text:
Somewhere Around The Number Ten Best Comics That Nobody Told You About
Part 1:
I love Chris Ware. Bit redundant to say so this holiday season with everyone and their sister buying Building Stories, but with so much comic awesomeness that happened in 2012; between Charles Burn's second installment to his X'ed Out trilogy, The Hive, and Brian K. Vaughn's Saga…SAGA… It's too easy for amazing comics to get lost in the stacks, so I'm here to give my somewhere around the number 10 best comics of 2012 that nobody told you about…
Michael DeForge might be the most prolific cartoonist working right now. He pumps more work and at a higher quality that would make any other cartoonist want to quit, or work harder…..no quit thats the correct response. On top of Lose #4 this year you can also see his work in the pages of Adventure Time comics, where he does the backgrounds,variant covers, anthology stories in Nobrow 7 (more on that in a bit) and the newest KUS, not to mention his on going serial Ant Comics, oh and his porn comic that he designs that features work by Johnny Negron, Brandon Graham, and Jillian Tamaki….more on all of them latter too…Bottom line, DeForge has a hand in everything and you're probably a fan of his already, so read Lose, or Ant comics, or KUS, or Nobrow, or one of the million other things he worked on this year. King of comics 2012 goes to DeForge, no contest.
The Underwater Welder
Did I mention that DeForge is Canadian? Canadians….must be a universal sigh when cartoonist's who aren't Canadian talk about them. Jeff Lemire is another cartoonist hailing from The Great White North. Lemire had a full year of releases with Sweet Tooth Volume 4 and 5, the reprinting of his Xeric grant book Lost Dogs and Underwater Welder. Underwater Welder is for lovers of well paced, clear story telling, and the Twilight Zone. Lemire has an economy to his comics, the art is quick yet purposeful in the same manner as the writing, which rewards the reader with a world that they can envelope themselves in. Lemire is an odd school of cartooning, he's not so deep into independent styled comics as DeForge, but he isn't mainstream either (though he does write the only two books at DC still worth reading Animal Man, & Frankenstein Agent of Shade ). He's a cartoonist in love with genre but doesn't mistake comics to be only that.
Nipper Volume 3
Nipper Volume 3 finally came out! WOOOOOOO! I might be the only American to love Nipper so go buy it and prove my gross presumption wrong. Keeping in theme with brilliant Canadian cartoonists, Nipper volume 3 is the Canadian version of Family Circus, if Family Circus was anything like a real family and not so adorable that even your grandmother finds it lame. Always silent, black and white line work with one beautiful saturation of red dropped into each panel, Doug Wright creates multi-layered story telling, in the most simple yet still incredible complicated drawing. Just go look already, and then come meet me for coffee to talk about it, I'll be here till next year trying to describe why it's so effffffing smart.
Diary Comics 4
Dustin Harbin is yet another broken hearted cartoonist, upset that his nationality isn't Canadian. Diary Comics 4 starts with Dustin talking about how amazing it is to be in attendance at the Doug Wright rewards (the Canadian version of the Eisners), and how he wishes we as American could take comics as seriously as they do. Why can't we folks? Dustin's beautifully minimalist drawings deceive readers with their simplicity, when they are really just the right amount of information needed, each mark done with purpose in mind and simply decroative. Go read em' they're good. And if your not a fan of memoir, you just like the punching and kicking comics, he did letter Casanova sooo…..I don't know Matt Fraction wrote Iron Man for like a century right? See the full picture of creators not just the characters you like….
Pope Hat #3
Pope Hat #3 by Ethan Rilly. Rilly is surprise surprise, another Canadian. Pope Hats is technically 3 issues deep but you really only need/want two and three. In Pope Hats Rilly tells the story of Franny, a young law clerk at a massive law firm, picture Wall Street with less Charlie Sheen….okay no Charlie Sheen, just that one part where he gets punched in the face by Michael Douglas… Rilly drawings show traces of his influences but they don't unhinge the story. You can see traces of Doug Wright's drapery in the clothing, and bits of Shultz popping up in the rendering of grass and clouds. It's like a love letter to days past when cartooning was a profession and getting a weekly strip in a newspaper was the dream. Pope Hats narrative shares a similar tone of nostalgia with its drawing, that bitter sweet pain, from an old wound.
Thats the end of Part 1. Part 2 on Sunday 12/23/12.


text:
|Gallatin, Tenn.
|High School:
|Station Camp HS
Charlie is in his second season at Tech. He continues to train everyday in hopes of posting excellent times for the Golden Eagles in future seasons.
AT TECH (In 2011): Charlie ran in six meets in his freshman season with the Golden Eagles...set new personal records in four of those six meets...cut his 31:48 8K time at Sewanee by more than a minute in his second meet at Georgia State, running a 29:39...bested that time by one second at Jacksonville State with a 29:38...set his current PR at Evansville with a 29:30...had his best finish comparitively to the team at Georgia State, where he was the fifth Tech runner to cross the finish line.
HIGH SCHOOL: Charlie was a four-year letterman in cross country and track and field at Station Camp, where he competed in the 5K, 3200 meter, 1600 meter, 800 meter and 400 meter. He posted a personal record time of 16:40 in the 5K. Charlie was the top finisher on his team at the state track meet in each of his four seasons, leading the Bison to top 10 finishes each year, including a second-place finish his sophomore season. Station Camp won regional titles in three of Jordan's four seasons. Charlie won Station Camp's Career Excellence Award and was the Sumner County Runner of the Year in 2009. He earned all-county and all-Midstate honors all four seasons and was named all-state twice.
PERSONAL: The son of Mike and Robin Goode...born on Feb. 18, 1993...full name is Charlie Christian Jordan...majoring in nursing.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ebola is here: 5 reasons not to panic
Posted: Aug 5, 2014 2:47 PM CDT | Updated: Nov 5, 2014 3:25 PM CDT
(CNN) -- Donald Trump is tweeting that \"We should not be importing (Ebola) to our homeland.\"
An Indiana congressman is worried that refugee children from Central American could pose a public health risk with \"Ebola circulating.\"
And the Twitter-sphere is filled with people asking \"how can we bring these patients to America,\" complaining that \"We don't have enough problems in America! Let's import Ebola patients!\" and speculating that treating them here is \"highly irresponsible.\"
But the actual possibility of catching Ebola is incredibly remote.
It's a terrifying disease for sure. It typically kills 90% of the people who get it, and this most recent outbreak is the largest in history. But you don't need to panic, experts say, and you definitely don't have to worry about the two American Ebola patients who are being treated in Atlanta.
Here are five reasons why:
1. It's fragile.
Ebola is an incredibly fragile virus. It does not fly through the air with the greatest of ease. It cannot be transmitted through a cough or sneeze. It doesn't move easily from human to human like the common cold.
Ebola is aggressively infectious, so people who are infected are highly likely to get sick. But it's not highly contagious.
\"The Ebola virus spreads through direct contact with the blood, secretions or other body fluids of ill people and indirect contact -- for example, with needles and other things that may be contaminated with these fluids,\" said Stephan Monroe, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases.
That's why health care providers who work in countries without proper protective gear can get it. That's also why people preparing bodies for burial have gotten it.
2. We know how it works.
Although there is no vaccine and no cure, the one real advantage we have with Ebola is that doctors know how to control it.
Ebola isn't \"some mystical pathogen (with) some bizarre mode of transmission,\" said Bruce Ribner, who oversees the special isolation unit that is treating the patients at Emory University Hospital.
Common-sense hygiene can stop its spread.
\"Ebola is a virus that can be stopped and not spread in hospitals. The stakes are higher, but it's easily inactivated with typical hospital disinfectants,\" said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden.
3. We have the resources to contain it.
The two American patients with Ebola were flown to the United States in a plane outfitted with an isolation pod.
They are being kept in isolation at the Emory hospital with a specialized containment ward, one of four in the country.
In the containment ward, the vents are specialized. There's an intercom and plate glass that separates patients from visitors so they don't come into direct contact. There's a strict protocol on everyone and everything that goes into and out of the patient's room. Health care workers wear protective suits.
But any major medical center could really take care of an Ebola patient, said William Schaffner, an expert on infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University's School of Medicine.
Most ICUs have isolation rooms that are used for patients suspected to have tuberculosis, SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome or another infectious disease. Schaffner said that not much would be different for an Ebola patient, though more stringent precautions might be taken to ensure that health care workers are following all protocols.
4. Our medical staff is ready.
\"We have been training for this,\" Ribner said of preparations for the two American Ebola patients. These doctors know how to handle Ebola and will use an abundance of caution when working with an infected person.
Medical workers across the country have also been told to watch out for Ebola symptoms and question patients who have recently traveled to West Africa. They are trained to recognize Ebola cases and can quarantine them early, keeping others from coming into contact with an infected person's bodily fluids while the disease runs its course.
5. Airports are on alert.
At African airports in the Ebola-affected region, passengers are being closely screened. Health experts are watching for people with high fevers. Those who have a temperature are removed and monitored while doctors test their blood for Ebola.
When passengers arrive at the airport, they are required to wash their hands in a chlorinated solution. Customs agents and passport inspectors are also wearing surgical gloves when interacting with passengers.
\"There is always the possibility that someone with an infectious disease can enter the United States,\" CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds said Monday. \"The public health concern is whether it would spread and, if so, how quickly.'\"
At U.S. airports, trained federal agents also watch for sick passengers. Border patrol is asking about potential exposure. If someone is sick, agents can remove them and keep them in the special isolation units kept at many U.S. airports until the CDC arrives to ask further questions.
Overall, health experts say, the threat to Americans remains relatively small. In the past decade, five people have entered the U.S. known to have a viral hemorrhagic fever, including a case in March of a Minnesota man diagnosed with Lassa fever after traveling to West Africa. No one else contracted the disease.
CNN's Jacque Wilson and Ben Brumfield contributed to this story.
Save with
0 Comments
Post a comment
Newest | Oldest | Top Comments


text:
How to Use the Images Photo 1 & Drawing 1
Photo 1 & Drawing 1
Photo 2: Rancho Los Alamitos, front view.
Questions for Photos 2-4
1. Match each photo to the floor plan in Drawing 2.
2. How would you describe the rancho based on these photos?
3. How would you describe the rancho's setting?
* The images on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of Photo 2, Photo 3, and Photo 4, but be aware that each file will take as much as 30 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.


