text:
Remarks by the President at 93rd Annual Conference of the American Legion
Minneapolis Convention Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota
THE PRESIDENT: Hello Legionnaires! It is wonderful to see all of you. Let me, first of all, thank Commander Foster for your introduction and for your lifetime of service to your fellow Marines, soldiers and veterans. On behalf of us all, I want to thank Jimmie and I want to thank your entire leadership team for welcoming me here today. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Your National Adjutant, Dan Wheeler; your Executive Director, your voice in Washington, Peter Gaytan, who does just an extraordinary job; and the President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Carlene Ashworth -- thank you for your extraordinary service. (Applause.) To Rehta Foster and all the spouses, daughters and sisters of the Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion -- as military families, you also serve, and we salute all of you as well.
There are some special guests here I want to acknowledge. They may have already been acknowledged, but they're great friends so I want to make sure that I point them out. First of all, the wonderful governor of Minnesota, Mark Dayton, is here. (Applause.) Two senators who are working on behalf of veterans every single day -- Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken. (Applause.) Congressman Keith Ellison -- this is his district. (Applause.) Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, a great friend. (Applause.) To all the other members of Congress and Minnesota elected officials who are here, welcome.
It is wonderful to be back with the American Legion. Back in Illinois, my home state -- (applause.) Hey! Illinois is in the house. (Laughter.) We worked together to make sure veterans across the state were getting the benefits they had earned. When I was in the U.S. Senate, we worked together to spotlight the tragedy of homelessness among veterans -— and the need to end it.
As President, I've welcomed Jimmie and your leadership to the Oval Office to hear directly from you. And I have been -- (applause.) I've been honored to have you by my side when I signed advance appropriations to protect veterans' health care from the budget battles in Washington, -- (applause) -- when I signed legislation to give new support to veterans and their caregivers, and, most recently, when I proposed new initiatives to make sure the private sector is hiring our talented veterans.
So, American Legion, I thank you for your partnership. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today about what we need to do to make sure America is taking care of our veterans as well as you've taken care of us.
And I'm grateful to be with you for another reason. A lot of our fellow citizens are still reeling from Hurricane Irene and its aftermath. Folks are surveying the damage. Some are dealing with tremendous flooding. As a government, we're going to make sure that states and communities have the support they need so their folks can recover. (Applause.)
And across the nation, we're still digging out from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. It's taking longer and it's been more difficult than any of us had imagined. And even though we've taken some steps in the right direction, we've got a lot more to do. Our economy has to grow faster. We have to create more jobs, and we have to do it faster. And most of all, we've got to break the gridlock in Washington that's been preventing us from taking the action we need to get this country moving. (Applause.) That's why, next week, I'll be speaking to the nation about a plan to create jobs and reduce our deficit -– a plan that I want to see passed by Congress. We've got to get this done.
And here's what else I know. We Americans have been through tough times before, much tougher than these. And we didn't just get through them; we emerged stronger than before. Not by luck. Not by chance. But because, in hard times, Americans don't quit. We don't give up. (Applause.) We summon that spirit that says, when we come together, when we choose to move forward together, as one people, there's nothing we can't achieve.
And, Legionnaires, you know this story because it's the story of your lives. And in times like these, all Americans can draw strength from your example. When Hitler controlled a continent and fascism appeared unstoppable, when our harbor was bombed and our Pacific fleet crippled, there were those that declared that the United States had been reduced to a third-class power. But you, our veterans of World War II, crossed the oceans and stormed the beaches and freed the millions, liberated the camps and showed the United States of America is the greatest force for freedom that the world has ever known. (Applause.)
When North Korea invaded the South, pushing the allied forces into a tiny sliver of territory -— the Pusan Perimeter —- it seemed like the war could be lost. But you, our Korean War veterans, pushed back, fought on, year after bloody year. And this past Veterans Day, I went to Seoul and joined our Korean War veterans for the 60th anniversary of that war, and we marked that milestone in a free and prosperous Republic of Korea, one of our greatest allies.
When communist forces in Vietnam unleashed the Tet Offensive, it fueled the debate here at home that raged over that war. You, our Vietnam veterans, did not always receive the respect that you deserved —- which was a national shame. But let it be remembered that you won every major battle of that war. Every single one. (Applause.) As President, I've been honored to welcome our Vietnam veterans to the White House and finally present them with the medals and recognition that they had earned. It's been a chance to convey, on behalf of the American people, those simple words with which our Vietnam veterans greet each other -— "Welcome home." (Applause.)
Legionnaires, in the decades that followed, the spirit of your service was carried forth by our troops in the sands of Desert Storm and the rugged hills of the Balkans. And now, it's carried on by a new generation. Next weekend, we'll mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks on our nation. In the days ahead, we will honor the lives we lost and the families that loved them; the first responders who rushed to save others; and we will honor all those who have served to keep us safe these 10 difficult years, especially the men and women of our Armed Forces.
Today, as we near this solemn anniversary, it's fitting that we salute the extraordinary decade of service rendered by the 9/11 Generation -— the more than 5 million Americans who've worn the uniform over the past 10 years. They were there, on duty, that September morning, having enlisted in a time of peace, but they instantly transitioned to a war footing. They're the millions of recruits who have stepped forward since, seeing their nation at war and saying, "Send me." They're every single soldier, sailor, airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman serving today, who has volunteered to serve in a time of war, knowing that they could be sent into harm's way.
They come from every corner of our country, big cities, small towns. They come from every background and every creed. They're sons and daughters who carry on the family's tradition of service, and they're new immigrants who've become our newest citizens. They're our National Guardsmen and Reservists who've served in unprecedented deployments. They're the record number of women in our military, proving themselves in combat like never before. And every day for the past 10 years, these men and women have succeeded together -— as one American team. (Applause.)
They're a generation of innovators, and they've changed the way America fights and wins at wars. Raised in the age of the Internet, they've harnessed new technologies on the battlefield. They've learned the cultures and traditions and languages of the places where they served. Trained to fight, they've also taken on the role of diplomats and mayors and development experts, negotiating with tribal sheikhs, working with village shuras, partnering with communities. Young captains, sergeants, lieutenants -- they've assumed responsibilities once reserved for more senior commanders, and reminding us that in an era when so many other institutions have shirked their obligations, the men and women of the United States military welcome responsibility. (Applause.)
In a decade of war, they've borne an extraordinary burden, with more than 2 million of our service members deploying to the warzones. Hundreds of thousands have deployed again and again, year after year. Never before has our nation asked so much of our all-volunteer force -— that one percent of Americans who wears the uniform.
We see the scope of their sacrifice in the tens of thousands who now carry the scars of war, both seen and unseen -— our remarkable wounded warriors. We see it in our extraordinary military families who serve here at home -— the military spouses who hold their families together; the millions of military children, many of whom have lived most of their young lives with our nation at war and mom or dad deployed.
Most profoundly, we see the wages of war in those patriots who never came home. They gave their all, their last full measure of devotion, in Kandahar, in the Korengal, in Helmand, in the battles for Baghdad and Fallujah and Ramadi. Now they lay at rest in quiet corners of America, but they live on in the families who loved them and in a nation that is safer because of their service. And today we pay humble tribute to the more than 6,200 Americans in uniform who have given their lives in this hard decade of war. We honor them all. We are grateful for them.
Through their service, through their sacrifice, through their astonishing record of achievement, our forces have earned their place among the greatest of generations. Toppling the Taliban in just weeks. Driving al Qaeda from the training camps where they plotted 9/11. Giving the Afghan people the opportunity to live free from terror. When the decision was made to go into Iraq, our troops raced across deserts and removed a dictator in less than a month. When insurgents, militias and terrorists plunged Iraq into chaos, our troops adapted, they endured ferocious urban combat, they reduced the violence and gave Iraqis a chance to forge their own future.
When a resurgent Taliban threatened to give al Qaeda more space to plot against us, the additional forces I ordered to Afghanistan went on the offensive -— taking the fight to the Taliban and pushing them out of their safe havens, allowing Afghans to reclaim their communities and training Afghan forces. And a few months ago, our troops achieved our greatest victory yet in the fight against those who attacked us on 9/11 -- delivering justice to Osama bin Laden in one of the greatest intelligence and military operations in American history. (Applause.)
Credit for these successes, credit for this progress, belongs to all who have worn the uniform in these wars. (Applause.) Today we're honored to be joined by some of them. And I would ask all those who served this past decade -— the members of the 9/11 Generation -— to stand and accept the thanks of a grateful nation. (Applause.)
Thanks to these Americans, we're moving forward from a position of strength. Having ended our combat mission in Iraq and removed more than 100,000 troops so far, we'll remove the rest of our troops by the end of this year and we will end that war. (Applause.)
Having put al Qaeda on the path to defeat, we won't relent until the job is done. Having started to draw down our forces in Afghanistan, we'll bring home 33,000 troops by next summer and bring home more troops in the coming years. (Applause.) As our mission transitions from combat to support, Afghans will take responsibility for their own security, and the longest war in American history will come to a responsible end.
For our troops and military families who've sacrificed so much, this means relief from an unrelenting decade of operations. Today, fewer of our sons and daughters are serving in harm's way. For so many troops who've already done their duty, we've put an end to the stop loss. And our soldiers can now look forward to shorter deployments. That means more time at home between deployments, and more time training for the full range of missions that they will face.
Indeed, despite 10 years of continuous war, it must be said -— America's military is the best that it's ever been. (Applause.) We saw that most recently in the skill and precision of our brave forces who helped the Libyan people finally break free from the grip of Moammar Qaddafi. (Applause.) And as we meet the test that the future will surely bring, including hard fiscal choices here at home, there should be no doubt: The United States of America will keep our military the best-trained, the best-led, the best-equipped fighting force in history. It will continue to be the best. (Applause.)
Now, as today's wars end, as our troops come home, we're reminded once more of our responsibilities to all who have served. The bond between our forces and our citizens must be a sacred trust. And for me and my administration, upholding that trust is not just a matter of policy, it is not about politics; it is a moral obligation. That's why my very first budget included the largest percentage increase to the VA budget in the past 30 years. (Applause.) So far, we're on track to have increased funding for Veterans Affairs by 30 percent. And because we passed advanced appropriations, when Washington politics threatens to shut down the government, as it did last spring, the veterans' medical care that you count on was safe.
And let me say something else about VA funding that you depend on. As a nation, we're facing some tough choices as we put our fiscal house in order. But I want to be absolutely clear: We cannot, we must not, we will not, balance the budget on the backs of our veterans. (Applause.) As Commander-in-Chief, I won't allow it. (Applause.)
With these historic investments, we're making dramatic improvements to veterans' health care. We're improving VA facilities to better serve our women veterans. We're expanding outreach and care for our rural veterans, like those that I met during my recent visit to Cannon Falls, including two proud Legionnaires -— Tom Newman of Legion Post 620 in Hugo, and Joseph Kidd, Post 164 in Stewartville. Are they here right now? They're out there somewhere. (Applause.) That was a good lunch, by the way. (Laughter.)
For our Vietnam veterans, because we declared that three diseases are now presumed to be related to your exposure to Agent Orange, we've begun paying the disability benefits that you need. (Applause.) For our veterans of the Gulf War, we're moving forward to address the nine infectious diseases that we declared are now presumed to be related to your service in Desert Storm. (Applause.)
At the same time, our outstanding VA Secretary, Ric Shinseki, is working every day to build a 21st century VA. Many of our Vietnam vets are already submitting their Agent Orange claims electronically. Hundreds of you, from all wars, are requesting your benefits online. Thanks to the new "blue button" on the VA website, you can now share your personal health information with your doctors outside of the VA. And we're making progress in sharing medical records between DOD and VA. We're not there yet. I've been pounding on this thing since I came into office. We are going to stay on it, we're going to keep at it until our troops and our veterans have a lifetime electronic medical record that you can keep for your life. (Applause.)
Of course, we've still got some work to do. We got to break the backlog of disability claims. I know that over the past year, the backlog has actually grown due to new claims from Agent Orange. But let me say this -- and I know Secretary Shinseki agrees -- when our veterans who fought for our country have to fight just to get the benefits that you've already earned, that's unacceptable. So this is going to remain a key priority for us. (Applause.)
We're going to keep hiring new claims processors, and we're going to keep investing in new paperless systems and keep moving ahead with our innovation competition in which our dedicated VA employees are developing new ways to process your claims faster. We want your claims to be processed not in months, but in days. So the bottom line is this -— your claims need to be processed quickly and accurately, the first time. We're not going to rest until we get that done. We will not rest. (Applause.)
The same is true for our mission to end homelessness among our veterans. Already, we've helped to bring tens of thousands of veterans off the streets. For the first time ever, we've made veterans and military families a priority -— not just at the VA, not just at DOD, but across the federal government. And that includes making sure that federal agencies are working together so that every veteran who fought for America has a home in America. (Applause.)
We're working to fulfill our obligations to our 9/11 Generation veterans, especially our wounded warriors. The constant threat of IEDs has meant a new generation of service members with multiple traumatic injuries, including Traumatic Brain Injury. And thanks to advanced armor and medical technologies, our troops are surviving injuries that would have been fatal in previous wars. So we're saving more lives, but more American veterans live with severe wounds for a lifetime. That's why we need to be for them for their lifetime.
We're giving unprecedented support to our wounded warriors -— especially those with Traumatic Brain Injury. And thanks to the veterans and caregivers legislation I signed into law, we've started training caregivers so that they can receive the skills and the stipends that they need to care for their loved ones. (Applause.)
We're working aggressively to address another signature wound of this war, which has led to too many fine troops and veterans to take their own lives, and that's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. We're continuing to make major investments -- improving outreach and suicide prevention, hiring and training more mental health counselors, and treating more veterans than ever before.
The days when depression and PTSD were stigmatized -- those days must end. That's why I made the decision to start sending condolence letters to the families of service members who take their lives while deployed in a combat zone. These Americans did not die because they were weak. They were warriors. They deserve our respect. Every man and woman in uniform, every veteran, needs to know that your nation will be there to help you stay strong. (Applause.) It's the right thing to do.
In recent months, we've heard new reports of some of our veterans not getting the prompt mental health care that they desperately need. And that, too, is unacceptable. If a veteran has the courage to seek help, then we need to be doing everything in our power to deliver the lifesaving mental care that they need. So Secretary Shinseki and the VA are going to stay on this. And we'll continue to make it easier for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress to qualify for VA benefits, regardless of the war that you served in. If you served in a combat theater and a VA doctor confirms a diagnosis of PTSD, that's enough.
Which brings me to the final area where America must meet its obligations to our veterans, and this is a place where we need each other -- and that's the task of renewing our nation's economic strength. After a decade of war, it's time to focus on nation building here at home. And our veterans, especially our 9/11 veterans, have the skills and the dedication to help lead the way.
That's why we're funding the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which is now helping more than 500,000 veterans and family members go to college, get their degrees, and play their part in moving America forward. (Applause.) It's why, this fall, we'll start including vocational training and apprenticeships as well, so veterans can develop the skills to succeed in today's economy. And that's why I've directed the federal government to hire more veterans, including more than 100,000 veterans in the past year and a half alone.
But in this tough economy, far too many of our veterans are still unemployed. That's why I've proposed a comprehensive initiative to make sure we're tapping the incredible talents of our veterans. And it's got two main parts.
First, we're going to do more to help our newest veterans find and get that private sector job. We're going to offer -- (applause) -- we're going to offer more help with career development and job searches. I've directed DOD and the VA to create what we're calling a "reverse boot camp" to help our newest veterans prepare for civilian jobs and translate their exceptional military skills into industry -- into industry-accepted licenses and credentials. And today I'm calling on every state to pass legislation that makes it easier for our veterans to get the credentials and the jobs for which they are so clearly qualified. This needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. (Applause.)
Second, we're encouraging the private sector to do its part. So I've challenged companies across America to hire or train 100,000 unemployed veterans or their spouses. And this builds on the commitments that many companies have already made as part of the Joining Forces Campaign, championed by the First Lady and the Vice President's spouse, Dr. Jill Biden: 100,000 jobs for veterans and spouses. And to get this done, I've proposed a Returning Heroes Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans and a Wounded Warrior Tax Credit for companies that hire unemployed veterans with a disability. (Applause.)
When Congress returns from recess, this needs to be at the top of their agenda. For the sake of our veterans, for the sake of our economy, we need these veterans working and contributing and creating the new jobs and industries that will keep America competitive in the 21st century.
These are the obligations we have to each other -— our forces, our veterans, our citizens. These are the responsibilities we must fulfill. Not just when it's easy, not just when we're flush with cash, not just when it's convenient, but always.
That's a lesson we learned again this year in the life and in the passing of Frank Buckles, our last veteran from the First World War. He passed away at the age of 110. Think about it. Frank lived the American Century. An ambulance driver on the Western Front, he bore witness to the carnage of the trenches in Europe. Then during the Second World War, he survived more than three years in Japanese prisoner of war camps. Then, like so many veterans, he came home, went to school, pursued a career, started a family, lived a good life on his farm in West Virginia.
Even in his later years, after turning 100, Frank Buckles still gave back to his country. He'd go speak to schoolchildren about his extraordinary life. He'd meet and inspire other veterans. And for 80 years, he served as a proud member of the American Legion. (Applause.)
The day he was laid to rest, I ordered the flags be flown at half-staff at the White House, at the government buildings across the nation, at our embassies around the world. As Frank Buckles lay in honor at Arlington's memorial chapel, hundreds passed by his flag-draped casket in quiet procession. Most were strangers who never knew him, but they knew the story of his service, and they felt compelled to offer their thanks to this American soldier.
And that afternoon, I had the privilege of going over to Arlington and spending a few moments with Frank's daughter, Susannah, who cared for her father to the very end. And it was a chance for me to convey the gratitude of an entire nation and to pay my respects to an American who reflected the best of who we are as a people.
And, Legionnaires, it was a reminder -— not just to the family and friends of Corporal Frank Buckles, but to the veterans and families of every generation -- no matter when you serve, no matter how many years ago that you took off the uniform, no matter how long you live as a proud veteran of this country we love, America will never leave your side. America will never forget. We will always be grateful to you.
God bless you. God bless all our veterans. And God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
November 30, 2016
November 29, 2016
November 29, 2016
November 28, 2016
November 28, 2016
November 25, 2016
November 24, 2016
November 23, 2016
- &lsaquo previous
- …
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- …
- next &rsaquo


