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Animals have always played an important role in agriculture. Not only do they provide us with food and fiber, but they also help to recycle nutrients and add to soil fertility. Over recent decades, however, the farming of animals has become increasingly separated from its natural existence on the land. Today, most farm animals in the United States are raised in confinement on huge industrialized systems that are more like factories than farms.
Today feedlots with 1,000 head or more of capacity comprise less than 5 percent of total feedlots but market 80-90 percent of fed cattle F - in fact the 10 largest cattle feeding operations in the US comprise approximately 30% of the total feedlot capacity. F In 1999 the top ten hog farms, all corporately owned, had an estimated 1.5 million sows and were responsible for 25-30% of the total pork production in the US. F In 2005 the top three hog companies owned 21% of all US sows in production. F
In a recent survey of broiler farms only 0.4% of birds were produced by independent operations F - outside of the industrial broiler production contracts that dominate the industry. About 1.7 percent of operations were certified organic (1.4 percent of broilers), while a smaller fraction (0.44 percent of operations) reported that they produced free-range broilers. Factory farming is a major industry.
But why should this worry us? Well, concentrating animal production into very intensive units has severe implications for animal welfare. Every year, millions of animals that are raised for food experience terrible living conditions on industrialized or "factory" farms. F These factory farms are large, profit driven companies which view animals as units of production, rather than living creatures, and put efficiency and profits ahead of animal health and welfare.
While views differ about the degree of comfort and freedom that farm animals deserve, most people can agree on a minimum standard of cleanliness and space, and that animals should not needlessly suffer. Yet the reality is that the basic structure of industrial farms is at odds with the overall well-being of the animals they raise.
Industrial farms push for the maximum production from the animals regardless of the stress this places them under and the resultant shortening of their lifespan. F Confining as many animals indoors as possible might maximize efficiency and profits, but it also exposes the animals to high levels of toxins from decomposing manure and can create ideal conditions for diseases to spread. Feeding animals an unnatural diet rather than letting them graze and forage on open land simply adds to their health problems. To counteract these unhealthy conditions, factory farmed animals are given constant low doses of antibiotics which are contributing to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They are also routinely treated with pesticides and other unhealthy additives, and can be given hormones solely to increase productivity.
Life on a Factory Farm
Other common practices on factory farms, such as de-beaking chickens or the tail docking (cutting) of cows and piglets, are said to increase efficiency and safety, but they also cause discomfort, pain, and stress for the animals. Although these tactics may help "mechanize" the animals and can increase yields by causing less interference with production, this does not justify the resulting suffering. In every stage of development on a factory farm, animals suffer needless mutations and cramped, confined living conditions. Scientists have even linked animal stress to problems with food quality and safety. When an animal is subject to stress and pain, it is more prone to disease and can produce lower quality meat, milk, or eggs. F
Dairy Cattle
The First Year
Calves born into modern dairy production are usually removed from their mother (or dam) straight after birth. Male dairy calves are rarely raised for breeding. F They are often sent to auction or sold to calf dealers when they are only a few days old to be raised as veal. Some calves are slaughtered as "bob veal" at only a few days of age. Others are raised for four to five months on only milk, a diet that makes them anemic but produces the white meat color that the market demands. Veal calves are often raised in crates where they do not have enough space to groom themselves, move around, explore and interact socially. Although some states have now banned veal crates, groups of calves are still likely to be kept completely indoors on slatted flooring with no bedding and fed an inappropriate diet.
The heifers (young female cows) are usually raised as "replacement heifers" either on the same farm or sold to another dairy farm, where they will eventually take the place of older cows that have come to the end of their productive life. Heifer calves are usually raised in individual pens or hutches F for the first few months of life where they have limited space and no opportunity to interact with other calves.
Dairy calves usually have their horns removed. This is normally carried out when the calf is two to three months old, using a hot iron to burn the bud from which the horn grows – often without any pain relief. F Other common practices on dairy factory farms include tail docking, which involves the removal of approximately two-thirds of the tail. F This painful procedure is conducted without anesthetic and is undertaken to keep the cow from developing infections caused by constant exposure of the tail to manure. F Yet studies have shown that this process not only causes the animal a significant amount of pain and stress, F but that it has no animal health benefits. In fact, tail docking has been shown to moderately increase stress for cows because they can no longer use their tails to swat flies. For these reasons, the American Veterinary Medical Association officially opposes the routine tail docking of cattle. F
Breeding and Growth
In the U.S., dairy cows have been bred to produce ever greater quantities of milk and evidence shows this practice has led to reproductive problems and a higher occurrence of disease. F In 1950, the average dairy cow produced almost 5,300 pounds of milk a year. Today, the typical cow today produces just under 20,000 pounds. F In order to artificially increase milk production some dairy cattle (estimated around 17% in 2007 F) are injected with rBGH or rBST, an artificial growth hormone. A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) study found that as herd size increases, so does the percentage of operations that use this hormone, ranging from 9.1% of small operations to 42.7% of large operations. F
Factory farmed dairy cattle are generally kept in one of three types of housing units for the duration of their productive lives: tie-stall barns, where they spend their life tethered by their neck to a stall; free-stall barns, where cattle are kept indoors and provided stalls for milking and rest; or dry lots, which is an area with no vegetation where the cattle are kept between trips to the milking barn. F In all of these situations, cows are kept in high concentrations and often suffer diseases of the feet from standing on concrete or in their own manure. F The high milk yield that modern cows produce often leads to significant levels of mastitis, F a painful udder disease. As they cannot graze, cattle are given feed which usually contains some straw and grass, but also added protein from "by-product feedstuffs" that can include meat and bone meal, an inappropriate food for herbivorous (vegetarian) cattle. The intensive living conditions, artificial growth hormones, over production of milk and the inappropriate diet all provide a perfect opportunity for disease and injury among the cattle.
Beef cattle
The first year
Commercial beef cattle production in the United States can be generally categorized into three different phases. The "cow-calf" phase is where the farmer manages the cow during breeding, gestation and calving, to the point when calves are weaned at between 6–9 months of age weighing 400–700 pounds. The second is the "stocker" phase, where the weaned calves are managed for a period of 3–8 months, during which time they will gain an additional 200–400 pounds of weight. The final phase is often called the "feedlot" or finishing phase, where the calves are usually kept in very high numbers and fed a combination of forage and grain to achieve a final slaughter weight of 1,000-1,500 pounds. F
Cow-calf operations are primarily tied to land suitable for grazing cattle. F However, while the mama cow lives mostly on pasture, and her calf is born on pasture, this doesn't mean those calves lead a high welfare life. The vast majority of calves are sold at or shortly after weaning to go into large commercial feedlots. F
The feedlot
Feedlot buyers want calves that are dehorned and castrated. These operations are usually carried out around 30 days before calves are moved. Pain relief is rarely used, but research shows that both operations are very painful at this age. The castration of older and heavier bulls causes significant pain and stress, whatever the method used. F Potential complications associated with castration include hemorrhage, excessive swelling (or edema), infection and poor wound healing – all highly likely to produce chronic pain. F
Ruminants have evolved the ability to thrive on nutritionally poor grasses and other marginal plant materials which other animals cannot readily digest. But while it's not necessarily harmful to occasionally feed ruminants small quantities of grain, when they are fed large quantities of grain they can suffer from serious diet and digestion-related problems, such as acidosis F(a serious form of bovine heart burn which can lead to diarrhea, ulcers, liver disease and general ill health) and "feedlot bloat." F
Feedlot bloat is a major cause of sudden death among cattle in feedlots today and is responsible for the unnecessary death of thousands of cattle each year. F Studies suggest that up to 32% percent F of all cattle raised on feedlots also suffer from liver abscesses. But rather than change diets to prevent cattle from being affected in the first place, feedlot managers choose to add antibiotics G to diets to keep the cattle alive and to make sure they keep growing, despite the fact that they are suffering.
Respiratory diseases are another common problem among cattle on feedlots. As feedlots are barren environments, the cattle often stand in dirt lots. This creates a lot of dust – both from the soil itself and from dried manure on the surface. Studies have shown that dust particles in feedlots can stress the animals' respiratory systems, leading to an increased incidence of cattle pneumonia and making the cattle more susceptible to other bacterial and viral pathogens. Respiratory disease can account for up to 75% of all disease on the feedlot – and up to 71% of all cattle deaths. F
Approximately 90% F of all feedlot cattle are also given hormone implants in order to increase their growth rates. Side effects can include increased aggressiveness, difficulty in handling, nervousness, rectal prolapse and ventral edema (swelling). F
Once beef cattle have grown to an adequate size, or when dairy cows are no longer producing milk at an acceptable rate, they are taken to be slaughtered. In March 2009, the USDA finally banned the slaughter of so called downer-cattle (those too sick or lame to walk). F Before this ruling, USDA regulations stated that downer-cattle could be slaughtered for food if they passed the pre slaughter (ante-mortem) inspection at the slaughterhouse. As the downer cattle were unable to walk they were routinely pushed, prodded and shoved into the slaughterhouse by any means possible, causing much pain to the already suffering animals.
While slaughterhouses are required to meet USDA standards for cleanliness and humane treatment during slaughter, F they are also in the business of killing animals. So the faster the slaughter and butchering process, the more meat produced and the more money made. The pressure to slaughter animals quickly inevitably leads to mistakes that can often violate the USDA regulations and lead to the mistreatment of the animals. In some slaughterhouses up to 2000 cattle are slaughtered each day. F At this speed it is "nearly impossible to guarantee each is slaughtered within the regulations." F Cattle are also sometimes injured in the rush to move them from farm to truck to slaughter. In addition, slaughterhouses have been reported as regularly failing to completely stun animals before the slaughtering process begins. F This can result in cows being hung and bled while they are still conscious.
