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If only Mike would get saved: the Man is a powerhouse for truth & telling-it-like-it-is!! God save him! What integrity! What courage!
(As for these [email protected] Foods supporting Romney with dollars, is there any evidence that this corporation is MORMON too?? Could be a real possibility. MASONIC too…)
YouTube censors 'Organic Spies' video exposing Whole Foods employees lying about GMOs.
(NaturalNews) I once thought Whole Foods was a great place to shop, and I used to look forward to finding a Whole Foods store in every city I visited. Now when I see "Whole Foods" I think to myself, "Poison Foods" and I have images of those cancer tumors in the rats just pop into my head. I will never shop at Whole Foods again unless and until this corporation honestly labels GMOs or stops selling them altogether.
Two days ago, a group calling itself "Organic Spies" released a shocking video exposing the "GMO lies" at Whole Foods. The retailer sells masses of Monsanto's genetically modified corn, it turns out, and its employees blatantly lie to customers while claiming Whole Foods sells no GMOs at all! YouTube is now playing along with this lie by censoring the "Organic Spies" video, which happened earlier today.
On YouTube, you can watch videos of people having their teeth knocked out, animals being brutally shot by hunters, and even sexually explicit "soft porn." But you absolutely cannot be allowed to watch a video exposing the truth that Whole Foods sells a massive amount of GMOs at its stores.
That video, featuring hidden camera footage from the "Organic Spies" investigative group, was recently pulled (censored) by YouTube, most likely after complaints from Whole Foods itself.
Any attempt to view the video now results in a message from YouTube: "This video has been removed because its content violated YouTube's Terms of Service."
In other words, it told the truth.
Here's the screen shot of the message YouTube now displays when you try to watch this video:
And here's a screen shot of YouTube's takedown notice given to the owner of the original video:
Whole Foods executives give money to Mitt Romney and other GMO supporters
Aaron Dykes at InfoWars.com published a hard-hitting investigative story about this yesterday afternoon. That story even revealed financial ties between Whole Foods executives and politicians who promote GMOs and who work to further the interests of Monsanto.
As Dykes reports, Whole Foods has officially responded to the Organic Spies video by admitting that YES, they do sell GMOs in their stores. Many of their employees, however, seem to be completely unaware of this. As Whole Foods states in their blog:
The YouTube video showing our store Team Members giving conflicting responses to a question about GMOs reminds us that while we try to keep all our 70,000 Team Members up-to-speed on the latest information, clearly we need to do more. Some products in our stores DO contain GMOs — just like any other food store in the country, due to the pervasiveness of GMOs…
Whole Foods goes on to claim it supports Proposition 37, but it refuses to donate even a single dollar to support the measure! (www.CArighttoknow.org)
How to see the video that was censored by YouTube
We have uploaded this BANNED video to TV.NaturalNews.com, and you can now watch it by clicking here.
Given that YouTube doesn't want you to see this investigative journalism video, there's even more reason to spread the word about this and show others what the corporate status quo in America absolutely does not want you to see!
Here's the link to the video on TV.naturalnews.com
TV.NaturalNews.com, by the way, is the last refuge of free speech in natural health videos. Where YouTube censors videos that tell the truth, we welcome these videos and freely distribute them for everyone to see.
We own our own video network and run the servers ourselves. No one can force us to take them down, short of a court order. As we are defender of free speech, we actively work to protect the free speech rights of whistleblowers such as Organic Spies.
YouTube hides the truth about GMOs and censors whistleblowers
YouTube is, of course, widely engaged in censorship of the truth. My own "TSA Help Wanted" video was on track to be viewed by tens of millions of people before YouTube censored it by slapping an "age restricted" status on it, even though the video contained absolutely no images or language not allowed on television. Click here to watch the TSA video that YouTube censored.
In pulling the "Organic Spies" Whole Foods GMO video, YouTube is also now fully engaged in helping corporate entities like Whole Foods hide their GMOs from the public. As the video itself showed,Whole Foods sells masses of GMOs to its customers, and none of those GMO foods are labeled as containing GMO.
Whole Foods, in other words, is a huge financial supporter of Monsanto because it retails Monsanto-produced GM foods to tens of millions of customers each year. Whole Foods has so far refused to require GMO labeling of the products it sells, and yet Whole Foods employees flatly LIE about all this, ridiculously claiming that Whole Foods sells no GMO whatsoever. This is true across numerous Whole Foods employees, not just a few isolated cases.
That's what this video revealed. This is why the video was banned by YouTube. This is the truth that you're not supposed to know about Whole Foods — a corporation that has betrayed the values of its own customers by secretly selling genetically modified corn… the very same strain of corn that French researchers fed to rats who developed massive cancer tumors and suffered alarming rates ofpremature death.
Think about it: What those French researchers fed to the rats, Whole Foods is selling to you!
If you shop at Whole Foods, YOU are the lab rat!
Whole Foods now has more in common with Monsanto than healthy food consumers
Whole Foods apparently wants you to keep blindly buying the products it carries, without you having any real knowledge about the GMO content of what it sells.
That's unethical. It's unacceptable. It's a betrayal of the very values of the holistic health community. And it's an indictment of the empty, soulless, deceptive mindset at the very top of Whole Foods, a corporation that quite literally sells products containing a deadly insecticide built right into the food itself. How is that "wholesome" food? How can Whole Foods even call itself "Whole" foods when some of the food it sells contains a deadly pesticide that kills living creatures?
That statement is a scientific fact, by the way. Whole Foods cannot deny this fact. They cannot face the truth and they cannot even face their own customers whom they may very well be poisoning each and every day by continuing to sell genetically modified corn that French researchers have now linked to horrifying cancer tumors in rats. In an age of evil corporations seeming to dominate everything — medicine, weapons of war, criminal banking institutions and so on — Whole Foods increasingly appears to be happily positioned in bed with the evil corporations rather than fighting against them. Whole Foods is playing the old "go along to get along" game at the corporate level, ridiculously hoping this GMO labeling issue will somehow go away if they just ignore it long enough.
Heck, I'm surprised Whole Foods hasn't given money to oppose Proposition 37! Just like Monsanto, Dow Chemical, Nestle, Bayer, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and all the other usual suspects. The corporate behavior of Whole Foods almost parallels Monsanto at this point. Hence the name I suggested in my previous article: WholeSanto.
The bottom line? If you shop at Whole Foods, you may be unknowingly poisoning yourself with "natural" foods containing GM corn. As the truth about the dangers of GMOs continues to come out, Whole Foods is going to look increasingly irresponsible, unethical and even dangerous to its own customers.
Because if Whole Foods is going to sell you food containing insecticide, then why shop at Whole Foods at all? You can save a small fortune and get the exact same deadly insecticide by shopping at a conventional grocery store. If Whole Foods isn't going to differentiate itself by avoiding foods that may be toxic to its customers, then what's the point of shopping there at all?
Shame on Whole Foods for acting a whole lot like Monsanto
I repeat: SHAME on Whole Foods for its irresponsible behavior on the issue of GMOs. Its actions are wrong-headed, deceptive, and possibly even dangerous to the health of its customers.
Join me in boycotting Whole Foods over its hidden GMOs and its refusal to tell the truth about what it's really selling. We expect better from this company. We demand better, or we won't shop there at all.
Instead, buy from your local farmers' markets and food cooperatives. Grow as much of your own food as you can, using heirloom seeds.
And no matter where you shop, buy organic. Organic foods have virtually zero GMO content, so choosing organic is the best way to avoid genetically modified ingredients.
Our pledge against GMOs
Here's my pledge to you: In our store (www.ShopNaturalNews.com) we will never knowingly sell products made with genetically modified ingredients — and we read labels and scrutinize our vendors. We absolutely refuse to carry GM products in our store, and we will NEVER offer a product made with GMOs that gets described as "natural."
That's a hoax. A marketing scam. Virtually all "natural" snack chips made with corn, for example, contain genetically modified corn! How is that natural? It isn't. Why does Whole Foods even carry these products?
Of course, we'll never be as big as Whole Foods, but at least I can sleep at night knowing that what people acquire from us is nourishment, not poison. At least I know I'm fighting to keep people alive, not to have them slow-killed by eating themselves to death.
When I look in the mirror, I can honestly, 100% with integrity, smile and say that I made decisions in the best interests of Natural News readers and customers, and that I never — NEVER — sold out my own audience by selling them toxic products for a profit.
There is a line I simply will not cross. That is the line of fundamental human compassion and responsibility to my own support base of customers, readers and fans. Whole Foods has not only crossed that line; they can't even seem to remember where the line was!
Shame on Whole Foods, a massive retailer for Monsanto's genetically modified corn.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037410_Organic_Spies_Whole_Foods_censored_video.html#ixzz28M3YJuaI


