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Why Haven't You Had a Mammogram?
Despite the fact that mammograms save lives, approximately 18 million women in the U.S. who should have had the test in the past two years haven't, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The reasons why so many women miss their regular breast screenings are complex and cause concern among experts. After all, early detection of breast cancer boosts the chances of survival to 98%. But a shortage of imaging centers, long waits to schedule an appointment, and anxiety about what a mammogram might reveal conspire to keep women from having this lifesaving test. To keep yourself healthy, check out our tips for creative ways to counter every barrier (and excuse).
It's Too Far
Increasing numbers of women nationwide have trouble finding an imaging facility within an easy drive. That's because more than 750 mammography centers have shut down in the past few years, a result of small profit margins, high liability insurance, low reimbursement rates from insurers and a shortage of radiologists.
What you can do
Buddy up, so you can make getting a mammogram a chance to spend time with a friend. Get back-to-back screening appointments, split travel expenses if you have a substantial drive, then go out for lunch afterward. Or consider using a mobile mammography service—traveling vans that offer screenings. Your local health department or hospital should be able to tell you when one is swinging by.
Nobody Told Me To
In a recent study of more than 3,000 women who hadn't had a recent mammogram, 80% said the reason was simply that their doctor didn't suggest it to them. Without a professional's urging, it's all too easy to sideline annual screenings. In addition, if a woman visits her doctor only when she's sick, it may leave little time for prevention-oriented talk, notes one of the study's authors, Nancy Breen, Ph.D., an economist with the National Cancer Institute.
What you can do
Don't count on receiving a postcard or phone call reminding you to get an annual mammogram, says Breen. "Few doctors' offices have these kind of reminder systems in place." Instead, accept that having regular mammograms is like wearing sunscreen or eating right—an aspect of your health that you have to take charge of yourself. Be proactive about getting a referral to a breast center, making an appointment and following up on results.
They're Booked
Fitting a mammogram into your hectic schedule is one hurdle. Getting the imaging center to fit you into its overbooked calendar is another. While one study of 45 mammography centers in Washington, New Hampshire, and Colorado found that wait times for scheduling a routine screening mammogram ranged from one to eight weeks, other research reveals that in New York City some centers have no openings for four to six months. Rhode Island centers report waits of up to 143 days for an appointment.
What you can do
Shopping around for a center with a short wait may not be possible where you live. And it's not necessarily the best strategy—facilities with the longest wait times are typically the ones with the most experienced staff and the best track records for accuracy. Consider booking the same date every year (so you won't forget), such as the day before or after your birthday. Schedule your next appointment after you finish a screening, while you're still at the radiologist's office.
I'm Scared
If you've been avoiding mammograms because you're secretly terrified cancer might be found, worried about radiation exposure, or anxious about the embarrassment, discomfort, or pain you might experience during the procedure, you're not alone: Studies reveal these are very common concerns, according to Lydia Komarnicky, M.D., chair of the department of radiation oncology at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.
What you can do
Talk to your doctor, mom, or friends about the breast X-ray. Women who do so are more likely to get screened than those who don't. Remember that today's mammograms deliver very little radiation, and while there is some discomfort, it lasts only a few seconds. Try to schedule the test right after your menstrual cycle, when your breasts are typically less tender. Taking two ibuprofen or acetaminophen a half hour before your test also can help.
A Test You Can't Afford to Skip
"When a woman has to pay all or part of the cost of a mammogram out of her own pocket, studies show she's less likely to have one," says Sally W. Vernon, PhD, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at the Houston School of Public Health. As many as 21% of women in the U.S. say they can't afford mammograms, according to research from the National Women's Health Resource Center.
But in reality, 52% of women overestimate the cost of a mammogram and 40% underestimate how much insurance will pay. The price for a mammogram ranges from $50 to $150, but women with any kind of health insurance are not likely to pay more than $12 out of pocket. In addition, low-cost or free mammograms are available in most places. For more info, call the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345.
Digital Technology
Experts have a nagging worry that some women are putting off their mammogram until their hospital switches over to digital mammography. This new technology has been shown to be more accurate than traditional film mammograms in women under 50 with dense breast tissue. But only a third of all mammography units in the U.S. are digital right now—and most are in facilities on the East and West coasts.
When you call for an appointment, ask about digital, but if it isn't available, stay on schedule with film mammography, which has been used for more than 35 years and still significantly reduces the risk of death from breast cancer. You can take steps to increase the accuracy of the test: Ask if your film can be read by more than one radiologist, which reduces the risk of missing a problem by up to 15%. Or request your film be analyzed by CAD (computer-aided detection), which helps call attention to areas of concern. And be sure your new films are compared with those taken in the past. Changes from one year to the next can be telltale.
Beyond the Mammogram
While mammograms are quite reliable for postmenopausal women without dense breast tissue—up to 90% successful at finding tumors—for other women the screening test's track record isn't as stellar. Mammograms detect less than half of all breast cancers in premenopausal women under age 50 who have dense breast tissue. But don't panic if you fit this description. You might be a candidate for an ultrasound screening, a painless breast exam that uses high-frequency sound waves to detect tumors. When administered along with a routine mammogram, an ultrasound finds 28% more cancers in women at increased risk than mammography alone.
Major health organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, have not issued guidelines on who should have an ultrasound screening. Not all insurers cover the extra test either. So you and your doctor will need to carefully consider the option, especially since the mammography-ultrasound combo results in more false positives, leading to unnecessary biopsies in 1 out of 10 women, compared with 1 in 40 unnecessary biopsies for mammography alone. As scary as this sounds, study author Wendie A. Berg, M.D., Ph.D., points out that a biopsy is a 15-minute office procedure that's performed with local anesthesia and requires no stitches.
And for women at very high risk for breast cancer (like those with the hereditary gene mutation BRCA1 or BRCA2, or a mother or sibling with the gene), a mammogram plus ultrasound isn't enough. Instead, they should get a mammogram along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which detects about 91% of cancers. The American Cancer Society recommends women in this very high-risk category begin getting MRIs and mammograms at age 30.
To check if the mammography center you go to is accredited by the American College of Radiology, which monitors quality of equipment, personnel and safety, go to acr.org and click on Accreditation.
Originally published in the October 1, 2008, issue of Family Circle magazine.


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Animal rights activists have dismissed as "absurd" and "cruel" the American government's plans to bombard Guam from the air with toxic dead mice in a bid to curtail the spread of invasive snakes.
The US air drop over the the Pacific island is due to commence in the spring, and is aimed at addressing the problems caused by non-native brown tree snakes. Having hitched a ride to the island some 60 years ago on military ships, the colony of reptiles have been deemed responsible for killing off native bird species, biting human inhabitants and knocking out electricity by slithering onto power lines.
Meanwhile, in Hawaii – some 3,000 miles away – environmentalists fear a similar invasion from the snakes, possibly through unwitting transportation in aircraft that have spent time on Guam.
But the US Department of Agriculture's plans to reduce the number of brown tree snakes in Guam – population estimates reach up to 2m – have been attacked by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).
Martin Mersereau, director of cruelty investigations at the animal rights organisation, described the plan as a "clumsy dangerous massacre".
"Brown tree snakes did not ask to be stowaways on planes or ships and then forced to survive on a foreign island," he said.
But irrespective of how they got to be on Guam, some residents say the snakes – which are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea – are a menace.
They can grow to be more than 10ft (3m) in length and can climb poles and trees. Attacks on people have been reported, but their venom is not lethal to humans.
Birds on the other hand are not so lucky. Experts believe that the reptiles have been responsible for the destruction of Guam's native birds, who are defenceless against the nocturnal, tree-based predators.
As well as taking a toll on native wildlife, the snakes also threaten the tourist industry of Guam, some fear. The US territory – home to some 160,000 people – relies heavily on holiday-making to support its economy.
The solution, government scientists believe, is to take advantage of the creature's two big weaknesses – its unfussiness when it comes to food and its susceptibility to a common painkiller, acetaminophen.
The drug – sold under the brand name Tylenol in the US – is harmless to humans, but is lethal to the snakes. And unlike other snakes, the brown tree variety do not turn their noses up at prey that has already been killed.
Scientists believe that stuffing dead mice with the drug and then conducting an air drop on areas known to be inhabited by the snakes would be an effective way to reduce their numbers.
"We are taking this to a new phase," said Daniel Vice, assistant state director of US Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services in Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Islands. "There really is no other place in the world with a snake problem like Guam," he added.
The mice drop – due to take place in April or May – will focus on Guam's sprawling Andersen air force base, from which it is feared snakes could hitch a ride off the island.
Using helicopters, the dead mice will be dropped by hand, one by one. In a bid to mitigate any danger to other animals, they will be fitted with mini-parachutes meant to catch on the branches of trees.
Supporters of the scheme say the impact on other animals will be minimal, especially as the snakes have successfully killed off many bird species.
But the brown tree snakes do have their defenders.
"Although the snakes are considered invasive, no animal should be forced to endure cruel death," Mersereau said.
If consumed, the drugged mice would cause renal and liver failure in the snakes, Peta claimed.
"For reptiles, death could take days or even weeks," Mersereau said. Moreover the method being used is "exceeding indiscriminate" and could cause "great risk to carnivours and scavengers and also to birds".
But it is a risk that US officials seem prepared to take. They point at the potential cost of allowing further colonies to breed in other Pacific islands like Hawaii.
A 2010 study conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center suggested that brown tree snakes would cause between $593m and $2.14bn in economic damage each year if they became established in Hawaii. Power outages would cause the most damage, followed by a projected decline in tourism.
To date, only a few brown tree snakes have ever been found in Hawaii, and none over the past 17 years.
The mice drop is intended to keep the number of stowaways to an absolute minimum. Even if they are to have their numbers reduced, Peta disagrees with the method.
Mersereau believes that it would be better to have the snakes trapped by trackers and then euthanised humanely than given a deadly last meal of toxic mice.

