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5 West Virginia golf courses that are wild, wonderful and varied
West Virginia's tourism slogan may be "Wild and Wonderful", but it's also home to manicured greens.
The Mountain State's courses are highly ranked by golfing magazines and even include a stop on the PGA tour.
Despite this prestige, this impressive array of challenging courses come with comfortable lodging at reasonable prices.
My group of golf-travel writers visited five destinations in six days, beginning in the state's northern panhandle at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling and working our way south to the Resort at Glade Springs in Daniels.
-- , owned by the city of Wheeling, is operated by the Wheeling Park Commission and has four golf courses, including championship-caliber tracks designed by golf legends Arnold Palmer and Robert Trent Jones Sr.
We played the Palmer Course, challenging and pleasing to the eye, with its 444-yard, par-4 first hole an immediate test. It's rated as the No. 1 handicap hole.
Although we didn't play the Jones Course, we heard great things about it. An Oglebay regular I know said the Jones Course is four to five strokes tougher than the Palmer Course.
Oglebay's Crispin Course is a shorter 18-hole track, and it also has a nine-hole par-3 course.
Find outdoor and indoor pools at Ogelbay, along with a tennis center, the Good Zoo, the Mansion Museum, the Glass Museum, specialty shops and a range of dining options.
-- , in Morgantown, about 95 miles and two hours from Wheeling, is an enduringly popular golf destination near the main campus of West Virginia University.
We played Lakeview, the older of the resort's two courses. With elevation changes and nearby Cheat Lake as backdrop, the front nine of the Lakeview Course is especially scenic. Putting surfaces are first-rate on both nines at Lakeview and its par-5, 620-yard 18th is a stout finishing hole.
Mountainview is its other course.
Lakeview Resort's main lodge, cottages and manor houses include a restaurant, bar and fitness center.
-- , in Roanoke, is a state-owned resort with just one golf course. But oh, what a course it is!
Designed by Arnold Palmer, it is every bit as pleasing to the eye but considerably more difficult than the Palmer Course at Oglebay.
From the par-4, 300-yard first hole to the par-5, 471-yard 18th hole, there's no let-up on this demanding track. It will fully test the skills of the lowest of low-handicappers.
The Adirondack-style main lodge has three dining areas, indoor-outdoor pool, gift shop and fitness area with locker rooms, saunas and steam rooms. Cottages and a campground round out lodging options.
Non-golfers can use the lake, hiking and biking paths, basketball courts, horseshoe pits and an indoor rock-climbing wall.
-- , first opened in the mid-19th century, proudly wears its luxury on its sleeve, and a stay there qualifies as a splurge.
Owned the last four years by West Virginia billionaire Jim Justice II, the Greenbrier has been updated with a casino.
Well-appointed rooms are in the main resort building, where top-notch restaurants, high-end shops, and a world-class spa also are found. Arrange a guided tour of the underground bunker built at the height of the Cold War as a safe haven for the U.S. Congress in the event of a nuclear war.
Golf is a big part of the cache at the Greenbrier, too.
The Greenbrier, Meadows and Old White TPC courses all are highly regarded. We played the Old White TPC, home of the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic.
My favorite memory of the round is climbing a flight of stairs next to the clubhouse to reach the elevated tee of the par-4, 437-yard first hole. Also fondly remembered is the men's locker room, with lockers set aside for West Virginia's own Sam Snead and Tom Watson, the Greenbrier's professional emeritus.
Not cheap, for sure, but worth the price for the overall experience.
-- in Daniels also is owned by Justice, and its three courses are Stonehaven, Woodhaven and Cobb. Slope ratings for the courses are 140, 143 and 137, which means they all are extremely challenging.
We played Stonehaven, and it exceeded expectations. There wasn't a hole I didn't like. The par-5, 515-yard 16th hole, with its elevated tee and majestic sweep, immediately secured a spot on my all-time Top 18.
Accommodations at Glade Springs include a main lodge and manor houses, with first-rate restaurants. A recreation center has an indoor pool, bowling lanes and spa.
To learn more:
Email David S. Glasier at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter @nhglasier.


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Novato, Calif.-based Hennessy Advisors (HNNA) said Monday that it wrapped up the acquisition of assets related to the management of the 10 FBR Funds.
The FBR Funds have been reorganized into the Hennessy Funds, bringing Hennessy's total assets under management to some $3.1 billion and the total number of shareholders to about 180,000. (Hennessey Advisors' and FBR Funds' boards approved the merger earlier this year.)
"I want to personally thank the shareholders of the FBR Funds for their vote of confidence and welcome them to the Hennessy family of funds," said Hennessy Advisors Chairman and CEO Neil Hennessy (left), in a press release. "We are pleased to now offer investors an expanded product lineup, including domestic equity, specialty, balanced and fixed-income funds, while providing the superior customer care they should expect."
Seven of the 10 FBR Funds will continue to be managed by the portfolio managers that have overseen the portfolios in the recent past; the investment objectives remain the same for these funds.
The seven funds and their new names are: The FBR Focus Fund becomes the Hennessy Focus Fund; the FBR Gas Utility Index Fund is now the Hennessy Gas Utility Index Fund; the FBR Large Cap Financial Fund has become the Hennessy Large Cap Financial Fund; the FBR Small Cap Financial is now the Hennessy Small Cap Financial Fund; the FBR Technology Fund now trades as the Hennessy Technology Fund; the FBR Balanced Fund is presently called the Hennessy Equity and Income Fund; and the FBR Core Bond Fund has become the Hennessy Core Bond Fund.
The remaining three FBR funds will be transferred into existing Hennessy funds with a similar investment objective: The FBR Large Cap Fund is being put into the Hennessy Cornerstone Large Growth Fund; the FBR Mid Cap Fund is becoming part of the Hennessy Focus 30 Fund; and the FBR Small Cap Fund is merging with the Hennessy Cornerstone Growth Fund.
"We are excited to close another successful acquisition where we believe the shareholders of the acquired funds, the shareholders of Hennessy Funds, and the shareholders of Hennessy Advisors, Inc. can all benefit," said Hennessy in a statement. "This transaction demonstrates our continued commitment to actively pursue opportunities to grow our business, especially in this slower-growing economy."

subset: commoncrawl


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Group Booking Terms and Conditions
Because you are making a Group Booking, there are additional Terms and Conditions that apply. Please read them and click 'I Accept' below to continue with your booking
General Group Booking Terms
By making a group reservation through Hostelworld.com you agree to the following terms and conditions as set by Hostelworld.com and as set by the hostel in question.
- In order to make a group reservation on Hostelworld.com it is necessary to pay a deposit. The balance is due directly to the hostel according to their payment conditions.
- The booking deposit is non-refundable.
- Please note that any cancellations must be notified directly to the hostel at least 24 hours in advance of your scheduled arrival date, unless otherwise stated in the hostel's conditions.
- Hostelworld.com are not responsible for changes or amendments to your reservation once it has been processed. All correspondence with regard to changes to your booking need to be dealt with directly with the hostel.
- Cancellations for reservations must be made directly with the hostel and must conform with the individual hostels cancellation policy (see below)
- It is your responsibility to pay the balance of your accommodation cost to the hostel in accordance with their payment conditions (see below). Failure to do so may result in your reservation being cancelled by the hostel.
- Individual hostels may have special booking conditions relating to group stays, please read the hostel booking conditions carefully before making your reservation.
Hostel Specific Terms & Conditions
The remainder of the amount due will be charged to your credit card ???? Should numbers or room selection change, the per person deposit times the number of people who actually travelled will be deducted from the total accommodation charge levvied by the hostel.
The following group types are not accepted by this hostel: Holiday with Friends, Junior / Primary School, High / Secondary School, College / University, Business Trip, Stag/Hen/Bachelor Party, Sports Group, Cultural Group If you have misrepresented the type of group you are booking for, your booking may be cancelled by the hostel."
Any cancellations resulting from agreement to these terms and conditions under false pretences will result in loss of deposit.
The B& B Ai 2 Papi features a peaceful garden and air-conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi, a kettle and minibar. The rooms are completely renovated with elegance and comfort to welcome you in total relaxation. Each room has a private bathroom, complete with towels, hair dryer and toiletries.
Guests can relax in the lounge and sofas arranged in the garden, chatting with the other guests or reading a book from our library. Every morning you can enjoy breakfast in the kitchen or in the garden.
The B&B Ai 2 Papi is located in a quiet residential area of Rome. Guests have excellent transport links by metro and bus to Termini Train Station and other points of interest located along the line A, including the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Via del Corso, and many other tourist attractions.
Please Note:
Reception is open from 08:30 until 12:30. You can check-in until 20:00 or after with a surcharge of 20 euro.
Either way, you must ALWAYS let B&B Ai 2 Papi know your expected arrival time when booking or by contacting the hotel directly, at least 2 days before arrival.
The cleaning of the room, change of bed linen and towels is every 3 days, and of course every guest change. 浏览旅舍规则
- 免费WiFi
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Drawn & Sketches by Jason Wong
EmailNot published
Is this a piece of song lyrics? What does it mean?
it was something my wife said the other day. don't take your love/relationship for granted, work at it, don't be passive. it might be a song lyric buried deep in her head.
Thanks, jw.
I want a poster.
© Friends of Type Contributors 2009-2020, All Rights Reserved.
This original work is for inspiration, not replication. Contact the Friends if you'd like to hire a friend, collaborate, host a workshop, or have us talk.


