text:
Your Own Price
for Hookers?!?
E-Bay and Priceline.com Muscle In On the World's Oldest Business Model
by Jonny Lieberman
We have all heard the stories. A kidney surfacing on e-auction powerhouse E-Bay [EBAY - NASDAQ] for $300,000. People putting their children or their souls up for sale. Used Panties, etc. Often described as Adam Smith's true vision on steroids, online auction sites have been accused of bringing out the entrepreneur in some of society's worst elements. Others feel that in a truly free market place, the good must be taken along with the bad, and indeed the good will win out in the end. Regardless of all opinions, something new is in fact surfacing as a result of online auctions; Prostitution. Tamika Jones and Melissa Justine, two former, or old business, streetwalkers have made the logical jump to the next level. They have not given up their profession, prostitution per say, but rather they have elected to embrace the new online frontier and are peddling their respective asses on E-Bay, as well as other auction sites such as Amazon.com [AMZN - NASDAQ] and Yahoo! [YHOO - NASDAQ]. ( AOL [AOL - NYSE] users keyword: Whore)
"Man, it just makes sense, financial sense." Says an exuberant Ms. Jones. "Before on the street, some John would roll on up to you and want [Fellactio] and you be like, 'That gonna cost you fifty large.' Which is good money, but honey, shit, now I be like, 'Yo, I got a mean blowjob for sale. Who's got the most dough?' Motherfucka's be offering $500 and shit. It feels good!"
Melissa Justine concurs. For the past seven years, Melissa has been walking the mean streets of St Louis. Recently retired, Melissa stills makes a comfortable living offering her services online. "It is 100% better. Not only money wise, which I think is due to the fact that these cyber-Johns are generally wealthier than some asshole cruising you in his car, but now I am not just limited to like a twenty block area. I get to go all over the place. Some of these guys are so hard up, that they will actually pay to fly the pussy out to them. I recently did a Christmas party for [A major software manufacturer] out in California where I made $20,000, for one nights work! Usually, if I do a gangbang type of deal like that, even with twenty-five guys, I rarely make more than one or two grand. And I usually would have been taken out back and alley-whipped afterwards. These dudes actually flew me out first-class, picked me up in a limo and put me up in a nice hotel. Shit, you tell me?"
These are not the only two women who have decided to ditch their old economy ways of whoring and ante-up to what might be the profession's biggest boost since the heyday of the American Frontier. A quick search of E-Bay, Yahoo! and Amazon, the three leading auction sites revealed more than seventeen-dozen hookers up for auction. According to some, this is just the tip of the iceberg. All three of the big players declined comment, however, Jason Birdy, a presales expert from Andale.com, a company that brokers out auction services to both sellers and buyers, had this to say. "I am telling you, this is the biggest thing since used panties. I can't really discuss the numbers, but we are talking thousands. As far as revenue is concerned, several millions of dollars."
When asked about the legal and moral implications of auction sites getting involved in the skin trade, Mr. Birdy responded, "You know, they all pay lip service to the idea that this is illegal and bad for society and all that. For instance if you look on [The Yahoo! Auction site] for hookers, you won't find anything. But if you look for 'escort services', you'll overflow your buffer with all the hits you get. There is just too much money involved here for anyone to actually do anything more than simple posturing. It is like a report I was reading a few years back about AOL. They were swearing up and down, left and right about wanting to combat kiddie porn, but an analyst surmised that there is about 600 gigabytes of child pornography floating around AOL's servers at any one time. That is their bread and butter. And these auction sites, just like AOL, are not going to mess with a goldmine."
Tamika Jones also cited safety and independence as other reasons for her going virtual. "No motherfucking pimps, no motherfucking crackheads, no god damned cops running yo ass in then raping you in the back of squad car outside the fucking precinct. None of that shit. Just a bunch of white boys and Indian motherfuckers, not the feathers, but the dots. They ain't too kinky either. It's like they're afraid of my ass or something." Ms. Jones continued. "Really, all that shit I don't care about, except for the pimps. I was so sick and tired of hearing, 'I'm a mess you up. My pimp hand's strong. You better be out there earning for me or I'm a put yo black ass under pimp arrest.' That shit is played out. That shit is weak. Now a days, these motherfucking Johns be bringing me flowers an shit. They be talking all, 'Um, I think you are really pretty. I want you to meet my mother.' It's whack and dope both at the same time, you hear what I'm saying?"
The buyers involved are also big fans of auction prostitution. Sammy Schlesinger, a DSL technician in Provo Utah agrees. "First of all, you see what you are going to get, which is key to this whole thing. Many of the [girls] put photos of themselves up on the sites. Which is great. I mean, if you pick up someone off the street, you just don't know. It's dark, do they have all their teeth, caesarian scars, track marks, who knows? But on eBay, the buyer actually sees what they are going to get. Often they are nude, too. Which is sexy. For me at least, it just demonstrates the true power and unlimited potential of the Internet all over again."
Mr. Schlesinger also spoke of other inherent benefits. Specifically, the ability to get in touch with whores who would otherwise remain unknown. "Well, to be honest, I live in Utah, so that right there sort of limits my options. Provo, especially. What I used to do was cruise down to Salt Lake, but that was just a pain in the ass. The cops aren't too friendly there, if you know what I mean. Sort of backwards in fact, really. Plus, you would be surprised how many women ho on the side, but sort of just maintain a small client list. It's not their full time gig. Like this girl I have been seeing lately, Maria. She only lives a few miles away and she works totally out of her home. She has her own client list. Now, I never would have known about her, if I had not found her on an auction site, you know? Her hours are weird, because she has to wait for her husband to leave and the kids to go to school. But man, is she wild! I didn't know Mormons could fuck like that. Anyway, without eBay, I never would have met her."
Highest bidder prostitution is also proving to be a saving grace now that the seemingly unstoppable economy has shown real signs of slowing, especially in the tech sector. As always, the sex trade seems unaffected. George Jaquay a self described, "dot comer", has recently found himself out of work. "I started working at Pets.com [PETS -NASDAQ] right out of college, but as you know, we were hit with massive layoffs. I moved down to Los Angeles to work for eToys [ETOY - NASDAQ], but that was a disaster. They got rid of my entire department a few months after I moved down there. I headed back up to the Valley and started at WebVan.com [DUMBFUCKINGIDEA - NASDAQ], but they just slashed 2,000 jobs. So, to keep myself afloat, and really just to pay for my dingy little one-bedroom Cupertino apartment, I started selling myself on eBay."
"I feel fairly ambivalent about the whole thing. On the one hand, I do have an MBA from Dartmouth in business development. I am using that zero percent. And, about three quarters of my clients are men, the remainder being these really fat and disgusting cyberchicks. They all have long hair, too. Really long, like down to their butts long. Do you think that's weird?" This reporter told him that he feels flat backing for money is weird, period. Mr. Jaquay did not entirely agree.
"Cause see, on the other hand, this is putting money on my table. For the first time in my life, all of my credit cards are paid off, my student loans are pretty much gone. I paid off my Passat and I just moved to a really nice place in Menlo Park. It's great. Sure, I know I am chugging cock for a living, but it beats sitting in an office ten hours a day waiting to get handed your walking papers." Clearly that is a matter of opinion. "I am actually considering setting up a web cam and creating a pay site where people can watch me and the highest bidder fuck, but I am sort of apprehensive because if some of my frat brothers back east saw me taking it up the ass, well, it would be weird."
Not to be left out however, modern day Pimps are also getting into hooker auctions. Carlester Crumpler, one of Detroit's more notorious and innovative pimps made the jump from an actual prostitution web site, to relying on the services of E-Bay and the like in early November. When asked why he made the transition, Mr. Crumpler said, "Shit, I got bitches in New York City, Vietnam, motherfucking Africa. I got bitches in Los Angeles, Denver, Sao Paulo, Modesto, Myrtle Beach, Malaysia. That is what the web brought to my business. We call it the Bitch Net. But the problem was this, you log into punkassho.com [PASH - NASDAQ] and you want to bust a nut on Darlene, dig? Now, some other player has already got himself a date with Darlene. He paid one hundred bones for her skinny ass. But you think that Darlene has got the sweetest pink there is, you know what I'm saying? You would have paid $125. What do you do? I'm asking you, what the fuck do you do?" I had no comment. Mr. Crumpler continued.
"See, now that I got all my bitches up on Amazon and E-Bay, motherfucking Yahoo! and shit, that problem is solved. Your sick ass bids $125 for that bag-head ho. But that other motherfucker thinks her pussy tastes better than waffles, so he drops one hundred and fifty large for her nail-polish huffing ass. You then pony up $200. You think I give a shit? Hells no! You honkeys can empty out your retirement accounts for all I fucking care. Shit." Mr. Crumpler also explained how by "contracting out" to established auction sites, he is both reducing overhead and saving money.
"Man, I had me a whole gang a white boys working 24-7 keeping punkassho.com up and running. It was like I was ho-ing for them, and they were pimping me out! Uh-uh, fuck that. Now that my shit is on E-Bay, it is nothing but mo money, mo money, and mo motherfucking money. It's great." When asked about his funny hat, Mr. Crumpler called me a "dumb cracker."
In a similar dramatic move, beleaguered former Nasdaq darling Priceline.com [PRCL - NASDAQ] will be announcing Tuesday that consumers can now "Name Their Own Price For Hookers". Details are still murky and no one from Priceline.com would make any statements on the record. However, an anonymous source told PCTyrant.com the following.
"Jesus Christ. Our stock has taken such a beating recently that we'd be having name your own price for heroin if we could figure out a way to get around the supply problems. No joke. Naming your own price for whores is a stopgap, finger in the dyke type of maneuver" When asked if his 'finger in the dyke' comment had any sexual or lesbian connotations attached to it, our source said no. Then he giggled a whole bunch. When asked about the legality of Priceline's decision to add the skin trade to its already diverse "Name Your Own Price" offerings such as gas, plane fair and exotic birds and reptiles, our source responded with this.
"Listen, we have been screwing over our customers
for the past two years. I mean, we got kicked out of the Connecticut Better
Business Bureau for Christ's sake. Legal actions so far have been minimal.
But our stock has taken a severe beating. We're dying here, but we are
still responsible to our stockholders. We are predicting a 300-400 percent
jump in revenue next month alone with the onset of this new service. We
feel comfortable in speculating that are stock will jump up to around
the high twenties or low thirties by second quarter 2001. And we will
be in the black for the first time as an enterprise by quarter three.
As far as a SWAT team raid and pepper spray in the eyes and all of our
butts being hauled off to jail, well, we have discussed that as a possible
scenario. However, we at Proceline.com feel it is an acceptable risk we
are being forced to take by the competitive nature of the market. For
the sake of our shareholders, we simply have no other options." He
continued, "Really, what I am thinking is that the Justice Department
found Microsoft guilty of just about every crime listed in the anti-trust
act, called them jerks, described Bill Gates as mix between Mussolini
and a tall version of Napoleon, and finally ordered them broken into two
companies, and it is still business as usual up in Redmond. This is just
one man talking, but don't you think anti-trust violations are bigger
crimes than prostitution, a business that 62% of the US population thinks
should be legalized anyway? Honestly, we at Priceline.com are not too
|Will the traditional anolog sex workers be able to compete with the online "sex for sale" marketplace or will this exasperate the digital divide.
|Unidentified software manufacturer's release party. Online sexworkers can make up to $20,000 per night working the dot com circuit.
|Young start ups like MyPoonTang.org plan to give ebay and Priceline a run for their money in the emerging online prostitution market.
"Man, I had me a whole gang a white boys working 24-7 keeping punkassho.com up and running. It was like I was ho-ing for them, and they were pimping me out!"
Carlester Crumpler -Online
"Jesus Christ... we'd be having 'name your own price for heroin' if we could figure out a way to get around the supply problems"
Anonymous Source at Priceline.com
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text:
WWE Smackdown Results
-John Cena kicks off the show and makes fun of the Wyatt Family, Bray and their singing gimmick. He accepts the rubber match between them at WWE Payback on June 1. The Wyatts showed up on the Titantron and ripped on Cena for making jokes. They sang to end the segment.
(1) The Usos def. Cody Rhodes & Goldust
-After the match, Cody got upset and walked out on his brother.
(2) El Torito def. Heath Slater
(3) Nikki Bella def. Natalya. Eva Marie was the special guest referee for some reason – I'm guessing this had something to do with drama on Total Divas.
-Dolph Ziggler cut a serious backstage promo. He's in action against Batista tonight. Good luck.
Have a news tip? Attended an event and want to send a live report?

