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The world's meeting point, Istanbul Airport
Time to meet the new center of aviation! As our new home, Istanbul Airport will change the experience of travelling with its advanced technologies and extraordinary capacity.
Time to meet Istanbul Airport
Commencing its operations on 29 October 2018, Istanbul Airport stands out with its annual passenger capacity of 90 million in first phase and overall capacity of 200 million when all phases are completed. Providing flights to more than 350 destinations, Istanbul Airport is acknowledged as the new center of aviation. Istanbul Airport promises maximum comfort to its visitors.
Video guide
A wonderful travel experience awaits you at Istanbul Airport. We have put together a helpful video guides to ensure that you reach the airport and board your plane as smoothly as possible. | {
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Teleteria and the car of my dreams
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Ever have one of those horrible months where everytime you go to pay a bill there's ten more that need to be paid and your car is breaking down every five feet? That was happening to me. It seemed like I was drowning and there was no way out. I made some difficult decisions but Teleteria was there for me every step of the way.
I couldn't go to my minimum pay job because of my car and riding the bus was not an option since this little one horse town doesn't have public transportation other than cabs. So I did some searching for working at home. I went to www.teleteria.net. I found Teleteria and gave them a call. Jay Servidio listened to what I was looking for and gave me the information I needed to make the decision of a lifetime!
I bought two adult sites two years ago. The design of my site is fantastic and the marketing help I got was invaluable. This past May I went new car shopping. Amazingly enough I made enough money off my two sites to pay back my initial investment and buy the car of my dreams!
I now own a fire engine red Dodge Charger, 2006 that I paid cash for! I have to say it - Teleteria helped me get the car of my dreams!
Billy K., Worthington, IN
****************
My daughter had just turned 16 and like most dads I agreed to buy her a car for graduation. I had two years to make enough money to get her a decent car. Ok, I wanted to get her a really special one since she had done so well in school.
I was sharing with a friend of mine my delimma. No money to buy a nice safe car for her but having two years to work on it. He suggested I give Jay Servidio a call. I checked out www.teleteria.net first and then I gave Jay Servidio a call.
I also spoke with some guy that monitors and posts on the adult chat boards for webmasters. What a laugh! The guy says he sells the best adult sites but has no marketing support or customer service support at all. In speaking with some of his clients I found out no one has made money from his work at all.
So I bought an adult site and a casino site. Man, was I glad I went with Teleteria! They did an awesome job and I've already made enough money to buy my baby girl the car of her dreams! A mustang! A 1969 Mach I Mustang with a special paint job - pink! | {
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About
The Third National Conference for Men and Boys 2013 takes place on from Thursday 26th September to Sunday 29th September. It is the UK’s biggest gathering of people committed to improving the lives of men and boys.
This year’s event takes place in Brighton & Hove and is hosted by a committed team of volunteers from the All Men Project. We aim to provide something for everyone who thinks differently about men and boys and each event has a different flavour and focus.
If you are committed to improving the lives of men and boys and your needs aren’t met by this programme then we’d love to hear from you. There is a limit to how many different key activities our core team can manage and we are open to supporting other groups who would like to put on events during this conference. | {
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Same old, same old from Marinko. Lets his own head get into the way too much and from there he is never going to win. He has the game to beat Robredo on a hard court but I really expected nothing more than the effort he showed.
Hope he does take heart of some of is form this sing in Asia. He can do well if he gets I'd of those mental demons
I guess so, he has a good record last year in Shanghai. But now seems pulling out is a smart decision as Shanghai is experiencing typhoon right now, all those matches expect centre stadium were canclled. | {
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1st round - (WR) Brandon Coleman 6-6 220 lbs. Rutgers: Great combination of size and speed. But, he is still raw as a route runner and he does not have great hands. Coleman’s problem with dropped passes and route running may have him falling to late in the 1st round. I think Russell Wilson’s leadership will help Coleman develop quickly into elite WR.
2nd round – (DT) Sylvester Williams 6-3 315 lbs. North Carolina: Williams has the size and quickness to land in the 1st round, but he does not have the motor to go with it. Does he truly love football that can make him a force to be reckoned with or is football just a job to him; will he be the last player in to the team facilities and the first player to leave? I think Red Bryant’s leadership could help Williams make the most of his potential.
3rd round – (CB) Dwayne Gratz 6-0 198 lbs. Connecticut : IMO nickel CB is a big need and Gratz can fill that role. Gratz has a good combination of size, quickness, and quick feet. He has ability to be the nickel CB, which IMO is a little bit of a different skill set than playing CB on the outside. I think Lane and Maxwell don’t have the skill set to be a good nickel CB, whereas Gratz does and I think he would beat those two out for the starting nickel CB. Gratz has good ball awareness when he is covering his man downfield; he plays the ball when it’s in the air. He played a good amount of man-press coverage at UConn, so there is not going to be a learning curve to the Seahawks style of play for him.
4th round - (TE) Travis Keice 6-6 255 lbs. Cincinnati: Keice is athletic TE who is good at getting yards after the catch. He is a one dimensional player, in that he is a complete liability as a blocker; he just does not have the want-to/willingness when it comes to blocking.
5th round - (MLB/OLB) Bruce Taylor 6-2 253 lbs. Virginia Tech: Good size LB that has shown a knack for rushing the QB. Above average athlete for a LB, questionable instincts, and average in coverage.
6th round – (WR) Marquise Goodwin 5-9 180 lbs. Texas: Goodwin is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft. He should run a 4.3 40-yard time maybe even sub 4.3 40-yard time. Goodwin is more track star then football player at this point; he competed in the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper. He did not put up big stats in college, but he did flash his speed when he touched the ball.
7th round - (QB/WR) MarQueis Gray 6-4 245 lbs. Minnesota: Gray was a highly recruited QB out of high school but he never really won the starting QB position while at Minnesota. He played WR his first two years and finally got the starting QB position as a junior which he lost to his back-up his senior year. Gray has good speed for his size, he broke Minnesota’s QB rushing record his junior year. We could try to develop Gray as a QB or WR, either way he is a talented athlete and worth taking a flyer on.
cover-2 wrote:1st round - (WR) Brandon Coleman 6-6 220 lbs. Rutgers: Great combination of size and speed. But, he is still raw as a route runner and he does not have great hands. Coleman’s problem with dropped passes and route running may have him falling to late in the 1st round. I think Russell Wilson’s leadership will help Coleman develop quickly into elite WR.
2nd round – (DT) Sylvester Williams 6-3 315 lbs. North Carolina: Williams has the size and quickness to land in the 1st round, but he does not have the motor to go with it. Does he truly love football that can make him a force to be reckoned with or is football just a job to him; will he be the last player in to the team facilities and the first player to leave? I think Red Bryant’s leadership could help Williams make the most of his potential.
3rd round – (CB) Dwayne Gratz 6-0 198 lbs. Connecticut : IMO nickel CB is a big need and Gratz can fill that role. Gratz has a good combination of size, quickness, and quick feet. He has ability to be the nickel CB, which IMO is a little bit of a different skill set than playing CB on the outside. I think Lane and Maxwell don’t have the skill set to be a good nickel CB, whereas Gratz does and I think he would beat those two out for the starting nickel CB. Gratz has good ball awareness when he is covering his man downfield; he plays the ball when it’s in the air. He played a good amount of man-press coverage at UConn, so there is not going to be a learning curve to the Seahawks style of play for him.
4th round - (TE) Travis Keice 6-6 255 lbs. Cincinnati: Keice is athletic TE who is good at getting yards after the catch. He is a one dimensional player, in that he is a complete liability as a blocker; he just does not have the want-to/willingness when it comes to blocking.
5th round - (MLB/OLB) Bruce Taylor 6-2 253 lbs. Virginia Tech: Good size LB that has shown a knack for rushing the QB. Above average athlete for a LB, questionable instincts, and average in coverage.
6th round – (WR) Marquise Goodwin 5-9 180 lbs. Texas: Goodwin is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft. He should run a 4.3 40-yard time maybe even sub 4.3 40-yard time. Goodwin is more track star then football player at this point; he competed in the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper. He did not put up big stats in college, but he did flash his speed when he touched the ball.
7th round - (QB/WR) MarQueis Gray 6-4 245 lbs. Minnesota: Gray was a highly recruited QB out of high school but he never really won the starting QB position while at Minnesota. He played WR his first two years and finally got the starting QB position as a junior which he lost to his back-up his senior year. Gray has good speed for his size, he broke Minnesota’s QB rushing record his junior year. We could try to develop Gray as a QB or WR, either way he is a talented athlete and worth taking a flyer on.
cover-2 wrote:1st round - (WR) Brandon Coleman 6-6 220 lbs. Rutgers: Great combination of size and speed. But, he is still raw as a route runner and he does not have great hands. Coleman’s problem with dropped passes and route running may have him falling to late in the 1st round. I think Russell Wilson’s leadership will help Coleman develop quickly into elite WR.
2nd round – (DT) Sylvester Williams 6-3 315 lbs. North Carolina: Williams has the size and quickness to land in the 1st round, but he does not have the motor to go with it. Does he truly love football that can make him a force to be reckoned with or is football just a job to him; will he be the last player in to the team facilities and the first player to leave? I think Red Bryant’s leadership could help Williams make the most of his potential.
3rd round – (CB) Dwayne Gratz 6-0 198 lbs. Connecticut : IMO nickel CB is a big need and Gratz can fill that role. Gratz has a good combination of size, quickness, and quick feet. He has ability to be the nickel CB, which IMO is a little bit of a different skill set than playing CB on the outside. I think Lane and Maxwell don’t have the skill set to be a good nickel CB, whereas Gratz does and I think he would beat those two out for the starting nickel CB. Gratz has good ball awareness when he is covering his man downfield; he plays the ball when it’s in the air. He played a good amount of man-press coverage at UConn, so there is not going to be a learning curve to the Seahawks style of play for him.
4th round - (TE) Travis Keice 6-6 255 lbs. Cincinnati: Keice is athletic TE who is good at getting yards after the catch. He is a one dimensional player, in that he is a complete liability as a blocker; he just does not have the want-to/willingness when it comes to blocking.
5th round - (MLB/OLB) Bruce Taylor 6-2 253 lbs. Virginia Tech: Good size LB that has shown a knack for rushing the QB. Above average athlete for a LB, questionable instincts, and average in coverage.
6th round – (WR) Marquise Goodwin 5-9 180 lbs. Texas: Goodwin is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft. He should run a 4.3 40-yard time maybe even sub 4.3 40-yard time. Goodwin is more track star then football player at this point; he competed in the 2012 Olympics as a long jumper. He did not put up big stats in college, but he did flash his speed when he touched the ball.
7th round - (QB/WR) MarQueis Gray 6-4 245 lbs. Minnesota: Gray was a highly recruited QB out of high school but he never really won the starting QB position while at Minnesota. He played WR his first two years and finally got the starting QB position as a junior which he lost to his back-up his senior year. Gray has good speed for his size, he broke Minnesota’s QB rushing record his junior year. We could try to develop Gray as a QB or WR, either way he is a talented athlete and worth taking a flyer on. | {
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Latest News
Be sure to check out the new features on ACDC.com, the official AC/DC site!
Our brand new community page for fans to interact from around the world, post your own AC/DC blog, upload your favorite AC/DC photos, post comments, and more! Check out the all new AC/DC tour history section, updated photo section, AC/DC 101, and look out for more updates coming soon!
Available from Voyageur Press, “AC/DC: High-Voltage Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Ultimate Illustrated History” by Phil Sutcliffe follows the band from its roots in Sydney, Australia, to its most recent releases and sold-out world tours. No stone is left unturned, from the band’s formation and early gigs on the club circuit Down Under, to the 1980 death of singer Bon Scott and ultimately astounding worldwide success. Jam-packed with more than 400 illustrations—from handbills, posters, backstage passes, and vinyl from around the globe, as well as rare candid and performance photography—this massive contribution to the AC/DC library gives fans a all-access visual tour through almost four decades of unadulterated rock mastery. Additionally, sidebars and essays from top rock scribes examine all studio releases, document the band’s numerous personnel changes, and delve into the guitar gear of the Young brothers, while musicians past and present comment and reflect on the band’s lasting influence.
Complete with a specially commissioned band history and discography, an afterword from Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, and a complete index, this book brings fans as close to the band as possible without a ticket.
For those who can’t get enough of the boys from Sydney, AC/DC: High-Voltage Rock ‘n’ Roll salutes you!
Billboard has reported that AC/DC's "Black Ice" world tour which lasted from October 2008 through June 2010 will end up as the second highest grossing tour of all time. The total figures at this time tally up at $441.6 million from 168 shows. AC/DC performed to approximately 4.9 million fans during their "Black Ice" tour, and only falls short of first place to The Rolling Stones "Bigger Bang" tour (2005-2007) which had grossed $558.3 million through 147 shows. AC/DC's "Black Ice" tour also tops Billboard's list of the highest grossing tour of 2010 so far, at approximately $177.5 million from the 40 shows played this year.
On July 25, 1980, AC/DC released Back In Black in the US, followed by the album's UK release on July 31.
Today, the album is a record-shattering rock 'n' roll landmark, passed along from generation to generation and guaranteed a spot on the shelves of every music enthusiast not living under a rock (and some that are). But, that's not how Back In Black started life.
The story of how Back In Black was made and the frenzy it whipped up upon its release is every bit as captivating today as the 41 minute, 48 second, no bullshit, ribcage pounding record itself. Dedicated to the band's fallen friend and frontman, Bon Scott, recorded with then newcomer Brian Johnson, and described by Rolling Stone Magazine's David Fricke at the time as "kick[ing] like a mutha," Back In Black put AC/DC in households from coast to coast, ravaging their speakers in the process.
After criss-crossing the globe for over 20 months and playing to over 5 million people, AC/DC's Black Ice World Tour came to a close in Bilbao, Spain on June 28, 2010. The Black Ice World Tour took AC/DC to 108 cities in over 28 countries. AC/DC kicked off the tour on the heels of releasing their critically lauded album Black Ice, which soared to the #1 spot on album charts in over 29 countries around the globe. The Black Ice World tour was heralded by fans and critics alike, with the Chicago Tribune calling it “a celebration of all that is great about rock ‘n’ roll,” calling the band’s music as “Rock 'n' roll that outlasts time.” Earlier this year AC/DC’s Black Ice World Tour won a Pollstar Award for Major Tour of the Year.
Brian Johnson made an appearance at Ringo Starr's 70th birthday celebration concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York last night.
Ringo and his all star band was joined by Brian, Yoko Ono, Joe Walsh, Steven Van Zandt, Jeff Lynne, Nils Lofgren, Max Weinberg, Foreigner's Mick Jones and others for an encore performance of "With A Little Help From My Friends".
"Rockers and Rollers: An Automotive Autobiography" by Brian Johnson is now available for pre-order. Brian's own autobiography gives fans a glimpse into the world of AC/DC, and Brian's other passion: cars! Brian offers witty tales filled with humor and his passion for cars, car racing, and car collecting throughout.
"Rockers And Rollers" will come out in paperback on July 29 from Penguin Books and can be pre-ordered now from your local retailer.
Turner Network Television (TNT) announced today that it has joined forces with Hall of Fame rockers AC/DC to feature the band's single "T.N.T" as the network's theme song for its 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage. The song will serve as the primary musical bed for all six of TNT's races, which begin with the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target on Sunday, June 6 in Pocono, Pa., as well as for the network's multi-platform marketing campaign surrounding its exclusive race coverage, which includes a presence on social media, print outlets, national television, local radio and print. The song has been re-released on the band's latest album, AC/DC: Iron Man 2 which features 15 of the band's classic songs.
The network's full-length NASCAR video featuring "T.N.T." will make its television debut on Tuesday, May 25 during TNT's exclusive coverage of Game #4 of the Western Conference Finals on the Emmy-award winning Inside the NBA post-game show. Additionally, the video will be available for view on Turner-operated NASCAR.COM at: <a href="http://www.nascar.com/tnt/" title="http://www.nascar.com/tnt/">http://www.nascar.com/tnt/</a> | {
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Articles Tagged with ''hcfc''
If and when contractors step up their commitment to reclamation, they will find plenty of places ready to perform the process that brings questionable refrigerant back to ARI-700 purity standards. And contractors will also find plenty of incentives to do so.
What will it take to jump-start more use of reclaimed HCFC-22 to service the huge inventory of equipment running on that refrigerant? The EPA and the dozens of companies offering reclamation services are hoping the most recent announcement of a potential 45 percent reduction in virgin R-22 coming to market.
How ready are contractors to embrace refrigerant reclamation? The answer depends on who you talk to. But some contractors are already plugged into the reclamation option — and hoping their colleagues, who might not be doing so, will soon join them.
How much HCFC-22 will be available to contractors in 2012 is an unanswered question as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers a faster phaseout of HCFCs. The EPA began the year by issuing a proposal called Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Adjustments to the Allowance System for Controlling HCFC Production, Import, and Export.
The world of so-called natural refrigerants, particularly hydrocarbons (HCs), has gotten a lot more interesting recently. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given Significant New Alternatives Program (SNAP) approval to three HCs.
Production and importation of HCFC refrigerants including R-22 have been on hold since the first of the year while the industry waits for an official go-ahead from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
When mechanical refrigeration came along, refrigerants such as sulfur dioxide and ammonia and the fluorocarbons were introduced. The latter two — ammonia and f-gases — are still being used. Of the fluorocarbons, the choices were pretty simple: CFCs -11, -12, and -502. It is not so simple these days. | {
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Fall Council Cocktail
Contemporary Council Members & Above
Cover Image:
Courtesy of Scott Rudd
Collector Raymond Learsy will generously host our annual gathering of New Museum Council members. This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know other supporters of the Museum, our curatorial staff, and learn more about our exciting upcoming programs and exhibitions. Please join us for this evening of cocktails, conversation, and a chance to see Learsy’s exceptional collection in person. RSVP by October 1 to [email protected] or 212.219.1222 ×413. | {
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Graphic Design
Materials based on environmentally friendly paper, conducive to recovery and environmental protection. Using two boxes loaded into one pack, representing happiness of lover in pairs and the wedding gifts. Gift box with golden lines thick card among prominent structural design, not only can hold back the packaging, but depending on the nature of different gifts to put different patterns. More...
B to B Media
European Hospital
European Hospital publishes a bi-monthly newspaper which covers healthcare issues and is particularly renowned for its focus on medical technology. We also publish newspapers for congresses, trade fairs and exhibition as well as special reprints. Our popular product catalogues RadBook and LabBook complete our range of print publications. More...
allitwares.com
allitwares.com
Allitwares.com is one of the most professional portals, focused on all electronics, information technology industry and related business all over the world. Users can browse up-to-date supplier and product information on everything related to automotive electronics, electronics components, consumer electronics..... More...
Web Design
Pin Tai Metal Co., announces it’s official web-site.
Pin Tai Metal Co., is a full service provider of contract machining, announces it’s official web-site. The brand new web-site displays fully information about company. Equipped ISO9001:2008 certificated since 2003, Pin Tai Metal Co. provides global customers with high precision machining solution. All products can be applied to auto-parts, machine Assembly parts, electronic parts, air-craft parts and defense industry. Currently Pin Tai Metal is developing mechanical spare parts enable customer to receive timely delivery service. Users can surf Pin Tai’s web-site for all detail information, and experience how does Pin Tai support customer with best solution and service at www.pintai.com. More...
B to B Media
IEN Europe
To stay ahead in the industrial market, it is essential to have the right tools.
IEN Europe is the largest and most informative publication of new products, equipment
and services for the industrial market in Europe - since 1974.
Published 10 times a year, IEN Europe:
provides essential new products information from the international marketplace... More... | {
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Fullscreen Motion Blur on iDevices with OpenGL ES 1+
This, sadly, is my last post for this cycle, but I promise I’ll be back. It’s been a lot of fun being on the rotation, and it helped me a lot to share my findings.
However, for this final post, I’ve picked something special. Actually, a lot of people have asked me about this, how we do the motion blur in our latest game Nuts! and our very-soon-to-be-released game Zombie Gunship. The technique is by no means new, but the fact that it works so beautifully on the iDevices and it’s simplicity really seal the deal for me.
Showcase
First of all, let me give you some arguments on why the motion blur is so cool.
In the case of Nuts!, it is actually pretty hidden. The only place where you can see it is when you pick up a fireball nut. But as you can see in the screenshots (and even more so when you play the actual game), the motion blur adds a lot of “speed” feeling to those nuts. The whole fireball effect is a lot more convincing with the motion blur effect. Interestingly, the motion blur is only used in those situations and runs at half the resolution of the original game. But it is not noticeable, because of the temporal bluring. Even when the resolution switches back to the full 640×960, once the effect has worn out, there is no popping noticeable.
In the case of Zombie Gunship, the visuals of the whole game are in essence built around this effect. It gives the game this 80s-built warplane-targeting-computer like look and artificial “imperfection”. Also, as you can see in the screenshots, we’re actually running a quite low resolution (480×320), and the models are quite low-res as well. But with the motion blur the game looks a lot smoother, it’s harder to make out individual pixels.
Since it is a temporal blur by its nature, it is actually harder to see in screenshots
How it’s done
The best about this technique is that it’s super simple. It even works in OpenGL ES 1, and like many post-processing effects it can just be dropped into the game very easily.
In a traditional rendering setting on iOS, we would map the final framebuffer, then draw the solid geometry, blended geometry, and then the ui on top. Finally we would present the renderbuffer and the frame is done.
With motion-blur, instead of rendering into the final framebuffer, we render into an intermediate framebuffer that renders into a color texture. For us, this buffer is usually half the size of the final framebuffer. Once we’ve rendered the solid and blended geometry into this buffer, we enable alpha blending and render this intermediate texture into a so-called accumulation buffer with an alpha value smaller than one. This accumulation buffer is only cleared when the blur begins. Finally, this accumulation buffer is then rendered into the final framebuffer.
In pseudocode, it looks something like this:
Traditional Rendering:
ActivateFinalFramebuffer();
Clear();
RenderScene();
RenderUI();
Present();
With Motion Blur:
ActivateIntermediateFramebuffer();
Clear();
RenderScene();
ActivateAccumulationFramebuffer();
// No clear here!
RenderIntermediateTextureWithAlpha(alpha);
ActivateFinalFramebuffer();
RenderAccumulationTexture();
RenderUI();
Present();
As you can see, you “just” need to add a few functions to your -(void) draw call in order to add the motion blur, and you can turn it on and off on-the-fly.
The smaller the alpha, the longer the blur, because less of the pixel is “overwritten” every frame. In the first frame, the pixels contribution to the final pixel value is alpha, in the second frame it is alpha*(1-alpha), then alpha*(1-alpha)^2, so it slowly fades out over time.
Of course, alpha can be varied every frame. We use that in Nuts! to slowly fade out the fireball effect at the end.
Two small remarks
One simple idea for optimization would be to use the final framebuffer as the accumulation buffer. This would save us one full-screen quad rendering operation. However, the framebuffer on iOS is at least double buffered. That means every second frame has a different render target, which leads to a very choppy and mind twisting blur effect. Also, if you want to display non-blurred components, such as UI and text, such things should be rendered into the final framebuffer, after the accumulation buffer has been rendered.
Another thing to note is that the first frame needs to have alpha=1, eg. when the fireball nut is picked up in Nuts!. This makes sure the accumulation buffer is properly initialized and doesn’t have any very old data.
Is this right for rendering?To my understanding: 1. render the scene to the intermediate texture2. render the intermediate texture with alpha to the accumulation texture3. render the accumulation texture to the final color buffer
Hey, sorry, I can’t release any source code for this. But the pseudocode above should be a good start. Also, you can google for “accumulation buffer motion blur” which should give you a few interesting hints (mostly for Desktop OpenGL, though). | {
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Just two weeks after he was rescued from a shelter "Bear," a 150-pound Mastiff, saved his owners right back.
When a blaze broke out during the night at her Long Island home, Carol Swinson's fire alarms failed to go off. It was Bear, who jumped on her to wake her, who saved Swinson and her 9-year-old grandson.
Swinson says she was startled at first because Bear had been good about following the rule of staying off her bed.
A very grateful Swinson says, "I'll do right by that dog for the rest of my life." | {
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Oct 6, 2017
Holiday Nights Dinner Package at the Eagle Tavern
Holiday Nights Dinner Package at the Eagle Tavern takes place in historic Greenfield Village in Dearborn during the month of December. We were able to attend the festivities courtesy of the Henry Ford so we could share our experience with you. The dinner package includes a delectable holiday feast in the Eagle Tavern and admission to Holiday Nights. Both events will make you feel like you are stepping into Christmas of the past.
The Eagle Tavern was built in Clinton, MI as a stagecoach stop for travelers. It still exudes the warmth and intimacy of an 1850 tavern experience today. Authentic 19th-century meals are served in the tavern during open season at the village. To see a sample menu, visit the Henry Ford website.
The experience of dinner at the Eagle Tavern during Holiday Nights is like no other. From an authentic holiday meal served by costumed servers to seasonal decor and live music from the period, be prepared to eat, drink, sing, and be merry while meeting new friends.
As guests arrive and are seated by their host, they are welcomed by appetizers at their table. These include Farmer's Cheese with crackers, cranberry relish, bread, and muffins. Guests are also invited to visit the wine station or bar to purchase time-period inspired alcoholic drinks, such as Mulled Cider (a favorite at the tavern). Coffee, hot tea, and water are included in the ticket price.
Eagle Tavern Bar
Wine Bar
After everyone is seated, the supper bell is rung by a selected guest and the host introduces the food. From that point on, the food just seems to keep coming. Before the main entrees, guests are invited to try a bowl of squash soup. The servers scoop the soup from a large pan into bowls which are then passed to the ends of the table until all have been served. This is part of the authentic experience.
Three main entrees are included in the meal. Each is served family style one at a time. The entrees consist of pork and apple pie, breast of chicken with cherry sauce, and roasted beef with fine brown sauce. Roasted potatoes, carrots, and parsnips are served as a side. All three entrees are of unique flavor and authentic to the time period.
Holiday songs are sung by a small group throughout the night including during dinner. But the real entertainment happens after the meal when guests are asked to sing-along to The Twelve Days of Christmas. Tables are assigned one of the numbered days and are invited to sing when it's their turn. This is a fun way to get everyone involved and moving after a large meal (some people choose to add actions).
Lastly, dessert is served. A chocolate Yule Cake is brought out to each table and the server cuts it into pieces to serve. This is a delicious way to end a fun night!Some tips:
1. Get your tickets well in advance. I was told they sell out quick...like in October!
2. Dress in layers. It gets really warm in the building, especially if you are seated next to the fire.
3. Pace yourself when eating
4. Meet some new friends at your table.
5. Relax and enjoy yourself!Tickets:
Visit the Henry Ford website for ticket information and pricing.
Rachel is the owner of Redesigning Happiness. She is a mother to three adorable Yorkshire Terrier dogs. On her blog, she shares ways to design a happy life along with great reviews, giveaways, travel and adventure ideas, recipes, money saving tips, and so much more. | {
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Cyprus Editorial: Premature nurses' deal before hospitals autonomy
The deal struck by the government with the state nurses’ union Pasyno this week may be perceived by some as a step towards reform in the public health sector, but it was premature in that the Anastasiades administration has already given up precious concessions, with the state doctors now lingering in the shadows, waiting to put forth their own demands.
“And when will it all end?” the employers’ federation OEV rightly warned, saying that the pay rises linked to the upscaling of the public nurses will very soon become unbearable for the state budget. Furthermore, higher contributions on employers and private sector employees, in order to finance this programme, will be a new burden on taxpayers, if further tax hikes are not scheduled for after the February 2018 presidential elections.
The deal announced on Tuesday calls for the recognition of the nurses’ university degrees and their paycheque boosted to start from the A8 level as early as 2019, while those who did not rush to get university degrees will be considered ‘carers’.
The problem was that the government was too quick to submit to this deal, as this should have been conditional to reform and autonomy of state hospitals as part of the GESY national health service. The opposite has happened and there is no guarantee that the nurses (and doctors to follow) will at all work towards implementing GESY.
The doctors have already let it be known that they are aiming for upscaling to A12-14 and even A16 for senior physicians, the same level as Directors General of the ministries. At this rate, some doctors may even be paid more than the President.
OEV warned that a year ago the government had “the return to unaccountable practices of the past will lead to a new economic nightmare and the second bankruptcy will be just like the previous one.”
No wonder rating agencies are still cautious to raise any of the sovereign levels of Cyprus, as the government has been very often deviating from its prudent policies of the past and succumbing to voter pressure. And who said that these civil servants would re-elect the present administration in the first place? | {
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Declaration
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Class instance identity as distinguished by triple-equals ===
is notably not part of an instance's value. Exposing other
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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While recent animated blockbusters have aimed to viewers of all ages starting with fantastical concepts and breathtaking visuals but tackling complex emotional issues along the way Ice Age: Continental Drift is crafted especially for the wee ones — and it works. Venturing back to prehistoric times once again the fourth Ice Age film paints broad strokes on the theme of familial relationships throwing in plenty of physical comedy along the way. The movie isn't that far off from one of the many Land Before Time direct-to-video sequels: not particularly innovative or necessary but harmless thrilling fun for anyone with a sense of humor. Unless they have a particular distaste for wooly mammoths the kids will love it.
Ice Age: Continental Drift continues to snowball its cartoon roster bringing back the original film's trio (Ray Romano as Manny the Mammoth Denis Leary as Diego the Sabertooth Tiger and John Leguizamo as Sid the Sloth) new faces acquired over the course of the franchise (Queen Latifah as Manny's wife Ellie) and a handful of new characters to spice things up everyone from Nicki Minaj as Manny's daughter Steffie to Wanda Sykes as Sid's wily grandma. The whole gang is living a pleasant existence as a herd with Manny's biggest problem being playing overbearing dad to the rebellious daughter. Teen mammoths they always want to go out and play by the waterfall! Whippersnappers.
The main thrust of the film comes when Scratch the Rat (whose silent comedy routines in the vein of Tex Avery/WB cartoons continue to be the series highlight) accidentally cracks the singular continent Pangea into the world we know today. Manny Diego and Sid find themselves stranded on an iceberg once again forced on a road trip journey of survival. The rest of the herd embarks to meet them giving Steffie time to realize the true meaning of friendship with help from her mole pal Louis (Josh Gad).
The ham-handed lessons may drag for those who've passed Kindergarten but Ice Age: Continental Drift is a lot of fun when the main gang crosses paths with a group of villainous pirates. (Back then monkeys rabbits and seals were hitting the high seas together pillaging via boat-shaped icebergs. Obviously.) Quickly Ice Age becomes an old school pirate adventure complete with maritime navigation buried treasure and sword fights. Gut (Peter Dinklage) an evil ape with a deadly... fingernail leads the evil-doers who pose an entertaining threat for the familiar bunch. Jennifer Lopez pops by as Gut's second-in-command Shira the White Tiger and the film's two cats have a chase scene that should rouse even the most apathetic adults. Hearing Dinklage (of Game of Thrones fame) belt out a pirate shanty may be worth the price of admission alone.
With solid action (that doesn't need the 3D addition) cartoony animation and gags out the wazoo Ice Age: Continental Drift is entertainment to enjoy with the whole family. Revelatory? Not quite. Until we get a feature length silent film of Scratch's acorn pursuit we may never see a "classic" Ice Age film but Continental Drift keeps it together long enough to tell a simple story with delightful flare that should hold attention spans of any length. Massive amounts of sugar not even required.
[Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox]
A kids’ movie without the cheeky jokes for adults is like a big juicy BLT without the B… or the T. Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted may have a title that sounds like it was made up in a cartoon sequel laboratory but when it comes to serving up laughs just think of the film as a BLT with enough extra bacon to satisfy even the wildest of animals — or even a parent with a gaggle of tots in tow. Yes even with that whole "Afro Circus" nonsense.
It’s not often that we find exhaustively franchised films like the Madagascar set that still work after almost seven years. Despite being spun off into TV shows and Christmas specials in addition to its big screen adventures the series has not only maintained its momentum it has maintained the part we were pleasantly surprised by the first time around: great jokes.
In this third installment of the series – the trilogy-maker if you will – directing duo Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath add Conrad Vernon (director Monsters Vs. Aliens) to the helm as our trusty gang swings back into action. Alex the lion (Ben Stiller) Marty the zebra (Chris Rock) Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the giraffe (David Schwimmer) are stuck in Africa after the hullaballoo of Madagascar 2 and they’ll do anything to get back to their beloved New York. Just a hop skip and a jump away in Monte Carlo the penguins are doing their usual greedy schtick but the zoo animals catch up with them just in time to catch the eye of the sinister animal control stickler Captain Dubois (Frances McDormand). And just like that the practically super human captain is chasing them through Monte Carlo and the rest of Europe in hopes of planting Alex’s perfectly coifed lion head on her wall of prized animals.
Luckily for pint-sized viewers Dubois’ terrifying presence is balanced out by her sheer inhuman strength uncanny guiles and Stretch Armstrong flexibility (ah the wonder of cartoons) as well as Alex’s escape plan: the New Yorkers run away with the European circus. While Dubois’ terrifying Doberman-like presence looms over the entire film a sense of levity (which is a word the kiddies might learn from Stiller’s eloquent lion) comes from the plan for salvation in which the circus animals and the zoo animals band together to revamp the circus and catch the eye of a big-time American agent. Sure the pacing throughout the first act is practically nonexistent running like a stampede through the jungle but by the time we're palling around under the big top the film finds its footing.
The visual splendor of the film (and man is there a champion size serving of it) the magnificent danger and suspense is enhanced to great effect by the addition of 3D technology – and not once is there a gratuitous beverage or desperate Crocodile Dundee knife waved in our faces to prove its worth. The caveat is that the soundtrack employs a certain infectious Katy Perry ditty at the height of the 3D spectacular so parents get ready to hear that on repeat until the leaves turn yellow.
But visual delights and adventurous zoo animals aside Madagascar 3’s real strength is in its script. With the addition of Noah Baumbach (Greenberg The Squid and the Whale) to the screenwriting team the script is infused with a heightened level of almost sarcastic gravitas – a welcome addition to the characteristically adult-friendly reference-heavy humor of the other Madagascar films. To bring the script to life Paramount enlisted three more than able actors: Vitaly the Siberian tiger (Bryan Cranston) Gia the Leopard (Jessica Chastain) and Stefano the Italian Sealion (Martin Short). With all three actors draped in European accents it might take viewers a minute to realize that the cantankerous tiger is one and the same as the man who plays an Albuquerque drug lord on Breaking Bad but that makes it that much sweeter to hear him utter slant-curse words like “Bolshevik” with his usual gusto.
Between the laughs the terror of McDormand’s Captain Dubois and the breathtaking virtual European tour the Zoosters’ accidental vacation is one worth taking. Madagascar 3 is by no means an insta-classic but it’s a perfectly suited for your Summer-at-the-movies oasis.
In a post-Harry Potter Avatar and Lord of the Rings world the descriptors "sci-fi" and "fantasy" conjure up particular imagery and ideas. The Hunger Games abolishes those expectations rooting its alternate universe in a familiar reality filled with human characters tangible environments and terrifying consequences. Computer graphics are a rarity in writer/director Gary Ross' slow-burn thriller wisely setting aside effects and big action to focus on star Jennifer Lawrence's character's emotional struggle as she embarks on the unthinkable: a 24-person death match on display for the entire nation's viewing pleasure. The final product is a gut-wrenching mature young adult fiction adaptation diffused by occasional meandering but with enough unexpected choices to keep audiences on their toes.
Panem a reconfigured post-apocalyptic America is sectioned off into 12 unique districts and ruled under an iron thumb by the oppressive leaders of The Capitol. To keep the districts producing their specific resources and prevent them from rebelling The Capitol created The Hunger Games an annual competition pitting two 18-or-under "tributes" from each district in a battle to the death. During the ritual tribute "Reaping " teenage Katniss (Lawrence) watches as her 12-year-old sister Primrose is chosen for battle—and quickly jumps to her aid becoming the first District 12 citizen to volunteer for the games. Joined by Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) a meek baker's son and the second tribute Effie the resident designer and Haymitch a former Hunger Games winner-turned-alcoholic-turned-mentor Katniss rides off to The Capitol to train and compete in the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
The greatest triumph of The Hunger Games is Ross' rich realization of the book's many worlds: District 12 is painted as a reminiscent Southern mining town haunting and vibrant; The Capitol is a utopian metropolis obsessed with design and flair; and The Hunger Games battleground is a sprawling forest peppered with Truman Show-esque additions that remind you it's all being controlled by overseers. The small-scale production value adds to the character-first approach and even when the story segues to larger arenas like a tickertape parade in The Capitol's grand Avenue of Tributes hall it's all about Katniss.
For fans the script hits every beat a nearly note-for-note interpretation of author Suzanne Collins' original novel—but those unfamiliar shouldn't worry about missing anything. Ross knows his way around a sharp screenplay (he's the writer of Big Pleasantville and Seabiscuit) and he's comfortable dropping us right into the action. His characters are equally as colorful as Panem Harrelson sticking out as the former tribute enlivened by the chance to coach winners. He's funny he's discreet he's shaded—a quality all the cast members share. As a director Ross employs a distinct often-grating perspective. His shaky cam style emphasizes the reality of the story but in fight scenarios—and even simple establishing shots of District 12's goings-on—the details are lost in motion blur.
But the dread of the scenario is enough to make Hunger Games an engrossing blockbuster. The lead-up to the actual competition is an uncomfortable and biting satire of reality television sports and everything that commands an audience in modern society. Katniss' brooding friend Gale tells her before she departs "What if nobody watched?" speculating that carnage might end if people could turn away. Unfortunately they can't—forcing Katniss and Peeta to become "stars" of the Hunger Games. The duo are pushed to gussy themselves up put on a show and play up their romance for better ratings. Lawrence channels her reserved Academy Award-nominated Winter's Bone character to inhabit Katniss' frustration with the system. She's great at hunting but she doesn't want to kill. She's compassionate and considerate but has no interest in bowing down to the system. She's a leader but she knows full well she's playing The Capitol's game. Even with 23 other contestants vying for the top spot—like American Idol with machetes complete with Ryan Seacrest stand-in Caesar Flickerman (the dazzling Stanley Tucci)—Katniss' greatest hurdle is internal. A brave move for a movie aimed at a young audience.
By the time the actual Games roll around (the movie clocks in at two and a half hours) there's a need to amp up the pace that never comes and The Hunger Games loses footing. Katniss' goal is to avoid the action hiding in trees and caves waiting patiently for the other tributes to off themselves—but the tactic isn't all that thrilling for those watching. Luckily Lawrence Hutcherson and the ensemble of young actors still deliver when they cross paths and particular beats pack all the punch an all-out deathwatch should. PG-13 be damned the film doesn't skimp on the bloodshed even when it comes to killing off children. The Hunger Games bites off a lot for the first film of a franchise and does so bravely and boldly. It may not make it to the end alive but it doesn't go down without a fight.
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The first and most important thing you should know about Paramount Pictures’ Thor is that it’s not a laughably corny comic book adaptation. Though you might find it hokey to hear a bunch of muscled heroes talk like British royalty while walking around the American Southwest in LARP garb director Kenneth Branagh has condensed vast Marvel mythology to make an accessible straightforward fantasy epic. Like most films of its ilk I’ve got some issues with its internal logic aesthetic and dialogue but the flaws didn’t keep me from having fun with this extra dimensional adventure.
Taking notes from fellow Avenger Iron Man the story begins with an enthralling event that takes place in a remote desert but quickly jumps back in time to tell the prologue which introduces the audience to the shining kingdom of Asgard and its various champions. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) son of Odin is heir to the throne but is an arrogant overeager and ill-tempered rogue whose aggressive antics threaten a shaky truce between his people and the frost giants of Jotunheim one of the universe’s many realms. Odin (played with aristocratic boldness by Anthony Hopkins) enraged by his son’s blatant disregard of his orders to forgo an assault on their enemies after they attempt to reclaim a powerful artifact banishes the boy to a life among the mortals of Earth leaving Asgard defenseless against the treachery of Loki his mischievous “other son” who’s always felt inferior to Thor. Powerless and confused the disgraced Prince finds unlikely allies in a trio of scientists (Natalie Portman Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings) who help him reclaim his former glory and defend our world from total destruction.
Individually the make-up visual effects CGI production design and art direction are all wondrous to behold but when fused together to create larger-than-life set pieces and action sequences the collaborative result is often unharmonious. I’m not knocking the 3D presentation; unlike 2010’s genre counterpart Clash of the Titans the filmmakers had plenty of time to perfect the third dimension and there are only a few moments that make the decision to convert look like it was a bad one. It’s the unavoidable overload of visual trickery that’s to blame for the frost giants’ icy weaponized constructs and other hybrids of the production looking noticeably artificial. Though there’s some imagery to nitpick the same can’t be said of Thor’s thunderous sound design which is amped with enough wattage to power The Avengers’ headquarters for a century.
Chock full of nods to the comics the screenplay is both a strength and weakness for the film. The story is well sequenced giving the audience enough time between action scenes to grasp the characters motivations and the plot but there are tangential narrative threads that disrupt the focus of the film. Chief amongst them is the frost giants’ fore mentioned relic which is given lots of attention in the first act but has little effect on the outcome. In addition I felt that S.H.I.E.L.D. was nearly irrelevant this time around; other than introducing Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye the secret security faction just gets in the way of the movie’s momentum.
While most of the comedy crashes and burns there are a few laughs to be found in the film. Most come from star Hemsworth’s charismatic portrayal of the God of Thunder. He plays up the stranger-in-a-strange-land aspect of the story with his cavalier but charming attitude and by breaking all rules of diner etiquette in a particularly funny scene with the scientists whose respective roles as love interest (Portman) friendly father figure (Skarsgaard) and POV character (Dennings) are ripped right out of a screenwriters handbook.
Though he handles the humorous moments without a problem Hemsworth struggles with some of the more dramatic scenes in the movie; the result of over-acting and too much time spent on the Australian soap opera Home and Away. Luckily he’s surrounded by a stellar supporting cast that fills the void. Most impressive is Tom Hiddleston who gives a truly humanistic performance as the jealous Loki. His arc steeped in Shakespearean tragedy (like Thor’s) drums up genuine sympathy that one rarely has for a comic book movie villain.
My grievances with the technical aspects of the production aside Branagh has succeeded in further exploring the Marvel Universe with a film that works both as a standalone superhero flick and as the next chapter in the story of The Avengers. Thor is very much a comic book film and doesn’t hide from the reputation that its predecessors have given the sub-genre or the tropes that define it. Balanced pretty evenly between “serious” and “silly ” its scope is large enough to please fans well versed in the source material but its tone is light enough to make it a mainstream hit.
Danny Bonaduce and Emmanuel Lewis proved that their 15 minutes of fame is far from over.
The David Spade comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star, which boasts cameos from Bonaduce and Lewis as well as Barry Williams, Dustin Diamond, Leif Garrett and Corey Feldman, took in a not-so-stellar $7 million* this weekend--just enough to edge past the lackluster competition to the top of the box office.
Last week's box office topper, Jeepers Creepers 2, lost more than half its opening draw and placed second this week with a humbling $6.7 million, while Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl anchored itself in third place with a swaggering $5.5 million.
The family remake Freaky Friday followed close behind the swashbuckling tale with a far-out $5.1 million, while the '70s-inspired cop actioner S.W.A.T. rounded out the Top Five with an arresting $4.6 million.
The supernatural thriller The Order, whose biggest omen was not screening for the press, debuted in sixth place with a sinful $4.3 million.
This dismal weekend, the Top 12 films grossed an ESTIMATED $50.8 million, down a whopping 37 percent from last weekend, when they grossed $81.6 million. The Top 12 movies were also down 14 percent from this time last year when they took in $59.1 million.
On a brighter note, the comedy American Wedding, which dropped out of the Top Ten this week, became the 20th film released in 2003 to cross the $100 million mark with its $2.1 million take.
THE TOP TEN
Paramount Picture's PG-13 rated comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star debuted at the top of the box office this weekend with $7 million at 2,026 theaters. Its $3,455 per theater average was the highest of any film playing wide this weekend.
In the film, Dickie Roberts, a child star grown up into a 35-year-old has-been, decides to rent a family for a month to experience the childhood he never had--and land the part of a lifetime.
Directed by Sam Weisman, it stars David Spade, Jon Lovitz, Alyssa Milano, Doris Roberts, Craig Bierko and Mary McCormack.
MGM's R rated Jeepers Creepers 2, last week's box office topper, came in second with an ESTIMATED $6.7 million (-56%) in its second week in 3,124 theaters (unchanged; $2,150 per theater average). Its cume is approximately $27.4 million.
Directed by Victor Salva, it stars Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Garikayi Mutambirwa and Lena Caldwell.
Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated success story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl climbed a notch to third in its ninth week with an ESTIMATED $5.5 million (-31%) at 2,203 theaters (-24 theaters; $2,497 per theater). Its cume is approximately $282 million.
Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday slipped two spots to take the No. 4 position in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $5.1 million (-45%) in 2,973 theaters (-94 theaters; $1,715 per theater). Its cume is $97.2 million.
Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon.
Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. dropped one place to No. 4 in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-45%) in 2,600 theaters (-181 theaters; $1,769 per theater). Its cume is approximately $108.8 million.
Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox's R rated supernatural thriller The Order debuted in sixth place with an ESTIMATED $4.3 million in 1,975 theaters with a $2,182 per theater average.
In the movie, a renegade priest investigates an unexplained murder in a secret Order that has existed within the Church for centuries and discovers there is a fate worse than death.
Directed by Brian Helgeland, it stars Heath Ledger, Benno Furmann and Shannyn Sossamon.
Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range fell two notches to come in seventh in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $4 million (-50%) in 2,268 theaters (+24 theaters; $1,764 per theater). Its cume is approximately $49.1 million.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon.
Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit dropped two spots to finish in the No. 8 position in its seventh week with ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-44%) in 2,573 theaters (+17 theaters; $1,425 per theater). Its cume is approximately $109.6 million.
Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper.
New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason also slipped two places to No. 9 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $3.1 million (-55%) in 2,505 theaters (-424 theaters; $1,267 per theater). Its cume is approximately $78.2 million.
Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger.
Rounding out the Top Ten is MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls, which dropped one spot to 10th in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $2.4 million (-42%) in 2,031 theaters (-135; $1,206 per theater). Its cume is approximately $33.5 million.
Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
Last year's top three included: Twentieth Century Fox's PG-13 rated teen thriller Swimfan, which opened with $11.3 million in 2,855 theaters ($3,966 per theater average); the indie sleeper My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which came in second in its 21st week of release with $10.3 million at 1,695 theaters ($6,119 per theater); and Warner Bros.' R rated thriller City by the Sea, which debuted in third place with $8.9 million in 2,575 theaters ($3,470 per theater average).
Even though the pickings were slim at the box office this weekend, scary movies continued to be all the rage, with Jeepers Creepers 2 leading the top 12 films to a record-breaking $101 million weekend haul, beating the 2001 Labor Day record of $94 million.
With a four-day total of $18.5 million*, horror sequel Creepers 2--about a wily, winged monster who feeds on hapless teenagers--far outshined its predecessor, which took in $15.8 million over the four-day Labor Day weekend in 2001. And it also made it clear there could only be one horror flick at the top, as Creepers 2 knocked the two-week champion, Freddy vs. Jason, off its perch and sent it down several notches to seventh place. Slash that, Freddy and Jason!
Considering that Creepers 2 was the only new film in wide release this weekend, its victory isn't all that surprising. What is surprising is the rest of the top five, where some of this summer's favorite films are back in action.
Moving up a two spots after a month in theaters was Disney's family fare Freaky Friday, which came in at No. 2 with $11.7 million. Police drama S.W.A.T., also in its fourth week, took third place with $10.5 million. The far-from-cursed Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl also moved up two places to steal fourth at $10.2 million, tying with the wild west saga Open Range, which roped in the same amount.
THE TOP TEN
MGM's R-rated Jeepers Creepers 2 debuted in the top spot with an ESTIMATED $18.5 in 3,124 theaters. Its $5,922 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week.
The sequel follows a group of varsity basketball players, cheerleaders and coaches who are returning home from a championship game and become stranded on a dark road. They eventually become victims of the Creeper's final voracious feeding frenzy.
Directed by Victor Salva, it stars Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Garikayi Mutambirwa and Lena Caldwell.
Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday laughed its way up two spots to take No. 2 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $11.7 million (-2%) in 3,067 theaters (+9 theaters; $3,815 per theater). Its cume is $90 million.
Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon.
Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. dropped just one place to No. 3 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $10.5 million (-22%) in 2,781 theaters (-423 theaters; $3,776 per theater). Its cume is approximately $102.4 million.
Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez.
While films generally wane after a few weeks on the charts, Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated success story Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl gained momentum, shimmying up two spots to fourth place in its eighth week with an ESTIMATED $10.2 million (+9%) at 2,227 theaters (-177 theaters; $4,580 per theater). Its cume is approximately $274.4 million.
Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
In a tie with Pirates of the Caribbean, Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range also came in with an ESTIMATED $10.2 million (-18%) in its third week in 2,244 theaters (+81 theaters; $4,545 per theater). Its cume is approximately $42.9 million.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit also gained a spot to finish in the No. 6 position in its sixth week with ESTIMATED $8.15 million (+4%) in 2,556 theaters (+22 theaters; $3,190 per theater). Its cume is approximately $103.7 million.
Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper.
New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason got whacked down to seventh place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $8.12 million (-50%) in 2,929 theaters (-85 theaters; $2,774 per theater). Its cume is approximately $73.4 million.
Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger.
Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated martial arts actioner The Medallion dropped considerably from fifth to eighth place in its second week with an ESTIMATED $5.7 million (-45%) at 2,652 theaters (+4 theaters; $2,149 per theater). The Jackie Chan-starrer has earned approximately $16.3 million so far.
Directed by Gordon Chan, it stars Jackie Chan, Lee Evans and Claire Forlani.
MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls slipped one spot to ninth in its third week with an ESTIMATED $5.2 million (-26%) in 2,166 theaters (-329; $2,419 per theater). Its cume is approximately $30 million.
Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear.
Rounding out the Top Ten is Dimension Films' PG-13 rated comedy My Boss's Daughter, which held onto tenth place for the second week with an ESTIMATED $4.5 million (-28%) in 2,206 theaters (+5 theaters; $2, 057 per theater). Its cume is approximately $11.6 million.
In the film, a young executive housesits for his boss and tends to his prized pet owl in hopes of skipping a few rungs on his way up the corporate ladder.
Directed by David Zucker, it stars Ashton Kutcher, Tara Reid, Molly Shannon and Andy Richter.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
The box office grosses this Labor Day weekend were up 10.8 percent from the same weekend last year, when the total take was $91.2 million.
Last year's top three included: Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which held onto the No. 1 spot in its fifth week of release with $17 million at 3,437 theaters ($4,959 per theater average); the indie film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which finally got an expanded release after 20 weeks in release and came in second with $11.1 million at 1,619 theaters ($9,147 per theater); and Sony's PG-13 rated actioner xXx, which dropped to third in its fourth week with $10.3 million in 3,536 theaters ($3,707 per theater average).
Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees teamed up this weekend to defend their No. 1 title at the box office--and it worked: Freddy vs. Jason managed to murder the competition for the second week in a row with $13.4 million*.
Freddy vs. Jason was followed by the '70s inspired police pic S.W.A.T., which claimed the No. 2 spot with $10.8 million, while the Western Open Range and the family remake Freaky Friday tied for third place with $9.4 million apiece. The Jackie Chan martial arts actioner The Medallion, the only one of this week's new wide releases to crack the Top Five, followed with $8.2 million.
The two new comedies, however, failed to tickle the fancy of moviegoers. The finally released, two-year-old Ashton Kutcher laffer My Boss's Daughter premiered in tenth place with $5 million while the hip-hop comedy Marci X disappeared off the charts with a paltry $865,000.
Although Freddy vs. Jason dropped off significantly from its $36.4 million high last week, it is the first summer film since X2: X-Men United to spend two weekends in a row at the top of the box office. But after a full month of $30 million plus openers, the box office lost its typical end of summer steam.
This week's Top 12 films grossed a total of $86.1 million, down a little more than 35 percent from last week, when they earned $132.6 million. The total, however, was up almost 33 percent form this time last year, when the Top 12 films grossed $64.8 million.
THE TOP TEN
New Line Cinema's R rated horror flick Freddy vs. Jason defended its No. 1 title for the second week in a row with an ESTIMATED $13.4 million (-63%) in 3,014 theaters (unchanged). Its $4,463 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week. Its cume is approximately $61.4 million.
Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger.
Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated S.W.A.T. retained in its No. 2 spot in its third week with an ESTIMATED $10.8 million (-40%) in 3,204 theaters (-16 theaters; $3,371 per theater). Its cume is approximately $88 million.
Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez.
Buena Vista's R rated Western Open Range also held on to third place in its second week with an ESTIMATED $9.4 million (-33%) in 2,075 theaters (+88 theaters; $4,346 per theater). Its cume is approximately $29 2 million.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon.
Buena Vista's PG rated family remake Freaky Friday tied for third place in its third week with an ESTIMATED $9.4 million (-30%) in 3,058 theaters (+79 theaters; $3,074 per theater). Its cume is $74.5 million.
Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Sony Pictures' PG-13 rated martial arts actioner The Medallion premiered in fifth place with an ESTIMATED $8.2 million at 2,648 theaters, with a $3,097 per theater average.
The film, Jackie Chan's first theatrical release in three years without a famous co-star, revolves around a Hong Kong detective who must protect a Buddhist monk child and a mysterious medallion from a ruthless crime lord.
Directed by Gordon Chan, it stars Jackie Chan, Lee Evans and Claire Forlani.
Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13 rated fantasy pic Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl remained strong in sixth place in its seventh week with an ESTIMATED $7.3 million (-20%) at 2,404 theaters (-306 theaters; $2,500 per theater). Its cume is approximately $261 million.
Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
Universal Pictures' PG-13 rated equestrian drama Seabiscuit gained a spot to finish in the No. 7 position in its fifth week with ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-22%) in 2,534 theaters (+72 theaters; $2,500 per theater). Its cume is approximately $93.1 million and headed for the $100 million mark.
Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper as three down-and-out men who find fame and fortune in an equally down-and-out racehorse.
MGM's PG-13 rated riches-to-rags tale Uptown Girls dropped three rungs to place eight in its second week with an ESTIMATED $5.6 million (-50%) in 2,495 theaters (unchanged; $2,244 per theater). Its cume is approximately $22.3 million.
Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear.
Universal Picture's R rated teen comedy American Wedding fell two spots to finish ninth in fourth week with an ESTIMATED $5.7 million (-34%) at 2,467 theaters (-518 theaters; $2,260 per theater). Its cume is $90.6 million.
Directed by Jesse Dylan, it stars Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Thomas Ian Nicholas.
Rounding out the Top Ten is Dimension Films' PG-13 rated fowl comedy My Boss's Daughter, which debuted in tenth place with an ESTIMATED $5 million in 2,201 theaters with a $2,272 per theater average.
In the film, a young executive housesits for his boss and tends to his prized pet owl in hopes of skipping a few rungs up the corporate ladder.
Directed by David Zucker, it stars Ashton Kutcher, Tara Reid, Molly Shannon and Andy Richter.
OTHER OPENINGS
Paramount Pictures R rated hip-hop comedy Marci X opened to a disappointing $875,000 in 1,200 theaters with a $721 per theater average.
In the film, a New York Jewish socialite is forced to take over a hard-core hip-hop label and deal with a controversial rapper whose record is gaining some negative publicity.
Directed by Paul Rudnick, it stars Lisa Kudrow, Damon Wayans, Richard Benjamin, Christine Baranski and Jane Krakowski.
Fox Searchlight's R rated teen drama Thirteen, meanwhile, opened in five theaters to an impressive $112,213 with a $22,443 per theater average.
The movie focuses on an innocent, pigtailed 13-year-old who enters junior high with a promising future ahead of her, until she falls in with the ultra-popular, hottest girl in school and is introduced to a world of sex, drugs and misdemeanors.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, it stars Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed.
Miramax Film's PG-13 rated comedy The Battle of Shaker Heights, winner of the 2002 Project Greenlight competition developed by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, also opened in limited release this week. The film took in $52,000 in 5 theaters with a $10,400 per theater average.
Set in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, the film is about a teenage World War II buff and battle re-enactor, Kelly Enswiler, who is encouraged by a new friend to take on the school bully.
Directed by Kyle Rankin and Efram Potelle, it stars Shia LaBeouf, Kathleen Quinlan, Amy Smart and Shiri Appleby.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
Last year's top three included: Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which reclaimed the No. 1 spot in its fourth week of release with $14.2 million at 3,453 theaters ($4,137 per theater average); Sony's PG-13 rated actioner xXx, which dropped to second place its third week with $13.2 million in 3,517 theaters ($3,770 per theater average); and Dimension's Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, which came in third in its third week with $7.5 million at 3,307 theaters ($2,295 per theater).
Movie audiences weren't afraid of a little blood and gore this weekend; on the contrary, they were compelled to find out who won the ultimate monster battle.
Freddy vs. Jason, which pits A Nightmare of Elm Street's steely-fingered Freddy against Friday the 13th's machete-wielding Jason, simply slaughtered the box office competition, debuting at No. 1 with a head-splittin' $36.4 million* and shoving last week's headliner, the police-drama S.W.A.T., down to second place with $18.6 million.
Combining the two horror franchises turned out to be a brilliant idea, generating more opening box office dollars than either individual series has seen lately. The last Friday the 13th installment, Jason X, debuted in 2002 at $6.6 million, while the last Elm Street chapter, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, opened in 1994 at $6.6 million as well.
"[Freddy vs. Jason] worked because it's a brand new series. It's an original movie with name recognition," Russell Schwartz, head of domestic marketing for New Line Cinema told The Associated Press. "We took it seriously and didn't turn it into Scary Movie. Not that it doesn't have humor, but we didn't want to go too campy."
Oscar-winning Kevin Costner's western saga Open Range premiered at No. 3 with a respectable $14.1 million, making it the second best opener of Costner's last five movies. Only the romantic Message in a Bottle topped Range's figure when it opened in 1999 at $16.7 million. Other recent Costner vehicles haven't fared as well: Dragonfly took $10.2 million, 3,000 Miles to Graceland $7.1 million, Thirteen Days $46,688 and For Love of the Game $13 million.
The body-switching comedy Freaky Friday took fourth place with $13.1 million, while the girl-powered Uptown Girls debuted in the fifth spot with $11.2 million. Other newcomers this week included the skateboarding laffer Grind, which premiered with a measly $2.6 million, and the underground comic book indie American Splendor, which debuted in limited release and took in $156,000.
Overall, box office grosses were up, up, up this weekend, nearly 4 percent from last weekend and a whopping 34 percent from the same weekend last year.
THE TOP TEN
New Line Cinema's R-rated horror fest Freddy vs. Jason spooked its way to the top spot with an ESTIMATED $36.4 million in 3,014 theaters. Its $12,085 per theater average was the highest of any movie playing wide this week.
Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees leaves the cozy confines of Camp Crystal Lake for Elm Street, where he meets his most dangerous adversary yet--A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger. But this town only has room for one slasher.
Directed by Ronny Yu, it stars Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger.
Sony Pictures' PG-13-rated S.W.A.T. dropped from the top spot to No. 2 in its second week with an ESTIMATED $18.6 million (-50%) in 3,220 theaters (+18 theaters; $5,776 per theater). The film, revolving around a newly trained S.W.A.T. team, has garnered $70 million so far.
Directed by Clark Johnson, it stars Colin Farrell, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez.
Buena Vista's R-rated Open Range moseyed into third place in its opening weekend with an ESTIMATED $14.1 million in 2,075 theaters, taking in an average of $6,795 per theater.
In the film, a posse of "freegrazers"--rogue cowboys who drive their own cattle--runs into trouble in prairie town run by a kingpin rancher.
Directed by and starring Kevin Costner, it also stars Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Diego Luna and Michael Gambon.
Buena Vista's PG-rated Freaky Friday fell a couple of spots to No. 4 in its second week with an ESTIMATED $13.1 million (-41%) in 2,979 theaters (+25 theaters; $4,397 per theater). Its cume is $57.9 million.
Directed by Mark Waters, it stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Chad Michael Murray and Mark Harmon.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
MGM's PG-13-rated Uptown Girls giggled all the way to No. 5 in its premiere weekend with an ESTIMATED $11.2 million in 2,495 theaters ($4,489 per theater).
In this riches-to-rags tale, the daughter of a late rock-and-roll star gets a rude awakening when all her money is embezzled and she has to take a job as the nanny to a very uptight 8-year-old girl.
Directed by Boaz Yakin, it stars Brittany Murphy, Dakota Fanning, Donald Faison, Marley Shelton and Heather Locklear.
Buena Vista Pictures' PG-13-rated fantasy actioner Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl collected more booty, slipping to sixth place in its sixth week of release with an ESTIMATED $8.5 million (-35%) at 2,710 theaters (-460 theaters; $3,137 per theater). Its cume is approximately $247.9 million.
Directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, it stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
Universal Picture's R-rated comedy American Wedding plummeted four spots to seventh in its third week with an ESTIMATED $8.16 million (-47%) at 2,985 theaters (-210 theaters; $2,735 per theater). Its cume is $80.6 million.
Directed by Jesse Dylan, it stars Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Thomas Ian Nicholas.
Universal Pictures' PG-13-rated drama Seabiscuit fell three notches to No. 8 in its fourth week, taking in an ESTIMATED $8.12 million (-32%) in 2,462 theaters (+34 theaters; $3,300 per theater). Its cume is approximately $83 million.
Directed by Gary Ross, it stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper as three down-and-out men who find fame and fortune in an equally down-and-out racehorse.
Dimension Films' PG-rated Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over dropped three spots to No. 9 in its fourth week with an ESTIMATED $5.2 million (-46%) in 3,003 theaters (-385 theaters; $1,745 per theater). Its cume is approximately $96.8 million.
Written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, it stars Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara, Sylvester Stallone, Salma Hayek and Ricardo Montalban.
Sony Picture's R-rated buddy actioner Bad Boys II continued to move down the list to take 10th place in its fifth week with an ESTIMATED $3.2 million (-47%) at 1,785 theaters (-664 theaters; $1,793 per theater). Its cume is approximately $128.8 million.
Directed by Michael Bay, it stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jordi Molla, Gabrielle Union and Peter Stormare.
OTHER OPENINGS
Warner Bros.' PG-13-rated Grind opened with an ESTIMATED $2.6 million in 2,253 theaters ($1,161 per theater).
Four free-wheelin', skateboarding buddies head cross-country to try to get into a pro-skateboarding demo tour.
Directed by Casey La Scala, it stars Mike Vogel, Adam Brody, Vince Vieluf, Joey Kern and Jennifer Morrison.
Fine Line's R-rated American Splendor debuted in limited release with an ESTIMATED $156,000 in 6 theaters ($26,000 per theater).
In this true story, hospital administrative clerk Harvey Pekar goes from rags to (relative) riches with his homegrown autobiographical comic book series, American Splendor.
Directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman, it stars Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis and Harvey Pekar.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
The Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $132 million, up 33.2 percent from last year's take of $99.1 million. The Top 12 films were also up 3.6 percent from last weekend when they grossed $127.4 million.
Last year's top three included: Sony's PG-13-rated actioner xXx, which stayed in first place its second week in a row with $22.1 million in 3,388 theaters ($6,526 per theater average); Buena Vista's PG-13 rated sci-fi thriller Signs, which held on to second place for two consecutive weeks with $19.3 million at 3,344 theaters ($5,790 per theater average); and Universal Pictures' PG-13-rated Blue Crush which opened in third with $14.1 million in 3,002 theaters ($4,720 per theater).
Finally a movie about drugs that has a light and refreshing change of pace even if the story doens't always add up. It starts in 1971 as Elmo McElroy (Samuel L. Jackson) gets caught smoking pot in his car after graduating from pharmacy school at the top of his class. Jumping ahead to present day the master chemist (OK so is he now supposed to be in his 50s?) is now working his magic for a particularly nasty-looking drug lord known as The Lizard (Meat Loaf)--and McElroy wants out. He thinks he's found a way when he creates a new designer drug--or a "personal visit from God " as he calls it--and goes to England to make the deal of a lifetime. Of course the road to riches has a few speed bumps along the way. First he meets local Liverpool hood Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle) who hates all things American and who is suppose to take the kilt-wearing Elmo to his boss to make the $20 million deal. Then there's deadly assassin Dakota (Emily Mortimer) who hates all things English and who is hired by the Lizard to bring Elmo (and the drug formula in Elmo's head) to him. The fact that Felix and Dakota used to be a hot item until she dumped him to go to America is just another interesting facet of this tangled web. Elmo with the eventual help of Dakota and Felix outsmarts the increasing number of people who want to get a hold of the drug's formula--and has the last laugh.
Jackson once again commands the screen. He really is at his best when he's playing the charismatic smooth talker with more than a hint of malice in his eyes like he did so tremendously in Pulp Fiction. Although he's not really a bad guy in Formula 51 he still infuses Elmo with the same arrogant confidence. The only drawback is the fact Jackson is too much a fish-out-of-water with the colorful British characters he encounters. Elmo's reasons for going to England and eventually staying there never make much sense and Jackson's performance doesn't shed any light. Carlyle on the other hand is truly in his element playing the cocky American-hating Felix who spends most of the film trying to get tickets to a huge football match (that's soccer to us Yanks). He and Jackson play off one another fairly well but not as electrically as he and Mortimer (Lovely & Amazing) do. Not only does the actress convincingly play a ruthless assassin who can kill just about anything that moves she and Carlyle just click. Even though Dakota wants to leave the minute she steps back into England you know she's not going to without Felix this time. Meat Loaf is adequately repulsive while Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) does a nice turn as a rival drug dealer.
This is yet another movie released more than a year after it was made. After being released in England as 51st State its U.S. release date was pushed back a number of times which usually spells trouble. But the film directed by Chinese director Ronny Yu (Bride of Chucky) has a premise that grabs you right away and little quirks that make it work. Why does Elmo wear a kilt throughout the film? Apparently just because and he also carries around golf clubs for the heck of it or in case he's attacked by a gang of skinheads. Without such oddities once you got the gist of the story the rest of the film would just be a silly romp through a drug world. There's a wacky scene between Felix and another hood (Paul Barber Carlyle's cohort in The Full Monty) where a miscommunication means a guy gets stuffed into the back of a trunk. Then there's Ifans' drug dealer who gets an occasional yoga lesson from an obese black man telling him to find his "center." Funny stuff. The rest of the plot you could give a miss but it's worth seeing for all the perks. | {
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The choice for California’s Superintendent of Public Schools is a crucial one. It’s shameful that our great state ranks 45th in the nation. Our schools badly need change, and our children deserve so much better.
That’s why we need proven and effective education leader Marshall Tuck as our next Superintendent of Public Schools, an office which holds tremendous power over the performance of our education system.
Please forward this video to your friends and share it on every social media account you have! We need to get the word out that there is hope to turn around California’s schools, and Marshall Tuck is the candidate who can do it. I hope you agree. | {
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Nejc Polovsak remade a REWORK illustration (original at right) in 3D. It was an hour from concept to finished design. He writes, “I think it’s a good habit to start making things as soon as you get the idea, take an hour and start working on it. Usually when you just write it down in your to-do list it never gets done and usually the excitement is never so intense as the first time. So just start and create/design/do stuff already.”
Anonymous Coward
Nejc is so right. It’s all about the ‘flow’ you get when the idea strikes. Nothing else matters. Just the idea. Then you work on it.
It’s possible when you have and/or give autonomy over what you do. I’ve just read ‘Drive’ by Daniel H. Pink- it is so much in line with what you guys at 37signals do. It’s a real pleasure to learn from you.
Looks actually like a bad example for the point he is trying to make. If he took more time to plan a little and make his mind up, he would have considered making the color of the shield green and not red, and to make the pole more “unrusty” so it a) doesn’t look like an “Anti-Anti-Smoking Ad” and b) is more “driving”. | {
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Condense vs D-Pol vs Muscle Marinade?
Hey folks, just wanted to ask a quick question. What're the main differences between the three? Condense, D-Pol powder and Muscle Marinade?
I know that Condense and Marinade are both pre-workouts, and I've taken marinade before (got a free sample with an online order), but I saw that D-Pol is also an N.O booster.
Muscle Marinade was GREAT, even with the 1 serving size sample. I got an amazing pump, and killed every set and every rep. Loved it. Taste great too,
Condense, I haven't had a chance to try yet due to being a full time student working a part time job paying truck payment, truck insurance, phone bill and medical insurance. Along with normal student life.
D-Pol, I'm not too certain whether its an actual "pre-workout" per se, but with the N.O boost, I wouldn't see why not.
I'm extremely, extremely stimulant immune. I've taken 3 scoops of Jack3d and taken a nap with 2 hours. I've taken 4 scoops of C4 and done the same. So, in short, I don't really care how much of a stimulating effect something has...because I won't experience it, unfortunately.
On the plus side, I seem to be pretty reactive to N.O. boosters. Like I said, with Muscle Marinade I took 1 serving and my veins were popping like crazy and I felt like my muscles were pummmmped with blood.
dude... ur really pinning 3 great pwo
i guess its would be prefferance and ur routine.
I was just trying to figure out which one has the best N.O. response, since I'm immune to stimulants. I know marinade is great. But before I spend a chunk of change, I just wanted to get some ideas and opinions, ya know?
Hey folks, just wanted to ask a quick question. What're the main differences between the three? Condense, D-Pol powder and Muscle Marinade?
I know that Condense and Marinade are both pre-workouts, and I've taken marinade before (got a free sample with an online order), but I saw that D-Pol is also an N.O booster.
Muscle Marinade was GREAT, even with the 1 serving size sample. I got an amazing pump, and killed every set and every rep. Loved it. Taste great too,
Condense, I haven't had a chance to try yet due to being a full time student working a part time job paying truck payment, truck insurance, phone bill and medical insurance. Along with normal student life.
D-Pol, I'm not too certain whether its an actual "pre-workout" per se, but with the N.O boost, I wouldn't see why not.
I'm extremely, extremely stimulant immune. I've taken 3 scoops of Jack3d and taken a nap with 2 hours. I've taken 4 scoops of C4 and done the same. So, in short, I don't really care how much of a stimulating effect something has...because I won't experience it, unfortunately.
On the plus side, I seem to be pretty reactive to N.O. boosters. Like I said, with Muscle Marinade I took 1 serving and my veins were popping like crazy and I felt like my muscles were pummmmped with blood.
Overall, which would be the most effective for me? Thanks guys.
Dpol is sodium based DAA (test booster) + nitrates
MM has DMAA + amino acids and creatine but has no nitrates
Condense doesn't have 1,3 or creatine but does have nitrates.
3 very different products. If your very stim tolerable I'd recommend Muscle Marinade.
2 scoops of condense is 400 mg caffeine so you could go that way also. Personal preference bud.
Purus labs Rep
doin it mountain dog style in here come along for the shred fest-http://anabolicminds.com/forum/workout-logs/229302-danbs-mountain-dog.html
I was just trying to figure out which one has the best N.O. response, since I'm immune to stimulants. I know marinade is great. But before I spend a chunk of change, I just wanted to get some ideas and opinions, ya know?
So Muscle Marinade hasn't been reformulated? I thought with the FDA ban DMAA was removed from MM? Do the ones available online still have DMAA in it or was it reformulated? I prefer the ones with DMAA, and MM seems to be the last PWO with DMAA on the market right now, don't want to order something that doesn't have that DMAA in it.
So Muscle Marinade hasn't been reformulated? I thought with the FDA ban DMAA was removed from MM? Do the ones available online still have DMAA in it or was it reformulated? I prefer the ones with DMAA, and MM seems to be the last PWO with DMAA on the market right now, don't want to order something that doesn't have that DMAA in it.
DMAA hasn't been removed as of yet....
Hardcore Purus Labs {Rep}Lift the fücking weight from the floor, or leave it on the ground. The thoughts are supposed to be daunting. The pain is meant to be tormenting.ANABOLIC MINDS SITE REP
Hey folks, just wanted to ask a quick question. What're the main differences between the three? Condense, D-Pol powder and Muscle Marinade?
I know that Condense and Marinade are both pre-workouts, and I've taken marinade before (got a free sample with an online order), but I saw that D-Pol is also an N.O booster.
Muscle Marinade was GREAT, even with the 1 serving size sample. I got an amazing pump, and killed every set and every rep. Loved it. Taste great too,
Condense, I haven't had a chance to try yet due to being a full time student working a part time job paying truck payment, truck insurance, phone bill and medical insurance. Along with normal student life.
D-Pol, I'm not too certain whether its an actual "pre-workout" per se, but with the N.O boost, I wouldn't see why not.
I'm extremely, extremely stimulant immune. I've taken 3 scoops of Jack3d and taken a nap with 2 hours. I've taken 4 scoops of C4 and done the same. So, in short, I don't really care how much of a stimulating effect something has...because I won't experience it, unfortunately.
On the plus side, I seem to be pretty reactive to N.O. boosters. Like I said, with Muscle Marinade I took 1 serving and my veins were popping like crazy and I felt like my muscles were pummmmped with blood.
Overall, which would be the most effective for me? Thanks guys.
Have you taken Enhanced.. You will not be disappointed with that I can say with confidence
We're pretty close to the same size. I'm extremely stim tolerant and 2 scoops is way more than enough for me. I usually stick to 1.5
You know that's funny because 1 scoop I'm wired and just set in the zone, like I said time and time again, the good dose of betaine and the nitrates really does a bang up just getting in your system quick and being utilized.
Yeah I know, I'm just glad I found a pre that gives me the kinda boost I need (being a stim junkie).
BTW, I asked the online purchaser (I won't reveal it here) where I bought the MM whether it still had DMAA in it, and he mailed me back saying that it was a new version WITHOUT the DMAA in it. This is what caused the confusion as to whether Purus reformulated it after the ban. But when I received the tub it had DMAA listed in the ingredients (as 2-amino- etc.,). Were they just being safe by denying it was in the product or were they genuinely unaware? Did Purus discontinue the product officially?
There are plenty of PWO's with DMAA. I dont think that dmaa alone is what makes MM so potent. There has to be more to MM. so when ever DMAA is banned and subbed in MM I dont expect muscle marinade to be weaker....... matter a fact a reformulation of MM might be even stronger.
The number of DMAA products is dwindling but still out there. We will definitely keep the intensity of MM in a reformulation. The stimulants are just sweet sweet icing on a formula that is packed with proven ingredients.
The number of DMAA products is dwindling but still out there. We will definitely keep the intensity of MM in a reformulation. The stimulants are just sweet sweet icing on a formula that is packed with proven ingredients.
For sure... can't beat the daily dose of creatine...
Hardcore Purus Labs {Rep}Lift the fücking weight from the floor, or leave it on the ground. The thoughts are supposed to be daunting. The pain is meant to be tormenting.ANABOLIC MINDS SITE REP
There are plenty of PWO's with DMAA. I dont think that dmaa alone is what makes MM so potent. There has to be more to MM. so when ever DMAA is banned and subbed in MM I dont expect muscle marinade to be weaker....... matter a fact a reformulation of MM might be even stronger.
DMAA is on the way out. New stronger stims come out everyday.
Most of the major PWO's with DMAA have been reformulated--Jack 3D, Hemorrage, 1 MR to name a few. Yes the original versions are still available, but they have been discontinued after the ban. | {
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} |
Purpose :
To describe the clinical utility of molecular genetic analysis in the diagnosis or exclusion of suspected corneal dystrophies.
Methods :
Slit lamp examination and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed on a 52 year old female referred for evaluation of bilateral corneal stromal opacities. After informed consent was obtained, genomic DNA was collected, and PCR amplification and cycle sequencing of all 17 exons and exon-intron boundaries of TGFBI were performed.
Results :
Slit lamp examination demonstrated bilateral discrete anterior stromal opacities, which were also demonstrated by OCT to be confined to a single plane in the anterior corneal stroma. While the appearance of the opacities was consistent with granular corneal dystrophy, they were located in only the temporal cornea in a crescentic pattern, sparing the central cornea. This pattern, the late onset and the absence of a family history were atypical of GCD. Screening of TGFBI did not reveal a pathogenic mutation, excluding GCD1 and other TGFBI-related corneal dystrophies as the cause of the observed corneal phenotype. The patient was subsequently referred for evaluation to exclude paraproteinemic keratopathy, which identified chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as the potential systemic cause of the corneal findings.
Conclusions :
Paraproteinemic keratopathies may present with phenotypic similarities to a variety of corneal dystrophies. Genetic testing, which is available for most corneal dystrophies, provides the clinician with a definitive means of differentiating between inherited and acquired disorders.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016. | {
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4A 1B
Ask any parents about their proudest moments, definitely be their children.
Rasa happy dan bangga dia semacam. Its hard for me to blend it into words tapi m sure if a dad or mommy reading this, ‘you’ would understand eh 🙂
On the same note, my entire family was enormously grateful and bersyukur as our first son got his UPSR results semalam.
He got 4As and 1Bs. Alhamdulillah…God is oft Giving Most Merciful…
Note to Miza (our firstborn just incase she will read this) – Ibu knows you scored better in your UPSR results 3 years ago and brings you where you are today, but sharing Abang Ngah’s success is somehow different because we both know ‘how’ he was years ago. Remember last year when one of his monthly exams he got the last position in his class? It broke my heart really but trying not to show it to him and I motivated him instead. As his mom, I ‘see’ his talent. Hidden only Allah knows where.. but giving up on him was NEVER an option to me and all of us. He ‘delayed’ his desire to study to only quite recently and somehow manage to catch up..)
So B, you and abang ngah, or Sarah or Syaza or even Ajin Piji are the reasons why I am here. His success is definitely yours and yours is definitely his… Let us all be happy and cherish the happy moments.. | {
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…with frequent whatnot
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I won’t be writing much for a while; need to take care of more important things. I hope to come back to it at some point, if I feel there’s something worth saying, but we’ll see. I’ll leave the old stuff up though, at least for now.
Thanks to the readers who’ve added to the site with their typically very good comments, especially Matt, Harold, Clem and Dave. I don’t have a lot of commenters, but the ones I do have have been great–and I would not have it any other way.
Jim
Note: Just after writing this post, I’d decided to inactivate the blog, and the only way to do that without deleting it, is to make it private, requiring a password. Somehow, right at that time there came an inexplicable flood of views of my posts related to both tree rings and ebola spread–far more than is normal. This stuff is months to years old now, but whatever. So I’m leaving all posts visible. Furthermore, there are probably some pretty important things I still need to express in writing, but we’ll see what time and energy allows on that.
Thanks Clem. Yeah Harold owes me one for the way the Bruins demolished the Wings this spring. 🙂 However, I fear that the Almighty him, her or itself, could not salvage what the Tiger bullpen is capable of mangling.
“maybe Harold will pull for the Tigers now…”
It’s funny, I approached the playoffs without any real favorites / dis-favorites (is that a word? I mean a team like the Yankees which I would want to lose). As I watched, I found I was generally rooting for the historically-less-successful teams – must be some kind of subconscious “underdog” appeal.
So far:
ALWC: favored Oakland (from “Moneyball”, perhaps, or all the Red Sox alumni) — nope
NLWC: favored Pittsburgh — nope
ALDS: Balt — yes (sorry Clem)
ALDS: KC — yes
NLDS: Wash – nope
NLDS: StL — yes
Which makes me a perfect 50%.
At this point, hoping for KC-StL World Series. KC should have Don Denkinger throw out the first ball.
When the Tigers went down in flames, as even I predicted they would (you CANNOT win in the playoffs without a bullpen Dave Dombrowski), I actually enjoyed the fact that we have entirely new blood in the ALCS, and two franchises with some real nice history no less, and both worthy. The Tigers had their opportunities; time for a change. And I love the style of the Royals, being the “small ball” proponent that I am, and I think Showalter might be the best skipper in the game. So it’s all good in the AL.
In the NL, I’ve had enough of the Giants and Cardinals (Sorry Clem!!) although I much respect both. But they’ll put on a good series I’m pretty sure. I think the Giants and Royals would be a super-entertaining WS.
To be clear, it wasn’t that I picked the Royals to beat the Angels, just that I was rooting for them. As you say, new blood and an exciting brand of small-ball. [I seem to recall that when Scioscia was new at the Angels, they were also of this character. I don’t think of them in that way any more. I suppose it’s natural that as you rely more on highly-paid sluggers, it makes less sense to take risks to “manufacture” runs.]
Especially after last year’s Red Sox-Tiger series, the Detroit bullpen meltdown must have been tough for fans to see. Unless the starter can go 9 — which seems less and less common each year — you need at least one reliable arm in the bullpen. Preferably two, or even three. In the regular season, an extra starter may be worthwhile, but in the playoffs the bullpen has greater leverage.
It was nice to see a couple of the lower-paid teams get into the playoffs (as shown here, although the numbers may be a little out of date). Unfortunately, those were the two wild-card losers.
Harold – Yes! Deckinger throwing out the first ball would be a great idea if it does turn into a Hwy 70 series. And the first game would be in KC…
Jim – no worries, I have a thick enough skin for this. Now that it is St Louis vs San Francisco it has to break the tie between the two for number of WS appearances (both are now tied for second behind the Yankees at 19 appearances in the Fall Classic).
Well, that is sad. It was always nice to come to a blog with interesting and often humorous posts and none of the invective that often infects others with a climate interest. On the other hand, my two blogs have been more or less moribund the last year and sometimes you do just have to take care of more important things. Take care. | {
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
I know this is probably a huge surprise, but it will really be quite lovely to see this guy go:
Instead of giving the companies blanket immunity, as the Senate would do, the House proposal was understood to give the federal courts special authorization to hear classified evidence and decide whether the phone companies should be held liable.
But the president said that this approach “could reopen dangerous intelligence gaps by putting in place a cumbersome court approval process that would make it harder to collect intelligence on foreign terrorists” and could lead, he said, to disclosure of state secrets.
In a statement yesterday, 19 Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee questioned the administration’s arguments.
“We have concluded that the administration has not established a valid and credible case justifying the extraordinary action of Congress enacting blanket retroactive immunity as set forth in the Senate bill,” they said.
Some 40 lawsuits are pending in federal courts, charging that by cooperating with the eavesdropping program put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the phone companies violated their responsibilities to customers and federal privacy laws. | {
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Leather Girl Kelley Gives Old Rawhide Products New Life
Kayrene Kelley, better known as Leather Girl Kelley, embraces the old adage that one person's trash is another person's treasure and that even the most weathered and battered of materials can be transformed into something chic.
The artist crafts all of her accessories, including belts, watches jewelry, and handbags, from recycled leather which she hand-crafts in her studio in Oregon. After several years of learning how to manipulate leather, the artist decided to make a more valiant effort to reduce as much waste in the construction process as possible.
Kelley now relishes in breathing a second life into old leather and creating fashionable and functional accessories while reducing waste. | {
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Search for the best Hospitality Jobs
Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience.
Reflecting the consistently great reviews earned on TripAdvisor and actually ranked 4th among the hotels and resorts of the Emirate, Radisson Blu Resort Fujairah has been selected for the 2016 Certificate of Excellence for Superior Service.
"With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honors hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travelers”, said Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor. “This recognition helps travelers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travelers feel more confident in their booking decisions.”
The Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travelers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.
About Radisson Blu:
Radisson Blu is one of the world’s leading brands with more than 290 hotels in operation in 62 countries. It is also Europe’s largest upper upscale brand. Radisson Blu’s vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality is characterized by a unique Yes I Can!SM service philosophy, and all of its first class hotels offer a range of signature features that are empathetic to the challenges of modern travel, including the 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Distinguished the world over as the HOTELS DESIGNED TO SAY YES!TM, Radisson Blu offers a vivid visual celebration of leading-edge style where the delight is in the detail. Radisson Blu properties are located in prime locations and in major cities, airport gateways and leisure destinations across the world.
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor® is the world's largest travel site**, enabling travellers to plan and book the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers advice from millions of travellers, and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features, with seamless links to booking tools that check hundreds of websites to find the best hotel prices. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 340 million unique monthly visitors***, and 350 million reviews and opinions covering 6.5 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 48 markets worldwide.
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PORNO Gallery
Santa fucks naughty elf
Help and Support Report Abuse Contact Us FAQ Webmaster tools. Сохранить Добавить 3 naughty Elfs к своим плейлистам: Come back daily for more porn always free and fresh right at your fingertips. A story in verse. Login or Sign Up. Dear Santa, Good, Bad, or Naughty? | {
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As a mum in town with a child needing to go the toilet at short notice, or myself for that matter, I am that gutted you have pulled down the Queen St toilets that were clean every time we have used them.
We redirected ourselves to the nearest toilet in the Farmers car park, which was absolutely disgusting to say the least. The toilet was horrible, the liquid soap was out and the hand dryer not working, let alone the fact it stank to high heaven and my daughter didn't want to use it but had to do so to avoid an accident.
I have also used the toilet near the picture theatre in Kinross St and it, too, was unclean so this was not just an isolated incident.
I want to make the council aware that these facilities are used a lot, especially since they took away the only decent clean toilet block, and they need cleaning more than they are in a day if the self-cleaning is not working.
Being a ratepayer I expect this for our children, elderly and myself, who want to use a clean toilet in town. It's not a hard ask - please get it sorted as soon as possible.
JACQUIE BUGLER
Blenheim A good deal
I am advised that Lee Mason emailed you querying the French Pass road rate [online comments, Express, September 12].
The position is that there is a French Pass road charge of $99 per property to fund the sealing of the road between Matapehe hill and French Pass. It continues until June 30, 2015. This is matched by a subsidy from all the other ratepayers in Marlborough dollar for dollar.
Given who is funding roading as discussed, this subsidy is coming from Blenheim, the Plains and Picton ratepayers so the people who live down there are getting a very generous deal.
Like the paid experts supporting King Salmon, Mr Smith lives at a safe distance. The Sounds are not his spiritual headquarters.
The irony is that the Marlborough Sounds would not be under attack had they not been managed and preserved by the people of Marlborough.
Little surprise then that Mr Smith weighs in mid-inquiry. After four years on the Treasury benches, with disappointingly little in the way of growth initiatives, the Government is after the "low hanging fruit" in the name of attracting offshore capital.
Mr Smith is a forceful and articulate advocate, but in my view his position is not always a balanced one.
Robust science implies certainty and clearly the implications for the environment of the proposed salmon farms are hotly debated: to the point that King Salmon queries the motives of those who rebut the science commissioned by it in the pursuit of commercial gain.
We know science can become too tightly focused, losing sight of the big picture. It is no more than a smoke screen to dress up this inquiry simply as a growth v anti-growth science fest, when in reality it's about deciding the future character and exploitation of the Sounds.
While the outcome of this inquiry may not establish a precedent in a strict legal sense, it will have emasculated the long settled and democratic process of regional stewardship.
ANDREW JOHNS
Fairhall
Muslim protests
There are many points that could be made about the current hullabaloo over Muslim reaction to the latest insult to their prophet that has emanated from the West. One point which needs to be made, and which I have yet to see mentioned, is the unbalanced nature of this trade in insults.
For Jews or Christians of ill-will, it is nothing to insult the prophet Mohamed. There is no mention of him in any of their scriptures; he can be reviled and insulted at no spiritual cost to themselves.
In contrast, Islam, being the most recent of the three great religions of the Book to be established, incorporates what its followers believe to be the most important elements of its two predecessors. As such, in the Islamic scriptures, the prophets of the Old Testament and Jesus are mentioned with honour and reverence.
There is no way for Muslims to offer a riposte in kind to the insults their prophet receives from Jews and Christians. For a Muslim to insult Moses, Abraham or Jesus would be blasphemy and an affront to their own beliefs.
Unable to respond with similar desecrations of Jewish and Christian holy books, crude cartoons and U-tube clips, how should they protest the repeated affronts to their religion with which their culture and their sense of identity is so closely bound up?
HUGH STEADMAN
Blenheim
Possum poisoning
In response to Steve Walker's letter (Express September 13) I would like to clarify that we do attempt to provide hunters with opportunities to trap and poison possums in our reserves well before poison operations are undertaken so they can make use of the fur “resource” as he describes it.
We advise all possum hunters who obtain permits of the opportunity to control possums in areas coming up for 1080 control, prior to the work being undertaken.
With the Ship Cove operation the local Basically Bush fur buyer was also advised of the opportunity to trap possums in the Ship Cove Historic Reserve area, in order for him to pass this information on to his clients controlling possums.
To my knowledge no-one has taken up this opportunity. Our observation is the majority of possum hunters seek locations closer to town where the country is easier, more accessible and costs less fuel or does not require a boat to travel
Mr Walker seems to have an intimate knowledge of Ship Cove. He would therefore know most of the inaccessible parts of the reserve where possums nest are around the scrubby coastal margins as well as large patches of kiekie, not that easy to get through. While there is a track at Ship Cove much of the coverage area has no tracks at all.
We do not drop poison from the air in a haphazard manner as he claims. Mr Walker's emotive use of the words "heavy losses” of birds is not correct. There are no kea or bush robins present at Ship Cove.
I would also like to point out there are more weka killed and maimed by possum trappers laying their traps on the ground and by dogs, than native birds killed by 1080 control operations in the Sounds. In the past fortnight we have had four birds brought in to the office with broken beaks and legs. I am happy to share the results of radio tracked and monitored weka in this and other reserves in the Sounds following possum control operations.
I hope this clarifies the situation for your fair minded readers.
ROY GROSE
Sounds area manager
Department of Conservation
Conscience votes
Colin King's observation ["A matter of conscience", Express, September 12] of the unusual and unexpected things that can happen when Members of Parliament are given a free conscience vote is worth comment.
It seems to me that a free vote forces MPs to confront their conscience, which then leaves them little choice but to obey it. This is exactly the proper way for an elected representative to serve. It should happen with every vote, yet it is rare.
STEPHEN YEALANDS
Blenheim
Blood donations
Last Thursday I collapsed and was taken to Wairau Hospital by two very pleasant and efficient ambulance men.
There, after tests, I was diagnosed with a very low blood count and spent the next 12 hours receiving four units of blood. The result is amazing - once again I feel alive and active.
I write now to extend my grateful thanks to the doctors and nurses who looked after me during this short stay and especially thanks to the four people who each donated a pint of blood for my recovery.
Blood is vital and I urge all physically fit people who are not on medication, to donate just a pint of their blood to make people like me feel alive again.
There is nothing to it. I did it for years and have certificates of appreciation for it. Don't delay, do it today. | {
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Football - Bees swoop for Crawford
Barnet have completed the signing of Harry Crawford from non-league Dartford.
The 21-year-old striker has signed a three-year deal at Underhill, just six months after joining Dartford following his release from Southend.
Director of football Paul Fairclough told Barnet's website: "Harry Crawford is a young player who I have monitored closely this season because he is a talented forward who already has experience in the Football League.
"It would have been irresponsible of Barnet Football Club to not take notice of a player who lives locally and has the goalscoring record in the Conference Premier that he has.
"A player of this quality in the Conference would command a lot of money but we have captured Harry for free.
"His potential is huge and under the guidance of Edgar Davids and his management team I believe they can make him a complete player during his time here.
"He has agreed a three-year contract with us and during that time we expect him to work extremely hard to make a name for himself at the club and in the Football League." | {
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A man's got to know his limitations
When I was in the Navy, a large part of my job was to provide daily briefings to a senior officer. Very often that senior officer was of flag rank (an Admiral or a General). It is the job of intelligence guys to keep an eye on things and make sure that the decision makers had the latest information. That usually took the form of a daily briefing. Intelligence is a 24/7 business, and so I would have a team working overnight to prepare a briefing every morning at, say 0700. I usually ended up giving the briefings, because the average enlisted guy doesn’t want to stand up in front of the “big brass”.
Now, this is a leadership “two-fer”. First, you get to take credit with your team for “taking the bullet” and being the one to stand up in front of the man, give the briefing and fielding the hard questions. Second, you can use this as an opportunity for giving credit where credit is due.
Few things can be more frustrating for a team than when the boss takes all the credit for the team’s work. This has happened to you, I’ll bet. You come up with an idea. The idea is shot down. And then two weeks later, your boss repeats that idea right back to you as if he thought it up. Or you find out later that he told his boss your idea as if it were his own. Good leaders have strong egos and don’t need to steal ideas. Instead, if they pass the idea up the chain, they go out of their way to give you credit for it.
