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Sheng / Raw Puerh
Sheng puerh is a tea more than a thousand years old. The origins of this tea are shrouded in the mists of time. For a millennia this tea was trekked by mule and human thousands of miles from the hot, humid jungles of Yunnan, China to the emperor in Beijing and to the Tibetans living in the Himalayan highlands.
This is a post fermented tea whose active bacteria creates a fungal fermentation that ages with time. This is a tea that can be drunk today, or stored for your grandchildren to drink. A truly diverse range of flavors and aromas are possible with sheng puerh. When taking into account all variables such as growing region, tea tree varietal, tea tree age, terroir, individual skill in production, storage condition, and length of age it is hard to sum up in a single thought or idea what sheng puerh is.
Young sheng puerh is biologically very similar to modern green tea. It will present vegetal and fruity flavors and aromas. Often there are notes of wet hay or alfalfa. This is a tea that can present a face of bitterness and astringency that quickly escapes into a natural sweetness.
Aged sheng puerh is completely unique in the tea world. Time has had her way with this tea and it is better for it. This tea can give enhanced flavors and aromas. Often described as musty, like smelling an old book, this tea is a definite treat for the senses. It should be experienced first hand and is hard to narrow down a single profile given the wide range of possibilities.


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Modified Apiary Update 2 with Mead and Pumpkin Ale
- Filename: apiary.pkm (3.1 MB)
- Current version: 1 (120 months ago)
- Total downloads: 20,153
I lowered the production so now it gets about 1200-1300 per year with 4 workers. Also, I changed the honeycomb icon to a beehive. I also changed the flags so that honey is only flagged as "Edible | Fruit" and not "Edible | Protein | Fruit | Vegetable | Grain" I know it's not a fruit, but I wanted to pick just one.
Update 1:
I can't take all the credit for this, I borrowed it from darookee over on reddit. Now the tavern has the ability to create mead from honey. We have to tie the mead mod with the apiary mod because to use honey it requires some apiary files.
Also, I threw in the ability to make pumpkin ale.
The only thing I can't figure out is how to add the string in the drop-down menu in the tavern, so right now there are two blank entries in the selection menu, the upper one is for pumpkin ale and the lower one is for mead. If someone can explain to me how to add to the StringTable I would be most appreciative. I can manually edit the main StringTable.rsc and it will work for me, but editing the main game files will likely cause mod incompatibility in the long run. Any ideas? I'm fairly new at this and everything I try either gives me errors or does nothing at all.
Update 2:
Well, darookee seems to have figured out a fix for the StringTable issue, so I've updated the mod to version 4 and all the menu items should work now. Let me know if there's any problems.
I also switched it to 'Edible | Grain' instead of Fruit, per Elfecutioner's suggestion.

subset: commoncrawl


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Art Deco Old Czech Crystal Glass HUGE >3" Xmas Tree Brooch, Ruby Red & Green Rhinestones Christmas Gift Big Lapel Scarf Brooch Pin, Stocking
Vintage Old Czech Crystal Faceted Glass HUGE >3" Ruby Red, Green & White Satin Glass Rhinestones Handmade Christmas Tree New Year HUSAR.D Designer Signed Brooch Pin, Old Czechoslovakia Jablonec Glass Stones Chunky > 3 inches Xmas Tree Brooch Pin, Christmas Gift brooch pin, large lapel scarf shawl hat bag pin, Birthday wedding gift, Wedding Bridal brooch, Mother of the Bride brooch, Mother's Day brooch gift, stocking stuffer brooch
Absolute stunner and an eye-catcher, this huge, very unusual chunky Xmas Tree brooch is handmade from the world-famous Czech Bohemian crystal glass from Jablonec. Set in non-plated brass and is signed Husar.D at back, it has impressive big faceted ruby red cabochons, red, green & white satin glass rhinestones in it. Husar.D is the manufacturer of statement pieces coming from the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia). Their pieces feature beautiful design and high-quality Czech Bohemian glass flawless stones from Jablonec. It comes with a strong pin and roll clasp. It has a nice weight to it.
Do not miss this amazing piece! This is a must-have for Christmas, and you would never like to part with it!
Excellent condition. No missing or dead stones, they are all bright and vibrant! Ready for wear or gifting. Please take a look at our huge crystal rhinestone brooches and earrings in certain sections.
*** I ship the same or the next day and provide the tracking number for your convenience. It usually takes about 1-3 business days to deliver to any European country, 7-10 business days to deliver to the US (depends on a particular location), and about 10-14 business days to deliver to Australia and Asia-Pacific. No additional or hidden taxes/fees.
I am happy to provide any further information or pictures, just drop me a message!
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* Follow me on Instagram - @holycatsvintage
We ship worldwide the same or the next business day after the order is completed and provide the tracking number for your convenience. We do not ship during major European public holidays and on Sundays as all Post Offices are closed at these periods. We ship worldwide within 1 business day.
We'll be happy to combine shipping.
Please note: for multiple items purchase in our shop at present no shipping discount is applied because we have items with different weight. So if you want to know multiple items shipping cost, please drop us a line and we'll soon tell you the discounted shipping cost on the base of what you have chosen.
It usually takes about
- 1-3 business days to deliver to any European country,
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No additional or hidden taxes/fees.
We are happy to provide any further information, just drop us a message!


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After her husband ditches her for a blonde actress wannabe, Jane Seymour needs a job that pays the rent. The struggling Roche Hotel needs a miracle. With the former owner's wife butting her nose into the renovations and new owners who are in way over their heads, Jane may be the answer to their prayers. Sure, she can handle The Roche Hotel's quirky staff. But, can this skittish divorcee keep it all together when handsome Henry the Donut Guy makes his first delivery? This collection of serial fiction stories is a Tudorific romantic comedy that will leave you laughing out loud and hungry for more.
By 3:00 AM, I finally learn enough Sasquatch language from Jerry to muddle through the audits until all the figures add up. He wanders off somewhere to do whatever it is he does. I dust things that don't need dusting and clean the leaves on the silk plants in the lobby until 5:00 AM, when Jerry unlocks the front doors. I go back to sit at the office desk with a cup of coffee, resting my head in one hand. Surely someone would soon wake up to check out or ask for toothpaste or even a stick of gum for all I care.
My eyelids feel so heavy...
I'm startled awake and bump my coffee with my elbow. A brown pool of cold Folgers and congealed half-n-half flows across the audit sheets. "Crap."
The man at the front desk laughs. "Sorry to startle you."
"It's fine," I say, not bothering to look at him because I'm searching for paper towels instead. Finding none, I grab my sweater from the back of the chair and blot the papers.
"Need some tissues?" he asks.
"No, I'm fine." Embarrassed for being such a klutz in front of a guest, I keep my head down and drag my sleepy self to the front desk. Finally, I look up and am met with a stunningly handsome smile. "Oh, how can I help you?"
