text:
Looks like a quite weekend of MTB racing in Northern California. This will only build the anticipation of all the thrills and spills coming up the following weekend at the epic Downieville Classic. Here is a report from Dusty Downs covering this past weekends series final of the CCCX XC races near Monterey.
The nine race Central Coast XC Series finished this past weekend, with all division winners receiving a Hot Shoppe custom winners jersey and some tasty Cal Giant Inc. strawberries signifying their series win. Many fine race stories developed throughout the series of races and here are a few notes and info.
Congratulations to CCCX XC Division Champions for 2008!
PRO/SEMI-PRO: Larry Hibbard (Family Cycling Center / Santa Cruz)
PRO/EXPERT WOMEN: Jamie Stamps (Another Bike Shop / Santa Cruz)
EXPERT 18 & under: Davis Bentley (Team Specialized / Mill Valley)
EXPERT 19-34: Scott Chapin (Harbor High Pirates / Soquel)
EXPERT 35-44: Keith DeFiebre (Scott/Ritchey / Prunedale)
EXPERT 45-54: Billy Hall (VOS Racing /Monterey)
EXPERT 55+: Richard Latorraca (Santa Cruz Bicycles / Capitola)
PRO/EXPERT SINGLE SPEED: Mark Howland (Black Market Racing / Santa Cruz)
EXPERT WOMEN 30+: Michelle Monroe (Joselyn's / Salinas)
SPORT 18 & under: Nico Cerna (Cowboy Racing / Salinas)
SPORT 19-34: Chris Sallen (Hup United / Belmont)
SPORT 35-44: Tim Keller (Patullo Racing / Salinas)
SPORT 45-54: Russell G Carmick (Roaring Mouse / So. San Francisco)
SPORT 55+: Michael Simons (Monterey)
SPORT SINGLE SPEED: Colin Daw (Wheel Away Cycle Center / Saratoga)
SPORT WOMEN 19-34: Felicia Reis (MTBR.com / San Jose)
SPORT WOMEN 35-44: Caryn Kralovansky (Castro Valley)
SPORT WOMEN 45+: Daphne Hodgson (Velo Bella/Kona / Monterey)
CLYDESDALE: Scott Harper (Atascadero)
BEGINNER 19-34: Luis Saldana (Salinas)
BEGINNER 35-44: Anthony Silva (Monterey Bay Builders / Marina)
BEGINNER 45-54: William Clevenqer (Cupertino Bike Shop / Salinas)
BEGINNING MEN 55+: Jim Zahraoka (AHS Cougars / Pt. Richmond)
BEGINNING WOMEN: Lesley Galloway (Code 3 Racing / Menlo Park)
JUNIOR MEN 14-18: Bryan Duke (Salinas)
JUNIOR MEN 13 & under: Samuel Cerruti (Cal Giant Inc. / Watsonville)
JUNIOR WOMEN 18 & under: Gabriela Crowley (Cowboy Racing / Salinas)
The Pro/Semi Pro division had Larry Hibbard riding to his third straight CCCX XC series win. Hibbard is super fit for his age and he had to battle riders far younger then him to claim the Pro/Semi Pro title for the third straight year. One of the riders who made a strong impression for the 2008 race series was Eric Ebberoth who rides for Team Joselyn's. Ebberoth, a strong single-speed rider as well, posted 3 solid wins during the CCCX series and proved himself to be a force on two wheels.
Scott Chapin saved one of his best rides of the year for the series final. Chapin claimed a strong win in the final and this result propelled him to series champion status as well. Chapin is also the coach of the Harbor High MTB Team of the Nor-Cal High School league and a excellent coach for his young squad. Chapin edged out Greg Heinz of salinas for the series win. Heinz gave all he could at the series final having suffered some road rash the previous weekend, and having to race with a large bandage on his upper arm at the series final event.
Keith DeFiebre was the Expert 35+ division winner. DeFiebre posted five race wins during the series and became a two time division champion having won the 35+ Expert crown back in 2003. DeFiebre also has claimed the CCCX Cycloross series Masters division in 2004 and won four divisions of the CCCX DH series this season.
Richard Latorraca completely dominated the 55+ Expert division. Latorraca rode to six wins during the season aboard his tricked out Santa Cruz bicycle.
Mark Howland backed up his 2007 CCCX Cyclocross series Masters division win by riding to the Pro/Expert single-speed division win. Howland had to out last Cesar Chavez and Nick Hanni to stand on top of the winners podium in the end in what turned out to be the closest points battle of all the divisions for the 2008 series.
Another Bike Shop of Santa Cruz proved to have two of the fastest female racers on the central coast. Sarah Kerlin and Jamie Stamps both posted multiple wins on the year with Stamps stamping out the series win with a final race victory.
Belmont's Chris Sallen started off the season by ripping off four race wins to open up his account of series points for 2008. Sallen then sealed the deal with a series ending race win to claim top honors for the highly competitive Sport 19-34 division.
Team Roaring Mouse's Russell G Carmick had one of his finest CCCX race series to date. Carmick blasted his way to five race wins on the year which lead to his twenty point advantage over second placed Daniel Crowley of Salinas. Crowley was amazingly consistant during the year finishing second place in five out of nine races.
The Sport Single Speed division was fully dominated by Collin Daw of Saratoga. Daw has a unique Single Speed set up and it was highly effective as the Saratoga based rider posted a perfect record of seven wins on the season.
Check the scales for Scott Harper who was this years Clydesdale division winner. Harper looks extremely fit for a big man and his fitness and strength led the way to five wins on the year and the series crown.
Felicia Reis was quite possibly the most improved CCCX racer for the season. Reis finished the year off riding very strong and fighting it out with many of the men riders out on the trails. Reis posted five wins on her way to winning the Sport Women 19-34 division.
Velo Bella/Kona's Daphne Hodgson always seemed to be riding with a smile out on the trails. Hodgson plays a strong roll in bringing the Tour of California to the city of Seaside each year, and is a local fixture on the trails of Ft Ord and the Monterey peninsula. Hodgson was the Sport Women 45+ division winner for 2008.
Bryan Duke of Salinas was the Junior Men 14-18 series champion. Duke's MTB skills have progressed at a rapid rate during the 2008 CCCX XC series. Duke will now set his sights on competing amongst the highly talented fields at the Nor-Cal High School league races.
Anthony Silva embarked on his first season of MTB racing and came away series champion of the Beg. 35-44 division. Silva was a true rookie when the first races of the year were contested. After winning the Beg. division Silva will now be testing out the Sport division in future races on the dirt.
Samuel Cerruti of Watsonville was the Junior 13 & Under division winner. Cerruti also is quite strong on the Cyclocross bike and his dedication to riding will surely lead to many fine performances in future races for this young talent.
Lesley Galloway had five race wins on her way to the CCCX Beg. Women's division win. Galloway is possibly the fastest starter of all the CCCX racers. She will charge full steam right from the start whistle putting all other riders under extreme pressure within the first 1/2 mile. Galloway will be moving up to the Sport division in future races and will use her hole shot tactics there.
Gabriela Crowley and Katy Kintz are two very fast Junior Female riders who have a very bright future in MTB racing. Both riders rode strong in many CCCX races during the 2008 series. Kintz finished the series off winning the final three races. While Crowley used consistant finishes to tally up enough series points to claim the Junior Women 18 & Under division title. Look for Crowley and Kintz to show strong at future Nor-Cal High School league events representing Salinas High race team and calvary Chappel race team respectively.


text:
Start Slideshow
- how to make lip balmsI'm a lip balm fiend, as are my sister and my mother-in-law. In fact, most of the people I know (male and female) have a strong fondness for lip balms—particularly in the winter months when we get all chapped and sore from talking too much while traipsing about in snowstorms. Instead of spending a ridiculous amount of cash on these lip-lubing accoutrements, why not concoct your own? They're super-easy to make, and you can customize them to suit everyone's tastes.1
- DIY Lip Balm TinsImage © IMakeGuernsey There are a plethora of lip balm recipes available online to choose from—do a quick search on Pinterest for "lip balm recipe" and you'll see what I mean—so you have oodles to sort through. From personal experience, I've found that guys tend to prefer minty, soothing balms while girls like sweeter, more fragrant ones, but that's a generalization -- you know your loved ones best, so go with the scents/flavors you think would make them happiest. The basics of lip balm creation are really simple: you need a fat (vegetable-based butter or oil), and a wax (beeswax, or carnauba wax if you want to keep it vegan). Flavoring agents and essential oils are optional, but with the two ingredients listed above, you're in lip balm heaven.2
- Green Lip Balm TubeImage © The Food Junk
<big><big>What you'll need:</big></big>

Oils/butters and wax (as your recipe dictates)

A small pot and a large pot for melting/mixing (or a double-boiler)

A whisk or spoon to stir it all (the whisk is better)

Glass droppers

Pots or tubes to contain your amazing lip balm of awesomeness

3
- Dry Lips Need BalmImage © Kurichan
 I generally prefer the little metal screw-top or slider tins for my balms, but if you're a tube lover you can find tubes (and tins) at a number of online retailers like The Sage and Etsy, and of course, Mountain Rose Herbs. Mountain Rose Herbs is also where I happened to find my favorite lip balm recipe.4
- lip balm tubesImage © McKinneyNaturals5
- lip balm tin
<big><big>Lemon Coconut Lip Balm</big></big>

