stroke victim. Upon removing the bandages they discovered that the heart was missing.
During this time, the press was announcing Israel's first heart transplant. The family began to raise questions, but the hospital denied any connection. After the family raised a media furor, petitioned three cabinet ministers, and signed a document that they would not sue, the hospital finally admitted it had used Sadegat's heart.
An Israeli newspaper quoted Sadegat's tearful wife: "From the moment he entered the hospital, they apparently saw him only as a potential source of organs and not as a man in need of treatment. They only thought about how to do the deed without us knowing." Sadegat's medical condition pre-organ removal is unclear. According to an Israeli media report, "Once a heart stops beating, it is no longer fit for transplantation."
Sadegat's family was Israeli. Had they been Palestinian, it is doubtful they would have been able to force a hospital confession—and suggestions that the first Israeli heart transplant utilized a stolen organ would, quite likely, be termed blood libels.
Perhaps one of the most long-term and high-level cases of organ theft concerns Dr. Yehuda Hiss, Israel's chief pathologist and, from 1988 to 2004, director of Israel's state morgue, the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine.
One of the first indications of malfeasance occurred in 1998 and concerned a Scottish tourist named Alisdair Sinclair, who died under questionable circumstances after being taken into Israeli custody.
His family brought his body home and found that it had been autopsied. They commissioned a second autopsy at Glasgow University and discovered that Alisdair's heart and a tiny throat bone, the hyoid, were missing. The British Embassy filed a complaint with Israel.
A heart was then sent to Scotland, but when the family requested a DNA test to confirm its identity, Hiss refused, citing prohibitive cost. DNA tests were eventually conducted but proved inconclusive. According to several reports, a researcher had put in a request for a hyoid bone around the time of Sinclair's death and eventually received a bill for shipping costs.
Over the following years Hiss was often the center of accusations. An Israeli newspaper published an investigative report charging that diverse body parts—"legs, thighs, ovaries, breasts and testicles"—had been removed without permission and sold to medical institutions. The bodies were stuffed with broomsticks and cotton wool.
Although government investigations confirmed the main facts, little was done, and complaints continued—often from parents of dead Israeli soldiers. Finally, in 2004, Israel's health minister removed Hiss as director of the morgue, while retaining him as Israel's chief pathologist.
Hiss had been involved in previous controversies concerning the Israeli government. In one he was suspected of falsifying a DNA test in an investigation into the "Yemenite Children Affair," in which a thousand children of immigrants disappeared. (Many believe that some, at least, were adopted out, for pay.) Hiss has also been accused of falsifying evidence to the commission investigating the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
For decades Palestinians have charged Israel with taking organs from Palestinians its soldiers wounded or killed.
In her subcommittee testimony Scheper-Hughes stated, "Human rights groups in the West Bank complained to me of tissue and organs stealing of slain Palestinians by Israeli pathologists at the national Israeli legal medical institute in Tel Aviv."
A 1990 article in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, for Middle East Affairs reported "widespread anxiety over organ thefts which has gripped Gaza and the West Bank since the intifada began in December of 1987," and quoted a forensic physician: "There are indications that...organs, especially eyes and kidneys, were removed from the bodies during the first year or year and a half."
Such statements were largely ignored, often portrayed as anti-Semitic exaggeration. According to The Forward magazine, however, the Israeli government corroborated them in 2001. The Forward reports that an investigation into Hiss revealed that he "seemed to view every body that ended up in his morgue, whether Israeli or Palestinian, as fair game for organ harvesting."
Over the years a great many Palestinian bodies have "ended up" in the Israeli morgue.
Israeli forces have frequently taken custody of Palestinians they have wounded or killed. Sometimes the bodies were kept in Israel, buried in unidentified graves in what are known as "cemeteries of numbers." In other cases they were returned late at night days later with crudely stitched naval-to-chin incisions, and Israel requiring the bereaved families to bury their children, husbands, and brothers immediately—sometimes with the electricity shut off—and Israeli soldiers overseeing the funeral.
In 2005 an Israeli soldier described a military doctor who gave "medics lessons" using the body of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces. Haaretz reports: "The soldier said that the Palestinian's body had been riddled with bullets and that some of his internal organs had spilled out. The doctor pronounced the man dead and then "˜took out a knife and began to cut off parts of the body. He explained the various parts to us—the membrane that covers the lungs, the layers of the skin, the liver. "˜I didn't say anything because I was still new in the army. Two of the medics moved away, and one of them threw up. It was all done very brutally. It was simply contempt for the body.'"
Palestinians, of course, are an unusually vulnerable population. Human rights reports have documented a situation in which Palestinians have few real rights: Israeli forces have killed civilians with impunity, imprisoned massive numbers without charges or trials, abused prisoners, and strip-searched children. And just as Palestinians have little ability to protect their bodies when they're living, they're equally unable to prevent their desecration when they're dead. By Israel's own admission, Israeli authorities cut open Palestinian corpses without permission of the families, without public transparency, and without, it appears, normal autopsy reports.
At the same time, some Israelis hold extremist views regarding organ extraction. In 1996 Jewish Week reported that Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburgh, a leader of the Lubavitch sect of Judaism and the dean of a religious Jewish school in a West Bank settlement, had stated: "If a Jew needs a liver, can you take the liver of an innocent non-Jew passing by to save him? The Torah would probably permit that."
Ginsburgh elaborated: "Jewish life has infinite value. There is something infinitely more holy and unique about Jewish life than non-Jewish life."
While the Israeli government briefly arrested Ginsburgh, and most Israelis decry such beliefs, an Israeli scholar on Jewish scriptural views and ethnic chauvinism said: "The sad thing is, these statements are in our books." He pointed out that while such Talmudic texts were "purely theoretical" at the time they were written, now they're being cited "in circumstances where Jews have a state and are empowered."
Dr. A. Clare Brandabur, an American professor, writes that information in the Swedish article resonated with reports she heard during the first intifada.
She described interviewing the head of the Red Crescent in Gaza, mentioning "reports of shootings of Palestinian children at times when there were no "˜clashes' going on—a solitary 6-year-old entering his schoolyard in the morning with his book-bag on his back. The soldiers abducted the wounded child at gunpoint, then his body would be returned a few days later having undergone an "˜autopsy at Abu Kabir Hospital.'"
She asked the director "if he had considered the possibility that these killings were being done for organ transplant, since...it is not allowed to take Jewish organs to save a Jewish life, but it is allowed to take the organs of non-Jews to save Jewish lives."
He had "suspected such things," he replied, "but since they had no access to the records of Abu Kabir Hospital, there was no way to verify these suspicions."
The Swedish newspaper's call for an investigation into Israel's treatment of Palestinian bodies is now being echoed by others. Such an investigation could dispel inaccurate suspicions, absolve the innocent, and discover the guilty.
Israel and its powerful advocates abroad are doing their best to prevent that from happening.
Alison Weir is executive director of If Americans Knew. An Internet petition calling for an investigation can be viewed by clicking this link. An expanded and footnoted version of this article can be viewed on the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs' Web site.


