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The curious case of 'Malgre Fortune' (Lay 19): a case study in multimodality
Presenter: Kate Maxwell, University of Agder
The lay 'Malgre Fortune' (or the 'other' Lay de plour) survives in five manuscripts: A, G, and E from the 'complete-works' sources; and M and Pa among the anthology sources. Its position in mss A and G, both of which transmit the music, is in line with their broadly chronological presentation of the lays, a presentation which has become accepted as 'standard'. In the other manuscripts, however, all of which transmit only the text, the positioning of this lay is intriguing, and sheds light not only on the lay itself, but also on the items surrounding it and on the collections as a whole.
As part of a larger investigation into the 'multimodality' of the Machaut sources, this paper provides a case study as to how multimodal techniques can be applied to individual works. Multimodality, a term prevalent in analysis of contemporary artefacts (whether or not they are considered as 'art'), has not hitherto been applied to medieval manuscripts. However, in the light of the ever-increasing digitisation of medieval works, including new 'digital bindings' of works on web portals and elsewhere, the time seems ripe to pursue this investigation further. The paper will therefore present a small detail of what is to be developed into a larger picture, and, it is to be hoped, a new point of departure both for medieval studies in general and Machaut studies in particular. The technique is indeed fitting for this most 'multimodal' figure of the Middle Ages.


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Active Stylus pen (with built-in battery) is pressure sensitive providing much better drawing & writing expereience than standard pen and paper..
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Print email attachments / pictures / web pages from your Phone or Tablet onto a BIG screen for interactive presentation. No need to install software or driver on the portable device. Guests can simply come in, print and share their ideas on the BIG screen instantly. The G5 Touch Screen acts as a normal Wireless Printer to print anything that can be printed (e.g. PPT, PDF, Word, Excel, notes, pictures, maps).* Magic Printer SDK will be available later. The SDK allows you to integrate Magic Printer function into your own software applications.
Detects 1.5mm Pen Tip
The G5 is advancing large format touch screen accuracy to a new level. With the development of the G5 4K technology, the G5 is now able to handle more precise applications like never before. Say goodbye to thick capacitive touch pen and using your familiar pen or pencil again.
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32", 40", 42", 46", 48", 55", 60", 65", 70", 80", 84", Just Pick the Right Size For Your Display Compatible Display with TablerTV
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32 inch
40 inch
42 inch
46 inch
48 inch
55 inch
60 inch
65 inch
70 inch
80 inch
84 inch 4K
32EH5300 Series
|VIZIO M801d-A3
|Physical Parameters:
|Electrical Parameters:
|Touch Parameters:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Barn Owls (Tyto alba) Are Very Pale and May Be Seen at Dawn and Dusk
Most often seen as a ghostly white form quartering a field at dusk. Seen close to it has a heart-shaped face and dark eyes. Its plumage is golden-buff and grey above, and white below.
The male is slightly smaller than the female and has pure white breast feathers, while the female has golden brown spots on the chest.
It is largely nocturnal but can be seen at dusk and dawn; sometimes hunts during the day in winter and during the breeding season when feeding young.
Length: 33–35cm; wingspan: 85–93cm
Status in UK
4,000 pairs, stable, possibly increasing; AMBER listed; resident
Population Trends
The barn owl was the most common owl in Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries. The population began to decline in the latter half of the 1800s, possibly associated with increased persecution and a series of hard winters. They continued to decrease into the 20th century, and by the first census in 1932 there were estimated to be some 12,000 pairs in England and Wales.
Intensification of agriculture and the use of persistent pesticides caused further losses. The Hawk and Owl Trust survey in the mid-1980s found that the population in England and Wales was down to less than 3,800 pairs, with an additional 650 in Scotland. A combination of the provision of nestboxes and diversification of agricultural land through agri-environment schemes has at least stabilised the population.
Habitat and Distribution
The barn owl is found on mixed farmland with hedges, copses and areas of rough grassland.
This owl occurs throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland; north of the border it is absent from central, north-east and the far north of Scotland and the outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.
Barn owls often nest inside farm buildings, tree cavities and sometimes in holes in rock faces. Nestboxes installed by the Hawk and Owl Trust have been successful in areas where there is suitable hunting habitat. Nationally up to 80 per cent of pairs are now thought to breed in boxes. Breeding is very dependent on prey numbers; double brooding is not uncommon and three broods occur when voles are very plentiful.
The short-tailed field vole (right) is the preferred prey species, caught in areas of rough grassland, and can form up to 85 per cent of its diet. Barn owls will also hunt hedgerows and other habitats where they take wood mouse, bank vole, shrews and brown rat. Small birds are also occasional prey.
List of Owls


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Fans can nab tickets for Outside Lands beginning this Friday.
Three-day tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through www.sfoutsidelands.com and www.apeconcerts.com.
There are two types of three-day tickets going on sale. The first is dubbed the "Eager Beaver," which runs $225. Once those are gone, folks can purchase general admission passes for $239.50.
No word on when, or if, single-day tickets will be put on sale.
Outside Lands runs Aug. 8-10 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Follow Jim Harrington at http://twitter.com/jimthecritic.


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The purpose of this memorandum is to provide agencies with guidelines to use in determining whether to require employees to submit to the agency promotional items that they receive while performing official State business.
Promotional items which can be used for lawful public purpose by the employee's agency or another State agency should be submitted to the agency which paid for the ticket. Also, promotional items such as coupons which can be redeemed for cash should be submitted to the agency. However, if the agency has several coupons that can be exchanged for a gift of greater value than the cash value of the coupons and the gift can be used by the agency for lawful public purpose, it is recommended that the agency accept the gift rather than the cash refund.
If the promotional items have no useful purpose for the agency or State (such as free food or beverages on an airline, etc.) the item may be used by the employee.
At the present time Hertz is offering gift coupons to its customers. Effective immediately through July 31, 1983, Hertz will refund to each State agency $2.50 per gift coupon which is turned in to Hertz. It is the agency's responsibility to communicate with its renters, accumulate the coupons from its renters, and turn them in once a month to the Hertz Sales office as follows:
|Mr. W. D. Morrison
|1200 Ford Road
|Suite 136
|Dallas, Texas 75234
Hertz is requiring that the coupons be remitted on an agency basis only and not by district or division. The refunds should be handled by the agency as a current year cash refund or prior year cash refund depending on the circumstances.
Please contact the Bureau of Auditing at 410-9194, Suncom 210-9194, if you have any questions.


