text:
Securities Fraud on the Internet & Online Trading Issues
Testimony of Peter C. Hildreth
Director of Securities Regulation, New Hampshire & NASAA President
Before the
Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Governmental Affairs Committee,
United States Senate
March 22, 1999
Chairwoman Collins and Members of the Subcommittee:
I am Peter Hildreth, Director of Securities Regulation for the State of New Hampshire and President of the North American Securities Administrators Association, ("NASAA")*. I am pleased to have the opportunity to present the states' perspective as you examine issues related to securities fraud on the Internet and on-line trading issues. State securities regulators are often referred to as the "local cop on the beat" because they are closest to the investing public and are frequently the first to identify problems and trends in new investment fraud schemes.
Over the past decade, technology has revolutionized the securities markets. Today, any home equipped with a computer and modem is just a few keystrokes away from a wealth of instantly accessible research data and financial news. The Internet holds great promise for investors by disseminating information previously available to a relative privileged few on Wall Street and by dramatically lowering trading costs. Many investors have opted to make their own investment decisions, bypassing traditional methods of conducting business. Technology is changing the relationship between broker-dealer and customer.
The legitimate business opportunities for financial services on the Internet are unlimited. It is already used for direct offerings of securities through company Web sites, electronic voting of proxies and online brokerage services.
At the same time, however, the risks for fraud are great. With the click of a mouse, fraudsters can reach tens of thousands of people via e-mail literally for pennies. E-mail and web sites are more efficient and much cheaper than contacting unsuspecting investors the old fashioned way, through telephone boiler rooms. The Internet is a global borderless environment that offers instant access to tens of millions of people. Con artists can hide their identities through the use of fictitious names, multiple aliases, remailers and by using public venues with Internet access such as Internet coffee shops and libraries. Because the Internet is so cheap and easy to use and reaches so many people, any con artist not on the Net should be sued for malpractice.
NASAA members are concerned about unwary investors being taken for an Internet ride. States are seeing violations of state securities law on the Internet such as the offer and sale of unqualified securities; unlicensed broker-dealer and investment adviser activity; fraudulent offers and sales of securities; market manipulation; and insider trading.
Given the size and growth of the Internet, regulators can't police it alone – it is like expecting one precinct house to patrol all of New York City. It simply can't be done. State and local governments have limited resources and defined jurisdictional boundaries. That is why we have asked investors to become partners with us in the fight against securities fraud on the Internet. When I assumed the NASAA Presidency last October, I announced NASAA would create a new e-mail address for investors to report suspected Internet securities fraud. The address is
email@example.com. [Edit- Address no longer in use]
NASAA encourages investors to forward suspicious securities-related e-mail they receive and to include the state in which they live so the "spam" can be sent on to the appropriate state regulator. To date, over 4,700 unsolicited email messages have been forwarded by investors to the NASAA site. So far NASAA has forwarded e-mail to regulators in 33 states, from Arizona to Wisconsin. Late last year, the messages were analyzed to detect trends. Approximately 40 percent of the e-mails were securities related, a similar percentage involved business opportunities; the rest included credit and loan pitches, gambling/casino web sites, herbal and other health treatments and "cures" and sex-related topics.
Two messages sent to NASAA during the last few weeks are typical examples of "spams" sent to thousands of other unsuspecting investors. There are uncanny similarities contained in the messages.
Company: Endovasc Ltd., Inc.
Symbol: E N D V
Price: ½ ($.50/share)
The April issue of the British Biotechnology Letter, Oxford, England, states "scientists at Glaxo Wellcome have proven the efficacy of Endovasc's PGE-1 and have submitted to management a multi-million dollar joint venture proposal."
ENDV is recommended as an immediate and "STRONG BUY."
Go t Http://quote.yahoo.com/q?s=endv&d=t
Company: PDC Innovative Industries
Symbol: P D C I D
Price: 5 ($5.00/share)
PDCID has announced priority production of their proprietary Hypo-Sterile 2000 which render medical contaminants harmless. Analysts indicate there is "almost limitless demand in the market place for this revolutionary stand-alone medical device."
PDCID is rated an immediate and "STRONG BUY"
Go to http://quote.yahoo.com/q?s=pdcid&d=vl
An informed Internet user would be very skeptical about such hyberbole. Both messages contain claims that are not supported with data. Who is recommending the stocks? Who is rating the stocks? There is no disclosure of such information. But, these messages are on the Internet and use Yahoo's link which lends them an air of credibility. It is becoming increasingly difficult for some investors to tell the difference between fact and fiction.
State Initiatives
State securities regulators have been policing Internet based investment scams for years. One great advantage of state securities regulators is their authority to use an undercover operation to detect fraud on the Internet. A state agency can establish e-mail addresses to go "shopping" for fraudulent Internet solicitations to obtain information to pursue enforcement cases. At the beginning of 1998, NASAA's Internet Committee conducted a survey of all member jurisdictions and reported securities being offered in the following types of securities offerings as involving the most suspected investment frauds: ATM machines, prime bank schemes, internet gambling, advance fee schemes, oil and gas interests and entertainment ventures.
In 1994, The Missouri Securities Division and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities announced the first regulatory actions taken in the U.S. against on-line investment schemes. In Missouri, a stockbroker unlicensed to do business in the state used the Internet to tout his own services and make dubious claims for stocks not registered for sale in the state. The case in New Jersey amounted to a high-tech variation on the old pyramid scheme, which is barred under federal and state laws.
The Ohio Division of Securities has been on the leading edge of securities activity on the Internet. In September, 1996, the Division became one of the first state securities agencies to establish a formal program to monitor the Internet for compliance with the Ohio securities laws. On-line securities offerings not in compliance with Ohio law are identified and listed on the Division's Internet homepage under the link "On-Line Securities Offerings that Ohio Residents Should Avoid." Exhibit A.
Texas issued its first Internet related order in March of 1996 against a woman using the Internet to raise funds for an illegal securities offering. The violations included selling unregistered securities without a securities sales license. Earlier this year Texas made its first criminal referral to a prosecutor of an alleged securities fraud over the Internet.
In March of 1998, the New York Attorney General announced legal actions designed to raise consumer awareness of the law regarding illegal Internet pyramid schemes. Exhibit B. The AG's Internet and Computer Unit worked with the Investor Protection and Securities Bureau and reached settlement agreements in 12 cases involving illegal pyramid schemes circulated on the Internet. Pyramid schemes are illegal under both New York's civil and criminal law so participants risk being prosecuted for a misdemeanor or felony offense, which could result in fines and possible imprisonment.
Last June, the California Commissioner of Corporations issued nine actions against Internet investment opportunities ranging from a floating condominium to a time machine. Exhibit C. The actions ordered ten companies and 15 individuals offering investment opportunities on the Internet to comply with state securities requirements or stop offering their investment products in California.
California has one of the more active Internet Surveillance programs in the United States. The Department of Corporations has set up a dedicated Internet Compliance and Enforcement Unit consisting of two attorneys, one investigator and one examiner. In all, the California Department of Corporations has issued 39 Desist and Refrain Orders to a total of 158 subjects, has filed one civil injunctive action and obtained a preliminary injunction against 26 defendants, and has referred two cases for criminal
Through a joint investigation conducted by the Illinois Securities Department and the US Postal Inspection Service, in August of 1998, W. Charles Grace, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois announced Ronnie Joe Graham plead guilty to one count Information filed in Federal District Court in East St. Louis, Illinois. Appendix D. Graham was charged with Mail Fraud by use of the Internet. Graham devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from investors, through the offer, sale and issuance of the unregistered securities, in an amount in excess of $750,000 by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises.
Ronnie Joe Graham was sentenced to three years probation of which the first six months was home confinement. He paid restitution in the amount of $55,000.
In August of last year, NASAA joined federal regulators in a crackdown on entertainment-related securities fraud. Not surprising, the Internet figured prominently in several securities offerings state regulators acted against. Regulators in New York obtained a temporary restraining order and froze the assets of World Interactive Gaming Corp. of Bohemia, NY which used the Net to sell and promote stakes in an illegal Internet gambling company. South Dakota and Wisconsin took related actions. Regulators in Iowa ordered Denis M. Benson of Tustin, CA to stop selling unregistered securities in an online sports casino. Washington State ordered White Witch Doctor, Inc. of Florida to stop promoting sales of stock, via the Internet, to finance "Diamante" a movie based on company owner Dennis Alexander's "real life experience as a missionary and diamond smuggler."
NASAA and 30 state and provincial jurisdictions participated in the Internet Investment Opportunities Surf Day in November, 1998 looking for suspicious or fraudulent investment opportunities. Exhibit E. Also taking part in the surf day were regulators from the FTC, the CFTC, and the NASD. Over 400 web sites were surfed. They found that investors were being sought for both traditional and exotic investment opportunities such as viatical settlements, foreign currency, films and restaurants, Internet-related and "offshore" investments.
The vast majority of the securities-related e-mails NASAA analyzed during the "surf" promoted eight over-the-counter stocks. The e-mails invariably contained bullish, if not far-fetched predictions such as a restaurant chain whose revenues were projected to grow 300 percent for the 97-98 fiscal year. In another case, a web site promoting low-priced over the counter stocks claimed that "with 1.2 million visitors per day starting with the next few days, there's NO CHANCE the stocks can't rise!!!
Just last week NASAA joined other federal, state and local law enforcers to announce 33 law enforcement actions against 67 defendants promoting Internet pyramid schemes. Exhibit F. The sweep also included a two-day Internet "surf" to seek out sites that may be hosting illegal pyramid schemes. The FTC and state law enforcement offices have pledged to continue this sweep and will announce additional actions targeting Internet Pyramid schemes in upcoming months. My advice to the investing public is "Ask yourself – if it's such a great money-making idea, why is someone telling 100,000 of their closest friends about it on the Internet?" Never make a decision to buy or sell an investment product based solely on information you read on the Internet.
In addition, last week Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced that his Division of Securities has issued a Stop Order against Efox.net, Inc., an Internet "adult entertainment" company that had planned on becoming one of the first "adult" Internet businesses to sell shares to the public. Exhibit G. The Stop Order was issued after allegations surfaced that Efox was promoting the sale of its securities before making required filings with regulators, a practice known as "gun-jumping." Gun-jumping is illegal because of its potential to mislead investors.
In recent months state securities regulators across the country have brought actions against suspected Internet frauds, including on-line casinos, pyramid schemes and supposed investments in "soon-to-be produced" motion pictures. Websites, news groups, chat rooms and e-mail messages are increasingly being used to tout risky "microcap" stocks, which are a major concern of state regulators.
There will never be enough regulators to keep the on-line world free from fraud and abuse. Even if the state securities regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and the National Association of Securities Dealers – Regulation ("NASDR") all put aside their other tasks in a massive bid to shut down on-line investment scams, it is doubtful that fraud on the Internet could be stamped out altogether.
Investor education is the key to successful on-line investing. Individuals who venture on-line need to do so with caution. The good news is there are self-defense steps that small investors can take to fend off cyberfraud. We have included these tips in a simple brochure as well as on the poster before you today.
- Don't expect to get rich quick
- Don't assume that your online computer service polices its investment bulletin boards
- Don't buy thinly-traded, little known stocks strictly on the basis of online hype
- Don't act on the advice of a person who hides his or her identity
- Don't get suckered by claims about "inside information" including pending news releases, contract announcements and products
- Don't assume that just because someone says that they have checked something out that they have actually done so
- Call your state or provincial securities agency
The NASAA Board of Directors has also formed several Project Groups to deal with the issues you are addressing today. In November 1998, an Internet Enforcement Project Group was established to review Internet enforcement by state regulators; develop a comprehensive plan on how the states can better police the Internet; and work with other NASAA project groups to coordinate efforts and determine the best way to utilize available technology.
The Project Group consists of Charles Neal (TX) Chair, Marc Crandall (CA), Martin Eady (BC), Laurie Goodman (NJ), Kyle Martin (OR) and Joel Michael Schwartz (NY). They represent states that are some of the most experienced in Internet surveillance.
A Neighborhood Watch Project Group has been charged with developing a comprehensive plan to review and refer the e-mails alleging fraud that are sent to NASAA via e-mail or other means. Its members are Jerel Hopkins (PA) Chair, T. Webster Brennner (MD), Martin Cordell (WA) and Joseph Punturo (NY).
Online Trading Issues
NASAA has been active in educating investors about on-line trading. Technology has revolutionized the way securities in this country are bought and sold and the way the securities industry operates. Reports show that there are approximately 7.5 million online brokerage accounts today. This figure is expected to grow to 18 million by the year 2002.
Too often the media uses the terms on-line investing and day trading interchangeably. Although the two areas may sometimes blur together, a distinction should be made between electronic on-line trading and day trading.
On-line trading is the term used for more traditional brokerage arrangements between customer and firm. Investors access brokerage firm web sites and submit orders to the firm electronically. Those orders are then processed through the firm's order routing system for execution. The transaction is completed without the assistance from a registered representative. The elimination of the registered representative has led to the tremendous reduction in commission fees over the past several years. On-line trading is normally done through one's own personal computer and not at a central location.
Day Trading
Day trading is usually done at day trading firm locations using computer equipment supplied by the firms. Day trading is conducted with rapid-fire speed, buying and selling the same security within several minutes with the goal of making a small gain in the transaction. An important aspect of day trading is that the traders have direct access to the markets where they place their trades. Direct access is often in the form of both market information and execution. Day traders customarily have access to in-depth market information which enables the traders to identify securities where the bid and offer price differential for a security presents the potential for doing a quick trade and receiving a small gain. Direct access to the markets in the sense of execution gives the day trader the ability to execute trades immediately at known prices. Immediate execution in day trading is of paramount importance for a day trader to lock in their small gains, often just pennies per share.
Another aspect of day trading is that the firms often provide training program to teach customers how to day trade.
NASAA has been active in trying to educate the public on the risks of day trading. In November, 1998, NASAA issued a press release cautioning investors about the day trading "craze" and pointed out that day trading is extremely risky and a strategy only for people using money they can afford to lose. Exhibit H. The release attracted extensive coverage and resulted in stories in dozens of print and broadcast outlets including: Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, National Public Radio, BusinessWeek, Fortune, NBC News and the BBC.
In late 1998, NASAA formed a project Group to look into day trading firms. The project group is chaired by David Shellengerger (MA), with Jay Cassidy (CO), Jerel Hopkins (PA), and Joel Sauer (TX) serving as members. The NASAA Board of Directors charged the project group to:
- Work with the NASD, SEC and exchanges on coordination of examinations and enforcement actions where appropriate.
- Detail abusive practices and advise states on state securities law implications.
- Assist states with expertise in enforcement analysis.
- Gather statistics on how widespread problems are in this segment of the industry and coordinate efforts.
To accomplish these tasks, the project group has outlined a plan to issue an internal report identifying day trading firms; analyzing issues presented by the day trading industry; analyzing profitability of customer accounts; and including a bibliography of books and articles. In addition to the report, the project group plans to create a guide for state regulators to assist in licensing day trading firms, conducting examinations and investigating and prosecuting cases. As this material becomes available, NASAA will be happy to forward to you all non-confidential materials.
Colorado, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin have taken action against day trading firms for alleged violations of state securities laws. Please contact the NASAA office if you want additional information on these actions. As this letter is transmitted, several other states are beginning investigations in addition to some ongoing.
Online Investing
With the widespread use of the Internet, investing and trading with Internet has increased exponentially and many expect this trend to continue for quite some time. The availability of information has leveled the playing field between securities professionals and individual investors.
On-line investing, however, is not a panacea. Many individual investors falsely believe they are empowered by the wealth of information available on the Internet. More and ore people are moving to self-directed brokerage. With the Dow hovering near 10,000, everyone assumes that there is easy money to be made. How will all of these investors react during a market correction? Many would be wise to rely on the advice of a securities professional.
State regulators have generally not reported widespread increase in complaints by on-line investors. With the stock markets still experiencing gains, NASAA believes that the on-line brokerage community needs to address several issues before the market trends downward. To that end the NASAA Board of Directors recently authorized the formation of a multistate project group to explore the issues facing on-line brokerage firms. The members of the project group have yet to be identified so NASAA is not in a position to supply individual names.
It is expected that the project group and individual states will be addressing the following issues with respect to on-line investing:
- Capacity
Do on-line broker-dealers have the infrastructure to allow for continued growth? Is this new form of commerce stressing existing regulatory structures?
- Advertising
Due to the low commission structure, or because of it, the key to a successful Internet brokerage firm appears to be market share. To get market share, on-line brokers advertise aggressively. Are they creating false impressions in these advertisements regarding availability of the trading platform?
- System Outages
What happens to customers when the Internet or the brokerage firm's web site is unavailable? What obligations, if any, does the firm have to its customers at these times? Does it matter if the outages are due to technology glitches or market activity?
- Suitability
Do on-line brokers have any suitability obligations to their customers? Generally, suitability is not an issue for unsolicited transactions. However, on line brokerage firms are offering ever-increasing amounts of research on their Internet sites. When does information rise to the level of being analogous to a recommendation?
- Execution
A frequent complaint from on-line investors is execution of orders, particularly of initial public offerings. Customers have placed market orders to buy shares of an IPO and their trades are not executed until the price is much higher than the IPO price. This problem can most likely be addressed through increased disclosures to put the customer on notice and education about use of limit orders and other strategies to reduce risk.
- Contingency Plans
In the case of system outages or market events, are the on-line firms ready to handle the volume? Is there a contingency plan if the system collapses. Can a broker-dealer be reached by telephone? Are there registered representatives available to take orders?
The New York Bureau of Investor Protection and Securities, under the New York Attorney General, on February 4, 1999, announced an inquiry of online brokerage firms based on a "recent surge of customer complaints." Exhibit J. The Attorney General sent a letter to eight of the major on-line firms based upon customer complaints about frequent system crashes, server unavailability, and long delays in executing trades. The Attorney General has also established an on-line questionnaire for investors to complete to relate their experiences and complaints with on-line brokerage firms. (http://www.oag.state.ny/surveys/brokerage.html)
State securities regulators are committed to protecting investors and preserving the integrity of the U.S. capital markets. Investigations and inquiries into securities fraud on the Internet, on-line trading, and day trading issues are works in progress. NASAA is pleased to share with you our experiences to date and will maintain a dialogue with you to keep you informed with new developments.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. NASAA appreciates the interest you have demonstrated in exploring all of these issues and we are committed to working with you as your fact-finding continues.
*The oldest international organization devoted to investor protection, the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., was organized in 1919. It is a voluntary association with a membership consisting of the 65 state, provincial and territorial securities administrators in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. In the United States, NASAA is the voice of the 50 state securities agencies responsible for grass-roots investor protection and efficient capital formation.
March 22, 1999


