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In this short paper I would like to outline the basic skills that were necessary for sailing in ancient days. First I will compare the use of the square sail and the lateen sail, and end with a look at the various techniques that were used by the ancient Arabs for navigation, both in the desert and on the sea.
Square Rigged Ships
In the ancient world the square sail was employed universally in the Mediterranean on the seagoing ships of the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans. In Hellenistic and Roman times a spritsail was sometimes set on a small raking foremast, known as an artemoon, in order to sail with a beam wind. This was a valuable device, but it was still a square sail. Northern Europe only knew of the square rig until late in the Middle Ages. They were the farthest from Arab influence, and the Vikings of Scandinavia continued using the square sail, long after those on the Mediterranean had started incorporating the advantages of using triangular sails on their ships.
In India square sails are depicted on coins of the Pallava dynasty (coeval with the Sassanids) and in the Ajanta ship of the seventh century AD.) (Elliot, W., Coins of Southern India, London 1885) An indication that lateens are not native to India is found in their absence today in inland water regions remote from foreign influences.
Square rigged sails had the advantage of providing stability on large ships and in heavy seas, and they remained the main type of sail on European vessels until the last days of sail. However, the lateen sail provided greater maneuverability and ability to tack on rivers and in narrow waters. The fore-and-aft sail had an advantage in that it can keep much closer to the wind.
Triangular Rigged Ships
The triangular sail was known as the lateen sail, and has been used in Arab ships from Morocco to Indian, the Persian Gulf to Mozambique. This sail is triangular in shape attached fore and aft, and is very tall and high peaked. In the Indian Ocean the fore angle of the sail was cut off to form a luff. This shape may have been the third of four stages of the evolution of lateen sail.
Apparently most very ancient ships simply used square sails. In time however, the square sail was attached fore and aft, and was tilted down at the fore end. This made a balance-lug. There are drawings of ships of this type from ancient Egypt, showing ships sailing downstream on the Nile against the prevailing north wind. A modern version of this is found in the Sudanese naggar-lug, and in the balanced lugs of Indonesia. These first appeared on bas-reliefs of Boro-Budur in Java, which date from the tenth century. The Javanese proa which survived until recently has a similar style; the sail is much broader than high.
From the balanced-lug it was a natural development to shorten the fore-portion of the sail and raise the back in order to catch more wind. This would have produced the type of lateen sail that is found in the western half on the Indian Ocean.
Maritime historians have often argued over where this sail was developed and how its use may have spread.
There are three possible scenarios. First it may have developed in the Mediterranean, and spread toward the Indian Ocean, or it may have developed in the Indian Ocean and spread towards the Mediterranean. Each of these scenarios has its supporters and it's problems. A third scenario, which seems more likely, is that the lateen sail was developed on the Red Sea.
There are several things that seem to point in this direction. First, the square sail was obviously the sail of choice in the Mediterranean and in the Far East. These areas of the world contained vast seas that were easily crossed using square sails. The Red Sea, and particularly the Gulf of Aqaba on the other hand were constantly exposed to contrary winds. In order to sail on these seas, sailors had to constantly battle winds that blew against them. In this sort of setting the lateen sail was at its best.
Secondly, the earliest evidence of the existence of lateens on the Mediterranean is in Greek Byzantine manuscripts of the late ninth century which show drawings of lateens. Before this, in antiquity, only the square sail was found in this sea. This would lead us to suspect that the lateen came to the Mediterranean in the wake of the Arab expansion. (Bibliotheque Nationale, MS, grec., no. 510, fols. 3 and 367v,; H.H. Brindley, Early Pictures of Lateen Sails" in Mariner's Mirror col. xxi, 1926) (Sottas, J., An Early Lateen Sail in the Mediterranean, in Mariner's Mirror, 1939)
Third, the Italian name mezzana, with it's French offspring misaine, and English mizzen are derivatives of the Arab word miizaan, meaning balance. These mizzen masts that were found on Italian ships of the later Middle Ages, could have had it's name borrowed from the Arabic miizaan because it was a supplementary mast balancing the main mast. On the other hand, other scholars have pointed out that the name mezzana mast could have come from the Latin mediana, which means 'middle.'
It is interesting to notice that in the north of Europe, during the 1400's, ships were only square rigged and were entirely dependent on a fair wind. They were quite unstable, and were never used to attempt to make headway against an adverse wind and thus were unable to make long journeys to cross oceans.
Then suddenly in the 1500s, lateen sails burst on the scene, and ships developed into three masters with square sails complimented by lateen mizzens. These ships were capable of making long ocean voyages and were used by Columbus, Diaz and Vasco da Gama.
Lastly, it seems that during the Byzantine era, the forepart of the lateen sail was changed to a point, making it a complete triangle. This occurred first in the Mediterranean, but the Arabs of the Red Sea and Indian Ocean kept their old form. The lateen eventually reached North European waters at the end of the Middle Ages, and there developed into every sort of fore-and aft rig.
Likewise, the lateen sail seems to have made its way from the Indian Ocean towards the seas of far south Asia. Since there are drawings from India, which demonstrate the use of the square sail there, and since the Chinese rigged their junks with square sails, it is safe to assume that the lateen sail was an Arab invention that most likely developed on the Red Sea.
The Development of the Lateen Sail
The square sail was employed almost universally in the ancient world. It was only during the early Byzantine period in the eastern Mediterranean that any evidence emerges that triangular sails began to appear on the Mediterranean Sea.
The square sail, though stable on heavy seas, is not very versatile to make much use of any headwinds. Square sails were still used until very recently on the sewn sambugs of Aden as well as lateen sails.
The Lug Sail
Many efforts must have been made to make the square sail better for sailing close to the wind, so it could utilize a head-wind. The simplest way was to set a square sail fore and aft, tilting it downwards at the fore end to make a balance lug illustrated here.
The Arab Lateen or Settee Sail
From the lugsail it was an east step to shorten the luff (fore part) and heighten the sail aft to lengthen the leech, in order to catch more wind. The Arab lateen or more correctly, the settee sail is a very effective fore-and-aft rig. It was developed in Arab waters well before the coming of Islam, and may have been the type of sailing ship that the Nabataeans would have used to sail on the difficult waters of the Red Sea.
A full description of the dhow with its settee sail is included in the paper The Dhow.
The Fully Developed Lateen
The final step was taken on the Mediterranean before 900 AD, turning the Arab sail into a triangular sail. This type of sail was used on the Mediterranean for small boats for many years.
Sailing Techniques
Sailing Close to the Wind
- The square sail on a keeled ship, (for example a Greco Roman merchantman) can give an angle of 671/2 (6 points) to the line of the wind when fully trimmed and tacking into the wind. The keel provides resistance to the sideward force of the wind.
- A square rig with the help of some fore-and-aft lateen (mizzen) sails as used on European sailing ships from the 15th century to the 19th century allows a 56 1/4 (5 points) to be obtained. An Arab lateen rig gives the same angle when close-hauled but since a greater area of sail catches the wind, it sails more swiftly and efficiently.
- A well-designed Arab lateen could come within 4 points of the wind. One can see why Nabataean and other Arab sailors would desire such a boat for pirate activity against the Greeks and Romans.
- The most efficient design of sail for utilizing a head wind is the complete fore-and-aft rig of a modern yacht. It can usually come within 4 points of the wind, and sometimes even achieves 3.
