text:
Lighting the Way: What We Can Learn from America's Top 12 Solar States
Solar energy is on the rise. America's solar energy revolution has been led by 12 states, including New Jersey, that have used public policies to open the door for solar energy and are reaping the rewards as a result.
America has more than three times as much solar photovoltaic capacity today as in 2010, and more than 10 times as much as in 2007. In the first three months of 2013, solar power accounted for nearly half of the new electricity generating capacity in the United States. The price of solar energy is falling rapidly, and each year tens of thousands of additional Americans begin to reap the benefits of clean energy from the sun, generated right on the rooftops of their homes or places of business.
Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center
Solar energy is on the rise. America has more than three times as much solar photovoltaic capacity today as in 2010, and more than 10 times as much as in 2007. In the first three months of 2013, solar power accounted for nearly half of the new electricity generating capacity in the United States. The price of solar energy is falling rapidly, and each year tens of thousands of additional Americans begin to reap the benefits of clean energy from the sun, generated right on the rooftops of their homes or places of business.
America's solar energy revolution has been led by 12 states that have used public policies to open the door for solar energy and are reaping the rewards as a result.
The top twelve states account for only 28 percent of the U.S. population but 85 percent of the nation's installed solar electricity capacity.* These 12 states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina and Vermont – possess strong policies that are enabling increasing numbers of homeowners, businesses, communities and utilities to "go solar."
The pathway to a solar future laid out by the Dazzling Dozen is open to every state. By following their lead and implementing a new wave of public policies to expand access to solar energy, the United States can work toward the goal of getting at least 10 percent of our energy from the sun by 2030.
Solar energy is good for the environment, consumers and the economy.
- Solar photovoltaics (PV) produce 96 percent less global warming pollution per unit of energy than coal-fired power plants over their entire life cycle, and 91 percent less global warming pollution than natural gas-fired power plants.
- Solar energy benefits consumers by reducing the need for expensive investments in long-distance transmission lines.
- Solar energy can lower electricity costs by providing power at times of peak demand.
- Solar energy costs are falling rapidly. The cost of installed solar energy systems fell by 27 percent during 2012, on top of a 20 percent decline between the beginning of 2010 and the end of 2011.
- Solar energy creates local clean energy jobs that can't be outsourced. More than 119,000 people currently work in America's solar energy industry, most of them in jobs such as installation that are located in close proximity to the places where solar panels are installed.
Solar energy is on the rise – especially in states that have adopted strong public policies to encourage solar power.
- The amount of solar photovoltaic capacity* in the United States has increased more than tenfold in the last six years. (See Figure ES-1.)
- America's solar energy revolution is being led by 12 states; which have the highest per-capita solar electricity capacity* in the nation. These 12 states – Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, California, Delaware, Colorado, Vermont, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Maryland – account for 28 percent of the U.S. population and 21 percent of U.S. electricity consumption, but 85 percent of total U.S. solar electricity capacity and 87 percent of the solar photovoltaic capacity installed in 2012. (See Figure ES-2 and Table ES-1.)
America's leading solar states have adopted strong policies to encourage homeowners and businesses to "go solar." Among the top dozen states:
- 11 of the 12 have strong net metering policies. In nearly all of these states, consumers are compensated at the full retail rate for the excess electricity they supply to the grid. Net metering ensures that consumers receive reliable and fair compensation for the excess electricity they provide to the grid.
- 10 of the 12 have strong statewide interconnection policies. Good interconnection policies reduce the time and hassle required for individuals and companies to connect solar energy systems to the grid.
- 11 of the 12 have renewable electricity standards that set minimum requirements for the share of a utility's electricity that must come from renewable sources, and 9 of them have solar carve-outs that set specific targets for solar or other forms of clean, distributed electricity.
- The vast majority of the states allow for creative financing options such as third-party power purchase agreements and property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing.
- States in the Dazzling Dozen are far more likely to have each of these key solar policies in place than other states, reinforcing the conclusion of U.S. Department of Energy research linking the presence of key solar policies to increases in solar energy deployment.
Strong public policies at every level of government can help unlock America's potential for clean solar energy. To achieve America's full solar potential:
- Local governments should adopt policies guaranteeing homeowners and businesses the right to generate power from the sunlight that strikes their properties and (where permitted) implement property-assessed clean energy (PACE) financing programs to expand access to solar energy. Local governments with municipal utilities should promote solar energy by providing financial incentives – such as feed-in-tariffs – to customers and invest in community-scale and utility-scale solar projects. In addition, local governments should adopt solar-friendly zoning rules and streamlined permitting procedures to eliminate red tape and make it easier and cheaper for Americans to "go solar."
- State governments should set ambitious goals for solar energy and adopt policies – including many of those described in this report – to meet them. State governments should also use their role as the primary regulators of electric utilities to encourage utility investments in solar energy, implement rate structures that maximize the benefits of solar energy to consumers, and support smart investments to move toward a more intelligent electric grid in which distributed sources of energy such as solar power play a larger role.
- The federal government should continue key tax credits for solar energy, encourage responsible development of prime solar resources on public lands in the American West, and support research, development and deployment efforts designed to reduce the cost of solar energy and smooth the incorporation of large amounts of solar energy into the electric grid.
- All levels of government should lead by example by installing solar energy technologies on government buildings.
* In this report, "solar photovoltaic capacity" refers to installed solar photovoltaic systems, both distributed and utility-scale. "Solar electricity capacity" refers to all solar technologies that generate electricity, including concentrating solar power systems that use the sun's heat – rather than its light – to generate electricity. The figures in this report do not include other solar energy technologies, such as solar water heating, that are increasingly important sources of clean energy.


text:
General Mills and Publix are partnering in the Return to School Sweepstakes where you can win 100,000 in Box Tops for your school!
If you are a Publix shopper in these states! Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina or Tennessee you can sign up and then enter!
Remember, this is only for shoppers in the states listed - not good for me here in PA : (

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear user of www.finland-holidays.com,
we would be more than happy to know your opinion and get your suggestions to our webpage. Since our aim is to provide information and service, we are always grateful to get your references and accept them gladly.
Unfortunately, we cannot answer your requests about bids, availability of the objects, etc. as we do not have such information. Please, use the "request" button to contact the landlord of the property directly. www.finland-holidays.com is not a landlord or agency of the displayed holiday objects. We have no further information about the objects.
If are willing to add your contributions to our "news" section, mail to email@example.com. If you want to add your advertisement or co-operate with us, then send us your messages at email@example.com.
Please, don't to forget to use our form to contact us for all other inquiries and suggestions.


text:
Telegram's previous update revolutionized emoji, adding an open platform for creating custom animated emoji. This update gives you even more ways to use these new emoji to express how you're feeling – with infinite reactions and emoji statuses.
All users now have access to dozens of reactions – including those that were previously only available with Telegram Premium, like . To accommodate all the new emoji, we've redesigned the reaction panel, making it expandable. The reactions you use frequently will show up at the top.
Telegram Premium users can pick reactions from an infinite selection of custom emoji. To make choosing from thousands upon thousands of emoji easier, they can now attach up to 3 reactions per message.
These changes to reactions are currently available in groups and 1-on-1 chats.
Group admins can control whether custom reactions may be used in their groups.
Starting today, Premium users can add an animated emoji status that is displayed next to their name – to quickly let everyone know how they're feeling or what they're doing. This custom status takes the place of your Premium Badge in the chat list, in your profile and in groups.
You can set one of 7 standard statuses that change their color to match different Telegram themes – or choose from an infinite number of custom emoji. Popular suggestions for working, sleeping, traveling and more will be shown at the top.
Tap the Premium badge at the top of your chat list or go to Settings to change your status. Press and hold an emoji to set a status for a specific duration.
Anyone can use Telegram's open emoji platform to upload custom packs with unique art styles and characters for Telegram Premium users.
Users who log out and log back in frequently can now receive login codes through their email address or using Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google.
Signing up or logging in to Telegram on iOS is now even more streamlined, with new interfaces and fun animations that are already familiar to our Android users.
All @usernames on Telegram have their own t.me/username links, making it easy to share your public profile, group or channel anywhere on the internet.
Every username now has a new unique link format – username.t.me – for those who want to emphasize their name (or have trouble finding the / key).
Media and files that are actively downloading can be managed in the 'Downloads' tab of Search or by tapping the icon that appears in your chat list. You can now press and hold any items in the list to reorder them and change their priority – downloading the top file first.
This feature was already available on iOS – press and hold an item in the list and select 'Prioritize Download'.
New smooth animations have been added for opening, closing and changing media on Android.
Those on Android 13 or newer can choose a thematic Telegram icon that will automatically match your phone's dark mode settings and accent color.
And that's it for today. While everybody returns to their work and studies, we go back to our secret labs where the next update is already brewing.
September 16, 2022
The Telegram Team


text:
As a San Perlita ISD employee, you are eligible to participate in a Section 125 Cafeteria Plan. Enrollment opportunities are limited to the plan year dates for your employer.
Section 125 Cafeteria Plan allows you, the employee, to select from a list of available benefits that will meet your family's benefits needs. Certain benefit premiums are deducted from your gross earnings before federal with-holding taxes are calculated. The amount you elect to have deducted "pre-tax" actually lowers your taxable income. By implementing this plan, your employer is helping you reduce your taxes and increase your take home pay. The illustration below shows how the Cafeteria Plan can work for you.
You cannot change your benefit elections for the plan year unless the benefits office receives notification in writing within 31 days of the status change. If the Benefits Office is not notified within 31 days of the status change, no benefit change can be made until the next annual Open Enrollment.
IRS specified changes in family status include:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Death of a spouse/child
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Termination of spouse's employment


