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SanDisk also includes a basic voice recorder. The audio quality is suitable for memos or a hastily thrown-together grocery list, but probably not our first choice for dictating our memoirs.
Finally, as a gesture to all you fitness fanatics, a basic stopwatch has been thrown in.
The Sansa Clip Zip has no business sounding this good. Don't ask me how SanDisk did it. You would expect an MP3 player at this price to sound only slightly better than hot gravel in your ear.
That said, in the grand scheme of things, the Clip Zip isn't the best-sounding device out there. These things are subjective, of course, but don't go in expecting it to sound like a Sony X-Series Walkman. There are a few EQ presets, along with some manual EQ adjustments, but the default flat setting is about on par for quality with what you'd hear from most Android smartphones, with a little extra headroom for the maximum volume.
Chances are, though, you're not going to buy a $49 MP3 player to hold it up to audiophile scrutiny. If all you want are some sounds to shove in your ears to distract you from the monotony of flailing around on a treadmill, the Clip Zip delivers beyond our expectations.
We're also happy to see that the Clip Zip's rated battery life holds to the 15-hour mark set by the Clip+, in spite of the larger, color screen. That's a good week of casual use before a recharge is needed. SanDisk's decision to go with a Micro-USB port instead of the mini ports used on previous models means that you can probably use your phone's charger to juice this up. Little details like this can really cut down on cable clutter and lighten your load when traveling.
Final thoughts
The Sansa Clip Zip further solidifies SanDisk's reputation for delivering low-cost, feature-packed MP3 players. The addition of AAC music support now means that even fans of Apple's iTunes store can plug the Clip Zip into a Mac or PC and transfer over their DRM-free tunes. So if you're looking for a way to enjoy your music without risking your precious smartphone, the Sansa Clip Zip is one of the best values around.


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Buffalo National River
What to know
In the heart of the Ozarks, the Buffalo River was America's first national river in 1972. The 135-mile-long free flowing Buffalo offers both swift-running and placid stretches, inviting sand/gravel bars, towering limestone bluffs, woodlands, protected wilderness areas and nature watching opportunities, including deer and elk. Smallmouth bass is a catch along the river. Over 100 miles of trails have been blazed for public use. Designated horseback riding trails are located in each district of the river, under the auspices of the National Park Service. Resorts and outfitters are located throughout the river region. Camping is available at most access points and primitive camping is allowed along the stream. The impressive Tyler Bend Visitor Center, off U.S. 65 north of Marshall, provides exhibits and materials to the public. Other centers/ranger stations are located at Buffalo Point and Pruitt. The Ponca Elk Education Center is another "must-see" stop while in the area. Call 870-861-2432 for more information about elk in Arkansas. Contact the Buffalo National River at 870-741-5443. Water levels and floating conditions can be found on the U.S. G.S. website. PLEASE NOTE: When viewing elk and other wildlife be respectful of private property and do not trespass. For additional information on things to see and do along the whole length of the river, visit these websites: Waterway information for the Buffalo National River www.BuffaloRiverChamber.com www.LowerBuffaloRiver.com
River Access
Marshall, AR 72650
- River

subset: commoncrawl


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You are here
SBA's Growth Capital Program Sets Record For Third Year in a Row
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration's Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) debenture program provided a record $2.95 billion to small businesses in fiscal year 2012, a 14 percent increase over last year's $2.59 billion and an 85 percent increase over 2010, also a record year.
"Over the past three years SBA has transformed the SBIC program to ensure small businesses have greater access to SBIC funds," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "These record-setting numbers are proof that our efforts to streamline and simplify the process have made it possible to get capital into the hands of small businesses more quickly. When an SBIC invests in a small business, it can scale up and create jobs."
High-growth small businesses continue to face difficulties in accessing patient, long-term capital to grow and create jobs. Since 1958, the SBIC program has helped fill these gaps and has invested approximately $63 billion in more than 110,000 small businesses in the United States.
The FY 2012 volume is the highest single-year volume in the 54-year history of SBA's SBIC debenture program. Increased volume in the program is due in part to a number of improvements that contributed to an increased number of new SBIC licenses and reduced license processing times.
The SBIC program was created in 1958 to stimulate the growth of America's small businesses by supplementing the long-term debt and private-equity capital available to them. SBA's SBIC FY 2012 results included the following:
- Record High Financing to Small Businesses: Total financings to small businesses by SBA's SBIC debenture program grew to a 54-year record high of $2.95 billion in FY 2012 – 14 percent more than in FY 2011.
- Record High SBA Capital Commitment to SBIC Funds: SBA capital commitments to debenture funds broke another record, increasing to $1.92 billion in FY 2012, up from $1.82 billion in FY 2011.
- Record High Private Capital Attracted to SBIC Program: The SBIC debenture program has attracted more initial private sector capital in FY 2012 than in any year in the history of the program – approximately $1 billion compared to $840 million in FY 2011, the previous high. The average debenture SBIC has raised more than twice the private capital than the average debenture fund of a decade ago.
- More Licensed Debenture SBICs and Faster Processing Times: Thirty new debenture and unleveraged SBIC licenses were issued in FY 2012, exceeding last year's total of 22 by 36 percent. Additionally, SBIC license processing time improved to just 5.4 months in FY 2012, down from 14.6 months in 2009.
SBICs are privately-owned and managed investment firms that are licensed and regulated by SBA. SBICs use a combination of funds raised from private sources and money raised through the use of SBA guarantees to make equity and mezzanine capital investments in small businesses. There are 301 SBICs with more than $18 billion in capital under management.
As part of the President's Startup America initiative, the SBA leveraged the SBIC program to launch two initiatives with up to $1 billion in leveraged commitments each for impact investments and early stage investments. These commitments are available to SBICs targeting early-stage firms or businesses located in targeted economic areas or industries. To date, SBA has licensed two impact SBIC funds under its Impact Initiative, while another five have an impact focus in their investment strategies. SBA also has issued a call for Early Stage SBICs under the Early Stage SBIC Initiative, and has issued "green light" letters to six potential applicants.
For more information about the SBA's Investment Division, SBIC program, Impact Investment Initiative and Early Stage Innovation Fund, go to www.sba.gov/INV. The web site offers much useful information including segments for: SBIC Applicants, SBIC Licensees, Private Partners & LPs, and Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners. The site also includes useful SBIC forms, up-to-date news and reports.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) collects data on the number of Medicare patients receiving treatment for heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia who need to be readmitted to the medical center or who die within 30-days of admission to the medical center.
CMS considers these to be an "outcome of care" measure. They are indicators of who well a hospital is doing at preventing complications, educating patients about their care needs and helping patients make a smooth transition from the medical center to home or another type of care facility. The death and readmission rates collected by CMS are "risk-adjusted" — the calculations done on the numbers take into consideration how sick the patients were when they were first admitted to the hospital.
It should be noted that some readmissions are appropriate and medically necessary. A study highlighted in the July 15, 2010, New England Journal of Medicine shows the need for additional research. The goal regarding readmissions and quality patient care is to assure that patient spends no more time in the hospital than is appropriate and medically necessary for their condition and health status. In each of the areas monitored — heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia care — Cedars-Sinai's readmission rates are statistically no different than the national average.
In terms of 30-day mortality rates, Cedars-Sinai ranks better than the national average for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia care, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and stroke. This puts Cedars-Sinai in a select group that includes only two other hospitals in the nation.


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About us
In the spring of 1933 Oswald Hoskins built Hoskins Garage Ltd., a one bay Service Station at the intersection of what is now Highway 16 and Main Street. In 1944 Ford of Canada approached Oswald regarding becoming a dealer. He was awarded the franchise later on that year.
In 1935 Gordon Williams Sr. (Oswald's brother-in-law) joined Oswald as a mechanic apprentice. In 1946 he purchased a minor interest in Hoskins Garage Ltd. assuming full control of the dealership in 1967.
In 1949 Frank Parker joined the firm as a salesperson and later became the Sales Manager. He also became a shareholder in 1966.
In 1987, Gordon's sons, Colin and Gordon Jr. became shareholders and then in 2011, Colin's son Mark purchased the dealership now known as Hoskins Ford Sales Ltd. This makes the dealership one of the oldest family dealer operations in Canada.
The dealership is the only fully serviced dealer in the Bulkley Valley with new cars or used vehicles, a fully stocked parts department, along with a service shop and body shop.
We pride ourselves in our commitment and support of all our communities in the Bulkley Valley.
Hoskins Ford Sales offers many automotive products and services to our Smithers area customers. From quality new Ford vehicles to used cars, we know anyone looking for a vehicle near Smithers will find what they want at our dealership.
Dealership number: D5148
(Mr. Frank Parker)


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INDIO>> The unofficial start of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off with the opening of the campgrounds Thursday afternoon.
There have no been incidents or arrests as of Friday morning, said Ben Guitron, public information officer for Indio Police.
"Traffic was good and we didn't have any significant issues with campers coming in," he said.
Most of those camping typically hit the nearby stores to stock up on items before heading into the grounds.
"They trickle in throughout the day," Guitron said.
Improvements have been made through the years to improve parking and the flow of traffic.


