text:
All-in-one Solution for Digital Office
LGA775 Intel® Core™2 Processor Ready
This motherboard supports the latest Intel® Core™2 processors in LGA775 package. It also can support Intel® next generation 45nm Multi-Core CPU. With new Intel® Core™ microarchitecture technology and 1333 / 1066 / 800 MHz FSB, Intel® Core™2 processor is one of the most powerful and energy efficient CPU in the world.
Intel® Q35 Chipset
Better cost management and safer computing environment The Intel® Q35 Express Chipset is the latest chipset designed to support the next generation 45nm CPU; and up to 8GB of dual-channel DDR2 800/667 MHz memory architecture. It also supports 1333/1066/800 FSB (Front Side Bus), PCI Express x16 graphics and multi-core CPUs.
Intel® vPro™ Technology
The Intel® vPro™ Technology allows IT organizations to remotely manage corporate PCs, even when they are powered off or with non-functional operating systems. It features the Intel® Active Management Technology and offers IT organizations a lighter weight form of virtualization to audit all Intel® AMT-based platforms in a network environment. PCs with Intel® vPro™ Technology allow IT departments to remotely retrieve assets and hardware/software inventories, contain security threats, resolve system problems, and increase the uptime of desktops with lower maintenance costs.
Make connection quick and accurate!
The ASUS Q-Connector allows you to connect or disconnect chassis front panel cables in one easy step with one complete module. This unique adapter eliminates the trouble of plugging in one cable at a time, making connection quick and accurate.
CrashFree BIOS 3
Simply restore corrupted BIOS data from USB flash disk
The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash disk containing the BIOS file. This utility saves users the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip.
EZ Flash 2
Simply update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS
EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS. You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS-based flash utility.
O.C. Profile
Conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings
Freely share and distribute favorite overclocking settings
The motherboard features the ASUS O.C. Profile that allows users to conveniently store or load multiple BIOS settings. The BIOS settings can be stored in the CMOS or a separate file, giving users freedom to share and distribute their favorite overclocking settings.
C.P.R. (CPU Parameter Recall)
Protect your BIOS data when overclocking.
When the system hangs due to overclocking failure, there is no need to open the case to clear CMOS data. Just simply restart the system, the BIOS would show the previous setting and then users can amend the CPU setting again.
Noise Filter
Eliminate background noise while recording
This feature detects repetitive and stationary noises like computer fans, air conditioners, and other background noises then eliminates it in the incoming audio stream while recording.
ASUS Advanced Q-Fan
Smoother and quieter fan control
Stabilize system temperature with advanced quiet fan control
The ASUS Advanced Q-Fan technology is powered by Intel Quiet System Technology. It makes the change of fan speed more smoothly. It´s better in fan use, and efficiently reduces the noise caused by fans' abruptly speeding up. Moreover, Advanced Q-Fan has a better control over a constant temperature system environment.
Save CPU Power- AI Gear 2
Power Savings for Environment-Friendly Computing
AI Gear 2 allows users to choose profiles to adjust CPU frequency and vCore voltage to minimize system noise and power consumption. For example, users can change the mode in real-time in the operating system to max power saving mode and can save CPU power when using word processing applications.
AI Nap
Minimize noise and power consumption when temporarily away
With AI Nap, users can instantly snooze your PC without terminating the tasks. System will continue operating at minimum power and noise when user is temporarily away. It keeps downloading files or running applications in quietest state while you´re sleeping. Simply click keyboard or mouse, you can swiftly wake up the system in few seconds.
MyLogo 2
Personalize your system with customizable boot logo
You can convert your favorite photo into a 256-color boot logo for a more colorful and vivid image on your screen.
IEEE 1394a interface
IEEE 1394a interface provides high speed digital interface for audio/video appliances such as digital television, digital video camcorders, storage peripherals & other PC portable devices.
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) system, which can securely store keys( for encryption/ decryption), digital certificates, passwords, and data. A TPM system also helps enhance network security, protects digital identities, and ensures platform integrity.
The motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union¡¦s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products and packaging to safeguard consumers¡¦ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.
The product (electrical , electronic equipment, Mercury-containing button cell battery) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local regulations for disposal of electronic products.
ASUS P5E-VM DO, Intel, LGA 775 (Socket T), 8 GB, GMA 3100, Gigabit LAN, micro ATX
ASUS P5E-VM DO. Processor manufacturer: Intel, Processor socket: LGA 775 (Socket T). Maximum internal memory: 8 GB. Graphics adapter: GMA 3100. Networking features: Gigabit LAN. Motherboard form factor: micro ATX, Audio output channels: 7.1 channels, Audio chip: Realtek ALC883


text:
At Westinghouse's global sites and world headquarters in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, you can find yourself surrounded by innovation, collaboration
and some of the company's most
experienced professionals.
Find Out More
At Westinghouse, engineering is at the heart of everything we do. Our products and services are the result of excellence in engineering that spans the range of disciplines.
Our customers depend on us for reliable plant operation, maximized power output and better outages. The manufacturing, operations and maintenance professionals of Westinghouse keep us running at full strength.
In order for Westinghouse to maintain its reputation and strong position at the forefront of the nuclear energy industry, we need project management and support professionals who keep us on track.
When you work at Westinghouse, regardless of what your role is, quality, health and safety always come first. We conduct our operations in an environmentally sound and socially responsible manner.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Chito Ryu Karate is a karate club in Hong Kong. Our karate classes in Hong Kong are for karate children and karate kids in Hong Kong. Our karate class for kids is all taught in English. Karate in English in Hong Kong is popular. Karate for kids in Hong Kong can improve their discipline, confidence, fitness and protect themselves from bullies.
Karate for kids in Hong Kong also runs summer karate camps. Summer karate camps will be in July and August. Karate for kids should join summer camp to improve discipline, confidence and fitness. Karate summer camp is taught in English.


text:
Police: Off-duty cop waves gun over parking spat
Santa Fe police officer arrested in Rio Rancho
A Santa Fe police officer was arrested Friday after being accused of pulling his gun on a man over a parking space outside a Rio Rancho Walgreens.
Santa Fe police officer Christopher Sandoval was off-duty and in his personal car when Rio Rancho police said the incident happened.
Santa Fe Police Chief Raymond Rael said he isn't happy.
"Surprised and disappointed," Rael said. "Obviously, you don't want to hear that one of your officers were involved in any type of incident, much less that he or she was arrested."
Sandoval lives in Rio Rancho.
The other man didn't want to talk on camera but told Action 7 News, the cop blocked an open parking space in front of the Redbox stand.
When he wouldn't move, the victim began to honk his horn. According to the police report, that's when Sandoval began "yelling and screaming".
The victim found a spot somewhere else, and on his way into the store, told Sandoval to "Be courteous to others." He said Sandoval jumped out of his car, brandished his gun, and ordered him to get inside Walgreens.
The victim asked,"What are you a cop?" Sandoval answered yes, but the victim said he never saw a badge.
Rael wouldn't speculate on what happened.
"Rio Rancho apparently felt there was sufficient probable cause at that point to make the arrest," he said. "I leave it in the matter of the New Mexico courts, Rio Rancho Police Department and our Internal Affairs process."
Sandoval told Rio Rancho Police he felt threatened because the victim aggressively walked toward him. He denied pointing the gun, and said his badge was inside his car.
Sandoval was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The officer has been with Santa Fe police since April 2008. He has been reassigned to clerical duties and relieved of law enforcement duties pending the investigations.


text:
Ranger Rick Subscription
Ranger Rick is a nature discovery magazine for children 6-12. Covers animals, wildlife, adventure and the wonders of nature.
More about Ranger Rick
More About Ranger Rick
More About Ranger Rick: Lions and tigers and bears! Your little animal lover will find them all—and so much more—in Ranger Rick magazine. Encourage your curious kids ages 7 and up to explore nature and discover the world around them by subscribing to Ranger Rick, a 2008 Parent's Choice Foundation Gold Medal Award winner. Each issue contains amazing facts and stunning photos of creatures from land, sea and air, as well as tons of puzzles, riddles, and games. Your children will love learning about new species, baby animals and exciting habitats from Ranger Rick, published by the education department of the National Wildlife Federation. Let your junior rangers satisfy their curiosity by reading about animal (and human!) behaviors and nature's mysteries in the "Ask Rick" Q & A column. Help foster a lifelong love of wildlife by subscribing to Ranger Rick magazine today.


