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Frost and ice.
methinks I should hear with indifference if a trustworthy messenger were to inform me that the sun drowned himself last night
Thoreau's Journal: 29-Sep-1851
Found Hosmer carting out manure from under his barn to make room for the winter. He said he was tired of farming, he was too old. Quoted Webster as saying that he had never eaten the bread of idleness for a single day, and thought that the Lord Brougham might have said as much with truth while he was in the opposition, but he did not know that he could say as much of himself. However, he did not wish to be idle, he merely wished to rest.
Thoreau's Journal: 28-Sep-1854
As I complain that the voyager to arctic regions, in his description of the scenery, does not enough remind the reader directly or indirectly of the peculiar dreariness of the scene or of the perpetual twilight of the arctic night, so he whose theme is moonlight will find it hard to illustrate it with the light of the moon alone.
Thoreau's Journal: 27-Sep-1852
From Smith's Hill I looked toward the mountain line. Who can believe that the mountain peak which he beholds fifty miles off in the horizon, rising far and faintly blue above an intermediate range, while he stands on his trivial native hills or in the dusty highway, can be the same with which he looked up at once near at hand from a gorge in the midst of primitive woods? For a part of two days I traveled across lots once, loitering by the way, through primitive wood and swamps over the highest peak of the Peterboro Hills to Monadnock, by ways from which all landlords and stage-drivers endeavored to dissuade us. It was not a month ago. But now that I look across the globe in an instant to the dim Monadnock peak, and these familiar fields and corpsewoods appear to occupy the greater part of the interval, I cannot realize that Joe Eavely's house still stands there at the base of the mountain, and all that long tramp through wild woods with invigorating scents before I got to it. I cannot realize that on the tops of those cool blue ridges are in abundance berries still, bluer than themselves, as if they borrowed their blueness from their locality. From the mountains we do not discern our native hills; but from our native hills we look out easily to the far blue mountains, which seem to preside over them. As I look northwestward to that summit from a Concord cornfield, how little can I realize all the life that is passing between me and it,—the retired up-country farmhouses, the lonely mills, wooded vales, wild rocky pastures, and new clearings on stark mountain-sides, and rivers murmuring through primitive woods! All these, and how much more, I overlook. I see the very peak,—there can be no mistake,—but how much I do not see, that is between me and it! How much I overlook! In this way we see stars. What is it but a faint blue cloud, a mist that may vanish? But what is it, on the other hand, to one who has traveled to it day after day, has threaded the forest and climbed the hills that are between this and that, has tasted the raspberries or the blueberries that grow on it, and the springs that gush from it, has been wearied with climbing its rocky sides, felt the coolness of its summit, and been lost in the clouds there?
Thoreau's Journal: 26-Sep-1852
The increasing scarlet and yellow tints around the meadows and the river remind me of the opening of a vast flower-bud; they are the petals of its corolla, which is of the width of the valleys. It is the flower of autumn, whose expanding bud just begins to blush.
Thoreau's Journal: 25-Sep-1851
Some men are excited by the smell of burning powder, but I thought in my dream last night how much saner to be excited by the smell of new bread.
Thoreau's Journal: 24-Sep-1859
Though you may have sauntered near to heaven's gate, when at length you return toward the village you give up the enterprise a little, and you begin to fall into the old ruts of thought, like a roadster. Your thoughts very properly fail to report themselves to headquarters. Your thoughts turn toward night and the evening mail and become begrimed with dust, as if you were just going to put up at (with?) the tavern, or even come to make an exchange with a brother clergyman here on the morrow.
Thoreau's Journal: 23-Sep-1851
The telegraph harp sounds strongly to-day, in the midst of the rain. I put my ears to the trees and I hear it working terribly within, and anon it swells into a clear tone, which seems to concentrate in the core of the tree, for all the sound seems to proceed from the wood. It is as if you had entered some world-famous cathedral, resounding to some vast organ. The fibres of all things have their tension, and are strained like the strings of a lyre. I feel the very ground tremble under my feet as I stand near the post. The wire vibrates with great power, as if it would strain and rend the wood. What an awful an fateful music it must be to the worms in the wood! No better vermifuge were needed. No danger that worms will attack this wood; such vibrating music would thrill them to death. I scare up large flocks of sparrows in the garden.
Thoreau's Journal: 22-Sep-1859
It is remarkable what a curse seems to attach to any place which has long been inhabited by man. Vermin of various kinds abide with him. It is said that the site of Babylon is a desert where the lion and the jackal prowl. If, as here, an ancient cellar is uncovered, there springs up at once a crop of rank and noxious weeds, evidence of a certain unwholesome fertility,—by which perchance the earth relieves herself of the poisonous qualities which have been imparted to her. As if what was foul, baleful, groveling, or obscene in the inhabitants had sunk into the earth and infected it. Certain qualities are there in excess in the soil, and the proper equilibrium will not be obtained until after the sun and the air have purified the spot. The very shade breeds saltpetre. Yet men value this kind of earth highly and will pay a price for it, as if it were as good a soil for virtue as for vice.
In other places you will find henbane and the Jamestown-weed and the like, in cellars,—such herbs as the witches are said to put into their caldron.
It would be fit that the tobacco plant should spring up on the house-site, aye on the grave, of almost every householder of Concord. These vile weeds are sown by vile men. When the house is gone they spring up in the corners of cellars where the cider-casks stood always on tap, for murder and all kindred vices will out. And that rank crowd which lines the gutter, where the wash of the dinner dishes flows, are but distant parasites of the host. What obscene and poisonous weeds, think you, will mark the site of a Slave State?—what kind of Jamestown-weed?
In other places you will find henbane and the Jamestown-weed and the like, in cellars,—such herbs as the witches are said to put into their caldron.
It would be fit that the tobacco plant should spring up on the house-site, aye on the grave, of almost every householder of Concord. These vile weeds are sown by vile men. When the house is gone they spring up in the corners of cellars where the cider-casks stood always on tap, for murder and all kindred vices will out. And that rank crowd which lines the gutter, where the wash of the dinner dishes flows, are but distant parasites of the host. What obscene and poisonous weeds, think you, will mark the site of a Slave State?—what kind of Jamestown-weed?
Thoreau's Journal: 21-Sep-1854
I sometimes seem to myself to owe all my little success, all for which men commend me, to my vices. I am perhaps more willful than others and make enormous sacrifices, even of others' happiness, it may be, to gain my ends. It would seem even as if nothing good could be accomplished without some vice to aid in it.
Thoreau's Journal: 20-Sep-1851
As I go through the fields, endeavoring to recover my tone and sanity and to perceive things truly and simply again, after having been perambulating the bounds of the town all week, and dealing with the most commonplace and worldly-minded men, and emphatically trivial things, I feel as I had committed suicide in a sense. I am again forcibly struck with the truth of the fable of Apollo serving King Admetus, its universal applicability. A fatal coarseness is the result of mixing in the trivial affairs of men. Though I have been associating even with the select men of this and the surrounding towns, I feel inexpressibly begrimed. My Pegasus has lost his wings; he has turned a reptile and gone on his belly. Such things are compatible only with a cheap and superficial life.
The poet must keep himself unstained and aloof. Let him perambulate the bounds of Imagination's provinces, the realm of faery, and not the insignificant boundaries of towns. The excursions of the imagination are so boundless, the limits of the town so petty.
The poet must keep himself unstained and aloof. Let him perambulate the bounds of Imagination's provinces, the realm of faery, and not the insignificant boundaries of towns. The excursions of the imagination are so boundless, the limits of the town so petty.
