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With 814 million eligible voters, India voted in phases over six weeks, with results expected on Friday.
The main Hindu opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) went into the election with strong momentum on promises of economic growth. Pre-election polls suggested there was deep dissatisfaction with the governing Congress party's 10 years in power.
Modi's chief rival for prime minister is Rahul Gandhi, the 43-year-old vice-president of the Congress party and the scion of the Gandhi family.
Exit polls released on Monday by two television channels, Times Now and Aaj Tak, both gave the BJP and its allies a large lead over the Congress party and its allies in the 543-member lower house of Parliament, known as the Lok Sabha.
Thousands lined up on Monday to vote in the revered Hindu holy city of Varanasi, where Modi was seeking election and where the temperature soared to 42 degrees Celsius. Modi was running in the district against Arvind Kejriwal, the chief of India's anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party, and Ajay Rai of the Congress party.
"We want to vote for a candidate who is accessible, someone we can go to when we have problems, someone who can come and help us when we are in need," said Sofia Shaheen, a school teacher.
Girija Shankar, a retired government officer, said he was looking for a clean government. "We should only support a person who can deliver this to us," he said.
A clash erupted as voting began in West Bengal state, where Ajay Dasgupta, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) spokesman, accused governing Trinamool Congress workers of firing at his party supporters and wounding four of them in a village northeast of Kolkata, the state capital. The Trinamool Congress party denied the charge.
A recent poll by the US think-tank Pew Research Center said 63 percent of Indians preferred the BJP over the Congress party.
Indians turned out in large numbers to vote, with the Election Commission saying the turnout percentage over the six weeks in 502 parliamentary constituencies until May 8 was 66.27 percent, up from 58.13 percent in the 2009 elections.
Elections in India are generally considered free and fair, with even the powerful often experiencing defeat. But there are also challenges, with age-old traditions of caste loyalty, patriarchy and nepotism often influencing voting patterns.
This year's election was bitterly fought, and often marred by religious divisions and personal attacks.
The BJP's carefully crafted and well-financed campaign promised good governance at a time when the Congress party has been plagued by repeated scandals, and Rahul Gandhi has generally failed to inspire the public.


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BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's 10th Annual War on the Shore wrestling tournament got underway today at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center for the second year in a row with some of the top high school wrestling programs in the mid-Atlantic and all over the country converging on the area for the two-day event.
The War on the Shore tournament, which features some of the best high school wrestling programs in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Pennsylvania and even Wisconsin this year. The field of 32 teams features 15 whose lists of accomplishments are impressive. The top Maryland teams in the field include Mount St. Joseph, the 2010 Maryland Independent State Champions, La Plata, Archbishop Curley, Archbishop Spalding and, of course, the host Decatur. Other Maryland teams in the field include Rising Sun, Broadneck, Severna Park, Easton, Glenelg, Old Mill, Patuxent, St. Mary's Ryken, Chesapeake and Arundel.
Delaware teams in the field include 2010 Henlopen Conference champion and state runner-up Sussex Central, Sussex Tech, Middletown, Caravel Academy, St. Mark's and Salesianum. Virginia teams in the field include 18-time state champion Great Bridge along with Northampton, Millbrook, Hanover, Riverbend, and Hickory. Teams from Washington, D.C. in the field include powerhouses DeMatha, Good Counsel and Gonzaga.
For the first seven years of the War on the Shore, the tournament was held at host Decatur, but the growth of the field of teams and the thousands of spectators who turn out for the annual event forced organizers to seek a new venue. It was held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center for one year before logistical challenges forced the move to the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center last year.
For host Decatur, which is expected to be as strong as ever this year, the annual tournament often serves a barometer for the season. New Head Coach Todd Martinek said the format doesn't typically favor the Seahawks, but he expects a strong finish again this year. Last year, Archbishop Spalding won the tournament, followed by Sussex Central and La Plata, while Decatur finished 15th.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ask the doctor: Is pregnancy 'glow' real?
It's one of those compliments that gets offhandedly said to a pregnant woman: "You're glowing! You look so good."
Funny, you think to yourself. I spend most days throwing up, I'm stacking on the weight and all I want to eat is bacon – but I'll take it!
- Everything we know about Duchess Meghan's babymoon
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- The hot new contender for Meg and Harry's baby name
For some women, though, the 'glow' takes a little while to really turn on.
I, myself, battled with acne and a bit of a 'green pallor' in the first trimester of both my pregnancies. Someone told me that was because I had boys – but I am not convinced.
What accounts for the pregnancy glow, medically speaking?
According to women's health GP, Dr Sneha Wadhwani, it all comes down to our hormones.
"These changes arise because of increased blood supply, oestrogen and progesterone, which occur in the mother during pregnancy – leading to fundamental changes in the body which can alter the appearance of the lips, skin, hair, and nails," Sneha said.
Thank you, increased blood flow
"The skin may 'glow' because of increased blood flow to the skin, causing cell turn over and hence old skin cells to be shed, leaving brighter, plumper and more radiant looking skin as a result," says Sneha.
"Mucous membranes in the body also swell, looking plumper and fuller. So this can affect the gums and eyes, but also the lips."
Some lucky women who may have always battled with skin conditions might find themselves experiencing a period of relief from symptoms.
"Some skin conditions can improve in pregnancy because of a slight suppression of the immune system. The body is housing something different and foreign and as such doesn't want to reject it. This state of mild immune suppression means that immune-mediated conditions like eczema and psoriasis may improve, resulting in improved appearance of the skin," says Sneha.
Thicker, shinier, glossier hair
Hormones can also be thanked (or blamed) for having several good hair days during pregnancy.
"It may appear thicker and shinier because pregnancy hormones suspend the hair follicles in the anagen, or active phase of growth," says Sneha.
"This means that less hair falls and more grows, giving a healthier appearance to the hair. Progesterone increases the sebaceous secretions from the scalp, further making the hair look more moisturised and shiny."
Nails are affected similarly to the hair and as such, may appear longer and feel much stronger.
And now for the bad news …
(Or the good news if your normally lovely hair, skin and nails have taken a dive bomb during pregnancy.)
We knew it was coming, right?
A bit like in the story of Cinderella who returns to her 'normal life' when the clock strikes midnight, once the baby arrives everything kind of goes back to normal.
"Because these changes are indeed occurring under the influence of pregnancy hormones and physiology and as such, after childbirth, the body can start to restore to its pre-pregnant state as soon as four to six weeks postnatal."


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Breakaway Anglican Parish Finds New Church Home
Former Episcopalians who have been ordered by an El Paso County judge to leave their historic property will begin anew on Palm Sunday as St. George's Anglican Church.
The new church is formed by the majority of congregants from Grace Church & St. Stephen's in Colorado Springs who split from the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. St. George's is the fourth breakaway Anglican parish to be established in the county.
"We are moving to a beautiful location situated among rocks not unlike where Jesus' tomb was located, and like him we will be resurrected to new life as a congregation, with a new name, and a new future," commented the Rev. Donald Armstrong, rector of the new parish. "This biblical similarity is not lost on us."
Last week, District Judge Larry Schwartz ruled that the $17 million property of Grace Church & St. Stephen's belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and not the breakaway parish.
The ruling came after a two-year long dispute over property ownership since Grace Church & St. Stephen's – one of the oldest Anglican churches in Colorado – voted to secede from the Episcopal diocese in May 2007.
The parish has cited "theological revisions and controversial sexual ethics" for leaving The Episcopal Church – the U.S. arm of the global Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church heightened controversy in 2003 when it consecrated its first openly gay bishop.
While leaving The Episcopal Church, the parish joined the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) – a network of breakaway Anglicans and an offshoot of the Church of Nigeria – to align with traditional Anglicanism and to stay biblically faithful.
Now called St. George's Anglican Church, the parish has found a new church home where they will worship at beginning April 5.
Members and leaders of St. George's say the new facility will free up funds for more evangelism and Gospel work.
"We have some exciting ideas and plans ahead," said Jon Wroblewski, senior warden (chairman) of the church's governing board. "As in the story of the Good Samaritan, our Christian service starts with our closest neighbors. We look forward to reaching out to our new community in Mountain Shadows by offering a place for its families to worship and to nurture their faith for Christian love and service."
St. George's joins three other Anglican churches in the county that were established after severing ties with The Episcopal Church. The newest parish plans to host a joint service with the other Anglican churches on Good Friday.
St. George's Anglican Church is among some 700 congregations forming a new Anglican province in North America. The new province is seen as a rival body to The Episcopal Church as well as to the Anglican Church of Canada.
"This Anglican common cause partnership in mission and ministry is most exciting to me," Armstrong said in a statement. "Together we are focused on the gospel basics of evangelism, discipleship, and service. There is a great spirit of renewal in our congregation and with our sister Anglican congregations in this city. It's a spirit that is contagious."