subset: commoncrawl


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The insider chatter: will Ovide be a drag on the GOP ticket?
With six days before the election, there is growing concern among a number of high-level Republicans who have access to internal polling that Ovide Lamontagne could potentially be a drag on the GOP ticket next Tuesday, underperforming compared to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to Congressional candidates.
Private polling conducted for Republicans and their affiliate groups in the both the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts in the last few days show Romney with momentum, along with Lamontange's opponent, Maggie Hassan.
Democrats internal polling show President Barack Obama doing better along with Annie Kuster, the 2nd Congressional District nominee, but the same results in the governor's race.
The chatter among political professionals was exactly the opposite just a month ago. Back then Lamontagne looked to be a strong position to win the contest for governor. He had an advantage in name ID, in cash on hand, and he appeared to be weathering an onslaught of negative ads fairly well.
At the same time, Romney was basically a goner in New Hampshire. At the beginning of the month a WMUR Granite State Poll showed Obama ahead of Romney by 15 percentage points. Back then there was worry about Republicans on how much of a drag Romney would be.
In the time since Romney had a very strong debate performance and renewed momentum to make the race in New Hampshire tied. In the governor's race, Hassan has been able to steer the conversation away from taxes and spending to social issues, or at least put these issues on equal footing.
To be sure, public polls still show the race for president and governor and both congressional seats all are too close to call. But there is growing conventional wisdom in the state that even if Ovide Lamontagne does pull off a win it could be because other Republicans it will be others pulling him over the finish line instead of the other way around.


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In addition to being synonymous with beer and bratwurst, did you know that Germany used to be synonymous with toys too? Germany monopolized the global toy market until World War I. The Lehmann Company was part of the German powerhouse. Founded by Ernst Paul Lehmann in 1881 in Brandenburg, the company produced small, tin toys with strong spring mechanisms that powered fun movements.
As opposed to iron, tin toys were lighter and less expensive. I mean, who wants to play with a dumbbell? Tin also allowed for colorful, lithographed designs that appealed to both boys and girls. We know our climbing monkey is a Lehmann toy because of the maker's mark on his red hat, and EPL (Ernst Paul Lehmann) 385 and his name (Tom) on the other side. We're guessing they labeled his hat so he wouldn't lose it. Tom climbs the string with a gentle pull; relax the string and he'll climb down. While our Tom doesn't get much exercise, check out his counterpart's moves.


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10 quick tips on writing your business plan
Startups provides quick but effective tips on how to write a business plan, so that your start-up business has the best chance of success.
Writing a business plan can seem a daunting challenge. However, this skill is a vital requirement for any entrepreneur or business seeking to increase their chances of survival.
Here is a list of 10 top tips for writing that winning plan:
1. Write from the audience's perspective
The starting point for any business plan should be the perspective of the audience. What is the purpose of the plan? Is it to secure funding? Is it to communicate the future plans for the company? The writer should tailor the plan for different audiences, as they will each have very specific requirements. For example, a potential investor will seek clear explanations detailing the proposed return on their investment and time frames for getting their money back.
2. Research the market thoroughly
The recent Dragons' Den series on BBC2 reiterated the importance prospective investors place on knowledge of the market and the need for entrepreneurs to thoroughly research their market. The entrepreneur should undertake market research and ensure that the plan includes reference to the market size, its predicted growth path, how they will gain access to this market, and a review of the competitive environment.
3. Understand the competition
An integral component to understanding any business environment is understanding the competition, both its nature and the bases for competition within the industry. Is it a particularly competitive environment, or one that lacks competition? How are the incumbents competing…is there a price leader evident? Finally, including a thorough understanding of the bases on which you intend to compete is vital; can you compete effectively with the existing players?
4. Attention to detail
Make the plan concise, but include enough detail to ensure the reader has sufficient information to make informed decisions. Given that the plan's writer usually has a significant role to play in the running of the business, the plan should reflect a sense of professionalism, with no spelling mistakes, realistic assumptions, credible projections and accurate content. The writer should also consider the format of the plan, e.g., if a presentation is required, a back-up PowerPoint presentation should be created.
5. Focus on the opportunity
If you are seeking investment in your business, it is important to clearly describe the investment opportunity. Why would the investor be better off investing in your business rather than leaving money in a bank account, shares, or investing in another business? What is the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for the business? Why will people part with their cash to buy from you?
6. Ensure all key areas are covered in the plan
Undertake research on what a business plan should contain; one good place to find this is at http://www.bplans.co.uk. Include sections on the company, product/service, market, competition, management team, marketing, operations and financials. The plan should also take on board the readers' various preferences for viewing data. While many plans are predominantly textual, the plan should include some simple colour charts and spreadsheets.
7. Do the sums
The numbers will be subject to particular scrutiny. Costs should be documented in full and sales predictions should be both conservative and realistic. While costs are more certain and predictable, a crucial factor in the success or failure of the business will be the level of sales. If you are not particularly comfortable with maths, have someone assist you in preparing a simple cash flow and break-even chart. This will help the reader understand how many sales you must make to cover your costs, and also how much financing you must raise to start up successfully. Remember, at the beginning, there are a lot of start-up expenses in a period of uncertain sales volumes. If sales are on credit (including via credit card) it may take up to four weeks for you to receive the cash.
8. Executive summary
Arguably the most important component of the plan is the executive summary. This is a summary of the entire plan and is usually contained at the start of the plan. It also tends to act as a key qualifier for time-pressed investors…if they like it, they will read on, if not they will go no further. It should be completed at the very end of the business planning process and should have a "wow factor" that entices them to read further. In tandem with this, the writer should also prepare a short "elevator pitch," a five-minute overview of the key benefits of the new product/service.
9. Review process
Once you have completed your plan, have it independently reviewed. Select someone detached from the process who can offer constructive criticism on all aspects of the plan. This review should prompt further questions that will need to be addressed in a revised draft.
10. Implement the plan
Finally, a plan should always be viewed as a living document and contain specifics regarding dates, deadlines and specific responsibilities. It should be constantly reviewed and updated, as well as being used in regular "plan versus actual" discussions. Business relies heavily on people taking actions and being accountable for them. A winning business plan will help to ensure that the business is fully focused on what is required to achieve the company's goals.


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Police Scotland is urging the public to think about their security and safety while shopping online and out and about.
This reminder comes as thousands of shoppers take to the internet and stores this weekend in search of bargains.
Police officers are calling on shoppers to make informed choices about the presents they buy for themselves, and for their loved ones.
If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. As well as being of poor quality, many counterfeit goods can lead to serious health problems.
Imitation alcohol can cause blindness and even death; fake make-up can contain arsenic, rat droppings and rat poison, while counterfeit electrical products, such as straighteners, are not subject to UK testing and are highly dangerous.
The purchase of counterfeit goods supports serious and organised crime gangs, human trafficking and exploitation; it is not a victimless crime.
Chief Superintendent Paul Main, safer communities said: "Everyone is busy this time of year. All we are asking is that you to take a moment to think about the simple preventative measures you can take to discourage criminals and to stay safe. Our message is simple 'This Christmas, keep safe'."
Here are some tips for on-line shoppers: Shop with a reputable trader with a return policy; visit 'Keep Safe Online' for advice about buying goods via the internet - check the web address has a padlock symbol and "https"; look for returns policy/address.
And advice for shoppers on the street: Ensure your bag is closed and your purse or wallet is not easily accessible when not being used; use well-lit ATMs and be aware of people around you; Don't leave goods on display in cars; Be aware of where your shopping bags are at all times.


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Further to my last post, it now looks like the WAC is completely dead and buried.
One thing that is creating a lot of chatter at the moment though is TelcoML (Telco Markup Language) - there it a lot of discussions about it on the TeleManagement Forum (TMF) community site and while I don't intend to get in a big discussion about TelcoML, I do want to talk about Telco standards in general.
The Telco standards that seem to take hold are the ones with strong engineering background - I am thinking of networking standards like SS7, INAP, CAMEL, SigTRAN etc, but the Telco standards focussed on the IT domain (like Parlay, ParlayX, OneAPI, ParlayREST and perhaps TelcoML) seem to struggle to get real penetration - sure standards are good - they make it easier and cheaper for Telcos to integrate and introduce new software; they make it easier for ISVs to build software that can be deployed at any telco. So, why don't they stick?
Why do we see a progression of standards that are well designed, have collaboration of a core set of telcos around the world (I'm thinking the WAC here) yet nothing comes of it. It we look at Parlay for example, sure CORBA is hard, so I get why it didn't take off, but ParlayX with web services is easy - pretty much every IDE in the world can build a SOAP request from the WSDL for that web Service - why didn't it take off? I've spoken to telcos all around the world about ParlayX, but it's rare to find one that is truly committed to the standard - sure the RFP's say must have ParlayX, but then after they implement the software (Telecom Web Services Server in IBM's case) they either continue to offer their previous in house developed interfaces for those network services and don't use ParlayX or they just don't follow through with their plans to expose the services externally: why did we bother? ParlayX stagnated for many years with little real adoption from Telcos. Along comes GSMA with OneAPI with the mantra 'ParlayX web services are too complicated still, lets simplify them and also provide a REST based interface'. No new services, just the same ones as ParlayX, but simplified. Yes, I responded to a lot of Requests For Proposal (RFP) asking for OneAPI support, but I have not seen one telco that has actually exposed those OneAPI interfaces to 3rd party developers as they originally intended. So, now, OneAPI doesn;t really exist any more and we have ParlayREST as a replacement. Will that get any more take up? I don't think so.
The TMF Frameworx seem to have more adoption, but they are the exception to the rule.
I am not really sure why Telco standards efforts have such a tough time of it, but I suspect that it comes down to:
- Lack of long term thinking within telcos - there are often too many tactical requirements to be fulfilled and the long term strategy never gets going (this is like Governments who have a four year terms not being able to get 20 year projects over the line - they're too worried about getting the day to day things patched up and then getting re-elected)
- Senior executives in Telcos that truly don't appreciate the benefits of standardisation - I am not sure if this is because executives come from a non-technical background or some other reason.