text: Show Hide image Culture 14 February 2013 Reviewed: Freedom National: the Destruction of Slavery in the United States by James Oakes Unchained memory. Sign-up Freedom National: the Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-65 James Oakes W W Norton, 608pp, £22 For Americans, learning about the civil war is a complicated rite of passage. As children, we're taught that Lincoln led a brutal but ultimately heroic crusade to free the slaves. Call this the Disney World take. Then, as undergraduates, we're set straight: not only did Lincoln not free the slaves but the hapless Republicans who pushed for emancipation only did so with their backs against the wall. Abolitionism, we're told, was a strictly military ploy. The destruction of American slavery was mostly the work of craven northern industrialists and the slaves themselves. James Oakes's magisterial new book on the destruction of the North American slave society will thus come as a shock. As Freedom National makes clear, there was no shift from a war to save the union to a war to destroy slavery. It was always a war for union and liberty. Here, we find a young and very much united Republican Party forging ahead with Jacobin-like ferocity into a war of emancipation from the very start. These politicians were, Oakes argues, "anything but reluctant emancipators". As early as the summer of 1861, just a few weeks into the war, thousands of "contrabands" were being emancipated. This was codified into law as part of the first Confiscation Act, written by Republicans explicitly as an emancipation act and signed into law by Lincoln early that August. They were hardly groping in the dark. Freedom National traces the development of anti-slavery constitutionalism through the Liberty, Free Soil and, finally, Republican parties. We see men such as Charles Sumner, William Seward and Salmon Chase – all of whom became major policymakers during the civil war – beginning to lay the legal groundwork for an assault on slavery still decades ahead of them. This was "bourgeois radicalism preparing the ground for bourgeois revolution". All Republicans – even a majority of abolitionists – agreed that the constitution did not permit interference with slavery within the states: freedom was to be national, slavery merely sectional. In peacetime, that meant choking off the south with a "cordon of freedom". However, in the event of a military insurrection, emancipation-by-bayonet would suddenly become constitutional. Oakes argues convincingly that the de - velopment of anti-slavery policy during the war followed the Republicans' remarkably prescient legal strategy almost to the letter and that military emancipation was always part of that arsenal. It was the ex-president John Quincy Adams who, in the 1830s, "taught them that even though the federal government could not abolish slavery in a state, it could emancipate the slaves in any state that was in rebellion against the United States". Adams spoke from experience: it was he who, decades earlier, had demanded that the British compensate Americans for the slaves they had emancipated in the war of 1812. And it was Adams's speeches on military emancipation that Senator Sumner began "waving" in "President Lincoln's face" immediately after news of the attack on Fort Sumter. Even before the war began, "Virtually all Republicans believed that secession meant war and war meant immediate emancipation." Republicans were clear from day one that the fight was to save the Union but that the result would be the destruction of slavery. If the Republicans can be faulted for anything, Oakes argues, it was their naivety as to what it would take to destroy what was likely the largest slave society in human history. And on this, Oakes is at his best. Through the testimony of slaves, soldiers and slave masters, he provides accounts of the on-the-ground realities of emancipation that are at times comical, moving and tragic. Indignant masters in loyal slave states march into Union army camps to reclaim their property, only to be "roughed up", assaulted with rocks and accused of being a dirty "Negro stealer" by Yankee troops. Slaves repeatedly lit out for Union army lines a few miles up the road, only to be intercepted and subjected to the most barbaric tortures and maimings. With four million slaves spread across two-thirds of the continent, North America "all but defied military conquest", writes Oakes. Slaves had to trudge across dozens or hundreds of miles to Union lines and do it somehow without running into Confederate troops, which was almost impossible: "In the most concerted attack on slavery during the most deliberately destructive campaign of the war, Sherman had dislodged only about 2 per cent of the slaves in Georgia and South Carolina." Unlike other historians, Oakes is careful not to say definitively "who freed the slaves", a question that "tempts scholars to specify a single agent in a process that had many agents". Once federal policy switched to actively enticing slaves to run to their lines and "self-emancipate", the consequences behind Confederate lines were disastrous. Yet it was not enough to destroy slavery. The slaves' "general strike" – when, as W E B Du Bois put it, "The black worker won the war by general strike which transferred his labour from the Confederate planter to the northern invader" – clearly had its geographical limitations. By the end of the war, only 13 per cent of the south's slaves had been emancipated. To destroy slavery, the Republicans had first to win the war. And even then, abolition was only guaranteed after the 13th amendment to the constitution was ratified. Why is it that Oakes's findings should seem so radical? As evident from the dis - cussions surrounding Steven Spielberg's Lincoln biopic, the tendency on the left to reduce Lincoln and the Republicans to political nothings remains very much in vogue. Oakes's previous book on the relationship and convergence between Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass demonstrated "what can happen in American democracy when progressive reformers and savvy politicians make common cause". Today, when shocking economic inequality is just one of capitalism's many morbid symptoms, Freedom National can give hope. It was not the inevitable march of progress that destroyed American slavery – it was a political movement. Connor Kilpatrick is managing editor of Jacobin magazine Connor Kilpatrick is managing editor of Jacobin magazine. Subscribe For more great writing from our award-winning journalists subscribe for just £1 per month! This article first appeared in the 11 February 2013 issue of the New Statesman, Assange Alone SUBSCRIBE More


text:
free shipping
over $29
5% back
Talk to an expert: 714-385-0080
Marine Depot
Marine Depot sells the best aquarium equipment, nutrition and supplements the world has to offer. Take your tank from ordinary to extraordinary today!
Build a Better Aquarium
Error 404
Looks like you drifted into the deep end.
You can try searching or go
back to the homepage
Recommended For You


text:
Seemingly endless construction and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Dead batteries in the PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS. No wi-fi connection and nothing good on the radio. Uncomfortable seatbelts and restless little bodies. Though road tripping is a great option for a large family looking for an affordable summer getaway, sometimes a long journey in a crowded car can make a vacation more stressful than it's worth. Portable gaming systems can be great (especially when coupled with headphones), but sometimes battery-free options are a safer bet for long journeys. For parents just looking to relax, there are a few great products on the market sure to keep little ones occupied in the car for extended time periods.
Brain Box Animals, from University Games, is great for on-the-go fun. Players ages 8 and up choose a card from the box and study the picture on one side until the timer runs out. Then the players flip the card over to the question side and try to answer as many questions about the picture side as they can. The player who can answer the most questions correctly wins. Brain Box Animals helps kids stay entertained while practicing memorization and recognition and learning new information.
Uncomfortable seatbelts are always a complaint with younger kids, but with SeatPets, from Jay at Play International, kids' seatbelts stay in place. SeatPets are soft, cuddly animals that attach to the shoulder restraint portion of a seatbelt. Perfect for long carrides, SeatPets provide a soft cushion between the neck and the belt and a cozy pillow for naps. Each colorful, furry SeatPet has three pockets and two zippered compartments designed to store all of the things that kids want and need when they're in the car including, MP3 players, hand-held games, toys, snacks, and an eight-ounce water bottle.
Stuffies, from martFive LLC, are super-sized plush animals with seven top-secret pockets that are fun to discover and store all kinds of keepsakes. For parents who don't want their car to turn into a second toy box during travel, Stuffies allows kids to bring a few of their favorites and keep them all safe in one place. In addition, every Stuffies toy comes with a surprise roll of collectible stickers and a free storybook from the Stuffies Adventures collection. Each book shares important lessons in fully illustrated, rhyming stories on topics including controlling tempers, using imaginations, volunteering, teamwork, and embracing chores.
TrayKit, from Kids Preferred, is a carry-on backpack that kids can pack themselves and carry on a trip using the handle or shoulder straps. TrayKit can be hung from the back of a seat or strapped to a tray table. When the kit is opened, kids have a play surface with raised sides so nothing falls to the floor. There are colors and patterns for boys and girls ages 3 and up, and the play surface can be cleaned easily. TrayKit accessories include passport holders, luggage tags, travel journal kits complete with pencils and erasers, and TravelBugs, which are small clip-on plush bugs in four styles.
Each of these products are noise-free, don't require any batteries, and will provide easy entertainment for kids during long trips. There's enough play value in these items to keep kids happy, while mom and dad stay stress-free (as long as the GPS doesn't malfunction).
For more commentary from Marissa, check back each Monday afternoon. Views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Toy Book as a whole. We hope that you will share your comments and feedback below. Until next time!


