text:
The best place to look for nearby Earth-size planets might be the smallest, coolest stars — but these stars could also be bad for creating Earth-like planets.In the hunt for exoplanets, some astronomers are focusing on cooler, smaller stars, particularly those called M dwarfs. These stars are roughly one-fourth the Sun's mass and put out a tiny fraction of the Sun's radiation — like comparing a single Christmas-tree light with a 1000-watt bulb — which makes it easier to detect planetary systems. M dwarfs also make up about 75% of our galaxy's stars, so if you want to find an exoplanet, these stars are good places to look.
Two new studies bear on astronomers' rising interest in cool red dwarfs and the search for Earth-like planets. The first, by Helmut Lammer (Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria) and his colleagues, looked at seven confirmed planets around three different stars — a G star like the Sun, a slightly cooler K star, and an even cooler M star. These seven planets are super-Earths, with diameters about 2 to 4.5 times Earth's and masses about 2 to 13 times Earth's. They orbit very close to their stars, much closer than the habitable zones where liquid surface water could exist, and their masses and diameters reveal that the worlds have bloated atmospheres.
Such bloated atmospheres are likely hydrogen-rich primordial envelopes, either gas gathered from the disk the planet formed from or material outgassed or delivered by impacts early in the planet's formation.
These atmospheres are quite different from those seen around the inner, rocky planets of our solar system: the extreme ultraviolet and X-ray radiation pouring off an infant star blows off inner planets' protoatmospheres. So why do these seven super-Earths have their heavy shrouds? Lammer and his colleagues calculated how stars' radiation would heat and blow off their planets' hydrogen-rich envelopes. They found that, while planets do lose a whole lot of mass, the mass loss of these seven super-Earths is one to two orders of magnitude lower than that for hot Jupiters (possibly because the smaller planets are denser), meaning that the planets couldn't lose their big atmospheres and will likely persist as "mini-Neptunes," bodies with big atmospheres around small, rocky cores.
So what? If these super-Earths, which closely orbit their stars, can't lose their protoatmospheres, then similar planets farther out — say, inside the habitable zone — would have an even harder time doing so, says Lammer. That's because the star's radiation is weaker at larger distances. On the other hand, smaller planets might lose too much atmosphere, winding up like Mars or Mercury. Earth and Venus seem to be the Goldilocks size for the Sun, but different sizes and distances might be the right fit for other types of stars.
Young M dwarfs put out a lot more extreme radiation than young Sun-like stars do. These levels can persist for a few hundred million years to a couple of billion years. The M-dwarf planet Lammer and his colleagues studied, GJ 1214b, is only 1.4% the Earth-Sun distance from its star and receives 470 times as much X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation as Earth. Yet at 2.7 times Earth's girth (and more than 6 times Earth's mass), it holds on to its puffy atmosphere pretty well.
"I expect that it should be possible to find Earth-like planets within M-star habitable zones, but I think that the fraction of such planets is smaller than most people think," Lammer concludes.Finding Earth-like planets
A few potential members of that small group were announced this week in a study by Courtney Dressing and David Charbonneau (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics). Dressing and Charbonneau took a new look at 3,897 cool K and M red dwarf stars observed by NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler's list of stellar parameters is quite accurate for stars similar to the Sun, but the catalog overestimates the temperatures and sizes of smaller, cooler stars. Because the sizes of Kepler's planet candidates are determined by the sizes of their stars, the catalog's errors spill over into planet characteristics, making them look larger than they really are.
Dressing and Charbonneau's careful recalibration downsized the typical star's temperature by 130 kelvins and its diameter by 31%, which in turn dropped the average planet size by 29%. The sample of stars includes 95 planet candidates around 64 stars, including three planet candidates — KOI 1422.02, KOI 2626.01, and KOI 854.01 — which are in the habitable zone and (now) range from 0.9 to 1.7 times Earth's size.
Extrapolating out from how many transiting planets they did see, how many might be there but orbiting at the wrong angle to be visible from our point of view, and how many they should have been able to detect overall, Dressing and Charbonneau conclude that 60% of the warmest dwarfs have planets between 1.4 and 4 times Earth's size. Overall, roughly one of every two dwarfs has a planet 0.5 to 1.4 times Earth's diameter with an orbital period less than 50 days. (All three habitable-zone candidates have orbital periods around that value or less.)
They also estimate that about 6% of red dwarf stars have an Earth-size planet in the habitable zone. Given the large number of cool dwarfs in the galaxy, that could mean the closest Earth-size planet is just over 20 light-years away; best guess, about 13 light-years, says Dressing.
"If we scaled the Milky Way Galaxy down to the size of the United States . . . and we stood on one side of [New York City's] Central Park, we'd find that the nearest Earth-like planet is just across the park," Dressing explains.
Charbonneau says that the three habitable-zone planet candidates he and Dressing studied are not subject to the same bloated-atmosphere problem as the super-Earths in Lammer's study. "Courtney was extremely careful to only pick the very small planets that are truly 1 Earth radius," he says. "We really think it's very unlikely that these objects have big envelopes." Still, he adds, given the possible caveats — such as red dwarfs' high radiation outputs — astronomers will need to directly observe these planets and others like them before knowing for sure what they're like and what kind of atmosphere (if any) they have.
H. Lammer et al. "Probing the Blow-Off Criteria of Hydrogen-Rich 'Super-Earths.'" Accepted to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
C. Dressing and D. Charbonneau. "The Occurrence Rate of Small Planets Around Small Stars." Accepted to Astrophysical Journal.