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By Alexander Dziadosz and Oliver Holmes
BAGHDAD/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State insurgents released a video on Tuesday purportedly showing the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley, who had gone missing in Syria nearly two years ago, and images of another U.S. journalist whose life they said depended on U.S. action in Iraq.
The video, titled "A Message To America," was posted on social media websites. It was not immediately possible to verify its authenticity.
Foley, who has reported in the Middle East for five years, was kidnapped on Nov. 22, 2012, by unidentified gunmen. Steven Sotloff, who appeared at the end of the video, went missing in northern Syria while he was reporting in July 2013.
A Twitter account set up by Foley's family to help find him said early on Wednesday: "We know that many of you are looking for confirmation or answers. Please be patient until we all have more information, and keep the Foleys in your thoughts and prayers."
The White House said that U.S. intelligence agents were working to verify the authenticity of the video.
Islamic State, an al-Qaeda offshoot, had not previously executed American citizens publicly. The Sunni militant group has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria in areas it controls.
The video, which was posted after the United States resumed air strikes in Iraq for the first time since the end of the U.S. occupation in 2011, opened with a clip of U.S. President Barack Obama saying he had authorized strikes in Iraq.
"Obama authorizes military operations against the Islamic State effectively placing America upon a slippery slope towards a new war front against Muslims," words appear in English and Arabic on the screen.
It showed black and white aerial footage of air strikes with text saying "American aggression against the Islamic State"
A person identified as James Foley and wearing an orange outfit is seen kneeling in the desert as a man in black dress with a black mask stands beside him, holding a knife.
"I call on my friends family and loved ones to rise up against my real killers, the U.S. government, for what will happen to me is only a result of their complacency and criminality," the kneeling man says.
The man in the mask speaks in a British accent and says: "This is James Wright Foley, an American citizen, of your country. As a government, you have been at the forefront of the aggression towards the Islamic State."
"Today your military air force is attacking us daily in Iraq. Your strikes have caused casualties amongst Muslims. You are no longer fighting an insurgency. We are an Islamic army, and a state that has been accepted by a large number of Muslims worldwide."
Following his statement he beheads the kneeling man.
At the end of the video, words on the side of the screen say "Steven Joel Sotloff" as another prisoner in an orange jumpsuit is shown on screen.
"The life of this American citizen, Obama, depends on your next decision," the masked man says.
Foley, a freelance reporter, had been covering Syria's civil war for GlobalPost. In 2011, he was held for 45 days by forces loyal to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Sotloff is also a freelancer journalist with published stories in Time Magazine and Foreign Policy. He has worked in Syria, Libya and Yemen.
Islamic State has executed hundreds of people in Syria and Iraq during its advance. Its members follow a hard line interpretation of Sunni Islam but target all those who oppose it, including Sunni Muslims.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, said Islamic State militants had executed 700 members of a Sunni tribe in eastern Syria in two weeks, the majority of them civilians.
White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "We have seen a video that purports to be the murder of U.S. citizen James Foley by ISIL. The intelligence community is working as quickly as possible to determine its authenticity.
"If genuine, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American journalist, and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends."
Islamic State also released another video on Tuesday that gave the strongest indication yet it might attempt to strike American targets.
The video with the theme "breaking of the American cross" boasts Islamic State will emerge victorious over "crusader" America.
It follows a video posted on Monday, warning of attacks on American targets if Washington struck against its fighters in Iraq and Syria.
The latest footage spoke of a holy war between Islamic State and the United States, which occupied Iraq for nearly a decade and faced stiff resistance from al-Qaeda.
Unlike al-Qaeda, Islamic State has so far focused on territorial gains designed to eventually establish a full-blown Islamic empire.
Islamic State's sweep through northern Iraq, bringing it close to Baghdad and in control of the second city, Mosul, drew U.S. air strikes on the country for the first time since the end of the American occupation in 2011.
U.S. air strikes have helped Kurdish peshmerga fighters who held parts of the north regain some territory captured by the Sunni militants.
(Editing by Chris Reese, Andrew Hay and Ken Wills)


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Many locals tell us that our Handcrafted Pizzas are "The Best in Alaska."
We also offer great appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, calzones, gourmet pastas & great desserts.
Prospectors is locally owned & operated which means you get to enjoy Local Alaskan Hospitality at an affordable price. We truly hope you enjoy your visit to the last frontier.
Please stop in and say hello.
Alaska-made Web Design by OTC


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Convicted sex offender Kenneth Parnell, known for the 1972 kidnapping and seven-year-long confinement of Steven Stayner, died Monday in the state prison hospital at Vacaville.
Parnell, 76, died of natural causes, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. He had been on what the prison called hospice status.
A three-time inmate, Parnell had most recently been imprisoned since 2004 after being convicted of attempting to buy a 4-year-old child in Berkeley. He had been sentenced to 25 years to life under the "three strikes" law.
On Dec. 4, 1972, Parnell kidnapped 7-year-old Steven Stayner in Merced. He kept him from running away by showering him with gifts and telling him his parents could no longer afford him.
The events that led to his arrest began when Parnell abducted another boy, 5-year-old Timmy White of Ukiah (Mendocino County), in February 1980. Steven, then 14, escaped with the boy two weeks later and hitchhiked 40 miles to the Ukiah police station, telling authorities that Parnell had molested him and that he didn't want Timmy to suffer the same abuse.
Parnell, a former motel clerk who served three years in prison for molesting an 8-year-old Bakersfield boy in 1952, denied he had abused Steven.
Parnell was convicted of kidnapping, sent to state prison and paroled in 1985. He was not charged with any sex crimes because under the law at that time, the additional charges would not have added any time to his sentence.
Stayner later died in a motorcycle accident. He was the younger brother of Cary Stayner, the motel handyman who was sentenced to death for killing three tourists and a Yosemite park naturalist in 1999.
Parnell returned to state prison in April 2004 for soliciting a felony in connection with the attempt to buy the 4-year-old boy. Berkeley police arrested him after a woman who made deliveries at his house said he had sought her help in procuring an African American boy, along with a birth certificate.
"Kenneth Parnell's death brings to a close his long criminal history of violating young children," said Tim Wellman, the Alameda County deputy district attorney who prosecuted him in the 2004 case.
His defense lawyer in that case, Deborah Levy, remembered Parnell as an "easy, agreeable client" who realized that his legal defense was difficult because his voice had been secretly recorded while he was attempting to buy the child.
"It was a difficult case to defend, because you actually hear him asking about the kid," Levy said.
In a 2003 jailhouse interview with The Chronicle, Parnell admitted that he had tried to buy the boy to experience the "love and respect" that a son has for a father. He said he had no intention of harming the boy.
"Time is running out on me," said Parnell, who was 71 at the time.
Parnell said he had hoped to raise a family by arranging to buy a boy and a girl. He said he sought the love of children because he had "not had any luck with women" and also said it was not wrong to buy a child, because "there's been other cultures that have been doing that."
Parnell said he did not care if people did not like him.
"I guess they have their reasons," he said.


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BC's article from 2008 about where to find sippy cup replacement parts has been one of the blog's most popular posts. Enjoy this updated and expanded version:
Bottle and sippy companies must make a lot more off of selling whole sippies and bottles than off of selling parts, given that replacement parts are ridiculously hard to find.
When my son was younger I kept a basket in my pantry filled to the brim with lid-less sippies because my son bit the lids until the plastic started to peel off and we had to throw the lids away. The cups were still perfectly good, however, and I refused to put them in the landfill. Instead I ordered a bunch of replacement lids.
You may be the same way, or say you find a pristine looking cup at the thrift store (hey, that's what boiling water's for) but it's missing a valve. Order some and you've saved some change.
Here's where you can pick up replacement parts for your sippies. If you can get free shipping, you'll really be saving money:
- Playtex sippy cup valves and Playtex bottle nipples are easy to find. Amazon sells them.
- Try calling Playtex at 1-888-310-4290 for replacement lids and straws.
- OXO Tot Replacment Valves are available at Amazon.
- Nuk Spillproof Cup Replacement Valves can be found at Amazon and elsewhere.
- Thee Spillproof Cup silicone spouts can also be found at Amazon.
- Baby Earth has Gerber Spillproof cup Replacement Valves.
- Avent non-spill cup handles, spouts and more are available from Philips Avent.
Born Free:
- Trainer Spouts can be found at Amazon.
- Trainer spouts, handles, drinking cup spouts can be bought from BabyAnt
Dr. Brown's:
- Try calling customer service at 1-800-778-9001.
Foogo by Thermos (Sippies and Straw Bottles):
- Call Thermos customer service at 1-800-831-9242 for replacement parts
Kleen Kanteen:
- Kleen Kanteen Accessories & Replacement Parts
- Sippy replacement spouts also available at Mighty Nest
- Replacement Straws can be purchased at Amazon
- You can find replacement valves at Diapers.com.
Safe Sippy:
- Safe Sippy Valve and Gasket Replacement Packs and Safe Sippy 2 replacment parts can be found at Amazon
- Nuby Gripper Sippy Cup Replacement Spouts are sold at Diapers.com
- No Spill Silicone spouts are available at Amazon
- Flip tops for cups are available at Amazon
- Sigg water bottle replacement tops, gaskets, replacement dust caps and more are available from MySigg.com
The First Years Take & Toss Cups:
- Replacement sippy cup lids are available from The First Years
- Replacement straw cup lids are available from The First Years
- Replacement Straws are available from The First Years
Still can't find what you're looking for? When all else fails, call the manufacturer and/or check eBay for replacement parts.
This post may contain affiliate links. See BC's disclosure policy for more info.


