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No, its just a carbon offset dealer.
First they would need to lower the stock somehow... perhaps sewing FUD over 2 fires. If that doesn't work, maybe some campaign about how bad batteries are. That would make them aquireable... if it worked.
What's hilarious is that no one has seen the obvious: no company's "stock price is too high
Company A: valued at $X
Company B: valued at $Y
Company A+B: valued at $X+$Y
No one has to have the cash on hand to do a merger (the traditional form of "purchase"). If you wanted to actually make a "purchase", all you would have to do is involve a bank.
Of course, Elon Musk has absolutely no reason to sell his company to a bunch of people that wouldn't know how to run it!
That's all fantastic in your zero mass-zero friction theoretical land, but if you can't get financing based on not having enough value in your company that's the same thing as a stock price being too high. Otherwise, I'd be able to form a company tonight and buy Microsoft.
Your inability to buy Microsoft has nothing to do with Microsoft's stock price being "too high." And if you could convince a) Microsoft, and b) a bank (or the markets) that you could run Microsoft better than the current management the money would not be a significant hurdle.
You're pretty inexperienced in investment aren't you.
You'll be pretty hard pressed to get ANYONE regardless of your 'skills' to put together a deal to LOAN you the money to buy Microsoft.
Contrary to your theoretical little world, in the real world, people don't invest billions of dollars in random people just because they say 'I can run it better than the guy running it now' unless the guy running it now is utterly destroying it, in which case the value of the company drops considerably making it a more luc
I think the GP poster was pretty spot on, and it was sort of tongue in cheek in terms of the idea of buying Microsoft.
Of course nobody in "the real world" would bother to loan some random homeless dude off the street and give them a few billion dollars to make a leveraged buyout of Microsoft. That is because no average person has the talent nor the ability to operate a company like Microsoft and have it continue to earn money for its investors (which in this case would be the bank). Besides, if the bank h
Company A takes enormous write off when they finally admit they paid too much.
Company A valued at A + log2(B)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/... [bloomberg.com]
Actually make that A + log2(B) - B, because A is now out the cash/stock they paid for B.
The gigafactory is basically a Panasonic battery factory. Tesla is involved because they want it in the US and are a major consumer of Panasonic batteries, but all the tech is Japanese. So yeah, Panasonic is in the grid storage business. They do home battery packs and wind farm output smoothing in Japan, and maybe soon in the US.
Tesla is putting up something like $2B of the total estimated $5B price tag. So they would be a partner, not just a consumer.
But you are correct that US news outlets were overplaying Tesla's involvement in the project and underplaying Panasonic's.
The current Tesla cells are too expensive for grid storage. Nickle and cobalt are not cheap. Nothing says they can't make two types of batteries though, nickle cobalt for cars and manganese dioxide or iron phosphate for the grid. Or they could have a nice lithium sulfur chemistry they could use for both; there has been a lot of recent development in that area.
In 15 to 20 years time when "worn out" Model S battery packs start to become available I expect one of the main applications will be storage for domestic solar installations that can tolerate having only 70% capacity remaining. Tesla have said they estimate a 250,000 mile lifespan for their packs (down to 80% capacity), and offer an 8 year unlimited mileage warranty that seems to back that up (averaging 15k/year for 8 years is 120k miles, but some people do double that).
Japanese manufacturers already offer this.
Very likely. Especially since it seems that Prius battery packs are holding up even better than expected, I'd expect the same from the Tesla packs (unless they use a different type of battery), and buying an older one for a low price seems like a good idea if you need the storage.
Unfortunately my roof is pretty unhelpful as regards solar panel placement. I have a large flat roof in the shade. Otherwise I'd have already installed solar panels.
The Prius used NiMH batteries, Tesla use lithium.
Give it time. Eventually the panels will be so cheap every roof will have them, even the less than optimal ones.
I had a discussion with a coworker about the viability for solar power and out of that discussion came a challenge to find out what it would cost for a solar power system for a home. Taking up the challenge I spent a weekend doing the math on what it would cost to take my house off-grid and live off a solar and battery system. What I found was that it would cost ten times what I pay now for electricity.
What I worked with was the going average cost of common lead-acid batteries for storage, the estimated cost of common solar panels, and the electronics to make it all work. It's been a while since I did this research and I'm not sure if I assumed three or four days of electric storage. If we assume just one day of storage, which means no backup for a stormy day, then I might be able to halve the cost of the system but that still only gets us to five times the cost of utility power.
I calculated that if I cover my entire roof with solar panels that even in the winter I'd have enough power to run my home, assuming average power usage, excepting big power items like stoves and clothes dryers, I assumed that such items would be run off of natural gas. In the summer I'd have a glut of power, enough to run an electric car.
For a moment let's assume you are correct and prices come down to where everyone would rather buy solar panels and a battery pack for their home than rely on utility power. What happens for extended periods of poor weather? People would have to have either utility power for that or, I assume more likely, a backup generator. A utility is going to want a monthly service fee for the wire to the home even if no power is consumed, at least that is how I pay for my natural gas service. A generator isn't free either but we are assuming the total cost is still in favor of solar panels on every rooftop.
What other question I have is how much material will this take? That's a lot of valuable metals in people's basements, or placed on a grid for utility provided storage. I recall seeing someone that did the computation and for grid storage for the entire USA it would take a battery the size of Oklahoma that was two stories tall. Perhaps I recall incorrectly, I'm probably off by an order of magnitude or two but the battery had to be huge.
If your prediction does come true I don't see that happening for a very long time. Solar panels and batteries have a long way to go until they are cheaper than coal and natural gas. I think we will have nuclear power cheaper than coal first.
Please mod parent up as interesting.
I went through a similar exercise for my house, but my goals were different. I want some things to keep chugging during a power outage or brownout. I wanted some lights (not all of them) to keep working during a power outage. I didn't seek to totally power the house, but to independently power (and self-contain) a few subsystems to eliminate wires and some panel circuits. (low-power IT gear, outdoor LED floodlights, air-exchange vents, attic vents) I also didn't seek
In most places when you have a solar system you are required to have an easily accessible cut off switch, and if it isn't by the main breaker there must be a clear sign there pointing to it. Maybe there was some confusion when the Prius was new but even back then EVs and hybrids were not new, and these days every fire department will be aware of the safety standards covering them. One of the biggest safety requirements is that the body of the car does not carry dangerous electrical potentials in the event o
Recalling that rescue workers dealing with Prius might not know if a vehicle is de-energized, one of the thoughts that went through my mind is that an electrician or fireman might think that by cutting off power at the breaker, they can assume the entire house and all subsystems are de-energized. I wonder if their procedures involve checking for alternate sources of power such as checking for solar panels and uninterruptible power supplies.
The typical procedure in industry is to put a very large and very prominent warning label on the panel cover- "THIS PANEL ENERGIZED FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES", and then list the panel #'s which power the subject panel. I assume this is compliant to OSHA and NEC standards since I have seen this approach in many different places.
Where it becomes flat out obvious to use a combination of a small wind far + solar power + some sort of power storage (a water tower works surprisingly well if you don't want to mess with different battery types and hydro-electric power plants are incredibly efficient) is in a rural area where you need to pay the power company to string miles of aluminum wire + power poles (and maintenance of all of those poles from hazards of nature & people) from the nearest distribution point. Going off the grid def
Your numbers are way off. For a start no-one would use lead-acid batteries these days, they would be used (probably recycled) NiMH or low temperature sodium sulphur batteries. Those are the most common types used in Japan, where the technology is much more advanced and space is at a premium. You certainly wouldn't need a battery "the size of Oklahoma", it's just insane. A typical home battery is about 1x1x0.3m.
Solar PV is improving quickly and now uses few rare metals, hence the low price. A lot of what goe
You certainly wouldn't need a battery "the size of Oklahoma", it's just insane. A typical home battery is about 1x1x0.3m.
To power the entire USA overnight you'd need a battery somewhere on the scale of Oklahoma. I my calculations I figured a battery the size of my desk, 1x1x2meters, but I also computed a size to last through common Midwestern winter storms that can leave you without sun for four days.
Eventually organic cells will be good enough and cheap enough for widespread deployment anyway.
Eventually we will have nuclear reactors that chew up seawater, sewage, and nuclear waste and spit out clean potable water, rare metals, and electricity. I have my own theory which we will see first.
I never suggested anyone go off-grid either, but any connection costs can be more than covered by feed-in tariffs on any excess you produce. One reason that some German cities are looking to buy their electricity grids is so that they can reconfigure them to better support small scale generation and feed-in.
If the grid is using natural
Yep. Re-purposing is potentially way more efficient than recycling. There's no AC power running to my tool shed. Yet, flick a standard light switch just inside the door and LED lights come on. I recycle less-efficient "worn" solar panels and "worn" laptop batteries by re-purposing them to less demanding tasks.
I'm far from a hippie or greenie. I just love to tear things apart, tinker, learn and redesign with items that would likely have been trashed.
In 15 to 20 years time when "worn out" Model S battery packs start to become available I expect one of the main applications will be storage for domestic solar installations that can tolerate having only 70% capacity remaining.
Or even just regular UPS systems. A battery pack that a Tesla owner throws away because it's down to 15kWh will power my server room for 90 minutes.
Not to mention, batteries for cars are are optimized for weight, while batteries for grid power are optimized for everything but weight.
Not to mention, batteries for cars are are optimized for weight, while batteries for grid power are optimized for everything but weight.
Batteries for cars are optimized for weight, size, power delivery, low maintenance and cost. Batteries for grid storage are optimized for power delivery, low maintenance and cost. Size and weight are bonuses that make them cheaper to deploy (less land/manpower). So they really aren't as different as you make out.
No utility in their right mind is going to deploy billions of lead-acid cells that will need constant watering and replacement in 5 years when they could buy EV batteries cheaply (due to combin
At the cell level, Tesla is probably already paying under $250/kWh. Maybe even just under $200/kWh. That's below most lithium iron phosphate battery costs which are already competitive with lead acid batteries for total life cycle costs in an off-grid solar battery setup. So this "too expensive" comment is probably not right. Further, if they recycle battery cells from transportation use to grid storage use, then the costs could be far lower.
""the company's stock price is too high for Toyota or Daimler to just buy it outright"
Which Daimler? The Jaguar witht a different badge, or Mercedes (Benz)
the latter's hybrids seem to be doing quite well at the moment (in Formula 1)
The Daimler that owns Mercedes, Smart and 4.7% of Tesla.
the latter's hybrids seem to be doing quite well at the moment (in Formula 1)
I wouldn't call KERS a 'hybrid' in the same sense of the word as used in context with the Prius.
Nor would I consider much F1 tech to be relevant to street driven autos.
Put down the bong, step back and think, this time with numbers.
I think you missed the sarcasm there.
The surface area of the roof isn't really enough to provide much solar PV electricity, but that isn't to say it can't be used for something. For a few years now Toyota have offered a solar panel on the roof of the Prius that can run the AC while it is parked without using fuel or depleting the batteries. The Nissan Leaf uses a solar panel to keep the 12V battery topped up (not the main lithium pack, the 12V vehicle power lead acid) and I'm surprised more manufacturers don't do that now.
The Audi A8 was offered with a warm weather package, the sunroof goes from ordinary metal to carrying a solar panel which is used to run the fresh air blower while it's parked in the sun. Came out in 1994. Doesn't charge the battery though, which is unfortunate given how much electrical crap is in there.
Facebook could have bought them instead of buying WhatsApp and Ocular, and spending just a little bit more.
But how does that help Facebook squash potential competitors and control potential market-changing technologies?
Anybody interested in Grid-tie utility level battery energy storage systems should look at Fairbank's BESS [gvea.com], a 6.75 MWh battery system that's to cover any outages until alternate power can be spun up.
Of course, they're NiCad batteries right now, but given enough time, I can see LiIon being cheaper. Still, at $35M it's not cheap.
With a car battery, or a laptop / phone battery, you care about kWh per cubic cm. With a grid storage battery, the amount of space it takes up isn't that much of an issue, but you do care about about how much of the kWh you put into the battery you get back out, and how much it costs per kWh of storage.
I'm not sure why you posted this, I didn't make any mention of size, weight, or efficiency. Still, to expand -
Grid storage is indeed not very concerned with size(volume, weight), but are interested in overall cost and efficiency. Everything I've read has LiIon being not just top of the line for energy density, but also comes out high for energy efficiency - this is where lead-acid tends to fall down. It's energy efficiency tends to be about equal to the Nickel chemistries - NiCad and NiMH.
I mentioned the
If you want to store grid surplus energy you also need circuits to feed it nack into the grid, like DC to AC converters and transformators.
In germany we have research projects how home owners, or more precisely residents, can connect the car to the grin in a way that the car itslef is the storage.
Extra batteries, like Li-ion or NiCad makes no real sense. After a few years they are worn out
Easy solution, pump your car up onto the roof.
Nissan offers a "whole house UPS" feature for its Leaf EV in Japan. In the event of a power failure your car can run important appliances like the fridge for a few days. You can use it to reduce your energy bills by storing solar energy not used during the day too.
Erm, hydro uses DC/AC converters, or wind for that matter? Thats new to me. Also it is a slight difference if you have _one_ transformer for a plant yielding a few hundred or thousand MW, or if you need a transformer for every small battery storage of a few kWh of storage.
Batteries for grid storage have different properties than batteries for cars.
So grid storage tends to use different battery technologies than vehicles.
Weight doesn't matter for grid storage.
But having lighter batteries is a plus, not a drawback, even so.
Batteries for grid storage have different properties than batteries for cars.
And yet, using old car batteries for grid storage is Nissan's Leaf battery recycling plan.
Recharge time need not be faster than discharge rate.
Won't hurt though, and it may well be a benefit.
Grid storage batteries should last a decade or two. Car storage batteries only need a working life of a few thousand hours.
The car batteries only keep their peak charge characteristics for the first few thousand hours, but they still keep working for a decade or two.
Efficiency over a charge/discharge cycle matters more for grid storage.
What? Who told you that?
Yeah using expensive lithium polymer batteries for utilities sounds like a bunch of bologna- there is a bunch of research right now going into making inexpensive sodium ion/sulfur batteries for this purpose.
You are correct. the needs for a car are much much more demanding. For lead acid batteries you would also be correct in that a "starter" battery or a "marine/rv" battery need to be different design.
However for a lithium ion battery (as used in the Tesla) this is not the case. A battery designed for the car (or your laptop) aren't fundamentally that different.
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L... [wikipedia.org] ).
The primary driver for grid storage is going to be different, however I bet that if you take a battery designed f
The real position in play is abstraction over the GRID and selling it back as a viable business model. EV's are transitional technologies on the way to the future. Tesla cars are proof-of-concepts that a future can work without petroleum dependancy. They spotlight those millions of tailpipe emissions which only electric and hydrogen eliminate.
Power markets refuse to invest in the capture of smokestack emissions at source so the exercise Tesla is running remains retail only. When hydrogen competes with electric fuel cells that day will mark petroleum's last tailpipe gasp. Then emissions at the smokestack are all that's left to capture then.
Tesla will be there and in position to sell you power for your business, home or car in whatever form required from an eco-conscious GRID that puts the cost of capture into the end product and puts producer's responsibility back onto the consumer end user.
Fact: The U.S. power grid has continually reduced its overall emissions for decades now.
Fact: Electric vehicles produce less overall emissions than a 35mpg car, even on the dirtiest grid in the U.S, and most EVs are operated on much cleaner grids.
Fact: Over 1/3 of EV drivers own enough solar generation to offset the power used in their cars, making them truly zero emissions.
Zero-emissions electric vehicles exist now, if you have the money or lifestyle to fit it. I too think it will be a great day when h
Hydrogen isn't even close to petroleum's last gasp. 99% of that hydrogen is going to be made by reforming natural gas and other fossil fuel feed stocks.
Why do you think the Bush admin pushed hydrogen so hard?
(What was the question again?)
How big would a battery have to be to run the USA overnight so we can run everything off of solar power? How much material would this take? How much would it all cost?
I've seen these numbers before and it's not good. We are going to be a coal powered nation for a very long time. I see wind power as promising, the price isn't too far off from what natural gas and coal costs. Solar is just so extremely expensive that it is only considered in the most unusual cases. Wind and solar both rely on cheap elec
"This is lemma 1.1. We start a new chapter so the numbers all go back to one." -- Prof. Seager, C&O 351