text:
Tomorrow the April unemployment number will be released. After last month's big miss and subsequent sell off we have seen the market come back to the price levels hit before the disappointing number. With the sharp reaction in markets after the last unemployment number, tomorrow's announcement will be watched closely by traders. The market has been struggling to find direction this week amid a flurry of economic data. Data has been mixed this week — both at home and abroad.
Home prices have seen their biggest gain since 2006, and while this should be a bullish sign for the economy it has many investors concerned over another housing bubble. Soft data out of China has hit the commodity space hard as concerns over global demand grow. The FOMC decision yesterday proved to be in line with expectations. The decision to leave rates unchanged was no surprise to anybody, but some of the language used was interesting. Addressing the possible end of QE the committee stated that levels of stimulus could be lowered or raised depending on economic indicators. Does this mean that another disappointing number will ensure QE will continue on this scale to the end of the year? This thought seems to be what drove the dip buying after last month's number, and should tomorrow announcement disappoint, then the same sentiment is likely to prevail.
So if a trader wanted to get long the market today but limit their risk in the event of a sell off tomorrow there are a few products they could use.
- SPX options. These options track spot S&P 500 so they wouldn't be the most effective hedge for a futures trader.
- The ETF. SPY tracks the index very well, but again this is not the most effective hedge on a futures position.
- E-mini S&P 500 Futures and Options. This gives a trader the best opportunity to set up a great risk versus reward trade while tracking the performance of the index very well. This is also one of the most liquid futures markets.
E-mini S&P 500 futures and options are the cleanest way to take a speculative view on the market, and by using options a trader can limit their risk during catalyst events like unemployment. Using options also lets traders define their risk and reward potential on the onset of the trade.
With the ES at-the-money straddle in June implying a 63.75 point move to the upside or downside we can use this to establish an upside target of 1,645.75. Now that we have a target we can set up an options trade with limited risk and great reward potential.
Buying the ES Jun 1625-1645 Call Spread for 4.50
Risk: $225 per 1 lot
Reward: $775
Breakeven: 1629.5
This trade keeps a trader long no matter what the swings are between now and expiration and sets up with well-defined risk.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
March 28, 2013
Gar Smith / Spceial to Environmentalists Against War
Commentary: "On February 28, 2013, two young Afghan boys were killed during a NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan. What made this incident unusual was that the world learned their names. Two brothers, 11-year-old Toor Jan and 12-year-old Andul Wodood, were walking behind their donkeys and collecting firewood in the Shahid-e Hasas district of Uruzgan Province when they were killed by weapons fired from a NATO helicopter."
BERKELEY, CA (March 28, 2013) -- On February 28, 2013, two young Afghan boys were killed during a NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan. What made this incident unusual was that the world learned their names.
Two brothers, 11-year-old Toor Jan and 12-year-old Andul Wodood, were walking behind their donkeys and collecting firewood in the Shahid-e Hasas district of Uruzgan Province when they were killed by weapons fired from a NATO helicopter. NATO explained the children were targeted because they were mistaken for insurgents. NATO killed their animals, too -- perhaps under the mistaken suspicion they were "insurgent" donkeys.
Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, offered his "personal apology and condolences to the family of the boys who were killed." Dunford said the coalition took "full responsibility" for the deaths. This appears to have been an empty promise.
Assuming full responsibility would call for compensation to the families of those killed. Full responsibility would demand a thorough, independent investigation and a full public accounting. Full responsibility would require releasing the names of the pilots who pulled the triggers and the commanding officers who authorized the order to fire.
The official statement did not mention how many aircraft were involved. It did not identify what kinds of weaponry were unleashed on the boys. There was no accounting for how many rounds were fired. The world was not even told the nationality of the soldiers responsible for the deadly assault.
Instead of pressing for this information, US press reports carried headlines that seemed designed to insulate (if not exonerate) the pilots and commanders responsible: "Two Afghan Boys Accidentally Killed by NATO Helicopter" (New York Times, March 2, 2013), "Afghan Boys Killed by NATO Copter" (New York Times, March 3, 2013). Of course, helicopters don't have autonomy. There are no laws that call for jailing -- or demoting -- a chopper.
In the aftermath of the February 2013 killings, a coalition spokesman told the Associated Press: "They saw two young children who were apparently listening to a radio and they shot them -- it is not yet clear why." The opacity of the official responses continued with a statement from the Australian forces deployed in Uruzgan.
There had been an "operational incident" in the province's northwest before the attack that killed the children, as if this provided some rationale for the tragedy that followed. The statement offered no further details except to confirm that no soldiers had been harmed.
In an online "Comments" exchange, two US combat veterans reflected on the tragedy. One found it "kind of strange that an attack helicopter would not have been able to make a better target ID." Another former soldier shared a telling personal recollection: "I had a buddy (F-16 pilot) who tracked an insurgent carrying an RPG for a while, waiting for him to commit a hostile act. After tracking him for a length of time, the insurgent took his RPG off his shoulder, unrolled it, and began praying on it. My buddy ended up deciding that a prayer rug did not constitute a lethal weapon and returned to base."
A History of Collateral Damage
Tragically, the deaths of innocent civilians at the hands of the US-lead coalition forces is nothing new. In 2012, the estimated number of Afghan casualties blamed on US and allied forces included 316 killed and 271 wounded. Most of the civilian victims were killed in US and NATO airstrikes. The deaths included more than 51 children -- 16% of the fatalities.
On February 13, 2013, a NATO air strike requested by Afghan forces resulted in the slaughter of 10 people in the eastern province of Kunar. The dead included five children and four women. Once again, American taxpayers (whose taxes had subsidized this attack) never learned the names of any of these victims. But in the capital of Kabul, the outrage prompted Afghan President Hamid Karzai to forbid his troops from requesting any further foreign air strikes.
Is it possible that NATO forces can't distinguish between insurgents with Kalishnikovs and children gathering sticks and brambles? The question arises because this was not the first time that children have been killed while foraging for firewood. On March 2, 2012, almost a year before the attack on Toor Jan and Andul Wodood, NATO helicopter gunners killed nine boys who were out scouring the mountains of eastern Afghanistan in search of winter firewood to heat their homes.
Once again, NATO explained its gunmen simply mistook the boys for "insurgents." Once again, NATO issued a statement apologizing for the mistake. "We are deeply sorry for this tragedy and apologize to the members of the Afghan government, the people of Afghanistan and, most importantly, the surviving family members of those killed by our actions," then-commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus said. "These deaths should have never happened."
The boys killed in the 2012 attack, ranged from 9- to 15-years-old. The victims included two sets of brothers. Most of their names remain unreported. Only one boy survived.
After hearing the distant gunfire, villagers became alarmed when the children did not return home and went to look for them. A shopkeeper from a nearby village lost his 14-year-old nephew, Kallid, in the attack. "The children were all from poor families," the grieving man told a New York Times reporter, "otherwise no one would send their sons up to the mountains despite the known threats from both insurgents and Americans." Still shaken by the memories, he described the scene that met the villagers when they reached the site of the attack.
"Some of the dead bodies were really badly chopped up by the rockets," he said. "The head of a child was missing. Others were missing limbs. We tried to find the body pieces and put them together. As it was getting late, we brought down the bodies in a rope bed. We buried them in the village's cemetery."
The lone survivor, an 11-year-old named Hemad, recalled what happened. "We were almost done collecting the wood when suddenly we saw the helicopters come," he related. "There were two of them. The helicopters hovered over us, scanned us and we saw a green flash from the helicopters. Then they flew back high up, and in a second round they hovered over us and started shooting. They fired a rocket, which landed on a tree. The tree branches fell over me and shrapnel hit my right hand and my side." Hidden beneath the tree, Hemad huddled in fear as the hovering gunners shot his friends "one after another."
Khalid was the only male in the family, his uncle explained. "He was studying in sixth grade of the orphanage school and working because his father died four years ago due to a long-term sickness. He has 13 sisters…. He was the sole breadwinner of the family. I don't know what would happen to his family to his sisters and mothers. They are all female and poor."
General Petraeus pledged to investigate the attack and to take disciplinary action if appropriate. (It was the third instance in two weeks in which NATO stood accused of killing as many as 65 Afghan civilians, including women and children. Again, NATO officials maintained that those killed were "insurgents.") It does not appear that anyone under Petraeus' command suffered any censure for these civilian deaths.
NATO explained that, two days before the boys were killed, a rocket attack on Forward Operating Base Blessing had prompted an airborne hunt for the insurgents responsible. NATO claimed that its helicopters "returned fire at the assessed point of origin with indirect and aerial fire. Regrettably there appears to have been an error in the handoff between identifying the location of the insurgents and the attack helicopters that carried out subsequent operations."
President Hamid Karzai called the attack "ruthless" and wondered aloud how the US goal of defeating terrorism could be achieved by the continued murder of innocent civilians. Karzai's criticism was underscored when more than 200 people gathered in the village of Nanglam to protest the boys' deaths, shouting "Death, death to America!" and "Death to Obama and his colleagues and associates!"
The US Attacks a School in Pakistan
And it's not only in Afghanistan that children are being blown apart by US weapons. The use of US drones in the wilds of Pakistan's Waziristan Province continues to claim civilian lives. Typically, these attacks are described as having killed "suspected insurgents" but that hopeful justification fails to excuse what happened on October 26, 2006.
On that day, a US drone destroyed a school in Baiaur, exploding with a shuddering blast that left 83 people dead. The US media failed to detail this horror. The few reports that did appear merely helped to mask the extent of the human tragedy.
The New York Times waited 11 days before filing a report and then ran it under the headline: "American Strike in January Missed Al-Qaeda's No. 2 by a Few Hours." The Times story mentioned (only in passing) that the drone struck "a madrasa, or religious school" but offered no further information.
Vijay Prashad, the London-based author of Arab Spring, Libyan Winter (AK Press), supplies some of the details overlooked by the Times: "Only three of those killed were older than 20. The rest were between the ages of 7 and 17. There was no apology for this strike, authorized by the White House, no … end to this kind of tragedy." In terms of a childhood body count, it was the equivalent of four Sandy Hook Elementary School massacres.
And once again, back in the US, the country responsible for sending an unmanned airborne vehicle halfway around the earth to kill by remote control, we would never learn the names of the murdered children.
21 Children Slain in Yemen
The deadliest US slaughter of innocents that we know about occurred during a US assault on the Yemeni village of al-Ma'jalaj, Abyan on December 17, 2009.
The village, identified as an al-Qa'ida training camp, was attacked with Tomahawk cruise missiles and cluster-bombs. The body count was impressive. In addition to 14 "alleged al-Qa'ida members," a Yemeni parliamentary investigation recorded the deaths of 14 women and 21 children.
The Abyan attack was one of three ordered by President Barack Obama. Two other villages – one in Mahsad and another in the Arhab district – also killed scores of civilians. Local officials claimed that more than 60 were killed in the Mahsad attack. The total civilian deaths in the three attacks was estimated at 120. (Another strike, against a village in Shebwa, was carried out on December 24.)
ABC News reporter Brian Ross reported the order to attack the three Yemeni villages "came directly from the Oval Office." The US claimed that 35 "suspected Al Quada figures had been killed" and ABC reported the President personally called Yemen's President Saleh to "congratulate" him on the attacks.
Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, called for an "immediate investigation" of the civilian deaths. Amnesty's concerns were raised after photographs of the attack revealed the remains of US-manufactured cluster bombs. "Those responsible for unlawful killings must be brought to justice," Luther insisted.
The US government refused to respond to Amnesty International's inquiries about the deadly raid.
The official story claimed the raid had been conducted by troops under the command of Yemen's government. The Defense Department referred all questions to the Yemeni government.
The murders of so many civilians triggered massive anti-government demonstrations across Yemen. Thousands of angry Yemenis filled the streets in southern Yemen, and in the provinces of Dhal'e, Lahu and Abyan, chanting anti-government slogans and demanding an investigation. Addressing a massive rally of 10,000 in Taiz Province, Southern Movement leader Abbass al Asal declared, "This is genocide." Asal claimed the al- Ma'jalaj attack had killed a total of 64 civilians -- including 17 women and 23 children.
Residents of Abyan told the AP there was no Al Qaeda "training camp" in their poor village of tents and mud-brick houses. One resident pointed out that the village was located 100 meters from a major highway and two kilometers from a government army base.
The only Al Qaeda link was Mohammed Saleh al-Kazemi, a former Afghanistan soldier who had settled in Yemen where he had been living openly with his family since 2005.
Wikileaks Reveals the Hidden White House Role
It now appears that the report of President Obama's reputed "congratulatory" call to Yemen's president may have been part of an orchestrated disinformation campaign. In 2010, Amnesty International released a leaked cable that revealed the US had leaned on President Ali Abdullah Saleh to take public responsibility for a US-raid that went terribly awry.
The leaked January 4, 2010 diplomatic cable (released by the Wikileaks organization) showed the US was wholly responsible for the deadly attacks. In the cables, President Saleh promised US General David Petraeus that he would "continue saying the bombs are outs, not yours." In the cable, Petraeus dismisses the damage, saying the attack killed "only" three "civilians."
The cable went on to record how Saleh's Deputy Prime Minister Rashad al-'Alimi was moved "to joke that he had just 'lied' by telling Parliament that the bombs in Arhab, Abyan, and Shebwa were American-made but deployed by the ROYG 'Republic of Yemen Government."
The leaked cable, Saleh complained that cruise missile attacks in his country were "not very accurate" and expressed a preference for targeted aerial attacks, which killed fewer civilians. (This question of accuracy and collateral damage was underscored by a reported May 2010 attack in Yemen where a US drone inadvertently killed a key government official while he was involved in an attempt to negotiate with members of Al Qaeda.)
A Journalist Is Jailed for Uncovering US Killings
Abdulelah Haider Shaye is a crusading Yemeni journalist who insists on covering all sides of a story. While not in sympathy with Islamic militants, Shaye has taken steps (sometimes at great personal risk) to seek out and interview members of anti-government groups. This led some Yemeni officials to brand him an "Al Qaeda operative."
After the government announced it had conducted an air raid on the village of al Majala, Shaye managed to reach the village. In addition to dozens of bodies draped beneath shrouds, Shaye photographed fragments of Tomahawk missiles and cluster-bombs clearly labeled "Made in the USA." (Yemen's army does not have access to such "advanced" weaponry.)
As Jeremy Scahill reported in The Nation, it was Shaye's photographs and reporting that first raised the concern of Amnesty International. It was Shaye who stood over the corpses and counted 14 women and 21 children among the dead.
In July 2010, half-a-year after his report on the US bombing of Majala, Shaye was abducted by Yemeni intelligence agents. With a hood placed over his head, the reporter was told: "We will destroy your life if you keep on talking about this issue."
The government made good on its threat a month later. On August 6, 2010, Shaye's home was attacked. He was blindfolded and handcuffed and tossed into an unlit, subterranean jail cell where he was beaten and interrogated for a month. (At the same time, Yemen's intelligence agency also arrested Shaye's friend, Kamal Sharaf, a political cartoonist whose satirical jibes had angered the government.)
Shaye didn't have a court appearance until September 22, 2010. He arrived at the court with scars marking his chest and several teeth missing. The court accused the reporter of being an Al Qeada "media man" who was plotting to incite insurrection and assassination of government officials – all capital offenses. Shaye refused to recant. Speaking from behind the bars of a holding cell, he declared: "When they hid murderers of children and women in Abyan… it was on that day they decided to arrest me."
Three months later, in January 2011, Shaye received his sentence: Five years in jail and two years of probation. Human Rights Watch condemned the trail, pointing out that much of the evidence used against the report was clearly fabricated. HRW lawyer Abdulrahman Barman called the trial "a complete farce."
Amnesty International's Philip Luther claimed Shaye had been imprisoned "soley for daring to speak out about US collaboration in a cluster munitions attack."
The Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists and Reporters without Borders immediately demanded Shaye's freedom. Even some powerful Yemenis joined tribal sheikhs joined the campaign to demand the journalist be pardoned. With pressure for Shaye's release mounting, the government printed a pardon statement for President Saleh's signature. The day before the pardon was to be granted, however, the news reached Washington.
On February 2, 2011, President Obama placed a phone call to Yemeni President Saleh. This time the call was not bogus. Official White House records report that Obama called Saleh and "expressed concern" over the reporter's imminent release. Obama repeated the false characterization that Shaye was guilty of the crime of "association" with Al Qaeda members. Yemen buckled. Shaye's pardon was revoked.
The effect was to tighten the US-imposed muzzle on journalists -- in Yemen but around the world, in any country where US weapons are killing civilians under the banner of the "War on Terror." The message, as Scahill noted, is "simply interviewing Al Qaeda-associated figures, or reporting on civilian deaths caused by US strikes, is a crime in the view of the US government."
The President Phones It In
In order to cover up the US role in the mass-murder of Yemeni women and children, President Obama apparently faked a phone call to lay responsibility at the doorstep of the Yemen government. A little over a year later, President Obama placed another call to Yemen -- this time to demand the continued incarceration of the reporter who revealed the US role in the civilian slaughter.
The duplicity of the White House only became known when Wikileaks dared reveal the truth contained in a purloined diplomatic cable.
The cable did not contain the names of the dead women and children whose bodies were photographed, veiled beneath bloodied sheets in the dust-poor villages of southern Yemen. But the dead do have names and they are remembered by their friends and family. The survivors remember vividly that it was weapons "Made in the USA" that ended the lives of their wives, sisters and children.
When any government pursues a policy that routinely puts the lives of innocents at risk, that government faces a potential blowback.
It pains me to write this, but when the lives of children are no longer considered precious by the leader of the World's Only Superpower, it is only a matter of time before the world responds in kind. Violence breeds violence. Terrorism feeds on terrorism. Let us pray that the Pentagon's and CIA's murderous policies are reined in and halted before some grief-stricken zealot adds two more names – Sasha and Malia -- to the roster of dead innocents.
Please, Mr. President, for the sake of our children and your two precious daughters, call off your drones and missiles and end your foreign wars.
Home | Say
NO! To War | Action! | Information |
Media Center | Who
We Are