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Karen McCarthy Woolf
Karen McCarthy Woolf was born in London to English and Jamaican parents. Her collection Seasonal Disturbances explores nature, the city and the sacred and is described by Warsan Shire, whose work she edited in Ten: The New Wave, as 'a darkly humorous exploration of the human condition'. Karen's poems are translated into Spanish, Turkish and Swedish and she has represented British writing globally from Singapore, Mexico and the Caribbean to the US.


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Here at the Edgecutter Cutting Edge Forums, we're committed to making the world a better and more stable place... at least the world of DIRECTV software! We voluntarily test out the latest and greatest stuff with the motto of "You make it, we break it!" To learn more, go to the DIRECTV Cutting Edge Information forum.
If you're looking for the best DIRECTV satellite resources, visit our DIRECTV Resources Forum! Registration is open to anyone, but read the forum rules first. Registering doesn't obligate you for anything and we don't sell our mailing lists to anyone.
Just another place to talk about satellite TV, good or bad.
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As Samsung continuously tries harder and makes advancements to grab a major share in the market; consumers are introduced to several itemizations which arrive dubbed as variants of several devices. Previously it was speculated that the Rose Gold color variant of the Galaxy Note 3 was heading out on Verizon.
Based on this released report, it is noted that this development is in the works and it will be officially unveiled with an offer that will last until January 26. Android Central reports that individuals will receive $100 mail-in rebate on the purchase of the Rose Gold Note 3. Individuals also have the option to choose the standard white or black Note 3 with $100 rebate if incase they don't want to go for the newfangled colored variant. Continue reading


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About Us
Contact Us
All vehicles must comply with certain standards before they are deemed roadworthy.
There is a strong link between defective vehicles and road traffic collisions. Governments can create vehicle safety requirements, but drivers are responsible for keeping their vehicles roadworthy.
Here you will find straightforward answers to questions about what standard your vehicle should meet under Irish law. Please click on the topic below that best suits your query.
The Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport has recently signed legislation introducing revised standards for agricultural vehicles.
Type approval helps remove barriers to trade for manufacturers and ensures that new vehicles are manufactured to prescribed safety and environmental standards.
It is a key basic road safety requirement that all vehicles and trailers on our roads, and all components of those vehicles, conform to a minimum standard of construction. It is the legal responsibility of the owner and driver of a vehicle or combination of vehicles to ensure that, when it is used in a public place, it is in such a condition that it is not liable to endanger other road users.
What is an end of series vehicle, who can apply for an end of series exemption and what information we need to process an application for exemption.
Motor vehicles are legally required to be manufactured in such a way as to be sufficiently safe and environmentally acceptable for road use. In some cases vehicles may be subject to a recall
Information on the maximum permitted weights and dimensions of mechanically propelled vehicles and trailers operating in Ireland.
EC directives and regulations set the type approval requirements that certain components are required to meet in order to be placed on the market for motor vehicles. The components must also be marked and labelled as prescribed in the regulatory acts. The requirements apply to both approval of components already fitted to new vehicles and to replacement components placed on the market
Find information on changes to legislation, consulatations concerning proposed changes and information on EU proposals


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webnetmg needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 53 designs submitted by 23 freelance designers.
Create logo for new online real estate company that targets sale by owner and rental properties.
Need logo that will primarily be used on web site. Potential for winning designer to be granted full site design project.
- Logo will be used on white background. Warm/corporate colors preferred, but open to other suggestions
- Web 2.0 look and feel
- Simple but creative
- Friendly
- Iconic, but must include the text "National Property Hunters .com"
- something too busy
- too dry or boring
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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A Tae Nijong is nothing more complex than a severed hand - usually from a Troll or other strong humanoid - attached to a long rope or chain with a handle on the other end. The rope is usually about 10 to 20 feet long, though some can reach up to 50 feet. Due to the nature of the item, each specific case varies in appearance, some using Troll claws and strong twine, others with Ogre hands and thick chain, and a few - the most expensive - with Dragon claws and magically extending ropes.
The inventor of the Tae Nijong, a clever but somewhat neurotic young Jutan enchanter by the name of Taiwoo Kin, first conceived the idea after an unsettling nightmare, in which he was chased across a massive bridge over nothingness by a million severed hands. Remembering how the hands scuttled disconcertingly up the vertical supports of the bridge, Kin borrowed a scrap monkey paw from the local butcher and set to work making it move.
The tale of Kin's tribulations is recounted in full in the infamous The Tale of Taewoo Kin, but the eventual outcome of his experimentation was a magically animated hand, bewitched to go where its owner commands and fasten itself tightly, enabling the user to climb tricky obstacles or obtain normally unreachable objects.
Magical Properties:
The Tae Nijong is bewitched so that the hand portion of it is capable of basic thought and magically enabled sight (so actual visual receptors are not necessary). When one wishes to climb an obstacle, one simply notifies the hand of the exact location one wants it to secure itself to, and give it a toss in the general direction of the intended target.
The hand will then do its best to reach the intended destination, crawling along walls or up cliff edges, and will secure itself by grasping onto the target and testing its hold. If the hold is too weak, the hand will make a cursory attempt to find another one in the vicinity and, failing that, return to its owner if possible for another toss.
The Tae Nijong can also be used in combat to attach onto enemies from a distance, or just to give them a good beating and scratching without risk of personal harm. There are forms of Tae Nijong that are made specifically for combat, but these are often simply metal claws without magical powers, as they are cheaper, easier to wield and less fragile.
Some adventurers are a little nervous about traveling around with a magically animated claw in their packs, and so decide to keep the Tae Nijong tightly bound with leather straps or similar restraints. However, this often leads to a mistrust and belligerence from the severed hand, not a helpful trait in an item meant to protect its owners from falling to their deaths.
Other adventurers are rather nervous about trusting their fates to a disembodied hand in the first place. Such types need not acquire one.
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CodexThe Tale of Taewoo Kin ( Plots ) Discovery - Side-Quest
Lying prostrate on the floor, his documents and scrolls strewn beneath him, was Taewoo Kin - clearly dead, with gruesome marks around his neck that suggested strangulation by something of disturbingly inhuman origin…


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Daily Slice: Cafe Catania, Brooklyn Heights
A different slice profiled each day.
Daily Slice gives a quick snapshot each weekday of a different slice or pie that the folks at the Serious Eats empire have enjoyed lately. Welcome a new man on the NYC Slice beat, Michael Berman of Pizzacentric!
Named after the owners' hometown—which is the second largest city in Sicily—Catania on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights is neither pizzeria nor restaurant. Rather, it's a laid-back and cheerful tavola calda-style food place that—without an ounce of pretension—prepares an impressive array of excellent Sicilian food.
For pizza, Catania offers only Sicilian style. In addition to plain (mozzarella, tomato sauce, and Parmesan), each day they rotate through a tempting repertoire of topping combinations.
During my recent visit, I had a hard time choosing. Besides plain, also on display were "Fatoressa" (tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, green peas, and scallion); "Capricciosa" (translated from Italian, it means "woman who wants everything"—at Catania, it has tomato sauce, mozzarella, green peas, ham, and boiled egg); mushroom & green peas; broccoli & olives; and "alla Norma"—which is what I decided to have.
"Pizza alla Norma" ($3.75), a crusty spin on the classic pasta dish, tastes straight out of Nonna's kitchen (in fact, the non-English-speaking mother of one of the owners was busy cooking the entire time I was there). Layered from bottom to top, the "Norma" features Catania's one-inch-thick crust, tomato sauce, and mozzarella—plus fried eggplant, coarse-grated ricotta salata, and fresh basil. Weighing in at over a quarter-pound, this square works as a meal unto itself.
Catania's pizza crust is neither bread-y nor undercooked like those of so many New York Sicilian pies. Instead, it's sturdy and crunchy but not burnt or brittle; it has just enough softness to convey sensuality of texture; and a hint of salt works to bring its flavor in line with what lurks above: melt-in-your-mouth strands of perfect (which means oily) fried eggplant, an abundant scatter of creamy ricotta salata, and a refreshing sprig of basil leaves. These bold flavors dart around on one's taste buds like a soccer ball heading downfield thanks to precision passing: goal-lllllllllll!
Nestled along the border of two affluent Brooklyn neighborhoods and near enough to the courts for a jury duty lunch, Catania is well worth a little travel. I like that it serves great pizza (and other foods) without the bustle typical of New York's popular slice spots. Customers at Catania sometimes appear a bit smug. They have every right to: Catania is the real deal. Whatever your have, be sure to save room for one of the homemade desserts. My favorite is the pasta di mandorla (almond cookie). For $1 a pop, it's a perfect finish for one's (local) trip to Catania.
Cafe Catania
193 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11201 (map) 718-522-2880; cafecatania.com
Michael Berman is a photographer and writer based in New York. He publishes multimedia food stories on his blog www.pizzacentric.com; and more frequent, sometimes mundane Twitter observations at @michaelberman.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Build Skills. Build Confidence. Build Your Career.
WorkReadyNH is a tuition-free professional development course for career-minded individuals who want to improve their workplace skills and add a national recognized credential to their resume. WorkReadyNH helps companies foster a skilled workforce and find qualified applicants and employees.
The two key components to this tuition-FREE intensive training course are:
Soft Skills
Soft skills are the most important skills there are in the workforce. Participants attend 60 hours of classroom instruction in a simulated workplace setting where they practice using the skills that employers want most.
ACT's WorkKeys exam assesses and credentials workplace math, reading and graphic literacy skills. Pass with a 3 or above and receive the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) from ACT.
Soft skills include:
National Career Readiness Certificate:
Platinum: Skills for 99% of the jobs in ACT's extensive database
Gold: Skills for 90% of the jobs in ACT's extensive database
Silver: Skills for 65% of the jobs in ACT's extensive database
Bronze: Skills for 35% of the jobs in ACT's extensive database
Benefits to
Benefits to Employers
WorkReadyNH was developed after discussions with New Hampshire employers LIKE YOU who want to strengthen their workforce. Companies want employees who can:


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Got some bits and pieces from Boots No. 7 to review shortly, but this was too pretty not to share with you sooner!
There are only 2 shades in this lipstick, this rosy sheer red and a more neutral brown-rose. The texture is excellent – pigmented yet sheer, it has that 'water' feeling Japanese lipsticks do.
The colour is of course, an acquired taste. I like it, I think this would look pretty hot on tanned girls:
Yay or Nay?
Its £9.50 here or from Boots Stores.


