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The Stanley Cup will be in the house Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
It will be polished and ready to hand over to the Los Angeles Kings by commissioner Gary Bettman if the club is able to send the New York Rangers packing in front of their hometown faithful.
It took the Kings 14 games in these playoffs to get out of the Golden State by knocking off the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. Then, Los Angeles got by the Chicago Blackhawks in seven.
Now, three games into the Stanley Cup final, the Kings are one win away from a sweep against the best team to come out of the East.
The Kings have gotten here the hard way, but the club is making it look awfully easy vs. New York.
You wonder if they get enough respect.
As they head into Game 4 against the Rangers, the Kings are a win away from their second NHL title in three years and the Hawks are regarded as a powerhouse?
These Kings aren't just good, they are great. What makes them so special?
"Well, we can start with (Jonathan) Quick, one of the best goaltenders in the world, and Drew (Doughty), one of the best defencemen in the world," Kings' centre Mike Richards told reporters after the club's 3-0 shutout in Game 3.
"Then you go to centres and have (Anze) Kopitar, one of the best centers in the world. That's a pretty good start, I think."
The Kings have all the right ingredients to win the title. They were heavily favoured coming into this final — so this 3-0 lead shouldn't be any major surprise — but L.A. has lived up to expecations.
The Kings swear they are taking nothing for granted. They got out to a 3-0 lead againt the New Jersey Devils in the final in 2012 and weren't able to close out the series until they won in Game 6.
The Kings know where the Rangers are coming from. Los Angeles was in the same situation down 3-0 to the Sharks in Round 1 and then rallied to get a Game 7 victory to advance against Anaheim.
"Hell, we got thrown under the bus by everybody on earth seven weeks ago," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said.
Yeah, well the Kings are about to run roughshod over the Rangers but they won't take anything for granted.
"We know it's possible (to comeback)," Richards said. "The last game's always the hardest. No matter what series or what the series is at, it's always the hardest to (win).
"We played a good game. We're going to have to play a better game if we're going to want to have success."
All that's left for the Rangers now is to dig deep. Mind you, the hole they are in at the moment is pretty big.
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, trying to win his first Cup of his career, is having a tough time swallowing the predicament the club is face.
"I am just extremely disappointed that we are in this hole. We have been talking about it after every game that we played really well but in the end it's about finding ways to win," Lundqvist said.
"It's not about playing great, it's about winning. We have to regroup. It's not over. We are looking at getting the next game, that's all we think about right now is that win. In a game like this every little play matters and it feels like they had the luck so far in these three games where it feels like the game has been pretty even, but they have been finding ways to get the big goals at the right times. It's something we just have to accept and try to be a little better next game."
A little means a lot in the Cup final and the Kings have sent a message they'd like to be crowned champs again.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


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Ask a Bartender: The Bartender Secrets Customers Don't Know
You ask, they answer.
As with all professions, bartenders have insight into their workplaces that the rest of us can't match. But given that the rest of us hang out at their workplace, we might benefit from learning a tip or two. We asked bartenders across the country: What's one bartender secret that customers don't know?
Here's what they had to say.
"We listen to everything, but say nothing. Most bartenders have great hearing." — Alan Horridge (La Dolce Vita)
"Most cocktails use the same ratios. I use the same ratio for a Sidecar as I would a margarita, just switching out the liquor and changing the lime to lemon juice. This is how most bartenders learn how to execute so many cocktails." — Kiel Schecich (SideDoor)
"Bartenders interact with all kinds of different people. You learn how to profile people very easily. You can learn a lot about a guest during your first very interaction with them." — Jay Powell (Coal Fired Bistro)
"Everybody orders gimlets with fresh squeezed lime juice. Rose's lime juice has this stigma attached to it. I think the secret to a perfect gimlet is fresh lime juice with a tiny splash of Rose's. Shhhh!" — Holly Hart (A.G. Kitchen)
"Don't 'buy the bartender drinks'. I know tons of bars who fill a bottle in their well with water and pretend it's vodka [for this purpose]." — Jason Lakow (Amali Restaurant and Bar)
"You should never be afraid to ask me questions. I'm extremely passionate about what I do and can nerd out about beer, liquor, cocktails and bar gadgets for hours. If you're curious about something, just ask—but please pick your moment. I love talking shop, but not when I'm slammed." — Jesse Cornell (Sbraga)
"We hear everything patrons say at the bar though they often talk as if they were alone in their living rooms... or in bed. We also like to bet on outcomes of first dates. (There goes our OK Cupid dating business!)" — Michael Lazar (Hog and Rocks)
"One thing I wish people understood more, was the concept of what a service well is. A service well is where all the drinks for guests sitting at tables come from. It is not a good place to try and walk up and order drinks from." — Steve Yamada (Bar R'evolution)
"We don't care what type of glassware you drink out of or the color of your cocktail. None of them make you more or less macho/girly. It's only when you comment or whine about it that you look like a wuss." — Pamela Wiznitzer (The Dead Rabbit)
"I love making cocktails with exotic ingredients, but when I go out, I mostly just want a shot of Mezcal." — Jason Eisner (Gracias Madre)
"Drinking water at the bar makes the customer more likely to order more drinks." — Andy Nelson (Jackson 20)
"I think most customers don't realize that just because we work as bartenders doesn't mean we don't have other things going in our lives. Most of us do have college degrees or even masters. We do this as a passion and we can make good money doing it. You don't look at a chef and say 'poor chef.' Don't look at your bartender and do that. We have an incredible database of knowledge just to ensure a customer's happiness." — Sean Still (Mercadito Chicago)
"A trick of the trade: Bring cash when going out with a big group." — Meaghan Dorman (Raines Law Room)
"We all take our work home with us, the good nights and the bad ones. If we're going out for a beer after service, or just going home, we're talking, or at least just thinking about what happened that night. I've spoken with a lot of bartenders about this, and found that most of us dream about being behind a bar." — Rene Hidalgo (Lantern's Keep)
"Gin is the original flavored vodka..." — Jeff Faile (Iron Gate, Red Apron, Birch & Barley)
"I'm always surprised when guests try to order from me when I'm not looking at them. If I'm making a cocktail, I can't hear your order. When it's your turn, you'll know that I'll show the same amount of attention to your cocktail." — Beau du Bois (The Corner Door)
"No matter what other bartenders SAY they do, we DO totally look at the tip the customer leaves." — Cari Hah ( City Tavern )
"Well that's the thing, it's a secret. I could tell you but I'd have to hang up my suspenders." —Mike Ryan (Sable)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.

subset: commoncrawl


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UK: 7 Marines arrested on suspicion of murder
Seven Royal Marines have been arrested on suspicion of murder in relation to an incident in Afghanistan in 2011, Britain's Ministry of Defense said Thursday.
The defense ministry said that the incident followed "an engagement with an insurgent" and that no civilians were involved.
It added that the seven were arrested Thursday by Royal Military Police, but did not name the marines. While the ministry said the marines were not arrested in Afghanistan, it would not specify where the arrests took place or give any further details on the alleged murder.
"The investigation will now be taken forward and dealt with by the Service Justice system," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, adding that "as with any serious incident of this nature, there will be an internal review to identify lessons learned."
It is believed to be the first time U.K. servicemen have been arrested on suspicion of murder over events or incidents that took place in Afghanistan.
Last year, a British soldier was jailed for stabbing a 10-year-old Afghan boy with a bayonet. The boy survived the incident, which happened in March 2010.
Britain has 9,500 troops in Afghanistan - the second largest foreign force after the United States - based in the southern Helmand province.
About 500 troops will leave this year, ahead of the withdrawal of all international forces at the end of 2014.


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What does water taste like? It's a simple question, but a quick trip to Google tells me that everyone has a different idea of exactly what water tastes like. My search uncovered a wide range of responses from some of the internet's top flavor detectives and included…
the expected: "it tastes like water" and "it has no taste"
the more scientific: "the taste depends on what was dissolved in it"
the outright humorous: "Liquefied boring" and "Mundane in a glass"
and my personal favorite: "One Atom Hydrogen, Two Atoms Oxygen. Shaken Not Stirred"
Obviously, there isn't a clear consensus on what exactly water tastes like, but there is definitely a growing market for flavored water. In addition to bottles of flavored water like Aquafina's Flavor Splash, many companies offer flavor packets that can be added to water anywhere you go to improve the taste. Kraft foods, the second largest food and Beverage Company in the world, recently launched their line of MiO flavor dispensers, hoping to break into what is now a billion dollar market for flavored water.
Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated and it should also be the cheapest, but when you add in the cost of adding flavor packets or buying fancy bottles with a hint of fruit flavoring it actually becomes more expensive than soda. Why are consumers paying more to add flavor to their water? The answer would seem to be that even though we aren't really sure what water tastes like, we have decided that we don't like the way water tastes.
This is primarily because most tap water is disinfected with chlorine, which adds an unpleasant taste and odor to the water, and often has dissolved minerals and organic material that can adversely affect the flavor of water. The unpleasant taste of tap water is one of the main reasons the bottled water industry grew so quickly and helps to explain the new fad for flavored water.
The easiest way to improve the quality of your tap water is by filtering out the chlorine and other contaminants that cause the poor taste. You would be amazed at how much better your tap water will taste with just a simple filter, like this GXULQ system from GE, installed under the kitchen sink.
Of course, variety is the spice of life and you may find you still want to add a little flavor to your water. Instead of spending a lot of hard earned cash on single-use packets why not try making your own flavored water. Adding a little mint or citrus is easy to do and is a fun way to enhance the flavor of filtered water.
Once you have perfected your masterpiece, why not share your favorite flavor recipes with us on Facebook? We would love to hear what you do to make your water taste great!


