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Reference Question of the Week – 6/15/15
June 20th, 2015 Brian HerzogI know I tend to be overly-paranoid, but sometimes reference questions are so unusual that I think they just have to be some "secret shopper" type test to see if I'll take them seriously. One such question came in via email last week:
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2015 5:11 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Chelmsford Library Reference Questionpatron_name: [---------------------]
patron_email_address: [---------------------]
patron_card_number: [---------------------]Comments: Do you have reference/source documents on trade of goods/ideas from Asia to Europe during the 18th Century? I am a French & Indian War re-enactor, and I am looking to doing some research on whether certain items, bamboo training sword and stuff like that, as well as knowledge of martial arts would have been traded during this time period.
Thank you for your assistance.
What the heck? It sounds both plausible and ridiculous at the same time. However, since that's the kind of criteria that interests me, I looked around to see what could be found.
My coworkers had already pulled the few books we had on the French and Indian War, but they weren't much help. And we didn't have any resources on Europe-Asia trade in the 18th Century, so I continued looking online. The best I could find were references to European colonization of Asia, but not much specifically about the trade of bamboo swords or martial arts training.
So, I replied to the patron with what I could find:
From: "Chelmsford Library Reference"
Sent: 6/10/2015 7:20:00 PM
Subject: RE: Chelmsford Library Reference QuestionHi-
Unfortunately, we don't have very many resources on the French and Indian war, and for those we do we haven't been able to find any mention of bamboo or martial arts, or any trade with Asia.
I checked some of the history databases we subscribe to, as well as two books that seemed most relevant:
- The war that made America : a short history of the French and Indian War, by Fred Anderson (call number 973.26/Ande)
- Empires at war : the French and Indian War and the struggle for North America, 1754-1763, by William M. Fowler, Jr. (call number 973.26/Fowl)Since we didn't have any luck with library resources, I tried to find other organizations with more expertise in the French and Indian War. Here are a few groups that might have the information you're looking for:
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has an extensive list of online resources:
http://www.clpgh.org/research/pittsburgh/history/frenchindianwar.htmlFort William Henry Museum in Lake George, NY, has an extensive exhibit and a Contact Us form for questions:
http://www.fwhmuseum.com/contact.htmlFort Ligonier in Ligonier, PA, also has an extensive museum and a contact form:
http://fortligonier.org/visit/contact-us/Lastly, the website http://www.warforempire.org/visit/site_listing.aspx?state=massachusetts&c=visit lists sites in MA that might be of use, including the Boston National History Park which can be contacted at http://www.nps.gov/bost/contacts.htm
I did find a reference stating that the French and Indian War was the name of just the North American theater of the Seven Years War, which took place in other parts of the world simultaneously, including Asia. It looks like France, England, and Spain had various battles in Asia, mostly in India and the Philippines. Although fighting happened at the same time as the French and Indian War in North America, I wasn't able to find any cross-over between the two areas.
I'm sorry we can't provide more direct help, but we will keep looking at let you know if we find anything with the connection you're looking for. Thanks.
Brian Herzog
Head of Reference
Chelmsford Public Library
Very shortly the patron replied:
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2015 7:38 PM
To: Chelmsford Library Reference
Subject: Re[2]: Chelmsford Library Reference QuestionMr. Herzog,
I thank you very much for your assistance, and I must especially thank you for going several steps beyond what I expected, it is greatly appreciated!
Many thanks,
I always feel a little guilty when a patron thanks me even though I don't feel I helped very much, but perhaps one of the museums will provide the information he's seeking. And I've been mostly out of the library since this question came in, but now that I'm back I can continue looking - I still have the patron's email address, and who knows what further research might find.
Still, though - I will admit to looking this patron up in the catalog to make sure he was real before I started working on the question.


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You might ask yourself – when is it appropriate to try and "time the market?" The short answer is never. One problem with attempting to time your purchase just right in tandem with economic patterns is that no one can really predict with any degree of accuracy – the future.
Many reports get published, predictions are made and some of them can be very close to spot on but the reality is that no one can tell for certain what will happen or when. Another challenge is that interest rates are most often higher during a recession (or depressed) market and household incomes might not be keeping up with the market. For that reason, fewer people can qualify for a home purchase during down times, than in prosperous times.
When it comes to timing the market, another big factor is affordability. That does seem to overstate the obvious but companies are typically not awarding employees with significant raises and cutting more than they are hiring. There are also heated battles being fought over minimum wage requirements all across the nation.
Did you realize that it's been 5 years since the last time the federal minimum wage was raised? On October 10, 2015 the Labor Department is participating in a National Day of Action joining workers, government officials and business owners to show their support for increasing the minimum wage. They will be using the hashtag #RaiseTheWage to highlight why it's time to increase the minimum wage in this country from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour for all hardworking Americans.
Since 2014, 13 states — including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia — as well as Washington, D.C., have already taken action to raise their minimum wage.
As of Jan. 1, 2015, those states plus Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon and Washington will have a minimum wage above $7.25. There are of course, 2 sides to the argument stemming from business owners claiming if the wage is lifted to $10.10 per hour they will have to cut staff because it will be more difficult to make payroll each week. On the other side, stands the employee and states that with all of the costs of living continuing to rise, how are they expected to raise their families with a paycheck that never comes close to matching the rate of inflation? It's a good debate and it will be very interesting to see how things play out in October. What side will you be on?
Whatever change does take place, we can bet it's going to impact consumer spending for certain across the board.

subset: commoncrawl


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I am very pleased with the number of people who visit my blog each day, but only a tiny proportion ever comment on it. I'm very grateful to those that take the time to comment, but often wonder about those who don't.
I realise that a large percentage just come via google to read about a single book, and I understand why they wouldn't be interesting in commenting, but there also must be a large number who follow the blog and don't show their face.
Do you ever lurk on blogs? I follow 173 blogs and I have to admit that I do not comment on all of them. Some are funny and always seem to have 50+ humorous comments by the time I get there. I don't feel I can match their quality, so I just enjoy reading them. Some are technical (I don't even understand some of the comments!), so although I sometimes thank them for providing information, I often just lurk. Then there are a lot of book blogs where I probably don't comment very often. This is probably because they are reading a different genre of book to me (eg. science fiction) so I normally just skim them in case they have a useful blogging post. Is it wrong to lurk?, Should you at least let the blogger know you are there and appreciate their writing?
Was there a period of time when you first started blogging where you read without commenting? If so, what was it that made you decide to comment for the first time? I started commenting on blogs almost as soon as I discovered them. As soon as I found blogs covering the books I loved I was away!
I'd love to hear your comments on this, and whether you think there is anything we can do to get those lurkers out of the woodwork?
Are you a lurker on this blog? If so, why don't you comment?
What do you think I could do to encourage lurkers to show their faces?
I look forward to hearing all your thoughts!


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Choices Have Consequences - A Bank Night effect with meaning, three envelopes are presented to two spectators yet the performer is left with the big prize. Nevertheless, the performer is also forced to learn that choices do, indeed, have consequences. No gimmicks, no forces - just a fun routine that can be performed anywhere.
Second Spot - Barrie's version of Fogel's classic psychometry routine is performed in the context of the amazing story of the Uruguayan athletes who survived a plane crash in the Andes Mountains. The owners of five borrowed objects are successfully divined with plenty of laughter, fun, and mystery.
Mesmer's Pencil - A demonstration of "animal magnetism." A pencil resting on the performer's hand rises as a female audience member draws near. She then discovers, after the performer suggests that the pencil is now very heavy, that she cannot lift it. After she changes the image in her mind, the pencil becomes light again and it is given to her as a souvenir. This routine has been used by some of the most distinguished mentalists in the world.
Dollar Divination - The performer demonstrates his ability to determine six of the serial numbers from any borrowed bill with only his fingertips. He then has one spectator mentally transmit the last two digits to another with total accuracy. Versatile for close-up or stage.
Angel's Flight - Even though the performer is at quite some distance, he reveals the playing cards the audience members are thinking of. Finally, the entire audience, using their collective imagination, divines the number of cards that were previously hidden away. A wonderful mystery wrapped in a true story that also utilizes a totally novel - and very deceptive - deck switch!
Thoughts with Wings - A newspaper section is torn into small pieces by a spectator, who then selects a single piece. She is then asked to mentally select a single word from the page and with absolutely no questions asked, the performer correctly reveals the chosen word. A stunning display of what can only be actual mind reading.
Running Time Approximately: 1hr 54mins