Thoreau's Journal: 19-Sep-1854
Thinking this afternoon of the prospect of my writing lectures and going abroad to read them the next winter. I realized how incomparably great the advantages of obscurity and poverty which I have enjoyed so long (and may still perhaps enjoy). I thought with what more than princely, with what poetical, leisure I had spent my years hitherto, without care or engagement, fancy-free. I have given myself up to nature; I have lived so many springs and summers and autumns and winters as if I had nothing else to do but live them, and imbibe whatever nutriment they had for me; I have spent a couple of years, for instance, with the flowers chiefly, having none other so binding engagement as to observe when they opened; I could have afforded to spend a whole fall observing the changing tints of the foliage. Ah, how I have thriven on solitude and poverty! I cannot overstate this advantage. I do not see how I could have enjoyed it, if the public had been expecting as much of me as there is danger now that they will. If I go abroad lecturing, how shall I ever recover the lost winter?
Thoreau's Journal: 18-Sep-1859
Dr. Bartlett handed me a paper to-day, desiring me to subscribe for a statue to Horace Mann. I declined, and said that I thought a man ought not any more to take up room in the world after he was dead. We shall lose one advantage of a man's dying if we are to have a statue of him forthwith. This is probably meant to be an opposition statue to that of Webster. At this rate they will crowd the streets with them. A man will have to add a clause to his will, "No statue to be made of me." It is very offensive to my imagination to see the dying stiffen into statues at this rate. We should wait till their bones begin to crumble—and then avoid too near a likeness to the living.
Thoreau's Journal: 17-Sep-1839
Nature never makes haste; her systems revolve at an even pace. The bud swells imperceptibly, without hurry or confusion, as though the short spring days were an eternity. All her operations seem separately for the time, the single object for which all things tarry. Why, then, should man hasten as if anything less than eternity were allotted for the least deed? Let him consume never so many eons, so that he go about the meanest task well, though it be but the paring of his nails. If the setting sun seems to hurry him to improve the day while it lasts, the chant of the crickets fails not to reassure him, even-measured as of old, teaching him to take his own time henceforth forever. The wise man is restful, never restless or impatient. He each moment abides there where he is, as some walkers actually rest the whole body at each step, while others never relax the muscles of the leg till the accumulated fatigue obliges them to stop short.
As the wise is not anxious that time wait for him, neither does he wait for it.
As the wise is not anxious that time wait for him, neither does he wait for it.
Thoreau's Journal: 16-Sep-1858
When I awake I hear the sound of steady heavy rain. A southeast storm. Our peach tree limbs are broken off by it. It lasts all day, rains a great deal, and scatters many elm boughs and leaves over the street. The wind does damage out of proportion to its strength. The fact is, the trees are unprepared to resist a wind from this quarter and, being loaded with foliage and fruit, suffer so much the more. There will be many windfalls, and fruit will be cheap for awhile.
Thoreau's Journal: 15-Sep-1856
Sophia says, bringing company into my sanctum, by way of apology, that I regard the dust on my furniture like the bloom on fruits, not to be swept off. Which reminds me that the bloom on fruits and stems is the only dust which settles on Nature's furniture.
Thoreau's Journal: 14-Sep-1855
It costs so much to publish, would it not be better for the author to put his manuscripts in a safe?
Thoreau's Journal: 13-Sep-1852
How earnestly and rapidly each creature, each flower, is fulfilling its part while its day lasts! Nature never lost a day, nor a moment. As the planet in its orbit and around its axis, so do the seasons, so does time, revolve, with a rapidity inconceivable. In the moment, in the eon, well employed, time ever advances with this rapidity. To an idler the man employed is terribly rapid. He that is not behind his time is swift. The immortals are swift. Clear the track! The plant that waited a whole year, and then blossomed the instant it was ready and the earth was ready for it, without the conception of delay, was rapid. To the conscience of the idle man, the stillness of a placid September day sounds like the din and whirl of a factory. Only employment can still this din in the air.
Thoreau's Journal: 11-Sep-1852
Genius is like the snapping-turtle, born with a great developed head. They say our brain at birth is one-sixth the weight of our body.
Thoreau's Journal: 10-Sep-1860
Leaving Lowell at 7 A.M. in the cars, I observed and admired the dew on a fine grass in the meadows, which was almost as white and silvery as frost when the rays of the newly risen sun fell on it. Some of it was probably the frost of the morning melted. I saw that this phenomenon was confined to one species of grass, which grew in narrow curving lines and small patches along the edges of the meadows or lowest ground,—a grass with very fine stems and branches, which held the dew; in short, that it was what I had falsely called Eragrostic capillaries, but which is probably the Sporobolus serotinus, almost the only, if not the only, grass there in its prime. And thus the plant has its day. Owing to the number of its very fine branches, now in their prime, it holds the dew like a cobweb,—a clear drop at the end and lesser drops or beads all along the fine branches and stems. It grows on the higher parts of the meadow, where other herbage is thin, and is the less apt to be cut; and, seen toward the sun not long after sunrise, it is very conspicuous and bright a quarter of a mile off, like frost work. Call it dew-grass. I find its hyaline seed.
Almost every plant, however humble, has thus its day, and sooner or later becomes the characteristic feature of some part of the landscape or other.
Almost every plant, however humble, has thus its day, and sooner or later becomes the characteristic feature of some part of the landscape or other.
Thoreau's Journal: 09-Sep-1851
There is a low vapor in the meadows beyond the depot, dense and white, though scarcely higher than a man's head, concealing the stems of the trees. I see that the oaks, which are so dark and distinctly outlined, are illumined by the moon on the opposite side. This as I go up the back road. A few thin, ineffectual clouds in the sky. I come out thus into the moonlit night, where men are not, as if into a scenery anciently deserted by men. The life of men is like a dream. It is three thousand years since night has had possession. Go forth and hear the crickets chirp at night. Hear if their dynasty is not an ancient one and well founded. I feel the antiquity of the night. She surely repossesses herself of her realms, as if her dynasty were uninterrupted, or she had underlain the day.
Thoreau's Journal: 08-Sep-1859
The 7th, 8th, and 9th, the State muster is held here. The only observation I have to make is that [Concord] is fuller of dust and more uninhabitable than I ever knew it to be before. Not only the walls, fences, and houses are thickly covered with dust, but the fields and meadows and bushes; and the pads in the river for half a mile from the village are white with it. From a mile or two distant you see a cloud of dust over the town and extending thence to the muster-field. I went to the store the other day to buy a bolt for our front door, for, as I told the storekeeper, the Governor was coming here. "Aye," said he, "and the Legislature too." "Then I will take two bolts," said I. He said that there had been a steady demand for bolts and locks of late, for our protectors were coming. The surface of the roads for three to six inches in depth is a light and dry powder like ashes.
Thoreau's Journal: 07-Sep-1851
If the wine, the water, which will nourish me grows on the surface of the moon, I will do the best I can to go to the moon for it.
Thoreau's Journal: 06-Sep-1841
Some hours seem not to be occasion for anything, unless for great resolves to draw breath and repose in, so religiously do we postpone all action therein. We do not straight go about to execute our thrilling purpose, but shut our doors behind us, and saunter with prepared mind, as if the half were already done.
Thoreau's Journal: 05-Sep-1851
Moonlight on Fair Haven Pond seen from the Cliffs. A sheeny lake in the midst of a boundless forest, the windy surf sounding freshly and wildly in the single pine behind you; the silence of hushed wolves in the wilderness, and, as you fancy, moose looking off from the shores of the lake. The stars of poetry and history and unexplored nature looking down on the scene. This is my world now, with a dull whitish mark curving northward through the forest marking the outlet to the lake. Fair Haven by moonlight lies there like a lake in the Maine wilderness in the midst of a primitive forest untrodden by man. This light and this hour take the civilization all out of landscape. Even in villages dogs bay the moon; in forests like this we listen to hear wolves howl to Cynthia.
