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This was published 7 years ago
'Mafia act' destroys 80,000 bottles of Italian wine
ROME: Saboteurs broke into the cellars at a Tuscan vineyard and sent an estimated 13 million euros ($16 million) worth of one of Italy's most celebrated red wines gurgling down the drain.
The mystery night raiders turned on the taps of Case Basse winery's giant wooden casks in which the wine was maturing, and let more than 62,000 litres of prized Brunello di Montalcino pour out.
Some 80,000 bottles of wine were lost, each of which can sell for at least 170 euros – a total estimated value of more than 13 million euros. The saboteurs did no other damage to the estate's "cantina", nor did they steal anything, suggesting that it was less a random episode of vandalism and more an act of spite.
The raid wiped out the last six vintages of the 6.5-hectare vineyard in the hills of southern Tuscany, from 2007 to 2012. Case Basse is a small but highly acclaimed producer of Brunello di Montalcino, making around 10,000 bottles a year.
The wine, produced from sangiovese grapes, has to be matured in barrels for at least four years before it can be sold under the Brunello di Montalcino name, so the vineyard will have nothing to sell until 2016 at the earliest.
Gianfranco Soldera, the estate owner who worked as an insurance broker in Milan before buying the vineyard in 1972, said he had no idea who might have been behind the raid in the early hours of Monday. His family described it as "a Mafia-style act" but did not identify possible culprits, whether crime organisations or individuals.
"We cannot come to terms with what happened," Mauro Soldera, his son, told the newspaper Corriere della Sera.
"We've never been involved in controversy and we've never received threats. We've suffered a serious blow, not just in economic terms. But we will not give up, the estate will survive."
Brunello di Montalcino has been marred by scandal in recent years after it was found that some producers were "cutting" their wine with other grape varieties, such as merlot.
In 2008 investigators confiscated more than half a million bottles from one prominent vintner, alleging that he could not possibly have made that much wine purely from sangiovese grapes, and the government set up a panel of experts to monitor standards of purity.
The Solderas have said they could quadruple their production if they were less rigorous in their standards, and their criticism of less scrupulous producers may have antagonised rivals. The sabotage is being investigated by police.
Fabrizio Bindocci, the president of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium, condemned the act of sabotage and said it had shocked all 250 producers of the esteemed red in Tuscany. "They feel personally affected by this unpardonable act," he said.
Donatella Cinelli Colombini, the vice-president of the consortium, said: "I cannot think of a similar incident in this region in living memory. It is a dismaying affair."
Silvio Franceschelli, the mayor of Montalcino, called the raid "ugly and cowardly" and expressed solidarity with the owners of the winery.
Telegraph, London


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Happy New Year from the Kats Designs team! Good luck to all performers and have FUN!!!
Our costumes can be ordered from our gallery by personalizing an existing design or you may work with our design team to create your own design .
If you are looking for something special let us create a design just for you! Our custom designs are no charge and the process is fun, simple and the results are outstanding and tailored to your specific budget.
Send us a theme you have in mind and let's get started!!
For further information please contact us: email@example.com
New layer…

subset: commoncrawl


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Scott Brown statement on U.S. Senate special election
Today, Senator Scott Brown issued the following statement:
"Representing Massachusetts in the United States Senate was the greatest privilege of my life, an experience that takes second place only to my marriage to Gail and the birth of our daughters. It was a higher honor than I had ever expected, and in the time given to me I always tried to make the most of it.
"When I was first sent to the Senate in early 2010, it wasn't exactly welcome news for President Obama or many other Democrats. Yet among my best memories from those three years in office are visits to the White House to see the President sign into law bills that I had sponsored. I left office last month on the best of terms with colleagues both Republican and Democrat. I had worked well with so many of them, regardless of party, to serve the public interest just as we are all supposed to. All of this was in keeping with the pledge I made at the beginning to do my own thinking and to speak for the independent spirit of our great state.
"Over these past few weeks I have given serious thought about the possibility of running again, as events have created another vacancy requiring another special election. I have received a lot of encouragement from friends and supporters to become a candidate, and my competitive instincts were leading in the same direction."
"Even so, I was not at all certain that a third Senate campaign in less than four years, and the prospect of returning to a Congress even more partisan than the one I left, was really the best way for me to continue in public service at this time. And I know it's not the only way for me to advance the ideals and causes that matter most to me.
"That is why I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for the United States Senate in the upcoming special election."


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Brent Musburger gets a little creepy, A.J. McCarron tries to keep his cool, a high school football player makes the best highlight reel ever, a Peruvian goalie makes a miraculous save, and a dunk crew can't dunk. Here are the best videos of the week.
Brent Musburger Is A Bit Too Infatuated With A.J. McCarron's Girlfriend, Katherine Webb
Here's good ol' Brent whacking it to Miss Alabama (and, sort of, McCarron's mom) in all its uncomfortable, awkward, heteronormative glory. Watch »
Watch A.J. McCarron Pretend Not To Be Freaked Out About How Famous His Girlfriend Is Now
That's a very specific kind of panic that flashes across McCarron's face, the kind that can only be brought on by learning that your girlfriend, who is indeed a very pretty lady, is now a very famous pretty lady. Watch »
High School Special Teams Player Has The Best Recruiting Mixtape Of All Time
The highlight reel features Ryan running down the field on kickoffs, getting blocked a lot, kicking a few extra points, and maybe kind of making a tackle at least one time. Watch »
Your Early Leader For Hustle Play Of 2013 Is This Peruvian Goalkeeper's Two Miracle Saves
Campos busted ass to keep it from crossing the goal line, then laid out to stop the rebound strike and preserve the 3-2 disadvantage. Watch »
The St. Joseph's Halftime Show Featured A Dunk Crew Who Couldn't Dunk
The university knew it would need halftime entertainment commensurate with the occasion of a big game. They got some guys throwing up botched dunk after botched dunk. Watch »


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AMC will not renew mystery series The Killing, the network announced Friday. But the show may find life elsewhere.
The Killing Finale: So, Who Killed Rosie Larsen?
"After much deliberation, we've come to the difficult decision not to renew The Killing for a third season," the network said in a statement. "AMC is incredibly proud of the show and is fortunate to have worked with such a talented team on this project."
Fox Television Studios, which produces the show, issued its own statement, saying it plans to shop the show around to other networks.
"Fox Television Studios is extremely proud of The Killing, the extraordinary writing staff and crew, and what we believe is one of the best casts on television," the statement reads. "We will proceed to try to find another home for the show."
The Killing's first-season finale angered many critics and fans by not resolving the murder of Rosie Larsen. After that mystery and several other remaining loose ends were tied up in June's Season 2 finale, speculation that the series might not be renewed for a third season began.


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Beverly and Scott Rice
Beverly and Scott Rice
Bill and Petty Weinberg
C.J. Cacheris, Amanda O'Neil
Chantilly Ballroom
Lindsey Bare, Mariel Stribling
Andy Grammer
Bunny Cotten
Paul and Aimee Griffiths
Rachel Haeyfliger, Mary Huddleston
THE SETTING Themed Joie de Vivre, the 51st Junior League of Dallas Ball transformed the Hilton Anatole's Chantilly Ballroom with the inimitable French touch of unsurpassed excitement and appreciation for the organization's charitable works. THE SCENE JLD Ball Chair Bunny Cotten was a perfect hostess for the 700 guests who filled the Chantilly Ballroom after a silent auction and receptions honoring the evening's sponsors, Sewell and PlainsCapital Bank. In a room fit for Versailles, gala-goers noshed on the French-inspired menu of goat cheese tart with ratatouille, filet of beef with Béarnaise sauce and sweet chocolate cherries marinated in balsamic vinegar. After dinner, the crowd hit the dance floor to Andy Grammer's contemporary soul and pop tunes, including his Top 5 hit single, "Keep Your Head Up." THE CROWD The glittering room was packed with A-listers, including Julie and Scott Bagley, Cullum and Nita Clark, Aimee Griffiths, Elizabeth and Alex Laurenzi, Caren Prothro, Beverly and Scott Rice, Isabell Novakov, Tracy Steiner, Carl Sewell Jr., Crayton and Nikki Webb and Bill and Cachet Weinberg. Photography by Dana Driensky
Photography by:


