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Iron, steel in hatcheries may distort magnetic 'map sense' of steelhead
Exposure to iron pipes and steel rebar, such as the materials found in most hatcheries, affects the navigation ability of young steelhead trout by altering the important magnetic "map sense" they need for migration, according to new research from Oregon State University.
The exposure to iron and steel distorts the magnetic field around the fish, affecting their ability to navigate, said Nathan Putman, who led the study while working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, part of OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Just last year Putman and other researchers presented evidence of a correlation between the oceanic migration patterns of salmon and drift of the Earth's magnetic field. Earlier this year they confirmed the ability of salmon to navigate using the magnetic field in experiments at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center. Scientists for decades have studied how salmon find their way across vast stretches of ocean.
"The better fish navigate, the higher their survival rate," said Putman, who conducted the research at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center in the Alsea River basin last year. "When their magnetic field is altered, the fish get confused."
Subtle differences in the magnetic environment within hatcheries could help explain why some hatchery fish do better than others when they are released into the wild, Putman said. Stabilizing the magnetic field by using alternative forms of hatchery construction may be one way to produce a better yield of fish, he said.
"It's not a hopeless problem," he said. "You can fix these kinds of things. Retrofitting hatcheries with non-magnetic materials might be worth doing if it leads to making better fish."
Putman's findings were published this week in the journal Biology Letters. The research was funded by Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, with support from Oregon State University. Co-authors of the study are OSU's David Noakes, senior scientist at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center, and Amanda Meinke of the Oregon Hatchery Research Center.
The new findings follow earlier research by Putman and others that confirmed the connection between salmon and the Earth's magnetic field. Researchers exposed hundreds of juvenile Chinook salmon to different magnetic fields that exist at the latitudinal extremes of their oceanic range.
Fish responded to these "simulated magnetic displacements" by swimming in the direction that would bring them toward the center of their marine feeding grounds. In essence, the research confirmed that fish possess a map sense, determining where they are and which way to swim based on the magnetic fields they encounter.
Putman repeated that experiment with the steelhead trout and achieved similar results. He then expanded the research to determine if changes to the magnetic field in which fish were reared would affect their map sense. One group of fish was maintained in a fiberglass tank, while the other group was raised in a similar tank but in the vicinity of iron pipes and a concrete floor with steel rebar, which produced a sharp gradient of magnetic field intensity within the tank. Iron pipes and steel reinforced concrete are common in fish hatcheries.
The scientists monitored and photographed the juvenile steelhead, called parr, and tracked the direction in which they were swimming during simulated magnetic displacement experiments. The steelhead reared in a natural magnetic field adjusted their map sense and tended to swim in the same direction. But fish that were exposed to the iron pipes and steel-reinforced concrete failed to show the appropriate orientation and swam in random directions.
More research is needed to determine exactly what that means for the fish. The loss of their map sense could be temporary and they could recalibrate their magnetic sense after a period of time, Putman said. Alternatively, if there is a critical window in which the steelhead's map sense is imprinted, and it is exposed to an altered magnetic field then, the fish could remain confused forever, he said.
"There is evidence in other animals, especially in birds, that either is possible," said Putman, who now works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "We don't know enough about fish yet to know which is which. We should be able to figure that out with some simple experiments."
More information: Paper: Rearing in a distorted magnetic field disrupts the "map sense" of juvenile steelhead trout, rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.or … .1098/rsbl.2014.0169
Journal information: Biology Letters
Provided by Oregon State University


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subset: commoncrawl


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(Family Features) Fostering kittens and cats has risen in popularity during these unprecedented times, and many pet lovers are becoming fosters to help overcrowded animal shelters. Fostering a kitten can be a fun and exciting time, but it may also come with a learning curve.
Among the 43% of respondents to a Royal Canin survey, who have fostered a pet, 6 in 10 have "foster failed" and permanently adopted the pet they were fostering. Most pet owners who responded also agree the first year of pet ownership is the most important, but 64% believe it is the most difficult, as well.
Whether you're fostering or adopting a kitten, learn how to give your kitten proper care during her first weeks and months with you with this advice from the experts at Royal Canin.
Arriving Home
The new sights, sounds and smells in your home, and the separation from her mother, may make your kitten feel stressed. Keeping the environment calm and quiet can ease the transition.
When you arrive home, put the cat carrier in the room you've prepared for the kitten with the kitten still inside, allowing her to get acclimated before opening the door. Then allow the kitten to explore a closed-off area. Resist the urge to cuddle your kitten right away.
As your kitten gains confidence in its new surroundings, she will want to explore more. Make sure the environment is prepared with electrical wires and outlets covered; windows, balconies and stairs secured; and small or sharp objects put away so she can safely explore with your supervision. If there are possible hazards, a designated room with windows and plenty of social contact for the first few weeks may be better.
Creating a Safe Place
Kittens can tire easily. After a little exploration time, give your kitten access to a bed in a cozy, quiet place with access to water, food and a litter box. Turning out the light helps establish sleep patterns, but on the first night you might want to leave a night light on to help with the adjustment.
Provide somewhere quiet to eat. This should be somewhere your kitten feels secure, away from where you and any other pets eat. Cats don't like to eat too near their litter boxes and should always have fresh water available.
As kittens grow rapidly, their digestive and immune systems develop slowly and they have specific nutritional needs that are different from adult cats. Any sudden changes in your kitten's diet can cause digestive trouble, so for the first few days, keep the same feeding routine as the previous caretaker. You can slowly switch to a different routine, if you choose, and transition to kitten food suitable for the appropriate growth stage. For example, Royal Canin Kitten formulas are tailor-made with optimal vitamins and minerals to support healthy development.
Ongoing Care
Your kitten should see a veterinarian as soon as possible. In addition to a general health check, your vet can help you create a vaccination schedule and give advice on deworming, nutrition and more. Always use a carrier to transport your kitten safely while in the car and into the vet's office.
Gradually introducing your kitten to new experiences can help with socialization. New sounds can startle a kitten, so be ready to offer plenty of reassurance. You may also need to introduce new terrain like stairs or unfamiliar surfaces. Gentle play and careful handling can help your kitten become more comfortable with being touched.
Learn more about proper cat nutrition and how to create a welcoming home at royalcanin.com.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images


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A quality Arkansas teen drug rehab facility is one that is designed to be able to address the unique needs of teenagers who have developed a drug or alcohol addiction problem. When a teen has been diagnosed with a substance abuse problem, a sense of urgency is needed; the sooner that the substance abuse problem has come to light, the quicker that a parent can begin the process of locating an Arkansas drug treatment center that will best match up with their teen's individual circumstances. Most teenagers in Arkansas who develop a chemical dependency problem will be in denial about the negative consequences that are connected to their casual drug use, and will often become extremely defensive if they are confronted about their substance abuse problem.
Many Arkansas drug treatment programs have reported that some of the most popular drugs that teens are reported to abuse are marijuana, stimulants, inhalants, alcohol and opiate based prescription painkillers, such as Lortab or OxyContin; additionally, these drug rehabilitation programs are reporting that record numbers of teenagers throughout this state are being admitted to drug rehabilitation programs in relation to prescription drug addiction problems. The main reason that teens in Arkansas do not see drugs or alcohol use as a serious threat is because most adolescents believe that they are invincible; it is vital that the adults that are a part of the teen's inner circle encourage them to be admitted to an Arkansas drug rehabilitation program that specializes in treating teen drug addiction, so that they can achieve a safe and sober lifestyle.
Below are some of the most common symptoms to look for if you suspect your teen has a drug or alcohol addiction problem:
When an adolescent initially enters an Arkansas teen drug rehab program, they must first undergo the drug detox process. The remainder of the Arkansas drug treatment center cannot truly begin in earnest until the detoxification process has been completed. The drug detox process can last from several days to several weeks, depending on the types of drugs that the teenager has abused and the length of the adolescent's substance abuse problem.
A teenager from Arkansas that is going through the drug detox process will eventually begin to experience uncomfortable drug withdrawal symptoms; some of the most common types of symptoms will include anxiousness, depression, extreme mood swings, and sweats or chills. While very few of these drug withdrawal symptoms are life-threatening, experiencing the discomfort of some of these symptoms could possibly lead to a drug relapse; for this reason alone, it is crucial that the detox process takes place under the watchful eye of treatment professionals at a quality Arkansas teen drug rehabilitation center.
The best type of Arkansas drug rehab center are those that are equipped to treat both the physical symptoms, through utilizing the detox and withdrawal process, and that can also readily address the psychological components of the teenager's substance abuse problem; this is generally accomplished through the use of individual or group counseling. An Arkansas teen drug rehab will often offer counseling that includes the entire family; this type of a forum offers the parents and the siblings the opportunity to be able to discuss the negative impact that the teen's substance abuse problem has had on each of their lives.
Because there are so many Arkansas teen drug rehabilitation program options, it can be difficult for a parent to be able to determine which type of substance abuse treatment will give their teenager the best chances for success in drug recovery. Reaching out for the professional assistance of a counselor at a quality Arkansas drug rehab center, can make the process of choosing the right Arkansas teen drug rehab much easier.