Tacking and Wearing Around
The methods of sailing an ancient dhow must have been much like those today, since the rig was much the same. In sailing with the wind the Arab lateen functions exactly as a square sail. When steering a course into the wind, the dhow would prefer to ear around, that is, to change tacks by going round stern to wind. Tacking involves bringing the bow around into the wind, and since Arab vessels were built with small rudders it was difficult or impossible to bring the bow across the wind, if the wind was strong. Wearing around means losing way, but it is easier, to wear is to take the line of less resistance. When wearing, as when tacking, the yard must be transferred to the other side of the mast; but when wearing the wind aids this maneuver, whereas when tacking the wind tends to hinder it.
There was no reefing of sails in a strong wind, but the yard could be lowered, as today, and it is probably that a spare yard and sail of smaller size were carried, as in the vessels seen by Colomb in the nineteenth Century. (Colomb, Slave-catching, pp 36-38; Mas'uud Muruj, volume I, page 234, "The great sail"; Muzurg, pp 44-47, 87-88, 16568, ibn-Battutah, vol ic, pp. 185-186)
In my paper, Were the Nabataeans Really Sea Going? I demonstrate how the Nabataean people took to sailing ships. The speed at which they did this might be considered remarkable, if it were not for the fact that navigating in a featureless desert is very similar to navigating on a featureless ocean. Therefore, before the Arabs became seamen they were knowledgeable in navigation skills. In the section below, I will demonstrate the basics of this navigation, whether it be used on the high seas, or in the depth of the Arabian desert.
However, not all Arab tribes knew how to navigate by the stars. Indeed, only a very few had this skill, as even today only the Slayb tribe are known as the trackers and guides in the desert. (See: Where are the Nabataeans Today?) Many early sailors sailed along the coast, always keeping land in site. In this way, they simply harbor-hoped along the coast. One wonders what sea captain would have committed himself to the emptiness of the open sea without a knowledge of navigation by the stars. It would seem a small step however, for desert traveling Nabataean merchants to move on to being ocean traveling merchants, if they had the occasion to own ships and the need to transport goods by them.
Modern navigation includes three aspects. Finding latitude, longitude and accurate time-keeping. By knowing one's location and the speed of their travel a person can accurately navigate across featureless landscapes.
Before the invention of the compass, watch, and the sextant, the mariner's main guide was latitude. To obtain their latitude, Arabs measured the altitude above the horizon to a known star, and then deduced from this the altitude of the Pole Star, (since the Pole Star was the one star that did not move in the sky). In some cases ancient navigators measured directly the altitude of the Pole Star. This was the simplest method, and was known as the science of qiyas. The easiest method was to use the width of a finger. When held at arm's length, the width of four fingers was considered to measure 4 isba'. In a 360 degree circle there were 224 isba'. It was considered that a day's sailing due north would raise the Pole Star 1 isba' from the horizon. For those traveling on land, the isba' was further divided into 8 zam. Thus land distances were often measured in zams.
A more accurate, but still simple instrument was known as a kamal. This was a small parallelogram of horn or wood measuring about one by two inches with a string inserted in the center. On the string were nine knots at measured intervals.
The end of the string was held in the teeth. The lower edge of the horn was placed on the horizon while the horn was moved along the string until the upper edge touched the required star. The knot at which the horn covered the exact distance signified a certain number of isba' of altitude of the star. The altitude of the Pole Star could then be deduced from the rahmani.
An alternative way of using a kamal was to move the knots through the teeth until the piece of horn or wood covered the required star altitude.
Vasco da Gama's pilot from Malindi used a kamal, and the Portuguese adopted it and eventually modified the spacing of the knots to measure degrees.
Sometimes Arab and Indian seamen added extra knots marking the latitudes of particular ports of call, or they simply used a kamal on which all the knots indicated particular ports of call.
The astrolabe was developed at a slightly later period. It was a chart was based on the rising and setting of fifteen fixed stars. Later astrolabes also included the addition of North and South. This method probably pre-dated the introduction of the magnetic compass. However, when used on the compass, each star name division came to signify one rhumb or 1/32 division of the compass.
The astrolabe was also known as a windrose, and traditionally it had many Persian names for stars. (eg. qutb al-gaah, mutla' al-silbaar, khaan (rhumb) etc., which the Arabs must have taken from a Persian windrose. However, many other names are Arabic and in some cases an older Arabic name was displaced by a Persian one. Eg. The Ursa Minor constellation (Ursa Minor and Major) was banaat na'sh before it became qutb al-gaah.
On the astrolabe, latitude was determined by the height of the sun or the pole star, which was measured by the qiyas figure system. Astrolabes were quite difficult to use at sea because of the rolling of the ships, which made it hard to determine the vertical line accurately. However, they could be used on shore, and the latitude of every port and headland must have been recorded in the books of nautical instruction or rahmaanis.
Sun locations
Another very simple navigation method that was used by many early dhow captains was simply the position of the sun or North Star above the boat. By standing on various locations on the boat, they could place the sun or North Star above, right, left or behind the dhow. As long as they kept the stars at a correct position above the rigging they were assured that they would arrive at their destination.
Nautical Manuals
Beside astronomical tables, charts, and latitudes, the rahmaani or nautical manuals contained information about winds, coasts, reefs, and everything that a captain would need to know. Some of these manual became very popular, such as Kitab Ma'din al-asrar fi 'ilm al-bihar (The Mine of Secrets in the Science of the Seas) by Shaikh Nasr bin 'Ali al'Haduri. This book contains latitude and longitude tables as well as drawings of the position of the sun above the dhow. (above)
The magnetic needle was known in China from ancient times, but there is little mention of it being used as a nautical instrument before the tenth century. It is likely that the compass was not considered very important in the east, as the skies over the Indian Ocean were usually very clear, especially during the times that the Arab sailors traveled with the monsoons. It was only under the clouds of the North that it was eagerly made use of.
During the 17th century, with the invention of timekeeping instruments, the sextant became much more common as the main instrument for calculating position and speed.
Shore sighting pigeons were also employed in some parts of the Indian Ocean. Pliney mentions them as used by the Singhalese in the first century AD because they had no nautical astronomy. A Chinese source of the ninth century refers to them on Persian ships.
The Trip To India and China
From ancient times ships crossed the Indian Ocean from Arabia to return laden with exotic goods that would bring exorbitant prices in the bazaars and markets of the Middle East. On land the Silk Road was fraught with hazards. Hostile governments, highwaymen and natural disasters awaited those who attempted the long and difficult road between China, India and Europe. That road crossed some of the highest mountains in the world, not to mention some of the most hostile deserts. It required the merchant to pass through many fiefdoms and kingdoms where local lords demanded at least some token tax on the goods that passed through their lands. On top of this, pack animals required fodder and regular rest.
The maritime route to India and China also had its difficulties, but once the ancient Arabs understood them, they could be quite easily passed. The knowledgeable sea captain sailed straight down the middle of the Red Sea, avoiding the pirates that lurked along the shore. He then took on water and supplies in South Arabia and then made straight across the Indian Ocean for India. Using various navigational aids, and a knowledge of the monsoon winds, the industrious Arabs could make a return trip in 18 months to two years.
The advantage that the sea captain had, was that a small crew of ten men and a boat could return laden with twenty to fifty tons of cargo, and they could transport it right up the Red Sea within a few hours caravan journey from Alexandria. Then from Alexandria the merchants on the Mediterranean could carry the cargo of exotic goods to the ports of Greece and Italy where it would be snapped up by the wealthy families of the Roman Empire.
The Monsoons
From an Arab perspective there are three basic monsoon winds. First of all, from April to June, the Kaws wind blows southwest. Later the Dammani SW monsoon blows from August to the middle of October. At this time, the monsoon changes direction, and the Azyab monsoon blows in a NE direction.