On a factory farm a sow (or mother pig) can spend her entire life in confinement. During pregnancy she is kept in a gestation stall too narrow for her to turn round. She may even be tethered to the stall. Around one to two weeks before giving birth, the sow is placed into a small farrowing crate, supposedly to prevent her from accidentally crushing her newborn piglets in the confined conditions. The crate completely limits her movement to either standing up or lying down, but still allows the piglets to feed. F Studies have found that this confinement causes the sow to behave abnormally and to become depressed and unreactive to stimuli which would normally elicit a response. F Research confirms that this abnormal behavior indicates that the sow is having difficulty in coping with her environment and that her welfare is poor. F
The piglets' teeth and tails are routinely clipped shortly after birth. The practice of tail clipping or docking is done to prevent the piglets from biting each other's tails, which can lead to secondary infections and even death. However, this phenomenon has only been observed in pigs in a factory farm environment. F Tail-biting is an indication of an inadequate environment and indicates that welfare is poor in the animal carrying out the biting. F As pigs use their tails to communicate the removal of most of the tail considerably impairs this natural behavior.
Growth and Development
After weaning, the piglets are separated from their mother and confined in pens with concrete or slatted floors. Pigs have a strong natural desire to root or dig in the dirt and straw. F Scientists have found that if the piglets are unable to perform this natural behavior it can adversely affect their welfare and they can often show visible signs of stress and aggression, F such as tail-biting. Concrete floors have also been linked to skeletal deformities of the feet, while the poorly ventilated confines have resulted in frequent lung damage and pneumonia among factory farmed pigs, with 40–80% of pigs showing lesions in the lungs at slaughter. F
The stress and mistreatment pigs experience during transport, combined with illness and injury from the poor housing conditions, often results in many deaths on the way to the slaughterhouse. F
Meat Chickens
Broilers (chickens raised for meat production) have been bred to grow muscle at a rate faster than ever. In the 1940s it took 14 weeks for a broiler to reach slaughter weight. F Today, it only takes around 39 days. F However, this fast rate of muscle growth is often not matched by bone growth and can result in serious deformities, the loss of the ability to walk, and death. F
Factory farmed broiler chickens are kept indoors in large sheds which contain thousands of birds. They have very little space to move around. The National Chicken Council Guidelines F only require 0.6 to 0.7 sq. ft. per bird – at most an area slightly bigger than a sheet of letter paper. Leg health and walking ability are good indicators of overall welfare levels in poultry and researchers have found that walking ability becomes increasingly poor in response to increased density – and therefore reduced space. F Factory farms also use artificial lighting to prevent the birds from sleeping more than a few hours a day – if they are sleeping, they aren't eating and industry wants them to eat and grow as fast as possible. This continuous lighting increases physiological stress, F increases leg problems, and can even lead to death. F
Electrical stunning is the most universally utilized method for immobilizing poultry prior to slaughter. F The problem with this method is that the level of electrical current may only physically immobilize the bird, but may not prevent the perception of pain or stress. F In addition, for birds to be electrically stunned they must first be hung upside down in metal shackles. Poultry do not have a muscular diaphragm so when birds are hung upside down for the purpose of shackling their abdominal organs press on their hearts. In addition, compression of the leg bones of poultry by metal shackles is an extremely painful procedure. F The use of controlled atmosphere slaughter, where gas such as argon is used to slaughter the birds, is a much more humane method of slaughter F but as yet has not been widely adopted by industry.
Laying Hens
Only 3.7% of the 281 million laying hens in the US are cage free F and the vast majority of the birds in cages have only about 67–76 sq. inches each to live in – or about two thirds of the size of a piece of letter sized paper. Scientists examined the average space a hen requires to carry out her basic needs F and found that turning requires an average space of 198 sq. inches, stretching wings 138 sq. inches and flapping wings 290 sq. inches. These figures are all far greater than the actual space that each bird is given in a cage.
Because of this high density, and the limited ability to forage, chickens often display aggression and can peck each other to death. In order to prevent this it is common practice in factory farms to sear off as much as half the chickens' beak when they are still chicks. F This has been shown to be traumatic F to the bird and can cause severe and lasting pain. F Like any factory farming system, the closely confined conditions provide a perfect breeding ground for disease and the birds are routinely treated with low dose antibiotics to prevent any outbreaks.
Molting is a natural process where birds stop laying and shed and re-grow their feathers. Once they have molted they start to lay eggs again. Different birds in the flock can molt at different times and take longer or shorter times to go through molt. Industrial egg laying operations don't like this variability and so to control molt they essentially starve the birds for up to two weeks to induce and manage the molting process. In 1999 an estimated 75 to 80% of hens in the US underwent forced molting. F Even though the industry body United Egg Producers (UEP) condemns the use of starvation methods to induce molting in their Animal Husbandry Guidelines F it still goes on.
Looking Forward
As awareness grows about the way factory farms create an environment where animals are treated as "factory parts," more consumers are demanding changes in the way we farm and for the better treatment of animals. In response, some large food service enterprises like fast food giants McDonald's and Wendy's have started to introduce better standards of animal welfare, with improved requirements at slaughter from their meat suppliers. For example, since 1999 McDonald's Corporation called for a significant reduction or the complete elimination of electric prods to move cattle. Both Wendy's and McDonald's have also introduced auditing to assess the success of stunning procedures for the meat processing plants that supply them with beef in order to improve the rate of successful first stun attempts. This means more cattle are stunned (knocked unconscious) before slaughter so that when they are bled they do not suffer. But while consumer demand has encouraged certain beef processors to introduce significant and rapid improvements in the treatment and slaughter of their cattle, much more can still be done to improve the situation. F
Improving animal welfare in today's industrial agriculture system will undoubtedly require widespread changes in the attitudes of farm owners, managers and workers. Yet better basic training and greater attention to the needs of the animals could help to make animals more comfortable and content. Many practices considered to be more humane to animals are also beneficial for the farmer and the consumer. For example, animals tend to be healthier in higher welfare systems, which can lead to reduced expenditure on veterinary medicines and lower mortality rates. The provision of straw and/or additional space for finishing pigs can result in improved growth rates. F Similarly, when compared with high yielding dairy cows, lower yielding but healthier cows are more fertile and longer lived, which can mean better margins for the farmer due to lower heifer replacement costs and a higher sale prices for the calves and cull cows. F
Perhaps the most important action that consumers can take to improve the standards of animal welfare in farming is to buy from local, independent farms and small scale, sustainable family farms that provide their animals with good food and housing, promote general health and allow them to carry out their natural behaviors like rooting, pecking, and grazing. F Meeting the farmer and visiting their farm will give you a good idea of how their animals live. By supporting sustainable farming, consumers can vote with their dollars for a higher standard of treatment and quality of life for farm animals.
Several organizations have developed standards and a label that guarantees the humane treatment of animals. One of the best known is the Animal Welfare Approved program and food label, which promotes the well-being of animals and a sustainable future for family farms. The aim is to "unite conscious consumers with farmers who raise their animals with compassion". The Animal Welfare Approved standards are the most rigorous and progressive animal care requirements in the nation, and it is the only program which requires farmers to raise their animals outdoors, on pasture or range. Continuously ranked as the "most stringent" of all third-party certifiers by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), Animal Welfare Approved systems benefit farmers, animals and consumers alike with the simple philosophy that our own best interests are intrinsically linked to animals and to the environment we share. F
What You Can Do
Finding humanely-raised meat, dairy and eggs can take a little effort. People often think that buying organic G is a good first step; however, organic standards do not adequately cover animal welfare issues. In addition there are many labels claims that seem to deliver welfare, for example "cage free", "free range" or "pasture raised" that do not necessarily mean what you would expect. For more information on labeling see the Animal Welfare Approved Labeling Guide.
Therefore, it is important to know your farmer or local butcher, and to ask them how the animals were raised and if they were slaughtered humanely. If you can, visit the farm and judge the conditions for yourself. Visit the online Eat Well Guide to find farms, stores and restaurants near you.
Search out companies and brands that follow very strict animal welfare guidelines.
Look for the Animal Welfare Approved label to ensure the products were produced on family farms where the animals were allowed to behave naturally and socialize freely. You can search the Animal Welfare Approved database for your nearest outlet here.
Did You Know?
In the 1960s, the US Congress received more letters from citizens concerned with animal welfare issues than letters concerning civil rights and the Vietnam War. F
Due to inappropriate breeding strategies that favor growth over bird welfare, 90% of broiler chickens have trouble walking. F
Ammonia and other gases from manure can irritate animals' lungs. One study of 34,000 pigs found that 65% of the animals had "pneumonia-like lesions" in their lungs. F
Farm animals are regulated under the USDA's Animal Welfare Act (AWA) only when used in biomedical research, testing, teaching and exhibition – not when they are farmed for food and fiber production. F
Do animals really feel pain from tail-docking and debeaking?
Research conducted by USDA Agricultural Research Service immunologist Susan Eicher and neuroscientist Heng-wei Cheng indicates that behavioral and physiological signs suggest that the practice of tail docking causes animals to suffer from chronic pain. F Additional research has shown that inhumane practices like trimming birds' beaks is acutely painful, F can cause lasting pain, F and that the process is too stressful to be condoned. F