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Simmons focused on playing, not extension
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Andrelton Simmons hopes to become the latest member of the Braves talented young core to receive a multi-year contract. But when the talented shortstop reported to Spring Training on Tuesday, he said he will allow his representatives to worry about a potential deal.
"I understand the whole thing," Simmons said. "But I know I've got to do my work, and I've got to earn whatever. I'm just focused on playing. If it happens, great, I love Atlanta. Hopefully something gets done, but you never know."
While there is mutual interest, the two parties will need to continue working toward agreeing to the total value Simmons brings with his tremendous defensive skills and offensive potential, which remains debatable through the shortstop's first 206 career games.
Along with being credited with the most defensive runs saved (41) since the inception of that stat in 2003, Simmons also opened some eyes with surprising power that came in the form of the 17 home runs he hit last year, his first full Major League season. The Curacao native entered last year with a total of nine home runs in 1,224 professional at-bats.
Simmons ended the 2013 season with a .248 batting average and .296 on-base percentage. While these numbers appear pedestrian, he steadily improved at the plate and produced a .789 OPS after the All-Star break.
"He's still going to get better," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Talking to our hitting coaches [Greg Walker and Scott Fletcher], he's still going to have some young at-bats. I'm not going to say he's going to be a 30-home run guy or a 20-home run guy for a lot of years. But if you make a mistake, he can hit one out of the ballpark."
Over the past two weeks, the Braves have signed Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel and Julio Teheran to multi-year extensions that position each player to still be with the club when it moves to its new stadium in 2017.
"You've got to love what the Braves have done," said Simmons, who is hoping to eventually be added to this list.


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Total Blair Witch house.
Realizing that they both really just wanted to travel and take pictures, Paul and Alana decided to get rid of all their stuff and hit the road for a year in a 1977 GMC Motorhome that they restored from the ground up. This is their trip.
Paul loves to drive and spends more time looking for the worlds largest X than he probably should. He's pretty excited about Kentucky bourbon tours and finally seeing New England.
Alana is only taking pictures on this trip with an iPhone and spends a lot of time hiding the dog when we go places. She's pretty excited about seeing as many donut shops as possible.


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Difference between revisions of "Developer's guide to adding new plugins to the AJDT release"
(→Adding source plugins that are meant for distribution)
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==Adding source plugins that are meant for distribution==
==Adding source plugins that are meant for distribution==
==Adding third party binary plugins for distribution==
==Adding third party binary plugins for distribution==
Revision as of 00:41, 19 January 2009
Adding source plugins that contain tests only (not for distribution)
Locally (to be checked in to CVS):
- Check the test plugin into CVS (See the developer's guide for more information on CVS.
- Add test plugin to the feature org.eclipse.aspectj.feature_tests
- Ensure that it is "unpacked" (check box in the plug-ins page)
- Ensure a test.xml is in the plugin copy from another test plugin and change paths appropriately. Ensure to select either ui-test or core-test
- JUnit 4 is not supported by eclipse testing framework (org.eclipse.test). bug 153429 tracks this.
- Update the customTargets.xml ant script in update site project, org.eclipse.aspectj.updatesite. (Note that build.xml and build-minimal.xml are no longer used and can probably be deleted, I don't even know if they still work. Certainly, the build.xml scripts in the individual plugins are broken.)
- Edit the build.properties file and ensure that it contains the test.xml and all other files required for the binary build. The .class files should be in their own jar. Can copy from other build.properties files.
- Edit MANIFEST.MF and add the new jar (specified in build.properties) to the classpath.
On the build server:
- Ensure that org.eclipse.test and org.eclipse.ant.optional.junit plugins are installed in the target Eclipse for testing. The target Eclipse for testing is ~/cruisecontrol-2.3.1/test/eclipseXX (XX is the major.minor version number). The plugins can be found here with the automated test plugins (link to version 3.4.1, this is likely to be forward compatible).
- Update run-test3X.sh on build server to include new test plugin. Copy from other entries
- Update build-AJDT1.X.xml on build server to include checking out the plugin, checking the results, and deleting old versions. This is spread throughout the script, so copy from the other plugins. copy from other entries. Make sure that upload-build1.6weaving.xml is not touched because these changes should not be sent to the download server.
- Update config.xml on build server to ensure that test results are included in the log.
Note that if you want to run the tests locally through the testing framework (a good idea in order to ensure that everything is set up properly), do this:
- Download and install the Eclipse testing framework: org.eclipse.test, and org.eclipse.ant.optional.junit.
- Create a new debug launch configuration.
- Set the Program args to be something like this:
-os ${target.os} -ws ${target.ws} -arch ${target.arch} -nl ${target.nl} -f ${workspace_loc}/org.eclipse.contribution.weaving.jdt.tests/testbackup.xml -classname org.eclipse.contribution.weaving.jdt.tests.AllWeavingTests -testpluginname org.eclipse.contribution.weaving.jdt.tests
- Set the VM args to be something like this:
-Ddata-dir=${workspace_loc}/org.eclipse.test/results -Dplugin-name=org.eclipse.contribution.weaving.jdt.tests -Dclassname=org.eclipse.contribution.weaving.jdt.tests.AllWeavingTests -Declipse-home=/Users/andrew/Eclipse/Installations/Eclipse3.4 -Xms40m -Xmx768m -XX:PermSize=128M -XX:MaxPermSize=256M
- Ensure that the Configuration page uses an Equinox Aspects-aware config.ini.
This article describes the headless testing process.
Adding source plugins that are meant for distribution
A lot of similarity to above, but some differences
- Check new plugin into cvs
- Add plugin to appropriate feature (probably org.eclipse.ajdt-feature). This plugin should probably be "packed".
- Update the customTargets.xml ant script in update site project (org.eclipse.aspectj.updatesite). Note that build.xml and build-minimal.xml are no longer.
On the build server:
- Update the build-ajdt1.X.xml, upload-build1.X.xml ant scripts.
That's probably it.
Adding third party binary plugins for distribution
AJDT does not do this yet, but we may choose to bundle our own version of Equinox Aspects. If we do this, then how to do this for other third party plugins will be described here.


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Novel Hepatitis C Drug Holds Promise: FDA
WEDNESDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental new drug that may treat hepatitis C more effectively than earlier medications will be reviewed Thursday by a panel of experts for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Telaprevir, made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., would be prescribed in combination with two existing drugs to help reduce levels of the virus, which can cause severe liver damage, according to documents posted by the FDA on its website in advance of the meeting.
While the older drugs -- pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin -- are intended to bolster the immune system's response to hepatitis, the new drug works differently, blocking protease, an enzyme that enables the hepatitis C virus to reproduce. Together, the combined medications may offer new hope for the thousands of Americans with the contagious liver disease.
"A drug like telaprevir does an amazing job clearing the virus, but there's a small portion that is just intrinsically less responsive and it's the job of the older drugs to clear up that mess that's left behind," Dr. Camilla Graham, Vertex's vice president for global medical affairs, told the Associated Press.
According to one of the Vertex studies reviewed by the FDA, 79 percent of hepatitis C patients treated for the first time with the three-drug cocktail -- telaprevir and the two older drugs -- were cured, compared to 46 percent of patients given the earlier drugs alone, the AP reported.
The three-drug combo also worked better than the earlier drugs for patients previously treated for hepatitis C. Sixty-five percent of the telaprevir patients were cured, compared with 17 percent of those taking the older medications, the news service said.
By adding telaprevir to the medication regimen, most patients are cured in six months, instead of 12 months, which reduces their exposure to uncomfortable side effects, the AP reported.
The new drug was less effective for blacks than whites, the FDA said.
On Wednesday FDA reviewers were expected to study a similar drug, boceprevir, made by Merck & Co.
Telaprevir's cure rates appear to be better than boceprevir's, the AP reported.
On Thursday, the committee of outside experts will be asked for its comments and recommendations on telaprevir. The FDA is not required to follow the advice of its advisory panels, but it usually does so.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated 17,000 new hepatitis C virus infections in the United States in 2007. Many people with the disease have no symptoms until it has caused liver damage, sometimes so severe that a liver transplant is needed.
Until the early 1990s, when testing of the nation's blood supply became routine, hepatitis C was often contracted from blood transfusions. Today it is most commonly associated with injection drug use. It is also transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person, the CDC said.
Earlier this year, a study from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health called for greater efforts to reduce the population of hepatitis C-infected injection drug users. That study found that new cases of hepatitis C were decreasing only among younger injection drug users who had recently starting using the drugs.
More information
To learn more about hepatitis C, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.