Thoreau's Journal: 04-Sep-1841
I think I should write a poem to be called "Concord." For argument I should have the River, the Woods, the Ponds, the Hills, the Fields, the Swamps and Meadows, the Streets and Buildings, and the Villagers. Then Morning, Noon, and Evening, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, Night, Indian Summer, and the Mountains in the Horizon.
Thoreau's Journal: 03-Sep-1851
As for walking, the inhabitants of large English towns are confined almost exclusively to their parks and to their highways. The few footpaths in their vicinities "are gradually vanishing" says Wilkinson, "under the encroachments of the proprietors." He proposes that the people's right to them to be asserted and defended and that they be kept in a passable state at the public expense. "This," says he, "would be easily done by means of asphalt laid upon a good foundation"!!! So much for walking, in the neighborhood of English large towns.
Think of a man—he may be a genius of some kind—being confined to a highway and a park for his world to range in! I should die from mere nervousness at the thought of such confinement. I should hesitate before I were born, if those terms could be made known to me beforehand. Fenced in forever by those green barriers of fields, where gentlemen are seated! Can they be said to be inhabitants of this globe? Will they be content to inhabit heaven thus partially?
Think of a man—he may be a genius of some kind—being confined to a highway and a park for his world to range in! I should die from mere nervousness at the thought of such confinement. I should hesitate before I were born, if those terms could be made known to me beforehand. Fenced in forever by those green barriers of fields, where gentlemen are seated! Can they be said to be inhabitants of this globe? Will they be content to inhabit heaven thus partially?
Thoreau's Journal: 02-Sep-1856
How deceptive these maps of western rivers! Methought they were scattered according to the fancy of the map maker,—were dry channels at best,—but it turns out that the Missouri at Nebraska City is three times as wide as the Mississippi at Burlington, and Grasshopper Creek, perhaps will turn out to be as big as the Thames or Hudson.
There was an old gentlemen here to-day who lived in Concord when he was young and remembers how Dr. Ripley talked to hi8m and other little boys from the pulpit, as they came into church with their hands full of lilies, saying that those lilies looked so fresh that they must have been gathered that morning! Therefore they must have committed the sin of bathing this morning! Why, this is as sacred a river as the Ganges, sir.
I feel this difference between great poetry and small: that in the one, the sense outruns and overflows the words; in the other, the words the sense.
There was an old gentlemen here to-day who lived in Concord when he was young and remembers how Dr. Ripley talked to hi8m and other little boys from the pulpit, as they came into church with their hands full of lilies, saying that those lilies looked so fresh that they must have been gathered that morning! Therefore they must have committed the sin of bathing this morning! Why, this is as sacred a river as the Ganges, sir.
I feel this difference between great poetry and small: that in the one, the sense outruns and overflows the words; in the other, the words the sense.
Thoreau's Journal: 01-Sep-1851
Is not disease the rule of existence? There is not a lily pad floating on the river but has been riddled by insects. Almost every shrub and tree has its gall, oftentimes esteemed its chief ornament and hardly to be distinguished from the fruit. If misery loves company, misery has company enough. Now, at midsummer, find me a perfect leaf or fruit.
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The Padres are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League/International Signings
- Orlando Hudson, 2B: two years, $11.5MM. Includes $8MM club option for 2013 with a $2MM buyout. Padres cannot offer arbitration if Hudson is a Type A at end of contract.
- Aaron Harang, SP: one year, $4MM. Includes $5MM mutual option for 2012 with a $500K buyout. Padres cannot offer arbitration if Harang is Type A.
- Brad Hawpe, 1B: one year, $3MM. Includes $6MM mutual option for 2012 with a $1MM buyout. Padres cannot offer arbitration if Hawpe is Type A.
- Chad Qualls, RP: one year, $2.55MM. Includes $6MM club option for 2012 with a $1.05MM buyout.
- Dustin Moseley, SP/RP: one year, $950K. Can be under team control through 2013 as an arbitration eligible player.
- Jorge Cantu, 1B/3B: one year, $850K.
- Edwin Moreno, OF: $500K bonus.
- Total spend: $23.35MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
- Gregg Zaun, Guillermo Quiroz, Kevin Frandsen, Randy Flores, Geoff Geary, Jesus Guzman, Kyle Phillips, Luis Perdomo, Greg Burke, David Newhan, Bobby Kielty, Matt Riley
- Jason Bartlett, SS: two years, $11MM. Includes $5.5MM club option for 2012 with a $1.5MM buyout.
Trades and Claims
- Claimed 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir off waivers from Blue Jays
- Acquired CF Cameron Maybin from Marlins for RP Ryan Webb and RP Edward Mujica
- Acquired SP Casey Kelly, 1B Anthony Rizzo, CF Reymond Fuentes, and OF/2B Eric Patterson from Red Sox for 1B Adrian Gonzalez
- Claimed RP George Kontos in Rule 5 draft from Yankees
- Acquired SS Jason Bartlett and a player to be named later from Rays for RP Brandon Gomes, RP Adam Russell, SP/RP Cesar Ramos, and 2B Cole Figueroa
- Acquired C Rob Johnson from Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations
- Claimed SP Samuel Deduno off waivers from Rockies
Notable Losses
- Adrian Gonzalez, Jon Garland, Kevin Correia, Chris Young, David Eckstein, Jerry Hairston Jr., Yorvit Torrealba, Scott Hairston, Tony Gwynn, Miguel Tejada, Matt Stairs, Ryan Webb, Edward Mujica, Brandon Gomes, Adam Russell, Cesar Ramos, Cole Figueroa
Despite nearly making the playoffs in 2010, the Padres cashed in their best player by sending Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox as the first baseman entered his contract year. Like the Marlins with Dan Uggla and the Rays with Matt Garza, Padres GM Jed Hoyer built a team to win in 2011 despite a major subtraction.
I didn't expect Gonzalez to be traded this offseason, as he is coming off shoulder surgery and the Padres had some goodwill from their surprising 90 win season. With Gonzalez set to earn just $6.3MM in 2011, the trade was not financially motivated. Instead, Hoyer must have been bowled over by the haul of prospects offered by Boston. The Gonzalez trade seems a tough sell to the fan base, as Hoyer could have waited to assess his team at the trade deadline or just resolved to taking two draft picks after the season – similar to what the Brewers chose to do with Prince Fielder. In Hoyer's defense, Fielder did not have Gonzalez's trade value, and waiting to trade Gonzalez meant risking getting much less in return.
The dropoff in offensive production at first base could be surprisingly small if Hawpe and Cantu are used wisely in a platoon and perform at their 2008-09 levels. The bar for offense at almost every other position is very low if the Padres just aim to improve on last year's 4.10 runs per game.
The Padres' relatively pricey new-look middle infield of Hudson and Bartlett should provide better performance on both sides of the ball for two years. The Padres haven't gotten even a .325 OBP out of a middle infield spot since Mark Loretta in 2005. The Padres have Chase Headley and Ryan Ludwick penciled into a couple of offensive-minded positions, and they're looking from big improvements from both.
Hoyer dealt from a position of strength to acquire Bartlett and Maybin, as MLBTR's Mike Axisa explained in December. The Padres had one of few bullpens that could withstand some losses; they still have Heath Bell, Mike Adams, and Luke Gregerson to turn games into six-inning affairs, and there are positive vibes around bounceback pickup Qualls.
Qualls was just one example illustrating Hoyer's buy-low strategy this offseason. Harang, Hawpe, Cantu, and Maybin are four other acquisitions who fell to the Padres because of down 2010 seasons. Maybin, with the biggest upside, cost the most in Webb. The Padres gave up five seasons of control of the hard-throwing righty.
With the loss of Gonzalez, few will pick the Padres to win the NL West in 2011. For Hoyer's revamped team to contend, pitching will again be key. The Padres have a young, interesting rotation led by 23-year-old Mat Latos and still boast one of the league's top bullpens. And as questionable as a Padres lineup without Gonzalez sounds, the offense could still top its 2010 output.
Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

