text:
Social media offers unprecedented opportunities for businesses to engage with their customers and enhance their experiences. From a brand perspective, social media gives you a chance to solicit powerful feedback directly from your customers and bring information to them that that is valuable. It also lets you turn loyal customers into evangelists for your brand, letting them spread the word about your goods and services and draw more people to your business. Simply having a social media page doesn't translate into all of these benefits automatically, however. Instead, you need to be proactive about driving customer engagement via your social media pages, so that you can reap the maximum rewards from them.
Fortunately, boosting customer engagement on social media doesn't have to be a time-consuming process, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. Start by finding your voice. Your engagement with customers has to be authentic, and one easy way to ensure that your interactions are viewed as authentic is to make sure your voice on social media falls in line with your brand. These actions will also help you increase customer engagement on your social media pages.
A surefire way to disengage customers on social media is to ignore all the comments you get. If a customer takes the time to engage with you, you need to respond. Ignoring a customer who reaches out on social media does more than give that customer a negative impression of your brand. Your interaction is happening in full view of your other customers and potential clients who are checking you out, which makes your silence deafening.
Responding with a simple thank you is better than ignoring a comment, but it also passes up on a valuable opportunity to keep the conversation going. A great way to do this is to respond with a question. Use the comment from the customer to frame your question. For example, if a customer leaves a comment telling you that they've just bought a new product from your business and that they like it, you can ask them how they are using it or ask if they have tried another product that complements it.
Everyone likes to be asked for an opinion or to share some expertise. Another way you could turn a positive comment from a customer into a question response from you is to ask them if they have any tips for getting the most out of the product to share.
The questions you use will vary, depending on your business and the original comment from the customer, but responding in a way that invites further conversation is a great way to generate engagement.
Most customers who approach businesses online have a suspicion that they aren't actually communicating with a human being. They assume that all replies are automatically generated and that no one is actually reading their posts. If you engage with customers in a stilted way, you'll end up furthering the belief that they're talking to a bot and not a person, and they won't bother trying to engage with you.
Shake off the stiffness of your replies and engage with your customers like a human being, in the manner in which people tend to communicate on social media. Use emojis—they're standard on social media, and they help you communicate the tone of your message, which is difficult to do with text alone. Adding a simple smile at the end of a comment makes your business look friendly. It also opens the way for communication.
Using gifs in your responses is another way to humanize your brand and help you connect with customers. Gifs are humorous, spur conversation, and, like emojis, are common currency on social media. Say thank you for a good review or welcome a new member to your community with a gif, and you're likely to not only encourage more direct engagement with you but also engagement from customers who weren't involved in the initial conversation. After all, everyone loves to share their favorite gifs.
Web users have always been averse to blocks of text, but thanks to Instagram and other image-driven sites, social media users are increasingly conditioned to respond to photos and videos rather than text alone.
Videos score big with social media users. Short videos explaining products and services or answering common questions do a better job of getting your point across and soliciting conversation. Video is also highly shareable, and gives you content you can incentivize customers to share. For example, you may enter everyone who shares a video post into a drawing for free item or service. Don't leave video just for posts you generate. It also makes a great response tool, particularly when a customer uses social media to ask questions.
High-quality photos are also helpful in getting customers to engage—and share—your content. Any time you can stay away from text-driven content on social media, do so. Your customers will respond positively.
If your customers aren't engaging with you on a social media, the next question becomes if they even know you are there. Many customers won't actively take the time to search for your social media profiles to follow or like. If you put your profiles within easy reach of them, they are more likely to make the connection.
Your website should have static social media buttons that connect to your profiles on the banner or bottom navigation bar that runs through your site. Your profiles should also be prominently displayed on other content you create, and your handles should be on printed marketing materials and even your receipts.
Salem Surround specializes in helping businesses get discovered and driving customer engagement with social management. Our surround philosophy means that your business will be everywhere your customers are, from social media to search results and radio advertising. Talk to our team today to learn more about how we can generate engagement for your brand and get your customers talking about your company.