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subset: commoncrawl


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Great Plans for Greenwood
Benchmark Marketing Study
Kitson Mill Site & Uptown Greenwood
Great History
Greenwood is the geographical, cultural and historical center of the railroad and mill town in upstate South Carolina that had its greatest period of growth and prosperity from 1890 to 1920. Now, roughly a century later, Greenwood has restored many of its commercial buildings to that same time period, revitalizing the "Uptown" area into a great public space.
The first railroad... read more
Historic Buildings around Uptown are being preserved and rehabilitated. There is a special tax assessment for eligible rehabilitated historic properties. Take a look some projects:
Great Plans
Great Culture
Great Community
Great Neighbors
Great Things Growing
Great Future


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This definitely cuts to the heart of scientific method, documentation of research, and brings up the issue of political and social attitudes toward technological and scientific "experts".
There is as yet no way to "prove a negative" - to absolutely prove without any question that the mercury containing additives in these vaccines never caused harmful effects. What the researchers report in the medical and science literature is often based on statistics of test and control groups. Thus, in the 285 hits, going back to 1998, in Science Citation Index for the search: Topic=(autis* and vaccine*), the titles very often say something to the effect that "evidence does not support" a link, or "no conclusive evidence of a link has been found", etc.
But short of investigating - on our own - every report, and combing it for inconsistent or careless documentation, false or careless reasoning, mis-statements of other people's claims or research, etc., there will be no way to know who is telling the truth.
The best we can reasonably do is examine samples of the scientific literature, follow the money trail to see who is funding the research, be on the lookout for inflammatory or other opinion based statements, and in general resolve not to just take someone's word - even if they are a Nobel prize winner.
The same would go for the people who accept a link - How do they know? How many people did they study out of how many total cases, and how did they select their sample(s)? Do they clearly state their credentials, or otherwise prove - maybe by brilliant and well-documented arguments - that they know what they are talking about? We librarians will always need to ask "who says so?", because we have too often had experts (including ourselves!) tell us stuff that turned out later not to be 100% accurate.
If a website doesn't give references or even say where its author is working, I tend to assume the information is suspect.


text: Chapter 1: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention MULTIPLE CHOICE 1.The nurse explains that the belief advancing the idea that disease is a result of an organically caused disorder is the a. biomedical model. b. biopsychosocial theory. c. Dunn's high-level wellness model. d. Travis' health model. Answer: A The biomedical model describes disease as an organically […]Read more


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LEGO Mindstorm® is a versatile robotic construction kit. The central component is the programmable NXT brick to which one can connect up to three motors and various sensors. The brick can run programs directly uploaded to it or can be controlled via bluethooth or USB.
This library allows you to communicate with — and drive — your NXT brick from OCaml programs through a bluetooth or a USB connection. The full LEGO® communication protocol (including all "direct commands") is supported. This library has been tested on Linux, Windows (without the fantom drivers installed) and Mac OSX.
If you have questions or If you want to report bugs, please do so on the bug tracker. If you are using this library, feel also free to drop us a line, we will be happy to set up a link to the site of your project in the users section!
This project is hosted on Github.
Have fun!


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They say never to mix business with pleasure, but it's hard not to in Massachusetts, where each of the four distinct seasons provides a unique backdrop for meetings and events. Have a meeting or conference to plan? Consider one of Massachusetts' many hotels, function facilities, and attractions that cater specifically to small meetings (fewer than 500 attendees), team-building, and incentive planning. When it's time to get down to business, this is the place to find the perfect meeting venues from Boston to Worcester and everywhere in between. And don't forget the "all work and no play" rule; come early or stay late to enjoy all that Massachusetts has to offer.
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1. Is it a marker of biological adulthood?
I certainly hope so, or some people are going to have certain difficulties on their honeymoon. Indeed, some jurisdictions would not look too kindly on marriages where one or more partners had not reached the stage of biological adulthood.
2. Is it marker of maturity (emotional, financial, spiritual, etc.)?
If it is, then I want to know how whackos who beat their spouses, spendthrifts who plunge families into debt, and people who have no regard for God manage to get married. As it has been pointed out under the "Code Green" entry of the Catalog of Anti-Male Shaming Tactics, "It should be remembered that one's sexual history, marital status, parental status, etc. are not reliable indicators of maturity and accountability. If they were, then we would not hear of white collar crime, divorce, teen sex, unplanned pregnancies, extramarital affairs, etc."
3. Is it a marker of single people's immaturity?
This assertion makes absolutely no sense at all. Logic 101, dear readers:
Invalid proposition: If (A then B) then (if ~A then ~B)We are better off talking about singleness being a marker of immaturity, but then do we want to accuse the Apostle Paul of being immature? Singleness, per se, like marriage, says nothing about the character of a person.
Where A=marriage and B=maturity
4. Is it a marker of some notable achievement that benefits society?
Maybe we are getting close to the core of what people mean when they say, "Marriage is a marker of adulthood." However, there are two problems with this assertion. It is on this point that I will spend the bulk of my discussion.
First, just because you ate some wedding cake, gestated, and then pushed a baby out of your uterus does not make you a matron saint. Likewise, if you contributed sperm to the making of said baby, you are not the great Cincinnatus (and indeed, society constantly reminds men of this fact). Let's tie in a Bible verse on this matter:
Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son; But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father. (Prov. 28:7, ASV)If the legacy you leave behind are spoiled, amoral, hedonists, then what credit is that to you? Day after day, men and women create children and yet are unprepared to raise them. We don't need anymore thugs, hoodlums, and the such like raised by single mothers and lousy parents. Some people just need to forget about the marriage and family thing and keep their pants on. Just because these people were pretty enough and tough enough to get into the bed with someone doesn't mean society is somehow in debt to the unfortunate fallout of their unions.
Why do you deserve a trophy because you got married and had children? You're taking care of you own? Good. Even the unbelievers do that (Matt. 5:47; 1 Tim. 5:8). Nobody forced you to get married. Society doesn't owe you a debt of gratitude because you raised emotionally stable children who are productive. You've only done your duty (Luke 17:10), and it is your children who owe the debt of gratitude to you (Eph. 6:2). Society will owe your children something when they actually do something valuable. Otherwise, your children are, at best, a charity case. And we don't need people producing more charity cases (Prov. 30:15a; 2 Thess. 3:10).
Anyway, the second problem with seeing marriage as a marker of some notable achievement benefiting society is that it ignores a basic question: If you are a Christian and you are called to be a pleaser of God and not necessarily a pleaser of men (Gal. 1:10), then why should you necessarily care what society wants from you? Society says that I am not a man because I am not impregnating a woman? Very well, then. Society can go talk a long walk on a Mobius strip, for all I care in that regard.
Ladies and gentlemen, is society an end to itself? Are we collectivists, now? Replace the word "society" with "state," and you'll see my concern about this matter. I fear some of us are aspiring totalitarians and authoritarians. This is one of the reasons why I get bristled when socons say, "Family is the basic unity of society." It implies that married people and children are just cogs in a machine. But society is for the benefit of the family and individual, not the other way around. I may have an obligation to God and my fellow man (Luke 10:27), but I don't necessarily have an obligation to a social structure.
There is an a fortiori principle here. If society doesn't value me, then how can it say it values my marriage and my children? Society may say that I am expendable as a man. Women mock the usefulness of men, the workplace threatens to outsource men's jobs or eliminate them through technology, and on it goes. If you declare men to be expendable, however, then you are declaring that you don't need them. If you declare that you don't need men, you release men from their obligation. That's where our logic leads us. In short, if society questions my worth as a man, then my full participation in it becomes optional.
If society wants men to feel like they have a stake in its welfare, then it needs to treat them fairly and with respect. If society wants men to go above and beyond the call of duty, then carrots will do better than a stick, otherwise it's just duty society will get. But no one is really doing any of these things I say need to be done for men, so I can only guess that marriage and family really isn't that important to society, after all. I mean, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. There is no free lunch and if you want men to do something, then you better pony up with the goods (see here and here). Someone may try the religious angle to force men and women to get married, but I've been hitting that one out of the park, too (see here and here).
Now, let me summarize everything I've said on marriage being a marker of contributing to society. Society needs to drop it's male-bashing act like um, yesterday, if it wants men to be good citizens by copulating, procreating, and siring the next generation of taxypayers and cubicle workers. Society need to support men in other ways, too. Married men, in turn, can't demand some special recognition for raising great children, much less just getting wedded. Raising your children to be godly is your default obligation, not some form of sacrificial service that gives you glory. This especially the case if society is supporting you as a father and husband; in that case, you are discharging your debt to society.
Look, people, here's an analogy: Let's suppose some employer says to me, "Man, we could really use you for a position on the executive team, so why don't you go back to school and get a degree for us?" The problem is that I can't afford the tuition for an advanced degree. So what would you advise my employer to do? Sweeten the pot for me?
But on whom does the obligation fall once I take the bait? Suppose some individuals in my faith tradition pay for my tuition so I can get a degree in theology. Do I get to march into some dean's office and demand a gold-plated plaque for the late nights I spent doing homework? As it is, the individuals that paid for my tuition would probably expect me to take a position for several years in some capacity that benefits the church community. That plaque would have to wait.
Or think about this scenario: I'm an independent contractor and a guy named Al calls me over to his nice home. Al says to me, "I'll pay you $50 to remove a pile of gravel from my back yard." I say, "Sorry, but my regular price is at least $150." About that time, a guy named Steve drives up in his pick-up truck. He strolls up gingerly to the both of us and hears a bit of the conversation. Steve says, "Hey, Al. Don't worry, man. I'll do it for free." Al says, "Wow! You don't see generosity like this anymore. Steve, you are a real man!" Steve looks at me, cracks a smile, and quips, "Well, Anakin, you heard what Al said!" I reply, "Yeah, I heard what Al said. But Steve, what you really are is a tool if you have that kind of attitude. Al could have just as easily moved this pile himself or paid me to do it. In fact, he's paid me in the past for these kind of jobs. And here's the thing, Steve. I know you are not doing this purely out of the goodness of your heart. Why? Because last week, you were telling me how you needed some gravel for your driveway. So you're shoveling this pile of gravel for free. What do you want? A biscuit, dude?"
Do you see where I am going with my analogies? Marriage is not a marker of anything except that you got lucky with a member of the opposite sex. And for some married men, they would probably question the part about "getting lucky." Marriage and family have perks and privileges, and they come with obligations. If you're married, you're not entitled to a train load of biscuits. Married people have picked their pile of gravel. Nobody forced them to take the pile. If you want me to shovel the pile, then be prepared to pay me. If a chivalrous dude wants to volunteer to shovel it for free so he can use it for his driveway, then he can't gripe afterwards if no one offers him a dollar or a round of applause. And he can't call me a lesser man than him because I didn't shovel a pile that I had no duty to shovel. After all, maybe I don't want a gravel driveway. The married man gets his driveway, and the single man gets to walk away from a sweaty job. Sounds fair to me.


