text:
Tractors: Think Twice About Ride-Alongs
Last week, a toddler riding in a tractor with his father on their farm near Cayuga, N.D., fell out an open window and died after he was hit by one of the rear tires. The tractor was an older one with no air conditioning, so the windows were open for ventilation.
According to the National Agricultural Tractor Safety Initiative, more than 100 children die every year and 26,000 are seriously injured on U.S. farms, but four out of five farm children regularly ride on tractors with family members, many family farmers consider letting children ride along a family tradition; it's how many farmers learned the ropes.
The Childhood Agricultural Safety Network, a national group of health and safety organizations, want farmers to know: it's never alright to allow children under 12 on a tractor. "While riding a tractor may be a family tradition, 'it's easier to bury a tradition than a child,'" the CASN said in a media release. The phrase has become the title of a CASN farm safety campaign.
According to Mike Hass, service manager at Jamestown Implement in Valley City, older tractors are particularly dangerous. In fact, owner's manuals for older tractors warned farmers of carrying riders, said Hass. Older tractors were rarely equipped with seat belts, though they can be added.
Buddy seat with seat belts can make the ride safer, but they are common primarily in combines made since the 1990s. Buddy seats aren't always found in tractors, though, according to Hass.
While run-overs account for about 60 deaths per year, with almost 90 percent children under 15, according to the National Agricultural Tractor Safety Initiative, there are ways to prevent them.
Since run-overs occur when someone falls off a moving tractor or starts the tractor in gear while standing on the ground, following a few guidelines can help reduce the incidence of run-overs:
1. No extra riders.
2. Keep children and others away from work areas.
3. Keep bypass shields on starters and electrical systems in good working order.
4. Start engine from operator's seat and avoid bypass starting.
5. Shut down equipment, turn off engine, remove key and wait for moving parts to stop before getting off the tractor.
6. Use ROPS and seatbelts to prevent falls or being ejected from the tractor.
7. Consider adding a safe tractor access platform to the tractor.


text:
From the East Coast to the West Coast to the world at large, Team Inhabitat is sending you warm holiday wishes from every corner of the globe! Our writers and editors are warming up the wintry weather with a healthy dose of holiday cheer, so read on for our season's greetings and let us know how your holidays went in the comments below!
Editor-in-chief Jill Fehrenbacher says: "Here I am with my son Petey admiring our Cardboard Christmas Tree (we've extolled their virtues many time on Inhabitat, here and here). We're laying pretty low this year: we're going to eat vegan cookies and play in the snow in NYC!"
Senior Editor Yuka Yoneda says: "This is Conan O'Brien Yoneda admiring his Christmas tree (a faux that I picked up for $17.99 in college and have kept in my room ever since). Conan's gifts have a black, white and red-all-over theme achieved using funny Japanese newspaper clippings and my favorite houndstooth stamper. He can't wait to open them!"
Ecouterre Managing Editor Jasmin Malik Chua writes: "Holiday greetings from sunny Singapore, where we're introducing the youngest addition to our family to relatives, most of them for the first time! May your seasons be bright and barf-free!"
Managing Editor Mike Chino says: "Leaving San Francisco to visit my parents in Orange County is always a bit of a mind trip – there's no public transportation, tons of cookie cutter houses, and urban sprawl as far as the eye can see. However this year I was struck by my dad's growing fascination with energy-efficient lighting, which is approaching an obsession. There are solar-powered garden lamps, LED Christmas lights, and a CFL in every room of the house. Ever the pragmatist, I'm sure the switch to these new bulbs stem more from their longevity and efficiency than his desire to save the planet, but hey – it's a start!"
Inhabitots Managing Editor Beth Shea and Olivia in the Oregon countryside choosing a Christmas tree.
Contributing Writer Lea Bogdan says: "I've recently move across the country to Chicago, just in time to "experience" a mid-western winter. I decided to create a simple decoration with a paper floor light and some light strands instead of wasting a tree this year. After I string the lights, I hung up a few ornaments that I brought with me from my dearly missed city of Philadelphia. This worked well to give my new place a small dose of Christmas spirit, because not only have I barely unpacked my bags, but I will also be traveling out of town for most of the holiday.
Another way I'm greening my holiday is by sending digital cards and donating the money I would have spent on paper cards and stamps to a noteworthy charity. This year I made an illustration of me in my new city, and I chose Feeding America for the donation. Since I'm so new to the area, I did need a little help for my card with a skyline template from Merriment Design. Happy Holidays to all the Inhabitat readers!"
Contributing Writer Haily Zaki says: "As a good cook, I'm kind of a terrible baker. So this year I tried to conquer holiday cookies (and cupcakes). I made dozens of batches of cornmeal sugar cookies (which turned out like butter cookies), honey cupcakes disguised as reindeer, and raspberry and chambord filled mini brownies. We used all organic ingredients, from the butter to the flour to the eggs, with the exception of the icing (which came in squeeze bottles for convenience – sue me, I was in a rush!), the reindeer face candy (although those are organic chocolate chips), and the snowflakes (no idea what those are made of but they looked pretty). Basically, the baked goodies were offered up to friends and family as gifts, and served a holiday party. There really is nothing like receiving a bunch of cookies made with love and lots of brown sugar."
Transportation Writer Jorge Chapa says: "Christmas in Oz takes on a whole new meaning. It is hard to think of a white Christmas amongst the scorching Sydney heat; one thinks, if Santa is coming to Australia, he better bring a change of clothing. Adaptation to one's environment? What could be greener than that!
I've been away from the site for a few months, doing a bit of soul-searching. This past year has been one of disappointment from our governments, who are moving inches when great strides are needed. The only thing that makes me feel hope after the failures of these past few weeks, is the incredible amount of work happening on all sectors of society. From my point of view at least, the green revolution sweeping the building industry in Australia is exciting and inspiring. I can safely say that at least down under, society as a whole is coming to terms with a carbon and resource-constrained future, and is meeting the challenge head on.
As for Christmas this year, I'll be spending the day in the beautiful Blue Mountains surrounded by friends, cherishing the past year, and looking forward to the challenges of the one to come. Happy Holidays to all of you, and may the New Year be kinder than the last.
See you next year!"
Contributing Writer Moe Beitiks says: "This holiday I'm working from Yosemite. While wishing I could witness the talks, demonstrations, artworks and actions in Copenhagen firsthand, I've been grateful for the time I've had to reflect on the natural landscapes here. This year, a Ringtailed Cat interrupted several evenings of the Bracebridge Dinner, chewing on the scenery and reminding the elegantly attired guests of the wild outside. Warming climate has forced the American Pika, a tiny furball that can't survive in temperatures higher than 78 degrees Farenheight, higher and higher into the Yosemite mountains. It follows the cold. Yosemite itself, is, frankly, an absurdly picturesque winter-freaking-wonderland that has made me ever more grateful for the planet and the people who have mobilized to protect it.
Also, there's live jazz piano every day in the hotel lounge. Which is nice."
Happy Holidays from Half Dome.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
From my dad I learned:
- He once had a fever and hallucinated that the room was closing in on him and his mom put ice packs on him.
- The bunk beds in the boy's bedroom (there were four of them and 3 girls) had wagon wheels on the ends.
- He sat in the middle of the dining room table and was exposed to all the types of food offered.
- He really did take his dog to a farm when my brother was born.
- The family's 3-legged dog slept at the end of her bed.
- She watched the clouds starting to swirl before they became the F5 tornado that his Xenia, Ohio. Her dad was mad that they didn't take any photos.
- My grandfather would fall asleep and snore during movies. Drive-ins were wonderful for the other people watching the same movie.
- She's not looking forward to her own obituary.


text:
Have a loved one affected with dementia? Get resources, recommendations, charts and advice for the support you need.
Download the eBook
Chef Brad Miller is working with Five Star Senior Living, leading the way in redefining senior dining. He has teamed with Five Star's culinary staff to create signature recipes to incorporate into the company's menus, ranging from rich fare to special dietary options. "These recipes feature distinctive flavors and plating and are tailored to regional food sources to ensure the use of the highest quality and freshest ingredients."
937 Bowman RoadMount Pleasant, SC 29464
1010 Anna Knapp BoulevardMt. Pleasant, SC 29464
320 Seven Farms DriveCharleston, SC 29492
Meet the people who make Five Star great.
Watch The Videos
Website By Boston Interactive


text:
Broncos advance to consolation soccer championship
IDAHO FALLS — On Thursday, the defending 4A state champion Blackfoot Broncos went 80 minutes of play without a goal. That rarity spilled over into Friday's loser out contest against Bishop Kelly for 60 minutes of play but in the sixty-first minute, the Blackfoot offense erupted as they tallied a trio of goals in a fifteen minute span leading to a 3-1 victory.
"We have a running joke in England that you wait around for an hour for a bus and then suddenly two arrive at the same time and that's exactly what it felt like," Blackfoot head coach Liam Pope said. "It went through my head, I would be lying to say that it didn't but I'm standing there and I'm looking at Andy and Gordies and Jordan and Berra and Chewy and I'm like, there's so much attacking talent here, how are we not getting any goals?"
Indeed, the soccer gods were unkind to the Broncos as Bishop Kelly converted a rebound shot for a goal just three minutes into the contest while Blackfoot had shot after shot go just wide or off the crossbar leading to a nervous Blackfoot crowd as the deja vu feeling of Thursday began to creep in.
That feeling all went away in the sixty first minute however when Andy Garcia dribbled the ball through the Bishop Kelly defense and then drilled a shot into the goal for the Broncos first goal of the tournament and a 1-1 tie. Less than a minute later it was Everardo Bartolo who found the back of the goal when he blasted a shot just into the far post and as the large Blackfoot crowd celebrated, the Broncos now led 2-1.
"I was worried and then a pair of goals arrived and the world looked better at that time," Coach Pope said. "A lot of people were here watching and supporting us and more than anything I feel that the boys deserved to hear that cheer. Yesterday we didn't play badly, we just didn't score. Today we weren't playing badly, although the goal that we conceded was a bad goal. It was a goal that will make coaches chase after defenders with large metal objects but it was nice to get those two goals and the way that we were attacking, we deserved those goals."
Up a goal the Broncos then turned to their defense as Bishop Kelly turned up their efforts in an attempt to tie the game. Bishop Kelly were affective in their efforts as they put a ton of pressure on the Blackfoot defense that bent but just didn't break as time and time again Ozzy Oseguera made fabulous saves on solid Knight shots.
"Bishop Kelly were a threat up front which made me nervous," Coach Pope said. "The shot that Bishop Kelly took with three or four minutes later I just don't know how Ozzy got it. As soon as the kid hit it I thought that it was going in and then there was Ozzy with a strong arm around it so there would be no follow ups."
Blackfoot added an insurance goal just moments after the big save by Oseguera when Jesus Pelayo placed a perfectly placed crossing pass to a streaking Andy Garcia effectively sealing the game for the Broncos.
Blackfoot (14-2-1) will hit the pitch for the final time in 2012 when they take on Jerome, who beat Century on Friday, for the consolation championship at 10 a.m. at the Idaho Falls soccer complex.


