text:
Industry experts recall the beginning of the health club industry boom in the 1970s as an almost lawless time, with few rules governing the business practices of club owners and operators. It wasn't uncommon for a prospective client to hand over a wristwatch as collateral when agreeing to a membership. As health club laws were enacted, some club operators who had shady dealings were banned from certain states and were told they couldn't do business there for the next two or three years, says Rick Caro, an industry leader and president of the consulting company Management Vision. Caro says the club industry's reputation today is improved, if only slightly.
"If you trace it back five or 10 years, we were often No. 2 or No. 3 behind used car salesmen in terms of complaints for bad business practices," Caro says. "Today, we're much lower in the list. We still might be in the top 20, but we're not No. 1 or No. 2 the way we had been."
However, the business practices of club owners and operators are still under scrutiny by the public, the media and government agencies. Some recent headline-grabbing cases involving health club owners may have some people thinking that the industry hasn't come far enough since the 1970s.
Both New York City and the state of New York has had its share of misgivings involving the club industry. An article in the June issue of the Harvard Business Review cites an investigation by the New York City Council a few years ago. The council concluded that 41 percent of clubs in the city didn't explain their fees in writing, 81 percent didn't give potential members a contract to read at home, and 96 percent didn't inform customers of all the ways they could legally cancel a contract. Gail McGovern and Youngme Moon, the authors of the magazine article, also report that the U.S. Better Business Bureau receives thousands of complaints a year about the health club industry, putting it in the top 1 percent for the volume of complaints received.
Bally Lows
Perhaps the most well-known case of bad press involving the fitness industry relates to the negative publicity that Bally Total Fitness has received in the past few years. Bally was taken to task in a 2001 investigation by then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer for its sales and marketing practices. Bally settled in 2004, agreeing to improve its cancellation policies, monitor compliance with them and make restitution to customers.
Late last month, the company announced it would restructure through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The restructuring comes after years of growing debt, changes in accounting procedures that delayed financial filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at least two times, an investigation by the SEC into accounting practices of the chain, the resignation of two CEOs, an internal investigation that blamed former executives for accounting issues, and a delisting from the New York Stock Exchange after Bally's stock dropped below $1. (For more on Bally's recent news, see page 8.)
A recent self-published book by a former Bally trainer, Richard Thomas, also makes claims about operating practices at Bally clubs. In his new book, "Fat Power: A Former Bally Total Fitness Employee Ventures into the Corrupt Gym," Thomas claims that Bally "is a criminal enterprise."
Thomas worked at a Bally in Brooklyn, NY, for 13 weeks in 2004. During that time, Thomas, who was a boxer but had no prior experience as a personal trainer, says he was told selling as many memberships as he could was more important than training clients.
"The supervisor told me, 'We don't care how good of a personal trainer you are. We just care how many contracts you bring in,'" Thomas says.
Thomas's supervisor was Kevin Mathieu, a Bally fitness director who has been an employee of the company for the last eight years. In the book, Thomas questioned Mathieu's business practices. He alleges that Mathieu told a client that Bally only took checks if the full amount was paid. When the client said she didn't have the full amount in her account, Mathieu allegedly responded, "How much money do you have in your bank account?"
In another instance, after a client fainted during a workout, Mathieu allegedly told the rest of the trainers at a staff meeting, "It's good when a client faints; it gives them an incentive to buy personal training sessions."
Mathieu denies any and all allegations made by Thomas.
"Absolutely not. Incorrect. No way," Mathieu says of Thomas's claims. He added that Thomas was unproductive and "wasn't a good hire," but he wished Thomas well.
"He's a very smart individual, very intelligent," Mathieu says. "He wasn't ideal for the position."
Thomas also questioned Bally's $19 down, $19 a month advertisement, which attracted a lot of customers. Thomas says that the deal only applies for members who sign up for three days a week and are only permitted to use the gym during off-peak hours. Otherwise, the cost to go anytime and to any Bally location is $3,000 for three years, Thomas says.
Thomas had other issues during his employment at Bally and sued the company for $175,407.50 in back pay, overtime and punitive damages. The case went to the New York State Supreme Court, which upheld previous rulings in favor of Bally.
Matt Messinger, spokesperson for Bally Total Fitness, says he has not seen Thomas's book and cannot comment on it or the allegations in it.
Butera Brothers
Sometimes the practices of smaller club owners also catch the glare of the media spotlight. Take the case of Manny Butera, who at one time was the largest World Gym franchisee in the world. Today, at least 10 lawsuits have been filed against Butera and his business operations, a number that Caro calls highly unusual for one club owner. Butera filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December and personal bankruptcy in April.
Financial troubles forced the 17-year fitness industry veteran to close five clubs in Georgia, three clubs in Tennessee and two presale locations in Huntsville, AL. Butera, who once owned 16 clubs and managed 35 others, now owns six clubs renamed as Fuel Fitness, headquartered in Brentwood, TN. His management company, Total Fitness Systems, now manages one club in Texas.
"My investors pulled out of the deal in December of 2005 right after we were unable to secure the purchase of World Gym," says Butera, who had tried to purchase the franchise business prior to it being sold to Planet Fitness last October. "We didn't have enough capital to keep everything afloat."
Two of Butera's largest creditors — United Leasing and Leaf Funding Inc. — filed suit to recover the losses on defaulted equipment leases. United Leasing sued Butera; his wife, Jennifer Butera; and his former business partners, Brian and Tacy Ball, and Dirk and Robyn Parkinson, for more than $1 million for allegedly defaulting on four equipment lease agreements for clubs in Tennessee.
In turn, the Balls and Parkinsons sued Butera. In a February filing with the Nashville division of the U.S. District Court, the Parkinsons allege that Butera forged signatures on lease documents and used their financial statements to take advantage of their names and credit without their knowledge or consent. The case is now in the discovery phase, says Larry Ahern, a Nashville attorney representing United Leasing in the lawsuits.
Leaf Funding Inc. sued Butera and his business partners for failing to make lease payments, failing to insure the property and improperly moving or transferring equipment, according to an Oct. 13 filing with the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee.
Leaf Funding Inc., which estimated its damages at $2.9 million, signed a master lease agreement with Butera, Jennifer Butera, Brian Ball and Dirk Parkinson in May 2005. The creditor financed 710 pieces of fitness equipment but initially only recovered 250 pieces of equipment after Butera closed the clubs in Georgia.
Later, the equipment was discovered in three locations in Huntsville, AL, (a storage unit, a presale space and a large warehouse) and at a World Gym in Leamington, Ontario, Canada, owned by Butera's brother, Rick Butera, and other business partners.
As part of a contractual arrangement between Star Trac (the manufacturer of the equipment) and Leaf Funding, Star Trac repossessed the Leaf-financed equipment in both cities in January, according to an April filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In April, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court authorized the sale of the leased equipment.
Butera says the leased equipment from his club in Duluth, GA, was transferred to his brother's World Gym in Leamington after the Georgia club closed in May 2006. However, in court documents, Leaf Funding asserts that it was not aware that the equipment had been moved across international borders until after it had been transferred to Canada. Butera says he made every effort to restructure the equipment leases with Leaf, but it fell on deaf ears.
"We told them that we were heading down a path that wasn't sustainable," he says.
Although Rick Butera and Manny Butera are brothers, they run separate operations, Butera says. In fact, World Gym required Rick Butera to sign an agreement stating that Manny Butera would not have any involvement with investing or consulting for his World Gym in Leamington. Manny Butera had operated his facilities as World Gyms for several years, but in November, World Gym broke ties with him.
"It was mutual but forced upon us," Chris Rondeau, the CEO of World Gym, says about the split. "We didn't like the ethics and background of the person in charge, and we decided not to have him associated with World Gym because of the business ethics behind him."
At this time, World Gym plans to continue its contract with Rick Butera, Rondeau says.
Peak Problems
A stone's throw away in a neighboring state from the Fuel Fitness headquarters is Peak Fitness, a growing chain in the Carolina region which had 14 clubs at the beginning of 2006. By the end of the year, Peak Fitness, run by Fitness Management Group Inc., Charlotte, NC, acquired 13 more clubs and opened seven others.
In July 2006, Peak Fitness bought eight Capital Fitness Spa Health Clubs, which had been operated by former Capital Fitness Chief Executive Officer Rick Quinn. In late 2005, Capital Fitness assessed a $25 "upfit" fee to its members who had already paid their monthly, annual or lifetime dues. In a letter to members, Capital Fitness explained that the fee would help pay higher electric bills and $1.5 million in club upgrades. With 40,000 members at the then-six Capital Fitness clubs, the $25 fee could have generated a cool$1 million. Quinn said members were not given enough notice about the added fee, and after several objections and complaints, Capital Fitness backed off on its additional fee.
"When we did this, we knew we were going to get questions and a bit of controversy," Quinn told the Raleigh News & Observer in December 2005. "All we're trying to do is make sure we're here, that we're here long term."
The Beyond Fitness clubs that Peak Fitness acquired in 2006 received much more criticism. Beyond Fitness, which changed its name to So Fit before the Peak Fitness takeover of its five clubs, was at the center of an investigation by the TV station ABC11 in the Raleigh/Durham, NC, area. The investigation found mold at one gym and broken equipment at each of the four gyms that ABC11 visited.
ABC11 reporter Diane Wilson attempted to talk to Randall Rohm, the owner of the facilities at the time. With the camera rolling, Wilson approached Rohm in the parking lot of a Beyond Fitness, but he denied he was Rohm, instead saying that he was "Craig." Later, the reporter says Rohm acknowledged that he was the man she spoke to in the parking lot. However, his lawyer and he later denied that again. Two former Beyond Fitness employees identified the man in the parking lot as Rohm, Wilson says.
In a statement to ABC11, Rohm said that several of the clubs had been painted, equipment had been updated and sanitary conditions were being improved.
"As you know, 70,000 members are not always neat and tidy," Rohm said in the statement.
Prior to the sale of Beyond Fitness to Peak Fitness, the North Carolina Attorney General's office received more than 350 complaints for all the Beyond Fitness clubs over a three-year period, according to the TV station, and the Better Business Bureau listed the club with an unsatisfactory record, with more than 200 complaints during that time. The clubs drew consumer complaints related to deceptive advertising, unsuitable facilities and equipment, improper billing, failure to pay refunds, bounced checks, and collection practices.
Rohm also allegedly took money upfront for dozens of pre-paid memberships for a planned location that never opened. The North Carolina Attorney General's office recovered more than $50,000 in refunds for 182 consumers.
The North Carolina Attorney General's office filed a lawsuit against Peak Fitness in March for issues related to the former Beyond Fitness clubs and for issues related to the current club. Attorney General Roy Cooper alleges that both Rohm and the current owner, Jeff Stec, sold pre-paid contracts without state-required bonds, which are used to pay refunds if a club goes out of business.
Also in the lawsuit, Cooper says Peak Fitness displayed a newspaper advertisement that he said was misleading. The ad claimed that members could access any of the 34 Peak Fitness clubs for $19.99 a month. In the fine print below the price, the ad stated that certain restrictions applied, based on a 24-month paid-in-full membership. Rather than paying $19.99 a month, consumers were required to pay $479.76 at the time the contract was signed.
Peak Fitness agreed to remove the ads despite insisting they were not misleading. The company did not have any members complain about paying for the two-year membership that was advertised, says Ken Hanley, the CFO of Fitness Management Group Inc.
"You have the option to do it or not do it," Hanley says. "It's not like they get six months into the deal and realize, 'Oh, wait a minute. I'm being overcharged.' The fine print isn't like you see on a lot of these car dealers that put it where you can't see it without a magnifying glass. It was completely legible."
The lawsuit was still in the discovery phase as of the end of May. Noelle Talley, a spokesperson for Cooper, says the goal of the attorney general's office is to protect consumers.
"We want to make sure that consumers who are going to these facilities are getting what they pay for, and consumers who respond to these ads get what was promised to them," Talley says. The attorney general's office also is working to ensure that dissatisfied former members of the former Beyond Fitness clubs now being operated by Peak Fitness receive refunds.
"The ownership and operation with these clubs has been very confusing, and that's one of the things we're seeking through the discovery process to get enough information so that we can find out exactly who owned what club and who operated what club at what time," Talley says. "That's why we eventually resorted to going to court because we just weren't able to get the satisfaction for these consumers that they deserve."
"It's a real sore spot for us," says Hanley. "The Beyond Fitness club, we knew they had some issues with the attorney general's office and some member complaints but certainly had no idea how bad it really was. Now that we've acquired the Beyond Fitness chain, [former Beyond Fitness members and the attorney general's office] finally have somebody they can get to, more or less. The old Beyond Fitness guys scattered, and there was no way for the state to even get in touch with the individuals."
Peak Fitness is trying to distance itself from Rohm, Beyond Fitness and the troubles that occurred under Rohm's watch. Hanley says Peak Fitness has taken on about 20 outstanding complaints with the Department of Justice from under Rohm's ownership.
"It's similar to going and buying a used car," says Ian Byrne, a Charlotte lawyer representing Peak Fitness. "Someone owned it before you, but you're not responsible for it if it ran somebody over when someone else had it. Peak doesn't assume liability for anything that Beyond did. They're not responsible for any of Beyond's obligations."
Hanley says Peak Fitness, which opened its first club in 1999, will continue to expand, with plans to open five more clubs this year.
Better Days Ahead
Despite the issues that these club owners and others face, owners are making a more conscious effort to be more open with consumers about their business practices, the Harvard Business Review article says. The magazine cites Life Time Fitness's 30-day money-back guarantee and the pay-as-you-go options offered by clubs such as Curves and 24 Hour Fitness as examples of better business practices in the industry.
"More and more club operators realize that the proper and ideal way to run the business is on a monthly dues basis with very few dollars pre-paid upfront," Caro says, "which puts much more pressure on the businessman to have a better business plan to start with and a better understanding of how the business will operate."
Caro points out that club operators are also doing a better job of capitalizing the business at the outset and are improving business skills by raising money through proper sources. Landlords of club facilities are asking for tougher terms in terms of collateral and guarantees, Caro adds.
"With 29,000 commercial clubs, you're always going to have some people who don't behave and at worst, violate laws," Caro says. "But I think it's less true of the industry than ever before. I think we're much better business people than we were previously."