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Style # 213296
AVAILABILITY: Unavailable for immediate shipment.
With a sparkling rhinestone-studded chain detail down back and a luxurious drape, this bebe evening dress is a truly glamorous masterpiece. Finish yours with silver add-ons and a pair of embellished heels.
- 100% viscose
- Dry clean
- Imported
- Center back to hem: 19" (48 cm)
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Chain Halter Cowl Dress is rated out of 5 by 1.
Rated 1 out of 5 by granik from Runs big Looks cheap and runs too big. I am XS and Got the XS and it was way too big.
Date published: 2013-08-22

subset: commoncrawl


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Aeronomy Laboratory Science Review 1998
1-3 September, Boulder, Colorado
Purpose: This review, held 1-3 September 1998, was one of the periodic assessments by NOAA of its Laboratories. The purpose was to examine the goals, accomplishments, and plans of the research at the Aeronomy Laboratory. The next review is scheduled for June 2003.
Reviewers: The review team was led by Jim Rasmussen, Director of the NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories. The attendees were 21 NOAA managers and program directors. The review team included four invited external reviewers:
- Dr. Roland Madden - National Center for Atmospheric Research (CO), Climate and Global Dynamics Division. Research focus: The dynamics of tropical intra-seasonal oscillations and their relation to climate.
- Dr. Patrick McCormick - Hampton University (VA), Department of Physics. Research focus: Satellite observations of stratospheric ozone and aerosols, their trends, and the related processes.
- Prof. Stuart Penkett - University of East Anglia (Uk), School of Environmental Sciences. Research focus: Field measurements of chemical species involved in tropospheric ozone production and in the lifetimes of radiatively important gases.
- Prof. Paul Wine - Georgia Institute of Technology (GA), Georgia Tech Research Institute, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Department of Chemistry. Research focus: Laboratory studies of atmospheric chemical reactions.
Topics Covered:
- Aeronomy Laboratory Overview
- Stratospheric Ozone Research
- Regional Tropospheric Chemistry Research
- The Chemistry, Radiation, and Dynamics of Climate
Other Aspects: descriptions of the new analytical techniques and instruments developed at the Laboratory and their research applications, visits to a nearby field site at which an instrument intercomparision was held, tours of some of the laboratories in the buildings occupied at the time of the review (September 1998) and the Aeronomy Laboratory quarters in the new NOAA building (occupied in Spring 1999).


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UKPressOnline is a professional online research facility for the public, business, re-publishers and Education and Library researchers who want to retrieve as-published pages from the back catalogues of some of the world's leading newspaper titles, including the Daily Express and Daily Mirror*. UKPressOnline is what the publishers, themselves, use to search their own archives!
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When you search for a story or headline in the text of the pages - or you can search by date alone - your results are returned to you as either Tiff or pdf full-page files, in which the design and content reflects that of the original printed version of the newspaper.
As a subscriber you can download the pdf file, so there's no waiting around for re-scans: with UKPressOnline, the page you need is just a click away.
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UKPressOnline, the fast, accurate, easy way to access the archives of some of the world's famous newspapers, is provided by Digitorial Ltd, under licence from Trinity Mirror Plc, Express Newspapers Ltd and other publishers.


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This might have been posted before but I couldn't find it...
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759...119TX1K0000594"The monkey launches a browser instance for each suspect URL and waits for a few minutes. The monkey is not set up to click on any dialog box to permit installation of any software; consequently, any executable files that get created outside the browser's temporary folder are detected by the [data recorder] and signal an exploit," Wang said.
Microsoft Unwraps HoneyMonkey Detection Project


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Wow thanks everyone for your wonderful advice! When I attended lactation class in the hospital all they do is to paint us a picture of 'normal' feeding habits of babies -- they will latch on for 15-30 min each breast, fall blissfully asleep, and all you have to do is to feed him 2 hours later. You just need to know how to latch him correct. But they didn't tell us about fussy behaviors that are considered normal, and what to do when things deviate from 'the norm'. I have no idea that what I described is considered normal. I only thought something is wrong with me and the only way out is to EP.
Right now I am quite apprehensive about trying to latch him exclusively. It is not just physically but also mentally draining. I hope I can get through this. I have just finished latching him (he fell asleep) and hope he really is full!
One more question, do I still need to pump after I breastfed him? I just took 45 min to feed him. After i pump and wash up, it may be time to feed him again. Will there still be milk in my breast?