text:
Pattern Recognition
Cayce Pollard is an expensive, spookily intuitive market-research consultant. In London on a job, she is offered a secret assignment: to investigate some intriguing snippets of video that have been appearing on the Internet. An entire subculture of people is obsessed with these bits of footage, and anybody who can create that kind of brand loyalty would be a gold mine for Cayce's client. But when her borrowed apartment is burgled and her computer hacked, she realizes there's more to this project than she had expected.
Still, Cayce is her father's daughter, and the danger makes her stubborn. Win Pollard, ex-security expert, probably ex-CIA, took a taxi in the direction of the World Trade Center on September 11 one year ago, and is presumed dead. Win taught Cayce a bit about the way agents work. She is still numb at his loss, and, as much for him as for any other reason, she refuses to give up this newly weird job, which will take her to Tokyo and on to Russia. With help and betrayal from equally unlikely quarters, Cayce will follow the trail of the mysterious film to its source, and in the process will learn something about her father's life and death.
Chests: Want to read
Reading duration: TBD to TBD
Author: William Gibson
ISBN13: 9780425198681 via Indiebound
Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Product Description
- 24.87 Oz. Personalized designs for kids of all style sensibilities.
- Lace-up closure, canvas upper, offers an adjustable fit and durability.
- Durable rubber out-sole, tough enough to withstand daily wear and tear.
- Canvas insole, round toe, and lightweight.
- Production time: 4-6 business days
- 100% shine-free shoes and print.
- Cleaning Instructions:
- Remove dirt from the outsole, midsole and uppers using an older soft bristled toothbrush or sponge.
- Mix warm water with a small amount of laundry detergent.
- Apply the mild solution to a soft bristled brush and brush the outsole and the midsole.
- Dry with a soft cloth.
- 15 days return and exchange policy.
- No refund policy.
Kids's Stacked Dots Polka Print Canvas Low Top Shoes
Shipping details:
All our products are custom-made-to-order and handcrafted to the highest quality standards. Please allow 4-6 business days to receive a tracking number while your order is handcrafted, packaged and shipped from our facility. Estimated shipping time is 3-10 business days.
Product Details
- Variant: US1
- Weight: 1800 g
- Product Type: Kids Low Top Shoes
- Collection: Polka Print
How to measure