subset: commoncrawl


text: > > It seems that Paul Wade is a bit , ahm, unpolite to debian users. He was > > never debian developer, but he left the debian lists after an argument about > > the way debian is going (the Dave Cinege saga, if you remember). I would > > encourage you to get your disk from elsewhere. > > Thing is, he has my money... Well I think I will give him the benifit of > the dought. And wait for him to respond.... The same goes for me... But mail sent to email@example.com bounces with a "Permanent Nameserver" error message... Cleto -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to email@example.com . Trouble? e-mail to email@example.com .


text:
T-Mobile LG G Flex Android 4.4 KitKat update now rolling out
Finally following in the footsteps of AT&T's and Sprint's versions of the handset, T-Mobile's LG G Flex is set to receive the update to Android 4.4 KitKat starting today.
It's been almost three weeks since such updates have first rolled out in the US, so it's nice to see the magenta carrier catching up. Better late than never, as they say.
The update is rolling out over-the-air, so your G Flex should notify you when it's ready to download and install. If that hasn't happened yet, keep in mind that these things are usually staggered and it may take a few days for your particular device to get the update. If you're impatient, you can always make it manually check by going to Settings > General > System > About phone > System updates and tapping on Check now.
The update is a 147 MB affair, and you'll need to have at least 50% of your battery left when attempting to apply it. After doing that, you'll be on software version D95920d.
The update brings with it everything that's new with KitKat, alongside support for LG's Knock Code unlocking, better battery life, and various stability fixes.
Via T-Mobile


text:
Oh hur, I thought you guys meant original DBZ as opposed to Kai or something.
So I tried watching steins gate since a few people recommended it. Now I barely made it through the first episode. What is going on with this anime?!
Didn't see the entire thread, don't know if it was mentioned...
But try Hunter X Hunter. There is a series with around 70 episodes, and then 2 OVAs so far. More are coming.
Also try Yu Yu Hakusho.
Both are very Naruto, Bleach, One Piece like. You will enjoy.
there was a good anime I was going to suggest, but I cannot remember the name of it.
The setting is in Japan during hard economic times and it's so bad that the super heroes and villains are out of work so they're forced to take off the costumes and live "normal" lives by moving into a cheap apartment. Funny part is, they all move in with each other not knowing who each person is. One character is a Dr. Wily type, there is a 007-type female agent, a male super sentai-style hero, and a few others.
If anyone knows, you'd make me happy!
A few off the top of my head that I liked:
Samurai X/Rurouni Kenshin
Ga-Rei Zero
Mahou Sensei Negima
The World God Only Knows
Busou Renkin
Seikon No Qwaser
"There are other sites on the internet designed for people to make friends or relationships. This isn't one" Darsithis Super Moderator
Proof that the mmochamp community can be a bitter and lonely place. What a shame.
Last edited by Orochiro; 2013-01-29 at 08:33 PM.
Does anyone have experience with Darker Than Black? Is it good? I was considering watching it.
I had the very same reaction, I literally almost fell asleep when watching the first episode -.- Haven't had the motivation/interest to click play on the 2nd episode...
New main for WoD: Brewmaster Ryuuzetsu
ive been watching Zetsuen no Tempest and honestly im a little annoyed that the show has deviated from the Manga in the most recent episode...
Anyway to all the people who think Steins;Gate is not worth watching after the first episode, if you do not love it by the end I will personally give you 50 internet monies. And I can be fairly certain that I will never have to pay out!


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I swore I'd put up the true prologue to my story as soon as I could and here it is, folks! Without further ado, here is the prologue to Ari's story...
Long ago, since before the dawn of man, there lived powerful beings known as gods and goddesses that dwelled over various elements. They are creatures whose powers are beyond the understanding of man. Like any hierarchy, their group is divided into different planes that call each into different groups. The first of the gods to enter existence are known as the High Rulers. In this group are Tiberius, the god of judgment, Arietta, the goddess of justice, Caelus, god of souls and Kuroshi, the god of death. Below them are the Four Elementals: Tiamat, the god of air, Leviathan, the god of water, Pyralis, the god of fire and Demetra, goddess of the earth. Besides these are the nocturnal goddesses, Nyx and Lunamé, each with their respective element. Nyx rules over the night while Lunamé rules over the moon. As such, Tiberius and Arietta created the Four Laws of the Gods to ensure that there would never be strife amongst their kind. The Four Laws are as follows:
I. No god shall intervene in another's affairs in terms of what their purpose is.
II. No god shall kill another god, even if said god gives up their godhood and becomes human.
III. No god will socialize with or form pacts with demons.
IV. No god shall abuse their powers for either their own gain or to cause strife between gods or humans.
For a time, all was good. The gods did as their duties demanded and everything was orderly. The humans were pleased with them and the bounties were plenty. But one night, when the moon was full, Leviathan was patrolling his waters to ensure no sailors were lost. Once he arrived to a small clearing, he saw a naked woman bathing in his waters. His curiosity on need of satisfaction, he changed into a man and approached the woman carefully. Before he was too close to her, she turned around and they looked into each other's eyes. Leviathan realized that the woman he had found was none other than Lunamé, goddess of the moon. They kept staring into each other's eyes until Lunamé smiled at Leviathan. They discussed important matters for a while and then decided to meet once every full moon at the same place.
With each meeting, they got to know more about each other, but what they did not realize was that Nyx was watching them and her jealousy of Lunamé grew with each encounter, for she was secretly in love with Leviathan and wished to have him all for herself. In time, Lunamé and Leviathan fell in love, to Nyx's growing jealousy. They asked for Tiberius and Arietta's blessing so that they could marry, but Nyx argued that if they were to be married, each would forget their duty and as such, their marriage could not be allowed. However, Tiberius and Arietta ignored Nyx's argument and gave them their blessing. Thus, Leviathan and Lunamé were married, though Nyx did not look happy at the wedding. Her jealousy had begun to grow to an ever increasing amount that she began to despise Lunamé and everything she had.
Sometime after they were married, Lunamé became pregnant and gave birth to a pair of twins, Seiraku and Ari. The couple was overjoyed at the new additions to their family, as were the other gods, especially Demetra and Tiamat, who themselves had given birth to a girl named Toti. There were many celebrations at the newest members of their band, but Nyx never came, saying her duties were far more important. Secretly, Nyx had been planning something nefarious against Lunamé that would change lives forever. Lunamé, sensing some strange plans being set into motion, felt that Nyx was up to something and so, begged Leviathan to let her go and give up her godhood. Although most of them were against it, Lunamé was allowed to become human and keep the children with her, though they had their powers sealed until they were prepared to join the ranks of the gods.
Living in a small town, Lunamé raised the children and let them know who they were, so they would always remember their proper place in the world. She would tell them to never let any of the humans they spoke with know who and what they were, for humans would attempt to abuse their powers for their own gain. At night, she would sing them a lullaby that would remain in their hearts. Leviathan would occasionally visit the children at night, just like the meetings would have with their mother. But the happy times would not last, for Nyx was about to set her plan into motion...
On a day like any other, Ari and Seiraku were playing with the other children as Lunamé was in the garden, tending to the flowers. Seiraku was always the serious type, like his father while Ari was more carefree. While they played, Ari ran to her mother, begging her to sing the lullaby. Lunamé consented and began to sing until she heard a sound she recognized: the sound of demons approaching. Before anyone realized it, demons had appeared in the small town and began to slaughter the humans. Lunamé grabbed her children and started running, fearing that they would injure them or have them suffer worse fates. But Ari tripped and fell as Lunamé reached to help her up. Before Ari knew it, her mother was stabbed through the stomach by a demon with large horns and red eyes. He smirked from beneath his armor and pulled out his sword, kicking Lunamé to the ground. Her blood fell on Ari as she whispered to her daughter:
"Please Ari, you must run….with your brother…don't let them catch you…you must…live…my daughter…"
And with those final words, Lunamé let out her final breath. Ari, in complete shock, screamed at her mother, begging her to move. Seiraku ran back to his sister and looked at his mother's lifeless body. He couldn't believe what had happened and charged at the demon. But before he could do anything, he heard a familiar roar and saw his father and uncle arrive. The demons disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, fearing the persecution of the gods. Leviathan charged, approaching his wife's lifeless body. He tried to make sense of what had happened and looked at the senseless slaughter around him. He let out a scream that resounded throughout the entire town as Tiamat watched in sadness. They left that place, taking the children with them. While Seiraku swore he would train until he was strong enough to kill the demon that butchered their mother, Ari locked herself away, refusing to let anyone in. No one ever knew why the demons did such a thing.
Demetra took it upon herself to help Ari overcome the loss of her mother while Leviathan trained Seiraku. It would be many years before she spoke again. Once she regained her voice and they were old enough, Seiraku and Ari each received their duties: Seiraku was declared the god of storms and Ari was declared the Reaper while also inheriting her mother's title of goddess of the moon. Our story begins as the celebration of the new gods began…


