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San Francisco SPCA Position Statement, January 3, 1995
Caring can't be mandated, and a licensing mandate will only end up punishing those who care. There are millions of compassionate
people who provide abandoned cats with food, love, and shelter in their own homes. Others put aside their own needs in order to care
for a beloved pet or make sure a shy and reclusive neighborhood cat has daily sustenance and medical attention. Still others work
tirelessly to feed foster and rehabilitate feral cats and kittens, all at their own personal expense. For every one of these caregivers,
mandatory cat licensing will exact a heavy toll. These people will either have to pay the license fees - or face citations, fines,
penalties, and possible confiscation of the animals they love. These new burdens, inflicted on the very people who are doing the most
to help cats in their communities, will force many to stop caring for these animals, or at least force them to care for fewer cats,
with the net result being more cats left to fend for themselves and fewer people able to provide them with any kind of safety net at all.
In response to these concerns, some cat licensing proponents have said that enforcement won't be stressed, or will only be "complaint
driven." In our view, passing laws that aren't enforced or are enforced sporadically is just as unfair and counterproductive: Few people
are likely to comply with a cat licensing mandate that isn't enforced. (In Los Angeles, for instance, compliance rates of less than 1%
were reported, in spite of a canvassing program.) And people who "voluntarily" comply can probably be counted among the most responsible
(and affluent) pet owners in the community. We see little equity or sense in enacting a law that only ends up penalizing through a
licensing tax the very people whose behavior is already exemplary.
Needless to say, truly irresponsible cat owners won't be affected. If the law isn't enforced, they are free to ignore it. If it is
enforced against them, they are likely to surrender or abandon their animals, which will only add to the number of cats killed.
In our view this claim is on a par with the suggesting that licensing poor people or the homeless will help raise their "status." Of
course, cat licensing proponents aren't making a comparison to people, but to dogs: if cats are licensed like dogs they will apparently
enjoy the same "status" as dogs. Unfortunately, dog licensing didn't confer any beneficial "status" on canines: it was and is a tool
for protecting livestock, enforcing rabies laws, and ridding the public streets of the perceived threat posed by unowned, free-roaming
dogs. Indeed, since 1933 California dog licensing laws have explicitly authorized the impoundment of unlicensed dogs, and millions of
dogs have been impounded and killed by animal control agencies throughout the state as a result of these mandatory licensing laws.
This is the precedent to which proponents of cat licensing appeal when they claim that licensing will raise the "status" of cats. We
doubt, however, whether cats would choose such a status for themselves. They might well prefer to retain the unlicensed status they
now share with humans. And the dogs may want to join them.
Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that cat redemptions are just as likely, if not more likely, to decline once voluntary cat
identification efforts are replaced with a coercive licensing mandate. In Los Angeles County, for instance, the number of stray cats
redeemed by their owners was reported to be down 32% following implementation of mandatory laws.
Proponents have tended to ignore evidence like this, and instead point to the fact that dogs, who have been subject to licensing laws
for years, enjoy higher redemption rates than cats. But dogs differ from cats in many ways, and there is no reason to think licensing
is the factor that results in the higher redemption rate for dogs. Indeed, San Francisco 63% of the stray dogs at the City's Animal
Care and Control Department were redeemed by their owners in the 1993-94 fiscal year. Yet less that 4% of the dogs impounded during
that time were licensed. It seems clear, then, that factors other than licensing are responsible for the high redemption rate for dogs.
The most obvious reason for the difference between dog and cat redemption rates is the fact that a much higher proportion of the dogs
who are impounded are "owned" in the first place. Few dogs are found, for instance, in the type of feral or doorstep colonies that
thousands of cats call home, nor are there many unowned neighborhood dogs. Since most dogs impounded are likely to be "owned" by
someone, it makes sense that many more would be redeemed. And since a much smaller proportion of impounded cats are "owned" - a Santa
Clara study estimated that less than 9% of all stray cats handled by that county's animal control agency were owned - it makes sense
that far fewer cats are redeemed. A licensing program obviously can't change that, unless, of course, it is accomplished by concentrated
efforts to round up and kill all unowned cats in a community.
The only way cat licensing will reduce the number of stray and abandoned cats is if it is enforced by rounding up unlicensed cats and
taking them to the local animal control agency where the vast majority will be killed. And this, we fear, is exactly what will happen.
Many individuals and groups openly advocate for cat control measures like licensing as a vehicle for round-up-and-kill measures. And even
animal control agencies that disclaim any intention of initiating round-up-and-kill programs will have to respond to complaints about
cats from these individuals and groups, which will inevitably result in cats being rounded up and killed.
Without round-up-and-kill measures it seems apparent that cat licensing will only work to increase, not decrease, the number of homeless
cats. Faced with citations and penalties for not complying cat caretakers who can't afford the new license fees will be forced to
surrender their animals to the local shelter or abandon them to fend for themselves. Neighborhood cats, cats in doorstep colonies
or multi-cat households, cherished pets owned by seniors on restricted incomes, feral cats with caretakers on limited budgets. These
are the kinds of cats who will be most at risk, and for whom a licensing mandate could well be fatal. Of course, for the stray and
abandoned cats already in the community, licensing will do nothing.
Since cat licensing will likely result in more cats being surrendered to shelters and abandoned in the community, since it will not
appreciably affect redemptions, and since it may very well become a vehicle for round-up-and-kill campaigns, it is difficult for us
to see how it would result in a decrease in shelter euthanasia.
Cat licensing will cost local governments and taxpayers money, not raise it, resulting in a net loss to animal control and/or other
vital government services. Indeed, we doubt whether revenues raised would even cover basic administrative expenses. For example, each
license fee collected - and most proposals we've seen set the fee between $5 and $10 - will have to cover the costs of manufacturing,
handling, storing and mailing the actual licenses (and/or implanting microchips), handling the checks and cash received, issuing
receipts, recording and filing the necessary data on each cat and owner, updating the data as needed, responding to public questions
and comments, mailing out renewal notices and reminders, preparing accounting statements and annual program reports, etc. This list
doesn't include overhead or initial start- up expenses, like hiring and training staff to run the new program and developing new computer
programs and databases.
And if the fees collected won't cover basic administrative expenses, they certainly won't cover the enormous costs of public awareness
campaigns and enforcement. As noted above, "voluntary" compliance with cat licensing mandates is notoriously low. To raise compliance
rates, the community will have to be made aware of the new mandate: door-to-door canvassing, city and countywide mailings, advertisements
in local print media - all bear significant costs. And these campaigns will have to be repeated on a regular basis to maintain public
awareness. Of course, these efforts alone won't ensure compliance, and they will have to be backed by meaningful enforcement. New
enforcement staff will have to be hired, or existing staff taken away from other essential duties, in order to patrol the community for
unlicensed cats, respond to complaints, issue citations, prepare reports,etc. And all these costs will have to be paid by local taxpayers, either through higher taxes or through cuts in other vital government services.
Just as licensing fees aren't likely to cover the real costs of a cat licensing program, we strongly doubt whether the fees now paid
by dog owners cover much more than the basic costs of administering dog licensing programs. From a fiscal standpoint, therefore, local
governments and taxpayers, not to mention dog owners, may well be better off if mandatory dog licensing were simply abolished. In any
event, enacting another costly government program that won't pay for itself isn't the way to give dog owners the equity they seek.
No doubt there will be animal control agencies and contracting humane organizations who dispute our analysis and offer projections to
show that cat licensing will make money for animal control services in their communities. we believe these agencies should be willing
to stand behind these projections by having their taxpayer- financed budgets cut by the projected amount. Without this or a similar
mechanism for accountability, we fear cat licensing will become yet another expensive government program that only works to
inappropriately expand government bureaucracies at the expense of local taxpayers, responsible cat caretakers, and the animals
In our view, the way to teach people to be responsible pet owners and help the cats in a communit community at large through coercive
mandates, when it is the local shelters who are the primary source of animals and whose policies and practices have the greatest impact,
for better or worse, on local animal welfare issues.
We realize, however that in some cases local shelter policies may have failed and animal problems may be worsening in a community. In
such cases, government intervention might be warranted, provided it is carefully focused to have the greatest impact. For instance,
requiring shelters to alter animals before adoption and to devote a substantial proportion of their annual animal control and shelter
budgets (e.g., 10-20%) to offering free spay/neuter services would do far more to help cats and reduce pet overpopulation than cat
licensing and other punitive mandates.
* Source: CAT FANCIERS' ALMANAC, Volume 12 Number 2 June 1995
Get Meow Power and Subscribe to Cat Talk, the CFA's bi-monthly, print magazine that captures the many voices of the Cat Fanciers' Association.
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Makeover British Scones
Carole Jasler of Lecanto, Florida asked us to lighten up this British tearoom classic without losing the tender, flaky texture and outstanding flavor of her original recipe. Our Test Kitchen did just that, and the tasty result has 54 fewer calories and 75% less saturated fat per one scone serving.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 30 min.
Makes8 scones
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- In a large bowl, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; add to crumb mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn onto a floured surface; gently knead 6-8 times.
- Pat dough into a 6-in. circle. Cut into eight wedges. Separate wedges and place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts1 each: 219 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 39mg cholesterol, 343mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.
Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Recommended Video
Dec 18, 2007
These are very tasty and light too! Sometimes I like to add some cinnamon chips.