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As Deidra Stephens Clark's due date approached, she made a straightforward birth plan that included a vaginal birth, an epidural for pain relief and her desire to breastfeed immediately after birth.
A soaring number of first-time, low-risk mothers, in Memphis and across the nation, are delivering their babies by cesarean section. And that has some concerned.
(Photo: Shutterstock)
But as Clark, 33, neared her 41st week of pregnancy, her obstetrician told her she would need to be induced to prevent complications.
While some physicians allow patients to go two weeks after their estimated due date, the medical definition of a post-term pregnancy, others opt to induce earlier. A full-term pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, but babies born after 42 weeks can be at risk for complications.
Last February, Clark was induced with synthetic oxytocin, a medication widely used in U.S. hospitals to induce and manage labor. By late in the day, she still hadn't progressed and delivered her first child, a daughter, by cesarean section.
"I believe that my obstetrician was acting in my and the baby's best interest," she said. "(But) I wish I had been more assertive in waiting at least another week for induction."
Clark is part of a soaring number of first-time, low-risk mothers delivering their first babies by C-section both in Memphis and across the nation. From 1998 to 2008, U.S. cesarean delivery rates climbed by 50 percent, gaining from 22 percent to 33 percent of all births in just a decade, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics show.
In Tennessee, the cesarean rate for the 69 hospitals that delivered babies in 2011 averaged 34.3 percent, up 4.3 percent from 32.9 percent in 2006, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Health.
C-section rates have continued to rise for every type of woman regardless of race, ethnicity, age, weight or the gestational age of the pregnancy, according to a white paper authored in 2011 by researchers from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative. CMQCC researchers also found cesarean rates vary widely between geographic regions, cities, hospitals and providers for reasons that go beyond payment contracts and liability laws, suggesting that cultural factors and labor management practices play a key role.
The total cesarean rate at The Regional Medical Center at Memphis was 31.6 percent in 2011, while Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett averaged 41.3 percent, Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital was 41.1 percent and Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women was 39.4 percent, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
Memphis-area obstetricians and gynecologists said the C-section rate includes women who are more likely to need cesareans, including mothers who have had prior cesareans, those who are delivering multiples, and babies who are feet-first at term – also known as breech babies.
As cesarean sections continue to climb in the U.S., there is growing concern that many C-sections have greater risks and complications than vaginal birth, without any clear benefits for the mother or the baby.
"… Because major complications are rare with a first (cesarean) birth, the risks of primary cesarean are not visible to practicing obstetricians," CMQCC researchers wrote. "However, repeat cesareans, in particular, carry significant risks and complications that are not well appreciated by either obstetricians or the public."
According to the Joint Commission, the accrediting body for more than 19,000 health care organizations, there is no data that higher cesarean rates improve any outcomes. Hospitals with cesarean rates of 15 to 20 percent have infant and maternal outcomes that are as good, and often better than those with much higher rates.
"C-sections are incredibly safe, however, if you compare them to a vaginal delivery, they are a little bit higher risk," said Dr. Mel Blackett, an obstetrician and gynecologist affiliated with Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women in Memphis. "When you have things that are very safe, people tend to minimize the risk."
Besides short-term risks like obstetric hemorrhaging and infections, cesareans – especially repeat cesareans – can have significant long-term consequences for women's reproductive health, including fertility issues and complications in future pregnancies. Experts also say C-sections can have a negative impact on women's satisfaction and feelings about maternal-infant contact at birth and their success with breastfeeding. After Stephens Clark delivered her daughter by cesarean last February, she didn't hold her daughter until four hours after birth.
"Everything happened so quickly," she said. "She was out before I really had time to register, and it never even occurred to me to ask for her in the operating room to take with me to recovery. I saw her briefly when my husband held her next to me, touched her briefly, and she was off to the nursery."
Her recovery also was difficult.
"I bled constantly from the incision site because the glue came loose," Stephens Clark said. "I couldn't do anything, including lean over to get my daughter out of her bassinet. If I hadn't had the support of my husband and family, I think my maternity leave would have been much more difficult and less enjoyable."
Memphis obstetricians and gynecologists interviewed say the reasons for soaring cesarean rates are complex and multifaceted – but the need to practice defensive medicine because of legal concerns overwhelmingly topped the list.
CMQCC found that rising cesarean delivery rates can mostly be attributed to two factors: a decline in vaginal births after a prior cesarean and a gain in the number of first-birth cesareans done during labor. While most medical experts agree that the vast majority of women can safely attempt a vaginal birth after a cesarean, local doctors said medical malpractice carriers strongly discourage the practice.
"It's a self-perpetuating problem, and that's a real problem," said Dr. Aric Giddens, a partner and physician with the Memphis Obstetrics and Gynecological Association. "The pendulum – and I've been in practice over 18 years – has kind of swung back and forth over the years, but it's as far on the conservative side as it has ever been."
Blackett says there is a less than 1 percent risk that a woman who delivers vaginally after a C-section could face severe complications if the prior incision reopens in labor. About one third of those cases also can have fetal damage, he said.
"But, it's enough to make people pause and ask, 'Do I want to have that risk?' " Blackett said. "If you happen to have that one-third of 1 percent – it's a real disaster."
Doctors also attribute rising cesarean rates to increased use of technology like continuous fetal monitoring, physician and staff practice patterns, older mothers, more multiple births, the removal of pressure not to perform a cesarean, more obese and hypertensive mothers, and economic and time constraints. But overwhelmingly, they say the medical legal climate adds to the pressure.
"It's not just a doctor phenomenon, it's a hospital, nurse, system phenomena, too," Giddens said. "They have similar pressures on them legally. And I think all of those things add up to bumping up the cesarean rate."
Several studies have found that 90 percent of the variation in cesarean rates done in the course of labor can be accounted for by two medical indications: failure to progress and fetal intolerance to contractions. Both are largely situations where doctors have to make subjective judgment calls.
"There is no well-defined moment where it's going to be too early or too late," Blackett said.
While the reasons for soaring C-sections are complex, there are growing efforts to bring down the cesarean rates for low-risk, first-time mothers with a baby in a head down position at the time of birth.
Citing concerns that cesareans do not improve infant or maternal outcomes, The Joint Commission will begin requiring accredited hospitals that deliver at least 1,100 babies or more per year to begin reporting on a set of measures known as the perinatal core: decreasing the early elective birth rate before 39 weeks, decreasing the cesarean rate in first-time mothers with a single baby who is head down at term, increasing the use of steroids for babies who are born pre-term, reducing acquired bloodstream infections in newborns and increasing the exclusive breast-feeding rates during hospitalization.
Celeste Milton, associated project director in the Center for Performance Measurement in the Division of Healthcare Quality Evaluation at The Joint Commission, says the new data will allow hospitals to establish a baseline and compare how they are doing relative to other facilities.
"We are really trying to get hospitals to understand what their baselines are, and what kind of performance improvement efforts they might undertake to improve," she said. What we are looking for in terms of improvement would be a lower rate, but we aren't setting any specific benchmark."
Most Memphis hospitals have established policies that discourage or ban elective inductions before 39 weeks. Dr. Arthur Townsend, an obstetrician hospitalist at Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, says the hospital holds meetings to discuss cesarean data each month and provides physicians how their rate compares to that of their peers.
Townsend says Methodist Le Bonheur also provides physicians with educational materials designed to increase awareness and education of physician practice patterns that might increase their cesarean rates with no added benefit to patients.
"At the end of the day, the mother and babies' health is the primary concern," he said. "We want to decrease or eliminate those practice patterns that don't provide any benefit to mothers and babies and increase risk."
Copyright 1995 -
by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved


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A Lumpy Planet
So you yearn to explore strange worlds in distant galaxies, going where no Earthling has gone before? And you're feeling very depressed that for technical reasons your trip might be delayed a few centuries…or maybe forever? Well, how about visiting the world in this photo? Is it weird enough for you?
Gravity map Courtesy NASA
Surprise! It's Earth. But not as we normally see it. This image shows Earth as it is seen by instruments that are sensitive to gravity instead of light. Gravity isn't the same all over the planet. The mappers turned places where you'd feel slightly heavier into high spots and ones where you'd feel slightly lighter into lows. One of the lows is in India (the blue and pink area to the right of center). You'd weigh about a pound less if you went to India (if you weighed about 100 pounds normally).
Scientists think the gravity map reveals what's going on deep inside Earth, in the part called the mantle, where the rock is still solid but hot enough that it flows slowly. That low off of India may be linked to an ancient collision—the collision of India with Eurasia, which pushed up those wrinkles on the surface of Earth we call the Himalayas.
It just goes to show: There's no place like (or as weird as) home!
- gravity: Pulling forces between objects.
- Why might it be important for scientists to study how the pull of gravity varies around the planet? What might this knowledge be used to do? Write a short paragraph exploring the benefits of scientists studying the Earth's gravity.
[anno: Answers will vary.]


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Monday, February 27, 2012
Till' Death do us Part
6 comments:
eaten by the crevices in my car, drowning in a muddy parking lot puddle, melted chocolate smeared interiors < All of these are the cause of death for my favorite pieces that i just couldnt get enough of! Haha. I feel you on that one!ReplyDelete
the wedges are ah.maz.ing!! must have.ReplyDelete
The clutch adds such a great pop of color to your outfit. I love the shoes too.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 27, 2012 at 5:09 PM
oooh those shoes I LOVE :) CHEVReplyDelete
OMGGGGGGG amazing shorts,heels but your SWEATERRRRRRRr is LOVELYYYY, i need ITTTT =(ReplyDelete
XOXO from Munich
Today you can check my MenShoes Outfit in
You can translate click on upright frame, if not work please put mousse inside and click F5.
La Vie Quotidienne
love love love this outfit! those shoes and sweater are amazing!ReplyDelete


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Operating a computer is not always an easy task. Sometimes, it can get really complicated. Every now and then, computer will show an error and you will be left looking for clues to handle the problem. Most of these errors are unpredictable in nature and tend to disrupt your efficiency. Sometimes, these errors can even spoil your hard work if you have not saved the data. One should never take these errors lightly as they can lead to serious problems. These problems could be crashes or freezing of computer. You must have an idea about how to fix the errors.
Virus and spyware programs cause majority of these errors. Malicious viruses disrupt the functioning of the computer and particular programs. They add harmful codes and files to the computer and that leads to erratic performance of the system. Many dangerous viruses also transmit your important data like password; bank account number etc to external sources and this can prove to be very damaging. There are quality Antivirus and antispyware tools available that should be used in fixing such problems. Always keep your tools updated with their latest definitions and keep your system safe.
It's high time; you should make yourself aware of system files and registry scan. Every new program or software needs to be registered and if the process is not done appropriately, it can result in slowing down of the system and other problems. Always perform regular registry scans to avoid such problems. You should also use advanced registry cleaner tool that will help you in removing malicious virus and spyware registry data.
The last step should be of cleaning the hard disk data and checking booting problems. Over a period of time, lot of junk files can get stored on the system which should be removed using Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter tools. Using all these suggestions will result in speeding up of the system and better functioning of computer.
Filed under: Computer Accessories, Laptops | Tagged: antivirus programs, disk fragmentation, fixing computer errors, handling computer errors, How to Handle Computer Errors | Leave a comment »