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Posted by Royse on August 21, 2013 at 18:08:07 from (126.96.36.199):
In Reply to: Starter problem posted by Wm.Mike on August 21, 2013 at 17:52:22:
Make sure its in neutral, then jumper from large post to large post of the solenoid with one lead of a pair of jumper cables. Does it roll over then?You could also try jumping it by hooking a 12V battery to the frame and to the starter post to see if it will roll over.Either way bypasses the neutral safety switch, so again, neutral.If that doesn't make sense, please ask. Better safe than sorry.
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text:
Guy ventures to the Cannery Row Brewing Company for some "high-end bar grub." Everyone's favorite is the Parmesan pretzel with beer cheese dip. But you won't want to miss out on the short rib grilled cheese either, complete with one slice of bread that's entirely blanketed by provolone.
Special Dishes: Parmesan Pretzel, Short Rib Grilled Cheese
Seen an error? Report This Listing
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.


text:
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Banquet - deadline 8-16-12 10 am NY time (08/09/12)
TITLE: Stained and Torn
As anxious thoughts flooded her mind, she fought to remember the words Jesse had spoken before leaving.
"Wait for me." His voice was firm as his embrace. "Prepare for my return. You will adorn yourself with ivory, we will be one, and we will celebrate with a great banquet. Until then, I'll be fighting for you—and for our people."
After Jesse's troop completely disappeared from view, Lena carefully placed the dress in its box. It was Jesse's gift to her: a promise of his return. She vowed to preserve it until that day. Holding the box close to her heart, she headed down the narrow road that led home—unaware she was being followed.
"You're beautiful as ever, Magdalena." The familiar voice startled her. There was only one who called her by that name.
"How did you find me?" She strained to keep her voice from trembling.
"I never lost sight of you." Niko stepped from the shadows, eyes glowing in the dim moonlight.
Lena's eyes wandered to the broken cross tattooed on his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"
"I've missed you."
Before Lena could find the words she was looking for, Niko took her by the arm. "Let's go somewhere. Have some fun, like old times."
Lena did not resist. Holding the box loosely at her side, she allowed him to lead her to the pub at the edge of town—where she had spent much of her former life. The lights were dim, and the music drowned her ability to think.
They found a table in a darkened corner, and she absently set the box on the floor beside her. The waiter approached with a selection of drinks. Niko eagerly made his choice, but Lena hesitated.
"C'mon. One drink won't hurt you." Niko's smile was captivating against his tanned skin. He looked to the waiter. "Make that two."
Soon Lena was lost in the atmosphere. One drink became many; one dance become more. When it was time for the pub to close, someone handed her the box she'd almost forgotten. She didn't notice the cover was torn and the dress inside, covered with stains. Holding loosely to the box, she followed Niko home.
The rest of the night was a blur. When she awoke the next morning—head throbbing with pain, she remembered the dress. Panic filled her heart as she frantically searched the room. It was gone. Lena fell to her knees.
"Looking for this?" Niko stood in the doorway, holding the stained dress in his hands. "I can't imagine why. You're not worthy to wear white. The stains are more appropriate." Roughly tearing the dress, he threw it at her feet. "I never loved you…and now no one ever will." And he left her—broken and scarred, on her knees.
Months passed, and Lena scarcely left her house. When she wasn't sleeping, she was in her garden—staring vacantly at the sea of colors before her. One day in early spring as she was sitting near the lilies, she heard footsteps.
"Jesse?" She avoided his gaze.
"Lena, what's happened?" Jesse lifted Lena's chin and searched her eyes.
"You're back…"
"The battle is among us. I've been here all along, fighting in our own streets. The enemy is after our own people. His army wears the symbol of a broken cross."
Lena gasped. "You're too late. He's already come for me. My dress…it's stained and torn, and so am I. I am not worthy of your love. For me, there can be no wedding—and no banquet." Her tears fell softly.
Clouds of sadness fell upon Jesse's compassionate eyes. "I've always been fighting for you, and I will not stop. There will yet be a wedding. And a banquet."
"But, I've ruined my dress…"
"My father is a tailor. He specializes in making all things new. Only, you must be willing to shed your old life and put on the garments he's prepared for you. Are you willing?"
Lena did not answer, but the silent tears that fell down her scarred cheeks revealed her heart. She was willing.
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text:
Rory MacDonald (top) punches Che Mills during their welterweight bout for UFC 145.
Photograph by: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images
By Dave Deibert, The StarPhoenix; With Files From Postmedia News
May 9, 2012 10:40 AM
The British Columbia government introduced legislation this week to regulate mixed martial arts - which includes Ultimate Fighting Championship - and other combat sports across the province.
Ida Chong, B.C.'s minister of community, sport and cultural development, introduced Bill 50 - the Athletic Commissioner Act - in the legislature on Monday. She said the proposed act would establish a "consistent framework" for professional MMA, kickboxing and boxing events in B.C.
"The benefit of having a provincial athletic commissioner would be that every professional contest would be subject to the same rules and regulations, whether it was being held in Vancouver, Nanaimo or Vernon," Chong said.
The bill would regulate such issues as taxes and fees, participant safety and medical care, and ensuring events take place under unified rules.
"Since sports such as kickboxing and mixed martial arts are very popular and are taking place without a consistent regulatory framework, it makes sense to be proactive about creating this position to increase the safety of athletes and officials, as well as to provide certainty for communities and the industry," Chong said.
Vancouver Athletic Commission member and lawyer Jonathan Tweedale was pleased the province is moving forward with such a bill.
"It's been a long time coming," he said.
"This is a great development for MMA in the province. The ones who will benefit the most will be the fighters themselves, who will be protected by better - and more consistent - regulation."
UFC has previously held pay-per-views in Vancouver in 2010 and 2011, but did not return this year after a two-year trial period for MMA sanctioning in B.C. came to an end.
Darren Owen, president of Armageddon Fighting Championship, applauded the move.
"I think it will deter some of the companies that try to fly under the radar and aren't doing things the right way," he said.
"There's definitely a lot of guys out there that aren't doing things the right way. It gives the sport a really bad name and it's unsafe. This will take the sport to the next level."
Owen added he thinks the move will also be what it takes to attract big matches to British Columbia.
"The UFC is obviously the big leagues. They have stopped coming to Vancouver because this hasn't been sorted out," he said.
"Now, with this in place, I definitely foresee the UFC coming back and bringing millions of dollars to the province of B.C."
While the bill would regulate combat sports throughout B.C., if local governments do not want such events taking place in their jurisdictions, they would be able to prohibit them by passing a bylaw, the government said.
If the bill is passed, a commissioner would be put in place to oversee the sports. The commissioner would focus on consistent standards of qualifications and safety for athletes and officials, ensure compliance with the proposed act and its regulations and would have the authority to suspend or cancel permits.
There are nine local athletics commissions in place across the province. Once the legislation is passed, the province will repeal all the local authorities, and replace them with a new provincial one.
"You don't want two sets of rules," Chong said.
© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix


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Back in Time 03-29-10
Published 7:00 pm, Sunday, March 28, 2010
March 29, 1940: Baron Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, thanking the American Red Cross for aid extended to Finland, estimated that half a million Finns lost every worldly possession in the fight against Russia.
•Orba Lee Malone is president of the Baylor Red Head Club.
•Texas Lions can travel to Mexico City on their annual pilgrimage April 4-15 for $128.75 per person.
•A building permit was issued to John McDonald to build a large building in the 200 block of East Sixth for his auction company.
March 29, 1950:
•Before any dam is constructed on the Canadian River in West Texas, New Mexico wants a future apportionment of the water, assurance that the dam will comply with their agreement and to protect New Mexico water rights.
•Norman Scott, a sixth grader at Lamar, exhibited the reserve champion lamb at the Fat Stock Show.
March 29, 1960:
•Harrell Weatherred, who will be in charge of the Little League this summer, is lining up coaches for the 26 teams.
•Mike Craft and Buster Terrell tied for fourth place in high jump at the annual Lubbock Invitation Track and Field Meet.
•The Noon Lions Club has donated a transistor walk-away hearing aid to Plainview schools for physically handicapped children with normal IQs.
March 29, 1980:
•Mrs. Jesse Horn, formerly of Plainview, will participate in the groundbreaking ceremonies for the expansion of Medical Center at John Knox Village in Lubbock, where she has lived since 1976.
•Officials of the Jimmy Dean Meat Co. of Dallas have decided to keep the local facility closed at least until the fall of 1981 due to the short supplies of local hogs and an unfavorable hog market.
(Contact Nicki Bruce Logan at 806-296-1362 or firstname.lastname@example.com)
Wayland senior All-American Randy Pool is NAIA Athlete of the Week. Don Vickers, an all-state first team halfback from Floydada, has announced that he will attend West Texas State College in the fall. Plans for a new high school got a jolt when bids on the proposed project were opened. All bids exceeded the funds available. The board did not let a contract.