subset: commoncrawl


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The United States targeted more than two dozen companies and people on Thursday for evading sanctions against Iran, an effort by the Obama administration to show it will enforce existing law even as it presses Congress to hold off on additional measures while world powers pursue a comprehensive nuclear deal with Tehran.
The action freezes the US assets of firms in Panama, Singapore, Ukraine and elsewhere for maintaining covert business with Iran's national tanker company. Other companies involved directly in the proliferation of material useful for weapons of mass destruction also were blacklisted from the US market. American citizens are banned from any transactions with the listed individuals and firms.
Related stories:
- Western firms lining up to revive business with Iran
- Kerry raises doubts if Iran ready for final deal
- Rohani: Nuclear deal helped economy
The announcement by the Treasury and State departments comes as the administration is furiously lobbying lawmakers to refrain from any new package of sanctions on Iran after last month's interim nuclear agreement in Geneva. As part of the deal, the US agreed to no new nuclear-related financial penalties against Tehran for six months, and Iran's foreign minister has warned that any such action could kill the diplomatic effort.
Still, many Republicans and Democrats in Congress have called for even tougher measures to raise the pressure further on the Islamic republic, despite the administration's pleas for patience.
On Thursday, the Obama administration received important support from Senator Tim Johnson, a Democrat and chairman of the Senate banking committee, which had been seen as a likely starting point for any new sanctions from Congress.
"The administration's request for a diplomatic pause is reasonable," Johnson said at an Iran hearing he chaired. "A new round of US sanctions now could rupture the unity of the international coalition against Iran's nuclear program. Existing sanctions will continue to bite, and to bite hard."
Separately Thursday, the Royal Bank of Scotland agreed to pay $100 million to settle claims by US and New York state regulators that it violated US sanctions against Iran and other countries. Regulators said the bank channeled about $523 million in transactions to other banks for clients from those countries and concealed the clients' identities in the paperwork.
US officials have stressed that most US oil, banking and commercial restrictions remain in place despite the deal last month, which eased $7 billion in sanctions on Iran for a series of nuclear concessions. Secretary of State John Kerry argued earlier this week that Iran would still lose $30 billion as a result of economic penalties that stay in force under the interim deal.
"We have not imposed sanctions for sanctions' sake," David S. Cohen, the Treasury Department's sanctions chief, told Senate banking committee members. "One of the key purposes of sanctions always has been to induce a shift in the policy calculus of the Iranian government and to build the necessary leverage for serious negotiations about Iran's nuclear program."
Wendy Sherman, the lead US nuclear negotiator with Iran, also testified.
The administration appears to have succeeded in heading off any immediate sanctions, but Senate action may not be far off. Aides said Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid has been talking about possible votes in January after the passage of a defense bill he hopes to secure before senators break next week for Christmas.
Possible House action against Iran this week looks likely to fall short of new penalties, yet may be followed up after its members return in the new year. Aides said the nonbinding resolution being pushed by Republican Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor would instead spell out suggested terms for any final deal. It could be introduced as early as Thursday.
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The European Space Agency and the Australian National University have successfully tested a new design of spacecraft ion engine that dramatically improves performance over present thrusters and marks a major step forward in space propulsion capability.
Ion engines are a form of electric propulsion and work by accelerating a beam of positively charged particles (or ions) away from the spacecraft using an electric field. ESA is currently using electric propulsion on its Moon mission, SMART-1. The new engine is over ten times more fuel efficient than the one used on SMART-1. "Using a similar amount of propellant as SMART-1, with the right power supply, a future spacecraft using our new engine design wouldn't just reach the Moon, it would be able to leave the Solar System entirely," says Dr Roger Walker of ESA's Advanced Concepts Team, Research Fellow in Advanced Propulsion and Technical Manager of the project.
The new experimental engine, called the Dual-Stage 4-Grid (DS4G) ion thruster, was designed and built under a contract with ESA in the extremely short time of four months by a dedicated team at the Australian National University. "The success of the DS4G prototype shows what can be achieved with the passion and drive of a capable and committed team. It was an incredible experience to work with ESA to transform such an elegant idea into a record-breaking reality", says Dr. Orson Sutherland, the engine's designer and head of the development team at the ANU. During November 2005, the DS4G engine was tested for the first time in ESA's Electric Propulsion Laboratory at ESTEC in the Netherlands, with support from Dr Sutherland and ESA test engineers.
Traditional ion engines use three closely separated perforated grids containing thousands of millimetre-sized holes attached to a chamber containing a reservoir of the charged particles. The first grid has thousands of volts applied, and the second grid operates at low voltage. The voltage difference over the gap between the two grids creates an electric field that acts to simultaneously extract and accelerate the ions out of the chamber and into space in a single step. The higher the voltage difference, the faster the ions are expelled and the greater the fuel efficiency of the thruster. However, at higher voltage differences approaching five thousand volts (5kV), some of the ions collide with the second grid as they are accelerated, thus eroding and damaging the grid and thereby limiting its lifetime in space.
The DS4G ion engine utilises a different concept first proposed in 2001 by David Fearn, a pioneer of ion propulsion in the UK, which solves this limitation by performing a two-stage process to decouple the extraction and acceleration of ions using four grids. In the first stage, the first two grids are closely spaced and both are operated at very high voltage and a low voltage difference between the two (3 kV) enables the ions to be safely extracted from the chamber without hitting the grids. Then, in the second stage, two more grids are positioned at a greater distance 'downstream' and operated at low voltages. The high voltage difference between the two pairs of grids powerfully accelerates the extracted ions.
The test model achieved voltage differences as high as 30kV and produced an ion exhaust plume that travelled at 210,000 m/s, over four times faster than state-of-the-art ion engine designs achieve. This makes it four times more fuel efficient, and also enables an engine design which is many times more compact than present thrusters, allowing the design to be scaled up in size to operate at high power and thrust. Due to the very high acceleration, the ion exhaust plume was very narrow, diverging by only 3 degrees, which is five times narrower than present systems. This reduces the fuel needed to correct the orientation of spacecraft from small uncertainties in the thrust direction.
There is of course still a great deal of work to be done before the new engine design can fly in space. "Working with our industrial partners, the next challenge is to transition this promising new engine design from laboratory experiment to spacecraft flight model and properly define the new missions that it will enable", says José Gonzalez del Amo, Head of Electric Propulsion at ESA. The flight-suitable engines must then be tested: and for ion engines this is a long process.
Since they must operate continuously in space for tens of thousands of hours providing a small thrust, ground tests in a vacuum facility must last several thousand hours to prove their reliability. Only after all this could the first flight models be launched.
Once ready, these engines will be able to propel spacecraft to the outermost planets, the newly discovered planetoids beyond Pluto and even further, into the unknown realm of interstellar space beyond the Solar System. Closer to home, these supercharged ion engines could figure prominently in the human exploration of space. With an adequate supply of electrical power, a small cluster of larger, high power versions of the new engine design would provide enough thrust to propel a crewed spacecraft to Mars and back.
"This is an ultra-ion engine. It has exceeded the current crop by many times and opens up a whole new frontier of exploration possibilities," says Dr Walker.
For further information please contact:
Dr. Roger Walker
ESA Advanced Concepts Team
Telephone: +31(0)71 565 3349 – Fax: +31(0)71 565 8018
ESTEC, EUI-ACT, Keplerlaan 1 – 2201 AZ Noordwijk – The Netherlands


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CHICAGO (AP) — As Ryan Dempster left the field at Wrigley to a standing ovation, the Chicago Cubs looked ready to start the Theo Epstein era on a winning note.
The cheers didn't last. The lead didn't either.
A new beginning had a familiar feel as the Cubs dropped their opener.
Stephen Strasburg dominated Chicago for seven innings, and Ian Desmond singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth on a windy Thursday to give the Washington Nationals a 2-1 win over Chicago.
"It hurts because we lose today," Dempster said. "We want to win every day we're out there, but especially opening day when you're at home in front of all these great fans. That's what hurt."
Strasburg allowed one run and five hits, including an RBI single to Marlon Byrd in the fourth. He was pinch hit for in the eighth, when Kerry Wood forced in the tying run with three straight walks, and did not figure in the decision.
Washington went ahead in the ninth when Chad Tracy hit a two-out double off the right-field wall against Carlos Marmol (0-1), and Desmond followed with his third hit.
Strasburg struck out five and walked one. He reached 98 mph when he struck out Starlin Castro in the sixth.
Dempster, making his fourth opening start, was just as dominant on a day when the wind probably kept several shots by both teams in the park, striking out 10 in 7 2-3 innings.
Chicago started its first season since Epstein was hired away from Boston in hopes of helping the Cubs win their first World Series title since 1908.
Tyler Clippard (1-0) worked a scoreless eighth to win in relief. Brad Lidge gave up one-out triple off the right-field wall by Ian Stewart in the ninth but got the save in his Nationals debut when pinch-runner Joe Mather was thrown out trying to score on a grounder to third and Byrd ended the game by taking a called third strike.
Dempster allowed a single by Desmond on the game's first pitch, then didn't allow another hit until Desmond singled with one out in the eighth. Dempster left to a standing ovation after striking out Danny Espinosa and apparently did not lobby to stay in the game.
"He actually said something comical," new manager Dale Sveum said. "He said 'Yeah, it's not a bad move. I think if it was calm day, (Ryan) Zimmerman would have had 900 feet of home runs.'"
Wood came on and walked Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and then Jayson Werth on a 3-2 pitch after getting ahead 0-2, sending a loud groan through the ballpark.
"There were a couple that could have gone either way," Wood said.
The big question for the Cubs is where they go from here.
Optimism isn't hard to find around Wrigleyville these days even if the anticipation is more for what happens down the road than this season. The arrival of Epstein along with new general manager Jed Hoyer sparked hope among championship-starved fans, and they certainly have been busy. They hired Sveum to replace Mike Quade as manager, traded the troubled Carlos Zambrano to Miami and parted ways with sluggers Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena.
They've made it clear they intend to stock the farm system while trying to remain competitive now. That might be a stretch for a team in transition even if there's new hope at the moment.
""There are dozens and dozens and dozens of people — the players first of all — working extremely hard to bring this organization forward," Epstein said.
NOTES: Noted Cubs fan Bill Murray had some fun before the game. He ran around the bases and threw the ball to Wood at home before sliding across the plate. He then bounced the ceremonial first pitch. Murray also said the Cubs would win every game before leading the seventh-inning rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game." ... The Cubs held 1B Bryan LaHair out of the starting lineup because of a minor nerve issue in his back that's been bothering him the past few days. Jeff Baker started in his place. LaHair thinks he will be available off the bench Saturday and back in the lineup on Sunday. ... Matt Garza is scheduled to start Saturday for the Cubs against Gio Gonzalez. ... Nationals RHP Chien-Ming Wang (hamstring) and RHP Drew Storen (elbow) flew to Florida on Thursday to begin rehab at the spring training complex. Storen is already throwing off of the mound and Wang is 3-4 days away, manager Davey Johnson said. He expects them to be activated by the end of April.


