text:
chelsealj needed a new print or packaging design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 109 designs submitted by 26 freelance designers.
Star Pet Industries
We are distributors and wholesalers to the retail trades such as pet shops, vet clinics and welfare centres. We also sell from our warehouse direct to the public.
veterinary professionals as well as the layperson who is buying a puppy from a breeder or in a pet store and want to test their pup.We are looking for a new LOGO for STAR PET INDUSTRIES for letterheads, advertising etc..as well as this incorporated into the box design. More work will be available as we import more test kits.
PLEASE VIEW SAMPLE BOX IN ATTACHEMENTS Check the box design from the manufacturer, We are selling the same product; We require the test kit to be called
Canine Parvovirus Rapid Test other than that you can change it completely.This design is just an idea to go on.
*There are certain elements that need to be added to the test kit such as the import permit number which needs to be on the box in small writing where you put instead of all the Quicking detail; Manufactured in China for Star Pet Industries email firstname.lastname@example.com
Thats it, be creative. We also need letterhead design and the star pet logo...I will add more money as a bonus if I get a 5 star entry !!


text:
I bet you're apprehensive if its acknowledged to action online in South Africa. If you are a poker amateur or approved bank amateur at an online bank you ability be analytic for answers as to your own position in all this. We will attack to analyze this bearings for you.
One Monday, Parliament anesthetized the National Bank Amendment Bill which seeks to adapt the limited gaming industry in South Africa. Its alone cat-and-mouse on President Mbeki's signature to appear into affect. But its a abiding affair some political analysts say.
It basically sets out to ascertain things that accept never been present in SA bank law until now. The Internet has broadcast the South African markets ability into the unknown, and while abounding politicians accept been debating on how to adapt it, the South African accessible accept been apparent to assorted 'poker school' commercials while actual abundant still accepting in the aphotic about the legality.
To put it simply, technically its currently actionable for any amateur to play online poker and for any bank abettor to action South African players wagers online. It been advised as a bit of a blah breadth for actually some time, with no-one in the industry actually authoritative moves as to what the 'legal' attitude is. The poker apartment accept been accepting about this by agreement ads on bounded TV stations in an attack to draw absorption to their backdrop as a '.Net' 'poker school' – both of which are technically not actionable in SA as it is. I.e. if you go to the .net adaptation of the website & register, you actually cannot action with absolute cash, accordingly no absolute banknote wagering/gambling can yield place, accordingly there's no breaking of accepted bank law. Its adverse that South Africans ability Google the abode aboriginal and acquisition the .net adaptation (which incidentally isn't searchable) and play for absolute on the .com adaptation by conclusion. I bet the government has been watching these developments carefully.
The bill has been put into abode afresh as a bit of a bolt up to all-around online bank trends. I mean, the UK afresh started acclimation online bank with abundant successes, including the aegis of players, licensing and the amplification of ethical practices aural the industry. The igaming industry is advancing there now.
If you are absorbed in account the document, go advanced its accessible here. I've already taken the important credibility to yield agenda of out below.
So whats can we yield out from the bill then?
The government now recognizes the limited bank industry as is attempting to adapt it.
The online bank operators accept to administer to get a authorization to accomplish in South Africa.
An online amateur may alone play at a accountant online bank / poker room.
Both parties accept to accomplish abiding the amateur is over 18 and the actual action is taken to anticipate beneath age bank (i.e. abide an affidavit).
The abbot will broadcast in the government gazette, the regulations apropos how these bank operators may or may not advertise. (My activity is abundant the aforementioned way as acreage based casinos are accustomed to do it with disclaimers and the like)
Just agenda though, that this is not a blackmail to your freedoms as a gambler. This is in actuality just there to accomplish abiding it is acknowledged to action in South Africa, that you as a amateur and the accessible are adequate adjoin actionable operations and money laundering. Of advance the government hasn't accent the 'direct taxation of bank wages' as a capital affair abaft all this, but in time I guess, as they consistently do, will account from cartoon funds from this $35 billion a year all-around acquirement source.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ERIC Number: ED055856
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1971-Jul-15
Pages: 63
Abstractor: N/A
Environment Information ACCESS, Volume 1 Numbers 11 and 12.
Environment Information Center, New York, NY.
Access is an indexing, abstracting, and information retrieval service that covers published and non-print information on environmental pollution, conservation, and related fields. It provides an overview of the environmental reporting of more than 1000 scholarly, scientific, industrial, technical, and general periodicals and major newspapers; important environmental radio and television programming, films and filmstrips, books, corporate publications, and major conference publications. Introductory pages explain the Access system, the Ecology Forum, and significant information appearing in the issue. The main entry section contains document abstracts related to: air pollution, chemical and biological contamination, energy, environmental action, environmental design, food, international aspects, land use and misuse, noise pollution, non-renewable resources, oceans and estuaries, population planning and control, radiological contamination, recreation, renewable resources, solid wastes, transportation, water pollution, weather modification and geographical change, and wildlife. A special section includes research activities related to air pollution; current conferences; and subject, industry, and author indexes. (BB)
Descriptors: Abstracts, Environment, Indexes, Information Dissemination, Information Science, Natural Resources, Periodicals, Pollution, Resource Materials
Environment Information Center, Inc., Suite 303 East, 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Environment Information Center, New York, NY.


text:
- Film by Mr Chris Floyd
- Words by Mr Chris Elvidge, Senior Copywriter, MR PORTER
Ask Mr Andrew Weitz to describe his style in three words, and you could be forgiven for thinking that you'd misheard him. But when the talent agent - who works with numerous high-profile actors - says corporate, he means it. "I'm known in the entertainment community for being an impeccable dresser," he says, and with no misplaced pride; a feature in a recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter, entitled "Secrets of Hollywood's Best-Dressed Male Agents", which opened with an anecdote of Mr Weitz dining at the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills, described him as looking "less like a talent agent and more like a GQ editor fresh off the front row at Paris Men's Fashion Week".
It's a look that he describes as "conservative with an edge" - and while it ticks the corporate box, paying duty to the old-school, suited-and-booted image of a Hollywood agent, it's certainly not everyone's idea of conservative. Not that that concerns Mr Weitz. "When someone makes fun of what I'm wearing, I feed off of it," he laughs. "Everyone's so scared. Don't be scared!"
To hear more from Mr Weitz about how he dresses, watch the video, above.


text:
SolusOS is a Linux Distribution based on Debian Stable. It's an
operating system for your computer, that provides the base system that
allows you to do things like listen to music, browse the internet and
create documents.
In this week's review I have started with the opening paragraph on the SolusOS website. Last week I wrote a review about Snowlinux 4 to see if that operating system achieved everything it set out to achieve. Unfortunately I think it fell short because it stated that it intended to be easy to use with a carefully selected range of software.
As someone with a lot of computing experience and a fair amount of experience using Linux I found that for an average person the installation could cause some issues and there were problems with setting up the internet. In addition to this, the software installed did not provide a complete solution.
This week I am happy to report that I think SolusOS really does live up to the statement made on its website. SolusOS is very stable, is easy to use and comes with a complete set of software for the average user.
The installer for SolusOS is the same as the one for Snowlinux so this may cause problems for users new to Linux and I will explain why shortly.
The installation starts easily enough.
- Choose your language
- Choose your timezone
- Choose your keyboard layout
Then comes the trickier bit for your average Joe.
First of all you are asked which drive you wish to install SolusOS to. Now for a Linux user this makes perfect sense but if you are a Windows user then you are used to drives being called C:, D:, E: etc. Linux names drives differently and not only that it depends on the type of drive what the naming convention is.
This is of course not the fault of SolusOS or Snowlinux as it is just the way things are done in Linux but it can be made simpler. Linux Mint and Ubuntu give options such as replace your existing operating system or install alongside your current operating system which for a novice makes the installation a much more accessible option.
Moving on to step 5 you are then asked how to partition your drives and also after partitioning you have to set the root drive. The partitioning bit would make many would be Linux converts turn away in fear.
The Ubuntu and Linux Mint installers I think work better in that for novices they give an option that works but they also give a partitioning tool for the more experienced user.
Step 6 is to enter the name of the main user of the system along with a password and a host name for the system.
Step 7 asks which drive is to be used for the GRUB bootloader and step 8 asks you to confirm your settings before installing SolusOS.
First Run Wizard
When you run SolusOS for the first time a wizard appears.
There are five steps to the wizard.
- Useful Links
- Internet Connection setup / Firewall setup
- Detected hardware
- Setup updates
- Donate to SolusOS
You can run the first start wizard at any time by selecting it from the settings menu, although it would make more sense just to pick the network connections manager, the firewall manager or the update manager as the chances that you need to configure all the options again are slim.
First Impressions
Change the desktop background
Connecting to the internet
Flash and MP3
- File Roller (Archive Manager)
- Calculator
- gEdit – Text Editor
- Terminal
- PlayOnLinux
- GnuPaint (Similar to Windows Paint)
- gThumb (image viewer)
- Simplescan
- Dropbox (online file storage)
- Firefox (web browser)
- Thunderbird (email client)
- Pidgin (Messenger)
- Transmission (Bittorrent)
- xChat (IRC Chat)
- Libreoffice Base (Access clone)
- Libreoffice Calc (Spreadsheets)
- Libreoffice Impress (Presentations)
- Libreoffice writer (Word processing)
Sound and Video
- Brasero (Disc burning)
- Cheese (Webcam viewer)
- Gnome mPlayer (Movie player)
- Minitube (Youtube viewer)
- Movie Player (Movie Player)
- Openshot video editor
- Rhythmbox (Audio Player)
- VLC (Video Player)
- Synaptic (Package Management)
- WINE (Run Windows applications in SoluSOS)
There are various other applications but the ones highlighted above are the main ones. You will notice the duplication when it comes to movie players. I think the reason for this is that some you get when installing Gnome by default and the developers obviously decided there were better ones to include.
Installing Applications
SolusOS uses Synaptic for package management.
Synaptic is fairly easy to use. In the left hand pane there are a list of categories and in the right hand pane there are the applications within that category.
If you click on an application a description will appear at the bottom of the right pane.
Installing applications is a two step process. The first step is to mark the applications you wish to install and then you click "Apply" to install the applications. Dependencies on other applications are automatically marked.
Does SolusOS live up to it's promises? The answer to that is yes. SolusOS is easy to use, comes fully featured with all the necessary multimedia codecs and Flash installed and has a really good selection of applications.
The installer could do with a bit of work. I think the installer will put potential Windows users off unless they are computer savvy to start with. Having said that of course it is unlikely that non computer savvy users would ever attempt to install a new operating system.
Gnome 2 is still great and for anyone with an older machine SolusOS is a brilliant choice. The downside of SolusOS using Gnome 2 is that at some point a decision has to be made. Will SolusOS remain on Gnome 2 or move over to MATE or XFCE.
It is easy to see why SolusOS is riding high on Distrowatch. It really provides a no hassle approach to computing.
Thankyou for reading.


