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49 CFR 38.73 - Doorways.
(a)Clear width - (1) All passenger doorways on vehicle sides shall have minimum clear openings of 32 inches when open.
(2) If doorways connecting adjoining cars in a multi-car train are provided, and if such doorway is connected by an aisle with a minimum clear width of 30 inches to one or more spaces where wheelchair or mobility aid users can be accommodated, then such doorway shall have a minimum clear opening of 30 inches to permit wheelchair and mobility aid users to be evacuated to an adjoining vehicle in an emergency.
(b)Signage. The International Symbol of Accessibility shall be displayed on the exterior of each vehicle operating on an accessible light rail system unless all vehicles are accessible and are not marked by the access symbol (see fig. 6).
(c)Signals. Auditory and visual warning signals shall be provided to alert passengers of closing doors.
(d)Coordination with boarding platform -
(1)Requirements. The design of level-entry vehicles shall be coordinated with the boarding platform or mini-high platform design so that the horizontal gap between a vehicle at rest and the platform shall be no greater than 3 inches and the height of the vehicle floor shall be within plus or minus 5/8 inch of the platform height. Vertical alignment may be accomplished by vehicle air suspension, automatic ramps or lifts, or any combination.
(2)Exception. New vehicles operating in existing stations may have a floor height within plus or minus 1 1/2 inches of the platform height. At key stations, the horizontal gap between at least one door of each such vehicle and the platform shall be no greater than 3 inches.
(3)Exception. Retrofitted vehicles shall be coordinated with the platform in new and key stations such that the horizontal gap shall be no greater than 4 inches and the height of the vehicle floor, under 50% passenger load, shall be within plus or minus 2 inches of the platform height.
(4)Exception. Where it is not operationally or structurally practicable to meet the horizontal or vertical requirements of paragraphs (d) (1), (2) or (3) of this section, platform or vehicle devices complying with § 38.83(b) or platform or vehicle mounted ramps or bridge plates complying with § 38.83(c) shall be provided.
Title 49 published on 07-Sep-2017 04:47
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to 49 CFR Part 38 after this date.


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2018 Date To Be Determined
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sugar Land Town Square (City Hall Plaza)
15958 City Walk
Sugar Land, TX 77479
Calling all world travelers! Get ready for exciting cultural performances and activities at iFest Live 2017. The international events celebrates the diversity of cultures within the community and features dozens of local organizations that will showcase their unique and vibrant heritages from all around the world through performances, art, food, and activities. A special prize will be given to those who become expert world travelers by visiting seven or more countries and regions.
This year the fun will include:
Event admission and all activities are free and open to the public. Complimentary event parking is available in the Lone Star and Texas Parking Garages in Sugar Land Town Square.
Want to get your company's name in front of our diverse community? Contact our event coordinator for more information.
Shannon Brown, Event Coordinator

subset: commoncrawl


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Diving into Language Barriers at the 2016 Olympic Games
Share this PostIn just a short while, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is expected to be a cultural "melting pot" when approximately 500,000 visitors from 200 countries will gather for the 2016 Olympic Games. This year, French is the official language of the Rio games as homage to the victims of the Paris terror attacks. With 99 percent of the ... Read More


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Cedar Flat Road is a 10.8 mile lightly trafficked point-to-point trail located near Sedona, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for birding, scenic driving, and off road driving and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
off road driving
scenic driving
wild flowers
Very pretty views of the Verde Valley and the high desert as it stretches up the rim to Flagstaff. A nice drive and the road is pretty good.
This road climbs to over 6000' along the side of a mountain with good views. It then turns and levels out on the top of the mesa. Some excellent grassland exists on the mesa. Nothing really scenic on any part of the road, that could be driven in a passenger car, if you watch out for a few high rocks.


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On Wednesday, April 27, CMS released the proposed rule for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015. The almost 1,000-page, overly complex rule presents some major changes in the way physicians will be measured for quality of care and information technology use. Physicians are not only confused, but still feel a great deal of frustration and despair. We will continue to update you on time frames and take a closer look at the major components of MACRA, as we watch closely for comments from medical organizations and clinician practices.
According to CMS, MACRA repeals the Medicare sustainable growth rate methodology, "rewarding health care providers for giving better care, not just more care," they stated in a recent CMS blog post. Their goal is to streamline the existing quality reporting programs – which they describe as a "patchwork system of Medicare reporting programs" – into one new system that will allow clinicians to choose from two paths (MIPS and APMs) that link quality to payments. The law is also intended to increase physician flexibility; clinicians can choose measures and activities based on the care they provide.
The new categories of measurement will consolidate PQRS, Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier and the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Medicare will begin taking statistics on certain treatments and outcomes now and accumulating data on all physicians in 2017. Medicare will begin payment (or penalization) under this new, value-based system in 2019.
Here's an initial breakdown of the five main facts comprising the new proposal. We'll take a deeper dive into the rule in future blog posts in order to keep you informed and clear of any confusion.
- Physicians can attest under Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) or Alternative Payment Model (APMs), though most physicians will participate in the Quality payment Program through MIPS.
- Physicians are not the only practitioners covered by MIPS. Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetics and groups that include these types of clinicians are all MIPS-eligible.
- Meaningful Use and the EHR Incentive Programs will not disappear. Under MIPS, clinicians will be paid for providing high-value care through success in these four categories:
- Quality: This includes six measures from many options, according to specialty and practice. This category will make up 50 percent of your total score in the first year.
- Advancing Care Information: Meaningful Use and the EHR Incentive Programs will be folded into this category. Clinicians will report customizable measures that reflect how they use technology in their day-to-day practice, with an emphasis on interoperability. The idea is that this will not be a one-size-fits all requirement and redundancies in quality reporting will be eliminated. Your score in this category will count for 25 percent of your total score.
- Clinical Practice Improvement Activities: This category makes up 15 percent of the total score in the first year and will reward improvements in clinical practice, like shifting focus to care coordination, beneficiary engagement and patient safety. More than 90 options of activities will be available for clinicians to choose from.
- Cost: The score of this category (10 percent of total score) would be based on Medicare claims so it will not require any actual reporting from clinicians. It would use 40 episode-specific measures to account for differences among specialties.
- Only certain Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and Advanced APMs will be considered an "eligible APM." Some participating providers may receive a lump-sum incentive payment or higher annual payments. These include the Next Generation ACO model, the new Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model (more on this in a later blog), Medicare Shared Savings Program Tracks 2 and 3, the Oncology Care Model with two-sided risk and Comprehensive ESRD Care).
- CMS is accepting comments and feedback on the proposal until June 27, 2016.
We want to hear your initial thoughts on the rule. Let us know what you think.


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Duration: 100 min
Director: Brian De Palma
Age restriction: Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian
The story of two girls, top managers of a large company. They twisted affair with the same employee, both at the same time respect and hate each other. One day, one of them insult another one ... she decides to take revenge.


