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11.03.2017, Oslo, Norway (NOR):
Stephan Leyhe (GER) - FIS world cup ski jumping, team HS134, Oslo (NOR). www.nordicfocus.com. © Thibaut/NordicFocus. Every downloaded picture is fee-liable.
Dimensions5000x3328 pixels
Picture size47.61 MBytes
HeadlineFIS world cup ski jumping, team HS134, Oslo (NOR)
LocationOslo, Norway
Date11 Mar 2017
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© Copyright 2020 - NordicFocus


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Last Updated: Oct 04, 2016
BlackBerry World is a multimedia content service where you can buy applications, games, and themes for your BlackBerry smartphone.
BlackBerry ID is your single sign in to BlackBerry sites, services, and applications. You created your BlackBerry ID when you first set up your BlackBerry smartphone.
A BlackBerry ID links BlackBerry World to your BlackBerry® Bold™ 9930. You can purchase applications at BlackBerry World.
BlackBerry World keeps track of your purchases so you can re-download and install apps for free in case you ever have to reset or replace your BlackBerry Bold 9930.
You can store credit card or PayPal™ information in your BlackBerry ID to make purchases.
Certain applications may not be compatible with your BlackBerry Bold 9930. While browsing in BlackBerry World, only compatible applications are visible.
Note: RIM or your BES administrator may remove some applications from BlackBerry World to prepare for an update or because of a policy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Japan provides Vietnam with 6 vessels to help boost maritime security capacity
HANOI, Vietnam – Japan says it will provide Vietnam six vessels as part of a grant aid package that will boost Hanoi's maritime security patrol capacity at a time the country is locked in a territorial standoff with China in the South China Sea.
The deal announced Friday for the six used vessels worth 500 million Yen ($5 million) was signed by Vietnam's Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, who is a two-day visit for a cooperation conference.
The deal comes as Vietnam-China relations plunge to its worst point in years following China's deployment of a giant oil rig in early May near the Paracel islands also claimed by Vietnam.
Japan is also locked in a territorial dispute with China.


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LongTail Raises $5 Million to Take on Web Video Heavyweights
Remember the Web video boom? Most of the venture capital buzz is now directed at mobile ads, a small market that's supposed to grow like a weed. Meanwhile, video is dominated by Google/YouTube, with everyone else way, way, way behind.
But there are still people willing to bet on video advertising and infrastructure.
Here's LongTail Video, for instance, which has just raised $5 million in a round led by Greycroft, along with money from Cue Ball Capital.
Five-year-old LongTail provides video services and ad sales for a slew of small publishers, along with an open source video player that noncommercial sites can use for free.
That puts it in competition with bigger players like Brightcove and Ooyala, but CEO Dave Otten says he's doing fine. He says LongTail is profitable and will come close to $10 million in revenue this year.


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This is a restricted product and it can be activated and played ONLY in France.
This product must be activated on Playstation 4 and next-gen consoles.
Discover the best PSN cards offers, compare prices to download and play PlayStation Network Card PSN 40 EUR FR at the best price. Compare PSN cards prices from merchants all around the world. Activate PSN code on your PlayStation account client to download the game and play in multiplayer or singleplayer.
GAMIVO is a platform to find, compare and buy digital game keys. Only verified and trusted merchants can sell digital goods on GAMIVO.
Add the PSN cards to your PSN account, the code you bought will top up PSN account with the amount you bought. Now you can play PSN games for free at any time you want whenever you use your PSN account client.
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from € 30.49


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Top flight deals to Sweden*
Dar es Salaam(DAR)toGothenburg(GOT)
Dar es Salaam(DAR)toStockholm(STO)
Dar es Salaam(DAR)toLinköping(LPI)
Fly to Sweden with KLM
Together with our global network, we as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines always offer convenient flights to Sweden, serving the major airports in Sweden, including Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN), Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) and Linköping City Airport (LPI). With our punctuality and convenient timetable, we'll ensure you start your Swedish adventure at a time that suits you!
Things to do in Sweden
- Icehotel: the world's first ice hotel, located in Jukkasjärvi – 200 km north of the Arctic circle, is wonderful to see.
- Museum of Failure: why not check out the world's most spectacular commercial product failings?
- Björnhammaren: a modern ghost town, the result of a factory closing its doors for good.
- High Chaparral Wild West Theme Park: a great western adventure.
- Gotland: this island has such odd weather that roses bloom in December.
- Vasa Museum: speciality museum located in Stockholm.
- Stockholm Old Town: historic town with beautiful architecture.
- Djurgarden: rent a bike and explore the open-air museum.
- Southern Goteborg Archipelago: take a boat from Saltholmen and enjoy a day trip island hopping, featuring lighthouses and beaches.
- Botanical Garden: a beautiful garden located in the heart of Gothenburg.
This Scandinavian country has so much to see that one trip won't be enough! Check out our travel guide and see what else there is to do!
Why travel to Sweden with us?
We pride ourselves on ensuring you have a pleasant journey, wherever you're going. Our flight times are convenient, so you can arrive when you want to. If you have questions about your upcoming flight, just send us a message on our social media channels and we'll get back to you. Feel free to reach out to us 24/7 via Facebook, Twitter, Messenger or WhatsApp with any questions about your flight!
*All amounts are in USD. Taxes and surcharges are included. No booking fee is applicable, but a payment surcharge may apply. Prices shown may vary depending on fare availability. You will see the final amount when selecting your payment method.


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Shhh! You've just found Minneapolis' best kept secret. Nestled in the towering pines, wildlife and natural wetlands of a 17-acre nature preserve, this Minneapolis apartment community features all the modern conveniences in a setting as beautiful and serene as the Northwoods. Come home to rental living at Claremont Apartments, where you'll never want to rent anywhere else!
At Claremont Apartments you can finally start living the lifestyle you deserve. Claremont is nestled in the Southeast quadrant of Minnetonka, but only a few blocks to downtown Hopkins, where Main Street's bars, restaurants, shops, and movie theaters are at your service. 62 and 169, Minneapolis's major arterials, provide great access to the entire Minneapolis metropolitan area including downtown. Claremont Apartments boasts rental living to a whole new level, complete with miles of walking and biking trails, sparkling pool, underground parking and elevators – all at rents within your reach.
It's Luxury – bay windows, spectacular views, updated interiors, and designer decorated corridors. It's Location – close to major Minneapolis employers like Super Value, General Mills, United Heathcare, Cargill, Best Buy, Target, American Medical Systems, and American Family Insurance. It's Lifestyle – service that truly serves your every need. And it's all waiting for you when you rent at Claremont Apartments in Minnetonka, MN.
Call Claremont Apartments today to schedule a private tour. Prepare to be impressed with these premier Minnetonka and Hopkins apartment homes!


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See this link: Freelander Off-road Adventure
Tom P.
See this link: Freelander Off-road Adventure
Tom P.
Down hill and then had to be rescued from sinking in mud. Awesome.
Honestly though, it is pretty good that it kept upright. Imagine the body damage if it had tumbled.
"Professional Driver on closed course-Do Not Attempt"
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a dead battery.
'96 Discovery w/redneck lift, '04 Discovery (Sold, I almost cried, ALOT!)
I haven't really tested my LR2/Free2 beyond beach sand and muddy grass parking lots. I DID however pass an LR2 with a Warn 8000 bolted on.
I have a feeling had I been in this Freelander going down that hill, I woulda rolled it. It did better driverless than I would have done.
1988 Range Rover
1994 Discovery I
1998 Discovery II
Pretty ballsy in a car with no low range
Where's my winch controler
It probably blew the head gasket on the way down the hill.
Those tires leave a bit to be desired.
"QQ Rover" -- 1962 Series IIa 88"
always wondered how it would do. either last years of the freelander or the lr2s ....
06 lr3 se
96 d1 se
Tom Proctor
1965 exMod 109
1995 RRC LWB w/EAS


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New, improved TOGGLER plastic toggle wall anchor, with its patented enhancements, provides secure holding power for light and medium loads in all walls.
Designed for optimum holding in hollow walls, such as drywall and gypsum board, the anchor locks on walls and ceilings in its grip range for vibration-proof holding.
That's why it's holding up the sprinkler system in the Tokyo subway! City officials wanted to make sure that the sprinklers would stay up during an earthquake.
The anchor also holds securely and functions as a wedge anchor when it encounters a wall thicker than its grip range ... It functions as an expansion anchor in solid walls and in wooden studs.