text:
Ariel Castro, the Ohio kidnapper sentenced to serve life in prison after holding three women hostage for a decade, has been found dead in his prison cell.
Castro had been sentenced to life plus more than 1,000 years for the kidnap and repeated abuse of Amanda Berry, 27, Gina DeJesus, 23, and 32-year-old Michelle Knight.
The 53-year-old was being held at the Correction Reception Centre in Orient, Ohio.
The former school bus driver, who was under protective custody and isolated from other inmates, was found hanging in his cell at about 9:20pm Tuesday (local time) when prison staff were making their rounds, rehabilitation and correction department spokesperson JoEllen Smith said.
Prison medical personnel tried to resuscitate him and he was transferred to a local hospital but pronounced dead about 90 minutes later, Ms Smith said.
One condition of his protective custody was that prison staff had to check on him every 30 minutes at staggered intervals, a department of corrections statement said.
Castro received his life sentence in early August after agreeing to a plea deal that saw him avoid the death penalty.
"I'm not a monster. I'm sick," he pleaded.
Despite having pleaded guilty to 977 charges related to his victims' brutal decade-long ordeal, including many rapes and the murder of a foetus through beating its mother, Castro said he was not a violent man.
He said he had himself been sexually abused as a child and had grown up obsessed with sex.
Castro said he had not plotted the three kidnaps, but had acted on impulse.
"I am not a monster. I am a normal person. I am just sick. I have an addiction just like an alcoholic has an addiction," he said.
Castro was arrested in early May after his neighbour Charles Ramsey came to the rescue of Ms Berry, who was trying to escape the house.
Rescued along with the three women was Ms Berry's six-year-old daughter, fathered by Castro and born during her mother's captivity.
In what was one of the most sensational US crime stories in recent memory, Americans were elated by news that the three women had been found alive and freed but were stunned by the circumstances of their ordeal.
Suicide note dismissed as an attempt to blame victims
Castro had been imprisoned since August 5 at the Ohio centre, a prison processing facility outside Columbus, the state capital.
He was to remain there while undergoing a series of mental and physical evaluations before being transferred to a more permanent lock-up, prison officials said.
"A thorough review of this incident is under way and more information can be provided as it becomes available, pending the status of the investigation," Ms Smith said.
Cuyahoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty acknowledged after Castro's sentencing that a suicide note and confession written by Castro had been found by authorities at his residence when they searched his home following his arrest in May.
But Mr McGinty dismissed the letter as an attempt by Castro, whom he described as a "narcissist", to feel sorry for himself and to place blame on his victims.
The house where the three women were held and bound with chains and ropes for periods of time has since been torn down along with two homes on adjacent lots.


text: I purchased my all-season tires because I'm too lazy to keep swapping wheels every time it snows. I'm actually considering buying dedicated snow tires as a result of this past snowstorm, which left me nearly stranded multiple times due to the crap snow traction of my Kumho Ecsta ASX tires. My question is: if I could get my hands on some 14" wheels for a set of snow tires, would I have to do an alignment every time I switch from my 15" standard wheels to the 14" snows? If so, what about if I buy a set of 15" wheels and put snows on those; will the alignment still be necessary?


text:
LOCAL SPORTS: Torrington graduate, Jordan Williams, joins the Los Angeles Lakers summer league roster
Torrington graduate Jordan Williams has been named to the Los Angeles Lakers summer league roster, as reported first by the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.
Williams graduated from Torrington High School in 2008 and then went on to star at the University of Maryland for two seasons before declaring for the NBA draft after his sophomore year.
At Maryland, he was named to the All-ACC rookie team after his freshman season.
He was selected with the 36th overall pick (second round) by the New Jersey Nets.
After his rookie season, where he averaged 4.6 points per game in 43 games, starting five of them.
During the offseason, Williams was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, along with Johan Petro, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow and Deshawn Stevenson for Joe Johnson.
Williams never played a game during the 2012-13 season for the Hawks or for any another NBA team.


text:
Overseas Speedometer has been repairing dash instruments since 1988. With a one year warranty on all of our work, your satisfaction is always guaranteed. We take pride in delivering customer service second to none. If good service is important to you — this is the place.
We specialize in repairing German and Swedish cars.
People love us for our BMW motorcycle repairs.
We also service select American makes and models.
Proudly located in Austin, TX.
Accepting repairs from around the world.


text:
I recently learned of a program called Total Commander. It's a Windows Explorer replacement and has its own stuff to copy files. To check whether the files are identical, instead of calculation a CRC, it literally checks every single byte, one at a time, on both the original and the copy.
My question is: Is this necessary? Can CRC or any other such technique go wrong? Should you, as a programmer, try and implement this perfect but slow system, or is it too extreme?


text:
- Home
- How Do I...
- Apply For
- Permits & Licenses
Permits & Licenses
We've made it easier to do business in Harford County with the opening of our Permit Center for county permits, licenses and inspections. The one-stop Permit Center expedites applications for everything from dog licenses to building permits by gathering county reviewers from several departments, including Planning & Zoning and Public Works, into a single open workspace located on the first floor of the county's Administrative Office Building in Bel Air.
Customers who enter the new Permit Center are greeted by a guide who assists them through the application process. The Center's open floor plan streamlines communication between employees working together to review applications and gives customers a front row seat to their progress. Because the Permit Center is located on the building's first floor near the Treasury Department window, application fees can also be paid more conveniently than when applications were processed on the second floor.
The Harford County Permit Center is located at 220 S. Main Street, Bel Air, MD 21014. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information or questions, please call 410-638-3122.
Covid-19 Operational Updates
Building Permits & Licenses
Get permit information before starting a building or renovation project.
Electrical Permits & Licenses
Electrical Licenses are normally valid for 2 years, renewal application required prior to expiration date.
Plumbing/Mechanical Permits & Licenses
Plumbing Registration is normally valid for 2 years, renewal application required prior to expiration date.
ePERMIT CENTER
Offering real-time information on permits, plans & inspections from the convenience of your home, office or mobile device.
Permit Record Request
Concert/Public Event Permit
A Public Event Request Form from the Department of Planning and Zoning is required for all concerts/public events. If the concert event is to be held, conducted or performed before a gathering in excess of 2,000 spectators, a Concert/Public Event Permit is also required from the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits.
Dog Licenses
Get a license for your dog.
Grading Permits
A Grading Permit is required when ground disturbance exceeds 5,000 square feet or 100 cubic yards of earth.
Stormwater Management Permit
The Stormwater Management Permit is a computerized system where each agency has access to the permit information immediately.
Water & Sewer Permits
To determine if public water and/or sewer is available to your property.
Take Our Survey
Zoning Administration