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Roger Federer defeated John Isner 7-6 (7), 6-3 to win his record fourth BNP Paribas Open title Sunday, avenging a loss to the American who beat him in Davis Cup play.
Victoria Azarenka routed Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-3 for the women's title in the WTA Tour's first final between the No. 1 and No. 2 players since 2008.
Federer and Azarenka each earned $1 million, the richest winner's checks in the tournament's history. The runners-up earned $500,000 each.
Federer improved to 39-2 since last year's U.S. Open, with his only losses to No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the Australian Open and the 11th-ranked Isner, who won on the Swiss star's home turf last month.
Federer, ranked third, avenged both those defeats in consecutive days at Indian Wells, putting away Nadal in the rain-delayed semifinals Saturday and then Isner.
Federer's victory tied him with Nadal for most ATP World Tour Masters 1000 career titles at 19. Federer won three straight titles here from 2004-06 and his fourth snapped a tie with Jimmy Connors and Michael Chang.
Isner had a breakthrough two weeks in the desert, beating top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals to reach his first Masters 1000 final. That assured him of entering the top 10 for the first time at No. 10 when the latest rankings come out Monday.
"I'm going to remember this one for a long time, so getting into the top 10 is nice," Isner said. "The hard thing now is staying inside of the top 10. That's what I've got to work on."
The big-serving American actually had three fewer aces than Federer's seven, with his fastest serve clocked at 135 mph, slower than the 135-143 mph he was hitting against Djokovic. Federer broke him on Isner's netted backhand volley to go up 4-3 in the second. He closed out the match on Isner's forehand that landed in the net.
"I served pretty well," Isner said. "I don't think I lost the match because I didn't serve as well. He was on top of me and his forehand was way too good."
In the tiebreaker, Isner was serving at 7-all when Federer managed a backhand lob over his 6-foot-9 opponent and Isner let it go, with the ball landing on the baseline. Federer won that point and the next to take the set.
"A little bit unlucky there," Isner said. "I'm not complaining. I had a lot of things go my way this week."
Azarenka broke Sharapova six times in improving her record to 23-0 this year, the best start to a season since Martina Hingis went 37-0 to open 1997. The top-ranked Belarusian won her Tour-leading fourth title of the year.
"It's important to stay humble and to know that what I have been doing is working," Azarenka said. "Don't forget those little details, and being disciplined, professional off the court is as important as being determined and really hard working on the court."
The women's final was a rematch of the Australian Open final, which Azarenka won 6-3, 6-0 in January to keep Sharapova from regaining the No. 1 ranking. This time, Sharapova was error-prone during the 1½-hour match on an unusually cold, windy day in the desert. The second-ranked Russian kept hitting close to the lines and missing.
"She's extremely solid and she makes you work for every point," Sharapova said. "Maybe she forces you to want to do a little bit more than either you should or would want to. She's really fit, playing with a lot of confidence, and you can definitely sense that when she's moving around the court and hitting the ball. I just made too many unforced errors at the wrong time and wasn't solid enough."
Azarenka broke Sharapova in the final game, when the Russian double-faulted then shanked a forehand to set up Azarenka's first match point. She won after forcing Sharapova into a desperation defensive shot that sailed beyond the baseline. Azarenka dropped her racket, pumped her right arm and broke into a brief dance while smiling broadly.
She joked that the best thing about being No. 1 is "you don't really have to find yourself in the draw anymore. It's the first one."
It was yet another dominant performance by Azarenka, who improved to 5-3 against Sharapova, including 4-0 in finals. Sharapova hasn't beaten Azarenka in a completed match since 2009; she won last year in Rome when Azarenka retired in the second set with a right elbow injury.
"What was important for me was to try to put as much pressure on her, not to really let her into the match because when she has a little window open she always going to take the opportunity and she's going to fight no matter what the score is," Azarenka said.
Sharapova twice had aces to hold serve in the first set, but her groundstrokes were inconsistent. Azarenka led 4-1 in the second set when Sharapova won two straight games to get to 4-3, capped by a swinging forehand volley winner. But Sharapova won just two points in the final two games to fall to 13-3 on the year.
"I still don't think I was as aggressive as I should be," Sharapova said. "But it's OK. We're going to play against each other a few more times, so I'll have time to change that."


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Kage Baker died at 1:15 AM on January 31, 2010. She wanted all her readers to know: "I want you to tell all these people that I wanted more time to spend with them. Tell them I meant to, tell them I wanted to hear what they said and tell them what was on my mind."
Her work was not finished, and will go on. Please bear with us in patience as we deal with the sorrow and the many tasks attendent upon mortality. This site will be maintained, and all news will be posted as soon as possible. Thank you.
As of June 10, 2016 - this process is now going forward at full force and speed.


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Call a Cabinet Refacing Specialist
Compare & Save on Cabinet Refacing In Evansville, IN
If you want to get your cabinets looking great again with cabinet refacing in Evansville then Cork'd can help. Whether you have worn out cabinets in multiple rooms or you just need kitchen cabinet refacing in Evansville that you can afford you are in the right place. Not all services are the same but our experts provide everything from sanding, adjusting drawer/door alignment, and finally cabinet painting in Evansville that leaves them looking like new. Start with our Ballpark estimator to get an idea of refinishing costs so you can decide the next steps. Our pros are ready when you are!
Why Cabinet Refinishing in Evansville Makes More Sense
For most homeowners, completely gutting old cabinets is too costly. With cabinet refinishing in Evansville, the frame is kept intact so you reduce the cost of both materials and labor while being more environmentally friendly. Unless your cabinets are too ancient, have rooted wood or are too small (or large) then a refacing should be your first choice.
Cabinet Refacing Costs in Evansville, IN
Average Cost in Evansville: $6,585.41
$5,592.88 - $7,577.94
Lowest Price Paid
Highest Price Paid
Estimated Cabinet Refacing Cost in Evansville: $6,585.41
This cost is based on Vanderburgh County labor costs and is based on an average kitchen (35 cabinets) and does not include cabinet handle installation. Specialty cabinets (lazy susans, trash drawers, etc.) can add to this cost. Taxes are not included in estimate.
Non-Verified Cabinet Refacing Companies
Jay's Quality Painting
11 East Flordia Street
Evansville, IN 47711
Hufnagel Carpentry
5806 Kratzville Road
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Hufnagel Carpentry
5806 Kratzville Rd
Evansville, IN 47710


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Song For The Divine Mother Of The Universe
I wanted to post this on Mother's Day, so I guess I'm a little late to the party. Even though, in a sense, every day is Mother's day.
Ben Lee is an Australian musician and actor. Song For The Divine Mother Of The Universe is the second single from The Rebirth of Venus.
The music video [SLASH viral video for the WWF] has been produced by Revolver Films and directed by Steve Rogers. Director of Photography: Mandy Walker. Editor: Jack Hutchings at The Butchery.
Post-Production: Animal Logic. Prosthetics: Odd Studios. Creative agency: Leo Burnett.Also tagged Animal Logic, apocalypse, Butcher Edit, found footage, Jack Hutchings, Leo Burnett, making of, non standard gravity, Odd Studio, photos, planet Earth, Revolver Films, space flight, WWF


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Focus (2015) Full Movie Watch Online Free Download HD
To play Video Click on Play icon on Player 2-3 times until video Starts, During this Few Useless tabs opened just close them they are ADS. If the Movie keeps buffering, Just pause it for 5-10 minutes then continue playing!.
Direct Download Link of Focus (2015).
Focus (2015) Full Movie Watch Online In HD Free Download DvD, Full Movie Focus (2015) Watch Online In 1080p Print Download Free.
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Dr. John disappoints; George Porter Jr. doesn't on the first day of Jazz Fest.
[Updated] The Zurich Classic is on the West Bank this weekend, and yesterday Jazz Fest felt like a practice round - a beautiful day for everybody to get out to the Fair Grounds, warm up, get their first beers, their first cochon de lait, and their first sunburn. But while a lot was good, little on the lineup screamed, "SEE ME!"
I give Dr. John credit for committing to the return to his psychedelic self. Other artists who've made albums with auteur producers that revisit their former selves back away from that album fairly quickly. Dr. John opened his set on the Acura Stage with a series of songs from Locked Down, then stayed in the Night Tripper mode. Unfortunately, his band - the Nite Trippers - simply wasn't didn't have enough game for his material. "Walk on Gilded Splinters" was logey instead of swampy, and their inability to hit the stylized New Orleans groove that these songs require left them static. The one person on stage who seemed to be having fun was the woman playing trombone, who took a solo in every song I saw, usually from the lip of the stage. Those around me attributed the band's shortcomings to not being from New Orleans, but the band on Locked Down were from out of state as well. On Friday, they just weren't up to his material and stature.
Recent Jazz Fests have been a reminder that time forces a changing of the guard, as The Radiators hung it up, and this year The Nevilles perform one day while Aaron performs another, neither closing the Acura Stage. You often notice that some of the funk legends are not what you lovingly remember and hope for, but not George Porter Jr. He remains reliably funky and committed to the thing he does. Lineups come and go (though his current one is pretty stable; it seems like Brint Anderson and Mike Lemmler have been with him since they put a man on the moon), but he continues to musical meaning in Meters-like funk, and still does it with a lot of joy.
Other Notes:
- "We all came back to soon and we all got a cough," Mark McGrain said during his set in the Jazz Tent with Plunge. "Some called it the Katrina Cough. We called it 'croop with a K.'" The sonic equivalent of that description is a crusty stomp as James Singleton beat on his strings and McGrain mired his trombone in his mute. For the last two numbers, McGrain brought out Tim Green and Kirk Joseph to do something I'm surprised doesn't happen more often - contemporary jazz from a brass band-like ensemble.
- In their interview with Cherie LeJeune, The Breton Sound talked about not fitting in. Friday at Jazz Fest, it was clear what they meant. They played music made for arenas in an enclosure made for horses in a city that doesn't have a path for people who want to make big rock.
Updated April 28, 7 a.m.
Mark McGrain plays trombone, not trumpet as first written. The text has been modified to reflect this change.
Updated 8:53 a.m.
The stock photo of Dr. John was replaced with a shot from the show by David Fary.


