text:
WND Scoops 2010
Is Barack Obama constitutionally eligible to serve as president?
WND has been reporting since before the 2008 election on questions – and lawsuits – raised over Obama's birth and eligibility.
Congressional hearings were held to determine whether Sen. John McCain was constitutionally eligible to be president as a "natural born citizen," but no controlling legal authority ever sought to verify Obama's claim to a Hawaiian birth.
The U.S. Constitution, Article 2, Section 1, states, "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President."
Obama's presidential campaign released to select news organizations only what is known as a "certification of live birth," a document obtainable in Hawaii in 1961 by Americans actually born outside the country. However, Joseph Farah, WND editor and chief executive officer, has been calling for the release of Obama's long-form birth certificate showing the hospital of his birth, attending physician and other details to confirm his citizenship status.
Complicating the issue are Obama's move to Indonesia as a child, where he reportedly attended that nation's public schools, and his later travels to Pakistan, raising questions about on what nation's passport was that travel accomplished. Then there are the multiple law firms hired to make certain Obama's long-form birth certificate information, and other documentation such as college records, remain sealed from public view.
Among the highlights of WND's exclusive 2010 reporting on Obama's eligibility:
WND was the first national news outlet to publish the claims of Tim Adams, the former senior elections clerk for the city and county of Honolulu in 2008 who made the stunning claim Barack Obama was definitely not born in Hawaii as the White House maintains, and that a long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate for Obama does not even exist in the Aloha State.
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie suggested in an interview that a long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate for Barack Obama may not exist within the vital records maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health.
Breaking the law in service of a greater good proved very costly for Lt. Col. Terrence L. Lakin. WND reported extensively on the case of the Army flight surgeon who lost his career and his freedom after exposing himself to court martial, in an effort to validate the military chain of command by determining whether President Obama is constitutionally eligible to serve as commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
WND obtained copies of affidavits filed separately in a presidential eligibility lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. Two private investigators working independently want to know why President Obama is using a Social Security number set aside for applicants in Connecticut while there is no record he ever had a mailing address in the state. The Social Security website confirms the first three numbers in his ID are reserved for applicants with Connecticut addresses, 040-049.
WND reported exclusively on efforts by Republican-controlled Houses, Senates and governors' offices in several states to demand proof of constitutional eligibility from presidential candidates before they would be
allowed on the state ballot.
According to Barack Obama's official MySpace page, the president is not getting any older, he's actually getting younger, by a total of four years.
Other highlights of WND's exlusive reporting on Obama's eligibility:
"Sexual Sabotage"
One of the most famous and influential researchers in modern history conducted and sponsored experiments on hundreds of young children, even infants, that included raping them? It seems too unbelievable to be true.Yet it is fully documented – and an elderly survivor of that horror came forward to reveal her story to readers of WND.
In a multi-part series of exposés in WND, "Esther White," a pseudonym for a woman now in her 70s and living in California, tells how, at age 7, celebrated sex researcher Alfred Kinsey encouraged her father – even paying him – to rape her repeatedly for "data" that could be used in his internationally best-selling books, "Sexual Behavior of the Human Male" and "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female."
Read more exclusive WND reports on Kinsey:
Stunner! Kinsey paid my father to rape me
Kinsey's sex genie blamed for costing terrible price
America's sexual revolution: Engineered by pedophiles
Gate Rape
Beginning Nov. 1, 2010 the Department of Homeland Security instructed the Transportation Security Administration to employ the use of new invasive airport pat-down procedures and nude-imaging scanners at airports.
Men, women and children must now endure public humiliation and invasive groping by TSA personnel as part of the cost of flying, reported WND.
"What is happening around the country is a national embarrassment," said Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND. "I personally canceled family travel plans this week as a result of widespread reports of groping, voyeurism and humiliation techniques. The American people will not be treated like cattle. The policies of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano must be reversed, and they must be reversed before Thanksgiving. Those forced to travel under these conditions can help stop it by making the rest of America aware of the abuse."
WND provided readers with a way to help put a stop to airport humiliation through invasive "pat-downs" and "virtual strip searches.
Thousands signed a petition demanding action against the intrusive airport screening procedures implemented by Janet Napolitano and sent a letter to Congress, President Obama and others telling them exactly what they thought about the issue.
Among WND's many other "gate rape" exclusives:
Critics say TSA comment 'opens door to pedophiles'
CAIR tells Muslims how to limit TSA inspection
'TSA a bigger threat to you than al-Qaida'
Spreadin' the glove: TSA infecting U.S.?
Training plan for TSA agents blasted
Ode to TSA's antics draws hundreds of thousands
Shocker! TSA's nude scans would miss taped-on bombs
Americans 'likely' to get cancer from airport scanners
TSA slams pilot for criticizing security
Doctor's orders
Democrats in the House needed 216 votes to pass the Senate's version of a sweeping health-care package Barack Obama has been pushing with all his presidential might. They tallied 219.
Democrats hailed the March 2010 vote as a landmark victory.
Republicans in Congress, however, who voted in a solid block to oppose the measure that many argue grants the federal government far too much power at far too much of a cost, blasted the bill during the debate as the "mother of all unfunded mandates."
"This debate is not about the uninsured; it's about socialized medicine," argued Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., on the House floor. "Your multi-trillion-dollar health-care bill continues the Soviets' failed Soviet socialist experiment. It gives the federal government absolute control over health care in America. … Today Democrats in this House will finally lay the cornerstone of their socialist utopia on the backs of the American people."
WND reported on efforts by several U.S. states to sue the federal government over the massive health-care overhaul, claiming it constitutes a major overstep of federal power.
Virginia's attorney general, who won a preliminary round over the Obama administration in his state's fight over Obamacare, warns if the federal government can order citizens to purchase health insurance, "they can order you to do anything." If the insurance mandate is upheld, according to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, it will be the end of the American way of life and government.
Read more WND exclusive reports on Obamacare:
Anger at Washington reaches full throttle
Silver bullet from U.S. states kills 'mandatory' Obamacare
Does your faith free you from forced Obamacare?
4 dozen names would launch Obamacare repeal
33,500 voices to U.S. House: Pull plug on Obamacare!
Obamacare hospitals killed: 60, with 200 on life support
Rejected: Obamacare's 'high-risk' plan for states
Does your faith free you from forced Obamacare?
No birth certificate? No Obamacare!
'Obamacare' cops: $1 billion to force new tax compliance
Obamacare prescription: 'Emergency health army'
Rebellion in America
On issues ranging from light bulbs and medical marijuana to health-care mandates and gun regulations, states in a rising tsunami are challenging the federal government's authority to micromanage their affairs and WND has reported exclusively on key developments.
WND reported when Idaho became the seventh state to declare that guns made and kept inside its borders essentially are free from federal application, registration and ownership regulations in a surging movement among states that one supporter describes as a direct challenge to "a government monopoly on the supply of firearms."
And when a state lawmaker in Virginia proposed that his state adopt a plan that would exempt products made in the state from the federal government's authority under the Commerce Clause to limit, restrict and regulate, WND reported exclusively on the developments.
Something in the air
WND's coverage played a pivotal role in helping to launch the tea-party movement. The news site was the first media outlet to provide a comprehensive list of more than 40 planned tea parties across the nation, using information gathered through Facebook and other online searches.
In 2010, WND reported as taxpayers from across the nation descended on the White House and took their fight against excessive spending, growth of big government and soaring deficits to more than 700 rallies in U.S. cities.
In February 2010, WND also provided the most in-depth coverage of America's first national tea-party convention in Nashville, Tenn., featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and WND founder Joseph Farah as its keynote speakers.
Other WND highlights from the tea-party movement:
Guess who joins Sarah Palin ticket …
Taxpayer dollars used to ridicule 'teabaggers'
Tea partier shares 'single greatest threat to America'
New 'bill of particulars' cites Obama failings
'Government wants to be your one and only god'
Palin: 'America is ready for another revolution'
Tea-party mania: Taxpayers to storm White House
More than just tea partiers, a new generation strategizes
Tea partiers vs. Reid supporters: 10,000 to 100
What happens in Vegas: Massive tea party
It's tea party vs. establishment in fight to remove senator
Speaking at a tea party? You're fired!
Tea party or God party?
Tea party demands social action, too
Tea party bites 'Marxist-socialist bloc'
Tea partiers: Help rescue drowning Nashville
Patriots 'recapture spirit of America'
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan, President Obama's Supreme Court pick to replace John Paul Stevens, has a history of supporting abortion, repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and expansion of the president's regulatory power and has touted controversial White House regulatory "czar" Cass Sunstein as the "preeminent legal scholar of our time," WND exclusively reported.
A report by WND revealed how as associate counsel in the Clinton administration, Kagan rewrote a report by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to strengthen its recommendation that partial-birth abortion remain legal.
WND also revealed that in her undergraduate thesis at Princeton, Kagan lamented the decline of socialism in the country as "sad" for those who still hope to "change America."
And in her few academic papers, Kagan argued certain forms of speech that promote "racial or gender inequality" could be "disappeared," revealed WND in an exclusive report.
According to Joseph Farah, Kagan disqualified herself from serving on the Supreme Court with her statement under oath that she has no view of "natural rights."
"In all my years of observing Washington, I don't think I've ever been more stunned and disappointed by the testimony of a Supreme Court nominee than I was with Elena Kagan," said Farah. "This is someone, who, from her own testimony, doesn't believe in the Declaration of Independence, which we just celebrated and commemorated for the 234th time in our nation's history. This is someone who claims she doesn't have a view about 'natural rights' – those that real Americans believe are unalienable and God-given."
More WND scoops on Kagan:
Supremes' precedent cited in demand for Kagan indictment
Kagan's own notes blasted homeschoolers
Committee gives Kagan go-ahead on her agenda
Critics fear Kagan would use bench to promote 'gays'
Supreme Court contender: 'Gay rights' champion
Giving president more regulatory power?
Papers prepped to disbar Elena Kagan
Other 2010 WND scoops:
'Gay' judge decides future of homosexual 'marriage'
'Homo Depot'? Chain hosts kiddie crafts at 'gay' fests
Senators warn Obama: 'No amnesty by presidential fiat'
Patriot rocker fights for little girl's 'Freedom'
Democrats 'rigging' Puerto Rico path to statehood?
Islamic mosque at 9/11 Ground Zero sparks protest
Does this look like a baby to you?
Dogs suffer cancer after ID chipping
Planned Parenthood hides child sex abuse – 10 times!
Dakota Fanning in steamy, lesbian sex flick
Limbaugh declared dead by leading 'encyclopedia'
Top encyclopedia: Farah is a 'twit, Jew-loving pig'
Woman claims swine-flu shot caused paralysis
Vote for marriage? You're on a hit list
Federal judge rules against 'Muslim Mafia'
Girl Scouts hiding secret sex agenda?
U.S.-Mexico border vanishes under Obama agency program
No Pledge of Allegiance at debate? Crowd says otherwise
G. Gordon Liddy: WikiLeaks chief deserves to be on 'kill list'
Father jailed for visit with son set free
E pluribus buffoonum? Congress slams Obama
Park Service: Dissing Christians just dandy
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997