text:
Tag: Balawi
The Washington Post reports the details on the mismanagement of informant Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who killed 7 CIA officers at an Afghan base a few weeks ago.
The Jordanians initially turned and worked him, but in mid-2009, they let the Americans and CIA take charge of him. [More...]
(4 comments, 350 words in story) There's More :: Permalink :: Comments


text:
Living with people who differ–racially, ethnically, religiously, or economically–is the most urgent challenge facing civil society today. We tend socially to avoid engaging with people unlike ourselves, and modern politics encourages the politics of the tribe rather than of the city. In this thought-provoking book, Richard Sennett discusses why this has happened and what might be done about it.
Sennett contends that cooperation is a craft, and the foundations for skillful cooperation lie in learning to listen well and discuss rather than debate. In Together he explores how people can cooperate online, on street corners, in schools, at work, and in local politics. He traces the evolution of cooperative rituals from medieval times to today, and in situations as diverse as slave communities, socialist groups in Paris, and workers on Wall Street. Divided into three parts, the book addresses the nature of cooperation, why it has become weak, and how it could be strengthened. The author warns that we must learn the craft of cooperation if we are to make our complex society prosper, yet he reassures us that we can do this, for the capacity for cooperation is embedded in human nature.


text:
A Marine Treasure-Hunting Thriller. Brett Rivera has spent three years searching for the Drachen, a sunken ship. The day she finds it is the day her life changes: there is no sign of its legendary treasure and now a cold-blooded killer is hunting her…A shipwreck. A lost treasure. A hell of a race from one to the other.
Buy on Amazon
About the author:
Brendan le Grange was born and educated in South Africa, though he now lives between Manila and Hong Kong with his beautiful wife and daughter.
As a business consultant, he has travelled to forty countries and lived in three. And it is reading binges to break up these transits – with the likes of Clive Cussler and Jack du Brul – that inspired the writer to emerge, bringing to life the cities, characters, and history he encountered.
Le Grange's debut action thriller, Drachen, is a wild chase through North Europe along the Baltic coast. Based on a reimagined history of the medieval Hanseatic League, a young marine archaeologist discovers evidence of a treasure so valuable, it will test every allegiance.
Follow the author on Twitter and Goodreads. You can also connect on Literary Addicts.