text:
I've never heard of WestEast Magazine, but apparently it is quite the source of artsy fashion style stuff – I'm classy, bros – and it even has a website that might be up and running eventually. And what better way to launch said website than by merging style and fashion with professional sports, because as we all know so well, athletes love them some clothes.
So which superstar athlete did WestEast reach out to for its latest issue? Was it one of our noted style icons like LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Andre Iguodala, Dwyane Wade, or even documentary filmmaker and fashion guru Baron Davis? No, it was Kris Humphries. Did you not get that from the title of this post?
Kris, 27, was apparently interested in doing the shoot because of the James Bond action hero theme and "he thought it would be a fun thing to do. He's a guy, so the action figure theme was appealing. Plus, he wanted to help out his friend, stylist Derek Warburton, who is WestEast's fahion director," an insider told Hollywoodlife.com.
As for reports that Kris did the shoot as "revenge" on Kim Kardashian with whom he's in the midst of a divorce? — Those rumors are "ridiculous" says a source. (Via Hollywood Life)
How the hell would a fashion shoot be revenge against a girl who Tweets about not wearing makeup as an excuse to post a picture of her huge breasts? Revenge would be actually proving in court that Kim Kardashian is guilty of fraud and that she knowingly and maliciously entered into a fake marriage to fool companies into paying her upwards of $17 million.
Revenge isn't dressing up like a douchebag and making pouty faces because you think it makes you look like a British movie spy. Hollywood Life also has some exclusive pictures from Humphries' shoot that I've included after the jump. Enjoy. But be ready for the last one. It's a doozie.


text:
'Toilet Dating' Lets Desperate Singles Mingle in the Bathroom
Love is in the air.
Hopefully, air freshener is, too.
In one of the more unique promotions you'll ever hear, a British dating site is offering 'toilet dating,' nights in which romance-starved (and perhaps backed-up) singles meet and get to know each other in the john during a restroom sightseeing tour.
Those who sign up for DoingSomething.co.uk's event, which is being put on along with Loo Tours, will enjoy a traditional pub crawl combined with the excrement – err, excitement – of a toilet tour. In additional to trying to snag some digits, participants will learn about the history of toilets, as well as tips for finding free restrooms around London.
DoingSomething's founder reached into his bag of puns to explain why it's worth trying:
We've given the London loo scene the ultimate DoingSomething.co.uk makeover and are encouraging Londoners to not be down in the dumps and try this new dating experience."
The next toilet night is slated for September 6. Here's hoping no one who gets together decides to bathroom break up.


text:
Web Code:
Customer Service |
Track Order |
Request a Quote |
Corporate Accounts
Home > L-Desk Cube
Maxon Furniture
View Collection:
Item No:
The experience of an aesthetically pleasing surrounding does wonders for everyone and a workspace of Prefix partitions and matching components enhances productivity. The subtle, contemporary color choices suit most office spaces. This partially open cube design is ideal for an employee who needs privacy yet might need to be easily accessible by other coworkers.
This L-desk cube uses all Prefix components to ensure a secure, safe fit. The laminate surfaces withstand long-term use, and the storage components are solid steel with powder coat finish. The finish colors on the workstations storage components match the partition frames for a cohesive look.
Assembly required.
All Maxon orders are custom made, non-cancellable, and are not returnable.
This item is a GSA Schedule Contract item. National Business Furniture's GSA contract number is: GS-27F-0024V.
For more information, please call one of our government specialists at 800-558-1010, or visit this page to learn about all our government contracts including Navy BPA, Air Force BPA, TXMAS and CMAS.
For a limited time, take an additional 15% OFF the price of this item by entering promo code HARVEST during checkout! Your discounted price will be reflected at checkout. Promotion valid for 15% off all qualifying products (excluding tax and shipping) using promo code HARVEST only. Qualifying products will be marked with a 15% Off tag. Promo code cannot be used with any other promotions or discounts and is limited to one use per customer. Promo code applies to merchandise only. Enter promo code on payment page in check out to see discount before submitting order. Promo code valid November 1, 2018 to November 30, 2018 11:59 p.m. CST.
Connect with us:
My Account
Track Your Order
Corporate Account
Customer Service
Request a Quote
Request a Catalog
Contact Us
Shipping Policies
About Us
Life at NBF
Join our Team
Furniture Consultants
Sustainability Statement
En Español
Privacy & Security
Site Map
Talk to one of our furniture specialists
Email Us
Web Code: ZY3EU9-16734


text:
A.L. Ferreira needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 443 designs submitted by 102 freelance designers.
I live in Chicago. This is my first independent venture and proof that I am either becoming brave or crazy.
Our customers are trendsetting women. Their ages range from 25 - 45 years.
These women prefer the original inspiration to the new interpretation.
This shop is a vintage boutique and it is a story of how we came to appreciate the beautiful things we see today.
My preferred concept incorporates a bow into the design - this will help people remember the proper spelling of bowbari.
1.) 1-2 colors max. I think one color should be neutral, but you could prove me wrong.
3.) Ensure the logo works with a white background.
4.) Simple means memorable and easy to read.
5.) Keep it refined, so no bubble letters, cartoons nor cleavage. Romantic means brimming with storied history and spontaneity.
6.) Please do not use any stock images or clip art in the logo.
7.) Print File Format (.ai) and Web File Format (layered .psd and .jpg) are required.
8.) If you can come up with a long word-based logo (bowbari written out), and a symbolic marque logo (think chanel - cc, tory burch -tb, versace, etc.) then you will have a major leg up on your competition.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The Niagara County History Center welcomes local Korean War veteran Stephen Lacki who will present a free public program titled, "KW60," on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. at the History Center, 215 Niagara St., Lockport.
Lacki is a local ambassador to the U.S. Department of Defense for the commemoration committee overseeing the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. This group has adopted the moniker KW60.
A frequent writer on the topic of the Korean War, Lacki will present from his first-hand experiences as a Marine corporal during the conflict. He'll explain events surrounding KW60 at the program.
For more information, call 716-434-7433.


text:
Browse Bamboo Dinnerware
$55.99/CSElite Global Solutions - ECO99R-PP - Greenovations 9 in Plate
Attractive, yet practical, bamboo dinnerware has evolved into an everyday option for just about any establishment. Great for high-end eateries as well as your average at-home kitchen, each piece of bamboo dinnerware showcased below – be it a bowl, plate, cup, or platter – comes with a little bit of built in character and style. Mix and match colors, or pick up a whole set in your shade, and bring some bamboo to the table the next time you're serving up something scrumptious.
Exclusive offers and product updates will be arriving to your inbox soon.