"Where's Jerry?" He holds up a small paper bag. There's a stack of white boxes beside him.
"I don't know. Would you like me to page him?"
"No need. I'll just leave these here. Custard-filled. He loves those."
I notice his shirt, embroidered with Hermann's Bakery in a simple script font on the right pocket. His hair is a dusty brown and has that trendy bed-head look which I usually consider lazy, but on him, it's rather adorable. He's clean-shaven and reasonably tall.
His eyes crinkle when he smiles again. "I'm Henry. You new here?"
"Yes, it's my first night." I point to the temporary name tag with my name written in black sharpie. "I'm Jane."
"Nice to meet you. They call me the 'Donut Guy'."
He offers his hand, and I take it. His grip is warm and strong, and jump-starts a few sleepy neurons. Henry. And Jane Seymour. The third wife of Henry VIII, as legend says, was reportedly the love of his life. Why does my mind have to venture there, of all places? I'm not ready to heal my broken heart over Nick with Henry the Donut Guy, no matter how Tudorific our names are.
I let go of his hand and take the paper bag. "I'll be sure to give these to Jerry."
"Would you like one?"
"I probably shouldn't…" My stomach rumbles in disagreement.
"They're complimentary. The hotel orders more than enough, trust me."
"Oh, then I'll take a donut with chocolate icing if you have one."
"Sure do."
He opens one of the boxes and holds it within my reach. I pick up a donut and take a bite. Still warm and melt-in-your-mouth good.
"Mmm, this is delicious."
Henry closes the box and takes a tissue from the Kleenex dispenser beside the wall. Why hadn't I noticed those before I sacrificed my poor sweater? He reaches across the front desk and wipes the corner of my mouth. Warmth crawls up my cheeks.
"You had a little icing there," he says with that knee-weakening smile.
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Jane Seymour and the quirky staff of The Roche Hotel are back for another hilarious season of this Tudorific romantic comedy. Thanks to Jane's no-nonsense practicality, the struggling hotel is on its way to becoming a thriving business. Henry the Donut Guy has won her over with his delicious pastries and irresistible charm. Even her ailing mother has found a new love. Life is sweet until a new assistant manager is hired…who just happens to be Jane's meddling, sleazeball of an ex-husband. How will Jane keep the peace and prevent the hotel from going under without losing her mind?
When there's a chance of a reptile fugitive lurking somewhere in your vicinity, it makes the night a little tense, to say the least. The snake's cage is in the office, with a nameplate that reads: Precious. Right. I've never thought of any reptile as precious, no matter how charming their personality.
All is quiet until about 11: 30 PM. I'm checking in a late arrival when Jerry skulks through the lobby like a coveralled sasquatch on the prowl. He's holding the cage in one hand and a broom in the other.
The guest is a young man with blond dreadlocks and a t-shirt with Hemptosis embroidered on the front pocket. "Dude," he whispers to me while watching Jerry disappear down the hall, "what's going on?"
"A poodle," I say. "Someone lost a poodle."
Hemp Boy chuckles. "Awesome. Must be some tripped out poodle. A little hashish might calm him down." He pats his jeans pocket and winks.
"I…don't think that'll be necessary. Here's your key."
"Thanks, man."
I don't know if he's really mistaken me for a guy or if he's just stoned, so I smile sweetly and add, "This is a non-smoking facility, by the way. Have a great night."
"Yeah, you too. If you need any hemp accessories, we got good stuff, man. Shirts, shoes, purses, you name it." He tosses a business card on the front desk and swaggers off, but stops before reaching the hall and looks at the ceiling. "There's something banging around up there." He turns to me and whispers, "Maybe it's the poodle. Want me to get him?"
"No, no, enjoy your night." I wait for him to shrug and disappear down the hall. Then, I frantically page Jerry:Snake, here, ceiling.
Two minutes later, Jerry appears, broom in one hand and ladder in the other. He stands frozen for a second, one ear turned upward, and then sets up the ladder in the breakfast area. He climbs up and removes a ceiling tile.
"Did you find it?" God, I hope he's found it.
Mrs. Roche shuffles through the lobby in her robe and slippers. She removes a hand towel from her head and wraps it around the naked David statue like he's just stepped from the shower.
I glance at Jerry. "Um, Mrs. Roche, could I get you something?"
"It's just my rheumatism. No need to fuss over me. A cup of tea usually helps." She opens a drawer. "Now where are those tea bags?"
Jerry's in up to his waist now. A few bangs and bumps echo from the ceiling.
"I can get it for you," I say, emerging from behind the front desk in the hopes of ushering her out. "I'll even bring it to your room."
"Nonsense. I'm not helpless."
My cell phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out and see yet another text from Nick: I'm back in town. Call me.
No, no, no, this cannot be happening. I'll have to call and tell him to go rot in an unnaturally warm place. If worse comes to worst, I'll threaten to get a restraining order. Not that I'm frightened of him—he's too cowardly and conniving to be violent. It's just the principle of the thing. I turn back toward the front desk and click on his number; he answers in two rings.
"Hey babe."
"Don't babe me. Why are you calling, and what do you mean you're back in town?"
"I'm at the airport. Can you pick me up?"
"What?!" I turn back around to see if Jerry's made any progress with the snake hunting.
"Okay, yeah, never mind. I'll get a cab. Just wanted to tell you-"
"Oh dear lord. Hold please." A scaly head attached to a long, spotted body hangs down by Mrs. Roche's ear. She's still rummaging through the drawer, oblivious to her reptilian neighbor. Jerry hurries down the ladder.
"Jane? Babe?"
"Can't talk now. Stop calling, and leave me alone." I click END and slide the phone in my pocket. "Mrs. Roche, don't move."
Amazon ✯ Audible ✯ iTunes ✯ Goodreads
Jane Seymour and the quirky staff of the Roche Hotel have returned for ten new short episodes in a hilarious third season of this Tudorific romantic comedy. Jane's ex-husband and assistant manager, Nick, failed in his attempt to win her back. Now his girlfriend Brandy is back in town with a big surprise that he's not at all prepared to handle. To make things worse, the hotel is struggling (again) and needs a boost in business to keep things afloat while a black sheep from Jane's family arrives to throw a wrench in the whole thing. All Jane wants is a steady paycheck and time to cultivate her love for Henry the Donut Guy, but now she's got to play relationship counselor to her ex and miracle worker for the hotel (again). Can Jane juggle all these challenges while keeping her employers and her boyfriend happy?
It's just a few minutes past 6:00. The front door chimes, and in walks Carol. Her bracelets jingle as she sprays Aqua Net all over her permed hair and enters the office in a perfumed cloud of aerosol.
"What are you doing here?" I ask.
"Relieving you, hun."
