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A leading innovator of world-class in the field of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., located in Kyoto, Japan. The company is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of hardware and software for the home console Wii Wee you portable Nintendo 3DS system line and Nintendo DS. In addition, by the company have been creating recognizable brands gaming industry as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon.
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Hackers have created a range of Trojan programs which exploit a dangerous new Windows Meta File vulnerability. The vulnerability is rated critical, and so far, no patch has been issued.
The WMF vulnerability exists in computers running Microsoft Windows XP with SP1 and SP2, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and stems from a flaw in a utility used to view picture and fax files. The security flaw might be exploited by inducing victims to view maliciously constructed sites, particularly where IE is used as a browser, or when previewing *.wmf format files with Windows Explorer.
Windows PCs infected by malware from the Trojan-Downloader Agent-ACD family are liable to download other malware programs onto a compromised machine as explained in an analysis by Russian anti-virus firm Kaspersky Lab here.
Kaspersky advises users not to open untrusted files with a *.wmf extension. Users should also configure their Internet Explorer security settings to "high" as a precaution, it recommends. Anti-virus firms are updating signature definition files to detect the risk, and protection is now largely in place. ®

subset: commoncrawl


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Bible VersionCross Reference KJV ASV BBE DBY WEB YLT WOR BibleCommentaries Matthew HenryJFB CommentaryWesley's NotesPeoples New Test. Geneva Study Bible Darby's Synopsis View Ephesians 2 in the note window.2:1 And 1 you [hath he quickened], who were a dead in 2 trespasses and sins; (1) He declares again the greatness of God's good will by comparing that miserable state in which we are born, with that dignity unto which we are advanced by God the Father in Christ. So he describes that condition in such a way that he says, that with regard to spiritual motions we are not only born half dead, but wholly and altogether dead. (a) See (Ro 6:2). So then he calls those dead who are not regenerated: for as the immortality of those who are damned is not life, so this knitting together of body and soul is properly not life, but death in those who are not ruled by the Spirit of God. (2) He shows the cause of death, that is, sins. 2:2 3 Wherein in time past ye walked 4 according to the course of this world, b according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now 5 worketh in the c children of disobedience: (3) He proves by the effects that all were spiritually dead. (4) He proves this evil to be universal, insomuch that all are slaves of Satan. (b) At the pleasure of the prince. (5) Men are therefore slaves to Satan, because they are willingly rebellious against God. (c) They are called the children of disobedience, who are given to disobedience. 2:3 6 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our d flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and 7 were by nature the e children of wrath, even as f others. (6) After he has separately condemned the Gentiles, he confesses that the Jews (among whom he numbers himself) are not the least bit better. (d) By the name of flesh in the first place, he means the whole man, which he divides into two parts: into the flesh, which is the part that the philosophers consider to be without reason, and into the thought, which they call reasonable. And so he leaves nothing in man half dead, but concludes that the whole man is by nature the son of wrath. (7) The conclusion: all men are born subject to the wrath and curse of God. (e) Men are said to be the children of wrath passively, that is to say, guilty of everlasting death by the judgment of God, who is angry with them. (f) Profane people who did not know God. 2:4 8 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (8) Now from this follows another member of the comparison declaring our excellency, that is, that by the power of Christ we are delivered from that death, and made partakers of eternal life, to the end that at length we may reign with him. And by various and different means he emphasises this, that the efficient cause of this benefit is the free mercy of God: and Christ himself is the material cause: and faith is the instrument, which also is the free gift of God: and the end is God's glory. 2:6 And hath raised [us] up g together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: (g) That is, as he adds afterwards, in Christ, for as yet this is not fulfilled in us, but only in our head by whose Spirit we have begun to die to sin, and live to God, until that work is fully brought to an end. And yet the hope is certain, for we are as sure of that which we look for, as we are of that which we have already received. 2:8 For by h grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: (h) So then, grace, that is to say, the gift of God, and faith, stand with one another, to which two it is contrary to be saved by ourselves, or by our works. Therefore, what do those mean who would join together things of such contrary natures? 2:9 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. (9) He specifically and completely takes away from our works the praise of justification, seeing that the good works themselves are the effects of grace in us. 2:10 For we are i his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (i) He speaks here of grace, and not of nature: therefore if the works are ever so good, see what they are, and know that they are that way because of grace. 2:11 10 Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are k called Uncircumcision by that which is l called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (10) Applying the former doctrine to the Gentiles, he shows that they were not only as the Jews by nature, but also after a special manner, strangers and without God. Therefore they ought so much the more remember that same so great a benefit of God. (k) You were called in no other state than as Gentiles, so that all the world might witness your uncleanness. (l) Of the Jews who were known by you by the mark of circumcision, the mark of the covenant. 2:12 That at that time ye were m without Christ, being n aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (m) He begins first with Christ, who was the end of all the promises. (n) You had no right or title to the commonwealth of Israel. 2:13 11 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (11) Christ is the only bond of the Jews and Gentiles, by whom they are reconciled to God. 2:14 12 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us]; (12) As by the ceremonies and worship appointed by the Law, the Jews were divided from the Gentiles, so now Christ, having broken down the partition wall, joins them both together, both in himself, and between themselves, and to God. From which it follows, that whoever permanently establishes the ceremonies of the Law, makes the grace of Christ void and of no effect. 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in o one body by the cross, having p slain the enmity thereby: (o) He alludes to the sacrifices of the Law, which represented that true and only sacrifice. (p) For he destroyed death by death, and fastened it as it were to the cross. 2:17 13 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. (13) The preaching of the Gospel is an effectual instrument of this grace, common to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles. 2:18 For q through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (q) Christ is the gate as it were, by whom we come to the Father, and the Holy Spirit is as it were, our guiding man who leads us. 2:19 14 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (14) The conclusion: the Gentiles are taken into the fellowship of salvation, and he describes the excellency of the Church, calling it the city and house of God. 2:20 15 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the r chief corner [stone]; (15) The Lord committed the doctrine of salvation, first to the prophets, and then to the apostles, the end of which, and matter as it were and substance, is Christ. Therefore that is indeed the true and universal Church which is built upon Christ by the prophets and apostles, as a spiritual temple consecrated to God. (r) That is the corner stone of the building, for the foundations are as it were corner stone of the building. 2:21 In whom all the building s fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (s) So that God is the workman not only of the foundation, but also of the whole building.
2:1 And 1 you [hath he quickened], who were a dead in 2 trespasses and sins;
2:9 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2:20 15 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the r chief corner [stone];
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The new and improved EZ-CLONE Classic Manifold is better than ever. With individually sized manifolds for each system size of the EZ-CLONE Classic Line. Optimal spray coverage is achieved with precise mister placement. Made from highly durable PVC plastic, these manifolds are ultrasonically welded during the manufacturing process to create the strongest bond possible which protects against splitting. Pair these with our EZ-CLONE 360-degree misters for an unrivaled combination. Proprietary design.
• Molded, durable ABS plastic
• Creates a thorough and even aeroponic mist
• Specially designed for each size system
(spray nozzles shown in photo are not included)


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Wall Art 100cmx150cm Milka chocolates by Suchard Gold Frame Canvas
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Print Details
Prints are professionally printed on premium canvas using premium pigment inks. Our art print makes the ideal gift for any occasion or great home decors for your place. We print and ship within Australia. High quality prints made in Australia.
Canvas Framed
1. Printed on premium canvas.
2. Stretched and gallery wrapped around a 3cm wooden stretcher and finished with a floating frame.
3. There is a gap of about 5 mm between the frame and print, which creates the floating effect and literally makes the canvas print stand out even more.
4. 35mm thickness floating mouldings, made of recycled, strong, and moisture-proof PE material (PE material is light, versatile synthetic resin made from the polymerization of ethylene.)
5. Proudly hand framed in Melbourne
6. Hanging wire pre-installed, arrive ready to hang
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MARQUIS is here! Well almost. Marquis Condo is just a few weeks away from beginning closings and during the last week I had a few chances to get into the building and get my fix. I have been dying to get into this building. Marquis is located at 1100 Biscayne Blvd and stands 67 stories tall (the second tallest residential building in Miami, behind the Four Seasons) across from Museum Park and Biscayne Bay. I was extremely excited to finally get in with my clients over the last week to look at many of the floorplans. I had a chance to preview 1 bedroom with dens, 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms and even an incredible 4 bedroom. Marquis is the last Downtown Miami Condo to open and the last in the Biscayne Wall which consists of Ten Museum Park, Marina Blue and 900 Biscayne Bay. Unlike many of the other developments built in Miami recently, Marquis includes only 306 exclusive residences and a boutique hotel within the building. The Hotel is named CASA Miami. This is a great feature for when you have visiting friends from out of town. You can put them up in the hotel and still be close enough. The hotel only consists of 56 rooms and is located between the 3rd and 14th floors so I wouldn't expect the hotel patrons to be in the way of the full time residents of Marquis. Marquis also will house a signature restaurant and I hear that a major chef is coming to the building. I won't disclose who until it's official but its big! So the first impression I had of the building was as I entered the lobby. There is a valet entrance with separate lobbies for the residents and also for the hotel. As we entered the lobby I noticed that every inch of the lobby was covered in some material. The walls were clad with Marble, Stone and Wood. A great feature is the private elevators to most lines in the building. We took the private elevator up to one of the floors and we took a look at the two bedroom one-story units which was a flow through unit offering both East and West views like most units in the building. I also was able to see a huge 4 bedroom on the North East corner and a large 3 bedroom on the South East corner. The views were mind-blowing from all units. The kitchens were very sleek with all Viking appliances, and the spacious master baths were appointed with Duravit and KWC fixtures. The terraces were huge and all living spaces had minimum 10-foot ceilings with 20-foot ceilings in some areas. The interior doors were also impressive, they went all the way up to the ceiling. Anyway here are the photos:
Marquis Lobby:
South Views from Marquis:
North Views from Marquis:
Marquis Kitchens:
Marquis Baths:
Marquis just WOW!
For showings of Marquis call me at 305-503-6183 – Samir Patel – Miami Condo Realty, Inc.
Samir Patel is a licensed real estate broker with Patel Real Estate, Inc. and author of the Miami Real Estate Blog – www.MiamiRealEstateBlog.com. Samir can be reached at 305-503-6183 or by email at email@example.com. Be sure to check out all of our featured properties for sale online at www.MiamiCondoRealty.com.
Copyright © 2009, Samir Patel.