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Body System: Urinary - Male
The urinary system filters the blood and removes liquid waste products from the body in the form of urine. Picture 1 shows where the organs of the urinary system are located inside the body. Picture 2 is an enlarged diagram of these organs.
Parts of the Urinary System
The major organs of the urinary system are:
- Kidneys - filter the blood, keep the right balance of water in body tissues, and change liquid waste products into urine.
- Ureters - long narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder.
- Urinary bladder - a muscular pouch where urine collects and is stored until it is passed out of the body.
- Urethra - narrow tube that passes through the penis and carries urine from the bladder to the outside.
Body System: Urinary Male (PDF)
HH-IV-39 12/78, Reviewed 7/11 Copyright 1994 - 2011, Nationwide Children's Hospital


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Jasper Fforde is best known for his Thursday Next series and the spin-off series of sorts called Nursery Crimes. Shades of Grey is the start to a new unrelated series, which saw its release delayed for a little while, but things are now on schedule for a release right after Christmas. Here is the blurb followed by the cover originally used when the book was first announce followed by the just released and most likely final art.
Part social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, Shades of Grey tells of a battle against overwhelming odds. In a society where the ability to see the higher end of the color spectrum denotes a better social standing, Eddie Russet belongs to the low-level House of Red and can see his own color—but no other. The sky, the grass, and everything in between are all just shades of grey, and must be colorized by artificial means.
Eddie's world wasn't always like this. There's evidence of a never-discussed disaster and now, many years later, technology is poor, news sporadic, the notion of change abhorrent, and nighttime is terrifying: no one can see in the dark. Everyone abides by a bizarre regime of rules and regulations, a system of merits and demerits, where punishment can result in permanent expulsion.
Eddie, who works for the Color Control Agency, might well have lived out his rose-tinted life without a hitch. But that changes when he becomes smitten with Jane, a Grey Nightseer from the dark, unlit side of the village. She shows Eddie that all is not well with the world he thinks is just and good. Together, they engage in dangerous revolutionary talk.
Stunningly imaginative, very funny, tightly plotted, and with sly satirical digs at our own society, this novel is for those who loved Thursday Next but want to be transported somewhere equally wild, only darker; a world where the black and white of moral standpoints have been reduced to shades of grey.
I liked this version when I first saw it, but did feel it was a bit austere for a Jasper Fforde book.
I love the new art and wonder if it will have a die-cut cover given the title art. Either way I think it fits much more with Jasper's other covers. It especially reminds me of the UK covers, which are brillant. Also, Jasper recent paid Joseph Mallozzi a visit where he talked about Nursery Crimes and a few other things.


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If you know the history of Halo: Combat Evolved, you know it was a long road before it found it's way on to the Xbox as a launch title back in 2001. The game started as a bit of an RTS hybrid for the Mac, eventually became a first person shooter for the PC, and then never saw the light of day on either platform as Microsoft bought Bungie and made the game an exclusive for it's console launch. Ten years have gone by and Halo has made its mark on console gaming by becoming an absolute juggernaut in the market and a series worth billions of dollars. So it should come as no surprise that the game that started it all has already been remade in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.
Make no mistake, Halo Anniversary is the exact same game you played on your Xbox all those years ago. It's not so much of a remake as it is a remastering. The most obvious update are the graphics, which have been completely redone for the entire campaign using Halo Reach's engine. The result is an absolutely gorgeous game with some really great effects. When Halo was released it was lauded for its graphics, which of course now look dated. But when you set foot on Halo for the first time, just like when you played the game all those years ago - you'll be wowed by the huge vistas, bold colors, and of course Halo itself extending into the horizon. If you want to remember what it looked like before, simply press the back button on the controller to switch to classic graphics, and you can see just how long ago 10 years really is.
But the graphics aren't the only asset in the game was updated - all of the music in Halo Anniversary has been re-recorded in a fully orchestrated version that sounds richer, fuller and more familiar to those that have played the recent Halo titles. In fact, a lot of audio has been remastered bringing a better sense of your surroundings thanks to excellent use of surround sound. Perhaps my personal favorite audio tweak are some of the new gun sounds. My personal favorite are the new pistol and sniper rifle sounds - both sound as deadly as their effect on the Covenant actually are. There's little touches too, like the sound of the rockets being loaded into the chamber in the Rocket launcher that lets you know 343 paid attention to detail with not only the graphics, but the sound.
The final, almost superfluous change, deal with the Kinect. If you have one you can call out commands like "grenade" or "brightness up." Why? I'm not quite sure - but it's there if you wish.
Like I said earlier, the campaign is completely identical to how you remember it. Enemy placements, level design, and cut scenes all play out exactly as they did before. So much of the core game remains the same that the same loading zones occur like you remember, every turn of that hallway in the Assault on the Control room - yeah, still a loading hiccup there.
I was a bit surprised at just how different things felt compared to the recent Halo games. Halo: Combat Evolved's gameplay is more in your face. You'll find yourself pushing forward faster, meleeing Covenant more often, and rarely cowering behind cover while your shields regenerate. Master Chief jumps higher, defies gravity, and deals with the Covenant in a way that I don't think was captured quite right in the later games. It's good to see the series had evolved, but it also reminded me just how much I liked Halo.
The dreaded Library level is still as brutal and long as you remember, though the Flood are much more menacing looking - if not frightening at times. 343 seems to have mixed up the texture work a bit too, adding in some nice lighting effects and colors to take away from the boredom that was the endless hallways of gray. I found myself constantly switching back and forth between classic graphics at points like these in the game just to see how far it's come.


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Sure, Miley Cyrus is one of the great media stars of the decade. But when it comes to her status as a hitmaker, she is an upstart compared to icons like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Usher or the legions of greats that came before them.
To put the Disney performer-turned-provocateur in perspective, TIME went through every song that reached the top ten of the Billboard 100 back to 1960 to see which artists had both the biggest years and longest careers. We assigned points based on a song's rank for each week it was in the top ten. Artists who collaborated on songs are both given credit for its success. Artists were chosen for this list based on all-time chart performance and contemporary significance.
While the Beatles' debut year on the American charts reigns as the crowning example of chart dominance–they had 11 songs that reached the top ten and six number-one hits–they are in fact only the second most successful artist or group in a single year. It took 40 years, but Usher finally unseated them. He spent exactly half of all of 2004 atop the weekly Billboard 100 charts between "Yeah!," "Burn," "Confessions Part II" and "My Boo" (with Alicia Keys).
Data comes from the Billboard archives. Points are awarded by placement in the Top Ten, from ten points for a number-one hit to one point for a number-10 song. All artists listed by name on a track are given full points for its chart performance, but groups with members who later had solo careers are still counted as separate entities. (Beyoncé, for example, gets points for "Telephone," a Lady Gaga song in which she is featured, but does not receive points for songs attributed to Destiny's Child, the trio that launched her career.) Points for songs are assigned to the year in which the song debuted in the top ten, even if its popularity runs into the next calendar year.
Correction, Aug. 28, 2014: Due to a programming error, the original version of this post incorrectly attributed three hit songs to Carlos Santana and omitted several by Janet Jackson. The post has been updated to display the correct number.