text:
Izin share om...
Audit your website security with Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner. As many as 70% of web sites have vulnerabilities that could lead to the theft of sensitive corporate data such as credit card information and customer lists. Hackers are concentrating their efforts on web-based applications - shopping carts, forms, login pages, dynamic content, etc. Accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world, insecure web applications provide easy access to backend corporate databases.
Firewalls, SSL and locked-down servers are futile against web application hacking!
Web application attacks, launched on port 80/443, go straight through the firewall, past operating system and network level security, and right in to the heart of your application and corporate data. Tailor-made web applications are often insufficiently tested, have undiscovered vulnerabilities and are therefore easy prey for hackers.
Acunetix - a world-wide leader in web application security
Acunetix has pioneered the web application security scanning technology: Its engineers have focused on web security as early as 1997 and developed an engineering lead in web site analysis and vulnerability detection. Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner includes many innovative features:
* An automatic javascript analyzer allowing for security testing of Ajax and Web 2.0 applications
* Industries' most advanced and in-depth SQL injection and Cross site scripting testing
* Visual macro recorder makes testing web forms and password protected areas easy
* Extensive reporting facilities including VISA PCI compliance reports
* Multi-threaded and lightning fast scanner crawls hundreds of thousands of pages with ease
* Intelligent crawler detects web server type and application language
* Acunetix crawls and analyzes websites including flash content, SOAP and AJAX
Which Vulnerabilities does Acunetix WVS Check for?
Acunetix WVS automatically checks for the following vulnerabilities among others:
* Version Check
o Vulnerable Web Servers
o Vulnerable Web Server Technologies – such as "PHP 4.3.0 file disclosure and possible code execution.
* CGI Tester
o Checks for Web Servers Problems – Determines if dangerous HTTP methods are enabled on the web server (e.g. PUT, TRACE, DELETE)
o Verify Web Server Technologies
* Parameter Manipulation
o Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) – over 40 different XSS variations are tested.
o SQL Injection
o Code Execution
o Directory Traversal
o File Inclusion
o Script Source Code Disclosure
o CRLF Injection
o Cross Frame Scripting (XFS)
o PHP Code Injection
o XPath Injection
o Full Path Disclosure
o LDAP Injection
o Cookie Manipulation
o Arbitrary File creation (AcuSensor Technology)
o Arbitrary File deletion (AcuSensor Technology)
o Email Injection (AcuSensor Technology)
o File Tampering (AcuSensor Technology)
o URL redirection
o Remote XSL inclusion
* MultiRequest Parameter Manipulation
o Blind SQL/XPath Injection
DNS Server vulnerabilities (Open zone transfer, Open recursion, cache poisoning)
FTP server checks (list of writable FTP directories, weak FTP passwords, anonymous access allowed)
Security and configuration checks for badly configured proxy servers
Checks for weak SNMP community strings and weak SSL cyphers
and many other network level vulnerability checks!
Other vulnerability tests may also be preformed using the manual tools provided, including:
* Input Validation
* Authentication attacks
* Buffer overflows
* Blind SQL injection
* Sub domain scanning
Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner Enterprise Edition v6.5 | Win XP/Vista
Download Portable Version:
Download Installer Version:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Openings: Varasano's Pizzeria, Atlanta
There are more notable pizzeria openings this week than you can shake a stick at. Next up: Varasano's Pizzeria in Atlanta. Some sources reported it as opening today, but according to owner Jeff Varasano's Facebook profile, his new and highly anticipated pizzeria opens tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25.
Pull out your viral-web microscopes and take a walk with me down memory lane. Prior to August 2006, Jeff Varasano was just going about his business in relative obscurity, attempting to reverse-engineer the pizza from his favorite joint, Patsy's in East Harlem. Then, in late August of that year, he announced on his pizza recipe page that he believed he had achieved his goal.
In mid-September 2006, über weblog Boing Boing posted about Varasano's breakthrough, and, soon thereafter, his feat went viral, with so much traffic going to his recipe page that it crashed his server.
What made Varasano's story so compelling and link-worthy was the crazy way he achieved pizza perfection: by cutting off the lock mechanism on his oven and cooking his pizzas during the self-clean cycle.
Fast forward a bit and Varasano gets to thinking he can do this thing in a restaurant setting. And thus we come to Varasano's Pizzeria.
Jeff Varasano's journey has come full circle. He started out trying to craft a pie like the one he had in a pizzeria, and now he's running a pizzeria himself. Best of luck, Jeff!
Varasano's Pizzeria
2171 Peachtree Road, Atlanta GA 30309 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


