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Fall, Exodus, Sojourn, and Redemption in a Post-apocolyptic Wasteland
***SPOILER ALERT – This is a film analysis examining the spiritual implications of events in the movie and will give away the conclusion.***
The fourth motion picture release in a franchise known for tapping into the savior motif, director George Miller says Max's prior "international acceptance had drawn aside the veil of reality and revealed a collective unconscious." [1] Channeling this universal unconscious acknowledgement that existential brokenness demands a redeemer, Mad Max: Fury Road is a post-apocalyptic (post-lapsarian) narrative packed with theological themes that pits savior figures in a good versus evil battle to free captives and redeem the suffering through a race across the desert to a land of hope. Reading the last page first, the writers' motives are easily discerned.
"Where must we go . . . we who wander this wasteland in search of our better selves?" – The First History Man
Drawing clear ties to broken humanity's mere existence (as opposed to flourishing) in this fallen world, living under the shadow of the sin of history's first man, Adam, the closing quote appears to be an esoteric conception of writer/director George Miller that likely points to the work of Francis Fukuyama's The End of History and the Last Man and its treatment of the democratic peace theory first popularized by Immanuel Kant. Clearly evident, beyond Fury Road's ten time Academy Award nominated production, lies a script bold in political commentary. While expressing a measured restraint, the dialogue remains robust in the incorporation of concepts that find their roots in the Bible and Western Christian literature. The Road unfolds in four distinct phases, fall, exodus, sojourn, and redemption, which mirror the biblical metanarrative.
The Fall
As the movie opens the main character recounts the events which brought about the present condition. "My world is fire and blood. . . . As the world fell, each of us in our own way was broken." Random voices relay that, "Mankind has gone rogue, terrorizing itself . . . the earth is sour . . . our bones are poisoned . . . we have become half-life." The setting and character development communicate that the world of Mad Max exists in the shadow of a great fall. A post-apocalyptic war for guzzoline, aqua cola, produce, mother's milk, and bullets rages. The surviving human population is spiritually and intellectually barren. Max is one of the few free residents in this wasteland where precious resources are monopolized by the tyrant, Immortan Joe. Max was once a cop, an upholder of justice, and a person with a righteous cause. Now Max cannot discern whether he is less crazy than anyone else. He is haunted by visions of innocents who cry out to him for salvation. The freedom Max possesses is rare, and a sign of the elevated stature granted him by his physical and intellectual gifts. Like Moses, who said, "I am slow of speech and tongue . . . please send someone else" (Exod. 4:10, 13), Max is a reluctant hero of few words. He repeatedly attempts to flee the call to save others, distancing himself from society for the sake of self-preservation. The villain emperor, Immortan Joe, is introduced when Max is taken captive by a cohort and brought to the citadel. In the citadel the Immortan governs a caste system that drives the oppressed population's dependence on their overlord. Like many historical tyrants the Immortan has used the depressed social dynamic to exalt himself as deity. Max, in a nod to the Jewish hero type he represents, is enslaved in a dungeon and receives a systematic tattooing like the holocaust victims at Auschwitz. Max is labeled a type O-negative "blood bag," and likened to something subhuman as he is chained and fitted with an iron muzzle.
Those privileged to be crusading warrior pawns worship in the "cult of the V8," an automobile worshipping religion of "chrome" seekers. This false religion drives them to "karmakrazee" sacrifice for the conquest of their Immortan. As the war boys martyr themselves on Fury Road, they cry out, "Witness me!" This statement finds its etymology in the Koine Greek (the language of the New Testament) word "martyr" which means witness. The war boys cry out for recognition of their witness to "the one who grabbed the sun." They believe, as one war boy exclaims, "I live; I die; I live again!" This beckons images of wicked religious extremists who see war, murder, and death as crucial expressions of spirituality. These young warriors believe they "will be lifted up" by the hand of the Immortan as they are "awaited in Valhalla" for dying "historic on Fury Road." The Immortan, calling himself the "redeemer" and claiming that "by his hand the people will rise from the ashes of this world," promises his "half-life war-boys" a future glory where they "ride with [him] eternal." This bears striking resemblance to the manipulating practices of historic evil dictators, as well as Satan, the deceiver and author of evil himself. False religion serves as the tool by which young boys who seek glory become an "old man's battle fodder."
Furiosa, the Immortan's imperator, comes from "the clan of many mothers." Like Max, Furiosa is also a person of elevated status. She is an imperator who (also like Moses) abandons her privilege to free the captives. Furiosa, also resembling Eve, wears the results of the fall physically with a missing arm as a memento of the brokenness, imperfection, and fragility resulting from her having been stolen from the "green land." Where Max is physically superior and self-centered, Furiosa is virtuous but physically impaired. The two collaborate to represent the Exodus savior type while each of the characters and scenes bears the marks of the fallen existence.
The Exodus
The Immortan first becomes aware that an Exodus is under way when Furiosa's tanker truck veers off route and makes a break across the desert. The rig secretly houses the Immortan's harem who refuse to bear future warlords, and are forsaking their former lives and risking all in search of "hope." Furiosa on the other hand is in pursuit of "redemption." The wives of Immortan Joe, the most exalted of all the women under his reign, are treated as mere chattel in a world of men's wars. Furiosa represents not merely the savior of this random band of people, but the savior of femininity. Furiosa is a savior who values the "mother of all the living," knows the equality of women in the created order, and seeks to bring about new life through love, hope, and redemption.
Infuriated by the exodus, Immortan Joe rallies the troops in full pursuit of the runaway tanker. Like the Pharaoh of Egypt he leads his war boys in a furious chase, racing their hot rods across the desert like post-apocalyptic battle chariots. Strapped to the grill of the war boys' hot-rod, Max, the type O negative "blood bag," is intravenously imparting blood to the "half-life." A "universal donor," Max has blood capable of providing life for all.
In a scene resembling the parting of the Red Sea, Furiosa and the fleeing unit pass through a wavelike desert sandstorm that topples the V8 war chariots allowing Furiosa and the "breeders" to escape. The muzzled blood bag arrives on the other side of the storm still chained to the war boy Nux. Max and Nux are introduced to the female group for the first time as they find them cleansing themselves with water in an unwitting baptism. The women, clothed in white and clean of the desert sand and grease, contrast their fallen surroundings as an image of purity, innocence, and freedom. Max requests the water, and splashing it on Nux and himself, the group becomes consecrated together in this unwitting baptism. Furiosa provides Max with a file he uses to free himself from his muzzle. Having been set free from bondage, Max is increasingly compelled to help the group escape their pursuer and find their promised land.
As "The People Eater" approaches, the wives comment that he is "coming to count the cost." An accountant, he keeps a ledger and is seeking compensation for the debts accrued by the rebels. It is the wives, however, who will soon come to learn it is they who will be counting the cost of renouncing their former existence. Having put their hand to the plow, there will be no turning back. The cost for the heart-hardened Immortan will also be high. When Immortan Joe and his cohorts catch up to the rig and threaten to put an end to the wives' exodus, the violence throws one of the pregnant wives from the rig and beneath the wheels of Immortan Joe's vehicle. In a moment drawing parallels to Pharaoh, the heart-hardened emperor suffers the loss of a son by the consequence of his own stubborn pride.
Like the biblical Exodus, the Fury Road journey transitions from the fleeing of captivity to a prolonged Sojourn towards a new land of hope and flourishing. The Sojourn quickly becomes a desert wandering wrought with struggle, doubt, and murmuring. One of the wives, disenfranchised with the new existence far from home, desires to return to the comforts of her former captivity. She says, "The stupid green place. We don't even know where to find it." Another wife similarly wishes to return to her former captivity saying, "We were protected. He gave us the high life. What's wrong with that?" This wife is told, "Wring your hands!" This is perhaps a reference to Isaiah 8:9 (MSG) which says, "Listen all of you, far and near. Prepare for the worst and wring your hands. Yes, prepare for the worst and wring your hands! Plan and plot all you want – nothing will come of it. All your talk is mere talk, empty words, because when all is said and done, the last word is Immanuel – God-With-Us." This suggests that this wife should not turn back in the face of trial. Difficult as the pursuit of promised hope may be, recommitment to faithfully following the savior to the promised green land is the better way. Again playing into the role of the Moses figure, Furiosa instructs the grumbling followers, "Out here everything hurts," but if "you want to get through this then do what I say." Furiosa's call to "follow me" will bring the company salvation through obedient faith in the savior figure's commands.
The plot twists when the group meets the "tribe of many mothers." These former inhabitants of the green land have been relegated to an existence as desert nomads. The mothers inform the seekers that the green land has been laid waste, and is now an uninhabitable land of desolation. In this time of "already but not yet," the group finds themselves free, the recipients of new life, but wandering from a home.
Redemption and Life through Sacrifice
The travelling band soon comes to find that the land of their future promise is actually the land from which they fled. The former locus of their suffering will become their land of hope fulfilled. Found hiding on the rig is the war boy, Nux, who after failing in his aspirations for "shine" through "karmakrazee" mission, has experienced a real disenfranchisement with his former calling. Nux says he should be "McFeasting with the Immorta," which sounds more like a drive-thru value meal than a holy communion. This McFeasting reflects the cheapness of the empty promises of false religion. One of the wives, in a moment of rare compassion in a brutalized wasteland, replies to Nux's disappointment over his failure to enter the gates of Valhalla, saying, "I'd say it was your manifest destiny not to." It is the compassion and mercy of this wife that brings the softening of Nux's heart. What is seen is that this warrior is not beyond the reach of conversion, but merely a lost soul who has never experienced real love. The wife, in an act counterintuitive to Fury Road, does not return evil with evil, but instead overcomes evil with love.
In an overtly philosophical moment, while taking inventory of the weaponry, the women discuss the guns in an oddly sexual way. In contrast to the love and life associated with righteous sex, they refer to the guns in a phallic sense in which they shoot "antiseed." Juxtaposed to the organ that shoots a seed of life, the gun is an organ that shoots seeds of death. "Plant one and watch the thing die," one wife says. Later, while residing amongst the clan of mothers, this theme is revisited and the message is clarified. One of the mothers shows her collection of plant seeds from the green land. The mother explains that she plants the seeds when she finds soil that might be capable of supporting life. When people become seed planters, there becomes no need to kill because the harvest becomes abundant. Where the wives had an earlier discussion about bullets being seeds of death, here a message is communicated that scattering seeds of life brings healing and chokes out evil. Christ likewise taught that the sword brings death, but the gospel of the Kingdom is the seed of life. In the gospel of Matthew, the sower scatters seed such that a harvest of life would be abundant. This harvest is plentiful but the laborers are unfortunately few. With these two scenes director George Miller clearly argues that violence is not the way to flourishing, but that he who lives by the sword dies by the sword. Prosperity is instead found in planting seeds of life. When a person seeks the prosperity of those around her, amidst their prosperity she too shall prosper.
The road back to the citadel is fraught with strife, but even as the crew begins to suffer losses at the hands of the enemy their joy grows. The more each gives to the group mission of redemption, the more they truly begin to live. As they lose their lives they begin to find life. Progressively each loses the identifying marks of the past (the muzzle, engine grease, pasty grey skin tone), and each begins to show more outward signs of their inner glow. Their hardened expressions become warm smiles and their skin tones warm. By the end of the movie even the pasty grey war boy is beginning to look like a full-life.
In a high-throttled fury road battle chase back to the citadel, many of the crew lose their lives. Most notably, Nux stays behind to drive the rig as the others climb aboard the lead car. In the climax scene, Nux lovingly sacrifices his own life for the life of his friends, flipping the rig to effectively jam the pass and disallow the pursuing enemy to give chase. As he does this, the war boy locks eyes with the red-headed wife whose compassion overcame his evil, and he mouths the words, "Witness me." In this moment, the fruit of his conversion blooms. His desire to die furiously for the false and murderous cause of Immortan Joe, is now transformed into a perfect peace in selfless sacrifice for the life of his friends. Having been severely wounded, Furiosa simultaneously lies lifeless, losing massive amounts of blood. In an impromptu blood transfusion, Max literally saves her by his blood. The sacrifice of Nux, and the universal blood bag's transfusion, crudely combine to reflect the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave His life on the cross, and poured out His blood for many to provide salvation from enslavement to sin and eternal life in Him.
Arriving back at the citadel, in a moment reminiscent of Colossians 2:14, Max declares victory over evil and death, parading the dead body of Immortan Joe on the hood of his own truck. The rulers and authorities are disarmed and put to shame. The triumphant heroes are hoisted on a lift, ascended to the throne above, and the water stores are cut loose giving life back to the people. His work complete, Max returns to the place from whence he came.
At the conclusion of Mad Max, the captor, oppressor, and ambassador of death is defeated. The water of life rains down from above. The poor and oppressed are blessed, and the captives are set free. The ruling class is destroyed and put to shame. A new existence is established in which the dividing walls of the social caste system are pulverized. The resources are abundant and freely distributed, and humanity is restored to fullness of life by the affirmation of equal dignity for all.
Present in the midst of this high-throttle, heavy metal, shoot 'em up is an unassuming post-fall redemption narrative laden with theological themes that portray collaborating savior types leading a chosen group in a good versus evil sojourn to redeem humanity by freeing the oppressed and bringing about a new world of flourishing. Some of these connections may seem less than obvious. The film's director, however, affirms that his writing samples liberally from ancient "mythologies" and religious themes, and this suffices to say that these themes are worthy of investigation. While eschewing the inclusion of a director's commentary, and having yet to be completely forthcoming with details about the film's intended message, George Miller instructs, "The audience tell[s] you what your film is." [2] The themes of false worship, idolatry, salvation, desert wandering, promised-land, salvation by blood, and pouring forth life-giving waters are uniformly prominent in the Bible. Given the director's freedom to interpret the film's meaning, I contend that Mad Max: Fury Road is a story of fall, exodus, sojourn, and redemption in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
[1]James Douglas, "For Mad Max's George Miller, All Roads Lead to Myth and Music." The Dissolve. May 15, 2015. Accessed April 1, 2016. https://thedissolve.com/features/exposition/1026-for-mad-maxs-george-miller-all-roads-lead-to-myth-/.
[2]"'Mad Max' Director George Miller: The Audience Tells You 'What Your Film Is'" NPR. February 8, 2016. Accessed April 01, 2016. http://www.npr.org/2016/02/08/465989808/mad-max-director-george-miller-the-audience-tells-you-what-your-film-is.
**I would like to add that this post is not an endorsement of the graphic content or unrighteous themes of the movie, Mad Max: Fury Road, nor is it an endorsement of the movie as a theological guide. Rather, this post is an attempt to shine the light of Biblical Truth amongst movie fans that might otherwise not hear the gospel and choose to remain in darkness, continuing to view this movie as a mere blood-fueled demolition derby across the desert.***
If you enjoyed this film analysis, you may also enjoy my other film analyses (and the ongoing dialogue) of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, or Richard Linklater's Bernie starring Jack Black.
Chad W. Hussey is an average Jesus loving iconoclastic non-conformist neighborhood hope dealer – a husband, father, urban missionary, community group leader, Master of Divinity student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Community Life Intern at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY.