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I've always been confused by the terms washroom, restroom, bathroom, lavatory, toilet and toilet room. My impression is that Canadians would rather say washroom while Americans would probably say bathroom or Saint John's in the same situation.
I guess the difference here is not only in different kinds of English, but also in whether one is referring to a room in their house or in some public place.
Which do you usually use? Please specify the difference if you use more than two from those six with different meanings, and also where you are from (i.e. what type of English you speak).


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Network requirements
If you are working on a local area network, there are some network settings that will allow VoiceThread to function quickly and reliably. Please pass this information along to your local network administrator so he or she can make any necessary changes.
The following URLs must be open on your local network:
- http://prod-cdn.voicethread.com (for browsing content)
- https://prod-cdn.voicethread.com (for browsing content)
- http://prod-streams-vt.s3.amazonaws.com/ (for playback of recordings)
- https://prod-streams-vt.s3.amazonaws.com/ (for playback of recordings)
- http://prod-export-vt.s3.amazonaws.com/ (for exporting)
- https://prod-export-vt.s3.amazonaws.com/ (for exporting)
If you are using a proxy server, or if your firewall filters based on packet content, you may need to do more advanced configuration.
Adequate bandwidth for the number of local users
Computer labs with many users simultaneously recording commentary can strain local bandwidth resources, so some trial and error might be necessary to find the maximum number of simultaneous users that your network connection will allow. If you are using an asymmetric network connection (such as most cable modem and DSL connections), you will find that upstream bandwidth may be an issue even though there is plenty of downstream bandwidth. This is because uploading and recording use upstream bandwidth, and connections commonly have 10-20 times as much downstream bandwidth as upstream.
If you wish to verify your connection speed, please use a speed testing service such as http://speedtest.net/. Pay particular attention to the upstream speed shown. This is the limiting factor for commenting and uploading.
Proxies for full VoiceThread functionality
Your proxy must allow TCP connections to HTTP on port 80 and HTTPS on port 443 to the VoiceThread servers, as defined above.
You must accept e-mail from the voicethread.com and amazonses.com domains. Please note that VoiceThread e-mail is easy to verify, as we have implemented a number of e-mail authentication technologies (DKIM and SPF).
If you are using a Barracuda Networks anti-spam appliance, please make sure to specifically whitelist voicethread.com; the Barracuda device may otherwise be prone to false positives.
If you are using the Lightspeed Systems anti-spam solution, we strongly recommend that you whitelist voicethread.com. While we will attempt to catch any verification attempts, this may result in substantial delays in invitations and notifications.


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Lots of people are leaving comments asking for predictions on this state or that state and I really don't want to get too specific while the polls are running, but here's the bottom line:
When we started running these polls Friday morning I was virtually certain Barack Obama would be elected President.
I still am.
To review we will have polls in North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, Montana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Virginia in the next 24 hours and we'll start rolling them out late tonight and then on through the night. We're probably going to call it quits around 4 AM this time so anything not done by then will come out later in the morning but we'll try to get the ones people seem most apprehensive about like Pennsylvania and Virginia done earlier in the night.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
7 comments:
- Valdivia said...
Thanks Tom. For the hard work and the invaluable information you give us to go along with it.
- November 2, 2008 at 1:21 PM
- Sreenu said...
I second lat..Thanks again :-)
- November 2, 2008 at 1:22 PM
- sdf said...
Thirded. Transparency (and interaction) in polling -- great concept!
- November 2, 2008 at 1:28 PM
- jr1886 said...
Can we ask for more? you guys been the best in terms of transparency and responsiveness to the general public.
- November 2, 2008 at 1:30 PM
- Stephanie said...
Thanks-- both for all the work, and for the commentary and transparency. I hope you're right!
- November 2, 2008 at 2:05 PM
- Seattle said...
Any other teasers?
- November 2, 2008 at 2:47 PM
- Andrew H said...
Rasmussen now has PA at 52-46 today instead of 51-47 from their previous poll. I think we hold on just long enough to pull it all out.
- November 2, 2008 at 3:21 PM
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LignUp is a team of experienced developers who wish to do their best in software development by creating innovative and easy to use programs - leaders in their field. Our goal is competitive and state of the art software!
Any piece of software you'll find on our site is build with the involvement of our best skills, our heart and soul, and with the customer's satisfaction in mind.
Our intention is to provide immediate updates of our software for our customers' needs. By purchasing our software, customers can be sure that it will meet all of their requirements and will be promptly updated with new features.
Our software has great functionality while still being easy to use. We are working hard to satisfy our customers; that is why our programs are so great.
LignUp Team.


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Texan Blue Pool Service works with all brands of filters from Diatomaceous Earth Filters (also called DE Filters) to Cartridge and Sand. Filters are vital in keeping your Atascocita pool at its cleanest. In order to find what filter is right for you, you might want to familiarize yourself with the different types.
DE filters use diatomaceous earth to filter debris. DE is basically crushed sea shells and is not harmful to the environment in any way. DE filters use grids, together with diatomaceous earth to filter the pool water. With this type of filter, following the manufacturers recommended maintenance plan, backwashing and recharging once every 2 weeks, you should only have to clean this type filter once every 6 months.
Cartridge filters require a little more cleaning maintenance, with a typical cleaning once every 3 to 4 months. Cartridge filters use 4 round paper like filters to clean debris from the pool water. Unlike DE filters, you can not backwash a cartridge filter. When debris becomes trapped in the filter there is nowhere for it to go, and more and more debris begins to build up and starts to cause poor water circulation, straining your pump and eventually causing issues with your water chemistry.
Sand filters use sand to filter the pool water, and like DE filters, you can backwash this type filter. Sand filters can go the longest time between filter cleans, typically every 4 to 5 years between cleanings, but are the most expensive to clean and maintain.
Whatever your filtering system, Texan Blue Pool Service is prepared to repair, install, service or maintain any Hayward, Pentair, Jandy or Sta-Rite filter you may have, wherever you are in the Atascocita area.
In order to keep your pool looking sparkling clean, a working pool filter is a must. However, sometimes your Atascocita pool filtration system might experience reduced water flow, sand or DE entering the pool, air pressure build-up or even inadequate filtering. These symptoms may be indicative of a bigger, unseen problem, so if your filter is in need of repair or replacing, contact Texan Blue Pool Service. We'll send one of our carefully trained Atascocita technicians to inspect your filter, assess the problem and get your pool filter working again in no time. We work with Hayward, Pentair, Jandy and Sta-Rite filters using DE, sand or cartridge systems throughout the Atascocita area.
We know that you can't enjoy your pool without a top-notch pool filter. If you are looking to install a Hayward, Pentair, Jandy or Sta-Rite filter using a DE, sand or cartridge system in the Atascocita, Texas area, then look no further, Texan Blue Pool Service will send out an experienced technician to install the filter system of your choice and have you and your family enjoying your pool in no time!
When it comes to pool filters, there are two services: cleaning and replacement.
To help your Atascocita pool remain cleaner and trouble free longer, Texan Blue Pool Service offers filter cleaning. When you call for a filter clean for your Atascocita pool, our technician will clean and inspect the filter from top to bottom. If you have a DE filter, our technician will inspect the grids for holes, tears, damage and frame break down. If you have a CARTIDGE filter, our technician will check all bands to make sure they are still intact and check for cracks on top and bottom of cartridges. In addition they will also rinse all debris off cartridges and grids, inspect the filter housing for any visible cracks, check the spreader plate for cracks, inspect the manifold, stand pipe, filter clamp, pressure gauge and all other O-rings for tears and warping to make sure you get the best performance possible for your Atascocita pool. While the technician is on site, he will also perform a visual inspection of your equipment and advise you on any issues that need your attention, (a $95 dollar value). So, if you notice poor flow or your pool just isn't looking like it used to, then give us a call! We're your Atascocita pool filter specialists!
In order to ensure your safety, Texan Blue Pool Service offers equipment check-ups, including ones for your Atascocita pool filter. This is vital to making sure your filter keeps working at its best and keeps your swimming environment safe, comfortable and healthy.
In order to help you pick a pool filter that's right for you, here is some information on the major brands we service:
– Hayward Pool Filter
Made to last long in all weather conditions, Hayward pool filters set the industry standard for value and dependence.
– Pentair Pool Filter
Pentair knows that the best pools are clean pools and has aimed to keep pools inviting with their top-notch cartridge, DE and sand filters.
– Jandy Pool Filter
Filter maintenance can be a pain, but luckily Jandy builds filters that are not only capable of getting rid of debris, but also are one of the easiest brands to maintain.
– Sta-Rite Pool Filter
Sta-Rite has been a leading water and pool product company since its founding 1937. Today, they continue to make top-rated pool filters to keep your pools looking fresh.
If you are looking at different Atascocita pool filters, you might also want to know about the two types of backwash pool filter valves: the rotary valve and the piston valve. These backwash valves help redirect the flow of water in case of particles getting trapped into the filter. This prevents lowering the efficiency of your Atascocita filter. A rotary valve has a lever that the user rotates to a proper position and select the desired filter function. The piston valve has a piston which can be lowered or raised to pick the needed filter function. In order to help your Atascocita filter continue to run smoothly, you might also want to become familiar with the different backwash valve positions: filter, backwash, closed, drain, recirculate, rinse and drain.
The filter position circulates and purifies the water. This is the default setting. The backwash position flushes out trapped particles in the filter. The closed position blocks the flow of water. Be sure to never have the water pump on when the filter is in this position. The recirculate position does not filter the water, but keeps circulating it. The rinse position helps you clean the filter. Finally, the drain position suctions water from the pool and directs it to a waste line so it does not return to the swimming pool.
For more information on salt systems, you can call Texan Blue Pool Service, we're happy to answer any questions you might have or check one of the web links below.