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Becoming 'Earl the Pearl': How Earl Monroe earned his famous nickname
Earl "The Pearl†Monroe is best known for his time in the NBA, where he was a dynamic scorer with the Baltimore Bullets and played an integral role for the New York Knicks.
But before he could reach that point, Monroe had to develop as a player, and he did that at Winston-Salem State. Playing for legendary coach Clearance Gaines, Monroe built a college career that was capped with an NCAA Division II title. He averaged 41.5 points and shot better than 60 percent from the field as a senior.
In an excerpt from his recently released book, "Earl the Pearl: My Story,†Monroe describes that historic senior season and how he came to be "Earl the Pearl.â€
MY SENIOR YEAR STARTED OUT with us playing some important scrimmages against the Wake Forest University basketball team that had been arranged by the Demon Deacons' head coach Jack McCloskey and his assistant coach, Billy Packer. Coach McCloskey had coached at the University of Pennsylvania when I was going to high school in Philadelphia, so he knew about me. Billy Packer had played at Wake Forest and had gone back there as an assistant coach (later, he would become a famous basketball color analyst for CBS), and he loved Cleo Hill as a basketball player. Anyway, Billy set up these practice sessions and our team and Wake Forest had about six of them at their gym. I remember when we got there, Coach McCloskey, who was a friend of Coach Gaines, saw that our ankles weren't taped and he told Coach Gaines they weren't going to let us play until he had us tape our ankles, which he did.
Now, we weren't used to playing with our ankles taped--it was a cost factor at Winston-Salem because the administration didn't have the money--and it almost felt like we were wearing casts. It was that stiff at first. So in that first scrimmage they beat us because we couldn't hardly move. But then we got used to our ankles being taped and we beat them five straight games. I remember me and their star player, Paul Long, having some spirited sessions. I also remember Coach Packer asking me to show the Wake Forest players my spin move. I tried, but the move was too quick and new for them--they were all white guys and weren't used to trying nontraditional basketball moves--to absorb. So he asked me to slow it down some so they could get it and I tried to do that, but my move was too intuitive, improvised, and spontaneous for them to wrap their heads around it.
After I realized I couldn't explain it to them verbally--it's hard to explain improvisation to someone who has never had to do it--I just stopped. One of my favorite sayings around that time was that whoever was guarding me couldn't ever figure out what I was going to do with the ball because I didn't know myself until I did it. So teaching them the spin move was out of the question. They had to feel their way through to learning and doing it and maybe, you know, their culture got in the way a bit. Perhaps the way they had been brought up in the game prevented them from being able to execute an improvised move. I don't know, but it's something to think about when comparing black basketball culture to its white counterpart. Still, those early scrimmages pulled our team together and got us off and running. Knowing that we could beat a major college team like Wake Forest gave our squad a lot of confidence going into the season. It also injected more purpose into my game.
We had a great year as a team my senior season and I put up some really outstanding scoring numbers. Our starters at the beginning of that year were Eugene Smiley, Smitty, Bill English (who would break my single-game scoring record of 68 the next year by scoring 77), Jim Reid (who was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors the same year I was by Baltimore), and myself. Reid was about six feet six, a monster rebounder, good jump shooter, and great dunker. English was six six, and Smitty was five 10. I was co-captain of the team, sharing the honor with my longtime friend Smitty, who started at the beginning of the year, was replaced by defensive specialist Johnny Watkins, and then became an important contributor coming off the bench.
That year I led the nation in scoring, averaging 41.5 points a game overall, 44 points a game in conference play, and a total of 1,329 points, which is still the second-most ever. I shot 60.7 percent from the floor that year, and many of my points came on long jump shots. My highest scoring game was a 68-point explosion against Fayetteville, but I had a string of about 10 or 12 games scoring in the high 40s or more that Luix Overbea, a black sportswriter for the Winston-Salem Journal, referred to as "Earl's pearls." That nickname soon morphed into "Earl the Pearl," and it stuck to me from then on.
By the time I graduated from Winston-Salem I had set a school scoring record of 2,935 points, breaking the mark set by the great Cleo Hill. Our record that year was 31 and 1. We actually dropped 2 games that season, but the other loss was wiped away because the team that defeated us early in the season, High Point--they beat us 89-84--had to forfeit the game because of playing an ineligible player. High Point had some good players on that team, including Gene Littles, who played pro ball in the ABA and later became an NBA coach, and Tubby Smith, who coached Kentucky to an NCAA Championship. The other game we lost was to North Carolina A&T at the end of the season, in the CIAA tournament championship game. In between those losses we cleaned up on everybody we played.
I remember playing in the Chicago Invitational Tournament in late December of my senior year. I had been scoring a lot of points during the first games of the season, and a Chicago sportswriter said that I wouldn't get 50 points when I came out there to play. So in the first game of the tournament I just stopped shooting with two or three minutes to go, after I had already scored 48 or 49 points and we had established a manageable lead. I just wouldn't shoot anymore because I didn't want to get 50, just to let them know I was in control. Later, in the championship game against Wilberforce University, we were down at the half and I had to shoot in order for us to win 101-100. I got 50 points on the nose, okay? Because I could get 50 points anytime I wanted to. So I'm standing with my guys when they announce the MVP award, which I just knew would go to me. But they gave the trophy to Melvin Clark, a guy on the team we had just beat. He was a black, classic-style player, a forward I think, and he scored maybe 30 points in the championship game. I scored 50, and we won! Their excuse was that they had voted on the award during halftime. Everybody was shocked, but the guy who won went up and picked up his trophy like he deserved it and didn't even acknowledge me. I never saw or heard from him again after that. I don't know what happened to him and I'd even forgotten his name until I looked it up for this book.
We were playing great as a team despite losing a couple of key players off the previous year's squad, like Gilbert Smith, who would have started but quit because he couldn't get along with Coach Gaines. They were always arguing about something or other, and, Gilbert being a really smart guy (he's a PhD today), he just up and quit the team one day. The other guy who didn't come back was Sonny Ridgill, our second-leading scorer from the year before. I think Coach Gaines didn't want him back because Sonny thought he should have been getting more shots than he got and was probably a little jealous of me, but I don't know this to be a fact. Anyway, he had been at Winston-Salem forever and Coach just didn't want a problem on his hands. At least that's the way I looked at it.
One of the most gratifying memories of my senior year was when we had to move our games from our home gym to the Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum--the same place Wake Forest played--because the crowds were getting so big. We were beating everybody and I was scoring so many points that we were packing them in like sardines, with every seat sold for every home game. Black and white people, young and old. People were being turned away, couldn't even buy seats, or find tickets anywhere. Even when we went on the road to play it was like this, with all of our games having to be moved from the school gym to the largest facility in any given town. All our games were sold out. Everywhere. It was something. Blew my mind.


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Global rice production may rise in 2013, but in India it may fall
The world rice production in 2013 is expected to outpace consumption, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The stock-to-use ratio is to rise from 33.6 percent in 2012 to 35.5 percent in 2013, resulting in an upward revision of 5 million tonnes in 2013 closing inventories, Xinhua quoted the report as saying.
"Compared to last year, world rice carryover stocks are expected to rise by seven percent, or 10 million tonnes, to a new high of almost 170 tonnes, marking the eighth consecutive year of stock accumulation," said FAO's Rice Market Monitor (RMM).
In Asia, where rice is the staple food, FAO projected paddy output will reach 661 million tonnes, or 441 million tonnes on milled basis, up 0.8 percent on 2011, underpinned by widespread gains and particularly large increases in Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
"Beyond India, where production may fall by four percent, Cambodia, the Republic of Korea, Nepal and Turkey are also predicted to witness a decline," according to the RMM.
Output is rebounding in Africa thanks to better weather, which "has led FAO to raise the region's production forecast to 26.4 million tonnes," or 17.3 million tonnes on milled basis.
The outlook for rice production in Latin America and the Caribbean pointed to a six percent contraction to 27.4 million tonnes (18.3 million tonnes milled basis), as insufficient irrigation water and expectations of low margins depressed rice cultivation in many South American countries.
In other regions, FAO anticipated that output in the US will be boosted by record yields, while Australia is heading towards its best season since 2006. Russia looks set to harvest a bumper crop of rice, while unfavourable weather curbed production in the European Union. - IANS