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Buy Any 2 Items, Get the 3rd For Free
Brighton Leather Band
Our Brighton leather apple watch strap provides style and elegance for your new Apple Watch.
Crafted from soft yet durable leather, its refined details include tone-in-tone stitching for extended durability along the band, while also providing an adjustable length so you can create a comfortable fit.
* Includes Brighton Leather Strap - Apple Watch not included
Series 1 - 9, SE & Ultra
Band Style
Stainless Steel Buckle
Wrist Size Guide
5.3"-7.5" (135mm- 190mm)
Product Features
500+ Unique Apple Watch Bands
Elevate your wrist game with our extensive collection of over 500 bands, curated to suit every taste and occasion.
Whether you prefer the classic elegance of leather, the sporty edge of silicone, or the trendy allure of stainless steel, our diverse collection ensures there's a band to match your distinct taste.
Customer Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know what size band or case to order?
The Apple Watch bands and accessories sold in our store are sized based on the size of your Apple Watch (rather than the size of your wrist).
When ordering a new watch band for your Apple Watch, you will need to know its case size for the band to fit correctly.
If you aren't sure what size and model your Apple Watch is, then you can find this information engraved on the top right side on the back of your watch:
Once you've determined the size of your Apple Watch, simply pick the appropriate size when placing your order:
Select 38mm/40mm/41mm if your watch is any of the following:
- 38mm Apple Watch Series 0, 1, 2, or 3
- 40mm Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, or SE
- 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 or 8
Select 42mm/44mm/45mm if your watch is any of the following:
- 42mm Apple Watch Series 0, 1, 2, or 3
- 44mm Apple Watch Series 4, 5, 6, or SE
- 45mm Apple Watch Series 7 or 8
- 49mm Apple Watch Ultra
When purchasing a case for your Apple Watch, choose the matching size case for your Apple Watch size (e.g. if your Apple Watch is 38mm in size, choose a 38mm size case)
How do I change my apple watch band?
Both official Apple Watch bands and EVE Bands are removable and easily changed. Simply hold down the band release button on the back of the watch and slide the band across to remove it:
If the band appears stuck, do not use force to try and remove it. Press the release button again, make sure you hold it down, give it another try and the band will eventually slide out.
Will this Apple Watch band fit my wrist?
In case you're unsure whether a band will be a good fit for you, check the size guide in the product page's product information section with exact measurements.
How do I adjust the size of my steel link Apple Watch band?
All steel link watchbands from EVE Bands come with a link removal tool that makes it easy to remove links from your new band and adjust it for your wrist. In case you do not feel comfortable doing so yourself, your local watchsmith (where you would go to service watches) or a jeweler can easily do it for you.
How can I track my order?
All orders have automated order and shipping confirmation e-mails. Once your order is shipped, you will receive an e-mail confirming the shipment with instructions on how to track your order. Alternatively, you can track your order by entering your order number and e-mail on our order tracking page.
What if I didn't find an answer to my question?
You are always welcome to reach out to us with further questions at firstname.lastname@example.com !


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2001-12-04 The website is running a new engine (behind the scenes). We hope you can't spot the difference ;-) It will enable us to update the site more frequently in future and add an online shop, user forums and more. Please email the Web Slave if you encounter difficulties browsing our new site. 2001-12-01 The wait is almost over ! Coming soon are lots of goodies for your BitScope including buffered logic probes, new PODs, software, updates and more. Stay tuned ;-) 2001-07-13 As requested by many of our US customers, we now have a low cost AC adaptor for BitScope. It's $ 9.95 plus postage and is suitable for stand-alone or single POD use in the USA. 2001-06-22 First cab off the rank: the 20 MHz PIC Module is available now for just $ 19.95 plus postage. It is a solderless drop-in replacement for the existing PIC (including its own crystal). If you've previously purchased a BitScope the upgrade is $ 14.95 plus postage and for new customers, KIT-03 and KIT-05 are now supplied with the 20 MHz PIC as standard. 2001-06-20 It's been quiet on the web site recently, but we've been hard at work behind the scenes ! Soon to come are a number of exciting new hardware upgrades. If you already have a BitScope don't worry, these upgrades are fully backward compatible and retrofittable. In the pipeline: some major upgrades to the web site, including our very own user and developer forums as well as shopping, direct from the web site. Also we've got some new free software in the works to allow BitScope to be used just like an analog oscilloscope. 2001-02-09 Introducting the ProtoPOD kit PUP-02, available now for just $ 39.95 plus postage. We've also updated the web site with a major rewrite of the design pages which now include a comprehensive tour of the hardware design, and we've put programmers' manual online so you can browse it at your leisure. 2001-02-06 Innovatec's Scopal digital oscilloscope and logic analyser software just got better. Version 0.6 is available for download now ! This version supports the soon to be released 20 MHz PIC modification for BitScope which provides for 115k baud data upload the PC and modifies some of the data capture timing to allow faster data upload and display. More news on this mod shortly. Also newly available in this revision of Scopal are trace save/retore, cursor cross-hairs for logic signal timing analysis, serial port auto detection and more. |
Copyright © 2023 BitScope Designs


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If you've ever thought personal training was "a chore" or "just another thing on the to-do list" then you're in for an awesome surprise!
At Fit Body Boot Camp, our personal training sessions are exciting, high-energy workouts, and they're only 30 minutes long — meaning you'll be challenged and making progress for every second of your workout.
That's because our commitment is to deliver "The Best 30 Minutes of Your Day." We accomplish this by having the friendliest coaches, the most positive community, and the most dynamic workouts — all in a clean, modern space maintained to the highest standards.
At Fit Body Boot Camp, we welcome all fitness levels, no matter where you're at.
We offer 1-on-1 care and attention for a fraction of the cost of other personal training programs.
When you become a member of Fit Body Boot Camp, you become a part of our family and community.
The greatest advantage of personal training is that it comes with direct motivation and feedback from a knowledgeable, caring coach. That's why, at Fit Body Boot Camp, we are so proud to make personal training results available to more people.
In a perfect world, we would want everyone to have personal training so they could enjoy the lean body, boundless energy, and inner confidence they desire! Read on to discover how we're turning that vision into a reality.
It's a common myth that personal training is only for people who already meet a certain level of fitness. In fact, our friendly fitness coaches at Fit Body Boot Camp are ready to welcome people at ANY fitness level.
We know from experience that anyone can achieve the fitness transformation they hope for with the right personal training. Many of our clients are surprised and delighted to see how strong they really are after just a few sessions!
And if you come in with an existing injury -- no problem. Our coaches can easily modify our personal training to keep you safe and still provide the maximum calorie burn you need to reach your fitness goals.
For your first Fit Body Boot Camp workout, please wear appropriate fitness attire along with comfortable athletic shoes. Beyond that, all you need to bring is a water bottle, a small hand towel, and a positive attitude!
You do NOT need to bring any equipment of your own. Our workouts require little equipment, and everything you need is already onsite.
At Fit Body Boot Camp, we don't just hire "personal trainers." We hire "fitness coaches" who offer something far greater. A fitness coach is certified with the same knowledge of the human body, but it doesn't stop there. We also seek out and train coaches based on their emotional intelligence and passion for fitness.
A fitness coach brings their heart and soul to group personal training. They don't just share their knowledge — they forge a bond of trust with every boot camp member so they can bring out the best in them. When you work out with one of our fitness coaches, you'll be amazed by your own abilities. You'll be so full of inspiration and energy that you reach higher than you ever thought you could on your own.
Unlike traditional personal training, the support we provide at Fit Body Boot Camp doesn't stop just because you're back home. We recognize that your diet and lifestyle are just as important as exercise for achieving the results you seek.
That's why our fitness coaches will follow up with you that very first day to help you get the best rest and recovery before you come in for the next session. They'll also be there to answer any questions you may have about our program.
In fact, our coaches will ALWAYS be there to provide motivation, accountability, and guidance — whether you just finished session #1 or session number #100! They'll even follow up to make sure you're okay if you miss a session or two.
We know sometimes life gets in the way, and we also know that consistency is the most important factor in achieving your health and fitness goals. The important part is to remember you're never alone on this journey — you've got a fitness family ready to help you stay on track!
Fit Body Boot Camp is a fitness franchise dedicated to transformation. 30 minutes per session is all it takes to help you reach your weight loss goals.
Fill out the form below to connect with your local Fit Body about how you can get started.
Fill out the form below to connect with your local Fit Body about how you can get started.