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When I redefine modesty in my life, it helps me hone in on my own fashion do's and don'ts. Some haven't changed since my teen years (like wearing a slip, old-school but important), others I figured out in my 20's, and some are new as I moved in my 30's.
Since I'm tucking my winter clothes in the back of my closet, and rethinking my spring and summer wardrobe (even picking items for the donation pile), I thought I'd share them with you. My fashion do's and don'ts might change someday, but for now, here's what I generally follow.
Wear the appropriate clothes to suit the occasion. Be mindful and respectful of where you're going and who you're with or will meet with. Don't ever upstage the bride or celebrant. Don't flaunt your body at church. Wear a head covering if you go some place where it's expected or preferred. Will it really kill you? I doubt it, but it will show you care. And that's a better way to extend the love of God to other people than arguing about it.
Exude confidence when breaking fashion "rules." Even if you're not so sure if your style is a hit or miss, don't show your doubts. Don't apologize for the boldness of your choices. Confidence instantly elevates whatever you're wearing.
Invest in a slip or a half-slip. That's the garment our grandparents wore under skirts and dresses that helps make sheer fabric less see-through. Yes, more modest, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Wear thin bicycle shorts under skirts and dresses because my thighs touch and I get friction rash if I don't 🙂 Also, a touch of modesty for the girl who likes to tuck her legs under her on every couch and chair she sits on (*ahem* that's me).
Wear contrast. Soft and edgy. Jewel tones pink and turquoise. Heels and baggy trousers. Sneakers and dresses. I was taught to always match. It was the traditional view of stylish, but wearing contrast is also stylish and interesting.
Shop your closet. There may be items you can wear that you forgot about. Or, like me, a summer dress I bought on clearance in the winter, that I can finally wear. Shopping my closet has also helped me limit my spending, which I tend to do as shopping therapy (only it never solved any problem).
Leave it out if you're in doubt when it comes to shopping. If you're unsure about it, leave it out of your shopping cart. Styles change all the time, so let go of FOMO.
Invest in heel pads. They will save your feet.
Be a walking billboard for brands unless you're sure about representing them. It can also be an issue of what you're showing off and why you need to do it.
Jump into fads because they change as quickly as you change your mind. Don't pay for clothes you'd only wear a few times.
Wear animal prints. This is a personal choice. I just don't like them.
Wear white as much as possible because I tend to get them stained before I'm even out the door. I guess I'm just not careful enough. If you can keep your whites pristine throughout the day, tell me how!
Sacrifice comfort. I thought I had to because beauty is pain and that's all the option I have, but that's a lie. Beauty or fashion doesn't have to be painful or uncomfortable.
Stop growing. Your personal style could change. Your idea of modesty could change. As you allow room for personal growth, allow room for fashion growth. Learn to let go of what no longer works and embrace the next season of your life.
As with modesty, I went through a season of searching my heart when it came to fashion and style. I'm an INFP. I love introspection. So I asked myself why I wore I what wore, or chose the styles I did. What was I really going through with my punk phase? Sometimes there was a heart issue, and other times, I just wanted to try something I thought was fun. But I am all the more better for figuring out if there was an issue I had to address and offer up to God.
What are your fashion do's and don'ts? How has your style changed over the years or through seasons of life?


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What is Pedal For Your Cause?
Do you remember the first time you rode a bicycle? The wind in your face, the unadulterated freedom? Do you know someone with a disability who has never had the opportunity to experience the joy of riding a bicycle?
Pedal For Your Cause (PFYC) is a four day cycling tour that benefits a cycling non-profit organization, Assisted Cycling Tours, whose mission it is to get kids with disabilities and their families on bikes. Their goal is to promote family, well-being and independence for all of their participants.
PFYC is also about raising community awareness about people with disabilities. Additionally, it is an opportunity for socialization either as a participant or as a volunteer. As we enter our third year we are coming out with a new format, which will give participants a chance to experience what our programs offer those with disabilities.
PFYC got it's name, because we allow participants to raise funds and tell us where to spend them. For example, if you are passionate about a particular disability (e.g., Autism, Down Syndrome, TBI, etc.) you can designate any additional funds you raise to have ACT do programming for that particular disability. For more information, see our registration and donate pages for more information.
The Ride
- Open to all levels of cyclists, but you should be an intermediate to advanced rider to enjoy the tour!
- Rides are 55 to 70 miles each day
- Lunch is provided on course
- For people with disabilities we can offer tandems or hand cycles for them to be able to participate in the ride
- Rest stops and SAG support are provided
After The Ride
- Baggage transfer from stop to stop
- Refreshments at the end of each ride
- Dinner out at a local restaurant
- Sleep in a hotel room at night
About Assisted Cycling Tours
Assisted Cycling Tours is a non-profit organization whose UNLOCK the potential of people with disabilities and their families and to SHATTER the perception of their abilities through TRANSFORMATIVE cycling and multi-sport adventures. Our goal is to promote independence, well-being and family for all who participate in our programs.


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When receiving a gift, there's nothing more delightful than unexpected gift wrapping! It adds an extra level of excitement to the gift you've carefully picked out, and it shows the recipient that you've spent time and effort selecting the perfect package.
I decided to have a little bit of fun in the gift wrapping department and select a material you might never expect — a tarp zipper! Using a spare bit of tarp, a tarp zipper, and some hot glue, we created this unique and unusual gift wrap! This is one of the more unusual gift wrapping ideas you'll find, I think.
For this gift wrapping project, you'll need:
- A 6 x 8 foot tarp, or a piece of tarp you already have that you don't mind cutting up
- A tarp zipper
- Scissors
- Duct tape (optional)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks; (not pictured)
Note: For this project, you will be using a 7-ft. tarp zipper, but depending on your gift, you will only need maybe a few feet. You can easily trim the tarp zipper by making sure the zipper is unzipped (so that the pull is at the top of the zipper) and cutting off the extra feet. You don't want to cut off the zipper pull accidentally or you won't be able to put the pull back on the track and your zipper will be ruined. Later, you will use a hot glue gun to add a stop to the end of the newly trimmed zipper so that your pull doesn't come off the zipper track.
Step 1
To get started, first cut off a square of your tarp to a size appropriate to your gift.
Step 2
Next, begin to wrap your gift as your normally would.
Step 3
Use either a bit of duct tape (or a small scrap of the sticky section of the tarp zipper) to secure the tarp to the gift, but do not complete your wrapping.
Step 4
About halfway through the wrapping, you'll want to apply the zipper to the tarp. Roughly measure the amount of zipper you will need to wrap your gift, and trim off the excess zipper. Be careful that the pull is at the top of the track — you don't want to accidentally cut off the zipper pull!
Once you've trimmed your zipper, you can cut small sections of the sticky blue tarp off of the excess zipper in order to finish taping the sides of the gift. This results in a more uniform color, but feel free to use duct tape if you wish.
Step 5
Trim the sides of the tarp so that about a 1/2 inch space remains where the tarp meets in the middle. Then, remove the paper backing from the zipper and adhere the zipper to the ends of the tarp. Be sure that the zipper sticks to the tarp and not to your gift.
Step 6
After you've finished wrapping your gift, you'll need to create a new stop on the zipper so that the pull won't run off the track. Use two small beads of hot glue right at the end of the track. If you look closely, you can see that the beads of hot glue will stop the zipper from running of the track.
Step 7
Once the glue has dried, be sure the zipper is at the top of the track, then use scissors to cut the material in the center of the zipper so that when you unzip the package, the gift underneath will be revealed.
Now your gift is fully wrapped! How's that for a crazy gift wrapping idea?