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At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela of Malta will pay an official visit to China from September 12 to 15.
Q: According to reports, ROK President Moon Jae-in said that the peace of the Korean Peninsula should be promoted together with denuclearization and that now they are at an important juncture in building peace on the Peninsula. What is your comment?
A: We attach importance to the relevant statement made by President Moon Jae-in. The essence of the Korean Peninsula issue is about security and the crux is the lack of mutual trust between relevant parties. Only when the relevant parties, especially the US and the DPRK as well as the ROK and the DPRK, address each other's security concerns in a balanced manner and establish mutual trust through dialogue and consultation can the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue be resolved in a fundamental way and the lasting peace of the Peninsula be achieved.
The Chinese side believes that the denuclearization and the establishment of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula should be promoted in a coordinated fashion, which is completely consistent with the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration and the outcomes of the DPRK-US summit in Singapore. We hope that all relevant parties can continue to enhance dialogue, further demonstrate goodwill and sincerity to each other and jointly make concrete efforts towards this right direction.
Q: It is reported that the Nauru side has created much hassle for the Chinese delegation attending the 30th Pacific Islands Forum in that country. Could you talk a bit more about that?
A: The 30th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Session with Forum Dialogue Partners was held on September 4 in Nauru, a country that has the so-called "diplomatic ties" with the Taiwan authorities. At the invitation of the PIF Secretariat, China attended the meeting as a Forum Dialogue Partner.
However, the host country Nauru went against international practices and the PIF regulations and staged a despicable farce. Before the meeting, Nauru asked the Chinese delegation to travel on regular passports. After many PIF members and the Chinese side lodged representations and said that they would boycott the meeting, Nauru had to agree with the Chinese delegation's request to visit on diplomatic passports. During the meeting, Nauru disrespected international practices again and obstructed the Chinese delegation's speech. The Chinese side immediately lodged stern representations and walked out of the meeting in protest. Many delegations from other attending countries also left the meeting to express their strong dissatisfaction with Nauru.
It must be pointed out that the one-China principle is part of the well-recognized norms governing international relations and a consensus shared by the international community. Any attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" will be rejected and is doomed to fail. Our advice for Nauru is that it should have a clear grasp of the overarching trend, correct its mistakes and stop working against the trend of the times.
China attaches importance to its relations with the Pacific Islands countries and the PIF and will continue to strengthen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation with the Pacific Islands countries on the basis of the one-China principle.
Follow-up: Nauru's President said yesterday that China is a big country trying to bully small countries. What is your response?
A: Nauru is making a fuss out of nothing by accusing China of bullying small countries. What has happened these two days during the FOCAC Beijing Summit fully demonstrates again that China attaches greater importance to equality in international relations more than any other country. The relevant person should have understood that only those who behave with dignity will win respect from others. The same is true for a country. Big or small, one country should conduct itself with dignity and self-respect.
Q: It is reported that the Philippine navy ship which ran aground in the vicinity of Banyue Jiao of Nansha Qundao was retrieved by the Philippine side on September 4. Can you confirm it and give us more details?
A: The Chinese side is closely following the grounding of the Philippine navy ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar near Banyue Jiao of Nansha Qundao. We maintain close communication with the Philippine side in this regard. According to the information provided by the Chinese coastguard vessel which is on standby at the scene, the Philippine side retrieved the aground vessel and returned it to safe harbor on the early morning of September 4. According to our primary survey at the scene, we have not found oil slick or other consequences which may damage the environment caused by the grounding.
After the vessel was stranded, the Philippine side immediately notified the Chinese side of the accident and the arrangement for search and rescue efforts. Our two sides discussed China's assisting in the search and rescue efforts. The Chinese coastguard vessel which is on standby in the relevant waters also maintain good interactions with the Philippine ships. The Philippine side expressed their thanks for China's goodwill.
Q: Reports say that Arif Alvi, the presidential candidate from Pakistan's ruling party Tehrik-e-Insaf has been elected as the new President. What is your comment?
A: The Chinese side congratulates Mr. Arif Alvi on being elected as the new President of Pakistan. President Xi Jinping has sent a message of congratulations to him. China highly values developing its friendly ties with Pakistan. We are willing to work with the Pakistani side to elevate the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level.
Q: US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley said yesterday that last week the UN attempted to issue a report on the implementation of the sanctions against the DPRK, but it was obstructed by Russia and China. Russia and China continue to create difficulties in the UN Security Council when it comes to resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. Do you have any comment on that?
A: China has fully and strictly implemented relevant UN Security Council resolutions and fulfilled its international obligations. Meanwhile, we maintain that sanctions themselves are not an end, and actions taken by the Security Council should support and complement the current diplomatic efforts for dialogue and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and contribute to the political settlement process of the Peninsula issue.
As for the annual midterm report by the Panel of Experts assisting the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, we believe it should objectively, comprehensively and accurately reflect the work undertaken by all countries to implement the Security Council resolutions. Its release should comply with the stipulations of the Security Council resolutions and the procedures of the Sanctions Committee. Groundless and irresponsible accusations will not help resolve the Peninsula nuclear issue. We hope the US could respect facts.
Q: The International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) released the information through Xinhua News Agency that Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) will visit the DPRK and attend the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK on September 8. What are China's expectations for that?
A: At the invitation of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Li Zhanshu, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, as General Secretary and President Xi Jinping's Special Representative, will head a Chinese delegation consisting of CPC and government officials to visit the DPRK and attend the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK on September 8.
As friendly neighbors, China and the DPRK enjoy profound traditional friendship and have the tradition and practice of sending messages of congratulations to each other on the occasion of important festivals. Since this year, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President Xi Jinping held three successful meetings with Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK Kim Jong Un in China, during which they reached important consensus on developing the China-DPRK ties in the new era. The China-DPRK friendship and the situation on the Korean Peninsula have achieved meaningful progress. We hope that our two sides, through this visit, can further promote the implementation of the consensus reached by the leaders of the two Parties and two states and have an in-depth exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. We believe that this will contribute to further cementing and developing China-DPRK traditional friendship and upholding regional peace and stability.


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xoxocamille wrote:I had a weird dream last night.
Apparently, me & my brother were in the car, and all of a sudden, I ran over these 3 kids riding their bikes.
Then 2 people were on my left and the guy said, 'People like you are the reason why we have WWII.'
And I was just like,
And I woke up. Weird.
Awesome awesome dream.
It made me laugh so much, that my stomach started hurting.
I love that guy would said, 'People like you are the reason why we have WWII'
Really?!cullen grl 17 wrote:ok well the other nite i had this dream that i was with edward cullen and we were talking and then i asked him to turn me into a vampire, and he just smiled and was like ok if thats what you really want. so he bit me on my hand and in my dream my hand was burning because of the venom. so i woke up and my hand was actully burning and i was like wow thats crazy.
That's soooo cool and freaky.
I wonder if Edward was really there.