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One of the more popular questions we get from travelers is: "Can I travel with my medication." The answer is yes, with some qualifiers. Here are a few tips that you might find helpful.
- You can bring your medication in pill or solid form in unlimited amounts as long as it is screened.
- Medication in liquid form is allowed in carry-on bags in excess of 3.4 ounces in reasonable quantities for the flight. It is not necessary to place medically required liquids in a zip-top bag. However, you must tell the officer that you have medically necessary liquids at the start of the screening checkpoint process. Medically required liquids will be subjected to additional screening that could include being asked to open the container.
- You can travel with your medication in both carry-on and checked baggage. It's highly recommended you place these items in your carry-on in the event that you need immediate access.
- TSA does not require passengers to have medications in prescription bottles, but states have individual laws regarding the labeling of prescription medication with which passengers need to comply.
- Medication is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for an inspection instead. This request must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.
For more information, you can contact:
- The Contact Center hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m., Eastern time; weekends and federal holidays, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Eastern time. The TCC can be reached at 866-289-9673. Passengers can also reach out to the TSA Contact Center (TCC) with questions about TSA procedures, upcoming travel or to provide feedback or voice concerns.
- Travelers or families of passengers with disabilities and medical conditions may call the TSA Cares helpline toll free 855-787-2227, 72 hours prior to traveling with any questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. A TSA Cares helpline representative is available during all TSA Contact Center hours.
Source: TSA Travel Tips


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Name | Synopsis | Description | Options | Operands | Examples | Exit Status | See Also
create-auth-realm <connect_options> [--echo|-e] [--no-prompt|-Q] [--verbose|-v] --config|-c config-name (--class|-C=name| --type|-t file/ldap/pam/native/certificate) realm-name
Use this command to create a new authentication realm. The J2EE based security model provides for security realms that identify and authenticate users. The authentication process verifies users through an underlying realm, also known as a security domain. A realm consists of a set of users, optional group mappings, and authentication logic that validates the requests.
Once an authentication request is validated by a configured realm and the security context established, the identity is applied to all subsequent authorization decisions, unless overruled by a run-as condition. A server instance may have any number of configured realms.
For connect_options description, see help(1).
Specify this option to print this command on the standard output before executing. This option also prints the default value for all the non-mandatory options that you do not provide in the command.
If you specify this option, wadm will not prompt you for passwords while executing this command. Use this option if you have defined all passwords in a password file and specified the file using the --password-file connect_option.
Specify this option to display a verbose output.
Specify the name of a built-in authentication realm type. The type can be file, ldap, pam, native or certificate.
Specify the class for custom realm.
The type and class options are mutually exclusive.
Specify the name of the configuration for which you want to create the authentication realm.
wadm create-auth-realm --user=admin --password-file=../admin.passwd --host=serverhost --port=8989 --ssl=true --no-prompt --rcfile=null --config=config1 --class=javax.security.auth.realm basic
The following exit values are returned:
command executed successfully
error in executing the command
help(1), set-auth-realm-prop(1), delete-auth-realm(1), get-auth-realm-prop(1), list-auth-realms(1), create-auth-realm-userprop(1), delete-auth-realm-userprop(1), list-auth-realm-userprops(1)
Name | Synopsis | Description | Options | Operands | Examples | Exit Status | See Also


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Nine Inch Nail's new album has become some of my favorite music to work to. There's no vocals, and it plays like some amazing sci-fi drama soundtrack. (Trent really does sound best when not singing) Part one of the four parts are available for free on their website, but I feel like part two is where it really gets amazing. Already using one of the tracks for an animation I'm working on.
Check it out! I thought I'd gotten over this band years ago, but this is a breakthrough!
NIN - Ghosts
Recommend albums, songs, bands, etc.
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Weird Fishes Webcomic
Weird Fishes Webcomic
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text: Sachs, J D; Baillie, J E M; Sutherland, W J; Armsworth, P R; Ash, N; Beddington, J; Blackburn, Tim M; Collen, B; Gardiner, B; Gaston, K J; Godfray, H C J; Green, R E; Harvey, P H; House, B; Knapp, S; Kumpel, N F; Macdonald, D W; Mace, G M; Mallet, J; Matthews, A; May, R M; Petchey, O; Purvis, A; Roe, D; Safi, K; Turner, K; Walpole, M; Watson, R; Jones, K E (2009). Biodiversity conservation and the millennium development goals. Science, 325(5947):1502-1503.


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Full TitlePhase I study of intrathecal radioimmunotherapy using 131i-burtomab for central nervous system /leptomeningeal neoplasms
The purpose of this study is to find the highest safe dose of a new medicine, a radioactive antibody called 131I-8H9, in children and adults with cancer of the brain or brain covering (leptomeninges) that has returned after standard treatment or for which no standard therapy exists.
Antibodies are made by the body to fight infections, and in some cases, to fight tumors. The antibody 8H9 is made by mice and can attack many kinds of tumors. The medicine being evaluated in this study consists of 8H9 attached to radioactive iodine (131I). This drug has been given by vein to patients to see if it can find cancer cells. This is the first study assessing 131I-8H9 given into the spinal fluid ("intrathecally") to kill cancer cells.
To be eligible for this study, patients must meet several criteria, including but not limited to the following:
- Patients must have a confirmed diagnosis of cancer of the brain or brain covering (leptomeninges) that has returned after standard treatment or for which no standard therapy exists. The cancer must be confirmed to be reactive to 8H9.
- Patients may not have had radiation therapy to the head or spine or systemic chemotherapy within 3 weeks of entering the study.
- Both children and adults of any age are eligible to participate.
For more information about this study and to inquire about eligibility, please contact Dr. Kim Kramer at 212-639-3751.


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Nokia N700
Read help info
You can make a call without sending your own number (caller identification). Follow these instructions to make a call with hidden caller identification.
1. Make a call with hidden caller identification
Key in #31# followed by the number you want to call.
Press the call icon.
Email this article to your friend
Required information *


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Feeling confident: Steps to saving more
In 2016, 21% of U.S. workers said they were very confident they would have enough money for a comfortable retirement. This was about the same percentage as in 2015, but both years showed a big increase in confidence from the 13% level in 2013, when many Americans were still struggling to recover from the Great Recession.1
When it comes to your own retirement, of course, trends don't really matter. The question is, do you feel very confident that you will have enough money to enjoy the kind of retirement you envision? Even if you do, it's smart to save more, and it may not be as difficult as you think.
Take the Match
If you participate in a workplace retirement plan such as a 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan, you can choose to contribute a specific percentage of your salary, up to annual contribution limits. That's why they are formally called defined-contribution plans. More than half of workplace plans automatically enroll new workers at a 4% rate.2 However, a common guideline suggests that workers should save about 15% of their salaries, and you may need to save more if you get a late start.
One of the best ways to boost your savings is to take advantage of any matching funds offered by your employer. For example, if your employer will match 50% of your contributions up to 6% of your salary, saving 6% on your part would result in saving 9% of your salary (6% from you and 3% from your employer).
Increase by Increments
How can you save even more? You might try increasing your contributions by 1% each year. Some employers may increase your contributions automatically (unless you opt out), but you can choose to do so on your own, whether you participate in a plan or save outside of the workplace. A 1% increase may not sound like much, but it could make a big difference over the course of your career (see chart).
Here are three other ways to save without making a big sacrifice in your cash flow.
Save your raise. When you receive a raise, it's tempting to increase your spending, but this is a great opportunity to boost your retirement savings by diverting a portion of the raise into your retirement account. And when you contribute on a pre-tax basis, the difference in your take-home pay may not be significant.
Make payments toward your future. If you pay off the balance on a car loan, student loan, or credit card, consider making the same monthly payments directly to your retirement account. Because the payment is already part of your monthly budget, you could increase your savings without reducing the amount available for other expenses.
Limit the treats. You deserve an occasional reward, but spending on "little things" can add up over time. For example, if you stop for a $4 latte each day on your way to work and have another one in the afternoon, you would spend about $175 each month. If the same amount was instead invested monthly in an account earning a 6% annual return, you could accumulate more than $100,000 after 25 years.3
1) Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2016
2) Aon, 2016
3) This hypothetical example is used for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the performance of any specific investment. Fees, expenses, and taxes are not considered and would reduce the performance described if they were included. Actual results will vary.
If you'd like to take a different approach to investment planning and management, you can meet with one of our CFS* financial advisors. We will review your finances at not cost or obligation, explain your investment options, and help you find the right products for your needs. For your complimentary consultation, please schedule an appointment with a CFS* Financial Advisor at Consumers Credit Union by calling Micki at 269.488.1776. The investment services team can provide strategies to help fit your ever-changing needs.
The information in this article is not intended as tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Emerald. Copyright 2016 Emerald Connect, LLC.
* Non-deposit investment products and services are offered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. ("CFS"), a registered broker-dealer (Member FINRA/SIPC) and Registered Investment Advisor. Products offered through CFS: are not NCUA/NCUSIF or otherwise federally insured, are not guarantees or obligations of the credit union, and may involve investment risk including possible loss of principal. Investment Representatives are registered through CFS. Consumers Credit Union has contracted with CFS to make non-deposit investment products and services available to credit union members.