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The recent biopic Rocketmanpainted a Hollywood version of Elton John's life, but a new memoir, Me, comes straight from the artist himself. In it, he describes how, as a young man, he was determined to enter the music business, in spite of some misgivings about rock 'n' roll in his household. As he tells Fresh Air, "My dad, of course, hated it."
And yet, that disapproval only fueled his will to succeed. Me recounts many more stories from the pop superstar's personal life, including how proposing to a woman helped him realize he was gay and how saying yes to a line of cocaine at a ranch in Colorado led to a long battle with addiction: "Of course, it was fool's gold. That was the start of a love-hate relationship with it for 16 years, basically." In conversation with Terry Gross, John explains how that habit and others eventually landed him in rehab, where he got the chance to start over.
"I hated the way I behaved. I hated how I treated people. I hated what I'd become. But I'm grateful that I had it, because then I learned how to become who I am now," John says. "I'm proud of who I am now. I like who I am."
Interview Highlights
On his parents' fraught marriage
My father and my mother should never have gotten married. They got married very quickly after the war, which a lot of people did, [and] they were totally unsuited to each other. The '50s was an incredibly tough time to grow up in: It was after the war, it was very conservative — so if you were in a marriage and you wanted to get out of it, it was very tough, because divorce was frowned on socially. I can remember my uncle, when my parents were thinking of getting divorced, saying, "You can't get a divorce. What will the next-door neighbors say?" That was what it was like.
The nice thing about it is that when they did get divorced, and my mother found Fred and my dad found Edna, they found the love of their lives. That, I'm very happy about. But the bit in between it was hard to take. I dreaded my dad coming home, because it would be a row immediately. And then I would retreat to my room, look at my books, look at my records, look at my toys. I found [a] love of inanimate objects, because inanimate objects, which I kept in pristine condition, couldn't harm me or talk back to me.
On the music of his youth
I grew up with Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra. I loved George Shearing. He was a jazz player, a pianist who was blind, and when I first became successful in the early '70s, I went to New York and I found him. I said, "Thank you. I grew up with your music and it was fantastic. I was only 6 or 7 years old when heard your music, but I loved it and it made me want to play the piano like you." I was very grateful to the music I had. But when Elvis Presley came knocking on the door, and Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, who started jumping on the piano, then that was what I wanted to do.
On discovering sex and how it compared with music
I didn't have sex until I was 23 — that was the first time. I didn't know anything about it. ... I thought the thing you had to do was take a girl out to the cinema, and maybe try and get your hand into her brassiere. I tried that a couple of times, and I got rebuffed quite quickly, and it didn't turn me on. So you know, it was all about music. Music was sex for me.
A lot of rock musicians go into rock music to pull girls; that's one of the big attractions. "We can play onstage, and we can flirt with the girls, then we can go backstage, and then we can take them home, and we can have sex with them." That was never my motive. I was just wanted to play music. I was so obsessed with music, nothing entered my head apart from that.
On the effects of cocaine
It made me feel horny, and it was an aphrodisiac for me. On the other hand, it's the aphrodisiac that couldn't perform. But it was part of the fantasy: It wasn't so much the act of having sex, it was the fantasy about it. And the fantasy, sometimes, is better than the actual act of sex itself, I think.
So this was the drug that made me feel horny, but I couldn't do anything about it, and I think that's probably why I didn't get HIV and I didn't get AIDS in the 1980s, because I didn't participate so much as watch. Cocaine nearly killed me, but it saved me as well, because I like to watch and it fulfilled my fantasies.
It was all about music. Music was sex for me.
On the darkest moments of his addiction
I didn't take drugs constantly, all the time. I would stop for nine months. But whenever you go back to something you love like cocaine, it gets worse every time you relapse, and you take more. I'd think, "I will get well, I will get well," and then the madness of it all is, while I was thinking that, I'd be taking yet another line of cocaine.
I would have seizures in the middle of the night, and people would find me on the floor and put me to bed. Twenty minutes later, I'd be up doing cocaine again. They would put me into bed and say, "We've got to call the doctor," and I said, "No, no, I'll be fine." The seizures were horrible. They were really distressing. And that's how mad and how dangerous my addiction was. I look back at it with sheer horror.
On rehab
There were no celebrity rehabs then; I was at boot camp. I got up at six o'clock in the morning. I shared a room. I had to make my bed. I had to work a washing machine, which I didn't know how to do. And I worked really, really hard. I went in kicking and screaming, ready to get well. But also I had a problem with authoritarianism. I, at one point, left and sat on the steps outside the hospital with my suitcase crying, thinking, "What are you doing? Where are you going to run to now and behave like this yet again?" So I went back and I ate humble pie.
You have to have humility to get sober. I listened and I listened and I listened, and gradually, it dawned on me. I thought I was the only person that took drugs and did what I did. Of course, listening to people in group therapy saying, "I did this," I'd think, "Oh you did? How fabulous! Then I'm not the only person that did this." I didn't feel alone anymore.
Sam Briger and Mooj Zadie produced and edited the audio of this interview. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Daoud Tyler-Ameen adapted it for the Web.
Copyright 2023 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.


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Since the Samsung Galaxy S3 on a variety of carriers including Verizon, has started to arrive on the doorsteps of many of you, we thought we would spend some time today to talk about a couple of your case options. Last week, we looked at the offerings of RearthUSA, but today are switching over to Spigen SGP. In hand, we have their Argos leather flip case and the Folio faux leather case, each in a handful of colors.
After you read through our thoughts on them, be sure to jump to the bottom to get in on some contest action. That's right, you can win everything you are seeing today.
Folio Faux Leather Case
The Folio Faux Leather case comes in a greyish brown, navy blue, and the reddish color you are seeing in the pics above. The material itself is obviously not leather, but it feels really nice in hand. It has almost this ribbed feeling that definitely gives it enough grip to help keep it in hand. The flip mechanism doesn't feel cheap, and you even have a slot to keep a business card or two. There are indents for the volume rocker and lock switch so that you shouldn't have any trouble finding or pressing them. There are camera, speaker, headphone jack, and microUSB cutouts on the back and bottom as well, so that you will never miss a shot, sound or charge.
For the most part, I like the feel and look of this case, but I do have one small gripe. With a phone inserted, it doesn't really feel like it hugs it tight enough, for me anyway. Now, your phone certainly isn't going to fall out of this case or anything like that, but it would have been more impressive had it really hugged my Galaxy S3 just in case the material starts to give over time. Overall, it's a solid flip case option. The price is $39.99 though, and again, it's not real leather. [Buy]
Argos Leather Flip Case
The Argos Leather Flip case is definitely like no other case I have ever held. Rather than flipping to the side, this flip case goes vertical on you. So when holding it in hand, the top cover actually moves down from a top latch to give you access to the phone. There are cutouts for the volume rocker, lock switch, camera, and speakers, however, the microUSB port is only accessible with the top flipped open. I sort of like the idea of the case flipping down and out of your way, but it would definitely take some getting used to.
This case is made of genuine leather, comes in 3 colors (white, black, and brown), and is listed at $39.99 on Spigen's site. Personally, this genuine leather feel is not for me, but for those that have chosen leather in the past, you may be good here. To me, the faux leather of the flip case feels much nicer in hand. Who knows, maybe once this genuine leather has worked itself in a bit, it'll feel amazing. [Buy]
We have emailed our winners. Go check your email and see if you got lucky. 🙂
Let's give all of these away, along with a screen protector! Some of you may have your orders by tomorrow or early next week, so the last thing we would want is for you case lovers to be walking around naked.
1. In the comments, tell us why you chose to buy a Galaxy S3.
2. Then tell us which of these cases or screen protector you would like. Your choices are:
*We have 1 black Argos, 1 white Argos, 1 brown Argos, 1 red Folio, 1 blue Folio, 1 grey Folio, and a Ultra Nano Clear screen protector.
3. Tomorrow at 9AM Pacific, we will choose our winners.
Good luck!