text:
Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
2 Online
I got a riddle.....
A man pushes his car around the corner to the front of a motel and immediately knows that he is broke. How does he know this?
Posts You May Be Interested In
acknowlodgingPosted by: GrassIsGreenLast Reply: GrassIsGreenI have been here before, a long long time ago and now I am back.Forgive me for not just saying what I want to say,even under a triple dose of antidepressants it is still raw and seeping and I am hesitant at revealing it as at least under the bandages around my heart I don,t have to look at how raw and wounded.My child was cleaved from my heart by his own actions. my child of ten,turning eleven...
Curcumin / LecithinHas anyone tried these supplements? Do they give MGers more quality of life by improving memory and overall well being?Thanks!Barbel


text:
New sizes mean that PMCtendo SZ can now be used in even more applications.
Versatile application - Servo motors PMCtendo SZ
Servo motors PMCtendo SZ are a modern range of servo motor, which is versatile and energy efficient. Two new sizes PMCtendo SZ 3 and PMCtendo SZ 8 have now been added. So now you can choose the right motor for your individual application from five different sizes.
Flexible thanks to a variety of implementation options
Whether the focus is on dimensions, dynamics, controllability or feedback systems, with Pilz servo motors you're always making the right choice. The required motor performance can be achieved thanks to the variety of overall motor lengths and motor sizes, whether you want a short design with larger diameter, or a longer design with smaller diameter.
The servo motor is suitable for applications with frequently changing speeds. With the exception of Size 3 (convection cooling), all motors in the three cooling types are available with convection cooling, water cooling and forced ventilation.
Of course we are happy to provide support with the drive configuration and definition of the power transmission.
Your benefits at a glance:
- High process quality thanks to precise motor synchronisation, due to low cogging torques
- Energy-efficient solution thanks to extremely short overall length with high power density
- Simple handling due to rapid assembly with quick fastening connector (Speedtec / Springtec)
- Flexible to use thanks to a variety of sizes, speeds and cooling types
- Highest performance and positioning accuracy thanks to high resolution absolute value encoder systems
Further information:
Servo motors PMCtendo SZ
Pilz New Zealand
Unit 4 12 Laidlaw Way East Tamaki
Auckland 2019
New Zealand
Telephone: +64 9 6345350
E-Mail: email@example.com


text:
4:09 p.m. EDT, July 24, 2013
When it comes to affordable or mixed-income housing, there is no such thing as low-hanging fruit.
It isn't easy to build affordable homes in the 32 Connecticut municipalities that have a fair amount of such housing; it's much harder in the other 137 communities that don't.
However, a quiet, steady housing revolution is taking shape across Connecticut.
When Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced last week that 10 more municipalities were receiving HOMEConnecticut grants to study where they could create higher-density, more affordable, energy-efficient, walkable housing that will be close to transit, it might have seemed, to some, like a mistake.
Because the municipalities involved — Ridgefield, Brookfield, Stonington, North Stonington, Fairfield, Milford,Haddam, Durham, Burlington and Canton — were created for suburban, single-family, leafy, luxurious lifestyles. Now, they're getting grants to help determine how to broaden that array of housing options because, frankly, they need them.
Their 60-plus baby boomers need to get out of their big houses but want to stay in their communities. Their key workers — police, firefighters, teachers, nurses, public works employees — can't find places to live affordably. Their adult children can't come back to their hometowns.
What's more, there are many towns not far behind. I'm aware that at least a dozen similar upscale towns — from Greenwich to Guilford and Bethel to Ledyard —- are likely to apply for the next round of HOMEConnecticut grants.
The reason is fascinating. While most of those towns were founded in Colonial times, census figures show they didn't grow much until post-1970 suburban sprawl. They built thousands of single-family homes for baby boomers then in their 20s. Now that they're in their 60s, the charter members of the Pepsi generation don't want to rake leaves or shovel snow. What they do want is to stay in their town, near their friends, families, churches, doctors and other anchors. But their towns have nothing for them.
At the same time, Gen Yers or millennials — young workers in their 20s and 30s — have high education debt ($24,300 on average, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York) and neither the credit ratings nor down payments nor career prospects to qualify for a mortgage or buy a home.
Top that with $4 per gallon gasoline, expensive heating costs and increasing attraction to urban, walkable lifestyles and you have demand for smaller, denser, energy-efficient homes within walking distance of shops, restaurants and services in the town center — which are worth even more if they can be near bus or train service.
There is enormous demand. In 133 of Connecticut's 169 cities and towns, 70 to 93 percent of the housing stock is single-family. Connecticut has the seventh highest state rental costs in the nation because of short supply; it ranks 50th in construction of any type of housing over the last decade. For people making 80 percent of the median household income (about $56,000) or less, there is an 83,000-unit statewide shortage of affordable rentals. Now, demography — all those baby boomers and millennials — will add to the demand, and therefore the price, unless we add new supply.
Towns such as West Hartford are hearing from many would-be multifamily developers and commercial property owners who would like their properties rezoned to residential.
The towns receiving HOMEConnecticut grants — or adopting inclusionary zoning ordinances or otherwise rezoning to create more multifamily homes — are giving the market what it wants. They will benefit from their proactivity: Residents and municipal leaders, not developers, will decide where, how much and what type of housing they want. They will control the design and shape it appropriately to its surroundings. There will be few angry public hearings.
How will the state and its residents benefit? We will open Connecticut's high-resource schools and service-rich communities to young families, recent graduates, police and firefighters, teachers, nurses and so many more. We will improve educational outcomes and provide skilled labor for businesses we hope to lure. We will allow Connecticut to attract population, not lose it.
And we will be providing the housing we need for the people we need where we need it.


text:
Download HopeLab's Re-Mission 2TM
Cigna is teaming up with non-profit HopeLab to share products that help young people with cancer improve their health and quality of life. Cigna is offering a free link to download HopeLab's game, Re-Mission 2, to your mobile device or play on your computer.
What is Re-Mission 2?
Re-Mission 2 is a collection of six ground-breaking online games designed by HopeLab to help young cancer patients fight their disease. Research shows that playing the games boosts players' positive emotions, increases self-efficacy (their belief in their ability to fight cancer) and shifts attitudes about chemotherapy, which lead to better adherence to prescribed treatments.
Each Re-Mission 2 game puts players inside the body to defeat cancer, using weapons like chemotherapy, antibiotics and the body's immune cells. The action parallels real-world medical treatments used to fight cancer. The games are designed specifically for teens and young adults who are at risk of adverse cancer outcomes due to poor treatment adherence. More than 120 teens and young adults with cancer collaborated with HopeLab to develop and test the Re-Mission 2 games.
Re-Mission 2 is also available free to doctors and facilities that treat young people with cancer!
Download Re-Mission 2 today
Download Re-Mission 2 today from the App Store℠ , Google Play™ or play on your desktop . Available through Cigna in the United States and internationally.
About the game
Re-Mission 2, is a follow-up video game to Re-Mission. HopeLab developed Re-Mission 2 with the collaboration of health care providers, including pediatric oncology nurses and physicians; cell biologists; psychologists; game developers; and young people with cancer.
Re-Mission Patient Information Cards
Share these cards with young cancer patients and their families. The cards provide information on the games, where to play them online, and where to download the mobile app.
Download and print Re-Mission 2 Patient Information Card - Nanobot Warrior
Download and print Re-Mission 2 Patient Information Card - Cancer Cell
For more information on HopeLab or Re-Mission 2:
Re-Mission 2 is a product developed and offered by HopeLab. Cigna makes no warranties or representations as to its features, functionality or performance.
The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.
Standard mobile phone carrier and data usage or internet charges apply. The downloading and use of the Re-Mission2 app is subject to the terms and conditions of the app and the online stores from which it is downloaded.
Already a Customer?
Log in to myCigna
Manage your health care plan, pay your premium, download forms, print temporary ID cards and more.
Register now for online access
Go mobile! Get the myCigna Mobile app and take myCigna on the go!