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Honorable Mention: Boxing-Andre Berto vs. Jesus Soto Karass (Saturday 9pm from San Antonio live on Showtime), Jesus Ortega vs. Zou Shiming (Saturday 5:30pm from Macau, China live on HBO2); WNBA: Chicago Sky @ Washington Mystics (Wednesday 11:30am from Verizon Center live on Monumental Network/NBA TV); MLL: Denver Outlaws @ Chesapeake Bayhawks (Saturday 2pm from Denver live on ESPN2)
10. Steve Miller Band (Wednesday 8pm Pier Six Pavilion); Bob Dylan/Wilco/My Morning Jacket (Tuesday 4:30pm Merriweather Post Pavilion), The Lumineers (Friday 5:30pm Merriweather Post Pavilion), New Order (Sunday 5:30pm Merriweather Post Pavilion); Beyonce (Monday 8pm Verizon Center); Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival feat. Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch (Wednesday 1pm Jiffy Lube Live), Dave Matthews Band (Saturday 7pm Jiffy Lube Live), Miranda Lambert (Sunday 7pm Jiffy Lube Live); Buckcherry (Friday 8pm Power Plant Live); Dawes/Shovels & Rope (Tuesday 8pm Rams Head Live), Citizen Cope (Saturday 9pm Rams Head Live); All Mighty Senators (Saturday 8pm 8×10 Club); VirginMarys (Tuesday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage), Nelly's Echo (Saturday 7pm Baltimore Soundstage); Bob Schneider Band (Sunday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Loretta Lynn (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club); Dr. John (Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); YES (Wednesday 8pm Warner Theatre); Donavon Frankenreiter (Thursday 6:30pm U Street Music Hall); Carbon Leaf (Friday 8:30pm The Hamilton); Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros "Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros" available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)
Dave Matthews Band was in Baltimore last December. It was beautiful.
I like Dawes a lot. I might like Shovels & Rope even more.
Citizen Cope is amazing. I think I might sneak in a trip to RHL Saturday night.
You may remember Bob Schneider as the dude who made one of the five best songs of the last five years (maybe)…
9. Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week (Friday-Monday throughout Charm City); Harford County Farm Fair (Thursday-Sunday Harford County Fairgrounds); The Big Glen Burnie Carnival (Friday-Tuesday Downtown Glen Burnie); German Festival (Saturday & Sunday Timonium Fairgrounds); Summer Social (Friday 5pm West Shore Park); "The To-Do List", "The Wolverine" and "Fruitvale Station" out in theaters (Friday); Lavell Crawford (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory), Flip Orley (Wednesday-Sunday DC Improv)
My friend Kevin Van Valkenburg and I are going to go see "The To Do List" and drink pineapple juice all weekend. I can't wait.
Also, apparently the Farm Fair has Swimming Pig Races this year. I'm going to guess it will be the greatest thing ever because the picture looks like the single most adorable thing I've ever seen.
(Continued on Page 2…)

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Submission + - Full Duplex Wireless Tech Could Double Bandwidth (computerworld.com)
CWmike writes: "Rice University researchers announced on Tuesday that they have successfully demonstrated full-duplex wireless tech that would allow a doubling of network traffic without the need for more cell towers. Professor Ahutosh Sabharwal said the innovative technology requires a minimal amount of new hardware for both mobile devices and networks. However, it does require new standards, meaning it might not be available for several years as carriers move to 5G networks, he added. By allowing a cell phone or other wireless device to transmit data and receive data on the same frequency, unlike with today's tech, the new standard could double a network's capacity. Rice has created a Wireless Open-Access Research Platform (WARP) with open source software that provides a space for researches from other organizations to innovate freely and examine full-duplex innovations."


