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Mobile World Congress 2011 is going strong with announcements and yesterday we learned that Adobe Flash 10.2 will be available for the BlackBerry PlayBook (as well as Android Honeycomb). We're hoping that this update will have a positive impact on battery life and overall user experience, as the update will support Stage Video which apparently can deliver better video quality while making more efficient use of the processor and memory.
According to the press release:
"Stage Video decreases processor and memory usage while enabling higher frame rates and improved video quality. Test results show up to 80 percent CPU savings when playing back video in 1080p on Windows® and Mac OS. Stage Video support for mobile devices will be available on Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" and BlackBerry Tablet OS. Existing H.264 video content on the Web will benefit from Stage Video on mobile platforms without any changes to the content."
More after the jump.
Adobe Reports Strong Mobile Adoption of Flash Player and AIR; High Expectations for 2011
Company Showcases Performance Advancements with Flash Player 10.2
BARCELONA, Spain-(BUSINESS WIRE)- At Mobile World Congress, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE - News) announced that developers and content publishers can now deploy Adobe® AIR® applications to more than 84 million smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS. Thousands of applications have been created and made available on Android Market and Apple's App Store to date. By the end of 2011, Adobe expects more than 200 million smartphones and tablets to support Adobe AIR applications. For examples of popular AIR applications for Android and iOS, visit m.flash.com.
In addition, Adobe announced that more than 20 million smartphones were shipped or upgraded with Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 software on over 35 certified devices in the first six months following the launch. For 2011, the company expects Flash Player to be supported on more than 132 million units worldwide. More than 50 tablets are expected to support Flash Player this year alone. Using Adobe Creative Suite® 5 tools, over three million Adobe Flash Platform developers are now able to author content across a substantial number of devices for both Flash Player and AIR.
"We are thrilled to see mobile adoption of Flash Player and AIR exceeding even our own expectations, with much more to come in the months ahead," said David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Creative and Interactive Solutions Business Unit, Adobe. "This is tremendous progress toward ensuring that mobile users everywhere have access to their favorite content from casual games to Web video and enterprise applications regardless of what device they are using. And, our CS5 customers are excited about the ability to easily extend their creative work across millions of mobile devices."
Adobe is also showcasing the latest release of Flash Player – Flash Player 10.2 – along with additional performance advancements at the conference. The new release includes support for innovative new features including Stage Video, which delivers much improved video performance through optimizing hardware acceleration on mobile devices, desktops and TVs. Stage Video decreases processor and memory usage while enabling higher frame rates and improved video quality. Test results show up to 80 percent CPU savings when playing back video in 1080p on Windows® and Mac OS. Stage Video support for mobile devices will be available on Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" and BlackBerry Tablet OS. Existing H.264 video content on the Web will benefit from Stage Video on mobile platforms without any changes to the content.
Adobe AIR
A key element of the Adobe Flash Platform, AIR enables developers to leverage existing code to create and deliver standalone applications across devices and platforms. Adobe AIR supports smartphones and tablets based on Android™, iOS, BlackBerry Tablet OS, and desktops including Windows, Macintosh and Linux® operating systems. In addition, Samsung is the first television manufacturer to ship Adobe AIR in its line of Samsung SmartTV devices. With Adobe AIR, developers are able to use familiar tools including Adobe Flash Professional CS5, Adobe Flash Builder™ and Flex to build rich standalone multiscreen applications. Thousands are already available on Android Market, Apple's App Store, Adobe InMarket and Intel AppUpSM center today.
Adobe AIR enables rich application experiences through a series of features, including support for accelerometer, camera, video, microphone, multi-touch and gestures. Support for geolocation allows developers to create location-based applications and services. AIR is also able to display native browser controls within the application allowing for the integration of HTML and .SWF content. With SQLite support developers can easily store and cache databases inside an AIR application.
Adobe Flash Player
One of the top free apps on Android Market, with more than 6 million downloads to date and more than 150,000 users giving it a 4.5-out-of-5 star rating, Flash Player brings rich Flash based content to mobile devices inside the browser. In addition to Android Market, the runtime is distributed directly by device manufacturers and operators via pre-installs and operating system upgrades.