text:
Sequel of sorts to Quibbler
Quiz. Ginny compiles a list of long-term friends for love interest
consideration and comes to a certain conclusion.
Because Ginny appeared in my apartment like an
apparition, saying You must write my story. Actually, it was more like she
hit me on the head with the frying pan which I still have not washed from the
other day, after dumping the contents of the wine-from-a-box that has been on
our counter since that party spring quarter on my head, saying, Write this,
damn it!
Its summer.
Birds are chirping. The sun
is shining. And I cant go outdoors. Because a Death Eater might be wandering
around the area, see Ron and me on our brooms, and knock us out of the sky with
death curses.
Or, as I explained to Mum,
Ron and I could simply double-hex Mr. And Mrs. Death Eater scum with Bat Bogeys
and Bone Removal, sending them to keep company at St. Mungos with Mr. And Mrs.
Limp, Useless, and Ugly, the two weerran into at the Ministry.
Mum had a fit.
She just doesnt like the
idea of her precious, innocent daughter being involved in Rons annual
dangerous end-of-the-year-stunt. Which, of course, Ron can handle because he is
a big strong boy, whereas I am still 5.
She seems to have forgotten
how involved I was in said annual end-of-the-year-stunt my first year.
Huh. A lot of people seem to
forget about that.
Wish I could forget.
Oh well. Whatever.
Then Mum said Maybe we can
all go back to Grimmauld Place before school starts and it will be safe and
Harry can join us there.
To which I replied, Oh yes,
Mum, brilliant plan. Lets drag poor, tortured-enough-already Harry back to his
dead godfathers house, where he can be surrounded by things that remind him of
the only time hes ever spent with someone who was close to his parents. That
way he can constantly think about the fact that someone he loved was made into
an innocent victim because some evil and powerful
not-quite-human-enough-to-be-a-wizard decided he wanted to take over the world.
Oh yeah, and kill Harry. Great idea. When do we leave?
Mum looked like she was going
to cry.
Which would have been all
right, because I was crying.
Its not like
Oh bugger.
But if I just stare out the
window and think blankly for a while, it goes away. For a while.
On the bright side of things,
Ron and I are back together.
When I say back together, I
dont mean it in the way I would were I to say Michael and I are back
together. Which I would never say, because it would never happen. So never
What I mean to say is, we are
as one again. Brother and sister. The dynamic duo. The super siblings. The
wildest Weasleys.
You thought it was Fred and
You were wrong.
Perhaps it is the result of
us sharing a bonding experience: together during Rons annual whatsit. Not the
one involving me nearly having the life sucked out of myself, while Harry stabs
the damn book with the oversized molar that would have killed him and it would
have been my fault if it werent for Fawkes, while Ron moved rocks and hung out
with the absent minded professor. The one where we both ran around kicking
Death Eater arse.
So Ron and I are banned to
the house in solitude, as the twins have moved to a flat above their store and
dont visit nearly often enough to relieve the boredom of their less fortunate
younger siblings. We take turns flying in his room, banging against the walls
and ceiling and waking up the ghoul until Mum comes up to yell at us. Ive got
tons of bruises. Its quite groovy. Perhaps I will showno, never mind.
We do (did, actually, all
done! Hermione is so proud) our homework. I helped Ron with Potions, which I am
better at, despite his additional months of worldly knowledge, and he helped me
with Astronomy, which he is better at, perhaps because of said months. And I
helped him make a list of possible disasters for him to use as a handy
reference tool for Divination homework.
And we talk.
About everything.
Well, almost everything.
Yes, even that. See, I
know all the girl stuff, and he knows all the guy stuff. So, we exchange
information and ta-da! Two geniuses. Its brilliant.
We even discuss
And things. You know, the scary kind. He said I could come to him, if I was
ever lonely at school. Or, you know
Itll be nice to have Ron,
now that the twins are gone. Not that I didnt have Ron before. But things are
different now.
Not that Id go in there, at
Because theres boys in
there. Boys my age, practically. Just the perfect age for me, actually, as
girls mature faster than boys.
This is excluding Michael
Corner. For all his serious talk, he is not mature enough to be a good sport.
He is, in fact, a sore loser. Despite the fact he was not playing.
There are boys who probably think
I like them, because the walls at Hogwarts and even the Hogwarts Express have
ears. Oh well.
Har*ahem*. Ha. Ha. Haha.
Back to Ron and me, the thing
we dont discuss is love lives. Because Rons not capable of handling it. He
cant handle the details of my love life. He cant handle the details of his
own. Or at least, not enough to discuss it with me.
Right now he is writing his
daily installment of a novel to Hermione. A process from which I am banned.
Which is why I am sitting in my room, staring out the window.
Actually, no, Im staring out
the window becauseOh damn.
Stare stare stare.
Blank blank blank.
I am thinking nothing. My
mind is empty.
What does he write in those
letters, anyway, that takes him so long? Its not like theres tons of news.
Dear Hermione,
Today Ginny told me all
about girls. Now I understand why you were so upset that one day.
You probably already knew
this, but all boys are complete idiots.
Dear Hermione,
I have been in love with
you since the very first time I saw you on the Hogwarts Express. In fact, I
wrote a letter to my sister the next day, trying to pretend I thought you were
annoying, but she saw right through it and knew it was fate. She is, by the
way, very excited to have you for a sister-in-law and already has her
bridesmaid robes picked out.
I dont know how Ron does it.
Ive only been at it for 3 minutes, and Ive already run out of ideas.
Ive finished a letter to
Hermione. She must get bored of the same thing twice.
Although I dont tell her she
smells like roses.
Not that Ron does, either.
But I heard him mutter something about it once when he fell asleep on the
Ive also written a letter to
Neville. Hes so sweet. They should have Neville Appreciation Day. Perhaps I
will mention it to Luna on Saturday.
I would have written to Luna,
too, but she lives nearby so she comes round every Saturday, and wed have
nothing to discuss if I wrote her letters.
I could write to Harry.
Where did that come from?
Ive never written a letter
to Harry. Ever. Not even a thank-you note. Id probably have to include a lock
of my hair for him to know who it was from.
Well, thats a stupid
thought. Harry knows who I am. I think.
Of course he does!
But I wont write to him.
Hed probably get bored of the same thing twice.
And Harry does not smell like
He smells likenever mind. I
dont know what he smells like. Not really.
Its a very distinct scent,
anyway. You cant compare it to anything. Which is why you will never hear me
muttering in my sleep about what Harry smells like.
Not the only reason, of
Ok, thats all. Ive filled
my thinking-about-Harry quota for today. Thank you. Good bye.
There is an interesting
pattern on my ceiling.
Thats when it happens. A
thought pops into my brain, or rather, out from under a months worth of
accumulated thoughts, like a little reminder I put on my desk, but got buried
under Potions exams and Astronomy charts only for it to resurface completely
That bloody quiz. Id
forgotten all about it. Mostly.
But why not? Ive got nothing
better to do with myself until Ron finishes his Hermione-time an hour from now.
And that, my friends, you might like to think is an exaggeration, but believe
me, it is not. The boy really does write to her for two hours everyday. And
some people say its not love.
Well, not all of us are so
lucky! I think as I take out a fresh
sheet of parchment from my homework-free desk. Hermione suggested, since I was
done with my summer assignments, that I should start studying for the OWLS.
Honestly, who does she think I am? Her? I know what I want to be after school,
anyway, and it doesnt require any OWLS. Harry Potters wife.
Oops, sorry, old answer. That
just slipped out.
Ginnys list of long-term
friends for love interest consideration,
I write as a title, then beneath it I write Top Secret. Just as a
Because if someone finds this
paper, theyll definitely stop reading once they see those words.
I guess this is where the
consideration comes in.
-Very sweet.
-Very nice.
-No spark whatsoever.
-perfect for Luna
-bit annoying, really. Not
so much I cant put up with in a friend, but imagine living with him. Ugh. No
-Shorter than me. I didnt
think it was physically possible, but
there you go.
2. Colin
-dating fellow Gryffindor
4th year. No-no.
3. Jim
thats it.
Ok, so I guess when they say
long-term friends what they really mean is acquaintances, people I know.
Seth W. of Hufflepuff
-Quite groovy-looking, actually.
I dont know him well enough
to actually consider. I dont really know a lot of blokes in my year, outside
of Gryffindor. Perhaps they are a bit standoffish. Or maybe I am the one who is
standoffish. Does it matter? Hmm... not really. Moving on.
Seth W. of
5. Justin F.F.
-good looking.
-but a bit pompous
-still, though, he may grow out of it.
Justin F.F. (?)
-wait, no, hes going out
with Hannah Abbot. I forgot.
5. Justin F.F. (?)
6. Ernie M.
-Cute, if you like that
gooby kind of look. Which I dont.
-Besides, taken.
6. Ernie M.
Terry B.
-exs friend. No-no.
7. Terry B.
8. Oliver W.
-looks good in Quidditch
-looks good in school
-probably looks good
without (No, bad Ginny!)
-sadly, too old for me
9. Snape
-hahahahahahahaha Im soo
What about the boys
preventing me from seeking solace in my only (at school) brothers company in
the lonely night? Yes, I suppose they count too.
-very good looking
-quite nice, too
-dead (would be if Ron found out)
Oh well.
11. Seamus
-wait. Wasnt he a jerk
last year? Mr. I-dont-believe-Harry-because-I-am-a-moron? Sorry, no.
Isnt there another sixth
year boy? Besides him.
Oh yeah, Neville. Already got
So Im only missing
Ok, well. I have to write it
down at least. He is a boy. One that have known for a long time. I could even
consider him a friend. Provided he knows who I am. Which of course he does.
Its not a big deal. Ill
just write his name down and draw a line through it really quickly.
Nnnnnnyeh. Why cant I do
it? Why cant I cross his name out?
NN Ok. Ok. Ill consider
12. Harry
-very noble
-sweet. Most of the time.
-good at Quidditch.
-looks sexy in Q.
uniform I did not just write
-but not overly studious
(studiousness being a good quality for best mates, but not love interests,
unless you are Ron, which I am not)
-can be quite funny
-can also be a prat (but
who isnt from time to time)
-good looking, if you like that green-eyed messy hair
look. Which I do. Kind of. A lot.
-not my type I write very quickly.
Ok. Nnnnhyah.
Oh bugger.
Nnwhats the point?
I toss the paper aside in
frustration and fall back on my bed as that feeling, that feeling thats been
nagging at me since
well, for a long time, comes flooding over me in waves.
Its familiar, yet new at the same time. And more than a bit overwhelming. And
it feels wonderful.
No, its not a bad feeling.
The bad feelings come when Im walking down the hall, and I see Harry coming,
so I smile at him, or wave, and he doesnt see me. Or when Im sitting at
dinner and Harrys got this dreamy look on his face, and my heart leaps in my
throat because I think that maybe
but hes looking at the Ravenclaw table. Or
when theres a ball, and Im so excited because I want Harry to ask me. But he
doesnt. And the whole thing is stupid, because I knew he wouldnt.
Which is why I stopped having
this damn feeling in the first place.
But now its back. And its
different somehow. And its wonderful.
Because its Harry.
And hes wonderful. And so Harry.
His hair, how its always so
messy, even when he tries to make it flat.
His voice, thats so soft yet
strong and always makes me feel safe.
His hands, that, secretly,
recently Ive been wondering what its like to haveoh no, we wont get into
His eyes, that seem to pierce
straight through to my heart when he looks at me. So deep and intense. Full of
emotion, just like he is. Full of pain.
Oh, Harry.
Its an odd feeling, Im
thinking, as I close my eyes, letting it sweep over me. Nearly taking my breath
away. Its never been this intense. This Harry feeling.
I didnt ask to feel this
way. Youd have to be crazy to want to
But I do. I want to very, very much.
And if I could, any way,
Id do whatever it takes to take some of that pain away.
Well, maybe
Maybe I could be
his friend.
My heart gives a little leap
at that thought. Thats all I ever really wanted. Well, no, not all, not
really. During my hopeless crush, I used to fantasize that hed walk up to me,
confess his undying love, and kiss me passionately, and
yeah. It gets really
fun. But thats another story. I also had these fantasies, even better,
where by some miracle he and I are alone together, and Im not blushing, and we
are actually talking. And we open up to each other, because he understands me,
and I understand him. Or maybe we just talk about Quidditch. But the important
part is, he gets this look on his face, one that he doesnt have nearly
often enough. Hes laughing, and smiling. Especially in his eyes. You cant see
in them that he is carrying the weight of the world. For a moment, hes just Harry.
Harry, looking at me.
Smiling. Laughing.
Oh Merlin.
Its happened.
When Lockhart offered to give
us autographs. And all those times Luna would go on about some conspiracy,
getting Hermione all riled up, and no one but us seems to realize how