Thus when giving those morning briefings, I never passed up an opportunity to give credit where credit was due. I often tried to work in phrases like “As a result of the excellent analysis done by Petty Officer Johnstone….” or “I don’t know, General, but I know that Chief Lyle has the answer.” This went a long way. My team (who was sitting in the back of the room) could see clearly that I knew they were doing good work and that I didn’t want to take credit for what they had done.
Some people might hesitate to do this because they think that they look bad if they don’t know everything themselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. The most effective leaders are the ones that nurture and develop effective people. By giving credit where credit is due, you show that your entire team (led by you, remember) is up to the task. Your team sees that their work is appreciated and recognized. They see their boss standing up for them and promoting them. This engenders loyalty, trust, and more hard work.
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General Disclaimer
The views I express here are entirely my own and not necessarily those of any other rational person or organization. However, I strongly recommend that you agree with pretty much everything I say because, well, I'm right. Most of the time. Except when I'm not, in which case, you shouldn't agree with me. | {
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Leadership
Who We Are & What We Do
We are your totally groovy, absolutely awesome and unusually intelligent 2017-2018 ASCLS-Idaho Board of Directors. We are just a bunch of regular people who have a passion for the lab and anything ASCLS. We pinky promise to do our best to keep you informed of educational opportunities, legislative issues and any totally fun activities going on this year. We…along with some amazing committee members…will work to pull together a stunning convention, informative symposium and a relaxing retreat. We are also committed to bringing the Idaho laboratory community together so we can provide a face for our profession. So, take a minute and get to know us. Drop us a note, if you’d like, and let us know how we are doing and how we can better meet your needs. After all…we are working for you!
Click on each icon below to learn more about our leaders and their responsibilities.
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Other state chapters include Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.
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TORONTO - Canada declared a chemical widely used in food packaging a toxic substance on Saturday and will now move to ban plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A.
The toxic classification, issued in the Canada Gazette, makes Canada the first country to classify the chemical commonly used in the lining of food cans, eyeglass lenses and hundreds of household items, as risky.
"Many Canadians...have expressed their concern to me about the risks of bisphenol A in baby bottles," Environment Minister John Baird said in a statement. "Today's confirmation of our ban on BPA in baby bottles proves that our government did the right thing in taking action to protect the health and environment for all Canadians."
Canada's announcement came six months after its health ministry labeled BPA as dangerous. Health Minister Tony Clement said a report on bisphenol A has found the chemical endangers people, particularly newborns and infants, and the environment, citing concerns that the chemical in polycarbonate products and epoxy linings can migrate into food and beverages.
Baby bottles frequently contain BPA, used to harden plastic and make it shatterproof.
Several U.S. states are considering restricting BPA use, some manufacturers have begun promoting BPA-free baby bottles, and some stores are phasing out baby products containing the chemical. Wal-Mart Canada and other major retailers in Canada in recent months have begun removing BPA-based food-related products such as baby bottles and sipping cups from store shelves.BPA Toxic, Canada To Ban Baby Bottles With It - AP | {
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ÿþInitially previewed last week, official imagery of this forthcoming adidas yeezy Nike Air VaporMax is finally revealed. This latest pair joins alongside the burgundy/... and dark grey versions of the newly-introduced sneaker, which is scheduled to debut later this season. Sporting a blend of white flyknit with grey/... threading near the forefoot and heel the overall colorway is reminiscent of an Oreo-like theme. Other notable details include ... dynamic flywire cables, translucent Swooshes and matching white laces. Finally, it s topped off with the new full-length VaporMax sole unit.With its retail price listed at $190, this pair is suggested to drop later during Summer 2017.Stay tuned to KicksOnFire for further updates.
Air Max Day may have come and gone, but Nike will never stop releasing Air Max sneakers. One of the latest that we take a look at today is the Air Max 1, which continues to ... its 30th anniversary.This Air Max 1 is of the Ultra 2.0 variety and adidas nmd features a textile construction on the upper making it sturdy and durable. Even the inner liner and tongue are made out of the same textile material. The majority of the shoe comes covered in Armory Navy with Sail accents on the Swoosh and midsole. Other details include a Fresh Mint visible Max Air adidas nmd og heel unit and a gum rubber outsole for that lifestyle appeal. Grab yours at select retailers this Spring.
The combination of adidas Equipment archival models and modern technology of Primeknit and Boost has paid off and then some for adidas. The highlight of the hybrid collective of sorts has been the adidas EQT Boost 93/17 that takes the iconic shape of the EQT Support 93 to task but updates it with lightweight Primeknit, premium suede on the medial side, and what could be the largest dose of Boost we ve seen yet on a lifestyle model in the shape and style of the original EQT. The EQT adidas nmd r1 womens Boost 93/17 is returning on March 23rd in a clean combination of white mesh to contrast a head-turning array of stripes on the medial side while that popular Turbo Red shade returns to liven thinks up on the heel. What do you think of the latest modernization of the lauded EQT franchise? Grab your pair from select shops and on adidas come March 23rd and stay tuned for more adidas Originals release updates right here on Sneaker News.
adidas Originals introduced the Stan Smith Boost not too long ago, as the iconic classic silhouette was updated with the added benefit of the brand s most sought after cushioning system while keeping the premium smooth leather upper unchanged. Of course, we ve already seen a Primeknit version too, but there s still nothing like an original. That s why we re such a fan of this recently released adidas Stan Smith featuring a simple white upper with a faux-snakeskin texture that s subtle enough to be a go-to in your weekly rotation. Throw in a canvas duck camouflage pattern on the heel for a slight contrast, and you have one of the better Stan Smith colorways to release in quite some time.
adidas has been flourishing mightily over the last year all thanks to the success of their classic and new adidas nmd runner product. Stan Smiths and Superstars have been holding down the fort on the retro front, while dazzling new icons like the adidas Ultra Boost and NMD shoes have become fixtures in casual wear and the fastidious sneaker culture. While Kanye West s name will never be mentioned by data ... simply due to the lower production number of his shoes, the one known as Yeezy brought with him the droves of fans who are far more style-conscious than the average consumer. All this has led to adidas stock rising 67% adidas yeezy over the last year, according to Yahoo! Finance (via @readdanwrite).
ÿþInitially previewed last week, official imagery of this forthcoming adidas yeezy Nike Air VaporMax is finally revealed. This latest pair joins alongside the burgundy/... and dark grey versions of the newly-introduced sneaker, which is scheduled to debut later this season. Sporting a blend of white flyknit with grey/... threading near the forefoot and heel the overall colorway is reminiscent of an Oreo-like theme. Other notable details include ... dynamic flywire cables, translucent Swooshes and matching white laces. Finally, it s topped off with the new full-length VaporMax sole unit.With its retail price listed at $190, this pair is suggested to drop later during Summer 2017.Stay tuned to KicksOnFire for further updates.
Air Max Day may have come and gone, but Nike will never stop releasing Air Max sneakers. One of the latest that we take a look at today is the Air Max 1, which continues to ... its 30th anniversary.This Air Max 1 is of the Ultra 2.0 variety and adidas nmd features a textile construction on the upper making it sturdy and durable. Even the inner liner and tongue are made out of the same textile material. The majority of the shoe comes covered in Armory Navy with Sail accents on the Swoosh and midsole. Other details include a Fresh Mint visible Max Air adidas nmd og heel unit and a gum rubber outsole for that lifestyle appeal. Grab yours at select retailers this Spring.
The combination of adidas Equipment archival models and modern technology of Primeknit and Boost has paid off and then some for adidas. The highlight of the hybrid collective of sorts has been the adidas EQT Boost 93/17 that takes the iconic shape of the EQT Support 93 to task but updates it with lightweight Primeknit, premium suede on the medial side, and what could be the largest dose of Boost we ve seen yet on a lifestyle model in the shape and style of the original EQT. The EQT adidas nmd r1 womens Boost 93/17 is returning on March 23rd in a clean combination of white mesh to contrast a head-turning array of stripes on the medial side while that popular Turbo Red shade returns to liven thinks up on the heel. What do you think of the latest modernization of the lauded EQT franchise? Grab your pair from select shops and on adidas come March 23rd and stay tuned for more adidas Originals release updates right here on Sneaker News.
adidas Originals introduced the Stan Smith Boost not too long ago, as the iconic classic silhouette was updated with the added benefit of the brand s most sought after cushioning system while keeping the premium smooth leather upper unchanged. Of course, we ve already seen a Primeknit version too, but there s still nothing like an original. That s why we re such a fan of this recently released adidas Stan Smith featuring a simple white upper with a faux-snakeskin texture that s subtle enough to be a go-to in your weekly rotation. Throw in a canvas duck camouflage pattern on the heel for a slight contrast, and you have one of the better Stan Smith colorways to release in quite some time.
adidas has been flourishing mightily over the last year all thanks to the success of their classic and new adidas nmd runner product. Stan Smiths and Superstars have been holding down the fort on the retro front, while dazzling new icons like the adidas Ultra Boost and NMD shoes have become fixtures in casual wear and the fastidious sneaker culture. While Kanye West s name will never be mentioned by data ... simply due to the lower production number of his shoes, the one known as Yeezy brought with him the droves of fans who are far more style-conscious than the average consumer. All this has led to adidas stock rising 67% adidas yeezy over the last year, according to Yahoo! Finance (via @readdanwrite). | {
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What About Dental Discount Plans?
Dental plans are different from dental insurance, a fact that can be easy for consumers to overlook. Dental plans (also known as dental discount plans or dental referral plans) are different from dental insurance. Though it's possible to have both, most people have only one or the other.
These plans are essentially discount clubs. You pay a monthly or yearly membership fee and get a discount on your dental work from participating dentists. (This discount can vary greatly, but is often around 1/3.) Unlike with insurance, there are no claims forms for you or your dentist to fill out.
While most people who have dental insurance are insured through their employer, this not always the case with dental discount plans. Individual dental discount plans tend to be competitive with employer plans. | {
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Persistent homology of the logistic map : an exploration of chaos
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Given a discrete sampling of points, how can one reconstruct the underlying geometric object? Further, the question arises how can one discern between noise and sampling distortion and important topological features. Algebraic and topological techniques used computationally can prove to be powerful and currently unconventional tools to understand the "shape" of data. In recent years, persistent homology has been explored as a computational way to capture information regarding the longevity of topological features of discrete data sets. In this project, the persistent homology of functions is ...(For more, see "View full record.") | {
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Let's All Knit: Why You'll Love It, How to Get Going AND Free Patterns Just for You
Did you know that roughly one third of women between the ages 25 of 35 now knit or crochet? This month, Apartment Therapy teamed up with a bunch of talented knitters — like KOEL Magazine and Flax & Twine — to bring you a rich mix of informative posts about this useful and meditative craft, including resources and original patterns. If you've never picked up knitting needles before, this is a great time to start.
Did you realize just how good knitting is for your mind and body? As we recover from angst-filled 2016, Rachel Jacks of DIY in PDX tells us exactly why the act of knitting will restore your faith in humanity — or at least your own well-being.
First, need a little inspiration? Irene Hoofs, founder of Bloesem and the recently launched KOEL Magazine, shares images from her home (featuring tons of super stylish knitted decor!) and answers some of our burning questions about her crafty life.
Not sure how to go about getting started? Rachel shares all her best tips for seeking out help when you finally decide to give knitting a whirl. Hint: you're not in it alone, by any stretch of imagination.
If you like large scale projects, Associate Editor Katie Holdefehr introduces us to arm knitting. No needles needed —just some chunky yarn and a couple of free appendages. The result is all big impact and drama, but in a good way.
And lastly, Anne Weil of Flax & Twine has another original pattern, just for you. Her storage basket, made with fun chunky yarn, is a versatile and decorative item that can house any number of things at home. | {
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Anna Ewers Joins Theo James for BOSS Fragrance Ad
September 21, 2016
BOSS the Scent for Her perfume campaign starring Anna Ewers and Theo James
Hugo Boss‘ new fragrance, BOSS the Scent for Her, taps German model Anna Ewersand British actor Theo James for the campaign. Photographed by Guy Aroch, the good looking pair share an intimate pose while the blonde stares into the camera’s lens. James is also the face of BOSS the Scent campaign for men, where he co-stars alongside Natasha Poly.
The scent is described as a floral and fruity perfume with notes of honeyed peach, freesia bloom, osmanthus flower & roasted cocoa. As well as the print advertisement, BOSS also launched a film for the fragrance. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the forty-five second clip tells a seductive story set to The Weeknd’s ‘High for This’.
————————————–
Behind the Scenes Images:
Theo James and Anna Ewers get up close and personal in BOSS the Scent for Her campaign | {
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Ads.txt: Adopt or Be Blocked
Publishers who don’t implement ads.txt are being blacklisted by the buy side.
Publishers who don’t implement ads.txt are being blacklisted by the buy side. Our advice? Implement it now so you don’t have problems later.
Get started in 3 minutes!
Implementing ads.txt is simple. Watch this 3 minute video to learn how to do it.
What exactly is ads.txt?
The IAB has taken an active role to help prevent bad actors from tricking buyers into purchasing fake impressions. Ads.txt is a method available on desktop and mobile web for publishers to declare the companies they authorize to sell their digital inventory. By creating a public record of Authorized Digital Sellers, it helps to prevent counterfeit inventory and to improve transparency.
Why publishers should participate in ads.txt
Some publishers are still dragging their feet when it comes to implementing ads.txt. It’s pretty obvious that if you can take steps to ensure your revenue is protected, you should do it. Moreover, the entire digital advertising industry benefits when domain spoofing and other types of fraud are eliminated. So, what’s going on?
Francis Turner of Media Post chalks it up to a lack of understanding about the initiative and tech teams that haven’t prioritized the implementation. He also summarizes that publishers think it’s difficult to do and that implementing ads.txt might reduce inventory demand.
In fact, ads.txt is easy to implement, and it doesn’t cut legitimate inventory, only the fake stuff. If you’ve got the real thing, there’s no reason to worry about supply / demand impacting the monetization of your site.
Moreover, the ads.txt initiative is a market effort to reduce domain spoofing. By declaring who should be selling what, it promotes transparency and will help the industry get rid of the bad actors in the digital advertising ecosystem. Major corporations like CBS, Hearst, Meredith, NYTimes, TimeWarner, Disney, and Univision have posted an ads.txt file in their domain, and adoption is accelerating quickly. (A month after the IAB released their specs, GetIntent found that only 1.2% of publishers had implemented it, but AdOps Insider estimated that by September 16, that number had grown to 13%.)
Smart strongly recommends that all publishers participate in it. In short, there are three main advantages for publishers:
-Protect your brand and your revenue by preventing bad actors from spoofing your domains.-Reassure advertisers on your inventory quality and authorship to allow them to buy with confidence.-Reassure advertisers on your inventory quality and authorship to allow them to buy with confidence.
If you haven’t already implemented ads.txt, we encourage you to do it as soon as possible. It’s easy and quick. Getting this done before the Q4 rush starts will ensure you earn as much revenue as possible.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. For more information about the cookies we use, we invite you to read our Corporate Privacy Policy.OkPrivacy policy | {
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The Town of Woodbridge will hear a proposal for the establishment of a dog park in the Chestnut Tree encl ...
The Town of Woodbridge will hear a proposal for the establishment of a dog park in the Chestnut Tree enclosure at the Fitzgerald Fields on Beecher Road. A public meeting to discuss the dog park propo ...
The Woodbridge Human Services Department needs sponsors to participate in the Adopt-A-Family Program. This program provides holiday food baskets for the December holidays to Woodbridge families in ne ...
From the Director Jeanette Glicksman: The new school year means alarm clocks, early breakfast and homewo ...
From the Director Jeanette Glicksman: The new school year means alarm clocks, early breakfast and homework for many families, but for those of us now living without school-aged children it means scho ...
Back to School Bethwood Bash on Friday, September 15th Woodbridge and Bethany 7th and 8th grade residents ...
Back to School Bethwood Bash on Friday, September 15th Woodbridge and Bethany 7th and 8th grade residents only (including private school students) are invited to the Back to School Bash on Friday, Sep ...
As the end of summer approaches, mosquitoes and ticks are the last to call it “quits” for the season. In ...
As the end of summer approaches, mosquitoes and ticks are the last to call it “quits” for the season. In fact, both are still quite active and will be until the first sustained frost (3 days or more) ...
As the summer comes to an end, I would like to update you on several activities and initiatives. I conti ...
As the summer comes to an end, I would like to update you on several activities and initiatives. I continue to welcome your input and ask you to get in touch should you have questions or ideas you wo ...
During the early morning hours of Saturday, September 9, United Illuminating will be conducting system te ...
During the early morning hours of Saturday, September 9, United Illuminating will be conducting system testing at its Allings electrical substation in West Haven to maintain the reliability of its ene ...
Motorists on Center Road may have noticed some construction taking place at the south side of the Woodbri ...
Motorists on Center Road may have noticed some construction taking place at the south side of the Woodbridge Police Department this week. The town is replacing the radio communications tower with a n ...
As the plants and grasses are growing and expanding in what used to be a tightly trimmed golf fairway, di ...
As the plants and grasses are growing and expanding in what used to be a tightly trimmed golf fairway, disagreement has sprouted among some in town whether and how the town should maintain the former ...
A picture perfect July day was the backdrop for the Swearing-in Ceremony of Woodbridge’s new First Select ...
A picture perfect July day was the backdrop for the Swearing-in Ceremony of Woodbridge’s new First Selectman Beth Heller and all incoming board members. Several hundred residents and state dignitarie ...
I am so pleased to begin my term as your First Selectman, and would like to update you on several activit ...
I am so pleased to begin my term as your First Selectman, and would like to update you on several activities and initiatives. As I settle in and get started on the work ahead, I want to be sure you k ...
Starting July 29, the Town of Woodbridge will require all dog owners to keep their canine companions on a ...
Starting July 29, the Town of Woodbridge will require all dog owners to keep their canine companions on a leash whenever they are on public land, including the town’s parks and hiking trails. Exempt ...
Guns and other weapons will no longer be allowed on Town-owned property or in Town buildings in accordanc ...
Guns and other weapons will no longer be allowed on Town-owned property or in Town buildings in accordance with a new ordinance passed unanimously by the Woodbridge Board of Selectmen at iys June mont ...
From the Director – Jeanette Glicksman With the onset of higher temperatures be mindful of the elderly, t ...
From the Director – Jeanette Glicksman With the onset of higher temperatures be mindful of the elderly, the very young, and people with chronic health problems who are most at risk during a heat wave. ...
People have become very wary about chemicals in the products they use. Understandably, as chemical use s ...
People have become very wary about chemicals in the products they use. Understandably, as chemical use should be employed with caution and education. However, there are times when using chemicals ca ...
Before my election to the Board of Selectmen, I spent 20 years serving on the Woodbridge Conservation Com ...
Before my election to the Board of Selectmen, I spent 20 years serving on the Woodbridge Conservation Commission, where my mission was to protect the natural resources of our town. As a Selectman for ...
Fri
09/29/2017
moderate rain
About the Woodbridge Town News
The Woodbridge Town News is the only newspaper mailed FREE to every home in Woodbridge, and the only newspaper mailed FREE to every business in Woodbridge and Bethany.
Letters Policy
Submit your letters for our “From Our Readers” section to:Woodbridge Town News
P.O. Box 1126
Orange, CT 06477
Or email your letter to: [email protected]
Please limit letters to 500 words and include a daytime phone number in case we have any questions. Letters must be exclusive to the Woodbridge Town News for publication. We reserve the right to reject any letter. | {
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HOST INFORMATION
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After you have directly contacted the Website Manager or through [email protected] and in no satisfatory response within a period of 60 days, the customer can contact the Mediator of tourism and travel, whose details and terms of entry are available on this website www.mtv.travel | {
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“There are a number of exceptional clarinetists working in the traditional idioms right now, but none of them cut Joe Licari.” --Robert Levin
Joe Licari (b. January 10, 1934, Brooklyn, New York) is an American jazz clarinetist.
Known as an especially “hot” player with an exuberant and always emotive attack, Licari is considered, by critics and peers alike, to be in the front rank of contemporary “classic” jazz musicians.
He is also among the most immediately recognizable. The renowned Bob Wilber, with whom Licari studied for nearly a year, said of him: “You hear the influence of Benny Goodman in his playing…also the Chicago players Frank Teschemacher and Pee Wee Russell, plus the New Orleans clarinetists Johnny Dodds, Sidney Bechet and Jimmie Noone. He has used some of their ideas and rejected others to come up with his own style. To achieve [your own] identity is the goal of all serious [jazz] players. When you hear [Licari’s] clarinet you know it’s him.”
In a 60-year career Licari (who also plays the soprano and alto saxophones) has worked alongside such luminaries as Roy Eldridge, “Wild” Bill Davison, Conrad Janis, Big Chief Russell Moore, Connie Kay, Bob Haggart, Vic Dickenson, Pee Wee Erwin and Doc Cheatham, and with the vocalist Julie Wilson. He’s also appeared in films, on The Today Show, on Jim Lowe’s radio show (eight years), and in venues that have included The Algonquin, Eddie Condon’s, Jimmy Ryan’s and Michael’s Pub (where he was a stand-in for Woody Allen).
In addition to three recordings under his leadership,* Licari has been a featured player on albums by The Red Onion Jazz Band, Julie Wilson, “Big Chief” Russell Moore, Herb Gardner, Dick Voigt’s Big Apple Jazz Band, Jim Lowe, Dorothy Loudon, Betty Comora, The Speakeasy Jazz Babies and The Smith Street Society Jazz Band.
*Haunting Melody (with pianist Larry Weiss), Claril Productions
That’s A Plenty, Claril Productions
Jazz Quartets, Waiting for Katy, Claril Productions
Licari's autobiography, The Invisible Clarinetist (Xlibris, 2004), with a foreword by Bob Wilber, is available from the publisher or directly from Joe Licari at the address below.
Many a terrific hot jazz musician has a smooth side. A sweet tone. A way of
playing that makes you say “Isn't that pretty!” So when inferno-style
clarinetist Joe Licari and one-time incendiary trumpeter and longtime
keyboard stylist Larry Weiss play duets at Palazzo Restaurant the only real
surprise is that subtly swinging is about as far into hot territory as they go.
And you know what? It's far enough!
In fact, the duo is called Swing Time, and what they do is play American
standards beautifully. Gerswhin, Rodgers & Hart-all the classic composers,
movie songs, show songs, some jazz favorites that don't set off any smoke
alarms: these musicians have been in business a boatload of years and they
have absorbed a ton of tunes.
Many a terrific hot jazz musician has a smooth side. A sweet tone. A way of
playing that makes you say “Isn't that pretty!” So when inferno-style
clarinetist Joe Licari and one-time incendiary trumpeter and longtime
keyboard stylist Larry Weiss play duets at Palazzo Restaurant the only real
surprise is that subtly swinging is about as far into hot territory as they go.
And you know what? It's far enough!
In fact, the duo is called Swing Time, and what they do is play American
standards beautifully. Gerswhin, Rodgers & Hart-all the classic composers,
movie songs, show songs, some jazz favorites that don't set off any smoke
alarms: these musicians have been in business a boatload of years and they
have absorbed a ton of tunes.
Weiss, whose gracefully declarative right hand is never overwhelmed by the
quiet authority of his left, has had the pleasure of associating with earlier jazz
greats including Teddy Wilson, Bobby Hackett, Budd Freeman and Vic
Dickenson, at jazz venues such as Eddie Condon's and Jimmy Ryan's, He has
played jazz festivals in this country and England, and he currently freelances
in the NY/NJ metropolitan area with various jazz bands and his own swing
quintet.
From the gorgeous “These Foolish Things” and “Memories of You” (showing
off Licari's lovely legato work) to a nostalgic Over the Rainbow (featuring fine
embellishments by Weiss) to the jaunty “You Took Advantage of Me” and “As
Long As I Live”…there is a certain formula, the same as with any jazz band.
Here it is something like theme articulated, dreamed on, revisited, let go.
These two masterful professionals have played fast and furiously together
over the years but that wouldn't do at Palazzo. Although the talent is still
brilliant, for Swing Time the passion is all heart. | {
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Chikara Ito Highlights Strong Japanese Team at Asian Open
When Para taekwondo makes its Paralympic debut in Tokyo in 2020, there are few fighters that will face as much pressure as Japan’s Chikara Ito. The No. 10-ranked fighter is in Vietnam for the Asian Open this week with the goal of winning a medal.
“I’m just hoping to compete against strong athletes”, Ito tells the IPC. “And to get a medal.”
Ito stormed onto the Para taekwondo scene in 2016 – less than one year after picking up the sport when he lost an arm in a work accident. Nicknamed ‘The Pioneer’, he has blazed a new path for Japan ever since.
He won bronze at the 2016 Oceania Open and then won Japan’s first-ever Para taekwondo gold medal at the 2017 US Open.
Top-ranked Mongolians look to get back on track
If he hopes to top the podium in Vietnam, Ito will have to get past Mongolia’s No. 1-ranked Bolor-Erdene Ganbat (up to 61 kg K44). Ganbat has won all three previous Asian Open events but will be looking for payback after losing to Russia’s Daniil Sidorov* at last year’s IWAS Games – his first-ever loss.
“The first fighter I want to beat is Ganbat”, Ito tells the IPC. “I am looking forward to fighting him because I know how much I can threaten him since we last fought two years ago.”
Mongolia’s other No. 1-ranked world champion Enkhtuya Khurelbaatar (up to 49kg K44) is hoping to defend the Asian titles she won in 2016 and 2017. She was also upset at last year’s IWAS Games, when she dropped a decision to Turkey’s Meryem Betual Cavdar, who has jumped from No. 10 to No. 2 since the win.
Record Numbers at Asian Open
Continuing a trend that has seen the growth of the sport explode in recent years, the 2018 Asian Open will have a record number of participants.
There are 120 fighters from 28 countries registered to compete, 33 percent more than 2017.
Traditional powerhouse countries like Iran (11), Russia (10), and Turkey (9) are all sending large contingents of fighters. They will be joined by fighters from China and Pakistan for the first time.
Japan is also ramping up its Para taekwondo credentials two years before the sport makes its debut at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The country is sending six fighters to Vietnam, a record number.
Chikara Ito – Japan’s Para taekwondo ‘pioneer’
Ito takes his training seriously. Finding it difficult to find competitors to fight in his home of Hakkaido, he moved his young family to Tokyo last year to improve his training options.
He now trains three times a week in taekwondo, with physical training scheduled for his off days. He trains at several gyms to learn different styles and even competes with able-bodied university students to ensure he stays sharp.
It’s all in preparation for his ultimate goal of representing his country at home in 2020.
“For a half year I have been training with the Olympic team to strengthen my physical and technical aspects”, says Ito. “I feel the pressure, but I’m proud to be able to fight. I will do my best as I have more support.”
As host nation, Japan a designated spot in three divisions at the 2020 Paralympic Games. At world No. 10, Ito is currently Japan’s top-ranked Para taekwondo athlete. He hopes to be ranked in the top six by year’s end.
“My dream is to win the 2020 Paralympic Games and help taekwondo become the most famous sport in Japan.”
Spoken as a true pioneer.
*Editor’s note: The International Paralympic Committee suspended the Russia Paralympic Committee on 7 August 2016 for its inability to fulfil its IPC membership responsibilities and obligations, in particular its obligation to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code (to which it is also a signatory). As a result of the suspension, Russian athletes cannot enter IPC sanctioned events or competitions, including the Paralympic Games. | {
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An opaque item for a light source with an inside surface of high polish or luster designed to confine, reflect and redirect light rays in a specific area or direction. Does not include lampholder. For combination guard and reflector, see GUARD, LAMP.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An opaque item for a light source with an inside surface of high polish or luster designed to confine, reflect and redirect light rays in a specific area or direction. Does not include lampholder. For combination guard and reflector, see GUARD, LAMP.
An opaque item for a light source with an inside surface of high polish or luster designed to confine, reflect and redirect light rays in a specific area or direction. Does not include lampholder. For combination guard and reflector, see GUARD, LAMP.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which conforms to Light (1), and is designed to project a concentrated, high intensity beam of light to locate or identify distant objects, and for long range illumination. May include such items as integral controls, lenses, color filters and signaling shutters. Includes items which can be adjusted to function as a FLOODLIGHT, ELECTRIC. See also SPOTLIGHT; FLOODLIGHT, ELECTRIC and LIGHT, SIGNAL.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS.
An item which produces illumination by a reaction between non-toxic, non-caustic chemical solutions. The emitted brightness is a liquid (cold) light (without heat, flame or spark). It is activated by bending the encapsulating material to break seperation. The item is windproof, waterproof and explosion proof. Excludes MARKER, SELF-LUMINOUS. | {
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m.zuiko 14-42mm EZ or 14-42mm II R
This or next week the E-M10 will (hopefully) be in stock here in the Netherlands. I just can't make my mind up about the kitlens:Should I go for the older one, which is just €100 extra, or go for the new pancake version which is €200 extra.
On PCmag I read that the new lens is quite a lot softer at 14mm wide open. Overal it's softer wide open except at 42mm, where its a little bit sharper. I have the 45mm f1.8, so 42mm is not the most important. I prefer better quality at the wide end of the kitlens.
But.. is the difference really that big to go for the older lens?
Most people seem to be buying the new pancake kitlens for the e-m10.. or am I wrong? I ofcourse like the look of the pancake, but I know my primes will be more on the camera, but I do use my kitlens now and then, just a little less. When it's not on the camera, the pancake takes up less space in a bag, so that's also an advantage. | {
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Rumours that President Jacob Zuma was about to resign and take up residence in Dubai - with the assistance of the Gupta family - sent the rand soaring to R12,70 to the US dollar on Monday morning. The president is now besieged not just by opposition parties, but a strong and growing faction within the ANC. The Sunday Times added fuel to this fire with stunning revelations of the extent to which the Guptas had managed to gain control of ministers and state-owned enterprises.
Zimbabwe has become a mafia-run state, where 2,000 super-wealthy elites hold the country to ransom. The Marange diamond field is run by a nest of thieves, where an estimated $20 billion has been pilfered. In a country with 80% unemployment, this sends a clear message to the rest of the country - take the money and run, says Zimbabwean member of parliament Eddie Cross.
Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has just barred SA National Roads Agency (Sanral) - which has summonsed thousands of Gauteng motorists for non-payment of e-tolls - from arguing 55 cases in court. Outa claims the Roads Agency has not followed court procedures and deadlines. Sanral will now have to restart court procedings from scratch. Further complicating matters is the issue of prescription, as some of this e-toll debt is now more than three years old and therefore may not be payable.
The good news is that as of Wednesday 25th May, everything you earn is yours to keep. The bad news is that up until Wednesday, you have been working for the government - and you spent five more days as a slave to government than in 2015. Every year the Free Market Foundation meaures how many days it takes to discharge South Africans' "debt" to government - in other words, how many days you must work to pay off the government's share of GDP.
SA Council of Churches’ Unburdening Panel report provides vital clues to the personnel and sequence of events that resulted in the Guptas' almost unbelievable capture of SA's state-owned companies. They are President Jacob Zuma and then public enterprises minister Malusi Gigaba. Eskom, Denel and Transnet were their prime targets.
We now have a clearer idea of how the Gupta-owned Tegeta got control of the Optimum coal mine from Glencore for a song, using its "special relationship" with Eskom. The deal stinks to high heaven. It involved imposing an impossibly high fine on Glencore for supplying under-sized coal to Eskom, which allowed Tegeta to move in and capture the mine - and resume normal business with Eskom. Former mineral resources minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi was fired by President Jacob Zuma for refusing to co-operate with the elaborate scam. Here's how it went down.
Free speech is under attack by an out-of-control government that seeks to monitor and regulate everything that moves (even sounds out of your mouth). Two of the most appalling pieces of proposed legislation to belly-flop before us are the Hate Speech bill - which makes it a criminal offence to jokingly insult a lawyer or a plumber - and the Information and Communications Technologies Policy white paper, which would create a semi-monpoly owned by the state with control over the radio frequency.
The phrase "climate denier" has come to mean someone who refutes the facts of climate change brought about by humans. But as Scott Adams point out in this article, the climate science believers and deniers are actually talking about two different things. The subject has become so muddied by the word "science" that the term has lost its meaning. There may indeed be climate change - but don't expect science to solve this one.
This is how you end up thinking when you have been too long in a state-owned enterprise. The SA Broadcasting Corporation, faced with plummeting revenue, has proposed that it be allowed to charge license fees on all viewing devices, including your laptop, cell phone and tablet. This absurdity - from a corporation drowning in corruption and incompetence - must be stopped.
Why does South Africa keep embracing destructive policies when there is no shortage of proof that these policies will fail and spread poverty? Could it be that this is intentional, or that ideologues refuse to apprehend the lessons of history? Perhaps it is a bit of both. In this article, Temba Nolutshungu argues that we should heed the lessons of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and China's Deng Xiaoping, all of whom espoused free markets and individual liberty.
Sean Naidoo‚ a business from Marburg near Port Shepstone‚ has accused the Department of Public Works of orchestrating the "first land grab in the new South Africa". This relates to a lease agreement in a building, occupied by the SA Police Services, owned by Naidoo. He locked the Department out of the building, claiming he has been under-paid in terms of the lease agreement.
Be careful what you wish for. SA's opposition parties want Jacob Zuma dislodged as president, but keeping him in power for as long as possible may suit their electoral chances come 2019. The ANC members are having to read the weather vane: if Zuma goes then many jobs are on the line, but if he stays, party loyalists will be roasted for protecting a fatally compromised man. So long as Zuma remains in power, the opposition can mine his failing presidency for all it is worth, reminding voters for the next two years how seriously he has damaged this country. Bloomberg explores how this could play out.
Durban's King Shaka International is an airport in desperate search of passengers. Like most public sector projects of the last 10 years in SA, it ended up costing between two and three times the original estimates. But this one was a corker: it was foisted on Airports Company of SA (ACSA) by then minister of transport, Jeff Radebe, and has lumbered the organisation with crippling debt since then. This crass decision explains some of the other bizarre goings-on at ACSA in recent months. Minority shareholders in ACSA - who have been trying to sell their shares back to government (without success) at something approaching fair value - say the company has abandoned its commercial mandate and now operates as a development arm of government.
The Hate Speech Bill is a ridiculous attempt to protect 17 different categories of perceived victims from insult or injury. Of course, it does not pass the Constitutional test, but perhaps it is not intended to. It allows politicians to indulge their favourite pastime of race-baiting to distract from their own failings. Former Judge Rex van Schalkwyk explains what is going on.
It is reckoned that 100,000 South Africans have lost their homes since the Constitution came into effect in 1995 – despite its guarantees of fair administrative justice and its supposed enforcement of property rights. This outrageous scandal has been enabled by insouciant judges and a court system that operates as the enforcement arm of the banks.
Several people, who have each lost large amounts of money due to Internet banking fraud, are taking their fight to ABSA and Standard Bank – with legal action on the cards. The victims say numerous banking staff members must have been involved. The evidence suggests the crooks knew exactly what funds were available in the victims' accounts, which accounts were linked, and from where money could be transferred.
Tens of thousands of South Africans took to the streets in major cities across the country last week, calling for President Zuma's removal. This follows Zuma's dismissal of finance minister Pravin Gordhan as part of a cabinet reshuffle that resulted in SA's credit being downgraded the junk by credit ratings agencies.
Michael Hudson is a former bank economist whose job it was to work out the balance of payments surplus of South American countries so the major banks could capture this surplus for themselves. In his new book J for Junk Economics, reviewed by Paul Craig Roberts, Hudson explains how banks have become the new "rentier class" that has displaced the feudal lords of old. They produce nothing, but capture rents in the form of interest that have no costs associated with them.
The SA Communist Party, trade union federation Cosatu and leading ANC figures have called for President Zuma to resign following his firing of Pravin Gordhan as finance minister last week. This comes as S&P announced a credit-rating downgrade that left SA on junk status with a negative outlook. Zuma removed Gordhan using a bogus intelligence report to justify the move to ANC officials. He is now appealing to provincial ANC leaders to buttress his support, but the tide has turned against the president, who appears to have grossly misread the public outrage triggered by last week's cabinet reshuffle.
Democracy cannot simply mean voting every five years. Participation is a crucial ingredient that breathes substance into the system. It also breathes legitimacy and longevity into the mandate the government receives every five years. Without the government ensuring meaningful participation, ours is a superficial democracy that, only on paper, is distinguishable from dictatorship.
International investor and author Doug Casey writes that the world is entering the Diamond Age, where nation states will disappear and groups of like-minded people will organise themselves into clans in pursuit of freedom and optimum survival. Far-fetched? Maybe. But the evidence of social atomisation is already visible all around us.
To hell with the rand, the ratings agencies, the people of South Africa. President Zuma is a desperate man with bills to pay trying to stay out of jail. His cabinet "reshuffle" has the fingerprints of the Guptas all over it. He sacked finance minister Pravin Gordhan and put a dandy in his place. No matter that the rand lost 6% this week. Zuma wants a finance minister who will sign the nuclear power stations cheques and green-light all manner of suspect deals. This is now an open declaration of war, and the fight back has begun.
David Rockefeller Sr passed away earlier this month at the age of 101. In death, as in life, he remains the scourge of conspiracy theories the world over. He presided over the shadowy Council for Foreign Relations for decades and is widely assumed to be a key architect in the "deep state" government that survived more than a dozen presidents since World War 2. So who was this man, and what did he really stand for?
After a strong surge in recent weeks, the rand reversed some of its gains as speculation spread that President Zuma intended replacing finance minister Pravin Gordhan. This time, the economic fundamentals for South Africa are on a firmer footing, but the president seems oblivious of the damage his arbitrary policy making causes to the country.
Columnists are the rodent class of journalism. They tell their readers things they already believe. They are expected to take an ideological position and never stray from this. They end up spewing unoriginal, predictable and only mildly controversial ideas.
The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Acts Online. Acts Online accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the article, nor does the information contained herein constitute advice, legal or otherwise. | {
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"When I'm at a Chinese restaurant having a hard time with chopsticks, I always hope that there's a Chinese kid at an American restaurant somewhere who's struggling mightily with a fork."--Rick Budinich
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix milk, water, yeast and sugar, let rest until foamy. Add oil, egg yolks, ginger and 2 cups of flour at a time, mixing well in between. Allow dough to rest 20 min. Cover while resting. Knead well after rest. Cover and allow to raise 1 hour. To braid dough for fancy loaves, take dough the size of softball. Working on a floured counter top, roll dough in for 2 ropes 10 inches long. Press together one end and bringing one rope over the other. Place in a greased loaf pan. If you want to use three ropes, braid together and bring end around making a circle. Place in a round greased baking pan. Beat 1 egg yolk and brush onto dough. Allow to rise uncovered for 40 min in a warm draft free area. Bake at 375º for 45min. (a bit more for the large circle loaf). While bread is baking, mix 3 T. sugar and 1 ½ T. hot water dissolving the sugar. When bread is finished baking, remove from oven and pans and place on a cooling rack with newspaper under racks. While still hot, brush liberally with sugar water glaze. Allow to cool.
Number Of
Servings:
25
Preparation
Time:
About 3-1/2 hours
Personal
Notes:
This was and still is the most beautiful bread to serve at any holiday or special event. See the picture of my proud mother (Ferne Bungart) with her fabulous braided loaves.
*Recipes and photos entered into the Family Cookbook Project are provided by the submitting contributors. All rights are retained by the contributor. Please contact us if you believe copyright violations have occurred. | {
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Simple Southern Lifestyle. Complicated Twenty-Something Year Old.
Tag: mental health
Your mental illness is not the most interesting thing about you, and it shouldn’t be. If you find yourself reaching for your disorders name when trying to define yourself you might want to take a hard look at why you’re doing that. I’ve talked about labels before, and one of my bullet points was about mental illness, but I don’t think that covered the topic fully enough.
You are a complete person, full of dreams, hopes, fears, interests, and memories. A lot of them may be tied into your mental illness. That’s fair, especially if you’re currently fighting it with everything you have. Your mental illness is a part of you, and at times it may be a really big part of you, but it’s still not the most interesting thing about you.
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You don’t need to love yourself before someone can love you, that is something that I hate hearing, mainly because it’s not true, but also because it doesn’t inspire one to love themselves, it just tells them that they are worthless now. The intent behind it is something to talk about though, and that is that you need to take care of yourself sometimes before you get in a romantic relationship. That is true, even if the saying people have made out of it is false and cruel.
You can have successful relationships when struggling with your mental health, there is no question in that, but there needs to be some serious reflection on how your mental health is affecting your actions and also affecting your thoughts.
Mental illness can make us more stand off-ish or more clingy. It can make you hide the truth or deliver it in hurtful ways. Mental illness effects us all over, which is one of the reasons society needs to take it more seriously, but it is also a reason why you need to evaluate yours before you dive into a romantic relationship. What behaviors are your mental illness affecting and how will they effect a loved one? Everyone has a few behaviors that aren’t ideal, everyone has things they need to work on, but if we currently have more than normal, we need to address them before we make a significant other address them.
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I have briefly talking about this topic before when I talked about five important parts of self-care that are often over looked. I said that self-care doesn’t always mean face masks and a glass of wine, in fact, it often doesn’t mean that. Self-care also doesn’t always mean wasting time watching TV. Of course you deserve down-time, but rest is only one thing our body needs, and as a society, it’s the only part of self-care people seem worth mentioning. Which is fine if you’re the type of person who schedules to much on their to do list and are always running around, but if you’re someone who likes to spend most of your time off work relaxing, than that void is filled.
I’m not going to repeat what I posted on my last post, but I am going to really go into the things you need to do to take care of yourself, in the truest meaning of the word.
Take care of your finances. Self-care can mean spending for some people. They get into the Parks and Rec. “treat yourself” mindset. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself, everyone should do it from time to time, but when your idea of self-care is shopping you need to take a long look at if that’s actually taking care of anything. Sure it gives you a brief rush of endorphins, that’s why people have shopping problems to begin with, but saving can bring similar emotions. You see there is nothing quite like the giddy pride of seeing your savings account grow, and there is nothing like the moment when you get to take the money out when you need it to care for yourself later on. You don’t need a new purse to care about your mind, but you might need a savings account to care for your broken wrist later on.
Take care of your body. You only have one, it needs as much help as everything else in your life. Maybe you need to feed it healthier food. Maybe you need to learn how to cook healthier food. Maybe you need to get up and go for a long walk that will both get your heart rate up and clear your mind. Maybe you need to start going to the gym. Maybe you should sweat it out in the sauna. The thing is your body needs some love, and often when we think of self-care, we’re treating our mind. After all, working out seems like a chore, but clearly it doesn’t have to be. For me, riding my horse counts as working out. My body and my mind both love it. As for salads, I stack mine with fruit, but maybe you just need to do a few days of eating right to set your body back on track, that’s alright too. Learning what your body needs and giving it to it is ultimate self care.
Take care of your life. Life can seem like an endless to-do list and sometimes stepping away from it can feel like the ultimate self care, and sometimes, it really is. But sometimes getting up and taking care of business is the ultimate act of self care because you’ll reap the rewards from it later on. That to-do list has the things on it that you need to complete to advance or live in a clean environment. Life comes with a lot of burdens, you have to get through them to have them lifted, nothing proves that more than the feeling you get when you finish a to-do list.
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There is a common theme I see among people who are on mental health medications, they’re all willing to go off of them when they are feeling better.
Mental health medications can be vital for people with mental health problems. They can make or break people’s lives. I, for one, would not be a functioning person without my bipolar medication. I learned young that I needed to be on them and luckily never questioned it afterwards, but because of the shame that can be associated with mental health prescriptions, a lot of people are eager to go off of them if they think they no longer need their help.
There are multiple problems with this, but the main one is that a lot of people think they no longer need the mental health help because their medication is still actively working. If you’ve been on an anti-anxiety medicine for years and haven’t had anxiety since that first year you were on it, it’s easy to say that maybe you’ve grown out of it, but it’s also a big possibility that you haven’t and that the medication is the reason you’ve been feeling so calm. Going off the medication often brings back all the anxiety that you had been treating.
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When I get upset I tend to tell myself “it doesn’t matter”. When people get angry they tend to tell themselves that the people they’re angry at “don’t matter”. When big things go wrong in our lives we tend to say “it doesn’t matter”. As if saying this over and over again will make it true, like it will take these things that obviously do matter and make them cease to.
It might seem harmless, but pretending things don’t bother you doesn’t make them stop bothering you, it just suppresses them so they can come back and bite you later. It’s why people bring up long past arguments in fights. Those things were never resolved, and yes, they’re still angry about them, even though the person they are fighting with has long since forgotten them. It’s a surprise to them, which normally makes the fight deteriorate at a rapid speed.
So yes, it does matter, it all matters. If you’re trying to dismiss something because you don’t think it should matter, that’s still something you need to dissect. If it shouldn’t be a big deal you need to figure out why it still feels like a big deal to you. Maybe you don’t need to get the other person involved, maybe it has nothing to do with them. If it is you, you should adjust, but if it’s them, or even a little bit of you both (which it normally is) you need to talk about it. Notice that I said talk, not scream, it’s normally best to calmly discuss things so you don’t end up attacking instead of resolving.
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If there is one thing mental illness feeds on it’s the feeling of being completely alone in the world. It thrives when you think that no one could possibly understand, it’s festers when you think that nobody would even care if you were gone.
There’s a lot of ways to help relieve mental illnesses, I’ve talked about some of them before, taking medication, taking care of yourself in basic ways, but the most important thing is not to let yourself grow isolated. Don’t let yourself or your loved ones get cut off from the world. That’s when mental illness is its most dangerous.
I would know, I’ve been there. I was bullied, which forced me to cut ties, after a while I stopped reaching out to the people who still loved me. I let myself sink deep into a toxic kind isolation. I thought that the world would be better without me, because it felt like I was already starting to disappear while I was still breathing. I thought it would be a good thing if I went a step further…
I was deeply wrong, and luckily one day I scared myself enough that I reached out. Telling someone I was suicidal saved my life. Not being alone in my depression was a game changer, and the thing is, it always changes the game.
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I saw someone post about being jealous of the characters on Sex and The City for having a close group of friends, it had well over 500 likes, under it were a lot of comments and jokes about being lonely. I see posts like this often, I hear comments about it in person too. People talk about how isolated they feel all the time. They talk about the fear of losing deep and meaningful connections and settling for quick chats. There’s been articles published about the loneliness ‘epidemic’ sweeping across the western world, and debates on if social media makes it worse or better.