text:
In Brian Irwin's book Recompense: Streams, Summits and Reflections, the author revisits the moments that shaped him as a writer and a human being. A collection of stories and essays, Recompense explores the author's relationship with the outdoors from Montana's Glacier National Park to Maine's Baxter State Park. Though the book meanders through seemingly unrelated tales, the theme, in Irwin's words, "is consistent throughout: the outdoor world and how humans interact with it yields fascinating impressions." The stories are often humorous, occasionally poignant, and always rich with the spirit of open-air indulgence.
Irwin began writing when his father made him keep a journal on family vacations. As he grew older, writing became an increasingly important part of his life. He coupled this passion with a love of the outdoors, and it has taken him across North America and beyond. His travels are always under the banner of climbing, skiing, fly-fishing and, of course, writing. But it is more than just recreational pursuits that occupy Irwin's prose. As a doctor and a father, his writing is also concerned with the social, cultural and familial matters that lay beneath his adventures.
Divided into three parts, the style plays between memoir, historical essay and outdoor journalism, often employing all three genres within a single piece. Each chapter details not only Irwin's experience, but that of his partners, who range from bible-toting Christians to brawny New Englanders, and even his two-year-old son. The focus isn't always the activity itself, but often the dynamics among the characters involved. The study of interactions among folk who adventure together is a common thread in Irwin's work. Throughout Recompense, the who of the story often outweighs the what.
Irwin avoids the "detailed-account" school of outdoor writing. Instead, he employs humor and vivid characterization to bring his stories to life. In the chapter "Freeski or Die: New Hampshire's Mount Washington," Irwin profiles not just the mountains history, but its storied host of characters as well. In another chapter, "Koz, He's The Man," Irwin pulls the spotlight away from his ascent of the Grand Teton and places it on the peculiar, over-prepared team he's joined for the climb. This gives the reader a more entertaining, lighthearted version of the quintessential climbing story.
Despite its successful approach, Recompense falls short in several ways–the most noticeable being the lack of logical progression between stories and parts of the book. No real consistency in date or subject matter explains its organization, resulting in frequent ambiguity over a stories meaning.
Also, readers seeking insightful meditations on the outdoors will be disappointed. While Irwin tells us that the impressions are fascinating, we usually never learn what those impressions are. He experiences many things, some grave and others blissful, but it's not always clear how he's affected.
Yet there are exceptions. In The chapter "Recompense," Rand McNally's perceived happiness hides a much darker truth. Irwin's reflections on Rand dissect the uncertainty of human nature with grace and compassion. In the epilogue Irwin again shows his knack for relating essentially recreational activities to deeper, more important human concerns. I wish he'd done so in more of the stories.
Irwin's writing is strongest when his empathy comes through unmediated, but we don't always see this side of him. For readers in search of a diverse collection of stories that go beyond the simple retellings of adventures, you will appreciate Irwin's focus on the social and familial aspects of outdoor recreation. But some stories lack conclusion, and the reader is ultimately left wanting more substance.


text:
I installed my SSH private key in ~/.ssh/id_rsa. There is no passphrase associated with the key, however, whenever I connect to an SSH server, a dialog pops up and asks me to enter my password to access the id_rsa file.
If I cancel the dialog or enter an empty passphrase and click OK, the Terminal prompts me for a passphrase.
I have verified that the key is valid and does not require a password by connecting with the same key via other machines.
Something odd about my particular set-up is causing the problem but I can't figure it out. I'm currently running OSX 10.7.1 but the same problem was occurring with OSX 10.6.8


text:
Aino V8000HDZ using a 7 inch screen, with 800 x 480 HD resolution. At the same time, V8000HDZ will use of ergonomic design button layout, the user grasps the more comfortable, operation more convenient! Whether you love fashionable touch control operation game player, prefer the traditional buttons to operate the user can in this MP4 to find their favorite mode of operation.
V8000HDZ uses keys and touch dual operating system, so the body is still the key, the top is provided with a power switch and ESC exit button, on the right top is provided with a control key and the confirmation key, left side of the fuselage with a screen lock, SD expansion card and MIC, the right side is provided with earphone interface, color output, USB interface, DC interface, volume control, remote control receiver is designed on the fuselage underside.
Screen lock, SD card and MIC
Exquisite UI interface
V8000HDZ UI is very simple in design, the function design stick out a mile, operation is very smooth.
AI V8000HDZ broadcast the film effect
AI V8000HDZ compatible MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, and other audio formats, built-in multiple audio mode nature, heavy bass, pop, rock, classical, jazz, language,
The maximum brightness and minimum brightness contrast


text:
Competitive Intelligence – A Selective Resource Guide – Updated June 2017
Sabrina I. Pacifici has completely revised and updated her guide, which she first published in 2005 and has updated yearly since that time. A wide range of free sites with expertly sourced content specific to researchers focused on business, finance, government data, analysis and news from the US and around the world, are included in this article. The resources in this guide are the work of corporate, government, academic, advocacy and news sources and individuals or groups using Open Source applications. This guide is pertinent to professionals who are actively engaged in maintaining a balanced yet diverse group of reliable, actionable free and low cost sources for their daily research.


text:
After stalking my secret partner on his/her blog, through his/her flickr projects and favorites I put together this stack of fabrics I thought he/she would like. Sorry for all the he/she stuff. It's a secret you see.
The fabric sat around awhile, marinating, waiting to become something. Narrowing it down to one idea is hard. There are so many possibilities, so many things you could do.
One of the fabrics is a cheater print and I started thinking, what if I cut those squares apart and treated it as separate fabrics? I remembered how much I loved Erin's scrappy Swoon block. If I made one Swoon block a little smaller, it would be a great pillow.
I liked the idea of it, but I wasn't sure how it would look. My friend Jaye says, "make visual decisions visually". So I drafted the block in EQ and colored it with a similar color palette. I LOVED it.
I bought the pattern Swoon by Camille Roskelley and started piecing the blocks. I made some changes as I went. For a scrappy look, I broke up the big rectangles into squares. The cheater print and linen were so great together I decided to not use any of the other fabrics. I also changed the center square from a colored block to plain linen one. Slowly I'm learning to listen to my instincts as I go.
I had a few extra blocks and I added them to the back. Now my pillow is on it's way to it's new home. I hope my partner likes it as much as I do.
The end. : )


text:
Indulge your loved ones in just a few clicks! Send a personalised gift voucher by e-mail instantly to the address of your choice or print them off from home.
Please note: These gift vouchers are only redeemable online. If you'd like to buy gift vouchers for use in store, please visit one of our shops.


text:
Vehica – The most innovative Car Dealership WordPress Theme. It can be used to create a magnificent automotive website. This theme is ultra easy to use and very flexible. You can customize options without knowing any programming – change colors, images, sizes, spaces, and placement of any elements just via drag-and-drop. Vehica includes a powerful Vehicle Inventory module that allows you to modify all vehicle fields and search forms with just a few clicks. Your final website done via Vehica will be very quick and will work perfectly on mobile devices and tablets. Choosing Vehica is a great investment because you will have outstanding website without losing a lot of time or energy setting it up and managing it. We are Envato Elite Author. We are Envato Featured Authors. Our profile is 4.85+/5 rated by 200+ clients. If you find any problems we will help you. If you have any questions ask us via [email protected]
Try Vehica for Free – See our demo in action
Click here to get free demo! – you'll receive your private WordPress demo access and you can test all admin option on live website
Single Click Import – Demo and all pages are automatically imported after 1 click. It will save you time and allow you to quickly start your customizations. Demo package do not include users photos and has only few sample cars added.
Basic Setup Panel – After a few minutes your website will be totally yours! All in one place, you can select your primary color, add your phone number, email, upload your logo, and it will immediately be added everywhere on your website. With a single click you can delete all demo vehicles and have your website ready for its first visitors. Could it be easier or faster?
Globally Adaptable – You can translate all texts into any language, change currency, and switch between number formats and metrics. No extra software / plugin required for translation and adaptation. You just type your newly translated text into the panel and click Save. You can also have multiple currencies at the same time.
Powerful Vehicles Inventory – You can change the look of your vehicle inventory by creating your own fields and modifying the existing options. There are 6 types of fields: Text, Number, Taxonomy, Price, Gallery, Embed (Video).
Advanced Search Functionality – Search forms are critical in the Automotive business, so we've spent hundreds of hours testing and improving the Vehica search function. The result? A quick and flexible search engine that can be customized to fit your customers' needs, allowing them to search for vehicles based on their specific criteria.
Inventory Instant Results – Search results are updated after each selection. This way your users are immediately informed of "how many vehicles left." It provides a much better user experience than a classic "Search" button. Reloading is very fast, and users will love to use it. They will also avoid a "0 Results" found situation by typing in too many criteria. It reduces bounce rate and it is why all popular big companies have "instant results without reloading a page" after each criteria is changed. It is technologically very advanced, and it is why most other themes do not have it.
Field Relationships – Need to connect your Make field to your Model field? Create an unlimited number of relationships between search fields to automatically filter your search options and create a faster, more user-friendly experience.
Relevant Fields – Your visitors only need to see fields that are relevant for their search, e.g., different fields for motors than for trucks. You can create these kinds of relationships so the user experience is much smoother.
Elementor Plugin Integration – Vehica is based on Elementor Free plugin and we spend thousands of hours to add extra value to it. Create Any Website You Can Imagine. You can modify everything: Homepage, all pages (e.g., Contact / About), Single Vehicle Page, Results Page, User Page. It is the most flexible and easy to use solution on the market. Our developers created 30+ new elements that you can "drag-and-drop" to make sure page builder is ultra flexible and fully integrated with Vehica. Elementor Pro (paid) version is not required to run Vehica, but if you like to use it this product is fully compatible.
Flexible Menu – Vehica has a great menu that includes sticky and transparent options. Mobile menu was designed as off-canvas.
Global Body & Headings Google Fonts – Choose body and heading font in your setup panel. It will automatically be displayed on all of your pages. 800+ fonts available.
Private Seller / Business Seller User Roles – You can create a WordPress account that can only add vehicles and does not have access to admin functions. Great to delegate adding vehicles to other people.
Blog – Everything you need to start blogging is already integrated into MyHome. You can easily customize single post page via drag-and-drop options – change order of sections, colors, and more.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – SEO is a must for any WordPress theme, but we've taken it one step further. Vehica helps Google understand your content with optimized headings, URL structure and more. Vehica also fully supports the Yoast plugin to give your SEO rankings that extra boost. It is an ultra-fast and light product so Google scores it higher in search results (your website speed is one of the key factors of position).
v1.0.33 – 22 December 2020
Added: Vehica Panel > Advanced > Exclude From Search Results (You can use it e.g. to not display "Sold" listings in the inventory)
Improved: "Mobile Menu" design when User Icon turned off
Improved: "Our Team Carousel" design when 1,2,3 users only