text:
Watch CBSN Live
Actress Helen Mirren arrives on the red carpet for the film, "Eye in the Sky," during the 40th Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 11, 2015.
Credit: Mark Blinch/Reuters
Helen Mirren, winner of the award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for "The Audience," poses in the press room during the 2015 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2015, in New York.
Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty Images
Helen Mirren accepts the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play for "The Audience" onstage during the 2015 Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 7, 2015, in New York.
Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Helen Mirren holds a "Je Suis Charlie" sign, referring to the recent terror attacks in Paris, as she arrives at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, Jan. 11, 2015.
Credit: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters
Helen Mirren, who won a Best Actress Oscar for 2006's "The Queen," thanked her fans as she accepted her star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Jan. 3, 2013.
Credit: JOE KLAMAR
Helen Mirren attends the premiere for "Hitchcock" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Nov. 18, 2012, in New York.
Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Actress Helen Mirren speaks onstage at the 39th AFI Life Achievement Award honoring Morgan Freeman on June 9, 2011, in Culver City, Calif.
Credit: Kevin Winter
Actress Helen Mirren poses backstage after receiving the Career Achievement Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala in Palm Springs, Calif. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010. Mirren was up for a Best Actress Oscar in 2010 for her work in "The Last Station."
Credit: AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
British actress Helen Mirren accepts the Oscar for best actress for her work in "The Queen" during the 79th Academy Awards Feb. 25, 2007, in Los Angeles.
Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Mirren, born in Chiswick, was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 for r services to the performing arts. She has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, and four Emmys.
Credit: ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images
Helen Mirren speaks onstage during the 2006 Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour for PBS held at the Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, Calif., on July 26, 2006.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Frederick M. Brown
Helen Mirren and her husband, director Taylor Hackford, arrive at the gala premiere of "The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil" at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on June 30, 2006. The couple, who have been together since 1986, were married in 1997 in the Scottish Highlands on Hackford's 53rd birthday.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Ethan Miller
Helen Mirren and Dennis Hopper pose at Hopper's birthday dinner at Tao Nightclub during the CineVegas film festival in Las Vegas on June 15, 2006. Mirren was born in England to a Russian father and an English mother; her paternal grandfather, a Russian noble and diplomat, was negotiating an arms deal in England and was stranded there, along with his family, after the Russian Revolution.
Helen Mirren, who is married to American film director Taylor Hackford, wrote a memoir, "
From left, actor Hugh Dancy, director Taylor Hackford, Helen Mirren and director Tom Hooper arrive at the premiere of HBO Films "Elizabeth I" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York on April 18, 2006. In the film, Mirren plays the title character, England's 16th century monarch Queen Elizabeth. The flick details the love exploits of the queen.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Brad Barket
Matt Damon, Helen Mirren and director Paul Greengrass (director of "The Bourne Supremacy") pose in the press room with the award for best film at the Sony Ericsson Empire Film Awards 2005 at Guildhall in London on Mar. 13, 2005. Mirren appeared in her first film, "Age of Consent," in 1969 at the age of 24.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Gareth Cattermole
Helen Mirren and Patrick Stewart attend the 2004 Tony Awards Gala after-party at Rockefeller Plaza Skate Rink in New York on June 6, 2004. In 1965, Mirren joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing Cressida in "Troilus and Cressida," and Lady Macbeth in "Macbeth."
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Evan Agostini
Director Robert Altman, Keith Richards and Helen Mirren at the party following the New York premiere of Robert Altman's "Gosford Park" in New York on Dec. 3, 2001.
Credit: GETTY
Helen Mirren attends the after-party for the screening of "Calendar Girls" at the Hotel Plaza Athenee in New York on Dec. 10, 2003. The movie was based on the true story of a few society women in England who decided to do a quasi-nude calendar to raise money for a cancer center.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Mark Mainz
Helen Mirren cradles the Emmy award she won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role in "The Passion of Ayn Rand," at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 1999. She has been nominated for eight Emmys and has won two. She won the Oscar in 2007 for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen."
Credit: Getty Images
Helen Mirren and her husband, Taylor Hackford, arrive for the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday, Aug. 27, 2006, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Mirren was nominated for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a movie for her work in "Elizabeth I."
Credit: AP Photo/Laura Rauch
British actress Helen Mirren poses with the Coppa Volpi award for best actress for her movie "The Queen" by director Stephen Frears at the 63rd Venice Film Festival Sept. 9, 2006.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Elisabetta Villa
Helen Mirren curtsies on the red carpet at the New York Film Festival opening night premiere of "The Queen" at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, Sept. 29, 2006, in New York.
Helen Mirren and husband Taylor Hackford, who is a film director, pose for a portrait at the 2006 DGA Honors at the Directors Guild of America Theater Oct. 12, 2006, in New York.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Peter Kramer


text:
Everybody here at the iPhone Blog is very, very excited about the iPhone SDK Roadmap. We can't wait for native apps, for more functionality, for games, for Apple to go after BlackBerrys. We can't wait - seriously - it's going to kill us waiting until "Late June" for all this good stuff. We've called in a team of psychiatrists, it's not looking good.
We bet you feel the same way.
So to help ease the pain we're instituting the iPhone Blog App Wait-a-Thon! Starting next week and then every week until Apple releases the iPhone 2.0 Software Update, we are going to give away a $100 iTunes Gift Certificate to a lucky reader.
You may not be getting your native apps now, but at least your can download some emo music to drown your sorrows, or a Pixar movie to cheer you up, or the first three seasons of LOST1 to help remind you that it's not that bad.
Here's how it will work: Sometime during the week, two to three of our blog postings, articles, or reviews will have "Wait-a-Thon" after the title, that's your cue to comment on that entry. Comment on that entry and you'll be automatically entered in that week's drawing. (Just one entry per post counts, max three per week).
The latest Wait-a-Thon post is always available here<a.>. Just take a look over next to the Wait-a-Thon contest graphic!
Full details after the break!
Them Details:
- Open to everybody who has an iTunes store in their country (Yes, Mods too!)
- One entry per "Wait-a-thon" post counts, but feel free to post as much as ya like!
- No cheating on the referrals, we're watching and we know.
- Contest will run each week until "Late June" or whenever Apple releases the iPhone 2.0 software update. Yes - if Apple's late we'll keep it running. This is a Wait-a-Thon, after all.
- We'll announce the previous week's Wait-a-Thon winner in the next week's first Wait-a-Thon posting.
- You can win no more than twice.
1: Has anybody seriously considered the Apple angle with all the stuff that's been happening on LOST? That satellite phone was iPhone-esque... Is Steve Jobs Alvar Hanzo? Or did he perhaps spend his early days studying with the DeGroots? Think about that: timeline fits, his counter-culture experimentation fits, ...it all fits!
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Analyst claims Apple has a 10-year lead in wearables, and that's being kind
Apple analyst Neil Cybart has a new, lengthy post up touting Apple's wearables market amongst other things.
Tim Cook agrees to testify before House antitrust committee
Tim Cook has agreed to testify before a house antitrust committee alongside the CEOs of Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
Display analyst pours cold water on iPhone 12 Pro 120Hz display claims
Will iPhone 12 Pro have a 120Hz display? We thought so, but display analyst Ross Young says not.
You don't have to love AirPods to love Apple — there are alternatives
Apple's AirPods are a fantastic companion to your iPhone, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other options out there. Here are the best alternatives to AirPods.


text:
By By Emily Feliz | July 19, 2013 Send Feedback
BAE Systems, who led a team that lost a bid to Raytheon for the Navy's Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) Technology Development contract earlier this month, has filed a formal protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the contract.
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on July 8 awarded Raytheon a $279.4 million, 22-month technology development (TD) contract for NGJ, which is designed to replace the aging ALQ-99 jammer aboard the land- and carrier-based Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic-attack aircraft. Raytheon beat out bids from BAE Systems and an ITT Exelis-Northrop Grumman team. More
"BAE Systems has filed a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office challenging the U.S. Navy's decision to award the Next Generation Jammer Technology Development contract to Raytheon," BAE said in a statement to Avionics Magazine. "The solution we put forward would provide the U.S. Navy with an affordable and effective way to significantly enhance current capabilities and protect our aircraft, ships and armed forces. We protested the award based on concerns with the Navy's evaluation of our offering."
The protest is not a surprise as BAE Systems indicated after the contract was awarded that it was "considering all of our options."
"Raytheon is confident in the superior technical and programmatic design of its NGJ offering. The company remains ready to partner with the Navy to deliver this critical national security capability in a timely and cost efficient manner," Raytheon said in a statement.
All GAO protests must be resolved within 100 calendar days of when filed. In this case, BAE filed its initial protest on July 18. As a result, if the case goes forward to a decision on the merits, that decision must be issued not later than Oct. 28.
Northrop Grumman declined to comment on the protest.


text:
Salon writer calls Honey Boo Boo a 'tiny, dimpled monster' | Community Spirit
Title (Max 100 Characters)
USA TODAY, Trey Barrineau
This is like finding out Santa Claus isn't real.
It seems Alana Thompson, 9, the star of TLC's reality-show hit Here Comes Honey Boo Boo (which returns for its fourth season tonight), might not be the adorable, precocious cherub America has come to know and love.
Fame has turned the little girl into "a tiny, dimpled monster," writes Christy O'Shoney ofSalon, who was in the audience at last week's Tonight Show when Honey Boo Boo and Mama June made an appearance:
"The Alana I saw on 'The Tonight Show' set was visibly troubled: disrespectful, defiant, entitled. Of course, with a bit of editing, 'disrespectful' becomes 'precocious,' 'defiant' becomes 'sassy,' and 'entitled' becomes 'confident.'"
O'Shoney describes Honey Boo Boo's bad behavior toward Mama June and Jimmy Fallon and the "eerie tension" of the interview, which was significantly edited down for broadcast.