Most ships crossing the Indian Ocean planned to leave the east coast of Arabia during the second half of November and the first half of December. Ships leaving the Red Sea would start out the middle of October, so that they could catch the Ayab monsoon across the Indian Ocean, directly to the Malabar cost, reaching Kulam Mali during December. If they were moving on to China they would have to wait for the cyclones of the Azyab to die down in the Bay of Bengal before journeying on in January, crossing from Mulam Mali round the south of India to Kalah Bar in the Malay Peninsula. Arab ships usually did not venture farther than this, as Chinese junks brought their trade goods to the Malay Peninsula, and may to the island of Ceylon. (Sri Lanka) Once the Kaws winds started to blow, the Arab sailors would start for home, laden with their goods.
The chart below illustrates some of the sailing seasons that existed between India, Arabia and Africa. As local conditions such as land breezes would vary along the Arabian coast, the seasons were more complicated for the specific ports shown in the chart. Nevertheless the chart provides a broad outline.
From the table you will notice that the south-west monsoon strikes earlier further south, and lasts longer. As it moves northwards its duration shortens. Hence the Malabar coast of India is a dangerous place to be as early as May and remains so through September. This means that the sailing season in Malabar, India was only seven to eight months long. This affected the Indian vessels more than the Arab ones, for while the Indians must be all the way home before May, Arab vessels must only be clear of the Malabari waters before then. This allowed the Arabs more time to travel since they had a much longer sailing season when traveling from Arabia to India and back. This would help explain why the Arabs, who came from a land without abundant timber, dominated Indian Ocean trade routes for long periods.
Nabataeans and Sea Navigation
Very few Arab tribes knew now to navigate by use of the stars. Ibn Wahsiyah makes it plain to us that this knowledge was known to the Nabataeans from of old. If this were true, then it would have been a small step for the Nabataeans to have adopted their land based navigational skills to the sea.
As mentioned earlier, most sea captains, who had only every traveled along the coast, would never cast off and try and sail across the empty sea. However, if the Nabataeans had visited India and or China via the land route (Petra, known to the Nabataeans as Rekem was recorded in the records of Chang Ch'ien, special envoy to the Chinese Emperor Wu-ti 138-122 BC. It is assumed that Nabataean jugglers and entertainers returned with Chang Ch'ien to China) then they could have produced rough charts of the locations of these countries. This would have given the Nabataeans the knowledge they needed to sail directly across the Indian Ocean from Arabia to India. Is this speculation? More information and proofs are presented in the paper "Who were the ancient Arabs who traded with India?".
Now you can learn more about the ancient Nabataean trade routes. Discover the people and civilization that used the dhow to explore the world!
Anderson, C., R and R Anderson, The Sailing Ship, London 1926
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text:
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- The head of the International Monetary Fund said Saturday that the economies of the oil-rich countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council will continue to enjoy high growth rates, although at reduced rates.
Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, also praised the GCC countries' management of oil prices and reserves, and lauded their financial contribution to the transition of Arab countries following the uprisings that have rattled local economies.
"I would like to stress the important, positive role the GCC countries play in the broader Middle East and North Africa region, and the world at large," Lagarde said after a meeting of the six-nation GCC, which counts Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman as members.
"The generous financial aid the GCC has provided to some of the Arab countries undergoing transition is helping those countries through a very difficult period," she said. "And, at the global level, GCC countries' oil policy has helped stabilize oil markets and counter price pressures that could have inflicted serious damage on the world economy."
She said that while other Arab economies are challenged, the GCC countries are enjoying growth that reached its highest level in eight years in 2011 at 7.5 percent.
"Nevertheless, given the uncertain global outlook, continued emphasis on strengthening resilience, including in fiscal and financial sectors, will be important alongside greater focus on the foundations for longer-term growth," she said.
An IMF official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with the organization's policy, said following the GCC's strong performance in 2011, growth in the nations' non-oil sectors is expected to slow as fiscal stimulus eases, but remain high by historical standards at around 6.5 and 5.6 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest donors to countries of the region and contributors to the IMF.
Riyadh pledged an additional $15 billion earlier this year to the IMF following the fund's call for new resources, the official said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
TMZ.com's favorite Houston rapper is again making news on the celebrity-gossip site.
This time it's a report about Riff Raff siccing his lawyers on website TheDirty.com, which has posted photos of the rapper allegedly masturbating in front of a female hair stylist. He wants the pics removed.
In a cease and desist letter to TheDirty, Tabetha D. Plummer, an attorney for Riff Raff (Horst Christian Simco), claims the story is untrue and the website is defaming him by posting the photos.
The rapper's attorney writes:
"My client vehemently denies the allegations contained in your article. Further, unauthorized photographs of my client are posted on your site for TheDirty.com's commercial gain and for the purpose of injuring my client's reputation in the entertainment industry in violation of California law. Accordingly, we hereby demand that you immediately remove the article, all photographs (including disabling any and all active links to the photographs), related comments and any and all posts (and comments) on any social media site (including but not limited to your personal Twitter and Tweetwood accounts)."
Riff Raff was arrested last month in Greensboro, N.C., after police allegedly found drugs in his car.


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - SIXMOREVODKA is Hiring! Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Digital Art Discussion View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "SIXMOREVODKA is Hiring!" FreebootermemberMember #Joined: 31 Jan 2004Posts: 417 Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:35 am SIXMOREVODKA, Berlin based Art Outsourcing studio is hiring Full Time Concept Artists. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CHARACTER DESIGNER / CONCEPT ARTIST What we need from you: - This is an in-house, permanent position so relocation to Berlin is necessary. - Excellent visual creativity and passion for character design. - Proficient 2D art skills. - Must have perfect understanding for human anatomy, proportion, contemporary fashion, various cultures and be able to change and adapt across different genre and media. - Advanced understanding of colour and perspective. - Excellent narrative and illustrative skills. Must be able to place more than one figure into a composition. An affinity for storytelling is highly desired. - Ability to take a character from an early concept through the pipeline to a fully rendered, high quality finish. - Must be a team player who understands art direction and enhances the team's output. - Must be a highly self motivated individual and work closely with the producers and the management on his scheduled assignments. - Proficient in Photoshop, Painter or any similar program of your preference - SIXMOREVODKA's company language is english - a good grasp of the language is necessary. What we'll give you: - Job/Life in Berlin by far one of the coolest cities in Europe (24hr Clubs & Bars, Great Parks and Galleries, hot music scene, LOADS of fun stuff to do and see...blah,blah,blah) - Opportunity to work in a small, professional environment, creating high-quality work for the biggest names in the industry. We are a young, creative and dynamic family here. - Competitive Salary, 6 weeks paid vacation per year, health and dental insurance, free admission to company events such as workshops, seminars & company holidays. Look, if you've read this far, then you know already what it takes to be a concept artist. So, if you're interested, send us your portfolio and CV or a link to your website to firstname.lastname@example.com and Reference: Concept Artist Applicant. About SIXMOREVODKA SIXMOREVODKA is a Berlin based Conceptart Studio. Production Design is our expertise. With international Clients from Comics to Movies to Video games, our team delivers cutting edge artwork for the Entertainment industry. This Portfolio is a glimpse into our world. Founded by Marko Djurdjevic in 2006, the original Label has grown into a full fledged production facility in 2010. With our brand new studio space were able to host some of Berlins hottest up and coming creators from different walks of life. Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Digital Art Discussion All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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Newsome, Randall J. (Randall Jackson), 1950-
Extent: 27 linear feet
Randall J. Newsome attended Boston University for his Bachelor of Arts in 1972 and the University of Cincinnati College of Law for his Juris Doctor in 1975. With 28 years of experience serving as a settlement and bankruptcy judge, Judge Newsome is best known for his intelligent and pragmatic approach to resolving complex matters and he is frequently sought out as a national speaker on topics related to bankruptcy. Judge Newsome devoted much of his career handling local and national bankruptcy issues. Not only was Judge Newsome vocal about bankruptcy reform for consumers, but he was also actively involved with the ongoing legislative battles over bankruptcy reform, particularly during the ever changing Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) in the late 1990s. The Randall J. Newsome Papers, 1969-2010, primarily covers Judge Newsome's activities as a Bankruptcy Judge from 1982-2010 as well as his activities as a member and future President of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ).