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In a disheartening signal to world powers at upcoming Iran talks, Tehran has started installing high-tech machines at its main uranium enrichment site that are capable of accelerating production of reactor fuel and - with further upgrading - the core of nuclear warheads, diplomats said Wednesday.
Iran already announced last week that it had begun mounting the new enriching centrifuges, but one diplomat said at the time that the announcement was premature with only a "small number" on site and not yet installed.
Related stories:
- MP: Iran will never shut down Fordo plant
- Kerry: US, allies working to prevent nuclear Iran
- Iran crushing new enemy: Huge rats
Diplomats told The Associated Press on Wednesday, however, that installation was now well on its way, with inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency seeing close to 100 or more machines mounted when they toured the site a few days ago. Depending on experts' estimates, the new-generation centrifuges can enrich uranium three to five times faster than Iran's present working model.
The Islamic Republic insists it is not working on a nuclear weapons program, but rather is enriching uranium only to make reactor fuel and for scientific and medical purposes - as allowed by international law.
But many nations are suspicious because Iran went underground after failing to get international help for its uranium enrichment program in the 1980s, working secretly until its activities were revealed a decade ago. More recent proposals for international shipments of reactor fuel in exchange for Iranian enrichment concessions have foundered, with each side blaming the other.
Map of Iranian nuclear reactors
Shrugging off demands to mothball enrichment - and growing international sanctions - Iran has instead vastly expanded the program to where experts say it already has enough enriched uranium for several weapons if the material is further enriched.
The start of the centrifuge upgrade at Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site southeast of Tehran, flies in the face of world-power efforts to induce Iran to scale back on enrichment. As such, it is likely to hurt chances of progress at Feb. 26 talks in Kazakhstan between the two sides - adding to a string of negotiating failures.
When Iran announced its intentions last month, Western diplomats downplayed the proclamation's significance, noting Tehran did not say when it would start populating Natanz with the new machines. But any start of an upgrade is sure to increase international concerns, particularly if verified as expected in an IAEA report later this week.
Centrifuges can enrich uranium three to five times faster. Arak reactor (Photo: EPA)
The three diplomats speaking to the AP on Wednesday all are involved in the Vienna-based IAEA's attempts to monitor Iran's nuclear program. They demanded anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss confidential information.
Meeting Iran in Kazakhstan are the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
Russia and China often are at odds with the West on how harshly Iran's nuclear activities should be censured, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said recently that Iran was within its legal rights to install new generation centrifuges. At the same time, he called for a suspension of uranium enrichment during negotiations to improve the political atmosphere.
While moving to increase the potency of its enrichment program with the new centrifuges, however, Tehran also has recently resumed converting some of its higher-level enriched uranium at its Fordo enrichment site into reactor fuel plates after suspending the activity last year. That is likely to provide some reassurance to nations concerned about Iran's nuclear aims because the plates are difficult to reconvert back into weapons usable material.
About 700 of the old machines at Fordo are churning out higher-enriched material that is still below - but just a technical step away - from weapons-grade uranium. Iran says it needs that higher-enriched level to fuel a research reactor
With higher-enriched uranium their immediate concern, the six powers over the past months have inched toward meeting Iranian demands of sanctions relief but say Tehran must first suspend its output at Fordo. Iran, in turn, wants sanctions eased before it commits to even a discussion of an enrichment cutback.
The diplomats said Iran was also upgrading its enrichment capabilities at Fordo but declined to provide further details ahead of the release of the IAEA report.
In first revealing plans to update last month, Iran indicated that it could add more than 3,000 of the new-generation centrifuges to the more than 10,000 older models it has at Natanz turning out enriched uranium at grades lower than at Fordo. The lower the grade, the harder it would be to turn into weapons-grade material.
Olli Heinonen, the former IAEA deputy director general in charge of Iran, told the AP last week that Iran could install 3,000 or more of the high-tech centrifuges at Natanz within six to nine months, assuming that Tehran had the material to make the machines.
Iran, in its dealings both with the six powers and the IAEA, has continually acted as if it were in the position of strength. On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, asserted that his country was not seeking nuclear weapons, but that if Tehran intended to build them, "the US could in no way stop the Iranian nation."
David Albright, whose Institute for Science and International Security is a source for the US government on proliferation issues, said Iran's hopes that the new centrifuges could strengthen its hand at the Kazakhstan talks could backfire.
"Given the low expectations for negotiations during the next several months, Iran risks giving the impression to the West that it is racing to the bomb rather than strengthening its negotiating position," he said Wednesday.
But analyst Yousaf Butt, professor and scientist-in-residence at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, said that - with Iran legally entitled to enrich - the six powers first "should consider rolling back some sanctions" if they want Iran to respond.


text: This explicit anime takes place at an unusual school in which sex between students and, above all, with teachers, seems to be the norm rather than the exception. The series focuses on Yuichiro, a formerly good-natured student who has turned twisted since being falsely accused of rape at a previous school. At his new school, he encounters a group of perverted, abusive bullies, some of their victims, and any number of extremely attractive and libidinous young instructors.


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Thompsons Awning Signs
VIEW GALLERYAwning signs and canopy signs are common in businesses. These commercial signs are designed to adorn any storefront, but they offer other benefits as well. Effective signage helps promote your business or beautify your shop.
The best thing is that, with the Thompsons awning signage professionals at Royal Signs & Awnings, you are able to save the money allotted for advertising or renovation. We create striking and captivating awning and canopy signs that can catch the attention of new consumers, increase the traffic flow of customers, and enhance the professionalism of your shop!
Our sign-making business has been in the industry for many years now; we have earned significant experiences in the field and honed various skills. We recommend awning signs because we believe that they are a significant investment for any type of business. Royal Signs & Awnings provides cost-efficient awning and canopy signs. With the client increment, you will easily re-earn the money you invested in your signage from all the incoming profits.
Call Royal Signs & Awnings today at (281) 645-9935 for your Free Consultation!
Increase Brand Visibility
Being known by consumers might be one of the biggest challenges in managing a business. One strategy that's proven to work is to increase your brand visibility. Prepare publicity materials and post them all as much as you can. Online, in newspapers, flyers, etc. But of course, all of this won't make sense without commercial signage at your storefront.
An awning sign or canopy sign can give a lot of exposure to your business all day, every day. Everyone who passes by your store gets an idea about your existence. Should their interest be piqued, they will surely enter your shop and make a purchase. You see, it's all about having attractive and compelling signage. Royal Signs & Awnings designs, crafts, and installs all types of commercial signages, even awning and canopy signs.
An awning is naturally intended to provide shade against the sun and shield from the rainwater. But creatively speaking, you an awning can be a billboard where you can post a work of art. It can be a powerful advertising tool! Royal Signs & Awnings ensures that the awning signs we create are perfect for your overall business needs and desires.
Storefront Signs with a Sense of Shelter
In business, remember that everything you place or install in your store may contribute to the customer experience. Good or bad, it can be. So, think clearly about what to include in the design and theme.
As mentioned above, an awning sign at the storefront can serve as shade and protection to customers. At the same time, it can be a waiting shed. If you place a bench beneath, clients will find a place for resting or waiting—giving them a feeling of comfort and home. In this way, you can also draw other people nearby.
Royal Signs & Awnings accommodates requests for customization. In fact, we really want to design it according to your necessity. If you want your awning sign to appear both appealing and utilitarian, we can do it for you. For example, it can also have backlights on it so as to provide illumination to the storefront area during the night.
Save Money on Utilities
The use of awning itself as a shed and awning as a commercial sign totally saves you money, especially on utilities. It builds the visibility of your business and keeps your store from heating up. The American Society of Heating and Air Conditioner Engineers say that those stores that have installed awnings may save up to 25% in their electricity bills. This is due to the less work your air conditioning has to do all throughout the day to keep the building cool.
Royal Signs & Awnings fabricates awning signs that are practical to use under different weather conditions. Our awning signs are made retractable. They do not only protect your building during the summer, but it can obtain solar gain and withstand the winter as well. We have a team of Thompsons awning signage manufacturing experts who can create durable and multi-purpose awning signs that can still be used in varying seasons.
Full-Service Sign Company
Royal Signs & Awnings is a full-service Thompsons, TX signage company that offers all types of commercial signages as well as services. Our skilled and talented team of engineers, graphic designers, marketing specialists, installation experts, and maintenance crew put together all their hard work and brainchild to provide you with the top-of-the-line awning sign at an affordable cost.
Certainly, you will have a professional who is committed to guiding you through the different aspects of signage production and aftercare: conceptualization, design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and even repair.
Free Awning Signs Consultation
Awning signs and canopy signs serve multiple purposes for the building and the entirety of the business that you have. They are capable of cutting bill costs, providing shed and shelter to customers, giving a sophisticated and professional look to the building, and so much more. Ultimately, they are a practical and great addition to your storefront! Our Thompsons awnings experts are here to assist you.
Call Royal Signs & Awnings today at (281) 645-9935 for your Free Consultation with an Awning Signs Expert!