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I thought its difficult but find it easy and versatile application. Thanks
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Pho.to Community » Retouching portrait photos » Retouching portrait images. Automatic high-grade methods » Post new reply
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I thought its difficult but find it easy and versatile application. Thanks
I must really try this out then. I'm entirely new to the entire concept of photo-editing, I this a good programm to start with?
good its versatile. its very good service and great picture's .:)
Dear VesperSun!
Unfortunately we have not the option for manual tool use and can't restrict certain areas from the face from correction. But we'll think of how we can perform it!
Thank you for this lovely service. I have just one question - is it possible to manually use the tool or restrict certain areas from the face from correction@. The problem is that after the auto reduction (wrinkle remover function) half of the eyebrows dissapeared...:/ Save for this, the picture looks great
i should be thankful to you for this wonderful tutorial. i am really happy to be here. well i will edit some of my photos using the instruction given here. thanks anyway.
it is really a nice feeling that there are some web masters there to help through discussion and suggestion. i am really happy to be here. the tutorial you have presented here is really helpful. i have just gone through the whole tutorial and i think it's very easy to do. anyway i am thinking to edit some of my photos using the instruction given here. thanks anyway.
I wish you'd make a portable offline version of your online photo apps because many times I don't have access to the internet when I'm working on editing photographs & at those times I've wanted very much to be able to use apps such as Makeup Photo and was frustrated that it isn't available offline.
I'm sure I'm not the only person who has to do much of their photo editing work offline. I know many people who only have internet connection when they're at school or work, not at home and making your tools available offline would mean people aren't restricted to only being able to use them at times when they're at school or work or the library AND at times when they have enough time on the school, work, or library computer to be able to edit photos before their time is up and its time for the next user to take a turn.
There are MANY areas of the USA where most people don't have internet access at home, for instance most homes on Indian Reservations don't have internet access or cable tv or other such amenities that many of the rest of us take for granted. Yet children on the rez will be assigned homework to do online which means going to the library or school computer and waiting in line to try to get a chance to get online. Adults in such places often can only get online by going to the library and hoping that with all the school kids and other adults needing to get online, that they get a turn too. People download things at the library and take them home to use on their own computers, providing they even have a computer. After all, in places such as the rez, you will even see plenty of people still using the old wringer washing machines and drying their laundry on a clothesline even in wintertime! In most parts of the country, people have never even SEEN an old wringer washing machine!
Just tried this...darn my picture looks amazing now! Took a bit of time at first, but I'm getting the hang of it.
It's a very versatile application.
this is a pretty cool app...it's like being a virtual make up artist
The Crop tool is already included into Pho.to Enhancement Platform, and it is available at our handle_url_tag('http://editor.pho.to') service
Actually this is related to the Pho.to Enhancement Platform, but since this place is more active I'll take advantage of it.
My question is simply this: Can I include the cropping tool in the platform?
This tutorial help me a lot in handle_url_tag('http://www.silverimagestudios.com/getting_started.php', 'retouch image'),thanks for this please keep updated to your post.
"This tutorial shows a simple technique you can use to enhance your portraits. We will focus on retouching the skin, the eyes, the teeth (whitening) and creating "soft focus" effect. Follow this tutorial to learn how to improve any portrait quickly and easily.
[ Generated in 0.020 seconds, 7 queries executed ]


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Possible Duplicate:
"No such file or directory" lies on Optware installed binaries
I am currently trying to get some piece of hardware to work on an embedded device. One part of the driver is an executable, which has to be started to get the hardware to work. However when I try to execute it I get
bash: no such file or directory
I have checked and the file is definitely there, executable etc. I looked around online and I found that this could also be related to a problem between the architecture for which the file has been compiled and the one I am using. However I cannot find anything wrong. Here is some of the diagnostics I have run:
root@desktop:~# /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD
bash: /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD: No such file or directory
root@desktop:~# ls -l /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 198870 Jul 19 14:11 /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD
root@desktop:~# file /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD
/usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, ARM, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.16, not stripped
root@desktop:~# uname -a
Linux desktop 3.2.0-1415-omap4 #20-Ubuntu SMP PREEMPT Mon Jun 18 19:03:59 UTC 2012 armv7l armv7l armv7l GNU/Linux
root@desktop:~# file /bin/bash
/bin/bash: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, ARM, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.31, BuildID[sha1]=0x1266f80916e3e59eb001459610510f5d05630297, stripped
root@desktop:~# ldd /usr/local/eGTouchARMwithX/eGTouchD
not a dynamic executable
The only hint I have is that
file reports this file as a dynamically linked executable, whereas
ldd reports it as not being a dynamic executeable.
Any ideas what could be wrong with the file and how to fix this?


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Illinois enacts nation's final concealed-gun law
Posted by wlpo on July 9, 2013
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois has become the final state in the nation to allow the public possession of concealed guns, just ahead of a federal appeals court's deadline.
The state Senate voted 41-17 Tuesday to override Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of the concealed carry legislation lawmakers sent him. The House took the same action earlier in the day.
The Chicago Democrat's amendatory veto suggested changes to the delicately negotiated initiative – changes that anti-violence activists embraced.
Quinn wanted guns banned from any establishment that serves alcohol and wanted to limit gun-toting citizens to one firearm at a time.
Senate President John Cullerton says Quinn's recommendations might be addressed in later legislation.
The Illinois State Police must be ready to accept applications in six months. Officials expect 300,000 to apply in the first year.
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Pictures of some of my freebies are in the slideshow above.
Scam Free Product Testing Sites
It's always fun to get free and almost free products in the mail! If you're anything like you love freebies, giveaways, rebates and money back offers! I think I'm the queen of saving! Well, today I finally got around to putting together a list for you.
Free Product Testing and Free Stuff
PinchMe – Has free samples that are released each week. Claim your free samples and see if you qualify. If you do, you'll get some free stuff arriving at your door shortly after.
Smiley 360 – Releases new Missions all the time. Find a Mission ( a product you'd like to try) and complete the survey associated with the product. If you meet what they're looking for you'll get some free samples sent to your door.
Influenster – Sign up and start to share your opinion on products you've used. As you share your opinion, your influence score will rise. Each month Influenster sends out what they call a Vox Box. There's no guarantee, but you may end up getting one of those boxes filled with free products to try!
Daily Goodie Box – It's more than just a free sample! They will send you a box of free goodies and all you do is let them know what you think! Shipping is always free and no credit card is ever required EVER! It takes a long time to get approved for a box of their freebies because the site is still new and they are trying to catch up with all the request but I can tell you I got one in the mail and its full size products! Even if it takes a while to get, may as well put your name in the hat now!
Sample Source – "Try Before you Buy" and make a smart shopping decision! Is their motto! Get free samples of makeup, beauty care, household cleaning, even food and snacks! This site only sends out samples once a month so it's best to sign up with them now so when sample day comes you'll get a box of freebies in the mail. Just sign up and fill out your profile then watch your email for the notice that it's sample day.
ChatterBox – A sample box sent out by another site on this list called HouseParty, similar to Influester where there's no guarantee of ever getting products, but if you do you'll get a box of samples and products to try for free.
HouseParty – Sign up and share your opinion on products. Host a "House Party" and they'll provide you and all of your guests with free products to try out.
Swaggable – Claim products that you'd like to test by adding them to your want list. If you seem like a good fit, you'll get free samples in the mail. In exchange, leave a detailed review of the product to continue to receive more free products.
Exactly Box – Every season, you'll receive a box of 5 – 7 samples from a variety of brands. They want to get your feedback about their products so they can improve them in the future. It's similar to what PINCHme and Daily Goodie Box offer.
BzzAgent – Apply to what they call campaigns by taking a short survey. If you qualify, you'll get some free products sent directly to you. In exchange, you'll need to share your honest opinion of the products on social media.
Rebates and Money Back apps that really work
Ibotta – This is by far my favorite and has been around a while now. If your not already an Ibotta member I highly recommend you download their app onto your smartphone and sign up. You actually get money back on groceries that you more than likely have in your shopping cart any way! I've actually collected a few hundred dollars back over the last 2 or so years by using this app. You just use your phone to scan the bar code of the product and snap a picture of your grocery receipt. Super simple!!! Use code: Code: Zbqbbi to collect $10 free just for joining and opening a new account.
Checkout51 – Extremely similar to Ibotta . Just download the app from the app store and sign up for an account. They send you real money back!
ShopKick – this one is really neat! I use it a LOT! Basically, when you walk into a store that's part of the ShopKick program you get points just for opening the app and walking in the front door! When I walk into target I open the app because most of the time they offer points just for walking in! So simply walk into stores, scan items and buy everyday products to earn reward points that they call "kicks" then redeem your points (kicks) for actual real gift cards! I like to cash my points in for T.J. Max gift cards.
GoodRX – Now speaking of apps.. This one doesn't exactly give you money back but that depends on how you look at it. I still think it's worth mentioning!!! The GoodRX app is so downright cool because you can enter the prescription medication and dose you have a prescription for and it actually tells you the price at all your local pharmacies! Why is this information so cool? Well, here is an example. I was picking up a script and standing in line at CVS. I pulled out my phone and searched on the GoodRX app to find out the prescription I was picking up was actually $100 LESS across the street!! That's a huge savings!
Ebates – I know this one has been around for years but I just started using it not too long ago. It was so published on T.V. commercials that I actually didn't try it for the longest time. Well, I'm here to tell you this site really does what it says! I've gotten several rebate checks in the mail from eBates. All you do is sign up for an account and whenever you plan to make an online purchase just log into your account search the store and click through from the eBates site then shop as normal. They also have a browser extension you can download to make it even easier.
Free/Cheap Products For Review
These sites are bit different than the ones listed above. You probably won't get many completely free products to try, but you can get a huge discount on tons of Amazon Products in exchange for a review and feedback as well as some non-Amazon products.
SnagShout – Again most products fall into the electronic accessories category. Limit of 1 item out at a time until you finish your review. Most products are $1-$2.
Giveaway Services – Has a wide variety of products, but works a bit different than the other sites. Not only can you leave Amazon reviews, but you can get bigger discounts for social media shout outs, blog posts (reviews), and YouTube reviews.
Extreme Rebates – Here you can score lots of free products. All they ask is that you post a review. You can get anything from a tutu for your little girl to electronics! They also have beauty products, jewelry, etc.
As I think of more I'll update this page and list it here!
Save $10 on a FabFitFun Box with discount code: FUN10
Each box is a $200 Value with all FULL SIZE brand name products but you can score it for only $39! This is an INCREDIBLE deal and a big savings.
What's in it for you? Why does Mommy Articles take the time to publish all these freebies?
That's easy! Some of the links posted on this site are our affiliates and in turn we receive compensation which helps keep this site free for our readers. Not all links, but some. If you'd like to support us and help keep this site free please visit our sponsors/affiliates!