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| 8.4°C Belfast
Scots caught up in the Algerian hostage crisis have been through an "horrendous ordeal", Scotland's Justice Secretary has said.
Kenny MacAskill said two workers with Scottish connections are still missing, feared dead, after the four-day siege at the In Amenas gas facility finally ended on Saturday.
Three British nationals are now known to have died and three more are believed to be dead. A Colombian-born UK resident is also thought to have died.
Mr MacAskill told BBC Scotland: "We know that eight got back safe and sound, and are now back with their families, apart from one who I think decided to stop off with friends in London. But we do believe that two Scots or those with an immediate family connection in Scotland are believed to be among the missing presumed dead."
Speaking on the Good Morning Scotland programme, he said workers from Scotland came from all over the country and Strathclyde Police provided a co-ordination role, such as dedicating a family liaison officer to each family.
"As the victims who have survived come home, they will be in contact to see what counselling can be provided because even those who have survived have been through a horrendous ordeal, as we have seen on the television, and we will be making sure, through police and other agencies, that appropriate contact is provided," he added.
Mr MacAskill also said no-one could have anticipated the "horrendous attack", adding: "Algeria is a country I know well, having visited myself many years ago and my own father worked there some considerable time back, so I know the country. It has ebbed and flowed, it had got better, but there has always been difficulties there and, indeed, as we see whether in Mali or indeed in Libya, both of which are adjacent to Algeria, there are ongoing problems.
"But I don't think anybody could have anticipated such a horrendous attack that has seen the death, not only of those with a Scottish connection or a UK connection, but people from many, many countries around the world, not least Algeria."
First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed that two Scots were among those feared dead. BP employee Alan Wright, 37, from Portsoy in Aberdeenshire, is among one of the survivors to have returned to the UK. He was working at the plant when the Islamist terrorists stormed the compound.
The father-of-two hid in an office for 24 hours before joining Algerian colleagues in cutting their way through a fence and fleeing. He told Sky News: "If you have been captured, there's pretty much no escape and it is going to take a miracle to get you out. The first cut of the fence, the wire and tension makes such a noise when it breaks and you knew it travelled to where the terrorists were. But within 30 seconds they had both fences open and we were free to go, that was it."


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Project I
From Emerging Leaders
Develop a needs assessment plan for the ilovelibraries.org website
Team Members
- Conklin, Jamie
- Hatton, Jason
- Keith, Robert
- Klapperstuck, Karen
- Sonnen, Dave
Team Mentor
Cheryl O'Connor
Staff Liaison
Marci Merola
Team Roles
- Jason Hatton & Dave Sonnen - Update wiki/blog & monitor work of the team.
- Karen Klapperstuck - Keep in touch with the mentor and ALA contact.
- Robert Keith - Head poster project.
- Jamie Conklin - Write up findings.
Source Material
I Love Libraries - American Libraries, Jan. 2007


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AR state rep. apologizes for tweet
State Rep. Nate Bell stirs controversy with an 'insensitive' twitter post
Arkansas State Rep. Nate Bell, from Mena, is apologizing for an ill-timed Twitter post.
The tweet read, "I wonder how many Boston liberals spent the night cowering in their homes wishing they had an AR-15 with a hi-capacity magazine?"
The message was posted on Friday morning, referencing the search for the Boston bomber.
"If you had an AR-15, you might feel safer if something like that were to happen. You might feel like you could prevent it from happening if you saw someone carrying something suspicious," Melissa Harrington said.
But Bell's tweet is stirring a great deal of controversy.
"I think it's ridiculous. Based on the events that have happened in the world, that's definitely not something that somebody should say," Debby Wilson said.
"I think he was trying to take a stance, but I think he could have worded it better and been more respectful. I don't see many people really agreeing with that statement," Allison Vazquez said.
However, some people do agree with Bell's stance on gun control.
"The timing is a little off on it, but he makes a valid point. I'd vote for him," combat veteran Spencer Offenbacker said. "It's insensitive for the timing. I agree with that, but I believe we should have the right to carry arms. That's our Second Amendment."
"I think we should be able to carry whatever we want and as many weapons as we want," Cody Stamper said.
Bell has apologized for his Twitter post by writing, "I would like to apologize to the people of Boston & Massachusetts for the poor timing of my tweet earlier this morning."


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Watch two videos below
1. Master Sculptors Kirk Rademaker and Rusty Croft compete in a 10 minute sand speed sculpting competition on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Siesta Key Beach . The crowd chose a geco for the sculptors to make. Watch them go head to head as they race against time.
2. Watch Master Sculptor and the creator of the Crystal Classic Brian Wigelsworth talk about the competition. See why SIesta Beach attracts sculptors from all over the world.


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Arguably one of the most heated debates in science, efforts to reduce the number of animals used in studies face many barriers, says Alla Katsnelson.
One of the most, if not the most, contentious issues in science is the use of animals in research. Scientists experiment on animals for a host of different reasons, including basic research to explore how organisms function, investigating potential treatments for human disease, and safety and quality control testing of drugs, devices and other products. Its proponents point to the long list of medical advances made possible with the help of animal research. Opponents believe it is cruel and meaningless, as observations in animals often do not translate directly to humans.
In 1959, William Russell and Rex Burch proposed their "3Rs" guidelinesfor making the use of animals in scientific research more humane: restrict the use of animals; refine experiments to minimise distress; and replace tests with alternative techniques. Over the course of five decades their guidelines have become widely accepted worldwide, and while the reliability of published reports on the numbers used varies, they do at least provide a snapshot of historical trends. Around 29 million animals per year are currently used in experiments in the US and European Union countries. (Rats and mice make up around 80% of the total.) This is less than half the total in the mid-1970s – a significant drop, but one that has plateaued in the last decade.
"In the late 1980s, people thought animal research was singing its swan song," says Larry Carbone, a senior veterinarian at the University of California in San Francisco. Fresh out of veterinary school in 1987, Carbone landed a job as an animal vet at Cornell University, in New York State. At that time the numbers of animals being used in experiments and testing was on the decline: the campus was building a new multi-storey biotechnology facility, with just three rooms containing animal breeding and living facilities.
But then came the development of tools that could selectively modify individual genes in mice. This proved to be such a powerful and popular technique that the decreasing trend in animal use ground to a halt.
Now, a raft of novel experimental techniques may help to push numbers down again. Improvements in imaging methods that offer a peek inside the bodies of animals allow scientists to get more and better data from each experiment than before. For example, researchers previously had to cull multiple mice at different stages of tumour development, but now they can non-invasively watch the disease unfold in a single living animal using a fluorescent dye. Similarly, as brain-imaging techniques become more advanced, some questions that are now addressed with experiments in monkeys might be better answered by peering into the human brain. "My prediction is that human volunteers will be able to replace monkeys more and more in the next 10-20 years," says Carbone.
Meanwhile in vitro advances are also pointing towards reliable alternative methods. One such advance is the ability to re-program human skin cells into a primordial, stem cell-like state. These "induced pluripotent cells" could be converted into any specialised cell in the body, like liver or kidney cells, and these could be generated from people with a particular illness, giving researchers a potent and patient-specific model of that disease in a dish. Lab-on-a-chip technologies – and perhaps one day,lab-grown organs – could also provide increasingly sophisticated ways to identify disease mechanisms or test prospective medicines.
Finding alternatives
Trends also show that some sectors are doing more than others to reduce animal use. Some believe technological advances will one day make animal studies unnecessary, while others argue that "non-living" models will never be capable of reliably replicating all of the uses of laboratory mice and other creatures.
When many people think about animal testing, they imagine rows of rodent cages in a pharmaceutical company lab. But according to data from European Union countries, the pharmaceutical sector uses almost half the number of animals that academic labs do, and animal use in drug development dropped significantly between 2005 and 2008 – the most recent statistics available. There are two reasons for this, says Thomas Hartung, Director of the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, Maryland. First, drugs are increasingly designed to target specific molecular mechanisms, and these are best identified in culture dishes rather than live animals. Second, conducting experiments in 1,536-well cell culture dishes is vastly less expensive than in animals, so companies are motivated to use alternatives whenever they are available.
In the US and the EU, a drug's efficacy and safety must be tested in animals before it enters human testing, though a 2010 directive from the EU calls for alternatives to be used when possible. Jan Ottesen, vice president of lab animal science at Danish company Novo Nordisk, which makes insulin and other drugs for diabetes and haemophilia, says his company actively seeks out tests that can replace animal use without compromising patient safety. Novo Nordisk decided 15 years ago to replace animal tests with cell cultures to verify the quality of each batch of drugs before it goes to market. The company had to provide the authorities with data proving that other tests worked just as well. It took until 2011 for the company to complete the switch.
However, for some types of experiments there are no equivalent non-animal options, says Ottesen. For example, in searching for new drugs that decrease joint pain due to arthritis, you need a model that mimics the human condition. The important thing, he stressed, is to set up the experiment so as to avoid unnecessary pain. For safety and toxicological testing of drugs, he adds, "I cannot see for the foreseeable future how we can completely avoid it. Having said that, all the replacements that can be implemented should be implemented."
Under pressure
Safety testing of substances other than human and veterinary drugs, such as cosmetics, toiletries, household cleaning products and industrial chemicals might be a different story. Currently, says Hartung, such tests are outdated and inaccurate, with toxicity in rodents predicting problems in humans just 43% of the time. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of these substances have undergone no toxicity testing at all.
Addressing this gap with animal studies alone would be expensive and impractical. An overhaul of chemical safety regulations in the EU calledREACH and a toxicology modernisation initiative led by the US National Institutes of Health, are driving the search for alternatives.
Hartung believes that with enough investment and coordination, animal tests on products in this category can be replaced completely. He is leading the Human Toxome Project, an initiative that aims to map the ways substances disrupt hormones and endanger health, as well as to develop advanced, non-animal lab tests for toxicity testing. It's slow going, Hartung concedes. "We don't have human data to compare with, or really high-quality animal data," he says, adding that this makes it tough to evaluate the quality of the tests.
Meanwhile, almost four in ten animals are used in basic, as opposed to applied, biological research – and this proportion is growing. Sarah Wolfensohn, a veterinary surgeon who heads Seventeen Eighty Nine, a consultancy advising researchers on animal welfare, based in Swindon, UK, says this is in part because a lot of this type of work is carried out in academia where the financial and performance pressures that motivate interest in non-animal-based techniques are weaker than in the commercial sector.
Other factors play a role too, she says. "For example, if a senior professor in academia has spent his entire career developing experimental techniques on monkeys' brains and young researchers now tell him 'actually we don't need to do this, we can do it on a computer', it undermines his approach."
But just as important as reducing the numbers of animals used, adds Wolfensohn, is "to make sure they are being used in the best way and that their welfare is maximised, so as to get the best quality results, to make sure they are not wasted."
Overall, pressure to limit the use of animals in research – either for financial, scientific or moral reasons – is rising. Meanwhile, the use of animals in many areas of life-science research is on the decline, experts note, even if genetic work in mice is still keeping numbers up. "I think this is temporary," says Andrew Rowan, President and Chief Executive Officer of animal protection group Humane Society International. "I think it is going to start going down again as we improve our technologies." How soon this might happen is too difficult to tell.
Source: BBC