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House Your ViewVIEW EVENT DETAILS
Family Arts Workshop with Dylan Kwok & Hyejin Ahn — Imminent Domain Designers Workshop Series
"For us, the Asia Society Hong Kong Center building's finest quality is the way it embraces nature within the compound that surrounds it! The forest here seems to be enchanted with an almost spiritual quality — it's as if there were spirits and phantoms dwelling within the bushes and trees!" — Dylan Kwok, designer
Reflecting on how human beings lived in the wild thousands of years ago to modern day urbanites assisted by rapid technological advancement, participants at this workshop will re-think what minimal living is by appreciating their physical, tangible surroundings. During the workshop, they will be asked to imagine themselves micrified, then build a house with one window only and to live in it. Participants will walk around Asia Society Hong Kong Center to find a location with the best scenery for the window in their house. The workshop will encourage participants to pay attention again to neither the Internet nor their smartphones but the environment in which they live. This workshop is offered to children ages 6–12 and their parents.
Dylan Kwok is co-owner of the ground-breaking PIORA project, begun by Korean furniture designer Hyejin Ahn with waxed paper art lamps in 2006. In 2010, Kwok and Ahn came together and refined the project by introducing non-profit workshops, exhibitions and plans for artistic installations across their series. After living abroad for 15 years, he has returned to Hong Kong for good and is now with the Design Institute for Social Innovation of at Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design. Through his exposure to different cultural settings, Kwok has developed a strong interest in the relationship between humanistic design and urban environment. Kwok received his Master's degree in spatial design at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Finland.
HyeJin Ahn is a Korean designer based in Hong Kong. Her design expresses blended cultures rooted from her long experience in different Nordic countries and her Korean identity. Since 2007, she has focused on lighting design with paper and has exhibited her lighting design "PIORA" series in different international exhibitions, such as Copenhagen International Furniture Fair, Stockholm Furniture Fair and Hong Kong Creative Ecologies+. Ahn graduated from Aalto University, School of Art and Design in Helsinki, Finland with a master's degree in Furniture Design after a bachelor's degree in Woodworking and Furniture Design from the School of Fine Arts, in Hong Ik University, Seoul, South Korea.
|Major sponsor*:
Supporting organizations:
Hong Kong Design Centre
The Hong Kong Institute of Architects
*CreateHK disclaimer
"The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

subset: commoncrawl


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Testimonials by XLash customers
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Satisfied with the product.
Great tool to keep ear wax to a minimum. Also, gets to that inch in the ear! Love it!
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Clever design and may help someone with no imagination . Didn't help me because the wax build up wasn't enough. Only someone with poor sanitation habits would let their ears build up enough wax to use this.
My mother wears hearing aids so she needs to keep her ears clean so the aids don't get clogged with ear wax. These are very comfortable to use and she is very happy with them.
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Finding a safe tool for proper ear cleaning has been a challenge for me, until I saw Smart Swab and bought it and after carefully reading the direction tried it. I got A bit of earwax on different part of the tip, and that is exactly what I was expecting, considering minimal earwax is good for ear. It also stops before reaching ear drum so feels safe.
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This is a great product!! Smart Swab can last for a long time. The most important aspect is that it is safer than other products. I have my children use this from now on. Yes, there is only a little wax that comes out because you need to let the wax build up for a few weeks before using this. The good thing about this product is it directly takes out ear wax without pushing more ear wax into your ear canal which makes it safer than other products.