text:
How does it work?
One picture instead of a thousand words
Feature list of the tBeacon is:
- learning GPS position of a craft using onboard or dedicated GPS receiver
- activation via call from UHF handheld radio or by timer
- transmitting voice with GPS position among classical beacon tones
- easy configuration and calibration with a PC app
- ability to connect a buzzer or flash light to simplify search in close proximity
- size 19x25mm. Weight: 2.5g. (weight is mostly determined by a used battery)
This is a no-brainer: If one has a GPS-equipped model, one needs a tBeacon UHF Lost Model Beacon. There are stories galore about flyaway quadcopters, never to be seen again. How many, I wonder, might have been recovered had they been equipped with one of these little jewels?
(c) Ralph Squillace, rcgroups.com review
(c) Ralph Squillace, rcgroups.com review
One of it's BEST features is the fact you can program it to annunciate the RSSI of the signal it gets from your HT if the RSSI gets over say 60%. Once it goes into this close proximity mode, you can keep pinging it after each signal report, and swing your yagi around getting a directional fix in mere seconds. This mode is extremely accurate- I can even tell where it is at within a few degrees if I am only 20 feet away from it (no attenuation or body blocking required). So you really don't need a GPS for it if you have a Yagi... the GPS is simply a luxury.
(c) HFMan, fpvlab.com post
(c) HFMan, fpvlab.com post
Quick video demo:


text:
Mideast Conference Participants Reject Military Strike on Syria, Warn of Consequences of Attack for Christians
Participants with the "Challenges Facing Arab Christians" conference rejected any Western-led military strike against Syria, warning of the potential impact on Syrian Christians.
Patriarch Gregorios Laham III of Antioch, who attended the two-day conference inthe Jordanian capital of Amman, said Tuesday that about 450,000 Syrian Christians have fled their homes since the outbreak of the conflict began in 2011.
The patriarch said "the greatest danger facing all of us is the division of the Arab and Muslim world and the growth of 'takfirist' movements that do not provide space for other thoughts."
"The expected military strike against Syria would increase the suffering of Christians and lead to the destruction of Syria's Christians and Muslims, and no one would survive it," he added.
Mar Sawirous Malki Murad, patriarchal vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and Jordan, said "thousands of Christian families are confined in their houses like prisoners, and they come out once a week to bring in supplies for fear of being killed by armed extremists."
Mar Murad expressed hopes that "Syria would not be exposed to any military strike, because this will urge more Christians in Syria to leave their homes and their country, at a time we are trying to preserve our Christian presence in the region."
In a speech on behalf of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch Mar Ignatius Zakka Iwas I, Mar Murad added, "We confirm our rejection to foreign interference in our Arab countries, especially in Syria."
He called on "all the components of the Syrian people to come together and hold dialogue to exchange views and show good faith to reach useful solutions, because dialogue is better than war, displacement and migration."
It should be noted that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced Tuesday that the number of Syrian refugees who fled violence in their country exceeded two million people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 110,000 people have been killed since the beginning of the conflict.


text:
| 16.2°C Dublin
Patrice Evra hailed Wayne Rooney's wonderful goal in victory over Crystal Palace and claimed the Manchester United forward is deserving of his bumper new contact at Old Trafford.
Rooney signed a £300,000-a-week deal on Friday and, with all eyes on him at Selhurst Park, he struck a superb sealing goal in a 2-0 victory after Robin van Persie had opened the scoring from the penalty spot.
It was the England international's first goal since Boxing Day as he celebrated his new contract in style, with Evra revealing he is pleased to have Rooney tied down.
"He deserved to have a big contract," Evra said.
"I'm so happy for him because he is working hard, and it is a good sign for the future of Manchester United, for the fans and for everyone.
"I'm really pleased with 'Wazza' because he deserves it. What a great finish it was, my cross was not easy to take, but it was a great volley."
United moved ahead of Everton into sixth place in the Barclays Premier League with the hard-fought win with Evra glad to end a recent poor run.
"It was job done," he said.
"It was really important, we have had some bad results and we could not afford another defeat. I think we saw a strong Manchester United, confident to play with the ball, and I'm really pleased for all the lads."
Following on from a goalless draw at Arsenal 10 days earlier, the shut-out at Selhurst Park was the first time United have kept two successive Premier League clean sheets under David Moyes.
With the experienced duo Nemanja Vidic, who will leave Old Trafford in the summer, and Rio Ferdinand back at the heart of the defence, Evra believes they clean sheets can continue.
"We had a lot of experience, and when Rio came on at Arsenal, I thought he was fantastic," he added.
"You could see with Rio and Vidic in good form that we can be solid and get more clean sheets.
"Don't forget Chris Smalling can play there, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans can get back from injury. We have good centre-backs and that is important for the team."
The defeat for Palace was only the second time they have lost at home since Tony Pulis replaced Ian Holloway in November.
A good run of results has seen the Eagles move out of the relegation zone, although Pulis' side are only two points clear of the bottom three.
Midfielder Mile Jedinak was left despondent by the defeat with Palace having been on the front foot before Marouane Chamakh felled Evra inside the area on 62 minutes.
"We had them under a little bit of pressure before that first goal so we'll take a lot of positives from that," he said.
"We've just got to keep building. The word 'disappointment' comes to mind, but it was encouraging nonetheless.
"It was a defeat, but we let them off the hook a bit. We gave them a penalty through a challenge which was probably a rash decision at the time. Those things can happen in football."
Palace travel to Swansea next Sunday as they look to move further clear of the drop-zone and Jedinak is keen to move on from the United defeat.
"Our next game is on Sunday against Swansea away so we've got to regroup, regather, put this out of our system and keep building," he added.
"There is not time to feel sorry for yourself. We will pick each other up, dust it off and get right back to work."
PA Media


text:
The number of bankruptcies filed across the US in 2016 was close to 800,000, which is 5.9% less than in 2015. In Arizona, the numbers are 14,657 in 2016 and 16,313 in 2015. It might seem that with this kind of dynamic, hiring an Arizona bankruptcy attorney might soon become a thing of the past.
However, the truth is that this trend isn't as positive as it might seem at first glance. It's true that there are fewer bankruptcy filings today, but this 'few' is much smaller than it used to be only a year ago. In fact, 2016 is the first year since 2006 when the bankruptcy 'drop rate' turned out less than 10%.
A decade ago, the huge increase in filings occurred because of the economic crisis. Nowadays, the change indicates that an event like this might reoccur in the near future. If another economic crisis occurs, some people will mistakenly sabotage their own chances of a successful case completion. The Pew Law Center, a reliable Arizona bankruptcy law firm, can help reduce both the emotional and financial stress of these types of cases..
Hiring an Arizona Bankruptcy Attorney Vs. Pro Se Bankruptcy
Many people that push to file for bankruptcy choose to forego hiring a legal representative to save a little of the money they have left. However, with the current US legal system and all of its complexities, cutting corners to save costs on bankruptcy filings can cost a lot more in the long run.
Bankruptcy attorneys do their best to save their clients' money, despite being paid to handle the process. In many cases, they are able to save their clients money. This is most relevant to Chapter 13 bankruptcies as these are almost impossible to file pro se (on your own).
Filing for bankruptcy requires filling out a huge amount of paperwork and even the smallest mistake can result in delays, lost funds, and missed opportunities. Hiring an Arizona bankruptcy attorney right from the start remains the most efficient way to avoid legal pitfalls associated with these types of cases.
The Pew Law Center is a law firm that has been helping the residents of Arizona for years now. Their website, https://www.pewlaw.com/, offers a full list of their service areas. Every attorney working with them is a licensed expert in their field. The firm guarantees to deliver top-quality service and develops a custom approach utilizing tried and proven methods to help ensure each and every case conclusion matches their clients' expectations.
Pew Law Center, PLLC Bankruptcy Attorneys
1811 S. Alma School Rd., Ste 260
Mesa, Arizona 85210
(480) 745-1770
Media Contact
Company Name: Pew Law Center, PLLC Bankruptcy Attorneys
Contact Person: JJ Bisnar
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: (714) 788-3900
Address:1811 South Alma School Rd., Ste 260
City: Mesa
State: Arizona 85210
Country: United States
Website: www.pewlaw.com


text:
Early on as an undergraduate pre-med student at the University of Michigan, she came to the conclusion that she wanted to study science or health. She tried her hand as a research assistant and also logged some experience at a local pharmacy, but she found it was the field of medicine that kept drawing her back.
"I really can't see myself doing anything else. I like the patient-doctor interaction and working with people. I like helping people figure out the problem and the plan of action to take to make the person feel better," said Chen.
Her first year at New York Medical College in Westchester has been filled with endless reading assignments from medical journals, information-overloaded tests, and even cadaver dissections.
"I think you just have to really want it because it takes a lot of dedication. You have to study for eight hours a day," she said. "That's a normal life for a medical student."
Chen realizes she'll be nearly 30 by the time she finishes med school and residency, but she considers it a small price to pay for something she really wants to do.
"You have to be willing to make the sacrifices. You're pretty much putting your life on hold - your friends, your relationships - your books come first," she said.
Not that she doesn't know how to have fun. To keep herself sane during the semester, she goes to dinners and movies with friends and even gets to eat home-cooked meals that her parents frequently bring when they visit from Queens.
But come summertime, she will be working at the Westchester Children's Hospital.
"I know I'm giving up my summer, but if I commit myself to this field, pediatrics, I want to make sure I'll be happy," said Chen. She added, "I want to have my own practice somewhere down the line."


text:
"This is a must- read for men and women who love each other, hate each other, or simply coexist. You will learn as much about yourself and how to improve your relationships as you will about the opposite sex."
–Dennis Waitley, author of The Psychology of Winning
"The Peases have the knack of making the profound seem obvious. Brings Mars and Venus down to Earth!"
–Dr. John Tickel, bestselling author of A Passion for Living


text:
What to do with a toddler on a rainy day in LA
We entered our first rainy season with a toddler over the weekend. It coincided nicely with daylight savings time, which meant that by 9 am we'd already been up for hours and hours and had virtually exhausted our minimal resources for entertainment in the living room. But it actually ended up being a fantastic day.
We decided to pay visit to Noah's Ark at the Skirball. You guys, if you're in or near LA, you need to check it out. It's really amazing.
The entire exhibit is full of animals made from found objects. They are amazing! And lots of them are interactive and can be powered by little hands. (See more photos on the Skirball site here.)
The lighting is all very soft and moody, which is sooo much nicer than bright and fluorescent. (Pay no attention to the fact that my child is wearing long underwear in public. It was a rain day!)
Loading the animals into the Ark!
Lots of small wood toys to play with, in addition to the big installations. And there's tons of pretend play too! You can cook a meal and eat it at the table and even sweep up the camel poop. I'm telling you, it's fantastic for little explorers.
Plus they have story time and musicians that stroll the galleries and and arts and crafts room. It's really really fantastic.
If you're planning to go, you should know that entry is timed and subject to availability. But you can reserve your slot online ahead of time! Definitely recommend it for a weekend. Especially a rainy day. See admission policies and tips here.
So much fun for little ones.