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General Chat, The Playground, Technology Suite, Motorsport & New Members Introduce Yourself section.
General discussion on more serious issues. Doesn't need to be Jaguar or even car related but please stay on topic in the threads.
Today, 14:09
Jokes ! ( post all jokes in...
28-09-16, 00:33
Welcome ! - If you have just registered on the Jaguar forum, please introduce yourself here
Today, 14:09
For all your light banter, thread de-railing and gossip. Usual forum guidelines regarding content apply.
Today, 11:01
What's on TV, what's coming up, recommendations etc. plus reviews of current TV Series, Movies & Cinema listings.
19-10-20, 21:21
Want to discuss the latest MP4 player, radio controlled toys, handheld computer or having PC problems or counting the megapixels on your new camera? Then here's the section to be in!
Programming folding mirrors...
Today, 13:47
Wishing Lewis the best this...
Yesterday, 09:22
Discussion and General Information on all other car bands, please post them here...
Yesterday, 05:50


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Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC
Freeh Group International Solutions, LLC ("FGIS") is a global risk management firm serving in the areas of business integrity and compliance, safety and security, and investigations and due diligence. FGIS was founded by Louis J. Freeh, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and former federal judge. In addition to Judge Freeh, the management team of FGIS includes former senior law enforcement officials, legal consultants, accountants, and security and compliance experts.
We serve a diverse range of organizations in a cross section of industries, working to reduce risk in today's increasingly dangerous and complicated global marketplace. The FGIS approach is to assemble the best team of experts based on the need and industry of the client. A FGIS Principal or Managing Director oversees every project, ensuring all clients receive the highest level of guidance and counsel. With access to subject matter experts across the globe, FGIS can quickly assess a situation and deliver solutions virtually anywhere in the world.


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These are our world famous miniature trees. This is a 2" Snowy Bottle Brush Tree perfect for completing your winter scene. Sold as a set of four.
This piece is 2" tall and comes four to a set. Imported directly from Germany, these trees are hand made by a small family run business.
Great for Christmas scenes, Putz houses, and holiday crafts. Comes already covered in beautiful glittery snow! Gnomes not included.
We carry a whole line of miniatures in our shop!


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...if you're traveling alone or with friends or family in a wheelchair, you better either be on your 'game' like the guy in the pic or really, really do your homework as to where, which tour companies and adventures are wheelchair friendly. Costa Rica is getting better at being more handicap and older folks friendly in the busiest places in Costa Rica but no where near where they need to be. But if you really, really want to visit Costa Rica and you are older, have health issues or handicapped in some way, I would go with a travel company that caters to such. Here's my video about the subject. Check it out or at least watch the ending, kinda funny.
TONS of Costa Rica Travel Info on our website and you know we are a full service travel agency Travel Costa Rica NOW and if you want to visit our YouTube Channel: Travel Costa Rica Now ENjoY


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This is the fourth post in my "Adoption April" series. This one is going to touch on all the facts that I know about my birth parents and how I feel about them, and if I want to meet them and why.
I know my birth mom's name. I also know my Birth Dad's name. I have never met either of them. There isn't much information on either of them that my parents collected from them but I am glad that I know their names. I also know their birthdays and I know she was born in the midwest.
People always ask me if I want to meet them both or my birth mom. I do! I would love to meet her, and I just haven't actively pursued it that much, you know life can be kind of busy! I am considering looking more into a private investigator and see what my options are. I know that is expensive though, so that would also take some time. Finding people isn't the easiest thing in the world. I would completely understand if she or he didn't want to meet me though, but I feel that it would be important at this time to get a family medical history report since so many diseases are genetic. I would hope that they would understand that and would be able to give me the family medical report. With that alone I think I would be happy as well.
I know I would be okay if they didn't want to meet me, because I still think about their situation. Sometimes I wonder what she looks like, and what he looks like, even if they are still together or still talk. I also wonder if I would have any other siblings through either of them. Isn't that weird to think about? I think that it would be cool to meet them, and see what their lives are like. I don't want anything from either of them at all, and if they weren't comfortable with meeting/talking/communication, I wouldn't force it upon them either. I couldn't even imagine the shock that they both must have had when I decided to enter the world.
As of right now, I have no idea where they are, what their lives are like, what they look like, or anything of that matter, but it does interest me. Also if I were to communicate with them, I would understand both of their apprehension if there was some. What would you do if your daughter that you hadn't seen or heard from or about in 23 years all of a sudden reached out to you? It would blow my mind. I think there has to be a level of curiousness of both my and her mind though. Is that curiousness enough to pursue communication? I don't know. Time will only tell.
I also realize that they will never replace my parents, and I would never even think that that would happen. I feel that if I was seeking them out because I felt abandoned or like I didn't fit in with my family, or like I was unwanted, it would be a different issue, because then I realize that my feelings would be hurt if they didn't want to have anything to do with me. I am interested to see what you guys think about this. I'm sure there are going to be some interesting comments. :)
If you have any emails for the next and sadly last, Adoption April (whoops it will be May) Question and Answer post please feel free to email me at (danicakoo) (at) (gmail) (dot) (com).
Here's a funny picture of me and my brother. Funny thing, someone asked me if I was HIS MOM THIS WEEKEND.
Sorry that one is so bad quality. Me and the T. (who also just found out about my blog this weekend and did some reading on it… his quote, "Don't use my name, I don't want it to make it any easier for the government to track me.")
As for the 20 miler. I did it this weekend. I still can't believe I actually did it. Claude was along for the ride as well, and stuck with it. I have some funny pictures from the run, but maybe I'll post them on Saturday but tomorrow will be the complete recap. Some very interesting things happened on the run and I can't wait to share with you guys. I know, you're all on the edge of your seat in anticipation.


