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The Weekly Standard
For decades during the Cold War, U.S. policy sought to minimize the role of Moscow in the Middle East. As the Soviet Union weakened dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so too did its capacity to influence events there (and many other places besides). So matters have stood since. A pretty good question, then, is why on earth the Obama administration seems to be inviting a Russian resurgence in the Middle East.
The first-term Obama initiative to "reset" relations with Russia was probably worth a try. If a dose of conspicuous American respect could lead to progress with Russia on matters of mutual interest, all to the good. And indeed, the policy arguably bore certain limited fruit: an agreement that further reduces nuclear stockpiles (though not one without its critics); cooperation over Afghanistan; restraint in terms of Russian cooperation with Iran (specifically, Russia's support for sanctions and its nondelivery of the advanced S-300 air defense system Tehran sought in order to complicate military options against its nuclear programs); an abstention on the U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians from the last gasp of Muammar Qaddafi's effort to stay in power.
But Vladimir Putin's Russia never really responded to the reset by opting for a constructive role in international politics. Since Putin emerged at the top of the post-Soviet political heap, Russian foreign policy, such as it is, has mainly seemed to be driven by a combined sense of nostalgia, grievance, and resentment—Russia with a chip on its shoulder over the loss of an empire and the supposed abuse inflicted upon it by the United States in its period of weakness.
Putin's autocratic tendencies are of a piece with his posturing on behalf of a strong Russia. Has there ever been a world leader who so likes to be photographed bare-chested? Yet he has always seemed a little too insistent in delivering his message that Russia is back.
On the op-ed page of the Wall Street Journal, he proclaimed his country an energy superpower, as if this were some hitherto undiscovered category of greatness in international politics. Now, if there were such a thing as an energy superpower, Saudi Arabia would surely be one; but, of course, Saudi Arabia is anything but a superpower, notwithstanding its oil riches. And thanks to shale oil and gas in the United States as well as crumbling Russian energy infrastructure, it looks like it's the United States that will be adding the significant new dimension of energy self-sufficiency to its already considerable national power.
Russia has its nuclear arsenal and the external security such a capability provides. It is, in some sense, untouchable even by greater U.S. power. Hence the skepticism with which Moscow greeted Obama's proposal in his Berlin speech for further deep cuts in nuclear weapons. Yet the notion of a Russian "grand strategy" that the United States has anything to fret about has long been far-fetched. The biggest problems Russia causes are exactly where you would expect to find them: in countries bordering Russia in the old Soviet space and in countries that have ties with Moscow going back to their status as client-states during the Cold War.
Russia has been especially active where the United States and its allies have been divided or acted hesitantly —a problem that did not begin with Obama. For example, NATO was divided at its 2008 summit on whether to extend an invitation to Russia's neighbor Georgia to take the next step in its bid to join the alliance. It's unclear whether doing so would actually have prevented Russia from responding to provocations in ethnically Russian breakaway Georgian regions in August of that year by sending in an invading force. Putin's hatred for Georgia's then-president, Mikheil Saakashvili, was personal and deep. But Germany's insistence that Georgia receive something less than a definitive path to NATO membership was just an early example of an attempt to assuage Russian concerns that ended up backfiring. And even here, Putin lacked the will (or perhaps the capacity?) to send Russian tanks all the way to Tbilisi and "reunite" Georgia with Russia by force.
Western policy toward Ukraine has also been less than a model of coherence, as the United States and the European Union have swung from excessive optimism over the country's future to self-defeating pessimism. Nevertheless, Ukraine's future independence is not seriously in doubt. Russia seeks and maintains influence there, but influence has not crossed over into the kind of dominance the Soviet Union exerted over neighbors.
Obama didn't improve cohesion among U.S. allies in his first term with a ham-handed effort to cancel a missile defense system scheduled for deployment in Poland. One gets the impression that senior officials in the Obama administration regard the security concerns our Central and Eastern European allies voice about Russia as overblown. They may well be. But the American dismissal of such concerns only serves to exacerbate them, which in turn encourages all the wrong tendencies within Russia. Once again, though, Russian weakness and fecklessness have protected us from major consequences of our miscues.
But in Syria, it looks like Russian weakness and fecklessness may finally be meeting their match in a race to the bottom with U.S. weakness and fecklessness. Maybe the long-overdue decision to supply weapons to the Syrian opposition marks a turning point, and the Obama administration has at last figured out that a vacuum where U.S. leadership should be can lead not only to further humanitarian disaster but also to adverse strategic consequences. But it's remarkable how long the administration has blithely watched the erosion of our position in the Middle East—and with what equanimity it has allowed Russia to once again become a consequential player acting against U.S. interests there.
Russia's marginality in the Middle East has been a constant since 1990-91, the time of the first Gulf war. George H. W. Bush actively and successfully cultivated the cooperation of the last Soviet general secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev, in presenting a united front of opposition to Saddam Hussein's conquest and attempted annexation of Kuwait. The result was a sequence of U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding Saddam's withdrawal and culminating in the authorization of member-states to remove him by force if necessary—along with the mobilization of a large military coalition legitimated by the U.N. and led by the United States. The Soviet Union did not contribute military assets, but Bush and his national security team, led by national security adviser Brent Scowcroft and Secretary of State James A. Baker III, worked assiduously to keep Gorbachev on their side diplomatically while resisting all Soviet entreaties that they thought would weaken the coalition's position against Saddam.
In retrospect, Gorbachev's sometimes noble, sometimes hapless efforts to cope with the terminal crisis of the Soviet Union give the impression of a man trying to ride a tiger. Some forward-thinking senior Soviet officials seemed genuinely to have supported his position at the side of President Bush. But not all. Yevgeny Primakov, Gorbachev's special envoy for Iraq, was on the hunt from the outset of the diplomatic maneuvering in the run-up to the war for a face-saving out for Saddam. His frantic maneuvering in the days before the commencement of the ground war in February 1991 eventually persuaded Gorbachev to approach Bush with a proposal to defer the ground campaign in response to supposed "concessions" from Saddam. The response from Bush and his team was a diplomatic but firm "no": Saddam's only way out must be full compliance with all the provisions of the Security Council resolutions demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal.
And that was that. Gorbachev went away empty-handed, unable to force an outcome more to his liking. The Soviet capacity to influence events against the wishes of the United States in the biggest international crisis in 10 years or more was nil. Within a year, the Soviet Union itself dissolved, its influence in the Middle East having predeceased it.
Gorbachev did not, however, bolt on the coalition effort. He grumbled, but he acquiesced. And this has largely been the pattern of Russian-American relations on matters of high policy ever since. Russia opposed military action against Slobodan Milosevic's Serbia to prevent ethnic cleansing and atrocities in Kosovo in 1998-99, and used its veto power to refuse to allow a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing military action. When NATO decided to go ahead anyway, Russia denounced the move, but if Milosevic harbored the impression that the Russians were going to come to his rescue (which he may have), he eventually became disabused of the notion and capitulated. The main angle of Russian maneuvering was for participation in the follow-up peacekeeping mission. Russia aspired to a sector of its own—and was denied it by NATO.
Russia was nominally opposed to the 2003 Iraq war but supported Security Council Resolution 1441, in November 2002, giving Iraq "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations" and promising "serious consequences" for the failure to do so. The United States expected to but couldn't obtain a second Security Council resolution in early 2003 containing explicit authorization for the use of military force against the Hussein regime; the big problem then was not Russia, but France. And of course the United States was prepared to act on its own authority anyway, about which Russia could or would do nothing of consequence.
Similarly, Russia did not like the idea of NATO enlargement, especially into formerly Soviet territory, namely, the Baltics. But was Russia willing to, for example, act covertly to destabilize Lithuania in the hope of derailing U.S. enthusiasm for its inclusion in the enlargement round in 2004? No, it wasn't (or couldn't).
More recently, Russia was hardly enthusiastic about coming to the rescue of Libyan civilians as forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi closed in to crush the rebellion and—if Qaddafi's own words were to be believed—exact reprisals on a mass scale. Certainly Russia was not in favor of toppling the Qaddafi regime. But Russia and China did voluntarily subscribe in 2005 at the United Nations World Summit to the principle of the "responsibility to protect": that if a state fails to act to protect its populations from atrocities (or perpetrates atrocities), the international community acting through the United Nations may do so. And so Russia and China abstained on Security Council Resolution 1973, which authorized the use of force to protect Libyan civilians.
When NATO exceeded the explicit U.N. mandate by continuing its air campaign in support of the opposition until Qaddafi fell, the Russians protested loudly that they had been hoodwinked; they would never have allowed 1973 to go through if they had known NATO intended to topple Qaddafi. Given that the leaders of France, Great Britain, and the United States had all publicly declared that Qaddafi had to go, it's rather difficult to credit Russia with sufficient naïveté not to have known that the Security Council resolution was providing cover for regime change. Putin, though he occasionally strikes a pose of wounded innocence, is no ingénue.
But then came the beginning of the protests in Syria. The demonstrations against the regime of Bashar al-Assad began peacefully in March 2011. Many Syrians were expecting Assad to respond by broadly opening the political system. He chose not to, but rather to suppress the protests by force, opening fire on civilians first in Daraa in April. Thus was born the Syrian rebellion.
The United States began to press for action at the United Nations, but no resolution was forthcoming as the death toll continued to mount. A year into the rebellion, in April 2012, came the only resolution the Security Council has ever passed on the crisis, a toothless expression of support for a cease-fire and the diplomatic mission of special envoy Kofi Annan (a mission Annan would abandon as hopeless a few months later). About a month before, a U.N. official placed the civilian death toll at about 9,000.
Russia, along with China, professed to have learned a lesson from the Libya experience. They promised to veto anything that might set Syria on a path toward the ouster of the Assad regime. The Russians have made good on that threat four times, most recently in June by vetoing a British-drafted resolution condemning attacks on civilians in Qusayr. The United Nations recently issued a new estimate of casualties of the civil war, placing deaths at around 100,000 including combatants on both sides. The number of civilian deaths is in the scores of thousands, with millions displaced internally and over a million having fled across the border to Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraqi Kurdistan.
Moscow and Beijing have been unyielding in their cynical claim to be issuing their vetoes in order touphold the principles of the U.N. Charter. As the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, piously noted in June 2012, "These purposes and principles include respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a state and the obligation not to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states." Lavrov, in short, would like to leave international relations about as they were at the time of the Treaty of Westphalia. The purpose of the U.N. Charter, at least notionally, was certainly not to allow states to slaughter their civilian populations with impunity. The charter gives the Security Council "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security" in the hope that the body will act when necessary, as is certainly the case in Syria. The international element is obvious: refugee flows, even leaving aside the responsibility to protect.
So Moscow's behavior in Turtle Bay has been reprehensible and also newly uncooperative. The pattern of two decades—denounce but acquiesce—has been broken. What's more, the Russians have gone much further than mere rhetoric. They have actively been supporting Assad, selling him arms, providing military advisers, and making a show of their presence in the region. Syria is home to Russia's sole remaining naval base outside the territory of the former Soviet Union, at Tartus. Russia conducted an 11-ship naval exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean not far from the Syrian coast earlier this year, the biggest such Russian exercise since the fall of the Soviet Union. It has provided Syria with antiship missiles, believed to be operational now out of Tartus.
But by far the most troubling show of support for Syria was the Russian foreign ministry's announcement in May of a contract to supply Assad with the S-300, air defense technology far more advanced than anything Syria deploys. This is a system Russia has repeatedly been talked out of delivering to Iran, largely on the grounds that Israel would move militarily to prevent its deployment. After word of the plan (half-baked though it may be) to deliver the system to Syria came out, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to Putin at which he reportedly urged Putin not to make good on the S-300 deal. Israel would certainly act to take out the system before it became operational in Syria. The U.S. State Department has also expressed strong opposition. After considerable confusion about exactly what the status of the deal is—including an apparently erroneous report attributed to Assad that the system had already arrived—Putin weighed in to say that though a deal to supply the S-300 to Syria had been reached some years ago, Russia had not fulfilled it.
The S-300 is no giant-killer. On the other hand, officials from the Obama administration have asserted time after time that Syria's existing air defenses are much tougher than those Qaddafi had in Libya—supposedly evidence of the difficulty of imposing a no-fly zone in Syria that would spare civilians some of the worst of Assad's assaults. Yet it seems implausible in the extreme that the U.S. military is unprepared to defeat existing Syrian air defenses, especially given Israel's demonstrated ability to conduct loss-free airstrikes on Syrian military targets. These cautionary notes seem to have a lot more to do with bolstering a position of U.S. inaction than an honest assessment of military capabilities.
Nevertheless, even the rumor of the arrival of the S-300 was sufficient to elevate the perception of the importance of Russia in the Syrian conflict. Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry has been scrambling to convene an international peace conference on Syria, in which Russia would take a leading role. If this sounds like conventional 1970s-era diplomacy at its worst, that's because it is. Henry Kissinger spent much of his career in and out of office trying to shut down calls for such a Mideast peace conference with Moscow, on the grounds that the most likely outcome would be an increase in the Kremlin's influence in the region and the isolation of Israel. The world has changed considerably since then; this equation, not so much. Presumably, Kerry envisions Putin pressing Assad into some kind of cease-fire and settlement—on grounds that without Putin, Assad is finished. That analysis essentially leaves Putin in charge of the terms of the settlement.
In short, the Obama administration has been conducting its Syria policy in a fashion that maximizes the influence of the least constructive "partner" we have to work with. The United States spent a couple of years trying to address Syria through the Security Council, where Russia readily blocked action with its veto. Although President Obama himself said almost two years ago that Assad must go, a sentiment he reaffirmed in March with Netanyahu at his side and in May with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his side, the United States has done nothing of consequence to increase pressure on Russia at the Security Council by showing Moscow we have other options. Meanwhile, we have talked up Assad's dubious capacity to deter us, which only encourages his favorite arms merchant, Putin. The prospect of Russian arms sales changing the military balance in the Middle East is now before us, and with it an increase in the likelihood of conflict. Our delay in responding may also have given Russian military advisers an opportunity to take up positions that are potentially in harm's way, further complicating our options. And now we come, hat in hand, hoping for Moscow's good offices at an international peace conference.
There is no good reason for any of this. If the idea was that Russia would get out of the way of constructive action on Syria, as it so often has chosen to do before, the administration should have recognized that its premise was erroneous 18 months ago. It didn't take the Clinton administration very long to figure out that it needed a bypass around the Russian veto over Kosovo. One hopes the idea wasn't that tens of thousands of Syrian civilians are expendable because we need Russia on board for our U.N. diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program.
Without quite realizing what we were doing, our non-response to Assad's atrocities opened a door for malign Russian influence of a kind that we have avoided for more than two decades. It remains uncertain whether Putin has the nerve to walk through it, but that's his call. If he doesn't, it won't be for want of opportunity we have created for him. The president himself has declared, "Preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States." Syria is a textbook example of how failure to act in response to atrocities can leave a vacuum in which our national security interests are at serious risk.