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The 2013 Formula 1 season may be half over, but we're now getting some official love from the action packed sport.
An official F1 timing app has been released taken from Android/iOS and released on Windows Phone. This is Timing '13 CP, the only app for both Windows Phone and Formula 1 fans. Let's check it out.
Petrol heads should be pretty stoked to see some love come their way from Formula 1. The Timing '13 CP app for Windows Phone allows you to access live timing and track positing on timing screens and fully interactive 3D maps for any F1 face. These are the stats you can track:
- Tyre (Tire in the US) Information
- DRS Zones
- Real-time track positioning
- Live timing data
- Live leaderboards
- Pause live sessions
- Download race packs
- Follow your favorite F1 driver
- Marshal News – Race control messages
- Live text commentary
- Event counter
- Corner views
- Keep up to date
Let's be up front, most of us at Windows Phone Central don't really follow or watch Formula 1. So we can't tell you whether or not this is an app we'd be using for our F1 needs. But it does look and sound cool.
For example, the real-time track positioning sounds like something pretty awesome. A dynamic and fully interactive 3D map gives you the position of every F1 driver on the track at the same time. You're able to pan, zoom, and spin the track to check out the action.
Here's the tough part to swallow if you're getting excited about this app – the price. It comes in at a whopping $26.99, which is two dollars cheaper than the Android and iOS versions. But here's the thing, the current 2013 season of F1 is half way over, but you're paying full price for the app. Plus, there isn't any guarantee this will work for next season. We've reached out to Soft Pauer, the developers of the app to see if they're planning on lowering the price or allowing the app to work for the 2014 season.
The app is only available for Windows Phone 8 at $26.99. You can get it in the Store, use the QR code below, or swipe to the right in our app.
Thanks for the tip Steven C!
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From The Provo Bros on Vimeo:
"Our addiction to mountains and rivers has always had us looking north to Alaska, where big fish and mountains existed on a level we had only experienced in our dreams. As the winter of 2012 continued to disappoint in the lower 48, it was obvious that Alaska was being buried in snow. It seemed like the time was right, that maybe after 10 years of "practice" in Utah, we were ready for our journey north. We hit the road in March, putting everything we had into our first and for all we knew, our last adventure to Alaska, with two things on our mind, steelhead and spines.
We joined forces with three of our friends from Utah, for a ski-plane assisted camping expedition in the heart of south eastern Alaska's backcountry. Over 50 miles by wing from the nearest road, our pilot dropped the 5 of us off on a big lonely glacier encircled by jagged mountains, and in the spirit of adventure, wished us good luck. We would need it. From that point on, the feeling of being completely alone in a wild and unknown land for the first time in our lives penetrated every cell in our bodies. Only one person in our group had ever been to Alaska, Chris Coulter. On day 8 when he suddenly left to work in Haines as a heli guide, the feeling of isolation crept deeper into our minds, and it had never felt so good.
We chose to do this trip without any guides, plans, itineraries, or rules simply because we wanted to have our own experience. We wanted it to be raw, unknown, and we wanted it to be an adventure. Of course the style we chose made things much more difficult for us than they could have been, but the feeling of accomplishment was immense. We found glorious spines to ride, and stumbled upon one of the best runs of wild Steelhead in the world. Returning home safely from our first journey to Alaska signified a successful mission, along with the wonderful new memories from the greatest riding and fishing experiences of our lives.
Big thanks to Outdoor Research, Orvis, Backcountry.com, Voile, and Smith Optics."
"Elephant" – Tame Impala
"Golden" – Tired Eyes Music
"Bicycle Bicycle" – Early B
"Distant Time" – Tired Eyes Music
"Such a Sky" – Tired Eyes Music
"Shining Sun Riddim" – Riga / Hemp Higher Prod.
"Heaven's on Fire" – The Radio Dept.


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Norman Lindsay
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Norman Alfred William Lindsay (22 February 1879 – 21 November 1969) was an Australian artist, sculptor, writer, editorial cartoonist and scale modeler, as well as being a highly talented boxer.
The Magic Pudding (1918)[edit]
- Oh, rolling round the ocean,
From a far and foreign land,
May suit the common notion
That a sailor's life is grand.
But as for me, I'd sooner be
A roaring here at home
About the rolling, roaring life
Of them that sails the foam.
For the homeward-bounder's chorus,
Which he roars across the foam,
Is all about chucking a sailor's life,
And settling down at home.
Home, home, home,
That's the song of them that roam,
The song of the roaring, rolling sea
Is all about rolling home.- The Salt Junk Sarah


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Parshat Re'eh
Moshe presents to the nation the blessing of a spiritually oriented life, and the curse of becoming disconnected from Hashem. When the nation enters Eretz Yisrael they must burn down any trees that had been used for idol-worship, and destroy all idolatrous statues. Hashem will choose only one place where the Divine Presence will dwell. Offerings may be brought only there; not to a private altar. Moshe repeatedly warns against eating animal blood. In the desert, all meat was slaughtered in the Mishkan, but in Eretz Yisrael meat may be shechted anywhere. The categories of foods that may only be eaten in Jerusalem are listed by Moshe. He warns the nation against copying ways of the other nations. Since the Torah is complete and perfect, nothing may be added or subtracted from it. If a false prophet tells the people to permanently abandon a Torah law or indulge in idol worship, he is to be put to death. One who entices others to worship idols is to be put to death. A city of idolatry must be razed. It is prohibited to show excessive signs of mourning, such as marking the skin or making a bald spot between the eyes. Moshe reiterates the classifications of kosher and non-kosher food and the prohibition of cooking meat and milk. Produce of the second tithe must be eaten in Jerusalem, and if the amount is too large to carry, it may be exchanged for money with which food is bought in Jerusalem. In certain years this tithe is given to the poor. Bnei Yisrael are instructed to always be open-hearted, and in the seventh year any loans must be discounted - Hashem will bless the person in all ways. A Jewish bondsman is released after six years, and must be sent away with generous provisions. If he refuses to leave, his ear is pierced with an awl at the door post, and he remains a bondsman until the Jubilee year. The Parsha ends with a description of the three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuos and Succos.
"For there will arise in your midst a prophet..." (13:2)
In this week's Parsha there is an uncanny warning about a situation that we ourselves are witnessing today. We live in an era where many Jews are a prey to the missionaries of other religions.
The Torah warns us about three ways that a person can be enticed away from Judaism:
He can be blinded by the charisma of a star, a celebrity, or a 'guru' who seems far-sighted. Through sheer force of personality, such a person can lure Jews away from Judaism. The Torah warns us about this form of enticement when it says "Do not listen to the words of that prophet." (13:4)
Sometimes a sibling can turn a person away from Judaism: "Judaism has nothing to offer. Look, I'm your brother. Listen to me. Why don't you come for a weekend retreat with the 'Master'? I promise you it will be okay. Who needs telephones anyway?" Against this form of attack the Torah tells us "If your brother,... or your son or your daughter or (your) wife ...or your friend who is like your own soul should entice you secretly saying 'Let us go and worship the gods of others ...from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth ...do not accede to him and do not listen to him..." (13:7)
The third attack is the onslaught of peer pressure - not wanting to be out of step in the march of the masses. Fashions in ideas are as transitory as fashions in clothes. The dedicated follower of fashion is a prey to every new 'ism' that comes along. He's at the mercy of the mind of the mob. Corresponding to this form of brain-washing, the Torah says "Lawless men have emerged from your midst, and they have caused the dwellers of their city to go astray saying "Let us go and worship the gods of others..." (13:15)
"See! I am putting in front of you today a blessing and curse..." (11:26)
When you hear a Rabbi exhorting his flock to lead more spiritual lives and spurn the "flesh-pots," you might think: "What does he know about flesh-pots! Maybe if he had a Rolls Royce, he wouldn't be so quick to reject materialism!"
If anyone knew the fleshpots - it was Moshe. Moshe grew up with an Egyptian 'gold spoon' in his mouth. Moshe was one of the richest men in the world; a prince of Egypt. He knew what materialism was. He knew what luxury was.
On the other hand, he didn't encourage the Jewish People to embrace the spiritual path just because he hated materialism. Moshe knew better than any man that ever lived what the spiritual world has to offer. He had been up to heaven three times, a total of 120 days - 4 months amongst the angels! Moshe knew both sides of the coin as no-one before or since.
In Hebrew you can read the first lines of this week's Parsha two ways: "Look, I am placing before you..." or "Look at me - I am placing before you the blessing and the curse." In other words, Moshe was saying "When you come to make your life-decisions; when you choose your path - Look at me - I've been in both places, and I can tell you - chose the spiritual path!"
"See! I am putting in front of you today a blessing and curse..." (11:26)
Our Sages teach us that a person should constantly imagine that the whole world is in a state of precise balance - half meritorious and half culpable. He should consider that if he does just one mitzvah, he will tip the world's scales of judgment to the side of credit, but if he does one aveirah (transgression) he will tip the scales to the negative side.... (Kidushin 40).
Consequently, the Torah tells each individual here "See!" Every single action that you do "I am putting in front of you a blessing and a curse" that you have the power to tip the scales in either direction....
"See! I am putting in front of you today a blessing and curse..." (11:26)
Wealth and poverty do not always have the same effect on a person.
There are those whose wealth influences them for the good, and through the blessing of their wealth they come to a greater appreciation of Hashem. However, had they been poor, they would have been so occupied trying to find food, that they would have forgotten their Creator. This was the case in Egypt, where the Bnei Yisrael were so exhausted by the hard labor that they didn't listen to Moshe.
On the other hand, there are those whom wealth removes from the path of righteousness, as we see so often in our history, that the Jewish people become successful and self-satisfied and forget Who gave them what they have. However, when a person is poor and "broken," Hashem never ignores his supplications.
That's what the verse is saying here: "See - I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse" - and don't think that the blessing is wealth and the curse is poverty; rather everything depends on how a person deals with his riches or poverty. And whether he be rich or poor, if he turns his focus to the Torah and mitzvos, then whatever his status is in life he receives the blessing.
"You shall tithe the entire crop of your planting..." (14:22)
In the first, second, fourth and fifth years of the seven-year shemittah cycle, Jews living in Eretz Yisrael were instructed to separate a tenth of their crops, and bring it to Jerusalem to eat. In the third and sixth years of the cycle, that tenth was given to the poor instead.
One might ask: "Why weren't the landowners required to first share with the poor and only subsequently to enjoy their produce in Jerusalem?"
The Rambam writes that one must give tzedakah with a joyous countenance and that giving with a disgruntled demeanor negates the mitzvah. It is not enough to do "chesed" (kindness), one must love chesed.
More than any other positive mitzvah, writes the Rambam, tzedakah is a sign of the essence of a Jew. By commanding us to bring one tenth of our crops to Jerusalem to rejoice there, Hashem taught us two vital lessons: One - that our material possessions are a present from Hashem and He can dictate how we use that material bounty. Two - that using material wealth in the way prescribed by Hashem generates feelings of joy and sanctity.
Once we have internalized these lessons in the first two years of the cycle, we can offer that bounty to the poor in the third year - not perfunctorily, but with a true love of Chesed.
Isaiah 54:11 - 55:55
In this, the third Haftorah of the "seven of consolation," the prophet Isaiah depicts a time in the future when it will be recognized that Hashem has glorified Israel, and the people will hasten to the scion of David who will lead Israel.
In this lyrical evocation of the Messianic Era, the prophet speaks of a world where protection will come openly from Hashem, and where those who hearken to Hashem will be satisfied in abundance, whereas material efforts alone will not suffice.
- Guru Shmuru - Avnei Ezel in Mayana Shel Torah
- Look At Me! - Kli Yakar
- Knife Edge - Toras Moshe
- Rags And Riches - Rabbi Zev Leff in Shiurei Binah