text:
Our May Perfect Health Retreat begins on Saturday, and we're thrilled to announce a new partner: AOBiome.
In January I blogged ("UBiome and the May 2015 Perfect Health Retreat") about our partnership with uBiome.com. UBiome has contributed two gut microbiome sequencing kits for each guest, and we're sequencing gut microbiomes pre-retreat and at the end of the retreat to see if a week together in a PHD-optimized environment causes microbiomes to converge to a "Perfect Health Diet" pattern.
Now, AOBiome is donating a four week supply of their AO+Mist skin probiotic to each guest. To see why I'm excited about this, I have to say a little about nitric oxide.
Nitric Oxide and Health
Nitric oxide is a gaseous signaling molecule with powerful effects on blood vessels, nerves, the immune system, gut and skin. It has proven to be such an important molecule that the three pharmacologists who established its role in relaxing blood vessels were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1998.
Nitroglycerin, the explosive which turned out to be an effective remedy for heart failure, works by increasing nitric oxide levels.
A list of health conditions that may be improved through better nitric oxide status would be too long to attempt, but here is a brief sampling of Pubmed links. Nitric oxide may be helpful for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, gut conditions like constipation and impaired gut barrier integrity, obesity and diabetes, immunity against infections, dementia, lung dysfunction / COPD, and kidney disease. Nitric oxide has been reported to improve reaction time and exercise performance. It's been proposed that nitric oxide may slow aging.
How do we obtain nitric oxide? It is a gas so you can't eat it. Rather, we eat green leafy vegetables and beets to obtain nitrates; nitrates and bacteria-generated derivatives like nitrites are stored in the body, especially the skin; and then sunshine on the skin, among other processes, generates NO.
Here is dermatologist Richard Weller explaining why nitric oxide may be the reason sunshine is so good for our hearts, and why Scotsmen die so young despite the benefits of malt whisky:
Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria
Unfortunately, most of us don't eat enough spinach to optimize our nitrate status. It would be wonderful if there were another way to obtain nitric oxide precursors.
David Whitlock, the scientist-founder of AOBiome, realized that there is. He was wondering why horses and other animals wallow in the mud, and realized that they might be obtaining probiotic bacteria for the skin from the soil.
Investigation revealed that a class of bacteria called ammonia-oxidizing bacteria are present in soil and, when they colonize the skin, can transform ammonia excreted in sweat to nitrite which can be re-absorbed by the body. These "AOBs" not only improve nitric oxide status, they improve body odor by eliminating ammonia. But they are destroyed by soaps and chlorinated water. Since most people use soap, take chlorinated showers, and rarely wallow naked in the mud, we lack these AOBs.
So AOBiome came up with the idea of a skin probiotic – some AOBs dissolved in water that you spritz on your skin after a morning shower, to re-colonize your skin each morning.
AOBiome has a variety of information on their web site if you'd like to read more: information about the skin microbiome in general, how modern lifestyle has changed it, why having a healthy skin microbiome is an important part of health, and the basics about the bacteria in the AO+ Mist.
Thank You, AOBiome
The Perfect Health Retreats represent our best effort to develop natural ancestral healing methods based on diet, lifestyle, and a healthful environment. Microbes are an important part of our environment, and managing our microbial environment has the potential to significantly improve health.
AO+Mist has not been tested in clinical trials, and there is no direct evidence that it will be beneficial to health. But the mechanisms seem logical, and I'm delighted that our guests will have a way to obtain ammonia-oxidizing skin bacteria without nakedness or mud. Thank you, AOBiome!
You don't have to attend the retreat to benefit from AOBiome's generosity. For readers of our blog, AOBiome is offering a 25% discount. Go here to purchase AO+Mist and use the coupon code phd25 for your discount.


text:
Mike Mangini (born April 18, 1963 in Newton, Massachusetts) is the current drummer for Dream Theater, and has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai. He is a teacher at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and held five World's Fastest Drummer world records. He is also known for his work as a session musician. He joined Dream Theater after the departure of Mike Portnoy.
So today we celebrate this news with a classic DT tune "Pull Me Under", that is the first track and second single from Dream Theater's 1992 album "Images and Words".
"Pull Me Under," which originally had the working title "Oliver's Twist," is widely considered to be Dream Theater's most well known song. Although the band did enjoy its success with MTV and radio play during the release and there after, the band has continued to keep its distance from the mainstream scene; although, it is still performed in world tours. In a radio interview, Mike Portnoy stated that "...it was just an 8 and a half minute song, and it was just a fluke for MTV and radio play to happen." The song peaked at #10 on the Billboard Magazine Mainstream Rock Tracks charts.
A distinctive feature of the song is its lack of a conventional ending. "Pull Me Under" simply stops at 8 minutes and 11 seconds.
"Oh that this too, too solid flesh would melt."
A shortened version of the song (clocking at 4:48) also featured a music video which alternated between clips of the band performing and an obscure storyline about someone, who is often described by band members and fans as a "wolfman." The band members were reportedly unhappy with the storyline, saying that it doesn't have anything to do with the song's subject matter. Lead singer James LaBrie can be seen wearing a Napalm Death shirt in the video. According to drummer Mike Portnoy that shirt actually got the band connected with Napalm Death. Anyway, enjoy todays tune!
Dream theater - pull me under by cramchur
Images and Words tour - Live in Tokyo
Some Nerd Mike Mangini stuff!
Mangini currently endorses Pearl Drums and Zildjian Cymbals. In 2008, Pearl Drums released the Mike Mangini Signature Popcorn Snare. It is 10x6.2" made from 6ply Birch. He also uses his own Zildjian Mike Mangini Signature Sticks, which are laminated Birch with an acorn style tip, 16 1/5" long and .585" in diameter.
Mangini also uses Pearl Eliminator Pedals, and Pearl Hardware, Roland Electronics, Shure Microphones, and Remo Drumheads.
[edit]Current Setup (2008)
Pearl Masters Premium 6ply Maple Drums & Zildjian Cymbals:
Drums — Red Pearl, Red Onyx or Shimmer of Oz Finishes
10x8" Tom
12x9" Tom
14x14" Floor Tom
18x16" Floor Tom
22x18" Bass Drum
10x6.2" Mike Mangini Signature Popcorn Snare
14x5.5" Snare
Cymbals — Zildjian
14" A Custom Hi-Hats
13" A Custom Hi-Hats
14" ZHT Hi-Hats
13" Mastersound Hi-Hats
21" Rock Ride
20" Oriental Crash of Doom
18" A Custom Crash
17" A Custom Crash
22" Oriental China Trash
18" Oriental China Trash
14" Oriental China Trash
14 ZXT Trashformer (x3)
6" A Custom Splash
6" A Zilbel
Drum Heads — Remo
Toms: (10", 12", 14", 18") Clear Emperors (top), Clear Ambassadors (bottom)
Bass Drum: (24") Clear Powerstroke 3 with Falam Slam Patch (back), Standard Pearl Ebony (front)
Snares: (14", 10") Coated CS Controlled Sound or Coated Ambassadors (top), Clear Ambassadors(bottom)
Percussion — Pearl
Primero 6" Cowbell
Mide-Pitched Clave Block
Hardware — Pearl
DR503C Curved Icon Rack
PCX100 Clamp (x3)
PCX200 Clamp (x4)
TH-2000S Tom Arms (x3)
TH2000I Tom Arms (x2)
CH70 Cymbal Holders (x2)
CH-2000 Cymbal Holders (x2)
CH-2000S Cymbal Holders (x4)
CLH1000 X-Hat Attachment (x2)
AX25 Adapter (x2)
AX25L Adapter (x2)
P120 Bass Drum Pedal (x2)
P2002B Eliminator Double Pedal (Belt Drive w/Red Cams)
S2000 Snare Stand
RH-2000 Remote Hi-Hat (w/red cams) (x2)
DC-L300P Drop Clutch
D1000 Roadster Throne
PPS20 Cowbell Footpedal Bracket (x2)
PS85 Pedal Stabilizer
At his height from 2002–2005, Mangini was notorious for setting five World's Fastest Drummer records. These include the Fastest Matched Grip at 1,247 single strokes in 60 seconds in 2005, Fastest Barehands, which he earned by executing 1,138 single stroke notes in 60 seconds in 2002, until Glen Sobel (Of Beautiful Creatures) broke it with 1,140 notes in 2006. Fastest Traditional Grip which he earned by executing 1,126 single strokes in 60 seconds in 2003, a record that stood for five years before falling to Matt Smith (1,132) in 2008, and Fastest Single Stroke Foot record playing 13,222 hits in 15 minutes and 4,555 hits in five minutes; records that stood for two years before falling to Mike "Machine" Mallais (13,309/4,595) in 2007.
Mangini has written two books about his drumming techniques. These books, titled Rhythm Knowledge, are a practice method for deconstructing and simplifying complex polyrhythms and time signatures.
Mangini recently appeared on the Discovery Channel show Time Warp, displaying his drum skills for high speed cameras.
King is dead long live the King or should we say Mike is dead long live the Mike!
More info @
Dream Theater - The Official Site
Official Mike Mangini Website
Official Mike Mangini Myspace
Listen to "Dream Theater - Pull Me Under" on Spotify here!
Follow tuneoftheday.blogspot.com on Spotify here!