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Welcome to India's no.1 Creative Printing Company
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A slow weekMonday, January 22nd, 2007
Not a whole lot to do on the farm this week. Just the normal feeding of the animals. We did finally get the signs right and change the pigs I bought that were males. I still don't know what I will do with all the meat from those pigs. My aunt Sandy in Cincinatti Ohio has agreed to take one after it's processed. On Saturday a neighbor, Mr. Wilson called me. He had a cow fall and injure herself bad enough that she could not get up. As luck would have it, she was in a very rough area. After trying for a couple hours to get her up and seeing how much pain she was in we finally made the decision to put her down. Due to knowing the nature of her injury he wanted to take her to the slaughter house to be made into hamburger. I used the 6000 4WD to load her onto a trailer for him.
I got another 26 tons of #2 gravel spread and I believe that will be enough for the drive to the double-wide. Now after the winter of freezing and thawing it should settle in. Then I can put some 57′s or dense grade on top of them and have a good solid smooth driveway. Progress continues on the log house improvements. We like the vinyl windows that were put in the room we added so well we are considering putting them in the whole house. That will cut into our land clearing budget allotment a little, but I believe it's a worthwhile investment. A friend from high school runs a sawmill locally cutting pallet boards. I had mentioned to him that I would be clearing some more land shortly. There isn't much on the land besides stuff that could be used for pallets. I worked out a deal with some boys who cut for him to get as much of it cleared as could be used. They should start soon.
Took a little time off work to spend with the kids this week. Madison turns 6 on Tuesday and we had her a little party. Then we went to rent some movies for us and the friends she had over. Forecasters are giving ice tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't come.
We've achieved a milestone at work. We have gone a calender year with no recordable incidents. In turn we get our choice of a Jacket, a Case xx knife, or a Wal Mart gift certificate. As much as I dislike Wal Mart for their anti-union actions, I picked the gift certificate because the knife wasn't worth $75 and I sure don't need a jacket like they are giving away. We try to do most of our grocery shopping at Kroger due to their connection with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
I'll go for now………….. but check out the pics I'm adding here.


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Arts and Media
Arts and Media
Read what some of our guests have had to say!
We recently stayed at the Noble Manor while attending a wedding in Pensacola. We were very glad to have selected this B & B, as it was clean, well appointed and charming. Bonnie, (proprietor) is a wonderful cook, and the breakfasts she served were delicious, bountiful, and beautifully plated. I would have loved to enjoy the front porch with a cup of her husband Bob's wonderful coffee and the newspaper, but it was HOT in Pensacola in late June.. Should we have the occasion to visit there again, we definitely would return. The Noble Manor was a highlight of the weekend. Jon and Pat, Charlotte NC
Links, Resources, and more


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Harvard 16, Brown 10
Harvard improved its win streak to three games to remain unbeaten at home (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard men's lacrosse team overpowered Brown in the second half en route to a 16-10 win Saturday night under the lights of Soldiers Field Lacrosse Stadium.
A standing-room crowd was on hand as Harvard picked up its third straight win to improve to 4-2 overall, 1-0 in the Ivy League. After playing to an 8-8 tie at intermission, the Crimson outscored Brown (3-2, 0-1 Ivy League) 8-2 in the second half to take the victory.
Devin Dwyer, Daniel Eipp and Will Walker each turned in a hat trick with Dwyer also contributing two assists to finish with five points. Sean McDonagh and Carl Zimmerman tallied two goals apiece, with Ian Ardrey, Sean Mahon and Brendan Newman each contributing one. Gabriel Mendola was 14-of-18 at the faceoff X as Harvard won 17-of-29 on the night.
Jake Gambitsky turned away 11 shots to pick up the win, including nine in the second half.
Harvard Highlights:
- Harvard outscored Brown 8-2 in the second half after playing to an 8-8 tie at the intermission.
- Harvard held Brown scoreless in the third quarter while allowing just four shots.
- Devin Dwyer, Daniel Eipp and Will Walker each scored three goals, the most hat tricks for the Crimson this season.
- Gabriel Mendola won 14-of-18 faceoffs to lead Harvard to a 17-29 advantage at the X for the night.
- Jake Gambitsky registered nine saves in the second half and held Brown scoreless in the third quarter.
- Harvard was 2-of-2 on the man-advantage while holding Brown to a 1-of-3 conversion rate.
- Harvard won the ground ball battle, 27-21, and was 17-of-20 on clear attempts.
Game Notes:
- Harvard has won three straight games, its longest win streak since 2011.
- Harvard remains unbeaten at home this season (3-0) and is 11-2 at Soldiers Field Lacrosse Stadium under Chris Wojcik '96, The Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Lacrosse.
- Devin Dwyer turned in five points (3g, 2a) for the second consecutive game.
- Devin Dwyer, Daniel Eipp and Will Walker each recorded a hat trick. Entering the game, Harvard had posted just five hat tricks on the year.
- Devin Dwyer has scored at least one point in eight straight games dating back to last season, and has accumulated 29 points in that time (8g, 21a).
- Peter Schwartz (7), Brendan Newman (6) Daniel Eipp (5), Will Walker (5), Carl Zimmerman (5), Ian Ardrey (3) and Sean McDonagh (2) each extended their own point-scoring streaks.
- Jake Gambitsky has set a new career-high with four wins between the pipes.
- Jake Gambitsky has made at least 10 saves in five of Harvard's six contests this season.
- Gabriel Mendola matched his career-high with 14 faceoff wins.
Game Progression:
- Harvard opened the game with two goals in the first 2:39 and held a 5-3 lead after the first quarter.
- Brown ended the second quarter on a 3-0 run to tie the game at 8-8.
- Harvard outscored Brown 5-0 in the third quarter to open a 13-8 lead.
- Harvard outscored Brown 3-2 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
Ties: Three
Lead Changes: Zero
Largest Leads: Harvard by seven – 4th: 3:56, Brown - none
Up Next:
Harvard travels to No. 5/4 North Carolina Tuesday, March 18 for a non-conference matchup. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. live on ESPN3.


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Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces II
W. J. Feast, H. S. Munro, R. W. Richards
Wiley, Apr 28, 1993 - Technology & Engineering - 314 pages
Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces II W. J. Feast, University of Durham, Durham, UK H. S. Munro, Courtaulds Research, Coventry, UK R. W. Richards, University of Durham, Durham, UK This volume presents a collection of review papers, based on the 'Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces II International Symposium' which took place in Durham (UK), July 1991 Compiled here, the papers present an authoritative overview of current technology and research on polymer surfaces, by acknowledged experts in their specialist fields. Individual reviews cover analytical techniques, properties, reactions, modelling and synthesis of surfaces and interfaces. Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces II will be of interest to polymer scientists, surface scientists, chemists, physicists and biologists, working in industrial and academic laboratories. Reviews of the previous volume 'Altogether a most useful addition to polymer science' -- Physics Bulletin 'The book can be unreservedly recommended to chemists and materials scientists with an interest in adhesion, biomaterials, polymer dispersions and molecular engineering' -- Polymer Contents Surface Chemistry of Chemically Resistant Polymers; T. G. Bee, A. J. Dias, N. L. Franchina, B. U. Kolb, K.-W. Lee, P. A. Patton, M. S. Shoichet and T. J. McCarthy Self-assembled Molecular Films as Polymer Surface Models; D. L. Allara, S. V. Atre and A. N. Parikh Non-equilibrium Effects in Polymeric Stabilization; M. E. Cates and J. T. Brooks Ion Beam Analysis of Composition Profiles near Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces; R. A. L. Jones Laser Light Scattering; J. C. Earnshaw Characterization of Interfaces in Polymers and Composites using Raman Spectroscopy; R. J. Young Surface Modification and Analysis of Ultra-high-modulus Polyethylene Fibres for Composites; G. A. George SSIMS -- An Emeriging Technique for the Surface Chemical Analysis of Polymeric Biomaterials; M. C. Davies Scanning Probe Microscopy -- Current Issues in the Analysis of Polymeric Biomaterials; M. C. Davies, D. E. Jackson, C. J Roberts, S. J. B. Tendler, K. M. Kreusel, M. J. Wilkins and P. M. Williams Surface Grafting of a Thrombin Substrate on a Polymer Membrane and the Inhibition of Thrombin Activity Leading to Non-thrombogenicity; Y. Ito, L.-S. Liu and Y. Imanishi Acid--Base Effects at Polymer Interfaces; C. J. van Oss
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SSIMSAn Emerging Technique for the Surface Chemical
Selfassembled Molecular Films as Polymer Surface Models
Polymer Surface Models
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Common terms and phrases
acid adsorbed adsorption aramid biomaterials block copolymer bond brush bulk capillary waves carbon chains Chem Colloid composite concentration contact angle corona discharge deformation depth profile detector determined diffusion dilational effects electron epoxy resin equation equilibrium experimental fibre film forces forward recoil spectrometry free energy frequency functional groups grafted HOPG hydroperoxide hydrophobic immersed immobilized increase interactions interfacial adhesion ion beam ion beam analysis Kevlar Kramer layer light scattering liquid Macromolecules material matrix measured membrane modulus molecular weight molecules monolayer monomer obtained oxidation particles PCTFE phase Phys plasma treatment polar polydiacetylene polyethylene polymer polymer surface polymeric pullout R. W. Richards Raman spectroscopy reaction repulsive resolution sample shear shown in Figure SIMS solubility solution solvent spectra spectrum SSIMS strain structure studies surface energy surface properties Surfaces and Interfaces synthetic substrates techniques temperature thrombin tion UHMPE viscoelastic viscosity volume fraction wavenumbers


