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'DWTS' Results: Did Hope Solo Or Carson Kressley Get Eliminated?
It was fun while it lasted, but one of our favorite contestants on 'Dancing with the Stars' was eliminated Oct. 18! Boo hiss!
After last night's '80s-themed performances, it was anyone's guess as to who was getting eliminated on Dancing with the Stars Oct. 18. However, once the bottom three — Nancy Grace, Carson Kressley and Hope Solo — were revealed, it became pretty obvious who was about to get the boot.
Carson, the hysterical and flamboyant TV personality, was probably the most entertaining contestant on season 13, but was objectively the worst dancer. After surviving through the first half of the competition, he was eliminated…such a bummer!
"First of all, I have to say thank you to everyone at Dancing with the Stars," Carson said after discovering his fate. "This has been pure joy for me. I hope i could make people smile and laugh and have a great time. It was great being here."
He added, "I cannot say enough about what a great positive experience this was and I'll be back every week cheering for my cast mates."
We'll miss watching Carson's outlandish performances every week — they were the highlight of every show!


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HONESDALE (AP) - A northeastern Pennsylvania man is facing charges after he allegedly dragged a puppy behind his vehicle for more than a mile.
Police say 71-year-old Honesdale resident Peter Ivosevic brought the 4-month-old German Shepherd mix to a shelter on Monday with extensive injuries. The Citizens' Voice reports (http://bit.ly/WQLsle) he said the injuries were the result of an accident.
Police say a cable tie connected the dog's collar to the bumper of the vehicle. They say they were able to calculate how long it was dragged by tracking blood on the road.
The puppy, named Dog, has undergone surgery to remove his ear and treat a severe head wound. It's expected to recover.
Ivosevic faces two counts of animal cruelty. The telephone rang unanswered Thursday at a listing in his name.
Information from: The Citizens' Voice, http://www.citizensvoice.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Useful links and resources for P7
You should use your assessment booklets to help you revise. In addition to this check out the revision sessions in school - check the intervention board outside of G17 or topics, times and places. You should also be using SAM learning and Doddlelearn. If you fancy looking further afield here are some useful websites:


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Wednesday, August 31, 2016
This is a minor update to 6.4.x It has 24 additional changes. All bugs fixes and stability changes.
See changelog for info about change in this minor update.
Over 250+ changes since v6.2
New in 6.4
Major new feature is the total redesign and file system scanning. It now always run in background. That will make block the UI less. Improves flat filesystem scanning a lot. Better abort of filesystem scanning, better startup time with lots of tabs.
If you have issue with file system scanning. please send a message. (Help menu > Send feedback)
You can also activate the old file system scanning engine in Explorer Panel settings
- New filesystem scanning engine
- Lots of fixes for File Search
- File operation plugin "CopyContent" now works again
- And lots of fixes and internal changes


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South Africa
major macro economic indicators
|2018 (e)
|2019 (f)
|GDP growth (%)
|Inflation (yearly average, %)
|Budget balance (% GDP)*
|Current account balance (% GDP)
|Public debt (% GDP)*
(e): Estimate. (f): Forecast. *Fiscal year from 1st April - 31st March. 2019 data: FY18/19.
- Regional/continental economic and political powerhouse
- Rich in natural resources (gold, platinum, coal, chromium)
- Advanced services sector (particularly financial)
- Legislative environment protects investors
- Poverty and inequalities are sources of social risk (crime, strikes and demonstrations)
- High unemployment (over 27%) and shortage of skilled labour
- Ageing infrastructure (transport, energy)
- Dependent on volatile flows of foreign capital
Activity to accelerate but subject to multiple constraints
Growth is expected to pick up in 2019, but will remain relatively weak. In particular, investments should make a more positive contribution: the adoption of a new mining charter in September 2018, after several years of debate, brings more certainty to investors in the sector. However, private investment growth will remain cautious as the 2019 general elections approach, and uncertainties about land reform, which could allow expropriations without compensation, will continue to be a cause for concern. Public investment should benefit as budgets shift towards upgrading infrastructure. Nevertheless, as with public consumption, its contribution will be restricted by budgetary constraints. As a result, the construction sector, which will also continue to suffer from the recurring difficulties affecting state-owned enterprises, is not expected to experience a significant rebound. Exports could benefit from the weaker rand and provide support to the mining, agriculture and automotive sectors. However, structural difficulties in these sectors – namely high production costs, exposure to climate shocks and weak domestic demand respectively – will continue to dampen their expansion. Constrained in particular by the VAT increase in 2018, private consumption could rebound, thanks to the introduction of the minimum wage, which is expected to support trade activities. However, monetary policy tightening (set in train in November 2018), weak credit growth, high unemployment and inflationary pressures will further stymie growth in consumption.
An economy exposed to twin deficits
The budget deficit is expected to remain high in fiscal year 2019/20. As with growth, revenues are expected to rise only slightly, while no tax increases are expected. Indeed, after hiking VAT in 2018, the Treasury has said it plans to refrain from raising income and corporate taxes. The cost of debt service, which absorbs almost 14% of revenues, will further burden spending. With the country holding general elections, the likelihood of budget cuts is reduced. However, spending increases are expected to remain limited, while the economic stimulus and recovery plan presented in September 2018 will be financed by a revision of the budgetary guidelines. Despite the reforms, the financial situation of state-owned companies, particularly power utility Eskom, remains worrying and poses a risk to public finances. Ultimately, the sustainability of the debt, whose burden is set to continue to increase, could be threatened. South Africa will remain exposed to further credit rating downgrades, which would affect the cost of borrowing. However, the low proportion of foreign currency debt (about 10%) and short-term debt mitigates the risk. Exposure to the debt of state-owned entreprises could be a threat to the banking sector's health, but in a difficult economic environment, the sector continues to demonstrate strength.
In 2019, the current account will remain in deficit, mainly due to profit repatriation by foreign companies, which is affecting the income account. Payments to SACU partner countries will maintain the deficit in the transfer balance. The increase in the trade surplus, thanks in particular to rand depreciation, should allow the current account deficit to narrow slightly. Deficit financing will still largely depend on portfolio investment flows, which could be volatile in 2019. Domestic political uncertainty, weak growth, more negative market sentiment towards emerging countries and tighter US monetary policy could fuel capital flight. This would increase the pressure on the rand and foreign exchange reserves, which cover about 4.5 months of imports.
Land reform at the heart of the 2019 elections
Succeeding Jacob Zuma – who was forced to resign by his own party, the African National Congress (ANC) –, Cyril Ramaphosa became President in February 2018. Just over a year on, the ANC and Mr Ramaphosa will be judged at the ballot box during the 2019 general elections, which will probably be held in May. However, the enthusiasm that followed his appointment was quickly dampened as the new President struggled with the country's socio-economic challenges, including anaemic growth, endemic unemployment, persistent inequalities, and rising inflationary pressures. The President's efforts to restore the credibility of governance and anti-corruption efforts in the aftermath of the Zuma era, which was tainted by the State Capture inquiry, took a blow following the admission of questionable payments made to finance his campaign to lead the ANC. As a result, for the first time since the end of apartheid, the ANC could lose its majority. The campaign will be dominated by the divisive issue of expropriations without compensation to accelerate the redistribution of land to black owners. This issue will also be of concern to investors and could worsen the perception of the business climate if the proposals in this area infringe property rights. South Africa's relatively favourable business environment has deteriorated, as evidenced by the fact that the country has slipped 48 places in the Doing Business ranking over the past decade and came 82nd out of 190 countries in the 2019 edition.
Last update: February 2019
Electronic Funds Transfers (ETF), including SWIFT payments and international transfers, are used for payments in foreign currencies. Cheques are rarely used, outdated, expensive to process, and vulnerable to fraud. Cheque payments are also subject to a clearing period of 10 working days. The majority of businesses no longer use them. Cash payments do still occur but have the same disadvantages. Letters of credit are issued between banks and serve as a guarantee for payments made to a specified person under specified conditions, including imports and exports. In most cases, irrevocable credits and confirmed irrevocable credits are issued. The terms and conditions can be onerous and should be fully understood before acceptance of these letters. Parties can sometimes secure payment on delivery via bank guarantee. Monies are deposited into a bank account, and the bank in turn issues a guarantee for payment on confirmation of delivery. This type of payment is mainly used in matters pertaining to property transfers.
Debt collection
Amicable phase
The National Credit Act states that the creditor must try to contact the debtor via a phone call, before issuing a formal letter of demand (outlining the outstanding obligation, and sent via email, registered post, or delivered by hand). Once this is done, the parties attempt to negotiate a settlement over an acceptable period of time. As creditors are not obliged to accept payment in instalments, they can opt to proceed with legal action to secure a full one-time payment. This phase is much less costly than immediately proceeding with legal action. This phase also provides greater insight for preparing for the litigation phase. Depending on the nature and value of the claim involved, it is sometimes possible to skip this phase and proceed immediately to litigation.
Legal proceedings
The administration of justice and application of law in South Africa is carried out by the civil and criminal courts. The ordinary courts are the district and regional magistrates' courts, the provincial divisions of the High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal. The Constitutional Court is the highest court for constitutional matters. Specialist courts have been established for various legal sectors, including Labour Courts, the Land Claims Court, Special Income Tax Courts, and the Electoral Court.
Determining whether to proceed in a lower court or in the High Court will depend on the type and value of the claim. Decisions of the lower courts can be passed for review or brought to appeal in the higher courts. Some types of cases can only be heard by the High Court, regardless of the quantum of the claim. As a general rule, a court will exercise jurisdiction on the basis that the defendant is resident or domiciled in the area of the court, or if the cause of action arose in that area.
Proceedings in the Magistrates and Regional Courts generally involve a trial (action) process. Motion (by way of affidavit) proceedings are limited to certain cases only. The High Court can hold both trial (action) and motion (application) proceedings. In action proceedings, the process commences with a summons and is concluded with a trial stage, where witnesses give testimonies. With application (motion) proceedings, the matter will be determined with reference only to written documents and, as a general rule, no oral evidence is permitted. Evidence is set out in affidavits and cannot be contested by cross-examination. Although motion proceedings were generally quicker and cheaper than actions, applications can now end up costing more than action proceedings. When the court is faced with an application in which it is evident that there is a material dispute of facts between the parties, it will then refer the matter to trial.
The alternative to court proceedings is to refer the dispute or claim to arbitration, although few parties are willing to agree the required costs. Arbitration can be faster than court processes and the costs of proceedings are divided equally between the parties. Disputes or decisions at the arbitration hearing can be reviewed through an application to court. Arbitrations can be made an order of court by application, for the purposes of execution.
Enforcement of a Legal Decision
The High Court deals extensively with execution against property, whether movable or immovable. The rules of the Court provide for the attachment and sale of property in order to satisfy the judgment made on the debt.
Foreign judgments are enforced in South Africa by way of provisional sentence proceedings. They are not directly enforceable. The courts which pronounced the judgment must have had the necessary jurisdiction required to entertain the case, according to the principles recognised by South African law on the jurisdiction of foreign courts.
Insolvency Proceedings
Creditor compromise procedure
A compromise can be initiated by a resolution of the board of directors, or by direction of a liquidator. They can propose a compromise to all creditors, or a specific class of, creditors and must notify the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of the proposal. A receiver is appointed to supervise the process. The proposal must be approved by a majority of at least 75%, in value, of the relevant creditors or proxies present at the meeting. If the proposal is accepted, it can be presented to court for confirmation. Once confirmed, the order must be filed by the company with the CIPC within five days.
Business rescue
The objective of a business rescue is to allow financially distressed companies to restructure and reorganise, in order to avoid insolvency. A business rescue is initiated by a resolution of the company's board, adopted by a simple majority. Supervision and control is conducted by a business rescue practitioner, appointed by the company and licensed by the CIPC. The process concludes when either:
- the court sets aside the resolution or order that initiated the proceedings;
- the court converts the business rescue into liquidation proceedings;
- the practitioner files a notice of termination of business rescue proceedings;
- the business rescue plan is rejected; or
- the business rescue plan is adopted and a notice of substantial implementation is filed.
Liquidation proceedings for a company begin with either a court order on the request of any persons and on the grounds set out in the Companies Act 2008, a request for voluntary liquidation, or an application to court by the shareholders, the creditors, or the company for liquidation (when the company is insolvent). A liquidator is appointed to wind up the company. The liquidator collects all the assets and claims due to the company, sells them and distributes the proceeds amongst the creditors. It is essential that the creditor lodges its claim with the liquidator, regardless of whether it has a judgment or a court order. Once all the proceeds have been distributed, the liquidator files its final liquidation and distribution accounts and makes any payments set out within it. The liquidator then advises the Master of the High Court that the administration of the estate is complete.