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Best definition
Lyman Maine
Located In Southern Maine. 40 minutes from Kittery and 30 minutes from Portland. Somewhat Classy, Somewhat Trashy. Mostly residential. There
are some beautiful lakes there. Quite a lovely place to live if you want to be close to the ocean and mountains. Local Townie is Benji. Great desitnation for a pond party!!
Im heading up to Lyman Maine to relax and sit by the pond.. And paaaarrrrtyyyy!!!!


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Riding the cart
To the editor: First and foremost I want to thank everyone who supported me with their vote on Nov. 6. I truly appreciate your consideration and trust. While I was not reelected, I'm satisfied that I stuck to my principles and did what I thought was in the best interests of the people I served.
Tuesday's election results signaled to me that we have reached a point in our nation's existence where most people fundamentally believe they cannot survive and prosper without government and government assistance and programs. I'm not talking about functions such as the military, public safety, road infrastructure, etc. I'm referring to long term public assistance (food, housing, cell phones, cars, etc.), small business loans, higher education grants and subsidized student loans and on and on and on.
Along with unfathomable nation debt, we also have tens of trillions of dollars of unfunded liabilities in Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare in addition to public employee retirement systems that are on an unsustainable path. To think all we need to do is simply tax the rich more or just ignore these realities and our problems will be solved has lead us over the edge. To be clear we've been on this path for the past twelve years and the responsibility for this insanity is spread across political party and ideological boundaries. This is precisely what makes these problems more troubling because no matter who we elect, there's a special interest group waiting to corrupt our elected leaders into doing their will.
For a long time I've believed we had the capability to do better. I thought all it took was the political will to make changes that would lead to a more accountable and efficient government. Instead, along with you, I've witnessed a system and a process that's been in steady decline for a long time. Campaigns have become polarizing, poisonous and so personal they do little to help voters determine who's the best person to address the issues most concerning to them.
I hope and pray our country has not slipped into the abyss, but when the people riding in the cart out number the people pulling the cart, something's wrong!
Fred Leonard
'Primary' view
To the editor: As a first and second grade teacher, I spend a great deal of time and energy teaching my students how to civilly disagree with one another and respect each others' opinions; not to brag or boast if a situation turns out favorable for them, and simultaneously, not to be a poor sport if things don't turn out the way that they had been wishing for. I tell them this is important, because in the end, they will still need to work together to make progress and move forward. I tell them that understanding difference of opinion will make them smarter and better people. I teach this, because as cultivated human beings, these are the notions we claim to value. I teach this, because I am supposed to. I teach this, because I truly believe it. Most importantly, I teach this, because in the history of humanity, when this has been the mindset of the majority of a population, true and lasting change has resulted.
So, as a first and second grade teacher who spends a great deal of time focusing on instilling these moral values in our country's future generations, it is extremely disheartening to have seen and heard many various platforms infiltrated with ignorant comments surrounding this election. Ignorant comments made by people who have already "learned" the things that I am teaching my students.
As a first and second grade teacher, I am seizing this opportunity as a "teachable moment," so here it goes: no matter who you voted for, or how you feel about who our president is, take a moment to ground yourself and acknowledge the fact that you are not allied with the presidential candidate you voted for. You will probably never work alongside that person for one day, one hour, even for one minute in the duration of your lifetime. You will, however, work alongside the people you are gloating to, the people you are pouting to, the people who your rash, mindless comments are further distancing you from.
If we want this country to be a better place for us, our children and our children's children, we can't continue to model selfish, unproductive behaviors and modes of expressing ourselves and expect that each new generation will magically foster the ability to be diplomatic and respectful enough in their interactions to unify and work toward a common goal.
I am aware that I am reiterating what many already know and practice, but hopefully this letter motivates some people, even just one person, to reflect on the way in which they've expressed their opinion — and even better, make a concerted effort to improve upon the way in which they express themselves in the future. The further we separate from each other, the further we separate from actualizing the ideas that drive the strength of our opinions in the first place.
Jennifer Wysocki
God help us
To the editor: As much as I am happy to be through with this election, and as happy as I am to not be getting all the calls and garbage mail supporting the candidates, I lament the loss of my freedom.
I had high hopes that the many wrongs of the current administration would be corrected. Now I can only be glad that this administration can only rule for four more years and no more. The decisions to cripple our economy by investing taxpayer money to support alternative energy and gifting health care to illegals and others and increases in welfare to those deemed unable to work and the bankrupting of my social security trust fund by distributing my contributions to people that have not contributed are just wrong and must be changed. It is clear that the states with the largest concentration of population are strongly in support of the current administration. They are also the areas with the largest segment of population collecting those monies. When you look at the map and recognize that the area that feeds the whole country voted for the conservative principles it should be a wake-up call to everyone. The sections of the country that elected the liberal administration are the sections that take from the system and contribute little. They take what the workers in America make and have no incentive to better their lives because there is no need. They have moved Forward with the president, forward on the backs of the working stiffs, forward on the backs of the retired community. God help us.
Gary Parker
Bad, good
To the editor: Well now, there you go — the bad news and the good news.
The bad news is that President Obama won.
The good news is that we have him for only four more years.
Bruce C. Bacon
Many thanks
To the editor: The Wentworth-Coolidge Commission would like to thank all of its sponsors and patrons for making possible one of its finest art exhibitions ever — Creative Encounters. It featured the work of former UNH professor Sigmund Abeles, who is deeply revered by students and colleagues alike. They turned out in force to the Summer Champagne Opening at the Coolidge Center, happy to talk once more with their mentor and friend. For many it was a joyous and tearful reunion.
Abeles' remarkable realist paintings were complimented by the rarely seen creations of master sculptor Henry Clews, Jr. (1876-1937). It was Clews' work that inspired a youthful Abeles to become an artist. Showing the two together for the first time was extraordinary. The work of this reclusive, expatriate American was available to us through a partnership with Portsmouth's La Napoule Art Foundation. We thank LNAF for this opportunity.
The Commission is grateful to our corporate sponsors: Piscataqua Savings Bank, Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel, Cabot Farms, Sperry Tents, Rolling Green Nursery, Oceanside Landscaping, Sea Hill Farm Alpacas, Constellation Wines, and Hoeffle, Phoenix, Gormerly & Roberts, P.A. We also thank Geoff & Martha Fuller Clark and the Winebaum and Werner-Thoresen Foundations as well as all who purchased raffle tickets, made donations, or helped in so many other ways. Consult our website for photos and video (www.WentworthCoolidge.org).
Noele M. Clews
Wentworth Coolidge Commission
To the editor: "We all scream … for ice cream." Here at Families First Health & Support Center, we were chosen as the beneficiary of Lagos Ice Cream season-ending, free ice cream day, held this past Sunday, Oct. 7.
Two days later, Steven Grenier of Lago's came to our offices and presented us with a check for $5,000, designated for pediatric care. The work of Steve and his Lago's team, and the support of Chuck McLean of Timberline Signs of Rye, who donated promotional signage for Families First, are great examples of returning the rewards of a collective effort back into the community.
When the "screaming" was over, the smiles of heartfelt appreciation followed. We are humbled by the turnout and generosity of Lagos and its patrons who made donations to support our organization and its mission. Although another ice cream season has drawn to a close, the generosity shown by sponsors and patrons, alike, will last long after the final cone is served, consumed or melted.
Donata Luz
Families First Health & Support Center
Next meeting
To the editor: The next meeting of the Association of Portsmouth Taxpayers will be Thursday, November 15, 7 p.m. in the Hilton Garden Inn meeting room of the Portsmouth Public Library. Please visit our website — http://www.portsmouthtaxpayers.org.
Mark Brighton, President
Association of Portsmouth Taxpayers
Letters to the Editor - Nov. 9, 2012
Riding the cart


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It was a long drive, but we all had a great time. Thanks to Willem for his hospitality.
Alpaca Farm
It was a long drive, but we all had a great time. Thanks to Willem for his hospitality.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 9:02 PM 1 comments
Tummy Time
Sunday, September 25, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 5:17 PM 0 comments
At the Cabin
Sylvia did a great job of handing screws to dad and grandpa one at a time. She also helped separate the big screws from the small screws.
Believe it or not, I did use the fence post pounder once again. After knocking me out of commission a couple years back, I took on the beast again... This time with no injuries or urgent care visits to speak of!
The frogs and toads were also preparing for the fall. We must have seen 50 of them throughout the weekend. Sylvia was pointing out this toad as it tried to drink some of dad's coffee.
Why stop at frogs and toads... How about some worms! Sylvia did attempt to touch the worms with her bare hands, but felt that mittens were needed for protection from these slimy creatures.
And what is a trip to the lake without a 4-wheeler ride! I think we may have a daredevil on our hands since dad wasn't driving fast enough or going far enough... Sylvia did however want dad to "hold me real tight", so maybe she isn't completely fearless.
We hope to get back out to the lake next weekend. Maybe some fun pictures of pulling in the dock with 40 mph winds and 50 degree water!
Saturday, September 24, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Say Cheese-it's Friday!
Friday, September 23, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 10:45 AM 1 comments
Bocce Night
Monday, September 19, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 9:33 PM 0 comments
Little Froggie
Sunday, September 18, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 7:48 AM 1 comments
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 11:29 AM 1 comments
Saturday, September 10, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 8:00 PM 0 comments
3 Month Check Up
Violet had her 3 month check-up on Tuesday. First things first...
Weight - 9# 1oz
Height 21.5"
According to the preemie charts she is 95%+, but according to the "normal" charts she is ~5%. So, let's say she is at 50% and call it a day.
I am working on the chart comparing Violet's weight gain and Sylvia's weight gain, but that will be a couple days... I am on vacation after all and spreadsheets / graphs are not to be created on vacation. ;-)
Thursday, September 8, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 7:49 PM 0 comments
McLeod County Fair
Baby chicks in the kiddie barnyard. Sylvia and chickens are like peas in a pod... These were a bit smaller than she is used to playing with, but enjoyed them all the same.
The little goat was even nice enough to come over and say hi to Sylvia.
"putt, putt, putt" goes the little tractor. (That is the noise a tractor makes, right?)
As we were wrapping up the day, we walked through the car show and Sylvia loved this car. It was named "Woody", since the body was constructed mostly of wood, and riding shotgun, was a small Woody doll from "Toy Story". Needless to say, we starting watching the Toy Story trilogy once we returned home.
Sunday, September 4, 2011 | Posted by Brodd Family at 1:48 PM 0 comments