subset: commoncrawl


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Racing Around - August 2013
Regional News, Industry Updates, & Items Of Interest From Around The Country
1. New Super Late Model Series Formed
Prattville, AL
Old School is the approach the Southern Super Series is taking as its officials announced a 16-race slate that brings together five racetracks in four different states and will include such legendary races as the World Crown 300 and the All American 400. Alabama's Mobile International Speedway and Montgomery Motor Speedway, Florida's Five Flags Speedway, Georgia's Gresham Motorsports Park, and Tennessee's Fairgrounds Speedway at Nashville make up the facilities that some of the best Super Late Model racers will compete on with the series this coming year.
Taking a page from southern racing history, the series was formalized recently in Prattville, Alabama, which was the birthplace of the former All Pro Series that legendary promoter Bob Harmon created. Former All-Pro employee Dan Spence will act the Southern Super Series Race Director, and Ricky Brooks will serve as the series Technical Director. For more information on the Southern Super series check out its website, www.southernsuperseries.com.
2. Township Drops Noise Ordinanace
Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo Speedway and Alamo Township have resolved the disputed Noise Ordinance proposed back in February for the Michigan oval. After further review, the township has decided to drop the proposed noise ordinance, which would have required the track to maintain a decibel level of below 82 during the day and drop that number to 55 decibels after 11 p.m. For reference an upright vacuum cleaner has a dB rating of 69. There will be no monitoring of any decibel readings, and the 64-year-old southwestern Michigan track can continue racing as scheduled, just like they did back in 1995 when the picture below was taken. Despite the decision to not place any noise restrictions on the speedway, Track Promoter Gary Howe has made some changes regarding the noise level coming from Michigan's only NASCAR sanctioned facility in an effort to show cooperation with the Township. In a further display of goodwill April 27 was Alamo Township Night at the races. Any resident of the township got in free with proper identification.
3. Crane 2013 Circle Track Racers' Catalog
Daytona Beach, FL
The new 2013 Crane Cams Ignition Circle Track Racer's catalog is a full color catalog that makes it easier than ever to find the correct ignition, coil, distributor or spark plug wire for your application.
Whether it is a Dirt Late Model or Modified, this catalog will help you determine the right part for the place where you race. Also, paved circle track racers will quickly see how they can select a distributor or ignition with matching coil for their specific sanction body requirements.
The new Ignition Catalog presents the features of each item, with the part number and all associated parts, taking the guesswork out of getting the perfect combination. Whether you race in a stock class or are a professional racer, you will feel like a pro when you make the right selection the first time.
The new Ignition catalog also provides basic wiring diagrams for ease of use and correct installation, using all Crane Cams Ignition products or matching with competitor's products. Visit www.cranecams.com for more info.
4. ASA OK Tire Sportsman Series presented by Advance Testing
Daytona Beach, FL
It's with great excitement that we announce the merger of British Columbia's two main Sportsman Racing Series—The OK Tire Sportsman Series and the ASA Advance Testing BC Late Model Tour.
The new series, titled "ASA OK Tire Sportsman Series presented by Advance Testing" is expected to increase car counts at tracks throughout the province and build the sportsman class back to its former strength. "We are so happy to have the continued support of ASA here in the province of BC," says John Ross. "The marketing support and national coverage give us a big advantage in getting exposure for our drivers and sponsors."
The series will run the existing OK Tire Sportsman Series schedule throughout British Columbia on the Hoosier 970 tire run last season by the ASA Advance Testing tour. All other rules will remain unchanged.
Advance Testing and OK Tire will work in conjunction as the title sponsors, while previous ASA Series Contingency sponsors will be welcomed into the newly named series. "Our goal is to continue to build race and points purses with marketing partners throughout the province and the ASA gives us the greatest leverage for their exposure," said series president Gary MacCarthy.
"We are proud to sanction the ASA OK Tire Sportsman Series presented by Advance Testing," Dennis Huth, ASA Racing President said. "We feel that this merger will be beneficial for the racers and the fans of British Columbia short track racing. We look forward to an incredible 2013 season."
5. Title Sponsor Change for Pro Cup
Mooresville, NC
Officials from both the Championship Auto Racing Series and the X-1R Corporation are proud to announce the transition of the Rev-Oil Pro Cup Series to the X-1R Pro Cup Series for the 2013 season. The change in title sponsorship took place right before the series season opening event on Saturday April 6th at the Dillon Motor Speedway in Dillon, SC. The X-1R Corporation, which features environmentally safe, high performance lubricants for industrial applications, transitioned into all elements of the title sponsorship status for the Pro Cup Series immediately.
6. Clash and Beast Unite
Fayetteville, NC
The Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series and the Battle of the Eastern All Star Tour (BEAST) recenlty announced that they have reached an agreement to combine both series, forming a united Super Late Model series for racers and fans in the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia.
"It's a big day for all of us involved," said Carolina Clash president and founder Larry Lee. "This is something we have worked on for quite some time and we believe it will be a huge benefit to the racers in our area."
The newly unified Carolina Clash series was established as a result of extensive research and consideration of how to utilize the Hoosier tire, along with the Carolina Clash mainstay American Racer. The new tire rule for the series will allow for both the Hoosier and American Racer tire to be used. Racers will be able to race the Hoosier HTS SPEC 1250, HTS SPEC 1350, and HTS SPEC 1600. The American Racer tires will be the JSR SPEC 12, JSR SPEC 48, and JSR SPEC 56.
"This is not only going to be big for the teams of the Clash and the BEAST, but it will be huge for the fans," said Cherokee Speedway promoter Lennie Buff. "I think now the tracks will be able to draw drivers from both tire brands to make some great racing for the fans."
Manufacturers, Sanctioning Bodies,Race Promoters, Track Owners: Send us your latest news w/ photos! Email: email@example.com.


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1. Create symmetry by flanking a mantel with a couple matching pieces, like the sideboards and sconces, but add in an element of surprise. Instead of matching artwork, Mikic chose two very different prints by Grayson Perry, left, and Damien Hirst.
2. Be calculating about color — let one large element, such as this custom rug in emerald green, serve as a bright note.
3. Pair unlikely textures for stunning results. The luxruious metallic consoles against the organic-feeling grasscloth walls make for a look that's modern and completely original.


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Saturday January 25, 2020; 12:28 pm EST
How I learned to defend against zombies
I can't claim to be unfamiliar with the living dead. I logged enough hours watching zombie movies as a kid that I could have received a PhD in zombiology from the George A. Romero School for the Aaaaaarghts.
However, I suspect in the event of an actual zombie outbreak I would get eaten pretty quickly. In a zombie movie, I would be the type of character who might not get eaten first but who will get eaten before the end credits.
Thus it was to my benefit to sit in on the Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi's Zombie Defense Workshop.
Led by Billy Greer, a martial arts instructor and biologist who with wife Nancy runs the institute, the workshop taught 20 aspiring and accredited martial artists how to prepare for an outbreak and fend off the undead.
I'm not sure Romero, the originator of the modern zombie, would agree with Dr. Greer on some of his points, but Romero doesn't have a biology degree.
Into Zombie Land
From the outside, the Arnold institute — formerly a boat-building facility located off B&A Boulevard in an old warehouse — looked like the kind of place zombies would frequent.
Inside, it looked like a fine place to weather an assault, though it appeared the zombies had already claimed a few of the occupants: The makeup FX company Morphiage was on site and had painted about a fifth of the faces in the room in sickly shades of grey.
Everybody knows that's what zombies look like. But did you know that those who've been infected with a zombie virus don't actually die before becoming a zombie but merely lapse into a deathlike coma?
Or that there are two tribes of zombies, fast and slow, resulting from different strains of the zombie virus? The fast zombies rely on a rapid heart rate to maintain their speed, so they can bleed out when wounded.
Even I was surprised to learn that zombies' highly acute sense of smell can be eluded by spraying yourself with Axe body spray.
Nor was I aware that when you draw a firearm, it isn't quite as simple as "aim for the head." A low-caliber bullet won't destroy the 75 percent of a zombie's brain necessary to make it go down for good. A shotgun, on the other hand, is a guaranteed kill. Or so Greer said to the gun-crazy boy who asked.
There were several other once-in-a-lifetime exchanges:
"Will zombies eat other zombies?" asked one young man in about the same tone that a child takes when asking about the existence of Santa Claus.
"There have been cases," Dr. Greer replied with sober authority, "but it's not widespread."
At that point, I had to ask myself why am I watching a man explaining the effect of necrotic degradation on tissue, complete with pictures, to people whose average age is about 10?
Defense Against Zombies
Short of shotguns, try martial arts when you next meet a zombie. Self-defense moves. I got the hang of a few of them, like thrusting a palm up at a zombie's nose to disrupt its sense of smell or taking out a zombie's legs with one blade, then taking out the head with the other in a fluid movement.
Take preventive measures, too, as you would in any emergency: Stock up on nonperishable food, water, flashlight batteries, first-aid kits, bleach. Especially bleach: There's nothing better for disinfecting zombie bites.
Greer wrapped up his instruction with what I think was supposed to be inspirational advice: "You don't want to be eaten. But you don't want to become a zombie either. A zombie isn't that person anymore. It's like being brain-dead. So don't be too sentimental."
Leaving, I felt considerably more confident in my zombie-fighting prowess. When the next workshop rolls around on Oct. 6, I encourage all who wish to feel the same to attend: www.jingying.org.