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John H. Henderson
8-Feb-2001, 14:56
Say that I wanted to try printing B&W negatives on color paper for the purpose t rying to get a certain tint (This is an experiment using what I have readily ava ilable - please don't suggest printing B&W and then toning). Does anyone know o f what filtration to use to get certain effects, such as sepia? Say I tune my f ilters to get a neutral gray, what set of filters to I add to get a certain tint ?


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Mobile devices have revolutionized the way people work and play, and are now doing the same for how we teach and learn. Two weeks ago at TwTT we heard about the Yale School of Medicine's remarkable initiative to eliminate paper in the classroom by issuing iPads to all students. Last week, Julie Newman described how the unique form factor and interface of the iPad can enrich assignments and improve participation. Now, in this week's TwTT the series on mobile technology concludes with a panel of students from the Wires Crossed internship, here to talk to us about how they incorporate mobile technology into their daily lives.
Emmanuel Quartey, Architecture '12, set the tone of the panel when, while clutching his iPad, he said "I shudder to think what I would have accomplished at Yale if I had owned this device my freshman year." While some of the students felt more strongly about the importance of mobile technology, all of them agreed that the iPads and smartphones they were issued through the internship had dramatic effects on their studies.
So what is Wires Crossed? Originally "my mobile year," this internship program initially sought to peer into the life of mobile technology use by students, but quickly morphed into a report on the pulse of technology on campus. Behind the scenes, 5 students, Austin Berhadt, '12; Salvador Fernandez, '13; Henry Furman, '14; Emmanuel Quartey, '12; and Sara Stalla, '13, were issued iPads and smartphones and asked to report back regularly on when they were using the devices and how. This report came in the form of a Tumblr based blog and a Twitter feed, both of which picked up more interest from undergraduates than had been expected.
Read more Wires Crossed


text:
Where History Greets You at the Door
Welcome to Reynolds Tavern, one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in Annapolis, Maryland. Situated in a prominent position on Church Circle, Reynolds Tavern is conveniently located in the center of the Historic District's shops, restaurants, theaters, galleries, and the United States Naval Academy.
The building has been restored beautifully to reflect the working nature of the tavern and the elegance of the 18th Century. Reynolds Tavern is the oldest tavern in Annapolis, and one of the oldest in the United States.
We have three rooms; all en-suite and luxuriously appointed, which offer a unique atmosphere just steps away from the Capital Building.
Whatever your tastes, Reynolds Tavern has something to offer you. Reynolds Tavern serves a full lunch menu, English afternoon tea, and dinner. In the spring, summer and early fall, we offer casual, alfresco dining in our courtyard. The cellar pub in the Tavern's original kitchen gives you a flavor of the Tavern's rich history.
Reserve a Table
There's always something happening at Reynolds Tavern. Make a reservation today and enjoy all we have to offer!
Hours of Operation
Reynolds Tavern
Lunch & Afternoon Tea: Mon – Sun 11:00am – 5:00pm
Dinner: Wed – Sun 5:30pm – 9:00pm
1747 Pub
Kitchen Open Daily, 11:00am – 10:00pm
(11:00pm on weekends)
Happy Hour: Sun – Fri 3:00pm – 7:00pm