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Texas pastor pleads guilty to online soliciting
Published 9:37 am, Wednesday, May 22, 2013
An East Texas pastor faces up to 10 years in prison for an online chat from church with an alleged 14-year-old girl who turned out to be a Louisiana trooper.
The penalty phase continues Wednesday in Marshall for Raymond Earl Cooper. The now-ex-minister of First Church of the Nazarene in Marshall on Tuesday pleaded guilty to online solicitation of a minor.
Prosecutors say Cooper used a church computer to solicit a person he thought was a girl from Lafayette, La.
The Marshall News Messenger reports the indictment says Cooper in April 2012 sexted a person believed to be a minor and sexually exposed himself via webcam.
The married father of four portrayed himself as a 42-year-old man from Shreveport, La., and asked about the girl's sexual history.


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Living in Pasadena has many advantages…. one of which included attending the Rose Bowl Parade yesterday! It is quite the event around here. To illustrate that, let me describe New Years Eve to you on Colorado Blvd. RV's and campers arrive a few days early to find street parking near the parade route. Fathers and Mothers tape off sections on the sidewalk. Fights break out between those who taped off a section and left the area and those who arrived ready with their chairs, blankets, and air mattresses. Yes, you heard me right… air mattresses. In Pasadena, Colorado Blvd. is lined with people camping out from the evening the night before the Rose Bowl parade to secure their spot on the route. As Tony and I walked to dinner on New Years Eve, we saw people with microwaves on tables next to their air mattresses and chairs… we saw tables with chairs around it and people sitting there at a nice candlelit dinner eating together on the sidewalk. We saw children bundled up in camping chairs playing their gameboys… It was unbelievable. I apologize for not having my camera with me… but I thought describing it would capture its own image in your minds. It was crazy.
Tony and I unexpectedly received free tickets to sit in the bleachers on the morning of the Rose Bowl Parade… This was a perfect way to experience the Rose Bowl parade for the first time… and STILL be able to sleep in our bed the night before! The floats are designed years in advance… it takes hours upon hours to finish every little detail of these floats… it takes a ton of volunteers who are willing to contribute 'sweat hours' just to participate in the excitement leading up to January 1.
We had a great time on New Years Day at the Parade and enjoyed a breakfast casserole I threw together last minute upon our return to the house. It was a great start to 2010.


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Coffeehouse Post
Single Post Permalink
View Thread: IE9
the IE side by side thing is a PIA.
I have asked for that several times but i do not think we will ever see it.
why: the IE "parts" are used by many other programs in the system. they would i think have to install 2 versions of ie and make one of them register with COM the "old way" and the other would have to register differently and then you would have apps that would show html the IE6 way and others the IE-9 way ..... IE and the dlls for it are hooked into a bunch of things .... messy and bad but it's been that way for aonmg time and would be huge work to fix. many apps would break if not patched / updated and many of them are not MS apps.


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The passing of William Albert Curran occurred suddenly at his home 17 Locard Park, Tullylish, Gilford, in the early hours of New Year's Day morning.
He was the dearly loved husband of Edith May Curran. Albert and Edith had been married for some 49 years.
He was a man of a quiet and friendly disposition and upright character and was highly respected in whichever circles he moved.
Albert had lived in Gilford for a short time and then after his marriage had lived in Ballyward for some two years before coming to live in Locard Park.
He attended Knocknagore School and after this had gone to work in Donacloney Factory. For a short time he worked on his own account with Eddie Anderson in the building trade.
He was identified with the Orange and Black Institutions being a past master of Gilford District LOL No 13, a past master of his own number 940 and was a member of RBP No 66. He was a honorary member of Gilford Apprentice Boys.
A keen sportsperson, he followed the fortunes of Glasgow Rangers and Linfield Football Clubs. A keen enthusiast of motorcycles he would have attended the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix.
He loved the thrill of the pipes and would have attended many pipe band contests. He would have watched the games of Waringstown Cricket Club.
He was member of All Saints Parish Church, Tullylish and would have never missed Sunday Worship but his main interest was centred around his wife and home.
He is survived by his wife Edith, sister Beatrice (Portadown), sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nephews and nieces. To these and all other relatives sincere sympathy has been extended.
The funeral took place from his home on Saturday for a service in All Saints Parish Church which was filled to capacity.
Captain Gary Roberts gave an inspiring address and was assisted by the Lay Reader Mr Dougie Barr.
The hymns 'Amazing Grace' and 'Nearer My God To Thee' were sung. Mr Jonathan Glass presided at the organ.
The interment took place afterwards in the adjoining Churchyard. Family flowers were placed on the grave and donations in lieu are being sent to William Bell and Co Funeral Directors, 23 Kenlis Street, Banbridge, BT32 3LR for Missions for the Blind and All Saints Parish Church (Cheques made payable to William Bell and Co.)
William Bell and Co. had charge of the funeral arrangements.