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My abs light has been on for over 6 months now it is coming on and going out. This justo started th his week. The red brake light is now coming on and going out after a bit. The brakes, when id spply pressure to stop sometimes slide. I have noticed that there is a thump feeling while it feels like they graba and let go. Scarry. What do you think?
have the same problem?
Sunday, October 9th, 2011 AT 4:28 AM


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©1999 by Salle Merrill Redfield, All Rights Reserved; © and (P)1999 Time Warner AudioBooks, a Division of Time Warner Trade Publishing. Cover Art by Honi Werner
There are no listener reviews for this title yet.
"More Of The Same Pablum"
Some deeper insights, instead of the rehashing of the basic Zen -ish tenets.
Not sure if she could have done anything, as voice is a personal and subjective thing, and to me she was a bit too academic - almost childish in presentation.
There are redeeming qualities in everything, one just has to search for them. I didn't feel like searching.
I'm sure her intentions were good. Again, more insights, better analogies, more "touching" on real experience.
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Have you ever loved something so much and it just didn't work out? Maybe it is a sports team, an animal, or maybe you developed an allergy to cheese. Whatever it is, you guys aren't together anymore.
Price action is the same way. No matter how much you love a market or stock is it does not have to move your way. It seems like I see an argument almost daily about how an instrument is oversold or overbought or whatever indicator and where it has to move next.
Here are a some things to consider:
The more eyes the better: Extremes are going to attract eyeballs. More eyeballs more chance of a reaction in the "right" way. With that being said, the extreme is not as important as the reaction. What do they do when they get there? That is the important information. I think Stevie Place (he prefers to be called Stevie so everyone start doing it) said it best that a break of a trend line is not bearish or bullish it is neutral. Remember, records are made to be broken. When the market gets stubborn you can't be.
The 1% is dangerous: Just because something is 99% accurate it does not mean it will protect you. It means that 1% of the time you vulnerable. It only takes that one time to burn through your money. This means that no matter what trade you place, know where you are wrong and stick to it. Do it before the trade starts so you aren't making a decision while emotion is pouring down on you. They say big things come in small packages but big risks come in small likelihood of outcomes and vice versa. Don't become a statistic.
Use irrational to your advantage: I do not care how many years or how many situations a trader has been in. If the "has to" or "must" thought comes into the trade plan and decision making it is irrational. How much information and situations do you have to ignore for this to even be possible? Most of it. Do not get me wrong, there are times when it is close to that but other things still have to come into play. Many traders do not understand how to get that type of vision or be able to execute a trade in the way so that they are net positive when those situations occur or don't. When I start directing the market instead of letting it direct me it scares the shit out me. It means that I let something external creep in and/or I am over confident. The crash always comes.
There are times when you love a setup and it does not work. That is fine, learn from it. The market has many variations. The key is to understand the subtleties. It is easier to learn to love again if she does not drain your bank account.
I wrote this post a month ago but was looking for something else to tie it together. Check out The Kid's post on Ackman and Herbalife as it is a good example as what this looks like manifested. I am sorry but 230+ plus slides seems ridiculous. A story must be simple to travel. Regardless of the outcome of the trade it is not what we do once it is what we do last, in trading.
The obvious place this title could have went is if I love trading, will I succeed? The answer is no. It is and will always be about learning in the most efficient way. Learning is relentless in this business. Learning to learn is a skill. Now, loving it might help you get through the things that all traders go through to get to that point. And the fact is that many traders torture themselves along the way. Part of it is ego and the other is because we all know so much. The least productive part of the process is learning what you do not know. The faster you get through that the better off you will be. In the end, love is part of the equation but not all of it.
Sign up for our FREE Morning Brief, big picture view of markets in critical area and proprietary support and resistance. You can also sign up to see us trade live here.
We would really appreciate your feedback, if you like, hate, or think we are full of crap. Please leave a comment, a voice mail (312) 725-9121 , email info @ traderhabits (dot) com or twitter, stocktwits, youtube and facebook. Subscribe to Traderhabits by email or to newsletter.


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TEES Valley Mohawks are back to full strength for this weekend's VCARS.co.uk League Division One visit of Worthing Thunder.
Tom Robinson and Lee McLaughlin were unavailable for last Sunday's National Cup tie at Leeds Carnegie as the Mohawks bowed out 87-83.
But they're both back for the club's first home league match of the season at Teesside University's Olympia Building tomorrow (5pm).
"I'm expecting a very tough game this weekend," said coach Steve Butler, whose side made a winning start to their league campaign at Derby last weekend.
"Last time we played them (in the National Trophy last month) we won by nine points but Hank Rivers didn't travel with them and he is a very good player.
"They are a young side but have been improving each week. Worthing have a great tradition and we had some great battles back in the early 2000s.
"I'm looking for us to bounce back after going close against Leeds last week and to play more up tempo like we did at Derby last Saturday.
"We have our full roster back so I'm hoping that, if we stick to our game plan and execute on the offensive end, we will get the win."
Prior to that game at 2pm, Mohawks II entertain Stockport Spartans in Division Four (North).
Spartans are coached by former Mohawks and England star Jason Swaine.
Middlesbrough Lions visit Rossendale Raptors in Division Three North tomorrow (5.15pm).


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Turn Off Timer v18.104.22.168
Vista / Win7 / WinXP
It also can be set to force a shut down. It couldn't be easier to use; simply entry the amount of Hours, Minutes and Seconds and then choose whether you want to Shutdown or Restart.
Click Start then and unless you Abort it before the countdown is complete it will carry out the task.
HTML code for linking to this page:
turn off timer shutdown timer countdown
1License and operating system information is based on latest version of the software.
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text: Hi!+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/pci-gart_64.c@@ -774,6 +778,7 @@ #endif /* * Try to workaround a bug (thanks to BenH) * Set unmapped entries to a scratch page instead of 0. * Any prefetches that hit unmapped entries won't get an bus abortCould someone explain? Which bug is being worked around? CPUsprefetching over NULL? Pavel-- (english) http://www.livejournal.com/~pavelmachek(cesky, pictures) http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/picture/horses/blog.html


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So true! I am SO blessed to have added the H3 staff and so many awesome guests to my family. One of the biggest highlights to my day is coming to H3daily to see who posted and to read every word of it. You will all forever be tops on my list of people to be thankful for!
Coaching Corner – Defining Family
How do I manage? Straight out of college, no immediate family members in the vicinity, I must get homesick right? Well of course we all miss our families at times, but what really makes someone a member of your family?
According to the Merriam-Webster online Dictionary there are several definitions for family. A group of people who live under one roof, group of common ancestry; however the one I like the most reads as so: a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation.
So far from home I think it's essential to establish a family. The biggest supports we have in our lives don't just include the environments we set up or the structures we put in place, but the people we surround ourselves with on a daily basis.
Take a good hard look this holiday at the people in your life who've contributed to the person you are today. Give only your time to the individuals who've impacted you positively and focus not just on your immediate family, but the people outside of your relatives that you wouldn't go a day without.
For me, this holiday will be spent with my immediate family and for that I am without words, very grateful. On the Island, I am fortunate to have surrounded myself with a group of individuals who truly share the same passions for life as I do. Hilton Head Health Staff and Guests, CrossFit Hilton Head, and my roommates will always be considered family. Who do you consider family this season? Make sure they know how much you care. Tis' the season!
Happy Holidays.


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Sometimes it's easy to forget that fiction's most famous spy started out on the page and not the silver screen. Although Ian Fleming's books were bestsellers in the 1950s and 1960s, and remain in print, James Bond is probably better known to most through the two dozen major motion pictures starring the likes of Sean Connery, Roger Moore and now Daniel Craig.
While I like spies in fiction, most of the Bond films are a little too campy for my tastes, so naturally I wasn't very interested in reading Fleming's novels. But not all of the Bond books are like the movies—in fact, the one I've read was nothing like the films.
The fourteenth and final Bond novel by Fleming, Octopussy and The Living Daylights is actually a collection of several shorter works: "Octopussy," "The Living Daylights" (surprise surprise), and in later versions, "Portrait of a Lady," and "007 in New York."
You're probably thinking of these right now:
Yeah, not so much. Instead of the big show-stopping set pieces, stunts, gadgets, explosives and womanizing we've come to expect from the films, these stories show a different side of espionage—and Bond himself. In "Octopussy," Bond is actually the story's antagonist (though not the villain)—it's about a British major retired to Jamaica. And it features a real octopus—but not a beautiful jewel smuggler in sight. However, "Portrait of a Lady" is about the Faberge auction featured in the movie version of Octopussy.
"The Living Daylights" is related to the movie of the same name: the short story describes the events of the film's "action prologue" (you know, the cellist-sniper and shooting the rifle out of her hands). However, it presents a Bond that's a heck of a lot closer to Daniel Craig's disaffected portrayal than any of his predecessors'.
"007 in New York" . . . was kind of forgettable. A little reminiscent of the end of Quantum of Solace, plot-wise, I guess.
In all, if you're more into the spy side than the spectacle of Bond, you'd probably like this quick read. (In fact . . . I kind of read the paperback copy my mom sent for my brother-in-law while I was supposed to be wrapping it up for him. Yeah.)
What do you think? Do you like Bond? Ever read the novels? Who are your favorite fictional spies? Come share!