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VIDEO DOWNLOAD - Jimmy Snuka Shoot Interview
The Superfly revolutionized wrestling and changed it forever with his high-flying ability. Everyone from the most hardcore fan to people who don't even follow wrestling know the name Jimmy Snuka. This legend came todiscuss his entire career in this shoot interview.
-His start in the business.
-His body building career.
-The scoop on the territories he worked early in his career.
-Details on working Mid-Atlantic.
-What was it like working with Roddy Piper, Ric Flair & Ricky Steamboat in Mid-Atlantic?
-Snuka takes you on his tours of All Japan.
-He gives all the details on the famous 1981 match with Bruiser Brody vs. The Funks where Stan Hansen made his surprise debut.
-Did he like working in Japan.
-His run in WWF.
-Memories of the cage match vs. Bob Backlund.
-Memories of the steel cage match vs. Don Muraco and the famous dive off the top of the cage.
-Of course he talks about coconut angle and feud with Roddy Piper.
-Thoughts on Vince McMahon.
-Thoughts on Hulk Hogan.
-Comments on the George Washington Motor Lodge incident.
-Why was he the only corner man at Wrestlemania 1?
-Why did he leave WWF?
-Was there heat with Vince McMahon?
-Opinion of the AWA and going back to Japan.
-Life on the independent scene.
-Opinion of WCW match vs. Chris Benoit
-Reasons why he is still able to make a living in wrestling.
Average Customer Review: Not yet rated
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there seems to be a little bug that "comes to life" when you use the 4-finger-gesture to show the latest used programs. Sometimes after reactivating Gridrunner after that gesture there is no more touch input possible to Gridrunner - it then runs as usual but does not react on touch input ?! Same thing when you use the 5-finger-gesture to close Gridrunner, but you stop right before closing it !?
By turning the iPad 90° this bug vanishes.
Standard iPad2, 16GB, WiFi, latest iOS
Little Touch Bug ?
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Geography of Mars
Although Mars is a small planet – its radius is just a little over half of Earth's – we now know that it boasts scenery on a scale that makes Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon seem unimpressive by comparison.
Running from the eastern flanks of the rise, roughly along the equator, is Valles Marineris.
This is a split in the Martian crust 4000 kilometres long (about a fifth of the distance around the whole of Mars), up to 600 kilometres wide and seven kilometres deep. The Grand Canyon is a mere 450 kilometres long, up to 29 kilometres wide and 1.6 kilometres deep.
Then there is the Hellas Basin in the southern hemisphere, which is an enormous impact crater 2300 kilometres in diameter and more than nine kilometres deep.
But perhaps most striking of all is the general difference in height and surface roughness between the northern and southern hemispheres. The northern hemisphere is smooth and flat and on average six kilometres lower than the rugged highlands of the south.
It has the highest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons which stands at 26 kilometres above the surrounding plain: Mount Everest is only one third as high.
Olympus Mons lies at the western edge of another gargantuan feature, the Tharsis dome which is a 10 kilometre-high, 4000 kilometre-wide bulge in the Martian surface.


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We've got the highlights you won't see on SportsCenter…
[imagebrowser id=164]
We've got the highlights you won't see on SportsCenter…
[imagebrowser id=164]
See how Davis reacts when he strikes out....our players go back to dugout Whistling & high Fiving Joe Maddon, Who says: "good Effort"
So you consider it a positive to act out and throw a tantrum as opposed to acting like an adult? If something happened at work that I didn't like and I decided to spazz-out and break something I'd get fired... because I'm an adult- and that's not how adults act.
Donny Doom would prefer all our players act like Roiders and give in to their tempers. He was probably also on here ripping on Sean last year when he hurt himself punching a locker. No one is happy to make an out but an adult understands that you make a lot more outs than you do hits. I can guarantee you if Davis had injured his leg pulling that stunt the Baltimore fans would be ripping him a new one all over the internet.
He was he's so predictable. Other team's player does something-- GOOD!
Any Rays player (besides Zobrist) does it - BAD!
He's not even a fan of the Rays, just a frustrated guy who comes here every day to tell us how he's smarter than JM and AF.
Its amazing how his mind works. He criticizes every player except Ben and every management decision then says look I was right when 1 in 7 moves fails. Hell he predicted virtually all will fail.
How he can come here daily and embarass himself is pathetic.
But we're the problem because we enable the behavior by continuing to acknowledge him.
Calling him out for his stupidity is the only option unless Cork wants to make him go away for the betterment of the site.
Its hard to be right 95% of the time, start pulling out the posts I made on Friedman's signings, before one game was played.....look them up..
One I was wrong was Escobar, a .280 lifetime hitter, turns to mush went he comes to the Rays, I said he would help, but actually I wanted Zobrist at SS, His natural position,Look that up,and the Rays wouldn't have spent $5 mil on a useless,Zobrist replacement, but I also forgot they were counting on Zo to play 3 other positions besides SS....so what could they do? Really....


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Wealth management firms and trust companies year after year face three main challenges: attaining growth, consistently meeting regulatory requirements and gaining operational efficiencies.
SunGard, a software and IT services provider, asked 129 executives how their firms positioned themselves to deal with these challenges. Respondents represented North American community banks, regional trust banks, global banks, family offices and registered investment advisors.
In a study released Wednesday, SunGard reported that 41% of executives said achieving smarter operations through efficiency was the one thing they would change to make their typical day easier.
Thirty-six percent said that enhanced client service and front-office innovation were their key priorities for growth.
Half the executives in the survey said that a comprehensive wealth management offering would give them a competitive advantage in a crowded marketplace.
Forty-five percent felt that more advisory and investment services would help them stand out amid the competition, and a similar proportion thought that providing a client-centric front-office approach would be most helpful.
SunGard said that in order to attract a new generation of wealth, financial institutions know they have to be able communicate with these clients via email or mobile devices, but hesitate to incorporate these solutions.
In fact, according to the study, 36% of respondents said their clients wanted financial planning scenarios in their online portal or through the mobile channel.
Twenty-eight percent said clients were asking for a 360-degree view of the client relationship, and 25% said clients wanted more third-party content.
The survey asked respondents for their insights on what new requirements had emerged in servicing their clients as convergence across traditional disciplines continued.
Thirty-six percent said robust data aggregation services were the most important requirement, and 32% said it was smartphone and tablet applications.
According to SunGard, market pressures are forcing financial firms to offer innovative products and services while keeping up with rapidly changing regulations. As a consequence, firms have to operate more efficiently to control costs while achieving economies of scale and business agility.
Thirty-eight percent of executives said they planned to boost IT spending for integration, workflow, audit trails and automation.
Another 19% said they would build a technology plan to help prioritize IT projects, and 15% would outsource or co-source their nonstrategic activities.
"Wealth and trust firms must offer comprehensive services that drive a client-centric approach and bolster their competitive positions, as well as improve internal collaboration among front-line talent," Eileen Van Scoy, SunGard's executive vice president for the wealth and retirement administration business, said in a statement.
"A firm's ability to operate smarter could also play a larger role in advancing customer-engaged business models through integration and improved enterprise data management."
Check out How Advisors Can Manufacture Time and Build Profits on ThinkAdvisor.