"You don't need to do that. We're full up, but with Jerry and a housekeeper on call, it's nothing I can't manage."
"I know you can manage, but I'm here to relieve you on strict orders."
"From whom?"
"Your cutie-patootie. He wants you over at his house at 6:30 sharp." Carol winks and pops a piece of Wrigley's in her mouth. Her hoop earrings sway as she chomps happily.
"But, but…" My brain is stuck in a loop of buts. Henry usually eats dinner with me at the hotel when I'm working, but has never asked me to take a day off or leave early. Maybe he's sick, but he was fine when he left for work this morning. Susan said he was here earlier, but he never said anything to me or stopped by the front desk.
Carol reaches down, grabs my purse, and puts it in my arms. "Now shoo – don't keep the Donut Guy waiting."
"Okay." I clock out, going into autopilot as I put on my coat and head to my car.
Logical Me is nowhere to be found, so my rattled brain drifts a few years back to the night Nick took me out to dinner, only to tell me he wanted a divorce because he was leaving with Brandy for California. My trembling hands can barely hold the key fob as I unlock the car and get in. Twenty minutes later with a headache and churning stomach, I arrive at Henry's house. His renovations to his grandfather's former residence are almost done. The place looks brand new with freshly painted siding and shutters. But what if he doesn't want me to be part of it anymore?
I raise my hand to knock on the door when Henry opens it and engulfs me in a tight, warm hug. "So glad you could get off early. I take it Carol came through for me."
He pulls me inside and helps me out of my coat. Then he hangs it and my purse on the coat rack.
"Yeah, but why did you have her do that? Is everything okay?" Delicious aromas are coming from the kitchen. My legs wobble. My voice becomes shrill with rising hysteria. "Why were you at the hotel today? Susan saw you. You didn't talk to me."
He grins and heads toward the kitchen where he takes a couple of wine glasses from the rack over the island. "You like Chardonnay, right?"
I follow, leaning against the counter for support. "Yeah, but…what's this all this about?"
He's got the table set with the good china, complete with forks, knives, and spoons. Even cloth napkins. Soft music plays from his stereo in the living room. It's Kenny G. Everyone knows that Kenny G isn't breakup music. It's romantic night music. What if he's not breaking up with me? What if, instead, he's getting ready to propose? It's suddenly hard to breathe. I may need a paper bag because I don't know what's worse – being faced with another breakup or another marriage.
Henry finishes pouring and looks up with a concerned frown. He comes around to me and takes both my hands in his, kissing my knuckles. "Relax, Jane. It's not what you think."
"It's not?"
"Well, I never can be exactly sure about what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours, but I know you're not ready for marriage."
Crazed gorilla mode kicks in. Crap, it must be a breakup. Kenny G's a liar!
Mysti Parker is a wife, mom, author, and shameless chocoholic. She is the author of the Tallenmere standalone fantasy romance series, including the award-winning Hearts in Exile. Her first award-winning historical romance, A Time for Everything, was published in July 2015. Mysti's other romantic tales include The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series and contemporary novellas co-written with author MJ Post. Her short writings have appeared in the anthologies Hearts of Tomorrow, Christmas Lites, Christmas Lites II, Christmas Lites IV, The Darwin Murders, Tasteful Murders and EveryDayFiction.
Other writing pursuits include serving as a class mentor in Writers Village University's seven week online course, F2K. She has also published two children's books (Quentin's Problem & Fuzzy Buzzy's Treasure) under the name Misty Baker.
When she's not writing fiction, Mysti works as a freelance editor and copywriter. She also reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online specfic publication. She resides in KY with her husband, three children and too many pets
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The foods we choose to put on our plates — or toss away – could have more of an ecological impact than many of us realize.
On Earth Day, here are some ways to consider how our diet impacts the planet.
Waste not, want not
You've heard the numbers on food waste. More than 30 percent of available food is tossed each year in America. It's enough to fill Chicago's 1,450-foot-tall Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) 44 times over.
The U.S. has set an official goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by the year 2030. Universities have begun to chip away at the food waste issue by promoting ugly fruit and vegetables and shifting away from pre-cooked, buffet style food, instead serving more cook-to-order options that can cut down on waste. Food service companies are working with farmers and chefs to get more blemished but edible produce into cafeterias across the country. Even religious groups are getting into the act, raising attention to the problem of food waste among the faithful and connecting with restaurants, retailers and food banks to help redirect food to hungry mouths that might otherwise end up in landfills.
And there are a host of proposed solutions. Check out this report that highlights which solutions are likely to provide most bang for the buck. Among the most cost-effective strategies: educating consumers on food waste – including changes you can make in your own kitchen. (Here are some tips to get you started – like how to tell if eggs are still good past their expiration date.)
Rethink your beef and lamb habit
Everything we eat has an environmental footprint – it takes land, water and energy to grow crops and raise livestock. The folks at the World Resources Institute have calculated the greenhouse gas emissions associated with producing a gram of edible protein of various foods.
Not surprisingly, they found that foods such as beans, fish, nuts and egg have the lowest impact. Poultry, pork, milk and cheese have medium-sized impacts. By far, the biggest impacts, in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, were linked to beef, lamb and goat. (As we've reported, that's partly because the need for pastureland drives deforestation in places like the Brazilian Amazon.)
Why? According to WRI, beef uses 28 times more land per calorie consumed — and two to four times more freshwater — than the average of other livestock categories. What's more, cows are less efficient than other animals, like pigs and poultry, at converting feed into food.
Still, telling people to go cold turkey with their red meat isn't likely to inspire real change. But this message might resonate: Even if you don't give up on red meat consumption entirely, just cutting back can significantly impact your diet's carbon footprint.
And these days, there are lots of vegan substitutes – like plant burgers that sizzle, smell and even bleed like the real thing — that can deliver the meaty taste you crave as you try to scale back.
Keep an eye out for more 'plant-based' dishes on restaurant menus
As interest in plant-centric diets booms, new food businesses have taken root – from the veggie-centric fast-casual chains Beefsteak (from celebrity chef Jose Andres) and Chloe (an all-vegan restaurant) to the vegan meal-kit company Purple Carrot.
Now, a new initiative from the World Resources Institute called the Better Buying Lab is bringing together big companies (including Panera Bread, Sodexo, Google, Unilever and Hilton) to develop and test strategies to nudge consumers towards choosing more sustainable foods. One initiative is to get more plant-based dishes onto menus.
"If you look at menus across the U.S., there tends to be [the same] 25 dishes that are on the majority of menus," says Daniel Vennard, director of the Better Buying Lab at WRI. Think burgers, chicken dishes, etc. "Not many [plant-based] dishes have scaled to become national favorites," Vennard says.
His group is working to change that. It's teaming up with chefs from its member companies to create new recipes likely to have broad appeal. Promising ideas include the concept of "superfood salads" — containing combinations of nuts, seeds, greens, veggies and avocado.