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Posts Tagged 'Fortex Group'
This is it! The last week of conferences for the year and what a way to go out. Digital Living Room will be celebrating connected devices at Sun Microsystems, Santa Clara tomorrow and on Wednesday HRTS is lunching with the showrunners of Modern Family, Glee, Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother and Rescue Me at […]
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Corrections is the part of state government that most people would like to forget. Stories showing that prisons are dangerous places seem fair to some who think that's how justice is delivered.
That attitude, however, overlooks that we send staff into our prisons every day and we are all responsible for their safety. We are also responsible for the safety of prisoners. Violence, even if perpetrated by other inmates, is cruel and unusual punishment.
And nearly every inmate gets released one day and brings what he's learned in prison back to our communities.
There has been a lot of troubling news coming from the Maine State Prison in Warren.
Last month, the warden was fired for failing to improve the prison's management. Last week, a captain was arrested for allegedly assaulting an inmate. A former deputy warden is suing the state, saying he was fired for speaking up about what he claims is understaffing at the prison, which he said led to an inmate's death.
From the outside, this looks like a deteriorating situation, but Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte has taken a major step to stop the slide. By making Rodney Bouffard the prison's new warden, Ponte has shown he wants to take the institution in a new direction.
No one in Maine has more credibility than Bouffard when it comes to fixing broken institutions.
He was the last director of the Pineland Center, promoted through the ranks of special education teachers when the state home for people with mental disabilities was in legal trouble, in part for the overuse of restraints.
He then became director of the Augusta Mental Health Institute, despite having no experience in the mental health field. He oversaw the orderly shutdown of that institution, coming in when it was in total disarray.
In 2001, Bouffard was sent to run the Long Creek Youth Development Center, which was battling charges of abusive use of isolation and restraints. The state was the focus of an Amnesty International human rights letter-writing campaign and was sued by a former inmate.
Bouffard turned the institution around, using what he had learned at Pineland and AMHI. It is now considered a model program nationally.
Two things are consistent in Bouffard's career. One is that staff members are initially resistant to his ideas. The other is that they eventually see that his ideas are right.
No one in the state has this record of success implementing culture change in troubled institutions. Bouffard's appointment to run the Maine State Prison is a clear sign that the Department of Corrections is not taking problems there lightly.
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Lots of Work
Thursday, June 07, 2012
spot for the Washington Post about snow shoveling related injuries
spot for MotorTrend Classic about the author's visit to the 1989 LA Auto show when he came face to face with two dream cars.
spot for MotorTrend Classic about how taking a 12 cyliner engine out of a Lamborghini and replacing it with an 8 cylinder is like removing its soul.
spot for the NY Times about how the NY Giants aren't that good, they win by some kind of magical fairy dust or something
Wedding board for my old roommate Naoki in Tokyo. In Japan they put up a "wedding board" at the entrance of the wedding reception and its usually a big head little body caricature of the couple so they were happy to get this instead.
Wedding board for another one of my old roommates in Tokyo. they wanted pink because the wedding was in april when it's cherry blossom season. after Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss"
spot for golf magazine about golf rules. this one is about a ball coming to rest on a frog.
spot for golf magazine about golf rules. this one is about an eagle grabbing a ball mid-air.
spot for the final issue of UTNE about how Neanderthals mated with humans way back in the day. the title of the story is "Stone Age Sex". AD'd by the wonderful Stephanie Glaros.
Posted byJason Raish at 9:10 AM 0 comments
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2 pastors pray for different Prop 8 rulings
For two San Diego County pastors, Supreme Court hearings today and Wednesday on same-sex marriage and whether legally wed gays and lesbians can access a host of federal benefits form the intersect of a moral crossroads.
Both of these men are in Washington, D.C., to march in front of the high court and take part in fervent, public prayer that the justices will reach the right conclusion.
Their supplication for the court's majority ruling reflects the schism that divides the nation on the issue of gay and lesbian marriage.
"For those who call themselves Christian, the Bible begins with the marriage of a man and a woman and closes with the wedding of a bride and a groom," said Jim Garlow, senior pastor at Skyline Church in La Mesa.
Pastor Darryl Kistler from Kensington Community Church reads the same Bible and reaches a different conclusion.
"We are one human family," he said. "I truly believe the arc of justice is blowing in the direction of recognizing same-sex marriage as loving and just."
Kistler and Garlow are among thousands of people compelled to voice their views in the nation's capital as the court takes up what could be two monumental cases on same-sex marriage. Each said he's compelled to be there because of the potentially sweeping ramifications for society.
Nearly 2,300 miles away at Camp Pendleton, Marine Capt. Shaina Turley, a Sea Knight helicopter pilot, and her partner, Lori Hensic, said their Aug. 31 wedding will proceed regardless of what the court decides.
Proposition 8, a citizen's initiative that voters passed in 2008, amended the California constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Its passage came five months after the state Supreme Court had declared that same-sex marriage was legal. In those months, about 18,000 gay and lesbian couples got married in the state.
More appeals of the proposition have led to today's hearing. Specifically at issue is a legal challenge to last year's 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision overturning the initiative.
"I would like my marriage to be the real thing," said Hensic, a pharmacist, health policy professor and director of education for the advocacy group American Military Partners Association. "That would be the best wedding present."
Wednesday's high court hearing will address the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman for the purpose of federal benefits.
Hensic said that case is more important to her. The court is considering whether the act violates the equal-protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, and the outcome could affect Turley's pay rate, access to base housing and health and survivor benefits.
"I'm very optimistic about these cases," said Turley, who has served in the Marine Corps for six years and is contemplating a full, 20-year career. "I'm very encouraged about the way the country is headed."
Polls in recent years show that rising numbers of Americans accept same-sex marriage, and most surveys conducted in the past year report majority support for the first time. Nine states and the District of Columbia have made such marriages legal, 38 states have banned them and New Jersey, New Mexico and Rhode Island prohibit them but do not have statutory or constitutional enforcement.
Amid the country's shifting opinion, a majority of political and religious conservatives continue to oppose same-sex marriage.
The shift in societal mores is driving many in the GOP to embrace same-sex marriage. However, the party's platform maintains that marriage is between is a man and a woman. Tony Krvaric, chairman of the Republican Party of San Diego County, said that plank remains true and reflects his personal view.
That same perspective is held by two people in Murrieta with close ties to the cases before the Supreme Court. One is former state Sen. and Assemblyman Dennis Hollingsworth, who could see his name enshrined in the Supreme Court's annals of momentous cases.
A Republican termed out of the Legislature in 2010, Hollingsworth is listed as the lead plaintiff in the Proposition 8 legal challenge through his association with the group Protectmarriage.com, which has worked against same-sex marriage in California for more than a decade.
He also served as president of the legal fund for the California Defense of Marriage Act, which underwrote Proposition 22 — a state initiative that voters passed in March 2000. That was the law the state Supreme Court struck down in 2008 shortly Proposition 8 succeeded it.
Hollingsworth did not respond to repeated requests for interviews. When the state Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 in 2009, he said it was clear that those justices saw that "people wanted to protect traditional marriage."
A close ally of Hollingsworth, Temecula attorney Robert Tyler of the group Advocates for Faith and Freedom, has defended traditional marriage in court cases since 2000, at one point defending Proposition 8 before the 9th Circuit. Tyler said creating same-sex marriage as a legal right through the Supreme Court would be wrong.
"If the people of California want same-sex marriage, go ahead and vote for it and make it the law of the land," he said. "But what's happening is an attempt to create same-sex marriage through illegitimate means by court action."
For Jan Garbosky of San Diego, Wednesday's hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act will come a little more than a week after the 21st anniversary of the commitment ceremony between her and partner Bonny Russell. The couple became legally married in California in 2008.
Russell died Jan. 14.
"DOMA is not fair, and it's never been fair to deny us those rights," Garbosky said, referring to a range of financial implications for couples such as herself and her late spouse.
The fact they were able to marry was indescribably significant for them, Garbowsky said.
"Being able to say 'my wife' rather than 'life partner' when talking about Bonny those four years that we were married was so much more than I could have ever imagined," she said.
An attorney set to be in the Supreme Court hearing room today, Austin Nimrocks of the Alliance for Defending Freedom, said the possible rulings on that case run the gamut — from a narrow finding that limits the decision to California to one influencing the whole nation.
"Our position is the court should not present a solution for all 50 states," Nimrocks said. "But once you figure out how many possible ways the court can rule, keep going because there are probably eight more ways it could come out."
Garlow, the pastor in La Mesa, said the two cases are really about what's best for children. He cites studies funded by traditional-marriage groups that conclude children fare better with two-gender parenting. He rejects other studies that reach the opposite conclusion, including one from the American Academy of Pediatrics released last week.
"Five thousand years of tradition are on our side," Garlow said. "I care deeply about the future of marriage and of America. The evidence is overwhelming that same-sex marriage is destructive and harmful for America's children."
Pastor Kistler in Kensington said his demonstration this week is a personally defining act. "The time has come for us to affirm this place in history," he said. "I believe what I'm doing and standing up for is the most loving and just position."
The Supreme Court's ruling is expected in late June.