text:
UPDATE: Questionable kidnapping in Orangefield
Orange County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a possible kidnapping in Orange after a passerby saw a young woman who appeared to have been assaulted and who was bound with rope near the edge of the roadway in the 7100 block of Bessie Heights in Orangefield at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 17.
According to a news release from OCSO, deputies responded to the calling motorist's report and located the woman whose hands and feet were tied with rope, mouth duct taped closed and who was blindfolded. The woman was conscious, and she apparently suffered some minor abrasions, investigators report.
The victim, a Vidor resident in her 20's, told deputies that on Sunday evening, Feb. 16, she had gone with some friends to a home in the Orangefield area where they met up with several people with whom she was unfamiliar. According to the victim, while at the residence some type of "disagreement" occurred, and she was bound and had duct tape placed over her mouth. After some time passed, the unidentified assailants blindfolded the woman and drove her to Bessie Heights where they left her on the side of the road.
The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are still being identified, according to the news release. OCSO Chief Deputy Clint Hodgkinson said investigators are still trying to determine whether or not an arrest is warranted, but added that the case is still being investigated as a kidnapping.
"Although the incident appears bizarre, investigators believe that this is an isolated case among those who were at the house where this incident occurred, and the community should not be alarmed," OCSO warned in the news release.
More information will be released as it becomes available.


text:
Man, 19, in critical condition after nearly drowning in Lake Tahoe
In related news, a 42-year-old Southern California man drowned in Lake Tahoe Monday off the shore at Sand Harbor State Park.
As of late Wednesday, the victim's name hadn't been released, and circumstances surrounding the incident remain unknown.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Emergency crews saved the life of a man who nearly drowned Wednesday afternoon near Sand Harbor State Park on Lake Tahoe's east shore.
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and Washoe County Sheriff's Office personnel arrived at the state park at about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday, NLTFPD Chief Mike Brown said.
According to media reports, the 19-year-old man was swimming near the boat ramp when he yelled for help. An off-duty nurse eventually pulled him out of the water.
NLTFPD crews performed CPR on the man and got him breathing again, Brown said, and he was transported via CareFlight to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno.
"There was a return of pulse, with ventilation assistance provided by the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District … before CareFlight took over," Brown said.
The man, whose name and place of residence are unknown, was reportedly in critical condition late Wednesday.


text:
Style #4400- This high quality shirt is hip and edgy! A baby-rib fitted short sleeve tee. Form fitting with excellent stretch. 100% baby rib cotton (heather grey contains 10% poly). Double stitched bottom hem. Shrinkage: one half to one full size.
Style #2001- The softest tee available. A fine jersey short sleeve t-shirt with ribbed neckband/collar. 100% fine jersey cotton. A looser fit than that of Style #4400, listed above. For those who like to wear their tees a little looser!
Style #4305- Contoured to flatter your curves! This is a form fitting baby- rib basic short sleeve tee. 100% baby-rib cotton. Double hem, thinner collar/neckband, and crop sleeves. Shrinkage: one half to one size.
Style #2102- This stylish fit is a fine jersey short sleeve tee. 100% fine jersey cotton. A looser fit, with slightly longer sleeves, and ribbed neckband/collar than that of Style #4305, listed above. For those who like to wear their tees not as form fitting!
Want to see another color or style? We care what you think so e-mail us at email@example.com and let us know.
Copyright Politeed 2010 [Privacy] [Policies & Procedures] firstname.lastname@example.com or 866-490-TEED [8333]


text:
After a windless morning, the wind picked up around noon and allowed some thrilling racing directly in front of the many spectators at the promenade of Westerland Beach.
The race committee had set a pure up and downwind course in the unusual south wind, with the windward and leeward mark set very close to the beach so that the spectators were able to follow the racing only a few meters away from the shore. Also the finish was set directly at the beach, whic allowed for spectacular finishing directly in fornt of the event area.
In the mens fleet, it was very close racing between Abel Lago (ESP, RRD), winning the first race of the day, and Bruno Sroka, who won the next two races. Sean Farley (MEX, North) in third. In the womens fleet, Kristin Boese was able to win all three races sailed back to back, before the wind changed to offshore and died down.
The forecast for tomorrow is promising, with a skippersmeeting at 0900. Stay tuned !


text:
October 5, 2012, 1:19 pm
"GMA's" Sam Champion and his nuptials
[media-credit name="ABC" align="alignright" width="270″][/media-credit]
ABC released a wedding announcement today, along with a photo: Sam Champion and his boyfriend Rubem Robierb are engaged to be married.
Champion, of "Good Morning America," is the first network morning show co-host to publicly identify as gay. According to the network, "Champion and Robierb met through mutual friends a few years ago in Miami, where Robierb lives.
Born in Brazil, Robierb is a fine-arts photographer who shows his work in Miami, Atlanta, Santa Monica and New York." No date was announced but "they plan to wed later this year."
Next Post »
« Previous Post