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Can't you feel the joy and love bursting from this home?? The happy Alabama abode belongs to Ashley and Jamin Mills of the uber-inspiring blog The Handmade Home, and I have to tell you, I am obsessed with it.
At The Handmade Home, we believe in beautiful, genuine, and approachable design for all. We're creating a haven for the every day with affordable ideas, fresh solutions and one of a kind looks with an abode that is realistic and attainable. From our exciting adventures, accomplishments and most definitely our failures, we love an inspiring approach to life, design and simple family centered fun.
Don't you love that? The talent and creativity this couple has is really incredible. EVERYTHING you see on their walls, including most all of the frames, was made by them. And boy can they paint furniture like nobody's business! (I love chest in their daughter's room!) Check out their blog for more on each room (I didn't even show you them all!) and for a handy list of all the paint colors used in each room. Good thing it's Friday because I know you'll want to spend your weekend taking in all that is The Handmade Home!
I will leave you with Ashley's most recent project, a No Sew Teepee. It's pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen! (Especially with those striped Robin's Nest walls!)
Have a fantastic weekend everyone!!
Love turquoise? Visit my shopping blog Everything Turquoise…updated several times throughout the day! Check out Decor by Color for even more color-themed shopping!


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Koa Back + Side Set - 050
Koa is sweet and mellow, with unrivaled beauty and an extremely good tonal balance.
- Minimum Dimensions
- Back halves: 8-1/4" x 22" x 0.155" (210mm x 559mm x 3.9mm)
- Sides: 5" x 31-1/2" x 0.130" (127mm x 800mm x 3.3mm)
Hailing from the lush and beautiful Hawaiian islands, Koa is a dense tropical hardwood that has been used on guitars dating back to the 1920s. The warm Hawaiian climate and year round humidity is ideal for growth, allowing Koa trees to exceed 30 inches in diameter within 40 years of being planted. The largest Koa currently on record is a massive 29 feet around.
Tonally, Koa is positioned between Mahogany and Maple, sterfully blending qualities of both. Its mid-range is similar in sound to Mahogany while its top end more closely resembles Maple. It lends itself quite naturally to rhythm playing and yields a more open sound the more it's played ts voice blossoming into a rich, sweet sounding bouquet.
Koa is breathtakingly gorgeous, the colors range from golden amber, to rich browns and blacks, and even occasional hints of purple. And in the higher grades, koa boasts some of the most outstanding figure of any instrument wood available.
It works similar to Mahogany, and bends easily, highly figured sets require a bit more care. Koa has open pores which will require filling prior to finish.
All WOODSTAX items come with our 100% satisfaction promise and no-hassle returns. If you are unhappy with the wood once you get it, simply return it in its original, unworked condition for a full refund or exchange.


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Ophthalmic optics today: how optical consultation has changed over the past 10 years
Volker Meyer and Heinrich Rath from Aalen University in Germany, spoke with BETTER VISION
In the 13th century Italian monks fashioned the predecessors of our modern spectacles from partially ground lenses made of beryl crystals found in the mountains. Much has changed since then with regard to the development of vision solutions. Vision problems can be solved in more individualised ways than ever before and measurement methods are constantly becoming more precise. But what are the latest developments and trends in the ophthalmic optics area? To find out, BETTER VISION asked two lecturers who teach in the Ophthalmic Optics course offered at Aalen University in Germany.
BETTER VISION: Mr Meyer, Mr Rath, how has the ophthalmic optician's profession changed over the past ten years? How has training changed?
Volker Meyer: It's important to note that ophthalmic optics has become a differentiated field over the last ten years. On the one hand, spectacles are constantly being offered at ever lower prices; while on the other, professional ophthalmic opticians are specialising and offering top quality, as well as sophisticated, customised vision solutions. Similar developments can also be observed in other product areas.
A second trend is that some ophthalmic opticians are focusing more on fashion, while others specialise more in spectacle lens technology, i.e. optometry.
Heinrich Rath: It's possible to specialise in spectacle lens technology to this extent because the equipment has undergone further development in recent years. There are now hugely improved options for taking increasingly precise measurements. For example, take the i.Profiler® by ZEISS. Training for the next generation of opticians must take this equipment into account. At the same time, many new products are appearing on the market, such as specialised spectacle lens solutions and frames. It is increasingly necessary to work with spectacle wearers to analyse their individual situation in order to identify the optimal vision solution. The multiple new technologies make comprehensive consumer consultation more important than ever! It's now the case that at our institution around 50% of the training and final examination relates to the craft, while the other 50% relates to consultation.
BETTER VISION: What new products are avaible and do they require special consultation?
Volker Meyer: Vision has changed and naturally, spectacle manufacturers like ZEISS are responding, by developing vision solutions that are adapted accordingly. Using computers, smartphones and navigation systems now play an important role in our daily lives. The result is a greater diversity of vision situations. Our eyes switch between various viewing distances more frequently and rapidly; close range for reading, intermediate range for computers and navigation systems, as well as clear vision into the distance especially while driving. This also places new demands on progressive lenses in particular, which offer the ability to see at multiple viewing distances in a single spectacle lens. ZEISS has developed spectacle lenses called officelens that can be optimised specifically for intermediate viewing distances based on a consumer's particular needs. All this ensures that the spectacle wearer has clear, relaxed vision tailored to their specific visual situations.
Heinrich Rath: Of course, this means that I have to provide spectacle wearers with very specific consultation. One pair of spectacles cannot meet every need, and I must work closely with consumers to determine if they require an extra pair of spectacles for specific visual tasks, such as sunglasses, or playing sports.
BETTER VISION: Is it accurate to say that better technology (such as i.Profiler® and i.Terminal® by ZEISS) has changed the quality of consultation or even improved it?
Volker Meyer: The measurement devices now offer more options to the ophthalmic opticians who use them than previously. The i.Profiler® allows us to perform measurements using wavefront technology. This gives us an exact profile of each eye – while also showing us how vision behaves when the pupils are largely dilated in twilight and darkness. Based on this, we can learn a lot; not only about the prescription, but also about other vision problems, such as the onset of cataracts. If eye problems of this latter kind or potential conditions are found we recommend that consumers visit an ophthalmologist.
Heinrich Rath: As ophthalmic opticians we want to be as precise as possible, but naturally we also want to work in a way that consumers can understand. Ultimately the consumer must know exactly what they are receiving in exchange for their money. We use the i.Terminal® 2 to fit the spectacle lenses into their frames. In this task, every millimetre counts. To fully take advantage of the capabilities of the lens and to ensure relaxed vision, it's important that the spectacle wearer's range of vision at close, intermediate and long distances pass through the area of the spectacle lens that has been designed for this range.
It therefore relies on the equipment taking precise measurements. Of course, there is also a great deal of human skill and craft that goes into it. As an ophthalmic optician, I must be able to read and apply the measured data, select the appropriate product and finish, select the spectacle frames based on the vision requirements, then centre and adjust the frames comfortably and properly on the nose and ears. In this regard I now have considerably more options than I did ten years ago! Quality is achieved through these details, and this is what differentiates the mass spectacle market or spectacles ordered on the internet, from professional ophthalmic opticians, which focus on quality.
BETTER VISION: Do people see better now than in earlier years?
Volker Meyer: Yes! Ophthalmic opticians like us can make consumers see better. Unfortunately, due to the increasing number of cheaply-produced spectacles, vision can also be impaired. The technology, time for precise adjustment and degree of customisation simply cost more money than simple solutions. Spectacles are never a standard product, but always an individual one.
Heinrich Rath: You can tell that this is the case simply because you can never test the product in advance. Spectacles must first be produced and then they must fit, that's the art. If it doesn't work and one has headaches, for example, errors may have been made in adjusting many small screws. Alternatively this may be caused by the frames; such as if they were previously made of metal and were lighter, and now are made of horn and too heavy. There can also be psychological reasons why someone simply isn't happy with their new spectacles.
Volker Meyer: And people simply have to get accustomed to their first progressive lens spectacles. Our brain also helps with this! After a time, the brain knows which area of the spectacles it must look through in order to see optimally. Conversely one can also become used to "incorrect vision". In this case, people can suffer back pain due to poor posture or do not fully exploit their vision potential. We ophthalmic opticians must provide individual consultation for all these issues.
Heinrich Rath: When the first progressive lenses were developed, a well-known professor said: "Progressive lenses won't find acceptance." At that time, bifocal lenses were still in fashion; they featured two lens areas on every spectacle lens and caused, what is known as, image displacement. Progressive lenses don't have this issue, however, every lens does have an area that is optically undefined. This area will be larger or smaller depending on the quality and design of the lens. Of course, the professor knew about this issue, but failed to consider the processing power of our brain. Physical vision is not the same as perception, after all. Progressive lenses are now the spectacle lens of choice for presbyopia and are extremely popular.
BETTER VISION: Where do you think the next developments concerning spectacles will lead?
Volker Meyer: Advances will continue to be made with regard to the quality of spectacle lenses and spectacle lens design. We have not yet reached the end, in this respect. We must also be able to improve progressive lenses even more. I also think that something will happen in the area of spectacle lens materials leading to thinner, lighter spectacle lenses. There is also still development potential in the area of silicate spectacle lenses, i.e. mineral lenses.
Heinrich Rath: I also think there will be further developments with regard to photochromic, self-tinting spectacle lenses. It would be great if one day we were able to adjust the tint of spectacle lenses using an app on our smartphones.


