text: CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Defense spending for a group of Asia's largest countries has roughly doubled over the last decade, fueled by a big hike in expenditures by China and India, according to a report released Monday by the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Those two countries, along with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, collectively laid out $224 billion for defense last year, twice the amount the quintet spent in 2000. "Several Asian countries are already among the largest defense spenders in the world," the report noted. "In addition, unlike the defense budgets in many other regions, Asian defense spending continues to be on the rise." And that "trend stands in particularly stark contrast to Europe and the United States, where defense budgets have been declining in recent years."


text: Robbie996 0 Posted March 24, 2010 Hi chaps, I got into the car today and for the first time ever the starter motor did not engage and started spinning. I recharged the battery as it went flat trying but still no joy. I then tried again keeping it spinning in 2nd gear with clutch depressed then selected neutral for 7 seconds and it then seemed to engage and fired up. Since then it has worked with no problem on about 7 atempts. What do you think was causing it not to engage? And should I think about getting it to a garage before I'm completely stranded? Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Carson: I am having Thanksgiving dinner in our home this year. There will be about 17 and possibly 21 guests, including family and in-laws, some of whom do not get along. I am undecided about whether to have a buffet and let guests serve themselves and sit any place they like or whether to set up tables with place cards. - Peace on Earth, Please
Dear Peace: Serve beverages for the first 30 minutes while everyone gathers. I suggest wine, juice and soft drinks. Set up a buffet, and have tables scattered about with enough space for all your guests to sit. When there are more than six guests, it is proper to use place cards. If you know which guests have animus against other guests, separate them by strategically situating the place cards. Keep your demeanor happy and welcoming: Their differences are not your problem. Who knows, this may even be an occasion for healing.
Dear Carson: I attended a business banquet last month where we were seated at round tables. Not knowing which beverage was mine or the person's next to me, I waited until they reached for the iced tea glass and then I picked up the other one. That way I avoided any obvious goofs, but then I started eating too early. Also, what does a person do with the napkin when being excused? - Evening Embarrassment
Dear EE: What is above your knife and spoon is yours to drink; in other words, to your upper right-hand side. Your bread and butter and perhaps your salad are to the left of your place setting. As for when to begin your meal, there are various rules for banquet dining and for dining in a private home. For a public type of large banquet, wait until the six people nearest you have been served. In a private home it is improper to begin eating until your host or hostess has begun eating. If you must excuse yourself during a meal, hang your napkin over the back of your chair or on the seat of your chair. A meal is officially over when the host or hostess places his or her napkin to the left of their place setting.
Dear Carson: I attended a wedding recently, and when the bride and her father came down the aisle, my husband and I stood. Someone sitting beside me in the pew tugged on my jacket and shook her head, whereupon my husband and I sat back down. I looked around the church and observed that some guests were standing while others remained seated. Who was right? - Sitting or Standing
Dear S&S: Wedding guests take their cue from the mother of the bride. If she rises, they rise. If she remains seated, they remain seated.
Write to Ask Carson, The Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, Ga 30903-1928. Send e-mail to email@example.com. Carson Elliott's web site is www.theproperthing.com.
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Valedictorians say fame fades quickely
While they considered being named Dartmouth valedictorians quite an accomplishment, three former recipients of the honor said it has not had a major impact on their life.
"It definitely got me my first job which was washing dishes at a night club," Michael Lowenthal '90 said. "They asked if I had any experience and I said 'I was valedictorian of Dartmouth' and they said 'well for four dollars an hour we'll take the risk.'"
Lowenthal, a creative writing and religion major at the College, said the best part of being valedictorian was delivering the address.
"I never had the opportunity, and I doubt I ever will again, to speak to that many people and give them a piece of my mind," Lowenthal said.
Lowenthal announced in his speech he was homosexual, grabbing nationwide attention and angering some.
Despite the media attention generated by his speech, Lowenthal said his celebrity faded fast.
"Every now and then I'll run into someone who remembers hearing about the speech, but generally people aren't impressed by it," Lowenthal said.
Lowenthal said he does not think being named valedictorian is very meaningful.
"How can you compare one person's college experience to another's?," he asked.
Lowenthal moved from washing dishes back to Hanover where he worked as an editorial assistant for the University Press of New England.
He has since worked as a freelance writer and has been published in the New York Times Magazine and Book Review.
His first novel, The Same Embrace, is being published this September by Dutton Press.
"The main character is an Amherst [College] grad, but he's not a valedictorian," Lowenthal said.
Steve Guch '67 said the skills and characteristics which enabled him to become valedictorian were more beneficial than the honor itself.
"You learn how to approach a problem and work a problem very hard to come to a conclusion," Guch said. "Intensity of directed activity is important."
A physics major, Guch managed an outdoor construction project the summer after graduation.
He received his masters degree in physics from the University of Massachusetts, and said he had all his doctoral course work finished, but was called to serve in the Vietnam War.
He served in the Navy as the main propulsion officer on board the USS Bainbridge, and said the skills he acquired in his valedictory pursuit helped during his service.
"It helped me get through with reasonable grace and a sense of humor," he said.
After his three war-time cruises, Guch continued his defense career, first at a military laboratory and then in the laser research industry.
"Wearing the star has not brought me forward except to cause some amazement at cocktail parties," Guch said of his honor. "Awards wax and wane in importance ... but the characteristics that led to it have been really valuable."
Stephen Jennings, the College's 1983 valedictorian, said there is little distinction between the highly ranked graduates at a school like Dartmouth.
"There's not much of a gap between the valedictorian and everyone else," Jennings said. "I think that if you graduate with any kind of honor from a school as good as Dartmouth ... people are going to recognize your commitment."
Jennings studied for two years at Oxford University after graduation and then taught high school.
After a few years back in the classroom, Jennings moved to management consulting and is now a partner in a consulting firm.
He said the value of graduating as valedictorian diminishes over time.
"People start worrying more about how you did on your last job," Jennings said.
"I almost never indicate I was valedictorian, just that I graduated from Dartmouth," Jennings said.


text: AGEING of an Organism is different from AGEING of individual cells. Sometimes faster AGEING of cells may mean a slower AGEING of the organism. For example, older cells should be destroyed in an organism as fast as possible and replaced with newer young cells. Otherwise older cells can lead to cancer. For the organism AGEING can be counted based on markers that are breakdown-points in metabolic pathways. Some critical breakdowns lead to visible changes in the organism like greying of hair. Barani Lilly Hall of Life Sciences Purdue University | | | | | ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- | | | | | ================================================================ | This box is dedicated to the memory of those who spent their| | Lifetimes on the AGE-OLD problem of the OLD-AGE problem. | ================================================================


text:
Submitted by: Janyce Mcewen
Prep Time: 0 Seconds
Cook Time: 0 Seconds
Servings: 1
Feeling a little low on energy at times? I was until a friend suggested this drink. Tried it and it really works for me. Just four little ounces but a great pick me up!
Heat water in a small pan. Remove from heat prior to it boiling Place all other ingredients into a small mug Pour hot water over ingredients Let steep for four or five minutes. (the longer it steeps, the more potent it gets) When it is cool enough to drink, just DOWN IT !! That's right, ginger and all (try stirring it while drinking to keep all of the ginger from being in your last gulp). You'll get a warm feeling and a boost of energy. At least it works for me!!


text:
Your cart is currently empty!
Your cart is currently empty!
When ye need ta carry more rum than a hip flask can provide, here be decorated bottles, Onion Bottles and Glass Bottle Carriers so ye can supply the entire krewe of pirates. It be a great way of economizing at the high priced tavern when ye be short of dubloons.
$ 31.00
$ 28.00
$ 36.00
$ 30.00


text:
Foods High in Potassium
The best way to get adequate potassium in the diet is not through supplements or vitamins. Eating a wide variety of healthy foods that contain potassium is usually the best. Potassium may reduce the risk of hypertension.
List of Potassium Rich Foods
Symptoms of deficiency of potassium in the diet include diarrhea, vomiting, weak muscles, breathing abnormality, hypokalemia, and more.
Consuming too much potassium may lead to heart problems and or death. This is why people should carefully monitor their dietary intake of potassium.
The most easiest ways for people to overdose on potassium without consuming foods that are high in potassium is by taking too many multi vitamin supplements with a high concentration of potassium. Another easy way is by consuming too many foods that are high in potassium. It is advised that individuals consult with a nutritionist & physician to ensure they are eating a well balanced diet based on their dietary needs.
Foods High In Potassium
Over consumption of potassium can lead to irregular heartbeats
or a heart attack. Talk with your physician if you have kidney problems or are undergoing dialysis. Potassium information is not designed to replace the patient-doctor
relationship and should never be used to diagnose any medical problem.