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To quote another artist exhibiting at Sonar, 'I hate crowds, but I've never hated a crowd this big.' SonarMatica (the multimedia exhibition inside Sonar Complex) turned out to be a nice place to escape from the relentless chaos and irreparable ear damage. Be warned, there is nothing in this blog about music and only very partial coverage of one multimedia exhibition. I managed to miss SonarCinema, Sonarama and Arte Digital A La Carta, having spent all my time in the dark vault where Sonarmatica took place nursing my piece.
The theme at Sonarmatica this year is future-past cinema. Beautiful pieces of pre-cinematic technology are resurrected and displayed side by side with some very slick new media art. This really brings an interesting historical perspective to the exhibition. I think it's a good idea to be humbled by the old timers now and then. For example, Alvaro Cassinelli's 'Boxed Ego' which exploits stereoscopic lenses faces a large 18th century stereoscope. Two centuries can be traversed by a few steps. 'Boxed Ego' invites the audience to peer into a box to see a tiny three dimensional video of him/her self in the act of peeping. The video is deliberately delayed which creates an interesting awareness of time. The theme of self-voyeurism is unsurprisingly very popular with the festival goers.
Marnix de Nijs's "The Beijing Accelerator" is quite an experience. A joy stick is used to synchronize the movement of the chair with the movement of the city scape on screen. Giddy, disorienting and fun, it's tempting to ignore what the artist intends and just spin as fast as possible while trying not to fall off.
"Stage Fright" uses the simple mechanism of a swing to make a simple narrative unfold. The participant must swing as high as possible in order to see what happens next. The project is developed at the Medialab-Prado during the Interativos workshop with a team of awesome collaborators. I especially want to thank Valeria Marraco, Sytse Wierenga and Emanuel Andel for creating the video.
One of my favorite pieces at SonarMatica is Julien Maire's performance "DemiPas". It features a converted projector that uses slides which are intricate little machines in themselves. The complicated mechanical movement of the 'slides' animate different scenes and push the story forward. It was whimsical and moving, I strongly recommend seeing it. It worked nicely with Takashi Kawashima's shadow puppetry performance "Takashi's Seasons" which mixes the traditional and the new.
Other cool pieces…
FLIPBOOK! – Juan Carlos Ospina Gonzalez / Fabrica
Andy Cameron, Oriol Ferrer Mesià, David McDougall, Joel Gethin Lewis, Hansi Raber – FABRICA – We Are The Time. We Are The Famous
Julian Oliver – levelHead
Paola Guimerans, Horacio González e Igor González – Biophionitos
A zoetrope!


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Switchbacks.com is all about taking the trail: enlisting outdoor enthusiasts to take GPS recordings of the trails of the Great Northwest, compiling those submissions, and then distributing that data back to the community in a form that they can take with them out into the woods. Below are some of the products available on this site:
These mapsets are free to download and use. However, if you find them useful please consider making a donation to help offset the costs incurred in producing and offering them!


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Q&A: What are trans fats anyway, and why are they so bad?
What is a trans fat, and why is it so dangerous that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants it removed from the food supply?
These are just some of the questions on the minds of diners as they digest Thursday's FDA action. Although consumption of artificial trans fats is already on the decline, FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said further reductions could save 7,000 lives each year.
Need help understanding this news? Read on:
What is a trans fat?
These fats – also known as trans fatty acids – are made by adding hydrogen to liquid oil, which turns it into a solid, like margarine or Crisco. This makes it a handy ingredient for processed food manufacturers, since it improves the texture, stability and shelf life. It's also inexpensive. Today, it's often used in foods including microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, packaged cookies, cans of frosting and frozen pizza, among others.
Where does it come from?
Trans fats are a natural component of animal products such as milk and meat. The FDA says that it is synthesized in the guts of grazing animals.
Artificial trans fats were invented in 1901 by Wilhelm Normann. The German chemist added hydrogen gas to liquid oils and came up with a cheaper alternative to natural products like lard and butter. For many years, these partially hydrogenated oils were believed to be safer than trans fats from animals, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI. But by the early 1990s, epidemiologists were realizing that the fats contributed to heart disease.
Why are trans fats bad for your health?
It's not just bad, it's doubly bad. For one thing, it increases blood levels of the "bad" cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein. High levels of LDL increase one's risk of coronary heart disease, including angina, heart attacks and other potentially fatal problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To make matters worse, researchers also believe that trans fats reduce blood levels of high-density lipoprotein, the "good" cholesterol. HDL appears to reduce heart risks by funneling blood cholesterol to the liver, where it's broken down and removed from the body. There's also evidence that HDL slows the buildup of dangerous plaques in the arteries, the American Heart Assn. says.
CSPI, the nonprofit advocacy group that petitioned the FDA to require labeling of trans fats way back in 1994, has declared artificial trans fats "the most harmful fat of all" on a gram-per-gram basis.
Haven't trans fats been banned already?
In some places, yes. In 2006, New York City became the first city to prohibit the use of artificial trans fats in restaurants and bakeries. California passed a law to phase out their use in restaurants in 2008. The first country to virtually ban artificial trans fats was Denmark, which took that action in 2003.
What about foods I buy in the grocery store?
Many food makers have reformulated their products to remove artificial trans fats – and when they do, they often tout their success on packages. Some examples of processed foods that are now trans-fat-free include Oreo cookies, Cheetos, Pop–tarts and instant Jell–O pudding.
So what exactly happened on Thursday?
The FDA announced its intent to remove partially hydrogenated oils from its list of ingredients that are "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS). That would effectively prevent food makers from using it in their products. Members of the public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal. If it takes effect, it would mark the first time since 1969 an item has been removed from the GRAS list. (Then, the artificial sweetener cyclamate was knocked off the list due to concerns about bladder cancer, liver damage and birth defects. Subsequent studies have found it to be safe in humans.)
Remind me again – what are partially hydrogenated oils?
These are the primary source of artificial trans fats. (Think of Wilhelm Normann adding hydrogen gas to liquid oils a century ago.)
Will this FDA action improve my health?
There's good evidence that removing trans fats from foods – both through government regulation and voluntarily measure by industry – has already improved the nation's health.
To cite just one example: Researchers from the CDC examined concentrations of trans fatty acids in blood samples collected as part of its ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They found that between 2000 and 2009, levels of four types of trans fatty acids fell by an average of 58%. They reported their results last year in the Journal of the American Medical Assn.
Another study based in part on the survey's data calculated that the average American consumed 1.3 grams of artificial trans fats per day between 2003 and 2006. That's a significant reduction from the 4.6 grams that the FDA said each American adult was eating every day (on average) in 2003. These findings were published in 2012 in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants.
If trans fats are so awful, shouldn't I reduce my consumption to zero?
Not necessarily. It would be great to eliminate all artificial trans fats from your diet, but remember that some trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products. Unless you're a vegan, you'll probably keep eating some of the fats.
But you shouldn't necessarily freak out about this. The Institute of Medicine considered this very question in a 2005 report and concluded that reducing trans fat consumption to zero would cause radical changes in diet that might deprive people of protein and essential micronutrients. The health consequences of this are "unknown and unquantifiable."
If you're interested in the latest health news, you like the things I write about. Follow me on Twitter and "like" Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook.
Time to end the war against saturated fat?
Do you need to be a vegetarian to lead a healthy life?
FDA trans fat ban: Proposal makes clear no amount is safe


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Radio Canada International recordings collection
- Collection
- 1977-1987, predominant 1983-1987
The collection consists of audio cassettes and vinyl records (33 1/3) created by Radio Canada International in the course of promoting Canada and Canadian culture to the people of Japan. The collection has been arranged into four series, which reflect the various formats the broadcasts were made up of, and include Japanese Topical Cassettes, Japanese Economic Topical Cassettes, Japanese Canadian Magazine, and Japanese Topical Discs.
Radio Canada International


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LaGrangeville septic tanks
A properly functioning septic tank is vital to the health and safety of your family in LaGrangeville. Don't wait for serious problems to occur before you call Wiccopee Construction Inc. to inspect, repair or provide a completely new installation of your septic system. If you have an older home, or if you've recently begun construction on a new one, Wiccopee Construction Inc. is ready with the knowledge and equipment you require to ensure that your septic tank and drainage system functions at peak efficiency.
If you live anywhere in the LaGrangeville region, where access to sewage services is not provided, our experienced excavation crew can help you determine the best options for dependable everyday usage.
Emergency septic tank inspection
Call Wiccopee Construction Inc. immediately for an emergency inspection at (845) 721-1120 if you detect any foul odor signaling a malfunction with your existing septic tank.


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The Elisabeth Bell prints have been hand-colored by our talented Senior Designer Simonne Clay:
All of the images in the Whimsy Prints Collection are very straightforward and easy to use. They can be attached directly to your project with glue or double-sided tape. Use them as is or cut to fit the needs of your project. One of the benefits of using Whimsy Prints is to cut back on the amount of time needed to hand color images. To summarize, this is a great way to make quick projects when time is of the essence! These are also wonderful for beginner crafters and kid projects. If you joined us for our last 2 releases, you may have seen some of the beautiful projects our DT and Special Guests have created using these prints.
Today we are showcasing these gorgeous Whimsy Prints with a special BLOG HOP! In addition to our regular Special Guests, we are delighted to welcome both Crissy Armstrong and Elisabeth Bell who are joining us for this hop! The hop starts today (Friday November 30th at 12.00PM EST) and ends on Monday December 3rd at 12.00PM EST. For this hop we have 4 different candy stops where you can enter to win a set of Whimsy Prints. The location of these candy stops is a secret, so if you haven't found them, please go back to the beginning and start hopping! If you would like to hop along with us today and haven't arrived from the Denise's blog, please CLICK HERE to return to the beginning of the hop at Bev's blog.
Today I have several projects to show you and they were all so quickly finished that I am beginning to just LOVE these Whimsy Prints. The first two are merely using the Prints to decorate some glossy gift bags....
-Holiday Sentimentables Die
-DP - Echo Park Winter Wishes
-Organza Ribbon, Snowflake Charm, Silver Metallic Cord, Snowflake Ornament, Crystal Flowers, WOC Trellis Rose, Open Roses, Stardust Stickles, Rhinestone Tape, SB Grand Circles
-Cardinal in Winter from the Winter's Magic Print Collection
-Holiday Sentimentables Die
-DP - Doodlebug North Pole Paper Pad
-Organza Ribbon, Pre-gathered Lace, Holly Buttons, SB Ovals, Self-Adhesive Pearls, StarDust Stickles
Next is a little gift box which measures 6"x6"x4" and it is decorated on 5 sides.
-Sun Kissed's Christmas Tree from the Christmas Joy Prints Collection
-Holiday Sentimentables Die
-DP - BoBunny Powder Mountain Paper Pad
-Organza Ribbon, Snowflake Ornaments, Sparkling Rhinestones, Self-Adhesive Rhinestones, StarDust Stickles
So now it's time for you to continue the hop by hopping over to Ellie's blog. Finally, here is a complete blog hop list in hopping order:
Thank you so much for hopping with us today and I hope you enjoy our Whimsy Prints projects! If you would like to see more Whimsy Prints projects, check out our latest mini magazine over on our Issuu site. This mini issue is filled with beautiful projects, all using prints from the Whimsy Prints Collections. Have a marvelous weekend!!! HUGS!!