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Another Sly girl to add to the list! I feel like I'm snapping some of the most cooly casual girls. Like I said in my Sly Japan fall post the shop staff are always simple stylish.
-brace yourself Mitsu rants-
Walking through Shibuya 109 recently I was a bit
disgusted (disheartened maybe a better word) to be honest. For a lot of reasons but the one centric to this post is the brand originality dying.
It feels like three factions of clothing have developed in Shibuya 109. The three being: Oneegyaru, Larme-kei and Normcore basics.
I'm happy for Oneegyaru even if some of the trends get repetitive in so many stores that carry it now (Datura, Lip Service, Rienda, Delyle Noir, MARS, Golds Infinity, Sneep Dip and that's not counting the discount brands). I mean which floral onepiece do you choose? But I mostly bought from Oneegyaru brands so I'm hate free.
I also really like the wide style range of Larme-kei and glad the youth are getting something to have fun with. And there's a lot of brand originality with Swankiss, Honey Cinammon, Liz Lisa and Kokokim all serving really different looks.
But Normcore Basics…
All the side eye.
I don't care who you have modeling it, or how pretty your shop staff are. It's a plain cotton shirt and a basic khaki trench. It's boring. There's barely a print in sight. And in the hyper-competitive world of Japanese youth fashion how are you distancing yourself? You're Zara at a higher price point.
I seriously wonder what has made so many brands look at Zara and Forever 21 and H&M encroaching into Japan and thought the way to to beat them is to look exactly like them. #idgi
Egoist | Spiral Girl | Envy M – basics
I'm so shocked how many brands are swayed by it. Spiral Girl and Egoist being the worst offenders. And sure… I like basics but how do you decide to buy your basics from one store and not the other? I feel like I'm getting philosoraptor up in here. These shops are bound to close or just slowly fade away…away…away…
3rd by Vanquish recently closed and it was a basics offender.
So that was my rant. And there's a point coming to it.
My point is Sly and Moussy have been serving up simple cool style with a focus on basics for a while, but they do it differently and have done it since before the Zara/F21/H&M boom into Japan. They do it by original prints, great shoes, and big jewelry (you can see both in the background of these photos).
So while the Sly girl may jump into F21 for her basics, she may top it off by cool Sly shoes or a printed top. Sly and Moussy have been doing what they've been doing for years and it's successful!
-and finally Mitsu has stopped ranting-
And their printed tops was the reason I stepped into the Sly at Sendai Forus. I found a fun top I really wanted but wanted it in the most popular color of black. It had sold out at every Sly store I checked from Shibuya109 to Osaka Shinsaibashi OPA. Thankfully it was available at Sendai Forus and I was also able to snap this gorgeous shop staff.
Sly and Moussy have been known for their denim for years. This girl pulls off white denim with style.
And so much styling skill. The pushed up sleeves, the way her jacket hits just at the right level. Black shoes to not distract from the all-white look.
And behind her stylish frame is lots of prints and fun mix and match styles.
Excellent fitted denim always look good season to season.
I loved her make-up. Great thick cat-eye, pink lipstick, subtle lashes, 3-tone circle lens, flat brows. Everything that's popular right now.
Lens, lashes a blonde and some great styling. She's a gal, just a more simple cool-Onee one. As usual I try to tag all my short haired shop staff I've taken photos of. Either short hair or short hair gyaru. Feel free to check the tags to hunt down some short hair inspiration.
Sly for Spring part 2
I previously talked about their Western Boho style for Spring, but these new offerings on their webstore are more typical Sly.
The popular knee-length skirt trend this season done in a bold print.
Crazy printed phone case that sold out immediately.
Every season Sly does fun retro printed shirts. This one is called "Eat the Donut"
Sleeveless A-line swing dress a very popular style for spring.
Sly doing really good beyond-the-basics denim.
Need more shop staff posts? I've got you covered
Need more Sly? Always room for more Onee-cool
follow the Doll on bloglovin | Universal-Doll facebook | Mitsu on twitter "miss_mitsu" | mewmitsu on instagram | inspired-doll tumblr – join/add/follow?


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Conference Overview | Keynote Speakers | Call for Papers | Topics
Conference Agenda | Location | Accommodations
Registration Information | Exhibitors | Expo | Sponsors | Organization | FAQ | Contact Us
RACR 2011 offers exhibit opportunities for advanced hardware and software products that help analyze risk and/ or aid affected areas. The deadline for exhibit application is March 15, 2011. For those who are interested, please download the Exhibit Application Form, fill it, and send it back to email@example.com before the deadline.
The Exhibit will take place at two separate locations. The first location will be on TAMIU grounds where agency's and vendors will be able to provide information to our conference participants. The second location will be at the Laredo International Fire/ Law Enforcement Training Center where we encourage live demonstrations of hardware or tactical displays.
Exhibitor Costs:
|Live Demonstrations
|TAMIU (Special Permission Required)
|Laredo International Fire/ Law Enforcement Training Center
|Both Locations
|Information Booths
|Laredo International Fire/ Law Enforcement Training Center
|Both Locations
Contact Info(for Exhibits only)
Kimberly Martin del Campo
Phone: 956-326-2765
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Binational Center
5201 University Boulevard, Pellegrino Hall 301
Laredo, TX 78041
Tel. 956.326.3068 - Fax 956.326.2838
Office Hours: Mon - Fri, 8 am - 5 pm.


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Several years ago I posted a recipe I developed for Golden Sesame Tofu, one of my favorite salad bar items from Whole Foods. At $8.99/lb. it's a little pricey, so I went to the kitchen and experimented. Here is the recipe I came up with. The recipe and photo were posted on my old blog, DianaCooks.com, and since it was a super popular post, I decided to repost it here with a watermarked photograph. (I notice the photo gets pinned a lot on Pinterest.)
I trimmed the first part of the post off because it was irrelevant to the recipe. Enjoy the trip on the wayback machine. 😉
OK, recipes. I said I'd start posting them, and here's something you soy-eating vegetarians will like. Last year, I became addicted to the golden sesame tofu in Whole Foods' prepared foods case. These rectangular slices of tofu are fried until they're golden, then covered in toasted sesame seeds and glazed with a slightly sweet/salty sauce with just a hint of heat from hot red pepper flakes. They're also kind of expensive — something like $7.99 a pound (ETA: now $8.99). Since tofu's cheap–and so am I–I decided to replicate the recipe at home. It took a few tries, but I think I've nailed it.
I'm pretty sure the Whole Foods' folks fry their tofu in lots of oil, because all six sides are crisp/chewy. I just use a little oil and fry on two sides. I've also used a silcone basting brush to lightly coat each side of the tofu with oil, then cooked them on a grill pan. Yum, but it doesn't give the tofu that chewy coating I like. If you're watching your fat intake, you can skip the cornstarch dusting and bake the tofu in a 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes with the sauce, turning the tofu every 10 minutes or so, checking that the sauce isn't burning (add water if it's getting too dark). The tofu will have no chew at all, and the sauce will get thick and sticky, but it's still yum.
Instead of stuffing these slices of tofu in my mouth like I do when I'm at Whole Foods, I pack them in a plastic container and store them in my fridge for lunches. I cut them up into tiny cubes to add flavor interest to salads — when I put them on top of a potluck salad at Easter, tasters asked me about the delicious croutons … umm, I didn't have the heart to tell them. This wasn't a tofu-loving crowd. They also make great sandwich stuffers.
Golden Sesame Tofu
Yield: 4 servings
The Whole Foods version has scallions in it. I'm not a huge fan of scallions, so I skip them. The secret here is the cornstarch … it gives the tofu its chewy coating, but you have to sprinkle it over the tofu evenly and with a light hand; otherwise it'll get gloppy. Since I make this recipe a lot, I put cornstarch in a fine-mesh shaker; it gives me excellent control when I'm coating the tofu. You'll find toasted sesame oil and mirin in the Asian sections of well-stocked supermarkets.
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
14-oz. extra firm tofu
1/4 cup cornstarch
Canola or peanut oil, for frying
For sauce:
2 tbsp. agave nectar (for vegans) or honey
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp. mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Dusting of crushed red chili flakes, to taste
Heat a fry pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and toast until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and place sesame seeds in small bowl to cool.
Remove tofu from package and drain. Press the tofu gently between the palms of your hands to squeeze out water, then wrap the tofu in paper towels, place it on a plate, then put a another plate on top of it. Place a 28-oz. can of tomatoes or a cast iron fry pan on the plate. This will press out any remaining water from the tofu. Let sit for 20 minutes or so.
Unwrap the tofu and slice into eight rectangular slices. To make even slices, I slice the block of tofu in half, then half each half, and then half each quarter. Make sense? Then dust the slices with tofu evenly with cornstarch on all sides.
Heat about 2 tbsp. of oil in your fry pan over medium high heat. Add the tofu slices, but don't crowd the pan. You might have to fry in batches. Fry until the tofu is a light golden color, approximately 2 minutes, then turn the tofu over to cook another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove to drain on paper towels. If frying in batches, add more oil to the pan. Note: it is normal for the tofu to splatter, so wear an apron if you don't want to ruin your clothes.
While the tofu is frying, stir together the agave nectar/honey, soy sauce, gingerroot, sesame oil, mirin and garlic together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until slightly syrupy, about 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place tofu in glass container to hold. Pour sauce over tofu and turn to coat. Dust tofu with toasted sesame seeds and turn again to coat. Season with crushed red chili flakes. Can be served warm or chilled. Will keep for about 5 days refrigerated.