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If you're a Java developer transitioning to J2EE, you'll encounter many new coding standardsand none are more important than learning to configure "deployment descriptors." Deployment descriptors are J2EE components that manage data connections when connecting to databases or maintaining unique transactions between web sessions.
Managing J2EE deployment descriptor files in large, enterprise environments can be tedious because deployment descriptors are unique to the web server to which they are deployed. When creating WARs and EARs from within an IDE, the IDE allows for the configuration of the deployment descriptor for a single web server. However, large enterprise environments often manage multiple web servers running in development, testing, and production. For each server, deployment descriptors must be updated to reflect the correct configuration for that server. Because IDEs do not handle the creation of multiple deployment descriptors for multiple configurations, the process must be handled manually, outside of the IDE. The result is an error-prone process that requires manual manipulation of the file for each server to which it is deployed. However, there are more efficient methods of managing deployment descriptors than the familiar brute-force method.
If you haven't started J2EE development, and don't understand why these files could cause such an immediate production headache, consider this: A deployment descriptor can be understood by comparing an EAR file to a ZIP file. Imagine that you have a ZIP file containing 1000 files. You want to copy that ZIP file to five different locations, but first you must change some of the text in 10 of the zipped-up files, and the changes are different for each location where you need a copy. This task requires recreating the ZIP file by uniquely configuring the 10 text files and rezipping them five times. Then you copy each ZIP file to the correct location according to the changes made. Essentially, this is the exact process required for deploying a J2EE application to an enterprise environment where multiple server configurations are required.
In most enterprise environments I have worked with, it is common to require a minimum of three different deployment descriptors for a single J2EE application. For example, your J2EE application connects to a database. The name of the database in development is "DEV-DB," in testing it is "QA-DB," and in production "PROD-DB." Your J2EE EAR or WAR needs to have three different versions of the deployment descriptor, one for each database name.
This is a simple example and in many cases the changes between the deployment descriptors go far beyond the name of the database. Regardless, even one change to the deployment descriptor requires that the EAR or WAR be recreated to support multiple servers. When this is the case, I like to know that the correct version of the EAR or WAR is being deployed to the correct server. This problem is not entirely the fault of the J2EE specifications, but largely the result of increased use of third-party modules and interconnectivity of enterprise applications and services. A single application running on a production server may require parameters that specify multiple database connections, log file locations, message queues, security information, CICS HASH(0x180be78), and other server-specific information. Put that same application on a second production server for a different business unit and all of these values could be different. It is not unusual to see applications where as many as 100 values might change. Take an application using parallel development that has five production servers and a few test and development servers and the problem is compounded.
In most J2EE development environments I've worked on, creating multiple deployment descriptors is manual and occurs during a final build or assembly process. The manual task requires that you create a reproducible process to update the runtime values in the deployment descriptors, after development has completed, for each server in the enterprise with its unique configuration, constructing an EAR or WAR file for each environment, and delivering each to the correct environment.
Unlike C or C++, where the runtime environment configuration information can be contained in a separate configuration file and deployed along with the executable, J2EE requires all deployment descriptors and other files be archived into the EAR or WAR file, just like my ZIP file example. It is important to keep in mind that this use of configuration files transfers the problem from being a "deployment" issue, such as the case with C or C++, and squarely into being a "build" issue. This is because an EAR or WAR file must be built for each uniquely configured server. In other environments (such as C or C++), the application team could build one executable and deploy it to multiple servers along with an initialization file (INI). With J2EE, a separate executable (the EAR or WAR file) must be built for each server so that the unique configuration contained in the deployment descriptors is archived into the EAR or WAR file.
Assembling Multiple EARs and WARs
Before you go too far down the path of J2EE development, look beyond what your IDE can provide in the assembly of multiple EARs or WARs. IDEs only allow the creation of one version at a time of your EAR or WAR. If you plan on staying within the IDE, this means you need to adopt a process of building your EAR or WAR multiple timesone for each configuration that your installation requires. The need for automating the process eventually becomes apparent as you quickly tire of this point-and-click assembly method.
To address this complexity, you need to define a solution to build and deploy the EARs or WARs that contain an application and the runtime-specific configuration parameters. This customization requires planning. If you choose to write an in-house solution, get ready for Perl and Ant/XML scripting, along with documentation and providing training to all developers who may be involved in the final assembly process. Also, you can expect to deal with the pains of trial-and-error before coming up with the correct solution that works for your organization. But all of this effort is worth it because the alternativerisking your production environmentis unthinkable for most developers. Here are some tips that will assist you with this process and keep you from the dead ends I've seen many J2EE development shops go down.


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zanfirico (Italian). The present-day term used in Venice and Murano for vetro a retorti; the spelling used elsewhere in Italy is sanfirico.
vetro a retorti (Italian). Literally, glass with twists. A type of glass decorated with twisted threads of glass embedded in clear glass, ...
Latticino or latticinio ... Terms that have been often misused ... without regard to the Venetian usage of the terms. ... The two terms latticino and latticinio have been used in Venice and Murano to apply only to clear glass decorated with with embedded threads of glass ...usually white threads.
So are the coloured ribbons zanfirico, or just ribbons?
filgrana or vetro filigranato (Italian). Literally, thread grained. A term that has been applied to glassware (with various styles of decoration) of clear glass, made originally at Murano, c. 1527-49, by the use of opaque white or of coloured glass threads (or even sometimes a single white thread), but which term is preferably used generally (as proposed by Astone Gasparetto, of Murano, in 1958, and other later writers) to refer to all styles of decoration on clear glass that are made with a pattern formed by embedded threads of glass, including (1) vetro a retorti (glass with embedded twisted threads forming various lace-like patterns), (2) vetro a reticello (glass with embedded criss-cross threads forming a regular fine network, usually with tiny air bubbles trapped between the crossed threads), and (3) vetro a filis (glass with embedded threads in a spiral or helix pattern, e.g. on plates, and sometimes in a spiral or volute pattern, e.g. on vases). This general usage of filigrana includes all three such patterns made with opaque white or with coloured threads, or both, and is favoured as relegating that oft abused word latticino (or latticinio) to designate only such decoration made exclusively with white threads. Thus used, it would also include glassware heretofore sometimes loosely designated as vetro di trina (lace-glass). ... [there's about as much text again "explaining" other stuff!]
filigree. the English term for filigrana. ...
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Sidebar to the article Extending the Time to Collect DNA in Sexual Assault Cases by Terry Taylor
A routine difficulty encountered in producing autosomal DNA profiles in rape cases is obtaining enough sperm cells for the
analysis. Cells can be damaged or degraded due to time, or simply stuck to epithelial cells (those that line the cavities
and structures of the body, such as the vagina), making it difficult to carry out a standard autosomal STR analysis.
©iStockPhoto.com (see reuse policy).
A session at the 2010 NIJ Annual Conference highlighted two promising technologies for enhancing the separation of sperm cells
from other cells in a mixed sample. Gary Stacey, vice president of technology at Haemonetics Corporation, presented a technique
called holographic optical trapping (HOT). HOT is an automated system now commercially available from Arryx, a Haemonetics
subsidiary. This system allows small particles, such as sperm cells or cell fragments, to be directly manipulated using a
computer-controlled hologram array. Stacey showed video and presented data offering evidence that HOT can separate sperm cells
from female epithelial cells (or other contaminants) before micro-dissection to obtain DNA, enhancing the resulting STR analyses.
The system is simple to use, provides visual confirmation of the process as it proceeds and allows video data tracking.
Henry K. Lin, a member of the Biosciences Division, of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussed a microfabricated filter
technology originally developed to separate metastatic cancer cells from the blood. Because sperm cells are substantially
smaller than the female epithelial cells with which they are likely to be mixed in rape cases, this two-tier filtration process
first selects out the larger cells, allowing the sperm cells to pass through and be drawn off separately. Experiments testing
this application of the system have successfully separated sperm cells in mixtures where they were outnumbered 25 to 1, with
a higher DNA recovery rate and cleaner STR profiles than are obtained with standard methods. The investigators intend to continue
this research with epithelial cell-to-sperm cell ratios up to 100 to 1.
Ballantyne explained the importance of such research: "If we can separate sperm cells accurately and efficiently in challenging
samples, it will permit standard autosomal DNA analysis in more cases. This will be a great move forward."
Back to: Minimizing the Risks of Hazardous Materials: The CBRN Standard.
National Institute of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531


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sam stern necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 35 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
Need a logo for Web consulting biz for use online, biz cards, stationery, that expresses a fresh, professional approach. someone who has all the contacts in the industry and knows the game well. something smart, clear, hip. we see the big picture, we connect the dots.
it should say 'grounded, confident, clear, forthright, fun and relaxed.'
- Desired Style - Simple, clean, soft, professional, Web 2.0 style (not atraditional, boring consulting site)--maybe even toward a Web 2.0 webapp feel. No flash.
- i am a facilitator. i put people in touch. i expand peoples businesses by helping them be in touch with companies that need their services, or by giving them the tools they need to do what they do best. i help companies expand overseas or expand within australia.
- i am well experienced in the industry and know a lot of people and know what works and what doesnt.
- possible tagline: connecting the dots
- Desired Color Scheme -a bit of Red, maybe some blues and white (muted or softer tones)-- or take a risk and surprise me
- simplicity, no busy-ness
- lower case text
- not too corporate
- relaxed, want date too quickly and gives people a sense of 'they know what they are doing'.
- doesnt look like a one man show
- want a website to go with this - no HTML this will lead the rest of the site.
- kid like
- overly corporate
- overly serious
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Monday, January 11, 2010
Soothe your soul with homemade soup at Eat'n Park
Well, Old Man Winter has certainly made his presence known here at our corporate office, where we've yet to see a day without snow so far in 2010! Feeling "under the weather" at some point is nearly inevitable during this time of year, as we struggle to fight off the flu and the common cold.
Ever since I was little, I was told by my mother and others "in the know" that chicken noodle soup would cure the common cold. Well, after a little research, guess what I found out? It's true – at least partially. According to the Nutritional Education Center in New Salem, PA, studies have shown that the broth contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce congestion, and it's a great way to take in fluids when you aren't feeling up to eating a larger meal. From a nutrition standpoint, this soup contains healthy doses of essential nutrients, allowing you to keep your strength up even though your appetite may be waning.
But even if chicken noodle soup doesn't really "cure" a common cold, one thing I know for sure is that it's warm and comforting, whether you're feeling down or not. At Eat'n Park, our chicken noodle soup is such a guest favorite that we offer it every day of the week, along with our hearty chili. We make it from scratch every day with our signature thick, homestyle noodles. Tasty and filling, it's easy to see why this soup is so popular.
Speaking of being popular, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least mention our much-loved potato soup, available on Wednesdays and Sundays. Though potato soup has no purported medicinal uses, our version is so delicious that it merits a special trip from many of our guests, who stop in just to pick up a quart for takeout.
Regardless of which flavor you prefer, there's no better comfort food than soup on these cold winter days. So next time you're in the area, stop by Eat'n Park to savor a bowl, or grab a quart to enjoy at home. It's sure to soothe your soul!
P.S. Here's our daily soup schedule – stop in to enjoy your favorite!
Every day: Chicken Noodle and Chili
Sunday: Cream of Potato
Monday: Stuffed Pepper
Tuesday: Cream of Broccoli
Wednesday: Cream of Potato
Thursday: Wedding
Friday: Clam Chowder
Saturday: Cream of Broccoli Share
Posted by Eat'n Park at 10:40 AM
Labels: What's on the menu?
3 comments:
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About the blog
Throughout this blog, we hope to share a bit of our culture with you through stories, recipes, and other information that we think you'll enjoy. More importantly, we hope you'll share with us – we want to answer those questions you've always had about Eat'n Park (how did we come up with that name, anyway?) and we want to hear your ideas, feedback, and hopefully, a few compliments too!
So, please feel free to comment on postings that pique your curiosity. We'll do our best to respond to questions within 72 hours. Please keep in mind that we are a family restaurant; comments containing offensive language will not be posted.
Blog Archive