text:
|1 of 27
Object Description
|Atlanta Journal Constitution articles, 1986
|Date of original
|Atlanta constitution
|Ashkinaze, Carole
|Scope note
|The Carole Ashkinaze papers are organized into three series consisting of manuscript materials (correspondence), printed materials (her columns, research articles and articles written about Carole Ashkinaze), and finally photographs and artifacts. The majority of the manuscripts and printed materials are related to Ashkinaze's coverage of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Georgia, letters from readers regarding her columns both applauding and denigrating her work, her ideas on race, poverty and politics, and some personal material. Series I is dedicated to correspondence she received while working at Newsday, the Atlanta Journal & Constitution and the Chicago Sun-Times, circa 1974-1992. Series II contains printed materials, the bulk of which are her columns from the AJC and the CST. This series also contains her own research materials, articles that Ashkinaze read about pertinent social issues, and articles that were perhaps used in her 1991 book, The Closing Door: Conservative Policy and Black Opportunity, which she co-authored with Gary Orfield. In this series there are also a number of articles chronicling her professional achievements. Series III contains a small collection of photographs, artifacts and some of the many journalism awards (plaques and framed certificates) she received during her early career, including a replica of the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal, which she shared for investigative reporting at Newsday (presented to her by her employer, who retains the actual gold medal), and a resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives in recognition of her columns on women's issues. Ashkinaze was pleased that her columns and a weekly TV show ("About Women") she hosted on the newspaper's cable channel helped to persuade the legislature to rid the Georgia Code of discriminatory rules and language, and to install a long-overdue women's restroom for female legislators in the Georgia House chamber.
|Biographical or historical note
|Carole Ashkinaze was born in Manhattan, New York, on January 20th 1945. Ashkinaze spent her childhood in the suburban town of Malverne, Long Island in Nassau County, approximately twenty miles outside of New York [City]. She attended St. Lawrence University in New York, spending her junior year abroad (at the Sorbonne and the University of Rouen) and graduated with honors from St. Lawrence; then went on to pursue a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1967. After graduating, Ashkinaze went to work for Newsday on Long Island, remaining six and a half years. But it was her role as reporter and then columnist and editorial board member for the Atlanta Journal & Constitution that won her national recognition. Ashkinaze worked for the AJC from 1976 through 1989, eventually moving to the Chicago Sun-Times, working as both a columnist and as a member of the editorial board. In Atlanta, Ashkinaze wrote about a number of controversial issues including the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion, women's rights, feminism, poverty, health-care, politics, education and race. In Chicago, where Ashkinaze was the only pro-choice commentator for any major Chicago news organization, and a member of the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board, her columns won many journalism awards and a large popular following; she was also a popular radio and TV personality, and regular panelist on "The Lassiter Group." Her pro-choice columns in the Sun-Times also made her a target of abortion foes, one of whom sent her several nude pictures of himself, bearing obscene messages. In 1992, following the publication of her 1991 book, The Closing Door: Conservative Policy and Black Opportunity (with Gary Orfield), about race and poverty, Ashkinaze left the Sun-Times and returned to Atlanta to work with former President Jimmy Carter on his first domestic policy initiative, The Atlanta Project (later called The America Project), which was an attempt to alleviate the worst aspects of poverty across an entire community. She contributed her services to that project, working pro bono until the following year, when she was named Media Chief of the United Nations Children's Fund and moved to New York. She later left UNICEF and moved to Washington, D.C. as a freelance journalist, writing for such national publications as Business Week, Horizon, and Moment magazines. After the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, she became a consultant to the American Civil Liberties Union. Reports she wrote and edited for the ACLU included Civil Liberties After 9/11 (2002) and Freedom Under Fire (2003). She also worked with the Communications Consortium Media Center, the Harvard Civil Rights Project, the Fulbright Program and other nonprofits.
Equal rights amendments
Popular culture
Political and social views
Poverty--Government policy
Public administration
|These items have been digitized from preservation photocopies of original news clippings. See the finding aid for this collection for the titles and dates of individual articles.
|SERIES II: Printed Material, 1970-1992. Subseries A: Columns, 1970-1992.
|Carole Ashkinaze papers
|Curatorial area
|Donna Novak Coles Georgia Women's Movement Archives
|Digital publisher
|Georgia State University Library
|Finding aid
|Rights information
|This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
|W043_05_10, Carole Ashkinaze papers, Donna Novak Coles Georgia Women's Movement Archives. Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University.
|Source format
clippings (information artifacts)
|Rights information
|This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It comes equipped with all the standard amenities for your driving enjoyment.
Our aim is to provide our customers with the best prices and service at all times. Stop by our dealership or give us a call for more information.
East 7700 Sprague Avenue
Directions Spokane, WA 99212-2935
* MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the
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availability may vary based on a variety of factors, including options, dealer,
specials, fees, and financing qualifications. Consult your dealer for actual
price and complete details. Vehicles shown may have optional equipment at
additional cost.
* While every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained on these pages. Published price subject to change without notice to correct errors or omissions or in the event of inventory fluctuations and all purchases are subject to required sales tax, license fees, and negotiable documentary service fee of $150. Internet price reflects price after all applicable rebates. Please verify any information in question with Dishman Dodge Ram Chrysler Jeep. Occasionally, pricing and data errors and omissions may occur on various vehicles and offers. Upon notification, such errors and omissions will be promptly removed or fixed. Inaccurate prices and data errors and/or omissions do not constitute valid prices or retail offers.
* Rate available for 2011 and newer vehicles for a consumer with a 730 or higher Equifax auto enhanced beacon score. Co-signed loans do not qualify. Only applies to vehicles with less than 100,000 miles
* In transit means that vehicles have been built, but have not yet arrived at your dealer. Images shown may not necessarily represent identical vehicles in transit to your dealership. See your dealer for actual price, payments and complete details.
This vehicle is clearance priced for immediate liquidation!