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South African Journal of Surgery
versión On-line ISSN 2078-5151
versión impresa ISSN 0038-2361
S. Afr. j. surg. vol.46 no.2 Cape Town may. 2008
Surgical management of achalasia in Zaria, Northern Nigeria
A. AhmedI; L. M. D. YusufuII; Y. A. UkwenyaII; L. KhalidII; E. S. GarbaI
IF.W.A.C.S.; Division of General Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
IIF.M.C.S. (NIG.), F.W.A.C.S.Division of General Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria
BACKGROUND: Achalasia of the cardia is generally considered a rare disease. Because the cause is uncertain, treatment is palliative and directed at relieving distal oesophageal obstruction. In developed countries, several treatment options are available, but in developing countries, achalasia is usually treated by open surgical myotomy. We reviewed the outcome of management of achalasia in our patients and the influencing factors.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients treated for achalasia between 1991 and 2006. Diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms and barium swallow examination. The severity and frequency of dysphagia were determined before and after treatment. Barium examination was repeated 2 weeks after surgery or when the patient had recurrence of dysphagia, regurgitation or heartburn. Treatment was by modified Heller's operation, transabdominally without complementary antireflux procedure. Logistic regression modelling was performed to identify factors predictive of poor outcome.
RESULTS: There were 47 patients, 31 (66.0%) males and 16 females, mean age (± standard deviation (SD) 34.6±9.8 years. All patients presented with dysphagia, which was severe in 31 cases (66.0%) and moderate in 14 (29.8%). Preoperative maximum oesophageal diameter ranged from 34 to 89 mm, mean 67.4±12.7mm. In 30 (63.8%) of the patients, the maximum diameter was >70 mm. Postoperative maximum diameter ranged from 28 to 72 mm, mean 37.5±8.2 mm (p=0.001). The mean preoperative diameter of the narrowest distal oesophagus was 4.6±2.5 mm, compared with the postoperative figure of 11.6±1.8 mm (p=0.015). Following surgery, 41 (87.2%) patients had complete relief of dysphagia, regurgitation and heartburn. Four patients continued to have heartburn after surgery. Patients with severe dysphagia or preoperative oesophageal dilatation >70 mm had the greatest likelihood of incomplete relief of symptoms after treatment.
CONCLUSION: Achalasia can be accurately diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms and barium swallow examination. A modified Heller's operation provides lasting relief of symptoms. Patients with severe preoperative dysphagia or oesophageal dilatation are more likely to have poor outcome of treatment.
"Full text available only in PDF format"
1. Orville F, Grima H, Brodi S, Alexander R, Margulis S. Achalasia of the oesophagus. Am J Surg 1970; 100: 198-202. [ Links ]
2. Yashodhan SK, Shalini K, Amy EBL, et al. Laparoscopic Heller myotomy with Toupet fundoplication. Arch Surg 2005; 140: 827-834. [ Links ]
3. Gockel I, Bohl JR, Doostkam S, Eckardt VF, Junginger T. Spectrum of histopathological findings in patients with achalasia reflects different aetiologies. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2006; 21: 727-733. [ Links ]
4. Kim HJ, Rhee P, Lee SS, et al. Is peristalsis with complete lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation an early stage of classic achalasia? Gastroenterology 2007; 22: 536-541. [ Links ]
5. Sachdev A, Sandhu BS, D'cruz S, Lehl SS, Agarwal V. Achalasia cardia in mother and son. Indian J Gastroenterol 2004; 23: 109. [ Links ]
6. Mayberry JF. Epidemiology and demographics of achalasia. Gastrointest Endosc Clin North Am 2001; 11: 235-248. [ Links ]
7. Ho KY, Tay HH, Kang JY. A prospective study of the clinical features, manometric findings, incidence and prevalence of achalasia in Singapore. J Gastrointest Hepatol 1999; 14: 791-795. [ Links ]
8. Cheng YS, Li MH, Chen WX, Chen NW, Zhuang QX, Shang KZ. Selection and evaluation of three interventional procedures for achalasia based on long-term follow-up. World J Gastorenterol 2003; 9: 2370-2373. [ Links ]
9. Kostic S, Kjellin A, Ruth M, et al. Pneumatic dilatation or laparoscopic cardiomyotomy in the management of newly diagnosed idiopathic achalasia: results of a randomized control trial. World J Surg 2007; 31: 470-478. [ Links ]
10. Ghosh B, Das SK. Botulinum toxin: a dreaded toxin for use in human beings. J Indian MedAssoc 2002; 100: 607-608. [ Links ]
11. Vela MF, Ritcher JE, Wachsberger D, Cannor J, Rice TW. Complexities of managing achalasia at a tertiary referral centre: use of pneumatic dilatation, Heller myotomy and botulinum toxin injection. Am J Gastroenterol 2004; 99: 1029-1036. [ Links ]
12. Lopushinsky SR, Urbach DR. Pneumatic dilatation and surgical myotomy for achalasia. JAMA 2006; 296: 2227-2233. [ Links ]
13. Onopriev VI, Durleshter VM, Ryabchun VV. Comparative pre- and postoperative results analysis of functional state of the oesophagus assessment in patients with various stages of achalasia. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2005; 28; 1-6. [ Links ]
14. Youssef Y, Richards WO, Sharp K, et al. Relief of dysphagia after laparoscopic Heller myotomy improves long-term quality of life. J Gastrointest Surg 2007; 11; 309-313. [ Links ]
15. Heller E. Extramukose cardioplastik bein chronischen cardiospasmus mit dilatation des oesophagus. Mitt Grenzgeb Med Chir 1913; 27: 147-149. [ Links ]
16. Zaaijer JH. Cardiospasm in the aged. Ann Surg 1923; 77: 615-617. [ Links ]
17. Porziella V, Cesario A, Granone P. Dor fundoplication after myotomy for achalasia: useful, unnecessary, or harmful? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2006; 132: 216-217. [ Links ]
18. Arvelaskis A, Karavokyros I, Rastounis E. Laparoscopic oesophagomyotomy for achalasia without complementary antireflux procedure. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech 2006; 16: 345-349. [ Links ]
19. Raiss M, Hrora A, Menfaa M, et al. Heller myotomy without fundoplication: a series of 123 patients. Ann Chir 2002; 127: 771-775. [ Links ]
20. Ellis FH, Crozier RE, Watkins E. Operation for oesophageal achalasia. Results of oesophagomyotomy without an antireflux operation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1984; 88: 334-351. [ Links ]
21. Nmadu PT. Achalasia of the oesophagus. Nig J Surg Sci 1993; 3: 8-11. [ Links ]
22. Adebo OA, Grillo IA, Osinowo O, Adebonojo SA, Lewis EA. Oesophagotomy for achalasia of the oesophagus. Experience at the University College Hospital Ibadan. East Afr Med J 1980; 57: 390-398. [ Links ]
23. Mbembati NAA, Lema LEK, Kahamba JF, Mcharo ONM. Operative management of achalasia of the oesophagus. East Afr Med J 1994; 71: 421-423. [ Links ]
24. Andersson M, Kostic S, Ruth M, et al. Characteristics of timed barium oesophagogram in newly diagnosed idiopathic achalasia: clinical and manometric correlates. Acta Radiol 2007; 48: 2-9. [ Links ]
25. Eckardt VF, Schmitt T, Kanzler G. Transabdominal ultrasonography in achalasia. Scand J Gastroenterol 2004; 39: 634-637. [ Links ]
26. Zaninotto G, Annese V, Costantini M, et al. Randomised control trial of botulinum toxin versus laparoscopic Heller myotomy for oesophageal achalasia. Gastroenterology 2004; 127: 1850-1852. [ Links ]
27. Torquati A, Richards WO, Holzman MD, Sharp KW. Laparoscopic myotomy for achalasia. Predictors of successful outcome after 200 cases. Ann Surg 2006; 243: 587-593. [ Links ]
28. Gerson LB. Pneumatic dilatation or myotomy for achalasia? Gastroenterology 2007; 132: 811-813. [ Links ]
29. Garba ES. Achalasia cardia and gastric outlet stenosis in a postmenopausal woman: case report. East Afr Med J 2003; 80: 165-166. [ Links ]
30. Crookes PF, Corkill S, De Meester TR. Gastroesophageal reflux in achalasia: when is 'reflux' really reflux? Dig Dis Sci 1997; 42: 1354-1361. [ Links ]
31. Tsiaoussi J, Athanasakis E, Pecchlivanides G, et al. Long-term results after laparoscopic surgery for oesophageal achalasia. Am J Surg 2007; 193: 2631. [ Links ]


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Pentoo 2009.0 Screenshots
Pentoo Linux is a Gentoo-based Linux distribution that runs as a Live CD or Live USB. Pentoo has been designed to provide a penetration testing and security assessment solution through the use of Nessus and Metasploit. Pentoo uses the Enlightenment window manager, is optimized for Pentium III architecture, and supports package modularity like Slax.
The most recent version of Pentoo, Pentoo 2009.0 just came out today. Pentoo 2009.0 includes several notable changes. Here's the most important.
- Kernel 126.96.36.199 with aufs and squashfs-lzma
- Wifi stack 2.6.32_rc7 with injection and fragmentation patches
- Qemu plus virt-manager for playing with VMs
- Updated tools and applications like msf, exploit-db, kismet, sqlmap, and Firefox
- Added packages like airpwn, wapiti, and pppd
- Fixed some Nvidia and Intel graphics problems
Download Pentoo or Buy a Pentoo CD and give it a try.
December 5, 2009 at 4:56 am
Wow, I didn't know Kernel 3.6 was even out yet! Where did 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, and 3.4 go? 😛
Seriously, you should fix it.
December 5, 2009 at 5:18 am
"Kernel 184.108.40.206 with aufs and squashfs-lzma" Pretty advanced, future-distro 😛
December 5, 2009 at 11:38 am
Como entro al sistema live cd de pentoo despues de su carga
December 5, 2009 at 3:11 pm
This looks beautiful! Can't wait to get my hands on it.


