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What you want to say Open Thread Christmas/New Year edition December 31, 2012Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.
As always, following on Dr. X's suggestion, it's all yours, "announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose", feel free. And of course, a Happy New Year to everyone, thanks for participating, contributing or just passing through…
- 1. ejh - December 31, 2012
- 2. Captain Moonlight - December 31, 2012
Brit cop sky news live from Belfast… these people are stuck in the past refusing to move on…well at least someone has 'moved on'…from the GFA…GREAT TO SEE THE LADS BACK IN THE HEADLINES…New year greetings to all Irish Republicans around the world.
- eamonncork - December 31, 2012
Cop on and don't be such a twit. The man had two small kids in the car with him.
- Martin Savage - December 31, 2012
How much support do you need though? 1%? 10%? How much support did the Provos have when they bombed Birmingham? When they opposed power sharing in the 70s? The various anti agreement groups are growing and taking the SF line – 'our war was good yours is bad' won't stop them.
- Joe - January 2, 2013
I counted to ten and screamed to high heaven before joining this debate. Martin above says: "The various anti agreement groups are growing and taking the SF line – 'our war was good yours is bad' won't stop them."
But what will stop them?
The Irish Times editorial today has a piece on the Kurdish/Turkish question that starts by saying the lesson of Northern Ireland is that to resolve any conflict you have to start by talking to your enemies.
I don't want to talk to the likes of Captain Moonlight. But if doing so could stop the killing, I'd try it. I know the Provos have attempted to talk to the dissidents but, as far as I know, haven't gotten very far.
So how do we stop them? Any ideas?
- 3. Michael Carley - December 31, 2012
In Dublin over Christmas I saw a couple of books: Diarmuid Ferriter's history of the seventies, and Padraig Yeates' on Dublin 1919–1922. I'd probably get the Yeates since I've read his books on the lockout and on Dublin 1914–1918, but is the Ferriter worth getting?
- Dr.Nightdub - December 31, 2012
On the basis of his previous "The Transformation of Ireland 1900-2000", I'd say yes, but I'm waiting for the paperback to come out.
I got the hardback for my da for Xmas though, in a "light the blue touch paper and retire a safe distance" kind of way. I'm expecting a phone call full of righteous anger any day now.
- Michael Carley - December 31, 2012
I enjoyed The Transformation of Ireland, but I found his book on sex in twentieth century Ireland a bit too long: he seemed to have wanted to squeeze in every anecdote he came across. Since his new one is another behemoth, I'd want another view before setting myself up to read it.
- fergal - December 31, 2012
Ferriter is the official historian of the state now,constantly on the radio and the expert voice on all the changes that have happened here.There's a very English form of "sweet reasonableness" to his history from above.Not a nationalist,strictly speaking,and not a "revisionist" he writes well and has a catch all appeal,but if you're interested in the outsider and the forgotten he won't give it to you."History is written by those who survive,philosophy by the well to do;those who go under have the experience"(WR Lethaby). Stick with Yeates!
- Michael Carley - December 31, 2012
I was thinking it might be a handy supplement to Eamonn Sweeney's book about roughly the same period. A bit of triangulation and interpolation should yield a reasonable approximation to useful truth. Anyway, there's a photo of Frank Cluskey, so it can't be all bad.
- Florrie O'Donoghue - January 2, 2013
I've not Ferriter's recent book, but Sweeney's pleasantly surprised me – despite its misleading title. As a crash course for the period, I don't think there's any better for the general reader.
- 4. CL - December 31, 2012
Tomorrow marks the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation.
'The cause of the slaves, the working class and the poor – North and South – were, for Marx, the same cause.'
'From Oakes's perspective, emancipation should never be presented as a singular turning point in the war, nor should Abraham Lincoln ever stand alone in our discussions as the Great Emancipator.'
- 5. Dr.Nightdub - December 31, 2012
Am I missing something, or does Joan Burton's latest kite regarding pensions involve a massive sleight of hand? She's proposing an automatic scheme from which people will have to opt out, whereby people will pay to supplement the state pension and the government will top up their contributions. Naturally, Varadkar's using the opportunity to attack public service pensions again.
But nowhere is there any mention of employers making any contributions. There's something fishy going on, I just haven't figured out what exactly…
- CMK - December 31, 2012
No, you've picked up on something pretty profound. There's a reason why this is being announced over the Christmas period when most people are giving politics a rest. What Burton is proposing is not only to take, compulsorily, a portion of workers wages (depressing further consumer demand and the domestic economy), but to hand that cash over to the raving obsencity that is the private pensions industry whose 'fees and charges' will eat up a considerable portion of the money invested with no guarantee of the kinds of returns necessary to give decent pensions to private sector workers. Incidentally, Varadker is in the Times today telling us the public sector pensions are no longer sustainable. Give that most public sector workers are paying upwards of 17% of their GROSS incomeon pension related contributions (pension+pension levy+PRSI) that's some oversight on his par
- Dr.Nightdub - December 31, 2012
I hadn't thought about what a boon this'll be for the pensions industry. I was thinking more in terms of the government trying to move to a two-tier old age pension, the way they've done with teachers' salaries – those already in receipt of one being left alone for fear of antagonising the grey vote, but those not yet aged 65 having to put up with a yellowpack version which they themselves will have to top up through Burton's new scheme.
- 6. fergal - December 31, 2012
Anybody else notice a money grab that is being orchestrated by the government? While austerity is happening how can you create sinecures for your friends and allies?
1 Universal Health insurance-a boon to those honest insurance firms
2 Mandatory pension schemes for private sector-manna form heaven for the insurance and pension industry
3 Talk of ending universal child benefit and concentrating on pre-school provision as indicated by Minister Fitzgerald-a boon to profit only pre-schools.
4 NAMA-enough said
5 Privatising tolls,FAS courses,and all the PPP schemes out there
6 Water!how long will it remain as a state run firm as long as the initial profitless capital investment is paid by the taxpayer
7 the ongoing scandal of rent allowance-a subsidy to the landlord class-one of them got over 600,000 last year-no limits imposed on this parasitical activity,only on the tenant
- sonofstan - December 31, 2012
Add 'the Gathering' to that: you'll get pious crap about job creation and the like, and the importance of showing the country off……any jobs created will be min wage in the hotel/ catering/ retail sector but guesses who owns the hotels and golf courses and shops that all these returnees will be using?
- Dr.Nightdub - December 31, 2012
Galloping Gathering-itis is getting totally out of hand – earlier on, I saw an ad on a bus shelter for Ireland's EU Presidency, talking about how ever many thousand visitors it's gonna bring.
- Jack Jameson - December 31, 2012
Must be all those extra visitors Queen Elizabeth's visit was supposed to bring but obviously held off till the rain stopped.
- Chang - December 31, 2012
@Fergal. +1 @ (7.) It is creating a new 'subject' breed.
- 7. Michael Carley - December 31, 2012
Listening to a story about Mary Seacole being dropped from history lessons in English schools, I discover that Orlando Figes' past offences are not being held against him, and he is an acceptable pundit on Radio 4.
- ejh - December 31, 2012
He was also on Radio Three early this month, as it happens.
- 8. sonofstan - December 31, 2012
- 9. Branno's ultra-left t-shirt - December 31, 2012
'And fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live-for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken.'
- 10. Eugene - January 1, 2013
To the working people of Ireland
New Year statement by the Communist Party of Ireland
31 December 2012
As the old year fades from our memory we can approach the new year with some degree of optimism. Throughout 2012 there where numerous protests and demonstrations right across the country, from Belfast to Cork, from Galway to Dublin, with working people campaigning against hospital closures and cuts in services.
The big pre-budget demonstration in Dublin was an important beginning and showed the importance of united campaigning, of drawing the diverse concerns of the people together in a coherent way. It showed that unity of action is our strength, and must be built upon.
Today we had a spectacle of flag-waving and pompous speech-making to mark the beginning of the Irish presidency of the European Union and forty years of membership of this imperial club, with smug self-congratulation by a political establishment that is devoid of any policies to meet the needs of the Irish people. They will wallow in false praise of their European masters, to show they are such great "Europeans," as the burden of debt is piled higher and higher on the backs not only of Irish workers but of Greek, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian workers. Their hoisting of the EU flag over Dublin Castle shows that little has really changed and is an expression of their powerlessness.
To the people of the North we once again say there is no refuge or solution to be found in wrapping flags around us for comfort. We ask the Protestant section of our working class to think of who benefits and who loses from aggressive flag-flying. Do not be led up a cul-de-sac of flag-waving: those who claim to lead you have no answers to your problems of unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and emigration.
The British government does not care how many times their flag flies as long as you are not marching about jobs or against poverty. Similarly, the gatekeepers of the Northern Executive are not worried about your social conditions: they are happy with their Grand Old Duke of York politics.
As we face into another year of austerity, with the wealthy accumulating more and more of our wealth, working people need to take sustenance, inspiration and strength from our forefathers and mothers who in 1913, in much more difficult conditions and under profound hardship, gathered the courage and rallied to defend their interests against great odds. They faced the Dublin boss class, who were backed by the British empire. They rose in a united body and wrote a glorious page in the history of the Irish working class.
We now need that spirit to be re-ignited, and we must make the demonstration of the 9th of February called by the ICTU as big and militant as possible, to be a day of action against the odious debt. The trade union movement needs to lead and express the growing unrest and militancy of working people in 2012 to rebuild a more self-confident and vibrant labour movement. We need to build a united people's resistance against the odious debt, drawing all the many localised campaigns around the country behind a people's rejection of the debt and the great sacrifices being imposed in order to obey this diktat from the big monopolies and finance houses of Europe—to mobilise against the external and internal troika.
Let 2013 be the year in which workers throughout the EU link arms and stand together in united struggle. Let us build a united response to defend, enrich and advance national sovereignty, national democracy, and workers' rights. Our world is beginning to move in a different direction, away from the values of selfishness, greed and unbridled individualism encouraged by this deeply flawed and exploitative and inhuman system, towards an economic and social system based on social solidarity, justice, and peace.
Let's make 2013 the year of the beginning of the reconquest of Ireland by working people.
- BB - January 1, 2013
References to the Grand Old Duke of York and the proposed ICTU demonstration of 9th February (albeit separately mentioned) reminds me of the old nursery rhyme:
Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men,
He marched them up to the top of
The hill and he marched
Them down again.
And when they were up they were up,
And when they were down they were down,
And when they were only half way up,
They were neither up nor down.
It can be hard sometimes to figure out the significance of political events. But this much is true. The odd day of action, proposed by ICTU, is a do-nothing strategy, for letting off a bit of steam. No more than that. Of course, I'm in favour of it and making it bigger, more militant.
But here's the crunch: while many left groups recognise the dire limitations of trade union leadership (and some even nurture the left leaning members of them, especially if they speak on their platforms), they don't put forward an alternative strategy that would bring them into conflict with it (picket stunts excluded).
If we want democratic and militant 'rank and file control' some campaigning suggestions spring to mind:
– put national action back at the heart of the trade union strategy. Single days of action, however, with long gaps between them, is not enough to win.
– organise escalation of action – one day in February, two days in March, and increase the scale of social disruption thereafter if the government's attack is not withdrawn.
– establish union forums that meet independently of the bureaucracy. Replace unelected steering committees, with controlling agendas and who are accountable to no one.
– agitate for measures such as campaigning for average members wages for trade union officials, greater participation of ordinary members in union activities, planning Conference resolutions and follow-up.
– get left activists elected to Executives.
This isn't going to be easy to do: but it has to be done. There is no alternative way to mobilise people anymore.
- 11. Branno's ultra-left t-shirt - January 1, 2013
- 12. Captain Moonlight - January 1, 2013
'Say anything you want'?!…actually I was being snide by saying'GREAT TO SEE THE LADS BACK IN THE HEADLINES'…I was surprised by some comments though…the fact that it was on the news here (London) was my point..must have slipped past the 'D notice'…ps..on early reports it stated that it had dropped off the bottom of the car and was a danger to the wider community…by yesterday that had changed to the wife & kids (and kitchen sink) in the motor and it was found by him before he got in the car…
- 13. Captain Moonlight - January 1, 2013
So it made a change from seeing some 'knuckle dragging oranges' shouting about 'their rag'… cant see those 'fine people' getting round to reading any of these 'fine books' you talk about here…and
for the record I'm 50yrs old and have spent 41yrs reading reading reading…(and
watching the news!)…but still…I
- 14. The sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation. « The Cedar Lounge Revolution - January 1, 2013
[…] As CL noted in comments yesterday. […]
- 15. soubresauts - January 1, 2013
Something enjoyable, for WbS among others — John Cooper Clarke interviewed by Max Keiser:
- 17. doctorfive - January 2, 2013
- 18. doctorfive - January 2, 2013
Good one on the Pret business
- CMK - January 2, 2013
Spot on. Pity poor Starbucks with their travails due to commodity price fluctuations forcing them, poor dears, to have to paid their workers less and cut other decent working conditions. I know a little bit about hedging and stuff, should I send in a CV to Starbucks? It looks like they could use someone who knows about buying forward and stuff. Like I could hold the fort until someone in the US emerges, probably from a cutting edge astrophysics programme in MIT or Harvard, who could do this probably. They're so dreadfully behind in the US with these things. I mean they've only been trading futures on commodity prices in the US since the mid 19th century and it must be slow process learning the ins and outs of the whole business. Obviously the guys in Starbucks haven't found out about it yet, poor things. But fair play to them getting so far without relying on futures. Who says idiots can't succeed in business? As I said, I'll try to buy forward for them until they get someone better qualified to do the job.
- ejh - January 3, 2013
- 19. doctorfive - January 3, 2013
Sean Quinn received a "very positive" response from other inmates
"I think 100% of them felt I shouldn't be there. I certainly felt I shouldn't be there, after creating 7,000 jobs, after never in my life owing anybody a penny. Never in my life did I steal a penny or take a penny that didn't belong to me,"
- doctorfive - January 3, 2013
It is but how delusional? With the wealth creator stuff that's relentlessly peddled. It's hardly unreasonable for entrepreneurs to believe they are above the law of mere mortals
- ivorthorne - January 3, 2013
YlHow many of Ireland's supposed wealth creators are associated with corruption? Desmond, Goodman, O'Brien, Quinn, Ronan … The corruption – legal and otherwise – that is such an important feature of Irish capitalism means that most of our richest people aren't even 'good capitalists', they're just good 'lobbyists'.
- 20. Branno's ultra-left t-shirt - January 3, 2013
I'm sure Quinn's fellow-inmates felt empathy, after all he managed far more than they they could ever dream of. Just like this man offering solidarity to Sean Fitzpatrick….
- 21. Joe - January 3, 2013
Don't know if this will work. Above is a link to an article by Brian Hanley in irishstory.com about riot in Limerick in 1935 – in which only Protestant-owned premises were attacked.
Just thought I'd mention it in light of the discussion on sectarianism on here a while back.
- 22. doctorfive - January 3, 2013
world without work
- 23. Pj - January 4, 2013
New issue of SPARTACIST has just come out, just €1.50 for Irish readers
- Branno's ultra-left t-shirt - January 5, 2013
Well that's all our problems sorted then
- 24. ivorthorne - January 5, 2013
The Irish Times, as ever, misses the point:
The real story isn't the changes since the downturn but the clear and the dramatic inequalities that exist within Ireland at national, regional and local levels. And for all the talk of everybody "being in this together", for some reason we still have plenty of affluent and very affluent people.
The Irish Times chose to use their own map. Here's the actual map:
The frontpage headline reads "Commuter belt region worst hit by downturn". Carl O'Brien tells us that "The outer stretches of Dublin's commuter belt have experienced the greatest drop in affluence of anywhere in the State since the economic downturn, new figures show" yet we find out that the commuter belt includes Roscommon, Cavan and Wexford. Can anyone name a single town in Roscommon that you could call a commuter town? As for Wexford and Cavan, while people may commute to Dublin from these places, it's hardly the main source of their identity. It's as though Carl is interpreting the data as it applies to the country as oppossed to how it applies to Dublin.
- eamonncork - January 5, 2013
What would jump out at a person, if they weren't obsessed with some mythical commuter belt like the Times is, is the persistence of disadvantage in the old geographical black spots, West Donegal, West Mayo, Connemara, Leitrim and also the huge disparities within the cities. Plus ca change.
Of course the Times' focus on this will soon be transformed into a narrative of middle class struggle, something along the lines of 'we used to think that the West of Ireland and the inner cities were suffering worst but now they've been replaced by the commuter belt.'
However, your dismissal of Roscommon as the home of commuter towns ignores the vast exodus which takes place every morning from Frenchpark into Boyle and Ballymoe into Castlerea.
- CL - January 5, 2013
"People living in the commuter belt are very much the squeezed middle," says Corcoran.
- 25. EamonnCork - January 6, 2013
Didn't know where to put this but there's a very positive review of Come Here To Me in today's Sunday Times. Looking forward to buying the book when I'm in Dublin next week.
- Starakadder - January 6, 2013
Excellent (if upsetting) piece on the Indian rape victim and
the issue of "rape culture" worldwide:


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I definitely agree with you there!
It could be said that it's unfair for those of you who have not been affected by Thatcherism to judge those who have for their reactions to her death.
This morning, after the death of Margaret Thatcher was announced, I came across someone saying they would dance on her grave for the (perceived) horrible things English people suffered when she was prime minister.
Actually, I'm rather curious about something also as I don't know where everyone on the board is from. But, for those of you in America who feel that celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher is not appropriate - did you feel the same way about those who celebrated the death of Osama Bin Laden?
My personal opinion is that the time for celebration was when she was ousted from office, rather than on the occasion of the death of a now elderly and frail woman with Alzheimers
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Originally published on May 16, 2014 9:29 pm
This week's fills (and, yes, yes, one intro) come from a range of styles and periods, from jazz and heavy metal to classic rock and '80s synth pop. Can you match all five?
As always, if you have a drummer or a fill you'd like to see featured in these weekly puzzlers, let us know in the comments section or via Twitter @allsongs, #drumfillfriday.
Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
From the Wires
Overhead Door Corporation: Three Years and Counting, Garage Door Upgrades Return High Home Renovation Values
Annual Cost vs. Value Survey Finds Curb Appeal Improvements Deliver Best Returns
By: Marketwired .
Jan. 31, 2013 04:32 PM
DALLAS, TX -- (Marketwire) -- 01/31/13 -- Amidst a continually evolving residential real estate market, a national home improvement study has found that there is at least one constant homeowners can still bank on -- improving a home's exterior is money well spent.
For the third year running, Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value survey has found that eight of the top 10 remodeling projects for return on investment (ROI) at resale are those that enhance curb appeal. Among those projects, garage door replacement again ranks high, whether homeowners choose a mid-level or high-end upgrade.
"Regardless of whether a homeowner decides to replace their entry-level garage door with a mid-grade door, or change out their mid-level door for one at a higher price point, garage door replacement takes two of the top three spots for improvements that cost less than $5,000," said Joe Dachowicz, vice president of marketing at Overhead Door Corporation, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of overhead doors and openers for residential and commercial applications.
At 75.7 percent on average, mid-range garage door replacement is the second-best ranked project for returning value when spending less than $5,000, the 2012-2013 Cost vs. Value survey found. It's also the fourth-highest rated project out of more than 35 projects evaluated, ahead of both bathroom and kitchen remodels. Meanwhile, an upscale garage door replacement delivers a 75.2 percent ROI, making it the third-highest ranked project under $5,000 and the sixth-highest rated home improvement project overall.
The survey's results confirm what industry insiders have known for years, Dachowicz says.
"Many homes incorporate a design that places the garage at the front and center of a home's view from the curb," said Dachowicz. "This is why garage door replacement is, and always has been, a great investment; it's a relatively low-cost improvement that makes a dramatic impact on curb appeal."
As in past years, this year's survey determined the ROI for garage door replacement by evaluating the typical $1,500 cost to replace a basic garage door with a mid-range door model. The survey found the value of that replacement at home sale to be $1,132, or 75.7 percent ROI. Meanwhile, the roughly $2,700 cost to replace a mid-range garage door model with an upscale one delivered an estimated value at sale of $2,046, equating to a 75.2 percent return.
Picking out the perfect garage door to match a home's style and the homeowner's budget is as easy as going online, Dachowicz said, thanks to Overhead Door's DoorView Design Center. An online tool, DoorView allows homeowners to upload a photo of their home to Overhead Door's website and then test various Overhead Door garage doors to see how their home's curb appeal will improve.
"Most busy families use their garage door as the home's primary entrance," Dachowicz said. "Given that, garage door replacement is not only a great way to welcome yourself home every day, but a terrific way to make your home stand apart from your neighbors'."
Now in its 26th year, the Cost vs. Value Report is conducted in partnership with the National Association of Realtors. Hanley Wood, publisher of Remodeling magazine, asks NAR members nationwide to evaluate a variety of home remodeling jobs and then project the ROI homeowners could expect to receive when they sell their homes. The study, available at www.costvsvalue.com, details not only the national average value returned on common renovation projects, but the expected ROI in nine U.S. regions and 80 U.S. cities. For access to detailed renovation data on the go, an iPhone-app is also available through the Apple iTunes store.
For more information on Overhead Door garage doors and openers, or to find an Overhead Door distributor, visit www.OverheadDoor.com, like Overhead Door on Facebook or follow Overhead Door on Twitter.
About Overhead Door Corporation
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Pin It to Win It: Taigan's Imperio JP Hosts Pinterest Contest
Taigan's Imperio JP has launched her first ever contest and all it takes is for you to pin your favorite items from her page on our site! Super easy, see details below – Happy Pinning! CALLING ALL PINTEREST CHAMPIONS – … Read More