text:
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text:
Since the groundhog saw his shadow a few weeks ago, we have been enduring an extended season of cold, winter weather.
In fact, some parts of the US will be expecting snow for another couple months or longer.
According to Ecomall, the average American produces about 40,000 pounds of CO2 emissions a year and together we use nearly one million dollars worth of energy every minute.
We know that money is often tight right now, so in order to stretch your dollar further, here are some helpful tips that can lead to cutting down on your overall energy costs:
Heating and Cooling
When it comes to keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, increasing your home's insulation should be a top priority. Insulating your home's walls and ceilings and using caulk and weather stripping to plug air leaks near doors and windows saves 20 to 30 percent on your home's heating and air-conditioning bills.
One of the easiest ways to cut down on heating and cooling costs is to simply turn your thermostat's heat down a few degrees cooler than your normally would in the winter and turning your air-conditioning up a few degrees warmer than you normally would in the summer. For every degree that you adjust your home's temperature by, you will reduce your home's energy use by 1 to 3 percent each month and will see a similar price reduction when you receive your monthly bill.
Close the doors of any rooms that aren't being used to contribute to a reduction in the amount of heating or air-conditioning that you will need in your home. Keep large pieces of furniture away from any heating registers or air-conditioning ducts and if you have a chimney, make sure that the flue is closed when your chimney is not in use to keep large amounts of air from entering or exiting your home.
Around the House
Clean or replace air filters every few months since more energy is lost when air conditioners and furnaces have to work harder to push air through a dirty filter. This simple task can cut down on 5 percent of the energy that you use in your home.
Replace your home's current light bulbs with energy efficient florescent bulbs. Although these bulbs do cost more initially, they only use 1/4th of the energy of regular incandescent bulbs and last up to twelve times longer, therefore significantly cutting costs in the long run.
According to Consumer Reports, setting your computer on sleep mode after a few minutes of not being in use decreases your computer's electrical use by an estimated 80 percent. Better yet though, if you have a laptop that is not in use, unplug it from its charger. Most homeowners don't realize that that 75 percent of the electricity that their home electronics use is while the electronics are turned off, but still plugged in.
If you like lamp lighting, consider either positioning a lamp in the corner of the room, which reflects off the walls and gives the appearance of more light, or take part in "task lighting," which is the process of only turning on a light in the area where you are working or relaxing.
Water, Water Everywhere
Wrapping your home's water heater in an insulated jacket costs about fifteen dollars, but similar to energy-saving bulbs, can result in a lot of savings over time. The US Department of Energy states that an insulated jacket reduces standby heat loss from a water heater by up to 45 percent and saves up to 9 percent of water heating costs.
It is also important to note that once your water heater is insulated, its thermostat must be decreased from a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit to less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually a welcomed task for homeowners since dialing back the thermostat in itself will contribute to additional savings on energy costs.
You also might want to consider purchasing an energy efficient, low-flow shower head. At a cost of about twenty dollars, these shower heads decrease the overall amount of water used every time you take a shower and can save about $150 a year on your electricity. Most importantly though, make sure that none of your faucets are dripping since a dripping water faucet can waste up to a shocking 212 gallons of water a month.
Home Appliances
Most homeowners don't know that a refrigerator accounts for 20 percent of their home's total electricity use. Make sure that your refrigerator temperature is at 37 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer is at 3 degrees Fahrenheit to lower energy costs. Also, clean your refrigerator's coils every few months, which is similar to cleaning your home's air filters and can cut overall energy costs.
Wait until you have a full load of clothes before you use your washer and dryer and try to only wash your clothes in cold water since a full 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes goes just towards heating the water. When drying clothes, dry at least two loads in a row to take advantage of your dryer's retained heat.
Similar to your washer machine, wait until your dishwasher is completely full before you run it and if possible, allow your dishes to air dry by manually turning off the drying cycle. Not using the heat needed to dry your dishes will reduce the energy use of your dishwasher by 20 percent.
Follow these tips towards improved energy use, and you may just see yourself with more cash in your pocket at the end of each month.


text:
Bike ergonomics done right: the bike adapts to the rider.
After a year and more than 2,500 miles on my Rans Stratus XP I have just one question: why aren't there millions of these bikes on the road?
Whether you ride a Stratus XP for a few minutes or half a day it sails down the road almost effortlessly. You simply sit back and watch the scenery fly by. You have to ride one to appreciate what I'm talking about: it's the Mercedes Benz of recumbent bicycles. Rans has been working on this bike for decades and it shows. Everything about the Stratus adjusts to the rider: the handlebars, the grips, the seatback and the seat position. The big wheel up front eliminates fiddly small wheel handling. The Stratus XP fits my body like a glove, nothing to "break in." no tedious "learning curve,"no aches and pains.
How did Rans do it? They thought about ergonomics and put the needs of the rider first. Practically the whole bike industry is headed in the opposite direction: adding cost-be-dammed racing features to minimalist frames. The result: fast bikes with terrible ergonomics that torture riders. I talked with Randy Schlitter, the head of Rans, who put it this way: "Over the years we've refined the Stratus, adding helpful features when we could." That shows too. The Rans Stratus XP is a supremely ergonomic bike.
Bike ergonomics done wrong: the rider adapts to the bike.
Yes, this slightly exaggerated version of the familiar "racing bike" is fast. Make sure your medical insurance is up to date. Your lower back, crotch, neck, knees, ankles, neck and wrists will be overstressed every time you ride this bike. Your wrist joints, for example, aren't designed to support half your body weight while you pound away at them. Until the invention of the racing bicycle, nobody had figured out a way to bounce half the body up and down on the large blood vessels and nerves in the crotch--until the whole area goes numb--and call it fun.
Rivendell and Rans make rider-centered ergonomic bikes. Most other manufacturers cater to the speed at any cost crowd, which put the needs of the machine ahead of the rider's needs. You'll go fast for a few months and then you'll get to know a good Chiropractor.
I redid the stock gearing on my Stratus XP for better hill climbing, moving from the stock 30 tooth inner chain ring to a 24. Schwalbe Marathon tires put an end to the rash of flats that shredded the stock tires in my first 500 miles. I also added a brass bell along with a Rans seat bag and rear rack. With that setup you could ride this bike across North America and most other continents. I've done Washington State and chunks of Oregon and California. More--much more--to come.


text:
LEARN MORE About Merlin Archery +-
New to Archery?
Fantastic! We love new archers. But we also know it can be quite daunting with such a big range of archery bows for sale. So please come in, have a look around, and if you need any help don't be afraid to ask. Whatever your choice, there is no better place for anything archery!
What do we do?
We operate two large, fully stocked archery shops for face to face sales and advice. Our extensive 20,000 square foot warehouse is packed with all the latest archery equipment from around the world and our manufacturing department is one of the largest producers of archery equipment in Europe. We love everything and anything to do with archery, and very much hope we can be your partner for all your archery needs.


text:
Sprint Working on a Bid for T-Mobile
An Offer Would Test Whether U.S. Regulators Would Allow 3 Major Carriers
Sprint Corp. is working toward a possible bid for rival T-Mobile US Inc., people familiar with the matter said, setting the stage for a giant telecom merger that if permitted by regulators would leave the U.S. wireless market dominated by three big companies.
Sprint is studying regulatory concerns and could launch a bid in the first half of next year, the people said. A deal could be worth more than $20 billion, depending on the size of any stake in T-Mobile that Sprint tries to buy....


text: John Barry joined Newsweek's Washington bureau as national-security correspondent in 1985. He has reported extensively on American intervention in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Haiti, Bosnia, Iraq, and Somalia and on efforts for peace in the Middle East. In 2002 he co-wrote The War Crimes of Afghanistan, which won a National Headliner Award. He won the 1993 Investigative Reporters & Editors Gold Medal for his investigation of the shooting down of an Iranian airliner by the USS Vincennes, as well as a 1983 British Press Award—the British equivalent of a Pulitzer—for his reconstruction of the U.S.-Soviet negotiations to ban intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe.


text:
Dallas News Homes / SEARCH: 4432 Sunflower Lane Prosper, TX 75078
- 4 beds
- 3 baths
- $402,990 price
- 1649871 mls id
- Square Feet: 2,945 sqft
- Neighborhood: Lilyana - 60s
Listing Description
American Legend Homes invites you to explore their latest homes in Celina's newest master-planned community, Lilyana..
American Legend Homes at Lilyana offers a vast selection of 50-foot, 60-foot and 74-foot wide home layouts featuring versatile floor plans with special attention to spacious bedrooms and closets, functional open living areas and designer-inspired kitchens. Homeowners are able to personalize their home with options to add bedrooms, bathrooms and game rooms to fit their families' unique needs. American Legend Homes at Lilyana range from 1,798 to 3,500+ square feet.
- Builder Website
- NewHomeSource Listing
- NewHomeSource Subdivision Website
- New Construction Yes
Subdivision: Lilyana - 60s
4432 Sunflower Lane Prosper, TX
Dallas News Real Estate Powered by Placester


text:
Cole Swindell To Perform at NASCAR All-Star Race
First, he performed at Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s retirement party, and now he's taking the stage for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
Cole Swindell has been announced as the headliner of the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race May 19 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
"I'm pumped to be playing NASCAR's Monster Energy All-Star Race this year," Cole says. "I've been a fan of NASCAR for so long, I can't believe I'll actually be part of the day's activities. It will be great to see all my driver friends and cheer them on in person."
In addition to performing for fans at the entrance outside of Turn 1 near Gate 8 at Charlotte, the "Downtown" singer will also co-host driver introductions at the All-Star Race.
The Monster Energy All-Star Race features NASCAR's most heralded drivers—including Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvickd—racing to cash in $1 million.
The concert is free with the purchase of any Monster Energy All-Star Race ticket.


