text:
Best Ski Resorts in Europe and North America
For some, skiing is a one- or two-day event with few frills but many thrills. For others, nothing short of the world's best ski resorts will do for an amazing winter ski vacation. If you want to experience some of the best skiing, dining, and relaxing, - and money is no object - then consider one of the following top luxury ski resorts for your next ski holiday.
Best Luxury Ski Resorts in Europe
Some of the best ski resorts in Europe are located in the Swiss Alps. But when it comes to true luxury and impeccable quality, St. Moritz immediately jumps to mind. Nestled only a couple of kilometers from the 4,049 meter Piz Bernina mountain peak, this luxury ski resort features not only a rich history of winter sports but also numerous amenities. Check into the world famous Badrutt's Palace Hotel, skate on the nearby lake, or ski to your heart's content. Whatever you decide to do, it will definitely be in the lap of luxury.
If Switzerland doesn't excite you, then perhaps a luxury ski holiday at France's Courchevel (and Courchevel 1850) resort will. Located in the French Alps, Courchevel arguably sports some of the most difficult black diamond runs in Europe. But it's not only the excellent ski runs of all difficulties that bring out winter sports fanatics. One of the most luxurious ski hotels in the world - in the form of Hotel De Charme Les Airelles - and numerous luxury amenities like a cinema and fitness center exist at the resort. There's even a small airport that serves jet setters of all sorts. Whether you're going for the quality skiing or to relax on a winter ski vacation, Courchevel will have you doing it in style.
Best Luxury Ski Resorts in North America
top ski destinations in the United States, Park City, Utah's Deer Valley Resort consistently stands out as being one of the best ski resorts. The resort remains competitive with other nearby resorts precisely because it's tailored to a more upscale audience. Ski valets, spa facilities, and a licensed child facility are all available to guests at the resort. But don't let all the luxury overshadow the fact that some of the best exclusive skiing can be found at Deer Valley. Some of the runs were even used during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
A little north of the border in British Columbia, Canada, the luxury and allure of Whistler beckons and calls skiers around the world. At Whistler, everything is a little larger than life. It boasts the largest skiable area in North America, hosts North America's longest intermediate run, and features the world's highest and largest unsupported cable car run. But the skiing isn't all that's grandiose at Whistler. Relaxing spas, world-class restaurants, and diverse shopping opportunities await those who want to take a break away from the ski slopes. Renowned hotels like the Four Seasons Resort are always packed during the winter season. The honor of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics helps to boost the reputation of Whistler even more. All of this combines to make Whistler one of the best destinations for luxury ski vacations.
Photo by Christopher Heschong from Flickr
More Ski Articles From Our Partners
- Best 'après-ski' spots of the Americas[Lonely Planet]
- Top 10 Ski Runs & Lodges[National Geographic]


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You may have your opinion—or should we say bets in—about who is going to win the Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor fight on August 26th in Las Vegas, but what does a real fighting champ have to say about the whole, epic showdown? Mike Tyson recently revealed who he thinks stands a chance in the ring, and if you put dollars down on McGregor, you may want to reconsider.
Yep, that's right, Tyson doesn't believe McGregor stands a chance against Mayweather. The former boxing champ recently revealed in an interview with podcast Pardon My Take that he believes McGregor made one hell of a mistake agreeing to boxing rules for the upcoming fight, and that he's going to get murdered.
"McGregor is going to get killed boxing," he said. "I got mad because I thought they were going to use MMA rules against boxing because that's what it's all about: Can the boxer beat the MMA guy? McConor [sic] put his dumbass in a position where he's gonna get knocked out because this guy's been doing this all his life since he was a baby. McConor [sic] can't kick and grab and stuff, so he won't stand much of a chance."
Eh, you can't help but see the guy's point here. Did McGregor (even though we're digging the name McConor) make a mistake by agreeing to take on Mayweather's sports rules instead of his own? We guess we'll have to wait and see. After all, Mayweather is 49-0 when it comes to his professional boxing career.
"McGregor took the biggest sucker rules in the history of boxing," Tyson went on. He also said he would have allowed MMA rules if he had ever taken on McGregor.
We aren't totally eliminating McGregor from this battle, though. He can still pull off the upset. The dude is very powerful and fast. Seven of his nine UFC wins have come by either TKO or KO punches. McGregor can take an ass kicking and still do his thing.
Plus, who doesn't like to see the underdog win?
Photo: iStock/Matthew Lewis/Stringer

subset: commoncrawl


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Library?, why we go to such a boring place? Complained Kiki as they went down the circular stairs Can't we go to the kitchen instead? They must have sugar! And honey! Mmm! Sugar!
It is funny how you magic creatures are born with so much magic and however know so little about the mechanics of magic said Erelen like thinking to himself. A magic library is everything but a boring place. It can be very entertaining and even a dangerous place!
King Erelen, it surprises me you, a warrior King, know so much about Magic said Serpente
Master Serpente, you surely know that, like my father, I would rather reign over my people in peace than in War, and even before being a man of arms, I was educated as a wizard and as a student of the ways of nature, answered Erelen smiling
Still, Kings normally trust their Wizards and their Priests to run their magic libraries for them replied Serpente
In this you are right and that is the reason why I would appreciate you will show me the way to what we are looking for, master Serpenete asked politely Erelen
I am afraid that is not possible, for we only serve our superiors, and myself I only run errands for Lord Innos, Lord Asheron and Master Rao. You will have to find your own way. However, don't despair, for this Monastery is not only a place of praying, but mainly a place of learning, and I will guide you in your personal search. Saying that Serpente opened the heavily adornated door that led to the Magic Library. Here we are. And where do you think we should start our search?
Erelen took a moment to think and replied with confidence: Well, I guess that the Eye of Innos, the artefact we are looking, is not a making of the arts of the Wise, but a gift of the Holy, and therefore I think we should look in the books of the clergy, more than in those of the Mages.
Your knowledge surprises me again, and maybe I had underestimated you, Lord Erelen. But the answer is not complete. In what kind of book would you think we should search? Asked again Serpente.
I think we could be lost in books of prayers or books of legends, and the search could be too lengthy. I would suggest looking in some kind of encyclopaedical work about amulets, artefacts, or powerful holy objects. guessed Erelen
That's a better answer than many of our Wizards would give, conceded Serpente. But still have its flaw, for what kind of information should we find in an encyclopaedical work?
The description and history of such objects. said confused Erelen. I do not fully understand where is the flaw of my answer Master Serpente.
What is the purpose of your search? Do you want to know more about the "Eye of Innos"? asked Serpente
Yes, but mainly no. I see your wisdom Master Serpente, my goal is to find the "Eye of Innos", not only to know more about it. An encyclopaedical work would only tell me about what has been in the past, not about the present or about the future. And it's in the future when I am meant to find the amulet, if I am to find it at all! I should look in a book of prophecies! conceded surprised Erelen.
And now I see also your wisdom replied smiling Serpente I think you are worth, like no many others even in my order, to attempt to consult the Minor Book of Prophecies of Innos, for the Major Book is reserved only to the greatests. And even that is a risk that you may not want to take, for the book of fire is a dangerous artefact itself and has a mind of his own, and you would be tested beyond your imagination.
It's your duty indeed to warn me, my friend Serpente, but I guess you know that my answer cannot be other: Success or Death. And, yes, I am aware death may await me if I am not fully worth of the reading of the book.
Go then, and may Innos be with you. The lectern is the phoenix shaped in the middle of the room. concluded Serpente
Erelen hold the lectern with one hand at each side and concentrated. A flame appeared in front of him and he heard a voice in his head: Who are thou, and why thou dare to disturb us?
They know me as Erelen, the lonely Star, and I am in the Quest for the "Eye of Innos"
He felt a stare that looked inside his mind and inside his heart.
Thou are worth, but thou are not ready yet. Desist now and save thy life. said the voice.
It's not my time, but the time of the world that brings me here, and I cannot desist for much I have now to respond before the peoples of Dereth said Erelen. I beg you allow me to read from your pages.
Fool! Show then that thy mind is as strong as thy words! Shouted the voice. And a flaming book appeared on the lectern. Hold it!
Erelen hold the book trying to open it and he felt his hand was burning, for the book was on fire. The pain was unbearable, but Erelen kept his grip. Then a gelid feeling, as if his arm was beginning to froze, added to the burning in his hand. As the ice advanced towards its body, he started to feel a poisoned air around him, so he stopped to breath. Soon the ice had raised his chest and his whole body was in flames. It was like being attacked by all dragons at once, and the pain was clouding his senses. He realized it was too late to desist. And the book was still closed. With his arms still on the book, he felt on his knees, and began to lose consciousness. His last thoughts were: I have failed… again… and he saw clearly in his mind the remote image of the day his parents were slain by the dragon. He felt again paralyzed by the spell, immobile seeing how his father charged against the dragon, and how the same sword he was carrying now failed his father for the first time, not cutting through the dragon's skin… And he felt again how he, unable to react, was failing again those he loved… But then his father, as if taking life of himself inside the memory, turned to him and said: It's not for you my son, and it's not for me, your mother or your brother either. It is for all the Noldor and all the people of Khadrim and Dereth that have trusted you. You must survive. And then, as the rest of the memory faded, his father stood alone, tall and proud, and Lord Khadrim appeared by his side adding: And my ring is with you, and it will give you the strength to save again my city…and then, the already forgotten figure of the last of the renowned Kings, Gil-Galad appeared by their side, and Erelen reminded the happiness of his childhood. And then another figure, even taller and prouder, of an elf he had not meet, but that by the arms in his shield he could recognize as Turgon of Gondolin….
And he start to feel, in the storm of pain of despair and pain that his body was, a soothing feeling in the finger where he wore the Ring of Khadrim, and in the waist were his sword was hanging. And then, like an eruption of Magma, boiling air come from his lungs and reached his mouth as he shouted: I am Erelen, but also I will be known as Tar-Herunole, High Lord of Knowledge, and in the name of Lord Innos, in the name of Lord Asheron and in the name of all my ancestors that wore my ring and held my sword, and that felt fighting for the light, I beg you, and if helpless, I command you, to show me what is written!
And then with an explosion of light the book opened and absorbed Erelen, and Serpente was with him. And the book was not a book of inert ink, but a book of living words. And he could see many things that have been and that he only fully understood now. And he could see many things of the present, and he could see the true might of Rao, marching with Cragstone, Rosa and Wolfie. And he could see his sword shining again as he had seen it in the underworld, and many other things that could be and others that were meant to be…