text:
Reprinted with permission from the Center for Military Readiness.
To read David Horowitz's article, "The Feminist Assault on the Military," click here.
Gen. Dempsey Says He Will Question Standards That Are "Too High"
The Department of Defense is protesting (too much) that when military women are allowed (actually, ordered) into direct ground combat battalions, they will be held to the same standards men must meet today. This claim is not compatible with another major social goal of the Defense Department, what former Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen used to call "diversity as a strategic imperative."
There are seven major reasons why the Obama Administration, including compliant members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are being less than candid about the consequences of policies that lame-duck Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered on January 24.
1. Pentagon Feminists Will Not Accept Men's High Standards
The tipoff came during the January 24 Pentagon news conference conducted by Panetta and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Dempsey said that if "a particular standard is so high that a woman couldn't make it, the burden is now on the service to come back and explain...why is it that high? Does it really have to be that high?" Since the stated goal is "set women up for success," the answer will be "No."
It does not matter what Pentagon officials and women-in-combat activists are promising now. For the following reasons, incremental pressures to assign women to fighting infantry battalions eventually will drive qualification standards down.
2. "Critical Mass" Means Many Women, not the Exceptional Few
Speaking the language of social engineers, not combat veterans, Gen. Dempsey admitted the need to introduce a "critical mass" or "significant cadre" of women into previously-all-male units. This phrase, usually interpreted to mean a cohort of 10-15 percent, cannot be met with a few exceptional women who "only want a chance."
To insert into direct ground combat units even half of the women needed to achieve a "critical mass," commanders will have to incrementally modify the male-oriented program of instruction so that female personnel, including unwilling enlisted servicewomen will "succeed."
3. Group Rights, Not Individual Rights
High, uncompromised standards simply are not compatible with recommendations of the Pentagon's own Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC), a mostly-civilian commission set up by feminists in the Congress and the Pentagon. In 2011, the MLDC called for elimination of women's land combat exemptions in order to achieve non-remedial gender-based "diversity metrics" − read, "quotas." The Defense Department endorsed the MLDC's egalitarian report at a Pentagon news conference on February 9, 2012.
The MLDC report admits that the new "diversity management" involves fair treatment, but "it is not about treating everyone the same. This can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially for leaders who grew up with the EO-inspired mandate to be both color and gender blind." (p. 18)
This "new diversity" concept is a radical departure from the military's honorable tradition of recognizing individual merit − the key to successful racial integration long before the civilian world. The "new diversity" is not about individual rights; it's about gender-based group rights that will result in discrimination against deserving, well-qualified men.
4. Diversity Czar, Career Penalties Will Drive Standards Down
The MLDC Report that the Department of Defense endorsed last year recommends that a "Chief Diversity Officer (CDO)," reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense, be established to monitor accountability for "diversity management." (MLDC Executive Summary, p. xvii) The new Diversity Czar will establish a new feminist power base in the Pentagon that will make career promotions at all levels contingent on "diversity leadership." We know this because the Defense Department-endorsed Military Leadership Diversity Commission says so:
"To ensure that the diversity effort continues, demonstrated diversity leadership must be assessed throughout careers and made, in both DoD and the Senate, a criterion for nomination and confirmation to the 3- and 4-star ranks....Successful implementation of diversity initiatives requires a deliberate strategy that ties the new diversity vision to desired outcomes via policies and metrics....military leaders at all levels can be held accountable for their performance in diversity management and rewarded for their efforts." (MLDC Executive Summary, p. xviii, emphasis added)
Male field commanders and combat trainers will know that the opposite, of course, also will be true. They will be rewarded for declaring "success" for the women-in-land-combat social experiment and penalized for not doing so.
There is no incentive for ensuring that elite training standards for fighting battalions remain high and uncompromised. No one should expect field commanders to do what members of Congress so far have failed to do.
5. "Gender-Free" Training is Not the Same as "Gender-Fair" Training
The same advocates who demand "equal opportunities" in combat are the first to demand unequal, gender-normed standards to make it "fair." General Robert W. Cone, who heads the Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) admitted this in an interview with the Defense Department's house-organ American Forces Press Service.
Said Gen. Cone, "Soldiers -- both men and women -- want fair and meaningful standards to be developed for accepting women into previously restricted specialties. I think that fairness is very important in a values-based organization like our Army."
Really? Direct ground combat is not "fair" or "equal." It is not even civilized. Will America's potential enemies in Iran, North Korea, or North Africa treat our soldiers with "fairness?" Most people believe that the purpose of the Army is to defend our nation's interests by deterring war or fighting to defeat our enemies if deterrence fails.
Then the TRADOC leader's statement rose to new heights of absurdity, reflecting group think that should alarm every member of Congress and pro-defense Americans:
"'Besides physical ability,' Cone said, 'Army officials will look at "traditional impediments" − the attitudes regarding the acceptance of women into previously male-only jobs....The Army will take 'proactive measures to mitigate resistance to women going into these specialties,' the general said. 'We want the right environment for women,' he said."
According to a January 24 memo issued by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, the TRADOC Analysis Center is leading a study that will examine the institutional and cultural barriers related to the process of gender-integration in previously all-male units, "in order to develop strategies to overcome these barriers." To advance the Pentagon's "diversity" agenda, TRADOC's analysis likely will target tough training standards, and men who support them, as "barriers" to progress in the New Gender Order.
General Cone, who leads TRADOC, is the guy who is supposed to determine whether women can and should be assigned to infantry, armor, artillery, and Special Operations Forces like the ones who fought to the death on battlefields from Pointe du Hoc to Mogadishu to the liberation of Baghdad and Fallujah. His statement assigning priority to gender integration indicates that he is likely to devalue and discriminate against direct ground combat soldiers like those who fought those battles, and who may be harboring attitudes that might be construed as "resistance" to the "diversity" agenda.
6. Unannounced Lowered Standards will Be "Equal" But Not the Same
The mandate to achieve "diversity metrics" and a "critical mass" of women in combat guarantees that standards will be changed, modified, or gender-normed, eventually making ground combat training "equal" but less demanding for men. We have already seen how this will work by examining what the Marine Corps did with one of several phases in their research project regarding women in direct ground combat.
As reported in the recently released 42-page CMR Special Report, titled Defense Department "Diversity" Push for Women in Land Combat, requirements in the Women in Service Restrictions Review (WISRR) that the Marine Corps initiated in April 2012 were quietly changed and made less demanding without notice. (pp. 15-17)
In a presentation before the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) in September 2011, a representative of the Marine Corps presented slides indicating that as part of the Marines WISRR, male and female volunteers would be asked to perform six "common tasks" to test physical strength and stamina.
But when the actual tests got underway in 2012, as part of the "USMC Assignment of Women to Ground Combat Research Plan," six tests were reduced to three. The toughest ones were quietly taken out, and the remaining three were made less demanding. All male and female volunteers who participated went through the same training exercises − but they were not the same as originally planned.
The original presentation to the DACOWITS in September 2011 promised that "[r]esearch must be deliberate, transparent, and conducted in a manner that will be responsive to senior leadership and external requests for information on short notice." (Slide #9, emphasis added) The Marines have nevertheless denied formal requests for documents and information related to the "common tasks" tests.
The only change that might explain this was the February 9, 2012, Pentagon news conference in which Defense Department officials endorsed recommendations of the Military Leadership Diversity Commission.
In September 2012 the Marines conducted a test of two female officers who volunteered for training on the exceptionally tough 13-week Infantry Officer Course (IOC) at Quantico, VA. Standards were maintained and the women washed out, along with 25% of the men. The experiment did not work out, but the two female officers deserve respect for trying. More than 90 volunteers are needed to gather sufficient data on the IOC, but none have stepped forward. [Update: Two more female officers will try the IOC in March.]
The next Commandant will be selected under criteria set by the Diversity Commission and the Obama Administration. Since that general will be required to support MLDC priorities, it is likely that quiet changes will be made in the IOC program of instruction so that a sufficient number of women can pass the course.
Standards will be "equal," but not the same as they are now. The same thing will happen in Army Ranger training, which Gen. Odierno has said he wants to make co-ed.
7. Compromised Standards Will Increase Resentment and Harassment Problems
When Pentagon officials start competing with each other to please feminists, the media, and diversity fanatics, pure nonsense often is passed off as enlightened wisdom. Witness General Dempsey's astonishing claim that women's exemptions from direct ground combat, which the majority of women in enlisted ranks want, somehow have contributed to problems of sexual assault in the military.
This is a peculiar throwback to false arguments made in the Navy's post-Tailhook scandal period, when the remedy for alcohol-fueled misconduct by male and female aviators partying at a Las Vegas convention was thought to be gender-integration in naval aviation.
Twenty-two years later, that theory is being put to the test. Women are as close to the fight as they can be, but rates of sexual assault and abuse are soaring with no end in sight. According to a chapter in a recent Army "Gold Book" report, titled "Sex Crime Trends," violent attacks and rapes in the ranks have nearly doubled since 2006, rising from 663 in 2006 to 1,313 in 2011. Even worse, the Army reported that violent sex crime was growing at an average rate of 14.6 percent per year, and the rate was accelerating. (p. 122)
Resentment aggravates hostility, which often is expressed with violence that is always wrong and disruptive to everyone serving in close-knit battalions. The 1992 Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces, noting testimony from Air Force SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) trainers charged to prepare potential prisoners of war, expressed concern about the de-sensitizing effect of policies condoning violence against women, as long as it happens at the hands of the enemy.
The commission also received survey results indicating that a significant cohort of men, called "egalitarian sexists" or "hostile proponents," were in favor of co-ed combat because it would expose women's weaknesses and punish them. Years later, our military may be experiencing a cultural shift that already has degraded certain standards of civilization, summarized by the commission with a simple statement: "Good men respect and defend women." (Commission Report, p. 61)
In training programs today, men routinely are given permission, and sometimes orders, to treat women with roughness. Young men taught by their parents to "never hit a girl" are disadvantaged by this cultural dissonance, which may be impervious to other programs intended to reduce sexual assaults and abuse of women.
Nothing causes resentment like the awareness of double standards imposed in pursuit of "equality" and non-remedial "diversity" that overrides respect for individual merit. At the "tip of the spear," this resentment will vitiate team cohesion, a critically-important cultural factor that depends not on social relationships, but on mutual dependence for survival in the close fight.
As CMR has reported in a Special Report titled "Chilling Trend of Sexual Assaults in the Military," human relationship problems ranging across the spectrum from assault to inappropriate romantic affairs are having a destructive effect on morale and readiness.
Given what is known about human relationships in war, it is far more likely that sexual assaults will increase when chronic problems evident in all other communities are extended into direct ground combat battalions. The cause will not be women -- it will be poor judgment and flawed leadership among White House and Pentagon officials who are putting gender politics above the best interests of national security and the troops they lead.
What Is at Stake
All "tip of the spear" fighting forces − infantry, armor, Special Operations Forces, artillery, and Navy SEALs − execute missions that go beyond the experience of being "in harm's way" in a war zone. All are trained to close with and attack the enemy with deliberate offensive action under fire. Given this definition of direct ground combat, it is not accurate to say that women have been "in combat" on the same basis as men.
Combat effectiveness in war cannot be taken for granted. Nor can it withstand relentless pressures to lower standards in order to meet "diversity metrics." It is not right to impose on elite combat units the weight of social complications that will result in more casualties, more deaths, and even failed missions due to higher injury rates, and issues of non-deployability and sexual misconduct that have gotten worse in all other military communities.
Most military women do not want this, and they are not to blame for the folly of policy makers such as Secretary Panetta and the Army's top leaders. All are following orders from our irresponsible Commander in Chief, who is trying to cut Congress and the American people out of the decision-making process.
Under Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, members of Congress − not the President, the Defense Secretary or even the Joint Chiefs of Staff − have the responsibility to make policy for the military. Congress should fulfill this responsibility by exercising diligent oversight, to include a full and public review of all research data gathered in the past year.
It is long-past time for Congress to intervene − the readiness and effectiveness of our fighting forces, and national security, are at great risk.
Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here.