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UnBooks:Gone With d' Wind
Released in 1935, Gone With d' Wind was the story of a simple Southern belle and the trouble that she unleashed in her March of Folly to win the hand of her next door neighbor in marriage.
Set on the eve of the Civil War, she couldn't have picked a worse time.
The book set all sorts of sales records, was made into a movie, then a Saturday morning cartoon and finally into a BBC miniseries. In 2007, Nintendo introduced the Gone With d' Wind video game for its Wii platform. And in 2009 the mysterious origin of the name Gone with the wind was unveiled during the 2009 Lebanon war between the original north and the south, where the south had won the war.
Chapter 1
Scarlett O'Hara wasn't what one would call the nicest looking woman around, but her father had money and that was good enough for the Tarlton twins. The twin boys were hovering about like flies round a cow flop, jockeying for position around her as she sat on the veranda in her sleeveless sprig green muslin dress with the darling off the shoulder look.
"Aw, c'mon Scarlett, you wouldn't deny us a glimpse of pink before we head off to the barbeque for some competitive eating would you?" asked the runt twin. "Just show us a little bit-o-pink, won't you?"
"Pink, pink, pink," she said in mock amusement. "By the sound of it, you boys are suckers for nipples. If I hear 'show me them pink things' one more time I think I will explode. Which one do you want to see, left, right or both?"
Just then, Mammy, the O'Hara's massive black female mammy rounded the corner. "Miss Scarlett," Mammy said, "It isn't proper for a young woman of your breeding to show your bosom to just anyone, now please, I beseech you, wear you garments properly lest I call on your father and ask him to lecture you."
"Shit, Mammy. Don't my associates git to get a glimpse of my bazooms?"
Mammy sighed. "Miss Scarlett, how many times do we have to have this discussion, and the answer is invariably the same, 'No'. These shiftless young men who loiter 'round you are not deserving of such familiarities. Now please, go upstairs and ready yourself for the picnic at the neighbors, and 'No' you may not wear your hot pants."
Chapter 3
"Kathleen!" Scarlett hollered at the top of her lungs. "Bitch, you look fierce," she added as she looked at her friend Kathleen Calvert. Kathleen was one happening Ho, and smart, too. The two friends admired each other's outfits. "How's about we go to the sandbox for a quick scratch and quick a sprinkle of boob glitter before making a bee line for the bar-b-que buffet," asked Kathleen. "You got the quarter, I got the time," hooted Scarlett and the two started for the stairs.
As the two ascended the grand staircase at the Wilkes home, Scarlett looked down and saw a man old enough and rich enough to be her father. It was. But standing next to him was a fine looking man.
"Kathleen," ask demanded. "Who dat?"
"Girrrrl…that be Commodore Rhett Butler and he is one man-ho to steer clear of."
"What kinda fucked up name is Rhett," Scarlett demanded to know. "He's looking right at me, all right."
"Of course he is. Your left 'boobilicious' just fell out of your dress. Pop that thing back into that d-cup before your Mammy see's it and starts preaching her modesty shit again."
"Kathleen, get a load at those shoes he's wearing! Looks like he could have stole those off a midget. You think it a portend of whats in his pants?" Scarlett wondered.
"I hear tell he does more to make up for less. You know, his motto is 'no muff too tough, ugly women got 'ginas too'," Kathleen said. "Besides, if I ever had to git rescued from a city on fire, he'd be a mighty fine looking man to be with, know what I'm sayin'?"
Chapter 6
"That Ashley Wilkes is one fine piece of man," Scarlett said a little too out loud.
Melanie Hamilton – who Scarlett referred to as "Melonhead Hamilton" behind the ugly woman's back – spun around. "Bitch, what you say about my man?"
"I just was saying that you is one lucky Ho to get you hooks into that man."
Melanie copped a 'tude and said "Well you can appreciate him from afar but he's my man and not some fool whose biggest ambition is to sleep his way to the middle." There were a chorus of "woooo's" and "hoooo's" in the background.
Before the two battling women could slap each other or lock there nail extensions into each others hair, Melanie's dim witted brotha Chuckles came running up and screamed "Them crazy Yankees up north done declared war on us!"
The crowd was suddenly awash in motion, and Scarlett watched as Melonhead Hamilton went running into the arms of Ashley Wilkes.
"Hey, Chuckles," called out Scarlett in between cracking her gum. "Get your sorry ass over here."
Before the man with the low IQ knew it he was on his way to marrying Scarlett O'Hara.
Chapter 29
Melanie Hamilton Wilkes sat on the chair in her Aunt Pity Pat's living room and tried to keep a level head. Scarlett had been widowed when one the of Yankee troops pulled a drive-by shooting and knocked off Chuckles Hamilton.
"Bitch," said Scarlett. "What you looking at?"
Melanie's nostrils flared "Just some trash in my Aunt's living room." With that the two women were on their feet and about to get into it when Mammy entered into the living room carrying a tray of refreshingly cool ice tea.
"Ladies! Sit down. NOW." The two complied.
"It seems that we are here for the duration and I have designed a chart to show which one of us will do which task each day."
Both women looked over the chart. "I have to clean up this dog's dishes?" asked Scarlett.
Again Mammy was called to break the two pregnant women up before another fight started when there was a knock at the door.
"Who dat?" both girls asked at the same time.
"Why good evening Commodore Butler, how nice of you to stop by this evening," greeted Mammy.
Butler came into the room and looked at the two women like they were ripe for the picking. "Good evening Ms. Wilkes – how's you husband?" Melanie blushed.
"And Ms. Scarlett, how's yours," he asked.
"Last time I looked he still daid."
Chapter 31
"PRISSY," Scarlett called out. "Dear God in heaven what are we going to do? Miss Melanie is getting ready to heave d' baby out and what am I going do with one of those?"
Prissy thought to herself. She tried to remember what she had been taught at Oxford about child birth.
"I'm very sorry Miss Scarlett, but when it comes to delivering babies the only method that I know of was practiced by the ancient Egyptians and would require a large crockery filled with alligator manure into which the newborn could gently slide into," she proclaimed.
"We need what?"
"A crockery filled with Alligator dung." An artillery shell whizzed by the house, rattling the windows before it shook the house upon impact several blocks away. Prissy realized who she was dealing with when she saw Scarlett's blank stare. "It helps to reduce the stress of the newborn as it leaves its mother-womb into the active world."
"Alrighty." Scarlett could have slapped her that very moment, but if someone was going to have to run out and look for `gator poop, better Prissy than she. "Sounds like a plan."
Chapter 55
Tara, the O'Hara family crib, lay wasted. The once fertile fields were now littered with the dead and rotting bodies of thousands of men who died in the battle for the hood. And Scarlet was none to pleased.
"Oh Ashley," she cried as she looked around. "We are so fucked."
Chapter 60
Scarlett carefully negotiated the muddy streets of Atlanta as not to ruin her outfit. Mammy, who was still smoking mad about this plan followed Scarlett and complained ever step of the way.
"Miss Scarlett I feel that you have misjudged this wardrobe choice – look at all the lascivious stares that you are getting from all these strange men," Mammy huffed.
"They just jealous 'cause they like what they see – and they'd like to see the stuff they can't see, see?" Still Mammy did have a point, the dress they had fashioned out Scarlett's mother's window treatments were awkward, but she felt they looked avant-guard, and that was what Commodore Butler liked.
Entering the jail, they palmed the guard a fin and were escorted to the visitors' room and waited. Before long they heard the tappy-tappy of Rhett's tiny feet slapping along the stone hallway.
"Scarlett! Look at you! Where did you get that dress?" His eyes followed every detail, every aluminum slat, although he found the two bars of stamped steel near her neckline a bit much.
"I got it in Venice – from a blind designer," she said as she clanked about in a circle. "And Rhett, if you pull this cord, you can raise the hemline, and if you spin the wand you can adjust the slats for easy cooling." Scarlett winked with the word cooling, hoping it would get his attention, and open his wallet in gratitude.
Chapter 79
Following her second man's funeral, Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy was besides herself with grief. And her head was really messed because there was nothing left in the house to drink except some fake French perfume and it was nasty.
There was a knock on the door, followed by friendly voices, and the thudding footsteps of Mammy climbing the steps.
Mammy unlocked the door with her key and smiled widely. "Commodore Butler is here Miss Scarlett. Try not to screw this up for all of our sakes."
Scarlett sneered and then tried to pull herself together. Passing Mammy in the door she asked the faithful servant "Don't you have a baby to suckle or something like that?"
Speeding down the stair rail, she dismounted and "ta dah!" there was Rhett wearing his finest wife beater and sporting some massive guns. Scarlett felt weak in the knees – her drinking was affecting her balance.
"I suppose you greet all your visitors like this?"
She tried to muster a grin, but all her face could support was a sneer. "What would you prefer, a merrier widow?"
Butler crossed the room and grabbed her, and then slapped her. Scarlett smiled; she liked it. "This is getting to be a drag," Butler opined. "First you hook up with the wrong guy and then you make off with another dude, and then you come to me so I have to make bail for the stiff. Cut the bullshit Scarlett – C'mon, give me some sugar, Sugar."
At that moment she felt how much he wanted her, and she was careful not to shift her weight and crush his testicles.
"Alright, but I want a big wedding, and want to wear a white dress," she stated.
"White? You? You can wear whatever you want, just so long as I get to be the one who takes it off of you."
Chapter 101
Scarlett closed the door to the house behind her behind and moped into the foyer. Rhett stood before her. "She daid?" he asked.
"She daid." Scarlett replied.
"Miss Melanie died at 3:42 PM of a significant loss of blood due to a ruptured uterus. The doctor did everything he could to make her passing brief and comfortable," reported Mammy. "Now if you will excuse me, I am going to take a medicinal sip of brandy and go to bed." She then started waddling up the staircase to leave the two battling Butlers to duke it out alone.
"Dang, that's a bitch," said Butler.
"Oh, Rhett I have been such a bitch. Melanie was the closest thing that I ever had to a sister and now she's daid." Scarlett cried, her eye make-up ran down her cheeks. "Is there any hope for us two?"
Butler walked to the door. "Could have been but that three-way you got into with her and her man rubbed me the wrong way. Now don't be looking at me like some wounded puppy. You made this bed now go sleep in it. Rhett Butler don't eat no sloppy seconds."
"But what will I do, where will I go and who is going pay for it?"
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a rat's ass," and with that he was gone.
Scarlett fell apart, literally. She dropped an ear ring here, a shoe over there and peeled off her false eyelashes. "I'm tired," she yelled up at Mammy. "Come up with a plan to get us out this jam by tomorrow morning. I'm going to bed."
Mammy was quite disgusted. "Mrs. Butler, I have had a very busy few years trying to keep up with you. Would you mind if I got started tomorrow."
By now, Scarlett had left a trail of clothing down the hall. "Yeah, whatever, tomorrow is another day...."
Featured Article (read another featured article) | Featured version: 15 February 2008 |
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
My husband Ronen is a wonderful soup maker and one of our favorites is his Sweet Potato soup, it's creamy and rich in flavor without any dairy (i'm lactose intolerant), this week he added a bunch of rainbow chard! so good!
Ingredients for a big soup that will last a few days:
4 tbs of olive oil
2 yellow onions chopped
4 stalks of celery diced
10 small sweet potatoes (or 6 big ones) peeled and diced into med. size cubes
(you will puree the soup so don't worry about even cube sizes)
1 bunch of rainbow chard (this is optional)
Fresh Ginger (about 5 slices)
6 garlic cloves (smashed)
1/4 tsp. Chilli pepper flakes
1 tsp Graham Masala spice (optional)
1 tsp of Turmeric
1 tsp of Cumin
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. of salt (or more to taste)
1 box of organic chicken broth (4 cups)
if you are vegetarian you can use organic vegetable broth instead
4 cups of water
Heat olive oil in a big pot:
Add diced onions, garlic, ginger, and all the spices
Add celery and continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes on Medium heat
Add cubed sweet potato
Add broth and water to cover the Sweet potato
Add salt
Bring to A boil
Cook for about 1 hour
(optional) Add rainbow chard after about 30 minutes
Once the soup is ready and cooled down puree with an immersion blender until it has a creamy texture.
I like to decorate the soup with a tsp. of pumpkin seeds when I serve it, it adds a wonderful crunch and flavor and looks lovely and I love a good piece of bread on the side with some good goat cheese.
Bon Apetit!


text:
For 28 days in September 1972, Paul Henderson was the finest hockey player in the world, the hero of a series that changed hockey forever. He scored three game-winning goals at the end of the Canada-Soviet Union Summit Series, the last two the greatest goals in the history of the game.
Henderson embodied a bit of both nations remarkably different styles of play. He was a combination of tough Canadian with unlimited heart and a Soviet skater with puck-handling skills. In 1972, he used this combination to produce a performance the hockey world has never seen before or since.
His series-clinching goal with 34 seconds remaining of game eight remains the most celebrated moment in Canadas sports history, a defining and unifying moment in Canadian culture. No other players achievements in international hockey history have had such an impact on one nation as Hendersons.
As well, he was one of only three 72 Summit players to appear in the 1974 Summit Series featuring WHA players, and in a 19-year pro career in the NHL and WHA he played almost 1,100 games, going to the Stanley Cup finals with Detroit in 1964 and 1966. In junior, Henderson won the Memorial Cup in 1962 and led all scorers in the OHA the next season.
In a Summit Series that got tougher and more important with each passing day, Henderson proved resilient and determined in a way even he might never have expected of himself before the Summit Series began. His courage in coming back from a concussion in game five to become the hero in the final three games cannot be over-stated, and each winning goal came using a different skill big slap shot, incredible stick-handling, timely positioning (and even a little divine inspiration thrown in for good measure).
The Summit Series was supposed to be a cakewalk for Canada, but a crushing 7-3 loss to the Soviet Union in game one resulted in turmoil across the nation. By the time the series shifted to Moscow, Canada was in a fight for its life. After a loss in game five, Canada trailed the eight-game Series 1-1-3. In that game Henderson crashed heavily into the end boards, lost consciousness, and suffered a concussion. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet, and both he and team doctors acknowledged the injury might have been fatal without the headgear.
Henderson returned to action and he scored Canadas third goal midway through the second period of a narrow 3-2 result.
Game seven was a fight to the end. With time winding down and the score tied 3-3, it looked like the Soviets would hang on and claim the series. But with two minutes remaining, Henderson got the puck at centre ice. Alone, with two Soviets behind him and two in front, no one could have seen what was to come.
Henderson accelerated, chipped the puck through the two defencemen, skated around the outside in a blaze of speed. As he got to the puck, falling, he chipped it over a stunned Vladislav Tretiak, giving Canada a 4-3 win. A more spectacular goal in hockey you will never see.
In game eight, a similar script played out. This time the score was 5-5, and the game was in the final minute. Again the Soviet team was mere moments from winning the Summit Series. But Henderson screamed for Peter Mahovlich to get off the ice something a hockey player never does. Mahovlich complied, though, and Henderson tore to Tretiaks goal while Phil Esposito stole the puck and swatted it in front. One shot, save. Second shot goal! Henderson has scored for Canada! shouted play-by-play legend Foster Hewitt. Canada had produced a heroic comeback and Henderson has been a hero in Canada from that day to this and forevermore.