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| Bass
Pro Shops®
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| Arctic
Featuring unmatched quality, technology and utility, the full line of Arctic Cat® ATVs are available at many Bass Pro Shops®/Tracker Boat Center® locations. The relationship with Tracker Marine Group represents a partnership of high quality, high-value products ready made to enjoy the great outdoors. With Arctic Cat®, you can count on superior durability, ground clearance, suspension travel, rack versatility and the exclusive SpeedRack® accessory-mounting system. With models for competitions, trail riding, youth riding, working and more, you can take your pick and get going!
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RVs.com has become one of the preeminent RV lifestyle websites. Since its inception in March of 2006, RVs.com has received more than 1.25 million viewer sessions and nearly 12 million page views. RVS.com currently lists more than 9,300 RVs for sale by consumers and RV Dealerships, in addition to direct links to Camping World accessories, merchandise, RV repairs and service and RV lifestyle resources. RVs.com is your destination for the RV lifestyle!


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Posts Tagged 'year review'
Reviewing 2010…
So everyone seems to be doing the New Years meme. I used to do this years ago back in the days when I wrote on Livejournal and I've copied the questions directly from the last time I did it on there (2007), so if it is different to the version everyone else in the madosphere has done, then that will be why. It is a bit weird to see these questions again.
1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?:
Take Reboxetine, Go InterRailing, Learn to Knit.
2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?:
I don't usually make any and I can't remember if I did last year. It seems unlikely because I was planning to kill myself on 7th January and any more resolutions would have been pointless. I tried and failed at that one.
This year, I haven't set any firm resolutions, but most of my hopes evolve around recovery. I hope to get back to work full time and stay out of hospital.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?:
Not that I'm aware of!
4. Did anyone close to you die?:
Thankfully not.
5. What countries did you visit?:
Oo. I went InterRailing so I have visited a few this year! I passed through France and visited Belgium, Germany, Poland and Austria.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?:
Proper recovery – I started to recover in 2010, but there's still a long way to go. I want my life back.
I also want to move house, so a new home is pretty high on my list.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?:
I don't tend to remember dates very well and the only date that really comes to mind is the 7th Jan for the reason mentioned in answer to question 2.
I think the 29th July was the day that I set off for Europe, so that's a good one too.
The week beginning the 15th November also sticks in my mind, as it was the week I started my phased return to work.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?:
Travelling around Europe for a couple of weeks on my own and getting back to work, albeit for only a few hours a week.
9. What was your biggest failure?:
I'm not sure it is a good thing that the first thing that comes to mind is my failed suicide attempt. Definitely a failure, but whether that is a good or a bad thing is up to debate depending on my mood.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?:
Mental illness never really goes away. I also battled with side-effects and tummy troubles a lot. My jaw has continued to be a problem too – I have a visit to the Dental Hospital on Monday to see the Temporomandibular Joint specialist. I had a common cold over New Years at both the start of 2010 and 2011 too.
11. What was the best thing you bought?:
Either my InterRail pass or Glastonbury Tickets. My prescription pre-payment certificate should probably be considered too.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?:
Nikki dog's behaviour merits celebration and reprehension on a daily basis!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?:
Occasionally The Bloke's, but like Nikki, he can merit celebration too.
Dr M made me pretty appalled at the start of the year, but I don't mind her so much these days. I may even confess to liking her!
14. Where did most of your money go?:
The usual – rent, food etc. The dog spends a lot of it too!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?:
I don't tend to get really excited about anything when I'm feeling low. I was quite excited about the InterRail trip, although it was such a spur-of-the-moment thing that I didn't have much time to get excited about it beforehand. I was quite excited about Glastonbury this year too – I actually felt able to enjoy it!
16. What songs will always remind you of 2010?:
Regina Spektor – Laughing With
Lady Gaga – Just Dance – especially reminds me of watching Dancing on Ice in hospital last January.
Laura Marling – Goodbye England (covered in snow)
The XX – Intro – reminds me of the General Election coverage on the BBC mainly, but also of the start of their set at Glasto.
Marina & The Diamonds – Obsessions – and pretty much the whole album really. She was great live too.
KT Tunstall – Weirdo – and again the whole album and seeing her live.
Miike Snow – Animal – reminds me of InterRailing. They played it a lot in the hostel in Krakow.
Ellie Goulding – Your Song – and again pretty much her whole album.
It has been a good year for music. I've certainly listened to a lot more this year.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i) …happier or sadder?: I'm a million times happier than this time last year. I was on a psych ward having just failed to kill myself, so not exactly at my happiest! Compared to 6 months ago though I'd be sadder.
ii) thinner or fatter?: A lot thinner. I've lost over 3 stone since I came out of hospital last February.
iii) richer or poorer?: About the same I think.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?:
Working, writing, knitting, swimming, seeing friends… Lots of things really.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?:
Feeling sick, lying in bed with no motivation, seeing doctors and generally everything related to being ill. Arguing with the bloke comes a close second.
20. How will/did you spend Christmas?:
We spent it in Wolverhampton with the Bloke's mum and sister. His aunt, uncle and cousin also came over for Christmas dinner. I saw my parents on 27th Dec and a load of friends came around for a big Christmas Dinner on 28th.
21. Has there ever been a question 21?!?
22. Did you fall in love in 2010?:
Nope. Not with anyone or anything new.
23. How many one night stands?:
Again none. A somewhat laughable question for me I think.
24. What were your favourite TV programmes?:
I've watched quite a lot of telly in the past year. I love Only Connect – a fiendishly hard quiz, although I have gotten more used to it over the years and it doesn't seem quite as hard as it used to be.
I enjoyed Sky1's Must be The Music – it's a blatant rip off of all TV talent shows, only the people involved had raw talent, write their own stuff and there is no stupid false drama involved. Dizzee Rascal, Sharleen Spiteri and Jamie Cullum judged it and were really good too. The girl that won – Emma's Imagination was amazing.
I enjoyed Single Father, Lip Service, Mad Men and various other things this year too.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?:
No, not really. I don't tend to "hate" anyone. I try to avoid people I don't like.
26. What was the best book you read?:
I read a lot more in the summer than I had in the past few years, but it has tailed off again since autumn. I read 1984 for the first time (ridiculous I know) which was awesome. I enjoyed the Stieg Larsson books (me and everyone else, then!). A Woman in Berlin was interesting too – I picked it up in the airport at Krakow and it was weird to read it only a few days after being in Berlin.
27. What were your greatest musical discoveries?:
I have listened to a lot more music than in the last few years, but I'm not sure how many of those things were new discoveries as such. I've enjoyed a lot of female pop and singer/songwriters this year – Ellie Goulding, Marina & The Diamonds, Laura Marling, KT Tunstall, Little Boots, Regina Spektor – although the latter few are hardly new discoveries.
28. What did you want and get?:
I guess some improvement to my mental health is the obvious thing. Getting my drivers license back is pretty good too.
29. What did you want and not get?:
A magic wand? I try not to want too much so I don't get disappointed.
30. What was your favourite film of this year?:
I saw quite a lot of good films this year. I probably enjoyed Scott Pilgrim most. The Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest was good although I didn't think The Girl who Played with Fire lived up to my expectations set by the book or the first film. Kick Ass, Toy Story 3 and Winters Bone are also contenders.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?:
I was 24 this year. I had only just come out of hospital. A few of my friends and two of my aunts who live locally all went out for a meal. It was really tasty.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?:
Mental Stability? – I'm surprised that this was part of my answer in 2007, which was long before I was diagnosed with any mentalism. It seems strange to me that at the end of what was a great year, I was still wishing I'd been a bit more stable and spent less time feeling low. I guess I'd somewhat forgotten that I was hardly stable before things fell apart in 2008.
I do think that being more stable and less depressed would have helped, but at least 2010 was an improvement on 200
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?:
I am not sure I do fashion concepts. I tend to wear jeans and some form of longish top or dresses over leggings/bright coloured tights. Now I'm back at work a bit I'm definitely leaning towards the tailored dress look. My suits don't fit properly any more – too big!
34. What kept you sane?:
I think what sanity I have can be mainly put it down to one thing – Reboxetine (plus Lamotrigine perhaps – I wonder what effect taking Reboxetine on its own would have).
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?:
This always seems like a bit of a silly question to me. I don't tend to be attracted to celebrities because I tend to need to get to know someone before they become attractive.
I also have a pretty pathetic sex drive these days.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?:
I've tended to try and keep a distance from most political arguments of late, mainly because the amount of mindless Tory-bashing has wound me up quite a lot this year and a lot of my friends are raving lefties. I am neither a tory, nor a lefty, but I am getting fed up of the way that people seem to choose opposition for oppositions sake, rather than looking at what is right or wrong about a policy.
I do care a lot about welfare reform and the NHS, but I'm not opposed to changes in the system in the way that some people are. I think we have to face up to the fact that the current systems don't work and something has to be done.
37. Who did you miss?:
I miss a lot of old friends. I have lost touch with quite a lot of people over the last few years and I'm not as close to others as I used to be. A lot of my uni friends have moved away since we graduated too, so although we still see them occasionally, it's not the same any more.
38. Who were the 'best' new people you met?:
I've met some great new friends locally over the past year or so, but I probably couldn't think of any one person.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Things can get better and depression may not last forever, yet recovery is not a smooth process either.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
I can't think of one in particular, especially as my year has been up and down. I may come back to this. I'm sure something will come to mind as I'm listening to music sometime this week.
Actually.. I heard You Say Party – There is XXXX (within my heart) the other day and those lyrics fit my mood over the last month or so.
When the morning comes
And the darkness presses on all sides
When the morning comes
I'll have to fight
I will have a think to see if I can come up with anything more accurate.
So there we go. Another year, another meme. 2010 hasn't been all that bad, although it started terribly and went down hill again a little during the last few months. 2011 hasn't started too badly aside from the terrible cold over New Years, so fingers crossed it will be a good year.
A proper post is on its way. I am trying to get it written. Lots happening at the moment though and I can't keep up!