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Alexander Rodchenko (1891, St Petersburg – 1956, Moscow) was a driving force within the Russian Avantgarde and ranks among the great renovators of photography in the first half of the 20th Century. He was already well-known as a painter, sculptor and graphic designer when he challenged traditional notions of photography in 1924 by proclaiming that "Experimentation is our duty!". Dynamic compositions, extreme camera angles, stark contrasts and the use of photomontage are the constitutive features of his photographic language.
Rodchenko's visual compositions as well as his constructivist manifests have been seminal for the development of modern photography. With over 200 of Rodchenko's photographs on display, among them renowned icons like Portrait of the Artist's Mother (1924), Steps (1929) or Girl with a Leica (1934), the exhibition explores a broad range of his dynamic vision. The photographs in the show, lots of them are rare vintage prints, will be complemented by a selection of posters and publications from Rodchenko's typographic work.Curated by Olga Sviblova, Director of the Moscow House of Photography Museum.


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The thing about human behavior is, it's unpredictable. Just when we begin to think something has been resolved, it all unravels. Just when we begin to think there's been a revelation, a turning point, the sun rises and nothing's changed. And where we think we saw wisdom, the sunrise greets a fool. Where we thought we saw a court jester, suddenly there stands a king. Human behavior means there are no firm answers, there are only surprises. So it is in this week's episode of...Breaking Bonaduce.
Just when we think Danny has had some life changing experience in church, and the man he was has burned away, we get a stark reminder not to believe in cliches any more than we should believe in Grimms fairy tales. While last week we had a floundering man grasping for the light, a nascent being reaching for the sun, this week we have, in part, a creature stalking the darkness, and chuckling about it. Not an evil creature; just an impish child figure. Were we foolish to expect more so quickly? No one grows up overnight. So there is no neat packaged ending yet. There is no solid footing in this story. Human behavior will always surprise. Or as the Bjork song by the same name puts it, "If you ever get close to a human and human behavior, be ready to get confused. There's definitely no logic to human behavior but yet so irresistible...".
And the emotions this week will run the gamut. After a scene of Danny trying to play backgammon with his dog, and then getting bored, Dr. Garry asks about Danny and Gretchen's "agreement". Danny says "To be fair, I never agreed to this. I accepted her terms; I did not agree. She could've said, 'You get to leave your apartment and come home, but I get to stick a red hot knitting needle in your eye'. And I would've said, Ohh, okay. So I'm not agreeing to that; I'm not agreeing to this kind of torment. I'm just accepting it". Dr. G peers skeptically at Danny, and makes a sardonic comment. Danny half-grins and says it's not a subtle distinction he's made, but that he wants to move back into his place as head of the household, and into bed with his wife. So, effectively, he's saying he has no choice in this. Gretchen counters that Danny needs to respect her boundaries. Danny snaps "I'm over boundaries. You've got boundaries, he's got boundaries...neither one of you are f***ing me". Dr. Garry looks half-disgusted, half-bemused. Gretchen's kind of speechless. Then as Dr. G gasps out a laugh, Gretchen snipes at Danny, "Nice Christian mouth!".
Car scene! Danny monologues to the passenger-seat camera that the reason he minds being in the guest room of his mansion is: "What's a guest room? It's for guests!". He says that people work to earn the right to live in an apartment (such as he just left), but the only people who want to be in a guest room are actual guests. He does have a point, of sorts. Guest rooms are usually not made too comfortable because people are not meant to stay in them very long. On the other hand...that should possibly be a clue to Danny that his exile is almost over. One would hope, for his sake.
Gretchen's car scene! It's odd that she's actually replying to what Danny said, but they are both in separate cars. Why are they both talking to thin air? Anyway, Gretchen says she feels bad that Danny's upset about being in the guest room. But that she needs to heal, and get her bearings, and make sure Danny is on the right path. She notes rightly that Danny is interpreting all this as some type of punishment, or Gretchen being mean.
Smoking in front of the fireplace scene. (Is this going to be a new theme, like separate cars? Well, at least they're face to face.) Gretchen tells Danny that she was unhappy with the way the conversation was going in counseling. Danny says he can't let his current position in the household stop him from having an opinion, nor allow it to make him "submit to everything" - even though he's afraid he'll be in the guest room longer as a result. Gretchen says she would never ask him to always submit. Danny points out "Disagreeing with you is kind of dangerous for me. I get afraid of you. It's thin ice". Danny's nothing if not upfront about any thought he's having. Gretchen says he's really not on thin ice, and Danny says "Good". It's a tense dance. As if on some type of 'happy housewarming' cue, their two dogs come bustling in; Gretchen's Chinese crested hops into the room to nuzzle her, and Danny's larger dog rubs noses with Danny. Things just seem preternaturally easy and calm. What happened to all the fireworks, the anger? Perhaps they're both simply exhausted? I find myself exhausted just wondering what the next emotion will be, what the next turn or dip in the roller coaster. But to be honest, isn't that what keeps us all watching? As Bjork's song continues: "There is no map to human behavior. They're terribly moody then all of a sudden turn happy. But, oh, to get involved in the exchange of human emotions is ever so satisfying...".
Is This How Hank Williams Got Started?
Danny walks into the guest room, followed by his big, cheerful black dog. As if to haunt Danny, a large oil painting of a man and woman kissing hangs on the guest room wall. "What am I doing here?" Danny asks himself out loud. It's a good question (for both spouses). This query prompts a musical interlude - all lyrics are improvised by Danny, as he strums along to his own singing, on an acoustic guitar. I've gleaned the lyrics from Vh1's subtitles plus a little lip-reading. Let's follow the bouncing BB, shall we? Sing along to Danny's song:
I wanna go up to the second floor, can't do it cuz my wife's a whore. Wanna go upstairs cuz it's fun. My wife, she wouldn't f*** nuthin'. Cuz I'm down here totally bored. My wife's up there and she's a total whore. I hate her. Oh yeh, I hate her.
Danny puts on a sock puppet show for himself, where one sock puppet asks the other one to have sex. Then, to scenes of Danny jumping on the bed, and turning the lovers' painting upside-down, his made-up song continues:
Going down to Carolina. Gonna get a new vagina. Gonna go upstairs because I'm bored. I'm down here in the guest room, feeling like a big buffoon. I wanna go upstairs because I'm bored. Haven't been upstairs in quite a while. I wanna go up and do it doggy style. I wanna go upstairs because I'm bored.
Car scene. Danny's vintage red Pontiac. Okay, wait a minute - so this show is edited out of actual chronology. Because last episode, Danny said he'd been gone two months. And now, Danny's just said that Gretchen's had to "shoulder the burden alone" for 30 days. (Please tell me this won't be a new Morgan Spurlock episode.) So this all happened before the last episode, in actuality? My head's swimming; I can't think about that. Back to what we're shown. To do more of his share in his home, Danny vows to watch the kids for Gretchen this evening. Danny reasons that 'not only will Gretchen get a chance to do some things she's been wanting to do for a while', but Danny thinks that if he does this, he'll be 'out of the guest room that much quicker'. Well, his actions may not be altruistic, but at least he's being open about that.
At Casa Bonaduce, Gretchen and a friend of hers are dressed up for an evening out with 'the girls'. Danny counts off four kids' names - his own, and two of their friends ("Sam" and "Blues"). Danny will be responsible for these four this evening. It seems the other children belong to this friend standing beside Gretchen, but it's not made extremely clear. "So there should be four children that look something like the children you left," Danny jokes. Gretchen and friend smile and Mrs. Bonaduce hugs her husband good night. "If I lose one of them, I'll grab a neighbor's kid" Danny says with a straight face - and now Gretchen's friend stops smiling. They leave the kids with Danny anyway...and Danny quickly shows why he's the most popular babysitter in (I'm guessing) the hills of Burbank. He heads straight for an upstairs closet, where he keeps a pellet gun.
Tea in the Sahara
Gretchen and a round table gathering of her best girlfriends are having dinner and iced tea (unless wine comes with lemon and sippy straws now?) at a restaurant called Oasis. It must be a much needed respite from the chaos and craziness of the past month or two. Gretchen smiles and boasts, a bit, that Danny is left in charge of the children tonight and is doing a good job. One ladyfriend thinks it would be good if Gretchen had a hidden camera in the house to see what goes on. Gretchen says "I do! Not hidden, but cameras!". And so she does. Not only that, but everything Danny does will be shown on television sets throughout the world. Although, I'm not sure whether that's a deterrent or a catalyst for risky behavior in their household.
Shoot 'Em If Ya Got 'Em
Danny calls Dante over and removes the handgun-shaped pellet pistol from its packaging. Danny says the gun is for children 5 and over, so, this gun is "for children". Well, this must mean they should begin shooting it in the house, right? And so they do. Danny points the gun at a kitchen canister, and a plastic pellet bounces off. Dante, of course, pipes up that he wants to try, so Danny kneels behind him and helps him aim. Dante and Danny both miss, so Danny says "Let's shoot other stuff!". But not before one last aim at the canister. The pellet ricochets off and from somewhere, there is a glass-breaking sound. Danny just shrugs and smiles.