text:
-– Thomas Jefferson
Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.
-– Frederick Douglass
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people …The wave of the future is not the conquest of the world by a single dogmatic creed but the liberation of the diverse energies of free nations and free men. … Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.
--John F.Kennedy
The government is merely a servant -- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.
-– Mark Twain
The story of the American Soldier is much more than a propaganda-laced cover in Time magazine, designed to sell copies, make profits by exploiting patriotism, create acquiescence in BushCo's preemptive warmongering and empire building policies and in fostering approval and support of a most ambiguous war campaign. The story of the American Solider is much more than a picture of three soldiers posing in full battle gear, M-16's in hand, ready to invade a "rogue nation," destroy its infrastructure and kill its citizens. (Perhaps three soldiers dressed in military dress uniform, without machine guns, protective helmets and Kevlar vests would have been more appropriate and in better taste, given the deep resentment and animosity our little pre-emptive wars are creating throughout the world. In Indymedia Jakarta, for example, an anonymous poster labeled the US "psychopaths in pure culture" after he/she saw the cover of Time. Patriotic propaganda at home, terrible portrayal represented abroad.)
Hidden behind the illusory fantasy the corporate media portrays of noble fighting in tumultuous wars, lies a world of death, suffering and lifelong sacrifice, a world of psychological trauma and physical torture, a world of Veteran abandonment by the same government that has sent millions to kill and be killed, a world where America's finest, along with their families, are swept underneath the rug of indifference and a world in which ethnicity, class structure and society's deadly ills mix in a noxious concoction to form that most clandestine of military drafts that is based on poverty, lack of education and the caste one is born into.
Our soldiers have become mercenaries to the elite few, neither defending the illusions of freedom or democracy abroad, instead fighting, killing and destroying for the sake of the oligarchy, a small band of miscreant chickenhawks in both government and business enriching themselves through the collective exploitation of low and working class men and women. Expendable cannon fodder our troops have become, invading, occupying and policing those regions of the world the oligarchs want to conquer and subjugate. The corporate Leviathan's personal army is unleashed, sent to secure its hegemony, economic prowess and resource-rich feudal estates.
Throughout history, the lower and working class structure has been created and purposefully oppressed and exploited – through insurmountable obstacles designed to make almost impossible an escape from the caste one has been permanently placed into – to defend and protect the elite's interests. The American army is but another instrument to achieve the oligarchy's powermongering aspirations. Through Bush, the American Soldier is being used to enrich the military-industrial complex, the oil-energy cartel and the corporate Leviathan oligarchy that controls both business and government.
It is hard to believe that we are securing our own freedoms and liberties by invading and taking away those same principles from other peoples and nations that had nothing to do with 9/11. Do not be fooled by this propaganda hallucination; the truth of the matter is that our sons and daughters are fighting to secure and expand the interests of the few; to enrich their bank accounts and increase their insatiable thirst for power and control. We are invading nations, becoming an offensive fighting machine. Our troops are not defending our lands, we are not being invaded, our freedoms, liberties and democratic principles are not being threatened by an alien enemy but rather by our own government. Warmongers we have become, offensively decimating and pilfering other peoples' resources, nations and rights for no righteous intentions. This is not the America of old, and, thanks to a few at the top, our soldiers fight battles without just cause and moral standing.
The American Soldier is being used and abused, like so many others before, for cynical purposes. Expendable they are to the oligarchy, both in mind and body. Burned, scarred, brain damaged, amputated and torn open by hot molten shrapnel our soldiers return, dead or wounded, becoming invisible symbols of the horrors of war and of the exploitation a few lunatics at the top subject them to. Mentally stressed, exhausted, damaged and psychologically shredded our men and women become, unable to heal the perpetual scars of battle that will linger in their minds the rest of their lives.
For many, the stresses of what they have seen, breathed, tasted and touched will be a part of their daily lives, ingrained in everything they do, present inside them like a demon attached to their torso by a macabre chain of trepidation. Over time the demon will devour them from inside, altering their personalities and their way of life. This is the sacrifice they are expected to assume, one that changes them forever – if they are lucky enough to survive. They sacrifice their remaining existence, the remaining years of their lives. This is the story of the American Soldier, forced to sacrifice life, mind and limb while the few chickenhawks who send them enjoy their million dollar fundraising dinners, basking in their million dollar homes paid by million dollar bank accounts.
The ultimate sacrifice is being paid for reasons that few comprehend, in circumstances that yearn to be understood and for a reality that is hard to believe and accept. The excuses have been many, and many have been impeachable lies and shams. Freedom and democracy are but the latest, found at the bottom of the barrel by Bush, in a last act of desperation, being the hardest to implement, therefore the hardest to prove wrong and question. Now our soldiers are made to believe these audacious deceits, when in fact they die and suffer for much more sinister motives.
For these reasons, like Time, I agree that our heroic men and women, in overcoming so much with so little and in spite of everything the elite few have done to endanger their lives and futures, should be named 2003's Person of the Year. The reasons, however, are altogether different. Like so many, I am for our soldiers, against the war, and this article is dedicated to all those who through no fault of their own find themselves caught inside the most frightful nightmare they will ever be forced to endure. We can only hope these moments of madness instituted by those at the top will soon end and we can devote ourselves to fighting much more important battles at home.
Everyday Guerilla War in Iraq
Away for months now from the safe confines of this country's faraway shores, the American Soldier in Iraq has had to endure the constant stresses of a continuous and unrelenting guerilla war. It was a war those at the top, where the buck is supposed to stop, had undoubtedly expected before the launching of the massive invasion of Iraq. Dozens of national security analysts, armed forces brass, intelligence personnel and Presidential advisors had in most likelihood foreseen the prolonged street to street violence and resistance our men and women would have to face during the "keeping the peace" phase of the occupation. To not have expected it would have simply been a complete failure in intelligence and leadership. In cost-benefit analysis, however, a few thousand American casualties outweighed the perceived benefits soon to be reaped.
Tens of thousands of men and women trained for and expecting open desert combat were thrust into a guerilla war very few were ready or prepared to fight in. Their training in instruments of war having been deemed useless in guerilla urban warfare, many have struggled to understand an enemy that sees in the American Soldier invasion, occupation, exploitation and humiliation. As a result, more than 455 have died and more than 10,000 have been evacuated due to various injuries and maladies. These brave soldiers were inserted into poorly trained urban policing roles, -- far removed from their particular niche training – into environments they did not understand, a culture alien to most and a language unlike anything they had ever seen. Trained in the traditional roles of war, our soldiers have instead had to adapt, evolve and learn as they go, in a war none of them asked for, for a purpose that has nothing to do with defending our freedom and liberty. Daily they are shot, maimed and scorned at, unable to discern friend from foe, welcomed not with roses but with RPGs and roadside bombs. Securing the peace has meant street warfare and Iraqi dehumanization, death and destruction, alienation and growing hatred. Gaining hearts and minds has been a failure, instead being turned by Bush into into saving face and covering one's ass.
The Hummers that transport our troops are without bomb resistant armor. Kevlar vests are in short supply – more than 40,000 are needed for soldiers patrolling cities and towns. Parents back home have had to buy these vests out of their own pockets to protect their sons and daughters. Many soldiers are dehydrated, safe drinking water is scarce. Many have traded their M-16 for enemy AK-47s because of the former's tendency to jam on a consistent basis. Prolonged tours of duty have been extended to troops whose time to return home has arrived and gone. The "leaders" at the top, in order to fulfill self-defeating ideologies, and in order to not be looked on as fools, refused to increase troop strength when military officers knew it would be necessary to help secure the peace. As a result, fewer troops mean less security and more mistakes. But when the reputation of those at the top is at stake, when they refuse to acknowledge mistakes, cannon fodder troops are but insignificant statistics that are seen as lifeless drones, without wives, husbands, sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and friends. They are expendable entities.
This is what life is like for our sons and daughters in Iraq. As a result, moral is low, AWOLs are numerous and suicides increasing. The reality is that most troops do not know what it is they are fighting for, and the only discernable objective seen is the pursuit of black blood, American hegemony and strategic base allocation. Protecting the numerous Bush crony war profiteers, those reaping billions in reconstruction money, is also a central command given to our soldiers. Destruction of a nation, after all, is an extremely profitable business venture, especially to friends of the administration.
We have destroyed a nation only to rebuild it once again, granting it and the profiteers the many funds desperately needed to reconstruct the fabric of our own nation. Our social fabric rots, its funds disappearing away like footprints on a wet beach, sacrificed to the war profiteers, leaving us all behind as waves of greed return to the Leviathan. Pilfering our wages and our soldiers for their own fraudulent purposes, and we dare raise not our voices. The systemic larceny of both Iraqi and our country's financial and resource assets continues unabated, and the exploitation of our greatest assets – our men and women – has become a national travesty.
The ceaseless campaign to make corporate mercenaries of our soldiers, basically a slave army designed to enrich the Leviathan with each forward step taken by its collective boots, is resulting in the death and injury to hundreds and thousands, respectively. All for the love of the almighty dollar, the greed of a few and the unquenchable addiction for power and control of the nation's oligarchs. Our men and women are dying in vain, but when the army is an assembly of citizens from ghettos, urban reservations and rural communities, mostly from low and working caste families, perhaps those where the buck is supposed to stop care not in sending young lives to die and suffer for the greater wealth of a few contributors and friends.
Caste Drafts and Society's Role in the Making of a Soldier
Out of the worst neighborhoods and rural outposts they are from, living both in concrete jungles and desolate fields of dried up crops. Today's United States armed forces are an amalgam of rural and urban, black, white and Hispanic, all sharing low and working class backgrounds, coming from the worst educational districts in the nation. This is the American Soldier, not upper middle class or elite boys and girls, not the sons and daughters of the oligarchy. The armed forces are composed of those less fortunate, those with little or no opportunity and future, those whose educational systems are in shambles and those the system throws away into its bins of refuse.
Children in urban areas, mostly black and Hispanic, find themselves encaged by the invisible walls of the ghetto, unable to escape, by reason of income and parental lack of education and opportunity, their modern day reservation. These centers of indigence and ingrained ignorance, fed by a system that helps exacerbate rather than alleviate both, are a living, breathing, vicious cycle in which escape is near impossible, where individuals remain stuck inside for their entire lives, passing on the same destiny to their children. Thus, without jobs, without a decent income, with a lack of education and opportunity and fighting against a system that maintains the status quo, a caste system emerges, trapping generations of urban people in a perpetual state of oppression.
The system feeds off of those less fortunate, indeed, depends on them for its exploitable needs. The caste system needs low wage slaves to work those jobs necessary to keep the economic engine running. Capitalist elites need to subjugate entire segments of the population in order to exploit workers with low wages and long hours. Keeping millions in shackles, through incarceration in ghettos, robbing children of a decent education and denying upward mobility through lack of opportunity, guarantees the continued prolongation of the perpetual caste system.
As future fighting machines grow up, they must survive the concrete jungles, full of dangers lurking around, either in confronting street pressures, gangs or drug zones, in bad households and in worse school systems. Learning little, development being purposefully impeded, resources being almost nonexistent, the future soldier begins to see at an early age that unless he or she escapes the iron grip of the urban reservation, life will be the same or worse than parents and grandparents. Seeing that exodus is virtually impossible thanks to the numerous obstacles placed at one's feet, the future soldier sees in the armed forces the only viable alternative.
The educational system in these areas is a disaster, ill-preparing students for higher education and for those jobs that offer upward mobility. The armed forces know exactly what goes on in urban areas and their corresponding school districts. It is for this reason that they flood high schools, in some cases primary and junior high schools as well, with recruiters who immediately begin selling the "benefits" of the armed forces to the still young and naïve students seeking a way out of their confined existence. These schools force upon their students an annual standardized test that is given by the armed forces to better determine future prospects. Recruiters are given personal information about students and the harassment begins, oftentimes with phone calls to a student's home and forced meetings at school. Recruiters may seek out potential grunts at homes. Counselors begin recruiting as well, pushing student's towards joining the armed forces.
These heavy tactics are repeated over and over, year in and year out, until quotas are met. Young men and women, still innocent and easily manipulated, seeing the bleak prospects at home, are in essence pushed to join the military and become future killing machines. Promises of solid wages, better and higher education, an escape from the prison called the ghetto, an opportunity to be released from the chains of the caste, all are reasons for joining, all become part of the caste draft that is thrust upon urban students.
This nation prides itself on the voluntary aspects of today's military. In reality, upon careful inspection, it can be seen that when one is living in a reservation, without viable opportunity to excel or a meaningful future to look forward to, the freedom to chose becomes a choice to survive, and in that sense there is nothing voluntary about joining the armed forces. When given a choice to either remain in a perpetual caste or escape onto new horizons, the decision is simple. In the world's richest nation the choices presented to the urban citizen should not be so profound.
However, when the system encourages and indeed fosters the caste system in order to have a large number of easily exploitable subjects that become either soldiers or low wage slaves, the choices become not voluntary in the normal sense of the word but rather compulsory decisions made to better one's life. The system's diseases make joining the military the only option in order to live a better life, and, in the real world, the system drafts these men and women thanks to the widespread levels of oppression it creates.
This makes the belief in an all volunteer army nothing but a mirage. People are basically forced to join, preferring to risk going to war than to dying living a life of hardship in an invisibly enclosed Bantustan that offers little of anything. The caste draft therefore selects the downtrodden, the less affluent, the less educated and the ones that, were they to stay near home, would have but a very uninviting future.
This is manifested in the aggressive recruiting campaign targeting Hispanics. The goal stated by the military is to increase this minority representation from its present 10 percent representation to 22 percent in the next few years. This exponentially growing group, usually low income with very few educational or employment prospects, has been targeted as the next wave of impoverished minorities that will act as tomorrow's cannon fodder in wars. Economically vulnerable citizens are always a huge recruiting segment for the armed forces. It is these people that provide the means by which to carry out future wars. Sent to the front lines, Hispanics will fight and die, and the reason therefore exists to have the system work to keep this minority at the margins of society.
Similar recruiting circumstances also apply to rural America, where instead of concrete jungles there exist farms of monotony, destitution and lack of opportunity. Education in these regions, while not as bad as in urban centers, still lags far behind those of richer suburban districts. Opportunities in rural zones are limited, jobs are few, wages low, chances for higher education minimal. For these same reasons a large portion of the armed forces are comprised of white rural men and women looking for an escape and a chance to better their lives. Again the caste system is at work, pulling rural youth in the direction of the armed forces. Replace the words ghetto, reservation, urban and Bantustan, and the same forces that push minorities into the military is prevalent, though to a lesser degree, in rural areas. It is from these districts that most of the military recruits come from. Low, working caste men and women, less fortunate, less well educated and less likely to escape the caste they have been born into than their suburban counterparts, seek escape from barren rural towns and farms that do not offer a prosperous future.
Thus recruiting and aggressive marketing is used to lure these young men and women into the military. The government is not stupid, and it knows exactly where it will be able to meet its quotas. Again, we might think the choice is voluntary, but is it really when one wishes for nothing more than to escape the environment and the caste that cannot be escaped? When government does nothing in its power to better the lives of millions, in reality making a student's decision obvious, pushing indigence and lack of opportunities in order to garner recruits, is the choice really voluntary? Today's young men and women simply want to live a life worth living, a betterment to their present predicament, an escape from their homes, and, when the only opportunity to achieve this is by joining the military, then the voluntary charade we are made to believe in does not exist, and the finger can then be pointed to the caste draft that has through the system's failings introduced millions to the armed forces.
Sure, many join out of patriotism and manipulation or out of hereditary tradition, but these soldiers are few and far between. Volunteering for them is indeed a part of their decision making process. (More will be said on this subject in Part II.)
History Once More Repeated
In the not so long history of human civilization the continued exploitation of the working classes continues to be manifested. This can easily be seen in the government's – and corporate Leviathan's – abuse of America's brave soldiers. As has been the case throughout history, the poor are exploited for the benefit of the elite, and today we see an entire army fighting, suffering horrendous physical and mental injuries and dying for the interests of our feudal lords. Serfs and slaves, low, working and middle class, the differences are minute, the similarities eerie. Time continues on its journey, as does the human caste system that creates so much inequality, injustice and human devastation. To be born in misery and deprivation is not one's fault; to create and foster it is insidious.
Through a system that purposefully creates and furthers lack of opportunity through the continued preservation of blatantly destitute educational institutions thanks to unjust and nefarious tax schemes the caste system remains intact, a solidly invisible concrete wall that acts as an obstacle to millions who through birth are destined to become exploitable and expendable beings. Those living in areas devoid of growth and job prospects, making low wages and suffering through numerous hard working hours without benefits thanks to the influence and money of elite capitalists are trapped in a vicious circle that helps maintain the caste system to what it is today.
This caste, much like India's, is almost impossible to escape. It ensnarls millions. People are born into it through no fault of their own; they live and die in it, unable to escape its grip thanks to the numerous barriers purposefully placed there by the system. Today the American dream of upward mobility is but a façade, another illusion ingrained into our minds to whitewash the reality that has become the United States. Our soldiers are not the first to be exploited, nor will they be the last. Unfortunately it is a part of humanity, from our cave days until today, and only a united citizenry can decide whether it continues into the future or suffers a most painful death in the present.
Until then, our sons and daughters will continue to die, suffer and undergo mental anguish, sacrificing their futures for the continued accumulation of wealth and power from the few oligarch's that sent them to war. In the coming war of perpetuity, a most unfortunate end will come to so many of our loved ones, dead not from fighting for freedom or liberty or to protect our democracy but for trying to better their lives, escape their urban and rural reservations, find happiness and to flee that most debilitating and inescapable caste the system run by the powerful refuses to relinquish. History's pages continue to be turned by the black abyss of ignorance that makes blind bats of us all.
Manuel Valenzuela is an attorney, consultant, freelance writer and author of Echoes in the Wind, a novel that will be published in 2004. His articles appear bi-weekly on axisoflogic.com. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. © Copyright 2003 by AxisofLogic.com.
Fear Factor Orange: Mind and Behavior Control in America


