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I don't like to write negative reviews, so I'll keep this short and sweet. I realize that Eli Roth is a divisive topic, and that he gets that hipster blood a-boiling, but when I heard they were remaking his film Cabin Fever, I felt a little boil in the blood myself. And this is me we're talking about here. I'm usually the one defending these remakes from attacks and charges of sexually assaulted childhoods. But goddamn it, this is one of the most unnecessary things I've ever seen. Even if you weren't a fan of the original, you can't think that a remake of such a recent film is a good idea, especially one that is widely considered to be awesome, and already in the English language. But that's exactly what they did. I had my suspicions when more information started to trickle in, that the entire reason they were doing this was to make the same story a little more millennial/hipster friendly. In case you've forgotten, there were a couple of jokes in Roth's film that rubbed the PC crowd the wrong way. And I'm afraid that I was correct. Other than the omission of these "offensive" jokes, the 2016 version of Cabin Fever is beat-for-beat the same movie.
Imagine the 1998 Psycho remake, if the shower scene were removed for fear of offending producers and distributors of shower curtains. That's basically what you get with this update. Sure, it's still gross and gory, but it still feels sanitized for a more sensitive audience. And, hey, it's not that I don't understand. If I were to see someone on the streets accosting a gay man simply for being gay, I would intervene in any way that I could. But you can't look me in the eye, keep a straight face, and tell me that James DeBello's character wouldn't call a squirrel gay, and then make the "I don't care if it's gay or straight, I'll shoot 'em anyway" joke in real life. Maybe it's where I grew up, but that's how people like that talk. Yes, we have collectively decided as a society that referring to something as "gay" to signify something negative is a bad thing. I don't do it, and you shouldn't do it, but this is fiction, people. These are stories written, and characters created to entertain us. Are you saying that we can't even write offensive things for asshole characters to say in our fiction now? This is where I find myself and the PC crowd separating. It's words, the English language. It's beautiful, even when it's ugly. There are people in this world who say and do some atrocious shit, and it is an artists job to capture these things, and merge it into their writing, directing, painting, whatever, to tell a genuine story that strikes a chord with a potential consumer. When we start limiting the tools an artist has to tell these stories, it's time to give the pastime up altogether. Censorship has no place in entertainment, even if it offends you.
Now that my little mini-rant is out-of-the-way, let me tell you about this movie. Actually, do I even need to? Like I said before, aside from a few joke removals, this version of Cabin Fever is the same, down to the dialog, down to the shot. It's the same movie you've already seen, only not as good. The acting isn't as good, the production value is just a smidge lower class than its predecessor. If you're a millennial, and you've never seen the original Cabin Fever, this was probably meant for you. But even still, you're better off just skipping it and tracking down the Blu-ray of Roth's movie. I known people were crazy about the Last House on the Left remake, but I wasn't a fan. It felt sanitized as well, but I think in the case of Cabin Fever, it's even more egregious. At least the Last House remake tried to do something different enough to justify its existence in the first place, while Cabin Fever simply exists to mimic, and to repackage for a new generation. I know that this is the intended purpose of a remake, but as people like Alexandre Aja have shown, with his remake of Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes, a director of a remake can aim to improve, or at least stray somewhat to inject a little uniqueness to the project. That movie, The Hills Have Eyes '06, in my eyes, is better than Craven's original. And even though Roth was involved with the production of this remake, at least to the extent that he was granted a Producer credential, it never feels like an adoring fan's love letter to a film that touched them. At every step it feels like viewer exploitation.
In spite of the utterly useless movie itself, Scream Factory's Blu-ray release of the film is fine. If you're a fan, there are zero warnings for me to give you. The video and audio are perfect, it is a new release film after all. The bonus content is sparse, but that has come to be expected with a lot of these new release films, and especially indie flicks which were lucky to find a distributor in the first place. On the disc you get a Making-of featurette, and the theatrical trailer, and that's it. But, you won't be left wanting more, because honestly, what more could there be? It's the same movie with different actors. How interesting could a detailed documentation of its production be? Cabin Fever 2016 will hit store shelves and begin shipping from online retailers on Tuesday, the 5th of July.


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Sunday, August 25, 2013
First Day of School 2013
Frances is starting her last year of elementary school (just saying that gives me hives!!) this year with 4th grade. She has had great teachers in the past, and she does again this year; but the cherry on top is that this yer her very best friend in the whole world, R, is in her class this year!! She's got a lot of other friends in her class as well, and the boy that gave her so much trouble last year is not in there.
I am really excited about all the things coming up for them this year! I can't wait to hear all their stories.
here. Before that I was a slacker mom and didn't post such pictures!
6 comments :
They are SO CUTE!! Our girls just started their last year in elementary school, too, and we are blown away that they are suddenly 4th graders!!-The Dose GirlsReplyDeleteReplies
The times just flies by, doesn't it!! Unless of course, you're waiting for a toddler to eat dinner or use the bathroom!!Delete
So cute. And wow - elementary school ends in 4th grade? It's in 6th grade here! Then middle school is 7th and 8th. Although when I was a kid it was 6th, 7th and 8th. Kids today...really growing up faster?ReplyDeleteReplies
I think they did that to alleviate some of the overcrowding in our schools. They do try to segregate the 5th graders from the rest of the middle school, so that helps.Delete
Oh my they are just so adorable! How wonderful that are so comfortable with your preschool and the teachers. It's such an important age. Here's to a great year ahead!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, Stevie! They are having a great year so far!Delete
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BC: You just keep growing and everyday we are so proud of you...
FC: Our Baby Girl
1: Alyssa Nikole Jones Monday October 3, 2011 8:18a.m. 7ib7oz 19 1'2in long | It's a Girl
3: We fell in-love since day one... | Cute as a button
5: Daddy's Girl!
6: ...for the best | You changed our World...
7: The most beautiful girl
8: Nap time with daddy zzzzzzzzzz....... | Perfect Angel
9: Your Smile... | ...makes the whole world stop and stare
10: Our lil Laker Girl | Lakers 24 | Jones
11: The Cutest Laker Fan
12: you stole our hearts
13: Our little angel is growing up so fast... wish you could stay little forever
14: Growing up right before our eyes
15: Our little sweetie pie
16: Daddy's Princess | This man will never do you wrong... ....He loves you more than you know
18: Mommy's Sunshine
19: Words cant express... | ...how much love i have for you baby girl | Baby Girl
21: The three of us are unstoppable


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*Shhhh I am going to sneak a little Christmas talk into this blog but don't tell anyone as I have a feeling they are not as Christmassy as me in the office!*
However we do have new products in the warehouse and this is always like Christmas! The new Beau Products Concentrated Food Flavourings have arrived and are ready on our website.
These are highly concentrated so you literally only need a couple of drops before you can smell and taste their delights. So these 40ml bottles will last for so long when stored correctly.
You may think that these are awesome for cakes, however you are not limited with these. A few other suggestions are for use in; custard, cream, fondants, icing and even chocolate.
These are much like Jelly Beans where you can make some classic combinations a few of my suggestions are;
Apple and Blackberry for a delicious and comforting apple and blackberry pie combination. There is nothing more delightful than the comforting smell of an apple and blackberry pie combination on a winters day, such as this recipe from BBC Good Food. I think this would be amazing as one flavouring added to a simple sponge and then adding the other flavouring to a custard.
Cranberry and Mulled Wine for a delectable Christmas scent. Where The Cookies are have a delicious sounding recipe to make an actual Cranberry Mulled wine. If you would like to make cakes to accompany the wine then these flavourings are just the ticket. There is nothing nicer than a nice cup of mulled wine snuggled up in front of the fire and now you can tuck into a nice slice of cake or cupcake.
My ultimate favourite combination is Creamy Butter and Popcorn which just reminded me of being in the cinema. Besting Nesting has an awesome recipe for you to recreate your very own cinema popcorn. I think this cinema combo would be perfect using the creamy butter in your cake mixture and then adding your popcorn flavouring to the chocolate on your cake pops.
The post Fabulous Food Flavourings sprinkled with a little Christmas- Beau Products Concentrated Food Flavourings appeared first on Cake It To The Max.