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The memories of last month's Black Hat are starting to fade, the happy hour beers consumed have long since sloshed in our bellies, and (most) of the expense reports have been filed. But the talks, demos, and zero-day exploits presented at this year's Black Hat USA are just now starting to affect the information security community. Dark Reading takes a look at the highlights among these talks, along with other fun moments and perennial sights seen at Black Hat USA 2012.
Here, the throng of attendees surges in the halls between sessions. Black Hat organizers say that more than 6,500 attendees participated at the event at Caesar's Palace this year.
Photo Credit: Black Hat Events


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If you go
What: "Miss Nelson is Missing"
When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Where: Prospect Ridge Academy, 2555 Preble Creek Parkway
Cost: $5, or $3 for seniors and Prospect Ridge students; purchase at brownpapertickets.com/event/632831
There was something missing at Prospect Ridge Academy.
Students with a passion for acting noticed there was no drama club in which they could channel their interests in Shakespeare, monologues or energetic acting exercises. And there definitely were no opportunities to do school plays.
Enter Maya Claridge and Bryan Lucchesi, two students who wanted to change the scenery a little.
"Some of our friends were getting bored (at school.) We said, 'let's start something,'" said Claridge, a seventh-grader.
The students earlier this year decided to start their own drama club, where they met once a week to recite scenes from their favorite plays and organize field trips to thespian conferences.
After a few months, they decided to expand their vision by putting together a full-on school play with costumes, lights, music and a student-run film and photography crew.
With support from parents and the school, the result is Prospect Ridge Academy's upcoming production of "Miss Nelson is Missing." The show is based on a children's picture book about a misbehaving class that learns to respect their gentle teacher after she is replaced with a mean substitute with a taste for discipline.
"It's going to be a really fun play, and it has really funny jokes in it. It's a great first play to start with," said Mika Zaharescu, an eighth-grader who plays Mary McSmogg, a spastic detective.
At a rehearsal on Thursday, the students ran through scenes from the play, where they channeled their acting energy into being bratty, ill-behaved kids in a classroom where their teacher has mysteriously disappeared.
Claridge pasted on a witch's nose, donned a long black wig and grabbed a yard stick to transform into Miss Viola Swamp, the meanest substitute teacher in the world.
On stage in the make-believe classroom, Viola Swamp terrorized her students by letting out a high-pitched, evil laugh, then whacked the yard stick on each character's desk.
Claridge's mother, Susan Claridge, said her daughter has been known to get a little too exuberant about her role as the evil teacher.
"We've gone through quite a few yard sticks ... they tend to splinter on the desks," she laughed.
Susan Claridge, who is one of the drama club's parent advisors, said the students have enthusiastically taken the lead in all aspects of the school play. Students on the tech crew helped decide the best lighting and timing of music, while a student with an interest in photography decided to take head shots of all the cast members. Another student has filmed rehearsals and other footage to promote the play during the school's morning video announcements.
"They've really poured their heart and soul into this," Susan Claridge said.
Claridge said the drama club has filled a gap in her daughter's school experience. Though Prospect Ridge offers lots of elective classes and clubs, creating the new drama club has taught the club members leadership and initiative.
Maya Claridge said she and her fellow students have learned a lot about starting a club and putting together a play.
"We had to pick something that was good for kids who hadn't done any acting before, and was kind of short and funny," she said.
The drama club at the school might be new, but acting isn't new for Claridge or fellow co-founder Lucchesi.
Lucchesi, an eighth-grader, is currently in the Arvada Center's production of "Company," and has been acting in community theater companies since he was young.
Claridge started acting when she was 7. She acts in several community theater groups in Longmont and Northglenn, and also has an interest in doing film and TV.
The students said they want their new drama club to help inspire their fellow students to get into theater and try out different roles — both in front of the audience and behind the scenes.
Prospect Ridge Academy is in the process of building a high school just behind the existing K-8 building, and the students hope the expansion will bring even more theater opportunities.
"We really want this to keep going," Claridge said.
Contact Enterprise Staff Writer Megan Quinn at 303-410-2649 or email@example.com


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欢迎, 开拓者们,欢迎来到KDE本土化! Brought along a generous reserve of breathing air?
|这些文章汇集希望能成为KDE本土化文档的一个集中来源,虽然现在距这个目标还有点距离。同时,下面链接有官方文档(可能有些已经过时了)KDE Translation Howto.
This page is the hub of articles on all things concerning localization of KDE. The topics covered are intended to detail facts, issue advice and satisfy curiosity about KDE localization ways. And to do so for "all audiences": from newly interested in free software localization, over those more experienced seeking to get involved into KDE localization, to veteran KDE translators curious about new developments.
To achieve this aim, the topics are by necessity not structured linearly. When you read a textbook, in the introduction you can frequently find authors' instructions on how to "follow" the book: possible coherent chains of chapters, which chapter is a prerequisite for another, and which optional. So is with the topics presented here, taken to the extreme, with many entry and exit points depending on individual interests.
The hub currently connects three spiralling arms of topics:
|If you are fresh in the trade, do not feel intimidated by the expanse. Not even crack KDE translators are supposed to be intimately acquainted with, or need all this stuff. Instead, if you are eager to start churning out results, head to the rookie workflow and follow the leads therein.
It is important to correctly place certain bits of information in the localization universe. The reader should be made aware of what is a local KDE convention, what a special feature of the tool they use, and what a general concept and its embodiment in specific KDE context.
While this is obviously a KDE-focused resource, it is nevertheless useful to provide examples of how some elements are handled outside of KDE. Through contrast and comparison, the reader may better understand the whys and hows of presented material. Likewise, it may help those already familiar with other localization environments.
For better or for worse, there is no lack of frameworks, formats, procedures and other vague notions that a KDE translator may stumble upon along the way. They may be a burden of sorts -- many things to keep in mind -- but also a source of fun, challenge, and deep satisfaction when creatively combined towards great efficiency of everyday work and mirror-perfect polish of the final output. Thus, expect the articles here not to withold much.
Great many tools exist to support the localization process. Some may be quite general, and other tightly coupled with KDE localization process. Tools are thus presented in different ways. More general tools typically have referent documentation of their own, and here it is explained how they relate to concepts and workflows used in KDE. Custom, KDE-specific tools are explained in greater detail, sometimes to the point of these articles being their referent documentation.
There is no single way to participate in KDE localization. Contributors will differ by the amount and direction of effort they put in, and the workflow articles are here to provide guidance for the frequently observed roles. Also presented are the technical and organizational details which have tidal influence on everyday translator's workflow.


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Ahoy all ye readers:
Buchaneers Cache Maine and hollora are readyin the deck o' their ship for another Quest her'a in Maine. The Jolly Rogers will be out an' dubloons will be in the sacks. There will be fun for all at tha 2nd Annual Event here in Maine. Now some of the attendees will be Sprogs but surly seasoned mates wil' be on hand and on the planks o' the deck.
We be askin' for help with trinkets to keep this crew appeased so they won't be stealin' the ship. Anythin' in your bucket o' booty ya might be sendin' our way – would help keep these hoodlims in bay. They all be bringin' their own food and the grog is already squeezed n' seasonin' (it bein' family fare ya know).
We be needin' th' goods before the Quest. The hol' o' the ship needs packin' befor' th' buckaneers arriv. If you be a matey to help, use tha new wire, shoot a line to ralphh(at)maine.edu . Aye, even the smallest, wee bit o'plundered loot will be a helpin' pull this off.
Ya, all be blessed and not be seein' Fiddler's Green or visitin' Davy Jones Locker soon.
Cache Maine and hollora


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US: 15 high-risk diplomatic posts need upgrade
WASHINGTON (AP) — State Department officials say 15 high-risk U.S. diplomatic facilities must be upgraded or replaced to prevent any Benghazi-like attack in the future.
Diplomatic security chief Gregory Starr says problems include improper blast walls and insufficient setback from public streets.
He and Bill Miller, the department's point-man for high-risk posts, are testifying before a Senate panel to defend a $2.2 billion request for embassy security funding in 2014.
They cited some progress worldwide, including approval for a new Beirut embassy after 30 years of effort.
Republican Sen. Bob Corker questioned part of the department's response to last year's deadly attack in Libya.
He challenged plans for a new security training center. And he expressed disappointment with the paid leave given to four employees faulted for wrongdoing on Benghazi.