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ArmaFlex Ultima in Scandinavia's first clinic for proton therapy
New safety standard in technical insulation
Armacell has set a new safety standard in technical insulation: While the majority of flexible elastomeric insulation materials achieve at best B-s3, d0, Armacell has been able to develop a new foam with very high flame resistance and minimal smoke development. The highly flexible ArmaFlex Ultima achieves BL-s1, d0 in the European fire test. The insulation material exhibits 10 times less smoke development and thus makes an important contribution to the safety of people in buildings. Since its launch, ArmaFlex Ultima has been used with great success in numerous projects: in industrial facilities, hospitals, schools, universities, airports, underground train stations and many other construction projects. One example is presented here.
Scandinavia's first clinic for proton therapy
Over the past few years, a state-of-the-art clinic for proton therapy has been built in Uppsala, a city around 70 km to the north of the Swedish capital Stockholm. Proton therapy makes it possible to treat cancer more effectively and with fewer side effects than are associated with conventional methods. The clinic, which is run jointly by the seven Swedish counties, is designed to treat 1,000 patients initially. In the long term, there are plans to admit some 2,500 patients annually. The facility was built by the Swedish property company Akademiska Hus in collaboration with the construction company NCC and is divided into two areas – the treatment unit and the patient hotel. The proton therapy unit is located on the ground floor in a self-contained part of the building with walls up to 3.7 metres thick. This area is designed entirely according to the special requirements of proton therapy.
High requirements for smoke development of the building products used
For the insulation of the cooling-water pipes and air ducts of the air-conditioning equipment Incoord AB (Danderyd), one of Sweden's leading consultant engineering companies in energy and climate technology, specified the new ArmaFlex Ultima made by Armacell. Legislators in many European countries have now recognized that smoke poses a much greater hazard potential than the fire itself and tightened the requirements regarding the smoke development of construction products in their building regulations. In Sweden, only technical insulation materials that achieve at least fire class BL-s1, d0 may be used in so-called Br1 buildings – these are buildings requiring special fire protection such as hotels or hospitals. Jan Andersson, Project Manager at Incoord AB (Danderyd), says: 'We specified ArmaFlex Ultima for this project because it is the only material that provides the cooling- water pipes with reliable protection against condensation and achieves the required fire class. In addition, ArmaFlex Ultima is listed as non-hazardous by Byggvarubedömningen (BVB), the Swedish institute that assesses the sustainability of building materials - an important selection criterion for this demanding project.'
The new ArmaFlex Ultima system provides installations with long-term condensation control
To protect the cooling-water pipes and air ducts in the Skandion Clinic against condensation and energy losses, insulation contractor Knivsta Isolering AB (Knivsta) installed the new ArmaFlex Ultima. Apart from tubes and sheets in insulation thicknesses of 13 and 19 mm, they also used the ArmaFix Ultima pipe support. The matching pipe support for ArmaFlex Ultima guarantees reliable condensation control in the critical area of the pipe bracket. To ensure that Armacell's new insulation product is installed securely, the company provides adhesives which were specially developed for Armaprene® materials such as ArmaFlex Ultima. In the Skandion Clinic the insulators applied the ArmaFlex Ultima 700 adhesive. The employees of Knivsta Isolering AB installed approximately 2,500 m of ArmaFlex Ultima tubes and 1,000 m2 of ArmaFlex Ultima sheet material. The materials were supplied by Ahlsell AB, Stockholm.
Tighter requirements in many European countries
With the introduction of the European product standards and corresponding CE marking for technical insulation materials, European fire classes replaced the previous national fire classifications. When adopting the European fire classification system, many countries tightened the requirements concerning the smoke development of building products. With ArmaFlex Ultima Armacell is the only manufacturer of flexible technical insulation materials to provide a closed-cell product with fire classification BL -s1, d0 and B-s2, d0 to fulfil these requirements. Compared to a standard elastomeric product, ArmaFlex Ultima exhibits 10 times less smoke development and thus makes an important contribution to the safety of people in buildings. The product was developed on the basis of the innovative Armaprene® technology, which is patented both in the USA (US patent no. 8,163,811) and in Europe (European patent no. 2 261 305).
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ArmaFlex Ultima