Meanwhile at the Oasis, the same ladyfriend who mentioned hidden cameras before, says that she thinks many people will be inspired to seek help for mental health issues after watching this show. And in some of the most ironic editing juxtapositions all season, we now jump to Danny training his 12 year old daughter Isabella to shoot at him. Well, to be fair, he does make her don "eye protection" first (read: sunglasses). Isabella asks if she can shoot "one of (her) best friends" instead of Danny. Danny simply straddles a far doorway and so, Isabella fires away. As implied by 'doorway', they are still indoors; it looks like an upstairs game/music room. Isabella reaches across the pool table and snipes Danny right in the chest. I'm not as shocked as I should be, I guess. Have I become somewhat numb to the goings-on in this family? Isabella actually says, "You're the freakin' anti-Christ!" to Danny, who stands there, waiting for the next BB. "Just shoot the gun!" he says. I really am at a loss how to even intrepret this. I think I will leave this scene to more qualified minds.
Anyway, father and daughter giggle as she continues target practise. Isabella muses maybe she'll "be a cop" when she grows up. Dante says something, and she warns him to "stay back - I'm shooting Dad". (Now ya don't hear that every day.) These bullets must not be overly safe, either, as one of them hits a sensitive spot, and Danny grimaces and groans. As he does so, Isabella smiles, and Dante does one of his confused, loud, overwrought fake laughs. Danny lifts up his shirt to show the welt the pellet raised. "It stings!" he says. There must be other ways to express masochistic leanings than to have one's children take part.
Back in civilisation, the same lady (I just noticed none of the others there seem to talk, except Gretchen and this one friend) asks everyone at the table what their 'deal breaker' would be with a man. "Cheating?", she asks. "I guess I haven't found that line yet", Gretchen laughs, and the table laughs along with her. Oh, hahaha. Well, I'm sure Danny will keep coming up with creative ways to test that line. Speaking of which...
PETA Piper Picked a Peck of Porkled Puppy
Now Danny - never lacking for imagination - comes up with a new game to play with the four children in his charge this evening. Let's tempt coyotes to eat a toddler and a tiny dog! (What - hasn't everyone played that one before??) Danny dresses his 5 year old son Dante up in a Scooby Doo dog costume. Then, the Chinese crested (a dog a bit bigger than a chihuahua) is called over, and Danny holds the dog while he gives it a 'bath' in raw bacon. This is, Isabella says to her friend, so that the dog will smell good to coyotes. Makes perrfect sense, huh? Except, coyotes do not need encouragement. As a sidebar - we live about a fourth mile from the hills. A cat up the street was eaten by a coyote, and there's nothing but concrete and asphalt nearby. I've seen a coyote poised to cross Ventura Boulevard (a very busy six lane road). Coyotes can and do get all around the city looking for small animals to eat, and they could care less if it's someone's pet. But, the hills are their favorite domain. Okay, keep that in mind during this next segment.
So, Danny and one of the kids "slather the dog up with bacon" as Danny puts it. Well, I must say the dog sits patiently throughout this whole thing (doesn't try to eat the bacon, either). I hate to imagine what it must be used to. Maybe it's just an exceptionally well-bred or good-natured canine. But rubbing raw pork on their dog must not seem enough to turn it into crudite for coyotes. Because now, Danny picks up individual raw slices of bacon and threads them through the dog's collar. (PS, trichinosis, anyone?) The odd-looking dog (it looks like something out of Lord of the Rings) soon has an entire collar of woven pork. Now, Danny, porkdog, Isabella, and Scooby Dante are all ready to go "coyote hunting" as they have been promised. "We're gonna go out coyote hunting, and we have a dog full of bacon?" the kids' friend asks. "Right!" Danny replies. "How do you think we get the coyotes?". Well, of course. Isn't this normal?
Coyote Ugly
Danny and all four kids, plus porky puppy, take off on a walk throughout the nearby hills. It's pitch dark outside, and Danny is armed with the pellet gun. He's wearing a long coat that's like a Wild West duster. By the way, there's no guarantee Danny would be the only one packing a weapon walking in L.A. at night; drawing a real-looking firearm from your coat is a good way to risk being shot. And if they do see someone dangerous or a wild animal, it would not be much protection. This scene does bother me somewhat, as I was always taught growing up "never aim a gun at anyone for any reason, not even a toy"; gun safety was important. Oblivious to all this drama, the cheerful little crested trots along on its leash. As the little group walks along - by the way, in the middle of the road - Isabella thinks she sees something in the brush. They all stop, and Danny peers ahead. "It's nothing big, whatever it is," he p'shaws. Well, it can't be the stack of probable CPS and ASPCA violations, then. Tempting fate as he's tempting the coyotes, Danny then muses aloud, "Wouldn't it be cool if a mountain lion just came down, and grabbed Dante by the head?". The kids laugh, but Dante or this tiny dog would only be a snack to a mountain lion. Oh, and Dante is the one creeping closest to the brush along the roadside, as Danny says this. So far, though, no coyotes. But, it's hard to see anything, it's so dark where they are. The whole scene is in greenish 'night shot' video.
Keeping up with the hilarious jump-cuts, Gretchen lauds Danny to her koffee klatsch. "He's really been going to church, and making friends in the church..." she begins. One of her friends breaks in that Danny brought cookies to church. The friends profess amazement. Gretchen smiles and enjoys the moment. "What a nice change. How great is that?" one of them wonders aloud.
Danny answers this, back in the hills, by aiming his handgun into the high brush near the road. "Did you see it?" he asks Isabella, who says "No". "It's something big, too. It just ducked down" Danny says, keeping his aim steady. Satisfied Bigfoot or whatever was lurking, is gone, Danny says "Let's go". (Phew!) The group wanders further down the road. Isabella marvels in the way only a kid can, "This is awesome! I've never done anything THIS cool". "I know," Danny says. He and Countess Isabella counter back and forth how "bitchin'" this is, then Danny's cell phone rings. The light when he opens his phone is the only one visible. "Hi, Honey!" Danny says innocently, a cigarette dangling out of his mouth. "Everything's great, baby!" he assures her, lighting his cig. We see Dante alone near the side of the road, as Danny attests that everyone is fine and all the kids are being good. He asks them if they are, and they all shout "Yeh!". "Take your time. Love you too. Bye", Danny says as he turns off his phone, chortling "heh-heh-heh". "I don't feel that I've been lying in any way - she didn't say 'Are you home or are you heavily armed?'", Danny offers as if to prove his good intentions. Well, no, I guess he's right. She didn't ask that.
The group wanders along...and now Isabella wants to borrow Danny's gun. He asks her why - what's she want to shoot at? He doesn't reprimand her, but he doesn't give her the gun. (So maybe, despite playing this scary game, he really is thinking.) She points to something down the road. The 'nightshot cam' is so grainy, there's no way the Tv audience can see what they are looking at. Danny peers toward where she's pointing - far down the road. "Is that (thing) in the street?" Danny asks, sounding amazed. "What the hell? This is messed up," Isabella says. (I'd have been in trouble for using that word at her age!) "Is that just sitting there, not afraid of us? That bothers me," Danny confides in his kiddie compadres. "Give me your gun," Isabella asks sotto voce. Thankfully, Danny says "No! Hold on". I'm so grateful he is waiting to see what's out there before just opening fire, pellet gun or not. I'm especially glad he's not letting the kids fire into the open air. The road they're on does wind through a residential area, after all. He asks the kids again if "that's something there by the yellow line". No one answers, so Dante says "B'ing it on, bitch!". Danny talks into the darkness: "I gotta go with the kid on this. Bring it on, bitch, or run away!". There is still silence, so Danny begins to walk away, bored. "Whatever it is, it's fine, you guys" he informs the kids.
But now Isabella is riled up. This is her chance to show how tough she is. How...Bonaduces don't back down? She's pointing her arm into the darkness the same way she pointed the handgun at her dad earlier (wow, is that a disturbing feeling, typing that last bit out). Danny laughs again. He's done; he walks the opposite direction as Isabella and two of the other kids (including Dante) march toward the mystery shape. She yells, "You wanna screw with me? You wanna screw with me? I'll kick your ass! You get your ass outta this bush!". (She's so reminding me of the girl who punched my jaw in 7th grade.) Danny encourages her dare, even saying "Way to go, Boo". But he's walking the other way. He seems a bit nervous, to me. Maybe he'd envisioned playing "Peter Pan" and leading them safely through the coyote patch, but - not this. After yelling, Isabella meets up with her father and says the 'thing' they saw near the yellow line "is moving up". "Is it?" Danny asks, a bit high-pitched; he cranes his neck forward. Again, it's so dark in the hills at that time of night, nothing much can clearly be seen. Danny isn't sure he sees anything, but one of his kids' friends points something out. Soon, Isabella can make out a person's shape. "It's a person!" she shouts, adding that there's some "whitish thing" in front of that person. Danny shouts an apology to the person - sort of. "Hi, person!" he says. Well, at least they're not all threatening to "kick the person's ass" any more...Because as it turns out, when the shadowy figure gets closer - it's a woman pushing a baby carriage.
"Sorry, we thought you were an animal!" Danny offers as the woman walks by with the stroller - as quickly as she can. I'm only glad Isabella never got to shoot at that shape she saw coming toward them.
The Peril of the Pram over, Danny and kids march back home toward rows of neatly manicured lawns - they're loudly humming the theme to "Jaws". It's clear the kids have had a lot of fun. Danny has, too. Even the little dog is skipping along happily. I have to admit...if I were 12, stalking something scary through the dark, with friends and my dad would've been thrilling but fun. Nothing I'd advise as an adult, but kids love a bit of danger and pretend. And after all, Danny did keep a rein on things. Who knows, maybe Danny Bonaduce has discovered some new form of child therapy. Something about facing primal fears, sort of an Outward Bound for the kiddie set. Well, it can't be much stranger than Freud's childhood theories. And so their bizarre evening ends, with their Pied Piper of a father (as Dr. G put it on the Vh1 website) merrily leading the band back home. I'll just gloss over the fact that the real Pied Piper led the children out of town never to be heard from again; effectively ending their childhoods.