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Project Info
Architects: design/buildLAB at VA Tech School of Architecture + Design
Location: Clifton Forge, Virginia
Project Team: Tyler Atkins, Lauren Duda, Huy Duong, Derek Ellison, Megumi Ezure, Katherine Harpst, Kyle Lee, Leo Naegele, Margaret Nelson, Leah Schaffer, Ian Shelton, Brent Sikora, Emarie Skelton, Samantha Stephenson, Taylor Terrill, Samantha Yeh (All students of VA Tech). Along with Marie Zawistowski, Architecte DPLG (Professor of Practice); Keith Zawistowski, Assoc. AIA, GC (Professor of Practice).
Year: 2011 – 2012
Photographs: Jeff Goldberg/ESTO
Owner: Masonic Amphitheatre LLC
General Contractor: Commonwealth Contracting Services
Structural/Civil Engineer: Draper Aden and Associates
Theatre Consultant: Theatre Consultants Collaborative
Acoustical Consultants: Michael Ermann, Ana Jaramillo
Environmental Impact Consultant: Robert Schuber
Geotechnical Engineer: Froehling & Robertson, Inc
Hydraulic Engineer: Hassan Water Resources
Truss Engineering: Timber Truss
CAM Technician: Chip Clark
Landscape Consultant: Brian KatenOwner
Project Funding: $150,000 cash grant from The Alleghany Foundation and significant in-kind material and service contributions from local contractors and suppliers, as well as national and international product manufacturers.
Materials: Alpolic Metal Composite Panels: Mitsubishi Plastics Composites, White Oak Decking: Union Church Millworks, Structural Steel: BMG Metals, Elastomeric Roofing: Hydro Stop, Prefabricated Wood Trusses: Timber Truss, Paint: Sherwin Williams, Conduits: Kelly Bev-Way, Concrete and Reinforcing Steel: Conmat Group, Electrical Components: State Electric, LED Lighting: RAB, Fasteners: Stafford Nut & Bolt, Sod: Lavery Sod Farm, Trees: Cooke's Gardens, Heavy Equipment: United Rentals
Software: Rhino3D OSX, AutoCAD 2012 Mac (Educational Verison), CATT-Acoustic v9
The project consists of the complete redevelopment of a post-industrial brownfield into a public park and performance space. The idea driving the design is that the built elements are sculptural forms emerging out of the landscape of the park. The park is a series of extruded lawns and carved paths that knit the surrounding urban fabric into the site's circulation. The built elements include a stage with acoustic shell, a backstage with loading dock, green room and wings, a seating area, and a sound and lighting control booth.
The ground plane is peeled up from the stage to create its shell. Steam-bent white oak walls curve to define secluded pockets offstage and intermediary zones of varying intimacy, allowing performers to slip in and out of audience view. The interior walls and ceiling of the shell are sculpted to naturally project acoustics toward the audience.
Its interior is lined in CNC-routed composite panels with aluminum, zinc, titanium and stainless steel skins. The backstage area is conceived as a creek-side terrace: an intimate place for waiting performers or a casual place for social interaction. To this end, benches pull up from the deck to invite pause and crape myrtle trees push through its surface to provide shade. The rough-sawn white oak cladding dampens the noise of the rushing creek water, allowing it to resonate on the backstage terrace but muting it from the stage and audience.
Wood benches provide cool summer seating for an audience of 200 in the sloping gravel orchestra. Staggered alignment allows for wheel chairs and folding chairs to be dispersed within the audience rather than at the periphery. A central aisle, sliced diagonally through the benches, allows people to get in and out with minimal disturbance to their neighbors and accentuates a major pedestrian axis across the town. The elevated lawns provide overflow seating for an additional 800. Sound and lighting is controlled from a covered booth: an oak wedge, nested at the corner of the seating area. Its shape and location provide maximum shelter for the control equipment with minimal impact on audience sight lines. The material pallet anchors the project in its context, while the timeless contours reflect the creativity and aspirations of a forward thinking community.
Urban Revitalization: Clifton Forge, Virginia is representative of many previously prosperous American rail towns, struggling to survive as the industries, which fueled their growth, continue to abandon them. Tucked within a small valley along the Jackson River, this rural Appalachian town faces severe urban challenges. Deserted storefronts, empty houses, and decaying infrastructure all contribute to an underlying sense of abandonment.
The redeveloped site provides much needed public space along the creek, at the center of town. The park and amphitheatre serve to knit together the fragments of a fledgling arts based re-vitalization in neighboring buildings. The Masonic Amphitheatre is a cultural anchor that belongs to the community at large. It is a vibrant center of spontaneous public gathering that promotes community, supports local businesses, and nurtures the arts.
Collaboration: The Masonic Amphitheatre is a charitable undertaking that was designed and built by 16 third year undergraduate Architecture students from Virginia Tech's design/buildLAB. After studying the town and working with the community to develop a program, all 16 students made individual design propositions for the project. From those, a master plan was determined, and students iteratively merged their proposals. In this way, all of the students contributed ideas to the discussion. It was imperative from a pedagogical perspective that not one "scheme" was chosen. Rather, all students collaborated to develop the final design for the project.
Sustainability: Material re-use was essential to the project's sustainable approach. To this end, the decaying industrial warehouse that previously occupied the site was disassembled rather than demolished. The vast majority of its material, including pine timbers and galvanized cladding, were re-purposed to build a Farmers Market in a neighboring town. Materials like scrap metal and plastics, not suitable for re-use, were re-cycled.
Because the site previously housed an industrial production facility, its warehouse sat on a massive concrete plinth that was conserved as the stage and foundation for the new amphitheatre, minimizing concrete use and disturbance along the adjacent creek.
All new surfaces are pervious, minimizing run-off to the delicate creek ecosystem. To this end, new floors are wood decking and new hard surfaces are compacted gravel fines. Lumber, including white oak decking, was sourced from locally sawn timbers. LED lighting ensures long bulb life and extremely low energy consumption. Finally, the pavilion was oriented and shade trees were planted to limit solar gain and eliminate the need for mechanical cooling.
Digital Fabrication: Digital fabrication played a substantial role in the sustainability of the project by maximizing structural efficiency and minimizing waste. The structure of band shell walls are comprised of prefabricated wood trusses. The geometry of the trusses was determined by cutting the 3D model every two feet on center. The trusses were then machine fabricated offsite by a conventional wood truss manufacturer. This helped to minimize waste and time spent manufacturing.
Additionally, the Alpolic Metal Composite panels used to clad the underside of the band shell were digitally fabricated. Due to the curved nature of the building, the size and shape of each panel was different. In order to ease the process, each panel's size and shape was determined using a 3D model then cut using Virginia Tech's CNC router.
Prefabrication: All component parts are based on a 10' wide module to facilitate prefabrication and transportation to the site. At the scale of the town, the building reads as a seamless gesture. At the scale of the occupant, the details express the modular construction.
The students prefabricated the Amphitheatre structure, including floor, walls, sound booth, roof panels, and benches at VA Tech's Environmental Systems Laboratory. A local contractor was hired to complete the foundations and utility connections. This allowed for two phases of construction, site work and framing, to happen simultaneously. In total, the students prefabricated and assembled the structure in less than four months. The efficiency of working in a controlled environment, with easy access to tools and equipment was essential in achieving the schedule of one academic year.


