text: Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms in history, hit the Philippines on November 8, leaving behind a catastrophic scene: more than 5,000 dead, almost 24,000 injured and about 3 million people displaced. Recovery from the monster typhoon, locally known as Yolanda, will be long and difficult. If you're looking for someone missing in the Philippines, or if you have information about someone there, you can reach out to the ICRC restoring family links network or search the Google.org Typhoon Yolanda Person Finder. A Google crisis map has also been added to detail areas designated for relief. Charities and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world are responding to this disaster. Many are detailed below with how they're providing aid and how you can help them make a difference. Emergency support The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed rescue and relief teams to evaluate the damage in the areas devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. You can donate to the Philippine Red Cross by selecting the Supertyphoon Yolanda campaign on their donation page. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Red Cross networks from around the world are supporting the Philippine Red Cross. Many have created specific funds for this disaster, including the American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross and the British Red Cross. The Salvation Army is serving storm survivors, primarily with food, water and shelter. Emergency Disaster Service teams have been providing help since the typhoon hit, but are challenged by the lack of accessible roads to transport goods and medical supplies. The non-profit has set up a designated fund for Haiyan relief efforts, which you can access here. You can also make a donation by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) shipped a container of food, shelter, hygiene and medical supplies to the Philippines. The non-profit will also be providing "School in a Box" kits for temporary classrooms for displaced children through its ongoing partnership with UNICEF. You can support their efforts online or by phone at 1-212-687-6200. CARE's emergency response teams are coordinating with local partners in the Philippines to provide food, water, shelter and health care for those in need. You can support CARE's efforts on their website, or by phone at 1-800-521-2273 within the United States or +1-404-681-2252 outside the U.S. Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the U.S., is helping with water purification, shelter materials and essential living supplies. You can donate to the organization's efforts online or you can call 1-877-435-7277. You can also type in your phone number on the website and a representative will call you back to take your donation. Convoy of Hope's Global Disaster Response Team shipped containers full of food and supplies like hygiene kits and water filtration units to the Philippines. You can visit Convoy of Hope's website to donate funds to their efforts or call 1-417-823-8998. Mercy Corps is delivering food, water, temporary shelter and other basic supplies to devastated areas throughout the Philippines. You can support the organization by donating through their website, PayPal, or by calling 1-888-747-7440. Oxfam America aid teams are on the ground in northern Cebu, northern and eastern Samar and Leyte, in the Eastern Visayas region in the Philippines. They're working to provide immediate access to water and sanitation materials. You can support this effort by donating online to their Typhoon Haiyan Relief and Recovery Fund, or by phone at 1-800-776-9326. Adventist Development and Relief Agency's (ADRA) emergency response team is working in Manila and in the province of Bohol to provide food, emergency relief and medical aid to those in need. They have launched an emergency appeal that you can support online or by phone at 1-800-424-2372. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has an emergency team in Manila and launched a $10 million appeal in order to ensure immediate needs like safe water, hygiene and sanitation are met. If you would like to contribute to their efforts, click here. Operation Blessing International (OBI) deployed disaster relief teams in multiple locations following the massive devastation from Typhoon Haiyan. The organization is providing clean water and food, emergency shelter materials and medical assistance. To help the charity's mission, you can make a contribution on their website. Food and water The World Food Programme was already providing emergency food assistance in the Philippines following the October earthquake. With these emergency food stocks stretched thin, additional supplies are needed. You can help these efforts by donating online or by calling 1-202-747-0722 domestically or +39-06-65131 for international calls. Samaritan's Purse sent disaster relief specialists, including water and nutrition experts, to the Philippines to deliver immediate aid. They have launched the Philippines Emergency Relief fund for this disaster, which you can support online or by phone at 1-828-262-1980. World Vision is responding in the Philippines by first providing emergency food and clean water. They will also create child-friendly spaces and help families rebuild from this disaster. They have launched a Philippines Disaster Response Fund that you can support online or by calling 1-888-511-6443. Action Against Hunger is providing drinking water and survival kits containing buckets, soap and chlorine tablets. They're also working to distribute sanitation equipment to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. They're requesting assistance and you can help by donating online or by calling 1-877-777-1420. Half a million meals from Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) have been distributed to Typhoon Haiyan survivors. An additional 2.5 million meals have been requested by humanitarian organizations working in the region. To provide much needed food to people in the Philippines, you can donate to FMSC here. Water Missions International is working to provide safe drinking water for those in need around Cebu, Philippines, one of the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan. They're setting up water treatment systems and portable water chlorinators. Please donate online or call Water Missions International at 1-866-280-7107 if you would like to support their efforts. Shelter The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is working with the Philippine government to establish safe cluster zones for those displaced in the typhoon-affected areas. They're also distributing tents and housing essentials, including clothing, blankets and solar powered lanterns. You can help the UNHCR with an online donation or by calling 1-202-296-5191 domestically or +41-22-739-8111 internationally. ShelterBox was already in the Philippines providing shelter after the 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol on October 15. They are now expanding their operations to provide tents and essential equipment for families left homeless after Typhoon Haiyan. You can support their work in the Philippines either online or by calling 1-941-907-6036. Habitat for Humanity is providing shelter repair kits to help survivors rebuild their damaged homes. You can support this work by donating from the Philippines to their Re-Build Philippines Fund or from the U.S. by contributing to their Disaster Response Fund. You can also make a donation by phone at 1-800-HABITAT. Architecture for Humanity is working with local architects to identify the most critical rebuilding needs. You can support their Super Typhoon Haiyan Response online, by calling 1-415-963-3511 or by texting REBUILD to 85944 to make a $10 donation from your mobile phone. Medical assistance Americares shipped antibiotics, wound care supplies and pain relievers to the Philippines with more shipments planned. You can support Americares with an online donation or by calling 1-800-486-4357. International Medical Corps deployed medical professionals and water and sanitation experts to the island nation. The organization also recruited local medical volunteers to staff mobile medical units in and around the hardest-hit areas. The International Medical Corps team is focusing efforts on child and maternal health, medication, clean water, hygiene awareness and psychosocial support. You can donate to their Typhoon Haiyan Emergency Response fund online or by calling 1-800-481-4462. More than 1.5 tons of emergency medicine and medical supplies have been delivered to the Philippines from Direct Relief. The supplies include antibiotics, pain relievers, nutritional supplements, antifungal medications, wound dressings and chronic disease medicines. You can call in your donation by dialing 1-805-964-4767 or you can go online to support the organization. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders (MSF) have emergency teams in Cebu city, including medical personnel, logisticians and psychologists. They have brought tents, supplies of drugs, medical equipment and material to purify water, as well as essential plastic sheeting, cooking items and hygiene kits. Teams will monitor possible outbreaks of infectious diseases. You can make your donation by calling 1-212- 763-5779 or online. Doctors of the World dispatched a team of doctors and support staff to give immediate medical care to those in need. You can support them by donating online, or by phone at 1-646-307-7584. Heart to Heart International sent medical volunteers with emergency aid, hygiene kits and medical supplies. In addition to donations to their Disaster Readiness & Response Fund, they're looking for licensed medical professionals to volunteer in the Philippines. You can also help by preparing and shipping hygiene kits for those in need. Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) sent their medical team with aid including antibiotics, wound care and surgical supplies. You can support these efforts with a donation online or by calling 1-800-678-5659. Helping children The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is helping children and their families in the Philippines receive shelter, clean water, nutrition and vaccines. Their emergency response can be supported online or by calling 1-800-367-5437. You can also donate directly to UNICEF in the Philippines here. Save the Children is offering disaster relief support for children in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. The charity is providing relief material kits for children and families, which include toiletries, household cleaning items, temporary school tents and learning materials. You can support their Philippines Annual Monsoon and Typhoon Children in Emergency Fund online. You can also donate by phone at 1-800-728-3843. Emergency response teams from ChildFund International prepositioned supplies, including emergency kits and tents, and made arrangements with local suppliers to access food and non-food relief supplies. The organization is also setting up child- centered spaces where kids can feel safe. Donate to ChildFund online to help children cope and recover confidence after this disaster. Teams from Plan are also responding to the needs of children and their families. Their priorities are vulnerable youngsters and communities in rural locations. You can support their appeal on their website.