Far Away, So Close
Danny and Gretchen are seated in a booth. This will be a romantic dinner at a place called La Poubelle. I believe that translates from French to mean "The Trash Can", so I hope the food's better than that sounds. Hopefully Oscar the Grouch won't come out and serve them. Gretchen, who apparently hasn't been attending Al-Anon meetings, orders some Cabernet for herself. Danny, of course, is a recovering alcoholic, and can't have spirits. He just watches silently. I guess Gretchen isn't thinking about tempting Danny by drinking wine in front of him. Danny never mentions it, and cheerfully orders a lemonade. He does crave a 'smoke' though, and asks Gretchen if she'd like to come outside and smoke with him, or "is it too cold?". "Too cold," replies Gretchen. I'll just leave that one alone for the sake of being nice.
In case someone doesn't know, California has strict anti-smoking laws, and many public places don't allow it indoors at all. But most restaurants have an outdoor patio (with heat lamps) where smoking is allowed. So Danny goes outside onto the patio to light up. Luckily for him and for the camera operator, the patio is right outside the plate glass window the Bonaduces' booth sits up against. This means that Danny and Gretchen can still 'sit together' separated only by a pane of glass. I couldn't help but think of prison imagery...and I don't know why. Maybe because of the way Danny's still stuck in exile in the guest room. At any rate, what follows is a very touching interlude in which Gretchen and Danny make eyes at each other through the glass. Whether it's the candlelight, the smoke wafting through the air...I don't know. It's like a silent movie, the whole story being told through their eyes. I think it has everything to do, actually, with the love, emotion, and history these two have shared. Simply put, these two are in love. And in this place, on this night, they look at each other as Shakespeare must have imagined Romeo and Juliet, when they first met. "Longing" is an understatement...as long as they are each on opposite sides of that glass. So close, and yet so far away.
Danny asks, through the window, if Gretchen can read his lips. She nods yes. He then gestures toward his pants and says "Huge". His wife shakes her head and mouths the word "Small". They laugh gently. Ok, maybe it's more Titania and Bottom. Pyramus and Thisby? Falstaff and...? As long as it's not Othello. But it's the combination of sadness and love in their eyes that makes his attempt at silliness so poignant. And, it also might be said...the silence. Everything is said in their expressions. They suddenly are both glowing and basking in this moment; the years seem to drop away from their features. Gretchen, especially, shines like a schoolgirl on her first real date. Danny is the tough boy that's fallen hard. "I love you" he mouths to her. He's gazing at her with the wonderment and awe of a newborn; there is nobody in his universe, except her. Gretchen smiles a huge smile, and forms the words "I love you" through the clear pane of glass back at him. I can't help but notice again that this is how prisoners and their spouses communicate in jail: But at least the visiting room is one step removed from the jail cell.
Danny's had his smoke now, and is back in the booth. Two plates are put before them. "What's this?" Danny asks the waiter. "Oysters," is the reply. Danny remarks that the oysters are an aphrodisiac. Gretchen rejoinders "Maybe you should've ordered turkey". For someone as sensitive to language as Danny is, that's a zinger. He doesn't look too happy. But, it must be Gretchen's way of warning, "Not so fast, fella". She does fall for his charms, but she's going to maintain the upper hand romantically. Gretchen bridges the awkward silence with a "Help ya sleep" - as if she was recommending the turkey for his health. Danny just shakes his head, and slides down an oyster.
And now it's morning, and we're back in Dr. Garry Corgiat (Ph.d!)'s office. It's a solo Gretchen session. He asks her how she's doing. "Good," she begins. "Things really are well". Dr G asks her about choices Danny has been making; if he's been willing to take part in child care. (I'm thinking, if what we've seen is the sum total for 15 years, no wonder she's ticked; although to be fair, Danny's been working non stop during that time as well.) Anyway, Gretchen says Danny's been making "great gains". She admits she feels bad, because she knows Danny wants her to say "Next Sunday, you'll be out of the guest room" but she's just not ready to do that yet. She says she has to decide that in her own time. Dr. Garry says that although Gretchen says this as if it's going to take a lot of time, in reality it's sounding as if it's not going to be much longer. (He's trying to call her on talking out of both sides of her mouth.) Gretchen says she has to be realistic about Danny and knows he can't stay in the guest room forever. As usual, she and Dr. Garry talk more around issues than tackling them head-on. Nothing (that we're shown, anyway) gets into depth here. Dr. G concludes by asking if this is the "best Danny" Gretchen has ever known and she affirms this. They both say they hope this situtation continues to improve. The face Dr. G's making shows he may be skeptical.
Living On A Prayer
Danny and Gretchen are walking...together! Into Baycities Lomita church. Pastor Jim (who we met, last episode) is inside waiting for them. The three are the only ones inside. Pleasantries are exchanged all around. What strikes me is that Danny introduces Pastor Jim and Gretchen as if they'd never met before. I had assumed that Gretchen had taken him into the church she'd been attending. Could be that's not the case. I'm curious how and when Danny found this particular church, but, that goes unanswered in this episode. Gretchen imparts to the Pastor that they've been anticipating this session, and that Danny's been reading his Bible. Pastor Jim gets right to the point, and asks if Gretchen has seen Danny's life change in the past two weeks. Danny just listens. Gretchen says she thinks he has changed: he's been more at peace, "And I've never seen him this way". Pastor Jim then asks the two of them to turn their chairs to face one another. They happily comply. Danny and Gretchen join hands, and look into each other's eyes. Pastor Jim conducts the session: "Danny, I want you to tell Gretchen what you admire about her," he says. "We're gonna be here all day," Danny begins. Then he says, in a somber, sincere voice: "I admire your character. The fact that you tell the truth at all costs. You stand up, and do what's right, always." Pastor Jim then asks Gretchen to tell Danny what she loves about him. He asks if she's forgiven Danny fully. "Yeh," Gretchen quickly affirms. "I think I have to. I don't think we can move forward without total forgiveness." She takes a breath, then tells her husband: "I love how hard you make me laugh. You're just such an unbelievable, hilarious, intellectual, amazing man, and I'm proud to be married to you on, on...I'm glad you picked me". Danny just smiles silently throughout that whole statement.
This exchange finished, still close enough to touch knees the way Pastor Jim asked, still holding hands, a smiling Danny and Gretchen turn toward Pastor Jim as he says, "Okay, Danny. One more thing. I want you to tell Gretchen how sorry you are for the way you've treated her in the past". Danny lowers his head; his wife looks at him sadly. "As completely as you can," Pastor Jim instructs. Danny offers Gretchen, "I know the wretchedness of my behavior. And I know what it has done to you. I don't want to carry that sorrow with me, ever again. So as small of a word this is, I am very sorry". "Thank you," Gretchen says. They both look very sad. The theme music swells, and we're to feel that something here has been resolved. We're led to accept this. And, can we? Can we accept the sacred with the profane? The silly with the sublime? Do we believe all of it, or do we believe none of it? Can we weigh a man calling his wife a whore, with a man asking her forgiveness? To do less is to say that humans are easy, and we know they are complex. And do we take these pastor-led peacemaking sessions at face value? Or do we believe that something has stirred in even the most stolid of souls? Each must view and make their own decision, but to me, it didn't seem either were acting; it seemed both craved resolution. But is it wrong of me that I felt this spiritual counseling session would've been more complete, had Danny had the right to seek an apology for any wrongs he felt he'd been dealt, also? There may have been more to the session, of course; but this is all we're shown. Danny's all to blame, again.
Now the counseling session ends in a prayer. Danny, Gretchen, and Pastor Jim touch hands, and the Pastor prays: "Lord, thank you for Danny turning his life over. And I pray, Lord, that their kids will grow up to love you with all of their heart. And that this marriage will just become an example to all of us". We see Danny and Gretchen's heads bowed in prayer; they are listening intently. I know Danny has his skeptics. But, I've seen a lot of actors in action, and right now, this simply looks like a man in prayer. To me, Danny looks sincere. Gretchen also seems very serious. Both their eyes are shut as they hear Pastor Jim's prayer for their family. Gretchen seems to be blinking back tears.
Somehow there is a tangible feeling of a burden left behind as Danny and Gretchen walk out of the church, hand in hand. And then, drive away...together...in the same car. Now if that isn't a sign something has changed, I don't know what is. And Danny's in the driver's seat. "I love you" they say to one another. Once home, as Danny lies on his bed, Gretchen asks the camera crew to wait as she goes in. She's apparently forgotten about the microphone she's wearing. So behind the closed guest room door, we hear her ask Danny if he'd like to come upstairs tonight. "Very gladly" Danny says; and just like that, his exile is ended. The two married lovers have found their oasis; they've clung to each other again for respite in the world. Do we know where they're headed? No. And just maybe, neither can they. We're all only human, and to quote the end of Bjork's wise song:
"There's no map, and a compass wouldn't help at all
human behavior"
Next week: Dr. Garry's been asking Danny about issues with his father. Danny visits his father's grave, then sees a psychic. Something she tells him about his father upsets him so much he's tempted to drink again, and he struggles with this at one of Gretchen's singing gigs. This season's almost over. Now that we're all in for a penny, in for a pound, let's hold a good thought for all of them.