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Peace, Truth, Prosperity.
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HOYLAKE, England — On a closing Sunday of great golf at the 143rd British Open, played over the picturesque Royal Liverpool links near the Irish Sea, champion Rory McIlroy did what he had to while everybody else went low.
McIlroy shot 71, and it was low enough.
The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland won by two shots, collecting his third major title and thrilling his fans in the United Kingdom.
His 71 on the par-72 course wrapped up a run of 66-66-68-71 and effectively held veteran challenger Sergio Garcia and rising star Rickie Fowler at bay all day.
McIlroy's was one of only two scores in the final top 10 not in the 60s. Victor Dubuisson shot 70 and shared ninth.
"I'm happy that I gave myself enough cushion," McIlroy said, "because there were a lot of guys coming at me, especially Sergio and Rickie."
Those two shared second at 15-under 273. Garcia closed with a 66, Fowler with a 67.
Right behind in fourth was veteran Jim Furyk, a former U.S. Open champion, who shared honors for low score of the day at 65. Marc Leishman shot the same and finished at 276 to tie for seventh, and Shane Lowry also had a 65 and shared ninth at 278.
Others going low on yet another unseasonably mild day with low wind were former Masters champion and world No. 1 Adam Scott with a 66 for 276, former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel with a 67 for 277, Edoardo Molinari with a 68 for 277 and former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell with a 67 for 278.
But it was McIlroy with the big smile and the claret jug afterward.
"It feels absolutely incredible," he said. "It's sort of cool that they put your name on it even before you get it."
The engraver had a bit of a break this time. McIlroy entered the final round with a six-shot lead.
He even overcame a rowdy spectator who pushed the young Irishman's patience over the edge on the 16th hole.
"He was giving me grief all day, actually," McIlroy said. "And I sort of put up with it for the first 15 holes, and then he deliberately coughed in my backswing on the 16th tee. I still hit a great drive. But I heard it halfway down and I knew who it was. So I turned and got him chucked, thankfully."
The spectator was last seen surrounded by policemen, who were accompanying him elsewhere.
McIlroy was last seen tapping in a two-inch putt for the victory, which added the British title to his U.S. Open (2011) and PGA Championship (2012). He joined Tiger Woods, a 14-time major winner who is looking for more, and Jack Nicklaus, who holds the record with 18 major championships, as the only golfers to win three major titles by age 25.
Garcia twice cut the six-stroke lead to two but lost any real chance of catching McIlroy when he left a shot in a greenside pot bunker on the 15th hole.
"Obviously, 15 was a mistake," Garcia said. "But like I said before, when you know you can't make a mistake, it's hard."
Fowler said his friend McIlroy avoided the pressure of a close finish by playing the right way.
"He drove it well all day," Fowler said, "and didn't really put much pressure on himself. Once he drove it in the fairway on No. 16 and gave himself an easy birdie there, it was going to be tough to catch him."
It was Fowler's second straight runner-up finish in a major. He was second to runaway winner Martin Kaymer in last month's U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Fowler is the only player with top-five finishes in all three majors this year. Asked about his emotions after this one, Fowler pointed to the biggest plus.
"Two words: Ryder Cup," he said.
He will be a lock for captain Tom Watson's team for the match against Europe in October in Scotland.
Two players not yet a lock are the two most prominent for the U.S., Woods and Phil Mickelson. Each will need substantial points from the PGA Championship on Aug. 7-10 at Valhalla in Lousiville, Ky. Otherwise, they can make the team among Watson's three captain's picks.
Both Woods and Mickelson made the cut at Royal Liverpool. Woods had a closing 75 for 294, which was, interestingly, five shots worse than Watson's final score. The 64-year-old Watson closed with a 4-under 68.
Mickelson, the defending champion, also finished with a 4-under 68 and shared 23rd.


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I'm crossing my fingers to this..hehe
since I don't have a make-up of my own just like the others
so so broke..
Alright here's my entry hehe
Kinda weird and scary..but I hope this will make her happy :)
It's me and my bf alien style..wahooo..he wanted to eat me..
see those big mouth of him..so huge..he can tear me into pieces..Gaze through the mouth..gaze to his mouth..He calls out to you to look, to fix your gaze upon him! "Look at me! " said the mouth..
CONTEST ENDS: 31st August, 2009
- You must be a follower of Funkiimonkee's Beauty Blog.
- Post your funny face (just one pic per entry) as a post on your blog and mention about this contest with a link.
- Leave a comment on this post and give me your name, email address & the link to your post on your blog.
- It must be a funny face- no pretty faces sorry! As mentioned, the picture must be your own and not copied from a magazine, website etc.
- Kit Cosmetics Nail Varnish and Lipgloss (Dream Run & Dream Catcher)
- 3 pairs of cute hair clips
- Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream #21
- Lancome Juicy Tube
- Bourjois Lipstick "Trendy Rouge"
- Covergirl Lashblast Mascara
- 2 pairs of earrings (handmade with love by me!)
- 3 x MAC Pigments (Gold Mode, Clear Sky Blue & French Violet)
- Rimmel Black Kajal Eye Liner
- Mini bottle of Manifique by Lancome
- Covergirl Outlast Lipcolour in "Berry Sorbet"


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|Project Title:
|ESB Brogan Overhead Door Replacement Project
|Project #:
|Issued by:
|Oregon Department of Transportation view agency website
|Publish Date:
|Due Date:
view original RFP open original RFP in new window
DescriptionThis Request for Bids is restricted to qualified contractors who have been certified by the State of Oregon as an "Emerging Small Business" (ESB) per the guidelines of the Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID). Only Bids from certified ESB firms will be considered for award of this contract. To verify your certification, please contact COBID at (503) 986-0123. No Mandatory Pre-Bid Requirements Project Scope: The scope of this project is to provide all necessary materials, tools, equipment, supervision, permits, transportation and freight necessary to replace (5) overhead doors 12" wide x 10 6"tall, openers, electrical supply to openers and new broom seals for doors. The address for this building is mile 246 John Day Highway or 5591 Brogan Oregon. Zip 97903. A pre-bid is not mandatory but can be set up on request.
ContactContact Kevin Cassidy at 1 (541) 963-1326
About Oregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation cares about equity in purchasing and contracting. We are committed to working with State Certified Firms and we encourage Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (MWESB), Service Disabled Veteran (SDV) firms and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) to compete for our contracting opportunities.
If you'd like to know more about our mission to promote innovative programs that provide equitable access and opportunities in Oregon transportation, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/CIVILRIGHTS/Pages/about_us.aspx.
You can find the formal listings for our purchasing and contracting opportunities on ORPIN .
If your firm is interested in this opportunity, we'd love to hear from you. First, read over the opportunity description. If it looks like something your firm can bid on, you can head to ORPIN to express interest and get the full set of bid documents. Here's how you do that.
- First, log into ORPIN here. If you're not already in ORPIN, you'll need to register your firm.
- Once you're logged into ORPIN, click the "Browse Opportunities" link, and click "Advanced Search". Search for this opportunity number: 730-33724-19
- Use ORPIN to express interest in the opportunity. You'll receive an email confirming your interest. You'll also receive future notices about the opportunity.
- Questions?
Contact Kevin Cassidy at 1 (541) 963-1326
Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ODOTProcurement