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Yankees Pummel Royals 10-4
New York Aided By Robinson Cano's Grand Slam
Robinson Cano picked a grand time to break the Yankees out of their offensive slump.
The second baseman went deep off Luke Hochevar with the bases loaded in the third inning on Sunday, and Nick Swisher followed with a solo shot two batters later, giving New York plenty of offense in a 10-4 rout of the Kansas City Royals.
Alex Rodriguez added a three-run shot in the eighth inning, helping the Yankees to a four-game split. The series began with a freak, season-ending injury to All-Star closer Mariano Rivera, but ended with the Yankees' best offensive output in a dozen games.
"Great to see that from the middle of the order," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We know what these guys are capable of doing and eventually it's going to come."
The Yankees already led on RBI singles by Raul Ibanez and Curtis Granderson when Cano came to the plate with the bases loaded in the third inning. He connected on a 2-1 pitch from Hochevar (2-3), sending the ball over the wall in right field for his second homer of the season.
Swisher added a solo shot two batters later, and A-Rod's homer came in the eighth.
"It took a huge day by Robbie to get us back on track," Swisher said. "It's just what we needed. These guys have been doing it their entire careers. We're not stressed about it."
Phil Hughes (2-4) took advantage of the run support to go a season-high 6 2-3 innings. It was only the second time the right-hander had allowed fewer than four runs this season.
The Royals had nine hits, but couldn't put them together for a big inning.
"I kind of got into a groove after the second inning," Hughes said. "The few times there were guys in scoring position, I was able to execute my pitches and get out of jams."
Billy Butler provided an RBI double in the first, Alex Gordon added a run-scoring single in the fifth, and Humberto Quintero snapped a 0-for-18 skid with a solo homer in the seventh. Jarrod Dyson tacked on an RBI single in the ninth.
That was all the Royals could muster.
The Yankees had been having a similarly hard time scoring lately. They managed a combined 11 runs over the past five games, their worst stretch since June 2009, and were coming off a game in which Derek Jeter, Cano, Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira combined to go 1 for 15 at the plate.
They didn't have much problem against Hochevar.
The Royals' former No. 1 overall draft pick was battered for the second straight start, his ERA soaring to 9.00 on the season. He was yanked after 2 1-3 innings, and has allowed 16 runs and 19 hits with four walks and a hit batter his past two starts.
"I need to get back to square one and figure it out and get things going," he said, "and start helping this club and not be putting us in a hole early in the game."
Hochevar got in trouble right from the opening pitch, giving up a leadoff single to Jeter, who reached base four times on the afternoon. But the Yankees didn't really capitalize until the third inning, when their bats finally awoke with a vengeance.
No. 9 hitter Dewayne Wise started a string of three straight base hits, and Granderson's RBI single was the 1,000th hit of his career. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to the load the bases for Cano, who delivered his first grand slam since last September against Baltimore.
Cano has five grand slams in his past 78 games, regular and postseason combined.
"You look at his at-bats today and they were really good," Girardi said. "We know he's a little behind where we expected him to be at this time of the year, but he's not the only hitter in Major League Baseball that's a little behind. He'll catch up."
Swisher, who had the Yankees' other slam this season, chased Hochevar when he sent a 1-2 pitch into the seats in right two batters later. Swisher had been out since hurting his hamstring last Sunday against Detroit, but looked just fine trotting around the bases at Kauffman Stadium.
"It was just nice to be back in there," he said.
Irving Falu provided the Royals with perhaps the only bright spot on the day.
Falu had spent more than nine years and 949 games in the minor leagues before getting his first major league start at shortstop. He tripled in his first at-bat, and then added a single in the fifth inning, coming around to score on Gordon's base hit.
"It was great to see him and get a triple in his first major league at-bat," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "And then get another base hit, play great defense at shortstop. That was a real positive note."


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Court backs EPA on soot limits move
A federal appeals court upheld the Environmental Protection Agency's stricter soot restrictions in a unanimous ruling Friday, notching yet another legal victory for the agency.
The ruling upholding the tighter limits on soot, or fine particulate matter (PM2.5), by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit dismissed arguments from the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other industry groups that challenged EPA's methods of weighing the science, its response to industry comments on the proposal, the timing of an implementation rule and its monitoring requirements.
In addition to the opposition from industry groups to lowering the soot standard from 15 micrograms per cubic meter to 12, the rulemaking caused controversy in Congress, where some lawmakers said they feared the EPA was preparing to regulate dust from farms, too. Soot is largely produced by automobiles and power plants.
( Also on POLITICO: Podesta: Congress won't stop EPA)
The ruling, which comes after Judges Janice Rogers Brown, David Tatel and Brett Kavanaugh showed no sign of being swayed by industry arguments at oral arguments in February, is the latest appeals court decision upholding the agency's efforts to tighten human health-based air quality standards for several pollutants.
In 2012, the same court upheld EPA's tightened "primary" standards for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, and it later upheld the agency's 2008 ozone air-quality standard.
"Time after time, courts have found that EPA's clean air standards are solidly based in science and the law," said Environmental Defense Fund attorney Peter Zalzal. "Soot is an extremely dangerous and sometimes deadly pollutant that causes heart attacks and asthma attacks."
National Association of Manufacturers general counsel Linda Kelly criticized the ruling, saying it would add to the numerous regulations already facing manufacturers.
( Sign up for POLITICO's Morning Energy tip sheet)
"The court's decision also underscores the difficulty manufacturers face in pushing back against a powerful and often overreaching EPA. The Manufacturers' Center for Legal Action is reviewing the decision and considering future options," she said in a statement.
In upholding the EPA standards, the court again granted "deference" to EPA to make judgments in complicated scientific decisions. That deference was also seen in the Supreme Court's recent ruling upholding EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, and in prior appeals court rulings on climate change regulations and emissions standards at lead-smelting facilities.
Friday's opinion, penned by Kavanaugh, shot down one argument after another from the rule's opponents, including the contention that EPA should have first requested comment on whether to revise the standard at all before it put the details of its proposal up for public comment.
"Although it is true that EPA did not specifically ask for comments on whether revision was necessary," the agency did say it wanted to hear comment on "all issues" related to the proposal, Kavanaugh wrote. Anyone could have commented on whether any revision was warranted, and some did just that, he wrote in the opinion. "EPA's notice sufficed."
( Also on POLITICO: Full energy and environment policy coverage)
The groups also challenged EPA's review of the scientific evidence, saying the agency gave disproportionate weight to some studies over others.
The Clean Air Act requires EPA to review the standards every five years to determine whether the science is up to date. The Supreme Court has previously ruled that the standards must be set at a level that is safe, without consideration of what it costs to get there.
"Here, we can be brief," Kavanaugh wrote. The groups "simply have not identified any way in which EPA jumped the rails of reasonableness in examining the science. EPA offered reasoned explanations for how it approached and weighed the evidence, and why the scientific evidence supported revision of the [standard]."
The court also ruled it isn't necessary for EPA to respond directly to each comment on the rule and that EPA's decision to remove "spatial averaging" was within the agency's rights.
The groups also argued that EPA should have better explained why it made the change, but the opinion said the court doesn't "assign 'presumptive validity'" to prior rules — "the question is whether EPA reasonably explains the current standards," the ruling said.
The court also found EPA's explanation for requiring 50 new air-quality monitors near heavily traveled roads in major metropolitan areas to be "at least reasonable."
While the rule's opponents said the monitors would shift the weight of survey results, EPA argued they would more accurately measure the air that many people breathe in real-world conditions.
The court also ruled that EPA did not have to provide implementation guidance at the same time that it issued the rule. The standard "sets a clear numerical target specifying the maximum levels of emissions in the states," the opinion said. "Nothing in the law dictates additional guidance from EPA at this point," it said.