text:
- Network: MTV , MTV - Music Television
- Series Premiere Date: Mar 8, 1993
- Starring: Chris Phillips, Chris Marcil, Mike Judge
Beavis and Butt-head was first aired on the U.S. cable network MTV in March 1993. This show, which combined animation and music videos, was an example of the unique programming that MTV has consistently provided for its youthful demographics. The half-hour program alternated between a simpleBeavis and Butt-head was first aired on the U.S. cable network MTV in March 1993. This show, which combined animation and music videos, was an example of the unique programming that MTV has consistently provided for its youthful demographics. The half-hour program alternated between a simple narrative, which focused on the exploits of two low-life adolescents, and clips from music videos, which the two teens commented on. Creator Mike Judge had penned the aimless duo for a festival of animation when Abby Turkuhle, MTV's senior vice president picked up an episode for the network's animated compendium Liquid Television. MTV immediately contracted for 65 episodes from Judge, with Turkuhle as producer, and placed Beavis and Butt-head in the 7:00 and 11:00 P.M. week-day time slots.
The characters, Beavis and Butt-head, are rude, crude, and stupid, and can be placed in the "dumb comedy" tradition, which includes Abbott and Costello, The Three Stooges, Cheech and Chong, Saturday Night Live's Wayne and Garth, and FOX's The Simpsons. When the show debuted, television critics differed in their opinions, with some praising the show for daring to present the stupidity of male "metalheads" who watch too much television (effectively satirizing the core MTV audience), and others categorizing Beavis and Butt-head as another example of television's declining quality. Beavis and Butt-head did find an audience and began pulling in MTV's highest ratings. But the show was also quite controversial, instigating heated public debate on the interconnected issues of representations of violence in the media and generational politics surrounding youth subcultures.
Beavis and Butt-head they found, was especially popular with those in their twenties. It turned out to be bothersome to many that young people enjoyed the show and laughed at its two imbecilic boys, even if these fans were much more intelligent and much less grating than Beavis and Butt-head. In this sense, Beavis and Butt-head raised the issue of generational taste cultures. Definitions of "taste," Pierre Bourdieu notes, "unite and separate, uniting those who are the product of similar conditions but only by distinguishing them from all others. And taste distinguishes in an essential way, since it is the basis of all that one has--people and things--and of all that one is for others, whereby one classifies oneself and is classified by others." To the degree that taste cultures agree, they are brought together into a subcultural formation; but to this degree they are also separated from those with whom they differ. It was the "bad taste" of Beavis and Butt-head's audience which bothered many, and this brings to the surface another one of the reasons why Beavis and Butt-head was so controversial.
Cultural critics, educators, and concerned parents gathered skeptically, sternly, and anxiously in front of the television set and passed judgment upon the "tasteless" Beavis and Butt-head show. And in an ironic reversal, Beavis and Butt-head countered by ascending the cultural hierarchy. The two youths channel-surfed, looking for videos that didn't suck (i.e. those with heavy metal or hardcore rap, those that contained violence, or encouraged genital response.) In becoming the self-proclaimed Siskel and Ebert of music video, they served to evaluate pop culture with an unencumbered bottom line--does a music video "suck" or is it "cool?" Beavis and Butt-head as a television show, was certainly towards the lower end of traditional scales of cultural "quality." But these two animated "slackers" evaluated other media, and so pronounced their own critical opinions and erected their own taste hierarchies. Beavis and Butt-head had their own particular brand of "taste:" they determined acceptability and unacceptability, invoking, while simultaneously upending, notions of "high" and "low" culture. In this, they entered that hallowed sphere of criticism, where they competed with others in overseeing the public good and preserving the place and status of artistic evaluation. They disregarded other accepted forms of authority, refusing to acknowledge their own limited perspectives. But like other critics, this was an important part of their appeal. After all, critics are sought out for straightforward opinion, not muddled oscillation.
In this recuperation of the critical discourse, Beavis and Butt-head joined with their audience, approximating the contradictory impulses of contemporary cynical youth, who mixed their self-delusion with self-awareness. In the case of fans of Beavis and Butt-head, these lines of demarcation indicated both a generational unity and the generation-based barriers between the baby boomers and the "baby busters." The reputed cynicism of the "twentynothings" was on view as Beavis and Butt-head evoked both a stunted adolescence which was long past and an unsure and seemingly inaccessible future. … Expand
- Genre(s): Comedy, Animation, Action & Adventure
- Season 1 premiere date: Sep 22, 1992
- Episode Length: 30
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
Positive: 3 out of 5
Mixed: 2 out of 5
Negative: 0 out of 5
Although the characters' coarseness is matched only by the somehow appropriate crudeness of Judge's rudimentary animation, Beavis and Butt-head are simply too exquisitely absurd and vacuous to be resisted.
I happen to believe Beavis and Butt-head is a work of twisted brilliance... It's cringingly blunt and cheerfully offensive. It's also a richly textured, dead-on satire of teenage life and pop culture, which explains its growing appeal with Generation X and even some baby boomers who haven't lost their senses of humor. [24 June 1993, p.11]
Beavis and Butt-Head are lewd and crude, and they are a phenomenon. Funny, too -- that is, if the scrawlings on the boy's bathroom stalls in your local junior high tickle your funny bone. [20 Aug 1993, p.3]
Beavis and Butt-head are dumb, crude, thoughtless, ugly, sexist, self-destructive fools...But for some reason, the little wienerheads make us laugh." Huh, huh, huh. [27 May 1993, p.ND6]
There's a fine line between clever and stupid, as somebody says in "This Is Spinal Tap," Rob Reiner's cleverly stupid "rockumentary." Beavis and Butt-head don't just walk that line: they live there. [11 July 1993, p.8]
Score distribution:
Positive: 5 out of 5
Mixed: 0 out of 5
Negative: 0 out of 5
Jan 24, 2012beavis and butt head the best show in the 90s one of the best lines that i like about butt head is "huh huh beavis were gonnabeavis and butt head the best show in the 90s one of the best lines that i like about butt head is "huh huh beavis were gonna score huh huh " hilarious… Expand
Jun 3, 2014HA HA HA HA!! This show always cracks me up! This show was always the best that was on MTV, the quotes in this show is pretty funny. Like thisHA HA HA HA!! This show always cracks me up! This show was always the best that was on MTV, the quotes in this show is pretty funny. Like this one "I need tp for my bunhole!!!"… Expand
Nov 9, 2011Beavis and Butt-head may be the single funniest animated shows ever created, and it is because of the characters. Beavis and Butt-head don'tBeavis and Butt-head may be the single funniest animated shows ever created, and it is because of the characters. Beavis and Butt-head don't dissappoint when it comes to laughs, and when they piss off all the other characters, you'll watch it.… Expand
Jun 27, 2013Huh huh, hey Bevavis, huh
Heh, heh, what Butt-head
huh huh, this show is cool heh heh, yeah, heh heh, it is cool, heh heh huh huh heh hehHuh huh, hey Bevavis, huh
Heh, heh, what Butt-head
huh huh, this show is cool
heh heh, yeah, heh heh, it is cool, heh heh
huh huh
heh heh heh heh
9/10… Expand
Dec 13, 2012Very nice and funny TV "show". Probably the only good (with South Park) that MTV transmits. Almost perfect and very recommended to who likes laughing.
Related Articles
Published: June 29, 2010In theaters this week, "The Last Airbender" is attempting to make a successful jump from TV cartoon to the big screen, something few animated shows have accomplished in the past. We look at five previous success stories, and a handful of the biggest failures.


text:
firstname.lastname@example.com | 800-543-0874
Customer Service
We created the National Underwriter Online Store to make your online shopping experience easier and more enjoyable. Please click on a topic below to find out more about our new online catalog. If you don't see the answer to your question, please contact our Customer Service Department at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Contact Us
8:30am - 5pm ET Monday - Friday


text:
Mitral valve surgery is surgery to either repair or replace the mitral valve in your heart.
Blood flows from the lungs and enters the left atrium of the heart. The blood then flows into the left ventricle. The mitral valve is located between these two chambers. It makes sure that the blood keeps moving forward.
You may need surgery on your mitral valve if:
- The mitral valve is hardened (calcified). This prevents blood from moving forward through the valve.
- The mitral valve is too loose. Blood tends to flows backward when this occurs.
Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery is done through several small cuts. Another type of operation, open mitral valve surgery requires a larger cut.
Alternative Names
Mitral valve repair – right mini-thoracotomy; Mitral valve repair – partial upper sternotomy; Robotically-assisted, endoscopic valve repair, Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty
Before your surgery you will receive
You will be asleep and pain-free.
There are several different ways to perform minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.
- Your heart surgeon may make a 2-inch to 3-inch-long cut in the right part of your chest near the sternum (breastbone). Muscles in the area will be divided. This lets the surgeon reach the heart. A small cut is made in the left side of your heart so the surgeon can repair or replace the mitral valve.
- In endoscopic surgery, your surgeon makes 1 – 4 small holes in your chest. Surgery is done through the cuts using a camera and special surgical tools. For robotically-assisted valve surgery, the surgeon makes 2 – 4 tiny cuts in your chest. The cuts are about 1/2 to 3/4 inches each. The surgeon uses a special computer to control robotic arms during the surgery. A 3D view of the heart and mitral valve are displayed on a computer in the operating room. This method is very precise.
You may need a heart-lung machine for these types of surgery. You will be connected to this device through small cuts in the groin or on the chest. If you do not need a heart-lung machine, your heart rate will be slowed by medicine or a mechanical device.
If your surgeon can repair your mitral valve, you may have:
- Ring annuloplasty — The surgeon repairs the ring-like part around the valve by sewing a ring of metal, cloth, or tissue around the valve.
- Valve repair — The surgeon trims, shapes, or rebuilds one or both of the flaps that open and close the valve.
You will need a new valve if there is too much damage to your mitral valve. This is called replacement surgery. Your surgeon will remove your mitral valve and sew a new one into place. There are two main types of new valves:
- Mechanical — made of man-made materials, such as titanium and carbon. These valves last the longest. You will need to take blood-thinning medicine, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin, for the rest of your life.
- Biological — made of human or animal tissue. These valves last 10 – 12 years, but you may not need to take blood thinners for life.
The surgery may take 2 -4 hours.
This surgery can sometimes be done through a groin artery, with no cuts on your chest. The doctor sends a catheter (flexible tube) with a balloon attached on the end. The balloon inflates to stretch the opening of the valve. This procedure is called percutaneous valvuloplasty.
Why the Procedure Is Performed
You may need surgery if your mitral valve does not work properly because:
You have mitral regurgitation — a mitral valve that does not close all the way and allows blood to leak back into the left atria
You have
mitral stenosis— a mitral valve that does not open fully and restricts blood flow
Your valve has developed an infection (infectious endocarditis)
You have severe
mitral valve prolapsethat is not controlled with medicine.
Minimally invasive surgery may be done for these reasons:
- Changes in your mitral valve are causing major heart symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting spells, or heart failure.
- Tests show that the changes in your mitral valve are beginning to harm your heart function.
- Damage to your heart valve from infection (endocarditis).
A minimally invasive procedure has many benefits. There is less pain, blood loss, and risk of infection. You will also recover faster than you would from open heart surgery.
Percutaneous valvoplasty is can only done in people who are too sick to have anesthesia. The results of this procedure are not long-lasting.
Risks for any surgery are:
Blood clotsin the legs that may travel to the lungs Blood loss Breathing problems
- Infection, including in the lungs, kidneys, bladder, chest, or heart valves
- Reactions to medicines
Minimally invasive surgery techniques have far fewer risks than open surgery. Possible risks from minimally invasive valve surgery are:
Damage to other organs, nerves, or bones
Heart attack, stroke, or death
- Infection of the new valve
Irregular heartbeatthat must be treated with medicines or a pacemaker
- Kidney failure
- Poor healing of the wounds
Before the Procedure
Always tell your doctor or nurse:
- If you are or could be pregnant
- What medicines you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription
You may be able to store blood in the blood bank for transfusions during and after your surgery. Ask your surgeon about how you and your family members can donate blood.
If you smoke, you must stop. Ask your doctor for help.
During the days before your surgery:
- For the 2-week period before surgery, you may be asked to stop taking medicines that make it harder for your blood to clot. These might cause increased bleeding during the surgery. Some of these medicines include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn).
- If you are taking warfarin (Coumadin) or clopidogrel (Plavix), talk with your surgeon before stopping or changing how you take these drugs.
- Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
- Prepare your house for when you get home from the hospital.
- Shower and wash your hair the day before surgery. You may need to wash your body below your neck with a special soap. Scrub your chest 2 or 3 times with this soap. You also may be asked to take an antibiotic to prevent infection.
On the day of the surgery:
- You may be asked not to drink or eat anything after midnight the night before your surgery. This includes using chewing gum and mints. Rinse your mouth with water if it feels dry. Be careful not to swallow.
- Take the medicines your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
- Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.
After the Procedure
Expect to spend 3 – 5 days in the hospital after surgery. You will wake up in the intensive care unit (ICU) and recover there for 1 or 2 days. Nurses will closely watch monitors that display your vital signs (pulse, temperature, and breathing).
Two to three tubes will be in your chest to drain fluid from around your heart. They are usually removed 1 – 3 days after surgery. You may have a catheter (flexible tube) in your bladder to drain urine. You may also have intravenous (IV) lines to get fluids.
You will go from the ICU to a regular hospital room. Your nurses and doctors will monitor your heart and vital signs until you are ready to go home. You will receive pain medicine for pain in your chest.
Your nurse will help start activity slowly. You may begin a program to make your heart and body stronger.
A pacemaker may be placed in your heart if your heart rate becomes too slow after surgery. This may be temporary or permanent.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Mechanical heart valves do not fail often. However, blood clots can develop on them. If a blood clot forms, you may have a stroke. Bleeding can occur, but this is rare.
Biological valves have a lower risk of blood clots but tend to fail over time.
The results of mitral valve repair are excellent. For best results, choose to have surgery at a center that does many of these procedures. Minimally invasive heart valve surgery has improved greatly in recent years. These techniques are safe for most patients, and can reduce recovery time and pain.
Related:Aspirin and heart disease, Clopidogrel (Plavix), Heart valve surgery – discharge , Taking warfarin (Coumadin), Mitral valve prolapse, Marfan syndrome, Endocarditis, Mitral valve surgery – open