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There isn't anything cooler than Legos, am I right? We've known about LaCie's Brick Hard Drives Enclosures for quite some time now. Buy.com has a 300GB LaCie Brick external hard drive for $120 after $40 of instant savings. Use Google Checkout to pay to receive an addition $10 off. Shipping is free. You'll be the envy of everyone in the office (or your kids) with this external HDD.
Product Page [Via Dealhack]


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Q: Is there anything I should do for my pond/lake to prepare it for Spring? – Dan in Illinois
Breaking the Ice on Your Spring Pond Projects
With the sun shining brighter than ever and the snow finally disappearing, most of us pond guys and gals are itching to throw on our waders and dive into our ponds — figuratively of course.
As the Saying Goes, "An Ounce of Prevention…"
Ok, so none of us really want to spend our spring and summer in waders pulling weeds and tending to unruly ponds. So what can you do to ensure your Winter/Spring transition is smooth and enjoyable? As the saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is especially true in the months to come. Following some easy procedures will keep those waders in your closest and a smile on your face.
Do Your Pre-Spring Cleaning
Walk around your pond and pick up any debris that has made its way into your yard and around your shoreline. If left to sit, this clutter will turn into a food source for algae in the spring. Cut back any weeds or unwanted vegetation growing around the pond while it is still dormant, keeping it from taking over your pond as the temperatures rise. Now is also a great time to inspect and clean your aeration system cabinet and, if the ice has already melted in your pond, the plates as well. This would be a good opportunity to move the plates back to the deeper areas of your pond for summer aeration, if you happened to move them to shallower areas during the winter.
Shaken, Not Stirred
With all of the dye, beneficial bacteria, and occasional algaecides we've added to our ponds over the seasons, you just may be qualified to tend a tiki bar at your pond. While your PondClear™ and EcoBoost™ get the back shelf for the winter season, you should be adding dye to your pond year-round as algae can still grow under a layer of ice in the colder months. If you have not been doing so, add your dye now to reduce the amount of sunlight available. Preventing algae growth now will keep you from fighting an algae bloom in the spring. Your PondClear™ and EcoBoost™ treatments should continue once the water temperature is above 50º F. For those of us who suffer from Duckweed, as spring approaches, you will want to have your Sonar™ A.S. on hand and ready to apply come mid-April so it has a chance to go to work and prevent weeds from growing throughout the season.
Take Inventory
Kris Kringle is not the only one checking his list twice over the winter. Pond guys and gals everywhere should be checking their remaining ClearPAC® and necessary weed control products and replenishing these items for the upcoming season. Inspect your tools and decoys to make sure they are in working condition. With everything in working order and ready to use, you are now ready for anything spring sends your way. All that's left to do now is enjoy your pond!
POND TALK: How do you break the ice on your Spring pond projects? What do you have planned for your pond or water garden this season?
Filed under: Duckweed, Pond & Lake, Pond Clear | Tagged: Algaecide, beneficial bacteria, Clear Pack, clearpac, cutters, Decoys, Duckweed, Dye, EcoBoost, fluridone, Mechanical Weed Control, Pond Clear, pond dye, Predator Control, rakes, sonar a.s., sonar as, Spring Cleanout, Tools |


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Seattle Area Meetup?
Seattle Area Meetup?
I would be up for that. Would be nice to meet and see the other S's in the area.
Yes, I'd be interested in a meetup!
Sounds good. Maybe details could be posted in the Washington State thread?
That would be fun, once I get my Model S!
I would love to meet up.
I'm in. There was one at XXX rootbeer in Issaquah in October that I missed. Start a post in the Washington members forum and we can get a time/place setup.
Im in too;delivery projected at end of Feb
Sure, I guess
Won't be getting mine until Mar/Apr but I would love to see existing ones in person until then!
Count me in. I was at the airport over the weekend for a couple of hours & parked right next to another S plugged in on Level 5 - would've loved to say 'hi'
For late Feb...sure, I'm in.
That would be great! Mine's due Jan. 20-Feb. 2 or 3.
I'd be in if you allow non Model S owners but a future GenIIIer and current stock holder.
I am interested, hope you don't mind a share holder who plans to buy a P 85 in a year or two.


text: Value-priced Vista and Direct X 10 Ready Graphics Card - Efficient Cooling Fan: Dissipate the heat quickly- Support single dual-link DVI outputs- Full support for Microsoft DirectX10 and Shader Model 4.0 Shop Modal header Value-priced Vista and Direct X 10 Ready Graphics Card ASUS Exclusive Innovations ASUS Features Efficient Cooling Fan: Dissipate the heat quickly ASUS Splendid: Watching movies on PC is as good as on Top-of-the-line consumer television (under winXP/2000) ASUS Gamer OSD: Real-time overclocking, benchmarking and video capturing in any PC game! ASUS Video Security Online: Keep an eye on your home at all times no matter where you are ASUS Smart Doctor: Your intelligent hardware protection and overclocking tool. (light version) Graphics GPU Features NVIDIA® GeForce 8500GT Built for Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Full support for Microsoft DirectX10 and Shader Model 4.0 enables stunning and complex special effects OpenGL®2.0 support NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology - Essential for the Ultimate HD Movie Experience on a PC NVIDIA Quantum Technology - Advanced Shader Processors architected for physics computation I/O SpecificationsPCI-Express TV-OutHDTV-out DVI-IDual VGA


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Overall, we like the Compass. If you're looking for a comfortable and affordable crossover SUV that can also get you out and into nature, the new Compass works well. -Edmunds
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|Phaidon International
US-FL, Quality Assurance Vice President (Global/Latin America) 452431237604-MZ
|My client, a global leading biopharmaceutical company, is looking for a Director or Vice President of Quality Assurance LATAM who will be responsible for leading the companies Global Quality & Compliance systems.
The company is a widely recognized biopharma that is famous for serving patients with severe and rare disorders through innovation and development of life changing products. The selected individual will be recognized as a global leader and figurehead as they will be the primary Quality contact in Latin American and other locations in the region.
The Director/Vice President of Quality Assurance will have the following responsibilities:
-Ensuring organization is kept informed of new or emerging GMP and regulatory changes in LATAM
-Act as Quality Liason between local operational groups and Corporate Quality Functions
-Lead review and implementation of Quality Improvement/Remediation plans
-Analyze and communicate Quality and compliance risks
The ideal candidate will have the following skill set:
Please visit our website at www.phaidoninternational.com


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Wearing yesterday's outfit. Refusing to look away from the screen. Irritability. Power cord-possessiveness. Fake-listening to your IRL friends. TV characters suffering from Internet addiction are just like you and me!
Even in 1996, when it was but a pale glimmer of its current self, we were already well-acquainted with the Internet's strange and seductive ways. [LaughingSquid]


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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Novak Djokovic won his 19th consecutive match at Melbourne Park to keep alive his bid for a third successive Australian Open title, beating fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals Tuesday night.
Djokovic has now reached the semifinals at an 11th consecutive major, second only to Roger Federer's streak of 23.
The top-ranked Djokovic will next play No. 4 David Ferrer, who came back to beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in five sets.
Djokovic has beaten Berdych in 12 of their 13 encounters, his only loss being in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2010.


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Polifact Georgia tickled by Elmo, truthiness
Move over, Elmo. After last week's outbreak of truthiness, no one can be more tickled than PolitiFact Georgia.
Partisans were on target about subjects as disparate as county budget cuts and "Sesame Street," which launched the career of the Muppet that inspired the Tickle Me Elmo doll. They even fared well on the contentious issues of illegal immigration and abortion. The sole exception was President Barack Obama on Social Security checks.
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Track Changes In Word 2010 Document
Track Changes feature allows MS Word to keep track of the changes you make in a document. It is also known as redline, or redlining. Its real usage can be seen when, two or more persons need to edit the document. In that case, you would like to know which changes have been made to it or which content is deleted, inserted,or formatted. Through this feature you could track almost every change that has made to the document. This post demonstrates how to make Microsoft Word 2010 track the changes.
Launch Word 2010, create a document on which you want to apply track changes. For instance, we have a document on which we need to observe changes users have made to it.
To start off with it, navigate to Review, and from Track Change click Change Tracking Options.
You will reach Track Changes Options dialog, here you can play with loads of options to mark the changes in desired way.
Under Markup, you can change the marks which will show for; Insertions, Deletions, Changed lines, and Comments. You can also associate different colors with each of them.
Under Moves, enable Track Moves options to make Word track movement of content, here you can customize the way Word shows any recent movements, you can observe it, if content of the document is Moved From and Moved to somewhere, by selecting different colors. From Table cell highlighting, you can observe changes, if someone insert cells and delete cells in the table, select different colors for respective actions.
If you want to track changes for formatting, enable Track formatting option from Formatting, select type of formatting you want to observe and select a color to distinguish formatting change from other track changes. Under Balloons, you can choose different options for noticing any changes to Print & Web layout. If you want to force orientation of the page, select Force Landscape as shown in the screenshot below.
Navigate to Review tab, and from Show Markup drop-down menu, you can enable multiple options to keep track changes against them. For example, if you want to observe any changes regarding insertion or deletion of content, then disable all except Insertions and Deletions.
Now on Review tab, click Track Changes to make Word start tracking the changes.
As shown in the screenshot below, when someone will delete the line, Word automatically strike-through the line and change the font color as specified, on inserting any line, color will change to red. On changing the font, a balloon will be appear at the right margin of the window as configured in Track Changes Options dialog.
If you want to see the old version of the document, or revert to the original document, click Original.
Original document will appear (before any changes).
You will also be interested in our previously reviewed guides on How to use Mail Merge in Word 2010 & How to disable protected view in Office 2010.