text:
In honour of Labour Day, the holiday created over a century ago to celebrate the advances of the working class, our nation's media published a slew of articles and columns last month predicting the slow, inexorable decline of the country's union movement.
Although 4.3 million members of Canada's workforce are unionized, the proportion of those who belong to unions has been dropping for 30 years, assailed by the harsh competitive forces of the global marketplace and subsequent loss of jobs, primarily in the manufacturing sector. Public service unions were forecast to follow as debt-ridden governments cut jobs, wages and benefits.
Quebec, however, manages once again to be distinct. Second only to Newfoundland and Labrador as the most unionized sector in North America, its union numbers have remained stable and employer-union labour relations relatively civil, for reasons of history, labour law and the foresight of its trade unions to become major players in the province's business structure.
The prognosis for the rest of Canada, though, was not as bright. From a high of 38 per cent during the 1980s, the percentage of the workforce that is unionized fell to 30 per cent in 2011, according to Statistics Canada. Most of the drop was seen in the private sector, where only 16 per cent of employees are unionized, half the average of the 1980s. Roughly three-quarters of Canadians work in the private sector.
In Canada, the percentage of unionized public sector employees like civil servants, teachers and health care workers has remained relatively stable at 71 per cent, thanks in part to increased hiring during the last decade. But the trend appears to be heading in the other direction, with Stephen Harper's Conservative government pledging to cut as many as 18,000 jobs from the federal public service over the coming years to combat the nation's deficit, and thousands of layoffs or cuts through attrition already occurring since the government tabled its budget last March.
The figures point to a decline in union might, analysts say.
"Our belief is that we will continue to see the union density rate fall, and union influence will decline over the long term," said Karla Thorpe, director of human resources research for the Conference Board of Canada, a non-profit research organization. There is a sense that many of the battles unions fought — for improved wages, workplace security, pensions, pay equity — have already been won, she said. Now they are more involved in secondary fights, like protecting pension plans or job security.
Other foreboding signs include federal back-to-work legislation used to end strikes at Air Canada, Canadian Pacific Railway and Canada Post during the last 16 months, wage freezes and a two-year ban on striking for Ontario teachers imposed by the province's Liberal government, and the February closing of the Caterpillar locomotive engine plant in London, Ont., after its 460 workers refused to accept pay cuts of up to 50 per cent. Most of their jobs were transferred to Indiana, where welders were being offered $14.50 an hour. Days before the transfer, Indiana announced it was becoming a right-to-work state, meaning workers there can opt out of becoming members of a union and paying dues. Twenty-two other states have similar legislation. This summer, Ontario Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre suggested federal public service employees be granted similar rights.
In the United States, slightly less than 12 per cent of workers are unionized today, down from 30 per cent during the 1960s.
Unions are also slipping in the court of public opinion. A poll conducted in August by labour-friendly public relations firm Public Response found 61 per cent of Canadians feel unions do a good job of protecting their members' jobs. But when asked whether "gains made by unions for their members also improve the lives of other Canadians," 46 per cent of respondents agreed, while 42 per cent did not. Only 53 per cent of respondents age 18-29 said they would join a union given the opportunity. Another poll found respondents were more likely to believe management or company owners than they would a union spokesperson. As one Toronto union head put it in an email quoted in the Globe and Mail: "The public hates unions right now."
In Quebec, union sympathies took a beating after a wildcat strike last October organized by the Quebec Federation of Labour shut construction sites for days. They were contesting provincial legislation that would eliminate the right of unions to decide who is eligible to work on construction sites, a move applauded by many Quebecers who feel construction unions have become too powerful for their, or our, good. The sentiment was reinforced when provincial Labour Minister Lise Thériault announced someone threatened to break her legs.
Union support for last spring's student strike movement, unpopular with the majority of Quebecers, served as a further fodder for those who see unions as spoiled institutions out of touch with the realities of the working world.
"There's a public appetite to see high wages and generous benefits and pension plans for public sector workers (diminished) when they themselves don't have the same type of total compensation packages," Thorpe noted.
"There is a growing perception, among both academics and union activists, that the union movement in Canada is at a standstill," Pradeep Kumar, professor emeritus of industrial relations at Queen's University wrote in the labour magazine Our Times as far back as 2008. "Many labour analysts agree with this sentiment, some citing battle fatigue, while arguing that the movement may be losing its cohesion and larger sense of purpose."
How did it come to this? How did a movement credited with creating the middle class in Canada and maintaining its living standards, that is about "improving the everyday lives of all working people," as the Canadian Labour Congress puts it, supposedly stall? And how did it become a bloated, self-absorbed pariah in the eyes of many?
The short answer, said Gregor Murray, a professor of Industrial relations at the Université de Montréal and director of the Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work (CRIMT), is that in fact it hasn't.
"There seems to be a public narrative that unions have outlived their usefulness," he said. "There is no reason, particularly in Quebec, to accept the narrative that unions are somehow going to disappear."
In Quebec, the rate of unionization has remained relatively stable as compared to manufacturer-heavy southern Ontario, from whence much of the reporting of union demise emerged. About 25 per cent of the private sector is unionized in Quebec, as opposed to 15 per cent in Ontario, where the drops have been significant during the last decade.
The disparity between Quebec and Ontario, Murray notes, (and between Canada and the United States,) is due in large part to government policy. Starting in the 1990s, Ontario required unions to hold elections at workplaces where they wanted to unionize, a long process allowing employers to try to convince employees that forming a union could be a very bad idea. In Quebec, organizers can form a union without the employer's knowledge by getting more than 50 per cent of its employees to sign union cards.
Also, Murray noted, Quebec has strong competition among its many unions. Dissatisfied members can opt for a different organization, which forces them to remain innovative to meet the needs of their members.
"The third reason — and this is a crucial one," Murray said, "is that unions have continued to play a significant role in Quebec Inc."
During the 1980s crisis in the manufacturing sector, the Quebec Federation of Labour created the Quebec Solidarity Fund, to create jobs, amass pension funds, and provide capital so investors and entrepreneurs could create business. Today, the fund has more than $8 billion, sought out by government and private interests for its capital and industrial expertise.
"What you've got is a fund that is all union money, that ties unions into Quebec society," Murray said. "They're institutionalized, they're heavily involved in the creation of economic activity. They're not just an opposition voice.
"You can't do that and not seek to do things on the ground that are innovative — reorganizing work, trying to make sure workers are trained, looking around the world at other collective agreements."
Multinational companies, in turn, choose Quebec because it has a well-trained, flexible workforce with low turnover rates. One example of that was seen in Bombardier unions' willingness to adapt in order to ensure its CSeries line of planes were made here, and not in the U.S., Murray noted.
Some argue, however, that high unionization rates are chasing jobs from Quebec.
"There is research that shows if the unionization rates are too high, you have lower employment growth, lower levels of investment, so in general you have lower levels of economic growth," said Amela Karabegovic, senior economist specializing in labour issues at the right-leaning Fraser Institute. About 5 million people in the U.S. have moved into states that have right-to-work legislation, she said.
"It shows that when you have choice, it does create jobs, it does create investment."
Murray, however, questions the feasibility of creating a workforce of low-paid employees, like automobile plant workers earning $14 an hour, who can't afford to buy the product they build, destroying the economic impetus generated by internal demand. Even China, he notes, is looking into significantly increasing minimum wages to spur the buying power of its workers.
Murray points to Germany, a highly unionized country of well-paid workers that is the leading manufacturing exporter in the world, outstripping China. Strong worker representation and decision making ability at high levels in their firms makes for a happy, wealthy workforce, he said, which leads to a "trickle up" effect, as opposed to the trickle down theory espoused by the business class.
"It's the counter example to the U.S.," he said. "Which manufacturing sector is in a better state?"
In the public sector, there is unease. It is born of the suspicion of a movement afoot by employers and some politicians to weaken unions, said Denis Bolduc, secretary-treasurer of SCFP, the Quebec branch of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). He speaks of cuts by the Harper government, and of the campaign promises of Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault to abolish 4,000 jobs from Hydro-Québec and disband other civil service institutions like school boards and health agencies that were well received by many.
Equally dismaying to Bolduc is the public sentiment that civil servants receive too much in benefits, and should have them rolled back, as opposed to trying to elevate the rest of society to their standards. It's a poisonous discourse born of envy, he said.
"What the population must understand is that the people who want to attack unionized workers ultimately attack non-unionized workers, because a higher union rate means better benefits, advantages and salaries for everyone," he said.
The Canadian Labour Congress found that unionized workers make on average $5 an hour more than their non-unionized compatriots, Bolduc said, improving their lives and injecting an extra $800 million a week into the Canadian economy. It's not high salaries for CEOs who profit on the low wages of their workers that creates a rich society, he said.
"The sharing of wealth starts with good salaries and through social measures that benefit workers."
Quebec's unions need to talk more about the good they have brought to society and the advantages of being unionized, he said.
Instead of cutting civil service jobs to reduce deficits, Bolduc called on governments to increase corporate taxes that were lowered in the last decade. It's an argument seconded by Michèle Boisclair, vice-president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec, the province's nursing union. The government, and society, would also be better served saving money through tackling construction corruption and using generic drugs, as opposed to cutting an overburdened medical system with members who feel overworked.
"I wouldn't be being honest if I said everybody was completely happy," she noted. "When we look at the value of our work, we have the impression that we are giving more than we are getting."
With 2 million Quebecers earning less than $18,000 a year, often in service-industry jobs like retail or customer service where unionization is difficult, it's up to society to ensure decent lives for them and their children, Murray said. This can be done through government programs like favourable taxation rates and programs like pharmacare and daycare that bring private benefits to the overall populace.
Things are looking up for Quebec unions with the election of the labour friendly Parti Québécois government, noted Ghislain Dufour, former president of the Conseil du patronat, Quebec's largest employers group. To continue to thrive, however, he said they will need to find an approach that works for small- and medium-size businesses, a growing segment of the business economy with a culture that is different than in large companies, and to stop demanding laws that favour only unions.
"They need to accept the economic realities of today, and to accept that it is only businesses that create jobs, and that unions need to help them to fulfill this mission," he said.
The labour movement is facing huge challenges worldwide, noted Murray, which is why the Montreal-based Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work is holding an international conference titled Union Futures: Innovations, Transformations, Strategies at HEC Montreal from Oct. 25 to 27.
But there are signs of hope. Huge public- and private-sector strikes are largely movements of the past as employers and their workers strive to avoid debilitating impasses. Montreal's blue collar workers just signed a five-year contract with the City of Montreal, resolving deep differences over pension issues. Unions are reaching formerly under-represented immigrant groups like migrant agricultural workers, Turkish stucco workers and Filipino aid workers at Chinese seniors homes in Toronto, the Globe and Mail reported last spring. More collaborative approaches bringing together employers, employees and union representatives are being used successfully.
The fact non-union friendlyretail giants like Wal-Mart and Target are willing to move into Canada and compete in a unionized environment is a sign it isn't scaring off investors, Thorpe said. And as baby boomers retire and the labour force shrinks, "power will be shifting more to the hands of the workers."
As labour analyst Morna Ballantyne noted recently in the Ottawa Citizen, lower wages, high unemployment, shrinking pensions and poor job security are all prime elements in the creation of a resurgent labour union movement.
"We're now experiencing all the conditions that gave rise to unions being a powerful voice," Ballantyne said.


text:
Minnesota State Mankato, as part of the system, is bound by this policy relating to discrimination and retaliation. This policy sets forth the system's prohibition against discrimination in employment and educational opportunities for all legally protected classes, including: race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, or membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law.
Regarding Consensual Relationships
This policy also states that an employee of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall not enter into a consensual relationship with a student or an employee over whom he or she exercises direct or otherwise significant academic, administrative, supervisory, evaluative, counseling, or extracurricular authority or influence. This prohibition does not limit the right of an employee to make a recommendation on personnel matters concerning a family or household member where the right to make recommendations on such personnel matters is explicitly provided for in the applicable collective bargaining agreement or compensation plan. Some of the most common occurrences in today's workplace include but are not limited to: sexual harassment (creating a hostile work environment), racial discrimination, gender discrimination, and disability discrimination.
What does this really mean?
- It means: it is inappropriate to discrimination against individuals because of a protected status with respect to the terms and conditions of their employment or education.
- Additionally, employees are not permitted to date students or employees over whom they exercise direct or otherwise significant academic, administrative, supervisory, evaluative, counseling, or extracurricular authority or influence.
Examples include...
- A faculty member cannot date a student who is in their class, or that they advise, or coach.
- A supervisor cannot date his/her employee.
- A supervisor cannot hire a family member to work for them.
- The above policy applies to applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, and students.


text:
Every Thursday I host a Jazz jam session at the new Wine Up On Williams (formerly known as the famed Cleo Lillian Social Club), located on Williams Ave in NE Portland. And since its inception last September, it has quickly become the most sought after session in the city, as it really caters to the musicians "musician." So if you're interested in getting involved with coming down to sit in, then I'd like to encourage you to do just that. Know, however, that all singers and guitarist will need to bring their own amps and mics, as the venue doesn't supply them.
House Band:
John Nastos (Alto Sax)
Greg Goebel (Piano)
Dylan Sundstrom (Bass)
Christopher "TCOM" Brown (Drums/Host)
*No Cover (must be 21+ to attend)*


text:
[ image: totalrecall ]
Blog tracing wearables etc.
["What would happen if we could instantly access all the information we were exposed to throughout our lives?"
- Bill Gates, from Your Life, Uploaded Foreword]
["A marvelous job of exploring first-hand the implications of storing our entire lives digitally."
- Guy L. Tribble, Apple, Inc. ]
["A must-read due to its inevitabilty, seminal nature, and clairvoyant authors."
- Nicolas Negroponte, author of Being Digital]
["I cannot recommend this book enough."
- Intellectualyeconomy.com]
[Tech luminary, Gordon Bell, and Jim Gemmell unveil a guide to the next digital revolution. Our daily life started becoming digital a decade ago. Now much of what we do is digitally recorded and accessible. This trend won't stop. And the benefits are astonishing.
Based on their own research, Bell and Gemmell explain the ever-increasing access to electronic personal memories - both "cloud" services such as Facebook and huge personal hardrives. Using Bell as a test case, the two digitally uploaded everything - photos, computer activity, biometrics - and explored systems that could best store the vast amounts of data and make it accessible. The result? An amazing enhancement of human experience from health and education to productivity and just reminiscing about good times. And then, when you are gone, your memories, your life will still be accessible for your grandchildren...
Your Life, Uploaded (PLUME; NOVEMBER 2010) is an invaluable guide to taking advantage of new technology that will fascinate and inspire techies, business people, and baby boomers alike.]
More info.