incredibly funny it is.
Andwell, I dont think that
episode at Christmas really counts as opening up to one another. He bloody forgot
about the worst thing thats ever happened to methat he saved me from!
But he did seem really sorry
about it.
And even then, I managed to cheer him up. I love to see
that look on his face. And to know that I put it there. To know that I
can make him happy.
To be Harrys friend,
something that seemed so out of reach even a year ago, is now actually
not so
out of reach.
With a sudden burst of energy
I leap out of bed and run up the stairs to Rons room. Without bothering to
knock (he can hear me coming, right?) I burst in, landing on his bed, then
jumping into a sitting position when I come into rather sharp contact with a
copy of Flying with the Cannons.
Sorry to interrupt.
Youre not, answers Ron cheerfully
as he folds his novel into a manuscriptmore manageable for Pigwidgeon. He
grins at me. I grin back. I love my brother. He is so fabulous. So absolutely
wonderful. So completely great.
Hermione would have to be
nuts to not love him to bits. And, of course, shes not nuts. Shes Hermione.
So there you have it.
Does Harry know who I am? I
ask, rather abruptly. Ron looks at me as though Id gone mad, which, perhaps, I
had. I blame the isolation. And the fact that our only visitors are Luna and
the twins.
Er, what I mean to say is,
do you think hed like it if I wrote to him? Now Rons giving me an entirely
different look, and Im not sure I like it. He looks much too
Im sure he would, answers
Ron casually.
You dont think hed get
sick of the same stuff twice? Ron looks at me blankly. So much for Mr. Clever.
You know, because you write to him too? You do write to him, dont you? I
demand accusingly.
Of course! answers Ron.
But Im sure you have different things to tell Harry.
Dear Harry,
Today Mum showed me how to
brew a potion for cramps.
Or not.
You could, Ron continues,
tell Harry he smells like roses.
I stare at my brother.
Perhaps Ive been teasing him about that a little too much. Butno, that
doesnt make sense. Maybe
maybe Ron is capable of handling more than I gave
him credit for.
Harry doesnt smell like
roses, I say matter-of-factually.
Of course not, says Ron. I
raise my eyebrows. Not that Ive been smelling Harry, he added quickly.
Well, neither have I, I say
Then we are both laughing so hard we nearly tip over and
have to cling to each other for support. This is why I love my brotheras I
said before, he is fabulous. Even more so than I thought. He is
What are you going to
write to Harry about? asked Ron, once we are able to speak again.
You, I answer. Not telling
him any more. Even when he tried to tickle-torture me into talking.
Because I know Harry, and I
know hell get a laugh out of the fact that Ron is hiding in his room writing
to Hermione all summer, just like another prefect couple we know.
That is, once he gets into
the idea that his two best friends snogging does not mean they are going to
exclude him from anything else. And even then (during the snogging related
yucky yuck) hell be fine because hes got other friends (like
me!). And he may as well get used to it, because hell be giving a speech at
their wedding.
And maybe
Well, there are a lot of
maybes in this world. Well just take them one at a time.
Special thanks to Pooca
for all the help, and to Aibhinn for being, as always, a fabulous Beta and a
good influence! J
The idea of Ginny sneaking
into the twins room post-nightmare belongs to Unusually Unusuals A
Conversation with Fred and George (or similar title), where ever she/he/it
maybe be.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I had other items planned to post… fun, interesting, entertaining doggie related items… but this is much more important since there has been a virtual media blackout on this crucial topic… if the Bill of Rights means anything to you, then please read on.
Congress, the media, the US government, the 1% are counting on you being too busy with Christmas shopping and your own issues, to notice the travesty of bills they have snuck by us this week… they like doing things secretly, behind closed doors. Because they know that Americans (and the rest of the world) would NOT agree with SOPA and the NDAA.
Maybe you spent the last weekend shopping for gifts, writing out holiday cards or studying for final exams. For most of America, the end of the year is a busy time. In Congress, this is a season usually spent trying to jam through bad bills while they hope no one is looking.
Let me put it in animal lovers terms, who is going to take care of your pets when they arrest you and ship you off indefinitely for having protested animal abuse, for having a pit bull or God only knows what? think I'm crazy, paranoid or alarmist, read on.
Dispelling the common lies, myths/denial about the NDAA …'
In sum, there is simply no question that this bill codifies indefinite detention without trial (Myth 1). There is no question that it significantly expands the statutory definitions of the War on Terror and those who can be targeted as part of it (Myth 2). The issue of application to U.S. citizens (Myth 3) is purposely muddled — that's why Feinstein's amendments were rejected — and there is consequently no doubt this bill can and will be used by the U.S. Government (under this President or a future one) to bolster its argument that it is empowered to indefinitely detain even U.S. citizens without a trial (NYTEditorial: "The legislation could also give future presidents the authority to throw American citizens into prison for life without charges or a trial"; Sen. Bernie Sanders: "This bill also contains misguided provisions that in the name of fighting terrorism essentially authorize the indefinite imprisonment of American citizens without charges").
list from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Recall-Every-Congressman-Who-Voted-for-the-NDAA/248343955227401
1. Q: This defense bill is the same one that is passed every year.
A: This is true.
2. Q: This year the GOP decided to add this to the usual bill
A: Actually, it was a bi-partisan effort, with both a Republican sponsor – McCain and a Democratic one – Levin. (for the Senate version of the bill. In the House, it was sponsored by Rep. Howard McKeon, R-CA25)
3. Q: because they knew people would freak out
A: Actually, they were counting on our apathy. "Hey, isn't there a Christmas going on? That's right, keep shopping; we'll add the SOPA to the mix too! We learned; we did the same thing when we introduced the Federal Reserve in 1913, right around Christmas also. People are busy celebrating, you know…"
4. Q: It has been removed of course, and they knew it would be
A: No, it hasn't. The bill was just "adjusted" to reflect the wishes of Obama, so as to not limit his executive powers in any way. Absolutely nothing has been done to the offending Indefinite Detention Clause.
5. Q: However, the damage is done and the internet 'media' is running wild with this just as planned.
A: Actually, few Americans know about this offending bill, since there is a media blackout on it.
6. Q: They know this nonsense was removed, but that doesn't get clicks, the GOP scores.
A: Actually, this was a bi-partisan effort with a great many Democrats voting for it. They finally agreed on something. Judging from the way they voted on the Patriot Act, taking our Freedoms away seems to be the only endeavor the two parties agree on. The bill garnered a 74% approval in the House and a 93% approval in the Senate. Only 7 Senators voted against it, six of which also voted against The Patriot Act extension that occurred earlier this year. And yes, both Ron Paul and Rand Paul voted against it.
7. Q: because everyone thinks that the President wants to lock US up.
A: Actually he really can. He can also order American citizens killed. But this is nothing new; Obama has already done so. This simply codifies it – making it legal.
8. Q: It is just another stupid stunt, just like the last 10 or 15 stunts.
A: That would be nice.
H.R. 1540: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h112-1540&tab=summary
S. 1867: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-1867
S.1867: http://bit.ly/S1867 and http://1.usa.gov/S1867b
Final Senate vote on the bill: http://1.usa.gov/NDAAvote
Final Vote in the House: http://bit.ly/NDAAHouseVote
The original problem sections (1031 and 1032) are still in the bill and contrary to the claims of supporters of the bill, the wording of section 1032 does not, in fact, provide protection for US citizens. The use of the phrase "not required" instead of "prohibited" leaves the decision to allow the military to detain citizens entirely in the hands of federal authorities.
The ACLU said last night that the bill contains "harmful provisions that some legislators have said could authorize the U.S. military to pick up and imprison without charge or trial civilians, including American citizens, anywhere in the world" and added: "if President Obama signs this bill, it will damage his legacy." Human Rights Watch said that Obama's decision "does enormous damage to the rule of law both in the US and abroad" and that "President Obama will go down in history as the president who enshrined indefinite detention without trial in US law."
Both groups pointed out that this is the first time indefinite detention has been enshrined in law since the McCarthy era of the 1950s, when — as the ACLU put it — "President Truman had the courage to veto" the Internal Security Act of 1950 on the ground that it "would make a mockery of our Bill of Rights" and then watched Congress override the veto. That Act authorized the imprisonment of Communists and other "subversives" without the necessity of full trials or due process (many of the most egregious provisions of that bill were repealed by the 1971 Non-Detention Act, and are now being rejuvenated by these War on Terror policies of indefinite detention). President Obama, needless to say, is not Harry Truman. He's not even the Candidate Obama of 2008 who repeatedly insisted that due process and security were not mutually exclusive and who condemned indefinite detention as "black hole" injustice.
Feinstein was able to include a largely symbolic amendment which states that "nothing in the bill changes current law relating to the detention of U.S. citizens and legal aliens," but this measure is meaningless according to Republican Congressman Justin Amash, a fierce critic of the bill.
"Some have asserted that Sen. Feinstein's amendment, S Amdt 1456, protects the rights of American citizens and preserves constitutional due process. Unfortunately, it does not. It's just more cleverly worded nonsense." http://bit.ly/NDAAscrewed4
The reason the compromise amendment worked is that it leaves the question of domestic military detention open, leaving the matter for Supreme Court to resolve should a future president decide to assert the authority to detain a US citizen on American soil.http://bit.ly/NDAAscrewed
The only "silver lining," if one can call it such, is that the military isn't forced to detain American citizens without trial, it's merely allowed to. The Senate has officially declared the entire United States to be a battleground. And you and I are potential enemies.http://bit.ly/NDAAscrewed5
"The detention mandate to use indefinite military detention in terrorism cases isn't limited to foreigners. It's confusing, because two different sections of the bill seem to contradict each other, but in the judgment of the University of Texas' Robert Chesney — a nonpartisan authority on military detention — "U.S. citizens are included in the grant of detention authority," http://bit.ly/NDAA9
Amnesty International: The new National Defense Authorization Bill (S1867) presented to the Senate by the Armed Services Committee is such a disaster for civil liberties and human rights it is difficult to know where to begin. http://bit.ly/NDAA4
The ACLU: "The bill is an historic threat to American citizens and others because it expands and makes permanent the authority of the president to order the military to imprison without charge or trial American citizens," said Christopher Anders, ACLU senior legislative counsel. "The final amendment to preserve current detention restrictions could turn out to be meaningless and Senators Levin and Graham made clear that they believe this power to use the military against American citizens will not be affected by the new language. This bill puts military detention authority on steroids and makes it permanent. If it becomes law, American citizens and others are at real risk of being locked away by the military without charge or trial.http://bit.ly/ACLUonNDAA
presidential election not a referendum on the economy as much as it is on whether the president vetoes NDAA or not… that is what the press/pundits do not want to say because they do not want people to know about the NDAA and Obama's false image as the people's president is being exposed for what it is… FAKE… we voted for someone unlike Bush and instead we got a President who has expanded and extended the loss of our civil liberties, caved on most of his campaign promises and now has declared war on the 99% for speaking up and out…
One of the gravest grievances described in the Declaration of Independence was the misuse of standing armies against the colonialists. Numerous state constitutions declared standing armies a threat to liberty and the U.S. Constitution showed antipathy to militarism. Now, the Congress and President Obama are prepared to turn the military against Americans and allow indefinite military detention without any finding of guilt. If the elites think military force against Americans will quell the revolt of the people they are wrong; it will have the opposite effect and fuel the revolt against the elites.