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This Update reports indexed Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits for 2016 that are of interest to public sector retirement plan sponsors. Because some state and local government employees are covered by Social Security, the Update also reports Social Security figures for 2016.
The 2016 IRS dollar limits for qualified plans and other tax-favored retirement plans are determined using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released on October 15, 2015. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the 12 months that ended September 30, 2015, was "essentially unchanged." No increase in the CPI-U means that the IRS dollar limits will not increase for 2016. The press release is on the IRS website. The table below compares some of the 2016 limits to those limits for 2015.
|IRS Retirement Plan Limits
|Maximum §415(b) Annual Payout at Age 62 from a Defined Benefit Plan1
|Maximum §415(c) Annual Addition to a Defined Contribution Plan Account
|Annual Elective §401(k), §403(b) and §457(b) Deferral Limit
|Annual §401(k), §403(b) and §457(b) Catch-Up Limit (Age 50 and Older)
|Maximum §401(a)(17) Annual Compensation Amount Considered for
Qualified Plans and §403(b) Plans
|Maximum §401(a)(17) Annual Compensation Amount Considered for
Public Sector Plans That Were Able to Grandfather the Old Dollar Limit
1 There are late-retirement adjustments for benefits starting after age 65.
Social Security benefits increase automatically if inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), increases from the third quarter of the last year to the third quarter of the current year. Because there was no increase in the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2014 to the third quarter of 2015, there will be no cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2016. The Social Security wage base and earnings test will also not change for 2016. A press release on this news and a fact sheet on 2016 Social Security figures are on the Social Security Administration (SSA) website. The table below shows which 2016 figures will differ from 2015 figures and which will be unchanged.
|Social Security Benefit Tests and Limits
|Wage Base for Social Security Tax1
|COLA Increase
|Social Security National Average Wage Index2
(for 2013)
(for 2014)
|Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) Formula:3
a) First Bend Point
b) Second Bend Point
|Maximum Social Security Benefit at Social Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA)4
|Earnings Test — Early Retirement (Age 62)
(Amount that Can Be Earned before Benefits Are Cut)5
1 There is no wage base limit for Medicare.
2 This amount is not tied to the CPI-W, but rather to earnings as reported to the SSA. The 2014 average (which is relevant for 2016) and background can be found on the SSA website.
3 PIA formula "bend points" are updated each year to reflect changes in the National Average Wage Index. The 2016 bend points can be found on the SSA website.
4 The maximum Social Security benefit at SSNRA is not tied to the CPI. It is based on the PIA formula (reflecting updated bend points) where a worker's earnings are at the maximum taxable amount for his or her career. For workers born in 1943-1954, the SSNRA is age 66. Information on how SSNRA varies by birth year is on the SSA website. A decrease in full maximum benefits, as will happen in 2016, occurs when there is no COLA, but there is an increase in the national average wage index.
5 In the year of attaining SSNRA, the early retirement earnings test is higher. In 2016, it will be the same as in 2015: $41,880/year ($3,490/month). After attaining SSNRA, individuals can receive their full benefits regardless of how much they earn.
Update is Segal Consulting's electronic newsletter summarizing compliance news. Update is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. It is not intended to provide guidance on current laws or pending legislation. On all issues involving the interpretation or application of laws and regulations, plan sponsors should rely on their attorneys for legal advice.
If you would like additional information about this news, please contact your Segal consultant or the Segal office nearest you. Segal can be retained to work with plan sponsors and their legal counsel on compliance issues.
To receive Update and other Segal publications, join our weekly email list.
Segal Consulting is a member of The Segal Group.
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Hoeft: After a divisive election, how we might run tomorrow's race
BY J.R. HOEFT Consider this an opportunity and a wakeup call. If President Trump's post-election press conference is any indication, in his mind, it will be neither. Despite an outstanding economy, strong foreign policy and two appointments to the Supreme… Continue Reading


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This Crunchy Colorful Coleslaw recipe is my go-to side for barbecues, especially when there's a chance to pile it on a sandwich.
I like my coleslaw creamy with a little bit of sweetness and all the color and crunch I can muster. This coleslaw has enough flavor to be a meal on its own or topped simply with grilled shrimp, and it still fits in just right on a pulled pork sandwich or as a BBQ side dish. I like to throw in chopped green onion or sliced cucumber to change it up, and a teaspoon or two of whole grain mustard can give an added kick.
This coleslaw recipe is best the day it's made, so I alternate between this and my Simple Cucumber Salad for an easy goes-with-anything side. Since the cucumbers are better after a day in the fridge, that's my make-ahead option.
Crunchy Colorful Coleslaw Recipe
- 1 medium head of cabbage, shredded (green, purple or a combination)
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 3-4 mini sweet peppers, cut into matchsticks
- 3-4 radishes, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss cabbage, carrots, peppers and radishes. Pour mayonnaise dressing over the cabbage mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 1-4 hours and serve. (Coleslaw is best the day it's made.)
This recipe is naturally Dairy Free, use Paleo mayonnaise for Paleo-Friendly
photo by Katie Roletto from our days at Love With Food


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On Pastoral Robes and Supreme Court Justices2
This week, at the beginning of the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse gave a remarkable 10 minute address on the significance of the Supreme Court Justice robe. As I listened to him explain the meaning of the simple black robe to the Senate, I was struck by how relevant his comments are for understanding why ministers of the Gospel have historically worn robes when leading the public worship service. In fact, at one point in his address Senator Sasse makes this same connection.
As Redeemer is a church that has chosen to continue the practice of the ministerial robe, I share below some of his more pertinent points in order to remind us why we do what we do. This is particularly important because use of the ministerial robe has fallen on hard times in American evangelical churches, and the purpose for it is often misunderstood completely.
The first point (like a good preacher, he had three points all of which he stated up front!) made by Senator Sasse regarding the meaning of the robe is that wearing the robe "changes the way our eyes see the court." He explains
It (the robe) calls attention to the office, rather than the person. The robe forces their personality into the background so that we can focus on the important but modest job they have to do, (namely) to drill down on facts and law. Facts are objective. They don't change based on personality. They are evaluated against written objective laws, not on what someone wishes the law to be...Our ideal is one where you can trade out one judge for another and get the same outcome...we are not to be ruled by a judges passions, empathy, or policy preferences.
This is an absolutely remarkable statement, and if you insert "God's Truth/Law" where Sen. Sasse says "facts," you get an accurate understanding of the purpose of the ministerial robe. It is indeed to call the listener's attention away from the personality of the preacher, and focus it on the office that he is filling as he stands behind the pulpit, namely God's ambassador called to proclaim God's truth to God's people. It is also a reminder of what a congregation should expect from the minister: he is not there as an entertainer, politician, or professional story teller, but as an expositor of the Word. The robe is a symbol that the minister is under obligation not to say what the culture wants to hear, not to reflect the popular opinions of the day, or even to appease his own congregation. He is bound to preach the Word.
Secondly, Sen Sasse notes that the robe "reiterates the calling of the judge back to the judge." This is where he makes a connection between the role of judge and the role of minister:
Many people sat in church pews and listened to someone preach wearing a robe...Why the pulpit, why the robe? Because these things make it harder to see the preacher. They help us all understand.it is not about the messenger but the message that was being passed down from above. It was also to remind the minister of the same cloaking...Likewise a good judge on the bench knows that its' not about (him)...When you put on a robe, you are cloaking your personal preferences, you are cloaking your partisan views. There is not a red robe for republicans or a blue robe for democrats. We issue only black robes.
Again, this is remarkably helpful in understanding the purpose of the ministerial robe. The robe isn't worn merely for the congregation, but for the minister himself. Wearing the robe should humble the pastor. He is not up there to preach himself, ultimately he is a nobody (in an age of Christian celebrity, this is incredibly important), and what is happening is not at all about him. Rather, like John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said "he must increase," the robe reminds the pastor that is office is to preach nothing but Christ and him Crucified. The personality, personal likes and dislikes, or political views, of the minister must never override, distort, or distract from the message of God to his people that morning.
2 Comments
MAGNIFICENT PIECE!!! Please send a copy as an attachment, noting the number of words. We would like to publish it in Grove City College's Vision and Values series as an OpEd. This way it will have a MUCH BROADER exposure. THANKS for writing it!!
MAGNIFICENT PIECE!!! We would like to publish it in GroveCity College's Vision and Values series. Please email as an attachment a copy of this, noting the number of words. Anxious to hear from you. Again, A GREAT PIECE, worthy of a much broader audience. You are a BLESSING!!!
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Purple bouquet of flowers delivered to my office. Most memorable – the china delivery man called and said he couldn't locate my office building and asked me to come down to collect the bouquet. Love was very pissed and he thinks the delivery man deliberately did that so he could shorten the time and do more deliveries. Oh well…
We usually celebrate with a huge feast at some hotel buffet after work but since this year's falls on a Thursday, we thought of feasting on Friday instead so we can spend the whole night away without worrying to work the next day. The plan after work was to meet up with my Malaysia cousins whom came to Singapore for CNY visit at MBS, but due to the rain, we were unable to meet up, therefore, Mr.LTT and I went to find dinner ourselves, settled at High Society.
I didn't know they only serve Valentine's Day meal and that set meal cost $145++! Unexpectedly, we spent our Valentine's Day meal at High Society.
That's not the end of the episode, we waited for nearly 2 hours for the entire course meal to be served and the waiter only told us that they are short of chefs in the kitchen in the middle of our wait. It's like i thought it's Valentine's Day and you guys should know that people (or rather couples) will be dining out. What's the point of offering a Valentine's Day Course Meal when you are not prepared.
Well, when the bill came, we said we are not going to pay the 10% service charge. At least the saving grace was that they offered a discount and compensate with two complimentary cupcakes.
Reached home and saw this postcard in my mail! Love from Steph during her Taiwan trip!
It feels good so loved to receive handwritten cards, those are rare gems now. <3