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Nothing to do with Pats
Everything non pats related, Fun, serious, other sports, lists, polls, competitions, whatever
The Random Thread
21st June 2022 02:29 PM
Where the degenerates live
Cheltenham 2017
14th March 2017 01:59 PM
Put your money where your mouth is.
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Monday Morning App HQ
iShoot developer reveals screenshots of second game
Ethan Nicholas, the developer of the Worms-like game iShoot, was one of the early App Store success stories. After making reportedly over $800,000 in five months, Nicholas quit his day job to devote himself full-time to developing games. Nicholas will hope to avoid becoming a one-hit-wonder with his follow-up game. Recently, he tweeted pictures of the upcoming game, and though no other information is known, it appears to be a free-roaming hunting game. Good luck Ethan!
My newest addiction
Every once and a while, a simple game in the vein of Doodle Jump will grab me and inexplicably become a new addiction. Right now, that game is Canabalt. Canabalt is a super stylish game in which to escape from aliens, your hero runs along rooftops. All you control, with simple taps, is when your character jumps. Though it lacks online leaderboards, there is twitter bragging and it's definitely got that "just one more try" appeal. There's also a free online flash version.
Wii award winner "Groovin' Blocks" arrives in the App Store
On the heals of the announcement that the fantastic Wii-ware game World of Goo was coming to the iPhone, Groovin' Block, a Wii port, snuck onto the App Store. Groovin' Blocks is a match 3 Tetris variant with a twist - blocks dropped in beat with the music rack up a multiplier and sometimes unleash powerups. While Gamespot loved the Wii version, the iPhone iteration seems mediocre so far. In any case, you can judge for yourself with a free lite version.
This week's upcoming app that looks freakin' sweet:
Rally Master Pro is one of the best-known and most impressive mobile games of all time, and now it's being adapted for the iPhone by Fishlabs. Expect Rally Master Pro sometime in November. Until then, enjoy the official trailer:
This week's sign of the apocalypse:
Tony Romo successfully completed an entire NFL game without a single turnover. This is UNHEARD of.
App of the Week
Earthworm Jim
Earthworm Jim is a classic game that most have heard of, with great action-platforming gameplay and humor in spades. Gameloft has lovingly adapted it to the iPhone with superb graphics remastering. While the controls aren't great, Gameloft did the best they could, and the controls aren't a deal breaker. Grooooovy!


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Call Recorder is intended for automatic call recording from the phone line where supported by hardware and kernel. Call recording is a very device specific feature, because manufacturers often don't implement the required functionality on the system level as they have to.
So root is a must on many devices to record phone calls from the phone line where manufacturers didn't implement the required functionality. But it doesn't mean the root is a savior for any device as call recording can be broken on the hardware level. Root helps often, but not always.
The app has different recording methods. If you're lucky enough, the app won't fail to record both sides over Standard API recording method without root. But you may need to check every audio source for Standard API in Settings > Recording > Standard API.
If you have tried every audio source for Standard API and the app didn't record or recorded just your voice, it means that the manufacturer has either failed to implement, or blocked call recording on the system level.
You need to have root permissions to try other recording methods. For root methods, it's important to select correct device in Settings > Recording. Select a device with the same chipset if your device isn't listed there.
Where can I download a trial version?
On xda-developers.com: http://goo.gl/u690rm
• Record phone calls
• In call control
• Call confirm
• Exceptions
• After call actions dialog
• Search recordings
• Edit info about recordings
• Volume control
• Manual encryption for WAV recordings
• Dropbox and Google Drive support


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In an ideal world, I'd be able to hop on a high-speed plane and jet around the globe to my blogger friends, getting there just in time to have the last bites of their Fudge-Topped Raw Brownies, Mango-Chia Seed Crumble, Lemonade Donuts, Butternut Squash Ravioli with Thai Peanut Sauce – or whatever latest goodie they've come up with. But until technology really catches up enough, we'll have to settle for virtual bloggy get-togethers.
Recently when my friend Alta posted her (vegan) Strawberry Cheesecake with Macadamia-Almond Crust, I wanted to hop in my car and rush right over, hoping she'd save me a piece. Since Alta writes her blog, Tasty Eats at Home, from her home in Texas, that wasn't exactly a possibility. Alta and I have been friends for about a year now, and we've e-bonded (ya know, like bonding through email?) over our mutual love of wholesome, clean foods and a good sweat. Alta always seems to be on the lookout for someone else, her big heart always caring for others. That's why I'd like to think she'd welcome me right in if I really did show up by surprise 😉
What else is there to know about Alta? I asked her a few questions so you can get to know her better 🙂
What is your proudest fitness achievement?
Running my first 10k race (The Wounded Warrior 10k I did in June) would be my proudest fitness achievement, although running the two mud/obstacle course races (Jailbreak DFW last September and Warrior Dash in April) are up there too. I've never really been a runner, and although I run on a treadmill for 2-3 miles pretty regularly, 6 miles/10 kilometers was a feat for me. The more I push myself in running, though, the more I discover that it's a lot about mental discipline!
Latest clothing or accessory splurge?
I haven't really splurged on clothing OR accessories lately! However, I have splurged on some food prop/home decor shopping recently, some with Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free – and my favorite pieces include a whitewashed cutting board, a vintage copper pitcher and a copper tea kettle. Just this week, however, I did splurge on myself big time – I ordered a Breville juicer. I can't wait until it arrives!
Next vacation planned?
Vacation? What's that? LOL I'd love to get back to Ruidoso, NM or Fredericksburg, TX but no plans whatsoever. I'll be traveling to Minneapolis in September on business, but I'd hardly call that a vacation!
If you could have dinner with your mom tonight, what would you ask her to make?
My mom wasn't a gourmet cook, to be honest (she never liked it, but we didn't have a great deal of money growing up, so she did what she could with what she had), but she loved to bake. Especially around Christmas – I fondly remember baking a ton of things, but specifically, roll-out sugar cookies. Always a fun thing for a kid. I'd love to do that again with her. As for dinner, I do fondly remember her "goulash" – which was basically ground beef, macaroni, stewed tomatoes, some spices, and cheese melted on top. Loved the cheese on top!
What do you do when you're not blogging?
By day, I am a compliance manager in a community bank. All day I read and keep up with the latest bank regulations and ensure the bank is in compliance. We're a pretty small bank, so I also am the resident morning coffee-maker, mail-taker, and anything else that needs to be done. We all pitch in to make the bank successful.
Tell us about your exercise routine?
My commute to/from work is about an hour each way, so I try to do my best to avoid the peak of rush hour. This means getting out of the house by 6:30-6:45 am most mornings. However, I rarely feel like working out AFTER work, so I squeeze in a quick workout every morning at home before I get ready for work. Working out at home is actually pretty great – no gym membership and no time spent commuting to/from the gym. I do something different every morning, so I don't get bored. For example, Monday might be sprints on the treadmill, Tuesday, shoulders, triceps and biceps with the free weights, Wednesday, Power Yoga with a Rodney Yee video, Thursday, 5k on the treadmill, Friday, chest and back with the free weights. In addition to those workouts, I sometimes run outside on Sunday mornings, and I play indoor soccer on Tuesday nights and Friday nights.
Where is home?
I grew up in a small town north of Dallas. I still live in the area, in a suburb called Wylie, northeast of Dallas. I actually live less than 5 miles from Southfork. And no, in case you're wondering and have been watching the new version of the TV show, there is no way someone could drill for oil on that property without someone's knowledge. It's just not that big.
Who else lives under your roof?
My husband – we've been married for almost 6 years! Also, on a part-time basis, my 3 stepchildren, 2 boys ages 16 and 15, and one girl, 13 live with us. And two little chihuahua mixes named Rocky and Jack.
Naturally, I'm answering the same questions on Alta's blog today, so you might learn something new about me too 🙂
Still craving that cheesecake from Alta's gluten-free, dairy-free blog, I decided make it myself and bring a little piece of her into my kitchen. The cashew-based vegan cheesecake thing has always intrigued me, but this was the first one I made myself. I have to say, the combination of creamy cashews with a little tangy lemon really mimics both the light taste and slightly grainy texture of real cheesecake. I kind of can't wait to taste it out on an unknowing dairy-lover 😉 The nice thing is, because these are now tucked away as single servings in my freezer, I can totally break some out next time we have company. Serving size wasn't the only thing I changed, I also used freshly picked local blueberries instead of strawberries (I totally would have used them if local ones were still in season!) and it was still, I imagine, just as delicious. Maybe – no, definitely – a pumpkin or sweet potato version will be up next!
Alta said she was going to whip up my Chicken 'n Sweet Potato Waffles, and I confess I'm kind of dying to find out what she thought. You? Let's go see.
Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Yield: 9 servings
Perfectly portioned blueberry cheesecakes made with a creamy cashew base and prune-almond crust.
3/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup prunes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractFilling:
1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
6 tablespoons maple syrup
zest from one lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
12 oz fresh blueberries (if frozen, thaw before using)Directions:
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line 9 muffin cups with paper liners.
Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process just until fine crumbs form. Add the prunes, salt, baking soda, coconut oil, and vanilla and process again until the mixture forms a crumbly paste.
Divide the mixture evenly among cupcake liners (about 2 tablespoons each) and press firmly into the bottom of the liners.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges brown. Allow to cool completely.
Drain the cashews and place in a food processor or high-powered blender. Start to blend until the cashews turn to crumbs and then a paste. Add the agave, lemon zest, lemon juice, and coconut oil and continue to blend, stopping to scrape down the sides often, until the puree is creamy and no more bits of nuts remain.
Once the mixture is very creamy, add the vanilla and salt and add half of the blueberries and blend until smooth. Add remaining berries and blend again until creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
Pour the blueberry mixture on top of each crust, filling to the top of the liner (you may have some extra filling - simply set it aside in the fridge for a bowl of crust-less cheesecake.) Place in the freezer for 4 hours or until firm. You can freeze overnight or even for more than a day; if you do, place in refrigerator several hours before serving to thaw.
Nutrition Facts:
Amount Per Serving
Calories 338.9
Total Fat 24.2 g
Saturated Fat 9.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.4 g
Monounsaturated Fat 10.5 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 59.4 mg
Potassium 320.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 27.9 g
Dietary Fiber 3.5 g
Sugars 15.8 g
Protein 6.4 gCara Lyons, www.carascravings.com, adapted from Tasty Eats at Home
This post is shared with Wellness Weekends at Diet, Dessert and Dogs and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.
Click here to print.