text:
Stephen Skowronek's Presidential Leadership in Political Time: Reprise and Reappraisal is an important book in the presidential studies canon and I am glad that I encountered it early in my reading.
This series on VeepCritique is an effort to warm-up as I prepare to work on my dissertation proposal. I will be reviewing most of the books I was assigned for my specialized reading exam. With each book there will be a series of basic questions:
1. What is the book's fundamental question and argument?
2. What is the book's methodology and analytical framework (and what can I learn from it)?
3. Is the book's argument compelling?
4. What does the book offer my thesis, what can I take from it?
Skowronek's 1993 book, The Politics Presidents Make won the Richard E. Neustadt Prize for research on the presidency. Presidential Leadership in Political Time revisits the his initial argument about a decade and a half (and a pair of consequential presidencies) later.
He begins by summarizes to dominant arguments about the presidency. The first is that of Richard Neustadt in Presidential Power (to be reviewed later in this series). Neustadt and his progressive generation (Neustadt came of age under FDR, worked in the Truman White House, and advised JFK) saw the presidency as an engine for reform. His book examined the limitations on the president and but how with careful strategy the President can maximize his (and one day her) effectiveness. The focus is on the personal attributes and cleverness of the president. A pair of lousy presidencies (LBJ and Nixon) led to the rise of the antithesis, Arthur Schlesinger's "Imperial Presidency" in which an out of control presidency is the center of the nation's biggest problem. Jimmy Carter's term did little to inspire confidence in the future of the Presidency. Where Neustadt highlighted the president's skill – Schlesinger worried about the impact of the president's neuroses. But then came Reagan and also Clinton who managed to serve two terms each, leave office relatively popular, and manage some substantial accomplishments. Skowronek believes another paradigm is in order:
The outstanding question of our third look is whether these stories fit larger patterns in the politics of leadership, whether it is possible to observe across the broad history of leadership efforts something more systematic about the political impact of presidential action in time and over time.
Skowronek describes the presidency as a fundamental force of upheaval and change. The president has enormous power. The challenge is in Presidential authority – does the President have a warrant for his actions that legitimates them? When Presidents lose that warrant, their allies are discouraged and their foes are energized.
The great struggle for Presidents is to define their actions in terms of a broader purpose that is coherent and consonant with the values of their supporters. So far, this does not sound out of joint with Neustadt's description of Presidential reputation or prestige.
But, Skowronek explains that the most important factor in a president's efforts to legitimate his actions will be the actions of the president before him and that this relies on broader political cycles. There are four types of presidents:
Politics of disjunction: This is the period when a long-standing political order is no longer capable of addressing the challenges facing the country. These leaders are caught between the demands of their supporters and their need to take actions their supporters oppose. The most recent example is Jimmy Carter; others include Hoover, Franklin Pierce, and John Quincy Adams. Not a distinguished list, but Skowronek argues it has less to do with their limitations then the reality that they were governing in impossible times. They could not satisfy the demands of their supporters, leaving them isolated and vulnerable to electoral defeat.
Politics of reconstruction: This is for the presidents who establish new political orders. After the politics of disjunction reveals the old order as incapable of governing any longer, a new order, which overturns the old order's commitments, takes power. These presidents have enormous freedom to establish a new order, make new commitments, and exercise the enormous power of the presidency. Reagan was the most recent example, rejecting the values and programs of the New Deal coalition and establishing a new order. Other examples include FDR, Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, and of course Washington. This would seem like a Presidential all-star team, but Skowronek states that they enjoyed an advantageous time in the sequence in which the collapse of a long-standing coalition allowed them relative freedom to use the full powers of their office to pursue their goals.
Politics of articulation: After the new order is established, follow-on presidents face a different set of challenges. They are charged with continuing the vision of their great predecessor – but there is discord among factions of the governing coalition over what that vision entails. Ultimately their decisions end up alienating substantial components of their support base. There are two prominent sub-groups. The first is the President who follows the coalition founder and is often seen as unable to stand in their predecessor's footsteps (think Van Buren, Truman, and Bush 41). The later followers often vigorously attempt to renew the founder's vision. Examples of this group include Polk, Teddy Roosevelt, LBJ, and Bush 43. This latter group has a disproportionate likelihood of engaging in wars of choice or other forms of international muscle flexing. There is usually one faction in the coalition with an expansive view of America in the world that the president needs to appease. These are the Presidents most likely to serve only one-term or to choose not to run for re-election. Since the establishment of a consistent two-party system (in the 1820s) only three won both of their Presidential elections (Grant, McKinley, and Bush 43.)
Politics of pre-emption: While there is a dominant order linked to one party, occasionally the other party elects a president (Andrew Johnson, Cleveland, Wilson, Eisenhower, Nixon, Clinton, and Obama). These presidents usually distance themselves from the past failed order of their party – Clinton, claiming to chart a third way and avoiding the designation as a liberal. These presidents are less hemmed in by ideology and readily adopt policies from the dominant order. These presidents are frequently tarred as dishonest or tricky by their political opponents because of their ideological inconsistency (and consequent effective freedom to govern). Impeachment and other confrontations with the legislature appear more likely under these Presidents (Johnson, Nixon, and Clinton for example.) However many of them have served two terms. But, just as Clinton sought a "legacy," many of this type of President try to find an over-arching issue with which to define their Presidency.
As for methodology, I have no idea how this argument works. I probably should have read his original book, The Politics Presidents Make, but it seems intuitively strong. The patterns appear to hold up. Impeachments and wars of choice are not, as Skowronek says, randomly distributed.
How does this help me for my thesis?
Notes: There have been 44 presidents, but this list excludes Presidents who served a very short time (such as William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, along with Gerald Ford who was an anomaly.) The modern vice presidency began with Mondale, since then every vice president has played a significant role. Quayle however is not considered a significant policy player, although objectively he was more involved then the vast majority of vice presidents that preceded him. Of the modern vice presidents he played the least significant role. Vice Presidents who played substantial roles prior to Mondale include Martin Van Buren, Henry A. Wallace, and Richard Nixon. Rockefeller played a substantial role, but is not included since the Ford presidency is an anomaly.
The n here is far too small for any statistical significance, but do any patterns appear?
Reconstructive and pre-emptive presidents would appear most likely to make use of their vice presidents, while the presidencies in periods of disjunction and articulation (is there some irony that the two Bushes had presidencies of articulation?) appear least likely to give their VPs opportunities. But, pre-emptive Presidents include Nixon who actually despised Agnew (despite Nixon's own opportunities as VP under Eisenhower.) Meanwhile Presidents in periods of disjunction include Jimmy Carter, who initiated the modern vice presidency with Mondale. Presidents in periods of articulation include Bush 43, who gave his vice president the most expansive policy role of any VP.
The item most relevant from Skowronek's schema is that Reconstructive presidents appear most likely to give their VPs a policy role. The great monadnock of the pre-modern vice presidency was Martin Van Buren, who had been Andrew Jackson's top political operative and was a member of Jackson's kitchen cabinet. The next significant VP (with the limited exception of John Nance Garner who did some lobbying for FDR, before turning against him) was Henry A. Wallace who ran a 3000-person agency for a bit over a year – for FDR. This does reflect an important point – these presidents were powerful enough that they could select their VPs, rather than having the party force someone onto the ticket to satisfy the opposing wing. Most VPs were clear rivals to the President and kept far away from the White House.
Outsider Presidents refers to Presidents who are not DC insiders. Carter highlighted the phenomenon (although Eisenhower before him wasn't a career DC politician). Except for Bush 41, every President from Carter on has been an outsider. I've written on this before, but there is a strong correlation between outsider Presidents and Vice Presidential influence and opportunity. However, for my purposes, there doesn't appear to be any particular correlation between types of presidency and insider/outsider status.
I'm not sure if Skowronek's thesis has much direct impact on my work – but it raises profound questions. The first is whether my thesis is worth doing at all. Skowronek argues that structural factors define presidencies. Bureaucratic politics would argue that the machinations of individuals matters a great deal in shaping outcomes. Fundamentally, my thesis is routed in Neustadt: Presidents need to look like they know what they are doing to be effective and VPs can be helpful, both as advisors and messengers. Clever use of a vice president can be a force multiplier for the president.
Even if Skowronek's specific argument does not hold, what of the importance of structural factors in shaping a Presidency? For starters, "It's the economy, stupid." If the economy tanks just before an election a President will probably lose, whereas if the economy does well the President is likely to be popular. Presidents can do some things to affect the economy, but they are far from all-powerful. I am reminded of Voltaire's line, "Medicine is the art of humoring the patient while nature cures the disease."
Under those circumstances, is there any purpose in studying the presidency, if the outcome of the game is shaped by broader, structural factors?
My "gut" response is that it is impossible to ignore the vast power of the presidency itself. Even very weak presidents can often get what they want – and this goes doubly in national security policy where the President has a dominant role. Jimmy Carter, a politically weak and unskilled President, still obtained Senate approval on the Panama Canal Treaty. There was no major constituency supporting this treaty domestically and if anything it was politically unpopular. It was a real foreign policy achievement (regardless of its merits – we are studying process here.) However, Carter later admitted that he didn't do much of anything else while working on this. How did the President decide to focus on this issue, and what was not achieved because of this focus. Bush 43, at the lowest ebb of his Presidency still had the unquestioned authority to order the troop surge into Iraq.
There are numerous examples of costly Presidential failures as well. Maybe American politics made the Vietnam war inevitable under LBJ – but Bay of Pigs was not. Nixon did not have to have Watergate and a stronger policy process could have prevented Iran-Contra (although Reagan's political strength saved him from impeachment.) Bush 43, of course, could have reacted competently to Katrina – there is no question he had the authority, he had a poor process in which the issue was lost in the shuffle. I recently reviewed a fine book on non-kinetic counter-terror measures that the US should deploy. I observed that there was nothing preventing the Bush administration from deploying many of them except that its decision-making process was dominated by the conduct of the war in Iraq and by immediate counter-terror measures.
It is extremely difficult to accept that argument that presidential choice and intervention is without significance. Yes, the US economy boomed in the 1990s and Clinton was well positioned to achieve push NAFTA forward. Nonetheless, his skill in doing so contributed to the boom, as did his careful management of relations with Russia. Only Nixon could go to China – but there was nothing inevitable about the trip. It still required political vision to conceive of it and political acumen to carry it off without
Bigger picture, northern victory in the Civil War and US victory in WWII seem inevitable – particularly due to the massive economic advantages the US possessed. But were they truly? Could a President less capable then Lincoln have held the Union together? What if Grant had been killed at Vickburg and Lincoln continued to be saddled with inept generals. Theoretically the southern army still would have been worn down even if it won every single battle. But would the north have tolerated another two years of bloody fighting?
Not every President is Lincoln, but every President has a fair amount off autonomy and can get a substantial portion of what he wants. He can't have all of it. Supposedly FDR said of Lincoln, "He was the saddest man there ever was. He wanted it all and couldn't have it. No one can." Even the greats face limits. At the same time, even the weakest Presidents (the Carters and Hoovers) can achieve some useful things if they so choose.
The question is how to choose and maximize these opportunities? Put another way, can .275 hitter, buy careful study and diligence improve his batting eye and hit .285 (alternately can .300 hitter who is lazy and unfocused only end up hitting .290)?
This brings up an important point that Neustadt and Skowronek seem to have in common. Presidents need to control the narrative. Reagan and Lincoln, among others, were great storytellers. Neustadt discusses it in terms of reputation and prestige. Skowronek notes that Reagan and Lincoln seemed like such effective communicators because the politics of their times in effect made us ready to listen. Nixon and Clinton were both effective pre-emptive Presidents – one was an exceptional communicator and one was not. The most important thing for a Presidential legacy is to seem to know what you are doing and this is achieved by controlling the narrative. Real world events can limit this – if the economy bottoms out or there is a military defeat, it is awfully tough to "spin."
What About Vice Presidents?
Much of what I have written questions the extent to which specific Presidents are masters of their destiny. If the President's own skill determines very little then vice presidential activity matters less. Can Vice Presidents help expand (or reduce) the areas where Presidents can successfully exercise their authority (either by giving the President advice or by serving as a messenger to the bureaucracy, the public, or foreign governments)? If it is all structural, then probably not. But, at least on the margins it must make some difference – for better or for worse.