text:
Stagecoach Mary Fields
Up until her death in 1914 at the age of 82, Old West badass "Stagecoach" Mary Fields had a standing bet at her local saloon: Five bucks and a glass of whiskey said she could knock out any cowboy in Cascade, Montana with a single punch.
After the third or fourth dumb asshole tried to take her up on it, nobody ever had the balls to do it again.
A mysterious, behemoth, don't-fuck-with-me woman too badass for a backstory, best guesses say that Stagecoach Mary was born on or around 1832… although up until her death the date itself was such a mystery that the town of Cascade closed their schools and businesses to celebrate her birthday whenever the hell this hard-drinking, hard-smoking, hard-swearing frontierswoman told them to – which was, on average, about twice a year, usually once around March and again sometime in October. We know that she spent the first thirty years of her life as a slave in Hickman County, Tennessee, and that she'd spent some time working on a Mississippi steamboat Proud Mary Tina Turner-style, but aside from all that rollin' on the river stuff all we can truly be certain of is that this six-foot tall, two hundred pound bulldozer of a woman rolled into the rough-and-tumble frontier town of Cascade in 1884 with a six-shooter and a flask of whiskey in her work apron, a well-worn ten-gauge shotgun on her lap, and a home-rolled cigar clenched between her teeth, just daring anyone to fuck with her or look at her funny or give her one reason to break his face into bone splinters with an iron-fisted right hook. She would go on to be the toughest goddamned mail carrier you'd ever want to meet, a Montana legend, and the sort of over-the-top head-crushing asskicker that forged the Great American West.
Mary rode into Montana from Toledo, Ohio, where she'd been working as a carpenter at a Roman Catholic convent. Apparently one of her best friends, a woman named Sister Amadeus (who may or may not have had some personal connection that dated back to Mary's time as a slave in Tennessee), had come out to Cascade to open a school for Blackfoot Indian girls, but when the dainty Sister Amadeus got sick with pneumonia and was hacking her delicate little lungs out our girl Mary jumped on a coach and hauled ass out there to help her. Mary took a job working for the Ursuline Nuns at St. Peter's Mission in Cascade, where she made nine bucks a week to do hard-as-fuck menial labor shit like chopping wood, digging holes, and building a schoolhouse and a chapel with little more than her bare hands, a pocket full of nails, and a carpenter's level. When she wasn't tending the chickens, maintaining the convent's garden, or swearing and headbutting people unconscious for even the slightest offenses (one nun famously remarked, "May God help anyone who walks on the lawn after Mary has cut it"), the 52 year-old badass made weekly 120-mile supply runs out to Helena to pick up food and medical gear for the convent.
Visit Lovely 1884 Cascade, Montana!
Now, running a stagecoach a couple hundred miles by yourself in the Old West was no fucking picnic – this was a lawless land, filled with dangerous tomahawk-hucking Sioux Indian war bands, murderous gunslinging outlaw bandit douchebags, and all manner of vicious wild beasts capable of shredding a person into ground beef, and if a six-shooter bullet didn't find a way to bring about your premature untimely gruesome death the forty degree below zero wind chills would. On more than one occasion thick snow drifts blocked off Mary's route, piling up so high the horses couldn't move through it, and since there was no shelter anywhere for miles she would survive the night not by taking shelter, but by hopping out of the cart and pacing back and forth on foot next to the stagecoach in an effort to keep warm. Then, if they died, I'm assuming she Han Solo Ice Planet Hoth'ed it, but who knows.
One of the more famous tales of Stagecoach Mary's badassitude came one evening when was charging through the countryside on one of her runs to deliver food and medicine to underprivileged nuns when suddenly out of nowhere a pack of psychotic fucking wolves charged in and attacked her horses, freaking them out, ripping them up, and flipping the entire cart on its side. Mary jumped out, used the overturned cart as cover to keep her from being mauled from the back when she wasn't looking, and then, with only a small lamp as her light source, she fought off several attacks from this pack of ferocious beasts throughout the night, first by blasting them with a shotgun at close range, and then switching to her revolver when she ran out of buckshot. The next morning she muscled the cart back upright, got everything back in place, tracked down some of the horses, made the rest of the trip back, and brought everything to the convent intact – except for a keg of molasses that had cracked during the battle, which the asshole Bishop made her pay for out of pocket (that guy was a serious bastard).
These are the sort of stagecoach folk Mary rolled with.
When Stagecoach Mary wasn't cracking rabid wolves in the fucking face with the stock of her ten-gauge or single-handedly building schoolhouses for poor Native American girls, you could find her in the saloons of Cascade drinking men under the table like the chick from Raiders of the Lost Ark and chomping on homemade cigars so potent that hardly any gunslinger in town had the stomach to handle them. You'd think maybe some folks would have tried to fuck with her, considering that she was, you know, a black woman in a society that at the time wasn't particularly well-known for its attitudes towards racial and gender equality, but Stagecoach Mary wasn't the sort of badass chick that was going to let people tell her what the fuck she was going to do or how she was going to do it. At a time when non-prostitute women weren't allowed to drink at saloons, she received special permission from the Mayor to be served at any bar in the city any time she wanted, for life. Any time some asshole messed with her, she fucked him up. Like, one time a guy called her a rude name outside a saloon, so she looked at him for a second, said nothing, then grabbed a big fucking rock out of the street and clubbed him in the skull with it repeatedly until other cowboys finally restrained her. This chick gained such a reputation for being the shit out of uppity gunslingers that didn't show her the proper respect that the Great Falls Examiner newspaper once cited this hard-drinking, quick-tempered asskicker as having "broken more noses than any other person in Montana," and nobody ever debated the claim.
Well, as you might imagine, you can only be a hard-drinking, foul-mouthed Convent employee for so long before your endless profanity-laced diatribes start to rub the saintly-types the wrong way, but for Mary, it wasn't her mouth but her unquenchable thirst for vengeance that eventually got her in trouble. Apparently one day the convent handyman got all butt-hurt that Mary made more money than him, so he went around town passive-aggressively bitching and whining and sobbing hysterically to anyone who would listen about how a black woman shouldn't make more money than him because oh boo hoo woe is me I'm so fucking emo it's a tragedy and I'm totally posting about it on MySpace when I get home. When Mary got wind of what was going down, she cracked her knuckles, rolled up the sleeves of her work blouse, pulled out the break-top five-shooter Smith & Wesson .38 she kept under her apron at all times, stormed out behind the nunnery, challenged that jackass to a duel, and in the ensuing close-quarter gun battle she literally popped a cap in his ass, shooting him in the buttocks while emerging unscathed herself.
Naturally, this got her fired. But it was totally worth it. Seriously, fuck that guy. And fuck the Bishop for firing her, even though discharging a firearm with malicious intent on the grounds of a Roman Catholic convent is probably about as worthy a cause for dismissal as you can probably ever hope for.
A S&W .38 "Lemon Squeezer" like the kind Mary carried with her at all times.Also pictured: Whiskey. Which is also appropriate.
Now out of work, Mary opened two restaurants in Cascade, but they both failed because she gave out too many free meals to needy people and also because she kind of sucked at cooking. So in 1895, she applied for a job with the United States Postal Service delivering mail throughout the Montana Territory. For her job interview, she and a dozen hardened Old West cowboys half her age were asked to hitch a team of six horses to a stagecoach as quickly as possible. The 60-year old Mary Fields blew them all away, hitching the horses and then having time left over to run to the saloon, grab a shot, come back, and smoke a cigar while laughing at the other cowpokes. She became the second woman – and the first black person of any gender – to work for the U.S. Post Office.
Now, being a postal employee might not trigger images of ultimate gunslinging badassitude, but running a postal route in 1880s Montana was basically the Old West version of driving a mail truck through Boyz in da Hood-era Los Angeles on check day. For the next six years, 60+ year old Mary Fields rode a stagecoach packed with money and expensive parcels through the Montana territories delivering mail anywhere, any time, through any terrain and weather and all manner of danger. Braving blizzards, heat waves, driving rain and screaming winds, Mary never missed a day of work, never failed to deliver a single letter, and was never late once. Fuck, I've been late to my day job three times this week and the bus route is walking distance from my house, and here's this chick steering a horse-drawn carriage up a mountain cliff to deliver a thank-you card from grandma to some backwater farmer on time. If the snow got so high that the horses couldn't keep going (this is fairly common in a place with regular sub-zero wind chills), Mary would tie them to a tree, throw her mail bag over her shoulder, and fucking walk ten miles through waist deep snow and twenty mph headwinds to deliver a letter to some random schmuck on a farm in the middle of ass-nowhere Montana. When the weather wasn't completely soul-suckingly frigid she had to worry about outlaws and Indian attacks, although she does mention that the latter wasn't very common – for most Sioux, she was the first black person they'd ever seen, and since they didn't know what the deal was they usually just left her alone. If anyone got a little too close for comfort she of course also carried that trusty ten-gauge shotgun (a ten-gauge, for the record, has an even bigger bore than a twelve-gauge) that according to her personal experience was capable of "cutting a man in half at closer range." It was doing this job where Stagecoach Mary earned her nickname, because any time you needed something delivered on time you didn't fucking call FedEx, you had this chick roll around the west with a boomstick, a pet eagle (!) and a mule named Moses and that was a hell of a lot more reliable than any overnight delivery service you could ever ask for.
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
Stagecoach Mary retired in 1901and opened the most badass laundry service Cascade, MT has ever seen. Here's an example: One time Mary was at the saloon playing poker and drinking whiskey, when suddenly she heard a voice outside the saloon that caught her attention – it was some deadbeat motherfucker who'd gotten his laundry done but hadn't paid his bill. The 72 year old ex-Postal employee calmly excused herself from the card table, walked outside, grabbed that jerkburger by his shoulder, spun him around, and completely flattened him with one punch. Then she leaned over the guy's crumpled body in the middle of the street and calmly told him the pleasure she'd just derived from busting his face with her fist in was far more enjoyment than she'd ever get from the two bucks he owed her, so they'd just call it even. Thanks for your business, and have a nice day, see you in hell asshole.
When Mary wasn't cleaning clothes and/or people's clocks, she babysat all the kids in town whenever their parents needed to get away, became friends with Gary Cooper (AFI's 11th greatest male film legend of all time, and the dude who played Sgt. York in the movie), got free food and booze anywhere she went, and went to every single home game the Cascade baseball team ever played. According to local sources, she would give flowers from her garden to any player who hit a home run, and rain a hellacious fury of fire and brimstone profanity-laced horribleness on any unlucky umpires who made bullshit infield fly rule calls against the home team. Despite her gruff exterior, Mary was also kind hearted, and so beloved by the town of Cascade that when her home burned down in the fire of 1912, everyone in town got together and built her a new one.
After a life that was far more exciting than anything most people will probably ever experience, Stagecoach Mary Fields finally died of liver failure in 1914. She'd lived to be 82 – no small feat considering she fought wolves, trudged through freezing rain, drank hard, brawled harder, revolted against every cultural stereotype the planet had to offer, and routinely punched out cowboys half her age.
Mary and the Cascades.
Stagecoach Mary
Billings Gazette
Toledo Blade Article
Hazen, Walter. Hidden History. Lorenz, 2004.
Holland, Barbara. They Went Whistling. Random House, 2002.
Slatta, Richard W. The Mythical West. ABC-CLIO, 2001.
Wagner, Tricia Martineau. African American Women of the Old West. Globe Pequot, 2007.
Wishart, David J. Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press, 2004.
The Complete List
About the Author
Miscellaneous Articles