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*25th December – Space NK seem to have added items to the sale sections, including some Chantecaille, Laura Mercier, By Terry, Shu Uemura and their own brand fragrances! I picked up a gloss, a Shu Uemura palette and some of their 15ml perfumes which were reduced from £18 to £5!**
Ok, ok so Christmas Eve is supposed to be a time for eating bombay mix and watching awful tele, but hey, if you're already full to the brim and have had enough of the food prep, there are a few bargains to be found online.
To be honest, I dislike sales starting before Christmas Day…there's something exciting about being part of the Boxing Day Rush (ok..online rush for me cos I will never venture into the shops on Boxing Day, ever) but I guess retailers need to boost their sales.
Here are a few sites I have been buying and browsing from tonight.
John Lewis'
The John Lewis' site is a really good one as far as I'm concerned; I don't find it painful to browse even though it's running slow due to the amount of people on it!
I bought 2 Laura Mercier palettes at £10 each, and even a Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara Set, for just £13.67!!! The other stuff I noticed that I thought was worth buying was the Guerlain items, such as the LE Collector's Edition Rouge G (I didn't buy it as I don't like the packaging) But I did buy a Rouge Automatique for just £12.25. I somehow resisited the gorgeous Guerlain Les Ombres De Nuit palette which is halfprice at £18.50. Instead I bought some Emma Bridgewater notebooks and some christmas wrap for next year!
I decided to go for the store collection option since I live close to the store, and if I went for standard delivery at this time of year, I doubt I would see it until the New Year.
See the John Lewis' beauty section here.
Urban Outfitters
I was in this place on Friday and immediately felt about 40 years older. Hipsters and students who tried to look like scruffs but clearly weren't as they were buying £65 cardigans filled the place. I shook my head at the retail prices (and practicality) of the clothes and picked up a pair of reindeer socks and a sparkly polish.
Online they have some gems left from Paul & Joe, such as the New York Palette for £15 (half price – I will like to the actual product here because I find the site hard to navigate) and both of the P&J Fragrance Body Cream sets are £16 (also half price) too. I didn't bother buying anything from here because I still feel £5 shipping is too much.
House of Fraser
Maybe I got on here too late but everything had sold out. Rubbish!
The Shu Uemura Wong Kar Wai products were on sale…if you want these go down to the store tomorrow. Only 1 lipstick from the range was left so I bought it for £10 (half price) and arranged to collect it in store because no way am I paying shipping for one poxy lippie. The site is horrible to navigate, tired looking and gives incorrect search results. BLEH.
Finally I have bought some (a lot of) bits from Matalan…I am addicted to this damn store, I know they have a really rubbish Christmas advert but they have nice knitted jumpers for men and I bought some Pyjamas and clothes for the kids in my family. Once again a lot of sizes have gone so it's probably worth going in store.
The SpaceNK and Selfridges sale I believe haven't started online yet, and I can't even load the Harrods site!
Ok, back to eating mince pies, peanuts, and general pottering about!
Are you have a nice Christmas Eve?
If you have any other sale shopping tip offs, please add them in the comments! (Not an invitation to spam, okay?!).


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NSA Apologist Says The NSA's Actions Are Fine Because 'Privacy Is Dead'
from the column-still-serves-as-useful-'how-NOT-to-argue-your-point'-guide dept
When we last discussed columnist Froma Harrop, she was acting as a surveillance state apologist. She took some of the usual paths (directing snark at "clueless" internet users, conjuring up the threat of terrorism) and some unusual ones (claiming those opposed to the surveillance state only did so because they "hate Obama"). All in all, it was the perfect storm of condescension and cluelessness that NSA apologists do all too well.
Harrop's back again, offering an unsolicited eulogy for privacy and some plaudits for the surveillance state. She lays this all out in seven easily refutable statements, which makes a point-by-point takedown a breeze. Kudos for that, Froma.
After telling us to "relax" because the government has the ability to "collect and recall our every keystroke," she opens up her Seven Point Plan by telling us to submit.
1. Admit that we are powerless to stop this new technology. (We don't have to like it.)It's seldom a good idea to open your defense of something by utilizing arguments a rapist might use. "Relax." "You're powerless." Just submit to what's coming because you can't fight it.
All this argument means is the aggressor (the NSA and Harrop the Apologist) wants you to believe that fighting this is futile and will only make things worse. But it's not true. Fighting back does have an effect, but neither the NSA nor the conjured rapist want you to know that.
There are several ways to fight back, many of them underway as we speak. The discovery that some underlying encryption processes have been broken and that various tech companies have been compliant in allowing the NSA access to pre-encryption data and zero day exploits may be a kick in the teeth, but it hardly signifies the battle's not worth fighting.
Deciding you're powerless plays right into the hands of intelligence agencies. They want the path of least reistance. Even small steps taken to protect your privacy slows down its efforts. So, fight back. Anyone telling you to admit you're powerless in the face of government malfeasance cannot be trusted, whether it's a government agent or just a citizen who thinks the reaction to the NSA's tactics is overblown.
2. Stop confusing capabilities with actions. The U.S. government is capable of leveling Mount Rushmore. That does not mean it intends to launch drone attacks on South Dakota, no matter what your local tea party chapter says.Here Harrop does two things, both completely disingenuous.
First, she confuses capabilities with actions and decides only the "actions" matter. The NSA has repeatedly used this tactic itself. When queried about the capabilities of its systems, it always redirects the question towards its "authority," as if that distinction actually matters. This deferral ignores the ever-present desire for humans to abuse powerful systems.
Look at former NSA director Michael Hayden's own words: "Give me the box you will allow me to operate in. I'm going to play to the very edges of that box." Look at the NSA's own actions, where it repeatedly operated outside the court-ordered confines of the bulk records program. The NSA has plenty of capabilities and it appears willing to test the limits of its authority, if not exceed them completely.
The slam on the Tea Party is just Harrop being Harrop and thinking the opposition to the NSA's programs comes solely from extremists who hate Obama. Nothing could be further from the truth, but it's a cheap way to score some ideological points with the ignorant, who might feel that opposing the NSA means becoming some sort of right-wing conspiracy theorist.
3. Recognize that this surveillance is key to national security.Some targeted surveillance programs are key to national security. The aspects that are receiving the most attention clearly aren't. Even the most ardent defenders of the NSA are hard pressed to find examples of how bulk, untargeted data collections have prevented any terrorist acts. The agency has made multiple attempts to reframe this argument as well, diluting the question by referring to "potential terrorist events," but even the NSAs deputy director, John C. Inglis, has admitted that the agency "could not identify a single case where the bulk phones records collection led to the prevention of a terrorist attack."
4. Appreciate that we do have safeguards. When the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court berates the NSA for violating the rules, that's an example of checks and balances in action. China and Russia pass on such niceties as surveillance courts, and they want to do exactly what the National Security Agency does (if they don't already).Let me respond with a few points of my own.
1. The safeguards don't work, as they are heavily reliant on program depictions provided by the most unreliable narrator of all, the NSA.
2. Yes, that is an example of checks and balances, but it occurred after three straight years of abuse. And there's no indication that these were isolated events, related solely to the bulk records collections. That's just the information that's been declassified by the NSA. The leaks released so far detail many more collection programs, most of which we have yet to see addressed with more than the usual "because national security" statements by the NSA. If the NSA steadily abused this one program, there's no doubt it's abused others.
Harrop (and the NSA's other defenders) needs to acknowledge the fact that the only reason this information has been made public was Ed Snowden's leaks and lawsuits filed against the government. That's not "checks and balances." The government is supposed to regulate itself with "checks and balances," not rely on whistleblowers and lawsuits brought by civil liberties groups to keep it "honest."
3. Congratulations to us! Not as bad as Russia and China! We used to be the world leader in freedom and now we're supposed to be pleased with simply not being as awful as two heavily censorious countries. If that's your standard of excellence, Froma, no wonder you're satisfied with the NSA's half-assed explanations and justifications. It doesn't take much to clear a bar set that low.
5. Admit that commercial spying is a privacy matter, as well. Retailers follow your cellphone around the mall. Amazon.com knows all about your interest in socialism and passion for manga cartoons. Of course, the telecom companies know whom you called and for how long. If the issue is privacy, what makes a business conglomerate more honorable than the government?I don't think anyone's making an argument to the contrary, but using one form of abuse to justify another is a rhetorical race for the bottom. Harrop has built a commanding lead in that race with this column and this sort of "pointing fingers" defense will only increase the gap between her and pundits who aren't prone to such lapses in logic.
What makes conglomerates more honorable? It's the fact that they're commercial entities. Their main goal is making money, not sacrificing constitutional rights in pursuit of an unattainable ideal. If you're seriously going to compare a spy agency's bulk records collection with an online retailer tracking your purchases in order to recommend products, then it's time to hand in your "high school freshmen debate team third alternate" credentials and go back to the rhetorical drawing board.
6. Call out media sources hurling thunderbolts at NSA spying while spying on you.Let's keep this short:
1. Ads and trackers can be blocked. Easily.
2. If someone exposes a particularly insidious tracking method (or, you know, Facebook), they rarely end up facing years of imprisonment for "leaking" the details.
3. Most social media, etc. have at minimum implied consent for the tracking (even if it's nothing more than an ultra-crappy browserwrap agreement). Even so, the option to use these services and sites is left up to the individual. There's no "do not track/opt out" feature for the NSA. (Nor is there for the companies the NSA "interacts" with.)
4. Stop using the "two wrongs make the NSA right" argument.
7. In assessing government surveillance activities, distinguish between a "who" and an "it." A computer is an "it." The fact that it is ruffling through all the metadata or even keeping the content of such communications in a vault for five years should not overly concern us. When an actual human being takes a look, then it's time for questions. When the system works properly, the NSA still needs a warrant to look at content.I think US citizens can decide for themselves whether or not to be "overly concerned." Attempting to play this off as a neutral device sorting harvested data completely ignores the fact that humans build the algorithms, maintain the processes and provide the queries (which also include queries made before the data arrives at the "neutral" database). Implying the NSA needs warrants to search the database is simply incorrect. As was revealed last month, the NSA has a backdoor loophole letting it run searches on data collected on Americans without a warrant, so long as the original collection was a part of a "targeted" effort, even if the collected info has nothing to do with the "target." And, the NSA specifically asked for and received this ability. Even if that loophole wasn't in place there are still concerns. No matter what the rulebook might say, the NSA has full access to info stored on its servers at any time. These constitutional niceties might be occasionally respected, but more often than not, the agency will wave them aside with National Security Letters, overly broad court orders, "exigent circumstance" claims and, in many documented cases, simply ignoring the limitations altogether.
So, to recap: NSA defender opens her defense of the agency by deploying rapist logic and wraps it up by appealing to authority, with stops along the way to state that the agency is a) not as bad as China or Russia and b) no worse than the tracking software deployed by various web entities. At no point does she bring up a single affirmative argument. (The "surveillance stops terrorism" argument comes close, but is completely undercut by the evidence to the contrary.) Everything else is comparative or dismissive.
Defending the indefensible agency severely cripples logic. Apologists like Harrop should just give it up. Every time more evidence of wrongdoing is revealed, the defenders look even worse. A powerful intelligence agency that has been protected by two consecutive administrations really doesn't need any outside help.
[Hat tip again to silverscarcat, who is the apparent bane of Harrop's existence.]
Filed Under: froma harrop, nsa, nsa surveillance, privacy