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Sounds simple. Nice clean contest. No subjectivity. You have one winner and the rest are losers.
It would be nice to be able to pick the best mountain snowmobile by one defining event.
However, for the SnoWest 2010 Deep Powder 800 Challenge, you just can't line the sleds up. (Okay, you can . and we did several different times. But all that means is which sled was best set up for that one run.) You need to put the snowmobiles through every imaginable condition, with the limitation as to what the snow conditions are at the time of testing, to see which one is the best all-around mountain sled.
Then add to that the variables of each rider's riding style/ability and you really have a lot of factors to weigh in on your decision.
This year we matched up three stock 2010 800s-Polaris Dragon (155-inch track), Arctic Cat M8 SnoPro (162-inch track) and the Ski-Doo Summit X (154-inch track). Now some might be saying that the various track lengths would skew the results. But the bottom line is those were the sleds that we had available to use. Whatever advantage a longer track would offer would be balanced by a disadvantage. And the conditions we were riding in weren't what you would call deep mountain fluff.
Each snowmobile was tested during five days of riding which covered about 250 miles of varied terrain with 13 different riders rating its performance over 14 subcategories. In groups of three, the test riders would pound their way over rough trails, through trees, up slopes and across sidehills, rotating sleds throughout the day and then ranking them against each other. Each day saw different snow conditions, elevations and terrain.
The 13 riders offered a broad variety of riding abilities. Some were your hard-core riders who spent all winter on the snow. Most would consider themselves experts. A few were relatively new to the sport. Some rode Polaris. Some rode Cat. Some rode Ski-Doo. Some rode Yamaha. And some rode whatever sled they could beg, borrow or steal.
The three sleds were only altered during the ride as what a normal rider would do during the course of a ride-minor clutch adjustments, track adjustments, etc. But basically, these sleds were out-of-the-box what you would pick up from any dealership.
Day 1-42 miles
For the first day we went into some extreme riding conditions near Alpine, WY. It had snowed several inches the night before . which was very welcome since the early January drought had made snow conditions somewhat scarce.
The test riders were Troy Johnson and Chad Jorgensen of Alpine, WY, and Ryan Harris of Idaho Falls, ID. It was an overcast day with flat light and zero base to the snow. Although you were tempted to grab a fist-full of throttle to plow through the three feet of snow, you knew you were trenching right down to the dirt and every rock and stump out there was just waiting to tear into your suspension.
There were five miles of smooth trail down the Greys River Road and five miles of bumps up Squaw Creek to allow the test riders to get a feel for the sleds and the suspension. But once we got on top of Squaw Creek, it was trees and powder the rest of the day.
Alpine is at about 5,675 feet elevation. By the time you turn off at Squaw Creek you are over 5,800 feet. In a matter of a couple of miles you climb up to 6,800. Once you start working your way up into the higher areas, you start to climb up over 8,000 feet.
"The Cat was the most maneuverable in the trees," explained Jorgensen. "The Ski-Doo was the best in the big whoops on the trail. And Polaris was just a good all-around sled."
But for Jorgensen, the Cat was his sled of choice when it came to boondocking.
Johnson agreed on the Cat as being a solid sled for powder riding.
"All sleds have their pros and cons," Johnson said. "Just some of the cons are easier to deal with."
Johnson also picked Polaris as a solid sled for all-around riding conditions. He had some issues on handling with the Ski-Doo, but said some of those issues could be resolved if he just spent more time on it. "It's just doesn't seem predictable," he explained.
For Harris, both the Cat and Polaris offered more precision for tight, technical off-camber lines.
"I find the Ski-Doo to be the kind of sled that will get the dirty work done, but isn't necessarily my choice for play riding," he explained. "When battling tight canyons filled with powder, the Summit would claw through the garbage and maintain a rideable line. However, it was difficult to get the Summit to adjust course as easily as the Dragon and M8."
Although Harris thought the Polaris seemed a little down on power and traction in these snow conditions compared to the other two machines, it was easy to change directions with just a little foot pressure and a tweak of the handlebars.
"It's easy to understand why some riders say the Dragon is such an unpredictable machine," he said. "You really have to learn the ins and outs of the Dragon chassis to master its ability to turn on a dime."
Harris said the Summit is the least responsive to this type of riding. The M8 is somewhere in between. "The M8 will react to light rider input, but not so easily as to overreact like the Dragon can," he said. "But it reacts to much less rider input than the Summit."
At the end of the day, this group of riders had Cat on top.
Day 2-62 miles
We had a clear day, although there hadn't been any significant snow for several days and the snow depth was suspect. The group of test riders-Greg Larsen, Brad Anderson and Steve Sargent, all from Idaho Falls, started out on the northern end of Dan Creek Road, elevation 6,250, en route to Commissary Ridge.
The first 10 miles in was trail riding on a relatively smooth snow-covered road. This gave the riders a chance to assess the trail characteristics of the three 800s. Then the group turned off the main trail to deal with about 10 miles of bumps on mountain trails before eventually ending up on top of Skyline Ridge where the snow was deep enough for cross country riding, elevation 7,300 feet.
During the course of the ride, the group dropped into a deep canyon on the south end of Commissary and found the going rather tough trying to get back out, forcing them to put the snowmobiles through a pretty good workout.
Anderson found that the Ski-Doo handled the best on the trails while the Polaris made him work the throttle and brake a lot. "The Cat felt sluggish and heavy although it had a very smooth, stable ride," he added. "It handled the best in the whoops."
As for the Ski-Doo: "It was a dream on the trails although in the whoops the backend would kick from side to side at times," Anderson said. "For boondocking, it is hands down my choice."
Anderson said the Polaris did well in all categories, although there was a tendency for it to over-steer when carving through the snow.
For Larsen, the adjustable handlebars on the Cat were awesome but the Ski-Doo was best handling on the trail, despite its lack of wind protection from its windshield.
"The Cat seemed the most crisp on the throttle," Larsen said. "The Ski-Doo was a bit flat in the mid range while climbing. The Polaris was the smoothest and most predictable."
For Sargent, the riding was a little beyond what he had experienced in the past. "For a novice rider the Ski-Doo seemed the best choice for its excellent stability on trails," Sargent said. "The Cat seemed to climb a little better while the Polaris seemed easiest to turn."
At the end of the day, this group of riders had Ski-Doo on top.
Day 3-44 miles
The third group to ride the 800s consisted of three guys from Montana. We headed up to Seeley Lake, MT, to try a little different terrain. Our test riders were Kirk Baker and Tim Willis of Missoula, MT, and Scott Stiegler of Florence, MT.
After about 10 miles of groomed trails climbing up the mountain toward Elsina Lake, the group started encountering some pretty decent snow which allowed them to do some climbing and sidehilling. We rode back to the area referred as the "ledges" where all the big rocks are. The snow had a good base which allowed for some fun carving through the trees and cornice jumping.
"I really enjoyed the Ski-Doo," Baker explained. "It's just a great handling sled with good power and nice hookup."
Baker also liked the M8's power and how the track hooked up. However, he thought the power of the Dragon was a bit lacking.
Willis said the Polaris was likely his choice for the best ride, although he liked how the Ski-Doo climbed.
"The Polaris handled well at slow speeds and was predictable throughout," Willis said. "The Arctic Cat was the most comfortable to sit on and ride."
For Stiegler, it would come down to a coin flip between the Polaris and Cat.
"The Polaris and Cat were very even for me today," he said. "Cat's skis didn't bite as well as the Polaris and the Cat would push more in the corners."
Stiegler said the Polaris required the least amount of effort to sidehill and the least amount of throttle and pressure to hold the sidehill. "The Ski-Doo was not bad . but it still wanted to right itself too soon; or it wanted to turn and point uphill. It lacked the middle ground."
Stiegler noted that each sled had some issues to deal with to make them more rider friendly. He said Polaris needs to narrow the handlebars an inch on each side, Cat needs to make the instrumentation controls a little more user-friendly and Ski-Doo needs to be more predictable in handling and easier to counter-steer.
At the end of the day, there was no real clear cut sled on top.
Day 4-52 miles
Returning back to Idaho, the fourth group of test riders-Kim Ryan and Jeff Hart of Iona, ID, and Clayton Ward of Idaho Falls-picked a morning after a fresh snow fall to head up to the Madison County trail system and ride over to Red Butte.
The group hit a double lotto-fresh snow and a recently groomed trail-making the 16 miles into the Red Butte/Thousand Springs trailhead a smooth and delightful ride. However, the final three miles up to Red Butte were riddled with moguls, perfect for testing the suspensions on the three 800s.
Once at Red Butte, the snow offered some challenging climbs for the test riders. The snow still hadn't acquired a base so the sleds would carve through the top crust right down to the dirt. Yet the crust would still pinch against the side of the sled creating a wedge drag. Once you lost your momentum, this wedge drag could cause the sled to high center and spin out.
It's not the best snow to conduct tests in . but it does make a rider work his sled to keep from finding himself entrapped in a snowy pit.
"Each sled had some positive things about it," Hart explained. Hart said he was surprised that regardless of how different the sleds rode, in many situations it was difficult to see which sled actually had the advantage. "They were all good in their own ways."
Ryan also commented on each sled's strengths and weaknesses. He found it easy to sidehill on the Polaris and the Ski-Doo, yet he struggled with the Cat. For him, it came down to between the Polaris and Ski-Doo, depending on the types of riding conditions.
For Ward, the Ski-Doo was the easiest thing to ride hard down the trial while trying to keep up with the group. However, with its low windshield, it was also the coldest ride of the bunch. He said the Polaris seem to work well in all conditions.
"Cat's long track was sure noticeable when trying to climb through the deep snow," Ward said. "The Polaris was also the easiest to pull from side to side . maybe a little too easy."
At the end of the day, this group of riders had Polaris on top.
Day 5-50 miles
The final day allotted for testing was basically a catch-all day. Dave Hunting, SnoWest's go-to guy for tech, took the three sleds out to get some basic information such as clutch heat tests, turning radius and acceleration tests.
Again we went to Bone, 30 miles east of Idaho Falls, since it was convenient and there was some recent snowfall. It was actually a rather windy, snowy day (some people might even say it was blizzard-like conditions out on the flats with the drifting snows. It was definitely a day you wanted to do most of your testing in the trees, just to get out of the wind.)
"I really liked how the Polaris handled the bumps," Hunting explained. "It was just much more predictable than the other two sleds."
But Hunting also admitted the Ski-Doo was an easy sled to handle in the trees.
We also performed a turning radius test on hardpack, where the Cat easily cut the tightest circle despite its 162-length track. In the acceleration tests, although the Cat had the top speed and the Ski-Doo was the fastest out of the hole, it was the Polaris through the midrange that covered the 600-foot run the fastest. (We would have gone farther but with the snow and wind, the radar could only pick up the sleds for 600 yards.)
Now it was time to start wading through all of our notes and assessing the importance of each day's ride and each category.
Test Rider Scores
Our 13 test riders rated the snowmobiles on 14 sub-categories under comfort, handling, power and amenities. Polaris showed an advantage in handling, particularly in turning and sidehills. Cat was strong in power, especially in predictability. Ski-Doo was the best and worst in comfort-best in seat and running boards, worst in windshield and handlebars.
But for the most part, the scores tend to blend together. For every rider who thought something about a particular sled was outstanding, another rider felt that it was the worst. (We actually had a rider who preferred the Ski-Doo windshield . apparently he wasn't riding that sled first thing in the morning down a trail.)
If you were to add up total points awarded in all 14 sub-categories, less than 4 percentage points separate the top (Polaris) from the bottom (Ski-Doo) And given that more of the riders had a history of riding Polaris, it makes the results even that much tighter.
In a series of six questions "Which would you choose to ride" in a certain type of condition, the Ski-Doo faired the best. Cat seemed to slide into the middle, but always still very close to the top.
The highest share of votes in any one subcategory was 40 percent (Polaris and Cat each got 40 percent in windshield, Cat got 39 percent of the vote in handlebars and Ski-Doo got 38 percent of the vote in seat, running boards, bumps instrumentation and handwarmers). The lowest ratings were Ski-Doo in windshield (20 percent), Polaris in running boards (27 percent) and Cat in seat (27 percent).
We did have a 15th sub-category entitled storage . but Cat was the only sled to actually offer storage on the stock model. The other two sleds required you purchase accessory bags.
Advanced vs. Novice
As we categorized our test riders from those who ride almost daily to those who have just recently started riding, there is an interesting variety in the responses.
For the advanced rider, Cat scored well in all categories and averaged out as the best sled for mountain riders. However, for those who haven't honed their skills to the point of mastering the sled, Polaris constantly scored high. Ski-Doo was either ranked at the top or at the bottom of each sub-category-the novice either loved it or hated it.
The advanced riders recognized the advantage of Cat's handlebars while the novice liked the feel of the wider Polaris bars. Both agreed that the Ski-Doo running boards were the best and Polaris boards the worst.
Advanced riders liked how the Cat handled, while novice thought the Polaris was slightly better . although both picked the Ski-Doo in the bumps. The advanced riders liked the Cat's power while the novice was pretty much content with the power of all sleds.
Brand Loyalties
We also broke it down by brand loyalty for our test riders (the snowmobiles they ride the most), to see if they stayed true to their brand or actually recognized some of the strengths of the other brands.
It was interesting to see that in the 12 sub-categories under comfort, handling and power, Ski-Doo and Cat riders picked their own brands eight times and Polaris riders picked Polaris in nine of 12 sub-categories. When they weren't choosing their own brand, Polaris riders chose Cat (mostly due to the comfort factor), Cat riders chose Ski-Doo (mostly due to the comfort factors) and Ski-Doo riders split with both Cat (comfort) and Polaris (sidehilling and acceleration).
Those who didn't have a dog in the fight (Yamaha riders or those who ride all brands) tended to split their votes fairly equal with Ski-Doo taking comfort, Polaris taking handling and Cat taking power.
Multiple Sled Riders
Unlike the brand loyalties, these riders are basically your snowmobile whores . their preference is whatever has gas in the tank and is loaded on the trailer at any particular moment. It's not saying they don't have some preferences, it's just saying they tend to ride what's available and have no reservations on what they ride.
Their scores tend to be fairly balanced across the board. They like the Cat's adjustable handlebars and they hate Ski-Doo's lack of windshield. They like Cat's power, yet prefer Polaris' handling. They would take the Ski-Doo seat and running boards.
Picking A Winner
So when you try to sum up this mixed bag of likes and dislikes to come to a conclusion as to which 800 mountains sled is the best for 2010, it's about as easy as deciding which is the best snowmobile oil to use (Google the SnoWest forums if you want to see some real fireworks).
In other words, we watched the sleds perform. We studied the ratings. And we still don't have an overwhelming preference. Let's face it, there's not a bad choice out there. All sleds had moments when they shined. All sleds had moments they didn't. And if you have any brand preference going into the test, you likely see your brand on top at the end of the day. And your riding style would also influence what sled worked the best.
If you like to carve through the snow and pull long sidehills, it would be Polaris first followed by Cat. If you liked to fly down the trails and through the bumps, it would be Ski-Doo followed by Polaris. For versatility and predictability, it's Cat.
But for the SnoWest 2010 Deep Powder 800 Challenge, the only winners are those 13 test riders who got to spend a day on borrowed sleds thrashing through the mountains.
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COBYS Family Services will offer a Resource Family Orientation Session on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the COBYS Murry Hill Center office, 444 Murry Hill Circle, Lancaster.
This orientation is designed for families who want to learn more about foster care and adoption through foster care. During a two-hour educational session, families receive an introduction to the roles, expectations, and approval process for COBYS resource families. The orientation is free and places no obligation on those attending. Child care is not provided.
For more information or to reserve a space for an orientation session, contact a COBYS Resource Home Coordinator at 717-656-6580 or email@example.com. To learn more about COBYS go to www.cobys.org.