text: Grim & Perilous Studios is a RPG design studio, whose talents include game designers, Kickstarter consultants, artists & layout designers, editors and video producers. We are also a Twitch Affiliate, and across our channels, we focus on highlighting indie, dark & low fantasy role-playing games. Grim & Perilous Studios records actual play and podcasts of tabletop RPGs, interviews game developers on Twitch and manages community content for the Grim & Perilous Library at DriveThruRPG.


text:
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch)
The Federal Reserve does not need to keep the $45
billion per-month pace of Treasury purchases under its Operation Twist effort
when it converts the program to outright purchases, St. Louis Fed Bank President
James Bullard said Monday
In a speech in Little Rock, Ark., and in an interview
with The Wall Street Journal, Bullard said the central bank could reduce the
size of the purchases and still have the same impact on the economy
"You could
go down to $25 billion in outright purchases and probably get the same
stimulative impact," he added
Under the Twist program, the Fed is offsetting
the Treasury purchases with sales of shorter-term government securities so that
the size of the Fed's balance sheet is held steady
The general consensus of Fed
watchers is that the Fed will keep buying Treasurys and end the sale of the
short-term-term paper at its meeting on Dec. 11 and 12
Bullard said the
one-for-one replacement of Twist operations with purchases would be more dovish
than current policy
The mathematician of the Complutense University of Madrid, José-Vidal Ruiz Varela, argues that Europe must raise its borrowing limit, leaving its deflationary policy.
Cortesía de Investing.com
Agenda Macro
Calendario económico en tiempo real proporcionado por Investing.com España.
martes, 4 de diciembre de 2012
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text:
I have been a bit slow in posting about this subject. As many people probably already know, there has been something of an epic debate between Paul Krugman and Steve Keen, on a number of issues, but, above all, the subject of endogenous money.
One annoying thing I find: Steve Keen is a Post Keynesian, influenced by Hyman Minsky's financial instability hypothesis. Steve Keen is not, strictly speaking, an MMT macro-economist, though it is true that there is a great deal of overlap between Post Keynesianism and MMT (for the emergence of MMT from Post Keynesianism, see here). Nor is endogenous money theory an invention of MMT: it goes right back to the 19th-century Banking school (Wray 1998: 32–33), was held by Wicksell and Schumpeter, entered Post Keynesian economics as early as the work of Joan Robinson and Nicholas Kaldor (although the classic text is the later work of Moore 1988), and is of course supported by MMT too. There is no doubt that a number of the old American Institutionalists (like John Kenneth Galbraith) supported endogenous money theory as well, as do many other modern heterodox economists (e.g., James Galbraith). (As a matter of historical interest, the great Post Keynesian economist Nicholas Kaldor used endogenous money theory to smash the monetarism of Milton Friedman and its vulgar supporters.)
A review of the debate in this video on RT, with an interview with Steve Keen. Some silly stuff at the beginning, but one can skip through this and start at 1.59.
For those interested in following the actual debate, see these links:
Steve Keen, "Instability in Financial Markets: Sources and Remedies," INET Conference Paper, April 12-14, 2012.
Paul Krugman, "Minsky and Methodology," 27 March, 2012.
Krugman's comments on Keen's paper.
Paul Krugman, "Banking Mysticism," 27 March, 2012.
Krugman's second comment on Keen's paper and banking.
Steve Keen, "Krugman on (or maybe off) Keen," Steve Keen's Debt Deflation, 29 March, 2012.
Keen's first response.
Nick Rowe, "The Supply of Money is Demand-Determined," 1 April, 2012.
Scott Fullwiler, "Krugman's Flashing Neon Sign," 2 April, 2012.
Paul Krugman, "Things I Should Not Be Wasting Time On," 2 April, 2012.
Paul Krugman, "A Teachable Money Moment," 2 April, 2012.
Steve Keen, "Ptolemaic Economics in the Age of Einstein," 2 April, 2012.
Keen's second response.
Paul Krugman, "Oh My, Steve Keen Edition," 2 April, 2012
Steve Keen, "Oh My, Paul Krugman," 3 April, 2012.
Keen's third response.
John Carney, "Paul Krugman vs. MMT: The Great Debate," NetNet, 3 April, 2012.
"The Keen/Krugman Debate: A Summary," Unlearning Economics, 3 April, 2012.
An excellent review of the debate from Unlearningeconomics. Very useful.
Dan Kervick, "Bring Back Fiscal Policy," April 4, 2012.
"Not so Keen on Krugman," Naked Keynesianism, April 4, 2012.
Moore, B. J. 1988. Horizontalists and Verticalists: The Macroeconomics of Credit Money, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York.
Wray, L. R., 1998, Understanding Modern Money: The Key to Full Employment and Price Stability, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.


text:
Welcome at polarfoto!
These picture archives were founded in the mid 90s. They are based on more than 40 years of photography chiefly in the polar regions. Initially I worked as scientist in the geology of the Ice Age and the (North-)Sea, then as science journalist (in this capacity for seven years for German Press Agency dpa), and in recent years mainly as free-lance photographer. In my work I put a special emphasis on the documentation of climate change which in the last few years has become so popular. The archives at present consist of about 20,000 photographs.
I have visited and photographed all adjoining areas of the Arctic (i.e. Greenland, Canada, Svalbard) as well as the Antarctic: privately, as science journalist with research vessels and as a lecturer on cruise ships. In addition you will find numerous motives of further parts of the world, mainly of Northern Europe (Scandinavia, Iceland, Spitsbergen), but also among others of the Mediterranean area, North America and New Zealand. The main interests in my work are nature and landscape photography. Other areas show climate and weather, the Northern Lights, environment and technology, polar research, geology, fishery, tourism, astronomy.
I encourage all interested parties to browse through the homepage and enjoy a virtual journey. The entering of keywords (also with logical links) allows a targeted search of motives. All photographs are copyrighted by me and can be bought. I do look forward to suggestions for improvement and constructive comments.


text:
- Home
- Departments
- Courts
- Clerk of District Court
- Public Information
Public Information
Guidelines Regarding Public Information
The Office of the Clerk of District Court wants to provide the public with information about the Court and its business. These guidelines were developed by the State Board of Judicial Policy and Administration. They are not all-inclusive and are intended as guidelines to assist both this office and the public when communicating about Court business.
The Office of the Clerk of District Court will strive to:
- Provide specific information about court business using non-confidential court records as a source of information.
- Answer questions about court scheduling and case deadlines.//www.courts.state.wy.us/Boar
- Explain what it costs to file a case and how court fees and costs are assessed and paid.
- Explain other basic court procedures in a natural and impartial way.
- Provide copies of non-confidential court records to authorized parties in return for a reasonable fee.
- Provide forms approved by the Court for court business at a reasonable fee.
- Encourage citizens to contact an attorney or direct them to a court-approved attorney referral system.
The Office of the Clerk of District Court will avoid:
- Expressing any opinion about the merits, strengths, or weaknesses of any specific case.
- Expressing any opinion about how any particular case, or group of cases, may turn out.
- Providing any confidential or sealed information to anyone other than an approved party of record or counsel without prior written authorization.
- Suggesting or advising what anyone should or should not say in court.
- Drafting pleadings or filling out forms for anyone.
- Helping any person speak with the judge about their case outside of court.
- Referring any person to a specific attorney or law firm except when the referral is made through a court-approved pro bono referral program.


text:
February 7, 2013
Recommendations for Blue Key Senior Honorary
Dear Faculty and Staff,
Blue Key Senior Honor Society is looking for a dynamic group of student leaders for our 2013-2014 Blue Key class. Please feel free to recommend outstanding students who are committed to developing leadership skills among themselves and others, as well as serving all student leaders on campus.
Current Blue Key projects include, Catalyst Self Development, facilitating uLeads, and being a mentor to the Quest Freshman Honorary.
The applications requirements include: a minimum K-State cumulative GPA of 3.0, senior status by fall 2013 (90 Hours), present on campus during both semesters of the 2013-2014 academic year and significant leadership experience in student/community organizations.
Blue Key is amazing opportunity for students to grow and develop. In Blue Key we work towards our foundation of scholarship, leadership and service. We know that you have students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their college or department and we hope that you would recommend them for this amazing opportunity. To recommend them, please email me their name and email. I will accept recommendations until Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Thank you for all the work that you do at Kansas State!
Hannah Miller
Senior in agricultural economics
Director of membership, Blue Key Senior Honorary
"Serving I Live"


text:
Sharp will acquire Recurrent Energy, a U.S. developer of solar energy projects, in a deal that will give the Japanese company a stronger position in the fast-growing solar-power generation business, the companies said Wednesday.
Sharp has been ramping up production of solar panels but the deal to acquire the San Francisco-based company stands to transform Sharp from a supplier of panels into that of a partner of power companies involved in solar generation projects. Recurrent Energy develops and markets solar-based power generation projects and has a string of deals with utilities in the U.S. and overseas.
"It is essential for Sharp to function as a developer in the photovoltaic field, in order to further expand its business in this area," the Japanese company said in a statement.
The deal is the first acquisition Sharp has made in the solar energy space. The Japanese company will pay up to US$305 million for complete ownership of Recurrent Energy. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed before the end of this year. Sharp said the acquisition price could be lower depending on aspects of the approval, but declined to be more specific.
Earlier this year, Sharp embarked on a big expansion of its solar-panel production capacity when it opened a new factory in Sakai, western Japan. The new plant had an initial production capacity of 480 megawatts, which represented a 62 percent boost in Sharp's production capacity, but could eventually produce as much as 1GW of panels per year.
Sharp is battling for share in a fast growing market.
Demand for solar products in the April to June quarter, the latest for which data is available, was 3.82 gigawatts, up 54 percent from the previous quarter, according to analysts at SolarBuzz. Industry revenues were US$17.2 billion, up from $6.2 billion in the same period of 2009.
Recurrent Energy's work includes projects in the U.S. and overseas. It has a 170 megawatt project with Ontario Power Authority, 60MW with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and 50MW with Southern California Edison. It also has agreements and projects in Europe and the Middle East.
Sharp has several projects of its own, including a deal with Kansai Electric Power in Japan to build a 10MW solar generating plant. It also has a venture with Italy's Enel to build a string of solar electricity plants in Italy, Spain and France.
Martyn Williams covers Japan and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Martyn on Twitter at @martyn_williams. Martyn's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Every business is different, and what works for one may not work for another. That goes for your marketing plan too.
To be successful, your marketing must be true to your vision and your business — and true to your customers.
This webinar, presented by Ann Smallman with Deluxe Corporation, will give your Startup the tools you need to quickly, easily and effectively create your ideal marketing strategy.
When you attend, you'll:
- See why marketing is crucial to success
- Learn how to define your business goals
- Understand how to identify your target audience
- Get tips on attracting your target customer
- Identify the problems you solve for your customers
- Get a free interactive worksheet to build your marketing strategy
Download the webinar transcript.