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Story Of The STone Heart
Reads: 346 | Likes: 0 | Shelves: 0 | Comments: 0
Short Story by: The Skeleton Pen
The Story Of The Stone heart
Alexandra just got home from a very stressful day at school, she was so looking forward to the game
that night (she practically begged her mom to take her) she only wanted to go because a guy she likked would be there and she wanted to meet him for the first time she knew it was silly but she
didnt care she had fallen for this guy already, deeply and completly. They dated for five months prier to this meeting but they had broken up because he thought they would never meet and he was
trying to get back with his ex,Kym.
Alexandra (Alex for short) arived ten minutes before Dakota ( the guy she was meeting) but he was walking out and didnt recognize her so she giggled as she passed him, he texted her right about that time asking where she was she told him "you passed me silly". she watched him as he looked for her so he called her and asked which direction she was, she told him to look for a girl with purple hair and a blue shirt. He saw her and just stared then he spoke and said " that cant be you" she laughed and said in a sarcastic tone "No, that cant be me" she could see him smirk as he walked tward her.
The game had came to an end and they were still no more then friends she was sad butrefused to let it show. As she turned to leave he pulled her into a tight hug and then gently kissed her she felt like her head would expload and when he let go she hid her face so he wouldnt see her cry as he walked her to her car, she watched him leave with sadness in her eyes scared she would never see him again. She arived home an hour later, put her phone on charge and took a shower. When she got out she checked her phone there was a text, it was from him! she was suprised but happy but also scared, would this tell her he hated the time they spent together? that he never wanted to talk to her again? she opened it and it read:
"hey hun, that kiss was amazing" she smiled so big and quickly hit reply
" yes but it broke my heart, now i know what i lost" a single tear rolled down her cheek
his reply was almost instant "im sorry, can i see you again?"
she told him yes and a week later she arived in his town and waited for him by her car he came up
behind her and scared her, she laughed and smiled like a fool but couldnt help it he made her feel so good. He smiled back and told her he had made up his mind on somthing very important, she got a
funny feeling in her tummy and it wasnt good but it wasnt bad either. She told him to ask her, by this time she was sitting on the hood of her car and he was leaning against the door avoiding her
eyes, she got worried and he muttered somthing so soft she couldnt make it out
"what did you say?" She asked trying to catch his eye.
he sighed "i said... 'will you be my girlfriend again?'"
she smiled and didnt answer him instead she kissed him hard, when they finally broke the kiss he said ill take that as a yes.
Two months later it was halloween his mom had invited Alex to come stay the night with them and go
on a hay ride she couldnt say yes fast enough, that saturday morning Dakota (Kota for short) came with his mom to pick her up. they had been seeing eachother almost every weekend by now, but today
she got to meet his mom, two brothers, sister and three nephews, she was so scared but she bit her lip and faked it as she always said. They arrived at his house it was dark so they went out to the
fire and sat on a log and waited for the hay ride to begin. Kota had to go and get ready to scared all of Chy's friends (his sister) and he did a great job he got them three times but Alex just
laughed at there screams.
Later that night when all the kids and his family were asleep they layed on his fav. blanket by the warm fire and watched the stars holding eachother close and talked for hours. then suddenly the mood changed she looked over at him and saw a hunger in his eyes that mirrored hers but she was scared and he could see that he said it would be ok, he got ontop of her both of them completly nude and he gently, and softly careessed her and made love to her for the first time.
From that day on things changed, she treated him a king, gave him anything and everything she could,
she did all she could to please him and please him she did, but he didnt appreciate it. She realised the love in his eyes had died but the love in hers burned like a passion from ten suns. she
introduced him to all of her family and friends but when she thought things were going so well.. they turned sour!! He changed she felt no love around him, felt lonley in his arms, she still loved
him with every fiber in her being, she gave him all of her but he didnt return the favor. He texted her the next day when he went home from being at her house for three days, telling her he didnt
see her in his future. She was heart broken. She went to school and ranted and raved about how she didnt care that she could replace him as easy as snapping her fingures. It was the truth, but she
couldnt do it she loved him.. you cant replace love that easy!
The End
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Introducing iPhone XS and iPhone XR - Apple
- Published on Sep 12, 2018
- Three entirely new devices. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR. All-screen. Faster, more advanced Face ID. The A12 Bionic, the smartest and most powerful chip ever in a smartphone. A breakthrough camera system with Portrait mode and new software-enhanced, adjustable depth of field. And so much more.
Learn more at apple.co/2QnFTv3
Music by obylx apple.co/2xhvN6r
- Science & Technology


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Music plays a huge part to the soundtrack to any event and this is especially true for your wedding day. Trying to find and book a wedding band, or wedding entertainment to delight your guests is just one of the potential headaches you might face. It shouldn't be. A live band to get the party started in the evening, chilled-out acoustic music while the wedding photos are taken, or even some cool jazz or swing to set the tone for a beautiful celebration. Warble Entertainment helps you to hire the right musicians to play exactly the kind of music that rockets your big day from good to absolutely fabulous!


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Orphaned by an accident, James Henry Trotter is left in the care of his two mean aunts. While chopping wood in the garden he comes across the opportunity to escape from his reality with the help of some unlikely friends. They embark on an unforgettable adventure across the sea on a giant peach.
Donations will benefit Community Action Center.


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Your cannabis plant will have to go through several stages before you can harvest it. As a grower, you have to be aware of the buds' demands as they form through the growth phases. It is your duty to cater to their needs and respond immediately to any given situation. To know how to react […]Continue reading
Today, we'll guide you through the steps on how to trim using the wet method. This technique is easier as the leaves are sticking out, making them quicker to notice and prune, compared to when you use the dry method. It nearly always leads to a quicker drying process as well since the extra plant […]Continue reading
Excessive heat can kill your cannabis plants, especially during the flowering phase. This is the reason why we'll discuss 10 different ways on how to cool down your grow tent. Environment Hacks Low in Number Your grow tent might be hot because it's handling more than enough crops. Too many plants can cause the temp […]Continue reading
1st Step: Buy a Humidity Monitor Just like a thermometer, a humidity monitor is also a must-have which can help you check the humidity level in your grow tent. You can also purchase a combometer—a humidity and temperature checker in one instrument. 2nd Step: Know the Ideal Relative Humidity (RH) Young plants should receive 40-60% […]Continue reading
Who said setting up a grow tent is difficult? This article will make you realize how quick and easy it is to get your tent ready for some cannabis growing. Ready or not, here we go! 1: Prepare the location Clear up the area where you'll be placing your grow tent permanently. Measure correctly to […]Continue reading
#10: MedTainer Storage Container This airtight and watertight container made of medical grade plastic is best for road trips. It's the 2-in-1 (grinder and holder) container any stoner will love. It can keep your high-grade cannabis perfectly—it won't release any odor. It's waterproof too, so you don't have to worry when you accidentally drop it […]Continue reading
I'm sure you want to get the most out of your cannabis plant. That's why I'm also confident that you'll get the best genetics possible when it comes to purchasing cannabis seeds. One way to make sure you're not being deceived is to check the reputation of the seed bank where you're buying from. If […]Continue reading
It's evident that the cannabis industry is taking over North America and gradually expanding its influence in other parts of the world too. Though recreational marijuana is still illegal in most parts of the planet, that didn't stop medical cannabis from showing impressive development in the market. Because legal marijuana sales are expected to grow […]Continue reading
If you're not into growing cannabis hydroponically or without soil, then you must know what's the best soil for the plant. This article aims to help growers cultivate their own marijuana plants with the best type of soil there is. The Characteristics of a Fine Cannabis Soil If you want the plant to flourish, and […]Continue reading
The Weed Industry Cannabis is still one of the most talked-about plants today. There are various ways of cultivating it and numerous benefits attached to it. And since the cannabis industry has been on fire for the past years, investors have begun to show interest. According to ArcView, a cannabis research firm, North American sales […]Continue reading


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A residential field centre in the Forest of Dean available for private hire. We provide single and bunk bed accommodation for groups of up to 36 people. We welcome families, friends & groups including schools/collages/uni's, walkers, cyclists & mountain bikers.
Our 1.5 acres of grounds next to the forest provide an ideal base for exploring, wildlife and outdoor learning.
Find Oakraven Field Centre on Facebook.


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SALTY AND SWEET: The time-honored pairing of salty and sweet usually gets play in all of the usual ways. Oh, trail mix is a biggie -- think of the chocolates and almonds -- as is blue cheese and grapes. But a more unusual one set to hit big? Bacon and wine. One typically occupies the start of the day, and one the later hours, but a new Los Olivos festival is set to have the meat and the libation meet in the middle. It's called Bacon & Barrels and it will make its first-ever bow from Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21 in the pretty Santa Ynez wine country village.
TICKETS TO GO ON SALE: That's a ways off, but the chance to grab an admission is not. The on-sale date is April 1.
PLATES AND GLASSES: "(T)he best chefs of the Central Coast" will gather in the town to make all sorts of bacon-based entrees and appetizers and snacks. A three-course bacon dinner opens up the festivities on July 19. And to sip? Well, wines will take the forefront, as one might expect given the location, but craft brews and spirits like bourbons will also be paired with the salty meaty yum.
LOVELY LOS OLIVOS: Even if your third week in July is too busy for bacon and bourbon, you should still plan a day soon in the town named for the olive. Our opinion? When one dreams of the perfectly petite but funky wine country town, complete with tasting rooms, some excellent eateries, and a good stay-over spot or two, they're dreaming of Los Olivos. It comes as close to the standard as towns can get, and that's pretty much fact.