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So, armed with measurements and ideas we approached our friend and neighbor, Red, to see if he could weld up what we needed - a sturdy crate that would fit into the truck with the cap on. Of course he could.
Life on our farm: where it's al-l-l-l about the sheep and wool...all day.....every day.....pretty much all the time.....yep.
Keep me posted on that ramp. The cage is awesome!!!ReplyDelete
We have a rack by Sydell & really like it. We have also been known to strap it down onto our hay trailer to haul a big ram or to take cull ewes to auction rather than try any lift them up onto the truck bed. BUT - fitting yours inside a truck cap is great. Love the "no missing parts" feature!ReplyDelete
Very nicely done and thought out. Do you have ramps for putting equipment on trailers? Just use one of them and an appropriate bribe to keep him moving straight up into the crate. If those sheep on the nature programs can scale mountains, I'm sure a regular sheep can handle a ramp!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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Animation from COFA student Sushan Yue, winner of the Wacom Award for best 2D work at the 2010 COFA Annual Awards.
Sushan Yue's The Butterfly Dragon is a gorgeous piece of art. The artform of traditional, 'hand drawn' animation has, I think, only grown more beautiful given the modern prevalence of computer generated animation in the film realm.
Yue's film is a fable like tale, with an almost spiritual, esoteric quality to it. The predominately purple visual palate is contrasted stunningly with the ethereal, stark white beings that populate it. The animation in the film is dynamic and Yue has not been afraid to try things that are out of the ordinary. My favourite shot is a short one, from a first person point of view of an animal bounding excitedly away. Just like All Bound which we featured in the Online Cinema last week, The Butterfly Dragon features an impressively matched soundtrack which draws out the themes and emotions of the film. Narratively, I think it is one of those great stories from which everyone can take their own meaning. For me the film depicted some of the trials that we all go through in life - the failures, lessons and growth that combine to define someone. There was also an interesting repeated suggestion of guardian angels through the film, the ethereal white beings who exist to save and teach the film's young protagonist. In its short running time, The Butterfly Dragon also manages to create a tender parent-child dynamic, as these two beings interact, interrelate and are forced to change their relationship. And the entire joyful experience is rendered in animation that will move you simply through its distinctive and artistic formulation.
Your film is such a beautiful example of traditional or 'hand-drawn' animation. Although I assume that most of the work is computer based these days. Could you give us an insight into the process of bringing these films to life?
The production process for traditional animation is very similar to films created using other media in that it begins with developing ideas for the story, designing characters and setting, and drawing up storyboards. From the storyboard the animatic is created, which determines the length of each shot and the film as a whole, and then comes animation. The program I used to animate was Photoshop CS5 so I actually drew everything straight onto the computer.
The animation process is broken up into a couple of stages: keyframes, in-betweening, and clean-up. For each of my shots I have rough sketches of the background done first before I start drawing in the keyframes of each character. After the keyframes, I start the task of filling in the rest of the animation (the in-between frames). I do test renders constantly as they track my progress for each shot and also help me pick up any timing issues. Since I opted for a sketchy art style, clean-up for me mostly involved detailing the backgrounds and fixing up movement(s) of tails, wings, hair, etc.
After completing the animation, colour is added to characters and backgrounds. That and applying textures were the last things I did before rendering out each shot properly. For my film, post-production was handled in After Effects and included adding scene transitions, audio, and credits, and doing the final render of the film.
And how long, from start to finish, was the process of making the film?
All up the production of the film took about nine months from March to mid November. Pre-production took place in the first three months, the following six months were spent doing the animation, and post-production was done in the last two or so weeks.
Could you tell us a little about the story of the film? The inspiration behind it and any special meaning it has for you?
A couple of years ago I came across a Latin phrase, "Est deus in nobis", which means "there is a god inside us". It was this phrase that gave me the idea of a bunch of little creatures who 'grow up' by creating masks--faces of their very own. These masks are an expression of each creature's individuality and have the ability to transform the one who made it into something wonderful and unique.
My film, then, follows the adventure of one such creature discovering the concept of individuality, imagination personified as a butterfly and a dragon. It is, in essence, a story all about the power of one's imagination, the unlocking of creativity within you, and the gift of sharing it with others, to help them do the same.
Do you have a favourite shot or scene from the film?
I'd have to say my favourite scene is the ending, specifically the final two shots before the credits.
As a short filmmaker, what were the major challenges you faced getting the film made?
Getting the story together was a major challenge, actually. Since the film was my graduating piece from COFA, I had a deadline to meet … and a traditional animation with an initial storyboard 45 pages long was going to be a bit difficult to make in a couple of months. I had to scrap a number of ideas and rework the story so that it would be much shorter/more manageable.
Another major challenge I faced was rendering. The file sizes for some of the shots became so large because they were either enormous dimensions-wise or contained so many layers (or both) that when I tried to render the finished shots in Photoshop, it would crash the program. Rendering out the final animation in After Effects was also a nightmare; that program would frequently crash too.
Tell us about the journey the film has taken since you made it. Other festivals it has played at etc.
Since making the film I have spent a lot of time building the world of the butterfly dragon, creating some more masked characters and fleshing out their 'culture' as I would love to produce more short films set in their world. Currently I am collaborating with another short filmmaker. We are planning on making a 2D animation (though not related to my film), which, if all goes well, may become something like a mini web series in the future.
What is your predominant source of inspiration for your films? Is it animated films, live-action ones, art, literature?
I have drawn ideas from a number of places including art and literature, but I find that I am inspired the most when I am listening to music, particularly pieces that are purely instrumental. As music isn't a visual medium I am free to let my imagination run with the melody, which means stories and characters can form more easily in my mind. It's then just a process of building on the ideas that are the most interesting and/or have the most potential.
What are some of your favourite animated films, particularly ones that we may not have heard of?
There are many animated films that I enjoy very much as I love the medium itself. My favourites include: from Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Fox and the Hound and Alice in Wonderland; Hayao Miyazaki's Laputa: Castle in the Sky; Cartoon Saloon's The Secret of Kells; Dianne Jackson's The Snowman; and Katsuhiro Otomo's Memories.
Disney or Pixar? Or both? Or neither?
Both Disney and Pixar. Each studio produces its own fantastic animations with wonderful stories and characters; their movies are always a joy to watch.
Could you give us a list of your five favourite films of all time (feel free to give a short reason or just the title)?
It's really hard to choose as there are many great films out there, but I would have to say my top five favourite films are: The Fox and the Hound, The Secret of NIMH, The Land before Time, The Prince of Egypt and Fantasia (1940).