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Moto Racer 3 (Windows)
Published by
Developed by
ESRB Rating
Critic Score
100 point score based on reviews from various critics.
User Score
5 point score based on user ratings.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpfulwrite a review of this game
read more reviews by phlux
SummaryMoto Racer? This isn't Moto Racer.
The GoodIt has many different play modes, which I do like because you have a bit more diversification. And it works on Windows XP.
The BadFirst, the graphics. I really liked Moto Racer 1 for it's nice, clean, fast and sharp graphics. I have never used a motocycle, but when playing Moto Racer, I could imagine how it is to race with such devices. I looked at MR3 because of this. And I was very disappointed to see that they did change the graphics - to the worse. The textures aren't pretty anymore, they look boring and cheap to me. All the spectators look flat (they are flat, ok, but do they need to look flat? no!) and there are only 5 different spectator textures so they are repeated very often. Stuff like fences etc. looks really nasty - just like it would be a solid wall with a fence painted on it. The whole graphics look like A2 Racer - and that is nothing to be proud of!
The sound is not neccessary but still okay. I remember the engine sound to be a bit better in MR1.
But the gameplay... well. MR1 was easy to control even with the keyboard. With MR3, I had problems staying on the road, let alone winning a race. It's simply too jumpy for me to control the vehicle. Of the other race modes, I liked the Motocross best because it seemed to be more realistic than the others (and it was way more fun jumping and sliding around this mud track). Trial is very hard and frustrated me right from the beginning. Freestyle is boring (I hoped for some sort of "Tony Hawk meets Motocross" stuff but I was totally wrong :) and the city race simply lacks interesting tracks.
The Bottom LineGet Moto Racer 1 if you want a good motocycle racer. You can play Motocross there too and you get plenty of very good tracks (and even more on their website!). I know that it's pretty old but it supports 3D cards and Windows and simply is more fun than MR3. And it's cheap now, too.
Buy Moto Racer 3
Not an American user?


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STEVE COWAN was blown away by the goalscoring touch of Leigh Griffiths when he first clapped eyes on him as a raw 11-year-old – and he admits the Hibs striker's talent has simply improved with age.
Cowan watched in awe as a young Griffiths banged home goals for Leith Athletic as a kid and is delighted to see him fulfilling his potential, carrying on in the same vein following spells at Livingston, Dundee and Wolves. Moreover, he reckons the Easter Road striker could prove himself the best in the SPL this year.
The 22-year-old's treble in Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final win against Kilmarnock took his total for the season to an impressive 22 in all competitions – seven of those coming in Hibs' last five matches. With nine league matches remaining, plus at least one more Scottish Cup game to play, Cowan wouldn't bet against Griffiths smashing through the 30-goal barrier.
Former Hibees striker Cowan, who now works in financial services and as a pundit on Radio Forth, is well-placed to judge, having topped the scoring charts for Hibs himself in season 1985-86. He bagged himself 28 over the course of that campaign in all competitions, but he is certain Griffiths is set to surpass that figure.
Since the inception of the Scottish Premier League in 1998, the top goalscorer accolade has been dominated by Old Firm players, although Kris Boyd did take the title in 2006 with goals bagged for both Kilmarnock and Rangers in the same season. However, Cowan feels this could be season that Griffiths is crowned.
He recalled: "I have watched Leigh since he was about 11 when he played for Leith Athletic. At that time, I was involved with Salvesen. Even back then he always had a knack of scoring goals, no matter how good or bad the team playing – and he could score them from inside the box, outside the box, open play or set-pieces.
"Obviously, everyone who watched him play could see that he was a real talent, but, at that stage, you can never tell if people are going to make it in the game because it's about so much more than just your football talent.
"From 11 right through to when he was about 15, he was the outstanding striker in his team and, even at that age, he would score ridiculous goals from 25 or 30 yards."
Although Cowan was impressed by Griffiths as a youngster, he believes that the on-loan Wolves man has improved his game massively since, stabbing in more of the type of goals that a poacher would be proud of instead of just his trademark free-kicks and long-range efforts. No game better illustrated that fact than the weekend's win over Kilmarnock.
Griffiths displayed great awareness, determination and skill to net two from open play and then rounded off the 4-2 victory with a late penalty kick.
Cowan accepts Griffiths' goals from distance will grab the headlines, but he reckons the not-so-pretty efforts will prove even more vital.
"His goals on Sunday against Kilmarnock really showed what he is capable of. Obviously, one of them was from the penalty spot, but the other two were really good finishes, particularly the one when he was down on the floor. He could maybe have had another penalty kick for that, but he showed great awareness and determination. He wanted to get the goal, even though he was at a disadvantage – and all credit to him for managing to put it in the back of the net.
"People obviously talk more about the spectacular goals that he scores, but, for me, the biggest compliment that you could give Leigh is that what he makes look easy is actually the hard stuff.
"Very few people can hit a free-kick from 20 or 25 yards out like he can. What he has added to his game in recent seasons is the close-range stuff and playing on the shoulder of the centre-half, tap-ins, that kind of thing.
"Against Kilmarnock, he had the awareness to pick up the scraps. As long as Hibs can give him a good supply then I am sure that there will be a lot more goals to come from him."
Griffiths could be the first Hibs player to reach the magic 30-mark since Alan Gordon back in season 1972/73 when he hit an incredible 42 goals – and Jimmy O'Rourke hit 34 alongside him!
Although Cowan acknowledges that Griffiths won't be coming out in public to set himself any targets, he knows that milestone is likely to be high on the player's hitlist.
"I think that looking at the type of guy he is, he won't set himself targets in public or come out naming the number of goals he wants to score in a season, but I would say that he will be looking at the 30 mark, without a doubt. He got three at the weekend and he is the kind of player you could see scoring a double or a hat-trick on a regular basis – and that's all credit to him and the Hibs team.
"I didn't have targets or score this amount or that amount.
"The most important thing is that he will believe that he can score a goal every single time he steps out onto that park.
"Even when the team are losing by a couple of goals, you can see that he's still giving 100 per cent and trying to get that goal that will put Hibs back in the game – it's all about belief.
"He is a Leith boy and he has supported the club from a very young age, so he does have an affinity with the fans and he knows how much this competition means to them.
"They have taken to him and he is doing well, which is good to see because sometimes the local boys can take a bit of stick if things are not going to plan."
Playing alongside the likes of Gordon Durie, Joe McBride and even a young Mickey Weir, Cowan admits that the 85/86 season was one that he will never forget.
Although Hibs' league form was inconsistent, they enjoyed relative success in the League Cup and Scottish Cup, only losing out in the final of the former and reaching the semi-finals of the latter.
"I just remember it being a really good season, both for the team and individually," Cowan recalled. "We got to the League Cup final and the Scottish Cup semi-final. In the league we maybe weren't great, but we were still playing well and created a lot of chances, we knocked Rangers out of the League Cup and Celtic out of both cup competitions. There are so many good memories from that season.
"Gordon Durie was my strike partner, John Blackley signed both of us and every game that we played, I went into it believing that I was going to score.
"Joe McBride, Ally Brazil and Mickey Weir was just coming through into the team at that time as well. We played a very attacking game and it really paid off for us, although obviously it left you a bit more open to goals at the back."


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Congratulations 62nd ENG BN
By SGT Angela Green
13th COSCOM PAO
Maj. Gen. Robert L. Heine presented the "Soldiers with hammers", commanded by Lt. Col. John R. Boule, a Meritorious Unit Commendation for outstanding achievement during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The citation is as follows:
"During the period of 14 January 2003 and 10 July 2003, 62nd Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) and its Soldiers distinguished themselves by outstanding achievement in support of Operation Enduring Freedom & Operation Iraqi Freedom. The inland petroleum distribution system was a crucial component to successful combat operations for coalition forces. The pipeline constructed by the 62nd Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) was the longest ever, and the first fully functional inland petroleum distribution system in military history. The inland petroleum distribution system provided the fuel that served as the lifeblood for combat forces, combat support, and combat service support forces throughout the area of operation. This tremendous display of technical competence, physical ability, and mental stamina reflects great credit upon the 62nd Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), the 416th Engineer Command, and the United States Army."
Lt. Col. John R. Boule


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Well, it just seems that Google does'nt want to post my photo (bird pic)
and it's not the first time and I think i'm gona drop this whole blog thing after all.
I'm fed up... it's been going for months now and not just here... but on every multi-media shit.
They keep changing and changing and not getting really better, not at all ...
Ya! Seriously I'm really thinking of bailing out.. really!
I tried a few more times ... nothing wants to go up.
I'll be out of here on the first of the new year... Sorry friends
Have a Happy New Year All!
Winter Birds
1 hour ago


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"My son is 6 and in grade 1. Recently he was enrolled in full-time daycare and a new school so that I, his Mom, could return to work full-time. The first week at his new school was uneventful but for the last three weeks on a daily basi..."
Are you sure you want to delete your ?
You will no longer be able to add new data to this tracker.