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|4.2 Jaguar E-Type
|Fixed Head Coupe
|Left Hand Drive
Record Creation: Entered on 28 January 2013.
Car Number Prefixes and Suffixes:
- 1E indicates the model is an E-Type 4.2 Series 1 or Series 1.5.
We now require an email address to leave a comment. Your IP will be recorded in an effort to reduce spam. (Report problem posts here.)


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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Miracles Happen......
Posted by Giggles rule! at 3:23 PM 1 comments
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Time to get into........
the holiday season. I hope it has biten each of you, lifting your spirits and making your days a little sweeter. Nothing new going on, just enjoying the holiday season and having my family close to home.
DD is home from college, as she said - I'm yours for the next month. It's supposed to be icy and cold tomorrow but I think we are going out for some girl shopping. We need to hit the new Ulta makeup store and of course as it's next door to Target, we'll need to have a run through there too. Then we'll take our business to Best Buy; she needs new Ipod earbuds and heaven forbid they aren't the Apple brand. Then a nice stop at Books-A-Million, that's always good for an hour or so. By then I'll be pooped and ready to come home. She might could entice me into a pit-stop at Hobby Lobby. I'm sure of it, especially if we grab a Starbucks on the way. Man, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, LOL.
Be proud of me, after 2 years in the local Embroidery Guild I finally stitched a beautiful name badge for myself. Of course I changed the intended thread colors and the beads too. I'll post a picture tomorrow or the next day.
Thanks for visiting, have a wonderful week and carve out a little relaxing stitching time.
Posted by Giggles rule! at 10:41 PM 0 comments
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thanksgiving Day.............
has come and gone. Where do the days go? I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday with family and good friends. We love Thanksgiving around our house, it's the kick-off to the holiday season. Too much food, too much shopping and staying up late at night with friends, and too little sleep.
Our daughter will be home from college tomorrow and the ecomony and personal finances are starting to sink in with her a little. She is upset that her roommate will not be coming back in January - her parents just can't afford it. There are so many kids who aren't returning, it's sad. DD is going to the housing office in the morning to sign the papers to stay in her room, as a private room. This means she will get priority and be moved to the END of the line for new housing so anyone new who moves into the dorms in January will go to another room and she will get to keep her room by herself. This also means we don't have to pay for a private room - unless they run out of housing then they will give her the option of going ahead and paying to keep it private or having a roommate. She said there are many kids that she knows who won't be back in Jan. so it will probably work out okay. She took her last final this morning and has 4 A's and 1 B for the semester. My hard earned money at work - YAY!
So in stitching news, here's my newest little Love Quilt square. I call him Wacky Cat, isn't he just adorable? He's a freebie from http://pagesperso-orange.fr/anne-les-petites-croix/
I've been reading The Immortals book series; I'm up to book 3. They have a good story line and are easy to get into. And lots of hubba-hubba..........LOL
I've been trying to read a couple of hours every day as I've got book 4 of the Twillight series ready to start so I think I'll go pick up that book........
Hope everyone has a relaxing and joyful holiday. It's hard to do when so many things that we can't control are dragging everyone down and making everyone on edge, etc. But it's the only thing we can do; it's the days of our lives and we do have control over how much we smile (it's contagious you know) and whether we go to bed at night satisfied and happy with our lives.
God Bless you and your stitching mojo........
Posted by Giggles rule! at 3:03 PM 0 comments


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Our wilderness is under an unprecedented attack from Trump and anti-conservationists in Congress. Help us fight back.
Did you know Betty White is a long-time supporter of The Wilderness Society? It's true!
Below is Betty White's special message to you:
Dear Wilderness Lover,
What a year for wilderness! In 2011, the oil, gas, coal and timber industries unleashed a furious effort to grab up more of the nation's wildlands and waters.
With fresh attacks on clean air, clean water, and open spaces, Congress seems intent on making a bad situation for America's environment even worse!
The number of Americans now living in or around cities has reached an all-time high.
On the eleventh day of fossil fuel giveaways we gave the oil, gas and coal industry...
What gifts will the fossil fuel industry receive this year courtesy of the American Taxpayer? Find out in our ongoing 12 days of Giveaways holiday guide to the gifts we give to Big Oil, Big Gas, and King Coal.
Show the Trump administration Americans don't support plans to destroy this epic wildland.


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The trial in the lawsuit against the town of Falmouth over the permitting process for the now Wind 1 turbine is scheduled to open in Barnstable Superior Court today.
The trial in the lawsuit against the town of Falmouth over the permitting process for the now Wind 1 turbine is scheduled to open in Barnstable Superior Court today.
Six plaintiffs — all Falmouth residents who live near two turbines at the Wastewater Treatment Facility on Blacksmith Shop Road — are challenging a 2011 ruling by the town's Zoning Board of Appeals that affirmed Building Commissioner Eladio Gore's approval of the first turbine to be erected.
"The point we were trying to make is the town should have got a special permit," Todd Drummey, one of the plaintiffs, said. "They should have held hearings."
Drummey, along with Mark Cool, Brian Elder, Barry Funfar, Lawrence Worthington and Robert Laird, want a cease-and-desist order on Wind 1's operation until it receives a special zoning permit from the town. The suit has been consolidated with one brought by Neil and Elizabeth Andersen, on the same grounds.
A town zoning bylaw requires windmill projects to receive a special permit from the zoning board, but Gore exempted Wind 1 from that stipulation under a different bylaw that allows the town to bypass the special permitting process for "all municipal purposes."
When the question of whether Gore could bypass the permit came before the zoning board in February 2011, three of the four members voting said he needed the special permit. But because two members had recused themselves from the vote, the board didn't have the required four votes to overturn Gore's decision.
Gore declined to comment for this story.
Falmouth's special permit exemption rule does not apply to Wind 1, in part, because the turbine is for "accessory use" at the wastewater treatment plant, not municipal use, said Brian Schwartz, the attorney representing six plaintiffs.
A Superior Court judge should overturn a town decision only if there is an error in its legality or if it is arbitrary or capricious, said Frank Duffy, Falmouth's town counsel who will represent the town in court. Duffy said he does not believe the town acted outside its own bylaws.
Even if the judge rules in the plaintiffs' favor, the planning board earlier this week approved a measure filed by Duffy that freezes zoning for Wind 1 and Wind 2. Now, current windmill bylaws will apply to the turbines for the next three years. The move protects the turbines from being held to stricter zoning standards proposed in an article placed on April's warrant by the planning board.
Monday's trial comes days after state Rep. David Vieira, R-Falmouth, filed a Wind Energy Relief Act at the Statehouse, which would create two funds totaling $22.5 million. The funds would go toward compensating people and businesses for detrimental effects on health or property resulting from turbines in locations chosen in cooperation with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Funds would also assist towns in relocating or decommissioning turbines.
The suit also comes amid scheduled deliberations among Falmouth selectmen next week over another possible town meeting article related to the operation of Wind 1 and Wind 2. On Friday, Selectman Kevin Murphy said the lawsuit will not be a factor in their proposal.