text:
Madagascar bomb kills child, injures 33
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — A grenade exploded outside the stadium where Madagascar's new president was inaugurated hours earlier Saturday, killing a child and injuring 33 people, authorities said.
The attack raised concern of continued instability on the Indian Ocean island despite hopes that the election of the new president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, would lead to a resumption of international aid and political contacts cut after a 2009 coup.
Seven of the injured were in serious condition after the explosion in the capital, Antananarivo, according to Arsene Rakotondrazaka, the minister of internal security. He said the presidential inauguration "might not appeal to everyone and could be one of the reasons for what happened."
An investigation was underway.
Rajaonarimampianina, whose candidacy was backed by the island nation's former strongman, took the oath of office hours before the explosion. Robinson Jean Louis, the candidate he narrowly defeated in a second round of voting on Dec. 20, attended the ceremony despite alleging that the election was rigged and demanding a recount.
Foreign diplomats also were at the inauguration, which was followed by a concert.
Rajaonarimampianina, an ex-finance minister, was backed by coup leader Andry Rajoelina. Robinson was supported by Marc Ravalomanana, the president ousted by Rajoelina in 2009.
International sanctions were imposed after the coup, increasing hunger and hardship in the aid-dependent country off Africa's southeast coast.


text:
Deadline to register for drawing is Jan. 15
If you want to sign up a for a chance at wild pig hunt fairly close to home, you have a few days left.
January 15 is the deadline to apply for hold permit-only wild pig hunts to be held Feb. 1-3 at Tejon Ranch.
Hunters with a valid California hunting license may apply through the Automated License Data System.
A $10 non-refundable application fee will be charged for each hunt choice.
To apply for these hunt permits please see www.wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/ols/.
Step-by-step instructions are at www.wildlife.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/share/.