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Congratulations US Women's Soccer!!
Golden 3-peat for U.S. Women's Soccer - Lloyd scores twice, lifts U.S. to third-straight Olympic gold medal in 2-1 win over Japan
Hope Solo found herself enveloped in a group hug at the final whistle. Abby Wambach ran to join the fun in a celebration that unleashed a year of bottled-up frustration.
The U.S. women's soccer team won its third straight Olympic gold medal Thursday, beating Japan 2-1 in a rematch of last year's World Cup final and avenging the most painful loss in its history.


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By all accounts, including my own, Justified and Sons of Anarchy had very good seasons this year. Homeland, Boss and American Horror Story looked very good, too, based on their pilot episodes.
Depending on where you live, though, chances are good you didn't have a chance to see some of the best of what TV had to offer in 2011. It might be because they aired on a pay-TV channel so obscure, you can count on one hand — if that — the number of people you know who subscribe.
Or they aired on a specialty channel that your local cable company either couldn't or wouldn't make available in your home province. Or the province next door. Or the province next door to that.
There was some fine TV, though, that nearly everyone had access to. Never mind what the malcontents, the whingers, the whiners and the chronic complainers told you about TV in 2011. There was a lot of television, and some of it was spiritually uplifting and life-affirming and, in many cases, well made. Not all of it aired on FX Canada or SuperChannel.
10. Once Upon a Time (CTV, ABC)
The year's most pleasant surprise, at least in my home. A costume drama about a cast of fairy-tale characters trapped in the real world didn't sound like my idea of happily ever after. My Sunday-night tastes run more to Dexter and Damages. I was won over, though, by its emotional charm, its elegance, the exquisite cast and the almost seamless way it wove its web of tales. You may not care for it. I do! I don't know if there are any happy endings in store for Once Upon a Time. I just hope it ends well.
9. The Borgias (Bravo, CTV)
Who knew history could be so vulgar, larger than life, over the top, and downright entertaining? The Borgias were like the Jersey Shore plebs of their time, an Italian dynasty of Spanish Renaissance origin who treated the papacy and the trappings of the Holy Roman Catholic church as if they were carousing on spring break in the Hamptons. No one will confuse The Borgias with Shakespeare, or even Robert Graves. Thanks to fun-loving, high-living performances by Jeremy Irons, Holliday Grainger and a magnetic Francois Arnaud — arguably TV's most auspicious acting debut of the past 12 months — and fine writing by Irish playwright and author Neil Jordan, The Borgias brought history to life. Almost literally.
8. Hell on Wheels (AMC)
Vengeance on the small screen was big in 2011. Where Revenge — the year's guiltiest pleasure — went for camp, however, Hell on Wheels went for a cool calculation and an epic, eye-filling sweep. A tale of one man's quest for vengeance for the rape and murder of his wife, set against the railroading of the American West in the months following the U.S. Civil War, Hell on Wheels saw its world through a sea of morally opaque mud. No white hats or black hats here, just grey. Sure, we've seen it all before: the conniving railroad baron, the taciturn hero, the strong-willed damsel in distress and the trusty, faithful sidekick. But this was familiar storytelling writ large, on an outdoor canvas of big skies and flat prairie. Hell on Wheels was no Deadwood, but then, it wasn't meant to be.
7. Game of Thrones (HBO)
Where Hell on Wheels was pure storytelling, Game of Thrones was pure mythmaking. I prefer my costume epics rooted in history and realism — I favour The Borgias and The Tudors over Camelot and Merlin — but Game of Thrones pulled off an astonishing achievement. What could have been an adolescent's fantasy about castles, dragons and mythic wolves was instead a sprawling, Shakespearean tale of noble families vying for control of a distressed kingdom. Fans of original novels are notoriously difficult to please: The wonder of Game of Thrones is that dedicated followers of George R.R. Martin's epic book series were among the series' most ardent fans. Game of Thrones boasted the TV year's single most shocking scene, too: the death of its reliable and beloved leading character — the hero. And not at the end, either, but in the middle. Now that's integrity.
6. The Walking Dead (AMC)
They're slow, they mumble, and they look like hell. Your grandmother could outrun them, and yet the zombies at the heart of TV's most addictive thriller were an ever-constant menace. Again. The Walking Dead silences its doubters with a taut, slow-boiling second season that burrowed deeper into its characters' buried pasts, all the while making the zombies seem more threatening. The desperate hunt for a little girl lost in the woods is an old TV trope, but The Walking Dead made it seem fresh, original, and meaningful. That cliffhanger ending was sad, and terrible — and, for readers of Robert Kirkwopd's original graphic novel series, a nasty and unforgettable surprise. Then again, not many TV horror adaptations can manage a line like, "Memories are what life used to be." The Walking Dead was a doomsday thriller we could believe might be real — even if, deep down, we know zombies are no more real than Game of Thrones' dragons and mythic wolves.
5. Dexter (TMN, Movie Central)
"It's a miracle I graduated without killing anyone," Michael C. Hall's Dexter Morgan said in a moment of self-reflection, in what was a compelling, yet oddly different, season of a thriller that always seems to find new ways to reinvent itself. Hall is still compelling to watch as a vigilante serial killer, but Dexter Morgan's late-in-life religious awakening — coupled with a pair of ritualistic murderers who, to put it mildly, are religious obsessives — gave Dexter an added layer of moral complexity this past season. We know now, too, how much longer Dexter will last: two seasons, after this one.
4. The Killing (AMC)
Sure, the ending added new meaning to the term "cliffhanger" — not to mention "controversy" — but at its heart, The Killing was that TV rarity: a tightly wound, serialized murder mystery that, through its realism and heartbreaking performances by a talented ensemble of actors — Brent Sexton and Emmy nominees, Michelle Forbes and Mireille Enos — drew us in and never let go. The Killing was one of the few TV dramas to constantly remind us and make us care about the victim, too, by showing how a teenage girl's death can tear a family apart. The Killing was ambitious, heartfelt, frustrating, maddening — and nearly unforgettable.
3. Modern Family (Citytv, ABC)
TV's finest, funniest comedy kept finding unique ways to turn its faux-documentary framework on its head, all the while making canny insights into everyday life and family relationships. Week in and week out, it juggled a dizzying number of characters and personal tales. And yet, everyone was a vivid character in his or her own right, even the children. The Mother's Day episode was a small gem, and a minor classic. Funny, too. Community aside, there may not be a funnier comedy on mainstream broadcast TV today.
2. Friday Night Lights (Global, NBC)
Stephen King, writing in Entertainment Weekly earlier this year, called Friday Night Lights "the anti-Dexter," and he meant that in a complimentary way. To both. That was before Friday Night Lights' Emmy Award-winning series finale, too — a finale that both met expectations and defied them. It met expectations by ending the series on a note we'd come to expect from the Peabody and Humanitas Prize-winning drama, and it defied them by ending a beloved series in a way that didn't let down the series' most ardent fans, or by opting for the cheap, easy way out. Think back on all your favourite series that had a weak ending, and you'll appreciate just how richly satisfying Friday Night Lights' swan song really was. For the record, writer Jason Katims and lead actor Kyle Chandler won Emmys for what was arguably Friday Night Lights' finest hour.
1. Breaking Bad (AMC)
Where The Killing's season finale left viewers feeling frustrated and Friday Night Lights ended on an elegiac note, Breaking Bad ended with one of those say-what?! moments unique to TV. Breaking Bad's best season — and that's saying a lot — was a slow-building, season-long pressure cooker, thanks to Bryan Cranston's Walt White going off the rails while battling both his protege, Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman, and Giancarlo Esposito's memorable villain, Gustavo "Gus" Fring. Gus, a respected member of the business community of Albuquerque, New Mexico, owner of the eminently respectable Los Pollos Hermanos chicken restaurants — and the biggest meth dealer this side of Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico — met his maker in a most unique and original way. You've jumped at some TV sudden surprises, and you've laughed at others, but when was the last time you jumped and laughed at the same time?
First in Breaking Bad and more recently seen in Once Upon a Time, Esposito is my pick for TV Man of the Year. It takes a lot to play a scene straight up with Emmy winner Cranston and the great character actor Mark Margolis, and come out of it looking good. Or half good, if you prefer. (Pun intended.)
There were many other fine series worth noting from the past year. I appreciated Treme, too, and Luther, Damages, Boardwalk Empire, Southland, Bored to Death, and Community. Curb Your Enthusiasm had a strong season, and not just that freaky finale with Michael J. Fox. If you don't know who could possibly pick a fight with Fox, you clearly didn't see Larry David in action.
There were other high notes, too. Among the fine series of the past year that you didn't see, keep an eye out in the coming year for Homeland, Boss, American Horror Story, and new seasons of Justified and Sons of Anarchy. Perhaps your local cable company will get its act together — though you probably won't want to bet the cable bill on it.