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Kid's crafts: Boredom Busters
Monday, August 24, 2009
You know how when your kids are in the house for TOO LONG, they start to get on each other's nerves, and worse yet - YOUR nerves?! If they like crafts, you can go to the "Kids Can Make This" section over at YouCanMakeThis.com and free downloads of crafts they can do (instead of driving you crazy!). And, if you sign up for the Kids Can Make This newsletter and you will receive a package of 7 eBooks and one video. There are newsletters for everything DIY, sewing, crochet, and embroidery. Each one of those comes with their own sets of free downloads, including how to make the "Debut" purse, how to appliqué, making a birthday table runner, and more.


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Etihad Airways appoints senior vice president sales
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has appointed James Mueller to the new position of Senior Vice President Sales.
With more than 20 years' experience in the aviation industry, Mueller joins Etihad Airways from United Airlines, where he worked for five years in various senior roles, including Vice President Asia Pacific and Vice President Atlantic and Pacific Sales.
Prior to this, he was employed for more than 15 years at Northwest Airlines / Delta Airlines, where his final position was Vice President Cargo Sales.
Mueller's appointment follows the recent unveiling of the Etihad Aviation Group, a new structure marking the transition of Etihad Airways from a single airline to a wider global aviation and travel group. The structure, headed by James Hogan as Group President and Chief Executive Officer, includes the core airline and a separate division to coordinate and manage Etihad's subsidiaries, joint venture companies and equity partners.
Another key element in the structure is the establishment of the Hala Group, which has been formed recognising the commercial opportunities that have grown beyond air travel across a variety of travel and hospitality businesses.
James Hogan said: "The creation of Etihad Aviation Group reflects our growth as one of the world's leading airlines, and our continued diversification outside the core airline business, as we become a leading aviation and travel group.
"It is important to have focused leadership throughout the new structure and James Mueller is a great example of someone who has delivered superior business results in multi-cultural environments across a range of airline roles, covering sales, revenue management, marketing and distribution, and general management. He is a welcome addition to our management team."
Mueller, a US citizen, will initially report to Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer Peter Baumgartner during the group structure's transition phase. After the transition, Baumgartner will assume his new role as Chief Operating Officer of the newly formed Hala Group, while Mueller will report to the airline's Chief Operating Officer, a new position that has been created to oversee the day-to-day running of the core airline. Recruitment for this role is ongoing.
Reporting to Mueller are Etihad Airways Vice President Global Sales Daniel Barranger, Vice President UAE Hareb Al Muhairi, Vice President Commercial Strategy and Planning Adam Phillips, and Vice President Direct Sales Justin Warby.
Commenting on his new appointment, James Mueller said: "My interest in aviation extends beyond the 20 years I have spent in the industry, and it's been hard to ignore the phenomenal growth of Etihad Airways since its launch. With the recent creation of the Etihad Aviation Group, there's no doubt that future developments will be even more ambitious and I am excited about the opportunity to contribute by leading the ever-expanding sales functions of Etihad Airways."
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�Knowledge and communication�
A Q&A with Bonnie Hall of Emerald Sea Realty Group
How long have you been in business?
Answer: 10 and a half years
How did you get into the business?
As an independent agent I set my own goals and limits. What I achieve is up to me. What could be a better fit than a Realtor?
Tell us about your business success story?
I was able to help a buyer who had struggled for three years to get financially stable after the death of her children's father. Because of my experience working with first time buyers I was able to help her find assistance to repair her credit. They helped her set financial goals that in turn helped her purchase her new home. In less than one year, I was able to walk through the door of her very own new home.
What are your specialties?
My knowledge and communication are strong whether you are looking for a primary residence or a second investment home. I have also written occasional columns for The Destin Log and Walton Sun.
What is the most important message you want to get out to your customers?
You will appreciate the strong communication and personal service you receive when choosing me.
What is the best way for customers to contact you by phone?
My cell is always on 850-502-8974
What is your web site?
I actually have TWO! www.EmeraldSeaRealtyGroup.com and www.BNDestin.com
What is your address?
The beautiful Seascape Resort 556 Seascape Drive Miramar Beach, FL 32550