text:
Big Star released two albums in the early 70s, neither of which set sales records. Yet in the 35 years that have ensued, artists like R.E.M., Wilco, The Replacements, Teenage Fanclub, Primal Scream, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, The Bangles and Steve Wynn have enthusiastically acknowledged the bands influence. On June 16, Ardent/Stax Records through Concord Music Group will reissue Big Stars #1 Record (1972) and Radio City (1974) albums, completely remastered with the never-before-released single mix of In the Street and single edit of O My Soul.
Additionally, Ardent/Stax has released #1 Record and Radio City on two separate vinyl LPs featuring faithfully reproduced artwork, including the original Ardent Records labels.
Big Stars legacy has long outlasted its short tenure as a band. Led by ex-Box Tops singer Alex Chilton and including Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Andy Hummel (bass) and Jody Stephens (drums), the groups inspired mixture of 60s pop, powered interplay and irresistible melody was exciting and special: it was out of step with the mainstream rock sounds of 1972. Though Chilton had come off of a #1 blue-eyed soul hit, the Box Tops The Letter, Big Stars music was a glorious mesh of British-influenced pop, Byrds-esque harmonies, taut edginess and studio expertise. Traces of the Beatles, the Kinks and Badfinger pulsate through their repertoire.
Big Star began as Alex Chilton, having left the Box Tops to forge a solo folk career in New York, returned to his hometown of Memphis, encouraged by guitarist and engineer Chris Bell, who led a local trio called Ice Water. Chilton joined the band, which immediately set up camp at the citys Ardent Studio with aid from the studios owners/in-house producers John Fry and Terry Manning. The bands name was changed to Big Star, after the supermarket chain prevalent in the South.
The bands debut album, #1 Record, flew in the face of 1972s abounding folk-rock and progressive-rock sounds. The albums greatness was not lost on rock critics of the day, but in the end it did not sell particularly well, attributed in part to the piecemeal distribution network of Ardents distributor, Stax. Still, songs like In the Street, Dont Lie to Me, Feel and The Ballad of El Goodo became cult classics.
Tension began to mount within the bands ranks as Bell saw his role as leader eclipsed by Chiltons dominant personality. Bell preferred that Big Star remain a studio entity while Chilton was eager for the band to hit the live circuit. Around Christmas 1972, Bell quit his own band and Big Star soldiered onward as a trio.
In 1974, Ardent released Radio City, the second and (for the moment) final Big Star album. Its best-known song, September Gurls, remains one of pops classic songs with its mesmerizing chorus and Chiltons ringing guitar break sounding like the Byrds fused with the venom of the Kinks. O My Soul, Back of a Car and Mod Lang are cut from a similar cloth while Life Is White and Way Out West show the bands slower side. And as liner note writer Brian Hogg observed, there are times on this album that the tension within the group is plainly audible: The ever-present aura of something gradually becoming unhinged, combined with masterly songs, somehow jells to create a remarkable collection and makes Radio City one of rocks seminal albums, he writes.
After Radio City, Hummel quit the band and was replaced by John Lightman on what was to become Big Star 3, shelved for years until the myth surrounding the band grew to titanic proportions. Tragically, Chris Bell died in a car crash in Memphis in December, 1979. Chilton went on to record inspired if sporadic solo albums while producing records by the Cramps and Chris Stamey. Jody Stephens works at Ardent Studio to this day and has been the sparkplug behind Big Stars reunion tours, during which the band played on both The Tonight Show and The Late Show With David Letterman.
As the reissues other liner note writer Rick Clark observed, It has been said that art should create the sense that time has stopped. Big Star transcended normal escapist pop convention by creating music that somehow froze moments that were concurrently vibrant and startlingly brilliant, yet oddly spent. Somehow Big Star could make you feel good in the face of dashed expectations and decay. Its that realness, in the bands lyrics and urgently bright sound, which has allowed Big Stars vision to endure way beyond its brief lifespan.
1. Feel
2. The Ballad Of El Goodo
3. In The Street
4. Thirteen
5. Don't Lie To Me
6. The India Song
7. When My Baby's Beside Me
8. My Life Is Right
9. Give Me Another Chance
10. Try Again
11. Watch The Sunrise
12. St 110/6
13. In The Street
14. O My Soul
15. Life Is White
16. Way Out West
17. What's Going Ahn
18. You Get What You Deserve
19. Mod Lang
20. Back Of A Car
21. Daisy Glaze
22. She's A Mover
23. September Gurls
24. Morpha Too
25. I'm In Love With A Girl
26. O My Soul
SHRINK - In Theaters July 24th, Starring Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey
Rock Out With Disney's U Rock 2
You must log in to post a comment.


text: hi all, ive just got a new 128mb vps which i'm using for a secondary name server. I have installed Debian 6 64bit minimal install (overkill for small ram but just to keep everything the same ) and noticed upon first update it had apache2 installed. I have been using the create your own DNS tutorial: http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-ru...and-secondary-with-ispconfig-3-debian-squeeze but just for adding to my existing server running ispconfig 3. What im wondering is, would i be ok to remove Apache from the name-server box without it messing anything up also what else would you recommend to remove or tune up? cheers matt