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Back in 2008, Toshiba took a beating when its HD DVD format lost the format wars against Blu-ray. Four years later, the enforced focus on LCD has resulted in solid budget TVs like the Toshiba 32C120U and now the Toshiba 40E220U.
The Toshiba 40E220U is a sub-$500 television with a lot to offer the bargain-minded consumer. It has fairly deep black levels, a better selection of inputs than most competitors, and rich, vibrant colors. Image processing is quite good, with a crisp picture and very good off-axis performance.
On the downside, the Toshiba's shadow detail isn't as good as its competitors', uniformity is lacking, and the design is a little dated.
In short, while there are plenty of options at this price level, the 40E220U is a no-frills television with a fine picture.
The Toshiba 40E220U is a cheap TV and unfortunately it also looks like one. It sports a two-tone finish consisting of a black bezel with silver trim at the bottom -- a look that was popular several years ago but has since fallen out of fashion. The TV sits on an oval stand that doesn't swivel.
The remote is the same one that ships with the 32C120U, with squishy, closely spaced buttons. There are certainly better remotes than this if yours are ergonomic concerns.
Uneven Toshiba 40E220U is good value (pictures)See all photos
Meanwhile, the TV's menu system is fairly basic with a black-and-green color scheme. Most irritatingly, control of one of the most important functions -- the light sensor -- is hidden inside the menu system, and if you don't disable it your picture will be too dim. Check our picture settings forum post to find out how to find it.
|Key TV features
|Display technology
|LED backlight
|Screen finish
|Smart TV
|Internet connection
|3D technology
|3D glasses included
|Refresh rate(s)
|Dejudder (smooth) processing
|Other: None
Unlike the smaller 32C120U, the 40E220U has a full 1080p screen resolution, but there's no further added functionality beyond that TV's fairly basic feature set. If you're interested in multimedia playback, though, the Toshiba can play back JPEG images and MP3 tunes via the USB port.
Picture settings: The E220 offers a number of possible tweaks, including the option to adjust the grayscale slightly and to choose from among a bunch of different gamma settings. The DynaLight feature adjusts the backlight control based on image content.
Annoyingly, if you try to change any of the presets (such as Movie or Standard) the mode switches to Preference, making it easy to accidentally delete your settings.
Connectivity: The Toshiba 40E220U's inputs include two HDMI ports, one each component- and composite-video, an RGB-style PC input, and a USB port.
Picture quality
Just as the 32-inch Toshiba 32C120U has the best picture quality in its size, the 40-inch 40E220U similarly stands out among its peers. While you don't get plasmalike depths, the E220's black levels are good for the price, and shadow detail is acceptable.


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This was created for the 200th week of Thunderdome; and it is a return to the original prompt that launched it all. A Man Agonizes over his Potatoes.
Tag: writing
This Thunderdome had the requirement of picking a They Might Be Giants song and taking inspiration from it. I chose "Birdhouse in your Soul".
Locked pantries came back in style. Fridges had thumbprint scanners. Headlines about "Them" had people bending their window-blinds at all hours. Police enlisted dogcatchers and parking enforcement officers to help deal with the "monsters". Monsters had come up from the ground, or landed in a meteor, or washed up from the ocean or sewers or garbage dumps or something. They ate fat, but vinegar was like candy to them. Acetone was like caffeine.
Apple Pie & Noir
"That's how fires get started." I thought out loud. No one responded.
Millenial Bearskin
The doorbell rang. It was the devil. They'd be wearing the clothes and body of the delivery guy, holding the pizza Gil had ordered twenty nine minutes ago. He came down the stairs in no particular hurry. This leg of the negotiation process was merely a formality, and the devil's appearances had become commonplace. In the form of postal workers hand delivering bills, sickly birds on the windowsill in the process of leaving a mess, or pornographic performers suddenly addressing Gil by name during lonely midnight viewings, he and the devil had slowly circled an agreement.


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How does a young man, from humble circumstances, come to study for the gospel ministry? This is asked in light of an absence of financial resources at my disposal and my church's.
It is difficult to answer without knowing you. I would encourage you to seek the advice of others close to you and who know you, whose judgment you trust, like a pastor or someone else with theological training.
Having been involved for many years in training pastors, I can say, from a number of instances I have witnessed, that where there is a desire to study for the gospel ministry undertaken with prayer and careful self-searching before the Lord and with the wise counsel of others who confirm that that desire is warranted, the Lord will provide a way and the resources for that study to be realized.
This link at the OPC web site concerning recommendations for ministerial preparation may be of some general help.
May the Lord guide you in this matter.
"Questions and Answers" is a weekly feature of the OPC website. The answers come from individual ministers in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church expressing their own convictions and do not necessarily represent an "official" position of the Church, especially in areas where the Standards of the Church (the Scriptures and the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms) are silent.
The questions come from individuals like yourself. If you have questions about biblical and theological matters, you are invited to send them by e-mail by using the "Pose a Question" link on the OPC home page or by clicking here.
At least one new question is posted each week, so there should always be something new here for you to read. (For those people who would like to look at previous questions and answers, they will continue to be available as well.)
The purpose of the OPC website's "Questions and Answers" is to respond to biblical and theological questions. Matters of church discipline, disputes, or debates go beyond the scope of our work. We recommend that you present your concerns in these areas to the appropriate judicatory. In most cases this will be to a local pastor, elder, or session. We do not want the website to replace personal involvement in, or commitment to, the local, visible church.
While we will respond to every serious questioner, we are not bound to give a substantive answer to every question, should we deem the question to be beyond the scope of our purpose or our own ability to answer.
You will receive an answer by e-mail. Please be patient as many of our respondents are busy pastors. The response to your question may take up to two (2) weeks. Some of the questions submitted will be chosen to be posted here, along with the corresponding answers.
Note that the "Questions and Answers" posted on the site have been editedall personal references are removed, Scripture references or from some source may be added, and sometimes portions are expandedto make the questions and answers more useful to a larger audience.
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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PUNE, India, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Indian yoga guru BKS Iyengar died Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the age of 95. One of the world's preeminent yoga teachers, Iyengar was at least partially to thank (or blame) for the proliferation of brightly colored, rolled-up mats in cities across the United States. But before yoga was big business, Iyengar was a dutiful practitioner and teacher, having trained in the meditative art since the age of 14.
Iyengar died at a hospital in Pune, India, shortly after being admitted for shortness of breath. His passing was announced on his website, the news accompanied by a picture and a quote from Iyengar: "I alway tell people, live happily and die majestically."
He began practicing and teaching yoga in the 1930s. After teaching world-famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin in 1952, the two struck a friendship and the musician bragged that his newly acquired yoga techniques had improved his playing. The publicity help thrust Iyengar into the limelight and his first of many books, Light on Yoga, published in 1966, quickly became an international best-seller, translated into 17 languages.
Iyengar ran his own yoga studio in Pune for more than two decades beginning in the 1970s. After a scooter accident resulted in a debilitating spinal injury, Iyengar devoted himself to teaching disabled people to practice yoga. He retired from teaching in 1984, but continued to travel the world promoting his books and the health-giving properties of yoga. His death inspired hundreds of thousands of tributes on Twitter, including one from Narendra Modi, the newly elected Indian prime minister.
Generations will remember Shri BKS Iyengar as a fine Guru, scholar & a stalwart who brought Yoga into the lives of many across the world.— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 20, 2014
I wonder how many Lululemon fanatics knew about Iyengar or his contribution to yoga. http://t.co/DDVACrvfpw RIP. pic.twitter.com/B6yztoNuei
— Anup Kaphle (@AnupKaphle) August 20, 2014
Sending love to Sri BKS Iyengar's family. With deep gratitude for this special man's life and influence on Yoga pic.twitter.com/gRqKXiKWj7— Ekhart Yoga (@EkhartYoga) August 20, 2014