text:
Vital Signs Chart: Gas Prices Moving Up Again
Gasoline prices are on the rise again. The average retail price of a gallon of regular gas stood at $3.54 on Feb. 4, its highest level since October.
Thus far in 2013, gasoline prices have jumped 7%, hitting the pocketbooks of Americans already grappling with higher payroll taxes. Prices at the pump remain slightly below the average last year of $3.62 a gallon.


text:
vetezy needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 187 designs submitted by 36 freelance designers.
We are a new company and have an existing logo - see attached - we are not excited re logo and hope to revamp and revitalise our image. We supply generic and imported pharmaceuticals to the Veterinary Industry.We aim to reduce costs and improve profits for vets. In the longer term we hope to be able to provide equiptment and consultancy, business advice to make Vets jobs easier and profits greater.Hence our tag line "We make it Ezy".
Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses working in private practice treating companion animals or pets in Australia initially then hopefully expanding into Asia and worldwide.
We are after a bright and eye catching yet simple logo
It needs to explain that we work with pets -cats,dogs,horses,birds - stylised animals or paw prints/hoofprints ?
Fun but bold
A link to pharmaceuticals is helpful
Please see attached current logo-
But be aware current name is VETEZY not VETEZEE and
Tag line is"We Make It EZY"
the hint of internet with "e" is helpful but not essential
Go for it - have fun with current design
Good Luck
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
SoGa - La Seductora [Reggaeton][User Submitted]
S reports "- SoGa a.k.a 2SainT - La Seductora - Official Video *WORLD PREMIERE* (2009) www.myspace.com/sogaaka2saint"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Shopify vs Square POS
Find out why thousands of merchants made the switch
Start your free 14-day trial today!
Hear what ex-Square customers have to say
Shopify makes it easy to switch from Square POS
My business has expanded to the point where I need something more robust than a card reader, so I made the switch to Shopify POS. If you want to run a real store and do things like manage an inventory, Shopify is where you need to be.
— Stephen
After switching to Shopify POS, I had access to an new tools, great functionality, and additional resources for my business. Not to mention a crazy impressive ecommerce site that my customers love!
— Karen
Shopify POS lets me split payments across different cards, or between cash and card. It really comes in handy!
— Jeffrey
Shopify's pricing plans work better for my business. I'd prefer to pay a little more every month to lower my overall fees, which is why I made the switch.
— Dustin
My business is my primary source of income, so when something goes wrong, I need answers quickly. Shopify POS has an incredible support staff who are always happy to help.
— James
Shopify's POS system makes it possible to do everything a business owner needs without being intimidating whatsoever. Making sales and accepting transactions is a breeze, and if you dig a little deeper, the back-office aspect of the service houses countless additional features.
— Sam
Your store in the palm of your hand
Seamless workflow
Tap to add products
Add products to the cart, accept payment, then email the receipt. Congratulations, you just made a sale.
Synced inventory
Whether you made a sale online, in store, or on your phone, your inventory is automatically updated in real time.
Accept cash, credit, gift cards, and more
Use your own card terminal
Easily record payments from cash, external credit card terminals, store credit, or custom payment methods.
Email receipts
Customize email receipts with your promotions, policies, ecommerce website, and more.
Quick order management
Automatic tax calculations
Shopify will automatically calculate taxes based on your location.
Collect customer emails
Customer profiles are automatically created, so you can easily notify customers of new products or sales.
Easily give credit for refunds, or return it back to the customer using the original payment method.
Manage your store with Shopify POS
Run your business from your phone, laptop, or point of sale
All your data in one place
Your products, inventory, orders, and customers are automatically updated and backed up in the cloud.
Track your sales and growth
Detailed business reports help you analyze and gain insight into your products, orders and payments.
Extend Shopify with apps
With hundreds of apps to help you manage your store, you can customize Shopify in the way that works best for your business.


text:
- Home
- Online documents
- CRRU resources
- CRRU publications
- CRRU project websites
These document references are listed in chronological order by date they were added to the website, from the most recent to the oldest.
Use the search form below for searching in Online documents. To search the whole website, use the global search at the top of the page.
Online documents


text:
If your family is full of little thespians, Massachusetts is center stage. The Boston Children's Theater features live theater for children, by children, and rivals internet cat videos on the cuteness scale. The Amazing Things Art Center in Framingham has plays, shows and concerts aimed at a young audience. Take the family to the Arlington Children's Theater, and you might catch a glimpse of the next Daniel Day-Lewis or Meryl Streep making their career debut. If you're looking for something on a grander scale, Boston's big venues like the Wang Theater and the Emerson Colonial Theater regularly present family friendly fare. Any miniature Shakespeare would find a lot to love in Massachusetts.
Six Flags New England, Agawam
Bring the kids: It's all here
Looking for fun things to do and see in Massachusetts?
Get some Bring the Kids ideas
Indaba of New England
The mission of the Indaba Theatre of New England is: To inspire and uplift. To empower inner city youth. To... more+ 0 saves
Indaba of New England
26 Cottage Street
774-240-0690+ 0 saves
Bring the kids: It's all here
Looking for fun things to do and see in Massachusetts?


text:
Example: An Internally Parallelized Algorithm
The first example is simple and obvious, but shows an important way to deliver scalable parallelism in a tactical way for an existing application. Consider the following sequential implementation of quicksort, simplified to its essentials:
// Example 1(a): Sequential quicksort void Quicksort( Iter first, Iter last ) { // If the range is small, another sort is faster. if( distance( first, last ) < limit ) { OtherSort( first, last ); return; } // 1. Pick a pivot and partition the data. Iter pivot = Partition( first, last ); // 2. Recurse to sort the subranges. Quicksort( first, pivot ); Quicksort( pivot, last ); }
This is a traditional divide-and-conquer recursive algorithm, performed sequentially. If we're trying to parallelize our application, this is just the sort (sorry) of function we're looking for: A compute-intensive function that contains natural parallelism, in this case in the algorithm. The subrange sort operations work on nonoverlapping subsets of the data, and their processing is probably fully independent as long as sorting the left subrange doesn't cause other side effects that could affect sorting the right subrange, and vice versa.
This turns out to be a perfectly simple case to illustrate the point of this article, because the natural way to parallelize this code inherently hides the parallelism from the caller (assuming we get the mechanical details right; more about avoiding mistakes and pitfalls in another article):
// Example 1(b): Parallelized quicksort void Quicksort( Iter first, Iter last ) { // If the range is small, synchronous sort is faster. if( distance( first, last ) < limit ) { OtherSort( first, last ); return; } // 1. Pick a pivot and partition the data synchronously. Iter pivot = Partition( first, last ); // 2. Recurse to sort the subranges in parallel. future fut = pool.run( [=]{ Quicksort( first, pivot ); } ); Quicksort( pivot, last ); fut.join(); }
Note that the code may look slightly different in your environment, but we're simply saying to execute the two subrange sorts in parallel:
- The syntax pool.run(x) denotes creating a task x to run in parallel, which is common when using thread pools for example.
- The syntax [=]{ f(); } is C++0x lambda function syntax, a convenient syntactic sugar for writing a function object to be executed elsewhere. If you're using C#, the syntax looks like ()=>{ f(); }. If you're using Java, just create a runnable object by hand.
This function may spawn a lot of parallel work recursively, but everything is joined before we return to the caller. The function just happens to run faster when run on machine that has more cores. So sequential code that calls this library function also gets to reap the benefits of leveraging whatever hardware parallelism there happens to be on a given end user's machine, at least for this function, without having to know about the parallel work being done on its behalf.