text:
Those of us on the Orioles beat like to joke that no matter what place the team is in, it is always making news.Right now, the Orioles are playing well, and the news continues.Tuesday was a particularly newsy day.Here are some of the things that happened, and my take on each. Nolan Reimold returns to Baltimore and is diagnosed with a bulging disk in his back
First, we'll start with the good news. Now Reimold and the Orioles have an explanation for why he was having neck spasms and finger numbness. The team believes it all could be related to the bulging disk. They've given him anti-inflammatory medication, and he hopes to be back by the Boston series, which starts Friday.
Now the bad news. Back injuries to hitters are like shoulder injuries to pitchers. Some are mild, but they always raise a red flag. A hitter needs strength and flexibility in the core/trunk area to be effective. Hopefully, this is just a minor setback because Reimold was really starting to show his promise again. He was derailed by injuries in 2009, and here's hoping he isn't again after such a great start to 2012. But I've been in this business too long to dismiss any injury as minor, especially when the back is involved.UPDATE: Orioles have clarified that the bulging disk is actually in Reimold's cervical spine and not what was initially disclosed to reporters. So it is a neck issue and not a back issue. And that, from a hitter's point of view, is good news. Tsuyoshi Wada's second opinion confirms a UCL tear
The Orioles are waiting for the 31-year-old Wada to make a decision on what his course of action will be. But, really, it seems like just a formality. It would be shocking if Wada didn't choose to have elbow surgery, which would cost him about a year.He has the security of a two-year deal, signed in December, so it's not as if he'll be without a job if he goes under the knife. Renowned surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum has recommended surgery, and Wada is comfortable with Yocum, who removed bone chips from Wada's elbow in 2007.Honestly, this signing is starting to be reminiscent of Omar Daal, a lefty starter who was inked for two years (Daal got $7.5 million before 2003; Wada, $8.14 before 2012) by an incoming Orioles regime onlyto have injuries derail its effectiveness. Daal pitched in just 19 games (17 starts) for the Orioles.Showalter gets 1,000th win
Orioles manager Buck Showalter tried to downplay the milestone after the game, but you could tell the way his players celebrated it – they encircled him at home plate like he hit a walk-off homer and later had a champagne toast in the clubhouse – meant a lot to Showalter.I've said this plenty of times: Showalter is one of the more interesting people I've ever covered. It's a complex statement, and tough to really get into in a few paragraphs. But I'm not sure I have ever met someone whose mind is going as quickly – or often – as his is. I do think he genuinely believes it's the players who make the manager, so it is nice to see him get a little recognition Tuesday – especially in New York. Brian Matusz snaps losing streak
I think what's more important here is how well he pitched. The 25-year-old lefty handled a good Yankees lineup – albeit one without Nick Swisher or Brett Gardner due to injury. And he did it by throwing strikes. Early on, he went 0-1 on just about every Yankees hitter. He didn't walk a batter until the seventh.That's huge progress for Matusz, who is a real key for the Orioles if they have any chance of competing in 2012. A week ago, I was ready to send Matusz to the minors. He has to do more than string together two good outings to prove that he is back to his 2010 form, but Tuesday was a big step forward. Nick Johnson snaps hitless streakPeople keep asking me how long of a leash the Orioles will have with Johnson, who went a club-record (for position players) 29 hitless at-bats to start his Orioles career before an eighth-inning double Tuesday. Showalter likes his veterans, but one month is a long time in the big leagues to be hitless.Johnson is a pro, and very much liked by his teammates. Ultimately, though, he has to contribute. Hopefully, this will get him going. Because when he has been healthy, he's always hit. Brooks Robinson's statue unveiling is pushed back
When Brooks wasn't at Frank Robinson's statue unveiling on Saturday, we knew he must not be doing well. The fall he had in January – when he toppled backward off a stage – really affected him, apparently. The recovery has been slow, understandably, especially considering he previously has dealt with surgeries and infections and is a cancer survivor. His new ceremony has been switched from May to September.And, in a way, that's a good thing. Because it shows that Brooks, who is always doing things for others, is concentrating on himself now and is trying to get better. That really should be the focus for fans and not the inconvenience of the switch. Because Brooks Robinson is such an important part of Baltimore and the Orioles – he can take as much time as he needs.