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text:
Friday, May 21, 2010
Dear Anonymous Asshole…
Pause…stretch a bit…and begin.
Dear Anonymous Asshole,
This bitch is reaching out to you in response to the comment you attempted to make to my Where we stand after the Great Primary Showdown of 2010 post, because I feel that you may have a serious problem in need of immediate treatment.
It's best that I just come out and say it – you may be able to read but you lack the ability to comprehend.
Now, now…I'm making that diagnosis based on your over-the-top, freakishly rambling and ALL CAPS SO A BITCH'LL KNOW YOU MEAN BITNESS defense of a certain Rand Paul, who you seem to think I called a racist in my post.
But…um, well…I didn't call Rand Paul a racist in my post.
As a matter of fact, I didn't reference Dr. Paul's comments about race or the Civil Rights Act at all.
Pause…wait for Anonymous Asshole to re-read post…continue.
Did anything sink in the second time around…where you able to absorb the fact that my mention of Rand Paul addressed the wrongness of his statements about the Americans With Disabilities Act?
Now, 'tis true that many people of color benefit from the Americans With Disabilities Act…but a bitch isn't gonna stretch that to try to make an argument that Rand Paul opposes protecting the rights of the disabled because a brown disabled person may benefit.
On the contrary, I think Rand is an equal opportunity supporter of organizations and businesses that would like to deny rights and privileges to Americans with disabilities!
Back to your condition – charging a bitch up about whether I've read or could understand Arizona's immigration bill after you clearly demonstrated that you either did not read or could not understand my post was priceless.
Using racial stereotypes to make the case that Rand Paul isn't a racist while self-diagnosing your own ass as not racist even as you refer to "the history of colored people" and "radical Negros" was delusional.
But accusing this bitch of calling Rand Paul a racist in a post where I didn't call Rand Paul a racist was probably the all time hand down most ridiculous shit I've read in years.
And for that achievement Anonymous Asshole, you get a radical, socialist, undocumented worker loving, militant, pro-abortion rights supporting, state sovereignty denying, feminist, lgbt equality rights advocating cookie!
You can redeem this post for your cookie as soon as you get a fucking clue.
And we'll just let Rand Paul speak for himself on the issue of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…
11 comments:
- Jack Crow said...
Now that's how you do it.
Kudos for a brilliant take down. - 7:19 AM
- A.Smith said...
::slow clap::
Amidst all this talk about Rand Paul, I've found MORE people claiming someone else is crying racism when they're the only ones using the word or hinting at the action.
The race card police have become the abusers. It's kinda hilarious. - 8:28 AM
Ah, yes - the History of Colored People. It will someday occur to the most noxious of these idjits that we are all colored people. TO paraphrase "HAIR" I may be Rinso White, but never invisible.
(Goes back to hockey) - 10:01 AM
- libhom said...
The Paulintologists are upset because other people have criticized their leader for racist comments he made saying that private employers have a "right" to racially discriminate. The guy was copying and pasting a generic nutjob comment without bothering to even skim your actual blog posting.
- Blue said...
I believe that's what you call a slapshot, no? First period, Bitch 1, Anonymous Asshole 0.
I would never accuse Mr. Paul of being a racist, he merely believes it should be an individual's right to freely discriminate and infringe upon others rights when they are of a color, or sexual orientation, or ... of which they do not approve. - 11:20 AM
LOL @ this post. Love it!
- Michael Bersin said...
We are not worthy.
- ChristopherM said...
This Kentuckian who is embarrassed as all Hell that this shit is going on in his home will tell you what Randy is if not a racist: he's a racist by proxy. He's all for businesses that offer public accommodation being able to discriminate. He's supported by white supremacist group Stormfront as evidenced by a recent check of their message board (they were THRILLED by his election). He had Stormfront folks shilling for donations for him on Twitter. His former communications director was found to have ties to white supremacists, as did another guy he tried to hire for a high-level position. In short, he's not a racist, but he sure is all for enabling their racist asses.
So yesterday there was a "Unity" rally for the Republicans at which Daddy Mitch tried to bring the party together. One Kentucky political blogger bought some bumper stickers there, one of which featured Obama as Homey the Clown. But no racists there, no sirree! - 11:24 AM
- ChristopherM said...
And FYI, I think that in this state, what will ultimately bring Randy Paul down is his opposition to the Americans With Disabilities Act, not this flare-up with the Civil Rights Act. In a perfect world, each would bring a candidate down, but not in a large hunk of this state. But I do think that the ADA comments will be his downfall. I've heard one Republican note that because she's in a wheelchair, taking away the ADA means that major companies don't have to make their businesses accessible, thus forcing her to be completely reliant on others to do things like her grocery shopping. Not even this state is that red.
- MomTFH said...
Love. it.
If you don't mind, I am going to grab one of those cookies and hand it to the troll who recently showed up on a post of mine only very loosely related to reproductive choice and decided to pose as a pro-choicer who just loves those elective late term abortions. When I called her out, she started spamming my threads with comments about sucking out baby's brains and Nazis.
Maybe she and your Rand Paul supporter can share the cookie and help each other find a clue. - 7:25 PM
- Unknown said...
If you don't want to say it, I'm going to.
Rand Paul is racist. - 12:31 PM
The Gumdrop Stage of Grief ...
So many of you have shared condolences and support after the death of my beloved brother Bill from COVID-19. I wish I could thank you indiv...
I was slightly illish this weekend and took to my bed Saturday, but I did rally for Brother Rob Thurman's fantabulous cookie decorating part...
Okay, so most of you know that this bitch has some evil assed fibroids . Most of them were successfully murdered with full premeditation se...
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text:
[root@www admin]# telnet mosheberman.com 80 Trying 22.214.171.124... Connected to mosheberman.com (18.104.22.168). Escape character is '^]'. GET / HTTP/1.1 Host: www.mosheberman.com HTTP/1.1 200 OK Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:42:38 GMT Server: Apache Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-Length: 2940 Content-Type: text/html
[root@www admin]# telnet mosheberman.com 80 Trying 220.127.116.11... Connected to mosheberman.com (22.214.171.124). Escape character is '^]'.
GET / HTTP/1.1 Host: www.mosheberman.com
accept pwns!
I've seen questions like this one that have no coding implications per se, but revolve around Apple's HIG and as such can only be answered by developers. Are these off topic or not? Why?
It would have helped understanding a lot if there is a website like jsfiddle for databases
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About This script adds a little 'auto' link next to all comments boxes. Clicking on the link opens the dialog box below, which allows you to select some pre-fabricated comments which might be helpful for educating users before flagging their posts. Note that the dialog only inserts the tex...
I have two javascript functions, one to turn a datespan into a 'pretty' string, the other to turn a time period into a pretty string. Similar context to Stack Exchange user profile (Member for: 1 year, 2 months. Last seen: yesterday) I don't like this code at all, but I don't want to make it t...
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In an answer to this question: Can we have some linking etiquette and guidelines? I suggested that if a link is made to a related page on the TeX SE, the link text should be the document/question title. This provides much more information about the target link than "this question" or "here". Mu...
// ==UserScript== // @name Upvote all posts // @description Automagically upvote all posts. It can't be done with comments, because they have an one vote per 5 min limit. // @author Nyuszika7H // @include stackoverflow.com/questions* // @include meta.stackoverflow.com/questions* // @include superuser.com/questions* // @include meta.superuser.com/questions* // @include serverfault.com/questions*