text:
Searching For Chiropractic Clinics Near You?
If you frequently deal with back pains, neck pains, spine, and sports injuries, you might be searching for the best chiropractic clinics near Minnetonka Minnesota. Chiropractic care is considered a holistic and alternative treatment option that triggers the body's natural healing abilities. It is a non-invasive treatment option where millions of Americans are benefiting at the moment. The approach is shown to treat more than a dozen of different conditions. One of the best things about chiropractic care is that the method is 100% drug-free and helps heal your body naturally. The treatment option is effective in dealing with headaches, back pains, ear infections, neck pains, joint pains, arthritis, bowel irregularities, blood pressure, asthma, improved mental clarity, and a host of other conditions. With hundreds of chiropractic clinics near Minnetonka, one should be cautious when selecting the best practitioner in the area. Here are important tips to consider when choosing the best chiropractic clinics nearby your location.
Despite the popularity of the treatment method, there are many misconceptions about the field of chiropractic care. Many patients are still confused when it comes to how the practice works and how chiropractic professionals are trained. In fact, most of the chiropractic programs incorporate an entire year of Ph.D.-level training in different subjects. Hence, a chiropractic doctor is a highly skilled and trained individual out there. Like with all other professions out there, there are many quacks operating in this industry too. That is why it is important that you perform extensive research before deciding to work with the right chiropractic doctor in your Minnetonka area. Your homework is essential to choosing the best candidate for the job.
Chiropractic Treatment Techniques
Backache is a common problem, and middle back pain right side is one of many different types of back problems that can be experienced. The location of the pain is an important factor in helping to determine just what might be causing the problem, and if you are experiencing discomfort towards the right side of your back there could be a number of things that are causing the problem.
Of course, if you cannot get rid of the pain that you are experiencing you should always seek medical assistance, as out of the various problems that could be causing this pain some are more serious than others. Some of the possible causes of middle back pain right side could be very simple - such as accumulated gas - and may simply resolve themselves. However, other problems, such as slipped disc, are more serious and will need medical attention and treatment in order to both alleviate the pain and resolve the problem.
Inflamed gallbladder or gallstones: This can be a common cause of this type of back problem. Although the pain may stem from the middle back and right side it can spread upwards towards the upper back and even the shoulder. If left untreated gallstones can cause serious problems so it is important to get this checked out as soon as possible.
Trapped wind: Trapped wind that has accumulated could be another cause of the discomfort, and although not one of the main causes it can trap nerves in the back thus causing the discomfort and pain.
Simple ways that could help resolve the discomfort
Most of the wellness and health benefits associated with chiropractic care are due to the chiropractic adjustments received by the patients. These adjustments are important to place your body in the proper position so that it can heal itself. In fact, chiropractic adjustments help reduce the stress placed on the patient's immune system. This will release energy that is vital for maintaining homeostasis and preventing diseases. The treatment option addresses the whole body of the individual thereby improving his or her ability to think and act more positively.
A professional Minnetonka Minnesota chiropractor prides him/herself on taking a drug-free, natural approach to helping the patient improve his/her wellness and health in the long run. In fact, the entire principle is built on the basis that the body has an innate ability to heal itself under the right conditions. The chiropractic doctor will help create the right environment for the body to start healing itself. The practice focuses on keeping one's spine properly aligned at all times. The nervous system controls every organ and cell in the body. Hence, if the spine shifts out of its proper place, it should be brought back into alignment without delay to prevent issues in the nervous system which can manifest as various diseases in the body. That is where a professional and experienced chiropractic doctor comes in handy.
Back Pain Muscle Spasms - Finding the Culprits
You have long muscles that run along the spine called the erector spinae muscles. These are often the guilty muscles when you have back pain and muscle spasms. A spasm is an involuntary contraction of the muscle for a sustained period of time. Usually a spasm occurs when the muscle has been suddenly stressed somehow which can include injury, sprains, tears or bruising. The spasm can actually start in the nerves that lead into the muscle though the feeling is the same no matter where the spasm starts.
Most of the time muscle spasms are painful, but not serious. It should be mentioned though that in some cases, the spasm may be a symptom of a more serious problem. The back is composed of bones, muscles and ligaments, and injury or disease to any component can result in back pain muscle spasms.
Other forms of therapy for back pain [http://releasebackpain.com/back] and muscle spasms include massage or physical therapy. But one of the most important therapies you can do yourself. That's to maintain good posture. Good posture lets your spine work the way it was designed to work. Maintaining good posture is important during any activity too and not just while standing. You should stand, sit, walk and lift while maintaining proper spine position. This will help you avoid muscle injury and sprains that can lead to muscle spasms.
The American Chiropractic Association states that there are more than 70,000 chiropractic professionals operating in the United States alone. With so many to choose from, finding "any" chiropractic doctor is fairly easy. But you don't need "any" chiropractic when it comes to treating your condition. In fact, you want the "best" chiropractor in Minnetonka to treat your specific condition. This is a bit trickier than finding just any chiropractic doctor in the area. There are many things to consider when choosing the right professional to treat your condition.
When provided by a highly skilled and experienced professional, chiropractic care is quite effective in healing a wide variety of conditions. The right professional should have a combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experience. A personal referral from someone you trust is a great starting point when searching for any type of professional near Minnetonka Minnesota. Ask your existing health care team, friends, family members or co-workers for recommendations in this regard. You may also hop online and read patient reviews and surveys on professional chiropractors operating in your area. Make sure you do the homework properly before scheduling your first appointment with the potential candidate.
Don't forget to check the credentials and experience of the potential candidate. Chiropractors are also known as doctors of chiropractic (DCs). They are highly trained professionals who have completed nationally accredited graduate-level programs. In addition to their 4-year undergraduate degree, a chiropractor should have a 4-year doctorate degree – similar to doctors of osteopathy (DOs) and medical doctors (MDs). Make sure the candidate you choose is licensed and a graduate of an accredited school of chiropractic. Evaluate his/her experience before you work with them. These are some of the most important things to look for when choosing the best chiropractic clinic in Minnetonka Minnesota.


text:
Senate hearings on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary will be a distinctive Washington entertainment. He should be confirmed: Presidents are due substantial deference in selecting Cabinet members because they administer presidential policies and, unlike judicial appointments, they leave when their nominators do. Hagel will be confirmed because Sen. Chuck Schumer, after hesitating theatrically enough to propitiate supporters of Israel, of whom there are many among his New York constituents, will not oppose Hagel. Opposition would end Schumer's hope to make the nation nostalgic for Harry Reid by succeeding him as Senate Democratic leader. Still, the hearings will be sound and fury signifying renewed interest in national security policy, which can be illuminated by Hagel addressing questions like these:
George Will is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at email@example.com.


text:
Robert Johnson | Nov. 23, 2012, 7:08 AM
Attachment 13138
Amid the recent political shift within Chinese politics, the effort at modernizing and advancing its military has remained unchange
Minnie Chan of the South China Morning Post reports that to demonstrate this unwavering effort, China today confirmed the first successful carrier landings of its J-15 fighter aboard its first aircraft carrier the Liaoning.
The landings are the culmination of a years-long effort at refitting the Soviet-era carrier, originally christened the Varyag, and are perhaps the most difficult technical carrier maneuvers to accomplish.
Testing on land-based, carrier shaped decks, has been going on for months, so this recent achievement is causing a bit of celebration. While not the culmination of China's entry into a functioning carrier military power, the successful landings put it on track to enter that club with gusto when it adds additional carriers to the group.
The Liaoning will no doubt serve as China's training carrier, where it cuts its teeth on the technical and tactical challenges facing flattop operations. Rumors have persisted for some time that Beijing was building two indigenous carriers as well, but proof of that has yet to be seen.
If those rumors turn out to be groundless, it likely won't be long before China is producing carriers on its own as Chinese shipbuilders are already clamoring for the chance.
The jet that performed the arrested landing, the J-15, is believed to be a near clone of Russia's Su-33 carrier-based fighter and was seen sporting Russian AL-31 turbofan engines in 2009. While Russian military officials have played down the J-15's achievement and said China will no doubt continue seeking to purchase Su-33s, it's not likely to get any, and the J-15 may prove they don't need them regardless.
China and Russia are at a long-standing impasse over military deals after China ripped the Russian Su-27SK design and cloned it into the Shenyang J-11B, violating all sorts of intellectual property agreements.
Finally, these developments come as the U.S. announces the USS Nimitz is so dysfunctional it cannot be deployed and is pulling the USS Eisenhower from the Persian Gulf for a quick ref-fit before sending it back to cover for the Nimitz.
The Nimitz is about 40 years old and discovered a major problem with its propulsion system during pre-deployment maneuvers. No word on how long it may be out of rotation, but the Eisenhower will be picking up the slack, at least in the near future.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/china...#ixzz2DATluug6