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Swisher shifts to first as Tribe prepares for Bourn
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Nick Swisher pulled out his first-baseman's glove and hit the practice fields for the Indians on Tuesday morning. It was an early sign that Cleveland's players plan on accommodating the arrival of Michael Bourn.
Cleveland reached an agreement with Bourn on Monday night on a four-year contract worth $48 million, changing the look of the team's projected defensive alignment. Swisher will shift from right field to first base, and Michael Brantley and Drew Stubbs will handle left and right field, respectively. First baseman Mark Reynolds will assume the bulk of the designated-hitter duties.
Throughout Tuesday morning, manager Terry Francona met with each player to discuss their new roles.
"I talked to Brantley today, told him he's going to play left field," Francona said. "I talked to Stubbs today and told him he's going to play right field. I talked to Swish today and, obviously, we had talked before about him playing first. And Reynolds, about moving over to DH a lot and playing some first, too.
"Saying that, we still have a hole in center field."
That last remark drew laughter from Francona's audience. The manager was simply following protocol by not speaking about Bourn specifically until the center fielder completes his upcoming physical. That step could come as early as Wednesday, and Cleveland is expected to officially announce the move later this week.
Brantley, who played center field for the Tribe last season, accepted his move.
"I'm just looking forward to being by his side," Brantley said of Bourn. "It doesn't really matter to me. I'm sure he'll be in here soon. He'll be a nice player to meet."
Reynolds was also looking forward to adding Bourn to the mix.
"It's awesome," Reynolds said. "He's going to bring a lot to the table. Our outfield is going to be pretty sick, so I'm pretty excited."
Stubbs has played exclusively in center field throughout the course of his big league career, but Francona did not feel moving him to right would present an issue.
"I think it'll take him about 10 minutes," Francona said. "He's too good an outfielder. If he misses a ball in the Cactus League, that's OK. He'll be a good right fielder."


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be the first to hear about exclusive first-looks, super secret sales,
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and more!
For years, I have dreamed of just this jacket, after seeing a photo of someone wearing a similar, but different two-toned one, at least a decade ago. I have even sought out others to make it, but knew that even the most accomplished leatherworker could not really approximate the Schott cut and quality I truly craved (based on other classic jackets- which never fail to draw unsolicited raves just simply walking down any street, practically anywhere in the world- that I have cherished throughout my life). I knew my size- but thought I was taking a bit of a chance ordering online. What arrived within only two weeks (and with no PROBLEM whatsoever- something that has been the case when ordering motorcycle jackets from less reputable outlets for friends or colleagues on previous occasion) exceeded ALL of my expectations. It looks and feels like a dream indeed. It is completely unique, totally "me" (I'd share a pic, but I prefer no "copycats" as long as possible : ) And given the wear and absolute joy I know I (as well as anyone who appreciates a thing of true beauty) will get from this FOREVER, it is an absolute bargain. THANKYOU, Schott!


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Abstract and Keywords
An enduring resilience characterizes Philippine–American relationship for several reasons. For one, there is an unusual colonial relationship wherein the United States took control of the Philippines from the Spanish and then shared power with an emergent Filipino elite, introduced suffrage, implemented public education, and promised eventual national independence. A shared experience fighting the Japanese in World War II and defeating a postwar communist rebellion further cemented the "special relationship" between the two countries. The United States took advantage of this partnership to compel the Philippines to sign an economic and military treaty that favored American businesses and the military, respectively. Filipino leaders not only accepted the realities of this strategic game and exploited every opening to assert national interests but also benefitted from American largesse. Under the dictatorship of President Ferdinand Marcos, this mutual cadging was at its most brazen. As a result, the military alliance suffered when the Philippines terminated the agreement, and the United States considerably reduced its support to the country. But the estrangement did not last long, and both countries rekindled the "special relationship" in response to the U.S. "Global War on Terror" and, of late, Chinese military aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Keywords: colonialism, anti-colonialism, public school system and English, special relationship, anticommunism, mutual defense treaty, economic parity ties, economic nationalism, Ferdinand Marcos, martial law, human rights, U.S. military bases, military politicization, democratization, Islamic terrorism and the U.S. War on Terror, USAID, Balikatan exercises
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(photo is highly edited, look below for more accurate pictures as seen inworld)
Soo, Hi, i'm alive. Yes, it's been a COUPLE months since i posted anything, and I hang my head in shame, but hey! alot of things have changed over those couple months soo don't hateme :c. Biggest news? My mom was put back in the hosptial for almost a month and she got out this Monday. Soo, my life hasn't been "I MUST BLOG" lately, and more like "MOM BE OK" Sooo there is that. Also, school ended last week and i passed all my classes but have to repate one, and then I am done for the year :D annnnd last but for sure not least, .Olive. has had ALOT happen to it. I hope to do a mega post on all the goings on with it, but for those of you who are loyal, i'll let you in on a secret: .Olive. will be growing to more than just accessories soon, and a new branch will be opening in the future reflecting that :D Soooo, look out guys, I'll be putting out group gifts and what not soon related to it!
Ok on to the post this time. Since I've been undergoing alot of growing up and muturing, I decided to take an artistic turn with my blog posts. I hate holding back when I want to edit something, and I have been trying to do that with blog for months, not letting anything get TOO out of control for the fear people will hate me. But, after much thought, and a long time without actually blogging, I made up my mind and said, ya know what? this is my blog. That's it, I go with what feels rights. And this photo here, which IS highly edited, to me, isn't just a blog post, but also a beautiful piece of art I stuck my heart into. So from now on my blog posts will be on the more artistic side.
With that being said, the picture below, as you can see, is not edited at all other than adding a few shadows behind the images for a nice pop. I'll also, ofc, provide you with images of the items with out editing so you can see it's true form :3
Another things, is I'll be cutting down on my long blog posts. I'm sure some enjoy it, but I can tell most don't. And, I don't have the same amount of time i used to to commit to make huge posts talking about each item, but I will try :D
In this post got a bunch of wonderful things. This dress from Yome Shoujo has been on my dream list for almost a good year. And these horns from the new Gacha that [AUX] released at the December Zodiac event made me finally buy it. These unicorn colors are so typical me, and the dress, it's just, perfect? Yeah I'm guessing that's the word I need, perfect. The hair, which also, is pretty bright, is a recent buy from Exile, and there new color pack, Wild Fusion, is my new love. I thought I loved Lamb's hair choices? This kind of possible hit it out of the ball park for me. From all this color, I needed SOMETHING to rein in it, so I could not scare you all, and these new stockings from "Jim" are perfect! The outline of the Eiffel tower? Umm, YES PLEASE? When my sister Jim showed me these my jaw dropped. It's such a creative idea! Jimbo you are growing girl love it, please keep making pretty things so I can be pretty too :> Last, but not least by any means, are these shoes which are a store release from [whatever]. The Stellas! Epp, just, take a moment to STARE at them. Yes, yes this is happening. Ok, are you done? Or wait-oh, oh you need a another moment? That's fine-but here take this tissue you're drooling a bit. Okay, how about now? We good to move on? Alright, as you can see these shoes, are, well, it's hard to put a good word down next to them that would describe them...how about..sensational ? I think that might work. it's not just that these are pretty, but they are crazy! Anne (Candy) made these bad boys in about a million colors with 3 platue options each. huh, all i can say is that your feet need them. K? K.
Well that about wraps this up! More soon my loves :3 Miss you all terribly, hope to post regularly soon :D
- Rose <3
- Hair: ::Exile:: Fade Into You: Pink Sugar
- Skin: -tb- {Light} Blessa: Clean - Dark Brows
- Eyes: Dead Apples - Nebula Eyes - Fantasy Edition -Surnrise (NEW!)
- Makeup: Dead Apples - Ose Shadows - Ose Blue
- Horns: [Aux] In Dreams - Horns - Unicorn (RARE) (@ the Zodiac)
- Dress: xxYOMESHOUJOxx *LovelyZebra/antiQ*
- Stockings: "Jim"-Europe Stockings-France (MP)
- Shoes: [whatever] stella - cyan - [BLACK] (new store exclusive release)
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Attorney: Driver in Texas parade crash 'in shock'
Tue., Nov. 20, 2012
MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — A 50-year-old Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan was driving a parade float that investigators say edged across a railroad crossing in Texas despite warning signals of a fast approaching train, the man's attorney said Tuesday.
Four veterans were killed in the resulting collision in Midland on Thursday. Sixteen people were injured.
Dale Andrew Hayden was driving one of two flatbed trucks carrying wounded veterans and their loved ones in the procession to honor the war heroes, said Hal Brockett, Hayden's attorney.
"Words can't express the sorrow and remorse for the people who got hurt and killed," Brockett said in an interview Tuesday.
Investigators say the float began crossing the train tracks even though warning bells were sounding and the crossing lights were flashing. A Union Pacific train travelling at more than 60 mph ran into the truck as the occupants scrambled to jump to safety.
Hayden, who had a military career spanning more than three decades, now works as a truck driver for Smith Industries, an oilfield services company. Brockett said the company has placed Hayden on medical leave.
Hayden is "kind of catatonic" and not ready to be interviewed, Brockett said.
"He's just very much in shock," the lawyer said.
The San Antonio Express-News first identified Hayden as the driver.
Federal investigators on Tuesday plan to re-enact the events that led to the collision.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the railroad crossing warning system was activated 20 seconds before the accident, and the guardrail began to come down seven seconds after that.
But some Midland residents have said there isn't enough time between when the signal begins and the trains arrive. They say guardrails aren't completely down by the time a train comes by.
The Union Pacific freight train heading to Louisiana was estimated to be going at 62 mph at the time of the crash.
The veterans had been invited to Midland, a transportation and commerce hub in the West Texas oilfields, for a three-day weekend of hunting and shopping in appreciation of their service. A local charity, Show of Support, had organized the trip, parade and other festivities. Show of Support officials have declined to identify the driver.
Killed were Marine Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gary Stouffer, 37; Army Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin, 47; Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34; and Army Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43.
Hayden began his military career as an active-duty soldier from 1980 to 1988. He did two stints in the Oklahoma National Guard in the 1990s before signing up again for the Army Reserve in December 2003, according to Army records. He served in Iraq until March 2005 and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 until the following September.
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End of Tenancy Cleaning in Greenwich
When the end of your lease comes, there's no time for mistakes and losing precious hours in doing nothing. You have to plan your numerous obligations and you don't have to forget the most important one among them - the deep removal sanitising. It must be performed according to the existing standards if you insist on receiving your rental deposit back. Have you ever considered the idea about professional assistance?
Continue reading and make sure that you're at the right place! Here in Greenwich SE10 Nice and Clean London offers affordable and efficient end of tenancy cleaning, which will save you money and efforts. If you rely on our experienced company there is no risk to fail at the final property inspection, because you are guaranteed to get wonderful results. Do we provoke your interest, are you ready to play it safe and to prove that you're thrifty and responsible tenant?
Hurry up and call us on 020 3670 2141! Request our convenient service and don't worry about distance, because our experts cover all Greenwich and the entire SE10 area.
Ensure yourself the smoothest removal ever!
You know how precious time is nowadays, actually time is money - it's a common truth. The end of tenancy cleaning demands a serious investment in time, because the sanitising procedures are more comprehensive than the regular disinfection routine. Even if you are very enthusiastic to do everything on your own, there is no guarantee that you will achieve satisfactory results.
Keep in mind that our flexible service is guaranteed within 48 hours, which means that if eventually an omission happens, one single phone call will solve the problem, free of charge. Every tenement in the SE10 district will shine from cleanliness if the job is entrusted to our trained, vetted and insured specialists. Don't underestimate the convenience and the reliability, ensured by Nice and Clean London! Plus, your landlord will be charmed by the gorgeous results and he will not only return your money deposit back, but he will stay your sincere friend.
Contact us on 020 3670 2141 and prepare to meet our expert team! Schedule your visit and get stunning final results!
All these advantages are at cheap and competitive rates especially for you!
- Our expert team will bring everything needed for the thorough end of tenancy cleaning: high-quality Eco-friendly detergents and modern equipment.
- Every single room will be sanitised up to the highest standards. Our staff is aware of all the requirements pointed in the inventory check.
- Costs are quite cheap and affordable for every tenant in Greenwich SE10.
Don't lose precious time, but start your successful plan with our reliable end of lease sanitising! Get yourself a free quote by dialing 020 3670 2141! Clever tenants in the SE10 district choose Nice and Clean London!
We perform also high-quality professional domestic cleaning on daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis.
OFFER: End of Tenancy and Carpet Cleaning
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Note: when you book End of Tenancy together with Hot Steam Carpet cleaning, you get 50% off the regular carpet cleaning price.
End of Tenancy Cleaning
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* please note when you book End of Tenancy together with Hot Steam Carpet cleaning, you get 50% off the regular carpet cleaning price.