text:
Latest Update: Eve Evans
47:10 | 364 Pictures | 306 Screencaps
I've been dealing with this girl's attitude for awhile now, and I've had it up to here with it. I tie her up and show her who's the boss when I jam my fat cock down her throat and fuck it raw....
18 U.S.C. 2257 Record-Keeping Requirements Compliance statement.


text: And here's a challenge at the other end of the spectrum. What's the lowest cost, simplest, closest to off the shelf way to build a small network file server that can do DHCP/PXE booting, etc. for a compact low power cluster. Something like a LinkSys NSLU-2 (<$100 but you need to add a USB disk, and load a new version of the OS that has dhcpd and tftpd) could probably do it, but it would be nice to have an integrated solution. James Lux, P.E. Spacecraft Radio Frequency Subsystems Group Flight Communications Systems Section Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mail Stop 161-213 4800 Oak Grove Drive Pasadena CA 91109 tel: (818)354-2075 fax: (818)393-6875


text: DESIGNED FOR YOUR LIFEFor those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv6 Entertainment series delivers excellent mobile performance that looks as great as it runs. Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers the features you need to support your digital lifestyle.- Your PC, simply more personal. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, most secure and energy-efficient version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. And great features like HomeGroup makes sharing files on home networks easy, while Snap lets you quickly resize and compare windows on your desktop. Faster and more reliable performance means your PC just works the way you want it to.- Intel Core i7 is Intel's highest performing quad-core mobile processor, built with smart and energy-efficient performance for those who want fast multi-tasking, digital media creation and gaming performance plus support for future apps.- Turbo-charged components. High-speed DDR3 memory and faster 7200 RPM hard disk drives enable optimal performance levels.STELLAR DESIGN FROM THE INSIDE OUT HP starts with a vision of the product that will exceed your expectations with its design elegance and innovation. Our vision drives every decision in order to offer you themost thoughtfully integrated product experience possible. But don't take our word for it; here's the experts' perspective.- Red Dot International Product Design awards for the HP Pavilion dv6000 series overall and a Special Edition version- iF Material award for HP Imprint finish, the industry's first adaptation of In-Mold Decoration to a notebook form factor- PC Magazine Editors' Choice award for the HP Pavilion dv2800t Artist Edition, the industry's first crowd-sourced design selected from over 20,000 entries to a competition run with MTV- Mobile PC World's Editor's Choice award and listing in Metropolitan Home Design 100 for the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition, the first mobile PC design created in collaboration with a fashion designer- Numerous awards from Laptop Magazine and leading tech blog.


text:
Poetry Dispatch Nr. 256 | October 25, 2008
la palabra en el tiempo:
Norbert Blei
I never wanted fame,
nor wanted to leave my poems
behind in the memory of men…
Machado poems illuminate both darkness and day. I don't know how else to describe his work except once you have found him and he has found you, his poems will broaden your spirit, put you in a place you want to be. The kind of feeling one experiences walking out of an ancient church into a starlit night.
Memory is valuable for one thing,
astonishing: it brings dreams back.
In Robert Bly's magnificent translation, TIMES ALONE, Selected Poems of Antonio Machado, Wesleyan University Press, (1983), he notes in his introduction:
"His poetry secretes in itself the rhythm of the walker, When John Dos Passos, just out of college, traveled to see Machado in Segovia, he found an awkward man with a deep voice, "an old fashioned teacher," dressed in a black, double-breasted suit, who walked for hours in Segovia and the countryside. When a person walks, he experiences objects one by one at a pace agreeable to the body. And every walk ends; sooner or later the walk is over and we are back home."
Bly also notes Machado's love for well-made things, something any writer can relate to:
Form your letters slowly and well:
making things well
is more important than making them.
Some excerpts from one of the selections included in TIMES ALONE:
"Fourteen Poems Chosen from 'Moral Proverbs and Folk Songs' "
Put out on the fields
a physical laborer, a thinker, and a poet.
You will see how the poet is enthusiastic
and silent, the thinker looks and thinks…
The laborer looks around, probably,
for blackberries and mushrooms.
Take them to the theatre,
and only the laborer isn't bored.
The one who prefers what is alive
over what is made up
is the person who writes, dreams, or sings.
The head of the physical laborer
is full of fantasies.
It is good knowing that glasses
are to drink from;
the bad thing is not to know
what thirst is for.
You say nothing is created new?
Don't worry about it, with the mud
of the earth, make a cup
from which your brother can drink.
Mankind owns four things
that are no good at sea:
rudder, anchor, oars,
and the fear of going down.
Antonio Cipriano José María y Francisco de Santa Ana Machado y Ruiz, known as Antonio Machado (July 26, 1875 – February 22, 1939) was a Spanish poet and one of the leading figures of the Spanish literary movement known as the Generation of '98.
Machado was born in Seville one year after his brother Manuel. The family moved to Madrid in 1883 and both brothers enrolled in the Institución Libre de Enseñanza. During these years, and with the encouragement of his teachers, Antonio discovered his passion for literature.
While completing his Bachillerato in Madrid, economic difficulties forced him to take several jobs including working as an actor. In 1899 he travelled with his brother to Paris to work as translators for a French publisher. During these months in Paris he came into contact with the great French Symbolist poets Jean Moréas, Paul Fort and Paul Verlaine, and also with other contemporary literary figures, including Rubén Darío and Oscar Wilde. These encounters cemented Machado's decision to dedicate himself to poetry.
In 1901 he had his first poems published in the literary journal 'Electra'. His first book of poetry was published in 1903 with the title Soledades. Over the next few years he gradually amended the collection, removing some and adding many more, and in 1907 the definitive collection was published with the title Soledades. Galerías. Otros Poemas.
In the same year Machado was offered the job of Professor of French at the school in Soria. Here he met Leonor Izquierdo, daughter of the owners of the boarding house Machado was staying in. They were married in 1909: he was 34; Leonor was 15. Early in 1911 the couple went to live in Paris where Machado read more French literature and studied philosophy. In the summer however Leonor was diagnosed with advanced tuberculosis and they returned to Spain. On 1 August 1912 Leonor died, just a few weeks after the publication of Campos de Castilla. Machado was devastated and left Soria, the city that had inspired the poetry of Campos, never to return. He went to live in Baeza, Andalucia, where he stayed until 1919. Here he wrote a series of poems dealing with the death of Leonor which were added to a new (and now definitive) edition of Campos de Castilla published in 1916 along with the first edition of Nuevas canciones.
While his earlier poems are in an ornate, Modernist style, with the publication of "Campos de Castilla" he showed an evolution toward greater simplicity, a characteristic that was to distinguish his poetry from then on.
Between 1919 and 1931 Machado was Professor of French in Segovia. He moved here to be nearer to Madrid, where Manuel lived. The brothers would meet at weekends to work together on a number of plays, the performances of which earned them great popularity. It was here also that Antonio had a secret affair with Pilar Valderrama, a married woman with three children, to whom he would refer in his work by the name Guiomar. In 1932 he was given the post of professor at the "Instituto Calderón de la Barca" in Madrid
When Francisco Franco launched his coup d'état in July 1936, launching the Spanish Civil War, Machado was in Madrid. The coup was to separate him forever from his brother Manuel who was trapped in the Nationalist (Francoist) zone, and from Valderrama who was in Portugal. Machado was evacuated with his elderly mother and uncle to Valencia, and then to Barcelona in 1938. Finally, as Franco closed in on the last Republican strongholds, they were obliged to move across the French border to Collioure. It was here, on 22 February 1939 that Antonio Machado died, just three days before his mother. In his pocket was found his last poem, "Estos días azules y este sol de infancia".
Machado is buried in Collioure where he died; Leonor is buried in Soria. Geoffrey Hill has hailed him as Montale's 'grand equal'. His phrase "the two Spains" — one that dies and one that yawns — referring to the left-right political divisions that led to the Civil War, has passed into Spanish and other languages.
Machado's poetic evolution has strong links to larger European trends in the same period. He turned away from the hermetic esthetic principles of post-symbolism and cultivated the dynamic openness of social realism. Like such French æsthetes as Verlaine, Machado began with a fin-de-siècle contemplation of his sensory world, portraying it through memory and the impressions of his private world. And like his socially conscious colleagues of the Generation of 1898, he emerged from his solitude to contemplate Spain's historical landscape with a sympathetic yet unindulgent eye.
His poetic work begins with the publication of Soledades, in 1903. In this short volume many personal links which will characterize his later work are noticeable. In "Soledades, Galerías. Otras poemas.", published in 1907, his voice becomes his own. The most typical feature of his personality is the antipathic, softly sorrow tone that can be felt even when he describes real things or common themes of the time, for example abandoned gardens, old parks or fountains, places which he approaches via memory or dreams.
After Machado's experience with the introspective poetry of his first period, he withdrew from the spectacle of his conflictive personality and undertook to witness the general battle of the "two Spains," each one struggling to gain the ascendancy.
In 1912 he published "Campos de Castilla", a collection of poems lyricising the beauty of the Castilian countryside. Just as the poet's own personality revealed mutually destructive elements in the earlier Galerías and Soledades, so too did the Cain-Abel myth, interpreted in "La Tierra de Alvargonzález" later attest to the factions in Spain that tore at each other and shredded the national fabric in an effort finally to restore unity. At the same time, other poems projected Castilian archetypes that evoked emotions like pathos ("La mujer manchega"—"The Manchegan Woman"), revulsion ("Un criminal"), and stark rapture ("Campos de Soria").
In 1917 various poems were added to "Campos", including a group of poems written in Baeza about the death of his young wife, a series of short reflective poems, often resembling popular songs or sayings, called "Proverbios y Cantares", and e series of "Elogios", dedicated to characters such as Rubén Dario or Federico García Lorca who had been influential in his life.
Machado's later poems are a virtual anthropology of Spain's common people, describing their collective psychology, mores, and historical destiny. He achieves this panorama through basic myths and recurrent, eternal patterns of group behavior. He developed these archetypes in Campos de Castilla ("Castilian Plains") in such key poems as "La tierra de Alvargonzález," and "Por tierras de España", which are based on Biblical inheritance stories. The metaphors of this second period use geographical and topographical allusions that frame powerful judgments about socio-economic and moral conditions on the Peninsula.
His next book, "Nuevas canciones" (New Songs), published in 1924, and begins the last period of his work.
The complete work of his poetry, "Poesías Completas" was published in 1928 and contains his work "Poesias de Guerra" (Poems of War), outstanding the elegy to the death of Federico Garcia Lorca, called "Ocurrió en Granada" (It occurred in Granada).
Perhaps Machado's most famous work is two verses from "Proverbios y cantares XXIX" in Campos de Castilla.
Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar
This however, is but an excerpt of a longer and less hopeful poem. The popular Spanish singer Joan Manuel Serrat interprets this poem as a song that has brought Machado's work greater diffusion. Serrat added some verses so that the song speaks about a poet dying far away from his country.
The Puerto Rican novelist Giannina Braschi references Machado's poetry in the contemporary novel Yo-Yo Boing! during a fight scene between a Cuban nationalist and a Puerto Rican independista who are arguing over the topics of dignity and national identity:
–Qué es la dignidad?
–La medida de la libertad.
–Quiero decir, quién es más fuerte, la isla que se vende y come bien, o la que se mantiene erecta, y se muere de hambre y de soledad.
–Cuál es más libre?
–Ninguna de las dos es libre. Todo pertenece. Soledad te acompaña, viajero. Pero como decía Don Antonio Machado, donde hay vino, bebe vino, y si no hay vino, chico, qué te cuesta, tómate el agua fresca.
Major publications
- * Soledades (1903)
- * Soledades. Galerías. Otros poemas (1907)
- * Campos de Castilla (1912)
- * Poesías completas (1917)
- * Nuevas canciones (1924)
- * Poesías completas (1936, cuarta edición)
- * Juan de Mairena (1936)