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You are here
Bentley Hosts Usability Boot Camp for Companies Looking to Gain Competitive Edge
March 2, 2005
Bentley's Information Design Program will bring together top companies in healthcare, financial services and technology to explore the next level of usability design at the Bentley 2005 Usability Boot Camp March 14-18, 2005
Held in Bentley's state-of-the-art Design and Usability Center, the Boot Camp was created for software and hardware designers, web architects and information designers whose companies are committed to providing a positive user experience in their marketplace. This year's 'sold-out' program includes senior project managers, usability analysts, documentation and training managers, and customer research managers.
Created in 2001, the Boot Camp, along with Bentley's Information Design Certificate program and the Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design, showcases Bentley's commitment to exploring and improving the intersection of business, user experience and product design.
Through a combination of presentations by leading authorities, a panel of experts and hands-on workshops, the five-day program offers an unparalleled opportunity for participants to sharpen their knowledge of user-centered design methods and usability testing. The program will also include a 'live' usability test on the hotels.com web site.
"The Boot Camp provides a unique opportunity to explore user-centered design from the earliest planning stages to testing a finished product," said William Gribbons, director of Bentley's Information Design Programs and Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design. "In today's crowded marketplace for technology products and services, the most successful companies turn to user centered design and the user experience to gain an advantage on the competition."
The panel of experts features a 'who's who' of usability professionals, including:
· Staples: Colin Hynes, Director of Usability
· Fidelity Investments: Thomas Tullis, Vice President, Human Interface Design
· Verizon: Robert Virzi, Usability and Human Factors Specialist
· H&R Block: Gregg Almquist, Director of User Experience, Digital Tax Solutions
· SPM Technologies, Berlin: Bogo Vatovec, Project Management Practice Lead
· Bentley Design and Usability Center: Joseph Dumas, Senior Human Factors Specialist
This year's attendees represent top companies in several industries including Cardinal Health (CA), Caterpillar (IL), Sprint (KS), RSA Security (British Columbia), Motorola Labs (IL), Banknorth (VT), VML (MO), Modem Media (CT), Sun Microsystems (MA) and Bank of America (MA). Two independent consultants from Australia will also join the group.
In addition to Gribbons, this year's program faculty includes Meena Kothandaraman, Usability Consultant; Beth Loring, director of the Design and Usability Center; and Carolyn Snyder, Snyder Consulting.
BENTLEY UNIVERSITY is one of the nation's leading business schools, dedicated to preparing a new kind of business leader – one with the deep technical skills, broad global perspective, and high ethical standards required to make a difference in an ever-changing world. Our rich, diverse arts and sciences program, combined with an advanced business curriculum, prepares informed professionals who make an impact in their chosen fields. Located on a classic New England campus minutes from Boston, Bentley is a dynamic community of leaders, scholars and creative thinkers. The Graduate School emphasizes the impact of technology on business practice, in offerings that include MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs in accountancy and in business, and customized executive education programs. The university enrolls approximately 4,100 full-time undergraduate, 140 adult part-time undergraduate, 1,430 graduate, and 43 doctoral students. Bentley is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; and the European Quality Improvement System, which benchmarks quality in management and business education. For more information, please visit www.bentley.edu.
Type: Latest Headlines


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PASHA tea entered the market for the first time in 2000. The first publicity concept was based on "matchmaking" displaying our national traditions. "One piece of sugar, 3 manats of money and one box of PASHA tea" – these words were on everybody's lips.
In 2004, in order to revitalize the mark, the Marketing Department chose youth as target group and achieved its aim with a new ad praising Azerbaijani youth. The PASHA of teas was able once again to get into the buyers' memories.
After PASHA tea was awarded gold medal and diploma in "Black medium size leafed first-class tea" at the 3rd World Tea and Coffee Festival held in May 2005 in Moscow, the design of the box was changed in accordance with new concept, the box was redesigned in golden colors and information on the tea's achievements was printed.
PASHA tea was awarded "Grand-Prix" in "Black medium size leafed first-class tea" at the World Tea and Coffee Festival held in 2007 in Russia. Thanks to Pasha tea, we received the highest award among tea production companies of England and India, represented Azerbaijan and raised its flag high


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Thursdays are busy! We kick it off by heading into the woods with John Galluzzo for our South Shore Walk of the Week at 6:41. At 7:111 we're joined by MommaJam – thats Sara Eberle – to talk about all things kids. Keep up online at mommajam.com. At 8:10 we'll get a Helping Hand from Bob Terravecchia, President of Weymouth Bank. And back once again for the season is Liza Churchill, the one and only Goldie Bounce Golf. At 7:45 Liza share's Goldie's Host List – a round up of the seasons must haves for both the serious golfer and the casual golfer too. And at 8:41 Liza returns to share with us another season of Goldie's Golf Getaways, a chance for you to learn about great golfing around New England.
WATD Local Weather
Who We're Talking To
Derek Thompson, editor of The Atlantic, joined Rob and Lisa to discuss his book, Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction, which is out now in paperback! Visit our Audio Archives page to hear the interview!
The South Shore's Morning News
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The South Shore's Morning News HostsRob Hakala has had a passion for radio ever since he received his first radio and microphone at the age of 12. Not long after that, he was "broadcasting" to family and friends on his pretend radio station. Click for more
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Are you ready for fall? It kind of snuck up on me! All of the sudden, I realized school is back in session and I've barely thought about what fall essentials I need. Boots, coats, jeans, accessories, there's a ton of new trends out there this season and I've pulled together the top ten fall must haves that you've gotta have this season!
shop my top ten fall must haves:
1- Dainty Jewelry– Pretty, dainty gold jewelry add elegance and a finishing touch to your fall wardrobe. Try this geometric pedant ($14) or this personalized initial wire bangle ($28) to add a touch of glamour.
2- Blanket Scarf– These oversized wraps are not only on trend, but completely warm and cozy! Use this soft scarf ($39) to layer during the chilled autumn days and to cover up with at night on the couch!
3- Longline Vest– Tailored long vests and blazers are in every store I walk in this month. They add sophistication and clean lines to the bulky layering we usually go to this time of year. Start out simple by trying this black fitted vest ($50) with a basic tee and heels.
4- Ankle Booties– I wear ankle booties nearly every day of Fall. Why you ask? They are warm, comfortable and uber versatile. They go with dresses, jeans, shorts, tights, etc. I have heeled ankle boots and flat ones and I spread the love evenly among them. Try out these zippered booties ($28) for a good deal!
5- Draped Coat– Fall is that awkward time between no coat and full on parka. Beat the chilling temps by trying out one of this seasons draped robe coats ($60). They have a loose closure and a barely there look that's perfect for this transitional time.
6- Sweater Dress– Pack up the sundresses. The rest of the year is officially about sweater dresses. Choose a long silhouette, cable-knit, turtle neck or marled. It doesn't matter because sweater dresses are in! I personally love this zippered sweater dress ($58), but I would also love to get my hands on a turtle neck sweater dress!
7- Wool Hat– Yes… I am still obsessed with beanies, but some days I just can't have my hair sticking to my forehead. That's where this polished wool fedora ($32) comes in. It will keep you warme while you are braving the elements without messing up your hair.
8- Turtle Neck– Thinking back to my young 90's self, I really did not think I would squeeze my head through a turtle neck again. They always made my neck too itchy and hot! Now look at me, I want a turtle neck in every silhouette! This fall try a sleeveless turtle neck ($68) to keep you cool, save the sleeves for winter!
9- Bucket Bag– Bucket bags are here to stay this fall. I just love this fun, scrunched shape and the lightly structured silhouette makes it casual enough for everyday use. New to bucket bags? Try out this budget-friendly faux leather bucket bag ($60) first. It's still good quality, but won't break the bank.
10- Flare Jeans– Ohh flare jeans… how quickly you come back in style. Guess what? It's fall and it's time for you to get a pair of flares in your closet. I suggest some with some length so you can pair them with you favorite pumps or heeled boots. Try the trend out with these flare jeans ($30) or just dig in your closet to find a pair from your last bell-bottom phase!
I hope you are as excited as I am to embrace the season's trends with these fall must haves!


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Lyrics Depot is your source of lyrics to PS by Project 86. Please check back for more Project 86 lyrics.
PS Lyrics
Artist: Project 86
Album: Drawing Black Lines
Her heart bleeds
It is a basis for your heartfelt hunger so gaze
At the page at the faces of nameless...
You're alone again
And this distortion is an apt replacement for
An unquenchable desire for more
More pages strewn across this sickening floor
I can't look at any of this
I can't look at you
I can't look at me
I can't
If they saw what those eyes have seen
Oh how heart it would bleed
If she only knew those abusive roots
And how the children would weep
If they only saw what those eyes have seen
It always keeps us longer than we wanted to stay
It always takes us furhter than we wanted to go go go go go
But you don't mind, no you don't mind at the time
Beggin to be set free...from what we were meant to be?
It's inside you and your soul is longing, yearning
Pleading to be set free
Within your eyes, within my eyes, within our eyes
There could never be a more complete perversion of what we
were meant to be
And with all that is in me I hate this
As we're sinking inside this ever-feeding illness
We are all quite silent
Sitting still-x7
Project 86 Lyrics
Project 86 Drawing Black Lines Lyrics
More Project 86 Music Lyrics:
Project 86 - A Toast to My Former Self Lyrics
Project 86 - From December Lyrics
Project 86 - Little Green Men Lyrics
Project 86 - Oblivion Lyrics
Project 86 - Rebuttal Lyrics
Project 86 - Set Me Up Lyrics
Project 86 - Stain's Theme Lyrics
Project 86 - Team Black Lyrics


