text:
This article was reported by Jo Becker, Serge F. Kovaleski, Michael Luo and Dan Barry and written by Mr. Barry.
TUCSON — Moments after the swirl of panic, blood, death and shock, the suspect was face down on the pavement and squirming under the hold of two civilians, his shaved head obscured by a beanie and the hood of his dark sweatshirt.
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Audetat, a chiseled former Marine with three tours in Iraq to his credit, dug his knee into the gangly young man's back and cuffed him. With the aid of another deputy, he relieved the heroic civilians of their charge and began searching for weapons other than the Glock semiautomatic pistol, secured nearby under a civilian's foot, that had just fired 31 rounds.
In the left front pocket, two 15-round magazines. In the right front pocket, a black, four-inch folding knife. "Are there any other weapons on you?" Deputy Audetat recalled demanding.
"Back right pocket."
But the back right pocket contained no weapons. Instead, in a Ziploc bag, the deputy found about $20 in cash, some change, a credit card and, peeking through the plastic as if proffering a calling card, an Arizona driver's license for one Jared Lee Loughner, 22.Continue reading the main story
Deputy Audetat lifted the passive, even relaxed suspect to his feet and led him to the patrol car, where the man twisted himself awkwardly across the back seat, face planted on the floor board. Then he invoked an oddly timed constitutional right. "I plead the Fifth," Mr. Loughner said, though the deputy had no intention of questioning him. "I plead the Fifth."
At a Pima County Sheriff's Department substation, Deputy Audetat guided Mr. Loughner to a tiny interview room with a two-way mirror, directed him to a plastic blue chair and offered him a glass of water. The deputy detected no remorse; nothing.
Now to another building for the mug shot. Look into the camera, the suspect was told. He smiled.
Mr. Loughner's spellbinding mug shot — that bald head, that bright-eyed gaze, that smile — yields no answer to why, why, why, why, the aching question cried out in a subdued Tucson synagogue last week. Does the absence of hair suggest a girding for battle? Does the grin convey a sense of accomplishment, or complete disengagement from the consequence of his actions?
And is his slightly blackened left eye all but winking at the wholesale violence that preceded the camera's click? The attack on a meet-and-greet event with a congresswoman outside a supermarket; the killing of six people, including the chief federal judge in Arizona and a 9-year-old girl; the wounding of 13, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, shot in the head.
Since last Saturday's shooting frenzy in Tucson, investigators and the news media have spent the week frantically trying to assemble the Jared Loughner jigsaw puzzle in hopes that the pieces will fit, a clear picture will emerge and the answer to why will be found, providing the faint reassurance of a dark mystery solved.
Instead, the pattern of facts so far presents only a lack of one, a curlicue of contradictory moments open to broad interpretation. Here he is, a talented saxophonist with a prestigious high school jazz band, and there he is, a high school dropout. Here he is, a clean-cut employee for an Eddie Bauer store, and there he is, so unsettling a presence that tellers at a local bank would feel for the alarm button when he walked in.
Those who see premeditation in the acts Mr. Loughner is accused of committing can cite, for example, his pleading of the Fifth Amendment or the envelope the authorities found in his safe that bore the handwritten words "Giffords," "My assassination" and "I planned ahead" — or how he bided his time in the supermarket, even using the men's room. Those who suspect he is insane, and therefore a step removed from being responsible for his actions, can point to any of his online postings, including:
"If 987,123,478,961,876,341,234,671,234, 098,601,978,618 is the year in B.C.E then the previous year of 987,123,478,961,876, 341,234,671,234,098,601,978,618 B.C.E is 987,123,478,961,876,341,234,671,234,098, 601,978,619 B.C.E."
What the cacophony of facts do suggest is that Mr. Loughner is struggling with a profound mental illness (most likely paranoid schizophrenia, many psychiatrists say); that his recent years have been marked by stinging rejection — from his country's military, his community college, his girlfriends and, perhaps, his father; that he, in turn, rejected American society, including its government, its currency, its language, even its math. Mr. Loughner once declared to his professor that the number 6 could be called 18.
As he alienated himself from his small clutch of friends, grew contemptuous of women in positions of power and became increasingly oblivious to basic social mores, Mr. Loughner seemed to develop a dreamy alternate world, where the sky was sometimes orange, the grass sometimes blue and the Internet's informational chaos provided refuge.
He became an echo chamber for stray ideas, amplifying, for example, certain grandiose tenets of a number of extremist right-wing groups — including the need for a new money system and the government's mind-manipulation of the masses through language.
In the last three months, Mr. Loughner had a 9-millimeter bullet tattooed on his right shoulder blade and turned increasingly to the Internet to post indecipherable tutorials about the new currency, bemoan the prevalence of illiteracy and settle scores with the Army and Pima Community College, both of which had shunned him. He also may have felt rejected by the American government in general, and by Ms. Giffords in particular, with whom he had a brief — and, to him, unsatisfactory — encounter in 2007.
Nearly four years later, investigators say, Mr. Loughner methodically planned another encounter with her. Eight days ago, on a sunny Saturday morning, he took a $14 taxi ride to a meet-your-representative gathering outside a Safeway, they say, and he was armed for slaughter.
Clarence Dupnik, the outspoken sheriff of Pima County, was driving back from Palm Springs when he received word of the shooting. Ms. Giffords and the slain judge, John M. Roll, were friends of his. "It was like someone kicked me in the stomach," he recalled. "Shock turned to anger. The closer to Tucson, the angrier I got."
Although his law enforcement colleagues are diligently working to shore up their criminal case to counter a possible plea of insanity that could mitigate punishment, Sheriff Dupnik seems torn about Mr. Loughner's mental state.
"There's no doubt in my mind that the whole trial will be about did he know right from wrong," the sheriff said. "We'll have 15 psychiatrists saying yes. We'll have 15 psychiatrists saying no. What do I say? I think he's mentally disturbed."
Disturbed enough to be found guilty but insane?
"I majored in psychology at the university," Sheriff Dupnik answered. "Based on what I've seen, he is psychotic, he has serious problems with reality, and I think he's delusional. Does he meet the legal test of guilty but insane? I don't know."
Early Signs of Alienation
One spring morning in 2006, a student showed up at Mountain View High School so intoxicated that he had to be taken to Northwest Hospital, five miles away. A sheriff's deputy went to the hospital's emergency room to question the inebriated 17-year-old student, whose eyes were red from crying.
According to a police report, the teenager explained that he had taken a bottle of vodka from his father's liquor cabinet around 1:30 that morning and, for the next several hours, drank much of its contents. Why? Because I was upset that my father had yelled at me, said the student, Jared Loughner.
In the search for clues to explain the awfulness to come, this moment stands out as the first public breach in the facade of domestic calm in the modest Loughner home on Soledad Avenue in the modest subdivision of Orangewood Estates, its front door shrouded by the wide canopy of an old mesquite tree, its perimeter walled off as if for fortification.
The mother, Amy Loughner, worked as the manager of one of the area's parks. Pleasant though reserved, she impressed the parents of her son's friends as a doting mother who shepherded her only child to his saxophone lessons and concerts, and encouraged his dream of one day attending the Juilliard School, the prestigious arts conservatory in New York.
Once, when he was in the ninth grade, Mr. Loughner's parents had to leave town for a week, and he stayed with the family of his friend, Alex Montanaro. Before leaving, Mrs. Loughner presented Alex's mother, Michelle Montanaro, with a document that temporarily granted her power of attorney for Jared — in case something happened.
"This is how I knew his mom doted on Jared," Ms. Montanaro said. "She thought of everything for her son."
But the father, Randy Loughner, was so rarely mentioned by his son that some of Jared's friends assumed that his parents were divorced. Mr. Loughner installed carpets and pool decks, and spent much of his free time restoring old cars. Jared drove a Chevy Nova; his mother, an El Camino.
Some neighbors saw Randy Loughner as private; others as standoffish, even a bit scary. As a member of one neighboring family suggested: if your child's ball came to rest in the Loughners' yard, you left it there.
And, occasionally, word would trickle back to the homes of Jared's friends of a family unhappy in its own way. That Jared and his father did not get along. That a palpable sense of estrangement hovered in the Loughner home.
"He would tell me that he didn't want to go home because he didn't like being home," recalled Ashley Figueroa, 21, who dated him for several months in high school.
Teased for a while as a Harry Potter look-alike, then adopting a more disheveled look, Jared seemed to find escape for a while in music, developing a taste for the singular sounds of John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. A talented saxophonist, he could show off his own musical chops by sweetly performing such jazz classics as "Summertime."
He belonged to the Arizona Jazz Academy, where the director, Doug Tidaback, found him to be withdrawn, though clearly dedicated. He played for two different ensembles, an 18-piece band and a smaller combo, which meant four hours of rehearsal on weekends and many discussions between the director and the mother about her son's musical prospects.
But Mr. Tidaback did not recall ever seeing Jared's father at any of the rehearsals or performances. And one other thing: the music director suspected that the teenager might be using marijuana.
"Being around people who smoke pot, they tend to be a little paranoid," Mr. Tidaback said. "I got that sense from him. That might have been part of his being withdrawn."
Mr. Tidaback, it seems, was onto something. Several of Jared's friends said he used marijuana, mushrooms and, especially, the hallucinogenic herb called Salvia divinorum. When smoked or chewed, the plant can cause brief but intense highs.
None of this necessarily distinguished him from his high school buddies. Several of them dabbled in drugs, played computer games like World of Warcraft and Diablo and went through Goth and alternative phases. Jared and a friend, Zane Gutierrez, would also shoot guns for practice in the desert; Jared, Mr. Gutierrez recalled, became quite proficient at picking off can targets with a gun.
But Jared, a curious teenager who at times could be intellectually intimidating, stood out because of his passionate opinions about government — and his obsession with dreams.
He became intrigued by antigovernment conspiracy theories, including that the Sept. 11 attacks were perpetrated by the government and that the country's central banking system was enslaving its citizens. His anger would well up at the sight of President George W. Bush, or in discussing what he considered to be the nefarious designs of government.
"I think he feels the people should be able to govern themselves," said Ms. Figueroa, his former girlfriend. "We didn't need a higher authority."
Breanna Castle, 21, another friend from junior and senior high school, agreed. "He was all about less government and less America," she said, adding, "He thought it was full of conspiracies and that the government censored the Internet and banned certain books from being read by us."
Among the books that he would later cite as his favorites: "Animal Farm," "Fahrenheit 451," "Mein Kampf" and "The Communist Manifesto." Also: "Peter Pan."
And there was that fascination with dreams. Ms. Castle acknowledged that in high school, she too developed an interest in analyzing her dreams. But Jared's interest was much deeper.
"It started off with dream interpretation, but then he delved into the idea of accessing different parts of your mind and trying to control your entire brain at all times," she said. "He was troubled that we only use part of our brain, and he thought that he could unlock his entire brain through lucid dreaming."
With "lucid dreaming," the dreamer supposedly becomes aware that he or she is dreaming and then is able to control those dreams. George Osler IV, the father of one of Jared's former friends, said his son explained the notion to him this way: "You can fly. You can experience all kinds of things that you can't experience in reality."
But the Mr. Osler worried about the healthiness of this boyhood obsession, particularly the notion that "This is all not real."
Gradually, friends and acquaintances say, there came a detachment from the waking world — a strangeness that made others uncomfortable.
Mr. Loughner unnerved one parent, Mr. Osler, by smiling when there wasn't anything to smile about. He puzzled another parent, Ms. Montanaro, by reading aloud a short story he had written, about angels and the end of the world, that she found strange and incomprehensible. And he rattled Breanna Castle, his friend, by making a video that featured a gas station, traffic and his incoherent mumbles.
"The more people became shocked and worried about him, the more withdrawn he got," Ms. Castle said.
Not long after showing up intoxicated at school, Jared dropped out. He also dropped out of band. Then, in September 2007, he and a friend were caught with drug paraphernalia in a white van.
Something was happening to Jared Loughner. It was clear to his friends, clear to anyone who encountered him.
"He would get so upset about bigger issues, like why do positive and negative magnets have to attract each other," recalled Mr. Gutierrez, the friend who joined him in target practice in the desert. "He had the most incredible thoughts, but he could not handle them."
Facing Rejection
Two Pima Community College police officers drove into Orangewood Estates and up to a flat-roofed house on Soledad Avenue, the one with that crooked mesquite tree in the front and the old cars always parked in the driveway. Their mission that night in late September was dicey enough to require two other officers to linger in the neighborhood as backup.