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BRODHEADSVILLE — Over the past week, Pocono Mountain West was one quarter away from winning a district title and one quarter from winning a state playoff game, but disappointment was the only thing the Panthers came away with each time.
BRODHEADSVILLE — Over the past week, Pocono Mountain West was one quarter away from winning a district title and one quarter from winning a state playoff game, but disappointment was the only thing the Panthers came away with each time.
Pocono West cut an 11-point halftime deficit to one going into the fourth quarter only to watch North Penn score the first six points as the Knights captured a 44-38 victory in the opening round of the PIAA Class AAAA girls basketball playoffs at Pleasant Valley High School on Friday.
It was the second straight heartbreaking loss for the Panthers (23-5), who qualified for the state playoffs for the second time in school history.
Last Friday, West was tied with Nazareth after three quarters of the District 11 final only to struggle offensively and watch the Blue Eagles score the fourth's first six points in a 50-43 loss. On Friday, a forgettable first half saw the Panthers trail 26-15, but they cut the deficit to one going into the final quarter. North Penn (24-5), which will play Wilson West Lawn in the second round Tuesday, scored the first six points of the fourth while West went 5:26 without a basket.
"It came down to us executing offensively," PM West coach Stacy Perryman said. "There are certain plays we're running for certain positions and players and we didn't take advantage of them. We saw what we thought was an opening and (North Penn) closed it off and instead of going to the next option we kind of forced things."
That was the case in the first half for West.
The Panthers were 4-for-20 from the floor, had 15 turnovers and trailed 26-15. After leading 8-4 following a pair of 3-pointers by Steph Davis, PM West went 10:41 without a basket while North Penn went on a 17-1 run.
"There's no excuse for it this late in the season," Perryman said. "We have to get to a point where we're the aggressors. I think we rely on the fact that we're a good team and are able to just feel another team out instead of going at them."
That all changed in the third quarter with freshman Jasmine Murray leading the charge for Pocono West.
Murray's runner in the opening minute began the Panthers' charge, sparking a 17-7 third quarter that had West within one going into the fourth.
"She's the aggressive one," Perryman said of Murray, who finished with nine points, 11 rebounds and four assists. "She plays with a lot of spunk and attitude which is why we like her style."
West never got closer than one, though.
Vicky Tumasz scored on a putback, Lauren Crisler converted in close and Erin Maher hit a pair of free throws to give the Knights a 39-32 lead with 5:35 to play.
A pair of free throws from Jackie Benitez, West's leading scorer who shot just 2-for-20 from the floor, got the Panthers to within three with 2:55 left, but those were PM West's final points of the night.
The loss was bittersweet for Perryman, who was proud of her team after they won the Mountain Valley Conference, made the first district final in school history and made it to states for a second time but also realized it could have been more.
"What hurts the most is just being disciplined," Perryman said. "I think we're capable, but we just didn't come out and do it. I think part of that is confidence and part of that is remaining disciplined throughout the game.
"First and foremost, though, I'm still extremely proud of where we got to this year. I want to make sure that they realized throughout the year they've done a fabulous job and to get here is truly an honor."
North Penn 44, PM West 38
Maher 1 3-4 6, Halcovage 3 0-0 8, Giuliani 2 0-2 4, Crisler 3 5-12 11, Tumasz 3 3-4 11, Cullen 1 3-3 5, Dean 0 0-0 0, Daneker 0 0-0 0, Bilotti 0 0-0 0. Totals — 13 14-27 44.
J. Benitez 2 2-2 7, R. Benitez 2 1-2 7, Davis 3 2-2 11, Murray 3 3-6 9, Jimenez 1 0-0 2, Walters 0 0-2 0, Flaherty 0 0-1 0, Yocum 1 0-0 2. Totals — 12 8-15 38.
North Penn 12 14 7 11 — 44
PM West 9 6 17 6 — 38
3-point goals — NP 4 (Halcovage 2, Maher, Tumasz); PMW 6 (Davis 3, R. Benitez 2, J. Benitez). Rebounds — NP 41 (Crisler 11); PMW 42 (Murray 11). Assists — NP 8 (Maher 3); PMW 8 (Murray 4). Steals — NP 7 (Tumasz, Cullen 2); PMW 6 (J. Benitez 3). Blocks — NP 1 (Crisler); PMW 6 (Jimenez 3). Turnovers — NP 18; PMW 21.
Records — North Penn 24-5; PM West 23-5.


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Please sign in to your FIFA.com user account below. This will allow you to make the most of your account with personalization, plus get access to commenting tools, exclusive games, the chance to win cool football prizes and much, much more.
Don't have an account yet?
13 November - 1 December


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Susanna Carter
Learning Adviser, University of South Australia
Adelaide, South Australia
Hi, in France we say:
Il pleut des cordes. (it's raining buckets.)
C'est un temps de chien. (it's lousy weather)
C'est un froid de canard. (it's freezeing cold)
Il fait soleil. easy! (It's sunny)
That made me smile, Dedene! In Adelaide, Australia we say 'it's bucketing down'.
Where I live in New York we say:
Humid= It's muggy.
Hot= It's really hot or It's toasting.
A slight rain= It's drizzling or sprinkling.
A heavy rain= It's pouring or it's raining cats and dogs.
Now I am NOT from NYC I am from New York State.
In Pittsburgh PA we say:
Its raining cats and dogs/
Its a scorcher (above 90F)
Its muggy (humid)
Or hazy, hot, and humid for a combination of all three.
It is fall or autumn.
Hi Claudia
In Australia, we might also say something like:
'It's stinking hot'
We also say 'scorcher' (somewhat more polite!) and 'muggy'.
I live in north Idaho in the western part of the United States. We don't get too many humid days when it's warm, so we have a joke about "It's hot, but it's a dry heat." I never understood it until I got off an airplane in Minnesota, which is quite humid. That phrase immediately jumped into my mind! We also use many of the same phrases listed: muggy, raining cats and dogs, drizzling, sprinkling.


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History and Culture
Evidence of Malta's earliest inhabitants dates back 8,000 years. The extraordinary Neolithic temples that can be viewed on the island are believed to be older than the ancient pyramids of Egypt and are widely thought to be the oldest free-standing monuments in the world.
The islands were conquered by the Phoenicians around 2,000 BC, followed by the Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs respectively. The Order of Knights of St John ruled the islands from 1530 until 1798, building hospitals, palaces and churches, erecting extensive fortifications and generally boosting trade. A spate of attacks from the Ottomans culminated in a prolonged battle later known as The Great Siege of 1565.
In 1798, Napoleon's army conquered the islands, establishing a civil code and educational system, as well as abolishing slavery, but the British – who ruled for the next 160 years - took over soon after.
In the course of WW2, the indomitable spirit shown by the Maltese led King George VI to award Malta the ultimate accolade of the George Cross, which is proudly displayed on the national flag to this day. The country became independent in 1964 and joined the European Union in 2004.
Signs of Malta's strong national identity, enriched by millennia of foreign cultural influences, are most marked at the National Museum of Fine Arts, where the exhibits cover all key periods from the early Renaissance onwards. The 16th century Manoel Theatre, Mediterranean Conference Centre and St James Cavalier are the key venues for theatre (often in English), dance and music, and like the opera season, feature international as well as home-grown talent. The Malta international Jazz Festival is a highlight of the summer and there is also a month-long arts festival, as well as various beer and wine events. Every village attempts to outdo its neighbours with firework displays during the so-called Parish Feast and both the traditional Good Friday and Easter celebrations are truly memorable.
More information on Malta's history and heritage can be found on the official Visit Malta website.
read more here
The Vice, The Mystery, The Legend: The History of
Get to grips with the capital city's colourful history.
Ten Incredible Ancient Sites in Malta
Boasting three UNESCO World Heritage sites, Malta is packed with archaeological wonders.


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The Mazda RX-7 debuted in 1979, using a rotary engine. Mazda employs the German-made Wankel rotary engine in the RX-7 with confidence that makes all the difference when looking for the next sports car innovation.
The first North American shipment of 150 RX-7s sold out almost immediately.
In the U.S., demand for the RX-7 ran so high that buyers reportedly paid almost double the list price to own one. Even with the supply shortage, U.S. sales in the first eight months reached 29,000 units.
In Australia, Mazda sells the Series I RX-7, which comes with a 12A engine producing 103 hp at 6000 rpm and 108 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. Carburetion is a Nikki four-barrel downdraft carburetor.
The aerodynamic body features pop-up headlights that help save six percent of drag. The engine mounts in a front/mid location behind the front axle, giving the car an excellent weight distribution of 51/49 front/rear.
The RX-7's performance, when compared to its competitors, stands alone. Datsun's 280ZX, Alfa Romeo's GTV 2000, and Porsche's 924 all move slower. The RX-7 coupe reaches a top speed of 160 mph.
Series 7, available from 1996 to 1998, includes minor changes to the car, like a simplified vacuum routing manifold power system. In Japan, the Series 7 sells under the Mazda brand name.
The Series 8, produced from January 1999 to August 2002, marked the final release of the RX-7 and only sold on the Japanese market.
Mazda did not make any big changes to the RX-7 until the 1984 model year, replacing the 100-horsepower engine with a 1.3-liter engine with fuel injection, bringing the horses up to 135.
This reduces the zero to 60 mph time to the seven second range, a big deal in 1984.
The 1986 RX-7 marks the beginning of the second generation, which means a complete overhaul of the model. The power of the naturally aspirated engine increases to 146 horsepower while maintaining the 1.3-liter engine. The model adds a wider track and wheelbase complete with independent rear suspension. These changes add almost 150 pounds to the weight of the RX-7, but they don't make a bit of difference when it comes to speed.
Later in the 1986 model year Mazda also released the X-7 turbo, featuring a turbocharged 182-horsepower, 1.3-liter engine. The turbo RX-7 finally reaches 60 mph in about six seconds.
1988 saw the release of the RX-7 convertible two-seater, which only comes with the non-turbo engine and a five-speed transmission. Mazda tweaked the rotary engine in 1999 to allow the non-turbo engines to reach 160 hp and the turbo to hit 200 hp. The RX-7 stood on its own without significant changes until 1993.
The third generation of the RX-7 features an updated body design. Mazda adds the 13B-REW engine, which represents the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system exported from Japan, boosting power to 252 hp. Mazda released the 1993 RX-7 in Japan as the Efini RX-7
The 1993 RX-7 won Motor Trend's award for Import Car of the Year. When Playboy magazine first reviewed the RX-7 in 1993, it tested the model in the same issue as the 1993 Dodge Viper. In that issue, Playboy declares the RX-7 to be the better of the two cars.
It went on to win Playboy's Car of the Year in 1993. The FD RX-7 also made Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list from 1993 to 1995, every year in which it sold state-side.
Mazda offers three models of the RX-7 in North America: the base, the touring, and the R. The touring model includes a sunroof, fog lights, leather seats, and a complex Bose Acoustic Wave system. The R model features a stiffer suspension, an aerodynamic package, suede seats, and Z-rated tires.
In 1994, a PEG (performance equipment group) model became available. This model features leather seats and a sunroof. It does not include the fog lights or Bose stereo from the touring package. In 1995, the PEP (popular equipment package) replaced the touring package. The PEP package contains all of the equipment from the touring package.
1995 Mazda RX-7
Coupe, Sports
In 1993, Mazda rolled out the third-generation of its classic sport coupe, the RX-7.