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For many people, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the early Pure Food movement is Upton Sinclair's 1906 book The Jungle. However, Hoosier Harvey Wiley's work in the field was already at its apex when Sinclair's exposé was released. When Dr. Wiley started his career in the mid- to late-19th century, the production of processed foods in the US was on the rise due to the increasing number of urban dwellers unable to produce their own fresh food. With little to no federal regulation in this manufacturing, food adulteration was rampant. Dr. Wiley made it his mission prove the importance of food regulation. With the help of a group of men known as the Poison Squad, he did just that.
Harvey Washington Wiley was born on a small farmstead near Kent, Indiana on October 18, 1844. He attended Hanover College from 1863-1867, with the exception of a few months in 1864 when he served in Company I of 137th Indiana Volunteers during the Civil War. After graduating in 1867, Wiley moved to Indianapolis and began teaching at Butler University while earning his Ph.D. from the Medical College of Indiana. It was in 1874 that Dr. Wiley began his work as a chemist at Purdue University, where he developed an interest in adulterated food. Wiley argued that mass-produced food, as opposed to food produced locally in small quantities, contained harmful additives and preservatives and misled consumers about what they were actually eating. In the coming decades, Wiley would prove that this theory was correct and serve as one of the public faces of the pure food movement. As a 1917 advertisement in The (New York) Sun put it:
"Dr. Wiley it was who, at Washington, first roused the country to an appreciation of purity and wholesomeness in foods. He has been the one conspicuous figure in food betterment and food conservation in the present generation."
In 1883, Wiley was appointed Chief Chemist of the Bureau of Chemistry, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture. While serving in this capacity, Wiley made the establishment of federal standards of food, beverages, and medication his priority. To this end, governmental testing of food, beverages, and ingredients began in 1902. The most famous of these tests were the "hygienic table trials," better known by the name given to them by the media: "The Poison Squad."
During these trials, "twelve young clerks, vigorous and voracious" were fed and boarded in the basement of the Agricultural Department building in Washington D.C. Before each meal the men would strip and be weighed, any alteration in their condition being noted. At any one time, six of the group would be fed wholesome, unadulterated food. The other six were fed food laced with commonly used additives such as borax and formaldehyde. Every two weeks, the two groups would be switched. While the position of poison squad member may sound like it would be a hard one to fill, volunteers were lining up to participate in the tests, even writing letters such as the following to Dr. Wiley:
The experiments commenced in November of 1902 and by Christmas, spirits among the Squad members were low. According to a Washington Post article from December 26,
"The borax diet is beginning to show its effect on Dr. Wiley's government-fed boarders at the Bureau of Chemistry, and last night when the official weights were taken just before the Christmas dinner the six guests who are taking the chemical course showed a slight decrease in avoirdupois . . . To have lost flesh on Christmas Day, when probably everybody else in Washington gained more or less from feasting, was regarded by the boarders themselves as doubly significant."
A look at the "unprinted and unofficial menu" from the Christmas meal, also printed in the Post, sheds some light on what may have given the boarders pause in their Christmas feasting.
Much of the information reported by the press during this time came from the members of the squad themselves, until "Old Borax" as Wiley came to be known, issued a gag-order in order to preserve the sanctity of the scientific studies happening. Despite the order, public interest had been peaked and tongues and pens wagged around the country. As one Columbia University scholar put it, "Supreme County justices could be heard jesting about the Squad in public, and even minstrel shows got in on the act." There were even poems and songs written about the trials.
If ever you should visit the Smithsonian Institute,
Look out that Professor Wiley doesn't make you a recruit.
He's got a lot of fellows there that tell him how they feel,
They take a batch of poison every time they eat a meal.
For breakfast they get cyanide of liver, coffin shaped,
For dinner, undertaker's pie, all trimmed with crepe;
For supper, arsenic fritters, fried in appetizing shade,
And late at night they get a prussic acid lemonade.
They may get over it, but they'll never look the same.
That kind of a bill of fare would drive most men insane.
Next week he'll give them moth balls,
a LA Newburgh, or else plain.
They may get over it, but they'll never look the same.
-Lew Dockstade, "They'll Never Look the Same"
At the close of the Borax trials in 1903, Wiley began cultivating relationships with some journalists, perhaps in hopes of turning the reports from jovial, and sometimes untrue, conjectures to something more closely resembling the serious work being done.
Along with borax and formaldehyde, the effects of salicylic acid, saccharin, sodium benzoate and copper salts were all studied during the Hygienic Table Trials. The reports generated during the Hygienic Table Trials and the media coverage that followed set the stage for the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, the same year in which the trials were concluded. According to the FDA, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, also known as The Wiley Act, serves the purpose of "preventing the manufacture, sale, or transportation of adulterated or misbranded or poisonous or deleterious foods, drugs, medicines, and liquors, and for regulating traffic therein."
By requiring companies to clearly indicate what their products contained and setting standards for the labeling and packaging of food and drugs, the Act helped consumers make informed decisions about products that could affect their health. While controversies over additives and government regulations continue to this day, Dr. Harvey Wiley and his Poison Squad played a major role in making the food on our tables safe to eat.
Check out our historical marker and corresponding review report to learn
more about Wiley. Learn about the history of public health in Indiana and Wiley's contributions with our publication The Indiana Historian.


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Festool Sanding disc Granat STF V93/6
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Compatible with Festool DX 93 E and RO 90 DX sanders. P40 grit abrasives for heavy-duty applications, pack of 50. A premium abrasive composed of hardened Aluminum Oxide and Ceramic Grit for scratch resistant coatings and high VOC coatings. Festool offers a fully integrated sanding solution for all your applications, from aggressive stock removal to superfine, finish sanding. With a complete line of abrasives in a wide assortment of different types and grits ranging from 24 to 4,000, Festool has the perfect paper to meet your specific application needs. Festool abrasives, with their high tech coatings, provide maximum resistance to clogging and smearing, which means longer lasting abrasives and less rework. Save money by reducing costs and achieve consistent, high-quality results.
- Convex shaped abrasives and pads enable easy sanding of edgets and rabbets, and include a triangular point for accessing tight corners.
- Festool abrasives are engineered and manufactured to strict FEPA standards, guaranteeing uniform abrasive positioning and consistent sanding results.
- for repair compound, filler, varnish (especially VOC varnishes and hard base layers)


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Morgan Wallen Pokes Fun at Himself for Getting Kicked Off 'Saturday Night Live' During Debut Appearance [Watch]
Morgan Wallen made his Saturday Night Live debut on Saturday night (Dec. 5), about two months after being removed as the late-night TV sketch comedy show's musical guest because he broke COVID-19 protocols by partying maskless with fans in multiple locations after attending a University of Alabama football game.
The incident, which occurred one week prior to Wallen's scheduled SNL debut, made the country star take a step back from the spotlight for a few weeks to "work on me," but he wasn't above poking a little fun at himself when he did finally make to Studio 8H. In a sketch also featuring actor Jason Bateman, the episode's host, and cast members Bowen Yang and Pete Davidson, among others, two future Morgans tried to warn Wallen about what could happen if he partied that night in early October.
The sketch begins with Wallen in a bar -- wearing the same outfit he was in real life at the Alabama game and the after-parties -- before Bateman, playing Wallen from one month in the future, arrives "to stop you from partying tonight." Present-day Wallen isn't understanding, though, because, as he points out, he asked the woman who approached him at the party (played by SNL cast member Chloe Fineman) to not post the videos to social media.
"I thought it was an airtight approach as well," Bateman-as-Wallen deadpans, before deciding that maybe both Morgans should stay at the party just a little bit longer "to really understand why it's so wrong."
Yang then arrives as Wallen from two months in the future to accomplish the same goal. However, after Bateman's version of Wallen points out that "this whole party's basically one of our songs," Bowen's version offers that hanging out is "basically a tax writeoff."
"Apparently I'm the only one who cares about me," the real-life Wallen tells his future selves and Davidson, playing a random partier.
"We all care about you," Davidson counters, adding that he's sure Wallen will get another shot at his SNL debut -- because "there aren't many people willing to fly to New York right now."
All of the conversations do, indeed, inspire Wallen to pen a new song about the experience: "It's hard to focus on the future when the present's full of girls," he begins, before ending by thanking the Saturday Night Live crew "for giving this poor southern boy a second Yankee chance."
Wallen's SNL debut was originally slated for Oct. 10. "He probably isn't the first country singer, the first person from rock 'n' roll who partied after a big, in that case, a football game, or a concert," SNL creator and showrunner Lorne Michaels reflected at the time to Today's Willie Geist, but noted, "We're just living in a different time, and everything is scrutinized."
The snafu came at the end of an up-and-down 2020 for the singer that included success in his career, but also an arrest in May following an incident at Kid Rock's downtown Nashville bar. Wallen was released on bond shortly after his arrest, and a judge declined to prosecute him on charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct in July.
Wallen also became a father in July, welcoming a son named Indigo Wilder with his ex-fiancee.
Things have been looking up for Wallen in recent weeks, however: At the 2020 CMA Awards in mid-November, he performed "More Than My Hometown" and won New Artist of the Year. Shortly after the victory, he announced his sophomore album, a double-disc project titled Dangerous that is due out on Jan. 8.


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Australia have overcome a gallant England side 18-4 in a tight opening World Cup clash in Melbourne on Friday night.
The Kangaroos scored three tries to one but England showed they were more than capable of matching their old foe.
While the result didn't go England's way their bigger concern will be the fitness of star forward Sam Burgess, who was sidelined in the first half with a knee injury.
The home side set the tone with a bruising opening set in defence but it was the English who scored first, winger Jermaine McGillvary crossing in the corner in the fifth minute from a sweeping England backline movement.
The Kangaroos then dominated possession over the next 10 minutes to force three repeat sets of six but England managed to hold their line.
A couple of unforced errors led to Australia's first try with Matt Gillett scoring in the 22nd minute off a Cameron Smith cut out pass.
Billy Slater scored on the right edge eight minutes later after Sean O'Loughlin conceded a penalty late in the previous set.
England remained in the contest and pressured the Kangaroos' line in the second half, but when Australia were awarded a penalty within striking distance they took the two points through the boot of Smith to extend their advantage to eight.
Josh Dugan's 70-metre run within a minute to go capped off Australia's victory.
Australia 18 (Matt Gillett, Billy Slater, Josh Dugan tries; Cameron Smith 3 goals) defeated England 4 (Jermaine McGillvray try) at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. Crowd: 22,724. Half-time: 10-4.
View the discussion thread.


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Yamaha Recorder - Baroque - Pink
Item ID: YRS-20BP
Product Details
The translucent, candy colored Rainbow Recorders are real instruments, not toys. They are made of the same ABS resin material as our regular recorders, and offer the same superior tuning, the same beautiful tone, and the same great durability. They play effortlessly with a rich, full sound, and with their colorful look they make even routine practice fun!