text:
Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
From the muscle-bound dad in The Incredibles, to the dinosaurs running wild in Jurassic Park, to Brad Pitt aging backward as Benjamin Button, Ira Flatow and guests look at the evolving technology used to create characters and visual effects on the silver screen.


text:
This weekend I am attending the Fairfax Genealogical Society, Spring Conference, 2012. I had planned on attending, with my Cousin, Dear MYRTLE. As it turns out, she asked me to do a piece of one of her presentations. What an honor, but a bit scary. But I am looking forward to it. We are going to talk about Integrating your Genealogy Database with Online Discoveries. Actually, this is right up our alley, as that is how we discovered that we are cousins. Will probably talk about this later.
Backing up a day, the Fairfax Genealogical Society had a monthly meeting last night, the night before the conference. Now there is a concept, but it will be a long weekend for those "working" the conference.
Last night, there were over 100 people in attendance. Wow!!!! It was announced that there were 64 new members in this Society. Wow, again.
Beside a normal business meeting, Dear MYRTLE gave a short presentation about the 1940 Census and the Indexing Project.
I have, and I have done a couple of practice batches, to remind myself how it worked.
There were TWO (2) Featured Speakers at this meeting. The topic Capital Treasure: A Sampler of Gems in the DC Area Repositories. Pamela K. Sayre, CG, CGL, and Rick Sayre, CG were the presenters. They teased us, for the Conference, with four vignettes that demonstrated the various repositories and sources in the DC area.
I was reminded that I am only sorry that I hadn't started with my research while I lived in the DC area. And the reminder that "Not Everything is Online".
I am looking forward to two days of classes, hanging out with Myrt and Mr. Myrt, and with other genealogist.
Thank you Fairfax Genealogical Society.


text:
John Bonnot, aka All-Terrain Monkey, has been painting minis since April of 2004 when, after moving to Texas, his friend Anne asked him if he would help her paint a couple of minis for a brand-new convention named ReaperCon. After she taught him everything she knew (strangely leaving him still not knowing anything) he squeezed the heads of any painter around him in a desperate attempt to obtain the knowledge of How Not To Suck. John used to paint directly for Reaper, putting out a lot of painted models for Warlord and Dark Heaven, but currently freelances for Reaper and teaches a weekend or two a month at the Asylum Paint Club. read more
If you've never heard of Julie Guthrie, then you must live under a rock. Julie is a legend in the miniatures industry and a member of the Origins Hall of Fame. Her incredible body of work is an invaluable reference for aspiring sculptors and artists. read more


text:
A family gets lost in the woods in "Another Way Home."
Home is a moving target in Anna Ziegler's astute new play, which unfolds at an upper-class summer camp in rural Maine. Lillian and Phillip Nadelman have sent their troubled son Joey off to camp for years in the vain hope that he might someday enjoy it.
Their mistake comes home to roost during a chaotic visiting weekend in this sly 80-minute piece. The playwright captures this family, its beauty and its torment so delicately that the well-worn themes of midlife crisis and adolescent angst feel hauntingly true.
Smartly directed by Meredith McDonough in its world premiere at the Magic Theatre, "Another Way Home" examines the fault lines that lie just beneath the surface of the seemingly perfect family from New York's Upper West Side. It's an insightful memory play that wins us over with its freshness and wit, only to reveal unexpected depths. The playwright etches this family with tenderness but also with bracing honesty so that it's hard not to see yourself in all of the characters on stage at one moment or another.
Ziegler deftly evokes the pampered atmosphere of the "Six Degrees of Separation" set. Lillian (the riveting Kim Martin-Cotten) was once a photographer, Phillip (Mark Pinter) a successful businessman. They go to the ballet and take classes about Grecian urns at the museum. They were madly in love once but have now settled into a strained intimacy punctuated by mundane marital squabbles. They dutifully make sure to stop arguing before they arrive at their teenage son's summer camp.
At first, they con themselves into believing that Joey (Daniel Petzold) has found a way to fit in at Camp Kickapoo because he has a nickname, J-dog. But it soon becomes clear that he doesn't fit in anywhere there are people. He often forgets the little things, like smiling and showering. He's in so much pain so much of the time that he assumes everyone else is miserable as well.
Over the years, doctors have diagnosed Joey with various conditions, from ADHD to autism, but Lillian and Phillip, like all parents, can't shake the fear that they are to blame. If only they were more loving, less permissive, more content with each other, then maybe their son would respond to the world with something others than insults and rage.
The mystery of Joey's depression, which stands in stark counterpoint to his little sister Nora's (Riley Krull) radiance, is never entirely resolved, and that's one of the play's strengths.
Petzold evokes the fury of Joey's temperament, the way he seems to drown in his anger, as well as his childishness. It's clear that one of the reasons he hates his parents is that he still needs them so desperately.
Like his parents, we are left slightly assaulted by the vehemence of his unhappiness. Like his parents, we worry for his safety. Ziegler summons a real sense of danger about Joey, but she also punctures the grimness with tart comebacks and blasts of silliness.
Nora in particular personifies the concept of charming teenage girl. Singing her heart out to Taylor Swift songs (perhaps one too many) or earnestly studying for the SAT, Nora knows she is the glue that keeps her family together, the balm that heals her parents' aches.
Krull captures Nora's precociousness without making her seem like a brainy Smurf. She also nicely evokes the heartbreak of growing up with a sibling whose nature is fundamentally unknowable. Nora emails her brother all summer, but she knows that if he responds, it will likely be with an epithet.
That constant fear of a meltdown is one of the causes of the cracks and fissures in Lillian and Phillip's marriage. Martin-Cotten gives a fierce performance as a mother fighting for her child, even as she realizes she may have lost the battle for her marriage. Pinter seems a bit stiff in the role of Phillip at first, but the final scenes in the play bring out incisive layers of fear and regret.
McDonough, formerly of TheatreWorks, finds the truth in every scene, the possibilities for catharsis hiding in everyday life.
If the play has a flaw, it's that the subplot regarding Joey's friendship with Mike T (a sensitive turn by Jeremy Kahn) never pans out. Ziegler tries too hard to give Joey a moment of epiphany.
Indeed, it's the overwhelming vulnerability of these characters that makes them so endearing. Ziegler writes for baby boomers as well as she does for teens, which makes all of the members of the Nadelman family win a place in our hearts as they search for "Another Way Home."
Contact Karen D'Souza at 408-271-3772. Read her stories at www.mercurynews.com/karen-dsouza, follow her at Twitter.com/KarenDSouza4 and like her at Facebook.com/Dsouzatheaterpage.
'another way home'
by Anna Ziegler
Through: Dec. 2
Where: Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Building D, San Francisco
Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (no intermission)
Tickets: $22-$62, 415-441-8822, www.magictheatre.org
Theater review