Flash Player is available today on Android, HP webOS and Google TV. BlackBerry Tablet OS, future versions of Windows® Phone, LiMo, Samsung SmartTVs and others are also expected to support Flash Player. For a list of certified devices, visit http://www.adobe.com/flashplatform/supported_devices/smartphones.html. For examples of the broad variety of content running in Flash Player on the Web, visit m.flash.com.


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Nielsen Helps Fortune 1000 Companies Manage Reputation, Drive Business Outcomes
Expands Reputation, Image, Thought Leadership and Public Affairs Capabilities
NEW YORK, N.Y. – April 17, 2014 – Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN), a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, today announced the introduction of new reputation measurement and management services for leading organizations worldwide.
This new offering leverages Nielsen's recent acquisition of Harris Interactive, a leading global market research firm. Led by reputation expert Robert Fronk, the new team unites Harris Interactive's corporate reputation consultants, public affairs strategists and public release research specialists with Nielsen's comprehensive end-to-end consumer insights, providing greater client value to companies and industry associations across many industry sectors.
"Reputation plays an increasingly important role in the overall market value of organizations, and while there are tremendous assets devoted to understanding and serving the customer, there is an increasingly complex set of additional stakeholders and issues that ultimately provide a company with its license to operate," said Robert Fronk, senior vice president, Nielsen Reputation Management and Public Affairs. "This new focus area enables us to broaden our reach and offer communication and marketing executives a powerful way to leverage reputation, connect insights to stakeholder expectations and facilitate more informed, smarter decisions that enable business growth."
The Nielsen Reputation Management and Public Affairs team brings independence, objectivity and proven frameworks to its clients while focusing on actionable business outcomes that reputation can impact. "Whether a company is looking to gain a deeper understanding of their corporate reputation or augment the visibility of their brand, key initiatives and messages in the marketplace, Nielsen can provide clarity and focus through its pragmatic and consultative approach," said Fronk.
Taking a research-based approach, Nielsen now offers custom solutions to help companies enhance and protect business value through:
- Reputation measurement and management programs
- Issues management and influence research
- Crisis research
- Thought leadership content development for public use
- Research for public release
About Nielsen
Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information and measurement company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence and mobile measurement. Nielsen has a presence in approximately 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA and Diemen, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.
Gina Borgman, firstname.lastname@example.com, 312.648.6700
Catherine Carlson Kadar, email@example.com, 212.697.2600

subset: commoncrawl


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The country's fastest growing extreme sport is now available indoors at MVP Arena Sports.
East County paint-ballers now can take their game inside every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Crossfire Extreme Indoor Paintball inside the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex.
"We've had a great response from the community, they love our field," said Braden Chandler, president of MVP Arena Sports. "We have been shocked with how well the paintball has done in such a short amount of time. We spent the first couple of months really learning the sport and letting the paintball pros help build the field. I have heard players call it the 'Ritz-Carlton' of paintball fields because we really spent a lot of time and resources giving the players exactly what they wanted."
Crossfire Extreme Indoor Paintball is located at 5309 29th St. E., Ellenton. For more information, call 723-0560 or visit www.mvparenasports.com.
The country's fastest growing extreme sport is now available indoors at MVP Arena Sports.


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Read Psalm 119
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:104–105 NIV
* * *
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the book and the theme is heart rending – David has experienced it all. He agonizes over wicked men delighting in his troubles and the memories of sin in his own life. Sincerely repentant, he says, "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." (v.32)
* * *
Now as he seeks the Lord with all of his heart he determines to continue to walk in freedom from sin. Hiding God's Word in his heart, he finds that he has more insight and understanding than all of his teachers. He has answers for those who taunt him, and comfort in his suffering. He says, "Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts." (Psalm 119:140–141)
* * *
Lord, help us to faithfully teach our children from the Bible and help them to hide it in their hearts. Through the Psalmist You promised that Your faithfulness continues through all generations. Like David, I have put my hope in your word. (Psalm 119:90,114)
* * *
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9–11 NIV


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The One Expected Party
Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 3:00 PM (PST)
Event Details
Parking Details: Please use the ticket delivered to your email as your pass for the parking. More information on parking can be found here. [Parking Info]
Exclusive Black-Tie Gala Event on the night of the Academy Awards!