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Since today is my last short story day of the year (I've been a dedicated short story reader for nearly every Sunday of this past year), I had wanted to pick something fun to read, maybe a new story from the New Yorker or something humorous, but I am a little behind in my plans. I was doing well, making progress in Wave me Goodbye, but then last week I (as usual) didn't get in as much reading time as I had hoped and didn't pick up this book even once. You probably thought you finally saw the back cover of it, didn't you? But with only three (well, three and a half if you count the rest of today) days left in 2008 and about a third of the book left to read, I'm afraid it's a few more WWII stories. I only wish I could speed read the last hundred or so pages, but I am hopeless when it comes to reading quickly.
I still plan on reading short stories next year, but I'll be approaching them in an entirely different manner (but more about that later). Still, I think I can manage to finish the last handful of stories before the year fizzles out, but you're going to have to bear with me just one more day. I still think this is an excellent collection even if it has taken me ages to read it (pretty standard for me really when it comes to short stories!).
Even though the collection is all war stories, it's not all dire reading. It's been interesting to read about the home front from a woman's perspective. Margery Sharp was a prolific writer of not only short stories, but novels for adults and children, as well as plays. She was popular in the 1930s both in the US and UK for her light comedies, and in "Night Engagement" she shows us that even through war life and love must go on. Where's a nice girl to find friends and more importantly a good beau when "shelter life" is just a constant passing through of people. You'd not think being bombed in a shelter (literally having the thing fall in on you) would be a good thing, but it is for Doris when she finally meets "ever such a nice young fellow".
Diana Gardner was a dedicated short story writer from the age of 11. Persephone Books has even published one of her story collections, which I will have to add to my list as I enjoyed "The Land Girl" enormously. With so many men off to war women not only filled their jobs in factories and other businesses, but on the land as well. It wasn't just the middle classes but upper class women also heard the call and did their part for the war effort. "The Land Girl" is told in first person quite effectively. Una is a young woman, but also a lady who works hard on the land, and though the farmer approves of her, the farmer's wife does not. Let's just say Una doesn't put up with any crap from anyone, and she takes her revenge. I'm not sure whether to account for her actions due to social class or youth--maybe a combination of both.
"The Sailor's Wife" by Anne Chadwick, was quite clever. It is an autobiographical story, as Chadwick herself was married to a sailor. The young woman who is the sailor's wife in the story is under pressure to find some sort of lodging for herself and her baby while her husband is at sea. She's followed him to the coast to be near him when he's on leave. Between an RAF station and a torpedo factory it seems there's not a spare room to be had as she goes from house to house knocking on doors and making enquiries. It just goes to show you how times have changed as the young woman was able to leave her baby in its pram with the hotel housemaid only to keep an eye on it (and if I read correctly the baby was even left out of doors!). So as time runs out and she can find no room (she must get back to her child), she's suddenly knocked down by a lorry. There's this wonderful scene as all the images and refusals run through her mind--you can just feel the tension she's been under. It's a blessing in disguise, however, as she's able to make a deal regarding a room with the lorry driver through a bit of finagling. It's always good to have a bit of leverage in cases like these.
I've really enjoyed reading short stories this year, and thanks to Kate's Short Story Reading Challenge for giving me the impetus to actually stick with a plan for once. I've discovered quite a few wonderful new (to me anyway) authors via their short stories. I've added names to my wishlist and story collections to my TBR piles. Hopefully I'll keep up the trend in 2009--there are certainly a fair few books and authors I want to get to.