The owner of the house, Randy Loughner, locked away the dogs and directed the officers to the garage, where his son, Jared, a student at the community college, was waiting. One of the officers explained that the purpose of their visit was to serve Jared with a "Notice of Immediate Suspension" from the college.
The officer, Dana Mattocks, read the letter aloud, detailing a litany of troubled and disruptive behavior, including the recent posting of an unsettling video titled "Pima Community College School — Genocide/Scam — Free Education — Broken United States Constitution."
As Officer Mattocks spoke, he later recalled, Jared Loughner stared at him as if in a "constant trance." The notice was handed to the young man, who then read the letter back to the officers.
"Even though we spent approximately one hours relaying the information and narration of Jared's actions that brought him to his current predicament," Officer Mattocks wrote in a subsequent report, "Jared left his silence and spoke out saying, 'I realize now that this is all a scam.' "
The officers declared the meeting over, chatted briefly with Jared's father in the backyard and left the Loughner family to deal with this "current predicament."
What had happened?
After dropping out of high school, Jared Loughner had tried to straighten up, friends say. He shed his unkempt image, cut drugs from his life and indulged only in the occasional 24-ounce can of Miller High Life. He began wearing crisp clothes and got a job at Eddie Bauer.
"He was damned strait-laced and, I believe, had given up weed," Mr. Gutierrez recalled. "At Eddie Bauer, he tucked his shirt in, wore a belt and dressed himself nicely, real clean cut. He could have been in any office building and would have looked fine."
And when the two friends got together, Mr. Loughner would limit himself to that one big can of beer — he was notoriously frugal — and talk of bettering himself. "He started saying that he wanted to stay out of trouble and was thinking about doing good stuff with his life," Mr. Gutierrez said.
Still, things never quite clicked.
Mr. Loughner seemed to meet rejection at every turn. He tried to enlist in the Army in 2008 but failed its drug test. He held a series of jobs, often briefly: Peter Piper Pizza, but not long enough to make it past the three-month probationary period, an executive said; the Mandarin Grill, where the owner recalled that after less than a month of employment, the teenager simply stopped showing up.
After leaving his job at Eddie Bauer, he became a volunteer at an animal-care center in Tucson. On his application, he came across as a normal and ambitious teenager, expressing interest in "community service, fun, reference and experience." But within two months he was told not to come back until he could follow rules.
At least there was the Northwest Campus of Pima Community College, where tuition was affordable, the quail often skittered across the grounds and Mr. Loughner found intellectual sanctuary. Beginning in the summer of 2005, when he was just 16, he began taking classes: music fundamentals, philosophy, sign language, algebra, biology, computers, logic — even Pilates.
But beginning in 2010, Mr. Loughner's mostly private struggle with basic societal norms tipped into the public settings of the classroom, the library, the campus.
Pima Community College has six campuses, four educational centers and nearly 70,000 students. But one student in particular, it seems, came to occupy the attention of its administrators and security officers.
Disruptions and Monitoring
In February, an administrator reported to the campus police that Mr. Loughner had disrupted the class with his strange reaction to the reading of another student's poem, taking a huge leap from its context to abortion, wars and killing people. The school official described him as "creepy." They would keep an eye on him.
In April, the director of the library summoned the police because Mr. Loughner was making loud noises while listening to music through his earphones. According to a police report, he was advised "that this behavior was not an acceptable practice for a public setting, especially in a library." The student said it would not happen again.
In May, an instructor reported to the campus police that when she informed Mr. Loughner that he had gotten a B in her Pilates class, he threw his work down and declared the grade unacceptable. Things got so tense that the instructor felt intimidated, and feared that the moment might become physical.
In June, a school counselor investigated an incident in which Mr. Loughner had disrupted a math class. When she inquired, Mr. Loughner first said that he was offended by the inquiry, then explained, "My instructor said he called a number 6, and I said I call it 18." He said he also asked the instructor to explain, "How can you deny math instead of accept it?" He went on to strike the increasingly familiar theme of persecution: that he was being "scammed."
"This student was warned," the counselor, Delisa Siddall, wrote in a report. "He has extreme views and frequently meanders from the point. He seems to have difficulty understanding how his actions impact others, yet very attuned to his unique ideology that is not always homogeneous. ... Since he reported that an incident such as this occurred in another class, administrators will have to help this student clearly understand what is appropriate classroom dialog."
Mr. Loughner said that he would not ask any more questions for fear of being expelled. All the while, though, he was expressing himself in sometimes odd conversations with other players in an online strategy game. Writing under the moniker "Dare," he denounced his "scam" education, expressed frustration over his continued unemployment ("How many applications ... is a lot?") and revealed that he had been fired from five jobs — including one, at a hamburger restaurant, that he lost because he left while in the throes of what he called a "mental breakdown."
He also wrote of his "strong interest in logic." But, it seems, it was a logic whose inductive and deductive reasoning made sense only to him.
Around this time, Mr. Loughner bumped into his old girlfriend, Ms. Figueroa, in a store. Years earlier, she had fallen for a shy boy in her computer class; they would hold hands during football games and hang out after marching band practice. Now here he was, his long locks shorn and an off-kilter air. A completely different person, it seemed.
"It was kind of like he wasn't there," Ms. Figueroa recalled. "I can't put my finger on it. It just wasn't a good feeling. I kind of got a chill."
In September, Mr. Loughner filled out paperwork to have his record expunged on the 2007 drug paraphernalia charge. Although he did not need to bother — he completed a diversion program, so the charge was never actually on his record — Judge Jose Luis Castillo, who handled the case in Pima County Consolidated Justice Court, said after the shooting that, in retrospect, it definitely "crossed my mind" that Mr. Loughner was worried that the charge would prevent him from buying a weapon.
And that same month, there was another incident at Pima Community College, another class disruption caused by Mr. Loughner, another summoning of the campus police. A teacher had informed him that he would receive only a half-credit for handing in an assignment late, and he was declaring this a violation of his right to freedom of speech.
One of the responding police officers began to engage him with simple questions, only to enter the Loughner world of logic, in which freedom of speech morphed into freedom of thought and his teacher was required to accept the thoughts he wrote down as a passing grade. The other officer took note of the student's tilted head and jittery, darting eyes.
A few days later, during a meeting with a school administrator, Mr. Loughner said that he had paid for his courses illegally because, "I did not pay with gold and silver" — a standard position among right-wing extremist groups. With Mr. Loughner's consent, that same administrator then arranged to meet with the student and his mother to discuss the creation of a "behavioral contract" for him, after which the official noted: "Throughout the meeting, Jared held himself very rigidly and smiled overtly at inappropriate times."
At the same time, other college administrators and officers were just learning of the "Pima Community College School-Genocide" video, in which the narrator says, "We are examining the torture of students," and "I haven't forgotten the teacher that gave me a B for freedom of speech," and "This is Pima Community College, one of the biggest scams in America" — and "Thank you ... This is Jared ... from Pima College."
Mr. Loughner was informed in his father's garage that he was suspended. Not long after, the college sent him a letter saying that he would not be welcomed back until he presented certification from a mental health professional that he was not a threat. That never happened.
By now the strange presence that was Jared Loughner was known in places beyond the Northwest Campus of Pima Community College.
Leaving an Impression
At a small local branch of a major bank, for example, the tellers would have their fingers on the alarm button whenever they saw him approaching.
It was not just his appearance — the pale shaved head and eyebrows — that unnerved them. It was also the aggressive, often sexist things that he said, including asserting that women should not be allowed to hold positions of power or authority.
One individual with knowledge of the situation said Mr. Loughner once got into a dispute with a female branch employee after she told him that a request of his would violate bank policy. He brusquely challenged the woman, telling her that she should not have any power.
"He was considered to be short-tempered and made people at the bank very uncomfortable," said the individual, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the matter.
The bank's employees could not forget how, after bulletproof glass was installed at the bank, Mr. Loughner would try to stick his finger through a small space atop the glass and laugh to himself, the person said.
And employees at the Sacred Art Tattoo shop would not forget that day in November — the same month in which Mr. Loughner bought a Glock — when he walked in wearing jean shorts and a muscle shirt and holding up a 9-millimeter bullet that he said he wanted replicated on his right shoulder.
It took less than a half-hour and cost $60. And when it was done, Mr. Loughner insisted on shaking the artist's hand.
Then, a week later, he returned to get a second bullet tattoo.
"I started talking to him about what he liked to do, hobbies, pastimes," recalled Carl Grace, 30, who drew the second tattoo. "He said he dreamed 14 to 15 hours a day. He said he knew how to control his sleeping and control his dreams." But when the artist asked about the meaning behind the tattoo, the customer just smiled.
"When he left, I said: 'That's a weird dude. That's a Columbine candidate.' "
A Busy Morning
At 9:41 last Saturday morning, a 60-year-old cabdriver named John Marino pulled his Ford Crown Victoria into the parking lot of a Circle K convenience store on West Cortaro Farms Road to collect his first fare of the day. The cashier inside raised her finger to signal one minute.
Then out came his customer, just another customer, a normal-looking young man. Climbing into the back seat, the man said he needed to go to the Safeway supermarket on Oracle Road, on the Northwest side. Their five-mile ride began.
Mr. Marino has been driving a taxi for a dozen years; he likes to say that he has hauled everyone from street walkers to mayors. He does not pry for information from his passengers, mostly because he doesn't care. But if a customer wants to talk, he will talk. He glanced at his rear-view mirror and saw his passenger looking out the window. The passenger was quiet, until he wasn't.
"Do you always remember everybody you pick up?" Mr. Marino recalled the man asking.
"Yeah, vaguely," Mr. Marino says he answered. "I've been doing this a long time. It's hard to remember everybody."
At another point, the passenger blurted out, "I drink too much." To which the cabdriver answered, "Oh, that's too bad."
Then it was back to silence.
By this point, the passenger, Mr. Loughner, had already had a full day.
Late the night before, he had dropped off a roll of 35-millimeter film to be developed at a Walgreens on West Ina Road. Law-enforcement officials would later say the roll included many photographs of Mr. Loughner wearing a bright red G-string and posing with a Glock. In some photos, presumably mirrored reflections, he holds the gun by his crotch; in others, next to his naked buttocks.
At 12:30 in the morning, he checked into Room 411 at a Motel 6 less than two miles from his house — an occasional habit, his parents later told investigators. The motel, a mottled brown building, sits near a railroad track; one of its rooms is still boarded up, marking where a guest shot himself recently.
Less than two hours later, he hopped back in his Chevy Nova to run a couple of errands, including a return to the Walgreens to collect those photographs of him posing nearly naked with a Glock. Soon after that, he posted a message on his Myspace page: "Goodbye friends."
Shortly after 6, he headed back out for more predawn errands, including a visit to a Super Wal-Mart to buy ammunition and a black backpack-style diaper bag.
At 7:30, minutes after sunrise, he was stopped by an Arizona Game and Fish Department officer for running a red light, but was cordial and cooperative in providing his license, registration and insurance card.
He returned home, where his father confronted him about the contents of the black diaper bag he was lifting out the Chevy's trunk. He mumbled something before dashing into the surrounding desert, his father giving futile chase in a vehicle. (Days later, a man walking in the desert came across a black diaper bag jammed with ammunition.)
Mr. Loughner then made his way to the Circle K, about a mile away. He called for a cab.
Now that cab was delivering its passenger in a hooded sweatshirt to his destination, the Safeway supermarket plaza, where a congresswoman was about to greet constituents. Mr. Loughner pulled out the Ziploc bag where he kept his cash and handed Mr. Marino a $20 bill for the $14.25 fare. The driver could not break the bill, so the two men went into the supermarket to get change.
Mr. Marino got in line at the customer-service desk, behind someone cashing in a winning lottery ticket. He received a few bills for the $20 and handed Mr. Loughner a $5 bill — meaning his tip was 75 cents. The cabdriver would later wonder why, considering what was about to happen, his passenger didn't just let him keep the $20.
Before going their separate ways, Mr. Marino recalled, Mr. Loughner asked, "Can I shake your hand?"
"And I noticed his hands were really sweaty," recalled the cabdriver who had seen all types. "You know?"Continue reading the main story