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Why is atheist a bad word? How do we flip this word because I don't think I can (honestly) call myself anything else!
Views: 2136
Yeah like booklover said - way to go Michael!
The most common stigma is a hangover from the Cold War era. The USSR was anti-religion, so anyone, anywhere who identified as an atheist (religion-neutral) was automatically considered a traitor, communist, un-American, etc. And we still are by many.
I don't understand why that feeling is strongest in the area of the United States that actually seceded from the Union about 150 years ago. Ironic. Back then they used the buybull to justify slavery, and now they use high school and college football games to advertise their piety.
Gag me with a spoon.
Felaine, a very old Valley Girl
I can't help but to respect that Michael. Me being a youngin' dealing with this sensitive subject, I can only imagine what's yet to come for me in the future. I'm open about my beliefs and I am far from ashamed. No one can change that but it's also not respected. There's nothing wrong with the Atheist title. Everyone is just so caught up in the fact that we don't value christian/muslim/catholic/jewish/etc. beliefs, they forget to respect us and at least TRY to understand our values. it's immoral to say the least.
I have been saying for decades that I respect a person's right to believe whatever they want, but I do NOT have to respect what they believe.
When Mormons come to the door, I snort and laugh at them. I'd like to laugh at the Jehovah's Witlesses, too, but I live with one...my Aspie sister. <shrugs> Can't win 'em all.
They can dish it out...
Once, when I was working at JCPenney Advertising (in a large building that is the heart of the LA Garment District), Good Friday and Passover occured on the same day...and I wasn't aware of that. I went out on the afternoon beak to buy a pack of cigarettes, and every damn store and restaurant was closed. (Well the Chinese restaurant didn't have a cigarette machine... remember those?)
I finally figured it out, and came stomping back in the office and bellowed, "Where the eff can an atheist buy some smokes around here today?" Quite a few jaws hit desktops and drawing boards, and the secretary/receptionist blurted, "But you're too nice to be an atheist!" I asked her what that had to do with anything, went to my own desk. I looked at the three gay young guys in my department who were stuffing their fists in their mouths to keep from LOLing, and I started laughing.
Made my day. I think that was when I finally came out of the Non-Believer's Closet after 20 years of keeping things to myself. That was almost 30 years ago...an amazing relief.
But "atheist" in itself is NEITHER a bad word, nor a good word, it's just a word that means a LACK of belief in any deity. It's not necessarily a statement that there is no god, or gods. It just means that you/I personally don't worship any, or pray to any.
That's why people who claim to be agnostics get on my left nerve...they think it means that they don't know whether or not there is a god, sort of a middle-of-the-road position, but that's what atheism is. Agnostics (for the most part) don't go to religious services, or pray over their Big Macs, so IMO they're no different from those of us who come right out and say we're atheists...they're just too cowardly to do the same.
If they don't know there's a god, how can they worship one? THAT's the difference.
© 2019 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: The Nexus Group. Powered by


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This past week, erstwhile welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre resurfaced and fired off shots at his longtime employers, citing issues like lax drug testing as contributing factors to his exit. Well, last night at the UFC Fight Night 35 postfight presser, Dana White was asked his thoughts on the matter, and in typical Dana White fashion, no punches were pulled in his response.
Said White:
"First of all, I don't know if anyone remembers this, but Georges St. Pierre is that one that said he wanted to do the extra drug testing because he wanted to prove that he wasn't on drugs. It wasn't that he thought that Johny Hendricks was on steroids or performance-enhancing drugs of any kind. He wanted to do this.
And just like you see in boxing – you know when I said I thought it was ridiculous for these guys to be doing [this] – first of all, you see it in boxing all the time: one guy comes out and says, 'I want to do extra drug testing because I'm worried about this guy, I want to see what's going on." They never come to an agreement! This guy says, 'I want to use this [doctor],' this guy says, 'I want to use that one.' The Nevada State Athletic Commission is going to test them.
I've talked about the Nevada State Athletic Commission as far as the refs and the judges, [but] they drug test. Not only did they drug test Josh Barnett for his last fight because Josh Barnett was a guy who had been busted for performance-enhancing drugs before, they also made Travis Browne do it too at the same time. And the UFC paid for that. We paid for that drug testing.
Also, for him to say that we're very lenient on drug testing… when we go out of the country and we regulate ourselves, we test everybody on the card. Not just the main event, not just the co-main event. And you want to talk about being lenient? The fight that I was screaming about, yelling about that it was the greatest fight I'd ever seen – Mark Hunt and Bigfoot Silva – we tested the guys for that fight, we caught Bigfoot Silva, and he got destroyed. Literally got destroyed for testing positive – for going over the limit. He didn't test positive, what he did was… Vitor Belfort, Bigfoot Silva, any of these other guys that are on TRT, we test them throughout their whole camp. So he did his last test the week of the fight and his numbers were fine. He took a shot after he got tested. So we tested him again after and his levels were through the roof, and he got destroyed. [He] lost the win money that we gave him, lost the bonus money that we gave him, and obviously he's not getting an extra bonus. And he's suspended for a year. So if that's lenient on drugs, then I guess we're lenient then. I don't even know what to say to it.
What I heard is, Georges St. Pierre is upset about some of the things I said at the press conference, he's upset that I said he didn't win the fight, that I thought Johny Hendricks had won the fight – but if that's the case, call me man to man, let's talk on the phone, let's sit down face to face. I talked to him after the fight face to face and he didn't say anything to me."
White added, "Everything that Georges St. Pierre has said is a little kooky… If Georges St. Pierre wants to talk like a man, he can pick up the phone and call us or see us face to face."
Here's the whole press conference video. Fast-forward to about the eight-minute mark to get to the good stuff.


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The Solar Dynamic Observatory gives us this view of loops of magnetic field lines from a few days ago.
There are videos available at the site (link below) all of which show about 36 hours of activity. Of the choices I liked this one the best on this computer.
Also a reminder (as if you really need one) Rosetta is scheduled to hear the alarm clock go off at 10:00 UTC tomorrow morning. Let's hope the spacecraft wakes rested and ready to go.
A large active region sported tall coils of magnetic field lines that stretched many times the size of Earth above the Sun (Jan. 14-15, 2014). When viewed in extreme ultraviolet light, the field lines are revealed due to particles spinning along them. Some of the lines reach out and connect with another active region that has just rotated out of view. The close-up also shows darker, and therefore cooler plasma, just above the surface being tugged back and forth by magnetic forces.
Credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory/NASA.