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Team Machine are back! The wealthy programmer and his ex-assassin sidekick use AI surveillance to predict crimes and try to save the civilians involved.
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Jul 1, 2010 at 12:34 am
Hi Thx for the add!!! Ur ride has a lot of potensial
Mar 18, 2009 at 12:27 am
Happy Birthday Flamebabe!!!
Jan 12, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Glad to see you're helping to save another second generation Trans Am -- good on you!!
flamebabe23 has not posted to her car garage blog.
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Wonderful! This is a fantastic teaching and learning tool, especially for K-12 kids. Keep it up! PS: I am still looking for a piece of software that will take the live APRS data from the balloon via UIView32 and convert it into Az/EL for antenna tracking for an LVB tracker (Yaesu GS232A) or an EA4TX interface (ARS win or DDE). Is there anyone who can write such a short program? Actually, I am willing to pay for the program within reason. And yes, I know that an old version of MACAPRS was doing something like that, however that doesn't help at all, since we don't use Macs or have the program or can use with the above mentioned interfaces. Thanks! Stefan, VE4NSA -----Original Message----- From: email@example.com [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com] On Behalf Of Robert Bruninga Sent: July-23-07 5:11 PM To: 'Pat Kilroy'; firstname.lastname@example.com Cc: email@example.com; firstname.lastname@example.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: SimSat-3 Balloon Announcement & Invitation On Wed 25 July, AMSAT volunteers will launch an APRS balloon (simulated satellite) SIMSAT from the DELMARVA penninsula near Salisbury Maryland. East coast launches are rare. Midday on Tuesday some low-power 433.92 MHz "cricket-sats" may also be launched. See the web page: http://www.patkilroy.com/simsat/ AMSAT volunteers will operate an HF net also on 3860 KHz during the launches. Local coordination will be on the 146.82 repeater (PL 156). WB4APR-9 will be the primary tracking chase vehicle. Winds are light and maybe it will fall on land. If it goes to sea, we have no boats available.. This is all N8PK, Pat Kilroy's project, so also watch his mobiles and APRS posit N8PK-9. Bob WB4APR > -----Original Message----- > From: firstname.lastname@example.com > [mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com] On Behalf Of Pat Kilroy > Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 6:52 PM > To: firstname.lastname@example.com > Cc: email@example.com; firstname.lastname@example.com > Subject: [amsat-bb] SimSat-3 Balloon Announcement & Invitation > > I AM LOOKING FOR AN AMSAT MEMBER to > help set up and operate a ground station at the AMSAT Lab in Pocomoke > City, Md. The task is to receive simple telemetry and to participate > in the radio net covering one or both high-altitude balloon missions > carrying Amateur Radio on Tuesday, July 24 and on Wednesday, July 25. > > For lots of background information about the SimSat-3A and SimSat-3B > flights please go to > > The SimSat Announcement Page at: > http://www.patkilroy.com/simsat > > See also the complete Task List for operators to participate either > from home or at our launch site on the eastern shore. > > What do you think? > > A ground station at the AMSAT Lab supporting a SimSat flight would > provide good, positive visibility to AMSAT. > > Please give me a call and I'd be glad to explain what can be done at > the lab, however simple. The event will be quite educational. > > Could be quite a lot of fun too! > > 73 de > Pat N8PK > for SimSat > > > ================================================================ = > Patrick L. Kilroy WK > Integration & Test (I&T) 301-286-1984 Voice > NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 301-286-1673 Fax > Building 5, Mail Code 568 firstname.lastname@example.com > Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov/ > ================================================================ = > > "Imagination is more important than knowledge." > - Albert Einstein > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via firstname.lastname@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the > author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite > program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb > _______________________________________________ Sent via firstname.lastname@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb _______________________________________________ Sent via email@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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From the Southeastern Conference
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Vanderbilt's Tony Kemp was selected 2013 SEC Baseball Player of the Year, Aaron Nola of LSU was named SEC Pitcher of the Year and LSU shortstop Alex Bregman was named SEC Freshman of the Year by a vote of the league's 14 head baseball coaches. The coaches also tabbed Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin SEC Coach of the Year. Sam Frost of Mississippi State was named SEC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Vanderbilt's 26 SEC wins set the conference record, breaking South Carolina's record of 25 set in 2000. The 'Dores have now won 18 straight series dating back to last season, including all 14 this year. The Commodores wrapped up the regular season a school record 48-7 and were the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament last week in Hoover, Ala.
Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players. The complete 2013 All-SEC Team follows:
SEC PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Tony Kemp, Vanderbilt
SEC PITCHER OF THE YEAR - Aaron Nola, LSU
SEC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Alex Bregman, LSU
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR - Sam Frost, Mississippi State
SEC COACH OF THE YEAR - Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
1B - Mason Katz, LSU
2B - Tony Kemp, Vanderbilt
3B - Christian Ibarra, LSU
SS - Alex Bregman, LSU
C - Stuart Turner, Ole Miss
OF - Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State
OF - Mike Yastrzemski, Vanderbilt
OF - Raph Rhymes, LSU
DH/UTL - Keaton Steele, Missouri
A.J. Reed, Kentucky
P - Ryne Stanek, Arkansas
P - Aaron Nola, LSU
RP - Jonathan Holder, Mississippi State
1B - Garrett Cooper, Auburn
2B - Brett Pirtle, Mississippi State
JaCoby Jones, LSU
3B - Curt Powell, Georgia
Andrew Mistone, Ole Miss
SS - Mikey Reynolds, Texas A&M
Mikey White, Alabama
C - Grayson Greiner, South Carolina
OF - Connor Harrell, Vanderbilt
OF - Brian Anderson, Arkansas
OF - Krey Bratsen, Texas A&M
DH/UTL - Daniel Mengden, Texas A&M
P - Tyler Beede, Vanderbilt
P - Bobby Wahl, Ole Miss
RP - Tyler Webb, South Carolina
1B - Josh Lester, Missouri
2B - Kyle Overstreet, Alabama
3B - Xavier Turner, Vanderbilt
SS - Alex Bregman, LSU
C - Greg Fettes, Kentucky
OF -Kyle Barrett, Kentucky
OF - Vincent Jackson, Tennessee
OF - Harrison Bader, Florida
DH/UTL - Zander Wiel, Vanderbilt
P - Jack Wynkoop, South Carolina
P - Sean McLaughlin, Georgia
RP - Carson Fulmer, Vanderbilt
Ray Castillo, Alabama
P - Daniel Mengden, Texas A&M
1B - Mason Katz, LSU; Cole Lankford, Texas A&M
2B - Tony Kemp, Vanderbilt
SS - Adam Frazier, Mississippi State
3B - Christian Ibarra, LSU
C - Stuart Turner, Ole Miss
OF - Austin Cousino, Kentucky
OF - Mike Yastrzemski, Vanderbilt
OF - Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State