text:
If the Browns 2013 draft amounts to nothing more than Josh Gordon, it will have been better than many expansion-era drafts. But it needs to amount to much more than that. Bill Belichick, for one, says he admires "the plan."
It has become a terrible season.
If the Browns lose at New England on Sunday, they will be 4-9, one game worse than they were after 13 games in a 2012 campaign that got a lot of people fired.
If fortunes turn next year, perhaps it will have been with a major assist from a tremendous draft — one that that lifts the team from its awful quagmire, once and for all.
Heading into the Patriots game, the results of last April's draft have taken some interesting turns.
By far the most dramatic outcome has been the 38th pick in the 2013 draft, the one the Browns didn't make because then-general manager Tom Heckert gave it up by taking Josh Gordon in Round 2 of the 2012 supplemental draft.
It boils down to a question of whether Gordon was worth the No. 38 pick. Answer:
Gordon has begun to look like the best acquisition regardless of position of the expansion era. He ranks No. 1 in the NFL in receiving yards per game (124.9) and No. 1 in yards per catch (19.5) among receivers who have caught at least 25 balls.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is sold.
"He can attack all three levels of the defense," Belichick said. "He can run through them. He can take the short, catch-and-run plays, crossing patterns, look patterns, plays on three-step drops where he breaks tackles ...
"He's very good on the intermediate routes, the in-cuts, the crossing routes, comebacks, stop-routes. He's a complete player, a big target who can run fast, catch, make a lot of yards on his own after the catch with his speed, size and running ability."
The picks Michael Lombardi and Joe Banner have been responsible for pale in comparison to Gordon. Yet, the other 2013 draft moves at least have a chance to pay off in 2014.
No. 6 overall pick Barkevious Mingo has been a disappointment in terms of sacks. He has four on the season, none in the last four games. The team believes he is getting the experience — he played 41 of a possible 71 snaps against Jacksonville — that will help him break through next year.
Third-round pick Leon McFadden will get a long look at cornerback now that veteran Chris Owens is on injured reserve. McFadden played 31 snaps against Jacksonville.
It's a given Tom Brady will pick on him.
"I understand that," McFadden said. "I'm going to step up to the plate and handle that task. I feel I'm getting much better every day, working on technique and actually understanding everything about the defense."
Veteran wideout Davone Bess hasn't provided nearly as much juice as was envisioned when he was obtained on draft day. Gordon has racked up more yards in his last five quarters than Bess, with 343 yards, has provided in 12 games.
To get Bess, the Browns gave Miami draft picks at No. 104 and No. 164 overall exchange for picks at No. 111 and No. 217.
Some Browns fans couldn't handle GM Michael Lombardi and CEO Joe Banner trading a fourth-round pick to Pittsburgh. They let the Steelers have a No. 111 overall pick in exchange for Pittsburgh's Round 3 selection in 2014.
If the Steelers, 5-8, keep struggling, that pick could be in the 70s. It could become a useful player or a component in a big trade.
Similarly, the Browns traded a 2013 fifth-round pick, No. 139 overall, to the Colts in exchange for a Round 4 pick in 2014. At the moment, it appears the Browns will choose in the No. 125 range. Cleveland, of course, also owns Indy's first-round pick as a result of the September Trent Richardson blockbuster.
The Browns still hope to get something out of sixth-round pick Jamoris Slaughter, a safety who blew out an Achilles in his 2012 season with Notre Dame. He has spent the year on the practice squad.
Round 7 pick Armonty Bryant was "unblockable," teammate Paul Kruger said, in the Browns' most recent win, over Baltimore. Bryant sacked Joe Flacco and threw Ray Rice for a loss.
"Right now, I guess you could say that was my best game," said Bryant, who can play end, nose tackle or linebacker. "Hopefully, there's a better one out there for me."
Round 7 pick Garrett Gilkey, a guard/tackle, has appeared in only three games but has spent the entire year on the regular roster.
Overall, the gem of the virtual 2013 draft is Gordon, with many other story lines developing.
Belichick, famous for noticing things, seems to have studied what the Browns have been up to.
"They're young on defense," Belichick said Friday. "They have a lot of skill players and a lot of good players on defense, period. They've put a lot of young players into the kicking game.
"They obviously have a plan ... the way they handled the draft last year and so forth."
Having a plan doesn't mean it will work. How well the 2013 draft plan pans out will count for a lot.
Reach Steve at 330-580-8347 or firstname.lastname@example.com
On Twitter: @sdoerschukREP


text:
CANTON, N.Y., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Two Amish girls kidnapped in a slavery plot in upstate New York earlier this month were allegedly lured by their captors with a puppy, police said.
The sisters, ages 6 and 12, disappeared Aug. 13 while working at their family's roadside vegetable stand in Canton, N.Y., and were found safe one day later after being abandoned by their captors.
Police arrested Nicole Vaisey, 25, and Stephen Howells II, 39, and charged them with second-degree kidnapping.
Vaisey allegedly told investigators she and Howells had been planning the abduction for weeks, saying the two were on a "shopping trip" for "slaves."
The pair allegedly drove up to the vegetable stand and waited for the girls to approach the vehicle, St. Lawrence County Detective Sgt. Brooks Bigwarfe told CNN.
Howells then allegedly asked the girls if they wanted to pet the puppy, a Doberman pinscher-golden retriever mix.
The older girl grew suspicious, but Bigwarfe said Howells pushed them into the back of the car.
"When he started forcing them into the vehicle, they were both screaming and yelling," Bigwarfe said.
Vaisey appeared in court Friday, at which time her lawyer, Bradford Riendeau said his client had nothing to do with planning the abduction, she just did as Howells told her to do. Riendeau said Howells and Vaisey were in a master-slave relationship.
"I don't think she had any control over what went on in the relationship. That was the essential ground rule of it," Riendeau said. "He told her what to do."
Howells and Vaisey each face up to 25 years in prison should they be convicted of the kidnappings.


text:
I am gay.
I'm not a disease, I'm not a problem
I'm not an affliction
I don't need treatment.
I don't need help
I'm not sick
I'm not confused
I'm not a sin.
I am gay.
I'm your daughter
Your sister
Your friend
Your co worker
Your classmate
Your acquaintance
A complete stranger
I am gay.
I need love, just like you
I need smiles
I need support
I need a hug
I need a friend
I need a family
I need acceptance
I need understanding
I need you
I am gay.
I know what love is
I know what pain is
I know what hate is
I know what life is
I am gay.
And I need you to love me
The same way you loved me before you knew
I am gay.
And I have experienced hate
From more people than just you
I am gay.
And I wont change.
I wont give up.
I wont back down.
I wont pretend.
I wont lie.
I wont deny.
I wont hide.
I wont hurt.
I am gay.
And that's okay.


text: This is a tune inspired by love and the feeling of being loved. Serene and gentle, the strings and guitars move delicately around the other instruments to blend this soothing tune into a relaxing and comforting listen! I wrote this with valentines day in mind, though it would also make a wonderful backing to many applications, including adverts for make-up, fashion, perfume, aftershave, vacations, etc


text:
Mac Protector is a fake rogue anti-spyware program that for the Mac OS operating system. This infection is spread through the use of advertisements on web sites that pretend to be fake online scanners. When these fake scans are finished, it will state that your computer is infected and then automatically download the Mac Protector program onto your computer. Once the program has finished downloading, the installer will start and prompt you to install the program.
Once the program is installed it will be configured to start up automatically when you login to your Mac. Once running it will pretend to scan your computer and then state that there are numerous files on your computer that are infected. If you attempt to clean these fake infections, though, the program will state that you must first purchase a license before it will allow you to do so. After the scan the Control Center screen for Mac Protector will be updated to state that your computer is infected and at Risk. Regardless of the information presented by this program, you should not purchase this program as all of this information is false.
Unfortunately, when Mac Protector is installed on your computer it will also be added to your accounts Login Items so that the program is launched every time you login to your Mac. As there is no Dock icon for this application, it is also not easily closed and will instead require you to terminate its process through the Activity Monitor before you are able to remove the application from your computer.
While the program is running it will also display fake security alerts that are further used to scare you into thinking that your computer has a serious problem. Some of these alerts include:
The system is infected
Your system is infected. It's highly recommended to cleanup your system to protect critical information like credit card numbers, etc.
Unregistered Copy
Sorry, the copy of your program is unregistered. Register to have an ability to cleanup your system.
Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Dialer
File: Safari
Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Worm
File: clri
Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Worm
File: Software Update
Just like the fake scan results, these alerts are also fake and are only being used to scare you into purchasing the program. Therefore, please ignore them and do not purchase the program. Last, but not least, while the program is running it will also open up web sites to various pornographic sites.
As you can see, Mac Protector was created to scare you into thinking your computer has a severe security problem so that you will then purchase this program. For no reason should you purchase Mac Protector , and if you already have, you should contact your credit card company and dispute the charges stating that the program is a computer infection. Finally, to remove this infection, and any related malware, please use the removal guide below.
Mac Protector Removal Options
Self Help Guide
If you are uncomfortable making changes to your computer or following these steps, do not worry! Instead you can get free one-on-one help by asking in the forums.
- Print out these instructions so it will be easier to reference it as you follow these steps.
- As
Mac Protector
will stay on top of any other programs that are running, we first want to close the program so that we can see the other screens that we need to open during this cleaning process. Please close this window by clicking on the red close (X) button in the top left of the
Mac Protector
Windows. The button that you need to click in order to close the window is shown below:
- Next you should open Safari, or other web browser, and download the BleepingComputer Mac Rogue Remover Tool from the following link:
Mac Rogue Remover Tool Download Link (http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/mac-rogue-remover-tool/mac-rogue-remover.zip)
- Once the program has finished downloading, open up the folder that you downloaded the program to. If you have Open "safe" files after downloading enabled in Safari, then the application will automatically have been extracted. Otherwise double-click on the mac-rogue-remover.zip file to extract it. Once it is extracted you should see an icon similar to the one below in your folder.
- Please double-click on the mac-rogue-remover icon to start the program. Mac OS will now prompt you as to whether or not you wish to run the program.
Please press the Open button to run the program.
- Mac Rogue Remover will now start and you will see a message box that displays the End User License Agreement for this program. If you agree to this EULA, click on the I Agree button to start the program. Otherwise, click on the Cancel button to not use Mac Rogue Remover.
- If you agreed to the license agreement, Mac Rogue Remover will start to scan your computer for the
When it has finished it will display another message stating what it has found and removed. You can press the OK button to close the program. While Mac Rogue Remover was running it also created a file on your Mac OS desktop called mac-rogue-remover.txt that contains a log of what the program removed from your computer. Please review this file as if it found that
was installed under a different user account, it will prompt you to run Mac Rogue Remover while logged in as that account to completely remove the infection.
When using Mac Rogue Remover, if you have any questions on how to use it or would just like to tell us how the program worked, please leave a post in this topic:
Introducing the BleepingComputer Mac Rogue Remover Tool
- Now that
Mac Protector
has been removed, we need to change a setting in Safari so that these types of programs are not automatically run on your computer in the future. By default Safari opens and launches programs that it considers safe to run. These programs include movies, pictures, sounds, PDFs, text documents, archives, and disk images. Due to this, these types of infections are able to be downloaded and automatically run on your Mac. To fix this, start the Safari program and then click on the Safari menu option. From the Safari drop down menu, select Preferences. This will open the Preferences screen as shown below. When the screen opens, if you are not on the General settings screen, please click on the General button.
You should now uncheck the checkbox labeled Open "safe" files after downloading as shown in the image above. After unchecking this box you can close the Preferences screen and Safari.
Your computer should now be free of the MacProtector program and Safari should be secure so that it does not automatically launch these types of programs again in the future.