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Top 10 S Pen tips and tricks for the GALAXY Note 8.0
Get the most out the S Pen with renaissance-inspired advice
If Leonardo da Vinci had ever got his hands on a Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0 tablet, S Pen in tow, just imagine the kind of magic he would have been able to create.
The GALAXY Note 8.0 would have been as perfect a platform to create on then as it is now – provided (to add the obvious disclaimer here) that Leonardo was also able to fashion a means of charging his futuristic tablet, and learn its secrets, of course.
We can't help with the former, mainly due to our lack of time travel capacity, but we can help you out a little with the latter – after all, understanding secrets is what our feature is all about.
Tip 1 – Popup Note on the GALAXY Note 8.0
Named extremely appropriately, this great Note 8.0 feature opens a Post-it like Popup Note for your scribing pleasure.
Occupying the centre of your screen, whether you need to sketch your own Vitruvian Man or jot down a quick number, the Popup Note gives you a fair amount of space as well as a few brush and colour options to choose from, saving your doodle directly to your Note 8.0.
Opening up a Popup Note is as simple as holding down the S Pen button and double tapping the display. Alternatively, you can change your Note 8.0's S Pen settings to bring up a Popup Note every time you extract the S Pen from its moorings.
So whether you're a tech-genius or technophobe, gone are the days of scouring for a scrunched up bit of paper to take down a quick note.
Tip 2 – S Note Basics
If you're feeling more in the mood for a masterpiece than a quick sketch, Popup Note probably won't cut the mustard, but S Note will.
In its most basic form, S Note is a means of storing multiple digital notes and notebooks. Taking full advantage of the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.0's feature set, it also incorporates pressure sensitivity when using the S Pen.
The notes are heavily customisable, with multiple paper stocks, the ability to import images and a range of pens and brushes to choose from, so they are ideal for handwriting and sketching alike.
S Note is your stationery shop, your note pad and entire back catalogue of notebooks, all cleverly bundled together into a single app.
Tip 3 – S Note Advanced
The sheer number of things that S Note is capable of mean it's worth taking the time for a more in-depth look at the app.
We mentioned the range of brushes and colours, but you can also save your favourite pen or brush profiles, complete with thickness, opacity and colour. Pressing the S Pen button in S Note while hovering over the screen will even toggle through these brush profiles.
While picking your brushstroke colour is easy using the brush menu, the eye dropper tool lets you easily lift a colour from within the note, whether it's found within an imported image, or a brush stroke you created earlier, so you can always choose the perfect shade.
Shape Match even turns your rough lines and circles into perfect geometric markings, meaning that this app isn't just for notes and sketches, but is also perfect for basic technical drawings.
With Idea Sketch also providing incredibly smart clip art, an equation solving function and more, we're only scratching the surface, so the best advanced tip we can give you for S Note is simply to explore it for yourself.
Tip 4 – Pressure Sensitivity
Samsung's GALAXY Note 8.0 is pressure sensitive up to 1024 levels. This is the same degree of sensitivity modern-day da Vincis use when creating digital masterpieces on Wacom tablets.
This means the harder you press your S Pen on to the screen, the thicker the brush stroke in S Note will be, turning simple markings into nuanced sketches.
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By Tom Power

subset: commoncrawl


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I love Halloween for the fun you can have with the dark and macabre, shakes things up a bit. So with that in mind......
Happy Halloween everyone!!
I made a little present coffin box and dressed it up with a little shabby chic-ness, why not dress up dark and sinister ;). The coffin opens up and cackles at you, so I thought why not decorate it (it was just plain wood).
sprayed the entire box with 3 colors of Heidi Swapp Color Shine
(Georgia peach, Black Velvet, and Chartreuse). I layered the misting
(letting some dry before adding on another layer of spray), plus I also
added in some layers of Claudine Hellmuth Studio paint (in similar
colors of green, orange, and black). I then let it all dry before
adding on the Halloween Washi tape - Beware of what might lurk inside!!
you can see I used a stencil (you can special order items like the
stencils, paint, etc from Flamingo Scraps) to added a layer of Claudine Hellmuth gesso mixed with slow drying medium to create texture. After it all dried hard I sprayed with the color shine colors again. I
then added in my Prima flower cluster (some also sprayed with color shine to match - the black and green flowers are sprayed ones), and my cute little black spiders from my stash.
You can find most of these supplies over at Flamingo Scraps!!
Now to just enjoy the goodies inside - all while the little coffin cackles at you for eating your sweets!!
Wood Coffin - recollections
Flowers - Prima
Mist - Heidi Swapp
Mediums and Paint - Claudine Hellmuth
Spiders - recollections
Washi Tape - JoAnns dollar bin
Stencil - Studio Calico


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Color | Green, White, Yellow |
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If you want to receive a notification once your planned travel date is open for booking, feel free to use our Travel availability request form.
With tram you can have access to the downtown Prague and places, where the buses do not enter. The city center has the tram network operating during the day and night.
Night trams
During the night (from midnight until the 4,30 a.m.) there are transferring
tram lines from 51 to 59. Each stop has its schedule.
Connection to metro
The tram stop which is marked with the sign =M= means that
there is the possibility to get out and continue with the metro.
Tram intervals
The intervals are variable from 2 minutes to 20 minutes, depending on the
location, peak hours or weekend.
Prague tram schedule – enter the tram line no. & click "search" to see the timetable.
For more information, call the Prague public transit company +420 296 191 817 (daily 7am – 9 pm) or write a query.
The same type of ticket can be used for metro, trams and buses.
Passengers are obliged to buy a ticket before entering the tram and validate it right after getting on the tram. The tickets can be bought in the automatic machines or in any tobacco store. You can also buy tickets by SMS or use mobile application SEJF. There are uniformed ticket inspectors who have the right to check the validity of the ticket at any time inside the tram.
Short video showing how to move in Prague public transport
Buy Prague transportation tickets online
Book private transfer Prague Airport ↔ Prague
Find connection between two stops of Prague public transport
Prague – Map of tram and metro lines (PDF file, 80kB)
Prague – Map of night tram and bus lines (PDF file, 100kB)
FAQ – see frequently asked questions about train and bus tickets, taxi transfers and the public transport
Last update: 2024-02-20


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For a new version of this article, click this link:
Blessed Bernardo de Hoyos: Mystical same-sex marriage with Jesus
"The Mystical Marriage of Blessed Fr. Bernardo de Hoyos y de Sena, SJ"
Blessed Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos y de Seña is an 18th-century Spanish priest who wrote vividly of his mystical gay marriage to Jesus. He was beatified in 2010 and his feast day is tomorrow (Nov. 29).
Bernardo (1711-1735) was 18 when he had a vision of marrying Jesus in a ceremony much like a human wedding. He described it this way:
Always holding my right hand, the Lord had me occupy the empty throne; then He fitted on my finger a gold ring.... "May this ring be an earnest of our love. You are Mine, and I am yours. You may call yourself and sign Bernardo de Jesus, thus, as I said to my spouse, Santa Teresa, you are Bernardo de Jesus and I am Jesus de Bernardo. My honor is yours; your honor is Mine. Consider My glory that of your Spouse; I will consider yours, that of My spouse. All Mine is yours, and all yours is Mine. What I am by nature you share by grace. You and I are one!"
(quoted from "The Visions of Bernard Francis De Hoyos, S.J." by Henri Bechard, S.J.)
Bernardo's vision inspired artist-priest William Hart McNichols to paint an icon of Bernardo's wedding with Jesus.
"I was so taken with this profoundly beautiful account of Jesus' mystical marriage with Bernardo, including all the symbols of a human wedding," McNichols wrote.
Bernardo de Hoyos (Wikimedia Commons) |
Bernardo spent nine years in the Jesuit formation process and was ordained in January 1735. His pastoral ministry was cut short later that same year when he died of typhus on Nov. 29, 1735. Some call him a "boy saint" because he only lived to be 24. His dying words indicate that he felt the presence of his Spouse Jesus at the end. Bernardo's last words were, "Oh, how good it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!"
After his death Bernardo's reputation for holiness continued to grow, but church politics slowed his path to sainthood until recently. His beatification ceremony was held in April 2010 in the northwestern Spanish province of Valladolid, where Bernardo spent his entire life.
While the Catholic church refuses to bless same-sex marriages, the lives and visions of its own saints tell a far different story -- in which Christ the Bridegroom gladly joins himself in marriage with a man.
This article is available in Spanish at:
Beato Bernardo de Hoyos: El matrimonio místico entre personas del mismo sexo con Jesús (Santos Queer)
This post is part of the LGBT Saints series by Kittredge Cherry at the Jesus in Love Blog. Saints, martyrs, mystics, heroes, holy people, deities and religious figures of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and queer people and our allies are covered on appropriate dates throughout the year.
It is also part of the Queer Christ series series by Kittredge Cherry at the Jesus in Love Blog. The series gathers together visions of the queer Christ as presented by artists, writers, theologians and others.
Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Jesus in Love Blog on LGBT spirituality and the arts


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Want to Start a Car Rental Business Check Some Tips for Getting Rent Car
Can not be denied, the prospect of a car rental business is very tempting. The need for transportation facilities is increasing from year to year. In big cities a lot of new business actor popping up in this Car Rental business area. But many of the car rental business also fell one by one. Then, what do you need to know before running a car rental business?
Let's see some of the tips below so you can have an overview and consideration before running a car rental business!
Want to Start a Car Rental Business Check Some Tips for Getting Rent Car
1. See the market behavior in your city
In every city has different market behavior. For example the city of Surabaya, more market behavior to the corporate sector. Because a lot of big companies are located there. Certainly very different from the city of which is more focused to the tourism sector.
Here you should be able to see the market behavior in your city. Because of the behavior of these markets can be planned marketing strategies that are right on target. At the beginning, market research is needed. So your business trip will be focused on one mission that has been set.
Building a business requires time, energy, mind, capital, and strong intentions. So, for all these things are not wasted, there is nothing wrong if you do market research first.
2. Minimize the need for large capital
Want to Start a Car Rental Business Check Some Tips for Getting Rent Car
Capital has become a very important thing in the early establishment of car rental business. It is conceivable, to buy 1 unit of car cost 200M and above. Not yet other capital such as, operational capital, capital augmentation, and others.
We should be grateful, if there is no capital capital we still have capital intentions, time capital, energy capital, and capital courage. So, for business capital car rental business can we minimize with some of these ways.
1. For the availability of unit / fleet at the beginning of the business establishment, you can hold one of the major car rental in your city by offering cooperation unit. So, every customer who wants to rent your car can rent a car in your partner. Surely with a price below the market price. It is not easy to find a partner above, but still you need to try. Keep track of your track record, so your business partner will be more trust to cooperate with you.
2. Still in terms of fulfillment of unit / fleet needs. You can create a concept of cooperation, either with profit sharing system or with other systems. Offer relationships, friends, relatives, or other close people so they will work with you. create a concept where mutual benefit between both parties, and not incriminate one party.
3. If you have enough funds, you can buy in cash or credit. Here we need to say, if you buy the unit on credit please consider carefully and calculate your car loan repayment amount. In the beginning of business establishment, we recommend using 2 ways above. If the average monthly profit figure already visible, then you can calculate if you want to buy your own car, of course as an asset of your company.
4. For other capital needs, minimize as much as possible and more focus on the marketing side. if necessary you can position as single fighter first. If the business has developed, please build a team with responsibility respectively.
3. Create a website as your rental car identity
In today's modern era, the digital role is immense. The market prefers something simple, easy, and certainly cheap. Create a website where your potential customers can know where you are.
Lots of platforms you can use. Please search on google. There is a lot of information and guides to create a website. It can also minimize your marketing budget. May only require hosting & domain costs. Make it simple and friendly. So that prospective customers will be comfortable when viewing your car rental website.
4. Create a simple marketing strategy, to hook your prospect
Bussines Plan or commonly referred to as a marketing strategy is something that needs to be prepared in the early establishment of the business. After you do market research, of course you already understand your market needs. Please make a plan in marketing your car rental service. No need to make as detailed as possible, make it gradually. Create 1 plan, run it, and review the result. If you feel good please continue, if the result is bad just decline