text:
49ers defense looks to stop Brees, red-hot Saints
Drew Brees piled up points, yards and accolades in a record-setting season for the New Orleans Saints. Much of the time, Alex Smith did just enough to get the San Francisco 49ers back in the playoffs for the first time in nine years while a dominant defense and kicking game did the rest.
Everybody is curious to see which of the contrasting styles works best in a classic playoff matchup.
Does that old notion that defense wins championships still hold up these days?
''We're going to find out,'' 49ers punter Andy Lee said.
Brees and the Saints (14-3) come to sold-out Candlestick Park on Saturday afternoon riding a nine-game winning streak after gaining 600 yards in each of their last two games, including a playoff-record 626 yards in last Saturday night's 45-28 win over the Lions. Brees threw for 466 yards and completed 33 of 43 passes.
Since the merger in 1970, a team had gained 600 yards in a game only 11 times in the regular season or playoffs before the Saints did it the past two weeks.
The San Francisco defense knows it will have to keep Brees off the field and pressure him at every chance to slow down these Saints.
''They're built a little bit differently. They're typically a lot bigger, they're more physical,'' Brees said. ''You look at them statistically, No. 1 against the run, they're putting all kinds of pressure on the quarterback. ... They rarely miss tackles.''
The fact that Lee is such an important figure for the 49ers shows just how different these teams are. The Saints didn't punt once in their playoff opener.
San Francisco (13-3) also relied on David Akers' single-season NFL record of 44 field goals to return to the playoffs under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers stunned the New York Giants 39-38 at home in the NFC wild-card game back in January 2003.
''This is a game where the better defense will definitely win the game,'' New Orleans linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar said. ''It's about us stopping them from doing whatever they want to do. They have to play a different brand of ball and we have to play good in all three phases of the game.''
There have been several noteworthy playoff games featuring teams with opposing styles.
In the NFC championship game after the 1999 season, St. Louis' ''The Greatest Show on Turf'' group of Kurt Warner, Isaac Bruce and Marshall Faulk held on for an 11-6 victory over the defensive-minded Buccaneers.
In the 1991 Bills-Giants Super Bowl, New York's talented defense held off Jim Kelly and the Bills' ''K-Gun'' offense for a 20-19 win.
More recently, a Giants defense led by Michael Strahan pulled off a 17-14 victory over the undefeated Patriots' Tom Brady and Co. to win the 2008 Super Bowl.
San Francisco's dominant D has no flashy nickname, just a balanced attack featuring All-Pro defensive tackle Justin Smith, rookie Aldon Smith and talented linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. And, in the secondary, Carlos Rogers and safety Dashon Goldson have six interceptions apiece.
''With two good defenses, I don't think it's going to be high scoring,'' Rogers said. ''That's what everybody wants to see because it's the Saints. We don't give up a lot of points.''
The Saints scored three rushing touchdowns against the Lions, two by Darren Sproles and another from Pierre Thomas. That's as many as San Francisco gave up during the season, all in the last two games.
New Orleans is three-point favorites and can already envision that premier matchup with defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay in the NFC championship game next weekend. Yet Saints coach Sean Payton insists his team found out the hard way last year and doesn't want to fall in another upset after losing the wild-card game to Seattle.
''When you finish the season and you finish with a tough loss, that's something you remember and you really remember forever,'' Payton said. ''There are certain things you learn from. You understand the finality of this time of the year and you never take things for granted. All of us, players and coaches, will all carry that tough loss with us, just as we will the really good wins we have.''
The 49ers plan to stick with what got them this far.
They should be fresh and healthy after a week off as the NFC's No. 2 seed. The Saints chased them late in the year hoping to steal the second spot. One thing these Niners don't do is make many mistakes.
They had 38 takeaways to only 10 turnovers for a plus-28 turnover differential, which matched the 2010 Patriots for the second-best mark in NFL history since 1941.
''All the major statistics, they rank very high,'' Saints wideout Marques Colston said. ''I think the No. 1 thing they do is cause turnovers. So obviously that's going to be first and foremost for us this week.''
Alex Smith, the 27-year-old 2005 No. 1 overall pick, took care of the ball and threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns - hardly Brees-like numbers.
''I really don't care. I'm looking to outscore him. He can throw for however many yards he wants to,'' Smith said. ''A lot of different ways to win games in this league. Obviously offensively, they're doing a lot of great things right now. Record-setting offense. It's kind of what you aspire to get to, no question. ... It is what it is. It still comes down to scoring more points than the other team and that's what we're looking to do.''
San Francisco turned things around at last with Coach of the Year favorite Harbaugh running the show and doing things his way.
His message this week: ''Don't overcook it.''
''Like a burnt piece of meat, that doesn't taste real good,'' said Harbaugh, whose Niners have lost the last six to the Saints. ''Trust their own instincts. Trust their gut. Make it about the team. Trust the team. A guy doesn't have to do too much. I think our team goes into this game confident and bold.''
Running back Frank Gore gets it.
''What got us here. I think that's what it's going to take,'' Gore said.
Way back at the start of this journey, the Niners took a 24-3 thumping against New Orleans in the Superdome in the teams' August exhibition opener.
The Saints blitzed all day and finished with six sacks.
It's still plenty fresh for the 49ers.
''I'm sure they slept well that night because they really got after us,'' 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. ''The Saints, if they choose to be, can be one of the best blitzing teams in the league.''
While the 49ers feature only eight players with playoff experience to 39 for the Saints before last weekend, they are loose and unfazed.
''There's no pressure in this locker room,'' Rogers said. ''We're not supposed to be here. We're supposed to be going home.''
AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this story.


text:
Hello Traversal World¶
Traversal is an alternative to URL dispatch which allows Pyramid applications to map URLs to code.
If code speaks louder than words, maybe this will help. Here is a single-file Pyramid application that uses traversal:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 | from wsgiref.simple_server import make_server
from pyramid.config import Configurator
from pyramid.response import Response
class Resource(dict):
def get_root(request):
return Resource({'a': Resource({'b': Resource({'c': Resource()})})})
def hello_world_of_resources(context, request):
output = "Here's a resource and its children: %s" % context
return Response(output)
if __name__ == '__main__':
config = Configurator(root_factory=get_root)
config.add_view(hello_world_of_resources, context=Resource)
app = config.make_wsgi_app()
server = make_server('0.0.0.0', 8080, app)
You may notice that this application is intentionally very similar to the "hello world" app from Creating Your First Pyramid Application.
On lines 5-6, we create a trivial resource class that's just a dictionary subclass.
On lines 8-9, we hard-code a resource tree in our root factory function.
On lines 11-13 we define a single view callable that can
display a single instance of our Resource class, passed as the
The rest of the file sets up and serves our pyramid WSGI app. Line 18 is where our view gets configured for use whenever the traversal ends with an instance of our Resource class.
Interestingly, there are no URLs explicitly configured in this application. Instead, the URL space is defined entirely by the keys in the resource tree.
Example requests¶
If this example is running on http://localhost:8080, and the user
browses to http://localhost:8080/a/b, Pyramid will call
to get the root resource, then traverse the tree
from there by key; starting from the root, it will find the child with
key "a"
, then its child with key "b"
; then use that as the
argument for calling hello_world_of_resources
Or, if the user browses to http://localhost:8080/ , Pyramid will
stop at the root - the outermost Resource instance, in this case - and
use that as the context
argument to the same view.
Or, if the user browses to a key that doesn't exist in this resource tree, like http://localhost:8080/xyz or http://localhost:8080/a/b/c/d, the traversal will end by raising a KeyError, and Pyramid will turn that into a 404 HTTP response.
A more complicated application could have many types of resources, with different view callables defined for each type, and even multiple views for each type.
See Also¶
Full technical details may be found in Traversal.
For more about why you might use traversal, see Much Ado About Traversal.


text:
Oxwall 1.8.2 is available for download immediately.
All details about the release can be found in our beta highlight (complete changelog can be found here). You are now invited to explore this first release of 2016 and offer your feedback.
Important for users: If you are running Oxwall of any previous version, you are encouraged to wait until the auto-update prompt appears in your admin area. Before you attempt it, make sure to:
- Back up your website. Seriously, folks, better safe than sorry;
- Run the platform update first, only after that run all available plugin updates;
- Run theme update also only after the platform update.
If you don't want to perform the update yourself, check companies and contractors specializing in Oxwall support.
Oxwall team.