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Punched Ref Diesby Free Britney at . Comments
A soccer ref has died after being punched during a game. Ricardo Portillo was 47.
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Appeal issued after theft of DART signal cable
29/05/2014 - 15:18:56Back to Ireland Home
Crimestoppers are appealing for information on the theft of a railway signal cable which severely disrupted DART services in Dublin today.
Commuters faced rush hour disruption after DART services were suspended for hours between Bray in North Wicklow and Dalkey in South County Dublin.
Gardaí are investigating the theft of the cable in the Shankill area.


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I've been trying to tailor Surburbia on my website with the Custom Design upgrade - but am finding it too difficult. I have successfully used CSS scripting to alter other wordpress websites, but for Suburbia it's just too difficult.
I've also had the link to the master CSS document disappear from the CSS page - so I'm not getting an important component of what I paid for.
Can I please request a refund of the $30 I paid for the upgrade to this theme? I will look for a another theme that will hopefully be easier for me to use and matches my purposes better.
The blog I need help with is museuminabottle.com.


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Manny, Deacon and Crass Capitalism
Welcome to Hero, Nero, Zero, where we champion the triumphs, insanity and ineptitude of the sports world. Got a candidate for one of our life-altering labels? Email me firstname.lastname@example.com. This feature appears Mondays and Fridays.
HERO: Manny Ramirez
I don't envy sports columnists who have to come up with compelling topics on a regular basis. If I had to write columns several days a week, you can be certain I'd mail in my fair share of pieces, which is why it's safer and more enjoyable to write columns that make no pretense of being compelling. You're reading one of those columns right now.
Anthony McCarron is a columnist for The New York Daily News and on Sunday he suggested the Yankees should sign former future Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez to bolster their lackluster offense. Ramirez recently left his team in Taiwan and has expressed interest in trying to play in the majors again.
McCarron acknowledges that Ramirez comes with a lot of baggage, but the Yankees are 24th in the majors in hitting and need a boost. Ramirez, who once got suspended by MLB for taking a fertility drug that is commonly used to mask steroid use, is just what the Yankees need, McCarron writes, before quickly backtracking and saying this is all pie in the sky:
"OK, OK, an admission: The idea to bring Manny here is really just a metaphor for saying that the Yankees need to do something — anything? — to help a team that was a neat story as it thrived despite early injuries but has now gone cold, although it managed to score six runs in Friday's victory over the Rays.
Ramirez does not sound like a possibility for the Yanks, according to a source with knowledge of the club's thinking.
The Yankees have "no interest at all," the source said. GM Brian Cashman refused to talk about Ramirez, or any other player, saying, "I don't think it's in our best interests to announce who we're interested in. We have an interest in someone, we'll tell them."
Manny Ramirez as the hero to save the Yankees' season? There's no chance of it happening, but at least I got to write about the impossibility.
NERO: Deacon Jones
The NFL has announced that the yearly sacks leader will be presented with the Deacon Jones Award, in honor of the recently deceased Hall of Fame defensive end. Jones coined the term "sack" and reportedly recorded 26 sacks back in 1967, which would be a record but the NFL didn't recognize sacks as an official statistic until 1982, well after Jones retired.
Jones wasn't just a great player, he was something of a military historian. He understood how sacking a quarterback was similar to, say, sacking ancient Rome.
"Sacking the quarterback is like when you devastate a city, or you cream a multitude of people," Jones said during one of his memorable interviews with NFL Films. "You take all the offensive linemen and put them in a burlap bag, and then you take a baseball bat and beat on the bag. You're sacking them, you're bagging them. And that's what you're doing with a quarterback."
So think about that the next time a quarterback gets sacked: He's getting tossed in a bag and beaten with a bat, according to the guy who coined the term.
ZERO: Adolescent business acumen
I had a lot of little odd jobs to make money when I was younger. I was a caddy, a dishwasher, a paper boy, a hired hand. I wasn't a burgeoning capitalist, that's for sure, which is why I find myself in an industry that more or less pays crap and offers no job stability. (But it's so rewarding!)
If I was a bit more business savvy as a child, I might have been like the two young girls who were selling $1 bottles of water to the swarm of people who amassed outside Aaron Hernandez's house in the last few days.
Is this a little tasteless? Sure. But I have a grudging respect for two aspiring businesswomen who took advantage of a need in the marketplace. Granted, their parents probably put them up to it, bought all the water, and are skimming 75 percent of the take. But still.


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Who is bashing you here?
You seem to be the one bashing by generalizing an entire group of players as fanboys because a few obnoxious fanboys went all "PC master race" on you. It is so easy to insult people over the internet.
Yes, they are annoying but they do not represent all PC gamers. Just as the console fanboys do not represent all console gamers. Why group them all together?


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Whether it's a product designed to bring efficiency to the home, save time for the DIYer or allow a consumer a chance to feel good about buying a Made-in-the-USA product, show organizers have taken steps to give permanence to the show-floor activity.
The May 1 to 3 event at the Las Vegas Convention Center will see a few new twists.
For the first time at the show, a "Made in the USA Pavilion" will showcase domestic-made products.