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Sunflower Oil

1 Tablespoon & 1 teaspoon Beeswax or Carnauba Wax

10 drops Lemon essential oil*

6
- lip balm jarsChop or grate your wax quite finely, and scoop it into your smaller pot (or pyrex measuring cup) along with your butters and oils. Heat about 2" of water in the larger pot/double boiler, and once it's warm, place the wax-filled pot inside it, ensuring that the water doesn't spill into the smaller pot at all. Keep the water on medium-high heat until the wax and oil mixture has melted, whisking or stirring it gently to dissolve it evenly. Once it's all melted, remove it from the heat, set it aside, and add your essential oils. (Note: The scent of them will dissipate a little bit, so feel free to add a few more drops than listed in the recipe if you feel it's necessary. If you find that the mixture is starting to firm up, put it back over the heat to melt into liquid again.) Use your dropper to transfer the liquid balm into your empty containers, and let them cool overnight (or about 10 hours) before closing them. Add cute labels as desired, and moisten up everyone's lips to your heart's content!7

subset: commoncrawl


text:
President Barack Obama's visit to Facebook for an online town hall meeting on April 20 represents more than an outreach effort to the public. It signals his continued understanding of the powerful relationship between social media and politics.
Obama has more than 19 million Facebook fans. That's a huge number. In fact, it's more than four times as many of the fans of potential Republican challengers Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Haley Barbour and Rick Santorum combined!
Sure, some fans are kids, some live in other countries, some are American adults who didn't vote for him in 2008, and there are some, no doubt, who won't vote for him in 2012.
Take all those millions away -- whatever the number might be -- and Obama still has millions of voters who follow his posts.
More than that, many of those people send his posts to others. What a way to get the message out--consistently, persistently, and at no cost.
Facebook isn't the only way Obama communicates. He gives a weekly message on You Tube, yet another way for the president to connect with people at a time when so many citizens tend to feel disconnected from the political process.
These social media sites will be important tools for the 2012 presidential campaign. While opponents will use these sites as well, Obama has shown an uncanny ability to make the most of his opportunities.
At the end of the 2008 campaign, Obama had four times as many friends on MySpace as Republican opponent John McCain. He had five times as many Facebook fans as McCain.
Obama's 2008 social media efforts made the financial difference in the campaign. His online outreach attracted three million donors who made a total of 6.5 million donations adding up to more than $500 million. And these weren't heavy hitters.
Six million of the donations were for $100 or less, with the average being $80.
No doubt, Republicans won't get caught without a strong online presence in 2012. But Obama has the kind of head start that will be very difficult to overcome. Couple these numbers with the traditional "bundling" solicitations of heavy hitters now underway and you can begin to see that whatever Obama's challenges in 2012, fund raising won't be one of them.
Thanks to Facebook and other social media venues, he has millions of fund raisers ready to go.


text:
Investors in emerging hedge fund managers' first funds tend to enjoy higher returns than if they had allocated to a new fund managed by an established firm, according to alternative asset industry information provider Preqin.
However, first-time funds are more volatile than ones managed by experienced firms, and many investors are holding onto their money. Those interested in first-time funds has dropped to 38% this year, down from 42% of investors in 2012.
The average long/short hedge fund launched by an emerging manager since 2007 delivered annualized net returns of 8.8% in its first three years of trading, compared with an annual rate of 5.4% from new funds managed by established firms.
The average annualized volatility of returns during the three years following inception was approximately 14.7% for established manager long/short funds versus 17.3% for emerging manager long/short funds.
"With more first-time fund groups in the market than ever before, following the fallout of the Volcker Rule and revived optimism in the industry, finding the potential star of the next generation is an increasingly difficult task, and one many investors are unwilling to enter into," Preqin's associate commercial manager for hedge funds Graeme Terry said in a statement.
Terry said most investor groups were less willing than a year ago to consider emerging managers, and 71% were looking for a longer track record from managers before considering them for investment.
However, 75% of investors tracked by Preqin would consider smaller managers with less than $500 million under management, he said. More investors may have to do this as larger funds close to new investment upon reaching capacity.
The burden is on first-time funds to stand out in a crowded market, Terry said. "Emerging managers need to ensure that they have a strong team, robust infrastructure and a coherent strategy, as well as strong early performance in order to attract investment from the ever-demanding institutional community."
The Preqin statement reported these other key facts:
- 22% of emerging manager funds launched since 2007 recorded a loss in their first year of trading, compared with 26% of funds launched by established managers.
- However, emerging managers that suffered a loss in the first year tended to experience larger declines.
- 73% of these investors interested in emerging managers are fund-of-hedge-funds managers, followed by asset managers (46%) and family offices (43%).
- 274 new hedge fund managers set up business in 2012, a record, and 2013 could eclipse this with 231 recorded manager launches as of Nov. 15.
- 70% of hedge fund managers that launched in 2013 were based in North America, and 48% of all managers launching used a core long/short strategy.
- Despite an increase in hedge fund manager launches in 2013, only 44% of new fund management groups have launched their first vehicle—604 recorded as of Nov. 15.


text:
NEWS-Wish you were [t]here- George Jones at the Pavilion
At 74, George Jones has been wowing fans for over 50 years, and last Sunday, August 13, was no exception. Fans of all ages came from far and wide to listen to the "Possum's" signature vocal delivery. The packed house sang along to such classics as Grammy winner Choices and Why, Baby, Why– George's first chart-topping hit in 1955. But the most touching moment of the night was the dedication of I'm a One Woman Man to his fourth and current wife Nancy Sepulvado, followed by an ovation as the latest one and only kissed her man.


text:
"The Secessionists have been wild & devilish"
George William Berlin to Susan Miranda Holt Berlin, April 13 and 14, 1861, Berlin-Martz Family Papers, Acc. 36271, Library of Virginia.
George W. Berlin was a Unionist member of the Virginia Convention from Upshur County. A former Whig in a strong Democratic county, Berlin easily won election to the Virginia Convention on February 4, 1861. Berlin's wife was a cousin of the wife of Governor John Letcher. Berlin's letter described the scene in Richmond when news of the surrender of Fort Sumter was received and mentioned several people in his hometown of Buckhannon. He also referred to his brother Frederick Berlin, who spent the spring of 1861 in Wirt County, Virginia, where men were attempting to make money from discovery of an underground pool of petroleum. Samuel Woods, the death of whose son is mentioned in this letter, represented Barbour County in the convention and was one of the few secessionist delegates from northwestern Virginia. Near the beginning of a long letter that he began on April 13 and continued on the next day, Berlin wrote, "We have terrible excitement here. The South Carolinians have commenced canonading fort Sumpter to drive the United States troops out of it, so the war in that part of the South is actually begun & God knows when or where it will end. But we can suffer nothing from it if we can keep Virginia in the Union." Berlin voted against secession when it lost on April 4, 1861, and again on April 17, when it passed. He later changed his vote and in June signed the Ordinance of Secession.


text:
TLC has brought so much joy into our lives—Hoarding: Buried Alive, Sister Wives, I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant, and the list goes on—but now comes word of a true blessing that's about to be bestowed upon us by the network where different is always better. Preacher Wives will take place in Atlanta and follow the "outspoken ladies who work to ensure that their churches run as smooth as Southern-churned butter." Hallelujah! The show is being produced by True Entertainment, who also brought us The Real Housewives of Atlanta, so let's hope it won't be as snoozy as All-American Muslim and will lean more toward the Toddlers & Tiaras side of the crazy antics spectrum.
'Preacher Wives': TLC Orders New Religious Reality Show [HuffPo]


text:
Skip to main content
Below you will find a list of JCK Las Vegas show alerts.
1 - 2 of 2 results
Items per page:
Jewel-Craft, Inc. is a full-service operation. All stages of design, manufacturing, repair and restoration are performed on the premises with speed an...
Gemological Equipment, Labels & Barcoding, Packaging & Display, Bench Tools
Copyright © 2019 Reed Exhibitions Companies, a member of RELX. All rights reserved. Use of this website is subject to its copyright.
We use cookies to operate this website and to improve its usability. Full details of what cookies are, why we use them and how you can manage them can be found by reading our Privacy & Cookies page. Please note that by using this site you are consenting to the use of cookies.


text:
As I continue work to build my sites, I am sending out a call for authors to join Frontier Battles. If you are a historian of the British Empire from 1607-1815, a French historian of the same period, a Colonial historian, American historian, student, or just interested in the period that is covered by this site, then we want you to consider joining the staff and contributing to this site. You do not need to post every day or week, just when you can. There are only two rules: know what you are talking about (back it up with material if possible) and HAVE FUN. If writing about colonial/early American history interests you, then please email me with the following information:
Your name
Website address (if you have one that is relevant to this site), which will be linked
Institutional affiliation (if you are a student or faculty member, please tell me where)
Educational background
What areas interest you?
Please understand that this is unpaid work, but that you will have fun and be able to share your knowledge and insights with others. I look forward to requests to join the staff.
Daniel Sauerwein