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It's Here.February 21, 2005
The wait is over.
Our author copies showed up today; the Zen of CSS Design is now an actual book, with real words and pictures and everything. Pretty crazy, really, to see the last six months of work packaged up into a neat ~300 page package.
The good news is that while the author's copies just showed up, it would appear they were shipped when the books were sent to the distributors. Amazon is sending out shipping notices already, and those who have design work featured in the book have even started receiving their copies. Jon Hicks and Egor Kloos both saw the finished book before I did, in fact (albeit by only a few hours).
This is all I know at the moment, so hold onto the email for now until you hear from whoever you pre-ordered with. Any further communication should be directed their way anyway, since it's thoroughly and completely out of our hands now. Thanks for your patience, it's finally happening!
Congrats! Off to amazon I go…
Excellent, been waiting for this! Thanks for your hard work.
Fantastic and congratulations. I'll be getting it just as soon as I can.
Wow! I can smell the pages! ;) Congratulations! I am heading to Amazon to get my copy! :)
Sweet, I pre-ordered mine a week ago from Amazon. It's got a delivery estimate of March 1 - 5, but that's because I used super slow-mo shipping cause I'm cheap like that.
Can't wait, I hope it's as good as the rest of New Riders' stuff.
Finally [pre]ordered my copy, I cannot wait to get it. Thanks Dave for the great book…I *know* it will be great.
Congratulations to both of you. I'd certainly buy it, but I'm kinda saving for a powerbook.
Can we expect "More Zen of CSS Design" in about a year and a half?
Dave: now that you have it in your hands, is there anything that you would have changed?
This is one book I can't wait to get my hands on.
Congratulations man!!!
Mine should be on its way then… woo hoo!
Does anybody know about how fast one could expect to get the book delivered if ordering right now from Amazon? I ordered the same day the book was released and according to the system it's not expected to be shipped until the end of April, I hope this isn't true.
When I e-mailed Amazon today and asked about it they answered:
"Our latest information indicates that "The Zen of CSS Design : Visual Enlightenment for the Web" has not yet been released and the expected release date is not known. As soon as a release date has been determined for this item, we will add that information to our web site.
While we are confident that copies will be made available, we cannot provide more precise information about the fulfillment of the order. …" (And then they split my order for free so that my other books wouldn't have to wait.)
There's some more discussion about this at Molly's blog: http://www.molly.com/2005/02/21/and-now-for-a-little-zen/
Looks fantastic, Dave! Excellent work. Can't wait to get a copy.
Congratulations Dave, Look forward to reading it :) and its looks yumm!!
Awesome. Just awesome. I can't wait to get this. It will go perfect on my desk next to my new Cinema Display :)
looking good! and trust malarkey to get a nice look in on the screenshots :-p
that means my copy will be swimming its way over the atlantic as we speak…can't wait!
My first ever order from amazon, and a great order, might I add. :)
Congratulations Dave!
Wow. Yey. I've been waiting for this all month. I remember February launch date and have been checking Amazon and another site daily to see whether it's being shipped yet. Now off I go to order it.
Big congratulations Dave on a beautiful product.
It's great to see a new trend emerging in publishing exemplified by yourself and people like David Eggers - http://mcsweeneys.net/ - that reverses the existing publishing paradigm for magazines and books.
Can't wait to get my copy from Amazon
Congratulations Dave! I can't wait to get my hand on it :)
Got my order in a week or two ago, can't wait to get ahold of the copy!
I'm going to order a copy for myself as soon as possible. I've never brought any Web-Design related books, this will be my first. I'll be looking foward to it.
Congrats! I think I'll have to read this one. It was the CSS Zen Garden that originally got me interested in webdesign. Looking forward to it.
Congrats Dave, it looks great. I'm sure it reads great too.
I've ordered a copy and am really looking forward to reading it. I haven't been this excited since Real World Camera Raw! :)
I've got mine on order. Can't wait.
Congratulations. :)
If you wanna get a copy shipped within 24h then go to: http://www.peachpit.com/title/0321303474
CSS ZEN garden so makes me jelous. I must get this an become as good as yinz guys/girls whatever. GOOD WORK ON EVERYTHING ON THAT SITE. Im gettin' the book asap.
Congratulations.. Yet another book I have to buy..! Great!
Yippee! Mine's on it's way from the publisher - can't wait!
I pre-ordered last November and I'm willing to read it (but Amazon didn't notify the shipping estimate to me, in Brazil)!
Congratulations again, Dave.
Thanks Dave for getting this book out. Having a website that promotes web standards is one thing, but doesn't quite work when you're trying to convince other co-workers (developers) on why they should use standards. I know it seems that by now everyone would have heard of the garden… but now that the book is officially out, folks roaming around at borders and barnes & nobles will have a gander through your book as well.
It will be nice to have something to physically hold in my hands to make my case (for standards).
Although it will be fun when we can say "remember when they had to publish an actual book on why we should use styles to design our websites…."
well… it had to happen. Congratulations to you. I'm sure it will be a great success.
Many Blessings,
I'm a student in multimedia and my professor teach the web with standards. I pre-ordered your book and i hope to control much more the power of CSS!
Wow looks really nice… nice work Dave (and not forgetting Molly!)
/me pops over to amazon for another lol…
Amazon.com wants ~$26 which is about £13 with the poor excahange rate atm. (which says not published yet) however amazon.co.uk wants 29.99 (which says 4-6 ways delivery)
Hell, amazon.com it is then! even with $8 shipping, its still £12 less!
Hi there, I've been long-time reader but it's my first comment.
I am really looking forward to reading your book.
Best wishes.
I'll be purchasing it if only for the layout/design & pagination of the book itself.
Looking forward to it.
Sorry thats £29.99 vs $26.00
…I really must slow down and triple check what I write!
Well done, it looks great!
Pre-ordered on Amazon UK, Delivery estimate: 3 May 2005 - 5 May 2005
Not only Egor and Jon were lucky, I got mine yesterday morning. I am a bit of a sourpuss in the morning, but this one clearly made my day.
Kudos to you Dave and Molly for creating such a thrilling piece of work. It was an honor being a part of it!
Congratulations on the book! But one question before I order it, what are the contents of it? Is it a collection of designs or does the book also show CSS tips and tricks? I can't really see it in your pictures..
I'm going to buy it regardless but I'd like to know whether or not I can advice my colleagues to buy it, as they are more interested in CSS than designs.
It looks gorgeous.
Congratulations to everyone invovled!
The book looks awesome! I just ordered it on Amazon, but it said it is not shippping until April 29! Whats up with that???
Awesome site! Congrats…
I just ordered your book through Amazon. Your work has been inspiring.
Mazel tov.
Now, did what happened to me happen to you? You opened the book at a random page and the very first thing you saw was a mistake?
I'll have my nose in this book for the next few months most likely, thank you for your wonderful work.
$26.39 at amazon.com (about 14.50 GBP)
29.99 GBP at amazon.co.uk (about $53)
Twice as expensive :( Nevermind, i'll still buy it though
Ooh, 26 GBP at compman.co.uk with free delivery!
Great to hear that the book has finally been published! I've been waiting for this puppy for months. I pre-ordered on February 2 from Amazon.ca and received an auto-confirm that shipping would occur on February 22. Still hasn't shipped yet, but I'm hoping that the wait will soon be over. The book, like the garden, looks beautiful!
Great news. I preordered mine over a week and a half ago and have a shipping date of Feb 28 - Mar 2. I can't wait.
Congrats Dave. I can't wait to start reading :)
Ordered mine tonight. :)
I'm getting myself another one! I'm greedy like that ;)
The book covers quite a bit more than I thought it did when I first looked at it. I've already been using the book as a reference when discussing design issues; "Look that's how they did it!"
That simply looks so awesome!
Some day I'll get enough money, and then I'll immediately buy it!
your pictures got a brother salivating…ima get it just for the coffee table…here i go!
That may be a very useful book for me.
First off: congratulations!
But I was wondering wether every Zen Garden entry could have nice
permalinks such as http://csszengarden.com/026/ etc. A little bit of
mod_rewrite htaccess magic could do this trick."
Aye! Mathias has a good idea. What about something like:
Options +FollowSymLinks
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^([1-9])(/)? index.php?cssfile=/$1/$1.css
I'd love to, I just haven't concocted the right regex yet. This was my best guess:
RewriteRule ^/([1-9]{3,})$ index.php?cssfile=/$1/$1.css
No go. (Random Person: yours doesn't work either.) So if someone can email me the proper regex and any other mod_rewrite voodoo I need to change this:
or this:
into this:
or even this:
Then I'd be more than happy to implement it.
Congratulations on the new book Dave!, those pictures look great, I will get my copy asap :)
Hi Dave,
You *very* nearly had it. The problem was that you were searching for numbers 1-9, so that excluded 0s. I have also slightly changed it and added the forward slash to be optional.
RewriteRule ^([0-9]{3,})(/)? index.php?cssfile=/$1/$1.css
Feeling a little overwhelmed, dismayed and humbled by the fact that I've been designing web sites for a few years now and had somehow missed the development of CSS layouts (whilst staying at home to look after my now 2 year old boy in the most isolated capital city in the world, so hopefully understandable!), the first book that I'm going to purchase on the subject is "The Zen of CSS Design".
I came across the site a few weeks ago and was blown away by the whole concept. When I discovered there was a book I thought "I want this". And now, seeing the beautiful layout and reading great reviews, I know "I need this!". Congratulations, I'm sure it will bring me up to speed with the rest of the world again.
My copy finally arrived this afternoon and I can't wait to start going through it. Visually the book is stunning. I often visit the garden and as I was thumbing through the book, I kept saying to myself 'Hey, I remember that design'.
I plan on keeping this book next to the laptop so it is in easy reach at all times. Congratulations and thank you for putting the garden in a form that can travel with me.
The first wait is over. Amazon has just shipped it!
Now it's two or three more weeks: International Shipping (averages 7-11 business days)
Amazing work on the Garden, looking forward for my copy of the book to arrive. I hope soon that I'll muster enough courage to submit my own design for the zen garden. Congrats Molly, Dave, and the rest of the team. You've got a lot of well wishers that you probably never imagined! Along with all the other great web designers, your work is truly inspiring.
Great, i'll have a copy in my lap before Easter :).
Today Amazon updated the availability of the book:
"Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours from Amazon.com"
Once I saw that I immediatly ordered it!
good luck with the book, Dave….
btw, just got email from Amazon…. they shipped it yesterday…too bad I have to wait not less than two weeks to get it here
Finally! One copy now ordered from amazon.com - awaiting it in my mailbox within a week or two. Really looking forward to read it! From what i've heard/seen it really is worth those USD 26 or whatever i paid for it.
So far I have 5 people here who want a book, and I will order on sunday, and hopefully it will be 6 books by then. So, thank you, and thanks Molly! =)
Dude sweet! I got it right away from peach presss. It is a super informative book. Lots of color and insight to the workings of some of the greatest themes in that site.. I wish I would have gotten my design in now :( :D
After much anticipation, my copy arrived in the mail today! I'm really impressed with the layout (the book itself is beautiful), and from what I've read so far, this book is going to be on my desktop for a long time. Congratulations, and thanks for all your efforts!
Just ordered mine yesterday, looking forward to it!
I cant wait to get my grubby little hands on this book! Im actually really excited to get this in the mail and spend some late nights digesting every little bit of print from it.
Amazon UK is now shipping the book.
Mine was shipped 4 hours ago (ordered months ago). I can only assume they'll be shipping all of the others out now too :)
Looking forward to the book, thanks! :)
Ordered the book yesterday - was finally available on chapters.ca!
It just got here today. Thank you so much, the book is beautiful.
My copy arrived in the post yesterday - it's fantastic - thanks soooo much. Pierre
Mine shipped march 15; it landed in my mailbox a good week later.
Been reading quite a bit during easter; I'm roughly half-way and loving it! Very pretty and informative.
Beautiful, instructional, and inspirational… This should probably be the second or third CSS book you buy once you buy a tutorial and/or a reference guide.