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Would you like the chance to rent Essentials of Sociology, A Down to Earth Approach online now through our popular text book website? Written by James M Henslin, this is the 9th edition of the book and it was published by Prentice Hall in 2010. You can buy cheap Essentials of Sociology, A Down to Earth Approach copies if you wish, and opt for previously owned text books instead of brand new ones. Learn more about the basics of sociology and get ahead at college thanks to our discounted college text book service. Many other students have already taken advantage of it. James M. Henslin is the author of 'Essentials of Sociology, A Down-to-Earth Approach (9th Edition)', published 2010 under ISBN 9780205763122 and ISBN 020576312X.[read more]
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The CapeRoutes Apostles Climbing Guide by Leo Rust (Free PDF Download)
This PDF guide can be downloaded here for free. http://www.climbing.co.za/topo/download/54002/
CapeRoutes Symbols - http://www.climbing.co.za/topo/download/54018/
The Icons of Camps Bay! There is more climbing to be done here than on Lions Head and TM combined, but with no cable car, approaches starting at 45 minutes and west facing these buttresses get less traffic than they should. If you are looking to escape the crowds of TM and Lions meander down the Pipe track and prepare for many an adventure.
The best place to start for most buttresses is from Theresa Ave, in Camps Bay. Park at the Cement road boomed closed then walk up the cement to the various buttresses. The closest are Valken, Barrier, Kasteel and the Champs Elysees side of Postern which are all accessed from the Kasteel Poort path, and will take about 45 minutes to an hour 20 minutes to get to. Unsurprisingly these crags have also seen the most development.
Postern through Kleinkop will take longer and really want a full day out.
Bee Buttress is approached from the Llududno side, and no doubt once we can find more info on the other buttresses that side we will populate this wiki from that approach. if anyone can name the buttresses between Kleinkop and Bee please state them and any more info you may have.
Most Buttresses face West or South, with some facing North. The hope with this wiki is to put info here on what is climbed best in given conditions. As most routes face west it is best for an early start to miss the sun, however this is only really a concern on hot days, as the height and breeze cools the crags.
For hot days an early start heading to Corridor South Face is best, as there are long routes that stay in the shade until much later in the afternoon- after 3pm depending on the time of year. It would take a good hour and a half to get to the base, mostly walking on the flat pipe track.
"""Pipe Track"""
The pipe track starts all the way back at Kloof Corner, but the only buttress that might be approached from there (Cairn) is still better approached from Theresa Ave. The path maintains a contour until it peters out between Slangolie and Corridor, making Corridor's path harder to follow. Outside of the ends this is a fabulous freeway of a path making movement easy. The only crags that would be better accessed from elsewhere is Bee and Sea Buttresses, which are best approached from Suikerbossie
Ravine Names As a rule of thumb the Buttress gives its name to the ravine on the climbers right of the buttress, so Kasteel Poort is in between Kasteel Buttress on the left and Postern on the right etc.


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Discovering Hidden Conflicts in Art
Art Museum Galleries
Jessica Lazzar '21, Student Guide
On this tour visitors will explore artwork influenced by cultural conflicts and power imbalances that may not be immediately apparent to the naked eye. We will look closely at objects from many different time periods and regions, considering what stories may be hidden within each.
All Sightlines Tours last 30-45 minutes


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Job Seekers, Welcome to Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine Career Center
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The challenges of living with someone with food allergies and sensitivities.
With Celeste's Best Gluten-Free, Allergen-Free Recipes you'll discover it's absolutely possible to live just as fully without gluten, dairy and other allergens in your diet as you once did with them. Learn how >
The challenges of living with someone with food allergies and sensitivities.
There are substitutes for xanthan gum and guar gum in gluten-free cooking.
Some supplements to help you quickly get back on your feet after you've unknowingly ingested gluten.
Do you experience stomach pains when you eat GMO corn? There may be a reason why...
It's not always easy being a celiac in a world full of gluten.
Finally, a fast and easy way to stop the itch from a mosquito bite.
Does following a gluten-free and dairy-free diet help those with rosacea.
Are you planning to visit a farm? Is it safe for someone with celiac to go for a hay ride?
Have you been following a gluten-free diet, but still having symptoms? Could it be your fruits and vegetables?
We're a family with celiac and food intolerances, but we're so much more than that. More...


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3 men die after SUV overturns in Wis. creek
ANTIGO, WI (AP) — Three men are dead after a sports utility vehicle went into a ditch and overturned in a creek in northern Wisconsin.
According to the Langlade County sheriff's department, someone called 911 at about 9 p.m. Friday and when deputies arrived they found the vehicle overturned and partially submerged in the icy waters of Pickerel Creek.
Three men were inside. They were identified as 69-year old Gerald Randerson of Appleton, 50-year old John Cohen of Combined Locks and 65-year old Daniel Krubek of Appleton.
Deputies say initial investigation indicates the vehicle was west on Pickerel Creek Road when it went into the ditch and down the embankment.
The sheriff's department is still investigating.


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We want your help to facilitate ABRSM's biggest online adult learning survey for music.
We're on a mission to find out how adults taking part in music education in the UK and Ireland can be better supported. There are two surveys to complete:
- One for teachers with adult learners: https://teachingadults.questionpro.com
- One for adult learners themselves: https://adultlearners.questionpro.com
There is an optional prize draw at the end of both surveys, where you can win one of 10 £50 Amazon vouchers. Please send to your networks and to any teachers and learners who might be interested. The surveys will close on the 10 September.
Your answers will help us to understand what's working well and where learners require more support from the sector.
If you require any more information about this survey, please do get in touch by emailing [email protected]
Best wishes,
Rachel Cook from ABRSM
Edited by RachelC1234, 17 July 2018 - 08:55 .


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Pet Insurance
Pet Insurance for dogs and cats. Comprehensive low cost cover, compare pet insurance plans online.
Wedding Insurance
Wedding Insurance for UK, overseas & civil ceremonies. Compare wedding insurance plans & get an online quote.
Equine Insurance
Horse Insurance providing comprehensive vet's fees cover up to £5,750 per incident.
Caravan Insurance
Caravan Insurance cover for touring caravans, static caravans and camping equipment.
Cycle Insurance
Cycle insurance cover for riders using their bikes for leisure purposes, time trails, racing and competitions.
About E&L®
E&L® provide specialist niche insurance products. We are a well known and established provider of personal line niche schemes and have been in business for more than 70 years. We pride ourselves in offering a first class claims and customer service, providing comprehensive cover and competitive premiums.
The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Our Financial Services Register Number is 202748.
The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited is also a member of the Association of British Insurers and the Financial Ombudsman Service.


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Eric Barger reveals "The REAL Purpose of the Church" by giving a sneak preview of what's in store for all True ODM Churches in these Last Days. What's in store for all Pure ODM Churches taking a stand for Absolute Truth you may ask? Why! Nothing but the blessed rapture! (Thanks to one of our Reasearch Robot Monkeys for catching this).
However we are not quite satisfied with that answer as we are not quite in the Last Days of this Great Tribulation of Emergent apostasy—because of this we must continue to stand for Truth so that we will be ready—Rapture Ready when the blessed rapture occurs before Jesus returns and comes to slay all the non-Elect unregenerate reprobates.
Are you ready? Here is our list of what one must do to be ready in order to prepare for the blessed rapture:
- Unconditionally support every act of Israel even their acts of terrorism
- Unconditionally support USA-brand Imperialism
- Vote Obama and every Democrat out of office
- Smoke a Spurgeon-approved cigar
- Buy 667 copies of John MacArthur's book The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception and leave one copy everywhere you go just in case one of the regenerate predestined Elect accidently stumbles upon a copy and awakens to their status of being among the regenerate predestined Elect
- Outlaw all abortion and homosexuality
- Use only a King James AV1611 Bible or ESV
- Burn any copy of Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, Brian McLaren's books or any other Emergent type book that you come across preferably while performing a Bible-Based animal sacrifice or while burning Emergent heretics themselves
- Read only the Online Discernmentalist Mafia, The Official Blog Of God's Only Inerrant Party, Ken Silva and other ODMs to get your facts]
- Continue to be ever-vigilant and ever-valiant in your stand for our Absolute Biblical Truth


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Hummingbird Gallery
Professional Custom Picture Framing by Iona & Drew
posted on March 21, 2018
We will be reopening June 25th. Regular hours 11:00 to 4:00 however for the safety of our clients we ask you call in advance and make an appointment as our shop is small and we would like to limit to one customer at a time. To better serve you we will be available outside our regular hours. Dismiss


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Electronics & Semiconductor Manufacturing
The Most Versatile & Useful Motion Control Device
Some of the most demanding applications in motion control can be found in the electronics and semiconductor industry. They require a combination of extreme accuracy and precision with high output.
SMAC Moving Coil Actuator technology has been adopted into electronics manufacturing industries around the world for both front and back end processes. This is because of SMAC's high degree of accuracy and speed, positioning capabilities, and unique ability to control forces. Those capabilities are essential to do both work and test during the manufacturing process. SMAC linear rotary actuators come in a single ready-to-mount package with through-the-rod-vacuum. This pick and place head with vacuum saves you cost and increases the throughput of the machine.
- Programmable force/torque, position, velocity in all axes
- SMAC's unique Soft-Land™ ability (<10gf contact force) to avoid parts damage
- Easily programmed position and force "windows" to warn of missing or broken components
- Precise force control with feedback
- Rod/Shaft run-out < 30 micron (<10 micron optional)
- Positions sub-micron accuracy
- Different height placement
- High speed continuous operation, 50,000 cycles/hour (15Hz)
- Long life cycle over 100 million cycles
For more information on how SMAC electric actuators can be useful in electronic assemblies, as a touchscreen tester, pick and place robot, battery tensioner or other application, contact us to request a product demo.