text:
Anaerobic digestion and dairy farm digesters for waste management may appear to be an odd subject for this website. However, while this subject is still relatively unknown to most people, it will become a mainstream business for thousands of clever dairy farmers in the United States.
The reality is that many investors are on the lookout for sustainable firms to invest in to shield their children from the pain of climate change. Plus, it's worth noting that "green" firms are now performing exceptionally well on the stock market. Add to that the US government's objective of minimising food waste, which farm digesters can readily handle in their digesters as the last option. And then, all of a sudden, you have:
a lucrative sideline for farms and an investment opportunity for expert financiers willing to invest in bringing Dairy AD and food waste co-disposal to a new level.
Therefore, continue reading and keep in mind that you originally heard about it here!
The Anaerobic Digestion Process
Anaerobic digestion is a biochemical conversion process used to treat and reduce the bulk of organic wastes, including solids, such as organic sewage sludge or concentrated industrial biowaste. Bacteria degrade biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion is a process used in business and on a small scale at home to manage trash and generate fuel (i. e. Renewable Natural Gas).
Fermentation is a phrase that the majority of people are familiar with. Fermentation is a component of the process of anaerobic digestion. It is used industrially in the manufacturing of food and beverage products and the brewing of alcoholic drinks.
Background to Anaerobic Digestion in Dairy Farms
Anaerobic digestion has a variety of environmental and economic advantages. The critical element is that it creates renewable energy in the form of methane, a naturally occurring gas. As a result, the number of dairy farm anaerobic waste digesters has gradually grown in the United States during the last few years.
Previously, cow manure was deposited into a stagnant, smelly lagoon and left to dry before spreading on the fields. While it was resting, the emission of biogas (made naturally during anaerobic digestion) occurred spontaneously. This usually occurs before the manure slurry being spread on the fields. However, methane emissions contribute around 30 times as much heat as carbon dioxide. Therefore, if humanity wants to keep the planet's average temperature to 1.5 degrees, governments must address agricultural methane emissions through much-improved manure management.
In other words, naturally existing microorganisms convert slurry lagoons (which are found on all dairy farms without a biogas infrastructure) to methane gas. And, given the quantity of methane that contributes to global warming, this is extremely worrisome. This is because methane is a greenhouse gas that traps the sun's heat in our atmosphere 25 to 35 times more effectively than carbon dioxide.
The Dairy Farm Community Biogas Refinery Concept
A typical dairy waste-to-energy facility is comprised of many farms housing between 2,000 and 3,000 dairy cows. Methane is captured from dairy manure via anaerobic digestion and sent to a central conditioning facility via low-pressure collecting pipes. After treatment and contamination removal, the gas is sent to local consumers via the existing underground natural gas distribution network.
As previously stated, anaerobic digestion is when bacteria degrade organic matter in the absence of oxygen, resulting in the generation of biogas in four stages.
Milk Production's Carbon Footprint
Operating an anaerobic digestion process plant that utilises manure as a feedstock for biogas generation is one of the numerous actions that the agriculture industry must take to reduce the carbon footprint of milk production.
This technique removes a substantial amount of volatile solids (VS) from manure, therefore reducing the possibility of methane and carbon dioxide emissions during storage and later land application. The produced biogas can be utilised to generate electricity, refined further and used as low-emission automobile fuel, or even fed into the natural gas system.
In some parts of the United States, managing residual swine farm flows, such as slurry and hydrolyzate, is also a significant environmental problem.
It is important to seek innovative solutions to rivers and even aquifers caused by massive livestock activities. Additionally, it is desirable if they can be applied on-site, therefore minimising trash transfer. Co-digestion with anaerobic bacteria can be utilised as a long-term approach for controlling and valorizing these fluxes in dairy and swine farms. Installing a biodigester results in the generation of biogas for energy production and digested for agricultural usage.
What is a biogas system?
Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process used in biogas systems to recycle organic waste by converting it to biogas, energy (the gas), and valuable soil products (liquids and solids). Following simple processing, biogas may be used to replace natural gas sustainably, while the digested materials—liquids and solids—can be turned into a variety of useful soil products, including:
a peat-moss substitute for horticultural compost, a liquid fertiliser, and even a fibre appropriate for use as animal bedding.
Biogas production from grass is also a well-established practical technology. Farmers with surplus grass that is not required for overwintering cattle might digest it to produce more biogas.
Today, many dairy producers in the United Kingdom have not only considered changing their business model but have already sold their herds!
Rather than milking cattle, they grow grass to feed directly to an anaerobic digestion unit and store silage for winter use. This makes sense in the wet regions of the United Kingdom and Ireland, where grass thrives. Producing the majority of other crops efficiently on their land is challenging for a variety of reasons:
Frequent late frosts, a chilly, wet, and windy climate, and an inability to rely on dry weather and sunshine to develop the crop and allow harvesting to occur.
While anaerobic digestion (AD) can help prevent significant volumes of methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), from being released into the environment, it also helps protect farms' aquatic environment from contamination. It minimises nitrate buildup caused by high-intensity farming and produces natural fertiliser, which can considerably reduce purchased fertiliser.
When all of the climate benefits of AD are evaluated in conjunction with other emission reductions, the process becomes self-evident for Dairy Farm companies.
According to AD Company Brightmark, generating RNG (Renewable Natural Gas) from dairy manure can reduce GHG emissions by 400 per cent when replacing traditional vehicle fuels.
Dairy Manure Slurry the Ever Present Waste in Dairy Farming
Dairy manure is a frequent waste product in dairy production, and it offers a variety of challenges in terms of storage, management, and disposal. As previously stated, dairy manure generates foul odours, toxic ammonia, and greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming if manure management is not prioritised.
Never forget, though, that dairy manure digesters will always produce very little biogas per unit mass. When compared to the digestion of food waste, for example, it is extremely low. As a result, manure-based biogas production may be comparable in terms of cost per unit volume generated.
The practical use for waste control and the overall fit within the dairy company make a biogas system attractive to dairy farmers who co-digest food waste. Adding food waste to a digester balances it and improves its performance significantly, as food has the most energy of any feedstock. If there was ever a moment when a quart could be squeezed from a pint pot, it is when food waste is added to a manure digester!
Anaerobic digestion can also be configured so that it eliminates odours as it digests the manure. Additionally, by include food waste, the nutritional content of the digestate increases when applied to fields, resulting in a more beneficial soil amendment.
Arla, a renowned dairy cooperative in the United Kingdom, has turned cow manure into a type of "vehicle-friendly gasoline" in a large new operation in Buckinghamshire. Under Arla's idea, farmers will carry their cow manure to a new local anaerobic digestion (AD) facility. While there, it will be converted to pure biomethane and used as fuel. According to the firm, the pilot will eventually enable Arla to become the first dairy in the United Kingdom to use agricultural waste to generate biomethane to power its HGV distribution fleet.
How are Many US Anaerobic Digesters Working?
In the United States, anaerobic digestion systems for dairy farms are gaining popularity.
The EPA reported in July 2010 that 157 commercial digester plants were operating across the US. 22 of the 157 digesters were located in New York, making it the country's second most active digester state.
As a consequence of the increase in AD facilities, New York State now has more than 50 digesters, with more ones planned or under construction.
The Anaerobic Digester System
According to the US EPA, 52 manure-based AD systems produced RNG in the United States in March 2021.
These include pipeline injection projects as well as compressed natural gas (CNG) installations. Additionally, according to reports, 44 RNG initiatives are now under development (Source: EPA Agstar Livestock Anaerobic Digester Database). The EPA's RNG website includes a map of all landfill and anaerobic digester-based RNG projects in the United States.
The biogas digester is the system component that receives animal, human, and other organic wastes and allows them to decompose anaerobically, often as a slurry with water. The produced gas is collected in a storage container and then piped for further use as fuel. Variable volume storage (e.g., a flexible bag or floating drum) is more straightforward, less costly, and may be more energy-efficient than high-pressure cylinders, regulators, or compressors.
Anaerobic digestion requires constant monitoring and frequent modifications to equipment settings to work correctly. All commercial AD process facilities should conduct routine laboratory testing on the substrate (each digester's reactor tank). The experiments will examine the physical characteristics of the manure fed into the bioreactor tank, the substrate inside the tank (COD, per cent solids, ph, and other critical parameters), and the digestate output. All of these must be quantified and used to initiate corrective action immediately upon discovery of issues.
Through an overflow pipe, the effluent is sent into a covered manure pit. The organic content of the processed manure is reduced and stabilised, resulting in an almost odourless, homogenised liquid that repels rodents and flies.
During the AD process, only a tiny fraction of the manure is converted to biogas. Dairy cow excrement is made of around 85% water and 15% solids. Around 91% of these solids are volatile.
One digester at Penn State converts between 20% and 30% of volatile solids to biogas, typical for most biogas systems. This Penn State digester project aimed to promote environmentally friendly technology and zero waste concepts in animal agriculture. Additionally, the operator plans to mitigate adverse environmental impacts.
Dairy farms accounted for 203 of the estimated 248 biogas producers operating in the United States in 2017. (Source: U. S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2017 ).
The Importance of Biogas
In comparison to the global biogas capacity of 15 gw in 2015, the EU is the world leader in biogas energy production, with more than 10 gw installed and 17,400 biogas plants.
Using anaerobic digesters to collect methane and convert it to renewable energy is one of the recommended methods for the dairy sector to reduce its carbon footprint. Numerous initiatives around the country continue to spur the growth of biogas facilities.
In the United States and Europe, farm operations have shifted drastically: small farms are disappearing, while farm size and animal population on larger farms are increasing. Animals' growing spatial density has a variety of negative environmental implications. Anaerobic digestion is one technical solution for minimising the bulk of these impacts while simultaneously providing a source of regional energy.
The economic viability of using dairy-cow manure for any of the following:
on-farm production and use of biogas for electricity and heat generation, or conversion of biogas to biomethane, a natural gas substitute
This article evaluates.
With their four-chambered stomachs, cows have long been considered models of digestive ability, as anybody who has evaded cow pies in a field will confirm.
Each day, hundreds of pounds of faeces are produced by these grazing bovines and other animals. Concerns about animal waste management, energy conservation, and organic farming have revived interest in generating biogas from livestock manure. Two significant projects utilising clusters of anaerobic digesters have attracted the interest of dairy producers around the country.
When the building of the US biogas plants is complete, this network of dairy biogas plants will likely be the world's largest system of its kind.
BioGas Generation with Dairy Manure?
Anaerobic digesters are used to convert cow manure to biogas. Because biogas, like natural gas, is mostly composed of methane, it may be utilised to create electricity and power automobiles.
Renewable natural gas may be produced on animal farms using biogas recovery systems. Animal excrement is collected and fed to an anaerobic digester to stabilise and maximise methane output. The generated biogas may be converted to rng and used to fuel natural gas vehicles.
The capital investment required to construct a digester varies significantly depending on the design, size, and equipment utilised to generate biogas and/or separate manure fibre. Currently, the capital cost of a complete digester system is between $1,000 and $2,000 per cow, depending on herd size, with the cost of operating an engine-generator set at $0. 015 to $0. 02/kWh of energy output.
Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Manure in the US
Dairy digesters are a sustainable technology that use cow faeces to generate methane, a renewable energy source and transportation fuel. Multiple environmental and social benefits accrue from the method. Additional information about dairy digesters is available on the USEPA's Agstar anaerobic digestion webpage.
It is quite uncommon for dairy farms to discharge a significant amount of milk from milking operations to manure digesters. Anaerobic digestion of animal dung has the capacity to inactivate enteric pathogens, reducing exposures to livestock and humans when digested materials are dispersed on land or used as bedding for animals.
Anaerobic Digestion of transport fuel or production of electricity?
Anaerobic digestion (AD) of animal faeces is a very effective method of converting undigested plant carbon to methane for use as a transportation fuel or power generation.
While AD is most commonly associated with dairy farming, it is also used to regulate manure and wastewater on swine and poultry farms. Anaerobic digestion systems can be classified as passive, low-rate, or high-rate. Due to the potential reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the economic benefits of generating renewable energy from anaerobic digestion, Ad is a viable GHG emission mitigation technology for dairy and swine farms.
Energy-related expenditures can account for up to 29% of total farm operating expenses. The continuing increase in the real cost of energy-related farm inputs has significantly affected agricultural output costs. However, agriculture can replace some of the purchased energy in fossil fuels, commercial fertilisers, and field production of animal feed with bioenergy and organic fertiliser made from onsite renewable biomass such as animal manure to be economically and environmentally sustainable.
Anaerobic fermentation does not deplete nutrients. Anaerobic digestion of dairy manure on-farm is being used to generate power and eliminate odours. Acidogenic bacteria convert the majority of the organic content in manure to volatile fatty acids (VFAs), consumed by methanogenic bacteria, which produce methane, carbon dioxide, and a few other gases. While these microbial processes transform nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, they do not remove these nutrients.
The Article The Anaerobic Digestion Process & Dairy Farm Digesters for Manure was found on https://limitsofstrategy.com
The Article Dairy Farm Digesters – Anaerobic Digestion Process For Manure First Appeared ON
: https://gqcentral.co.uk