Celebrate alongside your closest Tolkien friends as we settle in for almost 10 hours of entertainment, excitement and fellowship! The festivities begin with free food and drink (including full bar!), to accompany a live screening of the 85th Academy Awards® - taking place only blocks from the party. Enjoy auctions, games, sideshows, roving entertainers and more throughout the evening; then, when the television broadcast comes to an end, you'll be treated to our amazing LIVE stage show!
Oscar-party veterans Emerald Rose will get your blood pumping as they fill the grand ballroom with their upbeat and modern take on Celtic music. Between bands, honored guests and celebrity friends of TheOneRing.net will make special appearances, and a variety of acts will keep you entertained. You won't want to miss Charles Ross as he brings a taste of the magic of 'The One Man Lord of the Rings™' to our stage! And of course, it all leads up to our headline act of the night: Beecake! That's right, Billy Boyd (aka Pippin) and his band Beecake will bring their alternative rock to the stage at the American Legion, so we can rock away the rest of the night.
In February 2004, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King snared a record 11 Oscars and TheOneRing.net, the world's largest The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fan-site, celebrated with an elaborate black-tie fan-party in Hollywood on the night of the Academy Awards®.
We were privileged to host director Peter Jackson, and prominent cast and crew members, as guests of honour, and they brought along a few 'golden' friends.
On the night of February 24th 2013, we are going to do it all again with 'The One Expected Party!'
We'll be returning to the unparalleled Hollywood American Legion Post, just blocks from the location of the Academy Awards®, to celebrate the Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
We have arranged for discount hotels, tuxedo rentals, shuttles and more. All of those details can be found on our party website:
This will be a night to remember! - and YOU can be part of it. Simply buy your tickets above - but don't delay, numbers for this very special event are limited, so buy today! We hope to see you there!
When & Where
The American Legion Hall - Post 43
2035 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles,
Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 3:00 PM (PST)
Add to my calendar
Founded in 1999 by a group of like-minded Tolkien fans so anxious for the coming Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings films that they were gathering up every scrap of production information to be found, TheOneRing.net continues today in bringing fans the latest news on the beloved figures involved in the making of the wildly popular Lord of the Rings movies as well as the newest information available on upcoming productions, Tolkien-centered events, new publications, and fan gatherings.
The site thrived and so did its unique relationship with Jackson's production team—a relationship that enabled TORn to bring its readers some exclusive news and night-of-a-lifetime experiences including the famous Oscar parties that hosted the cast and crew after each Oscar-night victory, culminating in an incredible eleven-Oscar sweep for The Return of the King. Looking to the future with the support of its phenomenal community of fans, TheOneRing.net continues to be the most comprehensive Tolkien fan site on the web.


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You are here: Home ‹ Board index ‹ Movie Discussion ‹ All Other/Older Movies ‹ (2004) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Favorite Quotes from the film!
Discuss this movie. Available on DVD and Blu-ray.
And ... I don't know...I think I I liked all!?!
Jim performed great in this movie!
I just love him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Try to live... Memories are made for the older one!
it's the out-takes/screen tests which REALLY do it for me..........and i love the extras...........the ghost story is hysterical........he's really very funny at the end when he says 'now go to bed'...........lol
Sooo many funnies in the film and the interactive Olaf/Sham bits.
I did crack up at Sure I get all the good parking spots, But I do luuurrvvee my sig line as a quote. He's so OTT dramatic there!
Everybody should believe in something.
I believe I'll have another coffee!
yeah.........those screentests are my favourite bits..............i was paraletic with laughter at the Yugo and parking spot bits...........i loved them............in fact i love all Jims out-takes.........
Yep, they were a treasure in themselves. Only then do you see the true genius of an unscripted Jim in action. Was bowled over.....
You know, the only two film/DVD's I ever saw take the mickey out of, the quite frankly, truly hilarious, Yugo were this one and the Aykroyd/Hanks comedy Dragnet. Both were so accurate in their lampooning. Yugos were awful. I had a friend, years back, who bought one cheap as chips. It had to go through it's MOT and failed on a cracked headlight. So she rang round for a new one/scrap one and could not get one anywhere for love nor money. Bar one parts place selling it for ÂŁ100's. Shocking. But it was because all the Yugo factories in Yugoslavia had been bombed and no-one made parts any more. I guess that story sums up the sheer goofiness of the car.
Anyway, back to Olaf et al.
Which of the interactive Olafs do you prefer? Tough call I'd say.