text:
Kamifusen Balloons: Blowfish
Developed in the 1890's, Kamifusen (or paper balloons) emerged as a charming alternative to the rubber balloon.
Created by the wives of fishermen during the winter season with handmade paper, this simple toy caught the attention of Japanese manufacturers in the early 1920's.
For those unfamiliar with the Kamifusen game, the objective is to blow air in the paper balloon and keep the multicolored Kamifusen afloat by hitting it with your hand.
Balloons do not include the strings attached as shown in images.
Blowfish are 3 per pack.
*Colors may vary, please contact us if you would like specific colors


text:
Dignitaries, MLB honor Angelou's memory at luncheon
HOUSTON -- If there was any question about how far-reaching Dr. Maya Angelou's impact on the fabric of America was throughout her life, just consider how many words, related or standing alone, would fittingly describe her.
Poet. Activist. Author. Actress. Leader. Philanthropist. Mother. Friend. Educator. Historian. Survivor.
It was entirely appropriate that Angelou was to receive the Beacon of Life Award at the Civil Rights Game luncheon in Houston on Friday, and extremely sad that she passed away just days before the event was to take place. Still, her presence was felt and acknowledged by all dignitaries in attendance, who lauded an extraordinary life filled with purpose and triumph.
"Her spirit embodies what this event aims to celebrate," Commissioner Bud Selig said. He then recited a recent quote from Angelou that was fitting for this setting: "You shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back."
"Dr. Angelou gave back by enlightening our world," Selig said.
Since her recent passing at the age of 86, Angelou has been remembered for her deep impact in many facets of life, and at the Beacon luncheon, she was lauded for her leadership while helping move the country forward in areas such as civil rights and activism. Dignitaries in town for the Civil Rights celebration -- those who knew her, and those who did not -- were looking forward to her presence at this landmark event.
"We had tried for three or four years to honor her," Hall of Famer and MLB executive Frank Robinson said. "We finally achieved that and we were excited about it. We were sad to see her health deteriorated and that she passed away. We will honor her today with a lot of pride and respect."
Angelou, sensing her health was declining in the last couple of weeks, recorded a message to be played at the luncheon. She spoke eloquently for approximately five minutes, concluding with: "I applaud Major League Baseball for its efforts to celebrate civil rights and keep the memory alive of all of those who fought against civil injustice."
Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, while noting his admiration for the other Beacon winners -- Hall of Fame football legend Jim Brown and Motown founder Berry Gordy -- said he and his wife and daughter were especially looking forward to meeting Dr. Angelou.
"Her legacy has been written," Winfield said. "People need to read about her, and not forget her. She had such an impact. She was so eloquent, timeless. Her legacy should not be forgotten."
Angelou overcame adversity both as an African-American and a woman, and a victim of abuse as a child, and she did so absent even a hint of resentment. That, too, Winfield said, should be considered part of her legacy.
"This is a person who started off with things very negative in her life," Winfield said. "She turned that around and made it a positive. She was an international figure, and she cross over to so many disciplines. She was a teacher and a motivator and she was much, much loved."
Said Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson: "It was a terrible loss. She was an amazing woman and did so much for the country and certainly for women. On the other hand, I have joy because she left such a legacy, and her words will be with us always."
Brown, the recipient of the Beacon of Hope award and an accomplished activist who devoted much of his post playing career to community service, expressed a similar sentiment.
"In that poetry, there's so much truth, so much love, so much understanding," he said. "So much education. She was an icon. She is an icon. She is remembered by all of us as a tremendous person."
Keynote speaker Robin Roberts, a close friend of Angelou, recalled a conversation she had while visiting her at home.
"I asked her when she knew she would be such a blessing to the world?" Roberts said. "She humbly said she always knew, and her life depended on being a blessing."
The celebration of Angelou's legacy was uplifting, just as, Roberts noted, she would have wanted it.
"We choose not a moment of silence," Roberts said. "Because she so relished the song of life."


text:
After the NFL labor situation is settled, free agency will begin, and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha will be on many teams' wish list.
Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson has been lobbying Asomugha to join his team, according to John McClain of the *Houston Chronicle*.
"Andre Johnson said he's talked to Nnamdi Asomugha on more than one occasion and told the cornerback he should sign with the Texans," McClain wrote Sunday on his Twitter page.
NFL.com senior writer Steve Wyche recently suggested that Asomugha could land with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as the team might part ways with Aqib Talibafter his recent legal trouble.
Wyche also said that being on a winning team could mean more to Asomugha than money, so the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens also are believe to be front-runners to sign the three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro pick.
Asomugha has spent all eight of his NFL seasons with the Oakland Raiders, becoming one of the league's premier shutdown cornerbacks. He has just three interceptions since 2007, but that's because opposing quarterbacks typically avoid throwing his way.


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LoCash Cowboys Video Shoot Filled With Plenty of Mud, Trucks and Kendra Wilkinson
Mud, mud and more mud, that's what the LoCash Cowboys found themselves surrounded by on Tuesday (June 12) when they headed to Lynnville, Tenn. (65 miles south of Nashville) to film their brand new music video for 'C-O-U-N-T-R-Y.'
The location wasn't a staged set, but rather a large mud hole miles from the main road with trucks, four-wheelers and other off-road vehicles, all plastered in mud. The country duo's band members had their equipment set up in trucks in the background while Preston Brust and Chris Lucas looked the part of country rock stars as they performed in front of and on top of the vehicles that were stuck in the mud.
Kendra Wilkinson, of the hit reality shows 'The Girls Next Door' and 'Kendra on Top,' was on hand to play the video's sexy leading lady and wasn't afraid to play the part. Like the boys, she got in the thick of it all, being covered head to toe in mud by the the video's end.
"Today has been incredible," Brust told Taste of Country on the set of the video. "Kendra made the video hot, funny, sexy, rockin' ... she was the perfect girl."
The video will feature many fun shots, including the first set-up for the day of the duo and Wilkinson tossing around some mud after the blonde beauty pulls up in Brust's very own Ford F150 Eco Boost truck that he brought on set.
"The minute she sat down in my truck -- that was really hot -- but the minute she stepped out of the truck and the whole crew was watching, everybody just had this look on their face like we got the right girl for the video," Brust beamed. "I couldn't be any happier with the way this thing is going."
Brust found an added benefit of using his truck in the video after seeing a little surprise that Wilkinson left for him inside the vehicle.
"It's pretty amazing ... she left some little kiss marks on my rear-view mirror," Brust said with a grin. "I will probably never wash it again [laughs]. I'll probably always keep it there."
Wilkinson was also utilizing her time in Nashville to film an entire episode of 'Kendra on Top,' based around her experience in Music City and the time spent on the set with the LoCash Cowboys.
The day also happened to be Wilkinson's 27th birthday, which was celebrated on set with a birthday cake and gifts from LoCash. The duo had a custom LoCash Cowboys baseball cap made for the star, and also presented her with a pink acoustic guitar and other mementos. They even brought along LoCash Cowboy posters, which they autographed for Wilkinson's and her husband, Hank Baskett's 2 1/2 year old son, 'Lil Hank.'
"Kendra is awesome," Lucas told Taste of Country following their sit-down lunch with Wilkinson, all of which was captured by the 'Kendra on Top' cameras for an upcoming episode. "She is not only a beautiful girl, she is also beautiful inside. She has a great heart, and she has been a good sport about the whole thing. Kendra was one of our dreams to have in this video. Everybody has 'that girl' in a video, and now we've got 'that girl' in our video. We got the one we wanted."
Stay tuned to Taste of Country to see the finished product in the coming weeks. To see more of our exclusive photos from the 'C-O-U-N-T-R-Y' video shoot, flip through our slide show below. Fans can keep up with all the latest on the LoCash Cowboys, including information about their forthcoming album and future tour dates, by visiting their official website or following them on Twitter.


text:
One of the most visual bill changes you will ever see!
The performer clearly shows both sides of a bill and otherwise empty hands. He folds the bill once in half, and simply by waving one hand over the front of the bill once, it changes before the audience's eyes!
An almost hypnotic experience, Hypno-Bill really is this smooth and visual. Carry it in your wallet and you'll be ready to amaze anywhere, anytime.
- Ideal for table-hopping and walk-around close-up performances
- Resets automatically
- Gimmick can be made in 15 minutes or less
You receive the fully photo-illustrated, 6 page manuscript on how to easily construct the necessary gimmick.
Mag.Thomas Huber