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Genesis 5
Good News Translation® (Today's English Version, Second Edition)
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Genesis 5
Text copyright © 2000-2018 TOV Rose
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78. Then, as to the statement which follows, "that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven," 231 it is to be understood according to that rule in virtue of which John also says, "He gave them power to become the sons of God." 232 For one is a Son by nature, who knows nothing at all of sin; but we, by receiving power, are made sons, in as far as we perform those things which are commanded us by Him. And hence the apostolic teaching gives the name of adoption to that by which we are called to an eternal inheritance, that we may be joint-heirs with Christ. 233 We are therefore made sons by a spiritual regeneration, and we are adopted into the kingdom of God, not as aliens, but as being made and created by Him: so that it is one benefit, His having brought us into being through His omnipotence, when before we were nothing; another, His having adopted us, so that, as being sons, we might enjoy along with Him eternal life for our participation. Therefore He does not say, Do those things, because ye are sons; but, Do those things, that ye may be sons.
79. But when He calls us to this by the Only-begotten Himself, He calls us to His own likeness. For He, as is said in what follows, "maketh 234 His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Whether you are to understand His sun as being not that which is visible to the fleshly eyes, but that wisdom of which it is said, "She is the brightness of the everlasting light;" 235 of which it is also said, "The Sun of righteousness has arisen upon me;" and again, "But unto you that fear the name of the Lord shall the Sun of righteousness arise:" 236 so that you would also understand the rain as being the watering with the doctrine of truth, because Christ hath appeared to the good and the evil, and is preached to the good and the evil. Or whether you choose rather to understand that sun which is set forth before the bodily eyes not only of men, but also of cattle; and that rain by which the fruits are brought forth, which have been given for the refreshment of the body, which I think is the more probable interpretation: so that that spiritual sun does not rise except on the good and holy; for it is this very thing which the wicked bewail in that book which is called the Wisdom of Solomon, "And the sun rose not upon us:" 237 and that spiritual rain does not water any except the good; for the wicked were meant by the vineyard of which p. 33 it is said, "I will also command my clouds that they rain no rain upon it." 238 But whether you understand the one or the other, it takes place by the great goodness of God, which we are commanded to imitate, if we wish to be the children of God. For who is there so ungrateful as not to feel how great the comfort, so far as this life is concerned, which that visible light and the material rain bring? And this comfort we see bestowed in this life alike upon the righteous and upon sinners in common. But He does not say, "who maketh the sun to rise on the evil and on the good;" but He has added the word "His," i.e. which He Himself made and established, and for the making of which He took nothing from any one, as it is written in Genesis respecting all the luminaries; 239 and He can properly say that all the things which He has created out of nothing are His own: so that we are hence admonished with how great liberality we ought, according to His precept, to give to our enemies those things which we have not created, but have received from His gifts.
80. But who can either be prepared to bear injuries from the weak, in as far as it is profitable for their salvation; and to choose rather to suffer more injustice from another than to repay what he has suffered; to give to every one that asketh anything from him, either what he asks, if it is in his possession, and if it can rightly be given, or good advice, or to manifest a benevolent disposition, and not to turn away from him who desires to borrow; to love his enemies, to do good to those who hate him, to pray for those who persecute him;—who, I say, does these things, but the man who is fully and perfectly merciful? 240 And with that counsel misery is avoided, by the assistance of Him who says, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." 241 "Blessed," therefore, "are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." But now I think it will be more convenient, that at this point the reader, fatigued with so long a volume, should breathe a little, and recruit himself for considering what remains in another book.
"Not in power or wisdom,—which was the cause of mans fall, and leads evermore to the same,—but in love" (Plumptre).
32:232 32:233 32:234Facit(above, jubet). Bengels comment is good: "Magnifica appellatio. Ipse et fecit solem et gubernat et habet in sua unius potestate" ("Splendid designation. He made the sun, governs it, and has it in His own power").
32:235 32:236 32:237 33:238 33:239 33:240"Be ye therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." The Greek text has here the future: ἐσεσθε τέλειοι, "Ye therefore shall be perfect" (Revised Version). Meyer gives the verb the imperative sense; Alford, Lange, and others include the imperative sense. The imperative force adds not a little to the plausibility of deriving the doctrine of perfectibility on earth, or complete "sanctification," from the passage, as the Pelagians (whom Augustin elsewhere combats) and some Methodist commentators (Whedon, etc.). Alford, Trench, etc., deny that the verse gives any countenance to the doctrine. As regards the nature of the perfection, Bengel sententiously says, "in amore, erga omnes" ("in love, toward all." See Col. iii. 14). It seems "to refer chiefly to the perfection of the divine love" (Mansel); so also Bleek, Meyer. Weiss (whose Leben Jesu, i. 532–534, see) finds an allusion to the fundamental command of the Old Testament, "Be ye holy," etc. In the place of the divine holiness, or Gods elevation above all uncleanness of the creature, is substituted the divine perfection, whose essence is all-comprehensive and unselfish love; and in the place of the God separated from the sinful people, appears He who in love condescends to them and brings them into likeness with Himself as His children. The last verse of the Sermon as reported by Luke 6.36 confirms the idea that the perfection is of love: "Be ye merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful." Commenting on this verse, Dr. Schaff says, "Instruction in morality cannot rise above this. Having thus led us up to our heavenly Father as the true standard, our Lord, by a natural transition, passes to our religious duties, i.e. duties to our heavenly Father."
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I acceptFeature Article @ Gigabit Magazine
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All packed and ready to go, and the door won't unlock!! Had to climb through the boot, as the passenger lock has never worked (just spins and spins).
No prior issue, just woke up and it had gone. Tests of shown the lock with lock the central locking, but not unlock it.
Anyone had this issue? Or know enough about Skoda's to advise? Is it an expensive fix?


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Xbox 360 for $99 with Xbox Live contract is now official
Subsidized Xbox hardware is now being sold on the Microsoft Store site
Xbox 360, as rumored last week, is now being sold for the low price of $99... with a catch. A two-year contract for Xbox Live at the rate of $15 per month is required.
The deal, which appears to be US-only, is available at Microsoft Stores and provides consumers with another entry point into the Xbox ecosystem. The 4GB Xbox 360 hardware bundled with Kinect for just $99 is sure to appeal to college students, and other customers looking for cheaper gaming consoles.
That said, while the upfront cost is cheaper, over the long-term it's more expensive. The two-year contract plus $99 console bundle comes to a total of $460, whereas a 4GB Xbox 360 Kinect bundle can be purchased for $277 on Amazon currently. Adding two years of Xbox Live Gold on top of that would still be under $400.
It's certainly an interesting move by Microsoft, and with Wii U launching by the end of this year, the company is going to want to experiment with some pricing structures to put the pressure on Nintendo. If consumers embrace the business model, it's possible that we'll be seeing many more subsidized consoles in future.


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Martin Savidge is an anchor and correspondent for CNN based in the network's world headquarters in Atlanta. Savidge returned to CNN in 2011, and reported for the network from 1996 to 2004.
Savidge has covered breaking news throughout the globe for CNN. In 2013, Savidge reported from the scene of the Alabama school bus hostage situation, Cleveland missing girls, Texan fertilizer plant explosion, Colorado wildfires, and the George Zimmerman trial. In 2012, Savidge was on-the-scene from breaking and developing news location reporting on the pardoned Mississippi murders, Ohio school shooting, Superstorm Sandy, John McAfee on the run. In 2011, he has reported on breaking news stories, including the largest tornado outbreak in US history that moved through the Southeast, and the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan. The devastation caused by tornadoes that hit Alabama and Mississippi, Mississippi levee and the Casey Anthony trial He delivered on-the-ground coverage of the military build up in Iraq and Kuwait in 2003, including embedding with the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines. He has reported from Afghanistan, Kandahar, and Bagram, where he was the first television reporter to travel with the U.S. troops during Operation Anaconda. Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Savidge reported from Ground Zero on the search and rescue mission.
In 2004, Savidge joined NBC News as a correspondent based in Atlanta, reporting for NBC Nightly News, the Today Show, and MSNBC. He was their primary correspondent in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.
Before joining national network television, Savidge worked as a special projects reporter and anchor for WJW-TV in Cleveland. For 11 years, he covered major local, national and international stories, specializing in news documentaries and breaking news.
Savidge began his broadcasting career as an anchor and reporter for WCIA-TV in Champaign, Ill. in 1980. He then moved to work as the prime-time anchor for WMBD-TV in Peoria, Ill. Savidge also has worked as a reporter for the Associated Press.
Savidge has been honored with some of broadcast journalism's most prestigious awards, including two Headliner Awards, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, A Peabody Award, Dupont Award, national Emmy award, nine local Emmy awards, six Associated Press awards, two United Press International awards and two Women in Communication awards. In October 2002, the National Journalism Education Association named Savidge its Media Person of the Year for his support of scholastic journalism.
Savidge earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ohio University.