Everybody should believe in something.
I believe I'll have another coffee!
the other one that literally had me in laughter on the floor was the T-Rex impression when he goes back in time and licks Lisas ear...........and they all start laughing..............it's just so natural......that's when i think Jims at his best ........when he has a certain degree of creative freedom to bring himself to the role............
Last edited by fluffy on Wed Jan 11, 2006 1:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Drifting slightly off topic here, that T-Rex scene, where he's striding about.....shows off those lovely shoulders....
It's a genuine moment though, you're right. I noticed that too.
I can't walk round a supermarket, to the pasta sauce section, and see that on the shelf without thinking of Jim.
Yep, it's those mundane moments in life, where he springs to mind, that make it all so special.
Everybody should believe in something.
I believe I'll have another coffee!
Crumbs, that's generous. It's five items or less here. (And shouldn't that be five items or fewer, to be grammatically correct?? Oops, I'm being pedantic).
I was in a supermarket today, having just popped in for salad, milk and cereal......came out with The Truman Show on DVD as I spotted it sitting there, beckoning me. What's a girl to do when she only has it taped off TV????
Everybody should believe in something.
I believe I'll have another coffee!
This fly's packing a spork.
"When in doubt, tell the truth."
Mark Twain
Return to (2004) Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
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Just like the new Facebook timeline, Gmail also recently forced their new theme on users and apparently many people are not happy with this decision. While Gmail earlier provided a simple way to revert back the Gmail interface, that option is no longer available. This has definitely not gone down too well with Gmail users.
So is there any way in which you could revert back to the old Gmail interface? Well, not officially, but you can still do it thanks to a Stylish script.
The Return of Old Gmail Stylish script is one which resembles the "Old Gmail" interface the most. Although the overall interface is not as neat (see screenshot above), it definitely is one of the best options if you despise the new Gmail interface. The script in question reverts back some of the Gmail styles to the older one and also reverts back the top navigation in Gmail.
You will also find several other Stylish scripts for Gmail, however, the one listed here seems to be the best alternative to get back the old Gmail interface. You can also try out several other themes for Gmail by using this Stylish search.
Please note that Firefox users will have to install the Stylish add-on before using the scripts. Google Chrome users can also install the Stylish extension or install the Stylish script as a Greasemonkey script and run it as an extension.


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Question : Today morning, I received a call from one of my old friend, with an query for SQL Server. He is sharing a problem with Sp_Helptext. He is considering it as a Bug.
Try to rename any procedure in your database by right click. Then modify it. SSMS will show changed name. But when you write sp_helptext <changedProcName> then it will show you the previous name.
Answer : I do not think it's a bug. Its normal. This happens because when the store procedure is renamed, the sys.syscomments system table is not getting updated.
SQL statement shown by sp_helptext is from sys.syscomments. This system view return the script run by you at the time of object creation.
1. When you change SP name from GUI, you have not edit the script, you just rename the tittle. Due to which there is no change in sys.syscomments & you got old name when you run sp_helptext <changedProcName>
2. When you perform it from T-SQL script, you actually re-run the procedure code & sys.syscomments got updated (by Alter command or by drop & recreate the procedure).