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Our Mandarin medical translation teams have been carefully vetted and put together to ensure that they cover a broad range of areas within medicine.
The strength and breadth of our team's experience allows us to place your work with individuals who have exactly the skill set and experience to give you precise and accurate Mandarin medical translations.
Our approach is to build specific teams of Mandarin medical translators for each client's work, or project. We carefully vet our Mandarin medical translators before they arrive on our database, collecting references and test translations, and our recruitment process is designed to really drill down on the exact areas of specialisation within medicine.
Areas of expertise are then stored as keywords, searchable by our Project Management Team.
The testing process is designed to ensure that these specialisations are backed up by good translation skills and the right terminological knowledge in Mandarin.
Once registered, our Mandarin medical translators are subject to ongoing quality assurance processes, which allow us to track translator performance over time, and to develop a well rounded picture of their expertise, strengths and weaknesses.
We have specialist teams of Mandarin linguists in various fields and competences. They are experts in their industry, with relevant knowledge and experience, and we assign them to work according to their skills sets.
Although many of our Mandarin linguists are located in China we also have a large number of mother tongue Mandarin translators and interpreters dispersed all around the world. Our global Project Management presence and dispersed teams of Mandarin translators means that we can offer you real advantages where you have tight turnaround requirements.
Mandarin is made up of a group of connected varieties of Chinese spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. As most Mandarin dialectic is found in the north, the group who speak it is often referred to, especially among Chinese speakers, as the "northern dialect". When the group is taken as one language, often done in academia, it has more native speakers at nearly a billion than any other modern language.
A southwestern-dialect speaker and a northeastern-dialect speaker may have trouble communicating except through standard language, mostly because of the variances in tone. Nonetheless, this variance within the language is less obvious than the much greater differences found between other varieties of Chinese; this is thought to be down to a recent spread of Mandarin across China, combined with a greater ease of communication and travel compared to the mountainous south of China.
For the majority of Chinese history, the capital city has been in the Mandarin area, making it very influential. Since the 14th century, at least some form of Mandarin has been the national lingua franca. In the early part of the 20th century, a standard form based on the dialect of Beijing, with elements from other dialects was accepted as the national language. Standard Chinese, which has also been referred to as "Mandarin", Pǔtōnghuà or Guóyǔ, is the official language of the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China, and one of four official languages used in Singapore. It is also one of the most used types of Chinese among Chinese diaspora communities globally.
"Mandarin" is an English word, derived from Portuguese mandarim, from Malay menteri, and from Sanskrit mantrin with a meaning of counsellor or minister, originally meant an official of the empire. As their dialects were varied and frequently mutually unintelligible, these officials conversed using a koiné based on some northern dialects. After Jesuit missionaries learned this standard language in the 16th century, they named it Mandarin, from its Chinese name Guānhuà, meaning the "language of the officials".
In everyday English, stating Mandarin will refer to Standard Chinese, which is often just called "Chinese". Standard Chinese has its origins in the particular dialect spoken in the capital of Beijing, with some syntactic and lexical influence from other Mandarin dialects. It is the official language of the PRC and the ROC/Taiwan. It is also in use as the language of instruction in the PRC and in Taiwan. Mandarin is one of the six languages used officially in the United Nations, where it is called "Chinese". Modern day speakers refer to the modern standard language as Pǔtōnghuà, meaning on the mainland, Guóyǔ, in Taiwan or Huáyǔ, in Singapore and Malaysia, but not as Guānhuà.
This text uses the term "Mandarin" in the way that is used by linguists, alluding to the diverse group of dialects spoken in southwestern and northern China, which native linguists call Guānhuà. The alternative term Běifānghuà, meaning Northern dialect, is used increasingly less among Chinese linguists. By extension of this, the term "Old Mandarin" is used when referring to northern dialects recorded in texts from the Yuan dynasty.
Natives who are not linguists may not recognize that the different languages they speak are classed in linguistics as members of the Mandarin language in a broader sense. Within Chinese cultural or social discourse, there is not a common Mandarin identity that is based on language alone; rather, there are strong regional identities centred around the individual dialects because of the cultural diversity and geographical distribution of their speakers. Speakers of other forms of Mandarin different than the standard will typically refer to the variety they speak by a geographic name—for example Hebei dialect, Sichuan dialect, or Northeastern dialect, all regarded as distinctive from the standard language.
As with all of the other varieties of the language, there is noteworthy dispute as to whether Mandarin is a dialect or a language.
Most Han Chinese living in south-western and northern China have become through history native speakers of a dialect of Mandarin. The North China Plain meant few barriers to migration, leading to comparative linguistic homogeneity over a widespread area in the northern part of China. In contrast, the rivers and mountains of southern China have produced the other six groups of Chinese dialects.
Despite this, the varieties cover a massive area containing around a billion people. As a result, there are pronounced variations regionally in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, and many varieties of Mandarin are not mutually intelligible.
Most of the northeastern area of China, except for Liaoning, didn't receive major settlements by Han Chinese until the 18th century, resulting in the Northeastern Mandarin dialects being spoken there differ little from the type spoken in Beijing Mandarin. The Manchu people who inhabit this province now speak these dialects exclusively. The frontier areas of Southwest and Northwest China were colonized by Mandarin speakers, and the dialects in those provinces also closely resemble their relations in the core Mandarin area. Despite this, long-established large cities that are very close to Beijing, such as Baoding, Tianjin, Shenyang, and Dalian, have distinctly different dialects.


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Welcome to Transition Robotics Inc.
Transition Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2011 to deliver unmanned aerial system platforms with breakthrough efficiency and capability. TRI provides solutions for a wide range of applications including aerial photography, remote sensing, inspection, and surveys.
Today, TRI is pleased to announce the JumpShip, a new type of vehicle aimed at addressing the growing need for an efficient and safe system capable of operations with constrained takeoff and landing areas.
In addition, TRI executes design, prototyping, testing and manufacturing projects for, and in collaboration with, research institutions, universities and industry clients.


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Events and Exhibits
■ For the month of July, the Kenai Fine Art Center will host an exhibit of quilting from around the state, coordinated by Jan Wallace, and a solo show of work by Kaitlin Vadla in the main gallery. The center is located at 816 Cook Avenue in Old Town Kenai. For more information, call 907-283-7040.
■ The 4th Annual Kenai Peninsula Beer Festival is August 9. It is outdoors at the Soldotna Sports Center from 5-10 p.m. $30 admission. It is a 21-and-older event. For more information, visit www.kenaibeerfest.com.
■ The Kenai Fine Arts Center has issued a call for artists for its October 2014 Experimental Exhibit. Call Joy, 283-0515, if you have questions.
■ The Kenai Watershed Forum will host the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, one of the largest conservation and adventure film festivals in North America, to the Kenai Peninsula again this August. The festival will be showing at different locations across the Kenai Peninsula including: August 5 — Homer Theater, Homer; August 7 — K.M Rae Building, Seward; August 8 — Kenai Visitors Center, Kenai. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; showing begins at 6 p.m. For more information or tickets, visit www.kenaiwatershed.org or call 907-260-5449 ext 1202.
■ The Peninsula Art Guild has issued a call for local artists' to donate up to two pieces of art to the annual Harvest Auction, Sept. 27. Pieces should be delivered by 5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 30, to the Kenai Fine Arts Center, 816 Cook Ave., Old Town Kenai. For more information, call 283-7040.
■ Veronica's cafe in old town Kenai has a Friday night open mic from 6:30 – 9 p.m. On this Saturday we have the talented Sam playing for the first time, so come in and enjoy our home made food, desserts and coffees that are heavenly, come and enjoy one of the many great nights at Veronica's Cafe.
■ Join Steve and Fern Holloway for Karaoke every Saturday night at the Kenai Moose Lodge. Singing starts at 9 p.m. and everyone is welcome.
■ An all acoustic jam takes place every Thursday. The jam is as Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna on the first Thursday of the month, and at the Kenai Senior Center during the rest of the month. Jam starts at 6:30 p.m.
■ AMVETS Post 4 is open to all military veterans and their families for support and camaraderie. Join us for Friday night tacos, or Saturday night steaks with Karaoke. Sunday afternoon its super hamburgers. Not a member? Stop by and we can show you how to become a part of this special veteran's organization. AMVETS is located in the Red Diamond Center next door to IDEA Schools.
■ Odie's Deli in Soldotna has live music Friday from 6-8 p.m. and Pub Quiz night every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m.
■ The Studio Espresso Shop at Spur Highway and Nikiski Avenue in Nikiski hosts an open mic night on Saturdays starting at 7 p.m. Call 776-7655.
■ The Bow bar in Kenai has karaoke at 9 p.m. Thursdays and live music Fridays, Saturdays at 10 p.m.
■ Hooligans Saloon in Soldotna has poker Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 5:30 p.m. and live music Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
■ The Duck Inn on Kalifornsky Beach Road has karaoke at 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and DJ Arisen on Saturdays.
■ Mykel's in Soldotna has live music Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. with Robb Justice, and Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. with Bob Ramponi and Dave Unruh.
■ The Duck Inn will have live music from 7 to 10 p.m. every Wednesday with Robb Justice and Trio.
■ Main Street Tap and Grill has Wednesday karaoke with KJ Natalia, Thursday acoustic music with Dustin and Friends and Keeley & Nelson, and live music and dancing with 9Spine Friday and Saturday.
■ Four Royal Parkers on the Kenai Spur Highway in Soldotna has live music with Bob Ramponi and the Alaska Swing Company Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m.
■ The Christ Lutheran Church in Soldotna is hosting "An Evening of Piano with Jason Farnham," on Friday August 15 at 7.m. Farnam described his style as George Winston, Victor Borge, Schroeder from Peanuts & Beethoven on steroids, thrown in a blender. He'll use a toy piano, in addition to the grand piano. The show is family-friendly and appropriate for all age groups. There will be a mix of jazz standards with original arrangements, bossa nova, original tunes, classical with a twist and humor throughout. He'll play a tune upside down and does a remix of Beethoven's Fur Elise called "Fur Crying Out Loud Elise, Let's Dance!" Tickets are $10 at the door with kids 10 and under free. Farnam will also play at the Bunnell Street Gallery in Homer on Sunday August 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for that show are $20 suggested at the door, kids 12 and under $10.
Markets, fairs and bazaars
■ Kenai's Saturday Market is open every Saturday through Sept. 13. It is held in the grassy area across the parking lot from the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. The market will include very talented folks selling beautiful Alaskan Arts & Crafts. Fresh vegetables will start showing up about the middle of June. Vendor rates are as low as $20 per Saturday and spaces are limited, so pick up an application at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center or call Harold at 283-1991.
■ The Central Kenai Peninsula Farmer's Market is open each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until mid-September. This market features Alaskan Grown and Alaska Made products and includes fresh baked goods, jams, jellies, fresh vegetables and gift items. The market is located at the corner of Corral Street and the Kenai Spur Highway at the bus "turn-around." New vendors are welcome. Call Carolyn at 262-7502 for more information.
■ A new farmers' market in downtown Ninilchik is open Saturdays, featuring homegrown plants and veggies, a wide variety of crafts, handmade artisan sea salt and dog cart rides. It will be across from the Kenai Peninsula State Fairgrounds. Vendors are needed! For an application or information call Michelle Hogan 299-4999. Cost for a booth is $25 for the season or $5 per day.
■ The Farmers Fresh Market is open every Tuesday, 3-6 p.m., in the parking lot of the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank on K-Beach Road at Community College Drive. The market features local food producers and a kids' activity booth. For updates on what is in season, see the Farmers Fresh Market page on Facebook. Interested vendors can contact Market Manager Dan Funk at 382-0210.
■ The Soldotna Wednesday Market is open Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Peninsula Center Mall.
■ Local farmers markets will have free Chef at the Market cooking demonstrations in July and August funded by the Alaska Division of Agriculture. The full schedule includes:
— Central Kenai Peninsula Farmers Market, Saturdays, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Kenai Spur Highway and and East Corral — August 9, Wrap up a Rainbow: Gluten-Free Wraps with Susan Nabholz; August 16, Loving Your Kale, and Eating it Too! with Nancy Schrag.
— Farmers Fresh Market, Tuesdays, 3:30-5 p.m., Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, Community College Drive and Kalifornsky Beach Road — July 29, Fun and Fast Veggies with Ally Bril; August 5, Wrap up a Rainbow: Gluten-Free Wraps with Susan Nabholz.
Kenai Soil and Water Conservation District is the local sponsor, along with the PPWCA Local Foods Group. For more information, call 283-8732 ext. 5.
■ Call Orca Theaters at 262-7003 for listings and times.
■ Call Kambe Cinemas at 283-4554 for listings and times.
Down the Road
■ The Pratt Museum in Homer is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. "Dena'inaq' Huch'ulyeshi: The Dena'ina Way Of Living" is on view through Sept. 1. The Dena'ina Way of Living is the first comprehensive exhibit of the Dena'ina culture, curated and provided by the Anchorage Museum. The Pratt is the first stop of the tour, with artifacts, multimedia and text that explores the past and present Dena'ina culture. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.prattmuseum.org.
Submissions may be emailed to firstname.lastname@example.com. The deadline is 5 p.m. Mondays.