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St. Louis Staple: Pappy's BBQ
How do you make having to stay at the office until 1 a.m. bearable? Order Pappy's BBQ. St. Louis has a ton of great BBQ, but Pappy's is a well known, crowd pleasing favorite. Their ribs are amazing. Caramelized, fall off the bone porky goodness. (Yes I'm Jewish – I don't keep Kosher) I went … More St. Louis Staple: Pappy's BBQ


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Welcome to the Information Services staff directory. To best support the university community, Information Services
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By Stephen Webb, P.Eng
How "4th Generation" Quality Management Systems are Changing the Game
"The Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation has identified material, weld and construction quality as a major source of leaks during commissioning hydrostatic pressure tests, the first years of operations and later in the life of a pipeline. PHMSA's findings indicate a need for better quality assurance in the pipeline construction industry." - 1 The best strategy for pipeline owner operators to protect themselves against these quality risks is to implement a thorough quality management system (QMS), as laid out in API Recommended Practice 1177.
The key to any successful QMS is the real-time collection of, access to, and analysis of pipeline data. To that end, many pipeline professionals have been adopting the use of "Smart Forms/PDFs" to capture and manage their data. While this technology has some benefits, it is woefully insufficient for the standards of a QMS set forth by RP 1177. The manpower and finances required to locate, extract and utilize information for quality management, engineering assessments, and incident investigations result in significant delays. There are much more advanced technologies available today for the purposes of quality management. Namely: 4th Generation (4Gen) technology.
What Is 4Gen Technology For Pipelines?
4Gen technology refers to the implementation of automated tools and machines to a system that can analyse the process chain, make recommendations, flag errors and report on user-defined analytics and objectives. In the pipeline construction and operation industries, 4Gen technology primarily serves as a construction QMS.
How Does 4Gen Differ From Smart Forms/PDFs?
Smart Forms/PDFs are essentially just that – "smart" versions of PDF documentation. They give the user the ability to edit a pdf file with the same freedom as a spreadsheet, word, text or jpeg file, while providing security and the ability to confidentially access searchable file content.
For Pipeline Construction, They Provide:
While this technology is certainly an improvement over PDF documentation of old, it is insufficient as a tool for pipeline quality management.
Inherent Inefficiencies Of Using Smart Forms/PDFs Include:
In contrast, 4Gen technology can automate all of the tedious data capture, storage, retention, filtering, and analysis while users are actively working in the field. In fact, 4Gen software tools exist that can singularly house all data and information issued during the planning, design & verification, contract, materials requisitioning and construction phases of a pipeline project. Essentially, these tools create a pipeline "Digital Twin" – digitizing every phase of the pipeline lifecycle on a secured cloud server with the client given proprietary access rights.
Utilizing a cloud-based server to access, store, and revise data as needed, the user has the ability to monitor progress, identify construction quality issues and audit the construction phase on a daily basis. This leads to actionable intelligence for management to identify shortcomings and create improvements in near real-time. In addition, as revisions to construction and quality standards are issued, they can be automatically downloaded to the device.
While Smart Forms/PDFs might seem adequate for user efficiency in comparison to methods of the past, they simply cannot deliver the same quality management, efficiency gains, or improved profitability as 4Gen technology. By replacing Smart Forms with 4Gen, pipeline owner operators can realize the following benefits:
At the end of the day, PDFs cannot communicate with each other. If data from multiple sources needs to be analyzed and measured, timely work to filter and collect the data is necessary. On the flip side, with the right 4Gen pipeline software, quality and compliance metrics across multiple disciplines and actions can be analyzed in real-time as data is entered.
Document hand-over and project close-out is no longer a process of collecting hard copy documents from multiple sources. As all data is entered and verified by the end-user, the owner operator can be confident that quality and regulatory standards have been achieved based on measured results from the field. Through repetitive audits from the data collected and analysed, continuous improvement of construction quality can be achieved, and instances of weld repairs/pipeline leaks can be dramatically reduced. All before the current project ever goes into service! Current mindsets associate lessons learned with these changes being applied to the NEXT project. Real-time learnings using 4Gen can be developed fast enough to affect the safety and reliability of the project that it is currently being used on.
Implementing 4Gen Technology With Trusted Experts
Metegrity is a global leader in quality and asset integrity management for pipelines. Their Pipeline Enterprise product is a 4Gen QMS software tool that helps owner operators digitalize all phases of the pipeline lifecycle for maximized efficiency gains and rapid improvements to profitability. They currently protect over $550B in assets across 850 facilities worldwide.
1 – Niesen, V. and Gould, M. (2017, November). Detecting Pipeline Leaks. ASME Mechanical Engineering, 139 (11), p 35-39.
SOURCE: Metegrity


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Team set to study red snapper abundance
A team of university and government scientists, selected by an expert review panel convened by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, will conduct an independent study to estimate the number of red snapper in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
"I look forward to the insights this project will provide as we work to study and manage this valuable resource," said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. "Communities around the Gulf of Mexico depend on the availability of healthy red snapper stocks to support their livelihoods."
The research team, made up of 21 scientists from 12 institutions of higher learning, a state agency and a federal agency, was awarded $9.5 million in federal funds for the project through a competitive research grant process. With matching funds from the universities, the project will total $12 million.
"We've really got the dream team of red snapper scientists for the Gulf of Mexico," said Greg Stunz, the project leader and a professor at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. "The team members assembled through this process are really world-class scientists and red snapper experts. They are fully equipped to address this challenging research question."
Recreational anglers and commercial fishermen will be invited to play a key role in collecting data by tagging fish, reporting tags and working directly with scientists onboard their vessels.
"The local knowledge fishermen bring to this process is very valuable and meaningfully informs our study," Stunz said.
Some stakeholder groups have expressed concerns that there are more red snapper in the Gulf than currently accounted for in the stock assessment. The team of scientists on this project will spend two years studying the issue.
In 2016, Congress directed the National Sea Grant College Program and NOAA Fisheries to fund independent red snapper data collections, surveys and assessments, including the use of tagging and advanced sampling technologies. Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries worked collaboratively to transfer federal funds to Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant to administer the competitive research grant process and manage this independent abundance estimate.
"Today's announcement is welcome news for all red snapper anglers in the Gulf of Mexico," said Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama. "As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, I was proud to author and secure federal funding to address the need for better data, which is a fundamental issue plaguing the fishery. The management of red snapper must be grounded in sound science if we want to provide fair access and more days on the water for our anglers. It is my hope that these independent scientists will be able to accurately determine the abundance of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico once and for all."
"This research will be driven largely by university-based scientists with partners from state and federal agencies." Stunz said. "This funding will allow us to do an abundance estimate using multiple sampling methods with a focus on advanced technologies and tagging for various habitat types."
"I'm pleased to see that the independent estimate is moving forward and including the expertise of recreational fishermen," said Rep. John Culberson of Texas. "I will continue to work with Texas fishermen and NOAA to address the inadequate access to red snapper."
The project team will determine abundance and distribution of red snapper on artificial, natural and unknown bottom habitat across the northern Gulf of Mexico.
"There are lots of constituents wanting an independent abundance estimate who will be anxiously awaiting our findings," Stunz said. "Our team is thrilled to be awarded this funding. We're ready to get started."


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There are many ways to promote healing and support your body as it reclaims balance. In this section, you will find some of my favorites. As with everything here at FreeFoodFreedom, the content is meant to inform and educate, to be a springboard for your further exploration… NOT to replace medical advice, act as diagnosis or constitute treatment. You have the freedom to choose what is best for you. May the information here serve to inform and empower your decisions.
If you need a partner for your health journey, I am happy to support you. Check out the Work With Me page to apply or schedule an appointment with me.


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EU Opens Patent Abuse Investigation Into Motorola
The European Commission on Tuesday formally opened a patent abuse investigation into Motorola.
"The Commission will assess whether Motorola has abusively, and in contravention of commitments it gave to standard setting organisations, used certain of its standard essential patents to distort competition in the Internal Market in breach of EU antitrust rules," the EU said in a statement.
The investigation was prompted by complaints from Apple and Microsoft, which accused Motorola of suing over "essential" patents rather than trying to work out licensing deals.
As a result, the commission said today that it will investigate whether Motorola's efforts to get devices like the iPhone, iPad, Windows, and Xbox pulled from store shelves over patent disputes means the company has "failed to honor its irrevocable commitments made to standard setting organizations."
At issue is something known as FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) licensing obligations, which are intended to keep major corporations in check and avoid abusive patent-related behavior. Basically, if a company holds a patent on a technology that is essential to a particular industry, they should make every effort to license that technology, even to major rivals.
Apple and Microsoft claim that Motorola has not made that effort. Bloomberg reported yesterday that Motorola demanded $4 billion per year in royalty payments from Microsoft related to its Xbox console. Thus, the second part of the commission's investigation will focus on whether Motorola offered unfair licensing conditions.
In a statement, Motorola said it is "confident that a thorough investigation will demonstrate that it has honored its FRAND obligations and complied withantitrust laws. MMI will continue to work closely with the European Commission to resolve this matter as soon as practicable."
The move comes several days after commission vice president Joaquin Almunia said during a speech in Washington, D.C. that he was "considering" whether to investigate Motorola for patent abuse.
Almunia said it is "unacceptable" for owners of smartphone-related essential patents to "effectively hold up the entire industry with the threat of banning the products of competitors from the market."
The EU is already investigating Samsung on similar grounds, which will "make sure that the company has not failed to honor the commitments it [made] back in 1998 to make its standard-essential patents for mobile phones available in fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms," Almunia said.
Microsoft filed its complaint against Motorola (and its almost-owner Google) with the commission last month. Apple, meanwhile, asked a European standards body to come up with basic rules for how it handles licensing of wireless standard patents.
For more from Chloe, follow her on Twitter @ChloeAlbanesius.