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Prime Minister Stephen Harper, meanwhile, came to the defence of his embattled attorney general, as well as the Conservative government's record in promoting the advancement of women.
MacKay's views on professional men and women have faced scrutiny over the past week — most recently a pair of messages sent on Mother's Day and Father's Day that some felt stereotyped parental roles.
But the controversy began with a private meeting with members of the Ontario Bar Association earlier this month. The Toronto Star reported last week that MacKay attributed the dearth of women on the federal bench to the fact female candidates weren't applying.
He went on to explain that reticence by saying women feared being sent to work as judges on the circuit courts, the Star reported, quoting lawyers who were at the meeting.
MacKay has not denied the Star's characterization of the comments. In a Facebook post, he emphasized he has been trying to encourage the appointment of more women.
A pair of women who have risen to two of the most important legal positions in the country took issue with MacKay's comments.
Quebec Justice Minister Stephanie Vallee called MacKay's comments "deplorable."
"It's now 2014 in Canada," Vallee said.
"We can be professional and have our families and have aspirations to access the bench... For my part, I have two teenagers and I travel back and forth between Maniwaki and Quebec each week.
"I think I'm a good mother and I think I'm a good professional."
At the Ontario legislature, Attorney General Madeleine Meilleur also took issue with the suggestion women weren't applying.
"It's very unfortunate that in 2014 you hear comments like this, especially from the minister of justice, especially at a time when Ontario has elected the first woman as premier in Ontario," Meilleur said.
"It's difficult for the female community in Ontario to accept a comment like this."
Meilleur went on to suggest that MacKay should take note of Ontario's transparent process for appointing judges, which deliberately seeks out more diversity on the bench.
MacKay's Mother's Day and Father's Day emails, obtained by The Canadian Press, have added to the discussion about the minister's view of gender roles.
In one, MacKay salutes moms for juggling two full-time jobs — home and work.
"By the time many of you have arrived at the office in the morning, you've already changed diapers, packed lunches, run after school buses, dropped kids off at the daycare, taken care of an aging loved one and maybe even thought about dinner," he wrote.
The Father's Day message was quite different, making no mention of any household duties, but saying the men were "shaping the minds and futures of the next generation of leaders."
MacKay's office would not comment on the substance of the emails. A government source who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was bureaucrats who penned most of the Mother's Day message, with minor tweaks by MacKay.
One of his staff members currently on maternity leave, Jenn Gearey, called the email issue "ridiculous" and pointed out that some of MacKay's most senior staff are women.
The messages both made a personal reference to MacKay being a father — something he also did in front of the Ontario lawyers when he said women had a special bond with their children.
When asked about the messages during an event in Quebec, Harper said he didn't agree with the interpretation they were sexist.
"The clear objective of my government since our arrival in power has been to increase the participation of women in leadership positions, not only in the public sector but also in the private sector," Harper told a joint news conference with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard.
Still, women in Harper's cabinet have not been able to penetrate the top posts.
The Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Justice portfolios have remained in the hands of men for eight years. In the House of Commons, male ministers such as Jason Kenney and John Baird are most commonly called upon to speak on Harper's behalf in his absence.
— With files from Maria Babbage in Toronto
Also on HuffPost


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No. 13 Florida wins 79-58 at Yale
Kenny Boynton matched his career high with 28 points on 8-for-10 shooting from 3-point range and No. 13 Florida used a 26-3 run spanning the halves to beat Yale 79-58 on Sunday night.
Will Yeguette had 14 points and Mike Rosario added 13 for the Gators (10-2), whose losses were to No. 3 Arizona and No. 25 Kansas State. The Gators shot 60 percent from the field for the game (30 for 50), including 9 of 17 from 3-point range.
Justin Sears had 15 points and Javier Duren added 14 for the Bulldogs (5-11), who have lost four of five.


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Coachella 2014 Lineup Includes OutKast, Pharrell, Nas, Jhene Aiko & More
One of the best hip-hop rumors has been confirmed: OutKast is officially reuniting onstage at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival.
The 2014 lineup for the music festival was released late Wednesday night (Jan. 8), following months of talk that the lauded hip-hop duo would perform. Andre 3000 and Big Boi will headline the event, taking place on April 11-13 and April 18-20 -- back-to-back weekends -- in Indio, Calif.
'Elevators (Me & You),' 'Jazzy Belle,' 'Rosa Parks,' 'B.O.B,' 'So Fresh, So Clean' 'The Way You Move,' 'Prototype' and 'Hey Ya!' could all very well be included in their reunion set.
Big Boi announced the surprising news of the headlining performance via his Twitter account.
Together, Big Boi and Andre created six studio albums and one greatest hits release. Their debut LP, 'Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,' turns 20 this year. The last time the two rappers collaborated on a joint project was the soundtrack to their film 'Idlewild.'
Other hip-hop and R&B performers such as Nas, Solange, Chance the Rapper, Pharrell, A$AP Ferg, Flatbush Zombies, Jhene Aiko, ZZ Ward, Ratking and Kid Cudi, among others, will grace the Coachella stage.
Check out the complete list of performers below.
Coachella 2014 Lineup
Fri., April 11 & 18:
Outkast, The Knife, The Replacements, Broken Bells, Zedd, Girl Talk, Ellie Goulding, Chromeo, HAIM, Neko Case, AFI, Martin Garrix, Bonobo, Bryan Ferry, The Glitch Mob, The Afghan Whigs, The Cult, Bastille, Flume, Aloe Blacc, Jagwar Ma, A$AP Ferg, Grouplove, Woodkid, Carnage, Shlomo, Gareth Emery, Michael Brun, MS MR, Kate Nash, Hot Since 82, Damian Lazarus, GOAT, Nina Kraviz, Anthony Green, Duke Dumont, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Solomun, ZZ Ward, Anti-Flag, Caravan Palace, Flatbush Zombies, Deorro, Waxahatchee, Title Fight, Davide Squillace, DJ Falcon, Dum Dum Girls, Austra, Tom Odell, Dixon, Wye Oak, Crosses, Mako, The Preatures, The Bots, Gabba Gabba Heys
Sat., April 12 & 19:
Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age, Skrillex, Pharrell Williams, Lorde, Foster The People, Pet Shop Boys, MGMT, Empire Of The Sun, Fatboy Slim, Nas, Kid Cudi, The Head And The Heart, Sleigh Bells, Cage The Elephant, City And Colour, CHVRCHES, Dillon Francis, Capital Cities, The Naked And Famous, Temples, Mogwai, Warpaint, Solange, Washed Out, Future Islands, Ty Segall, DARKSIDE, Banks, Tiga, Bombay Bicycle Club, Holy Ghost!, Netsky, RL Grime, Galantis, Foxygen, White Lies, Graveyard, The Internet, Laura Mvula, The Dismemberment Plan, Headhunterz, Blood Orange, GTA, TJR, Cajmere, Guy Gerber, Nicole Moudaber, MAKJ, Bear Hands, The Magician, Young & Sick, Unlocking The Truth, Saints Of Valory, Carbon Airways, UZ, Syd Arthur, Bicep, Drowners
Sun., April 13 & 20:
Arcade Fire, Beck, Calvin Harris, Neutral Milk Hotel, Disclosure, Lana Del Rey, Motorhead, Alesso, Duck Sauce, Little Dragon, Beady Eye, Flosstradamus, The Toy Dolls, The 1975, Adventure Club, Big Gigantic, Chance The Rapper, Laurent Garnier, Krewella, Rudimental, STRFKR, Fishbone, Trombone Shorty, AlunaGeorge, Art Department, Flight Facilities, Frank Turner, John Newman, Maceo Plex, Superchunk, Bombino, Daughter, Bad Manners, Surfer Blood, Lee Burridge, Poolside, Classixx, Showtek, James Vincent McMorrow, Bo Ningen, Aeroplane, Ratking, Jhene Aiko, J. Roddy Walston & The Business, Factory Floor, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Anna Lunoe, The Martinez Brothers, Scuba, John Beaver