text: Research Article | March 01, 1968Phonetic Distortions in the Serial Transmission of Short Speech Samples William R. Tiffany and Delmond N. Bennett Author Affiliations & Notes William R. Tiffany University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Delmond N. Bennett University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Copyright © 1968 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Article Information Speech, Voice & Prosodic Disorders / Speech, Voice & Prosody / Research Articles Research Article | March 01, 1968 Phonetic Distortions in the Serial Transmission of Short Speech Samples Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, March 1968, Vol. 11, 33-48. doi:10.1044/jshr.1101.33 History: Received August 1, 1967 Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, March 1968, Vol. 11, 33-48. doi:10.1044/jshr.1101.33 History: Received August 1, 1967 View Article Figures Tables PDF PDF Supplemental Data Supplements Multimedia Share Email Twitter Facebook Pinterest Tools Get Citation Citation Tiffany, W. R. & Bennett, D. N. (1968). Phonetic Distortions in the Serial Transmission of Short Speech Samples. J Speech Hear Res, 11(1), 33-48. doi: 10.1044/jshr.1101.33. Download citation file: RIS (Zotero) EndNote BibTex Medlars ProCite RefWorks Reference Manager © 2018 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association × Alerts User Alerts You are adding an alert for: Phonetic Distortions in the Serial Transmission of Short Speech Samples You will receive an email whenever this article is corrected, updated, or cited in the literature. You can manage this and all other alerts in My Account The alert will be sent to: Confirm × Sign In or Create a free account to receive alerts. × Tests of intelligibility, or "articulation," must be assumed to be tests which are sensitive to the behavior of a listener and a speaker—and often to a listener who is also a speaker. For this reason a proper model for a valid articulation testing method may require the conscious employment of both speaker and listener in a "speech chain." A model for such a test is that suggested by Allport and Postman (1947) in their investigations of the distortions which occur in the serial transmissions of rumor. In the present study chains of five or more persons were asked to pass along, "exactly as heard," short speech samples, including nonsense words and real words, varying in length, and in segmental and supersegmental structure. Marked serial transmission distortions were found for even short speech chains, particularly for naive speakers. These distortions appeared to be similar to those found by Allport and Postman, including the distortions of "leveling" and "sharpening." Only the more highly conventionalized information survived the serial transmission. The method is suggested as a promising tool for analyzing the conventionalization of phonetic perceptions in speaker-listener chains. Subscribe to view more For full access to this article, log in to an existing user account, purchase an annual subscription, or purchase a short-term subscription. Order a Subscription Subscribe Pay Per View Entire Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research content & archive 24-hour access $30.00 Buy Now This Article 24-hour access $15.00 Buy Now Become a Visiting Scholar Sign In or Create an Account Please sign in using your ASHA.org login. If you do not have an ASHA login, you may register with us for free by creating a new account. Sign In or Create an Account Related Articles Toward Validation of a Minimal Competence Phonetic Core for African American Children Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, October 2008, Vol. 51, 1244-1262. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2008/07-0081) Segmental Timing in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, June 2000, Vol. 43, 683-696. doi:10.1044/jslhr.4303.683 Vowel and Diphthong Production by Young Users of Cochlear Implants and the Relationship Between the Phonetic Level Evaluation and Spontaneous Speech Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, June 1993, Vol. 36, 488-502. doi:10.1044/jshr.3603.488 An Exploration of Listener Variability in Intelligibility Judgments American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, May 2011, Vol. 20, 119-123. doi:10.1044/1058-0360(2010/10-0059) Test–Retest Reliability of Independent Measures of Phonology in the Assessment of Toddlers' Speech Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, January 2009, Vol. 40, 46-52. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2008/07-0082) Related Topics Speech, Voice & Prosodic Disorders Speech, Voice & Prosody


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Java and Selenium basics, TestNG, Test Suite, Test Reports, Results Analysis, Scripts Maintenance. Source code included.
All Levels, – 4.5 hours, 33 lectures
Average rating 4.2/5 (4.2 (137 ratings) Instead of using a simple lifetime average, Udemy calculates a course's star rating by considering a number of different factors such as the number of ratings, the age of ratings, and the likelihood of fraudulent ratings.)
Course requirements:
No programming or coding experience required.
No automation experience required.
Course description:
This course is designed specially for QA Testers who are new to test automation and want to move into automation using Selenium. Even if you do not have any programming or automation background you will have no problem learning. Everything in the course is explained very clearly with examples (Source code for all lectures are included). You will learn the most important Java concepts first so that you can get started. After learning the Java basics we will move on to writing automated tests with Selenium WebDriver using Java. You will learn the Selenium basics while we automate the tests. You will also learn to use TestNG for test executions and assertions. You will be able to Execute Test Suites, view Test Reports, analyze Test Results, and fix and maintain Automated Test Scripts.
Java Basics: Variables, If-Then-Else, For loop, While loop, Arrays, Classes, Inheritance, Objects, Constructors, Methods.
Selenium WebDriver Basics: Commonly used methods and locator types, Id, Name, Class Name, Link Text, Partial Link Text, Xpath, Css Selector, Implicit wait, Explicit wait.
After completing the the course you will be able to write automated tests using selenium and java, and you will feel confident to say that you understand object oriented programming and you know automation.
Full details
Understand important Java concepts.
Read and write Java code.
Know Selenium WebDriver basics.
Automate tests using Selenium WebDriver and Java.
Utilize TestNG Framework for test execution and test results reports.
Full details
Anyone who is interested in learning software test automation.
Software QA and Testers who want to learn programming.
Software QA and Testers who want to learn automation.
Manual testers who want to get into test automation.
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As for absolute beginner I need to learn more myself. I got general idea but I need more practice" (Olena Zayikina)
"Mostly clear up until the end, he went fast regarding assertions and annotations." (Daniel Ocean)
"The instructor is very engaging and explains in simple terms, making it easy to understand. Great learning experience." (Awa Ereforokuma)
About Instructor:
Shumon Chowdhury
I am a Test Automation Engineer with over ten years of experience in Software testing. I am also an Oracle Certified Associate Java Programmer. I enjoy the challenges of test automation. I like to learn new technologies and share my knowledge. I have a passion to train and I have trained many of my colleagues and coworkers on test automation in corporate settings.
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text:
Tarot facts, mystery and history
The tarot was first mentioned in 1440 in northern Italy, the tarot was not used at first for divination but rather as a card game of trumps.
The tarot was brought to Europe by the wandering Romany people "Gypsies"
Tarot Facts, mystery and history
Some believe that the tarot to be as old as the pyramids themselves: However there is no proof of this. This belief originated in 1781 in a book called "Le Monde Primitif" published by Antoine Court de Gebelin, who was a French occultist, the book linked the tarot to ancient Egypt.
That said however, there is evidence that tarot cards were used for divination in 1540 in a book called The Oracles of Francesco Marcolino da Forli. It is thought the first deck of the tarot is traceable to Italy in the 15th century. This first deck appeared when an artist added trump cards, featuring faces of the Visconti and Sforza families as a wedding gift these were named the "Visconti trumps"
It was French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette who in 1785 first publicly used such cards for divination purposes before an audience.
The mystery of the Tarot
The symbols and images portrayed on tarot cards are NOT magical rather they are symbols used to identify the card and help tarot reader interpret the card during a reading
Tarot and history
It was the images of "Death, The Devil and The Tower" which led religious leaders to attempt to have the cards banned. A Franciscan friar in Italy somewhere between 1440 and 1470 was reported as claiming the cards had been made by the Devil; stating that those who play with the cards were to lose their souls to the Devil.
Tarot facts, mystery and history
The Tarot is the most practised art of divination in the world. The cards are sometimes called "The Book of Divination of the Gypsies".
Some religious groups oppose the use of the deck of the tarot because of its association with fortune telling. As with many similar debates regarding lifestyles or religious practices, plenty of people can be found on both sides of the debate, supporting or condemning the use of the deck of the tarot cards.
The deck of the Tarot
There are 78 cards in the tarot deck 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana cards in 4 suits: wands, cups, pentacles and swords. Some people count 21 cards in the major arcana as the fool is not always numbered.
The Rider Waite Deck is now considered the most popular deck of the century – I myself use the Radiant Rider Waite deck most often in my readings preferring the vibrant colours and imagery on the faces of the cards.
If you are currently experiencing difficulties in any area of your life please contact me for a personal one to one reading at:
Or for a personal reading please enter your details in the box below and press submit and I will get back to you asap


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Her real name is Dulcinea, after her ancestress, Dulcinea Wilkes, the Archwitch.
She is a student at Larwood House.
She has a knack for describing things that sometimes comes out at inappropriate moments - such as the occasion when, as a guest at the high table, she finds herself compelled to describe what the food really looks like. This may be an expression of her own latent magical talent.


text:
Probably it won't matter,
but either way,
what if it does?
Can you bet your life on it,
that it will not
ever happen?
Life is full of surprises,
taking a chance
could cost a lot.
But hey, it's up to you
but don't come to me
when life doesn't follow
your day-by-day plan.
When your little boy
whom you raised and believed in-
The boy you stupidly made dreams for-
comes to you with news,
don't say you never suspected.
Because you came to me,
saying even though it could never happen,
but you think he may
turn out to be gay.
But like you said,
It could never happen to you.
L'eep !
2 weeks ago


text:
Actually got caught up on things that I had put off so I call that a success. I slept a lot, caught up on some kid time with Arielle and Allen and they were appreciative of their mother's attempt to spend some time with them.
Arielle and I saw High School Musical 3. I really hate to say this but I really love this movie. I love musicals in general, even the B rated ones. I just love the goofy songs and lyrics, and everything about them. There are only a few I don't like and I won't mention thier names. Arielle loves to sing and dance so it fits into our realm of things to do together.
Allen got an early Christmas present and he is forever grateful. Even hugged me which was a very pleasant surprise, giving that he is a teenager of 13. Hugging moms just is not cool anymore! I'll wrap up the box and give it to him On Christmas Day. Makes my shopping easier and not so time stressed.
Anyone have a countdown to Christmas yet? 52 days or something like that??? Oh my gosh, where does the time go??? It just flies....I just surpassed 2 months at my job. That went fast! And I still love it although there are a few things about getting up so darn early that are beginning to wear on me.....UGH!
Hope every one has a great week and makes it thier own. I intend on taking one day at a time and making every minute the best it can be. Here's hoping.....LOL!
Oh and go vote tomorrow. It may make the difference in a very stressful election.....