text:
Greetings from the Department of Natural Resources Atchafalaya Basin Program!
News: MARTI GRAS EVENTS IN CAJUN COUNTRY: Courir de Mardi Gras at Vermilionville, Feb 1 Courir de Mardi Gras at Eunice, Feb 13 Lake Fausse Pointe Mardi Gras Parade, Feb 14 from 2 -4 pm Carnival D'Acadie, Feb 15 in Crowley St. Landry Parish Mardi Gras events, Feb 7 - 17 Times-Picayune: Louisiana shrimp landings up for 2014 as local season closes The Advertiser: Local musicians, artists promote basin preservation in fundraiser The Daily Iberian: DU announces Gator-Tail as new corporate partner Atchaflaya Basinkeeper: Auction of oldgrowth sinker cypress pirogue to benefit local non-profit Save the Date: Winter Hummingbird Lecture, Jan 30 at 6:30 pm at BREC's Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center in Baton Rouge Healing Traditions of Acadiana, Jan 31 from 11 am - 2 pm in Vermilionville Learn Your Binocular, Jan 31 from 3 - 7 pm at the Highland Road Observatory in Baton Rouge Good Gumbo for a Good Cause, Jan 31 in Opelousas Lunchtime Lagniappe: Pierre Trepagnier, a Creole Patriot, Feb 11 at Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge Help Friends of the Atchafalaya purchase a kayak for the Atchafalaya Swamp Base, through Feb 13 Valentines Romance Paddle, Feb 13 & 14 at 5pm at Lake Martin Quilt the Swamp, Contemporary Fiber Artists of Louisiana's annual exhibit on display at Bluebonnet Nature Center in Baton Rouge from 9 am - 5 pm Tues - Sat and from 12-5 on Sunday through Feb 15 Prehistoric Mounds Tour, Feb 21 from 10 am to 12 pm at Marksville State Historic Park Eagle Expo, includes boat tours into various waterways to view eagle's nests, and much more, Feb 26 - 28 in Morgan City Kayak Fishing Workshop, Feb 28 from 8:30 am to 11 am at Wampold Park Beach in Baton Rouge (registration required) Rendez Vous des Cajuns, live radio show, Saturdays in Feb at 6 pm at the Liberty Center in Eunice Sinker Cypress Pirogue Auction to benefit Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, through March 1 Manchac: In the Wake of North Pass, a visual art exhibit that explores the destructive beauty and complex role of invasive aquatic plants upon the fragile ecology of Louisiana's bayous, Jan 10 through March 15 at LASM in Baton Rouge
Courir de Mardi Gras at Vermilionville, Feb 1
Courir de Mardi Gras at Eunice, Feb 13
Lake Fausse Pointe Mardi Gras Parade, Feb 14 from 2 -4 pm
Carnival D'Acadie, Feb 15 in Crowley
St. Landry Parish Mardi Gras events, Feb 7 - 17
Save the Date:
Send in your Basin Pics! Let us know if you have an upcoming event to promote the Basin!
Send in your Basin Pics!
Let us know if you have an upcoming event to promote the Basin!
Checking the water:The information below is obtained from the USGS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and has been compiled by DNR into this format to allow a quick look at information pertinent to the Atchafalaya Basin. Click here for current weather conditions and water levels.
Data is for 1/27/2015
Ohio River at CairoLocation: Southernmost gauge on the Ohio River in Illinois Reading significance - used to forecast rises on the Mississippi. Lag time, 4 to 6 days.Flood Stage: 40'Stage: 19.1'24 hour change: +0.5'Forecast: expect to RISE to 21.7' by 2/01
Mississippi River, just south of ORCS, at Red River LandingReading: Mississippi River south of ORCS, after the diversion into the Atchafalaya Flood Stage: 48'Stage: 29.8'24 hour change: -0.6'Forecast: expect to FALL to 26.2' by 2/01
Mississippi River at Baton RougeFlood Stage: 35'Stage: 15.7'24 hour change: -0.4'Forecast: expect to FALL to 12.1' by 2/01
Mississippi River at New OrleansFlood Stage: 17'Stage: 4.3'24 hour change: -0.1'Forecast: expect to FALL to 3.2' by 2/01
Atchafalaya River, just south of ORCS, at SimmesportReading: The combined latitudinal flows of the Red, Black, Ouachita, and ORCS flow from the Mississippi Flood Stage: 47'Stage: 12.7'Forecast: expect to FALL to 9.3' by 2/01
Atchafalaya River at MelvilleFlood Stage: 34'Stage: 9.2'Forecast: expect to FALL to 5.9' by 2/01
Atchafalaya River at Krotz SpringsFlood Stage: 29'Stage: 8.1'Forecast: expect to FALL to 5.4' by 2/01
Atchafalaya River above Butte LaroseFlood Stage: 20'Stage: 6.3'Forecast: expect to FALL to 4.4' by 2/01
Atchafalaya River at Bayou Sorrell Locks on the GIWWFlood Stage: 12'Stage: 4.4'Forecast: expect to FALL to 3.0' by 02/01
Atchafalaya at Millet (Myette) PointFlood Stage: 15'Stage: 4.0'Forecast: expect to FALL to 3.2' by 02/01
Atchafalaya River at Morgan CityFlood Stage: 6'Stage: 2.0'Forecast: expect to FALL to 1.7' by 02/01
Murphy Lake near Bayou SorrelStage: 10.22'
Lower Grand River at Bayou SorrelStage: 7.24'
Bayou CourtableauStage: 18.96'
Buffalo Cove at Round IslandStage: 5.43' Middle Fork, Bayou LongStage: 3.44'
Arm of Grand Lake near Crook CheneStage: 7.79'
Bayou Darby at Fausse Pt. CutStage: 11.98'
Lake Pelba at I-10, HendersonStage: 13.17'