text:
HowTo:Make a sitcom
HowTo This article is part of Uncyclopedia's HowTo series. See more HowTos |
Have you ever felt... bored? Or maybe... unimpressed? Unimpressed with the quality and worthlessness of your life? What have you ever done to make you different from all the rest? You're ugly, your jokes aren't funny, you suck. As you sit there in front of the television, gulping down your millionth bottle of beer and staring into the lives of fictional characters that don't even exist, you despise yourself. You look at what you've become—a fat ugly unfunny slob—and at that moment, you hope there is something redeeming you can do. Something to get you noticed, and to make up for all those wasted years.
Then you look into the television, tears streaming from your fat cheeks, and you look at those made up characters, living in a perfect (and constantly hilarious) world of dead children and graphic mutilation. That's it! You'll make a sitcom! Ahh, the sitcom. Also known as the situation comedy, it is television's finest trope, the source of the laughter today. True, what He bestowed on the sitcom, He bestowed on little else. Anyway, now that you know what you are doing, it's time to find out what you're going to do. Ayyy!
Create your main characters
The first step is making your main characters. You don't really need to worry about the concept of your sitcom at this stage, because most sitcoms revolve around single comedic moments and thus render such silly things as plot and coherence pointless. To create your characters, you'd best be off looking at some tried and tested favourites. This method will make sure that the audience is used to, and expects, your characters, and will not coldly reject them. As Patrick Stewart so elegantly put it, "Imitation is the finest form of flattery". So, let's look at some lovable stereotypes, shall we? First of all, we have the lovable nerd. His charming escapades warm the hearts of the audience, and he's also a loser. Classic. Now we have the cool guy, and he's a cool guy. Period. But moving away from the males, all shows need a "sexy" character. I'm going to save a long explanation by saying that, in short, this equates to sex appeal, and all shows need sex appeal.
If this kind of set-up doesn't agree with you, maybe you'd like to try out the Emmy-winning "middle class family" cliché. To do this, you should first come up with a borderline retarded father—don't worry the trouble this will cause, 'cause everyone does this!—who should ideally be as dumb as possible in order to make such comically valuable stunts as shoving his penis in a pencil sharpener possible, and make the audience laugh with joy. Next is the mom of the family, although you can feel free to advertise her as a "MILF". The mother is that typical American/British/Albanian mom who always cares for her children, unless she is trying to murder them in a disrespect-driven rage (remember, episodes like this sweep up the Emmys!). She's the one trying to get the family together and out of trouble. Oh, and she is always hungry for sex. The kids of the family should be, in age order: son, daughter, daughter. These rules can be bent, but make sure that the son is supposed to be cool. After all, you do need to compete with the likes of Happy Days. Don't forget to add some background characters—they are important.
Think of a catchy theme song/opening
Time to make an interesting opening that is like, nay, just is eye candy to the viewers. Make sure it will make people say "Hey! It's that show with the really funky opening sequence!", or at least "This opening sequence is so bad I'm going to watch the show for no reason!". Opening sequences must feature the title of the show (if you don't have a title, you can borrow someone else's), which is best off in a "groovy" font which can easily capture the attention of the viewer, for example Curlz MT or Comic Sans.
The actual content of your opening can be whatever you want, but it is usually best to include humor (or humour, if you want your show to have a high-class feel). One way to get around this is to insert clips from your show, which should flash by quickly enough to to give the viewer a seizure. You can come up with new footage, and feature a recurring gag to shake things up and destroy the repetitiveness. Unfortunately, some shows feature brilliant recurring jokes, but that doesn't stop originality (it doesn't stop unoriginality either). Maybe you can have a platypus come out of nowhere and crap out the opening credits. Perhaps you could include a dozen meta jokes and throw in dated pop culture references! Whatever, do what you want.
Also, after you've stolen, err, made up your gag, or can't think of one at all, you just have to have a kick-ass theme song. If it's something that's actually good enough to be called decent music, then you have failed miserably. Grab a guitar, shove your cat into it, rub it on your grandpa's back, and record what sound comes out of it. Maybe have one of the characters sing out-of-tune offensive jokes, or show someone playing a banjo, but the important thing is that if you can't make a song, steal someone else's.
Get some celebrities and guest stars
Bind and gag them if you have to, because one crucial thing to a sitcom is guest celebrities. Every sitcom nameable depends on more famous and talented people dropping in for an episode or two, and hopefully bringing their entire fan-base with them. Family Guy, Friends, Yu-Gi-Oh!, you name it, all have guest celebrities. In terms of getting your celebrities onto the show, the most "politically correct" way involves plenty of contracts, phone calls and pleasant agreeing, but it all pays off when the star you've bagged walks into your shed, uhh, studio. Pah! A much quicker way is to find them, shoot them (hopefully with a tranquilizer dart) and drag them to your shed. Immediately you see why this is much better: no hassle, no boring debates with receptionists. It's also much more fun to boot.
Now, getting your guests is one thing, but choosing them is quite another. In most cases, it is best to feature popular modern guests which people like, although the public may also be drawn towards appearances by much-hated guests in the hope that their livers with be ripped out. In terms of how you depict your guest star on the actual show, you can either make them cool (a variation of this is over-the-top fan worship which unfortunately only excites an eighth of the audience), or abuse them mentally and physically. Why don't you have them die? Or have them tortured by the show's "pacifist" character[1]? Either way, you have to have guest celebrities or else your sitcom is more-or-less screwed.
Make fun of other shows
Yes, yes. Making fun of other shows is one of the most powerful weapons in your arsenal. This sounds like a cheap gimmick, and it is if you don't do it right. Typically, a satire of another show doesn't go very well, and might even go against the first show's comical stance. An example of such weak writing typically involves a guest appearance by a character from the show being ripped, or otherwise a quick mention of the other show. Clearly, this has little effect either way. A good parody should make the audience laugh amd strike fear into the hearts of your enemies.
How can this be done? Well, you could point out the other show's flaws[2] in two ways: the subtle way, and the unsubtle way. Some people say that the subtle way is better, and granted, there are reasons for this. It seems to go down better with the critics, and it's funnier. Any hits by this method also leave a sour kind of aftertaste in the other show's mouth as its creators realise the sheer comical skill you must possess in order to pull off such a good double-whammy of an attack. Then again, it's easier to go with the other method, the unsubtle way, which, when done right, can drive the people behind the other show to suicide. Observe: one of How I Met Your Mother's big competitors is the now-deceased Friends. Let's say How I Met Your Mother decided to present a sly vocal attack of Friends in one of their shows. The subtler option would go along the lines of "...Friends is such a 90's term." Quick yet deadly. But say they decided to go rough, and have one of the characters shout: "Friends is gay and Monica is a tranny! Fuck you, Matt LeBlanc!" Which do you think is more effective?
Get controversial! Now!
There is nothing better than controversy to make a sitcom garner attention like a bratty rich girl in a public school. Without controversy, shows will be left to wither and die for lack of attention. Surely there's nothing like a good lawsuit to just draw in the media and viewers...and eventually the monies. If you are lazy, you can just make your show overdose on profanity, sex, your mom, violence, and other explicit themes. This method is easy but has some flaws. Mostly, it will only appeal to sick retards, such as Internet users and perverts. Unless you desire that target audience[3], you should make fun of political issues, religion, and other stuff that could get your head sliced off. This is harder to accomplish; the lawsuits and anger will be huge; but if you accomplish it, your show will be highly regarded. And why should you be careful here? Who cares what Obama thinks if you call him a Negro? What's the worst Steve Jobs could do if you portrayed him as a pervert with learning difficulties? Oh, wait, he's dead, isn't he? Well, all the more controversy! Gore! Racism! Satan! Nazis! Ahem, forgot to take my medication there. Anyway, what I was saying is that for some reason, the general public just seems to like stuff that abuses free speech. In short, that's good for you.
Stay funny
Many sitcoms lose their touch after around 400 episodes, although some lose it much sooner. Aside from making several references to Conway Twitty or the token black guy's house getting destroyed while he falls out of the bathtub, there is only one way to make sure your show lives on and is remembered forever. Sure, winning a few awards and getting your name carved into the sidewalk in Hollywood is good, but getting a whole museum dedicated to your show—or even a colossal gold statue that makes the Statue of Liberty seem like Gary Coleman—is the best. Only then will your sitcom live forever. Just take a look at the Three Stooges. But don't get your hopes up. Knowing you, you're gonna probably have to live in the dumpster after the first season.
- ↑ All shows need a pacifist.
- ↑ Saying that much of the cast is ugly is a good start. Saying that they're all homosexuals is even better. Saying that they are ugly homosexuals who enjoy Asian fusion dishes made from the flesh of orphaned children is the absolute best, but good luck slipping that past the network lawyers.
- ↑ note that the pervert-aimed show does pull in significant profit over the years
That's all folks!
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text:
In my endless struggle to find RPG systems which suit my style of game mastering I've made my way through endless pages of results on the RPGGeek with no avail, so once again I am going to surrender to the community knowledge.
My most successful campaign ever was run in The Riddle of Steel in a custom, alternate reality setting but there was one, rather big hitch - while the combat system is really awesome (in my opinion), the fact that I specifically DIDN'T want my players to get killed rendered it pretty useless, it's just too easy to either make the adversaries a piece of cake to defeat or to get your players dead in one unlucky roll. The more narrative style of gameplay was something I have thoroughly enjoyed though.
So, a list of my requirements:
- Supports fantasy settings
- Little randomization in rolls, anything bell curved is fine (classic d20, d100 are out). I want dice though, so please save the diceless systems for another question of mine in near or far future!
- Generally non-heroic, but supporting such characters. What I mean: In DnD, you can make the game non-heroic by making it impossible for the characters to advance beyond, let's say, level 6 - this supports non-heroic gameplay by restrictions. Ideally I'd like the system to revolve around human abilities and improving them, but allowing heroic characters by giving them ridiculously high attributes.
- Skill/stat based character development, no classes.
- There should either be no hitpoints, or losing part of the character's hitpoints should have a negative effect on said character's performance.
- Fast (or at least not ridiculously slow) combat without gazillion of statistics, tables and number crunching techniques.
- It would be a nice addition if a system does not use too many rolls to resolve conflicts - again, in DnD you roll twice for an attack: first is to hit, the other roll is damage. Ideally the success of the attack roll would also determine the damage.
- A magic system supporting generating spells on the fly would also be a nice touch but it is not required.
I want the system to improve the gameplay, not create fixed boundaries which are difficult for both the players and the GM to step out of. To quote mxyzplk: "Conan doesn't ask if he can leap up on Dagon's back and tear his horn out [...] He just does it." As in, Conan doesn't have a fixed list of moves he can perform. He attempts to do whatever he wants. That's the type of gameplay I am looking for.
Now, I am generally negative towards generic systems like GURPS or FATE. That's because I have a real hard time getting into them - they have so many extensions and content that I can't wrap my head around them. If you want to suggest them, please tell me exactly WHICH books should I look into.