He points to ideas already out there as well, such as burgers that blend meat and mushrooms. As we reported several years ago, some taste-testing has found that diners warmed up to the idea of blended burgers, and in fact many tasters preferred them to all-beef patties. And an ongoing competition from the James Beard Foundation has encouraged chefs around the country to give blended burgers a try on their menus. (Not everyone is a fan, though.)
"What we're trying to do is shift consumers towards eating more sustainable food, but we're not advocating for a no-meat diet," explains Vennard. "We're saying, 'Let's moderate.' "
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Mahalaxmi Minerals is one of the top suppliers of Eco-Friendly Idols (Shadu Mati) in Odisha.
Bentonite clay (Shadu Mati)is natural clay. It is pollution-free and helps to maintain a green environment. The clay has high plasticity and can withstand high temperatures, i.e. about 15000C.
It is most suitable for making Idols of Ganpati / Mahalaxmi / Gauri, Religious statues of various gods, goddesses, and Clay Animals. In Maharashtra, Mahalaxmi Minerals Bentonite clay (Shadu Mati) is widely used for making Ganesh Idols, while in UP, Bihar & Bengal, it is mostly used for Goddess Durga idols.
Ganesh idols are traditionally made from bentonite clay for phosphorous locking. Bentonite clay is also called Fuller's clay or MULTANI MITTI.
About Mahalaxmi Minerals
With more than 20 years in the field of manufacturing and processing, various industrial minerals Mahalaxmi Minerals is one of the biggest manufacturers & suppliers of Bentonite granules and powder. Mahalaxmi Minerals is a well-established, ISO-9001:2015-certified, mineral mining company in India. We specialize in Bentonite powder and granules and supply all grades of bentonite as per the required specifications. We have a fully integrated bentonite processing plant, high standards for quality control & advanced distribution facility. Our corporate office is situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Our Gujarat office is in Bhavnagar.
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- The idea is to ensure lakes and tanks are not polluted with plaster of Paris idols that are not easily soluble. Also, the paint on these idols claims the lives of several fish in water bodies.
- It must be noted that Ganapati idols are to be made of Bentonite clay with biodegradable decorations, and organic paints, using NIL non-biodegradable plastic. This BENTONITE clay from the idol gives the lake additional life. This is not just a superstition but has scientific reasoning behind it.
- This annual surcharge of good quality clay is so very important for sustaining the lake level and also the quality of the water. Even if the clay Ganesha idol is immersed in the sea, the clay lining the coast. prevents SALTWATER ingress inland when the freshwater ground table level is low in the hot summer season. Such an ingress from the sea, causes AQUIFERS to get contaminated — coastal lakes and bore wells to go saline and dead.
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- At Mahalaxmi Minerals, we conduct our business in a fair and transparent manner and seek to achieve excellence through initiative, accountability, and superior results.


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Leasing Your New Bentley
Here at eAutoLease.com we have all the different models of Bentley, as well as just about any other type of vehicle you can imagine, available for you to lease. You can browse through everything we have available right on our website, and pick the exact vehicle you would like. Whether you like the Continental GT coupe, the Continental GT Speed, the Flying Spur, Mulsanne, Mulsanne Speed or any number of other beautiful Bentley options, we have them ready for you.


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Paula Deen isn't the first food celebrity to be hit by scandal
Paula Deen has been let go by the Food Network, a fall from a certain type of grace after she admitted to using the N-word. But she's not the first food celebrity laid low by scandal. Though we do seem to be a pretty clean-living bunch, there have been some notable exceptions. In roughly ascending order:
Richard Nelson: Largely forgotten today, Richard Nelson was a promising cooking teacher and food writer in the 1980s. An acolyte of James Beard, his book "Richard Nelson's American Cooking" was released in 1984 to high acclaim and hot sales. And then he was accused of lifting more than 40 of the book's recipes from the redoubtable Richard Olney and even more from other writers. Olney sued and Nelson's publisher settled and pulled the book from store shelves. To this day, though, there are those who insist that Nelson had gotten those recipes, with permission, from Beard in cooking classes and then was hung out to dry.
Robert Irvine: Padding the resume may be a hallowed tradition. But when the padder becomes famous, it sometimes comes back to bite. Robert Irvine probably thought he was engaging in a little harmless filigree when he claimed to have worked on Princess Diana's wedding cake and having been a White House chef. But after he became well-known with the Food Network show "Dinner Impossible," the St. Petersburg Times dug a little deeper (he was reported to be opening a couple of restaurants there) and found that neither of those claims were strictly true.
PHOTOS: Celebrity chefs and scandal
His website biography now has been amended to read: "As part of his service for the Royal Navy, Robert was selected to work on board the Royal Yacht Britannia where the Royal Family and their entourages regularly dined. During his time training U.S. Navy chefs as part of a guest chef program, Robert worked in the White House kitchens and his creations were served to high-ranking government officials." Irvine seems to have weathered the storm – he's back on TVFN with not one, but two series, and has more than 100,000 Twitter followers.
Martha Stewart: Once the biggest name in the food world and a rival to Oprah Winfrey for the title of queen of all media, Martha Stewart was convicted in 2004 following a highly publicized trial on charges relating to insider trading of stocks. She paid more than $150,000 in fines and served five months in federal prison. Today she remains one of the most powerful people in food, with her own monthly magazine and radio network, several marketing deals and a cooking show on PBS.
Juan-Carlos Cruz: A similar comeback is not likely for Juan-Carlos Cruz. The star of the Food Network's Calorie Commando and Weighing In was arrested in 2010 for hiring two homeless men he found at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade to kill his wife, an attorney who had been his high school sweetheart. He pleaded no contest to solicitation of murder and was sentenced to nine years. According to state records, he is still serving time at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi.
PHOTOS: Celebrity chefs and scandal
Jeff "Frugal Gourmet" Smith: In probably the greatest fall from grace the food world has seen, Smith, who had built a television and cookbook empire on his reputation as a kindly food-loving minister, in 1997 was sued by a half-dozen young men who accused him of having sexually abused them when they were in their teens. In the blowup that followed, Smith was portrayed as a despotic crank on set and unreliable in his information and recipe writing. He settled the suits out of court and disappeared from the public stage. Smith died in his sleep in 2004.
Paula Deen fans criticize Food Network
In second video, Deen blames media for turmoil
What will Fox do about Deen's 'MasterChef' appearances?
More to Read
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Can't find what you are looking for? Trying to find the perfect vehicle to fit your family's needs? We can help you find the vehicle you have been searching for! Fill out our online form and we will start our search to make sure you get the vehicle of your dreams.
