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It is also first time in Pakistan's history since partition that an elected government completes its term to hand over power to another elected government. This is seen by many as a potentially game changing milestone in Pakistan's political and constitutional history largely because previous attempts towards democratic transition of power resulted in Martial Laws, Military coups and even assassinations. According to Huntington's submission, the process of democratization is composed of two phases. The first phase is power transition and the second is consolidation of the democratic achievements. Democratic consolidations are far more challenging than the phase of transition. In a given society, it requires:
- Well-functioning democratic institutions.
- An improvement of social and economic condition.
- A flourishing civil society.
All three concepts are very fluid. This is the reason why there is no universally accepted definition of democratic consolidation. However all agree free and fair elections are a prerequisite for consolidation. For a country like Pakistan, Andreas Schedler definition could suffice atleast for now it says consolidation of democracy is a condition in which probability of a democracy's breakdown is reduced to the "point where [one]can feel reasonably confident that democracy will persist in the near (and not-so near) future."
Democracy is also not static, it is an evolving concept. It is much more than simple majoritarianism. Unalloyed majoritarianism can be undemocratic. The six principles of a settled or consolidated democracy are: political choice; loyal opposition; free media; reliable bureaucracy; impartial judiciary and civil society. Taken together these features will produce what the political scientists Linz and Stephen called a constraint-embedded state, which are people centric in character. The paper will attempt to answer the following questions.
- Is Pakistan moving toward a broader transition from a procedural to substantive democracy?
- Is Pakistan experiencing democratic coming of age?
- Has its relations with US and India had an impact on its democratic transition and consolidation?
The past five years of democratic rule in Pakistan has witnessed a very fragile democracy, where the democratically elected government constantly struggled with crisis of survival. The developing countries even when they are established practicing democracies face indigenous democratization challenges which remain under represented and marginally discussed in the political science community. Moreover, Security challenges, War on terror, Economic Recession, the Spring of Middle East have all had an impact on how issues of democracy, governance and national unity are perceived today. In countries like Pakistan where the democratic deficit has always remained high because of various historical and contemporary issues the debate on democracy has become more complicated.
However there are three major paradigm shifts that have taken place in the polity of Pakistan which may have a long term effect on the process of transition, leading to consolidation, stability and substantiveness of democracy. These are:-
- The strengthened Democratic Institution of Pakistan specially the judiciary and the media.
- The realignment of its civil military relations
- Pakistan relations with India and US.
The Strengthened Democratic Institutions of Pakistan
Democracy has not come easily to Pakistan. It still constantly struggles for its sprit. A transition towards democracy has happened how substantive it is? That remains to be seen. May, 2013 election is seen by many as constitutional and historical land mark in the politico-democratic journey of Pakistan. They were also perhaps the bloodiest elections Pakistan has ever witnessed. Public campaign was not possible in 3 out of 4 provinces of Pakistan. 60 candidates and workers belonging to different political parties were killed in the prelude to the elections.
130 people were killed in bombing and shooting during the campaign. 130 attacks were reported; these resulted in the death of a 150 people in the month before elections.
Election Day violence was also very high by the time the polls closed there were 62 security related incident reported resulting in 64 deaths. There was a blast outside a political office in the port city and several such attacks were also prevented by the law enforcement agencies.
Even days before election; all were skeptical if election will take place at all. The challenge to democracy coming from the militants this time who vowed to prevent the holding of elections in Pakistan. Constantly targeting and attacking political rallies, candidates and offices.
The 5 years government of Mr. Zardari left more people disillusioned than committed to the delivering capacity of democracy. Inspite of this and the militant threat Pakistan witnessed a 60% turnout, women and youth coming out and voting in large numbers even in rural and troubled areas of Pakistan including Baluchistan, hoping to bring about a change through the ballet. This is a new trend.The people registered their discontent and the rejection of the militants through the ballet. The former ruling PPP and its alliance PML-Q and the ANP faced a bitter defeat. MQM was also seen on the back foot challenged by PTI in its stronghold city Karachi. The first time contestant party PTI had enough numbers to form a government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was successful enough to be categorized as a third largest political party in Pakistan. Making Pakistani elections decidedly multi party.
Moreover the Pakistan People's Party and its allies may have failed at the energy, economic and political governance for which the people of Pakistan penalize them. However they were able to deliver on the front of institutional strengthening. Pakistan's democratic accomplishments under the PPP government are often marginalizing in the discussion to the strengthening of democracy.
It addressed long standing constitutional and political issues that threatened the federation, laid the bases of a non partisan electoral system, restored the Chief Justice which resulted in its independent yet co-equal branch of the government, created mechanisms for the transfer of power from the office of the President to the office of the Prime Minister. Civilian oversight of the military has also been largely formulized. Civil liberties stand restored. Inclusion of FATA into the political mainstream is another milestone. The media and the judiciary functioned with complete impunity in the 5 years of PPP government.
Pakistan is in the process of democratic-self examination where it is constantly working towards exposing and preventing the abuse of those in power. The culture of exposure leading to accountability has never worked the way it functions in Pakistan today. The exposure is done by the median and accountability is taken up by the judiciary, the infamous suo moto notice. No one is spared. The holy cows of the past are under the knife of the media and the judiciary. These trends are the building block for a substantive democracy.
Senator John McCain in a speech in December, 2012 said; "The great benefit of democracy is that it allows for self- correction. It allows imperfect human beings to strive; nevertheless, to live up to the high standards of our own values, which are perfect and eternal.
Role of Media in Strengthening Democracy
Thomas Jefferson once said that if he had to choose between a government without newspapers or newspapers without governments, he would pick the later. The right to information is in integral part of any functioning democracy. The 1973, constitution of Pakistan through article 19 guaranteed the right of freedom of speech and expression and it also guaranteed the right to freedom of press. In 2002, Pakistan became the first country in South Asia to promulgate the freedom of information ordinance. Later on article 19-A introduce through the 18th amendment further consolidated it.
2002 onwards private media entered the landscape of Pakistan's information infrastructure. As of today there are over 200 privately own daily newspapers, about a 100 T.V channels and 166 F.M radio stations. However the state owned Pakistan Television (PTV) and Pakistan broadcasting (PBC) have a monopoly. Between 2002 and 2012 television viewership went up from 4 million to 124 million. This spread particularly of the electronic media has turned it into a tool not only for dissemination of information and opinion building but also where journalists have become agents of the public.
They not only keep an eye on government performance but also propose reforms, criticize governmental decisions that are not pro people and also give new ideas. They expose politicians and allow public to make informed decisions. This is largely because literacy level in Pakistan are one of the lowest in the world and
electronic media now because of its accessibility has becomes the only source of reliable information.
Media thus has a fundamental role in both strengthening and deepening democracy in Pakistan. The 21st century is media driven. Pakistan is no exception. The media in Pakistan has gradually and slowly become a critical driver of democracy.
Election 2013 was actually fought in the media. The PPP government holds the antagonistic media responsible for its bad performance in the election. The land mark lawyer's movement that turned the tide of the democracy in Pakistan was also successful because of media coverage. The alleged mishandling of the chief justice by law enforcement agencies and it candid coverage by the media turned public opinion against the dictator. This paved the way for the democratic transition Pakistan witnessed in 2008.
Role of Judiciary
The democratic deficit of Pakistan is often attributed to its palpable and weak judiciary. The infamous "doctrine of necessity" provided the necessary legal umbrella to the military's political adventurism. Right from Ayub Khan's Coup on 7th October, 1958 to Musharraf's Coup in May, 2002.
The military rulers were able to manipulate the judiciary into compliance and those who refused were made to retire. A case in point is Zia ul Haq's promulgation of his own provisional constitutional order (PCO) and General Musharraf executive order for a fresh oath by the judges under his PCO.
Six justices of the Supreme Court and nine judges of the high court, who refused to comply, were forced to retire. There was no public hue and cry over this and the civil society was a silent spectators.
However when General Musharraf tried to do the same in 2006-2007. He faced stiff resistances. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudary who had taken an oath of an allegiance to him under the PCO of 1999 refuses to obey him. This was an open challenge to the military supremacy. Chief Justice defiance of a military dictator and his refusal to validate the continuity of his rule was immediately taken up as a cause by the lawyers, media and the entire civil society. This is for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the street of Pakistan protested against the military decision.
The restoration of the Chief Justice is a game changer in the constitutional history of Pakistan and a very important step towards Pakistan transition towards a substitutive democracy. An independent judiciary is perhaps one of the most important democratic institutions.
Pakistan cannot move towards a substantive democracy without the consolidation of its institutions, which include the bureaucracy, political parties, Judiciary and the media.
The judiciary and the media have evolved as the two most critical drivers of democracy in Pakistan. The recent revival of democracy in Pakistan after 7 years of military rule of General Pervaiz Musharraf is seen by many as an accomplishment of these two institutions.
Civil Military Relations of Pakistan
Strong military can actually prevent the consolidation of democracy even when transition takes place as seen in many Latin American and South-East Asian countries.
The debate on the democratic transition of Pakistan is also incomplete without a discourse on its civil military relations. In a democratic setup the construct of healthy civil military relations would mean supremacy of the elected civilian government over the military. However the situation in Pakistan had been quite different Pakistan has actually remained under military control for more than half of its existence.
Pakistan's constitutional lethargy was also a contributing factor. Pakistan finalized its first constitution in 1956. Its twin India did it 1949. The delay in framing the constitution set the tone for authoritarian set up largely because it allowed the authoritarian rule of the governor General for seven years i.e. from 1947 to 1956. Furthermore the first general elections in the country were held in 1971, though they were due in 1951. This again contributed towards the consolidation of authoritarian tendencies and giving supremacy to military and civil bureaucracies over other institution.
On the international front the Cold war politics further contributed to the strengthening of military dictatorship in Pakistan. Even prior to that, Generals in Pakistan have always had an international crisis to strengthen and support their rule.
General Ayub Khan took over in 1958 and opened the pathway of American intervention into Pakistan internal affairs; he was allowed to rule Pakistan with an iron hand for ten years. General Zia-ul-Haq over threw the democratically elected Government of Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and ruled for eleven long years. General Musharraf took over in October 1998; this time over throwing Mr. Nawaz Shareef's democratically elected government and found international legitimacy by joining the American war in Afghanistan and ruled for seven years.
The four military coups of Pakistan happened because of the pro-military international environment but largely also because the institution had acquired a functional supremacy for itself and had grown at the expense of democratic institutions like political parties and the parliament.
This allowed the military of Pakistan to acquire respect and recognition both domestically and internationally as the only all powerful trustworthy, discipline and delivering institution of Pakistan. Political parties saw them as political brokers the masses saw them as there saviors and the international community banked upon their clout to deliver. The military capitalized on all of this to indulge in one military adventurism after another.
This perhaps is changing. It is observed that there is an element of political maturity that is being displayed by the now generals of Pakistan, but it is also largely because the domestic functioning environment has drastically changed. Both the military and the civilian leadership now are conscious of avoiding the conduct of the past. Military shuns political adventurism and remains committed to the continuation of democracy. Post the political musical chairs of the 1990s the mainstream political parties of Pakistan are wise enough to avoid approaching the General Head Quarters, of Pakistan military, for dispute settlement a common practice of the past.
The last five years of politically elected government witnessed several such moments were political pundits predicted military takeovers. Observers of Pakistan's situation will second the fact that Pakistan military on the pretext of threats to national security has intervened and disrupted the political process and dislodged political governments for far less in the past. It is interesting to note that the alleged corruption of electoral government hardly ever triggered that dismissal, on the contrary civilian governments were thrown out only after they crossed red lines drawn by the military.
The October 1999 dismissal of the Sharif government is a case in point. Upon assuming power once again in 1997 with a resounding majority, the PML-N under Nawaz Sharif repealed article 58 (2) B, eliminating the president's power to dismiss elected governments.
Acutely aware of Pakistan's precarious economic situation, Sharif was keen to divert the country's limited economic resources from defense to development. By entering into a substantive dialogue with New Delhi, the prime minister had also hoped to ease bilateral tensions and sideline the military internally. Not unsurprisingly, the army sabotaged his peace overtures to India by sending troops into Kargil. Wary of the army's discontent, Sharif made a futile attempt to remove General Musharraf when the former was on a trip to Srilanka. The army then seized power, dismissed the Prime Minister, and suspended the parliament and the constitution.
The last political government (2008—2013) of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has crossed several such lines and has survived with new dates of dismissal being identified every other day.
The nation in general, political analyst, pundits and lobbies, that benefit from the military takeover, waiting for the inevitable to happen. The political militancy of the Pakistan army is on the decline and may be on its way out.
Also during the times of high political crisis, the civil and military leadership of Pakistan has made a conscious effort to be on the same page, especially with its relationships with the US. The government publicly defended the military in face of criticism from the media and political parties. However, post 'Memogate Scandal', we saw the PPP Prime Minister Mr. Yousuf Raza Gilani, publicly reprimanding the military by calling it 'state within a state'. An open public position that has never been taken before; he not only took it but also survived it. More recently the Abbottabad commission report on Osama's killing in Pakistan was leaked to the media and once again there were heated debates for the accountability of the military and the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). The open criticism of the military, a culture of accountability of its conduct by the media and political parties are all new trends in the polity of Pakistan.
Pakistan Relations with India and US
Pakistan is an Indian centric, pro-US state. This foreign policy construct has also had a direct impact on its democratic credentials. The strategic thinking in Pakistan is characterized by the traditional concepts of power and national security, it until recently used largely unreconstructed views of strategic defense and national interest. Its relationship with India is largely shaped by military insecurities and perceived power differentials. The entire focus is on the control of territory. All of the unresolved disputes between India and Pakistan are over territory, Kashmir being the most contentious.
In this preview the security paradigm governing the strategic thinking in Pakistan is very traditional and state centric, nudging it towards alliances with the US and the growth of its security infrastructure institutions at the expense of democratic institutions. The US support for Pakistan came without any moral or value judgment. In fact all military ruling spells in Pakistan happened because of US support. This allowed the military institutions to expand their clout inside the country and indulge in military adventurism on its eastern borders.
The military aid to Pakistan from the US also substantiates this. As per statistics between, (1954 to 2002) US provided a total of $12.6 bn to Pakistan of this $9.19 bn were given during the military rule where as only $3.4 bn was provided to the civilian government. This is not inclusive of the most generous aid provided to Pakistan post September, 2002 to a quasi military government of General Musharraf.
Perhaps a more damaging dimension of the military intervention in the polity of Pakistan which has had a direct impact on its democracy is the alliance between the military and the Islamist. This resulted in the building up of the Jihadi infrastructure in Pakistan, once again supported by the international community now responsible for rising religious extremism, intolerance and radicalization of the Pakistani society.
Some of these Jihadi networks now operate regionally and globally, emerging as a security threat to Pakistan the region and the world.
The military right from General Ayub Khan to General Musharraf have not only patronized and accommodated the religious groups but have also used them to perpetuate their control on the polity of Pakistan and to indulge in cross border adventurism. General Ayub Khan was the first to recognize the usefulness of injecting Islam into the body politic of the country to his own advantage. Though he presented himself as a liberal, moderate, progressive General, his policies pushed Pakistan further along the road of a state sponsored ideology. While General Yahya who headed the second military spell in Pakistan, not only co-opted the Islamists in the state machinery but also made the Islamist and the military the guardians of state ideology. The East Pakistan debacle caused embarrassment, humiliation, and marginalization of the army. A condition that was somewhat altered by Bhutto. He attained secular civilian ascendancy but failed against the onslaught of the Islamists who worked in concert with the military to oust him.
After Bhutto, Zia-ul-Haq not only attained power because of Mulla-Military alliance but worked assiduously to strengthen it for the next 11 years. Zia's legacy of introducing extremist trends in the polity of Pakistan continues to haunt Pakistan. The constitutional amendments (17th amendment), introduced by him have done irreparable damage to the democratic polity of Pakistan. They stand partially rectified through the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st amendment by a democratically elected government after a gap of 7 years.
General Musharraf, on the other hand, the architect of so called Enlightened Moderation introduced limited democracy in October 2002 by holding general elections.
However, by sidelining main political parties and personalities, he allowed the religious parties to acquire a historic electoral win. They emerged as the third largest political force in the National Assembly and formed governments in two provinces (Baluchistan and NWFP). Something that had never happened in the political history of Pakistan, Islamist had always failed to acquire any political space for themselves before this. By virtue of being in power, they sabotaged all efforts towards Enlightened Moderation. Musharraf and his government is accused by the West and the liberals of Pakistan for not doing enough and appeasing and accommodating Islamists by backtracking on reforms. Because of the changing international environment and pressures, some reforms were introduced. Nevertheless, the Islamists remained a force to reckon with.
The extremist tendencies that are witnessed in the now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (NWFP) are a legacy of this.
Coming back to India the perennial threat from the east allowed a very narrow realist focus on the understanding of security. It further allowed the military to become the custodian of Pakistan's national interest, making way for military authoritarianism and subjugation of civilian infrastructure. It is not entirely paranoia. India even today has Pakistan on its striking radar. There are doctrines like operation cold start. India maintains 50% of its strike corps along the line of control, the international border or close to it. The Indian military posturing keeps Pakistan's military India centric. Furthermore Indian designs in Baluchistan and Afghanistan add to this threat.
Christine Fair of Rand Cooperation based on her discussions with Indian officials in Afghanistan and Zaheden, Iran insists that India ran operations against Pakistan from its missions in Mazar-e-Shareef and the other consulates that it has reopened in Jalalabad and Kandar around the borders. India's more than $1bn reconstruction economic aid to Afghanistan since January, 2002.
Providence a free satellite services for Afghan telecommunication and information apparatus as well as Indo-Afghan cooperation in area such as intelligence as special policing adds to Pakistan's anxiety.
Here also US has a role to play, the opaqueness of American policies where they realize Pakistan's importance for there exist strategy but at the same time encourage Indian presence in Afghanistan much against the sensitivities and sensibilities of Pakistan.
Pakistan relation with the US has followed the swing model. Pakistan has swung between being the most sanctioned alley to a non NATO alley; it is the third largest recipient of aid from the United States. However at the same time it is perhaps one of the most anti-American states in the world. The new found resolve in the United States to build bridges with the people of Pakistan and invest in the societal improvement may change this.
Pakistan's relations with India and the United States have shaped its internal politics including its civil military relations. India's threatening posture and anti Pakistan propaganda and America's "use Pakistan and drop Pakistan policy" is also partially responsible for Pakistan's democratic deficits. There is a paradigm shift here also Pakistan wants better relations with India and an end of exploitation by the United States.
The elected government of Pakistan wants their terms of engagement with the US revisited. What US and India want from Pakistan can only happen if Pakistan now standing at crossroads to democratic substantiveness and consolidation is helped and not constantly blamed for what others are also responsible for.
Pakistan transition to democracy maybe considered complete where back sliding may be avoided. It is entering the consolidation phase. Linz and Stephan's thesis on consolidation of democracies support it, currently in Pakistan all contenders for power inspite of issues and problem are acting within the democratic sphere. Constitutionally also Pakistan seems pro democracy.
The biggest challenger to Pakistan's democracy the military seems committed to exercise requisite restrained and the constitutional amendments also act as a restraining factor. The media and the judiciary see their new found independence and power an offshoot of democracy. The current trends therefore indicate a continuity of democracy.
Dr. Huma Baqai
Associate Professor,
Director Public Affairs and Communication
of Social Sciences, IBA Karachi.