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The Public Safety Minister's privileges were breached when he became the subject of an online attack, a House of Commons committee declared Wednesday.
And the people behind the video may face contempt of Parliament charges – if anyone can ever figure out who they are.
A series of videos apparently from the activist group Anonymous targeted Vic Toews in the days following his introduction of an online-surveillance bill, demanding his resignation and the withdrawal of the bill or they would expose information about him.
The threats they contained were ruled by the Speaker as worthy of further examination, but the nature of the group means the videos' creators are uncertain and the committee had struggled with how to proceed.
A series of witnesses had suggested that tracking down Anonymous would be difficult, though Mr. Toews himself had urged them not to back down.
But in a report Wednesday, the committee said it is better for the RCMP to continue its investigation and they'd be willing to take a second look if more information comes to light.
"When the identity of the person or persons hidden behind the mask becomes known to this committee, they will be called before the committee to answer for their behaviour and, if appropriate, the committee will recommend sanctions," the report said.
The committee called the threats unprecedented in the medium that was used and raised concerns that it could happen again.
They noted that the freedom of the Internet is protected by the Charter right to freedom of expression, but the Charter offers no protection against bullying.
"The people behind those videos claim to act to protect basic democratic rights and freedoms, but they themselves have jeopardized and breached these same rights and freedoms they claim to protect," the report said.
The threats by Anonymous against Mr. Toews were part of a broader online campaign against the bill, which critics suggested gives authorities far too much power to snoop into people's Internet lives.
Another Commons committee has examined the use of a Twitter account set up by a former staffer to broadcast portions of Mr. Toews's divorce records.
The Public Safety Minister has said he was satisfied with the staffer's appearance at the committee to explain his actions.
And on Wednesday, his spokeswoman said Mr. Toews was pleased with the committee findings.
"All MPs must be free to introduce legislation on whatever issues are important to them or their constituents without fear of reprisal and are rightly concerned about the threats posed to our democracy by online thugs who seek to intimidate duly elected members of Parliament," Julie Carmichael said in an email.


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The Japanese brokerage firm Nomura Holdings plans to seek nearly half of a planned $1 billion in savings from cutting European and Middle Eastern operations, with the rest to come from the Americas and Asia.
Bloomberg reported Thursday that Nomura, after losing money for nine consecutive quarters in its four-year effort to go global, will be slashing jobs and operational expenses across the world. Europe will be the focus of the most cuts, since that is where the brokerage tallied its largest losses.
The firm had bought Lehman Brothers Holdings' European and Asian units in 2008 and was determined to present a broader global presence, but with the takeover of the CEO slot by Koji Nagai from Kenichi Watanabe after an insider trading scandal in August, the plan is now to scale back.
In a presentation to investors, the firm said it planned to cut costs by $450 million in Europe and the Middle East, by $340 million in Asia, including Japan, and by $210 million in the Americas. Job cuts will account for some 45% of the $1 billion total, and operational expenses will make up the difference.
Chief Operating Officer Atsushi Yoshikawa told investors that the firm will turn its attention to improving the profitability of wholesale banking, with fixed income figuring prominently. Also planned is a concentration of investment banking operations on the sectors of energy, financial institutions, funds, natural resources and retail. Joint ventures will be considered, he added, as a means of growing cross-border operations.
Cuts in the number of positions for managing directors and back-office personnel will take place in Europe, according to unidentified sources cited in the report. Staff from other divisions will be transferred to its fixed-income business, which is to be the focus of expansion around the world.
"There was a consensus that the cuts would center on Europe, but they're smaller than we expected. It's good to see the plans for substantial reductions in Asia as the region has been generating losses," said Takehito Yamanaka in the report. Yamanaka, an analyst at Credit Suisse Group in Tokyo, was quoted saying, "Curtailing the job cuts and reducing operational costs instead eases concern about revenue dropping."


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Daily Archives: September 6, 2009
Maid for hire
Posted by Susan
Anyone out there have green thumbs?
I have a ledge that runs around my apartment, and I thought this window spot would be perfect for plants! Except, I kill everything. Seriously, I killed a cactus last year. Anyways, this is an aloe vera and some funky cactus that I have no idea how to take care of. How often do I water them? I'd like to put some herbs here too…
Moving on to the more important things at hand. I had a chocolate macaroon breakfast cookie when I got to work.
I normally don't photograph it, but my breakfast cookie ritual always includes a hot coffee (I drink it black).
Coffee is needed when you're at the office at 5 am!!
It just warms my sleep-deprived soul :)
It was a sloooow long-weekend news day. I came prepared though.
Reading material and a liverwurst sandwich with onion and mushrooms. So good!
There was also some bar snackage, a peanut caramel crisp Myoplex Lite.
I like the peanuts on top! I find chocolate chips always fall off and melt on my clothing without my knowing. It's no cinnamon flavour, but it was still pretty darn good ;)
I snacked and decompressed a little once I got home.
I got a particularly runny jar of PB, perfect for drizzling. That thing on the left is a wasa cracker with raspberry jam and PB.
Once digested I hit up the gym for a little cardio/weights. The people at my new gym are so different than those at my old campus gym. At the university gym, it was mostly people who play on sports teams, girls working off the previous night's vodka coolers, skinny guys trying to bulk up for said girls, and professors. New gym is almost all fit people. The girls are super hardcore, and the guys are all beefed up. The people who go to the classes are more "normal" I suppose. But it's definitely a different vibe, not as laid back, but it should at least be motivating :)
I made another fabulous dinner tonight!
My own version of a lentil bulgur salad.
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 1 cup dry bulgur
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, choped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp olive oil
I cooked the lentils and bulgur together, let it chill in the fridge for a while, then stirred in the rest of the ingredients.
I ate 1 1/2 cups of it on top of some massaged kale.
And homemade pita chips on the side with baba ghanoush. Pita chips are so easy to make. I just cut up a pita, sprayed some olive oil on it with a little barbecue seasoning at baked at 350 F for maybe 5 minutes.
And dessert!
After hearing Jenna rave about this chocolate for so long, I had to try it! It did not disappoint…
I love how I was complaining about salty food yesterday, then bought salty chocolate today :P There is only one time when salty is acceptable – when it's paired with sweet!! :D
Unfortunately, putting two plants on the ledge has been the only work I've done on my apartment today. I'll probably get a little done before bed, but today has not been as productive as yesterday. In order to keep on top of my household duties, I've designated cleaning days on my Google Calendar.
For example, Sundays will be a laundry day paired with cleaning my closet. Then Mondays will be my vacuum day, etc. This way I can't procrastinate and it'll get done! Hopefully it will save me time in the long run as well. My strategy before has always been to let everything get messy then spend my days off cleaning it :P
Question of the day: How to you schedule household chores? (if at all) Feel free to chime in on the plant question too :)
Okee, I'm off to do that closet ;) One more morning shift tomorrow then it's my "weekend," yay!! Enjoy your labour day!
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags: aloe vera, basil, breakfast cookie, bulgur, chocolate, coffee, feta, gym, lentils, Lindt Fleur de Sel, liverwurst, Myoplex Lite, protein bar


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Gold Jewellery
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In Stock: 99
Usually ships in:
1-2 Business Days
Midwest Dog Crate Double Door Medium Strength (41-70Lbs)
$ 107.99 $ 148.95
See our other Wire Crates
FREE NamePlate Kit with this purchase.
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Two doors will give your dog easier access to his crate. This dog crate comes to you equipped with every feature you can think of. A composite plastic pan for easy cleanup in the event of an accident. A plastic carrying handle to comfortably move the dog crate from one location to another. Safe and secure slide bolts to make sure your pet stays inside his crate.
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- Releted Products