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I should preface this by saying I don't know much about this subject. So, let me explain the situation first. On my laptop, I am always signed into this message board and 90% of the time I have a tab open with the message board up. Usually, when I leave for a few hours and come back and click the link to look for new posts, it will give me all the topics that have new posts in the past two hours. However, the past 24 hours or so, it has given me a list a lot older than that. I think it's actually giving me topics with new posts from Tuesday. It's not that big of a problem since I can just look at the newest topics, but the problem comes when I click on the little icon to go directly to the newest posts in that topic and it shoots me to a post from Tuesday and I have to scroll down to go to the next page to find a post I haven't read. Hopefully this is making sense. As I said, I don't know much on this subject, but it seems to me that my cookie is not updating whenever I come back to my computer. Any thoughts?
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Chancellor Angela Merkel told officials in her coalition calling for a Greek exit from the euro to "weigh their words," as she signalled a renewed determination to keep the single currency intact.
Asked about comments by a party leader calling for Greece to leave the 17-nation currency, Merkel told ARD television that such comments were damaging as crisis fighting reaches a "decisive phase." Alexander Dobrindt, general secretary of the governing Bavarian Christian Social Union, told Bild newspaper that Greece wouldn't be part of the euro in 2013.
"Everybody should weigh their words very carefully," Merkel told ARD Sunday in Berlin. The Greek government under Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is undertaking "serious efforts" to reduce its debt, she said, and reiterated Germany's desire to stand by the country where the crisis originated.
Everybody should weigh their words very carefully
Euro leaders are preparing for a critical month in the three-year-old crisis that will involve the formulation of a European Central Bank bond-buying plan, a progress report by Greece's international creditors and a looming German court decision on bailout funding on Sept. 12. Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann opened a new line of attack over the ECB's plans, warning in Der Spiegel that monetary financing of budgets can "become addictive like a drug."
Merkel told ARD she welcomes input from Weidmann, lauding him for continuing "to make demands on policy makers."
Yields Fall
German government bonds gained last week, with 10-year yields falling the most in seven weeks, on concern euro-area growth has stalled and the debt crisis is worsening. They fell back today, sending the yield up 1.1 basis points to 1.36 percent at 11:46 a.m. in London. The euro climbed 0.1% to US$1.2524.
Talks will take place in Berlin Monday as French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici visits his German counterpart, Wolfgang Schaeuble to discuss crisis resolution. ECB President Mario Draghi may provide further hints on policy when he speaks at the U.S. Federal Reserve's annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Sept. 1.
Merkel's warning to her Christian Democratic-led coalition echoes the Greek premier's complaint that the "cacophony" of speculation about an exit has turned investors away from his country and made the execution of Greece's bailout terms more difficult.
'Toxic Statements'
Such "toxic statements, from wherever they come, can only do damage," Samaras said as he stood alongside Merkel in Berlin on Aug. 24. "Is there any businessman who will make an investment in euros to get it back in drachmas? The recovery of the economy is of critical importance if we are to achieve our goals."
Merkel struck a conciliatory tone toward Samaras last week in an attempt to heal a rift between Germany and Greece. French President Francois Hollande then told the Greek leader that his government must commit to overhauling its economy so Europe can do its part and move on from the debt crisis.
A realistic chance to recover within the eurozone is very, very difficult
European leaders' desire to hold the currency union together reflects a recognition that the fallout from a breakup could be worse than the cost of getting Greece back on its feet, according to Clemens Fuest, an economist at Oxford University's Said Business School.
"A Greek exit is really not attractive," Fuest, who also sits on an advisory panel for the German Finance Ministry, said in a phone interview Sunday from Oxford. "On the other hand, to give Greece a perspective, a realistic chance to recover within the eurozone is very, very difficult."
Troika Report
German Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler, leader of Germany's third governing party, the Free Democrats, who last month roiled markets by raising the possibility of an exit, told ZDF in an interview yesterday that while keeping Greece is "desirable," the government in Athens must stick to its agreements.
Euro leaders have said they'll await a report from Greece's troika of creditors — the ECB, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund — before making a decision on whether to ease the terms of the US$240-billion lifeline.
That report could come in "late September or early October" after troika officials return to Athens at the beginning of next month, European Commission spokesman Simon O'Connor told reporters in Brussels today.
Debt Writedowns
Options raised in Germany in recent weeks include front-loading aid payments to Greece to help it over liquidity hurdles, lowering the interest rate or extending maturities on loans, and pushing for a second debt writedown, this time focusing on bonds held by public institutions, notably the ECB.
The bloc is also awaiting Sept. 12, when Germany's Federal Constitutional Court will decide whether to suspend the euro- area's 500-billion-euro (US$626-billion) permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism. Until then, Europe's anti- crisis coffers will be less than half full.
In the ARD interview, Merkel called the ESM "absolutely necessary" to overcome the crisis and signalled that she's confident that the court will approve the measure.
"I think we've brought forward good arguments" for the ESM, Merkel said, alluding to the establishment of a euro-area fiscal pact earlier this year that laid out budget limits to complement bailout funding.
'Clear' Mandate
The bailout aid will also be needed to reinforce possible ECB intervention in the bond market to ease borrowing costs for countries such as Spain and Italy.
The chancellor, who earlier this month voiced support for the ECB's insistence on conditions in return for assistance, told ARD that the Frankfurt-based central bank has a "very clear" mandate, and that whatever purchasing plan is agreed to will conform with that.
The Bundesbank's Weidmann, Germany's chief central banker, said that the proposal for new bond purchases will increase governments' reliance on the ECB and won't help solve the crisis. Such decisions should be taken by "parliaments rather than central banks," Weidmann told Spiegel.
Merkel sidestepped open conflict with Weidmann, a former policy adviser, saying that she values his role within the ECB.