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An old joke goes something like this: A man applies for an accounting job and his would-be employer asks whether he can do double-entry bookkeeping.
"Double-entry?" the applicant replies. "I can do triple-entry. I'll show the business breaking even for your partner, and a loss for the Internal Revenue Service, and tell you the real story."
That's more or less what happened in the state Department of Parks and Recreation, as first laid out in The Bee seven months ago.
For years, department managers had been pleading poverty -- and even saying they would have to close some parks to remain solvent -- while squirreling money away and giving different numbers to different financial overseers.
Belatedly, the Legislature appears to be finally getting serious -- or at least semi- serious -- about getting to the bottom of the scandal, a mini-version of which has since been exposed in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
On Tuesday, the Legislature's audit committee delved into a report from the state auditor's office on the parks and recreation imbroglio, along with reports from the Department of Justice, the Department of Finance and the State Controller's Office.
It also heard assurances from the parks department's new director, retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Anthony Jackson, about a new "set of values."
That's fine as far as it goes. But it's apparent that the misleading financial reports date back at least to the late 1990s and continued even after bean counters at the Department of Finance noted discrepancies and asked the department to reconcile them more than a decade ago.
There probably wasn't any criminal offense -- or at least that's what the Department of Justice concluded. The mysterious millions weren't stolen, diverted into wild parties or anything like that.
Rather, high-ranking department officials hid the money as a hedge against budget cuts or from fear that reporting larger fund balances would imperil appropriations from the Legislature or, it seems, undercut the public appeals for more money to keep parks from closing.
The real effect, therefore, was to undermine public confidence and, perhaps even more importantly, the willingness of volunteer park support groups to raise money to supplement state funds for maintenance of what many consider to be the nation's finest system of state parks.
The Legislature should not stop at airing the after-the-fact investigations and audits that have been conducted in the last seven months. It has subpoena power and should use it to bring past department directors and other high officials into the Capitol to answer, more directly, questions about who decided to hide the money and why.
It's needed to restore luster to a tarnished institution.
Call Walters, (916) 321-1195. Email: email@example.com. Twitter: @WaltersBee.


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Health Highlights: Nov. 7, 2013
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Few Kid's Meals at Fast-Food Chains are Healthy: Report
Only 33 of 5,427 possible meals for children at 18 U.S. fast-food chains are healthy, according to a new report from the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
The researchers came up with that figure after analyzing the menu offerings from the chains in order to consider all possible combinations of main dishes, sides and drinks. The 33 meals deemed healthy account for only 1 percent of all the possible meals for kids, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The researchers did find that 11 of the 12 restaurants with kids' meals had at least one option for a healthy side dish, such as salads, corn, green beans, applesauce, sliced apples, bananas and fruit cups.
The study also found that more than three-quarters of the fast-food chains offered a healthy drink choice, such as unflavored milk, 100 percent juice, or bottled water, the Times reported.
The Yale team also found that the restaurants reduced the number of commercials aimed at children ages 6-11, but increased the number of ads targeted at teens.
Football Hall-of-Famer Tony Dorsett Has Signs of Brain Disorder
Hall of Fame NFL running back Tony Dorsett says all the hits he took during his football career have left him with brain damage.
He recently had his brain scanned and evaluated at the University of California, Los Angeles because he'd been having symptoms such as memory loss and depression, NBC News reported.
Dorsett told ESPN that he's suffered a decline in his quality of life, For example, he said he gets lost taking his daughters to their activities.
"It's painful, man, for my daughters to say they're scared of me. It's painful," Dorsett said. "I've thought about crazy stuff, sort of like, 'Why do I need to continue going through this? I'm too smart of a person, I like to think, to take my life, but it's crossed my mind."
The tests revealed that Dorsett had signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The degenerative brain condition has been found in the brains of a number of former football players and some researchers have linked it with head trauma suffered on the football field, NBC News reported.
Two other former NFL players -- Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure and former defensive end Leonard Marshall -- also sought brain tests at UCLA after experiencing symptoms. Both were found to have signs of CTE.
There is no cure for CTE, but researchers are hopeful that the three newly discovered cases will help advance efforts to find a treatment. They explained that finding evidence of CTE in living people provides them with opportunities to determine which treatments might be most effective, NBC News reported.
Spain Reports First MERS Case
The first case of the MERS respiratory virus in Spain has been reported by health officials.
The female patient is a Moroccan-born Spanish resident who was admitted Nov. 1 to a Madrid hospital. The woman had been in Saudi Arabia in October and was diagnosed there with pneumonia, the Associated Press reported.
The woman is progressing favorably and poses no public health threat, Spain's Health Ministry said Thursday.
The MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) virus is related to the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus, which killed about 800 people in 2003. MERS has killed about 50 people over the past year. Most of the victims have been in Saudi Arabia, where the outbreak is centered, the AP reported.
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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By Michael Aneiro
At least mortgage rates finally got a bit of a reprieve in the past week, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate falling to 3.93% from 3.98% a week earlier, according to Freddie Mac's (FMCC) latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey released today. The May bond bear market had pushed mortgage rates higher for the previous six weeks from a 3013 low of 3.35% in early May, within a whisker of its 3.31% all-time low seen last November. The 3.98% rate seen a week ago had marked a 14-month high. One year ago that rate stood at 3.66%.
If bond-market moves of the past 24 hours are any indication, don't count on this reprieve lasting long, as Treasuries have sold off sharply in the wake of yesterday's more-hawkish Federal Reserve policy statement. Mortgage rates typically take their cues from long-term Treasury rates, which have surged higher since yesterday. The ongoing rise in bond rates comes amid fears that the Federal Reserve may soon curtail its bond purchases as economy indicators strengthen, and also amid concerns that a sharp rise in mortgage rates could undercut the housing recovery and damage the Fed's efforts to kick-start the economy.
The average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rate also fell slightly to 3.04% from 3.10% a week earlier, up from an all-time low 2.56% during the week ended May 2. One year ago the 15-year rate stood at 2.95%.
A similar 30-year mortgage rate measured by the Mortgage Bankers Association rose to 4.17% in the past week from 4.15% a week ago.