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This Just In: Upgrades and Downgrades
At The Motley Fool, we poke plenty of fun at Wall Street analysts and their endless cycle of upgrades, downgrades, and "initiating coverage at neutral." Today, we'll show you whether those bigwigs actually know what they're talking about. To help, we've enlisted Motley Fool CAPS to track the long-term performance of Wall Street's best and worst.
And speaking of the best...
Monday's looking like a great day to be in tech. While most of the market is bleeding red tickers this morning, shares of Apple are up a good 1.4 % on positive commentary from Citigroup, which initiated coverage of the iEverything manufacturer with a buy rating and a $675 price target.
"Apple is cheap" stories are, however, a dime a dozen. I've been writing them myself for more than three years now, and the shares just keep going higher. A more interesting story this morning is what analysts at Credit Suisse are saying about SanDisk -- interesting both because of the rating, and because so far, SanDisk shares haven't gained quite as much as Apple in response to CS' outperform rating, and so presumably have more room to run.
Why does CS like SanDisk? It's not hard to guess. Over the weekend, market researcher iSupply published a report predicting that NAND flash memory shipments for smartphones will soon overtake flash demands for lower-end feature phones -- and then proceed to run away with the market.
According to iSupply, in 2013 NAND shipments for smartphones will rise to 792 million units, outstripping feature phone demand by roughly 13%. Such a number, if proven correct, would represent a startling 29% rise in demand for NAND flash on smartphones -- eclipsing an 11% fall in demand for NAND in feature phones and promising strong future growth in the memory market, as smartphones rise to "dominance."
iSuppli calls this dynamic "a permanent reversal" of the balance between feature phones and smartphones. At the same time, though, the analyst sees a base level of demand for feature phones continuing to undergird the market, predicting the lower-end phones will require at least 500 million units of memory every year through 2016. (Interestingly, if you crunch iSuppli's numbers, the analyst appears to be calling for no more than 11% annual declines in feature phone memory demand over the next several years as well.)
What's it mean to you?
Now, what does this mean for investors? For one thing, it suggests that consensus analyst estimates of 12.5% long-term earnings growth for SanDisk may be too conservative. If...
2013 is the year when the market for flash memory for smartphones becomes larger than the market for flash memory for feature phones, and if...
the now-bigger market is growing at 29% per year, while...
the now-smaller market is shrinking at 11% (or less) per year...
...then logically, there's a whole lot of growth going on overall. Probably a lot more than many Wall Street analysts are bargaining for, and certainly more than "12.5%."
But does this mean you should follow Credit Suisse's advice and buy shares of SanDisk? Maybe not.
Cash is king
Don't get me wrong. I like SanDisk a lot. I own it myself. That said, I'm more than a little leery of the trend toward weakening -- and lately, negative -- free cash flow at the firm, that's been evident in recent quarters. At the same time as SanDisk's FCF number has waned, however, we've seen surprising strength at rival Micron Technology, which has emerged from a pretty miserable 2011 to produce a good $415 million in cash profits over the past 12 months.
Personally, before buying any more shares of SanDisk, I'd take a good hard look at Micron, if you think iSuppli knows what it's talking about when talking about flash memory demand.
Other companies worth a look might include Western Digital and Seagate, each of which sports strong free cash flow, superior to reported net income, alongside low P/E ratios -- 4.6 for Western-D, 3.6 for Seagate. Beware, however: While both of these last two companies have units devoted to solid-state memory drives, their core businesses remain hard-disk drives. As such, they're not nearly as direct plays on accelerating demand for flash memory as are either SanDisk or Micron. Of the two, I'd probably lean toward Western Digital, which while carrying a slightly higher P/E ratio than does Seagate, boasts a better balance sheet, flush with $1.4 billion in net cash (versus Seagate's $500 million cash deficit).
Want to talk smartphones? There is absolutely no argument that Apple is at the center of technology's largest revolution ever, and that longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded with over 1,000% gains. However, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool's senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple, and what opportunities are left for the company (and more importantly, your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.
The article This Just In: Upgrades and Downgrades originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Rich Smith owns shares of Apple and SanDisk. You can find him on CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handle TMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 277 out of more than 180,000 members.The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Western Digital. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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After concluding that the damage was so severe that the top could not be restored without compromising the guitar's sound—not to mention its looks—I began the process of outfitting this fine instrument with a replacement soundboard.
1. Using a custom sanding block to remove old glue and level any raised wood fibers. 2. Referencing
the original and replacement top bracing with a thickness caliper. 3. The gently curved blade
on this guitar-brace chisel makes it easier to trim and shape the new braces to match the originals.
4. My custom workstation made from a shaped piece of Formica countertop attached to a ShopStand and Guitar Repair Vise from Stew-Mac.
In my previous column, I described how a 1977 D-35 arrived at our shop with a big hole in its Sitka spruce soundboard. After concluding that the damage was so severe that the top could not be restored without compromising the guitar's sound—not to mention its looks—I began the process of outfitting this fine instrument with a replacement soundboard I'd purchased from Martin more than 10 years ago.
After removing the ebony bridge and mahogany neck, and then separating the original soundboard from the body, I was ready to clean and remove any old glue or raised wood fibers from the kerfing, neck block, and tail block.
I made a leveling sanding block from materials I had laying around the shop. For the platform, I used a long rectangular piece of Corian. First I leveled the 1/2" plank using my thickness sander and then I attached a soft rubber handle. To the bottom of this 26" long custom sanding block, I attached a length of 220-grit Stikit Gold self-adhesive abrasive paper (item #5768 at stewmac.com). This is the perfect grit and material for the job.
To stabilize the body on my workbench, I used a plywood cradle (#5657) and body support blocks (#5656), both of which are replacement parts for StewMac's TrueChannel routing jig. I've discovered that many jigs and tools can be used in other ways than originally intended. I'm sure many of you have come across this and perhaps you've adapted tools this way too. Using a gentle back and forth motion, I used the sanding block to square the top surface of the kerfing.
I'm really excited about my new workstation. It consists of a Formica countertop shaped like a dreadnought top that's attached to the ShopStand and Guitar Repair Vise (#5391). This is just the cat's meow for freeing up needed work space at my bench. The best part of this workstation is how much easier it makes gluing, clamping, and carving braces.
For starters, the height of the ShopStand is adjustable and that really takes the stress off my back. Also, if you're looking for a good source of Formica, check out your local businesses that install countertops. The sink cutouts are usually taking up space and collecting dust and the staff is usually more then happy to move them out. The sink cutouts are perfect for band sawing out the work platform, as well as many other uses in my shop.
With a thickness caliper (#5193), I measured the original top braces and then used a guitar-brace chisel (#1629) to trim the braces on Martin's replacement top to closely match the originals. This chisel has a specially curved blade that makes it easier to carve the smooth curves needed for scalloped braces and tone bars with feathered ends.
Diamond fret levelers (#5259) work well for keeping my chisels sharp in the shop. I do like to finalize the cutting edge with an 8000-grit Japanese water stone, which is available online from both Woodcraft Supply and Luthiers Mercantile International.
Here's a tip: When working with extremely sharp tools, I often wear a safety glove made of Kevlar, Spectra, and stainless steel to protect my hand and fingers. I know a few too many people who have slipped with a chisel for the first time, causing severe tendon damage followed by surgery. Safety, safety, safety!
With a very busy schedule, it's hard to make the time to keep chisels sharp. But remember that a dull chisel needs an increase of pushing pressure and that can invite accidents. A well-sharpened edge allows the tool to do the work—a better situation for you.
I hope this column has provided you some enjoyment and invaluable insight into the beginning stages of retopping this 1977 Martin D-35. Looking forward to next month!
John Brown is the inventor of the Fretted/Less bass. He owns and operates Brown's Guitar Factory, a guitar manufacturing, repair, and restoration facility staffed by a team of talented luthiers. His guitar-tool and accessory designs are used by builders all over the world. Visit brownsguitarfactory.com or email John at email@example.com.


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"For their critical contributions to the investigation of vibrationally- and rotationally-resolved molecular photodissociation and reaction dynamics, in particular for the invention and development of the photofragment ion imaging method."
Background:Paul Houston was born on January 27, 1947 in Hartford, Connecticut. He received his BS from Yale University (1969) and his PhD from MIT (1973). Following postdoctoral work at the University of California at Berkeley (1973-75), he joined the faculty at Cornell University, where he is now Peter J. W. Debye Professor of Chemistry (1999-) and Chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (1997-2000). He is also a member of the Cornell Center for Materials Research and the Field of Applied Physics. Dr. Houston has held visiting positions at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (1982), Columbia University (1986, 1987), and the Institute for Molecular Science (1989). He has been an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow (1979-81), a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar (1980), and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow (1986-87). He has served as a Senior Editor of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (1991-97), as Chair of the APS Division of Laser Chemistry (1997-98), and as a member of the Science and Technology Steering Committee of Brookhaven National Laboratories (1998-). Houston has authored or co-authored approximately 130 publications in the field of physical chemistry and a textbook on chemical kinetics.
Prof. W. E. Moerner (Chair), Joseph Dehmer, Terry A. Miller ('99 Recipient), Hanna Reisler, William Stwalley