text:
It has been a few weeks since the events of August 12 in Charlottesville, Virginia, left us all bewildered and dismayed. I have struggled to understand the emotions I experienced that day and since. I have struggled to digest what I saw and heard, as the cacophony of voices in response grows louder, each defining this moment in their preferred terms. I have struggled to confront the nuance of an event that has been absorbed into a million different pet issues and reported from all sorts of political…Read More
From the Blog
Travel for the summer has commenced! We've started our month-and-a-half long jaunt around the country, which will see us play weddings and house shows and concerts from Florida to Michigan to New Hampshire. Many of the gigs over the month of June are private events, with public gigs sprinkled throughout. Some of the bigger shows are listed below; check out the "Shows" page for more details. Hope to see you out there! June 10 | Pickens Hall | Heuvelton, NY June…Read More
Back from the Boat!
Photo above shows Jimmy reading aloud to Sebastian on a private island in Belize. That's right–Jimmy can read. Hello, everyone! Long time, no talk! We've had a very busy February thus far, and I fell down on the job of keeping the blog updated. Mea culpa. Here's a quick recap of the past few weeks: We spent the weekend before Valentine's Day on the high seas with thirty other bands and 2,500 of the most enthusiastic music appreciators we've ever…Read More
Songwriting with a fury
If you've made it out to a Currys show in the past couple months, you no doubt have heard about the winter songwriting challenge and online concert series that we have planned. Here are the basics: We spent almost all of 2016 on the road supporting the release of West of Here. Performing and traveling was a blast, but it didn't leave us with much time to write and develop new material. For the last few months of last year, we were pining for…Read More
So long, 2016… hello, New Year!
2016 has drawn to a close, and we here at Currys Music LLC are taking a moment to reflect on a long, complicated year. As always during the holiday season, the temptation arises to wax poetic. I'm going to indulge, briefly, in a bit of sentiment: Viewed from 30,000 feet, 2016 was a tumultuous year. The globalism that accompanied the dawn of the Internet age has been undermined by a resurgent nationalism, as legitimate concerns about economic and national security mount around the world. Genocide…Read More
Official showcase at Folk Alliance!
We're pleased to announce that we've been selected for an official showcase at the 2017 Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City, Missouri! We're thrilled and honored to be selected to a group of artists that includes the likes of John McCutcheon, Sara Watkins, The Steel Wheels, Tift Merritt, and The Sea The Sea. We will also be joined in the frigid February Midwestern weather by some friends and fellow artists with whom we have previously shared a stage, including Flagship Romance, Front Country, and Lindsay Lou & the…Read More
Holiday tour in Florida
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We're excited to spend time with family in Galen's hometown of Potsdam, New York, for the holiday. There will be food and snow and board games–oh my! In our downtime over the weekend, we'll spend some time preparing for our upcoming annual holiday tour. December sees us playing public concerts and private events throughout north Florida (with one Nashville date early in the month), and we'll be doing a New Year's Eve show in our hometown of Port…Read More
11/6 Gainesville show open to the public!
We've gotten some questions about the show this coming Sunday in Gainesville. Yes, indeed, it is open to the public! We've been traveling a lot and neglected to update the website to reflect the change. The concert was earned by our dear friend Susie Lyons for her generous donation to our Kickstarter campaign last summer, but she has decided to turn it into a charity event open to the public. All are welcome! Details below: Venue: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Sanctuary Address:…Read More
Video shoot at Red Clay in Atlanta
Heads up to anybody in the ATL area weighing options for a Friday night out: We're shooting live video of our concert at Red Clay Music Foundry in Duluth, Georgia. The show is this Friday, October 28; doors open at 7pm, and the music kicks off around 8pm. Our Georgia friends Highbeams will be opening, plus we'll be joined on stage by Sebastian "Dream" Green on the drums and the illustrious Sam Whedon on lead guitar. So if you've never seen Highbeams,…Read More
"If I Find It" Lip Sync Video
Way, way back in April we threw out an idea for crowd-sourcing a music video: We asked anybody so inclined to film themselves singing and dancing along to "If I Find It," the first single from our album West of Here. Since then, we have mostly been on the road, traveling and playing throughout the summer, occupied with the touring side of being working musicians. All the while we were receiving a steady stream of clips from friends and fans lip-syncing to…Read More


text:
A couple hundred billion dollars less, as a matter of fact. The president says the money could go to small business loans, job creation, or straight to paying down the federal deficit. It's a hot debate: At least one influential Republican who helped negotiate the bank bailout says may even be illegal to use TARP savings elsewhere. Others say spending those savings on jobs could help the stimulus package — a separate program — where it fell short.
Does TARP's better bottom line represent a found money boon that should be available for more lending? Or the end of a program that performed as it was supposed to?
As for the stimulus package, if that money fell short, where and how?
The country's biggest single recipient is Washington's Hanford Nuclear Reservation, where reportedly it's helping pick up the pace of cleanup. Another federal program to improve the economy by lowering the number of foreclosed homes is just getting underway in parts of Oregon. But some reports say stimulus money still isn't going where it's needed.
We've checked in on this periodically — soon after passage, a few months later, and at the end of the summer. How, at this point, is federal spending to boost the economy affecting you? What do you think should be done with the "savings" of the bank bailout?
- David Cho: Financial Reporter for The Washington Post
- Chadwick Matlin: Staff reporter for Slate's The Big Money
- Rolfe Winkler: Columnist for Reuters
- Chandra Brown: Vice President of Oregon Iron Works and member of the Oregon Innovation Council
- Pratik Joshi: Staff reporter for the Tri-City Herald
- Victor Merced: Director of the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department


text:
Brewers infielder Alfredo Rodriguez has always had to exercise patience.
After a successful junior season at the University of Maryland, Rodriguez had to wait until the 32nd round of the 2011 draft to hear his name called by Milwaukee.
He chose to go back to school for his senior season and his patience paid off the following year, as he was selected 15 rounds higher – again by the Brewers – in the 17th round of the 2012 draft.
Another area where Rodriguez's patience has paid off, is at the plate, where he drew 50 walks last season, while striking out just 52 times.
"I guess I've always been a patient hitter" said Rodriguez, "but I've seen that in professional baseball that the umpires are a little bit better than college, so I trust my eye and try to have a good at bat every time. Depending on the situation, if we need somebody on base, I'll get on base, or there's some times when there's a runner on third base and you've got to do your job, runner on second base, move him over, so I just try and take each situation as its own and just try and execute the situation."
One thing working in Rodriguez's favor is his ability to play multiple positions. In his two years with the Brewers, the 23-year-old Rodriguez has played 81 games at shortstop, 46 games at second base, and 35 games at third base. When asked if he had a favorite position to play, Rodriguez didn't hesitate.
"Definitely shortstop" he said, before adding that he's happy playing anywhere that gets him on the field. "I've been playing shortstop my whole life, throughout college. That's my spot I grew up playing, but I'm definitely as comfortable at second base. Third base is a little bit of an adjustment. I consider myself a middle kind of guy, but wherever they need me to play, I'll play. But shortstop and second base are definitely the most comfortable positions. Anyway to get in the lineup, I'm willing to do that. I think defensively, I can compete with anyone and start as a defensive player as well. It can't hurt, so I guess the more positions you can play, you increase your chances of playing more."
After spending his offseason at home on the east coast, Rodriguez is glad to be back and looking forward to the season ahead.
"It's been a really good and productive offseason" he said. "I've been working a lot on my speed and foot quickness. Definitely trying to eat healthy. And other than that, trying to improve all aspects of the game. Getting faster and just preparing my body for another season. I just want to have a chance to compete and play every day. That's my main goal. To get an opportunity to play every day whether it's second base or wherever they need me. Just get on the field and have a solid season and hopefully keep on moving up throughout the organization."
The next step for Rodriguez should be a promotion to High-A Brevard County. where you could slot in at any number of the Manatees infield positions when they open their season in a little over two weeks.
Milwaukee dropped another game on Monday, getting steam-rolled by the Chicago White Sox by a score of 9-0. Kyle Lohse started for the Brewers and was charged with the loss, after giving up five runs on seven hits in just 3.2 innings of work. The Brewers offense managed just four hits, getting one a piece from Jean Segura, Logan Schafer and Aramis Ramirez. The other hit came from minor league outfielder Michael Reed who was brought over for the game today.
Brewers pitcher Matt Garza made a start for Nashville in their game this afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds Triple-A affiliate. Garza worked six innings, allowing three runs, two earned on six hits. He struck out five and did not allow a walk.
This afternoon I checked out the Brewers Single-A affiliates in Goodyear. As always, it's tough to keep an eye on two games at once, so I may have missed some things, but here are a few notes from what I saw during Monday's action.
– Cameron Garfield continued to punish the baseball. After a pair of doubles on Sunday, Garfield, playing the role of the designated hitter for the Brevard squad, backed that up with two home runs on Monday. Both were no-doubters.
– Alfredo Rodriguez, who is not generally known for his power, also muscled up for a home run that cleared the fence in left-center field.
– Chris McFarland had a real nice game for Wisconsin. He ripped a line drive in his first at bat, then followed with a double in his second at bat. He walked in his third plate appearance before being replaced at second base by Angel Ortega.
– I got my first look at third baseman Tucker Neuhaus, and he had a nice double to left field in his third at bat. Unfortunately, his day was cut short after getting smoked by a foul ball. With Neuhaus on third, McFarland ripped a screamer down the line in foul territory, Neuhaus couldn't get out of the way in time and wound up leaving the game, being replaced by Taylor Brennan.
– Other players who put together some good at bats in the time I watched them included first basemen David Denson and Adam Giacalone and outfielders Victor Roache, Jose Sermo and Max Walla.
– Baseball America also noted a couple of transactions for the Brewers this week, including the release of catcher Tyler Roberts and pitchers R.J. Seidel and Michael Olmsted.
The Brewers will be facing off against the Oakland A's teams on Tuesday afternoon. Nashville and Huntsville will be on the road at Papago Park to square off with Sacramento and Midland, while Brevard and Wisconsin will be at home in Maryvale, taking on Stockton and Beloit. Hiram Burgos gets the start for Nashville and will be followed by Mike Fiers. Drew Gagnon will be making the start for Huntsville. Preston Gainey will be on the hill for Brevard, with Chad Thompson getting the nod for Wisconsin. All four games are scheduled for 1pm.