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Saturday, February 7, 2009
SNOW DAY! in La Fortuna Costa Rica
I grew up in the Midwest. I know COLD. I remember windchill factor and I recall missing school because of snowdays. I was a kid, cold was COOL, hell, I spent my winters shoveling driveways for like 2 bucks a pop. And I KNOW they were snickering watching me scrape the ice from their sidewalks as their fat asses sipped coffee in the warmth of their kitchen. I didn't care, 2 bucks was 2 bucks, and it's not like my baseball card collection paid for itself.
My first REAL job took me to Nebraska, also the Midwest, also cold as a MotherF***er. I must have been a glutton for punishment. It took me a few years to realize I hated windchill, and I damn sure didn't want to shovel anymore driveways; let some 14-year old pick up a few bucks WHILE I SIP COFFEE IN THE KITCHEN. Besides, I sold my Johnny Bench rookie card years ago.
Hello Las Vegas. I loved Vegas- all 15 years. Cold was a distant memory. Vegas taught me that my body loves the heat like a mosquito to a candle.
Enter Costa Rica. Hello tropics. I love Costa Rica. However, my faith in the weather here was severely put to the test yesterday and for a moment....... I considered Fiji.
Acclimating to COLD is NOT like riding a bike- your body doesn't remember SHIT. Me, my body goes into survival mode under 72 degrees, complete with shivering.
I'm here to tell you, yesterday was the coldest day in Costa Rican history. Well, at least my history, which is all of 3 ½ years. I couldn't work. I decided I was taking a SNOW day; huddled on the couch, bundled up, in complete survival mode. (Wasn't it the best feeling in the world when the radio alarm clock went off and you heard YOUR school declaring a Snow day?)
At one point I recall looking at D'Angelo, wondering if I could EAT him if it came to that.
Don't laugh, but we actually turned on the dryer to generate some heat in our apartment. In the States, the dryers have some sort of metal or flexible aluminum tubing that runs from the dryer to a vent in the wall, releasing the hot air. Here, most houses or apartments were NOT built with a 'vent' in the wall. Instead, the tubing from our dryer goes into a small canister filled half-way with water. Don't try to picture it, just take my word. Put it this way, when we turn on our dryer, it gets VERY hot in our apartment, the windows even steam up. Think sauna. But yesterday it was a godsend.
Today, thankfully, we're back to normal (D'Angelo is safe for now), but I just had to check, I KNOW there had to be a record set yesterday in La Fortuna Costa Rica.
I consulted the internet.
Yup, I was right. Yesterday DID set a record; last time it was even close to being this cold was back in 1946.
Yesterday, in La Fortuna Costa Rica it was a bone-chilling 65 degrees.
Hot chocolate anyone?
Tons of Videos on Costa Rica at the Costa Rica Travel Channel and if you're planning on Living or Traveling to Costa Rica, then check out Travel Costa Rica NOW for all your INFORMATION. And see ALL our Costa Rica Travel Tip Videos on YouTube. ENjOY!
Labels: Arenal Costa Rica, Commentary/Editorial and Rants, Humor, La Fortuna Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica
SNOW DAY! in La Fortuna Costa Rica
Arenal Costa Rica|Commentary/Editorial and Rants|Humor|La Fortuna Costa Rica|Living in Costa Rica|
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EVERETT — About a dozen people raised their hands Monday, showing their support for a Marysville mother headed to prison.
Kelly Oliver was high and drunk last year when she plowed into a man and three children on an Everett sidewalk. The victims suffered broken bones, cuts and bruises. The outcome easily could have been worse.
Since the crash Oliver has been getting help for a drug and alcohol problem. She also is seeing a mental health professional, a judge was told on Monday.
"She has been willing and ready to take responsibility for what happened from the get go," her attorney said.
Superior Court Judge Bruce Weiss sentenced Oliver to one year and a month in prison, nearly the maximum under the law. She pleaded guilty last month to two counts of vehicular assault.
The judge said he was encouraged that Oliver has so much support, but warned the woman to be vigilant every day to prevent relapse.
"I understand what you are struggling with," Weiss said. "You are going to have to work hard."
Oliver apologized to the victims, who were not present at Monday's hearing.
"I'm trying to make sure this never happens again," Oliver said.
Oliver was driving north on Broadway on July 24, 2012, when her car jumped the curb. She swerved back onto the road and then drove up onto the sidewalk again. Her car hit four pedestrians.
A man was walking north with his 16-year-old son and his young niece and nephew. He saw Oliver's car coming and was able to push his niece and nephew out of the way. He hit the hood and slid under the car. His son was thrown over the roof of the car.
The man suffered a broken leg and the flesh on the other leg was filleted to the bone, requiring skin and muscle grafts. His son also suffered a broken leg that required surgery. His niece, 8, was diagnosed with a broken foot and needed stitches to close a wound on her scalp. Her brother, 2, also needed stitches for a cut to his head.
Oliver was not hurt.
She told police that she'd drank alcohol a couple of hours before the crash. Oliver also admitted to smoking methamphetamine within two days of the crash.
Tests showed that Oliver's blood alcohol level was over the legal limit. She also tested positive for meth.
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text:
Simple chicken teriyaki bento
This recipe is very easy and fast to cook, because it requires ready-made teriyaki sauce. Still, it's a really tasty alternative to sausages and pork, and chicken made in teriyaki style is juicy, tender and full of aroma! It also takes just few minutes, because the meat is first fried quickly, and then glazed with sauce. Fast food like a boss ;-)
Teriyaki pork strips with shallots bento
This simple recipe requires only 3 ingredients: sliced pork loin (already mentioned minute steaks or easy steaks), shallots and teriyaki sauce. It's also one of the lazy recipes — part of it you can prepare evening before, and finish it quickly before serving or packing your bento box. Plus, marinating for a long time allows increased flavors to transfer easily across the meat!
Marinated beef and pasta bento
Bento is not only rice, but also other ingredients, like... pasta. This recipe came to life when I had some uncooked beef left-overs and just wondered what to do with them. Cooking them as a part of bento was a great idea!
Quick teriyaki beef donburi
You can buy thin beaf slices in some grocery shops or butchers. They may be called minute steaks or quick steaks and are a great ingredient that you can use to make a quick donburi (a rice bowl with meat and vegetable toppings). It's so fast to prepare, that you can do everything in the time it takes to cook the rice!
Teriyaki sausages and rice bento
Sausages are a huge part of my bento making — they are easy to prepare, ridiculously delicious and so straightforward to store that I just like to toss some of them into any of my bento!
This particular recipe has a teriyaki twist, thanks to cooking the sausages in water with teriyaki sauce. Yum!


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Get answers to questions about the standards of the Church. Choose a topic above to see more.
What can I do to show Heavenly Father I am grateful?
"In your prayers, pour out your heart to your Father in Heaven in thanks for the blessings you have received. Be specific in thanking Him for His goodness, for your family, for friends, for leaders and teachers, for the gospel, and for His Son, Jesus Christ.