text:
ChemDBsoft software is a collection of state-of-the-art chemistry applications made by scientists, and often quoted as very user-friendly, fast, productive, affordable and functional.
ChemAxon is a leader in providing Java based chemical software development platforms for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
SLIPPER - Solubility, Lipophilicity & Permeability; LogP, LogD, LogSw, FA
Phone: 302-292-8500 Fax: 302-292-8520

subset: commoncrawl


text:
WORCESTER — Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire in a multifamily apartment building Thursday that left 15 people and their pets without permanent shelter.
The blaze at 41-43 Bowdoin St. was reported about 3 p.m. There were no reports of injuries from the fire. Officials said preliminary investigation indicated it started on a second-floor exterior porch. Both the second- and third-floor outside walls appeared badly charred, with damage extending into the building.
An adjacent house, at 40 William St., was slightly damaged when flames from Bowdoin Street ignited a back porch. The fire was quickly put out.
Many of the residents, along with their pets, waiting in the cold Thursday evening to speak with American Red Cross volunteers who arrived to help. Some residents had their caged pets, including a parakeet, dogs and cats, they had rescued from the fire.
Several residents praised a police detective who they said went through the building knocking on doors and warning tenants who were unaware of the fire to get out of the building. They said smoke detectors had not sounded before they evacuated.
"I heard someone yelling in the hallway, 'There is a fire!' " said John Hickson, a third-floor resident who shares a third-floor apartment with his 18-year-old son, Kevin. A musician, John Hickson recovered several guitars from the building, and Kevin grabbed his Playstation on the way out.
Sam Hickson, John's brother, who rushed to the scene upon hearing about the fire on the radio, said he went looking for the detective who warned his brother and nephew about the fire.
"I just wanted to thank him. I want him to know how appreciative we are," he said. "These people are heroes. They don't stick around for the cameras and all that."
John Hickson said the fire was intense, and flames shot above the roofline of the three-story, six-unit building. "With the wind, it just lit up," he said.
Firefighters remained in the neighborhood for more than three hours, with the last crews leaving about 6:30 p.m.
Deputy Fire Chief Geoffrey Gardell said the origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation.


text:
Yuval Rosenberg oversees all aspects of The Fiscal Times' website and email newsletter, from editorial to audience and business development. Before being named editor in chief, he served as executive editor and business editor. Yuval has also worked at Newsweek, Fortune, Fast Company and WNYC. His writing has appeared in publications including BusinessWeek, CNBC.com, CNNMoney.com, Fast Company, Fortune, Newsweek, Money and Time.
Recent Stories By Yuval Rosenberg:
Trump Says Drug Importation Plan Coming 'Soon'November 22, 2019
President Trump tweeted Friday that he "will soon release a plan to let Florida and other States import prescription drugs that are MUCH CHEAPER than what we have now!" The Trump...
States Boost Spending at Fastest Pace Since Great RecessionNovember 22, 2019
U.S. states increased spending in fiscal year 2019 at the fastest clip since the end of the Great Recession, according to a new report from the National Association of State Budget Officers. Total...
Secret Service Spent $254K at Trump Properties in His First Five Months in OfficeNovember 22, 2019
It's a shocker, we know: Newly released documents raise fresh concerns about the extent to which President Trump is personally profiting from his public office, showing that the Secret Service spent...
Senate Passes Short-Term Spending Bill to Prevent Friday ShutdownNovember 21, 2019
The Senate passed a stopgap bill Thursday to keep the government open through December 20, sending the measure to President Trump's desk hours before current funding was set to expire. The president...
Does the Deficit Matter? Congress Asks Four Top EconomistsNovember 20, 2019
Wednesday's impeachment hearings will rightly dominate headlines given the bombshells in Ambassador Gordon Sondland's testimony, but they weren't the only hearings happening in Congress. The House...
Medicare Improper Payments Fall to Lowest Level Since 2010November 19, 2019
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Monday that the improper payment rate for traditional Medicare fell in fiscal year 2019 to 7.25%, down from 8.12% in fiscal year 2018 and...
How the Deficit Looms Over the Democratic Presidential RaceNovember 19, 2019
Democrats are set to hold another presidential primary debate Wednesday night, and if the pattern from past debates holds true, we'll likely hear the 10 candidates on stage talk a lot about health...
House Votes to Push Shutdown Deadline to DecemberNovember 19, 2019
The House on Tuesday passed a stopgap measure to fund the government through December 20. The Senate is set to take up the bill before current short-term funding expires on Thursday night, and the...
Congress Has Three Days to Avert a Government ShutdownNovember 18, 2019
You may not have realized it with everything else going on, but we're technically just a few days away from a government shutdown. Current funding for federal agencies expires after November 21 —...
Rethinking the Debt Threat: House Panel to Hold Hearing Next WeekNovember 15, 2019
The House Budget Committee will hold a hearing next week examining the costs and consequences of federal debt, with four prominent economists slated to testify. Ahead of the hearing, Democratic...
Trump Issues Rule to Force Hospitals to Reveal Negotiated PricesNovember 15, 2019
The Trump administration on Friday released the final version of a rule forcing hospitals to publicly disclose the prices they negotiate privately with insurers or face fines. The rule, which would...
Trump Wants to Get More Aggressive With His Drug-Pricing ProposalNovember 14, 2019
President Trump wants to get more aggressive on lowering some Medicare drug prices. The Trump administration last year proposed using an index of international drug prices to set prices for certain...
Yuval Rosenberg Directory
- Yuval Rosenberg (1284) Apply Yuval Rosenberg filter
- Michael Rainey (26) Apply Michael Rainey filter
- Jacqueline Leo (3) Apply Jacqueline Leo filter
- Millie Dent (2) Apply Millie Dent filter
- Alexander Rader (1) Apply Alexander Rader filter
- Andrew Lumby (1) Apply Andrew Lumby filter
- Eric Pianin (1) Apply Eric Pianin filter
- Jennifer Depaul (1) Apply Jennifer Depaul filter
- Josh Herr (1) Apply Josh Herr filter
- Marine Cole (1) Apply Marine Cole filter
- Rob Garver (1) Apply Rob Garver filter
- News (1263) Apply News filter
- Analysis (7) Apply Analysis filter
- Service (6) Apply Service filter
- Column (3) Apply Column filter
- Feature (3) Apply Feature filter
- Blog (2) Apply Blog filter
- Book Review (2) Apply Book Review filter
- Latest-News (2) Apply Latest-News filter
- Op-Ed (2) Apply Op-Ed filter
- Opinion (2) Apply Opinion filter
- Partner (2) Apply Partner filter
- Photo-Gallery (2) Apply Photo-Gallery filter
- Quick Hit (2) Apply Quick Hit filter
- Research (2) Apply Research filter
- Slideshow (2) Apply Slideshow filter
- Slideshow-Best (2) Apply Slideshow-Best filter
- (-) Remove Article filter Article