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The very idea of what an ongoing series is evolving all the time, but here are the rules I used for this category: If it's over 10 issues, and at least 2 of those issues took place in 2010, it's an ongoing. Now, quantity does count here. The more issues a "good" title releases in the year, the better it'll fare against a title of similar quality that only put out a few issues. And so titles that are still relatively new like Animal Man, I Vampire, Pigs, or Near Death didn't make it on the list this year. And titles that I normally love, but that put out less than 3 issues in 2011 like Scarlet, Orc Stain, or Powers don't make the cut either.
20) Lil Depressed Boy by S. Stephen Struble and Sina Grace (Image)
Lonely Emo hipster finds love. Love goes bad. Smiths are listened to. That's the basic premise of this fine, emotionally engaging comic. In a year age when only action and superhero comics seem to make it to the stands, this was a refreshing change of pace. The cautiously optimistic tone, as well as the likeable lead created by Struble, are the two main reasons to keep coming back, despite the pessimistic nature of the title. Hope to see more books like this in 2012.
19) Secret Avengers by Warren Ellis and various artists (Marvel)
No offense to Ed Brubaker or Nick Spencer, but this book didn't really take off until Warren Ellis took over the writing reigns, and turned it from just another team book into a 25 page action-packed explosion of pages, panels, and colour. Each issue stands completely alone, and doesn't require you to be able to tell an Avenger from an X-Man.These are superheroes kicking ass, in the simplest possible way. Ellis is telling some pretty generic, yet throughly compelling superhero stories here, and Secret Avengers contains some of the best plotting I've seen from him in a while. Extra shout-outs go to the extremely varied group of talented artists that helped Ellis make this work as well as it did.
18) Detective Comics by Scott Snyder, Jock, and Francesco Francavilla (DC)
Snyder has been getting a lot of praise for his work on American Vampire, but it's his arc here, on this old bloated beast of superhero comics, that made me pay attention to his work. The story stars Dick Grayson, the young protegé who has had to step up to the plate and taken over the mantle of the Batman. This arc is probably the most convincing argument I've seen for why Grayson should have been allowed to stay in the cowl, as it manages to be both a pure Batman tale and a pure Dick Grayson tale at the same time. I'm aware that part of the reason I enjoyed this so much may have something to do with the fact that Grant Morrison has been systematically destroying my beloved Batman over the past few years, but I digress. If you miss the Detective in Detective Comics, I'd give this a shot. P.S. Jock and Francesco Francavilla have fairly disparate art styles, but I never felt as if they clashed, and thought that they made great tag-team partners throughout this entire run.
17) Jonah Hex/All-Star Western by Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, various artists (DC)
I'll lump these together as a) they're by the same writers, and b) they're both vehicles for Jonah Hex, DC's notorious wild west bounty hunter. Jonah Hex was one of the best comics DC produced before their much vaunted September reboot, and it's follow-up All-Star Western manages to keep the quality fairly high, though perhaps it's a little toothless in comparison. Part of the appeal of the original series was the stand-alone adventure nature of the book, and so the switch to a more serial, continuity driven approach wasn't exactly welcome news. Still, the book remains a solid western adventure read to this day.
16) Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai (Dark Horse)
200 issues. You heard me. Usagi Yojimbo hit 200 issues this year. You know what other independent creator-owned book hit a milestone like that this year? Can't think of one? That's because there are no other currently running creator-owned books that have even come close to the commercial or creative longevity that Usagi has had. Usagi Yojimbo is about the continuing adventures of a masterless samurai (or ronin) in feudal Japan. He's also a talking rabbit, but that's never really explained, and kind of besides the point. He rambles through the Japanese countryside, looking for ways to earn a meal or a warm fire. It's a simple concept, and that simplicity is part of the reason why Sakai has kept the quality so very high for so very long. The impressionist sensibility of Sakai's pencils help to keep the tone light, yet fairly vibrant.
15) The Spirit by David Hine and Moritat (DC)
Will Eisner's Spirit. In comic book circles, those three words are enough to make even the most fervent of fanboys blush. The Spirit was a Sunday strip that was created by Will Eisner in the very late 30's, and managed to run until 1950 or so. Although the strip's quality was inconsistent, when it was good it was VERY good, and remains some of the best adventure comic storytelling of all time. The character has had a resurgence since Eisner's death, with various creators trying their hand at the seminal crime fighter. Darwyn Cooke's version remains the very best of these, but I was happy to see just how good David Hines and Moritat's adaptation had become, at least before DC cancelled it. Hines realized that The Spirit himself is actually the least interesting part of Eisner's creation, and that the character should always be just a gateway to telling small, entertaining crime stories. Unfortunately very few of the new DC reboot titles have matched this level of quality.
14) Echo/Rachel Rising by Terry Moore (Abstract Studios)
It's probably unfair to label these together as the genres involved are quite different. But given that they're a) both by Terry Moore, b) both have solving a mystery as their main premise, and c) both are character vehicles first, I thought lumping them together would be ok. Echo ended after 30 issues this year, with Rachel starting only a few months later. While Echo was pure sci-fi, and Rachel seems to be plumbing the horror genre, they both should be read by anyone wanting to learn how to set up a convincing, intriguing mystery comic. I wish more people would give Moore's comics a shot, as he's doing some really enjoyable genre work these days.
13) Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man Vol. 1/Vol. 2 by Brian Bendis & various artists (Marvel)
Spider-Man died this year. Yes, Peter Parker. Deader than a dictator. Big deal, yes? Then why haven't you heard about this? Because it's the not the regular Spider-Man that died, it's the one in the Ultimate Universe. God you're dumb. And they wonder why no one reads comics anymore. Despite the confusing continuity, the reality is that THE Spider-Man title to buy over the last decade has been Brian Bendis' work on Ultimate Spider-Man. It's a simpler, modernized version of the origin of our beloved webcrawler, and Bendis decided to take it up a notch by putting him six feet in the ground. And the best part of it was that it was actually a great story. Actually, I'm going to go as far as to say that it was a capital G GREAT story. And while Parker has remained dead (for now), Bendis has created a more-than-suitable replacement in Miles Morales. This new addition to the Spidey mythos gave the franchise a kick in the pants that it maybe didn't need, but was definitely welcome.
12) The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard (Image)
This sacred cow of modern horror comics is still going, and thankfully it's still going relatively strong. It's a testament to Kirkman's skills as a storyteller (and for creating such an open-ended concept in the first place) that this independent comic book has thrived in such a difficult time for the market, and has even spawned a successful TV show. The premise is simple: Zombies have taken over the world. A group of people are trying to survive. Simple it may be, but Kirkman understands that emotional responses in survival situations are anything BUT simple, and constantly invents creative new ways to put his characters under the emotional gun.
11) The Unwritten by Mike Carey (Vertigo)
Unwritten is the story of Tommy Taylor, the son of a famous fantasy novelist, and the model for his most famous creation. He's struggling to find his own way in the world, until he finds out that the line between fantasy and reality isn't as clear as he once thought. In short, this is a story about stories. About how stories affect our lives, our culture, and our history. And as such, it's about as ambitious as comics can get, and this year saw Carey exploring genres ranging from noir to fantasy, and from superhero to horror. In some ways, I don't love this series quite as much as I once did now that many of the mysteries are solved and now that it's morphing into a pure fantasy book, but the imaginative way that Carey and Gross utilize fiction tropes to tell their ambitious epic keeps me coming back for more.
10) Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
Tony Chu is the star here. He's a FDA agent in a world where chicken has been outlawed due to a catastrophic epidemic of Bird Flu. He has the unique ability to get a psychic impression through anything that he's eaten, which as you would expect means that we get to see Chu eat a variety of disgusting things. My appreciation of this book was strong at first, but then soured as the comic started to get whackier, and more farcical. I'm happy to report that I'm back on the side of praise now, and I think I finally have the measure of what Layman and Guillory are all about. It's a very thin line between serious cop drama, bizarre sci-fi, and hilarious farce that these guys are trying to draw, but they're really pulling it off. This year saw them leap a year forward in the narrative for one issue, only to go back to the original timeline in the next. It was a bold move, and one that could tie the hands of lesser creators. But in the wacky, capable hands of these talents it just seems par for the course.
9) DMZ by Brian Wood, Riccardo Burchielli, and Others (Vertigo)
In the near future, America is at war. Not with North Korea, or Iran, or Syria, but with itself. It's the near future, and America is years into a brutal civil war, with the island of Manhattan serving as a "neutral" demilitarized zone. That's the premise of DMZ, and it's one that's almost disturbingly familiar. As I'm writing this, one last issue of DMZ is about to hit the stands, and it's a bittersweet end. Creatively, it's always great when books end on a high note. But in this era of pre-packaged superhero mediocrity, it's a shame any time a book of this quality leaves the marketplace. DMZ wasn't just a good comic, it was an important comic, one that served as a warning to what we might become if we're not careful. Watching Brian Wood evolve into one of the mediums great writers over the past decade has been a real joy, and I'm going to go as far as to say that DMZ might be one of the finest war comics the medium has ever seen.
8) Punisher Max by Jason Aaron & Steve Dillon (Marvel)
Probably the second most intense comic on the stands right now, which isn't surprising since it's written by the same guy who writes the first. It mystifies me that this sells as little as it does, as it's easily among the most consistently well-made comics that Marvel has produced over the past few years. Forget what you think this series is about, as it requires absolutely no previous knowledge of The Punisher, or superheroes at all, to really enjoy it. What it is, is the story of an old man. His family was killed 30 years ago, and he's spent every second of the decades since trying to kill criminals in a futile attempt at avenging that family's deaths. And his time is almost up. This series has taught me a lot this year about what it means to strip a story down to its bare essentials, as I can't think of a single wasted beat that Aaron's made since it started. Every single panel, is about setting up what looks to be a blaze of glory for the tragic lead character, and this might be the most emotionally charged comic on my list this year. Steve Dillon is firing on all cylinders here, and is turning in some of the best work of his career.
7) The Goon by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
After a two-year sabbatical, Eric Powell took the reigns back in 2011 on the book that made him famous. Not only that, but he went back to his roots. By the time Powell had finished his last run on the book, The Goon had evolved into a long, dramatic horror series full of convoluted plots and strategically built tension. Powell has stepped back from that ledge however, and this year in The Goon was all about what the book was first famous for: Short, yet terrifyingly funny action-packed horror stories, full of scary monsters, dialogue that would make a dead drunken sailor blush, and some of the most beautifully disturbing artwork to be found in comics. Although I'm looking forward to Powell getting back into the epic business, it's been great to see him having fun again.
6) Rasl by Jeff Smith (Cartoon Books)
That this brilliant science fiction masterpiece hasn't gotten more attention from the comic community is a real shame. I would probably rate this higher if it came out a little more often, but I'm definitely not complaining. Like recent issues of Sixth Gun and Sweet Tooth, it seemed as if there was quite a bit of exposition to get through this year in the pages of Rasl. One feels as if Smith had been waiting a long time to bring the true story of Nikola Tesla into the science fiction of RASL, and he did it pretty seamlessly. This is a large, alternate-universe epic Smith is creating here, and the only problem I have with it is that I don't see how he could possibly wrap it up in the handful of issues left that he has planned.
5) Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo)
It's been nice to see Lemire get some mainstream success this year with his superhero writing, but he's still most effective when he handles the art chores on his own work. So I was a little surprised when Lemire had Matt Kindt partner up with him on a few issues of Sweet Tooth this year. I shouldn't have been. Kindt is a brilliant storyteller in his own right, and his art is a perfect complement to Lemire's quirky sensibilities. Sweet Tooth is a post-apocalyptic road story about a mutant and his shadowy father figure, but recent issues have seen Lemire attempt to fill in some of the holes regarding the world they live in, and how it go to be that way. In that light, Lemire's decision to use a different artist makes sense, though part of me can't wait for the main narrative to be revisited. Lemire's work on Sweet Tooth is some of the best dramatic storytelling on the stands right now.
4) Northlanders by Brian Wood and various artists (Vertigo)
After a rare, and brief dip in quality with the near-terrible Metal, storyline, Brian Wood brought his Viking adventure anthology back on track this year with some pretty incredible writing, namely as seen in his brilliant Icelandic Trilogy. Sadly, this wasn't enough to save the book, and Northlanders is scheduled for cancellation in a few months, along with Wood's other book DMZ. This was one of the jewels of the Vertigo line, and one that I recommend often to people who love great storytelling, but haven't really appreciated the medium of comics before. Wood understands intrinsically what most writers take years to figure out: Genre is meaningless if you don't have a great lead whose actions you care about passionately. And so although Wood's chosen setting of circa 900AD Scandinavia is important, it always takes a back seat to his compelling lead characters, and the action-packed scenarios he throws them in. It's sad that this book is ending, but at least it's going out on a high note.
3) Here Comes….Daredevil! by Mark Waid, Marcos Martin, and Paolo Rivera (Marvel)
This book represents everything that is good and great about the medium of comics. It's a return to the fun, swashbuckling version of Daredevil that usually comes in second place to the more popular, brooding one, but this book is so much more than that. More than any other superhero comic book being published today, this book uses the medium of comics to tell you it's stories. Now, that just sounds like common sense right? It should be, but the sad truth is that so much of comic book storytelling today is stagnant. It's become far more about genre than it is about medium. People like zombies? Here's a screenplay about zombies in Vietnam, with some pictures! Want to add some edge? Here's Super-Zombie! Waid's DD transcends all of that nonsense. It's a comic about a superhero, but most importantly it's a comic. It's bold, It's bright, and it uses every square inch of every single page to tell you it's secrets. The art by Marcos Martin and Paolo Rivera are going to be dissected by comic book historians for years to come.
2) The Sixth Gun by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt (Oni)
I wish more comics were like this one. Not exactly like this one obviously. But it's the ambition I admire here. Sixth Gun is a western/horror pastiche about.a woman who inherits a magical gun from her father, and finds out pretty quickly that the gun holds some very dark secrets. This is a bold comic book, in that it's combining several less-than-trendy genres in a time where getting people to buy anything that doesn't have the word Bat in front of its title is almost impossible. At first I thought there would be a years worth of stories in this concept, tops, but as more issues come and go, it's obvious that Bunn and Hurt are weaving a complex, epic story here, and it's one that is bordering on genius.
1) Scalped by Jason Aaron & RM Guera (Vertigo)
If this comic doesn't constantly give you goosebumps in the tuckus, than I think you're in the wrong blog. This is "just" a populist crime story about a modern day indian reserve in South Dakota, but it's one that's so visceral, so stirring, and so character-driven that I'm always surprised that it's never gotten the mainstream attention that lesser Vertigo series seem to garner. This series still kicks me in the pants every time I read an issue. This is powerful crime storytelling at it's very best, and the fact that it's ending soon is a little depressing. I'm comforted however by the fact that it seems destined to go out on a high note. I'm hoping that years from now people will be talking about this title in the same way people talk about Criminal, or 100 Bullet, although I think that it's already proven that it's their equal. Unfortunately, 2012 is going to be the last for this fantastic neo-noir.
Honourable Mention:
Incorruptible by Mark Waid and Marcio Takara (BOOM), I, Vampire by Joshua Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino (DC), Animal Man by Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman (DC), Pigs by Ben McCool, Nate Cosby, and Breno Temura (Image), Near Death by Jay Faerber and Simone Guglielmini (Image), Captain America and Bucky by Ed Brubaker and Francesco Francavilla, (Marvel), Secret Six by Gail Simone and Jim Caliofore (DC), Batgirl by Bryan Miller and Dustin Nguyen (DC), Batgirl by Gail Simone and Ardian Syaf (DC), Batwoman by JH Williams and W. Haden Blackman (DC), Butcher Baker by Joe Casey and Mike Huddleston (Image)
Would have gotten on the list if more issues had comes out: Wasteland by Antony Johnston and various artists (IDW), Scarlet by Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev (ICON), Godland by Joe Casey and Tom Scioli (Image), Orc Stain by James Stokoe (Image), Powers by Brian Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming (Icon)