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hey there readers. it's a beautiful saturday so let's get these links done so we can eat em!
ooh, beforehand I have a request. a challenege even.
on monday, july 25th, david letterman (CBS) is having the all american rejects play on his show. i don't have cable, or TiVO, or any way of capturing it. This makes me sad. So! If one of you guys can manage to get the show digitally, cut out the entire clip of their performance, and send it to me, then you'll get hooked up with a hackaday prize pack. courtesy of out of my wallet too mind you.
I <3 you for it. Plus, try getting the show off your Tivo, and onto your computer. That'd be pretty cool wouldn't it? Yeaaah. Just keep that in mind. You could win some prizes! In fact, it's 2:30pm almost. Let me go check my mail. Any envelopes that come today will get stickers!
Power hand washing! Nice idea! [trevor]
Floppy DIY motor. Amazing. I can't believe it was done. [pat]
Build a cheapy CNC machine for doing projects with. [modul8]
A pretty awesome algorithm used for converting your phone number into words! [imanuel]
mobilize your WRT54g. drive that sucka. [yasha]
what hackaday looked like in the 1980s. we were stylin'. [zelot]
i saw the island last night. it was a great movie despite that the trailer makes it look horrible. go check it out. it's like brave new world and THX 1138 combined sorta. also up, was the v for vendetta trailer…looks amazing. check it out right now.
2 more links.
#1. for a price, you can hang onto that WD-40 straw.
#2. even better phishing schemes are out now. watchout.


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As winter approaches and the weather gets cooler, now is the time to prepare your vehicle for the change of seasons. Just as vehicles need special preparation for the extreme heat of summer, so do they need extra protection from the cold, wet, and snowy weather of winter.
Now is the time to set aside an hour or so to perform the following simple car care steps; doing it now will give you peace of mind knowing you will avoid the stress of a breakdown on a wet or snowy day.
Battery: A fully charged battery in good condition is required to start an engine in cold weather. Extreme temperatures can take their toll on your battery's power, so if your battery is more than three years old, it may be time to consider replacing it before Jack Frost sucks the last of the life from it. Also be sure the connections are clean, tight, and corrosion-free to ensure full-strength winter starts. AAA members can request a visit from a AAA Mobile Battery Service technician who will test their battery and replace it on-site, if necessary. AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities can also test and replace weak batteries.
Windshield wipers: Wipers that are worn or torn, or that chatter and creak when wiping will be useless when the rain or snow falls. Replace them now to ensure clear visibility regardless of the weather. While you're at it, top off your washer fluid and add a de-icing solvent if you live in especially cold climates.
Tires: Check your tire pressure and tread depth. As temps drop, so does the pressure in your tires—typically 1 PSI for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Your vehicle's correct tire pressure should be listed on an informative tag within the driver's doorjamb; if it's not there, look in your owner's manual. Underinflated tires provide less traction, can reduce fuel mileage, can wear out prematurely, and can suffer compromised durability. Check your pressure at least once a month to ensure you're driving on properly inflated tires.
Depending on the conditions in your area, you may want to swap into winter tires; if not, ensure you have a safe tread depth for your road conditions. If rain and wet roads are a concern, you should consider replacing your tires when they reach approximately 4/32" of remaining tread depth. To check, TireRack.com suggests you place a quarter into several tread grooves across the tire. If part of Washington's head is always covered by the tread, you have more than 4/32" of tread depth remaining. If sleet, slush, and snow-covered roads are in your future, replace tires when they reach approximately 6/32" of remaining tread depth to maintain good mobility. To check, place a penny into several tread grooves across the tire. If the top of the Lincoln Memorial is always covered by the tread, you have more than 6/32" of tread depth remaining and should be safe for any sort of winter road conditions.
Emergency Kit: Keep an emergency kit in your car that contains such necessities as a bag of abrasive material like kitty litter or sand; ice pick, snow shovel and brush; flashlight with extra batteries; basic tool kit with screwdrivers, pliers, and wrench; warm-weather items like extra clothes, gloves, hats, and Mylar thermal blankets. Finally, make sure your emergency kit contains booster cables and is well stocked with first-aid essentials and non-perishable food items like granola and energy bars, water, and warning flares and reflective triangles. If you don't want to assemble one from scratch, Auto Club-endorsed emergency kits are easily purchased online through such retailers as Amazon.com
Take the time to check these items before winter weather arrives, and you'll have peace of mind while driving in it.
TrueCar Team member/Content Manager
Brandy Schaffels
Feel free to tweet me @TrueCar ^BS
*****New at the TrueCar Blog – If you like what you see, please SHARE IT, using our new Social Media Sharing option at the top of the page*****


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Feedback Form
Hayden's Aberfoyle Garage Inc. values your opinions. In order that we may respond to your comments, we recommend you provide all information requested on the Feedback Form. While these fields are optional, we'd still like to hear from you even should you choose not to fill all of them in. However, please understand that it may not be possible for us to respond to your concerns without the information requested.
The fields marked with (*) are optional


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Android device compaibility: Must be equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) and Android 4.4 or higher version system. Controller Max load: 3A per zone. (Each controller has 2 zones). Sensor wire input voltage: 12V. 4" x 2.33 x 0.73" (100 x 60 x 19cm).
2pc 2 in 1 LED Headlight Bulb Kit - XKchrome Smartphone App-enabled Bluetooth RGB Devil Eye + LED Headlight Conversion. Smartphone Bluetooth 4.0 app controlled via the Xkchrome App available for IOS/Android. Capture live colors with your camera. Sync lights to music, speed, acceleration, and more. Over 15 prebuilt holiday themes w/ DIY customize function.
The item "H4 Dual Function LED Headlight Bulbs + Color Changing Devil Eye Smartphone App" is in sale since Thursday, February 2, 2017. This item is in the category "eBay Motors\Parts & Accessories\Car & Truck Parts\Lighting & Lamps\Light Bulbs\LED Lights". The seller is "xkglow-led" and is located in Athens, Illinois. This item can be shipped to North, South, or Latin America, all countries in Europe, all countries in continental Asia, Australia.


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Weather service debunks rumors of giant snowstorm
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Meteorologists in the Midwest took to social media on Friday to quell rumors that a winter storm expected to move into the region next week could dump up to 30 inches of snow in some areas.
The National Weather Service's Indianapolis bureau said in Facebook and Twitter messages that predictions that 20 to 30 inches of snow could fall on Indiana and other Midwestern states next Tuesday and Wednesday "are EXTREMELY premature & improbable."
Meteorologist Mike Ryan said none of the forecast models he and his colleagues in Indianapolis have reviewed point to anything like a 2-foot or greater snowfall. He said the Indianapolis office sent the Twitter and Facebook messages because it and other Midwestern weather bureaus have been getting calls from people worried about dire storm predictions that are "rampant" online.
"We wanted to try to alleviate these rumors because the social media network is just kind of running out of control," Ryan said Friday. "Like we said, any snowfall amounts like those people are talking about would really be improbable."
Next week's storm has the potential to bring snow, sleet, freezing rain to Indiana and other states in the Ohio River Valley, but he said it's too early to predict how much will fall and where.
Ryan said that won't be known until early next week when the storm's expected track becomes clearer. Any snowfall projections now would be "highly speculative," he said.
AccuWeather meteorologist Randy Adkins agreed that it's too soon to know what the storm will bring, let alone how much it will dump as it scoots north and east across the central U.S.
"Thirty inches of snow for anyone with this storm system is pretty remote," he said.
AccuWeather's current models show the storm could bring significant snow to a swath including Kansas City, Mo., Des Moines, Madison, Wis., and Chicago. Areas to the south of that, including Indianapolis, appear likely to see a mix of snow, freezing rain and sleet because the storm will pull milder air northward.


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Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide a supportive environment that promotes active learning and encourages collaboration among members of our diverse community.
Toward this goal, we assist our students in achieving their academic, vocational, and personal goals through our academic-support services that include: student-centered peer tutoring, college and career success courses, workshops and peer-collaborative small groups; an open-access computer lab; and a grant-funded writing project.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of courses in the Learning Assistance Discipline, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate personal responsibility for learning.
- Apply study strategies to academic courses.
- Examine and demonstrate critical analysis techniques.
- Assess personal growth and values and apply them to lifelong learning.
- Apply computer and technology skills to facilitate academic achievement.
- Recognize and appreciate diversity in themselves and others.