select * from sys.syscomments where object_name(id) = '<changedProcName>'
Renaming a stored procedure, function, view, or trigger will not change the name of the corresponding object name in the definition column of the sys.sql_modules catalog view. Therefore, we recommend that sp_rename not be used to rename these object types. Instead, drop and re-create the object with its new name. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188351(SQL.90).aspx)


text: Graduate Degree Programs Numerous graduate-level study opportunities are available through the academic departments and research centers associated with the College of Science at UAH. Students can also take advantage of our location in the technology-rich Cummings Research Park, the second largest research park of its kind in the US. Unique opportunities for research at the forefront of science and technology also exist in interdisciplinary programs. Atmospheric Science MS, PhD The Atmospheric Science research program at UAH is one of the top 10 in the country. The foundation of the graduate program includes physical, dynamic, and synoptic meteorology, with strong emphases on space and ground-based remote sensing, radiative transfer, global climate change, atmospheric chemistry, cloud processes, lightning, air pollution, and earth system science. The program's objective is to produce research-oriented scientists who can make fundamental contributions to the understanding of atmospheric, climate and other earth system processes, and who can interact effectively with scientists in earth-centered fields of study. For more information, visit the Atmospheric Science Department page. Biological Sciences MS A variety of options for graduate study leading to the Master's degree are available, including emphasis in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Microbiology, Structural Biology, Ecology, Developmental Biology and Biotechnology. Programs leading to certification for secondary education are also available. Research projects span a breadth of environments from deep-sea vents to tropical rainforests and even to space. The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is located just 10 minutes away, leading to an array of collaborative projects and access to world class facilities. For more information visit the Biology Department's Graduate Student page. Chemistry MS The Department of Chemistry provides graduate education with a special emphasis in biotechnology and materials science. Our goal is to provide our students with life-long learning skills allowing them to adapt to an ever-changing environment that requires an understanding and appreciation of chemistry. To accomplish this we offer an American Chemical Society accredited program. Affiliated with the Chemistry department are The Laboratory for Structural Biology, with facilities for high resolution X-ray crystallography of large molecules, and the NMR Facility, which is equipped with both 800 and 500 MHz NMR spectrometers, allowing protein and small molecule structure determination. The Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology provides additional opportunities for graduate research. For more information visit the Chemistry Department's Graduate Degree page. Computer Science MS, MSSE, PhD Our faculty members are dedicated teachers who are actively involved in advancing the state-of-the-art in such exciting fields as information technology, software engineering, neural networks, pattern recognition, biomedical imaging, numerical computation, graph theory, distributed systems, computer networks, modeling and simulation, and database security. Students can pursue a Master of Science, a Master of Science in Software Engineering or the PhD degree. Collaboration with numerous technology companies and government agencies in Huntsville provides significant employment opportunities during and after graduate school. For more information visit the Computer Science Department's Graduate Degree page. Earth Systems Science MS The Earth System Science research program at UAH has grown significantly since 2014 to meet the needs of our expanding collaboration with NASA as co-located with UAH, and to prepare students for today's jobs in fields such as geospatial analysis, GIS and remote sensing, and relating human activity to land surface processes. The focus of the graduate program includes GIS/remote sensing, hydrology, land-surface processes, with an overarching emphasis on space-based remote sensing and earth system science. The program's objective is to produce scientists versed in land-surface processes and remote sensing tools who can tackle a wide variety of applied problems related to the earth-human systems and processes, while leveraging powerful geospatial analysis methods. Students obtaining Master's degrees in Earth System Science are trained to effectively solve problems in earth-system applications. For more information visit the Earth Systems Science Department Graduate Degree page. Mathematical Sciences MA, MS, PhD Programs of study can lead to either the Master of Arts or the Master of Science in Mathematics or to the PhD in Applied Mathematics, or to the Alabama Class A teaching certificate. Research includes applied dynamical systems, combinatorics, continuum and fluid mechanics, Fourier analysis, functional analysis, generalized functions, graph theory, linear algebra, mathematical biology, mathematical meteorology, mathematical modeling, matrix theory, nonlinear operator theory, numerical analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations, probability, and stochastic processes. For more information visit the Math Department's Graduate Degree page. Physics MS, PhD UAH offers the Master of Science and PhD degrees in Physics, as well as the MS in Optics and Photonics Technology, which emphasizes business management as well as advanced optics. Research in the Department of Physics and Astronomy is focused on astrophysics, space science, and optics, and the faculty have international reputations in all three fields. Our graduate program gives you the breadth and depth of knowledge to pursue a large range of careers from medicine to finance to a lifelong study of physics and the Universe. For more information visit the Physics Department's Graduate Degree page. Biotechnology Science and Engineering PhD UAH offers an interdisciplinary PhD program in Biotechnology Science and Engineering through the departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Students are prepared for research positions in academic, government and industrial settings. Collaborations with the nearby Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology and various local biotechnology companies provide access to a broad range of research topics. For more information visit the Biotechnology Program's site. Materials Science MS, PhD The Materials Science PhD Program of The University of Alabama System (UAS) is an interdisciplinary doctoral program linking the three universities that make up the UAS: the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa (UA), the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB), and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). Research in Materials Science focuses on the fundamental relations that exist between the structure of materials, their properties and the methods for synthesizing and processing them. For more information visit the Materials Science Program site. Optical Science and Engineering PhD Optics is central in communication technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, information processing, storage, and display as well as in health care and life sciences, remote sensing, national defense and industrial manufacturing. This unique program is multi-disciplinary and begins with a core of basic optics, followed by a wide variety of advanced course work and research in both fundamental and applied subjects. In addition to the resources of the academic departments, the OSE program has access to, and utilizes the resources of the Center for Applied Optics (CAO) on the UAH campus, the National Space Science and Technology Center, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. For more information visit the Optics Program site. Space Science MS, PhD The Space Science department will provide opportunities through our graduate program for students to be introduced to and engage in cutting edge research in solar physics, heliospheric science, cosmic ray physics, and high-energy astrophysics with faculty from the Department of Space Science and with our research partners: The University of Alabama in Huntsville's (UAH's) Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Additionally, the department will provide a unique unified Space Science graduate program under the umbrella of a single university department. For more information visit the Space Science Program site.