Car Finder


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McKay McLemore is the best there is at her job—finding people who don't want to be found. But when the super-sexy, Harley Davidson rider, Harm Pranston, pays top dollar for her to locate a woman and her teenaged son she becomes suspicious. What are his motives? Is he stalking the woman who is running scared? Yet despite her trepidation, and against her will, McKay aches to feel Harm's tough-as-nails body against hers.
Harm has his reservations about hiring the sharp-tongued McLemore to locate a woman he hasn't seen in 16 years. First off, the red-headed investigator treats him like a suspected criminal, and secondly he has to fight his urge to lose himself in her. Just recovering from a gut-wrenching break up, the last thing Harm needs is a dragon-tattooed Amazon who makes him want to drag her off to a cave somewhere…
The touch sent another surge of electricity through her. With a quick intake of breath, McKay inhaled Harm's clean, musky scent and savored it for just a moment, her eyes sliding appreciatively to the red heart tattoo with the "yes" inside barely visible on his arm. She smiled because she knew it meant he was up for anything—and ready for it.
Bobbi Cole Meyer is the pen name for Barbara Meyer, who relocated from her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career as a lyricist. Over the years Barbara has had numerous songs she co-wrote cut by major artists such as Tom Jones, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Barbi Benton, Stella Parton, The Soul Shakers, the Poppies, Bandana, Mason Dixon, the Wright Brothers and several others. She also co-wrote the theme song for the Italian movie, Summer Affair, with well-known guitarist and composer, Bucky Barrett.
Now residing in the small town outside Nashville, Tennessee, with new hubby, Hank, Barbara is busy pursuing a second career, writing fiction, which she claims is her first love.
Barbara's slogan is, "grab them with the first paragraph and don't turn loose until the last period."
She is the author of Obsessive Surrender, and Uncensored Passion, the first book of the Men of Passion series.
Visit her website at www.bobbicolemeyer.com;.


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The Health Benefits of Working With Your Hands
The scientific reasons why knowledge workers need to do more with their hands.
In my work, I rarely see tangible, physical benefits that result from my efforts. That's part of the reason I seriously enjoy physical labor and yard work. After a few hours in the yard, I can actually see evidence of my achievements. I've know for years that when spring rolls around, I look forward to mowing, mulching, wedding, planting, pruning, etc. As I dig in the dirt, my mind declutters. Distractions and stress diminish as the dirt accumulates under my fingernails. There are lots of anecdotal reasons for this spike in wellbeing—but I was curious if there was any science to support my own experience. Research shows that bacteria naturally found in soil, called Mycobacterim vaccae:
- Activates a group of neurons that produces the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin – at appropriate levels, is key for regulating mood and contributes to better emotional stability and a better social life, not to mention decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Contributes to increased productivity (speed) and less anxiety.
In fact, it's not just about digging in the dirt. There are compelling arguments about the benefits of working with your hands. Read the book, "Shop Class as Soulcraft" to learn more. The author, a former knowledge worker who gave it all up to open a motorcycle repair shop, explores the dangers of the knowledge economy and getting farther and farther away from being able to actually do useful things.
Other research points to effort driven rewards circuit that:
helps us effectively meet emotional challenges, thus ameliorating depressive symptoms to some extent. Brain-wise, moving our hands activates larger areas of the cortex than movement of other parts of the body such as our legs or back muscles. And more importantly, what drives that effort-driven rewards circuit are physical activities that involve our hands, particularly activities that produce tangible products that we can see, touch, and enjoy. All of this helps alleviate underlying symptoms associated with depression.
Why should we care about any of this? Though presumptive, I'm betting most of us are not producing tangible products as part of the work we do. So, for at least 8 hours a day we are missing out on the scientifically proven benefits of working with our hands. What can we do about it?
- Make it a priority to do stuff with your hands when you are not at work. Maybe you don't have a garden to dig in to stir up those bacteria that activate neurons. Instead, try doing an art project. Or ditch the handyman, grab a hammer, and handle one of those home improvement tasks on the to-do list.
- Create tangible things at work that represent the knowledge work. For example, if you are creating a strategic plan, try using wooden blocks that represent the plan. As you move along, build a structure with those blocks to represent the pieces of the plan. It won't replace digging in the dirt or fixing a car; however, it might give you the sense that your efforts are resulting in something tangible.
- Offer incentives and rewards for accomplishing goals. While I'm a huge proponent of the value of acknowledgement, identify tangible/physical things that are awarded once a certain goal is accomplished. That whole carrot thing might be more important than we think
Don't Have Access to Dirt? Try Singing
You don't have to get down and dirty to achieve similar results. The benefits of singing and music are so voluminous. It turns out that whole "silly touchy-feeling" idea of singing kumbaya actually has some pretty significant benefits.
Consider that singing:
- Builds Trust and Boosts Your Immunity. A June 2008 article published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) lays out compelling scientific evidence of the physical and mental health benefits of singing.
- Allows You to Breathe More Easily and Alleviate Stress. While breathing more easily may not on the surface seem all that important, it's huge. It helps with fatigue and is a powerful ally in dealing with stress. Singing also helps to increase respiratory health and strengthen lung function.
- Is Part of Our Evolutionary History. In addition to releasing the "feel good hormone (Dopamine) and bonding hormone (Oxytocin), singing is a fundamental element of our evolutionary history. Singing has played a significant role in oral traditions and even in organizations such as IBM.
Check this out:
Dusolina Giannini, dramatic soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Association, was vacationing in Europe in 1938 when IBM's president, Thomas J. Watson, Sr., was on a business visit to the continent. At his invitation, Miss Giannini attended a dinner at Bad Gastein, Austria, given in honor of IBM representatives from 25 European countries and their spouses. Miss Giannini, who entertained the gathering with selections from her most famous roles, was so impressed with the IBM spirit, that she called Tom Watson the following day to propose that she ask her brother, Vittorio Giannini -- a composer of considerable renown -- to write an IBM anthem. The composition premiered in New York City at the banquet of the 1938 Hundred Percent Club, May 4, 1939, and was sung by the entire assembly:
Lift up our proud and loyal voices,
Sing out in accents strong and true,
With hearts and hands to you devoted,
And inspiration ever new;
Your ties of friendship cannot sever,
Your glory time will never stem,
We will toast a name that lives forever,
Hail to the I.B.M.
So, while you may not be ready to write a theme song/anthem for your organization, that whole kumbaya thing might help you take better care of yourself.
Whether digging in the dirt, singing out loud or combining the two and whistling while you work, the point is that you should do the things you know, and that science has shown, will make you feel better. Your health and wellbeing may be the most important strategies for not just surviving, but thriving, in these times of high stress, dissatisfaction, frustration, and uncertainty.