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As part of the much anticipated Kindle Fire launch, Pulse was announced as one of the only preloaded apps. When you first un-box the Fire, Pulse will be there waiting for you on the home row, next to Facebook and IMDB!
The Kindle Fire is projected to sell over five million units this quarter alone. This means that those of us who work on backend infrastructure at Pulse have had to prepare for nearly doubling our user-base in a very short period. We also need to be ready for spikes in load due to press events and the holiday season.
As I've discussed previously on the Pulse Engineering Blog, Pulse's infrastructure has been designed with scalability in mind from the beginning. We've built our web site and client APIs on top of Google App Engine, which has allowed us to grow steadily from 10s to many 1000s of requests per second, without needing to re-architect our systems.
While restrictive in some ways, we've found App Engine's frontend serving instances (running Python in our case) to be extremely scalable, with minimal operational support from our team. We've also found the datastore, memcache, and task queue facilities to be equally scalable.
Pulse's backend infrastructure provides many critical services to our native applications and web site. For example, we cache and serve optimized feed and image data for each source in our catalog. This allows us to minimize latency and data transfer and is especially important to providing an exceptional user experience on limited mobile connections. Providing this service for millions of users requires us to serve 100Ms of requests per day. As with any well designed App Engine app, the vast majority of these requests are served out of memcache and never hit the datastore. Another useful technique we use is to set public cache control headers wherever possible, to allow Google's edge cache (shown as cached requests on the graph below) and ISP / mobile carrier caches to serve unchanged content directly to users.
Based on App Engine's projected billing statements leading up to the recent pricing changes, we were concerned that our costs might increase significantly. To prepare for these changes and the expected additional load from Kindle Fire users, we invested some time in diagnosing and reducing these costs. In most cases, the increases turned out to be an indicator of inefficiencies in our code and/or in the App Engine scheduler. With a little optimization, we have reduced these costs dramatically.
The new tuning sliders for the scheduler make it possible to rein in overly aggressive instance allocation. In the old pricing structure, idle instance time wasn't charged for at all, so these inefficiencies were usually ignored. Now App Engine charges for all instance time by default. However, any time App Engine runs more idle instances than you've allowed, those hours are free. This acts as a hint to the scheduler, helping it reduce unneeded idle instances. By doing some testing to find the optimal cost vs spike latency tolerance and setting the sliders to those levels, we were able to reduce our frontend instance costs to near original levels. Our heavy usage of memcache (which is still free!) also helps keep our instance hours down.
Since datastore operations used to be charged under the umbrella of CPU hours, it was difficult to know the cost of these operations under the old pricing structure. This meant it was easy to miss application inefficiencies, especially for write-heavy workloads where additional indexes can have a multiplicative effect on costs. In our case, the new datastore write operations metric led us to notice some inefficiencies in our design and a tendency to overuse indexes. We are now working to minimize the number of indexes our queries rely on, and this has started to reduce our write costs.
Preparing for the Kindle Fire Launch
We took a few additional steps to prepare for the expected load increase and spikes associated with the Fire's launch. First, we contacted App Engine's support team to warn them of the expected increase. This is recommended for any app at or near 10,000 requests per second (to make sure your application is correctly provisioned). We also signed up for a Premier account which gets us additional support and simpler billing.
Architecturally, we decided to split our load across three primary applications, each serving different use cases. While this makes it harder to access data across these applications, those same boundaries serve to isolate potential load-related problems and make tuning simpler. In our case, we were able to divide certain parts of our infrastructure, where cross application data access was less important and load would be significant. Until App Engine provides more visibility into and control of memcache eviction policies, this approach also helps prevent lower priority data from evicting critical data.
I'm hopeful that in the near future such division of services will not be required. Individually tunable load isolation zones and memcache controls would certainly make it a lot more appealing to have everything in a single application. Until then, this technique works quite well, and helps to simplify how we think about scaling.
To learn more about Pulse, check out our website! If you have comments or questions about this post or just want to reach out directly, you can find me @gregbayer.


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Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.
Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exists in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. Nobody grows old merely by a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.
Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.
Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonders, the unfailing appetite for what's next and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart, there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, courage and power from man and from the infinite, so long as you are young.
When your aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you've grown old, even at 20; but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there's hope you may die young at 80.


text: The JR2 is a compact acoustic guitar modeled after our long selling FG series. Its compact size and authentic acoustic tone make the JR2 and excellent take along, play anywhere guitar. Great for campfire sing alongs, road trips or anywhere you want to be able to play. A Mahogany finish UTF finish back & side offers beautiful look and the instrument comes with a durable case.


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Olive Hills Bandana
Do you sometimes oscillate between traditional and modern? This might be the one for you! Our hills bandana offers classic bandana simplicity, with a modern print interpretation of the hills surrounding us.
• Made from tightly woven, 100% cotton quilting fabric with a rolled hem.
• Screen printed with a soft print that's visible on both sides.
• Pre-washed and pressed, these bandanas become softer after each trip through the laundry.
• Measures approximately 21" x 21", or 53 x 53 cm.
• Made in USA from US-grown cotton.
Please select all options.


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Learn with the LearnBots 101 - Slovak verbs
Autor: /
Vydavatel: LearnBots
The colour coded verb table allows the reader to focus all of their attention on one colour tense at a time enabling them to make immediate connections between the subject and the verb! The Slovak LearnBots are a great resource for dyslexic learners, children and adult learners. Children can start to identify what a verb is and the way it changes with the subject of the sentence. Advanced learners can go on to learn the different tenses and improve their accuracy. This book also works along-side its very own kick-starter app on Googles Android and Apples App Store allowing the user the ability to hear some of the conjugations being read out loud by a native speaker. The app also allows the user to test their ability in remembering verbs and conjugations.
Dostupnost zboží: Skladem více než 5 ks
100 Kč s DPH
Žánr: Slovenština - Gramatika a slovní zásoba
Edice: LearnBots
Počet stran: 112
Formát: 120x160 mm
Vazba: lepená


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Maxim Pospelov: Is space foamy?
Perimeter Associate Faculty member Maxim Pospelov and his collaborators say our solar system might be crashing through bubble after bubble in a foamy cosmos – and we might be able to detect bubble walls as we pass through them.
Is space foamy? One of the potential explanations for the mystery of dark matter and dark energy is that the universe is made of cosmic foam – bubbles bounded by domain walls where the bubbles touch. New calculations by Perimeter Associate Faculty member Maxim Pospelov show that the Earth may pass through domain walls regularly. What's more, we may be able to detect them as we pass. Pospelov and his collaborators have proposed a first-of-its-kind detector to do just that. The idea of a foamy cosmos is not new: it arose as a potential solution to the mystery of dark matter and dark energy. The foamy picture begins with a hypothetical field which has several possible ground states. In the hot chaos of the early universe, this ground state value would have been jumbled, with every point having a different ground state. As the universe expanded and cooled, large regions of space would have settled on a single value. Since then, they would have 'frozen' into place, in a kind of invisible cosmic foam. The energy locked into these structures could contribute to those mysterious substances, dark matter and dark energy. In the recent research, Pospelov estimated the size of the domains in the cosmic field – the bubbles in the foam. He found that the bubbles are small enough that the known speed of the Earth – created largely by the motion of the galaxy and the motion of the sun with respect to the centre of the galaxy – would cause it to pass through many domain walls over the course of a few years. Wall crossing events, then, are rare, but not impossible. Could they be detected? The collaboration thinks so. The hypothetical field is expected to exert a torque on atomic spins, just as magnetic fields do. This torque would change most quickly at the walls. Using assumptions from other theories for the coupling of their hypothetical field to ordinary matter, Pospelov and his collaborators calculated that changes equivalent to perhaps a billionth of the Earth's magnetic field over a millisecond might be expected. Recent years have seen significant progress in detecting ever-so-small influences on atomic spins using devices called atomic magnetometers. These magnetometers are now sensitive enough to pick up the expected wall-crossing signal; indeed, they are so sensitive that the challenge will be sorting the small and rare signal of wall-crossing from the many other things they can detect. To overcome that challenge, the collaboration proposes a network of magnetometers – that is, several identical devices placed in different geographic locations and synchronized via GPS. Having widely separated but synchronized devices allows tiny signals to be cross-checked. The collaboration, then, has taken two small things – new calculations about the relatively small size of cosmic bubbles and the new small signals that can be picked up by today's magnetometers – and put them into one big new idea: the 'cosmic foam' hypothesis can now be directly tested for the first time. Their work, published in Physical Review Letters, was recently chosen as a spotlight by the American Physical Society and currently appears in New Scientist.