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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - U.S. regulators have issued a third warning this year for German healthcare group Fresenius to improve procedures at its sites, this time a blood bag manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico.
A letter to the company from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took issue with complaint-handling procedures and labeling at the Puerto Rico site, the German company said on Friday, adding that patients had not been put at risk.
Fresenius said that it is addressing the concerns raised by the FDA and that production at the plant is continuing, adding that full-year earnings targets for the infusion drugs and blood transfusion unit Kabi are not at risk.
Only last month Fresenius received an FDA warning letter related to an inspection of its cancer drug plant in Kalyani, India.
In March the company's separately listed subsidiary Fresenius Medical Care, the world's largest dialysis company, was told by U.S. regulators to improve the way it sterilizes certain dialyzers for filtering patients' blood.
In May and June Fresenius Kabi voluntarily recalled some magnesium sulfate and benztropine mesylate injections in the United States because of the potential presence of glass particles in the vials.
Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Marilyn Gerlach and David Goodman


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Industrial Ethernet adoption enables "Best-in-Class", says Aberdeen Group
I really like it when a research firm goes out to do primary research. We can all pontificate about what customers want. We all have our own opinions and anecdotes.
But when Aberdeen Group wanted to find out about the current Industrial Networking trends and directions and wanted to find out why manufacturers were converging Corporate IT and Operational Technology (OT) networks, (and what was the business case for it?) they went out and talked to real executives in real companies.
So, Industrial Networking Building the Business Case for industrial Ethernet is a real-life look into what's happening in the industry, and dares to compare industry leaders ("Best in Class") with industry laggards.
"Manufacturing is an industry with complex operations, where the success of any organization lies in producing high quality products at lower costs at the right time. This requires companies to enable real-time visibility into operations at the plant floor as well as at the executive level to make intelligent decisions. Aberdeen's surveyed over 150 executives to understand how industry leaders are taking advantage of industrial networking to enable real-time visibility into data to optimize production, maintenance, and safety."
So, take a look at the research – it's eye-opening in some of the key findings. The research shows that the move to Industrial Ethernet is happening and that the benefits of converged IT and OT networks based on an Ethernet architecture are real. The move to Industrial Ethernet on the plant floor is providing these kind of benefits for Best-in-Class organizations:
- Increased industrial network up-time
- Lower industrial network total cost of ownership
- Better Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
- Improved operating margin against corporate plan
The Best-in-Class have taken advantage of the latest technology and are more likely than their competitors to implement a fully industrial Ethernet architecture. As the research paper says:
"Best-in-Class companies are able to directly impact the cost of manufacturing operations by reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) by 5%. At the same time, they are also optimizing their industrial network with an on average of 3 hours of network downtime per year as compared to Laggards who experience 75 hours of network downtime per year. These metrics not only provide a basis for measuring internal network performance but also serve to ensure that manufacturing operations are optimized (89% OEE rate) while still keeping shareholders satisfied by overachieving their operating margin goals by 26%."
I thank Aberdeen for this thorough research. Great to see the results of 150 Executive interviews. Great to see that the direction Cisco is moving in, especially with partners such as Rockwell Automation, is "Best-in-Class"
You can see more at the Hannover Messe Show in Germany this month (read my previous blog), and at events throughout the year, such as at Cisco Live US in San Diego in June.
A note from Aberdeen: To gain better understanding into how organizations are successfully implementing industrial Ethernet and gaining the tangible benefits achieved by Best-in-Class companies, read Aberdeen's latest research, Industrial Networking: Building the Business Case for Industrial Ethernet.
© 2011 Aberdeen Group, used by permission, all rights reserved.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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Once upon a time, all any organisation had to answer when buying a printer were three simple questions:
- Inkjet or laser?
- Mono or colour?
- Multifunction or standalone?
Advances in the technology and falling prices have led to new questions and the evolution of the trio above.
Inkjet or laser?
Either. The boundaries between printer types are diminishing all the time. Misconceptions such as "Laser printers are cheaper per page over time" have long been discarded. Manufacturers are investing huge sums to ensure tomorrow's laser is yesterday's inkjet, and vice versa.
Mono or colour?
Go for colour. Yes most prints will be black, but ink and toner now contain chemicals to counteract drying out, so even extended periods of not printing in colour are fine. Make sure you get separate colour cartridge slots, not tri-colour cartridges. This way you'll only replace what you use, minimising waste and saving on cost.
Multifunction or standalone?
Multifunction printers (MFPs) now match the performance of standalone printers, saving on space, wiring and plug sockets. Simply decide what functions you need before researching your options. Remember that most MFPs can't use more than one function simultaneously; a single machine may be overwhelmed if you have large copying, faxing and printing demands.
Find a balance between available funds and long-term running costs. Cheaper printers will save on start-up costs, but will require more expensive cartridges, meaning higher costs per page in future. Check availability of compatible cartridges (ie ones not made by the printer manufacturer). The existence of these consumables indicates a popular printer and long-term demand – and will also help save on printing costs.
If you buy a printer from a high street store, be aware that when the next upgrade arrives from the manufacturer, not only will your model disappear from the shelves, but the cartridges will too. Check that you can buy consumables online for your machine as well.
Ethernet ports are a given and WiFi capability can up the price of a printer significantly, but there are benefits. It saves on cabling and enables you to position the printer where it's convenient, enabling flexibility in office and hardware layouts when your business begins to grow.
Ease of installation
Check for user reviews online. Is it a simple plug-and-print model? Avoid printers with unnecessary installation software on CD. This is especially relevant when selecting an MFP, because some not only require you to set up a user profile for each person/PC before you can print, but some demand a separate installation for each profile per printer function.
Make sure your printer has a clear display for error and performance reporting. This is crucial when purchasing an MPF, because more than one function can go wrong.
Look for a front USB port, because this enables you to plug in memory sticks to print documents without the need of a computer.
Estimate your usage needs – is a 200-sheet tray big enough? To avoid the hassle of replenishing paper, check higher capacity trays or the availability of add-on storage trays.
Different media
If you want to produce a range of printed media (eg cards, labels, various paper weights), check the printer has trays for separate media feeds and doesn't rely on a single-sheet manual feed, which can be very time-consuming.
Matt Bird, StinkyInk


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Publication info
LOOKING FORWARD: Michelle Bachelet, Chile
Michelle Bachelet had the markings of a doomed political package. "I was a woman, separated, a socialist, an agnostic," she said. "All possible sins together."
And yet, the determined doctor became the president of Chile — Catholic, conservative and patriarchal — in 2006. Chileans simply gravitated to the woman who could lead them away from a violent past.
In 1973 Bachelet's father was imprisoned under charges of treason after General August Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected government to begin a 16-year dictatorship. Her father died of a heart attack in his prison cell in 1974. Bachelet and her mother were also interrogated, beaten and tortured.
"Violence entered my life, destroying what I loved," Bachelet said during her Presidential victory speech: "Because I was a victim of hate, I have dedicated my life to turn that hate into understanding, into tolerance and, why not say it, into love."
This tender, forgiving persona won over voters. Being brilliant didn't hurt either. Bachelet, who speaks five languages, was a surgeon, pediatrician and epidemiologist before joining the Chilean Ministry of Health. A graduate of the War Academy of the Chilean Army, Bachelet served as Defense Minister, too.
As president, her leadership produced results: the government built 3,500 daycare centers for poorer children, giving mothers more freedom to enter the labor market. She extended free health care to cover many serious conditions and pushed through a law designed to bridge the wage gap between men and women. Those accomplishments helped propel Bachelet into a global role — the first head of UN Women — last year. Her newest campaign: raise the profile of challenges facing women and girls around the globe. Bachelet's leadership in Chile should give them hope. When Bachelet's term ended in 2010, not even an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that displaced more than 2 million people could put a dint in her approval ratings.3 They continued to hover at 80 percent.
Who could have thought twenty, ten or five years ago that Chile would elect a woman to be president?
- Michelle Bachelet
SOURCES: 1 Hillary Clinton, Tribute, Time Magazine, 2008. 2 Estrada, Daniela, IPS Inter Press Service, Sept. 14, 2010. 3 Franklin, Jonathan, "Chile reels in the aftermath of quake," Washington Post, March 1, 2010. 4 Planet Rulers,www.planetrulers.com. Photo Credit: UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras.