text: A more convenient way to travel Are you planning a holiday where you'll be travelling widely within one part of the world? Or maybe you travel extensively around one region when you're on business? Airpass is a convenient way for you to book flights to multiple destinations in one region, in one easy step. It also offers the flexibility of being able to change your dates or routes at any time. Combine your international Etihad flight with up to 10 flights in your Airpass. Airpass is available for Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand.


text:
Christoph Waltz
Christoph Waltz stars as a smooth-talking German bounty hunter in the incredible "Django Unchained." Conan was THISCLOSE to getting cast in the same role, but no dice.
Christoph Waltz stars as a smooth-talking German bounty hunter in the incredible "Django Unchained." Conan was THISCLOSE to getting cast in the same role, but no dice.
Rob Riggle snubbed Andy during a previous appearance on the show. There's no joke to add here, we just aren't ready to let Rob live it down.
"The Voice" finalist Chris Mann's new album is Roads We'll see if we can trick out Conan's chair in time for Chris' performance.
There's gonna be two redheads onstage and here's a simple way to tell them apart: One is a Broadway fanatic who can't stop humming show tunes and the other is Jesse Tyler Ferguson from "Modern Family."
Native Australian"The Choice" star Teresa Palmer is so beautiful that we're unreasonably angry at Australia for keeping her to themselves for so long.
The intensely silly and unrelentingly hilarious Baron Vaughn has a new comedy album out now, Raised by Cable. Stop reading this and buy it now!
The incredible Marion Cotillard stars in "Rust and Bone." If you need us, we'll be softly singing "La Vie en Rose" outside her dressing room.
Jim Jefferies is a born and raised Australian. Is it offensive if we stock his dressing room with Vegemite and stuffed koalas? "The Jim Jefferies Show" airs Tuesdays at 10:30pm on Comedy Central.
Minnesota-natives Trampled by Turtles are named after the most ADORABLE way to die. Their new album is Stars and Satellites.
Martin Short has given the world Ed Grimley, Ned Nederlander, and Jiminy Glick. As if that wasn't enough — he's teamed up with Steve Martin for a new Netflix special entitled "Steve Martin and Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life."
After "Angel" and "Bones," David Boreanaz must be really used to coming to work and seeing a bunch of corpses.
The last time Jake Bugg was on our show, he was just an 18 year-old guitar phenom. Now he's 19, which practically makes him an old hand at this. His new album is Shangri La.


text:
WILSON, NC — The Coker men's basketball team hung with Barton for much of the game but the Bulldogs eventually pulled away for a 67-51 win. The Cobras fall to 5-9 overall and 3-4 in the CVAC with the loss.
Barton (9-5, 5-2) won its fourth game in five outings with a decisive run midway through the second half. BC stretched its lead to 56-41 with a 9-2 run that started with a put-back and a three-pointer from Justin Diggs. The run seemed to break the Cobras spirit and the lead continued to grow from there, reaching an apex of 20 points with 3:34 to play.
As Coker struggled to score in the second half Barton kept firing and connected on 51 percent of its shots in the game. CC managed only 31 percent shooting and lost the battle of the boards 38-33.
Senior Ryan Queen/Philadelphia, PA led Coker offensively with 14 points and junior Jason Fulwood/Cumming, GA finished with nine points. Sophomore Abram Ludd/Sumter, SC scored eight points and hauled down a game-high10 rebounds and senior Andre Blackwell/Bethune, SC had four assists.
Casey Moore led an evened Barton attack with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Diggs contributed 11 points. Jacoby Key added 10 points and eight boards and Alejo Barovero had 10 points and four rebounds.
Coker travels to Belmont Abbey on Saturday, January 22, for a 6:00 PM tip-off.


text:
Domination Calls Tony Sunshine Corney For Running Up On Mikey T! "You Scared Of Fat Joe & Admit You Was Talking About Him But You Aint Scared Of This White Boy" + Clarifies Clip On WSHH
"Domination calls what Tony Sunshine did to Mikey T The Movie Star Corny , says he was not willing to stand up to Fat Joe & Domo also shouts to Remy Ma says she was the one wllling to back up here words against Joe Mikey T clears up the worldstar situation an speaks on how he manned up an actually got out of the car rather then call the cops . Domo says " You Think You Get Props for smackin up 2 white boys???" " - Mikey T
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Acer has just revealed its new Stream smartphone, which runs on Android and looks like one of the most media focussed handsets we've seen in a while.
It sports a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a 2,000:1 contrast ratio and 2GB of built-in memory, with an additional 8GB microSD card included in the box. If that's not enough for all your movies, tunes and photos, it'll happily take cards up to 32GB in capacity.
The 5-megapixel camera can record 720p HD movies, and play them (and anything stored on the Stream) back through your telly via an HDMI output.
The Stream is also designed to stream content (see what they did there?) via Wi-Fi, so we assume that means it's got DLNA compliance. Any Wi-Fi toting DLNA device you have in your home should be able to suck media files from the phone and play them.
On the tech front there's 1GHz Snapdragon processor, GPS and Android 2.1, although by launch this will be have been replaced with Android 2.2 Froyo [http://stuff.tv/News/Need-to-know-Android-Froyo/14510/].
All in all, not a bad little lot for a handset just 11.2mm thin. We don't know pricing or release date deets for the Acer Stream yet, but we'll let you know when we do.
Via: Stuff Middle East (thanks, Tom!)


text:
She was commissioned in May of 1942 when most of the American Navy lay at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and with the shadow of German Fascism looming over Europe. By November of '42 the USS Massachusetts was seeing its first action in the battle of Casablanca as Allied forces moved into North Africa. She serves now as a quiet reminder of US military might and what America's "great generation" accomplished during those dark years. She's also part of the largest collection of historical Naval vessels in the world! Most weekends these days her decks swarm with cub scouts and their dads as they get to bunk up where real fighting men once did. For a full boat of history, facts, news items, event descriptions, membership opportunities and all the rest you must visit their very complete website at www.battleshipcove.com
Fair Journey,
Brian Shriver
Visit us on our Blog Vr Journey!
Narragansett Bay dominates the geography of the tiny state of Rhode Island, extending 25 miles northwards and inland from the Atlantic Ocean right into the heart of its major cities. It is fed by the watersheds of 3 major rivers: the Blackstone, the Taunton and the Pawtuxet. Narragansett Bay defines the region's culture, its history, sense of place and quality of life. The cities of Providence, Newport, Fall River, Warwick and Newport all owe their start to the bay and the opportunities it provided for water power, commercial growth and transportation. Once badly polluted, the Narragansett Bay has made a tremendous comeback in the last 3 decades as communities all around the bay have revitalized their connection to the bay and taken steps to curb human impact. Aerial Vr plans a series of panoramas intended to capture the area's unique natural beauty, both from its surface and from the air as well as the vitality and uniqueness of its communities.


text:
You can make any marriage stick or you can recover any facet of any marriage or plaster one back together again any way you want to. It takes a little doing and it takes a little guts.
And that's an understatement if I ever made one. —L. Ron Hubbard
At the time of this lecture, L. Ron Hubbard had recently achieved a major breakthrough concerning Responsibility, one that removed the barriers to case gain at all levels of the Bridge. Immediately following his announcement of the new technology, he detailed its application to marriage and, indeed, to the basic building block of a culture, the family.
Here, for the first time, is a definition of the marriage relationship, not in the language of "till death do us part," but in terms of "beings" and "postulates." From that viewpoint arises not only the exact causes of a failing marriage but a precise technology to reunite estranged partners. Indeed, so embracive are these discoveries they can be applied with equal success even to a thriving marriage.
When it comes to children, the benefits are just as life-changing. Whereas society considers it inevitable that youth reaching their teens will make life difficult for their parents and eventually depart the family, Mr. Hubbard not only reveals the cause of this so-called "natural phenomenon," he provides an effective remedy.
No marriage need be irreconcilably broken, no family permanently divided, for here is technology that has salvaged countless marriages and reunited families.


text:
Barcelona winger Pedro believes that although Santos forward Neymar is a great player, he might have trouble adapting to life at Camp Nou should they decide to sign him.
The 20-year-old talent, who has a contract in Brazil until 2014, continued to make an impression for his club as well as the Selecao with nine goals in 10 appearances during the domestic season so far.
However, the Blaugrana player is not fully convinced of the Brazilian's ability to make an impact for Barca, should he arrive at the club.
"We know he can play here. But you never know if he can fit with the team," the 25-year-old told Cope.
"What is known is that he is one of the best in the world and deserves to play in the best team in the world."
Pedro also took the time to comment on his side's current success in La Liga, in which they top the table with a staggering 16-point advantage over title holders Real Madrid.
"We have a good distance in the League," he continued. "We have a lot of points to spare, but we will try to not reduce that distance.
"The team will continue with the same ambition as usual.
"Seeing Tito [Vilanova, Barcelona coach] lead the team is the greatest joy possible for us," he added.
"I hope he's on the bench this Sunday [against Espanyol] as that's important for us."
Barcelona will host city rivals Espanyol on January 6 at 19.00CET.
Source: Goal


text:
Guitar Stands
Pro Audio Land offers the best guitar strands in the world from trusted brands like Fender. Our selection of quality guitar straps is the best you'll find anywhere. We take great pride in every product we sell, so you can rest assured you're getting the best products available from trusted professionals who use the gear themselves. Pro Audio Land's wide selection of inventory and free shipping mean we can deliver your tone quickly and at the best price. Please use our handy navigation located on the left hand side to check out all the great categories or call one of our friendly, knowledgeable professionals toll free at 1-877-671-2200.