text:
March 20, 2007
"American Idol" -- tonight's show: The British Invasion.
1. Simon leers horribly at Hayley, who's wearing heels, hot pants, and a silky backless top that's attached to her torso with a wacky amount of double-stick tape. She sings "Tell Him" and stomps all over the stage, up and down the stairs. She does not trip and fall, so okay.
2. Chris Richardson sings "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying," and follows the melody -- the great melody -- the way Peter Noone told him to.
3. LuLu looks like my sister. I was trying to figure out who it was she reminded me of. And Stephanie Edwards reminds Lulu of Beyoncé. Stephanie sings "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me." It's hard not to think about how beautifully Dusty Springfield sang this song. By contrast, Stephanie's singing is clunky and heavy-handed. But they're praising everyone today, and I'm sure they'll like her too. They've revealed that tonight is especially important, because they're eliminating the eleventh person, and the top ten get to go on tour. Actually, they are hard on her. Simon: "I think you are losing your edge... you're losing your soul."
4. Blake Lewis -- my personal favorite -- sings a song I love: "Time of the Season." He sings it much like the Zombies original, and the beat box thing imitates the original instrumentation. He gets a ton of praise for making the song sound contemporary, which just mystifies me. It was just like the original, but not as good.
5. LaKisha Jones sings a crappy song: "Diamonds Are Forever." She's a good singer, but she didn't belt it out like Shirley Bassey, and she didn't do something else interesting with it. Simon complains that she looks 50 years older than her age. Her problem is already that she seems old.
6. Phil Stacey wails "Tobacco Road" and seems kind of Bo Bice-y. But not as profound. [ADDED: And he reminds us of Bat Boy.]
7. Jordin Sparks emotes "I Who Have Nothing," a melodramatic song I've never liked. Tom Jones did it, and it really is more of a man's song, all about how the other guy buys "you" diamonds and takes "you" to fancy restaurants, while the singer just has some big love to share. Or so he claims.
8. The incredibly cute youngster Sanjaya tells Peter Noone he's torn between two songs. One is "You Really Got Me," and there's just nothing at all better than the early Kinks. But the other is Herman's Hermits' first hit "I'm Into Something Good." It's inexpressibly adorable to see the kid Sanjaya sing Peter's own song to him. Peter says Sanjaya looks more like one of Herman's Hermits than one of the Kinks, but advises him to go with the Kinks and "really get into it." He picks the Kinks. They keep showing a 12-year-old girl in the audience who's crying like a Beatles fan at "The Ed Sullivan Show." He's sort of shout-singing and running all over the place and at one point he just completely shouts "You got me so I can't sleep at night!" and it's really quite perfect. Simon: "I think the little girl's face says it all." Ryan sends Sanjay down to give the girl a hug. Very sweet!
9. Gina Glocksen is asked how she's holding up, and she talks about the stress, including "critiques that we see on blogs and everything." (Hi, Gina! Have I said anything mean about you?) The song is "Paint It Black." LuLu gets her to raise the key a half step and advises her to "devour" it. Gina really is the best rocker chick they've ever had on the show, and I'm not just saying that because I think she might read this. I said it before.
10. Chris Sligh is doing "She's Not There," one of the very best 60s songs. (Only The Zombies get picked twice tonight.) He enters walking through the audience and really obviously fails to interact with the girls reaching out to him. He practically brushes them away. I think the tone is not that pretty and he's not soulful enough. He needs to be better.
11. They save Melinda Doolittle for last, which signals that she's best. I'm tired of the way they keep presenting her as the best. It's too unsubtle. Let us decide! She's doing the musical comedy song from "Oliver!": "As Long As He Needs Me." This is famous for being just about the least feminist song ever. She's sitting on the edge of the stage, which, in the language of the show means, deep and meaningful. She sings the first line so it sounds like "as long as she needs me." There's also that line "I'll Klingon steadfastly." Man, I hate this song. Have you seen "Oliver!"? The character is an abused woman, manifesting the ultimate in Abused Woman Syndrome. And couldn't you have found a real British Invasion song instead of this mawkish, politically incorrect showtune?
So who might go home? Maybe poor Gina. Possibly Chris or Phil or Stephanie. It would viewed as upsetting if LaKisha got the boot, but, really, if it happens, it will be because of that draggy song and the way too old-looking bright green cocktail dress. If I had to bet on one person to stay though, it would be the supremely adorable Sanjaya (even if he's actually the worst singer).
24 comments:
- boston70 said...
My favorite is Blake too.
I actually love Lulu. When I was little I used to lip synch To Sir With Love in front of my dad. My mom said I was creative. I think was around 5-6.
He threw my Lulu record away, which I stole at the drugstore.
My mom ending up buying me Cher's Half Breed and in the morning would walk around the kitchen table lip synching it. I had all these hand positions for most of the words in Half Breed when I sang in front my family My poor father. The sad
And then I found Donna Summer...
Best of Lulu cd is awesome: Man With the Golden Gun; To Sir With Love and many other great tunes.
She does look good.
- boston70 said...
You know you have to give Sanjaya credit.
Yea, he isn't that great of a singer but he tends to get slammed every week and seems to have this amazing attitude. And he is only 17 years old.
He has had some awful performances, mostly all of them, but tonight he redeemed himself-somewhat.
They were nicer to him.
I thought he did the best he has done.
He will be back in next week just because he hugged the little girl.
I think the bald guy or the heavy guy will be out this week.
- Ann Althouse said...
They know he has the votes, and they've got to want him on the tour. He's really doing that thing of building a fan base. That's something. I don't think anyone's ever gotten so much out of just smiling in the whole history of the show.
- Ruth Anne Adams said...
I was hoping you'd catch Gina's blog comment.
I think Peter really irritated Simon at one point. I imagined Simon thinking, "keep it up you toothy old man...I could buy and sell you a dozen times."
I mentioned the "problem" with Melinda's song to my husband and he thought most people wouldn't know enough about it to catch that. I find him amazingly accurate.
Apparently Howard Stern [radio dude] has been investing a lot in keeping Sanjaya around.
- Kate Marie said...
I wanted to chime in with a quibble about "As Long as He Needs Me." It's a song written for a character from a musical stage show adapted from a Dickens novel. The sentiment may be poitically incorrect, but it fits the character. Would you expect the character Nancy to belt out "I am Woman," for gosh sakes? If you think it's just mawkish and a lousy tune, that's one thing, but I wouldn't consider a song verboten simply because it has anti-feminist or politically incorrect lyrics. You'd have to get rid of a *lot* of great old songs, if that were the case("What's the Use of Wonderin'?" from Carousel, springs immediately to mind, but there are lots more).
- Joe said...
Thought the show tonight pretty much sucked and Sanjay was simply awful.
- nina said...
Dusty Springfield.. the most evocative song ever. Good thing I was at a Law School event tonight. I would have cried and cried. (Especially if it was a not so good version of the sublime original.)
- Ann Althouse said...
Kate: The song definitely belongs in the show, but the choice to use it outside of the show bothers me. Singers doing a song in isolation from the acted out story seem to be adopting the words as their own thoughts, don't you think?
- Cedarford said...
Sanjaya -
Scantily talented. Propped up by the teenybopper "Squeeeeeeee!" factor. Always have had the Brittney Spears and teen idol Fabians and Menudo Boys factor in the commercial music biz.
Sanjaya - least talented by far, could be a millionaire in the right agent's hands who can market him to the 6-13 year old girl niche..make him a Disney Channel pretty-boy even try to get the gay crowd to follow him...
Melinda - Don't get Ann's cattiness on her. Don't see "Idol" setting her up preferentially. DO SEE her as nice, with a great presence and a Gladys Knight type voice...and Knight is one of the greats...The audience connection to her style of singing and making the song a story seems to be there too. Doolittle is not singing using the song as an excuse to do vocal chord exercising egotism, she seems to be honestly working to create the best song she can craft to her audience.
I like her.
- Kate Marie said...
Ann, I see what you're saying. On the other hand, if you divorce the song from the context of the show, the lyrics themselves aren't any more anti-feminist than lots of other pop fluff.
There are times, too, when a singer can put an ironic spin on an anti-feminist song, and it works very well. The very fact of Lyle Lovett singing Stand by Your Man, for instance, puts an ironic spin on his version of that song.
- Lynda said...
Let's face it: Melinda Doolittle could sing the phone book and make it amazing. I did not know the history of the song; nor, I am sure, did she. I think she is excellent; a true professional.
Blake is also good, because he is different (for Idol). I love Lakisha, and I adored her rendition of "Diamonds Are Forever," and I do NOT think she looked too old...I thought she looked beautiful. Jordin was also very good (local Phoenix girl), and I loved the melodrama of the song.
All in all, a good night!
- Sweat Bee said...
Shirley Bassey was also picked twice tonight.
- dave™© said...
Day Six of the Blithering Misogynist "Law Professor" Who Can't Find a Thing to Say About the Upcoming Constitutional Crisis Starring the Attorney General of the United States.
Truly, it is to laugh!
- LoafingOaf said...
I wasn't feeling Sanjaya doing "You Really Got Me" AT ALL.
But, I predicted Sanjaya's success back during the Hollywood round: "One of my faves from the first round was the shy and sweet Indian-American who auditioned with his sister and sang Stevie Wonder. He will probably go far, too."
He's sure not been one of my faves since the auditions phase ended, and I guess he's a better singer in a small room than on a big stage, but he IS sweet and he IS going far! And he's entertaining. :)
The tabloids say he's sparked a romance with Jordin Sparks, after both felt like outcasts from the older contestants.
I didn't vote tonight, but if I had I'd have gone with Blake and Melinda like most folks. I have a feeling the bald guy's a goner tomorrow, unless he has fans out there extra-motivated after seeing him almost voted off last week.
- Ann Althouse said...
Kate: "Ann, I see what you're saying. On the other hand, if you divorce the song from the context of the show, the lyrics themselves aren't any more anti-feminist than lots of other pop fluff."
That's definitely true. I'm importing what I know about the show into my opinion of the song. The lyrics the singer "endorses" are much more generic. They don't reveal that the problem with the man is serious abuse.
As for my attitude re Melinda, it's not against Melinda. Obviously, she's perfectly nice and a terrific singer. My problem is with the show telling me to think that. It can actually cause a person to lose as we pick someone else to sympathize with. I think loading the praise on Melinda is helping... maybe Jordin. And it may very well be intentional.
- Nathan said...
That Sanjaya kid creeps the hell out of me.
- MadisonMan said...
The only song I saw done (I was at a bar, and Idol and NIT BBall were on) was She's not there. It was a mediocre performance of a really great song that is hard to sing.
I wished I'd seen the song from Oliver! That's the last movie I recall my whole family going to see -- I can probably sing the entire album still -- so Ann your Klingon Steadfastly (so true!) comment makes me laugh.
- Fritz said...
I don't like Sanjaya, but he will not be in the bottom 2 this week. He had a great performance.
- Joe Baby said...
Sanjaya's got enough of a teen girl fan club to stick around for awhile.
Bald Phil has the...um...I'm not sure what group he has. He's gone. Not the worst one left, but not much reason for voters to keep him around.
And Haley is already braless and skimpy. Should be fun to watch her pimp her looks from here on out.
- Smilin' Jack said...
Blake Lewis -- my personal favorite -- sings a song I love: "Time of the Season."...It was just like the original, but not as good.
See, that's what I don't get about this show. People have a choice between a great original or a crappy imitation, and by watching AI they're choosing the latter.
But each to his own taste--so pull up a chair, open a bag of Cheetos, mix some Tang in your box of wine, and enjoy the show.
- Jennifer said...
I don't think anyone watches AI to hear the classics. It's a competition. Sometimes the contestants pull off fantastic performances, sometimes they don't.
But, the concept of not watching a singing competition because other people have sang the songs before is like not watching a football game because other people have played better football before.
- Jennifer said...
Oh, and Blake is still my favorite, too. Sanjaya's lack of talent bugs me even though he seems nice enough. Jordin's cutesy bounce bounce schtick bugs the heck out of me. While Melinda and LaKisha obviously have incredible voices, I really think Blake would be a much more interesting artist. Gina, too.
- Eli Blake said...
I really want to see how well they would do if forced to sing something stupid.
So, since this is the 'British' invasion, how about he minstrel's song who was traveling with the 'Brave Sir Robin' in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' first before, and then after Sir Robin had avoided the three headed ogre:
Minstrel: [singing] Bravely bold Sir Robin rode forth from Camelot. He was not afraid to die, oh brave Sir Robin. He was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways, brave, brave, brave, brave Sir Robin. He was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp, or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken. To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away, and his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir Robin. His head smashed in and heart cut out, and his liver removed, and his bowels unplugged, and his nostrils ripped and his bottom burned off and his penis...
Sir Robin: That's, uh, that's enough music for now, lads... looks like there's dirty work afoot.
Then came the encounter with the three headed ogre, at the sight of which Sir Robin turned around and headed for home:
Minstrel: [singing] Brave Sir Robin ran away...
Sir Robin: *No!*
Minstrel: [singing] bravely ran away away...
Sir Robin: *I didn't!*
Minstrel: [singing] When danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled.
Sir Robin: *I never did!*
Minstrel: [singing] Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about, and valiantly, he chickened out.
Sir Robin: *Oh, you liars!*
Minstrel: [singing] Bravely taking to his feet, he beat a very brave retreat. A brave retreat by brave Sir Robin.
- Paul is a Hermit said...
I love you, I love your blog, but
Sanjaya has and always will make me barf and I'm only talking about his singing.
He was miscast from the start, he belonged to the girls competition, in a dress because well, he looks like a girl.
Sorry to insult girls like that.
Something is wrong with the water in Madison, don't drink it!