text:
Mannheim: History of the Catholic German village
of the Kutschurgan District located near Odessa, Ukraine
Translation to English of text in German prepared by Peter Detling, Solikamsk, Russia. Mr. Detling's ancestors once lived in the Black Sea German Kutschurgan villages including Mannheim.
Mannheim is located on the road Odessa-Tiraspol, on the river Baraboi, about 40 km northwest of Odessa.
Mannheim belonged with Elsaß, Straßburg, Kandel, Baden and Selz to the Kutschurgan district. It was founded in 1808 and settled by 60 families. 26 families were from Baden, 16 from Alsace, 8 from Rheinpfalz and 10 from Prussian Poland.
The emigrants went by boat from Lauingen on the Danube to Vienna. From Vienna they went through Austria, Moravia, Galicia, Radzivil-Poland, to Odessa. The journey with wagons proved to be extremely difficult especially in spring or after a rainfall.
The wasteland they found was not very appealing for settlement. There were wolves and coyotes which found shelter in the thick brushwood and bushes. However, they decided to take up the land and settled together.
The village had 3,705 desj. land. In 1915 Mannheim had 2,076, in 1926 only 1,903 residents. The decline in population is due to the great famine of the 1920s.
In 1926 the daughter colony Neu-Mannheim near Nikolajew was founded.
Many young people from Mannheim decided to start anew because of a lack of land.
The two villages Johannestal and Georgental were daughter colonies from the Kutschurgan district and were founded in 1857 and 1864.
Arable land was, to a great extent, far from the village. West of Mannheim, land extended to Neu-Kandel, a distance of about 20 km. To the east, it extended beyond the line of the railroad Karpowo - Odessa and Jeremejewka.
Due to these great distances, only two trips could be made during harvest time. Thus, threshing places were set up in the fields.
The steam mill of Mannheim was well known. The mill was built by Mr. Kurz and was later sold to Mr. Heiser. Farmers came from long distances to have their grain milled.
The mill was in the Unterdorf on the river Baraboi so they could take advantage of the precious water which was needed so much.
Mannheim also had three oil mills which were put to a standstill after WWI. The oil mills were necessary to extract the golden, good sunflower oil from the seeds of the sunflowers; the oil cake, very nutritious for milking cows, was needed for the cattle.
As the summers were dry and very hot in the Kutschurgan district, ice cellars were set up for the summers. The ice, 30 to 40 cm thick, was broken up at the dikes. The ice was brought on sleds to the ice cellars of the village.
Mannheim had three dikes which were all located one after another towards Elsaß. In the 1930s all three dikes broke because of the amount of water from the melting snow. The result was a large flood which effected many farms.
In 1939 and 1940, the upper dike was closed; it did not have enough water.
The pastures for the cows were located on the three dikes. At midday, the cows were led to water near the dikes and for milking purposes where they stayed for two hours.
In order to have water and ice, a new dam was built on the hillside in a narrow valley towards Schostak among vineyards; it always had enough water.
The quality of the well-water differed. The wells were located in the valley: water was drawn with buckets and served as drinking water for the cattle in the summer time. The best water was found at the well by the wood.
However, as the need for water increased, they tried to dig a new well by the cross but no spring was found.
The river Baraboi had little water in the summer. This was due to the fact that the Russian village of Krasnohorka, founded between Mannheim and Elsaß in 1926, had a dam which retained the water during the summer.
However, in the winter, the Baraboi grew to a strong stream and when it froze the Baraboi was ideal for skating. When it got warm enough for melting and the ice, about 5 to 6 m, was drifting towards the valley and got jammed before bridges, the danger of a flood grew or the bridges were swept along. It was especially dangerous at the stone bridge by the mill. If the ice did not get through the two water courses below the bridge, the ice had to be broken up. A guard was put there especially for this purpose.
Mannheim was also known for its many inns. Farmers, who went from Odessa to Tiraspol or went to the bazaar in Straßburg, which was always well attended, stayed here. Gabriel Schneider, Balthasar Schneider (two brothers), Bachmann, and Schuck had large inns. There were many smaller inns besides these.
Mannheim also had its own slaughter house which was built solidly and was operated to the end.
Crafts were also well represented in Mannheim. There were 4 smith shops, 3 carpenter shops, 1 turner shop, 1 copper shop, and 1 plumbing business.
Until 1890, a prayer hall existed where nowadays the church is. In 1890, the church was made bigger and the tower was added. The tower was as high as 3 floors, and one of the highest in the region; it had 3 louvre-windows.
The church had 6altars: 1) high altar, 2) Herz-Maria altar, 3) Herz Jesu altar, 4) Agnesia altar, 5) Alois altar, 6) resurrection altar.
The resurrection altar was donated by Johannes Schuk, the manger scene by Martin Schuck, the 14 statue pictures by Franz Weber, and the 3 bells were also donated by Martin Schuck. The large bell was named Martin, the next Adam, and the smallest Eva.
The church itself was named Maria.
The nice organ was paid for three-fourths by the congregation, and one-fourth with donations.
The organists of the church were: Dannhoff, Böhm, Stein, Adler, Josef Schwab, Josef Dettling, and the last one until 1944 was Matthias Schwab who, today, lives in Frankfurt/Main.
The first minister of Mannheim was Rokulski, a Pole. The second was pastor P. Ungemach; he was from Josefstal and came from Bransk/Crimea. P. Ungemach, left Mannheim in 1900, and became a dean. The third was Father Jakob Dobrowolski who served from 1900 to 1934 in Mannheim. P. Dobrowolski died on December 31, 1834, in Mannheim.
The church was closed in 1935. The cross on the tower was taken down by Nikolai Domenik and Stopi in 1929, and replaced by a metal flag.
The church bells were taken down in 1932/33 and thrown through the louvre-windows onto the church steps by the entrance.
Translation by Brigitte von Budde, Fargo, North Dakota.