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Upper Allegheny Health System Names McCune as Board Chair
Posted on: 02/29/2012
Daniel McCune, president and CEO of Allegheny Bradford Corp, has been elected chairman of the Upper Allegheny Health System board of directors. McCune was originally appointed to the Bradford Regional Medical Center board of directors in 1999. McCune succeeds David Prince, founder and president of Databranch, Inc., an information technology solutions provider located in Olean, NY. Prince joined the Olean General Hospital board in January 2003, and has served as chairman of the board of directors for Upper Allegheny Health System since its inception in 2009.
Other officers elected at the annual meeting of the Upper Allegheny Health System board of directors include:
- Vice Chair, Brenda McGee; senior vice president, finance and administration, St. Bonaventure University
- Treasurer, Martin Digel; president and CEO, Hamlin Bank and Trust
- Secretary, Muhammed Javed, MD; physician, Bradford Regional Medical Center/Olean General Hospital
Re-elected to serve on the board of directors during the annual meeting were the following; Livingston Alexander, PhD, president, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford; Thomas Buffamante, partner, Buffamante Whipple Buttafaro, PC; and Edward Sharkey, retired district attorney, Cattaraugus County. Jeannine Shoenecker, president and chief operating officer, American Refining Group, Inc., was elected to serve on the board for her first term.
Upper Allegheny Health System is the parent company of Bradford Regional Medical Center and Olean General Hospital.Back to archive
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It would have been a beautiful reunion story. Last year, Penny Lawrence, 28, set out to find her birth father whom she had never met. From her home in Ireland, she was able to track Garry Ryan, 46, down in Texas. They met, connected ... and then connected a little too much. She's now pregnant with his baby.
It is beyond disturbing and completely and utterly unfathomable to me that something like this could happen, but they act as if it's the most natural, beautiful thing in the world. They say they're in love and deny that it's incest. Instead they say they are victims of Genetic Sexual Attraction. Lawrence told The Sun:
We are not committing incest, but are victims of GSA. We've never experienced a father-daughter relationship, so we're just like any other strangers who meet in adulthood.
Only he's your BIOLOGICAL FATHER. You are not like strangers at all. This attraction may or may not be a real thing, I don't care. Even if you're attracted to someone, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SLEEP WITH THEM. Keep your feelings repressed and move on.
Ryan told the paper:
It's no different than if I met Penny in a bar. I'd have fallen for her as I have now. It doesn't feel like we are doing anything wrong.
Only it's illegal ... and disgusting.
I'm sure it's tough to grow up without a father, but it still doesn't excuse or explain such a relationship. Apparently Ryan tried to marry Lawrence's mother when she first found out she was pregnant at 18, but he says her family "disapproved of the relationship and didn't want me around." Sounds like they were smart people.
If there wasn't a baby involved, I would be more willing to turn a disgusted blind eye to the whole mess, but when you bring a child into it, it's just flat-out wrong. They are clearly not mentally stable enough to serve as parents to this child, and I hope someone intervenes to see that they don't.
Do you think this father and daughter should be allowed to raise their child, who is a result of incest?
Image via Hafdis H/Flickr


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Episode 3 is out. Seriously Adult Swim, give this guy a series already.
For more Click Here.
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Schismatic Pandemonium
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Your Money: The New Year's resolution you can't live without
It's the time of year for making New Year's resolutions. I'm not a huge fan of them, but if there is no other message I can spread across this world, it is that every family needs to take certain steps to protect themselves for the future and there's no time like the present to get started. Fail to file a tax return and you may pay some penalties, but fail to prepare a will, trust and other documents that dictate your desires, and it's simply too late when the time comes.As I've said many times, I'm not an attorney and this should not be considered legal advice, but rather a wake-up call from a friend. Whether you have kids, parents, or a pet, there are certain documents that you should have in place to ensure that your wishes are put in place at the time of your death. In a future article, I'll go into the difference between a will and a trust, but for the purpose of this discussion, we'll look at a basic will and the accompanying documents.All too often, I meet people who don't have a will because they find it too difficult to make tough choices. But, regardless of how tough these decisions are, it's better to make the choices yourself than to let the courts decide. If you die without a will in place, the court system will have the ultimate authority as to who will raise your children and how to divide your money and property. All it takes is one estranged relative to step up and swear an oath that you had promised them everything, and the court battle can become lengthy with a less than ideal resolution.So, what does it take to do a will? Hiring an attorney is always your best bet, but if that is the only thing stopping you from drafting the document, then you can visit online sites and prepare one yourself. A basic will has a few standard documents, including the will itself which details out who inherits your property and you who choose to raise your children. Other documents are the living will, financial power of attorney, and health care proxy. The living will is a list of your desires as to how you want your family to make decisions if you become terminally ill. The financial power of attorney and health care proxy are documents which specify who can make your financial and/or medical decisions in the event you aren't able to.The most important thing to know about a will and other documents is that any decision you make can be changed. So, don't hesitate to draft the documents just because you are concerned that the decisions will be permanent. There is no doubt that the right answer for your family may change at different stages in your life, but one thing is for certain, it's always better to have the proper documents in place than to avoid the difficult decisions and let the court decide for you. Whether you are starting from scratch or just revisiting planning you started years ago, there's no better time than now to make sure you have your affairs in order.Michele Knight, owner of Knight Accounting & Technology, is a CPA and QuickBooks ProAdvisor based in Dillon. For more info and to contact her, visit http://www.cpamichele.com.
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Submitted by Mark McHugh from Across the Street
What The Silver Vigilantes Understand That You Probably Don't (Arithmetic, Human Nature and other Stuff)
Sorry about the insulting headline, but every last shred of evidence I can find suggests that the most people remain utterly clueless about silver, despite the efforts of the silver vigilantes, led by Max Keiser and Mike Kreiger. Their brilliantly simple plan (go get some physical silver) promises to topple the criminally insane fraud that has become US economy. It doesn't require politicians or regulators to lift a finger either, you simply take advantage of what is undoubtedly an artificially low price. I can completely understand anyone who is skeptical of that last statement; I'm sure you've been burned before, but that doesn't mean you should stop seeking truth.
Part 1. A little math.
I'm not sure when performing basic arithmetic made you a conspiracy theorist, but here we are.
The 2009 World's population was about 6.8 Billion. According to the Silver Institute, total silver supply in 2009 was 889 million ounces. That means there was .13 ounces of silver produced for every human being on the planet. That looks like this:
Yep, your fair share of Worldwide silver production is a little less than the silver content of two pre-1965 dimes. That's all. A bargain at about four bucks when you consider the amazing properties of this element. FYI: World oil production per capita is 190 gallons.
…represents more than ten years of worldwide silver mining production divided by 2009 population. Less than $35, and hell of lot easier to transport than 7,600 quarts of Quaker State. Please note that so-called "World production" includes government sales and scrap. Government sales and "scrap" have accounted for more than 25% of "World Silver Production" from 2000 to 2009. I'm not sure I believe that one out of every four ounces of silver gets recycled, but understand that without that bonus production, demand exceeds supply by 37%.
Part 2. Who needs silver?
Just about everybody, it turns out. Sadly, another way to get yourself labeled a conspiracy theorist is by reading government documents like the Constitution, or the Department of the Interior's 2009 U.S. Geological Survey which states:
The physical properties of silver include ductility, electrical conductivity, malleability, and reflectivity. The demand for silver in industrial applications continues to increase and includes use of silver in bandages for wound care, batteries, brazing and soldering, in catalytic converters in automobiles, in cell phone covers to reduce the spread of bacteria, in clothing to minimize odor, electronics and circuit boards, electroplating, hardening bearings, inks, mirrors, solar cells, water purification, and wood treatment to resist mold. Silver was used for miniature antennas in Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFIDs) that were used in casino chips, freeway toll transponders, gasoline speed purchase devices, passports, and on packages to keep track of inventory shipments. Mercury and silver, the main components of dental amalgam, are biocides and their use in amalgam inhibits recurrent decay.
Yet you can actually find dunces out there claiming the digital cameras have made silver obsolete. You should live so long…
Fun Fact: Silver (not gold, copper or anything else) is the element with the highest electrical conductivity.
Part 3. People lie…..
"…I want to make it equally clear that this nation will maintain the dollar as good as gold, freely interchangeable with gold at $35 an ounce, the foundation-stone of the free world's trade and payments system."
John F. Kennedy, July 18, 1963
"That we stand ready to use our gold to meet our international obligations–down to the last bar of gold, if that be necessary–should be crystal clear to all."
William McChesney Martin, Jr. (Federal Reserve Chairman) December 9, 1963
Lesson: When someone says you can exchange paper for precious metals – make the swap before they change the rules.
Since the invention of paper, people have been writing bogus notes, and if there are two time-tested methods to become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, they are: 1)Selling stuff that doesn't exist and 2) Selling stuff you don't actually own. Unless you believe there has been a sudden outbreak of integrity in the banking industry, there's no reason to believe these dynamics are not still in play, is there? As recently as 2007, Morgan Stanley settled a class-action lawsuit with 22,000 clients who bought and paid storage on "phantom" silver (check out the Ted Butler article Money for Nothing).
At today's prices, a million dollars in gold weighs less than fifty pounds, but a million dollars in silver weighs more than 2,300 pounds! So ask yourself, how many rich people are storing their own silver? How many hedge funds hold physical silver in their own storage facility? Or have they entrusted the storage to the big banks?
JP Morgan is the custodian of the ishares Silver Trust (SLV), which now holds over 350 million ounces of silver, provides sovereign and corporate investors with precious metals solutions (JP's website), and is the largest short seller of silver in the history of the world. Berkshire Asset Management's Eric Fry writes:
Based on some of the latest conjecture, Morgan's short position totals a whopping 3.3 billion ounces. If, therefore, the buzz about J.P. Morgan and silver is even half true, the prestigious investment bank could be cruisin' for bruisin'.
For perspective, 3.3 billion ounces is roughly equal to:
1) One third of all the world's known silver deposits;
2) Two times the world's approximate stockpiles of silver bullion;
3) Four times the annual mined supply of silver;
4) 30 times the inventory of silver at the COMEX.
If you can, forget about the conflict of interest, and ponder the enormity of the explosion.
Part 4. A little more math.
Estimates of total silver production since the dawn of man range from 46 to 53 billion ounces (roughly 11x gold production), but unlike gold, we've used pretty much all of it (although squandered might be a better word). It's in our cemeteries (fillings) and scattered throughout our landfills. There hasn't been a significant surplus since 1990. Ted Butler and others estimate that there is far less silver bullion in the world than gold bullion and they back up their case with numbers that the paperbugs have never even bothered to refute. So why does gold trade at more than 45 times the price of silver? Because JP Morgan, the US government, and every other psuedo-capitalist parasite wants it that way. But that's a truth for another day.
Part 5. Other things you should know.
The Treasury has sold 34 million one ounce American Eagles so far in 2010. Those sales total less than one Billion dollars. Apple (AAPL) trades about that much every hour the market is open. Meanwhile the Treasury has issued more than 1.5 Trillion in new debt (1,500 times more) in 2010. Just for fun, let's multiply 1500 by 34 million. A transaction of that size would have equaled every last bit of silver ever discovered at $30 an ounce. Yet you can actually find people who believe silver is the bubble.
Treasury doesn't make it easy to buy silver. They'll sell you bills, bonds and notes directly online, but not precious metals at anything close to market price. The mint only does business with 11 Authorized Purchasers (a list can be found here), Why the lack of savvy?
China can blow up the COMEXs silver market in the blink of an eye, at any moment. They can do it with their pocket change, as a goof. And if we piss them off enough, they will.
Part 6. So what's silver worth.
The short answer is: more. If silver were priced based on its occurrence relative to gold, it would be over $125/oz. If it were priced on its availability – somewhere around $2,000. But if you are content to let the likes of Blythe Masters dictate the value based on truckloads of worthless paper promises, you can expect ultra-low prices until the whole thing blows up. Of course at that point, we'll be so busy killing each other for food no one will have time to say, "I told you so."
The silver vigilantes just want you to re-learn what the phrases like, "cold, hard cash," and "payment in full" are supposed to mean. There not asking you to sink everything you have into physical silver, just a little. Silver can't be printed into oblivion, or stolen by a cyber attack. Why wouldn't you want to own some of your very own?
A paper dollar from 1960 is worth exactly the same as a paper dollar in 2010, but four quarters from 1960 are worth more than $21. Given the fiscal insanity of the US government, I can't imagine the US dollar surviving another 50 years, but I'm quite sure that silver will still be useful. Please consider getting some while you still can.