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Watch out soy! Hemp is slowing turning into the new hot crop in the organic world. Well, except for the fact that it's totally illegal to grow hemp in the United States. Something about narcotics laws, blah, blah, blah. Good news for our neighboring Canadian farmers. Up north it's totally fine to harvest this versatile wacky weed. Which has been used to make (aside from the obvious) everything from jewelry, clothes and now – Hemp milk. Brought to you by the folks at Living Harvest. Tempt™ is their non-dairy, soy free alternative that's perfect for cooking, baking and drinking. It's also chock full of the essentials every lactose, intolerant organism needs to grow up big and strong.
- 00mg Omega-3 Fatty Acid
- 2800mg Omega-6 Fatty Acid
- 10 Essential Amino Acids
- 46% of RDA of Calcium
- 0% Cholesterol
- Potassium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin D
- Iron
- And more!
Click here to check Tempt out and give it a try.
Hemp is a hit on the Today Show!


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Switching between free and non-free Nvidia
When starting a KaOS live session you are presented with the option to run with free (default) or non-free graphics drivers. The choice made there, carries over to the installed system. There might be times you wish to switch to the other option than the one originally chosen (or if you missed the choice in Live). Please follow the steps needed as explained next (first section explains free to non-free, second the reverse order).
Switching from free to non-free
As always, before installing or changing packages, make sure your system is fully updated:
sudo pacman -Syu
Next remove libgl, it is needed by many applications, so you need to use -Rdd to avoid dependency checking:
sudo pacman -Rdd libgl
Remove the nouveau package:
sudo pacman -R xf86-video-nouveau
Time to install the non-free packages:
sudo pacman -S nvidia
If you use the linux-next kernel:
sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-next
If you have an older card (G8x, G9x, and GT2xx GPUs or earlier):
sudo pacman -S nvidia-340xx
This will automatically install nvidia-utils too, which has it's own version of libgl included. If you want to use the GUI for nvidia, add nvidia-settings to what you install, this pulls in gtk2, so it is packaged separately.
After all is installed, reboot to load the new driver.
Switch from non-free to free
Especially with the changes coming with linux 3.12, it is strongly recommended to at least try the free nouveau driver. For those on hybrid graphics card, it should now offer as good or better an option as bumblebee.
Remove the nvidia packages, it needs the
-Rdd command, since nvidia-utils includes libgl, needed by many packages. Check what nvidia packages you have installed with
pacman -Qs nvidia.
sudo pacman -Rdd nvidia nvidia-utils
Add nvidia-next or nvidia-settings to the above line if the pacman -Qs nvidia command showed those too.
Install the needed free packages:
sudo pacman -S libgl xf86-video-nouveau
After those are installed, reboot to load the new drivers.


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Sommeliers' Nightcaps
After work, sommeliers reach for anything but red wine. Here, the pros' picks.
"I like to end my day with sherry and head-banger music," says Virginia Philip of The Breakers in Palm Beach, FL.
Crisp White Wine
Sparkling Wine
Other (sherry, amaro)
More Tips
- Strange Wine Discovery
- The Problem with Plastic Corks
- Rebel Winemaker to Watch
- Improving a Cheap Red
- Sommeliers' Nightcaps
- Wine Cocktails
- Getting the Most Out of Ice
- Essential Gear
- Best Cocktail Bargain
- Wacky Pairing That Works
- Most Wine-Friendly Foods
- Favorite All-Purpose Wine: Rosé
- Overlooked Pinot Noir Vintages
- Bad Wine Survival Tip
- Best Vegetable Wines
- Eastern Europe Wine Tutorial
- Favorite Wine Websites
- Best Sparkling Wine Values
Wine Advice
More Sommeliers' TipsSommeliers of the Year World's Best Sommelier vs. World's Worst Customer


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Beta Thinking
In sharp contrast to the more prosaic, less self-conscious Alpha-thinking, Beta-thinking is "thinking about thinking," and in ordinary philosophical terminology is often called "reflection." Barfield quotes approvingly Coleridge's description of "transcendental thinking"—the British Romantic's own term for Beta-thinking:
"There is a philosophic (and inasmuch as it is actualized by an effort of freedom, an artificial) consciousness which lies beneath or (as it were) behind the spontaneous consciousness natural to all reflecting beings. As the elder Romans distinguished their Northern provinces into Cis-Alpine and Trans-Alpine, so may we divide all the objects of human knowledge into those on this side, and those on the other side of the spontaneous consciousness; citra et trans conscientiam communem. The latter is exclusively the domain of pure philosophy, which is therefore properly entitled transcendental, in order to discriminate it at once, both from mere reflection and representation, on the one hand, and on the other from those flights of lawless speculation which, abandoned by all distinct consciousness, because transgressing the bounds and purposes of our intellectual faculties, are justly condemned as transcendent."
Under the sway of Beta-thinking, it is "invariably assumed that a very large part of . . . the represented is to be found 'within' ourselves" (Saving the Appearances 39). But this common sense is in fact the result of the idolatry characteristic of the consciousness soul.
A Aeolian harp | Ahriman | allegory | alpha-thinking | angelic consciousness | animism | Anthroposophy | archaism | archetypal matter | art
B being and becoming | beta thinking | body | brain-physical
C camera man | camera sequence | Cartesianism | chance | Christ/Christianity | chronological snobbery | church, the | Coleridge, Samuel Taylor | collective representation | common sense | consciousness | consciousness soul | Copernican revolution | criticism
The full Glossary can be read at David Lavery.net


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A&A Music Academy is located just 1 block South of Lake Street and 4 blocks West of County Farm Rd. on Ontarioville Rd. Conveniently just 2 blocks from the Hanover Park Metra train station.
We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions or would like more information about us and our services.


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Wired News: TextPayMe: Elminating IOU
Another take on the m-commerce thing. Same slow pace of adoption.
Basically, TextPayMe its a virtual wallet created via linking your credit card/bank account. Nothing new here, same system implemented in the Philippines a year or two ago.
I have a feeling something is bound to dominate the m-commerce space. The technology is here. Somebody has to mashup the bits and pieces together.


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Chris Jennings
Random comments and random links with a photo thrown in here and there for good measure.
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About Me
Chris Jennings
Formerly a freelance photographer with clients ranging from Extreme Boats Magazine to The Dallas Morning News. I switched from freelance to staff positions with newspapers in Texas and Oklahoma. I'm currently a staff photographer for the Herald Democrat in Sherman, Texas. I have been privileged enough to be acknowledged by my peers in the form of several awards. Some of those awards include two OPA monthly first place award. Three first place Associated Press awards for sports, spot news, and graphic/illustrations. Four second place Associated Press awards for photo package, spot news, sports, and general News. An honorable mention in the APME awards, and the one that means the most to me a second place in the sportsshooter.com monthly contest. If you have any questions about editorial or commercial use any of my photos feel free to contact me.
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"I think there's a socialistic impulse, which I hear every day, in every kind of community, that they would like things to be planned in accordance to their needs. And I would, too. Unfortunately, what stands in the way of that is hundreds of years of history that have elevated property rights and wealth to the point that that's the… Read more →
Category: History
Woodrow Wilson Sure Seems to Love the Ku Klux Klan
"The white men were roused by a mere instinct of self-preservation—until at last there had sprung into existence a great Ku Klux Klan, a veritable empire of the South, to protect the Southern country." -Woodrow Wilson, progressive president of the United States and president of Princeton University Quote Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/mar/02/american-politician-xenophobic-comments-quiz Base Photo: Woodrow Wilson 1. Photo from American Monthly Review of Reviews,… Read more →
President Teddy Roosevelt: 'Society Has No Business to Permit Degenerates to Reproduce'
"I agree with you if you mean, as I suppose you do, that society has no business to permit degenerates to reproduce their kind. It is really extraordinary that our people refuse to apply to human beings such elementary knowledge as every successful farmer is obliged to apply to his own stock breeding." -Progressive President Teddy Roosevelt Base Photo: Teddy Roosevelt's… Read more →
President Lyndon Johnson Shows His True (and Racist) Colors
"Son, when I appoint a n****r to the [Supreme Court], I want everyone to know he's a n****r." -President Lyndon Johnson, discussing his decision to appoint Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. From Lone Star Rising: Lyndon Johnson and His Times, 1908-1960, by Robert Dallek. Quote Source: http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/02/racist-american-presidents/lyndon-johnson Base Photo: President Lyndon Johnson on a National Park Service trading card. Photo… Read more →
Hillary Clinton: 'Too Busy' to See Film Honoring Benghazi Heroes
"I'm just too busy campaigning," said Clinton when asked if she planned on seeing 13 Hours, a movie about the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Quote Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/18/hillary-clinton-too-busy-campaigning-to-see-bengha/ Base Photo: Hillary Clinton 15. Photo by U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. Read more →
H.G. Wells: Sterilize the 'Failures' of Society
"The way of nature has always been to slay the hindmost, and there is still no other way, unless we can prevent those who would become the hindmost being born. It is in the sterilization of failures, and not in the selection of successes for breeding, that the possibility of an improvement of the human stock lies."-H.G. Wells, author of… Read more →
Socialist Author George Bernard Shaw: Stalin's Murders Make a Lot of Sense!
"On the contrary [the Russian communist revolution] has attracted superior types all the world over to an extraordinary extent … But the top of the ladder is a very trying place for old revolutionists who have had no administrative experience, who have had no financial experience, who have been trained as penniless hunted fugitives with Karl Marx on the brain… Read more →
Socialist Nobel-Winning Author George Bernard Shaw: Let 'Useless' People Die
"You must all know half a dozen people at least who are no use in this world … Just put them there, and say, now sir or madam, now will you be kind enough to justify your existence? … [I]f you're not pulling your weight in the social boat … then clearly we cannot use the big organisation of our… Read more →
Franklin Roosevelt Couldn't Be More Wrong About Stalin
"I just have a hunch that Stalin is not that kind of man. Harry [Hopkins] says he's not and that he doesn't want anything except security for his own country, and I think that if I give him everything I possibly can and ask nothing from him in return, noblesse oblige, he won't try to annex anything and will work… Read more →
Franklin Roosevelt: Mussolini an 'Admirable Italian Gentleman'
"I don't mind telling you in confidence that I am keeping in fairly close touch with that admirable Italian gentleman." -Franklin Roosevelt discussing the "gentleman" dictator Benito Mussolini in 1933 Quote Source: Hunting Down Social Darwinism by Stuart Hayashi Base Photo: Franklin Roosevelt in car. Photo belongs to FDR Presidential Library and Museum. Read more →