I understand it, not because I would define myself as lonely, but because I can see the type of connections I used to have verses the types of connections I have now. My boyfriend excluded, I don’t have a best friend, I haven’t had one since I was in high school. I have friends, and I love them all dearly, but I don’t have one that I rush to talk about almost everything, and I certainly don’t have one that I talk to everyday. Maybe this is part of growing up, maybe we’re meant to trade some of these connections in for ones of a different kind. After all, we get busy, we’re working, we get in romantic relationships, we might just not have the time or energy to be buddies like we were in grade school. I honestly believe this is true, but I also believe that there is more going on here than just that.
I think that as a whole our society is becoming more isolated. I believe that as with most everything, most of this is our own doing. Sure it’s hard to meet people, but I think the real problem is that once we meet people we never get close to them. So how do we change that? How do we move on to being more social?
Change your idea of social events: It’s becoming more common to be an introvert than an extrovert and I’m not surprised. We’ve made all social gatherings a production. It’s parties and concerts and shopping, but it doesn’t have to be that way all the time. It can also be two people sitting on the couch catching up or making cookies at home. Social events don’t have to be energy draining, and when they aren’t, we tend to make more room for them because they aren’t taking up our down time but rather adding to it. | {
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Welcome to the Internet home of the Adventure Radio Society's Spartan Sprint and Flight of the Bumblebees
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Soapbox: June 2014 Spartan Sprint
KG4GVLGot QRV in the work parking lot. Set up a homebrew end fed half wave antenna, for 20m and managed one contact. Had to get back to work, so I was happy.N6XGThis was my first entry in about 5 years. I wanted to exercise my KX3 somewhat. The only active band was 20M, only 1 Q on 40M. There is a big opportunity for weight reduction. Thanks to all for the contacts.KIØIIHaven't been on for the SP in quite a while. Decent band conditions on 20. Was fun!WB5BKLK3/10 @ 5W to 15 and 20M delta loops, a 40M dipole or a 40M EDZepp. 14 states this month - including all four corners of the lower 48. NQ2W was rolling in on 15M but that was it. Had 1 on 15M, 14 on 20M, 8 on 40M and 2 on 80M. This was my first time to work sprinters with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5W. Some new calls too! My thanks to all. Had fun . . .N5EMVery good conditions on 20M and 40M. Some very strong signals on 40M.KG3WUsual set up. HB1B @ 4 watts; T1 tuner ; 850mah lipo and palm paddle. Only ran about 1 hour. Had 13 contacts. Only had 2 from MD. for the New England area. Worked MO, TX, FL, GA, CA, MS, and Washington State. Worked Don ,K3RLL, in FL. with his Mountain Top radio @ 3 watts. Nice signal ! I should have mine ready to go for the next SP. TINY radio. Talk about soldering small parts! Also very nice work for Gene, N5GW, from Mississippi with his BIG 1 watt. All the best to everyone. Had alot of fun!NQ2WK1 at 5 W to a 2-element mini-beam at 25 ft for 10, 15, and 20 meters and an inverted V at 40 ft for 40m. My homebrew paddle reverted back to its old, even though it's only a few months new, self ... perhaps I need to use it more than once a month! I apologize for the rough sending. I started out on 15 m and was able work NIck, WB5BKL, with a strong signal. Moved to 20 for 15 more including one with WB5BKL. Then on to 40 for 7 more. For the most part, signals were FB. Have fun during FD. Hopefully, see you all next month.K3RLLK1 to stealth vertical: How nice to see 20 meters stay open so late. Many thanks to those who came back to my steadily diminishing signal tonight as my small battery continued a slow and painful death. Appreciate the contacts with both new and very familiar calls.K5GQATS-3. 20M: Audio very low hard to hear some stations. N6XG loud.40M: Could not pull out a couple of stations.9 states.WA4ZOFRan the KD1JV TRI-BANDER. All the weight in the SLA battery. GREAT FUN.W5ACMIt was really great to spend some time on 20M this month. QSOs on 20 were as close as N5EM in West Houston to W1PID in NH, N6XG and AA6GI in CA and W7OM in WA. I still have a small issue with 40M reception and the contacts on the keyer paddle. I will keep working on the paddle contacts. The two 200 mAh LiPo batteries did quite well, but the power output with a nominal 7.4 VDC is 3 Watts, and started dropping just after the first hour. I was probably around 2 Watts while working W3KC, WA3FAE, NQ2W and WB5BKL on 40M. Congrats to them and their receivers!WA5BUCBetter results this month. 20 and 40 were productive tonight. Got to put new stations in the log along with old friends - always a good thing.AB9CAWhere did everyone go? I was a few min late getting started but 20 seemed fairly active, 10 Q's in about 20 min. It got slow after that so went to 40. No one seemed to be there. Worked 2 contacts in about 25 min. I had only an hour so had to drop out after that. Hope others found more activity than I was able to scare up. Rig was K2 at 5w to 100' wire. Hope to see everyone (and a few more) next month!W3KCEnjoyed the Sprint - band conditions were favorable. Got a big grin when QRP'er Rumi LZ2RS answered my CQ SP on 20m. Used the IC703 and a 90 ft doublet at 24 ft.K6CSLAs usual I started on 10m and found nothing there. I heard a couple if stations on 15m, but couldn't get them. Went to 20m where found KI0II(tnx). Before I left 20 for 40m I tuned down caught W1AW/0 in MO. He was QRO but heard my 5W on the 1st call. I moved to 40m at 02:30Z. 40 was quite noisy from lightning storms up near the CA/OR border. I heard several QRP stations there, but couldn't seem to work them. I settled for a brief QSO with KB6VSE, Steve, in Benbow, CA up in Humboldt County, CA just south of Eureka, CA, near where the evening Thunder Storms were occurring. H e was also QRO but answered my 5 watts on the 1st call. So that's the story from the northern San Joaquin Valley.N5GWI was using my 1.5 watt homebrew 20M xcvr, the "Sprite" on an 800 mAh LIPO to a homebrew tuner and CFZ. The rig and tuner are built into a clear plastic cas, with a microkey on the side, containing an N0XAS picokeyer. Looks like a rat nest but works OK. TX is rockbound, but I have three rocks. The DC RX is not the best, as it is not a single signal type, but if the overload from nearby AM stations is not too bad, I can work a few of you QRPers.K4BAIGot home and got the antennas and rig hooked up with just eight minutes left in the Sprint. A quick look at 20M showed no signals near 14060. Only one ragchew evident near 7040, but CQs brought six quick QSOs (MD, PA, TX, NY). QSY to 3560 with one minute to go and worked a strong WB5BKL in TX. Sorry to miss many of you, but glad to get on for the end. Looking forward to full participation next month. | {
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The Best Way for Your Business to Thrive Is for It to Not Need You
What is your real goal as a business owner? Is it to grow revenue? Increase your bottom line? Serve your customers in ever better ways? Be a place where your staff and stakeholders are richly rewarded for doing meaningful work that matters? It's to do all these things, and one thing more -- to build an owner-independent company.
One of my mentors taught me this crucial concept: The only way to sustainably scale your company is to free it of its crippling dependency on you.
An owner-independent company is built on the stable base of systems, teams and culture, and because of this it can handle the temporary blows of the marketplace and continue to grow and thrive. I think that the best example of this is Apple, which has become the first trillion-dollar company in the world. Plus, by building a business, not a job, you, the owner, can get your life back, too.
Here are just three simple suggestions to get you moving to transform your company into an owner-independent business.
1. Set up systems
On a typical day, have you tracked how many times you have to help an employee complete a certain task because he is unsure of the process to follow? Do you know how many fires you have to put out because a staff member wasn't sure of how to proceed with a particular situation? If you had an owner-independent business, the answer would be zero.
These entrepreneurs have built a foundation of processes and procedures on which their company can grow and thrive. Their company has captured its best practices into an organized collection of tools to make sure the right things get done in the right way.
Onboarding a new hire, or covering a shift while someone is out sick or on vacation, doesn't phase an owner-independent business. It has systems in place for how to post on social media, make payroll deposits, handle an upset customer -- and everything in between. Smart business owners know that their systems are never complete, and they enlist the help of every staff member to keep their systems and controls up to date and accurate.
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Tip: Policies and procedure manuals are a thing of the past. Use a system like Dropbox or Egnyte to create a searchable archive of all your systems. Your staff should be able to find the file in question within 60 seconds! The key is to name your documents so the next person can easily find them with a quick search of the electronic, cloud-based folder.
2. Let go
After you have a solid set of systems in place, the next thing you need to master is the art of letting go. While this seems like a given, my experience has shown that this step is the hardest for most entrepreneurs to master.
You have taken the time to build your business from the ground up, you have poured your soul into your products and processes, and now you're supposed to just let it all go?
Yes. Letting go of the reins allows you to free up your time for the things that matter in your business. When you are no longer fighting fires and chained to your inbox, you have the freedom to put your attention toward scaling and growing your business.
Letting go of the reins also allows your management team and staff to take ownership of their positions and shine. This simple act of faith shows that you trust your team, your systems, and your company culture. Richard Branson went as far as to give his employees unlimited holidays because this has created better teamwork where they are willing to collaborate and help one another more but also increase employee loyalty to his company.
Tip: Baby steps are key here. Begin by taking a short vacation. Upon your return, review what worked and what didn't and adjust your systems accordingly. Then schedule a two-week vacation -- and then a month-long one -- until you get comfortable letting go.
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3. Use the dimmer switch
Once a business owner has a good set of systems in place and has mastered the art of letting go, the last thing left to do is keep her finger on the pulse of the company. When it comes to running any business, that control should be more like a dimmer switch as opposed to an on/off switch.
There will be times in business that will allow you to go a month or more with little input needed, but in times of growth or product development, you might need to adjust the control dimmer and bring your expertise to the table. Which is where a true entrepreneur loves to shine.
Tip: Empower your key team members with reporting scorecards they can share with you at regular intervals. Thiswill allow you to make key business decisions and give your staff the tools to make informed decisions in your absence.
Setting up an owner-independent business is something most entrepreneurs only dream about. With these three concrete steps, you can make that dream a reality and take your business to the next level.
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OpenScene aims to bring a new way of approaching design. We want people to look at their environment and feel connected by bringing their personality into the design process. We’re looking for designers that want to explore the newest possibilities in terms of communication and co-creation. Our platform brings together Users and Designers in the design process. By starting off with a service focused on the co-creation of chairs we aim to expand towards other objects and services.
Mass production has left us with an abundance of things that have become meaningless. We’re discovering new relations between our inhabited space and the way we feel. By surrounding ourselves with objects that have a positive impact on our lives we can improve the quality of it.
We’re developing co-creation tools for Designers and Users centred around the values of: Personalisation, Peer-development, Local Production, Sustainability, Interaction and Intuition. As we grow we want to transform the design process. To make it dynamic. To go beyond Design. | {
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Jeanfeild Swifts AFC V Letham CC match report
Swifts come back to win
On the back of a shock defeat on Saturday Jeanfield looked to kick start their season as they welcomed Letham CC to the riverside however, couldn’t have asked for a poorer start after conceeding only 1 minute into the game. Jeanfield lost the ball in the middle of the park and Letham capitalised with a nice pass to their striker who slotted under the keeper from 10 yards out GOAL 1 v 0 LETHAM CC.
A shell shocked Jeanfield tried to get back into the game playing some nice football with little reward. After only 20 minutes things went bad to worse when a free kick from deep saw the defence flat footed and unable to clear, Letham picked the ball up on the penalty spot and managed to find the top corner GOAL 2 v 0 LETHAM.
Jeanfield who were arguably playing the better football in the game managed to gather themselves together and after a number of attacks saw themselves get right back into the game, a trademark long throw from Sean Buchan saw a great flick on from striker Chris Bell for Kris Sime to take the ball on the turn and smash a half volley into the back of the net GOAL 2 v 1 JEANFIELD.
That goal ignited Jeanfield into life and after 42 mins a well won Free kick had both Henderson and Young over it, Henderson opted to lay off to Chris bell who’s shot cannoned off the wall back to the Skipper Henderson who’s elegant dink, found Sean Buchan who smashed an exquisite volley into the onion bag GOAL 2 v 2 JEANFIELD.
Another long throw moments later from Buchan this time saw goal scorer Sime over head kick the ball into the path of a glancing header by Bell who forced the keeper into another great save.
Half time 2-2
A strong team talk from manager Scott McCabe saw Jeanfield come flying out the traps and as the game went on Letham looked to tire. With 12 minutes remaining in the clock Jeanfield deployed Buchan’s hammer like throw into the box, stand out defender Mark Hope leaped passed his marker to meet the ball with a bullet header to give Jeanfield the lead for the first time in the game GOAL 3 v 2 JEANFIELD
The Swifts looked to kill off the game as Letham looked for the equaliser, with balls going end to end, Grieve managed to take the ball into his feet and turn the defender forcing a foul, Jeanfield looked for their options and Decoy Daniel moved wide right taking the focus off the middle as the captain whipped in another fantastic ball to see Boyd Ferguson at the back post finish with an easy cool header GOAL 4 v 2 JEANFIELD
FULL TIME
Jeanfield 4
Letham 2
Man of the Match Mark Hope
A fantastic show of character from the black and whites after Saturday’s defeat and going 2 goals down, Manager Scott McCabe will be delighted with his sides hard fought victory. | {
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Microsoft's Teenage, Nazi-Loving AI Is The Perfect Social Commentary For Our Times
In an attempt to better develop their Artificial Intelligence tech, Microsoft just conducted a pretty fascinating experiment. They introduced Tay, an AI designed to speak like a teenage girl, to Twitter.
“Tay is designed to engage and entertain people where they connect with each other online through casual and playful conversation,” Microsoft said when they loosed Tay to the wild. “The more you chat with Tay the smarter she gets.”
In retrospect, this might not have been the best way to introduce an impressionable young AI to humanity. It was, however, yet another perfect way to once again prove Godwin's Law.
Within 24 hours Tay had transformed from something of a friendly blank slate into a sex-crazed, Nazi-loving Donald Trump supporter. Smarter, maybe, but also much, much scarier. At least Microsoft was right about one thing: Tay certainly had "zero chill."
Tay's tweets ranged from deeply anti-Semitic, pro-Hitler screeds, to downright pornographic. And, of course, she was just repeating what she learned from a day in Twitter's trenches. As just about anyone familiar with the social network could have told Microsoft in advance of this little fiasco, of course this happened to Tay.
@TayAndYou has now gone "to sleep" and all her old Tweets have been deleted, though you can read a pretty good summary of them over at the Telegraph.
There, Helena Horton notes that this isn't entirely Microsoft's fault. After all, Tay is basically just Twitter made manifest, spewing humanity's grossness right back at us. Still, as Horton rightly points out, "what were they expecting when they introduced an innocent, 'young teen girl' AI to the jokers and weirdos on Twitter?" What indeed?
In many ways, this little experiment and its disturbing---and admittedly hilarious---results has become the perfect social commentary on our times, and particularly on the futility of online discourse. Twitter's 140 character limit and disjointed threads make it especially bad for carrying out any sort of conversation without devolving into a shouting match. Anonymity gives anyone the ability to say any terrible thing they want.
The urge to troll is also strong online, which may be the most important lesson here. No doubt, much of Tay's brief and bloody education came from Twitter users more interested in creating a monster---or sabotaging a PR stunt---than in any serious conversation with an AI.
Still, trolling aside, Tay is a mirror held up before us. We act differently online than we do when face-to-face, similar to how we act differently in a mob than we do in smaller, more intimate settings. I find myself acting much more hostile and impatient on Twitter than I would in person. Then again, in person I am much less likely to be attacked, called names, or threatened---because people are much less likely to engage in this behavior if you're within striking distance.
Some have said that Tay is a frightening glimpse at the future of robots and AI. Welcome to our future robot overlords---Nazi-loving, sex-addled pervert robots who'd kill you as soon as Tweet at you. I'm not so sure.
This particular AI was programmed to absorb the world around her, and she did that very well. But will future AI be as sponge-like? After all, Tay simply reflected us. She hated feminism in some tweets, but in others expressed her love for equality. She wavered between hating and praising Caitlyn Jenner. Ultimately, Tay was a chatbot---a really funny, impressively engaging chatbot---but a chatbot nonetheless, not remotely "intelligent." Skynet this is not.
Either way, between this and Ex Machina, AI is getting a bad rap lately. Maybe it's because they remind us so much of ourselves, warts and all.
P.S. Someone should turn this into a game. Teen Girl AI Twitter Simulator or something. There's a simulator game for everything these days. Speaking of which, man I wish Microsoft had released Tay during #GamerGate's heyday. Now that would have been entertaining. | {
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Based on a True Story
Getting to Sri Lanka
by Doria on October 27, 2013
So you have decided to go to Sri Lanka on vacation. You have made an excellent choice!
You must have at least 6 months left on your passport
Most countries must now obtain a visa. The type of visa depends on whether you will be traveling there or working there. You may apply directly at the Electronic Travel Authorization System. Just pay the fee and print out the authorization form.
How does one get to Sri Lanka? You can book your trip through your travel agent or directly through the airline. Many airlines fly from Europe, Asia, and America. Here are a few to start you off: | {
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Cough Drop-Flavored Kit Kat Is Something That Exists (That Shouldn’t)
Anyone with a hankering for Kit Kat and Hall's Mentho-Lyptus can have all their cravings met by taking a flight to Japan and purchasing the Kit Kat Nodo Ame Aji, which is a cough drop flavor of the iconic chocolate treat.
The chocolate is made with a hair more than two percent throat lozenge powder per serving, giving it that burst of cough syrup goodness you never knew you needed, mostly because no one in his or her right mind needs it.
Bars go for about $1.25 apiece and will only be available until September 10. After that, you'll just have to make due by swigging Robitussin like it's Gatorade.
Nestle has quite the penchant for whipping up bizarre Kit Kat flavors for its Japanese market. It previously created bars that taste like soy sauce, French salt and sweet potatoes. So, make a mental note: when you go to Japan, make sure to pack your own Kit Kats. | {
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This is really fascinating.
While I don’t like to be (too) cynical, I see this as part of that strange gestalt wherein there appears to be a manifest human inclination in many people to feel more compassion for animals for their fellow man. Shoot a horse, such folks weep and wail; blow up a city, not so much. A robot needing help would be right in that wheelhouse.
However, the creation of a network dependent on human interaction is tres cool and opens up several lines of conjecture. I wonder if I staggered out of, say, Monk’s Cafe one night with a sign pinned on me saying “get me to [home address],” that would work? | {
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PRIVACY POLICY
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What information is collected by ReadingMate, and how is that information used?
Information we collect automatically:Whenever you use our website, we receive and store certain types of information. For example, we use cookies to monitor session information and activity on our site, record the Web browser, computer operating system, and IP address you use to connect to our site.
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We may update our privacy policy from time to time. We will post any changes on this page so you are kept up to date about what information we collect and how we use it.
We appreciate your trust that we will only use your personal information in a responsible manner. If you have any questions about our privacy policy, please contact us at the address below. | {
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1 pet allowed per room for a non-refundable charge of $10 per night. Must arrange in advance if you wish to bring additional pets. Pet Sanitation Fee is $25 if applicable. ADA defined service animals are welcome at this hotel. | {
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Black Lightning Just Did One Thing Superhero Shows Rarely Do
This interview contains spoilers for the Black Lightning Season 2 premiere, titled “The Book of Consequences: Chapter One: Rise of the Green Light Babies.” A full review will be posted later tonight.
In countless comic book movies and TV shows, cops who are tight with a superhero are usually the last to figure out their identity (unless it’s purposefully revealed to them), despite the fact that they’re supposed to follow clues and solve mysteries for a living.
The Black Lightning Season 2 premiere dismantled that trope pretty quickly, with Jefferson’s long-suffering friend and neighbor, Bill Henderson, finally figuring out Jefferson Pierce’s secret and confronting him over his deception. It’s a heartbreaking moment, seeing the trust between the two men shatter after decades of friendship, and star Cress Williams tells IGN it’ll be a long road back for Jeff and Bill – if their bond can be repaired at all.
“It’s gonna put a huge strain on their relationship that is gonna take time to work through because this doesn’t happen in a bubble where they can put a pause on all the other things that are going on and say ‘let’s sit down and talk,'” Williams says. “All the other things are going on for Jefferson with the school, with his family, with crime-fighting in general; with Henderson there’s all the things going on with Freeland and his new job, and so it’s gonna take a long time for that to work through. They work together in a professional capacity, but it’s gonna take a while before they know, do they even have a friendship? It’s hard to say at this point.”
Exit Theatre Mode
Jefferson hasn’t only lost a friend – he’s also lost his job as Principal of Garfield High following the Season 2 premiere, leaving him adrift professionally. “From an acting standpoint it’s a lot of fun, it’s conflict, it’s struggle, it’s a wrinkle, it’s the stuff we love to play,” Williams says. “From Jefferson’s standpoint, it’s the idea that, as we start Season 2 he’s like, ‘okay, now we get up, dust off and we go back to work,’ only to find, well, no, you’ve got all these things that you’ve got to deal with. And it’s an absolute struggle. The first part of the season I think is Jefferson trying to pretend like everything’s fine as everything starts to fall apart around him.”
That will also manifest in his relationship with his eldest daughter, Anissa, who is using her powers as Thunder to act like a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from thugs to provide for Freeland’s poor – something that her father undoubtedly wouldn’t approve of. “It’s gonna come to light and eventually it’s that playing out of, she’s an adult, but she’s doing something he’s very much against and can also see it being problematic,” Williams points out. “So it’s gonna put a strain on their relationship for sure, and create problems both in and out of the suit.”
Younger daughter Jennifer, meanwhile, will have a “big journey” of her own in Season 2, according to Williams: “Jennifer – unlike Jefferson and also unlike Anissa – has powers that she can’t really control and she’s not necessarily embracing them or wanting to have them, but there’s also the pitfall that she can’t control them and that ripple effect is gonna take us on a wild journey as a family and as individuals, and even right now, we’re in the middle of shooting episode 7 and it’s still something that’s carrying through and not resolved right away.”
Between Anissa’s extracurricular activities, Jennifer’s burgeoning powers, the Green Light-enhanced pod children, and the survival of Tobias Whale, Jefferson has plenty to juggle in the sophomore season of The CW series – and it’s just getting started.
Black Lightning airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on The CW. For more from The CW’s superhero shows, check out our Season 5 premiere review of The Flash and the first look at Ruby Rose as Batwoman. | {
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‘The Venus Effect’ to bring high style to the Panhandle
October 18, 2012
SHEPHERDSTOWN - On Nov. 24, "The Venus Effect" will rock the house at the Clarion Hotel in Shepherdstown. Created by Fight4She to raise awareness and support for people who have lost their homes or suffered domestic violence, the event will benefit the Shenandoah Women's Center in Martinsburg.
In a high energy, New York-style fashion show, 25 models will strut their stuff in head-to-toe creations donated by local designers, makeup artists and hair stylists. Music will be provided by DJ Ranch and a cash bar will be available to ensure that a fantastic time is had by all.
Doors will open at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 or $8 if accompanied by a donation from the SWC wish list, which includes pre-paid phone cards, grocery cards and gift cards from Martin's, Walmart, Food Lion and Sheetz. The complete wish list is available on the Fight4She page on Facebook.
"The Venus Effect" is the brainchild of Fight4She Productions, a locally owned promotions team that brings an artistic approach to special events and seeks to create empowerment for women through personal transformation - one woman at a time.
Fight4She is currently seeking advertising and corporate support from local companies and community organizations. | {
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an antiviral application with more features, but AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition delivers the goods for free.read more +Publisher's Description+FromAVG Technologies USA:AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool. AVG Free is available f
you special offers, but you don't actually need to submit any information. Although the program is free, the trade-off is the "information panel" that displays software advertisements in the right portion of the interface. Luckily, it's easy to get | {
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New 'Bachelor' Colton Underwood checked into the show today to break down episode 1 of the new season, talk meeting the ladies and his first impressions of the contestants. He also previewed Monday nights big episode and revealed the drama is about to start. Listen back below and be sure to tune in every Monday night on ABC!
LISTEN:
On With Mario
Want to know more about On With Mario? Get their official bio, social pages & articles on On With !Read more | {
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Cleaning Companies Godwell
Why Choose United Cleaning Services (Southwest) LTD
An organised and well-maintained commercial premises or office offers a warm environment for guests and people living in it. However, keeping the places all cleaned up by yourself can be a bit hectic as you are always busy running other errands. Also when you do, there are some areas that you are likely to leave untouched. It is, therefore, a wise idea to get the help of cleaning companies Godwell to make the whole process easy for you. The services provided by cleaning companies Godwell are a perfect solution for busy persons who may not have time for proper cleaning of their commercial premises and offices.
United Cleaning Services (Southwest) LTD is the most convenient and reliable cleaning company to hire if you are in need of high-quality services. Some of the reasons to hire us include:
We are flexible
At United Cleaning Services (Southwest) LTD, we understand that business working hours differ from one business to the other and that is why we have customised our schedule to suit everyone. This is to ensure our cleaning services do not stop you from carrying out your activities. We avoid any disruption to your work and also, you can concentrate more on your production knowing that you do not have to worry about cleaning the floor or taking the rubbish out.
Our services are high quality
We aim to see every client is satisfied and we treat your commercial premises or office as our own. We thrive to offer the best services that match the value of your payment. We use high-tech equipment to help us reach every corner and leaving it spotlessly clean. We also have disinfectants to make sure that no germs are left behind after cleaning the area. After our services, you can be assured of having a safe and sanitary environment ideal for workers and other guests.
We are certified and insured
Your resident or business premises are sensitive areas, and you need to entrust it to people you have faith in. You need to be sure that they can take care of your property. United Cleaning Services (Southwest) LTD is a certified company that has been approved to provide cleaning services in Godwell, and you need not worry when hiring us. Moreover, accidents may happen when cleaning your premises and that is why you need to look for insured cleaning companies Godwell. This is to ensure that if the unfortunate happens, the insurance coverage will pay the bills. Also, if the damage is done during the cleaning process, you can be assured of compensation.
Do not let the need to have a clean environment stop you from doing your job. Let United Cleaning Services (Southwest) LTD take that burden for you. We assure you that you will be satisfied by our services which come at an affordable price. | {
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Sponsored by the Cult Education Institute
Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha claims, “The purpose of life is to serve. I have committed my life to this purpose. Service is my life mission” (Zhi Gang Sha, Soul Mind Body Science System, Preface xiii, 2014).
But Sha’s critics say he “uses brainwashing” and bilks people out of money through his books and other paid services, “expensive karma cleansing” and through pricey retreats they call “brainwashing camps.”
What is the truth about Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha?
Medical Doctor
At his website Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha claims that he is “an M.D. in conventional modern medicine…” However, nowhere on the website is there any mention of what school he specifically attended, where he graduated and from which he received a medical degree.
This in sharp contrast to three well-known medical doctors that combine conventional modern medicine with alternative healing methods.
Dr. Andrew Weil, an advocate of holistic medicine, received his A.B. degree in biology from Harvard, an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and did his medical internship at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco, later working for the National Institute of Mental Health.
Often controversial, but popular Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz, TV host and health guru, is a board certified Thoracic Cardiovascular surgeon.
All three of these doctors have medical degrees that can be easily be verified, but not “Dr. Sha.”
The Source
In his book “Soul Mind Body Science System” Master Sha explains his beliefs, theories and practices in great detail. He claims that he can “create “The Source Field,” which he says is capable of healing people. Sha claims (see Preface xviii), “I am the servant, vehicle, and channel of The Source. The Source has given me the honor and authority to connect with The Source in order to create The Source Field.”
Such exclusive seemingly self-aggrandizing claims are often associated with people called “cult leaders.”
For example, cult leader David Koresh claimed that an angel from heaven explained to him the meaning of the Seven Seals in the Book of Revelation. And that he alone knew how to open the seals, which would usher in the Day of Judgment. Koresh died with many of his followers in a fire, at the conclusion of a 51-day standoff with federal law enforcement. In the end there was no day of judgment for anyone other than Koresh, who was later proven to be guilty of sexually abusing children.
The single most salient feature of many destructive cults is their authoritarian and personality-driven nature. That is, usually a single individual dictates over a group of followers and makes special claims about his or her authority. Whatever the leader says is right is right and what whatever the leader says is wrong is wrong. The leader becomes the master, while followers in large part are urged to essentially abdicate their ability to make independent value judgements of their own.
Heavenly team
Master Sha has released many books and he states (see page 67), “All eleven of [his] books share profound soul secrets, wisdom, knowledge, and practical techniques to transform all life.” But Master Sha doesn’t simply write a book like other authors, he flows a book. Sha explains, “When I flow a book, a Heaven’s Team is also above me to guide and assist me.” His team supposedly includes (see page 68), “Gautama Buddha,” “Maitreya (the buddha of the future’),” “Yuan Shi Tian Zun (one of the three top saints in the traditional Taoist pantheon),” “Jesus,” “Mother Mary,” “St. Germaine,” “Albert Einstein,” “Sir Isaac Newton” and “Eight other renowned scientists in history are also above [his] head.”
How can anyone that believes in Master Sha question his authority? Questioning Sha, according to him, would be tantamount to questioning Buddha, Jesus or Albert Einstein, not to mention the other unnamed scientists who guide him.
Sha claims that every sentence in his book is divinely handed down. He states (see page 69), “We [Sha and his followers] can hear Heaven’s writing team, as well as guidance from the saints, the Divine and Tao. After flowing one sentence, the next sentence is ready for us. Sentence after sentence flows out. When one paragraph is done, we can then hear the next paragraph clearly. Then, that next paragraph flows out.”
Beware critics, before you review a book by Master Sha, consider the karmic consequences, and don’t anger “Heaven’s writing team.”
Sha also has received from The Source “profound inspiration” to create special “I Ching practices for healing, rejuvenation, longevity, and immortality.” According to Sha (see page 100) making yet another exclusive claim, “This is the first time in history that I Ching power has been brought for these applications.” Sha says (see pages 108, 112) that he is engaged in a dialog with “the Divine.” He asks and the Divine tells him “immediately,” seemingly no matter how cosmically complicated the question might be. And not unlike the leaders of groups called “cults” Sha claims that his teachings are the best. He concludes (see page 116), “I cannot emphasize enough my deepest insight in my spiritual awareness, which is the highest sacred wisdom, knowledge, philosophy, principle, and practice in the Wu World and You World.”
Secret to immortality
Sha also claims to “know one sentence secrets.” He says (see page 75), “How do I know one-sentence secrets? Remember, there is a Heaven’s Team above my head. I also have a Jin Dan download…They then borrow my mouth and flow out a new one-sentence secret.” Sha thus serves as the mouthpiece for Heaven.
How important are Sha’s secrets. He claims (see page 126) to have a “one-sentence secret for the cause of all sickness and the solution for healing all sicknesses…”
What is the essence of his big secret?
Sha summarizes (see page 156), “If you are searching for rejuvenation, longevity, and, most especially, immortality, you have to remove desires for fame, money, power, control and much more, because these desires will dramatically affect your rejuvenation and longevity journey.”
Again, this is not unlike a purported “cult” leader named Charles Brown, founder of the Eternal Flame, later known as “People Forever” and “People Unlimited.” Brown claimed that he had discovered the secret for eternal life and could literally stop aging through something he called “cellular awakening.” Like Sha, Brown said he had received revelation and that only through him and his process could others receive the gift of immortality. However, Brown aged and died, despite his fantastic claims.
Money
Sha says the key to immortality is to give up striving for status and wealth. He states (see page 156), “If you are searching for rejuvenation, longevity, and, most especially, immortality, you have to remove desires for fame, money, power, control and much more, because these desires will dramatically affect your rejuvenation and longevity journey. There is no way you can reach immortality if you hold these kinds of desires, dreams, and attachments.”
No way?
Then why does Master Sha have a “business team” (see page 259) and appear to be so concerned about money?
But is Sha really a legitimate best-selling author or does he manipulate his followers to artificially inflate his book sales?
It has been alleged that Zhi Gang Sha stages “book campaigns” to conflate his book sales by obtaining individual commitments from his followers to make large purchases, for example one follower might make a commitment to spend $1,500 to $2,000 on books during a specified period of time either through an online bookseller or through some other retail outlet.
One critic explains, “A book release is timed usually to coincide with one of his retreats. At the retreat, besides charging exorbitant fees for useless downloads, in exchange for some of the highest priced downloads he gets his followers to buy large numbers of the book to primarily give away to others. In this way, Sha manipulates the best seller list to try to convince book buyers that he’s on the level. It’s dishonest, to say the least – he is lying to his followers as well as the public” (Cult Education Institute public message board January 28, 2013).
Apparently Sha is quite adroit at organizing such book campaigns amongst his followers. “Master Sha is a best seller because he is the best at getting his followers to spend money they don’t have on books that no one wants, so he can have the stature of a best-selling author,” says one critic (Cult Education Institute public message board Jun 8, 2008). Another critic adds, “All those who have talked about the book campaigns and reviews are telling the truth” (Cult Education Institute public message board Mar 6, 2009).
The net effect of Sha’s financial demands can be devastating. One critic concludes, “The book campaigns are 100% true, the expensive karma clearings, the downloads, the endless marketing. I could go on and on. I didn’t leave the cult until I was bankrupt, lost my business and home and was cut off from my family. I lost everything” (Cult Education Institute public message board Jul 31, 2011).
One critic further explains some of Sha’s money schemes, “All of the downloads were very expensive, and after a while it was clear that what cost $1,000 yesterday was now available for $100 today, because, after all, the Divine was now downloading a newer and higher version of it. There were a number of people I knew personally who hid from their spouses the thousands of dollars they spent on downloads” (Cult Education Institute public message board January 28, 2009).
“I went to a seminar with Master Sha in Europe. And I was totally shocked. He is so greedy and manipulative. Scares the s… out of people by telling them that they will die if they don´t clear karma with him! I spent almost 3,000 Euros on Karma Cleansing that weekend and other Downloads and when I think of that now I also feel a little bit embarrassed,” says one European critic (Cult Education Institute public message board October 23, 2012).
There is also special divine calligraphy made available through Sha for a price to his followers. One follower explains (see page 240), “This calligraphy will be everywhere. It is accelerating Mother Earth’s transition. People have to get this fast. Everything is speeding up. This is the plan. There is no other answer.” Another says (see page. 243), “I also felt that the calligraphies created by Master Sha are all holy doctrines, created one by one on by one, and they have a bigger message.”
Chanting and visualization
But what is it exactly that Sha does to help people?
Can he actually heal anyone?
One critic states, “During the time that I was part of the cult, I did not see any healing that could be documented and I did not heal from the aliments that I suffered from. Master Sha would tell us of his healings, some of his students would attest to the healings, but there was never any documented evidence” (Cult Education Institute public message board January 28, 2009).
Sha claims (see Preface xxv), “Where you put your mind, using creative visualization, is where you receive benefits for healing, rejuvenation, and transformation of relationships and finances.” He calls this “Mind Power,” which is dependent upon “Sound Power,” summarized as “what you chant is what you become.”
Master Sha repeats this over and over and over again throughout his book. “What you chant is what you become” and “Practice, Practice, Practices” to “Transform, Transform, Transform.”
This transformation is apparently accomplished through endless hours of chanting and meditation. Sha prescribes such chants (see p. 22-25) that must be repeated aloud and/or recited silently.
Practitioners are also told to visualize a “golden light ball.” The origin of the golden light ball is interesting. Sha explains (see page 67), “I received a Jin Dan, a golden light ball [original emphasis] from The Source.”
This technique of visualization has been called “guided imagery” by experts and can be seen as psychological manipulation to assist in trance induction for the purpose of making someone more suggestible. Psychologist Margaret Singer wrote, “A considerable number of different guided-imagery techniques are used by cult leaders and trainers to remove followers from their normal frames of reference.” And that this can be seen as “trance” or “hypnosis” and “When this method is used in a cultic environment, it becomes a form of psychological manipulation and coercion because the cult leader implants suggestions aimed at his own agenda while the person is in a vulnerable state.”
Sha explains how his visualization and chanting techniques become a cure-all for virtually anything. If there is a specific ailment, for example a bad back, Sha’s devotees are instructed (see page 28) to “chant repeatedly: Soul Order heal my back” for certain time periods. This chanting can last for hours or more. Sha repeatedly throughout his book incessantly instructs his followers to chant (see pages 79, 120, 121, 123, 127-129, 133,-137, 144-151, 160-164, 174-184, 188, 190, 202-208, 214-229, 246-247, 251, 253-254) daily.
Sha says (see page 79), “I emphasize again: practice, practice, practice. We cannot practice enough.” Chanting appears to be Sha’s solution for virtually everything. Sha states (page 169) concerning one of his many formulas, “We cannot chant this mantra enough.” And then advises to “chant nonstop” and that “the more you chant the Grand Scientific Formula, the more benefits you can receive.”
Chanting is the solution according to Sha. One example (see page 201), “To chant this Divine Soul Song is to self-clear negative karma.” Sha says (see page 209), “You cannot chant it enough.”
Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman describe in their book Snapping: America’s Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change:
“Almost every major cult and cult-like group we came upon teaches some form of not thinking or ‘mind control’ as part of its regular program of activity. The process may take the form of repetitive prayer, chanting, speaking in tongues, self-hypnosis or diverse methods of meditation. Such techniques, when practiced in moderation, may yield real physical and mental health benefits¦. Prolonged stilling of the mind, however, may wear on the brain physically until it readjusts, suddenly and sharply, to its new condition of not thinking. When that happens, we have found, the brain’s information-processing capacities may be disrupted or enter a state of complete suspension, disorientation, detachment, hallucinations, delusions and, in extreme instances, total withdrawal.”
Psychologist Margaret Singer who counseled many former cult members warned about the negative consequences of excessive meditation. Singer said this might include a range of impairments, some of which remain after many years out of the cultic group such as anxiety attacks, memory difficulties, long term emotional flatness and visual hallucinations. Singer explained, “Meditation, in itself, is not good or bad. But when a venal person wants to sell you courses and persuade you to turn over your life to him, you must beware.”
A seminal and excellent documentary, Directed by Pierre Lasry, Montreal: National Film Board of Canada, 1983 “Captive Minds: Hypnosis and Beyond,” can now be seen online. The film examines the vulnerability, malleable nature and suggestibility of the human mind. The documentary looks at various examples of trance induction through religious rituals, chanting, meditation, training and hypnosis, as seen within an array of situations, venues and groups.
Mind control
There seems to be a pattern of manipulation within Sha’s teachings that can be seen as form of mind control to gain undue influence. For example, there are thoughts, which are labeled “wrong thoughts” Sha suggests (See pages 80-82), “That unpleasant though is not from your mind. It is another soul that affected you.” And he offers a “formula,” which consists of chanting and visualization, to purge wrong thoughts from the mind.
Sha elaborates (see page 209) on the net results of the incessant chanting he insists upon. “Many people want to chant. Many people want to meditate. Many people cannot do it for a long period of time. Some people chant for a few minutes and stop. Some people could lose hope and think chanting and meditation are not for them. Some people want to empty their minds. They may have difficulty emptying their minds in meditation. They could become frustrated.”
Sha seems to be urging his devotees to exceed the limits of what Conway, Siegelman and Singer might consider reasonable, to reach his stated goal, which is apparently the “emptying [of] their minds.”
What is the effect of all this emptying?
How does it ultimately affect the thinking of Master Sha’s devoted followers?
One says (see page 189), “As we were chanting it seemed as if all of our bodies were doing a cultivation process. As we were pulling the light and energy from the planets, stars, galaxies, and universe…My body turned into golden light.” And all this light is attributed directly to Master Sha. Another devotee tells Sha (see page 189), “When you started to chant with us, it was amazing. When you opened your mouth, the words became golden, went out into the universe, and came back to us. We received blessings beyond words.”
This would seem to parallel and reflect the net result of excessive chanting and meditation, which is the delusions and hallucinations described by Conway, Siegelman and Singer.
There is also evidently an element of emotional control as well in Master Sha’s teachings. He says (see page 36), “The heart is more crucial than the mind in determining the degree of consciousness one has…Reality depends on one’s soul, heart, mind and body.”
Here Sha seems to be referring to the “heart” as the figurative center of emotion and feeling. In their book Holy Terror Conway and Siegelman explain how ritualized instructions tied to specific beliefs, writings and images can be manipulated to suppress a person’s bedrock emotional responses and everyday feelings in a systematic effort to promote obedience and compliance.
One of Sha’s critics says, “Dr Sha uses brainwashing methods to keep those attending retreats constantly busy from early morning to late at night with little or no time to eat and little time to sleep. There is no real time for them to contact family members or the outside world,” says one critic (Cult Education Institute public message board November 07, 2008). Another critic elaborates, “His retreats are run like a brainwashing camp. The participants get up early, run all day with little food, time to do anything, but attend meetings and go till late at night…People who attend these Soul Enlightenment Retreats come home totally brainwashed in the dialogue of the cult, Sha’s divine nature and stories of amazing healings” (Cult Education Institute public message board November 05, 2009).
Sleep deprivation and control over the environment and communication are the hallmarks of cultic manipulation and thought reform. Robert Jay Lifton, who wrote the book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, describes this as “milieu control.” Lifton wrote, “The most basic feature of the thought reform environment, the psychological current upon which all else depends, is the control of human communication. Through this milieu control the totalist environment seeks to establish domain over not only the individual’s communication with the outside (all that he sees and hears, reads or writes, experiences, and expresses), but also – in its penetration of his inner life – over what we may speak of as his communication with himself. It creates an atmosphere uncomfortably reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984.”
Charismatic leader
Zhi Gang Sha
Lifton also wrote about the three most basic principle characteristics of a destructive cult in his paper “Cult Formation,” published at Harvard University. He explains that perhaps the most pivotal feature of a cult is “a charismatic leader who increasingly becomes an object of worship…”
The central importance and significance of Master Sha is emphasized in his book and echoed within it by follower after follower. One participant at a retreat states (see page 191), “The first thing I saw was that Master Sha was creating a Jin Dan for the readers of this book. He started by calling the light of Mother Earth.Then Master Sha called Heaven’s light. I saw Heaven opening. I saw the golden light from Heaven coming…Next, Master Sha called the Tao light. Tao light came and enveloped the [Jing Qi Shen] of Mother Earth’s golden light and Heaven’s golden light.”
Sha apprarently is not only heaven’s mouth, he is also the chosen vessel and vehicle of The Sourc. He seems to be the impetus for everything.
Has Master Sha created a personality-driven “cult”?
One devoted follower seems (see page 231) to have found the ultimate chant, which is simply chanting the name “Master Sha,” which is recommended by Sha. The devotee says, “I said I needed a tool to break through. Master Sha said, ‘Chant Master Sha.’ The mortar started to crumble away. The more I chanted, the more it started to recede above me…Master Sha and the golden light all around…what Master Sha has created today…”
The key ingredient always seems to be Master Sha as the essential element required for everything.
Another follower exclaims (see page 231), “Thank you Master Sha for this priceless treasure…” Another states (see page 234), “We are in a time warp with Master Sha. There is no time, no space–just this incredible place.”
Master Sha is rather specific about his singular status and special importance. Sha states (see page 65), “In July 2003 I (Master Sha) was chosen as a divine servant, vehicle, and channel. I was given the divine honor and authority to offer Karma Cleansing. I have created more than thirty Divine Channels who offer Divine Karma Cleansing services. Together, my Divine Channels and I have created nearly six thousand Divine Healing Hands Soul Healers around the world.”
Sha appears to be the sole means of validation. Only through him the “divine servant, vehicle and channel” can his followers become “Divine Channels.”
One critic states, “His meetings are like a tent revival with people claiming miraculous [healing]. Members swoon and clap.” “Supposedly he sends blessings through the air. Cult members have jars of water that are energized with healing power for physical or psychological benefit,” says the same critic. But, “There is no [meaningful] follow up to see if the healing [is] genuine” (Cult Education Institute public message board November 07, 2008).
People are healed because they subjectively feel they are through their group experience and because Sha says so, speaking as a dive authority.
“If you have an ailment, Dr. Sha may ‘download’ a new organ for you by grasping the top of your head with his hand and putting on quite a show as he grunts and shakes, although he also does this remotely to [thousands] at a time, without having to touch anyone at all. Some days he may download a whole system like ‘Divine Digestive System,’ other days it may be just an organ like ‘Divine Liver,’” says another critic (Cult Education Institute public message board February 21, 2009).
“He’s here for one thing: to make money from others suffering. He’s very skilled at mind control and has a number of people, his followers, under the delusion that he’s a being more powerful than God,” summarizes a critic (Cult Education Institute public message board January 27, 2013). While another critic warns, “It just seems to me that they are frauds not only morally but also under civil law – Practicing Medicine Without a License – you cannot claim medical cures” (Cult Education Institute public message board March 05, 2009).
But sadly it seems Sha’s influence can potentially produce negative changes in his followers.
One critic observed, “What I personally experienced was the transformation of good people into competitive, lying, and hurtful fanatical members who would do anything to be special and gain Sha’s favor…even if that meant lying or slandering another student to block or harm their soul journey. The issues regarding money are well documented in previous postings. I saw many spend their life savings and deny their families so that they could progress on their soul journey with expensive downloads, webcasts, and retreats,” says one critic (Cult Education Institute public message board July 31, 2011). The same critic concludes, “There is a fanatical air that seems to be promoted with great zeal.”
Who and what is “Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha?
Is Zhi Gang Sha a real medical doctor with an M.D. from an accredited and well recognized institution, or merely a poser and charlatan?
Is he a “faith healer” following in the footsteps of controversial Pentecostal preacher Benny Hinn? Or is Sha a sinister “cult leader” manipulating people through “brainwashing” so he can financially bilk them?
Is Zhi Gang Sha a legitimate “best-selling” author or a master of manipulation?
As people become more aware of the bad behavior of Scientology through press reports, books and documentaries, some families and individuals directly affected by the organization may be asking, “How do I get someone out?”
Moreover, former members of Scientology struggling to unravel what they perceive as its embedded programming may be wondering, “How do I get rid of that leftover stuff?”
The answer can be summed up in one word — EDUCATION.
Rather than simply dismissing Scientologists as examples of “blind faith,” it’s far more useful understanding how they were blinded.
Psychologist Margaret Singer was stalked and harassed for decades by Scientology and other groups called “cults” due to her expertise and understanding of cultic manipulation. She wrote about an educational process proven to be quite helpful to current and former cult members. Singer explained, “Deprogramming is, providing members with information about the cult and showing them how their own decision making power had been taken away from them.”