text:
Listen to today's episode of StarDate on the web the same day it airs in high-quality streaming audio without any extra ads or announcements. Choose a $8 one-month pass, or listen every day for a year for just $30.
You are here
Moon and Companions
The last-quarter Moon has a couple of bright companions in the wee hours of tomorrow morning. The planet Saturn is close to its upper right at first light, with the star Antares a little farther to the lower left.
The Moon actually reaches its last-quarter phase a few hours later, when it stands at a right angle to the Sun in our sky.
The name "last quarter" is a bit misleading. At first and last quarter, sunlight illuminates half of the lunar hemisphere that faces Earth. It looks as though someone sliced the Moon right down the middle.
But "first quarter" and "last quarter" refer not to the Moon's appearance, but to its position in orbit. The beginning point of its cycle of phases comes at new Moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun. About a week later, the Moon is one-quarter of the way through its cycle, so it's at first quarter. A week later comes full Moon, when the Moon lines up opposite the Sun in our sky and is fully illuminated. A week after that it's last-quarter, then back to new, which completes the 29-and-a-half-day cycle.
Last-quarter Moon produces some of the lowest tides. Ocean tides are produced by the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun. When the Moon is new or full, the Moon and Sun pull along the same line, so their combined gravity produces high tides. But when the Moon's at a quarter phase, the Sun and Moon pull at right angles to each other — partially cancelling the other's pull.
Script by Damond Benningfield, Copyright 2014
- ‹ Previous
- Next ›


text:
Daniel Craig gets "The Whole Truth"
Daniel Craig is to star in 'The Whole Truth'.
The 'Skyfall' actor has signed on to appear in the espionage thriller, which is being written by 'Enough' scribe Nicholas Kazan, Variety reports.
Plot details for the project are being kept under wraps, but it is speculated the movie will involve a courtroom.
The film is being produced by Atlas Entertainment but doesn't yet have a director attached.
'The Whole Truth' will be on sale to distributors at the European Film Market.
No shooting date has been set yet, but Craig is expected to begin filming Bond 24 - his fourth outing as iconic British spy James Bond - with director Sam Mendes in the coming months.
Speaking about the as-yet unnamed movie, writer John Logan recently revealed it will follow on from 'Skyfall', but still be ''unique''.
He said: ''My goal is to write a great movie that's appropriate, to build on what we did on 'Skyfall', but make it its own unique animal.
''The themes, ideas and the characters from 'Skyfall' can obviously continue on, because it is a franchise, and it is an ongoing story. So I think there's resonance from 'Skyfall' in the new movie.''


text:
It is possible that the main title of the report Gaucher Disease is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Gaucher disease is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder in which deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase results in the accumulation of harmful quantities of certain fats (lipids), specifically the glycolipid glucocerebroside, throughout the body especially within the bone marrow, spleen and liver. The symptoms and physical findings associated with Gaucher disease vary greatly from case to case. Some individuals will develop few or no symptoms (asymptomatic); others may have serious complications. Common manifestations of Gaucher disease include an abnormally enlarged liver and/or spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), low levels of circulating red blood cells (anemia), low levels of platelets(thrombocytopenia), and skeletal abnormalities. Platelets are blood cells that promote clotting and patients with thrombocytopenia may develop bleeding problems. Three separate forms of Gaucher disease have been identified and are distinguished by the absence of, or the presence and extent of, neurological complications. All three forms of Gaucher disease are inherited as autosomal recessive traits.
Gaucher disease is categorized as a lysosomal storage disorder. Lysosomes are the major digestive units in cells. Enzymes within lysosomes break down or "digest" nutrients, including certain complex carbohydrates and fats. In Gaucher disease certain sugar (glucose) containing fats, known as glycolipids, abnormally accumulate in the body because of the lack of the enzyme, glucocerebrosidase. This accumulation or "storage" of lipids leads to the various symptoms or physical findings associated with a lysosomal storage disease. Gaucher disease is the most common type of lysosomal storage disorder.
Vaincre Les Maladies Lysosomales
2 Ter Avenue
Massy, 91300
Tel: 01 69 75 40 30
Fax: 01 60 11 15 83
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.vml-asso.org
National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
2001 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA 02146-4227
Tel: (617)277-4463
Fax: (617)277-0134
Tel: (800)906-8723
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.NTSAD.org
March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
Tel: (914)997-4488
Fax: (914)997-4763
Tel: (888)663-4637
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com
National Gaucher Foundation
2227 Idlewood Road, Suite 6
Tucker, GA 30084
Tel: (770)934-2910
Fax: (770)934-2911
Tel: (800)504-3189
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.gaucherdisease.org
The Arc
1660 L Street, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202)534-3700
Fax: (202)534-3731
Tel: (800)433-5255
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.thearc.org
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Gauchers Association (UK)
3 Bull Pitch
Gloucestershire, Intl GL11 4NG
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 1453 549231
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.gaucher.org.uk
Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group
Institute of Child Health, University of Liverpool
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
Liverpool, L12 2 AP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 151 252 5696
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://cfgd.cochrane.org
MUMS National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay, WI 54301-1243
Tel: (920)336-5333
Fax: (920)339-0995
Tel: (877)336-5333
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
Email: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
Instituto de Errores Innatos del Metabolismo
Carrera 7 No 40 - 62
Tel: (571) 3208320
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.javeriana.edu.co/ieim/programas_ieim.htm
Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: (310)264-0826
Fax: (310)264-4766
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
Hide & Seek Foundation for Lysosomal Disease Research
6475 East Pacific Coast Highway Suite 466
Long Beach, CA 90803
Tel: (877)621-1122
Fax: (866)215-8850
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.hideandseek.org
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email email@example.com
Last Updated: 3/21/2011
Copyright 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2011 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.