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New to the vinyl
Hi, I just recently started getting vinyl and have after some hard searching around my neck of the woods found a turntable. The problem is I can't find any info about it other than it's from 1986. What I got is a Sony ps-lx235, and my obvious question is... Is it going to be viable for a starting turntable or is it going to destroy every lp I put on it?
Re: New to the vinyl
The turntable won't destroy your vinyl, but the tone arm and cartridge may. If the stylus force is set properly for the cartridge and the tracking is solid, it should be fine. What cartridge is in it?
Re: New to the vinyl
The cartridge is a sony vl-42g, I found a schematics website that says the following:
Type: moving magnet
Frequency response: 20 to 20,000Hz
Channel separation: 16dB at 1kHz
Output voltage: 2.5mV at 1kHz
Load impedance: 50 to 100k ohms
Tracking force: 2g
Stylus: conical 0.6 mil diamond
Replacement stylus: Sony ND-142G
Weight: 8g
Re: New to the vinyl
If the stylus that rides in the grooves is good with no imperfections it should be fine. Since it is rated at 2 grams tracking force it is low enough so that you might be able to replace that cartridge with a new elliptical stylus to be sure you don't have a bad stylus. I don't know what the best choice is these days as I have given up vinyl several years ago, but I think the Sure V15 is still available and it was a good performer in that tracking range.
Re: New to the vinyl
Cool, thank you for the advice. I really like the sound of vinyl and want to keep it going. After listening to mp3s for so long had forgotten how fun it was to go to a store and basically treasure hunt for that perfect score.
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Three Australians set a World Record for the longest basketball shot. YouTube's How Ridiculous reclaimed there title , beating American rivals Dude Perfect Crew's 162 meter (531 feet) shot from the top of a skyscraper. The Australians traveled to Mauvoisin Dam in Switzerland and nailed a 180 meter (590 feet) shot in just three tries.
Steph Curry, think you can top that?