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2004 Buick Rendezvous
When it debuted in 2002, the Buick Rendezvous crossed over all the lines that had previously separated sedans, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles. Rendezvous was, and is, a perfect example of the new category of crossover vehicles, a category that defies categorization. The Rendezvous combines aspects of SUVs, minivans, and wagons. Just don't call it a minivan or a wagon.
Rendezvous is a versatile vehicle seating five to seven passengers. Its styling is nice. It has fine manners on the highway, a benefit of unit-body construction normally associated with sedans. Four-wheel-drive is available to cope with gnarly weather and marginal off-highway tracks with dignity.
New for 2004 is the Rendezvous Ultra, which comes with a higher level of standard equipment and an all-new, more powerful and more sophisticated V6 engine.
The Buick Rendezvous is priced well and easy to like, with solid engineering, useful flexibility, and a handsome appearance. The three-row interior compares favorably with the passenger capacity of costlier vehicles. Satellite radio, electronic navigation, and a rear-seat DVD system are available as options.
Model Lineup
Rendezvous is offered in five trim levels: CX, CX Plus, CXL, CXL Plus, and Ultra. All Rendezvous models have automatic transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Rendezvous CX, CX Plus, CXL and CXL Plus are powered by a 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 engine, and are available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Rendezvous Ultra comes with a new 3.6-liter V6 rated at 245 horsepower and all-wheel drive.
CX FWD ($26,020) comes standard with cruise control, remote keyless entry, a theft-deterrent system, AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo, and power outlets for all three seating rows. CX AWD ($29,170) adds the all-wheel-drive system plus anti-lock brakes (ABS) and side-impact airbags. CX Plus FWD ($27,880) and CX Plus AWD ($31,030) add OnStar, a driver-information center, ultrasonic rear parking assist, manual dual-zone air conditioning and 16-inch alumium wheels.
CXL FWD ($30,935) and CXL AWD ($33,140) add leather upholstery, six-way power seats, automatic dual-zone air conditioning, heated mirrors, premium eight-speaker stereo with steering-wheel-mounted controls, separate rear-seat audio controls and headphone jacks, tire inflation monitor, and unique exterior trim. Both FWD and AWD CXL models have side-impact airbags and ABS. Additionally, front-drive CXL's come with traction control. CXL Plus FWD ($32,420) and CXL Plus AWD ($34,445) add heated front seats, a memory function for the driver's seat and mirrors, a folding third-row seat (increasing seating capacity from five to seven), XM Satellite Radio, cross bars for the luggage rack and P215/70R16 touring tires (replacing the standard all-season tires of the same size).
Ultra ($39,045) comes with all of the above, plus the more powerful 3.6-liter V6, leather seats with suede inserts, second-row captain's chairs, a six-disc CD changer, a head-up instrument display, and an electronic release for the rear liftgate. Tires are upgraded to P225/60R on 17-inch aluminum wheels.
Nearly all of the features that come with the higher-line models are available as stand-alone options. Even the Ultra's more powerful engine is available as an option on CXL models. On models that don't come standard with them, we recommend adding side-impact airbags ($350), anti-lock brakes ($600), and traction control ($175) for their safety benefits. A power sunroof ($885) is available on any Rendezvous except the base CX, and you have to spring for at least a CXL before you can order DVD entertainment ($1,100) or the multi-media/navigation system ($1,995). A towing package ($325) is offered on all models, and includes a high-output alternator, transmission oil cooler, heavy-duty engine cooling and automatic load leveling. Properly equipped, Rendezvous can tow 3500 pounds.
It is difficult to judge the size of the 2004 Buick Rendezvous without the context of another vehicle near it. That's usually a sign that the design team got the scale right. The spec sheet says that Rendezvous is as tall as an SUV, at 68.9 inches without the roof rack. But with nearly 64 inches between the left and right tires, Buick claims that the Rendezvous has a wider track than an SUV. Rendezvous' strong horizontal design visually suggests stability as well.
The Rendezvous' traditional Buick grille emphasizes a familial resemblance to the Park Avenue, but it somehow looks less formal and more cheery. It's a pleasing countenance. On Ultra, the familiar grille is body-color rather than black. Bright inserts along the top of the side molding add a look of richness to Ultra. The Rendezvous is probably not beautiful to many, but it has an integrity suited to its purpose and is thus attractive. In short, we like its looks.
Interior Features
Rendezvous can seat up to seven passengers or two people with scads of stuff. The seating setup depends on how you order it and then on how you choose to fold and configure. Second-row captain's chairs are standard on Ultra, but an elegant choice ($435) for all but the most basic CX, replacing the standard 50-50 split bench seat.
The Rendezvous works well as a cargo hauler and the flexibility of the seating configurations is an exercise in automotive origami. The seats fold and tuck and fit into an amazing number of arrangements. Even the second-row seat flips and folds, allowing you to have two people up front and a flat floor behind without leaving anything home in the garage. The available third-row seat folds flat into the floor. For maximum cargo capacity, the center row can be removed. Hiding places and lockable bins are strategically placed here and there. When ordered without the third seat, CX Plus and CXL come with a cargo storage system that includes a sliding tray.
Even with seven inches of ground clearance and all-wheel drive, getting in and out of the Rendezvous is more like getting in and out of a sedan than an SUV. Small children, arthritic knees and tight-skirts can be grateful for that. All seats are easy to access and quite comfortable.
Wood accents, a wood-trimmed steering wheel, and a bit of chrome around the gauges and dials add visual interest to the Ultra. And the Ultra's leather seats feature suede inserts. The Ultra's head-up display (a $325 option on CXL and CXL Plus) projects salient information on the windshield (low enough to be unobtrusive but clearly visible). This allows the driver to read, with a minimum of eye deflection, the car's speed and radio or CD information.
Access to the third row is far simpler than in most vehicles with three rows of seats. Once back there, the third row is pleasantly suitable for two full-size adults. And the third row is no Siberia: Even from way back there the acoustics allow you to participate in conversations with the front-seat passengers.
The load-height is low, reducing back strain when loading or unloading heavy objects. The rear opening is wide enough to slide a 4×8-foot sheet of plywood in flat. A red flag affixed at back will have to deal with the length.
The amazing thing about the low stance and flat floor of the Rendezvous is that all-wheel drive and a low, flat floor are supposed to be mutually exclusive. Well, the Buick engineers found a way to do it. Too bad being unobtrusive is a mark of success because this accomplishment needs to stand up and take applause. It's best appreciated when driving with a full load of people and their stuff on a nasty, sleety, darkening afternoon with a slippery glaze on the street.
On the downside, the plastic used for the instrument panel doesn't measure up to the rest of the interior.
The optional XM Satellite Radio features 100 coast-to-coast digital channels, including 71 music channels (more than 30 of them commercial-free) and 29 channels of sports, talk, children's and entertainment programming. The DVD system includes a fold-down seven-inch monitor integrated into the ceiling.
OnStar, standard on all but the base CX, works well as a navigation system because there's nothing to program. Press the button and a human operator responds, to provide directions and other assistance. OnStar always knows the location of your vehicle. The staff will notify authorities of your location if your airbag goes off and you do not respond to their calls. Or you can press the emergency button and they'll send out the troops. They can unlock your doors if you lock the keys inside. They can direct you to the nearest gas station or help find a good restaurant or motel. If your vehicle is stolen, OnStar can pinpoint its location and direct the authorities to apprehend and recover.
Driving Impressions
The Buick Rendezvous rides more smoothly and offers more responsive handling than a sport-utility vehicle. Its long wheelbase smoothes surface irregularities without the road vibration inherent in many SUVs. Overall, the road demeanor of the Rendezvous is pleasing. It stopped well, and was quiet for an SUV, though a little road-noisy by luxury sedan standards.
We found the Rendezvous comported itself surprisingly well on winding roads. Even when pushed it was thoroughly honest and never felt incapable of dealing with stringent demands. Of course, it isn't a sports car, nor is it intended to be. Willing as it was, the Rendezvous still seemed to offer a slight admonishment: "I'll do that if you insist, but it's not my specialty."
Yet the Rendezvous does surprisingly well in treacherous conditions when equipped with all-wheel drive. In some sandy and rocky arroyos, the SUV side of the Rendezvous' personality came to the fore. Its all-wheel-drive system, called Versatrak, requires no input from the driver. Versatrak drives just the front wheels until sensors agree that some traction assistance from the rear is advisable. Versatrak is clever: Power is meted out separately and individually to each rear wheel, not just to the rear axle. That is a fineness of traction disbursement not available in most other four-wheel-drive systems. The result is better traction and increased stability, making the Rendezvous more capable in the snow and easier to drive in the slush.
With its 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6, our CXL Plus test vehicle accelerated with reasonable aplomb. This engine uses an iron block and pushrod-operated overhead valves.
We expect the Ultra to accelerate more quickly. The Ultra's 3.6-liter V6 is an entirely new and different engine, with all-aluminum construction and dual overhead camshafts. A 32-bit microprocessor continuously adjusts its valve timing according to conditions; GM calls this technology VVT (for Variable Valve Timing). The same computer also manages this engine's more advanced fuel injection and coil-on-plug ignition systems. In short, the overhead-cam 3.6-liter V6 is a more modern, more sophisticated design than the overhead-valve 3.4-liter V6.
And the new 3.6-liter produces significantly more power: 245 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 235 pounds-feet of torque at 3200 rpm. More important, 90 percent of the new engine's peak torque is available between 1600 and 5800 rpm. That means that a strong surge of power should be instantly available at virtually any driving speed. Fuel economy hardly suffers: Preliminary ratings show 17/24 mpg city/highway for the more powerful 3.6 vs. 18/24 mpg for the 3.4 with AWD. GM claims reduced emissions as well.
The load-leveling suspension, available as part of the trailer towing package, uses compressed air to fill bladders in line with the rear shock absorbers. The air pressure keeps Rendezvous level when carrying a heavy load or towing a trailer. The system comes with an auxiliary air outlet, rubber air hose, and pressure gauge, for inflating tires or toys.
Buick Rendezvous is as comfortable as it is practical. It offers a smooth ride, reassuring road manners, and a pleasant cabin. It can be configured to haul six adults in comfort or a load of lumber from the home-improvement center or a combination of people and cargo.
Rendezvous deserves a look on the basis of economy alone. In the first place it uses regular unleaded gas, not premium and its thirst is temperate for its size.
The new Ultra model promises dramatically improved performance. Meanwhile, all other Rendezvous models offer attractive value, with a compelling price and decent fuel economy for their size. Rendezvous is priced significantly below such luxury all-wheel-drive vehicles as the Lexus RX 330 and Acura MDX.
|Model Line Overview
|Model lineup:
|Buick Rendezvous CX FWD ($26,020); CX AWD ($29,170); CX Plus FWD ($27,880); CX Plus AWD ($31,030); CXL FWD ($30,935); CXL AWD ($33,140); CXL Plus FWD ($32,420); CXL Plus AWD ($34,445); Ultra AWD ($39,045)
|185-hp 3.4-liter ohv 12-valve V6; 245-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24-valve V6
|4-speed automatic
|Safety equipment (standard):
|dual-stage front airbags
|Safety equipment (optional):
|side-impact airbags, ABS, traction control, tire-inflation monitor
|Basic warranty:
|3 years/36.000 miles
|Assembled in:
|Ramos Arizpe, Mexico
|Specifications As Tested
|Model tested (MSPR):
|Buick Rendezvous CXL Plus AWD ($34,445)
|Standard equipment:
|Versatrak all-wheel-drive; power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; reclining front bucket seats; three-passenger second row 50/50 split fold-down bench seat; third-row flip/fold seat; leather seating surfaces; dual heated six-way power seats; memory driver's seat and memory outside mirrors; dual-zone automatic air conditioning; eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/cassette stereo; tire inflation monitor; overhead console; driver information center; universal garage door opener; theft-deterrent system; rear park assist; OnStar communications system; cargo mat
|Options as tested (MSPR):
|captain's chairs ($435); head-up display ($325)
|Destination charge:
|Gas guzzler tax:
|Price as tested (MSPR):
|all-wheel drive
|3.4-liter ohv V6
|Horsepower (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|185 @ 5200
|Torque (lb.-ft @ rpm):
|210 @ 4000
|4-speed automatic
|EPA fuel economy, city/hwy:
|18/24 mpg
|112.2 in.
|186.5/73.6/68.9 in.
|Track, f/r:
|62.7/63.8 in.
|Turning circle:
|37.4 ft.
|Seating Capacity:
|Head/hip/leg room, f:
|40.9/61.1/40.5 in.
|Head/hip/leg room, m:
|40.1/61.1/39.0 in.
|Head/hip/leg room, r:
|37.5/48.3/34.6 in.
|Cargo volume:
|108.9 cu. ft.
|Towing capacity:
|2000 Lbs.
|Suspension, f:
|independent, MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
|Suspension, r:
|independent, short and long lateral arms, toe-control links, coil springs, anti-roll bar
|Ground clearance:
|7.0 in.
|Curb weigth:
|4250 lbs.
|Brakes, f/r:
|disc/disc with ABS
|Fuel capacity:
|18 gal.
|Unless otherwise indicated, specifications refer to test vehicle. All prices are manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSPR) effective as of January 15, 2004.Prices do not include manufacturer's destination and delivery charges. N/A: Information not available or not applicable. Manufacturer Info Sources: - www.buick.com/rendezvous