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An editorial by Haaretz, 2nd, says Israel's school curriculum should teach the Nakba; Shlomo Avineri, 3rd, attacks the idea, and the notion that the Nakba was a catastrophe. First, Dr. Shmuel Amir applauds the fact of the editorial and deplores the quality of Avineri's attack on it.
The King David Hotel, Jerusalem, on July 22, 1946 after it was blown up by Jewish terrorist gang, Irgun. The British were held responsible for overseeing the large influx of Jews into Palestine (from before the war) to preventing the admission of all Jewish refugees and would-be immigrants after the war and ending the Palestinian/Jewish conflict of 1947-48. They withdrew all forces in 1948.
A Zionist Intellectual and the Nakba
[The original article was printed in Hebrew on the Left Bank website to mark the 66th year of Israel's independence. The free translation from the Hebrew is by R.K. with tweaks by JfJfP postings editor]
By Dr. Shmuel Amir, Haaretz, Hebrew translated by Reuven Kaminer
Received by email, May 25, 2014
The editors of Ha'aretz did something quite exceptional in these parts by publishing a lead editorial discussing the Palestinian Nakba (Catastrophe) [see below] seriously and with deep sentiment. This was done directly after the declaration by Abu Mazen that "the murder of Jews during the Holocaust is the worst crime against humanity in modern times."
The editorial states that the crime of the Holocaust should not be the cause for Israel to "ignore crimes whether committed by Armenians, by Palestinians or by tribes in Africa." The editorial stresses: "Israel cannot be permitted to erase the Palestinian catastrophe from our own historical consciousness. On the other hand, the editorial adds carefully: "The dispute over the degree of Israel's responsibility for the expulsion, exclusion and expropriation of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the war of independence is a subject for historians."
Raising the subject of the Nakba by Ha'aretz (even if bypassing Israel's central role) should be appreciated along with any effort to further the mutual recognition of each nation's suffering by the other deserves special attention, especially since most of the Israeli media is blind to the suffering of the Palestinians.
But this is not the opinion of Professor Avineri, a prominent Zionist intellectual. The feelings of his nationalist soul must have been deeply hurt – since a step such as this involves "accepting the Palestinian narrative" [see below]
The accusation of accepting the Palestinian narrative is designed to frighten off any Israeli from identifying with the Palestinians on their day of mourning. It appears to Avineri that no Israeli, not to mention an important Israeli newspaper, can dare to accept any Palestinian argument and especially that on the Palestinian Nakba which contradicts the very essence of Zionist historiography. Fortunately, we do not believe Arabs and we have become accustomed by generations of establishment historians and propagandists (among them Avineri) to the fact that Arabs just simply lie and tell orientalist tales.
Avineri's use of the phrase "Arab narrative" is far from being innocent. With one stroke of the pen he can convert a major historical event such as the expulsion of a people from their homeland to the level of "a story".
Avineri is indignant. "Nakba" he asks? A disaster? he asks with no sense that a national and personal tragedy hit the Palestinians. "Was it an earthquake? A tornado? A tsunami?"
And he answers: The Nakba is not Israel's fault, it was the fault of the Palestinians. He explains : It was the result of an Arab political decision to prevent the establishment of a Jewish state in a part of mandatory Palestinian. Thus, he shifts the responsibility for the Nakba on to the victims, the Palestinians.
Perhaps Avineri believes that by denial of the Nakba he has cleansed the conscience of establishment historiography which always sought to avoid dealing with the Nakba so as to keep sleeping the sleep of the just.
But may we be permitted to ask a few questions: In 1947, the UN decided on the partition of the mandate into two states, Jewish and the Palestinian. At the time there were in Palestine 900,000 Palestinians and 450,000 Jews. Only 7% of the land was in Jewish hands. And the UN resolution came and apportioned 55% of the Palestinian land to the Jews and 45% to the Palestinians. From the beginning of the century Palestine was part of the Ottoman empire and the majority of its population Palestinian. Up to the outbreak of the first World War, only some 40,000 Jews had come to Palestine. Only with the transfer of the area to the British (without, of course, asking the Palestinians) was a sizeable Jewish community created. continues below inset
Members of the Arab Liberation Army; made up of volunteers its numbers are estimated to have been between 3,500 and 10,000 men.
from wikipedia: The Arab Higher Committee was confident and decided to prevent the set-up of the UN-backed partition plan. In an announcement made to the Secretary-General on 6 February, they declared:
"The Palestinian Arabs consider any attempt by Jewish people or by whatever power or group of power to establish a Jewish state in an Arab territory to be an act of aggression that will be resisted by force […]
The prestige of the United Nations would be better served by abandoning this plan and by not imposing such an injustice […]The Palestinian Arabs make a grave declaration before the UN, before God and before history that they will never submit to any power that comes to Palestine to impose a partition. The only way to establish a partition is to get rid of them all: men, women, and children."
continued from above inset
Does Avineri or anyone know of a people ready to forfeit being the majority in their own homeland to people who came from abroad? Naturally, the Palestinians opposed the UN Resolution. This might have been a political mistake but it is hard for me to name someone in their circumstances who would have acted differently. Perhaps the Palestinians already sensed what was going to happen to them with the establishment of a Jewish state – the expulsions and the expropriation began well before the UN resolution.
At any rate, Avineri hides the agreement of the Arabs to partition (but not to partition according to the unfair proposed division) usually hidden by Jewish propaganda which was, fully documented in statements by Ben Gurion. In any event, not only did the Palestinians want to scuttle the resolution, de facto the Jews also refused to honour the resolution. The Jews were not satisfied with the 55% of the mandate area awarded to them; they and went on to take over 77%. And even more important – in opposition to the UN resolution, they blocked the establishment of a Palestinian state and handed the territory designated for a Palestinian state, by a secret agreement with the British, to the Jordanian king, Abdullah.
Thus Israel, which rose after the UN resolution, in accordance to Zionist policies, acted from the very beginning. It was an undeviating policy designed to block any form of Palestinian independence – from Hertzl, Weitzman, Ben Gurion, up to Netanyahu today. It is worth reading how much Simha Plapin, a member of Hashomer Hatzair, in his excellent book, Birth of Israel – Myth and Reality , worshipped Haim Weitzman, like most members of Hashomer Ha'tsair (and your author among them) and how bitterly disappointed he was when in his research he learned how the "liberal" Weitzman was never ready to recognize the political rights of the Palestinians. And here we have Avineri telling us how it was the Palestinians who were not ready to recognize the establishment of a Jewish state.
And to this very day we have the refusal by Netanyahu.
Palestinian refugees making their way to Lebanon from Galilee in October / November 1948. There is no dispute that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled their homes in this period. The dispute is over why, and why they did not return. Those who found new homes were largely the Palestinian middle class, leaving the poor stuck in refugee camps. Photo by Fred Csasznik.
The Nakba was no accident during the war. Today we know that the "L" plan to expel and transfer the Palestinians was planned before the UN Resolution. Here is an example of Ben Gurion's intentions. On the 6th of April 1948 at a meeting of the MAPAI Secretariat, he replies to those who question the wisdom of attack on the fellahin (the peasants): "The fellahin are our enemies!" Here it is worth clarifying that the war in 1948 was not a war of liberation against the British as it is presented in Zionist historiography – the war was against the Palestinians – and initiated the by Ben Gurion immediately after the decision to stop Hagana activities against the British.
But according to Avineri it is the Arab High Command which is to blame for the Nakba ("The Nakba carnage …was the tragic result of a political decision of the Arab leadership to prevent the establishment of the Jewish state. " And so, it is clear that it is the Arab leadership and not the IDF which expelled the Palestinians.
And if even, for the sake of argument, we agree that the Palestinians committed the Nakba against themselves, the question to be answered is why they were not permitted to return after the war? If the Arabs fled because of fear generated by the Dir Yassin attack and a long list of massacres, is it the Arab leadership or the government of Israel which prevented their return? Here is the relevant UN decision:
"The General Assembly…resolves that the refuges who wish to return to their homes and to live in peace with their neighbors shall be allowed to do so at the earliest possible date and compensation will be paid for the property of those who chose not to return …in accordance with the principles of justice ." UN Resolution 194 December 1948.
Did the government of Israel ever agree to implement this decision? There is also the question how we, who base our rights in the land on other UN Resolutions can ignore this decision?
All this is of no interest to Avineri – he explains that after the second world war, 12 million ethnic Germans were expelled from territories in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary as a result of the Nazi attack against the Soviet Union. In both cases, he explains, people paid for the crimes of their leaders. Now we understand, the Palestinians are just like the Nazis. The opposition of the Palestinians during the war of independence to the IDF is the same, according to Avineri, as the attack by the Nazis during the second world war into areas in order to convert them into a Nazi colony.
Here, I am reminded that this disgusting comparison of the Palestinians with the Nazis is nothing new. It appeared in the midst of the war. Abba Kovner, who was an anti-nazi ghetto fighter, in his capacity as the chief cultural officer in the IDF adopted the slogan of the red army against the Nazis: "Death to the invaders – Eternal Glory for those who die in defense of the homeland." But even back then, there were those who opposed the distorted slogan and to the best of my memory, the slogan was rejected. But this does not bother Aveniri from resurrecting it disguised as "history."
A total lack of sensitivity for the suffering of another people, accusation of the Palestinians themselves as responsible for the Nakba and the indirect comparison with the Nazis is not only the arrogant propaganda of the conquerors, the loss of any humane feeling for those who lost the war but more importantly, an attempt to block the path, if any still exists, to any kind of understanding between the two peoples.
Negation of the rights of the refugees to return along with the refusal to return conquered territories was and is the very foundation of Israeli policy. Such propaganda and advocacy grants those involved all the advantages and privileges that a state can grant: prizes, honors and well padded arm chairs. Avineri's commentary is not exceptional.
No one knows what could have happened if newly established Israel implemented UN Resolution 194 and accepted the borders of the partition and prevented the Nakba. We might be living in a smaller Israel, but perhaps we would not be so concerned as to the whereabouts of the border because we were living in peace with the Palestinians, in agreement with the Arab world and the entire world.