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Hi everyone!
That's our Raffle event .
This is how it works:
This week we gonna have 2 different NPCs that will be spawned in Ch3 Juno centre.
Every NPC sells a ticket for a different amount of gold
Purchasing one of these tickets, you will automatically be entered into the raffle event and have the chance to win the prize that matches the level of the ticket you bought. (the ticket will disappear when you change maps or relog, but you will still have entered the event).
The more tickets you buy, the more chances you have to win.
The NPCs will be spawned for a few days and then removed before the draw.
This week prizes will be :
Raffle Ticket B = Special seals C2 cover for a class of choice. (you can pick one model only)
Raffle Ticket A = 25k Cash
Only one winner per ticket
C2 covers models :
Titan, Rogue, Knight , Healer , Mage, Sorcerer : Lv 85 set , Lv 97 set , Lv 107 set , Lv 127 set , Lv 165 set
Nightshadow : Lv 119 set , Lv 149 set , Lv 160 set
Example :
Every C2 parts will have those special seals :
It expires in 1 month as any other C2 cover.
Winners will be picked Randomly and announced on forum and in game.
End Date is 31/12/2016 at 18.00


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The television has not ever been known to be a great source of educational information. In fact, they say those who go into the entertainment business are people who are great performers because they are dissatisfied with reality and wish to escape to a fiction. However, there are always ways we can learn from any scenario we come across. Accordingly, you can learn a lot from TV by observing the people who watch it, as well as watching it yourself. Using the television as a means of education instead of entertainment is a great way to view the notorious time waster and turn it from being notorious into being a productive product.
As the television show's scenes span only a couple of seconds, our brains are conditioned to change just as fast as they appear and disappear. Is it any wonder that we, as humans, especially in generation Y, are accustomed to receiving what we want right then and there, no questions asked? Many of these things can get us into the habit of one that someone afflicted with an attention span disorder may have. As I discussed in a past post entitled, Optimizing Innovation, the Power of Habit, a novel by Charles DuHiggs, offers insight on how habit is one of the most destructive things that leads to addiction but can be broken through reinstating new habits.
Television can also open up the prospect of education that undoubtedly affects children across the nation – by allowing stronger family ties to infiltrate a household. To make it a habit to speak to each other during a television show, a movie, or anything of the sort is a good step in the right direction. For example, what allows for good family time whilst stimulating your brain is to watch a knowledge game show, such as Jeopardy, and express your input out loud. Laugh with each other when you get the answers wrong, congratulate each other when you get the answers right, and so on and so forth.
And of course there are educational channels and shows out there that you can get behind. Shows like Cook Yourself Thin, stations like Discovery Health, among other medias that are great ways to learn something you didn't previously know about something. After all, knowledge is the power you need to change your life and your habits.
The television does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. We can learn from it and grow from it just as we can our own experiences if we are not wasting away our time frequently with shows that are just for entertainment. It is not that entertainment is bad – everyone needs a break here and there and to waste time – but it can not be a frequent feat to procrastinate with the television on and our minds off. For what benefit is that to us to waste away?


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In honor of Oswego State's annual Quest academic symposium, student researcher Ryan Peters, a junior studying history and global and international studies, analyzed the public sphere in the Middle East and women's role throughout history.
A public sphere is a social setting where people can express their ideas and opinions. Peters concentrated his research studying Middle Eastern women in three public spheres throughout modern history: social protests, the media and the Internet.
"There are limits to women in the Middle East," Peters said. "They are very involved in shaping and defining the public sphere, but there are limits to that as well."
Peters' research looked at social protests, such as the 2009 Green Protest in Iran, where people protested against the presidential election. He studied the impact information and communication technology had on such social protests. They have created a phase in "feminist strategic action," according to Peters. Women use this to draw supporters and international attention to their protests and cause. During the Green Protest, women uploaded pictures of social activists and the brutality they encountered to the Internet to demonstrate the injustices faced during their movement.
After examining the media and how women are portrayed through photography, Peters said Middle Eastern women are represented as subordinate to men or they are viewed as "invisible."
"Women's bodies are used as sexual commodities or as vehicles for sexual arousal," Peters said. "The photographs portray women as illiterate, of limited intellectual capability, materialistic, opportunistic, weak or dependent."
One media platform Peters looked at throughout his research was BBC Arabic. He noticed the platform gave women a negative connotation in story coverages.
Rochel DeSilva, a junior peer educator at the Lifestyles Center, attended Peters's presentation.
"I don't think this is just an issue in the Middle East," DeSilva said. "Women are portrayed like that in media throughout the world."
Peters' last component of his research discussed the relevance of Internet on gender in the Middle East.
He said the Internet is useful technology as it encourages women and allows them to "grow and think."
"We are technologically driven and I consider it a tool in today's society," Peters said.
He believes the Internet and other forms of technology can be beneficial for Middle Eastern women as it will allow them to express themselves in a public sphere.
Women use technology through the media and the Internet to increase their involvement in public spheres.
Facebook is a platform that Middle Eastern women now use to be self-reflective, according to Peters' research.
"[I think Facebook] can be self reflective because you can see the most important parts of your life," DeSilva said. "I had never thought of Facebook as self-reflective, but I can see how it can be for people in the Middle East. I think we, as Americans, have more rights and we just don't realize how much freedom we have in this country."
Peters will continue to look into Middle Eastern history to examine gender in the media and the Internet. He seeks to find whether or not new public spheres have been created in the Middle East for women.


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Facebook. Using Social Media to promote your organization. Why would I want to be on facebook ?. Social media use by Universities is now ubiquitous, but why? Reason Number 1: Your target audience is there.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.
Using Social Media to promote your organization.