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Recently, I became friends with an open source first-person shooter: Quake2World (q2w). As the name indicates, it uses an idTech2-based engine and currently aims to have Quake 2's mechanics.
Although development seems to be centered around graphical features at the moment, the game is sexy and fun. There are no bots so far and only a minimal selection of servers, so you'll have to ask for some company on #quetoo@freenode, which is the community's home.
The project is looking for code and content contributors. The current policy is to allow content licensed under GPL/CC-licenses/Zlib/MIT/WTFPL (although I believe that some of the included content is not compatible with any of these).


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NZ Herald Article: Working with Charities
Posted on 4 April 2013
Tags: Borderless, Social Change, NZ Herald, Be Accessible
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Borderless is a social change company with a mission to create thinking and actions to create positive change in society. More specifically, we create and drive campaigns, digital stories and take-action films with and for businesses, organisations and individuals throughout the world.
Q, you didn't just get involved with a charity, you helped set one up. How did that happen?
In 2007, I met Minnie Baragwanath, then disability advisor at Auckland City Council. Minnie had a dream and vision to create a social change movement that would shift both attitudes and behaviours towards people living with disability. We soon realised we had similar dreams to create social change and each had very complementary skill sets.
Together we created Be.Accessible, the campaign, which attracted local and national government support. It is now regarded as the leading social change movement for all New Zealanders to create a 100 per cent accessible society.
Minnie is the Chief Executive of the Be. Institute, the owner of the Be.Accessible campaign and leads teams based in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Be.Accessible takes the view that in order for true accessibility to happen, we must address the physical environment, personal empowerment and social attitudes towards our access citizens (disabled people, older people and parents with young children) simultaneously. Be. Accessible does this through a range of programmes targeting businesses, organisations, the disability community and New Zealanders.
How is Be. Accessible aligned to your brand?
Be. Accessible is perfectly aligned to our brand - we share the values of authenticity and the desire to create positive change in the world. Borderless is a social change agency and Be. Accessible a social movement - in my mind, it is a perfect fit.
What is your involvement these days?
Until this month, Borderless has been the social change agency managing the creation and delivery of the Be. Accessible campaigns. This included devising strategy, defining the brand and managing how it is brought to life, managing the marketing and communications activity and working with Minnie to further the social change agenda of Be. Accessible.
From next month, Be. Accessible will be taking the marketing and communications function in-house and our relationship will transition to a new and exciting phase. Borderless will be working with Be. and Minnie as a boutique social change agency, crafting specific social change initiatives to help further the vision and ensure long-term sustainability of the movement / organisation.
What do your clients think about your efforts with Be.Accessible?
I imagine our clients have a range of views about our relationship with Be.Accessible. Some have become clients as a result of the work we do with Be. (e.g. DiversityWorks and The Big Event 2013). Others have come about through the reputation we have built through the Be. Campaign, for example the Telecom Foundation. And then there are those where there is constant cross-pollination of relationships, for example Manawanui incharge and the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association.
I'm very proud of Be. Accessible so I talk about it A LOT and the anecdotal feedback is that it's an inspired and relevant campaign that has a very good chance of affecting the positive social change it hopes to achieve.
How is The Big Event aligned with your business as well as with Be.Accessible?
We met Chris Ross, the founder of The Big Event, when Be. was invited to exhibit at the 2012 expo. In the planning phase of the 2013 event, Chris approached Borderless to work on its visual identity (logo / collateral), public relations, radio promotion and digital storytelling.
This year's event will be held at the ASB Showgrounds on April 5 Friday and Saturday 6 April and Be. Accessible will be exhibiting again. There is something for everyone (disabled or not) so it is worth going along to learn about how accessibility shapes all our lives at some point. Plus it's FREE!
Read the full article now on the NZ Herald site


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Complications of Diabetes
Diabetes is the inability of glucose to enter the cells. The result is that the bloodstream has a high amount of glucose and cells are not able to produce energy for the body. When diabetes is not carefully managed by keeping the amount of sugar in the blood at the right level, the resulting high glucose amounts wreak havoc on nearly every organ system in the body.
One of the main contributing factors in some of the complications mentioned are issues arising from problems with the smallest of blood vessels. High concentrations of glucose lead to weakness in their walls, and the combination of bursts in these vessels and the scar tissue created in the healing process can damage the organs which these vessels serve.
Complications of Diabetes can range from sudden, urgent issues to those that develop slowly over the years. These complications include, but are not limited to:
- Heart Disease and Stroke
- Vision Loss and Blindness (Diabetic Retinopathy)
- Kidney Failure (Diabetic Nephropathy)
- Amputation (Diabetic Neuropathy)
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Diabetic Coma (Non-ketotic coma)
Heart Disease and Stroke
As many as 65% of people diagnosed with diabetes will eventually die of a heart attack or a stroke. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of a heart attack or a stroke in the following ways:
- By speeding up the process where the walls of the artery malfunction and they get clogged inside (arteriosclerosis)
- By altering blood cholesterol and fat levels
- By making the blood more prone to clotting
Diabetics are subject to earlier and more pronounced cases of arteriosclerosis than non-diabetics.
What Happens in the Body
The build-up of plaque and hardening of the arteries associated with this condition make it much easier for one of the following events to occur:
- Heart attack: a blockage in the blood vessels surrounding the heart preventing oxygen from reaching the cells, killing the heart muscle.
- Stroke: a blockage to the blood vessels in the brain, preventing oxygen from reaching the brain.
Heart attack and stroke are both emergency conditions. Failure to treat these conditions within minutes can easily lead to death. NetWellness has topics on Heart Disease and Stroke that describe in greater detail the symptoms of these conditions and how they should be treated. If symptoms of either of these conditions are evident, seek emergency care immediately.
Vision Loss and Blindness (Diabetic Retinopathy)
Although not a sudden process, diabetics face a very real threat of vision loss, including blindness, also called diabetic retinopathy. Nearly 50% of diabetics will develop diabetic retinopathy to one level or another.
What Happens in the Body
Over a period of years, tiny new blood vessels grow in the eyes. High concentrations of glucose in the fluid surrounding these blood vessels make them, and existing blood vessels, extremely fragile. Tiny bulges called micro aneurysms can develop around the retina and other areas in the eye.
If these bulges leak or burst, fluid and blood can spread throughout the eye. Blood clots and scar tissue can form in front of the retina, preventing light from hitting the retina, resulting in blindness. The fluid released can cause swelling which blurs vision. This condition progresses from blurred vision in both central and peripheral vision to complete blindness.
There is no treatment for diabetic retinopathy. Damage to the eyes is permanent, however progression of the condition may be slowed. The best way to avoid developing diabetic retinopathy is to prevent glucose from building up the fluid surrounding the blood vessels in the eye. Careful management of glucose levels is the only way to prevent this condition.
Kidney Failure (Diabetic Nephropathy)
Over time, high blood glucose can have a damaging effect on the kidneys. Nearly 1 in 3 diabetics will experience kidney failure.
What Happens in the Body
One of the side effects of high glucose levels is that extra water is pulled into the blood stream. This can significantly increase blood pressure. Other risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, such as obesity, are frequently associated with high blood pressure as well. High blood pressure affects the nephrons or filtering units in the kidneys. Nephrons were initially designed to filter water and certain small waste products from the blood. Sustained blood pressure and abnormally high glucose concentrations gradually make the vessels in the nephrons more porous. Over time amino acids and proteins are able to escape into the urine through these pores, which is an indication of kidney dysfunction that may eventually lead to kidney failure.
There is no treatment for diabetic nephropathy. Damage to the kidneys is permanent, but progression of the condition may be slowed by careful management of glucose levels and reduction of high blood pressure. In the end stages, swelling will occur in the legs and the patient will require dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Untreated, it will result in the body poisoning itself with its own waste products.
Amputation (Diabetic Neuropathy)
Neuropathies, or areas of nerve damage, are unfortunately common in diabetics. Diabetic neuropathies are caused by a combination of the direct effects of high glucose concentrations and the secondary effects of those high glucose levels on the blood vessels that provide nutrients and oxygen to the nerves.
Neuropathies can affect every organ system in the body, causing the patient to loose sensation or control in the affected area. Most commonly, and perhaps most importantly, feeling is lost in the extremities, commonly the arms and the feet.
What Happens in the Body
Frequently, diabetics will feel a numbness, tingling, or burning sensation in their feet. Poor circulation combined with a lack of feeling makes it very easy for a diabetic to injure his or her foot and not even realize it. Cuts or blisters can easily turn into decubitus ulcers, also known as pressure sores or bed sores, which become infected and have difficulty healing.
Complications of ulcers and sores
An open sore such as an ulcer leaves the body vulnerable to:
Cellulitis: a painful infection of the connective tissue in the skin
Gangrene: rotting flesh that frequently results in amputation
Sepsis: an infection spreading to the blood stream and other organs causing rapid shock and widespread organ failure
Sores of this kind need immediate treatment or they may result in the loss of a foot, leg, or even the life of the patient. NetWellness has a topic on Amputation that provides more information about the issues surrounding amputation.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a very dangerous complication of Diabetes. DKA is usually associated with Type 1 diabetes, although, it can also occur rarely with Type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of DKA often include:
- Frequent urination or frequent thirst for a day or more
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscular stiffness or aching
- Mental stupor that may progress to coma
- Rapid deep breathing
- Fruity breath (breath odor)
Other symptoms that are sometimes associated with this condition include:
- Headache
- Decreased consciousness
- Breathing – rapid
- Breathing difficulty – lying down
- Low blood pressure
- Appetite – loss
- Abdominal pain
What Happens in the Body
When glucose isn't able to enter the body's cells, the body is unable to produce energy. When your body has no other energy sources, it will turn to digesting proteins (muscles) and fats for energy. Muscles will break down their own proteins, releasing amino acids, the building blocks of protein, into the blood stream. When the amino acids reach the liver they are converted to glucose.
For a person whose pancreas functions like it's supposed to, the glucose produced by the liver would trigger the pancreas to release insulin and let the glucose into the body's cells to produce energy. But for someone whose pancreas doesn't work right, all the liver is doing is dumping more sugar that's not needed in the bloodstream.
Unfortunately, the liver doesn't realize that there is already too much glucose in the blood because it doesn't test glucose levels like the pancreas does. The liver tests for insulin. When insulin is not being produced, the liver is tricked into thinking the body is starving and needs more sugar. The liver will create more and more glucose as muscle is broken down. This has catastrophic effects.
When the body is in starvation mode, the liver also digests fats. This produces ketones which provide energy to feed the brain and the heart. This is done as a last ditch effort to remain alive. The brain prefers these ketones as an energy source, instead of the dangerous and plentiful glucose. Because the brain and heart aren't using up any glucose, the levels of glucose continue to rise.
This is when the situation can become dangerous. With such a high amount of glucose outside the cells, and a decreasing amount inside the cells (since it's been used for energy), the water in the cells is forced out of the cells in an attempt to even out the amounts of glucose. This causes rapid dehydration and the body tissues begin to collapse as they lose water. Then the kidneys go to work filtering out all of the excess water, which is what causes the frequent urination. In the process, many essential compounds, such as sodium ions, are flushed out in the urine. The loss of sodium causes many cells to have difficulty functioning properly and eventually cells begin to die.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is an emergency condition. Care must be given rapidly. Initially, treatment will focus on re-hydration. Insulin will be gradually re-introduced to the body. Left untreated, ketoacidosis is fatal.
Diabetic Coma (Non-ketotic coma)
Diabetic coma is a due to dehydration caused by high sugar levels caused by untreated or poorly managed diabetes.
"Non-ketotic" means that this condition is not the same as Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Often the pancreas is still producing insulin, but either not enough or the cells don't respond to it.
Symptoms of diabetic coma include:
What Happens in the Body
When there is a lot of glucose surrounding a cell and not much glucose inside, and glucose cannot cross into the cell, water moves out of the cell to try to create an equal amount of glucose on both sides. When a diabetic's glucose level rises very high, the glucose in the blood pulls a large amount of water out of the cells.
Instead of re-entering the cells, the kidneys filter out this excess water and it is excreted in the urine. A combination of dehydration and lots of glucose accumulating in the fluid surrounding brain cells can make it difficult for the brain to function normally. This can lead to coma – a semi-conscious state.
This is another emergency condition. Failure to treat this condition can easily lead to death. If the above symptoms are exhibited, the diabetic should seek emergency care immediately. The goal of treatment is to reverse the dehydration, which will improve the blood pressure, urine output, and poor circulation. Fluids and potassium are replaced by intravenous therapy. High glucose levels are treated with intravenous insulin.
Hope Through Research – You Can Be Part of the Answer!
Many research studies are underway to help us learn about eye diseases. Would you like to find out more about being part of this exciting research? Please visit the following links:
- NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
- Diabetes Studies
- NetWellness Research Center
- ClinicalTrials.gov Explained and Find Studies on ClinicalTrials.gov
- ResearchMatch Explained and Join ResearchMatch
More features about Diabetes:
- Diabetes Overview
- Diabetes and the Body: Pancreatic Function
- Symptoms and Tests for Diabetes
- Treatment Options for Diabetics
- Avoiding Diabetes
- Diabetes and Heart Disease
- Studying Diabetes and Heart Disease: The ACCORD Study
For more information:
Go to the Diabetes health topic.