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First of 4 'Blood Moon' lunar eclipses set for Monday night Could be see Here in Seattle!
'Blood Moon' Lunar Eclipse Visible April 14-15 is an Rare Series of a Total Eclipses.
|The Space Needle
in Seattle Washington
with the 'Blood Moon'
Monday April 14,2014 1am
1am last night. I checked out my local King5New hear in Seattle and It seems that the weather was
good to us for a change, which is hard to believe since March we were drowning in rain! Anyway
Seattle got a awesome eyeful in the wee hours of Monday morning, of the total lunar eclipse that turned
into the Blood-red. The same happened on Saturday, Dec 10 and, at long last, the event will be visible form parts of North America too. I found some info about the lunar eclipse if you all are interesting about this amazing and rare happening throughout the world. It happens when the Earth blocks the sun's light from reflecting off the moon, casting a eerie shadow over its surface. During a total lunar eclipse the moon is completely obscured from view. This is the last total lunar eclipse we'll see until 2014, but its the second of 2011. Another total eclipse was visible from parts of Europe, Africa, Australia and Southern Asia in June. From what they are all saying this is the best time, and the best viewing spots for viewing this 'Blood Moon' or
|Image I found taken in Seattle Washington
of the Blood Moon on April 14, 2014 between
I thought I would write a bit about why they call it a Blood Moon'? There are many different reasons, I will try to cover as many as I can. 1.) Some say the Blood Moon used to be an alternate name of the
Hunter's Moon, which was full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the first full moon after the Autumnal Equinox. That is just one of many versions. There is also Biblical prophecy with the blood moons lunar eclipses too. They say that the Dates of the Biblical prophecy of the Blood Moons in 2014-2015 are four successive total lunar eclipses in the coming years.
In 2014: Total lunar eclipse Blood Moon: April 14 - 15
Total lunar eclipse Blood Moon: October 8
2015 Total lunar eclipse Blood Moon: April 4
Total lunar eclipse Blood Moon: September 28
I hope these dates will help your Moon glaceing for the next 2years.
|Map on the Lunar Eclipse
21st century [2001- 2100], but proponents of this Biblical prophecy regard the upcoming tetrad as
especially significant because it coincides with two important Jewish holidays too! These two days
are: Passover and Tabernacles. Ok! I know its a bit
confusing, but It does have an important meaning to the post trust me. I believe it was important to put this put in the post .. so please bare with me:o)
The April 2014 and April 2015 will have a total lunar eclipse align with the feast of Passover.
The October 2014 and September 2015 total lunar eclipses align with the feast of the Tabernacles of the Jewish Religion. The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar that is just how they celebrate within the calendar days. In any year, it's inevitable that a full moon will fall on or near the feasts of Passover [15 Nissan] and Tabernacles [15 Tishri]. Nissan and Tishri are the first and seventh months of the Jewish calendar if you are wondering.. I thought it would be important to include this of the Jewish Religion. I found it interesting that
three of these four lunar eclipses are not visible in parts of Israel. That seems epic in a not so good way in my opinion. And I found that the only one that they may get to see is the Lunar Eclipses and it is only the tail end of it on September 28, 2015, which will be only
So You are all probably wondering what this all means?
In our 21st century 2001-2100, there will be a total of 8 tetrads, but in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, there were none at all. Curious Eh! If we include all the centuries from the 1st century AD 1-100 through the
21st century 2001-2100, inclusive, there are a total of 62 tetads- This is part of it! There is more...
Well I found a little bit of info: These groups of four, called a 'tetrad', happen roughly once every 10-18years. The last one was in 2003-2004 in the days before twitter and fancy# Blood Moon hashtags so it was largely went unnoticed! and after this current group that spans this year and the next, 3rd tetrad of the 21st Century will be in 2032-2033. There will be eight tetrads this century alone.
Ok, I think I found the Biblical meaning- In the next few years, with these series of eclipses the
Christians have interpreted it as fulfillment of an End-Times prophecy, or a phenomenon called 'a lunar "tetrad' where there are four successive total lunar eclipses with no partial eclipse in between.
the next are in October 8th and April 8th and September 28th of next year. Tetrads are not
unusual. There will have been eight of them in this century, but some believe in the End of Days with an
book written by John Hagee's 'Four Blood Moons' where he quotes from the Bible of book Joel: 2:31 "The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the lord come."
This is from the bible this I know but I don't understand how a group of Christan's would put such trust in a regular book that was written just about the Four Blood Moons rather and the bible its self? That of course is just my opinion. What I discover more about this doom as these few Christan's feel that these blood moons are to be, other than Joel: 2:31"The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the lord come."
Ok, I found some real Scripture from both on-line and my own bible. I felt it was important to find the meaning of Joel: 2:31 in the Bible rather in a book that was written by just an author about it.
Here's the Scripture on-line Joel:2:31
'' I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. "The sun will be turned into darkness. And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the
LORD comes. "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD Will be
delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the LORD has said, Even among the survivors whom the LORD calls."
From my own Bible: Joel: 2:31 "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls."
It also is said to coincided with two important Jewish holidays: Passover and Tabernacles which contributing to the significance to the event above.
The Jewish people have said: 'In any year, it's inevitable that a full moon should fall on or near the feasts of Passover 15 Nissan and Tabernacles 15 Tishri, Nissan and Tishri are the first and seventh months of the Jewish calendar, respecitively. It is somewhat ironic that three of these four lunar eclipses are not visble - even in parts -from Israel.'
I don't really know what will or not happen I do know it was very inlighting doing this post. I
was hoping to see the moon tonight but I just get to tried. I hope that some parts of this post doesn't
worry anyone. I just like to put the information out there for everyone..Me personally I don't quite believe that the end is coming now! Besides there is also one other meaning that I have forgot which is very important and that is Full moons have dated back to ancient times with the Native Americans of what is not the northern and eastern United states. Those tribes have been keeping track of the season by the recurring full moons for centuries. And there is much more to this story but, I will have to continue on this one on a later day. The Magick Lady has run out of gas...heheh.
Anyway hope you all have a great evening its late for
me.Love You All my dear Friends and Followers.
Love You
Your Magick Lady
Your Magick Lady
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When it comes to your family business, one of the most important assets you own is your work van. Your work van takes you to meetings, appointments, and contains everything you need on a day-to-day basis. But when you van… Read More
Archive for the 'Custom Van Shelving' Category
The Benefits of Commercial Van Shelving
A commercial van is an important part of many industries, and as a business matter, it is very important to keep it organized. This can be a difficult task, especially in an industry in which you are required to carry… Read More
The Benefits of Van Shelving & Commercial Van Accessories from Trick Trucks
Your work van has so much usable space, but unless you have equipped that space with the right commercial van accessories, it will be wasted. It is time to make some changes! And where better to start than with custom… Read More