text:
Supplier Homepage Product Polo Shirt China T Shirt Manufacturers Stripe 100 Cotton Polo Shirt for Men
China T Shirt Manufacturers Stripe 100 Cotton Polo Shirt for Men
|FOB Price:
|Get Latest Price
|Min. Order:
|300 Pieces
|Guangzhou, China
|Production Capacity:
|50, 000 PCS/Month
|Payment Terms:
|L/C, T/T, Western Union
Request a custom order and have something just for you!Send Customized Request
Basic Info
- Model NO.: BDTS029
- Collar Style: Rib Collar
- Sleeve Style: Short Sleeve
- Sleeve Shape: Normal
- Season: Summer
- Size: Can Be Custom
- Keywords: Bulk Polo Shirts
- Materia: Cotton or as U Custom
- Item: Custom Polo Shirt
- Trademark: PATON
- Specification: SGS
- Material: Cotton / Spandex
- Feature: Promotional/Advertising, Breathable
- Pattern: Embroidered
- Technics: Knitted
- Color: Single Color
- Supply Type: OEM
- New Design: Comfortable to Wear
- Key Word: Polo Shirt
- Type: Men Polo Shirt
- Transport Package: 1PCS/PP Bag 60PCS/Carton
- Origin: Made in China
Product Description
Customer Question & Answer (0)
China T shirt manufacturers Stripe 100 cotton polo shirt for men
We Can Provide The Design Service For YouThis is Guangzhou Paton Apparel Co., Ltd. Our company is a manufacturer specializing in producing uniforms.
You Also Can Provide The Samples ,We Can ProvideOEM/ODM
All It's Up to you !
You Also Can Provide The Samples ,We Can ProvideOEM/ODM
All It's Up to you !
As our main productds are school uniforms, polo shirts, shirt, T-shirt, work uniforms and coverall and so on.
We have been in this industry for over 10 years and have different customers from all over the world.
1.100% cotton perfect
2. Size and printing can be customized
3. Logo can use embroidery or print
4.100% factory price-negotiate
|Polo Shirt ,Unisex polo shirt
|65/35 polyester /cotton
|100%Factory competitive prices
|Anti-wrinkle ,Anti-fray,easy-wash, Quick Dry, Breathable
|S--XXXL, size can be customized if size chart provided
|we can designed depend on customers requirement, we will make the sample
after the customer confirmed the design. Also the customer can choose our
current sample(can embroidered or printed the customers LOGO)
|we can deliver the sample to customer by express delivery. but the fee of the sample the
customer will pay. After our signed a valid contact we will return the fee to customer.
|Minimum quantity
|300 sets
|1set/pp bag 45sets/carton carton size :60.5x35.5x40.5(cm)
|Delivery time
|within 22-25days after the customers confirm the sample and paid the deposit
|Western Union, T/T. L/C
|By sea, air, or express. Door to door service can be supplied
The Custom Process
With all sincerity serve you! Looking forward to your inquiry!
Typical questions asked about products:-Does this product support customization?
-How do you ship the products?
-What is the warranty for the product?


text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Could I be Allergic to Anesthesia?
Last year I had dobule knee joint replacements. The next several days I experienced consant vomiting, diahrrea, and I ran a temperature between 103 and 104. Fecal, blood, and urine cultures all came back negative. I was told it was probably from the anesthesia. I am now due for a colonoscopy and because of a twisted colon will have to have general anesthesia. I am concerned that I will have a reaction to the anesthesia. Are these common sympoms of an allergic reaction?
Allergic reactions to various drugs used in anesthesia do occur. The typical features of a severe reaction include skin rash, low blood pressure, and difficulty breathing. Anesthestic drugs are either injected intravenously or inhaled; vomiting, diarrhea and fever are not common symptoms of an allergic reaction from inhaled or injected drugs. A short lived fever is not uncommon after major surgery. Nausea and vomiting are relatively common after anesthesia and surgery, and with standard pain killers like morphine or dilaudid. Common things occur commonly. It's more likely that you had a viral infection of some sort coinciding with your hospital stay but there isn't enough evidence in your story to make any sort of conclusion, except to say that an allergic reaction to anesthesia is unlikely to explain what happened. Good luck with the colonoscopy.
Gareth S Kantor, MD
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


text:
John Main OSB, "The Oceans of God" (December 1982), THE PRESENT CHRIST(New York: Crossroad, 1991), pp. 111-112, 116-117.
Our life is a unity because it is centered in the mystery of God. But to know that unity we have to see beyond ourselves and with a perspective greater than we generally see with, when self-interest is our dominant concern. Only when we have begun to turn from self-interest and self-consciousness does this larger perspective begin to open. Another way of saying that our vision expands is to say that we come to see beyond mere appearances, into the depth and significance of things. . ..not just . . .in relation to ourselves but . . .to the whole of which we are part. This is the way of true self-knowledge and it is why true self knowledge is identical with true humility. Meditation opens up for us this precious form of knowledge, [and] this knowledge becomes wisdom . . when we know no longer by analysis and definition but by participation in the life and spirit of Christ. [. . .]
The greatest difficulty is to begin, to take the first step, to launch out into the depth of the reality of God as revealed in Christ. Once we have left the shore of our own self we soon pick up the currents of reality that give us our direction and momentum. The more still and attentive we are, the more sensitively we respond to these currents. And so the more absolute and truly spiritual our faith becomes. By stillness in the spirit we move into the ocean of God. If we have the courage to push off from the shore we cannot fail to find this direction and energy. The further out we travel the stronger the current becomes, and the deeper our faith. For a while the depth of our faith is challenged by the paradox that the horizon of our destination is always receding. Where are we going with this deeper faith? Then, gradually we recognize the meaning of the current that guides us and see that the ocean is infinite.
Leaving the shore is the first great challenge, but it is only necessary to begin to face the challenge. Even though the challenges may become greater later, we are assured that we shall be given everything we need to face them. We begin by saying the mantra. Saying the mantra is always to be beginning, to be returning to the first step. We learn in time that there is only one step between us and God. . . .Christ has taken it in himself. He himself is the step. . . . The only way to know Christ is to enter his personal mystery, leaving ideas and words behind. We leave them behind in order to enter the silence of full knowledge and love to which meditation is leading each of us.
Meditate for Thirty Minutes.... Remember: Sit down. Sit still and upright. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. Silently, interiorly, begin to say a single word. We recommend the prayer-phrase "Maranatha." Recite it as four syllables of equal length. Listen to it as you say it, gently, but continuously. Do not think or imagine anything—spiritual or otherwise. Thoughts and images will likely come, but let them pass. Just keep returning your attention—with humility and simplicity—to saying your word in faith, from the beginning to the end of your meditation.
After Meditation, an excerpt from Theodore Roethke, "The Far Field," COLLECTED POEMS (New York: Doubleday, 1961), p. 200.
I learned not to fear infinity,
The far field, the windy cliffs of forever,
The dying of time in the white light of tomorrow,
The wheel turning away from itself,
The sprawl of the wave,
The on-coming water.


text:
Questions about interval training? Wondering how to incorporate it into your own fitness program? Here is a section for you.
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


text:
Style # 217594
Jamie Rhinestone Pumps is rated out of 5 by 5.
Rated 5 out of 5 by mstargirl from Super cute T-strap pump Looks great, true to size fit, unfortunately not real suede.
Date published: 2013-12-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by DQofA from Jamie pumps Very nice shoes, true to size and comfortable. Perfect for the holidays
Date published: 2013-10-24
Rated 5 out of 5 by klonnon from Perfect Party Pump I saw these shoes in store but they didn't have my size..so I ordered them without trying them on. I got them at a great price due to an in store 50%off event. I ordered them on a Sun they arrived on Sat just in time to wear them to a wedding that same night. They are so beautiful on with a LBD, but can be worn with leggings, a skirt etc. They look better in person than online Trust Me. I love them
Date published: 2013-10-21
Rated 5 out of 5 by Flowergirl from Nice I purchased black size 9. Fit tts. Very pretty shoe, nice sparkles...will be perfect for holiday outfits.
Date published: 2013-10-19
Rated 4 out of 5 by chanelja from love them!!! I'm pretty much satisfied with this pumps. I normally wear a size 8.5, but being that online they only had whole sizes, I ended up ordering a size 9, and it fits perfect.. got enough room to move my toes. I must admit they look so much better in person. Can't wait to wear them!:)
Date published: 2013-09-27