"You can also express gratitude to the Lord by the way you live. When you keep His commandments and serve others, you show that you love Him and are grateful to Him. Express your gratitude to others for the many ways they bless your life" (For the Strength of Youth, 18).Close
What kinds of things should I thank Heavenly Father for?
"Thank your Heavenly Father for His goodness to you. You can express your gratitude to God by acknowledging His hand in all things, thanking Him for all that He gives you, keeping His commandments, and serving others. Thank Him for His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Express thanks for the Savior's great example, for His teachings, for His outreaching hand to lift and help, for His infinite Atonement.
"Thank the Lord for His restored Church. Thank Him for all that it offers you. Thank Him for friends and family. Let a spirit of thanksgiving guide and bless your days and nights. Work at being grateful. You will find that it yields wonderful results" (True to the Faith, 79).Close


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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Tommy Haas reached his first final in six months, beating John Isner 6-3, 6-4, Saturday in the SAP Open semifinals.
"Numbers and rankings don't mean as much to me as reaching the final of a tournament," Haas said. "At my age, you're always looking for another title. Hopefully I can play well again tomorrow."
The 22nd-ranked Haas made his debut in San Jose in 1998 and reached this final for the first time. He played in just his second semifinal, his first since 2005.
"It's a tough sport, it's a grind," Haas said. "Moments like this, when you're on such a high winning these matches, make you appreciate all the hard work you put in. You never know. It can be easy to just say, 'Oh, maybe next week.' Mentally I thought I can still achieve something and that has kept me going."
The 34-year-old German qualified for his 25th career final and will be looking for his 14th career title. He will face top-seeded Milos Raonic, who downed third-seeded Sam Querrey, 6-4, 6-2.
"You can always improve your game," Haas said. "You might start thinking that all these younger guys have passed you by, but you can help your all-around game. That's what you have to keep thinking."
Isner, who missed the Australian Open because of a bruised right knee, was successful on just 58 percent of his first serves.
"Normally I can serve better than how I did," Isner said. "That's what decided the match. He played a lot better than I did. He didn't miss too many serves. He was very good."
Raonic, undefeated in San Jose, is attempting to become the first player since the Open era began in 1968 to win here three consecutive years, and the first overall since Tony Trabert did it between 1953-55.
Raonic and Haas will be meeting for the first time.
The 13th-ranked Raonic recorded 12 aces in his match against Querrey and won 88 percent of his second serve points.
"I've been going up and down in regards to my return," Raonic said. "I started aggressively and carried that through the match. I'm returning well, moving well and serving well, the whole thing. Everything is on the right track and that gives you confidence that all the work is paying off."
The Canadian leads the tournament in service games won (31 of 31), first serve points (90 percent) and has 39 aces.
Querrey said the inability to handle Raonic's serve made all the difference.
"He's the only guy in the field who has been over 140 (mph) on his serve consistently all week," Querrey said. "Even if you can get your racket on it, you might not get it clean. You try to get the ball in play and go from there. I wasn't even close to getting to it."


text: Have you tried to buy a laptop or desktop at Best Buy lately? If so, you've probably been hit for a $39.99 "pre-optimization" fee, an extra charge that you just couldn't avoid. The cost goes toward covering the meager living expenses of some poor Geek Squad employee -- and to keep their retro gaming habit in check. In exchange those workers laboriously go through your machine and "optimize" it, removing some trialware and, apparently, enabling status bars. Supposedly the machines are faster and easier to use after this service, but Consumerist and Consumer Reports tag-teamed to make sure. The results? Not good. In most cases there was no performance increase, though in one instance the machine was 32 percent slower! Laptops were also found to be left in suspend mode, sometimes with software installs and Windows Updates half-completed. The worst part is that stores often won't sell you a machine that hasn't had this "service" performed. That's what we call shady behavior -- the sort we'd expect to see at the competition.


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Our online forum for Smart Call Home customers to share, learn, and collaborate on Smart Call Home related topics. We encourage you to ask questions of Cisco experts, start a discussion, or share ideas and insight.
Smart Call Home enabled devices perform proactive diagnostics on their own components to provide real-time alerts and remediation advice when an issue is detected. An embedded support feature available on a broad range of Cisco products, it is provided at no additional cost with an active Smart Net Total Care Service, SP Base, Unified Computing Support Service, or Mission Critical Support Service contract for the designated products.
This Community will provide you with an overview about Cisco Smart Call Home features and how these features are embedded in a wide range of Cisco products to help your network. Smart Call Home provides higher network availability and support service quality.


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These Popular Mechanics plans are for a wooden flat bow.
When the white man provided the American
Indian with a cheap trade musket in place of
his native bow and arrow, he saved himself a
good deal of grief, for had the red man developed
his weapon along a logical path he might have arrived
at an approximation of the bow we now know as the "semi-
Indian," "flat," or "American" bow.
With such a bow he could
have shot with accuracy at a hundred yards (about the extreme
accurate range of the long rifle), and could have delivered arrows
faster than any frontier scout could load his rifle.
Any home workman, equipped with ordinary tools, can readily
build the most modern and most efficient bow yet designed.
best material for the amateur is the imported wood known as "lemonwood." It can be worked almost entirely by measurement,
without much regard to the grain. California yew and
Osage orange probably make a better bow, but not for the
inexperienced builder.
Lemonwood can be had from most dealers in archery supplies,
either in the rough stave or cut to approximate outline.
The dimensions given are for a bow 5 ft. 8 in. long with a
weight (the archer's term for the strength of a bow) of from
45 to 50 lb. at a draw of from 27 to 28 in. This combination is
suitable for the average man. When new the bow will draw
5 lb. or more above these figures.
Make an American Flat Bow Plans
The plans are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Don't have the free reader? Get it here.
Contact us with errors, copyright information, problems or suggestions to our plans or DIY info.
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To oppose him, A LUMINOUS INDIVIDUAL CALLED MUHAMMAD MAHDI OF THE FAMILY OF THE PROPHET WILL COME TO LEAD the people of sainthood and perfection, who are bound to the luminous chain of the Family of the Prophet, and he will kill the current of dissemblers, which will be the collective personality of the Sufyan, and scatter it.
(Letters / Fifteenth Letter - p. 79)
… THAT SUPREME PERSON of the Last Days will be a descendant of the Prophet (saas)…
(The Rays / The Fourteenth Ray - p. 440)
THAT PERSON will make a program of research already conducted by that community and writing, by which he will have fulfilled his first duty.
(Emirdag Addendum, pp. 266-267)
… And I told them: "I am not a sayyid [descended from our Prophet (saas)]. Descendants are unknown in this time. Whereas that GREAT PERSON of the End Times will be from the Ahl al-Bayt [be descended from the Prophet (saas)]
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 267)
I believe I am a servant of this WONDROUS PERSON WHO will appear in the future, a rear-guard to set a background for him, and a pioneering soldier of that GREAT COMMANDER...
(Barla Addendum, p. 162)
Since His custom has proceeded in this way, certainly, at the time of the greatest corruption at the end of time, He will send a luminous person as both the GREATEST INTERPRETER OF THE LAW, and THE GREATEST RENEWER, AND RULER, and HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) and as GUIDE, AND SPIRITUAL POLE, and THAT PERSON will be from the Family of the Prophet.
(Letters / Twenty - Ninth Letter - Seventh Section - p.515)
1. … an expounder of religious lawAs we have seen, none of the characteristics attributed by the master to this personage who will come in the End Times, when corruption is at its height, can belong to a corporate entity, only to an individual. No corporate entity, society or group can be a renovator, a mujaddid, a judge, Hazrat Mahdi (as), a guide or a qutb az-azam. These are titles that are all bestowed on a person. Like the mujaddid who have appeared at the beginning of every other century, Hazrat Mahdi (as) whom the master describes in these terms is an individual, and one who will come in the End Times.