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Since we're in te "Odds and Ends" discussion area, here's a real odd-ball for y'all:
I have an old black powder revolver, a clone of a Colt. The original, black powder chambering was .44, which allows for the use of .45 caliber metallic case ammo because the bore is the same. What I learned only recently, though, is that when Colt first started making metallic cartridge revolvers in 1872 (before the introduction of the M1873 SAA), their Richards-Mason conversions did NOT use the .45 Colt cartridge. In fact, it turns out they used a cartridge called .44 Colt -- but the original .44 Colt was not the same as what's being sold as .44 Colt today.
If you buy .44 Colt ammunition today, or components to load it, you'll get a cartridge with a projectile that has a diameter of about .429" -- in essence, it's like a .44 Special Short. Modern .44 Colt ammo can be shot in revolvers chambered for .44 Special and .44 Magnum. But -- shoot it out an old .44 caliber black powder conversion, and the bullet will just rattle down the barrel without engaging the lands and grooves.
But .44 Colt brass is .44 Colt brass, and it's available from Starline. The difference is that the original .44 Colt ammo used a heeled-base bullet (like a .22 LR), where the base of the bullet has a diameter of .429" but the head of the bullet has a diameter of .451" or .452". The original .44 Colt ammo was outside lubricated -- the lube grooves were in the body of the bullet, outside of the case when loaded.
That's the ammo I needed for my conversion. After a bunch of Internet research, I found a source for the correct, heel-base bullets, and I ordered a bunch. They're nicely done, and they come pre-lubed, ready to load.
The cases are the same diameter as .44 Special, so loading can be done using .44 Special dies -- except for crimping. In order to properly crimp at the mouth of the case without mashing the bullet, you need a collet style crimping die. Lee offers one, but it's for .44 Magnum so it's much too long to use for .44 Colt. Once again, the Internet provided a solution. I found a source for a custom-modified (shortened) Lee die, made for the purpose of loading .44 Colt. The guy gets 50 bucks for the die, but he's the only source. When I contacted Lee to ask if they offered it, they told me it was impossible!
I have the setup in a 4-hole Lee turret press. I use a 3-die set for .44 Special, with the collet crimping die in the 4th station. It works like a champ. Since I'm dealing with something that there are no published load data for, I began with a very conservative charge of 4.2 grains of HP-38. They shot well and accurately, but the cases were pretty black. There was basically no recoil, so my initial load was too light. When I have some time, I'll make up a few more samples, going up by .2 grains at a step up to maybe 5.0 grains, and see how they shoot.
Fun stuff. I thought it was appropriate here, since the special die that makes it possible starts off as a Lee die.
Odd-ball cartridge
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The Privacy Act, unlike FOIA, only applies to written requests for records regarding an individual. (e.g. U.S. citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence). The FOIA applies to any person except fugitives from justice. All Privacy Act and FOIA requests must be in writing. All Privacy Act requests must identify the system of records where the requested records are located, and any particulars that identify the individual from another individual with the same name, such as date of birth or social security number. The written request must also include a certification that the individual is who they claim to be, via a penalty of perjury statement. The requester must obtain a notarized signature of the statement or submit the request per 28 U.S.C. 1746, which allows an un-notarized statement to be made under penalty of perjury. For further information, see 28 CFR 16.41(d) ("Verification of Identity"). If the requestor wishes to obtain third-party records, the requestor must obtain a signed consent form by the third-party.
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Please visit our FOIA Library for information that is routinely and publicly released. Visiting our FOIA Library is also a good way to check whether the documents you are requesting are already publicly available.
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Donna Summer Dead at 63
Donna Summer died on Thursday, and though she may be best known as the Queen of Disco, the 'Last Summer' singer's passing and an outpouring of support from country music artists proves the influence of an icon can transcend any genre.
"So sad to hear of Donna Summer passing," Sara Evans tweeted Thursday after learning of her sudden death. "I absolutely love her music! Had her albums as a child and memorized them! She'll be missed!" Billy Ray Cyrus also took to his official Twitter page to mourn Summer's passing. "RIP #Donna Summer LEGEND !!! Your music will live forever," tweeted the singer.
Even in the wake of what most would consider a tragic loss, Jimmy Wayne chose to keep things positive, focusing on the contributions Summers made in the music world. "Did you know that #DonnaSummer was the producer & conductor on 'We are the World,'" Wayne posted, referring to the massively successful charity single.
Born LaDonna Gaines in Boston in 1948, Summer first charted with 'Sally Go 'Round the Roses' in 1971 under the name Donna Gaines. The singer soon changed her stage name and overhauled her sound before scoring a No. 2 single on the Hot 100 chart in 1975 with the overtly sexual, 'Love to Love You Baby.' Summer earned an additional 13 Top 10 singles spanning 14 years, including the No. 1 hits 'MacArthur Park,' 'Hot Stuff,' 'Bad Girls' and 'No More Tears (Enough is Enough),' a duet with Barbra Streisand.
Summer also had connections to country music — at least as a songwriter. The one-time Nashville resident penned the song 'Starting Over Again' with her husband, and the track later became a chart-topped for both Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. According to the Boot, Summer was even a Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum board member.
A statement issued on behalf of her family reads, "Early this morning, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy."
"Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time," writes her family.
Donna Summer died at the age of 63 after a battle with lung and breast cancer. She is survived by her husband Bruce Sudano, their daughters Brooklyn and Amanda, as well as her daughter Mimi from her previous marriage.


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"George" is still too young to make bread with, it seems starters need to be more than a week old to have any effect and flavour. So I went with good old Tassajara for yesterday's loaf.
I had a terrible time getting this dough to rise, I think it may have been due to the dough not being wet enough, or a colder kitchen now that my air conditioner is going full blast. Anyway, after about Three 60 minute risings it finally decided to rise up enough to become bread.
Tassajara Whole Wheat Oatmeal Bread
The Tassajara Bread Book
makes one large 9x5 loaf
For sponge:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (I added 1/4 cup more water as my dough seemed stiff)
2 tsp dry yeast
2 tbs honey
1/2 cup dry milk powder
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
For dough:
2 tsp salt
2 tbs butter
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Mixing the sponge (use a whisk):
Pour water into a large bowl, sprinkle with yeast, stir to dissolve. Add honey and stir to dissolve. Stir in powdered milk, stir to dissolve. Add the flour, stirring briskly after each addition. Beat mixture 100 times, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 45 minutes to an hour (mixture should look bubbly and risen not quite double in size).
Folding in butter and remainder of flour (ditch the whisk, use a wooden spoon or other strong stirring device):
Sprinkle sponge with salt, mix into dough - the instructions in the book say "DO NOT CUT INTO DOUGH! KEEP AS ONE LARGE MASS. FOLD THE INGREDIENTS INTO THE DOUGH!", but honestly, I can never do it without the dough mass being cut into, so relax and just do your best, it's just bread dough.
Toss on the butter. Mix (see above).
Stir in the oats and remaining flour. Mix until it comes together in a shaggy mess. At this point, I've replaced my jar scraper/spatula with my bowl scraper to fold the dough into the shaggy ball.
Now, I do something a little differently here than the directions say to do. After getting the dough in the shaggy ball, I set it aside while I get my kneading space ready. I'll take a washroom break, I'll program my Ipod with something good to listen to while I knead the dough - I let the dough rest for a little bit. It can absorb more of the flour, relax a little before I try and knead it into a nice elastic dough. It seems to help, anyway.
Kneading the Dough (I use my hands):Turn the dough onto your kneading surface (I use an Eaton's wooden pastry board). Knead the dough by:
Picking up far edge of dough, FOLD dough IN HALF toward you, far side over near side, so that the two edges are approximately lined up evenly. place your hands on NEAR SIDE of dough so that the top of your palms (just below fingers) are at the top front of the dough.Add flour to keep the dough from sticking to the surface.
PUSH DOWN AND FORWARD, centering the pusing through the heels of the hands more and more as the push continues. relax your fingers at the end of the push. rock forward with your whole body rather than simply pushing with your arms. apply steady, even pressure, allowing the dough to give way at its own pace. the dough will roll forward with the seam on top, and your hands will end up about 2/3 of the way toward the far side of the dough. removing your hands, see that the top fold has been joined to the bottom fold where the heels of the hands were pressing.
TURN the dough 1/4 turn, clockwise is usually easier for right-handed persons, and vice versa. fold in half towards you as before and rock forward, pushing as before.
TURN, FOLD, PUSH. rock forward. twist and fold as you rock back. rock forward. little by little you will develop some rhythm. push firmly, yet gently, so you stretch but do not tear the dough.
Grease your original bowl, put the dough back in and re-cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. If it hasn't doubled in size, give it more time, don't feel that it has to be only 1 hour.
After it's doubled in size, degas by either gently pushing the gas out or the fold method. At this point you can either let it rise again for 45 minutes to an hour, again doubling in size, to make a "lighter" loaf, or you can move on to shaping and your loaves will be a little more dense. I've done both and can't tell the difference. If time is short, skip the second rise.
There are videos all over the web on how to shape dough for a loaf pan, this is just one. Using a digital scale will help your loaves be of equal size. What The Tassarja Bread Book says about shaping and baking:
Shaping the Loaves:Slitting the tops is completely optional. I baked this one at 350F for 60 minutes.
Start the oven preheating (adjustment of temperature may be needed for your oven. Electric ovens in particular may need to be set 25 degrees lower than the indicated temperature). turn dough onto the board. If the dough is of proper consistency, (i.e., moisture content), no flour will be necessary on the board. If too wet it will stick on the board. Use flour as necessary. If too dry the folds will not seal together easily.
Shape into BALL by folding dough to center all the way around as in kneading without the pushing. Turn smooth side up, and tuck in dough all the way around. Cut into 2 EVEN PIECES. Shape into BALLS again, and let sit for 5 minutes. KNEAD DOUGH with right hand. Turn and fold dough with left hand. do this about five or six times until dough is compact. This gives the loaf added "spring", similar to winding a clock. after the final push, turn the dough 1/4 turn and, beginning at near edge, ROLL up the dough into a LOG SHAPE. with seam on bottom, flatten out top with finger tips. square off sides and ends. Turn it over and pinch seams together all the way along it. Have BREAD PANS in a stack. Put some oil in top one and turn it over, letting it drain into the next one. place loaf in oiled pan with seam up. dough can fill pan one-half to two-thirds full. A 5 1/4 x 9 1/4 pan will take a 2 1/4-2 1/2 pound of yeasted loaves. A 4 1/2 x 8 1/2 pan will take a 1 3/4 - 2 pound yeasted loaves.
FLATTEN dough out with backs of fingers. turn loaf over so seam is on the bottom. Press again into shape of pan with backs of fingers.
COVER. let RISE 15-20 minutes, from finish to last loaf, depending partly on how long you take to make the loaves and partly on how fast the dough is rising.
Pre-baking and Baking:
Cut the top with SLITS 1/2 inch deep to allow steam to escape. For golden brown, shiny surface, brush the surface of loaf with EGG WASH: one egg beaten with 2 Tbs water or milk. Sprinkle with sesame seed or poppy seed, if you wish.
BAKE at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. smaller loaves will bake faster. To see if done: top is shiny golden brown. the sides and bottoms should likewise be golden brown. Loaf will resound with deep hollow thump when tapped with finger.
REMOVE from pans immediately. For clean-cut slices, LET COOL one hour or more before cutting. Note: adjustment of oven temperature may be necessary. electric ovens, especially, should probably be set 25 degrees lower than indicated.
Submitting to Yeastspotting.