text:
Used Car - 2007 Chevrolet Impala 4D Sedan in Anchorage, Ak
Actual costs may vary.
You Win! Yes! Yes! Yes! Put down the mouse because this 2007 Chevrolet Impala is the car you've been trying to find. New Car Test Drive called it ''...very stable on the open road, a nice cruiser...'' J.D. Power and Associates gave the 2007 Impala 4 out of 5 Power Circles for Overall Dependability. This Impala LT is a big, roomy sedan that won't break the bank. Fresh off the second year of a complete redesign, it will thoroughly meet your needs and probably exceed your expectations...But not all LT series were created equal. On top of dual-zone A/C, anti-lock brakes, traction-control, remote starter, etc that the LT package added over the base LS, this LT came with the premium 233hp 3.9L V6 that not only has more HP than the base 3.5L V6 in a lot of LTs, but now has Chevrolet's Active Fuel Management that shuts down unneeded cylinders to increase fuel efficiency!
- 6 Speakers
- Am/fm Radio: Xm
- Am/fm Stereo W/xm Satellite/cd/mp3 Playback
- Cd Player
- Mp3 Decoder
- Radio Data System
- Steering-wheel Mounted Audio Controls
- Xm Satellite Radio
- Air Conditioning
- Front Dual Zone A/c
- Rear Window Defroster
- Power Driver Seat
- Power Steering
- Power Windows
- Remote Keyless Entry
- Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls
- Four Wheel Independent Suspension
- Traction Control
- 4-wheel Antilock Disc Brakes
- 4-wheel Disc Brakes
- Abs Brakes
- Dual Front Impact Airbags
- Emergency Communication System
- Front Anti-roll Bar
- Low Tire Pressure Warning
- Occupant Sensing Airbag
- Overhead Airbag
- Rear Anti-roll Bar
- All-speed Traction Control
- Delay-off Headlights
- Front Fog Lights
- Fully Automatic Headlights
- Panic Alarm
- Security System
- Speed Control
- Bodyside Moldings
- Bumpers: Body-color
- Power Door Mirrors
- Spoiler
- Cloth Seat Trim
- Compass
- Driver Door Bin
- Driver Vanity Mirror
- Front Reading Lights
- Illuminated Entry
- Leather Steering Wheel
- Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel
- Outside Temperature Display
- Passenger Vanity Mirror
- Rear Reading Lights
- Rear Seat Center Armrest
- Tachometer
- Tilt Steering Wheel
- Trip Computer
- Front Bucket Seats
- Front Center Armrest
- Split Folding Rear Seat
- Passenger Door Bin
- 17'' Machined Aluminum Wheels
- Variably Intermittent Wipers
Major Accidents, Lemon History and Odometer Problems
» Get A Free CARFAX Record Check
2007 Chevrolet Impala ReviewThis car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale.
Upgrades improve this recently redesigned sedan.
The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. We find its neat, clean lines pleasing to the eye. Its styling looks fresh and it is. The Impala benefits from its recent redesign for 2006.
Several upgrades and refinements for 2007 make for a better car: The available 3.9-liter V6 gets GM's Active Fuel Management system, which idles cylinders at certain times for improved fuel economy. A tire-pressure monitor comes standard. OnStar comes standard and has been upgraded for 2007, offering the new Turn-by-Turn navigation service. And OnStar will automatically communicate the nature and severity of a crash as well as its location to the 911 centers.
The Impala is a big car. It's generally classified as a mid-size sedan, though it's large for that class, and nearly a full-size. The front and back seats are roomy, though not inordinately so given the size of this car, and getting in and out of the car is easy. and it has a healthy cargo capacity. It has a huge trunk and flip-and-fold back seats that present holding wells for groceries or a flat cargo floor that expands the trunk for long items.
It's very stable on the open road, a nice cruiser. There's lots of low-end torque from the larger of the two available V6 engines, the 3.9-liter V6. Step on the gas and it goes. And it handles well, in fact surprisingly well given its size.
Several models are available, ranging from strong, reliable, fuel-efficient family sedan to sleek and powerful performance car. The mid-level Impala LT probably best exemplifies the model line. We like the LT with the optional 3.9-liter V6 engine, which gets GM's Active Fuel Management system for 2007, which improves real-world fuel economy. The LTZ adds leather and other convenience features. The SS comes with a small-block 5.3-liter V8 engine that sounds great and delivers strong acceleration performance.
For its low price alone, the Impala will be on many family-sedan shopping lists, where it competes against the Ford Five Hundred, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Altima.
The 2007 Chevrolet Impala spans a broad model range that includes the base LS, the mid-range LT, the loaded LTZ, and the high-performance SS.
Impala LS ($20,830) comes with a 211-hp 3.5-liter V6; a four-speed automatic transmission; cloth upholstery, a split bench seat with six-way power for the driver, air conditioning, power windows and locks, AM/FM/CD, OnStar, cruise control with buttons on the steering wheel, and 16-inch steel wheels. Anti-lock brakes are optional ($600). The Flip & Fold-Flat rear seats ($275) are available. Leather seating surfaces are optional ($1,125), which comes with heated front seats and a six-way power passenger seat. A flex-fuel version of the V6 can burn E85 ethanol; it's standard in some states, optional in others.
LT ($21,440) upgrades to dual-zone air conditioning, bucket seats with six-way power for the driver, ABS, traction control, dual exhaust, fog lights, 16-inch aluminum wheels, remote starter, and interior power outlets. The standard engine is the 3.5-liter V6. The 3.9-liter V6, now with Active Fuel Management and 233 horsepower comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, priced as a separate 3LT trim level ($24,160).
LTZ ($26,250) comes standard with the 3.9-liter V6 and adds leather upholstery, heated seats with eight-way power, upgraded audio with MP3 capability, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and a new-tire-pressure monitor.
The SS ($27,855) boasts a 303-hp all-aluminum 5.3-liter V8 designed specifically for front-wheel-drive applications. It also features Active Fuel Management (formerly called Displacement on Demand) and drives through a heavy-duty four-speed automatic. The SS comes with 18-inch wheels and tires, a performance suspension, and leather-appointed seats.
For 2007, XM Satellite Radio is standard on SS; optional on LS, LT and LTZ.
Safety features that come standard on all Impalas include dual front smart air bags and side-curtain roof-mounted air bags for front- and rear-seat passengers. All but the base LS model come standard with anti-lock brakes (ABS) and traction control.
The Chevrolet Impala presents a clean, neat, pleasing design that's not so homogenized as to be boring. It's an attractive car.
Launched as a 2006 model, the design features smooth lines. The big headlamps have a premium, jeweled appearance with three independent lighting units and are smoothly integrated into the front end. The tail lights are nicely integrated as well. These details complement other quality attributes, such as tight tolerances of 3.5 mm or less between body panels and substantial grab-style door handles that won't pinch your fingers or snap away from your hand on a cold morning. Flat-blade windshield wipers provide consistent pressure on the glass, which helps eliminate streaking and wind noise.
The LS, LT and LTZ are distinguished by exterior trim but share one front end design, while the SS sports a completely different design that includes a dual-split grille with SS-signature black-diamond crosshatch pattern. The Impala SS also features Corvette-inspired bright exhaust tips. A rear spoiler is standard on LTZ and SS models, and is available on LT.
The Impala has a lot going for it inside as well. The cabin was completely redesigned for 2006 and, overall, we found it comfortable.
The standard seats have firmer cushions and increased lumbar support than previous models. We didn't find the SS seats particularly comfortable or supportive, however, with too much lumbar support and not enough side bolstering to retain the upper body in corners. Optional leather-covered seating has a new style of seams around the perimeter and French seams on the center sections.
A twin-brow instrument panel wraps around into the doors. Impala LS, LT and LTZ models have wood trim, with brushed silver trim optional. The SS comes standard with unique metallic trim panels, with wood as an option. We found the instrument panel pleasing to the eye, colorful, entertaining and easy to use, with a nice all-of-a-piece unity and style to it. Interior materials are at least one grade better than the usual Chevrolet stuff.
The dual-zone climate control system that comes on all but the base LS model is a snap to use, with large, round control knobs and good markings. It can support up to a 12-degree temperature difference side to side. The optional remote engine start system comes with a 200-foot operating range and automatic climate pre-conditioning to warm or cool the interior. The driver information center offers more than 50 different alerts, depending on the vehicle's equipment. The glovebox is large enough to actually hold stuff.
A new family of audio systems features radios compatible with Generation 7.0 OnStar. The base audio system includes AM/FM/CD and six speakers. An optional MP3/CD-radio is configured for XM Satellite Radio, with a two-line, 32-character display and the capability to select freely between AM, FM and XM. We really liked this system because we could set up all of our favorite stations in one row, for example, allowing us to quickly switch between AM news, XM news, FM music stations, and CDs. Setting these presets is as easy as holding the button down. A big round knob in the center allows quick volume adjustments. Presets for the equalizer let you quickly switch settings from rock to country & western to talk radio. Too many radios nowadays are too complex or have tiny buttons difficult to operate underway. More of them should be like GM's radios. It's sophisticated yet easy to operate. The optional ICDX radio adds an in-dash six-CD changer. Impala also offers a premium Bose audio system. All radios include a standard auxiliary input jack for external devices such as an iPod or remote cassette player.
The back seat is roomy and comfortable for two adults or three kids, but not three adults. The forward-flipping rear seat cushions reveal a storage tub underneath that can contain spills or transport a variety of items. The tub also serves as a covered storage area beneath the seat with cushions down; and exposes convenient grocery bag hooks when the cushions are flipped forward. A generous pass-through from the trunk can be created by flipping the seat bottoms forward and the seat backs flat.
The trunk is larger than that of most mid-size cars, at 18.6 cubic feet, and a huge trunk opening makes loading easier.
Driving Impression
The Chevrolet Impala features a new generation of V6 engines. We found them to be smooth and quiet if not bristling with power. They feature variable valve timing, which changes the orientation of the camshaft, automatically adjusting the timing of the intake and exhaust valves for better performance, economy, and emissions.
The 3.5-liter V6 (standard on LS and LT) generates 211 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. We haven't seen EPA fuel economy estimates, but we expect an Impala with this engine to earn fuel ratings of about 19/29 mpg city/highway.
The 3.9-liter V6 (optional on LT, standard on LTZ) produces 233 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. It adds a variable-length intake system to variable valve timing. New for 2007 is Active Fuel Management, electronic software that shuts off three cylinders when full power is not needed. Chevrolet says Active Fuel Management improves fuel economy by up to 8 percent in certain driving situations. Chevrolet has applied this technology before to V8s, but this is its first appearance on a V6. Actual EPA estimates are still pending.
The four-speed automatic transmission is reponsive and was never an issue, though some of the competition now offers more flexible five-speed automatics.
The V8 that comes on the SS delivers 303 horsepower and 323 pound-feet. That's more power and torque than any other entry in the class, but the chassis that comes with it needs taming. The traction control system simply gets behind in its orders whenever you slam the throttle open at a stop in first gear, and lets the left front tire spin wildly for a few seconds until it finally catches up. While we appreciated the extra power and torque available in a kickdown or passing situation, and we loved the brawny, muscular sound of this engine at full throttle, it's a challenge to launch cleanly and quickly at the same time. Besides wheelspin, there's a lot of torque steer. Slam down the throttle and you'll feel a significant tug on the steering wheel. The V8 also features Active Fuel Management (formerly called Displacement on Demand), which shifts between eight-cylinder and four-cylinder operation, depending on speed and load. The V8 was EPA-rated at 18/28 city/highway for 2006 and shouldn't be any different for 2007.
All Impalas come with a MacPherson-strut, coil-over-spring independent front suspension, with gas-charged struts and a stabilizer bar. The rear suspension uses a trailing tri-link setup with gas-charged struts and coil springs. A rear stabilizer bar is standard on all models. Suspension tuning is matched to each engine. With all three, however, there is a lot of pitch, dive, and roll in the chassis, plus a lot of uncertain driving moments with the added power of the SS. The SS, particularly, drives as though its chassis needed more development time before production. Steering on all models is over-assisted, fairly numb and uncommunicative.
The Impala's four-wheel disc brake system (vented in front, solid in rear) represents an improvement over previous generations. Comprising new front brakes, improved rear brakes, and a new brake booster, the system is designed for quieter operation, longer pad life, and more resistance to brake pulsation. The new ABS includes Electronic Brake-force Distribution. On the road we found the Impala's brakes very much to our liking: powerful, direct, and linear, with a nice, progressive ratio of pedal travel to stopping progression.
The new Generation 7.0 OnStar offers Turn-by-Turn navigation with the optional Directions and Connections service. Turn-by-Turn navigation directs the driver through the route by using the digital readout lines in the radio head. Directions are downloaded by the OnStar advisor to the vehicle and can be played back or paused anywhere from start to destination. Besides being easy to use (all directions are downloaded to the car by an advisor) Turn-by-Turn offers an affordable sys.
The Chevrolet Impala LT and LTZ models are pleasing to drive, whether equipped with the 3.5-liter or 3.9-liter V6 engines. The SS cuts a conservative but dashing figure, with its quiet badging and giant five-spoke, 18-inch wheels; but it has more power than it knows what to do with, though we did enjoy its loud, authoritative exhaust rumble). Overall, the Impalas are good cars, though they don't match the sophistication of some of the competition.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Jim McCraw filed this report from Dearborn, Michigan.
Model Lineup
Chevrolet Impala LS ($20,830); LT ($21,440), LT with 3.9-liter ($24,160); LTZ ($26,250); SS ($27,855).
Assembled In
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.
Options As Tested
Bose premium sound system ($495).
Model Tested
Chevrolet Impala SS ($27,855).The Chevrolet Impala is a comfortable and convenient car, practical and enjoyable to drive. It has neat and clean lines that are pleasing to the eye and a fresh new style. The Chevrolet Impala spans a broad model range that includes the base LS, the mid-range LT, the loaded LTZ, and the high-performance SS. The LS comes with a 211-hp 3.5-liter V6 and four-speed automatic transmission. The LT upgrades to dual-zone air conditioning, bucket seats, ABS, traction control, and 16-inch aluminum wheels. The standard engine is the 3.5-liter V6 and a 3.9-liter V6 with Active Fuel Management is available. The LTZ comes with the 3.9-liter V6 and adds leather upholstery, 17-inch aluminum wheels, and a new-tire-pressure monitor. The SS boasts a 303-hp all-aluminum 5.3-liter V8 with Active Fuel Management, 18-inch wheels and tires, a performance suspension, and leather-appointed seats. For 2007, the Chevrolet Impala's 3.5-liter V-6 can be made to run on E85 fuel and the larger V-6 gets a cylinder shut off system to improve fuel economy.
10100 Old Seward Hwy
Anchorage, Ak. 99515
Email This Seller