text: darksellsword #381 Posted April 29 2 minutes ago, Orphalesion said: Well, the WW came south before the Dragons were born in both show and book, so in my opinion the dragons were created to counter balance the Night's King. And if they were going for a arc about Dany being the cause, then they would have had to acknowledge that and work that into the story. Both Jon and Dnaenerys were shafted and it was a huge anticlimax to both their stories and the whole War for the Dawn story line. Yeah I agree with you on most of that except there were a few references to Dany's dragons enhancing magical abilities or magic in general so Dany could both be the counterpoint to the NightKing and in some part imbuing him with power Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Since 1994, Exiss Trailers has revolutionized the industry by producing top-quality aluminum trailers at prices consumers can afford. Exiss builds a full line of gooseneck and bumper pull aluminum horse trailers, livestock trailers and living quarters trailers that are sold through a network of over 120 dealers in the U.S., Canada and select international locations.
Before Exiss, many aluminum trailers were expensive and primarily custom-made. Through innovative manufacturing techniques at its facilities in El Reno, Oklahoma, Exiss was able to produce aluminum trailers with customized features as much as 20 to 30 percent below competing aluminum trailers.
Today, that revolutionary spirit at Exiss still exists, and it goes far beyond price. Its personnel have more than 30 years of experience in the trailer industry, and their extensive industry knowledge and experience has lead to a number of innovations in designing and manufacturing trailers. Exiss trailers include features that make towing safe, easy and stylish, no matter what your passion.
As one of the fastest growing aluminum trailer manufacturers in North America, Exiss is part of Universal Trailer Corporation, the leading specialty trailer company in the United States. Universal offers an impressive family of brands including Exiss, Sooner, Haulmark Motorcoach and Featherlite. This partnership brings added value to Exiss by raising the bar in trailer manufacturing, quality, marketing and customer satisfaction.


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YSDN Grad Showcase
YSDN Grad Showcase
Open to public: January 21, 22, 2017 (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
Engage in the unexpected. Come find out what the York/Sheridan Program in Design's class of 2017 has planned for their graduation showcase this spring.
The York/Sheridan Program in Design emphasizes creative and strategic thinking, and combines practice, theory, and history to educate today's up-and-coming designers. Throughout the course of the degree program, students focus on the areas of communication, information, and interactive multimedia, supported by design studies. This spring's graduation showcase presents the culmination of student work, and celebrates their achievements in the program.


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Strobilanthes attenuata (P-1323)
Each 7.75
With Salvia-like blue-violet flowers gracing a soft looking bushy mound, Strobilanthes attenuata is found in northern India and is sadly rare in cultivation. Vividly colored, curved tubular blooms populate dense spikes for months, while opposite, fuzzy gray-green leaves line well branched stems. Mounding and widespreading, this attractive, easy-to-care-for perennial imparts cool, composed hues, just right for juxtaposing against the warm yellows of Rudbeckia paniculata.
Blooms August–October.
Size: 2' 0" – 2-1/2' high x 3-1/2' wide.
Hardy to zone 9.
Please fill out our Registration Form to receive news of updates to the web site, availability of new plants, give us your feedback, and to be on the mailing list to receive future printed catalogs.


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Our office has been serving the Kitchener/Waterloo area for over thirty years. Our eye care
office is conveniently located on 675 Queen Street South, Suite 101, close to the downtown area of Kitchener..
Call us to make an appointment with our eye doctors. You are also welcome to drop in anytime to browse through our large selection of designer eyeglass frames and sunglasses.
Welcome to our Office serving Kitchener/Waterloo and the surrounding areas.
Contact Details
- Phone: (519) 744-5452
- Fax: (519) 744-5344
Kitchener, ON N2M 1A1
Emergency Contact: If you are unable to reach us in the event of an ocular emergency,
Please go to St.Mary's Hospital located at 911 Queen's Boulevard Kitchener, Ontario N2M 1B2
Telephone: 519-744-3311
- Monday: 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
Payment Information
We Accept:


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LISFeeds Reoriented
Throughout the LISHost media galaxy shared with Erie Looking Productions, there are quite a number of fountains spewing out content. LISNews is where you are reading this. LISWire is the site where folks in the library realm can post their press releases. LISTen is the podcast hosted on the LISNews server that has a feed from Delicious showing stories crossing the threshold for being looked at (also known as the slush-pile). LISTen also occasionally takes the form of a video podcast as circumstances arise.
That's a lot to track. While RSS does wonders, what if you aren't in front of your favorite RSS reader? LISFeeds.com has been reoriented to serve as an aggregator for all of those content manifestations. Posts are interleaved from the various sources into a river of posts. An automatic job on the server polls each source every three hours or so to check for updates. A pinger showing that updates have happened has been rigged up on Identica.
As always, this is a work in progress. Check it out and perhaps enjoy it. Using the planet aggregation software easily allows you to get your metaphorical feet wet with some pre-selected feeds.
+LISNews -LISWire -LISTen ;)
+LISNews -LISWire -LISTen ;)