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We take beauty tips from models very seriously, so when model-turned-blogger Hanneli Mustaparta told Vogue the secret to her perfect legs was body illuminator, we launched an investigation. What did we find? Subtle formulas that cleverly reflect light for a gently glow have replaced the nightclub-ready formulas of the past. We've rounded up the best options, from Mustaparta's favorite to vacation-ready bronze body oil, and we promise there's nary a glittery product in the bunch.
Olay Quench Daily Lotion Plus Shimmer ($5)
This lotion-meets-highlighter is like a gateway formula: it soaks in like regular moisturizer, hydrates with vitamins E and B3, and packs a light-catching sheen. Apply all over your body for a shimmer that's more dinner out than discotheque.
E.l.f. Essential Shimmer with Brush ($2)
Like face makeup, a powder formula's easier to work with than a cream, making this highlighter perfect for quick application on your shoulders, collarbone, or anywhere else the sun hits.
Benefit Take a Picture it Lasts Longer ($30)
Don't let the quirky name fool you, this formula is the subtlest version on our list--and happens to be Mustaparta's go-to. Its balmy texture leaves your limbs looking dewy and is virtually undetectable under even the brightest lights.
Josie Maran Argan Illuminizer ($28)
It might look dark, but Maran's formula blends beautifully into skin, leaving a delicate shimmer behind. Warm up a few pumps in the palm of your hand and dab directly onto skin or mix into your face or body lotion for a lit-from-within glow all over.
Hard Candy Glow All The Way ($8)
The most concentrated illuminator on our list, Hard Candy's formula actually is dance floor-ready. It comes in four shades ranging from the pink-based Doll Face to Deep Tan. Apply to just moisturized skin to ensure the formula soaks in fully--and remember, a little goes a long way.
Miracle Skin Transformer Body SPF 20 ($34)
If you're after a product that illuminates, evens skin tone, and protects, this is for you. In fact, think of Miracle Body's formula as a BB Cream for your body--it blurs imperfections with a slight sheen and a subtle tint, perfect for legs that haven't seen the sun yet this season. Bonus? Its SPF 20 formula protects too, making it ideal for all those summer daytime BBQs.
Sephora Illuminating Bronzing Oil ($14)
Want to look like you just stepped off the beach? A few spritzes of this coconut-scented oil and you'll smell like it, too. Vitamin E, grape seed and passion fruit oil moisturize, protect, and deliver antioxidants, while bronze pigments subtly highlight skin.
Nars Laguna Body Illuminator ($45)
Inspired by the success of the brand's Laguna Face Bronzer, this creamy formula works equally well for a girls' night out as it does at brunch. Smooth onto legs and shoulders for an after-dark glow, or mix a dollop into your body lotion for a day-appropriate sheen.