text:
The Broncos have asked defensive end Elvis Dumervil to take a pay cut, according to an NFL source. If Dumervil doesn't agree to a reduction by March 17, when his $12 million salary for the 2013 would become automatically guaranteed, the team might release the defensive end. Dumervil's agent Marty Magid would not comment when reached by phone Wednesday. Dumervil, 29, has been one of the league's top pass rushers since he was selected by the Broncos in the fourth round of their 2006 draft. When the Broncos switched to a 3-4 defensive alignment in 2009, Dumerviil was shifted to a pass-rushing outside linebacker position where he recorded a league-most 17 sacks. The Broncos rewarded Dumervil with a six-year, $61.5 million contract extension. About two weeks after signing his new deal, though, Dumervil suffered a torn pectoral muscle in training camp that forced him to miss the entire 2010 season. Dumervil was paid $3.168 million that season, then collected $14 million in 2011 and another $14 million in 2012 when he registered 9.5 and 11 sacks, respectively. Dumervil's sack total tied for 14th in 2012 and he tied for third with six forced fumbles. Still, ProFootballFocus.com, a statistical and ratings company, listed Dumervil as the Broncos' most overvalued player. The statistical group also rated linebacker Von Miller, Dumervil's pass-rushing partner on the other side of the line, as the Broncos' most undervalued player. The overriding issue with value ratings is salary. It's not that the Broncos no longer believe Dumervil is a good player. They do. It's just that after paying him the superstar money of $28 million the past two seaons, the team doesn't want to write $12 million worth of checks in 2013. Read more: Broncos want to cut Elvis Dumervil salary — if not, Denver may cut him - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_22731103/broncos-want-cut-elvis-dumervil-salary-denver#ixzz2MnFBZBMx Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse Follow us: @Denverpost on Twitter | Denverpost on Facebook
NFL Headlines
Broncos want to cut Elvis Dumervil salary — if not, Denver may cut him
Denver Post | Mar 6


text:
Friday, December 25, 2009
Deep Soul Music x Lacoste Mississippi
Drum and bass label Deep Soul Music (DSM) worked with Lacoste on an exclusive Mississippi sneaker. Revamped in the unmistakable DSM color mix of browns, rusty oranges and umbers, the uppers combine suede, canvas and nubuck, while details such as a reinforced-plastic crocodile logo on the heel, DSM-branded aglets and in-sock set these apart. To commemorate this partnership, a USB key complete with eight exclusive tracks will be found within each shoebox. Produced in a limited run of 260 pairs, the sneakers hit retail on January 16th, 2010.
Posted by sneakerhut at 5:50 AM
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Latest Comments
"The rustic charm of this gift box is irresistible to rooster fans and is a simple but satisfying craft project."
"Stunning! It's intricate, but the details don't get lost with all of the "visual noise," which so often happens with coloring pages"
"I've never painted fabric before, I bet his is the best way to get unique home designs that fit in well with your theme and mood. Beside with this creative idea, you don't have to settle for that colour that's a shade too light. Thanks for sharing this with us, it's time to get those funky throw pillows for my home."
"This gave me a great idea for a vintage cake stand. I know traditional ones are usually glass but I bet an ivory and gold stand would be perfect. I like hat I can find the pedestals in a thrift store so that saves me some more money to buy the paint. Thanks for all your wonderful suggestions."
"Ah! If you haven't made his for your grandma or grandpa yet then don't complain about them losing stuff to the chair. Most of the time it's so easy and fast to get solutions but we just ignore them. Take this for example, it doesn't take longer than an hour to finish and there's some pictures to help."
Crochet Bangle Bracelet
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Crochet over a plain bangle bracelet with metallic yarn and this free pattern from Phyllis Serbes of Many Creative Gifts. This bracelet crochet pattern makes for a quick project. Crochet this intermediate-level bracelet for a Mother's Day gift!
- 1 skein metallic gold (or silver) sport or DK weight yarn (shown here, Berroco Lumina, length 95 yds/88 m, cotton, acrylic, and metallic)
- Crochet hook size D/3/3.25 mm
- 1 bangle bracelet
Size: Choose a thin bangle bracelet that fits comfortably; finished crocheted bangle measures 1 inch in width. NOTE- You may need to modify the pattern for larger-sized bangles.
Gauge: 7 or 8 sts = 1 inch; 4 rows = 1 inch
ROUND 1 • (RS): Make a loop with a slip knot, then sc around the bangle bracelet until the bangle is loosely covered (shown here, 57 scs around), sl st to first sc
ROUND 2 • Ch 1, [skip next 3 sts, 6 dcs into next st, skip next 3 sts, 1 sc in next st, ch 4, skip next 3 sts, 1 sc into next st] 4 times, then skip 3 sts, 6 dcs into next st, skip 3 sts, 1 sc into last st
ROUND 3 • Ch 1, [1 sc in each of the 6 dcs below, 1 sc in sc below, 8 dcs into loop, 1 sc in sc below] around, ending with 1 sc in each of the 6 dcs below, 1 sc in last sc
ROUND 4 • Insert hook into first sc of 6-dc shell below then from behind bring hook through sixth sc to the front, pull through a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook ("puff"; see picture), ch 3, [1 sc in each of the 8 dcs below, create puff] around til last puff, ch 3, sl st to sc below, fasten off. [note: there will be two puffs next to each other; we suggest wearing them against your inside wrist; you might also want to dangle some beads from the middle of each 8-dc shell]
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pcurry 0996805
Aug 25, 2013
With 70 sc as a start, I was able to make 6 complete repeats around the bangles I used.Awesome design! I've used 3 different yarns so far.
Patty Biehler
May 14, 2011
I also have a video on Youtube if you want to make just the bangle covering it and no special styles to it. Most people don't care for all those extras . Here is the link to the video. http://youtu.be/jdLAtdFw940
ksrum 3540121
Apr 02, 2011
LOVE THIS ONE will definitely try it ;o)
May 16, 2010
Crafter 0408057= if you look right above the picture here, there are little tabs, its next to 'print', Add...you'll have to be login to use it, just click the tab and presto...it's done... Not hard to do, hope it helps you...
Mrs Georgia
May 16, 2010
I have made many varieties of this type of crocet bracelet. I've made them on bangle wire bracelets like the instructions here, or with out just laying flat then add a closure of some kind like a button, snap, or hook. Adding beads also makes them very interesting. You can string them on your crochet thread before crocheting and add them as you go, or sew them on after crocheting with needle thread. I have put many hours into one bracelet for what I like to call "wearable art." Also, I will use other crochet threads and different smaller crochet hooks - whatever pleases my eye at the time. They are welcomed gifts! email@example.com
Crafter 2112016
May 16, 2010
To add a project to your craft box you need to scroll up to the top of the article. Just under the project title there is a line with stars on the left and buttons on the right labeled "Rate," "Print," "Add," "Notes," etc. Click the "Add" button, and the project will be added to your craft box. (There is no "Add It" button on the page.)
Crafter 0408057
May 15, 2010
Would someone please tell me where the add it button is on the craft box is? I feel like I am being put between a rock and a hard place again. I grew up in an abusive household and people who make life miserable for others are abusive. Telling people to do or go somewhere without instructions is abusive!!! These people have no business running this company!!! Where is the add it button on the craft box someone? email@example.com
May 10, 2010
Try as I might i just could not work through this pattern. It read a little odd to me. I was able to create for myself a very cool bracelet....thanks for the inspiration.
lookinlikeafoolwur pantzondagrund
May 09, 2010
May 09, 2010
Yes, it could be knitted. Just find an edging pattern that you like and along thee edge that would be sewn onto an item, just add at least 3 or 4 more sts. Decide how long it needs to be made to fit your wrist and add a little bit for your hand to slip through. Lay it out flat and lay a thin elastic on the edge and fold it over. Sew it down and sew the ends together as well as the elastic. I have made these before using knit cro sheen thread and they turned out great. You can also make a necklace this same way. It looks very vintage and rests on the neck nicely. I sew either velvet or satin ribbon to the ends to tie the necklace on and have even put the ribbon on the bracelets instead of sewing the ends together. Hope this helps.
Crafter 6717449
May 07, 2010
is there any way this braclet can be knitted
Apr 27, 2010
Is there any way that this could be knitted?
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|This Week in History
|By JILIAN FAMA
|Mar 4, 2013, 11:18 AM
Does this week seem like any other week? Well, think again. Check out some of the most important political events that happened this week in history.
1793: George Washington delivered his second inaugural address after he was unanimously elected by the Electoral College to serve a second term as president of the United States. Washington was inaugurated in the Senate Chamber of Congress Hall in Philadelphia with John Adams as vice president. His inaugural address read:
"I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its chief magistrate. When the occasion proper for it shall arrive, I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me by the people of united America.
Previous to the execution of any official act of the president, the Constitution requires an oath of office. This oath I am now about to take, and in your presence: That if it shall be found during my administration of the government I have in any instance violated willingly or knowingly the injunctions thereof, I may (besides incurring constitutional punishment) be subject to the upbraidings of all who are now witnesses of the present solemn ceremony."
1987: President Reagan addressed the nation during a televised speech from the Oval Office regarding the Iran arms and contra aid controversy.
During his address, Reagan acknowledged that talks with Iran had turned into an arms for hostages negotiation, admitting that "what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages."
2008: Arizona Sen. John McCain clinched the presidential nomination from Mike Huckabee and became the Republican Party's candidate for president.
1770: A pre-Revolutionary incident known as the Boston Massacre occurred on this day. Five anti-British rioters were killed when a mob of American colonists gathered at the Customs House in Boston to protest occupation by the British, who were sent to Boston two years earlier to enforce controversial taxation measures passed by a British parliament without American representation.
1868: The Senate was organized into a Court of Impeachment to decide charges against President Andrew Johnson.
1946: Winston Churchill delivered one of his most famous orations during the Cold War period: "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an Iron Curtain has descended across the Continent," he declared. With the speech, Churchill coined the phrase "the Iron Curtain," which stuck as a Western description of the USSR and its satellite countries for years to come.
1857: The Supreme Court issued its decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford. The decision, which was delivered by Chief Justice Roger Taney, declared that slaves were not to be considered U.S. citizens and thereby were not eligible to sue in federal courts.
1865: Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural ball was held on this day, two days after his swearing in. The ball was held at the Patent Office Building in Washington, D.C., which is now the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Four thousand people attended.
1902: Congress enacted legislation to create a permanent Census Office within the Department of the Interior, officially forming the U.S. Census Bureau.
1936: Adolf Hitler violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Pact by sending German military forces into the Rhineland, a demilitarized zone along the Rhine River in western Germany.
1965: State troopers armed with shotguns, tear gas grenades and shotguns attacked 525 civil rights demonstrators taking part in a march between Selma and Montgomery Alabama. The demonstrators intended to promote black voter registration and to protest the killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a young black man murdered by a state trooper during a march in a nearby city.
1977: President Jimmy Carter welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Yizhak Rabin to the United States for the first time. "I'd like to say first of all that I am very deeply grateful to welcome back to our country an old friend of mine and a long-time friend of the United States, Prime Minister Rabin from Israel," Carter said.
The meeting of the two leaders ultimately led to the Camp David peace talks between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Rabin's replacement, Menachem Begin, the following year.
1983: President Reagan delivered an address to a meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Fla., in which he called communism "the focus of evil in the modern world." The speech, which quickly became known as his "evil empire" speech, came when the House Foreign Affairs Committee called for a freeze of all U.S. and Soviet nuclear arsenals.
1948: The Supreme Court decided McCollum v. Board of Education, landmark legislation that ruled that religious instruction in public schools violated the U.S. Constitution, supporting the constitution's division between church and state.
1965: More than 3,500 U.S. Marines landed near Da Nang in South Vietnam. These troops, which were the first U.S. troops to arrive in Vietnam, were deployed to secure the U.S. airbase.