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AR Philosophy > Morality of AR > Speciesism - Index
Monkeys Retaliate
friendly, larger print version
Angry monkeys turn on their cruel trainer and beat him senseless with his own stick after he handed out a vicious beating to one of the trio during a performance riding mini bicycles in a market in Sizhou, China
Performing monkeys attack trainer in China
"They may have built up some feelings of hatred towards me." - trainer
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/ howaboutthat/3816785/Performing-monkeys-attack-trainer-in-China.html
18 Dec 2008
When one of the monkeys refused to ride on a child's bicycle in a street performance in Sizhou, in eastern China, their owner beat it with a stick.
Although they were tied to the man with ropes attached to their collars, the monkeys appear to have decided to fight back.
The two animals came to the defence of the third monkey, grabbing the stick from the man, pulling on his ear and biting his head.
When he dropped his cane, on monkey snatched it up and began beating the trainer on the head until he broke the stick, witnesses said.
The dazed trainer told his audience: "They were once wild and these performances don't always come naturally to them. They may have built up some feelings of hatred towards me."
Local police are apparently investigating allegations of animal cruelty and may confiscate the monkeys from the man.
Performances with monkeys are a common sight in markets and squares in China, but the treatment of the animals is frequently criticised by animal rights organisations.
Fair Use Notice and Disclaimer
Send questions or comments about this web site to Ann Berlin, [email protected]


text: Swimmer's ear is an infection of the skin lining the ear canal. Bacteria can enter the skin of the ear canal and cause an infection through a scratch, injury from a foreign object, or if the ear is wet for a prolonged period of time. Swimmer's ear is more common in pre-school and school-age children. Symptoms include itching and pain in the ear canal, which is often accompanied by a small amount of clear discharge.


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Contact Us
People Story - Arnaud Merlet
At SAP, we believe that when you bring everything you are, you can become everything you want.
By Lineke Stolker
Arnaud Merlet has had a diverse career so far. After graduating from Engineering School, he worked as an IT Consultant for the banking industry in New York for five years before going back to Europe to earn his MBA at INSEAD.
He joined SAP as a Value Engineer in 2010, and then rapidly became executive assistant then chief of staff for Franck Cohen, President of the EMEA Region. This experience really widened his insight into the business, including customer engagement, deal structuring, and forecasting processes. Running an EMEA operations team helped him develop the people dimension of management. Last year he assumed his current role as COO for France.
Be flexible in your career planning
"Looks like I have had a smooth career, but truth is even though I knew where I was going, I did not plan all the steps. It was more like a series of opportunities, wise decisions and hard work," says Arnaud. He stresses the importance of having a career plan, but the reality is that you have to stay flexible, because you never know how things will pan out exactly.
Arnaud chose SAP after his MBA graduation because the vision behind the solid, innovative strategy and prosperous, international environment with its high level of expertise, resonated with him. "SAP is large and diverse enough to learn how to manage in a complex organization, with strong local execution enabling you to have impact," says Arnaud. His learning focuses on building experience for a general management position and he freely admits he still has much to learn.
Choose the right team
The most important career advice, according to Arnaud, is firstly to carefully choose the manager who is going to help you grow. "You decide who this person will be; you pick the one who will guide you. The team you join is more important than the role you assume or the title you get," explains Arnaud.
Do the rights things for the company
Another wise lesson comes from how we should see our job. "Focus on the integrity and quality of your job and ask yourself what you would do if SAP was your company. Caring about your contribution is caring about doing what's best for your customer and your company, not just about reaching your KPIs. This builds trust among others and gives you legitimacy for the next job," he explains.
"Inherent motivation should always be the driver, that's why the above is so important!" he concludes.
Get out of your comfort zone
"Being pushed and challenged constantly by a manager can be a sign of trust. Great managers will take you outside of your comfort zone and constant adaptation prepares you for the next step," explains Arnaud. "And, as a manager, your success will only be determined by your ability to attract the best people and to challenge them to excel".
He concludes with a reminder for employees by saying: "Do not get out of the heat, because that is where you learn, but remember to get out before you get burnt!"
Put your profiles to work
Check out SAP's #LifeatSAP social feeds and channels – and get to know us on a more personal level.
You may also be interested in...
University Programs
How do we keep our entrepreneurial spirit? We hire millennials and young professionals who think differently and push businesses to do things smarter and more sustainably. Check out our university programs to get a head start.
Life at SAP
We go to great lengths to ensure you have every opportunity to succeed – in your own way. Flourish in an environment that encourages free expression, collaboration, individuality, and diversity. Learn how we operate, innovate, work, play, and give back – to make sure we're the right fit for you.
Want to work in your hometown, on the other side of the world, or somewhere in between? SAP has offices on most continents, in more than 78 countries – and we're continuously expanding our presence in new and exciting places.


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I got to take off on a wild ride ahead of the Bethpage Air Show this weekend in Jones Beach! Here's a glimpse of what you can expect to see soaring over the crowds!
Living in Great Gatsby's World on The North Shore
When I began my first reporting job in West Virginia, I never would have expected that less than a year later I would be moving to NEW YORK! Going from market 156 to the number 1 market in the United States was definitely a dream come true… and has been even more of a dream to be able to live on the North shore of Long Island. Not only is it just 20 minutes outside of New York City, but it has the best beaches in the northeast! And where I live, most of you have already gotten a glimpse of it if you read the famous "Great Gatsby" novel or if you watched the dazzling movie with Leonardo DiCaprio!
Winter on Long Island – A Seaside Escape
The meteorologists at my news station keep saying that there's technically only two weeks left of winter… but with this past week's Nor'Easter storm and another one on the way – winter seems FAR from over.
This cold weather makes everyone want to stay in, and just wait until the temperatures are finally over 50 degrees. BUT, I think otherwise!
There is so much to do in New York (obviously) and especially here on Long Island.
Long Island is known for its beautiful beaches…The Hamptons, Long Beach and Fire Island – just to name a few. And although, only the surfers would dare to get in that water during this time of year, these beach towns all throughout the Island have so much more to offer than just their beaches.
Here's a list of the top 5 things to do in Long Island during the winter:
1. Wine tasting on a Vineyard
It's 5 o'clock somewhere, am I right? From the North Shore to the East End, there's plenty of vineyards to choose from. Just be sure to call ahead and find out their winter hours for the tasting room!
2. Try oysters at an Oyster Farm
You know that saying, "Only eat oysters in months with an 'R'", well…there's only one month left, so you better take advantage! And it's practically a holiday season on Long Island. There are dozens of oyster farms all along our shores.
3. Seal Watching
There are "Seal Cruises" in Freeport where you can jump aboard – any weekend from now until the end of April- to watch seals in their natural habitat. Just head to the marina and look for a boat named Captain Lou Fleet.
4. Go to the beaches
Especially Montauk or any other beach on The Hamptons! You can walk the scenic boardwalks, visit the museums, and climb to the top of the towers that have become the best-known symbols of Long Island!
5. Winterfest 2018
And if you want to do all four of these things in one weekend, then you should make your way to Long Island's East End for this 4-week celebration! Here are all the details: Winterfest
I'M BACK… and in THE city!
Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been SO busy with my move to New York! I accepted my next job as a Reporter in the largest market in the world – New York! I'll be covering all of Long Island for FiOS NY1! That being said…The City Slicker will too! Can't wait to show you my new home!
If you have any places you'd like be to write about or any collaboration ideas, feel free to send me an email!
See you soon…Catch Me If You Can!
Daniel Vineyards
This week on The City Slicker, I'm taking you to a place where wine enthusiasts have plenty to toast to… Daniel Vineyards looks like a piece of Napa Valley, but in the mountain state valley. And It tastes that way too!


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Our services for you
On these pages you will find Springer's journals, books and eBooks in all areas of astronomy, serving researchers, professionals, lecturers, students, amateurs and general readers. Our list includes some of the most prestigious journals in Astronomy and Space Sciences, including a number of fully open access journals. Our book and eBook portfolio comprises major reference works, textbooks, monographs, conference proceedings, and popular science books from the world's most distinguished authors. Well-known publications include: Living Reviews in Relativity, The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review. Society partners include Max Planck Society, The International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation.