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Do You Believe……..
So being in a restless adventurous mood, I decided to hit Progress Energy Park, which was built right on top of the old St. Petersburg Athletic Park, which was the Home field for the Boston/St. Louis Browns, and then the New York Yankees up until that structure was razed and the new concrete stadium rose in 1947.
I wanted to head towards this park because in my old Pepsi-Cola position as the Special Events Coordinator, one of my greatest job activities was supplying the stadium with products and having the run of the stadium before, during and sometimes after Spring Training. I spent some odd moments going underneath and explore the nooks and crannies of this stadium, and I did find a few treasure troves that I was allowed to take from the stadium.
Nothing of significant historic value per se, mostly old newspapers dating to the early 1950's and I even found a small room that smelled of old Cuban cigars that might have been where Miller Higgins went to have a pre-game, or a post-game cigar before heading out of the ballpark.I also could smell the signs of decay from the inner bones of this stadium, but I still marveled at what it must have been like to wander within its hallways during the Days of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, who both stayed just a few blocks away in the Ponce De Leon Hotel penthouse suites when they came down every Spring. I could almost visualize Stan Musial or some of the other St. Louis Cardinals warming up under the stands ready to play in the revised stadium after 1947.
I really was not expecting anything of value in tonight's venture, or anything really, just wanted to kill a few hours before finally falling asleep exhausted, and maybe dreaming of those past baseball days in this park.Now I am a huge fan of believing that this life is just a beginning, and that there are some things beyond our control that might have us wandering in this realm after we are gone from this world. I think that basis to my psyche developed when I hit a electrical cable with a J-hook while hooking up a car to pull it out of a sandbank when I was about 8-years old helping my Dad pull cars out of Sunset Beach during bad weather.
So that gives me a realistic basis for wanting to believe shows like "Ghost Hunters" and "Ghost Adventures" could give us a sample tidbit of what life might be like for us beyond breathing. Because believe me, if I have my choice, I am haunting my Season Ticket seat for a long, long time (lol).
It was still before 5:30-ish and extremely dark still, so I decided to head to the St. Petersburg Pier and look out at the water and upon the beautifully-lit Vinoy Hotel, which itself holds a fantastic paranormal history between its walls. But it was a bit too windy to even get a great night shot of the Vinoy or nice landscape photo of the bright city lights and I decided to cruise down Beach Drive towards the stadium. It still gets me that I have to call this field Progress Energy Park. The "official" name is Progress Energy Park at Al Lang Field, but that looks really snobbish on a brochure for the City of St. Petersburg.
The last Rays Spring Training game in this stadium ever was held on March 28th,2008 with Matt Garza on the mound against the Cincinnati Reds. The Rays lost that last home game in this grand stadium 6-3, even though Garza threw 5 innings without giving up an earned run, but the sell-out crowd could not boost the Rays to a win. It seems like just yesterday I went under the stands and found 2 garbage cans full of broken bats and game-used bats with mostly Rays players' names on them. And here I was walking around the building again with the fine lights of the morning beginning to pop through the cloud cover.
But I was not outfitted like a Ghost investigator, my only tool was my camera and a small digital recorder, but I was here more for remembering than for a full-on balls-to-the-wall type of venture. In essence, I was trying to kill a few hours of the night without disturbing my neighborhood with 5 am basketball, or even a melody of 1980's hits from I-Tunes Radio. I took about 30 photos from all different angles and locations while wandering around the stadium.
I wandered around the rectangular building in front of the ballpark that used to be the home of Minor League Baseball before they bolted from St. Petersburg for another locale. And took a few minutes to ponder that I would have been standing in Rightfield of the new Rays sail-inspired ballpark if the POWW committee and the grey Panthers had not put the kibosh on the whole deal and sent the Rays and the City scrambling for alternatives (ABC Coalition).
So I popped the camera through the locked double gates near the Leftfield Berm area, plus the small singular gated entry that had for years been the threshold for game day Umpires and Visiting team members to used to get quick access to the field without going into the clubhouse. I then took a long stroll beyond the high green outfield walls around the outside of the stadium back near the sheds that housed the old Batting Cages and small infield drill areas and found three baseball sitting in the damp grass.
I finally came out on 1st Street North and headed North to end up at the old Knot-hole Gang fencing area just beyond the Rightfield Berm with a clear visual all the way to Home Plate and a nice sweeping viewpoint of the entire playing surface. I took 10 quick pictures at this spot and really was enjoying just watching the sun start to peak out over Tampa Bay and provide a great backlight to the empty stadium. There were Batting Cages set up, but no cars anywhere around the stadium so it had an eerie feel to it all.
At that time, I really did not know how eerie it really was……..until I got back home and pulled the pictures through my Windows Photo Gallery to see if I had any keeper photos, or if they were all just trash. Well, in one particular photo, I kept coming back to it and looking, then going forward to the next picture taken maybe a few seconds before it, and there was something odd in that first picture that kept calling me back to it. I marveled that I might have caught something, but it was a bit hazy. I made a quick mental remembrance that there was no odd colors draped around the baseball diamond to promote a sort of non-green background in this photo.
Now I am not saying it is anything, because that is up to total individual interpretation, and someone could have snuck into this dark stadium at night, and walked towards the Home Dugout. I have had a few people check out the photo and have gotten mixed reviews back, but people say that seeing something like this on film is like either of us standing in the Ringling Museum viewing an art masterpiece.
Each person sees a different analogy or interpretation as an authentic piece of art, or someone paint splattered in different directions by a drunk man. But that is also what I love about opinions, every one has one.
I want to believe that I can still enjoy the game from the other side, and maybe even mis-direct a few balls down the foul lines, or tip a ball out of a glove, or over a wall in the future. Heck thinking about it now, that might be the only real chance I will ever get to touch a ball in the field of play during an actual game………And believe me, I am dying to do that…Big Time!
12 Comments
Great story, but none of the pics are showing up on my computer. If you have the time would you mind e-mailing them to me? My wife is interested in this sort of thing and I'd like her to check them out. email@example.com
I will definitely send them to you in the beginning of next week.
I am currently a bit…. well, mobile as we are about to hit the S Florida zoo for the game tomorrow night.
Best thing about the game being played 2 years in a row in your backyard……You have game options.
They are not the greatest pcitures, my little Fuji camera needs a telephoto lens, but you make due with what you got.
Would be interested to see if she also see a mis-coloration in the photo, or I am just hoping there is another phase to all of this.
Rays Renegade
I just woke up, turn my computer and this is was a wonderful read to start my Saturday. You have the gift for the pen my friend. I see something in that picture because like you, I like to Believe. BTW, I love that speech "I Believe.." in "Bull Durham."
Oh and Cliff, I also suffer from imsomnia but it eventually the lack of sleep catches up with me and then I sleep well. And then the cycle continues.
Emma, It is always my pleasure to leave comments on blogs. And when you are smiling in photos, I know you had a fantastic time.
I am not sure if it is a "gift", but always been a bit of a composition guy. My High School and College teachers are still upset I have not written a book so they can put "red ink" marks in it ( j/k).
I truly am not trying to use it as an example of paranormal, but it doesn make the mind wander to thoughts like that…
I seriosuly will refuse to "go to the light" if I can wander this earth and watch baseball at all levels from T-ball to MLB.
Best thing si then I can get right up close and see the break of the curveballs, and maybe even not miss something because I was eating a hot dog.
Rays Renegade
Cliff – It's hard to tell on my monitor, but it does look like something is on the grass right there. Hmm.
A garbage can full of bats? What did you do? Are a few of them now in your collection? What a great job perk!
A few years ago, we were in St. Pete in August on vacation, and were walking around Al Lang. The gate near the left-field line was wide open, and no one was anywhere around. We walked in and looked at the empty field, and I couldn't help but collect a little handful of warning-track dirt! I still have it in a small jar.
Enjoy the big game tomorrow! Wish I was down there in the warmth, instead of looking out my window at almost 2 feet of snow.
Rants, Raves, and Random Thoughts
I really do not miss those snow moments… But this season is getting ridiculous. It seems the moent each section of the country rebounds it gets hammered again by rain or sleet or that rotten white stuff.
The Ski resorts love the extended good fortunes, but everyone else wishes for warmth to the point of quick melting and no re-icing.
I will be at a local bar with a few members of the Rays staff watching the Saints kick some of my old teams booty… I am actually taking the Saints +5 on the game.
It is such a shame that field is not being used.
Heck, the grounds crew might of even let you sit in the dugout for a picture if you let them……..Some of us Floridians can be down right nice………really.
Rays Renegade
I wish I could see what you see in that pic! I believe that all things are possible (well, most things), so I'm more than willing to spot a mysterious object and try to guess what it is. Maybe you could get the Ghostbusters on this one and solve the case?
Already on that course of action.
Not Ghostbusters, even though I have been told I look like Bill Murray… But a paranormal group and I are going to go to Huggins-Stengel in a few weeks and search it out……Excited about it.
I do not expect most people to see anything, but some do.
And that is the charm of it all………Some see potential, and some see nothing………That is what makes us great fans of the game.
Rays Renegade
Oh yeah Cliff, I forgot to ask if you salvaged any of the bats. Thanks Sue for the reminder!
I did have a wonderful time at the Caravan! Like I mentioned all those guys and gals that worked the event started very early by going to the Children's hospital. You could see they were tired by day end. One of my friends took a pic of Kemp looking very tired. Anyway, the best event was when the players were our waiters three years ago.
Have a wonderful weekend Cliff and go Saints!!
Spooooooooooooooky. A great number of the old baseballers were all heavy into alcohol and tobacco. We're talkin'… LOTS. I say that 'cuz my favorite part of this piece is the bit about the room smellin' like cigars… STILL.
Public appearances and autograph signings can drain someone after awhile.
But as long as the fans get some positives, then usually the team staffers think it has been a total success.
Yes, I did get a few salvagable bats.
The best one was a game used Fred McGriff and Jose Canseco bat, which I have gotten signed since then and are in my collection.
Rays Renegade
I kind of throw that under the guise of nothing to do like today.
Sure there were nightclubs and moviehouses back then, but no television after midnight in most locales, plus no Internet or video games.
Most nights might have been spent in the hotel lobby or room playing cards or out in the bars and restaurants…different time of life brought about different habits.
Still think the alcohol and the smoking is done today…….just a lot of it is under wraps or managed.
Rays Renegade


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MOSCOW, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The head of a pro-Putin youth group says an effort to identify secret members of the Russian punk rock group Pussy Riot is succeeding.
On his website, Konstantin Goloskokov, the head of Nashi, said a number of people have responded to an offer to pay cash for information, RIA Novosti reported. Goloskokov said some of those identified as Pussy Riot members had already been publicly identified with the group by participating in demonstrations and giving interviews.
Goloskokov said all his information is being shared with police.
Three members of Pussy Riot have been sentenced to two years each in prison for a protest against Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow.


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Oprah Winfrey
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Up 233 this week
Oprah Winfrey was born Orpah Gail Winfrey in Kosciusko, Mississippi, to Vernita Lee, a former maid, and Vernon Winfrey, a coal miner, barber, and city councilman. While Winfrey has been cited as the richest African-American of the 20th century, she does not come from a rich, or even middle class, family. She was born in an economically troubled ... See full bio »
Born:in Kosciusko, Mississippi, USA
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Hawaii Theatre Center and The ARTS at Marks Garage present:
Teens will have the opportunity to create monumental murals with guidance from big time artists such as Meleana Meyer, Solomon Enos, and more! These backdrops will be used as displays during concerts by performers including Makana, Rough Riders, and Kuana Torres Hahele. Email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit The ARTS at Marks Garage to register.


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Biega led Harvard with 19 assists (photo courtesy Steve Babineau).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—Harvard's Danny Biega has been named to the New England Hockey Writers Division I All-Star team, the NEHW announced Wednesday.
Biega led all Eastern defensemen with 11 goals this season and ranked second among New England defensemen with 30 points. He led ECAC Hockey defensemen in league points (21), goals (nine), game-winning goals (three) and shorthanded goals (one). He ranked second in assists (12), power-play goals (five) and power-play points (11).
The sophomore was previously named to the All-Ivy League first team and ECAC Hockey all-league second team.
The Montreal native was one of four defensemen and 12 total players named to the All-New England squad. The All-New England selections and award-winners will be honored at the annual NEHW awards banquet Wednesday, April 13 at the Prince Restaurant in Saugus, Mass. The event will start at 6 p.m.
Biega is one of just two defensemen in the nation to lead his team in scoring and the only one to lead in scoring and rank among his team's top three in plus/minus. He scored or assisted on 39 percent of Harvard's goals this season, the highest percentage of any defenseman in the country.
2010-11 New England Men's Division I All-Stars
John Muse, Sr. (Boston College)
Ryan Rondeau, Sr. (Yale)
Danny Biega, So. (Harvard)
Brian Dumoulin, So. (Boston College)
Blake Kessel, Jr. (New Hampshire)
Karl Stollery, Jr. (Merrimack)
Cam Atkinson, Jr. (Boston College)
Stephane Da Costa, So. (Merrimack)
Andrew Miller, So. (Yale)
Gustav Nyquist, Jr. (Maine)
Brian O'Neill, So. (Yale)
Paul Thompson, Sr. (New Hampshire)