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In a bid to provide ample supply of large and small homes that cater to the diverse needs of home buyers in Singapore, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has announced new guidelines to cap the number of shoebox units, particularly at all new non-landed private residential developments in suburban areas.
With immediate effect, the regulations aim to "discourage new developments consisting predominantly of shoebox units outside the Central Area", while providing developers with the flexibility to offer different home sizes, said the URA.
According to National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan, the guidelines follow the successful implementation of similar rules in the Central Area last November. Back then, shoebox units were growing fast, especially in the Telok Kurau area, "resulting in disamenities such as severe traffic congestion, shortage of car parks and double-parking".
As such, the URA consulted with stakeholders and decided to limit the number of small units that could be developed, "but in a judicious way, without over-regulating or stifling the creativity of developers", highlighted Mr Khaw.
Despite this, the supply of shoebox units is expected to grow from 2,400 as of end-2011 to 11,000 by 2015; as such homes are increasingly being integrated into new projects.
Meanwhile, the URA received feedback from consumers indicating that shoebox homes appeal to certain buyers such as singles, retirees and couples without children, but larger families, especially those with children, prefer larger units.
Taking this into consideration, the URA has adopted a "calibrated approach" to moderate the development of shoebox units outside the Central Area, to provide sufficient supply of large and small units.
Mr Khaw assured the public that the new guidelines "are measured and moderate" and would still support demand for shoebox units, but at a more moderate pace.
Dr. Chua Yang Liang, Head of Research for South East Asia at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), said that the policy "is helpful in maintaining a vibrant and inclusive society where the housing form is not dominated by the larger societal norm but encouraging diversity to support the continual development of our real estate market".
At the same time, Png Poh Soon, Head of Research at Knight Frank Singapore, noted that the latest regulation is a "fairly efficient approach to fulfil two objectives - to increase the proportion of larger-sized units, while providing the flexibility to provide smaller units in a development".
He added that this reflects the government's goal "to create liveable spaces conducive for family building especially in suburban areas".


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If you are looking for an eco-friendly, visually interesting and easy way to help organize some of the chaos in your house (let's face it, we all have some), this tutorial from Design Sponge may be perfect.
Archive for the 'reclaimed' Category
DIY:Organization – Recycled Paper BasketPublished March 18, 2012 diy , home decor , reclaimed , stitch Leave a Comment
Tags: bags, diy, everyday item, home decor, paper, upcycle
Cashmends – Stella NeptunePublished January 16, 2012 diy , fashion , felt , knit , reclaimed Leave a Comment
Tags: cashmends, upcycle
This is so clever. Cashmends are patches make to cover those pesky holes nibbled by moths in you favorite sweater. These are so cute, holes are not necessary.
DIY Flannel Infinity ScarfPublished January 15, 2012 diy , fabric , reclaimed Leave a Comment
Tags: Flannel scarf, infinity
This could seriously be a picture of me in my pajamas. They are horrible yet I continue to subject my family to this sight close to every night and morning. They will be so pleased when I retire these old flannel jammies and recycle them into a new, hip scarf.
Reinvention – Vivien ChengPublished April 13, 2011 bags , reclaimed Leave a Comment
Tags: upcycle, vintage
Vivien Cheng is upcycling vintage purses and clutches with Art Deco inspired painted designs. A beautiful and modern reinvention.
Too Good to Pass By – CraftsterPublished November 29, 2010 diy , holiday , reclaimed Leave a Comment
Tags: diy, holiday, paper
Craftster featured this wonderful tutorial today. Reusing packaging is a must for my house and finding creative ways to make your own out of materials you already have is even better.
Will HolmanPublished July 21, 2010 diy , home decor , reclaimed Leave a Comment
Tags: diy, home decor, upcycle
There are so many things that are right about this. First, it is upcycled. Perfectly good lumber from crutches reused to make an attractive chair. And if you are feeling ambitious the creator, Will Holman, has posted the directions for making this chair on Instructables. What a beautiful chair and an incredible project.
Vintage RenewalPublished May 26, 2010 home decor , reclaimed , Uncategorized Leave a Comment
WOW! This is a winner.


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Whether you're launching a new product or generating buzz for your next big event, you have got to promote. As P.T. Barnum – founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus – once put it, "Without promotion, something terrible happens...Nothing!"
Watch episode 2 of 'The Omnivore' webinar series, where we will cover best practices and tips for delivering compelling promotional campaigns – seamlessly across channels. You will come away with:
- Steps you can take to immediately increase the value and impact of your promotional messaging
- Tips for maximizing engagement and conversion rates across email, SMS, push, social, and direct mail
- Noteworthy examples of how some of today's top brands are using multiple channels to promote


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"Run, Run As Fast As You Can" Library Contest (OSB & BRB)
(Children of all ages) Help the Gingerbread Man or Snowman escape! Pick up a snowman or gingerbread man at either library. Decorate him or her to look like your favorite book character. On the back, record your name and phone number and return to either library branch. One grand prize winner at each building will receive a gingerbread house kit. All entries due by December 15th. No registration
- Date:
- Sunday, December 15, 2019
- Time:
- All Day Event
- Location:
- BRB Youth Services, OSB Youth Services
- Campus:
- Ottawa Street Branch (OSB)
- Categories:
- Children's Programs


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Travel & Tour Desk
We have a Tour Desk where our experience and friendly Tour Consultant will assist you on your excursion itinerary in Siem Reap. Our day tour prices are very reasonable and you have the option to choose the places you want to visit and the activities that you want to do. We will make sure that you will enjoy yourself exploring Siem Reap.
All our Tuk tuk drivers are accredited & licensed by the regulatory body to carry out their duties. It is advisable to book your tours with our hotel as all our drivers are carefully selected and had passed a stringent interview to make sure that all our guests are well taken care of.
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to plan your tour itinerary in Siem Reap and we wish you a pleasant stay with us.
Copyright 2013 Angkor Orchid Central Hotel, All Rights Reserved.
Designed By: TONG HOR Web Design


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Our Motto
Each sister, both active and alumnae, strive to uphold our motto each and every day. We all uphold the value of sisterhood within our chapters and colonies. We make the effort to inform ourselves and others within the community about the diversity among cultures. And lastly, we all aim to complete our educations and enrich the futures we have in front of use.
|A central part of Delta Xi Nu's motto is sisterhood. The shared experience of collegiate life through sorority involvement creates a bond that carries far beyond graduation. Once a sister, one can always count on being a sister and having a network of women professionals around the nation and the world.
|This essential part of Delta Xi Nu is present in everything we do. Through our events and involvements, sisters create an environment where people can share and become aware of unique attributes that enrich the human experience. When joining, each sister brings her own experiences and background, helping to infuse their passions in their chapter or colony
|Education is the ultimate goal and achievement for our sisters. Making the most of your education is the best way to create opportunities of changes in the community. Each sister has the passion for a better future. Involvement in Delta Xi Nu enriches collegiate experience by building an understanding of the diversity that exists within the interconnected world.


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"Terry's strong design sense and organized, responsive nature keeps us on track. I have no hesitation in requesting her as the project manager for any of my projects."
Carlos M. Lopez, Vice President - Construction Project Manager, BNY Mellon
For over 30 years, Terry has practiced interior design, working for major architecture and design firms in the Boston area specializing in corporate, retail and academic design.
As a Senior Interior Designer, Terry lends her project management and FF&E skills to various corporate accounts to include national insurance and international banking clients. She has a passion for creating tailored design solutions for our clients. By focusing on the unique needs of each corporate entity, she has built strong partnerships and lasting professional relationships.
Terry is an active member of IIDA, serving on the board for two years, and is an NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer. She has given back to emerging professionals by mentoring students, teaching design classes at the Boston Architectural College and acting as an advisor to thesis students. For pleasure, Terry enjoys energizing nature walks, yoga and cooking.Next: Veronica Robles ← Back to Team


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Saint John Police Force
The Saint John Police Force Fraud Unit has three investigators who specialize in the prevention, education, and investigation of fraud-related matters. The unit handles the larger, time-consuming investigations that involve major fraud rings, large business fraud, and large internal thefts, among others.
Types of fraud investigated by the Fraud Unit include:
• Counterfeit (Currency and other Documents) Fraud • Credit Card and Debit Card Fraud • Social Assistance (Welfare) Fraud • Computer/Internet Fraud • Identity Theft • Corporate Fraud • Fraud Against Seniors
A key component of the Fraud investigators' work is the implementation of crime reduction strategies. A point of sale identification (P.I.N.) pad program was implemented in 2010 to protect business owners and consumers from credit and debit card fraud. Since the inception of the program, we have not had a report of PIN Pad tampering in Saint John. This program is ongoing and evolving.
The digital world has enabled fraudsters to have access to a whole new group of potential "customers" via the Internet. Credit Card scams, identity theft, telemarketing schemes, and e-mails from Nigerian businessmen offering to share their millions in exchange for personal banking information are just some of the challenges faced by anyone with access to a computer.
Attached is some information on the Top Fraud Scams that are active in Saint John and how you can protect yourself. Education is the key to combating fraud. The more informed you are, the safer you are!
www.antifraudcentre.ca – Canadian Anti Fraud Center
www.nbsc-cvmnb.ca – New Brunswick Securities Commission
www.competitionbureau.gc.ca – Competition Bureau
www.scambusters.org – Scambusters originates from the United States but the content is quite good.
Please call 911 for Emergencies or 648-3333 for non-emergency immediate assistance.
Police Administration email@example.com (506) 648-3200
1 Peel Plaza Saint John, NB, E2L 0E1
© 2019 City of Saint JohnPrivacy|Disclaimer|Language
Stay connected with us by following the social media channel of your choice.