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What needs to be considered before taking the first step.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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Cinema 4D Tutorial – C4D Physical Render – Tutorial Part Two
This tutorial is the second part of a two part tutorial that Tim recently completed for 3D Artist magazine. If you would like to follow the first part where we set up a soft body dynamics simulation,
then you'll need to grab a copy of the magazine, issue 59. I'm sure that the first part will be available online in the future but for now you will have to purchase the magazine.
First part is now online here.
The second part however is FREE! If you don't follow the first part then do not worry as you can download the scene file with the dynamics baked and then use this as your starting point for part two.
In this tutorial Tim explores some of the new features of Cinema 4D Release 15, specifically working with global illumination using QMC and Light Mapping which is a fantastic combination. However there is a lot more than using GI in this tutorial. At one hour in duration you are sure to pick up some handy tips along the way.
We first generate some simple UVs so the texture sticks as the model deforms, then we build a material using a combination of shaders including sub-surface scattering, lumas, fresnel, layer shader and gradients. Sub-surface scattering shader can be quite daunting, Tim shows you how to choose the most appropriate settings for your scene and some tips for optimising the shader to speed up your renders.
Tim shows you how to convert a probe HDRI into a more suitable format for C4D so that we can light our scene with a sky object for image based lighting. To compliment the GI, we will use an Area Light and explore some of the parameters essential for controlling Area Shadows.
The tutorial uses the Physical Renderer in Cinema 4D and Tim shows you how to grapple with the parameters so you have speedy previews whilst setting up your scene. We make use of the Physical Depth of Field, adjusting our physical camera to fine tune the result.
Of course, rendering with area shadows, depth of field and sub-surface scattering will heat your CPU somewhat, so Tim renders with the new Team Render in Cinema 4D to spread the load across several machines.
In the tutorial Tim used an HDR image that isn't included in the download due to copyright, but it is a free HDRI, so you can go download it yourself from here.
If you enjoyed this free tutorial then perhaps you'd be interested in some more of Tim's professional training. There's a 20% discount code on Tim's training that is valid until Sunday 22nd September 2013.
The discount code is IBC2013
Watch the tutorial on Vimeo for the full HD goodness and download the scene file to follow along here.


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MTV Accused of Pro-Abortion Agenda After Pulling Ad
MTV Accused of Pro-Abortion Agenda After Pulling Ad
MTV pulled a pro-life media group's newly launched ad campaign off the air earlier this month, prompting accusations that the music channel harbors a pro-abortion agenda.
Heroic Media announced its "We Can Help" campaign on April 30 at a fundraising event headlined by Sarah Palin. The commercials encourage women with unexpected pregnancies to reach out for information and support.
The advertisements began on schedule on May 2, but after just one airing, MTV – which broadcasts the reality show "16 and Pregnant" – yanked them off the air. Though the ads were scheduled to run on the network throughout the month of May, MTV announced on May 5 the decision to stop showing the commercials.
"Those exact same ads with the exact same verbiage have aired on MTV in the past," Heroic Media representative Marissa Gabrysch noted to The Christian Post.
According to a press release last week from Heroic Media, an MTV sales representative told the Austin, Texas-based Christian non-profit that MTV president Stephen Friedman decided to pull the ads based on a conflict of interest with the network's partnership with Planned Parenthood.
MTV denied that its dealings with Planned Parenthood affected the choice to pull the commercials.
The network claimed that ads were axed to separate the network from a recent controversial billboard campaign by a group tied to Heroic Media. The group, Life Always, rented a billboard in New York that stated, "The Most Dangerous Place for an African-American is in the Womb." The ad was based on New York City Health Department statistics that show a 59.8 percent abortion rate among African Americans, but some decried the billboard as racist.
Jeannie Kedas, the senior vice president of MTV Networks, said in a statement, "Upon further review, it was hard for us to separate some of the recent tactics of the organization behind the ads themselves, so we have opted to not accept them for air at this time."
Still, Heroic Media and other conservative groups are taking MTV's decision as proof of a pro-abortion inclination.
Lila Rose, president of pro-life organization Live Action, told Fox News, "I think it's a very disturbing, shocking decision for MTV to pull a commercial that is meant to provide real options for women," she said. "MTV seems to be aligning itself with radical pro-abortion ideology."
Despite the roadblock created by MTV's decision, ads similar to those pulled from MTV are still running on BET, an African-American interest network. Gabrysch said Heroic Media remains committed to airing "positive call-for-help messages."
"We will continue to look for opportunities to get our message out there to the people in need of our help," Gabrysch said.


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Leyland pleased with Porcello's early progress
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jim Leyland issued his annual Spring Training warning earlier than usual about not reading too much into bullpen sessions. Everybody looks good, he likes to say, before they face live hitters, let alone game situations.
That said, Leyland had a note of encouragement for fifth-starter candidate Rick Porcello, who appears to be making progress on the pitch he needs to get hitters off his sinker.
"It caught my eye," Leyland said of Porcello's side session Tuesday. "He threw some really good sliders yesterday, so that registered."
Porcello came to camp working on his overall mechanics after some tweaking by pitching coach Jeff Jones, but the slider seems to be the pitch most likely to benefit. He threw fewer sliders as a percentage of his pitches last year than he had at any point since his rookie season.


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Only they all advance the plot to some extent. In most romances, the reader wants to be reassured that the couple are sexually compatible. Plus, when it's done well, reading about sex can be fun.
No, the real problem with sex scenes -- at least, my real problem with the sex scenes in the books I read -- is that all the protagonists' personality leaves the room when the clothes come off. To my mind, the challenge of a well-written and fun-to-read sex scene is to make it sexy in ways that are consistent with the characters' lives, thoughts, goals and personalities.
What I read, though, is usually a lot flatter than that. The hero and heroine become generic, mere bodies in the dance. It's like there's a downloadable Mad Libs for sex scenes:
Hero's name ran his body part over Heroine's name 's body part creating a delightful friction. She trembled all over, arching against his body part , tense with her passionate emotion for him.
"My personal term of endearment ," he murmured, pressing his body part along the length of her body part . "You drive me adjective of passion with noun of passion ."
"Oh, Hero's name , period appropriate euphemistic verb for sexual act me now."
He different period appropriate euphemistic verb for sexual act, past tense her adverb suggesting sexual prowess , different adverb suggesting sexual prowess , bringing her to a period appropriate euphemistic noun for orgasm before he period appropriate euphemistic verb for orgasm, past tense himself.
If I've inadvertently violated anyone's copyright, I apologize. And to the nice folks at Penguin Group, parents of Mad Libs, I very much apologize for parodying your trademarked product. Here's your widget so that people can play with the real thing (so to speak):


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Remove dangerous ammonium nitrate from Newcastle now!
No fracked gas pipeline through the Northern Territory
Noongar Not For Sale
Welcome to CommunityRun
Do you have an idea about how to make your local area, community or Australia a better place? CommunityRun is an online tool that allows you to start, run and deliver a campaign on the issue you care about. Your campaign could be big, small, revolutionary or everyday. It could be as diverse as saving your local park from development to fighting for a clean energy future on a national scale.
CommunityRun is powered by GetUp, an independent, community advocacy organisation that seeks to build a more progressive Australia and hold politicians to account.
While GetUp created this platform for anyone to use, CommunityRun campaigns are not run or endorsed by GetUp. Journalists aiming for accuracy should not refer to CommunityRun campaigns as GetUp campaigns.
Think of CommunityRun as a town square. GetUp provides the space, but anyone is welcome to come with a soapbox and say whatever they like, as long as it is not defamatory, discriminatory, or illegal. Over time, CommunityRun will host many excellent campaigns, but you can also expect to see campaigns pop up that GetUp is opposed to.Read more about us here.