text:
Narrated from Ibn Abbas: "Its face looks like human face, its Beak is hairy..."(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Its face looks like human face: With the statement "its face looks like human face", it is denoted that Dabba will have characteristics similar to humans. Computers of our day also see by means of cameras, hear by means of sensory systems and speak directly just like humans do.
Its beak is hairy: The term "its beak is hairy" may be denoting to the electric cable consisting of fine cables and used for charging the computers. Animals' beaks are like plastic, they even resemble mica. The plastic power cord consisting of fine cables may be referring to the simile in the hadith.
Narrated from Hudhaifa: "No one will be able to catch up with him and the one escaping it will not be able to avoid." (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Today, it is impossible to reach the speed of computers in the transmission of information. And during the time Dabba appears, even those who do not want to listen to the Qur'an and the advice of the Muslims, will absolutely be able to learn Allah's Mighty power and the morality of the Qur'an and they will not be able to run away since computers enter every house.
Narrated from Abu Huraira: "All sorts of colors are available in Dabbat al-Ardh" (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Now, today's computers consist of 16.8 million color.
Narrated from Abu al-Zubair, "...Its eye is like the eye of swine, and its ear is like the ear of an elephant..." (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
In today's computers, there exist cameras in the shape of a small eye. By means of these cameras computers are able to perceive every kind of image.
The appearance of laptop computers of our day resemble elephant ears. By means of audio recording feature of the computers, all the voices in the location can be easily detected and even recorded.
It will have Prophet Musa's (as) staff by its side...It will cry out aloud: "People have no longer deep-felt faith in our verses." Then it will stamp the believers and unbelievers alike (it will become a means for us to recognize believers and unbelievers)(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
It will possess the Prophet Musa's (as) staff: Allah has shown one of the greatest proofs of Creation from nothing to Darwinists and materialists of that time by transforming the Prophet Musa's (as) staff into a live snake instantly. By way of computer and Internet technology, Allah will show the proofs of Creation to all Darwinists and materialists in the End Times.
It will stamp believers and unbelievers alike:
It is understood that in the End Times both believers and unbelievers will confront with the seal of our Prophet (saas) through computer and the Internet. In the hadith, it is denoted that everyone who connects to the Internet will see the Messenger's (as) seal and this seal will increase the believers' zeal and enlighten their faces and degrade the unbelievers' arrogance.
"It will encounter a believer and it will illuminate his face when it stamps it. When it stamps the disbeliever it will turn as black as pitch." (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Beliefs of the believers will strengthen, who come across with the evidence of the existence of Allah, verses of Quran, works featuring the Islamic moral values and the seal of our Prophet (saas) when they are surfing on the internet. Besides, the faces of unbelievers who come across with the seal of our prophet (saas) will be darkened because of the strength of their rage.
"...It will cruise on Earth like a star. Those chasing it will not be able to catch up with it, and those escaping from it will not be able to avoid it."(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Computers can deliver all data to all over the world via Internet. Since computers are in every house, people will not be able to flee the right and truth.
"It will appear three times and shout aloud with a sound audible by everyone between the heavens and the earth."
"It will head towards the East and shout aloud, all the ones in the East will hear its sound. It will head towards Damascus and shout aloud. All the Yemenis will hear its sound."(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Dabbat al-Ardh dominates underground, overground and the heavens. There will be no city, no house it would not reach and enter. Nowadays, computers have entered all houses and thanks to satellite technologies and Internet; from people working underground to those living on top of skyscrapers or those voyaging by plane in the air, voice and images will reach to all people.
It will approach someone performing his daily prayer (salat) and stamp him between his eyes with the seal of a liar saying: "This prayer of yours has not been established, because you are a liar and an utter hypoctrite. "
(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Hypocritical people who distort their tongues by quasi bringing the Qur'an as a witness, acting in a way as if they were devouts although opponents of the Qur'an; are being answered and it's being made clear that they are liars.
Related above upon the remembrance of the declaration that it will kill the satan (eradicate it ideologically).
(Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
The system of satan, Darwinism, materialism and atheism will be annihilated by the publications informing people about the oneness and greatness of Allah. The religion of Satan will thus be destroyed.
"...It will cover three-days distance in one step..." (Al-Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li-ashrat al-sa'ah)
Nowadays, thanks to computers and internet, data can be transferred to the other end of the world in seconds and all people can be reached.
Adnan Oktar: Now let's explain the Dabbat al-Ardh (dabba). Yes. I take refuge in Allah from satan. In the Qur'an Allah says: "So put your trust in Allah. You are clearly on a path of truth." (Surat an-Naml, 79) A believer will put his trust in Allah. If he is on righteousness, his heart will be very much at ease insha'Allah. Because Allah says in the Qur'an, "You will not make dead men hear." (Surat an-Naml, 80) That is, Allah calls unbelievers to be dead. Allah says; "They are dead not alive." Also Allah states; "Such people are like cattle. No, they are even further astray!" (Surat al-A'raf, 179). That is, Allah tells that in terms of their conscience, they have collapsed. Allah also states in the Qur'an: "You will not make deaf men hear the call when they turn their backs in flight." (Surat an-Naml, 80) That is, in no way they want to hear. For instance, a Muslim comes and as soon as he comes, he excuses himself and runs away. To give another example, the call to prayer is made on TV, he makes it turn off. Alternatively, the Qur'an is read, he again makes the TV turn off. Or, for instance, while sitting in a restaurant or somewhere else, a devout person enters, he immediately leaves that place. But Allah says in the Qur'an, "you will not make deaf men hear the call when they turn their backs in flight." (Surat an-Naml, 80) He does not want to hear. "You will not guide blind men out of their error." (Surat an-Naml, 81) The man is blind; you explain him again again, but he does not understand. As long as Allah does not grant him guidance, he does not understand. Allah says in the Qur'an "You will not make anyone hear except for those who have faith in Our Signs..." (Surat an-Naml, 81) This man has fear for Allah. He is the one who listens to advice. "... and so are Muslims" (Surat an-Naml, 81) He needs to be guided by Allah and he should have fear for Allah. "When the Word is justly carried out against them, We will produce a beast from the earth..." (Surat an-Naml, 82) Dabbat min al-Ardh. A being which is a product of the earth. A dabba...Something that moves...or, the same word is used for an object that walks by itself. Dabba; in other words, something that moves. "...that will tell them that mankind had no real faith in Our messages." (Surat an-Naml, 82) That is, it gives them information regarding faith. Something that gives information. Now, let's try to understand dabba. "When the Word is justly carried out..." When does this word come? At the Doomsday. The time when the Mahdi (as) appears. When the Word is justly carried out. The Doomsday is fairly close. It is already the last moments because the Doomsday is expected in 2120. That Word is already carried out insha'Allah. "We will produce a beast from the earth that will tell them that mankind had no real faith in Our messages." You see, "real faith", that is, there is "real faith" and "real faith." Now, in the End Times, by the light of the Qur'an, "real faith" is being provided. "That will tell them that mankind had no real faith in Our messages." We look at computer. Does this speak?
Oktar Babuna: It speaks.
Adnan Oktar: It speaks. It also writes.
Oktar Babuna: Yes.
Adnan Oktar: It explains too. When you ask a question it immediately answers, right? What is it made of?
Oktar Babuna: It is made of the elements in the earth such as iron, aliminium, zinc.
Adnan Oktar: Isn't it? Magnesium, copper, cobalt, zinc; all of them exist in it. Silisium exist in all of them. It is, first of all, made of earth. That is understood. It speaks. It occupies itself with the remembrance of Allah. It provides information about Allah. Does it give absolute information?
Oktar Babuna: It does.
Adnan Oktar: Does it give explicit information?
Oktar Babuna: It does.
Adnan Oktar: Good, now let's analyze according to the hadith. How is its speed?
Oktar Babuna: It is very fast.
Adnan Oktar: Look what it says, "No one will be able to catch up with it, the ones that escape will not be able to avoid." (al-Barzanji) That is because he does not want to learn the religion in his house but once you turn it on, he meets Allah, Allah's Messenger (saas), the Prophet Muhammad (saas) and the seal of our Prophet (saas). He meets with Allah's commandments. He comes across with Allah's commandments, the verses of the Qur'an and the hadith. He meets with the collapse of Darwinism, materialism. Wherever he goes, he comes across with them. What does it say? The ones that escape will not be able to avoid.
It also says that it will be colorful. That beast has all kinds of colors. That dabba, that object, that equipment has all sorts of colors. Do its images have colors?
Oktar Babuna: Yes.
Adnan Oktar: Does it have all sorts of colors?
Oktar Babuna: It does.
Adnan Oktar: Is it compatible with the hadith?
Oktar Babuna: It is.
Adnan Oktar: It says the Prophet Musa's (as) staff will be next to it. Do you prove creation in the Internet?
Oktar Babuna: Yes we do, insha'Allah.
Adnan Oktar: What did the Prophet Musa (as) throw and prove to the Pharaoh?
Oktar Babuna: Creation.
Adnan Oktar: He proved Creation, right? Look what he said. Allah creates an animal in a moment. He was not created out of the mud of the Nile. This means it says Darwinism of that time was erroneous. It says what was right was creation. He says look, I create a tree, it comes to life. Consequently your claim of chance is not right. Allah creates, right? It will prove creation just like the Prophet Musa's (as) staff. It will tell the creation. What does it say; when it imprints the believer's face, his face will be very bright. Do you feel relieved when you see our Prophet's (saas) seal here, in the Internet?
Oktar Babuna: Yes, I do.
Adnan Oktar: Do you feel happy?
Oktar Babuna: I do.
Adnan Oktar: What does exist in our Prophet's (saas) seal? Allah, Muhammad (saas), Allah's messenger. What does the Internet communicate? It communicates Allah. It communicates the Prophet Muhammad (saas). It tells that he is Allah's messenger. And it brightens a face. The face becomes brilliant. It says it will char the unbeliever when it seals him. When the unbeliever meets it, his blood pressure rises, he turns purple. When he reads the facts there. His blood pressure rises up to 18, to 20. He feels suffocated, he becomes bored. He goes somewhere else. But he also sits across it there. That is, the unbeliever, the one who does not believe. It seals the one who does not believe. Yes. Look, it is said, it will cruise on Earth like a star. It will have an extraordinary speed; the ones who chase it will not be able to catch it. That is, it is exceedingly fast since it is the speed of electricity. It will shout out with a sound audible by everyone between the earth and heavens. Does this Internet also function under the earth?
Oktar Babuna: Yes, it does.
Adnan Oktar: Does it function above the earth?
Oktar Babuna: Yes, it does.
Adnan Oktar: Does everyone hear it?
Oktar Babuna: Yes, everyone hears it.
Adnan Oktar: Yes, it will head towards east and everyone in the east will hear its sound. It will turn to Damascus and shout. All Yemeni will hear its sound. That is, it indicates all the directions of the entire world. Everyone in every place of the world will hear its sound. Look it says: "It will brand the point between the two eyes of the hypocritical, insincere people with a stamp on which it is written 'liar'." (al-Barzanji) Dabba seals it with the stamp of Allah's messenger (saas). It says, you are telling a lie, Darwinism is a lie, materialism is a lie. Dabbat al-Ardh proves this lie to them. Is that clear? And Dabbat al-Ardh is the helper of Hazrat Mahdi (as). It is also the helper of the Prophet Isa (as) and also it is a sort of sword of him. It is his spiritual sword. It says it will kill the satan. What is satan? The dajjal. What is dajjal? Darwinism, materialism, the system that has no fear for Allah. What does it say? It says it will kill satan. Now, do we kill the satan with the Internet? Do we eradicate Darwinism, materialism? Has the hadith come to be true in its true sense? Yet it has. It will cover three-days distance in a single step. It is exceedingly fast. For instance right now people all over the world is watching it. It is stated that Dabbat al-Ardh will spread everywhere in the world. It says, it will have branches everywhere. It will reach everywhere. It will reach the earth. It will reach the heavens, and the earth. There will be nowhere that it does not reach. Even it will enter every house. It is stated that it will enter every house and stamp it with the seal of our Messenger (saas) insha'Allah.
Oktar Babuna: Insha'Allah
Adnan Oktar: Hazrat Jaffari Sadiq states the following; "It is almost as if I see the Qaim, the Hazrat Mahdi (as)." He takes our Prophet's (saas) convention sealed with golden stamp out of his pocket. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will use our Prophet's (saas) seal. Gold, it is said, gold. The color is also referred. It opens the seal with a golden seal. It opens its seal and reads them to people. There is an account. The Prophet Isa (as) will take and open it. He will open the ark. The Prophet Isa (as) finds an ark, and he opens it and finds a seal in it. The seal of the Prophet Isa (as) and it is related that he will find a thousand books. These books are ready; before Hazrat Isa (as). These are the books prepared by Hazrat Mahdi (as). With these books he will revive Islam, the essentials of the morality of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
These are from the book, "Risalat al-Mashrab al Vardi fi Mazhab al- Mahdi, Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Khari- page 4". These are the books that date back to 700-800 years. They are 1000 years old. These are told in these books.