text:
BLUE Wilderness® Wolf Creek Stew Chunky Chicken Stew For Adult Dogs
Inspired by Western-style campfire cooking, BLUE Wilderness Wolf Creek Stew is a hearty dinner that captures the spirit of the open prairies where wolves roamed freely.
A hearty, grain-free recipe with generous chunks of chicken, Wilderness Wolf Creek Stew is made with the meat your dog craves and is steeped in a savory gravy for an irresistible flavor.
- Starts with delicious, protein-rich Chicken
- 100% grain-free
- Contains only the finest natural ingredients
- NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, no corn, wheat or soy and nothing artificial
- NO artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or corn, wheat or soy.
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals.
ALWAYS Starts with Protein-Rich CHICKEN
- NO Chicken (or Poultry) By-Product Meals
- NO Corn, Wheat or Soy
- NO Artificial Flavors or Preservatives
Guaranteed Analysis
|Crude Protein
|8.5% min
|Crude Fat
|3.0% min
|Crude Fiber
|1.5% max
|82.0% max
Nutrition Statement
BLUE Wilderness Wolf Creek Chunky Chicken Stew for Dogs is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
Feeding Guidelines
Feeding Instructions
Feed 1-1½ cans per 10 pounds of body weight per day.
Refrigerate unused portion.
Fresh Water
Be sure to have a clean bowl of cool, fresh water available at all times.
Note: Individual dog's requirements may vary due to age, breed, environment, and activity level. Adjust food as required to maintain optimal body condition, and ask your veterinarian if you are unsure.
Calorie Content:
880 Kcals/kg, 311 Kcals/can.


text:
This page covers a general game mechanic and a widely used game term, and is not itself a specific player ability.
A Knock back (also known as punting) is in general the ability to lift and knock a character backwards away from a combatant some distance, even possibly quite far. Before patch 3.3 WotLK, receiving a knock back could also cause a player to become dismounted from their ground or flying mount.
Player's abilities which emit a knock back effect can either knock an enemy or yourself backwards a certain distance. In some cases, as with hunters Disengage when out-of-combat, will also cause the player to dismount. Historically, the ability to 'knock back' is one that was only given to some mobs or NPCs (Non-Player Characters) as a special ability, with rare exceptions such as Disengage. They were sought after by players in the past and were implemented in Wrath of the Lich King as a more pervasive feature of many more abilities for other classes and races. If you have knock back effect, use it wisely. For example, Hunters benefit from the extra range the knock back gives them.
Player abilities with a knock back effect:
- Hunters's talent Disengage: 13 yard "self" knock back, considered similar to blink. As of Patch 5.4, disengage can be used out of combat.
- Shaman's talent Thunderstorm: 20 yard knock back. Theorically, this spell has the most powerful knock-back.
- Warlock's talent Carrion Swarm: 15 yard knock back.
- Mage's talent Blast Wave: between 10 and 15 yard knock back. As of Cataclysm no longer emits a knock-back effect.
Patch changesEdit
- Patch 5.4.0 (10-Sep-2013): Hunters can now use Disengage out-of-combat.
- Patch 4.1.0 (26-Apr-2011): Mage Blast wave no longer causes knock back.
- Patch 3.3.0 (08-Dec-2009): Knock back effects no longer dismount players. If on a flying mount, you will be knocked back a short distance before being able to resume flying.
This is likely due an abuse of player knock back abilities in PvP to causing flagged players to fall to their death.
- Patch 1.6.0 (12-Jul-2005): Knock back effects are now synchronized with any associated missile impacts.


text:
Sorry, there are no 311 dates.
311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by singer/guitarist Nick Hexum, singer S.A. Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles, California.
311 mix rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the hardest working, most influential and most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
311 have released ten studio albums, one live album, one greatest hits album and three dvd's - and have sold over 8.5 million albums in the U.S. Seven of their albums have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart...and nine of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Radio Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song & Don't Tread On Me. Along with Amber, All Mixed Up, Come Original, Creatures For Awhile, Hey You and Sunset in July).
311's upcoming album STEREOLITHIC (on 311 Records and distributed via INGrooves), has a release date of March 11, 2014 ("311 DAY"). The album features 15 new songs and is currently on Pre-Order at www.pledgemusic.com/ThreeEleven.
That same day 311 will play their special 311 DAY show at the New Orleans Arena, which attracts thousands of dedicated 311 fans from around the world. Tickets have already been sold to fans in all 50 U.S. States and 15 countries. The show includes an extended setlist (60+ songs) and state of the art production.
The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311's annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer. Support acts on previous Unity Tours have included Sublime with Rome, Cypress Hill, The Offspring, Slightly Stoopid, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu, and Ziggy Marley.


text:
KDE 4.0 Release Schedule Revised
The KDE Release Team has revised the release
The revised release schedule looks like this:
Tagging of those releases takes place on the Wednesday before the release, so if you are a
The Release Team would like to stress that developers should be in 'release mode' by now,
Very good!
i think it's a very good strategy to wait for a really final and stable release for december and to release a developer version earlier. I update my opensuse packages of KDE4 every day and I'm always happy when I see new things which work... so move on with the great work!
By LordBernhard at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Explanation of the Development Platform
We're not releasing a "development version" (well, we do, it's called "Beta" and "Release Candidates"). The Developer Platform however does *not* contain the desktop, nor applications. It's "merely" a set of libraries and tools that you need to *write* KDE 4 applications. Those parts are considerable further down the road than the desktop itself (no surprise there), so we want to give third party developers the opportunity to work with it while we're still polishing the desktop itself.
By Sebastian Kügler at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Re: Explanation of the Development Platform
I think this is a really good move! Compiling all of KDE still seams like a daunting task to me. If I can install a "SDK" to start coding directly, I'd really use that instead.
Likewise, the KDE4 packages for openSUSE made me consider to try it out now. I don't feel like compiling KDE every week again. ;-)
By Diederik van de... at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Re: Explanation of the Development Platform
oh.. I'm really sorry for this mistake.. I haven't had enough time at work to read the whole text so I just flew over it... nonetheless it's a great decision!
I've got one last question: will there be enough documentation ready in the techbase (until the developer platform gets released) to start from scratch with KDE4 programs? atm there are wonderful categories but most of them are empty or really basic. I'm really interested in this because I'd like to write a little systemcenter for KDE and it should also have support for plasma/plasmoids and therefore I'd need good documentation of plasma/solid and some other stuff.
By LordBernhard at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
good move
Good move guys. Eager as I am to get my hands on a finished KDE4, I'd ratehr wait until it's REALLY finished, and everyone else (even people who've never tried KDE before) can realise its potential too. Well done :)
By Lee at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
You REALLY had change the release date of KDE 4.0 to when I have all my tests, aight? ;)
No seriously, I think it sounds great. So, is the codename going to be "Khristmas"? Oh wait, forgot that you change all 'K's to 'C' nowadays.
Keep up with the great work!
By Hans Chen at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
*had change = had to change
By edit at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
Don't worry, they won't change to CDE or Copete. ;)
By Hans Chen at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
Isn't the CDE name more or less available now? I searched for "cde" on a well-known search engine and the top (related) hit was the following page: http://www.opengroup.org/cde/
where the FAQ contained questions such as:
"What is the right porting path for me if I am using Motif 1.2.4 right now? Should I expect to be using CDEnext as of January 1, 1997? How do I get there from here?"
Who is for a name change!? CDE 4.0 - the cool desktop environment :-)
By Martin at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
Hear, hear. We may as well, so that we don't have to explain to all of the hoards of newbies what the "K" stands for...
By David at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
If you're going for a name change might as well drop the nonsense that is "desktop environment".
By Reply at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am
Re: Bad
The point of the excursion into Latin is that K,C and Q are pronounced the same and can be used as you like.
By reihal at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am
String freeze?
The string freeze will occur in October 19th also?
Thank you.
By kde.fan.from.brasil at Fri, 2007/09/07 - 5:00am
> Start using the current SVN version and help us fixing bugs.
I think this means "help coding" right? Just having svn running here, and it looks like it is to early to report bugs ;)
By Felix at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am
Re: Bugreports
Are there nightly builds?
By Martin at Mon, 2007/09/10 - 5:00am
Translation freeze?
I don't see a translation freeze in the schedule.
Wich is the final data for translations?
By rinse at Sat, 2007/09/08 - 5:00am