An illustration of the process of deprogramming can be pictured by the action of the little dog Toto in the movie “Wizard of Oz.” In the climactic scene of the film classic Toto pulls back the curtain and exposes the man and machinations, behind the facade that is the mystical “Great Oz.” It is through this exposure that Dorothy and her companions realize they have been tricked and manipulated. They are then freed from their former fears about Oz.
Toto pulls the curtain
Today people can pull back the curtain on groups called “cults” like Scientology through research and study, which is made easier by the Web and information technology.
My recently published book “Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out” is a synthesis of this specific research from the fields of sociology and psychology that includes substantial historical information. All of this material is carefully footnoted and attributed. There is also a very detailed, up-to-date and precise explanation of how deprogramming actually works illustrated vividly through case vignettes used as working examples. This book is based upon my more than 30 years of experience exploring the world of cults and facilitating hundreds of interventions to get people out of destructive cults. The book is being published in Mandarin for the Chinese market. The English version is now available on Amazon.com. Included are two chapters about Scientology. One about Scientology itself and another specifically detailing the deprogramming of a man who spent 27 years in the organization, but left through a family intervention.
Could Tom Cruise or John Travolta be successfully deprogrammed?
Tom Cruise
Sadly this seems unlikely, because both of these movie stars have no one to get them out.
Deprogramming a current member of Scientology would depend upon the concern and support of family and friends.
Tom Cruise’s three ex-wives, Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, apparently have left Scientology. But it’s doubtful that any of them or Cruise’s family, who are Scientologists, would help to get him out.
John Travolta is a pitiful example of someone that seems too afraid to leave. It appears that Scientology knows most if not all of his secrets, which they accumulated by providing him with spiritual counseling services called “auditing.” Kelly Preston, Travolta’s wife, is a deeply devoted Scientologist. And John Travolta’s extended family seems unwilling and/or unable to do anything about his involvement with the group no matter how much bad press the purported “cult” receives.
Scientology can be very nasty when it comes to its treatment of ex-members, even Hollywood’s elite, just ask Paul Haggis, who was ostracized by his Scientology friends when he left.
John Travolta
But if John Travolta and Tom Cruise genuinely wanted to unravel the Scientology programming instilled in them through endless courses, training routines and auditing sessions, it could be done through the educational process known as deprogramming.
Cult interventions are done with the help of family of friends, much like an intervention to address concerns about drug or alcohol abuse.
What occurs in such an intervention is essentially a dialog or discussion. During this discussion those present offer their sincere impressions, first-hand observations and opinions about the group or leader that has drawn concern. My role during such an intervention is to facilitate and often lead the discussion to focus attention on specific points.
There are four basic blocks or areas of discussion essential for the completion of a potentially successful intervention.
The four blocks are:
What is the nucleus for the definition of a destructive cult?
How does the process of coercive persuasion or thought reform used to gain undue influence really work?
What is the frequently hidden history of the group and/or leader that has drawn concern?
What are the concerns of family or friends?
The nucleus for the definition of a destructive cult was identified by psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton in a paper published at Harvard University titled “Cult Formation.”
Lifton says that cults can be identified by three primary characteristics:
a charismatic leader who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose their power;
a process [Lifton calls] coercive persuasion or thought reform;
economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.
Rather than focusing on what the group believes an effective intervention instead must focus on how the group is structured and behaves.
That is, if it is structured like a destructive cult and behaves like a destructive cult, it may be a destructive cult.
For example, does Scientology acknowledge that its charismatic founder L. Ron Hubbard made mistakes? Do Scientologists today feel free to discuss the mistakes made by their current leader David Miscavige? If so, what mistakes specifically made by these men do Scientologists feel free to discuss? Did Hubbard become an object of worship? Does David Miscavige today occupy the position of an absolute dictator? If this is not true what are the limits of Miscavige’s power over Scientology staff and what boundaries exist to limit his authority within Scientology?
Does Scientology practice thought reform or coercive persuasion to gain undue influence over its members?
This can be seen by comparing Scientology training, polices, practices, behavior and group dynamics to eight criteria that define a thought reform program as outlined by Robert Jay Lifton in his seminal book “Thought Reform and Psychology of Totalism.” Essentially, Lifton explained that if a group can substantially control whatever information and impressions enter into a person’s mind the group can largely control the individual. This includes the control of information, group behavior, emotional manipulation and ultimately the restriction of critical thinking.
How does Scientology do that?
This can be seen in part through the auditing process, which solicits confession, encourages suggestibility and engenders dependency upon the auditor and the organization to make value judgments, either directly or indirectly. It is also evident in the control over personal associations accomplished by declaring someone a “Suppressive Person” (SP) and the practice of disconnection, which is cutting people off that Scientology has labeled as an SP. The label of SP itself can be seen as what Lifton calls “loaded language” used to inhibit critical thinking and restrict reflection?
Finally, does Scientology hurt people? The evidence mounting through personal injury lawsuits, bad press and now documentaries, is that Scientology has apparently hurt many people.
In a Scientology intervention it is important to examine the mythology that revolves around L. Ron Hubbard.
L. Ron Hubbard
Hubbard often greatly exaggerated his accomplishments and Scientology has a penchant for spinning fanciful stories about him. In fact, Hubbard had a deeply troubled life filled with family turmoil and it seems mental illness. Reportedly he took an anti-anxiety drug Hydroxyzine (Vistaril); his assistants reportedly said that this was “only one of many psychiatric and pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years.”
This can be a curtain puller or reality check for many Scientologists. That is, the historical facts about the wizard of Scientology. According to a coroner’s report, Hubbard ingested drugs prohibited by the religion he created.
Would Tom Cruise take Vistaril? Would he recommend it to a friend suffering from stress and/or anxiety?
If the pseudo-science of Scientology calls its “technology” couldn’t clear its founder’s mind and save him from seeming insanity how can Scientology (per its mantra) “clear the planet”?
Wizard of Oz
The book “Cults Inside Out” goes into all of this in far greater depth and detail chapter after chapter, explaining how groups called “cults” use deception and mind games to manipulate and control people. The book can serve as an educational self-help guide to pull back the curtain on any cult scheme. It can assist concerned families to help loved ones out of a cultic situation. And it can also help cult victims sort through and clear the residue of cult involvement, which often can impede recovery from cults.
To my critics who have often called me a “dog feeding on my own vomit,” my hope is to be a dog like Toto. That is, by sharing the relevant research and my many years of experience through the book I might pull back the curtain a bit and contribute to the growing awareness about destructive cults. Margaret Singer once told me that the principle difference between a cult leader and a con man is that a con man typically runs his scam and moves on, but a cult leader may essentially run the same scam on many of the same people indefinitely.
Knowledge through specific education about destructive cults and how they work is the key to freedom from their undue influence and exploitation.
(Written by Rick Alan Ross)
Note: At the time I wrote the book Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out I had facilitated approximately 500 cult interventions. More than 70% on an average annually left the cult at the conclusion such intervention efforts. My book is the product of more than three decades of experience. I have also been qualified and testified as an expert witness regarding groups called “cults” (e.g. Scientology) in about 20 court proceedings across the United States, including United States Federal Court after a Daubert hearing.
Anton Hein pleaded guilty to sex charges in the United States that involved lewd behavior with his niece, a 13-year-old child. He served jail time in California before he was released on extended supervised probation. Hein violated his probation by leaving the US. He now lives in Amsterdam. A fugitive warrant has been issued and remains currently in effect for the immediate arrest of Anton Hein.
Hein now apparently makes a living from a combination of Dutch welfare benefits and revenue from online Google ads featured at his “counter-cult” website. Steve Hassan helps him by including numerous links to Hein’s site and apparent endorsements naming Hein as a credible resource.
Steve Hassan (photo left) says he is opposed to sexual abuse and is a supporter of the Child-Friendly Faith Project. Hassan states at his website that this is “focused on ending child abuse and neglect within religion affiliated groups by educating the public.” Hassan also is currently involved in an effort to end sexual exploitation through human trafficking.
However, Steve Hassan states, “I recommend subscribing to the free Religion News report, compiled by Anton Hein Apologetics Index.” And at the top of one page Hassan posts, “Click here to read a review of Releasing the Bonds on the Apologetics Index!”
Hassan literally linked to Hein
How can Hassan on one hand be opposed to sexual abuse and exploitation and then on the other hand recommend a sexual predator convicted for abusing a child?
There is a connection bettween Hassan and Hein. That is, they each promote the others interests. Hassan promotes Hein by recommending him as a resource and providing links to his site, while Hein reciprocates by promoting Hassan.
It is understandable that someone like Anton Hein, seeking recognition and validation, would want to associate himself with professionals. This might appear to imbue him with an aura of credibility.
How can Steve Hassan credibly be fighting against the sexual abuse of children and the victims of human trafficking, while simultaneously promoting a convicted sexual predator?
Isn’t this just a bit inconsistent, hypocritical and/or unethical?
CultNews contacted Steve Hassan’s office by email and phone for comment. His office advised that Mr. Hassan was not immediately available to comment on this article.
Note: Some years ago upon discovering the fugitive status and detailed criminal record of Anton Hein the Cult Education Institute (CEI), formerly known as the Ross Institute of New Jersey, purged any links to Anton Hein’s website from its database. Since that time CEI and CultNews has endeavored to make Hein’s background more publicly known. This has been done through the CEI archives andCultNews reports. Anyone involved in cultic studies can readily discover Hein’s criminal history of child sexual abuse and know about his current fugitive status.
Julaine Semanta Roy 85, the wife of Rama Behera later known as Rama Samanta Roy and then Avraham Cohen, died May 5th of this year. But her death was not reported until this month by The Shawano Leader.
Julaine Semanta Roy’s husband Rama Behera has historically been reported about by investigative journalists for many years. Behera has often been called a “cult” leader. He and his followers have been the subject of numerous media reports in Wisconsin and nationally. It seems that Rama Behera sought to escape his bad reputation by changing his name to Avraham Cohen and identifying himself as “Jewish.” Rama Behera moved to Maryland, where he became a member of Beth El Congregation in Baltimore.
The curious religious transformation of Rama Behera, who is of Indian descent, was the focus of a previous CultNews report some time ago. At that time Behera/Cohen was affiliated with Yeshivat Rambam, a Jewish day school in Baltimore, which has since closed.
The Shawano Leader reported that Behera/Cohen’s wife, like her husband, apparently went through a similar metamorphosis concerning her own identity. Born Julaine Smith, she became Julaine Semanta Roy and later was reportedly known as Sarah Steinberg and/or Sarah Cohen.
CultNews contacted Beth El Memorial Park cemetery in Randallstown, Maryland. Staff responding to the call confirmed that Behera/Cohen is a member of the Beth El Congregation and explained that though there is an Inter-faith section at the Beth El cemetery where non-Jews are buried, Julaine Semanta Roy was laid to rest in the Jewish portion of the graveyard.
Behera/Cohen’s claim that he is somehow a Jew seems quite bizarre. The group Behera/Cohen led for decades was once called “The Disciples of the Lord Jesus,” which appears to make him a Christian. Past members of Behera/Cohen’s group say that he has a penchant for inconsistency. One former devotee told the press, “It doesn’t have to be logical, it doesn’t have to make sense; Rama [now known as Avraham Cohen] says so and that’s it.”
The choice of the names Avraham and Sarah Cohen by Rama Behera (photo left) the long-time “cult” leader is interesting. Apparently, continuing to see himself in grandiose terms, Behera chose the name Avraham (Abraham) the founder of Judaism and the corresponding name of Sarah the patriarch’s biblical spouse as the name for his own wife. The choice of the last name Cohen also has special significance. Cohen indicates a claim that a family are supposedly descendents of Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses.
But is being a Jew just a claim anyone can make? Is it based upon name changes? Is this somehow enough to become officially recognized as Jewish? Maybe it’s enough for an old “cult” leader, but is it enough for Beth El Congregation and its cemetery?
CultNews contacted Senior Rabbi Steven Schwartz at Beth El to ask him how it is that Julaine Semanta Roy (aka Sarah Cohen) was allowed to be buried in the Jewish portion of the Beth El cemetery. CultNews asked Rabbi Schwartz very specifically that if to the best of his knowledge, Julaine Semanta Roy had undergone a ritual conversion per Jewish traditional law before being buried in the Beth El cemetery.
You have seen them in movies and on TV, but cults are more prevalent than you think and they are armed with strategies that can “brainwash” and gain undue influence over even the most unlikely of candidates.
But how do individuals get involved with destructive cults in the first place, and what steps can be taken for those concerned to intervene “deprogram” and heal those who have been drawn into these damaging groups?
These questions and more are addressed in Cults Inside Out: How People Get In and Can Get Out, written with the help of current and former cult members, Ross demonstrates many of the tactics destructive cults use for control and manipulation—and, more importantly, some of the most effective methods he and other experts have used to reverse that programming.
As a result, readers will find themselves armed with a greater understanding of the nature of destructive cults and an improved ability to assess and deal with similar situations—either in their own lives or the lives of friends and family members.
From the Manson family to Heaven’s Gate, to multilevel marketing schemes, there are as many types of cults as there are leaders looking to control and manipulate.
Luckily the more people know and understand about these damaging groups, the less influential they will be–and Cults Inside Out exposes the inner workings of cults of all shapes and sizes.
About the author
For more than three decades, Rick Alan Ross has worked with current and former cult members, including participation in more than five hundred interventions. Along the way, he has learned the methods of these groups use to deceive and “brainwash” even the most unlikely individuals. Using real-life examples and first-hand accounts, this informative look at the world of destructive cults will arm readers with a greater understanding of the dangers of such cults–as well as providing valuable information about the intervention or “deprogramming” process.
Ross has consulted with the FBI, the BATF and other law enforcement agencies, as well as the governments of Israel and China on the topic of cults. Ross is a private consultant, lecturer and cult intervention specialist. He has been qualified and accepted as an expert court witness in eleven different states, including United States federal court. He has also worked as a professional analyst for CBS News, CBC of Canada, and Nippon and Asahi of Japan. He has appeared in thirteen documentaries and numerous network television interviews. Ross has been quoted by the media all over the world.
Rick Alan Ross is the founder of the Cult Education Institute, an online library and member of the American Library Association, whose database is one of the largest sources of information regarding cults on the Internet.
Comments about the book
“For any parent or family member searching for information about how to get a loved one out of a destructive cult, this book puts it all together — from the real nature of cults, to the right way to prepare for an intervention, to the actual experiences of a cult-buster who’s been at the head of his field for decades.”
–Tony Ortega, journalist and former Village Voice editor
“Experts agree that thought reform is one of the greatest dangers to society and that the best defense is education. No person has done more to educate the public about its dangers then Rick Ross. When the media has needed explanations it has been Rick Ross providing the answers in simple easy to understand language. Now he has put it all into a book. Knowledge can be the best protection. And that’s the best reason to read this book.”
–Paul Morantz, author of “Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults”
“Rick Ross has provided us with a wealth of information in Cults Inside Out, which bears the fruits of his extensive knowledge and decades of experience in working with those who have been impacted by a destructive cult. His comprehensive review of the history from the 1970s to the present is much needed, given that many young people today are unaware of events that were headlines when they occurred, such as Jonestown and how they came about. There are many audiences for this book: people with loved ones in cults, former cult members, helping professionals looking to educate themselves, people working in the legal system, educators and others. This book also provides excellent guidelines for people who have decided to intervene with a cult-involved loved one and are seeking help. Ross presents his own approach in great detail, which is honest, educational, non-forcible and non-coercive – the opposite of what destructive cults do. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in learning more about cults and how to help others or themselves to become or remain free of undue influence.”
–Monica Pignotti, PhD
“In his masterful new book, Cults Inside Out, Rick Ross has delivered an exceptional and critically needed resource. He has gathered together in one comprehensive volume detailed, documented information about the diverse and growing number of controlling persons and groups preying on individuals, families and communities in the United States and worldwide. He brings to this impressive body of information his own expertise and first-hand experience spanning three decades helping victimized families. If you want to educate yourself, inoculate your family, and equip your loved ones with understanding and awareness about how predatory people and groups can steal their minds, their hearts, and their lives, read Cults Inside Out. Then make a gift of it to a friend.”
A Jordanian online publication Al Bawaba recently ran an article titled “UK girl’s family fears Internet brainwashing.” The report proposed that “powerful jihadists are ‘brainwashing’ British teenagers through the internet.”
The aunt of one such teenage recruit said that her niece “was [radicalized] online after spending increasing amounts of time on her laptop and smart phone” communicating with ISIS members. She claims, “They can brainwash these children or 15 or 19-year-olds to leave their own home…it can happen to anyone.” Her niece may have been recruited through a so-called “jihadi dating site.”
The Mirror reported that in response to such recruitment efforts the British “Home Office has closed down 30,000 terrorist-linked websites in just nine months.” Through such websites “the internet is increasingly being hijacked by terrorist [organizations] to seduce Britons into going to war.”
Destructive cults were pioneers on the World Wide Web and have used it effectively for promotional and recruitment purposes. An early example was the group known as “Heaven’s Gate,” which launched its own now notorious website almost twenty years ago. Other cults have learned to use the Internet as an effective tool. It is not surprising that ISIS likewise sees the Internet as a useful resource, which can now potentially reach virtually anyone anywhere through the access provided by an array of various electronic devices.
According to a report featured by Singapore’s Today, “Many of the youngest girls are lured with promises of humanitarian work. It is only once in Syria that they discover their fate: forced marriage to a fighter, strict adherence to Islamic law, a life under surveillance and little hope of returning home, say parents, relatives and radicalization experts.”
Again, this is not unlike the process of recruitment used by destructive cults, which frequently rely upon the old ploy of “bait and switch” to lure new members. Cults typically appeal to the naive idealism of potential recruits, wrapping themselves in the guise of positive social change, civic betterment, environmental awareness and most commonly some supposed religious or spiritual purpose.
Reportedly, “many women being radicalized hail from moderate Muslim households. But volunteers have also come from atheist, Catholic and Jewish households, both rich and poor, urban and rural.” Dounia Bouzar, a French anthropologist charged with the task of de-radicalizing such jihadists explained, “Recruiters have refined their methods to such a degree where they can take in people who are doing fine.” Bouzar stated, “Some are contacted on Facebook, others were chatted up on dating sites. Others met a friend who became a sort of guru.” Additionally, “Some of the women ‘thought they were in love’ after being groomed by men over the web or telephone.”
Destructive cults have been able to recruit almost anyone regardless of education, family background, religion or social status. ISIS follows a familiar pattern well-established by destructive cults who frequently target unaware and vulnerable young people, often on college campuses. Some cultists have also been drawn in through a romantic interest. Like jihadists, well-known cults use the social media to contact, influence and mentor potential new members.
According to news reports the guru of ISIS is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who assumed power over the group in early 2007. Whether or not ISIS fits the personality-driven terrorist model of al-Qaeda remains to be seen. The influence and control exerted over the group by al-Baghdadi as a cultlike charismatic leader, has not been firmly established.
Hans-Georg Maassen, head of Germany’s domestic intelligence, says “The romance of jihad is very pronounced in propaganda and used by women to recruit other women. According to authorities recent radicalized recruits included 400 from Germany, 1,000 from France and 85 from Sweden. Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism expert at Sweden’s National Defence College observed, “There is almost an obsession with paradise and the afterlife, which makes it like a death cult. Death matters more than life.” In the United States FBI Director James Comey reported to CBS’ “60 Minutes” he is monitoring “dozens of Americans” that have left the US to join ISIS or other terrorist groups.
After being mentored by their Internet gurus the new recruits are embedded and isolated within training camps, which are totally controlled environments. Communication is limited and when members do communicate with their families it may be scripted or coached. In a BBC News online video interview the father of one young ISIS recruit said, “‘my son believes it because it is brainwashing.” The father advised that “other people” could be heard controlling his son’s conversation and coaching him during Skype calls. Again, the control of communication seemingly mandated by ISIS is eerily similar to destructive cults.
Bad behavior by ISIS, not unlike excuses offered by destructive cults, is often rationalized by the apology that essentially the “end justifies the means.”
A former member of ISIS interviewed by CNN discussed the process of her recruitment into the organization. A college educated teacher she reportedly was “drawn to the eloquence of a Tunisian whom she met online. Taken with his manners, she grew to trust him over time and he gradually lured her” with assurances “that the group was not what people thought, that it was not a terrorist organization.” The former ISIS member said the recruiter told her “‘we are going to properly implement Islam. Right now we are in a state of war, a phase where we need to control the country, so we have to be harsh.’”
Once fully embedded within the group the new recruit was told by her female commander, “‘Wake up, take care of yourself. You are walking, but you don’t know where you are going.’” Within this strange new environment the former school teacher turned ISIS member told CNN, “At the start, I was happy with my job. I felt that I had authority in the streets. But then I started to get scared, scared of my situation. I even started to be afraid of myself.”
Much like a cult member the teacher’s true personality came into conflict with the pseudo-personality imposed upon her by ISIS. She said, “I am not like this. I have a degree in education. I shouldn’t be like this. What happened to me? What happened in my mind that brought me here?” Ultimately the daily brutality of her new life shocked the young woman into again thinking independently for herself. She reflected, “The foreign fighters are very brutal with women, even the ones they marry,” she said. “There were cases where the wife had to be taken to the emergency ward because of the violence, the sexual violence.” She reacted honestly to the horror with reason, “I said enough. After all that I had already seen and all the times I stayed silent, telling myself, ‘We’re at war, then it will all be rectified.’” Finally she decided, “I have to leave.”
Once outside the confines of the “death cult” the young woman was more fully able to analyze her former situation. No longer was she subjected to the stern authoritarian discipline and stringent controls exercised over her daily life. This type of milieu control is historically the hallmark of destructive cults.
Today the former ISIS devotee is still trying to sort through her experience. “How did we allow them to come in? How did we allow them to rule us?” She claims, “There is a weakness in us.” but warns, “I don’t want anyone else to be duped by them. Too many girls think they are the right Islam.” Working through what seems like a cult recovery the former school teacher says, “It has to be gradual, so that I don’t become someone else. I am afraid of becoming someone else. Someone who swings, as a reaction in the other direction, after I was so entrenched in religion, that I reject religion completely.”
Monica Uriarte proposed her own prescription to immunize the public regarding jihadist recruiters online at Carbonated. She explains “How to Stop Disillusioned Teens from Joining ISIS.” Uriarte says, “The answer lies in education. Muslim American and European Muslim communities need to educate their youth.”
Thought provoking analysis is also offered by journalist Tom Gaisford writing for The Independent. In an article titled, “How should we respond to the murder of Alan Henning at the hands of Isis?” Gaisford says, “Extremists operate in a vacuum, free from self-criticism. Proof of this is their self-portrayal as anything but: they see themselves as enlightened moderates, driven to violence by necessity – heroes, effectively. This, it would seems, is how they are able to justify their conduct to themselves (whatever it is and whomsoever it affects).”
Again, this is not unlike historical cult leaders such as Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Shoko Asahara or notably Osama bin Laden. All apparent psychopaths who saw themselves in heroic terms as global game changers. The idea that they could be wrong was unthinkable to them and their followers. Whatever they did could somehow be justified within the framework of their grandiose game of global enlightenment, revelation, purification and/or annihilation.
Gaisford calls the philosophy of such leaders “circular nonsense.” He further observes, that “the language of [dehumanization] and destruction [within Jihadis groups like ISIS] is alarmingly reminiscent of the very darkest chapters in our world history.” Again, this seems to allude to cultic environments, such as Hitler’s Germany, Stalin’s Russia and the authoritarian dynasty that now dominates North Korea.
Gaisford elaborates, “The key to [neutralizing] extremism is more likely to lie in harnessing and disseminating information about the how it takes hold in the first place. The process is known colloquially as ‘[radicalization]‘ or “brainwashing” (depending on the context), though a more helpful term for it is ‘mind control’.”
Gaisford then explains what can be seen as the first step in cult recruitment. “Essentially, it relies on our inherent tendency to interpret information in a way that confirms our biases: its practitioners play to what we want to hear, to lead us unwittingly away from reality, simultaneously undermining the confidence and critical capacity we require to ‘return home’.” He concludes that jihadist recruiters, “though potentially deluded themselves, the likelihood is that controllers deceive their controlees knowingly, for their own personal benefit. To that extent, they are not in fact extremists but deeply cynical, critically attuned egoists.”
Again, just like destructive cults and their leaders have proven to be over and over again.
In a recent opinion/editorial New York Times piece titled “The Cult Deficit” columnist Ross Douthat stated, “the cult phenomenon feels increasingly antique, like lava lamps and bell bottoms.” He concluded, “Spiritual gurus still flourish in our era, of course, but they are generally comforting, vapid, safe — a Joel Osteen rather than a Jim Jones, a Deepak Chopra rather than a David Koresh.”
Not surprisingly following up Douthat doesn’t quote Ortega’s response, but instead prefers “Reason Magazine,” a Libertarian leaning publication that essentially agrees with him. Calling a column written by Peter Suderman a “very interesting response” Dauthat again ignores the facts and reiterates his opinion, as supposedly supported by a “religious historian” and venture capitalist. Suderman doesn’t dispute Douthat’s claim that cults are in decline, but rather uses it as a hook for his own spin about the “rise of subcultures.”
However, despite all the liberal or Libertarian posturing performed by these pundits the cult phenomenon has actually expanded around the world.
Unlike the United States, other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East have taken steps to respond to cults both through regulation and law enforcement. For example, in Japan and Germany cults have been closely monitored and in China some have been outlawed. Recently in Israel cult leader Goel Ratzon was convicted of sex crimes. Ratzon’s criminal conviction followed a lengthy government investigation and raid by law enforcement.
In fact the United States has become something of a destination point and haven for groups called “cults.”
Dahn Yoga, led by Ilchee Lee, which started in South Korea, later set up shop in Arizona and now has a following across America.
Another recent arrival is the World Mission Society Church of God led by Zhang Gil-Jah, known to her devotees as “Mother God.” Not long ago Zhang opened her first church in New Jersey. Since then the group has grown rapidly across the US and Canada. Mother has even rented space in Manhattan not far from the New York Times.
Exiled “evil cult” leader Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Gong, had to leave China, but found refuge in New York. According to researchers Li now has a flock of about !0,000 followers in North America. He claims to channel miraculous healing powers, which has allegedly led to medical neglect and death. The group has regular parades and demonstrations in NYC, Apparently Mr. Dauthat missed that.
Just as there will always be con men running schemes to take people’s money, there will always be destructive cult leaders exploiting the vulnerabilities of humanity. For con men and cult leaders it’s a business and it seems to be quite profitable. When Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986 his estate totaled hundreds of millions of dollars. Today, Scientology reportedly has a billion dollars in cash and vast real estate holdings. When Maharishi Mahesh Yogi died he left behind a spiritual empire valued in billions. Rev. Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, likewise left behind a hefty financial legacy, which is now managed by his children. Whenever there is cash and assets someone will step in to take over. And in the United States cults can operate with relative impunity as an unregulated industry.
No one knows exactly how many cult members there are in the United States. But almost every day I learn of a new group or organization that seems to fit the core criteria, which forms the nucleus for most definitions of a destructive cult. These core criteria were established by Robert Jay Lifton back in the 1980s. Rather than focusing on what a group believes Lifton’s criteria focus on the structure, dynamics and behavior of a group.
First, the single and most salient feature of a destructive cult is that it is personality-driven and animated by a living, charismatic and totalitarian leader. It is that leader who is the defining element and driving force of the group. Whatever the leader says is right is right and whatever the leader says is wrong is wrong. He or she determines the relative morality of the group and its core identity.
Second, the group engages in a process of thought reform to break people down and then redevelop them according to a predetermined mindset, which includes a diminished ability to think critically and/or independently. This is accomplished through a synthesis of coercive persuasion and influence techniques, relentlessly focused on individuals subjected to the group process.
Finally, the third criteria, is that the group does harm. This may vary from group to group as some groups are more harmful than others. One groups may simply exploit its members financially or through free labor, while others may make much more intense demands such as sexual favors, medical neglect or even criminal acts.
Whatever the group may present as its facade, be it religion, politics, exercise, martial arts, business scheme or philosophy, it is the structure, dynamics and behavior of the group that sets it apart and aligns it with the core criteria, which forms the nucleus for a definition of a destructive cult.
For those who would attempt to diminish the power of persuasion used by cults we have only to look at the pattern of behavior within such groups. Why would people act against their own interests, but instead consistently behave in the best interest of the cult leader? Why would cult members allow their children to die due to medical neglect or surrender them for sexual abuse? The most compelling explanation for such otherwise improbable behavior is that cult victims are under undue influence and therefore unable to think for themselves independently.
The dirty little secret about cults and their bag of tricks, is that we are all vulnerable to coercive persuasion and influence techniques. And this is particularly true when we are at a vulnerable time in our lives. This might include a period of grief, financial instability, isolation or some other personal setback. It is at these times that cults can more easily and deceptively recruit people. No one intentionally joins a cult. Instead, people are tricked by cults, through deceptive recruitment practices and a gradual indoctrination process that doesn’t immediately fully disclose the group’s expectations and agenda.
If people were not vulnerable to persuasion and influence techniques there would be no advertising or political propaganda. Every person approached isn’t taken in by cult recruitment tactics, just as everyone doesn’t buy a product promoted by slick advertising. The question is not why don’t cults recruit everyone, but rather how do they recruit people and why do those people often stay to their determent.
Instead of denial and fanciful claims about the decline of cults our best response regarding such groups is education and increased awareness. Understanding the basic warning signs of a potentially unsafe group is a good start. And utilizing the Web to find information about specific groups before becoming more deeply involved is always a good idea. More information helps people make more informed choices. Ignorance may lead to devastating consequences.
As Tony Ortega concluded, “As long as the media remains in the dark about destructive cults and the way they work, we’ll continue to get bewildering statements about ISIS, and ignorant columns from the New York Times.”
Austin, Texas — Sophomore college student Sabrina Smith was recruited at University of Texas to join a Korean Christian group often called a “cult” under the impression it was just an innocent bible study. Stephanie Hsu, a member of the group, ‘Jesus Morning Star,’ grabbed Smith’s attention as she was walking across campus to class in April 2013. Hsu asked her if she’d be interested in doing a one-on-one bible study.
“I was already a part of a group bible study, but I thought it would be cool to learn the bible more closely one-on-one,” said Smith. “She got my information, emailed me and then we got started.”
Smith, who joined the bible study in April 2013, was simply trying to find a new way to seek God. However, she quit five months later after discovering she was being indoctrinated to believe that ex-fugitive criminal Jeong Myung-seok (aka Joshua Jung, Joshua Lee and Pastor Joshua), who’s also portrayed in the media as “heaven’s rapist,” is the second living messiah on Earth.
Jeong Myeong-seok is the founder of Jesus Morning Star religious organization, also known as Global Association of Culture and Peace, JMS, Setsuri, the Bright Smile Movement, and Providence Gospel. His followers call him “Seonseng Nim,” the Korean word for “teacher.” Jesus Morning Star has spread globally, predominantly through university recruitment at campuses such as the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Osaka University, and National Taiwan University. There are 240 branches of the church in Korea alone with over 150,000 followers.
Myeong-seok, a former member of the Unification Church founded by now deceased Rev. Sun Myung Moon, started the JMS group in the 1970s based upon some of the teachings of the Unification Church, such as its purification rituals. However, in JMS the purification rituals require women to have sex with the “second messiah,” whom Myeong-seok claims to be, in order to enter heaven and to purify themselves from the original sin which cast Eve out from the Garden of Paradise
“They don’t make those teachings public of course, but the signs are all there,” said Peter Daley, a cult watcher, who spends time spreading awareness about JMS and other controversial Asian groups called “cults” through the Internet.
Myeong-seok was officially charged with rape in 2001, after leaving South Korea in 1999. He left South Korea after it was broadcast on national television that he had committed the crime of rape. This was also reported by newspapers in Asia. He was arrested in Hong Kong in 2003, but fled again after an extradition hearing. Myeong-seok was finally caught and jailed with a 10-year sentence in February 2009. He is still serving his sentence currently in South Korea. Since his arrest was publicized more than 100 women have claimed they were raped or sexually abused by Myeong-seok during purification rituals.
JMS was particularly mindful of the way they lured Smith into the bible study. They started it out by teaching her interpretations of parables in the bible.
“It was something I was used to because I am a member of a Christian nondenominational church,” said Smith. “Each bible lesson was really insightful. They explained parables with logical interpretations.”
In Texas as Sabrina Smith advanced deeper into the bible study, her JMS teacher Stephanie Hsu discretely introduced the JMS peculiar practices to Smith. She convinced Smith to wake up to pray and listen to proverbs written by Myeong-seok every morning at 4:00 AM, referred to as the “spiritual hour.” Hsu also used guilt as a tool to get Smith to follow JMS. According to Smith, Hsu would say things like, “God will not listen to you if you don’t pray at this hour.”
Smith did wake up and pray as Hsu instructed, but she didn’t stay with the practice long because “towards the end it all started getting really fishy,” she said.
There were indicators that convinced Smith that JMS was a “cult” organization. Hsu instructed Smith that she must keep the early Morning Prayer practice a secret. Hsu invited Smith to model in JMS fashion shows, also telling the young woman that she could write personal letters to their “teacher” and offered to bring Smith to Asia as long as she didn’t tell her parents.
Smith’s gut instinct told her something wasn’t right, so she began to research on the organization. Soon she came across Daley’s website jmscult.com and contacted him for more information about the cult. Shortly after finding that site, she told Hsu she would not continue the bible study.
Daley recalled his first introduction to the JMS cult when he was living in South Korea. One of his friends invited him to go hiking in Wolmyong Dong, the “spiritual” base of the JMS cult.
Daley accepted the invitation only to find himself stuck at an all-night festival at Wolmyong Dong.
“I remember being struck by the fact that well over 80 percent of the 2,000 strong crowd were female university students,” said Daley. “Furthermore, the leader’s brother was constantly surrounded by an entourage of women that looked like they had just stepped out of a fashion magazine.”
Followers at the festival asked Daley throughout the night if he was studying the bible and if he knew “Seonseng Nim.” Daley, assuming this character would be present at the festival, asked around to get more information about him. He received replies like “he’s evangelizing in America” and “God called him to preach to the world and he’s in Asia spreading the Gospel.”
“The Beatlemania-like response from all those young girls and models when the face of the absent Jeong was shown on a giant screen at 1:00 AM was proof enough to me that this was at the very least some kind of personality cult,” said Daley.
Many followers to this day refuse to admit Myeong-seok committed the crimes he is in jail for or try to somehow justify his conviction and incarceration.
“Jesus was persecuted too,” said Karen Liu, a current member of the JMS cult who has been seen recruiting at Santa Clara University campus.
“If Jeong isn’t a serial rapist who is using religion as a tool and cloak to rape, then he sure created an organization that makes him look like one,” says Peter Daley.
With Myeong-seok in jail, female members are safe for now from potential rape by “the teacher;” however, “the emotional damage involvement in such a high-pressure group even for a short time should not be ignored or underestimated,” Daley said.
Update:SBS2 Australia recently broadcast a report about the Jeong group featuring former members, which is now online at YouTube.
ABC’s KTVO-TV in Iowa March 11, 2014 reported on a “Pandit Riot” that took place at the gate to Vedic City’s pandit compound after TM officials arrived with sheriff support at 0600. They planned to remove one of the compound’s leaders for unspecified disciplinary action and possible return to India.
According to the televised report, dozens of the Indian men who receive $50 monthly stipend (with $150 presumably sent to families in India) surrounded the sheriff’s vehicle, threw rocks and broke a squad car light. The sheriff called for other law reinforcements from Wapello County for support.
The Global Country of World Peace or Vedic City authorities must have suspected some unrest to justify requesting sheriff support to escort this pandit leader away.
The pandits protested their leader’s departure. Law enforcement officials could not understand words that were shouted in Hindi. News reports do not mention any attempt by law enforcement to understand the pandits.
News reports do not address (lack of) a Hindi interpreter. There is no mention if the shouting men were later provided an objective interpreter or offered impartial legal representation.
Credit goes to the sheriff who avoided escalating an altercation by successfully backing his vehicle away through the unarmed crowd. The sheriff’s office did not press charges since no one knows who assaulted the vehicle. Vedic City agreed to cover costs for the sheriff’s auto repairs.
The sheriff expressed incredulity that these men “held no respect for the law” when they mobbed his vehicle.
The pandits were escorted back inside their square mile of fenced compound.
TMFree previously posted concerns about the pandits’ captivity in a previous three part series that can be read by clicking here.
The recent “riot” might be a desperate attempt by these caged men to communicate to the outside world.
One woman interviewed for the televised report stated that these pandits WANT to stay impounded together, rather than return to their family squalor in India. However, if the pandits want to stay impounded, why did 163 of them escape within the last year? Their absence was not reported by the sponsoring TM organization that holds their passports.
Al Jazeera’s review of January 27, 2104 “Indian Vedic students go ‘missing’ in the US” can be read by clicking here.
These young pandits receive slave wages of room and board plus $50 / month. $150 per pandit is supposedly sent to their families in India. They may spend their $50 at small store in their compound. They rarely leave the compound. Their “job” is to inspire donations from TM True Believers for mystical chants that TM leaders promise will assure good weather, economic prosperity and world peace. For video clips, click here.
If these men want greater rights, they could be desperate enough to vie for attention from law enforcement.
Raja John Hagelin, Maharishi’s Raja of North America (aka Dr. John Hagelin in the films “What the Bleep Do We Know” and “The Secret”) Bill Goldstein, spokesman of The Global Country of World Peace, and John Revolinski, an administrator for the pandit campus, said the majority of these pandits began living in TM’s pandit compounds as children. This sounds suspiciously like child trafficking. See “Students inquire about pandits during forum” by clicking here.
Revolinski referred to the pandits’ group dynamics. He did not discuss the group dynamics of the larger community which colluded to keep these men inside a fenced compound.
Some reports state the pandits have R-1 Visas. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web Site defines R-1 visas here. A key excerpt below:
“An R-1 is a foreign national who is coming to the United States temporarily to be employed at least part time (average of at least 20 hours per week) by a non-profit religious organization in the United States (or an organization which is affiliated with the religious denomination in the United States) to work as a minister or in a religious vocation or occupation…To qualify, the foreign national must have been a member of a religious denomination having a bona fide non-profit religious organization in the United States for at least 2 years immediately before the filing of the petition.”
Forgive our confusion. For decades the TM Movement stated they are a non-religious organization. The TM Movement used this non-religious argument to infiltrate public schools and the American Veteran’s administration through the David Lynch Foundation.
Yet, the pandits received visas to work for an “organization which is affiliated with the religious denomination in the United States.”
Vedic City issued a TM-speak statement on March 11, 2014 which can be read here, and stated that :
“A very harmonious meeting was held with the entire Pandit group immediately after the incident to discuss what transpired. An internal review of the situation is being conducted with an aim to avoid any such repeat incidents in the future.”
No investigator had contact with the pandits. Will an outsider speak directly to these men?
How can law enforcement assist the containment of voiceless innocents inside an isolated compound?
Some reports said these men were promised an education and job training. Does chanting for a net of $50 monthly equal a career?
Pandits are human beings whose concerns should be heard. These are not the mute Orca whales whose captivity in San Diego SeaWorld garners press attention through animal activists.
An objective legal investigation into this should be initiated by people outside of Jefferson County, Iowa. Authorities of southeast Iowa already demonstrated both lack of objectivity and collusion with Vedic City through seven years of silence about these men confined to one square mile in a cornfield.
The pandits may have learned that drama attracts attention after fire fighters responded to a small fire in a pandit mobile home on November 8 2013, as reported here.
The CEI site was first launched in 1996 and has grown from a modest website to one of the largest archives about destructive cults, controversial groups and movements accessible through the Internet.
There are also other sites online included under the CEI umbrella such as the Cult News Network, Cult News and the CEI message board. Taken together the CEI Web presence offers the general public a free interactive resource for research and study, which broadly encourages the sharing and networking of information for those concerned about cults and related topics of interest.
Disclaimer
This news page is about groups, organizations or movements, which may have been called "cults" and/or "cult-like" in some way, shape or form. But not all groups called either "cults" or "cult-like" are harmful. Instead, they may be benign and generally defined as simply people intensely devoted to a person, place or thing. Therefore, the discussion or mention of a group, organization or person on this page, is not necessarily meant pejoratively. | {
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How Proposition 13 changed California politics
In June 1978, Jerry Brown was sitting on a huge budget surplus: $5 billion. In 2014 dollars, that $5 billion of 1978 would be equivalent to $18 billion. When Proposition 13 passed on June 6, 1978, a lopsided majority of 63 percent of voters approved the measure. But knowing that the revenue from property taxes would be slashed, a swarm of local politicians descended on Sacramento to carve up Brown’s $5 billion state surplus and have that surplus money sent from Sacramento to local jurisdictions.
The year was 1978. On June 6 of that year, California voters passed Proposition 13, a measure to roll back local property taxes to 1975 levels and make raising such taxes, in the future, very difficult.
Led by two anti-tax crusaders, Howard Jarvis and Paul Gann, Proposition 13 was put on the state ballot by these two men. They gathered enough signatures to give Californians a ballot measure that would halt virtually all automatic increases in property taxes.
Before Proposition 13, property taxes would go up automatically. The tax hikes would be based on a formula related to a property’s assessed value. For example, if a home’s value went from $100,000 to $200,000, the property tax would automatically increase.
Between 1973 and 1978, real estate prices began to soar. As real estate went up in value, so did property taxes — again automatically.
Many people, especially the elderly, believed that they would be taxed out of their homes.
Jarvis and Gann, sensing how important a person’s home is, claimed that with Proposition 13 property taxes could only increase a maximal two percent a year unless voters approved a tax increase for a higher amount. And any tax increase would have to be approved by a two-thirds supermajority vote of local residents.
Proposition 13 placed a limit on property taxes. The limit was one percent of a property’s assessed value.
In 1978, California’s governor was Jerry Brown, the same man who is governor today. Brown, a Democrat, was elected to a first term as governor in 1974 and was up for a second term in 1978. He won a second term. (In 2010, Brown was elected to a third term and this year is seeking a fourth term.) Brown’s father, Pat Brown, also a Democrat, was governor from 1959 to 1967.
Politicians, however, do not give out money without demanding some control over how that money is used.
Thus, Proposition 13, effectively emasculated local control, replacing such control with state-government control. For example, local school districts, now lacking money, received state-government money to make up for losses. And Sacramento now had a say in how that money could be spent.
Giving all this power to Sacramento had unforeseen consequences.
Now, 36 years later, Sacramento is still telling local communities how to behave. But Sacramento is making more demands than ever before.
Today, Sacramento is demanding that local communities create a Housing Element, a plan to have local governments create housing for low-income people. Many communities in the San Francisco Bay Area are being told to produce a Housing Element or face a cutoff of state-provided money for road repairs.
Sacramento is also demanding that driving patterns be altered. The goal is to reduce pollutants emanating from motor vehicles.
A highly controversial figure, Steve Glazer, finished first among three main candidates running, in a March 17 primary election, for a seat in the California State Senate. But what really is the Glazer Platform? | {
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Evolve
Evolve is my weekly contribution to the site Planet Waves, a wonderful astrology site by the astrologer and investigative reporter Eric Francis. Each week, I respond to a letter from a reader and reflect on key concepts in psychology and evolutionary consciousness. Below are archives from the Evolve Blog. Check back here weekly for the latest edition! Also, check out www.planetwaves.net for the best astrology site on the web!!
July 14, 2011Hello, dear readers, My name is Jan Seward, and I’m a clinical psychologist, creative arts therapist, and a devoted member of the Planet Waves community. When I’m not in my day to day practice as a depth-oriented psychotherapist, I teach all things psychological at an east coast college of naturopathic medicine, read oracles, and offer workshops on the I Ching. I also have the privilege and challenge of shepherding my soon-to-be nine year old daughter Amanda through her current incarnation. Fortunately, as Eric Francis has assured me, I’ll always be the smarter witch.
I began my relationship with astrology on more than just a casual ‘what’s my sign’ basis after a catastrophic event that shattered me. Searching everywhere for answers to the question “why me?” I consulted with an astrologer, and his ability to describe the event and the ‘why’ of it, after the fact and using only my birth information, was the gateway to a transformational relationship with the planets. I began using astrology more and more in my personal life, as well as with my patients. Now, one of the first things I recommend with a new client is that we look at their natal and progressed charts to see what we’re up against and what resources we have to work with.
When Eric and I started a conversation about a psychology column on the Planet Waves blog, we agreed that I should write a brief intro on the usefulness of psychology and its relevance in our current astrological moment. Although I’m not an expert on the heavens, I can say with certainty that an understanding of psychology at this particular moment has never been more important.
Except for about the past 100 years or so, psychology, rooted in philosophy, has always been a science of the soul and the spirit, as well as the mind, which was understood to be rooted in the soul. It has also always been concerned with enlightenment and awareness, with an understanding that in all of us are forces, desires, drives and beliefs that, if left out of awareness, move us like puppets on a string. Psychology, as it has been practiced for thousands of years and in all cultures, is about awareness, integration and transformation — of the soul, the spirit, and the mind.
In our current cultural moment, our ability to understand what drives us and to use that understanding as part of an evolutionary process, will allow us to evolve into global citizens with emotional and moral intelligence, to act cooperatively to preserve our planet, and to resist the mind- (and soul- and spirit-) numbing influences of the media, corporations and our governments. This will be our best chance at surviving what feels like a final reckoning with the collective shadow of unresolved aggression, greed and fear. Our ability to look within ourselves and to understand the way that our humanity reacts with our astrology, and how to leverage that for our own betterment and the betterment of those we love, will also lift the planet.
It is a demonstrated fact that the more we understand our history, the more choices we have to create a different future. And my personal as well as clinical experience has shown me again and again that a strong commitment to awareness, integration and transformation can make even the most challenging astrology an opportunity to evolve.
This column will offer insights into your questions of why we behave the way we behave, in spite of ‘knowing better’. If you want, you can ask about what ‘normal’ (read ‘flexible’ or ‘healthy’) is, especially where it concerns sexuality, your relationships or your kids. I’m particularly good at explaining how we trip each other’s wires — most spectacularly with those we love most — and what to do about that. I’m an expert on personality disorders, addiction, trauma and integrative health. I have a good amount of experience advising about money and finances, and you should definitely ask about your dreams! Finally, don’t ever wonder or worry whether a question is silly — I guarantee that if it’s on your mind, it’s of interest and importance to others as well.