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The Foundation offers its sincere gratitude to all of these organizations for their continued support.
All Sponsoring Organizations of The Appraisal Foundation are held to a code of conduct that was adopted by the Board of Trustees.
Code of Conduct for Sponsors of The Appraisal Foundation
Organizations interested in applying to become a Sponsor of The Appraisal Foundation can find more information at the following links:
Appraisal Sponsor Criteria
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All Appraisal Sponsors have the right to reproduce the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
Please note: As of 2006, all incoming Appraisal Sponsors are considered "Nominating Sponsors." Nominating Sponsors have the right to nominate an individual to the Board of Trustees.


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(credit: ©ACEA 2012/ Photo Gilles Martin-Raget)
[ MORE PHOTOS: America's Cup: World Series 2012 I ]
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The U.S. Coast Guard issued the official permit late Friday that is required to conduct America's Cup yacht racing on San Francisco Bay beginning next week.
The permit requires the implementation of 37 safety recommendations made by Iain Murray, independent Regatta Director for the America's Cup, following a deadly training accident by a Swedish team in May.
"This is an important and necessary step for the America's Cup," said Murray.
The permit was issued despite appeals by teams from New Zealand and Italy involving the late changes to the regatta rules following the fatal incident. An international jury will hear the protest, but not until after racing has already begun.
Murray defended the new rules despite the protest.
"I have exercised my professional judgment to the best of my ability, and have weighed carefully the unfortunate circumstances thrust upon us including (as a paramount consideration) the need to increase the safety of our crews, the officials and other Bay users, as well as the investment made by Competitors and all other stakeholders in this event. Safety is not a multiple-choice selection from which Competitors pick and choose," he said in a statement e-mailed to CBS San Francisco.
America's Cup racing runs from July 5th through the end of September.
(Copyright 2013 CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved.)
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iPad owners have two interesting new apps to try out today:
- AOL has released its "Editions" app
- Skype just re-issued its video phone app cleverly called "Skype"
This is the second time around for Skype and its app - the app appeared and then disappeared on iTunes Tuesday - but now it's back for good.
The free program allows Skype users to connect to other Skype users without charge. "Skyping out" or connecting to a traditional land-line or cell phone is also possible for a minor charge.
iPad2 users will enjoy a beautiful video connection over WiFi and a solid if chunky connection over 3G. Original iPad owners will only be able to make a voice connection. File sharing between users, available in the PC version, is not enabled on iPad.
AOL's "Editions" is a free digital magazine. It's customizable, meaning you can filter out sports news or ask for more tech news. A local news feature scrapes newspaper websites for news based on zip code. Link the app to Facebook and your friends' birthdays will appear in the magazine's newsfeed.
Editions has been compared to News Corp's "The Daily" digital magazine, but they're quite dissimilar. The Daily is almost entirely original reporting, Editions is not. The Daily is a heavy read - with long, complex articles - and Editions is not. In fact, AOL itself called it the sort of app you would use in the bathroom.


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Game 1: Farmingdale State - 6, Old Westbury - 2
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 1, Old Westbury - 0
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State softball team started Skyline Conference play with a two game sweep over Old Westbury. The Rams improved to 5-7 on the season and 2-0 in the conference, while the Panthers dropped to 5-5, 0-2.
In game one, Old Westbury scored two runs in the top of the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Farmingdale State cut the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth inning on a Marissa Brightman (Bay Shore, N.Y.) RBI single which scored Kristen Flint (Brentwood, N.Y.).
After sophomore right fielder Sam Johrden (Deer Park, N.Y.) reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, a pair of sacrifice bunts advanced Johrden to third base. In the Rams next at-bat, sophomore center fielder Michelle Mongiello (Elmont, N.Y.) hit an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
Farmingdale State scored four runs in the sixth inning to open up a 6-2 advantage. The Panthers were held scoreless in the final inning as the Rams capped off the comeback victory.
Senior first baseman Jennifer Jarczynski (West Babylon, N.Y.) was 2-for-4 at the plate, while Johrden was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Freshman catcher Meagan Anderson (Patchogue, N.Y.) batted 1-for-3 with a run scored and 3 RBI for Farmingdale State.
Sophomore pitcher Taylor Tedeschi (Levittown, N.Y.) improved to 3-3 on the season after throwing a complete game allowing one earned run and seven hits.
In the second game, the Rams broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth on a Jarczynski single which scored Mongiello.
Farmingdale State sophomore pitcher Taylor Webb (West Babylon, N.Y.) held Old Westbury hitless over the final three innings en route to the 1-0 victory.
Webb improved to 2-4 on the season after tossing a complete game shutout allowing only one hit, while striking out six.
The Rams next will host St. Joseph's in a Skyline doubleheader on Sunday, March 24th at noon.