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Circular reasoning
Circular reasoning is a form of proof by assertion, often used by Atheists and evolutionists in which one uses a conclusion of an argument as a premise to that same argument, that is, ending where it began. This is also known as petitio principii or begging the question. It is considered invalid and therefore is not permitted by the rules of formal logic. Nevertheless, circular reasoning is the current trend in science or rather postmodern science, respectively, when new discoveries are interpreted within the prevailing paradigms so as to appear to bolster it, especially by using the popular media.[1]
An example of flawed circular reasoning is to rely entirely on carbon dating to determine whether the Shroud of Turin is miraculous, as a miraculous imprint could have altered ordinary decay of the material.
An analysis
The simplest argument is a single inference, as per the Law of Detachment:
- If P, then Q.
- Therefore, Q.
The Law of the Syllogism uses Detachment to establish an intermediate conclusion between the original premise and the eventual conclusion. Thus:
- If P, then Q.
- If Q, then R.
- Therefore, if P, then R.
- Therefore, Q and R.
Contraposition uses Detachment in reverse to show that a thing is not true:
- If P, then Q.
- Not Q.
- Therefore, not P.
All these proofs start with a proposition already verified or denied.
This is the classic structure of circular reasoning, that is an abuse of the Law of the Syllogism:
- If P, then Q.
- If Q, then R.
- If R, then P.
- Therefore, Q.
- Therefore, R.
- Therefore, P.
Each of these three conditional statements would be valid by itself. Together, they create a flawed argument, because P now depends on itself to be true. The line of reasoning ends where it began, and is thus a circle. The only difference between this and proof by assertion is that the latter attempts to use a single conditional statement--"if P, then P"—while circular reasoning uses at least two, and typically three or more, syllogisms.
Circular arguments can be very difficult to detect. Circular arguments found in the professional literature, or in propaganda, typically use five or six (or more) syllogisms.
Every logical system must begin with a set of generally accepted assumptions called postulates or axioms (from the Greek αξιος or axios worthy or deserving). Similarly, any set of definitions must start with a set of fundamental terms that need no definition. An axiom is usually a fundamental property of nature upon which all agree. Persons attempting to show that something is a fundamental property of nature when it is not, or a value of that property that is contrary to fact, typically use circular reasoning to make such an attempt.
Begging the question
Begging the question is a form of circular reasoning in which a claim is automatically assumed to be true without evidence other than the statement or claim itself. The phrase is commonly confused with "raising the question," an error that has gained traction through incorrect popular usage.[2]
- Atheists use circular logic to "disprove" the existence of God. That is, they presuppose that God does not exist and then argue that all proofs for the existence of God must be flawed because He does not exist. Christians can use presuppositional apologetics to break the circle of the atheists' circular reasoning.
- Muslims also use circular logic to defend the Qur'an. They argue that the Qur'an is true because it is the Word of Allah, that it is the Word of Allah because it says so, and that we can rely on it because it is true.
- Mormons and certain Protestants use circular reasoning to prove that a Great Apostasy occurred early in Christianity, based on the assertion that their own doctrines represent New Testament Christianity and that Catholicism and Orthodoxy are clearly apostate, from the fact that Catholic and Orthodox doctrines are evident in the writings of the Apostolic and Ante-Nicene Fathers before A.D. 325 and so clearly refute the doctrinal claims of Mormons and Protestants against Catholicism. See Memory hole and Revisionism.
- "If such actions were not illegal, then they would not be prohibited by the law."
- Person 1:"He is very ugly."
- Person 2: Why do you say that?"
- Person 1: "Because he is so unattractive."
See also
- No true Scotsman, a specific example of circular reasoning
- ↑ Alex Williams, John Hartnett (2005). Dismantling the Big Bang. Green Forest, AR, USA: Master Books, 269. ISBN 978-0-89051-437-5.
- ↑ http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-beg1.htm


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Click to enlarge image
Lady Marion Mold Set 1840 Dress with Fitted Corsage
Buy this mold: Lady Marion Mold Set Lady Marion is a 24 inch doll. Both Fashion Dolls use the same body, arms and legs. The Head Molds are one piece down to below the bust. Their legs are porcelain up to and including the knee. His hand extends half way up to his elbow. She has full porcelain arms, joined just below the shoulder. She has beautifully molded shoulders with no seams, in order to use of-the-shoulder fashions. The Fashion Plate Collection was created for the doll maker who would like to achieve that total historical 19th Century Fashion Plate look with the stylized modeling of that period. Includes painting instructions and body pattern. Buy this Pattern: 1840 Dress with Fitted Corsage. Fits 24 inch doll.
French Fashion Body Fashion Plate Collection Titanic Era Collection
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- Description
Spinach has recently been the focus of seed breeder's attention as some of the old great, tried and trusted varieties have fallen from favour. They are just too prone to disease problems, in particular from new races of spinach mildew (Peronospora farinosa f.sp. spinaciae), which causes yellowing of the upper surface of the leaves, with mould underneath, and for the leaves to rot.
Older varieties also tend to bolt too early in warm conditions, they have narrower leaves and tend to have a stronger and more bitter taste. Older varieties were divided into spring-sown types which were not completely hardy, and summer-sown hardy varieties to stand over winter, the breeding of the newer varieties has blurred the boundaries as they are much more reliable. New varieties have been bred with broad resistance patterns, with greater resistance from going to seed and with good resistance to disease. These modern varieties tend to grow more rapidly and have less of an inclination to run to seed, and while this can still happen, the problem is not as great as with the old varieties. They have broader leaves and rounded seeds, they are less bitter in flavour too.
Spinach 'F1 Piano' is the latest in a series of modern, spinach varieties named for musical instruments. Along with 'F1 Clarinet', 'F1 Banjo' and 'F1 Harp' they are slow to bolt and have outstanding disease resistance, they form a highly productive, versatile range.
Spinach 'F1 Piano' is a modern variety with smooth, green leaves. A very erect plant with good uniformity. The leaves have an oval paddle shape, they stand nicely clear of cotyledons which enables easy harvesting. Colour is good mid green with very good leaf texture and excellent taste.
'Piano' is suitable for sowing from March to September, and October to December under glass, for baby-leaf production or for growing to maturity.
Highly productive, it is completely resistant to all races of spinach mildew and is very strongly resistant to bolting. With these properties it ranks among the most successful varieties for summer and autumn cultivation.
Sowings from April to September will give young and tender leaves right through the summer and into autumn. Spinach can also be sown from October to December with protection.
Sowing for Baby Leaf: Sow All Year Round
The best growing technique for spring and summer crops is to sow direct into prepared seed beds in the kitchen garden or greenhouse border. Grow at closer density for baby leaf. Tip a small amount of seed into your hand, take a pinch and spread thinly along the trench. Cover with soil, label and water. If birds are a problem in your garden, spread netting to prevent them eating the seed. Sow every two weeks for a continual supply of tender young leaf.
For autumn and winter crops, seed can be sown into pots or seed trays which can be grown on the kitchen windowsill or in a heated conservatory/greenhouse. Use a free draining compost, sow thinly and cover seed lightly after sowing.
From sowing to harvest can be as little as 21 days, harvest using scissors. Although re-growth can be harvested, it is better to sow little and often for continual supply
Sowing for Mature Crops: Sow April to September or October to December with protection.
Spinach germinates and grows well in cool weather. The optimum germination soil temperature is 21°C (70°F) and optimum growing soil temperature is 6 to 18°C (60 to 65°F)
For a summer crop: sow from early spring to the middle of June. For a constant supply, try sowing a new row every three weeks. For leaves to pick over winter, sow spinach in late summer and early autumn.
Spinach may be started in cells or flats indoors, three to four weeks before the last frost in spring. Or direct sow in the garden in spring as soon as the ground can be worked.
Choose a sunny or slightly shaded spot with moisture retentive soil. Dig the soil, remove big stones, weeds and incorporate plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure. Rake to a fine finish.
Make a trench 12mm (½in) deep with a garden cane and space seeds about 20cm (8in) apart. Cover, water and label. Subsequent rows need to be about 25 to 30cm (10 to 12in) apart.
When the seedlings are 2cm (1in) tall thin out to leave the strongest seedlings plenty of space to grow – spinach needs 30cm between plants. Keep free of weeds and water plants when dry. Every two weeks, add a high nitrogen liquid fertiliser to the mix.
Spring sowings should be ready to be picked in 40 to 50 days. Harvest in the morning. Take what you need by cutting leaves from the outside of the plant, taking care to avoid damage to the roots.
By picking often, plenty of new leaves will be produced.
Cropping can be prolonged by picking of any seed heads that may appear.
Rotation considerations:
Benefits all succeeding crops, but should not follow legume.
Good Companions:
Cabbage family, celery, lettuce, onion, peas, radish.
Bad Companions:
Other Uses:
Spinach leaves give shades of green when used as a natural dye
Health Benefits:
Extraordinarily high in vitamin C and rich in riboflavin, one portion of cooked spinach also contains a very high level of vitamin A, folate, magnesium, potassium, as well as vitamins E, B6, and thiamine.
The idea that spinach contained exceptional levels of iron originated in 1870 with Dr. E. von Wolf whose figures remained unchallenged until 1937, when it was discovered that the content was 1/10th the claim. The oversight resulted from a misplaced decimal point!
Spinach originated as a wild plant in Persia and East Asia and has been cultivated in China for over 2,000 years.
Catherine de Médici brought spinach from her home in Florence Italy to France after marrying the king, giving birth to the term 'à la Florentine', which is used to refer to any meal prepared served with spinach.
- Additional Information
Additional Information
Packet Size 2 grams Average Seed Count 200 Seeds Seed Form Natural Common Name Spinach. Baby Leaf, Micro Leaf Family Chenopodiaceae Genus Spinacia Species oleracea Cultivar F1 Piano Position Full sun to partial shade. Time to Sow Sow indoors: Sow 3-4 weeks before last frost onwards. Sow outdoors: Early spring through to early winte Germination 7 to 14 Days


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Two Little Fishies PhosBan 454g
PhosBan from Two Little Fishies is a favored chemical filter media because it will not leach substances back into your aquarium. Largest adsorption capacity of any phosphate filtering media. Ferric oxide hydroxide-based granules also adsorb organics and other pollutants. Use just like activated carbon; filter bag included. Non-toxic and lasts several months in typical aquariums. Great for saltwater and freshwater aquariums. For best results, use with a TLF Phosban Reactor 150 or 550. Size: 454g.