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坐着进的姿势Industry leader and California operator Maurice Brewster contributes insights to a Wall Street Journal article.
坐着进的姿势Read More
坐着进的姿势Industry leader and California operator Maurice Brewster contributes insights to a Wall Street Journal article.
坐着进的姿势Read More
Operators should be trying every available option now that the federal stimulus bill will be going into effect.
Read More
North Carolina's H.A. Thompson who retired from his company last year at age 85 reminds industry fleet owners of time-tested strategies.
Read More
eNews Exclusive: The team at M&M Limousine and Bus Service has figured out a great way to bring families together during a rough time.
Read More
A panel of industry veterans provided their best tips for handling tough issues that affect client retention.
Read More
Tim Pettit has had many careers and uses what he's learned to run a better business, especially during tough times.
Opinion: Don't stop posting on social media...just do it in a helpful way.
Tammy Carlisle has gone over her finances with a fine-tooth comb and discovered ways to save she would have otherwise never thought of.
The Minority Limousine Operators of America association offers some real-time practical advice on handling the obstacles and frustrations operators are encountering.
The Canada-based manufacturer says thousands more workers will be affected by a two-week idle period.
This GGTI site is available for ground transportation workers losing their jobs and for companies that will need to fill positions when the pandemic passes.
Global Business Travel Association members are either overly confident about when normality will resume, or underestimate the seriousness of the COVID-19 crisis.
COVID-19 Coping: This idea will work in any town or area that needs safe, clean, convenient delivery service or point-to-point rides.
eNews Exclusive: Steve Qua and Nina Parson of Company Car and Limousine have devised a plan to help get members of the industry moving again.
Private charter FBO-based jet services and secluded wellness retreats are catering to a pandemic-driven luxury travel market. Who can drive clients to those destinations?
The U.S. seller of Van Hool motorcoaches recently distributed this advisory about its operations and crisis resources.
Operators and vendors can benefit from listening to leaders with long-range perspective.
LCT With You: Jim Luff talks a bit about the COVID-19 situation and how operators can make it through times.
Vehicle Pick of the Week: No matter what weather or terrain you deal with in your service area, this SUV can get you through some rough roads.
The luxury SUV will use GM's new BT1 platform.
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By Craig Boddington, Guns & Ammo
The .17 caliber is hardly new. It probably first achieved popularity among Australian fox hunters more than 50 years ago. The Down Under rabbit infestation is well known, but for the boom in foxes that followed, the little .17 seemed just the ticket. The bullet would enter, do its work, but not exit, thus minimizing pelt damage. In the 1960s good old American wildcatters started necking various small centerfire cases (including the .22 Hornet) down to .17, and the caliber found favor with quite a few serious stateside varminters.
After quite a bit of wildcatting activity Remington introduced the .17 Remington in 1971. Based on the .222 Remington case, but with the neck shortened and the case lengthened to increase powder capacity, the .17 Remington was—and is—one of fastest of all factory cartridges, propelling a 20-grain bullet at 4,250 fps, or a 25-grain bullet at just over 4,000 fps.
Although wildcatters never gave up, this is pretty much the story of the .17 caliber until the last decade. The .17 Remington did—and does—have a following, especially among predator hunters. It has been less popular among high-volume varmint shooters because it quickly achieved a reputation for rapid fouling that affected accuracy. Why? Well, when velocities are that high some fouling is unavoidable, and because of the .17's small bullet diameter, a couple thousandths of fouling buildup is more critical than with larger calibers.
In 2002 Hornady introduced the .17 HMR, based on the .22 WMR case necked down. The .17 HMR has been a spectacular rimfire success. It tends to be more accurate than than .22 WMR, and with a little 17-grain bullet at 2,550 fps (or a 20-grain bullet at 2,375), it's awesome for small varmints at short range. Hornady followed up in 2005 with the .17 Mach 2, using the CCI Stinger case (slightly longer than the .22 LR case) necked down.
In 2007 Remington necked the stubby .221 Fireball case down to .17, creating the .17 Remington Fireball. This little speedburner propels a 20-grain bullet at 4,000 fps, and it's very accurate as well. However, it's fair to say that, of all today's .17 offerings—both rimfire and centerfire—only the .17 HMR can be considered a runaway success.
The Load, the Rifle
Now there's one more, the .17 Hornet, developed by Hornady late last year and now making its debut in the Savage Model 25 bolt action. I'm not always good at predicting winners and losers in the marketplace—and it's way too early to tell—but I'm calling this one a winner.
The concept isn't new; wildcatters have been necking down both the .22 Hornet and blown-out .22 K-Hornet since the 1960s. The .22 Hornet is really a blend, not quite as sharp-shouldered as the K-Hornet, but with quite a bit of the .22 Hornet body taper removed. Thanks to modern propellant technology, it's also an idea whose time has come. Introduced in Hornady's Superformance Varmint line, the initial factory loading features a 20-grain V-Max bullet at an advertised velocity of 3,650 fps, which seems to me to be an astounding performance from such a small case.
I was first introduced to the .17 Hornet at Intermedia's August Round Table at PASA Park in Illinois. It seemed accurate and was a lot of fun to shoot, but at that time both rifle and ammunition were in prototype form. Several months passed before I was able to get my hands on a production rifle and ammunition. No matter. My first impression of the rifle/cartridge combo held up just fine.
The Savage Model 25 is a serious varmint rifle. There are three versions. The one I got was the Light Varminter. It has a laminate wood stock and a 24-inch bull barrel. With the Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x50mm scope I put on it, it weighs about 9½ pounds. The scope deserves special mention. The Vari-X II, or "VX2," is hardly new, but for 2012 this time-tested Leupold line has received a significant facelift, with improved optics and adjustments. At the 2012 SHOT Show they had the "new" VX2 mounted on a platform side by side with the "old" VX2—and you could actually see the difference. That said, many prairie dog hunters will mount more powerful scopes on their .17 Hornets, while predator callers may prefer a smaller, more versatile hunting scope like the 3-9x50mm I used on the test rifle.
As may be imagined, with the little .17-caliber cartridge, it's an extremely stable platform. The rifle can also be had with a laminate thumbhole stock (Lightweight Varminter-T) or with synthetic furniture (Walking Varminter). The Model 25 has a three-lug bolt, and in .17 Hornet, the detachable polymer magazine holds four rounds.
Small But Sizzling
Hornady's .17 Hornet ammo comes packed in a square 25-round box. The first thing I did was run several rounds over the chronograph. Honestly, I was skeptical. I know it's a light little bullet, but how could they get that kind of velocity out of that tiny case?
A partial answer, at least, is Hornady's Superformance proprietary powders. Like I said, I was skeptical, and I'd have been perfectly happy if the factory ammo even came close. But it didn't just come close. My actual average on this lot of ammo was 3,675 fps, which suggests that, for those who prefer a lighter "walkaround varmint rifle," the published velocity of 3,650 fps can probably be achieved from a 22-inch barrel.
At the bench the little .17 Hornet is just plain fun. With a heavy rifle like the Model 25 Savage there is almost no movement when the trigger breaks—and varmint hunters will love that. The Savage Accu-Trigger is crisp and clean, and although the magazine proved a bit of a stumbling block in development, feeding from the polymer magazine was smooth and flawless.
At the range it probably didn't make much difference. The new Leupold was clear and bright, and the adjustments were precise. After rough bore sighting the rifle came readily into zero with just a couple of shots. With a stable rifle in a solid rest, a good trigger, and the scope turned up to 9X, I felt like the groups I was getting were representative of what the rifle and load wanted to deliver. Maybe I could have done slightly better with a scope of higher magnification…but I wouldn't swear to it. Also, I was aided by an extremely calm day. One thing that cannot be changed is that the .17's very light bullets are pretty susceptible to wind drift.
OK, is that enough suspense? Get on with it, Boddington, how did the darned thing shoot? Quite well, thanks for asking. Right out of the box, with factory ammo and no barrel break-in, this particular Savage Model 25 is a half-MOA rifle. Of a dozen groups, my best measured .40 inch; my worst .75 inch. The majority were extremely consistent at just about a half-inch. I tend to think that's pretty darned good for first crack out of the box. Although 3,650 fps is still pretty darned speedy, I was surprised that barrel heat didn't seem an issue. I fired quite a few shots in quick succession, but the Savage's heavy barrel hardly got warm to the touch (lots of steel, small hole!). I fired it warm and I let it cool, but the accuracy didn't vary noticeably.
Real-World Applications
The cartridge's overall length—at 1.723 inches—is exactly the same as the .22 Hornet. The rimmed case will not be suitable for all actions, but it should fit nicely into all existing platforms that will handle the .22 Hornet. As much as I love the original Hornet, I have to admit that serious accuracy has rarely been the cartridge's strong suit. So, as has been the case with .17 HMR versus its .22 WMR parent, it's my guess that the .17 Hornet will prove noticeably more accurate on average than the .22 Hornet we've long known and loved.
It's also a whole lot faster, with a trajectory curve that closely matches that of the .223 Remington with a 55-grain bullet. Unlike the .17 HMR, its centerfire case can be handloaded, however Hornady is pricing its factory ammo to be extremely competitive: The suggested retail price for a box of 25 (note the five-round bonus over most centerfire rifle ammo) is $25.27; part of the idea is for the cartridge to be more affordable. But no matter how you compare it, the .17 Hornet is not a .17 Remington, much less a .223.
While it does shoot just as flat as a .223, its light bullets are going to get blown about a bit more on windy days, and those little projectiles cannot produce nearly as much energy. On the other hand, it is a whole lot more capable than the .17 HMR. I use the HMR for armadillos and other pests around my Kansas place. For small varmints out to 150 yards or so, it's an amazing little cartridge, but it has sharp limits. At 2,550 fps I've found it to be marginal for coyotes. Even at close range you have to be very careful with shot placement, and once you get out there a bit, it just doesn't have enough steam.
I've also used the .17 HMR in Africa for small predators and pygmy antelopes, and I've found it marginal for jackal (which, like coyotes, are very tough); and I've seen issues with penetration even on small, thin-skinned antelopes like steenbok. But add 1,000 fps to that little .17-caliber bullet and you have an entirely different cartridge with an altogether different set of capabilities.
The .17 Hornet should prove plenty of gun not just for foxes, but also for coyotes and bobcats and, like the faster .17s, should do its work without pelt-damaging exit wounds. For the ground squirrel and prairie dog shooters, it has both accuracy and extended range over the rimfires, so while no .17 can be considered a true long-range varminter, it will reach into the middle distance almost as well as the .223, with the added advantage of letting the shooter call the shot right through the scope.
In our vast spectrum of factory cartridges, there aren't many gaps, but I think the .17 Hornet found one: a versatile .17 that reaches out without breaking the bank or burning the barrel. It'll be very interesting to see how well it catches on.
Thanks to Guns & Ammo for this gun review. Visit them at http://www.gunsandammo.com/