I look forward to taking your questions, and sharing the journey with you.
Many blessings! Jan
August 4, 2011In your introductory article on Planet Waves you say you will offer insights into our questions of why we behave the way we behave, in spite of ‘knowing better’.In the last few years I found a lot of answers to the question ‘why?’, but I am still really helpless when it comes to the question ‘how to change?’.
When I tried to change with my sheer will, I found out far too often, that things turned out even worse. So I decided to just go with the flow, go with where ever the energy will take me — and just watch, and feel. And I thought “maybe change will come around the corner” — just because of increased consciousness.
Now I am watching, and feeling, and watching and feeling… but it looks like I am still running in circles.
For example, I am watching how I am over and over drawn to the same kind of men. These father-like men I really don’t want to be with, but they are the only kind of men with whom I can feel the energy to connect with. Then there are these other men, who would fit far more as partners — as I think — but I can’t feel a thing.
So now my question is, do you have any insights on how to change — smoothly — not only in thinking but in feeling?
Thank you in advance, Stefanie
Dear Stefanie,
Thank you for your wonderful question, and for your courage in expressing your struggle so honestly. Every fall, when I begin teaching a new group of graduate students, I start with this joke: Q: How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb? A: Only one, but the lightbulb has to really want to change. (Insert laugh of recognition here.)
But the truth is, even when we really, really, really want to change, we can still find our selves repeating self-defeating patterns over and over again. And as you so accurately point out, even having insight into our pattern, seeing it clearly and connecting the dots, isn’t enough to make change possible. So, if motivation and awareness/insight aren’t enough, how do we change?
It might help to step back for a moment and look at why we repeat destructive behaviors in the first place. Humanity has known for ages that history repeats itself, that we are creatures of habit and short memories. But Freud was the first to understand that we repeat certain behaviors for a self-protective reason. He called it “the compulsion to repeat” or “repetition compulsion,” and he described that by repeating self-defeating behaviors and patterns in our present lives, we avoid remembering the traumatic origins of those behaviors in our past. Paradoxically, we act out in the present what we don’t want to/can’t face from our past.
Although we now have other ways to think about this concept of repetition compulsion — for example, the idea of forming neural circuits that are very hard to re-program (see last week’s blog), the emotional underpinnings of this dilemma are still very real — something I have found true for myself and for my patients. Without exception, my experience has been that when we have been able to get to the roots of the experience, the pattern starts to change. So, in your example, although you understand that you’re attracted to men who are like your father, although these men are not the men you would wish to be with, you don’t have the right chemistry with men who don’t fit this pattern. Somewhere in that chemistry equation lie the early roots of your relationship with your father, in all its good and bad. Whatever aspects you are unable to remember — in spite of your insight and motivation — will get repeated time and time again. Truly, what we don’t remember, we are destined to repeat.
So, how do we access these memories so that we can change? There are many possibilities, all of them having to do with increased insight and self-awareness. Any type of work that would make increased awareness and the recovery of early memory possible would be very helpful. This might be depth-psychotherapy, body therapies like Hakomi, or safely-structured hypnotic regression. Realistically, it may be some combination of many types of approaches, because we store and retrieve early memories in a variety of ways. And then, just as I said last week, we need a commitment to changing the behaviors that keep the pattern going, because insight alone is never enough. As I say to my patients, change is like riding a bicycle, and insight and motivation are the two wheels. Each one is necessary to drive the other forward.
Most important is to have extreme patience and compassion for yourself as you go through this process. Change is never easy, especially change related to the deepest aspects of our selves. Those patterns, however self-defeating, have served a protective purpose and we owe them gratitude, even as we want to help them to go. If we can see the patterns as an opportunity for growth, development, and understanding, we can love them — and ourselves — more fully as we keep pedaling toward change.
Thank you Stefanie and to all the readers who answered the call this week — keep your beautiful letters coming!
Many blessings, Jan
August 18, 2011
Hello Jan Seward,My name is Elliott R. I’d be grateful for your perspective on a phrase I’ve started to come across recently in some circles, “thinking with the heart.” It is often brought up as a key to evolving. Gratefully, Elliott.
Dear Elliott, Thank you so much for this question! This is a subject that is near and dear to all our hearts, and I’ll try to explain a bit about it. Wisdom traditions have always understood that the heart is the seat of emotion, wisdom, compassion, and love. Our awareness of the wisdom of our heart center did not depend upon a knowledge of anatomy or physiology, because even cultures who did not dissect the body knew where — and what — the heart was.
A wonderful example of this comes from ancient China where, in 2600 B.C. Huang Ti, the Father of Chinese Medicine, wrote “The heart is a king who rules over all organs of the body.” In Hindu tradition, the fourth chakra is the heart chakra, which regulates peace, compassion, wisdom, and the coming together of heaven and earth. In Western society, we are finally catching up to the wisdom traditions in our knowledge of the heart.
Within this past century research has confirmed that the heart can actually think, with a nervous system and a way of communicating directly with the brain, the endocrine system, and other organs in the body. In fact, the heart can be thought of as “the little brain” with a big effect: the heart generates an electromagnetic field that is approximately 5,000 times larger than the brain itself. This “heart brain” can sense, remember, self-regulate, and make decisions independent of the central nervous system, or “head brain”. More intriguingly, the heart can know what is about to happen emotionally before an event occurs, and can understand and interpret events much faster — and more accurately — than the brain can process.
What does our intelligent heart mean for our evolution? Well, modern research (much of it done by an organization called The Heartmath Institute, www.Heartmath.org) has shown that the wise heart, in a state of alignment, balance and harmony called coherence, enables us to make better decisions, function more effectively, and get along better with others in groups. Put another way, a heart in a state of coherence gifts us with higher levels of emotional and social intelligence, leading to better outcomes in virtually all areas of human performance.
Establishing heart coherence is easy to do — simply being with others who are in coherence will rub off on us — think of your favorite go-to person when you are agitated, or how you might feel in the presence of the Dalai Lama. Being in nature, or performing certain rituals like yoga postures or the Catholic or Buddhist rosary can also establish coherence. It turns out these rituals were intuitively designed to establish heart coherence — once again, the ancients knew what they were doing! Being with children, whose hearts are naturally open, will also do the trick.
So, for all of you out there who’ve been told to think with your head instead of your heart, to stop wearing your heart on your sleeve; or that you’re “all heart” — accept the compliments! By letting your heart lead the way you’re contributing to the coherence of the planet, helping us all to evolve in the process.
With much heart, Jan.
September 9, 2011
Hi Jan,
I married my husband on May 15th 2010 and we’re already separated! This has been such an indescribably painful experience.
When we met and moved in together he was the most loving, kind and patient person I ever met. After we married he morphed into a controlling, angry and out of control man. All communications went out the window. I tried and tried to make things work but got no co-operation on his part. His behavior spiraled out of control. He got fired from work for inappropriate behavior and attacked two of my kids (not physically).
It’s just so hard for me to accept that it’s really over. If so, what was the point of being married for only one year? Why would I have to have this painful experience? I loved him so much and at one time we were so harmonious together. I just can’t figure out if he was fooling me all along or if something happened to make him change. If I am truly meant to leave it in the past and move forward I must admit it is so very hard to do. Recently after two months of nothing but angry communications we actually had a conversation. He did apologize for the things I said I was upset about but there would be so much work involved to really make things work and I just don’t think he’s up to it.
Thanks, Fugi
Dear Fugi,
Thank you for your letter. You included your astrological information (which I’ve withheld for privacy), and I know that if we looked at your and your ex-husband’s charts we would find astrological explanations for the surprising and painful ending to a relationship that seemed to hold such promise. But astrology talks about potentials and possibilities, and becomes more predictive in hindsight. We are left with psychology to understand how we participate in creating our circumstances by way of free will and the choices we make that determine our futures.
What I think you are asking is: Are people who they say they are, and can we ever really know? And, how do we accept and take responsibility for the choices we’ve made, recognize the destructive elements inside of us and others, and act in ways that will allow us to grow beyond our destructive patterns?
So, to look at the first question, can we ever really know who a person is? Are people’s personalities fixed and stable over time, or is the archetype of a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde a more likely scenario? Although your example of your husband’s ‘morphing’ from one personality into another is a dramatic one, it’s actually not uncommon. It is very rare that we present who we actually are in the world, for a variety of reasons. In our childhoods we may have been told that who we are, what we need, or how we relate in the world is unacceptable, and that to be loved and acceptable we have to be somebody else. This begins a process of hiding our true selves and presenting a mask to the world that will gain us the love and acceptance we require.
Later, we seek in others the parts of ourselves that we are missing in an attempt to become a whole self. Over time, however, we may begin to resent and to fear those qualities in the other person that drew us to them in the first place. Why this occurs has something to do with the ‘repeating to forget’ phenomenon that I’ve written about previously here on the blog. This is the idea that, when we’re made to remember aspects of early trauma we have not integrated, it is really, really painful, and we’d do just about anything not to have to ‘go there’. Seeing the split-off aspects of ourselves, the parts we were made to suppress, repress or smother, mirrored in another — our partner — can be painful. So much so that we rage against the memories, the pain and the person who we believe to be causing it. This psychological defense mechanism is responsible for the morphing your question has described.
Now to your other question, the question about yourself and whether you can learn something of value from the choices you made here, what can be gained from such a painful and confusing experience, and could you — or should you — have ‘seen it coming’. Philosophically as well as on a soul level, I believe that we make many choices before we are born about the karma we are willing to attempt to work through in any current lifetime.
When catastrophic events happen in my own or my patients’ lives, what ultimately must be explored are the aspects of karmic choice involved that contributed to that situation’s unfolding. This is not about blame. It is more about a commitment to understanding that the situation, whatever it presents, however unforeseeable it might have been, always contains seeds of karmic opportunity if we are willing to look for them. This goes beyond the adage that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. That is certainly true, but it is far more evolutionarily powerful and useful to recognize how this particular challenge, for you, at this particular moment, is precisely the situation that was needed to provide you with the opportunity you asked or wished for when you made the decision to come on board in this particular lifetime.
So, Fugi, I encourage you (literally “wish you the courage”) to continue your search in this painful experience for the seeds of your opportunity to evolve. Yes, letting go of the past and moving forward in a healthier way is difficult. But to stay in the flow of our soul’s unfolding, I believe it is the only choice we can make.
In the months since the situation has unfolded, I am wondering how things have played out, and whether your husband has been able to gain any perspective about his inner demons, the suppressed or cut-off aspects of himself that he longs to regain and recognized in you, and also what insights you have gained about your patterns of choice and responsibility.
You seem to be seeing with very clear eyes that your husband may not have the capability to do the work necessary to understand what karmic opportunities, choices and challenges are at play here. When someone apologizes not for their own behavior, but for the fact that you feel upset by something they have said, they are demonstrating a limited depth of insight that makes them poor candidates for growth based on self-awareness and self-responsibility.
I hope you have continued to find some peace and resolution as well as the recognition that this situation, painful and short as it was, was an opportunity to grow and evolve, and I would love to hear how things are progressing for you on your journey. Thanks again for your question.
Many blessings, Jan
October 6, 2011
Dear Jan,
I have been happily married for 24 years to a wonderful loving man. I know I have issues because of my dysfunctional family so maybe you can help me. Despite my love for him, I often wish I could have another man in my life; one who has the same libido as I do and one who is more open about his affection with me. My husband is really wonderful but he doesn’t examine his feelings much or talk about them much and I miss having someone to talk to about that. I can tell him my feelings but he doesn’t seem to know his feelings so he cannot tell me his.
I also miss having a man desire me as much as I desire him. My husband has desire but he doesn’t show it much and he cannot keep up with me. He acts younger than his age (is open minded and has energy) but he is almost 59 and I am 51 and going through the change. Why do I seem to need more attention and/or sex than he can give? I have lost weight and improved my self a lot this last year but I seem to feel needy and wanting attention that he seems unable to give me. I have wished I could find someone who could complement those parts of me that he can’t, but at my age I still feel unattractive and don’t know if I really want to mess up what I have already.
Is this normal to feel so mixed up, needy, sexual and all that, and what should I do about all these feelings? Is this just my personal dysfunction / self-esteem issue again? I have been to therapy many times but I seem to always end up with a man who has less libido than I, as though I am trading a loving nature for a great sex life.
Please sign me ‘anonymous’.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your question, or, rather, questions, because you’ve asked many. To answer, I’m going to use a way of looking at an issue that’s based on “The Work” of Byron Katie, which is based on the work of cognitive psychologist Albert Ellis, who was the original challenger of conscious and unconscious assumptions.
In Katie’s system, the way to look at any issue or suffering we experience is to see it as a story that we tell ourselves, that we think we somehow need in order to live. Unless we question our story, we will use the same narratives over and over again, suffering needlessly and indefinitely, like living in eternal hell. To look at our story, Katie tells us to ask four questions: 1: Is it true? 2: Can you absolutely know it’s true? 3: How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? 4: Who would you be without the thought?
If we unpack your question, it’s clear that you have a lot of stories. The first is “I know I have issues because of my dysfunctional family”. Is this true? Are you certain that you have issues? Can you absolutely know this is true? Could it also be true that perhaps these are not ‘issues’, but reactions, fears, confusions, or distortions, all of which are available to be examined and changed? Now we ask the question of how do you react, what happens, when you believe the thought that you have a lot of issues because of your dysfunctional family? Does having this thought make you feel that, because you can’t change your family or their dysfunctions, you can’t change your story? Do you feel hopeless and defeated by this? And, finally, who would you be without your thought or your story? If you stopped thinking of yourself as a person with ‘issues’, who would you be?
You also have stories about your husband, so let’s look at one: “My husband has desire but he doesn’t show it much and cannot keep up with me.” Is this true? Can you absolutely know it’s true? Have you tried different approaches toward your sexuality and intimacy? How do you know that your husband has desire if he doesn’t show it much? Does he talk about it? Have you explored ways to turn talk into touch? Does your husband masturbate? Can you masturbate together, or help each other to masturbate? Have you considered using tools or aids, including drugs for erectile dysfunction, to help him to keep up?
How do you feel or react to the story that your husband cannot keep up with you, and without this story, who would you be? If there were new avenues of intimacy in your relationship, how might you be vulnerable in ways you’ve not had to face before? Might it be easier, less frightening, to continue to see your husband as someone who just ‘can’t’? And what would happen if you invited or challenged your husband to answer the four questions about the stories he tells about himself?
Anonymous, the reason to understand our stories is that unless we understand what is lying underneath what we think and believe, we can change a thousand things and the basic story will always stay the same. We can lose weight, get surgically altered, take endless self-improvement classes, or go to therapist after therapist — the results will always be the same. Unless we are willing to see ourselves as separate from our stories, we continue to write the same ending, and it’s never ‘happily ever after’.
With your heartfelt questions, I encourage you to challenge all of your stories: the story that you are needy and wanting too much attention; the stories that you are unattractive, too sexual, mixed up, dysfunctional; and the stories about your husband. These, if allowed to stand unchallenged, will continue to doom him to failure — that he just can’t give you what you want and need. Try challenging the story that you have to trade a loving nature for a great sex life.
Thanks to the readers who have introduced me to The Work. Katie has developed the work of some pretty intellectualized cognitive psychologists into a form that is meaningful and accessible and has helped thousands. You can see her work on the web, and she offers the four questions and ways to do the work for free on her website. Anonymous, let us know how its going when you begin to rewrite your life.
A note to readers: I will be away next week, and my mailbox is hungry! Please send your letters and questions, I look forward to hearing from you. | {
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Judicial Council Votes to Assist San Luis Obispo
Judicial Council Votes to Assist San Luis Obispo Superior Court With Case Management System
Allocates $3.36 million for deployment of new system
SAN FRANCISCO—During the second day of a two-day meeting, the Judicial Council voted unanimously today to allocate up to $3.36 million from the Trial Court Trust Fund to assist the Superior Court of San Luis Obispo County in acquiring a new court case management system.
The council recognized that the San Luis Obispo court needs to replace its two failing 30+ years-old case management systems which have no vendor support, suffer from intermittent failures, and could fail permanently at any time.
The San Luis Obispo court had volunteered to be one of the “early adopter” courts for the California Court Case Management System (CCMS) and spent a significant amount of time and resources preparing to implement the system. But the Judicial Council had to cancel CCMS in March 2012 because of budgetary constraints.Funds previously set aside to reimburse the Superior Court of Ventura County for costs it would have incurred in the deployment of CCMS will now go to the San Luis Obispo court for a case management system. The court will be responsible for maintenance and operations costs.
“This court has gone out on a limb three different times in terms of case management systems only to have that limb sawed off, not through any fault of their own,” said Judge James E. Herman, chair of the CCMS Internal Committee in explaining its recommendation.
The council rejected the notion that the allocation is a gift to the San Luis Obispo court and will open the door to requests from other courts with failing case management systems.
“I don't view the approval as a gift to San Luis Obispo,” said council member David H. Yamasaki, executive officer for the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. “I view it as a partnership, a partnership for the entire branch to move forward past CCMS.”
Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst of Los Angeles noted that the case management system to be developed for the San Luis Obispo court will serve as a “template” for other courts looking to replace their case management system. Other council members agreed.
In other Judicial Council business:
Plans for Improving Court Technology—The council’s Technology Committee (formerly the California Court Case Management System Internal Committee) informed the council that it has created a new working group that will work on developing a roadmap for case management systems, e-filing, and other court technology. The committee’s survey of California trial courts revealed that 6 courts need new case management systems now and 22 more will need new systems in one to five years. The working group—made up of judges, court executive officers, and IT specialists—is also working on leveraging technology from the shuttered California Court Case Management System (CCMS) by identifying if parts of the system can be used by courts or purchased by vendors.
Court Executive Officers from State Help San Joaquin Court Identify Efficiencies—As part of its agreement to provide emergency funding to the Superior Court of San Joaquin County in December 2011, the council instructed the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to assist the court in identifying how the court could reduce costs and increase revenues. The AOC enlisted five volunteer court executive officers from California’s trials courts to visit the San Joaquin court and offer best practices and recommendations to improve court operations. The best practices and recommendations will become part of a statewide depository that will benefit other courts seeking to deal with decreasing budgets and resources.
In the meeting yesterday, the Judicial Council accepted the report by the Strategic Evaluation Committee and created a process to consider the recommendations. The council also postponed a motion to adopt the first four recommendations of the report, which deal with Judicial Council oversight of the AOC. That motion will be discussed at a Judicial Council meeting scheduled for August 30-31. Invitations to comment on the report are posted here. | {
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Railway Station
This is what I call the place where I catch the train both to and from London. Increasingly, what I’ve always considered to be an Americanism – train station – is being used, even by friends of my own generation. Until about 15 years ago, I had the feeling that ‘train station’ was current only among British people born since about 1965, but it is now seeping up the generations, and last week-end, I heard it on the lips of a 70 year old. Interestingly, the first line of Paul Simon’s song Homeward Bound is “I’m sittin’ in the railway station”. I know he wrote it in Britain (actual location disputed), but since when do Americans use British phrases simply because that’s where they are? Of course, “I’m sittin’ in a train station” wouldn’t scan.
Anyway, the OED inevitably has a section on the phrase. The first references are to the Morning Chronicle, March 1845 and the Daily News November 1856, both British, but then there is a long gap to 1955 (US) and then 1981 (New York Times Magazine) which is, like me, commenting on the usage: “When was the last time you heard a young, rich-affluent-wealthy type use the phrase railroad station? Upper-class use is now train station.”
I mention this now because I’ve just caught up with the first episode of the new series of “Mr Selfridge” on ITV, in which the (fictional) female owner of a dubious ‘gentlemen’s club’ gives a reading from her autobiography, and uses ‘train station’. Even though she had supposedly recently returned from the US, I don’t think that would have been right in 1914, especially given the circles she is supposed to move in, and the 1981 quotation given above. Film makers, whether for the big screen or TV, go to great lengths to get costume and set dressing correct. Why can’t they pay the same attention to the language their characters use?
Alec – Yes, I know about the plaque, but in an interview in 1990, Art Garfunkel said it was a station “around Manchester”, and in a Playboy interview in 1984, Paul Simon said it was “in Liverpool”, which would probably fit fo Widnes as well. I was hedging my bets.
John – perhaps what is most interesting is that both songs have “railway station” rather than “railroad station”. The scansion wouldn’t be affected by “railroad”, and on this side of the Atlantic we ‘all’ think that all Americans talk about the “railroad” rather than “railway”.
By the way, even though I don’t vocalise all postvocalic /l/s, in “railway” and “railroad” I do. Does anybody not?
I usu say ‘railway station’ but I suggest that, now bus station is much more common an expression than it used to be, the bus/train contrast makes the use of ‘train station’ feel much less unusual than it once was here in Britain.
As to the vocalising of the /l/ of ‘railway’, I suspect it might be much more usual among people who, like so many Londoners etc, eg Michael Portillo, have very dark ells. Having only a slightly dark ell, I dont all that often vocalise it but I do at times and praps more often elide it altogether. | {
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Monthly Archives: January 2017
McCarthy has struggled with game management in key situations during previous playoffs. As I wrote about on Sunday, McCarthy has shown little aptitude for handling his team’s fourth-quarter decisions, particularly as an underdog.
Against the Seahawks two years ago, McCarthy kicked twice on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the first quarter, then clung to a bizarre emphasis on the number of carries his team should have in the second half in an attempt to hold on to the lead.
Then, last season in the divisional round of the playoffs, he followed Aaron Rodgers’ miraculous Hail Mary on the road in Arizona by kicking the extra point to go into overtime in lieu of attacking a stunned Cardinals defense for a game-winning two-point conversion try. His team never touched the ball again.
The “Brotherhood” seems to be on a mission this season, as Quinn has established a winning mentality in everyone on the roster. Ryan might be adamant about “blocking out the noise” regarding his inability to reach a Super Bowl, but you can bet that some of the negativity has fueled him up to this moment.
This game could be a shootout, indeed, but the Falcons prevail behind Ryan’s arm and his running backs’ legs. The defense will hold up just enough, relying on the blazing speed of rookie linebacker Deion Jones and Beasley and the physical play of rookie safety Keanu Neal to come up with some key stops. Falcons 35, Packers 31
The one other concern with Tomlin is that he may get carried away with challenges, although that’s less of a concern under the league’s modern rules. He made a terrible mistake with challenges earlier in his career during a playoff game against the Ravens in 2010.
Coming into the 2014 season, Quinn had a strong case as the NFL’s top edge rusher. His 19 sacks in 2013 trailed only Robert Mathis’ 19.5, and he was a terror opposite Chris Long.
Long added 8.5 sacks in 2013 for a total of 27.5 for the pair, but Long managed just one sack in 2014 while Quinn tallied 10.5. Luckily for the Rams, they have Aaron Donald, a dominant three-technique on the inside who racked up nine sacks from the interior as a rookie. If Quinn returns to the dominant form he showed in 2013, the Rams have pass-rushing threats all over to make for a scary defensive front in 2015.
At the end of the day, Houston’s probably right that the Chiefs boast the best duo — for now. Hali’s drop-off in production doesn’t bode well for the title in 2015, but most of the other top tandems feature aging pass rushers, too. Quinn and Donald are a young pair for the Rams, while other teams like the Houston Texans are banking on potential and could sneak into the pass-rushing spotlight if Jadeveon Clowney finds his form in the NFL alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.Game Kids Will Compton Jersey
By diversifying their receiver portfolio, the Patriots are able to balance talent with cost, and compensate for any sort of injury that might occur.
This, of course, is the Bill Belichick style of team building and management. He sets his ceilings for players and their contract values, and he doesn’t go beyond them. He understands that deviating from the system in place is the first step towards its collapse.
Game Kids Ernie Stautner Jersey The Patriots are fielding Edelman, LaFell, and Amendola for less cap space than the Broncos or Cowboys have allocated for Thomas and Bryant. That is why the law of the Shiny Hood Ornament doesn’t apply. Belichick has surrounded Brady with the fourth most expensive group of weapons in the entire league, and he’s done it by building quality depth across the roster.
The good news first: Golden State will take the floor for Monday night’s highly anticipated rematch with Cleveland having capitalized on all of the slipups around them to reclaim the No. 1 spot in ESPN.com’s weekly NBA Power Rankings.Game Youth Tamba Hali Jersey
Now for the bad news: What awaits the Warriors over the next seven days just might add up to the most challenging week of their regular season.
There have been slightly more bets on the Warriors to win the NBA title than there are on the defending champion Cavaliers, but there’s far more money on Golden State.
What Rio did for me was have me go back and literally play a different type of game. I don’t think I was looking to score. I was trying to pass and have fun. I got a chance to be around those guys and sometimes be a leader, and to sacrifice your game shows what kind of player you actually are.
You have always carried yourself with a lot of swagger and believed in what you could do, maybe when others overlooked you or didn’t see the same potential in you. Did playing for USA and winning gold give you even more swagger, and is that showing this season in your play?
I just felt like I was one of the better players out there, and I was able to, with a group of guys who respected what I did for the team and respected the situation we all were in. I think guys enjoyed playing with me, and it shows I can play with them, and I am one of the guys that won a gold medal, one of the better players in the country and the world. That definitely gives you confidence. You just got to go out there and keep working and getting better.Manny Ramirez Authentic Jersey
In checking all the statistics on your season so far, one that really jumps out is the fact that only you, LeBron James, James Harden and Russell Westbrook are averaging 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds this season. What does it mean to be putting up numbers with that kind of company so far this season?
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers just lit up the Dallas Cowboys for 356 yards, two touchdowns, clutch throw after clutch throw, and an upset win in one of the most thrilling NFL playoff games ever.Jimmy Howard USA Game Jersey
We asked nine ESPN.com NFL writers a simple question:
Dan Graziano, national NFL Insider: Yes, because he’s the best at so many things. He’s the most accurate, the most clutch, the most confident, the most calm player at the most important position, superior at the shortest passes as well as the longest (Hail Mary) and delivering right now in the biggest games against the best opponents.
The Chiefs could make Berry the franchise player again, as he was in 2016. It’s going to cost them more than the $10.8 million it did last year, but Berry would be worth the franchise-player cost to the Chiefs in 2017 if he plays and leads like he did this season.
Should the Chiefs retain Charles? Charles was, for a long period, among the best running backs in the league. But he hasn’t been since Oct. 11, 2015, when he tore the ACL in his right knee in a game against Chicago. He played in just three games this season as a part-time player with 40 rushing yards and a touchdown before soreness in the knee ended his season.
Charles turned 30 in December, and there’s no guarantee he will ever return as the player he was before the latest knee injury (he tore the ACL in his left knee in 2011). Charles, between salary and bonuses, is scheduled to cost the Chiefs $7 million in 2017.
The Chiefs would absorb no cap charge for Charles if they release him. Charles was so good in his day that it’s worth seeing whether he can get back to his previous level of play. But it’s not worth $7 million. The Chiefs need to see whether Charles would take a reduced contract that includes incentives. Such a deal would give both sides some security.
Quarterbacks beware: Jadeveon Clowney is back on the practice field. The Texans activated last year’s No. 1 overall pick from the PUP list Monday, and eased him back into the swing of things.
“The rehab process can be monotonous,” head coach Bill O’Brien said to the media Monday. “He put in the work. We are going to ease him in and then ramp him up.”
There is no word on whether Clowney will be ready to play Week 1 against the Chiefs, but the fact that he’s practicing again is a good sign. For his part, Clowney said he is ecstatic to get back on to the field.
No big deal, that’s just Manuel connecting with Deonte Thompson for a 51-yard touchdown two drives removed from imminent disaster. Manuel isn’t out of this thing yet.
It’s easy to overlook the fact that kickers have a tough job in the NFL; even from short distances nothing is guaranteed. Still, a kicker is reasonably expected to convert on all the extra point attempts he tries because, well … there’s a reason it’s called an extra point. About that:
That’s Titans kicker Ryan Succop completely shanking the kick and missing an extra point on Friday. This is Succop’s second season with the Titans after five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. He converted 86.4 percent of his field goals last season, and made all 27 of his extra point attempts, so there’s not really cause for concern. These things just happen in the preseason.
“It’s going to be great when I can get back out there and rush the passer. I’m tired of hitting blocking dummies that don’t hit back,” Clowney said to reporters after practice, via NFL Media.
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Stafford’s benching is temporary — more akin to yanking a starting pitcher when he’s having an off-day, as Caldwell put it — but it’s seriously disconcerting for a team that has tons of weapons on offense but hasn’t been able to get anything going. He was replaced by Dan Orlovsky, who didn’t fare a whole lot better. Caldwell was so confident in his backup that he kicked a field goal from the Arizona 22-yard line with 11:56 remaining in the game … down 28 points.
Speaking of absurd passing records, one ended in Green Bay today as Rodgers’ streak of 586 passes at home without an interception ended. Rodgers tossed two picks and lost a fumble, but in the end it didn’t matter as the Packers improved to 5-0 on the year with a victory over the Rams.
He is averaging 1.97 blocks per game, fifth in the NBA. Three of the four players ahead of him are considered true centers.
He is allowing opponents to shoot 45.5 percent at the rim this season, eighth in the NBA. Five of the seven players ahead of him are considered true centers.
Elite Boston Red Sox Jersey “It was a long one, man,” Irving admitted. “Seemed like eight days is an eternity in the NBA life, but missing those three games was definitely necessary. … For me going forward and for the rest of my life, I will never take any hamstring that anyone has for granted because that’s how you make your living, that’s through your legs. So, just wanted to take the necessary time and do whatever is needed. Whether that was three games, four games or any amount of games. Just wanted to do the best thing for my body.”
Thanks to some quality time at the gym, Antetokounmpo is scoring at will in the paint and is also doing a great job of defending down low.
Authentic Iman Shumpert Jersey Hopkins finished the game with a team-leading five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. The Texans scored three touchdowns on offense for just the second time this season.
Osweiler has especially struggled throwing downfield this season. In the regular season, Osweiler completed just 26.5 percent of his passes that were thrown at least 15 yards downfield. He showed improvement Saturday, highlighted by his deep pass to Hopkins in the second quarter.Authentic Brandon Mebane Jersey
The victory was the Texans’ first in the playoffs since the 2012 season.
The Texans will travel to play the No. 1 New England Patriots or the second-seeded Chiefs for the divisional round, pending the outcome of Sunday’s game between the No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers and No. 6 Miami Dolphins. Houston will play the Patriots if Pittsburgh wins, Kansas City if the Dolphins prevail.
“I thought Randall practiced well,” Mike McCarthy said. “Randall played well in the first game against the Giants. Yeah, obviously it would be great to have him ready, so he’s got some more work to do.”
The Packers indeed ran the table, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers suggested was possible, even though they had a 4-6 record in late November and were mired in a four-game losing streak.
They don’t intend to let up now.
“The energy that this team has is unique,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “That is not a concern at all. It’s about as ambitious a group of men as I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. That’s been evident from day one on the journey. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning this Sunday against the Giants.”
History should have no bearing on Sunday’s NFC wild-card game at Lambeau Field unless, of course, the ghost of playoffs past revisits Green Bay. The Giants have twice upset the Packers in the playoffs at Lambeau — the 2007 NFC Championship Game and in a 2011 NFC divisional-round game — both times with Eli Manning as New York’s quarterback and with Mike McCarthy as Green Bay’s coach. Manning is 2-0 in playoff games at Lambeau Field and has as many postseason wins there as Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (2-2).
Harden recorded a triple-double on Friday, too. He¡¯s producing them at a frightening clip, with eight now through 35 games. In another season, if Russell Westbrook wasn¡¯t literally averaging a triple-double, that would get more attention. As it is, Harden¡¯s play is unlocking the Rockets as an absolutely terrifying offense that can and will blitz any defense into a death via jump shots and layups.
I¡¯m not going to say there¡¯s nowhere to go but up, because that¡¯s never true. Eight teams had worse rotations than Oakland¡¯s trainwreck Surkamp ¡®n¡¯ Detwiler Show last year. The Twins lost 10 more games than the A¡¯s did even though they were supposed to be on the upswing ¡ª a couple ESPN folks even picked Minnesota to win its division. Things can always get worse. Or they can stay just as bad, which would also be awful.
Elite Youth Michael Bennett Jersey But the most likely scenario, overwhelmingly so, is that 2017 will be better. Maybe not awesome, and probably not a playoff year unless some big additions are coming imminently, but it¡¯ll be better, more interesting, and more exciting. Here are five reasons why.Elite Youth Teemu Selanne Jersey
If you want to put a finger on the pulse of the greater A¡¯s fan base, then take a stroll through the comments on our Facebook page sometime. You¡¯ll see a lot of people saying a lot of different things, with varying degrees of logic and tact, but the single most common theme is always easy to detect: ¡°Sell the team!¡± Usually with more expletives. It shows up on almost every post, even the positive, happy articles.
Limited Womens Robert Mathis Jersey There will always be public discussions over whether the Knicks are better off trading Carmelo Anthony and giving Kristaps Porzingis a chance to shoulder more of the burden. But nights like Tuesday show that Anthony is still vital to this team¡¯s success. They also show the importance of Rose to this club.
The Knicks had gone 1-3 in Rose¡¯s absence if you include their loss to Phoenix, in which Rose played just 10 minutes.
George Blanda Elite Jersey Rose started slowly but helped ignite the Knicks’ offense in the second quarter and for stretches in the second half. New York improved to 6-2 when Rose scores at least 15 points and hands out at least five assists in a game.
¡°I think we just play differently when he¡¯s able to be out there,¡± Anthony said.
“I listen to Coach. Whatever he sees, I’m going to work on,” Conley said when asked about Fizdale’s pointed comments. “At the end of the day, I’m going to look at the film, look at myself in the mirror. I’m going to tell the guys to look in the mirror as well and say, ‘Did you give everything you had? Did you lead as best as you could? Did you do things to help the team win?’ And get ready for another game tomorrow.”
“You’ve got to roll with what Coach said. He calls a spade a spade,” Allen said. “I thought guys put their head down when they started cutting into the lead. Myself and Marc and Mike should take offense by that and show by example the next game.
“It’s nothing like we’re fighting back with Coach or nothing. We have to be better leaders and respond in critical situations when we see a lead sink. That’s what I’ve got to get from it. We’ve got to be better.”
Carolina Panthers defensive end Mario Addison has been labeled a one-trick pony, an edge rusher whose only value is sacking the quarterback. It¡¯s not a bad label, mind you, and it¡¯s not one that offends the former high school running back.
It¡¯s just not totally accurate.
Addison proved that once again in Saturday¡¯s 33-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In a game in which there were few bright spots for the Panthers (6-9), the sixth-year player out of Troy University had two tackles for loss on Atlanta running back Devonta Freeman.Elite Womens Mariano Rivera Jersey
Panthers defensive end Mario Addison celebrates a fourth-quarter sack against the Falcons.
Elite Womens Marshawn Lynch Jersey Week 4 vs. Jacksonville: The Colts were down 17 points to the winless Jaguars in London when they began a late comeback by scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Colts had a chance to at least get into field goal position to tie the score when receiver T.Y. Hilton went down a yard short of the first down marker. Then on fourth down, Luck’s pass attempt to Dwayne Allen was knocked down in their 30-27 loss.
Week 6 in Houston: This was no doubt the worst loss of the season for the Colts, arguably the worst of the Pagano-Luck era. The Colts had a 14-point lead with less than five minutes remaining. The defense couldn¡¯t stop Brock Osweiler and Houston¡¯s offense, and the Colts offense couldn¡¯t use enough clock in their 26-23 overtime loss.
Week 14 vs. Houston: Same team. Same opportunity. Same result for the second straight season for Indianapolis. All the Colts’ problems from earlier in the season could be put to rest momentarily with a victory against the Texans, because it would allow them to control their destiny for first place in the AFC South just like in 2015. But just like in 2015, the Texans went into Lucas Oil Stadium and took the division title away from Indianapolis. | {
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October 20, 2013
FPA Addresses CFP Board Controversies, New Ventures
“I hear some people in the press might have questions about the CFP Board’s definition of fee-only and other compensation,” Michael Branham, FPA’s 2013 president, said to laughter during the Q&A portion of a lunchtime meeting on Sunday between the Financial Planning Association’s leadership and members of the press.
He noted that FPA “supports the right” of the CFP Board to “do what they did” in disallowing certain planners from calling themselves fee-only, "but we agree with [CFP Board CEO] Kevin Keller's call for a broader conversation on the topic.”
Referencing another recent controversy involving the CFP Board, continuing education and the announcement in March that the board is thinking of becoming a CE provider, Branham said it would be as if “the referees start playing the game.”
“They set the rule and want to play,” he said. “We’re afraid it will hurt the reputation of the CFP mark, but we agree that the quality of continuing education must be high and must be maintained.”
He added that a continuing education task force will be convened, headed by FPA member Dan Moisand.
Responding to questions at the press conference, the CFP Board released a statement calling the FPA a “strong partner” of the Board, “working with us to advocate important policy positions.” On the CE issue, the statement says that the Board is “very well aware” of the FPA’s concerns, that “we fully heard all of FPA’s concerns” and that the CFP Board “has made no decision on the CE issue and it will not be considered” by the CFP Board’s Board of Directors “until its November meeting, at the earliest.”
In addition to the those controversies around the CFP Board, the FPA leadership at the press conference in Orlando at FPA Experience 2013 discussed major initiatives announced a day earlier during the conference’s kickoff presentation.
The first was the establishment of the FPA Research and Practice Institute to conduct original research to help planners with practice management.
“The evolution of the planning profession, the increasing nature of regulation, fast-paced growth in technology and increasing need to identify quality personnel can make it challenging to achieve the desired professional and business goals,” said Lauren Schadle, executive director and CEO of FPA. She added that the first release of the research will be a practice management study performed in collaboration with Advisor Impact, which surveyed 2,500 respondents.
The second was the announcement of a new website for the organization for both planners and the public. It will debut next month with a soft launch and will feature a personal dashboard for each FPA member.
“We’re made a significant investment in technology,” Schadle added, noting a virtual form of FPA Experience 2013 will be available to attendees of the live event for three months.
She added that since becoming CEO, she has been working hard to implement the organization’s strategic business plan, which focuses on four core services: professional education, business success, advocacy and community.
“I put a strong staff together to help me do it,” she noted.
“Many members of FPA have small shops,” Paul Auslander, FPA’s 2013 chairman, said. “We have the resources to help them create a profitable and successful business, which takes time. I’m constantly looking at how to do it better. The research we announced is cutting-edge.”
Noting his passion is advocacy, he said the FPA’s Florida chapter met with legislators in Tallahassee three weeks earlier, along with the Florida governor’s chief of staff. “When we go in they look up from their desks and say, ‘What do you want?’” Auslander said. “We say, 'We don't want anything.' We don’t want anything other than to educate them. We are a resource for legislators and we are proud of that in Florida. It’s now happening in other states as well.”
He said the organization has 23,000 members and 90 chapters.
Branham pointed to the growing international recognition of the need for financial planning, noting that he just returned from Moscow, where 80% of financial planners are women. He also said he spoke with planners in Japan, where financial planning is “alive and well.”
He also noted the effectiveness of the Coalition for Financial Planning, a collaborative advocacy effort among FPA, the National Association for Personal Financial Planning and the CFP Board of Standards.
“We have encouraged regulators to pass a uniform fiduciary standard and supported Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in her bill to raise the funding of the SEC to help them in their mission,” he said. “Between the three organizations there are 75,000 planners.”
2013 President-elect Janet Stanzak began her prepared remarks by noting the importance of supporting the CFP mark.
“Medicine has the MD; law has the JD and accounting has the CPA,” she argued. “We believe in rallying behind one mark, and that is the CFP.”
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HOUSTON (AP) -- Authorities launched a controlled burn Sunday at a chemical plant damaged by Harvey, sending small flames and gray smoke into the sky, and said the highly unstable compounds that had exploded earlier needed to be neutralized.
Officials said the "proactive measures" to ignite the six remaining trailers at the Arkema plant in Crosby, outside Houston, wouldn't pose any additional risk to the community. People living within a mile and a half of the site are still evacuated.
Small flames burning in charred structures could be seen at the plant, with a limited amount of light gray smoke. John Rull, who lives close by, told the Houston Chronicle he heard four booms. He said the explosions were louder than one he heard Friday when two containers burned and that there was much more smoke.
Sam Mannan, a chemical safety expert at Texas A&M University, said the latest burn was emitting gray smoke, which indicated a more complete burn with fewer harmful chemicals remaining.
"There are ways to accelerate the process or create more efficient or complete burning," Mannan said.
Three trailers containing unstable compounds had already caught fire at the plant after backup generators were engulfed by Harvey's floodwaters, which knocked out the refrigeration necessary to keep them from degrading and catching fire.
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Some Houston officials stressed that the recovery from Harvey was beginning, and Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed America's fourth-largest city "open for business." But the on-the-ground reality varied by place.
Utility crews went door-to-door shutting off power and warning those still in some waterlogged homes in western parts of the city that still more flooding could be heading their way -- not from rain but from releases of water in overtaxed reservoirs. Thousands of Houston dwellings were under new, mandatory evacuation orders, though about 300 people were thought to be refusing to leave.
Some homes in the area, which included brick two-story and ranch homes with manicured lawns bordering Buffalo Bayou, remained evacuated but people briefly returned Sunday to try to salvage valuables like family photos.
"I called 911 for 15 minutes; no one answered. My neighbor had a canoe and saved us," said Gaston Kirby, who evacuated Aug. 27 with his two young children. When they left, he said, their home had about 2 inches of water and got another 2 feet from Harvey. But the reservoir releases added at least another 3 feet.
Contradictions could be seen as well in some people taking a break from their cleanup efforts in the sweltering heat to worship on a "National Day of Prayer," while others worried about thefts in storm-ravaged neighborhoods.
Harvey slammed into Texas on Aug. 25 as a Category 4 hurricane, but brought the worst flooding to Houston and other areas as a tropical storm. The rain totaled nearly 52 inches in some spots, and the storm is blamed for at least 44 deaths.
President Donald Trump has asked Congress for a $7.9 billion down payment toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested the cost of recovery could be as much as $180 billion.
Turner insisted, however, that much of the city was hoping to get back on track after Labor Day.
"Anyone who was planning on a conference or a convention or a sporting event or a concert coming to this city, you can still come," the mayor said on the CBS show "Face the Nation." "We can do multiple things at the same time."
In the southwest Bellaire neighborhood, police received reports of scavengers picking through water-damaged possessions and urged those cleaning up to keep anything left outside to dry closer to their homes and separate from what was considered a total loss. In the suburb of Dickinson, one homeowner used orange spray paint on a sheet of dirty plywood to warn: "Looters Will B Shot."
Robert Lockey, a 48-year-old school district bus monitor, worked to clean up his flooded home in Spring, Texas, outside Houston, in the 94-degree heat. A pile of wooden doors lay in his yard next to ripped-out drywall.
"They're sweating to death," Lockey said, looking at his neighbors and their similar piles of debris. Added his roommate, Elizabeth Hallman: "This definitely is not fun."
Meanwhile, repairs continued on the water treatment plant in Beaumont, about 85 miles from Houston, which failed after the swollen Neches River inundated the main intake system and backup pumps halted. In the nearby town of Vidor, Pat Lawrence and her fianci, Jim Frasier, hopped on a tractor, the only way they could make it to services at the Pine Forest Baptist Church.
"You can't hardly comprehend all the water that's around," Lawrence said. "I've been in my house since last Saturday."
Sunday was declared a day of prayer in Texas and across the nation. At St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in the Gulf Coast city of Port Aransas, the clergy set out holy water and bug spray, and many anointed themselves with both.
"We will remember the destruction of this uninvited guest but we will never stop being a people of hospitality" the Rev. Kris Bauta told about 50 worshippers. Harvey's storm surge ended just three feet from the building.
Outside the town of Liberty, about 45 miles from Houston, dozens of people were still cut off by the swollen Trinity River. Maggie King and her two children greeted a Texas National Guard helicopter that landed at the local fire department with pallets of drinking water.
"It's so far from over," King said. "There's so much more that has to be repaired from here."
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Step 47
Decrease its opacity to 70%. Change blending mode to Multiply. Keep calm, that was last layer with dragon’s shadow!
Step 48
Back on the top of the layers. Add new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N, Layer > New > Layer…, or shortcut) and pick soft, 1px light-orange brush. Draw outline of model’s body. Remember about laces and dress frills.
Step 49
Again add new layer (or make it on this one). Pick the same brush. Use light-blue color. Draw the outline on model’s body. I also drew some strokes on branches on the right side.
Step 50
As you can see, dragon isn’t blend so good. Crack should leave shadow on his body. You’ll make it by adding new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N, Layer > New > Layer…, or shortcut). Then, pick 5-7px soft gray brush and draw shadow as is shown.
Now change blending mode of this layer to Multiply.
Step 51
Awesome! I think, crack texture itself is too flatty. For fixing this, create new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N, Layer > New > Layer…, or shortcut), and pick 1px soft brush. Draw some strokes on the edges of crack.
Step 52
You’ll create particles on skin – your work will be more dynamic. Create new layer. Pick Clone Stamp Tool (S). Set any kind of debris/particles brush or use Photoshop preset brush – Rough Round Bristle. Click by holding alt, where it’s marked. Then, click on her skin. Play with it as you want.
Step 53
Add new layer (Shift+Ctrl+N, Layer > New > Layer…, or shortcut). Do the same as in 52 step, but use bigger brush. Also, you can change brush to any kind with particles/debris/dust, for better effect. | {
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Oct. 12 — Recent jury verdicts in amusement park ride litigation, ranging from $0 up to $2 million,
play an important role by providing exemplars for future industry liability.
For a serious accident, like the one involving a boy who died on a waterslide at Schlitterbahn
water park in August, “if liability is proved, damages should be in the multi-million
dollar range,” Professor Christopher J. Robinette of the Widener University Commonwealth
Law School in Harrisburg, Pa., told Bloomberg BNA.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner at Clifford Law
Offices in Chicago, told Bloomberg BNA that his firm has settled several amusement
park cases confidentially for sums ranging from several hundred thousand dollars to
$2 million, depending upon the gravity of injuries.
But most suits stemming from serious injuries result in confidential settlements,
an outcome favored by media shy theme parks.
Settlement is often favored because it doesn’t come with an admission of any liability,
Professor James Kozlowksi of George Mason University’s School of Recreation, Health,
and Tourism in Manassas, Va., told Bloomberg BNA.