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Blood is an important component of our body. However, how many times do we think about taking care of it? It is only when we start suffering from a blood disorder do we wake up and start treating it. There are various kinds of disorders of the blood that we should be aware of. Here are some very common conditions.
Anemia, the insufficient oxygen carrying capacity is among the most typical of blood diseases. This happens when there is a deficiency in the number of red blood cells. This causes fatigue and weakness and in extreme conditions it may also cause heart attacks.
Blood transfusion can cause a number of diseases of the blood. Blood born illnesses are spread by contamination of the blood. Once an individual is infected and his blood is given to another person, the blood causes a blood-born illness.
Blood not only gets infected, it may also transmit infection. The HIV virus that causes AIDS is transmitted by contact with blood, semen or other body secretions of a person who is infected. Hepatitis B, C, D, E, G, H and I are transmitted mainly through blood contact or transfusions.
Blood, blood products and blood-stained objects are treated as a bio hazard. It can cause bacterial infection of the blood called bacteremia or sepsis. Blood toxins, known as hematopoietics, may prevent the blood to transport oxygen to cells.
There is a substantial body of research being conducted on glutathione which can cause blood diseases. Many blood born diseases, genetic blood diseases, blood problems and lymphocyte illnesses have a connection to glutathione levels and the development of the illness.
Blood conditions can also be caused by abnormalities in the number of blood cells, form of blood cells or arrangement of the blood cells called erythrocytes.
Some common blood illnesses are the result of blood cell membrane being overly stiff or abnormalities in the proteins that cover the membrane. Blood diseases can also be caused by too much of red blood cells and occasionally increases in other blood cells.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura or ITP blood illness affects the blood platelets. Disorders of cell proliferation or cell generation cause leukemia.


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MAJURO, Marshall Islands — A few yards from the crashing waves of the Pacific, on a precariously narrow strip of land, precious rainwater pools on the runway of the Marshall Islands' main airport. This is how the government hydrates tens of thousands of its citizens: the rainwater runoff from the airstrip. The water — complete with bird droppings and whatever else has landed on the tarmac — is funneled via pipes to earthen storage reservoirs. From there, it gets filtered and treated and pumped to people down the atoll.
During a normal week the water only flows for 12 hours. In prolonged droughts, which are almost certain to happen in 2016, the reservoirs can get depleted to the last drop. The country can hold on for only a few months without rain. Thirsty Marshallese, many of whom rely on their own much smaller rainwater catchment containers, won't have anything to drink or wash with. Dehydration, starvation, malnutrition and disease have been known to follow. Crops fail. Sensitive groundwater reservoirs become contaminated.
This is a bleak outlook for a vulnerable country in the remote Pacific, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. The Marshall Islands are a heavenly chain of white sandy beaches and coral reefs, but they are paradoxically one of the most inhospitable and challenging places to build a nation. Climate change will have numerous, complicated effects here. Access to freshwater, already in limited supply on the archipelago, is likely to become the most serious issue.
"It can become very complex very quickly," Bill Shuster, a research hydrologist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, told The WorldPost. "Nothing really prepared me for how closely connected everything is, how tightly coupled public health is to rainfall."


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I find it unbelievable that the Republican Party may find a way to steal defeat from the jaws of victory in this very important 2014 mid-term election. Looks like they're getting ready to step in it regarding immigration.
A great editorial in Investors Business Daily titled "House GOP Plans to Save Obama with Immigration Reform" just makes me cringe.
Republicans should own the issue of immigration. After all, the last time — 1986 — the nation took the "comprehensive" approach that Democrats now propose, nothing ended up being fixed in exchange for the amnesty for millions of illegals. And today, insisting on securing the border before doing anything else is no-lose politically.
Instead it seems the GOP is more concerned about being demonized by the liberal progressive Left on the issue of illegal immigration and will find a way to cave, or as DC calls it "compromise." Ever noticed that when Democrats are in power, you never hear the word compromise used? During the first two years of Obama's presidency when Democrats controlled the House and Senate did you ever hear the media talk about compromise? In DC and political lexicon, compromise simply means Republicans give in to Democrats, on everything.
So instead of recognizing illegal immigration is a multi-headed hydra affecting our national security, economy, healthcare, education, and local criminality, and must be dealt with by sound policy, everyone appears to be rushing to gain favor from the Hispanic electorate. It's all about politics.
The House GOP is poised to use a piecemeal strategy as cover to enact, more or less, the Democrats' agenda on immigration — giving the party millions of dependable Democratic votes as a consequence.
As reported by The Hill last week, Senate Democrats were told by Obama to expect House Speaker John Boehner to succeed this year in passing an immigration reform that would include amnesty because he believes Republicans fear opposing it would render them politically vulnerable. A tell-tale sign: Boehner recently hired former John McCain immigration specialist Becky Tallent. Boehner will supposedly release a one-page list of immigration "principles" some time before Obama delivers his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday.
According to Investors Business Daily, last month a Pew poll found 55 percent of Hispanics believe finding a way for illegals to live and work in the U.S. lawfully without fear of deportation is more important than giving them amnesty.
We must first do what the federal government failed to do in 1986: secure our porous border. We must end the practice of American taxpayer-funded benefits going to individuals here illegally. A great start would be ending tax loopholes for illegals.
We must have economic policy reforms that first of all get Americans back to work — we already have wage depression for middle-income families and a genocidal unemployment situation in the black community.
We need to work with out agriculture industry to develop a means by which we can have a guest worker program that is tracked. Comprehensive reform in DC-speak means a really big and convoluted political remedy that no one reads before they vote on it. And in the long term, the issue is never resolved, only exacerbated.
The GOP must persuade all Americans they can deliver on prosperity by reversing Obama's big government policies in order to gain majority support.
Democrats play the political game of collectivism and the result from their big government schemes is greater dependency on the welfare state. Republicans — principled Republicans — must enact policy through regular order procedure that advances individual success, opportunity, and prosperity. That is the American dream, and why so many have sacrificed and ventured to our shores — legally.
When I was on Capitol Hill I had a very astute mentor by the name of Judy Schneider who worked at the Congressional Research Service. I will never forget the first time I sat down with this renowned Congressional expert when she imparted to me three key things about Congress: policy, politics, and procedure. She was very direct in explaining that two of the three make you a statesman. One of the three makes you a DC politician. But understanding all three will make you a force to be reckoned with, and a threat to the powers to be.
Where do you think the leading members of the House GOP score on this scale? Will the House GOP cave on this issue of illegal immigration and grant amnesty for an ill-conceived "political" gain, or will they stand on principle as true statesmen?


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High atop her perch on the cloud tree, a young girl must descend to the world below and embark on a journey for the sake of her friend.Through courage and kindness, she discovers what she is made of.
And so begins a grand adventure that takes the reader away from the comfort of the girl's home and shows that challenges can be overcome and heroic choices can be made by girls too.
Bookwire is a mobile app for your iPhone that gives you the ability to scan a barcode
or enter ISBN, access book records and add titles to wish lists.


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About a year ago, while shopping with my straight sized friend, we were sifting through the spring maxi dresses in the new release section at the front of the store. We both landed on this floor-length yellow floral maxi dress that we fell in love with. Of course, I held it up to her and said "THIS IS THE ONE!" Knowing very well that the large size would not fit my ample chest, I was happy she could try it on. It was so our style too. Our style is indie feminine hipster girl, so the floral print was spot on.
Fast forward to last week and I was killing time at Forever21 for traffic to die down when I spot a familiar print in the plus size section. I move the other floral maxi dresses away to reveal the same floor-length yellow floral maxi dress from a year ago. This time, the dress came in 1x, 2x, and 3x. HOLY FREAKING COW! This is what plus size women have been asking for for years!
The state of plus size trends in fast fashion
It took this floral maxi dress a whole year to cycle into the plus size fashion racks. If that isn't a prime example of how plus size trends are always one step behind straight sizes than I don't know what is. To be honest, I am just happy that Forever21 gave us a try. They literally gave us a straight sized pattern, cut and style of a dress and made it available in extended sizes! That's all us fat fashionistas have ever wanted.
We never asked to have the 70s couch print in tent-sized shirts. Plus size women didn't want to have the only skirt length options be knee-length or maxi. It would also be nice if all of our shirts didn't have the shoulders cut out. Alas, I'll take this dress as a step in the right direction.
I repeat, all us plus size women want are straight sized clothing in sizes bigger than a 12 or large.
Nothing says spring festival season quite like a floral maxi dress
This dress takes me straight to spring and summer festival season. Whether your plans are to dance the day away at your favorite music festival like Coachella, or your local food festival, this dress is perfect for you. Its light weight material makes it breezy and non constricting. As a high-sweat individual I spent almost all day in Orange County's 80 degree sun in this outfit and didn't even get the dreaded back drench.
I've worn this dress twice now (yes, I did just buy it last week). Both times I have worn it cashiers have commented how beautiful the dress is. In fact, while ordering wine at the local dinner theater, I almost got a glass for free thanks to the boobilicious nature of the dress.
I'm not really a maxi dress person. I think I have only ever featured a maxi dress on my fashion blog once, and I don't think I have worn it since. I think maxis are one of the most comfortable and low maintenance way of looking like you put effort into being trendy, when you really don't want to try. So why am I not a maxi dress person then? THEY GET FREAKING HOT!
Yes, you hear that right. I once wore a maxi to an outdoor baby shower on a 100 degree summer day and I swear I walked away with a yeast infection. Maxi dresses literally trap all that heat between your legs and under your skirt, which does not make for a pleasant experience. I had the same problem during prom. This floral maxi dress is fantastic though because it has slits! The front is basically a flap so my legs can breathe. Hallelujah!
Recreate the outfit