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Jake "The Battery" Elmore Does It All
If Jake Elmore's nickname isn't "The Battery" from here on out, I don't know what it should be. Tonight, the do-it-all player entered the game at catcher (his first appearance there) and then went in to pitch. He got himself a hit and pitched a scoreless inning, which was the only scoreless inning by a Houston pitcher. I guess you can call him "Mr. Do It All," but "The Battery" is about a thousand times better.
Jake Elmore is the 14th player to play both battery positions and had at least 1 PA in a game since 1916.— Kazuto Yamazaki (@LaBlynne) August 20, 2013
Astros utility guy Jake Elmore caught his first game and also pitched his first game. He had a 1-2-3 inning. (cc @cantpredictball)— Doug Kern (@dakern74) August 20, 2013
Will post video when it becomes available.


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Belize 52 Daybridge
Belize Motoryachts believes that everything old can be new again. Or at least that's how they feel about their designs. The company strives to incorporate traditional lines into their vessels, since they view style as an evolution of purpose. Hence, their new 52 Daybridge has a singular look to her, with a saltier profile than many of her competitors. She's definitely a boat that will stand out at the docks.
However, any retro feel the boat may have ends when you take a look at her technical specs. She's got a double vinylester outer skin, a resin-infused composite construction hull, and independent foam-filled hull compartments. Not exactly old-fashioned.
What's more, the boat's twin 600-horsepower Cummins QSCs—which are trained to Zeus pods—are built into anti-vibration engine mounts, and have double laggings of acoustic material surrounding them. But just because the engines are quiet, doesn't mean they're not working. At full throttle the 52 should hit about 30 knots while being able to maintain a cruise of 25.
Another highlight of the 52 is her cockpit, which features a fridge, ice maker, wet bar, and even a small breakfast bar to port, perfect for enjoying a creamy cappuccino and a buttery croissant as the day begins. A Bose sound system and three LED televisions ensure that even on rainy days nobody onboard will want for something to do.
Not that we encourage the couch-potato lifestyle. The 52 is a boat built with tradition in mind, so that you can create some traditions of your own. Get a taste of what Belize has to offer by checking out this boat's sistership, the 52 Sedan, at the 2013 Miami Yacht and Brokerage show.
Click here for Belize Motoryachts' contact information and index of articles ➤
- Builder: Belize Motoryachts
- Model: Belize 52 Daybridge
- Year: 2012
- Base Price: $1,559,000
- Draft: 3'6"
- Beam: 16'6"
- Standard Power: 2/600-hp Cummins QSCs
- Cruise speed: 25 knots
- Top speed: 30 knots
This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.


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Bona Green Ceramic 12" BD-12 Belts are part of Bona's BETTER sanding system. The combination of ceramic and aluminum oxide grit materials make this abrasive extremely aggressive and offers outstanding productivity. Compared to other competitive ceramic abrasives, Bona Green Ceramic Abrasives cut 30% faster and last up to 50% longer.
City Floor Supply distributes hardwood and sport floor products and provides unsurpassed customer service. When it comes to hardwood flooring, our wood floor consultants have seen it all. They are available to answer questions and address any job-site issues related to hardwood floors. City Floor Supply also offers a variety of weekly and monthly on-line deals for hardwood floor contractors.
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I need to make a screen overlay on video composite signal coming from a camera.
All graphics would be made with Pi.
But how to make overlay ?
I can see two posibilites :
1/- use a USB AV converter, add overlay by software and use Video composite from the Pi Board : it certainly consumes a lot of times and produces delay (about ms). Original signal must not be delay (or as little as possible).
2/- Create graphics on Pi, and synchronize (mix) its SVideo with external source video (video composite) : original signal is not delayed at all.
Best solution is the 2nd one. BUT how to synchronize PI SVideo with the cam one ?
So, is there a way (software or hardware) to start video composite frame whenever I want ?
If you have any ideas about it please...?