Image via Pakhnyushcha/Shutterstock.com
NEXT STORY: 6 Ways to Get Important People to Email You Back


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Announcing the new Power Automate visual for Power BI reports
Empower your end-users to go from insight to action. With the new Power Automate visual, end-users can run an automated flow all within a Power BI report. Furthermore, the executed flow can be data contextual, meaning that the Flow inputs can be dynamic based on the filters set by the end-user.
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Never before have I had a need to find fun stuff to do and never before have I been less motivated to do something fun. But! As crass as the saying is sometimes, Life goes on. And if I'm going to start living my life again then I guess I'd better start shaving my legs.
One of the things I do when I'm down in the dumps is prop myself up in bed and watch mindless TV. I must be watching a lot of "single girl" television because all of the commercial breaks are filled with ads for dieting and online dating. And I always get sucked in by the online dating commercials showing these way-above-average-looking people finding everlasting love thanks to Whatever.com. So when I muster up the will to get out of bed for another bowl of Pirate Booty, I grab my laptop before heading back under the covers to fill out my online dating profile.
Of course, I never use my real name or post my picture, because if I post my picture, what's the point of using a fake name? But I'm very honest when it comes to answering the online questionnaire, which just puts me in a worse mood because I realize how undesirable of an online match I am.
"Which outdoor activities are you most interested in?" The key word here is "outdoor." When do I go "outdoor" for any extended period of time without slathering myself up in SPF 100?? It's certainly not to do enjoy any of the alphabetically-listed options that are given: Automobiles, Basketball, Biking, Birdwatching, Camping, Fishing, Gardening, Golf, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Photography, Running, Sailing, Scuba Diving, Snow skiing/Snowboarding, Sports, Sunbathing, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Traveling and Water Skiing.
How horrible is it to leave every box unchecked?? It's not that I don't WANT to be that girl who digs birdwatching, but because of this online dating questionnaire, I've come to the conclusion that I'm unofficially the most uninteresting single woman in the world!
But I could use this as motivation to become a little more interesting, I guess. Maybe when the temperature outside dips to below levels of spontaneous combustion, I could take up jogging again. There's just something so sexy to me when somebody says, "Had to cut my run short today…Only got in 10 miles…" That's so stinking hot. And at least I'd have ONE box to check. But I'm still not using my real name or picture.


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No matter which route you decide to take, be safe in the knowledge that you're always headed in the right direction. Select
your Infotainment System below and find out how to install the update.
As we roll out InControl, specific features described may be optional, and market or powertrain dependent. Please consult your local Jaguar Retailer for availability and full terms. Certain features require an appropriate SIM with a suitable data contract, which will require further subscription after the initial term advised by your Retailer. Mobile connectivity cannot be guaranteed in all locations.


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Press Release
Press Release · Thursday, April 17, 2003
Press Release
April 17, 2003
Films at the National Archives in May and June
Washington, DC . . . In May and June the National Archives and Records Administration presents film screenings with topics relating to the Great Depression, the Battle of the Bulge, and American Agriculture.
The screenings will be held in Room 105 of the National Archives Building, Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, and in the auditorium at the National Archives at College Park, located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD unless otherwise noted. All programs are free and open to the public. Free parking is available at the National Archives at College Park. The times and dates may be verified by calling the National Archives public events line at (201) 501-5000. The hearing impaired should call TDD (202) 501-5404 for information.
Washington, DC Films
Friday, May 9-The Great Depression
*The Land, 1942. When Robert Flaherty was invited to direct a film for the U.S. Film Service, it was to be one of the rare instances when "The Father of Documentary Film" would have an opportunity to focus his camera on his own country. Unlike his previous films, such as Nanook of the North and Man of Aran, he would be dealing with contemporary problems and themes. The Land took Mr. Flaherty to almost every part of America during the summer of 1939, and he was appalled by the poverty he saw among migrant workers living in a land of abundance. Begun under the auspices of the U.S. Film Service, The Land was eventually completed and released in 1942 by the Department of Agriculture but rarely seen. (45 minutes.) Noon.
Friday, May 23-Memorial Day
*Battle of the Bulge, 1998. Combining rare archival film and photographs with compelling eyewitness accounts, this acclaimed documentary recounts the single biggest and bloodiest battle American soldiers have ever fought-in which nearly 80,000 Americans were killed, maimed, or captured. Battle of the Bulge looks at the December 1944 battle against Nazi forces through the eyes of the U.S. soldiers and combat officers in the field. In their own words, they describe the events leading up to the attack, the unpreparedness and surprise of the Allied forces, and the grueling physical and psychological conditions under which they fought. From PBS's The American Experience series. Produced by Thomas Lennon. (90 minutes.) Noon.
Friday, June 13-American Agriculture
*The Plow That Broke the Plains, 1936. This classic film about the Dust
Bowl has been one of the most widely praised and studied documentaries to be
produced in America. His masterful use of music, verse, and edited images were
to influence a generation of nonfiction filmmakers. Written and directed by
Pare Lorentz. (30 minutes.)
*Harvest, 1967. This film produced for the United States Information
Agency is a lyrical and visually stunning portrait of the American farmer. Directed
by Carroll Ballard. (40 minutes.) Noon.
College Park, MD Films
(For descriptions of the College Park films, see previous listings)
Monday, May 12
*The Land (45 minutes.) Noon.
Tuesday, May 27
*Battle of the Bulge (90 minutes.) Noon.
Monday, June 16
*The Plow That Broke the Plains (30 minutes.)
*Harvest (40 minutes.) Noon.
For PRESS information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700. To verify the date and times of the programs, the public should call the Public Events Line at: 202-501-5000, or view the Calendar of Events on the web at: http://www.archives.gov/about_us/calendar_of_events/index.html
This page was last reviewed on January 30, 2013.
Contact us with questions or comments.


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Aerial work calls for specific safety and reliability measures, regardless of job requirements or limitations. With used aerial work platforms for sale from your local Cat® dealer, you'll be able to maximize equipment uptime without compromising the safety and confidence of your workers. Our inventory contains a number of aerial platform solutions from manufacturers like Genie, JLG, Skyjack and more. Browse our selection to view availability in your area.
Aerial lifts are essential in construction and utility industries for their ability to reach heights that would otherwise be inaccessible to workers. We know how important it is to have trustworthy aerial solutions in your fleet. That's why we make it easy to find the sturdy machinery you need.
The Cat® dealer network offers used aerial platforms of all shapes and sizes. The most common types of platforms include scissor lifts and articulating boom lifts, which each have their own unique features and benefits. Whether you're looking for a scissor lift that can help your workers with general repair applications or a high-performance boom lift that can operate in hard-to-reach areas, we have a variety of versatile options to choose from. These can be used for utility maintenance, cleaning and much more.
Pre-owned aerial work platforms can be cost-effective solutions for multiple reasons, including:
With so many aerial lifts on CatUsed.com, how do you choose? Turn to the experts at your Cat dealer. They'll help you navigate the options, and select the lift that best fits your budget and application.