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The photos in this section are from the last few years that have been taken in the Walworth, West Walworth, Lincoln, and Gananda areas.
The Lodge at Ginegaw Park in Walworth with just a few leaves left on the trees.
An old barn on the Walworth-Ontario Road.
Spring has sprung on this route 350 farm.
Spring scene in the Walworth area.
An old abandoned barn in the Lincoln area.
Another spring scene in the Walworth area.
Springtime photo.
You know it's spring when the lilacs bloom.
This is a photo of the Walworth water tower located on the corner of Canandaigua Road and Atlantic Avenue.
This is Walworth's first mural. Painted by Corky & Graham Goss, it is approximately 30′ long and 8′ high. It was based on two paintings owned by the Walworth Historical Society. It's located on the west wall of the Walworth Post Office, 2263 Marion Rd, Walworth.
The plaque next to Walworth's first mural. The top one gives the "history lesson" and the bottom one recognizes the donors who supported this project which was completed in 2013.
Made by members of the Reverse Curves Quilt Club for the Walworth Sesquicentennial, 1979, this quilt hangs at the Walworth Historical Society.
We don't know for sure which corner the house was built on (probably the NW corner). The marker stands now stands on the SE corner after it had been previous knocked over while on the NW corner.
Although this is not a very recent picture, it is an aerial photo of Walworth taken in the mid 1980's. See how many familiar homes and buildings you can recognize!
Shown here are Walworth Town Historian Gene Bavis (foreground) and WHS member Roger Keymel in the background. They are preparing a float for the Festival in the Park parade. This is done usually on the Tuesday before the big parade on Friday night!
This photo is of an old mill in the "Huddle" area of Walworth about a mile south of town on Walworth-Palmyra Road. This photo was taken in about 2008. It has shown serious signs of wear in the last few years.
This is a photo of Blue Heron Hills Golf Club in Gananda. This was an early snowfall in autumn of a few years ago. Notice that some of the leaves are still in fall colors and are on the trees.
The two churches in Walworth: The Methodist church on the left and the Second Baptist Church on the right. The electric wires have been digitally removed in order to better show the churches. About two minutes after this photo was taken, the skies opened up and there was a heavy downpour.
This is a farm on Walworth-Palmyra Road about two miles south of town. It's colorful because of the yellow wild mustard in the foreground.
This photo shows a small barn on the back-roads of the Walworth area. There aren't many small barns left in this area. This was taken in early spring.
A view of some of the tents at a recent Festival in the Park in Ginegaw Park.
April 11, 2014 – Heavy equipment tearing down the Walworth school. Multi-unit apartments will take the place of this school. This location is on the corner of High Street and Academy Street in Walworth.
One of the Walworth fire trucks in a recent Festival in the Park parade. This photo was shot on Marion Road in Walworth just to the west of Kwik Fill convenience store.
The home of Duke and Mabel Risley in the town of Walworth. Notice the colorful flower garden in front of the house.
This is the former residence of Bernie Porray and family. Mr. Porray was a long-time Walworth resident and was very involved in the community.
A photo of the backside of the Walworth Town Hall taken late in the day and just before a snow storm moved into the area.
A winter view of the west side of Lorraine Drive in Ginegaw Park. Shown is a town building and one of the murals in Walworth.
A mid-winter view of the old Pacific Hotel located in town on Main Street in Walworth.
The Lodge in Ginegaw Park in Walworth. For a rental fee, this facility is available for meetings, parties, and other community functions. The Walworth Historical Society holds its yearly meeting in May here.
Shown here is the mural over the service desk in the front of the new Tops store in Walworth. The photos shown here are from the WHS files and depict some of the past history of our town.
The above photo shows one of the many farms in Walworth. This one is on the south side of Penfield Road. This picture was taken a few years ago on a bright summer day.
The four corners in town in Walworth. This was taken in October of 2016.
This is a photo of some of the decorated holiday trees from the 2016 Light the Night celebration. This was located in Ginegaw Park in Walworth. This has turned into a very popular event and is attended by many visitors each year.
An early winter scene in the Gananda area. This snow came so early that most of the colorful fall leaves were still on the trees.
This is a photo of the old store that used to be on the corner of Plank Road and Lincoln Road. It was torn down a couple of years ago. In the early 1900's it was in business.
The Walworth Fire Department during its annual Open House. For this event, the trucks are removed from the fire hall and parked outside of the building.
Walworth still has several operating farms. This shows some of the equipment on one of the areas farms.
Mercy Flight helicopter landing at the Walworth Fire Hall to pick up a patient brought here by ambulance. Many lives are saved each year by this organization. Time is of the essence for those critically sick or injured patients.
The John Traas family barn located on Smith Hill Road. John was very active in the Walworth Historical Society and the Walworth community. This photo was taken in autumn, just as the trees were starting to turn colors.
A night view of one of the many Walworth area barns. This was taken in late autumn.
View of the Methodist Church steeple seen through the trees from the east side of town.
A scene from the Walworth town barns.
The corner of Daansen Road and Marion Road.
Walworth Animal Hospital on Penfield Road.
The Lincoln Baptist Church.
The main intersection in Lincoln with the fire hall on the left.
G and S Orchards on Atlantic Avenue in Walworth.
Intersection of Main Street and Penfield Road in town, Walworth.


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News Do you love the idea of building your own home? Then let us know says East Devon
When this content has been created
8 November 2016
Council invites people interested in building their own homes to submit their details to the Self Build Register, to help ascertain demand for self-build plots in East Devon
In response to a Government directive, East Devon District Council has created a new Self Build Register for people who might want to build their own home, or have one built for them, in East Devon.
The Government wants to encourage more people to build their own homes as an alternative to buying a new house, as designing your own home and potentially doing some of the building work yourself can be an economical way to acquire a house built to your own specification. The Self Build Register will enable people to give details of their exact needs and wishes, including where they want to build, what size and what type of house they would like.
In turn, the register will help the council find out more about where people want to build in East Devon and will help them develop the council's housing and planning policies. It will also allow the council to decide how many self-build plots are needed and will mean that the council can contact people on the register to let them know of self and custom build opportunities in the district as and when they arise.
Already 34 aspiring self builders have had their names added to the East Devon Self Build Register and many more are anticipated to come forward over the next 12 months.
People can apply by completing one of the forms available on the East Devon web site and can either email or post it to the council's planning policy team email@example.com.
Being on the register does not commit applicants to anything and details of the register will not be publically available, although information such as how many people are on the register and where they are seeking a plot will be published.
The council does not currently own land that it has identified for self build or custom house building and a place on the register does not guarantee that a suitable plot will be identified, or become available.
Commenting on the Self Build Register, Councillor Andrew Moulding, Deputy Leader of East Devon District Council and portfolio holder for strategic development and partnerships said:
We want to encourage people to put their names on the Register and we welcome applications from individuals, family groups and self-build associations (groups of people interested in building their own homes), which can help to make self build more affordable. The details will be held in confidence and will be used in statistical reports, which could help create more opportunities for the kinds of projects people are interested in.