text:
Before I made a major overhaul to this site, I used to have a page which contained all of the lyrics for the songs that I wrote while in Rounded Edges. Recently, I went looking for this page but came up empty, so I thought I'd do it again, and make sure it didn't go missing this time.
The songs I wrote and sang while in Rounded Edges were about a lot of different things. What I'll do here is write out the lyrics of the songs I wrote or co-wrote, and then give you a blurb about what the meaning of the song is.
Hanging Above
Things start simple and they change so fast
Days bare no resemblance to their last
War hate love and peace is something we all know
With this in mind where the hell do we go
Life's like a race that you can never win
Love reaches it's peak to where there's no sin
Climbing a mountain or swimming a sea
Emotional satisfaction is something you can never achieve
Trapped in a room where there are no walls
Trying again and again to avoid a great fall
Taking a chance but the walls reappear
And the sight of the loss is one that I'd feared
The walls remains as I sit here and wait
If the walls become stone my love becomes hate
The pain and anger inside that I feel
The demons inside are what I am here to conceal
There's no one around to share the pain
Pity in itself has nothing to gain
After being gone for such a long time
Everything seems to change, except what's in mind
So I sit here and wait for time to run out
With that in mind, there is no doubt
That the sands of time, are slowing passing by
With each grain of sand I feel even more alive
The song Hanging Above is a song about love or the fear of love. It's a song about someone who is afraid to love or afraid to try and become serious with someone. The line, "trapped in a room where there are no walls, trying again and again, to avoid a great fall" refers to those invisible walls we put up around ourselves when we don't want to get hurt. These go up when we are in relationships and don't want to get too close to someone in fear that they will betray or hurt us. That whole part of the song is about me waiting to see if someone will allow me to be in their life but those "walls" go up for good and I end up hurt in the process. The term "Hanging Above" stems from feeling like the chance at being happy and in love is just hanging above your head, like it's dangling. It also refers to being teased about it. Someone hanging the chance for love in front of you or above you then yanking it away.
My Thoughts Invade Me
Why the hell am I sitting at home wondering why the sky is not falling
Dream a little dream until dreams are no more
Why the hell do my thoughts invade me?
This song was literally written in minutes. There is no real meaning behind it. We were jamming and just letting music come out of anywhere and the music flowed right out of Jason & J.C. and I just starting yapping and yelling and making stuff up off the top of my head and those three lines really stuck out. A song was born.
Reign Of Lies
Righteousness be known
As he sits on his thrown
With a consoling crown
He will strike you down
Not knowing about on whom he strikes
His thoughts and voice have a struggle to fight
The end left alone with nothing to care
His veins will scream in pain for which he cannot bare
King of his castle
No riches to own
A woven cloak
Nowhere to roam
A reign of lies
To be overthrown
A reign of lies
Tto be overthrown
All knowingness filled with fear
Whispered lies, into your ear
Wretched plans of now
He lacks the goings of how
A street of deception which he cannot find
A loss of eagerness to use his mind
Buried in lies, he drowns in the truth
A hunger for more makes him lose his youth
Reign of Lies was written in a sort of metaphorical fashion. The "king" is this song refers to someone that I know that fed a lot of people a lot of lies. Constantly lying about who they were, what they had done, things they owned, etc. The story that goes in this song is that the person telling all of these lies and sitting up proud, egotistical, etc, loses everything in their life because of all of the deception. It uses the analogy of a king losing his reign of his kingdom.
Sue's Cunt
Sue's cunt, it's big
Sue's cunt, smells like a pig
Sue's cunt, it's a joke
Sue's cunt, it's broke
Oh Sue, I want to fuck you
Oh Sue, I want you
Oh Sue, I want to fuck you0
Oh Sue, I hate you!
Sue's cunt, it's got teeth
Sue's cunt, smells like beef
Sue's cunt, it talks back
Sue's cunt, it looks like a rat
Sue's cunt, it's got scum
Sue's cunt, it's on the run
Sue's cunt, looks like hell
Sue's cunt, you fucking smell!
Ahhhhh. Good ole Sue. Sue was originally inspired by the tales from Sandy LeClair about Sue Wheeler. We heard a whole lot of stories or tales of this woman that I had never met. However, this song quickly turned and became about Cheez's ex-girlfriend Sue. Although this song was never played live, it was a lot of fun to sing. The lyrics speak for themselves. No explanation is really needed.
Backseat Driving
Sitting in the back of a Mercedes Benz.
Trying to screw my woman's friends
Rolling down the window asked this broad to come in
She jumped in the car, and we started to sin
She said that I was made of grade A beef
She let me rip off her clothes with my teeth
Her breasts were like the cushions on my bed (Jumping around we had a great time)
She got extremely horny and gave me head (Too bad the cops pulled up and gave us a fine)
Up and down so violently
She said my dick was the size of her knee (She said she was in ecstacy)
Sweat was dripping off my pubic hair (Sweat was dripping off my forehead)
Never had this much fun since I fucked in mid-air. (Too bad the backseat don't pull out into a bed)
(The car started to roll down the hill)
(Was hoping like hell this girl was on the pill)
(The car was picking up a load of speed)
(Why did this have to happen to me)
(After awhile we finally came to a stop)
(We were so tired we thought we were going to drop)
(She started to scream and pound on the floor)
(It didn't take long before we started for more)
I was happy as I could be
This was the first time I got laid for free
The car was in a constant shake
This was more fun than when I masturbate (It felt like the middle of an earthquake)
This was more fun than when I masturbate! (It felt like the middle of an earthquake, YEAH!)
There were two versions of Backseat Driving. The song was originally written by both me and Cheez after I had started playing my MDP guitar by just plucking one string and banging the guitar with my hand. Cheez wrote the bulk of the original lyrics with a few lines dropped in here and there by me. The story is pretty straight forward. A guy getting laid in the backseat of his car. The lyrics written in brackets () represent either additions or alterations of the song that I made after we put the song to electric guitar. The original version had some raunchy stuff that, at the time, I didn't want to sing to a live audience so I changed them. I also added a few verses since the song ran way too short when played with an electric guitar. Ideally, I think the song sounds best with the original lyrics, with the extra verses added.
There are other songs that I wrote that I have since misplaced the lyrics for. I do have them recorded on a few jam tapes somewhere but finding those would be a task and a half. The two most notable songs that I remember that are not listed here are Try, and Change Of Season.
Change of Season was my first attempt at really writing something totally different. Jason & J.C. had come up with some really cool riffs and drum sounds so we wanted to be able to have really good and unique lyrics to go with it. Change of Season had no real message and it wasn't a funny song. It was a lot of cool lines thrown together to make a tune. "Stress forced upon the body, makes the mind want to grow" "Death is that, which holds the candle, for the soul, in an eye". A couple of lines from the song showed you that it was very different. Even the format of the song, how lyrics flowed from riff to riff, and everything else, was very, VERY different. In fact, this was the only song we had that had a guitar solo.
Try was based on a song Cheez wrote called "Who's to blame?". A very political song about the war in the world, violence, and all of that heavy stuff. Intended to be an accoustic tune, this song had a great message but never went anywhere. I think the reason was mostly that it was not a song meant to be played by the entire band and I really couldn't sing the song in the way I wanted to, so it just died there.


text:
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that over the last 12 days, I've been sharing my favorite photo from each month of the year. It's been kind of fun to go back through my photos but really hard to choose the photos.
Most of the photos have some sort of meaning or sentimental value. Like March. It's not the prettiest picture by any means but it was the first time that I did a handstand. Like ever.
It's nice to have them together in one place.
Do you have a favorite photo(s) from 2013?
More Ways to Follow Love, Life, Surf
Twitter -> @cyu888
Instagram -> cyu888
Facebook -> Love, Life, Surf
Pinterest -> LoveLifeSurf
Email or in Reader -> http://feeds.feedburner.com/lovelifesurfblog
Bloglovin' -> Love, Life, Surf


text:
Skip to main content
Premier Homes of the Mid-South
Value is our priority. Custom building is our specialty. We will not be undersold!
Home Page
Double Section Homes
Single Section Homes
For Rent
Contact Us
Map to Premier Homes
Natchitoches Weather
FAQ about Premier Homes
A Career at Premier Homes
Office Hours
Links to our Builders
The Natchez 3BR 2 BTH
The Graff 3 BR 2 BTH
The Catalano 3-4 or 5 BR
The Decatur 4BR 2 BTH
The Madison 5 BR 3 BTH
The Charleston 3 BR 2 BTH
The Burnett 16X88 3+2
The Carolina 16X80 3+2
The Extreme 16X80 3+2
The Belleville 18X80
The Washington 3BR 2 BTH
The Pearl 2 BR W/Porch
Stock number 4
4 Bedroom 2 Bath
To download the floor plan scroll to the bottom.
Click the floor plan for a larger version.
Platinum Homes
Lexington Homes
Buccaneer Homes
All rights reserved
Platinum Homes
Lexington Homes
Buccaneer Homes
All rights reserved