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I was looking for a tow for a reasonable price - when I called, the gentleman on the phone was very courteous to my situation and was very willing to help me and make me feel everything was going to be OK. He went as far as to lowering his price to help me in a time of need. Thank you very much. I will only call this company for any future business.
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I needed a tow truck FAST!! On my drive into Hutto we started calling Tow companies. Everyone we called said they couldn't be there in a short time. One even said not at all that day. So we called Eagle and I was talking so fast and frantically I'm surprised they could understand anything I was saying.. (more…)
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I met Woody last night (well after dark) when my Mazda Protege blew a rear tire on NB I-35 just at the exit for 1431. There was no good place to stop or do anything much, so I had to go on up to the next exit at Westinghouse, where I went into the outlet mall parking lot and parked in the first space I came to. (more…)
Woody was amazing . When he got there we discovered the car was stuck in park. He would have moved it in neutral but my car was a little fancy so could not get to the box so he cut me a discount on the brackets and we towed it to the mechanic no problems...My husband and I will be referring him.
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I called Eagle and they showed up right away and were very friendly.
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Member Only Webpage Project...
Updated October 18, 2016
Lisa C. Meredith, MnCCC Executive Director
MnCCC has several software user groups. Our user groups are looking for a way to share information with one another, in a place that the shared information is protected. We are hoping that this project will help us offer this service to our various user groups. If you are interested in providing a proposal for this project, please click here to download the details. Thank you!


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WorldStream: Morning FX Trader Update
The euro nears the $1.30 mark as sovereign bond yields are down across europe, and the dollar stays static against the yen as Stephen Bernard brings the morning foreign exchange trader report. wsj.com/worldstream
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... the euro starting with the Dow thirty and today Sears in morning ... as investors take a little more risk appetite ... sovereign bond yields in Europe are down today and that's really helping the euro rate now against both the dollar in yen ... Spanish ten year yields and at their lowest level since March ... Italian bond yields ten year bond yields are at their lowest level since June of two thousand eleven ... it's all conspired to help the yearly once again ... get with that one thirty level ... meanwhile the dollar didn't do much against the yen after ... key data came largely in line with expectations ... third-quarter GDP came in at two point seven percent versus a two point eight percent expectations ... and first-time jobless claims came in at three or ninety three thousand ... versus an estimate of three hundred ninety five thousand ...


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E. Young buckling up to hang onto speed belt
Speedy Mets outfielder ready for another run as NL stolen base king
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Grateful for the gift, Eric Young Jr. tried to take his new stolen base title belt home with him earlier this weekend. But his Mets teammates stopped him, telling Young he must keep it displayed in the clubhouse at Tradition Field.
So there was the wrestling-style belt on Sunday morning, proudly displayed above Young's locker. Mets manager Terry Collins and first-base coach Tom Goodwin presented it to him during a pre-camp meeting a day earlier, to the delight of a surprised outfielder.
"I had no clue it was coming," Young said. "I was just sitting there listening as though it was a regular meeting, and then they brought this out to me."
The leather belt, which includes flag decals from several nations and a mirror on each side, was the Mets' gift to Young for winning the National League stolen base title. Now that it is in his possession, Young, who swiped 38 of his league-leading 46 bags with the Mets, said he does not intend to give up the belt without a fight.
"The only way they can challenge me [for it] is by stealing some bases," Young said of his National League peers.


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Dalen LED lighting-sources and plates stand out with: Beautiful design (neutral/classical modern). For use in different types of building, such as stores, living rooms, bedrooms, health centres/hospitals, etc.
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Light is a natural need, and contributes to health and well-being. As well as getting better as part of the healing process.
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Export 14 results:Author Title Type [ Year]
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Carabid Beetle Activity-Density and Diversity in Northern Hardwood Forests of Michigan. School of Natural Resources & Environment. Doctor of Philosophy:109pp... 2006.
Invertebrate Biodiversity in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems under Varying Disturbance Regimes. Beech Bark Disease: Proceedings of the Beech Bark Disease Symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-331:88-91.. 2005.
Condition of hardwood forests in Michigan: 1991-1999. Technical Report 00-1. 2000.
Protocol handbook for the Michigan Impact Monitoring System. Handbook 95-1. 2000.
Environmental stress effects on vigor, mortality, and growth in northern hardwood forests along a pollution-climate gradient. The Michigan Academician. 30:27-47.. 1998.
The Michigan impact monitoring system: baseline survey final report. Technical Report 94-2:35pp... 1994.
Studying the effects of air pollution on forest along exposure gradients: experiences in the United States and opportunities for cooperation. Climate and Atmospheric Deposition Studies in Forests. :109-115.. 1994.
Sulfate adsorption in forest soils of the Great Lakes region. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 58:1546-1555.. 1994.
Ion leaching in forest ecosystems along a Great Lakes air pollution gradient. Journal of Environmental Quality. 21(4):614-623.. 1992.
Effects of an air pollution gradient on northern hardwood forests in the northern Great Lakes region. :54pp... 1991.
Soil solution chemistry and ion leaching in northern hardwood forests across an 800 km pollution gradient. Emerging Issues in Northern Hardwood Management: Air Pollution, Climate Change & Biodiversity. Miscellaneous Publication 91-1:38.. 1991.


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The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner.
With five number one singles, six Grammies, five American Music Awards, and six number one albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) and Hotel California, ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the U.S. according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and the band was ranked #75 on the magazine's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. They also have the best selling album in the U.S. with Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), which sold more than 29 million copies. They have sold over 120 million albums worldwide and 100 million in the U.S. alone. They are the fifth highest selling music act in U.S. history and the highest selling American band in U.S. history. No other American band sold more than the Eagles during the 1970s. The Eagles released their self titled debut album in 1972 which spawned three Top 40 singles, "Take It Easy", "Witchy Woman", and "Peaceful Easy Feeling". They followed up the success of their debut album with Desperado in 1973. The album was less successful than the first, reaching only #41 on the charts and neither of its two singles reached the Top 40. However, the album contained two of the bands most popular and beloved tracks, "Desperado" and "Tequila Sunrise". They released On The Border in 1974 and added guitarist Don Felder midway through the recording of the album. The album released two Top 40 singles, "Already Gone" and their first chart topper, "Best Of My Love". It was not until 1975's One Of These Nights, though, that the Eagles became America's biggest band. The album released three Top 10 singles, "One Of These Nights", "Lyin' Eyes", and "Take It To The Limit". They continued with that success in late 1976 with the release of Hotel California, which would go on to sell over 16 million copies in the U.S. alone. The album yielded three Top 20 singles, "New Kid In Town", "Hotel California", and "Life In The Fast Lane". They released their last studio album for nearly 28 years in 1979 with The Long Run. The album displayed that the Eagles were still at the top of their popularity at the time of their breakup and the album released three Top 10 singles, "Heartache Tonight", "The Long Run", and "I Can't Tell You Why".
The Eagles broke up in July 1980, but reunited in 1994 for Hell Freezes Over, a mix of live and new studio tracks. They have toured intermittently since then and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2007, the Eagles released Long Road out of Eden, their first full studio album in 28 years. The album would top the album charts, release five singles on the Adult Contemporary Charts and win the band two Grammies. The next year they launched The Long Road out of Eden Tour in support of the album.