text: I have been looking at the RE Audio SX18D2 (18" sub @ 2ohm) and have been trying to see if a box for it would fit in my cars trunk. It requires a 5.5ft.^3 box to 8.0ft.^3. In the screenshot below is a box made off of their website in the box calculator software. Would this box work well being 14" tall, after all the mount depth of the sub is 9.5" or 9.75" I can't remember. The height in the trunk is 17" so I figured a 14" would be fine. How would I find out how many hertz the box is, or better yet would someone be able to calculate that for me. I have been looking at many different subs and am still getting ideas, I just want to see if this is possibility that would work.


text: /* cdf/cdf_chisq.c * * Copyright (C) 2003, 2007 Brian Gough * * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by * the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at * your option) any later version. * * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU * General Public License for more details. * * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. */ #include <config.h> #include <gsl/gsl_cdf.h> #include <gsl/gsl_sf_gamma.h> double gsl_cdf_chisq_P (const double x, const double nu) { return gsl_cdf_gamma_P (x, nu / 2, 2.0); } double gsl_cdf_chisq_Q (const double x, const double nu) { return gsl_cdf_gamma_Q (x, nu / 2, 2.0); }


text:
Things I Can Do Without
~ Pencil Neck Geeks Copping to Crimes They Did Not Commit
Please, is there really any living, breathing, sane person on this planet who actually believes this total goober is the killer? Is he nuts? Absolutely. Has he probably done some outrageous and even heinous things? Without a doubt…but Jon Benet Ramsey is not part of that list. Lock him up for something and throw away the key but get him out of the spotlight and stop feeding his sick ego. That baby girl deserves better than all this hoopla over a moron.
~ Motorcycles with Handicap Tags
Excuse me…What? If you are bad off enough to need to park in a handicap space, chances are you shouldn't even be on a motorcycle in the first place. Do I get a hand clap here?
~ "Mean People Suck" Bumper Stickers
If you display a "Mean People Suck" bumper sticker, you automatically qualify as one of the "Mean People" and therefore, you…well, I'm sure you get the picture.
~ Neglected Family Cemeteries
Come on people. This has to be the ultimate in disrespect.
~"Head-On, Apply Directly to the Forehead. Head-On, Apply Directly to the Forehead. Head-On, Apply Directly to the Forehead."
I have started an investigation into just who it was that came up with this ridiculous piece of sadistic advertising. There are still seats available on the bus for anyone interested in joining us as we apply our boots directly to his or her forehead. Contact the tour director for more information.
For previous "Things I can Do Without" entries, click here and here


text:
This is a lovely, 17"L, high quality
crystal necklace set, framed by silver tone borders, embellished
with sparkling crystals. Comes with matching earrings.
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text:
Amend Amendment #25, which was adopted on 5/16/12, bearing document number N:\S-FINANC\AMEND\DG ECODEV.DOCX, by striking the amendment in its entirety and inserting:
Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 70, LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT, page 459, after line 3, by adding an appropriately numbered paragraph to read:
/ / 70.___ (LEG: Economic Development Research) (A) From the funds appropriated to the Senate and the House of Representatives, there is created the Economic Development Research Committee. This committee shall review, examine, and make recommendations regarding steps that should be taken to improve the economy of this State and to restore a substantially greater sense of financial security to the citizens of this State.
(B) The twenty-five member committee is composed of:
(1) one member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(2) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(3) the Secretary of Commerce, or his designee;
(4) the Director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, or his designee;
(5) a county economic development director from each Congressional district chosen by the economic development person or his designee from the office of the member of Congress representing each district;
(6) the Dean of the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, the Dean of the Francis Marion University School of Business, the Dean of the South Carolina State University School of Business, the Dean of the College of Charleston School of Business and Economics, the Dean of the Clemson University College of Business, and the Dean of the Winthrop University College of Business Administration;
(7) the Chairman of the Board of Economic Advisors;
(8) the Secretary of Agriculture, or his designee;
(9) the Director of the Department of Employment and Workforce;
(10) the Chairman of the State Ports Authority, or his designee;
(11) the Director of the Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance;
(12) the President of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, or his designee;
(13) the President of the South Carolina Manufacturers' Alliance, or his designee;
(14) the South Carolina Technical College System Vice President for Economic and Workforce Competitiveness; and
(15) the President of the South Carolina Economic Developers' Association, or his designee.
(C) The Lieutenant Governor shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.
(D) A vacancy occurring on the committee must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(E) The staffing for the committee must be provided by the appropriate committees of the Senate and House of Representatives that oversee legislation affecting economic development and finance in this State.
(F) The committee shall submit its report to the General Assembly and Governor before June 30, 2013, at which time the Economic Development Research Committee is abolished. / /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend sections, totals and title to conform.


text:
Load-O-Fun here at the Dan O Estate this weekend. While at work on Thursday, Lori called me to report the living room rug was wet. What? How would the living room rug get wet? While on the phone, she looked behind the 'fridge and other possible spots - nothing. We then got a reference for a plumber from our real estate pal, Tony Meier. Gave 'em a call - earliest time would be 7:30 AM the next day. Okay - come on out.
When I get home from work on Thursday, crawled into the crawl space under the house - always a pleasant experience - and looked for a leak. Pretty easy to find, water dripping from various places - off the beams and insulation - with a nice puddle under it all. To me, looked like the drain for the kitchen sink and dishwasher was leaking - right next to where the cable guy ran cable last week. Comcastic. Thought maybe he somehow drilled or punctured something while drilling a hole into the house for cable.
Plumbers arrive exactly at 7:30 AM as planned and dive into the proceedings. Doesn't take them long to figure out the dishwasher pump was failing and dripping water into the floor. Nice. They offer to haul the dishwasher away and give us a reference for some water damage repair folks - who show up in one hour. In no time, wall unit is pulled away from the wall and several loud fans and dehumidifier are drying out the place - carpet, wall unit, sections of wall, under floor of kitchen and behind cabinets. Another set of gear in the crawl space scaring the spiders and whatever else lives under there. Fans are supposed to run for 3 - 5 days. Joy. Water Damage Dude (says so right on his card) recommends abandoning ship and getting a hotel room for a few days. Call to Allstate confirms all festivities should be covered by our home owners coverage.
On top of all this, we had plans to spend two days in Mazama for Ian to compete in Indie Series race # 5 in Winthrop. After, uh, much debate - we elected to stay close to home and bag the trip. Much disappointment from Ian and I.
We skipped the local hotel idea and stayed home for the night, all of us in one bedroom to escape the fan noise and heat. Downstairs now hovered around 85 degrees and super stuffy from windows being shut. Very comfy. In the morning, we escape the house for the day. While playing mini-golf (Amy's choice), Allstate calls to inform us they may not cover this little shindig. They also want to see the dishwasher pump - already hauled away. Very different tune from the day before. Calls to plumber to dig up the pump and Water Damage Dude to let him know insurance company may not cover his service.
It's now Sunday - night number 3 of loud fans and sealed bedroom door. Also, 3 days of all meals eaten out. Water Damage Dude stopped by to check progress - things are drying out as expected - should be good by Tuesday. We all escaped the house for the day once again. The fun continues.
On Tuesday, Allstate guy is scheduled to stop by and look things over. If they deny our claim, I won't be a happy camper - especially after we were given the green light initially. Oh yeah - we've also been Allstate customers for home and car insurance for over 20 years now. I'd hope that accounts for something.
We'll see what happens.


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Planner Stickers - Weekly Planner stickers - Erin Condren Life Planner - Happy Planner - Day Designer- Fall planner Stickers - Thanksgiving
Planner Stickers - Weekly Planner stickers - Erin Condren Life Planner - Happy Planner - Day Designer- Fall planner Stickers - Thanksgiving
$4.50Ask a question
Planner Stickers - Weekly Planner stickers - Erin Condren Life Planner - Happy Planner - Day Designer- Fall Planner Stickers - Thanksgiving stickers
This Set is sized for the EC VERTICAL Planner.
Such great warm colors in this weekly planner set make it the perfect planner sticker set for the upcoming fall and holiday seasons! These are perfect for use in the Erin Condren Life Planners. Even though these are sized to fit in the ECLP they are functional in All Planners! Perfect for creating fabulous weekly layouts. I love how functional each of these sticker sets are!
Looking for the MAMBI Happy Planner sized set for this design:
You will receive the following in this Planner sticker set.
♥2 Sheet of Planner Stickers Kiss cut on your choice of Matte, Glossy or Matte Vinyl Sticker Paper. . Each sheet measures approximately 4.5x7"
♥42 Stickers in the following shapes:
7 Full Boxes
7 Half Boxes
7 To Do Checklists
1 Weekend Banner
3 Asterisk circles
3 Bullet Point Ombre boxes
3 Glitter Appointment/Reminder stickers
3 Cleaning Icons
1 Menu Icon
1 Pay Day Flag
2 Bill due corners
1 Rescheduled Banner
1 Cancelled Banner
2 Habit Trackers
♥All stickers are printed using high quality inks and a professional printer.
♥Stickers will ship in a protective envelope with tracking!
♥Shipping discount on multiples-- 1 Sticker set is $3.00 to ship each additional set shipped in the US is only .25!
Graphics by @enchanticastudios
***We try our best to make sure all colors are represented correctly however Colors may vary due to your moniter.**
Shipping from United States
Processing time
1-3 business days
Estimated shipping times
- North America : 1 - 3 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Payment Options
Returns & Exchanges
I gladly accept returns
Just contact me within: 3 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 7 days of delivery
I don't accept exchanges or cancellations
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
The following items can't be returned or exchanged
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
- Custom or personalized orders
- Digital downloads
- Items on sale
Conditions of return
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.