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Thinking Aloud
I am not an Egyptian, and I have been to Cairo only once, but I have a feeling that we are going, or will soon be going the Egyptian way. It's only a hunch, and I may be wrong, but I have lived through quite a few revolutions, and can smell them, as a cat smells cheese, from a distance. We are on the cusp of a revolution ourselves and one of these days, we shall see horses galloping down the Rajpath, and tanks and armoured cars circling Flora Fountain in Mumbai, as they did in 1946, forcing the British to quit India.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
India too is ripe for a revolution..
Posted by jayasree at 1:51 PM
Labels: Politics
1 comment:
- BK Chowla, said...
Yes, it is ripe, but we are a bunch of gutless, spineless 120 cr with defective vocal chords
- March 16, 2011 at 9:58 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text: Hang Gliding in Kitty HawkJockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and the birds along North Carolina's Outer Banks consider themselves pretty well flattered. For more than 100 years, people have flocked to Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head for a chance to take to the skies and experience the freedom of flight. Starting with the Wright brothers and their experiments with powered gliders in the fledgling years of the 20th century, and continuing up through today, kite flyers and hang gliders come here to gather the wind in their wings. The Outer Banks has always been the perfect spot to take flight: The wind is just right, the dunes are just high enough and the sand is soft enough to ease your landing. And the best thing? If you want to try your hand at taking to the skies in a hang glider, you can. Certified instructors offer hang gliding courses for beginner, intermediate and advanced fliers, and it's easy to join their ranks. Anyone can fly. Well, almost anyone. First, you have to be bold enough to strap yourself to a nylon wing and launch yourself into the sky. Then you have to weigh between 80 and 225 pounds, otherwise you'll fly away with a strong gust or have a tough time leaving the ground. At Kitty Hawk Kites, the largest hang gliding school in the world, instructors teach the basics of hang gliding to more than 10,000 students a year. The Hang Gliding Training Center offers two ways to fly – dune hang gliding lessons for kids and adults on Jockey's Ridge and tandem hang gliding lessons at the nearby Currituck County Airport. No matter which school you choose, you'll go through ground school where you'll bone up on your hang glider safety. Then it's time for flight school, when you, under the watchful eye of your instructor, grab a glider and take flight. Jockey's Ridge State Park, right across the street from the Hang Gliding Training Center, offers the perfect location for dune hang gliding lessons. The high dunes and strong wind make conditions for your first flight ideal. Standing at the top of a dune ridge, you'll clip into your glider and sprint down the face of the dune. The wind will lift your feet off the ground and you're flying. You won't fly far or high – most flights are 30 to 100 yards long and five to 15 feet off the sand – but the thrill is unforgettable. Tandem hang gliding is the way to go for real thrill seekers. In tandem hang gliding, you and an instructor are towed by an ultralight aircraft to an altitude of either 2,000 feet or one mile, then released to soar over the Outer Banks. Experienced hang gliders – those with their United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Hang 1 rating – can take higher-level courses, learn to become an instructor or fly on their own at Jockey's Ridge. Once you've earned your Hang 2 rating, you'll be ready to head out to North Carolina's High Country and launch yourself from a mountain. If you visit in May, don't miss the longest-running hang gliding competition in the world, the Hang Gliding Spectacular and Air Games at Jockey's Ridge State Park. For more than 30 years, pilots from around the world have competed on the dunes and in aero-towing events. In late November, Santa pays a visit to Kitty Hawk Kites for the annual Hanging with Santa event. Here, kids have the opportunity to watch Santa hang glide and have their pictures taken with him and his flying "sleigh." Jason Frye


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Miscellaneous ties to ELP
William Neal
- Artist who did the cover/sleeve art for the ELP albums: Tarkus & Pictures At An Exhibition. His watercolour,
Moonlit Dunes
, is featured on the cover of the 2012
Three Fates Project
album featuring Keith Emerson, Marc Bonilla, Terje Mikkelsen, and the Munich Radio Orchestra.
H. R. Giger web site
- creator of the Brain Salad Surgery cover art. There is at least one web site that has
the Brain Salad Surgery artwork on display
ELP art projects
Fortissimo! Studio
Impressions Magazine
(a UK-based ELP magazine)
Keyboard Magazine
Progression Magazine
- Magazine dedicated to all things related to Progressive Rock
Progressive Rock
Home Page (includes info on Gibraltar Mailing List)
Progressive Rock Book Project
Last updated:


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Accommodation Greece Athens Melia Athens Your Review
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PropertyLocation Melia Athens is in the heart of Athens, walking distance from National Technical University of Athens and Omonia Square. This 4-star hotel is close to Hellenic Parliament and Syntagma Square.


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Federal and State Environmental Laws and Regulations
This section contains PDF copies of Federal and State of Alaska statutes and regulations.
EPA Proposed Mercury Rule for Gold Mines
The EPA recently proposed this rule limiting mercury air emissions from gold mines.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
This section contains information about the National Environmental Policy Act.