text:
07 Gorgeous Christmas Tree Decorations Ideas
HomeIdeas.co are really concern to Provide Home Garden and Apartment. We are Gathering and Collecting photos from lot of source on internet. If some of them are yours, please don't be shy to contact us immediately, we are so pleased to add some credit to them.


text:
Jim Lanzone is the founder and CEO of Clicker.com, launched in November 2009, which provides the first comprehensive, unbiased, and structured programming guide for Internet television. Clicker has been named one of the Top 100 Sites of 2010 by PCMagazine, OnMedia's Top 100 Private Companies, 8 Companies That Are Reinventing Television by Mashable, and 5 Best PC Movie & TV Services by PCWorld. GQ called Clicker the "TVGuide for Internet television."
Jim is the former CEO of Ask.com, where he held several executive roles between 2001 and 2008, including SVP of Product Management and GM of Ask.com US. Before moving to Ask.com, Lanzone was co-founder and president of eTour.com, an early website "discovery engine" that was acquired by Ask in May 2001. Jim holds a BA from UCLA and a JD/MBA from Emory University.
Reach business leaders and technology influencers at the Web 2.0 Summit. Call Rob Koziura at (415) 947-6111 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
View a complete list of Web 2.0 Summit contacts.


text:
Gothiness: off the scale Sweatiness: 8
At last it's happened my Darkling hoardes - the good people of i-D Magazine have been moved to create a Goth-based fashion shoot in honour of our work! We have dictated a new fashion! See here! http://i-donline.com/2011/10/goths-in-hot-weather/ Now, who's up for spending a week going around Hoxton or the East Village with a pogo stick and timing how long it takes for some media whore hipster nincompoop to buy one and sit in a cafe with it resting against his table while he cruises Facebook on his i-Pad 2?
P.S. What's slightly scary is that bus actually goes past my office whilst I write this tripe. How did they know?


text:
A few weeks ago I received a text from Tyler "I am thinking about running the 5K Earthday at SCSU. Do you want to?" Imagine the huge smile upon my face as I text back one word "YES!" Of course! Then I became protective of my feelings, and told Troy I didn't want to get too excited just incase Tyler decided he didn't want to do this after all.
When Tyler came home at Easter he told me he had entered and he was still up for it. I was so excited. I let myself become excited all over again. I entered and just waited for the date to arrive.
Last night we ran Tyler's first event. It was so much fun!
Tyler is attending college at SCSU so he picked up our packets after classes at 3. I met him in St. Cloud at about 4. We were upgrading his phone, began that process, which was taking forever, so left the phone and everything there after an hour and half and went to the college for the race start.
It was a beautiful evening. 55F, sunny, perfect. As Tyler showed me around the campus we ran into two of his friends who were also running. These were guys he works with, I hadn't met them before. Very fun. We walked around campus and then headed to the start line. We lined up way in the back, we were in no rush, just taking our time, going to run Tyler's longest run!
There were 2000 people in front of us, after the race began we jogged up the start line and headed out. I was just beaming! Here I was, running with my SON. My son who cheered and watched me run MY first race, my FIRST marathon and so many more. I was so emotional, full of happiness.
Tyler was a champ! He led the pace and gave me a narrative of the campus, of his friends who live in what dorms, what houses, where they hang out. It was just great. We clipped along the campus, dorms, river, lake and back to the start/finish area. We waved at ourselves on the big screen TV . As we ran along I saw a man wearing a jacket I have: Superior Sawtooth 100! Hey! Superior Sawtooth 100!! I screamed. He looked at me and waved, I fist pumped and continued this blessed run onto the SCSU football field. We held hands, put our other arms into the air and celebrated running across the finish line. Together.
A dream come true.
I had always dreamed that one day I would run with my boys. They have both run for football and baseball but they have never run just to run. I'm so glad that Tyler is now doing just that. He even said the M word. Marathon. Crazy hu? Nope, not at all. During our race he said "who is this guy, running a race, Mom? Who knows, one day I could do a marathon".
After the race we went to pick up his finally upgraded phone and then to CherryBerry for yogurt. I had such a great time. We both did.
Thank you, Tyler.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Dreams Do Come True!
Labels: Earthday 5k
6 comments:
- Londell said...
I can relate... My son has ran Grandma's with me and stayed with me the entire race. I was slow but it was such a rewarding experience!
- Julie B said...
That's just awesome Londell! What an incredible experience. Thanks for stopping by and sharing :)
- Olga said...
That is quite awesome. I don't dream about it, but it sounds like a great gift for your mommy-ing!
- Robin said...
That's awesome!
- Denise said...
You're one lucky Mom! Congratulations on your first family fun run.
- A Prelude To... said...
What a great day!!!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Amazon made it clear that this is the first of several publishing imprints. Below is an excerpt from Publisher's Marketplace:
Amazon Launches Romance Imprint, with More Genre Lines to Come
Amazon is launching another imprint, Montlake Romance (named for a Seattle neighborhood), which will publish "a broad range of frontlist titles in popular romance sub-genres, including romantic suspense and contemporary and historic romance novels, as well as fantasy and paranormal." The first announced author is two-time RITA winner Connie Brockway, whose THE OTHER GUY'S BRIDE will be published this fall. They say it will "be available to North American readers in Kindle, print and audio formats at www.amazon.com, as well as at national and independent booksellers," and Amazon tells us her print edition will be published as a trade paperback, though in the future they expect to publish romance authors in trade paper and mass market.
But it makes me wonder: will Bookish be able to compete against Amazon's formidable online book sales and who, besides Amazon, will carry Amazon published books?
Do they really think national and independent booksellers will carry their books? I mean truthfully, I can't see my local indie embracing Amazon books when they've been such a ruthless competitor in the past. And as a writer, would you want your agent pitching your books to Amazon imprints?
What do you think?
P.S. It isn't just books. According to this article, Amazon dominates one third of all e-commerce in the United States. Something to think about...
25 comments:
- Anne Gallagher said...
Wow, interesting questions. I wouldn't even know how to think about them, let alone answer.
- May 11, 2011 at 5:37 AM
- Laura Pauling said...
I've heard about Bookish. It will be interesting to see what happens. And with Andrea Brown selfpublishing P.J. Hoover's books. Things are changing. I think all we can do is hold on for the ride and try to stay on top of things.
- May 11, 2011 at 5:40 AM
- Susan Kaye Quinn said...
I imagine booksellers will try to hold out against Amazon. Is it wise? I'm not sure.
As I writer, I would want my books wherever the readers are.
- May 11, 2011 at 6:11 AM
- Unknown said...
I don't shop from Amazon. I support our local Canadian chain (for personal reasons) even though we have Amazon.ca. Because of this, I wouldn't want my book to be available just through Amazon.
- May 11, 2011 at 6:12 AM
- Kristan Hoffman said...
Pretty much ditto what Laura Pauling said. I'm trying to keep an eye on all these developments, and keep an open mind.
Amazon, like Walmart, has its pros and cons. As a consumer, I can't ignore the price value and convenience. But I do try to spread my love around by buying in brick-and-mortar stores too.
I will say that instead of trying to just compete with Amazon, I'd love to see the publishers figuring out how to work WITH Amazon to everyone's benefit...
- May 11, 2011 at 6:46 AM
- Corey Schwartz said...
Their own imprints? Wow, I had no idea!
- May 11, 2011 at 7:07 AM
- Faith E. Hough said...
Ahhh... I find myself liking Amazon less and less. It's such a pain, since of course you can buy more books when they're cheaper...but at what cost to the publishing world?
- May 11, 2011 at 7:14 AM
- Marianne said...
I wonder if these type of things will create a class mentality among authors. If you are on paper, you are royalty and so on.
- May 11, 2011 at 7:56 AM
- Angela said...
It makes sense to me that they're starting their own imprint. Just think of it as another place to submit. People already self publish through amazon, so from a business perspective, it makes sense.
- May 11, 2011 at 8:33 AM
- Kelly Polark said...
Very interesting things going on right now. Thanks for the news!!
- May 11, 2011 at 8:37 AM
- bfav said...
I hope Bookish does well be B&N has been online a while and cannot stop the powerhouse that is Amazon. Money talks, so if Amazon pays the publishers will list with them and if Amazon imprints sell, other sellers will carry their titles. Unfortunately, it's all about the money.
- May 11, 2011 at 8:38 AM
- Unknown said...
I do find it funny how so many indie authors have embraced Amazon lately, which was once (and still is I guess) the scourge of the independent bookstore.
Crazy time to be in publishing.
- May 11, 2011 at 9:43 AM
- Tara Maya said...
It makes me a little nervous, to be honest. I like Amazon as a book distributor. If they are publishing their own stuff, can they retain the level playing field as a distributor? As for whether bookstores will carry their books...wow, I hadn't even asked myself that. The simple answer is that they will carry the books if they think it will profit them. But what do they think will profit them? I don't know.
Tara Maya
The Unfinished Song: Initiate
- May 11, 2011 at 9:47 AM
- Lydia Kang said...
I wonder what the brick and mortar stores will do. Great post, and thanks for keeping me up to date on all this confusing publishing stuff!
- May 11, 2011 at 11:00 AM
- Christina Lee said...
Hmmm.... wow food for thought!!!!
- May 11, 2011 at 11:01 AM
- Shannon O'Donnell said...
So many changes. The book industry is a difficult beast to keep up with right now. The whole thing makes my head spin.
- May 11, 2011 at 11:21 AM
- kathrynjankowski said...
I think it's too early to say what impact this will have, but I hope Bookish will prove a worth competitor to Amazon. As for agent pitches, it would depend on whether the books would be solely available through Amazon.
- May 11, 2011 at 11:24 AM
- Krispy said...
Wow, big changes coming! Thanks for the heads up and for posing great questions. I do wonder if Amazon printed books will be carried by physical book stores, but on the other hand, I have seen an Amazonencore book at Borders before.
- May 11, 2011 at 11:50 AM
- Myrna Foster said...
Thanks for the heads-up. I hope Bookish can hold their own.
- May 11, 2011 at 11:55 AM
- Kathi Oram Peterson said...
That is BIG news! Makes an author wonder where the dust will settle, if it ever does. Thanks for the heads up. Great post!
- May 11, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- L. Diane Wolfe said...
Will other chains and stores carry Amazon imprints? Probably not. Barnes and Noble (and others) already have a policy about not stocking CreateSpace books because Amazon is their competition.
Be curious to see how this all plays out...
- May 11, 2011 at 4:30 PM
- Kristin said...
Oh boy. I think I need to reread this, Sherrie. Thoughtful questions though.
I love our indie. I hope it stays afloat.
- May 11, 2011 at 5:13 PM
- dolorah said...
Do they really think national and independent booksellers will carry their books?
Like they'd care? Or need the circulation. I hope they have staff editors for their new romance line though.
- May 11, 2011 at 8:22 PM
- Suzanne Casamento said...
Donna makes a great point - does Amazon even care if other booksellers carry their books? They have such huge marketshare right now that they may not even need the sales from outside sources.
The whole situation is crazy. It may be a phase or it may actually stick. I think we just have to wait and see about all of it.
- May 12, 2011 at 11:46 AM
- Anne R. Allen said...
When I read this, I my head started spinning like Linda Blair's in the Exorcist. SO much happening. SO fast. As writers, this gives us lots of options, and that should be great, but it's scary. Amazon has started a revolution with Kindle. But if it totally dominates the market, will it turn into an evil tyrant?
- May 18, 2011 at 11:46 AM