text:
Doctor's Best Digestive Enzymes All Vegetarian is a uniquely formulated, full-spectrum high potency digestive enzyme blend created to complement and support the body's own digestive capacities. Each capsule provides the body with enzymes designed to optimally aid the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates present in cooked and raw food. The formula supplies the added support of alpha- galactosidase and beta-glucanase to break down vegetables, beans and grains, and enzymes such as glucoamylase and invertase to assist with the digestion of sugars. In addition, this complete formula contains friendly bacteria to uniquely promote optimal intestinal health.
- Science-based nutrition
- Dietary supplement
- Optimal support for healthy digestion
Best Digestive Enzymes All Vegetarian is a uniquely formulated, full-spectrum high potency digestive enzyme blend created to complement and support the body's own digestive capacities. Each capsule provides the body with vegetarian microbialderived enzymes designed to optimally aid the digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates present in cooked and raw food. The formula supplies the added support of alpha-galactosidase and beta-glucanase to break down vegetables, beans and grains, and enzymes such as glucoamylase and invertase to assist with the digestion of sugars. In addition, this complete formula contains friendly bacteria and other cofactors to uniquely promote optimal intestinal health.
Provides Optimal Support for Healthy Digestion
Assists Digestion of Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats Digestive enzymes are produced by the pancreas and secreted into the duodenum (upper small intestine), where proteins, carbohydrates and fats are broken down prior to absorption. As we age, the body's capacity to produce enzymes may decline. Moreover, stress and other health difficulties may impact enzyme production. Overeating sometimes causes incomplete digestion. Occasional heartburn, bloating, belching, discomfort, and a "sour stomach" is often a result of this. Supplementation with the enzymes in Best Digestive Enzymes supports replenishment of the body's enzyme levels, helping to relieve the burden on an overworked pancreas.
Benefits of Microbial Enzyme Supplementation
Enzyme supplementation promotes enhanced digestion and delivery of vital nutrients to the body. This benefits good health in many ways, including better elimination, support for healthy energy levels and maintenance of healthy body weight . Enzymes also help prevent accumulation of undigested foods in the large intestine, which may disrupt the normal healthy bacterial balance in the bowel.
Best Digestive Enzymes All Vegetarian contains microbial-derived enzymes that have a long history of research and use in Japan and in Europe. In fact, research on such non-animal source enzymes for therapeutic purposes has been conducted since the 1950s in Europe and Scandinavia. Scientists there were the first to report on the isolation and purification of individual enzymes from microbes such as Aspergillus oryzae and others. They also were the first to publish reports on the use and efficacy of various microbial enzymes for therapeutic purposes in studies on animals and humans.
Microbial-derived enzymes have distinct advantages over animal sourced enzymes such as pancreatin and have been shown to be more effective at supporting the digestive physiology of the human body when supplemented. Animal-derived standard enzyme preparations are active only in a small pH range and the activity of these enzymes is destroyed by acidic conditions in the stomach. By contrast, microbial-derived enzymes have higher activity levels (less enzyme has to be used for the same purpose) and are active over a wide pH range, with some reports showing activity from pH 2 to 10.This means that while over 90% of animal-derived enzymes may be inactivated in the stomach and be useless for digestive purposes, microbial-derived enzymes would begin digesting food in the acidic conditions of the stomach and continue this process well into the small intestine, increasing the efficiency of the digestive process.
Profile of Enzymes in Best Digestive Enzymes All Vegetarian Support for Carbohydrate and Fiber Digestion Human Trials
- Alpha-galactosidase - An enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of carbohydrates such as raffinose and stachyose. This enzyme is especially helpful in supporting the digestion of raw vegetables and beans. A study published in 1994 showed that alpha-galactosidase supplementation was effective at reducing indigestion and flatulence in healthy individuals consuming a high-fiber diet consisting of grains, beans and other vegetables.
- Amylase - This enzyme functions to break down carbohydrates such as starch and glycogen, a storage form of glucose.
- Beta-glucanase - An important enzyme that facilitates the digestion of betalinked glucose bonds associated with whole grains such as barley, oats and wheat.
- Cellulase - This enzyme helps free the nutrients found in both fruits and vegetables by breaking down cellulose, a plant fiber.
- Glucoamylase - This enzyme complements the function of hemicellulase by breaking down polysaccharides from plants.
- Hemicellulase - This enzyme assists in the breakdown of carbohydrates and is most useful for enhancing the efficiency of polysaccharide digestion from plant foods.
- Invertase - This enzyme facilitates the breakdown of carbohydrates and is especially effective at helping to digest sucrose, common table sugar.
- Lactase - This enzyme is necessary for the proper utilization and digestion of lactose, the predominant sugar found in milk and other dairy products.
- Phytase - This enzyme breaks down plant carbohydrates and is especially helpful at breaking down phytic acid found in leafy vegetables. Because it breaks down phytic acid, it frees the minerals in plants and aids in their absorption.
- Xylanase - This enzyme is a sub-type of hemicellulase and functions to break down soluble fiber from food sources.
Support for Protein Digestion
The enzyme, Bromelain, is derived from pineapple, this nutrient also facilitates the digestion of proteins.Bromelain has also been associated with a wide range of diverse health benefits of its own.
The enzyme, Papain, is derived from papaya and serves to enhance the digestion of proteins, facilitating nutrient absorption.
The enzyme, Protease, supports the digestion of protein and protein-containing foods, breaking them into absorbable units of amino acids, the building blocks for the body's regenerative purposes.
Support for Fat Digestion
Lipase is the main enzyme that functions to break down lipids and improve fat utilization. In this capacity, it supports the function of the gall bladder.The microbialderived lipase used in this formulation has been shown to have much higher activity levels than animal-derived lipase enzyme, enhancing the efficiency of fat digestion. Microbial lipase is resistant to inactivation by stomach acid and can digest dietary fat beginning in the stomach and continuing into the small intestine. A study in animals showed that a microbial-derived lipase was as effective at digesting fat as a 25 times larger dose of conventional pancreatin.
Beneficial Micro-Organisms
The bacteria bacillus subtillis is not known to be native to the human digestive tract,supplementing with this important probiotic organism promotes a healthy bacterial balance in the ntestines. Probiotic organisms have been researched for their ability to support healthy immune function, efficient digestion and the general health and well being of the digestive tract.
Supplemental Enzymes May Enhance Overal Health
The nature of the digestive process in the human body is such that it is highly energy-intensive. The pancreas is the organ that produces most of the digestive enzymes required for food breakdown and secretes them into the small intestine. The lower the efficiency of digestion in the stomach, the higher the requirement for newly manufactured pancreatic digestive enzymes. This process can place a burden on the pancreas, which may, in turn, place a large burden on the rest of the body. If the pancreas is working overtime to support our body's digestive process, it is diverting crucial resources from normal repair functions the body may need to perform in diverse organs and systems.
However, the body has developed a compensation method for dealing with this undue burden. The body smartly recycles enzymes that it produces as the unused portions enter the bloodstream into systemic circulation. Research has shown that this recycling is facilitated by pancreatic secretory cells themselves. These cells, which normally secrete enzymes produced by the pancreas into the small intestine, serve as collectors of unused enzymes that are circulating in the blood stream and can then re-secrete these enzymes into the intestines when needed for digestion. This reduces the burden on the pancreas to produce newly manufactured enzymes in increasingly large amounts. What is most interesting, however, is research that shows that this mechanism is used by the body not only for the endogenous (produced by the pancreas) enzymes that are in circulation, but also for exogenous (i.e supplemental) enzymes taken in from an outside source.
Supplementing with enzyme formulations containing a full-spectrum of digestive capacity, such as Best Digestive Enzymes - All Vegetarian, can reduce the need for the pancreas to manufacture enzymes and reduce the need for the body to devote large amounts of resources for this purpose. This frees up the body to devote its energies to the daily maintenance of other critical bodily organs and systems, potentially maintaining and enhancing overall health. *This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
About Doctor's Best
Doctor's Best produces products with the highest quality raw materials available on the market. They have direct control over and are an integral part of every aspect of product production, from formulation and raw material sourcing to finished product manufacturing. We directly purchase all active ingredients used in our products and use only the highest quality ingredients.
Every product is thoroughly researched and backed by the latest scientific studies conducted in the field. The formulations reflect the amounts of ingredients shown to be beneficial based on the results of scientific investigations. Doctor's Best uses patented, trademarked ingredients backed by scientific studies and clinical research. They never use insignificant quantities to enhance the label.
Doctor's Best directly purchases only the highest grade raw materials from proven and reputable suppliers to be put into product formulations. All raw material suppliers go through their stringent vendor qualification process, which includes a multi-step investigation including all aspects of the production and handling procedures, to insure the highest level of quality is reached.