2. …a mujaddid
3. … a judge
4. … Hazrat Mahdi (as)
5. … a guide
6. … kutb-u a'zam
7. … a luminous personage.
In the broad sphere of life, its real owners, in other words, HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) and HIS STUDENTS come in the End Times, by Almighty Allah's leave, and broaden that sphere and cause those seeds to flourish.
(The Ratifying Stamp of the Unseen, p. 172) (Kastamonu Addendum, p. 72)
These three qualities being present at one time IN ONE PERSON or community, and their being perfect and not impairing one another seems very remote, or even impossible. In the End Times, they can only come together in the GREAT MAHDI and the collective personality of his community, who represent the luminous community of the Ahl al-Bayt [the line of the Prophet (saas)].
(Kastamonu Addendum, p. 139, The Ratifying Stamp of the Unseen, p. 189)
This will be the century of Islam. It is certain the Hazrat Mahdi (as) will appear. Some people rather underestimate this subject. That is a great mistake. I have heard it personally from several elders. There are also many hadith on the subject. Belief in the Mahdi is of a great scholar, an imam, descended from the line of our Prophet (saas), who will unite all Muslims and fight against members of superstitious faiths prior to Doomsday. Those superstitious faiths will disappear, in intellectual terms as well as of their own existence, when Islam comes to prevail...
Feyz Magazine, 30 August 2008
…… The collective personality of the holy COMMUNITY REPRESENTED BY HAZRAT MAHDI (AS), has three duties.
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 265)
The most important and greatest and most valuable of the three duties of THE PERSON AWAITED BY THE COMMUNITY AND WHO WILL COME IN THE END TIMES is to spread the true faith and to save believers from deviation.
(The Ratifying Stamp of the Unseen, p. 9)
It appears from this truth that THIS HOLY PERSON WHO WILL COME LATER…
(The Ratifying Stamp of the Unseen, p. 9)
... There will be such intellectual trends at that time even IF THAT PERSON WHO IS TRULY AWAITED AND WILL COME IN A CENTURY'S TIME comes at that time, since he takes everything for his own account...
(Kastamonu Addendum, p. 57)
... YET THAT GREAT PERSONAGE OF THE END TIMES WILL BE FROM THE AHL AL-BAYT [descended from the Prophet (saas)]…
(Emirdag Addendum, 247-250)
In the narrations are various different prophecies about HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)…
(The Rays / The Fifth Ray - Second Station - p.112)
His brow is broad, and his nose will be thin. (Hadith al-Tirmidhi)
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be of average height.
(al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have the sign of our Prophet (saas) on his shoulder.
(al-Haythami, Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar, p. 41)
...Said stated in his protestation, saying: "I am not a Sayyid, AND HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) WILL BE A SAYYID," thus refuting them
(The Rays / The Fourteenth Ray - p. 407)
... But flowers appear in the spring, and the ground has to be prepared for sacred flowers such as that. I understood that with this service of ours we are preparing the ground for THOSE LUMINOUS PEOPLE.
(The Ratifying Stamp of the Unseen, p. 189)
... Certainly, the elevated ardor in that huge force will surge up and HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) SHALL COME TO LEAD IT, guiding it to the way of truth and reality.
(Letters / Twenty - Ninth Letter - Seventh Section - p. 516)
... a guide, a kind of Mahdi and reformer comes in every century, but in terms of discharging each of these three duties, none have received the title of THE GREAT MAHDI OF THE END TIMES."
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 260)
...one interpretation of these various narrations is this: THE GREAT MAHDI WILL HAVE NUMEROUS FUNCTIONS. He will carry out duties in the world of politics, the world of religion, the world of government, and in the many spheres of the world of jihad (intellectual struggle) ...
(The Rays / The Fifth Ray - Second Station - p. 112)
… HAZRAT MAHDI WILL HAVE NO TIME AND BE IN NO STATE TO PERSONALLY protect believers from depravity (prevent them straying from the true path) and to perform that duty for the whole world, leaving nothing behind, and with much research...
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 266-267)
…THAT PERSON WILL STRIVE TO PERFORM HIS GREAT DUTY with the help of all believers and the assistance of the Islamic union, and of scholars and teachers and of millions of loyal people from the Ahl al-Bayt (the line of the Prophet (saas)) present powerfully and in large numbers every century.
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 266-267)
...We anticipate from the divine mercy that HIS community and the community of sayyids will fulfill those duties.
(Emirdag Addendum, p. 265)
... THE PEOPLE who will disperse the darkness in a century's time may be the students of HAZRAT MAHDI (AS).
(The Rays, p. 605)
Also, the CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE GREAT MAHDI do not fit the narrations alluding to the earlier Mahdis, and these have become allegorical Hadiths.
(The Rays, p. 582)
... THOSE INDIVIDUALS OF THE END OF TIME will be known through the insight and the light of belief.
(The Words / Twenty-Fourth Word - Third Branch - p. 355)
Moreover, they imagined the mighty works belonging to the collective identity or community which those individuals represent to be in their persons and expounded them in that way, so that they ascribed a form to them whereby when THOSE EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS appear, EVERYONE WILL RECOGNIZE THEM..
(The Words / Twenty-Fourth Word - Third Branch - p. 355)
..The fact that the fifth and sixth signs are connected personally to HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) and that this command refers to THIS GLORIOUS INDIVIDUAL is a truth like a powerful Sun that will eliminate the skepticism of those who harbor doubts and reinforce their credence.
(Barla Addendum - Letter No: 111 - p. 1452)
2009-12-24 23:56:14


text: The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. This program is directed at those jurisdictions that have historically received lesser amounts of NSF Research and Development (R&D) funding. Twenty-eight jurisdictions, including twenty-five states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming), the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Territories of Guam and the U. S. Virgin Islands are currently eligible to participate in the RII program. Through this program, NSF establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to effect sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, R&D capacity, and hence, its national R&D competitiveness.Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-1: (RII Track-1) awards provide up to $4 million per year for up to 5 years to support physical, human, and cyber infrastructure improvements in research areas selected by the jurisdiction's EPSCoR steering committee as having the best potential to improve future R&D competitiveness of the jurisdiction.


text:
Care to comment?
Go ahead - we're listening! Did you apply for this scholarship? Why? Why not? Maybe
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Your comments could help fellow Scholarships.com members.
Antonio P on 10/1/2020 12:08:13 PM
I've always loved NAJA because I feel like it describes what I stand for.
What if my major is general education but my minor on 9/28/2019 6:36:05 AM
What if my major is general education but my minor is psychology. Would I be eligible for this?
Shonda C on 12/28/2015 8:12:25 PM
I was unable to access the website to apply for this scholarship
October 23, 2020
Susan Dutca-Lovell
ACT, Inc., the college admissions testing company, has agreed to pay out $16 million to 65,728 California students with disabilities to settle a class-action lawsuit. The class-action federal lawsuit filed in California in 2018 alleged that ACT, Inc. violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act by disclosing test-takers' disability status to colleges and scholarship organizations on score reports, and denied certain examinees with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in its Educational Opportunity Service. [...]
October 22, 2020
Izzy Hall
In response to the coronavirus pandemic and the way it has made it harder than ever to take the SAT and ACT, many colleges and universities, from large state universities to small liberal arts colleges, have announced that their admissions for next year's Class of 2025 will be test-optional. Test-optional admissions mean that schools won't require a submission of a standardized test score as part of the admissions process. But how will admissions officials judge applicants without a score? Will a student who doesn't submit a standardized test score be penalized in any way? And will a student who does submit a score be chosen over one who doesn't? [...]