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Although the drama of the 1960s was a hard act to follow, the 1970s made its own unique mark on the electrical industry. Plagued by gasoline shortages, rising energy prices, and inflation, this decade is most remembered for its energy crisis, which revealed the nation's dependence on foreign oil and inspired numerous energy conservation efforts. Aggravated by these energy problems, unemployment reached 8.5% (the highest since the Great Depression) in 1975, and inflation was increasing at an annual rate of 9.5%.
The Arab oil embargo in 1973 brought an end to the era of secure, cheap oil. As a result of the Arab-Israeli War, the Arab oil-producing countries cut back oil production and imposed trade embargoes on oil shipments to the United States and the Netherlands. Although these cutbacks represented only a 7% loss in world supply, they "created panic on the part of oil companies, consumers, oil traders, and some governments. Wild bidding for crude oil ensued when a few producing nations began to auction off some of their oil," reports "Energy Supply, World," a Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001 article. By the end of this decade, the price of crude oil was close to 19 times higher than it had been just 10 years before.
According to EC&M archives, the energy crisis hit the electrical industry especially hard. In the early 1970s, editors write that Americans are painfully coming to terms with a new truth: There will not be enough fuel to support their way of life in the future. "It is conceivable that the energy crisis in the United States will do more to disrupt and change the American way of life than any other ongoing domestic problem confronting the nation today," writes David F. Hanley, chairman of National Engineers Week (an event sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers), in a 1974 article. Hanley goes on to emphasize the importance of energy conservation and calls for nothing less than a full-scale national energy policy involving all segments of the energy industry.
In retrospect, it looks like Hanley got his wish. A host of programs, organizations, and legislation was introduced in the 1970s to combat growing energy problems, such as: formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (1970); passage of the Clean Air Act (1970); formation of the Electric Power Research Institute (1973); splitting of the Atomic Energy Commission into the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1974); creation of the Department of Energy (1977); passage of the first National Energy Plan (1977); and passage of the National Energy Act, including the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA) in 1978.
At the end of the 1970s, it was obvious that ongoing energy problems, the vulnerability of the nation's electric power grid, and nuclear power concerns would have to be solved by electrical leaders of the next decade.
New Engineering Association is Born
The Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) was formed in the 1970s to further the interests of engineers, managers, and architects involved in energy-related fields. Separate councils were established to serve members' needs in such areas as energy conservation consulting, plant engineering, and product development, solar engineering, wind power, thermal power, and energy engineering in government.
Silicone Fluid Used as Askarel Substitute
There's finally a safe alternative to using PCB-containing askarels, EC&M reports in the early '70s. Made from dimethyl siloxane, the new crystal-clear, silicone dielectric coolant liquid for use in small- and medium-sized power transformers is already in use. Although they cost about twice as much as askarel, silicone fluids require few physical changes to transformers during refilling. However, load ratings on existing units may be reduced about 10% because of the difference in fluid viscosity and heat conductivity compared with askarel.
Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit Gains Acceptance
In a 1971 article, H. H. Watson, consultant, and Robert V. Lewis, chief engineer, Anaconda Metal Hose, Waterbury, Conn., report that the 1971 NEC has removed the statement "not intended as a general purpose raceway material" and opened the door for greatly expanded use of liquidtight flex. The Code now states that liquidtight flexible metal conduit may be used in exposed or concealed locations where conditions of installation, operation, or maintenance require flexibility or protection from liquids, vapors, or solids. Liquidtight flex may be used in any lengths as a general-purpose raceway, limited only as noted in Sec. 35 1-2. It is no longer restricted to vibration isolation applications.
First EC&M Technical Convention a Success
The first EC&M Technical Convention on electrical construction, held in April 1971 at the College of Mt. St. Vincent in the Bronx, N.Y., set out to give the electrical industry "an open forum where any interested electrical man could attend and discuss the many mutual technical problems that plague his daily work." According to an article written by Editor J. F. McPartland, the program more than achieved its goal. With 49 exhibitors and 1100 attendees from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Venezuela, and Ecuador, the conference focused on daily problems that confront electrical contractors, consulting electrical engineers, plant electrical men, electrical inspectors and manufacturers, and technical sales and marketing professionals. Twelve one-hour seminars covered all phases of electrical design and construction, including branch-circuit feeders and switchboards, services, grounding, wiring methods, lighting, motors and controls, electric heating, low-voltage circuits, transformers, and high-voltage and hazardous locations.
NEC Made Mandatory
The National Electrical Code has become a national requirement and standard for all electrical installations on public or private premises where people are employed, EC&M reports in February 1972. The law states in paragraph 1910.309 that "all electrical installations and utilization of equipment shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70-1968." This means the Code will serve as a reference standard for maintenance as well as installation. Under this new act, applying and enforcing the Code takes on a whole new meaning — a fine of up to a $10,000 can be imposed for each willful or repeated violation. In an extreme case, a plant or location can also be shut down through a court order because of "imminent danger."
What's Wrong with Electrical Equipment?
When EC&M editors asked readers what they found most irritating about the products they use or specify, they ran the answers listed below in the April 1972 issue:
It would help considerably if space were increased on the sides of large distribution panels containing conductors such as 300MCM to 500MCM. These large panels provide only 4 to 6 in. more than most panels designed for No. 12 conductors.
There's not enough room in switches and controls for proper wiring, and lugs are too small and inadequately installed.
There is an unnecessary, complicated mass of dies for compression tools.
Insulation stripping equipment needs to be made safer with a guard over the knife.
Somebody should make a better armored-cable sheath cutter that would not nick plastic wire insulation.
I would like to see an economical and dependable battery-operated (rechargeable) hand tool to do away with the problems associated with extension cords and temporary power on construction sites.
A simple, direct solid-state motor starter with built-in redundancy at a reasonable price would sell.
Ballasts should be available which plug in or are otherwise easier to replace than they are now.
There is a need for a clamp-on type meter capable of measuring high voltages and currents.
Origins of Electrical Fires
From 1966 to 1970, more than 53,000 properties in North America insured in the Factory Mutual System (FMS) were struck by more than 1800 fires of electrical origin with property damages totaling $25.5 million, EC&M reports in 1973. Statistics compiled by FMS over a five-year period on electrical fires show that wiring alone is responsible for almost half the damage. Wiring, motors, resistive elements, controllers and switches, switchboards, and lamps caused more than 77% of the fires and 88% of the total property damage. More than half of these losses could have been avoided by correcting minor defects.
Call for Competitive Bidding
In 1974, EC&M reports the American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC) and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) are "deeply concerned that recent events in Washington leading to Spiro Agnew's resignation as Vice President have put the consulting engineering profession as a whole in a bad light." The news brief warns the government may soon require competitive bidding on architectural and engineering projects. Representative Charles E. Bennett (D-Florida) has introduced a bill (HR 10884) requiring all government contracts for services and material be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, including contracts for architectural and engineering work. "Reacting to the detrimental effect of publicity about political contributions and payoffs by a few engineering firms, the executive board of the Council has taken a no-nonsense position on any further evidence of improprieties by licensed engineers," the article reports. "They have committed the organization to press for federal legislation that will set strict limits on the amount any engineering firm or employee can donate to any candidate or party during any election, provide contractual clauses that would set severe penalties for any consultant who was guilty of violating laws in order to get the contract, and quickly move to revoke the state license of any consulting engineer found to be a violator."
How Safe Is Aluminum Wiring?
According to a 1974 news brief, the Consumer Product Safety Commission scheduled a public hearing to address the fire hazard concerns of aluminum wire used in almost two million homes built during the last decade. In the article, Commission Chairman Richard Simpson said the "much-expanded public hearing will delve into past, present and future use of aluminum wire, the technical adequacy of other kinds of wire, and what sort of redress can be obtained for the thousands of home owners who have aluminum wiring." Simpson told the press that aluminum is at least allegedly a greater fire hazard than copper wire at this point in time. He urged homeowners with aluminum wire not to panic but to have an electrician survey their home. The commission estimated rewiring costs at approximately $100 per home.
Auxiliary Power Pays Off
One of the biggest market opportunities hitting the electrical construction industry is auxiliary electrical power, Editor J. F. McPartland reports in 1975. McPartland advises all electrical contractors, consulting electrical engineers, and plant electrical personnel to pay close attention to this relatively new niche. As more buildings become dependent on continuous uninterrupted electrical supply for critical operations (such as data-processing equipment, instrumentation, and controls), owners and operators of commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities have become keenly aware of the vital need for backup power — especially after the Eastern blackout of 1965. According to McPartland, "They have seen how power failure can cripple production and even destroy process equipment and machinery. They know very well that periodic short-time outages can be as devastating as blackouts for hours or days."
Precast Duct Speeds Underground Work
In a case study written by Associate Editor Robert J. Lawrie in the mid-'70s, using a precast concrete duct system for underground work saved contractors installation time and money on the recent Kingsboro Community College project in Brooklyn, N.Y. Installed by Theodore Kaish, Inc., an electrical contractor in Long Island City, N.Y., the new system featured 10-ft sections of steel conduit cast in a concrete envelope. Along with bends and other fittings, these sections were delivered to the jobsite ready to install. The new wiring method eliminated construction of forms, reduced material storage and handling to a minimum, and simplified coordination with other trades. The contractor chose the precast duct system for two 1300-ft underground service runs from the property line to a main outdoor substation.
OSHA Issues GFCI standard
In 1975, the Labor Department began holding public hearings to review the requirement for ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the construction industry. In 1977, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a final standard requiring either that all construction sites use GFCIs on branch circuits or implement an assured equipment-grounding-conductor program. According to an EC&M article, employers can adopt either protective method, because both could reduce the electrical hazards of faulty equipment.
Early Lighting Control
Characterized as a "system that turns on lighting when it sees people," an ultrasonic detection system that automatically turns the lights on in an occupied area and then turns them off when the last person leaves began testing by Citicorp Facilities Dept., part of the management group for Citibank, in 1977. According to an EC&M news brief, the equipment is basically the same as an ultrasonic security-detection system. However, rather than simply sounding an alarm at the first indication of movement, the system continuously monitors a work space. When someone vacates the area, the detection system turns the lights off after an adjustable delay of from 90 sec to 360 sec.
The Computer: A Design Consultant?
"In this century, building construction has gone from six-story walk-ups to hundred-plus-story skyscrapers; mechanical systems from one water pump to complex heating and air-conditioning systems; lighting from bare incandescent lamps to sophisticated fluorescent and HID installations; electric services from 60A, 2-wire to 10,000kVA, medium voltage — and yet the designs and plans are still being prepared the same way as they were at the beginning of the century — manually," writes Arthur Freund, senior editor, in 1978. Most of these operations are highly repetitive and completed over and over again for each new job.
According to the article, today's computer era offers relief. With its prodigious memory and graphic display abilities, the computer will eliminate these repetitive operations, notes Freund. And it's already being done. Herman Blum Consulting Engineers, Inc., Dallas, has a complete computer system in successful operation. Used for design and drafting in all departments (electrical, mechanical, civil, and acoustical), the system consists of a minicomputer with a 28K-word core memory, two cathode-ray tube video display units, two digitizing drafting tables, digitizing handheld tablets, and a high-accuracy flatbed drafting plotter (46 in. × 64 in.). Accessories include magnetic tape, cassette tape units, input keyboards, an alphanumeric display unit, card keypunch units, card readers, a teleprinter, hard copy machines, a drum plotter, a line printer, and a 12-million-word magnetic disk storage.
Introducing Access Flooring
As more and more office buildings undergo renovation projects to provide underfloor space for electrical, telephone, communications, and mechanical services (including heating and air-conditioning ducts), the demand for raised flooring continues to rise, reports EC&M in the late '70s. How does the concept work? Resting on a building's concrete floor slab, a network of steel pedestals supports a raised floor of modular sheet-steel panels, providing 6 in. to 15 in. of space below. Any panel can be lifted in seconds to provide instant access to any of the services underneath. Originally developed to meet the needs of the computer room, access flooring is now being applied to all types of office areas, including those in manufacturing plants.
BX Vs. NM Cable for Residential Work
When choosing between armored cable and nonmetallic-sheathed cable for wiring wood-frame residential construction, which one's more cost-effective? According to a Q&A column in EC&M, preferences of electricians and contractors varied in the mid-'70s. A few of their comments follow:
Time and time again, I've been faced with the problem of shorts with NMC. Sure, in some cases it can be installed in considerably less time, but when the circuit-breaker kicks out because a nail is driven between the conductors, where are the savings?
Trying to evaluate the economics of residential house wiring by comparing NMC to BX is ludicrous. The popularity of NMC speaks for itself.
NMC used with plastic boxes and nonconductive device covers provides the most economical and safest residential wiring method to come along in years.
Maybe I'm from the old school and you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but it's beyond me how some mechanics can say NM cable cuts installation time by 40%. An experienced residential electrician can rough-in BX just as fast.
Safeguarding the World Trade Center
According to a 1977 EC&M article, thousands of ionization detectors, audio amplifiers, and loudspeakers tied into monitoring and control center help protect life and property in the twin 110-story towers at the World Trade Center. A multifaceted life-safety/security system (integrating modern equipment and techniques that protect the World Trade Center in New York City) has been upgraded in total coverage. Developed by the engineering department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in cooperation with the Department of Buildings and the New York City Fire Department, the enlarged system increases the comprehensiveness of the existing network by extending the tenant and core-area fire detection and communications coverage and establishing an automatic elevator recall procedure.
A New Kind of Crime Fighter
In the past five years alone, burglaries have increased by 58%, reports EC&M in 1977. "Thwarting this pervasive business predator has created an electronic combat zone incorporating a wide variety of devices designed to detect the presence of an intruder and either sound an alarm or summon assistance," the article reveals. As a result, many contractors are installing and servicing electrical signal systems. According to the article, the sophistication and intricacies of security systems have developed in proportion to the value of goods jeopardized by burglary. However, the problems do not end with the installation. Security is assured only through periodic testing and verification of intended functions. In the late '70s, more than 300 central stations and 600 local police-station installation contractors subscribed to an Underwriters' Laboratories certificate service designed to ensure adequacy and uniformity of the operation of burglary protection systems.