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Coal Pile Dust Suppresion
In Extreme Conditions Trust in the Heavy-Duty Reliability of Nelson Products
The rugged durability of Nelson Big Gun® Sprinklers makes them a favorite for coal pile dust suppression. With completely sealed ball bearings and anodized, powder-coated, or stainless steel options, Nelson Big Guns are built for the corrosive environments typical of coal terminals. The superior performance provides optimal coverage with less equipment and maintenance than other more inexpensive options. High trajectory models can easily achieve the necessary stream height to clear the coal piles, and they can also be mounted on tall risers or towers to further increase coverage. The Big Gun's field-proven nozzles are less likely to plug, requiring less filtration and allowing the use of reclaimed/recycled water or wastewater – saving energy and water. Nelson Big Gun® Sprinklers – a clear winner in the battle of fugitive dust control. Backed by Nelson Irrigation's years of experience in coal pile dust control.
• ANODIZED, POWDER COATED, or STAINLESS STEEL BIG GUNS for sprinkling with corrosive waters.
Using Nelson Big Gun® Sprinklers in conjunction with Nelson 800 Series Control Valves and the Nelson Control System provides a complementary design that uniquely improves efficiency and reliability. Nelson's rugged 800 Series Control Valves have a field-proven record of success operating under Nelson Big Gun Sprinklers in tough environments. Automation using the Nelson Control System is simple, reduces labor requirements, and allows you to put the right amount of water where you need it most. Spend less time worrying about the wind and more time protecting your investment – contact your regional Nelson representative for more information about coal dust suppression on your project.
The New R75M is being used in coal mine operations to wash coal and debris away from walkways and other critical areas. It operates between 40 and 60 PSI and delivers 30-37 gpm.
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A heavy-duty flexible arm attaches to a neodymium magnetic base, holding the magnet in place. With three attachments — a red clip, suction cup and bla...
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Indicative Rate * AU$140 to AU$620
Burleigh Surf Beachfront Apartments are perfectly positioned boasting magnificent ocean views and capturing the spirit and essence of picturesque Burleigh Heads.
As you walk from the entrance of Burleigh Surf you cross the road to beautiful Justin Park which faces North Burleigh. Justin Park is filled with barbecue facilities, seating, swings and playground areas all under a spectacular canopy of tropical pine trees. Burleigh Surf is an easy walk to a variety of surf clubs, cafes, restaurants, public transport and the Burleigh Heads National Park.
Their premier self-contained one, two and three bedroom apartments are opposite one of the Gold Coast's most awesome patrolled beaches and surfing playgrounds – 'North Burleigh'. Burleigh Surf has excellent facilities for all the family. These include an indoor heated pool, heated spa, sauna, gymnasium, outdoor pool, full size fully lit tennis court, and games' room with a billiard table, internet kiosk and three beautiful covered barbecue areas - all set in idyllic landscaped gardens.
The spacious one bedroom air conditioned apartments at Burleigh Surf are situated between levels one and seven and offer restricted views of North Burleigh beach, the tropical gardens and outdoor swimming pool.
Enjoy the ultimate in luxury, relaxing in a one bedroom superior apartment. Be guaranteed of spectacular sea views from the lounge and living area from the spacious north facing balcony. These apartments are located between levels 17 and 24.
Spacious two bedroom apartments with large balconies, air conditioned, and all the features you need for the perfect family holiday. Situated between levels one and 15.
Enjoy the ultimate in luxury, relaxing in a two bedroom superior apartment. These spacious apartments are located from level 16 and above all featuring a full kitchen, with a separate laundry, spa bath, internet access, cable television and private balcony, with views over the tropical gardens, pool and ocean.
These apartments feature one Queen Size bed and two Single beds and are suitable for a maximum of five guests.
Enjoy the ultimate in luxury, relaxing in a three bedroom superior apartment. Be guaranteed of spectacular sea views from the lounge and living area from the spacious north facing balcony.
These apartments are located between levels 17 and 24.
Enjoy the ultimate in luxury, relaxing in a three bedroom sub penthouse apartment. Be guaranteed of spectacular sea views.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


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A former NBA player who is accused of shooting an Atlanta woman to death appeared to be retaliating for being robbed of $55,000 worth of jewelry, police said.
Javaris Crittenton, who was suspended from the NBA along with his ex-teammate Gilbert Arenas for having guns in a locker room, was arrested late Monday at a Southern California airport. He has been charged with murder in the Aug. 19 shooting death of Jullian Jones outside her house in Atlanta, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
Crittenton's attorneys have said he will exonerated.
Crittenton told police he and a friend were leaving a barbershop around 10:50 p.m. April 21 when two teenagers surprised them as they returned to their car, according to police report released to The Associated Press.
One teenager held Crittenton at gunpoint and ordered him to "give me what you got," he told police. He said he handed over a $25,000 black diamond necklace, a $30,000 black diamond watch, an iPhone and $25 cash, according to the report.
— Reported by the Associated Press


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ABC News recently came out with a story called "Surprising Family Trees!"
The supposedly new findings were no surprise to us, as most of them were known by us years ago and can already be seen in the Family Forest® New World Edition.
The surprising part to us was the time lag and process of having new knowledge become worthy of acceptance.
For instance, our early announcements about Tom Hanks and his family ties to the Da Vinci Code, President Bush's family ties to John Kerry and Hugh Hefner,
President Bush's family ties to the British Royal Family and
Paris Hilton's prison genes were virtually ignored.
Now that our findings have been repeated by a Harvard professor, and have been attributed to him, they have gained acceptance.
Funny how that works. Could these confirmations of our earlier findings mean that our future discoveries from the Family Forest® Project will now begin gaining quicker acceptance?


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Today's Top Stories: Privacy Bill of Rights, LG L-Style Smartphones
Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world. Today, we're looking at three particularly interesting stories.
President Obama Unveils Privacy Bill of Rights
President Obama has unveiled the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights, a framework that aims to give individuals greater online privacy protection. Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and AOL have all expressed support for this initiative, which could lead to legislation following a discussion in the Congress.
The Privacy Bill of Rights makes sure consumers have control over what personal data organizations collect from them and how they use it. This includes transparency, accountability, security of data, access to personal data in usable formats and the right to expect organizations to collect personal data in ways that are consistent with the context in which consumers provide the data.
LG to Launch Three New "L-Style" Smartphones
LG, a company known for stylish mobile phones, has announced a new line of smartphones with a focus on design called L-Style. Three new L-Style smartphones will be unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week: The 3.2-inch Optimus L3, the 4.0-inch Optimus L5 and the 4.3-inch Optimus L7.
The Optimus L3 will hit the market in March, while the other two devices should become available in the first half of 2012.
Smartphone Penetration in the UK and Spain Over 50% [REPORT]
Smartphone penetration in the UK and Spain is now over 50%, claims a new report from comScore, with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS being the year's most acquired devices there. According to the report, 48.4 million consumers accessed mobile social media in Europe, an increase of 76 percent since past year, and 8.3 percent of all mobile subscribers have a tablet device.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59