Your Cat dealer specializes in the service of machines from Caterpillar and a wide range of other equipment manufacturers. Whether a question comes up about your product or you'd like to develop a maintenance plan, our dealers can help you maximize the lifespan of your equipment.
Buy used aerial platforms from sources you know you can trust. Visit a Cat dealer in your area today to learn more and find the right aerial lift for your applications.
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SureView Courtice Home Inspection |
Approximately 50% of our business comes from past clients. "Working "By Referral" is a huge part of our business and an integral part of the careful and sensitive approach we take with each and every client. "Trust SureView to meet you home inspections needs" isn't just our slogan; it signifies the care we put into inspecting your future or current home.
How Do You Choose a Professional Home Inspector ?
Currently home inspection in Canada is a non-regulated profession. This means that anyone can claim to be a home inspector. In order for you to ensure you are hiring an inspector with appropriate credentials and experience, you should only consider using inspection firms, such as SureView Home Inspection Services Ltd., whose inspectors are members of The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI) and The Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors (CAHPI). This will help ensure that the inspector is experienced, impartial, and ethical.
By hiring SureView to perform your home inspection, you will also have peace of mind knowing that your inspector is a Registered Home Inspector (RHI). The RHI designation is currently the highest status achievable by home inspectors in Canada and is held by fewer than 250 practicing home inspectors province wide. Don't be fooled by inspectors calling themselves Certified, Professional or Qualified. These terms are meaningless as anyone can use them regardless of his or her true education or qualifications.
RHI and the title Registered Home Inspector are protected by Ontario Government legislation and can only be used and granted to members of OAHI and CAHPI-Ontario who have achieved the highest level of education and experience as required by OAHI.
Areas serviced by SureView Home Inspections
We have helped Home Buyers and Sellers throughout a broad geographical area that includes:
Ajax , Aurora, Bowmanville, Brampton, Brooklin, Concord, Durham Region, East York, Etobicoke, GTA, Keswick, King City, Kleinburg, Maple, Markham, Mississauga, Newmarket, North York, Oak Ridges, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Rexdale, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Toronto, Uxbridge Vaughan, Toronto, Whitby, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Willowdale, Woodbridge, York Region.
Services Offered by SureView Home Inspections
Whether you're a Homebuyer or Home seller, SureView Home Inspection Services Ltd. offers many services designed to make your home purchase as stress free as possible! Here are the services we provide:
Pre-listing home inspections for the home seller
Pre purchase home inspections for the home buyer
Pre Delivery Inspections on new homes
Tarion Home Warranty inspections-30 day, 1 year and 2 year
Maintenance inspections
Our ultimate goal is to make you so happy that'll you won't hesitate to pass our name along to your family, friends and colleagues. That is what "Working By Referral" is all about!


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US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has unveiled his long-awaited plan to put the US banking system back in order. In doing so, he has refused to tell the 'dirty little secret' of the present financial crisis. By refusing to do so, he is trying to save de facto bankrupt US banks that threaten to bring the entire global system down in a new more devastating phase of wealth destruction.
The Geithner Plan, his so-called Public-Private Partnership Investment Program or PPPIP, as we have noted previously, is designed not to restore a healthy lending system which would funnel credit to business and consumers. Rather it is yet another intricate scheme to pour even more hundreds of billions directly to the leading banks and Wall Street firms responsible for the current mess in world credit markets, without demanding they change their business model. Yet, one might say, won't this eventually help the problem by getting the banks back to health? Not the way the Obama Administration is proceeding. In defending his plan on US TV recently, Geithner, a protégé of Henry Kissinger, who previously was CEO of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, argued that his intent was 'not to sustain weak banks at the expense of strong.' Yet this is precisely what the PPPIP does. The weak banks are the five largest banks in the system. The 'dirty little secret' which Geithner is going to great degrees to obscure from the public is very simple. There are only at most perhaps five US banks which are the source of the toxic poison that is causing such dislocation in the world financial system. What Geithner is desperately trying to protect is that reality. The heart of the present problem and the reason ordinary loan losses as in prior bank crises are not the problem, is a variety of exotic financial derivatives, most especially so-called Credit Default Swaps. In 2000 the Clinton Administration then-Treasury Secretary was a man named Larry Summers. Summers had just been promoted from No. 2 under Wall Street Goldman Sachs banker Robert Rubin to be No. 1 when Rubin left Washington to take up the post of Vice Chairman of Citigroup. As I describe in detail in my new book, Power of Money: The Rise and Fall of the American Century, to be released this summer, Summers convinced President Bill Clinton to sign several Republican bills into law which opened the floodgates for banks to abuse their powers. The fact that the Wall Street big banks spent some $5 billion in lobbying for these changes after 1998 was likely not lost on Clinton. One significant law was the repeal of the 1933 Depression-era Glass-Steagall Act that prohibited mergers of commercial banks, insurance companies and brokerage firms like Merrill Lynch or Goldman Sachs. A second law backed by Treasury Secretary Summers in 2000 was an obscure, but deadly important, Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. That law prevented the responsible US Government regulatory agency, Commodity Futures Trading Corporation (CFTC), from having any oversight over the trading of financial derivatives. The new CFMA law stipulated that so-called Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivatives like Credit Default Swaps, such as those involved in the AIG insurance disaster, (which investor Warren Buffett once called 'weapons of mass financial destruction'), be free from Government regulation. At the time Summers was busy opening the floodgates of financial abuse for the Wall Street Money Trust, his assistant was none other than Tim Geithner, the man who today is US Treasury Secretary. Today, Geithner's old boss, Larry Summers, is President Obama's chief economic adviser, as head of the White House Economic Council. To have Geithner and Summers responsible for cleaning up the financial mess is tantamount to putting the proverbial fox in to guard the henhouse. The 'Dirty Little Secret' What Geithner does not want the public to understand, his 'dirty little secret,' is that the repeal of Glass-Steagall and the passage of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act in 2000 allowed the creation of a tiny handful of banks that would virtually monopolize key parts of the global 'off-balance sheet' or Over-The-Counter derivatives issuance. Today five US banks according to data in the just-released Federal Office of Comptroller of the Currency's Quarterly Report on Bank Trading and Derivatives Activity, hold 96% of all US bank derivatives positions in terms of nominal values, and an eye-popping 81% of the total net credit risk exposure in event of default. The five are, in declining order of importance: JP Morgan Chase which holds a staggering $88 trillion in derivatives (Euro66 trillion!). Morgan Chase is followed by Bank of America with $38 trillion in derivatives, and Citibank with $32 trillion. Number four in the derivatives sweepstakes is Goldman Sachs with a 'mere' $30 trillion in derivatives. Number five, the merged Wells Fargo-Wachovia Bank, drops dramatically in size to $5 trillion. Number six, Britain's HSBC Bank USA has $3.7 trillion. After that the size of US bank exposure to these explosive off-balance-sheet unregulated derivative obligations falls off dramatically. Just to underscore the magnitude, trillion is written 1,000,000,000,000. Continuing to pour taxpayer money into these five banks without changing their operating system, is tantamount to treating an alcoholic with unlimited free booze. The Government bailouts of AIG to over $180 billion to date has primarily gone to pay off AIG's Credit Default Swap obligations to counterparty gamblers Goldman Sachs, Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, the banks who believe they are 'too big to fail.' In effect, these five institutions today believe they are so large that they can dictate the policy of the Federal Government. Some have called it a bankers' coup d'etat. It definitely is not healthy. This is Geithner's and Wall Street's Dirty Little Secret that they desperately try to hide because it would focus voter attention on real solutions. The Federal Government has long had laws in place to deal with insolvent banks. The FDIC places the bank into receivership, its assets and liabilities are sorted out by independent audit. The irresponsible management is purged, stockholders lose and the purged bank is eventually split into smaller units and when healthy, sold to the public. The power of the five mega banks to blackmail the entire nation would thereby be cut down to size. Ooohh. Uh Huh? This is what Wall Street and Geithner are frantically trying to prevent. The problem is concentrated in these five large banks. The financial cancer must be isolated and contained by Federal agency in order for the host, the real economy, to return to healthy function.