But the new state was unable to free itself from the legacy of short-sighted Zionist-nationalistic conceptions and to venture on a new path, just as today the State of Israel is unable to do so. Just as today, war and armed forces remain the main priorities.
Note by Reuven Kaminer: Dr. Amir performs in this article a vital intellectual and moral mission. One can argue that many of these facts are well known. However, it is vital to repeat the vital historical statistics today in the light of Israel's obstinacy and its refusal to negotiate in good fate with the Palestinians. One may also question the sincerity of the "honest broker" who knowing the real Israeli position did everything to hide the truth that Israel has never been open and honest regarding its refusal to recognize Palestinian national rights.
As time goes on, the main arguments from the Israeli side about Arab intransigence wear thinner and thinner. Who can say today with any degree of honesty that Israel really wants peace? Who can condemn the Palestinians for acting like any other political entity? Who can deny the historical record of Israeli intransigence?
Israel must make the history of the Palestinians an integral part of every school curriculum.
Haaretz Editorial
April 29, 2014
In a special announcement, made in public and in both Arabic and English, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared that the murder of Jews in the Holocaust was "the most heinous crime to have occurred against humanity in the modern era," and expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.
This statement, the first of its kind by a Palestinian president, received a chilly reception from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said Abbas had made it "to placate international public opinion." Netanyahu, who himself has turned the Holocaust into a political tool for harnessing public opinion against Iran and uses it to justify his policies in the West Bank, could not bring himself to welcome Abbas' remarks, which could serve as an example for other Arab leaders. It seems as if the fear that Abbas will score some points with international public opinion and ruin the image of him that Netanyahu is trying to build has clouded the prime minister's judgment.
The uniqueness of the Holocaust as the worst crime ever doesn't mean Israel must ignore crimes committed against other nations, be they Armenians, Palestinians or African tribes. The State of Israel refuses to recognize these tragedies, lest such recognition eclipse the uniqueness of the Holocaust, undermine its foreign relations (in the case of the Armenian genocide) or impose responsibility upon it (in the case of the Palestinians). But Israel is not entitled to exclude the Palestinian tragedy from the historical consciousness of Israeli citizens. It is the flip side of Israel's rebirth.
Commemorating the Nakba, May 2014, at Haifa university. The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality and the Sons of the Country Movement, banned from holding an event inside the university, persist with their action joined by a number of liberal Jews, confronted by Israeli students. From Memo.
The dispute over the degree of Israel's responsibility for the emigration, expulsion and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the War of Independence is a matter for historians. It does not negate the fact that a national and human disaster befell the Palestinians. This disaster must be studied and understood, not merely to fathom the political and diplomatic motives of the Palestinian leadership as they negotiate with us, but as a cultural and human obligation. All the more so when this disaster affects a fifth of the state's population and millions of Palestinians with whom Israel seeks to end the historic conflict.
The Israeli government must, therefore, make the history of the Palestinians an integral part of every school curriculum. It must cease its systematic disregard of the Nakba (the Palestinian term for the "catastrophe" they suffered upon Israel's founding), arrange a program for touring the ruins of villages that were destroyed, encourage exchange visits and instill in the curriculum the message of the historic partnership between the two nations. This is the road that will lead to understanding and mutual recognition.
People participating in the Nakba commemoration rally in the Galilee. May 6, 2014. The Nakba is a catastrophe that the Arabs brought upon themselves according to Avineri. Photo by Gil Eliyahu
The Nakba according to Haaretz
Reality is always complex, and we do need to teach it in Israel's schools — but not the unilateral Palestinian narrative that was adopted in the Haaretz editorial from April 29.
By Shlomo Avineri, Haaretz
May 08, 2014
It's been a long time since I read an editorial as confused as that of Haaretz from April 29 ("Recognize the Nakba"), with its blend of correct and just assertions together with half-truths and its stunning disregard of quite a few fundamental and indisputable historical facts.
On the one hand, the editorial, which on the surface seems insightful and sensitive, states: "The dispute over the degree of Israel's responsibility for the emigration, expulsion and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the War of Independence is a matter for historians." What could be more fair than that? But one need not be a historian to know that there will continue to be more than one school of thought on this dispute, and that proposing that it be left to historians is actually an evasion — a refusal to deal, here and now, with indisputable historical truths. Even the cautious (not to say euphemistic) language of this sentence, which speaks of "emigration, expulsion and displacement" and avoids using the word "flee," which was certainly part of the complex reality of Israel's War of Independence, already demonstrates that the editorial does not exactly leave the decision to historians.
Some facts of history really ought not to be left to historians. The attempt to ignore them is morally flawed — and morality is, rightfully, the driving spirit behind the editorial. It is a fact — one that should not be "a matter for historians" — that in September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and not the other way around. It is a fact that on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the United States and not vice versa. It is also true that what is called the Nakba is the result of a political decision by the Palestinian leadership and the Arab states to reject the United Nations partition resolution, to try to prevent its implementation by force and to attack the Jewish community in the Land of Israel before and after the state's establishment. Of this, the editorial says nothing.
Thus, the context of the founding of the State of Israel is presented in the editorial exactly as it is presented in Palestinian and Arab political discourse — with total disregard of the political and historical reality in 1947 and 1948. Usually, Arab discourse simply never mentions the partition resolution, just as it never mentions the violent opposition to its implementation. Such denial from the Arab side might be understandable — but in Haaretz? In case anyone forgot or does not know, I suggest going to the newspaper's archives and reading the headlines from November 30, 1947 and the daily news from the subsequent months. They are full of reports of Arab violence and the beginnings of armed Arab resistance to the establishment of the State of Israel, first by the Arab militias (the "gangs") inside the country and later via the coordinated invasion by Arab armies when the British Mandate ended on May 15, 1948. The editorial says not a word about that, just as Arab discourse prefers simply to wipe those historical facts from memory.
After leaving the question of Israel's responsibility to historians, the editorial goes on to state that the dispute over this responsibility "does not negate the fact that a national and human disaster befell the Palestinians." A disaster? Was the Nakba an earthquake? A tornado? A tsunami? It was the tragic result of an Arab political decision to prevent the establishment of a Jewish state in the portion of the Land of Israel that had been under the British Mandate, just as the expulsion of 12 million ethnic Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary after 1945 was the tragic result of German aggression in 1939 and later in 1941, when it invaded the Soviet Union. In both cases, masses of innocent civilians paid the price of their leaders' aggression. But if anyone today tried to describe the expulsion of millions of Germans from Eastern Europe as a "disaster" that had nothing to do with the Third Reich's aggression, he would rightly be called a neo-Nazi.
To the credit of the Palestinian community, it should be said that the membership of the Palestinian Communist Party, which at the time numbered a few hundred, accepted the partition plan and opposed Arab aggression, in compliance with the position of the Soviet Union in those days. A few later joined the Israeli Communist Party. The members of the communist parties in Egypt and Iraq, most of whom were jailed by their countries' regimes, did the same. But together these added up to a mere handful.
Ironically, the Haaretz editorial adopts the victimization narrative that is often typical of political discourse in Israel. Some groups in Israel and abroad are only too happy to depict the Jews and Israel only as victims. It seems that the writers of the editorial never liberated themselves from this traditional Jewish perception — only they chose to describe the Palestinians, not the Jews, as victims who bore no responsibility for their actions or those of their leaders.
One can certainly understand, but not justify, the general Palestinian and Arab opposition to the Zionist enterprise. That is the nature of national conflicts, although this opposition had more aspects of murder and terrorism than other national movements did. Palestinian terrorism against Jewish civilians is not the result of the post-1967 years of occupation. It was part of the 1929 riots and the Arab uprising of 1936. It is true that on the one hand, we cannot conclude from the grand mufti's presence in Berlin during World War II that Arab opposition to Zionism was identical to Nazism. But on the other hand, to ignore this fact and leave it to historians is a distortion of history. It is part of the concrete historical consciousness of both Jews and Arabs.
Just as intelligent discussion of the Arab-Israeli conflict must free itself from the sense of self-righteousness that accompanies some of Zionist ideology, it must also free itself from the sense of victimization and of absolute rightness that accompanies Palestinian nationalism. Decisions and policies that had terrible ramifications in 1948 should not be left to historians either. S. Yizhar brought them to Israeli historical awareness — and into the Israeli school system — in his novel "Khirbet Khizeh" as far back as the War of Independence. Reality is always complex, and we do need to teach it in Israel's schools — but not the unilateral Palestinian narrative that has been adopted by the editorial board of Haaretz.


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Meet Bruno, the newest pack member at Grapevine K9.
I adopted him today from the Grapevine Animal Shelter and Adoption Center where has lived for the past two months after being picked up on the streets with no collar or ID. The shelter is nearing capacity and if folks don't adopt some of the current animals soon…well, some hard decisions will have to be made by those folks, so please help them out if you can.
Bruno is now microchipped and spending one more night in a kennel for neutering at Northwest Animal Hospital in Grapevine.
Tomorrow afternoon his world will change forever, when he comes to his forever home with a nice big yard, two other pack members, daily exercise and training regimen, and some of the best dog food on the planet, Merrick's Buffalo Sweet Potato Recipe.
Once Bruno recovers from his little operation, he will undergo Grapevine K9 basic and advanced obedience training, and then start accompanying me as I make my rounds conducting dog training sessions all over the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area.
I've visited Bruno for the last couple of days at the shelter and he has an outstandingly friendly temperament and loves people and other dogs.