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Side Event
International Youth Initiatives for the Protection of Biodiversity
NAJU - German Youth Association for the Protection of Nature
Date and Time
18 October 2012 18:15 - 19:45
Eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 11)
Young people all around the world take action to halt the loss of Biodiversity. This side event will present outstanding projects and the work of youth organizations on the local, national and international level in all regions of the world. Participants will have the chance to discuss with young experts from youth NGOs about the importance of youth engagement on all level and what challenges youth organizations are facing when it comes to the implementation of successful projects and campaigns. The Side Event will include presentations from representatives from various youth organizations present at COP11.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Sony's Windows 7 virtualization switch-off (partly) reversed
Vaio buyer beware
Angry Sony PC customers who've splashed out nearly $2,000 on a new Vaio laptop should give up hopes of running Microsoft's XP virtualization technology in Windows 7.
The consumer electronics giant has said it will enable Intel's Virtual Technology (VT), which supports Windows XP Mode in the forthcoming Windows 7, only on selected Sony Vaio models in the future. The Z series Vaio - priced $1,719 - won't be one of the machines selected.
Until then, Vaio Z users join everybody else buying one of 10 Vaio PC brands that will also be incapable of running Windows 7's Windows XP Mode.
That means customers whose old Windows XP applications don't work with Windows 7 will find their software unlikely to run on Windows 7.
The news comes as Sony gears up for the Windows 7's October launch by pushing the combination of its PCs and Windows 7 on its site here. As an added incentive to buy a new Sony PC, new Vaios are eligible for a free upgrade to Microsoft's new operating system.
Sony squeaked out the policy news on VT support in the Vaio range after it took flack from customers who'd discovered not a single member of the currently shipping Vaio family supports Intel's VT, despite the fact VT is one of the features in the Intel Core 2 Duo mobile processor the Vaios use.
Sony has apparently deliberately blocked the BIOS in all current Vaios from working with hardware virtualization in the Core 2 Duo.
Senior manager for product marketing Xavier Lauwaert blogged that Sony had not enabled hardware virtualization due to "very little if any requests until recently."
He added Sony's engineers and QA people were: "Very concerned that enabling VT would expose our systems to malicious code that could go very deep in the Operating System structure of the PC and completely disable the latter."
Unsurprisingly, customers who've purchased Vaios ahead of Microsoft's planned Windows 7 release are now boiling. Many are demanding refunds while others are calling for a class-action suit against a company they claim has not been clear in its advertising given that the Vaio machines are unable to work with a core feature of the Core 2 Duo chips they ship with.
Tempers have been boiling over since Lauwaert wrote an otherwise fluffy post on Microsoft's official Windows blog that enthused about "leveraging" Windows 7 "on our platforms."
He was quickly upbraided in the comments section of the Microsoft blog, with Sony reamed elsewhere here and here.
Answering netizens in the same comments section, Lauwaert outlined the policy change on future Vaios. "With the advent of XP Virtualization, there is impetus for us to relook at the situation and I can share with you that we will enable VT on select models. Though, i fear t [sic] say that the Z series will not be part of our VT-enabling effort," he said.
Lauwaert didn't say when Vaios would ship with VT enabled or whether this would apply to all Vaios apart from the Z. Sony was unable to comment at the time of writing.
Thanks to Reg readers Andrew and Kevin for flagging this up. ®


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Even as CIOs continue to pursue the multi-provider model for outsourcing IT, the question remains as to how to do it successfully: amassing the necessary vendor management skills needed, avoiding vendor finger pointing, and achieving intended results.
There are a few options for managing a portfolio of providers. You can build your own provider consortium à la GM's Ralph Szygenda-an effort that's not for the faint of heart. Or you can go the traditional prime contractor with subcontractors route, but those margins on top of margins add up. Or you can hire someone-a service integrator-to manage it for you.
[ Stay ahead of the key tech business news with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: First Look newsletter. | Read Bill Snyder's Tech's Bottom Line blog for what the key business trends mean to you. ]
In the past such multi-sourcing management was the purview of full-service outsourcing consultancies. But today, many major IT service providers are nominating themselves for that job. HP made the biggest splash with the launch of its service integration business earlier this year. But they're not alone in going after the role of top outsourcer on campus. Capgemini, Accenture, CGI, Unisys, CSC, and Indian providers such as Infosys, Wipro and HCL all offer similar propositions, even if they don't exist as a separate commercial business or service offering.
"It is a matter of competitive necessity and advantage," says Forrester Research principal analyst Bill Martorelli. "Outsourcing suppliers have learned that it is good to have the capability to serve as a coordinator for multi-sourcing engagements."
Outsourcing management work provides the vendors with a more stable revenue stream than project work or consulting gigs, says Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Claudio Da Rold. And they can use the extra face time to win more work from the customer.
The biggest benefit to customers of anointing one of their outsourcers to manage the others is access to the qualified personnel and repeatable processes required to guarantee end-to-end service delivery.
"If [customers] haven't developed the proper skills, governance, or discipline around managing outsourced providers from an internal perspective, then an existing IT service provider may seem like a better option,"
says Steve Martin, partner with outsourcing consultancy Pace Harmon.
Anointing an experienced vendor top cop can also help companies transition to a multi-sourced environment for the first time or consolidate their existing portfolio of IT providers. Indeed, many customers end up backing into a service integrator deal with an outsourcer once they realize how tricky managing multiple outsourcers is, says Tony Filippone, executive vice president of research for outsourcing analyst firm HfS Research.
But the prospect that an IT outsourcer, put in charge of managing and reporting on direct competitors, might abuse or misuse that position puts many customers off. While HP, for example, is touting service integration as a separate offering from its IT outsourcing business, it's hard to know if such Chinese walls provide much protection.
"Part of the selling proposition for suppliers like HP that have established multi-sourcing as a separate service line is that they are facilitators of customer relationships with other suppliers, not inhibitors in the sense that they will actively undermine other participating suppliers," says Martorelli. "But I am not sure there is a real barrier between them or not. This remains a concern to some customers who wonder how it is possible that a service integrator would not think of themselves first."
"It is impossible for a company to know whether its services and service management activities are being handled entirely separate and free of bias," adds Martin. "While the managing provider organization may go to great lengths to establish an objective framework with high-integrity reporting and full separation of duties between the delivery and services management teams, it is very difficult to create real objectivity."
Then there's the issue of how much service integration should cost. "One of the limitations of the service integrator model is the fact that customers do not know how to pay for it or what it is worth in any intrinsic sense," says Martorelli. "Most often it is the case that customers pay for these services on the basis of the staff required to perform the service in one way or another."
Multi-sourcing integration can cost anywhere from three to 10 percent of the contract value of the deal, according to Da Rold. But a more effective pricing scheme for customers would be to create a mechanism for tying some relevant outcome or tangible result to service integrator payment.
"It's a choice out there to have them manage on your behalf to achieve certain outcomes, and certain customers will find it a good solution," Filippone says. "But in the end, it's a suboptimal solution."
Why? Because if an outsourcer claims they can come in and help you manage all those other providers so well, why not just have them take over the whole portfolio of services and remove a layer of overhead, Filippone suggests.
Da Rold and Martin advise outsourcing customers to retain as much of the multi-sourcing integration in-house as they can. "It's a very important role that ought to be part of the clients core competencies," Da Rold says. "Only if there are severe limitations-skills, ability to recruit, company culture, speed-[do] we recommend using a multi-sourcing integrator as a transformation engine toward [giving] a client better internal capability."
If a CIO has the luxury of building up a multi-sourcing scenario from scratch, says Martorelli, it might make sense to call upon an experienced provider like HP or Capgemini to set it up the right way from the beginning, if not keep them on board full time.
For those that are considering hiring an outsourcer as a service integrator, it's important to approach the selection diligently. Make sure you understand your supplier's real capabilities. "Insist on substantial interaction with reference clients, as multi-sourcing success stories are not that numerous in the industry at this point," says Martorelli. "Make sure to ask about the ability to integrate in services from the cloud. Cloud orchestration and IT service integration are on a collision course."
It's also important to put some governance in place to ensure objectivity. "If a company is planning to outsource its IT service management, it should establish specific controls around the division of responsibility within the provider company, as well as controls to test the veracity of reporting," says Martin. "Customers should setup objective incentives for both the provider performing the management and the providers being managed. These types of governance initiatives are critical for ensuring objectivity across the board."