text:
Posts Tagged '2012'
Usually, when political hacks talk about the "undervote" we are talking about how many fewer votes a particular race had than votes for President or Governor in a district or state. However, the 2016 election exposed a new phenomenon: the presidential undervote.
In Arizona, there were 2,554,240 votes cast for President. However, there were a total of 2,661,497 ballots cast. That means that 107,257 people voted in the election but did not cast a vote for President. That is an astounding number when you compare it with the undervote in previous presidential elections. In 2012 it was 34,777, in 2008 it was 28,771, and in 2004 it was 28,734.
And the presidential undervote this year was not unique to Arizona. A Washington Post analysis shows that in the 33 state where they were able to collect the data, 1.7 million people cast a ballot but did not vote for President. Arizona ranked 2nd highest as a percentage of people who did not vote for President (behind Montana).
Obviously, the record number of people abstaining in the Presidential election is a reflection on the candidates. Donald Trump had some seriously unfavorable ratings heading into Election Day, as did Hillary Clinton. And Clinton didn't inspire the Democratic base the way Obama did in 2008 and 2012.
Clinton was also a terrible candidate, and while the media fawned over the "amazing" operation coming out of Brooklyn, we now know that they were too smart for their own good. They made some assumptions about the election, created a model, and then never tested the model with inputs throughout the campaign.
On the morning of Election Day, internal Clinton campaign numbers had her winning Michigan by 5 points. By 1 p.m., an aide on the ground called headquarters; the voter turnout tracking system they'd built themselves in defiance of orders — Brooklyn had told operatives in the state they didn't care about those numbers, and specifically told them not to use any resources to get them — showed urban precincts down 25 percent. Maybe they should get worried, the Michigan operatives said.
Nope, they were told. She was going to win by 5. All Brooklyn's data said so.
President-elect Donald Trump's campaign on the other hand was hopeful, but not confident, that he would pull off the win. They also had a data operation, but the difference was they were continuing to get inputs and making changes to strategy up to the weekend before the election. It was not just on a whim that Trump went to Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin in the last days of the campaign.
The question is how will future Presidential elections look? Is the 2016 presidential undervote an anomaly, or is this the new normal? We won't know for four more years.
Following the 1960 Presidential Election between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon there were widespread allegations of voter fraud, particularly in Illinois and Texas.
Likewise, today there have been widespread allegations of voter fraud in Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland and Miami.
What's the difference? In 1960, it is actually possible that voter fraud may have made changed the outcome in Illinois and Texas. The raw vote difference in Texas was only 46,000 votes and in Illinois, a mere 9,000 votes.
This year's election is much different. Obama won Florida by more than 74,000 votes, Ohio by 166,000 votes, Pennsylvania by 310,000 votes and Michigan by 449,000 votes.
Here is the point. There is no way that Obama stole the election. Is it possible to steal 74,000 votes in Florida? I suppose it's possible – but even if Florida went to Romney, he still would have lost. It is not rational thinking, with the number of people watching the way elections are conducted, that the Democrats could have stolen enough votes to give Obama wins in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan or even Colorado which Obama won by 138,000 votes.
You just don't steal landslides.
Yes, I believe that voter fraud exists, and that it could affect outcomes in legislative races and maybe even an occasional Congressional race. But there weren't any Senate races for states for the President that voter fraud changed the outcome.
Republicans were plenty capable of losing all on their own.
This is the kind of headline that makes Obama campaign staffers queasy: AP-GfK Poll: More than half say Obama should lose
AP writes the story laying out the challenges that Obama faces going into next year's election. These three paragraphs are particularly poignant:
For the first time, the poll found that a majority of adults, 52 percent, said Obama should be voted out of office while 43 percent said he deserves a second term. The numbers represent a clear reversal since last May, when 53 percent said Obama should be re-elected while 43 percent said he didn't deserve four more years.
Separately, 49 percent expected Obama to win re-election while 48 percent think he will be voted out of office.
Obama's overall job approval stands at a new low: 44 percent approve while 54 percent disapprove. The president's standing among independents is worse: 38 percent approve while 59 percent disapprove. Among Democrats, the president holds steady with an approval rating of 78 percent while only 12 percent of Republicans approve of the job he's doing.
Buried deep in the story is this nugget:
The poll found unpopularity for last year's health care reform bill, one of Obama's major accomplishments. About half of the respondents oppose the health care law and support for it dipped to 29 percent from 36 percent in June.
Just 15 percent said the federal government should have the power to require all Americans to buy health insurance.
Even among Democrats, the health care law has tepid support. Fifty percent of Democrats supported the health care law, compared with 59 percent of Democrats last June. Only about a quarter of independents back the law.
When your signature piece of legislation – what was supposed to become wildly popular after the Democrats passed it – is becoming a bigger and bigger millstone around Obama's reelection hopes. And that's not likely to change.
Congress and President Obama struck a deal to fund the government through next fall and avoided a shutdown.
What, you didn't know anything about that? No surprise. I get the sense that the American people have tuned out the machinations of Washington lately. I'm going to call it the calm before the storm. There is no doubt that dark clouds are brewing and it's going to be pretty rough for Washington – both Democrats and Republicans.
Democrats have more to lose – the Senate and the White House – and the Republicans who lose are more likely to go down in primaries to other Republicans. Let's just say there is some serious angst out there.


text:
The deal pipeline remains strong in the bars and restaurant sector, with demand for quality "concepts" grabbing investors' interest, a report out today indicates.
Accountancy firm BDO's research notes that "nimble operators" and a renaissance in burgers and quality fast food has given people the confidence to invest in the sector.
BDO's David Campbell said: "Four years of recession have seen people focus on value, but that doesn't mean they won't pay a premium price for a quality product."


text:
4.1 Escrow and Title Company
Once an offer is agreed upon and signed by both parties, an escrow account will need to be started. You, the buyer, will need to give the earnest deposit to your broker, who will take it to the title company (or seller's Qualifying Broker) that is designated in the purchase agreement. The title company will start an escrow account by depositing your earnest money and issuing a receipt for it.
A title company will obtain the payoff amounts for existing loans and calculate prorated taxes, liens, rents, insurance policies, and utilities. They will arrange for title insurance policies, pay off the costs and liens as agreed in the purchase contract, and close the transaction. The will also arrange to record the transfer of title at the courthouse.
Your escrow will close when the county recorder notifies the title company that the deed has been changed from the seller's name to the buyer's name.
4.2 Inspections
A professional inspector is recommended to inspect the house you are buying. Even if the house looks OK, it is highly recommended to have an inspector go through to do a more detailed inspection. You will want to know as much as you can about the house you are buying. Depending on how your contract is set up, you may be negotiating with the seller to pay for any major repairs that are required.
4.3 Appraisal and Survey
Your mortgage lender will designate an appraiser to determine the value of the home. Since they have a large stake in the property you are buying, they will want to make sure it is worth the value that is being paid.
A survey is also usually ordered to determine the boundaries of the property. This is to make sure that there are no encroachments on the property that were not disclosed.
4.4 Final Processes
Depending on the contract, lender, and house, there may be other things done before closing. A lender can request final paperwork to make sure everything on the application is still current, insurance can be ordered, other inspections such as pest inspections, and more.
4.5 Walkthrough Before Closing
You should visit the home 1 to 2 days before closing to make sure that the repairs were done and the house is in the same condition as when you put the offer in.
4.6 Attend Closing
This is the final step to buying a house. You will want to bring your purchase agreement, your settlement statement, a calculator, a pad of paper, mortgage commitment (if any), and any other paperwork that pertains to the house.
Congratulations, you now own a home!
*Just remember, this list is a rudimentary list of the steps to buying a house. It is meant to familiarize you with the process of buying a home so you are not left in the dark. There are several more details and processes that happen in the actual purchase of a house that a Realtor can help you with. If you have any questions, contact a Realtor who you trust to get you started in the right direction. We would be happy to assist you if you are looking for a good real estate professional.
Photo Credit: "Red Death" by Tiberiu Ana on Flickr. CC Licensed.


text:
Want to save time? Sign up with your facebook account now
Or complete the form below
Sign in with your facebook account
Or with mangahere account Don't have an account?
If you find there are broken links, misssing pages, wrong chapters or any other problems in a manga/manhwa, please comment here. We will try to solve them the first time.
Please enter the email.
Hero Mask 4 released in mangahere fastest, recommend your friends to read Hero Mask 4 now!
Tags: read Hero Mask 4 english, Hero Mask 4 raw manga, Hero Mask 4 online, Hero Mask 4 chap, Hero Mask 4 chapter, Hero Mask 4 high quality, Hero Mask 4 manga scan
Next Chapter: Hero Mask 5
Previous Chapter: Hero Mask 3


text:
It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by Bigwhammy
reply to post by Kapyong
Everyone knows the Pastorals were written at least 100 years before Clement was born!
Originally posted by Bigwhammy
There is even the 7q4 Papyri which is dated to 68 AD.
Originally posted by Sigismundus
You seem to think, not without some reasons, that Saul of Tarsus (the Roman Greek speaking capital of Cilicia - present-day Turkey) did not think that his 'Lord Iesous' had an earthly physical incarnation at all – but an argument could be made that he DELIBERATELY chose NOT to focus on the historical Palestinian based ('ebionite') underpinnings to the movement – being contrary to his 'gentile-friendly agenda.
Originally posted by Sigismundus
Tarsus was moreover the EXACT place where Mithraism ( one of 30 'Mystery Religions' of the Roman Empire) was first introduced into Rome via Cilician Pirates c. 79 BCE (if you believe Pompey) via soldiers – having come (like Pharaseeism) from Persia (PARAS), being a Romanised mixture of the Persian sun god MITRA and the Greco-Roman SOL INVICTUS—& Saul of Tarsus (c. 14 CE to c. 64 CE) having been brought up there would have been influenced by the Tarsian Mithraic Mysteries – hence so much of his Weltanschauung was guided by Mystery Religion Thinking in general (as opposed to Historical Thinking) –
Originally posted by Sigismundus
Early Church 'fathers' used to speak of 'our Mysteries of Christ' as if it existed side by side the other Pagan Mystery Religions – they ALL focused on non-historical 'heavenly' models, rather than earthly persons with a biography,
e.g. the Mysteries of Mithras, of Eleuseius (i.e. Demeter & Persephone) of Attis & Kubaba-Cybele, of Isis, of Zagraeus, of Dionysius, of Orpheus, of Wusir-Hapi (i.e. 'Osiris-Apis' aka 'Serapis') & ccountless others --
Originally posted by Sigismundus
BUT---if we examine the actual wording of the weird Last Supper Blood Drinking Episode in Paul (1 Corinthians 11:23) we CAN DETECT A SLIGHT TRACE of a LIVE HISTORICAL PERSON being referenced:
For I have received from (ho Kurios) the Lord, the same tradition which I imparted to you, viz. that the Lord JESUS ON THE SAME EVENING AS HE WAS BETRAYED TOOK BREAD & WHEN HE GAVE THANKS, BROKE IT SAYING, TAKE AND EAT: THIS IS MY BODY WHICH [SHALL BE] BROKEN FOR YOU etc.
Nobody can be sure that this was not a pious scribe placing words into Paul's pen, but we do have SOME REFERENCE to an HISTORICAL EVENT ('on the night of his arrest…')
Originally posted by Sigismundus
To Sum up: Making any mention of the historical 'Iesous;' would have been out of Paul's own realm of experience (he wasn't an eyewitness disciple of his Lord & he knew it – he didn't get to see the 'historical things' that the Ebionim his enemies DID see – many were blood-related to 'Iesous')
Originally posted by Sigismundus
Making any kind of mention of the historical 'Iesous' would have weakened his position as an 'apostle' of 'ho Christos Iesous' since his 'apostleship' was hotly contested by the family of Iesous (the Ebionim) & relied SOLEY on hisREVELATION ('in the Last Days, your young men shall dream dreams…and see visions…')
Originally posted by ViewFromTheStars
I don't mean to derail or hijack the thread but one thing that helps me in my search is Bible prophesy. For example, Micah 5:2
"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
I don't know about you but I find this rather amazing.. why? because it was written about 700 BC. It also predicted WHERE Jesus would be born.
So the 'conspiracy' started WAY before Jesus came into this world!
There are many more prophesies that precursor Jesus and you are going to have to dispell those to even start from the later time you want to start from.. I hope this makes sense.
Anyhows, out of respect for the OP, I'm going to try and focus more on the question but it is a difficult one, especially considering the fact that I don't consider Christianity a conspiracy at all. Was there a conspiracy to derail, distort, cover up, use Christianity for evil ends/desires or just plain all out destroy Christianity period? Of course.
''out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel''
- this isn't talking about Jesus. Jesus was never ruler over Israel.
It is Jewish tradition to say a persons place of birth after their name. Imo Jesus of NAZARETH was called such because he was born in Nazareth and not Bethlehem. It would be easy for a scribe to assign his birth to Bethlehem to make it fit with a verse from the O.T that could be misconstrued as a prophesy of the Messiah.
In addition if Jesus lived he certainly DIDN'T have disciples called Mark or Luke - the bible clearly names the people Jesus chose and Mark and Luke are not mentioned. Mark only talks about Jesus as a man aged 30-33. Luke adds the nativity story we are all familiar with, even though it is completely different fron the nativity story found in Matthew. There are so many contradictions in the bible it is hard not to think that alot of if must be fiction. I mean which autobiographer was following Jesus as a baby? What about when he went to egypt (to learn from mystery schools??). Who was keeping the notes that must have been lost covering his life from 13yrs old to 30yrs and what did he do in those years?? Did he go to Tibet and learn Buddist philosophy ''do unto others that which you would have them do to you'' etc?? Or maybe he went to America or England. The theories will never end because as others have said - Faith is belief in something that cannot be proven otherwise it would be called FACT.
[edit on 30-4-2010 by ViewFromTheStars]
Originally posted by jagdflieger
We have the following skeptic contentions:
1. Where was the "Christian conspiracy" started.
2. When was the "Christian conspiracy" initiated and who were the imitators (note the dates can be approximations).
3. How was it spread throughout the Roman Empire and by whom.
4. Some statements on how it evolved; i. e., the evolution of savior god belief systems (Dionysos, Mithras, Attis, Isis, Osiris) into a flesh and blood man as presented in the Gospel of Mark.