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The death penalty phase of the Jodi Arias trial was cut short today after Arias' defense attorneys erupted in confrontational arguments with the judge and prosecutor and said they could not continue defending her.
The jury was expecting to hear character testimony from Arias' friends today as part the defense's bid to present mitigating factors to the jury and convince it to sentence her with leniency. But before that could happen, lead defense attorney Kirk Nurmi asked for a mistrial and for permission to withdraw from the case, citing prosecutorial misconduct.
Arias was convicted on May 8 of murdering her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander. She now faces the death penalty.
Today, Nurmi told the court that the defense could not go on because one of their mitigating witnesses, Arias' childhood friend Patricia Womack, had been intimidated into not testifying by prosecutor Juan Martinez.
"Miss Womack feels her life is being threatened to an extent she cannot come forward and testify. This is unacceptable," Nurmi said.
"This cannot be a modern-day version of stoning or witch trials," he added, becoming more animated. "When you have a prosecutor that this court allows to personally attack witnesses and counsel, it breeds this sort of environment where intimidating can take place. And this has been happening throughout trial."
See ABC News' Full Coverage of the Jodi Arias Trial
See the 9 Most Shocking Moments of the Jodi Arias Trial
Nurmi has previously asked for two mistrials based on alleged prosecutorial misconduct. Both times, Judge Sherry Stephens denied his motions.
Martinez said that he had merely interviewed Womack about her testimony last week, on May 15, and asked her pointed questions about her drug use and unreported income that could subject her to criminal prosecution. Womack decided to invoke her Fifth Amendment right in response to his questions, Martinez said.
Womack did not appear in court today.
Stephens denied the defense's request for a mistrial, causing Nurmi immediately to move to withdraw from the case. It is the third time he and co-counsel Jennifer Willmott have asked to withdraw.
"Ms. Willmott and I move to withdraw again," Nurmi said today. "We cannot present a full picture [of Arias' life] as incumbent upon us. We cannot fulfill our duties."
When Stephens also denied that request and asked Nurmi to call his first witness for the day, Nurmi said if the court would not rule in the defense's favor on the mistrial or withdrawal motions, there would be no witnesses, leaving only Arias' own statement to the jury before closing arguments.
Nurmi originally told jurors they would hear about Arias' life, her clean criminal record, her quest to better herself and her artwork before they would be asked to rule on her sentence. Without any witnesses or testimony, however, the case wound quickly to its close today.
Stephens adjourned court noting that Arias would give her allocution statement on Tuesday, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
The defense and prosecution both are expected to rest their cases at that time, before the jury goes into deliberations to decide whether to sentence Arias to death or life in prison.


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Friday, September 14, 2018
Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Post Docs/Docs
Nancy Irizarry
Group: Medical School - Dept of Pediatrics
Category: Grand Rounds
Pediatrics Grand Rounds are held every Friday morning from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. in the eleventh floor conference center at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Distinguished Northwestern University faculty present, along with other nationwide experts, on various subject areas.
Recent topics have included Resident Simulation Training, Adolescent Obesity, Organ Donation, and HPV Vaccination.
Accreditation Statement
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Hour Statement
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine designates this live educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Grand Rounds Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:
Discuss current diagnostic process for given disease presented. List treatment strategies for disease process being presented. Discuss pathophysiology for given disease presented. Identify and address safety and quality issues impacting management and outcome of the case presented.
Faculty disclosure
Speaker disclosures will be made available in writing and orally at each Grand Rounds session. The Course Director, Dr. Jennifer Trainor, has nothing to disclose. FSM's CME Leadership and Staff have nothing to disclose: John X. Thomas, Jr., PhD, Sr. Associate Dean for Medical Education, Genevieve Napier, CME Director, CME Project Specialists, Jen Banys, Michelle Mallery & Tristan Brown.


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SEMA 2013 Monday Show CoveragePosted in Events on November 4, 2013
SEMA 2013 is here and the Four Wheeler Network is your one stop shop to check out all things off-road. Whether you're looking for all the killer builds from this year's show or all the latest products from your favorite manufacturers, we've got you covered! Our week-long coverage kicks off with a cruise through the outdoor area. The midway was filled with all the late-model offerings you would expect, with a few classic gems thrown in for good measure. As is expected with SEMA, some of the vehicles are more show worthy than trail worthy, but those vehicles still do a great job showcasing the killer new products they're sporting. Check back all week for more exciting coverage from SEMA 2013!
PhotosView Slideshow


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Check out the latest in the Gallery:Gallery
Pete,127.0.0.1 is a special IP address. It means the localhost. You should not put that as the gateway. Best practice is if you don't want a gateway set don't set one. Having an empty field is perfectly acceptable.Regards,Steve
It's a BT Home Hub and it has the parental controls, but the hardware on the (Russian) torch height controller is forcing it to use 192.168.10.xxx whereas my network is the conventional 192.168.1.xxx As previously mentioned, I can't experiment until this PC gets finally fixed into the Plasma Table, which won't happen for a week or two, BUT I have got myself a USB - WiFi dongle that hopefully will let this PC exist on both subnets, then I can use the parental control trick perhaps.
Thank you all for the various suggestions - howeverI think several of the more recent contributors have perhaps not taken in the actual need - I want to access this machine from my 192.168.1.xxx network yet prevent it accessing the net AND still have 192.168.10.xxx connectivity for the 'Purelogic' ethernet break out board and torch height controller that are the "raison d'etre" of the PC....I think, (but have yet to be able to test) - adding USB WiFi link to the 192.168.1.xxx network with suitable constraints 'should' do it
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Speaking of being over-protective:
My son came walking across the bridge the other day exactly when I'd asked him to so that we could get out the door for an appointment. I shouted down from the deck that it was time to go and he should get a clean shirt on, and when he looked up at me I saw that he was almost but not quite crying.
He came upstairs and we sat down together and I asked what was wrong. He said that Older Liam had called him 'kid who plays with Barbies' in front of all the older kids. And then the tears came a'pouring down.
Older Liam lives across the street. Older Liam used to come over for sleepovers and dinners last year, but then he hit grade 4 or 5 or whatever he's in and decided it was high time to become an asshole. He doesn't come over anymore. One of his little thugsta' friends lives in our neighborhood and so he's around occasionally, riding his skateboard with all of our neighbor kids. He's a jerk, but a harmless jerk, and I don't worry about him too much because he knows that I have his mom's digits, so if I tell him to knock it off already, he usually listens.
He does, however, like to pick at my 2of3. Most thugsta's do. He's kind of easy pickings.
I have countless times had the talk with 2of3 about how some people have brown clouds around them (not to be confused with brain clouds, which are incurable except by long rides at sea on luggage and sex with Meg Ryan) and some people have rays of sunlight around them, and the people with brown clouds like to block out the sunshine, so it's best to just keep your sunshine as far away from them as you can. I have countless times told him that the only way he's going to get Older Liam to get off his back is to stop caring, that when he reacts, he makes Older Liam act more. I've explained to him a bazillion times that people who call names do so because they don't have any better weapons in their arsenal, and that smart people have much better ones, like intelligence. Like the ability to laugh at stupidity and walk away from it. Like the ability to look over their shoulder and say, "It must really suck to be so obtuse" and then go somewhere else. Because god knows, the nany-nany-boo-boo kids have no fucking clue what Obtuse means and the most fun way to stop an asshole in his tracks is to make him think for a second.
I'd much rather have an intellectual snob for a kid than a bully. Personal preference.
I decided when I saw 2of3 crying for the upteenth time over something Older Liam did that it was time for me to stop coaching and start fixing. So I got my shoes on and off we went.
I always bring him with me when I have to put out his fires. When he got mugged at the bus stop and the school did nothing to fix it, I let him stand right next to me when I found the kids who did it and scared them so bad one almost peed in his pants and the rest started out all, "Whatever, bitch" and ended up all, "Sorry, ma'am" because I want him to see that I will protect him, and I want him to see how to stand up to a jerk. Because god knows, no one ever showed me how to do it. So he and I started walking across the bridge together to go find Older Liam and Let. Him. Have. It. when I paused for just a second, thought really hard about what I was about to do, and for whom, and then asked him, "Dude, how about you tell me the whole story before I go do this."
He swore he had.
I glared at him.
He said No, really.
I said he better start in with the whole truth.
He sighed and said okay.
And then he told me his whole story about how some little "chubby" girl was riding her bike and Older Liam was making fun of her because she was wobbling on it and that he told Older Liam to stop teasing her and then Older Liam told him to shut up, kid who plays with Barbies, right in front of everyone.
Fair enough; time to put and end to this once and for-all. After much ado we found Older Liam across the street at the tennis courts with, you guessed it, Kid Who Mugged 2of3 Last Year. That explains a lot. So I call Older Liam over and he came over and I said, "Dude, you see that neighborhood right there (points to mine)? 2of3 lives there, you don't. You cannot come into his neighborhood and call him names and make him cry. Go find somewhere else to play from now on." And he starts in with the whole But he's and the I didn't's and I put my hand up and said, "Stop. I know what happened and you're not talking your way out of this one. This is our home. You can't play here anymore." And then he said, "But he chased me with a skateboard."
Enter the slow, painful glare of death towards my son.
You. Did. What?
No I didn't, mawwwwwm! Yes you did, 2of3! Nah uh! Uh huh!
And then Older Liam told me his whole story. That he'd been teasing the chubby girl on her bike and 2of3 told him to stop and he told him to shut up, kid who plays with barbies and then 2of3 came at him. With a skateboard.
Enter blue-screened, Matrix style head explosion.
And that's when I let 2of3 have it. Right in front of Older Liam, right in front of Kid Who Mugged Him at the Bus Stop, right in front of every neighborhood kid, because god knows they'd all gathered around to watch the mom get all up in the thugsta's grill. I may or may not have rather loudly informed him that I didn't appreciate being made to look like a asshole in a public forum, I may or may not have reminded him that dirty little self-serving liars get grounded until they go to military camp, I may or may not have had my finest parenting moment ever in front of a suburban tennis court.
I may or may not have over reacted slightly.
The other kids from our neighborhood chimed in that, in fact, Older Liam had initiated the whole thing and that he's always mean to 2of3 and that he totally had it coming. They backed their little dirty liar of a buddy up and said that Older Liam was the instigator, and that 2of3 was just standing up for himself the best he could. I don't think they much like Older Liam. So I turned back to Older Liam and said that I was sorry, that I thought I'd had the whole story, but that now that I do my argument still stands, that he just can't get along with 2of3 and since 2of3 lives here and he doesn't, he needed to find somewhere else to play from now on. He said okay with a very, very demonstrative eye roll.
And for the better part of the rest of this week, I am on possession of one shiny Nintendo DS that my kid can't so much as breath on. And I'm thinking it's high time I start following my own advice and letting him sink or swim all by himself.
I Give Myself Very Good Advice.....
Speaking of being over-protective:


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Blowpaste might be the world's first oral sex lubricant that doubles as toothpaste, and it was created in what is surely the world's only "luberatory" by Jasmine Ejan and Steven Guistolise.
The Chicago couple created their company, CheekyChaCha, and made the water-based Blowpaste lube from aloe vera, sodium bicarbonate, vegetable glycerin, and peppermint and wintergreen essential oils.
Bearing the slogan "Dirty sex, clean mouth," Blowpaste was created, Ejan says, because most oral lubricants contain aspartame, candy flavors and other things that are bad for your teeth.
If you brush your teeth before bed, then use a sugary lube, a second brushing can be annoying. With Blowpaste, Ejan was "able to peacefully fall asleep in her lover's arms" according to their Indiegogo campaign page.
In addition to being good for your teeth, the minty essential oils allegedly add sensation when used as a lube.
Blowpaste is also vegan, gluten-free and American-made in Chicago. The creators emphasize in a cheeky video advertisement that Blowpaste was not tested on animals, "only human beings."
The two-ounce tubes are selling for $10 each, and Ejan and Guistolise are trying to raise $5,000 so they can travel to Exxotica and AdultCon to sell their creation. But people who love a clean mouth, a minty member and animals seem to be few; so far, they've raised $211.


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Emily Blunt, John Krasinski are expecting
Some happy news coming from Emily Blunt and husband John Krasinski: The two are expecting a baby.
Blunt's rep confirmed the news to USA TODAY. No due date was announced.
The Office star, 33, and his British actress wife, who wed in 2010, have talked about wanting a family.
In an interview with Manhattan magazine last year, Blunt, 30, said, "We want to have children; I just don't know when yet." She added, "I'm just not sure about the timing of all of that. We're both from big families, so I think it's something we want."
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1aqbxxd


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Families encouraged to eat healthily on the cheap
An effort to convince families in England that they can eat healthily on a budget is being launched.
Four million recipe leaflets will be mailed to families already signed up to the government's Change 4 Life public health campaign.
Three supermarket chains have also agreed to offer discounts on products such as fruit, vegetables and fish.
But Labour said ministers do not take public health seriously and the drive is an "advertisement for big business".
Meanwhile, celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott has helped devise a cookbook promoting healthy dishes, with recipes that can be created for under £5.
He has also been filmed performing cooking tutorials which will be posted on the Change 4 Life website.
Among the meals being promoted are vegetable soup, fish pie and sweet and sour chicken.
Many of the ingredients will be discounted at the three supermarket chains signed up to the campaign - Asda, Co-op and Aldi - although it is not being revealed how big the discounts will be.
Public health minister Anne Milton said: "The new year is a good time to think about losing weight. The Supermeals campaign will give us all some great ideas for balanced meals on a budget."
Mr Harriott added: "Sometimes the thought of making meals from scratch can seem a bit daunting, but I have always tried to assure people that cooking at home can be really quick, easy and doesn't need to break the bank."
But Labour criticised the move.
Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said: "They're calling this public health but it's just a glorified advertisement for big business. This is a government that doesn't take its responsibility around public health seriously.
"Some areas in inner cities are fresh food deserts so families fall into eating takeaway chicken and chips."
Health benefits
Dale Rees, a spokesman for the British Dietetic Association, said the initiative was a positive step because the recipes would help those who wanted to cook but did not know the ingredients involved, the steps needed to prepare them or how to cook adhering to a budget.
"Evidence shows that people who eat a diet low in fat, added sugars and salt are less likely to develop chronic diseases in later life. You can protect against heart disease, for example, plus you're less likely to be obese and have weight-related health problems," said the dietician.
Referring to the issues raised by Ms Abbott, he said some local shops often carried fresh fruit and vegetables but some groups - people without cars, elderly and disabled people - found it hard to access such produce in inner city "blackspots".
Such people, he said, could be eligible for deliveries of hot meals, adding: "We need to tackle those blackspots to make sure fresh food is made available for those people. But that shouldn't stop the promotion of eating healthy food on a budget."


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LONDON (AP) British authorities have proposed new regulations for payday lenders, the firms that offer short-term loans at sky-high interest rates.
Under restrictions unveiled by the Financial Conduct Authority on Thursday, payday lenders will be required to carry out affordability checks on borrowers and restrict the number of times a loan can be rolled over. The regulator says it will also ban misleading advertisements.
The regulations are set to take effect next year after a consultation process.
The lenders have been criticized for taking advantage of consumers who are suffering in troubled economic times and who often turn to such lenders to buy food or in case of family emergencies.
The archbishop of Canterbury is among those who have expressed concern about such loans and has urged alternatives.


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Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810. The citizens of Munich were invited to attend the festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates to celebrate the happy royal event. The fields have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honor of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wies'n".
Horse races in the presence of the Royal Family marked the close of the event that was celebrated as a festival for the whole of Bavaria. The decision to repeat the horse races in the subsequent year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest.
In 1811 an added feature to the horse races was the first Agricultural Show, designed to boost Bavarian agriculture. The horse races, which were the oldest and - at one time - the most popular event of the festival are no longer held today. But the Agricultural Show is still held every three years during the Oktoberfest on the southern part of the festival grounds.
In the first few decades the choice of amusements was sparse. The first carousel and two swings were set up in 1818. Visitors were able to quench their thirst at small beer stands which grew rapidly in number. In 1896 the beer stands were replaced by the first beer tents and halls set up by enterprising landlords with the backing of the breweries.
The remainder of the festival site was taken up by a fun-fair. The range of carousels etc. on offer was already increasing rapidly in the 1870s as the fairground trade continued to grow and develop in Germany.
Today, the Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, with an international flavor characteristic of the 21th century: some 6 million visitors from all around the world converge on the Oktoberfest each year.
And since the Oktoberfest is still held on the Theresienwiese, the locals still refer to the event simply as the "Wies'n". So "welcome to the Wies'n" means nothing other than "welcome to the Oktoberfest"!
We have a wide variety of beer steins for Oktoberfest celebration. One of the consistently more popular is our beer boot. Everyone wants to figure out how to drink out of it...yes, there IS a trick to it!
If your taste runs more along the line of a traditional Oktoberfest beer stein, we have the Deutschland beer stein, made in Germany and featuring a cobalt blue color and pewter lid.Visit our Oktoberfest steins and be ready to say "welcome to the Wies'n" in style!


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Volunteer at Micke Grove Zoo!
Would you like to become part of the Zoo family? Perhaps you have
always wanted to help provide the care for exotic animals, get
involved in special events or act as an ambassador for a great
organization. Now you can!
We invite you to take the time to learn about our different volunteer programs to discover the ones that meet your interests and schedule.
Volunteering at Micke Grove Zoo is a special opportunity for individuals to give back to the community and support the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. Given the nature of the zoo's routine needs and the amount of time and energy we invest in our volunteers, we cannot accommodate short-term community service volunteers or projects for individuals of any age. However, corporate groups may be given special consideration for one-day volunteer events.
High school students must either become a Zoo Crew member, Camp Counselor, Keeper Aide, or Special Event Volunteer in order to earn any community service hours. These positions require a special commitment and training. There is no guarantee that these positions will be available at the student's time of need.
If you are looking for a community service project idea, click here.
Education/Outreach Opportunities
Opportunities Available
Volunteers in the Education Department provide a tremendous
service for Micke Grove Zoo. From helping out at special events to
teaching visitors about wildlife and wildlife conservation, our Wild
Guides, Zoo Crew members, Camp Counselors, and Special Event
volunteers make the visitor experience memorable and meaningful.
Click here to learn more about volunteering in the education department!
Animal Care
From preparing diets and cleaning exhibits to researching endangered species and updating animal records, volunteers in the Animal Management Department are essential for ensuring the health and well-being of all of the animals in the zoo collection. As a Keeper Aide, Conservation Researcher, or Animal Records Assistant, animal care volunteers help the animal management team provide optimum living conditions for zoo wildlife.
Click here to learn more about volunteering in the animal management department!
Please note that volunteering at Micke Grove Zoo does not guarantee direct contact with any animals in the zoo collection.


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What would it take to get you to switch your family over to Sprint's service? The mobile service provider is hoping $400 is the answer to that question, as it's what they're offering up to tempt folks make the switch for their families and embrace Sprint's "Truly Unlimited" data plans.
This deal isn't something new; it's actually a retread of an old offer Sprint rolled out back in August of 2012. The $400 is awarded to anyone who leaves their current carrier behind and signs up three to five lines on either the Simply Everything Family or Everything Data Family plan. Included in either plan is unlimited data and texting. Simply Everything includes unlimited calling, while Everything Data requires purchasing either 450 or 900 minutes. That credit can then be applied to purchasing new phones that will be used on the plan.
For Sprint, the value in this deal is clear: $400 buys between three and five new customers for the next two years. For the families that take advantage of the offer, it really only makes sense if you're planning to switch carriers anyway. Per a Sprint customer service agent, the Everything Data plan costs $80 per line while Simply Everything costs $100. You can only use the $400 toward the purchase of the phones, so you can't opt for the freebie phones and apply your credit toward paying your bill. Getting nicer phones for free for making the switch is alright, but it's probably not enough for you to uproot your family tree, assuming you're happy with your current service.