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"I am honored that Borough President Melinda Katz has selected me as her appointment to the PEP," Dillingham said. "She has long been an advocate on the education front, and I am pleased that she has enough trust in me to represent Queens.
"I think her commitment to restart the "education war room" to hear the concerns of the borough is an important step, and I plan to coordinate with her in order to track and manage our progress," Dillingham added. "Melinda Katz and I share a passion for improving education, and I am excited to take this journey with her."
Dillingham has served the city's educational system in several capacities, including as the Queens borough appointee to District 28's Community Education Council, where she served as president.
She has also served on the Queens Borough President's Parent Advisory Committee, the District 28 Leadership Team, and the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Committee, as well as president of the Parent's Association of P.S. 101.
With three children in the city's public school system, Dillingham said the teachers in the borough are amazing and hardworking, but there is always room for improvement.
"I know this is a borough that believes in education," she said. "When kids, parents, teachers, and principals come together, it is exciting to witness."
While each school has its own issues, Dillingham said the biggest problem with education is inadequate funding for programing. Parents, teachers, administrators and elected officials need to work together to provide children the proper educational tools that will allow them to succeed and become leaders.
"In Queens, we also cannot accommodate all of our students, and there is no immediate plan that will resolve that problem," she said. "While I think I have seen great passion in Queens for education, we are still missing a key ingredient to help all students succeed."
As she looks to begin her new role on the PEP, she said it's important to remember that things can't change overnight, but that children deserve a safe school with a nurturing and warm leaning environment.
"When students and teachers leave each day, they should do so with a smile," Dillingham said. "Their backpacks should also have some room left in them so kids have some time to play, relax and regroup for the next day."


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Keep an eye on stored grain this spring
LINCOLN, Neb. – Some farmers didn't get their grain dried this fall and winter. Now that temperatures are rising and spring is just around the corner, farmers need to be vigilant about keeping an eye on their stored grain. Tamra Jackson, UNL plant pathologist, said it is still important to watch for grain molds and ear rots in stored grain.
"Many producers harvested when moisture was high," she said. "The best way to stop those molds is to dry down grain."
However, those who had to rely on natural air drying were not able to dry down their grain last fall, said Tom Dorn, UNL Extension educator in Lancaster County.
Although cold temperatures likely stopped fungi growth this winter, Jackson said, once temperatures get above freezing fungi will continue to grow and reduce grain quality.
Jackson said observing temperature and looking at grain frequently is key as temperatures rise. She has heard that some farmers are seeing a white, moldy crust forming over the grain. Fusarium and Diplodia have been the most common culprits. Some of these fungi can produce mycotoxins, such as fumonisin. While fumonisins are especially harmful to swine, cattle are less susceptible. So selling grain to a feedlot might be one avenue in which to sell moldy grain.
Dorn hopes as temperatures rise this month producers can put some natural air through the grain.
Dorn suggests using a temperature probe to take grain temperatures near the bin wall about every 20 feet around the outside of the bin and a couple of places near the middle of the bin.
"If there is more than a 10 degree difference in temperature between any two spots in the bin, run the aeration fan long enough to push a temperature front through the entire grain mass," he said.
Farmers that do not have a temperature probe can test for signs of heating by turning on the aeration fan and leaning into the access hatch or by climbing into the bin, Dorn said.
"If air hitting the face feels warmer than expected, you detect a musty odor or condensation is forming on the inside surface of the bin roof on a cold day, continue to run the fan long enough to push a temperature front through the bin," he said. "If the bin is equipped with a stirring system, run two or three rounds to break up hot spots and equalize the moisture throughout the grain mass.
"If the warming signs are present, and the bin is not equipped with a stirring system, pull a load or two out of the bin and monitor the condition of the grain coming out of the auger. If you detect heating, run the aeration fans to cool and dry the grain if air properties allow. Or, you can market the grain."
Dorn also recommends leveling the grain surface if the remaining grain will be left in place. For corn that is above 15 percent moisture that will continue to be held in the grain bin on the farm, Dorn recommends to finish drying it to a safe moisture content.
"The first objective is to warm grain that was cooled in late fall to preserve it during the cold months," he said.
Grain should be warmed in stages by running a warming front through the bin when outside air temperatures are 10 to 12 degrees higher than the grain temperature.
For more information on when to run an aeration fan to dry the corn, visit Crop Watch, UNL Extension's crop production newsletter, at http://cropwatch.unl.edu, or for more information on molds watch "Market Journal", archived online at http://marketjournal.unl.edu.


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Nano 101 Adaptation for Seniors
Greta Zenner of the University of Wisconsin- Madison MRSEC recently adapted her Nano 101 presentation for a workshop with a group of about 50 seniors. The workshop attendees were members of PLATO (Participatory Learning and Teaching Organization), a University of Wisconsin-sponsored program of senior citizens who regularly meet for discussions and educational seminars/workshops.
Greta led a modified version the presentation, officially titled "Nanotechnology and its Intersections with Biology," removing some of the less-relevant slides and material where appropriate (particularly the references to doing nano in museums). Half-way through the program, after the slides describing current applications of nanotechnology, the group paused to do informal versions of two hands-on activities, Magic Sand and Nano Fabrics. Because the audience was particularly interested in biology, Greta highlighted nature as the first nanotechnologist and as the inspiration for these applications – especially the nano fabric. Greta then finished the presentation, including the scanning probe microscope magnet activity, and answered questions.
Greta reported that she was very happy with the program, and the audience was so engaged that it lasted much longer than her normal Nano 101 presentations—the group had lots of thoughtful questions.
Specific things that worked well:
- Having a break to do the hands-on activities. Attendees had a chance to get up and move around, talk with the presenters, and see some nature-inspired real-life applications of nanotechnology.
- Greta generally does the Cutting it Down http://www.nisenet.org/catalog/programs/cutting-it-down activity when she's looking to extend Nano 101, but had run into problems with the limited dexterity of seniors with that activity in the past. Greta found that Magic Sand and Nano Fabrics worked well for seniors, but they also work well because they address the topic of applications, rather than just more fundamentals and size/scale.
And one change for the future: the audience wasn't familiar with Mini Me, so that reference fell flat.
The Da Vinci Science Center also ran a nano program for seniors, you can read more about it here.


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Kalklitir - Malaga ...
Another new beautiful color from Kalklitir!
Kalklitir wall finishes are natural lime paints for use on walls and furniture. They are beautiful, environmentally friendly, and are VOC free as they are made from natural lime and natural pigments. When mixed with water - Kalklitir produces a gorgeous chalky matte finish that has superb depth and will age beautifully over time - from old world interiors to the most modern of houses!
Kalklitir is packaged as a powder in 1 kg bags. When mixed with 1.7 liters of water, each bag will make 2 liters of lime paint. These 2 liters will cover approximately 6 - 10 square meters or 65 to 105 square feet in two coats. (Kalklitir recommends a two coat application).
Kalklitir should always be applied with a lime brush - and should not be rolled with a roller. A wall primed with an acrylic primer is always best - especially when any touch-up such as spackling has recently been done. Applying Kalklitir is simple and easy to do - please feel free to view the videos on our blog to see how truly easy it is to apply! And - welcome to the beautiful world of Kalklitir!! :)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Currently we ship only within the U.S.
(For requests to ship outside the U.S. - please contact us)


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You can certainly cancel your BT Scarlet order to buy an EPIC at the new price. But expect a significantly higher investment.
I became an American Citizen in 2009.
there are a lot of reasons i am proud of being an American.
RED company is definitely one of them.
Thank you Jannard and company.
Someone please cancel their BT scarlet order so I can claim it...
And why on earth would I have an issue with this? When will the new prices be shown in the store?
Makes perfect sense...
No other companies in this industry ever lower prices on a product while they also continually improve the same product via upgrade paths, new firmware, capability expanding accessories, etc.!
Thanks Red...you guys phenomenally rock ;-))
I'm already an Epic M and Scarlet owner so I'm just wondering what the new price is... Checking store now...
New prices will be posted Oct. 31st.
I don't expect that we will sell many cameras from now until then. :-)
I certainly can't begrudge anyone getting an Epic at a lower price than I paid... especially when I paid a lower price via the Stage 2 and Stage 3 programs than some. I'm hoping to benefit from the exponential growth in technology through cost savings for the coming products RED will release in the future.
Here's a sparkling water toast to new breakthroughs and economy of scale.
|« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


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Product information
Pay monthly finance
For G Max Swivel Glider Manual Recliner Chair
(Minimum spend to make an application for finance £310.)
|Dimensions (approx)
|A Height
|95.0 cm
|37.4 inch
|B Width
|112.0 cm
|44.1 inch
|C Depth
|94.0 cm
|37.0 inch
|E Seat Height
|48.0 cm
|18.9 inch
|F Seat Depth
|51.0 cm
|20.1 inch
|G Arm Height
|63.0 cm
|24.8 inch
The G Max sofa collection would make a stylish statement in any home combining style, comfort and a wide range of leather options.
Each piece features fixed, high back cushions ensuring maximum comfort and support, with the option of self or contrast stitch detailing. Available in the collection are two sizes of static, manual or power reclining sofas and chairs, a range of corner sofas, as well as a unique swivel glider chair and coordinating footstool.
Make the G Max leather sofa collection even more affordable and take advantage of our 4 years interest free credit offer, 0% APR representative.
- A combination of 100% genuine leather on seats, armrests and back cushions, complete with leather-look fabric on the sides and backs to offer amazing value at an affordable price
- Wide range of leather options
- Static, manual or power reclining sofas and corner sofas available
- 20-year frame guarantee
- Sofas manufactured exclusively for ScS
- After promotion price applies from 19 August 2019