text:
Throughout the holiday week, YourObserver.com will be counting down the top 12 stories of 2009 (one from each month) from our Longboat, East County and Sarasota Observers. Check back each day fro a reprinting — and any relevant updates — of the biggest news items of the year.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED May 14, 2009
Every morning for five years, a Blue Dolphin Café employee has placed the same portable sign that displays the day's specials on the sidewalk outside of the Centre Shops restaurant.
But on Monday, May 11, Blue Dolphin owner Rob Ball was told the sign, which the restaurant industry refers to as a sandwich board, is not allowed per the town's sign code.
It's not the first time Ball has had to deal with sign-code issues.
In 2004, Ball said he was assessed a $500 fine when an employee placed a sandwich board near the entrance of the Centre Shops plaza to get the attention of motorists.
So, when Ball attended the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board's second public hearing regarding a review of the town's sign code Tuesday, May 12, he was annoyed to discover that several other sign violations still exist along Gulf of Mexico Drive. And they have yet to receive fines.
"I have placed my sign in the threshold of where I rent for five years with no problem and now it's illegal," said Ball, who asked the planning board to review the ban of portable signs when it looks at the sign code this summer.
And, after seeing that a sign presentation made by town planner Steve Shield displayed violations at other businesses such as Michael Saunders & Co. and Harry's Continental Kitchens, Ball also urged the planning board to come back with something that will be enforced Key-wide.
"I'm in agreement to keep our sign culture and our upscale environment intact," Ball said. "But unless you want a community with large iron gates on both ends of the island, let businesses do business here."
Ball wasn't the only business owner who believes the sign code needs revision.
Alan Moore, co-owner of Moore's Stone Crab Restaurant & Marina, alerted the planning board that if someone buys the vacant Chevron gas station property, 6990 Gulf of Mexico Drive, and decides they don't want to keep the blue-and-white sign that alerts motorists of his nearby restaurant at 800 Broadway, he's in trouble.
"We can only have a sign there (per town code), because the former gas-station owner agreed to place it on his property," Moore said. "If new owners don't want it there, I'm left hanging in the wind."
Brad King, general manager of St. Pete Beach-based Palm Post of Florida, said several Key residents were fuming when his company was hired by area real-estate companies to pull "For Sale" signs out of the right of way around town.
The real-estate signs, along with the campaign signs that were yanked all over town in March, have spurred a revision of the sign code.
"In some instances, we are being told to put the signs right up against the home," said King, who said the signs are so far back that it causes people to stop on Gulf of Mexico Drive to try and make out the phone numbers.
King urged the planning board to define the right of way more clearly.
Planning Board Chairman David Brenner, who presided over the board for the final time, urged his board to put together a list of sign-code issues it would like to address in future meetings and provide the Town Commission with an outline of what it would like to review this summer.
"After receiving the commission's approval, you can begin to draft a revised ordinance that the residents and the Town Commission can review this fall during public hearings," Brenner said.
The planning board, which will officially appoint two new members next week, will decide how to proceed with the sign code at its Tuesday, May 19 regular meeting.
Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].
Throughout the holiday week, YourObserver.com will be counting down the top 12 stories of 2009 (one from each month) from our Longboat, East County and Sarasota Observers. Check back each day fro a reprinting — and any relevant updates — of the biggest news items of the year.


text:
Trade News
Murray Hill, New Jersey, U.S., 16 February 2010 – Fine and specialty chemical companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers looking for quality and productivity improvements while maintaining strict environmental controls and sustainability now have a supplier that can design and deliver cost-effective solutions to address their most stringent operational needs.
Linde North America, a member of The Linde Group, a world-leading gases and engineering company, has decades of experience in assisting a broad spectrum of chemicals and pharmaceutical manufacturers to improve product quality, production efficiencies and yield while reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
"Linde has developed several technologies specifically for the synthetic organic chemicals industry," said Bryan Luftglass, head of chemistry, energy and environmental solutions for Linde North America. "For example, we have solutions that can recover VOCs from process and waste streams as well as technology for efficient cryo-condensation in reactors and for freeze drying," Luftglass said. "In addition, we provide pH control and water treatment technologies and gases for inerting and purging," Luftglass said.
Visit Linde in booth #1039 at InformexUSA in San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center, 17-19 February, to discuss in detail how these capabilities can benefit pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers' needs. InformexUSA, sponsored by the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA), is an annual conference and exhibit whose sole objective is to showcase the latest in "cutting-edge, high-value chemistry."
At its booth, Linde will be featuring its CUMULUS® Fluid Temperature Control technology that provides fast and accurate cooling of heat transfer fluids through an indirect application of liquid nitrogen, which regulates temperatures within +/- 1ºC.
"The CUMULUS technology's precise low-temperature control results in improved reaction selectivity, easy repeatability, higher quality and yield," Luftglass said. "The system's compact design footprint also allows easy retrofit installation and repositioning to other areas of the plant when the process changes," he said.
For air treatment needs, the Linde CIRRUS® Vapor Emission Control system provides chemical and pharmaceutical customers with a flexible, compact and efficient option for reducing VOCs at reduced operating costs.
"Both the CUMULUS and CIRRUS technologies allow nitrogen gas effluent to be reused for purging or inerting throughout the plants," Luftglass said.
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 50,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. In 2008, it achieved sales of EUR 12.7 billion (USD 15.9 billion). The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
For more information about Linde in North America visit http://www.lindeus.com
Peter Gavigan
Linde North America Corporate Communications
Telephone: +1.908.771-1512
Email: email@example.com


text:
A sinus X-ray is a series of pictures of nasal sinus cavities.
X-rays are a form of radiation, like light or radio waves, that can
be focused into a beam, much like a flashlight beam. But unlike a beam of light, X-rays can pass through most objects, including the human body. When
X-rays strike a piece of photographic film, they produce a picture.
To evaluate symptoms of possible sinusitis, X-rays of the sinuses
may be taken from several directions.
An X-ray of the sinuses may sometimes be used to confirm a
suspected diagnosis of acute
An X-ray of the sinuses was formerly the standard method of
diagnosing acute sinusitis in the sinuses behind the cheeks (maxillary sinuses)
or behind the eyebrows (frontal sinuses). Because a
computed tomography (CT) scan shows a much clearer
picture of the sinuses and other structures, the use of standard X-rays has
But standard X-rays are commonly used to help distinguish
uncomplicated sinusitis from other problems that may cause similar symptoms,
such as problems with the jaw joint, dental infections, or headache. The
findings are often not reliable, though, so they should be evaluated with
complications of sinusitis such as a bone infection develop or if it becomes
necessary to see more of the sinuses or bones that surround them, a CT scan may
be needed.
Findings of an X-ray of the sinuses may include the
Normal findings on an X-ray of the sinuses will show:
Standard X-rays are fairly good at showing the frontal and
maxillary sinuses (those in the cheek and forehead). They do not show the
ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses as well.
Abnormal findings on an X-ray of the sinuses may show evidence of
fluid in the sinus or a thickened mucous membrane. This is strong evidence of a
sinus infection.
Complete the medical test information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this test.
Last Revised:
September 12, 2012
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine & Donald R. Mintz, MD - Otolaryngology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


text:
Hi. I'm R.J. Anderson, a Canadian-born, US-published, UK-bestselling author for children and teens whose sixth novel, Quicksilver, is coming out in early 2013. And if you're an asexual reader who loves YA fiction but wishes there were more characters like you, there's someone I'd like you to meet.
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special. Her hair flowed like honey and her eyes were blue as music. She grew up bright and beautiful, with deft fingers, a quick mind, and a charm that impressed everyone she met. Her parents adored her, her teachers praised her, and her schoolmates admired her many talents. Even the oddly shaped birthmark on her upper arm seemed like a sign of some great destiny.Her name is Tori Beaugrand and she's the maddeningly perfect-seeming girl described in that first paragraph, the girl that Alison, the narrator of Ultraviolet, believes herself to have murdered. But Alison is mistaken about that, and a lot of other assumptions she's made about Tori as well.
This is not her story.
Unless you count the part where I killed her.
"When you came in, I'd just broken up with Brendan because he kept pressuring me to have sex with him. It wasn't my fault he threw a tantrum like a freaking two-year-old—"When I wrote Tori speaking those words in Ultraviolet, I wasn't consciously aware of their significance. I just knew that despite the cliches about pretty, popular girls, Tori had only ever dated one boy, and she hadn't enjoyed it much. It wasn't until I sat down to write Quicksilver, the sequel/companion novel where Tori gets to tell her own story in her own words, that I understood the reason why.
"Milo," I said, "I'm going to tell you something I've only ever told one other person. And when I do, I . . . I hope you'll understand." Passionately hoped, in fact. Because if he said any of the things Lara had said to me when I told her, it would be hard to forgive him for it.Before I started writing Tori's story, I had a vague notion about writing a conventional romance for her -- perhaps a story where she falls for the wrong guy only to realize that the right one was there by her side all along. But the more I thought about it, the more wrong and unnatural that idea seemed. I simply couldn't envision Tori being swept away on a tide of sexual attraction for anyone, and I couldn't imagine a single person who would make her feel that way. I went so far as to type out a preliminary scene where Tori meets a cute boy in an electronics store, but Tori flat-out refused to be charmed and the boy just came off as an arrogant, condescending jerk who wouldn't let her shop for the parts she needed. It was a disaster.
"I know," he said. "You're gay, right?"
"No," I said. "I'm not sexually attracted to anyone. At all. Ever."
And yet I knew that Tori wasn't a cold or unloving person. I knew she was capable of passionate feeling and deep loyalty, and that she wouldn't hesitate to hug a friend in need or offer them a shoulder to cry on. I just couldn't imagine her in any kind of typical romantic or sexual relationship, and I wondered why… until the answer came to me one night as I was on the verge of sleep, and I leaped up and grabbed a pen to jot down the following note:
TORI IS ASEXUAL!!!Once I'd written those words, I couldn't believe I hadn't figured it out sooner. It made sense of everything I'd ever known about Tori, including all the hints I'd dropped about her relationship with Brendan in Ultraviolet. And it also excited me from a creative standpoint, because I had never read a novel -- YA or otherwise -- with an asexual main character before.
Yet I didn't want the book to be about Tori's asexuality, in an After School Special kind of way. I had far too many resourceful, butt-kicking, stone-cold awesome things I wanted Tori to do in the book for that. Quicksilver, like Ultraviolet, is a psychological thriller with science fiction elements, and there's a lot of action and mystery and suspense going on as Tori fights to make an independent life for herself and escape the people who want to control her. Her being asexual adds a layer of complication and delicacy to her relationships with her parents and her best (male) friend, and explains some of the choices she makes and the struggles she has in getting others to understand her, but it's not the central element in the story.
On the other hand, I also didn't want to fall into the trap of treating asexuality in a careless, superficial way, or allowing the non-ace reader to mistake it for a symptom of Tori's abnormal biology (a key plot point of the story). So I spent a lot of time reading ace blogs and Tumblrs to find out what cliches and myths about asexuals to avoid and if possible, to directly address and counter them. I also made an effort to clarify that Tori's asexuality was not the result of trauma or scientific experimentation or her unusual background, by directly contrasting her with another character with a similar background and experiences who was demonstrably not asexual. As she observes in one of the book's flashback sequences:
And now he was kissing [her], and she was kissing him back. Not a gentle let-me-comfort-you kiss, either. It was the kind of kiss that looked like it was going to end up horizontal, and [he] didn't seem to have any reservations about going there. So obviously my apathy toward sex wasn't a [spoiler redacted] Thing, any more than it had been a Chip-in-the-Arm thing. It was just me.Do I expect that Tori's portrayal is going to satisfy every asexual reader? I'd love it if that were true (I certainly tried my best), but I'm not banking on it. There's a broad range of perspectives on the aromantic - romantic asexual spectrum, and plenty of differences of opinion about what a healthy relationship between an asexual and a sexual person (and there is such a relationship in the story, though no sex is involved) should look like. But I was keeping in mind that most of my audience may not even have heard of asexuality and might have a hard time wrapping their minds around the idea, and I wanted to portray Tori and her non-sexual relationships in a way that would seem sympathetic and satisfying to the majority of readers. Baby steps, as they say.
To me the representation of asexual characters in books is important because it runs counter to modern society's obsession with sex as the be-all and end-all, the warped perception that sex somehow "completes" or "matures" a person (I always loathed this trope when it came up in fantasy novels I read as a kid) and that people who aren't interested in sex and don't make it a regular part of their lives are damaged in some way. With Quicksilver, I wanted to show how the satisfaction that Tori feels when working on a mechanical project, or spending quality time with a trusted friend, is every bit as fulfilling and meaningful to her as good sex is supposed to be for other people, or even more so. She isn't missing out on anything, and she's nobody's object of pity. If my non-asexual readers get that when they read Quicksilver, I'll have done what I set out to accomplish. And if an asexual person can read this book and feel a little less alone, or hand this book to a friend or family member to help them understand -- that would be the best reward that I as an author could wish for.
-- R.J. Anderson, November 2012
Quicksilver will be in bookstores mid-to-late February 2013 in North America, early May 2013 in the UK. You can see the cover, read the jacket copy and check out some advance reviews on GoodReads, or preorder the novel via Amazon (US / Can / UK), Chapters Indigo or Book Depository.