text:
My Country
"This is my country!" I sing it with pride:
Whether it's desert, sand-duned and wide,
Mountains, pine covered land iceberg bound,
It's where my home and loved ones are found.
This is my country; and all that I do
Should build it stronger, finer, more true;
I love my country. Long may it be
A land where my people are honest and free.
Text: Mabel Gabbott
Music: Vanja Watkins
Artist: Gabbott/Watkins
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: Friend
Composition Date: 1974-07-01
More Info: Friend


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Where Does Curation Fit In The New Model?/
Steve Rosenbaum had an interesting post on Mashable awhile back, where he started to lay out some relevant questions about what the correct equation is for creation and curation:
it's impossible to imagine curators as adding value without a reasonable economic arrangement to content creators. But the ethical issues around attribution, re-purposing, and editorializing around others' content is far from resolved. Respect and remuneration seem to be reasonable starting places.
Mind you: curation is very different from aggregation. Curation provides the filter and the context. With the vast myriad of options out there, how much do we value the trusted sources that point us in the right direction


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A total eclipse of the Moon will occur very early Tuesday morning, April 15. Houstonians will be able to see the whole event, which begins just before 1 a.m. You'll be able to see the evening's cosmic events unfold even under city lights, but if you'd like a more detailed (and dare I say captivating) look at the eclipse, the George Observatory will be open all night long!
Lunar eclipses occur when the full Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. The first part of the Earth's shadow that the Moon will encounter is the penumbra. The penumbral shadow's faintness means that sharp-eyed observers will notice only a slight dimming of the Moon between 11:55 p.m. on Monday night and 12:58 a.m. Tuesday. The Moon moves into the darkest part of the earth's shadow, the umbra, at 12:58 a.m., and will be totally eclipsed by 2:06 a.m.
The Moon's brightness during a total eclipse depends on the amount of dust particles in the atmosphere. A large amount of dust from a volcanic eruption, for example, can make the totally eclipsed Moon almost invisible.
With little dust in our atmosphere, the Moon glows reddish-orange during totality.
This is because only the Sun's red light comes through the Earth's atmosphere and falls on the Moon even while it is in the Earth's shadow. As the diagram shows, the Moon will pass through the southern part of the shadow, for about 78 minutes of totality. As a result, the northern limb, closer to the center of Earth's shadow, will appear darker.
We'll see our next total lunar eclipse in Houston just before dawn on October 8, 2014 (the second of four occurring between 2014 and 2015!).
For more on how lunar eclipses work, watch the video below from NASA and USA Today.


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DOUBT: A PARABLE Opens Tonight at Maltz Jupiter Theatre
It surrounds all of us every day: gossip, rumors, lies, assumptions, jealousy and power.
Yet doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty - as evidenced in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's ambitious new dramaDoubt: A Parable, onstage tonight, February 3 - 17.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for best play, John Patrick Shanley's Doubt: A Parable examines the blurry line between reality and gossip, discipline and compassion, truth and doubt. This powerhouse drama is an eloquent and provocative investigation of truth and consequences; a gripping mystery that will leave audiences on The Edge of their seats until the final curtain.
Set in a Catholic school in the Bronx in 1964, the story centers on the school's strict principal, Sister Aloysius, and her growing concerns about the school's popular priest, Father Flynn. But with no proof, can there be certainty? Will judgment triumph over ambiguity?
"This drama is brilliantly written, and our cast is the most talented and established in our region," said Andrew Kato, the Theatre's producing artistic director. "We are delighted to be presenting such a richly textured dramatic work for our audiences here at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre."
Directed by multiple Carbonell Award-winning South Florida director J. Barry Lewis (resident director of Palm Beach Dramaworks), the play will feature a cast of acclaimed South Florida actors: Tony Award nominee Maureen Anderman, Carbonell Award winners Jim Ballard and Julie Kleiner, and Silver Palm winner and three-time Carbonell nominee Karen Stephens.
"I am so pleased to be returning for the fifth time to the Maltz Jupiter Theatre, and to be working with such an extraordinary company on such a timely and gripping story of change," Lewis said.
Anderman (Sister Aloysius) has appeared in eighteen Broadway shows over the last four decades, earning Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations. She has been honored with the Theatre World Award, the Connecticut Critics Award and the Westport Arts Award for her lifetime work in the theatre, and recently starred in Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance at Palm Beach Dramaworks.
Locally, Ballard (Father Flynn) won Carbonell Awards for his roles in The Adding Machine and Urinetown and has appeared in numerous South Florida productions, including the multiple Carbonell-winning All My Sons in 2011. Kleiner (Sister James) has also appeared in many productions locally and recently earned a Carbonell for her performance in Hairspray.
Stephens (Mrs. Muller) garnered the New Times Best Actress Award and a Carbonell Nomination for her role in the regional premiere of Sarah Jones' one-woman Broadway show, Bridge & Tunnel. She also received the Silver Palm Award for her roles in Bridge & Tunnel, Clybourne Park and Eclipsed.
The acclaimed 2005 Broadway production of Doubt: A Parable inspired a popular 2008 film adaptation, Doubt, starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis. All four received Academy Award nominations for their roles at the 81st Academy Awards.
Doubt: A Parable is sponsored by Jodie and Dan Hunt and The Roy A. Hunt Foundation. Tickets are now on sale now for the rest of the theatre's 10th Anniversary season. For a complete schedule and tickets, call (561) 575-2223 or visit www.jupitertheatre.org.


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|1 Scoop (49g) Contains:
Protein0 Carbs38g Fat0 Calories180
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Servings: 55
Serving Price: $0.68
Sweeteners: Acesulfame-k, Sucralose
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|1 Scoop (49g) Contains:
Protein0 Carbs38g Fat0 Calories180
|and more
Servings: 55
Serving Price: $0.68
Sweeteners: Acesulfame-k, Sucralose
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IOWA CITY, Iowa | Facing criticism for a remark she made about sexual assault, University of Iowa President Sally Mason on Thursday discussed her own experience of being accosted by a stranger when she was a college student.
Mason opened a campus forum on sexual assault issues as her job appeared to be on shaky footing, following a week of protests among students calling for improvements to the university's handling of rape allegations.
The protests gained traction after Mason told the student newspaper earlier this month that endingsexual assault was "probably not a realistic goal just given human nature and that's unfortunate." Mason has since apologized for the remark, but student critics said it reflected the university's lack of commitment to preventing rape and a lack of sensitivity toward victims.
Speaking to about 200 students Thursday, Mason said that when she was a student in Lexington, Ky., a man in a trench coat grabbed and groped her before she was able to fight him off and get away. She said the attack "left me shaken" but that she had no clue where to turn for help.
"I never want a young woman on this campus, ever in her life, not to know where to go if something like that happens to them," Mason said.
The Iowa Board of Regents on Thursday scheduled a special meeting for Friday to hear an explanation of the earlier remark from Mason and to meet behind closed doors to discuss her performance. Board members had considered replacing Mason in 2012, but backed off after leaders of students, faculty and staff groups came to her defense.
After the forum, Mason told reporters that she has a lot of work to do and looked forward to explaining her plans Friday to regents. She said this week has been difficult but may someday be seen as a "breakthrough moment" for addressing the issue on campus.
Board President Bruce Rastetter, a Republican appointee of Gov. Terry Branstad, didn't return a phone message Thursday afternoon.
University officials say sexual assault is not increasing on campus, but the university's handling of such cases is drawing increased scrutiny. Mason noted that the campus uproar comes amid heightened pressure from the federal government to prevent sexual assaults.
Recent cases that have drawn attention include one that involved three men who allegedly assaulted a women walking on campus and three separate incidents involving a taxi driver who allegedly tried toassault riders. Statistics shows that four sexual offenses were reported to campus police in 2013, compared with eight the prior year.
Mason's administration decided last fall to send campuswide warning emails more frequently after assaultsoccur. Such warnings are required under federal law, but the university had not always sent them when the victim knew the acquaintance.
Other U.S. colleges and universities also have come under criticism for how they handle sex assaults oncampus. The University of Missouri this year launched a review after critics said officials were too slow to investigate the claims of a swimmer who said she was raped by as many as three football players in 2010. The swimmer later committed suicide.
Last month, President Barack Obama announced a new task force on college sex assault, citing statistics showing that 1 in 5 females are assaulted while in college but only 1 in 8 report attacks. The White House called it a public health epidemic.
Mason's personal story came during an emotionally charged forum in which some students shared their experiences of being raped.
Some students are upset by language in the university's warning emails that they say put too much emphasis on the victims and not enough on perpetrators. The emails typically included tips to prevent being sexually assaulted such as avoiding binge drinking and walking home alone, protesters said.
"It was like, 'If you don't do those things, well, then you kinda had it coming,'" said Stacia Scott, a 21-year-old senior who is a leader of the student protests. "Students reached this breaking point where we said, 'enough is enough.'"
Scott and another protest leader, graduate student Elizabeth Rook, said they have already met with administrators to push for language revisions.
Rook gave Mason credit for taking quick action to address many of their concerns. And Scott said she doesn't want Mason to be fired or disciplined, noting that Mason swiftly apologized and started to address the protesters' concerns.
"We want President Mason to be part of the solution," said Scott, who is studying social work.