text:
Oklahoma City CHRISTIAN PEER ADVISORY GROUPS
Peer Advisory Group Leaders in Oklahoma City
Converting Customer Loyalty to Exponential GrowthJanuary 19, 2018How likely are your customers to recommend your business? Capitalizing on customer loyalty most cost-effective way to generate new business.READ MORE
50/50: An "Outside the Boardroom" StoryJanuary 19, 2018Obedience to God may lead us down paths that break tradition. Simon Lee shares how his heart and radical business model are changing lives.READ MORE
Firewall: An "Outside the Boardroom" StoryJanuary 19, 2018One cybersecurity company routinely defends our country's most sensitive data, but it was an attack on their company that uncovered the strength of their culture.READ MORE
In Sickness and in HealthJanuary 19, 2018The decision to hand your business over to God doesn't necessarily mean fewer challenges. Dan and Julie Floen know this all too well.READ MORE


text:
Watch a Sample
Chocolate Tulip Cups
This spectacular gourmet combination includes 3 elegant chocolate tulip cups filled with creamy cheesecake and a variety of toppings. The six dipped and decorated strawberries include gourmet white and dark chocolate, sprinkles and white chocolate curls. Your lucky recipient will see and taste the difference in this Flowers to Eat gift.
Container may vary
FLOWERS to EAT™: Incredible edible flower
arrangements made of fresh delicious fruit in Tampa Florida. Fresh fruit arrangements. Fresh fruit bouquets. Great for anniversaries, presents for Mothers Day,
Fathers Day, Birthdays, Christmas, Valentines Day, Housewarming giftbaskets. Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, New
Tampa, Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County Florida, Mango, South Tampa, North
Tampa, East Tampa Florida FL. || Tampa florists floral arrangements using fruit &
chocolate. Vegetable platters & ,
congratulations gifts, table center pieces, edible creations, fruit baskets, .
Flowers to Eat! Catering, birthday gifts bouquets
carved fruit, chocolate covered strawberries, helium balloons. Flowers to Eat Tampa Florida FL. Chocolate
dipped fruit, apples, bananas. Get well, I love you, Happy Anniversary, Merry Christmas, Happy
Easter, Happy Birthday, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Flowers Gift
Basket Bouquet!! Gift Baskets & Floral arrangements. Get
flowers made of fruit & vegetables instead! Holiday gifts for clients. Company
gifts & corporate gifts. Edible Pineapple daisies delicious bouquets corporate giftbaskets. Holiday gift baskets &
healthy edible fruit arrangements. Fruity flower arrangements. Flower delivery. "Flowers to Eat" Tampa,
Florida FL. Culinary Academy. Pineapple Daisy Fruity Flowers.
Tampa Florists


text:
The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association
What is the MBAHA?
Answer: MBAHA has been in the hospitality and tourism business for 39 years and is consistently one of the largest local Hospitality Associations in the United States, representing the "best of the beach". We are a trade organization representing the interest of Lodging, Restaurants, Golf, Entertainment, Attractions and Hospitality Services members.
Who belongs to the MBAHA?
Answer: The association has a membership of over 800 businesses. A majority of the members are hospitality-related companies.
What is the Hospitality Partnership?
Answer: Through this joining of forces, certain hospitality-oriented categories of membership in the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce automatically includes membership in the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association and South Carolina Hospitality Association. And, if you're a restaurant, nightclub or hotel, you automatically gain membership into either the National Restaurant Association or the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Why join the MBAHA?
Answer: Through the Association, businesses with similar concerns can unite and get things done. Those things that would have seemed impossible to the few are becoming reality with the voices of many.
- Clout. Firms identifying with the Association increase in prestige and clout by the Association.
- Contacts with prospects and customers are a natural benefit of membership. The Association is a business organization representing the hospitality


text:
Like many in the automotive world, I thought a Bentley SUV would surely be big, brash and ugly and not something the Queen of England's favorite car brand should consider building. But do you know what? I think it looks good.
When Bentley CEO Wolfgang Duerheimer unveiled a concept for the SUV on Monday in Geneva, he said the car embodied "British understatement."
Internet bloggers were quick to condemn the concept as an ugly monstrosity that will mainly appeal to show-off criminal gangsters.
Some elements don't appeal, such as the big round fog lamps below the headlights. The big Bentley grille may be too in-your-face for some people. But if you see the car live, I think the grille is in proportion with the rest of the vehicle. It gives the car the feeling of power and muscularity that a Bentley should have.
The concept has a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged W-12 engine, but Bentley says it could also be powered with a 4.0-liter V-8 or a hybrid drivetrain.
Bentley needs a third model line to reduce its dependence on the Continental range, which makes up most of its sales, so the brand is likely to build this concept.
The new rich in China and Russia demand such a car. And other luxury brands are also targeting the niche. Lamborghini will unveil an SUV study at the Beijing auto show in April and Maserati showed the Kubang SUV concept at the Frankfurt show in September. They want to emulate the success of the Porsche Cayenne.
Compared with the Kubang, and what Lamborghini is likely to offer, I think a Bentley SUV can be described as understated. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Her Majesty driving it on her annual summer vacation in the Scottish Highlands.


text:
Pan Emirates, S Africa firm in strategic tie-up
Dubai, January 31, 2012
Pan Emirates, a leading brand in home furniture and accessories retail, has partnered with South Africa-based Barloworld Logistics, a major logistics company, to optimise its inbound and outbound distribution across the GCC.
Abdul Rehman Al Shamsi, chairman of PAN Emirates and Steve Ford, Group CEO of Barloworld Logistics, recently exchanged agreements to this effect in a function held at the Pan Emirates head office in Sharjah.
Mohammed Katawala, the Group finance director of PAN Emirates said, "We are in the process of an aggressive growth strategy in the GCC and recognised the need to align our supply chain strategy to our business strategy."
"Supply chain costs form a big part of the final product cost, and if not managed properly, could prevent us from achieving our goals and ultimately put the business at risk. We wanted to have an expert look at our supply chain holistically to optimize it and align it to our business needs."
"We have chosen Barloworld Logistics as our partner with the objective of improving operational efficiency and service excellence in our logistics and distribution facilities. By focusing on this aspect of our retail business, Pan Emirates will stand out and perform more effectively in today's highly competitive market," he added.
Frank Courtney, CEO of Barloworld Logistics Middle East and Asia said, "Long-term partnerships with blue chip clients not only highlight our capabilities but also our commitment to delivering smart supply chain solutions that work well into the future."
"The first six months of our engagement with Pan Emirates will be used to map, design and implement the solution; the second six months will be for the deployment and entrenchment of best practices in the business."
Katawala said he expected a large reduction in the overall transportation cost whilst simultaneously enjoying an improvement in service levels to the end consumer.
"The key to this relationship is partnership and we look forward to adding sustainable value to Pan Emirates and its customers as we progress," Courtney concluded. – TradeArabia News Service


text:
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), a non-profit association dedicated to promoting the industry and the safe selection and use of juvenile products, is opening a Washington, D.C., office with two new staff members leading the D.C. team. The suburban Philadelphia-based trade association is opening the office at a time where there is an increased need for the industry to have a consistent presence in D.C. for collaborations with the federal government.
Julie Vallese has been appointed to the position of managing director of public and government affairs. Mark Fellin will serve as the director of regulatory and legislative affairs.
To learn more about JPMA and the Certification Program and for a complete listing of JPMA members, visit www.jpma.org. Connect with JPMA on Facebook, Twitter, or on YouTube to learn more about additional programs and safety initiatives.


text:
Search results for: Estee
99Perfume (Rating: 3) , Votes:Buy from a large variety of 12,000 perfumes and colognes for men and women at a fraction of department store prices. View from our extensive list of fragrances,body products, skin care, giftsets, and makeup.http://www.99perfume.comCategory: Directory/Shopping/Personal Care
Related searches:
Webotopia provides a business directory designed to promote Estee companies, products and services whilst helping it's users find the Estee information they need. Webotopia business directory, with the help of it's dedicated support specialists and reviewers, enables delivery of Estee quality content, excellent customer support as well as value added services such as content publishing and press releases for it's users.


text:
Lil Kim Twerking To "Birthday Cake" Remix On Stage!
"During Power 105.1 DJ Self's annual Winter Fetish concert Lil' Kim invited some ladies to join her on stage as she danced to Rihanna's "Birthday Cake" (Remix)" - The Cotten Kandi Website
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Spokes Of The Wheel
Carolyn M. Fletcher 6/16/2012 8:15:40 AMFAVE! #1469409
Carol Quina 6/16/2012 8:45:10 AMExcellent capture here! Love it! #10182538
John Rivera 6/16/2012 12:09:39 PMVery cool image! #10182779
Michelle Alton 6/16/2012 6:29:38 PMWonderful find, capture, and composition--not to mention the clarity, detail, and lighting. #10183143
Debbie Bray 6/16/2012 8:12:38 PMAbsolutely fabulous find, Karen, it will be back, I am sure!! #10183261
David M. Montero 6/17/2012 12:56:50 PMLove the design. Well done Karen! #10183960
Heather Loewenhardt 6/17/2012 8:24:59 PMWow this image just glows. Terrific lines and design. #10184528
Christina N. Seuser 6/18/2012 9:38:30 PMLove the way you composed this shot, so cool! #10187465
Amanda D. Austwick 6/19/2012 5:45:30 AMOh I really like this one Karen ! #10188217
Lisa Banting 6/27/2012 6:39:47 PMLove the design of this one. Great photo! #10203395
Phyllis H. Burchett 6/28/2012 8:12:07 PMFabulous shot Karen.
Rudi Reiner 7/2/2012 10:20:00 AMGreat POV & colors! #10210777
Karen Celella 7/8/2012 12:19:24 PMThanks so much for all of the kind comments. I love it when simple, every day things can be so beautiful! #10219838
In the group of bicycles parked along the walk, this one really stood out with the shiny chrome and gold spokes.
Exif: F Number: 5, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/80 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 100, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 50.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 7D
Uploaded on 6/16/2012 7:47:34 AM
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Karen Celella. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Contact photographer via gallery.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text: Does anyone have any experience with using a car service to take them and pick them up from Lou International Airport? We would like to find an alternative to paying to have our car parked in the airport lot for 8 days. We have two booster seat using kids, so that complicates things a bit. Would be fine using a Taxi, just looking for suggestions.