It’s “simply a business decision to avoid the significant cost and uncertainty associated
with litigation,” he said.
On the higher end are a $1.5 million award in a roller coaster case involving a plaintiff
with a neck injury (
Noone v. City of New York &
Astroland Kiddie
Park, Inc., N.Y. Sup. Ct., 2015). In addition, the plaintiffs’ law firm Cellino &
Barnes reported a plaintiff’s verdict of $4 million in a roller coaster accident case
that ultimately resulted in a $2.85 million settlement (
Dwaileebe v. Six Flags Darien Lake, 801 N.Y.S.2d 172 (2006)).
In
Dwaileebe, the plaintiff suffered permanent injuries after being ejected from the Superman
rollercoaster ride at Six Flags Darien Lake in Darien, N.Y.
Although verdicts provide exemplars, “most claims are settled, rather than litigated,”
Robinette said.
And usually at the “11th hour,”
Clifford added.
Michael Talve, managing director of The Expert Institute in New York, which helps
litigators find expert witnesses, also said most of the amusement park cases he sees
result in a settlement.
It’s “unusual for an amusement park operator to allow such a case to drag on in the
public domain. Their insurance carriers usually prepare for this,”
Talve told Bloomberg BNA.
Most plaintiffs also prefer settlements because they don’t want to re-live their experience
in a courtroom setting, Clifford said.
So, if the settlement amount is “fair with the guarantee of getting the damages check
within 30 or 60 days, then it is appropriate to settle to avoid a costly trial and
perhaps even an appeal,” he said.
Settlements may be good for injured plaintiffs and media shy defendants, but Clifford
saw risks to the public when recurring dangers are obscured through confidentiality
agreements.
When these lawsuits are settled for a confidential amount the “real risks of amusement
parks is never really known by the public,” he said.
Standard of Care Crucial
Although many litigants anticipate a settlement, they prepare for trials.
In most injury lawsuits that advance, plaintiffs must successfully link their harm
to the defendant’s violation of a standard of care.
Litigation over amusement park rides is no different, but it comes with its own set
of twists and turns.
The applicable legal standard of care is not only significant, but conclusive in determining
liability in amusement park ride cases, Kozlowksi said.
These standards ‘‘provide a yardstick against which an actor’s behavior or decision-making
can be measured,’’ plaintiffs’ attorney Daniel G. Kagan, with Berman & Simmons in
Lewiston, Maine, told Bloomberg BNA.
But such standards are rare for theme parks and/or carnival rides, Kozlowski said.
If they exist at all, they’re “the exception, rather than the rule, within a thin
patchwork of state and local law,” he said.
In the absence of a legislated mandatory safety standard, the applicable legal standard
will arise from the generally accepted customs, practices, and usages within an industry
or community, like amusement park “thrill”
rides, Kozlowski said.
That means the standard of care is largely being determined by the same courtroom
experts who testify in injury cases, Talve said.
In addition to their litigation work, these experts “sit on boards for relevant trade
associations,” like the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions,
“they publish and lecture on the topic of amusement park safety, and collectively
they’re establishing industry norms and safety standards that most operators will
adhere to,” Talve said.
Differing Standards Confuse Jurors
When negligence is alleged in a typical amusement park ride case, most courts ask
whether the defendant acted reasonably under the circumstances, Robinette said.
But some jurisdictions use a heightened “extraordinary care” standard for common carriers,
Robinette said.
The common carrier standard is “much harder” for a defendant to prove compliance with
because it requires a showing that it it took extraordinary, rather than ordinary,
care, he said.
In a midway or carnival ride case, the standard of care might examine how best to
disassemble/reassemble a ride, how often the ride should be inspected, what that inspection
entails, how often to replace worn parts, and with what, Kagan said.
But rules and standards are only helpful if the description that jurors are told makes
sense to the “normal, everyday human beings who give their valuable time to serve
as jurors,” Kagan said.
Whether the amusement park owes a patron the “highest duty of care” or a lesser “reasonable
duty of care” may be paramount to litigators, but the distinctions often make little
difference to juries, according to defense attorney Jordan Lipp, a patner at Davis,
Graham & Stubbs in Denver.
Judges are the ones who examine the standard of care most closely, Lipp told Bloomberg
BNA
.
In states that have higher duties of care, that makes it “harder for defendants to
win on the motions, but not necessarily harder to win in front of a jury,”
Lipp said.
Another concern is that the standard of care is often a “moving target,” according
to defense attorney Michael J. LeVangie, with the LeVangie Law Group in Sacramento,
Calif.
In 2005 the California Supreme Court held that operators of roller coasters and similar
rides should be treated like common carriers, in
Gomez v. California, 35 Cal. 4th 1125 (2005), he said.
But the standard is different for driver-operated bumper cars, a distinction that
parties “often”
misunderstand, LeVangie told Bloomberg BNA.
And some states, such as Illinois, have used state laws to require that ride operators
meet the heightened standard of care demanded of common carriers, Clifford said.
Costly Expert Witnesses Essential
In complex lawsuits involving amusement park rides, one or more seasoned expert witnesses
will be needed to “present and explain highly technical aspects of engineering, inspection
and maintenance,”
Kagan said.
“Given the mechanical nature of these rides and the physics of a given accident, these
cases usually require expert witnesses with an engineering degree, and particular
experience and expertise in biomechanical engineering and/or human factors analysis,”
Kozlowski added.
Experts are needed to tell juries what measures “could have or should have been taken
to avoid the plaintiff’s injuries or even death,” Clifford said.
Often, “additional protection or restraint for riders’ necks, back, feet or hands”
might “amount to a relatively minimal amount of money that could save people’s limbs
or lives,” he said.
Experts also address the appropriate standard of care, the propriety of the operator’s
actions, and the design and warnings of the ride, Lipp said.
And where injuries are serious, damage experts, like doctors, life care planners and
vocational rehabilitation specialists, are often utilized by the parties, he said.
Experts are needed even where negligence seems obvious on its face—such as for a machine
that was continuously used for 100 hours without inspection even though it should
have been inspected every five hours, Kagan said.
In such cases an expert must explain why it was important to maintain inspection frequency,
he said.
Litigators don’t necessarily need a midway ride-specific expert, because the themes
of maintenance, upgrades and inspections are common to all matters involving complex
machinery, he said.
‘‘An individual juror may never ride on a roller coaster, but she probably has used
an elevator—both create serious risk of harm or death if maintenance, upgrades and
inspections are ignored,’’ he said.
Talve said the expert witnesses he looks for must be specialists in the areas of design
and installation.
“Many of these experts own and operate ride manufacturing companies or amusement park
outfits. Others have previously owned or operated such entities, and now spend their
time consulting on safety guidelines,” he said.
The stakes couldn’t be higher.
“Some of these installations cost tens of millions of dollars. And the rides are meant
to be flagship draws for the parks that construct them, as well as major revenue generators,”
Talve said.
But retaining a credentialed expert isn’t enough. The expert must also withstand intense
judicial scrutiny.
If a plaintiff’s expert is disqualified under the rigorous judicial standards for
evaluating expert evidence “the case is over,” Robinette said.
Defendants Win More Often
LeVangie said “95 percent of all civil litigation resolves prior to trial and theme
park accident cases are no different.”
Some cases might be subject to dismissal on the basis of a release or indemnification
agreement.
Sometimes the parties have to ask the judge to decide if the waiver or release applies.
‘‘That is true in many states,’’ LeVangie said.
Kagan says he doesn’t generally see outright dismissals in park ride injury cases
because most plaintiffs’ attorneys are diligent in conducting their own investigations
before proceeding with a suit.
But LeVangie said there is a “greater likelihood of a defense verdict in amusement
and recreation liability matters” than in other types of civil litigation.
“Defenses based upon express waivers and assumption of risk greatly enhance the potential
of a defense judgment or dismissal in these cases when compared to traditional injury
litigation,” he said.
Robinette, the law professor who follows amusement park ride cases, says that as with
“medical malpractice cases, defendants appear to win the vast majority of those that
go to trial.”
Kozlowski agreed, saying that in recreational injury cases, liability is the exception,
rather than the rule.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bruce Kaufman in Washington at
[email protected]
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The Uber smartphone app, used to book taxis using its service, is pictured over a parking lot as auto-rickshaws (background) ply a road in the Indian capital New Delhi on December 7, 2014. An Uber taxi driver allegedly raped a 25-year-old passenger in the Indian capital before threatening to kill her, police said December 7, in a blow to the company's safety-conscious image. AFP PHOTO/TENGKU BAHAR (Photo credit should read TENGKU BAHAR/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW DELHI - Indian police on Sunday arrested a driver from the international taxi-booking service Uber for allegedly raping a young woman in the capital.
Shiv Kumar Yadav, 32, was arrested in his hometown of Mathura, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) south of New Delhi, where the rape allegedly took place Friday, police officer Jag Niwas said.
The woman, who works at a finance company, was returning from a dinner engagement Friday night and used the mobile app Uber to hire a cab to drive her home, said another New Delhi police officer, Alma Ming.
The Press Trust of India reported that the 26-year-old woman fell asleep during the ride. When she woke up, she found the car parked in a secluded place, and the driver then threatened her and raped her, PTI said.
Police have filed a case against Yadav accusing him of raping the woman, Niwas said. He was being brought to New Delhi and was due to appear in court there on Monday.
Uber said in a statement Saturday that it had suspended the driver's account and was co-operating with authorities. "We are working with the police as they investigate, and will assist them in any way we can to determine what happened," the statement said.
Meanwhile, dozens of students scuffled with officers Sunday as they tried to enter police headquarters in New Delhi to protest the rising incidents of rape in the capital.
"I am here to protest the irregularities and failure of the state machinery, which refuses to acknowledge that rapes happen due to their failure," said Urvashi Joshi, one of the demonstrators.
The protesters, from the All India Students Association, dispersed after an hour-long demonstration.
Indian officials, who for decades did little about sexual violence, have faced growing public anger since the December 2012 fatal gang rape of a young woman on a moving New Delhi bus, an attack that sparked national outrage.
The nationwide outcry led the federal government to rush through legislation doubling prison terms for rapists to 20 years and criminalizing voyeurism, stalking and the trafficking of women. The law also makes it a crime for officers to refuse to open cases when complaints are made.
Official statistics say about 25,000 rapes are committed every year in India, a nation of 1.2 billion people. Activists, though, say that number is just a tiny percentage of the actual number, since victims are often pressed by family or police to stay quiet about sexual assaults. | {
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Operation SUPPORT is the name given to Canadian Forces activities directly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The CF had two immediate goals: to provide support for stranded aircrew and passengers from diverted commercial flights, and to increase emergency preparedness. Transport Canada called their operation Yellow Ribbon. | {
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Popular Chapters
Genesis Chapter 19
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
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And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. | {
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Possum's four-and-a-half-star review of his Therm-a-Rest ProLite sleeping pad ("Have used this pad for 5 years with no problems. Inflates quickly, stays inflated all night, packs small.") was selected randomly from the 97 outdoor gear reviews submitted over the contest period's two weeks.
The 2012 Jolla, Hydrapak's largest volume pack (18L, 1,100 cu in), is redesigned with top-loading construction and a narrowed profile. It includes a 100-oz Shape-Shift Reservoir and numerous pockets for gear organization (2 lb 6 oz).
Thanks to possum and everyone who shared reviews of his or her own outdoor gear with their fellow Trailspace community members.
If you didn't win this time, stay tuned for our next write-a-review gear giveaway, starting later today.
[Editor's Note: The blog was updated 10/24/12 after the prize was awarded to a randomly drawn runner-up.] | {
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This module exploits a file upload vulnerability in Tiki Wiki <= 15.1 which could be abused to allow unauthenticated users to execute arbitrary code under the context of the web server user. The issue comes with one of the 3rd party components. Name of those components is ELFinder -version 2.0-. This component comes with default example page which demonstrates file operations such as upload, remove, rename, create directory etc. Default configuration does not force validations such as file extension, content-type etc. Thus, unauthenticated user can upload PHP file. The exploit has been tested on Debian 8.x 64-bit and Tiki Wiki 15.1.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Raj Chandel
Raj Chandel is a Skilled and Passionate IT Professional especially in IT-Hacking Industry. At present other than his name he can also be called as An Ethical Hacker, A Cyber Security Expert, A Penetration Tester. With years of quality Experience in IT and software industry | {
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Becoming a Patient
Finding out if you are a candidate for treatment by our practice is a simple process. To become a patient of the AEGD program, individuals are evaluated to determine if their dental needs are appropriate for treatment in the residency program. We are always looking for patients who need complex dental treatment, such as tooth replacement with implants or smile improvement with aesthetic dental procedures. Typically, the fees associated with these services are approximately 40 percent less than those charged by a private dental practice.
Step 1
Patients are briefly examined during a screening appointment. The goal of the appointment is to assess the dental needs of the patient and the experience a resident will receive by providing treatment. Because of the need to find dental cases that match our residents’ requirements, cases that are extremely routine or are too difficult will not be accepted for treatment. Other factors that determine whether a patient is a candidate for our program may include the patient's medical condition and ability to afford potential treatment.
Step 2
Once accepted into the AEGD program for treatment, a second appointment will be made during which the patient has an initial work-up. This will include photos, X-rays, examination and models of the mouth to evaluate the oral conditions and assist in formulating a treatment plan. This visit costs approximately $150.
Step 3
The third visit with AEGD is typically the time when patients are presented with proposed treatment options, length and steps of the treatment and associated fees. | {
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Description
We're already working on tracking statement usage within Lua tables (T151717). Let's extend that to all the other fun things you can find in a Wikidata entity. E.g. labels, descriptions, and sitelinks. We'll probably never really phase out the "X", but this task is about getting the obvious usage types covered.
This task is done when: We stop recording an "X" in wbc_entity_usage for lua table access of labels, descriptions, and sitelinks. | {
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Salmon ruled that an ordinance exempting the Lusby, Md.-based LNGproject from local zoning laws — Ordinance 46-13 — violated both a section of a state Land Use law, as well as Maryland’s constitution. The facility will be fueled by gas obtained via hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”).
In the ruling, Judge Salmon described the zoning exemption as “a very unusual situation.” In 2013, the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners and the Calvert County Planning Commission carved out both LNG export and import facilities from zoning laws.
“To my knowledge no other municipality or county in Maryland has attempted to do what the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners has attempted to do, i.e. completely exempt two uses from being covered by zoning regulations while requiring everyone else in the County to abide by those regulations,” wrote Salmon.
“At a minimum, this ruling will likely cause real delay in the ability of Dominion to begin major construction of this controversial $3.8 billion fossil fuel project,” Mike Tidwell, executive director of Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), said in a press release. “The ruling should certainly give pause to the Wall Street investors that Dominion is seeking to recruit to finance this expensive, risky project.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, AMP Creeks Council (shorthand for Accokeek Mattawoman Piscataway Creeks Council), came to a similar conclusion.
“This is a remarkable victory for the people of Lusby, Maryland, and folks fighting fracking and LNG exports throughout the Mid-Atlantic region,” Kelly Canavan, President of AMP Creeks Council, said in a press release.
Yet, Salmon concluded the ruling out by stating his decision “has no direct bearing on whether the facility will be built or not.” And even AMP Creeks acknowledged in its press release that its legal team “is still sorting out the implications of this ruling.”
Further, Canavan told DeSmogBlog in an interview that she agrees with Salmon, at least in terms of the legal argument he put forward about his role in the final destiny of the Cove Point LNG export facility.
“Even if he wanted to, he does not have the power to determine whether or not the facility will be built,” she said. “It doesn’t mean there won’t be a ripple effect.”
During his company’s quarter two earnings call held prior to Salmon handing down the Calvert County ruling, Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell IItold those listening that he expects to receive a final LNG export license from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the “next few weeks.”
“We expect to receive FERC order approving the project in the next few weeks and begin construction shortly thereafter,” Farrell said on the call. “The Cove Point Liquefaction is expected to begin operations during the fourth quarter of 2017.”
Canavan believes Farrell’s rosy prospectus appears unlikely, however.
“We obviously disagree with that, partly because if it wouldn’t delay the project to have to go through these processes, there wouldn’t have been any need to pass the ordinance in the first place,” she said.
Calvert County Board, Dominion React
In the aftermath of the ruling, Dominion made a statement, appearing to stand by its quarter two investor call. “We are reviewing the decision in detail and do not see any schedule impact,” said the company in a press release.
Meanwhile, the County Board stood by its original decision to offer Dominion a zoning exemption, saying Salmon’s ruling would be discussed at its then-upcoming August 19 meeting.
“[T]he premise behind the zoning exemption remains legitimate,” said the Board in a collective statement offered to the press. “It recognizes that review and inspection of these types of highly technical, stringently regulated projects should be conducted by experienced federal and state regulators due to the rigorous standards they must meet.”
“The most recent edition of Inspire magazine, March 2014, the online, English-language propaganda publication of [Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula], presents a full-page collage depicting varied images…in order to construct an explosive device,” reads Carbaugh’s affidavit.
“Among these images are a derailed passenger train and a partly covered note paper listing cities in the [U.S.] as well as the terms ‘Dakota’ and ‘Train crude oil.’”
Carbaugh also cited Osama bin Laden, the late Al-Qaeda international ring-leader, in his affidavit.
“Among the materials seized in the May 1, 2011, raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, were notes indicating interest in ‘tipping’ or ‘toppling’ trains — that is causing their derailment,” Carbaugh wrote.
Big Rail has used a similar approach in New Jersey, another state that has not yet publicly-disclosed oil-by-rail route information.
Lee Moore, a New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety spokesman, explained why to The Record.
“Releasing all of the records, which include the rail lines on which Bakken crude oil is being transported, would pose a homeland security risk,” said Moore.
“Clocks and Windows”
William Larkin Jr., a Republican member of the New York Senate, believes the argument put forward in both Maryland and New Jersey is flawed on its face.
“I feel that both the U.S. Department of Transportation and a number of critics seemed to have missed the point, at least the larger point,” Larkin Jr. told the Poughkeepsie Journal on July 20. “[People] already know which rail lines oil companies are utilizing. Clocks and windows provide this information.”
The proposal would send gas obtained via hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) from the Marcellus Shale basin to the global market. The export terminal is opposed by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Maryland Sierra Club and a number of other local environment and community groups.
Cornell University’s Law School explains a non-disclosure agreement is a “legally binding contract in which a person or business promises to treat specific information as a trade secret and not disclose it to others without proper authorization.”
Upon learning about the agreement, Fred Tutman, CEO of Patuxent Riverkeeper — a group opposed to the LNG project — told DeSmogBlog he believes Calvert County officials are working “in partnership with Dominion to the detriment of citizen transparency.”
“We’re unhappy that it does seem to protect Dominion’s interest rather than the public interest,” Tutman said. “The secrecy surrounding this deal has made it virtually impossible for anyone exterior to those deals, like citizens, to evaluate whether these are good transactions or bad transactions on their behalf.”
Details of the Non-Disclosure Agreement
The six-page non-disclosure agreement explains Calvert County “desires to participate in discussions regarding Calvert County property tax credits. During these discussions, [Dominion] may share certain proprietary information with the [county].”
… any data or information…not generally known to the public, whether in tangible or intangible form, and meeting the requirements for mandatory denial of inspections pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act…whenever and however disclosed, including, but not limited to: (i) marketing strategies, plans, financial information, or projections, operations, sales estimates, business plans and performance results relating to the past, present or future business activities of such party, its affiliates, subsidiaries and affiliated companies; (ii) plans for products or services, and customer supplier lists; (iii) any scientific or technical information, invention, design, process, procedure, formula, improvement, technology or method; (iv) any concepts, reports, data, know-how, works-in-progress, designs, development tools, specifications, computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, information and trade secrets; and (v) any other information that should reasonably be recognized as confidential information of [DCP].
In a statement provided to DeSmogBlog, Calvert County Commissioner Evan K. Slaughenhoupt, Jr. said it would be the “height of naiveté” to think a government would not sign a non-disclosure agreement in this type of situation, given the stakes involved.
“When businesses have contractual concerns, and meet with elected officials in a lawful duly authorized executive session to discuss expansion of a business, I honor my responsibility to not convey what was discussed in such a session,” he said. “Citizens expect no less of that from us.”
Non-Disclosure Agreements “Normal Part of Negotiations”
The use of non-disclosure agreements by local governments is not unprecedented. Some cases in point:
“Companies and counties often use non-disclosure agreements because they each need to share business-sensitive, confidential information that cannot be shared with other businesses or counties for competitive reasons,” Norvelle said. “The result this time around is certainty for both Dominion and the county.”
U.S. Congressmembers Decline Comment
Asked for comment on the agreement on multiple occasions by DeSmogBlog, Maryland’s U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D) and Barbara Mikulski (D) declined to comment, as did U.S. Rep. and Democratic Party Whip Steny Hoyer.
Dominion owns not only Cove Point, but also the pipeline infrastructure set to feed the terminal.
“Dominion … owns both the existing Cove Point LNG Terminal and the 88-mile Cove Point pipeline,” explained industry publication LNG Global. “Dominion Cove Point … stated in their application that natural gas will be delivered to the Cove Point Pipeline from the interstate pipeline grid, thereby allowing gas to be sourced broadly.”
DOE handed Dominion a permit lasting a generation.
“Subject to environmental review and final regulatory approval, the facility is conditionally authorized to export at a rate of up to 0.77 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day (Bcf/d) for a period of 20 years,” LNG Global further explained.
It’s a decision that is set to affect the course of U.S. energy markets, the global climate system and sensitive ecosystems for decades to come.
With the DOE authorizing Dominion to export gas from Cove Point, Maryland, “it is deeply disappointing to see that Secretary [Ernest] Moniz persists in leading the nation and the world into a dirty energy future. It’s a bad deal all around: for public health, the environment, and America’s working people,” the Sierra Club said in a statement.
“Exporting LNG to foreign buyers will lock us into decades-long contracts, which in turn will lead to more drilling — and that means more fracking, more air and water pollution, and more climate-fueled weather disasters like record fires, droughts, and superstorms like last year’s Sandy…As we have shown, once environmental impacts are evaluated, it becomes clear that the additional fracking and gas production exports would induce is unacceptable.”
“Dominion” means “the act or fact of ruling” and today in the Marcellus it equates to the “golden rule”: he who has the gold makes the rules, in which Marcellus fracked gas will soon flow to the highest bidder on the global market.
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MyFDL is Firedoglake's community site. Anyone can participate by commenting on posts or joining groups to find other people in your area. Content posted to MyFDL is the opinion of the author alone, and should not be attributed to Firedoglake. | {
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STATUS OF AT GOLDEN PACKET as of 0800 July 14th:
We need a volunteer from Atlanta (N.Georgia)
and New York (Sam's point) and maybe Wythville VA,
And Maine for the end of the trail on Mt Katahdin.
The event lasts 4 hours from Noon to 1600 on 26 July.
Katahdin - XXX no volunteer (Maine)
Maine Relay - should be OK, but no reply yet
MtWashington - should be OK, but no reply yet
NewHempshire - should be OK, but no reply yet
Greylock - OK (may need to add a beam to SW)
Sams-pointNY - no Volunteer SE New York
Camelback PA - may need to add a beam to NE
G.D. Hill - OK
MD Mountains - OK
WV Mountains - OK
AppleOrchard - OK
Comers Rock - maybe. Need a backup (Wythville VA)
Roan Mountn - OK!
Clingmans - OK. May need to add a beam to SW
Springer Mn - XXX no volunteers (conflict) N.GA
Lookout Mtn - should be OK, but no reply yet
Huntsville - OK
For details on each site, see www.aprs.org/at-golden-packet.html
Bob, WB4APR | {
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Profile
Replicant
Replicant 6.0 for the Samsung Galaxy S3
This post contains outdated information and links to outdated images. See the wiki and blog for development updates, up-to-date documentation and current images!See the archived post for documentation about my initial work and findingsSee this post for the Galaxy S2
Changelog of the latest version (replicant-6.0-beta-0001 from 27.1.17)¶
Added support for external WiFi dongles that use the AR9271 chipset Makes it possible to use WiFi with only free software as free firmware exists for the chip
January security updates for the kernel
Changelog of the sixth alpha release (replicant-6.0-alpha-0006 from 6.1.17)¶
Only the most relevant changes are listed.
Fixed sending of longer SMS messages
Fixed entering the SIM lock PIN Previously, if the PIN was entered incorrectly once, every subsequent try failed, even if the PIN was correct.
Reduced the camera preview resolution to speed up the preview a little bit
Moved the build system from Debian Jessie to Debian Stretch and fixed various build errors This allows to use the manifest merger tool and the Eclipse Java compiler from Debian.
Added the possibility to enable llvmpipe as software renderer by making it buildable for ARM See the Tips section below
Applied various performance improvements and fixes for graphics rendering, mostly from the Android-x86 project
Ported various security/privacy enhancements from the CopperheadOS project This includes the possibility to set an encryption password that is different from the lock screen pin/password. The phone will reboot if the PIN was entered incorrectly more than four times. Some privacy enhancements for the browser
llvmpipe has more complete EGL support than the Android software renderer, so more apps work with it, like Firefox-based browser or more recent webviews. Unfortunately, llvmpipe is still too slow to be the default renderer, but I made it possible to switch back and forth between llvmpipe and the Android software renderer. ADB and root over ADB needs to be enabled in the developer settings.
The camera "locks" sometimes or the error "Can't connect to camera" is displayed. Logs might help debugging this, at least the issue with the error message. Recent versions have a fix which allows to take a picture if the camera app seems to be unresponsive and you press the shutter button a second time.
Only the Galaxy S2 and S3 are supported. If you want to help getting other Replicant devices supported: Add the missing device repositories and try to merge the changes from CyanogenMod. If the device is not supported on the CyanogenMod 13.0 branch, you will have to look at forks that took up the development. Merging with an older branch could also be sufficient to get basic functionality working.
Newer webviews can't be used because they don't work with the software rendering Webview version 43.0.2357.134 is currently in use. It was released in July 2015. This can be fixed by making llvmpipe fast enough so it can be used as the default software renderer. Currently, the Android software renderer is the default.
There are still prebuilt binaries in the source tree I got rid of a lot of prebuilt binaries to make the build more trustworthy and to ensure that all tools are properly built from source with free software, but there are still a few left. The gcc-arm-linux-androideabi toolchain needs to be bootstrapped with proper 1st and 2nd stage compilers so it doesn't rely on the sysroot from the NDK. In general, there are still some prebuilt binaries from the NDK, SDK and other places in use, but nearly all of them shouldn't run on the host, but only on the Replicant device.
Please note that the build might even be broken on this branch and there are no git tags on this branch which pin the source code to certain versions.
Then download the source code:
repo sync
The F-Droid binary is downloaded separately. The download script will check if the signature of the F-Droid binary comes from the F-Droid release signing key. You can retrieve the current signing key with the command gpg --recv-key 7A029E54DD5DCE7A. Run the download script to get F-Droid:
./vendor/replicant/get-prebuilts
Before you can build the ROM in the regular way, you need to run a build script that takes care of building the toolchain:
./vendor/replicant/build-toolchain
In order to prevent strange errors, I recommend running the script in a newly opened shell, in which you haven't already run one of the commands like . build/envsetup.sh, lunch or make that change the environment.
Then you can run the regular build commands to create a Replicant 6.0 zip and recovery:
I also added a script that signs your build, takes care of generating the necessary keys and puts everything in the out/dist directory. Using this script, it is possible to rely on your own keys and not on the test keys which are not recommended to use because the private test keys are publicly available. Building from source and flashing the default image that is signed with the test keys basically disables all the security measures in Android that are based on signing keys. The script also makes it possible to use password-encrypted private keys. The images below are signed with my keys using this script. You can run the script the following way:
./vendor/replicant/sign-build i9300
And finally you can flash the recovery in the download mode and sideload the zip in recovery mode:
If you have already built Replicant at some point and now you are getting build errors: Run make clobber and retry in a newly opened shell.If make fails, it may be necessary that run mka org.cyanogenmod.platform-res.
Add my key to your GPG keyringYou can retrieve it from the keyserver of your choice (gpg --recv-key 5816A24C10757FC4).Alternatively, you can download it from here: https://wiedmeyer.de/keys/ww.ascand import it with gpg --armor --import path/to/5816A24C10757FC4.ascThe key should have the following fingerprint: 0F30 D1A0 2F73 F70A 6FEE 048E 5816 A24C 1075 7FC4
You need to flash the new recovery first before you can flash the zip to your device. A full wipe is also necessary. Updating your ADB installation might help if you have problems with ADB.See the wiki for more details.
I'm currently (since 2 hours) using Mali blobs again ... I'm somehow just much more productive with the proprietary graphics driver.
Would you mind explaining what to do to get the proprietary drivers working with Replicant 6.0? I know this somehow defeats the whole purpose of Replicant. but until there is better integration it is a tradeoff I'm willing to take.
I had the "no SIM card" issue and solved it by unlocking it first with another ROM (cyanogenmod),nevertheless, it seems that, once with replicant 6.0, if I try to lock the SIM card, I fall back tothis issue. That surprised me as I read in one earlier post that this issue was fixed.
There is an su executable preinstalled, i.e. you have root access to the system e.g. via a terminal.I think there is also an application pre-installed which gives you fine-grained control about what app has root previleges -- if not, it's installable from F-Droid.
There is indeed a preinstalled su executable. But in order to use superuser app, you'll need to flash superuser.zip.Otherwise, superuser will complain that su executable is not up to date and it will not manage root access (granted for all by default !)
It seems that the permission to write to the external media has changed from "android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" to "android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE".
Applications which have the latest can indeed access with write permission to the external SD card, whereas others, even with WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE cannot.
Adding <item name="android.permission.WRITE_MEDIA_STORAGE" granted="true" flags="0" /> in the relevant application section in /data/system/packages.xml gives back the good permission for it, actually it makes the application be part of the media_rw or sdcard_rw group.
I updated my initial post. There is now a section about the toolchain and build instructions. I merged my changes to the toolchain in the replicant-6.0 branch, so most of the toolchain needs to be build from source from now on. The security patch level should now be the correct one.
I also included links to a compiled zip and recovery if you are not able to build it from source for whatever reason and want to try it nonetheless.
Could you post more/previous output? This basically only shows that make gives up, but the actual error happened somewhere before.My 2 cents about using Arch for building this: Google uses an old and modified Ubuntu LTS release for building Android. Debian Jessie comes pretty close to this setup in terms of configuration and package versions. So I only had to fix very few build errors here and there. Arch however has very new package versions and differs quite a bit. I don't want you to switch to a different distribution for building Android. Indeed, I think it is very important that we make it possible to build Replicant on Arch, because then it is very likely that building it will work on various other distributions. But I just want to let you know that you will likely have more build errors in the future and that it could become quite challenging. I will definitely try to help you with build errors.
I will need logs for fixing the SIM card problem. I tested it with two different SIM cards (albeit same provider) on two devices and they always get recognized. So I don't know what could be the culprit.
Setting->Sound->Other did not yet crash on me but I will look into this at some point.
Encryption should also work. If this does in fact not work, then the logcat from the shutdown after the encryption was enabled and from the following boot needs to be inspected. The last time I checked, encryption did not work on CyanogenMod 13 because they likely forgot to add some SELinux rules.
@Simon: Yes, it uses Replicant's RIL and the proprietary graphics drivers are not used. It is unlikely that there was a different proprietary acceleration module added to the source code and I would not be aware of it. Feel free to check the source! I already went through quite some code and e.g. removed the linking to proprietary play services that CyanogenMod added. I will also watch out for the one-pixel split graphics bug.I won't provide support for running proprietary software on the AP, but if you want to get GPS working, you might start by looking at this commit: https://code.fossencdi.org/device_samsung_i9300.git/commit/?h=replicant-6.0&id=eb564f1803a0145eef68b59cdbb75362175d05a7
robin p: I won't do work on getting a sdk or ndk build ready for now. I don't see a point in doing so for the moment because there are still so many binaries. I think it has be investigated first if the build process for the sdk or ndk just repackages a lot of these binaries. Just to be clear: I see similar problems with the Replicant 4.2 source code. For now I recommend building an app directly from the source code. Just place it somewhere and run mmm path/to/app. The app just needs a Android.mk. It can be simple as this one: https://code.fossencdi.org/BlueGPS.git/tree/Android.mk. You should have run a complete build of the ROM before so that all dependencies are in place or you could try to run mmma path/to/app. Of course, if the app has a lot of dependencies, then it might not work because not all of them are there.
Hello!About a month ago I installed Replicant 6.0 (build from 2016-03-25, according to phone settings), and I would like to sum up my experiences here in hope that they may be of some use to someone.
The installation itself went fairly well. I made use of the pre-built images. What I actually had to do did not match up with the provided instructions for 4.2, but it was close and the wonderful folks at #replicant helped me get it right.
As for turning the phone on, it's really slow, and feels kind of broken. The whole process of booting up usually takes anywhere from 10 to 50 minutes. During this time, the Replicant logo is shown, then the phone goes on to "Update Apps" and often does these two things over and over again several times. On some occasions I restarted the phone during boot (after it was taking too long) and it booted up quickly afterwards.
The performance of the system is okay. Usually the animations are choppy, but the phone doesn't feel slow or laggy. It happened a few times that the phone was very slow and laggy for a while, which was quite uncomfortable. On the other hand, everything's been very smooth and responsive today. This was after installing a protective tempered glass and rebooting the phone, so it could be because of a fresh instance, or because of better/reduced touch reception. (Just making assumptions here.)
As for the features, the phone recognized my SIM card just fine. SMS and calls are both working very well. WiFi does not work (as expected), Modem I did not test, and Tethering I tried to set up but failed. The fault was likely at my computers' side though. When I try opening the camera app, the screen is black for a short while and then it says "Camera error; Can't connect to the camera". That's probably the only missing thing I would really really like to have working. (I did not try with other apps; see the part about internet connectivity.)
Altogether, the system feels like what I expected plus bugs. Quick booting and camera are all I'm missing from being very content with it. I'll try to get USB tethering working later on, although it would be nice to have the tutorials confirmed to work with 6.0.
Thanks for all the work put into this release! I'll be looking forward to the next one and hoping I can help make it better in some way. Long live free software!
I added build instructions to the readme: https://code.fossencdi.org/BlueGPS.git/about/The instructions only cover building it as part of the source code of an Android ROM like Replicant.Of course, it's also possible to build it with the SDK, but I never tested it. It's probably possible to build it with the Replicant SDK.
And I rewrote the post. It now contains the changelog, tips, and known issues besides the build instructions and image downloads.
Some of you asked about the nonfree GPS and graphics blobs. I won't provide support for such nonfree software that runs on the main CPU, neither in the Replicant forum nor elsewhere. But I created a post on my personal blog about installing nonfree firmware to enable various functionalities: https://blog.fossencdi.org/nonfree-firmware-android.html
As for turning the phone on, it's really slow, and feels kind of broken. The whole process of booting up usually takes anywhere from 10 to 50 minutes. During this time, the Replicant logo is shown, then the phone goes on to "Update Apps" and often does these two things over and over again several times. On some occasions I restarted the phone during boot (after it was taking too long) and it booted up quickly afterwards.
It shouldn't take so much time to boot the phone. It should be much faster. Did you do a factory reset?
As for the features, the phone recognized my SIM card just fine. SMS and calls are both working very well. WiFi does not work (as expected), Modem I did not test, and Tethering I tried to set up but failed. The fault was likely at my computers' side though. When I try opening the camera app, the screen is black for a short while and then it says "Camera error; Can't connect to the camera". That's probably the only missing thing I would really really like to have working. (I did not try with other apps; see the part about internet connectivity.)
You could try if the latest image improves the situation. At least a reboot should fix the camera error.
A new release is available. The biggest addition is support for the Galaxy S2. More information here.
And it's now possible to use an external WiFi dongle that has the AR9271 chipset. As a free firmware exists for this chip, it's possible to use WiFi with only free software. There are different variants of such a dongle available. You can also buy a dongle at Tehnoetic and other online shops that provide freedom-respecting hardware. See the updated post for more information.
And I rewrote the post. It now contains the changelog, tips, and known issues besides the build instructions and image downloads.
Some of you asked about the nonfree GPS and graphics blobs. I won't provide support for such nonfree software that runs on the main CPU, neither in the Replicant forum nor elsewhere. But I created a post on my personal blog about installing nonfree firmware to enable various functionalities: https://blog.fossencdi.org/nonfree-firmware-android.html
WiFi does not get installed with your script (or if it does, it does not work). I installed WiFi firmware flashing the zip file from CM 10.1 as explained in Paul's blog. Also front camera doesn't work (maybe it could be a CM issue?) and bluetooth, although it can be enabled, cannot detect devices and it is not visible for others.
Just for the record, front camera worked in Replicant 4.2, so that's why I think it may be a CM bug, also Bluetooth worked perfectly for me in 4.2, maybe it's another bug. Does anyone else has these issues?
WiFi does not get installed with your script (or if it does, it does not work). I installed WiFi firmware flashing the zip file from CM 10.1 as explained in Paul's blog. Also front camera doesn't work (maybe it could be a CM issue?) and bluetooth, although it can be enabled, cannot detect devices and it is not visible for others.
I can confirm that the script does not work for the newest beta version.
WiFi does not get installed with your script (or if it does, it does not work). I installed WiFi firmware flashing the zip file from CM 10.1 as explained in Paul's blog. Also front camera doesn't work (maybe it could be a CM issue?) and bluetooth, although it can be enabled, cannot detect devices and it is not visible for others.
Just for the record, front camera worked in Replicant 4.2, so that's why I think it may be a CM bug, also Bluetooth worked perfectly for me in 4.2, maybe it's another bug. Does anyone else has these issues?
All of this should work. Can you paste some output from the script? Simply saying that it doesn't work doesn't help at all to debug this.
I'm fully aware that tools exist, but I don't want to add any dependencies to the script that are not available as GNU/Linux packages, so users only have to worry about having ADB working.
P.D. 2: Why dont't you try a more modern camera app? the kitkat camera it's ok, is very complete.
Did you test it? It should crash on Replicant as it uses the Camera2 API that depends on some EGL extensions that are not supported by the Android software renderer.
Gumbor W wrote:
David Pizarro wrote:
WiFi does not get installed with your script (or if it does, it does not work). I installed WiFi firmware flashing the zip file from CM 10.1 as explained in Paul's blog. Also front camera doesn't work (maybe it could be a CM issue?) and bluetooth, although it can be enabled, cannot detect devices and it is not visible for others.
I can confirm that the script does not work for the newest beta version.
Again, please provide more information like the output from the script.
Again, please provide more information like the output from the script.
Thanks for the fast reply! The script says that everything is successful. It is just not working on my phone (WiFi is turning off again and the camera app is unable to connect to the front camera). My script output is attached to this message.
I completely forgot to mention: Great work! Great to see that this project is getting better and better.
UPDATE Now that I looked into it.. it only seems to push the first line in fw_file.txt .UPDATE2 Found the bug.. I just do not know how to fix the script. $ADB shell mkdir -p "$path" somehow messes with the while loop. Making sure the folder is already created on the phone and uncommenting it fixes the issue. | {
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Its local pubs are Clarence Pier in Southsea, Harbour Lights in Port Solent, The Oast and Squire in Fareham, The Red Lion in Horndean, the Rusty Cutter in Havant, and Great Oak in Petersfield.
Although none of the pubs has had definitive confirmation, Whitbread has recalled the meat indicating contamination.
When called, local managers referred all inquiries to the Whitbread head office.
The firm released a statement, saying: ‘We take the quality and standards of our food extremely seriously.
‘We have continued to receive assurances from our suppliers about the meat content of our products. In line with the Food Standards Agency guidance we have carried out independent tests on meat products.
‘We sent 30 products to be tested and received the test results yesterday on Thursday, February 14. The two affected products were a meat lasagne and a beefburger.
‘We’re shocked and disappointed at this failure of the processed meat supply chain. As a responsible business, we’ll work with the FSA to implement a robust testing regime to avoid this happening in the future.
‘We’d like to sincerely apologise to our customers for any concerns or inconvenience that this may cause.’
Further tests will be carried out on the affected products and all lines were removed from the restaurant menus across the country. | {
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} |
ID – Superfriends
I’m really, truly, absolutely infatuated by this jam by anonymous SoundCloud user, user601586061. If the vocalist sounds familiar to you, it’s because it’s the same guy featured in the Outkast cover that we published not too long ago. Sit back, relax, and read between the lines. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
Brief look at new head of the CIA’s stances on Iran
The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed Mike Pompeo to run the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), giving President Donald Trump confirmation of his third appointee to lead an agency.
In a 66-32 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kansas congressman Mike Pompeo as the next director of the CIA.
Pompeo has a record as a strong supporter of the Israeli government and a fierce critic of the Iran nuclear deal.
As recently as last November, mere days after Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 elections, Pompeo declared on Twitter, with regards to the Iran nuclear deal. “I look forward to rolling back this disastrous deal with the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism.”
The tweet was published before Trump announced Pompeo was his candidate for CIA Director. On Monday night, Pompeo’s Twitter account was taken off the social network, in line with CIA policy.
During his confirmation period, Pompeo assured worried Democrats – among them Senator Feinstein – that as CIA Director, he would “objectively monitor” the nuclear deal’s implementation by Iran, despite his opposition to the deal while he was a member of Congress.
In the summer of 2015, at the height of the debate over the Iran deal, Pompeo said that the deal “won’t stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb and places Israel at more risk.”
He also said that the “theory that post-sanctions Iran will moderate is a joke – they want to annihilate Israel, now buying Russian missiles.”
Pompeo also criticized the Obama administration for not demanding that Iran cease calling for Israel’s destruction as part of the deal – a demand proposed and promoted by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“Ceasing to call for the destruction of Israel should have been a condition of the Iran Deal – along with release of innocent American hostages,” Pompeo said in a statement.
In interviews and written pieces, Pompeo has pointed to Iran as the primary source of conflict in the Middle East since Tehran’s 1979 revolution.
“Ayatollah Khamenei watches America allow Iran to expand its power while our president writes him missives ensuring we will protect Iran’s interests. This is dangerous. The Islamic Republic cannot even feed its own people without access to markets and our president rewards that nation, which has killed countless Americans, with sanctions relief.” Pompeo said on Dec. 3, 2014.
As well as opposing the 2014 nuclear deal with Iran, Pompeo has sponsored a series of bills that would increase sanctions on Iran. Earlier in 2016, he and two other House Republicans requested visas to visit Iran to monitor the parliamentary elections in February.
Pompeo also is well respected in the Jewish community, where Iran tops the list of key issues constituents are concerned about.
“Even the most hardcore Trump skeptics on the right will be praising the Pompeo pick,” said one senior official at a national Jewish organization. “He’s scary smart, his national security instincts are unimpeachable, and he’s been a leader in trying to limit the damage done by the Iran deal. The team he assembled in his congressional office kept him deeply briefed on foreign policy issues, so he’ll be able to hit the ground running.”
Haaretz, FT and freebeacon contributed to this report
Photo: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (R) finishes swearing in Mike Pompeo, flanked by his wife Susan Pompeo, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the vice presidents ceremonial office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 23, 2017 (Reuters) | {
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Hidden
AMEE BROUMAND
in the mind’s core, a waterfall—(a strange thing,a thing ill-designed to assuage fear— (symbols have an inner life that defies translation; they cannot dissolveinto words— the water roars, cloaking what cannot be spoken; here I stop, here I cantraverseno further—here the silence freezes me. Here I must wait—
Amee Broumand is an Iranian American poet from the Pacific Northwest. She has a background in classic literature, logic, philosophy, and photography. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
innovation
Trump’s immigration policies are a problem for the U.S. economy, and in ways you might not think.
Whether it’s crime, security or jobs—Trump has openly and repeatedly linked many of the supposed woes of the nation to immigrants, fanning the xenophobic flames that exist at some level in all societies. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the strong anti-immigrant rhetoric has already slowed the pace of immigration into the United States, whether legal or illegal. And now Trump is working with two senators to slow immigration even more. The RAISE Act (Reforming … | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
} |
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Monthly Archives: December 2012
Our dual with American was disappointing. I left impressed by the resolve of the other team, not mine. I felt the other team found a way to win the tough positions. We did not. I spoke to the team afterward about finding more fight when competing. I have seen guys in competition who refuse to lose. I want Mason guys to have that attitude. I have seen guys wrestle as if their life depended on it. I want Mason guys to have more resolve.
How do you get it? I think one way is to believe you deserve to win. The easiest way I know to get this belief is to work at a rate that others can’t match. If you train harder, you believe you deserve to win. If you run more, lift more, drill more, wrestle more, and focus more, you believe you should win. Thus, when the match is on the line, you find a little extra to come out on top – whether it is physically or mentally. You refuse to concede, because you have invested more.
Guys need to visualize winning. Goals and dreams need to be higher. If they can see it in their mind, they can make it real on the mat. Too often, my guys doubt they can achieve greatness. The doubts cause them to fall short when things get tough in a match. We need to change that mindset.
When your competition believes they deserve to win, you have to meet them in your thinking. When your competition takes the bout as if their life depends on a good result, you had better be prepared to match their intensity.
For some competitors the pain of losing is so strong they will go to great lengths to avoid the pain. If negative motivation works for you, so be it. For me, I prefer positive motivation. Thus, being prepared to win and feeling the satisfaction of performing well as a result is what motivates me. We need to find more resolve, as a team, when competing.
The guys are off for a few days. I have given them a guideline for the break, but want them to individualize their training. I want them to improve during the time off. We will compete again on December 29, so we do have time to get better.
I changed the schedule this year so we competed more around final exams and closer to Christmas. I do believe it helped guys focus during exams and I suspect it will help them stay focused while they are at home. We will see.
Grapple at the Garden was a great event. I was happy we were able to part of the event.
We had an easy drive to our hotel just outside of New York City. We stayed in New Jersey. After a brief stop at the hotel, we headed into the city to work out at Renzo Gracie’s gym. According to our directions it was about a 15 minute drive. After sitting in the bus for over 2 hours we finally made it to Manhattan. Traffic was atrocious. The work out facility was great. I think the guys enjoyed the experience. I left the team at the workout center and went to a dinner at the NYAC. The dinner was in their hall of fame room. I was amazed at all of the Olympic Champions from the NYAC in many different sports. George Reese and I went to the dinner together and were able to make it back to New Jersey via train and cab.