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Top 10 NFL quarterbacks entering Week 9
An active Week 8 saw a change at the top of the rankings, a return by a top-3 quarterback, and further separation among the top 5. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady leapfrogged Cardinals QB Carson Palmer, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger looked rusty in his return from injury, and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Bengals QB Andy Dalton also experienced struggles of their own.
Here's a recap and a look at how the rest of the top 10 is shaping up.
(Editor's note: To see where every NFL quarterback ranks, be sure to access PFF's 2015 Player Grades tool.)
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots, 98.1
Despite facing pressure on half of his dropbacks, Brady put together his finest game of his MVP-like season. He graded out very well when facing Miami's pressure (+3.3), throwing for two of his four touchdowns and posting an accuracy percentage of 62.5 percent.
2. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals, 96.7
Palmer is playing an aggressive brand of football that sees him attacking downfield more than any quarterback in the league, other than Blake Bortles of the Jaguars (17.7 percent of attempts travel at least 20 yards in air). While he missed a few throws against the Browns, he still connected on five-of-nine deep pass attempts for 185 yards and a touchdown.
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers, 89.2
Big Ben's return did not go quite as planned; in particular, his poor decision-making proved costly in the Steelers' loss to the Bengals. He's still high on the list due to an exceptional start to the season, but he'll have to get back to that level in order to maintain his top-3 status.
4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers, 85.7
Facing the buzzsaw that is the Denver Broncos' defense, Rodgers just couldn't get anything going against the league's best unit. With blanket coverage and constant pressure, there was only so much he could do.
5. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals, 85.5
Yet another subpar performance among a top-5 QB in Week 8, Dalton posted a season-worst grade, despite bouncing back to lead a comeback in the fourth quarter against the Steelers. He was particularly bad in the fourth quarter that saw him thrown an arm-punt interception, a bad red zone interception, and a he dropped shotgun snap that he managed to recover. Roethlisberger's mishaps kept the Bengals in it, and Dalton took advantage with the game-winning touchdown pass to A.J. Green—but three turnover-worthy plays in crunch time won't lead to victory in most cases.
6. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, 82.4
Ryan was efficient for the Falcons, finishing with an accuracy percentage of 84.1 percent that ranked third on the week. He completed his only deep attempt of the game for 21 yards, but he's now attempted only 6.4 percent of his passes beyond 20 yards, the lowest percentage in the league. Ryan may need to be more aggressive down the field, as the heavy reliance on the short passing game hasn't led to points in recent weeks.
7. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders, 81.9
Perhaps the season's top breakout player, Carr continues to impress as he has the Raiders lurking among the AFC's best teams at 4-3. He posted his fifth-straight positive grade, as he once again put up gaudy numbers against the blitz (14-for-22 for 227 yards and three touchdowns). The Raiders' offensive line deserves a lot of credit, as well, as Carr was pressured on only six of 36 dropbacks against the Jets—he's been pressured on only 25.5 percent of his dropbacks this season, best in the league among quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks.
8. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, 80.4
Not the best effort by Wilson in the passing game, as he graded at -0.7, including a -2.7 mark on his four deep attempts that all fell incomplete. He's still facing more pressure than any quarterback in the league (45.6 percent of dropbacks), but as he shown in the fourth quarter against the Cowboys, he can get out of trouble and make big plays with his legs. Wilson has gained 233 yards on his 33 scrambles this season (7.1 yards per carry), not including his 15 carries for 75 yards (5.0 yards per carry) on designed runs.
9. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, 80.1
Back in the top 10 after a huge game against the Giants, Brees has returned back to form after an early season injury set him back. He threw for 505 yards and seven touchdowns. As well as he played, the stats were still slightly inflated due to some horrendous coverage busts by the Giants, but that does nothing to take away from an outstanding effort from Brees.
10. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers, 79.5
No quarterback has thrown the ball as much as Rivers this season, who already has 348 pass attempts. He had a strong game as a passer against the Ravens, as he led the league with an accuracy percentage of 84.8 percent for the week, including completing all 22 of his attempts under 9 yards in the air. Rivers is averaging 2.27 seconds per dropback, second-fastest in the league behind only Brady.
Stats of the week
– If taking screens out of the equation, Palmer's average depth of target is 13.2 yards, highest in the league.
– Rivers has picked up 403 yards on screen passes to lead the league. The next closest is Alex Smith, with 265.
– Rodgers leads the league with 121 yards on back-shoulder throws, while Brady ranks second with 116 yards; Jay Cutler comes in third, with 107.
– Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston has the league's highest grade on first downs. On first down post routes, he's nine-for-12 for 190 yards and two touchdowns (156.3 passer rating).
– Panthers QB Cam Newton has picked up 188 yards on 37 carries on designed runs (5.1 yards per carry) and 103 yards on 14 scrambles (7.4 yards per carry).


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Spring Time Kitchen Set
Spring Time Kitchen Set The winter can be somewhat bland but you can add some colour to your kitchen. ForRead more
Spring Time Kitchen Set The winter can be somewhat bland but you can add some colour to your kitchen. ForRead more
Hooker's Journal Last January, Sheri Goad from Frogging Along posted here all the details for creating a journal for keeping trackRead more
Granny Slippers These crochet granny slippers are exquisite to look at. Interestingly enough, each slipper consists of 3 hexagonal shapedRead more
Big Dog Sweaters Crocheters with bigger dogs are looking for dog sweaters. Many sweaters are designed for lap dogs orRead more
Crochet Snowflake This snowflake is 3rd and final snowflake of the Twinkling Snowflake Collection. It appears complex in the diagramRead more
Baby Sampler Afghan This Crochet Baby Sampler Afghan is not very hard to do. It has 4 squares that areRead more
Women's Peak Hat Crochet this Women's Peak Hat crochet design. I was compelled by the brim and button to grabRead more
YouTube Now Has Slow Motion For years, many say that I am going to fast or too slow. You canRead more
I cannot help myself today. I love the tent sales as they are clearance yarns. It's whatever is being discontinuedRead more
Flip Flops Spruce up your flip flops by adding your own personal touch with a Crochet Daisy Flip Flop PatternRead more
Larks Foot Stitch The Larks Foot Stitch resembles the look of a foot print. Larks are birds and if youRead more
Pineapple Stitch This is the Pineapple Stitch in a scarf where there is only 1 Pineapple by itself. The PineappleRead more
Corner to Corner Stitch Corner to Corner also known as C2C is really popular. The idea that it builds upRead more
Baby Shower Booties This is one of the simplest baby booties in my entire collection of free patterns. When youRead more
Halloween Color Combo The yarns featured in today's combo are Bernat Super Value as seen on Yarnspirations.com. Please scroll overRead more


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Chico Pioneer Day Parade
The Pioneer Day Parade would not be possible without the work of our dedicated volunteers, we really appreciate your time. Thanks for the generous support from our sponsors. We would also like to thank our parade participants for a fantastic centennial parade.
See you again
May 5th, 2018


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Located in the centre of Bishops Waltham, a spacious character three bedroom first floor flat.
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These details are for guidance only and complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
If there is any point which is of particular importance to you, verification should
be obtained. They do not constitute a contract or part of a contract. All measurements
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fitness for purpose. No apparatus, equipment, fixture or fitting has been tested.
Items shown in photographs are NOT necessarily included. Interested Parties are
advised to check availability and make an appointment to view before travelling
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Hey, My question is, is it OK or should I be worried that a guy I've just started dating/seeing is still on the dating site we met on & logs in to check his msgs?
We have only been dating for 1 week, & have had 3 dates so far. He says really sweet things to me & we get on great, as though we have known each other years! I did ask him if he had been online and he said yes, so he didn't lie about it which is good! But I have asked him if he will delete it now that we are seeing each other, he said that he will but got annoyed that I was asking him to delete his when I was still on it, so I deleted mine y'day & he said he was going to but he didn't.
It nearly ended y'day because he said he doesn't see the point if I don't trust him & keep questioning him (I do have a problem with reading into things & asking lots). He was saying how maybe we should forget it if I'm so worried of him hurting me! But then said "i like you so much, why are we like this, we know we want each other really etc.
We haven't slept together yet and he has agreed the time needs to be right for both of us, he has told me I'm the girl he wants, he is faithful & wants us to work. But he did say he has commitment problems where by when things get too serious, he gets scared of losing his freedom & backs off. Yet he told me that things are good so far, & normally by now he would have prob stopped texting etc, but it proves to him that this is what he wants & I am what he wants because that ain't happened.
So, should I be worried that he hasn't deleted it yet? What does it mean if he doesn't delete it? & do you think I'm worrying over nothing?
He also said, he never thought bout changing his Facebook status, but he's not going to change it after it only being a week that we have been seeing each other/dating...is this normal too? I have wrote on his wall, & he hasn't deleted it so I don't know if its because he's got something to hide or not.
Dating this guy who is still on the dating site we met on...!
Hey, My question is, is it OK or should I be worried that a guy I've just started dating/seeing is still on the dating site we met on & logs in to check his msgs?
Have an opinion?
What Guys Said 1
Me, me, me. Methinks thou art replete with thine own self.
About the dating site. You've given him enough cause for pause that he's keeping his options open.
I had a girlfriend for four years. At first it was 95% good. But over time the remaining 5% grew to 95%. I suggested that she find someone else. She did. I got a new girlfriend; we've been married for more than 21 years.
Thanks for your reply. But what do you mean "You've given him enough cause for pause"? :-/
What Girls Said 1
Too soon to make all those changes actually. dating one week, 3 dates. Enjoy the time together and don't let this stuff get to you. He may be a paid member to this dating site and just isn't closing it yet. I had one date with a guy and we seem to really like each other and we're going out again. I'm constantly checking my messages on the site, etc. but I don't see that he is doing it. So I'm going to take it one day at a time and see where it goes. If its meant to be, it will be.00|00|0
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text: Coby Weiss is 3 years old and acts like a human 3 year old...if only he could talk! He is my best friend and he makes me smile every second of thd day! He loves snuggling, jogging and being around pther pups! Must say, he is the best dog ever!!!Add to Favorites