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A new patch for Mafia is now available, updating Illusion Softworks' life of crime game to version 1.1. The update is available for the English (direct link), German (direct link), and French (direct link) versions of the game. Thanks Tiscali Games, where they've posted mirrors of the English version of the 17 MB patch.
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As the FCC takes steps that could put a dent in the online antics of some criminals behind bars, the Channel 4 I-Team has found more evidence of inmates living it up on the taxpayers' dime.
Videos of Tennessee inmates bragging about their drug use, and photos showing the prisoners hoarding food, giving each other tattoos and burning a shirt, were all posted to Facebook from behind bars, all of it exposed by the Channel 4 I-Team.
Now, the inmates are also using the online photo and video social media network Instagram, and they're not showing any signs of slowing down their efforts to show off their good times.
If Tennessee's prison inmates need a social media guru, Rivera Peoples would be it. He's moved on from posting videos on Facebook to now using Instagram.
He's posted images of himself working out, flashing cash and even a previous Channel 4 News segment on social media use in prisons.
The inmates are accessing social media sites using contraband cell phones, even after the state swept through 14 prisons and confiscated phones following a Channel 4 I-Team investigation.
Critics of prisons have long claimed that because the landline phone calls made from prison are so expensive, inmates often have no choice to smuggle in cheaper cell phones. Just to connect on a landline call costs $3.62, and it then costs 62 cents for every minute.
A 30 minute call can cost a prisoner or their families about $22.
In a hearing Friday, the FCC said that's outrageous.
"Too often, families are forced to choose between spending scarce money to stay in touch with a loved one, or cover life's basic necessities," said FCC chairwoman Mignon Clyburn.
And the Tennessee Department of Correction has cashed in on the costs, contracting out through a private phone company, and earning more than $2 million last year on phone calls.
"Tennessee, like most rates, has inflated phone rates, because the state gets a commissioned kickback from the phone company," said Alex Friedmann, editor for Prison Legal News.
But will lower rates make a difference? The state of New York thinks so.
In filings to the FCC, that state's department of corrections stated after it lowered phone rates, that contributed to a lower rate of illicit cell phone use.
Last year, fewer than 100 cell phones were confiscated in the entire state.
Keep in mind, after the Channel 4 I-Team's investigation, Tennessee prison officials found 50 cell phones in a single raid.
The highest rate the FCC says a prison can now charge for a phone call is 25 cents.
The Channel 4 I-Team contacted both the Tennessee Department of Correction, and the private phone company with which it contracts, Global Tel Link. The state did not respond, and Global Tel Link said it could not yet comment on the order.
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Sat Mar 10, 2007 2:46 pm
Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:34 am
Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:41 pm
Patricia Parker who is on the dvd suggests that she was taken advantage of by - Elvis ON JAN . 26TH 1970 after a show at Vegas.
Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:53 pm
Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:32 am
Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:28 am
Joe Car wrote:Thanks Karlos. All in all, do you think it was worth the money you paid, and would you recommend it for those of us who haven't purchased it yet?
Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:30 am
JEFF d wrote:Do they happen to show a current picture of her son? That would be interesting to see...
JEFF d
EAP fan
Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:02 am
Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:56 pm
Elvis Australia wrote:Yes there is a current photo of 'Jason Presley' (2002) on page 83.
Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:03 am
karlos wrote: .......im very sure that he would not have done this type of thing especially to any one - never mind a fan ,.)
Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:21 am
Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:13 am
Elvis Australia wrote:The book concludes that Elvis was/is innocent which should not be a surprise to anyone.
Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:55 pm
Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:06 pm
TJ wrote:karlos wrote: .......im very sure that he would not have done this type of thing especially to any one - never mind a fan ,.)
Depends what you mean by "this type of thing". Not suggesting he didn't have casual sex with willing females are you? But I don't believe the woman. She was just a money grabber, hoping that Elvis would do what a lot of stars did and hand over some cash rather than face embarrassing publicity. That Elvis initiated the blood tests is good evidence that the whole thing was nonsense.
Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:26 am
Hosted by ElviCities


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MYSTERY surrounds the disappearance of four dogs from one Boolaroo street within hours of each other, with the owners adamant their pets could not have broken out of their yards without human help.
Skai Mitchell is continuing to console her two children, 10-year-old Zane and Trinity, 6, after their Staffordshire pup Lilo vanished from their Macquarie Street home during a stormy Monday night.
A second Staffordshire, a desexed male called Stitch, remained in the yard, where Lilo would have needed to manoeuvre through two fences before getting out.
Do you know more? Email email@example.com
Just a few doors down, Darren Young and Tracey Blades woke on Tuesday morning to find three Pomeranian pups gone from the padlocked aviary-cum-kennel they had built to keep them safe.
There was evidence in the backyard, where forensic police have also scoured for clues, that points to someone coming in and grabbing the little dogs.
''We don't really want to think what has happened to them,'' Mr Young said yesterday.
''We are hoping someone has stolen them for a puppy farm and not to be used as bait dogs [for rumoured dog-fighting rings].''
Ms Mitchell said she had no doubt Lilo had been stolen, possibly to breed with.
But she had also heard the dog-fighting rumours, which have surfaced periodically despite authorities never finding any evidence that they exist.
Rumours last year that dozens of dogs were being snatched for fighting were shot down by police, who confirmed only 20 dogs were reported missing across the Hunter in the first six months of the year – and 14 of those were returned home unharmed.
Whatever happened to them, the owners of Lilo the Staffy and Benji, Millie and Princess, the Pomeranians, are stressed.
''We are beside ourselves, my daughter especially,'' Ms Mitchell said.
''[Lilo] was her puppy and she is just so worried, as am I, that whoever took Lilo is going to come back.''
A Lake Macquarie City Council spokeswoman said the disappearances of the Staffy and Pomeranians were the only reported missing dogs in that area in the past few weeks, dispelling concerns that more dogs could have been taken.
A Facebook site, ''Help us find Lilo'', has had more than 600 ''likes''.