text:
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
Choosing the cladding material for the exterior of your home involves the careful evaluation of several factors. Of course, there's the look. Cedar shake shingles will create a different look than aluminum siding, which will look different than painted wood planks. But there are also other factors to consider. First is the durability of the material. Second is the amount of maintenance your siding will require to keep it looking fresh and tidy. Third is the cost. And finally, consider the siding's energy efficiency and eco-friendliness, and how well it will insulate your home from both heat and cold.
Two of the more popular siding choices for today's homes are vinyl and fiber cement. To figure out which siding might be right for you, read this quick guide to each material's characteristics and qualities.
Basic Comparison
- Fiber-cement siding is made from a mix of wood pulp and Portland cement that's formed into long boards or shingles. It's attached to your home directly with nails.
- Vinyl siding is made primarily from PVC, a rigid plastic material, and is securely affixed to your home's exterior in a manner that allows it to expand and contract with changing temperatures. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, vinyl is the number-one exterior wall material—and has been for 20 years.
Aesthetic Tradeoffs
Both fiber-cement and vinyl siding have come a long way from their origins.
It's possible to buy fiber-cement boards as half-round, staggered, or square shingles as well as in long plank boards. It can be painted or stained, which means you can make it any color you'd like, and it's also now possible to buy prepainted fiber cement siding in a range of colors so that you can eliminate this step.
Vinyl siding offers a much greater variety of decorative options, from maintaining the appearance of an historic home to creating a clean and modern facade. In fact, no other siding option offers such a range of styles and colors. Available are not only the shingle and plank looks of fiber-cement siding, but also a variety of panel designs including clapboard, board and batten, and Dutch lap. Among the most popular vinyl siding products are those with a grain-finished surface that mimics real wood, or those that look like cedar shake shingles. Certain vinyl siding panels can even be hung vertically for a unique and eye-catching look.
Energy Efficiency
On their own, both vinyl and fiber-cement siding are relatively thin products that aren't particularly good insulators, although they are both effective at keeping the elements away from your home.
Where vinyl siding takes the lead is that it is available in an insulated version in which there is a layer of foam adhered between the siding and the walls of your home. This type of vinyl siding increases the insulating ability, or R-value, of the walls by blanketing the house's studs, which are poor insulators and a source of heat loss through a process known as thermal bridging. Insulated siding also helps keep your house cool in summer by preventing the sun's heat from toasting the walls of your house.
In addition to the energy benefits you can get for your home from vinyl siding, it's also a lightweight product. This means that it doesn't take as much fuel to move the siding from its manufacturing facilities to your house, which ups the material's eco-friendly factor.
Siding Durability
Compared with wood, both vinyl siding and fiber cement are very durable exterior cladding options. Vinyl siding, however, edges out its heavier cousin because fiber cement has been known to absorb water, which can cause it—and the walls of your home underneath—to rot.
Because of vinyl siding's flexibility, it's also virtually impervious to chips and cracks. That's not the case for fiber cement, which is so rigid that it can easily crack both during the installation process and after it's hanging on your home.
Vinyl siding, including insulated siding, is the only exterior cladding with a product certification program administered by an independent, accredited quality-control agency that ensures products and colors meet or exceed the industry standard for performance.
Maintenance Requirements
Here's where vinyl siding pulls way ahead of fiber cement. When fiber cement is installed, it needs to be caulked and painted (unless you opt for the prepainted version), unlike vinyl siding, which needs no additional work before or after installation. Over the long haul, you'll need to paint fiber-cement siding periodically because it will fade due to the demands of Mother Nature. Likewise, you'll need to ensure that the caulking in the joints maintains its integrity to avoid water intrusion.
Vinyl siding, on the other hand, needs little more than a periodic spray cleaning with your garden hose and some soapy water to retain its vibrant look.
According to the RSMeans 2014 Residential Cost Data report, the installed cost of vinyl siding is, on average, $201 per 100 square feet, while fiber cement totals $300 for the same area.
In addition to saving on the initial cost of purchasing and installing vinyl siding, you'll also save money over the lifetime of owning your home as it needs no painting or recaulking, unlike fiber cement. Plus, if you choose to use insulated vinyl siding, you'll save additional money on your heating and cooling costs.
Finally, according to Remodeling magazine's 2013–14 Cost vs. Value Report, vinyl siding and insulated siding will recoup more than 78 percent of their installed cost when it comes time to sell your house—a house whose siding will likely look just as good when you sell as the day you put it up!
This post has been brought to you by the Vinyl Siding Institute. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.


text:
The world of finance is never static. It's an ever-changing landscape that reflects the ebb and flow of economic indicators, political events, and public
Read More
If you know what mistakes tend to drain retirement savings, you can take caution, make more informed decisions, and stay on track to fund your dream retirement.
Read More


text:
Hello Ladies! The moment you have all been waiting for has finally arrived!!
The Design Team have voted & I have the correlated the results!
A HUGE "thank you"!!!! to everyone who participated to make
this a very exciting competition with
EIGHTY TWO entries from at least NINETEEN different countries!
{not everyone remembered to add their country to their link -
please do - it's such fun to see where you are from!!}
1st place goes to Arnlaug Koppang! {from Norway - I think?!}
Congrats Arnlaug - we all agreed your layout was super
awesome, creative & just downright OUTSTANDING!!
Please email me at firstname.lastname@example.com with your postal address for me to
pass onto Inkido so you can receive your huge new collection from
Papercrafts Scandinavia!
{we will also discuss your GUEST DESIGNER offer!!}
2nd place goes to Moriony from Poland!
Congratulations!! Stunning layout - that is unquestionable!!
Please e mail me with your postal address so you can
receive the new paper collection from 13arts!
3rd place goes to Mona Pendeleton of the USA!
Mona is a highly talented artist as is plain to see!
Please e mail me Mona so I can pass your postal details onto Scrapmatts
& you can receive a pack of their latest & greatest chipboard!
4th place goes to Heather McMahon of Australia!
Such a fun & pretty layout with lovely detail!
Heather you've won some beautiful flowers from Inkido so please
email me your postal details so I can get those sent off to you!
Now for some important acknowledgement for 4 ladies whose entries
were also FANTASTIC & who came very close to being featured - our
{each month we will have a few of these based on entries that were just
a few points shy of the features so the amounts may vary from month
to month but will not exceed 10% of our total entries}.
Sandi Smith from Canada!
This layout is just WOW!!!
Cathy Lane from South Africa!
Beautifully put together masculine page!
Po Prostu Asia from Poland!
WHAT a funky page!!
Ava Gavloski from Canada!
Stunning monotone, technique-filled page!!
Last but not least our random winner is....
Helen Wallace of Australia!!
You win a large collection of assorted goodies from me
so inbox me on Facebook with your address please!
We talked behind the scenes about the awesome background on this page -
All winners are required to contact me within one week to claim their prizes -
please put SCRAP AROUND THE WORLD PRIZEWINNER in the
subject line (you really don't want to know how many emails I have
in my inbox & I want to be able to find yours easily!)
Well that's it from me!
Come back on Saturday to see our new challenge!!
Once again thank you to EVERYONE who participated & please join us
again next month - it's not just about winners - we want you to have fun!
Don't forget to leave some LOVE for all these lovely ladies -
we are all about encouragement & mutual support around here!!!


text:
Know Your Data
Your data is your greatest asset. Datiphy protects your data in corporate databases, network, servers, and private or public clouds. DatiDNA technology sheds light on your data insight with analysis, compliance, reporting, and intelligence.
Data Intelligence at Your Fingertip
Corporate databases are typically protected by a firewall, behind many layers of business applications – not much thought is given to their potential risk for compromises. These databases contain highly valuable data making them the logical target for malicious attacks. Datiphy's DatiDNA mapping of all database transactions can help bring these data breach events to light immediately.
What is Database Threat Intelligence?
Simply, it is the information that allows you to "connect the dots" between a user's behavior and activity, allowing you to detect a potential intrusion or malicious activities.
What are the benefits?
- Gain insight into high-value assets
- Contextualized sensitive data
- Risk analysis of every user, application, and data repository
- Compliance assessment for: GDPR, PCI, HIPAA, SOX, ISO, and SOC
Datiphy Solutions
Datiphy Enterprise monitors data on premises and in cloud services using agents on hosts, in the cloud, or on the network. Datiphy Enterprise provides preconfigured threat intelligence rules, as well as risk metrics included out of the box. Pattern matching and machine learning are used to profile users and entities, and detect threats against your database.
Data-centric Visibility
Each data transaction is unique and contains the forensic assets required to build a data-centric view of your business. Every database transaction is processed and all events recorded. By focusing on the complete transaction, data activities and the full context in which they occur are captured.
Data Assets
All assets are extracted in each database transaction, billions of times per day. By analyzing the entire pool, baselines are established and false alarms are eliminated. By automating the harvesting of these key building blocks, the strongest data-centric audit and protection possible is created.
Asset Indexing
Assets are indexed upon extraction and compared to every asset ever witnessed. Changes, including methods and behaviors, are detected immediately and relationships linked. Automated indexing allows users to easily search for any event in plain English and retrieve it instantly.
Data usage is growing faster than your perimeter and policies can keep up with. Data is also constantly transposed by business processes across multiple silos. Datiphy cross-silo policy management creates visibility to any breaches, regardless of where they take place.
Datiphy Splunk Integration
Datiphy's agents are pre-packaged with Splunk Universal Forwarder to provide complete data activity monitoring and threat intelligence.
Secure Your Cloud
Datiphy Enterprise Cloud Solution supports many of the existing cloud service providers to ensure that database monitoring is part of your cloud security strategy.
Breach Discovery Gap
A database breach is inevitable, so knowing exactly when, where and how it is happening is critical. With traditional monitoring methods many silos and gaps exist, allowing breaches to inflict damage for months before being discovered. With Datiphy, customers can for the first time see their entire data life cycle and who is engaging it. Every data asset from billions of transactions each day is sequenced to reveal relationships, behaviors, and methods.
Brand Reputation
When database breach details are reported in the media, organizations struggle to know exactly what has been taken. Credibility is lost when you can't provide detailed answers on the scope of the breach. This is the root impact of when your data has been compromised: you've lost control. With Datiphy, organizations will know exactly what data has been accessed the moment it occurs and have the framework in place to stop the attack.