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Don't Think Electoral Bonds Will Help Combat Black Money, Says Retd Major General Anil Verma
Don't think #ElectoralBonds will help combat black money, says Retd Major General Anil Verma of
@adrspeaks. He tells that he does not understand why the government wants to hide the identity of donors
Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founding Member & Trustee of ADR, on NRIs Vs MRIs
SEC proposes postal ballot system for NRIs, Founding Member of ADR, Prof Jagdeep Chhokar raises some valid concerns.
1. Of the estimated 1 crore population of NRIs across the world, 60 lakhs are eligible to cast votes. EC seems to be going through a lot of effort to ensure voting rights to NRIs while our own MRIs (Migrant Resident Indian) do not seem to enjoy the same privilege.
2. For an estimated 28.50 crore (38% of the total registered voters in the country) migrants in India who are eligible to cast votes, there is no practical arrangement in place by the EC to exercise their franchise. The recommendation of the EC that migrants register as voters in their place of work is not doable as they are always on the move and a majority of them are not literate. Investing their time in registering as voters means foregoing their wages for a few days, which will also be true in case they choose to travel back to their villages to cast votes.
3. A practical arrangement that allows 28.50 crore migrants to cast their votes conveniently from anywhere in the country rather than giving preference to 60 lakh NRIs is the need of the hour.
4. As per a Dec 21 media report, EC is examining a plan to allow migrants to vote in their candidates' constituencies and will deliberate on a conceptual framework of the technology to enable voting from anywhere. While this is an encouraging development, the conceptual framework is still to be discussed, which means there is still time, raising questions whether the same will be in place before the 2024 general elections.