text:
Runners optimistic NYC Marathon will be win for city
NEW YORK -- In Central Park, as New York Marathon staff erected the finish line grandstand, nearby city workers in cherry pickers sawed off tree limbs damaged by superstorm Sandy.
At the Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue, a heavy flow of visitors were greeted at the door by the smell of mold coming from the flooded basement. Inside marathon organizers and vendors gathered to hand out race numbers and sell merchandise.
The race, scheduled for Sunday, will go on, says Mayor Michael Bloomberg. And many participants – some of them New Yorkers affected by Sandy, others visitors from other countries – are grateful for the decision, despite criticism from those who believe local resources should be reserved for storm recovery efforts.
"It's a way for the city to move on, symbolically, to say that we're getting back to normal," says marathoner Eric Anthamatten, a philosophy professor who lives in Manhattan.
Sandy left millions of homes and businesses across the region without power. The city continued to restore several avenues of public transportation Thursday, though bus and rail service was limited and often delayed. The race is scheduled to begin in Staten Island, which suffered 17 of the 34 storm-related deaths in New York.
QUESTIONS REMAIN:Organizers making tweaks for Sunday
"I think it will be good to bring the morale back to the city," said first-time marathoner Shawna Denhart of Brooklyn. "A lot of negative things have happened. It's a tradition. It's not something new to the city. As New Yorkers we adapt very well to circumstances."
Airport closures changed travel plans for many race participants and their families, including Wilson Kipsang of Kenya, who is among the men's leading contenders. He flew into Philadelphia when flights to New York were canceled.
"It's really unfortunate for the city and for the race preparation," he told USA TODAY Sports. "I feel that many things will be different and back to normal by Sunday."
Bloomberg said Thursday that electricity is expected to be restored in downtown Manhattan by Sunday, alleviating the strain on the police force in time for the marathon.
The decision to hold the race continued to stir debate among local politicans.
Staten Island councilman James Oddo posted on his Facebook page that no resources should be diverted from the community to the marathon. He said he had a "respectful" conversation with Bloomberg but wasn't backing down from his position.
"It's a very difficult sell partly because up until this morning it seemed the rest of the world didn't know how broken Staten Island was," Oddo said Thursday. "The notion that we would possibly divert resources from this mission to have police stand behind a barricade (for the race) doesn't compute with me."
The bodies of two Staten Island boys, ages 2 and 4, were found by police Thursday after they were swept off the roof of their mother's SUV in the storm.
"We understand showing the world that we are strong and resilient and we can endure a punch, but for a marathon?" Oddo said. "I have great respect for runners, respect for the marathon's history.
"We're saying postpone it for a week. If that means if we shed some of those (thousands of) runners, I'm sorry. Right now I think the focus should be on recovery."
Some argue that the positive financial impact that tens of thousands of visitors bring to the city is reason enough for the race to go on. Estimates pegged the economic impact at $350 million.
"You've got to figure, people have come from all over the world to be here. You can't just suddenly say forget it. The race is off," says Danny Cappiello, a Long Island native and a producer for the New York Road Runners online show.
"The city took a big hit financially with the storm, and the marathon brings in a lot of money, so right now, anything you can do, you've got to try."


text:
|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Genome Prairie ADVANCED APPLIED COMPUTATIONAL GENOMICS COURSE (ADVANCED ACGC) Building an In-house Bioinformatics System _____ NRC Institute for Marine Biosciences Halifax, NS February 13 - 17, 2006 Scientific Coordinator: Dr. Brian Fristensky, University of Manitoba Creating and managing a bioinformatics system for a lab, institute, or university presents a host of problems. While there are an enormous number of software tools, databases and hardware choices, integrating these into a coherent, reliable and easy-to-use system is difficult to do well. This course will guide participants through the steps needed to install and tailor a system to the needs of the local user community, whether a single research lab or a campus or company-wide system. Topics include (tentative): * First steps: Designing a hardware, software, web and database infrastructure for your lab * Make it so: Any user can do anything from anywhere (BIRCH <http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/%7Epsgendb/> ) installing and organizing software; strategies for keeping system administration simple; making programs easy to find and use; care and feeding of your user base * Data pipelines: Everything is a web service BioMOBY <http://www.biomoby.org/> Using web services; Creating web services; creating and modifying data pipelines in Taverna <http://taverna.sourceforge.net/> * Making databases and applications web-accessible (Canadian Bioinformatics Help Desk) <http://www.gchelpdesk.ualberta.ca/> Design of application web pages; making databases web-accessible; making software downloadable * Genome annotation pipelines (MAGPIE <http://magpie.ucalgary.ca/> , BLUEJAY <http://bluejay.ucalgary.ca/> ) Implementing MAGPIE; populating the database; gene annotation * High Performance Computing Computing grids; computing clusters Prerequisites: Previous experience in Unix and Perl, or prior attendance at the Genome Canada Applied Computational Genomics Course. International attendees welcome. For more information about this workshop or to download a registration form, please go to http://www.gcbioinformatics.ca or contact: Sophie Chung Training Coordinator Genome Prairie PH: (403) 210-8588 Email: sophie.chung at visualgenomics.ca


text:
We're going to be in Walt Disney World until Friday night. My favorites as a kid were The Carousel of Progress (Magic Kingdom) and the China exhibit (Epcot Center). I'm excited to see what the step-kids will like. I'm also interested to see where my early morning run with baby jogger will take me...
You can expect a full report upon our return. In the meantime, go vote!
Running Song of The Day: Dui Bu Qi Xie Xie by Eason Chan
Monday, 3 November 2008
2 comments:
- Danni said...
Have fun! My mom grew up in Daytona Beach and until recently my grandma was still there -- I've been to WDW a gazillions times and it never gets old! I've also run the Disney Marathon (no not in TNT :p) and enjoyed "drinking around the world" at Epcot -- a drink in each country. (Yeah I really am over age 30 I swear).
- 3 November 2008 at 17:06
- Jenee-O-Rama said...
As long as you're there, you should go by the Gaylord Palms resort. It's part of the Opryland family of hotels, and it is spectacular. There are live alligators (someone from Gatorland comes to feed them at 6 pm), and the architecture and design is something to see. I used to work there. ;)
- 3 November 2008 at 18:47
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Posts TaggedData recovery
Firstly, I must start this review with a confession: Even as an experienced IT professional, and despite the advice I frequently give out to friends and relatives, I don't back up my data anywhere near as much as I should do. I have an Apple Time Capsule at home, but that has ended up being used more as a central data store for my home than anything and, whilst I know it is important for me to back up regularly, I just don't seem to get around to it all that often.
Then, the inevitable happens, and a disk fails to boot or mount one day, sometimes even without warning. In these cases, sometimes Apple's own Disk Utility can help, but more often than not if the problem is serious, it just won't cut it. Disk Utility is great, but when there are major problems on a drive, it generally spits out some cryptic error message and does nothing to help you fix the problem.
I experienced exactly this problem with a media drive connected to one of my Macs at home some time ago, and so it was with great interest that I discovered Alsoft's DiskWarrior. The drive had been misbehaving for some time, occasionally losing files that had been added the day before, but now the drive wouldn't mount at all, and I was worried. There were some irreplacable photos and videos stored on this drive, and I wanted to try and recover them the best I could.


text:
Yes, there is a Santa Claus …
A friend sent this to me to share and I loved it. I remember once in third grade saving my lunch money and getting some help from my own Mama Cole and Aunt Anna and buying clothes and shoes for a girl in my class, Lillian, who lived on the wrong side of the tracks in the little mill village. She had so little and what she had was divided between six brothers and sisters. Lillian grew up to be a good, responsible adult and never forgot the little gift of love that Santa made happen.I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid.
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot eas
ier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted. "… Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me $10. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only 8 years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that 10-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church.
I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-2 class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!
I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my $10 down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it.
Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.
Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were — ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.
Brenda Cannon Henley is an award-winning journalist and writer living on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast. Having enjoyed more than four decades in ministry, Brenda shares her columns with our readers and works with churches and faith-based programs nationwide. She can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at brendacannonhenley [at] yahoo [dot] com.


text:
Analog Output & Digital Input/Output Board: 5500A & 5900
2310-907 | Analog Output and Digital Input/ Output Board for 5500A and 5900 Series
Allows connection of external analogue data recording devices, etc. Features 4 zero suppressed and scaled 10V outputs via BNC connectors. A 25 pin D connector provides 4 logic line Outputs and 4 logic line inputs to trigger internal and external events. For all 5900 systems.
For all 5500A, 5900 and 59 Series systems.