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Free Portable Table Saw Stand Plans!
Portable saw stands are very useful when working with miter saws. There are plenty of options if you are looking to simply purchase one.The nature of woodwork projects always vary with different woodworkers. For this reason, using portable table saw stand plans to construct your own stand can be the best (and most affordable) option as projects vary in magnitude.
In this case, it is necessary to match the saw stand you are trying to construct with the underlying tasks you intend to perform. For instance, you do not come up with a table saw stand plan that weighs 100 pounds if you are a regular contractor who often travels to homes to perform your woodwork tasks.
Benefits of Creating Your Own Portable Table Saw Stand Plans
Designing your own portable table saw stand will save you time and money based on the following reasons;
The type of saw needed for your woodwork project depends on what you actually do. It depends on your working hours, the amount of space you work with, and your budget.
1. For cases where you only spend few hours in your workshop, making your own table with a simple DIY project gives you an option of designing specifically what you need. For instance, a simple craft and cabinetry projects may not need a complicated commercial cabinet saw stand as this might be more than you need.
2. Purchasing a commercial saw may be a very big and serious investment. For this reason, you need to be careful with this consideration. You may not have a chance to "test drive" for every single table that is available on the market. However, making your own gives you an option of going through the detailed list and reviews offered at commercial outlets. With these specifications, you can compare the various table saw stands and what they are able to do. The information can help you come up with something unique that is able to multitask and handle many woodworking projects within your local workshop.
3. Durability is a critical factor when it comes to portable saw stands. With a DIY project, you are flexible to choose the type of materials of your stand. You can use hardwood materials and special steel nails for a longer lasting service. Most manufactured table saw stands may not stand difficult woodworking projects as the ones made from recycled materials.
Various table saw plans exist basing on your needs. A simple DIY project with the use of simple tools would help you design the following plans:
The Wooden Table Saw Bench
You can easily complete this project with simple tools, little wood, and a few other materials needed for construction.
Materials Needed
- Miter Saw
- Hand Saw
- Circular Saw
- Wood
- Drill
- Bolts
- Screws
- Plywood
Build Support Boxes
You first need to construct the support structure for the box that will be positioned underneath the saw table. Cut wood to the required length for the box structure with the use of a miter saw. 4 long support ends of the box and 2 other supports at the center for reinforcement will be needed.
Build the Saw Table
Use a piece of 2 by 4 spacer to align the support boxes developed in the previous step. Place plywood over the support boxes and secure it by driving screws using a screw driver on side of the support. Once the plywood is well secured, remove the 2 by 4 space and place the table assembly generated to the side to build the legs to the portable saw table.
Connect the Legs of the Stand
You will need to cut additional pieces of the wood in order to create the table legs for your portable saw stand. The legs should be approximately 36 to 40 inches in length. It is advisable to use treated wood for stands for a longer lasting service.
With the legs well cut out, set a cross brace in position to provide enough stability. With the structure well secured in place, bolt tightly the saw to the table.
Great Furniture References
The website displays a gallery collection of portable saw stands discovered based on research. The tables in this gallery are generally designed to be easy to carry when working. They are a perfect choice for wood workers who have to engage in carpentry works for long hours delivering full time tasks. Portable table saws are designed to serve the same basic function just like larger table saws.
For most commercial table stand saw, the hefty induction motor is replaced with a lightweight universal motor. Due to this customization, the system tends to be somehow shorter on muscle and slightly loud when in operation. Another concession to aid in portability of the portability saw stand is the use of aluminum top that is extremely light and the universal motor that has less torque.
The recent improvements made in recent years to supplement onsite jobs have made this type of table saw stands so convenient for most carpentry tasks.
Another type of portable saws are the contractor saws that were originally set to be portable enough for woodworkers to haul from one job site to another. These types of stands make a few concessions in terms of portability and affordability. Even though most contractor saws have been designed with cast iron table top that is strong and solid, availability of extension wings may be twisted to be open webbed or stamped metal.
The gearing, arbor, and trunnions assembly of the saw are literally less husky than the ones found on most commercial saws.
In general, a fully customized table saw stand will offer services based on the needs of the user. You can shop around your local hardware shop to look at the various stands and designs that are in stock. With such designs, you can easily come up with a unique taste that is able to complete your sawing tasks. When coming up with portable table saw stand plans online YouTube tutorials can come handy in giving you directions on how you can create your own stand in simple steps as described above.