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Argument from faith
An argument from faith asserts that we can know of the existence of God through faith. Even if it were true, this argument suffers from an obvious limitation: In order to accept the argument, one must already have accepted it.
- 1 Formal statement
- 2 Counter-arguments
Formal statement[edit]
- p1. Faith is a unique method of knowing.
- a) Nothing can be known for certain or proven from scratch.
- b) Instead we must rely on certain assumptions which we take on faith.
- c) Through faith one can know these truths that cannot otherwise be verified.
- p2. The existence of God cannot be determined except through faith.
- p3. I have faith in God.
- p1. Faith is a unique method of knowing.
- c1. God exists.
False premise p1a[edit]
The premise that nothing can be proven for certain or from scratch can be demonstrated as false when you consider 'I think therefore I am', mathematics and the 3 logical absolutes. You can prove to yourself that your mind exists in some possible form, and that 2 + 2 = 4 with absolute certainty. A simple yet sufficient answer to this premise is 'so what?'. Science does not work with absolute certainty on most subjects but is still demonstrably the best way to discover the world. For example, evolution is not proven absolutely, however close it may be.
Faith is not necessary in any other situation[edit]
Most skeptical atheists will probably reject the idea that faith is a way of knowing anything. The things which atheists supposedly assume, such as the reliability of the senses, are in fact generally not taken on faith in the same way as religious ideas are. For one, we are constantly bombarded with new evidence regarding the reliability of the senses, as each one confirms the others, and as new experiences prove to be consistent with old ones. The world could be Matrix-like or a dream, but Occam's razor recommends the straightforward explanation, which is that the world is what it appears to be and not an elaborate illusion created by unknown means. Furthermore, it is a practical necessity to live life based on the best information one has, even if it is not absolutely certain.
That said, even this acceptance is not absolute. Most people are willing to accept the possibility that illusions, hallucinations, or dreams may fool their senses, at least from time to time. This is in strong contrast to religious belief. Theists often feel such a strong loyalty towards their beliefs that they are unwilling to even confront the possibility that they might be wrong. What such people call "faith" is most certainly not a way of knowing that everyone relies upon.
Which God?[edit]
- Main Article: Which god?
This argument for the existence of God doesn't specify anything about Him, except to say "He is the God I have faith in." Since many people have different ideas about what God is, they can "prove" to themselves the existence of Yahweh, Allah, Vishnu, or any other deity with this argument. In fact, this is true of virtually every argument for the existence of God that is not explicitly based on a particular scripture.
Other ways of knowing God should be possible[edit]
An omnipotent God, or indeed one with any power great enough to make Him worthy of being called God, should be able to manifest in the physical world, do miracles, speak directly to human beings, and many other things. If He did, faith would be unnecessary, and this would seem to be a far more honest and straightforward way for him to interact with mankind. Since these things don't seem to be happening to people nowadays, the fact that we have to rely on faith to believe in him seems to be a reason to not believe that he really exists.
Faith is not reliable[edit]
This should be obvious to anyone who takes even a brief moment to think about the subject, but sometimes it must be stated aloud. Cult members and even conventionally religious people often have strong convictions that lead them to commit murder or suicide, even when their beliefs are demonstrably false. Different religions contradict one another, yet they are often based on similar degrees of faith. Clearly, having faith in something, however strong, does not make it to true, or even lend credibility to the concept. If you say that faith is the only way to determine whether god exists, as stated in p2, then you are out of gas, and more is required.
The atheist has no direct access to faith in God[edit]
By definition, no atheist has faith in God, and it is usually not possible to make yourself believe in just anything for just any arbitrary reason (although this is often what theists seem to be demanding when they require an atheist to have faith in God). As a result, no atheist has any way of evaluating this argument except by noting that other people have faith (in which case she will notice that faith is not a reliable source of knowledge).
In fact, this is a counter-productive argument to use on any kind of atheist. Since it insists that faith is the best or even only way of knowing God, it implies that anyone who cannot have faith should immediately give up on discovering anything about Him. It also encourages theists to give up on ever justifying their own beliefs with solid, objective evidence or reasoning that they could use to shore up their own faith or to convince others.
Self-justifying/circular nature of the argument[edit]
This argument is utterly unconvincing to anyone who does not already believe the conclusion. However, it does provide a way for believers to reaffirm their faith through circular reasoning (my faith in God is justified by my faith in God). This makes the argument effectively a defensive tactic, one which has no power to convince, but which becomes unassailable through sheer stubbornness. That is, an atheist confronted with someone who sincerely makes this argument may give up, simply because the theist in question appears totally unreachable through rational discussion.