text:
The TED Conference 2012: Reflections, Inspirations, Innovations
Think of TED as a marathon for your mind. Over the course of a week, roughly 100 presenters from around the world deliver power-packed presentations lasting 18 minutes or less. Topics range from quadrotor flying robots to the abundant future of humanity; basic human rights to next-generation liquid metal batteries. And that's just the first session.
TED is a brain spa. The main TED Conference hosts 1,500 attendees in Long Beach, California. 600 additional TEDsters gather for a simulcast event known as TEDActive in Palm Springs. So maybe it's a brain rave. Heavenly perspective with the world's big thinkers. A little known sentiment among attendees is that meeting other people at TED is the best part of attending – even better than the talks is interacting with the audience.
'TEDTalks set the atmosphere for you to jump in and engage with people you've just met. You can feel like you've known for someone for years when really it's been only a few minutes," says one attendee.
This is one of many reasons thousands of people shell out thousands of dollars on an annual basis to immerse themselves in the hybrid reality that is TED. Innovation comes alive.
What is it like to walk into TED? Look up and you see a rainbow made of thread. To the right, custom prosthetics printed in 3D via additive manufacturing. There's a Google Garage; AutoDesk's history of the universe; Target Idea/Paper Airplane Factory; Music Genomic Sequencing; TEDBookshop, Coffee Commons' endless espresso and numerous lounges stacked cushily with the latest Steelcase designs. These spaces are designed to germinate ideas. A single conversation, for example, may include Peter Diamandis of XPRIZE, Jesse Dylan of Wondros Films and Jay Walker of Priceline and TEDMED.
Finally, a quick rundown of my favorite presenters from TED2012:
- Peter Diamandis: Our world is fueled with abundance. Rather than lamenting potential future catastrophies, how can we empower the billions of new minds coming online with the priceless treasure that is the internet? A passionate case for optimistic possiblism.
- Ed Glaeser, Harvard: Globalization has increased the value of being intelligent. Cities boast benefits ranging from higher incomes to lower infant mortality rates. Most importantly, cities are a place to evolve culture. As humans, we need to be immersed in innovation – cities allow us to experience and learn from the mistakes, failures, and successes of others.
- Andrew Stanton, Pixar: When you're telling a story, invoke wonder. Elegance is the ability to tell a story without dialogue and is a central tenet to Pixar's success in making animated features mainstream. Pixar abides by the Unifying Theory of 2+2, meaning that the audience should put things together. Don't give people 4, give them 2 + 2. Make people think; make the story worth your audience's time.
- Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductor: Music is a new language and it has something powerful to say about what it means to be alive. Factoids: The earliest recorded music in history is from around 200 BC and was inscribed on a Greek tombstone. Music "notes" were first seen in the 13th century as lines on a page. Recording technology emerged in the 1880's and forever revolutionized music such that suddenly songs could exist even when there were no musicians in the room.
- Regina Dugan, Director of DARPA: Believe in impossible things. Failure is key to success. Case in point: 6 out of the first 8 rockets blew up on the pad. "There is only time to iron your cape..and it's back to the sky for you." Regina shared amazing technology inspired by biological systems such as adhesives akin to gecko feet and hummingbird spy drones.
- Tali Sharot, Cognitive Neuroscientist: Optimism changes subjective reality. It is a motivation to action. If we expect to do well, stress and anxiety are reduced, resulting in positive health benefits. Quoting Henry Ford, "Whether you believe you can or cannot, you're probably right."
- Taylor Wilson, 17 year old scientist: At 14 years old, he built a nuclear fusion reactor in his garage. Enough said.
- David Kelley, Founder of IDEO: 'We're focused on human-centered design: designing behaviors and personality into products." Everyone is innately creative. Unlock it and let your ideas fly. Case study of creative success: an fMRI machine at a children's hospital had to sedate children 80% of the time for them to be still enough for successful scans. The team reimagined design into a pirate cave. Operators were trained by museum guides to bring kids into a game where they had to lay very still so pirates didn't find them. Results? After the fMRI turned playful, only 10% of kids had to be sedated.
- Joshua Foer, Memory Champion: Remember better by taking information lacking context and creating a framework so that it becomes meaningful. Josh brings to the table important considerations about what we miss by not deeply processing interactions with others. What do we lose when we constantly tweet, text, check facebook etc. in stead of engaging with the person across the table?
- Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Prize Winner: Leymah shares heart wrenching stories of women in Liberia. We sometimes lose focus on the world outside our sphere, a world where, for example, a girl may get a scholarship only to find out that she must repeatedly have sex with the department chair if she wishes to keep it. We have the power to change this world by giving a voice to the silenced and providing education scholarships to girls worldwide.
- Brene Brown, Vulnerability Researcher: Final speaker at TED. Outstanding presentation met by thunderous applause. Rene speaks toward the importance of being vulnerable. She asks "How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness?" In the spirit of TED, failure is necessary. We will fail repeatedly in the process of success. Those who take failure and cultivate courage, compassion and connection are the ones who are able to derive true meaning and joy from life.
And that's a wrap. Or is it. The notorious "TED Hangover" has come and gone (#firstworldproblem: TED's wonder seemingly surpasses reality and generally leaves attendees with a sinking feeling – the hangover – of returning home to the real world). The question now is "what's next?" How do I turn these great ideas and phenomenal interactions into meaningful outputs? How will this year's TED shape the way I perceive future challenges? I am inspired, invigorated, motivated by the abundance of great minds in today's world.
As we learned from Ed Glaeser, urbanization increases both the true and perceived value of intelligence. With this in mind, I challenge you to TEDify your life by participating in the 2012 TEDPrize: The City 2.0. Lead your community to the future you imagine.
Now I venture again out into the real world of thought and action, perhaps most inspired by a conversation starter which I humbly acquired at TED. A stranger walked up to me, looked at my name badge and said "Hi, Amy. So tell me, what inspires you?"
This is how I learned it is possible to have a deeply meaningful conversation with a stranger. It is also possible to reconnect with the person you've known for years in a completely new way. Today, this week, this year, try something new. Dive straight into who you're speaking with. Strive to make every conversation worthy of TED. Enbrace with daring courage the potential that someone will shut down your curiosity. Embrace also that that person may tilt her head, be silent for a moment, then share something amazing that changes the way you think for the rest of your life.