text:
Crispy topped Cumberland pie
Nutrition and extra info
- Freeze assembled or cooked
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal486
- fat21g
- saturates9g
- carbs41g
- sugars8g
- fibre4g
- protein34g
- salt1.8g
- 2 celery sticks, sliced into 1cm pieces
A collection of long, thick, juicy stalks around a central, tender heart, celery ranges in…
- 1 onion, chopped
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 really big carrots, halved lengthways then chunkily sliced
The carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root…
- 5 bay leaves
- 3 thyme sprigs
This popular herb grows in Europe, especially the Mediterranean, and is a member of the mint…
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 2 tbsp each plain flour, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce
- 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
- 850g feather blade beef, or other braising cut, cut into large chunks
The classic choice of meat for a British Sunday roast. Beef is full of flavour, as…
- 850g large potato
The world's favourite root vegetable, the potato comes in innumerable varieties. A member of…
- 25g each mature cheddar and parmesan, finely grated
Parmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Soften the celery, onion, carrots, bay and 1 thyme sprig in a casserole with 1 tbsp oil and the butter for 10 mins. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and stock cubes.
Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in the beef and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for 30 mins -1 hr more until the meat is really tender and sauce thickened.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a pan of boiling water until they're not done but about ¾ of the way there.
Transfer meat to a baking dish. Slice spuds into 1cm thick rounds and gently toss with seasoning, the remaining oil and thyme leaves. Layer on the beef, scattering with the cheese as you layer. You can cover and chill the pie now for 1 day, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 30-40 mins until golden and crispy, and sauce bubbling if the dish went in cold. Serve with peas.


text:
Jamie and I met each other for the first time at Applebees, halfway between our two towns (we met on eHarmony, so we'd been emailing for a few weeks before our first blind date). He was muscular and tanned with a slightly sunburned nose when he walked into the restaurant where I was nervously waiting, wearing one of my many black and white outfits, which is a color combination he teases me for wearing so often. After a few hours, a drink or two, and lots of getting-to-know-you questions and stories, we hugged goodnight and headed home with a thunderstorm looming. We lived about 70 miles apart, and after a long drive back to my apartment through pouring rain, I was happy to see a text from him... he told me that my smile was even better in person than in my pictures, and he couldn't wait to see me again. By our fourth date, I knew just how special he was and that I had found the man I'd been waiting for.
That first date was 2 years ago yesterday, and I'm thrilled to say that I fell in love with my best friend, and there's no one else I can imagine sharing my life with! :)
For a special occasion dessert, I decided to make Snickerdoodles. I think these are somewhat under-recognized cookies for their simplicity, and perhaps being slightly old-fashioned, but that's also what makes them so delicious. They are made from a simple buttery batter flavored with cream of tartar, which is then shaped into balls and rolled in cinnamon and sugar. When they bake and the dough spreads out, it forms really lovely cracks from the cinnamon, although this was less apparent since I used red gel food coloring to tint my dough a dark pink (since they are "sweetheart" cookies).
These cookies are thin and nicely chewy, staying fresh for days after. Since they are chewy and not crumbly, they are also ideal for ice cream sandwiches, and hold up well when pressed against the ice cream. The secret ingredient in these ice cream sandwiches is... Nutella! A little spread on each cookie before adding the ice cream just took these to a new level of deliciousness. And may I also suggest using Ben and Jerry's "Cinnamon Buns" ice cream... I'm in love with this ice cream, but it is also the perfect complement to the flavor of the cookies.
Printable Recipe
Snickerdoodle Cookies (about 5 dozen)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 small jar Nutella
- 1/2 gallon ice cream
- wax paper or plastic wrap
Using an electric mixer, thoroughly beat butter and sugar until creamed. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Add by large spoonfuls to butter mixture until all the flour is incorporated into the batter.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using your hands, scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough and shape into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture until well coated. Repeat with remaining dough.
Place balls about 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet, about 8 balls per sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Edges will be slightly crispy and centers soft and chewy. Remove immediately from baking sheet and cool completely on wax paper.
To assemble your ice cream sandwiches, turn all the cookies over so the flat side is facing up. Spread each with a thin layer of Nutella (about 1 1/2 teaspoon per cookie). Working quickly, place a scoop of ice cream, about 1/2 cup, onto the Nutella-side of the cookie, then take a second cookie and press down onto the ice cream to form a sandwich. Wrap individual sandwiches in wax paper or plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining cookies and ice cream. (After each 4 sandwiches you assemble, transfer them to the freezer so that the ice cream does not become too soft.)
If you did not over-soften the ice cream, freeze sandwiches for 2 hours, or up to 4 hours if ice cream became very soft. For any leftover sandwiches, store in a freezer Ziplock bag to keep them fresh.