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Other Dictionaries
- Smith's Bible Dictionary
- Nave's Topical Bible.
« Mountain Of The Amorites | Mourning | Mouse » |
One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called its studies publicity and the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies. (Genesis 23:2; Job 1:20; 2:12)
- Among the particular forms observed the following may be mentioned: (a) Rending the clothes. (Genesis 37:29,34; 44:13) etc. (b) Dressing in sackcloth. (Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 21:10) etc. (c) Ashes, dust or earth sprinkled on the person. (2 Samuel 13:19; 15:32) etc. (d) Black or sad-colored garments. (2 Samuel 14:2; Jeremiah 8:21) etc. (e) Removal of ornaments or neglect of person. (21:12,13) etc. (f) Shaving the head, plucking out the hair of the head or beard. (Leviticus 10:6; 2 Samuel 19:24) etc. (g) Laying bare some part of the body. (Isaiah 20:2; 47:2) etc. (h) Fasting or abstinence in meat and drink. (2 Samuel 1:12; 3:35; 12:16,22) etc. (i) In the same direction may be mentioned diminution in offerings to God, and prohibition to partake of sacrificial food. (Leviticus 7:20; 26:14) (k) Covering the "upper lip," i.e. the lower part of the face, and sometimes the head, in token of silence. (Leviticus 13:45; 2 Samuel 15:30; 19:4) (l) Cutting the flesh, (Jeremiah 16:6,7; 41:5) beating the body. (Ezekiel 21:12; Jeremiah 31:19) (m) Employment of persons hired for the purpose of mourning. (Ecclesiastes 12:5; Jeremiah 9:17; Amos 5:16; Matthew 9:23) (n) Akin to the foregoing usage the custom for friends or passers-by to join in the lamentations of bereaved or afflicted persons. (Genesis 50:3; Judges 11:40; Job 2:11; 30:25) etc. (o) The sitting or lying posture in silence indicative of grief. (Genesis 23:3; Judges 20:26) etc. (p) Mourning feast and cup of consolation. (Jeremiah 16:7,8)
- The period of mourning varied. In the case of Jacob it was seventy days, (Genesis 50:3) of Aaron, (Numbers 20:29) and Moses, Deuteronomy 34:8 thirty. A further period of seven days in Jacob's case. (Genesis 50:10) Seven days for Saul, which may have been an abridged period in the time of national danger. (1 Samuel 31:13) With the practices above mentioned, Oriental and other customs, ancient and modern, in great measure agree. Arab men are silent in grief, but the women scream, tear their hair, hands and face, and throw earth or sand on their heads. Both Mohammedans and Christians in Egypt hire wailing-women, and wail at stated times. Burckhardt says the women of Atbara in Nubia shave their heads on the death of their nearest relatives—a custom prevalent also among several of the peasant tribes of upper Egypt. He also mentions wailing-women, and a man in distress besmearing his face with dirt and dust in token of grief. In the "Arabian Nights" are frequent allusions to similar practices. It also mentions ten days and forty days as periods of mourning. Lane, speaking of the modern Egyptians, says, "After death the women of the family raise cries of lamentation called welweleh or wilwal, uttering the most piercing shrieks, and calling upon the name of the deceased, 'Oh, my master! Oh, my resource! Oh, my misfortune! Oh, my glory!" See (Jeremiah 22:18) The females of the neighborhood come to join with them in this conclamation: generally, also, the family send for two or more neddabehs or public wailing-women. Each brings a tambourine, and beating them they exclaim, 'Alas for him!' The female relatives, domestics and friends, with their hair dishevelled and sometimes with rent clothes, beating their faces, cry in like manner, 'Alas for him!' These make no alteration in dress, but women, in some cases, dye their shirts, head-veils and handkerchiefs of a dark-blue color. They visit the tombs at stated periods."—Mod. Eg. iii. 152,171,195.
« Mountain Of The Amorites | Mourning | Mouse » |


text:
Knight:NuPAGE electrophoresis/Gel drying
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A procedure for drying and preserving a polyacrylamide gel.
- Gel drying solution
- 20% ethanol
- 10% glycerol
- Gel drying frames from Diversified Biotech
- Cellophane sheets from Diversified Biotech
- Equilibrate gel in gel drying solution for at least 30 mins.
- Reduces gel swelling and results in a more flexible dried gel.
- Place two cellophane sheets in water for 1-2 mins.
- Cellophane may appear cloudy but will clear upon drying.
- Lay one sheet of cellophane on solid back plate, beveled edge down. Avoid air bubbles.
- Place gel on cellophane. Avoid air bubbles.
- Air bubbles can cause cracking.
- Pipet 1-2 mLs of gel drying solution on top of gel.
- Layer a second wet sheet of cellophane on top of gel. Match edges with edges of back plate. Roll cellophane from bottom of gel towards the wells helps avoid air bubbles.
- Place open frame over stack, bevelled edge up. Match edges of back plate. Frame should cover all edges of cellophane.
- Attach plastic clips to all four sides.
- Leave assembly to dry horizontally for at least 2 days.
- Remove clips and pry apart assembly.
- Peel dried gel/cellophane sandwich from back plate.
- Trim off excess cellophane immediately to avoid curling.


text:
13 S.Ct. 457
37 L.Ed. 376
ASTIAZARAN et al.
SANTA RITA LAND & MIN. CO. et al.
No. 43.
March 6, 1893.
Rochester Ford, for appellants.
A. T. Britton and A. B. Browne, for appellees.
Mr. Justice GRAY delivered the opinion of the court.
This was a complaint filed June 25, 1887, in a district court of the territory of Arizona, and county of Pima, by Dolores G. Astiazaran and others against the Santa Rita Land & Mining Company and the New Mexico & Arizona Railroad Company to quiet the plaintiffs' title in three tracts of land known as ranchos 'Tumacacori,' 'Calabasas,' and 'Huevavi,' granted by the Mexican government to Francisco Alejandro Aguilar in 1844.
The plaintiffs claimed title as or under the heirs of Aguilar. The defendants claimed under alleged conveyances from Aguilar to Manuel Maria Gandara in 1856 and 1869, from Gandara to Charles P. Sykes in 1877, from Sykes of an undivided interest to John Curry in 1878, and from Sykes and Curry, on December 18, 1879, of the whole interest to the Calabasas Land & Mining Company, whose title had since vested in the defendants.
On June 9, 1864, Gandara presented a petition to the surveyor general for the territory of Arizona for a survey of the lands, in order that the title might be reported on and confirmed, in accordance with the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848 and the Gadsden treaty of 1853 and the laws of the United States.
On December 15, 1879, Curry and Sykes presented a similar petition to the surveyor general, who on January 7, 1880, made a report to congress, recommending a confirmation of their title. Congress never took final
The district court gave judgment for the
The district court gave judgemnt for the defendants, which was affirmed by the supreme court of the territory on January 19, 1889. 20 Pac. Rep. 189. The plaintiffs appealed to this court.
By article 8 of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and article 5 of the Gadsden treaty the property of Mexicans within the territory ceded by Mexico to the United States was to be 'inviolably respected,' and they and their heirs and grantees were 'to enjoy with respect to it guaranties equally ample as if the same belonged to citizens of the United States.' 9 St. pp. 929, 930; 10 St. p. 1035.
Undoubtedly private rights of property within the ceded territory were not affected by the change of sovereignty and jurisdiction, and were entitled to protection, whether the party had the full and absolute ownership of the land, or merely an equitable interest therein, which required some further act of the government to vest in him a perfect title. But the duty of providing the mode of securing these rights and of fulfilling the obligations imposed upon the United States by the treaties belonged to the political department of the government; and congress might either itself discharge that duty, or delegate it to the judicial department. De la Croix v. Chamberlain, 12 Wheat. 599, 601, 602; Chouteau v. Eckhart, 2 How. 344, 374; Tameling v. Freehold Co., 93 U. S. 644, 661; Botiller v. Dominguez, 130 U. S. 238, 9 Sup. Ct. Rep. 525.
For the adjustment and confirmation of claims under grants from the Mexican government of land in New Mexico, and in Arizona, which was formerly a part of it, congress had not, when this case was decided below, established a judicial tribunal, as it had done in California, and as it has since done in New Mexico and Arizona by the act of March 3, 1891, c. 539, (26 St. p. 854.)
But congress reserved to itself the determination of such claims, and enacted that the surveyor general for the territory, under the instructions of the secretary of the interior, should ascertain the origin, nature, character, and extent of all such claims, and for this purpose might issue notices, summon witnesses, administer oaths, and do all other necessary acts, and should make a full report on such claims, with his decision as to the validity or invalidity of each under the laws, usages, and customs of the country before its cession to the United States; and that his report should be laid before congress for such action thereon as might be deemed just and proper, with a view to confirm bona fide grants, and to give full effect to the treaty of 1848 between the United States and Mexico. Acts July 22, 1854, c. 103, § 8, (10 St. p. 309;) July 15, 1870, c. 292, (16 St. p. 304.)
In Tameling v. Freehold Co., above cited, it was therefore held that the action of congress, confirming, as recommended by the surveyor general for the territory, a private land claim in New Mexico, was conclusive evidence of the claimant's title, and not subject to judicial review; and Mr. Justice Davis, in delivering the opinion of the court, said: 'No jurisdiction over such claims in New Mexico was conferred upon the courts; but the surveyor general, in the exercise of the authority with which he was invested, decides them in the first instance. The final action on each claim, reserved to congress, is, of course, conclusive, and therefore not subject to review in this or any other forum. It is obviously not the duty of this court to sit in judgment upon either the recital of matters of fact by the surveyor general, or his decision declaring the validity of the grant. They are embodied in his report, which was laid before congress for its consideration and action.' 93 U. S. 662. See, also, Maxwell Land Grant Case, 121 U. S. 325, 366, 7 Sup. Ct. Rep. 1015, and 122 U. S. 365, 371, 7 Sup. Ct. Rep. 1271.
The action of congress, when taken, being conclusive upon the merits of the claim, it necessarily follows that the judiciary cannot act upon the matter while it is pending before congress; for, if congress should decide the same way as the court, the judgment of the court would be nugatory, and, if congress should decide the other way, its decision would control.
There is nothing in Pinkerton v. Ledoux, 129 U. S. 346, 9 Sup. Ct. Rep. 399, cited by the appellant, inconsistent with this conclusion. The point there decided was that the report of the surveyor general, not acted on by congress, was no evidence to support ejectment upon a grant from the Mexican government, known as the 'Nolan Grant;' and Mr. Justice Bradley, in delivering judgment, said: 'The surveyor general's report is no evidence of title or right to possession. His duties were prescribed by the act of July 22, 1854, before referred to, and consisted merely in making inquiries and reporting to congress for its action. If congress confirmed a title reported favorably by him, it became a valid title; if not, not.' And he guardedly added: 'This case seems to have been very perfunctorily tried and discussed. There is a question which may be entitled to much consideration,—whether the Nolan title has any validity at all without confirmation by congress. The act of July 22, 1854, before referred to, seems to imply that this was necessary.' 129 U. S. 351, 352, 355, 9 Sup. Ct. Rep. 401, 402.
The case is one of those, jurisdiction of which has been committed to a particular tribunal, and which cannot, therefore, at least while proceedings are pending before that tribunal, be taken up and decided by any other. Johnson v. Towsley, 13 Wall. 72; Smelting Co. v. Kemp, 104 U. S. 636; Steel v. Smelting Co., 106 U. S. 447, 1 Sup. Ct. Rep. 389; City of New Orleans v. Paine, 147 U. S. 261, 13 Sup. Ct. Rep. 303.
In this case congress has constituted itself the tribunal to finally determine, upon the report and recommendation of the surveyor general, whether the claim is valid or invalid.
The petition to the surveyor general is the commencement of proceedings which necessarily involve the validity of the grant from the Mexican government under which the petitioners claim title; the proceedings are pending until congress has acted, and while they are pending the question of the title of the petitioners cannot be contested in the ordinary courts of justice.
Upon this short ground, without considering any other question, the judgment of the supreme court of the territory of Arizona is affirmed.
Mr. Justice BREWER concurred in the result.