text:
Spring is a time of renewal. It is the time of year when people across the country begin shaking off the final dregs of winter, opening their windows, and hanging clothes on the lines to dry. It is the time of year that many people associate with cleaning but very few associate with home decorating. Sadly enough there are very few times of year when it is more appropriate to decorate your home. Face it, for most of us, this is the only time of year that we are actually happy about cleaning.
During the summer months we clean because the kids (young and old alike) are constantly tracking dirt, mud, grass, and goodness knows what else into the house. Cleaning in these days is a chore and yet we still manage to bring out the patriotic colors and celebrate America in style. Goodness knows how with all the extra cleaning that is going on and the nearly double amounts of lemonade and iced tea being consumed daily. Still we manage to decorate and take great joy in doing so as if some right of passage has been achieved by our home decorating efforts.
During the Thanksgiving and Winter months we clean house because we have no choice. Friends and family will be coming over and they expect our homes to be well decorated and clean. This I must tell you is quite the accomplishment with the rush of the holidays afoot and yet somehow we manage to muster up some Christmas cheer when others are around while playing Mr. Scrooge when it comes to running the mop and the broom around our rooms.
Spring is the one time of year in which our cleaning efforts are nothing short of inspired. Yet it is also the spring that often eludes us when it comes to inspiration for decoration. Perhaps we are too tired from all of our cleaning efforts to seek the inspiration to decorate. If this is the case with you, then my hope is that some of the ideas mentioned below will help bring some serious decoration inspiration your way.
1) Flowers. Spring is the time of flowers. They are all around us. Use fresh cut flowers and candles to create beautiful arrangement and centerpieces throughout your home.
2) Candles. While briefly mentioned above they deserve their own spot among the top five to say the least. Candles can be soothing, relaxing, invigorating, inspiring, beautiful, elegant, and simply smell good. Candles are great no matter what time of the year it is however, if you select candles in bright spring colors and fragrances you might be amazed at exactly how uplifting these candles can be.
3) Towels. Yes I said towels. In your kitchen and your bathrooms you need bright, bold colors that signify spring, birth, and renewal. These little touches can make a huge difference in not only your attitude about cleaning and decorating but also your attitude about cooking.
4) Fragrance. While most people do not realize that the fragrances we use in our homes is a type of decoration. It makes our noses happy to some degree but also the potpourri and candles are often decorations in and of themselves. Put out bowls filled with brightly colored and lightly scented fragrance balls, dried fruit, and other delights. Gourmet potpourri can be found in all kinds of gift and fragrance shops and is a rather inexpensive way to add a fragrant touch to your home decorating as well as the fragrance of your home.
5) Fruit. Have bowls placed throughout your home filled with fresh fragrant fruit. Not only does this add yet another layer of fragrance to your home but it is also visually appealing and edible. There are three checks in the 'pro' column for this simple decorative step and I have yet to find one in the 'con' column unless you consider the fact that it must be eaten before it gets too ripe.
For those needing springtime home decorating ideas and inspiration I hope this has helped. If you haven't found some outstanding suggestions above I at least hope that you will have been inspired to find your own fabulous finds for spring decorating.


text:
In Asp.net it is required to use a Progress Bar <dx: ASPxProgressBar ID="Form_ProgressBar"> that allows to represent asynchronously the duration of a background process on the Server side executed by the Fcn_AppConexionesSelectedIndexChanged() function and that also updates the <dx: ASPxNavBar ID="Form_NavBar"> control on the Client Side.
On the server side it is required to be able to use a Session variable to Store and Retrieve Information. The web page does more things that requires Session variables.
In the code that serves as an example, we have a control <asp: DropDownList ID="Form_Conexiones" runat="server" AutoPostBack="false" OnChange="javascript: Fcn_ProgressBar_In Start ('ProgressBar_In Start');"/>
with an "OnChange" event that executes a javascript function Fcn_ProgressBar_In Start() that starts the 2 Callback processes:
-Callback 1. Activates a function on the Server Side Fcn_AppConexionesSelectedIndexChanged() that Executes a Long-Term Process and that Updates the information of a <dx: ASPxNavBar ID="Form_NavBar"> control.
-Callback 2. Activates a function on the Server Side Fcn_ProgressBar_Callback_jQuery() that Retrieves the Position in the long-term process and returns to the Client part to activate it in the <dx: ASPxProgressBar ID="Form_ProgressBar"> control.
-It is necessary that the two Callbacks run simultaneously. At this time, while the Long Duration Process Callback is executing,
the Callback that Retrieves the Position in the long-term process and that returns to the Client part to activate it in the <dx: ASPxProgressBar ID="Form_ProgressBar"> control remains waiting the first callback ends.
-If I use a thread in the Fcn_AppConexionesSelectedIndexChanged () function of the long-term process, it ends immediately and the second Callback begins, but then the <dx: ASPxNavBar ID = "Form_NavBar"> control It does not actualize.
Excerpt retrieved following the second Link:
Simultaneous session state and callbacks.
-Concurrent callbacks don't work if you use session state. Blocks parallel execution and forces parallel requests to run one after another because access to state of the ASP.NET session is unique per session. For this reason, the above example (How to display progress information about server-side callback processing) does not work if you use session state. To work around this problem, turn off session state at the page or project level. Ex: <% @ Page Language = "C #" CodeFile = "Default.aspx.cs" Inherits = "_ Default" EnableSessionState = "False"%>
When session state is disabled, it is no longer possible to use session variables.
You can use the following alternatives:
-Application state, The application state stores variables that can be accessed by all users of an ASP.NET application.
-Profile properties, Profile properties preserve user values in a data store without expiring.
-ASP.NET caching, ASP.NET caching stores values in memory that is available to all ASP.NET applications.
-Query string and fields, The query string and fields in an HTML form that are available from an HTTP request.
CURRENT SITUATION: At this point I have been stopped waiting to find a viable solution.
When a ProgressBar is used, it is to represent a long process in CodeBehind and that process usually has a final result that will be displayed on the screen.
As the Callbacks go one after the other, we are talking about using a thread in the first Callback so that it ends and the second Callback can be activated, which is the one that retrieves values from the first process in the ThRead.
But then, it is necessary that before ending the process in the ThRead, the updateprogress where the navbar control is found is forced to render. Can be done?
Another possible option is in the capture of asynchronous transfers. See bb398976(v=vs.100)
PageRequestManager executes from the server side various events on the client side in which it returns information. Can you create a custom event that runs every x time on the server side and returns information to the client side? Why haven't they thought of that?Code:Example: var PageRequestManager_ = Sys.WebForms.PageRequestManager.getInstance (); PageRequestManager_.add_initializeRequest (Fcn_UpdateProgress_InitializeRequest); PageRequestManager_.add_endRequest (Fcn_UpdateProgress_EndRequest);


text:
I have often made mention of the fact that I did not attend college. While this is true, I do hold a certification of sorts - albeit in an unorthodox field.
The Heroes of Might and Magic V beta that I brought up at every available opportunity is, upon examination, almost completely unworkable. There is more to say about it, but that needs to get top billing: the software they released for people to test is pretty much a train wreck. Perseverance can get you through the mind-bending player matching interface and into the meat of the game, a realm not entirely without merit, but getting all the way through a match practically requires an auspicious celestial event. Which I guess fits the setting.
I've been pounding on beta code for more than a decade now, so I didn't enter into this expecting to get retail quality without paying for it. You might recall that the Anarchy Online beta actually destroyed my partition, so I cross myself when I install this shit. What I'm saying is that it's difficult to find the game we're being asked to test in there. You can see for yourself, if you want. The beta is now open to all.
The community (which refers to itself as "The HoMMunity") has, from the state of the beta, mobilized to ask that the product be delayed. This is on virtually the same day that I read universally glowing previews from Eurogamer, GameSpot, GameSpy, and 1up. I'd love to make a snarky comment about this, but I'm honestly just confused by the disparity.
I've played betas that were released for sale virtually unchanged; I've played betas that saw radical improvements in only a couple weeks. You should have seen some of the games that launched with the 360, just twenty or so days before launch. It would amaze you. I don't know what Nival's internal process is, if they are a house that delivers the "long bomb" in the "fourth quarter," or whatever. But I do know that faith in Heroes of Might and Magic was dealt a blow by an undercooked fourth installment, and that a lot is riding on this revived setting for stalwart fans who have endured much.
Can such a petition even work? We don't have enough information about the project internally to know. There have been two very recent instances of Ubi delaying a title to make it a better product: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, a game which was supposed to materialize in the launch window of the 360, was pushed back for just this reason. In the intervening period, it's become something that demands to be taken seriously. Announced just yesterday was a push for Splinter Cell, a game I was looking at to really inaugurate the generation - that won't see light until September. HoMM is meant for another type of gamer altogether, though - and I doubt they have the same sales projections for a knight riding a pony that they do for their special forces and their superspies.
(CW)TB out.
sewn in his skin a little microchip
January 27, 2006