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Senior Jolene Henderson became the winningest pitcher in Cal softball history, posting her 120th career victory in the Bears' 4-1 win over Utah at Levine-Fricke Field.
Henderson passed U.S. Olympian Michele Granger, who won 119 games for the Bears from 1990-93.
"We've had a number of All-American pitchers here at Cal that have pitched at the Olympic level and the USA level, and here comes Jolene and she has now broken the mark to be the all-time winningest pitcher," Cal coach Diane Ninemire said. "That is a phenomenal accomplishment by a great player and a great team player."
Henderson struck out five, walked one and allowed five hits and one earned run against the Utes. Her season earned run average is 0.94.
Her current career record is 120-26 with a 1.22 ERA. In 972 innings, she has struck out 1,016 batters.
"The best part about it," Henderson said, "is that my team has won all these games. I've never won a game all by myself but Cal has had so many people put in so much energy in to all these wins in all these four years. It all plays a part."
Granger, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 at Atlanta, was 119-52 at Cal with an 0.46 ERA and a then-NCAA record 1,640 strikeouts. She pitched 25 no-hitters, including five perfect games.


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Ike Davis has lost his way. Not just at the plate, but in the field too. Terry Collins said after the game today, that the first baseman's slump at the plate has not affected his play on the field. I beg to differ.
Maybe Terry feels a desperate need to defend his players, but to say that his last few miscues on the field are unrelated to what Davis is going through at the plate doesn't ring true.
We've all seen Ike Davis at his best and have all marveled as fans over his gold glove caliber defense. But that was then and this is now. His instincts at first base are deteriorating and I believe it's because he has something else eating at his mind. Davis is so unfocused and frequently looks like he's in a daze.
During the 2010 through 2012 seasons, Ike Davis makes that play today down the first base line rather than just staring at it. The same can be said about his faux pas two days earlier when he stood in front of the runner on the basepath like a zombie and got called for obstruction.
Why can't Terry Collins see what is so apparent to the few thousand fans who still go to the game? There's a good reason why Davis is absorbing all the boos at the plate and now in the field. This isn't the same player we grew to love almost from the first moment he made his debut three years ago. Remember how excited we were? Who didn't think Ike Davis was a core player right from the start?
We want that Ike Davis back again. The only way that happens is by doing the right thing and sending him to Triple-A where he can sort out his problems and rediscover his stroke, his glove, and more importantly his confidence that is evidently shattered.
I'm not mad at Davis, I'm really not. But I am angry at Terry Collins who constantly makes excuses for bad baseball. There seems to be no more accountability on this team, only a boatload of excuses after each game. I guess that's what I'm most concerned about. I want a manager who gets pissed off when he sees a breakdown in baseball fundamentals and not cover for his players.
Maybe Ike Davis' biggest problem is Terry Collins who seems to have become his enabler… I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, but it sure looks that way…
Davis is a very likable guy and I still believe he has a world of talent. But it's time for the Mets to save him… It's time for the Mets to try and get Davis back on track and that's not going to happen in the major leagues. Just do the right for crying out loud…


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In the 999 games that Brazil have previously participated in, plenty of legends have come to the fore for their country.
Pele, Jarzinho, Carlos Alberto, Garrincha, Zico, Ronaldo, Romario, Dunga.
The list is endless for the five-time World Cup winners, who have constantly produced world-class players since their first match – believed to be in 1914.
And yet, the most gifted player in the history of the Selecao could well be reaching his peak in perfect time for the home World Cup in 2014.
Neymar is regarded as a very special talent, a once in a generation. Whilst Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo take the plaudits in Europe, it's this talented 20-year-old who earns rave reviews in his homeland.
As the shining star at Santos, Neymar appears willing to reject admiring glances from some of the biggest clubs in world football in order to stay in Brazil. The aim has always been to maintain form on home soil before the World Cup.
So far, the 25-cap international has been true to his word, and it's paying off on the international stage, with 16 goals in those matches.
Whilst the Olympic gold medal slipped from Brazil's grasp at London 2012 – one of the few accolades to elude the national team in their illustrious history – there is still plenty of reason for optimism ahead of a friendly clash against Colombia on November 14th.
Mano Menezes's side is packed full of stars, but Neymar is the one 'superstar' at his manager's disposal. A supporting cast of Hulk, Kaka and Lucas Moura is not to be under-estimated, of course, but it's Neymar who can change the course of a match in an instant.
A comparison to Diego Maradona's heroics for Argentina in 1986 is worthwhile, because Neymar will aim to drag his side to the trophy on the back of huge home support at all costs.
Maradona became a legend on the back of that particular achievement, and there is nothing to say that we won't hold Neymar in the same regard 26 years from now if he can repeat the trick.
Get past game 1000, and then the World Cup is his oyster.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms


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Welcome to the Toy Talk forum, a registration free message board designed to give you instant access to all the latest Toy Fair 2012 news! We will be policing this board somewhat, but really on everyone to be on their best behavior.
If this is your first time here, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Forum Guidelines found by clicking the link below. For more detailed instructions on using this forum, click the "About" link below.
JEEZ...And Zod right here....
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ AFi Toy Fair 2012 Toy Talk Forum! ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Blanka on January 30, 13 at 09:31:16
In Reply to: First look at Man of Steel Movie Masters posted by Blanka
Seriously, guys....save it for the show!


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The S&P 500 has enjoyed a decent run so far this year, returning better than 14 percent. Despite lingering clouds over the US economy and recession in Europe, investors have been heartened by the American consumer's willingness to spend - and with good reason.
In October, the University of Michigan's measure of consumer sentiment hit a five-year high as consumers felt wealthier thanks to a strong market performance. Their jobs outlook improved and the value of their real estate finally seemed to stabilize.
As their optimism blossomed, consumers once again began opening their wallets. Consumer spending grew at an annualized 2.1 percent in the third quarter, making its strongest contribution to US gross domestic product ((NYSEMKT:GDP)) growth in nearly three years.
Investors should never bet against the American shopper. Consumer spending accounts for three quarters of all US economic activity, a higher proportion than any developed country.
The sanguine attitude of shoppers also helped make the kickoff of this holiday shopping season one of the best in years, as Americans spent an estimated $11.2 billion in brick-and-mortar stores on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales broke $1 billion for the first time in the history of the Internet.
E-commerce remains a growth market, growing from 1 percent of total US retail sales in late 1999 to more than 5 percent by the third quarter of 2012. Through aggressive marketing such as deep discounts, free shipping and buyer rewards, retailers are funneling more of their customers online, where margins are higher because overhead is considerably lower. These online promotions dovetail with the new frugality of consumers, who are increasingly persuaded by bargains and special deals.
Also facilitating the migration to online spending is the accelerating use of credit and debit cards rather than cash and checks, as society moves toward a "cashless society."
Whether in actual stores or online, the resurgence in consumer spending has been across the board, with gains in home goods, apparel, discount chains and department stores. These trends are auspicious for the crucial Christmas buying season.
With all these positive signs, consumer discretionary names have been among the top performers this year. The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLY) has trounced the broader market with a return of 22.1 percent while the staples sector, as measured by Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP) has lagged both with a return of just 11.9 percent (see "Consumers' Wallets Peeking Open").
A Sober Assessment
That said, I believe too much holiday cheer has been passed around and a sober note of caution is warranted.
On January 1, the George W. Bush-era tax cuts will expire and on January 2 nearly $1.2 trillion in spending cuts are slated to take effect.
While most economists agree that our nation must address its soaring budget deficit, they're concerned that simply walking the country off the fiscal cliff and allowing the automatic tax increases and budget cuts to take effect would be too much, too soon for our still fragile economy. With annualized US GDP growth still hovering at around 2 percent, that strong a dose of medicine might kill the patient.
It's uncertain, though, whether lawmakers can find common ground and strike a deal in time.
Politicians are saying the right things now. Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) has indicated a compromise with Congressional Democrats and President Obama is possible; the president has likewise announced that he's flexible on whether he will push for upper-income tax increases.
I expect a political battle that's likely to result in a deal that calls for higher taxes, especially on dividends for upper-bracket investors. Dividend taxes could rise from their current level of 15 percent to as high as 43.4 percent for some investors, when including the 3.8 percent surcharge on investment income to pay for The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
If a deal can't be reached and lawmakers march the economy off the cliff, the Council of Economic Advisers estimates it could hit consumer spending to the tune of $200 billion next year alone, causing a decisive shift in sector performance.
Either way, consumers will probably get a slap of cold water in the coming months.
When consumers tighten their belts, the consumer discretionary sector is the hardest hit, despite the fact that it's been one of the best performers so far this year. For now, we suggest focusing on the consumer staples side of the equation, as Congress squabbles over how to deal with the fiscal cliff.
Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR is the easiest way to gain exposure to the staples sector.
With a basket of 42 companies, the fund's holdings include names such as Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), Kimberly-Clark Corp (NYSE: KMB), Kraft Foods (NSDQ: KRFT) and Mondelez International (NSDQ: MDLZ).
Thanks to the sticky nature of spending on staples - regardless of what Congress or the economy does, everyone still has to eat and buy toilet paper - Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR has a beta of just 0.54 as compared to the S&P 500.
Thanks to that lower volatility, as the market was crashing in 2008 and into 2009, the ETF turned in just half the loss of the S&P 500 and recovered in half the time. For more consumer stocks with inelastic demand for their products, see this report.
Disclosure: I am long XLY. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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It's Monday Morning Mop Up time and this week we have some game changers. We start in Centre Hall PA where the Chambersburg Area Kennel Club & the Nita Nee Kennel Club each hosted two shows. Check our archives for reports on the CAKC's Thursday & Friday shows.
The NNKC took over on Saturday and asked Roger Hartinger to choose his BIS from the Weimaraner, GCH CH Northwoods Send Money Honey, the Whippet, GCH CH Starline's Chanel, the Doberman Pinscher, GCH CH Mi-Ti's Three Cheers, the Scottish Terrier, GCH CH Lomondview Clementina, the Affenpinscher, GCH CH Banana Joe V Tani Kazari, the Miniature Poodle, GCH CH Surrey Sugar Baby, and the German Shepherd Dog, GCH CH Babheim's Captain Crunch.
His BIS was the Scottie, Phoebe. Phoebe has collected an amazing 38 Terrier Groups on her way to her third BIS this year. Congratulations to breeder Carol Annan, owner John & Daphne Eggert, and handler Carlos de la Torre standing in for regular handler Ernesto Lara.
GCH CH Sporting Field's Bahama Sands
(Photo by Angela Stein)
(Photo by Angela Stein)
Brian Meyer closed it out Sunday at the NNKC's day two show considering the English Setter, CH Editions Pursuit Of Happiness, the Whippet, GCH CH Sporting Field's Bahama Sands, the Rottweiler, GCH CH D'Oro Solido's Feliciano Uno, the Scottie, Phoebe, the Shih Tzu, GCH CH Hallmark Jolei Austin Powers, the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Dacun Kaylen's He's A Heartbreaker, and the above named GSD. Best In Show went to the Whippet, Tawny. Tawny has been sitting in the Number Eleven Dog All Breeds spot for the past several months. We will have to wait until all the numbers are in to see if her 13th BIS can move her into the Top Ten.