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Credit and You
There was a time when most transactions that resulted in a transfer of wares, services or property from one person to another involved simply a direct, hand-to hand exchange of currency or bartered goods. As a promise-to-pay system evolved over time as an alternative to cash transactions, things became a little more complicated.
Today, merchants routinely offer a credit option to customers who meet certain qualifications, and this brings both greater flexibility and a greater possibility of personal overextension. It also opens the door to opportunists with fraudulent intent. As a result, the federal government and the State of Georgia have responded with laws to regulate aspects of the credit industry and to help protect you as a consumer.
You can find a wealth of facts on almost any credit-related subject, from obtaining a copy of your credit report to fair debt collection practices, on the web site of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The topic links below to information gathered by our office from various sources should prove helpful as well.
You can use the FTC's online complaint form to report problems with companies that issue credit, help you get out from under debt, or promise to do either one. If you have been involved with such a company that you feel has engaged in deceptive or fraudulent activities, you may also report it to the Georgia Department of Law's Consumer Protection Division. For more specifics, please visit these pages:
Your Credit Report
How to Obtain Credit
Minimum Monthly Payments for Credit Cards
Check, Credit and Debit Card Purchases
Debit Card "Holds"
Students and Credit
Secured Credit Cards
Credit Repair Services
Credit Freeze
Unsolicited Credit Card Offers
Debt Adjustment Companies
Debt Collectors
Debt Reaffirmation
Debt-Elimination Scams
Identity Theft
Payday Loans
Tax Refund Anticipation Loans
Title Pawns and Cash Advances
Various Banking Scams


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Manage accounts and users
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Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Expecting Baby
Britain's royal family have announced that Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly known as Kate Middleton, are expecting their first child. WSJ's David Enrich reports. Photo: EPA
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I the the ... it's really in the Duchess of Cambridge are expected that this child ... David and joins me now to discuss this ... twenty if the row ills we have the Queen's Jubilee ... of ... Queen appearing in the Olympic games opening ceremony was that Colby's ... and now they ... get excited in everyone the whole newsroom ... that went crazy when the ... cross the line is that the ... much more so in uncovering European banks ... well I mean it to see your Bakken putative quite some time but what you make of the sort of a pushy subsection weepy at ... the Royals in an onshore this is going to dominate the stories you ... know what that actually does a British accent and Americans are just as obsessed about this as that the British and ... that is what living in Twitter's is cross a big part of reaction this is not so much ... happy pure happiness for the role so much is a was ... the question will we get another bank holiday in the ... middle of next year when when the babies and do the one interesting thing though is that they're you know the circumstances of this ... very early pregnancy and ... seems to be announced escapes in the hospital to get ... the little unclear very early stage for an Barry Bonds and morning sickness this they say ... in the Gospel for The Wall ... now it's a lot of interesting things about this is actually ... I think to some of the wet though they have a boy or a go at ... yet for succession planning in matters very much to ... get some new voters in for succession plan for Mrs ... doesn't matters a change to the ... when the succession rules or were met ... with that so the boy or a girl that person will be in her ... which isn't into joy ... when when the girls were not automatically ... qualify him a certain circumstances say whatever happens to be this that that that the launch with Ryan on to Chelsea and William ... or Harry gets pumped out of data ... the ... final sale might not but said I in the wealth on the week is that how that ... at dusk a guy I guess which is being ... yet Ms told Quad core to go to war with ... the chills and I guess the zoo we were seen recently is the stabilization ... but also above my station case William Wright talks about MySpace this child is ... going to be ... coming into a very different from me than my five years ago ... yes it for me is an American is a relative newcomer here everyone loves the role family Americans are obsessed with them Richard says doesn't it seem to get very little other than to press especially ... taking William minutes I was that hasn't always McKesson think it's ... you know I've ever been to rally around and in a very joyous occasion adversely very excited with the Tyra ... Signals bunting appears to ... many seniors to find for offices and one indication of how a ... everyone gets excessive ... intake stated thanks for joining us there ...


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Oakland's City Wide Surveillance Network Being Built By Contractor With A History Of Fraud And Little Regard For Civil Liberties
from the city-must-want-this-system-built-in-the-worst-way dept
I don't know what version of its CV Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) handed in to the city of Oakland, but it must have been one that glossed over a whole lot of its recent history. "A fool and his money are soon parted," it's often said, but if SAIC's "work" with New York City is any indication, a fool and his money are painfully separated exponentially over the next decade.
In the late 1990s, New York began a program to transition tens of thousands of municipal employees from paper punch cards to digital palm scanners, ostensibly to counter fraud. Dubbed CityTime, the project's initial budget was $68 million. But after SAIC acquired the company that had won the competitive bidding process for the work, CityTime's cost mushroomed to more than $740 million in ten years.What NYC received in exchange for three-quarters of a billion dollars was a network of well-financed kickback recipients… and not much else. As Mike wrote back in 2011, one of things you don't do to Mayor Mike Bloomberg is screw him over in a business deal.
Apparently, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has had a similar experience with SAIC and the new computer system for NYC it's been building. But, Bloomberg is a businessman by trade, rather than a politician, so when a company charges you $600 million (way over budget from the original $63 million), he knows that you ask for your money back. So that's what he's doing. He's demanding a $600 million refund from SAIC.Bloomberg demanded $600 million and, backed by the DOJ, managed to recover $500 million of that. This means SAIC walked away with $240 million on a job quoted at $68 million. On the strength of that experience alone, Oakland should have had serious reservations about bringing SAIC on a new project, but it appears to be blissfully unaware of SAIC's past.
It's unclear if Oakland's mayor, city council, or city administrator vetted the company before approving the DAC contract. Nothing in the Oakland Public Safety Committee meeting records, nor the meetings of the full council, indicate that the city looked into SAIC's record before handing over millions in federal grant dollars. In an interview last month, neither of the two city officials in charge of the DAC — Domingo and Ahsan Baig, the city's information technology manager — were aware of SAIC's past record of fraud, cost overruns, and failed projects.This is already bad -- no one involved appears to have the faintest idea about SAIC's past -- but it gets much worse. SAIC has been contracted to build a surveillance network in Oakland called the Domain Awareness Center (DAC). This expansion of the Port of Oakland's DAC to a citywide entity is being battled by civil liberty advocates and other citizens of Oakland. Putting SAIC on the project adds its rap sheet of white collar crime and human rights abuses to the mix.
Councilman Dan Kalb said he also wasn't aware of SAIC's record with other cities or its various military and Department of Homeland Security contracts. "The administration made the decision as to which contractor to go with," Kalb said, referring to City Administrator Deanna Santana's office. "Apparently, last year the council gave the administration the authority to work with the port to decide on the contractor." Other members of the council did not respond to a request for comment.
In recent years, SAIC has been accused of defrauding municipal governments, bribing foreign officials, and delivering shoddy products. And when the company does deliver the goods at cost and on time, it's often for militarized projects linked to human rights abuses. Among SAIC's recent contracts: training the Egyptian military, operating drones used to kill foreign citizens, building and operating portions of the NSA's internet spying system used on Americans, and more.Because of its inability or unwillingness to vet its bidders, Oakland is basically setting itself up to be defrauded and placing its citizens in the hands of a contractor willing to perform nearly any job for the right price. (A price which seems to vastly exceed the quote a majority of the time.)
Here's what SAIC has failed to get off the ground in recent years, despite taking home millions of tax dollars.
- From 2000-2004, SAIC collected $600 million to build a new computer system for the FBI and delivered an end product so disastrous, the FBI immediately scrapped it and began looking for another contractor and a new system. (Not that it mattered. Work began in 2006 and the system finally went 100% live in August of 2012.)
- A several-hundred-million dollar project for Greece (actual amount seemingly unknown due to multiples layers of shady accounting), which (again) suffered from major cost overruns, fraudulent activity and (of course) didn't work as advertised with "only a fraction of the cameras installed actually providing footage."
- Received $46 million to train Egypt's army under the US Army's supervision -- several members of which have gone on to kill "hundreds of protesters" in recent months.
- This:In addition to this list of failures, SAIC has also tormented the private sector by birthing patent troll VirnetX, which managed to secure $368.2 million in damages from Apple despite being on track to gross $72,000 for the entirety of 2012.
"SAIC was also responsible for a failed multibillion-dollar intelligence system project for the National Security Agency called Trailblazer that was junked in 2006 and characterized as one of the worst intelligence failures in US history."
Despite this failure, the NSA brought SAIC as a contractor on XKEYSCORE.
This is the entity the city of Oakland has chosen to do business with on a surveillance project -- a contractor whose primary contracts are with the military and who sports a horrendous track record on the both the contracting side and the civil liberties side. Maybe the city's hoping it will just get the civil liberties-violating side (one high-ranking city official has suggested the program should be used to "control public demonstrations") and walk away without being gouged too horribly on the contracting front. And if it doesn't it's all just
Filed Under: oakland, surveillance
Companies: saic