text:
MRI shows Machado doesn't have torn ACL, MCL
Will need six to eight weeks to recover; expected to be ready by spring
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles received uplifting news on third baseman Manny Machado on Tuesday afternoon, with an MRI revealing no ACL or MCL damage, but a medial patellofemoral ligament tear in his left knee and a recovery timetable of six to eight weeks.
Machado, who will get a second opinion, will go the rest-and-rehab route and be reevaluated in four weeks, which should allow time for a minor surgical procedure if things aren't moving along. He's expected to be ready in time for Spring Training.
"That [ACL] was our concern, but the doctors have said that it's a torn medial patellofemoral ligament, and from what I understand, that's good news. It's the type of injury where you can treat it conservatively and our plan would be to treat it conservatively and see how Manny recovers from that," executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said in a news conference attended by manager Buck Showalter and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells.
"If everything falls into place like we think, this is something he could recover from with rest. He would be out for the rest of the season, but he'd be able to come back and play next year."
Machado was at Camden Yards on Tuesday, but was not made available to the media. The youngster had started every game at third base for the Orioles since his debut Aug. 9, 2012, and the knee issue isn't completely foreign for Machado, who hyperextended his left kneecap two years ago in the Minor Leagues. But it is good news, with the MPF a small ligament located on the inside of the kneecap that Bancells said keeps the knee from dislocating laterally.
"So his knee was in a position that his patella slid laterally, putting pressure on that ligament and causing it to tear," Bancells said. "The plan is to have him back here with Dr. [John] Wilckens in four weeks to see what the progress is. All in all, if that continues on a conservative path, that would be six to eight weeks before he could start to do more functional things like start light running. … If the conservative method works, he's ready for Spring Training."
If not, Machado could undergo surgery which would still leave him time to be ready by mid-March. Bancells said that's why he will be reexamined in four weeks, with the range of motion slowly coming back and the swelling subsiding the first part of the healing process. The injury is fairly common in young athletes and given Machado's age, it's not completely out of nowhere.
It is a sigh of relief for the organization, with the Orioles and Rays dugouts -- along with other members of the baseball world -- speculating about the extent of serious ligament damage given the gruesome nature of Monday's injury, which ended with Machado being taken off the field on a stretcher. The injury occurred when the 21-year-old hit a one-out single in the seventh inning Monday against the Rays. His left leg hit the first-base bag awkwardly, causing him to immediately fall down, writhing in pain.
First-base coach Wayne Kirby signaled for O's trainers, and Machado stayed on the ground, screaming. The Rays' team physician, Koco Eaton, also came out to look over Machado before the group gingerly placed him on the stretcher.
"I probably owe an apology to the Tampa people, I probably jumped the gun a little bit emotionally yesterday," said Showalter, who wasn't pleased to get a grim early diagnosis before tests were conducted. "They do a great job there. All these clubs do. MLB does a great job of trying to put things in place that makes it easier to evaluate and the safety of everyone. We got a lot of help from them. I just don't like to speculate, when somebody… I probably overreacted with that a little bit."