text:
Case Transcript: http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/judgments/2012/zh-v-police-judgment
The case concerned the appropriateness of the police response to an incident at Acton swimming baths on 23rd September 2008. The claimant was a 16yr old pupil with Autism, epilepsy and various learning disabilities who could not communicate by speech and had a severe aversion to being touched.
On the day in question, ZH was attending the swimming baths for a 'familiarisation' visit with his carer (Mr Sateesh Badugu), two other school staff and a number of pupils from the school. Although it was not intended that he would swim or be close to the water, ZH broke away from the school group and stood fixated by the edge of the pool. Unable to persuade ZH to return with the group, the group returned to the school to get additional assistance, leaving Mr Badugu in charge of the claimant. The school now accepts that good practice would have been to have had closed sessions without the public present [146], but no criticism was made of the initial visit, nor of Mr Badugu's actions in dealing with ZH.
The situation became exacerbated when the Pool manager (Christian Harland), having been notified of the situation by the duty lifeguard (Yvette Burton), became frustrated by what he saw as the "ineffectiveness of the carer" [9] trying to entice ZH away from the pool with crisps. In a panic and in an attempt to break the deadlock, Mr Harland rang the police stating:
"We have a disabled male trying to get into the pool….the carer is trying to stop him and he is getting aggressive…he is quite a big lad" [10]
The initial police response to this incident was in the form of two officers in full uniform (PC Hayley Mckelvie & PC Emma Colley). Following the misleading 999 call, both officers perceived an immediate threat to life, despite ZH having been standing calmly by the shallow end of the pool for at least 40mins with several lifeguards nearby [70].
PC McKelvie went to speak to ZH, without speaking to Mr Badugu first, and touched ZH gently on his back. The Court held that this was the catalyst for ZH to jump in the shallow end of the pool [79]. The police officers justified their actions on the basis that:
"no-one was taking control and the police had to do so, and be seen to be doing so" [15, 76 & 77]
While ZH could not swim, the presence of the lifeguards and the fact that they formed a cordon to prevent him from getting to the deep end meant he was in no imminent danger. During this time, more carers and school staff arrived, however despite ZH being in the water for between 5-10mins, the police did not consult the carers for advice, or for help in formulating a plan, and none was offered to the police [21].
Three further police officers (PC Susan Tither, PC Varinder Sooch & PC Stuart Hunter) arrived at the pool and they then proceeded to forcibly remove ZH from the water. As he was lifted out of the water, he was immediately placed forcibly on his back and all five officers applied force to his body to restrain him [25]. Despite the carers repeatedly asking the police not to restrain him in this way as he was autistic and epileptic [26], two police officers shouted loud clear commands to ZH, while leg restraints and two pairs of handcuffs were applied, during which process, ZH lost control of his bowels.
ZH was then carried from the building and placed alone in a cage in the rear of the police van, still in handcuffs and leg restraints and soaking wet. His carer was not allowed to go into the cage with him, but was able to calm him enough to persuade the police to remove the restraints.
The claimant successfully brought three main actions against the police: trespass to the person (assault, battery & false imprisonment), and claims under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
Assault, Battery & False Imprisonment
Although the claimant alleged the unlawful application of force in touching or restraining, the Police argued that their actions were justified under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. While the defendant did not have to have the exact provisions of the Act in mind while they were applying the force they did have to demonstrate that:
- The claimant lacked capacity (YES)
- Any act was in his best interests (NO)
- There was an imminent danger of severe injury (NO)
- This belief was genuine (YES)
- It was a proportionate response to the likelihood and severity of any harm (NO)
- The response was the least restrictive way of dealing with the incident (NO)
- The views of the carers were be considered (NO)
The Court held that as there was no emergency at any stage of the incident, the police were not acting in ZH's best interests. The failure to consult with the carers before approaching ZH, removing him from the pool or restraining him on poolside was also unreasonable [125], unnecessary, and disproportionate [127]. ZH could also have been placed in a warm room within the building rather than the police van. While the Police tried to argue their actions were necessary, this was rejected by the Court as it would circumvent the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 [44].
Disability Discrimination Act 1995, s.21b
The claim under the Act was essentially that it was unlawful for a public authority to discriminate against a disabled person in carrying out its functions, or in failing to make any adaptations where necessary. In particular the Court held that 8 adaptations could have been made:
- Identify with carers the best way of communicating
- Take reasonable steps to address the situation
- Allow the claimant opportunities to communicate with his carers
- Allow the claimant an opportunity to move at his own pace
- Application of force was a last resort and should be at the minimum level necessary
- Responding to advice from carers as the situation developed
- Adopt alternative strategies to afford protection for C's safety
- Prioritising adoption of calm, controlled and patient approach with the claimant
This duty on the Police to make reasonable adjustments and to inform themselves of the situation was a continuing and non-delegable duty throughout the incident. Indeed, even if the school or its carers had been in breach of a duty to inform the police of ZH's condition [121], this did not excuse the police from liability under the Act [137].
Human Rights Act 1998 claim
The claimant was successful in claiming under three headings:
- Art 3 (inhuman / degrading treatment) – taking into account the whole period of restraint
- Art 5 (right to liberty) – while the use of restraint can be justified, on this occasion, "its use for a significant period of time on an autistic epileptic young man…was in the circumstances hasty, ill-informed and damaging" [145]
- Art 8 (right to respect for private life) – the police action was not justified as proportionate in the circumstances.
The Court was at pains to note that the Police did not act in any ill-intentioned way towards the claimant, indeed one might argue that the police were placed in a difficult and volatile situation by a misleading call. It is also true that while the claimant was not in imminent danger, he was in a dangerous situation that had the potential to escalate rapidly. Ultimately however, liability arose because the police jumped in at the deep end by failing to consult with the respective carers or use softer, more persuasive methods of control.
The case raises interesting points in relation to the tension between paternalism (in ZH's best interests even though it might be distressing to be restrained) and libertarianism (ZH should be allowed to do whatever he wants). As with anything, the context is all-important. If the police had been called when ZH had only just moved and become fixated by the water, or if it had been near the deep-end, or in a busier pool where there was more potential for accidental bumping / injury to the public, then the police response may have been more easily justified.
Ironically, the key failing of the police was not in immediately taking control of the situation, but rather in becoming fixated with an aggressive solution to a perceived problem, and demonstrating an inability to communicate with people around them. If officers had deferred to, consulted or sought advice from the carers (even if it was later disregarded as inappropriate), many of the problems could have been avoided. On the other hand, would the police have been criticised for delegating too much of their authorit? The incident also raises the tricky question of how they should evaluate the competency of any 'expert advice' they receive during an incident?


text:
HOLY MOLY. Another podcast. DrownedinSound Radio is here to please...
This special, one-of-a-kind, ATP Versus The Fans preview podcast comes at you with presenter Mike Diver trying his best not to swear and failing. That, there, was your warning. All featured acts are playing this weekend's – May 18-20 – ATP event at Minehead's Butlins holiday camp; for loads more information on All Tomorrow's Parties, click to their official website HERE. Perhaps you'll want to download this show to listen to on your way to ATP? Maybe, maybe…
Additional ATP preview content
For the festival line-up and running order, click HERE
For a fan's perspective on Versus The Fans, click HERE
For a band's (65daysofstatic) perspective on Versus The Fans, click HERE
For ATP's perspective on Versus The Fans, click HERE
Subscribe to DiS podcasts in iTunes
Download via DiS (right click and save)
The all important tracklisting:
** Mogwai**
'Auto Rock' (Errors remix)
** Yo La Tengo**
'Beanbag Chair'
** Shellac**
'Squirrel Song'
65daysofstatic **
'Await Rescue'
** Les Savy Fav**
'Yawn Yawn Yawn'
** Trans Am**
'Tesco vs Sainsbury's'
Two Gallants
'Las Cruces Jail'
** Built To Spill**
** Band Of Horses **
'Wicked Gil'
** Bat For Lashes**
'I Saw A Light' (DiS version)
** Do Make Say Think **
'In Mind'


text:
"This film tells the story of a country coming into its own; a nation with ample business opportunities for investors; and an entrepreneurial and energized population ready to change the face of Africa. Produced by EPIC Global Media, an award-winning creative agency which signed a Global Development Alliance (GDA) with the United States Agency for International Development Mission to Ghana, this film aims to build and present the brand of Ghana internationally."
(Video: Theafricareport.com)
Credit/Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4mSi-IGkJA
Paulina Opoku-Gyimah says: Omgoodness what a gem!!! Its like Ghana Rising Blog has come alive (laughter)!!!! This film is such a joy to watch …and yes, -we do still have a long way to go, -but by God's grace we'll make it… Amen. xxxx


text:
Up in the club with my homies, tryna get a lil' V-I, but keep it down on the low key, 'cause you know how it is.
I saw shorty she was checkin' up on me, from the game she was spittin' in my ear you would think that she knew me.
So we decided to chill
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
A dance party (also referred to as "a dance") is a social gathering where dancing is the primary activity. Some dance parties are held in a casual setting and open to the public, such as a rave, or those held in nightclubs and discothèques. Other types of dance parties may be a formal or semi-formal private event which often require guests to don formal wear and have an invitation or membership within the community hosting the event, such as school dances and Cotillions.


text:
American Manufacturing Continues to Thrive in a Global Economy
University of Michigan economist and American Enterprise Institute scholar Mark Perry has an excellent oped in today's Wall Street Journal [$] about how U.S. manufacturing is thriving. It can't be emphasized enough how important it is to present such illuminating, factual, compelling analyses to a public that is starved for the truth and routinely subject to lies, half‐baked assertions, and irresponsibly outlandish claims about the state of American manufacturing.
The truth matters because U.S. trade and economic policies—your pocketbook—hang in the balance.
For more data, facts, and background about the true state of U.S. manufacturing, please see this Cato policy analysis and these opeds (one, two, three).