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The Presidential Debates
Do our preconceived notions prevent us from really listening?
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(14) Anonymous, November 5, 2012 6:28 PM
Good afternoon Rabbi Salomon, this note is simply an apology. Nov 2, 2012, I sent a comment regarding your article about Presidential Debate. My comment was sent full of errors that I did no realized I was doing, and only because I was writing from my cell phone, within a very cold apartment with no heat, or electricity, or home phone. I still did not expressed everything I wanted to express, as was feeling cold. Now I realized all the mistakes I committed while writing and apologize for that. Thanks again for your interesting articles.
(13) Sanford Jay ("Sandy) & Chana Goodman, November 4, 2012 5:51 PM
The wisest decision that B'nai Yisroel made when receiving the Torah was na'aseh v'nishmah
Very rarely are adults totally objective when it comes to making decisions. That's why most of those who heard the presidential debates (with some exceptions) will not change their minds. In life we often make faulty evaluations and render bad decisions because we are blinded by our own biases. At Mt. Sinai the wisest decision that B'nai Yisroel made when receiving the Torah from G-d was saying na'aseh v'nishmah for two reasons: First, they realized that this was being given to them by G-d, Who is omniscient and who would always does what is best for humanity, especially B'nai Yisroel. Second, B'nai Yisroel realized that if they had taken the time to evaluate the Torah, they might they might have rejected it for the wrong reasons due to human bias. Sanford Jay ("Sandy) & Chana Goodman, Dallas Texas
(12) Malka Kideckel, November 2, 2012 2:01 AM
Open minded
I think that when it comes to Presidential debates and voting for a President one belongs to a Party. Then they have to rationalise to themselves why the candidate will be a good President. First it was a black President and now, say he looses, were gonna hear about discrimination against Muslims. In any debate we must enter the arena with an open mind, ideally both sides with an open mind. But human nature is that we are biased and judgemental. The Torah talks about these [Middos] and asks to work on these character traits. LIterally for our own preservation.
(11) Cynthia, October 31, 2012 12:39 PM
ask Questions
(10) Raisy, October 31, 2012 3:21 AM
I am subjective, I am biased
I don't agree that we 'hear what we want to hear'. I think, for myself, I need a premise upon which I judge the worthier candidate. As an observant Jew I was horrified with Obama's support for same-gender marriage, something I believe represents disregard for a long-held respect for the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our American governmental system. I respected was inspired by Romney's insistence that it is his faith in G-d that sustains his belief in America and its governance. I believe, and was taught, that belief in one G-d and good character and what count. My point is, it's not that people are not objective and have their opinions before hearing debates; the more significant question is: what are the factors that determine one's choice? Is it charm? Intelligence? Oratorical skills? Or is it character and belief in G-d. I frankly, at the risk of sounding intolerant, do not understand how any G-d fearing jew could vote for Obama and the liberal views he espouses.


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#neverliberal #nevermarxist
Which theory do you think might be right? Theory 1: NothingnessWhen a person dies, all physical functions and mental functions cease to operate. No form of consciousness exists and no portion of the individual's physical body, mental processes or 'spirit' pass on to another stage of existence. There is literally nothing left of the individual; they cease to be. Theory 2: ReincarnationWhen a person dies, their physical body disintegrates, but a part of their being (e.g. Soul or Consciousness) does survive to experience another form of existence in a physical vehicle. This may be in the same realm or a different dimension altogether. The physical vehicle changes, but some form of mental capacity of the previous life is preserved. Theory 3: ResurrectionWhen a person dies, their physical body deteriorates and their mental functioning ceases to exist for a period of time until a powerful entity (e.g. God) chooses to bring back their Consciousness to their body. Consciousness was suspended temporarily, not removed. This might be done for the purpose of judgement. Theory 4: Spiritual WorldWhen a person dies, their physical body disintegrates, but a part of their being (e.g. Energy) continues to survive in the spiritual realm. No physical vehicles exist and passed loved ones can be directly communicated with if they are at the same stage of spiritual progression. Theory 5: The Show Is OverWhen a person dies, they enter a different realm of existence where they come to the realisation that they planned their whole experience in the physical world and life was essentially a show that they created to entertain themselves. Their Consciousness survives and they are able to communicate with others that are at the same stage of progression. http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread918152/pg1
Okay, what does it mean?In the most simple terms, we encourage people to share text they discover here on our websites, as long as they give us proper credit, and don't share entire posts on for-profit websites or other publications. You can include an entire post on another open-access public website, as long as you give the author credit, give AboveTopSecret.com credit, and link back to the URL of the discussion thread post. Linking back to the thread helps people discover the context of the discussion, especially if the content is current and evolving. Material not hosted on AboveTopSecret.com, but linked in posts, are subject to the restrictions of those respective domain owners.
Sorry I thought that I did it correctly. I left out the first paragraph so it was partial and I included the link. Got it!
TRUTH number 3.Yeshua is the FIRSTBORN of many brethren. ALL human beings "sleep" in the grave with zero consciousness.
Darn! I was expecting a debate! You're no fun tonight. I'll have to poke at "rat" for a response.


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There are many people who are true animal lovers. I loved all the animals on the farm when I was little but I haven't had a pet since.
There are many people who are true animal lovers. I loved all the animals on the farm when I was little but I haven't had a pet since.
A few months ago someone threw out a pet mother cat near my home. She decided to go under my deck and have seven kittens. I have learned to love them all, but I can't possibly keep all of them. I have had three of them adopted, but I still have four beautiful kittens. Would anyone like to have one? I also have a nephew who has three if you want more.
Come to story time
North Davidson Library continues to offer fall story times for preschoolers at 10:30 Wednesdays and Thursdays. These are opportunities for young ones to develop early reading skills while having fun. School age story time is at 3:30 Tuesday afternoons.
The book club, led by Elaine Craver will meet at 1 p.m. Oct. 4. Everyone is welcome.
Mt. Olivet UMC class honors teacher
The Messengers Class at Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church honored Bruce Salley, their faithful friend and beloved teacher of over 50 years. They are now the Bruce Salley Class.
Sympathy goes our to the family of Danny Hedrick in the death of his father, Bobby Ray Hedrick.
The church began a new adventure church wide family-oriented Bible study called The Story, a 31-week overview of the Bible. All ages are studying the same weekly Bible story. This will allow families to read and discuss the lesson together.
Contact Pastor Karen Roberts at 293-3697 to learn more about this important study and please join us. Our youth and choirs have begun practicing Christmas cantatas.
Lions will have dinner fundraiser
Take your family out for a delicious meal from 4 to 8 Nov. 9, and help the Lions Club accomplish there goal while enjoying a complete spaghetti dinner at the same time. The meal includes, spaghetti, salad, bread, dessert and drink for $8.
The dinner will be held at the Arcadia Community Center. The money will be used for the club projects. Mark your calendar for this special event.
Grange members attend state convention
The Arcadia Grange attended the State Covention this past weekend. There were a total of about 15 people attending. Many prizes and awards were won by the Junior and Youth Granges. Kelli and Craig Rapp went as chaperones for the Junior Grange.
The Grange will be giving a party for the ARC group homes the second Monday night in October at 6:30 p.m. Anyone may join or help provide prizes for bingo for our special friends.
Prayers are needed
Remember the sick and elderly in our community. They always appreciate a card, call or visit.
Thought to ponder
The fairest flower in the garden of life is the fellowship of friends;
Time but glorifies its beauty with a fragranace that never ends.
No cloud can shade its loveliness, no storm its petals part.
For the flower of friendship dwells forever, within the human heart.