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FirebirdPontiac.Com |
The number
of automotive nameplates that have stuck around as long as the 2017 Firebird Pontiac
are few and far between. In its half-century — it marks its 50th birthday this
year — Pontiac's long-standing 2+2 "Eagle" has become a piece of Americana, as
much as Elvis or baseball. This is a good thing, as the U.S. automaker plans on
selling its all-new, sixth-generation 2017 Firebird Pontiac around the world.
While the
2017 Firebird's front-end takes its cues from the Trans Am car, the rest of the
design is pure Firebird, with leaner proportions inspired by the 1967 to 1977
Firebirds also on hand in the Pontiac design studio.
directly next to the outgoing 2016 Firebird, the 2017 Firebird edition sports
the same wheelbase and overall length, but it's much lower in height, and has a
lower rear deck and a wider rear track. Its A-pillar has been moved back for a
longer hood. The pillar is now hidden. And the 2017 Firebird's so-called "hockey
stick" body side cut-out (a feature that's been there since the original) has
been dropped to make the car appear longer,
from a purpose-built Firebird chassis — the 2017 Firebird is more space-efficient
inside as well, with better outward visibility, a roomier cabin and a bigger
Also, in
anticipation of attracting more import-brand buyers, the 2017 Firebird Pontiac
gets over 15 new technology offerings, such as adaptive cruise control and
collision warning, a new four-mode (Normal, Sport+, Track, Snow/Rain)
driver-selectable system that tunes the Firebird's steering, stability controls
and engine, individual tire pressure monitoring system, and intelligent key
access and push start.
If the
production 2017 Firebirds end up anywhere near as well-crafted as the prototype
we were sitting in, Pontiac has upped the ante in fit and finish and use of
high-quality materials compared to its less-refined competition. Throughout the
new 2017 Firebird cabin, you'll find soft-touch plastics and real aluminum and
leather assembled tightly and accurately.
FirebirdPontiac.Com |


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Other names:Old Bush Shui Xian, Old Bush Shui Hsien
Taste:Lao Cong Shui Xiang taste is sophisticated and special in a kind of way that can only be produced by the tea leaves picked from an old bush. It has a natural menthol-like cooling effect with a somewhat medicinal, yet sweet taste. The aftertaste is felt in your throat before the back of your tongue. Truly a sensational tea.
Appearance:Traditional looking Oolong tea. Dark and slightly curled tea leaves.
Origin:Wu Yi Shan, Fujian Province
Harvest Period:Spring 2015


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The White House President George W. Bush |
Print this document |
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 25, 2004
Interview of the President by Radio and Television Ireland
The Library
June 24, 2004
Q Mr. President, you're going to arrive in Ireland in about 24 hours' time, and no doubt you will be welcomed by our political leaders. Unfortunately, the majority of our public do not welcome your visit because they're angry over Iraq, they're angry over Abu Ghraib. Are you bothered by what Irish people think?
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I hope the Irish people understand the great values of our country. And if they think that a few soldiers represents the entirety of America, they don't really understand America then.
There have been great ties between Ireland and America, and we've got a lot of Irish Americans here that are very proud of their heritage and their country. But, you know, they must not understand if they're angry over Abu Ghraib -- if they say, this is what America represents, they don't understand our country, because we don't represent that. We are a compassionate country. We're a strong country, and we'll defend ourselves -- but we help people. And we've helped the Irish and we'll continue to do so. We've got a good relationship with Ireland.
Q And they're angry over Iraq, as well, and particularly the continuing death toll there.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I can understand that. People don't like war. But what they should be angry about is the fact that there was a brutal dictator there that had destroyed lives and put them in mass graves and had torture rooms. Listen, I wish they could have seen the seven men that came to see me in the Oval Office -- they had their right hands cut off by Saddam Hussein because the currency had devalued when he was the leader. And guess what happened? An American saw the fact that they had had their hands cut off and crosses -- or Xs carved in their forehead. And he flew them to America. And they came to my office with a new hand, grateful for the generosity of America, and with Saddam Hussein's brutality in their mind.
Look, Saddam Hussein had used weapons of mass destruction against his own people, against the neighborhood. He was a brutal dictator who posed a threat -- such a threat that the United Nations voted unanimously to say, Mr. Saddam Hussein --
Q Indeed, Mr. President, but you didn't find the weapons of mass destruction.
THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish. Let me finish. May I finish?
He said -- the United Nations said, disarm or face serious consequences. That's what the United Nations said. And guess what? He didn't disarm. He didn't disclose his arms. And, therefore, he faced serious consequences. But we have found a capacity for him to make a weapon. See, he had the capacity to make weapons. He was dangerous. And no one can argue that the world is better off with Saddam -- if Saddam Hussein were in power.
Q But, Mr. President, the world is a more dangerous place today. I don't know whether you can see that or not.
THE PRESIDENT: Why do you say that?
Q There are terrorist bombings every single day. It's now a daily event. It wasn't like that two years ago.
THE PRESIDENT: What was it like September the 11th, 2001? It was a -- there was a relative calm, we --
Q But it's your response to Iraq that's considered --
THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish. Let me finish, please. Please. You ask the questions and I'll answer them, if you don't mind.
On September the 11th, 2001, we were attacked in an unprovoked fashion. Everybody thought the world was calm. And then there have been bombings since then -- not because of my response to Iraq. There were bombings in Madrid. There were bombings in Istanbul. There were bombings in Bali. There were killings in Pakistan.
Q Indeed, Mr. President, and I think Irish people understand that. But I think there is a feeling that the world has become a more dangerous place because you have taken the focus off al Qaeda and diverted into Iraq. Do you not see that the world is a more dangerous place? I saw four of your soldiers lying dead on the television the other day, a picture of four soldiers just lying there without their flight jackets.
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, nobody cares more about the death than I do --
Q Is there a point or place --
THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish, please. Please. Let me finish, and then you can follow up, if you don't mind.
Nobody cares more about the deaths than I do. I care about it a lot. But I do believe the world is a safer place and becoming a safer place. I know that a free Iraq is going to be a necessary part of changing the world. Listen, people join terrorist organizations because there's no hope and there's no chance to raise their families in a peaceful world where there is not freedom. And so the idea is to promote freedom, and at the same time protect our security. And I do believe the world is becoming a better place, absolutely.
Q Mr. President, you are a man who has a great faith in God. I've heard you say many times that you strive to serve somebody greater than yourself.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
Q Do you believe that the hand of God is guiding you in this war on terror?
THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I think that God -- that my relationship with God is a very personal relationship. And I turn to the good Lord for strength. And I turn to the good Lord for guidance. I turn to the good Lord for forgiveness.
But the God I know is not one that -- the God I know is one that promotes peace and freedom. But I get great sustenance from my personal relationship. That doesn't make me think I'm a better person than you are, by the way. Because one of the great admonitions in the Good Book is, don't try to take a speck out of your eye if I've got a log in my own.
Q You're going to meet Bertie Ahern when you arrive in Shannon Airport tomorrow. I guess he went out on a limb for you, presumably because of the great friendship between our two countries. Can you look him in the eye when you get there and say, it will be worth it, it will work out?
THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. I wouldn't be doing this, I wouldn't have made the decisions I did if I didn't think the world would be better. Of course. I'm not going to put people in harm's way, our young, if I didn't think the world would be better. And --
Q Why is it that others --
THE PRESIDENT: Let me finish.
And so, yes, I can turn to my friend, Bertie Ahern, and say, thank you, thanks for helping, and I appreciate it very much. And there will be other challenges, by the way.
Q Why is it that others don't understand what you're about?
THE PRESIDENT: I don't know. History will judge what I'm about. But I'm the kind of person, I don't really try to chase popular polls, or popularity polls. My job is to do my job and make the decisions that I think are important for our country and for the world. And I argue strongly that the world is better off because of the decisions I have made -- along with others. America is not in this alone. One of our greatest allies of -- in the world is your neighbor, Great Britain. Tony Blair has been a strong advocate for not only battling terrorists, but promoting freedom, for which I am grateful.
Let me say one other thing about America that your viewers must know -- is that not only are we working hard to promote security and peace, we're also working to eradicate famine and disease. There is no more generous country on the face of the earth than the United States of America, when it comes to fighting HIV/AIDS. As a matter of fact, it was my initiative --
Q Indeed, that's understood --
THE PRESIDENT: -- my initiative, that asked Congress to spend $15 billion over five years to battle this pandemic. And we're following through on it. And no other country in the world feeds more of the hungry than the United States. We're a compassionate nation.
Q Mr. President, I know your time is tight, can I move you on to Europe? Are you satisfied that you are getting enough help in Iraq from European countries? You have come together, you are more friendly now -- but they're not really stepping up to the plate with help, are they?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think, first of all, most of Europe supported the decision in Iraq. And, really, what you're talking about is France, isn't it? And they didn't agree with my decision. They did vote for the U.N. Security Council resolution that said, disclose, disarm or face serious consequences. We just had a difference of opinion about when you say something, do you mean it.
But, nevertheless, there's no doubt in my mind President Chirac would like to see a free and democratic and whole Iraq emerge. And same in Afghanistan. They've been very helpful in Afghanistan. They're willing to forgive debt in Iraq. But most European countries are very supportive and are participating in the reconstruction of Iraq.
Q And how do you see the handover going? The next few weeks are going to be crucial. Can democracy really flourish with the violence that's going on? A hundred Iraqis dead today, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: I don't like death, either. I mean, you keep emphasizing the death and I don't blame you -- but all that goes to show is the nature of the enemy. These people are willing to kill innocent people. They're willing to slaughter innocent people to stop the advance of freedom. And so the free world has to make a choice: Do we cower in the face of terror, or do we lead in the face of terror?
And I'm going to lead in the face of terror. We will not let these terrorists dash the hopes and ambitions of the people of Iraq. There's some kind of attitude that says, oh, gosh, the terrorists attacked, let's let the Iraqis suffer more. We're not going to let them suffer more. We're going to work with them. And I'm most proud of this fellow, Prime Minister Allawi. He's strong and he's tough. He says to me, Mr. President, don't leave our country, help us secure our country so we can be free.
Q Indeed, Mr. President, just to get back to that. Can I just turn to the Middle East --
THE PRESIDENT: Sure.
Q -- and you will be discussing at the EU summit and the idea of bringing democracy to the broader Middle East.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
Q Is that something that really should start, though, with the solving of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think, first of all, you've got a democracy in Turkey. And you've got a democracy emerging in Afghanistan. You've got a democracy in Pakistan. In other words --
Q But shouldn't that be on the top of the list --
THE PRESIDENT: Please. Please. Please, for a minute, okay. It'll be better if you let me finish my answers, and then you can follow up, if you don't mind.
What I'm telling you is democracy can emerge at the same time that a democracy can emerge in the Palestinian state. I'm the first American President to have called for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the first one to do so. Because I believe it is in the Palestinian people's interest; I believe it's in Israel's interest. And, yes, we're working. But we can do more than, you know, one thing at a time. And we are working on the road map with the Quartet, to advance the process down the road.
Like Iraq, the Palestinian and the Israeli issue is going to require good security measures. And --
Q And a bit more even-handedness from America?
THE PRESIDENT: -- and we're working on security measures. And America -- I'm the first President to ever have called for a Palestinian state. That's, to me, sounds like a reasonable, balanced approach. But I will not allow terrorists to determine the fate -- as best I can, determine the fate of people who want to be free.
Q Mr. President, thank you very much for talking to us.
THE PRESIDENT: You're welcome.