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I know we all use them. But the hashtag is changing. And today it has much less pull than it once did. Twitter still relies on the hashtag for some things. Every other service could care less about hash soup. Oh sure, they're saying they enabled hashtags (Facebook, Instagram) or disallowed them (Pinterest) but really the only game in town for TAGGING is Twitter. Let's examine why and how to use hashtags in today's un/hashed social networks.
What's a hashtag? #what
Tagging a piece of content is a bit different from hashtagging, but the effect is the same. A #hashtag allows information (tweets, posts, updates) to be found by people who do not follow you on any given platform. This works on Twitter, because Twitter has an open platform. It does not work on Facebook because Facebook only allows you to see updates from "friends" or posts that were made "public." So in a sense, with Twitter, the hashtag is the FOCUS of the Tweet. Think of it like keywords in search optimization. If you want your tweet to be found by other people who are watching Game of Thrones, you would hashtag it #GoT or #gameofthrones.
How do I find hashtags? #how
Often trending topics on Twitter are the result of a hashtag campaign. Here is today's current trending panel on Twitter.
And by using search on Twitter you can find all the tweets relating to a certain hashtag. Or you can click on one of the "trending" links. Here's a search for #WorldCup.
Why would I use hashtags? #why
Hashtags are used to highlight the key point, or topic, of the Tweet. (posts and updates on other networks, but Twitter is the real hashtag heaven) Some uses are to:
- make your tweet found by others interest in your subject matter. #socialmedia for example is my favorite hashtag. But many other great uses of hashtags include:
- event specific tags (if you want to be found or associated with an event the hashtag will allow you to see and be seen by others at the event: my favorite is #smbaustin < the hashtag for my favorite local networking event)
- tv show tags such as #gameofthrones or #madmen can connect you with the viewing audience tweeting at that time.
- superbowl ad voting: #superbowlads or #superbowl < real-time responses to the most expensive ads on tv has become a national past time for us marketers. This behavior sends Neilson, who used to own the tv ratings game, into fits. And they are trying to embrace the new tagging trend, but their expensive research is often not necessary, due to hashtag voting.
Anything else about hashtags that I should know? #istheremore
Hashtags are useful, but their previous utility as a reach-booster is dying out. When I asked @chrisbrogan about why he no longer used hashtags in his tweets, he responded, "How often do you surf tags?' Good point. And you will notice the social media pros no longer include hashtags in their regular tweets. The idea is, if people are following you they don't require a hashtag, and if they aren't following you they are unlikely to be surfing tags.
So has this new trend killed the effectiveness of a hashtag reach expansion? Answer: I don't know. I need to do some primary research with and without tags and see what I learn. (Future post idea. If you have any data on this, let me know.)
Who really uses and benefits from hashtags? #marketing
Aside from TV and Events it's hard to see who's really using hashtags, other than us marketers. I am always tagging stuff to be "found" by potential readers who are looking for current information on one of my "topics." And if you do search on a tag, #socialmedia for example, you can click on the "People" tab of the results page and find all the other influencers who are tweeting on this tag.
Yes, it's important to continue using hashtags if you are trying to get your information out to a broader audience. But it's even more important to learn what's being tweeted on that hashtag to see if your content is still relevant to the discussions. For example I found that while other tags exist for socialmedia (#social and #smm) the biggest reach is provided by the good old #socialmedia.
A secondary benefit of really learning and focusing on a few hashtags is that you will show up higher on the results page for "people" who are associated with that hashtag. And thus, the idea is, people will find and follow you.
And what tools make hashtag research easier? #twittertools
There are a few great tools for spotting, tracking and interacting with hashtags on Twitter.
Trendsmap < see what's trending where
Hashtrack < gives you one tag for free and paid thereafter
TweetReach < you can see your reach, and the reach of individual hashtags
What tools to you use to track Twitter hashtags?
@jmacofearth (also seen on Google+: jmacofearth)
Counterpoint from Mashable: Too Many Facebook Hashtags


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Teen accidentally shot, killed by friend in DeKalb County | News
DEKALB COUNTY — A family is mourning the loss of a 15-year-old teen after they say he was accidentally shot and killed by a friend.
The teen's family said he and four friends were hanging out at an apartment on Meadowglenn Village Lane late Friday night, and one of those teens had a gun.
The teens, ranging from 13 to 17 years old, were handling the weapon when a 16-year-old in the group accidentally shot the 15-year-old, according to authorities. The teen was transported to Grady Hospital, but later died.
Information from the scene indicates the 16-year-old shooter initially left the apartment and ran home to his family, but was later brought back to the location to speak with police.
Police say they are questioning all of the teens, but gave no other information on their identities or whether charges will be filed.


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STDs and Teens
A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 3.2 million girls (approximately one in four) between the ages of 14 and 19 in the US are infected with at least one sexually transmitted disease (STD). The study examined the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, and trichomoniasis, but it did not test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency disorder (AIDS). Other study findings, however, indicate that young people in the US continue to be at risk for HIV infection. For example, approximately 4,800 young adults were diagnosed with HIV infection or AIDS in 2004.
Author(s): Christine Herrmann, PhD
Types of Infectious Disease
STDs and Teens
What is an STD?
Common Treatable STDs
STDs: A Hidden Epidemic
STDs: Social Factors
Personal Protection for Teens
Viruses - Examples
Virus - Human Herpes
Herpes - Etymology and History
Herpes Virus Type 1 - Structure
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text:
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia.
Related to hematosis: hematoma
he·ma·to·sis(hē'mă-tō'sis, hem-ă-),
1. Synonym(s): hemopoiesisSynonym(s): hemopoiesis
2. Oxygenation of the venous blood in the lungs.
haematosis(1) Obsolete for sanguification—the conversion of chyle into blood.
(2) Haematopoiesis, see there.
(3) The conversion of venous blood to arterial blood by oxygenation in the lungs; e.g., arterialisation.
Haematosis is little used in the working medical parlance.
Oxygenation of venous blood in the lungs.
Compare: hemopoiesis
Synonym(s): haematosis.
Compare: hemopoiesis
Synonym(s): haematosis.
1. Synonym(s): hemopoiesis, haematosis.
2. Oxygenation of the venous blood in the lungs.


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(NECN: Amy Sinclair, Portland, Maine) - Richard Maines and his buddies are the kind of golfers who can't wait for the season to start.
"The day they open, we're usually here," said Maines just before teeing off at Riverside Golf Course in Portland, Maine.
But this spring, the municipal course opened three weeks later than usual.
Other courses, including Val Halla in Cumberland, won't open until May. It's easy to see why.
"There's been very, very few golf courses spared the widespread destruction that we've seen this spring," said Randy Hodsdon, Director of Rules and Competition for the Maine State Golf Association.
Fairways and greens are pock-marked by big dead patches of turf - the result of spending months under a thick coat of ice.
"The three to four inches of ice we've had this winter encapsulated the turf and basically suffocated it," said Gene Pierotti, Superintendent at Riverside Golf Course.
Crews across the state are working long days, trying to revive their battered courses.
"Last week, we sliced and seeded. This week, and we'll be finishing today, dimpling the greens and dropping more seed in, fertilizing and watering," said Pierotti.
In the meantime, Riverside has set up temporary greens on 11 holes to give golfers something to shoot for while the grass recuperates.
All this will take a financial toll. According to a study done by the University of Maine's School of Economics, the golf industry generates $270 million in revenue each year.
Because of the short season in Maine, few courses will be able to recoup the cost of a late start later on.
"The economic impact of a golf course staying closed is very far-reaching, in terms of income to the club, wages for everybody involved," said Hodsdon.
When the courses are closed, there's very little traffic at the restaurants or pro shops. So far, the diehards are taking the rough conditions in stride.
"It's better than sitting at home," said Maines.
Those who prefer a perfectly manicured course may be better off leaving the clubs in the car for a few more weeks.
What the greens in Maine really need is a good stretch of warm weather. And so far, Mother Nature is proving to be a very unreliable golfing partner.
For up-to-the-minute news and
weather, be sure to follow us on Twitter
and like us on Facebook.