text:
Chemicals and Health
Air Date: Week of July 13, 2012
There are tens of thousands of chemicals in everyday products. Only a fraction of these have been tested for toxicity and health effects in the U.S. Host Bruce Gellerman talks to Richard Denison, a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, about news studies that raise troubling health questions.
GELLERMAN: It's taken nearly a quarter of a century but the EPA has finally concluded that the chemical perchloroethylene - is a likely human carcinogen. You know Perc - at least by the smell - it's used by many dry cleaners; but now the EPA says it will largely phase out the cancer-causing solvent.
Perc is just one of more than 62 thousand industrial chemicals that were presumed safe back in 1976. That's when the federal government first began regulating these compounds, but still today, most have never been investigated for health effects - they were grandfathered in.
Now three new studies suggest some of these chemicals, even measured in parts per billion - can have far reaching health effects - and Dr. Richard Denison of the Environmental Defense Fund says there's no avoiding them.
DENISON: The amounts are really staggering and they've grown dramatically over the last few decades. One estimate puts it at 27 trillion pounds per year in the U.S. That's the equivalent of 250 pounds per person every day.
GELLERMAN: Well, in your recent blog you write about three recent studies that raise concerns about some of these chemicals. Let's go through these studies, okay?
DENISON: Sure. They are among a group of studies that are looking directly at effects in people. Most of the data we've relied on in the past has been data derived from laboratory animal studies. But increasingly the field of epidemiology is finding that linkages directly to people can be established between chemical exposures and certain types of health effects. And these are three studies that do just that.
GELLERMAN: The first one has to do with something called PCE, or I guess some people know it as Perc. It's used as a solvent in dry cleaning, degreasing, spot removers, that kind of thing, right?
DENISON: That's right. It's also got a lot of industrial uses for cleaning metal parts and so forth.
GELLERMAN: The study that you cite was done recently by Boston University researchers.
DENISON: They looked at a large group of people, some 800 people that had reported some level of exposure to this chemical, either while they were in the womb, in other words, their mother was exposed, or in their early childhood. And this was the result of contamination of drinking water in the areas in which these 800 people lived.
GELLERMAN: So what did they find? What did the researchers find?
DENISON: Well, they compared this group of 800 people to a group of unexposed individuals and asked the question, how likely was it that these individuals who had been exposed early in life, later in life would engage in so-called "risky behaviors." So this included drug use, smoking, heavy drinking. And what they found was a much higher incidence, some 50 to 60 percent of an increase in the extent of these risky behaviors was observed in the individuals who had been exposed early in life to this solvent compared to those who had not.
GELLERMAN: Can you make the association between something that happens in the womb and behavior so much later in life?
DENISON: Well, there is a lot of additional information that suggests that solvents like PCE are able to do just that. An early life exposure leads to impairment of cognitive abilities, changes in mental disposition and behavior. And what's unique about this study is both the scale of it, the large number of people that were tracked, but also the manifestation of those mental/behavioral changes in directly measurable activities such as drinking and drug use.
GELLERMAN: Of course, there are people who abuse drugs who might never have had exposure to this chemical.
DENISON: This is one of the difficulties in doing human studies. Many effects that we look at have multiple causes, and it's very difficult to ever definitively say that a particular cause is responsible for the entire incidence of a particular outcome. So rather what we're looking for are correlations and in this case the researchers went to significant steps to control for other factors that could potentially confound the results. So it really does look in this study like the strongest correlation is between this early life exposure to a toxic solvent and tying that in this case to a much higher likelihood of developing those risky behaviors later in life.
GELLERMAN: Let's talk about the second study. It took place in New York City, at Mount Sinai. It has to do with something called phthalates. What are phthalates?
DENISON: Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are used widely in commerce today. They're used in everything from cosmetics, to certain types of cleaning products, to a variety of different plastics.
GELLERMAN: So the researchers in New York, they found that there was a relationship between this chemical and overweight kids?
DENISON: That's right. What the researchers studied was a group of about 400 black and Hispanic kids in New York City. They measured several ways in which these children were overweight and they correlated that with the concentrations of these chemicals in the bodies of these children. And they found a very strong relationship. The higher the levels of these chemicals, the more likely they were to be obese at ages six to eight years old.
GELLERMAN: What about things like poor diet, or the kids not getting enough exercise, wouldn't you look at those as variables?
DENISON: Obviously, diet and lifestyle, exercise levels, all affect this. What increasingly the science is pointing to, however, is that early life exposures to certain chemicals can predispose people to being obese later in life. These are chemicals that we know are similar to hormones that are naturally present in the body and they can interfere with the effects of those hormones even at very low doses. They can affect both early development in males and females.
GELLERMAN: The third study you write about are called perfluorinated chemicals. What are those?
DENISON: These are chemicals that are probably known to most people because of their uses in products like the Teflon brand of products and the Scotchgard brand of products. Typically, they're used as coatings on paper packaging, on textiles, to impart water-resistance or grease-resistance. These chemicals are very persistent in the environment, and in some cases they can build up in our bodies.
And this study looked in particular at a group of these chemicals in a very large group of kids that were immunized early in life for diphtheria and other diseases. So then the authors looked for a correlation between the levels of these chemicals and the levels of antibodies that were produced by vaccinations these children had received years earlier. And what they found was that the higher the levels of these chemicals in the bodies of these kids, ages five to seven years old, the lower the levels of antibodies to these two vaccines. So that means that there's at least a potential here that these chemicals are interfering with the effectiveness of those vaccines even years after the initial exposure.
GELLERMAN: Then wouldn't we expect that as they grew older, they might be more susceptible to diseases and the things the vaccines were supposed to prevent?
DENISON: That is certainly the implication. It needs, certainly, further follow-up, but it does suggest that when we are exposed to things early in our lives, that they have some profound effects on our immune system, our mental capacity, our ability to regulate our weight. These kinds of fundamental processes in the human body seem to be being affected by early life exposures.
GELLERMAN: So let me ask you, Dr. Denison; you say we have 27 trillion pounds of these, can we be, you know, effectively protected, or can these chemicals be effectively regulated?
DENISON: Unfortunately, the answer to that question is no. We have a very obsolete chemical safety law that hasn't been amended for 36 years. So we need to update this law, it's called the Toxic Substances Control Act, and it needs to reflect the most recent and best science that's available to us. I think there are, on the margins, certain things that can be done to reduce one's exposure, but I think in the long run it's both unfair and impractical to put the burden on individual consumers to try to figure out where these chemicals are and to try to avoid them. And it's probably a perfect example of where we really need a national solution that makes sure that these chemicals are fully tested before they get into the marketplace so that people, individuals, don't have to worry about themselves and their families.
GELLERMAN: Well, Dr. Denison, thanks a lot.
DENISON: Thank you, Bruce. It's a pleasure to be on your show.
GELLERMAN: Richard Denison is a senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund.
Environmental Defense Fund's Chemicals and Nanomaterials Blog
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