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It wouldn't be a stretch to call New Orleans one of the most soulful cities in the United States, and much of the rich culture we have to thank for that comes from the longstanding traditions of the African-American community. The 9th Annual Soul Fest, set for March 3rd and 4th at the Audubon Zoo, is a fantastic way to celebrate the unique history with over 20,000 other guests in a city known as the first to recognize "Free People of Color" following the horrors of slavery.
The weekend event is tailored for families and visitors of all ages and tickets are included with general admission to the Zoo. The sweet sounds of Jazz, Gospel, and R&B will be heard through the day, with performances from the Hot 8 Brass Band, Irvin Mayfield & The Playhouse Review, along with musical tributes to recently passed Etta James, Whitney Houston, and Soul Train's Don Cornelius.
It comes as no surprise that soul food from the city's best restaurants will be available for purchase, so come hungry for some smothered greens and sweet potato pie. Soul Fest also offers a kids' tent with fun activities for the younger crowd, and free health and wellness information available from local organizations. A selected group of accomplished Black History makers in the area are also set to be honored during the events.
More information is available at www.auduboninstitute.or


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Germany beats Greece 4-2 to reach semifinals
GDANSK, Poland -- With Chancellor Angela Merkel cheering every step of the way, Germany dominated Greece -- on the soccer field.
The Germans reached the European Championship semifinals for a record seventh time by beating Greece 4-2 Friday in a match played amid the contentious political backdrop between the countries.
But just as in the real world, where Germany has been a major contributor to economic bailouts for Greece, the three-time champions were in control at the Arena Gdansk. And after the match, Merkel visited the players in the changing room.
"(Merkel) congratulated us and said that we played very well," Germany forward Mesut Oezil said. "The rest of what she said will stay among us."
Philipp Lahm put Germany in the lead in the 39th minute as his team controlled nearly every facet of the game. Although Georgios Samaras tied it for Greece in the 55th, it was all Germany after that as Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus scored.
It was the 15th consecutive competitive victory for Germany, dating back to the win over Uruguay for third place at the 2010 World Cup. The Germans will go for No. 16 against either England or Italy in the semifinals on Thursday in Warsaw.
Although Germany dominated from the start, the Greek defense held strong for much of the first half. Lahm put his team in front by controlling the ball with his chest and dribbling toward the middle before sending a long-distance shot into the corner off the hand of Greece goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis.
"We couldn't breathe and did very little with our chances and on set pieces," Greece coach Fernando Santos said. "The first goal made things very difficult for us, despite our good defensive effort."
The Greeks looked better at the start of the second half, and tied it when Samaras knocked the ball past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after a perfect cross from Dimitris Salpigidis.
It was one of Greece's few forays into Germany's side of the field.
"Greece is a curious team. They had one chance and scored two goals," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "But we didn't get nervous after 1-1, and the goals came."
They did indeed.
Khedira volleyed in a cross from Jerome Boateng in the 61st, and Klose headed in a free kick from Oezil in the 68th as Sifakis was late to punch the ball away.
"When we conceded a second goal we had to open up and that cost us," Salpigidis said. "I hope the Greeks got some encouragement from watching us fighting."
Reus made it 4-1 in the 74th, volleying a shot in off the underside of the crossbar after Sifakis made a save on Klose. Salpigidis added a consolation penalty for Greece in the 89th.
"We scored twice. We did what we could," Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos said. "Maybe we could have been a bit more careful but we fought hard, we fought for the whole of Greece."
Loew dropped his three main forwards for the match, including leading striker Mario Gomez, but their replacements did just fine.
Klose, who has Polish heritage, constantly troubled the Greek defense and linked up well with Oezil and Andre Schuerrle.
Greece had one major change in its lineup, but it was because of suspension. Captain Giorgos Karagounis sat out the match after picking up a yellow card in the 1-0 win over Russia for diving.
Without him in the midfield, the Germans had little trouble controlling the play and creating chances.
"We made it to the last eight and this is very important," Papastathopoulos said. "The Netherlands didn't make it and we are talking about a very big country in football terms."
Germany: Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Holger Badstuber, Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marco Reus (Mario Goetze, 80), Mesut Oezil, Andre Schuerrle (Thomas Mueller, 67), Miroslav Klose (Mario Gomez, 80).
Greece: Michalis Sifakis, Yiannis Maniatis, Giorgos Tzavelas (Giorgos Fotakis, 46), Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Grigoris Makos (Nikos Lymberopoulos, 72), Georgios Samaras, Dimitris Salpigidis, Vassilis Torosidis, Sotiris Ninis (Fanis Gekas, 46), Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Costas Katsouranis.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index
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Fukushima Daiichi's Achilles Heel: Unit 4's Spent Fuel?
Just how dangerous is the situation at Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant? Very, according to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a senior member of the Senate's energy committee who toured the plant earlier this month.
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Another big earthquake or tsunami could send Fukushima Daiichi's fragile reactor buildings tumbling down, resulting in "an even greater release of radiation than the initial accident," Mr. Wyden warned in a Monday letter to Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Ichiro Fujisaki.
In particular, Japan isn't moving fast enough to remove dangerous nuclear-fuel rods from the reactors, and the U.S. should offer its help to speed things along, Mr. Wyden urged, in letters to Ambassador Fujisaki, as well as U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko.
Yoshikazu Nagai, a spokesman for Fukushima Daiichi operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the company couldn't comment on the letter, and that all it can do is "proceed steadily with the (cleanup) roadmap.'' Japan's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.
Mr. Wyden's warning touches on what some experts think is the biggest problem at the Fukushima plant: another earthquake or tsunami that exposes the least protected of its nuclear fuel to outside air.
Fukushima Daiichi suffered meltdowns at three of its reactors last year after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out power in the area. Much of the nuclear fuel in those three reactors is thought to be in a melted lump at the bottom of the vessels that surround the core. That's bad, but at least the vessels shield the outside world from the radioactive fuel.
But Fukushima Daiichi's Unit 4 reactor was shut down for maintenance when last year's accident took place, meaning the nuclear fuel rods were outside those protective vessels and sitting in a pool of water, high up in the reactor building, where they were being stored. The water in that "spent fuel pool" keeps the rods cool and insulates them from the outside. But if the pool should spring a leak, or another earthquake bring the pool crashing down, all that fuel would be exposed to the outside air, letting them heat up and release massive amounts of radiation. Other reactors have spent-fuel pools too, but they contain less fuel.
Tepco says an analysis it conducted on the Unit 4 pool showed the building didn't need reinforcing, but it went ahead and reinforced the structure anyway, increasing its safety margin by 20%. Tepco says it's working to remove the fuel rods as fast as it can. If all goes according to its timetable, the utility could start taking the rods out in 2014.
Mr. Wyden points out, though, that the schedule allows up to ten years to get all the spent fuel in all the Fukushima reactor pools out -- something he says is too risky.
"This schedule carries extraordinary and continuing risk if further severe seismic events were to occur," he wrote in his letter to Ambassador Fujisaki. "The true earthquake risk for the site was seriously underestimated and remains unresolved."