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The Bible. (pronounced Buy Bull) or Who to Kill and Why. No good reason really.
An ancient novel full of murder, corruption, homosexuality, bestiality, incest and cruelty. It is often read to children on Sunday. When used in conjunction with candy, Is excellent bait for catholic priests.
Views: 111
Proof that God is for real
Location: Fucked if I know
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Father Gets Swole After His 14 Year Old Son Crashes His SUV On The Way To Buy Skittles! "Told You About Them Daymn Cell Phones. Thats Why You Dont Have 1"
14-Year-Old Crashes Dad's SUV On Way To Buy Skittles
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Just three years ago — before the formation of Aventis —there were 10 major global chemical companies. According to Sano Shimoda, president of BioScience Securities, an investment banking firm in Orinda, CA, the "Global 10" consisted of BASF, American Cyanamid, Zeneca, Novartis, Rhone Poulenc, AgrEvo, Dupont, Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences and Bayer.
Since then, AgrEvo and Rhone Poulenc merged to form Aventis (which is selling off its crop sciences division), BASF took over American Cyanamid, and Zeneca and Novartis combined to form Syngenta.
The Global 10 is now the Global 7. And Shimoda believes that group will soon shrink to become the Global 5.
But the consolidation of agricultural industries extends far beyond that group. Each of the coming Global 5 also reached out to envelop most of the major seed companies and biotech firms. What's left is only a handful of companies that each control proprietary lines of chemical, seed and genetic technologies.
What's going on?Forces that drive consolidation
In many ways, the consolidation of agricultural companies simply mirrors American business; consolidation is happening across the board, in all industries. Still, there are forces at work unique to agriculture.
High cost of research and development. It can take $100 million to develop a new product and bring it to market. So in the name of efficiency, companies merge and combine their R&D departments. Another factor is the time and expense related to regulatory demands. Small companies cannot absorb the cost and time delays while waiting for regulatory approvals. The payoff is simply too far away.
A shift in technology. Biotechnology altered the playing field. If a company needs a unique package of technologies or raw materials — like those emerging from biotech labs — it's difficult to source them on the open market. So companies buy and merge to access that critical technology.
A need for vast distribution networks. This is related to the technology shift. Dupont acquired Pioneer for more than its genetic technology; Dupont also got a massive field distribution force. Now with a strong combination of chemicals, seed technologies and a distribution network, it can bundle its technology much like Microsoft bundles software.
Falling margins. Don't underestimate the effect Roundup Ready soybeans had on the herbicide market. When that technology hit, farmers shifted from traditional soybean herbicides to a combined technology of Roundup and transgenic seed. That technology immediately cut the per-acre cost of herbicides nearly in half. To survive, competing chemical companies had no choice but to meet that price. Then they focused on mergers and buyouts in a search for long-term efficiencies and economies of scale.Will competition be affected?
"That's tough to answer at this stage of the game," says Mike Boehlje, professor at Purdue University's Center for Agricultural Business. "Classic economic theory says that for healthy competition you need a number of firms, open access to information and no barriers to entry. But increasingly that is difficult because of massive capital requirements. It's one thing to innovate, yet another to commercialize. The dilemma is that the only way to bring new technology to market is with massive expenditures that only a few companies can fund. That is a barrier.
"So the question becomes, how many firms do you need to mimic perfect competition? Twenty? Ten? Five? You certainly need more than one. And as you get closer to one, there is the possibility of market power."
Sano Shimoda believes the technology shift, by itself, will force intense competition.
"I believe farm technologies are moving onto a technology treadmill, characterized by shortened product cycles similar to what exists in the computer market," he says. "There, you buy a PC and it is quickly outdated by new technology. We may only have four or five major global chemical and seed companies, but they will really fight for the farmer's business by constantly introducing new and better products. Competition will be fierce.
"Even so, competition will be different, more complex than in the past. Farmers will pay more for new seed technologies, but they'll also get more value. That's the test. That's what will determine success or failure for the global companies."
Tray Thomas, president of The Context Network, an international agribusiness consulting company in Des Moines, IA, also believes competition will ramp up, at least in the major markets.
"The corn and soybean markets are huge," he says, "and these companies are really going to fight for market share. And as long as Roundup is out there, they have to compete with it. That will continue to pull the market down. Prices will fall as more companies compete for that market.
"I also think farmers should look at the future with enthusiasm because so many products are coming off patent."Factors that boost buying power
According to Thomas, two major factors are boosting farmers' buying power.
First, about three years before a patent expires, the manufacturing company begins lowering prices. The idea is to sell more product to generate more income at a lower price: Roundup is a good example. Then about two years before patent expiration, the company begins making supply contracts with other distributors. Finally, when patents expire, the generics move in.
"It's like the food industry," Thomas says. "The same manufacturing plant will produce a branded corn product and a generic one. Even so, the original brand — if it's a good one — will still hold market share. Take Treflan. People still call the product Treflan even though it has been off patent for many years. That's how branding works. You still pay a little more for the brand name, but not much. Some buyers want that brand name. Others don't care."
A second factor that will continue to boost farmers' buying power is the Internet. And its biggest impact has come from eliminating differential pricing by region.
"That created headaches for manufacturers," Thomas says, "and the best example out there is Bt cotton. It's the 'Internet Effect' in spades.
"Manufacturers could charge one price for insect control in the Delta, where costs to control insects are the highest. But they had to charge less in Georgia, and even less in the High Plains of Texas. The Internet eliminated that regional price differential. Geographic price discrimination is now practically impossible."
According to Mike Boehlje, it's all about open access to information: "One thing the Internet has done is provide liquidity to these markets that wasn't there. Pricing information is now widely available. Maybe farmers didn't used to know about differential pricing, but they sure do now.
"In addition, farmers have more than the ability to find out about differential pricing; they can access those markets through Internet companies. They also can use that pricing information as a bargaining tool locally."
Look for Part II of "Industry Giants" in the next issue of Farm Industry News.Supply chain production may change how you buy inputs
In any business it's essential to study trends even if they don't directly affect you today. And Mike Boehlje, professor at Purdue's Center for Agricultural Business, says one trend is worth watching. It may change how you buy inputs.
"Traditionally," Boehlje says, "producers have been opportunistic buyers because there have been so many alternatives. They price check, make their best deals for annual input purchases, then next year they might make the purchases from someone else. There haven't been a lot of reasons to stay with a particular supplier or manufacturer."
That, he says, could change. And it may occur in a form similar to what is happening with specialty crop producers today.
"It's advantageous for specialty crop producers to form some kind of contractual arrangement with a buyer," he says. "In that instance, they are aligning with someone who takes their output. I think that same type of thinking will occur on the input side."
In such a production system, Boehlje says a farmer who wants to be a part of a particular supply chain for an end user may be required to use specific products in order to join that system. So rather than shopping for individual products, he would first shop for a company or production system that is best for his situation. Then he would acquire inputs that match up with production requirements.
"That will create an opportunity for joint ventures in buying," Boehlje says, "but they won't necessarily be geographically focused. Your neighbors, for example, may not be aligned with the same system. It's also possible that input purchasing would not even occur every year, but only every three years or even five years, depending on how the pipeline is set up."Farm equipment: As competitive as ever
As editor emeritus of Farm Equipment magazine, Bill Fogarty has spent a lifetime studying the equipment industry. Looking back over the last 50 years, he sees one constant — healthy competition.
"The biggest thing that happened to the equipment industry was when farmers got rid of livestock," he says. "That liberated them to shop all over the place — not just at their local dealer — and real competition for the farmer's dollar began.
"And really, nothing has changed. The fact is there are still too many dealers, and they often have to sell equipment at prices that don't generate much profit over the long haul.
"You'd think we'd reach a point where the need to get a return on capital would reach a balance. But the thing is, agriculture won't allow that. There's the occasional hot year, but on a worldwide basis there are more times when the squeeze is on farmers and that gets transferred to equipment companies. Take Deere. Its earnings for 2000 will double earnings in 1999. But that's still only half its earnings for 1998. That says it all."
Even AGCO's buying spree — when it snapped up Deutz Allis, New Idea, Massey Ferguson, White and now AgChem — does not concern Fogarty. "AGCO has had excellent growth and it now owns a multiplicity of brands," he says, "but I don't see that affecting competition."
One reason Fogarty believes competition will remain strong has to do with the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" theory. He cites this example: "In the late '60s, whoever made the smallest farm tractor didn't have any competition at all. And they quit making it. So what happened? Kubota jumped right in and just ran with that market niche. The competition always rises to the challenge. Someone always sees opportunity."


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moretto needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 65 designs submitted by 31 freelance designers.
this company offers services for large business of corporate finance and strategic management consulting.
private..see description
the logo should be modern, clear, corporate and sharp.
about finance, top managment research, giving idea of seriosity, innovation, security.
The logotype is: Active Value
Payoff: Enhance your Active Return
Colours: Dark red, blue ( but you can even use different ones )
Some competitors: ( but the logo should be better of course )
http://www.ambrosetti.eu; http://www.sternstewart.com,
http://www.bain.it http://www.mediobanca.it, http://www.accenture.com
- Clear concept, simple lines
- sharp
- good concept
- something already seen
- copyed concept
- nosense concept
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Posted 7 years ago
(310 items)
I came across these photographs in a box of stuff I acquired, and am rather intrigued by them.
Here is some info I received by email:
" Yes these are pictures of rare gas-powered hobby cars from the late 1930s through 1950s. Most were handmade, some were made by Cox. These things go 70 to 100mph!!
Some were run as "tether cars" or "spindizzies" with a wire to a center post, others ran on a track with a raised center rail, like in your pictures.
Look up The Dooling Brothers, who became famous racing these cars. Maybe that's one of the Doolings in your picture? I don't know, we'd need a real expert.
Aha, here it is:
That website should let you connect with one of experts on these cars. Also look up something like "Thimble Drome" on google or ebay and see more."
Here is the closing chapter to this amazing story. I just received this email:
"The photos you have sent me are of Roy Richter. On December 7, 1941 Richter won the 1st National Rail track Championship (67.08 mph) in Los Angeles with cabin car #102 pictured with the trophy. He was a very successful racer in the early 1940's as evidenced by the other photos with winning cars. Richter is better known as the creator of BELL HELMETS (Bell Equipment Co) and CRAGAR WHEELS (Cragar Equipment Co)!!"
What a great ending.