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Good Looks Everywhere at Preview
Charm, Variety Win Results for Dealers
Pace Snobs, Interesting Works with Unexpected Themes
The Affordable Art Show rose again for another stimulating and attractive five day run this weekend (Thursday Sep 25 thru Monday 29) in The Tunnel on 11th Avenue and 27 St, arranged in a long corridor of booths left and right. This ideal arrangement allowed the crowd to encounter every booth in sequence and not to miss any work, with all of them presented on the same accessible footing, often by the artists themselves.
The preview evening Thursday Sep 25 was swarmed by a well heeled young crowd which often bought on the spot one of the copious array of interesting works, some immediately appealing and satisfying, others of slower but more substantial interest, but almost all worthy of attention, whatever your taste – and within range for all budding collectors.
Art tells a story
AT EYEBUYART, captions were exceptionally complete, giving the story of the composition as well as the basics such as prices, which ranged from $100 to $2000. For example, Adam Rankin's Moving Series is a set of portraits taken in the weeks leading up to the sale of his family home, says Rankin.
"In each portrait, the subject floats above and through a shared memory, heading towards something new and undocumented, collectively redefining what the idea of home and family is becoming. Moving was shot in Edmonton, Alberta in the summer of 2006. The 5th member of our family, the red canoe, has been around as long as I have. Oddly enough, it has never seen the water and was sold shortly after the Moving series was taken, along with the family home"
Ideal layout to see and be seen
This was not only a well produced show in a venue in the right place with great air and vertical space above the booths but the 70 yards or more of long corridor with booths left and right allowed attendees to walk up and down and see every single gallery on the same terms, with total accessibility to both works and gallery owners and their uniformly charming, handsome, pretty, and helpful staff (or so they seemed to us).
Why online display is also worthwhile
"To me, good art is really about telling stories," says Emily McKinnes of EYEBUYART (above) who makes sure that the photos she sells have extensive explanatory captions. Though she does have a gallery space and office in Toronto she favors the Web where "you can see all of the work and control is in the hands of the person who is looking at it," and where "online is an opportunity for those stories to come to the forefront" which gallery staff may not have the time to recount.
Thus, Gabriel Herman's Jump (2007) above has this story line attached:
"This image was taken while I was living in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and It was during this period that my interest in self portraiture really grew. I often felt isolated during this time, and would often pick up my camera and set out on a creative journey; a certain light seeping into the bedroom, or an empty city street could ignite a spark and get me taking pictures. I spotted the white hanging socks in this image first, and knew that there was some sort of picture there. When I take pictures of myself, it is an exhaustive task that often ends with my heart pounding and my body covered in sweat. I jump, I dance, and I run back and forth between the scene and the camera until I feel I've worked out every possible angle. This image captures this fleeting, freeing moment and represents the idea of everything being up in the air."
Emily draws on artists from Canada, the US and Britain who have all won prizes at the international competition Flash Forward that she founded four years ago. "Prizes, exhibitions, museums and being published in magazines is all great," she says, "but to me one of the best ways to support a young artist is to buy their work, right? So I have tried to make this business about making that easy for people."
Here is an example of how affordable her selection from young, emerging artists of the camera can be, the $500 Diner from Ryan Schude:Here is a rather magnificent ocean wave study by Kerry Shaw that is another example of EYEBUYART's full, museum standard captions:
Gin and pizza
We were not influenced at all in our judgment by the blue crystal balloon goblets of Bombay Sapphire East distilled dry gin from London being served with Q premium tonic, ice, black peppercorn, lemongrass stalk, and lemon instead of lime, designed to make you "brilliant and inspired", although they were delicious. Pizza and other light snacks are also sold at the show, and Phaedon has display of art books on sale at a show discount.
If you can afford $10,000...
There was a great variety of styles and subjects well executed and framed and with prices ranging from a few hundred to five or six or even ten thousand dollars (that would be Damien Hirst butterfly paintings, in his latest, mellow style, details at Manifold Editions.com) from New York and London to countries as far away as Israel and Chile.
Many works of many hues
One characteristic of the show was the presence of many works in which many colors of every tint and shade were mixed into the work as a major element of the composition.
Subtle contemplation from Vietnam
On a quieter note, a fine selection of Vietnamese work was seen at Judith Hughes Day's display of Vietnamese Contemporary Fine Art, where we found every painting offering growing appeal when given time. Immediately impressive were The Girl in the Red Hat by Nguyen Thanh Binh, 60, at $8,400 and the same artist's First Step from 1999, $3,200, which inspired little girls to dance before it as they passed by during the weekend, we heard.
Artists Who Like Animals
The relationship of artists to animals was explored in some images, including this striking Little Red Riding Hood from Shlomi Nissim at Tel Aviv's Contempop Gallery (www.contempopop.com 1 646 647 6147), which may look feral (untamed) but is not so much afterall (see caption; click to hugely enlarge photos at this site):
As its name suggests, the animal images at Feral Fine Art a pop-up gallery in Edmonton, Canada (780-903-5211) are truly wild, even though they are mixed up provocatively below with a couple of gorgeous bra-fillers in 'Balance' (acrylic on board, $3200). For all we know artist Jenny Keith Hughes, who with her singer-songwriter husband Jordan Norman (whose group in Jordan Norman Wisdom teeth) lives half an hour from the Rockies, may be projecting a doubly cheerful self, for the relationship of humans to animals preoccupies her as an aspect of the human condition.
Jenny Keith has imagined a number of juxtapositions of human and wild, and here a wolf inspects a telephone.


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Venerable Marcus is the story of a dilapidated smuggler just trying to make it in the big empty nothing of space. Sick of the smell of cabbage and in need of money Marcus is forced into a different trade. Hilarity ensues for no one.This is Matt Swanson's first novel and for the sake of literature, we all pray it will be his last.
Bookwire is a mobile app for your iPhone that gives you the ability to scan a barcode
or enter ISBN, access book records and add titles to wish lists.


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The Westchester Community Foundation announced $824,000 in grants to support nonprofits in Westchester and Putnam counties.
Grants include $159,000 toward the cleanup and water quality monitoring in the Bronx and Saw Mill rivers, Mianus River Gorge and the Long Island Sound.
"Westchester's environmental community is at the forefront of cleaning our rivers and working with one another and with local officials for wider watershed planning," said program officer Tara Seeley, adding that the foundation is pleased to support these collaborations.
The foundation also granted $90,000 to expand access to mental health services and other support for youth.
"Our community's young people continue to be at high risk for depression and substance abuse, especially heroin and opioid abuse," said executive director Laura Rossi. "Expanded access to mental health services in our region can hopefully save more lives."
For more information and a complete list of grants awarded, visit: www.wcf-ny.org.


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Product or Service
VFP17 punching rotary tablet press, pharmaceutical or pharmacy machine,tablet compression
Profile:Manufacturer - Producer|Ref:PSL152318YH | Country: China | Currency: usd | Export: No
We can manufacture the tablet press machine as you request.
This machine is a kind of automatically continual rotary press equipment. It is widely used to press all kinds of granular materials into tablet, as a kind of fundamental equipment in pharmaceutical machinery, chemical, food, daily goods and other industries .It is suitable for pressing any kind of tablet, sweet, camphor ball, metallurgical granular film and so on.
Model VFP17
Dies 17sets
Max Pressure 80Kn
Max Dia of Tablet 20mm-25mm
Max Depth of Fill 28mm
Max Thickness of Tablet 14mm
Turret Speed 1-18r/min
Production Capacity 18000-20000pcs/h
Motor 3.0kw 1430r/min
Frequency Inverter 3.7kw
Overall Size 860*680*1600mm
Net Weight 850kg
Contact the company


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Original 1937 Studio Pass to Universal Pictures Studios for Hollywood Columnist Jimmy Starr
1937 · Hollywood, CA
by UNIVERSAL PICTURES FILM STUDIO
Hollywood, CA: Universal Pictures, 1937. Original 1937 Studio Pass to Universal Pictures Studios for Hollywood columnist Jimmy Starr. Blue cardstock, 3 3/4" x 2" with Universal Pictures logo. Studio passes were given to press and industry representatives, allowing the bearer access to the studio's lot and sets. It reads in full: "Identification Card, Void After April 1, 1937, Admit to Studio Lot for Parking and to Publicity Dept. Only, No. 29 [stamped], Issued to Jimmy Starr L.A. Herald & Express [typed], Authorized by [signed]." Blank on the verso. About fine with the most minute trace of use. Jimmy Starr (1902 - 1990) is best known as a Hollywood columnist, though he was also a writer and actor, known for The Corpse Came C.O.D. (1947), A Night for Crime (1943) and Pink Pajamas (1929). Some of the 1937 Paramount Studios films Mr. Starr may have enjoyed include such popular productions as Jungle Jim with Grant Withers and Betty Jane Rhodes, We Have Our Moments with Sally Ellers and James Dunn, and When Love Is Young with Virginia Bruce, Kent Taylor, and Walter Brennan. (Inventory #: 20946E)


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Mike McQueary Suing Penn State for Wrongful TerminationOctober 2, 2012
Former Penn State receivers coach Mike McQueary is suing the university for wrongful termination, according to Peter Hall of the Morning Call.
Hall tweeted on Tuesday:
Former Penn State assistant football coach Mike McQueary suing university, alleging he was fired for reporting Victim 2 shower assault.— Peter Hall (@phall215) October 2, 2012
In the lawsuit, McQueary alleges that Penn State fired him for being cooperative with state prosecutors in the Jerry Sandusky case, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.
He said that he only found out about his termination when he watched an interview on TV with Penn State president Rodney Erickson in July.
McQueary testified under a grand jury that he saw Sandusky molesting a young boy in the university showers in 2002. He believes that was the reason he was let go.
The 37-year-old is "seeking millions in damages," claiming that Penn State's treatment of him caused him "much distress, anxiety and embarrassment" after Sandusky was arrested in November, per the Inquirer report.
Penn State is already facing several civil lawsuits from Sandusky's alleged victims. McQueary's suit is just another obstacle as the university attempts to rise from the ashes of a crippling scandal that shook the community and the nation.
The football team has gotten off to a 3-2 start (1-0 Big Ten) this season and is coming off a 35-7 victory over Illinois in Champaign. The Nittany Lions face No. 24 Northwestern on Saturday at home. They have won three straight games since losing their first two against Ohio and Virginia.
Coming into the season, the football program faced the challenge of staying focused on the field after the explosive aftermath of the Sandusky case. McQueary's suit certainly doesn't make things easier in that regard.