text:
Many years ago, the comedian George Carlin appeared on the Ed Sullivan show in character as The Hippy Dippy Weatherman. "I imagine some of you were a little surprised at the weather over the weekend. Especially if you watched my show Friday night, man," joked Carlin.
I always think of the late Carlin's prognostication prowess when I'm pressed to predict election outcomes—an occupational hazard for lobbyists. But as we head into the homestretch of this presidential election cycle, I feel somewhat liberated. For many months it has been a remarkably tight race for the presidency and for control of the Senate, and it has become tighter as Election Day approaches. You could predict an outcome for either side, or a split, in the presidential and Senate campaigns—and hardly be faulted if you guessed wrong. So while election analysis is not part of my expertise, I will make a somewhat bold prediction for how the race for president will be decided. But you'll have to wait until the end of this blog to read that prediction.
First, why does it matter? Simply put, what Congress, the administration and regulators do—or don't do—can have a huge impact on how financial services are provided. Intentionally or not, their actions can skew the markets or provide advantages to certain segments of the industry. As I look to next year's advocacy agenda for FPA, a lot depends on the election and who is placed in key positions.
For purposes of this column, and putting aside readers' personal politics and the enormity of the fiscal issues the country faces, let's take a look at the stakes for the financial services sector.
- Republicans should hold the House of Representatives
- Obama-Romney is pretty close to a toss-up at this time
- Whichever party takes the Senate will have the narrowest of margins and needs to work with the other side if they need 60 votes to break a filibuster. And remember, the vice president can break a tie vote in the Senate.
- An additional consideration is the likelihood that Mary Schapiro will step down as chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with the next president naming her replacement.
DOL Fiduciary Rule; Dodd-Frank
Moving onto some specific issues, there is at least one that is fairly clear-cut. The Department of Labor (DOL) has been working on regulations that would expand the application of ERISA's fiduciary standards for retirement savings. The DOL has been reworking a rule proposal after an initial comment period generated a lot of controversy over how the rule would be applied to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), among other issues. The outcome of congressional elections should have little impact on this issue, as members of both parties have taken issue with the DOL's proposal. Expect the presidential race to be determinative here: if Obama wins, a rule goes forward, and if Romney wins, it will be shelved.
A little more opaque is what happens with Dodd-Frank: the financial services reform law the Democrats passed in 2010. Many of the law's provisions have yet to be put in place and others are being challenged in court. Expect some changes, with the election outcome determining the number, type and degree of changes (think "too big to fail," derivatives and the newly minted Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).
Even a Republican sweep will probably not produce an outright repeal of Dodd-Frank. A Romney presidency will encourage Republicans to take a broader swipe at Dodd-Frank, without having to worry about a veto. But if the Democrats retain a Senate majority, or merely maintain a strong minority position, they will be able to block reforms they oppose, even if Romney wins. Look for Republicans to key in on Democratic senators that may look vulnerable in 2014. If Obama wins, expect a more targeted and different approach to Dodd-Frank reforms. Republicans can use the budget as a means to affect how Dodd-Frank is implemented.
About an SRO for Advisors…
So what about the issue that I spent so much of my energy opposing for the past couple of years (with a lot of help from my friends): a proposal to bring registered investment advisers under the oversight of a self-regulatory organization (SRO)? The issue has been cast as a matter of making sure RIAs are effectively policed, especially in the wake of the Madoff scandal. But with an SRO—likely FINRA—being pushed as a possible solution, it has also become the latest front in a long battle between broker-dealers and RIAs. On this issue, the die has been cast even before the election. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, championed the SRO bill this year before he conceded that it did not have broad enough support. But even with a Republican House victory, Bachus will not be chairing the committee next year because of the Republicans' term limit rules.
On the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., chairs the banking committee and has not shown any interest in the SRO issue.
If Republicans take the Senate, will that breathe new life into an SRO proposal? As on the House side, a lot will depend on what the committee chair thinks of the idea. Republicans aren't inclined to give the SEC more money, even if it's for RIA oversight and taxpayer dollars are not used. So expect that this issue might bubble up later in the session after Congress deals with some of the bigger fiscal issues first.
Back to the regulatory side, don't forget that the SEC has authority to require broker-dealers to act in the best interests of their retail customers when providing personalized investment advice. Chairwoman Schapiro has spoken frequently about the importance of the SEC pursuing rules that would hold brokers to the equivalent fiduciary standard as investment advisors [See Schapiro's latest comments from this week on the issue-Ed.]. It has proven a difficult issue to move forward, even with the Chairwoman's support, so selection of the next SEC chair could prove to be a make-or-break moment for the fiduciary standard.
There are countless financial services regulatory issues that could be taken up in the next Congress, including some that we can't predict. Expect a heavy Dodd-Frank focus and maybe a couple of wildcards. Oh, yeah, then there's Fannie & Freddie. There's a limitation as to the clarity the election can provide.
And now, the bold prediction you've been waiting from the Hippy Dippy Lobbyist: Remember Bush-Gore? Romney wins popular vote. Obama wins electoral vote, including a tight race in Ohio, man. An Ohio recount and allegations of fraud delay the outcome, but Obama holds on for a controversial win.
But don't quote me on it.


text:
DSLRs are great and all, but if there's one thing the smartphone-photography boom has made clear, it's that portability can trump performance. If you want a camera that's easier to carry around than a DSLR but offers better image quality and more-granular controls than a smartphone or basic camera, a premium point-and-shoot fits the bill.
These cameras all have manual exposure controls, aperture- and shutter-priority modes, physical knobs and buttons that give you quick access to settings, and wider maximum apertures than your average compact camera. A few of them have standout video capabilities, compatibility with external flashes and microphones, and large sensors; in general, you'll pay a whole lot more for a larger sensor.
Picking the right fit depends on what you're looking for beyond the promise of very good image quality and manual controls. Though these are all performance-minded cameras, they vary greatly in terms of physical size, price, optics, and specialties. The first thing to decide is how big—or how small—you want to go.
|Camera size (smallest to largest)
|Canon PowerShot S100
|3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1"
|Nikon Coolpix P310
|4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3"
|Sony Cyber-shot RX100
|4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4"
|Samsung EX2F
|4.4" x 2.4" x 1.1"
|Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7
|4.3" x 2.6" x 1.8"
|Canon PowerShot G12
|4.4" x 3.0" x 1.9"
|Not pocketable
|Nikon Coolpix P7100
|4.6" x 3.1" x 1.9"
|Not pocketable
|Fujifilm X10
|4.6" x 2.7" x 2.2"
|Not pocketable
|Canon PowerShot G1 X
|4.6" x 3.2" x 2.5"
|Not pocketable
Here's what the current field of premium compacts (and not-so-compacts) looks like.
The truly pocketables
The contenders: Canon PowerShot S100, Nikon Coolpix P310, Sony Cyber-shot RX100
All three competitors in this category look similar on the outside: They're small black boxes that fit easily in a pants pocket, representing the ultimate blend of performance and portability. However, you'll see some big differences when it comes to price, sensor size, and in-camera features.
The Sony Cyber-shot RX100 ($650) is a big deal for a few reasons. Despite having one of the smallest bodies in the premium point-and-shoot class, it also has one of the biggest sensors of any fixed-lens camera. Its 13.2mm-by-8.8mm CMOS sensor is bigger than that of any camera in this roundup except for the Canon PowerShot G1 X, which is a much larger camera.
|Sensor size (largest to smallest)
|Canon PowerShot G1 X
|1.5-inch type
|Sony Cyber-shot RX100
|1-inch type
|Fujifilm X10
|2/3-inch type
|(tie) Canon PowerShot G12
|1/1.7-inch type
|(tie) Canon PowerShot S100
|1/1.7-inch type
|(tie) Nikon Coolpix P7100
|1/1.7-inch type
|(tie) Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7
|1/1.7-inch type
|(tie) Samsung EX2F
|1/1.7-inch type
|Nikon Coolpix P310
|1/2.3-inch type
Another key trait is the RX100's bright F1.8 aperture at its wide-angle end. The RX100 also has best-in-class video specs (1080p at 60fps) with manual exposure controls while filming, in addition to Sony's usual array of innovative modes for low-light shooting, panorama shots, and portrait composition.
It's also really expensive, with a $650 price tag that rivals that of an entry-level DSLR. And like the other two premium cameras in the pocketable realm, you won't get much in terms of expansion options; the Cyber-shot RX100, PowerShot S100, and Coolpix P310 don't have hot shoes for external flashes, mic-in ports, optical viewfinders, or adjustable LCD screens.
Sensor size isn't everything, especially if you want to save a bit of money. The PowerShot S100 ($430) and Nikon Coolpix P310 ($330) are both excellent little cameras with a few notable differences. The PowerShot S100 has a RAW-shooting mode, a built-in neutral density (ND) filter, and a lens with a longer zoom range (5X; 24mm to 120mm). For $100 less, the Coolpix P310 lacks the RAW mode, the ND filter, and a bit of the zoom range (4.2X; 24mm to 100mm), but it does have an F1.8 lens.
Buying advice: If you can afford it, the Sony is the clear-cut winner when it comes to sensor size, video specs, and shooting modes. If you have less money to spend and want to shoot RAW, get the PowerShot S100. Otherwise, the Coolpix P310 is a really good bargain and a superb entry-level option in the premium realm.