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SCADA Security Evaporates in Texas
A hacker, going with the name "pr0f" has been all over the news for showing that he was able to access a SCADA system used in Texas. only to vent his anger on how the DHS underplayed a recent attack that destroyed a pump at a water facility in Illinois.
Comment: Looking into the images, in addition to South Huston Texas,they also feature screen shots labelled as (City of South Huston Nevada and Virginia)
In one of his interviews, "pr0f" said that he was able to access the systems via "two" different methods. First through a VNC connection that was accessible from the internet !!!, which helped him take the screen shots below, in addition to the ability to access the web administration portal which is still accessible till this morning !!.
Screen shots:
When asked to comment on the Illinois incident, he said
"I dislike, immensely, how the DHS tend to downplay how absolutely (expletive) the state of national infrastructure is. I've also seen various people doubt the possibility an attack like this could be done,"
apparently Using a Romanian email (firstname.lastname@example.com) to post the screenshots on pastebin , the hacker told Threatpost that he discovered the vulnerable system using a scanner that looks for the online fingerprints of SCADA systems. He said South Houston had an instance of the Siemens Simatic human machine interface (HMI) software that was accessible from the Internet and that was protected with an easy-to-hack, three character password.!!!" No Comment".
Actually there are a couple of comments:
– He might have used a publicly discussed vulnerability in Siemens allowing attackers to intercept and figure-out passwords, or change the configuration of the PLCs. So my guess is that using a harder password would not have helped much.
— the Siemens Advisory that went out last July (http://support.automation.siemens.com/WW/llisapi.dll?func=cslib.csinfo&lang=en&objid=51401544&caller=view) tells you to limit physical and logical access to the vulnerable system while they work on a patch ( which is yet still to come).
– WHY….is the system accessible from the internet? is the real question.
— I just can't get why would someone put his critical business asset even if its an ice cream machine online and accessible from the internet…apparently not hardened " system fingerprint was searchable" and with lots of Siemens vulnerabilities/goodies up for grabs.
"pr0f" is probably going to face some serious legal troubles for admitting his act, but his adventure makes me wonder…if this is the status of security and awareness in "some" of the critical infrastructures in the united states of america and I'm sure in other "developed" countries.
What would be the status of SCADA security in the "Developing" world ? I am making a study on the CIIP status in the developing world and found that in just one domain/sector which is oil production as of November 2010, the OPEC members " 12 countries all considered developing countries" collectively hold 79% of the world's crude oil reserves and 44% of the world's crude oil production with 100% reliance on SCADA/DCS systems many of which has reported vulnerabilities or even exploits, none of those countries has a national CIIP strategy or follow/adopt an acknowledged SCADA security guideline or best practice or even consider Critical Information Infrastructure Protection a topic worthy of discussion.
Florida Power and Light (FPL): – Sharing SCADA Secrets
There has been some news that in this incident the alleged insider has faked some aspects / manipulated some screen shots to embarrass his former employers " FPL"
Sources: Here
***End of Update***
On April 16th (15:43 GMT) I received the following email from (bgr_24423 AT Yahoo.com) :
Here comes my revenge for illegitimate firing from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL)
… ain't nothing they can do with it, since NM electricity is turned off !!! In some days people will know about FLP SCADA security, you are one of the first …
The email was long and contained all the details that proves that this guy had hacked the system, he even posted the complete Configuration file from the central Cisco Router and Security Device Manager. along with the passwords.
To spice things up he included 8 URLs with screen shots to proof his point. (Image URLs below).
1) http://img838.imageshack.us/i/49986845.png/
2) http://img718.imageshack.us/i/24380855.png/
3) http://img24.imageshack.us/i/58868342.png/
4) http://img228.imageshack.us/i/85258364.png/
5) http://img163.imageshack.us/i/90736853.png/
6) http://img217.imageshack.us/i/55439027.png/
7) http://img40.imageshack.us/i/87526089.png/
8 ) http://img864.imageshack.us/i/94061747.png/
I immediately checked those image URLS but I found that they had (Zero Views) at the time….now its different.
Seeing that I am the first one to see the images, I had my doubts that it might be a fake email so i did some googling to make sure that its a real incident. to my surprise all my checks worked out.
Even the email header looked fine and it showed that the email was sent from outside the US…from Germany to be precise, which is only logical for an email of such nature. "go as far as possible from the crime scene is usually the international best practice"…or at least show that you are as far as possible.
The email header here :
At this point I decided to report everything to ICS-CERT. But now that the news is already everywhere I can publicly comment on the incident.
My Comments:
– I would assume that, he sent this email to some of the known and trusted SCADA security blogs out there, but the good thing is that none shared it publicly. "or at least thats my understanding".
– He took the next step and shared it on the full disclosure mailing list – and then it was out of control.
– People tend to overlook the sensitivity of corporate or confidential information, once things turn personal.
– In few minutes Blogs and mailing lists around the globe had information about another country's national Critical Infrastructure. It's striking that what was once considered a secret that people or nations pay and recruit spies to get, is now free.
– Any lazy, couch potato spy can just sign up for a dozen of those mailing lists and he would do just fine.
– For how long would this information remain useful is FPL problem now.
– People will start discussing the configuration details this guy posted, and how insecure was their VLAN configurations…etc, but the question is how easy is it for an employee to have access to all this information.
– The router configuration file headers have the login banner of **Bellsouth** , Why ?
– Insider threat is the REAL deal, not anything else.
It's worth mentioning that FPL made the headlines for the wrong reasons several times over the past 3 years, and they were fined by NERC more than once before, here is a quick account of the fines:
– March 31st 2009, A fine for 250,000 USD (NERC Notice of Penalty – HERE)
– March 5th 2010, A fine for 350,000 USD (FERC Penalty Notice)
– October 8th 2009, A fine for 25 Million USD (2008 Blackout settlement)
– April 2006, A fine for 130,000 USD for Sleeping guards (News)
Further more back in December 2009, Burns and McDonnel consultancy firm completed a cyber security assessment project where they handed recommendations to make FPL in compliance with NERC…This must be one useful report.
Burns & McDonnell has provided security assessments for Florida Power and Light (FPL), evaluating sites that have been considered critical assets under North American Electrical Reliability Corp. (NERC) standards for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP). Burns & McDonnell has made recommendations to ensure FPL is prepared to meet or exceed the NERC CIP guidelines in both physical and cyber security. These audits have included site visits and capturing system configurations to determine the current state of the security protections in place.
Source : Burns and McDonnell
Siemens Official Slides on Stuxnet
A couple of days ago Siemens Internal CERT released some slides about Stuxnet as a form of "Official Communication" within their constituents.
In the official slides (Here) , Siemens confirmed that its a targeted attack by using terms like "targeting a very specific configuration, certain PLC blocks and specific processes or (project)". These bold statements simply means that Stuxnet makers had (one target) in mind, and this should eliminate any theory out there denying that its a state sponsored malware.
The slides confirmed that the malware is capable of transferring data outside of the infected system back to the command and control servers, yet nothing has been proven specially that the two C&C servers ( • www[.]mypremierfutbol[.]com • www[.]todaysfutbol[.]com ) were brought down by Symantec.
Then the slides claim that all known infections are now clean and zero plant damages reported. yet they didn't specify their definition of "damage", is it seeing the plant up in flames or few bytes of data going out ?
The slides go on listing the great deeds of siemens since the discovery of the malware : "white papers, cleaning tools, contacting customers, working with top AV vendors, even magazine interviews". isn't this what they are paid to do ?
What really got on my nerves was their genius conclusion that future infections are "Unlikely" , and that is because the malware pattern is now detected by up to date Anti Virus programs. Eureka !!
Yes, future "Stuxnet" infections might be unlikely, but this is certainly not the end of this type of attacks as long as top vendors like Siemens still use "Hard coded & publicly available" passwords on critical systems in the year 2010 and dont even admit that this is the REAL problem.
Another statement that also reflects severe undermining of the terms "due diligence, and responsibility " is a question they highlighted in yellow : "Has the customer done all he can ? ".
Imagine a car manufacturing company that sold you a very expensive car, supposedly equipped with a seatbelt, then you run into an invisible wall that someone deliberately put in front of you and built it in a very special way, using specific materials that takes advantage of known and published weaknesses in your seatbelt buckle lock design. Imagine yourself sitting in the hospital wondering how on earth you gonna fix this messed-up face of yours, then the car makers dudes comes up and tell you that its partially your fault for not trying to do all you can, perhaps you could have tried holding the buckle with your teeth !
The UN is offering SCADA security training
SCADA security and CIP has been recognized by the UN as areas that pose significant threat to the international scene and has included both topics in their upcoming UN Cyber Crime training programs
The UN Courses has two difficulty levels:
-Basic : 1400 Euro
-Intermediate: 2500 Euro
– Snippets from the UN website-
The Basic-level SCADA & NCI Security course is 3 days long and is meant to provide a non-technical audience with an overview of the current state of SCADA and NCI architectures, and will include the following:
Introduction and examples of SCADA & NCIs,
Examples of real past incidents involving SCADA security failures,
Existing standards and best practices,
The difference between traditional IT security and SCADA/PCS security,
A special guest: an inside view from a SCADA vendor.
The 5-day Intermediate course is addressed to a technical audience and will include:
A special guest, highlighting the question of Open-source vs. SCADA,
Many live lab sessions showcasing both offensive and defensive techniques within a networked SCADA environment,
Historical and recent security incidents,
A special guest, discussing the task of hardening a SCADA infrastructure,
Discussion on performing penetration tests against NCIs.
More can be found on : UN SCADA Cyber Training
SCADAmobile for iPhone
I just came across this iPhone App (ScadaMobile) from SweetWilliam Automation. (Company Website)
The App description states that the product can Monitor (display and change) PLC variables (tags) through local or remote wireless access.
The Manual wich can be downloaded here describes how the App will access the PLCs over the internet.
"ScadaMobile is designed to communicate with PLCs without using dedicated servers or any specific software installed on a PC.
ScadaMobile communicates with OMRON PLC by sending FINS protocol commands. To establish a remote connection, a GPRS or ADSL router is needed at the PLC site, which will act as a bridge between the PLC LAN (Local Network) and the WWAN or WAN (Internet) to which a remote iPhone or iPod Touch will have access to. " (Source: Section 4.1 in the Manual)
As for the Security, The product seems to support VPN (L2TP/IPSEC) as well as TLS/SSL in addition to a PLC-stored password mechanism.
A password will be stored in the PLC data memory address D19998 as a 16 bit hexadecimal value (0 to FFFF) and you must match the password in your iPhone.
My Comments:
– Apart from the Validation code, All the Network security controls are "Optional"
– No Password Complexity Requirements
– I couldn't find anything about how the password is stored on the IPhone- But My guess that its not Encrypted. I guess I will try to find this by myself and will keep you posted.
It seems that there are many more remote access apps on the way and I would love to see independent code-security reviews on each and every one.
Finally, There are two versions from the app, ScadaMobile Lite for 3.0 $ with limitations on the number of processes. and the full version for 74.0 $.
The Empire Strikes Back – More on Brazil Blackouts
2005, 2007 and now you can add November 2009.
Yesterday the Itaipu dam an important hydroelectric dam shared by Brazil and Paraguay failed last Tuesday night, pushing a large swath of central and southern Brazil into darkness, said the country's minister of mines and energy, Edison Lobao. source (CNN)
A recent comment by bernardo from Brazil (Here) on my previous post implies that this is a coordinated attack that took place at exactly 22 hours. when die hard 4.0 was about to begin on FX Cine Latin America !!.
The Official response so far was " the exact cause was not yet known but atmospheric problems, an intense storm, may have contributed to or caused the transmission lines to Itaipu to shut down." said the the country's minister of mines and energy, Edison Lobao to reuters.
While the real cause of the problem remains to be unclear, it appears that hackers are not fond of the itaipu dam IT infrastructure. One thing for certain is that the itaipu servers has been "visited" before.
Incident Record Source: Zone-h
Brazil: 2007 Blackout Was not Caused by Hackers
Few days Ago CBS's "60 Minutes" featured a report about alleged cyber incidents that took place in Brazil back in 2005 and 2007. claiming that the major power outages that affected millions was caused by hackers.
Today Wired.com reported that Brazilian government officials disputed the CBS report over the weekend, and Raphael Mandarino Jr., director of the Homeland Security Information and Communication Directorate, told the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo that he's investigated the claims and found no evidence of hacker attacks, adding that Brazil's electric control systems are not directly connected to the internet.
The utility company involved, Furnas Centrais Elétricas, told Threat Level on Monday, it "has no knowledge of hackers acting in Furnas' power transmission system."
You can watch CBS "60 Minutes" Video (Here)
Source: Wired.com Report