text:
aac to mp3 - TunePat M4A to MP3 Converter - convert m4a to mp3 with CD burning
TunePat M4A to MP3 Converter: convert m4a to mp3 with CD burning, aac to mp3
TunePat M4A to MP3 Converter has the excellent capability of converting M4A to WMA and WAV. The M4A to MP3 Converter can also convert M4B and M4P to MP3, WMA and WAV. M4A is the file extension for audio-only MP4 audio files. M4P is for the DRM protected content in iTunes Store, while M4A is for the DRM-free, unprotected content.
TunePat is a versatile music converter that can be used as MP3 music converter, AAC audio converter, WAV to MP3 converter, M4A to MP3 converter, and RM to MP3 converter. TunePat free your music to MP3, WMA or WAV format ready for playback on any computers or music devices.
Converting M4A to MP3 with TunePat M4A to MP3 Converter, aac to mp3
TunePat has the excellent capability of converting M4A to MP3, WMA and WAV. This versatile M4A to MP3 Converter can also convert M4B and M4P to MP3, WMA and WAV.
M4A is the file extension for audio-only MP4 audio files. M4P is for the DRM protected content in iTunes Store, while M4A is for the DRM-free, unprotected content. MP4 and its variations are compatible with software like iTunes, QuickTime Player, 3ivx, Media Player Classic, RealPlayer, Winamp, Xbox Media Center, Nero Burning ROM, etc. MP4 and its variations are compatible with hardware like iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry, Sony PSP, Xbox 360, Zune, etc. aac to mp3
TunePat M4P Converter is a DRM protected audio and music conversion software which can convert protected iTunes M4P Files, DRM WMA, DRM protected AAC to plain Audio MP3, WAV, WMA files ready for use on any computers or mobile music devices such as iPod, iPhone, PSP, Zune, cell phone, MP3 player and car MP3 CD players, etc.
This M4P to MP3 Converter uses the Virtual CD burning technology which emulates the whole workflow of burning music to normal CD-R/RW disc: CD ripping, CD burning, MP3 encoding are automatic and with the fastest speed. Its ability to convert DRM protected music files into regular MP3 files makes it a perfect solution for people who purchase their music online but have compatibility issues with their MP3 player, 3GP phone, Zune, PSP, and more. aac to mp3
aac to mp3 from other resources:
1.Free M4a to MP3 Converter Software
M4a to MP3? MP4 audio to MP3? Your favorite player doesn't support M4a audio? Then take a look at the new tool from ManiacTools, Free M4a to MP3 Converter. ... www.maniactools.com/soft/m4a-to-mp3-converter/index.shtml
2.Magic M4A to MP3 Converter - Free software downloads and reviews ...
Come to CNET Download.com for free and safe Magic M4A to MP3 Converter downloads. Convert your music in M4A,MP4,AAC to MP3 and WMA files. From: www.download.com/Magic-M4A-to-MP3-Converter/3000-2140_4-10726540.html. aac to mp3
3.M4a to mp3 converter Free Download, aac to mp3
M4a to mp3 converter Free Download,M4a to mp3 converter Software Collection Download. From: www.brothersoft.com/downloads/m4a-to-mp3-converter.html
Tags related to aac to mp3:convert mp3 converter mp3 convert wma to mp3 aac mp3 mp3 drm ogg to mp3 convert wav to mp3 convert ogg to mp3 convert m4a to mp3 convert shn to mp3 rip mp3 mpc to mp3 convert drm wma to mp3 convert mpc to mp3 convert ape to mp3 encode mp3 convert protected wma to mp3 wma to mp3 conversion ogg to mp3 converter wma to mp3 convertor m4a to mp3 converter shn to mp3 converter change wma to mp3 convert aac file to mp3 convert wav file to mp3 converting aac to mp3 converting wma file to mp3 wav to mp3 conversion convert wma to aac convert to aac rip cd to mp3 convert wma file wma drm convert flac wma to wav converter aac converter ogg converter shn converter unprotect wma m4a converter audio converter drm remover drm removal id3 tag remove drm protection id3 tag editor id3 editor tag rename flac frontend soundtaxi


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) — John Boehner is a bloodied House speaker following the startling setback that his own fractious Republican troops dealt him in their "fiscal cliff" struggle against President Barack Obama.
There's plenty of internal grumbling about the Ohio Republican, especially among conservatives, and lots of buzzing about whether his leadership post is in jeopardy. But it's uncertain whether any other House Republican has the broad appeal to seize the job from Boehner or whether his embarrassing inability to pass his own bill preventing tax increases on everyone but millionaires is enough to topple him.
"No one will be challenging John Boehner as speaker," predicted John Feehery, a consultant and former aide to House GOP leaders. "No one else can right now do the job of bringing everyone together" and unifying House Republicans.
The morning after he yanked the tax-cutting bill from the House floor to prevent certain defeat, Boehner told reporters he wasn't worried about losing his job when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3.
"They weren't taking that out on me," he said Friday of rank-and-file GOP lawmakers, who despite pleading from Boehner and his lieutenants were shy of providing the 217 votes needed for passage. "They were dealing with the perception that somebody might accuse them of raising taxes."
That "somebody" was a number of outside conservative groups such as the Club for Growth and Heritage Action for America, which openly pressured lawmakers to reject Boehner's bill. Such organizations often oppose GOP lawmakers they consider too moderate and have been headaches for Boehner in the past.
This time, his retreat on the tax measure was an unmistakable blow to the clout of the 22-year House veteran known for an amiable style, a willingness to make deals and a perpetual tan.
Congressional leaders amass power partly by their ability to command votes, especially in showdowns. His failure to do so Thursday stands to weaken his muscle with Obama and among House Republicans.
"It's very hard for him to negotiate now," said Sarah Binder, a George Washington University political scientist, adding that it's premature to judge if Boehner's hold on the speakership is in peril. "No one can trust him because it's very hard for him to produce votes."
She said the loss weakens his ability to summon support in the future because "you know the last time he came to you like this, others didn't step in line."
Boehner, 63, faces unvarnished hostility from some conservatives.
"We clearly can't have a speaker operate well outside" what Republicans want to do, said freshman Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.
Huelskamp is one of four GOP lawmakers who lost prized committee assignments following previous clashes with party leaders. That punishment was an anomaly for Boehner, who is known more for friendly persuasion than arm-twisting.
He said Boehner's job would depend on whether the speaker is "willing to sit and listen to Republicans first, or march off" and negotiate with Obama.
Conservative Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said one of the tea party's lasting impacts would be if Boehner struggled to retain his speakership due to the fight over the fiscal cliff, which is the combination of deep tax increases and spending cuts that start in early January without a bipartisan deal to avert them.
"If there's a major defeat delivered here, it could make it tough on him," King said. "He's in a tough spot."
Defenders say Boehner has been dealt a difficult hand. They say that in nearly two years as speaker, he's been field general over an unruly GOP majority confronting a Democratic president and Senate, steering them to the best outcomes possible.
House Republicans won some spending cuts early on. But they were faulted by the public for nearly causing a federal default in a 2011 fight over extending the government's debt limit, and lost a later battle over renewing a payroll tax cut.
This year, they've suffered in the polls for resisting the extension of wide-ranging tax cuts unless the wealthiest earners were included, which Obama opposes. They saw their House majority whittled by eight seats in last month's elections.
"He's doing a good job in a tough situation," said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a Boehner friend. He said the speaker's challenges include "independent individuals" among House Republicans and the increased willingness of outside conservatives to pressure GOP leaders, not defer to them.
Portman said he didn't know if Boehner's tax bill debacle would weaken him.
"It proved to the president what he's been saying, that there are limits to how far he can go" in making concessions in fiscal cliff bargaining, said Portman. "But a win would have improved chances for an agreement" by demonstrating that Boehner could deliver votes.
"His own Republican team let him down and that always hurts a leader," said veteran Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga.
Republicans watching closely for overt or subtle moves by would-be challengers to Boehner said Friday they'd detected none, though such moves are notoriously secretive.
The entire House elects its speaker by majority vote on the first day of the new session. Because the 201 Democrats will probably all back Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for the job, a GOP effort to depose Boehner would have to occur internally and before the full House votes so Republicans — with 234 seats — elect one of their own as speaker.
Possible candidates to replace Boehner, according to GOP lawmakers and aides, include Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, third-ranking Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Rep. Tom Price of Georgia.
Cantor was at Boehner's side Friday as both men met with reporters. Cantor, McCarthy and Ryan lobbied colleagues for Boehner's tax-cut bill, giving Republicans angry over the measure little reason to turn to them as alternatives.
"I recognize why these questions are getting asked," conservative freshman Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., said about whether Boehner was in trouble. "I see nothing giving any evidence to that end. It was not a vote of no confidence on John Boehner. It was a legislative defeat, not a personal defeat."
Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.


text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
>>Download a copy of the Thruway Authority plan
Assemblyman John D. Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, an outspoken opponent of the New York Thruway Authority's plan to raise tolls by 45 percent on commercial trucks, applauded the Thruway Authority's board for averting the hike after implementing several cost-saving measures.
"The toll hike would have been bad for our small businesses and farmers, who would have seen drastic increases in costs. Additionally, the increased tolls would have sent the wrong message to companies interested in moving to New York or increasing their business' presence here," Ceretto said Monday. "I commend all the local businesses and farmers who joined me in speaking out against this plan; and while I commend the Thruway Authority on finally acting responsibly, these new cost-saving measures, not toll hikes, should have been proposed first and not seen as a last-ditch option."