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This year's draft heavy on size, light on glamour
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) This year's NFL draft is heavy on size and light on glamour.
There's no high-profile quarterback destined to go No. 1 and instantly become the face of a downtrodden franchise. There's not even a running back or wide receiver worthy of the top overall pick, someone with the kind of swagger that wins over fans weary of losing.
Nope, there's just beef. And lots of it.
There's 6-foot-6, 306-pound Luke Joeckel, the offensive tackle from Texas A&M whom the Kansas City Chiefs are expected to select first overall. There's also Eric Fisher of Central Michigan and Lane Johnson of Oklahoma, two more 300-pounders who could be snapped up in the first 10 picks.
Even the defensive side of the ball is big on bigness: Florida's Sharrif Floyd, Utah's Star Lotulelei and Sylvester Williams of North Carolina are considered premium space eaters.
Utilitarian? Sure. Flashy? Not so much.
"There are a lot of good football players there," Broncos President John Elway insisted. "It's kind of a matter of what kind of flavor you like, but there are plenty of defensive linemen - not only defensive ends but defensive linemen - in this draft, and it's deeper than most."
Only twice since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 has an offensive tackle been chosen first overall, but the Chiefs figure to make it three when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reads off the name of the league's newest millionaire shortly after 8 p.m. EDT at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
Joeckel is considered the surest thing in a draft full of uncertainty.
He protected the blind side of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel last season, won the Outland Trophy as college football's top interior lineman, and wowed just about everyone at the NFL's annual scouting combine with his speed, agility and, yes, his size.
"I think this year, the offensive line position has some true prospects in it," Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said. "Every draft has its own unique set of characteristics. Last year's draft had its own unique set of characteristics. This year's draft has its unique characteristics."
Last year's draft made for must-see TV.
One of the deepest quarterback crops in recent years stoked the passions of fan bases in several NFL cities, including Indianapolis, which took Andrew Luck with the first overall pick.
It was the fourth straight year that a quarterback went No. 1.
The run of signal-callers didn't stop there, either. The Redskins traded up to select Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III at No. 2, and two more quarterbacks went in the first round.
West Virginia's Geno Smith is expected to go in the first round this year, perhaps as early as No. 2 to Jacksonville. But outside the strong-armed but erratic quarterback, the market at the NFL's most critical position is weak. That means a handful of teams in need - Oakland, Buffalo, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Arizona among them - might wait until later in the draft to make their move.
That's all assuming that no trades are made on the opening night.
Quarterbacks who could still be on the board when the draft resumes with the second round Friday night include USC's Matt Barkley, Florida State's E.J. Manuel and Ryan Nassib of Syracuse.
"This is really a meat-and-potatoes draft, certainly early in the first couple of rounds with linemen, which is exciting," said Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, who will pick fourth.
"It may not be the flashiest thing, but it's exciting," he said. "It's hard to find big guys who can move, play with power, and there are lot of guys in this draft."
Guys who can protect those expensive quarterbacks.
Joeckel may be the top offensive tackle available, but Fisher and Johnson are both expected to go early in the draft. And they'll probably spend their careers lining up against a slew of players on the defensive side of the ball who could be picked early in the first round, too.
The Oakland Raiders, who pick third, have had their eye on Floyd and Lotulelei, among others, and defensive ends Dion Jordan of Oregon, Ziggy Ansah of BYU and Barkevious Mingo of LSU should have their names called in the first couple hours Thursday night.
Defensive back Dee Milliner is a trendy choice to go in the top 10, and offensive linemen D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack - Milliner's teammates from national champion Alabama - also are expected to go early in a draft that is more wide open than any in recent history.
"You can go and ask every scout in the room and you'd probably get a favorite player that differs from the other," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said. "But that's the fun part of this job is trying to get all those opinions and come to a common goal to choose one."


text: No party is complete without the music!! Get your guests twirling on the dance floor and hire a DJ, or a band! We have everything from country bands to Latin and salsa bands, tribute & cover bands, and even mariachi bands! Get your dancing shoes on, and step to the beat! Search here for Music in US.


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Polyurethane foam Pillar moulding Interior decorative PU Roman Column-HG-5104
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3. QC department: Strict inspection, problems solved before you get themWelcome to visit our factory, and all interested parties to establish long terms business relationship with us under the mutual benefit and kindly friendship.


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BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity basketball teams got swept by Wicomico in home and road games on Tuesday with the boys getting routed by the Indians, 71-45, and the girls losing another tough one, 61-59, in overtime.
The Decatur boys continued their season-long penchant for winning one and losing one with a 71-45 loss to Wicomico on the road on Tuesday. Josh King and Drakar Purnell each scored 13 points in the loss, while Larry Ennis led WiHi with 14. The loss to Wicomico on Tuesday came on the heels of a 66-64 win over Mardela last Thursday and continued a trend for the Seahawks this season. Decatur's overall record now stands at 7-8 on the year, and only twice did the Seahawks win two in a row or lose two in a row.
Meanwhile, a four-game losing streak continued for the Decatur girls with a tough 61-59 loss to Wicomico on Tuesday. Abby Schorr led the Seahawks with 17 points, while Katie Purnell grabbed 18 rebounds. The loss was the second in a row by two points or less for Decatur, which lost to Mardela, 51-50, last Thursday.
During the four-game losing streak, Decatur has been extremely competitive, but hasn't been able to find a way to finish. During the streak, the Seahawks lost to Parkside, 46-42; Bennett, 66-55; Mardela, 51-50, and now Wicomico, 61-59 in overtime.


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Argument recap: Scalia guarding the slope
on Apr 27, 2011 at 11:09 am
When Justice Antonin Scalia stands on the edge of a constitutional slope that he considers to be especially slippery, he can be a formidable barrier to anybody else attempting to take the slide. He was so determined on Wednesday that the Court not create new First Amendment protection for legislators when they cast their votes that he appeared almost to be daring any of the other Justices to embrace such an idea. There were no eager takers; that slope just looked much too slippery.
In the final argument of the Term, in Nevada Ethics Commission v. Carrigan (10-568), the Court seemed positively eager to deal with the broad First Amendment question, and not just with the narrower issue on which review had been granted: what standard of review should it use, strict or more relaxed, to judge the constitutionality of a state ethics law for legislators.
After Scalia had listened for a few minutes as his colleagues explored the specifics of Nevada's law, and what it covered, he had had enough. "We've jumped way ahead," he protested. This is the first case the Court had ever heard, in 220 years, on whether ethical rules for legislators were subject to the First Amendment, he said. Such rules, he noted, had been around since the very first Congress, and he argued that it is not for the Court to judge them.
John P. Elwood, the Washington, D.C., lawyer defending the Nevada law and its use against a city councilman censured for voting on a zoning matter in which his campaign manager had a key interest, agreed with Scalia that the idea was a novel one — so exotic, he suggested, that it had not even been proposed in a law review. Like Scalia, the attorney made clear he could foresee all kinds of complications. Still, Elwood appeared to be reluctant to push too far toward no protection for legislators, suggesting he would have doubts about a law that discriminated against legislative expressions based on the specific message, or viewpoint.
Elwood's main problem, though, was that the specific clause of the Nevada law at issue drew very heavy criticism from the bench — especially from Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., who said he had "found it very difficult" to figure out what it meant and illustrated his confusion by exploring how a legislator's cousin's interest might put the legislator in trouble. At issue is a phrase that is commonly called the "catch-all" provision of that law, but Elwood would not even concede that that was a proper label for it; it really is quite narrow, he insisted, covering only really close personal and financial relationships. And Elwood's attempt to portray the statute's final clause as quite limited ran into some grand rhetorical flourishes from his adversary, E. Joshua Rosenkranz of New York, who suggested that the entire electoral system may be endangered by such a law. Rosenkranz tried to make the First Amendment slope look a lot less slippery, but his main achievement seemed to be simply to add to Elwood's woes in attempting to salvage the Nevada law as is.
What seemed quite possible, by the end of the argument, was that the Court would not recognize a new First Amendment right as such, but might well assume without deciding that there was some communicative part to legislative voting, and however narrow that protection might be, Nevada's broadly worded restriction could not survive it. The hazard in doing that, of course, is that it would leave the courthouse door ajar for some First Amendment claims related to legislators' actions, in the face of Scalia's push to close that door tightly.
This is a Court, of course, that has done a good deal lately to safeguard First Amendment rights — even for funeral protesters and peddlers of animal cruelty videos — so it generally is disinclined to put even unusual forms of expression beyond the Constitution. Justice Alito, a dissenter to some of those rulings, somewhat sarcastically suggested how unusual it was to be talking of denying protection to someone's act of expression. But even he would not make a direct argument for a novel extension of the Amendment's shield.
During the course of the argument, it became evident that most if not all of the Justices would regard it as a very bold and far-reaching stroke to read legislative voting fully into the free speech clause. That reaction came out most vividly when Rosenkranz was at the lectern, defending such a stroke. Justice Elena Kagan wondered how far such a right would go for members of the President's Cabinet, and for government officials in general. Justice Scalia speculated — but not seriously — about it being extended to judges for their pronouncements. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., pondered challenges to House of Representatives' rules allocating speaking time on the floor. Justice Alito asked about whether the rules of civility in the House would now come under constitutional challenge.
Rosenkranz, even while defending the Nevada Supreme Court's discovery of a First Amendment right in a legislator's vote-casting, sought to keep his argument more confined by suggesting the impact on the electoral process of using political ties as a basis for punishing a legislator for actual votes. He spoke of the bargain that political candidates make with the voters, as City Councilman Michael A. Carrigan did in his campaign, supporting a casino project, and how the "unelected" state ethics commission had actually sought to undo the election result.
As the Justices explored various implications of the right that Carrigan's lawyers was advocating, he attempted repeatedly to bring it back to what he saw as the core vice of the councilman's censure. "The effect," he said, "is to tell someone that the rationale, the reason that you are being isolated is because you associated with someone politically who helped you win an election."
No doubt aware that this Court, in recent years, has strictly narrowed the concept of political "corruption" that will justify restrictions on campaign financing, Rosenkranz repeatedly referred to the censure of Carrigan as amounting to treating the mere political tie between a politician and his campaign manager as corrupting of the legislator.  That was a very smart strategic ploy, and may have helped preserve some inclination within the Court not to withdraw the First Amendment totally from elected lawmakers.