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This challenge is brought to you by the previous Challenge Champion Kanogetz:
The deadline is set for Monday morning, June 13, 2016 at 9:00 am PST. You can post your art to this thread at any time before that. Good luck!
Blocks, counter attacks, C-C-C-C-C0MBOS! It's time for your favorite SWAT Kats character to step into the ring, arena or street to test their might, win the tournament, or take the prize! Fancy weapons, hand-to-to-hand combat, flashy attire and cool victory poses are sure to abound. Be inspired by the visual traits of this video game genre to depict at least one SWAT Kats canon character in their fighting persona to achieve a flawless win. Now...FIGHT!
This thread can also be used to discuss the challenge, talk about ideas related to it should you wish to, clear up any questions, post art progress if you wish, or to announce your participation (optional, not required), or to coordinate/request a collaboration.
There will be a prize for the winner. Still arranging it, details to come in the next week or two.


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Abstract and Keywords
Arms control is a strategy by governments to overcome the security dilemma with institutionalized cooperation. It comes in three versions, arms control proper, with stability as the main objective; non-proliferation as a sub-category of arms control, so understood with the main objective being to preserve the distributive status quo concerning certain weapon types; and disarmament, with the objective to eliminate a specific weapon type. Confidence building is a crosscutting functional concept lumping together many different measures that can serve all three versions.
Arms control does not reject self-help as a basis of national security, but entrusts a significant piece of it to cooperation with potential enemies. Hence, arms control—with the exception of unilateral, hegemonic arms control imposed on others, and of non-proliferation for preserving an existing oligopoly—is a difficult subject for realism and neorealism, but also for post-modernism. It presents a solvable puzzle for rationalists and no problem at all for constructivists who, to the contrary, can dig into norms, discourses, and identities.
Concerning stability and change, arms control can be looked at from two opposite perspectives. Since it aims at stability, critical security approaches have labeled it as a conservative, status quo orientated strategy. But there is also a transformational perspective: arms control as a vehicle to induce and reinforce a fundamental redefinition of the relationship between states. Naturally, the concept of disarmament shows the greatest affinity to the transformational perspective.
A related issue is whether arms control is a result of political circumstances, a dependent variable without a political impact of its own, or whether it has causal effect on interstate relations. Constructivism proposes a dialectical relationship in which arms control and broader policy influence each other. From this reflection, the question of the conditions of success and failure flows naturally. Conducive interstate relations (or extrinsic shocks), technology, domestic structures, learning, leadership, perception, and ideology have been candidates for the independent master variable.
Three models tackle the relationship of arms control and historical time: the enlightenment intuition of steady progress; a series of waves, each of which leaves the world in a more cooperative state than the previous one; and the circle—arms control ebbs and flows alternatively, but achievements are fully lost in each ebb period.
We can distinguish four arms control discourses: arms control as the maiden of deterrence; arms control subordinated to defense needs; arms control under the imperative of disarmament; and arms control as the instrument of human security, the survival and well-being of human individuals, notably civilians.
As with all politics, arms control involves justice issues: the distribution of values (security/power), access to participation in decision making, and the granting of recognition as legitimate actor. Arms control negotiations are ripe with justice claims, and failure through incompatible justice demands happens frequently. Also, emotions play a key role: frustration and ensuing resentment, anger, and existential fear can prevent success. Finally, compassion, empathy, and trust are ingredients in successful arms control processes.
Keywords: arms control, disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control waves, realism/neorealism, post-modernism, constructivism, security cooperation, confidence-building
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Thirteen states now allow same-sex marriage. Illinois isn't one of them. Though the Illinois Senate passed the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act in February, the bill's sponsors haven't come up with the votes to pass it in the House.
The political and legal dynamics of same-sex marriage have been changing quickly since that Senate vote. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a major section of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and cleared the path for gay marriage in California. Pope Francis' recent comment that the Roman Catholic Church "cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods" has prompted new debate within and outside of the church.
Will there be a vote in the Illinois House when lawmakers reconvene in October? Have public attitudes in the state changed? Can a law that permits same-sex marriage protect religious freedom? We're going to take on those questions at a forum I'll moderate on Tuesday Oct. 1 with four of the leaders in this debate.
This is a great panel.
State Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago is the primary House sponsor of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.
Robert Gilligan is the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Illinois, which represents the six Roman Catholic dioceses in the state and opposes same-sex marriage.
Chicago Ald. Deborah Mell, a former state representative, became the first member of the Illinois legislature to publicly enter a same-sex marriage when she was married in Iowa in 2011.
Latest News
Peter Breen is the vice president and senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, a national public interest law firm that has led legal efforts to stop same-sex marriage laws.
They will discuss the religious and legal implications of the bid to redefine marriage in Illinois and the political prospects for a change in the law.
Chicago Forward: A Discussion About Marriage Equality, will be held at 6 p.m. at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N. State St. We'll take questions from the audience and continue the discussion at a reception after the forum. I hope you'll join us. Tickets are available at tribnation.com/events.
--Bruce Dold, editorial page editor


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Finding balance between your commitment to staying fit and well, reality, is tough and it only gets tougher in the holiday season. Close quarters and cold weather challenge our immune systems and unrestricted family time presents its own challenges to our mental health, not to mention the dinner table and the threat it poses to undoing our efforts to eat right and exercise. Here are six tips to stay on track this holiday season and beyond.
Have a good breakfast. While it's tempting to skip breakfast to offset the damage of the feast to come, doing so sets up a cycle of plummeting blood sugar that leaves you likely to skip your workout, head into the festivities feeling cranky and unlikely to enjoy the party, and ready to put anything into your mouth to hold you over until dinner. Start your morning right with a protein-heavy meal that will hold you for hours to come. Including eggs in your breakfast is a great bet to support weight loss (or maintenance) and a healthy immune system. For just 70 calories per egg, you invest in a high nutrient food that is likely to leave you eating less throughout the day (as much as 400 calories less according to one study)! You can offset the calories by including a quick workout that will rev up your metabolism and your mood for the rest of the morning.
Squeeze in a morning workout. You've already taken a big step towards making your daily workouts convenient and accessible through investing in your home fitness equipment. On days that you're pressed for time, use your treadmill, elliptical or recumbent bike for a quality workout that packs a big impact in a short period of time. A High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session is approachable for all fitness levels and will rev up your metabolism and improve your blood sugar in as little as ten minutes (though if you can go for 20 that's even better). Start out with a short warm-up of 2-5 minutes, then alternate between period of maximum effort (45-90 seconds) and recovery (1-2 minutes). The shorter the recovery period and the longer the intervals, the tougher your training session, so base your approach on your fitness level. Finish your workout with 2-5 minutes of recovery and enjoy the bragging rights that workout gives you at the day's festivities.
Practice gratitude. From lowering your blood pressure to improving your mental health, the benefits of gratitude go far beyond lip service. As you head into potentially stressful days, take the time to really recognize the abundance that exists in your daily life. If you have the time, you can even complete this gratitude exercise and see the difference that bringing appreciation into your morning creates throughout the day.
Make plans. Even though family events and a full house can bring their share of stress, they might also be good for you in the long run. Research shows that strong social connections lead to happier, longer lives. Steer clear of those you know set you off and take the opportunity to really connect with someone you care about, whether that's in person or taking the time to call or send a card. Including the right people in your life can also be a great opportunity to boost your commitment to a healthy lifestyle through supporting your diet and exercise plans.
Get outside. While you're enjoying your social connections, why not grab your favorite cousin or sibling and head outside? Not only does this give you the chance to create some memories, you can also ditch family members who might be less than supportive of your healthy lifestyle. It's no secret that spending time outdoors is good for you. You'll also receive benefits ranging from strengthened immunity, a healthy dose of Vitamin D (harder to come by at this dark time of year) and improved concentration (just the thing for cleaning up at the post-feast card game).
Enjoy your meal. Sure, the holiday table spread is loaded with caloric nightmares that start with butter and end with whipped cream, however, there are some seriously nutrient-dense choices that grace every traditional table as well. Enjoy your turkey, even the dark meat. Loaded with protein and iron, it's filled with the stuff you need to build muscle and recover from your tough workouts. Whether you take them baked, in a casserole, or in pie form, enjoy your sweet potatoes and squash. They're packed with beta carotene that can strengthen your resistance to the cold someone inevitably brought to the party, and maybe even help you to fight off cancer in the long run.
Wishing you a healthy holiday season!