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LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Multistate lottery winners in Michigan could remain anonymous under a measure being considered by the Michigan Senate.
The bill would prohibit the disclosure unless the winner agrees to it in writing. Lottery officials are authorized to disclose a multistate game winner's identity.
Sterling Heights Republican and bill sponsor Tory Rocca says winners should be allowed keep their privacy, particularly for their own safety.
Lottery officials say few states require anonymity and identifying winners is important to show people win prizes.
The Senate Fiscal Agency says the legislation if enacted into law would likely decrease media coverage and the promotional impact of prizes. That would indirectly reduce money going into the School Aid Fund.
The lottery contributed more than $727 million to the fund during the last fiscal year.


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As it became clear last week that Congress is going to need to raise the Treasury Department's borrowing limit before lawmakers leave town for the August recess, it simultaneously became less clear what the Trump administration's position is on what a debt ceiling bill ought to look like.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin renewed his call for a "clean" debt limit increase -- meaning one that added no contentious riders meant to exploit the must-pass legislation for political gain.
Related: White House's Debt Ceiling Battle Could Trigger a Shutdown — and a Recession
White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, on the other hand, said he thought it was perfectly appropriate for Congress to demand spending cuts in exchange for lifting the borrowing limit -- even if the limit merely allows the administration to pay the bills Congress itself has already incurred.
White House senior economic adviser Gary Cohn landed somewhere in the middle, signaling openness to negotiation, as long as the debt ceiling is raised on time.
Mulvaney, however, tried to make at least one thing clear. The Treasury Department, he promised, would not default on its outstanding debt obligations -- Treasury bills, notes, and bonds that trade on the open market.
But a close reading of what the OMB director said is likely to worry US creditors almost as much as a failure to make payments on maturing 30-year bonds.
Related: Mulvaney Attacks CBO – Led by a Republican – as Partisan
In a live Facebook chat with The New York Times on Friday, Mulvaney said, "You cannot meet all of your obligations as a nation; that's not a desirable outcome." However, he added, there is "absolutely no way" the U.S. would default on Treasury securities.
"We are not going to do that. You can take that off the table," Mulvaney vowed.
What's likely to trouble the financial markets in that statement is the distinction Mulvaney makes between payment to debtors who hold Treasury securities and all other payments -- from Social Security checks to the federal payroll to bills from government contractors.
What Mulvaney was signaling is that the Trump administration is returning to an idea that Republicans in Congress put forward in 2011, during a debt ceiling crisis that brought the country to the brink of default. The idea is payment prioritization -- the idea that as it started to run into serious cash flow problems, the Treasury would simply pay some creditors but not others.
Related: New Debt Ceiling Deadline Could Ruin Lawmakers' Summer Vacations
Creditors holding Treasury debt would get priority, to preserve the United States' unblemished reputation as a reliable borrower and to try to maintain the status of US government debt as the gold standard of "risk-free" assets. Other creditors who aren't as "important" would be made whole at a later date.
The idea is that by keeping existing bondholders happy, there would be no disruption in the market, and therefore, in theory, at least, Treasury debt would retain its privileged place in investors' portfolios and the low borrowing costs that come with it.
But there is a fundamental problem with this strategy that former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew highlighted during another debt limit standoff in 2013.
"Prioritization is just a default by another name," Lew said.
Related: Treasury Secretary Gets Grilled on Trump's Budget 'Draft'
The point Lew and other financial market analysts tried to get across at the time is that investors looking to lend the United States money by purchasing Treasury securities will look at the entire picture of the government's finances before they decide what sort of interest rate they are willing to accept.
If the Treasury is paying bondholders but stiffing federal contractors, bond investors will take notice.
It's like a credit card issuer looking at a new application. If the potential customer has another credit card and makes the required payments on time, that's certainly a point in his favor. However, if that same potential customer is in default on obligations to other kinds of creditors, there's going to be a strong assumption that lending to him is riskier than his credit card account alone might indicate.
Promises from the Treasury to continue to make good on debt obligations sound nice, but the impact of defaulting on one part of the government's debts to satisfy others would have a major impact on the government's credit rating and, as Lew pointed out in 2013, could impact the economy for generations.
"The United States should not be put in a position of making such perilous choices for our economy and our citizens," he said. "There is no way of knowing the irrevocable damage such an approach would have on our economy and financial markets."


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Laws that heighten penalties for drug activity near schools and other locations frequented by youth have been enacted in all 50 states, but until recently their effectiveness had not been evaluated. Justice Strategies research finds that "drug-free school zone" laws fail to deter drug activity near schools while fueling racial disparity in imprisonment.
The convergence of crime control and immigration enforcement - reflected in rising levels of immigrant detention and imprisonment - has profound implications for both criminal justice and immigration policy. Justice Strategies tracks the growth in the number of immigrants behinds bars and documents the impact of changing law enforcement and sentencing practices on immigrant communities.
Many states have responded to budgetary pressures and the failure of tough-on-crime policies by implementing sensible reforms. But others struggle with crowding and mounting costs. Justice Strategies has worked with policymakers and advocates in several states to pinpoint the causes of prison population growth and craft policy responses that reduce costs while improving public safety.
Mass incarceration refers to the laws, policies and practices of the American criminal and immigration enforcement and detention systems that have resulted in extreme rates of imprisonment and post-imprisonment supervision among, and significant, negative life altering collateral consequences for, African American, Latino and poor men and women of color, as well as for their children, families and communities.
Policing covers a broad spectrum of police activities such as enforcement practices, community relations, community policing, police administration and oversight, policy formation, and research.
Faced with tight budgets and public opposition to mounting corrections costs, many states and localities are using lease-revenue bonds and other "off-the-books" mechanisms to fund prison and jail expansion. Since 2003, Justice Strategies has documented the rise of "back-door" prison finance and the risks it poses to the fiscal health of state and local governments.
Proponents argue that prison privatization can cut costs while maintaining or improving the quality of correctional services. But a mounting body of research shows that these promises have not been met. Justice Strategies research examines the impact of privatization at the state and national level, and documents the industry's role in promoting rapid prison population growth.
The U.S. criminal justice system is rife with racial disparities. African Americans are over six times more likely to be imprisoned than whites, while Latinos are incarcerated at more than twice the white rate. Young black men are 13 times more likely to be imprisoned for drug offenses than young white men. Justice Strategies has documented the impact of current policies on communities of color and worked with advocates to craft reforms designed to safely lower levels of racial disparity in imprisonment.
Many states have responded to budgetary pressures and shifts in public opinion by reconsidering LSJtough-on-crime policies, while others struggle to cope with crowding and mounting corrections costs. Justice Strategies has tracked national and state-level sentencing and correctional policy trends; authored a series of major reports on relevant policy issues; and helped policymakers and advocates to develop proposals designed to reduce costs and improve outcomes.
The failure of the "war on drugs" to resolve the problem of substance abuse has led many policymakers to pursue treatment-oriented solutions. Justice Strategies has documented the high cost of drug imprisonment and the benefits of expanding treatment alternatives in several states.
Men have long made up a large majority of those charged, convicted and incarcerated, but the number of women caught up in the criminal justice system is growing rapidly—causing concern among advocates and policymakers. Justice Strategies has worked with the Women's Prison Association's Institute on Women and Criminal Justice to identify and respond to trends in female imprisonment since 2004.


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Financial News on Loop
People sometimes tell me they've given up reading the financial news since the 2008 crisis because they keep seeing the same headlines, over and over, as if trapped in some sort of bizarre time loop.
I know what they mean:
--Greek crisis on. Greek crisis off. Greek crisis back on again. Another Greek bailout. More Greek austerity. Greece this, the rest of Europe that. And the whole world is going into a recession.
--The U.S. economy grew modestly. The U.S. economy grew at a modest pace. U.S. economic growth is modest.
--Housing market rises. Housing market declines. Foreclosures? They're not as bad as last year.
--"Stocks fluctuate." Now that's a headline that repeats as surely as a turkey-fryer fire on Thanksgiving or a trampling on Black Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average first crossed 13000 in 2007. And it's poised to keep doing this like a schtick from the movie "Groundhog Day."
--Congress must act now or we'll have yet another recession. We've got to head off another recession while we're recovering from the last recession, or God knows how many more recessions we'll have.
--If it's not the fiscal cliff, it's the debt ceiling. We'll break our legs if we fall from the cliff. Or smash our heads if go through the ceiling. The uncertainty from Washington is crippling. We had so much more certainty in the past...now that we can look back on it.
--Warren Buffett: The rich should pay more taxes. The rich should pay more taxes. The rich should pay more taxes.
--Donald Trump: The beauty of me is that I'm very rich.
--The People: Don't tax the rich. We might win Powerball.
--The Federal Reserve will always buy more bonds and mortgage-backed securities. Operation Twist, a Fed program that buys $45 billion worth of long-term Treasury bonds a month, is due to expire at the end of December. On Wednesday, Charles Evans, president of the Fed's Chicago bank, said it should continue "until we see labor-market improvement." He then added: "That's likely to be at a minimum six months....perhaps as long as a year." Or the year after that...Or the year after that....
--Something strange always happens on a plane. Seats come loose. A flight attendant goes psycho. Or maybe the whole airline nosedives into bankruptcy. This week, Japan Airlines announced it would serve KFC on holiday flights. Chickens will be cut to pieces, breaded, fried, and then they will finally be able to fly.
--Sears (NASDAQ:SHLD), Kmart, J.C. Penney (NYSE:JCP), RadioShack (NYSE:RSH), Best Buy (NYSE:BBY). It can take a frightfully long time for a tired, old retailer to die.
--There is always a bizarre debacle at Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ). If it's not a spy scandal, or a sex scandal, it's a merger scandal. Lately, H-P claims it got ripped off in its $10.3 billion acquisition of British enterprise software company Autonomy. H-P threatens a lawsuit against Autonomy's former managers, while class-action lawyers are going after H-P for getting duped, by its own admission. The company can't generate any more technology jobs, but it remains in the news for generating lawyer jobs.
--BP PLC (NYSE:BP) will always be receiving some kind of punishment for its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf. It's just been suspended from bidding on government contracts. Earlier this year, it agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay a $4 billion fine. Some of its employees could face prison sentences. It's had to spend billions cleaning up the mess and repairing the damage to the Gulf Coast economy. It buys ads and TV commercials to talk about all of this, keeping the media industry alive, so it can continue to portray it as a corporate monster. But why stop there? In February, the U.S. government will take BP to civil court for damages under the Clean Water Act. BP now stands for Billions Paid.
--The world will end Dec. 21. There was a rapture May 21, 2011. Don't worry if you missed it There's sure to be another one in the news soon.
(Al's Emporium, written by Dow Jones Newswires columnist Al Lewis, offers commentary and analysis on a wide range of business subjects through an unconventional perspective. Contact Al at email@example.com or tellittoall.com)