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The next 8 week Tapping Out of Trauma 1.0 course will begin on September 6, 2024.
Each module is released at 9 am Pacific time on the following dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25. Four Live Q and A Calls are scheduled for 1 pm Pacific on Tuesdays September 17, October 1, 15, 29.
A discounted fee of $58 is the tuition for repeating either TOOT 1.0 or 2.0. Your original attendance needs to be verified.
Contact us for the Discount Code.
Working with trauma requires advanced knowledge and skills beyond basic tapping training. While tapping produces amazing results, trauma requires a higher level of training in order to be both safe and effective.
Do you know what to do you when:
- A client suddenly fills with intense emotion while recalling a traumatic event and you find yourself triggered by their unexpected outburst?
- Tapping alone does not seem to regulate a client quickly enough?
- A client freezes up, feels numb, without emotion and seems to disappear?
- A client tells you on their third visit that they had not revealed that they were given a mental health condition diagnosis?
- A client reveals that they had recently considered suicide?
The Tapping Out of Trauma™ 1.0 Training Webinar will:
Provide you with a deeper understanding of how to work with a client who goes into hyper or hypo-aroused states and abreactions.
Teach you what you likely never had the chance to learn about trauma, memory and neuro-regulation with your prior training.
Help you develop clearer guidelines so you know when to accept or when to refer out a client.
Enhance your skills as a tapping practitioner by teaching you how to employ the most pertinent tapping techniques AND complementary somatic regulation tips to enhance your effectiveness.
Bring you the most cutting edge trauma research/knowledge from the work of luminaries like Stephen Porges, Peter Levine, Bessel Van der Kolk, Dan Siegel, Sharon Stanley and more.
Listen to how these experts think you'll benefit:
"Tapping Out of Trauma" is a "must take" course for all serious EFT – Tapping practitioners who are interested in helping a population suffering from deep trauma.
This well-structured and professionally taught specialized training teaches the skills necessary to offer effective, responsible, insightful and compassionate healing sessions, within the scope of practice of the individual. In addition to providing the scientific and neurobiological background that practitioners need, it also encourages and challenges the practitioner to do the personal work necessary to do this important work.
A private online forum well-guided by Craig Weiner and Suzanne Fageol offers daily individual support and feedback, as well as a community of like-minded practitioners, for support and feedback.
Working with clients who have experienced trauma is a privilege as well as a huge responsibility. Taking this course will enable any practitioner do understand this work better and get ready to make a huge difference in the world." Ingrid Dinter, AAMET EFT Master Trainer, Vermont, USA
I recently enjoyed the online Tapping Out of Trauma training and was incredibly impressed by the outstanding quality of research, material and skills offered by Craig and Suzanne. As a university lecturer in psychopathology which includes trauma, this course surpassed much of what we teach at the Masters level. It was easy to follow, convenient in an online format and every resource was downloadable for future reference. This course is an absolute must for anyone in the helping profession – clients will often present for reasons other than trauma, but then the trauma presents as they become comfortable in your presence. Knowing how to deal with this in a skilled, professional, supportive and evidenced based way is vital – this course will give you this and so much more." Dr Peta Stapleton, Gold Coast, Australia – Clinical & Health Psychologist, Australia
The course is presented in a logical, easy to follow format and uses detailed case histories to make the concepts meaningful and memorable. Every client gives his or her individualized clues to go ahead, to slow down, to back up, to change course, to stop, to use another tool, or to refer. Tapping Out of Trauma offers state of the art, up to date, useful information, reminders and additional tools to recognize and address those clues. Helpful information for all practitioners and gives terrific summary and the newest concepts for addressing trauma for even the most experienced therapist." Ann Adams, LCSW, DCEP, ACP-EFT, EFT-Honors, Georgia, USA
Don't miss the Tapping Out of Trauma training with Craig Weiner and Suzanne Fageol! Their deep knowledge in trauma is invaluable for anybody assisting people who has lived through emotionally painful events. In spite of its heavy content they have found an easy and pleasant way of teaching important theory and practice." Gunilla Hamne, Trauma Consultant, Peaceful Heart Network, Sweden, Rwanda and Sweden
Suzanne Fageol and Craig Weiner's Tapping Out of Trauma program is a gift to all helping professionals who are serious about offering safe and effective services to their clients. They have integrated years of personal study of the advanced neurobiology of trauma and somatic release techniques that support EFT into a cost effective, easily accessible professional quality program. TOOT provides the opportunity for a much deeper understanding of trauma than is provided in most EFT training and certification programs. Even though I have studied this material for years, they offer a clear and thorough perspective that has enriched my understanding and my client work. EFT is a marvellous modality for deep transformation – however, it is a modality that needs to be understood within a deeper framework of how the mind/body experiences trauma and what is truly required for safe release and conscious integration of new patterns of thought, emotion and behaviour." Nancy Forrester, Ontario, Canada, Clinical Member of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists (Retired), EFT Master Trainer of Trainers (EFTI, 2013 – 2021) and founder/CEO of Canada's National EFT Training Institute
As an EFT practitioner and trainer, the first level of Craig and Suzanne's 'Tapping Out of Trauma' course gave me a more detailed understanding of trauma than I'd had, despite lots of previous experience of working with traumatized individuals. As we find the more we work with people, trauma is at the root of so many apparently smaller problems… I appreciate about this course its somatic component, neuroscience explanations, plenty of good questions to use with EFT clients, and the excellent diagrams. I find the course notes a valuable reference resource, and I have added a couple of the course's brief exercises and explanations to the trauma segment in my EFT Level 2 training course in South Australia. Thank you Craig and Suzanne!" Annie O'Grady, Adelaide, Australia, EFT Advanced Practitioner and Master Trainer EFT INTERNATIONAL
As EFT practitioners we all inevitably encounter clients who have experienced trauma, and it is essential that we understand the process in order to help our clients in and informed, effective and safe manner. Craig and Suzanne offer a course that goes beyond any training that I have encountered, even in my own master's degree program. This course addresses the neurobiology of trauma, how the brain works, and how we can utilize this understanding to provide even more effective treatment for our clients. This is a well designed, well researched course that provides on-going interaction through an online forum in which ideas are shared and feedback is given in a supportive way. I learned a lot and found it professionally challenging." Nancy Gnecco, LPC, EFTi Trainer, ACEP Diplomat, Maine, USA
By using the techniques I'm learning with you I noticed that the sessions are flowing easier and my reactions to bad situations I face are shifting. This program is priceless. Thank you." Fabiana Mieres, Brazil
You are likely reading this because you have studied EFT or some other meridian tapping modality. (These courses require that). We also assume that you have worked successfully with clients on a broad range of issues. But, you might still carry a lack of confidence or fear that you are not fully prepared for anything really big that may show up in a session.
There ARE ways for you to improve your skills and knowledge!
Suzanne Fageol, CC and Craig Weiner, DC have specially designed these trauma trainings with you, the tapping practitioner, in mind. "Tapping Out of Trauma™" teaches you how to more effectively work successfully with clients whose lives have been affected be serious stress and trauma.
"This class should be a pre-requisite to certification with EFT and a requirement for anyone who counsels others." Ilia Blandina, Certified Nurse Midwife, Florida, USA
Throughout the classes we will reference the connections between tapping and the neuroscience of trauma, offer strategic tips for application and utilize direct client experiences to assist in ease of learning and integration. Each class combines didactic teaching and experiential learning and builds progressively.
And Guess What Else?
- There are no airline or hotel costs!
- You can access each module from your laptop to fit into your busy schedule
- For your profession or your continued practice development
- You can ask questions 24/7 on a private forum
"Your webinar was one of the most enriching courses I've ever taken. I enjoyed every session: the way in which you worked together, like strings of a well-tuned violin. Everything was beneficial!" Therese Dube, Massachusetts, USA
Read THIS before you register! You should NOT take these courses if:
- You are too busy. This class is equivalent to a college short course. It requires at least 2 to 3 hours of your attention each week and necessitates that you keep up each week.
- You have no EFT background and have not worked with any clients. (Click here to get info on EFT tapping trainings)
- You do not have the technical skills to use email, Facebook, YouTube videos and Zoom video conferencing.
- You have a significant history of trauma that you have not worked/tapped on.
Webinar Class Details:
- These trauma informed care trainings are tailored specifically to the needs of the EFT/Tapping professional!
- These are more than just online reading courses! They include instructional material, technique instruction and weekly homework to integrate new knowledge and somatic trauma release approaches to support your tapping practice.
What are all the Things You Get in Tapping Out of Trauma™ 1.0?
- Webinar video classes (available 24/7 for viewing at your convenience) with private password entry.
- All classes remain viewable on the site throughout the training and for 2 additional weeks after the final class is broadcast.
- Supporting course materials.
- A password protected web page discussion forum.
- PDFs of all PowerPoint slides.
- A Certificate of Course Completion.
Training Tuition: $399 US
The next 8 week Tapping Out of Trauma 1.0 course will begin on September 6, 2024.
Each module is released at 9 am Pacific time on the following dates: September 6, 13, 20, 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25. Four Live Q and A Calls are scheduled for 1 pm Pacific on Tuesdays September 17, October 1, 15, 29.
A discounted fee of $58 is the tuition for repeating either TOOT 1.0 or 2.0. Your original attendance needs to be verified. Contact us for the Discount Code.
For further course information, including Cancellation Policy, Pre-Requisites, Course Topics, Time Requirements etc, please visit our FAQs page.
What else are participants in the Tapping Out of Trauma™ course saying?
I definitely recommend this course both to licensed professionals as well as to non-licensed practitioners who might want to increase their knowledge regarding how to work safely around trauma, and when it is best to refer a client to someone else." Bruno Sade, Psychologist, Argentina
Your Tapping uut of Trauma course was absolutely fabulous and I learned an enormous amount that I'm able to immediately use with clients. In fact, I can't imagine having started my EFT practice without having had the benefit of this important information. Bravo, this was an amazing course!" Peggy Snow, EFT Practitioner, Washington, USA
Tapping Out of Trauma is one of the best courses I've taken in a long time, chock-full of valuable learning – way more than I expected…offering a truly powerful resource to the tapping community and other healing professionals. Thank you. I'm definitely inspired by all that I learned, and also inspired to take future classes from both of you, because I know they will be high-quality presentations and learning experiences." Lee Edwards, EFT Practitioner, Michigan, USA


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Listen to In VOGUE: The 1990s on Audacy
Discover In VOGUE: The 1990s and more on Audacy. It's your audio home for all the music, news, sports, and podcasts that matter to you. Find your new favorite and your next favorite. It's all here.
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Elizabeth Blackwell. "Male Fearn" Plate 323. From A Curious Herbal.
London, 1737-1739. Folio. Platemark ca. 12 x 8. Engraving with original hand-coloring.
A group of vivacious fruit and flower prints by Elizabeth Blackwell, one of the most famous early eighteenth-century botanical illustrators. Mrs. Blackwell lived a memorable life, having produced her charming Herbal (1737-9) to get her decidedly unpredictable husband out of debtor's prison. As the story goes: "...she took a lodging near the Chelsea Physic Garden and set about making the drawings and engravings which have made her famous. From his prison cell Alexander assisted with the text; and so successful was their joint venture that two years later he was released." (Wilfrid Blunt, Art of Botanical Illustration, p. 136) Unfortunately the story does not end here because Mr. Blackwell was subsequently arrested for treason in Sweden and executed. These appealing prints live on to remind us of Blackwell's remarkable story, as well as existing in their own right as an important part of the herbal tradition being the first English botanical series and the first to be hand colored. They were later reissued by the well-known botanical scholar Christoph Jakob Trew from 1747 to 1773 in Germany. All in all, a charming and fascinating series of botanical prints.
Click the links below to view others from this series:
325. "Female Fearn, or Brakes"
350. "Lignum Vitæ of Jamaica/Lignum Vitæ of Brasil"
356. "Sr. Hans Sloan's long Pepper/Long Pepper of the Shops"
358. "The Dragon-Tree" (Yucca draconis)
379. "Parsnep [sic]" (Parsnip)
385. "The greater & lesser Cardamoms & Grains of Paradyce"
395. "The Nux vomica of the Shops"


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Developer | App Holdings |
Released on | Mar 5, 2014 |
Updated | Sep 3, 2023 |
Version | 1.5.21 |
Requirements | 4.0 |
Downloads | 1,000,000+ |
Get it on |
» Organize Your Life!
HabitBull is a powerful multi-platform companion to keep track of your day to day habits and routines
» Fully Customisable
Measure and track anything and everything. Follow your own schedule and track your own goals. Get notified whenever you need to do something important.
» Cut Bad Habits From Your Life
Simply start tracking bad habits like nail biting, smoking or drinking too much. Once you see the patterns, it's easier to break them. HabitBull keeps you accountable. Also great for users of NoFap!
» Add Some Positive Habits
Want to go for a nice walk every day? Or maybe give 3 hugs every Saturday and Sunday? Join us on this journey!
» Who is it for?
Whether you want to read some more, stop smoking, start working out or even just track how many hours you wasted on Facebook, this app lets you do it!
» Features
• Track multiple habits, repeated to do's or goals, each in its own calendar
• Streak counter and percentage successful for each habit
• Yes/No or Number goals
• Very flexible goals like: number of times per day/week/month, only on certain days of the week etc. For example: 30 push ups every Mon-Fri, go to the gym 2 times per week, or even every 2 days
• Inspiring quotes per category – including actual quotes from people doing it (meditation, reading, stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking cigarettes, stop procrastination etc)
• Graphs with success percentage / streak, entered values etc
• Powerful reminders – multiple times per day, repeating within a time period, sound and vibrate optional
• Home screen / lock screen widget
• Multi-device syncing
• Cloud backup
• Motivational images
• Export to CSV
• Dark theme
• Google Fit integration
» How it works:
1. Set up a habit
2. Tell HabitBull how you went for a day
3. Watch your daily streak increase
Habits are no more than routines which you perform subconsciously. To build one – train yourself. To break one, find another one which is similar, yet different and nicer, and repeat it until it sticks.
To assist you with this HabitBull lets you set reminders for each habit and displays them on days when you need to be successful. This is especially useful if you have a to do list with repeating tasks or if you want to be reminded to do the same thing every day. It can also be used as a calendar planning tool or checklist, but also as a very effective repeating reminder (e.g. to drink water every 2 hours).
HabitBull does feel a little like a game in which you compete with yourself. The task is to get a long streak for the habit you are working on by covering your goals. The longer the better. It takes a couple of months to fully build a new routine, so don't give up – it takes time and if you are consistent it will work; even if it takes a few attempts.
There are many things which you may want to improve. HabitBull can be used as a planner in building habits like taking your pills regularly, exercise, or keep to a diet. It can also be used as a helper for people suffering from memory problems. As for your vices, HabitBull can be a useful goal tracking tool, or a smart notebook, to assist you while breaking bad habits like nail-biting, drinking alcohol and even improving your dating skills.
It is entirely up to you, really. But why not give it a try and have a convenient helper on the go?
What's new
Bug fixes.