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Contractor Stan Leach is running this logging operation, expected to continue through August. More than 70 truckloads of logs had been removed as of August 8, with more than 300,000 board-feet harvested and sold to Trinity River Mill in Weaverville.
A primary goal voiced at public meetings about the community forest is to preserve it as a beautiful backdrop to Weaverville. Reducing fuel loads through a carefully designed thinning process opens up timber stands, improves forest health and lowers wildfire risk.
Phase I encompasses about 200 acres and similar limited operations will occur in other parts of the forest in future years. Funds generated from logging are applied to other projects on the forest, including trail work, interpretative signs, monitoring and stream restoration.
Weaverville Community Forest now covers 984 acres of public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). A unique partnership between the Trinity County Resource Conservation District (RCD) and the BLM, formed through a contractual stewardship agreement, makes it possible for the community to guide the management and use of this forest.
Over 35 interested persons joined RCD and USFS representatives in Weaverville August 8 to explore expanding the community forest onto Weaver Basin lands administered by USFS, possibly through a similar stewardship agreement. The meeting was to hear ideas about opportunities these forestlands may provide the community. Ideas include making the forest more fire safe and healthier while producing logs for our local mill; restoring burned forestlands; providing for a wide range of recreation from hiking and biking trails to OHV and paintball; and providing outdoor education opportunities.
To send your ideas about the Community Forest or to get more information about the Weaverville Community Forest visit the WCF page on the web, or call us at 530-623-6004.
Return to the Trinity County RCD Home Page


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January 25, 2017
2017 Pittsburgh Passion Schedule
The Pittsburgh Passion will celebrate their 15th anniversary this season. The team has been practicing since January 3rd preparing for another run at a championship this season.
The season opener on April 1st will be at home against Columbus. April will be an exciting time as the Passion have 4 home games that month, also welcoming Baltimore, Cleveland, and Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. Our road trips this season will be to Detroit, Boston, Columbus and Washington D.C.
We look forward to seeing you at the games.
2017 Pittsburgh Passion Schedule
April 1: Columbus (Home): 7 pm
April 8: Baltimore (Home): 7 pm
April 15: Cleveland (Home): 7 pm
April 22: @ Detroit (Away)
April 29: Philadelphia (Home): 7 pm
May 6: Bye Week
May 13: @ Boston (Away)
May 20: Bye Week
May 27: @ D.C (Away)
June 3: @ Columbus (Away)
*Playoffs Start June 10
The Pittsburgh Passion have been in existence since 2002 and have won 3 National Championships (2007, 2014 & 2015), finishing each of those seasons undefeated. We will play our home games at West Allegheny's Joe P. DeMichela Stadium.
Stay tuned to our website www.pittsburghpassion.com and our social media pages for information on how to purchase season or single game tickets.


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This post is sponsored by Firmoo Eyewear. I received a free pair of glasses in exchange for my review. All words and opinions are my own.
Hi all, just a quick announcement. I got new glasses and I'm super enamored with them.
A couple weeks ago, I was given the chance to try out *Firmoo, an online optical store.
For the record, we get requests for reviews and other such sponsored posts every now and then, but we don't always say yes. This time, I was intrigued because my friend Gabby, who blogs at Living With A Boy, had recommended the company to me. Also, I had JUST been complaining about my current glasses (the frames I've had since high school) because they are old and loose (the screws won't stay tightened) and won't stay on my face.
I've never ordered glasses online before, so this whole experience was weird for me, but it was easy and fun. They have easy to follow instructions for ordering on the site. Really. And I can totally see with these glasses, so they must have gotten my prescription right.
(I called and got that from my eye doctor. We have vision check-ups once a year in December so I knew my prescription would be current enough for back-up glasses. If these were everyday glasses, I would have gotten a check-up right before I ordered to be sure they were as correct as possible)
I chose these:
I liked the fun detail on the inside and the black and white frames on the outside. Again, these are back-up glasses, not everyday frames, so I didn't have to worry as much about how these would look with various outfits and styles.
Anyway, I really really like these because they stay on my face and allow me to actually work in them!
So, before you say anything, if you're going to say one of the following, please don't. I'll explain:
"But, Melissa, those glasses look big on your face and make you look like a huge nerd."
"Ugh, yet another hipster-nerd wannabee wearing big glasses."
See, I know these glasses look big on my face. I knew that when I ordered them. I have a tiny face. Or rather all the glasses are maybe just too big? Yea, I know, it's probably my face. And I'm okay with that because really, I only wear my glasses when I'm not wearing my contacts. Which, let's face it, isn't that often.
Here, you can see some of the ones I didn't choose using their "Try On View" which is helpful since you can't actually try them on…
Another great thing about the site? The most expensive pair of glasses I looked at was still only about $50, including the lenses. The ones I picked were on sale for $19! And they came with a hard case, soft case, and a cleaning cloth. Bargain!
I know, right? Compared to how much my last pair of just lenses were (not even the frames, which I reused from high school!) I was shocked at how affordable this was. If I did wear glasses everyday, I'd totally buy another pair from here just for variety purposes. CRAZY affordable, I tell ya. Crazy.
Plus, the standard lenses come with a scratch resistant coating. Score! (Now, I haven't had these very long and have only worn them twice, so I'm not sure how they'll hold up if you wear them every day and drop them a lot, but still, it sounds better than not having a scratch resistant coating,
Here's me trying them on the night they were delivered (about 7-10 business days after I ordered them, which was fast!)
Plus, when I ordered (still going for a couple days!) they were having a sale, so be sure to check for any current coupon codes before you order. (This is my stern librarian face telling you to get a good deal and be quiet. Wyatt suggested it. I think I failed at the expression though. Also, wow, my chin is really pointy.)
Alright, that's quite enough pictures of my face for one post. Now it's your turn. Ever ordered glasses online? If yes, how was your experience? I'd totally order from Firmoo again, (they also have prescription sunglasses!) so hopefully you guys will, too!
This post was sponsored by Firmoo Eyewear. I received a pair of glasses in exchange for my review. All words and opinions are my own. *Post contains affiliate links.


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London Lions vs London Beards
By Admin on Aug 09, 2011
Surprise, Surprise London Lion is playing again Lion Beard today making it quite an amazing game to watch. There were 5 team players on the Lion Beard while there are 6 for the other, making it difficult for Lion Beard to switch players when needed. Throughout the game, it was quite impressive to see how the Lion Beard had tolerated the situation and because of that, they had played an amazing game and can really notice they had improved their game since the beginning. Imagining it must have been difficult for the coach of the Lion Beard to not be able to support or direct them during this game as his playing on the London Lion team. Impressive, the Lion Beard did an amazing game otherwise.
Fantastic plays among all the players on both teams with all their sharp moves, thinking to make the right moves. At one point, the game was quite close but London Lion became rather aggressive in the second half of the game, especially by one player. Personally, believed that the basket disliked the Lion Beard today as it was not accepting all your wicked shots! Energetically the game had become very competitive toward the end but rather bizarre based on the situations as London Lion had won the game with it last shot was played as soon as the buzzer went off with scores of 55-77. Impressive Game Guys! Keep it Up!
Written by Amanda L.
Filed Under: Featured • Latest News


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I'm not sure I'm buying into this yet, but if you go to MSN.com they are featuring a video of a guy who built his own Star Trek phaser. He tests it out and it works like a toy until he pops a balloon with it. It wouldn't be a hard stretch for me to imagine a laser popping a balloon (heat?), but I'm no expert on how lasers work.
What is disappointing is that MSN.com leaves it up to us to decide if it is real or not. How about giving some information on lasers or any science behind lasers that would aid us in verifying if the video is true or just doctored (like one comment by a reader who suggested they used a BB gun off to the side). What kind of reporting is that?


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Oceanside, NY (PressExposure) July 30, 2009 -- /1888PressRelease/ This new module interfaces with the Sammy USA and allows the office to manage their inventory automatically. Some features that separate this module from other inventory modules is that it is linked with the billing system. Other features include automatic reordering of stock items, warnings of when stock is low and a reorder may be needed and looking at purchase orders and patient orders with a quick glance.
The ability to track these type of items in a busy office will invaluable, the office will never run out of a supply that is needed.
The Sammy Systems strive to ensure quality technology to the health care field. All of The Sammy Systems have proven to be a positive dynamic addition in the health care profession.
About ICS Software, Ltd. ICS Software, Ltd. has been serving the Medical Community nationwide since 1986. It provides Doctors and their staff with time saving and easy to use programs to enable them to run their practice with ease and increase their income.
Contact: Email debbie ( @ ) icssoftware dot net Call: 877-SAMMYUSA Web: http://www.icssoftware.net
Related Link:http://www.1888pressrelease.com/ics-software-ltd-introduces-a-new-inventory-module-for-all-pr-137624.html