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I'm on Day 5 of the New Organizing Institute's Advanced Data Training in DC…
…and my brain is fixing to explode with newly learned shit!
We've had back-to-back 13 (or maybe they've been 14) hour days spent going over all kinds of data-based programs, techniques, strategies, and tricks.
I'm in data geek heaven…but I'm also tired as hell.
Exhaustion + lots of social contact + the pressure of learning new things usually = this bitch going off on someone for something I'd usually ignore and chock up to the lack of home training in America.
'Tis a testament to my fellow data trainees, and the coaches and staff of NOI, that no such situation has come about…big props.
Anyhoo, three more days to go and I'm rather proud of myself for managing this much constant socialization without snapping at anyone!
Seriously, I deserve a cookie.
Shit, if I make it to Saturday I'll deserve an entire pie…


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You will visit the following 13 places:
Dubrovnik is a gorgeous Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist resorts of the Mediterranean and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The city is nicknamed "Pearl of the Adriatic". The success of Dubrovnik's tourist industry has brought a certain degree of complacency and self-satisfaction. Certain aspects of the city's appeal remain immune to tourist numbers, however, most notably the uniquely stunning setting and the unjaded straightforwardness of the Dubrovčani themselves.
Venice is a city in northeastern Italy sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges. The city is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture, and its artwork. The city in its entirety is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. Venice has been known as the La Dominante, Serenissima, Queen of the Adriatic, City of Water, City of Masks, City of Bridges, The Floating City, and City of Canals. It has also been described as being one of Europe's most romantic cities. It is truly an amazing, stunning and interesting city for the adventurous to explore!
Corfu, an island off Greece's northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Nicknamed ''the island of the Phaeacians'', Corfu is home to the Ionian University. Known also as Kerkyra, is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands in Greece. Located off of the far northwest coast of the country, Corfu lies in the Adriatic sea, east of Italy and southwest of Albania. Historically Corfu has been controlled by many foreign powers, notably the Venetians, French, and British.
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of land area and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the South Aegean administrative region. It is located northeast of Crete, southeast of Athens and just off the Anatolian coast of Turkey. Rhodes' nickname is The island of the Knights, named after the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem, who once conquered the land. Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.
Naples is a city in Italy; it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. Known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, Naples has played an important role in the Italian peninsula and beyond for much of its existence, which began more than 2,800 years ago. Situated on the west coast of Italy by the Gulf of Naples, the city is located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields. Naples has the fourth-largest urban economy in Italy, after Milan, Rome and Turin. It is the world's 103rd-richest city by purchasing power, with an estimated 2011 GDP of US$83.6 billion. The port of Naples is one of the most important in Europe, and has the world's second-highest level of passenger flow, after the port of Hong Kong. The city has long been a major cultural centre with a global sphere of influence, particularly during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. In the immediate vicinity of Naples are numerous culturally and historically significant sites, including the Palace of Caserta and the Roman ruins ofPompeii and Herculaneum. Culinarily, it is synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city.
Barcelona – Spain's enchanting capital, second largest and most populous city. It is a huge city that vibrates with life, and there's certainly not another city in the country to touch it for its sheer style, looks or energy. It is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centers, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Barcelona is home to masterpieces of many great architects – the most famous of which is Antoni Gaudí.
Livorno is an Italian port city on the Ligurian Sea, on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy. Traditionally been known in English as Leghorn, it's known for its seafood, Renaissance-era fortifications and modern harbor with a cruise ship port.
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica periphery and it is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. The city is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on the European continent and in particular the Romans. In modern times, Athens is a large cosmopolitan metropolis and central to economic, financial, industrial, maritime, political and cultural life in Greece. Its compact downtown, north of campus, is alive with clubs, bars, restaurants, galleries and – of course – record stores; Broad Street in particular is lined with arty shops.
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, the name ''Civitavecchia'' means "ancient town". The modern city was built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress. North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools. And also next to the town is the location of the cruise ship docks. All major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days that allow guests to see Rome and Vatican sights, which are ninety minutes away.
Sète is a major port in the southeast French region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Known as the Venice of Languedoc and the singular island (in Paul Valéry's words), it is a port and a seaside resort on the Mediterranean with its own very strong cultural identity, traditions, cuisine and dialect. It is also the hometown of artists like Paul Valéry, Jean Vilar, Georges Brassens, Gregory Del Piero, Hervé Di Rosa, Manitas de Plata, and Robert Combas.


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LONDON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The new Libyan Cabinet faces "significant challenges to improve security" in the country but can rely on London's support, a British minister said.
Members of the Libyan National Congress this week approved of the Cabinet presented by Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan. The prime minister said the slate, which includes two women, represents a coalition government.
British Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said the Cabinet's approval was an important step forward for Libya.
Burt said the Zidan administration would get assistance from London for police and security.
"They face significant challenges to improve security, provide services to their people and protect fair and equal rights for all," Burt said. "I hope that they will agree a plan to address these challenges."
Unsettled rivalries that grew out of the country's civil war has created a tense political situation in Libya. In mid-October, at least 22 people were killed in fighting between militias and rebel fighters near Bani Walid, a former stronghold of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
U.S. officials are investigation a Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that left the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three staff members dead. Bloomberg News reports the CIA sent a security team to the consulate within 25 minutes of the attack.