text:
1. Cristina,
Hello guys!
First, I would like to inform you about the structure and format of this belote tournament.
It will run during the week of march 14-20, there will not be an official starting time, because all matches will be scheduled for when the players can play them.
This belote tournament will have 4 stages: the groups, the quarter-final, the semi-final and the final.
The draw for the belote tournament was done today and I would like to thank to Vojvoda, who has helped me with this and to Anabell and Alesia, who were the observers.
We got 12 teams, they were placed in 4 different groups, 3 teams in each group.
The groups are as follow:
- Jose prabhu
- Anabell Aurel 3 Marina7 Fawaz
1. Nikola-Jovic Bastibasti
- Guliwer MagicalKrrish
- Everyone Adventure-time C
- Undertaker Player01
- Alesia Furki D
- Snowflake Ynwa
- Chips Cristina The first two very good team from each group will go to the quarter-final.
1. Cherry-blossom Policeman1
1. Andkuk Kokolo
If there will be a tie, then the difference of the scores will decide which teams will qualify for the quarter-final.
The matches of the quarter-final will be as follow:
The winner team 1 of the group A will play the winner team 2 of the group B, the winner team 2 of the group A will play the winner team 1 of the group B, it will be the same for the group C and D.
In the semi-final the matches will be:
The winner team 1 of the quarter will play the winner team 4 and the winner team 2 will play the winner team 3.
Then the final.
The score limit for each stage will be as follow:
For the groups 800 points, for the quarter-final 1000 points, for semi-final 1200 points and for final 1400 points.
Do not hesitate to tontact me for any further questions or informations.
Hope we will have an enjoyable time together and all of you will have a lot of fun playing in this belote tournament.
Good luck to all of us!
Kind regards, Cristina!!!