text:
Quick links:
Professor Andrzej K. Koźmiński, the President of Kozminski University, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by ESCP Europe, the oldest business school in the world.
Lidia D. Czarkowska, Ph.D., from Kozminski University, got an award for promoting a scientific approach on coaching during the IX Coachowisko conference.
We are proud to announce that prof. Dariusz Jemielniak, Ph.D., from Kozminski University, was elected as a new member of the Advisory Board OpenMaker.
Kozminski University signed an agreement with the University of Rome Tor Vergata for the joint master's degree in finance and accounting in English.
Kozminski University Mission
As an international and academic broad profile business school, we strive for the highest quality education in the fields of ethical business, management, social sciences and business law. Combining practice with theory, we conduct research, which in the opinion of the academic community contributes to the body of science both in Poland and internationally.
The sailing ship in an open sea in our logo is a symbol of adventure, openness to new horizons, creative teamwork and leadership and limitless possibilities.
As an international and academic broad profile business school…
The vision of Kozminski University is to become a leading business school with a broad profiled centre of excellence in research and education. A "broad profile" concept signifies that while business and management remains the school's main focus, KU approaches these studies from an interdisciplinary perspective that includes business law, social sciences, and economics.
KU is an active member of the Polish community, but is also a full-fledged international institution. Uniquely, KU also has an "American touch" with a number of prominent professors, including Andrzej K. Koźmiński, Witold Kieżun, Witold Morawski, Grzegorz W. Kołodko, Krzysztof Obłój, Witold Bielecki, Dorota Dobija, Wojciech Gasparski, Charles Stowe, Christopher Hartwell, Dariusz Jemielniak, JC Spender, and Dominika Latusek-Jurczak with USA faculty experience. This multi-cultural identity is fostered and conveyed to stakeholders, partners and students alike, whether they study on campus or are enrolled in a KU programme abroad. Indeed, KU has a great deal to offer the international academic community including promoting the many successes of Polish transformation and its location in the heart of Europe. Mindful of its significant role in the internationalisation concept, KU is highly committed to elevating its international standing. The University's international reputation has accelerated upward since 2009 and in doing so, has been recognized by the Financial Times.
Kozminski University continues to work toward obtaining highly recognised accreditations both at a national and international level.
In doing so, KU is aware that its role is not only to lead Eastern and Central Europe academia, but also to help bridging the gap between Eastern and Western academia and serve as a platform for international integration and transformation in international education standards and research.
…we strive for the highest quality education in the fields of ethical business, management, social sciences and business law.
Kozminski University is an institution that, above all, offers state-of-the-art interdisciplinary education. Its academic and professional educational programmes address the needs of contemporary successful business people: management (in Polish and English), finance (in Polish and English), business law, public management, economics and sociology. This enhances a cross-fertilization approach to business education, with a somewhat broader definition of business. These interrelated subjects constitute the pillars of KU's academic profile – management, finance, and business law – with a theme of excellence in management as the ultimate goal for our research and teaching efforts. This business-like model combined with a more interdisciplinary and humanistic profile makes KU more market-driven and flexible.
Our focus on management excellence, coupled with an interdisciplinary background education, is a unique component in both the domestic and international markets. Because we keep the profile wide, KU students benefit from the synergistic effects of an interdisciplinary community that builds a solid foundation for further professional development and continuing education. An emphasis on ethics as legitimate dimensions of everyday business reality is placed not only in our curricula, but as a cornerstone of KU's culture. We believe that business schools contribute to communities fundamentally through the education of leaders who are responsible to their environments and are willing to engage in public affairs.
Combining practice with theory…
Another element of Kozminski University's profile is emphasis on a continuous dialogue between academia and practitioners. KU is dedicated to maintaining strong ties with the business world. We were pioneers in introducing professional education and offered the first MBA programmes in Poland after 1989. Indeed, the KU executive education programme is an internationally renowned centre of excellence in professional training and education. Close contacts with the business world are achieved through a number of initiatives, including the International Corporate Advisory Board, the Centre of Excellence (COE), and a subunit of the COE - the Career Centre and Alumni Relations Office. These connections allow KU to "read the market" while maintaining a constant challenge for teaching faculty by providing the opportunity to improve their teaching skills via face-to-face meetings with one of most demanding customer segments in the market: practitioners.
…we conduct research, which in the opinion of the academic community, contributes to the body of science both in Poland and internationally.
KU strongly believes that high-quality education and teaching cannot be successful if they are not accompanied by quality research. This applies to every level of academic education, but is especially true in the case of doctoral education and professional training. Great emphasis is placed on the development of research that translates into publication and participation in international conferences. Faculty members are encouraged and helped financially to take internship and short-term appointments at top universities and to establish frameworks for international cooperation with foreign scholars Recent examples include the TIGER International Research Centre led by Professor Grzegorz W. Kołodko, lectures delivered by KU faculty members at partner universities, such us: IESED (France), ISC Paris School of Management (France), EDC Ecole des Derigeants at Createurs d'Enterprise (France), Audencia (France), EADA (Spain), ISCTE Business School (Portugal), DHBW (Germany), etc. KU Professors are members of the editing teams of renowned academic journals and hold reviewers positions. Examples include but are not limited to: International Journal of General Systems (Professor Wojciech Gasparski), International Journal of Society Systems Science (Professor Dorota Dobija), Journal of Socio-Economics (Professor Tadeusz Tyszka), Tamara Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry (Professor Dariusz Jemielniak) etc. Younger faculty members participate regularly in renowned scholarships programmes including Fulbright Fellowships, the Kosciuszko Foundation, the UN, and the Polish Science Foundation.
In recent years, with the support of post-doctoral fellowships, KU faculty members were involved in research projects at Harvard University; University of California, Berkley; Stanford University; Universite de Toulouse; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; University of Columbia and University College Dublin. In addition, KU has a well-functioning programme of rewards for scholarly publication that emphasizes a dedication to the international dimension of research. We have successfully launched the new system of faculty assessment and academic achievement rewards.
Values and aims underpinning the mission
Kozminski University explicitly intends to foster diversity and openness to different sets of values. Therefore, we put a lot of emphasis on equal treatment of the students, faculty and staff regardless of their origin, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender, religion or politics. KU remains an open space to different kinds of intellectual inspiration, and we value originality and disagreeing opinions. The Ethical Code of Conduct of KU has been approved unanimously by the Academic Senate.
In 2011, in a self-reflective process launched within our strategy revision and development, a special task-force comprised of representatives from the faculty, administrative staff and students, sought to describe the emergent organizational culture of Kozminski University. The team concluded with the following statements regarding the values that are cherished most at KU.


text:
During the summer months, my family likes to go out on the lake in our boat. My husband grew up boating and water skiing. I, on the other hand, did not. It is a lot of work to go out. There is a lot of preparation. I can't hook up the trailer. I can't back the trailer. Although, I did provide some entertainment for the men at the boat ramp while attempting to back the trailer into the water. They found it quite amusing. The job that fell to me that I could manage was making sure the plug was in the boat, so we wouldn't take on water. Well....you can guess what happened. I forgot the plug, and we began to sink. You might ask, "What does this have to do with decorating?!"
Is your space more of a challenge than you had anticipated? Did it just not turn out like you had planned? Is your room sinking?
Recently, an associate of mine, Beth Batke with Finishing Touches Redesign, wrote an article after she had seen an episode of the Rachel Ray show. On the show, a fashion stylist took 3 different women in black dresses and gave them 3 different looks. Hmmm....Beth suggested this is what Interior Redesigners do as well!
I decided I would go by Second Home Furniture, a local furniture consignment shop in Lewisville, to play. With their permission, I used one sofa and gave it three different looks. Everything used was from the store! Here are three ideas to get you afloat.
Option 1: For the Texan in us all!
Option 2: Traditional in Style and Complimentary in Color!
Option 3: Funky and Fun!
If you like what you see, go by the store and tell Stacy and Barbara I said, "Hi!"
Second Home Furniture
1288 W. Main Street #132
Lewisville, TX 75067
Second Home Furniture (click here to visit their website)
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Decorating: What Floats Your Boat?
Posted by Decorating Spaces at 12:37 PM
Labels: Make it Personal
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
NEW YORK (Feb. 6)
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations pledged today to "sensitize" its membership to the "absorption crisis" in Israel. The pledge was made by Jacob Stein, president of the United Synagogue of America, who was named chairman of the Conference today, succeeding Dr. William Wexler who completed his second term.
The Conference had just heard a detailed description of Israel's cash needs for immigrant absorption in 1972 by Israel's Minister of Finance, Pinhas Sapir and Louis A. Pincus, chairman of the World Zionist Organization Executive. Stein said it was "the unanimous feeling of all present that each of our membership organizations is charged with the obligation of properly sensitizing its members to the critical needs of Israel in meeting the challenge of internal social progress and the welcome immigration of Jews from the Soviet Union."
He said the Conference would "exert every effort" to secure total participation of its membership in contributions to the campaign conducted by the United Jewish Appeal.