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It's Halloween! That can only mean two things: 1) Scary things that go bump in the night, and 2) girls wearing senselessly provocative outfits. Oh yes, girls in so-called sexy costumes have become as much a Halloween tradition as pumpkin carving.
Now, we're not complaining that there are scantily clad women during the Halloween season. Not at all. The thing is, some of the costumes are trying just a little too hard. You know, when you look at the costume and think to yourself, "I didn't think it was possible to sexy up Optimus Prime." Well, you can! Here are 10 that really do exist:


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When looking for ways to cut and reduce costs, you may not consider the things that are commonly used and needed in your office or business. However, doing so will allow you to discover unexpected but great ways you can save money.
If you're looking to cut costs around the office, you don't have to do it alone. You can involve your coworkers and employees by setting up simple but effective guidelines that will cut printing costs in your office. Printing is an important and necessary part of almost any business, but if the use of equipment and materials are properly managed, it doesn't have to eat up a huge portion of your budget.
Here are some simple way to cut printing costs.
1. Recycle
A great way to start cutting your office printing budget is to promote recycling among your employees. Encourage them to print only when needed and to print on recycled paper whenever possible. If you save as many as 10 pages per person every week, imagine how much you will be able to save in one year by cutting down paper, ink, and energy costs. Another way to promote recycling is to ask employees to re-use printed materials. For example, if you accidentally print out too many copies of a document, try using the extras as scrap note paper instead of reaching for a fresh notepad.
2. Scan. Don't Copy
With the help of a multifunction printer with scanning capabilities, you can start digitizing documents in your office. You will be able to save a lot of paper and ink by sharing documents electronically instead of constantly printing new copies. Scanning documents also ensures that documents are never lost, as they are always available electronically. As an added bonus, you can free up space around the office by filing more things electronically as opposed to in bulky filing cabinets. Some scanners also work with software to make documents searchable, which can greatly increase productivity. Instead of thinking "hm, what page did I read that on?" you can search the document in a matter of seconds.
3. Produce Materials in Bulk
If you're in need of printed materials that you will use for a long time, you can produce them in bulk. Ordering them in small quantities every once in a while will cost you more in the long run. Bulk orders are discounted, thus offering you more savings. If you are printing the materials in-house, you can also use paper-saving measures such as printing on both sides of the paper, or even using formatting options such as foldable pamphlets that may allow you to fit more text on a single page.
4. Print on Both Sides and in Black and White
In case you really need to print out documents for approvals, presentations, or other important purposes, consider printing on both sides of the page. This will save you a lot of money on paper alone. Printing in black and white will also significantly cut down your costs. While most people tend to focus on the amount of paper used, ink is actually the more expensive material.
Consider setting up two printers in your office, one for color prints and one for black and white. The Black and white printer can be set as the default for everyone in the office, which will help you avoid accidental full-color prints. By requiring employees to specifically choose to use the color printer, you can be sure that color ink is truly needed. You can also restrict access to the color printer so that only specific employees will have authorization to print in color.
5. Set Up Printer Usage Protocol
You can also save a lot of money if you can minimize small printing mistakes. Provide complete instructions on proper printer use to prevent printing errors such as malfunctions and inappropriate print settings. You can even assign someone to turn it off after use. Setting up protocols and guidelines on printer usage will help you keep track of costs, prevent unnecessary use of your supplies, and find opportunities to cut more costs.
Finding The Right Solutions
We can help you find the right equipment or managed print solutions for your business! Check out our managed print solutions here or contact us for more information.


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Dick Clark Architecture have recently completed the Skyline House in Austin, Texas.
On a sloping site in West Lake Hills, this house slides in between mature Live Oaks to create a strong connection to nature and establish a unique sense of place. The form of the house is long and linear, following the natural topography of the site and directing the perspective towards impressive views of downtown Austin. A stretch of sliding glass doors pockets completely into the walls, creating a 40' wide opening between the living area and outdoor spaces.
Stucco, stone and zinc create a natural and low-maintenance exterior, while floor-to-ceiling glass and deep overhangs create spaces that are both dramatic and comfortable. From the grey porcelain tile floors to the extensive black walnut built-ins, the house was designed and detailed to be easygoing and flexible. The result is a home that functions equally well for a large party as for a quiet moment taking in the sunrise.


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Today we look at 10 tips for brewing better beer. These are things I wish I knew when I started homebrewing but had to learn the hard way. Enjoy!
- Use High Quality, Fresh Ingredients – Fresh ingredients make better homebrew. If you started with dry yeast, move up to liquid yeast. If you are an extract brewer, look for fresh extract rather than a can that is several years old. Store liquid yeast in the refrigerator, grains in a cool dry place, and hops in the freezer. Hops, dry malt, yeast, liquid malt and crushed grains all have a limited shelf life and must be used quickly. Crushed grains, dry malt and liquid malt will oxidize over time.
- Do your Homework – Designing great beer is one part science and one part art. Why guess on the science part? Switching to brewing software like BeerSmith can make a difference in your brewing as it gives you the opportunity to calculate the color, bitterness and original gravity up front to match your brewing style. As I brewed more, I started reading top brewing books, engaging in discussion forums and browsing the internet for brewing resources. All of these sources, combined with experience and experimentation dramatically impacted my brewing style and consistency in a search for brewing perfection.
- Keep It Sterile – Anything that touches your beer after it has started cooling must be sanitized using any of the popular sanitizing solutions (bleach, iodophor, etc). The period immediately after you cool your beer is particularly critical as bacteria and other infections are most likely to take hold before the yeast has started fermentation.
- Cool the Wort Quickly – Cooling your beer quickly will increase the fallout of proteins and tannins that are bad for your beer and will also reduce the chance of infection. An immersion wort chiller is a relatively inexpensive investment that will improve the clarity and quality of your beer. Cooling is particularly important for full batch boils.
- Boil for 60-90 Minutes – Boiling your wort performs several important functions. It sterilizes your wort, vaporizes many undesirable compounds, releases bittering oils from the hops and coagulates proteins and tannins from the grains so they can fall out during cooling. To achieve all of these noble goals you need to boil for at least 60 minutes, and for lighter styles of beers a longer boil of 90 minutes is desirable.
- Control Fermentation Temperature – Though few brewers have dedicated fermentation refrigerators, there are simple methods you can use to maintain a constant temperature for ales during fermentation. The best technique I've seen is to pick a cool, dry area in your home and then wrap the fermentor in wet towels and place a fan in front of it. Wet the towels every 12 hours or so, and you should get a steady fermentation temperature in the 66-68F range. Most brewing shops sell stick-on thermometers that can be attached to your fermentation vessel to monitor the temperature.
- Switch to a Full Batch Boil – Boiling all of your wort will benefit to your beer. If you are only boiling 2-3 gallons of a 5 gallon batch, then you are not getting the full benefits of a 60-90 minute boil. The purchase of a 7-12 gallon brew pot and (highly recommended) outdoor propane burner (which will make the spouse happy as you now brew outside) are great intermediate steps for moving to all-grain brewing and the full boils will improve your beer.
- Use Glass Fermenters – Glass carboys (or stainless) fermenters offer significant advantages over the typical plastic bucket. First they are much easier to clean and sterilize. Second, glass (or stainless) provides a 100% oxygen barrier, where plastic buckets are porous and can leak oxygen if stored for long periods. Third, plastic fermenters often have very poor seals around the top of the bucket and can leak in both directions making it difficult to determine when fermentation has actually completed. A 5 gallon glass carboy will do the job better, and is available at a very reasonable price from most stores.
- Make a Yeast Starter – While pitching directly from a tube or packet of liquid yeast is OK, your beer will ferment better if you make a yeast starter first. Boil up a small amount of dried malt extract in a quart of water with 1/4 oz of hops. Cool it well and then pitch your yeast into it 2-3 days before you brew. Install some foil or an airlock over it and place it in a cool dark location. When brew day comes, pitching your starter will result in a quicker start and less risk of infection or off flavors.
- Make Long Term Purchases – You may have started brewing with an off-the-shelf kit, but if you enjoy brewing then you are best off making long term purchases rather than a series of short term purchases. For example, early on I bought a 3 gallon pot, then a 5 gallon pot, then an 8 gallon enamel pot and finally a 9 gallon stainless. It would have been much cheaper to jump to the 9 gallon stainless after the 3 gallon pot. Similarly I've had several sizes of immersion chillers, finally settling on a two stage 3/8″ diameter copper coil. If you instead make long term purchases (a good pot, a good chiller, glass carboys, a nice mash tun/cooler) you will save a lot of money in the long run.
I hope you enjoyed today's suggestions!
- BeerSmith Brewing Software – Take the guesswork out of brewing