text:
Trae The Truth - Wave The Trunk
"WSHH & JTF EXCLUSIVE Follow @JordanTowerJTF @TraeABN !!! "STREET KING" In Stores 6-28-11!!! To Book JORDAN TOWER FILMS to Direct your next video EMAIL: firstname.lastname@example.com!"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Congratulate the high-school graduate in your life with one of these gifts they can use when they head to college.
Your wedding registry is your ultimate wish list, so think carefully about what you put on it. Follow this guide to ensure you get useful, long-lasting stuff.
Want to go a step beyond gifts that are useful? Every single one of the items on this list can help save money. Now THAT is a gift that keeps on giving.
Don't need gift bags full of new towels and soap dispensers? Consider one of these uncommon registry ideas for your wedding.
Become a fan
Follow us
Enter your email address to subscribe:


text:
Cheat Mode
Windows Vista - find the "wolf.cfg" file in the "\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\id Software\WolfSP\base" folder and make a copy of it named "autoexec.cfg". Use a text editor to edit the "autoexec.cfg" file and add the following lines. seta g_cheatsAreOn "1" Windows XP - Right click the exe for the game and click properties, once there add +set com_allowconsole 1 to the end of the target text, then click apply and launch the game Target field should read something along these lines "C:\Program Files\Activision\Wolfenstein\SP\Wolf2.exe" +set com_allowconsole . Once in gane press Right ALT + Left ALT + ~ to show the console then type the following codes for desired results
|All Intel
|Give All Veil Powers
|Gives All Power Upgrades
|Gives desired amount of money
|God Mode
|Ignored by enemies
|Sets total Money to $31,337
|Unlocks Achievements
|Unlocks Objectives
Contributed By: AsheerX.
Spawning enemies and NPCs
In the console, type spawn X (where X is the corresponding character type) to spawn that character. For example, to spawn an Elite Guard, type "spawn enemies_elite_guard" (without the quotation marks). Note that, unlike in Doom 3 or Quake 4, specific enemies can only be spawned into the current level if they already appear somewhere in the level. For example, in Downtown, you can spawn all basic infantry types, as well as Scribes, Sniffers, Elite Guards, Despoiled, Heavy Troopers, and Rocket Troopers, but not Flame Troopers, Assassins, or Altered.
|spawn enemies_elite_guard
|Spawns a blonde Elite Guard armed with a dagger.
|spawn enemies_elite_guard_02
|Spawns a brunette Elite Guard armed with a whip.
|spawn enemies_ak_flame_trooper
|Spawns a Flamethrower Trooper.
|spawn allies_kreisau_soldier_01
|Spawns a friendly Kreisau soldier armed with an MP40 smg. Valid characters are 01 to 05.
|spawn enemies_despoiled_green
|Spawns a green Despoiled (flaming skeleton).
|spawn enemies_ak_heavy_trooper
|Spawns a Heavy Trooper.
|spawn enemies_despoiled_red
|Spawns a red Despoiled (flaming skeleton).
|spawn enemies_ak_rocket_trooper
|Spawns a Rocket Trooper with a jetpack.
|spawn enemies_scribe
|Spawns a Scribe (magic user).
|spawn enemies_sniffer
|Spawns a Sniffer (mutant).
|spawn enemies_wehrmacht_officer
|Spawns a Wehrmacht officer armed with an MP40 smg.
|spawn enemies_wehrmacht_sniper
|Spawns a Wehrmacht sniper armed with a sniper rifle.
|spawn enemies_wehrmacht_infantry
|Spawns a Wehrmacht soldier armed with a Kar98 rifle (may cause map to crash if this enemy type is not already present in the level).
|spawn enemies_wehrmacht_infantry_mp40
|Spawns a Wehrmacht soldier armed with an MP40 smg.
|spawn enemies_altered
|Spawns an Altered (giant, invincible mutant)
|spawn enemies_ak_assassin
|Spawns an Assassin.
|spawn enemies_SS_officer
|Spawns an SS officer armed with an MP43 assault rifle.
|spawn enemies_SS_sentry
|Spawns an SS soldier armed with an MP43 assault rifle.
|spawn allies_kreisau_erik
|Spawns friendly Erik Engle armed with an MP40 smg. Has more health than a basic Kreisau soldier.
Contributed By: Joylock.
Rewards unlockable
This special rewards will give you unlock-ables for you!
|How to Unlock
|Collect 100% all tome books in the game
|All medallion power-ups upgraded
|Collect 100% all intel(s) in the game
|All weapons upgraded
|Complete the game once, start a new game in any difficulty, pause the game, go to options, and press cheat (where you can enable and disable it)
|Cheat mode
Contributed By: black_head77.


text:
Found 10 resultsAuthor Title Type [ Year]
Filters: Author is De Kauwe, Martin G. [Clear All Filters]
Gross primary production responses to warming, elevated CO 2 , and irrigation: quantifying the drivers of ecosystem physiology in a semiarid grassland. Global Change Biology.. 2017.
Using models to guide field experiments: a priori predictions for the CO 2 response of a nutrient- and water-limited native Eucalypt woodland. Global Change Biology. 22(8):2834-2851.. 2016.
Model-data synthesis for the next generation of forest free-air CO 2 enrichment (FACE) experiments. New Phytologist. :n/a-n/a.. 2015.
Predicting long-term carbon sequestration in response to CO 2 enrichment: How and why do current ecosystem models differ? Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 29(4):476-495.. 2015.
Using ecosystem experiments to improve vegetation models. Nature Climate Change. 5(6):528-534.. 2015.
Comprehensive ecosystem model-data synthesis using multiple data sets at two temperate forest free-air CO 2 enrichment experiments: Model performance at ambient CO 2 concentration. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 119(5):937-964.. 2014.
Evaluation of 11 terrestrial carbon-nitrogen cycle models against observations from two temperate Free-Air CO 2 Enrichment studies. New Phytologist. 202(3):803-822.. 2014.
Forest water use and water use efficiency at elevated CO 2 : a model-data intercomparison at two contrasting temperate forest FACE sites. Global Change Biology. 19(6):1759-1779.. 2013.


text:
Hey everyone. I got some time to do the latest update to the board software, but it meant that all the old modifications and styles wouldn't work anymore. So, here you have the newest iteration of LabourTalk. Please let me know by Private Message if you run into any issues with the new styling. Some new features on the board are:
We hope you like the changes!
- Latest HTML5 Responsive Styling - You can now see a new, more modern styling on the board. Along with this, you can resize the browser to see the board change with it. The board is now functional on all sizes of screens, including your cell phone, table and desktop/laptop.
- Post Sharing - Although you could previously, the new layout means the sharing icons are more visible on the lower right hand corner of each post. Click your favourite social media outlet to share the desired post with them.
- Multiple Themes - Previously there was only one theme in an attempt to lower the workload when modifications were put in place. Fortunately, the new modification system is much simpler to implement and we now have multiple colour options for you to enjoy. You can change these from your User Control Panel under the Board Settings heading.
- Announcements - Announcements can now be posted here (where you're seeing this one) and, in most cases, can be dismissed. To dismiss them, please click the "X" in the top right corner of this box.
- Collapsing Categories - Categories, such as News & Announcements or Welcome (below), can be collapsed to clear up some of the clutter. This state should be maintained as long as you're logged in.
We hope you like the changes!
Telecommunications - BC, AB, ON, QC
General Discussion
Talk here about issues with unions or companies in the Telecommunications sector.Topics: 1345
- 1345 Topics
- 27046 Posts
Last post
Re: John Carpenter left as vp…
by Agent007 View the latest post
Fri Apr 08, 2016 3:09 pm
Fines - Including PSAC & Telus
Discussion about the issue of Unions fining their members.Topics: 11
- 11 Topics
- 109 Posts
Last post
by alec
View the latest post
Thu May 07, 2009 10:51 pm
TWU vs. IBEW vs. ?
Compare the differences with the different available unions. Which is the better choice?Topics: 7
- 7 Topics
- 39 Posts
Last post
by grudey
View the latest post
Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:14 am
Rumour Mill
Help dispel some rumours about unions or companies in the this sector.Topics: 42
- 42 Topics
- 609 Posts
Last post
by alec
View the latest post
Fri Apr 25, 2008 5:15 pm
Union Members for Democracy
This group moderates their own board. Notify them of any issues. Is job action the wisest choice? What is our objective ?
Moderator: KootTopics: 10
- 10 Topics
- 145 Posts
Last post
Do TWU members have the answe…
by ShermanPes View the latest post
Fri Aug 02, 2019 1:38 am
Meet and Greet
Meet people in the same sector as you or with similar situations.Topics: 8
- 8 Topics
- 61 Posts
Last post
by green1
View the latest post
Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:28 pm
Employees ONLY
No management is able to see this room. If you are management and you can see this please ask to be removed. A PRIVATE ROOM.Topics: 25
- 25 Topics
- 141 Posts
Last post
by Admin1
View the latest post
Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:44 pm
Helpful Links
Add your links here. Could be caselaw or links to other orginizations.Topics: 26
- 26 Topics
- 143 Posts
Last post
TWU Websites
by NC View the latest post
Thu Dec 06, 2007 1:51 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text:
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) Sloane Stephens will lead the U.S. Fed Cup team that is without the Williams sisters for the World Group first-round match against Italy on Feb. 9-10.
U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez also included doubles specialist Liezel Huber and rookies Varvara Lepchenko and Jamie Hampton.
Stephens is ranked a career-high No. 17 after beating Serena Williams to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open. She is in line to make her Fed Cup singles debut against the Italians.
Serena Williams, who hurt her back in the quarterfinal loss to Stephens, played in the most recent U.S. match in the Fed Cup - a 5-0 victory over Ukraine in a World Group playoff in April last year.
The match will be played on indoor red clay in Rimini, Italy. The Italian team is led by No. 7 Sara Errani and No. 16 Roberta Vinci.