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It's some coincidence that The Decision fell on the same weekend as the World Cup final, the most widely-celebrated world championship in sport. To see the Spanish players prostrate in celebration of not just a victory at the highest level but one for their country was the first starkest reminder of what's sure to be many as to what was lost when LeBron James turned his back on Cleveland last Thursday.
More than affirming just players, teams, coaches, systems or schemes, a World Cup victory affirms a place like no other sporting event can. A World Cup victory sets off a celebration that places are different, that places are important, that it's important that places be different and that this time, at least in this very real very measurable way, my place was the best. Of course it's not just that the team is based in the place, but that the players themselves were from and of the place that makes it so.
When LeBron James turned his back on Northeast Ohio, he turned his back on the rarest of opportunities to set off that kind of celebration with a mere NBA title, and in and for the place where such a celebration would have meant more in a real way than it could have meant anywhere else.
For that, we've all lost. Not just Clevelanders, Ohioans, or the NBA, but anyone who wants sport to mean more than just athletics, individuals, and schemes. Or at least any of those who think it's important that places remain places and develop diversely (even Cleveland).
In that sense alone, it can be said that LeBron owed it to everybody to stay home, where it could have never meant more in this way. In that sense, we can see at least a grain of truth in the claims that "Cleveland was totally dependent on LeBron." In a real way, it was. When had there ever been a chance for one athlete to affirm an American city, a region, so powerfully? It was all teed up so perfectly. So many years of Cleveland being the butt of so many bad jokes, all to be made right thanks to LeBron, who'd restore balance by lifting Cleveland just as the twenty-first century took off. Cleveland: As good as anywhere else, and now, for a time, at least in this real way, thanks to an individual who was born and raised here, Cleveland would be the best.
These feelings would have been legitimate whether or not the balls had bounced just so to land LeBron with the Cavaliers as a rookie by way of the 2003 NBA Draft. No doubt these feelings would have come to the surface had LeBron wound up anywhere else to start his NBA career in pleas for him to exercise whatever control he had to wind up back home as soon as he could. No doubt these feelings are shared not just by Ohioans, but to some degree by sports fans across the globe, as evidenced in part by the visceral global reaction to LeBron's decision.
And these feelings are only so much stronger thanks to LeBron's own embrace of his messianic image in Cleveland. King James. The Chosen One. We Are All Witnesses. He'll take us to the Promised Land. He'll light Cleveland up like Vegas. It's a deal that LeBron wasn't shy about accepting. It's more than an implied contract that's been breached here.
If it's not a betrayal, it's certainly at least a breach. To say that "LeBron had every right to leave" isn't to say much, because anyone who makes an agreement "has every right" to go back on the agreement and pay the damages to make it up. However much he might have underestimated it, LeBron knew he'd take on some damage from this breach.
Yet he decided that the damage would be worth the chance to relieve himself of a burden — not just Cleveland's, but his own — for something that looked like a better deal. Here it's at least hard to hate if it isn't hard to judge. We're talking about a twenty-five year old who's spent his whole life in Northeast Ohio (as Henry Abbott put it, he's been "paying the bills for the Cavaliers, in no small way, for years") going to South Beach to play with not one but two perrenial All-Stars, at least one if not two top-ten talents with whom he's long been good friends. If LeBron's primary concern really was that he'd end up "31 years old, with bad knees and no title," one can at least understand why he'd think that playing with Bosh and Wade for six years would at least keep him from ending up in that place, even if his legacy would end up meaning something less as a result.
Which gets to the saddest part about all of this. Not that LeBron made such an apparently shortsighted decision, but that he might have made that decision out of fear. Not just the decision itself, but the incredibly ugly way it went down makes that conclusion hard to escape. Throughout the entire process, including his last three seasons in Cleveland, LeBron looked like nothing if not a man without guidance. "A sad, lost robot" until the end.
Besides triple-doubles, MVP awards, and second-round playoff appearances, it's been the only other reported constant during LeBron's time in Cleveland; nobody could seem to look LeBron in the eye and get through to him with meaningful criticism. The kid went almost immediately from homeless to a nine-figure multi-millionaire with unprecedented power, apparently on nothing but his own talent, practically raised by the game of basketball itself. If nobody close to LeBron could act toward him with more regard for anything bigger than how LeBron himself might react, how could anyone have expected LeBron himself to act in any other way?
Now consider that the one man who might have been in the best position to do that failed; that Dan Gilbert's already-infamous (disastrous?) reaction to LeBron's decision reveals more than anything Gilbert's own failure to deliver the leadership that LeBron seems to have so desperately needed. ESPN's Chris Broussard has laid out the case:
[Gilbert said he plans] to communicate "events of the recent past" to the public over "the next several days and weeks.
[Gilbert says LeBron] quit in five playoff games over the past two years, yet he was willing to pay him $125 million to stay on his team. . . .
[Gilbert] called James a "self-declared King," yet failed to mention that it was he himself who promoted the "King James" brand throughout his arena. . . .
[Gilbert] said James has "gotten a free pass" and that "people have covered up for him for way too long," yet it was Gilbert who overruled the objections of former GM Danny Ferry and gave James and his friends carte blanche throughout the organization. . . .
Then Gilbert said James' actions Thursday night revealed "who he really is." . . .
Maybe that's why James didn't return Gilbert's phone calls and e-mails over the past two months — because he knew the owner looked at him as a moneymaker and nothing more. Maybe James no longer wanted to play for someone like that.
Maybe it was an impossible situation for Gilbert with so many hundreds of millions at stake in such an unprecedented way, and maybe no owner would have done any better. But especially in view of Gilbert's reaction, we have to ask where we might be today had Gilbert been more forthcoming to LeBron about LeBron's own alleged faults; about all that LeBron "quit" on, and everything else for which LeBron received a "free pass" or was "covered up" over the years. If Gilbert couldn't speak the truth to LeBron about these things until now out of fear that he might upset LeBron, and his own short-term interests in the process, it's easier to understand how a pitch to LeBron from Gilbert about the bigger picture would fall on deaf ears. It's easier to understand why LeBron, maybe especially LeBron, wouldn't want to spend six more years under that kind of leadership, and easier to understand why Pat Riley or the Arisons (who own the Heat) would come off as more compelling figureheads here, especially with teammates like Wade and Bosh around to help share the burden.
To the extent that the organizational leadership in Miami can succeed where that in Cleveland appears, by its own recent admissions, to have failed, LeBron will find at least some fulfillment in his decision to leave home. If it's not the Heat leadership, maybe a title will do it; a title that LeBron, Wade and Bosh are good enough to win by themselves. Or maybe a failure to win a title might bring LeBron the stability necessary for him to see just what it was that he passed up on at home.
For now, there's still every reason to expect that LeBron will one day realize this, and that when he does, he'll want to come home. Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment. If there were ever a reason to take less money to help a team come under the cap, LeBron making good on his promise to Cleveland would be it.
Count me as one Clevelander who'd receive the prodigal son with open arms. Here's hoping Gilbert comes around soon, too.