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(Capcom's primary storyline)
"The people who go down in history as its heroes are never stable."
Colonel Sergei Vladimir (セルゲイ・ウラジミール Serugei Urajimīru , Russian: Сергей Владимир) was a high ranking executive of the Umbrella Corporation, highly recognized as the company's Captain of the Guard, and Oswell E. Spencer's most loyal officer.
"When my country was ruined, I had no place left to call home. Spencer gave me a home and a purpose!"
Sergei was also involved in Tyrant research, and his experience in military affairs had made him instrumental in the founding of Umbrella's private militia, the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service.
During his time at Umbrella, Sergei grew a heated rivalry with another close employee of Spencer, Albert Wesker. Wesker seemed to have ulterior motives and grew suspicious of Spencer's intentions as well. Sergei believed that Wesker could not be trusted and would inevitably betray the company and its leader. Both men were always at each other's throats, and as Wesker's superior, Sergei was often displeased to find Wesker not obeying orders to the letter and would never hesitate to punish him for failure or remind him who was in charge. Wesker did not seem to be daunted by Sergei's threats, but the two men held a mutual respect for one another regardless, and kept a close eye on one another.
Tyrant involvementEdit
"The Tyrants are my brothers, and my brothers and I will issue in a new era for all mankind!"
Vladimir was also very involved in science works, and the Tyrant project. Although not as scientifically skilled as other noted scientists such as Alexia and Alexander Ashford, he was incredibly intelligent, and his masterpiece Tyrant was undoubtedly T-A.L.O.S., which he lead the creation of. He continually aided the production of his Ivans, mostly by contributing DNA and testing psychological variables he could create from the original T-103 line. Sergei saw the Tyrants as his "brothers" who would assist him in bringing about a new age under Umbrella's banner.
U.M.F.-013 and the Red QueenEdit
"It's good that we can be honest with each other. That's the sign of a healthy relationship. It's a shame that this friendship has to end."
At the Umbrella Executive Training Center, Sergei ordered one of his Ivans to "punish" Wesker for his failure to bring the facility up and running. Wesker barely escaped with his life, with only the destruction of the facility giving him a chance to escape, causing Sergei to say "I guess he didn't like his lesson". He ultimately did not give pursuit against Wesker, as he intended to go to the Arklay Laboratory to retrieve the T-A.L.O.S. prototype from the lab anyway. Afterwards, Sergei and his bodyguard went to the Arklay Mountains. Rebecca Chambers quietly watched him exit the mansion, alongside the Ivan carrying the T-A.L.O.S. prototype. They were attacked by a group of Cerberus, but the Ivan easily dispatched them. He was also implied to have started the transfer of the Umbrella Archives from the Arklay Laboratory to the U.M.F.-013 computer core during this time.
As the head of the U.B.C.S, Sergei permit Nicholai to kill the other monitors to eradicate any evidence against Umbrella.[2]
Sergei was then sent to Raccoon City to retrieve the U.M.F.-013, which he had loaded all of Umbrella's data onto. The helicopter also transported an Umbrella executive on board, who thought Sergei was reckless for stealing the core from the company, despite the fact that it was at Spencer's orders. Sergei, being "unstable" for this move in the employee's eyes, took the remark as a joke and pointed out how none of history's heroes are stable in their actions. Sergei also acknowledged how the core's data would allow Umbrella to rise from the ashes of defeat. Ada Wong, acting on a tip from Wesker, managed to hitch a ride on the computer core as it was towed away below the copter, going unnoticed by Sergei. The missile launched by the government destroyed Raccoon City the next moment, passing merely feet away from the helicopter as Sergei watched.
Sergei saw himself going down in history as a hero because of the last task Oswell E. Spencer had left him with. After Raccoon City's destruction, the government got suspicious of Umbrella and its position in the world was dwindling, making it a sinking ship and no longer a sanctuary for his plans. Spencer had no choice but to further distance himself from the public eye, which he had never stayed close to in the first place. However, before going into hiding, Spencer needed someone to take charge of what was left of his corporation. He chose Sergei, his most faithful and loyal subordinate, confident he would be able to uphold the seemingly doomed company. Sergei was named the chief executive officer of Umbrella some time between 1998 and 2003. It is likely the two still maintained contact behind the scenes. As his first decree as Umbrella's leader, Sergei moved all company data and assets to the Caucasus facility disguised as an oil refinery.
The Twilight of UmbrellaEdit
Wesker himself infiltrated the base at the same time a biohazard wiped out some 98% of the research staff. Wesker managed to take a train to the main shaft where he met Sergei a second time. This time, Sergei sent both of his Ivans to kill him. An attack team lead by Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine entered the base, with the intention of destroying Umbrella for good. None of that would have been possible if it was not for Wesker's actions.
Sergei stood in the way of Wesker's attempt to steal the U.M.F.-013's data and, after releasing the T-A.L.O.S. to fight Chris and Jill, he mutated into a huge creature (indication that he infected himself moments before Wesker caught him). The tentacles binding his arms fused into one large tentacle. At the end of this appendage is a dangerous claw that can be used for movement or attacking.
During the fight, Sergei seemed to enjoy the blows of pain Wesker issued to his weak point, evidencing a loss of sanity. Despite Sergei's immense strength, agility and organic weaponry, Wesker destroyed him, putting an end to his delusions that Umbrella and the Tyrants, his "brothers", would usher in a new era for mankind. Despite being beaten and liquefying, Sergei defiantly declared that "they" were "not done yet," implying that even while dying, he fully intended to continue fighting Wesker. The company's final leader defeated, Wesker stole all of the data, compressed into one disc, and shut down the Red Queen. The base was decommissioned and all data was erased in the process, ending Sergei's plans and sealing Umbrella's fate.
Further NotesEdit
- Moments before Chris and Jill's second battle with T-A.L.O.S. he gave a speech regarding how it was mutating out of control, however he was fighting Wesker at the same time and never comments on T.A.L.O.S during the battle. This is possibly an error.
- Biohazard The Umbrella Chronicles SIDE B, however, includes the above speech, and in fact, Sergei actually transforms after giving the above speech.
- During Wesker's short reunion with Sergei, he is seen wielding what seems to be a Red9 or a Mauser Model C-96. However, neither weapon was featured as usable in The Umbrella Chronicles.
- ↑ Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007), file: "Sergei Vladimir Profile".
- ↑ Letter from Sergei to Nicholai


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The one-stop shop that…
- … supplies The Multistandard offer is a comprehensive range of panel control protection solutions: feeder protection and circuit disconnect, branch circuit and control circuit protection, motor load protection and control, and enclosures.
- … applies These solutions come to OEMs and panel builders tested and validated specifically for their applications.
- … complies All the products in the Multistandard offer comply with multiple international and national standards and marks – IEC, UL, CE, CCC, CSA, GOST, etc. And all have a single global part number for guaranteed availability and error-free, at-a-glance selection.
Single solution source for business without borders
Discover the Multistandard range products
- Machine Control Solutions
Our energy-efficient, smart and customized machine control solutions enable operational excellence in your industry. Discover innovative machine automation and control systems for your application.Learn more about our Machine Control Solutions
- Efficiency that clicks
Offering robust protection and new features in an optimized size, PowerPact B molded case circuit breakers up to 125A will change the way you work.Learn more about PowerPact B
- Start smart. Run smart. Stay smart.
For almost a century, designers of electrical systems have depended on Schneider for demanding operations. From switching and protection to monitoring and control, trust the TeSys innovation legacy.Learn more about TeSys