text:
Thursday, October 31, 2013
God Has A Sense Of Humor
Posted by Shirlee at 1:53 PM 16 comments
Monday, October 21, 2013
The Big 6-0!
The Happy Birthday card you see above is a treasured gift I received a couple years ago from my dear friend Jo (Serendipitous Stitching). I display it as part of my birthday decor every year. You're probably thinking "birthday decor???" Well, no ... I don't actually decorate my house for my birthday, but I always put Jo's card on display with any others I might receive. It makes me smile every time I look at it : ) Jo also stitched an Easter card for me that I enjoy seeing on display every Easter. Her stitched cards are so beautiful &, well, you know me ... Easily Influenced & all ... they have sort of been planting the idea in my head that maybe I ought to stitch a few cards. When John & I last visited Barnes & Noble, I looked through the British cross stitch magazines, as I always do, & found one called Cross Stitch Card Shop. I squealed (silently) as I removed it from the rack & saw the beautiful card designs staring back at me from the cover. There was even a Free Card Kit attached to the magazine which you can see in the magazine cover photo below! I haven't any idea who Fizzy Moon is, but if you look closely, you'll see that the kit says that I can make it a fun Christmas with Fizzy! A fun Christmas ... what a wonderful thing for the publishers of Cross Stitch Card Shop to promise me! I clutched the magazine lovingly to my breast with dreams of stitched cards dancing in my head.
The deadline to this giveaway is Friday, November 1st, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
For my non-stitching followers, you can still enter my giveaway but I will not send you a stitching prize. Just tell me what you are interested in other than stitching & if you win I'll take it from there : )
Posted by Shirlee at 8:18 AM 53 comments
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sunday Morning - Philippians 4:11
The minute we arrived in Nashville, we hated it.
John worked in Nashville for 5 years & during all those 5 years he attempted to get transferred back to Helena, but the office there had not been happy that he left & therefore punished him by not allowing him to return. We finally gave up & decided that if we could not get back to Montana, we would try to get as close to Montana as we could. John started keeping a close watch on job announcements & finally one was posted for a job in the North Dakota office. He applied. Meanwhile I had been trying to deal with my unhappiness in Nashville. There were a lot of things to be unhappy about when we were living there. The school system had to have been the worst in the nation, & it seemed like every night you heard on the news about a murder or rape or burglary or drug bust that occurred in the Nashville area. We couldn't let our children walk by themselves across the street to visit their friends because there were so many cases of child abduction. John & I always had to walk with them & then go get them when they were ready to come home. The cost of living was extremely high. I'm sure there are other things I've forgotten but those are enough in themselves. We weren't living in a bad part of town either ... we were in a nice area in the suburbs. I hated living there so much that I used to tell our children a little story that went like this ...
I wish you all a very blessed week!
Posted by Shirlee at 9:52 AM 15 comments
Monday, October 14, 2013
Matthew 5:44
When I came to God, I had a thorn in my flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). My thorn was & continues to be my perfectionism. If I'm cross stitching something, I want it to look exactly like the photographed model because, after all, that's what it's supposed to look like. Or if someone else's project has inspired me, then I want it to look exactly like what they've done. The same holds true when I knit something, or crochet something, or quilt something, or when I do any other type of craft. It must be perfect. Even something as silly as stacking my dishes in a kitchen cabinet or the cans & boxes of non-perishables in my pantry. It all has to be perfect.
After my conversion, the friends who led me to Christ, Gene & Brenda, instructed me to buy a Bible, begin reading it, & join a good church. As ridiculous as this may seem, I went to the local Christian book store & nearly fainted. This was probably when the seed was planted for my current need for Xanax. Buy a Bible?!?!? Good grief! What kind of Bible? There on the shelves before me were study Bibles, amplified Bibles, chain reference Bibles, & life application Bibles ... just to name a few. Then I saw that these Bibles were all broken down into different translations ... KJV, NASB, NEB, NIV, RSV, TLB ... AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I had to "do it right." I had to read "the right Bible." I had to have "the right translation." I just had to!
I went home empty-handed, called my friends, & told them of my stressful experience. They instructed me to go back to the store & buy the simplest translation which at the time was the TLB (The Living Bible). Back to the store I went & back home I returned, happily clutching my TLB. Then I sat down to begin reading, but uh-oh. Where was I supposed to start? What was I supposed to read first? Once again I called my friends who I'm sure by that time thought they had helped to bring a real loon into God's kingdom. The told me to start reading the Book of John.
I then needed to "join a good church." I looked in the Yellow Pages & found that there were more churches listed than there were Bibles displayed at the Christian book store. Once again I called Gene & Brenda who were undoubtedly considering changing their phone number at this point. They just told me to visit a few churches where the Word was preached & join the one that was a good fit. I remember visiting a few but not really feeling at home in any of them. One day I was walking back from the grocery store, praying about finding a church home, when suddenly God ... yes, it was God ... simply said "Go to Northeast Park Baptist Church." It was not an audible voice. It was a voice inside my head. A real voice. Not my mind thinking something. It was His voice. This was the first of two times when God spoke to me like this. No one can tell me there isn't a God. He spoke to me!
The following Sunday I went to Northeast Park Baptist Church & became an active member. I grew closer to God. I made many friends. I worked with two of these friends teaching Sunday School for second graders. I joined a witnessing team. One Mother's Day the pastor asked me to speak during the church service about the loss of my first two children & how God took the pain away. How I knew that they were not really lost to me ... that I would see them again one day.
There have been times in my Christian life when obstacles sprang up in my path & I am ashamed to say that I allowed these obstacles to take my focus away from God. During one very long, very painful time, I actually turned my back on Him! Can you believe it?!?!? But you know what? He never turned His back on me. He was always watching over me. This particular time in my life, you just can't imagine how horrible it was. However, it taught me about the grace of God. To have a time in your life that you can look back on & actually see God's grace, it's a wonderful gift.
God has been the top priority in my life for a long time now. I will soon be 60. Age, no matter what the media tells us, is a blessing. Those of us who have reached this milestone & gone beyond have had many life experiences which have taught us many things. That's really what life is ... a series of learning experiences. For example, when I was in my 20s, I was quick to retaliate if someone hurt me in some way. Now, approaching 60, I am quick to pray for for them. Matthew 5:44 is a challenging verse.
Posted by Shirlee at 9:20 AM 21 comments
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Thursday Sharing
I am sorry if my sharing excerpts of Chuck Swindoll's devotional prayers is getting to be a bit overdone, but I've got to tell you, the prayers in this devotional (The Prayers of Charles R. Swindoll, Volume I) are like spiritual bolts of lightning hitting you out of a clear blue sky. There is also a Volume II which I am looking forward to spending time with as well : )
Below is an excerpt of today's devotional prayer with the accompanying verse. I hope it is a blessing to you as much as it is to me.
Posted by Shirlee at 7:51 AM 6 comments
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
A Horrible Thing Happened On My Way to the End of Stitching an Ornament
As most of you know, I have been busily stitching ornaments from back issues as well as this year's Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments magazine. Since last month I have stitched 7 ornaments & have attempted 2 which nearly put me in the loony bin, both of them having been designed by, well, never mind : ) Seems like 7 ornaments are a lot to stitch in this period of time, but I've counted them & recounted them. There are indeed 7. I still have 17 ornaments kitted. Will I succeed in stitching them all in time for the holidays? We shall see : )
I will now share with you the story of the horrible thing referred to in my post title.
Posted by Shirlee at 4:01 PM 25 comments
Pattern Corrections
There are two corrections in the list of symbols. The symbol for GAST Chives should be a right triangle. The symbol for GAST Brick Path (the chimney) should be a dot with a circle drawn around it.
Stephanie has added her designs to her website ...
... & of course you can also look for them at your favorite ONS or LNS (online needlework shop or local needlework shop) : )
Happy Stitching!
Posted by Shirlee at 11:39 AM 8 comments
Monday, October 7, 2013
Welcome New Followers & Thank You No-Reply Bloggers
Posted by Shirlee at 4:39 PM 13 comments
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Sunday Morning Sermonette
Posted by Shirlee at 9:53 AM 17 comments
Thursday, October 3, 2013
An Open Letter to Homespun Elegance
I have removed the original content of this blog post. I thought it was as obvious as the flab on my thighs that I was simply using my sense of humor to illustrate my deep frustration at not being able to stitch what I clearly stated within the first 3 sentences of that post to be this person's lovely, beautiful, creative, splendid, magnificent, & awesome cross stitch designs with the perfection shown in her model photos. Apparently not.
I have written an email to this person to apologize for any misunderstanding caused by my original post. I will leave it at that.
Posted by Shirlee at 2:24 PM 43 comments
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Another Stitching Finish
Last night I finally finished stitching the ornament I started last Thursday. I would have finished it sooner if I had made better use of my free time, but there always seemed to be something else I needed to do instead. In any event, it is finished & here it is : )
Posted by Shirlee at 10:55 AM 24 comments
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
A Great Online Cross Stitch Shop!
Posted by Shirlee at 9:26 AM 14 comments


text:
The ELCA Malaria Campaign has a variety of resources to help you tell the story of the work being done in 13 countries throughout Africa. All of the resources are available for free either by downloading or by ordering from our e-store. From posters to crafts, bulletin inserts to videos and much more, you will find everything you need to spread the word and raise awareness on behalf of the ELCA Malaria Campaign.
Find country profiles and newsletters to learn about how the ELCA Malaria Campaign is making an impact with our companions in Africa.
World Malaria Day is in April. Read about how your gifts are helping others beat the disease. Activate your congregation today.