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If You Have 3 DaysYou Can: Firm up your whole body and drop up to three pounds.
What to Do: "Your metabolism stays elevated for about five hours after exercising, so break your cardio workout into two sessions," says Ian Smith, MD, author of Extreme Fat Smash Diet. "That way, you'll burn more calories all day long."
- In the morning: Do 40 minutes of at least two types of cardio to challenge different muscles and keep your intensity high (aim for about an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10). For instance, jog for 20 minutes on the treadmill, then hit the elliptical for 20.
- In the late afternoon: Do another 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio. Run/walk around your neighborhood, hop on a bike, or slip in a kickboxing DVD.
What to Eat: Aim for a 1,400-calorie diet, says Smith. "Don't go below that, because you need fuel to exercise," he explains. "You should still lose weight because your metabolism is stoked." Load up on lean protein like fish, chicken, and turkey, plus fruits and vegetables — they'll fill you up for few calories and the water in them can beat bloat. Steer clear of white bread, rice and potatoes, and sugary packaged food.
Inspiring Words: "Plunging necklines elongate your body because they draw eyes up. As for color, peacock blue is forgiving and fun." — Susan Moses, celebrity stylist to Queen Latifah
If You Have 2 HoursYou Can: Sculpt your way confident with time to spare to get beach-ready.
What to Do: A mix of cardio and strength-training will make you feel your best.
- First, do 50 minutes of cardio. Take a kickboxing class, do a DVD at home, or use a stationary bike or elliptical. Or do treadmill sprint intervals: Walk/jog at a moderate pace for 15 minutes. For the next 25 minutes, alternate between walking at 3.5 mph for a minute, then boosting your speed to 6.5 or 7.0 for 90 seconds. End with 10 minutes of moderate walking/jogging.
- Next, do 25 minutes of weight training. Use 5- to 8-pound weights and do the exercises in the order given to keep your heart rate elevated. Aim for 12 to 15 reps and do the circuit three times through. Stretch afterward.
Inspiring Words: "Just think sexy! You'll stand taller, and that's the best way to cover up flaws in a swimsuit." — Kimberley Locke, former American Idol finalist and a Jenny Craig client
If You Have 1 MinuteYou Can: Stand taller and look thinner!
What to Do: "The warrior pose makes me feel like a strong, confident woman," says Adrienne Reed, an award- winning yoga instructor and creator of the Power Yoga for Athletes DVD. "It works your shoulders — an instant way to feel taller." Hold the pose for 1 minute.
- Warrior pose: Stand with feet hip-width apart and lunge forward with left leg. Turn right foot out so left heel aligns with arch of right foot. Raise arms over your head, palms facing each other, shoulders relaxed, away from ears. Hold position and take three deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
What to Eat: Whip up a creamy strawberry protein shake in an instant. It'll fill you up now and even help you burn fat while you relax at the beach, says Daniella Chace, author of More Smoothies for Life.
- To make: Blend 1 cup fat-free milk, 1 cup frozen strawberries, and 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese until smooth.
3 Quick Beach Beauty Musts
- Self-tan and moisturize. "Self-tanner can camouflage a whole host of rippling," says David Bank, MD, a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "When skin is darker, light doesn't reflect off it as much, making it appear less dimply." And moisturizing dehydrated skin can make wrinkles less pronounced, he says.