text:
Send me pics of your Boston Terrier and I'll post them.
If you have a short story or description of the picture you'd like to share, I'll include it too.
Submit to: firstname.lastname@example.com
This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from the Boston Terriers group pool. Make your own badge here.
Friday, May 16, 2008
post a comment


text:
Great to meet Bas van den Beld as always and congratulations to him on State of Search!
Optimize Your Web
European Search Personality of the year 2014, Kristján Már Hauksson, is the Co-Founder and COO of SMFB Engine, based in Oslo, Norway. This newfound digital activation/marketing agency works closely with the award winning creative agency, SMFB, in making sure that each idea has the digital presence to make it fly. Kristján is a publish author on the topic Internet Marketing and Search Engine Marketing.http://www.smfbengine.com


text:
How do I wear a motorcycle vest?
A moto vest should be as cool and effortless as the girl who wears it, so try these easy approaches to making this tough-girl layering piece work with what you've got.
Must-Try Look #1: Over A Long-Sleeved Maxi Dress
Most of us have a handful of floor-length frocks in our closets that we don't know what do with come fall. To make the maxi relevant and feel fresh, simply add a quilted, studded, denim, or leather moto vest. As for styling tips, skip the neutral heels or wedges and go for a strong black ankle boot to add some toughness and edge to the overall look.
Must-Try Look #2: Paired With A Print
We love the juxtaposition of a motorcycle vest with a girly pattern, whether it's a watercolor print, floral, or even an ikat. One idea is to pair a print top with light-wash skinny jeans, and then throw the vest on top for a little edge. A moto vest also looks great with print trousers and skirts; just add a white t-shirt or denim button-up underneath, and you'll be good to go.
Must-Try Look #3: As A Jacket Alternative
A motorcycle vest can provide an unexpected amount of warmth as the nights get cooler. Instead of layering a bulky jacket or coat over your long-sleeved knits or sweaters, try the vest. Paired with a luxurious cream cashmere sweater and either classic wool trousers or snug-fitting jeans, the moto vest is sure to up the style factor and keep you cozy!


text:
Going against the tide, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie came out in support of the recently-fired Juan Castillo.
While several players on defense have used Castillo's ousting as an excuse to question his credentials or his late-game play-calling, Rodgers-Cromartie credited the former Eagles defensive coordinator with turning him into more of a press cornerback.
Rodgers-Cromartie defended Castillo, criticized some of his teammate's finger-pointing and said that he didn't think the Eagles needed to make a change at defensive coordinator.
"That's what you're going to say when things seem to go bad. You're going to pinpoint something," Rodgers-Cromartie said of other defensive players focusing on Castillo. "I don't feel that way. If you look at statistics we're still in the top. … That was a decision that was made. I can't do nothing about it. But ain't see no problem."
The Eagles defense is ranked 12th in the NFL in total yards and 11th in points heading into Sunday's game against the Falcons. But Castillo's unit coughed up fourth quarter leads in the last two games -- a resurfacing of a problem that plagued the defense through much of last season.
Defensive end Brandon Graham said on Wednesday that the defensive play-calling in the fourth quarter was predictable and that Castillo was not using a number of schemes that were being practiced on during the week.
Rodgers-Cromartie said that too much blame was being pinned to the departed Castillo.
"I feel like every man should be accountable for themself," he said. "In life, anytime things go wrong it's easy to say, 'Well, he did this and he did that,' instead of saying, 'I did this, I did that.'"
When Rodgers-Cromartie was traded to the Eagles in July of 2011 he came billed as an "off corner" in the Asante Samuel mold. He did play some press defense in Arizona, but Rodgers-Cromartie said that it was Castillo that "made me into a press corner."
"That was Juan's whole idea – to get up there and disrupt timing," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "Just looking at film it worked, so I stuck with it."
The fifth-year corner leads the Eagles with three interceptions this season. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the seventh-best cover corner in the league. Rodgers-Cromartie, who had new coordinator Juan Castillo as his position coach this season, said that Castillo deserved a lot of the credit.
"No question. He changed my game," he said. "He brought me to the press corner. He's one of those guys that takes the time with you and let's you understand a weakness in your game and keep you after practice and make you work on it."
Rodgers-Cromartie also disputed the notion that Castillo had very little sway over the entire defense, especially the Jim Washburn-led line.
"Juan played a major part in every position – from the d-line to the linebackers to he always trying to keep guys after practice and make them work," Rodgers-Cromartie said.


text:
2012 was amazing! The second half, lets be real the first half I was pregnant, my children were raised by Dora and Diego and cheerios. But it ended with a bang! I love this year. I love my LIFE! I love my babies and I love being married to the Professor Man.
A quick sum up 2012
January 2012
Found out we were having a baby!
(In a target bathroom, I couldn't wait till I got home and I really needed to pee. I even hid from my friend in the store because I was afraid I would blow the surprise)
Jocelyn proclaimed her undying love for Phineas, Sammy and Bryce
We threw a New Years Eve Party that was amazing!
I was in a minor car accident (a guy bumped into me at a stop sign) I was fine but my doctor insisted on a prescription of eight massages. I have a new best friend her name is Kona and she works at Healing Spirit Body Therapies and she made the next few months possible.
I went through two prescriptions of Zofran.
I was still sick
Craved doughnuts
I lived on the couch watched every episode of lots of stuff
More Zofran.
Turned 29 and have no memory of what we did.
It snowed in our backyard and we went sledding a few times, I think this is only picture I took the whole month it was sort of a blur.
It got a little warmer
But not really
I started to feel better
I started painting the trees in the playroom
With help
It snowed a ton right before spring break and Jocelyn and I experience our first snow day
We took a mini break to the coast for Spring break
It was beautiful
Oh and Jocelyn got bangs
Oh and Jocelyn got bangs


text:
Urgent care center to open in WindhamBy APRIL GUILMET
Union Leader Correspondent
December 06. 2012 1:05AM
WINDHAM - Convenient MD, a full-service urgent care center, will begin accepting patients soon.
On Wednesday afternoon, the urgent care center, located just off Exit 3 on Interstate 93 at 125 Indian Rock Road, company officials opened the doors for dozens of citizens curious to get a sneak peak at the long-awaited clinic.
Company president Gareth Dickens said a second clinic is being built in Concord and is expected to open early this summer. Plans for five other clinics are in the works around New Hampshire and southern Maine.
Chief Executive Officer Max Puyanic, a native of Florida who now calls Portsmouth his home, said he chose the Salem area as the site of his first clinic because he saw an enormous need in that community.
"It's the only large community in New Hampshire without a hospital or emergency room," Puyanic said. "As the result, residents requiring immediate care beyond the scope of their primary care provider must travel to surrounding communities, where they experience long lines and high costs."
According to state statistics, Granite State patients pay an average co-pay of $100 to $250 in emergency rooms, depending on their insurance plans, with costs totaling around $800 if the patient's deductable hasn't been met. At Convenient MD, insured patients pay their specialist co-pay, typically around $30 or $40. Uninsured patients pay $100 per visit, with lab work or X-rays costing an additional $50.
"The intention here is that if someone walks in here without insurance and needs a lot of lab work done, that fee is capped at $50," Puyanic said.
Convenient MD will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days per week, with a staff of 15 employees, including doctors, registered nurses, medical assistants and X-ray technicians. All of the nurses on board have had extensive experience in emergency room settings, Puyanic said, and the facility's medical director is Dr. Jeffrey Collins, who previously served as medical director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Urgent Care Center in Chelsea.
Designed to offer walk-in treatment for everyday illnesses like colds, flu, asthma attacks and bronchitis, as well as broken bones, wounds, sprains and burns, the facility features a half-dozen exam rooms, a digital X-ray studio, medical lab and an EKG machine onsite.
Convenient MD will also offer services like flu shots and sports physicals. Puyanic recently approached coaches at the nearby schools and offered them free physical vouchers to distribute to area children whose families don't have insurance.
"For us, it's all about offering convenient, quality care in this alternative to the emergency room," Puyanic added.
Convenient MD in Windham is scheduled to open today, though it is possible the opening could be delayed for another day or two while officials finalize state licensing requirements. For more information, call 501-0878 or visit convenientmd.com.
- - - - - - - -
April Guilmet may be reached at email@example.com.


text:
Vt. memorial to soldier vandalized
Public works department discovers burned flag
Vt. memorial to soldier vandalized
Public works department discovers burned flag
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. —
Police in Brattleboro, Vt., are investigating some damage to a memorial to a soldier killed in Iraq a decade ago.
Police said the lock on the flagpole at the Kyle Gilbert Memorial on Main Street was damaged and the American flag was removed from its pole. It was discovered missing Tuesday.
A short time later, the town's public works department found the remnants of an American flag on Williams Street. The flag appeared to have been destroyed by fire. The area around it in the road was charred and smelled of diesel fuel.
The 20-year-old Gilbert was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed on Aug. 3, 2003, in Baghdad when his unit was attacked.