October 20, 2020
Getting a college degree is part of the American Dream. College graduates generally earn more money and have a better quality of life. So it's not surprising that students from immigrant families or who are immigrants themselves are making up an increasingly larger percentage of associate's, bachelors and masters-seeking students in America. [...]
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text:
D.C. residents say they're closer to vote in Congress
WASHINGTON -- The delegates from the District of Columbia were revved.
"We demand a vote!" they chanted at last month's Democratic convention as Eleanor Holmes Norton, the district's non-voting delegate to Congress, looked on approvingly. It was a high point for the 70-member D.C. delegation, which spent four days lobbying for a vote in Congress with T-shirts, flashing buttons and bumper stickers sporting the slogan "Taxation Without Representation."
Speaking hours before prime time to a mostly empty convention floor, Norton's plea to "finish (Martin Luther) King's unfinished business for equal voting rights for the citizens of our capital" went largely unheard.
"We were glad for a few moments in the sun and on TV for those who saw us," says Eugene Kinslow of DC Vote, a voting rights advocacy group. The group has its work cut out for it.
"We suffer from what Ted Kennedy called the 'four toos,' " says WTOP radio commentator Mark Plotkin. "Too liberal, too urban, too Democratic and too black."
Still, in an election that features the first African-American nominee of a major party and polls that show the House and Senate likely to see larger Democratic majorities, "it's the closest we've gotten in at least a generation," says Ilir Zherka of DC Vote.
A clause in the U.S. Constitution denies Washingtonians a vote in the Capitol. The District Clause gives Congress "exclusive legislation" over the federal enclave. The almost 600,000 residents of the district have never had representation in the Senate. In the House of Representatives, Norton has a vote in committees but not on passage of legislation.
The city enjoys at least one advantage over states: It ranks No. 1 in federal spending, getting back $5.55 for every $1 residents paid in federal taxes, according to 2005 figures from the non-partisan Tax Foundation.
The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution in 1961 gave district residents, one in four of whom are government workers, a vote in presidential elections. They have used it to favor Democrats on every ballot since then.
Washingtonians long have sought representation:
•In 1978, Democrats won passage of a constitutional amendment to give D.C. two senators and a House member, but it lapsed in 1985 after 16 of the needed 38 states ratified it.
•In 1993, the Democrat-controlled House rejected a bill to create the 51st state of New Columbia by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio.
Zherka says racism has played a role in denying voting rights to the majority-black district, and though race has faded as a factor, partisanship has not.
To win support from Republicans, voting rights supporters have scaled back their ambitions. They are pushing a bill that would increase the size of the House from 435 members to 437, giving the two new seats to overwhelmingly GOP Utah and the majority-Democratic district. The bill, which still would leave district residents without senators, passed the House along party lines last year. It came up three votes shy of ending a filibuster in the Senate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called it "clearly and unambiguously unconstitutional."
Advocates plan to revive the bill next year and have been lobbying senators who opposed it, including Republican presidential candidate John McCain. He also called it unconstitutional.
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama co-sponsored the bill and told local WRC-TV last week that as president he would work "to make those rights a reality."
Plotkin isn't so sure. He says he didn't detect "a great sense of urgency" when he interviewed Obama in July. "He said there were a lot of things on his plate," recalls Plotkin, who says Democrats tend to take district voters for granted. "Although he voted for the bill, I don't see it as a top priority or even a priority."
Whoever is president, voting rights are a matter of civil rights, says life-long district resident John "Peterbug" Matthews, 56. He remembers his first vote for mayor in 1974 after Congress approved "home rule."
"It was a big thing," says Matthews, who runs a shoe repair shop on Capitol Hill. "It was the first time we could vote for our own local officials."


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A Look at the Macan S: Porsche's New $49,000 SUV
Mike DiPietro of Porsche talks to the Wall Street Journal's Lee Hawkins about Porsche's Macan sport utility vehicle, which starts at $49,000 and breaks Porsche further into the competitive luxury SUV market. Photo: Porsche
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... oh I'm Lee Hawkins on here in New York Auto Show would like to keep job with the product manager ... of war stuff for them on which is the new SUV ... that they're coming out with you being in the SUV market with that I can but this is ... quite different it's coming on at a forty nine thousandnine hundred dollar price point ... tell me how this is different from that I ... this is just because of course ... as you were sporting ... exporting our oneness with ... it's the ... it's the ECB ... it's designed to try ... to switch from across the board ... and it probably a little more subtle price points ... the deal will give me some of the alliance write your address ... when it went into the stands and renewed force and ... intensity and forty dollars an hour I ... learned ... to succeed in my twenties ... when I'm I'm I'm Simon ... it's ... in nineteen inch wheels isn't likely until August ... but there are critics say ... that coming in at this price point with some of your models ... kind of hurts the brand equity ... are you concerned about the course so now begins when ... you get when you drive it does seem that much ... thus


text: MRex22 1 Posted November 5, 2012 Has a PDF of Operation Blue Thunder ever been produced? Would anyone happen to have a copy they'd be willing to send me? Before you ask, I already own two copies of OBT. I am putting all of the Rule and Scenario books on my Android Phone in PDF format and I'd really like to have OBT to complete the set. Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
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The current page displays all our Russian escorts. For other nationalities, please just return to the main page and select from the list.


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June 12, 2008
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text:
The perfect two1159117
- by kylie hemmings
- Rating:
- Published: 23 Jan 2014
- Updated: 26 Apr 2014
- Status: In Progress
Kylie is just returning from college. Can here and Louie keep their relationship going or will someone get in the way?
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text:
Texas Police Officer Could Face Traffic Ticket After Texting and Driving
By R.J. Johnson - @rickerthewriter
August 19, 2019
A Texas police officer with the Killeen Police Department has found herself in a bit of hot water after a commuter spotted the officer texting while driving in a department vehicle.
The video shared on Facebook by Marcus Evans, showed the officer with one hand on the steering wheel and the other using her phone, while she was driving down the highway.
Chief Charles F. Kimble said the citizen complaint about the officer not paying attention to the road has been received and is currently being reviewed.
"The Killeen Police Department was made aware of a video circulating on social media that depicted a Killeen police officer driving a marked patrol unit with allegations that the officer was not wearing a seatbelt and was texting while driving," said Chief Kimble in a statement. "Although, both of these violations are minor in nature, we understand that the expectations that our community expects were not met in this incident."
Chief Kimble thanked the member of the public who came forward with the video, showing the infraction.
"We take traffic enforcement and safety seriously and will handle this matter the same," Chief Kimble added.


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Australian Government Did Not Contact TikTok During Security Probe
TikTok Australia managing director Lee Hunter has told a Senate committee the company was not contacted by the Department of Home Affairs during an investigation into whether or not the app posed a threat to national security.
In July, it was revealed the Morrison government would launch an investigation into the popular app, with the Prime Minister publicly announcing the government was watching TikTok "very closely".
Shortly after the announcement, Morrison seemingly confirmed the outcome of the review, when he ruled out banning TikTok in Australia, telling the Aspen Security Forum there was "nothing at this point that would suggest to us that security interests have been compromised or Australian citizens have been compromised because of what's happening with those applications".
And according to Hunter, TikTok only learned about the outcome of the inquiry via media reports.
"We were not asked to engage directly with those agencies [Department of Home Affairs]… We initially learned about (the outcome of the review) through the media," Hunter said.