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Thread: Obamacare Thread
Results 21 to 30 of 142
11-07-2013, 05:26 PMCarney Admits Obamacare Website Still Wont Work Properly After November 30th Deadline
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Delaware Announces Number of People Who Enrolled In Obamacare: 4
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) More than a month after the launch of Delawares health insurance exchange, officials report only four Delawareans enrolled for insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
As of Wednesday, Delawares marketplace guide organizations reported four enrollments, 31 enrollment applications completed and 218 accounts created for possible enrollment...
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CBS News: Obamacare About To Whack Employer-Provided Health Plans
...Yet in the years to come, some workers with employer-provided benefits will see their benefits scaled back because of an Obamacare tax. That portion of the law known as the Cadillac tax isnt set to take effect until 2018, but its already influencing the benefits packages that employers offer.
Every employer plan since the passage of the health care law has been working to make sure their health care cost trends keep their plans under the Cadillac tax, Steve Wojcik of the National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit that represents large employers, told CBSNews.com.
The administrations argument for the individual market applies to the employer-based market: No one with health insurance should expect to keep their current plan forever.
The expectation was never there that a plan is going to be set in stone for any length of time, Wojcik said. Plans should adopt to new evidence and new benefits practices they shouldnt be set in stone Weve wanted to do something about health care costs growing out of control.
That said, Wojcik added, the Cadillac tax is bringing more immediacy to the issue, prompting employers to scale back plans they wouldnt otherwise, with the 2018 deadline looming.
The clear expectation was and is that the Cadillac tax the tax on high-cost health plans will cause those [employers offering] highly generous plans to pare back benefits somewhat so that they wont be subject to the tax, Paul Van de Water, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, explained to CBSNews.com. Its not going to affect a large number of people to begin with, but it is significant in the longer run in terms of its potential to hold down health care costs.
In 2018, the rule will impose a 40 percent excise tax on employee benefits exceeding $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families. In 2013, the average employer-sponsored for individuals cost $5,884 and the average family plan cost $16,351.
The impact of the tax is concerning to labor groups that have fought with employers for good benefits.
Yes, if you like your plan, you can keep it, unless you have great benefits, Lindsay McLaughlin, legislative director for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, told CBSNews.com....
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Obamacare works by chaining Americans to local providers
FromThe Daily Caller
Obamacare generates profits for the federal government by blocking Americans ability to get high-quality advice or services from outside their local area, according to health care experts.
The Obamacare-compliant health benefit plans usually only pay for services within each citizens local region, said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former government health care official and an expert at the American Enterprise Institute.
Throughout 2014, the small regions will help regulators and executives narrow the variety, quality, number and cost of medical services available to at least three million Americans who already had plans on the individual market and are now being forced into Obamacare.
Theyre very narrow plans, theyre a throwback to the 1980s-style HMOs, Gottlieb said.
The majority of plans do not offer care beyond their regions, said Yevgeniy Feyman, an expert at the New York-based Manhattan Institute.
What this effectively does is limit the quality of care that some people are able to get, Feynman said. The more rural you get, the worse it is going to be, he added.
In addition, within each region, the regulators and insurance companies seem to be steering enrollees to cheaper local hospitals, he said. In Philadelphia, Pa., for example, the Obamacare plans direct patients to Temple University Hospital, rather than to the higher-rated Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, he said.
So if sick Americans want to get a second opinion from a specialist doctor in a neighboring county, or want to use get high-quality treatment at far-off specialized cancer or heart center across the state line, theyll have to pay with extra cash after theyve paid their mandatory Obamacare premiums, deductibles and co-pays, Gottlieb told The Daily Caller.
Your out-of-pocket expenses could be 80 percent, 90 percent [of charges] .and theres no cap on it, he said.
This is low-quality insurance there is no other way to explain it, Gottlieb told TheDC.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/11/07/ob...#ixzz2k1Fo4HIo
May the FORCE be with you!
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If only it were that simple, SR.
Unfortunately, this has to be the most immoral bill ever passed.
Its basis seems to be old Zeke Emmanuel's idea of who to deny medical care:
From 2009 WSJ
Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, health adviser to President Barack Obama, is under scrutiny. As a bioethicist, he has written extensively about who should get medical care, who should decide, and whose life is worth saving. Dr. Emanuel is part of a school of thought that redefines a physicians duty, insisting that it includes working for the greater good of society instead of focusing only on a patients needs. Many physicians find that view dangerous, and most Americans are likely to agree.
The health bills being pushed through Congress put important decisions in the hands of presidential appointees like Dr. Emanuel. They will decide what insurance plans cover, how much leeway your doctor will have, and what seniors get under Medicare. Dr. Emanuel, brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, has already been appointed to two key positions: health-policy adviser at the Office of Management and Budget and a member of the Federal Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research. He clearly will play a role guiding the White House's health initiative.
Dr. Emanuel says that health reform will not be pain free, and that the usual recommendations for cutting medical spending (often urged by the president) are mere window dressing....
True reform, he argues, must include redefining doctors' ethical obligations. In the June 18, 2008, issue of JAMA, Dr. Emanuel blames the Hippocratic Oath for the "overuse" of medical care: "Medical school education and post graduate education emphasize thoroughness," he writes. "This culture is further reinforced by a unique understanding of professional obligations, specifically the Hippocratic Oath's admonition to 'use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgment' as an imperative to do everything for the patient regardless of cost or effect on others."
In numerous writings, Dr. Emanuel chastises physicians for thinking only about their own patient's needs. He describes it as an intractable problem: "Patients were to receive whatever services they needed, regardless of its cost. Reasoning based on cost has been strenuously resisted; it violated the Hippocratic Oath, was associated with rationing, and derided as putting a price on life. . . . Indeed, many physicians were willing to lie to get patients what they needed from insurance companies that were trying to hold down costs." (JAMA, May 16, 2007).
Of course, patients hope their doctors will have that single-minded devotion. But Dr. Emanuel believes doctors should serve two masters, the patient and society, and that medical students should be trained "to provide socially sustainable, cost-effective care." One sign of progress he sees: "the progression in end-of-life care mentality from 'do everything' to more palliative care...
This was published in 2009 but never made its way onto the general public's TV screen. This article could have really supported Sarah Palin's "death panels" comment, since Emmanuel believes very strongly in rationing care to the elderly:
"Dr. Emanuel argues that to make such decisions, the focus cannot be only on the worth of the individual. He proposes adding the communitarian perspective to ensure that medical resources will be allocated in a way that keeps society going: "Substantively, it suggests services that promote the continuation of the politythose that ensure healthy future generations, ensure development of practical reasoning skills, and ensure full and active participation by citizens in public deliberationsare to be socially guaranteed as basic. Covering services provided to individuals who are irreversibly prevented from being or becoming participating citizens are not basic, and should not be guaranteed. An obvious example is not guaranteeing health services to patients with dementia." (Hastings Center Report, November-December, 1996) "
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ObamaCare Is Not a Covenant - It's a Law, and It Can Be Repealed
..."It's the law" and "it's here to stay" are statements presented as legitimate arguments, but in reality, they are nothing more than assumptions founded in ignorance, predicated on magnificent and malignant fallacy.
If laws passed by one Congress, or signed by one president, or upheld by one Court were actually meant to be eternal fixtures binding future congresses, presidents, and courts, one might wonder why our Founders didn't chisel the laws they created on a stone beneath a giant statue of Washington, or why the Founders wouldn't prohibit any future provision to amend those laws via constitutional protocol.
We should be eternally grateful that they didn't, shouldn't we? For example, many laws allowing or broadening the institution of slavery were passed by Congress in the 19th century; presidents signed them into law, and the Court of 1857 deemed slavery a constitutional right in the Dred Scott ruling. Should those laws and that ruling have bound American officials in future legislation barring slavery? Prohibition was so clearly understood to be a mistake that required repealing that future lawmakers took it upon themselves to do so, feeling unbound to somehow "make it work" because "it's the law." Should they have done so, or should they have felt bound by previous lawmakers?
Ironically, this is not a concept lost on modern leftists. The Defense of Marriage Act was indeed "the law," passed by Congress and signed by Democrat demigod Bill Clinton, yet they didn't at all see it as an enduring and timeless covenant with the American people in 2013, and they celebrated the judicial activism which heralded its end.
Ah, but the Voting Rights Act was indeed "the law," immovable and unamendable, and so they became enraged at the judicial activism which lifted certain penalizing provisions upon individual states deemed to have a history of "prejudice."
Leftists' selectivity about which laws can and can't be changed is among the most marvelous of hypocrisies. My guess is that had Justice Roberts not concocted the unique appraisal that a penalty for not purchasing insurance is somehow a "tax," and had the individual mandate been deemed unconstitutional, leftists would be similarly enraged...
...But here's the catch: it has to be repealed soon. A decade will be far too long, because as I've argued before, and as history clearly shows, once entitlement services or payments become expectations, it will not matter how broken the system is in the future, or who has to pay, or how much has to be paid to keep the system in place. The system will indeed become a fixture, however malignant, just as federal welfare infrastructure is today. More people than ever before will be receiving these and other entitlements, and they will be entirely dependent upon the government to secure their benefits by any means necessary, including the forceful extraction from the government's taxpaying benefactors -- which could ultimately prove to be a recipe for civil chaos, if not eventual civil war.
We still have time to undo this madness. But not much.
#30 There will be Nine Stages of public outrage:
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There will be Nine Stages of public outrage:
√ Stage One The tax-payers cant identify their cost until its too late (Oct/Nov 2013).
√ Stage Two The tax-payers lose their current coverage and cannot replace with anything except Obamacare coverage (2013/2014).
√ Stage Three The tax-payers find out theyre going to pay more, much more, for less freedom, less choices, more mandates theyll never use because of the regulations no-one was paying attention to.
Stage Four The tax-payers find out their doctor and/or provider is gone, opted out. Provider options become limited to non-existent.
Stage Five The tax-payers realize their previous healthcare premium was considered a pre-tax deduction. (Progressives call these tax expenditures).The employer paid premium, and the subsidy provided to assist in Obamacare premium coverage, are both now considered a part of taxable earnings, wage income.
Stage Six The same year employees realize their W2 now shows their employer healthcare benefit as part of their taxable income. Employers will drop their employee coverage. (October 2014 notices for January 1st 2015 cancellations) ALSO (The 2015 W2 and I-1099 forms will show the movement of premium to income).
Stage Seven The tax-payers are joined by the previous non tax-payers as the bills come due and tax returns are filed. (April 2015 and April 2016) Tax refunds are reduced substantially as revenues are needed. Folks realize their subsidy is now part of their earnings that have a bigger tax liability.
Stage Eight Election year 2016 ! Introduction of Clintoncare Hillary Clinton steps in with previous plan from 1990′s, and the nation votes on essentially a single payer plan with promises of lower taxation, et al. By that time so many people will be enrolled in the ACA Obamacare the selling point will be around transition to Clintoncare being actually easier.
Stage Nine Medicare is rolled into Clintoncare - Nationalization complete.
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Another year, another DefCon, another litany of epic security fails. Like this Biolock Model 333, a high-tech and high-priced bit of protection that surely requires expert tools and technique to override. Here's how it does against a paperclip:
The problem, as you can readily see, is that while the biometrics all seem to be in order, the manufacturer decided to pair it with a two-bit override lock. It is hilariously simple to crack if you don't own one and terrifyingly so if you do.
While the Biolock Model 333 was the most egregious example of poor locksmithery, a smartkey deadbolt from Kwikset and the AMSEC electronic safe Model es1014 both also got the DefCon treatment with similar results.
Is DefCon providing an instruction manual for bad guys? Sure, in a sense. But the pros are already figuring this stuff out on their own; the important thing is that customers and companies know that their products are easily compromised so they can do something about it. It's stories like these that make me glad I don't possess anything more valuable than three seasons of Sports Night on DVD. [Wired]


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In the Medieval Gallery, see a recent acquisition—a 15th-century German Minnekästchen, or marriage chest, that once held jewels and other treasured objects. Carved from fruitwood, it's richly illustrated with heraldic symbols and animals both real (lions, camels and monkeys) and imaginary (unicorns and griffins). It's pictured at right.
Also in the Medieval Gallery is a recently acquired set of Renaissance wedding cutlery with a stamped leather case in the form of a fish. Four of the knives represent courting couples, two others most likely a groom and his bride.


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Psst. Hey! How's Lent working out for you?
So far, I've managed to determine that my capacity to deny myself is woefully lacking. I've gained four pounds. Fridays have been particularlly hungry days when I haven't exactly put on the joyful mask for fasting or even abstaining. The rosary I planned to say daily, well I'm about a week or two behind, let's say three days to four out of the week it gets said on the fly while I'm driving or taking out the garbage or making the beds and adoration only made it onto the schedule because it was prescribed as penance. Three pages of the spiritual book I'd chosen as a guide for the 40 days have been skimmed but I cannot recall a word. (I fell asleep). Flailing like crazy does not sound like the way one should be when seeking to go out in the desert of one's spiritual life, but it aptly describes my Lenten journey thus far.
The other day, getting everyone dressed was a major ordeal. Someone couldn't find their shoes, another couldn't find socks, a third needed a different shirt and the fourth was running low on skirts she liked wearing.
The next day fixing breakfast was hard. We'd ordered groceries to be delivered for that evening, but had to limp through breakfast. Some had leftover flan. Some had oatmeal. With such limited options, I still had one daughter who will not eat oatmeal or flan. I offered to make eggs. Four eggs were frozen and two were cracked and frozen to the carton, but we limped through. Naturally, two others at home wanted eggs too. While I was fixing eggs, my five year old daughter tried to be helpful. She took the last of the cereal and poured it in a paper bowl for her brother who was sitting in his high chair awaiting his meal. Within seconds of her good deed, the bowl and it's contents were scattered across the kitchen. He dumped his sippy cup of soy milk for good measure.
As I frantically tried to clean up, he rubbed the remainders of his drink and food in his hair. Now the night before, a tomato pot fell into my bathtub
killing the seedling and making my bathroom a dirty mess. I forgotten about that until this morning when I went to give my son a quick bath to get him ready for a 10 o'clock speech appointment. Instant mud. Scrambling to get them all dressed and wiped down, the floor clean and table at least not sticky before she arrived, I can't say I offered it up. I can't say I prayed through it. I can say, it got done.
Loading the car today was hard. We needed gas, we were running late and for the third time, I'd stowed all the winter coats only to get socked again with a 40-60 degree pouring down nasty rainy day. Today God, everything stunk even though I could see that everything did not in fact stink, that it was me having a hard time because I just wasn't feeling particularly dutiful. Today everything I didn't want to do needed immediate one on one careful attention or it would implode. And eventually, that everything included me. We know that suffering can bring us to Christ; and I know I suffer the least, mine is an easy burden to care for a lot of people that love me; but for all that, all this mess and minutia can bring me to my knees.
But the poorness of my Lenten attempts to be less worldly culminated in mass on Palm Sunday with me alternately whispering in less than dolcet tones at my younger ones that were playing with the palms, and glaring at the older ones who were doing the same thing. I know, I am not ready. Next weekend is Easter and I know I know I know I am not ready for that but at the same time, man the one thing I do know is how do I need Easter. How I need Easter. And that moment of knowing, of thinking how I needed Easter, brought the peace that doing everything properly could not have (for I would have perhaps been proud of making a good Lenten sacrifice), and the grace of knowing that screwing up was why we needed Easter in the first place.
Copyright 2011 Sherry Antonetti