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Posted by Ben in Uncategorized | 2 comments
Me, myself and 2011
Rather than delve into a topic on this post I thought it would be nice to give a bit of an update on what I've been up to. I don't find it easy to blog about myself, but there are people I haven't seen for months who have asked me for updates. I can be very bad at keeping up to date with people, but I didn't forget those who asked, so here it is, my 2011 since leaving Hawaii.
In January I started back at my job, working for Catalyst IT. I got thrown right in the deep end and was asked to teach a group of 4 from the Open Source Academy how to use Drupal to make their websites. The academy partly came about because schools just aren't teaching skills that are useful in IT classes, so we aimed to fill the gap.
There was of course catching up with friends, coffee (real coffee!) and organising a booster for my Hepatitis A vaccine thrown in for good measure. I also got my first taste of what it's like to be part of a global family when Chris and Shalom, two of my friends from the USA that I met in Kona, came to Wellington. It's rather a small world after all.
To end January I went to Hamilton for the Parachute Music Festival. I saw artists like Chris Tomlin, Skillet, Manafest and a whole bunch of others. Louie Giglio was there too and he did Indescribable – such a fantastic weekend.
I'm going back through my calendar to jog my memory, but all the movie nights and other impromptu stuff isn't on there. I put together two presentations about my time overseas – one about Hawaii and one about Philippines. If you'd like to see them I'm happy to come round and show you. I won't be uploading them since the stories behind the photos are the most important bit and I don't know how to story tell online because I can't see who I'm telling the story to.
At work things had changed a bit too. I had a new Project Manager, Emma, who is truly lovely and I got to work with my friends again on some challenging bits of work. Sadly, Stuart jetted off to the UK, so I ended up inheriting his main project, the NZ Post website, not a small ask for someone a bit rusty in Drupal who hadn't been with the project from the start. I had a month to get up to speed as best I could before Stuart left and thankfully I had others to ask questions when I wasn't sure how to approach a problem, giving me all the support I needed to get the work done.
Now that I was working and able to save a bit I took the plunge and upgraded my camera to a Canon 60D. On outreach I'd hit the limits of my 1000D, which has been a wonderful camera that I still have. The 60D in a grade higher in all areas – it has a bigger sensor, bigger screen and better low light performance. It also has video, but I rarely use it.
To be honest I haven't been doing a lot of photography shooting. At events I'm focussing more on socialising than taking photos, I still carry my Point + Shoot with me, but again, there's not much to photograph usually and when I do find some free time, it usually goes into something geeky.
Speaking of geeky, when the second Christchurch Earthquake hit it was amazing to see the geek response in Wellington. I was a one of many geeks that joined the #eqnz team. I feel like I played a very small part, but as a combined effort the Christchurch Recovery Map arose.
The map allowed the people of Christchurch to tell anyone with Internet where to find food, water, fuel and where to avoid like closed streets. Tim McNamara got this all kicked off and Catalyst IT (where I work) got onboard too – letting people work on filtering the reports from people during work hours and helping set up a txt shortcode so people coud sms information to us without needing a computer or an Internet-capable phone. It was also the first time I'd seen Nigel McNie in a while too – coding away and configuring not only our server but fixing the Red Cross website too.
I also turned 25 this year and that's changed my viewpoint a bit. Historically I've been a past/present thinking person, not very future oriented. Now I'm starting to think about where I want to be when I'm 30 and what I want to be doing.
You might note that I don't have much church related to update on, that's because I haven't been volunteering at my church. In the past I've volunteered to the point of burnout and I've done things because they needed doing, not because I felt called to do them. When I got back I decided to say no to everything at first so I could pick what I wanted to focus on, I still give my time in photography, but not a lot of it as there isn't much demand.
Present day
So fast forward to today, what am I up to? I'm currently quite interested in the idea of using little computers (think smaller than a book size) for…well, that's the tricky part. I'm using my little laptops at home – one to show you this website and one to backup all my files. They didn't cost me very much and they mostly look after themselves. I can see something similar being useful in YWAM bases, but I haven't thought it through all the way yet. I have a USD$40 computer on it's way from China to see what it can do.
I'm also thinking about making a Dashboard for all the websites I've created over time. I want to be able to see on a single page all my sites and if they need updating. The same goes for my servers. This is still in the brainchild stage too, but I'm looking at options.
Three of my friends and I are doing some theology study every third Saturday too. It's both challenging and interesting and it's great that we can get together, disagree and still be friends at the end of it.
Well, there are a few things I'm looking forward to doing this year. Kiwicon V is happening in November – it's a hacker conference organised by people in the security industry here in Wellington with speakers from all over. It's well organised and packed full of awesome talks – I'm just not taking my laptop or iPod touch, just because.
In December two of my very good friends, Neil and Rose, are getting married. They are having a New Zealand wedding and a Chinese wedding and I'll be at both, which means a second trip to China! Followed by a bit of a holiday afterwards – right now it looks like I'll be seeing in the new year in Shanghai and I'm hoping for fireworks.
I imagine that work will continue rather the same as it has. In the past 6 months I've been learning new technologies as well as working in/leading a team. I'm spending more time learning about accessibility and user experience when it comes to making websites, I want to continue down this road so I can make better websites for everyone who uses them.
Longer term, I want to get back into missions with photogenX and YWAM – it's where my passion lies. I really enjoyed my time in Kona and God willing I'll be back there before too long. I'm not sure what I'd be doing, but there seems to be no shortage of good ideas needing people to make them work and websites allow messages and causes to spread globally.
Until then…
This is a comment to let you know that I don't always comment but I am always reading/listening


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Thursday, January 31
Good morning, TexMessagers! Will Congress pass an assault weapons ban?
Texans favor a proposed ban on assault weapons, according to a poll by Public Policy Polling, with 49 percent in support compared to 41 percent opposed.
PPP published the results on Wednesday, on the same day that the Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings on measures to address gun violence, including an assault weapons ban. President Barack Obama backs the measures.
Lone Star State citizens have historically been among the strongest opponents of gun restrictions. A week ago, a Gallup poll asked a similar question in a nationwide poll, with 60 percent supporting an assault weapons ban and 35 percent opposed.
Both Texas senators serve on the Judiciary Committee.
"I have a hard time telling my constituents in Texas that Congress is looking at passing a whole raft of new laws, when the laws that we currently have on the books are so woefully unenforced," Sen. John Cornyn said.
The PPP Texas poll showed a partisan divide, with 75 percent of Democrats favoring a ban, and 23 percent of Republicans in favor. Independents favored a ban by a 53 percent to 34 percent margin.
An ethnic divide existed as well. African Americans were the strongest group to support a ban at 68 percent, followed by Hispanics at 59 percent in support. Only 41 percent of white respondents favored a ban, with 50 percent opposing.
All three age demographics supported the assault weapons ban, with support increasing among younger respondents. The youngest group, 18 to 45, supported the ban at 53 percent, those 46 to 65 supported the ban 49 percent to 43 percent, and lastly those 65 or older barely supported a ban at 45 percent to 42 percent.
However, in the Senate, neither Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., nor Judiciary chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. have supported measures to ban assault weapons.
Headlines from TxPotomac's top articles:
★ Cornyn: Chuck Hagel is the wrong man for the Pentagon
★ Poll shows Cornyn faces re-election challenges; just 17% of moderates, 26% of independents approve of his performance
★ Promise kept: Sen. Ted Cruz's first legislative initiative would repeal Obamacare
★ A Baker Institute scholar analyzes Hillary Clinton's record and legacy
★ Poll: 67 percent of Texas Republicans want to impeach Obama
★ New effort to increase visas for tech workers as high as 300,000
★ Senate Judiciary chair rejects Dianne Feinstein's assault weapons ban
★ Eric Holder requests delay in court hearing on Fast and Furious
Reader Comment of the Day
In response to our post Poll: 67 percent of Texas Republicans want to impeach Obama, djp wrote in the comments forum:
"During the presidency of George W. Bush Congressman Dennis Kucinich, along with co-sponsor Robert Wexler, introduced 35 articles of impeachment against Bush to the U.S. House of Representatives. The House voted 251 to 166 to refer the impeachment resolution to the Judiciary Committee on July where no further action was taken on it.
Politics are politics wherever and whenever you look. As a Republican I say the efforts are futile and silly."
★ Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense at 930 am.
★ Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on harbor maintenance and port investment at 10 am.
★ Senate Health, Education, and Labor Committee holds a hearing on pension savings at 10am.
★ Outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will speak on American leadership at the Council on Foreign Relations from 2 pm to 3 pm.
Tomorrow and beyond:
★ Feb. 4 House of Representatives returns from recess
★ Feb. 5 Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled, "The 100 percent Temporary Disability Rating: An Examination of its Effective Use."
★ Feb. 5 House Veterans' Affairs – Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Hearing on Legionnaire's disease in Pittsburgh
★ Feb. 12 President Obama's State of the Union Address
Today in Texas History
On this date in 1927, the mockingbird was named Texas' official state bird. More>>>