text:
[Global: Pan-African]
To celebrate Dr. James MacIntosh's 62nd Birthday, April 24, 2010, his Co-Chair of CEMOTAP Betty Dobson invited Distinguished Scholar Dr. Ron Daniels to speak on "The Rise of Haiti."
In keeping with a previous pronouncement by Dr. MacIntosh that "Betty determines who speaks" while he "focuses on World Peace," the chosen Keynote Speaker was right on target, with his "A Game" as he reflected on past, present and future scenarios on Haiti, in light of recent developments. Upcoming, on May 22, 3:00 pm, at the Jamaica Arts Center ( A church) at Jamaica Avenue and 161st Street, CEMOTAP will celebrate 23 years, having Haki Madhabuti as Keynote speaker.
To begin, 83 year-old Rev. Charles Norris, Pastor Emeritus of Bethesda Missionary Church opened the proceedings with a prayer. With a blessing he began singing "What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and grief to bear, What a privilege it is to carry everything to god in Prayer. Oh what trials and tribulations we face, Oh what needless pain we bear, Only because we do not carry everything to god in prayer." Then he outlined out his relationships to the principals and gave his blessings before he had to depart.
In introducing the Guest Speaker, Dr. MacIntosh informed Dr. Ron Daniels, Founder and President of the Institute of the Black World, was helping with direct aid to Haiti before it was popular, long before the earthquake.
For long, he took medicine, school supplies and people to Haiti because he early recognized the importance of that beautiful land. Therefore, this spotlight is so appropriate for a man seeming to possess boundless energy, remarkable vision and an articulateness that compares with the best of modern orators. He indicated Dr. Daniels had written the "Black Pledge," that inter alia read: "We are an African people, we will remember the suffering of our ancestors, we will honor our elders ...."
Dr. Daniels said both himself and Betty Dobson as well as Preston Wilcox were products of the greater Youngston, Ohio, area.
Thereafter, in a tour de force oration, some call an "A GAME," Dr. Daniels insisted "Haitian children should remain in Haiti," and then waylaid the issue of Haiti, focusing on a multitude of contexts, viz., history, culture, religion, medicine, liberation, Pan-Africanism, ethnicity, tourism, the Clintons, and the roles of indigenous and diasporian Haitians as well as Black Americans in the Renaissance of the New Haiti. The master, in articulate artistry, sketched side by side murals of the significance and symbolism of the old and new Haiti.
To achieve such, he pointed to Haiti as being contextualized within the Haitian Revolution; but even this phenomenon needs be assessed within a broader framework of greater and more deadly physical and psychological implications of slave experience, the MAAFA or Great Enslavement. To explicate such, he referenced two phenomenal classics, Eric Williams' Capitalism and Slavery and Walter Rodney's How Europe Under-Developed Africa. A third equally important volume in the tragedy and triumph of Haiti is C.L.R. James' masterful The Black Jacobins, about the Haitian Revolution. These powerful works that should be in every thinking man's library, constructively articulates the relationship between Europe and Africa in that terrible experience called "a crime against humanity" and the long lasting effect it has had.
First, Ron Daniels referred to a New York Times article of Friday, April 23, 2010, wherein the "Professor at the Beer Summit" Skip Gates decried calls for reparations because "Africans were involved in the Slave trade." Pointing out that slavery existed from the earliest times, Daniels insisted, however, "British and American chattel slavery was different and much more brutal!" He did admit some Africans were involved in selling other Blacks, but these he considered "stooges" of the White man.
He likened this behavior to the drug dealer plague in the Black community; but these too are also stooges of the drug barons who poison our communities. Nevertheless, and whereas from ancient times people were considered slaves from military, cultural or ethnic perspectives; he pointed out, New World slavery was racial.
Previously persons were enslaved from circumstances, but these slaves had families, owned property and could even attain high levels in a society, but this was not so in the Americas with the African.
He argued, while any slavery should not be condoned, Africans did not initiate Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade nor were they its primary beneficiaries. They did not get ships and begin trading with the New World. However, Africans were brutally victimized in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and when they got to the American shores they were again ill-treated in the institution of slavery, forced to labor for free building this nation and that itself justifies the claims for reparations. This is why, because of this fact, Africans should not have overlooked, but have had a passion for Haiti because of the incredible phenomenon of its experience; to wit, he argued, the Haitian Revolution was the most phenomenal compared to the other two, American and French; that is, within the context of human rights in that age.
As such, the American Revolution, whose watchword was "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" was about political representation within the British Empire. However, the French Revolution was class representation within the French cultural context. The Haitian Revolution, on the other hand, was about physical freedom and liberation of the human spirit. All this developed within the rise of Europe, its expansion overseas and subsequent conquest, extermination, domination and exploitation of non-white peoples, giving rise to the notion and practice of "white supremacy."
Europeans intruded into Africa, Daniels explained, and not only ultimately dominated the continent, but importantly diffused Africans all over the New World. These were to be enslaved in European plantation culture, manned by Europeans, benefitting Europeans and Europe. Haiti, the land called "Hispaniola," was a rich prize of early naked imperialism and generated intense competition among colonialist nations.
In that horrifying experience, European overseas expansion was fueled by economic theories of "bullionism," "specie accumulation" through "mercantilism" that regulated "balance of trade" and other capitalist and imperialist strategies and practices as propounded by the Adam Smiths of the age. In this unusual experience Europeans perpetuated a practice of conquering, brutalizing and killing while instilling a fear-filled superior/inferior people oriented mentality. As Dr. Daniels pointed out, "No where until now was race used as a basis for subjugation of a people."
Using history as a profound example, the Professor showed even ancient chauvinism was based on culture, nationality, but never on race. Even the Greeks, the ancient Greeks, saw non-Greeks as inferior because of their nationality, not their race. Cletus, Commander of Alexander's cavalry regiment was African! So too, the Roman who viewed others not on race, but culture. A black Roman would see others irrespective of color, as inferior, simply because they were non-Roman! As such, Sappho the poetess and Aesop were Africans! They were African Emperors of Rome and many of the theorists of the early Christian church, the "church fathers," were Africans. There were 3 African popes! Herodotus, the "father of history" praised the ancient Ethiopians as "the most just of men." The most beautiful people! Certainly he did not consider them inferior! Only until the Atlantic Slave Trade with its horrendous Middle Passage and dehumanizing Triangular Trade pattern was race made a factor. However, importantly, the trade never began on a racial note but as a cold, calculated, capitalist business venture. Nevertheless, here was experienced the "crafting of race" and projecting white over black with "black at the back and base" of the "white supremacy myth."
Therefore, the nature of "white supremacy" is such that white is superior and black is inferior, and all shades lie between. Such was instrumental in the old adage: "If you are white, you're all right; if you're brown you could stick around; if you're yellow, you're mellow; but if you're black, get back!" So European theorists, Gobineau and others of like mind, crafted the theory of race, and created Caucasoid, Mongoloid and Negroid races of peoples, with Negroid or black farthest from white. To divide and further subjugate the black race they bastardized them; then they created human color schemes as octoroons, quadroons, etc. The maroons, however, were rebellious!
Dr. Daniels explained, the American Revolution (1776-1783) was essentially a fight between the British and their colonial kin. Meanwhile, Africans, on the other hand, were simultaneously enslaved, considered de jure and de facto as less than humans. The French Revolution (1789-1791) was a class struggle among French men. Concurrently, in the era of extolling the "Rights of Man" both the British and Americans and the French were involved in subjugating, exploiting and dehumanizing Africans in institutions of slavery while still proclaiming "All men are born free and are created equal, endowed by their creator with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and equally exhorted calls of "liberty, equality, fraternity" Undoubtedly, practiced exclusion meant Africans were not considered men! The syllogistic calculus, with its major and minor premises and derivative conclusion argues: 1. "All men are equal; 2. Africans are enslaved; 3. Africans are not men"
The Haitians stood up. They said No. "We are men! No to slavery! Haiti will be free!" Perhaps they coined the old Negro spiritual, "Before I be a slave, I go home to my grave to be free." They launched the Haitian Revolution to uphold that contention, rid their island of slavery and in process, unintentionally sent a message to nations that subjugated fellow men. "These black men and women of Haiti gave us dignity when we were down on our knees," Dr. Daniels affirmed. In this effort, they defeated three of the best armies of the time. They crushed the Spanish, defeated the British and humiliated the French. This revolutionary action shattered the "myth of white supremacy" and was to ultimately prove very costly for Haiti.
Brother Ron Daniels contended: The Haitian Revolution was led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, who, though he won the battle lost the war. After defeating the French he believed he could develop a cordial relationship with France. He was a statesman and tried to be diplomatic, pleasing to everyone! However, while some French wanted to accommodate his aspirations, creating Haiti as an Overseas Department with Toussaint L'Ouverture as its governor; along came Napoleon Bonaparte, ranked with Hannibal as a great military strategist, who viewed such actions as "uppity" and insisted Haiti must be re-conquered. In order for him to confront the British and Americans in North America, Napoleon had to hold on to Haiti. In order to exploit the enormous potential riches of the Mississippi River valley, he had to subjugate Haiti! In order to maintain a credible French empire in the New World, he had to crush the Haitian Revolution. So Napoleon invited Toussaint to France and kidnapped him! Toussaint died in a French dungeon because he had humiliated the French in an age of empire.
Thereafter, the Haitians got serious and declared their independence from France under Dessalines on January 1, 1804. He was followed by Henri Christophe, Andre Peitein and voodoo priestesses who imbued spirituality into the movement and must also be given recognition in the role they played in assuring Haiti's independence. This achievement, glorious in its inward manifestation and phenomenal in its outward implications should have been celebrated by freedom loving individuals worldwide. However, this was not so, and the road there and thenceforward has not only been interesting, complicated, but also strewn with pitfalls. Yet, Haiti engaged, as Professor Daniels indicated, some of the most significant personalities in African American and Haitian experience who saw the beautiful land as more than projected and fought to uphold the significance and symbolism it represented.
Dr. Daniels pointed out, Buckman came to Haiti from Jamaica in 1791 and proved a tremendous force aiding the revolution. The leaders, men and women, "prayed and provided the spiritual power that undergirded the revolution." Haiti had sent black men to fight at the Battle of Savannah during the American Revolution. These soldiers "had learned the white man's ways." They learned military techniques, how to fire the canon and saw the white man killed in the American Revolution. They put this knowledge to good use against the French, British and Spanish. Equally they had seen "The white man's god!" "They had seen the behaviors of those who preached and practiced the white man's religion." This they rejected, prayed and affirmed, "Our god is a just god! Our god will not fail us." What they were recognizing was one god no matter what he was called. This world view was the prototype of liberation theology.
The Haitian Revolution benefitted America tremendously and should have been more appreciated with a special relationship between the two nations. Besides Haitians fighting in the War of Independence; with his plans thwarted, Napoleon was forced to sell the Louisiana Purchase to Thomas Jefferson for, by today's standards, the measly sum of $15 million. This purchase doubled the size of the nation at start of the 19th Century. Therefore, from very early Haiti should have enjoyed a special relationship with America. Her accomplishments, however, were not celebrated but she was isolated, marginalized, stigmatized, later forced to pay reparations to France and invaded by the US in 1915 until 1934.
The contradiction facing America was thus the status of its subjugated African population on the one hand, and usefulness of celebrating the Haitian Revolution against the injustice of slavery on the other. Dr. Daniels contended, such persons as Denmark Vesey, Gabriel Prosser, Nat Turner, perhaps even David Walker must have known of the Haitians' success and the inspiration it must have imbued them with. Frederick Douglass certainly did, as he was an American envoy to Haiti. In the birth of the NAACP, Walter White and James Weldon Johnson championed Haiti's cause. The AME Church's James Theodore Holly found great solace in the religious nature of the Haitian people and like so many others, worked to uplift Haiti. Mr. Daniels mentioned $2 billion was collected for Haiti. $1 billion was collected in the United States. At the Donor's Conference they hoped to raise $4 billion in 18 months but instead they raised $10 billion over a 4-year period. He therefore insisted we must follow the money trail.
Haiti has its problems. It has its thugs. Dr. Daniels referred to "a backward elite that has been in complicity with the US and other power brokers' interests." They are the "ones who benefitted from US support" of the dreaded Duvalier regimes simply because they were anti-communist. He mentioned pressures against Haitian farmers "who could grow enough rice to feed the entire Caribbean." In addition erudite professor noted how in the recent swine flu scare, all the Haitian pigs were slaughtered even though they were resistant to many forms of disease. End result, "import pigs from abroad." Nevertheless, "because the preponderant picture of the Haitians is that they are a proud people, we must stand with the Haitian brothers and sisters."
He cautioned about trade patterns between the United States and Haiti and said, "We must offer help to farmers." He indicated his organization has developed a "seeds program" to buy seeds for farmers. The function of the "Oasis Institute" is to proved a "complete rap around service" of food, clothing and shelter as well as education to aid Haitian children, remaining in Haiti. They are partnering with 7 black adoption agencies in hope to create an "Oasis Guardian" program. He lamented the loss of women's issue advocates lost in the earthquake and this has set back their cause allowing all types of on-toward behaviors against women. However, next April 2011, his group intends to take 2300 people on a Haiti Cruise, a "Pilgrimage of Hope" to stay in the north 3 to 4 days. There people can visit the Citadel, do some hands on work with the people, even purchase Haitian art to stimulate the local economy.
Finally, he insisted the Haitian people must assume their role as a principal Pan-African nation in this hemisphere. "We do not want to rebuild Haiti," Dr. Ron Daniels exhorted, "We want a new Haiti!"
Please post your comments directly or submit them to firstname.lastname@example.com
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to email@example.com and email@example.com
We need your advertising support to produce strong journalism, especially during periods of economic instability, so please contact email@example.com for advertising rates and long term packages.
All content is copyright Black Star News © 2011. All rights reserved.