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Military Spending is the Biggest Scam in American Politics June 3, 2017Posted by rogerhollander in Arms, Imperialism, Uncategorized.
Tags: budget deficits, militarism, military industrial complex, military spending, roger hollander, ted rall, trump budget
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Roger's note: the inner logic of capitalism has been compared with that of a cancer cell, where the consideration that outweighs all other is growth, growth for its own sake. And we know what that leads to. That the nation that is one of the most invulnerable to the danger of military aggression is also the nation by far the most heavily armed … that is one pardon the expression atomic irony. As the article below demonstrates, the stated justifications for the ongoing massive build-up of the instruments of death and destruction, make no sense whatsoever. This insanity if unchecked will lead to the end of us all. It has nothing to do with defence or safety and everything to do with filling the pockets of the merchants of death. That is our reality … unless we change it.
by Ted Rall | May 30, 2017, http://www.smirkingchimp.com
Military spending is the biggest waste of federal taxdollars ever. Both political parties are
equally complicit.
The militarism scam is the best-kept secret in American politics.
When you think about it — but no one in the halls of Congress ever does — it's hard to think of a country that has less to fear than the United States. Two vast oceans eliminate our vulnerability to attack, except by countries with sophisticated long-range ballistic missiles (5 out of 206 nations). We share long borders with two nations that we count as close allies and trading partners.
Historically, the U.S. has only faced an invasion once, by the British during the War of 1812. (There have been other minor incursions, by Mexico during the 19th century and the Japanese occupation of two remote islands in the Aleutian chain during World War II. The Pearl Harbor attack was a raid, not an invasion.)
Objectively, we have little to worry about beside terrorism — and that's a job for domestic police and intelligence agencies, not the military. Yet a whopping 54% of discretionary federal spending goes to the Pentagon. The Bush Administration put the Afghanistan and Iraq wars "off the books" of the Pentagon budget. And that's not counting interest on debt or benefits paid out for old wars. We're still paying $5 billion a year for World War II. We're still paying off beneficiaries for the Civil and Spanish-American Wars!
The U.S. accounts for less than 5% of the world's population. We account for 37% of military spending worldwide, equal to the next seven countries (China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Kingdom, India, France, Japan) combined. (And the U.S. sells a lot of hardware to most of those countries.)
Russia spends roughly a tenth as much on defense as the U.S. And they have a lot more (and twice as much territory) to defend against: NATO/American missiles to their west in Europe, a southern border full of radical Islamists in unstable countries like Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Afghanistan a stone's throw away, historical regional superpower rival China next door. Despite its relatively small defense budget, Russia somehow manages to soldier on.
No matter how you look at it, America's military budget is due for a haircut. If it were up to me, I'd scale quickly down to the Russian level, pro rata for square mileage — lob 95% of this bloated $600 billion a year monstrosity right off the top. But even a less radical budget cutter could do some good. A 10% cut — $60 billion a year — would buy universal pre-school or allow half of America's four-year college and university students to have free tuition.
Insanely, we're going the opposite direction.
President Trump wants to increase military spending by $54 billion — roughly 10% — per year.
Republican hypocrisy is brazen and obvious. Most are channeling Dick Cheney's "deficits don't matter" to justify huge tax cuts to rich individuals and big business. "I'm not the first to observe that a Republican Congress only cares about the deficit when a Democrat is in the White House," the economist Alan Krueger says. But even the most strident deficit hawks, though uncomfortable with the tax cuts, have no problem whatsoever with Trump's proposed hike in military spending.
"Any time we spend more money — even if it's for something that we need — we need to cut spending in a corresponding aspect to the budget," says Rand Paul. Slashing other, more needed programs — which is pretty much anything other than the military — is what passes for sanity in the Republican Party.
No one is proposing zero increase, much less a cut.
If anything, the Democrats are even worse. Democrats have promised a fierce Resistance to Trump and his works. But their oft-stated resolve is noticeably absent when it comes to He-Who-Must-Be-Impeached's lust to jack up a crazy-ass defense budget that doesn't have much of a justification to exist at all.
"This budget shifts the burden off of the wealthy and special interests and puts it squarely on the backs of the middle class and those struggling to get there … Democrats in Congress will emphatically oppose these cuts and urge our Republican colleagues to reject them as well," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Notice what's missing? Like other Democratic leaders, Schumer's beef is with Trump's proposed cuts to the arts, EPA and other domestic spending, and the tax cuts. He doesn't say boo about the defense increase.
As usual, Bernie Sanders was better than other Democrats. But even he didn't explicitly reject the idea of a military increase on its face.
As we move past Memorial Day — the holiday when we remember the war dead, the vast majority who died not to defend America but to oppress people in other countries who never posed a threat to the United States — we should reconsider the assumption that all military spending is good spending.
Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall) is author of "Trump: A Graphic Biography," an examination of the life of the Republican presidential nominee in comics form. You can support Ted's hard-hitting political cartoons and columns and see his work first by sponsoring his work on Patreon.
Obama Sells Out Homeowners Again: Mortgage Settlement a Sad Joke February 23, 2012Posted by rogerhollander in Barack Obama, Economic Crisis, Housing/Homelessness.
Tags: ally financial, bailout, bank of america, Citibank, Economic Crisis, foreclosures, harp, home owners, jpmorgan chase, mortgage settlement, mortgages, Obama, roger hollander, subprime, tarp, ted rall, Wells Fargo
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by Ted Rall
Joe Nocera, the columnist currently challenging Tom Friedman for the title of Hackiest Militant Centrist Hack–it's a tough job that just about everyone on The New York Times op-ed page has to do–loves the robo-signing settlement announced last week between the Obama Administration, 49 states and the five biggest mortgage banks. "Two cheers!" shouts Nocera.
Too busy to follow the news? Read Nocera. If he likes something, it's probably stupid, evil, or both.
(Photo: CNN)
As penance for their sins–securitizing fraudulent mortgages, using forged deeds to foreclose on millions of Americans and oh, yeah, borking the entire world economy–Ally Financial, Bank of America, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo have agreed to fork over $5 billion in cash. Under the terms of the new agreement they're supposed to reduce the principal of loans to homeowners who are "underwater" on their mortgages–i.e. they owe more than their house is worth–by $17 billion.
Some homeowners will qualify for $3 billion in interest refinancing, something the banks have resisted since the ongoing depression began in late 2008.
What about those who got kicked out of their homes illegally? They split a pool of $1.5 billion. Sounds impressive. It's not. Mark Zuckerberg is worth $45 billion.
"That probably nets out to less than $2,000 a person," notes The Times. "There's no doubt that the banks are happy with this deal. You would be, too, if your bill for lying to courts and end-running the law came to less than $2,000 per loan file."
Readers will recall that I paid more than that for a speeding ticket. 68 in a 55. This is the latest sellout by a corrupt system that would rather line the pockets of felonious bankers than put them where they belong: prison.
Remember TARP, the initial bailout? Democrats and Republicans, George W. Bush and Barack Obama agreed to dole out $700 billion in public–plus $7.7 trillion funneled secretly through the Fed–to the big banks so they could "increase their lending in order to loosen credit markets," in the words of Senator Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican.
Never happened.
Three years after TARP "tight home loan credit is affecting everything from home sales to household finances," USA Today reported. "Many borrowers are struggling to qualify for loans to buy homes…Those who can get loans need higher credit scores and bigger down payments than they would have in recent years. They face more demands to prove their incomes, verify assets, show steady employment and explain things such as new credit cards and small bank account deposits. Even then, they may not qualify for the lowest interest rates."
Financial experts aren't surprised. TARP was a no-strings-attached deal devoid of any requirement that banks increase lending. You can hardly blame the bankers for taking advantage. They used the cash–money that might have been used to help distressed homeowners–to grow income on their overnight "float" and issue record raises to their CEOs.
Next came Obama's "Home Affordable Modification Program" farce. Another toothless "voluntary" program, HAMP asked banks to do the same things they've just agreed to under the robo-signing settlement: allow homeowners who are struggling to refinance and possibly reduce their principals to reflect the collapse of housing prices in most markets.
Voluntary = worthless.
CNN reported on January 24th: "The HAMP program, which was designed to lower troubled borrowers' mortgage rates to no more than 31% of their monthly income, ran into problems almost immediately. Many lenders lost documents, and many borrowers didn't qualify. Three years later, it has helped a scant 910,000 homeowners–a far cry from the promised 4 million."
Or the 15 million who needed help.
As usual, state-controlled media is too kind. Banks didn't "lose" documents. They threw them away.
One hopes they recycled.
I wrote about my experience with HAMP: Chase Home Mortgage repeatedly asked for, received, confirmed receiving, then requested the same documents. They elevated the runaround to an art. My favorite part was how Chase wouldn't respond to queries for a month, then request the bank statement for that month. They did this over and over. The final result: losing half my income "did not represent income loss."
It's simple math: in 67 percent of cases, banks make more money through foreclosure than working to keep families in their homes.
This time is different, claims the White House. "No more lost paperwork, no more excuses, no more runaround," HUD secretary Shaun Donovan said February 9th. The new standards will "force the banks to clean up their acts."
Don't bet on it. The Administration promises "a robust enforcement mechanism"–i.e. an independent monitor. Such an agency, which would supervise the handling of million of distressed homeowners, won't be able to handle the workload according to mortgage experts. Anyway, it's not like there isn't already a law. Law Professor Alan White of Valparaiso University notes: "Much of this [agreement] is restating obligations loan servicers already have."
Finally, there's the issue of fairness. "Underwater" is a scary, headline-grabbing word. But it doesn't tell the whole story.
Tens of millions of homeowners have seen the value of their homes plummet since the housing crash. (The average home price fell from $270,000 in 2006 to $165,000 in 2011.) Those who are underwater tended not to have had much equity in their homes in the first place, having put down low downpayments. Why single them out for special assistance? Shouldn't people who owned their homes free and clear and those who had significant equity at the beginning of crisis get as much help as those who lost less in the first place? What about renters? Why should people who were well-off enough to afford to buy a home get a payoff ahead of poor renters?
The biggest fairness issue of all, of course, is one of simple justice. If you steal someone's house, you should go to jail. If your crimes are company policy, that company should be nationalized or forced out of business.
Your victim should get his or her house back, plus interest and penalties.
You shouldn't pay less than a speeding ticket for stealing a house.
Ted Rall is the author of the new books "Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East?," and "The Anti-American Manifesto" . His website is tedrall.com.
Barack Obama, Torture Enabler April 11, 2009Posted by rogerhollander in Barack Obama, Torture.
Tags: Alberto Gonzales, bagram, baltasar garzon, bush war crimes, cia doctors, cia interrogation, cia nurses, david addington, doj, douglas feith, Guantanamo, human rights, jay bybee, john yoo, justice department, leon panetta, nazi lawyers, nuremberg principles, nuremberg trials, obama war crimes, pinochet, president obama, rendition, roger hollander, rule of law, ted rall, torture, torture memos, War Crimes, waterboarding, william haynes
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"Ah, the great shell game of American justice. You can't prosecute the torturers because their lawyers advised them that torture was OK. You can't prosecute the lawyers because all they did was theorize–they didn't torture anyone. You can't prosecute the president and vice president who ordered the torture because they have "executive privilege" and, anyway, who would put a head of state on trial? What is this, Peru? "
Published on Friday, April 10, 2009 by Ted Rall.com
America is a nation of laws–laws enforced by Spain.
John Yoo, Jay Bybee, David Addington, Alberto Gonzales, William Haynes and Douglas Feith wrote, authorized and promulgated the Justice Department "torture memos" that the Bush Administration used for legal cover. After World War II, German lawyers for the Ministry of Justice went to prison for similar actions.
We've known about Yoo et al.'s crimes for years. Yet–unlike their victims–they're free as birds, fluttering around, writing op/ed columns…and teaching. At law school!
Obama has failed to match changes of tone with changes in substance on the issue of Bush's war crimes. "We need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards," he answered when asked whether he would investigate America's worst human rights abuses since World War II. Indeed, there's no evidence that Obama's Justice Department plans to lift a finger to hold Bush or his henchmen accountable.
"They should arrest Obama for trying to impersonate a President," one wag commented on The San Francisco Chronicle's website.
Fortunately for those who care about U.S. law, there are Spanish prosecutors willing to do their job. Baltasar Garzón, the crusading prosecutor who went after General Augusto Pinochet in the '90s, will likely subpoena the Dirty Half Dozen within the next few weeks. "It would have been impossible to structure a legal framework that supported what happened [in Guantánamo]" without Gonzales and his pals," argues the criminal complaint filed in Madrid.
When the six miscreants ignore their court dates (as they surely will), Spain will issue international arrest warrants enforceable in the 25 countries that are party to European extradition treaties. All hail King Juan Carlos I!
Which brings us to a leaked report by the Red Cross, famous for its traditional reticence to confront governments. Which means that physicians are enjoined to do no harm. Doctors are prohibited by their ethical code of conduct from attending, much less participating in, torture. (What does this have to do with Bush's lawyers? Hold on. I'm getting there.)
The Red Cross found that CIA doctors, nurses and/or paramedics "monitored prisoners undergoing waterboarding, apparently to make sure they did not drown. Medical workers were also present when guards confined prisoners in small boxes, shackled their arms to the ceiling, kept them in frigid cells and slammed them repeatedly into walls," reports The New York Times.
"Even if the medical worker's intentions had been to prevent death or permanent injury," the report said, they would have violated medical ethics. But they weren't there to protect anyone but the CIA. They even "condoned and participated in ill treatment….[giving] instructions to interrogators to continue, to adjust or to stop particular methods." Charming.
Since 1945, at least 70 doctors around the world have been prosecuted for participating in torture. But not Bush's CIA torture facilitators. Not by this president. Asked to comment on the Red Cross report, a spokesman for CIA director Leon Panetta replied that Panetta "has stated repeatedly that no one who took actions based on legal guidance from the Department of Justice at the time should be investigated, let alone punished." (There's the lawyer connection.)
Which is similar to what Obama said about the torturers: "At the CIA, you've got extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don't want them to suddenly feel like they've got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering up." Don't you just hate being micromanaged when you're torturing people?
Ah, the great shell game of American justice. You can't prosecute the torturers because their lawyers advised them that torture was OK. You can't prosecute the lawyers because all they did was theorize–they didn't torture anyone. You can't prosecute the president and vice president who ordered the torture because they have "executive privilege" and, anyway, who would put a head of state on trial? What is this, Peru?
What's the flip side of a victimless crime? A perpless crime?
It's a neat circle, or would be if it fit, but drink some coffee and let the caffeine do its thing and it soon becomes apparent that it doesn't come close. The trouble for the Bushies, and now for Obama–they're his torturers now–is that lawyers are bound by a higher code than following orders.
Yoo, Bybee, Addington, Gonzales, Haynes and Feith were asked by the White House to come up with legal cover for what they knew or ought to have known were illegal acts under U.S. law, international law, and treaties including the Geneva Conventions (which were ratified by the U.S. and therefore hold the force of U.S. law). Since they don't deny what they did–indeed, they continue to justify it–their presumed defense if they wound up on trial in Europe would be that they were just following orders.
However, the decision in the 1948 trials of German attorneys immortalized in the fictionalized film "Judgment at Nuremberg" makes clear that a lawyer's duty is to the law–not his government. And not just his own country's law–international law.
The Nuremberg tribunal acknowledged that Nazi Germany was an absolute dictatorship in which everyone answered to Adolf Hitler and could be shot for disobeying. Nevertheless, the court ruled, "there were [German] restrictions for Hitler under international law." Despite his total legal authority within Germany, Hitler "could issue orders [that violated] international law." Obeying a direct order from Hitler, in other words, was illegal if it violated international law. And German lawyers went to prison for doing just that.
The six lawyers about to face charges in Spain didn't have to worry about Nazi firing squads. They were rank opportunists trying to advance their careers in an Administration that viewed laws as quaint, inconvenient obstacles. Here's how not scared they are: Feith recently penned an op/ed in The Wall Street Journal daring–double-daring–Obama's Justice Department to go after him.
"If President Barack Obama and the prosecutors see a crime to be prosecuted, they can act," Feith wrote.
One can only hope. In the meantime, we'll always have Spain.