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10 Real Life Femme Fatales Through the Ages
A seductive woman shrouded in mystery and danger is sometimes said to be a femme fatale. The term is French for "deadly woman." There have been many famous femme fatales in movie history, like Catherine Tramell (played by Sharon Stone) in "Basic Instinct," or the animated Jessica Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." While it's fun to watch these naughty, and sometimes downright evil, women on the silver screen, we thought we'd tell you about some real life femme fatales who have wreaked havoc on those around them throughout the ages.
When it comes to ambition, no woman tops Cleopatra — the original femme fatale. This extremely intelligent, wicked and seductive woman managed to become the Queen of Egypt, even though she wasn't Egyptian (she was Macedonian). Versed in numerous languages and the art of enticing men, Cleopatra captured the hearts of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, in addition to marrying her younger brother. She might have conquered Rome one day, too, if it hadn't been for the efforts of the Roman general Octavian. When she knew all was lost, she decided to commit suicide, allegedly by allowing herself to be bitten by a poisonous snake.
Mata Hari
World War I and II produced its fair share of femme fatales. Perhaps none more infamous than exotic dancer Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida Zelle). This Dutch performer gained fame as a dancer who wore very little clothing while swaying on stage in a style evocative of the Far East. She became a courtesan sought out by the elite in Paris, France. After World War I ended, Hari was accused of being a double agent, making use of the neutrality of her homeland in the Netherlands to travel around wartime Europe. Many doubt that she was actually a double agent working for Germany, but she was executed for the crime nonetheless.
Ilse Koch
Ilse Koch was definitely a very bad girl. In terms of evil, on a scale of 1-10, she rated a 12. Ilse was the wife of Karl-Otto Koch, the German commander of the infamous Nazi Buchenwald concentration camp. Since Ilse wasn't content playing the part of the merry homemaker, she decided to take out her cruelty on the prisoners in the camp, earning her the moniker "The Bitch of Buchenwald." It was reported that Ilse took the skins of certain people selected for execution as souvenirs, especially if the skin in question had any kind of tattoo or identifying mark on it. She was rumored to have made lampshades out of the skins. After World War II, she was tried and convicted of war crimes. Since she had been having numerous affairs with different SS officers, it was no surprise that during Ilse's trial she announced that she was pregnant, although the father might have actually been one of her interrogators, who also happened to be Jewish. Ilse eventually committed suicide in prison at the age of 60 in 1967.
Anna Chapman
Anna Chapman is a more recent temptress and spy. This beautiful and cunning Russian patriot infiltrated American society and reportedly spied for the Russian Federation. U.S. authorities caught her in 2010. Chapman pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against her, but, as luck would have it, Russia had caught a few spies as well. Ms. Chapman was traded for American spies, and sent back to Russia. Since her arrest, Chapman has become a media personality in her native land. Her intelligence and good looks probably have something to do with that, although there are plenty of Russian skeptics out there who are less than thrilled with her poor 'spy' performance.
Myra Hindley
Myra Hindley and her husband, Ian, killed quite a few children in England in the 1960s. The nefarious couple gained fame as the perpetrators of the 'Moor Murders,' named for Saddleworth Moor, a location in the northern part of the country where some of their victims were buried. Myra, the future serial killer, met her partner in crime just after he was released from prison (always a good sign in a relationship). Ian made her prove her absolute love for him by involving her in rape and murder, and thus turning her into one of England's most vicious and famous femme fatales.
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine made her presence known in France during the Middle Ages. This fierce woman married Louis VII, King of France when she was only 15 years old. Years later, she added to her pedigree by marrying England's King Henry II. Eleanor was deeply involved in the Second Crusade, and even accompanied soldiers into the Middle East. When her first husband, Louis VII, commanded her to follow him to Jerusalem against her wishes, she was less than pleased. Eleanor eventually had her marriage to Louis annulled, and she then had seven children with her second husband, the much younger King of England. Eleanor, the English Queen, ended up supporting her sons in their various rebellions against their father.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe often played femme fatales in her film roles, like the women she portrayed in the movies 'Don't Bother to Knock' and 'Niagara.' She was quite a femme fatale in real life as well. Marilyn posed in 'Playboy' back in the day when 'good' actresses didn't do such things. She had several rocky marriages (including one to Joe DiMaggio), plus an alleged affair with President John F. Kennedy, and perhaps his younger brother Bobby, too. Marilyn, who began life as Norma Jean Baker, broke many a heart in Hollywood and the political world. She had a turbulent life, filled with love affairs, adoration and intrigue. Her wild ride ended with a drug overdose in 1962, when she was only 36 years old.
Belle Gunness
Belle Gunness was a burly woman who was born in Norway, but lived out her exceptionally wicked life in America. It seems she acquired the bad habit of killing pretty much anyone who chose to be a part of her life. Belle murdered her two daughters, her various boyfriends, different suitors, her husbands, possibly other children, plus a whole slew of unfortunate souls who had the bad luck of making her acquaintance, or worse yet, becoming intimately involved with her. No one knows how many people she killed for certain, but Gunness might have dispatched as many as 40 people during her lifetime. Some people believe she faked her own death to elude the authorities, while others think Ray Lamphere, a spurned suitor, killed her for failing to return his affections.
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia had a knack for getting into trouble, a talent she probably learned from her father, Rodrigo Borgia, who later in life would become the very corrupt Pope Alexander VI. His illegitimate daughter, Lucrezia, purportedly had special rings to poison men and women she disliked. Her three marriages, as well as other amorous liaisons, were arranged to advance the Borgia family's fortunes. Some people believe she even had an affair with her father. Regardless, she was rumored to use her good looks to seduce men for power, for pleasure, and, of course, for vengeance.
Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots was born to get into trouble. Many people admired this 16th Century monarch for her beauty, but she had a darker side as well. Although her domain was initially Scotland, Mary often claimed rule over larger swaths of territory, including England. Through marriage, she became the Queen of France for a time, until her husband died. Her second husband, Henry Stewart, was murdered and his body dumped in a garden. The main suspect was James Hepburn, the Duke of Orkney, a man who would later become Mary's third husband, after he was acquitted of the crime. When things went bad for Mary in Scotland, she fled to England, only to be imprisoned shortly thereafter by her cousin, Elizabeth I. After spending 18 years under 'house' (estate and castle) arrest, Elizabeth finally chopped off her cousin's head for plotting an assassination, although it took several blows to get the job done.


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Most organizations require access to the right geospatial solutions in near real-time to make critical decisions. As geospatial data is the foundation for driving all decision-making – especially for the defense and intelligence arenas – it is critical to use the right technologies that can aid in this speed of deployment.
Thermopylae Sciences and Technology (TST) is a next-generation organization that takes a "Silicon Valley"-like approach to developing web-based geospatial capabilities to help meet this critical industry and government need. The company's forward-thinking approach to product development has allowed it to bring emerging technologies to its customers in ways that enhances organizational performance.
TST's iSpatial solution is a Web-based geospatial framework that allows for rapid development/integration of applications on the Google Earth™ API. Designed to reduce both cost and time to deploy a custom geospatial solution, this solution integrates with and leverages existing data sources to promote powerful visualization and knowledge fusion opportunities.
iSpatial provides pre-built tools that can be quickly adopted to specific use cases and delivers the best that Google Earth has to offer combined with capabilities developed by trained geospatial engineers.
Be sure to check out this product demonstration of iSpatial:


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Section of SIGTARP Report Related to Goldman Sachs
SIGTARP spoke with officials from Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch (two of AIGFP's largest domestic counterparties) to obtain their perspectives:
• Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs had approximately $22.1 billion of notional amount of outstanding credit default swap contracts with AIG, approximately $20 billion of which were against an underlying portfolio of CDOs. According to Goldman Sachs, it had one telephone conversation with FRBNY staff in which the possibility of concessions was mentioned. Goldman Sachs has since explained that it did not agree to concessions because it would have realized a loss if it had. Goldman Sachs did not hold the underlying CDOs but rather had sold equivalent credit protection to its clients who held those positions; Goldman Sachs then purchased the corresponding value in protection from AIG to hedge against its own exposure in the event of a default of the reference CDOs. Accordingly, Goldman Sachs was obligated to pay its clients in full on the other side of the derivative transactions, and, if it granted a haircut to FRBNY, it would have to realize that amount as a loss.
• In addition, Goldman Sachs informed SIGTARP that it had purchased additional credit risk protection against an AIG default. Of the $22.1 billion of credit default swaps outstanding in November 2008, approximately $13.9 billion was resolved through Maiden Lane III. For that portfolio, Goldman had already received $8.4 billion of collateral payments from AIG, representing AIG's calculation of the decline in the fair market value of the underlying CDOs. However, Goldman Sachs believed that the drop in value was actually $9.6 billion, and it purchased credit default swaps and other protection from third parties that would have paid Goldman Sachs slightly more than the difference ($1.2 billion) had AIG defaulted on its obligations. That additional protection, which related to all of Goldman Sachs' AIG hedges, cost Goldman Sachs more than $100 million. Thus according to Goldman Sachs, even if AIG defaulted, Goldman Sachs would be made whole on the Maiden Lane III credit default swaps in light of the collateral it already held ($8.4 billion), the additional protection it had purchased (totaling more than $1.2 billion), and what it calculated to be the value of the underlying CDOs ($4.3 billion). As a result, it did not consider itself materially at risk if AIG in fact defaulted.
• Of course, notwithstanding the additional credit protection it received in the market, Goldman Sachs (as well as the market as a whole) received a benefit from Maiden Lane III and the continued viability of AIG. First, in light of the illiquid state of the market in November 2008 (an illiquidity that likely would have been exacerbated by AIG's failure), it is far from certain that the underlying CDOs could have easily been liquidated, even at the discounted price of $4.3 billion. Second, had AIG collapsed, the systemic implications on other market participants might have made it difficult for Goldman Sachs to collect on the credit protection it had purchased against an AIG default, although Goldman Sachs stated that it had received collateral from its counterparties in those transactions. Finally, if AIG had defaulted, Goldman Sachs would have been forced to bear the risk of further declines in the market value of the approximately $4.3 billion in CDOs that it transferred to the Maiden Lane III portfolio as well as approximately $5.5 billion24 for its credit default swaps that were not part of the Maiden Lane III portfolio; Maiden Lane III removed any risk for the $4.3 billion within that portfolio, and continued Government backing of AIG provided Goldman Sachs with ongoing protection against an AIG default on the remaining $5.5 billion.
24 Goldman Sachs calculated that the $8.2 billion in non-Maiden Lane III AIG credit default swaps had a market value of approximately $5.5 billion. It had received collateral or bought credit protection slightly in excess of the $2.7 billion difference.