text:
Hello, I'm a university student and looking to learn outside the classroom. I already tried making this post but must not have gone through?
My application will be an intercom throughout my house, and later on I want to try doing controls of things from my pc with voice on a modern looking GUI. This means I need text parsing, as that would be the output of voice software.
What I'm trying to figure out is which language is best suited to run both serial communication and text parsing for background services , and what is best for the GUI ?
My roommate uses Apple product while I use android and windows, so I would prefer something easily ported to those os.
I know Perl is considered the standard for text parsing like this, but also I could token the stings with strtok in c++ and use a decision tree. My knowledge in programming is mostly c/c++ but this is a learning experience, so I'm open to any suggestion.
I know Perl will be easier to port, but looking at GUI creation three just doesn't seem too many resources that I could find to make a modern looking GUI like those with WPF or js, to name a few.
Would it be wise to use Perl for my backend work and a separate language for my GUI ? Is this difficult to make two languages work well for a single system like this? How is it done on professional cross platform apps?
Thanks for any help!


text: Brothers Terrence "Pusha T" and Gene "Malice" Thornton—a.k.a. Clipse—spend a surprising amount of their third official album (not counting mixtapes and collaborative showcases) sounding both upbeat and reflective. "Freedom," which opens Til The Casket Drops, begins with Pusha rapping, "With every line written and all I have given / Music's been nothing more than a self-made prison," with Malice later musing, "Like Napa Valley vintage, my flow is fermented." There's less of the snarling, knotty bumptiousness that made both Lord Willin' (2002) and Hell Hath No Fury (2006) instant classics, even though there's still plenty of clever talk about selling cocaine and the myriad internal pressures it brings. Still, it's noticeable when they puncture that bad-ass mythos on "Counseling": "I'm used to getting what, when I want, where I want, how I want / Then them girls holler, 'You ain't shit' … You ain't alone, I too am a sleazebag / I guess I need celebrity rehab." It's also obvious they're going for airplay more than usual: The Neptunes provide "Counseling" and "I'm Good" with airy, laid-back synths, while the failed "All Eyes On Me" (with Keri Hilson) gets banging, cartoonish percussion. The real action is on "Popular Demand (Popeyes)," on which Pusha, Malice, and Cam'ron trade assured, laid-back verses over a track with the same qualities. "I'm back by popular demaaaaand," Pharrell drawls on the chorus; on moments like these, it's not hard to hear why.


text:
Jones Day are a bunch of litigious bastards
A tiny startup called BlockShopper was bullied by a large law-firm (also known as a bunch of litigious bastards) into amending their hyperlink policy. Yes, you read that right. They were threatened and sued for linking to the law-firm's website in a manner that apparently didn't please them. See, the dumbasses didn't like the fact that BlockShopper linked to them because they believed that their potential customers would somehow "confuse" the links and assume that the information on BlockShopper's pages was officially related to Jones Day. According to the terms of the settlement, BlockShopper can't link to Jones Day using, for example, "idiots who don't know the internet works". Instead, they have to explicitly use "http://jonesday.com". Faced with potentially high legal fees that fall somewhere between "absolutely insane" and "eleventybillion", and also faced by a judge who seemingly doesn't understand how the internet works (he must have crawled out from under a rock somewhere), BlockShopper was forced to settle their case and accede to Jones Day's demands. The Ars Technica article I linked to earlier has the full details. I suspect Jones Day (also known as clueless morons, imbeciles, dumbasses, bullies and all-round idiots) are going to get a crash course on the Streisand Effect.


text:
This week's "Saturday Night Live" host Kerry Washington wasted no time helping address the lack of African-American women in the show's cast.
In the opening sketch, Washington portrayed first Lady Michelle Obama discussing an upcoming state dinner with President Obama (Jay Pharoah) in the Oval Office. The two were interrupted by an aide, who came in, saying Oprah Winfrey had arrived for the dinner and wanted to see the president.
Washington was "asked" to change into another costume and come back as Winfrey. While Washington changed, a voiceover came on to make an announcement:
U.S. & World
"The producers at Saturday Night Live would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play. We make these requests because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent – and also because SNL does not currently have a black woman on the cast. Mostly the latter. We agree this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the near future, unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first."
Washington returned as Oprah, but was asked to leave again because Beyonce was waiting to meet with the president.
President Obama asked if anyone else would be visiting him and his aide said they had an exciting treat: in came six castmembers dressed as "Dallas Buyers Club" star Matthew McConaughey.
The sketch concluded with a message from the real Rev. Al Sharpton: "What have we learned from this sketch? As usual, nothing."
During her opening monologue, Washington told the audience how much she enjoys her time on the ABC drama "Scandal."
"I am so proud to be on a show that, in 2013, has the courage to cast a white man as President," Washington said.
Washington also appeared in some of the most memorable skits of the season, including a spoof of the Ylvis viral music video "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" with Pharoah that centered around a couple having communication and trust issues.
"Weekend Update" with Seth Meyers and Cecily Strong picked up the political slack by focusing on the continuing NSA scandal and the problems plaguing the federal Healthcare.gov website.
With reports that the U.S. bugged her phone from 2002-2013, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Kate McKinnon) took the time on "Weekend Update" to defend her phone's browser search history, which included shirtless photos of "How I Met Your Mother" actor Jason Seigel.
"It was a violation of my privacy," Merkel said. "The period in which they were tapping my mobile was a particularly dark one for me. Being Chancellor is a lonely job…during this time, I made many embarrassing calls. Several hundred to my local Bratwurst shop, mostly for delivery, but some times just to chat."
Merkel even discussed what she thought was on Obama's phone.
"I bet Obama has the coolest search history," she said. "Like, how to manage your many friends? What is the healthiest vegetable? Can your marriage be too happy? Jason Seigel, fully clothed."
This week's musical guest Eminem performed "Berzerker" and "Survival of the Fittest."
The show also paid tribute to legendary musician Lou Reed, who passed away last Sunday from complications following a liver transplant. He was 74.
Next week's host and musical guest will be Lady Gaga.


text:
Rovio, the Finnish makers of the world's most-downloaded mobile app "Angry Birds", will seek a stock market listing by the end of 2013, chief financial officer Mikko Setala said in an interview published Thursday.
"We have prepared a stock market entry for 2013. But the shareholders have not decided when or whether it would even happen," Setala told Swedish economic newspaper Dagens Industrii.
"If we go to the stock market, it would most likely be in the second half of next year. We do not need to raise any more funds at the moment," he said.
Founded in 2003, Rovio had first mentioned its public listing plans in 2011, citing New York and Hong Kong as possible exchanges for the IPO.
Expectations for a listing grew after the company published net profits of 48 million euros on sales of 75.4 million euros for 2011, prompting financial analysts to forecast astronomical valuations for the firm.
When asked to comment on a valuation of 7 billion euros put forward by some, Setala told the newspaper that the figure was pure "speculation".
"We have not come up with any figures. It would a mistake to do so," he said.
Rovio is mainly owned by the three founders of the company -- including one of the shareholders' father who had remortgaged his house to keep the company alive. Other stakes are held by various venture capitalists such as the founder of internet telephone giant Skype, Niklas Zennstroem.
"Angry Birds" reached more than one billion downloads in May, according to Rovio.