text:
Printable View
At the minute I am yearning for some preppy style.
Jumper from Monsieur Lacenaire, jacket from McQ by Alexander McQueen.
My very favourite pieces on Mr Porter at the minute. And I think they'd look smashing together, too.
Alas, the pockets aren't that deep. Anybody know of any jumpers that are cheaper but have that whole preppy contrast trim going on? I think one of those would look great draped loosely about my neck :p
I would quite like a pair of shoes like this, but having scoured the Internet I haven't really found anything.
Attachment 174
Is this floating your boat Sam? £95 from Mr Porter.
I did see that actually - it looks perfect. I would be tempted, but it turns out every penny I get is going to need to be invested into studio time for my band. Which I think is cooler than having a new jumper, but not by much ;)
Studio time eh Sam. You guys have anything on youtube or similar?
Yeah, we do - but if I'm honest the reason I'm aiming to get more time down in the studio is because I really dislike everything we have up so far and I think we have better material! If the sessions go well, I might post something up here for you fine gents, but certainly none of the bollocks we're peddling at the minute :p
I am after some desert boots in blue suede. Seen this in River Island today and really like them. Gonna purchase next month I reckon:
Also want some brown shoes for work - always wear black. Bought some blue work trousers (federal blue coloured) and think brown would look a lot better than black. Need to win the lottery ha.


text:
Time period: 1499 A`ine has been educated by a Welsh man, Phelip. Phelip comes to A`ine's rescue. They get married with the blessing of A`ine's Father. A`ine and Phelip move to Wales because of the growing unrest between the Protestant and Cathloic's. A`ine comes from a wealthy family, that owns land at the time. (1484-1500)Her father dies in 1500.
What happens to the land after A`ine's parents die? Does A`ine and her husband become the landowners? (oh A`ine is the only child that survived) If A`ine gets the land, does she have to live in Ireland to claim it?
If A`ine does not have to move back to Ireland, can A`ine's one and only child Guinevere claim the land?
Side note: Is A`ine (Irish woman who lived from 1485-1520) correct for the time period? And Phelip (Welsh man who lived from 1475-1520)? Any guidence you can give on this era, would be helpful. Thank you.


text:
Our first winner isCongratulations! You are the winner of a lovely exclusive baby ribbon collection from Crafty Ribbons.
And our second winner is
Congratulations to you too, you have won a $10 voucher from Stitchy Bear to spend on their fantastic digital stamp shop.
Both of you are also invited to be a Guest Designer for a future challenge. Please could you both contact Cazzy using the email link in the side bar to claim your prize and arrange a future challenge.
Thank to all those who entered. Please come back later today for the launch of the next challenge.


text:
Poolside Gallery Campaign
Help Video Pool Media Arts Centre create Winnipeg's first media art gallery!
For 35 years Video Pool (VP) has been leading the way in video production, robotics, sound/video installation and interactive platforms. From exhibitions of international works to providing technical support and grants to local artists, we continue to evolve in the ever-changing media arts world.
Please help us in the development of VP's first permanent gallery space, POOLSIDE GALLERY, by making a contribution today!
What is POOLSIDE?
The POOLSIDE Media Art Gallery will be Winnipeg's only gallery dedicated to contemporary media arts practices. It will provide local and visiting artists a place to showcase their work in a physical space.
Located on the second floor of the ArtSpace building, POOLSIDE will be an important catalyst in the development of Manitoba's media artists and will act as a social hub for community engagement, critical reflection and learning.
The name POOLSIDE comes from a publication created and developed at Video Pool Media Arts Centre from 1989-2009. Each book was a resource for artists, curators and historians and provided an opportunity for video and media artists to have their works highlighted. We are excited to turn that celebrated publication into a physical place where the audience can enjoy a more personal experience with the art.
How Will It Work?
POOLSIDE Gallery will provide a platform for the research and dissemination of exploratory practices in media art installations and events, and will act as an extension of Video Pool's current facilities (Flex Studio, 5.1 Surround Suite, Tracking Studio, Isolation Booth, Electronics Lab, Temperature Controlled Archive).
POOLSIDE will be made available to media artists to develop, disseminate and document media art installations and performances and host workshops for presenting artists to share information on the process and technologies that illustrate their curriculum.
How Will We Program the Gallery?
Curated Exhibition and Education Programs:
VP will invite local, national and international artists to exhibit their work at POOLSIDE, offering specific, related education programs by high profile artists and technicians. Local artists will be able to learn techniques and approaches from the creators who have developed each exhibit.
Curated Screenings, Events and Exhibitions from the Archive:
With the 2200 titles dating back more than 35 years, VP will host screenings designed to celebrate the work of our members and provide a platform for discussion of historical and contemporary work.
Member Events and Exhibitions:
VP Members will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the gallery at public events. These will also act as community events to bring together members and create a better understanding of our local creative economy.
Community Collaborations:
VP will partner with other organizations in the community to develop partnerships in programming, providing an opportunity for festivals and other organizations to expand their repertoire and extend their reach to new and diverse audiences.
How Can I Help?
Helping out is EASY!
Just click the above "Donate Now" button, or stop by Video Pool with a Cheque, Cash, Debit or Credit Card!
All donors will be recognized on the POOLSIDE Gallery donor wall, on our website, and in the annual report.
Tax receipts will be provided upon request for donations greater than $25.
Share this on:


text:
ago916 days ago
2011 Vauxhall Astra Club Cdti. Specification includes; Air Conditioning, Remote Central Locking, CD Player, Glazed Tailgate with Metal Glass Protector, Ply Lined to the Rear, and Electric Windows. A very clean small van, with low running costs. Flexible Finance Available. To enquire please contact Louis on 01730 82908001730 8290...(click to reveal full phone number)
ABS, Air Bag, Immobiliser, Alarm, Central Locking, Remote Central Locking, Power Steering, Air Conditioning, Stereo, Electric Front Windows, CD Player, Height Adjustable Seat, Adjustable Steering Column, Anti-Theft System, Head Restraints, Colour Coded Body, Cloth Upholstery, Ply-Lined, Half Bulkhead, Tailgate, Low Floor, 6 - Speed
ago3 days ago


text:
NC JUSTICE NEWS: Senate Budget + "Excellent Public Schools Act" + Falling Behind
June 12, 2012
SENATE BUDGET: Another disappointing path for NC
The North Carolina House budget proposal failed to fully restore cuts made to key public investments in last year's budget, including education, health, public safety, and infrastructure. If the Senate proposed a budget similar to the House plan, critics warned, the damage done by last year's budget would only continue and delay North Carolina's recovery from the Great Recession.
Unfortunately, those fears came to fruition. Late Sunday evening, the Senate released a budget proposal that, if passed, would take North Carolina back even farther than the House budget. Together NC called an "embarrassment to North Carolina's tradition of investment" in critical public structures. The proposal continues deep cuts to mental health, environmental protections, and public safety funds, and ignores the state's most vulnerable residents. There will be fewer slots in NC Pre-K, the Medicaid shortfall will continue, and the state's transportation budget will be slashed in order to increase General Fund availability. Worst of all, the Senate's proposal ignores the loss of temporary federal dollars that currently support nearly 5,000 public school jobs.
The Senate's proposal, like that of the House, relies heavily on one-time funds, suggesting our lawmakers are only willing to offer a short-sighted vision for the state's future instead of creating a more competitive state with a higher quality of life for all North Carolinians.
- NC Justice Center: Senate budget "continues troubling trend" of inadequate investment, lack of transparency
- NC Justice Center: The 2012-13 House Budget – An inadequate, temporary fix for NC's growing budget pressures
- Progressive Pulse: Follow the money – how the Senate pays for its budget
- Progressive Pulse: Senate is being just plain dishonest about its budget proposal
- Together NC: Senate budget proposal takes NC "even further" backward than House budget
- CBS News: NC Senate spends less than House in budget changes
"EXCELLENT" EDUCATION: Senate bill would fail our students
Logically, education policies for improving child literacy should be modeled after policies in states that perform best on early childhood literacy outcomes. Yet North Carolina is on the verge of doing the very opposite.
Senate Bill 795 (The "Excellent Public Schools Act) bears more than a striking resemblance to legislation passed in Florida that has so far failed to succeed in its goal. In 2002, Florida adopted a policy requiring that third graders who do not pass their end-of-grade reading tests would be forced to repeat the grade, except in a few narrowly defined situations. In the first year the policy was implemented, 13.2 percent of third graders were retained. This year, only 56 percent of Florida's 3rd graders demonstrated proficiency on the end-of-year writing assignment, meaning that now almost half of all 3rd graders may have to repeat the year.
Florida decided to retain students solely on the basis of a single standardized test score, an act that can harm children for the rest of their lives. Such retention policies increase the dropout rate, affect students' future job prospects, and fail to accomplish what the legislation set out to do: improve early childhood literacy.
This is not the path we want for North Carolina's students. Lawmakers should consider other states' records and policies before designing legislation that could affect the lives of our children and ultimately the future of the state.
- NC Justice Center: Don't Implement Reforms Based on a Struggling Model – Reject Senate Bill 795
- NC Policy Watch: Senate Committee debates Excellent Schools Act
- NC Policy Watch: Once again, it's sticks over carrots
- Raleigh News & Observer: State senators working on details of education overhaul
- Wilmington Star-News: Education overhaul needs a comprehensive plan, not a hastily approved bill
FALLING BEHIND: How NC fares compared to before the recession
"Falling Behind", a new series, shows how North Carolina's most valuable resources have fared during the Great Recession – and how decisions made by state lawmakers have affected these public investments.
- K-12 Education. Funding for K-12 education has declined by almost 10 percent over the last 5 years, even as enrollment has increased by more than 2 percent. The state's disinvestment in education has led to teacher layoffs, stagnated salaries, and diminished teacher mentoring and professional development, meaning that North Carolina will struggle to attract the highest quality teachers.
- Early childhood education. Funding for Smart Start, subsidized child care and NC Pre-K has failed to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for these early childhood programs. The population of children under 5 has increased by 2.3 percent even as state funding for child development and early childhood education dropped by nearly 30 percent.
- Higher education. Community colleges can be instrumental during a recession in training workers and supporting economic development. Although community college enrollment has increased by 27 percent since the 2007-2008 fiscal year, investment to the system has declined.
- Senior services. Approximately 1 in 10 seniors in North Carolina live in poverty and rely on supports offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, and yet funding has declined by approximately 3 percent since 2007. Given the future boom in population growth for adults over 65, this lack of funding will only grow.
- Medicaid. Demand for Medicaid exploded during the Great Recession, as the number of individuals with sufficiently low incomes to be eligible grew by 27 percent between 2007 and 2012. At the same time, Medicaid was cut by 6 percent, leaving patients, doctors, hospitals and clinics with significantly reduced financial support.
BACKWARDS BUDGET .5K: Race for the backwards budget on 6/19
To raise awareness about the "Backwards Budget," Together NC is convening the first annual Backwards Budget .5K! on Tuesday, June 19. Participants will race backwards around the Halifax Mall to shine a spotlight on the legislature's backwards approach to the state budget.
The race begins at 12:00 p.m. in the grassy area on Halifax Mall behind the North Carolina General Assembly, at 301 N. Wilmington Street in Raleigh. Backwards Budget .5K T-Shirts will be available for all registered participants as will refreshments. Click here to register and for more information.