text:
Emet HaTorah exists to educate and encourage Believers in Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah of Israel, towards personal study and discipleship to their Master from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Our goal is to to help Believers move from being merely professing believers in Yeshua to being fully devoted Disciples.
Why do we feel the need to educate and encourage Believers? Because unfortunately, we have a world filled with believers in Jesus, but very few disciples of Jesus. We have lots of fans of Jesus, but very few committed, sold out disciples who have invested their lives for the Kingdom. Christianity is on the decline and is not showing any signs of a rebound. For too long we have been conveying a message that says a person can be a believer, without being a disciple — that somehow discipleship is optional. We, however, believe that discipleship is not optional in regard to being a follower of Jesus. We believe that with God's help we can turn this trend around. Our goal is to see disciples of Jesus make a lasting imprint on the world by raising up a host of disciples that follow him wholeheartedly. Here is our vision:
We believe that every disciple has the ability to change the world. And if every Christian was a disciple we couldn't help but follow the apostles' lead and "turn the world upside down." (Acts 17:6)
But where does it begin? It begins with you and me. Here's our plan…
First, we want to continue the work that has been started by many other ministries over the last several years of restoring the Jewishness of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. We believe that by helping believers understand the connection between a rabbi and his disciples we will help them understand their obligation to the ultimate Rabbi. We also believe placing him back into his Jewish context will help us be less likely to misconstrue his mission and his message.
Second, we want to restore the authentic and full Gospel Message. For too long the Gospel both Jesus and the disciples preached has been reduced down to a salvific formula. Although the message of personal salvation is a crucial component of the Gospel Message, this is not the totality of the Good News Jesus or his disciples preached. The result of this dilution of the Gospel Message has resulted in the exponential production of converts, but at the expense of producing true disciples. Restoring the fullness of the Gospel will result in more Kingdom-minded disciples who labor wholeheartedly for the Kingdom.
Third, we want to equip Believers to trust in the validity of the Holy Scriptures and hold to their full authority. This is desperately needed in a post-modern culture which esteems moral relativism over truth and personal freedoms over responsibility. Unfortunately, truth is no longer absolute, but subject to interpretation. When believers are able to defend the biblical text and live out its imperatives, hypocrisy will give way to discipleship and the body of Messiah will be strengthened.
Last, we want to help undo the untold damages of Replacement Theology — a theology that says God has rejected Israel and replaced her with the church — through a proper understanding of Scripture, clearly defining God's plan for both the church and the Jews. We believe that true disciples of Jesus have a heart for the Jewish people and will live lives that help Israel to know their Messiah, rather than continue in their rejection of him. The rejection of Replacement Theology is the starting point for this.
In order to accomplish these goals, we are speaking to congregations and small groups, hosting seminars on discipleship and creating written, audio and video resources. We are also developing seminars for pastors and teachers get a taste of the inexhaustible depths of Jewish thought and insights into the biblical text that are overlooked in seminaries and traditional commentaries. We believe understanding the Jewish context of Jesus' ministry is a crucial component to raising up committed disciples and want to help pastors and teachers tap into this truth. We will also continue to develop monthly teaching resources, including both written and audio materials.
Emet HaTorah means "The truth of the Torah." Torah (or the Pentateuch) is the prime revelation of the God of the Bible upon which all subsequent revelation is weighed against. In order for any prophet, prophecy or writing to be considered valid it had to be weighed against the Creator's initial revelation and self-disclosure found in the Torah. By directing believers back to the Torah as the blueprint and the framework for the biblical model of faith, we better understand the purpose and mission of our Messiah as well as the teachings of his apostles, thereby helping us to be better disciples who live a life of faith through the empowering of the Holy Spirit.


text:
$ 12 95
The following products may interest you.
There are no reviews yet.
For a more personalised experience, we use cookies and similar technologies. Our functional cookies ensure that the website functions optimally, while analytical cookies help us to continuously improve the website. We also use personal cookies to track your internet behaviour and display customised content (such as personalised ads), both by us and third parties. Want more information? You can read all about our cookie policy. Below you can indicate which cookies you want to accept.


text:
An (English) acquaintance of mine pronounces the word Aryan as /ˈɛːrɪən/
(~Aerian). I have only ever heard it pronounced /ˈɑːrjən/
(~Aaryun). I have it on good authority that the word comes from Sanskrit's ārya
which is pronounced /ˈɑːrjə/
just as I expected.
The ODO cites 'Aerian' as the correct (as these things go) British pronunciation while accepting both to be acceptable in American English. Webster is another dictionary that accepts either variant. MacMillan, just to be difficult, only accepts 'Aerian' as the correct pronunciation for American English, and either for BE.
Now, in all my years of watching Nazi flicks, I don't believe that I've ever heard the word pronounced "Aerian"; I'm pretty certain that I would have noted the difference if I had. Is it a recent change? Or is it a regional peculiarity? How do the Germans pronounce it?
Also, how would the word indo-aryan be pronounced?


text:
Texas Governor Greg Abbott easily survived a primary last night as he seeks another term. In the general election this fall, the Republican will face Democratic primary winner Beto O'Rourke.
BETO O'ROURKE: We have got to get past the incompetence, the corruption and the cruelty of Greg Abbott. Are you with me on this?
INSKEEP: Governor Abbott spoke with his supporters in Corpus Christi.
GREG ABBOTT: Where we have protected your constitutional rights, they threatened to take them away. Where we have promoted exceptionalism, they stoke fearmongering. We will not let them win this state.
INSKEEP: Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider is covering this story. Andrew, good morning.
ANDREW SCHNEIDER, BYLINE: Good morning.
INSKEEP: Sounds like you've got a marquee governor's race coming up.
SCHNEIDER: Yeah. Yeah, Abbott's very popular with conservatives. He had several challenges on the far right, but he was able to dispatch them easily. Now we have a race with Beto O'Rourke, former congressman and presidential candidate who made waves in Texas with his challenge to Senator Ted Cruz that was ultimately unsuccessful. He gained a lot of supporters and established an organization then. But pre-primary polling has found Abbott besting O'Rourke, and Texas hasn't elected a Democratic governor in more than three decades.
INSKEEP: I want to dwell on some of the other races in Texas because it's such a big state. It makes such national headlines. Whatever Governor Abbott does is a headline. The attorney general makes a lot of headlines. Other officials do as well. And the attorney general is in a little bit of trouble.
SCHNEIDER: Yeah. Attorney General Ken Paxton is a prominent Trump supporter and a foe of the Biden administration, but he's also been dogged by legal investigations, so he drew three challengers. He did have the highest vote share, but Texas operates with a runoff system, so if a candidate doesn't get more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters go to a second round, which will be in May. His opponent in the runoff is George P. Bush, the state's land commissioner and son of Jeb Bush.
INSKEEP: So Ken Paxton now against the latest generation of the Bush family. What about congressional races, of which there are so many it could affect control of Congress this fall?
SCHNEIDER: Well, one of the big ones I was looking at was the Democratic race in South Texas between longtime, relatively conservative congressman Henry Cuellar and 28-year-old progressive Jessica Cisneros. Now, Cuellar actually beat Cisneros two years ago. But in January, there was an FBI raid on Cuellar's home and office that really affected the contest. There aren't many details about the investigation, and Cuellar says he's done nothing wrong, but it recast the race in its final weeks, and now Cuellar and Cisneros are heading to a runoff.
INSKEEP: OK, so multiple races, multiple runoffs that involve someone under investigation there in Texas. And all of this is happening under new voting rules, which we've covered intensively here on MORNING EDITION and on NPR, Texas has changed last year to its voting laws, one of many states, Republican-led states, across the country that did that. How did the new rules affect people's experiences?
SCHNEIDER: Well, one change that was kind of under the radar required Texans seeking to vote by mail to include their driver's license number or Social Security number in multiple places on the application and ballot. And many voters have been neglecting to fill out one or both of these or putting in the wrong number, and the result is thousands of ballots were flagged for rejection.
INSKEEP: May well be legitimate voters, but they were caught for a paperwork issue. Any other effects of the law?
SCHNEIDER: Well, one of the main issues that we've been seeing at the polls, actually, is more technical than legal. There have been some long delays here in Harris County, apparently because of problems with a significant number of paper ballots going through the county's new voting machines. Harris County is the biggest in the state, so it's a big block of votes waiting for some candidates.
INSKEEP: Oh, so we still don't know the vote totals for some of the races?
SCHNEIDER: No.
INSKEEP: OK. Andrew, thanks for the update. Really appreciate it.
SCHNEIDER: You're welcome.
INSKEEP: That's Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
Unleash the true potential
of your business
Our Services
Credibly simplify multidisciplinary best practices and wireless content. Authoritatively build premium.
Collaboratively underwhelm end-to-end channels via out-of-the-box core competencies.
Completely evolve cross-platform innovation rather than transparent alignments.
Conveniently morph goal-oriented growth strategies and resource sucking total linkage.
Appropriately drive bricks-and-clicks customer service through just in time supply chains.
All services are performed by a team of experienced professionals.
What We Are Good At
Efficiently coordinate cross-media infomediaries rather than open-source content. Authoritatively strategize turnkey information rather than interoperable supply chains. Credibly leverage existing holistic leadership.
Competently parallel task bricks-and-clicks testing procedures after customized web services. Energistically manufactured.
Assertively deliver interoperable paradigms and transparent best practices. Compellingly myocardinate global systems.
Uniquely recaptiualize low-risk high-yield solutions without fully researched.