text:
All material Copyright © 1996-2014 by Silvio Mattacchione & Co. unless otherwise noted.
Ray Crawford: Young Man with a Passion
It seems odd that the very first time I should have heard Ray Crawford's name was out of the mouth of die-hard soccer player and soccer coach, my cousin Julio Mattacchione. Julio had for years worked at the Ontario Food Terminal on the Queensway in downtown Toronto. The Ontario Food Terminal is a gigantic facility that houses hundreds of companies, all of which import fruit and vegetables from all over the world. Not really a venue to be hearing about a fellow who, it turns out, is possibly one of the best racing pigeon fanciers in all of Canada, and possibly one of the finest in North America.
The year was 1993 when Julio made the following remarks: He said, "Silvio, I have three fellows who work with me that are absolutely driving me mad. All they ever talk about is pigeons and racing pigeons to boot. They talk about these birds throughout an entire twelve-hour shift, non-stop! They become animated, they raise their voices. You would think that they were talking about really important matters of state or politics or religion. There's a real passion with these young men!" Then he concluded, "Silvio, this goes on all day, day in, day out, summer and winter, season after season."
I laughed and told my cousin that it seemed that these were real racing pigeon enthusiasts and, to them, pigeons are more important than politics and matters of state. He insisted they were driving him crazy and that he never imagined there could possibly be so much to say about such a lowly bird. I reminded Julio that he and his son Joey (who just signed with Toronto for the 1999 professional soccer season) constantly talked and lived soccer and that racing pigeons, to racing enthusiasts, were infinitely more enjoyable and interesting than any other sport.
I finally asked the name of this young racing pigeon fanatic. This young man's name was Ray Crawford. I cannot really say that it rang a bell. I had no idea who this young man was. Many years would pass before I had occasion to finally meet the young clean-shaven man who said very little and observed very much. Ray was a hard worker, holding down two jobs and somehow finding the time to fly and care for his birds.
Since I really do not take in many pigeon events, I would not have occasion to see Ray until 1996, when Jim McLean and I attended the AU Convention in Florida. Believe it or not, we saw Ray and Dave Ottaway at the Tampa airport, where we spoke for a short period of time before returning to Canada.
I would again see Ray Crawford on a few occasions in 1998. This is when I really got to know a little bit about Ray, his birds, and the fact that he was a force to be reckoned with in Canada's largest combine (and arguably one of the largest in North America) the powerful Up North Racing Pigeon Combines, with a total of some 200 members. From firsthand knowledge, you can bet that these fanciers are serious and do not take this pursuit lightly. Flyers like John Marles, Claude Rothgiesser, Dave Booth, Dave Ottaway, Jim McLean, and others will certainly get the fires burning under your chariots!
Getting Started
Ray Crawford has had pigeons most of his life, starting at the age of twelve. Like many young fanciers, Ray's dad got him interested. Ray's dad had a fascination (some would say compulsion) for pigeons, any type of pigeon-as long as it was white. So, true to form, Ray's first birds were a menagerie of-you guessed it-white fancy pigeons.
However, this bliss was not to be long-lived. One day a pair of blue racing homers, complete with bands, made their way to Ray's all-white loft. Ray's dad laid down the law, and there was no place to hide blue pigeons in an all-white loft. Father took them to work and knew that they surely would not return. To their chagrin, low and behold, there they were back at the all-white loft! Dad continued to try to lose them, but to no avail. Ray was later to find out that these birds belonged to Peter Trezzi, a local neighborhood fancier. They got to know each other and became good friends. Ray, being the observant lad he was, quickly asked Peter why his birds flew around his loft and Ray's only sat on his loft. The inevitable answer, racing homers. Well, Ray was hooked. Adjustments were made to his loft and three youngsters bred from the original stray pair became Ray's team. Results were not immediate. He flew his first race that same year (1974) at age twelve in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club (coincidentally, the same club where I had started out in 1967). and clocked one bird from 90 miles, second from the bottom. The next week this sole survivor raced again but never returned. A short end to Ray's first season, and it was years before he flew in another race.
Rediscovering the Spark
To be exact, thirteen years later at age 25, having a brew in a local bar, a fancier named Harry Clark asked if he still had the passion for birds. No need to ask, of course he did.
That is how Ray was to meet Angelo Benedetti, who would become his partner to this day. Angelo had been seriously ill and had just returned from a hospital stay. He needed help with the birds and Ray, now on his own and working, needed birds to care for. It was the makings of an ideal partnership. Ray cared for the birds until Angelo recovered, at which time he asked Ray if he wanted to fly the young bird season. Ray jumped at the opportunity and the Crawford & Benedetti Loft partnership was born in 1988. Benedetti was a well-known, successful flyer in the Toronto area, who due to circumstance had not flown birds for some years. Benedetti, during his last five years of competition, had won all the 500 mile races, as well as average speeds, and had the only bird on the day at the 400. It seems that Angelo Benedetti was a natural at conditioning for distance races. At age nineteen, on his first race, he was 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and he repeated the following weeks with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th! Angelo's birds, which he has now had for 39 years, are a mixture of Sion, Van Braune, Delbar, Von Spital, and Janssen.
The young bird season of 1988 was the first year that Crawford and Benedetti flew young birds as partners. Again in 1989, and finally in 1990, they flew both old and young birds together. That first year, 1988, Ray won 1st Average Speed in the club and topped the trailer in the first race. He flew that year in the West York Racing Pigeon Club. He won 1st Average Speed again in 1989. In 1990, Ray flew old birds for the first time, and true to form, won 1st Average Speed in the West York Club and was 1st Longlac 550 miles. Ray Crawford had learned his lessons well; he knew intuitively that success comes with hard work, and he was no stranger to that concept. During the race season Ray spends about 6-7 hours per day with his birds!
Introducing the Spanjaards/Janssen Line
In 1994, Ray was given six Janssens as a gift by a friend, Dave Ottaway. Dave is quite a flyer in his own right. That same year Ray met Gus Tzotzos and purchased four birds from him. One of these birds, a Spanjaards/Janssen blue checker cock, was to eventually turn out to be a proverbial mother lode. This bird's number was CU-92-1689, and he was a son of a bird owned by Jim McLean and myself called "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), or "058", who in turn was a son of NL-74-813969, known as the "969". This "969" (NL-74-813969), bred by Gerrit Spanjaards, was a grandson of the world famous "Oude Merckx". He had been a Provincial Ace Pigeon twice, as well as being the sire to the 1977 National Orleans winner, and had bred some eighty exceptional pigeons. His son "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), was kept by Mr. Gerrit Spanjaards when he finally decided to sell his sire, "969" (NL-74-813969), to America. "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058) was chosen to perpetuate the line for Spanjaards in Holland!
Life is full of coincidence. My entire line is that of Mr. Gerrit Spanjaards, and my partner and I owned the sire "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058) to Ray's newly acquired superstar "1689" (CU-92-1689). But more on this later.
With the introduction of these new Janssens crossed into Angelo's old blood they had a winning combination. Flying as R. Crawford and Ryding View Loft, here is how they did:
Old Bird Season
. 4 x 1st in old birds flying in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 1st Average Speed in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
Young Bird Season
. 1st in one young bird race
Old Bird Season
. 6 x 1st in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 2nd Average Speed Overall plus 1st Average Speed for the Long Distance
Young Bird Season
. 5 x 1st in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 5 x 1st in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
Old Bird Season
. 5 x 1st in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 1st Overall Average Speed
Young Bird Season
. 3 x 1st in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 3 x 1st in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
. 1st and 3rd Champion Young Bird in the Up North Combine
Young Bird Season
. 3 x 1st in the Canadian Racing Pigeon Club
. 4 x 1st in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
Old Bird Season
. 3 x 1st in the Metro Racing Pigeon Club
. 5 x 1st in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
. 1st Average Speed in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
Young Bird Season
. 1 x 1st in the Metro Racing Pigeon Club
. 4 x 1st in the West York Racing Pigeon Club
. 2nd Average Speed and 6th Average Speed in the Up North Combine
It is important to note that these results do not include any results from the short program that is run in conjunction with the regular race program.
Therefore, since 1994, Ray Crawford has won 59 firsts (no doubles), that is, 30 x 1st in old birds and 29 x 1st in young bird races-all of this in only four short years. If we were to consider total wins from 1988 to 1998, Ray has 119 1st place wins to date. It is a shame that Ray has never considered submitting results for National awards in either Canada or the USA When I asked Ray why he had never submitted his records for awards, his comment to me was, "Silvio, I am only interested in flying my birds and I have only compiled these stats because you asked me to!" Yes, I can certainly understand this sentiment in not wanting to become a bookkeeper, however I also hope that the C.R.P.U. will soon adopt a program that will automatically calculate everyone's results so that awards will reflect all performances worthy of note regardless of whether a person does or does not choose to submit his performances.
Ray's Way
There is no doubt that Ray has a way with the birds. You can see it in the way his birds calmly react to him in the loft-no nervous or frightened birds here. The birds are at total ease with him. This same way of relating to the birds I saw at the home of Marinka Vink, an exceptional woman fancier in Holland, in 1996. She has decimated one of the largest combines in Holland with her ability to relate to her birds.
Ray has four lofts situated in the small backyard of Angelo Beneditti's home. Most of the lofts were either built by Ray or renovated by him. The lofts are exceedingly clean-I would think scraped at least three times per day. Most people underestimate just how important cleanliness truly is. The Janssen Brothers intuitively understood this fact.
Ray practices a pretty much standard preventative medication program. His birds are usually slowly trained up to 85 miles. Once the races begin, the birds are expected to do just that-race week after week. His old birds are flown from 130-600 miles. The old birds are flown double widowhood.
Rays lofts back onto a rail yard-not a great place to be on race day. Clanging of railcars and engines would have most birds in a panic, however, under his care they seem oblivious to the constant hubbub. Apart from the noise, I have never seen as many "plugs" that live and fly around that particular rail yard. These are the obstacles that temper true champions. Ray and his birds rise to the occasion, with never a complaint. His motto is, "Just let me fly my birds." Remember how I said that Ray had a special way with birds? Well, I have heard how with great patience he was able to get one of the "feral pigeons" from the rail yards to fly to him on command. It actually became so tame that he became a nuisance on race day-constantly after the widow hens.
The Exceptional "1689"
I couldn't resist eventually asking Ray what his most prepotent sire was. Without wasting a second, his answer was "1689" (CU-92-1689), the checker Spanjaards cock. Prepotent was definitely the correct description for this son of "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), also called "058". Just how good was he? "The best I have ever owned!" Not just that, his children are all doing the job both racing and breeding. The future, as Ray sees it, is crossing this Spanjaards/Janssen blood into their own old line. The results are there for all to see.
So just how good is "1689" (CU-92-1689)? Again, the answer without hesitation, "Since I began breeding him in 1994, in only four years he has produced twenty direct children, each of which has won 1st place". Twenty separate sons or daughters to win 1st! Regardless of records or amounts paid, this makes "1689" (CU-92-1689) one of the finest proven and documented sires in North America today. More important, he also has the proven genetic heritage descending in a direct male line from the "Oude Merckx" of Janssen Brothers fame, to the "969" (NL-74-813969) bred and raced by Gerrit Spanjaards, producer of the 1977 National Orleans Winner, to his sire, "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), the sire of three ace pigeons. This exceptional "1689" (CU-92-1689) continues this phenomenal lineage and no doubt will, before his breeding days are over, surpass them all!
I was intrigued by this claim and set about with assistance to methodically document it. How many times have I heard, "Yes, he has bred a ton of winners," yet the ton is never quantified or qualified. Well, to my delight here is what we found.
The following twenty 1st place winners are all direct children of "1689" (CU-92-1689):
. Station: Gravenhurst; Distance: 139.033 km; Result: 1st Club, 3rd Association
. Station: Burks Falls; Distance: 217.056 km; Result: 1st Club, 3rd Association
. Station: New Liskeard; Distance: 428.251 km; Results: 1st Club, 7th Association
. Station: Temagami; Distance: 378.057 km; Results: 1st Club, 1st Association
. Station: Gravenhurst; Distance: 139.033 km; Results: 1st Club, 2nd Association
. Station: Gogama; Distance: 478.214 km; Results: 3rd Club, 1st Gold Band Race
. Station: Smooth Rock Falls; Distance: 643.371 km; Results: 1st Club, 11th Association
. Station: Point Au-Baurel; Distance: 225.651 km; Results: 1st Club, 2nd Association, 28th Combine
. This bird also won 1st Champion Bird of the combine.
. Station: Gogama; Distance: 478.217 km; Results: 1st Club, 4th Association, 37th Combine.
. Station: North Bay; Distance: 293.989 km; Results: 1st Club, 12th Combine.
. Station: Engelhart; Distance: 463.753 km; Results: 1st Club, 30th Combine
. Station: Latchford; Distance: 407.274 km; Results: 1st Club, 6th Combine
. Station: Ramore; Distance: 523.765 km; Results: 1st Club, 23rd Combine
. Station: Burks Falls; Distance: 217.056 km; Results: 1st Club, 19th Combine
. Station: New Liskeard; Distance: 428.251 km; Results: 1st Club, 15th Combine
. Station: Engelhart; Distance: 459.856 km; Results: 1st Club, 7th Combine
. This bird was also the 4th Champion Bird of the combine.
. Station: Engelhart; Distance: 463.753 km; Results: 3rd Club, 4th Association, 26th Combine
. He was also 1st Auction Race and Ray shipped only three birds.
. Station: North Bay; Distance: 293.989 km; Results: 1st Club, 5th Association, 22nd Combine.
. Station: North Bay; Distance: 293.989 km; Results: 1st Club, 5th Association, 22nd Combine
. This bird was also 1st Gold Band Race.
. Station: New Liskeard; Distance: 428.251 km; Results: 1st Club, 1st Association, 1st Combine
. Station: North Bay; Distance: 293.989 km; Results: 1st Club, 1st Association, 14th Combine
. Station: North Bay; Distance: 293.989 km; Results: 1st Club, 9th Association
. Also successful
The above referenced twenty children of "1689"( CU-92-1689) are all documented first place winners. What an incredible accomplishment for this young sire and Ray Crawford. It says volumes about Ray Crawford's ability to condition and handle a team of racing pigeons.
Another performance of great interest was that of a daughter of "1689" (CU-92-1689) in the all-Ontario Upper Canada National with 222 lofts, 3,271 birds. Ray's hen, CU-96-CDN-0585, was 24th, plus Ray also scored 36th, 41st, 84th, and 85th. Another great-granddaughter of "1689" (CU-92-1689) is CU-98-CDN-0540, who competed in the Hamilton Engelhart Open Race (one of Canada's largest young bird open races) with 101 lofts, 872 birds, scoring 4th overall. This is incredible when you think that Ray only sent one bird! Need anyone say any more? It is not often that the true worth of a bird is so well documented.
Since Jim McLean and I both owned "1689's" (CU-92-1689) sire, "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), up until his death in the fire at Jim's loft in 1995, no one was in a better position to know and appreciate his value than we were. Jim McLean and I were so impressed with "1689" (CU-92-1689) that on February 20, 1999, Ray's birthday, we arranged to purchase this magnificent Spanjaards cock with Ray Crawford's blessings. "1689" (CU-92-1689) has now been named "Limited Edition" (CU-92-1689), which truly reflects his unique genetic value. Our thanks to Ray Crawford for allowing "Limited Edition" (CU-92-1689) to be incorporated back into our Spanjaards/Janssen genetic pool. He, along with eight other brothers and sisters bred by us from "Spanjaards" (NL-84-1092058), will insure the perpetuation of this line well into the 21st Century.
Ray Crawford has in a short period of time shown conclusively that you do not have to be wealthy to succeed. He has shown that the will to learn, the will to work hard, with honesty and fair play, and most important, love of your hobby and your pigeons, can and will lead to success. Our sport is a 365-day-a-year endeavor; there is no off season.
Ray Crawford, I'm proud to have met you. I know that we will be hearing more about you in the years to come on a National level. Most important, I know that you will never stop loving your birds. Mr. Spanjaards would have been proud of you and your birds!
Ray Crawford, your results, your ability, and your generosity to new members makes you a true Canadian and North American Champion.
Racing Pigeons Section Contents
Background on Silvio Mattacchione, his pigeons, his loft, and inbreeding program.
A group of articles and editorials addressing various aspects of the sport of pigeon racing and the history of Silvio's line of Spanjaards/Janssens pigeons.
Buy fantastic pigeon books online! Selections include The Will to Prepare by Robert Kinney, Rotondo on Racing Pigeons by Joseph Rotondo, and The Pigeon Guide by Dr. Jon Esposito and Shannon Hiatt.
Some of Silvio Mattacchione's own winning stock is for sale.
Sivio Mattacchione offers a wide range of racing pigeon consulting services and consults with owners as far away as Australia, Mexico, Taiwan, The Philippines and the United States. Each consultation is tailored specifically to meet the client's needs, and is conducted in as thorough a manner as possible.
Good causes supported by Silvio and the racing pigeon and parrot communities.
Clever pigeon pictures constructed of keyboard strokes by artist Jerry Downs.
Links to other racing pigeon sites including those of clubs, products, and information resources. An easy way to navigate a series of pigeon web sites!
Silvio's e-mail, mail, phone, and fax contact information.