text:
John was involved in an automobile accident just before noon. A woman ran a red light & slammed into the front end of our car. The phone rang & it was the police. They told me he had been in an accident & could I come pick him up as our car was not able to be driven. He was having some issues & so they called the fire department & the paramedics. He declined to go to the hospital. The car was towed ... an adjuster will look at it in the next day or two. John has a bit of pain in his back & is shaken up but otherwise seems okay. He promised me that he will let me know if the pain gets worse.
God was watching out for him. If he had entered into the intersection a second sooner ... or the other driver had gone through the red light a second later ... things could have been much worse.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Car Accident
John was involved in an automobile accident just before noon. A woman ran a red light & slammed into the front end of our car. The phone rang & it was the police. They told me he had been in an accident & could I come pick him up as our car was not able to be driven. He was having some issues & so they called the fire department & the paramedics. He declined to go to the hospital. The car was towed ... an adjuster will look at it in the next day or two. John has a bit of pain in his back & is shaken up but otherwise seems okay. He promised me that he will let me know if the pain gets worse.
Posted by Shirlee at 1:21 PM 35 comments
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Yes, I'm Smiling : )
Posted by Shirlee at 1:11 PM 9 comments
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Surgery & Socks & Other Stuff
Hello faithful followers & anyone passing by to check me out : )
I had some unexpected surgery yesterday. When John & I were in Las Vegas last February, I wore a new pair of shoes ... same brand/style/size as my previous pair ... & we did a lot of walking. By the end of our trip, I was having a lot of pain in my left big toe. By the time we arrived home, the toe was swollen & bruised & the nail was discolored. I tried to get an appointment with more than one podiatrist in The Devil's Playground, but despite me describing my discomfort to their receptionists, I was told that I would have to wait weeks/months for an appointment as a new patient. I gave up & decided things would eventually get better. They didn't. As the pain was increasing again, I decided last Friday that it was time to seek out another podiatrist. I called one a few blocks away & was asked if I could come in on Monday (yesterday). I couldn't believe the difference between a normal town & The Devil's Playground, but then again, I could. Anyway, a very nice doctor who looked like he was still in high school ordered a few x-rays to make sure there was no bone damage (there wasn't) & he then informed me that it would be best for him to perform some minor surgery to remove the nail. I won't go into the details, but it was interesting to watch. (He was rather surprised that I didn't want him to lay me back so that I would be unable to see what was going on, but I find medical procedures to be quite interesting.)
I think it's kind of, well, disgusting when people post photos of their swollen puss-oozing wounds, so fear not ... no photo like that is being posted here. I did, however, decide to post the following photo showing the huge bandage I had to contend with yesterday.
Posted by Shirlee at 10:34 AM 18 comments
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Finished a pair of socks today I started back in April. They languished unfinished for several months. I only had to sew up the toes, but I have a mental block about that. They only reason they got finished today is I needed the needles for another project : )
Posted by Shirlee at 10:57 AM 14 comments
Sunday, October 25, 2015
All Kinds of Stuff
First, & most importantly ...
Posted by Shirlee at 1:58 PM 19 comments
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Need Decorating Help
Okay, I need more than decorating help, but for this post it's decorating help I need : )
I basically love this townhome we're living in. Sadly it has a lot of issues, but it is still homey & comfortable. I've said it before & I'll say it again ... I will be quite unhappy when it comes time for us to leave it & head off to pastures of unknown color. One of the issues I have with this townhome are the transom windows above our front door & window.
Posted by Shirlee at 9:36 AM 17 comments
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
I posted a couple days ago about discovering my Tea of the Month Collection which, for whatever reason, I thought was a Christmas collection of tea. (You can read about it here if you missed it.)
I have been steadily working my way through the box & am having a cup of June's offering as I write this. It occurred to me that my fellow tea lovers might be wondering what other teas were in the box & perhaps my thoughts about them as well, so here goes : )
While noodling around the internet this morning for a photo to go with this post, I found this one.
Posted by Shirlee at 7:01 AM 11 comments
Saturday, September 26, 2015
What Is Truth?
This is going to be a lengthy post. Grab yourself a cuppa & settle down in a comfy chair if you plan to read further.
Some people wouldn't recognize truth if it ran them down & then backed up over them.
On July 12, John & I went to a local furniture store & purchased a bedroom set, an end table, & a dining table & chairs. I believe that I talked about the bedroom set in a prior post or two. To briefly recap, we told the salesman (Brett) that we wanted solid wood furniture. Brett said this bedroom set was solid cherry. Based on the price of it & how beautiful it looked, we believed him. After it was delivered, I looked up the manufacturer's website to see what their instructions were for taking care of it. What I discovered was that the set was made in Vietnam using MDF. MDF stands for Medium Density Fiberboard which is "an engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, combining these fibers with wax & a resin binder, & forming panels by applying high temperature & pressure." The only parts of the furniture that were solid cherry were the drawer fronts.
Brett never admitted to lying or apologized for giving us incorrect information. Instead he tried several times to tell us how wonderful this manufacturer is & how great the furniture is. The store finally agreed to take back the bedroom set as well as the end table which also turned out to be made using MDF, & to refund our full purchase price.
As for the dining table & chairs, Brett told us it was made of solid maple, by the Amish, & was therefore made to order. He said we could expect delivery in 6-8 weeks, the latest delivery date being September 6. We weren't too thrilled with this, but we really liked the set so we decided to wait. On August 10 I wondered if it was too late to make a change in the color of stain we picked out. After talking with the furniture rep, Brett said I had caught them "just in time." He said the set was "almost finished, but not yet stained." After making the color change, Brett said we did not lose our place in line & that "no production time would be lost." Since the furniture only needed to be stained, I assumed it would be delivered in the not too distant future ... but August was almost over & I had heard nothing more about it. I contacted Brett to ask for an update & he said there was a backlog at the factory & delivery wouldn't be until sometime in October. I was not happy. When I asked him how furniture that was "almost complete" on August 10 would now not be delivered until "sometime in October," he ignored the question. When I pointed out that he told me "no production time was lost," he said that he guessed making the change must have moved us back to the end of the line. I said I wanted to cancel the order. He said I couldn't do that because special orders cannot be canceled. When I persisted, he said he asked the store owner & then the furniture rep who both said special orders cannot be canceled. I was now beyond upset. I spent hours on the internet trying to find out what, if anything, I could do. I found a furniture manufacturer whistle blowing sort of forum, posted my dilemma, & found out that this furniture company making the table & chairs isn't even Amish! I was given some suggestions, none of which panned out, so I ended up just having to accept the whole miserable situation & hope that (A) the furniture truly would be delivered sometime in October, & (B) that it would be nicely made.
You could have knocked me over with a feather when yesterday I received a phone call saying my table & chairs were ready & would delivery sometime today be convenient for me. I said it would, & I then began to shift boxes around to make room for it. The delivery guys brought it this morning, & here it is.
Posted by Shirlee at 2:51 PM 18 comments
Thursday, September 24, 2015
I've been pondering a lot of things lately. Perhaps this is because every time I turn around I find another medical issue slapping me in the face ... or perhaps all the stress I've been under (which seems to be never-ending!) is getting to me ... or maybe it's because I'm nearing the age of 62 & pondering just steamrolls itself into your life at this juncture. Then again, maybe the advent of fall just makes one ponder things. I only know that some changes need to be made ... & while pondering about life & changes & anything else really, a cup of hot tea helps soothe the troubled soul.
BEINGS THAT CHRISTMAS EVE IS JUST 3 MONTHS AWAY FROM TODAY!!! (yes, I had to write that all in caps with exclamation points ... & you can't see it but you probably know that there's a big smile on my face as well!) ... I decided to be a little wild & crazy & break out the Christmas teas this morning. I opened the tea cupboard where I have them stored.
Posted by Shirlee at 9:20 AM 14 comments


text:
Media Matters' war against Fox
The liberal group Media Matters has quietly transformed itself in preparation for what its founder, David Brock, described in an interview as an all-out campaign of "guerrilla warfare and sabotage" aimed at the Fox News Channel.
The group, launched as a more traditional media critic, has all but abandoned its monitoring of newspapers and other television networks and is narrowing its focus to Fox and a handful of conservative websites, which its leaders view as political organizations and the "nerve center" of the conservative movement. The shift reflects the centrality of the cable channel to the contemporary conservative movement, as well as the loathing it inspires among liberals — not least among the donors who fund Media Matters' staff of about 90, who are arrayed in neat rows in a giant war room above Massachusetts Avenue.
Story Continued Below
"The strategy that we had had toward Fox was basically a strategy of containment," said Brock, Media Matters' chairman and founder and a former conservative journalist, adding that the group's main aim had been to challenge the factual claims of the channel and to attempt to prevent them from reaching the mainstream media.
The new strategy, he said, is a "war on Fox."
In an interview and a 2010 planning memo shared with POLITICO, Brock listed the fronts on which Media Matters — which he said is operating on a $10 million-plus annual budget — is working to chip away at Fox and its parent company, News Corp. They include its bread-and-butter distribution of embarrassing clips and attempts to rebut Fox points, as well as a series of under-the-radar tactics.
Media Matters, Brock said, is assembling opposition research files not only on Fox's top executives but on a series of midlevel officials. It has hired an activist who has led a successful campaign to press advertisers to avoid Glenn Beck's show. The group is assembling a legal team to help people who have clashed with Fox to file lawsuits for defamation, invasion of privacy or other causes. And it has hired two experienced reporters, Joe Strupp and Alexander Zaitchik, to dig into Fox's operation to help assemble a book on the network, due out in 2012 from Vintage/Anchor. (In the interest of full disclosure, Media Matters last month also issued a report criticizing "Fox and Friends" co-host Steve Doocy's criticism of this reporter's blog.)
Brock said Media Matters also plans to run a broad campaign against Fox's parent company, News Corp., an effort which most likely will involve opening a United Kingdom arm in London to attack the company's interests there. The group hired an executive from MoveOn.org to work on developing campaigns among News Corp. shareholders and also is looking for ways to turn regulators in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere against the network.
The group will "focus on [News Corp. CEO Rupert] Murdoch and trying to disrupt his commercial interests — whether that be here or looking at what's going on in London right now," Brock said, referring to News Corp.'s — apparently successful — move to take a majority stake in the satellite broadcaster BSkyB.