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Now you can relax, knowing that your audio/video system has the interconnect system that allows it to be disconnected and reconnected safely and simply whenever you wish.
No one should have to be faced with a bewildering array of connectors on flimsy tails, all of which have to be reconnected correctly every time they move their system. With AV2000 there is a single, easy to use connector that is designed to prevent costly and time wasting mistakes that always occur with any alternative interconnect method and AV2000 can be perfectly suited to any system.
Imagine this: your smart A/V lectern can now be truly portable without any concerns about untrained personnel being confused when the wide variety of signal cables have to be re-connected to a wall plate or floor box. AV2000 Multi-Media cabling gives you complete assemblies with just one robust connector. Plug it in and the job is done! It's tough too! No more concerns about your cables being susceptible to damage. AV2000 provides strength, durability and simplicity all in one easy and attractive assembly solution.


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Where Can I Find the Gadget Gurus
- Details
- Category: Smart Home
- Written by Administrator
Gadget Gurus reviews now appear regularly in more than a dozen media outlets, including print, web and broadcast delivery medium. Our diverse review team writes for mainstream consumer publications as well as the most technical of techie journals. Most articles are available on the web at our partner sites, and many others which are not copyrighted to other organizations are presented on this site. To take a tour of some of the Gadget Gurus reviews on other websites, click on one of the links below:


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BIS Hallmarked Personalised Sports Silver Coin Best Gifting for Commemorating Winner Player's students 999 Pure
- Sale price
- Rs. 1,760.00
- List price
- Rs. 2,500.00
- You save
- Rs. 740.00 (30%)
BIS Hallmarked SPORTS COIN PERSONALISATION DETAILS: "WE TAKE ONLY PRE-PAID ORDERS" Complete your order on Truesilver.co.in, Please send us the personalization details on WhatsApp @7302002224 or Email us at email@example.com with the following details: "True Silver Order Number, Name, Image, Year & Date" that you want on the product. This design is machine-printed and is not a sticker.
QUALITY: Produced using advanced Swiss technology and world class refining technology and It comes in fully-guaranteed tamper proof packs and Product is quality tested for its fineness.
CERTIFICATION: This coin comes with a Authenticity Certificate Guaranteeing purity of 999 Silver and a minimum weight of 10 grams.This product comes with a "BUY BACK GUARANTEE".
PACKING AND COIN CARE : This coin comes air sealed in a transparent capsule, resting in a beautiful hand-made paper box providing a luxurious and memorable experience. To avoid any tarnish of the coin, it is advisable not to take out the coin from the transparent capsule.
COMPANY INFORMATION: Precious Moments Coins are manufactured by ACPL, the company recognized by The Govt. of India as the "Highest Exporter of Silver Jewellery" for 20 consecutive years. This recognition is a testament to the purity, the quality and the environmental friendly manufacturing practices that ACPL stands for.
FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP: Our pure silver coins and bars are struck in 99.9% silver and are made to meet exceptionally high standards of quality & craftsmanship.
WEIGHT TOLERANCE: Purity and weight of our products are always as promised. All products come with NIL negative weight tolerance and NIL negative purity tolerance, thus assuring that the customer always receives the right value for what is paid for.
This Product is Non-Returnable and Non-Exchangeable
Shipping Information
Our on-line store is open 24/7 and we ship Monday through Friday, excluding some holidays. Orders received for products without shipping restrictions on its product page will ship the same business day. Orders in high demand will have an estimated production time listed on its product page and will ship according to the date listed.
About Us
TrueSilver is owned by Agra Chains Pvt Ltd (ACPL), one of India's
largest manufacturers and exporters of sterling silver jewellery. The jewellery purchased from TrueSilver is of the highest quality and durability.


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Neurochemistry and Behavior
Work in our laboratory investigates the role of dopamine transmission in normal and pathological mental function (including drug abuse) utilizing multi-disciplinary approaches. We use traditional behavioral paradigms such as operant behavior and classical conditioning as well neuroeconomic approaches to study decision making. During these studies, we monitor dopamine neurotransmission directly using real-time electrochemistry to identify components of dopamine transmission that are altered during behavior or pathology, and apply computational models to these data. We also utilize interference methods including neuropharmacology (systemic administration or site-specific intracranial microinjections), viral-mediated gene delivery and intracranial electrical stimulation. In addition, we work on more simplified preparations to study the molecular mechanisms that are important in the regulation of these neurochemical components. We aim to use the information we have gleaned to target specific proteins and alter dopamine transmission (and behavior), with our long-term goal to develop therapeutic strategies for mental illness.


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SPRING IS IN THE AIR…and that means so are allergies. Seasonal allergies affect millions of people every year, but did you know that they can also affect oral health?
Why Do We Get Seasonal Allergies?
While there are plenty of allergens that can make us sneeze year round, such as dust and pet dander, seasonal allergies typically flare up twice a year: in the spring and the fall. This can mean long months of congestion, an itchy nose, mouth, eyes, or throat, puffy eyes, sneezing, and coughing for people with allergies.
The reason our allergies act up the most during spring and fall is that trees and grass pollinate throughout the spring, while ragweed pollinates in the fall. Mold will also send out spores around the same time. Allergic reactions, including seasonal allergies, are the result of our immune systems going into overdrive in response to these allergens.
Allergies Versus Oral Health
While allergies can result in tingly or swollen lips, mouth, or tongue and irritated gums, the most common way seasonal allergies can become a problem for oral health is dry mouth. Whenever we have congestion, we end up breathing through our mouths instead of our noses, which dries up our saliva. Having dry mouth presents a serious threat to oral health, because saliva is the mouth's first line of defense against gum disease and tooth decay.
Prevention And Treatment
Because many allergens are airborne, avoiding allergic reactions can be difficult, but there are a few things you can do. It's best to stay indoors on extra windy days when the most allergens are in the air. You should also wear a pollen mask while doing yard work, and avoid using window fans that could blow pollen and spores into your house.
If you do end up having an allergy attack, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and chew sugar-free gum to stimulate your salivary glands, and keep up your daily brushing and flossing routine. Make sure you also take the anti-allergy medications your doctor or allergist recommends to minimize your congestion.
Fighting Back Against Allergies Together!
If you're experiencing dry mouth, whether as a side-effect of seasonal allergies or for any other reason, don't hesitate to come see us! Your oral health is our top priority, and together we can come up with a plan to keep your mouth healthy until the allergies end and beyond!