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Nico Rosberg drew first blood for Mercedes in the new Formula One season with a dominant Australian Grand Prix victory yesterday after pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton and world champion Sebastian Vettel retired with reliability problems.
Vettel's early exit ended the Red Bull driver's record run of nine successive victories racked up since August last year.
While one German smarted, another celebrated as 28-year-old Rosberg capitalized on a brilliant start from third on the grid, snatching the lead before the first turn and roaring to a 24.5-second victory ahead of Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
On an overcast day at Albert Park, Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen shone with a brilliant third-place finish for McLaren, emulating Hamilton's first effort for the British team at the same Grand Prix in 2007.
The result meant all three men on the podium had beaten world champion teammates in a stunning triumph of the underdogs.
Rosberg, tipped to duel with teammate Hamilton for the championship, celebrated his fourth race victory and first since last year's British Grand Prix, when he was also the beneficiary of technical mishaps to Hamilton and Red Bull's Vettel.
"Brilliant stuff, what a car you've given me! What a car!" the thrilled German said over the team radio after crossing the line.
The gaping margin of victory underscored Mercedes' superior preparations for F1's technical revolution, which saw all teams struggle during winter testing with the new V6 turbocharged hybrid engines.
The glitches continued as only 14 of the 22 cars finished on a gusty day at the bumpy street circuit which was doused by a brief rain shower early in the race.
Hamilton, who snatched pole position at the end of a wet qualifying session on Saturday, noticeably lacked power on his start and was called in by his team to retire on the third lap.
Mercedes later clarified his car had suffered a misfiring cylinder.
"We will recover from this, it's only a small hiccup. There's a long way to go still," Hamilton told Sky television. "At the moment I'm not concerned about anything."
Twelfth off the grid, Vettel also struggled at the start and retired only a few laps after Hamilton, complaining of engine performance problems.
Ricciardo, who replaced compatriot Mark Webber at Red Bull after crossing from sister team Toro Rosso, thrilled home fans by taking his maiden podium spot in his first race with his new team and drove with admirable composure after being challenged by Magnussen over the closing laps.
Magnussen's podium was the first by a Dane in Formula One and McLaren's first since 2012, the 21-year-old outshining 2009 champion teammate Jenson Button, who finished fourth in front of Ferrari's two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
Williams driver Valtteri Bottas finished sixth for his best F1 result after an outstanding race from 15th on the grid, having also overcome a punctured rear tire after brushing a barrier. His eight-point haul was more than his team scored in all of last season.
However, his new teammate Felipe Massa was unable to add to the tally, having been taken out of the race at the first turn by Caterham's Kamui Kobayashi.
The Japanese ploughed into the back of Massa's Williams, enraging the Brazilian and prompting an investigation.
Kimi Raikkonen's eighth-placed finish behind Force India's Nico Hulkenberg capped a frustrating return to Maranello for the 2007 world champion, who started 11th on the grid after a crash during qualifying.