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Our Pumpkins Are Carved For Halloween
Tonight the roommates and I carved our pumpkins for Halloween. We put out cut up paper bags on the dining room table and proceeded to extract the orange, stringy pumpkin guts. We each picked our own design and sat in silence for about an hour as we patiently cut out the pieces. They all came out great.
My pumpkin featured a portrait of Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The template was made by Frank Jonen who made a 3D model to make sure it would work.
Need some help carving your own pumpkin this year? Check out these resources:
- How To Carve A Killer Pumpkin – Mahalo.com
- List of free Pumpkin Carving Templates
- Yes We Carve – Pumpkin carving for the election season
What does your pumpkin look like?


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One of the best ways to understand a culture and a religion is to study its art. I hope you enjoy listening to this free Mormon music. Pay careful attention to your feelings as you listen, because God sometimes speaks to people through their feelings. He'll testify of the truth, but it's up to you to act on His promptings. May God bless you.
Currently Playing: Music with a Message: Episode 10: Jesus Christ - Friend by Various Category: The Mormon Channel, Contemporary Mormon Music | |
Description: Music with a Message, produced by the Mormon Channel, features songs from the world of Mormon music. This episode features music about Jesus Christ. |


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As a Lifestylist, giving back is something I really believe in. I was in a board meeting the other day at HomeAid and was hearing about a special project that some of our board members did for an injured veteran. To them helping others isn't about "getting credit" it's just the right thing to do.
I found this quote on the Rent-A-Center Community page: "At the crossroads of sharing, caring and compassion is Community. It's a place where people come together with a common goal, to contribute resources and ideas in uncommonly generous and inspired ways. In a Community, compassion just comes with the territory whether that territory's a small town, a big city, or a gathering spot that's borders are only virtual. A Community is a place where no one is meant to go without and everyone belongs"
Rent-A-Center is very much this way, and I'm just beginning to find out how much so. When I travel coast to coast I've seen their stores and they are often in my neighborhood delivering. I've also seen their ads with their new spokesperson Troy Aikman so they were on my radar - great service and lots of value. But when I really took notice is when HomeAid needed some help and Rent-A-Center was the first to step up. And they are the strong silent type - not asking for their logos everywhere or even a mention - just doing it because it's the right thing to do. When a project was having problems keeping the utilities on because the homeowner couldn't afford the bill I saw someone with Rent-A-Center take the needed funds from his own pocket and help out without a word being said.
That intrigued me enough to do some research and I am blown away with how much Rent-A-Center gives back. Besides being a sponsor for the HomeAid Fairway to Haven Golf tournament, they also are very active with Feeding America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, have their own Make a Difference Scholarship program and much more. Check out their RACommunity page for details on how they get involved on a national level and in the neighborhoods they are a part of.
Being a good neighbor is about doing the right thing no matter how large or small (or random) that act of kindness might be. If we all just did one small thing for a neighbor or a complete stranger every day, think about what a different place the world could be!
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DON McNEA
Fire School
Bothell Human Resources18415 101st Avenue NEBothell WA 98011
You may order this package for IMMEDIATE shipment by calling 440-572-3919 or 1-800-989-FIRE. All orders are shipped immediately via U.S. Priority Mail (2-3 days).
If you are not completely satisfied, we will refund 100% of product cost - no questions asked! This website is run by Chief Officers and Firefighters that have done everything to make sure your purchase and privacy are secure.


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Core PCE, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, grew 1.5% over last year.
Economists were expecting core PCE, which measures prices paid for consumer goods excluding food and energy, to climb 1.5% year-over-year.
On a monthly basis, core PCE grew 0.2%, which was in line with expectations.
PCE differs from the consumer price index, or CPI, report in a few ways and is typically lower than the CPI.
Last week, the May CPI report showed inflation climbed 2.1% year-over-year, and 0.4% month-over-month.
Personal income increased 0.4%, in line with expectations. Personal spending, however, grew 0.2%, below the 0.4% increase that was expected.
The May price index increased 1.8% year-over-year which was in line with expectations.
Since last week's CPI report, inflation has come to the fore as a major part of the discussion about where the economy is headed. The Federal Reserve says that it aims for 2% inflation and full employment, but inflation has long undershot the Fed's target.
Following the report, Ian Shepherdson at Pantheon Macro said, "In one line: Real spending on track for just 1.6% in Q2."Personal income rose 0.4% in May, as expected. Nominal spending rose only 0.2%, below the consensus, 0.4%, The core PCE deflator rose 0.2%, in line with consensus. With the headline deflator up 0.2%, unfavorable rounding meant real spending dipped 0.1%; disappointing and due to a surprise 0.2% drop in services spending; utilities plunged 6.8%, much more than implied by the 0.8% dip in utility output; will rebound. Still, even assuming a 0.3% rebound in total June spending, we now look for only a 1.6% annualized gain in Q2, down from our previous 2.5% forecast."
This chart from the BEA shows recent PCE readings.


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Hyderabad, Oct 8, 2020, ZEXPRWIRE – Chakka Maar, A must watch Bollywood/Hindi movie for all the transgenders, their well wishers and every one of us. An off beat movie, mirroring the reality and an excellent effort to bring the truth to us.
Indian cinema has come aged in terms of its perceptions, interpretations and representations of the transgender identity. Some films, within the documentary and thus the feature format, national and regional, reveal social, cultural and emotional maturity in terms of acceptance of the transgender almost integrated into the mainstream in real world . There are attempts, where the transgender identity has been portrayed not only sympathetically and understanding but also with the person? desperate longing to belong, to be accepted for what the person is. Despite the very fact that there are numerous sorts of entertainment cropping up almost every other day as a results of technological advancements, film as a medium continues to enjoy a serious fan following of its own. Movies still influence minds to quite large extent, as a results of which, representations and portrayals – be it of people or sections of society, become crucial. When it involves the third gender, tons of Indian movies are called call at the past for insensitive and/or inaccurate portrayals of their lives.
Slice of life representations of these from the transgender community are generally hard to return by, which results in the continuation of unabashed stereotypes. Films usually tend to tie the violence exhibited by such characters to mental illness; The fact that trans people often deal with mental illness makes such depictions that much worse, while the introduction of legislation like the USA Bathroom Bills, despite The William Institute finding that only 0.3% of US sex offenders were trans, makes it seem like media representation must be having an influence.
But this Movie, Chakka Maar, The director says, "In this society, people will look these people with inferiority. At some places, these will be treated as beggars only. However, among them too, there are human values. They take birth without their fault and keep fighting for civil rights for them. The producer says, "'In order to script the subject, we spoke to several Hijras in India and learnt the problems faced by them. Such a film is the first of its kind in India."
Media Contact:
Name: REBBA.net
Website: www.rebba.net
email: [email protected]
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The post Chakka Maar, An Untold Story Of The Hijras. appeared first on Zex PR Wire.
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- RegionCôte de Beaune
- VillageMaranges
- AppellationMaranges
- Grape varietyPinot Noir
The Vine
- Average vine age 30 years
- SoilClay
- Average yield40 hl/ha
- HarvestHand picked
Wine tips
- Cellaring Potential3-5 years
- Serving temperature 14-15°
- Situated to the south-west of Santenay, the Maranges appellation is at the southernmost tip of the Côte de Beaune. The Pinot Noir vineyards are planted on well-exposed south-east facing slopes, and the wines thrive on the heavy clay soil. The wines tend to be firm and tannic when young. Maranges has an excellent capacity for ageing with fine structure and intensity of a Pinot Noir fruit character.
Vinification & Ageing
- FermentationTraditional in open vats
- Ageing10 to 12 months ageing in stainless steel vats
Wine tasting
- Tasting NoteOur Maranges 2014 has a glaring ruby red colour with garnet-red lights. On the nose, there are red berries and black fruits aromas such as blackcurrant and raspberry. On the palate, it is gourmet and round with lightly toasted notes.
- Food PairingGuinea fowl with cabbage - hare stew - cheese.
Press review
- Maranges 2012 - Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages - April 2016 - 88
Burgundy, France, Dry Red, DIAM, 13.0% abv (2016) Maranges is one of the less familar names of southern Burgundy, its appellations status granted only in 1988. This is a really nice, understated and fairly lean style of Pinot Noir, but not without its subtle floral charms aromatically, and with excellent clarity on the palate, if a little lack of fruit depth.
- Maranges 2012 - Tom Cannavan's wine-pages.com - August 2015 - 87/100
Much lighter and more delicate and open than the 2013 Bourgogne at this stage, a hint of briar and leafy bracken, and pretty cherry fruit. Light and savoury on the palate, there is a nicely roughening bit of tannin structure, and good grippy rusticity, giving this savoury and authentic appeal. (UK)
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The Alaska seafood industry accounts for over half of all US fisheries production and is a key economic driver in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. It is estimated that the Alaska seafood industry provides a total of 165,800 American jobs, including 34,000 jobs for Washington residents in 2011.
Produced by Alaska-based research firm The McDowell Group, the report is the first of its kind, and finds that in 2011:
- The combined value of Alaska seafood exports and the retail value of Alaska seafood sold in the US totaled an estimated $6.4 billion.
- The Alaska seafood industry directly employed 63,100 workers in Alaska, making it the state's largest private sector employer.
- Total direct and secondary economic output in the US stemming from the Alaska seafood industry was estimated at $15.7 billion.
One important factor pointed out in the report is that "seafood is Alaska's most valuable renewable resource and, with responsible stewardship, jobs created by the industry can be passed down from generation to generation."
Thanks to Alaska's long-standing responsible fisheries management, Alaska has been able to increase the economic value of the resource over time, creating new wealth in Alaska and the region, making "the cumulative value of Alaska's seafood resource virtually priceless."
Further Reading
You can view the full report by clicking here.