text:
Melodies and instruments from eastern Europe. Accordion and acoustic guitar are creating a melancholic and gypsy mood. Suitable for movies, documentary and more. *Note : If you want it to loop for a longer duration from a certain point but don't know how to do it, get in touch and I'll gladly help you out.
Dear customers, please take the time to rate your purchase.
It will help me a lot to improve my work. Thank you.


text:
R&E Foundation
Deadline Date: January 10, 2019
Purpose: Sponsored by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Association of University Radiologists (AUR), Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR), and Society of Chairmen of Academic Radiology Departments (SCARD). To encourage innovation and improvement in health sciences education by providing research opportunities to individuals throughout the world who are in pursuit of advancing the science of radiology education. In addition, this program will help build a critical mass of radiology education researchers and promote the careers of persons advancing the science of radiology education.
Nature of Projects: All areas of radiology education research are eligible for support including, but not limited to: Development of new educational programs or the improvement of existing programs; pilot studies with respect to methods of teaching, and the evaluation of educational techniques, materials, or programs; improving methods of student, teacher, course, or program evaluation; or expanding knowledge of how to provide effective education in the radiologic sciences.
Amount: Up to $10,000 for a 1-year project to help cover the costs of research materials, research assistant support, and limited primary investigator salary support (no more than half of grant award).
Full Details: Download the RSNA/AUR/APDR/SCARD Radiology Education Research Development Grant Policies and Procedures(now with grant application instructions and guidelines)
Application Process: Applications are completed online using the Online Grant Application System.
To view additional recipients from prior years, please use our online Grant and Award Recipient Search tool.
Keep up on the latest news in the Foundation Focus.
Find detailed information, applications and deadlines.
Contact us for further information about our programs and activities.


text:
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, another list.
Just a few days ago, my colleague Whit Richardson wrote about how Portland was named one of Techie.com's 10 most "unexpected" cities for high-tech innovation. That came on the heels of countless other nationwide lists lauding Portland or an establishment therein for its job growth, farmer's market, brunch, beer, coffee, environmental friendliness, fitness, child-rearing environment, outdoor recreation, attractiveness for empty nesters, and of course, eligible women.
We're reaching a point where it's become arguably more newsworthy when a list judging America's top cities for some particular niche doesn't mention Portland or its environs.
And, of course, although Greater Portland is indeed great, the ubiquitous lists should be viewed for the most part with a grain of salt. Good to use in marketing and tourism brochures, and fun conversation starters, but not always developed with scientifically sound methods.
Disclaimers aside, here's your latest list: Regional news and lifestyles website GoLocalProv.com placed South Portland and Portland Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, in its ranking of the top 30 New England cities.
In GoLocal's defense, its methodology in developing its list is among the more rigorous I've seen. More on that in a moment.
Cambridge, Mass., finds itself at numero uno on the list, the same place that particular city occupied in the website's first such rankings last year at this time.
To claim the No. 2 spot, South Portland inched up from a third place finish in the 2012 list. Portland bumped up three slots, from a fifth place finish last year to No. 3 this time around.
Dropping out of the top three to make room for a greater Maine presence was South Burlington, Vt., which fell from second to fourth on the list.
Other Maine cities in the top 30 were Bangor at No. 9 — up two spots from 2012 — and Lewiston and Auburn at Nos. 20 and 21, respectively. A little jockeying going on there between the Cities of the Androscoggin, as they swapped spots from a year ago.
The biggest plummet from 2012 was made by Stamford, Conn., freefalling from a No. 7 placement to 23rd this year, while the greatest leap forward was made by Waterbury, Conn., which jumped all the way from No. 38 [off the top 30 chart altogether] to 29th.
Boston, New England's biggest city and home to all of our favorite major league sports teams, dropped from No. 10 in 2012 to No. 16 this year, for what it's worth.
Here's a few sentences from GoLocalProv.com on the site's methodology in devising this list:
Inspired by national rankings from media outlets such as US News & World Report, Forbes, and Business Week, GoLocal's evaluation compares each state's five largest cities, from the region's smallest contender (Rutland, VT) to its largest (Boston, MA) in five general areas: Economics/Prosperity, Safety, Culture, Health, and Overall Quality of Life. Utlizing a total of 17 metrics ranging from median household income, unemployment, school quality and crime rates to arts-related employment, wifi hotspots, public libraries and walkability among others, the GoLocal proprietary formula quantifies the many qualities that go into a city's fabric.


text:
Yup, it's time once again for our look back at the best photos, cartoons, and "socially constructed" memes of the week. I'm tempted to say "The Ends Justify the Memes," but that would be wrong. (Loyal reader RS also suggests the useable headlines, "I Smell a Rattner," or "Rattner's Choice Theory." I'll keep these in the inventory.)
- Subscribe now!... Get rid of ADs!Support Power Line...VIP MembershipPresentsPower Line
Most Read on Power Line
Our Favorites
- American Greatness
- American Thinker
- Ann Althouse
- Belmont Club
- Churchill Project
- Claremont Institute
- Dartblog
- Gatestone Institute
- Hot Air
- Hugh Hewitt
- InstaPundit
- Jewish World Review
- Legal Insurrection
- Library of Law and Liberty
- Lileks
- Lucianne
- Michael Ramirez Cartoons
- Michelle Malkin
- RealClearPolitics
- Ricochet
- Roger L. Simon
- Steyn Online
- The Federalist
- Tim Blair
- Urgent Agenda
Subscribe to Power Line by Email
Find us on Facebook
"Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." Winston Churchill
"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell


text:
Celtic boss Neil Lennon has admitted he made have to sell some of his star players who helped the SPL leader to the last 16 of the Champions League.
After watching his side crash out at the hands of Italian side Juventus, Lennon knows that sides will be looking to swoop in on players such as Victor Wanyama, and admitted that some may want to move.
"We'll see in the summer how many players want to progress elsewhere," he told Sky Sports. "It's a progression for us, we want to bring in younger players, develop them and sell them on, that strategy has worked well for us."
The 41-year-old former Hoops skipper admitted that there was a gulf in class between his side and Juventus that was reflected in the 5-0 aggregate scoreline
"I think quality counts at the end of the day and our finishing at times let us down. Our build up play was very good and just our execution, Ambrose had a great chance just after half-time that would have made it 1-1 and who knows what would have happened.
"In the final third we had some good play, Samaras has flashed one across the goal and you're expecting Gary Hooper to finish and [Gianluigi] Buffon's made a superb save from a deflected shot, but on the night class tells in the end and I think that told over the two games.
"I hope [my team have] learnt a lot, I hope they move on with their careers and they've done the club very proud and I'm proud to be a manager here in this fantastic stadium.
"I hope these young guys blossom from this experience, but last 16 is cutthroat and Juventus were clinical over the two games."


text:
November 13, 1918 - December 9, 2012
Bloomingburg, NY
Rose L. Giudice, a longtime resident of the area, passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side on Sunday, December 9, 2012. She was 94. The daughter of the late Frank Ruotolo and Lucy Lamano she was born on November 13, 1918 in Brooklyn, NY.
Rose worked as a Factory worker for Master Craft in Pine bush and was a member of St. Paul's RC Church and previous member of the Mamakating Seniors.
Survivors include her children, John Giudice and his wife, Judy of MI, Dorothy DiDomenico of Bloomingburg and Lucy Cortright of Walker Valley; three grandchildren, Robert Giudice and his wife, Susan, Sharon Lewis and her husband, Dave, Karen Sutton and her husband, Glenn; seven great grandchildren, Samantha, Mary Frances, Robert Jr. Giudice, Tyler and Emily Rose Sutton, and Joshua and Jacob Lewis; one great great granddaughter, Karsynn Giudice; sister, Natalie Pelosi and her husband, Rudolf; many nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews; special friend, Patsy Schneider; and a special thanks to Emily Walters and Debbie McNeil.
Rose is predeceased by her husband, Dominick Giudice; and her three brothers, Frank, Sam, and William Ruotolo.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the William M. Gagan Funeral Home Inc., 1525 Burlingham Rd.
Mass of Christian burial will be offered on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's RC Church in Bullville with Fr. Sean Harlow O.Carm officiating. Burial will take place in Bloomingburg Cemetery.
In addition to floral arrangements, you may make a donation to the Middletown Humane Society, 142 Bloomingburg Rd, Middletown NY 10940.
Arrangements entrusted to the William M. Gagan Funeral Home Inc. www.wmgaganfuneralhome.com