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Oct. 23, 2005
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Former Santa Clara star Aly Wagner registered an assist as the U.S. Women's National Team rolled over a talented but physically overmatched Mexican Women's National Team 3-0 in the final match of 2005 for the reigning Olympic champions.
The USA finished 2005 with a record of 8-0-1 and did not allow a goal during the calendar year. Abby Wambach scored twice against Mexico, upping her career total to 49 goals in 62 games, while U.S. captain Kristine Lilly opened the scoring with her 105th career goal, tying Michelle Akers for second on the all-time U.S. scoring list.
The U.S. peppered the Mexican goal with 28 shots, scoring three times in the first half, but could not find the net in the second. Mexico played some excellent possession soccer, but could not solve a U.S. defense that has also shut out Germany, Canada and France this year.
"We're happy they didn't score any goals on us," said U.S. head coach Greg Ryan. "For us, that is a big thing; shutting teams down, not allowing any chances. We gave Mexico a good chance in the first half and we were a little lucky to keep that record going. I'm very happy to get eight wins and no losses with a very young team."
The USA opened the scoring in the ninth minute when right back Cat Reddick hit a very high cross into the penalty area from deep on the right flank. Forward Christie Welsh ran under the ball at the far post and attempted to one-touch a pass back into the middle. The ball deflected off the shin of a Mexican defender and rolled right into the path of the crashing Lilly, who pounded the ball into the net from eight yards out as she was upended by a Mexican defender.
The USA had to wait 25 minutes for its next goal, which was created by 20-year-old forward Heather O'Reilly. The University of North Carolina junior, who now returns to the Tar Heels for the stretch run of her college season, sent a delicate chip into the middle of the penalty area from the left flank. Wambach out-muscled Elizabeth Gomez to head on the ball into a vacated net as charging Mexican goalkeeper Sophia Perez was late to the ball with her punch attempt.
Wambach's head also provided the third goal just six minutes later as she jumped over Rubi Sandoval about seven yards from the net to power home Aly Wagner's corner kick from the left side.
Wambach had a handful of good chances to record her hat trick, but couldn't find a way past Perez the rest of the game.
For the second match in a row, Ryan started Amy LePeilbet in the center of the defense alongside Kate Markgraf, with Reddick on the right and Heather Mitts on the left. Aside from some flair from Mexican forward Monica Ocampo, the U.S. defense kept the Tricolores in front of them the entire afternoon.
It was the feisty play and shifty dribbling of Ocampo, by far Mexico's most effective player, which created most of the Mexican attack. She fired four of Mexico's eight shots and actually had one of the best scoring opportunities of any player against the USA this year. In the 29th minute Mexico burst forward on a counter-attack leading to Ocampo getting behind the U.S. defense. She found herself in a one-on-one with U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, only to fire just wide right of the net from about eight yards out.
Second half substitutes Carli Lloyd and Shannon MacMillan had quality scoring chances late in the game. In the 87th minute, Lloyd sprung MacMillan free in the right side of the penalty with a short pass, but her shot was kick-saved for a corner kick by Perez.
One minute later, Lloyd had two chances of her own, shooting as she drove into the right side of the penalty area. Her first shot was saved as she was shouldered to the ground, but almost scored a spectacular goal when she hit the rebound first time after quickly popping up, only to have that shot saved as well.
Ryan used all six of his allowed substitutes, and at the end of the match, there were only two players on the field who had played in the 2004 Olympic gold medal match -- Lilly and Markgraf.
Solo picked up her seventh shutout of the year to run her personal shutout streak to 639 minutes. She made five saves while smoothly handling several driven crosses from the Mexicans.
Lloyd was injured just seconds before the final whistle as she fell on her left wrist while firing a shot over the Mexican goal and had to leave the match.
Mexican head coach Leo Cuellar gave 22 minutes of play to 14-year-old forward Veronica Corral, who played in the middle of the second half before coming out. She is believed to be the youngest player ever to play against the full U.S. Women's National Team.
Match-up:USA vs. Mexico
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.
Date: October 23, 2005; Kickoff - 1 p.m. ET
Attendance: 4,261
Weather:Cool, cloudy - 72 degrees
Scoring Summary:
USA - Kristine Lilly (unassisted)9th minute.
USA - Abby Wambach (Heather O'Reilly)34.
USA - Abby Wambach (Aly Wagner)40.
USA: 18-Hope Solo; 4-Cat Reddick (23-Tina Frimpong, 46), 14-Amy LePeilbet, 15-Kate Markgraf, 2-Heather Mitts; 7-Shannon Boxx (12-Leslie Osborne, 71), 10-Aly Wagner (5-Carli Lloyd, 46), 13-Kristine Lilly (Capt.); 19-Christie Welsh (8-Shannon MacMillan, 46), 9-Heather O'Reilly (16-Tiffeny Milbrett, 66), 20-Abby Wambach (6-Danielle Fotopoulos, 76).
Subs not used: 1-Jenni Branam.
Head Coach: Greg Ryan
MEX: 12-Sophia Perez; 2-Elizabeth Gomez, 3-Rubi Sandoval, 4-Monica Gonzales, 5-Jessica Romero (14-Isabel Mendoza, 69); 11-Luz Saucedo, 13-Nancy Gutierrez (18-Veronica Corral, 57, 16-Connie Villapando, 79), 6-Monica Vergara, 8-Rebecca Juarez (7-Evelyn Lopez, 46); 9-Guadalupe Worbis, 21-Monica Ocampo.
Subs not used: 1-Pamela Tajonar, 15-Lulu Gordillo, 19-Tania Morales.
Head Coach: Leo Cuellar
Statistical Summary:
Shots: 28 / 8
Shots on Goal: 16 / 5
Saves: 5 / 8
Corner Kicks: 10 / 1
Fouls: 8 / 7
Offside: 0 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
Referee: Rachel Woo (USA)
AR 1: Kim Oberle (USA)
AR 2: Karalee Sutton (USA)
4th Official: Jeffrey Muschik (USA)
ussoccer.com Woman of the Match: Abby Wambach


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- World Cup
Suarez 'making good progress'
Luis Suarez has stepped up his recovery from a minor knee operation, but Uruguay remain reluctant to comment on when he will be fit for the World Cup.
The Liverpool striker underwent keyhole surgery on the meniscus in his left knee on May 22 but on Monday returned to the national team's training complex to continue his rehabilitation.
Uruguay's first match at the World Cup is against Costa Rica on June 15 before they face England in Sao Paolo on June 19, and team medic Dr Alberto Pan said there was no reason for Suarez not to be named in the final squad for the tournament.
"There is not much information, he is following the scheduled plan,'' Pan said. "He is making good progress and within 10 days (of the operation) he is in the (national team training) complex.
"Today he will have more demands, we will do double time (training sessions) and on successive days elements will start with more demanding workouts without impact. I cannot advance the days (until Suarez is fit), he has to have a positive experience with smaller loads before moving forward.
"But the evolution of Luis allows us to be optimistic and his nature also helps. He has all the psychological and physical conditions for a successful recovery but the only certainty we measure is progress.
"From a medical standpoint Suarez is not ruled out and therefore is in the final list. We told (national team coach Oscar) Tabarez there was no contraindication to be listed. We have an optimistic view on everything that is happening.''


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Find more garden information
How many times have you seen a bee in your garden, buzzing from one snapdragon or squash blossom to another? At each visit the bee almost disappears into the flower as it uses its long tongue to lap nectar hidden deep within the flower. When it backs out, tiny bits of pollen are stuck to its hairy body.
Gardening for pollinators allows us to understand and appreciate a part of nature we usually don't notice: the insects. Once you start paying attention, you will find a whole world that is even more complex, fascinating and important than any of us realize.
Through simply looking for food, thousands of species of bees and other insects and animals help plants to reproduce. Of the estimated 240,000 flowering plants worldwide, 91 percent require an insect or animal to distribute their pollen in order to set fruit and seed. That includes one-third of all crops grown for people, including citrus fruits, almonds, berries, squash and cotton.
Most people recognize that bees are important pollinators. But that's not all. Many species of butterflies, bats, birds, moths, flies and even mammals are also pollinators. They are so essential to reproduction that most of the world's plant life could not exist without them.
Despite the critically important service they provide, pollinators have been taken for granted and they are in jeopardy. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, we are facing an "impending pollination crisis," in which both wild and managed pollinators are disappearing at alarming rates.
In the U.S. the number of honeybees has decreased by 25 percent in the past decade due to a parasitic mite. Meanwhile, wild pollinators are threatened by habitat loss, pesticide use and disease—just as researchers are learning how valuable and efficient many of these pollinators are.
You can help improve the plight of pollinators, starting in your own backyard. Imagine a patchwork of pollinator gardens all across the country—building diverse communities of beneficial insects.
Flowers inspire people. From the tulipmania of 17th century Europe and obsessive orchid collecting two centuries later to the millions of avid gardeners around the world who now spend every moment of spare time tending their flowers.
But while some of us live for flowers, they certainly don't exist for us. They exist to lure pollinators—the bees, butterflies, flies, bats, birds and many other animals that facilitate sexual reproduction.
Flowers are the reproductive organs of a plant. When the insect lands on the flower and searches for nectar and pollen to eat, tiny pollen pieces on the anther—the male part of a flower - stick to the body of the insect. When the insect goes to another flower, some of that pollen sticks to that flower's stigma—the female part of the flower. That pollen then fertilizes the ovules which leads to seed production.
Over the last 100 million years, flowers have evolved an extraordinary range of strategies to facilitate the work of pollinators, from color and scent to petal design and bloom time.
Lilies have ridged petals to guide bees to the nectar-rich center; concentric rings on blanket flowers create a target focused on the nectar; zinnias and butterfly weeds have flat topped clusters of flowers to attract butterflies; delphiniums have a special petal that serves as a landing platform for bees.
Let's look more closely at one example of an insect and flower partnership: monkshoods (Aconitum spp.) and bumblebees. Monkshoods are entirely dependent upon bumblebees for pollination. They are also beautifully adapted to a bumblebee's needs.
As the name suggests, the petal-like sepals of each monkshood blossom form a hood-like cover concealing two long spurs with huge nectar-filled nectaries at the end. These nectar loads can only be reached by the long tongues of bumblebees. And when the bumblebee enters the blossom, it must walk over the male (pollen covered anther) and female (sticky stigma) parts of the flower. Without a visit from a bumblebee, monkshood would be unable to set seed and reproduce.
Look closely at some of the flowers in your yard and see if you can see the specialized ways in which the flower attracts pollinators.
More information: Attracting Butterflies, Hummingbirds and Other Pollinators.
Thousands of different species helps plants pollinate, from bees, butterflies and ants to bats and birds. Listed here are some of the most important pollinators in the U.S. and the ones you are most likely to see in your backyard.
Bees are the world's workhorse pollinators, with over 40,000 different species worldwide and 4,000 in the U.S. alone. They carry and deliver pollen grains to more flowering plants than any other group. And bees are well adapted to this task. Their hind legs are hairy to hold pollen. Some species also have special sacs on their legs which hold pollen.
Bees are able to visit dozens or hundreds of flowers in one day searching for nectar and pollen. They are especially attracted to brightly colored yellow and blue flowers with a sweet fragrance. Bees will land on tube shaped flowers and crawl inside.
While honeybees are the best-known bee, most pollination is actually done by wild solitary bees, like mason bees, that do not live in hives.
Honeybee (Apis mellifera) The honeybee is a European species of bee that was introduced to North America in colonial times. Today, U.S. beekeepers tend over 3 million colonies of honeybees. Those honeybees are generalists, which means they visit many different kinds of flowers, from fruit trees to clover.
Bumblebee (Bombus spp.)The large bumblebees you see flying in the early spring are queens just out from hibernation. They have emerged from their long underground hibernation and are feeding and looking for an underground cavity to nest in. Later in the summer, you will see the worker bumblebees out foraging.
Unlike honeybees, bumblebees are capable of something called buzz pollination. This is when the bee lands on a flower and vibrates very quickly, stimulating the anther to release even more pollen.
Mason Bee (Osmia spp.)Mason bees can be found throughout most of the United States. They are solitary and nest in hollow stems, woodpecker drillings and insect holes in trees. They are common near woodlands, in towns and suburbs and are excellent pollinators of many plants.
Squash Bee (Peponapis spp.)Squash bees are well-adapted specialists. For example, the hoary squash bee depends entirely on squash and pumpkin. These bees are solitary and nest in burrows in the ground that approximately 10 inches deep and about the diameter of a pencil.
Butterflies are some of the world's most beautiful pollinators. In the U.S. there are about 700 different species. Butterflies love brightly colored yellow and pink flowers and those with flat-topped clusters of flowers that they can land on. They have a long proboscis which they will use to probe deep into flowers searching for nectar.
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)Perhaps the best known butterfly is the monarch. The larval sate (a green and yellow striped caterpillar) feed almost exclusively on milkweed, although the adult butterflies visit many different kinds of flowers. Monarchs migrate each year between the U.S. and Mexico and so there are many vital pockets of habitat along their migration route.
Zebra Heliconian Butterfly (Heliconius charitonius, sometimes called a "longwing")Unlike most butterflies, zebra heliconians feed not only on nectar, but are also able to collect and consume pollen with their proboscis. They digest the pollen, and absorb its proteins. This extra nutrition allows the adult to mate, lay eggs and survive for as long as 6 months.
Flies pollinate a huge variety of flowers, including many common garden flowers. Many syrphid flies visit tiny flowers.
Syrphid Fly (Syrphidae spp.) In order to avoid predation by birds, many species in this family have evolved to look and even behave like bees. These flies are present throughout the growing season but are particularly common in the spring and fall.
Moths are less showy than butterflies, but even more numerous with 10,000 different species in the U.S. Unlike most other pollinating insects, moths are active primarily at night. They are attracted to white or light colored flowers with a strong, sweet scent, such as nicotiana, datura, moonflowers and various yellow evening primroses.
Hawkmoth (Manduca spp.)Large hawkmoths the size of hummingbirds pollinate jimsonweed—the largest native flower in the U.S.—at night.
Hummingbirds are the most spectacular of the common pollinators, with their often iridescent plumage and spectacular flight displays. Hummingbirds are most attracted to nectar-rich red tubular flowers.
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)The tiny ruby-throated hummingbird weighs only a tenth of an ounce, but can consume 50 percent of its weight in nectar a day.
Bats are the world's most important pollinating mammal. While most bats in the U.S. feed on insects, there are several species in the southwestern U.S. that feed on fruit and nectar and are vital pollinators of desert plants, especially cacti.
Lesser Long-Nosed Bat (Leptonycteris curasoae)
This bat is one of the primary pollinators of the magnificent saguaro cactus. The migrating bats pollinate the cactus flowers as they feast on nectar. Later in the summer, they eat the fruit of those same plants and help disperse the seeds. This bat is only about three inches long, but its tongue can be as long as its body.
Last updated: 3/11/19
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The main speaker is D. Joshua Taylor. Josh is a nationally known and recognized genealogical author, lecturer, and researcher. Previous speaking engagements include RootsTech, the Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conferences, the National Genealogical Society Annual Conference, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh. He has been a featured genealogist on NBC's Who Do You Think You Are? and is the Vice President of Administration for the Federation of Genealogical Societies, where he chairs the Conference Planning and Long-Range Planning Committees. He has published articles in American Ancestors, UGA Crossroads, FGS Forum, Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and New England Ancestors, and was a columnist for Digital Genealogist.
Event HighlightsFriday -
- Plenary Session by D. Joshua Taylor
- 10 Breakout Sessions
- 5th Annual MGS Awards Banquet
- Ask the Genealogist: Q&A
- Special Seminar (Separate Registration Required)
Saturday -
- 2 Plenary Sessions by D. Joshua Taylor
- 10 More Breakout Sessions
- Vendor Exhibit Hall, Door Prizes, Silent Auction
Special Discounts for Young Adults (under age 26)
(Friday-only and Saturday-only registrations also available)
Members of the Association of Professional Genealogists Northland Chapter will be on hand to help answer your genealogy questions.
Visit www.mngs.org to register and to see more details. The conference takes place at the Colonial Church of Edina.