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Astronomers have been busy trying to determine the spin period and composition of Venus' moon. On Dec. 8, 2010, results of the study were announced by JPL/Caltech scientists, led by Michael Hicks.
Wait a minute; back up, I hear you ask. Venus has a Moon? Of course it does. Well, kind of... Let me explain.
It has the rather unfortunate name of 2002 VE68. That's because it was discovered on Nov. 11, 2002 by LONEOS, the Lowell Observatory Near Earth Object Search.
2002 VE68 is an Earth orbit-crossing asteroid that has been designated a Potential Hazardous Asteroid by the Minor Planet Center. For obvious reasons, this makes it a very interesting subject of study for JPL scientists.
2002 VE68 used to be a run of the mill, potential impact threat Near Earth Object (NEO). But approximately 7,000 years ago it had a close encounter with Earth that kicked it into a new orbit.
It now occupies a place in orbit around the sun where at its closest it wanders inside the orbit of Mercury and at its furthest it reaches just outside the orbit of the Earth. It is now in a 1:1 orbital resonance with Venus.
An orbital resonance is when two orbiting bodies exert a regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other due to their orbital periods being related by a ratio of two small numbers. For example, Pluto and Neptune are in an orbital resonance of 2:3, which simply means for every two times Pluto goes around the sun, Neptune makes three trips around.
In the case of Venus and 2002 VE68, they both take the same time to orbit the sun once. They are in a 1:1 orbital resonance. So by definition, 2002 VE68 is considered a quasi-satellite of Venus.
If you look at JPL's Orbital Viewer applet you can watch this celestial dance as the two bodies orbit the sun and each other as 2002 VE68 dodges Earth and Mercury in the process.
Often these resonances result in an unstable interaction, in which the bodies exchange momentum and shift orbits until the resonance no longer exists. In this case, scientists believe 2002 VE68 will only remain a Venusian quasi-satellite for another 500 years or so.
So getting back to the story, Hicks and his team used the recent close apparition of 2002 VE68 to do photometric measurements over the course of three nights in November using the JPL Table Mountain 0.6 meter telescope near Wrightwood, California.
From the color data obtained, they determined that 2002 VE68 is an X-type asteroid. This is a group of asteroids with very similar spectra that could potentially have a variety of compositions. They are further broken down into Tholen classification types as either E, M or P types. Unfortunately Hicks' team was not able to resolve the sub-classification with their equipment.
They were able to determine the approximate size of the asteroid to be 200 meters in diameter, based on its absolute magnitude, and they determined a spin rate of 13.5 hours. The amplitude of the fluctuation on the light curve of 2002 VE68 could imply that it is actually a contact binary; two clumps of asteroidal material orbiting a center of mass in contact with each other.
For more information on some of the strange and curious beasts in the asteroidal zoo, visit the NASA Near Earth Object Program website.
© 2012 Discovery Channel


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Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton Enjoy A Date Night — With Luke Bryan
By Katrina Nattress
April 15, 2019
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton enjoyed a nice date night over the weekend that included a third wheel!
As documented by the No Doubt frontwoman in her Instagram story, the couple was joined by her country star beau's good friend Luke Bryan, and the trio hit the town in West Hollywood.
From the looks of the videos Gwen posted, the three had a blast hanging out. In one clip, the American Idol judge quips that the only reason why the paparazzi is snapping pictures of them is because Gwen's with them. In another, he and his The Voice pal get a little raunchy as they tease photographers.
"Got my balls out. Got my balls out! Take it!" Blake yells while exiting the car.
"One nut. Blake pulls one nut out," Luke laughs.
"OK, I'm not posting that," Gwen says, but clearly went against her word.
It's no surprise the couple would choose Luke as a date companion. Despite starring in competing shows, Blake and Luke have been buddies for quite some time. In fact, last year Luke said he would be "honored" to officiate Gwen and Blake's wedding.
"If Blake were smart, he would marry her before she goes to an optometrist," he joked. "Every time I meet Gwen, she's holding her phone way out here to read. I'm like, 'That's it, she can't see!'"
Music's power couple won't be tying the knot any time soon, though. Gwen is currently in the process of getting her marriage to Gavin Rossdale annulled through the Catholic church, so her future union with Blake can be recognized by the church.
Photo: Getty Images


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An established American artist and photographer with a unique style and large portfolio of fine art photographic prints. Life long artist, professional photographer, freelance writer, and travel adventurer with a passion for Paris. Creates and photographs surreal, dreamy, fantasy and gothic art. Exhibits fine art photography throughout the United States and Canada, and has won numerous artistic and photographic awards. Photographs are available for licensing, and have appeared in numerous art galleries, book covers, greeting cards, art publications, magazines, blogs, newspapers, advertising from web to billboards, and has sold her fine art photographic images throughout the world. NOTE: All my photographs are sold without the...
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Is bill gates hatching a doomsday plot to eradicate all life on Earth?
F. William Engdahl isn't sure.
You experience doubts of a different kind as the unmarked helicopter sets you down on this godforsaken rock in the Barents Sea midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. As you stumble out onto the frozen ground, the merciless wind rips at your parka and the cold cuts to the bone. This island strikes you profoundly as a dead place: Even the sky seems stripped of color and as far as the eye can see, there is no living creature.
Except for that scruffy-looking penguin smoking a cigar.
"You gonna stand there admiring the scenery?" the penguin asks. "Because it's no skin off my beak but the bus leaves in about two seconds and I'm gonna be on it."
"Figure of speech." He points a flipper in the direction of the mountainside looming over your shoulder. "It's this way. But we gotta walk. C'mon."
Minutes later you are out of the wind but no warmer. You are under the permafrost of this island called Spitzbergen, vertically 426 feet above mean sea level and thus on dry ground even if the ice caps melt, horizontally 393 frigid feet deep inside the mountain. You have still seen no living thing, with the exception of the penguin, and this puzzles you.
"What's the deal on security here? We passed through two blast-proof doors, each with motion sensors, through two airlocks, I know the walls are steel-reinforced concrete a meter thick, but there are no guards. What's up with that?"
An insufferably smug expression comes over the penguin's face. "Lucky for you, you got Tux the Linux penguin to get you through all that security, huh? Yeah, we in the Linux community keep a close eye on anything Bill Gates is up to, especially hush-hush stuff like this vault."
"I don't know how hush-hush it is. I heard about it on BBC radio." Seeing the penguin bristle at being contradicted, you quickly add, "But the absence of guards?"
"Don't need 'em. This place is so remote the electronic and physical barriers are all they need. Of course I had no trouble getting through any security Microsoft's boss can set up."
Electronic indeed. The place looks like Bill Gates' bedroom. Not that you've ever seen Bill Gates' bedroom. But you can imagine. "But isn't there a village on the island?"
"Under two thousand people. Probably all bought and paid for by the Gates Foundation. Rice milk?"
"Beg pardon?"
"You want rice milk? Perrier? Disaronno on the rocks? Pickled herring?"
You look around for any suggestion of a refrigerator. Although it occurs to you, given that the temperature in this vault is a brisk -20 Celsius, that installing a refrigerator in this setting would be likethat it would be a joke.
"Do you actually have rice milk?"
"Do you see any of that crap here?" he snaps, poking you with the cigar. "Jeez, I was just trying to be gracious."
"And succeeding marvelously," you reply. Whatever his shortcomings, and there's a phrase you might want to eliminate from your vocabulary for the duration of the visit, along with shortcake, shortstop, and Burgess Meredith, whatever his defects, he's your guide and your only humanor whatevercontact here in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.
And with that thought I'm going to leave you there under the permafrost, examining the specially wrapped seeds from all around the world, while I consider the question, why is Bill Gates donating $30 million to this project of the Global Crop Diversity Trust?
Maybe it's a dumb question. Some might consider it a wise precaution to set up a secure vault to store seeds for millions of varieties of plants against the possibility of their becoming extinct in the event of a disaster like runaway global warming, a massive meteor strike, nuclear or biological war, or pollution of the genepool from transgenic plants.
But I first stumbled on this vault in an essay by economist F. William Engdahl, author of Seeds of Destruction, which I think raises appropriate concerns about genetic manipulation of food crops by a few powerful corporations. Engdahl sees the Vault, though, as part of a Strangelovian plot involving Hitler's eugenics scientists, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, and Jorio Dauster, the former president of the Brazilian Coffee Institute.
I'd go under the Spitzbergen permafrost before I'd accompany Engdahl on that trip.
Michael Swaine