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New Year, New Blog!
Goodbye Tumblr, Hello WordPress.
This year will be my Biatch, it's 2012 and time for change.
How do, my names Dom Giles, welcome to my new blog. Let's hope this is more successful than my 2011 Blog I started last year on Tumblr.
I'm going to use this new blog, amoung other things, to track some self progression.
This year I will be taking it upon myself to 1) Get Myself Fit and Sexy, B) Learn a New Language, and Pineapple) Teach myself Guitar and Piano for song writing purposes.
Better yourself and all that.
I've set these tasks for myself several times in recent years but I never quite get round to it, but this year I will. At Last. With the help of Miss Saru and Mr. Jimmy of course!
Today is the 1st of January 2012, one year from today I will have achieved all of these things.
I'm also going to take a photo of myself every day to track both my "getting fit" progress, and I fancy doing one of those "take a photo of your face every day for a year" things, seems like a laugh.
See you at the other end and lets enjoy the journey!
To those who read, I thank you. To those who didn't, Im behind the fridge…
Ciao for now
Dom Giles, Out!


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Nokia has released their Nokia Drive+ application for Windows Phone 8, the app is a beta version and it brings turn by turn navigation to Windows Phone 8 handsets, the app is available to people in the US, Canada and the UK.
The Nokia Drive+ beta app is available as a free download from Microsoft's Windows Phone store, and it features voice guided navigation, offline maps, speed warnings and even a night mode.
A FREE offline, turn-by-turn voice guided navigation app for WP8 users in US, UK, and Canada that helps you to reach any destination safely and easily – even without a data connection for a real offline experience.
You can download the Nokia Drive+ Beta app for free from the Windows Phone Store, the app will work with Windows Phone 8 handsets.
Source MicrosoftFiled Under: Mobile Phone News, Technology News


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Do you suspect that your significant other is cheating? Do they seem distant? Do you wonder whether they still care about you? Are you looking for signs of when the relationship is over? Do you suspect a friend could be involved?
If these are questions that you wonder about, a psychic love reading will benefit you. A psychic love reading will be able to reveal exactly what your mate is thinking and feeling, so that you can move forward in your relationship.
Don't allow the doubts about your relationship rule your life. Take control and find a solution. Psychic Rita Estelle can guide you in order to improve your relationship with the one that you love, or guide you in moving on.
Love readings can tell you if there is someone who is a potential threat to your marriage or relationship. Knowing this information, you can avoid the emotional pain of losing the one you love to another.
No more disappointments in love, no more tears, and no more unhappiness. It is time for you to make a change. Nothing is impossible. With the guidance of Psychic Rita, you can be with the one you desire!
Don't hesitate, CALL NOW!


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Effects of Thermal Losses on the Heating of a Multifunctional LTCC Module for Atomic Clock Packaging
Effects of Thermal Losses on the Heating of a Multifunctional LTCC Module for Atomic Clock Packaging - Descarga este documento en PDF. Documentación en PDF para descargar gratis. Disponible también para leer online.
Published in: Solid State Phenomena (ISSN: 1662-9779), vol. 188, p. 244-249 Series: Solid State Phenomena Stafa-Zurich: Trans Tech Publications Ltd, 2012
An innovative multifunctional LTCC module has been designed for miniature atomic clock packaging. The components of miniature atomic clocks need to be efficiently packaged and connected to each other, and a precise temperature control is required for them. The great advantage of using LTCC technology for this application is that it allows the integration of different functions, such as heaters and PTC resistor for temperature measurement and control, and optionally other active elements. In this research, a platform for measuring the thermal conductivity of materials has been developed in order to perform precise thermal studies on the packaging. The relationship between achieved temperature and power dissipated for the heating of the LTCC module has been calculated in different experimental configurations, in order to determine the effects of conduction and convection on the heating and estimate the thermal losses that they introduce into the system.
Keywords: couches épaisses ; thick-film technology ; LTCC ; horloges atomiques ; atomic clocks ; packaging ; analyse thermique ; thermal analysis ; dissipation ; isolation thermique ; thermal insulation ; convection losses ; radiation losses ; conduction losses ; support modulaire ; modular carrier Note: Version révisée de proc. AMS, Timisoara, Roumanie Reference EPFL-ARTICLE-182322doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.188.244View record in Web of Science
Autor: Vecchio, Fabrizio; Maeder, Thomas; Slater, Conor; Ryser, Peter
Fuente: https://infoscience.epfl.ch/record/182322?ln=en