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Elkay Manifold Pump Tubing
Specially formulated PVC tubing which is heat treated for increased operating life, and resistant to a broad range of inorganic chemicals. For use with continuous flow analyser peristaltic pumps. Identified by the colour of the bridges which corresponds to the colour and location of the original equipment manufacturer. Distance between bridges is 152mm.
ACCU-rated for use where flow consistency and accuracy are critical.


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An Appreciation of Alan Dixon
It was December 1988, and I was three weeks into my new job working for Sen. Alan J. Dixon, D-Ill., when I picked up the phone and heard from the mayor of a small town 125 miles from Chicago.
The Pentagon had just announced plans to close the town of Rantoul's largest employer, Chanute Air Force Base, which contributed upward of 65 percent of the town's economy and employed about half its workforce. Mayor Katy Podagrosi's community was on the brink of disaster. The reaction of AJD, as his staff called him, accounts for one of the proudest legacies of the longtime public official, who died Sunday.
AJD's alumni network is still going strong more than 21 years after he left office, with about 20 of us meeting at the venerable Senate-side Monocole on Monday night to toast the man and share memories. Two members of the Chicago press corps stopped by, as did Rep. Cheri Bustos. The freshman Democrat is the daughter of the senator's long-time chief of staff, Gene Callahan, and has another connection to a long-time Democratic leader. (More on that later.)
Dixon's 40 years in public life taught him a lot about process, and he viewed the Pentagon's base closings at that time as opaque and bereft of public involvement, leaving those affected with little understanding of why decisions were made. Dixon wanted to bring to the decision-making process transparency and a sense of fairness.
This was a time in politics when rumors were rife about ex-President Richard M. Nixon targeting military facilities tied to political opponents. AJD never subscribed to those conspiracies, but he realized citizens deserved input into the future of facilities they depended on. Chanute closed in 1993, and even as Podagrosi had to shift her focus to rehabilitating the town, she always spoke highly of Dixon's work.
As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Dixon went to work to change the base closing process, culminating in his selection by President Bill Clinton to chair the 1995 Base Closure and Realignment Commission. Clinton's decision was influenced heavily by Sens. Sam Nunn, a Georgia Democrat and his party's point man on defense, and Bob Dole, the Kansas Republican about to run against Clinton.
Both senators knew Dixon's fundamental view of government was key to navigating this issue. AJD always believed Washington functioned best when power was divided. This enabled him to work with the Clinton White House and the Republicans in Congress, including the aggressive House led by Speaker Newt Gingrich, the Georgia firebrand who helped end the GOP's 40 years in the minority.
Dixon and his staff visited every base under consideration for closure. He was from another era, not all that long ago but gone today, when members of Congress had amicable relationships with those of the other party.
Congress is now considering whether to implement a sixth round of base closings, and Dixon's tenure remains the gold standard.
Dixon's political career ended in the 1992 Democratic primary, the so-called St. Patrick's Day Massacre. Carol Moseley Braun edged Dixon and a third candidate, Al Hofeld.
Hofeld provides an interesting footnote and connection to contemporary politics. Dixon had earlier denied noted political consultant David Axelrod's offer to help with the re-election campaign, leaving the former Chicago Tribune political columnist to take his considerable talents to Hofeld, where he put together ruthless and effective attack ads that cut deeply into Dixon's support. Axelrod would later serve both Clinton and Barack Obama.
Dixon went on to practice law in St. Louis, across the Mississippi River from his childhood home. His memoir, "The Gentleman From Illinois: Stories From Forty Years of Elective Public Service" came out last year, and he did one last go-round to publicize the book, including a stop at the Monocole. In one of his last public statements, he said his goal was to make it three more months to the age of 87. He came up one day short.
The Senate is a more rancorous place than it was during his time. Last fall, after Dixon's book came out, House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md., told the Washington Post what we all know: "The Senate that Alan Dixon served in was a much more collegial institution."
Hoyer came to Congress shortly after Dixon was first elected to the Senate. One of Hoyer's first campaign workers was Cheri Callahan, who is now the gentlelady from Illinois' 17th District. It was a good political start for both.
Peter Feltman is a senior analyst for CQ Roll Call's Regulatory and Legal Products.


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Now that Mars Express has successfully released Beagle 2 on its way to Mars the
next step in Europe's exciting journey to Mars will be completed on Christmas
Day, with the arrival of ESA's Mars Express orbiter, and the delivery of the
Beagle 2 lander to the planet's dusty plains.
Over several years, Mars Express will survey the entire planet in unprecedented
detail, mapping the surface, probing for underground water and analysing the
thin, carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere. Down below, the miniaturised instruments
on Beagle 2 will search for signs of primitive life and cast some light on the
environmental hazards to humans.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, ESA's Aurora Programme is already looking several
decades ahead to a time when humans will leave their footprints in the red sands
of Mars.
ESA scientists and engineers, supported by the European scientific and
industrial communities, have been working to put together a comprehensive plan
for the robotic and human exploraration of the solar system, and notably of the
Moon and Mars. This plan will greatly benefit from the expertise and knowledge
that is being gained from the Europe's pioneering Mars Express mission.
Aurora's long-term plan
The latest version of this ambitious roadmap was presented at the third Aurora
Working Meeting in Cologne in November. This long-term plan, which has been
endorsed by Aurora's Exploration Programme Advisory Committee (EPAC), recently
received the blessing of the Aurora Board of Participants.
Aurora's long-term plan stems from two strands: the current human spaceflight
experience in low Earth orbit (LEO) and the development of robotic planetary
exploration. The former is to be continued and enhanced so that human
spaceflight can be extended beyond LEO. The latter will be pursued throughout
the Aurora Programme with the aim of extending capabilities towards larger
spacecraft suitable for the human exploration of the solar system. The
intertwined development of capabilities in the two strands will eventually
result in Europe being able to play a key role in a future international human
mission to Mars.
The early robotic missions will build on the capabilities and discoveries of
Mars Express and Smart-1 in order to acquire the scientific knowledge and
technological expertise necessary to pursue more advanced missions. Meanwhile,
ground-based studies (e.g. Concordia station in Antarctica) and experiments or
demonstrations on the International Space Station will pave the way for
in-flight demonstrations of human spaceflight technologies.
These are some of the highlights of the current Aurora roadmap:
* 2007: an entry vehicle demonstrator mission to validate and demonstrate
high-speed re-entry technology.
* 2009: ExoMars, an exobiology mission to send a rover to Mars in order to
search for traces of life — past or present — and characterise the nature of
the surface environment.
* 2011/2014: Mars sample return, a split mission to bring back to Earth the
first samples of Martian material.
* 2014: Human mission technologies demonstrator(s) to validate technologies for
orbital assembly and docking, life support and human habitation.
* 2018: a technology precursor mission to demonstrate aerobraking/aerocapture,
solar electric propulsion and soft landing (formerly envisaged as a smaller
Arrow-class mission to be launched in 2010)
* 2024: a human mission to the Moon to demonstrate key life support and
habitation technologies, as well as aspects of crew performance and adaptation
and in situ resources utilisation technologies.
* 2026: an automatic mission to Mars to test the main phases of a human mission
to Mars.
* 2030/2033: a split mission that will culminate in the first human landing on
"This plan is based on inputs from industry and previous working meetings, as
well as deliberations with the Aurora Exploration Programme Advisory Committee,"
said Dietrich Vennemann, head of the Aurora long-term planning team.
"It is a living document, not carved in stone, as the redefinition of the
aerocapture demonstration mission demonstrates, " he added. "This means that the
timeline will be updated regularly in order to take account of results generated
within the programme.
"This is Europe's roadmap, and its implementation will take into account
co-operation with international partners. We see this objective as an ambition
for humanity," he explained. "Aurora is Europe's opportunity to fulfil this
* More about Aurora
* Flagship missions
* Arrow missions
* Aurora roadmap poster (pdf)
[Image 1:
Draft design of the human modules for Mars exploration currently being studied
in the ESA/ESTEC Concurrent Design Facility in the framework of the Aurora
long-term plan
Credits: Liquifer, Viena, Austria
[Image 2:
Artist's impression of the ExoMars rover with its exobiology payload
Credits: ESA
[Image 3:
The Concordia station, a new scientific base being built in Antarctica by IPEV –
the French Polar Institute, and PNRA, the Italian Antarctic Programme.
Credits: IPEV


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Joining intimate interviews with original diary entries, The Red Leather Diary re-creates the romance and promise of a remarkable era and brings to life the true story of a daring, precocious young dreamer. -- Harper Perennial
I was going to wait to do a giveaway for THE RED LEATHER DIARY: RECLAIMING A LIFE THROUGH THE PAGES OF A LOST JOURNAL by Lily Koppel until I finished reading and reviewing it. Then I thought, what the heck? It is the week of the Book Giveaway Carnival! (I promise that I will be reading it and sharing my thoughts with you in the very near future.)
For one entry, leave a comment with your e-mail address telling me why you want to read this book! For an extra entry (or two), you can blog about this contest with a link back to this post and/or tweet about it! This contest is open until Saturday, March 7th at 11:59 p.m. I will announce the winner the following day! This contest is open to those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!


text: Jah Roots Hats are stylish, comfortable, & durable, and its made from 50% cotton and 50% spandex; which yields an incredible, comfortable, breathable, head covering while retaining essential oils and nutrients of the hair and scalp. Jah Roots Hats are recommended by local salons to customers who wish to preserve intricate, long lasting, salon hair style while sleeping, opposed to usage of hair scarves. Jah Roots Hats are also Washing Machine & Dryer Friendly.