text:
Because of a default in the payment of the indebtedness secured by that certain Security Deed, dated September 19, 2008, executed by Michael P. Mosley to MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. as nominee for Countrywide Bank, FSB, recorded in Deed Book 450, Page 527, Appling County, Georgia Deed Records, and securing a Note in the original principal amount of $71,250.00, said Security Deed last having been assigned to Green Tree Servicing LLC, the current holder thereof, has declared the entire amount of said indebtedness evidenced by the Note immediately due and payable and, pursuant to the power of sale contained in said Security Deed, will, on the first Tuesday in August, 2013, to-wit: August 6, 2013, during the legal hours of sale, before the Appling County Courthouse door, sell at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash, the following described real property:
All that tract or parcel of land, lying and being in the Second Land District of Appling County, Georgia, in Lot of Land Number 284, consisting of .85 acres and being more particularly described as follows: Starting at the intersection of the eastern right-of-way of City Circle Road with the southern right-of-way of a road, known as project GR1-5493 (4); thence South 78°52' East a distance of 709.81 feet to the Point of Beginning; thence South 18°27'40" East a distance of 177.00 feet; thence South 78°52' West a distance 210.00 feet; thence North 18°27'40" West a distance of 177.00 feet; thence North 78°52'East a distance of 210.00 feet to the said Point of Beginning, all according to a survey and plat thereof by Merlin J. Tomberlin, Surveyor, dated May 22, 1978, and recorded in Plat Book 9A, page 63, Appling County, Georgia, deed records, and by reference incorporated herein for descriptive and all legal purposes.
Also, All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in the Second Land District of Appling County, Georgia, consisting of 0.015 acres of Land Lot No. 284, being bound now or formerly, as follows: North by lands of Dianne B. Buchans; East by Tract 3; South by Lost Lake; and West by Tract G, and being more particularly described as TRACT F according to a survey and plat thereof by Denean W. Dixon, G.R.L.S. No. 1647, dated 11-6-93, recorded in Plat Book 13, page 201, Appling County, Georgia, deed records, said plat incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof for descriptive and all legal purposes.
The afore described real property is also known as 300 Lakeview Drive, Baxley, GA 31513, according to the present system of numbering houses in Appling County, Georgia.
This sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and (2) to final confirmation and audit as to the amount and status of the loan with the holder of the Security Deed, including but not limited to, a determination that the borrower has not reinstated the loan prior to the foreclosure sale.
The name, address and telephone number of the individual or entity with full authority to negotiate, amend and modify all terms of the Note and Security Deed is Green Tree Servicing LLC, Attn: Loss Mitigation, 7360 S. Kyrene Road, Mail Stop P-214, Tempe, AZ 85283. The telephone number is (877) 337-4141. The fax number is (877) 265-9717.
Said real property will be sold subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, but not yet due and payable), the right of redemption of any taxing authority, any matters which might be disclosed by an accurate survey and inspection of the real property, any assessments, liens, encumbrances, zoning ordinances, restrictions, covenants, and matters of record superior to the Security Deed first set out above.
Upon information and belief, said real property is presently in the possession or control of MICHAEL P. MOSLEY and the proceeds of said sale will be applied to the payment of said indebtedness and all the expenses of said sale, including attorney's fees, all as provided in said Security Deed and the excess proceeds, if any, will be distributed as provided by law.
as Attorney-in-Fact for
David W. Adams, Esquire
Ellis, Painter, Ratterree & Adams LLP
2 East Bryan Street, Suite 1001
Savannah, Georgia 31401
(912) 233-9700
7-10, 7-17, 7-24 & 7-31ch
gpn11 STATE OF GEORGIA COUNTY OF APPLING NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER
No Trackbacks
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)