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The third and final entry in the Seashells and Sunflowers Argentine Recipe Contest comes from Norma Torres of New York, New York, USA. Norma, a Latina blogger of Puerto Rican descent, offers up her take on Latin cuisine at her blog Platanos, Mangoes and Me! In the wake of an unfortunate blog meltdown, she's back and better than ever at a brand new Wordpress blog. Please take a moment to visit her blog and say hello.
Norma submitted a recipe for matambre arrollado, a very popular dish here in Argentina. As always, she put her personal spin on this classic recipe, with pleasing results. Norma also provided some background information about matambre, which I've paraphrased below:
Matambre, a cut of beef that Americans know as flank steak, is the meat that covers the ribs just under the hide [a photo of the cut]. The word "matambre" comes from a contraction of two Spanish words: matar (to kill) and hambre (hunger). So, matambre essentially means (and rightfully so) "hunger-killer."
A typical Argentine cut, matambre may be prepared in a number of ways including grilled with a touch of salt, topped with tomatoes and cheese (matambre a la pizza), or stuffed, rolled and cooked – either on the stove-top or in the oven – and enjoyed as a cold cut or as an appetizer at parties or get-togethers.
I served Norma's matambre arrollado this afternoon at a family lunch, and all in attendance gave their seal of approval. The meat turned out tender and nicely seasoned, with the vegetables providing eye appeal and additional flavor.
Matambre Arrollado | Argentine Rolled Stuffed Flank Steak
2 beef flank steaks totaling about 3-1/2 lbs. [I used a large cut of matambre.]
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
3/4 lb. fresh baby spinach
5 hardboiled eggs, cut in wedges [I kept mine whole.]
6 carrots, quartered lengthwise and blanched
1 large onion, julienned
24 oz. (3 c.) beef stock
2 tsp. dried thyme [I used 1 tsp.]
Place the flank steaks on a cutting board, and trim away the silver skin and most of the fat from the meat. With the short side closest to you, butterfly [how-to video] the two flank steaks (cut through the meat horizontally from the long side or follow the technique shown in the video). Using a meat mallet or a heavy pan, pound the steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Place the flank steaks in a non-reactive bowl with the vinegar, oil, one clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate the steaks for about 6 hours in the refrigerator.
Lay the steaks side-by-side with the long sides nearest you; overlap the short sides by about 2 inches. Sprinkle the steaks with salt, pepper, parsley, and the other clove of garlic. Distribute the spinach all over the meat, and then place long, evenly-spaced rows of carrots, onions and hardboiled eggs across the steaks [I lined up the whole hardboiled eggs in a row, end-to-end, along the edge nearest me since I wanted them in the center of the matambre.]
Firmly roll the flank steaks, starting from the long side, and tie with kitchen twine. Close up any loose seams with toothpicks. Place in a roasting pan with the beef stock and the thyme. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a preheated 375ºF oven. After 1 hour, remove the pan, turn the meat over, and re-cover with foil. Return the matambre to the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove the beef stock and save for future use, if desired. Allow the meat to cool, and then loosely cover and top with weights. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator the next day. Slice and serve the matambre with ensalada rusa.
Stay tuned for contest voting instructions – coming up in the next post!
Previous Posts about the Recipe Contest:
Entry #2: Budín de Pan al Caramelo | Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
Entry #1: Tarta de Cebolla y Queso | Onion and Cheese Quickbread
Finalists for Argentine Recipe Contest
Argentine Recipe Contest


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I have a niece that is a modern day hippie.
She is a good person about 30 years old. She is one with the universe and her own source of spirituality. She thinks the "fairy tails" in the bible are just that. She believes Jesus was a real person, but she also believes Buddah was too. I looked up who and what Buddah was. Some enlightened dead dude from 2500 years ago. DEAD !
I didn't "get" hippies back in the sixties and I really don't understand half of what they say today.
I have Tom Horn's book on answering atheism, but the basics escape me. Most things about Salvation and eternal life seem to be uninteresting to the hippie mindset.
Getting through by quoting scripture is usually a dead end. Remember, to a non-believer it is gibberish.
Feel free to jump in, I'm at a loss.


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Since the All-Star break, the Lakers are 7-2. A resurgent Dwight Howard has been a major part of the Lakers' run.
Something clicked for Howard in Houston during All-Star weekend.
"I stayed in the hotel and just thought about the first half of the season and what I could do better. How I could be better for our team." said the Lakers center. "I just told myself, 'I'm going to commit myself to being better for the second half of the season.'"
When Howard first arrived to Los Angeles in August, he said he didn't think playing with Kobe Bryant would change him as a player or a person.
"Kobe's going to be Kobe and I'm going to be Dwight," he said at his introductory press conference. "I'm not going to try to change who he is and I'm not going to change who I am. I'm going to have fun and do what I do and that's what got me here today and I'm not going to change it."


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Stiffening political headwinds could complicate the nomination of at-large Circuit Judge Alison Renee Lee to the federal bench, amid fresh questions about her judicial decision-making.
In a sign of potential trouble, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said this week that Lee's nomination to serve as a Columbia, S.C.-based U.S. District Court judge has provoked "concerns" among some South Carolina residents. Graham is a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has not yet scheduled a confirmation hearing for Lee.
"I've had a lot of concerns expressed about her," Graham said in an interview Tuesday, "and I've been having a lot of meetings scheduled (about her) in the state."
On Wednesday, Graham's colleague, Republican Sen. Tim Scott, voiced similar sentiments.
"Senator Scott has significant concerns about the decisions Ms. Lee has made in her current role," Greg Blair, Scott's press secretary, said in an email response to questions. "The senator was able to hold an initial meeting with her following her nomination and will continue to evaluate all the available information about her candidacy."
Senate Judiciary Committee staffers indicate the panel has not yet focused attention on Lee, who's 55 and a graduate of Vassar College and Tulane Law School. When it does, the release of individuals later alleged to have committed other crimes while out on bail is certain to receive close scrutiny.
In January, Lee lowered the bond for an 18-year-old burglary suspect named Lorenzo Young. Lee consolidated bonds and reduced the total from $225,000 to $175,000 for Young, who subsequently was released and then later charged in the July 1 slaying of 33-year-old bagel baker Kelly Hunnewell.
On Wednesday, The State revealed that another teenager whose bond Lee had lowered, Dequan Vereen, was charged last week in the shooting death of a man outside a Richland County convenience store. The State reported that Lee reduced bond for Vereen, who faced charges of attempted murder and armed robbery, from $175,000 to $50,000 in February, according to records in the Richland County Clerk of Court's office.
When the Senate Judiciary Committee examines Lee's record, Graham's role could become paramount.
"It is very important," said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond Law School professor, noting that Graham is "a Senate Judiciary Committee member who can influence other GOP members."
Graham's committee influence and credibility among Democrats are especially strong because, unlike some Senate Republicans, he has been previously willing to support President Barack Obama's judicial nominees. Graham was one of only five Senate Republicans to vote for Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan and one of only nine to vote for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
"While it is our responsibility to challenge the court, to scrutinize the court, to put the nominee to a test, it is also our obligation to honor elections, respect elections, and to protect the court," Graham said in 2010, explaining his willingness to support the president's nominees.
At the same time, Graham's past willingness to cross party lines has upset some South Carolina conservatives, who periodically threaten a primary challenge. Politically speaking, this could pose extra incentive to carefully scrutinize other nominees. Scott, appointed to the Senate this year, was not in his present office at the time of the Kagan and Sotomayor confirmation hearings.
Tobias, who specializes in federal judiciary issues, noted that Senate protocol typically requires both home state senators to assent with a so-called "blue slip" before the Senate panel will even hold a judicial confirmation hearing.
Obama nominated Lee and U.S. Magistrate Bruce Howe Hendricks on June 26. On Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee convened a confirmation hearing for two other district court nominees tapped by Obama a month after the two South Carolinians. Two weeks ago, the Senate committee held a confirmation hearing for three nominees who were nominated in June, including one announced the same day as Lee and Hendricks.
Lee has already undergone some scrutiny.
A majority of the American Bar Association panel that studied Lee's career deemed her "well qualified," which is the highest rating, while a minority of the panel deemed her "qualified." Most of Lee's fellow district court nominees still awaiting confirmation, including Hendricks, received a "unanimously well qualified" rating from the ABA panel, according to documents filed with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
An extensive questionnaire filed with the Senate committee sheds further light on Lee's background, including the steps that led to her nomination by the White House.
"In December 2012, I provided a resume to Congressman James E. Clyburn's staff," Lee reported. "I was interviewed by Congressman Clyburn at his Columbia, South Carolina office on January 9, 2013."
Three months later, Lee reported, she was in contact with Justice Department officials, and in May she interviewed in Washington, D.C., with White House and Justice Department attorneys.
As a matter of standard practice, judicial nominees decline public comment prior to their confirmation hearing.


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Vesper One Page HTML Business Creative Portfolio is a simple, clean, and unique theme, it has 3 smooth jquery transition effect ( diagonal, vertical, horizontal) and parallax background, it is also easy to be used and customized. This theme is good for business who has dynamic and creative culture, also suitable for creative agency and freelances.
Theme Features What includes when you buy this theme are
- Flex Slider
- 3 Sliding Style of the theme ( Diagonal dynamic, horizontal, vertical )
- Well layered PSD files
- Documentation of the theme for easy use and customization (like change logo, inserting portfolio, changing email, etc)
- Well and valid HTML Coded
- Beautiful filterable portfolio effect with CSS3
- Jquery lightbox in the portfolio
- Simple and beautiful buttons and icons Hover Effect
- Google Map
- Cross browser compatible
- PhP contact form
- etc.


text: David Farragut (1801-70) was an accomplished U.S. naval officer, who received great acclaim for his service to the Union during the American Civil War (1861-65). Farragut commanded the Union blockade of Southern ports, helped capture the the Confederate city of New Orleans and provided support for General Ulysses S. Grant's siege of Vicksburg. Farragut is best known for his victory at the Battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864, during which he commanded his fleet to ignore Confederate defenses in the harbor, famously proclaiming "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"


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The training awards and keys are designed to recognize unit Scouters for tenure, training, and performance in their leadership roles. Progress record forms with the 2012 requirements for these awards can be found at the links below.
The files below contain updated requirements for the Scouter's Key for District Committee Members and new requirements for the Scouter's Training Award for District Committee Members. See the Spring 2013 Training Times for additional details.
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