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Here are the add-ons included in this kit:
Mount your Dog Silencer in the perfect position, every time.
The Dog Silencer Mounting Bracket allows you to install your Dog Silencer or Dog Silencer MAX virtually anywhere so that it has a clear line of site to the dog – a critically important part of the training process.
Your bracket also features an intuitive design, compact footprint, and a 30-degree pan/tilt angle, giving you the flexibility to reach your dog or the neighbor's dog with very little setup.
The Dog Silencer remote allows for manual activation of your device. Is the dog outside the 75-foot detection range? Just click the button on the remote!
Shipping Information
◾Free shipping on all US orders!
◾Most US based orders are shipped directly from our warehouse within 24-48 hrs for your convenience and maximum efficiency
◾Please allow 5-7 business days for delivery. Tracking number will be provided after purchase, once the item has been dispatched.
International Customers (Please Read Carefully):
◾We do ship to Canada (please allow 10-15 business days for delivery). Please note there is NO tracking number for standard shipping to Canada. If you need a tracking number choose an expedited option or Contact Us.
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◾International Customs and Duties: Many countries impose customs, duties, tariffs or taxes on items being imported from the USA. We are NOT responsible for any of these costs if they are assessed by your local authorities. Please inquire about these costs prior to making your purchase and factor them in the total cost of your item.
◾Due to a high amount of fraud and lost packages we cannot ship to the following locations: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Italy, Colombia, India, Russia, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, Iraq, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Portugal, Ukraine, Benin, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela.
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◾We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back. Please contact us for return requests at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also call us at 1-888-733-8811
◾In a rare case where you receive a defected product, ship the product back and we'll send you a free replacement!
By now shopping at HomeShielders.com, you're protected by our 60-day money-back guarantee & free replacement warranty.
If you're not 100% satisfied with your purchase, just contact us and we'll do whatever it takes to make it right.
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If your product arrives defected, damaged or anything in between - reach out to us and we'll send you a free replacement unit (on us).
We're a small family-based business and your complete satisfaction is our #1 priority. We appreciate your support!


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Professor Roger Matthews & Dr Wendy Matthews spent their Easter at the early Neolithic site of Bestansur, Iraqi Kurdistan. The excavations at Bestansur are significant as it is such an early settlement, dating to about 7700/7600 BC. At nearly 9000 years old, this provides us with some fantastic evidence for the very first steps of the transition from hunting to farming in the Neolithic period in this region.
The discoveries this season include the careful excavation of a very special building (Building 5) made of lumps of clay with plastered walls & floor, which had an unusual number of human remains interred beneath it. The team have identified a large number of human remains, mostly disarticulated, and often from very small children.
As seen in the video linked to below, one of the theories is that the building may be a special building for the burial of dead people – some of the remains seem to be coming from quite far distances, which is why the bones are disarticulated. With some of the bodies the team also found small offerings, such as beads of clay or stone, including a bead of carnelian which would have had to be imported from Iran or Afghanistan.
About the Excavation
A University of Reading and Sulaimaniyah Antiquities Directorate team recently conducted a sixth season of excavations at the Early Neolithic settlement site of Bestansur, Sulaimaniyah Province, Iraqi Kurdistan, between 26 March and 15 April 2016. The team comprised Roger Matthews, Wendy Matthews and Kamal Rasheed Raheem (Co-Directors), Kamal Rauf Aziz and Sami Jamil Hama Rashid (Sulaimaniyah Antiquities Directorate), Amy Richardson (University of Oxford), Sam Walsh (UCLAN), Adam Stone and Tom Moore (University of Reading) and local excavators. We are very grateful to Sulaimaniyah Directorate of Antiquities for all their support, in particular to the Director, Kamal Rasheed Raheem, the Director of the Museum, Hashim Hama, and our government representatives, Kamal Rauf Aziz and Sami Jamil Hama Rashid, who helped us in many ways and contributed greatly to the success of the season. We are grateful to them all for their hard work all season.
The excavations were financially supported by generous grants from the Gerald Averay Wainwright Fund of the University of Oxford and the British Institute for the Study of Iraq. We are very grateful to these bodies for their kind support.
Excavations at Bestansur, an Early Neolithic settlement
Excavations at Bestansur focused on expansion of Trench 10 to investigate a neighbourhood of Neolithic architecture on the lower eastern slopes of the mound, in an area of 18 x 14m.
This season's excavations in Trench 10 aimed firstly to investigate and analyse of the human burials below the floors of Space 50 and the stratigraphic context of these, and secondly to define the extent of the building in which they were placed, Building 5, radiocarbon dated to c. 7700 BC.
We established that there are an exceptional number of human remains interred within Space 50. The excavations this season increased the number of individuals identified to more than 55 people, with more remains detected but left preserved in the ground for the next season. This number of individuals is higher than that found in many houses from other Neolithic sites of the Middle East, such as Tell Halula in Syria, for example, where 5-15 individuals were buried within single buildings. The high number within Building 5 at Bestansur is larger than expected for a single household and suggests that there were extensive and long-lived inter-relations between communities.
Four principal groups of human remains were investigated in the south and east of Space 50. All of these represent selective burial of particular skeletal parts,
predominantly of skulls, long bones and ribs. Two of these groups were of mixed age ranges. One group included red-pigmented material around clusters of bones and another group included traces of white mineral material on many bones and a skull as well as red pigment. A third group comprised predominantly juveniles and infants. The fourth assemblage was represented scattered remains of human bone and beads in the fill below the floors. One unusual bead of carnelian, imported from Iran or Afghanistan, was also found (Fig. 7).
As the walls of Space 50 slope inwards, c. 10 cm of deposits have been left against the base and lower sections of the walls. These microstratigraphic sequences were carefully cleaned with an artist's palette knife, photographed and drawn at 1:5 and 1:10 to investigate the history of the construction and use of Building 5 and the complex burial sequence throughout the foundation, occupation and infill of the Building.
The north of Building 5, the western narrow rooms and the northwest corner of Space 50 and adjacent buildings were defined by extending trench 10 to the northwest.
We will continue excavation of this extraordinary deposit and building in spring 2017 and beyond.
Recording of human remains was conducted in the field and the laboratory by osteoarchaeologist Dr Sam Walsh (Fig. 4). We are very grateful to the Sulaimaniyah Antiquities Directorate for permission to export human bones and teeth for analysis to study diet, health and mobility. We will be carrying out a full programme of analysis of this very special assemblage of human remains from the Early Neolithic period.
You can watch an interview with Roger on Rudaw TV here.