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By Tiernan Ray
Topeka Capital Markets's Brian White this morning offers another installment from his visit to Taiwan this week, writing that an Apple (AAPL) television set is imminent, and that it will "revolutionize the TV experience," as he sees it.
Writes White, who has a Buy rating on Apple and an $888 price target, "Our meeting with an tech supply chain company suggests to us that a full blown Apple 'iTV' will launch in the latter part of 2013."
White thinks former false starts the speculation chain should' t dent the optimism, writing "Clearly, there has been plenty of mis-guided speculation around the timing of the Apple's 'iTV' launch and we believe that this is largely due to changes by Apple, most recently around the creation of entirely new user interface aesthetics."
White has multiple rather striking, specific predictions for how such a television will be more than a television:
The "iTV" ecosystem represents a major innovation for the $100 billion LCD TV industry that will revolutionize the TV experience forever, in our view. First of all, we believe "iTV" will be 60-inches in size (but could also include 50-55 inch options). Secondly, we believe Apple will release a miniature device called "iRing" that will be placed on a user's finger and act as a navigation pointer for "iTV"', enhancing the motion detection experience and negating some of the functionality found in a remote. Thirdly, "iTV" will come with a "mini iTV" screen that will seamlessly allow users to view content on this smaller, 9.7-inch screen, while also opening up use cases around home security, phone calls, video conferencing and other areas. As part of this experience, Siri and FaceTime will be important. Essentially, we believe the "mini iTV" screens will be able to capture content from the 60-inch "iTV" across a distance of up to 200 meters, allowing a user to view "iTV" content in the kitchen, washroom, garage, bedroom, backyard, etc. We believe Apple will offer one "mini iTV" per "iTV" but package options will include up to four screens (i.e., one screen is part of the standard package and pay extra for each additional). While the "mini iTV" screens will be similar in size compared to the iPad, and thus allow for some manufacturing efficiencies, the capabilities and features will be very basic and thus not an iPad replacement. Furthermore, we believe "iWatch" will be an important part of the "iTV" ecosystem, tapping into "iTV" services in a much more mobile friendly manner, complementing the "iRing". The interaction between "iTV" and making phone calls will be an important feature of this experience, while the "iWatch" and "iRing" will provide increased mobility around the home, supplanting the need to carry a smartphone around the house. Finally, we believe consumers will pay approximately $1,500 to $2,500 for the "iTV" package. The price will be based on the number of "mini iTV" screens in the package and the screen size of the "iTV". Also, we are being told that "iTV" could be subsidized by certain service providers to expand the market opportunity.
Apple shares today are up $2.34, or half a percent, at $432.13.


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'The Lion King,' 'Star Wars' And Other Secretly Conservative Movies Even Ann Coulter Can Love
Ann Coulter, thoughtful academic, has raised some serious concerns about the entertainment industry and its liberal-leaning agenda.
Mainly, Coulter claims that movies exploit "Southerners, residents of small towns, Christians, priests, businesses, the rich." In other words, Hollywood dares to tackle lingering racial resentment, religious hypocrisy and corporate corruption. The nerve of them, right?
But don't worry everyone, I scoured the internet and came up with some true
blue red movies for your traditional, conservative enjoyment.
In fact, imagine my surprise when I found out that plenty of my favorite classics were actually anti-liberal defenders of conservative policy. Sure, I expected things like The Patriot (or anything by Mel Gibson) and the recent inspirational tale Soul Surfer, but there were other selections that I had never considered.
Thankfully, the wonderful minds at Conservapedia showed me everything that I had been missing when it comes to traditional movies. There are so many to choose from. Some of these things even have those ridiculous progressives fooled. They're watching conservative messages without even realizing it!
Here are some of the most surprising conservative movies that I'm sure Ann Coulter absolutely loves.


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Bluffton athletes earn Academic All-HCAC
Seven Bluffton athletes earn Academic All-Heartland Conference honors
May 18, 2011
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference recently announced the spring honorees of the HCAC All-Academic awards for the 2010-11 school year. Seven Bluffton University spring athletes were recognized for their efforts in the classroom. Outdoor track and baseball led the way for the Beavers with four and three honorees, respectively.
Sophomores Kyle Niermann (Napoleon), also a member of the First Team All-Heartland Conference baseball team, Matt Calhoun (Bonita Springs, Fla./South Fort Myers) and Mark Hadaya (Beavercreek) were all recognized in their first year of eligibility.
Four members from outdoor track and field received Academic All-Conference honors for 2010-11. Andrew Chaffee (Clarkston, Mich.) and Chris Arnold (Fort Wayne, Ind./Canterbury) from the men's team as well as Megan Neal (Arlington) and Allison Trent (Orrville/Smithville) from the women's squad were recognized. Chaffee, Smith and Trent earned Academic All-HCAC honors for the second consecutive year.
To be named All-Academic HCAC, a student-athlete must have completed a full year at the institution, be a varsity athlete and carry a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 through the semester preceding the end of the season.
Bluffton University is a liberal arts residential campus with 39 undergraduate programs, adult degree completion programs in organizational management and human resource management and master's degree programs in education, organizational management and business administration. Founded in 1899 and affiliated with Mennonite Church USA, Bluffton is located in northwest Ohio. The institution has a growing enrollment of more than 1,100 students and 14 NCAA Division III athletics teams. Bluffton's hundred-year legacy is expressed today in its enduring values of discovery, community, respect and service that are woven into the academic program and campus life. Bluffton students go into the world prepared for life as well as for their chosen vocation.


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Graduates of Sycamore and DeKalb high schools who will attend Kishwaukee College in the fall are eligible to apply for a scholarship through the Chris and Katherine Boulos Foundation, administered by the trustees at The National Bank & Trust Co. of Sycamore.
The scholarships will be available for the 2013-2014 academic year for students enrolled or accepted for enrollment as full-time students at Kishwaukee College. Since 1993, the foundation has awarded more than $1,253,729 in scholarships.
More information and application forms are available through the guidance departments of the high schools, the financial aid office of Kishwaukee College, or at the bank's website, www.banknbt.com, under Trust/Wealth Management/Scholarship Applications. Applicants also can write to The Chris and Katherine Boulos Foundation c/o The National Bank & Trust Co. of Sycamore, 230 W. State St. MSC-300, Sycamore, IL 60178, to request information.
All application materials must be received no later than April 1.