text:
The dialogue is greatly enhanced with Marsh and Hayley's inputs, so, um, I would listen to the podcast rather than read the notes, but if you insist here is my crib sheet. For some reason (I'm looking directly at you Hayley), the first line is missing in the edit, but some brightly coloured tape should sort that out.
Last Sunday, The Observer published an article by Tim Lewis titled:
Dr Kenzo Kase: My magic tape can aid injured muscles
with the byline,
Whether in garish pink or tasteful beige, Kinesio tape provides pain relief for sports stars. And it works on dogs, says Japanese chiropractor Dr Kenzo Kase.
Whenever I read an article that talks about a "magic cure" I tend to think about "magic beans" – when the strapline contains the word "chiropractor", you know you're going to in for a bumpy ride on well trodden path of dodgy claims, weak evidence and celebrity endorsement.
It's fair to say that at this point I was expecting to see PowerBalance mentioned, as Kinesio tape could favourably be described as being from the same marketing stable - relying heavily on high profile sportstars to promote their products - David Beckham, Lance Armstrong and Serena Williams are amongst the many that have been spotted with the brightly coloured tape in trademark designs on various parts of the body, supposedly to help the muscles.
The original idea behind the tape (now removed from the UK website) was that the adhesive used was in a particular waveform which "microscopically lifts the skin". Or as Krazy Kenzo states in the article
"Your pain sensors are located between the epidermis and the dermis, the first and second layers of your skin, so I thought that if I applied tape to the pain it would lift the epidermis slightly up and make a space between the two layers."
Basic mechanics makes it clear this is nonsense – imagine you have a ham sandwich. Actually, sorry Hayley, just for you imagine it is a cheese sandwich, and you've just placed the second piece on top. Now if I give you some sellotape, can you put a strip on the bread so that it lifts it slightly from the rest of the sandwich? No. This, as the kidz on twitter say.
Also in the article he goes on to talk about jetlag and how it's due to the fact that
"we are at very high altitude and that causes our body temperatures to go up".
Now that is clear, unequivocal nonsense.
The reason why we have jetlag is because when we fly to a place in a different timezone, our circadian rhythms are all on the wonk, and our bodies want to go to sleep even though it's only midday. Someone on a flight from UK to South Africa will not experience jetlag, because although it's an 11 hour flight it only crosses one time zone, and so your body won't think everything has gone to cock. The fact that Krazy Kenzo is a chiropractor demonstrates that his understanding of evidence-bases is weak at best. This show has covered the fun and games with chiropractors in the UK over the last number of years with the British Chiropractic Association failing to make a case for libel over Simon Singh saying in a Guardian article that "Chiropractors happily promoted bogus treatments".
But let's take a second to be kind to Krazy Kenzo – maybe his theories are trash, his biomechanics knowledge laughable and understanding of air-travel in relation to timezones childish... but, maybe the products do work. Maybe he just has the wrong reasoning.
In the article he discusses some of the evidence base for his kinesio tape. I've put a link in the show notes to an amazing review of the evidence in the literature about Kinesio tape by @APGaylard. It might surprise you to know that there have a number of small trial studies for kinesio tape, none of which providing anything remotely close to robust evidence for efficacy. This was yet another product with maximum marketing and minimum use.
The reference in the article is to a 2008 paper which it describes as "a study of 42 people with shoulder problems which indicated that Kinesio taping offered immediate pain relief." Wow – immediate pain relief. I think this is an excellent learning paper for people who perhaps haven't got a strong science background and would find reading a scientific paper a bit daunting.
So at this stage, I'd like you to pause the podcast, go to the show notes, and follow the link to the PDF of the 2008 paper printed in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine.
Without reading the whole paper, we can pick out a few bits from the paper which are relevant and show why the paper is of little value.
Have you got it?
Good. Now I don't want to repeat what's been said in other places about how to run trials of things – perhaps Trick or Treatment by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst or maybe Bad Science by Ben Goldacre can provide some enlightenment on that – but here's a few basics:
The title:
The Clinical Efficacy of Kinesio Tape for Shoulder Pain: A randomized, Double-blinded, Clinical Trial.
You'll see the conclusion the front page stating that Kinesio Taping may be of some assistance to clinicians....
The gold standard of trials is that it is multi-centre, randomised, placebo-controlled and double blinded – so it sounds like the trial is fairly robust, but as we'll see, the title is writing cheques the trial can't cash.
The first part of a paper is always the intro and background – in this case a page or so of how bloody amazing the kinesio tape is, along with suggested ways that it works and how nothing compares to it.
First thing to look at is the number of people taking part – referred to as the n number. For a small pilot trial, n is usually less than 50, and generally, an effect at this level may help confirm a hunch and suggest something interesting, but unless n>100 the results are always going to be shaky. We can see they enrolled 42 people. Not terrible for a small pilot. However we have a little quirk here – so they enrolled 42 for the trial, but they originally had 64 as eligible. That's around 1/3 discounted for some reason – the paper explains that
"the exclusion criteria were chosen in an attempt to eliminate subjects with pathology that would be less likely to respond to the selected taping intervention".They were forcing a positive result, right from the start.
Let's look at the blinding – the title states it is double blind and randomised. Both extremely important as this is a massive source of bias.
"The primary author is a certified Kinesio Taping practitioner and applied all the taping procedures."
So it wasn't double blind at all, in fact it turns out that the person with the vested interest in a positive result was taping both the study treatment and the sham treatment. The paper also shows photos of the sham treatment.
Can either of you spot the trial carcrash? Well it's two things – one, it is immediately obvious to anyone which is the sham. Secondly, the sham treatment is using the Kinesio tape.
Let's take the first point - if the administrator of the therapy or treatment knows who is getting which treatment AND the patients know, then there is no blinding, and any results obtained should be treated very sceptically.
Secondly, they are testing their own tape used one way against their own tape used a different way, which means they aren't even testing the efficacy of the tape – not one part of title is accurate. At best they are testing different ways of using the tape, but the trial is so shoddy, that any results are effectively meaningless.
Skip down to the discussion section (the results in a nutshell were that some people who had been taped up got better and some got worse, which was similar to the sham arm. Initially the treatment arm fared better but this difference disappeared by the third day.) How to explain this?
They mention two things:
1. Improvement in control arm could have due to the tape despite intending to be a sham application
2. A strong placebo effect of taping has been noted in previous trials.
So despite choosing people who would give positive results, pretending to double-blind but not doing any blinding, not testing what they said they were testing, the results still didn't go their way. And they reason it away by saying the tape still had some effect, but that the treatment arm worked more at the start. Depending on your level of cynicism, this is at best being confused and at worst, outright bullshit.
A crap trial, badly run, useless results, bizarre interpretation, dubious conclusion, but printed in the Observer and given by Kinesio as proof the product works. What % of people will hunt down this paper? – I'm guessing 0.001. Kinesio are so sure that the vast majority of people won't get past the title that they have the article for free on their website.
What astounding investigative journalism – or indeed what a great way to get cheap advertising.
(Thanks to @APGaylard, @_JosephineJones, Danny Strickland (@dts1970) and @Andrew_Taylor for their twitter help.)


text:
In our ongoing effort to build partnerships and linkages that enhance academic interaction in the research community, Perimeter Institute is pleased to be hosting the Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute (<G|W>) Distinguished Lecture on November 29, 2007. The Distinguished Lecture, entitled Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy and its Progeny will be given by Dr. Martin Moskovits of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and CTO, API Nanotronics Corporation. His research interests have ranged widely over much of physical chemistry including spectroscopy, surface chemistry, and more recently the chemistry and fabrication of materials. For more information about the speaker, click here.
For more information about the <G│W> Physics Institute and the Distinguished Lecture, click here.
This lecture is available to all university students and professors from surrounding institutions.
Some thirty years ago surface-enhanced Raman (SERS) was discovered. In a nutshell, molecules positioned near roughened silver and gold surfaces were found to produce Raman spectra some 6 orders more intense than what an equivalent number of solution-phase molecules did. A large number of mechanisms were proposed to account for this spectacular effect, among which the one that seems to account for most of the observations essentially ascribes SERS to the concentration of the optical field in appropriately structured, interacting nanoscale features which operate both on the incident and Raman-scattered light. This concentration is to be appreciable only for features in which strong and narrow localized surface plasmons were excited. This "plasmonic" model not only accounted for many of SERS seminal features but also gave birth to the research fields of plasmonics and so-called metamaterials most of which achieve the necessary conditions governing the electrical permittivity and magnetic susceptibility of metamaterials in wavelength regions where plasmons are excited.
SERS was again in the news approximately 10 years ago when a number of groups pointed out that SERS from individual molecules could be observed leading some to speculate that this observation challenged the plasmonic origin of SERS. The discovery of single-molecule SERS, coincident with the intense interest of the research community in nanoscience and technology, produced a renaissance of interest in SERS that is still with us. The work of the past half dozen years reaffirmed SERS as ultimately a plasmonic effect wherein most SERS-active systems are actually rather heterogeneous with most of the enhancement originating from "hot spots" where the enhancement could top 10 orders of magnitude averaged over territory where the enhancement is rather low. The major current challenge in the field is to devise nanostructures where the hot spots dominate, leading to systems with an inordinate ability to focus electromagnetic fields so as to produce not only extraordinarily intense SERS (presumably as a super-sensitive chemical analysis tool) but also as loci where other unusual photo-induced physical and chemical processes occur when the system is illuminated with rather banal light sources. The talk will illustrate some of the most recent advances in this field.


text: On last night's episode of Toddlers & Tiaras, one mother went to extremes to pray for a crown in her daughter's first pageant. Saryniti (pronounced "serenity") is six years old and her mother Ca'Trina prays for guidance on costumes, spray tans, hair and makeup and ultimately, prays for a win. The problem is that God doesn't win pageants—glitz does, and Ca'Trina fucked up royally on her prep work. She got her friend to do Saryniti's hair and makeup, which is fine, but not only had the woman never done pageant hair and makeup before, but she also forgot to bring hot rollers or any kind of comb or brush. In the end, Saryniti got one of those pity prizes (known as a "princess" title) that everyone in her age group received, but she didn't really know the difference since she's only six. What's sad is that she thought Jesus had heard her prayers. But if he had, he'd have made her a queen like she asked.


text:
Next Episode of Dream Team is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
'Dream Team', the highly successful drama series created for Sky Television by Hewland International, has won many prestigious awards since premiering on Sky One in October 1997.
Following the ups and downs of premiership football club Harchester United, Dream Team is the original and best football drama, with a bevy of stars, glamour and scandal to boot. Filmed at Millwall's ground The Den, the show successfully recreates the feel of the Saturday footie match. So much so that as well as their real-life favourite team, many Dream Team fans hold Harchester United in high regard too.
The show has helped launch the careers of actors such as Alison King and Terry Kiely.
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
Oh You Mad Cuz Im Stylin On You Pt. 2: Rap Battle Gets Serious! [Some Guy Gets Knocked Out Cold]
This footage is about 2 months old. Not sure if we posted this one before. The battle def went wrong
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Topic: Legacy of the Force: Revelation
I noticed it's been absent from the forum, for the most part. Just wanted to remind everyone that Legacy of the Force: Revelation came out yesterday. Interesting reading for all those who want to check out the most recent exploits of our favorite bounty hunter.
"I'm just a simple Fan, trying to make my way in the universe."