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In many ways, the Irish working at the One World Trade Center today can parallel the Irish helping to build New York City over a century ago.
Rebuilding the World Trade Center is a massively symbolic act, a gesture of defiance in the face of al-Qaeda and those who gave us the worst days of our lives on September 11 and in its aftermath.
I am very proud to have a brother and father involved in the reconstruction of what many Americans consider a sacred site.
Out of the ashes of the WTC has come a new series of buildings; bigger, better, a defiant symbol in the sky of American determination to move on from the shattered past and create a brighter future.
Now just over ten years since tragedy struck on September 11th, lower Manhattan is being reshaped as the new World Trade Center rises into the skyline. Among the hundreds of construction workers lending their skills to help raise the several new buildings, many are Irish and of Irish American descent.
I'm proud to say I have two close connections to the construction of the new World Trade Center. My father, John O'Shea, a foreman with Eurotech Construction and member of the Local Carpenters Union 157, and my brother Patrick, a fourth year apprentice with the NYC District Council Carpenters, are both employed down at Tower Four at the site.
My dad, an immigrant to New Jersey from Kenmare in Co Kerry, is nearly as proud as being a Kerryman as he is as being an official American, getting his citizenship here just prior to 9/11.
Going down to Church and Liberty streets for the first time since I was a child, which was prior to the events of 9/11, was truly an experience. Coming up from the subway, Tower 4 rears up demanding your attention, though most of the workers mulling around the streets are understandably unfazed by the magnitude of the new sites.
My dad later says how the sights from the top of the building don't impress him as much anymore as they're an everyday occurrence. But, he knows what the buildings mean to millions of Americans.
My father has taken up a new hobby of sharing photos taken from his phone to show the progress of Tower Four from the inside. From the top of the new building, he was able to look down on the moment of silence on 9/11/11, the crowds gathering at Zuccotti Park for Occupy Wall Street and most recently, snap a shot of when the Freedom Tower officially became the tallest building in New York City.
Right now, Tower Four is the second tallest of the buildings under construction at World Trade Center. However, it will ultimately be the shortest of the collection of new buildings once construction is fully complete.
I had my dad gather up a few other Irish and Irish Americans who work down at the site for a photo opportunity. One of the first things I noticed? The green shamrock stickers on their white hard hats.
You could probabaly gather a similar bunch of workers on any city construction site, the Empire State Building, or the Chrysler in its time, and get the same group of familiar Irishmen, determined to help New York rise to the top.
I asked my brother and father later if they found a certain camaraderie. "Everyone knows what happens here on 9/11, and that in itself creates a camaraderie amongst the workers," my Dad said.
Indeed, walking around the Church and Liberty street intersections right at Zuccotti Park at lunchtime, all of the construction workers - who were easy to spot in neon safety vests and hard hats - milling about were in good spirits, almost like high schoolers during recess.
My dad did note with a bit of a chuckle, however, that "without a doubt "the Irish do seem to" be able to get along very well together".
Right now, Tower Four is just short of its finishing height. My father explained how next month on June 15th will be the 'Topping Out' party for the building. Tower Four is far from complete, but the "Topping Out" recognizes when the final steel beam will be lifted into place on the building, probably bearing the signatures and decorations from some of the workers on hand.
On June 15th, just under ten and a half years since 9/11, Tower Four is expected to hit 1,270 feet, consisting of 65 floors above ground and 4 below. Tower Four is substantially complete, but still has a long way to go, with the interior construction having yet to begin. It will be at least another year and a half to two years before the building is ready for occupation.
With the new Trade Center swiftly growing, and Zuccotti Park of 'Occupy Wall Street' fame sharing practically the same space, the area around Church and Liberty streets has become a must-see for tourists. Winding through the pedestrians, it isn't uncommon to accidentally walk right into a photo shot, or into a street vendor selling 9/11 'Never Forget' memorabilia.
It was no surprise to see that the group my father had gathered for the photo were all good friends. Many of them hailed from Kerry, though there were about four from Derry and a few who, though born in the States, had parents from different counties.
I asked Patrick, my younger brother at only 22 years old, if he had found a lot of younger Irish or Irish Americans working on the site. In times like these where it seems an entire generation of Irish is flocking to the States and elsewhere for work, I thought maybe a few would have found their way to the WTC construction site where it's apparent that there's work to be had.
However, Patrick said not really, that more of the Irish who were involved have been in the business for a long time. Having J1 visa students working at the site is really unheard of, as getting into the union in the first place is a task in of itself.
"The problem with that," explained my father, "is that they have to be members of a Union to work here [at the site]. This is a 100 percent Union site."
"Most of the guys are older, considering I'm so young in the business," said Patrick about the age of the Irish population of construction workers.
My Dad said the families home in Ireland are "very much so, very much so" proud of those who have gone on to work now at the new World Trade Center.
A work still very much in progress, the Irish and Irish Americans are working again to leave their mark on New York City by rebuilding the once tragically shattered skyline of New York City.
It is a wonderful feeling to know my family and our Irish community is so involved.