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BART trains to roll again Friday afternoon
Contract extended - BART workers return to work for 30 days
BART trains will be running again beginning Friday afternoon after the transit district and its striking unions agreed to a 30-day extension of the current contract.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday, representatives from BART and the two unions that went on strike Monday announced that workers will go back to their jobs and trains will begin rolling by 3 p.m. Friday. BART will continue to run its bus service Friday morning.
The decision came at the request of state Labor Secretary Marty Morgenstern and state mediators.
Regular train service to 400,000 daily riders in the Bay Area will operate during the monthlong extension, officials said. But the contract dispute is far from over. When asked how many contract issues remain to be resolved, Morgenstern could only chuckle.
"I don't have that much time," he said.
For the past four days, mediators have been trying to bring the two sides together, but finally agreed Thursday that it was more important to get the trains running.
"They recognized that there were very complicated issues that would take more time to resolve," said Josie Mooney, a union spokeswoman.
Gov. Jerry Brown was watching the negotiations closely, Morgenstern said.
"The governor is very pleased that both sides accepted the recommendation," he added.
The secretary thanked the unions for agreeing to end their strike, at least for now.
"It's not easy to come back off a strike without a contract," Morgenstern said.
Thursday's agreement doesn't settle anything. While BART is back in service, there's no indication that the two sides are any closer to an agreement then they were before the unions walked out.
"Unfortunately, the issues that brought us to this point remain unresolved," said BART General Manager Grace Crunican. "We still have a wide gap of disagreements to bridge over the next 30 days."
What the four-day strike and long, fruitless hours of negotiation did bring, however, was plenty of mistrust and ill-feelings that will have to be dealt with before the new Aug. 4 contract deadline.
"The last week has been a complete waste of time," said Antonette Bryant, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, which represents train operators and station agents. "We're still waiting for BART to respond to a proposal we made last Sunday."
The unions will go back to the bargaining table on Monday and drastic changes in BART's bargaining positions are needed if the contract dispute is going to be settled, she added.
"BART needs to understand they have 30 days to right the ship," Bryant said.
Transit agency officials and the unions met for nearly 12 hours Thursday before announcing the plan to stretch out the negotiations and send the strikers back to work.
The surprising development came just hours after a leader of striking BART workers accused the transit agency of trying to break the unions, and said negotiations to end the walkout were going nowhere.
"We're not close to an agreement," Pete Castelli, executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 1021, said at a union rally at the Lake Merritt BART Station in Oakland.
Castelli, whose union represents more than 1,400 BART mechanics, maintenance workers and professional staff, spoke about two hours after BART and striking unions resumed discussions at 11 a.m. They broke for dinner shortly before 6 p.m. and said they would return later in the evening for more talks at the Caltrans building on Grand Avenue in Oakland.
But there was no hint of an agreement.
'We're fired up'
Castelli said BART management has been working with antilabor consultants to tear down the unions.
"We're fired up because we're under attack after BART forced us into a strike so that they can impose a contract upon us," Castelli said. "BART wants to keep us out on strike and break us by turning the public against us."
A spokesman for the transit agency denied there was any attempt to get rid of BART's unions.
"We most definitely are not trying to break the union," said spokesman Rick Rice. "We're sitting in negotiations with mediators trying to reach a fair and sustainable contract."
Rice declined to say whether BART negotiators were unhappy with the pace of the contract talks.
State mediators "have asked us not to discuss the negotiations, and we intend to follow the rules," he said.
Playing to the media
Much of the union's briefing was done with a wink and a nod toward the mediators' request. As reporters and camera crews gathered around, Mooney, an SEIU negotiator, reminded journalists that this was an update on negotiations to union members, "although you're welcome to listen."
There was nothing conciliatory in the update, or any indication that a compromise was coming. Instead, it was a smorgasbord of red-meat rhetoric, warning strikers that BART was refusing to bargain in good faith and was lying about the issues in an effort to turn commuters against the union.
Castelli, speaking directly to reporters, complained that BART negotiators were avoiding the thorniest issues.
"They keep bringing up the small stuff, but we're not even talking about the main issues," he said.
BART's stance is part of a larger effort by Bay Area governments to get tough on public employees, Castelli said.
"When you tear down BART workers, saying they're making too much and have too many benefits, you're tearing down all workers," he said. "People need to realize that what BART workers get taken away is coming out of your pockets next."
Underlying the talks is concern among SEIU workers and the 900 members of the other striking union, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, that BART is making plans to impose a contract on workers.
Typically, management does not impose a contract unless negotiations are at impasse. At that time, an employer can make a "last, best and final offer," and impose it for strikers when they return to work. Imposing a contract does not, however, force striking workers to go back to their jobs.
Despite the unions' concerns, both sides agree that negotiations are not at impasse and the talks continue.
On the agenda
BART management has scheduled - and canceled - two special board meetings for each day of the strike, with an agenda that includes items calling for "unilateral implementation of certain terms and conditions of employment for employees" represented by the two striking unions.
It's simply a precaution dictated by state open meeting laws that require 24 hours' notice before a public body such as the BART board can act, said Alicia Trost, a spokeswoman for the transit agency.
"It's procedural, in case we're going to have to do it," she said. The agenda item "doesn't mean we're out to impose a contract."
Yet that's exactly what the board did four years ago when train operators with the Amalgamated Transit Union rejected BART's "best and final offer," which the agency's other unions had accepted.
The train operators immediately set a strike date, then settled hours before anyone walked out.
Issues in play
The key issues in the strike are pay, and health care and pension costs.
The transit agency, with an annual budget of $1.5 billion, says rising health care and pension costs are a threat. It wants employees to contribute to their pension and pick up more health care costs beyond the flat $92 a month they now pay, regardless of how many people are covered by the plan.
BART also is trying to save for $15 billion in system improvements it says it intends to make over the next 20 to 25 years.
Previous wage freeze
The union argues its employees deserve a raise. The agency is seeing record ridership that averages about 400,000 passengers on weekdays, and the unions contend that employees' efforts have helped BART reach those numbers while maintaining strong on-time performance.
The unions also point out that four years ago, when BART faced a budget deficit of $310 million, workers agreed to a wage freeze and concessions that trimmed labor costs by $100 million.
Strike hits 5th day
Friday's commute: While many workers are taking a long weekend, the Giants game Friday evening at AT&T park could cause complications. A11
Transit options: AC Transit will continue expanded service, but ferries will operate on a lighter weekend schedule. A11
Negotiations: The issues dividing BART and its unions. A11
John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com


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Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554) directed the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue government-wide guidelines that "provide policy and procedural guidance to Federal agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information (including statistical information) disseminated by Federal agencies." Information, as defined by OMB, includes any communication or representation of knowledge, such as facts or data, in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual forms. Dissemination refers to any distribution of information to the public that is initiated or sponsored by a federal agency. (OMB, Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies, February 22, 2002, 67 FR 8452-8460).
In summary, OMB's guidelines, issued on February 22, 2002, direct agencies to:
- Develop and implement their own agency-specific information quality guidelines by October 1, 2002;
- Adopt a basic standard of quality (including objectivity, utility, and integrity) as a performance goal and incorporate the standard into the agency's operations;
- Develop a process for reviewing the quality of information to ensure quality before information is disseminated;
- Establish a process for affected persons to request correction of information that may not comply with OMB's or the agency's guidelines; and
- Report annually to the Director of OMB, beginning January 1, 2004, the number and nature of complaints received by the agency regarding the agency's compliance with its guidelines concerning the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information, and how such complaints were resolved.
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I just received the final artwork for my forthcoming novel, HUNTER: A Thriller, and I thought I'd share it.
Currently, we're looking at publication in late May or early June. The novel will be available both in print (trade paperback) and ebook editions (Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, iPad, etc.). I'll post more information here and on my Facebook page, in coming weeks.
Meanwhile, I'd love to read your comments.
An ex-CIA officer turns vigilante to punish protectors of criminals--unaware that he's being hunted by his lover...or that she's the daughter of his arch-enemy.


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January 18 2007
Healthy Tastes Great!
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Let me introduce myself. My name is Mark Sisson. I'm 63 years young. I live and work in Malibu, California. In a past life I was a professional marathoner and triathlete. Now my life goal is to help 100 million people get healthy. I started this blog in 2006 to empower people to take full responsibility for their own health and enjoyment of life by investigating, discussing, and critically rethinking everything we've assumed to be true about health and wellness...Tell Me More
Halibut in Artichoke and Tomato Broth
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*Hacked Killing Floor model*
Gday, the names TheLozza. Been working on some mods for GTA San Andreas. Check them out and download them. Feel free to post and comment! I also do requests, so please leave them in the chat box. The best way to repay my work is to not upload my mods to other sites , or edit them in anyway. Please report any stealers to my email address. All credits go to Tripwire Interactive, GSC Gameworld and Valve. Thanks to Diego4Fun and RAWTalentTube for teaching me the basics of SA rigging.
Friday, 29 July 2011
[REL] Hazmat Suit
*Hacked Killing Floor model*
Labels: Killing Floor, Skins
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AERC Recycling Solutions1
AERC Recycling Solutions is a nationally regulated and "permitted" electronics & universal waste recycler with over 25 years of experience helping our 2500+ corporate clients recycle and dispose of assets containing sensitive data, hazardous components and other materials.
We're proud to both own and operate R2/RIOS Certified Electronics Recycling facilities in Allentown, PA; Richmond, VA; West Melbourne, FL and Hayward, CA. All of our state-of-the art facilities are all fully EPA permitted, and each complies with all state & federal EPA, OSHA, and DOT Regulations.