text:
Here you will find many valuable resources. If you click on a country in the country map, you will get information about the brand of misoprostol that is sold, current abortion laws, and other information. Furthermore you can download our original training manual. This training manual covers menstruation, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), high risk sex or rape, pregnancy, birth, how to use misoprostol to prevent post-partum hemorrhaging (PPH), and how to use misoprostol for safe abortion. We also have low-literacy instructions for safe abortion with misoprostol and safe birth with misoprostol. There are also links to scientific articles and resources of the WHO. Please feel free to download and spread all this material.
Download the Abortion App
For use by women: Select language and country to learn everything about the law, the availability of abortion pills, how to get and use them and what clinics or organizations are working on abortion issues in your country. Calculate pregnant duration with the pregnancy calculator and read all about… Read more »
Training Manuals
Everybody interested to learn how to provide information about the best use of misoprostol and how to train others, can download our training material here in english, french, arabic, kurdish, urdu, etc.
Please keep us informed about what you have learned and let us know what we can improve! Read more »
Abortion with pills English
Misoprostol in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Misoprostol tablets are on the list of essential medicines of the World Health Organization (WHO). Misoprostol can be used by women themselves to save their lives. Misoprostol causes contractions of the womb. Misoprostol can be used to Induce a safe abortion Treat an incomplete miscarriage Prevent… Read more »
Safe birth with Misoprostol
Heavy bleeding after giving birth (Postpartum hemorrhage, PPH) is one of the main causes of women's death after giving birth (25%). 14 million women experience bleeding after birth annually. In other words: 1 in 10 women will have PPH after giving birth and of 1 of each 100 women who have PPH will… Read more »
Safe abortion: low-literacy
Human rights and abortion


text:
Common questions about our recruitment services.
How do I get started posting a job?
Getting started posting a job is easy. Get in touch with one of our account representatives who will set you up with a tailored recruitment strategy. From there you'll just need to determine your budget and how quickly you want to move.
What is the cost of posting a job?
Costs depend on the how many positions you want to fill and the number of products and solutions you want to use as part of your hiring campaign.
How many jobs can I post?
There is no limit to the number of jobs listings you can post.
Can I get a refund for unused credits?
Connect with your account representative to learn more about unused credits and our refund policy.
How long does it take to get responses?
In most cases you should start to see responses from candidates within the first 24 - 72 hours of posting your job. If you do not see results within that time frame, please contact an account representative.


text:
Saint Louis County Immigration Lawyers
Find Saint Louis County Immigration Lawyers by City
Saint Louis County, MO Immigration Law Attorney with 14 years of experience
- (888) 467-1529
- Free Consultation
- Offers Video Chat
Ste. 307
St. Louis, MO 63132
Immigration and Tax
St Louis Univ School of Law
Suite 300
St. Louis, MO 63127
Southern Illinois University School of Law
Suite 202D
St. Louis, MO 63146
Immigration, Divorce, Family and Traffic Tickets
Washington University School of Law and Washington University School of Law
Having the right attorney can make all the difference. Brian is experienced in family law matters and can help to develop a well-planned strategy on how you should proceed. He listens to your needs and advocates accordingly.
Years of practicing law as well as years of enforcing laws has afforded Brian a unique perspective with a vast amount...
Suite 4
Saint Louis, MO 63141
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Suite 4
St Louis, MO 63141
Chanakya National Law University
Saint Louis, MO 63139
Michigan State University
St Louis, MO 63116
University of Missouri - Columbia
Suite 202
Bridgeton, MO 63044
University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law
St Louis, MO 63119
Suite 207
St. Louis, MO 63118
St. Mary's University School of Law
Suite 901
St Louis, MO 63105
Saint Louis, MO 63104
Washington University School of Law
Ellisville, MO 63021
Immigration, Business, Elder and Estate Planning
Suite 4
St. Louis, MO 63141
Saint Louis University School of Law
Suite 20
St. Louis, MO 63112
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
Saint Louis University School of Law
Saint Louis, MO 63119
St. Louis, MO 63131-2555
St. Louis, MO 63105
St. Louis, MO 63105
University of Virginia School of Law
St. Louis, MO 63105
Saint Louis University School of Law
St. Louis, MO 63101
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
St. Louis, MO 63101
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
Ste 309
Saint Louis, MO 63110
University of Houston Law Center
St. Louis, MO 63112
South Texas College of Law
Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Clayton, MO 63105
University of San Diego School of Law
Town and Country, MO 63131
St. Louis, MO 63131
Northwestern University School of Law
St Louis, MO 63130
Frontenac, MO 63131
University City, MO 63130
St Louis, MO
Northwestern University School of Law and Washington University School of Law
St Louis, MO
Duke University School of Law
Second Floor
Kansas City, MO 64116
SMU Dedman School of Law
I am highly experienced in counseling immigrants and criminal defense attorneys about the immigration consequences of criminal activity. This sets me apart from most criminal defense attorneys, who have a very limited understanding of the immigration consequences for their clients.
Springfield, MO 65807
Oklahoma City University School of Law
In 2018, Mr. McBride recognized a desperate need for qualified and affordable immigration services in southwest Missouri. To serve that need, McBride Law is committed to providing aggressive and professional legal representation...
Kansas City, MO 64111
University of Missouri - Columbia
Ste 104
North Kansas City, MO 64116
University of Minnesota Law School
Maya represents clients in family law and various immigration matters, including removal cases before the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and Administrative Appeals Office (AAO), immigrant and non-immigrant visas, and humanitarian cases.
She clerked for the Ramsey County Public Defenders' Office in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she represented misdemeanor and juvenile clients in court arraignments, bail hearings, and probation revocation hearings. She...
Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64112
Related Practice Areas
Need immigration help?
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are components of the Department of Homeland Security and handle the processing, enforcement, and adjudication of U.S. immigration matters. U.S. immigration laws treat persons as either citizens or aliens. The law classifies aliens according to immigration status, with each group afforded different rights and obligations, such as the right to reside in the United States, the right to sponsor relatives, and the right to work in the United States. Aliens may be lawful permanent residents (i.e., green card holders), immigrant visa holders, temporary lawful visitors, or undocumented persons.
Immigration lawyers represent persons seeking visas or green cards, which allow them to enter or remain in the United States. Two common types of visas are employment-based visas and family-based visas. Employment-based visas grant a non-U.S. citizen the right to work in the United States. Spouses and children may sometimes accompany employment-based immigrants. Family-based visas confer lawful permanent resident status to a foreign national based on an immediate relationship to a U.S. citizen.
Immigration attorneys also handle deportation/removal, naturalization (citizenship) and asylum matters. Because immigration proceedings are often complex, an immigration attorney is invaluable to those dealing with immigration issues.
Deportation/removal: The formal removal of an alien from the United States when the alien has been found removable for violating the immigration laws. Removal (formerly called deportation) is ordered by an immigration judge without any punishment being imposed or contemplated.
Lawful permanent resident: Any person not a citizen of the United States who is residing in the U.S. under legally recognized and lawfully recorded permanent residence as an immigrant.
Researching Attorney Discipline
There are no recently viewed profiles.
There are no saved profiles.
There are no profiles to compare.


text:
Sure, racing games have it easier than most when it comes to making things look pretty, but still. Come on. Just look at this. There are enough jaggies to make me think it's almost a 100% genuine screenshot, but enough of everything else to think that, yeah, maybe the new iPhone 5 will be pretty damn great for video games.
Can't wait to see what the next Infinity Blade looks like.
For the record, it's a shot of Real Racing 3, which we've already seen on iPad, and which is part of a series that's long been kicking ass in the visuals department.