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I remember when Molton Brown used to make make up – I loved it! But alas, the English Brand now focuses on high end skincare, haircare and grooming products.
The Wilde Fairyfleur collection stood out to me because is seemed fresh, very green with a whimsical feel – something for the young 'uns if you like.
I was sent the Body Lotion to try and I love it! The scent is a mixture of citrus, rose and amber – its floral but fruity at the same time.
They say:
Dewy, wild and green. Our limited edition body lotion bursts with aromas of an English country springtime. Enriched with a posy of fairyfleur, know commonly as cowslip, and cornflower, these help improve skin's moisture balance and boost skin condition, leaving your body fragrant, smooth, and hydrated.
Not only does it smell good, I like the texture of the lotion as its light and sinks in so easily.It also feels quite fresh – perhaps because its a summery kind of scent, its perfect for this time of year.
I think I need a lotion that smells amazing – otherwise I am just too lazy to use one.
Having said that my favourite scent in the world for a lotion is Monoi oil. If Bobbi Brown made a body lotion in that scent it would be amazing!
You can buy it here for £17.


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text: Since 1850 the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has been providing law enforcement, court security services and detention services to the citizens of Sonoma County. Currently the Sheriff's Office is comprised of over 650 employees. Servicing a county of over 1600 square miles and population of nearly 500,000, the Sheriff's Office is responsible for primary law enforcement services of the unincorporated area and the cities of Windsor and Sonoma.


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DETROIT - Detroit's mayor says a now-vacant housing project where singers Diana Ross and the Supremes lived before becoming Motown superstars will be demolished.
Mayor Dave Bing made the announcement Thursday about the massive Frederick Douglass Homes complex, formerly known as the Brewster-Douglass housing project.
A $6.5 million federal grant will pay for demolition and soil remediation that is expected to pave the way for redevelopment on several city blocks. Demolition could begin early in 2013.
Bing says the demolition could take up to a year. It'll free up 18 acres.
"Once this is demolished, I've already had some recommendations from developers who want to come here and have some different kinds of ideas on what ought to happen," Bing said. "They're starting to line up and I think that's very, very healthy."
Known to most Detroiters as the Brewster projects, the decades-old complex has been vacant since the last families were relocated in 2008 due to safety concerns. It consists of brick condo-like units, six-story buildings and four 14-story towers.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Re: Translation Options?wadcock Dec 1, 2011 5:59 PM (in response to josh.raditch)1 person found this helpful
We're working on a plug-in that will enable use of different machine translation engines to translate content within the thread. This allows the user experience to remain within the community without having to go outside the experience. this would also allow us to maintain only one community that serves multiple languages.The reason for allowing use of different MT engines is that some engines do a better job with different language pairs than others. This way you can select the engine with the best quality translation for the language pair. We have just completed first round of UAT with very good results and are begining a second round with a different user group. We plan to go to Beta production in Q1 and will post an update here then. Our plan is to possibly offer this in the app store.
Re: Translation Options?robin.bordoli Dec 2, 2011 8:45 AM (in response to wadcock)
wadcock wrote:
We're working on a plug-in that will enable use of different machine translation engines to translate content within the thread. Our plan is to possibly offer this in the app store.
The Jive Apps Market currently is only for Jive Apps, not Plugins. Are you aware of there differences between Plugins and Jive Apps?
Re: Translation Options?wadcock Dec 2, 2011 9:05 AM (in response to robin.bordoli)
Correction. APP. :-) my misuse of correct terminology. Thanks for correcting.
Re: Translation Options?MickT May 30, 2012 11:00 AM (in response to wadcock)
Was just wondering if you had made any progress in making this app available. I believe Josh opened this conversation for me.
Please let me know?
Re: Translation Options?wadcock May 30, 2012 11:17 AM (in response to MickT)
We're in UAT right now on our solution, and plan to go live on our community within a week. After that we'll be looking at availability options. Our IP group and legal have to bless it first.Will post updates as I get more.
Re: Translation Options?darrelbotes May 14, 2013 3:34 AM (in response to wadcock)
Hi Sonny, how did your UAT go? We are looking for a translation solution for our Jive community and would be keen to discuss options with you.
Re: Translation Options?jason.long Dec 2, 2011 9:03 AM (in response to josh.raditch)
We have implemented a small, easy-to-use widget based on the Google Translate API called Translate This (http://translateth.is)
It may eventually go away with all of the API tweaking going on at Google, but right now it's a great way to get machine translation of your content. Check out our site (upper right hand corner by the share button) to see it in action: http://community.qlikview.com/
Re: Translation Options?wadcock Feb 21, 2012 1:58 PM (in response to jason.long)
We looked at that, but there was concern on the quality of the translations. We were also concerned with the Google API tweaking. However, I like the simplicity of it.
Re: Translation Options?sleslie2011 Feb 21, 2012 2:06 PM (in response to wadcock)
I have also worked on a number of translation, localization projects.
I have not worked with translations.com before (although I did go through an official evaluation process with them).
I have worked with SDL and can recommend Keith Borman 408-667-4791. They have a number of different options for business needs. Note they are not the least expensive on the market, but they are thorough and also own/manage the software that many smaller vendors use for translation, translation memory etc.
A best practice I always abide by is to have a formal evaluation for at LEAST 3 vendors. I'm willing to have a short phone conversation with you to go over some of the items to cover and look for when you evaluate them (if you want more input).
Best Regards, Sara
Re: Translation Options?John Schwiller Mar 26, 2012 10:56 AM (in response to jason.long)
Hi Jason
Just looked at your implementation of Translate This (in FF) - have you thought about some kind of spinner to display whilst it is going off to translate?
Re: Translation Options?wadcock May 16, 2013 10:53 AM (in response to josh.raditch)
We completed UAT and had a very successful launch. We developed a broker engine that allows us to use multiple translation engines depending on the quality of the language pair. The user selects a language from a drop down within the thread and it translates real time. Once the thread is closed the translation goes away so it doesn't clutter up the thread. We also put a rating system in place so users rate translation quality. We launched with 5 languages and the team will evaluate need for others as requirements change.
Happy to consult with anyone who might be interested in more details.