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As part of an ongoing series, Confessions of a Cover Artist, every Friday, I'll introduce readers to new cover artists whom I feel make exceptional covers. These artists must come highly recommended by their clients, so artists, please don't apply to be featured. If you find an awesome artist, hold onto her/him. An artist who understands what the client needs is a true gem and can keep continuity with the author's future books. I love the way Christine DeMaio-Rice's incorporates texture and blends color in her covers. I was not surprised to find out she works in the fashion industry. She has a good eye for creative composition. Please give Christine a warm welcome and feel free to admire her creative artwork.
TW: Why do you design cover art? How did you first get started?
Christine: I designed my cover for Blue Valley because I thought that was what everyone did. I found I had some kind of talent when I didn't know I had, because people started PMing me on Kindleboards asking who my artist was!
TW: What have you learned along the way?
Christine: One, I learn something new about my main tool, Photoshop, every day. Seriously, do you know how wild that application is? I can't tell you what 60 percent of the stuff on the menu does, but every time I figure something out, I design a little better and a little faster.
TW: Oh, I totally agree about that one. I'll accidentally come across a tool and wonder how I'd missed it before. What mistakes, if any, did you make early on when designing covers?
Christine: There were things I could have done more easily with clipping masks and other tools that I spent hours doing by hand. OMG this interview is so boring, it's like an ad for Photoshop, and I used the phrase "clipping mask" like it was exciting to anyone but me. Let me see if I can spice up the answer to the next question.
TW: List in order, the five most important elements of a good cover.
TW: HEY! Those sound like most of the romance covers I make.
Christine: Ok no really. Ignore the real list below because it's boring but important
- Genre. This is a partnership between the colors, the size and type of font, and the image(s). To me, I should know what kind of book I'm buying from the cover alone. The blurb can add nuance, but the cover and title areyour biggest tools for sales because they broadcast the content.
- Nothing else is important except number 1 above, but also, customer satisfaction. If the author does not love their cover, they won't show it all over town, and if they don't show it all over town, the book won't sell. Period.
- It should look like a real book. When the customer clicks on Amazon, their reaction should be nil. Nothing. They should not even notice the cover because they've been looking at trad pubbed books and when they come across yours it should fit in so well that there is no skip in the mind that makes them say, "this doesn't fit in." Which is not to say the cover shouldn't be beautiful, but beauty is fine as long as you understand this is a marketing tool for the words under the cover, not an end unto itself.
- Font. I should be able to read it, and it should be correct for the genre. And kerned. I cannot stress enough the importance of kerning.
- Depth. This is where most authors who do their own covers fall down on the job. You've got the right font and the right photo, and you put those two together and think you're done. You're not. Or, to be more clear, you shouldn't be. You need to add texture, and color depth, and you need to look at that font and ask yourself if it would benefit from a dropped shadow or a touch of bevel. It's the little things, really. Look at other covers you like and see what they've done, and if they've done nothing, go look at more covers.
Christine: Illustrating a scene from the book and saying that's what's in the book. To be honest, if an author insists on illustrating a scene I pass them on to another designer. On a verbal level, or a structural one, your scene may indeed encompass the whole theme of the book. It doesn't matter. Go to the bookstore and find covers that show a scene from the book. Very very few do that. It's just not what covers are meant to do.
TW: What's your average turn-around time for cover art?
Christine: Three days to three weeks. It depends. Right now I'm doing Lin Welch's Whisperings series and I'm doing so much photomanipulation it's taking forever. It was totally unexpected, but they look awesome. If someone needs a fast turnaround, I opened a premades store with inexpensive, readymade covers.
TW: What software do you use to create covers?
Christine: Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Bridge, FontExplorer Pro. I occasionally have to use Illustrator but I try to avoid it. That program has moved further and further away from real logic with every update.
Christine: Mostly Shutterstock, but sometimes I have to move afield for that one special thing.
TW: Before you get started on a cover, what information do you need from the author?
Christine; Blurb and genre. If I don't know the person, I ask for links to other covers they like. Once I have all that, if we decide to use a face on there, I send stock photos for approval first. The character's face is very important and no one knows them like the author. This can take a wildly long time, but after that it's pretty quick.
TW: If you suddenly lost your skilz, who would you hire to design your cover art?
Christine: This was a tough question. It would have to be someone who has infinite patience and an excellent knowledge of Photoshop, because I'm going to be over their shoulder
telling them what to do, and where I'd experiment to get what I wanted, this person would have to know what to do without the frustrating steps to get there. Honestly they wouldn't need any visual talent at all, because their eye would just get in my way.
TW: Do you think being a novelist makes you a better cover artist? How so?
Christine: It makes me sympathetic to what the author wants, and it makes me totally customer service oriented, because I get it. I really do.
For more of Christine's FANTASTIC cover art, LIKE FLIP CITY BOOKS on Facebook or visit her WEBSITE.
Dead is the New Black is FREE today only on Kindle!
Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He's fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he's gay.
When he's arrested for murder, secrets come to light and nothing is what it seems. If Laura can just solve this crime, keep the cops off her tail, break up a counterfeiting ring, and get the show on the runway by Friday, she might stop being Seventh Avenue's perpetual loser.
If you love Project Runway, or enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, try Dead Is the New Black.