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Starcraft RV is sponsoring the Long Road Home Project, an event in which five U.S. veterans bike 4,200 miles for 90 days across the country to raise awareness of the difficulties often faced by service people upon returning home. According to a press release, the trek will begin July 15.
Topeka, Ind.-based Starcraft, a division of Jayco Inc., is donating the use of a Travel Star 285FB travel trailer that will accompany the riders and people aiding them as they cross the country. The Travel Star travel trailer spans a length of 28 feet and offers spacious interior space, sleeping up to six people. The trailer will allow the veterans on the Long Road Home Project journey the chance to recuperate and relax after their long days biking across the nation to achieve their goal.
These veterans, most all having served in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, face hardships in their lives due to injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the struggle to raise awareness about the difficult military experience. Their goal is to bring awareness to the hardship faced by veterans, particularly following their service to the country and the adjustments of returning home. Through this journey, the Long Road Home Project also hopes to raise $75,000 to ease the transition of returning soldiers and help veterans live full, meaningful lives.
For more information about the Long Road Home Project, visit http://longroadhomeproject.com/.


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Fashion Starts Here
Fashion can be both fun and sophisticated and no one knows that better than Newport Beach. Refined coastal spirit influences an unmistakable brand of California-chic. From the beaches to the boutiques, we invite you to experience our seaside city's unique culture of fashion.
Balboa Peninsula
Lido House delivers the ultimate, authentic beach house retreat. The property is ideally situated amongst the city's marina, beach and retail hub, the stylish coastal retreat is located in the heart of Newport Beach on Balboa Peninsula.
Newport Beach
Newport Beach Restaurant Week is a 14-day dining event that takes place on January 13-26, 2020. The event showcases Newport Beach as Orange County's premier dining destination offering diners a wide variety of culinary experiences.
Bring Your Pet
With your dog in tow, it is time for you to explore the beauty of Newport Beach! This beach city offers several pet-friendly hikes and parks for you to spend a leisurely afternoon while exploring the great outdoors.
Nékter Juice Bar takes pride in giving people an attainable source of good health both in product and in price. Each juice, smoothie, cleanse, and snack is all-natural, raw and vegan in form and delicious with optimal health benefits in taste.
Check out the Newport Beach Outdoor Dining Guide.
Stay connected to receive updates on upcoming events and special offers.


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While researchers expected that the pond turtle's eyes would operate like other animals with eyes on the side of their heads, this particular species of turtle appears to have characteristics of both front and side-eyed animals, affecting a specific eye muscle's direction of pull and the turtle's eye position when its peripheral vision is blocked by its shell.
|Michael Ariel, Ph.D., professor of pharmacological and physiological science, reported surprising findings about the eye movements of pond turtles.
Humans, and many mammals like cats and monkeys, have their eyes viewing forward. In contrast, most lower vertebrates, including turtles, have eyes that are lateral — on the side of their heads. Of the six muscles that move each eye, the muscles that move lateral eyes differ from the muscles of animals that move eyes viewing forward.
In an earlier study, Ariel and his research team made an unexpected observation that a nerve that moves one of the pond turtle's eye muscles, the superior oblique muscle, was active when that turtle moved its head from side to side, much like that of animals whose eyes view forward.
In the current study, Ariel, along with his Lafayette College colleague James R. Dearworth, Jr., Ph.D., and the research team, tested a theory that the pond turtle had characteristics of a front-eyed animal in three ways: physiologically, looking at the eye movement response to nerve stimulation; anatomically, examining how muscles were attached to the eyes and head; and behaviorally, examining eye positions.
And, indeed, the researchers found that a turtle pulls its eyes in different directions when its head is out of its shell compared to when its head is retracted deep within its shell. Because the pond turtle can pull its head entirely into its shell, resulting in an obstructed field of vision, it appears that this turtle has developed a way to compensate and direct its eyes forward to best examine its environment. Moreover, the superior oblique muscle may play a role in this behavior as its direction of pull is more like that of a front-eyed animal than that of animals with eyes on the side of their heads.
Eye movements are related to the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), a reflex whose brain pathways are also studied by Ariel. The VOR allows your eyes to adjust their position when you move your head. For example, when you turn your head to the right, your eyes move to the left to keep the image you're looking at within your field of view. The VOR also is a clinical test used to check eye reflexes in people. When this process is not working, people can experience vertigo, for example.
Ariel, who has studied pond turtles for 25 years, says they are unique among all animals because they block their peripheral vision by pulling their heads into their shell.
"Not all turtles can do this. A sea turtle, for example, cannot pull its head into its shell. We expected that pond turtles would be like other turtles and other lateral eye animals," said Ariel. "That wasn't the case. Surprising, their eye movements can also be like that of humans".
Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, liver disease, heart/lung disease, aging and brain disease, and infectious disease.


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A new website that shows movies containing step by step demonstrations of how to do a number of home improvement projects started in January.
The site is called www.easydiymovies.com and shows professionals doing home repairs such as floor tiling, replacing a door, replacing a toilet and so on.
The movies are thorough, explaining the process in easy to watch, simple terms.
It's a sort of do-it-yourself 101 showing the techniques that the pro's use so that in 5 minutes you can do the job yourself. Invaluable tips that make the job easier are interspersed in the programs.
The movies are well made and narrated to be easy to understand. And the concept is simple: just click on a picture of the project that you're interested in doing and you'll see a full demonstration of the job in movie form.
After watching one of the movies you'll be able to do the job, they're comprehensive and easy to understand.
One of the features of the site is that it's free, completely free, no teaser and then pay to join or any other catches, just click and watch a movie – free.
www.easydiymovies.com operates on funding from sponsors who receive light advertising within the movies.
They're easy, they're do-it-yourself, they're movies, and - they're free.