text:
Working at MULTIVAC
One of the most important factors in our success: our employees
Our corporation currently has approximately 5,900 employees working toward the goal of providing our customers with optimal packaging solutions for various applications.
Our employees are our most valuable asset and the most important investment for our future. We place value on long-term working relationships and a good working environment. We aim to offer all our employees a corporate environment with exciting opportunities for professional development. We are therefore particularly committed to their training and further education.
We also offer our employees various family-friendly working models, allowing them to bring family and work into a harmonious balance.


text:
Good Guys, Interesting Model
Fund: Sentient Ventures
Posted by Anonymous on 2007-08-16
If you are looking for early stage money in Austin and haven't heard of Sentient, you should definitely check them out. They aren't your typical VC firm; so they aren't for everyone. But, I found their model innovative and intriguing.
David Lee and James Wells were class acts. We negotiated on and eventually passed on their term sheet, and they were gentlemen throughout the process.PRIVATE: Members Only (349 Characters)


text:
The start of term is looming and preparation and planning is underway. That's why it's taken me a week to get around to posting about the launch of, Share This Too, the second social media handbook published by Wiley.
Written by the CIPR's Social Media Advisory Panel and a range of practitioner friends there's a pretty impressive array of topics covered, including:
- Creating content frameworks
- Analysing online audiences and planning
- Gamification
- Content curation
- Community management
- And loads more
My chapter looks at the rise of big data and how data mining can be used to plan and deliver strategic PR activity. It looks at this practically using a case where data was used to identify potential consumer issues for an organisation before they become full blown complaints. By being able to 'predict' and address these issues the organisation aimed to reduce its workload.
I conclude by arguing that this kind of innovative, data-led PR can help the PR discipline achieve a more strategic position – both within organisations and within the wider business and marketing consultancy industries.
Sounds good doesn't it? Don't let Brian Solis' foreword put you off, go and get a copy from Wiley or Amazon.


text: Renmark Paringa Website Suggestion Box Here you can send us any suggestion, thank you! Suggestion Box Please fill in the following form to contact us Your Name* Email* Phone Department* SupportTechnicalAdminManagement Subject* Your message* Are you human?* 0XZ8Kvy ☰ Network Menu Network Menu HOME LOGIN Network Map Advertiser Menu LIST YOUR BUSINESS LIST YOUR EVENT FREE Community Ads How to create a Smart Ad Example Ads Advertising Code & Regulations Advertise Here Site Menu About This Website About us Help us Contact us Suggestion Box Frequently Asked Questions View Background HOME EXIT MENU Paddle Steamer at Renmark(CC BY-ND 2.0)


text:
A couple of months ago, I asked how much you would pay for a new television. Unsurprisingly, half of the respondents said under $1,500, and almost half again said under a grand. Well, if that's you, the Toshiba 5200 LED-based LCD series might be a TV to consider.
While it doesn't have many features to speak of, unless you count 120Hz, it does boast decent picture quality for the price. Black levels are better than many of its nonplasma peers can conjure up and shadow detail is fairly good. The main picture quality drawback is color, if you want Skywalker Ranch-style accuracy you're better off going for a different brand. The Toshiba's odd color and grayscale controls make it difficult to wrestle something more faithful than the TV's oversaturated Movie mode. If you're paying about a grand, I would still say you should seriously consider the Panasonic UT50 instead, but the Toshiba does a decent job of home entertainment for the modest price.
Series information: I performed a hands-on evaluation of the Toshiba 50L5200U, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have identical specs and according to the manufacturer should provide very similar picture quality.
|Models in series (details)
|Toshiba 40L5200U
|40 inches
|Toshiba 46L5200U
|46 inches
|Toshiba 50L5200U (reviewed)
|50 inches
|Key TV features
|Display technology
|LED backlight
|Screen finish
|Smart TV
|Internet connection
|3D technology
|3D glasses included
|Refresh rate(s)
|Dejudder (smooth) processing
In a refreshing change among TVs we've reviewed this year, the Toshiba is bare-bones in regard to features and yet still appears to care about giving customers the most picture possible for a budget price. There is no 3D, onboard camera, or even Internet connectivity, just a full-HD screen with 120Hz processing.
The TV does offer the company's DynaLight feature, which is a universal backlight dimmer, but such budget implementations tend to make the picture too dim with obvious transitions, so I just leave them off.
Picture settings: The TV offers the usual three modes plus a user mode, but if you try to alter any settings it immediately bumps you to the Preference mode. There's very little to adjust beyond your usual color controls. Toshiba does offer Green and Blue adjustment in the White Balance Menu, but as I found they're difficult to tweak correctly.
Connectivity: Without any form of internet access, the number of connections are what you could call "economical." You get three HDMI, a component/composite input, USB, and a PC port. Digital audio out is also included if you use the onboard tuner and want to route it to an external AV system.


text:
- The Kings Speech: Behind the Scenes special premieres along with Luther Marathon on Sunday January 9 �
New York, NY � Just one week before America finds out who has triumphed at the Golden Globe Awards, BBC AMERICA pays tribute to the ceremony with a day of programming dedicated to two of the most talked about nominees. On Sunday, January 9 BBC AMERICA's Golden Sunday will feature a marathon of the six-part miniseries Luther - starring Golden Globe nominee, Idris Elba � before airing a 30 minute documentary, The King's Speech: Behind The Scenes, including never seen before footage from the cast and crew behind the multi-award winning movie, which has seven Golden Globe nominations.
BBC AMERICA's Golden Sunday begins with a special presentation of all six parts of Luther. Episodes will air back-to-back from noon onwards, offering fans and newcomers to the series the chance to enjoy one of the year's most talked about performances. Golden Globe nominee Idris Elba plays the title role about a brilliant and emotionally impulsive detective, who is quite possibly just as dangerous as the criminals he's chasing.
The BBC AMERICA co-production was lauded by fans and critics alike when it was first broadcast on the channel in October. TV Guide said it was, "Criminally good... Luther is Prime Suspect on crack," USA Today called it a "...terrific six part thriller... you have to watch," and Variety declared "Luther is well worth the investment� there haven't been many recent offerings in this genre on either side of the pond superior to Luther." The Luther marathon premieres on Sunday January 9, 12:00pm ET.
The King's Speech: Behind the Scenes follows immediately after the marathon. Thanks to a deal with The Weinstein Company, BBC AMERICA will air a 30 minute documentary special including behind-the-scenes interviews with Colin Firth (King George VI), Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue) and Helena Bonham-Carter (Queen Elizabeth), as well as Director Tom Hooper, Producer Iain Canning and screenwriter David Seidler.
The interviews from cast and crew turn the spotlight on the relationships between the characters and the drive behind the movie, which tells the inspirational story of King George VI and his unlikely friendship with unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue, who by working with the King helps him find his voice and boldly lead the country through war. The King's Speech: Behind The Scenes premieres on Sunday, January 9, 7:30pm ET and encores on Sunday, January 30, 7:30pm ET.
Perry Simon, BBC Worldwide America's GM, Channels says: "It is a real coup for us to be able to offer this special version of The King's Speech: Behind The Scenes, telling the story behind this most inspiring and remarkable movie, and I can't think of a more natural home for this story about the British monarchy than BBC AMERICA. Golden Sunday also gives us the chance to re-tell the story of Luther, and showcase the talents of our Golden Globe nominee, Idris Elba. Both Luther and The King's Speech are stunning examples of great content which thoroughly deserve their respective nominations at this year's Golden Globes. We're very proud of the British nominations and wish them every success when the awards take place on January 16."
Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of The Weinstein Company added: "I'm delighted that we are working with BBC America for this special airing, it is the perfect home for this penetrating drama."
Luther is a BBC and BBC AMERICA co-production distributed by BBC Worldwide. It was created and written by Neil Cross, the acclaimed suspense novelist and one of the lead writers on MI-5.
The Making of The King's Speech is a Weinstein Company Production.
BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies, life-changing makeovers and a whole new world of nonfiction. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 68 million homes.