text:
The following is my latest post on Digital East Asia.
Back in March we reported on the series of deaths at major OEMFoxconn (PINK: FXCNY). Well, the deaths just keep coming. On May 6 at 4:30am, Lu Xin, who joined Foxconn in August 2009, jumped from the 6th floor of the VIP hotel in Foxconn's Long Hua site.
Chinese media are reporting (link in Chinese) that Mr. Lu had been exhibiting abnormal behavior prior to his death. On April 30th he had told his friend, Mr. Zeng Hongling that he was being followed and there were people trying to kill him. Mr. Zeng reported the situation to his supervisor; the supervisor asked Mr. Zeng and another close friend of Mr. Lu to accompany Mr. Lu. In the following days, Mr. Lu had stated he wanted to go back home to Hunan province, but when his friends offered to buy him a train ticket he changed his mind.
At the suggestion of a counsel, Foxconn contacted Mr. Lu's parents and asked them to travel to Shenzhen to visit him. However, due to the May 1st National holiday, his parents could only get tickets for May 5. They were scheduled to arrive in Shenzhen at 9am on the 6th.
Mr. Lu knew his parents were coming. Foxconn arranged to have him and his two friends stay at the hotel. They went to sleep at around 1:30am. At around 4:30am, Mr. Lu got up and claimedthat the room was too stuffy and wanted fresh air. He got onto the balcony and jumped. His two friends had tried to stop him but failed. Mr. Lu was immediately taken to a hospital, but died around noon on May 6.
This marks the 5th death at Foxconn this year, and the 7th serious incident this year (death or severe injury). The incidents have received widespread coverage in Chinese media, but due to Foxconn's secretive nature there has been little real insight into the cause of these incidents. What is widely believed among Chinese netizens though, is that Foxconn has very low margins on its products, and is squeezing profits out of their employees by giving them minimal pay under harsh working conditions.
I believe this is a serious labor scandal waiting to blow up in the face of Apple Inc.(NASDAQ: AAPL), Sony Corporation ((ADR) NYSE: SNE), Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Nokia Corporation ((ADR) NYSE: NOK), Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), Nintendo Co., Ltd ((ADR) OTC: NTDOY), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) and any other brands that Foxconn manufactures for. These series of deaths have not been covered by western media to date, but it's hard to believe that a story this big won't eventually find its way on to the New York Times and other media outlets. That's why I believe these companies should act immediately and look into the labor practices at Foxconn, otherwise they may be facing a potentially huge consumer backlash soon.


text:
My Dirty, Dirty Intake (Pic Heavy)
View Single Post
Drives: 2012 SIM 2LT/1970 Camaro
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Near Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 1,578
Originally Posted by
On the subject, the catchcan is installed inline on the dirty side and the RX can has a one way checkvalve, so no oil can enter through reversion. All oil comes from the crankcase vapors.
If I'm using the wrong terminology, I apologize. The "reversion" I'm referring to can best be explained by this description I found online:
Reversion is simply the exhaust gases momentarily flowing backwards during the overlap phase of the camshaft at low cycling rates. During the overlap phase the engine is on the exhaust stroke and the piston is pushing out the last of the exhaust gases. Prior to reaching top dead center the intake valve begins to open. At low cycling rates the intake charge and the exiting exhaust pulse have yet created any momentum. Thus the piston pushes some spent exhaust gas into the intake manifold.
I'm not talking about PCV gases or oil reversion, I'm saying there's combustion reversion coming back onto the intake valves directly from the cylinder, as described above, possibly causing some of the deposits.
I am thoroughly convinced all of the oil in my manifold came in via the PCV system, and not via reversion (as I'm defining it).
All bleeding stops eventually
2012 2LT Auto w/sunroof
My journal thread
Roto-Fab Intake & W/W Relocate Kit -- ADM Race Scoop -- Dynomax VT Axle-Back Exhaust -- Vitesse Throttle Controller
RX Catch Can -- Drake Bowtie Delete -- JacFab Radio Face Cover -- LED Fog Lights -- LED Dome/Trunk/Plate Lights -- Gen5DIY Dash ABL -- Diode Dynamics Cupholder Lighting
: ACS T5 Splitter -- Hood Vent Mod -- Footwell/Door Pull/Homelink Button Lighting
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by 911medic


text:
I have been biting my tongue watching all the changes that add-on developers are being required to make for Firefox 4, but the various theme changes that are going in which are going to cause toolbar icons to be scaled up and/or down has put me over the edge. (See bug 583231). A lot of work is going to be required by add-on developers (and artists and others) to work around these and other issues. It doesn't help that these Firefox "betas" are no where near beta quality, and involve major changes with each beta update, which means add-on developers are having to do rework with every "beta."
I emailed folks from the AMO team about this and they indicated that their role is only to communicate what add-on developers need to fix, not to work with the Firefox team in any way to represent add-on developers.
Update:That sentence above did not properly represent the email conversation. I stand by my assertion though – the AMO team does not proactively work with the Firefox team to look out for the needs of addon-developers – they communicate information after the fact. They are not on the front line saying "How will this affect add-on developers?"
So there is no one involved in the Firefox 4 process that is advocating for Firefox add-on developers. We're just expected to "roll with the punches." I understand that we're just consumers of the platform, but add-ons have built up a great deal of brand equity for Firefox.
I find it quite short sighted of the Firefox team as a whole to alienate add-on developers this much. I'm aware that this a major release, but there should be more and better messaging around these changes. And they could certainly be batched better instead of spreading them across every beta.
So please, think of the add-on developers…


text:
Spotted: Crystal Harris and Jordan McGraw!by Free Britney at . Comments
The rumors are true. Crystal Harris and Jordan McGraw have been banging ...
... out songs together in the studio.
Ever since she bailed on Hugh Hefner days before their wedding, Crystal has been hanging out with McGraw, the son of Dr. Phil and her long-rumored over.
The twosome insists that their relationship is indeed about beautiful music together, but only in the literal sense. Seriously, they are carrying guitars here.
Sources close to Crystal and Jordan say they've been friends for about a year now and he lent a shoulder to cry on when she fled the Playboy Mansion.
They've been holed up in a Hollywood recording studio working on Crystal's new album. Despite Crystal's newly-single status, she insists it's platonic.
Maybe to her. As Chris Rock said, men do not have platonic friends, only women they haven't slept with YET. No way Jordan's not angling to tap that.
Guess we'll see. But after the way this played out, Hef may want to think about stronger language on his Playboy cover-altering sticker.
[Photos: WENN.com]


text:
Engine Performance problem
1991 Hyundai Excel 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 79, xxx miles
I have a rough running Hyundai.
if I adjust the ide of the engine for when its in neutral, I have to hold the gas & brake when I put it in gear.
if I adjust it to idle in gear it is too fast when in neutral.
plus it has a hunting idle. Slightly up & down.
also oil light comes on when idling in gear unless I have engine idled up.
the car runs & drives perfect, once I take off frm a stoplight, it behaves fine.
this is my spare vehicle, & it recently started doing this.
I checked for vacuum leaks. I tried several different methods, 1 was water, 2 was "either" is small stages while engine was cold, I sprayed all connections, hoses, & possible leak places with no speed up nor slow down of engine.
I replaced the injector O-ring seals, but that didnt change anything.
money is tight, actually too tight, & I cant afford to replace parts unless they are bad, I checked on TPS & they are aprox $50 which is almost out of my budget, but I will juggle finances if so, but I dont want to replace it & not fix my car.
if it is or could be something else? Give me some insight. I was a mechanic in earlier days of fuel injection, & worked on american stuff then at a dealership, & changed careers, due to a bad boss. & Not kept up to date as well as I should on "modern" cars, I switched careers in 1993.
Thank you for any & all help / suggestions.
have the same problem?
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 AT 9:33 AM