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Now I'm sure Gameloft has made some money off using the freemium model. They're most recent game, Starfront: Collision, is ranked #46 in the top grossing chart.
Wait… #46? Even after Apple featured Starfront: Collision as the iPhone Game of the Week? Gameloft releases have been known to storm the top grossing charts at #2, #10, so on and so forth; never so low in the charts. Look at the Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, which is nearly off the top 200 grossing chart altogether after only a week of sales. And even after a good couple of months of being released, Modern Combat 2 is ahead of both of Gameloft's recent freemium games.
The best part is is that Modern Combat 2 isn't even on sale; it's at its full price of $6.99.
Along with the fact that Gameloft hasn't made as much as they have with other games, their fans seem to have felt like they have been deceived. For Starfront: Collision, the first four reviews have all claimed that in-app purchases are stupid, Gameloft should get rid of it, there are uncertainties regarding in-app purchases, etc.
For Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden, people are clamoring on how it's just a demo after they thought it was going to be the full version for free (I know, ridiculous). And of course, along with that, people are complaining about the in-app purchase in general.
And for me personally, I don't want to download Starfront: Collision and Sacred Odyssey: Rise of Ayden. I haven't yet and I don't think I ever will. What good is it to download all 403 MB only to find out the game is horrible or to find out that I just flat out don't want to purchase the game?
I rarely download lite versions, and I look at both of those games as lite versions and not full. It's just a waste of time to download, buy an in-app purchase, etc. Waste of space, waste of time.
Now again, like stated in the beginning, I'm sure they've made some money. But have they made enough? And is it worth making the consumer displeased?


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Welcome to GeoThemes!
Hi, this is Geo, i want to ask all buyers of our themes, if you want a page or some features added to any of our themes, please let us know, comment to the theme you want to be added or contact us at support.
If you like our themes, please rate, good or bad, your opinion counts.


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> WE HAVE LIFTOFF - DISCOVERY ON THE WAY And a total of FOUR amateur Radio Satellites on their way to orbit: ANDE MAA - packet digipeater and packet-to-voice RAFT - packet digipeater and packet-to-voice NMARS - Navy Marincorps Mars packet and Voice repeater FCAL - Cubesat telemetry system We call NMARS an amateur satellite too because it is operated by Amateur Radio Volulnteers in the Military Affiliate Radio System. It is on MARS frequency and only authorized MARS operators can use it, but they are all duly licensed radio amateurs too. These satellites will not last long due to their very low deployment altitude, but they should provide a new opportunity to do experiments and make packet contacts. This is especially true since ANDE, RAFT, PCSAT-1 all operate on the same frequency and can replay packets between themselves. And if we are lucky, we might get the ISS to QSY to the same frquency for a few 4-satellite experiments. Bob, WB4APR US Naval Academy Satellite Lab ---- Sent via email@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
AMSAT Home


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One-Stop Resource Office
TMU's International Ministries Office serves as an important connection point for international students and TCKs, starting at the application stage and continuing through to graduation and beyond. Experienced staff come alongside professors and residence life staff help meet the unique needs of students coming from a variety of cross-cultural backgrounds.
Custom-Tailored Admissions Process
Several years ago the TMU Admissions Office recognized the benefit of having an admissions counselor specifically dedicated to international students and other TCKs. The international admissions staff work with applicants and their families to ensure a smooth application process marked by open and consistent communication, whether a student is applying from Tokyo or Tulsa.
Unique International Orientation Program
International students, MK's, and other Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are invited to participate in a strategic orientation program called "Passport to Master's." This two-day program takes place prior to the traditional Week of Welcome (a week-long orientation for all new students). By arriving early, students have the opportunity to discuss specific cultural issues, become acquainted with The Master's University (TMU) campus, and meet other students from around the globe. Passport to Master's involves various seminars and activities, and culminates with a special dinner reception for the new students and their family members.
Customized Financial Aid
It's becoming harder and harder to find a comprehensive, high-caliber education founded upon a biblical worldview. In light of this, a quality education from The Master's University has become more valuable than ever. It's something worth investing in. International students and TCKs have proven to be an asset to the TMU campus and successful representatives of the college in their future endeavors. Consequently, The Master's University has made a strong commitment to partner with these students and their families in funding this important investment. While TMU cannot provide a full scholarship to students, significant discounts may be obtained. Detailed information about scholarships and grants for international students can be found here.
International Community
TMU's International Student Liaisons (ISLs)—help foster a vibrant community of international students and TCKs on campus. Through regular events and an annual retreat, international students and TCKs find opportunities to connect with each other and develop life-long friendships. Simultaneously, our ISLs help mobilize students to get involved in all areas of campus life: music, sports, leadership, outreach, etc…. The Master's University does not believe in fostering international student or MK cliques—our approach is one of integration and support. In light of this, TMU has intentionally shifted away from offering segregated programs or housing for international students and TCKs.
Each year The Master's University hosts a hand-picked missionary family (on furlough) living on campus (this could be you!). Their home—kitchen, fireplace, and all—is available to students who want to stop by. TMU's Missionaries-in-Residence become a great asset not only to students currently pursuing global missions, but to international students and TCKs who just want to share their own experiences with someone, or seek a bit of extra advice.


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Project Description
This research will provide a systematic evaluation of flameholding tendencies in various combustor fuel/air premixer passage geometries. This evaluation will be completed for different fuel types (including high hydrogen content [HHC] fuels) at operating conditions (temperature, pressure, etc.) typical of those encountered in industrial-scale turbines. The observations made relative to flameholding tendencies will be analyzed and used to develop design guides that can be used to infer when flameholding will occur as a function of the parameters studied.
The high pressures and temperatures required to simulate the environment of a premixing passage for a natural gas-fired gas turbine will be generated at the University of California, Irvine Combustion Lab high pressure facility. The facility is capable of generating a preheated airflow at temperatures up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, pressures exceeding ten atmospheres, and a maximum flow rate that exceeds three pounds per second. To provide the planned conditions, a modular test apparatus will be used.
Project Benefits
This project will focus on evaluating flameholding tendencies of various combustor premixer geometric features using high hydrogen content fuels. The development of design guides that accurately infer when flameholding will occur will lead to hydrogen combustor designs that produce fewer emissions at higher temperatures. Specifically, this project will evaluate flameholding of various fuels at high temperatures and pressures that are relevant to actual turbine conditions.
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"Decided to send Thanksgiving greetings this year! Love the design Shutterfly created. Arrived quickly, and my friends were thrilled to receive them!"
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"I absolutely love these invites! They are cute and perfect for my Holiday event! They exceeded my expectations when they arrived and they arrived on time! :) This was my first Shutterfly Invite purchase but it will not be my last!"
There is no better way to show your loved ones how much they mean to you than to invite them over for the holiday most famous for expressing gratitude. This Thanksgiving, invite your friends and family over to your home with personalized invitations from Shutterfly.
Designing Your Personalized Invitations
Shutterfly has everything you need to turn your favorite photographs into custom invitations, perfect for inviting everyone over for Thanksgiving. Whether you want to feature one or five of the best pictures of your family, Shutterfly has the perfect Thanksgiving invitation template to match the unique personality of your family. Once you've picked your favorite template and narrowed down your favorite images choices, the design assistant will walk you through the simple customization process. You can pick your favorite fonts, colors, and message for invitations that will reflect your personality.
When creating invitations, it is always crucial to include vital information. Your address and the time the gathering begins are a great place to start. Including an RSVP by date and contact information will help you to plan your Thanksgiving feast with ease. It can be very beneficial to coordinate who is bringing what dish (unless you plan on undertaking it all by yourself). If you know friends or family members that are prone to allergies or dietary restrictions it can be helpful to include this information on the invitations. Your thoughtfully designed invitations will help ensure that everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving.
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This Thanksgiving, invite your friends and family over with custom invitations from Shutterfly. For every holiday, Shutterfly has everything you need to send thoughtful, personalized greetings.