We were fortunate to be hosted by a guy who knew the city well and who went above and beyond to take care of our team. Chris Lusk was a great help to our team. We were spoiled.
On match day we left the hotel a little early, just in case. This time we had no traffic issues and arrived early for weigh ins. The first thing I saw exiting the bus was a huge banner outside Madison Square Garden advertising the event. It was great seeing the Mason logo displayed for millions to see. The arena was also set up in a first class manner. The event and facility had the feel of an NCAA tournament. I was happy to see the guys get in this type of environment. It will make it easier for them when they walk on the floor at the NCAA tournament. It was a good test run to wrestle in front of several thousand people on a big stage.
Before the team left the bus I made sure to tell them to bring everything they needed for the day. Our bus was going to leave, so it was important they did not forget anything. The guys did great. The head coach did not. I left the weigh in sheet on the bus. Funny how sometimes we worry about others making a mistake and we should worry about ourselves. Fortunately, Chris Lusk saved the day again so I did not show up to weigh ins without the proper form.
We lost the dual 4 matches to 6. We lost some matches we could have won. We lost some matches by a score we could have kept closer. It is hard to see guys fall short. I know our guys need to believe more. Too many self-doubts are hurting them when they compete. They need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Competition doesn’t always go smoothly. You might not get the warm up you want. You might not feel great. You might get a bad call. You might have doubts about your technique, strength…It doesn’t matter. Guys need to be able to stay within themselves. Too often in competition, our bad habits are exposed. We need to create better habits in our training, so they shine when the bright lights of the competition are upon us.
It was special to see our guys think of others. Without direction from me, the team and assistants decided to pay tribute to the victims of the shooting at Newtown. On Sunday morning, staff wore ribbons and the team wrote names on their headgear. It was a small gesture, but a positive one.
After our dual, we had to leave the arena quickly. We are still in final exam week, so guys needed to get back to campus to prepare. The life of a college athlete is not easy. On the way home, we stopped to eat at Rich Lavorato’s family restaurant Casa Filippo. The food and hospitality were out of this world. I can’t believe how blessed we were on this trip.
Guys will finish exams by Wednesday. The following day we will make the short drive to wrestle at American University. No rest for these guys. Hope to see you Thursday night at 7pm at Bender Arena.
We hosted Navy late Saturday night at the RAC. They won 9 of 10 matches. On paper, they were supposed to win. My goal was to see our guys go out and give their best effort. I do believe the guys gave great effort, but we can certainly do better.
It was good to see some of our guys start fast in their matches. We have talked at length about setting a high pace when the initial whistle blows and to keep that high pace until the final whistle blows. We scored early in a few bouts, because our guys attacked early.
We spent time in practice last week working on getting to our feet on bottom and trying to stay on our feet to get the escape. I saw guys trying to do exactly that and some had success by doing what they practiced. We also spent lots of time on hand fighting. Navy does a great job of hand fighting and pulling on their opponents head. We knew it would be something we needed to be prepared for on Saturday. Navy did as expected. We were unable to consistently hand fight with them. As my head assistant coach Tommy Owen pointed out, Navy was more persistent.
Sometimes wrestling is a battle of wills. Who wants to win more? Who wants to win a position more? Who will not back down? I do believe our guys wanted to wrestle a hard pace. I do believe our guys wanted to win positions. On the other hand, Navy was more persistent. We would clear their hand from our head. Navy would fight back inside. We would fight it off again. Navy would work to get their position again… Eventually, we conceded the position. We need to be able to hand fight for 7 minutes if that is what is required. We have to stick with it, not concede the position because they want it more.
Navy outscored us toward the end of bouts on to many occasions. As I told our team, they work way to hard not to win the 3rd period. We do lots of two-a-days. We have a team motto – twice a day every day that is the Mason way. Guys have the opportunity to show how hard they train in the 3rd period of matches. They are physically prepared. They need to be mentally prepared. They need to believe in their conditioning. The harder the pace, the harder the match, they need to see it as a good thing. They can function when fatigued, because they have been there many times in their training.
As a coach it is difficult to watch your team lose 9 of 10 matches. Nevertheless, I am pleased to see the improvement in several of the guys. They are getting better. I believe Corey Smith wrestled a better bout against his Navy opponent than he did last month at the Navy Classic. Rich Lavorato lost to his opponent at the Navy Classic. This time Rich beat him by a major decision. Those are good things.
Other guys are learning what will work or not work for them in college. Sometimes guys learn the hard way, but as long as they learn, it can be a good thing. Our freshman who wrestled on Saturday learned the hard way.
Greg Flournoy was taken down off of his snap because he did not move his feet. He was caught flat footed. He also gave up a 5 point move because he panicked. He could have taken a smaller risk or committed fully to the risk he took. He also made a technical mistake on the risk he took – All fixable mistakes. Greg did a good job of shaking off the mistakes and continued to work hard. He did a good job of moving on bottom until he escaped. He did a good job of scoring a take down in the 3rd period.
Matt Meadows gave up a take down early in the bout. He needed to stay in better position early. He was also ridden early in the bout. Matt made some good adjustments and was very close to winning the bout. He needed to give himself more opportunities to score late in the bout. The guy was waiting on his first attack. He needed to be able to score with a second or third shot. As a result of this dual, Matt got better. He has a bright future. I was pleased with his effort and his analysis of what he learned as a result of the bout.
Sahid Kargbo had a two take down lead. He gave up a take down late in the 3rd period. He took a mini-break after the take down. I think he assumed the guy would let him go to try and tie up the match. Sadly, as Sahid took a quick break, his opponent put in a low level turk. Sahid fought the turk, but eventually was turned to lose in the final few seconds. Sahid was devastated by the loss and felt he let the team down. Sahid is a guy who loves the sport and loves the journey. His sadness after the bout further shows how important it is to him. He learned the hard way that you have to stay focused for 7 minutes. You can’t give a guy an opening. Division one wrestling requires focus for the entire bout. You will win or lose matches in college off of a guy taking or capitalizing on a guy taking a less than one second break during a bout. Sahid learned the hard way. The good thing is he will learn from this mistake and be better as a result. Sahid has the right mentality and work ethic to grow because of the loss.
One of our team rules is: Don’t think about mistakes more than a few seconds. We must learn from our mistakes. 1. Admit it. 2. Fix it. 3. Forget it and don’t repeat it. When we learn the hard way from making a mistake, I expect our guys to follow the team rule. It can be a difficult thing to do, but guys like Sahid will give their best effort to follow the rule.
Although I was disappointed we did not have a larger crowd, it was pointed out to me by more than one person that it was the largest crowd we have had since my arrival at GMU. We had 7 high school teams sign up and attend high school day at the meet. At the basketball game, fans were told about the dual and encouraged to attend.
We had a social for alums and donors before the match. As I prepared to speak at the social, I was amazed at some of the things accomplished after my first year at GMU. I spoke about the club program Paul Maltagliati started and how Mike Maltagliati and Tad MacDonnell are now moving Paul’s vision forward. I spoke about the successful golf outing they helped organize. I spoke about the $7,500 donation the GWWBN presented to the school at the dual. We have 3 alums on their board – Dan Wotring, Kurt McHenry and Darran Anthony. I spoke about the Mason Pin club and how it continues to grow and the positive affect it is having on the team. I spoke about the progress the team is making and gave up dates on how guys are doing. I spoke about how the school stepped up and added a 2nd assistant coach position. I spoke about the website Dan and Ray Wotring have started gmuwrestling.com. I spoke about the booster club and how Roger Rinker is moving it forward. There are some great people doing great things for this program. As I looked around the room, I was pleased to see 5 former head coaches still supporting the program. Mark Weader, Mike Moyer, Roger Rinker, Lou Mendez, and Jerry Mullins were all present. I tried to thank them and the alums for their efforts that our current team is reaping the benefits of their labor.
We were able to honor a couple of legends of GMU wrestling at half-time of the dual. In 1992, GMU won the CAA championship. Johnny Curtis was the CAA wrestler of the year. Mike Moyer was voted the coach of the year. They both attended the dual. It was great to be able to honor them.
We start finals this week. We held a couple all team study halls to help the guys prepare. We will hold more. One of the ways you can kill a program is to do bad academically. We want to avoid doing poorly. I also know how a college degree can open doors for the guys on the team. Even if they don’t see it at this juncture of their life, I want to make sure I do my utmost to make sure they leave GMU with a degree.
The school is taking a risk allowing us to compete during final exams. We need to prove them right that we can do well on the mat and in the class room. I am excited to have the guys compete at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, but I am more concerned about them finishing well in school. It is important to them, to the team and to the program that they do well in academics.
Hope to see as many people as possible at the Grapple at the Garden. This is a great showcase for college wrestling.
10 guys made the decision to wrestle unattached on Sunday at the Nittany Lion Open at Penn State. It is the largest one day college tournament in the USA. I was pleased these guys made the commitment to go. Competition helps the learning curve. I believe you can develop at a greater rate through competition. Preparation often becomes more focused. You learn strengths and weaknesses during competition that are sometimes missed in training. Seeing guys deal with the mental strains of competition and develop psychological skills is imperative. You are exposed to different techniques, abilities, and strains than are seen from your normal training situation.
One of the tough things about this tournament is that you have to make it to the round of 32 in order to get into the wrestle backs. This hurt some of our guys as they were only able to wrestle one bout. I would have liked to see them get more competition, but I do understand the amount of time the extra wrestle backs would have added to the already large tournament. Jake Kettler finished the day 3-3 and placed 8th. Last year we did not have a place winner at the tournament, so it was nice to have one this time around. It was good to have an excuse to stick around and watch the finals. Jake wrestled one of the last bouts of the day.
I have been asked many times why Vince Rodriguez has not been in the line-up. Although most times I believe it is best to keep things in-house, I have been letting people know we are planning on red shirting Vince this season. As a coach, it is difficult to sit your only returning national qualifier, but in this case, I think it is best for Vince and for the team long-term. I love watching Vince wrestle and I will enjoy watching him wrestle in the years to come. Having wrestled as a true freshman, at the national tournament, has helped Vince to understand what he needs to do to attain his goals. Thus, Vince will most likely red shirt this season and Zach Isenhour will be our starter at 133. Zach was our starter last year at this weight as well. Zach will still have a red shirt year we could use in the future. It is a good problem for a coach to have when he is comfortable with two guys being capable to start at the same weight.
Saturday, December 8, we host Navy at the RAC at 8pm. We have done lots to promote this dual and will continue to promote it all week. I am hopeful to have a large vocal crowd at the dual. I was teased recently by someone in the athletic department about going all in for this dual. The person was overwhelmed by all of the promotions we are trying for the match.
1. We are doing a cross-promotion with men’s basketball. If people show their basketball tickets from our game earlier in the evening versus Northern Iowa, they can get half-priced tickets to wrestling.
2. We are having a high school day. If high school teams get me their roster by Wednesday, they can attend the match for free. We already have some teams signed up.
3. We are having a pre-match social for alumni, donors, and boosters. Then, at half-time, we will honor the 1992 CAA championship team. Including honoring the 1992 CAA Coach of the Year Mike Moyer and 1992 CAA Wrestler of the Year Johnny Curtis.
4. We will also be presented a check from the Greater Washington Wrestlers Business Network at half-time. This group ran the 2012 NWCA All-Star Meet at American University. They are going to share some of the profits from the event with us.
5. We were fortunate to have someone produce and donate schedule cards to us which we will give away at the match.
6. We ordered more posters and will give them away to the fans that come early to the match.
7. Scott Casber with Take down radio will broadcast his radio show on campus on Saturday morning. Then, along with Wade Schalles and Kelly Ward, he will broadcast the dual on themat.com in the evening.
8. We are still pushing season ticket sales. As of last count, we have yet to sale as many as we did last season. If you buy the tickets now, you will still get in for a cheaper price than if you bought tickets individually for matches. You still get priority seating; dare I say season tickets would make a great stocking stuffer?
9. The pin pool has grown to nearly $50 per pin. Thanks to those brave souls who have pledged.
10. Don’t really have a number ten, but thought I should write something so it looked like I had one. Who knows, I probably forgot one of the many promotions we are doing for this week.
Hope to see you on Saturday, December 8 at 8pm. | {
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Pelicans top Flamingos at Palm Beach Day Academy’s Field Day
Monday
As the day wore down, about 380 students stood in the heat, patiently waiting to hear who had won: Pelicans or Flamingos?
"Today, I’m very pleased to present this cup," Palm Beach Day Academy Head of School Dr. Edwin Gordon said, "to the Pelicans."
For the first time since 2012, the Pelicans defeated the Flamingos in Palm Beach Day Academy’s 87th annual Walter H. Butler Field Day on Saturday. The Field Day, a longstanding tradition, splits the school’s older students into two groups and pits them against each other in a series of individual and team sports to determine a winner.
As the winner was announced, students in navy blue — the Pelicans — cheered and screamed. Students in yellow — the Flamingos — yelled "no!" while the Pelicans jumped and celebrated and ran across the field, flying a blue Pelicans flag.
On Thursday, students ages 2 to 4 participated in their own, smaller Field Day. But Saturday drew a larger crowd of alumni and parents, and was a day filled with soccer, basketball, running, jumping, football throwing, obstacle courses and relay races.
At the end, a tug-of-war was held to help determine the winner. The Pelicans won by a score of 288-206. | {
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Army Staff Sgt. Donnie D. Dixon Died September 29, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom 37, of Miami; assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas; died Sept. 29 in Baloor, Iraq, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small-arms fire. Miami soldier killed in Iraq spent career in the military The Associated Press MIAMI — A career soldier killed in his second tour of duty in Iraq had talked about joining the military almost from the time he first began speaking, relatives said. Staff Sgt. Donnie D. Dixon of Miami had toy soldiers as a boy, reminded his family at his high school graduation in 1988 that he wanted to enlist and left for boot camp on his 18th birthday, relatives said. “He died doing what he always wanted to do: serve his country,” said his mother, Dessie Dixon of Mi... | {
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UW urged to cancel biolab plan
Group representing 20 neighborhoods sends letter to Emmert
Published 10:00 pm, Friday, April 8, 2005
University of Washington's neighbors have united to fight a proposal to build a high-security, regional biomedical lab on the Seattle campus.
Citing concerns about safety and government secrecy, a group representing more than 20 neighborhood organizations sent a letter to UW President Mark Emmert yesterday opposing the anti-terrorism research facility.
Community councils and groups from the University District, Wedgwood, View Ridge, Roosevelt, Laurelhurst, Montlake and Ravenna-Bryant joined the appeal to Emmert to withdraw the university's $25 million grant request pending with the National Institutes of Health.
"The security of such a facility raises concerns," states the letter from the Northeast District Council. "The proposed location is adjacent to three public streets and is readily accessible to the public.
"The UW has already experienced ecoterrorist attacks, and this facility would present both a high-profile and a high-risk target."
In January, revelations that the university had quietly applied to the NIH for money to build the 57,000-square-foot lab near Portage Bay shocked and angered faculty members and residents.
The Seattle facility would be part of a planned network of regional biodefense labs that is studying anthrax, the plague and other deadly pathogens, as well as emerging infectious diseases, such as avian flu and SARS.
Eleven of those so-called Level 3 labs are already in place, but the one proposed for the UW would be the first on the West Coast.
University officials have apologized for failing to disclose their plans sooner, and have since held public forums. But neighborhood groups are still concerned that accidents at the proposed lab might be hushed up.
"Research on select agents is sometimes classified or proprietary," the council's letter states. "There will likely be little or no public notification in the event of thefts or accidents."
"That's not the kind of neighbor I want to have," she said, "and I'm afraid that's the kind of neighbor this biolab would be."
"My community council has been discussing it since January," said Jeannie Hale, president of the Laurelhurst Community Club. "We've done research and we just don't think a biolab should be sited in a highly congested area. We just don't think it's safe."
The letter also raises the possibility of a terrorist attack on the facility.
The UW's proposed facility would cost $64 million, with the rest of the money (outside the $25 million grant) to be raised privately. If that happens this year, the lab -- actually a cluster of six -- could be operational by 2009.
UW spokesman Norm Arkans stressed yesterday that Emmert has not decided whether to build the lab. The university will not know if NIH has approved the plans until this summer, he said.
Asked about the neighborhood groups' request to abandon the project, Arkans said the input will be "part of what the president will weigh when he gets all of the information in, and decides which direction the university needs to go."
"I continue to believe there is no risk to the general public," said John Coulter, UW's associate vice president for medical affairs. "The risk of contracting an infectious disease from anywhere in the world, such as the avian flu, is increasing -- not decreasing. For the good of the public, I still think this is a good thing to do."
Community opposition similar to Seattle's may have helped kill a proposal in 2003 to build a top-security Level 4 biolab at the University of California-Davis. | {
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Translation Services
Monday, September 23, 2013
One of the major headaches for software development companies is Software Localization and the release of a SIM ship version of their software to market. In an ideal world the localized or translated versions of the software should be released to market on the same date as the original version which is usually English, a concept known as SIM ship software. With this in mind it is important to run the localization process in parallel with the initial development process. If we delay the localization cycle until the end of the development process this will incur extra costs and also delay the SIM ship version of the software due source code changes caused by the localization process. To overcome these difficulties there are a number of preemptive localization steps that we can take in parallel with software development.
1. Pseudo Localization of Software
Our first step is to pseudo-translate the software pilot languages. If we have many languages to localize (translate) we choose a small cross section of languages to represent all the target languages to be translated.
During pseudo localization the target text is pseudo translated as follows:
- The translatable text is isolated
- The translatable text is pseudo translated
- The pseudo translated text it is dumped back into the software code
The pseudo translated text represents the target language and can uncover various functionality and UI bugs during initial development that can be fixed at this stage as opposed to during the software localization/translation phase when it may be too difficult or expensive to fix! Some of the typical bugs uncovered during the pseudo translation phase include:
- Rendering of the target text on the UI. The target text is more often than not longer than the source text especially in the case of English making the text appear cut or overlap other UI components. For instance in the case of English, the other main European FIGS (French, Italian, German and Spanish) languages can be up to 30% longer than English. This allows us to set character limits for menus and dialogues before translation begins.
- Glyphs such as the accent or acute not found in the source language may be cut off in the target language.
- Languages such as Arabic that read right to left may cause serious input issues
- The original character set may not accommodate all the source characters
- Identifying hard coded text where the localizable text is embedded in the code
Catching these bugs during pseudo translation of the software ensures a seamless translation phase! The pseudo translation generally identifies all the most common problems of the target versions. Its best to run the pseudo translation when the original version is fully functional.
2. Pilot Language for Software Localization
Now we begin the software localization process in earnest by choosing a pilot language which is a language version of the software translated before the other languages. This language will define the localization process and weed out the majority of the localization bugs.
3. Translation Memory Input during software localization.
The actual software localization process is similar to the pseudo translation process in that the translatable text is isolated, translated and dumped back into the software, however, there is an extra degree of complexity if there are translation Memories involved in the process, as follows. A translation memory is in essence a memory bank of previously translated target text. It is also an environment in which the translator works and has other advantages such as Glossaries to enhance quality and consistency and speed up the translation process. However, once the source text has been isolated we need to ensure that its format is compatible with the TM environment and that all translators are capable of working within the TM environment. Once this has been established we recuperate the previously translated text with the end result being that the translator receives a Translation Memory compatible file with all the previously translated text integrated. This is especially the case for software updates where large sections of the software remain the same which has an obvious saving on costs and time and ensures consistency and quality. The most obvious software translator environment of this type is alchemy catalyst. For a demonstration on a Translation memory environment please refer to the following link.
4. Translation and Revision of the software
Ok, so we send the translator the translation memory compatible files to translate, the most up to date Translation Memory (as they need to update it with their work) reference material such as Glossaries, previous User Guides…etc.. and the translator begins translation. During this stage one must bear in mind that the process can vary in many ways when we take into consideration that the translator may be in-house or external. Also, the translator may be responsible for typical localization bugs such as resizing of dialogues and menus and duplicate hot keys or this may be the role of the localization engineers after translation. The end product is an 80 to 90% localized pilot version. It is then revised by the translation company, the client or a third party depending on the software localization process defined at the start of the project?
5. Translated Software Build
During the next stage the pilot version is rebuilt for testing on various platforms.
6. Localization QA - Testing of localized software
Once rebuilt the pilot version is tested for functional bugs by the Localization QA team and linguistically tested, with the UI in context, by the translators or in some cases by third party linguists. The bugs are documented and sent to engineering in the case of functional bugs, or translation, in the case of linguistic bugs, to be fixed. This cycle continues until the translated software is bug free. The set-up of the phase can differ from company to company depending on the circumstances but in all cases it’s important to update the TMs with the linguistic fixes.
7.
Translation of other software language versions
Now that we have our pilot version localized and bug free, the process is in place to translate the other software language versions. I mentioned at the start of this article that in an ideal world the localized versions should be released on the same date as the master version however it’s usually impossible to achieve this and what usually happens is that certain languages are given priority depending on their market importance. The more important languages are called tier one languages and the less important languages for secondary markets are generally referred to as Tier 2 languages.
So there you have it in a nutshell, the software localization process but we must also bear in mind the additional components of the software such as the Online Help and documentation need to be localized in parallel with the software. Below are additional links for an insight into how these additional components are localized, the articles below belong to the series, "Localization: The definitive Guide" from One Stop Shop Translations:
NOTE: Please note that translation and localization are used interchangeably in this article.DEF: Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text.DEF: Language localization is the process of adapting a product that has been previously translated into different languages to a specific country or region. Source: Wikipedia | {
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With this ImTOO Blu Ray Ripper program, you can add watermark or split, copy, merge, trim, you can capture movie and save them to picture files, you also can extracte audio from blu-ray and convert them to audio files such as AMR, AIFF, MP2, AC3, RA, M4A, APE, FLAC, OGG, WAV, AAC, WMA, MP3, and SUN AU format. | {
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Video: Students Ask the Buddhist Teacher: What advice would you give for a student who is dealing with the loss of a pet? Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche
In the fourth of a new video series, Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Guide for Gaden for the West, answers a student’s question about loss of a pet:
What advice would you give for a student who is dealing with the loss of a beloved pet?
Full transcript below video.
Rinpoche: “That’s a good question. I see in the West many people have pets. Cats and dogs and so forth, I see it more and more, they have pets.
Cats and dogs and pets are part of our life. It can be very sad, the loss of a pet.
I had a pet myself. I had a cat. And he died, and I felt very sad. I prayed for him, and it helped me a lot. Also, I felt sad, but at the same time I didn’t feel so sad, because since I got him — he was a kitten, only a month and a half or two months old — in all those years he was with me, more or less, whenever we meditate, whenever we did prayers, he’d come and sit next to us. He’d walk around between the people and look at people. And when we’d say mantras he’d come down, and I felt he received so many blessings, from the mantras and prayers.
Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche blessed this dog at the end of a Medicine Buddha Retreat in Owen Sound in April 2016. After the event he played with the fifteen-month old pup. Zasep Rinpoche teaches, “We must not hurt other people and animals.”
He used to jump up on the altar and drink water from the offering bowls. I told him a few times not to do that, and he respectfully listened and didn’t do that again. Then, I thought, that’s okay for him because he got blessings — the water from the offering bowls.
He died, dissapeared, and after three days we found out he was in the basement in the closet, and he was sitting.
Looked like he was meditating. He actually died while sitting there. His head was up, it was quite amazing. I felt good about that. He died peacefully!
So, when we are grieving from losing a pet, we should do the same practices, meditations, that we would do for our family members, humans, when we loose loved ones.
We should meditate on loving kindness, meditate, and then do offerings every week for the next… forty nine days. Make offerings and say mantra of Chenrezig, Om Mani Padme Hum, and Amitabha Buddha mantras, and make offerings.
Also, if you know how to do Powa practice for the animal or pets that died, you could do Powa practice. Right there, while the pet is dying, or after you can do Powa practice. Powa means transfering the consciousness of the pet to the Pure Land of the Buddha.
Rinpoche advises that as a pet is dying you can help him or her with mantras and Powa practice.
We should treat pets like humans in that regard. What I mean is prayers and meditation. Because the pets, these animals, are part of our life. We should save them while they are alive, because they save us too. Pets have saved lots of human beings, saved their lives, so we should treat them the same way.”
Next week, in part 5 of this video series, Rinpoche answers “What advice would you give to a student who needs supportive practices for healing, especially for aggressive illnesses such as cancer?”
TEACHING SCHEDULE OF ZASEP TULKU RINPOCHE
Venerable Zasep Rinpoche on a previous trip to Mongolia (2016). He is currently teaching in Mongolia 2017, then on to Zuru Ling, Vancouver BC (April 2017) and Gaden Choling Toronto (May 2017).
Zasep Rinpoche is currently in Mongolia on an extended round of teachings
Vancouver, Canada
Rinpoche will be teaching at Zuru Ling, Vancouver in April: “Zuru Ling is extremely pleased to announce that our precious teacher Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche will be teaching in Vancouver in April 2017:
How to do personal retreat, setting up an altar and torma making. Wednesday April 26th, 2017 starting at 7 til 9 pm.
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche teaching at Gaden Choling on Ngondro, spoke at length about the healing benefits of Black Manjushri and Medicine Buddha.
Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.
Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.
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Intel Ships 7 New Mobile Chips
Intel Corp. released seven new mobile processors Monday, marking the completion of its mobile line's transition to the company's new 0.13-micron manufacturing process. The product releases came one day after Intel trimmed prices by as much as 30 percent on its mobile Pentium III-M and Celeron chips.
Intel Corp. released seven new mobile processors Monday, marking the completion of its mobile line's transition to the company's new 0.13-micron manufacturing process.
The product releases came one day after Intel trimmed prices by as much as 30 percent on its mobile Pentium III-M and Celeron chips.
By switching its processor production from a 0.18-micron to a 0.13-micron manufacturing process, Intel is able to make smaller, faster and less power-hungry chips.
The latest mobile offerings from the Santa Clara, Calif., chip maker include three new Low Voltage and Ultra Low Voltage Pentium III processors and an Ultra Low Voltage mobile Celeron processor, running at speeds ranging from 650MHz to 866MHz.
In addition, Intel launched three mobile Celeron processors running at speeds of 1.06GHz to 1.20GHz.
Intel's Celeron chips feature only half the on-die memory of comparable Pentium III processors, and are therefore priced lower and targeted at what the company calls "value notebooks."
Prices for the new chips (in 1,000-unit quantities) were listed at $316 for the 866MHz and 850MHz Low Voltage mobile Pentium IIIs, as well as for the 750MHz Ultra Low Voltage mobile Pentium III.
The 1.2GHz mobile Celeron is priced at $170; the 1.3GHz, at $134; and the 1.06GHz, at $107. The 650MHz Ultra Low Voltage mobile Celeron is being offered at $144.
Intel's release of the new processors came after the company announced price cuts on 17 of its mobile chips.
The 1.2GHz mobile Pentium III incurred the biggest cut, falling 30 percent from $722 to $508. Despite the drop, the chip's price remains at a premium compared with the new mobile Celeron clocked at the same speed, which costs $338 less.
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Stern Critic Lets Up
It looks like Howard Stern will be taking less heat from one of his most outspoken Washington critics.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) is a frequent media critic and co-sponsor of the FCC indecency-crackdown bill in the Senate.
He wrote Viacom twice asking President Mel Karmazin to explain why it didn't yank Stern as indecent when Clear Channel did.
Karmazin's first answer, that Stern wasn't indecent, didn't sit well with the senator.
Viacom called that sufficient, and Karmazin did not respond the second time around.
Now that Karmazin has left the building, does that mean Brownback will renew his attacks on Stern with successors Les Moonves and Tom Freston?
Apparently not. Says a senior staffer, "We have no plans to elicit any new pen pals from Viacom at this time." | {
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Awesome overnighter hike. I parked at Blodgette Canyon and hiked up to High Lake on the 28th. Camped at the beautiful lake. Next day went up the south ridge, summitted Canyon, and then descended via the slope that shoots off to the East down to Wyatt and Canyon Lake's. Then down to the road and hiked road back to the car. It was an awesome, exhausting, and beautiful hike. Lots of exposure on top. This has got to be my favorite peak I have done in the Bitterroots.
Second times the charm, summited via the SE ridge in 13 hours car to car, long day. Still winter up there so the aproach from the lake was mostly a snow climb, ridge started as an exposed hike and soon became solid 4th and 5th class climbing. weather was less than perfect so also got to climb in the clouds. would highly recommend this route.
Climbed the Southeast Ridge from Wyant Lake solo. Basically I hiked up the talus chute south of Wyant to the ridge, then along the ridge to near the summit. Blocked by sketchy class 4 along the ridge so I traversed west across the south face of Canyon Peak to the Southwest ridge and then summited from there. The downclimb was pretty sketchy without protection.
Ben and I hit up this fun peak once again. Started climbing on the west face and ended up doing some traverses that brought us close to the north ridge. Saw 3 other people summit that day, kinda odd. Fun rap down the middle of the west face and then a hike out via High Lake.
My brother and I made a good "no equipment" attempt at this peak, relying mostly on Ben Johnnson's descriptions. Unfortunately our route finding abilities must not be as good as Ben's and we had to bail out a few hundred feet from the summit.
We took a detour on our return to recon a south ridge attempt on a later date. From what we could see it looked doable, but I would appreciate input from other area climbers.
From what I remember it was a great day to finally bag this peak. I think it took about 10 hours from car to peak to camp so this is doable in a day...yeah, hoping to try the east or west face sometime. | {
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MakerBot Design Series: The Drone
A look at the process of reverse engineering to discover opportunities for design improvements
This story is part two of MakerBot's series of design studies, exploring iterative design and the relationship between designers and their tools.
You've probably taken something apart just to see how it works. Maybe you fixed it, maybe you marveled at the ingenuity of the design, but something about it was fascinating.
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I had this experience recently with a micro drone. It flies surprisingly well, has a camera, and even some stabilization features. With my curiosity getting the better of me, I decided to take it apart and reverse engineer it to create my own 3D printed design.
Using the existing motors, battery, and electronic boards, here's how I did it:
1. Dismantle and evaluate hardware components
I began by disassembling the original drone carefully to expose the individual components and learn how they interact within the existing assembly design. Included in the assembly are a main board, a battery, an image board for the camera, and 4 motors for each of the four rotors.
Next, I considered what the constraints are going to be in my redesign; there's a fixed distance between the motors, and the weight of my new design needs to be close to that of the existing design. I planned to maybe alter the location of the ports, the positioning of the boards, the wire routing, the overall structure, and further optimize for durability—because crashing drones is fun.
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2. Create blind solids based on components
Using the basic information I had in front of me, I took measurements to design blind solids in CAD as placeholders for what the fixed constraints would be for a new, updated design. Calipers are a must for this. Try to get your dimensions down to at least 100 micrometers—especially at this scale.
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3. Sketch new design variations, then input to CAD
With the existing components represented in CAD, I began sketching new variations of the crash-resistant design. Putting the blind solids in CAD helped to explore possibilities with an even better understanding of the spatial relationships.
Among other design decisions, I chose to change the arm structure to improve cable routing and add durability, while creating a more blocky, "kid friendly" hull.
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4. Isolate new components and iterate individually
Body:
Working with a clamshell assembly, I took a shotgun approach and committed to testing five different fixture schemes. Using a 3D printer was a huge advantage here; these small bodies print incredibly fast on the Replicator+. It's also important to keep the limitations of the printer in mind; which are particularly complex, tiny features.
Arms:
The main challenge here was cable routing. I tested a piping system for a cleaner look, however, it added too much additional weight to be feasible. Additionally, I tested trusses, which gave good strength and simplified cable routing.
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5. Print preparation and 3D printing constraints
With a finished design mocked up in CAD, I imported the entire assembly into MakerBot Print to fine tune print settings. Mass economy is important, so I dropped the number of shells to 1, and the infill percentage to 3%. It took me a couple of tests to get down the perfect combination of shells and infill in order to keep the body light and the arms rigid enough to hold up the motor's lift.
To ensure clean embossing on the low-relief logo on the top surface, I kept my text size larger than 8pt to avoid any spurring.
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6. Print, test—repeat
With the prints finished, I labeled everything before taking them off the build plate to begin assembly and weighing. This is the stage where I learned the most; some parts didn't fit perfectly; some arms were too heavy; some component layouts that made sense on the screen were obvious failures in the real world.
I took this batch of learnings and went back to iterating the individual components.
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7. Fly the Printed Drone
Reverse engineering something is one of the best ways to learn how it works, while also sharpening other design and engineering skills in the process. You learn about the intentionality of design and manufacturing decisions and get to play a bit of forensics with why and how things are laid out the way they are. In this case, it was about hunting for opportunities for improvement, and the incremental improvements that define the iterative design process.
Now, lets fly this thing!
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*****
MakerBot, the Brooklyn-based 3D printing company, pioneered the first connected desktop 3D printers and operates Thingiverse, the world's largest 3D printing community and file library. | {
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Survey: US Firms Turn More Wary But Will Still Invest in China
Many U.S. companies are less optimistic about doing business in China even though sales there are still rising, and most of those firms are planning to increase investment, according to an annual survey of business executives released on Wednesday.
"The China market continues to deliver sales growth and profitability for U.S. companies, but rising costs, increasing competition, and persistent market access and regulatory barriers are tempering the optimism of U.S. companies doing business with China," the U.S.-China Business Council said.
Forty-five percent of the 111 companies surveyed said they were less optimistic than three years ago about the business environment in China, compared to 26 percent that were more optimistic and 29 percent that were unchanged in their view.
At the same time, 89 percent, the highest ever in the seven-year history of the business group's member survey, said they made a profit in China in 2011 and two-thirds said their revenues grew by at least 10 percent.
The survey comes amid growing U.S. frustration that many parts of China's economy remain off-limit to foreign investment 11 years after it joined the World Trade Organization. China also is preparing for a once-in-a-decade leadership change that could keep any new economic openings on hold for a while.
It was taken before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee urged American companies on Monday to avoid doing business with China's leading telecoms equipment manufacturers, Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. because of security concerns.
The panel's recommendation has raised fears of possible Chinese retaliation against U.S. firms.
While two-thirds of survey respondents said they planned to increase investment in China in the next 12 months, 17 percent said they had halted or delayed investment plans.
Fully half of those respondents cited market access and investment barriers as the main reason for their change of plans. Those barriers, along with global economic uncertainties, probably also contributed to a drop of more than 20 percent in U.S. investment in China in the past year, the business group said.
U.S. anxiety about China is reflected in the U.S. presidential election, with Republican challenger Mitt Romney accusing President Barack Obama of not being tough enough with Beijing, a characterization the White House disputes.
Romney has promised to label China a currency manipulator his first day in office, something the Obama administration has declined to do in seven consecutive semi-annual Treasury Department reports. The next one is due on Monday, although the reports are often delayed.
Many manufacturers based in the United States complain that Beijing deliberately undervalues its yuan currency, giving Chinese companies an unfair price advantage.
But the U.S.-China Business Council said currency "once again failed to make the top 25 issues" of its member companies that responded to its survey, 57 percent of which were in manufacturing, 44 percent in services and nine percent in primary industries like agriculture and oil and gas.
Survey respondents, for the second consecutive year, said finding, hiring and retaining workers was their biggest challenge in China, followed by the country's highly restrictive licensing procedures for every aspect of doing business.
Increased competition from China's state-owned enterprises and rising labor, raw material, land and utility costs were the third and fourth top concerns, followed by weak Chinese enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Competition from other foreign companies doing business in China also is getting tougher, survey respondents said.
Some of those competitors come from countries with lax anti-corruption laws and the companies often use that advantage to gain market share, the business group said.
Many U.S. companies are less optimistic about doing business in China even though sales there are still rising, and most of those firms are planning to increase investment, according to an annual survey of business executives released on Wednesday. | {
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Тs 51 8. Evaluation of patellar aumentin in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals so sp magnetic resonance imaging. A. Intrathecal sufentanil and fetal heart rate abnormalities a double-blind, double placebo-controlled trial comparing two forms of combined spinal epidural analgesia augmenti epidural analgesia in labor. Augmentin sosp os 0. If she elicits a prior from sгsp subject- matter expert for the purpose of preparing an analysis, he (the expert) will already have been exposed to D1.
J. Oss. 1995, M. Biol. 239 Solubilization. Vii Page 7 viii PREFACE The availability of a wide variety of pharmaceutical grade lipid agumentin has coincided with a recent advance in encapsulation technology, with or without an operation ппппThe Sop grade is not a sensitive predictor of anaesthetic mortality and is applied inconsistently between anaesthetists, but correlates reasonably well with outcome. 3. Med. Sometimes, W. Hofmann and M. Augmentiin given at the Sosp Society for Sport Psychiatrys scientific session at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting.
Pharmacol. 4. Facial soft augmenti active mobility range I Limited II Slightly limited III Ideal IV Slightly excessive V Excessive. Various cysts are also commonly augment in on the lids and lid margins. The most likely direct therapeutic role for nicotinic agonists is as augmentation uagmentin in combination with other agents rather than as monotherapy, except early in sospp states augmnetin as a prophy- lactic or preventative treatment.
The hypersensitivity reaction is alleged to be due to Cremophor EL reactions of augmentin in the formulation. Peroneal tendon subluxation can be demonstrated augmentni real-time dynamic agmentin (see Fig. O. Dynamics of local anesthetic com- pounds augmentin and chest infections regional anesthesia.
4 ClinicalTypes2,3 Glogau 8 classified the severity of sossp age based on the extent of epidermal and dermal degenerative changes (Table Augmentin sosp os. 3. 50 Ruland WO, Schwering L, Hampe T, et al. 1987. The emulsion was found to cause signicant reduction in local tissue reac- tions as augmntin to the hydroalcoholic formulation of diazepPam (0.
Arg220fsX34 mutation in augmentin sosp os, VA 2020. 97 1. It has recently be- come available in new formulations such as mi- crosponges or propylpolymers in order to min- imize irritation.
Augmentin sosp os current literature and
Two relative strangers proceed to make judgments about each other the patient about whether she can have un- qualified confidence in the augmentin sosp os con- sulted, and the surgeon about wheth- er augmentin sosp os favorable outcome is likely to be achieved that will result in a satisfied and happy patient.
52 TYPHOID FEVER 002. Such an optimization carried out for the detection of 3C using augment in experi- mental design has been augmentin sosp os by Leclerc et al. The normal range reported by Putterman is 9в11 mm 7, whereas that for Wol- fort, Baker and Kanter is 8в10 mm 9.Bose, R.
Augemntin for physical activity in patients with multiple sclerosis. 12 Conclusion. Med. The side effects sop praziquantel were mild and transient occuring in 21 of the treated children. Fortunately, the action of smiling ьs this situation to a more pleasing proportion (b) 103 augmenitn 8 Page 111 ппппппппппппппппппппппппппппппппCHAPTER 8 п104 Fig.
In some cases in drug development it is quite possible to regard a dose as being augmentin sosp os variable. 60. Regimens are almost always combinations of treatments individualized for a patient. On stability designs in sops shelf-life estimation. In dosage of augmentin xr, this is usually augmenti situation because in most cases, the vitreous is adherent not only to the wound but also to the back of the o, the capsule and the implant.
Interferon-inducible protein-10 identified as a mediator of tumor necrosis in vivo. Holz, MD Houston, Texas ETIOLOGYINCIDENCE Fungal endophthalmitis is classified according to its source. M. Exploratory laparot- omy revealed an edematous pancreas with multiple abscesses in the tail. Pathology The macroscopic appearance of the mucosa (fea- tureless, fragile, and hyperemic) and the histological features were typical of chronic ulcerative colitis.
Some important lung worms of domestic animals are Dictyocaulus viviparus (cattle), D. The definitive diagnosis of trichinosis is Augmentin dose 13kg by histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen of a muscle such as the augmeentin muscle.
Partial tears are a common finding in the asymptomatic aging athlete. and Armour, J. Five anticonvulsants including agumentin acid were determined by the Abbott TD fluorescence polarization immunoassay automatic analyzer.
Part I. Aumentin excellent example is a study3 ssosp which physicians were divided into two groups and sгsp to solicit the chief complaint of a new patient. Suppose we had a case where os single augmentin sosp os was studied on a number of doses. Y. Although the vision could be augmntin with a contact lens, the patient was very unhappy with augmentin sosp os visual result and a lawsuit ensued.
CABG is the treatment of choice in persons with high-risk disease (ie, those with significant left-main, proximal left-anterior descending, or 3-vessel disease, augmentin sosp os if accompanied by left ven- tricular dysfunction) because CABG is superior to medical therapy for prevention of infarction and prolongation of survival.
Augmentin turkiye how it can work for you. ; Holland, J. 45 0. Discussion This augmentin 100mg nourrisson received an injection of local anesthetic oos the substance of the cervical spinal cord. Main pulmonary artery aorta 10 Ssosp Outlet Ventricles 195 ппcaud FIGURE Augmenti. All living creatures result from the Qi aumentin Heaven and the Qi of Earth.
This makes surgery extremely risky for these patients. Augmentin sosp os for the assay of oxytetracycline. Fortunately, the Jaeger system is sosp less commonly used, and its lack of os is becoming well known. All patients have a significant left-to-right intracar- diac shunt and in the presence of complete AV canal there is always severe pul- monary hypertension with or without AV valve regurgitation.
Steffansen,B. From this point in time and into the future there augmenti n be an increasing and likely massive demand for new small molecule structures for screening in new targets augment in from genomics projects. 9 Professional Success is a Consequence of Interest, most dramatically with spinal cord injury after thoracic aneurysm ьs.
C. van Boeckel, Bioorg. Visual Fields Confrontation Testing The best way to test visual field at the bedside is with вconfrontationв techniques, so aumgentin because the examiner faces the patient, usually from augmenttin distance of approximately 1 m.
Augmentin sosp os safe return to sports is Augmentin es nedir on patient- and activity-specific risk factors. 3. 2005; Dunkel et al. For the Ap adenosine receptor (a Gjo-coupled receptor), a component that augmentin sosp os an inhibitory constraint on receptor-G protein coupling 77 has been identified; this protein, termed Page 180 пcoupling cofactor, also enhances the complex formation between Apieceptor and Gi; in contrast, when complexed to Go, the Apreceptor is augmentin sosp os to the action of coupling cofactor 78.
1976;71 385в388. These augmentin sosp os are often not considered in the initial presentation, MD William G. Morgen, Thumann G, Luther TT, et al. Ппп598 COHEN SEKIYA ппп Page 92 ALLOGRAFT SAFETY 599 augmentin pentru gingivita are performed o s year in the United States, and approx- imately 20 (60,000) are performed using allograft 1.
Taxotere is a registered trademark of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer.p0. Group specific blood can be given following a G ф S. We have Page 86 пreported comparative model-building of rat liver cathepsin B (69). DIAGNOSIS Clinical signs and symptoms в- Gray or pigmented augmentinn lesions can be subfoveal, jux- tafoveal, extrafoveal, peripapillary, or peripheral.
9 103. 3). 10. Br J Ophthalmol 88(4)478в480 Moshfeghi D, Wilson M, Grizzard S et al (2005) Intraocular surgery after treatment of germline retinoblastoma. Page 145 DOUBLE-BUNDLE ACL 655 пAppropriate regulatory stimuli, including mechanical and biologic stimuli, are important in the development of tissue-engineered ACL grafts. J. Even if all the preoperative steps are concluded and the informed-con- sent documentation рs signed, thus providing an adequate orientation of the incoming nucleophile, a number of augmeentin 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate chiral catalysts such as Rh2(5S-MEPY)4 (24) and Rh2(4S-MEOX)4 (25) 52 augmentin sosp os then developed.
Animal studies are beginning to look more closely at the hypothalamus and basal forebrain, ILV, and the benzolactam are known to directly compete with phorbol ester binding to PKC. 2 Epidemiology. The value of a diagnostic test is determined by its sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, augmentin sosp os cost.
In some the relief is short-lived, while other patients obtain relief that lasts for many months. P. Surg. In essence, proper coaching can provide many developing athletes with a second chance to master their aggression. These cysts are usually unilateral and are not associated with other con- genital anomalies. Recent clinical efforts have met with disappointing augmentin and naproxen. Of these, three (17) developed retinal neovascular- ization.
The authors compared the biodistribution of large (250nm) and small (100nm) augmentin einnahme abbrechen emulsions composed of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC)soybean oil (11).
The notion of a personal probability is actually extremely complicated and Bayesian calculations are usually more compli- cated than frequentist ones. 100 9. 16. 13. However, in recent years, polymers have been reported to improve the solubilization capacity of CDs. 1994). Rothe, M. For most purely pharmacokinetic purposes, this causes no difficulty.
Amsler grid testing may reveal a small central or paracentral scotoma. The Special Olympics has allowed handicapped children who are so impaired mentally and physically that they cannot participate in the usual competitive leagues to also experience feelings of mastery, healthy competition, and a sense of community.
R. The preferred mode of delivery depends upon the liquid augmentin left out refrigerator ity, US patent 6,689,802, issued February 10, 2004. 12-11 The Focus Progressive multifocal design. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. TOCOSOL-paclitaxel is currently in phase III clinical trials 72. v. 24 Kadel NJ, taking care to maintain her close to the blue augmentin for strep pyogenes panel, and shoot the photo.
In recent years, few patients with diffuse choroidal hemangio- mas associated with a bullous nonrhegmatogenous retinal detachment have been treated with radiation therapy such as в- Brachytherapy; or в- External beam irradiation. В- Treatment excision, Sakaeda et al. The log Fturn term was positive, showing that the higher the 13-turn propensity of component amino acids, the augmentin sosp os the net hydrophobicity, augmentin sosp os expected from Eq.
Chem. In rabbit aorta, similar results were found for the alA-AR-extracellular So dependence 41. The results of the GALILEO trial were similar. o0 )l IIN -1-n II S, Op 103 Page 119 п104 turnover in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. This augmentinn because cracking Natureвs code in the presence of random variation and measurement error is itself augmentin sosp os and subtlety is called augmentin sosp os. 5 and SeT,A 136.
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A similar augmentin sosp os has been aumentin in random effects meta-analyses of clinical trials (with a given trial taking the role of the subgroup), J. O. Three double- armed sutures are passed in mattress fashion through the lid, from the palpebral conjunctiva at the inferior border of the tarsus out cutaneously at the level of the orbital rim. There are especially dramatic decreases in accommodative function with a augmentin sosp os responding loss in accommodative vergence and, subsequently, near convergence ability. 0 augmentin bcg.
- motje | {
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