text: A recently uncovered terror plot to detonate bombs in New York may have included the fashion and beauty worlds among its intended sources of supply — as well as its targets. Several suspects allegedly purchased chemicals to be used in bombs at beauty supply stores, court documents showed Thursday. A grand jury in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn indicted Najibullah Zazi, 24, of Aurora, Colo., on one count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction on Wednesday. In a memo filed with the indictment, federal prosecutors alleged Zazi, an airport shuttle driver, and unnamed conspirators purchased "unusual quantities" of hydrogen peroxide and acetone at unnamed shops in the Denver area over the summer. Zazi's computer allegedly contained pages of handwritten notes that detailed how to convert the salon products into bombs similar to those used in the July 2005 bombings in London, authorities said. The memo was filed as part of the government's effort to have Zazi, who is a permanent U.S. resident originally from Afghanistan, held without bail. According to the document, Zazi traveled to New York from Colorado on Sept. 9, but returned on Sept. 12 after becoming suspicious. A Queens imam and police informant has been accused of tipping Zazi off to the investigation. Authorities have declined to provide details of the plot's possible targets. Earlier-published reports alleged Zazi had used his computer to research New York transit hubs and other landmarks such as Bryant Park, which recently played host to New York Fashion Week. He is detained in Denver, but prosecutors have asked that he be transferred to Brooklyn.


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All the boys from One Direction are taking a couple...
5 Seconds of One Direction2484577135
- by Neela The Nugget Styles
- Rating:
- Published: 28 Aug 2014
- Updated: 9 May 2016
- Status: In Progress
Things have been pretty crazy for Neela Hood since Calum's her brother, 5SOS career took off. So she definitely doesn't want to tag along for the band's tour, but it becomes only option for her, and soon Neela finds herself in a whirlwind of chaos and romance she can't get out of. Nor does she want to. Sometimes, you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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Main Material : silver |
Other Materials : oxidised silver |
Fitting Type : hinged bar |
Dimensions (mm) : 20mm dia |
One of a Kind : No |
Hallmarked : Yes
Striking hand pierced silver cufflinks with black oxidised owl cutout.
Hannah draws the design onto a piece of silver, cuts it out with her very fine hand saw, layers it with a second piece of silver and then oxidises in the recess.
The perfect gift for fathers, brothers, husbands and friends.
Approximately 1.9cm diameter. The cufflink mechanism is a classic silver hinged bar fixing, suitable for most shirts.
Rub with a silver cloth, avoiding the blacked area if possible.


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I just bought a used car, and I'm going to get it smogged soon. Apparently (this is what the mechanic said), I can't get it smogged until 2 "checks" turn on. I think this means that the check engine light may or may not come on soon, but I need to drive it until its activated or something.
My question is, if the check engine light comes on and the repairs are going to be expensive, is there a smog abatement fee I can pay so that I can skip the repairs? It was a very cheap car, and I don't want to have to pay more on repairs than I paid for the car.
Let me know if this question is not in the scope of this beta, and I will remove it. Any additional information (e.g. what are the "checks" he's talking about?) will be helpful.
The car is a 1996 Subaru Legacy Outback.


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Mclean returns to haunt Posh
Aaron Mclean scored his first goal of the season against his former team as Hull recorded a 1-0 npower Championship victory over Peterborough at London Road.
The striker, who left Posh to join the Tigers last year, netted the winner in the second half to help Hull to their second consecutive league victory.
Peterborough lacked a cutting edge in the final third and, as a result, suffered their second successive loss and their first home defeat of the season.
Grant McCann, who has three league goals this campaign, had the first chance of the match as early as the second minute but he just fired over from distance.
England Under-21 striker Martyn Waghorn, making his full Hull debut, almost broke the deadlock after seven minutes but his effort was palmed onto the crossbar by Paul Jones and, after saving Robert Koren's rebound, the Posh goalkeeper gathered the ball from a tame Paul McKenna effort.
Robbie Brady fired wide from distance for the visitors, before Peterborough came back into the game and, after 25 minutes, captain McCann tried his luck one again, but his 25-yard strike was well saved by Adriano Basso.
Striker George Boyd, a constant thorn in the Tigers defence, struck from distance but Basso, despite fumbling the ball, managed to cling on at the second attempt.
Waghorn almost took advantage of a defensive error but the on-loan Leicester forward was thwarted by a crucial defensive block from Gabriel Zakuani, before Boyd, at the other end, had a shot blocked from James Chester and defender Mark Little failed to hit the target from 25 yards.
The only goal of the game came just two minutes after the interval. Tom Cairney's inswinging corner fell kindly to the quiet Mclean, who made no mistake, volleying across Jones inside the far upright to give Nigel Pearson's side the lead.
On-loan Manchester United winger Brady could have doubled Hull's advantage but he once again failed to get his shot on target.
Taylor fired over from the edge of the box and Tomlin failed to direct his header on target as Posh searched for an equaliser, while substitute Tommy Rowe, coming on at the start of the second half for Lee Frecklington, had a shot deflected over the bar.
Ryan Bennett fired into the side netting.with the goal at his mercy before Hull went up the other end and almost doubled their advantage but Jones had to be alert to tip Jack Hobbs' header round the post.
New signing Emile Sinclair almost snatched an equaliser for the hosts but Basso superbly denied the former Macclesfield frontman and Craig Alcock flashed a shot across the face of the goal.
Despite four minutes added time, Darren Ferguson's side failed to find a leveller.
Source: DSG
Source: DSG


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Preparing for a new baby can seem overwhelming, but with a little planning, you can get ready to welcome your bundle of joy without breaking the bank.
Start by setting up a baby registry and filling it with the items you need most. Be sure to include staples like diapering supplies, baby bedding, bottles and/or breastfeeding gear and one-piece newborn clothes. Since babies grow quickly, include clothing items in larger sizes as well to save yourself trouble and expense later on. And don't forget a crib for baby to rest her head on.
You'll also want to pick out essential supplies for transporting your baby, including a car seat and stroller. Many parents also find baby carriers to be a great way to transport infants while keeping them close to mom or dad.
Having bath supplies on hand is also important. Choose a newborn tub with a sling and soft towels and washcloths that are gentle on a baby's delicate skin. Tear-free baby washes and gentle baby oils and lotions can also help make bath time pleasant for you and your little one.
As your child gets older, you'll find Everyday Low Prices on a wide selection of baby and kid products at Walmart. And be sure to check out our Parenting & Baby Center for tips and advice on getting ready for your baby and nurturing your growing child.