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You're In Good Company
You're in Good Company
At Sisel, we're more than a name. More than a company. We're a community that begins and ends with people – like you.
How Turning a Bottle Changed the World
Sisel International was founded in 2006 by Tom Mower, Senior and his son, Tom Junior, but our story begins much earlier with a simple bottle of shampoo.
Nearly 4 decades ago, Tom Sr. was hard at work with his son in his industrial chemical company. They maintained a very successful business creating, developing and selling over 40 unique products, including waxes, solvents and industrial cleaners. The chemicals used in these products were often very dangerous. Tom was required to keep an updated log of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) informing his employees of the dangers of ingesting or even coming into contact with these products. Many of the chemicals were so dangerous that employees were required to wear full-body protection when handling.
As he became more conscientious of the chemicals moving through his plant, Tom came across something that would forever change the course of his company and, more importantly, the world.
"As I was checking my shampoo bottle one day," says Tom, "I turned it over and was shocked to see that all the potentially dangerous chemicals—and more—that were in my cleaning products were also in my shampoo. I couldn't believe there were materials like this in products we put on our skin. So I grabbed a trash can and began walking through my house, grabbing bottles and checking labels. Shampoo, toothpaste, soaps, I checked everything. If it had harmful chemicals, I threw it away."
And so began the story of Sisel. Years before it became widely known that harmful chemicals were put in everyday household products, Tom and his son began creating safe, effective products and supplements, free from any harmful chemicals or unnatural ingredients.
What now seems so obvious was actually a difficult start. Tom went toe-to-toe against industry giants and big pharmaceutical companies to get Sisel products available to the public. They had to fight against established manufacturing norms and practices. They were offering the public a safe, affordable alternative to the many potentially harmful products people were buying, and they ruffled some feathers on their journey. In the end, though, their persistence paid off; the effects can now be seen the world around.
Today, everyone recognizes what Tom saw so many years ago: the need for safe products. Consumers are becoming more cautious about what they put on and in their bodies. Many companies have finally joined in Tom's philosophy of creating a lifestyle unhindered by the dangers and harm found in mass-produced personal care items. The effects of this lifestyle change are starkly apparent as people live longer and happier lives.
At Sisel, Tom still leads the charge in providing safe, powerful and effective home and personal care items. All of our products come with the Sisel Safe promise: Absolutely no dangerous materials for you, your body, or the earth. Our entire line of products is formulated, developed, tested and created in Sisel's state-of-the-art R&D laboratories. Each product is produced in our world class manufacturing facility under Good Manufacturing Practices.
What we're really trying to say is we take pride in offering the safest, most effective products and supplements available. Be Sisel Safe and enjoy life as life was intended.
Our Founders
Tom Mower, Sr
President and Co-Founder
As President and Co-Founder for Sisel International, Tom is actively involved in nearly every aspect of his business. In the 1970s, Tom was the Regional Sales Director for a National Marketing and Sales Company where he helped achieve record sales volumes. With an inherent ability in chemistry, Tom joined Dell Chemical, where he started as a factory representative, advancing to the head of R&D, Corporate Trainer, and National Sales Manager.
Recognizing his own unique abilities and entrepreneurial talents, Tom started a successful industrial cleaning supply company in 1980 which manufactured and distributed products to major commercial and industrial accounts in the western states. In 1987 he launched Images, a personal care manufacturing company in Utah, which later became Neways International, one of the largest, most successful network marketing companies in the world, reaching almost a billion dollars in annual sales. Tom sold Neways in 2006 to capitalize on what he considered some of the most important discoveries in human health and to launch what he deems the best business opportunity in history, Sisel International.
Tom has always been involved in one way or another in helping people achieve success. He is a prolific author and international motivational speaker known for his ability to ignite energy and enthusiasm in the minds and hearts of his loyal distributors. He is not only a renowned scientist and product formulator, holding several patents for break-through discoveries in scientific research for natural medicine and health care products, he is a marketing extraordinaire who has revolutionized multilevel marketing as we know it through his innovative, high-paying hybrid compensation programs.
Tom has a great philanthropic desire to help orphanages and abandoned children around the world. He has donated millions of dollars in support of several non-profit organizations, including a school for handicapped children in Russia, endangered species such as the siberian tiger, sacred white buffalo, "white" red deer, and fragile environments including the earths precious forests. He has met with Presidents of countries, received recognition from the Dali Lama, and was the major sponsor of the Junior Winter Olympics in 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Tom Mower, Jr
CEO and Co-Founder
As CEO and Co-Founder, Tom Mower Jr. provides general oversight and strategic direction for the company and its executive management team. Tom works directly with Sisels research and development staff in the development of powerful new products, oversees the companys state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, and heads up Sisels world-class manufacturing operations.
Tom was instrumental in helping his father, Tom Mower Sr., build Neways into the giant success it became and has been invaluable in launching Sisel into its current momentum as one of the fastest growing mlm companies in the industry. Tom has a bachelors degree in Biology from the University of Utah and is an experienced formulator, scientist, and product engineer. He is credited with developing some of the all-time, best-selling products in the health and wellness industry. Tom is a dynamic speaker and presenter on the power of Sisels unique products and is revered by distributors around the world for his knowledge of how nutrition works in the human body.
The Lab
Cutting-edge R&D
Cutting-Edge R&D
Supporting his team of research scientists with the most advanced technology in modern science was a critical step in Tom's quest for product perfection. Some of the most highly advanced scientific instrumentation in the world was carefully brought in and strategically situated in a beautiful, state-of-the-art Research & Development Lab. Here our scientists build powerful, unique products based on real scientific research. Which is why we say, "Trust the science, trust Sisel."
The Plant
World-class Production
World-class Production
Tom knew from previous experience that in order to really be different you have to develop your own formulas, and you have to own your own manufacturing processes to control quality. So he invested more than $100 million USD to build a massive, world class manufacturing facility. The 400,000 square foot building is the size of nearly 7 football fields, and houses top-of-the-line technology and machinery. In fact, our facility is so superior, many of our competitors ask us to build their products. We help, but Tom always saves the best for Sisel.
And that's what we have to offer: only the best. This is our plant, with our team and our ingredients. When we guarantee the best, you're getting the best. Not someone else's formulas, not someone else's products. It's 100% Sisel and it's 100% Sisel Safe.


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Time to dust off the good ole blog!!!!
If the first several days of 2014 were spent in the hospital with a major hemorrhage how's that make the rest of the year sound? Yeah, not looking good.
So my health is better but I'm tether tottering on the idea of taking medicine for a long time. I'm not fond of meds. Actually I hate them. I'm not sure if it's because I have family history of prescription drug abuse or what but I really don't like to treat health issues with meds. Zeus says I'm gambling, I say well pass the dice. He doesn't agree. I shrug. Another disagreement we shall agree to disagree. That leads me to another whole soapbox. His family.
Right now I feel worse than a black sheep or a black swan. It's terrible. Actually I'm bitter. Kinda worrys me that I feel this way but I'll pray about that. A terrible event happened a while back where I felt 100% attacked. I stood up for myself and explained myself and everyone involved seemingly placed the blame on me. Telling me I'm a drama queen and bring it on myself and I'm hard to get along with. Well guys, unfortunately that's when my wall went straight to the sky. They didn't try to understand how or why I felt those things. They just said to "knock it off". I've had to emotionally pull out of those relationships for now. Maybe time will help mend the feelings but unfortunately that's been burned into my heart and it's a battle I already fought many years ago, I'm not sure I have the strength, the heart or the desire to doth it again. I'll just pray about it. God knows the way. He'll show me.
At this point I'm two weeks into the year with a nasty, bad taste in my mouth about the future days.
I do know my husband is here for me and the most important my children are right with me. My precious babies are just so special. I love them with every ounce of my being. I'm so thankful that I'm their mother. I'm thankful I'm the only mom. I don't have to share. I made them. Nobody can take that or tarnish that. They are beautiful, smart, loving and so incredibly different.
This year does have it's highlights. I'm waiting patiently til June when my brother and his family arrives. I'll have my sister and my nieces and my first love, my handsome lil brother. I'll have birthdays, holidays, dinners, trips, babysitting all to give me smiles. All with the family I'll always have. All with the ones that love me. This will be the first time in 15yrs we can live close by and spend that quality positive time together. My heart waits patiently for that day.
This will be a rough first few months. But I'm confident I'll get through it.