text:
The Creare Group is one of the UK's leading web digital marketing agencies for small to medium businesses (SMEs). Creare works to deliver an affordable digital presence that works as hard as possible for thousands of clients. Creare hosts thousands of websites and offers SEO solutions to many of these clients.
As Creare grew it needed a way to easily scale their server security. Having used Cloudflare at a previous company, Creare's lead developer approached Cloudflare about their Optimized Partner Program.
Improved Security
When Creare came to relaunch its brand at a high profile event, their website was hit by a DDOS attack capable of taking down the dedicated server that solely hosted the site. Thankfully, Creare was on Cloudflare's network and the attack was blocked.
Junade Ali, Creare's lead developer, commented: "We wouldn't have had the technology in house to mitigate the attack. We just routed it through Cloudflare and in less than half an hour the attack was mitigated."
By using Cloudflare as an intermediary for SSL sites, Creare's client websites to rapidly mitigate new SSL vulnerabilities. Cloudflare also provided a strong Web Application Firewall to prevent Layer 7 attacks against Creare's servers and preventing spam bots from ever reaching Creare's servers.
Boost to SEO
Creare observed that after it rolled out Cloudflare for various clients, SEO rankings for those clients' websites was dramatically boosted because of the improved speed and sitewide secure SSL.
The SEO ranking improvements that Cloudflare were far more dramatic than any other on-page SEO performance technique Creare had attempted.
Performance Benefits
Creare found that by leveraging Cloudflare's Global Content Delivery Network (CDN) it could deliver improved, rapid load speeds to its clients around the world. This allowed their small business clients to reach new markets by delivering their web pages faster, regardless of geographical location.
Moreover, Creare was able to benefit from Railgun™, Cloudflare's dynamic content optimizer. The high rate of compression allowed Creare to dramatically improve the load speed of sites by caching previously uncacheable, highly dynamic Magento e-commerce sites.
Server statistics from Creare's Railgun instance indicated that Creare was able to achieve a 3x reduction in the amount of bandwidth needed to transmit out of their datacenter on Railgun optimized sites.


text:
Honduras has an estimated population of 109,590 million people. The primary language of the country is English.
On July 17, 2001 Honduras ratified the required documents to join the "Hague Apostille Convention" (Convention of October 5, 1961 abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents), and on April 07, 2002 the agreement entered into action.
You may need the help of a specialist to get your documents authenticated in a timely manner for Honduras. The daily documents we deal with consist of:
Documents issued in Honduras with an apostille are entitled to recognition in any country without any further authentication according to the Hague Apostille Convention.
If you need any assistance in getting your documents, please contact us and let us know how we can help you (We can only Apostille documents issued in USA to be used in Honduras).
Apostille Services NYC
Express service available
Call Now:
295 Madison Avenue 12th Floor
New York – NY 10017
24/7 Customer Service
212-939-6426 / 646-626-2521


text:
The 'old' debate thread can be found in the NaruSaku Museum for any past references needed here ----> http://www.narusaku....hp?showforum=21
- No bashing
Character/pairing/fandom/member bashing is NOT allowed, period. Any and all members engaging in bashing will be dealt with by the forum's moderators. Examples of bashing are:
"Haha, (pairing name) sucks."
"(fandom name) fans don't know what they're talking about."
"(character name) is useless/stupid/a b*tch."
"(member name) is a dumb*ss to really believe that, because it's not what *I* believe in."
You get the gist. If you want to disagree with an argument/theory/opinion, you can do it without bashing (see below). - Objection!
If you disagree with an argument/theory/opinion, please show your logical reasoning why, and show evidence wherever possible.
Good: "I feel this theory doesn't stand up because... (quote manga evidence)"
Bad: "They don't know what they're talking about, lol." - Quote carefully!
If you only want to agree with a post, please don't quote it! It's OK to just use their name, like so:
I agree!
It's OK to quote posts if you want to highlight/debate certain points, but please try to avoid quoting posts in their entireity. - Acceptable Evidence
Only manga chapters, official databook entries, and Masashi Kishimoto interviews may be accepted as evidence. The Naruto anime and movies cannot be accepted as evidence, because they often devitate from canon. If possible, link to the evidence (such as manga pages on OneManga) so everyone can see what you're talking about.
- Poke at it!
Even if it's a theory/argument that supports the pairing you like, don't be afraid to poke a stick at it! If it feels flimsy to you, point it out and give your reasoning why.
- No spam
This thread is for debating ONLY. Any off-topic/spam posts that don't contribute to debates will be deleted.