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Download Bluestacks for PC on Windows 7 from here. Everyone loves android apps and games. They make our life easy and keep us entertained at the same time. Many times, most of us use PC and feel the need to run or access our android apps and games from our PC. If you have ever been in this situation, certainly we have a solution for you. There are many Softwares for PC which allows users to run Android apps and games on their PC. One of the leading software is BlueStacks. Using this software, you can run any game or app on your PC.
Android being an user-friendly operating system, make the user addicted to it. Most of us are addicted to android games like Candy Crush, Flappy Bird, Crossy Roads, etc. Using BlueStacks for PC, you can play all these games on your PC without any hassles. You may have been adapted to play games or run apps on a small screen, but there's a whole new world when you play games on a big screen like your desktop computer or laptop. In this article, I will guide you on how you can run various android apps on your PC using BlueStacks. You can also download BlueStacks for PC from one of the download links below.
Steps for Download & Install BlueStacks for MAC.
Once you have installed BlueStacks For MAC correctly, further it is not a much-complicated process. Even a 5-year old kid can go through the process and get it done. Follow the simple instructions below to download and install your favorite Android game or app in BlueStacks.
Repeat the process to install as many apps as you want. Download your preferred apps and games and enjoy it on big-screen. You will be baffled after using them on your PC or laptop.
How to Download BlueStacks For PC
BlueStacks offer two option for downloading the software. You can download the offline installer for BlueStacks, or you can download the Bluestacks executable to download the files later. In both cases, you are going to require an active and reliable internet connection. You can download BlueStacks from their official website from here Or you can download it from one of the download links given below.
The download links which are given below are 100% malware-free and obtained through trusted and reliable sources. Installing the software is pretty easy. You do not have to go through a very-long installation process. Before moving on to the installation process, make sure that you have download BlueStacks from one of the download links given above....Read More
GarageBand is one of the most popular music mixing application which is developed and introduced by Apple Inc. Garageband is only officially available for IOS, Mac and Android Users but still there are many softwares which allows you to use GarageBand For PC without consuming much space and time of yours. For the people who don't what GragageBand is and how to use then they may read the whole blog otherwise, you can directly skip on How-To Download GarageBand For PC users.
So, GarageBand is a well-known application which is used by many people to mix Music and edit their own on Mobile Phones. Yes, This app helps you to mix and edit your Music on your Mobile Phone as well as your Computer. It does not help in editing and mixing but you can also create, record, cut, your songs inside it. The best part which I love about this application is that is available for free in Google Play Store as well as for IOS and MAC users too. There are many alternatives of GarageBand but among all of them, GarageBand is the best app because it is totally free and also developed by a renowned company i.e, Apple Inc.
Before you proceed to Download GarageBand On PC please make sure that you have installed the compatible software which would help you to run Garageband On PC otherwise if you haven't downloaded them then do it and then proceed with the steps given below. To get started with it you will need to first download Bluestacks on your Windows PC. To Download it safely you can visit their official website or if you want to Download it through a mirror then you can click here to start the Download...Read More
Everything we want has a new destination now. All the information you want, may it be any information, knowledge, a place to share your views or a platform for entertainment; everything is available online. From ideas for your next seminar to the latest episode of your favorite daily soap, everything is available online. Online availability is never a problem, but most of us are confused about the method to have a secure access to it. Here comes to rescue, the online video streaming apps.
These video streaming apps let you have an access to the shows and movies available on the internet. One very important advantage of using these applications is that you get a lot of options to choose from. Just type it in the search box and here it appears. Options are many but a few can be trusted. From the endless list of thousands of online streaming apps available online only a handful are trustworthy and perform well in the long run...Read More
Planning of installing cables in your device and not sure of the collectors to use? Don't look elsewhere, you are at the right place. Come along as I give you details of commonly used connectors easily available.
Quarter Inch Jack Connector
This connector is an electrical connector and it is for analog signal. Very common in electric guitars and amplifiers. As the picture depicts it is cylindrical in shape and usually ¼" with a single 'black hoop'.
The connector can be 'mono' or 'single' and this is indicated by the black hoop also known as insulating ring. This type of connector is commonly used in speakers. It can also be used to connect amps and guitar heads to the cabinets.
VGA Connector
The acronym VGA simply means Video Graphics Array. It is common both in computers and video devices. It's a three-row 15-pin connector (DE-15). This connector widely used on projectors, laptops as well as desktop computers.
Speakon Connector
The connector is mainly for audio application. Usually for professional audio. It can be in 2,4 or 8 pole iterations. It is designed for high current rated 40 A. Like other connectors it has a female and male panel socket. Due to the professional audio application, it should be used for live sound to connect power amplifiers to loudspeakers.
XLR Connector
This is another professional audio connector. It is also used in stage lighting equipment. Consist of 3 to 7 pins or holes which are circular in design. Usually associated with balanced audio interconnection. it can also be used for low-voltage power supplies and other applications. This connector is highly similar but not compatible with DIN connector. It has a smaller version called 'mini XLR connector' for smaller equipment.
Balance Jack Connector
This is a very important connector if you are into sound recording and production. It is used to interconnect audio equipment using balanced lines. It helps in connecting two audio channels. This connector is designed in such a way to reduce noise. This is done using different techniques. Basically, it has two identical wires which are twisted and wrapped together with another conductor which acts as shield.
This technology makes the electromagnetic interference to induce an equal noise voltage in each wire. The twisted wires are to reduce interference from the electromagnetic induction. Applications of this connector include headphone output, mixing decks, guitar amps, hi-fi equipment as well as recording equipment.
Listed above are commonly used connectors you can easily go for. To get the required results from these connectors, make sure you get them from a reliable and well-known store. Also, ensure you read the operational manual and if possible hire and experience installer. One more thing, ensure you use the connector for the right application. Finally, I hope you've enjoyed and learnt a lot from this writeup.
Are you using iPhone 4S or the newly introduced iPhone 5? If yes, then it is of great importance you know the most essential tips for using it. This article is about 7 most useful tips from numerous tips and tricks available. These tips are to make you control your device better and more useful.
Many possibilities have been bought for iPhone users with the inclusion of iOS 6. The iOS 6 software has an inbuilt panorama feature. The panorama feature can be access through Option menu. A panorama image can easily be captured using the camera pan from left to right and it's a default option. All you need to change direction is to tap the arrow which appears on the screen. Once this is done, you can pan camera from right to left.
The app needs some changes, never mind, few changes can be made from your end. To do this go to Settings>Maps>Change label size. Changing the label size gives you the liberty to view more geographic locations. In addition, the layout is more organized and less cluttered. It makes the text smaller to accommodate more display options, this means your eyesight have to be good to make out for the small text.
The fact that everyone hears you when giving voice commands to Siri is sometimes embarrassing. Enabling 'Rise to Speak' option on Siri makes you whisper while your phone is close to your ear and give a voice command. To enable this, go to Settings>General>Siri> then enable Rise to Speak. Interesting, isn't it? I guess many of us know about the new Maps app introduced by Apple.
One of the most interesting features of this iOS 6 app is that it allows you to attach videos and pictures in an e-mail directly. You can attach to a black mail. To do this, long press the message body, this reveals a pop up, then select the option of video or insert photo. For a mail that is already composed, tap the arrow on the right side to reveal these options.
DND Options
DND simply means 'Do Not Disturb' this feature allows you to silence notifications. The beauty about this is the option to set specific time to silence all notifications. To activate, go to Setting>Notification>Do Not Disturb then configure the settings that suit you.
Backing Up Pictures
Backing up is an important thing to do but we always feel lazy about it. Thanks to Apple, iOS 6 has made it very easy. Solution for backing up images has been included in Photo Stream. It has ability to back up pictures taken within time span of 30 days. Go to Settings>Photo & Camera to reveal all pictures stored on your Mac or other Apple devices.
Push E-mail
This is a feature which enables pushing new mails to your iPhone. Very important if you frequently use e-mail for communication in which creating a Hotmail or Gmail account is not enough. Follow steps below to setup;
Setting>Mail, Contacts, Calendars>Add Account-Microsoft Exchange
Name your inbox
In the Server field enter m.hotmail.com or m.google.com
In the Username field enter your e-mail id and password
Press Next and unselect the Contact and Calendars and then Save
I believe these tips will make you control your device better onwards. Try these tricks today and see the wonders of technology.


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Abstract: We investigate the implications of rule-of-thumb behaviour on the part of
consumers or price setters for optimal monetary policy and simple interest
rate rules. The existence of such behaviour leads to endogenous persistence
in output and inflation; changes the transmission of shocks to these
variables; and alters the policymaker's welfare objective. Our main
finding is that highly inertial policy is optimal regardless of what
fraction of agents occasionally follow a rule of thumb. We also find that
the interest rate rule that implements optimal policy in the purely optimising
case, and a first-difference version of Taylor's (1993) rule, have desirable
properties in all of the cases we consider. By contrast, the coefficients in
other optimised simple rules tend to be extremely sensitive with respect to
the fraction of rule-of-thumb behaviour and changes in other parameters of the
Full paper (505 KB PDF)


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Winter Whale Watching, The Tubes, Natural History of the Anza-Borrego Region
Events December 19-December 25, 2019
Various Authors noon, Dec. 14
A rare Sparrow, one of 285 of the eye-popping electric cars ever made, was recently spotted in Encinitas. The owner wasn't around to provide details, but an internet search revealed that the car was a "Jellybean" model. The other style manufactured by Hollister-based Corbin Motors between 1999 and 2002 was dubbed the "Pizza Butt" (because Domino's Pizza placed an order for some of the vehicles).
Thanks to enthusiasts such as the Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego, Sparrows have survived. In 2001, the group sponsored a charitable electric-vehicle-awareness-raising drive. The tiny, zero-emissions Sparrow made the 709-mile trip to Hollister and back, according to the group's newsletter, but it did necessitate 18 stops for charges.
When Corbin went bankrupt in 2003, Myers Motors took over the Sparrow, improving battery life, safety features, and seating capacity. The car was renamed the NmG ("no more gas").
Myers Motors recently unveiled the next generation: the three-wheeled two-seater NMG2. It can travel at freeway speed, goes about 60 miles per charge (compare to the original Sparrow's 30), and can use the carpool lane as well as motorcycle parking spots, the manufacturer says.
According to http://green.autoblog.com/tag/Nmg2/, "The car's base price is $29,995 but, if a thousand people drop $250 on a pre-order, the price for everyone will drop by $5,000 (actually, for every 200 people who pre-order, Myers can get volume discounts and so will drop the price by $1,000). Myers will wait until June 5, 2010, to see how many pre-orders they have and set the final price then."
FUGLY!!!!!!!!!!!! Bring back the gas guzzlin' Detroit behemoths!


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Fill your agenda with evening events around UI.
September 26, 2006
Seems there are lot of evening sessions in Belgium the coming months…
What's New in Internet Explorer 7 for Developers (September 29, Microsoft Belux, Diegem) : especially interesting for day to day web development is the topic about HTML and CSS standards support in IE7. Be prepared.
Windows Workflow Foundation VISUG session (October 5, Ordina, Schelle) : ASP.NET can host Windows Workflow Foundation workflows, so it is a good time to check out how WF works and how you can use it.
DRUPAL – een open source content management systeem (Dutch, October 10, Technologisch Instituut, Antwerpen) : A successful open-source website content management system (that is a mouthful) founded by a Belgian developer (Dries Buytaert).
User Centered Design (Dutch, November 21, Technologisch Instituut, Antwerpen) : A session given by Joannes Vandermeulen of Namahn, a Belgian company specialized in user friendly computer interaction.
I'll be there, I hope you too ! 🙂


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An extension of the Living Walls program, Living Walls Concepts keeps street art buzzing in Atlanta throughout the year with mini-conferences furthering the mission of promoting, educating, and changing perspectives about public space via street art..
The first collaboration of 2012 found Gaia and Nanook working together on a full wall in the city's Old Fourth Ward. In addition to painting, the artists held an open conversation about street art's positive connection to communities.
Living Walls has just received full non-profit status. You can support their efforts here. [Vandalog]