text:
The 997's seven years are now officially over. The new Porsche 911 — 991 to Jalopnik readers — is very much like all 911's over the past 48 years. Only a little better at everything.
Unfortunately, the new car will not come with racing god Walter Röhrl standard, who drove up to the stage here in Frankfurt in a mouth-watering gray 911 with red leather seats from 1963, its first model year. He proceeded to reminisce about his teenage 911 dreams (Röhrl was 16 when the first car came out).
48 years after its introduction in Frankfurt, the 911 is new yet again, although you have to hand it to Porsche that it wasn't a bad idea to compare it with the very first car on stage, because it's not easy to tell the 991 from the 997. In fact, apart from a pair of rather Astonesque rear lights, they could have fooled everyone. Not Ferdinand Piëch, who was also here for the launch, but everyone else.
The new car is 100 pounds lighter, has a top speed of 180 mph, and gets a 350 hp boxer six. It will undoubtedly spawn an overload of special editions over the next few years. You will want them all.
What's completely weird about the 911 is that here in Frankfurt, where every current Porsche is on display, you can see how Porsche really make only one car. Very long wheelbase 911? Panamera. Tall 911? Cayenne. And so on. Quite remarkable, really.


text:
Overload Fusion:
Remove from play, from your side of the field or your Graveyard, Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on a DARK Machine-Type Fusion Monster Card, and Special Summon that 1 Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)
SP = Short Print (Common);
SSP = Super Short Print (Common);
DNPR = Duel Terminal Normal Parallel Rare;
DRPR = Duel Terminal Rare Parallel Rare;
DSPR = Duel Terminal Super Parallel Rare;
DUPR = Duel Terminal Ultra Parallel Rare;
|No comments yet for this card.


text:
Curtains - Black Folks (Black History Month Theme)[HD Cinematic Music Video Trailer / Teaser]
Music video trailer for Curtains - Black Folks. Directed by Gabriel Hart
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
It's a girl! Sadie Elizabeth Mooney was born at 8:23 a.m. on a beautiful, sunny New York morning on Monday, February 20. She weighed in at seven pounds, nine ounces and was 20 inches long. We are truly blessed yet again. A fine and healthy little lass. She came out, via Cesarean, wiggling and screeching, a beautiful sound for her parents to hear.
Naturally we are over the moon and beyond excited for her little brother (15 months) Colum to meet her. Life continues to be wonderful to us.
I write this as Sadie sleeps peacefully by my side. My husband John is still calling family back in Ireland. We can't stop smiling.
This time around everything went according to plan – well, nearly. I was admitted to St. John's Riverside Hospital in Yonkers on Saturday night because I contracted stomach flu. They kept me in for observation.
It was nice to wake up Monday morning right where I was going to deliver my second child. I showered, put a little make-up on and even managed to straighten my hair -- one would think I was off to a ball and not an operating theater. But it felt good.
This was my second pregnancy so I was much more aware of what was going on with my body. I clearly remember while I was in the early stages of labor with Colum phoning the hospital with a question. I had the following conversation with a staff nurse in the labor and delivery room.
Me: "Hi, I'm in labor but is it okay for me to have a slice of pizza before I come in, or will it effect the epidural?"
Nurse: "Mam, if you are able to eat pizza don't come in for a few hours."
Me: "Oh but the pain is really bad."
Nurse: "Believe me, the pain you think you are feeling now is nothing compared to what is to come." (Oh thanks nurse).
Me: "Am okay, thanks."
I hung on another two hours (had my pizza) and off we went to St. John's Hospital.
Read More:
Mommy Diaries - The Irish American community shows its huge heart
Mommy Diaries: Homestretch of pregnancy - embarrassing situations and joy of watching son grow
Mommy Diaries: Big changes on the way - new baby and the journey home
I hate to say it, but the nurse was right. I was only one centimeter dilated, and that pain I was having at home was a one out of 10 compared to what followed. In the end (after 30 hours of labor) I had to have an emergency Cesarean because Colum's heart rate dropped rapidly.
So this time I was prepared. No silly phone calls to the nurse's station with one out of 10 pains.
Monday's section was lovely. Everything went according to plan. I suffered no pain (that will come later – I'm now high on morphine), was mentally present for the whole thing and didn't talk rubbish to the doctors like last time.
Eight months before Colum was born I flew to Los Angeles with our Irish Voice photographer at the time, Nuala Purcell, to do an interview at the Playboy Mansion. Hugh Hefner's personal assistant, Mary, was of Irish heritage.
So on the operating table during Colum's section I overheard one doctor tell the other she was flying to California for a vacation. I'm lying flat on my back, extremely incoherent from all the drugs that were in my system for the previous 30 hours and I blurted out, "Oh, I was in LA at the Playboy Mansion a few months ago."
I was unable to continue or explain why I was there. Although I couldn't see the doctors' faces because of a screen between us, there is no doubt in my mind they thought I was crazy.
They only had to give one look at the state of me to realize I'd never make a Playboy bunny, and why else would someone be at the Playboy Mansion? If only I could explain that I was a reporter. Ah well, I lost that one, but thankfully this past Monday while under the knife with Sadie I was much more alert and able to engage in normal conversation.
When the nurses brought Sadie to my room we were able to Skype my mother. It was fantastic that she could be a part of it all. She thinks, as do we, that our little girl is the image of Colum. She has dark hair and sallow skin like him too.
We are already referring to her as "him" and I've called her Colum twice (it's the drugs).
I'll be here at the hospital for a few days they tell me. Recovery from a Cesarean is longer than a natural birth. I'm excited to get her home this weekend and resume normal family life as a foursome.
Because we have no family in New York we rely heavily on our friends. Being honest, if it wasn't for the help of our wonderful neighbor Geraldine Gleeson and my best friend Marion Moriarty, this birth would have been a lot more stressful.
They whisked Colum off our hands when we needed them to and are there for us this week to help, as are many of our other friends. Our friends are really our family in New York, and we will miss them so so much when we leave.
We are three months away from moving back to Ireland and the gang at home are super excited, now that there are two additional Mooneys coming with us. I'll be slightly tied up with our son and daughter so John will be the chief organizer for the move.
It's exciting and sad at the same time. I won't go on about it and the hormones are kicking in as I write this, so I better get back to my reality.
Our little daughter is sleeping on my right and my husband, who has finished his calls to home, on my left is snoring in a chair. Maybe it's time I caught some zzz's too.


text:
Jauz Everliving King - The Message for Hip Hop [420 International Coalition Submitted]
The power of hip hop. For many years, Hip Hop has been on the world stage. There was once a time where the art was used to shed light on ills in the society. Lets bring that back on a mainstream level and let it transcend throughout the community. We just want some more positivity in the music and jewels to be dropped on the mainstream industry.. If not, then Look out for "The Evolution".... www.PreLegendary.com
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Stairway Stories
Danièle Archambault is a bilingual cartoonist-bédéiste. Originally from Montréal, Québec, she now lives in Palo Alto, California. She self-published a bilingual (French-English) comic book called 'Stairway Stories' in August 2010.
'Stairway Stories' consists, for the most part, of a collection of twelve one-page stories featuring two French-speaking children, Doudou and Danny, growing up in Montreal in the late 1950s. On her website, she publishes a series called 'Québec-California' about the challenges of moving from Québec to California.


text:
Political science major and biology minor Kyle Bohrer'14 is the force behind an entirely student-run urban garden that got its start at Beloit this past summer. Located just north of campus, the garden is named the Beloit Urban Garden, or BUG for short. It grew out of Bohrer's desire to get students interested in self-sustaining agriculture and the environmental benefits of an urban garden after he worked on urban agriculture projects in Denmark and Germany during a semester abroad.
With the help of a student intern and volunteers, Bohrer tilled, planted, watered, maintained, and harvested the land on Church Street near the Beloit Fire Department headquarters and across the street from Karris Field. The BUG holds two main plots filled with everything from cabbages to tomatoes to herbs to raspberry bushes and giant sunflowers.
Photo by Courtney Yates'14
The Beloit Urban Garden sells all of its produce at full market value to the campus food service, Bon Appetit, which incorporates the vegetables into Commons dining hall dishes.
This fall, the garden is being sown with cover crops—vegetation used to refurbish the soil. While the garden rests over the winter, Bohrer will work on developing the project's governing structure, so that students will take up the reins when he graduates.


text:
Kellz - Whatever You Say (Female MC From Philly Who Spits Dirty!) "Im Cheap. Easy To Do. For Sure. Im Such A Whore" [Who Spits More Raw. Xclusive Or Kellz?]
Deejay reports "KELLZ - SEXY NEW BOMBSHELL OUT OF PHILLY, HOT!!! TITLE: WHATEVER YOU SAY GUEST STAR: COTIC (G -UNIT PHILLY)"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Four of UL's top athletes of the last two decades - quarterback Brian Mitchell, first baseman David Alvis, softball catcher Tiffany Whittall Harris and triple jumper Walter Landry - will be honored with UL's highest athletic award during Homecoming activities.
The quartet will be inducted into UL's Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 20, during the university's annual Homecoming. Formal induction will be at the Ragin' Cajun Letterman's Club luncheon held prior to UL's 4 p.m. football contest against Florida Atlantic, and the four will also be honored at halftime.
Inductees must have earned a degree and made an impact in their community along with their athletic accomplishments, and are selected annually by the Letterman's Club Hall of Fame Committee for induction during Homecoming.
Mitchell became the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 3,000 yards (3,335) and pass for more than 5,000 (5,447) during his career from 1986-89. He also still holds the NCAA record for most touchdowns by a quarterback (47), and he continued to set scoring records as a kick returner with the NFL's Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. He is the NFL's
all-time(2nd) leader in total yards, special teams touchdowns and punt return touchdowns.