text:
For our third dancer preview, we asked Orlando Julius Canova to discuss what it's like to perform in an all-male piece.
The rumor the day Bradley Shelver arrived to cast the dancers was that Bradley was going to do a ballet only using men. Since the inception of New American Talent/Dance, no choreographer has chosen to only use men. The rumors were finally put to rest when he excused all the ladies and auditioned the ten men of Ballet Austin. In the audition that ensued we were asked to yell, tumble, and push our bodies to their physical limit. I knew that when Bradley returned to choreograph on his cast of men, it would mean one thing… PAIN.
The first day Bradley returned to choreograph, he began like a racehorse out of the starting gate. His stride was swift, and his steps were confident. From day one, Bradley was incredibly organized and sure of what he wanted. Some choreographers begin to piece work together after getting to know their dancers, but Bradley had no time for that – his brain was bursting at the seams with the ballet that danced in his mind. Bradley began to set his work immediately, and within the first day, four minutes and twenty two seconds of the ballet were choreographed.
Bradley's entire residency continued in this pace. Bradley had a schedule and no matter how grueling and difficult, he stuck to it. Every day, I went home battered and bruised both mentally and physically. After a week of floor burn, swollen knees, and bruised thighs the ballet was finished. Let me reiterate: Bradley Shelver finished his ballet in only a WEEK.
Though done in only a week, with six sections, two solos, and even a pas de deux, the ballet does not lack for anything. I believe that the bonds of camaraderie between the men of Ballet Austin have grown stronger. The work that took place in AustinVentures StudioTheater was focused and dedicated, and because of this Bradley's piece is filled with anxiety, tension, beauty, athleticism, grace, and strength. This piece makes me proud to be a man of Ballet Austin.
Today is the last day of Bradley Shelver's residency. As I write this blog I am well aware of the crick in my neck, the scabs on my feet, and the pain in my muscles. I am also well aware of the satisfaction that all these ailments give me. Bradley pushed and coached the men of Ballet Austin to the brink of insanity. When we had nothing left to give, he wanted more. When the curtain goes up on Feb, the men of Ballet Austin will give the audience more than they ever knew they could.
Tickets on sale now for New American Talent/Dance.


text:
DENVER In a last-minute and ill-fated move, state senators tried to partially repeal legalized marijuana sales Monday night.
The maneuver caused pandemonium on the third-to-last night of the legislative session, with suit-and-tie-wearing marijuana lobbyists swarming through the hallways and panicked at the idea that retail pot sales could be repealed.
But the idea was short-lived, and senators backed off it almost as soon as they introduced it.
For a few hours, though, the drama cast doubt on months of work legislators have done to craft marijuana regulations.
Sen. Cheri Jahn, D-Wheat Ridge, was the lone no vote at the repeal bills hastily called hearing.
Can anyone tell me why we just spent mega hours on Amendment 64? Jahn said.
Several senators are worried that voters will reject a pair of taxes the Legislature plans to put on the November ballot, leaving the state with no money to pay for marijuana regulation.
So with just 5½ hours left to introduce legislation in the 2013 session, Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, announced Senate Concurrent Resolution 3.
It would have asked voters two questions. First, it wanted them to approve a 15 percent excise tax and a 15 percent sales tax on marijuana, which voters legalized through Amendment 64 last November. If voters rejected the taxes, a second question would have asked them to suspend retail pot sales.
In its brief life, SCR 3 made a run at the legislative record book. It was introduced and passed its first committee hearing within an hour before the text was even released to the public. And it died just three hours after it its birth.
With just three days left in the session, the resolution would have had to pass its first of two votes in the Senate by Monday night. It also needed a two-thirds majority, and it was introduced with 24 co-sponsors exactly enough to clear the Senate. But sometime between its introduction at 6:30 p.m. and an 8:30 p.m. meeting of Democrats, someone dropped out, killing the bills chances.
The marijuana lobby might not support the taxes the state will need to regulate the industry, Morse said.
In Amendment 64, they promised $40 million of school funding and didnt deliver a dime, Morse said. Thats why we came up with this plan, so theyd have skin back in the game.
But a Democratic dissenter, Sen. Pat Steadman of Denver, said the Legislature should focus on implementing Amendment 64 instead of rolling it back.
Its our job to respect what the voters did, Steadman said.
Amendment 64s supporters quickly assembled for the committee hearing and called Morses move a slap in the face to voters.
This is holding a gun to the voters head. It is clearly, clearly not whats contemplated by how we operate our resolution system and our system of changing our constitution, said Christian Sederberg, a lawyer specializing in marijuana law.
But Morses fellow sponsor said Amendment 64 was deceptive, because it promised voters things it couldnt deliver.
The ballot title on 64 already slapped the voters in the face, said Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs.
Amendment 64s tax language was flawed. It told the Legislature to adopt a 15 percent excise tax, but in Colorado, only the voters can approve tax increases.
A dual-question ballot referendum such as SCR 3 has never been tried before. Deputy Attorney General David Blake said the idea is legally defensible. He also sits on the board that sets titles for ballot initiatives, and he said the measure could set a precedent for other ballot initiatives.
This is a novel concept or an interesting concept that might make future Title Board hearings difficult or challenging, Blake said.
The move by the Senate took House members by surprise. Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, who headed the Legislatures special marijuana committee, said he knew nothing about the resolution until it was introduced.
Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, was one of the 11 senators who declined to sign on as a co-sponsor to SCR 3.


text:
In our regular Sunday feature, FIFA.com presents you with some of the biggest names in football who will be celebrating their birthdays over the coming week.
24. Ramires (26) first established himself in Brazil's starting line-up during their successful 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup campaign. He maintained his place at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, where he put in several good performances, before also playing in the 2011 Copa America. Earlier in his career, the speedy midfielder picked up a bronze medal in the Olympic Football Tournament at Beijing 2008. At club level, he initially emerged at Cruzeiro, winning two Minas Gerais state championships with the Belo Horizonte outfit. He then exported his skills to Benfica, with whom he secured a Portuguese League and Cup double, prior to joining Chelsea. He has since enjoyed triumphs in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League with the London side, and recently earned a runners-up medal in the FIFA Club World Cup 2012.
25. Victor Obinna (26) has gradually developed into a key player for the Nigerian national team over the last few years. He represented the Super Eagles at South Africa 2010, as well as at three consecutive CAF Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 2010 edition in Angola, where he and his team-mates claimed third place. The athletic forward had previously helped propel his nation to the final of Beijing 2008, but could not prevent a formidable Argentina team from coming out on top. After starting out at Enyimba in his homeland, Obinna put pen to paper with Italian side Chievo Verona. After the club was relegated, the Nigeria attacker played a crucial role in helping I Mussi Volanti to return to Serie A at the first time of asking. A transfer to Inter Milan saw him land an Italian league title winner's medal, but he was subsequently loaned out to Malaga and then West Ham. In the summer of 2011, he signed a permanent deal with Lokomotiv Moscow.
26. Morgan De Sanctis (36) is considered to be one of the safest pair of hands in the Italian game, a reputation gained from almost 20 years of solid performances between the sticks for various top flight clubs, including current employers Napoli, with whom he reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stage and lifted the Coppa Italia last season. The experienced goalkeeper turned professional at Pescara, where his displays attracted the interest of Juventus. In two seasons in Turin, he played just three matches, however, a statistic that led to his transferring to Udinese in 1999. It was there that De Sanctis made his name, establishing himself as first-choice keeper for five of the eight seasons he spent at the Udine-based club. He subsequently enjoyed spells with Sevilla and Galatasaray, before returning to Italy to settle in Naples. He can boast a handful of caps for La Nazionale, and has recently been included in Cesare Prandelli's squads for Brazil 2014 qualifying matches.
27. Manuel Neuer (27) has experienced a rapid rise to prominence, and confirmed his status as a high-quality goalkeeper to a global audience at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, playing in six of Germany's encounters and conceding just two goals. The reliable shot-stopper was also part of Die Nationalelf's starting line-up at UEFA EURO 2012. As a younger man, he won the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Neuer came through the ranks at Schalke 04, eventually staking a place in the senior XI, with whom he hoisted the German Cup and League Cup. After ten years in Gelsenkirchen, he committed himself to Bayern Munich in 2011, and won his first trophy with the Bavarian giants – the German Super Cup – at the start of this season. Still involved in the Champions League, he will be keen to make up for Bayern's loss to Chelsea in last year's final.
28. Steve Mandanda (28) has, during the last few seasons, shown with Marseille and his national side that he is one of France's top goalkeepers. Prior to gaining senior caps for Les Bleus, the then Le Havre custodian competed at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2006. The following year, he moved south from Normandy to don the colours of Marseille. In six seasons with L'OM, the Kinshasa-born 'keeper has attained the French League title, the French League Cup (three times) and the Trophée des Champions (twice). In terms of individual accolades, Mandanda was named Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008 and 2011, and was selected for the Ligue 1 Team of the Year on two occasions.
29. Krasimir Balakov (47) is a living legend of Bulgarian football, having helped his country to record their best-ever FIFA World Cup performance, a fourth-placed finish at USA 1994. The attacking midfielder was named in the Team of the Tournament in the United States, and would also go on to appear at UEFA EURO 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup France. He began at Etar Tarnovo in Bulgaria, before packing his bags for Lisbon, where he held aloft the Portuguese Cup with Sporting. He then joined Stuttgart, with whom he emerged victorious in the German Cup final and two UEFA Intertoto Cup campaigns. In addition, the team finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga, the German League Cup final (twice) and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final. After bringing the curtain down on his playing career at VFC Plauen, he was appointed assistant coach of Stuttgart. He was later handed the reins of Grasshopper Zurich, St Gallen, Chernomorets Burgas, Hadjuk Split and Kaiserslautern.
30. Jan Koller (40) was, due to his imposing height and aerial prowess, regarded as a real handful for defences during his playing days. He contributed towards the Czech Republic qualifying for its first FIFA World Cup as an independent nation in 2006, and scored in their 3-0 win versus USA at the tournament proper in Germany. The beanpole striker also took part in three UEFA EUROs in a row. He started off at Sparta Prague, where he won the national league and cup, and his displays served to pique the interest of Belgian club Lokeren. Three years later, he moved from Lokeren to Anderlecht, where he won two Belgian championships and two Belgian Cups. A transfer to Borussia Dortmund then saw the Czech forward earn a German league winners' medal. Koller would then go on to represent a host of clubs, namely Monaco, Nuremberg, Krylia Sovetov, and Cannes. He earned several individual awards during his career, including Czech and Belgian Player of the Year, as well as the Belgian league's top scorer's honours.