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Ross' value to Red Sox goes beyond numbers
While he doesn't put up big statistics on offense, veteran catcher has been a leader
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- There are some players whose value to their team is obvious. You can see it on the field, whether it's strikeouts and wins for a pitcher, home runs and RBIs for a batter, or sterling defense for a fielder.
Then there are other players whose value in addition to what they bring on the field isn't always so apparent. It's more subtle, but equally important. Those are the "intangibles" guys who are so highly regarded.
Catcher David Ross is one of those players.
"You can't measure David Ross' value by number of at-bats or what the batting average is," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "We know he can be a productive player. But his vision, his view of the game, he's a leader in the role that he's in, but in games that he's not in the lineup he's almost like having another coach on the bench, as observant as he is, things that he picks up inside of the game.
"And I know pitchers have gained instant respect and a lot of confidence in his game-calling abilities. He's so engaged with getting the most out of a pitcher on a given day that they have tremendous trust in him. He gives them a lot of confidence just by not only his game calling but how he talks to them in between innings. So David Ross can't be measured in numbers by any means."
Ross joined the Red Sox before last season, signing a two-year, $6.2 million contract. It was his second stint in Boston after a brief eight-game stretch in 2008. So, the Red Sox had some familiarity with him. But Ross, who is entering his 13th big league season, also brought a solid resume and reputation with him.
"He's got such a strong reputation," Farrell said. "And we did have the benefit of a month in [2008] that he was with us. So there was some initial familiarity. But I think until you see over 162 games, I will say when he had the concussions he was missed, and when he came back he injected that intangible back into the group and guys fed off of that."
Daniel Butler has been in big league camp the last two springs, watching and learning from the veteran Ross.
"He's tremendously easy to talk to and very informative," said Butler, who played catcher in 72 games for Triple-A Pawtucket last season. "You can tell he knows pretty much any answer to any question you ask him. He's so smart in the aspects of the game. But it makes it even better because he's so easy to talk to and so open-minded.
"I look at how he communicates with the staff, and he's very positive toward everything he does, always has that positive outlook for whatever the pitcher does. He doesn't really bring up the negative -- not that he doesn't bring it up later -- but he always seems to bring up the positives out there."
Ross was brought in last season to back up Jarrod Saltalamacchia but with the intent that he would play more than a typical backup catcher. Two concussions, though, put him on the disabled list for 65 games, and he was limited to just 36 games. After returning from his second DL stint, he hit .270, including .280 in nine games in September, well above his .216 season average.
His performance earned him the starting-catcher's job in the final three games of the World Series. Ross had been to the postseason four other times in his career -- in 2004 with the Dodgers, in '08 with the Red Sox and in '10 and '12 with the Braves. Last season was his first World Series championship.
Ross, who will turn 37 on March 19, reported to camp fully healthy, is healed from both concussions and does not have any physical limitations. He will be partnered with A.J. Pierzynski this season, again as the backup, but again as more than a typical backup. Farrell has said he would like Pierzynski, who turned 37 in December, to catch about 100-110 games, with Ross catching 50-60.
"It's always actually fun for me," Ross said of working with a new partner. "It's nice to get to know guys. I feel like I have a ton to learn. I learned a ton from Salty and I feel like I'll have a ton to learn from A.J. I'm looking forward to getting to know him, see how he goes about his business, maybe I can pick up something that helps me out, whether it's catching or hitting. I like to pick those guys' brains.
"I know this is said a lot, but you never stop learning in baseball. And that's the best thing about when you get to continue to compete at this high of a level and compete with the best. That guy's got a great resume and I'm just looking forward to getting to know him and his secrets that can maybe help me out a little bit."


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Getting in love is such an enthralling moment that people need to celebrate. Of course very few love stories have a happy ending. But it is not even like that you must think negative. There is no doubt that people always use to consider love marriages unviable. Dude do you even believe in love? If you do then you must have started breaking the stereotypes. You must have heard that why fear if in love? Today we can say that it was not at all bullshit. In fact the day we got to know since then lot of people has proven it. Now it's your turn. We know that on this path there are complications all around. Well if Love marriage spells in South Korea are here for you. Then you must not have to worry. Being an astrological remedy once you make best use of it. It will bring such a miraculous change that you have even dreamt of.
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David K. Payne is the author of 'Study Guide: for Psychological Science, Fourth Edition', published 2012 under ISBN 9780393913064 and ISBN 0393913066.[read more]
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There are some ideas worse than putting your money in a hedge fund -- like burning it -- but not many. Indeed, the supposedly smart money has not been so for the past decade, at least not for actual investors. But now, with hedge funds free to advertise for the first time, don't be surprised if you hear about the outsized returns they offer.
Ignore them.
Now, hedge funds aren't exactly coming to the masses. The Securities and Exchange Commission did decide that hedge funds, private equity funds, and start-ups can start marketing themselves, but they can only market themselves to "accredited investors" -- that is, rich people. You still need $1 million in assets, excluding your primary residence, or to have earned at least $200,000 each of the past two years to qualify for this tony-investing club. So, as Dan Primack of Fortune points out, it's not as if hedgies will start taking over the airwaves -- but they might take over the pages of The Wall Street Journal. At the very least, they'll be sure to talk up their past results, which they were forbidden from doing before.
Not that there's much to talk up. As you can see in the chart to the right from The Economist, hedge funds have cumulatively underperformed a simple 60-40 stock-bond index going back to 2003 -- and underperformed it badly. Hedge funds have returned just 17 percent after fees the last decade; a stock-equity index returned over 90 percent. (Even adjusted for risk, hedge funds likely come out well behind). Now, it's certainly true that there are a few hedge funds that can and do consistently beat the market -- which are, in other words, worth the fees. But those hedge funds don't want your money. They have more than enough investors already. That leaves people looking for the Next Big Fund -- and that's not easy. Can you tell the difference between someone who just got lucky, and someone who is actually good?
In other words, the hedge funds that do advertise will the ones you shouldn't invest in. Funds like well-coifed, Wall Street 2 extra Anthony Scaramucci's fund-of-funds -- which is just him investing in hedge funds for you, with, of course, a second layer of fees larded on. Or funds that warn old people who think it's still the 1970s that the Fed is DEBASING THE DOLLAR, and only they hold the secret to protecting your wealth from Weimar 2.0 -- what Noah Smith calls affinity fraud.
But for 92 percent of us, it doesn't matter whether hedge funds can or can't advertise. We can't invest with them regardless. And that's not a problem. See, the rich are different from you and me -- they blow their money on hedge funds, instead of lottery tickets.
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If you thought that net filtering and grandiose firewalls were the exclusive preserve of West Island (or "Australia", as the locals like to call it), think again. New Zealand is showing that it, too, is ready to play its part in the great Antipodean censorship stakes.
Last week, the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) announced it was setting up a filter system that will allow internet service providers to stop people accessing child pornography.
The filter system has already been trialled in hundreds of thousands of New Zealand households, and Internal Affairs deputy secretary Keith Manch confirmed that the voluntary system will block access to around 7000 websites carrying images of child sexual abuse.
As always, with such systems, there are concerns that this power could be abused: internet Safety group NetSafe welcomed the move, while warning that there could be concerns if the department later used the filter to block a wider variety of websites.
Manch denies that any such plans exist and stressed that the filter is only for targeting the sexual abuse of children. The department is now finalising its analysis of the trial and will be discussing with internet providers how to implement the system.
So is New Zealand following its nearest neighbour into internet overkill?
The possibility exists, but given the New Zealand track record on censorship to date, it seems unlikely. The legal framework governing internet content in New Zealand is the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993, as amended by the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Amendment Act 2005 (pdf).
Outwardly, this Act is quite draconian, combining in one law almost every bit of censorship that the UK has erected piecemeal over the last ten years. The Law makes it an offence to to possess or trade in "objectionable" publications.
"Objectionable" is broadly defined as: "a publication...(that) describes, depicts or expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty or violence in such a manner that the availablity of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good."
Although the law does not specifically reference the internet, officials claim that it does cover online publication.
Not only has New Zealand managed to bring together in one Act the concepts of possession and publication – now governed by entirely separate law in the UK. They have also pulled together child abuse, violent or coercive sex, terrorism and race hatred into the same legal bucket. That is a very neat approach, allowing for a remarkable consistency of policing.
In practice, however, the DIA focus tends to be mostly on those involved in the distribution or possession of child porn.
A good comparative evaluation of internet censorship in New Zealand and Australia can be found at the Open Net resource, here. Both have official bodies with powers to investigate and police the internet – although New Zealand lacks the power to order a formal takedown of websites.
Meanwhile, cybersafety education for all New Zealanders - children, parents, schools, community organisations and businesses – is provided in a highly positive fashion by independent non-profit organisation, NetSafe.
As debate on the shape of internet regulation in the UK hots up, the New Zealand model is one that is worth examining. The legal framework offers a clarity now almost wholly absent from the UK.
NetSafe looks to be much closer to the spirit of the Byron Review, which called for a calmer, more inclusive response to the challenges of the internet than our current mindset which appears to be locked into an obsession with control, either through blocking and takedown (the Internet Watch Foundation) or film-style classification and a regulatory body to police content. ®