text:
Opera House was at 221 High Street, southeast corner of High Street and Journal Square (formerly Riley Street). The 1,200-seat theater was on the third floor. The building had 72-foot frontage on High Street. It was built and opened in 1866 by Walter Dixon and known as Dixon's Opera House. By 1871, it had been renamed the Globe Opera House. It was usually listed in city directories as the Opera House. It hosted famous lecturers and civic meetings and was the city's leading playhouse for dramatic and musical productions until it closed Jan. 6, 1904. First-floor retail businesses have included the Robinson-Schwenn Co. (1907-1964), Mabley and Carew (1964-1977) and the Dollar General Store (1980-1992). Renovation started in 1997 for offices on upper floors and retail at street level. (For more information, see pp. 55-56 in Flashbacks, by Jim Blount, published 1995.)
Butler County Place Names > O >


text:
Marble Floor Polishing Miami Area
The wear and tear that marble floors endure can be great if it is not known how to maintain marble. Daily activities can remove much of the sheen and shine from your marble floor making it look dull and lack-luster. If you are fed up with the quick solutions which promise the world but are lacking in effectiveness then come to Marble Polishing Miami.
Marble Floor Polishing Miami has perfected the art of marble Re-Polishing and our claims are backed up by the many clients who have used our services. Marble Floor Polishing Miami has the experience of re-polishing hundreds of square meters of Marble floors across the state.
Call Marble Polishing Miami for a free estimate at (305) 731-2242. If you are satisfied with our quote Marble Floor Polishing Miami promise that we will do the job to your utmost satisfaction.


text:
Tomorrow evening at 6 p.m., artist Marc Tasman will raise a flag that he believes should replace Old Glory. The flag raising -- and parade -- will mark the opening of an exhibit at Inova-Vogel of the Mary L. Nohl Fellowship winners from 2006.
Because, in his view, the state of the Union has shifted since Sept. 11, Marc has created what he believes should be the national symbol of a changed America.
His flag honors both the innocence of America before the attacks and the changed reality of the nation afterward, in his view. His constellation of stars has increased from 50 to 99, that's 9 rows up and 11 rows across, a symbolic representation of 9-11. The 19 stripes of the flag, or 9 plus 10, represent the pre-attack naivete.
Tasman has said that his flag proposal is not an act of protest, though the altering of a shared symbol certainly expresses a sense of loss that goes well beyond the losses of 9-11 itself.
Essayist Sarah Kanouse wrote about Tasman's work in this exhibit for a publication about the show. In it, she writes, the new flag 'makes visible in iconic form the beliefs that justify profound changes in far more significant pillars of our democracy: those civil liberties established in the bill of rights and human rights standards set by international law...Tasman offers it as an opportunity to reconsider the complex relationship between the nation, its symbols, and its future.'


text:
The NPD Group announced that U.S. consumers spent $5.9 billion on video game hardware, content and accessories the first quarter of 2011.
For more information visit: www.npd.com
Unedited press release follows:
Research Shows Additional $1.85 Billion Spent On Video Game Content For First Quarter 2011
Total Consumer Spend on Hardware, Content, and Accessories in the U.S. Estimated at $5.9 Billion
PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, July 11, 2011 – According to the Q1 2011 Games Industry: Total Consumer Spend report from leading market research company, The NPD Group, in addition to the $2.03 billion spent in the U.S. by consumers on new physical video and PC game software in the first quarter of 2011, the total consumer spend on content via other monetization methods, including used games, game rentals, subscriptions, digital full game downloads, social network games, downloadable content, and mobile games, is estimated at $1.85 billion. The total amount spent by consumers on hardware, content and accessories is estimated at $5.9 billion, an increase of 1.5 percent versus Q1 2010.
"While the new physical retail channel still generates the majority of industry sales, our expanded research coverage allows us to assess the total consumer spend across the growing number of ways to acquire and experience gaming, including mobile apps and downloadable content," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "Through a combination of point-of-sale and consumer research tracking, The NPD Group is providing an expanded, more comprehensive measure of a dynamic and rapidly evolving games industry."
The estimates are published in NPD's new report, Games Industry: Total Consumer Spend –released by The NPD Group in late June 2011 – and are derived leveraging NPD's portfolio of physical POS tracking (Retail Tracking Service) and consumer research including the Games Acquisition Monitor, Video Game and PC Game Subscriptions Reportand Consumer Tracking Service. It also incorporates consumer spend estimation provided by NPD retail and publisher partners, and calibration with third party sources.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us, visit http://www.npd.com/, or follow us Twitter at https://twitter.com/npdgroup.


text:
You'll fall in love with the deep teal green of this glass slipper! This Fenton Green Opalescent Hobnail Shoe is adorned with white-tipped hobnails and a sleeping cat top. The vivid blue-green glass figurine also has opalescence on the top edge, and measures 5-1/2 inches long by 2-1/2 inches high. The fact that there is no mark, together with the color, indicates that this slipper was likely produced between the late 1950's and early 1960's. It is in very good condition, the only flaws being some factory creases in the sides and bottom of the glass shoe. We welcome you to enjoy browsing through MaggieBelle's Memories! Thank you!
19 other shoppers have this item in their Cart or Wish List .
Glassware, Dinnerware, and Unique Small Treasures
Please note our new email address: maggiebellesmemories @gmail. com


text:
Over the years most of the staff here at Fraters Libertas have developed chronic cases of "Coleman Fatigue" often leading to full-blown outbreaks of "Coleman Affective Disorder" or CAD. These ailments are not treatable through any known medical means and the only way to avoid symptoms is to maintain a strict quarantine by not reading any of Nick Coleman's Star Tribune columns. Sometimes merely hearing about the content of a particularly egregious Coleman column is enough to lead to a temporary relapse.
But there's something to be said for having a regular target like Coleman to take shots at. A man making a strong bid to become such a target is the Wall Street Journal's Thomas Frank, who is probably best known as the author of "What's The Deal With Those Ignorant Gun-Totting Rubes In Kansas Anyway?" Frank writes a weekly column for the Journal called "The Tilting Yard."
I've already had one post comparing the work of Frank and Coleman and laid out some of the ground rules they both follow:
1. Distort and remove all context from your opponent's position until it's nothing more than a flimsy straw man
2. Interview one person who agrees with your position and present them as holding the consensus opinion
3. Throw out baseless assertions in a smug manner with the attitude that every rational American has to come the same conclusion as you and that those who don't are either idiots or part of the neo-con conspiracy.
Since then I've had a couple of additional posts on Mr. Frank and I'm now prepared to amend my Coleman-Frank rules. Consider these to be subsets to the original:
1b. Demagogue your opponents by casting aspersions on their methods and motivation.
2b. Include a quote that supports your view from an "expert" source while downplaying or not acknowledging their bias.
3b. Throw out assertion after assertion not backed up by any evidence, but presented in a manner that assumes their veracity and validity.
The latest and greatest example of the zest and best of Franks came in last Wednesday's WSJ. Frank wrote a column called Health-Care Reform Could Kill the GOP and in it he spun a tale of noble liberals whose only interest was in helping their fellow man with no regard for the political consequences, while Machiavellian conservatives operate without principals in a heartless quest for absolute power. He also included this observation:
For decades Republicans have made policy with a higher purpose in mind: to solidify the GOP base or to damage the institutions and movements aligned with the other side. One of their fondest slogans is "Defund the Left," and under that banner they have attacked labor unions and trial lawyers and tried to sever the links between the lobbying industry and the Democratic Party. Consider as well their long-cherished dreams of privatizing Social Security, which would make Wall Street, instead of Washington, the protector of our beloved seniors. Or their larger effort to demonstrate, by means of egregious misrule, that government is incapable of delivering the most basic services.
Now, as a conservative Republican I should instantly have recognized one of our "fondest slogans," shouldn't I? Why the way Frank makes it sound "Defund the Left" is one of our key rallying cries. Evidence of its use by conservatives must be everywhere.
Let's start with a Google Search for defund the left.
77,900 results. Which sounds impressive until you consider that the worlds "Al Franken genius" give you 84,700. Most of the top ten results for "defund the left" are from left wing sites writing about how this is part of the nefarious conservative plan. There is one link to National Review Online for a post about getting free Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Sinister.
There are also links to Thomas Frank's latest book The Wrecking Crew:
Despite all the badges and bumper stickers it has adorned, I doubt that " defund the left" ever had much popular appeal.
"All the badges and bumper stickers it has adorned" eh? Let's do a Google Image Search with the words "defund the left." Again, lots of left wing sites pop up, but not one badge or bumper sticker in sight. Add badge after the phrase and you get a bunch of left-wing agit prop. Add bumper sticker and you get more of the same, although the number one result may surprise you.
Further research on the phrase "defund the left" reveals that according to the left wing SourceWatch, the latest example of conservatives using this term is from February 2001. Considering that Frank claims that this is (not was) one of our "fondest slogans" it doesn't seem like we've been using it much lately.
Finally, in the six-plus year history of Fraters Libertas (six-thousand seven-hundred and forty-five posts at last count--at least until the sleeping Atomizer giant awakens), the phrase has appeared exactly one time and that was four years ago. I'm going to have to get on the staff to start using that slogan more often. After all, it is one of our favorites.
UPDATE: Frank not Franks. I regret the error.
UPDATE II: At NRO, Jonah Goldberg captures the essence of some of the problems with Frank in comments on his most recent column about surrogate motherhood (which actually wasn't nearly as bad as usual):
Thomas Frank has an almost-interesting column today. It would have been really interesting if he could have gotten past square one and not spent almost the entire column bitching and moaning about the cultural obsession with the hyper-rich. I think there's some merit to his complaints. But they are so unbelievably familiar and trite at this point that if I knew he was never really going to get past that stuff I probably wouldn't have read it.
For Frank and much of his left wing ilk, it's all about class (or race or sexuality) all the time. That obsession clouds their thinking and distracts them from being able to make what otherwise could have been legitimate arguments.