text:
Annulments (Declarations of Nullity)
What is an annulment?
"Annulment" is an unfortunate word that is sometimes used to refer to a Catholic "declaration of nullity." Actually, nothing is made null through the process. Rather, a Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) declares that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union.
For a Catholic marriage to be valid, it is required that: (1) the spouses are free to marry; (2) they are capable of giving their consent to marry; (3) they freely exchange their consent; (4) in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another, and be open to children; (5) they intend the good of each other; and (6) their consent is given in the presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized Church minister. Exceptions to the last requirement must be approved by Church authority.
Why does the Church require a divorced Catholic to obtain a declaration of nullity before marrying in the Church?
In fidelity to Jesus' teaching, the Church believes that marriage is a lifelong bond (see Matt 19:1-10); therefore, unless one's spouse has died, the Church requires the divorced Catholic to obtain a declaration of nullity before marrying someone else. The tribunal process seeks to determine if something essential was missing at the moment of consent, that is, the time of the wedding. If so, the Church can declare that a valid marriage was never actually brought about on the wedding day.
What does the tribunal process involve?
Several steps are involved. The person who is asking for the declaration of nullity – the petitioner – submits written testimony about the marriage and a list of persons who are familiar with the marriage. These people must be willing to answer questions about the spouses and the marriage. If the other spouse did not co-sign the petition, the tribunal will contact that spouse – the respondent – who has a right to be involved. In some cases the respondent does not wish to become involved; the case can still move forward.
Based upon the information that was submitted, a tribunal official will determine the process that is to be followed. Regardless of the selected process, both the petitioner and the respondent will be able to read the testimony submitted, except that protected by civil law (for example, counseling records). Each party may also appoint a Church advocate to represent him or her before the tribunal. A representative for the Church, called the defender of the bond, will argue for the validity of the marriage.
If the tribunal decides in favor of the nullity of the marriage, the parties are then free to marry in the Catholic Church, unless an appeal of the decision is lodged or the decision includes a prohibition against one or both of the parties marrying until certain underlying issues have been resolved (see Code of Canon Law, 1682.1).
How long does the process take?
The length will depend upon the type of process that is followed, e.g., the ordinary judicial process, the process before the bishop, a documentary process, or a process before a Roman court. Your diocesan tribunal will be able to give you a more exact estimate based upon your case.
How can a couple married for many years present a case?
The tribunal process examines the events leading up to, and at the time of, the wedding ceremony, in an effort to determine whether what was required for a valid marriage was ever brought about. The length of common life is not proof of validity but a long marriage does provide evidence that a couple had some capacity for a life-long commitment. It does not prove or disprove the existence of a valid marriage bond.
If a marriage is declared null, does it mean that the marriage never existed?
No. It means that a marriage that was thought to be valid civilly and canonically was in fact not valid according to Church law. A declaration of nullity does not deny that a relationship existed. It simply states that the relationship was missing something that the Church requires for a valid marriage.
If a declaration of nullity is granted, are the children considered illegitimate?
No. A declaration of nullity has no effect on the legitimacy of children who were born of the union following the wedding day, since the child's mother and father were presumed to be married at the time that the child was born. Parental obligations remain after a marriage may be declared null.
I do not plan to re-marry. Why should I present a marriage case?
Some people find that simply writing out their testimony helps them to understand what went wrong and why. They gain insights into themselves. Others say that the process allowed them to tell their whole story for the first time to someone who was willing to listen. A person cannot know today if they might want to marry in the future when crucial witnesses may be deceased or their own memories may have dimmed.
Why does the Catholic Church require an intended spouse, who is divorced but not Catholic, to obtain a declaration of nullity before marrying in the Catholic Church?
The Catholic Church respects the marriages of non-Catholics and presumes that they are valid. Thus, for example, it considers the marriages of two Protestant, Jewish, or even nonbelieving persons to be binding for life. Marriages between baptized persons, moreover, are considered to be sacramental. The Church requires a declaration of nullity in order to establish that an essential element was missing in that previous union that prevented it from being a valid marriage, and thus the intended spouse is free to marry.
This is often a difficult and emotional issue. If the intended spouse comes from a faith tradition that accepts divorce and remarriage, it may be hard to understand why he/she must go through the Catholic tribunal process. Couples in this situation may find it helpful to talk with a priest or deacon. To go through the process can be a sign of great love of the non-Catholic for the intended spouse.
My fiancé/e and I want to marry in the Catholic Church. He/she has been married before and has applied for a declaration of nullity. When can we set a date for our wedding?
You should not set a date until the tribunal's decision has been finalized. First, the petition may not be granted. Second, even if the petition is eventually granted, there may be unexpected delays in the process, e.g., if your fiancé/e's spouse wishes to appeal the tribunal's decision.
How much does it cost?
Pope Francis has asked dioceses whenever possible to provide their tribunal services free of charge. Depending upon how much your diocese is able to subsidize the work of its tribunal, you may be asked to pay a nominal fee. You may also be asked to make a donation following the completion of your case. Fees are typically payable over time, and may be reduced or even waived in cases of financial difficulty. Other expenses may be incurred when consultation with medical, psychological, or other experts is needed, or if you obtain the services of a private canon lawyer to represent you.
How do I start the process?
Your parish can provide the information and forms that you need to get started.
For more information:
- Pope Francis Corner, "Changes to the Declaration of Nullity Process": an overview of the changes to the declaration of nullity process
- Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (Sept. 8, 2015): addresses canonical procedures in the Code of Canon Law used by the Latin Catholic Church
- Mitis et Misericors Iesus (Sept. 8, 2015): addresses canonical procedures in the Code of Canons in the Eastern Churches


text:
Cookies not enabled?
The Movember website requires cookies
Please enable cookies on your browserProstate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States. Globally, more than 1.4 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
Across the country, there are almost 3.25 million men living with and beyond the disease. Many are dealing with serious side effects from treatment.
So we're taking action.
This is how we're going to win the fight.
Our weapons of choice? Innovation and collaboration. We think differently. We back fresh and promising ideas. We unite researchers and experts across the world to chase down breakthroughs in prostate cancer, from early detection through to diagnosis, treatment and support. And we're always steered by the question: what works for men?
It's not just about a cure – it's about quality of life.
The plan of attack
1. Taking action early
Helping men know the signs, symptoms and risk factors for prostate cancer.
2. Bright minds brought together
We're bringing the best minds from around the world together to collaborate.
3. Tackling biology
Increasing the knowledge of the most lethal prostate cancer tumors, and how to slow or stop its progression.
4. Reducing side effects
No matter where they are in the world, men and their families and carers must have access to services and support.
5. Affordable treatment
We're influencing governments to provide affordable treatment and to get new treatments into practice faster.
6. Tailored treatments, precision care
Personalized treatment is the new frontier of cancer research. From distinguishing between harmless and lethal cancers, to taking into account genes, lifestyle and environment: it means a better outcome for men.
7. Helping men make tough choices
Men need the right info to understand their diagnosis and make an informed decision when it comes to treatment.
8. Raising the standard
We're identifying excellence in prostate cancer treatment and care, to reduce the number of men who aren't getting the best outcome possible.
9. Global initiatives
Our three largest investments in prostate cancer are global projects that will mean better outcomes for men everywhere.
The key to progress? Collaboration. We connect researchers around the world, achieving faster results to reach men sooner. We share our successes and our failures so the scientific community doesn't lose time to duplicating research.
Global Action Plan
Movember works with leading researchers from around the world to identify key research areas to work together on. Since 2011, Movember has committed $43 million AUD to seven key global research projects in prostate and testicular cancer:
- GAP1: Prostate Cancer Biomarkers
- GAP2: Advanced Prostate Cancer Imaging
- GAP3: Prostate Cancer Active Surveillance
- GAP4: Prostate Cancer Exercise and Metabolic Health
- GAP5: Testicular Cancer TIGER Trial
- GAP6: Oligometastic Prostate Cancer
- GAP7: True North Testicular Cancer Program (Nuts and Bolts)


text:
Keep your cloth diapers and accessories secure with this durable zippered wet bag. A cloth diapering necessity, this versatile tote features a simple, yet effective design that tucks conveniently into your diaper bag when on the go. Perfect for travel, daycare or swimming!
- Easy-to-use, zippered closure
- Convenient loop handle
- Holds 4 to 6 diapers
- Water-resistant
- Just throw in the wash
- Can also be used for wet clothes, toys, snacks or gear!
Used as a tote bag or laundry bag. Packs up small and is easy to use with zippered clsoure. This versatile bag also travels well in its small version in your diaper bag.
Dimensions: 12"H x 12"W
Materials: 100% Polyester TPU
Fairly and conscientiously made in China.


text:
Nissan knows its customers loved the NP300 Hardbody, and it was that loyalty that allowed it to become one of the best-selling Nissan vehicles in African markets. It is because of that incredible loyalty to the NP300 Hardbody, its reliability and ruggedness, that Nissan has decided to build on its legacy, creating a new model of Navara that can pick up the heavy workload of the Hardbody – and more – as well as incorporate a range of depth like never before.
After decades of service to people across Africa, the NP300 production cycle will come to an end in October 2021, and while it will be a bittersweet moment for the Nissan team, the excitement continues to build around the African-built Navara, which launches in June in South Africa.
As one of the pillars of the Nissan NEXT four-year plan, the Navara embodies Nissan's ongoing reputation for innovation, craftmanship, customer focus and quality. The new Navara has been designed to be the most reliable partner for work and travel, with a payload capacity of up to 1.2 tons and an array of new best-in-class technologies that make it the most advanced version of the beloved pickup yet.
With even further emphasis on severity testing and design, the new Navara enjoys ultra-modern driver and passenger safety standards, to safely navigate the harshest African conditions. Advancements in modern design significantly reduce cabin noise and improve ride comfort, across the range.
From a strengthened rear-axel to more truck bed volume, the new Navara's capabilities have been enhanced for the people who rely on a vehicle that can go the extra mile even with a major payload.
"To keep contributing to the automotive sector, all Navara vehicles are supported on the ground with a wide-spread genuine parts and support network, where it is needed most," said Hideyuki Kuwayama, Director for Nissan Sub Saharan Africa.
The Navara vehicle's capabilities are distinctly designed for African settings, one of the toughest, most versatile pickups – combining horsepower and brain power in a way that gives you the confidence to conquer all rugged terrains, and have peace of mind warranties and guaranteed aftersales support.
The Navara has always been Nissan's key focal point for promoting infrastructure development and skills development in Africa and with other facilities to build it emerging in Ghana and Nigeria, Nissan will continue to develop regional automotive hubs across the continent.
"As the African automotive sector matures and expands, we are excited that the locally-produced Navara can be a part of this incredible journey. As the Navara makes its way across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, we hope that this prime example of powerful design will be able to inspire and shift perceptions about what a pick-up can do," said Kuwayama.