text:
By: Cliff Kincaid | Accuracy in Media
"Barack Obama is Louis Farrakhan and Karl Marx rolled into one." Those were the words of businessman Zubi Diamond at a conference I sponsored back in 2011. That clever line might also apply to Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), a candidate for chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Obama and Ellison seem to be brothers in both ideology and approach. The combination of Black Muslim ideology and Marxism is something that courses through the veins of Obama and Ellison. So why is Obama opposing the Ellison bid?
The answer is that Obama is smarter than Ellison. Obama has watched his words more carefully, and concealed his ideological predisposition when he ran for president, while Ellison is out of the closet about it. He not only has links to the Black Muslims of Louis Farrakhan, but he defended a member of the Weather Underground spin-off, the Symbionese Liberation Army. Plus, he's an outspoken critic of the state of Israel.
Obama had some of these same associations when he ran for president. But he had the benefit of a liberal media that were willing to lie and cover up for him. Adding another Obama, in the form of Keith Ellison, is just too much to expect, in terms of continuing this media bias and cover-up. Too much is already known about Ellison.
The other factor is that Obama has recently decided to emphasize the Marxism of his brand, as opposed to his pro-Muslim bias, and is promoting his Secretary of Labor Tom Perez as his choice for DNC chairman.
At his year-end press conference, Obama began talking about the "workers," the cornerstone of the Marxist economic revolution, saying, "If you look at his body of work on behalf of working people, what he's [Perez] pushed for in terms of making sure that workers get a fair deal, decent wages, better benefits, that their safety is protected on the job, he has been extraordinary."
Obama is smart to emphasize the workers. He realizes that the Democrats lost the working class, and if the party has any hope of getting back into power in Congress or the White House, these workers have to be tricked into voting Democrat. The winning strategy, he thinks, is promising Big Government, rather than economic growth and better trade deals, as the solutions to their plight.
Obama must be thinking that Ellison, who wears his Muslim religion and black radicalism on his sleeve, is a loser as far as these workers are concerned. He's right.
Those who believe that Marxism is dead should take a look at Jacobin magazine, which is openly Marxist and got the seal of approval from The New York Times for its cutting edge approach.
One Jacobin writer, Connor Kilpatrick, has written "On the White Working Class," an examination of the Democrats' dilemma. In the Rust Belt, he writes, the white working class voters "finally had enough of the Democrats and defected to Trump." He writes, "While we hear constantly that they're demographically dying out, white workers without a college degree remain at least 63 percent of the working class and in twenty years will still be a 'mere' 49.5 percent. That's a ton of potential voters—they were 34% of Obama's coalition—and yet few liberal pundits seemed to take notice."
Kilpatrick says that the Democrats abandoned these workers, and that today "it's an open secret that the party's program is led by the affluent professional class at best and enlightened Silicon Valley billionaires at worst."
These are the facts that Obama understands: the white working class doesn't read The Huffington Post, and it is not attracted to the Black Muslim radicalism of Keith Ellison.
By contrast, with the title of Secretary of Labor, Perez has at least the appearance of favoring the working man and woman. The problem is that he is also an elitist with a racial prejudice against white people. A graduate of Brown and Harvard Universities, he was head of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice before going to the Labor Department. As noted by The Washington Free Beacon, an investigation into the Civil Rights Division by the Department of Justice's inspector general revealed that Perez "told investigators that white people were not entitled to protection under the Voting Rights Act." The report of the investigation explains this bias in detail.
J. Christian Adams described his book, Injustice: Exposing the Racial Agenda of the Obama Justice Department, as "largely a catalog of the rancid racialism over which Perez has presided." Adams was an election lawyer who served in the Voting Rights Section at the U.S. Department of Justice.
If this evidence against Perez gets national attention, it will sink any hope the DNC and the Democrats have in attracting white voters. But will the media bring it up?
The DNC choice is a reminder of the old saying that one path leads to a catastrophe and the other to oblivion. No wonder the Democrats have nothing better to do than play the Russian card against Trump.
Cliff Kincaid
Cliff Kincaid is the Director of the AIM Center for Investigative Journalism and can be contacted at [email protected]. View the complete archives from Cliff Kincaid.


text:
Corcoran Consulting and Coaching is a real estate broker consulting and coaching company focused on growing your business. Corcoran Consulting and Coaching was founded by Bob Corcoran. Bubba Mills, chief operating officer and managing partner, joined Corcoran in February 2011.
"Bubba has been instrumental in the growth of our company since he joined us several years ago to head up our REO coaching division and business development," says Bob Corcoran, whose clients include 43 of the Top 250 real estate professionals in the country according to the Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends.
Prior to joining Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, Mills was Bubba was the former REO Operations Manager for Financial Asset Services; and has also held the positions as the High Risk Loss Mitigation Manager for Option One Mortgage, Mergers and Acquisitions for WJ Bradley, Wholesale and Retail Origination for First Magnus/Charter Funding and Pool Sales Departments for four major companies.
Corcoran Consulting & CoachingSM is internationally renown for performance coaching and the implementation of sound business systems into the broker or agent's existing practice.
For more information, visit www.corcorancoaching.com.
Janie DeVos entered How High Can You Fly?, in a national poetry contest, where it received a third place award. She was then invited by River Road Press to have the poem made into a children's book, and was paired up with illustrator Renee Rejent from Boston, MA. Their combined efforts resulted in the hard-cover picture book, How High Can You Fly?, which is now available in major bookstores, and is also found in libraries and schools throughout the United States and abroad.
In 2003, Janie teamed up with Ms. Nancy Marsh, a South Florida art teacher, to create a second hard-cover children's picture book; The Path Winds Home. Both books grabbed the attention of a New York publisher, East End Publishing, and in 2006 Janie and East End joined forces to began work on her third and best-selling book to date; Barthello's Wing. Scholastic Books was interested in including Barthello's Wing in their American and North American Book Fairs, and asked that it be produced in soft-cover. It was, and to date it has sold over 80,000 copies from its debut in January, 2007.
Janie's stories teach gentle lessons about love, tolerance and acceptance and appreciation of people's differences, and recognizing the special gifts that each one of us possesses. They vary in age appropriatness for 3-7 yr. olds. Herby Hoyt and the Tin Can Trees will be coming out next spring; a story about littering and learning to recycle.
Additionally her first adult novel, The Wart Buyer, is coming out in 2013. It is an historical fiction which takes place at the turn of the 20th century in the Blue Ridge Mtns. of North Carolina which is where Janie calls home.
Learn more about Janie at www.janiedevos.com.
Joyce Faulkner returns this week with another segment of our series, Authors' Corner. Joyce, president of the Military Writers Society of America, lives in Pittsburgh, PA. She published her first article in high school back in 1965. Her writing credentials include many magazine, newspaper & web articles. She also wrote columns - "The History of Aerial Applications" for AG Pilot International and one on writing topics for webzine "Scribe & Quill." She is a ghostwriter, an editor and a web, newspaper & book designer.
She has been a member of MWSA since 2006 and has served as Secretary and MWSA Webmaster since January of 2008. Her skills include Management, Project Management, Web Site Design, Writing and Layout. She volunteered for the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center for several years and has led various corporate, community and volunteer committees & organizations. Her goal is to help veterans record their piece of history - for themselves, their families, their communities - and our country.
For more information about Joyce and her organization, visit www.mwsadispatches.com.
Military Mom Talk Radio on airs on Mondays at 2pm Pacific Standard Time on Toginet Radio and can be downloaded directly from Itunes and MilitaryMomTalkRadio.com. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Watch us on Youtube and connect with us on Linked in.
Military Mom Talk Radio is co-hosted by Sandra Beck and Robin Boyd, hosted by Toginet Radio and powered by Motherhood Incorporated. Military Mom Talk Radio supports and helps bring information to the families, moms and wives of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard and is dedicated to serving our friends and family in the Armed Service. We are proud supporters and members of the Military Writers Society of America as well as proud supporters of Operation Gratitude, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Shining Service Worldwide, Fisher House and the Girl Scouts of the USA and Boy Scouts of America.
Return to the Military Mom Talk Radio Podcast Page


text:
FREE SHIPPING TO YOUR DOOR! Learn more
We offer free shipping nationwide in NZ on orders over $150, and in Australia for orders over $250. Delivered direct to your door, or pick up in-store.
NEW HEAD BOOM is here! Shop Now
The latest and greatest HEAD Boom MP and Team Lite tennis racket from HEAD. Exceptional power and stylish design!
MASSIVE MID-WINTER SALE NOW ON!!! Learn more
Gear up for the new season of badminton at these awesome prices while stocks last!
HEAD BOOM is here!
Squash Racquets
The best badminton gear in the game
The latest pickleball gear!
Gear for all racquet sports is here!
Shop our exclusive collection bundles
Racquet Bags
Your cart is empty
VICTOR Womens Shorts
WOMENS TA Team Pants
Womens Tops
Womens Skirts
Womens Jackets & Hoods
Free shipping
Free shipping NZ wide on orders over $150*.
Customer service
We are available answer any of your questions to ensure you get the right equipment for you.
Secure payment
Your payment information is processed securely.
Contact us
Need to contact us? Just send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
I'm a PC person, I use my PC a lot more than my mobile – however; I also use Instagram a lot for my car account E30AO. Many times I want to post pictures from my laptop, and that has always been a problem because Instagram doesn't allow uploading photos from PC (except if you want to share it as Direct Message from Instagram official Windows 10 app). Continue reading "How to post to Instagram from PC"
Startups essential tools to manage a business
6 AM on Cairo's ring road, while having the best coffee in town at On the Run, my friend and I decided to figure out what would it need to start a new startup. So we decided to pretend we're about to start a new start up. Continue reading "Startups essential tools to manage a business"
Reasons why brands need bots
Bots are growing pretty fast, big social networks are racing to offer brands a way to provide better customer service using these bots, last year Facebook introduced their messenger bot and a month ago Twitter introduced their Direct Message bot. And since I recently linked my Twitter account to a bot, I decided to write why brands would need a bot. Continue reading "Reasons why brands need bots"
My job as a digital brand strategist, for many people, especially my close friends and family, is a bit of a blur! They never quite really understood what I really do, I mean, after all it's social media, we post, like share stuff, or that's what they said. Until recently I started doing some live video streaming on Periscope and Facebook Live, they started to get more interested and probably started to understand a bit what I do and what social media can do for them, beyond just liking stuff. Continue reading "STARTUPS COMPLETE GUIDE TO SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING"
How Social Media Targeting can help Startups Secure a deal
As a startup founder you might be spending most of your time preparing to meet with decision makers of other companies trying to sell them your product or service. Part of the preparing can actually be showing off you services to the person you're meeting next week for example. Continue reading "How Social Media Targeting can help Startups Secure a deal"
8 essential things to do for Startups before they start tweeting
If you haven't already done these, make sure you do them today! Continue reading "8 essential things to do for Startups before they start tweeting"
4 Social Strategies to gain on your competition
With every meeting i have with either an advertising agency or direct clients, this question pops up "How do we win over our competition?". It's no secret that the competition is getting tougher by the minute, weather you're a telecom company, car dealer or even a food blogger. To be honest, there is no one straight answer for this question, but, as a digital marketer, I've recently been trying to come up with ways and strategies to help brands (especially those who are late in the game) to find unusual ways to win over their competition in the advertising / audiences reach area. Continue reading "4 Social Strategies to gain on your competition"
More Dark Social — Google's Allo Messaging App
Here's my story's compelling opening: "Google Allo is direct competitor of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp & Snapchat and whatever falls in that category" but that's not what we're here for. No, not really! Continue reading "More Dark Social — Google's Allo Messaging App"
5 Hacks Can Improve Your Twitter Advertising Strategy
Twitter is the most dynamic, live and conversational social media platform, we've prepared 5 more ways to get your even better results when running a campaign on Twitter. Continue reading "5 Hacks Can Improve Your Twitter Advertising Strategy"
How to write a Tweet that Converts
During one of the training I was giving in Dubai, the audiences were group of Social Media managers and content crafters, the session was about DR and conversions. I asked them when you share an article on social media, what's your top priority objective from that post? Naturally, they said their objectives is that the article gets viewed by many people… well, yes, but, that's your ultimate objective, not your top priority! Continue reading "How to write a Tweet that Converts"