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We're getting down to the wire and running out of living characters on FX's American Horror Story: Asylum. Tonight we bid fond farewells to three more souls: one was a surprise, two of them died a second time and one of them was simply brushed aside with nary an explanation. This episode was also a bit more toned down than we're used to (well, for this show anyway) so I'm expecting them to lay it all on the table in next week's season finale.
American Horror Story: Asylum stars Jessica Lange, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Lily Rabe, along with newcomers Adam Levine, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, James Cromwell, Joseph Fiennes, Chloe Sevigny, Lizzie Brochere and Clea Duvall. Hit the jump for the recap and review of tonight's episode, "Continuum."
[You have entered spoiler territory. Turn back now or commit yourself to the insanity.]
Tonight's episode might have been the most linear of the season. With only three major plot points to focus on, "Continuum" was very nearly broken into three explicit sections delineated by time (four if you count Johnny's modern-day sojourn to the friendly neighborhood book store at the end). So let's take them in the order they came, shall we?
It's 1967 and Kit, Grace and Alma are all getting along just swell in their quiet suburban home…except for the racist cops and rednecks down the street, the ongoing tension between Kit's live-in lovers and Grace's Close Encounters-style obsession with the alien abduction/Alma's repression of the whole thing. But every non-nuclear family has their issues right? Best to just bury the hatchet and be done with it. (I had to.) So with Grace cleaved in two and Alma mysteriously passing away in the state-run Briarcliff, Kit is left alone to raise his two kids…but not until tying up a couple loose ends.
Evan Peters made a great run in season one and continues to be a solid moral anchor (ehhh mostly) in season two. It's Kit who ties the three smaller segments of "Continuum" together across time as the middle section takes us back to Briarcliff in 1968. Without Monsignor/Cardinal Timothy Howard around, Jude/Betty Drake begins to lose her bearings in the ever-changing asylum. This was a nice sequence to show Jude's rapidly dwindling sanity as two-and-a-half years have passed her by as quickly as we might remark two-and-a-half days. Pepper has unceremoniously* passed away (poor Pepper) and the Monsignor reneged on his promise to rescue Jude. This realization all dawns on the former head of the asylum in a meeting with Dr. Crump (really?) after Jude's repeated fights with her new roommates. I'm always happy to see Frances Conroy return, either in her role as the Angel of Death or as one of Jude's hallucinations. Not the strongest bit for her here though, it felt forced, as did the weak thruline of racism that started with Kit and Alma's talk of the Civil Rights march and ended with the television announcement of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The times, they are a'changin'!
Chronologically, after Kit happens upon Jude in the asylum and has a nonsensical conversation with her, he takes issue with Lana's behavior and lack of follow-up on her promise to expose the evils of Briarcliff. Paulson once again does a fantastic job with the wide-ranging emotions of Lana Winters. She's now embellishing her stories to boost sales, ordering her assistant around with ridiculous demands and even looking to glorify another serial killer for her next book. Kit, ever the connective tissue in this story, drives away in that sweet rusted-out truck of his to reveal Johnny getting high as a kite in the present day. It seems that things might not end so well for Lana after all, if Johnny has anything to say about it.
Rating: 6/10 whacks, which is a bargain if you're Lizzie Borden's family. This was one of your typical ducks-in-a-row-before-you-shoot-them-down penultimate episodes.
So next week, in the season two conclusion, "Madness Ends," I'm guessing we'll see Jude escape from Briarcliff one way or the other (I'll take odds on the Flying Nun angle). We also presumably get to see a showdown between contemporary Bloody Face/Johnny and his mother, Lana Winters (or is it…?). How exactly this all ends up, I have no idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was a tie back to season one.
Looking ahead at season three, however, if the comments are any indication, you guys seem convinced that we're going to be conjuring up some witchcraft later this year. I didn't see anything glaring in this episode that convinced me one way or the other. (I'll go out on a limb here and say that maybe we are headed to Washington, D.C. – there's certainly plenty of ill will to be found there, plus "Continuum" had a certain "Vietnam" vibe to it. Witches, Black Panthers, hippies and Vietnam veterans in our nation's capital? We'll see.) If you spotted something or heard something that makes you think season three will be all about witches (or something else entirely), let us know in the comments below! Come back next week when we review the last episode of season two, do a retrospective on the season and a look ahead to season three!
- I liked a lot of the camera inversions throughout the episode that really started to mess with the viewer's perception of space and time and reality.
- Julia: "Daddy?" Kit, covered in blood: "Daddy'll be there in a minute."
- I hope Richard Dreyfuss somehow stumbles across Grace's alien drawings and loses his mind.
- Grace: "I'm not doing it for me, but for the children. They need to know where they came from."
- Kit: "I'll do anything I have to to protect them."
- Kit: "Let's have a family meeting."
- Grace, moments before taking an ax to the spine: "The future is coming, Kit, no matter what."
- Jude/Betty: "I'm the Queen of Candy Land."
- Jude: "The cruelest thing of all, Timothy, is false hope."
- Lana: "Didn't I ask you to pack almonds? And this TAB is warm!"
- Lana: "I just sold the film rights. What do you think of Tuesday Weld as me?"
- Kit: "You were gonna be a reporter, not a celebrity." Lana: "Things change, people change."
- Jude: "Move! Time for my story."
- Jude watching The Flying Nun: "Sister Bertrille, she's got the devil in her. She stole my hat. That's how she managed to fly out of here. What they don't know? I can fly without it. I'ma fly my ass right out of here!"
- Johnny: "You're gonna give me that book, because it's my fate."
- *I now try to use "unceremoniously" only when describing this particular show!


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If you were convicted of a felony and would like to start the process of getting your rights restored get information here. Please obtain copies of your sentencing orders and proof that you have paid all fines and restitution -then start the process. For more information, go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website at www.commonwealth.virginia.gov and/or www.sbe.virginia.gov, fill out the application, print it, and mail it to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office.
Register to vote, check your voter status or start the process of getting your rights restored if convicted of a felony. To date, Governor Bob McDonnell has granted rights to over 2,790 felons in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Please don't wait start the process now.
The next rolling rally stop is Friday, August 17, 2012, 11am-1pm, Boaz and Ruth 3030 Meadowbridge Road, Richmond, VA 23222. Brought to you by Fifth Street Baptist Church and the Rolling for Freedom Project.
**Bring to the rally your sentencing orders and proof that you are off probation and have paid all fines in full.
The Rolling for Freedom Project (R4F) has kicked off the voter registration and restoration of rights season. The project will come to you to assist in filling out applications for voter registration or the restoration of rights process. Also, R4F will provide a list of companies that will hire felons.
R4F will make stops at area businesses, churches, parking lots, gasoline stations and more to assist you. Keep it here for all Rollin' Rally stops.
Learn all about the Virginia General Assembly at http://legis.virginia.gov/1_home/cit_welcome.html
"It was situation and now it's time for restoration" Miss Community Clooovia


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100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE | see details >
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People throughout Bible times treated the human body with great respect, and often showed deep concern about the disposition of the remains following death. (see Genesis 49:29-31 for instance) The Bible says that embalming was practiced in both the Old and New Testament times. (see Genesis 50; 26; Mark 16:1) The Bible also says that it was a great disgrace not to have a proper burial. (1 Samuel 31:9-13; 2 Samuel 2:4-6: Ecclesiastes 6:3)
What does the Bible say about death?
Cremation is one of the options now available for final disposition of the body at death. It is estimated that less than 5 percent of American families choose cremation, but in Japan and England over half the families take this option.
Funeral arrangements for a cremated body are not necessarily significantly different from other options. The body may still be viewed prior to the service, and a worship service may be held with the deceased present in most cases. There are a number of options available as to the disposition of the cremated remains, including burial and scattering.
In contemplating cremation and the other choices available, Christians will want to give thoughtful consideration to all who may be affected by the decision, such as loved ones who may have strong feelings on the subject of cremation. One certainly would not like to bring unnecessary distress to anyone.
As we finish examining what the Bible says about cremation let's consider the following:


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AutismOne 2018 Conference: Say "YES" to Recovery! May 23 - 27, 2018
Posted by AutismOne On August 9, 2017, 12:38 am
AutismOne has been helping children recover for 16 years. Join us at AutismOne Conference, May 23 - 27, 2018, at the Westin Lombard Hotel, Lombard, Il, and learn about the latest treatments to help your child reach their full potential. Learn more and register at www.autismone.org.


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New 2020 Chevrolet Camaro 2dr Convertible LT1
Sale Price $41,160
See Important Disclosures Here
The Premier Dealership in Southwest Missouri offers you the Lowest Prices and the Largest Selection of Vehicles! Ask how you can accelerate your deal and save hours at the dealership! Red Hot 2020 Chevrolet Camaro 1LT 6.2L V8 Business's and Business Owners need to call for price. We do not make you trade a vehicle for qualification on price like other dealers do and everyone qualifies for the Reliable Price and discounts within our residential area. Rebates are explained at reliablechevy.com. No hidden fees or rebates. All vehicles that qualify for the percentage off rebate the rebate is included in the discount. Please see dealer for details.