text:
Veritasirl wrote:On the surface Richard Grove's Story seems a fascinating and believable account of financial shenanigans going on prior to 9/11 but if we accept that there were no real victims then we have to look at his story from another perspective. Is his story meant to reinforce the notion that the Towers were occupied before 9/11? Perhaps someone could contact Scott Forbes -if he has not already been- a Senior Database Administrator for Fiduciary Trust who used to work in the South Tower of the WTC and who said that there was a 'power down' on the weekend before 9/11. If Forbes was a genuine employee he would have some idea of the actual numbers present in the South Tower in the weeks and months leading up to 9/11.
ATTC wrote:Marsh and McLennan was on the floors that were struck
Except for Grove, who was fired for almost finking the operation to higher ups in Marsh in Summer 2001, and thrown out of Silversteam.
Buttonwood International Group. The company that doesn't exist
"The strange part is that this company says that it is located at One World Trade Center, Suite 7967 on August 20, 2001, however on their next update on December 21, 2001 it is listed at 14 Wall Street, 20th Floor."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/di ... g_id=97076
Buttonwood International Group are professional Management Consultants located at 14 Wall St, in the New York city of New York. Buttonwood International Group can be contacted on 212-432-0513.
Farcevalue wrote:It seems a bit of an unlikely strategy for a shill, advocating for dissolution of the state, renunciation of authority, encouraging critical thinking and exposing all the major institutions as contradictory frauds.
Heiwa wrote:This Richard seems to have put his nose into the shit:
Richard Grove wrote:
"Aside from witnessing events which contradict the "Official Story", I experienced the horror of bearing witness to a situation wherein my peers were trapped in a burning building and realizing that there was nothing that I could do to help them… As they lost hope and began to jump (in some cases hand in hand)… the flailing of their bodies as they were pulled helplessly toward the earth was almost the most disturbing part of my experience that morning.
I was within 2 or 3 blocks of the North Tower when the South Tower exploded."
Farcevalue wrote:Can you point me to the thread where the empty towers on the day and or leading up to it is fleshed out? I know I have seen some information about leases not being renewed and the fact that there was no real estate demand surge after the event. Do we have that compiled here somewhere?
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


text:
Oksana (ID: 9150)
Date of birth:June 01, 1975
Height:5' 7" (171 cm)
Weight:134 lb (61 kg)
Hair color:brown-haired
Eyes color:brown
Marital status:single
Education:Higher education
English language:Middle Level
Others foreign languages:No
Seeks partner:44 - 50 years old
Total photos:3
Bikini photos:0
Hobbies and interests:
I really like traveling, especially visiting warm countries where there are a lot of sunlights and sea...I like going in for sports and I like swimming, fitness and dancing. I enjoy reading, watching movies, cooking, visiting galleries and walking in the nature.
About me:
I consider myself to be very openhearted person, very communicative as I have many friends. The only thing is that all these I want to share with a person I love, who could understand me and respect .
Looking For Men Type:
I think that a man I am looking for should be at the age of 35-50 y.o., nice build , self-confident. I hope to find a man who really want to have a family, and who wants to create sustaining atmosphere at home, and who wants to have loving relationships and children.
Customer support in Ukraine: +380629533269
Comments or questions: firstname.lastname@example.com or Contact Us
Copyright 2003-2019 © email-orderbrides.com. All rights reserved.


text:
Weeks before members of U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's staff were caught on camera taunting supporters of his opponent, Elizabeth Warren, by imitating "tomahawk chops" and "war whoops chants," Bob Bolduc, a disabled veteran experienced it.
Mr. Bolduc, who has Native American heritage, said that while holding signs for Ms. Warren in Auburn and Worcester, he would occasionally be passed by motorist who would throw war whoops and other stereotypical Native American utterances at him.
"Here I am a person with Native American heritage, and these people were treating me like a TV character, shouting out 'what tribe are you from?' " he said.
"I called the Brown headquarters and left them a message. Maybe I am being too sensitive, but I was offended by it."
But Mr. Bolduc is not the only one being sensitive to the current state of the race between Mr. Brown and Ms. Warren.
Bill John Baker, Cherokee Nation chief, responded harshly to the video-recorded antics of some of Sen. Brown's staff members.
"It is those types of actions that perpetuate negative stereotypes and continue to minimize and degrade all native peoples," he said, in calling for an apology from Mr. Brown.
Ms. Warren, a Harvard law professor, has said that when she was a child in Oklahoma, her mother, grandparents, aunts and uncles had often talked about her family having Native American heritage.
Documents have shown that Ms. Warren has listing herself as a Native American in federal forms filed by Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, where she worked. In each case, however, she said her heritage played no part in getting those jobs or her advancement.
Mr. Brown is quite sure, however, that Ms. Warren is lying about having Native American heritage, and about not using it to advance her career.
"Professor Warren claimed that she was a Native American, a person of color and as you can see, she's not," he said last week during the opening minutes of the first of four scheduled debates between the two candidates.
"She checked the box claiming she was a Native American. Clearly she is not."
And while Mr. Brown characterized his staff stereotyping of Native Americans as "unacceptable" and warned them about continuing that "type of conduct," he continues to insist that Ms. Warren's Native American claim reflects a character flaw on her part.
"When you are a U.S. senator, you have to pass a test and that's one of character and honesty and truthfulness. I believe, and others believe, she's failed that test," Mr. Brown said.
Perhaps Mr. Brown has the ability to determine a person's heritage by eyeballing them, but even so, he doesn't' seem to have the moral ground on which to call her out.
He is the candidate who voted for the Massachusetts Health Care law, but who won his Senate seat on the promise that he would vote to kill the Affordable Care Act, which is modeled on the Massachusetts law.
He is the senator who voted for legislation to rein in the excesses and out-of-control behavior of Wall Street, but who has subsequently worked to weaken key provisions of that legislation, particularly provisions that would prevent banks from making high risk investments like those that had contributed to their downfall in the first place.
One could argue that these moves by Mr. Brown suggest he has failed his own test of "character and honesty and truthfulness."
One could argue that Mr. Brown's attacks against Ms. Warren's undocumented Cherokee heritage is less about him being a champion for honor among politicians, and more about him being a dabbler in the divisive undercurrents of race and dependency in this country.
The latter always seems to be a fall-back strategy when a candidate is not making any headway in talking about the real issues affecting people's lives.
It is an approach quite similar to Mitt Romney accusing President Barack Obama of taking the work requirement out of the welfare law.
Mr. Romney knows that his charge is inaccurate, but sticks by it anyway, because he knows there are some voters who automatically link welfare dependency to the "kind of people" who are voting for Mr. Obama.
By questioning Ms. Warren's heritage, and suggesting she might have used it to advance her career, Mr. Brown is implicitly raising affirmative action as a campaign issue.
It would be more informative if he would tell us where he stands on the issue, but when I inquired yesterday, his spokesman, Felix Brown, didn't know and offered to get back to me.
He didn't, but I know the senator knows perfectly well where the voters he's trying to reach with the Warren attacks stand on the issue.
UPDATE: In an email that was missed prior to publication, the Brown campaign issued the following statement:
"Scott Brown supports equal opportunity and efforts to reach out to historically disadvantaged communities to ensure a diverse and qualified pool of candidates as part of a merit-based hiring system, but does not support race-based quotas."


text:
City of Sacramento to License Cannabis Cultivation
Geoffrey Taylor, MA
Jan 13, 2017
Read more from
Cannetic Group.
Marijuana Business Operations Plan Critical To Pursuing MCRSA License in 2018
San Luis Obispo, Calif. - California is changing each month with new developments taking effect, but MCRSA of the Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act will require licensees to often have a local marijuana license from a city or county. It's relatively easy to provide the information on a marijuana business license application, but a solid marijuana business operations plan will make it much easier to turn your dream of starting a marijuana business into a reality. The Medical Cannabis
Cannetic Group LLC to prepare City of Long Beach dispensary applications
Cannetic Group LLC, an industry leading provider of medical cannabis business services and consulting, is currently preparing applications components for clients seeking medical marijuana dispensary licensing in the City of Long Beach, Calif.
5 Reasons to Open a Marijuana Business in California
It's never been easier to start your own marijuana business in California and if the potential revenue and the numbers mean anything, the industry is already taking off at breakneck pace.


text:
While many critics think that the Fed would move quickly to restrain excess inflation that results from any tax cuts, and thereby stifle economic growth, Greg Ip of The Wall Street Journal has his doubts.
The Fed would cheer sustained GDP growth of 3 percent, Ip argues, as long as it's driven by a larger and more productive workforce, which is the stated goal of the Trump administration. While it would eventually raise interest rates, the return to "equilibrium" levels shouldn't hurt the economy.
Read his full argument here.


text:
Ancestral Cooking Forum
Miss Vivian's True Southern Teacakes
In Response To: Holiday Meal Preparations ()
When I think of southern cooking, I think of one of my favorite treats, a simple baked goodie, the teacake. When I think of teacakes, I am reminded of winter days on Saturday when we were unable to go outside and play, sitting by the window watching the rain crashing against the window and soon the smell of vanilla would waft through the house. The three of us, my younger sister, brother, and me would scurry into the kitchen to get the teacakes. Hmmm. The smell, the texture, the feeling of biting into this delicious concoction that is best described as a cross between a cookie and a cake which includes eggs, flour, and vanilla as some of the ingredients. They were equally good on a hot summer day for a dessert with homemade ice cream.
There are a number of items that go by the name of teacake but none I have seen in stores or bakeries replicate the round cookie-like, browned edge delicacy I grew up with and nothing even remotely tasted like Mom's teacakes. There are all kinds of recipes for teacakes and interpretations of what a teacake is supposed to be. Some of them are actual cakes or cookies but not a one was the real deal. Not the southern treat that my grandmother would serve when her friends came over for their weekly quilting bees, along with a glass of "sweet tea" or hot tea depending on the weather. Mom never could tell me the origin of tea cakes; "Just something everybody used to make." I am convinced teacakes like many southern dishes originated from slaves who learned to make do with ingredients on hand and combined a version of the English treats they cooked in plantation households.
Miss Vivian's True Southern Teacakes
1-cup sugar
Cream sugar and butter; add egg, flour and next four ingredients. Bake at 375 degrees. Makes about 1 ˝ dozen cookies depending on size of tea cake.
Copyright © 2006 Dera R Williams
Messages In This Thread