text:
Work with Basic ROS 2 Messages
This example examines various ways to create, inspect, and populate ROS 2 messages in MATLAB, that are commonly encountered in robotics applications.
ROS messages are the primary container for exchanging data in ROS 2. Publishers and subscribers exchange data using messages on specified topics to carry data between nodes. For more information on sending and receiving messages, see Exchange Data with ROS 2 Publishers and Subscribers.
To identify its data structure, each message has a message type. For example, sensor data from a laser scanner is typically sent in a message of type sensor_msgs/LaserScan
. Each message type identifies the data elements that are contained in a message. Every message type name is a combination of a package name, followed by a forward slash /, and a type name:
MATLAB® supports many ROS 2 message types that are commonly encountered in robotics applications. This example examines some of the ways to create, inspect, and populate ROS 2 messages in MATLAB.
Prerequisites: Get Started with ROS 2, Connect to a ROS 2 Network
Find Message Types
Use exampleHelperROS2CreateSampleNetwork
to populate the ROS 2 network with three nodes and setup sample publishers and subscribers on specific topics.
Use ros2 topic list -t
to find the available topics and their associated message type.
ros2 topic list -t
Topic MessageType _____________________ _________________________________ {'/parameter_events'} {'rcl_interfaces/ParameterEvent'} {'/pose' } {'geometry_msgs/Twist' } {'/rosout' } {'rcl_interfaces/Log' } {'/scan' } {'sensor_msgs/LaserScan' }
To find out more about the topic message type, use ros2message
to create an empty message of the same type. ros2message
supports tab completion for the message type. To quickly complete message type names, type the first few characters of the name you want to complete, and then press the Tab key.
scanData = ros2message("sensor_msgs/LaserScan")
scanData = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'sensor_msgs/LaserScan'
header: [1×1 struct]
angle_min: 0
angle_max: 0
angle_increment: 0
time_increment: 0
scan_time: 0
range_min: 0
range_max: 0
ranges: 0
intensities: 0
The created message, scanData
, has many fields associated with data that you typically received from a laser scanner. For example, the minimum sensing distance is stored in the range_min
property and the maximum sensing distance in range_max
You can now delete the created message.
clear scanData
To see a complete list of all message types available for topics and services, use ros2 msg list
Explore Message Structure and Get Message Data
ROS 2 messages are represented as structures and the message data is stored in fields. MATLAB provides convenient ways to find and explore the contents of messages.
Use ros2 msg show
to view the definition of the message type.
ros2 msg show geometry_msgs/Twist
# This expresses velocity in free space broken into its linear and angular parts. Vector3 linear Vector3 angular
If you subscribe to the /pose
topic, you can receive and examine the messages that are sent.
controlNode = ros2node("/base_station"); poseSub = ros2subscriber(controlNode,"/pose","geometry_msgs/Twist")
poseSub = ros2subscriber with properties: TopicName: '/pose' LatestMessage: [] MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Twist' NewMessageFcn: [] History: 'keeplast' Depth: 10 Reliability: 'reliable' Durability: 'volatile'
Use receive
to acquire data from the subscriber. Once a new message is received, the function returns it and stores it in the posedata
variable. Specify a timeout of 10 seconds for receiving messages.
poseData = receive(poseSub,10)
poseData = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Twist'
linear: [1×1 struct]
angular: [1×1 struct]
The message has a type of geometry_msgs/Twist
. There are two other fields in the message: linear
and angular
. You can see the values of these message fields by accessing them directly.
ans = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Vector3'
x: 0.0206
y: -0.0468
z: -0.0223
ans = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Vector3'
x: -0.0454
y: -0.0403
z: 0.0323
You can see that each of the values of these message fields is actually a message in itself. geometry_msgs/Twist
is a composite message made up of two geometry_msgs/Vector3
Data access for these nested messages works exactly the same as accessing the data in other messages. Access the x
component of the linear
message using this command:
xPose = poseData.linear.x
xPose = 0.0206
Set Message Data
You can also set message property values. Create a message with type geometry_msgs/Twist
twist = ros2message("geometry_msgs/Twist")
twist = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Twist'
linear: [1×1 struct]
angular: [1×1 struct]
The numeric properties of this message are initialized to 0
by default. You can modify any of the properties of this message. Set the linear.y
field to 5.
twist.linear.y = 5;
You can view the message data to make sure that your change took effect.
ans = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Vector3'
x: 0
y: 5
z: 0
Once a message is populated with your data, you can use it with publishers and subscribers.
Copy Messages
ROS 2 messages are structures. They can be copied directly to make a new message. The copy and the original messages each have their own data.
Make a new empty message to convey temperature data, then make a copy for modification.
tempMsgBlank = ros2message("sensor_msgs/Temperature");
tempMsgCopy = tempMsgBlank
tempMsgCopy = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'sensor_msgs/Temperature'
header: [1×1 struct]
temperature: 0
variance: 0
Modify the temperature
property of tempMsg and notice that the contents of tempMsgBlank
remain unchanged.
tempMsgCopy.temperature = 100
tempMsgCopy = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'sensor_msgs/Temperature'
header: [1×1 struct]
temperature: 100
variance: 0
tempMsgBlank = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'sensor_msgs/Temperature'
header: [1×1 struct]
temperature: 0
variance: 0
It may be useful to keep a blank message structure around, and only set the specific fields when there is data for it before sending the message.
thermometerNode = ros2node("/thermometer"); tempPub = ros2publisher(thermometerNode,"/temperature","sensor_msgs/Temperature"); tempMsgs(10) = tempMsgBlank; % Pre-allocate message structure array for iMeasure = 1:10 % Copy blank message fields tempMsgs(iMeasure) = tempMsgBlank; % Record sample temperature tempMsgs(iMeasure).temperature = 20+randn*3; % Only calculate the variation once sufficient data observed if iMeasure >= 5 tempMsgs(iMeasure).variance = var([tempMsgs(1:iMeasure).temperature]); end % Pass the data to subscribers send(tempPub,tempMsgs(iMeasure)) end errorbar([tempMsgs.temperature],[tempMsgs.variance])
Save and Load Messages
You can save messages and store the contents for later use.
Get a new message from the subscriber.
poseData = receive(poseSub,10)
poseData = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Twist'
linear: [1×1 struct]
angular: [1×1 struct]
Save the pose data to a MAT file using the save
Before loading the file back into the workspace, clear the poseData
clear poseData
Now you can load the message data by calling the load
function. This loads the poseData
from above into the messageData
structure. poseData
is a data field of the struct.
messageData = load("poseFile.mat")
messageData = struct with fields:
poseData: [1×1 struct]
Examine messageData.poseData
to see the message contents.
ans = struct with fields:
MessageType: 'geometry_msgs/Twist'
linear: [1×1 struct]
angular: [1×1 struct]
You can now delete the MAT file.
Disconnect From ROS 2 Network
Remove the sample nodes, publishers, and subscribers from the ROS 2 network.