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What are they, French?
I would like nothing more than to destroy Foxconn!
In the game...of course.
I wasn't trying to mock France. I just thought the similarity of their approach to cultural preservation was noteworthy.
Granted, commercialization has its natural home here. But in the end, I think our whole-hearted embrace of greed just speeds up the process somewhat. All life is about sucking up resources, and most likely doomed to end in a race to the bottom.
Someone needs to tell these idiots that 1984 wasn't meant to be a manual.
Someone needs to tell these idiots that 1984 wasn't meant to be a manual.
If you mean the NSA, don't worry, they just got your message loud and clear.
In 1984 popular culture was generated by machine algorithm, and people happily hummed along with the nonsense. I think it's a bit late already to prevent that from happening...
Why would you want to? With the recent spate of news stories on pollution problems in China it reminds me of New Jersey.
With a Transit Visa (G Visa), you might be able to pass through China when traveling through. But if you plan on staying in China for any length of time as a destination, you will need to obtain a Tourist Visa (L Visa). For those, you have to fill out a request form and send it off to the nearest Chinese consulate. I've done it in person, though I have seen travel agents in line with me carrying sacks full of passports. In any case, yes, it's quite possible foreign people affiliated with this product could
You'd think they would have banned it elsewhere until it was at least finished!
don't confuse japan with china, you insensitive clod!
don't confuse japan with china, you insensitive clod!
He's not. You're thinking of Tentacle Larry.
Give Putin about 5 minutes and he'll have a law ready to sign banning the game and promoting his new health and fitness photos. [telegraph.co.uk]
It's the single player campaign that China likely has an issue with, which is strictly one-sided in portraying China as the enemy.
Voicing an opinion that results in the game developer changing the title of one side of the fight is a far cry from making the game illegal. Medal of Honor was not banned and EA was not forced to remove "Taliban" from the game, they simply did so because they felt it was the right thing to do profitwise after hearing said opinions.
It's ok China, you can ban the game just keep in mind that millions of BF 4 players are enjoying the game on Chinese manufactured equipment. Irony anyone?
Umm, since their intent is to prevent Chinese from getting ideas, and they do like the revenue from manufacturing computers for the rest of the world, and would probably prefer that other countries' youth wasted their time on games instead of studying, then...
No, that's not ironic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony [wikipedia.org]
Don't know about BF4 in particular, but they sure are right about "cultural aggression". The most successful invasion the USA is continually running on the rest of the world isn't military.
I live in Europe. Most of the Americans view us as socialists, mostly because there used to be a cultural difference between Europe and the USA. Where in the US the basic concept is "everyone makes his own luck", Europe has a bigger focus on the social units you belong to - the family at the lowest level, the nation at the highest. That's why we have healthcare and unemployment benefits and all that, because we care for each other in addition to ourselves.
Both models have advantages and disadvantages. In the US, you can make it, there are more options for venture capital or starting your own company in general, and less obstacles. At the same time, the path is smaller and more dangerous. And if you fall, you fall alone.
But things change. With the constant battering from Hollywood, music, comics and other cultural exports, Europe is in crisis primarily because old and new social concepts are clashing, and we are the battlefield.
Now imagine Asia, where the social groups are even more important than the individual. What kind of havoc a US-spirit can wreck there.
You're absolutely right.
Even here in Canada, we're seeing an emergence of increased cultural aggression from the US and many American companies are trying to bring their American values to Canada. Traditionally, we're valued our social programs, healthcare and unemployment benefits as a cultural force that has helped us to provide better governance and lifestyle to the vast majority. The American (corporate) values are really starting to push the view of letting the aggressive superstar individual succeed and everyone else fail. I'm sorry if anyone is offended but today's American values tend to let the entire middle class suffer and hurt the lower class significantly. The old adage that the rich get richer and the poor stay poor has been tilted to the extreme in today's economic reality.
Don't get me wrong - I love the US. But they tend to think that democracy and capitalism are one and the same and that's not true. People don't exist to serve artificial constructs like corporations. People exist to help serve and better the human race and too often we forget this as we struggle in our daily lives. I want my children to live in a better world than the one that I grew up in and I don't see it happening today. The US concept of democracy has been perverted by corporate interests and aggressive corporate lobbying. Candidly, I think the world is a more violent, aggressive and dangerous place to live in today than it has been in the past. That being said, it's still better than anything coming out of the cultural toilet that is the Middle East, China and Russia.
The one day I don't have mod points. As a Canadian, +insightful/informative to you, AC.
What you aee seeing in Canada isn't American caused. It's a multi-billion dollar propaganda campaign being executed on all English speaking nations by an Austrailian media magnate. Canada has been lowest on list and is only now seeing the effects, it actuslly started in Austrailia moved to the UK and US then into Canada. It's one of the most successfull propaganda campaigns I've ever seen.
Don't get me wrong - I love the US. But they tend to think that democracy and capitalism are one and the same and that's not true.
This, and your first paragraph, I absolutely agree with. but...
People don't exist to serve artificial constructs like corporations. People exist to help serve and better the human race
Here you have begun to project your desires of how you wish other people thought. People exist because we are biological organisms in this living universe. Or people don't exist because their would-be parents lived in a region of the living universe that wasn't able to support their successful breeding.
Candidly, I think the world is a more violent, aggressive and dangerous place to live in today than it has been in the past.
Really? I'm sure it depends on your geographic region, but here in the U.S. I remember *common* crime being more prevalent before the rise of
Battlefield 4's storyline includes a Chinese admiral attempting to overthrow the Chinese government. You're not allowed to suggest those sorts of things.
EA should have worked with the Chinese government to produce a version where you can invade Taiwan, Japan, and if you do really well, North Korea,,,
"Released in October, Battlefield 4 is available in North America, Europe, Jana, Australia, and New Zealand, and was not officially launched in China."
What is this Jana they speak of?
China is smart to do this. People are far too shut-in these days. Look how much entertainment has expanded and filtered in the niches of everyone's lives. It does not always have a positive effect on individuals (does the news even bother to cover stories of MMORPG recluses any more or is it now to be taken for granted?) and therefore nor does it always have a positive effect on populations.
Consider the effect that a film like "V for Vendetta" has had on activism itself. The iconic Guy Fawkes mask and the anonymized approach to public activism leaked directly from the film into peoples' lives, who took it seriously and decided to implement it in a fashion.
Consider the effect that video games have on what you decide to talk about with people when you're out shopping, or at work, or at school, just "hanging out", and so on. For many people, about the only people they wouldn't talk about their video games with would be their parents, who would grow weary of the subject and try to divert them to something "more productive". And that HAS to be a dwindling case, considering how many life long gamer are now parents of kids old enough to game passionately.
People fall in love with "weighted companion cubes" (despite the dead bodies inside). [youtube.com] People spend a great deal of time meditating on whether the cake is a lie or whether there is no spoon.
When you add in a dimension of possible political opinion and conflict to an immersive game, it also adds those political opinions and conflicts to the discussion. With things in China as bad as they are right now, in many districts, it would be a bad idea to entertain people with some game depicting "the day after tomorrow" sort of mayhem that no doubt many of them wish was real today.
Because that is what they would be talking about around the water cooler, or out shopping, or while stocking the coal cellar, or while cooking, or at school. Especially the at school part, that's sort of what China's mostly concerned about. Remember it was students who were active in Tiananmen Square.
Every day, in the United States, I shake my head in shame at how many people are operating in their daily lives on a level of cinema fantasy running through their heads. It's not that they watch too many movies or that the content of the movies is wrong somehow, it's that they take what they've watched far too seriously and for whatever reason they've also adapted it to fit their self image and their perception of what their life actually is.
It's easy to defend these people as "needing heroes", and "needing to be heroes", and so on. But it's not easy to defend people who aren't aware of their surroundings and who aren't concerned with real events and real consequences in real life, no in any sense of the word "defend". And plenty of people -- who don't have self-image and self-esteem issues, or who aren't trying to take reality escapism to a whole different level -- enjoy their hero sagas and their epic struggles as things separate from real life. It's not those people that draw my concern, it's the growing number of others who get completely absorbed and proceed to live in a psychological bubble composed of entertainment imagery.
Case in point, "thug life", which is a cultural mainstream even in neighborhoods where there's no threat of actual gang activity and where there are plenty of opportunities for a better life. It's even a mainstream with little white upper class girls in grade school who obviously aren't going to cap anybody and if they wanted to count stacks they could learn accounting and investment from their millionaire parents. There's something lacking in someone's life besides monetary value and secure social networks, when they emulate being a thug ostensibly in pursuit of money and social standing, even when they have ready access to plenty of both.
It's expensive to get a rich man's money, but, it's cheap to fill a poor man's pockets.
This story reminds of the game Mercenaries 2: World in Flames [wikipedia.org] which takes place in Venezuela. The game was promptly banned a it was believed to be propaganda against Hugo Chavez, the president at the time. That was in 2006. Venezuela since banned all violent video games in 2010 [wikipedia.org]
"The one charm of marriage is that it makes a life of deception a neccessity." - Oscar Wilde


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Host Kelvin Boston and his guests discuss the profit potential of "going green." Guests: Frank Stewart, president, American Association of Blacks in Energy and Gilbert Campbell, co-founder, Volt Energy. This episode also features small business development tips from Marie Johns, deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Visit the Website: http://www.moneywise.tv/
Episode #804 / Length: 26 minutes


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Im about to pull the trigger on a custom down tube protector for my Giant Reign..
Its a custom carbon fibre protector from Rock guardz.
Rockguardz - Real Carbon Fibre MTB Rock Protectors
The reign has a very flat bottom of the down tube and can cop a serious dint from a rock as ive seen in a few pictures, i thought preventions better than cure, and im just wondering if anybody has any feed back from this company, and what are your thoughts on these guards,
This company seems to make a lot of rock guards for many of the top brands of mountain bikes, even if you dont own one you might want to check the site out and tell me what you think
P.S i have no affiliation with this shop at all.
Cheers and happy christmas guys:thumbsup:


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Shortly after learning two starting pitchers were being placed on the disabled list, the Chicago Cubs had to regroup to play the Diamondbacks Wednesday in the finale of the opening homestand.
"I feel bad for the guys involved, but it's part of the deal," manager Mike Quade said. "You move on. . . and deal with the guys who are healthy."
Quade sent Ryan Dempster to the mound Wednesday looking for a sweep of Arizona after DL-ed Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner had helped provide victories the previous two days.
But Dempster allowed 10 hits and five runs, four of them earned, in seven innings of a 6-4 loss.
For the second straight day, the Cubs were without first baseman Carlos Pena, who has a strained right thumb. He is expected to play when the Cubs open a series in Milwaukee Friday.
The Diamondbacks scored first with a pair of runs in the second inning. With two outs, Willie Bloomquist singled, stole second and scored when Chris Young's liner to center eluded the dive of Marlon Byrd for a triple. Young scored as left fielder Alfonso Soriano had trouble picking up the ball.
After Aramis Ramirez tied the game in the fourth inning with his first home run, the Diamondbacks came back in the fifth with three runs for a 5-2 lead.
Alfonso Soriano's homer leading off the seventh was negated half an inning later by Miguel Montero's bleacher shot.


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Picker's Universe
Enter the Santa Sleigh Giveaway to win $4000 in gas and $1000 Picker's Universe shopping spree!
About Picker's Universe
Picker's Universe will buy your items of value for cash. They will also sell your items on eBay, as they are a registered eBay Trading Assistant. Picker's Universe sells antiques, collectibles, toys, electronics, car audio, furniture, clothes, jewelry, shoes, Coach purses, Otter cellular boxes, furniture, and much more
Subscribe to 106.3 The Buzz on Youtube


text:
Claire Curry selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases or their predators from CAB Abstracts. Some records of pests are:
- First record of Trioza vitreoradiata (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in citrus.
- Biological and serological diagnosis of Iris yellow spot virus in onion from northern India.
- Fusarium chlamydosporum, causing wilt disease of guava (Psidium guajava L.) in India.
- New distribution and lure records of Dacinae (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Queensland, Australia, and description of a new species of Dacus fabricius.
- Chilli bud borer, Goethella asulcatta Girault in Andhra Pradesh.
- First report of the invasive stink bug Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from New Mexico, with notes on its biology.


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Feds Return Mistakenly Seized Domain 243
bs0d3 writes "Just over a year ago, Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seized dozens of domain names as part of Operation in Our Sites. Among them was DaJaz1.com, a site from which Special Agent Andrew Reynolds said he'd downloaded pirated music. But there was a problem. Persistent reports suggested that the songs had been legally provided to the site by record labels for the specific purposes of distribution to fans, a point later raised by Senator Ron Wyden. One 'leak' even came from a boss at a major music label. Today, a year later, their domain was returned. The reason was because there was no probable cause and the site had never actually broken any laws or warranted a seizure. They are back in business and are displaying an anti-censorship, anti-PROTECT IP, and anti-SOPA banner on their website."