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Taking steps toward a diabetes cure
By ACL
Young people from across the country and overseas took part in the Children's Congress to ask for continued research funding for diabetes.
By John Chambless
Staff Writer
Lydia Rehrman remembers every detail of the day her daughter Amelia, then 4 years old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
"It was at the Mushroom Festival," Lydia said this week during an interview. "I had this big thermos of water and she drank the whole thing. I was thinking, 'What is going on? Something's not right.' It was her first week of preschool. I took her to school on that Monday and took a urine sample to the doctor, and they called and said, 'Get her here right away.' I got her, took her to Dupont Hospital, and that's where she was diagnosed. … Type 1 is immediate onset, and you're immediately insulin dependent for life."
Now 11, Amelia doesn't remember everything about those early days, but she does remember the needles she had to have. "Thankfully, her sugar wasn't too high when she was admitted to ths hospital," Lydia said. "It was only in the 200s. You hear about some kids who are in the thousands - a deadly serious situation.
"They keep you in the hospital for three days because they have to train you," Lydia added. "It's like you're going home with a new baby. Everything's different. We were trained how to do the needles and all that stuff at the hospital."
There are two sets of twins in the Rehrman family, but no history of diabetes in the family or in Amelia's siblings - although they are being closely watched for any symptoms. The family lives in West Grove, where Amelia and her siblings - Maddie, Leah and Ben - are home-schooled.
Type 1 diabetes is not related to diet or lack of exercise. It occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to break down the sugars in food. Decades ago, it was frequently fatal. Today, it can be managed with careful monitoring of sugar levels and use of insulin.
When she was 7, Amelia got a small insulin pump that she wears every day.
"Every three days I have to change the (injection) site," Amelia said. "So instead of having a bunch of needles every day, I only have one every three days, except for pricking my finger to test my sugar. It just makes it easier to give insulin."
The pump allows Amelia to play with her friends and siblings, and eat pretty much what she wants - although treats like birthday cake have to be small, and her insulin levels have to be watched carefully afterwards to make sure that occasional treats don't cause a problem.
In early July, Amelia went to Washington, D.C. with her family to take part in the three-day
Children's Congress put on by the JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
"They pick 150 kids out of 1,500 applications," Amelia said. "The first day, we sang a song with Crystal Bowersox from 'American Idol,' who also has diabetes. The song was called 'Promise to Remember Me.' I talked to Congress about giving more money to the JDRF and the Special Diabetes Program."
The young people met with their congressmen to put a face on the problem of juvenile diabetes. About half of the money JDRF uses for research is raised by volunteers and groups. The other half comes from the federal government. "They're not just asking just for a handout," Amelia said, "but they need that extra money to get these kids cured. And they're so close to a cure.
"There are all sorts of things being tested," Lydia said, including an artificial pancreas system that may someday eliminate the daily grind of testing and monitoring for 18 months at a time.
While in Washington, Amelia met Rep. Joe Pitts and Sen. Casey, and got "this close" to Vice President Joe Biden in a group photo, Lydia said, smiling. But mainly, she enjoyed hanging out for three days with young people who understood what it means to manage type 1 diabetes.
"She made a lot of really good friends," Lydia said. "They had a lot of fun doing things. Even meals at the restaurants were fun, with them all testing their sugar and being concerned about their carbohydrates, where usually it's just her that has to do that. It was nice to be with other kids."
Amelia's commitment to funding research also extends to the Diabetes Dash, an event she started four years ago in New Garden Township Park. It's held in November each year.
"I asked people to come to the park with their bikes, scooters and roller skates, and ride around the park and give a donation to diabetes," she said. Each year, the event raises $300 to $400, which Amelia sends to the JDRF.
Amelia writes a blog (peace.love.hope.diabetes), where she posts photos of her meter and her insulin pump, explains the process of testing your blood, and opens a forum for questions from other kids about their concerns. An everyday challenge -- like being denied a cookie when her siblings are having them -- is addressed in a recent post.
"I just really enjoy blogging, and I thought we could share experiences with other people and talk about diabetes," she said.
She posted photos and comments about her trip to Washington on another blog (walkingtowashington), and she operates a site where she posts the photos she takes with her own camera. Her images of nature show a keen sense of composition. She wants to pursue photography as she grows up, particularly art photos of nature and portraits.
With so much going on in her life, Amelia said that type 1 diabetes doesn't hold her back. She can't describe the feeling she gets when her blood sugar is too high or low, but she knows when it's happening and what she can do to stabilize herself. As she enters her teen years, she said, she wants to keep raising awareness for research until a cure is found.
"I can't wait to throw away all the needles and the stuff that we have," Lydia said, smiling. "That will be a beautiful day."


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Advanced Search
When Microsoft filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against braindump site Testking.com, many hailed the action. But the suit explores uncharted legal waters, with unpredictable results.
However, even if Microsoft wins the legal battle against TestKing.com, the war against braindumps could remain unchanged due to the difficulties of collecting overseas judgments.
The IT braindump industry has been dominated by foreign providers, most prominently TestKing.com, ever since two criminal suits (one successful, one ultimately unsuccesssful) took down the two major U.S.-based braindump providers a few years ago.
While the parent company of TestKing.com, Certification Trendz, is registered in the United Kingdom, it is widely believed that the company itself operates out of Pakistan.
In fact, since at least 2001, TestKing.com and other sites owned by Certification Trendz have been associated with a Shahzad Shahnawaz, based in Faisalabad, Pakistan. A signature on a corporation document from 2005 appear to indicate that Shahnawaz owned the company at least up to last year, and is at a minimum still affiliated with the company, based on a post made earlier this month using a Certification Trendz-related e-mail address.
Still, other names have been associated with the company in the past. CertCities.com attempted to contact the company and Shahnawaz via various e-mail addresses to confirm his identity, ownership and get the company's take on this suit, but did not receive a response by press time.
The uncertainty over who owns TestKing.com as well as opportunities for legal discovery -- however difficult with a Pakistan-based company -- may be why Microsoft filed the suit against "John Does"s instead of naming Shahnawaz, said Paul Lesko, head of patent and intellectual property litigation at East Alton, Ill.-based Simmons Cooper LLC. "It could be one of those things…at least it will keep it open to potentially conduct discovery [or see] if there are other names are out there."
If Microsoft cannot identify the owners, or if TestKing chooses not to defend itself, Redmond could get a judgment in its favor fairly quickly -- months versus years – as long as it proves its case, Lesko said.
But no matter how the lawsuit plays out, if Microsoft wins, the company may have troubles collecting. Lesko said that anything awarded to Microsoft will be valid in the United States, but to collect overseas, Microsoft will need to get the cooperation of a Pakistani court. Without that, damages, property, business records and other relief the company is seeking are unlikely -- leaving only the domain names of the violating sites.
"It's easier to shut down their Web site, but it's a lot more difficult to [shut them down]," he said. "Just because you shut them down somewhere, doesn't mean they can't pop up somewhere else."
The expense of litigation and uncertain outcome is one reason it's often the last resort for an IT certification company to sue an overseas braindump provider.
As for the timing of the suit, Lesko says there's no real change in the law that would make it more sensible for Microsoft to file the suit now versus a few years ago.
When asked why the company filed this suit now, Microsoft Learning's Lead Project Manager Al Valvano said, " Nothing honestly has really changed in terms of strategy. We've always been focused on protecting the value of certification as an asset."
"I think this [case] is particularly noteworthy just because of the size of Test King," he continued. "But there's really been no deviation in terms of [our] strategy."
Microsoft declined to comment further on the specifics of the suit.
Whether or not the suit turns out successful for Microsoft, the industry is taking other steps to help combat braindumps, says Jamie Mulkey, Ed.D., senior director of Test Security Services for the test security consulting group Caveon.
Over the past few years, groups like Caveon, the testing centers and IT certification programs themselves have developed and are using technologies that can help identify cheating at various levels throughout the testing system.
And Mulkey, who is also chair of the Association of Test Publishers' Certification Licensing Division and head of its security initiative, said that the initiative is making significant progress toward identifying the source of major test leaks in the industry, although that research is ongoing.
So while lawsuits may not be the ultimate answer, Mulkey still has high hopes for this one. "I think it's huge," she commented. "[TestKing.com] are the kingpin, so if Microsoft's successful, I think it would…take a lot of braindump sites with them." -- Additional reporting by Scott Bekker
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the vice president of Web & Digital Strategy for 1105's Converge360 Group, where she oversees the front-end Web team and deals with all aspects of digital strategy. She also serves as executive editor of the group's media Web sites, and you'll even find her byline on PureAI.com, the group's newest site for enterprise developers working with AI. She recently gave a talk at a leading technical publishers conference about how changes in Web technology may impact publishers' bottom lines. Follow her on twitter @beckynagel.
From the next major update to Windows 10 to the next generations of .NET and PowerShell, here's what's on tap from Microsoft this year.
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So here are both my Guided Reading and Guided Math checklists. Click on them to download them.
For math...it's pretty simple. After each mini lesson I always give them 5 to 10 questions/problems to work on at their seats, to check for understanding (that is seatwork). With with teacher...well that's pretty obvious. As part of a schoolwide initiative we are incorporating Exemplars. They will have to complete at least one a week. Finally my tubs...as you can see from the picture below I keep my different games/activities in numbered tubs. Now I don't plan to use all six of them every week. For instance this week I will use just two tubs...One: Roll A Factor game and Two: Multiplication War. As we learn other games and activities I'll add them in...maybe a few task cards here and there as well. I am going to use the little red sign to write what each tub contains in it.
As for reading this week...again pretty simple. Read and respond is independent reading and writing in their journal, this must be done daily. Meet with teacher...again pretty obvious. Listening...is my listening center, I usually check books on CD out of our public library and let the students listen to the books (I have a splitter, so 2 to 6 people can listen at a time). As for the tubs...like math I will not start or use all 6 tubs each time. I think I will start with Making Words, Word Ladders, etc. I want to eventually incorporate technology as a center as well. We will see how this goes!