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Weekly Standard: Compromise Too Pricy For GOP
Max Boot, is a contributing editor atThe Weekly Standard.
Opinion polls consistently show that the U.S. military is the most trusted institution in America. Republicans have benefited indirectly from that hard-won reputation because since the 1970s they have been seen as the strong, hawkish party, while Democrats have had to fight the stigma that they are weak and dovish. Republicans wouldn't throw away that aura — one of their strongest electoral assets — just to reach a budget deal with President Obama. Or would they?
There are persistent and worrisome reports that they might. The Hill newspaper, for instance, claims that Republican budget negotiators have been discussing cutting defense by $600 billion to $700 billion — considerably more than the already indefensible $400 billion in cuts that Obama has said he would like to see over the next decade.
Obama's proposed cuts are bad enough; as former Defense Secretary Robert Gates implicitly warned before leaving office, such deep reductions would seriously impair the military's ability to meet its global commitments. Going beyond what Obama has proposed is simply suicidal — on both substantive and political grounds.
Start with substance: The defense budget did experience a rapid increase during the past decade because of the post-9/11 wars. But the budget is already shrinking — down from $708 billion this fiscal year to $670 billion in the next fiscal year. That's a $38 billion cut, and the budget will decline even more as troops leave Iraq and Afghanistan.
Already the military is feeling the strain of maintaining all of its commitments, including a new war in Libya. Those who suggest, with a straight face, paring back a whopping $700 billion more — even over the course of a number of years — should be forced to explain which missions currently performed by the U.S. armed forces they are willing to sacrifice.
Should we completely pull out of Afghanistan? Even with the overly hasty withdrawal of surge forces ordered by Obama, we still will have 70,000 troops there at the end of next year, costing at least $70 billion. Pulling out troops even faster risks giving jihadists their biggest victory since 9/11.
Perhaps we should stop fighting pirates off the coast of Africa? Stop fighting in Libya so that arch-terrorist Muammar Qaddafi can claim a victory over the West? Stop targeting al Qaeda in Pakistan and Yemen and elsewhere? Stop deterring China, North Korea, or Iran? Stop patrolling the Persian Gulf through which much of the world's oil flows? Stop fighting cyberattacks emanating from China and Russia? Stop developing missile defenses to protect the American homeland? Stop supporting Mexico and Colombia in their fights against narcotraffickers? Stop holding military exercises with friendly armed forces from Egypt to the Philippines — exercises that allow us to exert soft power at low cost?
Maybe advocates of budget cuts think we should continue performing all, or most, of those missions with less resources. But that's a cop-out. It's a recipe for stinting on training and personnel, thus creating a "hollow force" of the kind that we last saw in the late 1970s.
The reality is that there is no way the armed forces can perform all, or even most, of their current missions with less money. In fact, despite the growing spending of the past decade for contingency operations, the military has already cancelled a number of important procurement programs. These include the Army's Future Combat System and the Air Force's F-22, the best-in-the-world stealth fighter that was canceled just before China unveiled its own stealth fighter.
For the most part, the armed forces remain reliant on weapons systems designed in the 1960s and 1970s and procured in the 1980s: aircraft such as the A-10, F-15, and F-16, helicopters such as the Apache and Black Hawk, warships such as Los Angeles-class submarines and Ticonderoga-class cruisers, and armored vehicles such as Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles. These are all superb weapons, but they are rapidly aging — and are either being overtaken, or soon will be, by competing models produced abroad that are certain to fall into the hands of our enemies.
Moreover, competing powers such as China and Russia are designing weapons such as computer bugs and antisatellite missiles that could render much of our current equipment useless. We will have to develop defenses. And that won't be cheap.
At the same time, the Department of Defense must take care of its people — our most precious asset. There are 1.5 million active-duty military personnel, 750,000 civilian Defense Department employees, and 1.5 million personnel in the Reserves and National Guard. We already spend more on personnel costs ($157 billion this year) than on weapons procurement ($151 billion) and the imbalance is likely to grow in future years, thereby making it even harder to increase our power-projection capabilities. Yet Congress rebuffed Gates's attempts to institute modest co-payments for the fiscally unsustainable Tricare medical system. That was deemed too politically sensitive.
This is part of a pattern: Congress finds it difficult or impossible to cut specific defense programs because they all have powerful constituencies. But mandating "top-line" cuts may be politically palatable as part of a budget deal because lawmakers won't have to make tough choices about which programs to eliminate and which areas of the world to leave undefended.
Cutting defense won't solve our budget woes. The "core" defense budget, $553 billion, is small as a percentage of GDP (3.7 percent) and of the federal budget (15 percent). Nor is it the reason why we are piling up so much debt. To reduce the deficit, lawmakers will have to do something about out-of-control entitlement programs.
If Republicans acquiesce in ruinous cuts to the defense budget, they will cease to be known as Ronald Reagan's heirs. Instead they will be remembered as the party of William E. Borah, Hamilton Fish III, and Gerald Nye. Remember those GOP giants of the 1930s? They thought a strong defense was unaffordable and unnecessary. But their reputations collapsed on December 7, 1941, when we learned (not for the last time) the price of unreadiness. That is a lesson today's Republicans should remember as they negotiate over the budget.
Copyright 2020 The Weekly Standard. To see more, visit .


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For Release Worldwide: September 2012
Release Number: 327PR12
Cat® 7495 Electric Rope Shovel builds on proven design with advanced cab and optional HydraCrowd™ and LatchFree™ Dipper System
Efficient off-grid power supply coming in late 2013
The Cat® 7495 and 7495 HF Electric Rope Shovels have been enhanced with a state-of-the-art cab and are available with HydraCrowd and the LatchFree Dipper System—all designed to boost productivity through easier control and reduced downtime.
Additionally, Caterpillar is developing an off-grid power supply, a patent-pending technology that reduces the amount of generator power required to run an electric rope shovel. The system captures regenerated power from the shovel and uses it during periods of high power demand—effectively reducing the maximum amount of power required from the generators. The technology will enable mining companies to power the 7495 or 7495 HF with just 4 megawatts of generator power, and, as result, to reduce fuel and maintenance costs significantly.
The 7495 and 7495 HF both have payloads of 120 tons (109 tonnes) and operating weights of more than 1,500 tons (1360 tonnes). They are designed for 3- or 4-pass loading of ultra-class mining trucks.
New cab enhances safety, efficiency and productivity
Designed and built in collaboration with ergonomics experts, shovel operators and other mining professionals, the Cat shovel cab incorporates many improvements that enhance operator comfort and safety.
The new cab is equipped with many features that help operators stay alert and productive over long shifts.
The new operator seat location permits unobstructed vertical line of sight from crawler tracks to boom point sheaves and helps create best-in-class left-side visibility. Work site visibility is augmented further by a five-camera system that feeds to in-cab monitors.
A comfortable trainer seat positioned next to the operator provides an optimal view of the work area, facilitates communication during training and allows easy access to the trainer's emergency stop button. An additional work station behind the operator provides a seat and desk area for an observer. The elevated location permits unobstructed views of the digging environment and operator station.
Dual doors permit quick, easy entry and exit from the right side or the rear of machine. The flat floor with no steps permits safer, easier movement throughout the cab, and adjustable LED lights illuminate the work area.
These and other features make the cab on the Cat 7495 Rope Shovel a safe, comfortable place to work productively, even during long shifts in inclement environments.
Hydraulic crowd system
HydraCrowd uses a hydraulic cylinder inside the tubular dipper handle to replace the crowd/retract ropes. The system maintains all the benefits of the Cat shovel front while eliminating the need for routine crowd/retract rope replacements. With a two-year major maintenance interval, HydraCrowd enhances safety and cuts downtime by reducing the number of maintenance events.
Reliable dipper door
The Cat LatchFree Dipper System is the solution to a major cause of rope shovel downtime–the latch assembly. The LatchFree dipper eliminates the latch assembly, replacing it with a strong steel link mounted to the dipper back. The system increases reliability by reducing unplanned downtime and enhances safety by reducing the number of maintenance events required. It comes complete with a comprehensive training program to ensure customers achieve maximum system benefits.
Off-grid power solution
Caterpillar is developing technology that will permit mining companies to power the Cat 7495 or 7495 HF Electric Rope Shovel on just 4 megawatts of generator power. The standard practice uses multiple generators with a total of 8 megawatts or more capacity to achieve rapid response when peak power is required. Of course multiple generators increase maintenance and fuel costs. Additionally, generator-powered electric rope shovels require additional systems to dissipate regenerated energy, because they cannot feed electricity back into the power grid.
The Caterpillar off-grid power supply technology stores regenerative energy created during swing deceleration and bucket lowering, and the system uses that power during periods of high demand to reduce the generator load cycle. The system enables a 4-megawatt generator to handle a large electric rope shovel, and it reduces fuel consumption by employing regenerative energy.
This innovative technology, currently being validated at the Caterpillar proving grounds in Arizona, is expected to be commercially available in late 2013.
For more information about the Cat 7495 and 7495 HF Electric Rope Shovels, go to: mining.cat.com/products/surface-mining
# # #
Note to Editors: Caterpillar rolls-out products and services in each of its territories at different time intervals. Although every effort is made to ensure that product information is released only after Caterpillar has received confirmation from our dealer network, our plants, and our marketing subsidiaries that products and services are available in the relevant region, editors are kindly requested to verify with their local dealer for product availability and specifications.
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Reader Requests