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Nation & World
Kerry's 'obsession' with Palestinian peace talks worries Israeli right
Faced with a dogged effort by Secretary of State John Kerry to promote an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord, Israeli officials are showing increasing impatience with his determination to push forward an enterprise that they believe is doomed to failure.
Even as Israeli negotiators flew to Washington for discussions with Kerry on Monday about a framework agreement with the Palestinians that could enable talks to go on, Energy Minister Silvan Shalom warned in a radio interview that any attempt to impose such a document on Israel would scuttle the negotiations.
At a meeting with foreign correspondents last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at what he called the "hypocrisy" of European Union countries who'd summoned Israeli ambassadors to protest new Israeli settlement-building plans in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a move seen internationally as a blow to the negotiations. Netanyahu said the complaints were misdirected and should have been aimed at what he called Palestinian incitement against Israel.
The cumulative impact of Kerry's repeated journeys here – he's made 10 trips to the region since March – bubbled to the surface last week, when Israel's defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, was quoted as saying the secretary was driven by "incomprehensible obsession and a messianic sense" and that "the only thing that can save us is that he will win the Nobel Prize and leave us alone."
Yaalon dismissed an American security plan for an Israeli-Palestinian accord as "not worth the paper it was written on."
The remarks, reported to have been said in closed meetings, were published on the front page of the mass circulation daily newspaper Yediot Ahronot. They drew an unusually sharp response from the Obama administration, which called them "offensive and inappropriate." Yaalon later apologized.
But his comments reflected the unease Kerry's efforts have caused among hawks in the Israeli government, who fear that Netanyahu might make concessions under the sustained American pressure. The prime minister, however, has shown no indication that he's likely to do so.
Some analysts said Israeli officials were puzzled by the energy expended on the effort after many years in which the United States had adopted a hands-off approach to what appeared to be unbridgeable gaps between the sides.
"They don't understand why Secretary Kerry is putting this kind of focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict when both sides could have told him that there was little chance for a breakthrough, and when the region around us is on fire," said Jonathan Spyer, a senior research fellow at the Interdisciplinary Center, a private college in Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv. "For Yaalon, this approach simply seems bizarre in the extreme, and he represents a sense you will hear in private rooms from all sorts of people."
Yaalon's remarks about Kerry were "not just his opinion," said Yossi Alpher, a strategic analyst and former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. "It is certainly shared by some of the people close to Netanyahu, and possibly by Netanyahu himself," though "Netanyahu is very careful about what he says about Kerry."
Alpher added about Kerry that "There's a general sense that he's over-dedicated and over-optimistic."
Spyer said Israeli officials were asking themselves why Kerry was "investing all this time, exerting pressure, and why Israel is forced to release murderers of Israelis in pursuit of a process which seems quite obviously doomed to failure."
Israel has been releasing in phases 104 long-serving Palestinian prisoners it agreed to free as part of understandings that enabled the resumption of peace talks.
"John Kerry is going through a learning process the rest of us learned 10 years ago, and Israel is required to pay a heavy price," Spyer added.
While details of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations remain under wraps, public disagreements have erupted over Israel's insistence on a long-term presence of Israeli troops along the West Bank's border with Jordan and Netanyahu's demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The Palestinians have rejected any Israeli military presence in a future Palestinian state and have dismissed the demand for recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, saying that would ignore the rights of Israel's Arab citizens, some 20 percent of the country's population.
The two sides also remain far apart on the Palestinian demand for a capital in East Jerusalem and recognition of the right of return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants to their former homes in Israel.
When the talks restarted last July, Kerry set a goal of nine months to reach a final accord. But U.S. efforts are now focused on reaching an agreed framework for continuing the negotiations beyond April.
In comments to the New Yorker magazine published this week, President Barack Obama said the chances of reaching a final treaty were less than 50 percent, reflecting a more sober view in Washington.
Referring to the attempts to reach accords on Iran's nuclear program, Syria's civil war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Obama said: "We may be able to push the boulder partway up the hill and maybe stabilize it so it doesn't roll back on us."
"The whole American approach seems to be 'Ignore the lessons of the failures of the past 20 years,' " Alpher said, adding that Washington had adopted the agenda of the 1993 Oslo interim accords between Israel and the Palestinians that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed."
"This was from the start a formula for failure," he said.


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I've now read a whole lot about this whole arsenic and rice thing and I've decided I'm going to tell parents in my practice to cut back on the rice they give their children — and not give rice cereal to their babies at all.
And after doing some research, I think that we all need to eat less rice, especially babies and children. Which is too bad, because rice can be healthy. But as with mercury in fish, sometimes the risk of toxins start to offset the nutritional benefits.
In case you missed it: Consumer Reports came out with a report detailing the amount of arsenic in various brands of rice and rice-based products (like cereals or rice milk). It was scary, actually. There's an awful lot of arsenic in some of this stuff. Rice apparently absorbs arsenic more effectively than most plants, in part because it's grown in lots of water — and a lot of the rice produced in the US is grown in places where a lot of arsenic-laden pesticide was used on cotton.
Arsenic is bad for you. It's a poison that can kill you. In smaller amounts, it can do things like damage the brain, nerves, blood, blood vessels, heart, and skin. It can cause birth defects and cancer. While the rice producers are correct that there's no proof that arsenic in rice has lead or will lead to health problems, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be worried. According to the report, if a baby eats rice cereal twice a day, which is very common, her risk of cancer doubles.
That's why I'm going to tell parents to avoid rice cereal — it's definitely not a risk worth taking. Besides, rice cereal is a highly refined carbohydrate that can increase the risk of obesity.
According to Consumer Reports, kids should be having no more than about one serving of rice or rice pasta a week — and the serving size is pretty small.
I've been telling people to eat brown rice rather than white rice because it's healthier, because whole grains are better than refined ones — but brown rice, it turns out, has on average more arsenic than white rice. One thing you can do, though, is cook brown rice like you might cook pasta, in lots of water — and then drain the water off. That can lower arsenic levels.
Now, it's not like rice is the only risky food out there. It's not the only source of arsenic, either; other foods, like leafy green vegetables, juices and some seafood can contain it as well. If we were going to cut out every even slightly risky food, we wouldn't be left with much to eat. There are toxins everywhere. But when we get information like this from a reputable source, we can't ignore it.
Dr. Claire McCarthy is a pediatrician and Medical Communications editor at Boston Children's Hospital. Read her blog on Boston.com/Health. You can follow her on Twitter at @drClaire.


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"Operation Never Ends," the multi-organizational investigation organized by Miami police, the Secret Service, local and state agencies and insurance companies, has led to the closure of two clinics involved in staging accidents and making fraudulent insurance claims.
The more than one year long operation led to the arrest of, among others, Jorge Felix Felipe Pupo, 49, accused of being the ringleader, and Yanaris Ramirez Paneque, 36, a receptionist at one health clinic, according to authorities. According to the report from NBC 6:
Police say they went undercover inside a medical building in the 700 block of Northwest 23rd Avenue and at another location near Flagler and the Palmetto Expressway.
Detectives said recruiters would find those willing to participate in the staged accidents, then bring them to medical clinics where paperwork was done to get money back from insurance companies.
Police Sgt. Luis Taborda explained the scheme.
"The clinics are the main," he said. "They provide the money to a runner and the runner puts together the crash — orchestrates the crash."
Police said the ring was making big money on the claims.
"I could tell you that in one investigation that we did at the beginning, they were up to $80,000 before we shut them down — in just one crash," Taborda said.
The article from NBC 6 South Florida is available here.


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Here is a revealing story, but in a modest way! It's about a fashion show held in Lima, Ohio, sponsored by a faith-based model training program promoting virtues of modesty and purity.
In the story featured in the Catholic Chronicle, newspaper of the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, participants and organizers of the Pure Fashion program stress that women can be beautifully dressed while maintaining their modesty.
I also really enjoyed the multimedia aspect to this article.


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Please have patience with us as we launch our brand new site. Switching from our old site to the new one is already presenting a few problems, but we should have all the hiccups resolved soon. Update:
Update:It looks like we have everything running again, but if you do encounter any errors or problems please report it on our message board or send us an email.


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From the Manufacturer's Label:
Paraben Free
Natural Deodorant Protection
Crystal essence™ Pomegranate, made of natural mineral salts and infused with the refreshing aroma of pomegranate, creates an invisible protective barrier against odor-causing bacteria. Pomegranate is an antioxidant. Crystal essence™ Pomegranate is long-lasting, non-sticky, non-staining and leaves no white residue.
Safe for the Environment
Prevents body odor 24 hours**
Manufactured by Crystal® Deodorant.
No Aluminum Chlorohydrate | Aluminum Zirconium | Parabens| Phthalates.