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Alabama Newspapers on Microfilm Database
This database includes newspapers that are available on microfilm. The microfilm is available for use in the Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) Reference Room. The microfilm may be ordered on interlibrary loan from your local library, and some reels are available for purchase. The ADAH collection also includes newspapers that have not yet been microfilmed. Click here for the database of additional non-microfilmed newspapers at the ADAH.


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I am a 3.5 and am looking to play tennis on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and am also available on weekend afternoons. Email me if you have the time available.
Views: 250
Replies to This Discussion
yes please call or text me. oak creek tennis center or plano west high school are great locations for me. 469.499.6896
Hi Jay,
Are you still looking for a playing partner? If yes, I can play on Sunday (July 1). Since the heat index is in the 100's in the afternoon, do you want to play a little earlier or later, whichever works for you.
Please text me on 469 236 8659 if you are interested.
Hey, i live in rowlett and play in richardson and plano. 4.0 player...214 783 7606
Hey Jay ... I am in Addison and am looking for people to hit with also... I am on average a 3.5 as well... my schedule is pretty flexible so i can play anytime really ... let me know if youde like to play!
I am in Allen. Tuesday evening is good for me. Let me know when you like to play. cheers
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text: This discussion of letting scientists program reminds me of something that really impressed me about an earlier generation of folks at, I think, CERN. They had, for those days, a big real-time processing problem to process detector data, and they couldn't afford commercial computers to do it, so they built their own racks full of limited 360 clones to do the job. The programming AND the iron was completely incidental to their true goals. They regarded computers and programming as means, rather than ends in themselves, yet were not afraid to step outside their box anymore than a woodworker is afraid to build a jig or grind a chisel to achieve her ends. -- -Larry / Sector IX