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Reading in the Dark
Reading in the dark may not ruin your eyes, but it can cause some uncomfortable symptoms. Eyestrain, dry eyes, and headaches are common if you don't turn on the lights.View Article
You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
Have you ever wondered what those numbers on your eyeglass prescription actually mean? Although reading an eye chart is a fairly simple test, it provides a very accurate way to measure your visual acuity or the sharpness of your vision. You'll also need a few other tests, in addition to the results of your eye chart reading, before your optometrist hands you your eyeglass prescription.
Reading an Eye Chart Provides an Accurate Representation of Your Vision
Every eye exam includes a reading of the Snellen eye chart. The chart contains 11 lines of random letters, each line smaller than the preceding line. Patients were once required to stand exactly 20 feet away from the chart, but optometrists use mirrors today to approximate that distance.
The chart is read from the top to the bottom. Each line corresponds to a specific measurement, such as 20/20 or 20/80. If your vision is 20/60, you can read words clearly at 20 feet that people with normal vision can read at 60 feet. Although 20/20 is considered normal vision, some people can see even better than 20/20. If you can read the bottom line of the eye chart clearly, your vision is 20/10.
In addition to reading the Snellen eye chart, you may also be asked to read text on the small printed card that you'll hold in your hands. This test evaluates your near vision.
Other Eye Tests Augment Your Eye Chart Measurement
Your optometrist uses a variety of tests to determine your prescription, if needed, and assess the health of your eyes, including:
Is it time for your annual eye exam? Call us today to schedule your appointment.
American Optometric Association: Visual Acuity: What is 20/20 Vision?
All About Vision: Is 20/20 Vision Perfect Vision
American Academy of Ophthalmology: What Does 20/20 Vision Mean, 11/30/16
All About Vision: What to Expect During a Comprehensive Eye Exam


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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Couch Update
Posted by Unknown at 4:07 PM
11 comments:
- mer@lifeat7000feet said...
Lovely! You made a good choice!!!
- May 28, 2008 5:41 PM
- The Buntens said...
Oh, very nice!
The laundry fits in nicely.
- May 29, 2008 8:51 AM
- Mrs. Moofish said...
They're beautiful, Kellie! I can imagine that they look perfect in that room! Can't wait to see them!
- May 29, 2008 9:59 AM
- Anonymous said...
Very nice! And I, too, love that smell. It wears off though. We bought leather furniture for our house when we moved in nearly three years ago. The only time it smells like leather now is when I pull out the leather conditioning kit and give them a good rub-down.
- May 29, 2008 11:14 AM
- Megan O. said...
Yay! Isn't it so fun to get something brand new after having hand-me-downs? You appreciate it more. They're really nice.
- May 29, 2008 9:18 PM
- Michelle@Life with Three said...
They look great -- even with the laundry! I'm glad someone else's "fold pile" looks like mine! ;)
- May 30, 2008 12:00 AM
- cdub said...
When you said you "christened" the new sofa, I was not thinking about laundry. Around our house that term means to "break wind on, in, or around a new object."
- May 31, 2008 6:28 PM
- Anonymous said...
Ooh la la! How very nice. Can't wait to sit on it myself....:) Guess2
- May 31, 2008 11:10 PM
- meh said...
The reason I haven't commented yet is because I just started catching up on my blogs after...well that is another story. Anyways, I have mixed emotions. I love your new furniture, but my question is, does your coffee still taste wonderful and is the conversation just as sweet on your new sofa? I may have to come check out the answer to that for myself sometime. We have enjoyed some great conversations on the ole sofa and love seat so I have to admit I am a little sad to see it go. (: How did your kids react? Mine are always so sentimental about old furniture. Hmm, I wonder where they get that.
- June 02, 2008 6:54 PM
- Anonymous said...
thats a nice living room set love it
- June 06, 2008 1:34 AM
- Stephanie said...
You made an excellent choice! They're so elegant and classy - and I love that deep brown color.
- June 07, 2008 2:49 AM


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Nancy Jenkins has filed to become a candidate for the 57th State House seat. The seat is currently held by Representative Dudley Spade.
Jenkins has taken a leave of absence from her position as the district representative for State Senator Cameron Brown, a position she has held for the last seven and a half years.
"It has been an honor working for the people of Lenawee County through Senator Brown's office," she said. "It is my hope that I can continue to serve the people as state representative if elected."
Jenkins has established a campaign website at www.nancyjenkins57.com.


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It seems to me that we have become a society that values people behaving badly. What else accounts for: Bridezillas, Bad Girls, Bad Party Girls, John & Kate, the children the nanny tries to rehabilitate, Housewives of the Amazon (or wherever they happen to be living and fighting now), and all the reality shows where people yell at each, while the camera watches.
It used to be that behavior like that was a reason to be ashamed. Now, it seems encouraged.
We have become a nation that loves to watch brats; brats of all ages. Hence, recently the big news was the soccer player who was repeatedly filmed abusing other players. Her excuse, "That's not me. I'm not like that." Okay, who was in your body? Because, people who know you certainly think it is you.
I am so totally sick of people yelling and screaming at each other because they just "know" what is right and you do not. What happened with negotiation and meeting in the middle and listening? I have to wonder what is going to force us to realize that this is a very slippery slope to head down.
I love Project Runway and have really enjoyed the last couple of seasons where they did NOT have the one or two people who like to make life miserable for everyone else. The only liar was out as soon as he opened up with that big lie. There was only one who liked to put the others down, in a big way, but all-in-all it was a pleasant season. And, what is wrong with that?
What is wrong with being civilized?