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Since 2004 the OECD LEED Trento Centre hosts the prestigious library of the OECD which includes printed books, reports, annuals, and also gives access to SourceOECD, the OECD online library, that comprises 20 thematic book collections, 24 periodicals, 3 reference titles, 24 OECD statistical databases and 10 IEA statistical databases.
Opening Hours and Contact
The Library is open to public by prior appointment from Monday to Friday from 9.30 to 13.00 and from 14.30 to 17.00.
OECD LEED Trento Centre
Vicolo San Marco 1
38 100 Trento
e-mail email@example.com
Terms of use
The OECD publications can't be borrowed.
The e-books in PDF format available via SourceOECD can't be downloaded.
Printing and photocopying facilities are not available.
Related Documents


text:
Dragon NaturallySpeaking software is a speech-recognition application. Users with repetitive stress injuries, mobility impairment, or learning disabilities, or users who prefer dictating to typing, can use Dragon to dictate essays or take notes more easily than by typing. This quick reference guide aims to provide a starting point for new users of Dragon to learn the software.
Getting Started
The DragonBar is a special toolbar that appears at the top of your screen when you start Dragon NaturallySpeaking for the first time. When you see the DragonBar, you can use Dragon NaturallySpeaking to dictate into word processors, e-mail, and other programs.
The second icon from the left is the microphone icon. Click the microphone icon to turn the microphone on and off. When the icon is red and horizontal, the microphone is off. When the icon appears green and vertical, the microphone is on, and the program is ready for you to dictate. The volume display indicates how well the program is hearing your voice.
Starting to Dictate
Follow these steps when you want to dictate:
- Make sure the program you want to dictate into is running.
- Put on the microphone and position it correctly.
- Click in the program you want to dictate into to make that window active.
- Turn on the microphone (see Getting Started).
- Start talking and watch your words appear on the screen.
Helpful Commands
- New Line or Paragraph- Say "New Line" or "New Paragraph."
- Enter Punctuation Marks- Say name of the punctuation mark, such as "Exclamation Point."
- Spell- When you want to add a new word to the vocabulary, say "Spell" or "Spell That" (immediately after a recognition error) and the characters of the word or words you want to spell. Say the characters continuously and quickly, not one at a time. If you use the "Spell That" command, you can wait for the Spell Dialog box to open for more options.
- Move the insertion point- To move the cursor, say:
Right / Forward / Left / Backward
"<1-20> characters" / "<1-20> words"
Up / Down
"<1-20> lines" / "<1-20> paragraphs"
Using the appropriate direction and distance.
- Move the insertion point to specific words- Say "Insert Before <text>" or "Insert After <text>," where <text> is a word or phrase in the document.
- Sample Commands - Say "What Can I Say?," "Display Sample Commands," or "Open Sample Commands." You can also click Sample Commands on the Help menu of the DragonBar. This window displays a selection of the most useful commands that Dragon NaturallySpeaking recognizes for the current context, whether it is a particular program you are using or the Windows desktop.
Text adapted from Dragon NaturallySpeaking 8 Preferred help files by Nuance Communications.


text:
Best Movers in Severn, MD
Best Movers Severn have been providing quality moving services at affordable prices to Business, Residential and Apartment communities in Severn area for over 10 years.
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Get DVD Talk Feeds
The Movie:
Charmingly made with a sensitivity to what gay teens face on a daily basis, the 2013 Australian indie Monster Pies seems like the very definition of a sleeper. Writer-director Lee Galea touches on some profound stuff here - memory, loss, and the fragility of childhood - yet he also indulges in some of the weepiest, most manipulative and silly dramatics I've ever seen. The film is more underwhelming than anything else, overall, yet two young characters at the center of this story - teen classmates who deal with their feelings in markedly different ways - are appealing enough for it to almost work.
Monster Pies is definitely a modest effort, filmed on a shoestring with an intimate, character-driven scenario. The movie's color-saturated photography and purposefully bland camera setups capture the banality of suburbia, where its two protagonists - normal guys - navigate their outsider status at the stifling school they attend. Mike (Tristan Barr), a gawky film enthusiast, notices a stunningly handsome new arrival in the school's main office. Initially figuring that the withdrawn William (Lucas Linehan) will join the chorus of other bullies who mutter "faggot" to him in the hallways, Mike is surprised to find William an articulate, smart young man. Eventually, Mike's longing to know William better is satisfied when they're paired up for an assignment in their English Lit class. With William's help, Mike comes up with the idea of filming Romeo and Juliet as a gender-twisted allegory in which the tormented lovers are played by Frankenstein's Monster and the Wolfman.
As Mike and William's collaboration gets more involved, they begin to find that they have a lot in common (including coming from broken families). An inevitable bond develops between them, a connection that blossoms into a serious relationship. It comes as a liberating relief to them, yet not being able to live openly in this repressed environment adds more stress to their young lives. With a drunken, homophobic father, a Down Syndrome-afflicted young friend, and a brain-damaged mother needing constant supervision, William has too much to deal with already, and the pressure of coming to terms with being gay makes him crack. Although Mike is more secure in his sexuality, he too isn't out and fears the repercussions from telling his recently divorced parents about who he is. The scenes with just the two main characters have a terrific intimacy, aided by believable work by Barr and Linehan. The first part of the film benefits from sharp, subtle observations about what it's like to be young and gay - which makes it all the more disappointing to witness the direction which Lee Galea chose to take the story. I'm not going to reveal any spoilers here; suffice to say that the plot eventually goes off the deep end with overstated, unnecessarily soap opera-ish plotting. And it involves crying - lots of crying.
Monster Pies mixes its bland suburban setting with touches that suggest it's set in the immediate past (William works at a video rental store stocked with VHS tapes; the female characters wear dowdy, '90s-style clothing). While it adds some uniqueness to the project, it also seems to underscore how often dated and clunky the script itself is. That clumsiness extends to a lot of the histrionic dialogue and scenes straight out of a vintage After School Special (like the reactions of the parents to their sons' coming out). Despite all that, I look forward to whatever Galena and his young leads have for the future.
The DVD:
The digitally shot 16x9 widescreen image used on TLA Releasing's Monster Pies DVD is clean and professional looking master. The cinematography has a cold, clinical feel, but the colors are appealingly fresh and light/dark levels stay true-to-life.
Monster Pies sports an agreeable Stereo soundtrack. Although the music is mixed in too loudly, dialogue is clear and pleasant. No subtitles or alternate audio on this disc.
Lee Galea's 2002 short, Karmarama, makes an appropriate bonus here since it deals in the same territory as Monster Pies. In it, an outwardly homophobic teen discovers what it's like to be the persecuted one. The disc also includes a few minutes' worth of Deleted Scenes and a Theatrical Trailer.
Final Thoughts:
Movies about maladjusted, misunderstood teens are a dime a dozen, yet Monster Pies sticks out for its Australian setting and a moving (but heavy-handed) storyline. Lee Galea made the script for this feature (his first) much too melodramatic for it to overcome its well-intentioned themes of tolerance and family bonding. The two lead actors are great, however, and casual viewers with an interest in gay dramas would do well to check this one out. Rent It.
Matt Hinrichs is a designer, artist, film critic and jack-of-all-trades in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 2000, he has been blogging at Scrubbles.net. 4 Color Cowboy is his repository of Western-kitsch imagery, while other films he's experienced are logged at Letterboxd. He also welcomes friends on Twitter @4colorcowboy.


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This is my fave San Diego story– so I'll cut right to the meat and forgo all my long-winded "filler" crap:
It's San Diego Comic Con. After a hard day "working" the convention (Hey! Walking around and talking to people about their projects and books IS hard!)– I decide to hit the Gaslamp District bars with one of my Favorite Pals in the whole wide world– a married comic book writer (one of those descriptive facts will become important in a second) that I'll call Bill. (Mainly 'cause "Bill" is easy to type.)
We walk into this bar– which is wall-to-wall. Everybody's drinking profusely. Lots of attractive people inside too.
My kind of place.
We struggle to reach the bar. It's worse than Manhattan's "A" Train during RUSH HOUR. You're forced to rub up against all kinds of people you'd rather not– but the few you do like rubbing up against make up for the close "dude-on-dude" contact.
Order drinks. Laughing. Meeting all kinds of new people. Very attractive women decide that the bar floor is too crowded and we help them hop on the bar so they can dance.
Thank you Lindsay Lohan. Thank you Paris Hilton. Thank you Britney Spears.
Out of the 5 ladies now dancing on the bar– 4 have on short dresses and have obviously forgotten they've gone commando tonight.
Enjoying the view. Drinks and sights are making us randy.
Bill (the married one, remember) suddenly sees a beautiful tanned goddess walk by wearing a flimsy black dress so short it should be (and probably is in Utah) illegal.
Suddenly Bill's hand darts up and up under the lady's skirt… Where I can tell by the way his forearm muscles are tightly flexing– Bill has decided to partake in a serious gambit of GRAB ASS.
The woman snaps her neck around and yelps, "Hey, that's MY ASS!"
Bill, not losing a beat, replies, "Yeah, I know! Isn't it great?"
And then the woman smiles, Bill finally loosens his grip and INEXPLICABLY she says, "You're cute." and kisses him on the mouth.
And they say "The Meek shall inherit the Earth".
Yeah. Right.