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Jury gets ex-Guatemalan soldier's immigration case
RIVERSIDE, California (AP) — A former Guatemalan soldier charged with lying on his citizenship application about his alleged role in an army-led massacre three decades ago was on the run from his past and sought refuge in the U.S., a federal prosecutor said on Monday.
But a defense lawyer suggested that former special forces officer Jorge Sosa answered the questions on his naturalization form as most soldiers would and urged jurors in a California courtroom to focus their attention on the papers he filed, not the horrific accounts of the killings.
The arguments came after four days of graphic testimony in Sosa's trial on charges of making false statements and obtaining American citizenship unlawfully. If convicted, the 55-year-old former second lieutenant could face up to 15 years in federal prison and lose his American citizenship.
Prosecutors say Sosa was a member of a special forces patrol that surrounded the village of Dos Erres in a search for weapons believed stolen by guerrillas. The weapons were never found and prosecutors say the patrol decided to kill the villagers, throwing their bodies into a well, after some of the soldiers began raping the women.
More than two decades later, Sosa failed to mention his military service or role in the massacre on his application to become an American citizen, even though the paperwork inquires about affiliations and past crimes, prosecutors said.
"This man was one of the officers, one of the leaders of a team that transformed a rifle recovery mission into a mindless massacre," Brian Skaret, a trial attorney for the Department of Justice, told jurors in federal court in Riverside County, where Sosa previously lived and taught martial arts classes. "We're not here to prosecute him for what he did that day at the well. In fact, we wouldn't have a thing to do with this except that he ran. He ran from his past, he sought safe haven in our country."
Sosa's lawyer, Shashi Kewalramani, said the government knew Sosa was in the military because he told officials about his service when he unsuccessfully sought asylum in 1985, and he referred to that application when he later sought to naturalize. He said prosecutors failed to provide evidence that Sosa was aware when he applied to become an American that his fellow former soldiers were being tried for the massacre in Guatemala.
Kewalramani pleaded with jurors not to let the testimony by a massacre survivor pull at their "heart strings."
"There's an avenue where the Guatemalan people can get justice for what happened. This is not it," he said. "What's this case really about? It's an ex-soldier's answers on an immigration form."
While not a war crimes trial, the case has brought haunting memories of the 36-year long civil war that claimed 200,000 lives in Guatemala to the courtroom in Riverside. During the proceedings, Sosa listened to a Spanish translation of the testimony through headphones and appeared to take notes.
Jurors received the case on Monday.
Last week, two former soldiers testified they saw Sosa standing near a well where they were ordered to bring villagers to be killed and that he fired his rifle at the screaming, dying victims inside. One of the few survivors of the massacre recounted the horror of watching soldiers bash small children into a tree and toss their bodies into the well. He also described seeing his mother yanked from the family as she begged for her life.
Sosa left Guatemala in 1985 and sought asylum in the United States, claiming he was fleeing Guatemalan guerrillas. When he was denied, he went to Canada, where he became a citizen. He later married an American and got a green card, and applied to naturalize in 2007.
Sosa is one of four former soldiers allegedly involved in the Dos Erres massacre who have been arrested by U.S. homeland security officials. One of them is serving time for lying on his naturalization application about the killings while another has been held as a material witness in the case against Sosa.
A fourth was deported from the U.S. and prosecuted in Guatemala. He is one of five former members of the special forces who have been sentenced there to more than 6,000 years in prison for the killings.
Guatemalan authorities say they hope Sosa will be extradited to face similar charges.
In 1994, Guatemala opened an investigation into the Dos Erres massacre, and several years later, authorities issued arrest warrants for more than a dozen former soldiers. The cases languished until the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2009 ordered Guatemala to prosecute the perpetrators of the killings.
The following year, the U.S. — which had supported Guatemala's military governments during the country's civil war — arrested three former soldiers and searched Sosa's home before he left for Mexico and later Canada. He was arrested there and extradited to the U.S. last year.


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Playhouse recommendations?
wow worthy playhouses above from den gode feen and the handmade home
As much as I absolutely adore the DIY versions, I don't think I have the time or skill to knock it out of the park like some of examples I've been collecting on pinterest. (follow me there to see lots more inspirational playhouses sure to make you marvel at the builders talents and feel like a terrible parent at the same time!)
I've had my eye on this one. Mostly because its small footprint makes it a good solution for my tiny backyard. It also seems like it would be fairly easy to paint and add a few little touches to pimp it out. I don't love the plastic roof but maybe that would make it more durable?
Anyone have this one and want to chime in? Or do you have another model to recommend? I'm very curious about how these things hold up during harsh winters since we do not have a garage to store it in.
21 comments:
Fun! I like your choice. Don't see why you couldn't replace the plastic roof with plywood and shake shingles?ReplyDeleteReplies
Thats a cute idea. I was thinking of just repainting it but maybe I could try an alternative roof?Delete
I second the idea of replacing the plastic roof with something more aesthetically pleasing.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous2:26 PM
Have you seen this one from Big Backyard? We are also in the market for a playhouse. Obviously this one still requires paint and a bit of work, but the roof is cedar, which is a plus. It also has a small footprint. Last I checked it was cheapest at Walmart over Amazon... a bit of a pain to go to a store to pick it up. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Big-Backyard-Bayberry-Ready-to-Assemble-Wooden-Playhouse/22466544ReplyDeleteReplies
I just checked the website and they offer free "Site to Store" shipping on this item.ReplyDeleteReplies
I saw that but when I put in my zip it says its not available within 50 miles.Delete
I immediately thought of this one that Jenny did in her small New York backyard. So cute! http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-playhouse_28.html?m=1ReplyDeleteReplies
Love that one but it seems like its not being sold anymore.Delete
I have the Kidkraft and it was awesome. We found it at Costco and it's lasted us 6 years so far. For the price it was well worth it. Too bad you don't live in Chicago, we are giving it away this summer.ReplyDeleteReplies
I would replace the ugly roof with something more aesthetically pleasing, as earlier suggestions.ReplyDelete
We've had a wooden playhouse for 18 years, it's a bit battered by the Irish rain etc, 2 consecutive harsh winters, a lot of active kiddies, and it's still fine. We coat it every 2nd year and use it as a pretty tool shed now! It's even got a Sylvester statue also wooden) stuck to it. I wouldn't want to change it for anything.
We built our daughter's playhouse -- we had a "playhouse raising" one weekend and asked a bunch of friends and neighbors to come and help. It was a lot of fun, actually. We have a plastic roof on ours -- it's actually a corrugated white plastic that looks very cute and we think helps prevent the house getting too warm in the summer. It's held up pretty well considering we live in New England and I think the roof product is made for more southern climates.ReplyDeleteReplies
While I could probably swindle a few friends into helping (love the "raising" idea - i could wear an amish costume!), I dont think i personally have the skills to build it from scratch without a few devoted weekends. But maybe I'm wrong?Delete
Did you use a particular set of plans that was easier to build?