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Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona ...and now Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The Sheffield born, 20 year-old Everton forward, raised in Hillsborough and a product of the Blades Academy at Shirecliffe has written his name onto a list of footballing greats who have scored in the Fifa Under 20 World Cup Final.
And not even all of those can say they struck the winner.
Calvert-Lewin coolly stroked in the only goal of the game as England grabbed global glory for the first time since the home success at Wembley in 1966.
The Young Lions had to dig in to claim the victory over an impressive Venezuela side and if Calvert-Lewin took the headlines in the first half, it was goalkeeper Freddie Woodman who won the plaudits after the break, following a superb penalty save from Adalberto Penaranda.
Calvert-Lewin made the move to Goodison Park from Bramall Lane last summer in a deal worth over £1million, and made his Premier League debut as a substitute against Arsenal.
He would go on to score against Hull City and play in a Merseyside derby, but this experience tops everything in his fledgling career and the striker could barely put into words how he was feeling.
Now, he is one of just three English players to score in a World Cup decider after Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst.
"To be one of only three Englishman to have scored in a World Cup finaI is amazing," he said.
"I probably should have scored the first time to be honest. I just anticipated the keeper parrying the ball away and tried to keep my composure and managed to put it away. The feeling was just relief to be honest. I can't remember what I did - ran to the corner flag and hit it I think but then all the lads came over.
"It is hard to put into words what that feeling is like when the referee blew the final whistle. We have wanted this so much that to come back to England as part of a select few who have won the World Cup means everything."
England coach Paul Simpson, who had a brief loan spell at Sheffield United in the 90s, is hoping that this success provides a springboard to allow the young players to make a push for regular first team football.
He said: "Hopefully we can use this as a stepping stone as ultimately the goal is to be successful at senior level and this has been a terrific experience for these players to help develop them for senior football."
Oscar (Brazil) - 2011 Brazil 3 Portugal 2 (AET)
Sergio Aguero - 2007 Argentina 2 Czech Republic 1
*Lionel Messi - 2005 Argentina 2 Nigeria 1
*Fernandinho - 2003 Brazil 1 Spain 0
*Diego Maradona - 1979 Argentina 3 Soviet Union 1
*The World Youth Championships became Under 20 World Cup in 2007


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The original, over a million sold! A simple, but incredibly handy app that turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a flashlight, even older devices.
✔ Starts quickly, no annoying ads
✔ Automatic maximum brightness (requires iOS 5)
✔ 25 different themes and animated lighting effects
✔ Supports the LED flash on iPhone4 & iPhone4S
✔ Strobe effects and brightness control
★★★★★ "LOVE it, I use it every night!" - Mary M.
★★★★★ "My favorite flashlight app." - Ian G.
★★★★★ "A must have - a million uses." - Tom S.
★★★★★ "Definitely my most used app" - Scott
הורידו עכשיו את Torch, אפליקציה שפותחה במיוחד עבור אייפון ואייפד ע"י ExactMagic. נשמח לשמוע מכם תגובות, שתפו אותנו בחווית השימוש, שאלות או טיפים שימושיים על Torch.
צריכים עזרה? נשמח לעזור לכם להשתמש באפליקציית Torch באמצעות מדריכי וידאו, עזרה, טריקים ועוד.
None of our household flashlights are ever working properly, but this one ALWAYS works. Great for going to the bathroom in the middle of the night in hotel rooms.
Loads fast, lots of options and regular additions and updates to the app well beyond bug fixes. My very first paid app and still my favorite!
Great flashlight app.does what I want it to do without too much hunting through options
I use it nearly every day. I would find it hard to do without.
Really does the job, especially on iPhone 4S. Gets a LOT of use.
It uses the screen not the camera flash. Perfect for iPhone 3GS. It does what I want it to do. Very helpful and convenient. I use it almost daily for short periods. The automatic screen brightening is a very nice feature!
This app will be appreciated long after the games are forgotten. For short periods, replaces the need for a flashlight.


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Storytime with Brad Meltzer
Winnetka | Website
This event occurred in the past.
Map | Find Parking
This story time is with best-selling author Brad Meltzer. Two new additions to his series for our youngest readers are celebrated. The two newest titles are: "I Am Sacagawea" and "I Am Gandhi," which are told in a conversational way that works well for young nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos.


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When comic book characters are brought to life on the big screen they almost universally get a new look. Sometimes it's for logistical reasons, other times it's to tone down an outfit that looks ridiculously awesome on paper, but in real life, just ridiculous. The X-Men, Avengers, Batman, and Superman; they've all gone through the Hollywood makeover machine. So trust me, James Gunn and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy will be no different.
While the whole team hasn't been cast yet – Chris Pratt is Star-Lord, Dave Bautista is Drax the Dextroyer, and Zoe Saldana is Gamora, we're still waiting to hear about Rocket Racoon and Groot – Saldana is already antsy to know what her character will look like. They've decided to realize the alien assassin, Gamora, green-skin and all, through practical effects with very, very little CGI. Meaning Saldana's going green, literally, for the role. But what of her outfit? Her hair? These are things a woman likes to know ahead of time.
I'm curious. That's what I want I start to check out, too: Am I going to wear leather? Is it going to be spandex? How's my hair going to look?
Us too. Will her outfit look more like Gamora's costume in the current Guardians comic, seen above, or more like the released concept art,
I'm hoping they model it after the current comics. It's space age-y, with a Mass Effect feel I really dig.
In her interview with USA Today, which the above quote comes from, Saldana also spoke about her love of sci-fi roles, Guardians being her third after Avatar and Star Trek, saying,
I do have an affinity for people, writers, directors and storytellers who are that creative and have an infinite imagination to imagine the unimaginable and boldly go where no one has gone before. I know it sounds cheesy to use that line as a reference but it's true — it takes a lot of talent and courage and freedom to conceive something that you have never seen, or take inspiration from everything around your life and build something that you've never actually physically seen with your eyes.
I'd be fine if Saldana worked in sci-fi for the rest of career, personally. She makes a killer addition to the genre. What do you think? And what do you think Gamora's outfit should look like in Guardians? Or for that matter, any of the Guardians' uniforms?
Source: USA Today via MTV Splash Page


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I took the train from the south of France (see blog) to Rome and only spent a few days there but was able to visit most of the major sights including the Vatican. A few things surprised me about Rome/VC. One was how intertwined the ancient ruins are with the everyday life of a modern city. Everywhere you look, in residential neighborhoods, parks, commercial districts, and shopping areas, there are signs of the crumbled empire. The other thing that stood out for me was the opulence of the churches. The amount of gold, silver, marble, and other gaudy stuff is overwhelming. At first glance you think how beautiful but then I started to reflect on my trip in South America, especially the town of Potosi in Bolivia (see blog) where it is estimated that over 9 million indigenous workers and African slaves died in the mines. Of course that was under Spanish rule and this is Italy so I took a bunch of pretty pictures and moved on to Greece (see blog).
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Rome - Italy
Posted by BDC Buzz at 4:32 PM
Labels: Italy, Rome, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City
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This is a great start to the year. We too had to neglect our compost over the winter (we started shoving it in the fire instead). As for revitalising, the blog is one of my revitalised projects this year. 🙂
Fear less, hope more;
eat less, chew more;
Whine less,
Breathe more;
Talk less, say more;
Love more,
and all good things
will be yours!
~Swedish Proverb
Show of hands how many of us are about ready for winter and snow to be over? I know that I am. I've confessed before to being notorious winter-phobe, and even though I can grudgingly admit that over the past several months I have found a kind of detached beauty in snow… yeah, that doesn't mean I want it to stick around.
Here in Chicagoland, if past years are anything to go by, the cold will hang on through April, though hopefully we've gotten most of the snow accumulation past us. I'm probably still jumping in the gun in beginning my spring preparations, but I'm sure you'll agree it gets tedious being trapped inside all the time. So, here are a few things…
View original post 404 more words


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Our Slimline® roof lantern is officially the slimmest roof lantern in the UK market today, and the only one with the option of an opening roof vent. Our electrically-operated version even comes with automatic climate control, so you just set your desired temperature and your Slimline vent will do the rest.
This is a great option for kitchen, living spaces and extensions – the vents provides fresh air and cooling without the need to open any doors or windows. With seals that are 80% deeper than competitors, you can be sure that the risk of condensation is also minimised.
– Choose your size, RAL colour, vent options, remote control & glazing
– Best In Class U-value of only 0.7 w/m2k
– FREE insulated upstand & 20-year unit seal warranty
– Modular assembly, so there is no need to hire a crane
Want to see exactly why our Slimline is unique on the market? Watch our short comparison video on YouTube (Opens in new tab). Or, if you need some extra help with installing a Roof Maker Slimline, we've pulled together these handy resources.
Speak to us: 0116 269 6297Get your quote online
With its raised apex, this elegant roof lantern is designed to make a statement. We've even been awarded a trademark to recognise our achievement in creating the slimmest lantern on the market.
Our Slimline® roof lantern combines sturdy, insulated construction with a clean, contemporary aesthetic.
Its super-slim glazing bars and ultra-thin, aluminium-capped glazing joints result in clean lines, increased glass surface with minimal frame interruptions.
Watch our short comparison video to see why it is unique in the market.
We manufacture all of our products in-house, allowing us to build your new lantern to your exact specifications.
Built-in insulated upstand, which conforms to all safety standards and building regulations.
Modular design – allowing ease of assembly without a crane, and simple replacement of panes if the unexpected happens. Watch our assembly video for more details.
For an even easier installation, as about our builder's kerbs.
Comprehensively weather tested against BS 6375 Pt 1, and compliant with all safety and building regulations, as well as BS EN1279 parts 2 & 3.
GlassToughened safety glass. U-values as low as 0.7 w/m2k
FrameAluminium with insulating Styrofoam inserts
Warranty20 year seal warranty
Glazing StandardsBS EN1279 parts 2 & 3
Weather resistanceBS 6375 Pt 1 standards
Sound InsulationISO 717-1/A1
General information on the Slimline Lantern, including options, colours and sizes - plus detailed cross section and technical info.