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Wattpad - Also known as YouTube for ebooks, Wattpad is the world''s most popular ebook community where readers and writers discover, share and connect. Wattpad gives you access to over 100,000 free novels, fan fiction, short stories, poetry and more. One of the world''s largest collection of originally-created ebooks, Wattpad is the world''s most widely used mobile ebook application. Send a message to the author or share your thoughts with other readers. Everything is contributed by the active community of writers, fans and volunteers.
Visit wattpad.com to connect with other readers and writers. You can even upload and share your "written stuff" with the world!
As seen on Macworld, The New York Times, Business Week, Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Here''s what everyone has been saying:
- Love this app!!! It is wickedly excellent!
- Thank you so much for making this social haven for all of us who love to read & write. It truly is one of the most amazing inventions ever!
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- This app is amazing and should be one the essential apps everyone should have! Thanks for the hard work and for sharing this with the world.
Join us on Facebook (facebook.com/wattpad) or Twitter (twitter.com/wattpad) for latest updates.
What's New in This Release:
· Listen to YouTube videos while you read!
· Fixed volume key navigation in reader
· Other bug fixes and stability improvements
What's New in 4.7:
· Quote sharing updates
· Search pagination
· Muting users
· Improved localization
· New swipe to refresh
· Other bug fixes
What's New in 4.4.3:
· New writing screens
· Signup with Google+
· Bonus Chapters
What's New in 4.3.5:
· New end of part screen
What's New in 4.3:
· Updated reader with embedded images
· New profile view
· Faster syncing
· Bug fixes
What's New in 4.2:
· New messaging UI
· Sharing reading lists/stories
· Delete/flag inappropriate comments
· Expanded notification centre
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What's New in 4.1.0:
· Notification center: get notified for new followers, when someone votes or comments on your story, replies to comments and more
· Quote sharing: Share story quotes to your favourite image sharing network
· Message users you're not following from inbox
· Much faster library loading
· Navigate easily between inline comments
· Bug fixes
What's New in 4.0:
· Brand new reading experience
· Share your reading lists
· Bug fixes
What's New in 3.9.7:
· Newsfeed
· New sidebar navigation
· Bug fixes and speed improvements
What's New in 3.8.11:
· Fix for stories not opening
· New onboarding experience
· Faster and more responsive reading experience
What's New in 3.8.10:
· Update your status to 'what I'm reading'
· Share to multiple social networks while your reading
· Share when you comment or vote on a story
What's New in 3.7.2:
· NEW LIBRARY: A faster, slicker, completely redesigned Wattpad library experience!
· Bug fixes to improve stability and performance.
What's New in 3.7.0:
· NEW DISCOVER: Discover new featured and recommended content with our brand new Discover experience.
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· FIND YOUR FRIENDS: Find your Facebook friends on Wattpad to read and share stories together
What's New in 3.3.0:
· IMPROVED SETTINGS: Manage fonts, brightness, and other reading settings with ease in the reading view.
· EASY SHARING: Easier commenting, voting and sharing stories to Facebook/Twitter while you're reading
· Bug fixes to improve stability and performance.
What's New in 3.2.1:
· Fix for not saving reading position
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· Brand new reader that has rich text (bold, italics), drag to scroll, faster and smoother with page transition animations
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· Brand new reader that has rich text (bold, italics), drag to scroll, faster and smoother with page transition animations
· Bug fixes
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· Crash on startup fix
What's New in 3.0.1:
· Ability to create and edit your stories
· Bug fixes
What's New in 2.8.3:
· Get notifications for story updates
· Important bug fixes
What's New in 2.7.7:
· New navigation bar
· Bug fixes
What's New in 2.6.2:
· Fix login problem
· Fix saving last reading position
· Fix language setting stickiness
· Speed up loading
What's New in 2.6.1:
· Fix saving last reading position
· Day/night reading mode
· Screen brightness controls
· Improve swiping controls
· Fix language setting stickiness
What's New in 2.5.6:
· Fix saving to library
What's New in 2.5.3:
· Fix for Android 1.5 compatibility
· Update library without login
· Grid and list library view
· Upload your own profile pic
What's New in 2.4.0:
· Improve app stability.
What's New in 2.4.0:
· Sync your reading library to other devices. Bug fixes.
What's New in 2.1.7:
· Improve chapter navigation and app stability, fix font sizes and trackball controls
What's New in 2.1.4:


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| 8.2°C Belfast
Rio Ferdinand will make his long-awaited comeback for Manchester United in a reserve team game against Oldham Athletic on Wednesday night.
The game at Stalybridge will take on far more significance than a usual Manchester Senior Cup tie as it will represent Ferdinand's first game since he was injured in a freak collision with Emile Heskey on the first day of training at the World Cup in South Africa.
Sir Alex Ferguson had stated that the 31-year-old would not be fit to return until the end of September, but at his weekly press conference last Friday, Ferguson revealed his defender had made a rapid recovery from the knee ligament problem and said he would be finding a game for him during the international break.
The Oldham match represents a suitable opportunity and if Ferdinand does come through unscathed he is expected to come into contention for a first-team comeback at Everton on September 11, which represents the start of a hectic week that also includes home games against Rangers and Liverpool.
Ferdinand will be joined in the United line-up by Wes Brown, midfielder Anderson, who is also on his way back from long-term injury, and Federico Macheda.


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Originally produced only in woodcut form, the Chronicon Nurembergense Map of 1493 was published in National Geographic Magazine in April 1893, just five years after the Societys inception. This Latin version was first published in April of 1493, followed by a German version in December of the same year. A perfect companion to the world map by Johannes Ruysch.
Coverage Area: Europe, portions of Asia, India, Africa


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Traditional Scottish Hand-Crafted Quaich Number Two
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The Quaich is a traditional Scottish shallow drinking cup which is created with two handles on opposite sides. Early Quaich's were carved out of wood, modern Quaich's are now made from pewter.
With help from a local carpenter we have re-created the traditional Quaich as it would have been in it's early days. The days of William Wallace and Robert The Bruce when it was used as a symbol of friendship and unity.
This purchase includes a hand-crafted wooden quaich which is one of a kind, a book about the history of the quaich and it is gift wrapped in a presentation box.This particular Scottish Quaich is made from Merbau and it is one of a kind. Hand turned by a local Australian craftsman from a single peice of Australian hardwood this Quaich has retained its fine detail and grain.
Your Quaich is one of a kind and ready to share in good company.
All are quaichs can be engraved at an extra charge of $30 per quaich (up to 23 characters) please click on related products to add the engraving service. It is tradition to have the recipients initial carved into the wooden Quaich.
Additional information
|1 kg
|40 × 12 × 12 cm
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We offer FREE postage on all orders shipped within Australia when you spend over $200.
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Typical Australia Post Parcel Post delivery times are as follows
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The financial crisis wreaked havoc on the nonprofit sector as the grant makers it relied on were forced to do more with less. But in the past three years, those benefactors have actually maintained or increased their grants in some critical areas and even sped up the granting process, according to a study.
The findings are reported in "Is Grant Making Getting Smarter?", a survey of 755 foundations conducted last year by Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and the TCC Group.
In the three years since the previous survey, 51% of respondents cut back their total grant amounts. But 32% of them increased fuding of general operating support while only 15% reduced it. Thirty percent of benefactors increased contributions to help grantees build capacity, while 12% cut back in that area. These two funding categories are highly sought after because most grant money goes to individual projects.
Grant makers also made applying for grants easier and sped up the process of reaching a decision and delivering the cash — from a median of 90 days to 60 days.
At the same time, according to the survey, grant makers have not changed practices in some critical areas. The proportion of total grant money going toward general operations has hovered near 20% over the past three years.
Grant makers also did not significantly change their stakeholder engagement practices, with around two-thirds assessing the needs of communities and about half inviting stakeholders to address board members or provide input on foundation strategy or grant proposals.
Seventy percent of respondents said they evaluated grantees' work. The focus of their scrutiny is still proof and accountability, rather than the nonprofits' contributions to knowledge in their cause or their achievements in strengthening public policy. The respondents were less likely than in the previous survey to name deciding whether to strengthen future grant making as an important reason to conduct evaluations.
The survey found that multi-year support, another key to nonprofit success, has suffered over the past three years. Twenty-eight percent of respondents reported that they had decreased these donations because of the economy. Funders also made multi-year awards much less frequently than they had in 2008.
"Unfortunately, these reductions came at a time of volatility in investments and unreliable donor commitments, shifting the burden to grantees at a time when their funders could have been a stabilizing force for the nonprofit sector," the report said.
But that finding contained a sliver of good news. Fifty-four percent of those who had decreased their multi-year commitments said the changes were temporary.