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Two Years ago, the country did what at the time seemed to be he unthinkable. It made Barack Obama, our first African American President a one term, lame duck and elected Mitt Romney. Despite a long and often times petty campaign, the country came together and rallied around the guy who made his career on Wall St. based on the promise of a new and brighter America, tired of empty soaring rhetoric. It was a similar promise George W. Bush made just one President ago. Romney vowed to be a different kind of Conservative. More moderate and someone who could reach across the aisle.
However only two short years in it's becoming more and more tragically clear every day that this is George W. Bush's third term.
The economy is on the verge of recession, again. He has yet to carry through on his campaign promise of overturning Obamacare but has passed out waivers and taken action to delay parts of the law that could benefit millions. Vladimir Putin, who at the time candidate Romney called America's number one geopolitical foe, has gone ignored and unchecked, most recently with pro Putin rebels shooting a passenger airliner out of the sky killing 295 innocent people. Romney's response was tepid at best. Just last week, Not President Bush announced new airstrikes in Iraq. Even though this is the President who blamed his predecessor for removing troops in the first place, Romney made it clear that this is not a new war and that there will be no ground troops. Experts disagree.
And now there's Ferguson, Missouri.
A community was torn apart and racial tensions boiled over when an unarmed teenager named Michael Brown, about to start college, was shot by a police officer in an incident reminiscent of the Trayvon Martin's shooting. It has all but erupted into a symbolic conflict of the current state of poverty,race and the militarization of local police forces. Shortly before the 2012 election, Barack Obama urged calm and unity surrounding the death of Martin, urging protesters to allow the system to work. The country rejected him for it. Now we have another Republican President and another dead youth of color and a national community angry and searching for answers.
Hurricane Ferguson.
This was the last thing a new President dealing with a world unraveling needed, especially after allegations of voter fraud and election rigging by the Koch Bros and the protests that followed, or "Kochtests"as they were referred to by former Majority Leader Harry Reid. President Romney is already running out of chances.
Most Presidents would realize the bad optics from a situation like election protests and apply them to the similar protests in Ferguson. Apparently, Mitt Romney hasn't learned. While police officers were firing off tear gas canisters and arresting reporters (more on that later), Romney was not in the White House situation room, or meeting with Attorney General Portman or Vice President Ryan (Who is halfway across the world meeting with Netanyahu). No, the President who overcame his image as an out of touch one percenter was having dinner at a golf club on Martha's Vineyard.
Let that sink in.
To make matters worse, as President Romney partied with the richest 1% and people marched under the threat of sniper rifles, a White House Deputy Press Secretary sent out a tweet about what a good time was 'being had by all'. It was a staggering failure of juxtaposition for the White House still learning the ropes of social media savviness, something the Obama White House mastered.
Romney of all people should have realized how this might look. While he is busy dancing to every song and dining on lobster, businesses were being torched and innocent people being targeted.
This was the President we were told would not be the evil money burning Gordon Gecko clone he was made out to be by the Obama campaign, yet at almost every chance he gets he goes out of his way to prove that he is in fact looking out for Wall St. and not citizens who did not vote for him. Romney is a President who doesn't understand how hanging out with celebrities like Jimmy Fallon or riding bikes around Nantucket looks to people struggling to find jobs, or in cases like Michael Brown of Ferguson, Missouri, walk down the street without being shot.
But it's not just unarmed black teenagers being targeted in Romney's America.
Earlier in the day, as police geared up in Missouri, Fox News was more focused on the anticipated meeting at Martha's Vineyard between Hillary Clinton and President Romney. Mrs. Clinton recently made remarks endorsing Romney's strategy on Syria and the handling of ISIS in Iraq. Right Wing pundits however seemed perplexed wondering why Romney would be seen at what Sean Hannity dubbed a "Hug Summit".
The President seemed to be calcifying his reputation as a liberal loving Massachusetts Moderate that can't please his base, despite deporting 7 million immigrants and expanding the police state while preaching transparency.
But the euphoric mood the media had over the meeting of two people universally opposed to Barack Obama's policies quickly turned sour when the almost unthinkable happened in America in 2014. Two reporters were arrested and water boarded (allegedly) by police in Ferguson. Wesley Lowery of The Washington Post and Ryan Reilly of The Huffington Post were forcefully removed from a Ferguson McDonalds without the unnamed officer asking them to leave once.
Members of media, who already feel targeted by the Romney Administration took to Twitter to alert their followers of what was happening. What followed was a firestorm of journalists uniting unlike anything seen since Occupy Wall St. Reporters facing tear gas were somehow still miraculously able to tweet and some bravely blocked tear gas with their bodies.
Mic News editor Stefan Becket took it upon himself to remind Ferguson Police and the Romney Administration of special rights and protections journalists are provided under the Constitution that don't apply to 'average citizens'. A spokesperson for the DOJ hailed the loyalty?of reporters (4th Estate anyone?) to the admin before being rudely chastised by hack puppet Jake Tapper.
Michael Brown's tragic death and the circumstances surrounding it no longer matter. An increasingly hostile administration has clearly set their eyes on members of the media.
One thing is clear. The optics coming out of the Romney Administration are disastrous and arresting reporters certainly won't help. They are bound to turn on the President. An American city up in flames from 3 days of rioting and looting while he golfs and parties. Another white Republican President who "Doesn't care about black people".
Remember why Mitt Romney was elected in the first place.
He promised to heal the country after seven long years of depression and division and just two years in already seems out of touch and exactly what critics warned about. He could cancel his vacation and board Air Force One tomorrow. He could be in St. Louis in a matter of hours. Instead, just as Bush opted, he chooses a flyby. A man who claims to be humble despite the size of his bank account could bring the country together and ask that we seek truth, not anger. But this is the kind of situation that calls for the deft touch of someone familiar with organizing communities. A community organizer if you will. Someone with experience dealing with the harsh realities of being poor and black and afraid for your life in America. Someone who could empathize with African American communities dealing with Michael Browns every day. This is 2014 not 1965.
If only there was someone like that the country could have elected in 2012.
Instead, just like the last Republican President, Romney chooses to release cryptic statements in between rounds of golf and commenting on the tragic loss of Hollywood comedians. What is it going to take to get this President to interrupt his precious vacation schedule, a vacation schedule during his campaign he promised he would not take.
Perhaps media should have done more due diligence to find out who Mitt Romney really was. Perhaps a more down to earth candidate who understands real urban struggles will emerge in 2016. Elizabeth Warren or Cory Booker come to mind. But for now, we're stuck.
As the world and more importantly the country plunges deeper into chaos that seems to be above Mitt Romney's pay grade, the recent tragedy in Ferguson only reinforces recent polls that suggest the country made a mistake in 2012. Hypotheticals and 'what ifs' are meaningless at this point.
It's just too bad we can't go back in time.


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For many, many years I refused to use emoticons. I was a hard case, an old man, a prideful English major with a chip on my shoulder the size of a continental shelf.
Even after email and texting had become by far the primary communication vectors in my day-to-day life, I insisted on proper grammar and capitalization in all electronic dispatches. There would be no effing sideways smiley faces in my correspondence.
Alas, I have recently and reluctantly abandoned my steely resolve. I feel defeated, to a degree, but also strangely liberated. It's sort of like being a Detroit Lions fan. Once you learn to accept the relentless losses, you realize that the universe is simply aligned against you and your chosen cause.
It was the king of emoticons — the smiley face — that finally broke my will. Because the terrible truth is that, in the realm of email and texting, the smiley face is frequently useful and sometimes straight-up necessary.
Tone is famously difficult to impart in email. Like a lot of people, I suspect, I got into plenty of trouble in the early days by trying to deliver deadpan jokes electronically. In fact, I almost got fired once when irony wasn't successfully transmitted in an email (which would have been ironic). Text is an unreliable platform for communicating sarcasm or irony, I'd always thought. You can't wink. You can't smile.
Except, with the advent of emoticons, you suddenly could — and, in fact, everybody was. But that stupid smiley face was too broad, and I wasn't about to learn some arcane code of lateral semicolons to approximate sideways winking or whatever.
The unrelenting cascade of incoming emoticons finally broke my will, and I started occasionally, warily putting smiley faces at the end of select messages. The final nail in the coffin came earlier this week when Oxford Dictionaries — long the unofficial arbiter of proper English usage — chose an emoji as its 2015 Word of the Year. This one:
That's right — not the word "emoji." But an emoji.


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Six Characters in Search of an Author
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Luigi Pirandello
Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota
THE INFINITE OF THE THEATRETimeless Pirandello! Unexpectedly the characters come, impose themselves on a director and his comedians, and impose their plottings and conflicts, which collide with the problems of this troupe, which is supposed to give them reality. Thirteen years after a first version, Emmanuel Demarcy-Mota is back, surrounded by his family of actors, whose plottings and conflicts are described by the masterly Italian playwright.
translationFrançois Regnaultdirected byEmmanuel Demarcy-Motadirection assistantChristophe Lemairescenography, lightsYves ColletmusicJefferson LembeyecostumesCorinne Baudelotmake upCatherine Nicolasset made byespace et compagniewithHugues Quester,Alain Libolt,Valérie Dashwood,Sarah Karbasnikoff,Stéphane Krähenbühl,Walter N'Guyen,Céline Carrère,Charles-Roger Bour,Olivier Le Borgne,Sandra Faure,Gaëlle Guillou,Gérald Maillet,Pascal Vuillemot,Jauris Casanova