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[Hillary Clinton was] dissected by Post fashion critic Robin Givhan for showing cleavage: "It was startling to see that small acknowledgment of sexuality and femininity peeking out of the conservative -- aesthetically speaking -- environment of Congress." Givhan contrasted Clinton's decolletage with the more abundant display by Jacqui Smith, the new British home secretary, and her complaint seemed to be that Clinton was showing too little, too unassertively.Marcus is clear that cleavage distracts viewers into sexual thinking and that a politician giving a serious speech should not reveal it. On that firm foundation, she builds the argument that Clinton bumbled. It was mistake. A miscalculation from a woman who is continually called calculating? A very wealthy woman who must have people helping her dress? I think women -- unless they are inept or don't care what people think -- know how much of their breasts are showing! The suggestion that Hillary Clinton of all people did not know is beyond absurd.
Might I suggest that sometimes a V-neck top is only a V-neck top? As a person of cleavage, I'd guess that Clinton's low-cut shirt simply reflected a few centimeters of sartorial miscalculation, not a deliberate fashion statement.
Breasts may be an advantage in certain settings; the Senate floor isn't one of them. If you're giving a speech on higher education, as Clinton was, you don't want Ted Stevens thinking about -- and you certainly don't want to think about Ted Stevens thinking about -- your cleavage.
So let's go back to Marcus's firm foundation -- that cleavage distracts viewers into sexual thinking and that a politician giving a serious speech should not reveal it -- and build something else. Hillary Clinton deliberately crossed a well-understood line, because she'd calculated that it was in her interest to do so. As Marcus notes, Clinton had just received criticism from Elizabeth Edwards for being insufficiently womanly. Hillary wanted to prod us -- subtly, with a small and deniable amount of cleavage -- to think of her as more feminine.
Now let's examine the issue raised by Givhan that the problem was showing too little cleavage. Here's how Givhan's column ends:
Not so long ago, Jacqui Smith, the new British home secretary, spoke before the House of Commons showing far more cleavage than Clinton. If Clinton's was a teasing display, then Smith's was a full-fledged come-on. But somehow it wasn't as unnerving. Perhaps that's because Smith's cleavage seemed to be presented so forthrightly. Smith's fitted jacket and her dramatic necklace combined to draw the eye directly to her bosom. There they were . . . all part of a bold, confident style package.So both Marcus and Givhan find fault. One sees mistake, and the other sees tentativeness. I see a deliberate, controlled gesture that was exactly what she wanted to do, what she thought would be advantageous. Why must a fashion expression -- or a political expression -- be forthright? Givhan uses words like "teasing" and "surreptitious," but I'm thinking: subtle, deniable, diplomatic.
With Clinton, there was the sense that you were catching a surreptitious glimpse at something private. You were intruding -- being a voyeur. Showing cleavage is a request to be engaged in a particular way. It doesn't necessarily mean that a woman is asking to be objectified, but it does suggest a certain confidence and physical ease. It means that a woman is content being perceived as a sexual person in addition to being seen as someone who is intelligent, authoritative, witty and whatever else might define her personality. It also means that she feels that all those other characteristics are so apparent and undeniable, that they will not be overshadowed.
To display cleavage in a setting that does not involve cocktails and hors d'oeuvres is a provocation. It requires that a woman be utterly at ease in her skin, coolly confident about her appearance, unflinching about her sense of style. Any hint of ambivalence makes everyone uncomfortable. And in matters of style, Clinton is as noncommittal as ever.
But I do love Givhan's idea that the most advanced woman would be so confident about her image as a competent professional that she'd forthrightly use clothing to express her sexuality. If she does this in a profession setting though, she will be surrounded by men in suits who have no way to present themselves more sexily. What's the male equivalent of the Jacqui Smith style? Can Joe Biden wear a codpiece?
Women have much more freedom than men do. Along with this benefit of more freedom comes more room for personal expression. We can adjust what we wear to express as little as possible. A female politician can wear a dark "Dress For Success" suit if she wants, and then, like the men, she's not saying much. But if she does more, we shouldn't say oh, that's nothing, as Marcus would like. We should talk about it!


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Judges 21
Wives Provided for the Tribe of Benjamin
1Now the men of Israel had sworn aat Mizpah, "No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin." 2And the people came to bBethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. 3And they said, "O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel, that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?" 4And the next day the people rose early and cbuilt there an altar and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5And the people of Israel said, "Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the Lord?" dFor they had taken a great oath concerning him who did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah, saying, "He shall surely be put to death." 6And the people of Israel ehad compassion for Benjamin their brother and said, "One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. 7 fWhat shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them any of our daughters for wives?" 8And they said, "What one is there of the tribes of Israel that did not come up to the Lord to Mizpah?" And behold, no one had come to the camp from gJabesh-gilead, to the assembly. 9For when the people were mustered, behold, not one of the inhabitants of hJabesh-gilead was there. 10So the congregation sent 12,000 of their bravest men there and commanded them, i"Go and strike the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword; also the women and the little ones. 11This is what you shall do: jevery male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction." 12And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead 400 young virgins who had not known a man by lying with him, and they brought them to the camp at kShiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. 13Then the whole congregation sent word to the people of Benjamin who were at the lrock of Rimmon and mproclaimed peace to them. 14And Benjamin returned at that time. And they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, but they were not enough for them. 15And the people nhad compassion on Benjamin because the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16Then the elders of the congregation said, o"What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?" 17And they said, "There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe not be blotted out from Israel. 18Yet we cannot give them wives from our daughters." pFor the people of Israel had sworn, "Cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin." 19So they said, "Behold, there is the yearly feast of the Lord at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of qthe highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah." 20And they commanded the people of Benjamin, saying, "Go and lie in ambush in the vineyards 21and watch. If the daughters of Shiloh come out to rdance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and snatch each man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, 'Grant them graciously to us, because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.'" 23And the people of Benjamin did so and took their wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they carried off. Then they went and returned to their inheritance sand rebuilt the towns and lived in them. 24And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance. 25 tIn those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Copyright information for


text:
The device is noticeably smaller in person than it seems in previous images. Despite the smaller screen, the display still appears crisp and vivid. The company matched the 480 by 320 pixel resolution of the iPhone, while reducing the overall screen size to fit the smaller housing. Video playback seemed smooth as the Pre played an H.264-encoded movie trailer. Reaction time and flow of the menu items was also clean, without any choppiness or apparent delay.
The webOS interface appeared easy to navigate and fairly simple, with a logical arrangement of functions. Both AIM and GTalk can run simultaneously and text messaging, instant messaging, and calling options are provided on one screen. Rather than manually inputting contact photos, the system can automatically download the latest images from Facebook. The web browser offers multi-touch support similar to the iPhone and automatically snaps to the width of a text column with a double-tap input.
Another unique accessory is the Touchstone inductive charger that holds the phone without inserting any plugs or connectors. The charger base offers a layer of anti-stick material that held strong on a smooth surface, without any permanent glue adhesive. To watch video, the Pre rotates on the base and orients the screen at a slight angle.
Palm representatives were unable to provide detailed information regarding the SDK, Flash support or distribution to carriers other than Sprint. The company has a history of selling phones across multiple carriers, however.
Source: electronista


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