text:
Sonia Michon-Floc'hlay, vice president and regional director, Estée Lauder, said that the company plans to be aggressive in expanding its business across the country, and will look at other potential markets—such as Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata. Further, she stated the company plans to have a presence in 20 locations within the next three years.
Keeping in mind the country's price-conscious consumers, the company is redefining its retail strategy for India. For its department store customers, it will add lower priced, entry-level products while featuring and emphasizing customer service and higher-valued products in premium stores.
According to ASSOCHAM (Association of Chamber of Commerce), per-capita expenditure per year on international branded cosmetics products is just $0.68 in India, half that of China's $1.50. However, the Indian cosmetic market, according to their numbers, is poised to grow from $950 million in 2008 to $1.4 billion during the next two years. The organized cosmetics market in India is growing at a healthy 25%, the ASSOCHAM study indicates.
In a further effort to cater to the Indian market, The Estée Lauder Companies has brought in India-specific colors and products (such as Double Wear liquid and powder foundation) developed specifically for Indian skin tones. Jewels of Summer—a color collection created by Aerin Lauder, senior vice president and creative director—will also be heavily featured in the company's India introductions.
Revlon Launches Pro Hair Color Products in India
With the growing popularity of hair color in the Indian market, Modi Revlon—a joint venture between UK Modi Group and Revlon, USA—has forayed into India's professional hair color market. "While internationally Revlon has sold its professional beauty range, in India, Modi Group has decided to retain the business and launch products in the category," said Deepak Bhandari, marketing director, Modi Revlon.
The company has launched 21 shades, along with shampoos, conditioners and post color salon care products. The products have been specially formulated at Modi Revlon's Indian manufacturing plant, and are based on its expertise in serving the retail hair color market with brands such as Revlon ColorSilk and Care & Colour. The products are targeted at A, B+ and B category salons across the country. In the first phase of the launch, the company will evaluate the potential in 35 cities and 5,000 salons. In the second phase, the company plans to expand its product line to include after care and in-salon retail products.
Revlon is expecting to grow 10% in the professional category in the first year of launch.
H2O Plus Realigns Indian Business
In 2007, H2O Plus saw its business in India decline as customers were wooed by new Indian brands or newly introduced foreign brands. The company responded by shutting down retail outlets and counters. In order to revive its previous success in the Indian market, H2O Plus—along with its Indian distributor, Sports Station India Pvt Ltd—is redefining its business plans.
"First, we are emphasizing the water-based nature of our products," said Scott O'Shea, vice president, business development, H2O Plus. "We are promoting all over again the concept of using sea-based products. We are talking about how the sea-mineral complex from H2O Plus is similar to human body composition."
The company has now begun to increase its presence through stand-alone stores, drug store positioning and a presence in department stores. "From 80 doors today, we will go to 200 doors by the end of this year," said O'Shea.
In fact, in its stand-alone stores, the brand has also started an in-store mini spa concept. "This will let Indian men and women understand the efficacy of our claims," said Puneet Verma, general manager, H2O Plus, Sports Station. The company is also providing rigorous training to its beauty advisor team to be able to push the products in the right manner, which is expected to encourage repeat buying.
The company is banking on evolved skin care habits of Indian men and women. "Since we are water-based and oil free, we are a hit with the Indian consumers. Indian skin is combination to oily, so most women look for non-sticky, fast-absorbing products. H2O Plus gives them that," explains O'Shea.
L'Oréal Professionnel Gives Expert Advice
To provide an education refresher for its salon partners in Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, L'Oréal Professionnel sponsored the artistic duo Nick Bland and Steve Probert of the U.K.'s Haringtons Hairdressing to present a three-day Look & Learn event. The duo trained the hairdressers in techniques to address the spring/summer 2008 hair fashion forecasts. Apart from showcasing trendsetting cuts and coloring techniques, Bland and Probert also interacted with local hairstylists and discussed coloring techniques, focusing on the chestnut, brunettes and mahogany—shades that best complement Indian skin tones.
Antiaging Market Booming
Companies doing business in the antiaging product segment in India are smiling all the way to the bank. According to a recent AC Nielsen study of the Indian antiaging market, it is growing at 93% per annum. The market today stands at approximately $15 million, 2% of the total skin care market. The tremendous growth rate is due to a change in consumer buying patterns.
The women's age group purchasing antiaging went from an average of 35 to 25, and male buyers are also looking for solutions toward younger skin. This has led brands such as Pond's to re-launch antiaging skin care ranges. Other products with antiaging claims—including makeup and eye care—are also seeing growth.
Today, antiaging is no longer a prescriptive but a preventive product category. According to P&G, which addresses the antiaging market with Olay Total Effects, its antiaging lines have been a hit with younger girls who want a glowing skin, as well as older women.
The Body Shop Taps Into Vegetarianism
With Indian consumers showing a strong preference for using all things natural, The Body Shop in India has found a happy ground to sell. Since its entry in the market in 2006, the brand (sold by Indian distributor Quest retail) has seen a steady growth.
"Many Indian consumers have been buying The Body Shop products, either from the unorganized market here or during their travels abroad," said Sameer Prasad, COO, Quest Retail. "So when we set up shop, women flocked to the stores, since they already were addicted to our products."
In India, the brand is being promoted as a 100% vegetarian brand, a key selling pitch for India's huge base of vegetarian consumers. In terms of pricing, Prasad claims that the brand has been able to keep the range affordable for the masstige consumer. "We have tried to absorb some of the customs duty that's levied on imported products here," added Prasad. Already in large cities, the company is now looking at migrating to tier-2 towns that have good buying capacity.
Toni&Guy Launches label.m in India
Looking to cater to the growing demand for salon style hair care and styling products in the Indian market, British hair dressing brand Toni&Guy has launched its premium, organic hair care and styling brand label.m in India.
According to Toni Mascolo, chairman, Toni&Guy, the brand has been designed by a team of hairdressers that works under its new hair care concept: "From Catwalk to Client." In India, the company is promoting the organic and nature-based product positioning, tapping into Indian's preference for all things natural.
The company expects a good response from the market as it positions 40 products in the top salons across the country. "Even as we launch here, we are flooded with requests from salons to use and retail our products. But we are going slow, and will be available in high-end salons in all the major cities," said Mascolo.
The company is also looking to open Toni&Guy salons in the country. It is currently in the process of scouting the right hairdressers who can be trained in the brand's concept and execution.
Priyanka Bhattacharya is a writer and journalist covering the beauty, health and wellness industries in India. She is the contributing beauty features writer for several leading Indian women's magazines.


text:
Jury Questionnaire in MJ Death -- Propofol Anyone?
Do you have insomnia? Are you a Propofol user? Do you get your Michael Jackson news fromTMZ? These are things Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers, along with prosecutors, want to know about prospective jurors in his upcoming manslaughter case ... this according to the jury questionnaire.
The questionnaire is 30 pages long and has 117 questions. Among the highlights:
-- What Internet sites or blogs if any, do you visit on a regular basis? (TMZ and others are listed)
-- Have you accessed or posted any blogs concerning Michael Jackson or Conrad Murray?
-- Have you or anyone close to you ever worked in any aspect of the news media, entertainment news media, or the entertainment industry?
-- Have you or anyone close to you ever had a job that required a professional license?
-- Was that license ever suspended, revoked, restricted, or the subject of investigation or inquiry.
-- Do you have any familiarity with the following medications? (Several meds are listed, many of them drugs Jackson took, including Propofol)
-- Do you know anyone who is or has been addicted to prescription medication?
-- Are you or someone close to you currently taking medication for pain, anxiety, depression or insomnia?
-- Over 100 potential witnesses are listed, including the following members of the Jackson family: Blanket, Jackie, Janet, Jermaine, Joe, La Toya, Katherine, Marlon, Paris, Prince, Randy, Rebbie and Tito
(The next 6 have choices of Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree and No Opinion)
-- Celebrities and high-profile people feel like they are entitled to act however they please
-- Celebrities and high-profile people think they can bend the rules
-- Celebrities and high-profile people abuse their power and status to intimidate others into giving them what they want
-- Celebrities and high-profile people in Los Angeles get away with crimes because of their status
-- Celebrities and high-profile people in Los Angeles are treated the same way by the police as anyone else
-- Police are more lenient with celebrities and high-profile people
-- Do you think that people of wealth or fame are treated differently in the court system?
-- Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson or the Jackson Family?
-- Have you previously seen in person Michael Jackson, the Jackson Family, or Conrad Murray?
-- Did you ever watch "This Is It"?
The trial is supposed to start May 9.


text:
Thanks for Everything, Atlantis and Endeavor
As the human spaceflight plans at NASA transition away from the Shuttle program, there have been lots of goodbyes. And hellos. Recently, both the Space Shuttles Atlantis and Endeavor found new permanent homes in their post-flight lives. Atlantis is now at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center in Florida, and Endeavor will be found from now on at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
At each location, NASA held a welcome home/retirement party for the Shuttles. As we've talked about before , the Shuttle program did so much more than just take people into space (which, of course, is a very important job). It also delivered many unique and important telescopes and instruments into orbit – including the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
It's a small gesture, but we wanted to be there to help celebrate the next phase for these Shuttles. We brought with us materials and activities on the "Dark Universe," that is, the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that dominate the composition of the Universe. The Shuttle program helped make discoveries like this possible, and we thank them for everything they have done for science and exploration.
For more photos of the Shuttle retirement events, please see our Facebook page:
-Megan Watzke, Chandra EPO
Please note this is a moderated blog. No pornography, spam, profanity or discriminatory remarks are allowed. No personal attacks are allowed. Users should stay on topic to keep it relevant for the readers.
Read the privacy statement


text:
Brand New Items! Check out the latest and exciting displays that have just arrived!
Functionality and versatility make gondola shelving easy to install with the ability to change your displays at any time. With a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and styles to choose from (plus an abundance of accessories for added flexibility), gondola shelving will enhance your store's design and create a comfortable and enticing setting in which your customers can buy. We now stock new BLACK shelving in both Philadelphia and Phoenix! Call your Gershel Brothers salesperson for a quote.
The primary goal for any business owner or retail manager is to draw the interest of customers and sell more merchandise. Whether you�re looking to upgrade your existing displays or opening a brand-new store, look no further than our quality selection of store fixtures. Explore our collections of clothing racks, countertop displays, tables, shelving, mannequins, showcases, gift packaging solutions, and many other accessories that will keep your customers returning again and again. Our commitment has always been to provide exceptional products. If you�re operating on a strict budget, we supply quality used store fixtures and merchandising aids. Discover the possibilities by browsing today!
From pop-up shops to boutique retail stores, our wide selection of store fixtures can create a truly unique shopping experience in any type of establishment. Visual merchandising is more popular than ever. Highlight the products your customers want by browsing our assortment of tiered, nesting, and merchandising tables. Never miss an opportunity for another sale, even at checkout, by exploring our selection of countertop displays. We offer tiered bottle holders, sunglass racks, cardboard risers, Gridwall displays, shelves, spinners, and so much more for you to choose from. If your business offers a click and collect program, have your customers� orders ready to be picked up by utilizing our wire dump bins or cube systems for practical organization. Glass display cases are ideal for retail clothing environments that want customers to be able to see the latest fashions from every angle. Cross merchandising has never been as easy as discovering our specialty clothing displays. Mix shoes, jewelry, and your best selling garments to create an appealing ensemble every customer will love.
Gershel Brothers originally began as a carpentry endeavor in 1970. Since then, our refurbished display showcases, gondola shelving solutions, and store fixtures have helped store owners throughout the world to prosper. Our unparalleled commitment to customer service, convenience, and quality craftsmanship makes us one of the most trusted suppliers of retail fixtures and supplies. Best of all, you can save money without sacrificing quality by discovering our collection of used store fixtures. If you have any questions or can�t find the specific product you�re looking for, contact us today for further assistance.
Gershel Brothers ships from 2 locations - Philadelphia, PA and Phoenix. Visit our showroom in the either location Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Most items are available for immediate pickup.
If you are in the Phoenix, AZ area please stop by and visit our brand new showroom!