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What level of FIPS 140 do you need for your Encrypted USB flash drive?
Security features aren't free. It's somewhat counter-intuitive, but the right security level for you is the lowest one which meets your needs. So it's important for you to identify those needs before you investigate products.
You need to consider security for just about every buying decision. Like everything else, security is a cost/benefit trade-off, and few types of data need top-of-the-line security features.
In the case of simple devices, like a USB drive, the only practical concern is that the drive could be lost or stolen and the data on it exposed. The best way to deal with this is by making sure that the drive uses hardware-based encryption and enforces the use of strong passwords. Another consideration is to set up a device-level central management program. Drilling down on the Secure USB drives, often times buyers place a high level of importance on the FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) certification level without having a clear understanding what these levels actually mean.
FIPS 140-2 describes security requirements for all types of hardware cryptographic modules. The specification defines four different security levels which may be met by conforming products, from level one to level four. Level one is the lowest, and it provides a moderate set of security features. Level four is the highest level, with the most stringent requirements for self-defense and other security characteristics. Levels two and three provide gradations of these requirements and form an often appealing middle ground. A For many device types, including USB Flash drives, the effective differences between levels are small and often irrelevant. Few users need security features which meet level 3 and many don't need level 2. Many government contracts require certification of specific FIPS levels, for instance for wireless devices or encrypted hard drives. But if there is no requirement there may also be no need. In fact, many users' security needs are satisfied by devices which don't even have a FIPS certification. USB drives, for example, may not have a FIPS certification, but may still have enterprise-grade hardware encryption, central management and hardening against physical tampering.
Let us take a look at what FIPs certification levels are for USB drives. For drives that are certified at level two, if someone tries to physically open the drive, it will show evidence of tampering. In level three drives, this goes one step further and requires that the encryption "keys" to unlock the data are destroyed if someone tries to physically get into the drive.
What do you really get with the higher level of FIPS certification? The first thing you're guaranteed to get is added cost, if only because the product has required additional in-company and outside testing. You may also pay for high-end security features that your users do not require. For level 3, your device may have different internal wiring to prevent someone from using special hardware to try and identify passwords being passed. Is this really a problem you need to pay extra to prevent? Level 3 will also assure you of a higher level of protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and compatibility. These standards are mostly designed to prevent interference with radio-frequency equipment like wireless networks and cordless phones, but as a security matter emissions from such devices can sometimes be used to read the data in use on them; hence the more stringent EMI standard required by higher FIPS levels. Should you pay anything extra for such protection?
Cracking the data out of even a non-certified encrypted drive is hard, and within the capabilities of few people. It would take considerable effort, more than anyone would expend to read a drive they found on the street.
Is your data worth that kind of effort? If you are storing high-value, highly-confidential data then perhaps it is. If not, and if you're not mandated to buy a certain level of security features, then paying for additional protection is unwarranted.


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March 17, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: When someone at the controls calmly said the last words heard from the missing Malaysian jetliner, one of the Boeing 777's communications systems had already been disabled, authorities said on Sunday, adding to suspicions that one or both of the pilots were involved in disappearance of the flight.
March 17, 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: When someone at the controls calmly said the last words heard from the missing Malaysian jetliner, one of the Boeing 777's communications systems had already been disabled, authorities said on Sunday, adding to suspicions that one or both of the pilots were involved in disappearance of the flight.
Authorities said someone on board the Malaysian jetliner first disabled one of its communications systems — the ACARS — about 40 minutes after takeoff.
Investigators also examined a flight simulator confiscated from the home of one of the pilots and dug through the background of all 239 people on board, as well as the ground crew that serviced the plane.
The Malaysian Airlines jet took off from Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours of March 8, headed to Beijing. On Saturday, the Malaysian government announced findings that strongly suggested the plane was deliberately diverted and may have flown as far north as Central Asia or south into the vast reaches of the Indian Ocean.
Authorities have said someone on board the plane first disabled one of its communications systems — the Aircraft and Communications Addressing and Reporting System, or ACARS — about 40 minutes after takeoff. The ACARS equipment sends information about the jet's engines and other data to the airline.
Around 14 minutes later, the transponder that identifies the plane to commercial radar systems was also shut down. The fact that both systems went dark separately offered strong evidence that the plane's disappearance was deliberate.
On Sunday, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said at a news conference that that the final, reassuring words from the cockpit— "All right, good night" — were spoken to air traffic controllers after the ACARS system was shut off. Whoever spoke did not mention any trouble on board.
Air force Maj. Gen. Affendi Buang told reporters he did not know whether it was the pilot or co-pilot who spoke to air traffic controllers.
Given the expanse of land and water that might need to be searched, finding the wreckage could take months or longer. Or it might never be located. Establishing what happened with any degree of certainty will probably require evidence from cockpit voice recordings and the plane's flight-data recorders.
Crew members on board an aircraft P-8A Poseidon assist in search and rescue operations for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, March 16, 2014.
The search area now includes 11 countries the plane might have flown over, Hishammuddin said, adding that the number of countries involved in the operation had increased from 14 to 25.
"The search was already a highly complex, multinational effort," he said. "It has now become even more difficult."
The search effort initially focused on the relatively shallow waters of the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca, where the plane was first thought to be. Hishammuddin said he had asked governments to hand over sensitive radar and satellite data to try to get a better idea of the plane's final movements.
With more information, he said, the search zone could be narrowed "to an area that is more feasible."
Malaysia is leading the search for the plane and the investigation into its disappearance.
In the United States, Dan Pfeiffer, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that the FBI was supporting the criminal probe.
Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security subcommittee on counterterrorism and intelligence, said on ABC's "This Week" that so far "there's nothing out there indicating it's terrorists."
Investigators are trying to answer these questions: If the two pilots were involved in the disappearance, were they working together or alone, or with one or more of the passengers or crew? Did they fly the plane under duress or of their own will? Did one or more of the passengers manage to break into the cockpit or use the threat of violence to gain entry and then seize the plane? And what possible motive could there be for diverting the jet?
Malaysia's police chief, Khalid Abu Bakar, said he asked countries with citizens on board the plane to investigate their backgrounds, no doubt looking for anyone with terrorism ties, aviation skills or prior contact with the pilots. He said that the intelligence agencies of some countries had already done so and found nothing suspicious, but he was waiting for others to respond.
Police searched the homes of both pilots Saturday, the first time they had done so since the plane vanished, the government said. Asked why it took them so long, Khalid said authorities "didn't see the necessity in the early stages."
Police confiscated the elaborate flight simulator that one of the pilots, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, had built in his home and reassembled it in their offices to study it for clues, Khalid said.
Zaharie, 53, who has three grown children and one grandchild, had previously posted photos online of the simulator, which was made with three large computer monitors and other accessories. Earlier this week, the head of Malaysia Airlines said the simulator was not in itself cause for any suspicion.
Malaysian police were also investigating engineers and ground staff who may have had contact with the plane before it took off, Khalid said.
Even though the ACARS system was disabled on Flight 370, it continued to emit faint hourly pulses that were recorded by a satellite. The last "ping" was sent out at 8:11am — 7 hours and 31 minutes after the plane took off. That placed the jet somewhere in a huge arc as far north as Kazakhstan in Central Asia or far into the southern Indian Ocean.
While many people believe the plane has crashed, there is a small possibility it may have landed somewhere and be relatively intact. Affendi, the air force general, and Hishammuddin, the defense minister, said it was possible for the plane to "ping" when it was on the ground if its electrical systems were undamaged.
Australia said it was sending one of its two AP-3C Orion aircraft involved in the search to remote islands in the Indian Ocean at Malaysia's request. The plane will search the north and west of the Cocos Islands, a remote Australian territory with an airstrip about 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) southwest of Indonesia, military chief Gen. David Hurley said.
Given that a northern route would have sent the plane over countries with busy airspace, most experts say the person in control of the aircraft would more likely have chosen to go south. The southern Indian Ocean is the world's third-deepest and one of the most remote stretches of water in the world, with little radar coverage.
Whoever disabled the plane's communication systems and then flew the jet must have had a high degree of technical knowledge and flying experience, putting one or both of the pilots high on the list of possible suspects, Malaysian officials and aviation experts said.
Zaharie, the captain, was a supporter of a Malaysian opposition political party that is locked in a bitter dispute with the government, according to postings on his Facebook page and a friend, Peter Chong, who is a party member.
Chong said that he last saw Zaharie a week before the pilot left on the flight for Beijing and that they had agreed to meet on his return to organize a shopping trip for poor children.
"If I am on a flight, I would choose Captain Zaharie," he said. "He is dedicated to his job. He is a professional and he loves flying."