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The swine flu season has shut down and for the most part the seasonal flu season has not started. The weather has been cold and wet, despite all this ADHD still marches on. The problem of inattentiveness, impulsivity, with or without hyperactivity does not go away. Students are into the second part of the school year. Some students may have tried to start this new year without medication and found it's not working for them. Grades may be falling. This may be the time to change your approach and restart medication or consider starting medication if you have never tried that route.
What are the options? Stimulant medication is still the "gold standard" in ADHD treatment. The two groups of stimulants are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Focalin, and Daytrana) and dextroamphetamine (Adderall and Vyvanse). Straterra is another option and may be helpful if anxiety is a part of the ADHD picture. A new medication has arrived that is not a stimulant and therefore is not controlled. Its name is Intuniv, the extended release form of a substance called guanfacine. Many of the health care providers who treat ADD/ADHD are just starting to get a handle on how this medication works. Its mechanism of action is to work on the receptors in the prefrontal cortex. It is a once a day medication but a certain blood level needs to be achieved before it begins to work. That means that a period of two weeks may be necessary before it starts to show that it's working. Because it is different in its method of onset and action, a drug holiday (stopping the medication for a few days) should not be done.
Intuniv has been shown to improve a range of ADHD symptoms and behaviors including:
• Not being able to focus
• Being easily distracted
• Arguing with adults
• Irritability
• Temper outbursts
• Deliberately annoying others
• Impulsiveness or overexcitement
It may be that Intuniv has to be combined with another one of the stimulant medications. When the physician prescribes this medication he or she may slowly taper down the stimulant medication to see if the individual is doing well enough on the new Intuniv before stopping the other medication the individual is taking. It is an exciting idea and a new class of medication and therefore worth following closely to see how well it works.
Remember, not all individuals who have ADD/ADHD need to be treated. Treatment is initiated when the problems and conflicts that arise due to the condition are seriously interfering with quality of life. Seeking help and guidance from a professional who is well versed with this condition and treatment should always be your first step.
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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DOVER — Conceptual design plans full of rope swings, slides, a waterfall and even a miniature stage proposed for the renovation of Henry Law Park were praised at Tuesday night's input session at the McConnell Center.
This third input session was used to go over the plan designed by Terra Firm Landscape Architecture of Portsmouth to improve the playground area located in the lower portion of Henry Law Park and to receive further commentary from the public about what may still be missing in the plan and what may need to be removed.
Fewer than a dozen community members attended the session, but according to Recreation Director Gary Bannon who led the meeting, that may be a sign that residents approve of the plans or trust his decisions so far.
"We started the meetings in 2012 with two public meetings where we brainstormed," Bannon said. "We asked, 'What is it that you can see this area of the park becoming and how can we work together as a community, as city staff, as the Children's Museum, community members, the Chamber, the Rotary? How can we all put our heads together and put together a plan?'"
The previous sessions were used to create what Bannon calls a "laundry list" of items that the community would like to see added to the park, with no monetary restrictions.
"We also talked about elements of safety, what type of field they want to have, where the arts may tie in, health factors, green energy," Bannon said. "We want to make this a park that people want to come to."
The $125,000 addressed in the Capital Improvements Program for Fiscal Year 2012 toward improving the park and the $10,000 grant from Public Service of New Hampshire toward the Children's Museum to create the design plans will not be nearly enough money to pay for the proposed equipment.
"There is much more in this plan than the budget allows us, but it is still a moving target," Bannon said. "We can't put a number out there yet."
According to Bannon, however, community organizations have come forward with interest in sponsoring certain parts of the park, but he could not comment on who they were at this point, as they have not officially given a donation.
Executive Director of the Children's Museum of New Hampshire Justine Roberts is confident they will receive donations and believes those who donate will appreciate the publicity of their business, organization or family on plaques on certain equipment, benches or tables.
"But, we haven't yet done the list," she said, of those interested in donating money and sponsoring items in the park.
The laundry list of ideas created by the community of what they would like to see in the park, which eventually was laid out into a plan, includes the standard swings and slide, but mainly focuses on steering away from the stereotypical metal structure playgrounds and swing sets and incorporating modern and natural play pieces to the park, such as forts, wood posts for climbing, a waterfall, a high perch to climb and view the river and wildlife from above and plenty of green space to let kids be kids and run, jump, roll and tumble down.
"Most parks around here are manufactured," Bannon said. "They are good, they are very attractive, but we are trying to change that whole dynamic and make a park that can be used for a longer period of time, not just a 20-year period of time."
Bannon's plan is for this park to not have to be renovated again for at least another 50 years.
"This is not going to be your cookie-cutter recreation area," he said. "It is very much a customized play area. It is meant to be that. We are trying to change the feel of it."
Boulders, slopes, wood pillars of post to climb, sand, water and other natural features are being proposed to be included in the park.
"We are trying to get the feel of being in the outdoors from an educational perspective, a recreational and exercise perspective and also a nature perspective," Bannon said.
Roberts said adding these natural elements are all part of the new generation of playgrounds. These elements also incorporate the surroundings of Henry Law Park, with the Cocheco River flowing aside the park.
Kemp Playground in Cambridge, Mass. has been a focal point for design plans. This playground, which Roberts said is just three years old, has many features Dover is looking to place in Henry Law Park, including a living arch and a miniature covered stage to climb on top of and to play inside, pretending to perform a show or sing a concert.
Balance beams, garden beds to learn to plant vegetables and flowers are also included in the plans, along with plenty of benches, picnic tables and trees for shade.
Deputy Mayor Robert Carrier, who attended Tuesday night's meeting, said he was pleased with the plans and looks forward to seeing the physical additions to the park.
"One concern or thought with all of this is safety," Carrier said. "We're talking rocks, poles, gazebos that are higher, platforms …"
Roberts said safety, along with ADA accessibility, has been one of their main concerns while planning the park improvements.
"There is, in some ways, that this design gives more opportunity to those with limited mobility," Roberts said, adding that the design of slides built into a slope removes the need of a ladder.
"In addition, water features are completely accessible," Roberts said. "There are still things that they can't do, but I think this design gives people a lot of choices."
Items still needing to be addressed include the amount of trees for proper shading, the amount of lights and where they will be situated throughout the park, bathrooms, water fountains and whether or not the upper part of Henry Law Park will be included, eventually, into the design plans.
With the proposed Jenny Thompson Aquatic Center also in the midst, a question addressed at the input session was what may happen to the indoor pool located in Henry Law Park. Bannon said they will have to wait and see what pans out.
Although the planning is still in the conceptual design phase, Bannon is estimating portions of the park to begin to be constructed sometime between the spring of 2014 and the summer of 2015.
"We want to get as much done at once as possible and not just do one part then another part," he said.
The next step in the planning process is to hand the concept plan back to Terra Firma Landscape Architecture of Portsmouth to design a "somewhat" final plan.
Bannon said the possibility of another input session in the future is likely, but if one does not occur, the public is continually invited to reach out to him or other city staff members to address concerns, comments or additional items to be placed in the plans.
"This is a community park," he said. "It is not the recreation department's park or the Children's Museum's park. It is the city's park."
To contact Gary Bannon, call (603) 516-6401 or email email@example.com.


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Carson City Sheriff's Log:
Carson City
The following people were booked into the Carson City Jail. All suspects are innocent unless proved guilty in court:
• 12:51 a.m.: A 56-year-old transient was arrested in the 100 block of West Nye Lane on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $1,000.
• 2:29 a.m.: A 33-year-old Mendota, Ill., woman was arrested at Fifth Street and Parkland Avenue on a failure-to-appear warrant. Bail was set at $358.
• A 20-year-old Fallon man was arrested at the Carson City Jail on a violation-of-a-suspended-sentence warrant. Bail was set at $3,000.
• 10:08 p.m.: Tosha Nicole Whiting, 28, of Carson City was arrested at Northridge Drive and North Roop Street on suspicion of felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of a hypodermic device, possession of drug paraphernalia and license revoked. A deputy pulled Whiting over for speeding, then arrested her after learning she didn't have a driver's license because of a DUI, according to the arrest report. The deputy found a pouch containing a pipe with methamphetamine residue and a hypodermic needle in her purse, the report states. Bail was set at $5,500.
• 3:06 p.m.: A 44-year-old Carson City man was arrested at the Carson City Jail on a failure-to-appear warrant. Bail was set at $3,000.
• 7:04 p.m.: A 27-year-old Dayton woman was arrested at the Carson City Jail on a criminal-contempt warrant. Bail was set at $292.
• A 22-year-old Carson City woman was arrested at Walmart on Market Street on suspicion of petit larceny. Bail was set at $250.
• 8:43 p.m.: Deanne Lynn Fuentes, 49, of Carson City was arrested in the 1400 block of East Long Street on suspicion of DUI-second offense. Bail was set at $2,500.
The Nevada Appeal only names people arrested on suspicion of felonies, violent crimes and DUIs. Carson City Secret Witness will pay up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people committing crimes. Anyone with information is asked to call 775-322-4900. The School Secret Witness number is 775-283-1799. Callers remain anonymous.


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The Branson Parks & Recreation Department is currently taking registrations for Winter Adult Basketball and Adult Volleyball leagues. Both the basketball and volleyball league are designed for teams of all skill levels and offer the opportunity to play in a recreational, intermediate or competitive league.
The basketball registration deadline is December 17, 2019, and the volleyball deadline is December 19, 2019. Both leagues feature an 8 game regular season, followed by a single-elimination tournament.
Adult Basketball:
Adult Volleyball:
For more information about all Branson Parks & Recreation's sports leagues or to register online, please visit our website at www.bransonparksandrecreation.com or contact the Branson RecPlex at (417)335-2368.


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I've seen the future and it's in this chair. When you sit on it, you'll feel like you're zipping through the space-time continuum and fast forwarding to another millenium. Like a time machine, in your seat.
The chair made by Manfred Kielnhofer consists of plexiglass tubes for the body and neon lights for the effects. Here's another version:
Kielnhofer suggest you switch up the lights according to the seasons but I only want to feel the future. Tube chair is the new time machine. [New House of Art via Neatorama]


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Bode's Galaxy – Messier 81
Bode's Galaxy, also known as Messier 81 (M81), is a grand design spiral galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. M81 is one of the brightest galaxies seen from Earth. It has a near-perfect spiral shape, with prominent, well-defined spiral arms winding from the central region outwards. The galaxy is located approximately 11.8 million light years … [Read more…]


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