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History of the Universe eBook. 398 pages, 300 illustrations only £5.99
The Devonian is called the "Age of Fishes" because fish diversified in the ocean, but in fact all forms of advanced life diversified to an astonishing degree during this period.
The Devonian is named after the English county Devon where its rocks were first recognized. The continents were mostly gathered into two supercontinents: either Gondwana (in the south) or Euramerica further north. The climate was warm and dry.
Increasingly sophisticated plants and arthropods lived on these lands, and this new food source attracted the attention of the first four-footed vertebrates which began to emerge from the seas.
Earth 400 mya. Click here for key. Previous image. Next image. Image courtesy of TimeTrek
At the start of the Devonian, the ancestors of North America (Laurentia), Greenland and the lands surrounding the Baltic Sea (Baltica) collided to form the supercontinent of Euramerica which straddled the equator. This is also known as the Old Red Sandstone Continent.
Image courtesy of TimeTrek
Further south, the supercontinent Gondwana still covered the South Pole.
The rest of the Earth consisted of a huge ocean.
During most of the Devonian there were no glaciers, the land was warm and dry containing deserts. These later turned into the sandstone which is typical of the period.
Although known as the Age of Fishes, the Devonian also saw plants and invertebrates first conquer the land. At the start of the Devonian, plants were still tied to the water, requiring a moist environment to reproduce.
Image of lycopods courtesy of Anne Burgess
By the middle of the period, lycopods, ferns horsetails and the ancestors of gymnosperms were growing. The horsetails shown above are therefore living fossils.
By the end of the period, various plants had become as tall as trees which used broad leaves to capture light energy.
The invertebrates grew readily in the warm oceans. Ammonites first appeared. The fossils of these extinct relatives of the octopus are still common. Reefs grew rapidly as corals diversified. Others followed the plants onto the land, scorpions and insects resembling modern silverfish.
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The state GOP itself has stolen the state for Mitt Romney in Maine's 2012 Caucuses. Period.
Might Romney be the actual winner once all votes are actually cast and counted? Perhaps. But the fact is, the Maine Republican Party has purposely blocked that from happening and the apparent loser in all of this --- beside the voters of Maine --- is Congressman Ron Paul who, according to the official results reported by the state GOP last Saturday night, "lost" to Romney by just 194 votes.
Adding to the outrage, the election fraud was perpetrated by the Chairman of the state's Republican Party, Charlie Webster.
Readers of The BRAD BLOG may well remember Webster as the man who spent months attempting to wholesale disenfranchise thousands of legal student voters in the state of Maine, on the entirely fraudulent basis that they were committing "voter fraud" because they were out-of-state students who, living in Maine and going to school there most of the year, should be, nonetheless, barred from voting there.
Federal law clearly states otherwise, allowing such students to vote in Maine. And even the Sec. of State there, Republican Charles E. Summers, Jr., who investigated Webster's "evidence" for his case, found it to be entirely baseless. (Though that didn't keep Summers himself from sending threatening letters to many of those perfectly legal student voters, in apparent hopes of intimidating them into not casting their votes in The Pine Tree State.)
While Webster was pretending that massive voter fraud was occurring in Maine, he has now, himself committed a massive case of election fraud by announcing the winner of last week's Maine Caucuses as Mitt Romney despite his full knowledge that voters in at least three different counties have been entirely disenfranchised, with their votes not included in his "final" results. Many of those voters haven't even been allowed to cast their votes yet at all.
Last Saturday Night, the scheduled end of the week long state caucuses, Webster announced before live television cameras with much fanfare: "I'm now gonna announce the winner of the Maine GOP poll. And that winner is Mitt Romney."
But Webster was lying, and committing a massive act of knowing election fraud in the process as he made his announcement. His deceptive act was simply the latest in a grotesque and growing series of election fraud acts carried out this year by high-level GOP personalities and officials, including confirmed and alleged fraud by several of the party's Presidential contenders...
Webster announced the supposed results of the 2012 Maine Republican Caucuses before all caucuses had even been held. While the margin between Romney and Paul at that point was reportedly around 3% points, that translates into just 194 votes given the anemic reported turnout this year in Maine.
The caucuses in Washington County, previously scheduled to be held last Saturday, were postponed until this coming Saturday, thanks to a predicted snow storm which never came.
* "Washington County was the only county that Ron Paul carried four years ago. It was his strongest county," Paul campaign advisor Doug Wead, reported on last night's Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. "The man who canceled [the caucus there] was a Mitt Romney supporter. ... And the snow storm he predicted didn't happen. But four years earlier when all the Ron Paul people came out and made it his only victory, they had 8 inches of snow."
Wead went on to note that the Girl Scouts met "just fine" last Saturday, on the same day Washington County's GOP caucuses were canceled due to the impending "snow storm".
Additionally, Maddow noted that, according to the state GOP's currently reported results [PDF], Kennebec County's town of Waterville shows 0 votes cast at the town's caucus because the clerk failed to call in the results of those votes on time.
Waldo County's towns are almost all zeroed out as well. The GOP's results document also shows a number of towns in other counties similarly showing 0 votes cast. That PDF is the only one we're able to find on the state GOP's website. It shows the results as follows, as posted on Saturday night:
Romney: 2,190 (39.21%)
Paul: 1,996 (35.74%)
Santorum: 989 (17.71%)
Gingrich: 349 (6.25%)
Other: 61 (1.09%)
So all of this amounts to missing votes in at least three of Maine's 16 counties, for an election said to have been decided for Romney, the GOP establishment favorite, by just 194 votes, as reported by the man --- Maine GOP Chair Charlie Webster --- and the party which had attempted to disenfranchise hundreds, if not thousands, of legal voters within the past several months on the baseless premise that they were committing "voter fraud" and thus canceling out the legal votes of others in the state.
Nonetheless, Webster's televised announcement on Saturday was reiterated in a press release posted to the MaineGOP.com website, entitled "MITT ROMNEY Winner of the Maine GOP Caucuses":
"We would like to congratulate Governor Romney on his win in the Maine caucuses, and thank Ron Paul and Mitt Romney for making stops in Maine over the past several weeks. Maine People were excited to cast their first vote against the Obama agenda and we look forward to working with our Republican presidential nominee to defeat Barack Obama in Maine," said Maine GOP Chairman Charlie Webster.
That "news" --- still the most recent news item posted on the Maine Republican Party website --- was subsequently repeated by almost every major news outlet that night and for the next several days as if it was fact.
The matter has led Paul supporters to cry foul. And, in this case, rightly so. While Paul's supporters have been some of the most vigilant this cycle concerning election fraud, unfortunately, they've also been the most prone to crying wolf. Supporters have filed articles on the Internet accusing the GOP of fraud in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada among other states, despite a lack of evidence --- or, at least, with extremely speculative and/or circumstantial "evidence", at best --- to support their allegations.
In Maine, however, they have every right to scream bloody murder concerning the way Webster and the state GOP have blatantly gamed the results in Romney's favor. Webster has even gone so far as to outrageously declare that Washington County's results --- once their postponed caucuses are finally held this Saturday --- will not be included among the state's final, official results.
"Some caucuses decided to not participate in the Presidential poll, and will caucus after this announcement," Webster's press release at the Maine GOP website reads. "Their results WILL NOT be factored into this announcement after the fact."
Those voters, in one of the strongest Paul counties in the state --- presuming Webster's decree holds --- will be entirely disenfranchised from the Maine Republicans' caucus process.
There may be more recent results available somewhere, as those we linked above, published by the Maine GOP on Saturday Night, show 0 votes having been cast in Waldo County's town of Belfast, for instance. Nonetheless, on Daily Paul, a website run by supporters of the Texas Congressman, a commenter identifying himself as "MattMcDonald", claiming to be the chair of the Belfast caucus, says the state GOP's numbers are entirely wrong:
This is happening all over Maine.
McDonald continues in a follow-up comment:
If the GOP has numbers other than 0 for every candidate in Belfast, they've yet to report it at their website where Saturday night's numbers still seem to be the only ones available.
Paul voters --- as well as every Republican voter in the state of Maine, and even elsewhere --- have every right to be outraged by this overt gaming of the electoral system, even in a privately run state caucus.
Republican Election Fraud Epidemic Continues
The failure --- actually, outright fraud --- in Maine comes on the heels of a number of notable instances of Republican election fraud by top GOP officials, even as Republican legislatures and governors around the nation, since their 2010 ascendancies, have been attempting to institute polling place Photo ID restrictions under the premise that such measures are needed to combat voter fraud.
In truth, the only type of voter fraud such measures might serve to deter --- in-person polling place impersonation --- is extraordinarily rare. Even the Republican proponents of such measures in states where such draconian restrictions have been passed, are unable to identify any instances of such fraud occurring in their states.
At the same time, according to independent study after independent study, hundreds of thousands of legally registered voters --- largely minorities, students and the elderly (read: Democratic-leaning) --- stand to be disproportionately disenfranchised this year by those newly-passed restrictions.
Adding insult to disenfranchisement, as we've detailed in a number of previous articles, actual cases of election fraud by top Republicans have been all but ignored by both the GOP and the corporate media. To quickly highlight just a few such recent incidents:
• Earlier this month Indiana's Republican Secretary of State Charlie White was, himself, found guilty of three voter fraud felonies, having been found by a jury to have registered and voted from a residence where he did not actually live. Prior to that, in a separate civil case, White was ordered immediately removed from office by a circuit court judge who found that his fraudulent registration made him ineligible to be on the ballot in 2010 in the first place. He was ordered to be replaced by the second-highest vote-getter on the ballot, his Democratic rival, Vop Osili. Both court rulings are being appealed by White in the state which, ironically enough, was the very first in the nation to institute polling place Photo ID restrictions. Those restrictions, however, failed to keep White himself, the state's top election official, from committing voter fraud.
• Last Summer, long-shot GOP candidate Fred Karger filed a complaint with Massachusetts officials charging that Mitt Romney was illegally registered to vote in his son's unfinished basement in Belmont, MA, despite having moved out of the state several years earlier. The recent release of Romney's 2010 federal tax returns did little to dispel the concern. The (occasional) Republican front-runner failed to include state returns in his release, nor any returns at all from 2009 or years prior. Karger has detailed that while Romney did not buy a house again in the state until July of 2010 (in anticipation of another Presidential run) he cast a ballot illegally in the January 2010 special election for U.S. Senate. Massachusetts law states that residency is clearly defined as "where a person dwells and which is the center of his domestic, social, and civil life." Nonetheless, residents in Belmont, MA, where Romney was allegedly registered in his son's basement at the time of his January 2010 vote, say neither he nor his wife had been seen in the town since selling their mansion and moving out of state years earlier. Karger has suggested he may file a federal complaint as well if state officials fail to act. An online petition calling on the Massachusetts Election Division to investigate Romney's alleged voter fraud was recently created at Change.org.
• Last month, in an exclusive at The BRAD BLOG, we confirmed the fact that the Virginia State Attorney General is officially investigating some 1,500 incidents of ballot petition fraud by the Newt Gingrich campaign related to the former U.S. House Speaker's failed attempt to qualify for the GOP Presidential Primary Election in his own home state. Gingrich had been video-taped late last year by CNN claiming to a supporter in Iowa, after failing to qualify for the ballot with 10,000 valid signatures: "We turned in 11,100 --- we needed 10,000 --- 1,500 of them were by one guy who, frankly, committed fraud." That, while Gingrich had joined with fellow Republicans over the years in falsely charging the community group ACORN with similar crimes. In fact, what Gingrich's campaign did in Virginia, if his own admission is accurate, appears far worse than anything ACORN has ever done. They had actually been the ones, in most cases, to have identified the fraud by a handful of their workers when verifying the validity of voter registrations before turning them all in --- as required by law --- to officials. Gingrich appears to have either failed to validate signatures before turning them or, unlike ACORN, appears to have failed to turn in the guilty parties to law enforcement once the fraud was discovered.
• In March of 2011, then GOP Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman was also identified as possibly having committed voter fraud. In his case, the former Governor remained registered to vote at the Executive Mansion in Utah well over a year after he had become the U.S. ambassador to China. As the Salt Lake Tribune noted at the time: "Huntsman voted by absentee ballot for last year's general election using the state-owned mansion on South Temple as his Utah residence — months after Gov. Gary Herbert settled into the historic building and Huntsman purchased a home in Washington, D.C."
• In a case remarkably similar to Sec. of State White's in Indiana, Missouri U.S. House Rep. Todd Akin is currently vying for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, even though, as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last year, Akin has been voting for years from a property outside of his own district where he does not live. The house, as the paper found, is currently vacant and has been long-scheduled for suburban re-development. Still, the Congressman has continued to use it as his voting address for some seven elections, ever since the time that he and his family moved to their new house in a different town some 18 miles away.
• In a ham-handed attempt to try and demonstrate that polling place voter fraud exists in New Hampshire, despite election officials' assertions to the contrary, GOP propagandist and federally convicted criminal James O'Keefe led a video-taped conspiracy to commit polling place voter fraud during the state's "First-in-the-Nation" Primary early last month. A Republican Mayor in the Granite State has since called for O'Keefe and his co-conspirators to be "arrested and prosecuted". A petition with more than 100,000 signatures was submitted recently to the state Attorney General calling for an investigation of O'Keefe on charges of voter fraud.
• In an amusing turn of events, religious Republican supporters of Newt Gingrich charge that religious Republican supporters of GOP Presidential candidate Rick Santorum rigged an informal election during a secret meeting near Austin last month. The confab had been called in an attempt by "religious conservative leaders" to coalesce their support around a single GOP alternative to Mitt Romney. The attempt appears to have failed.
Other recent cases of high-profile GOP voter fraud taking place prior to the last year, include, among others, GOP superstar Ann Coulter's multiple cases of demonstrated voter fraud, the 156-year sentences being served now by 8 top election officials in Clay County, KY, where they had changed the votes of voters on electronic voting systems, and the voter registration fraud convictions of the California GOP's voter registration firm before the 2008 Presidential election.
None --- not even one --- of the above detailed cases of election fraud would have been deterred or prevented by the disenfranchising polling place Photo ID restrictions Republicans are attempting to institute in at least a dozen states across the country prior to the 2012 Presidential election, even as the epidemic of election fraud by top GOP officials continues unabated.
UPDATE 2/6/12: More details on how the Maine GOP blatantly stole the 2012 Maine Caucuses for Mitt Romney, and whether it can be "stolen back". Full details now here...