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European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 6 March 2014
Towards an EU integrated approach to global maritime security
The European Commission and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have adopted today a Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council "For an open and secure global maritime domain: elements for a European Union maritime security strategy".
This joint communication presents a vision of the Union's maritime security interests and threats, and proposes the areas in which cooperation between various maritime players can be enhanced beyond what is already good practice today. It encompasses all maritime functions, from coastguards to navies, port authorities and customs duty officers and would affect the EU waters as well as each ship sailing under EU Member States' – flag and have a global reach. This document will now serve as a basis for the work with Member States towards a full-fledged EU maritime security strategy.
Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission said:
"The security and well-being of Europeans greatly depend on open and safe seas. It is therefore necessary for the EU to deal with maritime threats and challenges. We need a joined-up approach, as demonstrated in the Horn of Africa where we have achieved significant results in fighting piracy. This Communication paves the way for a more systematic use of all the tools we have at our disposal and will allow us to speak with one voice to our international partners."
Maria Damanaki, EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said:
"Ensuring the security of our seas and oceans is a prime objective of the EU. Our citizens expect effective responses to the protection of ports and off-shore installations, securing our sea-borne trade, addressing potential threats from criminal activities at sea or possible disputes of maritime boundaries. Today we are taking an important step forward. It is the first time that the EU is developing a holistic strategy of this kind, which will help foster blue growth and the creation of new jobs in the maritime sector."
The purpose of the new strategy is to identify the maritime interests of the EU such as prevention of conflicts, protection of critical infrastructure, effective control of external borders, the protection of the global trade support chain and the prevention of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. It spells out the multitude of risks and threats the EU and its citizens may be confronted with: territorial maritime disputes, maritime piracy, terrorism against ships and ports or other critical infrastructure, organised sea-borne crime and trafficking up to potential impacts of natural disasters or extreme events.
Re-enforced cooperation between all maritime actors can efficiently address the risks and threats better than today. According to the communication, the strategy should focus on five specific areas where a coordinated approach in the EU based on already existing tools would have an added value:
The European Union is surrounded by seas and oceans, which are drivers for the European economy with great potential. At the same time maritime security functions are performed by a wide range of actors in fields such as maritime transport, fisheries inspection, border control, law enforcement and other authorities. They cover a vast spectrum of challenges, threats and risks aiming to ensure good governance at sea – conditional for an open, safe and secure global maritime domain.
EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA together with other EU measures has helped containing piracy in the Western Indian Ocean. They show that EU external action can make a real difference, and it can provide useful lessons for further actions.
Existing efforts need to be streamlined in order to ensure synergies and cost efficiency in times of financial crisis. Even more so since the EU has strategic maritime interests around the globe and needs to be able to safeguard those interests adequately and efficiently.
EU's interest in maritime security: facts and figures
For more information:
EU Naval Force – Operation Atalanta
EU fight against piracy in Horn of Africa
The European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR)
EU Maritime transport security
Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council
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Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Pellegrini plots 2014 title push
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is happy with his side's position heading into the new year and the second half of the season.
City will end 2013 just a point off the top of the Barclays Premier League having clawed back five points on leaders Arsenal over the course of the last month.
Pellegrini had said he wanted to be top, or at least within three points of it, by January.
With that aim completed, and progress also made in the Champions League and Capital One Cup, he is now looking forward to a strong push over the remainder of the campaign.
The Chilean, whose side are back in action at Swansea on New Year's Day, said: "I think it was a fantastic month for us.
"We played nine games in December, we won eight and drew just one.
"In the Premier League, from the last seven we won six.
"It was very important for us to recover points. Arsenal were six points ahead of us so it is very important to finish the year in the position we wanted to be.
"To recover six points in a month is not easy.
"We continue in Capital Oneand Champions League so I think the first six months of the year were very good for us. Now in the second half we try to win."
Despite their superb form, City have found the going tough in their past two games.
City did well to hang on for a 2-1 win as Liverpool made life difficult on Boxing Day and two days later they could only manage a 1-0 victory over battling Crystal Palace.
Pellegrini expects more of the same at the Liberty Stadium even though the Swans have not won in five Premier League games and City overcame the Welsh side 3-0 a month ago.
The 60-year-old said: "Every team in the Premier League can cause problems to our team and to all other teams. That is why it is so close, this Premier League.
"I repeat what I have said, six or seven teams will be fighting for the Premier League until the end.
"We will continue exactly the same as in the first half.
"Within four or five points, you have five teams and the second half will be exactly the same.
"Swansea play very well at home and away. We will need to be very strong in all senses, defending and attacking, if we want the three points."
Just six points separate Arsenal at the top from Tottenham in seventh.
Such is the tight nature of the table that Liverpool, who led on Christmas Day, have slipped to fifth in the space of two games.
It could be the closest title race for years, something Pellegrini had suspected might happen.
He said: "It is not a surprise for me. I have lived in Europe for the last 10 years, in Spain, and I always saw the Premier League so I knew there were strong teams.
"The budget of the teams is closer than in Spain, so that is why you have six or seven important teams. All the other teams can't win the league but they are strong teams also."
City will be without playmaker David Silva through suspension while top scorer Sergio Aguero, fellow striker Stevan Jovetic and defenders Martin Demichelis and Micah Richards are still injured.
Right-back Pablo Zabaleta, recently recovered from a hamstring injury, was rested against Palace but will return.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart will play despite needing five stitches in a wound under his left eye suffered in the Palace match.
Pellegrini was frustrated by what he perceived as a defensive approach from Palace in that game but he accepts his team must learn to deal with such tactics.
He said: "I don't know what other teams will do in the future here at the Etihad.
"Crystal Palace played the game they thought was the best for them.
"We have to try to resolve the problem, although it is difficult when you are not fresh.
"We played 44 hours after a very tough game against Liverpool.
"What will happen in the future, I don't know, but it is our problem to resolve."


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DMK president and Tamil Nadu's former chief minister M Karunanidhi announced as it finalised its seat sharing agreement for the tamil nadu(TN) election 2016 and the candidates List for 2016 election day, the party would filed candidates in 176 seats in the Assembly elections.
The Congress will contest 41 seats in the Tamil Nadu assembly 2016 election, 5 seats each to the Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) and the MMK, another Muslim party, and 1 seat to the smaller SSP.
The Puthiya Tamizhagam(PT) party will contest in 4 constituencies in the May 16th 2016 tamil nadu(TN) assembly election 2016 polls.
Today(April 9th, 2016), Mr Stalin told reporters in Chennai, "Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) will release the election manifesto on April 10 2016".
As per tn election department, the 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu will go to polls on 16th May 2016, M K Stalin today Started his party's campaign in R.K Nagar constituency. On 4th March 2016, the tn election commission announced that the elections to the state will take place in one phase. The votes will be counted and tamil nadu election results will be announced on 19th May 2016.
The overall election 2016 predictions is "Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) president Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) should become the Chief Minister ot Tamil Nadu again and we will work whole heartedly for that" and finally we are waiting for tamil nadu election results on 19th May 2016.
DMK memes are very famous among tamil social media users, ie. especially on Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp every day new memes on Karunanidhi and Stalin posts bumps into it and goes viral. Stalin started a campaign called Namaku Name keeping eye on TN Election 2016 but that becomes a troll material for socialmedia people. Here we got you the collection of dmk memes and trolls for you.


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For more about using talk pages check out Wikitravel:Using talk pages.
Freedom Park[edit]
If anyone has actually managed to visit Freedom Park I would love to hear about it. I have tried twice now and have been show away both times. First time I was told that they are closed (at 15h30) and the other that there were not enough guides available. Apparently the freedom the park symbolizes does not extend to freely roaming around the park on your own without being escorted by a guide. --Nick 18:53, 24 May 2008 (EDT)
OpenStreetMap integration[edit]
I've added many places of interest to OpenStreetMap : Restaurants in Pretoria Guest House in Pretoria Hotel in Pretoria-- Nic 14:14, 14 September 2008 (EDT)
Marching to Pretoria[edit]
I can't believe this article doesn't have a By foot section under Get in. LtPowers 11:33, 5 December 2008 (EST)


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Congressman Mike Michaud spent his first live interview since announcing his run for Governor with political analyst and host of Inside Maine, Ethan Strimling. From his roots in Maine, to the origins of his first political race, to his positions on issues like Gay Marriage and Medicaid expansion, the two chatted about all things political. Plus, Mike talks about the importance of his father in his life as we approach Father's Day.
Click below to listen for yourself.


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Aylesbury Prison information
The prison was opened as a county gaol in 1847 and served as such until 1890 when it became a women's prison. Two new wings were added in 1902 serving initially as an Inebriates Centre and in the 1930s as a girls' borstal. In 1959, the prison was converted to house adult male prisoners and in 1961, it changed again to house young male offenders aged between 17 and 21. In 1989, Aylesbury was designated as a long term young offender institution. Aylesbury holds the longest sentenced young adult males in the English prison system.
Bierton Road
Tel: 01296 444 000
Fax: 01296 444 001
Governor: Laura Sapwell
Accommodation: Single and double cells in seven residential wings.
Operational Capacity: 444


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Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Gun Charges
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Armando Duenez has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to export firearms and failure to appear, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Duenez, 31, who entered the plea late yesterday afternoon, was employed as a police officer with the Rio Hondo Police Department during the offense.
The former officer entered into an agreement with others to export weapons from the United States to Mexico. Duenez admitted to working with Raymond Martinez, formerly a member of the Palm Valley Police Department, to buy firearms and sell them for a profit to individuals who intended to smuggle them to Mexico. Duenez admitted to purchasing more than 15 semi-automatic rifles that were later sold in Mexico. The rifles were all capable of accepting high capacity magazines. The investigation began when weapons recovered in Mexico were traced back to him. Martinez was also convicted of dealing in firearms without a license and later sentenced to federal prison.
Duenez was arrested for the firearms offense in July 2008. After being release on bond, Duenez failed to appear for his arraignment having fled to Mexico. Duenez remained in Mexico until he surrendered to United States Marshals Service in December 2012.
U.S. District Judge Hilda G. Tagle, who accepted the guilty plea today, has set sentencing for May 1, 2013. At that time he faces up to five years in federal prison on each of the charges as well as a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bill Hagen.