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Much more than just Gymnastics Classes & Competitive Team
Our activities are fun things children can do, members and non-members, that are regularly scheduled events. Call 314-291-0101 to sign up for any of the fun things below. Some events are also online registration.
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Maryland Heights, MO 63043
St. Louis County's premier gymnastics!


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Our Samplers have always been the best, and now there are even more options!
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text:
H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH; Kenneth R. Meehan, MD; Lawrence T. Goodnough, MD
▪ Objective: To review the literature on the appropriateness of red blood cell transfusion and current physician practice, with emphasis on the physiologic and symptomatic implications of elective transfusion in the treatment of anemia.
▪ Data Sources: Studies on the therapeutic use of red blood cell transfusion were identified through a search of MEDLINE (1966 to the present) and through a manual review of bibliographies of identified articles. In addition, evidence was solicited from selected experts in the field and recent consensus panels that have developed transfusion guidelines.
▪ Data Synthesis: No controlled trials of blood transfusion were identified, but data were available on four issues relevant to transfusion practice: current physician practice and evidence for excessive use of red blood cell transfusion; physiologic adaptation to anemia; human tolerance of low hemoglobin levels; and strategies for reducing homologous transfusion requirements.
▪ Conclusions: Despite the recent decline in red blood cell use because of concerns about infection, current transfusion practice remains variable because physicians have disparate views about its appropriateness. The remarkable human tolerance of anemia suggests that clinicians can accept hemoglobin levels above 70 g/L (7 g/dL) in most patients with self-limited anemia. In patients with impaired cardiovascular status or with anemias that will not resolve spontaneously, however, the data are insufficient to determine minimum acceptable hemoglobin levels, and therapy must be guided by the clinical situation. Several therapeutic strategies and pharmacologic interventions are available in the perioperative and non-operative settings to further reduce red blood cell use.
Welch HG, Meehan KR, Goodnough LT. Prudent Strategies for Elective Red Blood Cell Transfusion. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:393–402. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-116-5-393
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© 2019
Published: Ann Intern Med. 1992;116(5):393-402.
Cardiology, Hematology/Oncology, Hospital Medicine, Infectious Disease, Red Cell Disorders.
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A complete beginner's attempts to learn the traditional methods of Woodworking using only hand tools.
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Happy Birthday To Me
5 comments:
- ROB said...
Nice one mate already sound like a pro.
- 3 August 2011 at 02:31
- Simon (Boo). said...
Rob - All the gear but no idea ... But not for long!
- 3 August 2011 at 15:48
My first hand plane was a 4 1/2, which is why I sprung for the 3" wide solid-surface DMTs. But I'm glad to hear that you can successfully sharpen the iron of your #6 on a 2" wide stone. Do you mind sharing how you do it?
- 12 August 2011 at 07:43
- Simon (Boo). said...
Not ideal I know but I try to keep the blade diagonal across the stone to increase its effective width and try and do both sides of the blade evenly - I guess I'll end up with a slight camber?
- 12 August 2011 at 11:20
I have no idea. I've always sharpened freehand. And eventually I learned that I could freehand any plane iron on even a narrow stone. Just move it side to side instead of forward and back. You're more likely to introduce a slight camber that way, but that's not usually a bad thing.
- 12 August 2011 at 21:32


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Up 18,233 this week
Mahalia Jackson (I) (1911–1972)
Mahalia Jackson was born on October 26, 1911 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She was married to Minters Sigmund Galloway and Isaac Lanes Grey Hockenhull. She died on January 27, 1972 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. See full bio »
Born:in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died:(age 60) in Chicago, Illinois, USA
2 photos »


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I have heard many people say
"If only I had Megan Fox's body, then I will truly be happy"
"Wah if I'm a billionaire I sure happy la"
"If I can get new boobs I'll be soooo happy"
Everyone searches for happiness. Everyone wants to be happy and they are willing to do anything for it. Most people describe happiness in only two words. -- Looks, money.
I bet most people out there have dreamt of being rich, because being rich means you can buy anything you want and getting everything you want makes you happy.
But really ? Will you be happy if you have a body that looks like Megan Fox ?
The times when I was happiest wasn't riding a sports car to school. It wasn't the time when I'm watching TV on mum's new LCD TV, neither was it the time when I would get enough pocket money to go shopping.
My happiest memories weren't those at an expensive resort eating expensive food. My best memories were right here, at home. When we would squat on the kitchen floor and dad will open durians for every one of us. The times when mum would make us char koey teow and the whole family will sit out in the garden to eat while enjoying the moon.
I rant alot about school, how much I hate school and how I wish everyday was a holiday. I've skipped school many times because I didn't want to go to school, but honestly, that didn't make my day any happier. My happiest time of a day, is lunch time.
When 6 hours of boring school is over and I get to guess what food is waiting for me at home. If I don't go to school, I won't get that feeling of anticipation, nothing to look forward to, nothing to rejoice. I would just be at home, typing.. like now.
The best lunch isn't shark fin soup or lobster sashimi.
This bowl of chapfan bought from the shop next to my father's office is so good that I jump around the house everytime I have this for lunch. It is soo good that once when dad finished up my rice I nearly cried.
Of course you can't deny, lobster is good. Sharkfin is good.
but if you had the money to eat that everyday, will you ?
Once in a while happiness comes from cheap stuff. Like Korean instant noodles :)))
You want all the money in the world. To buy yourself hundreds of dresses, so that you can doll up everyday, make yourself look pretty.
but then choose. Painful heels or oversized tee with hair let loose ?
This is brown ball of hair makes me happy. That small blue ball makes him happy.
No money involved.
Whats the point of being famous ? You have to hide paparazzi, you can't go anywhere.
Whats the point of being rich ? You can't even walk out without your bodyguards cos snatch thieves are everywhere. So how ? Happy now ?
The truth is,
Happiness is not having what you want, it is enjoying what you have.
Damn I'm gonna go buy that awesome shiz lunch again tomorrow :D :D