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The many things carried out in new buildings in Raleigh have facilitated the demand for residential contractors to increase. An example of a residential contracting is electrical installation in the new buildings. This opportunity has been occupied by many people where they take it a full-time hustle. Therefore, for you to thrive in residential contracting there are many things that you need to note. For Success in Raleigh residential contracting you need to study the guidelines below.
It is advisable to have to have a contact list which you can rely on. You are going to come across a lot of clients when you choose this career of a resident contractor. You will be required to maintain the information of the different customers that you meet as a residential contractor. Unlike a residential contractor there are other firms which only work once for example building company. For you to have a contact list that is dependable it is advisable to have a list containing the data of your clients.
For you to succeed in residential constructing you need to make sure that the relations between you and your customers are stronger. You will enjoy a lot when you maintain tougher relations with your clients. Your clients that you have, for example, will associate you with other people. Therefore, for a success in becoming a residential contractor you will be required to maintain strong relations with your customers.
For a success in residential contracting, the other tip you need to know is that it is advisable not to fear the things that you come across. The new kinds of stuff that you encounter must not make you scared, and by doing so you will succeed in residential contracting. Many people when they start businesses and companies they get afraid of new things they face. It is recommendable if you want to succeed in your industry to get prepared to face the challenges when you start a company or a business Anything that you encounter as a residential contractor should not hinder you from succeeding as a residential contractor. To read more on the importance of residential contracting, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04FTHerBdDA.
Marketing yourself is another tip for making it through in residential contracting. You must not apply expensive options to market yourself. It is advisable to use the free digital option and business cards. Therefore, marketing yourself is an essential thing that you have to do, but you must not spend a lot of money doing this. Try it now!
To be brief, it is advisable if you are planning to be a successful residential contractor at this website to study the guidelines given above. For you to have a lot of customers you can rely on your friends and family members to help you give out the business cards other folks.


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Asus has revealed Asus Transformer Book, Laptops with detachable touchscreens running on Windows 8 at Computex 2012. The Transformer Book builds upon the same concept as the firm's moderately popular Android tablets, the Transformer and Transformer Prime, except it runs a full blown version of Windows 8 powered by an x86 Intel Core i processor.
The device itself looks almost as thin and light as one of Asus' Zenbook ultrabooks and comes in 11.6, 13 and 14-inch sizes. All three models will have an IPS display with a native 1920×1080 resolution. Inside the tablet portion is a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 "Ivy Bridge" processors and up to 4GB of RAM, while in notebook mode you also get the power of discrete graphics with an unspecified Nvidia chip.


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Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association Find it free on the store
Click here for this week's custom content.
AOPA is calling on its members to take immediate action to build support for new legislation that would reform the third class medical process and provide other protections for general aviation pilots.
Read more...
AOPA Live This Week
AOPA Live This Week® is in Orlando, Florida, for the Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo, the rotorcraft world's main event. Elsewhere in the Sunshine State, get the pilot's view from 25 feet agl aboard a helicopter tasked with controlling mosquitoes that threaten quality of life and health. Plus, ride along with a morning news and traffic chopper over traffic jams in Southern California.
Watch AOPA Live This Week, March 5...
Event registration
RSVP early for an AOPA Fly-In in your area to get discounts on food, $30 in coupons, and a chance to win cool aviation prizes. Whether you're an aircraft owner, experienced pilot, rusty pilot, new pilot, student pilot, or just plain crazy about airplanes, AOPA Fly-Ins have something for you.
Register now for the 2015 AOPA Fly-Ins!
With solid instrument meteorological conditions extending hundreds of miles in every direction, a VFR-only pilot was stuck on top of the clouds. The controller who helped him safely descend through almost 8,000 feet of IMC was among those honored March 4 with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association's Archie League Medal of Safety Award.
Read more and listen to audio from the incidents...
AOPA's Air Safety Institute has awarded Flight Assist Commendations to 10 air traffic controllers who guided general aviation pilots to safe landings despite thunderstorms, icing, mountainous terrain, and inoperative instruments and radios.
Read more and listen to the audio...
Accident analysis
Autopilots are handy, but they present a long chain of potential failure points. If you can't safely conclude a flight without relying on one, consider whether you should make the flight at all. On Nov. 19, 2013, a turbocharged Cessna T210M was destroyed by an in-flight break-up near Cedaredge, Colorado. After making an unexpected turn, the pilot had told ATC that his autopilot had disconnected "and so we're recovering here."
Read more in this special report from the Air Safety Institute.
IFR Fix
The caustic combination of crosswind and an ice-crusted runway sent the aircraft skidding into a snow bank built up by plowing along the runway edge.
Read more...
Safety video
You are responsible for your passengers' safety, and one key item is the passenger briefing. Perhaps you're a little rusty on the drill required by the FARs, or maybe you'd like to create or improve your own safety briefing. No problem—the Air Safety Institute's Critical Information: The Passenger Safety Briefing safety video has you covered. Watch the video...
Flash-based, login required
Whether you're instrument rated or in training, you'll need to have a full grasp of instrument charts to fly safely in instrument meteorological conditions. The Air Safety Institute's IFR Insights: Charts course offers solid guidance and practical tips to boost your instrument flying skills moving forward.
Take the course...
The "Splash of the Day" award for the opening day of Heli-Expo 2015 in Orlando, Florida, must surely go to Airbus Helicopters for its big reveal of the H160 mid-sized helicopter.
Read more...
Despite a dramatic decline in 2014 helicopter deliveries, forecasters at Honeywell Aerospace project a steady stream of deliveries over the next five years.
Read more...
Bell Helicopter now offers the 407GXP with an additional 50 pounds of payload, a new M250 Rolls-Royce engine, and new avionics. The helicopter has already attracted a customer.
Read more...
Prolific helicopter manufacturer Robinson saw lower sales in 2014 owing to weak global demand, but a new engine deal and some aircraft options indicate a strong future.
Read more...
New Zealand helicopter company Composite Helicopters is moving from kit to certified carbon fiber rotorcraft.
Read more...
Declaring this "a time for disruptors," flamboyant MD Helicopters owner Lynn Tilton vowed to keep her storied company moving forward into her second decade of ownership.
Read more...
Garmin International will offer the GDL 84H and GDL 88H Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) datalink specifically designed for helicopters.
Read more...
The FAA needs to be more efficient and move more swiftly to complete critical projects in order for the United States to maintain its gold standard in aviation safety, House leaders told FAA Administrator Michael Huerta during a hearing on FAA reauthorization.
Read more...
AOPA has joined the "Know Before You Fly" campaign that seeks to educate users of unmanned aircraft systems about safe and responsible operations, including where and how high unmanned aircraft may be flown.
Read more...
Members only
On March 2, the FAA published its latest guidelines on obstructive sleep apnea. Former FAA manager of aerospace medical certification Warren Silberman describes how the policy divides pilots into six groups.
Read more...
Crews prepared Solar Impulse 2, the gossamer aircraft powered by the sun and designed to inspire, for a hoped-for March 7 departure from Abu Dhabi.
Read more...
Continental Motors announced FAA certification of its IO-360-AF six-cylinder engine that can be operated with 100LL avgas or unleaded 91UL fuel.
Read more...
As a child, Opinion Leaders blogger Amy Laboda dreamed of becoming an astronaut, thanks to her role model Nichelle Nichols, who played Nyota Uhura on Star Trek. She didn't become an astronaut, but she did become a pilot, thanks to another role model—her father. Now, she's a cheerleader for helping children today achieve their dreams.
Read more...
Garmin International has updated its Garmin Pilot app for Apple devices with helicopter routes and obstacles along routes.
Read more...
An ice runway that has become a New England destination tradition continues: Dedicated volunteers have scraped clean 2,600 feet of Alton Bay. A brutal winter has kept volunteers busy with their snowplows, though the weather may relent for these final weeks before their effort melts away.
Read more...
Through an innovative new program developed by the AOPA Aviation Finance Co., AOPA is offering flight training financing.
Read more...
An aviation student from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is the 2015 recipient of the $3,000 AOPA Women in Aviation, International student pilot scholarship, AOPA announced March 5.
Read more...
A metal detector enthusiast recently unearthed fragments of a legendary World War II aircraft, and the U.S. Navy deployed a team to investigate in February. Soon, they expect to positively identify the particular Douglas SBD Dauntless, and prove the pilot who lost his life learning to master it was returned, long since, to his family.
Read more...
The FAA on Feb. 23 issued a special airworthiness information bulletin recommending preflight inspection of Robinson R44 and R44 II main rotors. The bulletin follows an in-flight failure in New Zealand that led to a difficult emergency landing.
Read more...
The FAA is asking for help on the thirty-seventh annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey covering calendar year 2014.
Read more...
Bell Helicopter has made the first delivery of the Bell 429WLG (wheeled landing gear) in North America.
Read more...
Aviation job board
The City of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is currently seeking a full-time airport manager. The successful candidate will oversee the operation, maintenance, and administration of the city airport and FBO. Responsibilities include personnel, community service workers, and temporary employees as required.
Read the full job description now.
AOPA career opportunities
Ever dream of turning your passion for aviation into a career? We're looking for an outreach and events coordinator; aviation event and meeting planner; vice president for major and leadership gifts; Sitecore developer; director of studies, research, and analysis; associate editor—Web/ePilot; and account manager II. To learn more about other AOPA career opportunities,
visit AOPA Online.
While flying last night, I saw what looked like an airport beacon, but it included a yellow flash in sequence with the white and green flashes. What was that?
Heliport beacons flash white, yellow, and green. (Source:
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge 13-7.)
Got a question for our technical services staff? Contact AOPA.
Mar 7-8 - Phoenix, Arizona; and Orlando, Florida
Mar 14-15 - Columbia, Maryland; and Burlingame, California
Mar 21-22 - King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Ontario, California; and Virginia Beach, Virginia
Apr 11-12 - Salt Lake City, Utah; Hebron, Kentucky; Atlanta, Georgia; and Indianapolis, Indiana
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online. Can't make it in person? Sign up for the Air Safety Institute's Online eFIRC.
Mar 6 - Dallas, Texas
Mar 9 - Detroit, Michigan
Mar 10 - Raymond, Mississippi; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Independence, Ohio
Mar 11 - Greensboro, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Topics vary—for details and a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
Mar 19 - Buffalo, New York
Mar 21 - Frederick, Maryland; Spencer, Iowa; and Monterey, California
Mar 28 - Olathe, Kansas
Apr 4 - Palm Springs, California
For a complete schedule, see AOPA Online.
Check out user-submitted events from your region. To include an event or to search all events in the calendar, visit AOPA Online. AOPA does not endorse the events listed below, nor have ePilot editors edited the submissions. AOPA assumes no responsibility for events listed.
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