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Source says the toy was for "a game" with paparazzi, who'd been trailing Middleton during her Paris visit
Pippa Middleton made headlines Monday, and this time the paparazzi shots were not so flattering.
Middleton, 28, the younger sister of Prince William's wife Kate, was in Paris for French aristocrat Arthur de Soultrait's party when she was photographed smiling in the passenger seat of an Audi convertible as the driver of the car aimed a handgun directly at the photographer.
But the gun in question, it turns out, is a toy.
Aymeric de Drouas, spokesman for a French clothing company owned by Soultrait, told The Associated Press the gun in a photo published by British newspaper The Sun was a toy being used in "a game" with paparazzi, who'd been trailing them throughout Middleton's visit.
Paris police say they are not investigating and have no complaint, according to The New York Times.


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INDEPENDENCE –– If the Region C Division 2 football playoffs are as interesting as the regular season, the next three weeks should be a lot of fun.
Just how tight was the RCD2 field this year? Consider the following:
*Grayson County was stuck in ninth place with two weeks left in the season, needed to defeat an 8-1 team and get outside help just to crack the top six, and wound up as the No. 5 seed.
*One extra win by any of the six teams the Blue Devils defeated and Grayson would be hosting a first-round game.
*Stop the two-point conversion in overtime of a 36-35 loss to Carroll County, and Grayson would be looking at the No. 1 overall seed.
*In a division where 9-1 teams used to be left out of the playoffs, the best anybody could do was a couple of 8-2 records by Chilhowie and Fort Chiswell, and Floyd is in at 5-5.
*Grayson beat Floyd County, which beat George Wythe, which beat Chilhowie, which lost to Grayson.
*No. 2 Chilhowie has a first-round bye despite the fact that its two losses came to teams seeded No. 4 and 5.
What's it all mean as far as Grayson County is concerned? For a team with a not-so-hot postseason history, this is as good a year as any to turn it around.
"There's no doubt in my mind that we can beat these people," Grayson coach Brett McPherson said of its first-round opponent, George Wythe, which hosts the Blue Devils in a first-rounder tonight at 7:30 at Pendleton Field. "I think we've got the capability to win the region. There are six teams who aren't a whole lot better than anybody else."
If anything, the extended season is a testament to, and a reward for, the players who endured Grayson's recent 17-game losing streak, which included a winless 2008 and an 0-7 start to 2009.
"We've got six seniors who played on that 0-10 team and I don't think people realize what they have done to come back from the depths of that," McPherson said. "It was bad. They really persevered. I'm hoping they don't want this season to end."
To prevent an untimely demise, Grayson must deal with a George Wythe team that hasn't provided many highlights for the Devils over the years. Led by former Carroll County assistant H.S. Ingo, the Maroons hold a 7-1 record against Grayson, including two playoff wins.
"Typical George Wythe talent," McPherson said. "The runningback runs really well and they've got decent size. They're diverse. They've got a big tight end, there's a kid out on the edge who can catch it, so they can do a lot of things to hurt you."
Results from games involving common opponents would be a convincing argument that the Blue Devils should be competitive. Including Grayson's benefit game with Floyd County, the Devils and Maroons shared five opponents, including two losses by Wythe to teams Grayson defeated.
But McPherson said nothing can be taken from that.
"This year I don't think you can," he said. "It's been so bizarre, it just boils down to there are a lot of decent teams in the region and it depends on who matches up better. Obviously we didn't match up with Radford as well as we did with other people. But I don't think there's a dominant team out there."
Wythe will give Grayson something the Devils haven't seen since the Radford loss, which is an athletic bunch capable of getting into the open. That worries the Grayson coach.
"We haven't been a great tackling team, whether it's running through tackles or us not getting in position to make the plays," he said. "We've got to play defense. We spent all our time the first two days this week on defense. We're scoring, but we're not getting enough stops.
"I've got concerns about us tackling out in space, and they've got some kids who can make you miss. It's been a while since we've seen somebody who can get out in space like they can."
Grayson is coming off probably the most impressive win in McPherson's tenure, a 35-28 defeat of Fort Chiswell in which the Blue Devils rallied from a 28-7 second-half deficit. Whether that momentum carries over into a turnaround in postseason fortunes remains to be seen.
"Everybody knows our playoff history isn't good but these kids don't think about that," McPherson said. "They don't pay a lot of attention to what's going on. It's a good group and they've accomplished a lot."
Region C Division 2 first round
Grayson County (6-4) at George Wythe (7-3)
Friday, 7:30 p.m., Pendleton Field
Last week
Grayson County defeated Fort Chiswell 35-28
George Wythe defeated Northwood 35-12
Last meeting
2007 playoffs (George Wythe 50-8)
Last Grayson County win
1988 (14-0)
Common opponents
Floyd County
Grayson County won 24-13 Aug. 20 (benefit game)
George Wythe lost 17-7 Sept. 17
Grayson County won 48-22 Sept. 3
George Wythe won 14-13 Oct. 8
Rural Retreat
Grayson County won 55-20 Sept. 10
George Wythe won 31-20 Oct. 29
Grayson County lost 43-6 Oct. 1
George Wythe lost 36-35 Sept. 10
Fort Chiswell
Grayson County won 35-28 last week
George Wythe lost 16-14 Oct. 1
The season
Grayson County George Wythe
D Alleghany NC 36-14 8/27 D Tazewell 28-0
D Chilhowie 48-22 9/3 Open
D Rural Retreat 55-20 9/10 L to Radford 36-35
L to Glenvar 27-7 9/17 L to Floyd County 17-7
L to Carroll Co. 36-35 OT 9/24 D Giles 21-17
L to Radford 43-6 10/1 L to Ft. Chiswell 16-14
L to Galax 23-14 10/8 D Chilhowie 14-13
Open 10/15 D Patrick Henry 48-6
D Bland County 48-7 10/22 D Holston 38-3
D Narrows 54-14 10/29 D Rural Retreat 31-20
D Fort Chiswell 35-28 11/3 D Northwood 35-12
The series
1988–Grayson County 14-0
1989–George Wythe 27-12
#1999–George Wythe 41-10
2003–George Wythe 41-14
2004–George Wythe 56-0
2005–George Wythe 26-6
2006–George Wythe 40-20
#2007–George Wythe 50-8
# playoffs
George Wythe leads 7-1
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Upgrade ESET Remote Administrator to the latest version (5.x)
Existing customers with a valid business license for ESET Remote Administrator (ERA) may upgrade to the latest version of the same product for free.
Download the two files below. You will need to enter your ESET-issued Username and Password to download.
ESET Remote Administrator Server ESET Remote Administrator Console
- When both downloads are complete, double-click the fille named era_server_nt32_enu.msi to launch the ESET Remote Administrator Server (ERAS) installer.
- Select a Typical installation type at the Select type of installation screen and then click Next.
Figure 1-1
Click the image to view larger in new window
- Follow the ESET Remote Administrator Server Setup instructions to upgrade ERAS.
ERA version 4.x users: Select Full import at the Migration Settings screen and then follow the on-screen instructions to install ERAS over your existing installation.
Figure 1-2
Click the image to view larger in new window
- When ERAS installation is complete, double-click the file named era_console_nt32_enu.msi to launch the ESET Remote Administrator Console (ERAC) installer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install ERAC over your existing installation.
If you want to continue using policy settings from policies created for 4.x and earlier clients, use the Policy Migration Wizard to create a new 5.x policy with settings from your previous policy.
See the Knowledgebase article below for step-by-step instructions:


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* Image shown is for 5 x 8 or larger rug. Smaller sizes will not show complete pattern, and will be scaled down to fit.
Burmesse-Flower Pewter - Hand Crafted Wool Rugs
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Magical, colorful works of art for your floor! Capel's hand knotted collections have a refinement, a specialness, which can only be created by hand. Every stage of this ancient art is carried out by an artisan, from carding and spinning the wool to individually tying each knot. Capel hand knotted rugs are woven on traditional looms and, once complete, are hand washed twice, and rinsed up to 18 times. ***This rug is made-to-order and will take 10-14 business days to process and ship***
Shipping is FREE to all areas in the continental 48 states, wherever shipping by land is available. Unless stated otherwise on our site, please expect to receive your rug in approximately 5-10 business days (Depending on the manufacturer). Very few exceptions may apply where you'd receive your rug in up to 14 days. Please note that custom made rugs may take up to 4-5 weeks to receive. If your rug is backordered, we will contact you by phone or email. If it is not possible to ship to your location by land, you will be advised of the shipping cost before your order is shipped.
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This majestic Ebook "MUST KNOW Answers, Secrets & Tips on Women's Bloom & Beauty" gives befalling for our admirable wives, daughters, mothers & Grandmothers ascertain bloom and adorableness secrets.
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This website is accessible to advice women ascertain bloom and adorableness secrets. We aswell advice women yield an account of their bloom and their bodies.
This book is a accumulating of essays and online writing accounting for Hormone- Beauty-Health. All Online writing are organized about the three big topics:
• Hormones
• Beauty
Health Hormones-Beauty-Health has its origins in accouterment advantageous advice and contacts to the crumbling citizenry of women experiencing menopause symptoms. Hormone Replacement Therapy is one of the a lot of arguable capacity in healthcare today.
Whether we wish to accept it or not, our bodies change as we become older. The key to these changes assume to be that alarming chat "hormones." This affiliate actualization several online writing about hormones and changes to your hormones as you age. We accept essays about activity afore menopause, the alteration date referred to as perimenopause, and menopause. Our ambition in these online writing is to actualization you how you can embrace your activity at all these stages and how you can adore acceptable health. These online writing acknowledgment your questions about how your hormones change in anniversary stage, and accord you examples and suggestions of things you can do to affluence this capricious stage. We'll altercate bloom issues that aftereffect from hormone changes, affection of hormone changes, and how you can advice or allay some of these symptoms.
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Christoph Oberschneider is constantly on the lookout for new challenges. His latest photographic expedition took the Salzburg based sports photographer to Corsica. He was accompanied by a Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di USD together with a Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di USD – the high speed zoom duo specially designed to meet the needs of professionals.
Tamron Co., Ltd. (President & CEO: Morio Ono; Head office: Saitama-shi), a leading manufacturer of precision optics, announced that it had produced a total of 5 million high-power zoom lenses*1 for interchangeable-lens cameras as of September 30, 2014.
During a reportage dedicated to climbing the highest summit in geographic Europe, Mount Elbrouz (5642 metres, Russia), the photographer Anthony Nicolazzi swapped his two 24-70 and 70-200 F/2.8 pro lenses for one sole lens system: the brand new Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD. The objective: to favour versatility and restrict oneself to a minimum of weight. Here is an account of this experiment performed in extreme conditions.
Tamron announces development of F/2.8 fast ultra-wideangle zoom lens with VC*1 (Vibration Compensation), world's first* in its category
Watching the sun set over the ocean is a really special experience. And of course you want to take some magnificent photographs to capture these impressions. Yet the photographic equipment is not so easy to master. Without a stand and the correct exposure setting, the results are usually less spectacular than one would hope. Here are four tips from our Tamron expert to enable you to easily capture fantastic photographs.


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The interesting photograph is part of Derailleur: How Do They Work? article which is classified within , , and published at December 15, 2016 12:51:37 pm by Sport Reviewer
Derailleur: How Do They Work?: Long Cage Derailleur
The vast majority of bicycles on the market today use derailleur gears on the front, back or both in order to provide shifting power. They were first used in the 1800s when bicycle enthusiasts in France created the it when inspired by train derailments. Derailleur systems have multiple gears that rotate and a chain that derails, or jumps, from one gear to the next when the bike rider shifts.
For modern bicycles, the derailleur apparatus moves when the bicycle rider shifts the pegs up on the handlebars, the movement transfers to cables running down to the gear system and, ultimately, the chain shifts to the next gear. This derailleur system works to shift either up or down to a larger or smaller gear.
A friction derailleur gear set, which was popular on older bicycles and those for casual, everyday riding, makes the chain move to the next gear and it self-adjusts as much as possible. Performance, racing or mountain bikes sometimes have indexed shifting with derailleur gears. This means that the rider adjusts the chain him or herself after the shift is complete. This can often give a slight performance boost to the ride.
Back it have two gears in a housing or cage that helps move the chain. Front derailleurs have a lever and pulley system in the cage instead. There are various types of it to choose from and more research should be done before replacing or upgrading the gear mechanism on your bike.
The terrific imagery is segment of Derailleur: How Do They Work? has dimension 1124 x 1284 pixel. You can download and obtain the Long Cage Derailleur images by click the download button below to get multiple high resolution versions.
Here is crucial necessary about Bike. We have the resources for more imagery about Bike. Check it out for yourself! You can get Derailleur: How Do They Work? and look the Derailleur: How Do They Work? in here.
Back to Derailleur: How Do They Work?


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Joshua Tree Landscape & Star Trails 2-Day Photography Workshop
(This workshop is limited to 12 students)
Photos from the last workshop
Come join us for a new adventure, "Landscape by day, stars by night!"...
Joshua Tree National Park is special. Once to leave the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles it really is the first stop where you no longer see the glow of the city when the sun drops at night. The sky gets so dark here that on clear nights you can see every star, and you realize how small you really are in the grand scale of the universe. Truly an amazing sight.
For that reason photographers make Joshua Tree a destination to come work on night photography images. The park also boasts iconic and oddly egg shaped boulders, along with the Dr. Seuss shaped Joshua Trees that make for extremely interesting subject matter to use in these night images.
This class is a perfect course for those looking to add night photographs to their portfolio, or for those just getting started with night photography and wanting to head out with likeminded individuals for fun and education in one of California's best spots for night photography.
We won't just photograph the stars either. What is a trip to Joshua Tree National Park without some time spent photographing those unique trees that gave the park its name! We'll spend sunrise and sunsets in the park photographing some of these iconic trees and the cacti gardens that make this desert landscape unlike anywhere else in California.
This workshop is a perfect spot for those photographers looking to work on composition and working on creating unique and original imagery. Joshua Tree National Park lacks many of the giant icons that locations like Yosemite or Grand Tetons National Park have. Working with professional instructors will help you make sense of the landscape and begin to understand how to make unique and effective images in this truly bizarre and wonderful terrain. If you're just a beginner, no problem, this workshop will provide you with beginning instruction in landscape photography, filter use, and of course night photography. What a great way to get acclimated with a wide variety of techniques and situations than to spend two intensive days in the desert with The Aperture Academy.
Intermediate or Beginner there's something for everyone in Joshua Tree National Park.
Grab those camera bags, and a healthy sense of adventure and prepare for day AND night photography in Joshua Tree National Park.
What is Required
Lodging, Meals & Directions
Lodging and meals are not included. Suggested lodging is the Holiday Inn Express, located in Twentynine Palms, California (760) 361-1000.
We will take a break mid-day, each day, for lunch and rest. There are many restaurants in the area as well as for dinner.
What's Included/Not Included
What's Included in Your Workshop:
What's not included
Safety, Confidence, Being Prepared
Aperture Academy is a professional organization dedicated to safe, quality, positive experiences for our students, and a responsible stewardship for the breathtaking locations and beautiful wildlife we enjoy at every workshop.
We work with the United States Department of Interior, the National Park Service and the US Forestry Service to obtain all the proper permits to operate safely, conscientiously and legally. We carry much more than the required minimum of insurance, and our skilled instructors are certified as Wilderness First Responders, in CPR, as well as in the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics program. They are qualified and rated to drive Class B vehicles. And, have we mentioned that each is an accomplished, successful professional photographer?
Every "ApCad" member is dedicated to ensuring our students receive the best care and guidance possible, so each of them have the opportunity to get the most remarkable, enjoyable and enriching photography experience available anywhere in the world.
What to Bring
Workshop FAQs
:: What should I expect? ::
All workshops are designed to help you learn how to take better photographs and offer a complete immersion into digital landscape and/or wildlife photography. You will learn important photography techniques such as how to properly expose a composition, when to use a filter for best effect, and how to understand and adjust camera settings for optimum results.
:: Why only Digital? ::
Digital photography offers unique opportunities for in-field photography workshops. By reviewing captured images as soon as they happen, we can examine exposure, composition and histograms, and instantly learn what works--and what doesn't.
:: What should I bring? What is required? ::
:: What kind, and how much, equipment should I bring? ::
Bring it all if you can! You never know what you might see. On many workshops we focus on landscape photos, but you never know when wildlife might enter the scene and provide the perfect opportunity to photograph them in their natural habitat. It's always better to go into the field with too much gear, rather than miss an opportunity because of not enough equipment.
:: Is transportation provided? ::
Each student is responsible for their own transportation to and from the workshop meeting location. Once on location, we will provide transportation for all enrolled students over the course of the scheduled workshop.
:: Can a non-photographer friend or spouse attend the workshop? ::
Non-photographer friends and/or spouses are welcome to attend, but will be subject to the full tuition fee based due to transportation availability.
:: Does weather ever alter or cancel events? ::
Only if conditions pose a safety risk. Often, poor weather can make for dramatic photographic opportunities, so if rain is forecasted, pack a light jacket or rain poncho and bring something to keep your camera dry (a hotel shower cap is ideal).
:: What happens if I have to cancel? ::
Because of the limited number of workshops and availability of one-on-one instruction sessions, once we schedule a spot, it won't be available for anyone else, therefore we can not offer a refund unless the cancellation is 90 days before the workshop date. This policy is necessary to assure us that those who sign up are serious about the adventure and will not back out, ruining the opportunity for someone else.
:: Be prepared to take better photographs! ::
These workshops will help you develop skills, learn techniques and get to know your camera and equipment like never before. As a bonus, you will have a fun time and build friendships while learning to improve your photography technically. The result? You'll be capable of producing photographs as beautiful as any professional!
Other Cool Stuff
→ Past Workshop Photos
→ 72dpi.com
→ How-To Articles
→ Photographer of the Month
Contact Us
→ Contact Us
→ About Us
→ Site Map