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End the corporate income tax. That's right. I, me, the liberal/progressive/socialist/Marxist/leftist all you conservatives hate, I'm saying end the corporate income tax, and here's how I say we do it.
Republicans and Democrats are currently working on a debt plan that apparently will include some sort of "tax" reform that closes loopholes and lowers the overall corporate income tax rate. The Republicans say it's good for business. Yes, I know, big shock huh. Democrats say it will raise new revenue to help with the debt/deficit. None of this is going to fix one of the bigger deficit problems though, which is the sluggish economy.
As I write this, the television blowhards are discussing this month's abysmal jobs report. Private sector employment isn't growing and state and local government jobs are being lost due to a budget squeeze. The economy isn't growing because of a demand crisis. That is to say people aren't buying nearly enough to keep things chugging along. This lack of demand causes employers not to hire or to hire only part-time or temporary help. Those jobs don't offer enough pay or security for the people who hold them to run out and buy things they need, like houses and cars. This also lowers government revenue as taxes aren't being paid in. It's a big ol crappy loop that we can't seem to get out of.
Democrats, or progressive Democrats at least, would like to see more money going into the pockets of those who will spend it and restore economic growth. It's a good idea because that's exactly what the economy needs. They want to accomplish part of this through infrastructure spending, another good idea no matter what the economy looks like. The same idea is behind extended unemployment benefits, food stamps, and other "welfare programs". Not only do they help people in need but each of those programs return well over a dollar of GDP growth for every dollar the government invests in them. This is where the proposal for eliminating the corporate income tax comes in.
If we want to get more money into the hands of the middle class and working poor, let's give the private sector an incentive to do so. Let's set up an alternate corporate tax structure. Under this alternate structure, corporations would have their income tax completely eliminated if they agree to the terms of the incentive. The terms say this: total executive compensation can be no more than 35 times that of the median salary of the company, and all employees must be included in the calculation. Executives averaged about a 28% raise last year. Their pay has grown by astronomical margins over the past dozen years. That growth comes from somewhere, and that somewhere is the salaries of the employees which have been stagnant for well over a decade.
CEOs in the 1950s made about 50 times that of their employees. Now, CEOs can make 300 to 500 times that of their employees. What the executive cap income tax reduction does is provide incentive for American executives to create broad based economic growth through the salary growth of the corporation's employees. Executives can still make as much money as they want; they just have to take everyone in the company along for the ride.
Not enough you say? Okay, let's add this in. In years where the executives grow their workforce by a given percentage, their salary cap increases to 45 times that of the median company salary. But, in years where their workforce is reduced by a given percentage, the cap shrinks to 30 times that of the median company salary. This way, an executive can't follow the Mitt Romney model of business and enter a company, fire half the employees, claim success, and demand a 5 million dollar bonus. No, bad business isn't rewarded in this new model, only good business is, and truly good business helps the company and the country that provides it the freedom to operate.
If executives will take their employees along on the trip to High Pay and Bonus Land, we'd see several benefits from it. More money for the employees means more spending in the economy. Despite what some conservatives say, many people really do need that new car or truck, especially when they live in places like Perry County where mass transit isn't available and employees have to commute to their jobs.
Increased demand will lead to economic growth, which will lead to higher government revenues. The budget deficit shrinks and Rand Paul can worry about more pressing matters, like those environmentalists who broke his toilet (Yes, he said this. No, it wasn't a joke).
I'm sure some conservative will scream "tyranny, freedom, and socialism!!!!!!" over this plan. I'm not saying corporations have to enter this plan. They can stay on the traditional track and pay the 35% corporate income tax. Well, let's be honest. They're only paying about 20% because of loopholes like the corporate jet tax break.
Conservatives want to rely on the private sector to fix the economy, fine by me. Let's give them reason to start helping. Obviously what they're doing now isn't working.
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Tom Queoff, a sculptor who works in stone, steel and bronze, was asked to judge a Milwaukee snow-sculpting competition in 1985.
"As I walked around, I was in awe," he said. "The sculptures were beautiful, and the process was intriguing. I decided I'd like to try it."
The Milwaukee artist did more than give it a try. He and his team have gone on to win seven international snow-sculpting championships and many more national and local awards.
It's not surprising that a Milwaukee sculptor has won international acclaim. Southeastern Wisconsin is a mecca for snow sculpting, in part because of the efforts of Don Berg, a Milwaukee-area sculptor whom many consider the grandfather of snow sculpting.
He has organized sculpting competitions around the world, from the Winter Olympics to Wisconsin events in Racine, Lake Geneva and Kohler. Queoff has participated in many of them.
"We have some of the best sculptors in the world right here," Berg said. "And some of the best events."
Most are close enough for a day trip from the Chicago area. But if you choose to make a weekend of it, there is plenty to do nearby as the sculptures take form.
The first event of the year is Racine's Big Chill competition Jan. 11-13 at Monument Square in downtown Racine, just 25 miles north of the Wisconsin line. Formerly part of the Flake Out Festival at the Wisconsin Dells, the juried competition moved to Racine four years ago.
"Sixteen teams from all around the state will compete in Racine to determine who represents Wisconsin at the national level," said Devin Sutherland, executive director of the Downtown Racine Corp. "It's fascinating to see the sculptures go from a compacted block of snow to something that is intricate and ornate in just a couple of days."
Within walking distance of the Racine competition are more than 50 boutiques and shops and 40 or so restaurants, many of them with ethnic menus, including Armenian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Thai. At the nearby Racine Art Museum, current exhibitions include an exploration of contemporary glass jewelry and artists' interpretations of James Joyce.
The Winterfest Celebration in Kohler Jan. 25-27 is a weekend of outdoor activities that includes snow-sculpting demonstrations by internationally known artists. Kohler is about an hour north of Milwaukee.
The event was expanded from one day to two this year and includes dog-sled and curling demonstrations, horse-drawn carriage rides, ice skating and yoga on the lake.
Indoors at the nearby Kohler Design Center, a Winterfest Market and hands-on science fun for kids are planned. Many of the events help raise money for the Above & Beyond Children's Museum in Sheboygan.
"Adults and children alike will enjoy the collection of outdoor and indoor activities," said Tricia Rathermel, special-events manager for Kohler Corp.'s Hospitality Group.
The Snow Sculpting Nationals, considered Wisconsin's most significant sculpting event, are part of Lake Geneva's Winterfest Jan. 30 to Feb. 3. Teams work on their sculptures from 9 a.m. well into the night on the days preceding judging, which is Saturday. Awards are presented at 3 p.m.
"Every year we have the best teams from as far away as Alaska, Maine, Idaho, New Hampshire and, of course, the Wisconsin champions, competing to see who will represent the U.S. in international competition," said George Hennerley, president of the Lake Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau. "As the artists work, visitors can see how it's done and ask questions. It's fun to interact."
The event is held at Riviera Park in downtown Lake Geneva, where visitors can shop and warm up as retailers serve cookies and hot drinks. On the same weekend, the Grand Geneva Resort holds its Winter Carnival, with a torchlight parade down the ski hill and fireworks set to music.
"If you've never seen snow sculpting, you will be amazed," Hennerley said. "It's a very surreal type of art. The sculptures are huge, as tall as 14 feet, and they look like they are made of Carrara marble. It's like nothing you've ever seen."
The Big Chill Ice and Snow Festival in Racine, racinedowntown.com; Winterfest Celebration in Kohler, americanclubresort.com; Winterfest at Lake Geneva, lakegenevawi.com or usnationals.org.


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DODGE CITY, Kan., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- About 60,000 pounds of ground beef from National Beef Packing Co. in Dodge City, Kan., is being recalled for possible E. coli contamination, officials say.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said in a release Friday the recall was initiated after the potential health hazard was detected at a state-inspected facility in Ohio. The USDA labeled it a Class I Recall with a high health risk.
The recall includes packages of ground beef produced July 23 with an Aug. 12 freeze date.
Some of the ground beef may have gone through further processing and repackaging, and sold under different brand names. The USDA didn't list the brands involved but Winn-Dixie Stores, Publix, Kroger and Walmart all announced independently they were recalling ground beef products as a result of the problem at National Beef.
E. coli is a potentially deadly bacteria that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and in severe cases, kidney failure.


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Put fresh, delicious vegetables at the center of your plate as you create crowd-pleasing dishes that are anything but garden-variety!
Transform nutritious vegetables into crave-worthy meals your family will love with essential techniques for cooking seasonal vegetables year-round. "Cooking Light" executive chef Anna Bullett will share her expert tips for cutting and roasting winter squash with ease, incorporating hearty greens such as kale into mouthwatering pastas and even caramelizing Brussels sprouts and pairing them with crispy pancetta for a dish that will please your pickiest eater. Enjoy more than 20 recipes included with this class, from a tomato ricotta tart to grilled eggplant sandwiches with creamy aioli. Plus, get a bonus lesson on refrigerator pickling and preserve your favorite vegetables at the peak of their season.
If you're not delighted with your Bluprint experience, we'll make it right or give you a full refund.


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I have made knockdown of a gene by stable transformation. I have few transformants to screen for best silenced line. The total length of the mRNA is 1440 bps. The region of the sequence I have used to clone as a hairpin construct is from 175 bp to 1035. My question is to screen the transformants by real time RT-PCR, where should I design my primers, should it be in 5´(1-175bp) or 3´(1040 to 1140 bp) prime region of the sequence. If the primers are with in the region of 175 bp to 1035 bp does effect it my result. Which is the best region to design primers for real time to screen for the best silenced line.
Thank you
Edited by Nirvana09, 03 December 2010 - 01:50 PM.