Hunter's comments were made during a Senate committee hearing last week.
During the hearing, Hunter distanced the app from the Chinese government.
He revealed TikTok's moderators are based in 20 countries around the world – but none in China.
Please login with linkedin to commentTikTok
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For the second time in a month, Microsoft has had to defend Windows Update against charges that it upgraded machines without users' permission. So far, it has no explanation for the newest instance of unauthorized updating.
In a post published late last week to a company blog, Nate Clinton, program manager for Microsoft Update, denied that Windows' update mechanism was to blame for reports of settings being changed without user interaction, updates downloading and installing, and systems rebooting.
"We have received some logs from customers, and have so far been able to determine that their AU [Automatic Update] settings were not changed by any changes to the AU client itself and also not changed by any updates installed by AU," Clinton said.
Claims started to trickle in shortly after the rollout last week of multiple security patches that machines running Windows Vista had updated on their own, even though users had set Automatic Update to require their approval before downloading and/or installing patches. Some users also reported that machines had rebooted, which caused data loss in applications that had been left open.
The Windows enthusiast site AeroXperience was the first to notice the wildcat updates, and collected accounts from users. "I had mine set to 'Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them,' it's now on 'Install Automatically'," said Jon Abbott on an AeroXperience forum last week.
Others noted that the mysteriously changed settings resulted in downloaded and installed patches with a reboot to finalize the installation. "Just now I had my computer reboot on me because windows update, without my permission, downloaded and installed updates for my computer and then rebooted," said a member identified as "Zeros and Ones."
According to other messages on the AeroXperience forum, users running Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) were unaffected. Also, no reports originated from users running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
This incident follows the disclosure last month that, contrary to users' instructions, Automatic Update had updated itself. Microsoft tried to deflect the criticism by saying that the practice was necessary to keep AU up-to-date, and thus keep users' computers safe. At that time, Clinton said Microsoft would consider changes to make the update process more transparent to customers. "We are now looking at the best way to clarify WU's behavior to customers so that they can more clearly understand how WU works," he said in a post to the same company blog on September 13.
Since then, neither Microsoft nor Clinton has made any additional announcements about changes being considered to Windows Update.
Even Microsoft seems unsure about what caused the Vista-powered systems to mutiny and install updates without orders. "We are still looking into this to see if another application is making this change during setup with user consent, or if this issue is related to something else," Clinton said.
AeroXperience, which claimed to be working with Microsoft on tracking down the bug, hinted that it might be the fault of Windows Live OneCare, Microsoft's consumer-grade security suite. The site asked members who had experienced the forced update and who also had installed OneCare to forward the program's event logs to a designated e-mail address.


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To deal or not to deal
NEW YORK – Two games in Yankee Stadium, then four in Arlington, in that lovely Texas summer heat. The Angels, sitting five games behind the Rangers in the AL West, are in jeopardy of fading out of the picture if they don't hold their own.
Adding Cliff Lee and Bengie Molina represented a show of strength by Texas, one the Angels aren't likely to match. The players other clubs would seek for a performer who can lift their chances likely are prime-time prospects the club does not want to move – notably Mike Trout and Hank Conger.
There's no way the Angels move Trout. This kid has star qualities, and he'll get to The Show quickly. He can fly – we saw that in the Futures Game at Angel Stadium – and he has superior instincts in center field and at the plate. He's the confident face of the future, along with a handful of other talented young Angels in the low Minors who figure to follow Trout to Anaheim.
Conger is a rare commodity – a catcher who can hit with power from both sides. Moving him would be a high-risk decision. He's local, from Huntington Beach right down the road from Angel Stadium, and he's loaded with personality. Just can't see it happening.
The Angels need to look within to get back in this race. They need proven talent – Bobby Abreu, Hideki Matsui, Juan Rivera – to start banging away in a big way. They also need Scott Kazmir to rebound from his shoulder pain and deliver strikes and innings.
There's a report on ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Angels are targeting the Royals' Alberto Callaspo, a solid infielder. But he's no better than Maicer Izturis, who was back on Tuesday night after missing five weeks, driving in a run against All-Star Phil Hughes in his first at-bat. Callaspo wouldn't make a significant difference in closing any talent gaps.
The Angels should have a better grasp of where they are with their chances this season late Sunday, after wrapping up the four-game series against the Rangers.
If they've closed any ground on Texas, they might get serious about making a move before the July 31 non-waiver Deadline. But giving up prime young talent for an athlete who might help doesn't make sense. If they fall deeper in the muck, it might be wise to write this off as the year Kendry Morales went down in a bizarre spill – and took the Angels with him. – Lyle Spencer
4 Comments
I agree, big 2 weeks coming up…6 games against Texas. Then they play them 7 more times after the trade deadline in Sep-Oct. If the Angels hold their ground or gain a little, I'm hoping for a move from the Angels. I'm liking the Adam Dunn option now (too bad we can't get him prior to facing Texas). That would be a nice power bat along side Tori, Matsui & Nap. I like how Izzy bounced back today after being on the DL. So he can perhaps fill in at 3rd the rest of the way. Not sure what the Nats would ask in return. But I wouldn't mind moving Jeff Mathis and a prospect. Make Nap the everyday catcher…we need his power in the lineup everyday. But I think with Mcnaulty and Aldridge struggling when recently brought up may have hurt their trading prospects (hard to move either one of them now). What do you think? Anyway, hoping the Angels can do it this next couple of weeks!
Disagree with you about Callaspo, Mr. Spencer, and you might be contradicting Mike Scioscia there. Izzy's DL trips makes him a risk, Frandsen's a waiver wire stop-gap pick up, and they can't sacrifice Brandon Wood's development at this stage any longer if they're going for it. Scioscia spoke highly of Callaspo before Stoneman traded him for Jason Bulger in 2006, and he's developed into quite a hidden potent hitter that many, including yourself, overlook.
Add this 27 year old to the Halos lineup hitting along the same line as Howard Kendrick and the Halos could end up preferring him for the long haul.
I have been looking at this stretch of games ever since late May. This is a make or break stretch of games without a doubt. Yankees, @Tex, Boston, Tex. If we don't come out on the plus side of this stretch, the season is over. PERIOD. We know Texas has a history of fading in the 2nd half, but I just don't see it. As usual, their hitting lineup is monstrous…but now the pitching is there. Even before they got Cliff Lee, they looked solid. The next 7 head to head games will be crucial. The Angels need to go 5-2 in these games to realistically have a chance to catch them down the stretch. Even if they do well vs Texas, I still think they need to make a move to fortify the lineup. I keep thinking that if Seattle was willing to trade Lee to Texas…why couldn't the Angels come up with something attractive for Lee?
I agree that these two weeks are BIG. If they hold their own or gain ground then the Angels should go with what they got. There is nothing out there offensely that they could use. Dunn is basically a DH type and from what I have read the Angels would have to give up premo talent for him.
If they fall back further, then they should play Wood at third the rest of the season to find out if he is the real deal or just a 3A wantabe, give Trumbo a shot a first and put Sean O or Bell or both in the rotation for the rest of the season.
Reason: The Angel farm system from 3A to 1A is NOT deep in talent. Case in point: 3A there is Conger and Trumbo. 2A Reckling and he was demoted. They're no Salmons, Erstads,Glauss,Lackeys or Frankies in their farm system that is one or two years away sorry to say. That's why they need to find out if Wood, Bell,and O'Sullivan are the real deal and if not face the fact that they need to acquire them from another team.
Fact is since 2002 the only players the farm has produced is Aybar, Kendricks, Morales, Nap, Mathis, Weaver, Saunders, Santana and Jettson. And there isn't much left.