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Pickett was born in Richmond, Virginia, the first of the eight children of Robert and Mary Pickett,[2] a prominent family of Old Virginia ofEnglish origins, and one of the "first families" of Virginia. He was the cousin of future Confederate general Henry Heth.[3] He went toSpringfield, Illinois, to study law, but at the age of 17 he was appointed to the United States Military Academy. Legend has it that Pickett's West Point appointment was secured for him by Abraham Lincoln, but this is largely believed to be a story circulated by his widow following his death. Lincoln, as an Illinois state legislator, could not nominate candidates, although he did give the young man advice after he was accepted;[4] Pickett was actually appointed by Illinois Congressman John T. Stuart, a friend of Pickett's uncle and a law partner of Abraham Lincoln.[5]
Pickett was popular as a cadet at West Point. He was mischievous and a player of pranks, "... a man of ability, but belonging to a cadet set that appeared to have no ambition for class standing and wanted to do only enough study to secure their graduation."[6] At a time when often a third of the class washed out before graduation, Pickett persisted, working off his demerits and doing enough in his studies to graduate, ranking last out of the 59 surviving students in the Class of 1846.[7] It is a position held with some backhanded distinction, referred to today as the "goat", both for its stubbornness and tenacity.[8] The position usually relegated its holder to a posting commanding infantry in some far away outpost, which if no conflict arose, would offer little opportunity to advance. Two of the most famous "goats" were Pickett and George Armstrong Custer. Both of them had the good fortune to graduate shortly after a war broke out, when the army had a sudden need for officers, greatly improving their opportunities.
After the firing on Fort Sumter, Virginia seceded from the Union, and native son Pickett journeyed from Oregon to serve his state, despite his personal detestation of the institution ofslavery[citation needed]. Arriving after the First Battle of Bull Run, he resigned his commission in the U.S. Army on June 25, 1861; he had been holding a commission as a major in the Confederate States Army Artillery since March 16.[3] Within a month he was appointed colonel in command of the Rappahannock Line of the Department of Fredericksburg, under the command of Maj. Gen.Theophilus H. Holmes. Holmes's influence obtained a commission for Pickett as a brigadier general, dated January 14, 1862.[3]
Confederate Major General George E. Pickett
Pickett made a colorful general. He rode a sleek black charger named "Old Black," and wore a small blue kepi-style cap, with buffed gloves over the sleeves of an immaculately tailored uniform that had a double row of gold buttons on the coat, and shiny gold spurs on his highly polished boots. He held an elegant riding crop whether mounted or walking. His mustache drooped gracefully beyond the corners of his mouth and then turned upward at the ends. His hair was the talk of the Army: "long ringlets flowed loosely over his shoulders, trimmed and highly perfumed, his beard likewise was curling and giving up the scent of Araby."[16]
Pickett's first combat command was during the Peninsula Campaign, leading a brigade that was nicknamed the Gamecocks (the brigade would eventually be led by Richard B. Garnett in Pickett's Charge). Pickett led his brigade ably in the battles of Williamsburg and Seven Pines, earning commendations from his superiors. At Gaines's Mill he was shot off his horse while leading his brigade in its first assault.[17] Pickett continued to move forward with his men for a while, leading his horse on foot. A second assault by Pickett's brigade, led by Col. Eppa Hunton, along with the brigade led by Cadmus Wilcox, broke the Union line. Pickett feared he'd taken a mortal blow to his shoulder, but the wound was initially assessed by others as minor.[18] The shoulder wound turned out to be severe enough that Pickett was out of action for the next three months, and his arm would remain stiff for at least a year.[19]
When Pickett returned to the Army in September 1862, he was given command of a two-brigade division in the corps commanded by his old colleague from Mexico, Maj. Gen. James Longstreet, and was promoted to major general on October 10. His division would not see serious combat until the Gettysburg Campaign the following summer. It was lightly engaged at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December, suffering no fatalities. Longstreet's entire corps was absent from the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, as it was detached on the Suffolk Campaign.
Before the Gettysburg Campaign, Pickett fell in love with a Virginia teenager, LaSalle "Sallie" Corbell (1843–1931), commuting back and forth from his duties in Suffolk to be with her. Although Sallie would later insist that she met him in 1852 (at age 9), she did not marry the 38-year-old widower until November 13, 1863.
Pickett's division arrived at the Battle of Gettysburg on the evening of the second day, July 2, 1863. It had been delayed by the assignment of guarding the Confederate lines of communication through Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. After two days of heavy fighting, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, which had initially driven the Union Army of the Potomac to the high ground south of Gettysburg, had been unable to dislodge the Union soldiers from their position. Lee's plan for July 3 called for a massive assault on the center of the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge, calculating that attacks on either flank the previous two days had drawn troops from the center. He directed General Longstreet to assemble a force of three divisions for the attack—two exhausted divisions from the corps of Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill (under Brig. Gen. J. Johnston Pettigrew and Maj. Gen. Isaac R. Trimble), and Pickett's fresh division from Longstreet's own corps. Although Longstreet was actually in command, Lee referred to Pickett as leading the charge, which is one of the reasons that it is generally not known to popular history by the name "Pickett-Pettigrew-Trimble Assault." In addition, much of the mythology of the Charge arose from newspaper reports. As Pickett was the only Virginia commander of his rank, the Virginia newspapers both played up their native son's role and made the assault a more "glamorous" event.
Following a two-hour artillery barrage meant to soften up the Union defenses, the three divisions stepped off across open fields almost a mile from Cemetery Ridge. Pickett inspired his men by shouting, "Up, Men, and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from Old Virginia."[20] Pickett's division, with the brigades of Brig. Gens. Lewis A. Armistead, Richard B. Garnett, and James L. Kemper, was on the right flank of the assault. It received punishing artillery fire, and then volleys of massed musket fire as it approached its objective. Armistead's brigade made the farthest progress through the Union lines. Armistead was mortally wounded, falling near "The Angle", at what is now termed the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy". Neither of the other two divisions made comparable progress across the fields; Armistead's success was not reinforced, and his men were quickly killed or captured.
Thure de Thulstrup's Battle of Gettysburg, showing Pickett's Charge.
Pickett's Charge was a bloodbath. While the Union lost about 1,500 killed and wounded, the Confederate casualties were several times that. Over 50% of the men sent across the fields were killed or wounded. Pickett's three brigade commanders and all thirteen of his regimental commanders were casualties. Kemper was wounded, and Garnett and Armistead did not survive. Trimble and Pettigrew were the most senior casualties, the former losing a leg and the latter wounded in the hand and later mortally wounded during the retreat to Virginia. Pickett himself has received some historical criticism for surviving the battle personally unscathed, establishing his final position well to the rear of his troops, most likely at the Codori farm on the Emmitsburg Road. Thomas R. Friend, who served Pickett as a courier, wrote that he "went as far as any Major General, Commanding a division, ought to have gone, and farther."[21]
As soldiers straggled back to the Confederate lines along Seminary Ridge, Lee feared a Union counteroffensive and tried to rally his center, telling returning soldiers that the failure was "all my fault." Pickett was inconsolable. When Lee told Pickett to rally his division for the defense, Pickett allegedly replied, "General Lee, I have no division."[22] Pickett's official report for the battle has never been found. It is rumored that Gen. Lee rejected it for its bitter negativity and demanded that it be rewritten, and an updated version was never filed
To his dying day, Pickett lamented the great losses his men suffered at Gettysburg. Late in his life, Colonel John Mosby who served under J.E.B. Stuart but had no direct interaction with Lee to draw from, claimed an interaction he observed between Lee and Pickett was cold and reserved. Others present who knew General Lee well refuted this, stating Lee acted in his usual reserved, gentlemanly fashion.[36] Mosby claimed after their meeting Pickett said bitterly "That man destroyed my division."[22] Most historians find the encounter as Mosby interpreted it unlikely, especially as when asked why Pickett's Charge failed, Pickett was on record elsewhere as having said "I've always thought the Yankees had something to do with it."[37]
Pickett died in Norfolk on July 30, 1875, of scarlet fever[38] and is buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery


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The Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, was founded in 2000 as the Internet Fraud Complaint Center. It's a joint project of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center; it acts as a clearing house that helps both individual victims and law enforcement agencies find the appropriate agency to investigate online crimes. Thanks to the fact that Internet-based frauds have been a booming business, the IC3 has now fielded its one-millionth complaint.
Although technically a federal institution—the FBI is a federal agency, and the NW3C is a non-profit funded by Congress—the IC3 serves individuals, companies, and law enforcement agencies on all levels, including internationally. Its primary mission is to determine who should investigate and prosecute a given complaint. Given that many Internet-based crimes cross state and national borders and may involve layers of intervening machines, this is not as simple a task as it sounds. In many cases, the queries fielded by the IC3 are complaints that have been forwarded by law enforcement officials who can't figure out jurisdictional issues.
As the original name implies, fraud was the initial focus of the IC3, but the organization has broadened its scope to include a wide range of crimes, including intellectual property disputes, hacking and computer intrusions, economic espionage, online extortion, money laundering, and identity theft. Currently, auction fraud and online scams comprise the majority of the complaints received.
Out of the million complaints, over 450,000 have been forwarded on to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, according to IC3. The frequency of auction frauds has kept the median financial loss in the area of $270 per complaint, although the IC3 estimates total losses in the cases they've handled to be nearly $650 million.
In addition to allowing a complaint to be filed online (protected by SSL encryption, naturally), the IC3 has pages dedicated to both tips for avoiding becoming a victim and a rundown on some of the most common schemes currently in play. Although most of this information will be old news to a savvy audience, the pages are probably well worth a visit for anyone doing a lot of business online.