This is what must be put into bankruptcy receivership, or nationalization. Every hour the Obama Administration delays that, and refuses to demand full independent government audit of the true solvency or insolvency of these five or so banks, inevitably costs to the US and to the world economy will snowball as derivatives losses explode. That is pre-programmed as worsening economic recession mean corporate bankruptcies are rising, home mortgage defaults are exploding, unemployment is shooting up. This is a situation that is deliberately being allowed to run out of (responsible Government) control by Treasury Secretary Geithner, Summers and ultimately the President, whether or not he has taken the time to grasp what is at stake. Once the five problem banks have been put into isolation by the FDIC and the Treasury, the Administration must introduce legislation to immediately repeal the Larry Summers bank deregulation including restore Glass-Steagall and repeal the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 that allowed the present criminal abuse of the banking trust. Then serious financial reform can begin to be discussed, starting with steps to 'federalize' the Federal Reserve and take the power of money out of the hands of private bankers such as JP Morgan Chase, Citibank or Goldman Sachs. F. William Engdahl is author of A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order; and Seeds of Destruction: The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation (www.globalresearch.ca). His newest book, Full Spectrum Dominance: Totalitarian Democracy in the New World Order (Third Millennium Press) is due out at end of April. © Copyright F. William Engdahl, Global Research, 2009; courtesy Global Research [www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=12953]
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Thai communities rally round boat arrivals in south
Thai communities rally round boat arrivals in south
SONGKHLA, Thailand, February 12 (UNHCR) - Women's shelters are usually well-kept secrets, tucked away in confidential locations to protect the identity of victims of abuse and other forms of exploitation.
But one shelter in southern Thailand's Songkhla province has been thrust into the spotlight after regular visits by the media and the international community. Everyone wants to meet its new residents, a group of 105 women and children from Myanmar's Rakhine state. They are among the some 1,700 recent boat arrivals the Royal Thai Government has allowed to stay in Thailand until solutions can be found for them.
Amina*, a 30-year-old mother of four from Maungdaw in northern Rakhine state, is grateful for the temporary respite. She said life back home became unbearable after last year's inter-communal violence. Surrounded by nine Rakhine villages, her Muslim-minority village felt constantly under siege.
"They came with knives and other weapons," she said. "We managed to protect ourselves for two months. But one day we saw them coming with fire, that's when we decided to leave."
Armed with a few bags of clothes, Amina walked southwards with her children, aged five to 13 years, stopping in Muslim villages for refuge along the way. Eventually her uncle called and told her about a boat leaving for Malaysia, where her husband is working. The family made their way to the departure point, paid 200,000 kyat (about US$234) and found themselves in an overcrowded boat with about 200 people.
"We brought some dried rice but finished it after three days. There was drinking water but we were very hungry," said Amina. "We were at sea for 12 days, the children sitting on my lap. As we approached Thailand, it rained and the water was very rough. We were so afraid."
The ordeal did not end when they landed in Thailand. According to Amina, the group was taken by unidentified men first to a forest location, then to a house where they stayed until it was raided by the police in mid-January. After spending two days in prison, Amina and her children were taken to the shelter in Songkhla.
Since the group's arrival, the shelter has been overwhelmed by an outpouring of assistance from the local authorities, organizations and communities. Donations include food, clothing, footwear, toiletries, detergent and sanitary materials. One package came from Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, some 1,500 km away.
"In the beginning, the donations were just piling up. We had to mobilize many workers to sort them," said a woman who works at the shelter. Today, big sacks of rice, boxes of instant noodles, tins of biscuits and other supplies are neatly stored in three rooms at the shelter.
Those requiring medical attention after the long voyage and subsequent detention have been taken to the local hospital. The children have been vaccinated against common diseases.
Students from nearby universities still bring cooked food every day, though the women have started cooking for themselves with the 1 kilogramme of salt and 5 kilogrammes of fresh chillies provided daily by the shelter staff on request. The students have also organized recreational activities such as arts and crafts, singing and dancing.
Their Thai hosts are going out of their way to ensure the women and children feel at home, but language and cultural differences are making it hard for them to fully adjust to life in the shelter. Local staff are also struggling to cope with the large group and have asked for reinforcements.
Asked how she was coping, Amina said, "The people are very nice and caring here. I can sleep with no problem. But my husband is in Malaysia and I want to join him there."
Since late January, staff from the UN refugee agency have been talking to women and children in seven shelters across Thailand's south, as well as men in immigration detention centres, to get a clearer profile of their humanitarian and protection needs.
*Name changed for protection reasons
By Vivian Tan, in Songkhla, southern Thailand


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It seems Nozbe 3 has really come a long way since I've spent some time evaluating it back in 2013.
From the Nozbe 3 announcement blog post and video, it seems prime for another round of testing when I get time. Wonder if quick entry is improved as it was one of the biggest show stoppers for me.
I couldn't care less about the new and shiny logo, but think better project orientation and business plans are something that could be quite nice.
Really cool things in Nozbe 3
- projects can have roles now (Admin, User and Guest) – seems like a great idea!
- business plan (10+ accounts) – should help with collaboration
- LOTS of supported platforms. Web and Mac would be most important to me, with iPhone/iPad close second. Â But it's nice to see Linux downloads as well. BTW: Mac download is 5MB, Linux is 95MB! :)
- revised (in a non-dramatic way) design
- new templates for projects
Overall, a very solid update for an already great product! Will be fun to give it a try sometime later in 2016.