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Cinema Style: 20 Unforgettable American Movie Interiors
I love movies, all kinds of movies: historical, thought-provoking, independent, and even simply entertaining, films. But I especially love movies with great design! Some of these are fantastic, Oscar-nominated movies; some are quirky all-time favorites; and some are most significant for their style contribution. Each makes its own unique contribution to the American cinematic canon…
First Row:
• Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) According to biographer Donald Spoto, "Hepburn as Holly, carrying an oversized cigarette holder, is considered one of the most iconic images of 20th century American cinema." With that in mind, it's not surprising that the film itself oozes style, from Hepburn's infamous little black dress to her oversized sunglasses and form her bathtub sofa to her "go-lightly" lifestyle. Today, it's as notable for its depiction of the "lush" life of Manhattan's social set as it is for its ill-conceived casting of Mickey Rooney as Holly's Japanese landlord.
• Something's Gotta Give (2003) It goes without saying that the interiors of the oft-pictured Hamptons house in this film are amazing. Yet, for me, the greatest contribution this film has made to movie history has to do with the manner in which it engaged its sophisticated, aging baby boomer audience. I can still hear my mom and her best friend's hysterical laughter as they watched this movie for the first time together. Now, these were actors and issues they could relate to!
• Pillow Talk (1959) A Kodachrome confection of a film, Pillow Talk's Oscar-nominated interiors are almost enough to distract you from the not-so-subtle innuendos now synonymous with the "sex comedies" of the early Sixties. It was released in 1959, when the film censors were beginning to loosen their grip on morality in art and "good girl" Doris Day was on her way to becoming every girl's modern heroine. As is the case with many films made during this time, gender politics provide a loaded subtext.
• A Single Man (2009) Some films are stylish. Some films have style. In this film, style plays such a large role it has its own trailer. After all, the director is legendary fashion designer Tom Ford and the production design is by the geniuses behind Mad Men. Add a stunning John Lautner house as the backdrop, and mediocrity never had a chance. In fact, there's so much style in this film, you might almost miss the superb acting of its carefully-chosen cast. Which would be a shame, because that's where the elegance of this piece really shines through.
• Gone with the Wind (1939) A no-holds-barred, sweeping Hollywood epic that in many ways set the bar for stylish sagas to come. The line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" has been voted the most memorable line in cinema history, and the AFI has ranked the film #2 on their list of greatest romances of all time. Hattie McDaniel also became the first black American to win an Academy Award for her role in the film. And, while the film has since been maligned for its portrayal of the slave experience, there's no denying the impact, good or bad, that it has had on America's collective awareness of the Civil War.
Second Row:
• Auntie Mame (1958) Based on the book and play by the same name, Auntie Mame (the film) evokes the grab-life-with-both-hands mentality espoused by its lead character, the mercurial, bohemian Mame Dennis. She's a woman who's ahead of her time, poised on the precipice between the propriety of the Fifties and the free love of the Sixties. The stylistic gymnastics of her home alone are worth every viewing minute.
• It's Complicated (2009) One of the most recently coveted houses on film comes from a designing director, Nancy Meyers, and the creative team behind Something's Gotta Give. Like that film, this movie's stellar cast speaks to the baby boomer generation, though not quite as successfully. The real star in this film is the protagonist's location, lifestyle and home décor. Her 1920's Spanish-style home, nestled in the Santa Barbara hills, stirs the imagination and invites one to escape to the idylls of indoor/outdoor living, a place where John Krasinski is your charming son-in-law to-be, chocolate croissants are whipped up on the fly and charcoal claw foot tubs are the norm. With all that, who cares if it's complicated??
• Chinatown (1974) As a neo-noir depiction of the great water battle of Los Angeles, Chinatown hits all the right marks. Screenplay? Check. Acting? Check. Set design? Check. As a director, Roman Polanski may have a checkered past, but here he gets everything right. Chinatown's grittiness and style pays homage to forties noir films while serving as inspiration for a whole new generation of noir. (It doesn't hurt the film's authenticity to have John Huston, director of the Maltese Falcon, playing a seemingly benign villain, either). Without water, Los Angeles wouldn't exist. Without this film, there would be a hole in the fabric of stylish cinema.
• The Graduate (1967) What makes this movie so much more than a comedic drama is the way in which it engaged an entire generation of dissatisfied young adults who were, like the titular hero, adrift in a pool of uncertainty. The time was 1967, and American youth were torn between adhering to a status quo promoted by the corporate establishment and their anger and disillusionment at the escalating conflict in Vietnam. The film features tons of stylish interiors (the enclosed patio with bar springs instantly to mind), but it's the stunning visual snapshots employed by avant-garde director, Mike Nichols, that make it so memorable.
• You've Got Mail (1998) The Upper West Side is as much a character in this film as Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox. And Meg Ryan's home left all of us believing that we, too, could live very comfortably in a New York studio apartment. As inviting as these interiors are though, this is ultimately a movie that perfectly captures the early excitement of email technology and the duality of our online and real world existences.
Third Row:
• Rosemary's Baby (1968) Actresses such as Tuesday Weld and Sharon Tate were originally considered for the role of Rosemary, but it is Mia Farrow's waif-like naiveté that makes this movie so chilling. An adorable pixie haircut, cheery shift dresses and the storied Dakota building turn what could have been just another horror flick into a stylishly haunting classic.
• North By Northwest (1959)
Of this film, Time Out London said, "Fifty years on, you could say that Hitchcock's sleek, wry, paranoid thriller caught the zeitgeist perfectly: Cold War shadiness, secret agents of power, urbane modernism, the ant-like bustle of city life, and a hint of dread behind the sharp suits of affluence." This is a film swimming in style, from Grant's well-cut suits to Eva Marie Saint's Bergdorf Goodman wardrobe to the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Vandamm house perched atop Mount Rushmore. Aspirational to the end, every inch of this film was created to underscore the idea that wealth is irrelevant in the face of danger.
• The Fountainhead (1949) One would be hard-pressed to find a work that so completely represents the idea of the modern architect. Based on the book by the same name, The Fountainhead captures the early resistance to modernism in America, delving into issues of individuality and conformism within the field of architecture, and highlighting an archetype of the future: the starchitect. Its ideas, that the individual is "of supreme value," "the fountainhead of creativity," and that "selfishness, properly understood, is a virtue," have resonated with generations of young people and have inspired the careers of numerous architects.
• Down with Love (2003) An homage to the previously mentioned Doris Day and Rock Hudson sex-comedies, Down with Love is most celebrated for its style and cotton-candy depiction of an era just before the sexual revolution. Its set designs are "deliberately fake" and meant to look not like early-sixties New York but, rather, a Hollywood version of early-sixties New York. Color and scale are exaggerated, with the intent to make design a larger-than-life character in the film. The result is an entertaining comedic romp with loads of saturated style.
• Edward Scissorhands (1990) A fairy tale that is by turns funny, dark, touching and wistful, Edward Scissorhands was conceived by Tim Burton, and represents the director's sense of alienation growing up in suburban Southern California. Color and form play significant roles in this imaginative film, in which tract homes are dressed in faded pastels and loneliness is cast as a darkened Gothic castle. Lively topiaries and ice sculptures lend magic to a world of almost stifling sameness. Suburbia hasn't been seen in the same light since.
Forth Row:
• The Best of Everything (1959) Little more than a glorified soap opera, The Best of Everything is most notable for its depiction of mid-century life and style. With its typing pool, corner offices and corporate ladder firmly in place, the life of the single career girl is explored and exposed. It's a small film with a large impact, ultimately inspiring popular successors such as Mad Men and Sex and the City.
• Sex and the City 2 (2010) Without a doubt the worst installment of the Sex and the City franchise, this film escapes pure rottenness only because of its décor. As Carrie says in the movie, "I've been cheating on fashion with furniture" – and it shows. Tremendous effort was made to design a space that would reflect the combined residence of Mr. & Mrs. Big: the scale, the fabrics, colors and accessories were all chosen to represent the individuals that inhabit the space. There's even been an update to Carrie's iconic studio apartment, proof that, like it or not, time has indeed marched on.
• The Parent Trap (1961)
One of the most memorable children's films ever made, The Parent Trap especially struck a chord with children of divorced parents. The idea that a child could somehow repair her broken home was appealing to those in a similar situation, and many were captivated by the determined twins' hijinks and shenanigans. Style-wise, the film wooed viewers with Mitch's magnificent ranch house and the glorious indoor/outdoor lifestyle for which California is famous.
• The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Inspired by J. D. Salinger's Glass family stories and Orson Welles' film The Magnificent Ambersons, The Royal Tenenbaums is American cinema at its quirky best. The lives of the sibling prodigies provide fodder for decor rife with eccentricity and whimsy, and have resulted in some of the most remarkable interiors of recent memory. Zebra wallpaper? Ballrooms? Darkrooms? Libraries? Tents? These are things design dreams are made of! (Director Wes Anderson even had his brother Eric sketch out his ideas, so he wouldn't forget them once it came time to design the sets).
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) A science-fiction film of epic proportions, 2001: A Space Odyssey would go on to influence filmmaking giants such as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, not to mention numerous special effects technicians. Its themes cover human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial life and surrealism: an extreme scope that even extends to the parameters of design. Note the Djinn chairs that litter the lounge of Space Station Five and the way in which old and new collide in the Renaissance Room to startling effect. One need only look as far as the Hudson Hotel bar or "Safehouse" in Tron Legacy to see that the legacy of this space odyssey lives on…
There are so many well-designed American films out there! Which one is your favorite? Which films are not on the list, but should be?
Images: 1.(A) IMDb(B)Shine (C&D) PolaroidCupcake (E&F) The Well Appointed House 2.(A,B,C) Cote de Texas (D) Design Savvy Interiors (E)Martineau Vermillion (F) Architectural Digest 3.Hooked on Houses 4.(A,C,E&F) IMDb (B,D) Hooked on Houses 5. Hooked on Houses 6.(A-E) Hooked on Houses (F) Elle Decor 7. (A,D &G) Cote de Texas (B) Cinema Style (C) Elle Décor (E,F) Traditional Home 8.(A,B & C) Design Sponge (D) IMDb (E) Designs on Film 9.(A) Designs on Film (B,C & F) DVD Beaver (D,E) IMDb 10. Hooked on Houses 11.(A,D,E & F) Polaroid Cupcake (B,C) IMDb 12. Hooked on Houses 13.(A,B,C & E) Cinema Style (D,F & G) Apartment 48 14. (A) IMDb (B,C,F,G,H) Hooked on Houses (D,E) B.E.L.T. 15. Design Sponge 16. B.E.L.T. 17.(A,D & F) Elle Décor (B,C & E) SDSA 18. Hooked on Houses 19. Polaroid Cupcake 20. Palantir


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The Bison Miracle: New Museum Tells Story of a Genocide Thwarted
Despite efforts by the U.S. government to exterminate the bison as a way to exterminate the Indian, the bison persists, if fragily. Now, a museum devoted to the great animal is open in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The Museum of the American Bison and Great Plains Center is dedicated to telling one of the most captivating stories in our nation's history – the amazing survival of the American bison. While a sad saga of greed and profiteering that changed the lives and traditions of people over a century ago, the story of the bison today is one of hope and resiliency.
The Museum of the American Bison is a non-profit organization run by a volunteer Board of Directors consisting of community members with history and wildlife conservation backgrounds.The museum charges no admission fee.
For more information on the museum, go to BisonMuseum.org.
Appreciate the summer solstice by watching this video.
Five Live Wildlife Webcams You Need to See: Travel Without Leaving Home
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text: I mentioned before that Ireland has an oxymoronically titled Competition Authority. If that level of government intrusion was all we had to worry about, I wouldn't mind too much. Unfortunately we are also saddled with the similarly Orwellian-sounding Equality Authority. Their motto is "Diversity for an Equal Ireland" or "Equality for a Diverse Ireland" or something else equally bland but diversely platitudinous like "Be Reasonable, It Pays!". This bunch of state-stipended, humourless entitlement-enforcers is headed by – some achievement this – probably the most pompous man in Ireland: Niall Crowley. He is an insistent hectoring presence on our radio waves. Through the the op-ed and letters pages of our newspapers he regularly reminds us of our "reponsibilities" in prose laden with jargon, tautologies and sundry infelicities. So it was with delight today that I read Blog Irish's eloquent skewering of this self-serving organisation and supremo.