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Today I had a great day! I did it! I soldered a development board for my Mega2560. A little corrected code and ... voila! Wiring diagram:
(SD while not tested, but I think it works)
- rtc sqw (1hz) - pin 2
- menu key - pin 3
- set key - pin 4
- plus key - pin 5
- speaker - pin 6
- speaker - pin 7
- HT1632_WRCLK - pin 10
- HT1632_CS - pin 11
- HT1632_DATA - pin 12
- HT1632_CLK - pin 13
- rtc sda - pin 20
- rtc scl - pin 21
- sd miso - pin 50
- sd mosi - pin 51
- sd sck - pin 52
- sd cs - pin 53
NelsonC built his own hand-wired version of WiFiChron and it looks awesome:
MikeM sent in (thanks Mike!) his latest WiFiChron code (available here).
The enclosed zip file compiles under Arduino 1.6.8, though it generates a warning I haven't figured out how to eliminate.
Ray ran into a problem with data overruns. When data in an RSS feed was split between multiple packets, sometimes the last few bytes of a packet were dropped from the RSS buffer. I didn't see that problem with my clock when I was developing the code, nor did I see it on the WiseClock4. I've re-built the RSS state machine to be more CPU efficient, and now the packets are processed without drops. We probably don't need to change the RSS code on the WiseClock4 as it runs at 16 MHz and not 8 MHz like the WiFiChron.
I also changed the PROGMEM statements to fit the 1.6.8 standard.
And finally, I got the PCBs for the 1284-equipped versions of WiFiChron and bGeigie nano.
For both I relied on internal (software-driven) pull-ups (basically I eliminated the pull-up resistors), without checking first if that would work. Unfortunately, the current sanguino library does not implement correctly the function pinMode(x,INPUT_PULLUP). So I had to resort to resistors soldered on the back of the board. That, plus missing a necessary decoupling capacitor, plus also missing some connections on the bGeigie board, made for a "fun-filled", but in the end successful, testing. More on these in a future post.