- Take an energy shower: Three or four times, turn the water to steamy hot for a minute, then turn it down to icy cold for 30 seconds, says Tim Davis, director of personal training at Peak Performance in New York City. You'll get your blood circulating to flush out toxins, making you feel refreshed.
- Lather on the SPF 30! After all, the key to looking great next summer is to protect yourself from sun damage this summer!


text:
I was wondering this morning, if you had a friend that decided to play WoW for the first time, what class and race would you recommend they roll.
My first character
My very first character was a warrior. I was at a LAN and a friend handed over their PC and suggested I try WoW.
Experience in most games had shown best 1st character is a warrior mainly for better survivability. Once you have won the game you reroll increasingly challenging characters usually ending in a Mage class.
I played that warrior for an hour or so, then gifted with a copy of the game (friends FTW!), I promptly rolled a Tauren Hunter, because the Warrior bored me.
What would you recommend?
So assuming your friend, partner, relative is going to be playing primarily on their own, no RaF etc.
- What class would you suggest they roll and why?
- Would you also recommend a race and this starting zone (for viewing pleasure or convenience)?
PS: Funny how I write a post for just one person, and 103 people read it and 9 people comment on it… what you thought your were that one person?
PPS: I am a little behind in some essential posts… I have a couple of WoWkus and a Postively Wonderful to knock up… just got to get there.. not to mention my 11 other drafts…
PPPS: I have dismantled my PC and put it away… No WoW for me this week.. however come Friday, it will be a 48 hour marathon! LAN party FTW!
Gnomer and Out!
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


text:
Town Square
The Bufoon-In-Chief
Original post made by Albert, Duveneck/St. Francis, on May 8, 2007
Comments (55)
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 8, 2007 at 7:56 pm
What "gaff" did he make? The only one I thought was made by Mickey Rooney who forgot (?) his etiquette and kissed her hand.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 8, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Here's the article
Web Link
a resident of Midtown
on May 8, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Only a buffoon would mis-spell the word buffoon.
a resident of Community Center
on May 8, 2007 at 9:35 pm
atleast he didn't throw up in her lap
a resident of Gunn High School
on May 8, 2007 at 9:37 pm
it's not a spelling contest carlos
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 9, 2007 at 6:53 am
Like Bill Mahr said recently:'back in 1999 I knew that Bush was a disaster trying to walk like a cowboy'.
a resident of College Terrace
on May 9, 2007 at 6:58 am
Tt's not the first time Bush embarrassed himself in front of Queen Elizabeth. The last time she visited, in 1991 when his father was president, Barbara Bush made sure her frat-boy son was seated far away from the queen so he couldn't act out. He did anyway, telling Queen Elizabeth that he was the "black sheep" of the Bush family and asking who was the black sheep in hers. "None of your business," the queen replied famously. You could see that she remembered the exchange in the icy look she gave the president before, during and after his callow wink at her yesterday. And Bush didn't seem to give a damn. "The 'black sheep' is now president, lady," his smirk seemed to say, "and you and and my mom can go to hell."
a resident of Palo Verde
on May 9, 2007 at 8:43 am
The word buffoon perfectly describes George Bush the person. Only five words are necessary to describe the essence of his presidency:tragedy, dishonesty, dishonor, embarrassment, criminal.
a resident of Community Center
on May 9, 2007 at 9:23 am
Let's not forget that we are americans and as such we do not need to bow or scrape before so-called foreign royalty. The british people can bow to Liz and Phil--for me she is just a rich person who never had to work a day in her life and is due no respect from me.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 9, 2007 at 9:32 am
What Royalty
What manners. I am glad never to have been invited to your home for dinner if that is the way you would treat your guests.
The Queen was invited here. She accepted. This was a State occasion not a private occasion. Would the White House serve meat to a vegetarian dignitary? No, when someone is invited here in their official capacity, it is just good manners, common sense and international diplomacy to treat them the way they expect.
The Queen is a very hard-working head of state. At 81, most people start thinking of retirement, not continuing on as head of state. You may think that she has never done a day's work in her life, but it comes down to your definition of work. I for one, would not like her job. She spends a great deal of time in public service and if you think it is not hard work speaking to often dozens of people a day and appearing interested in who they are and what they are doing, then I would be pleased to see the job that you would do. She never appears bored, or slighted by any criticism. She brings in hundreds if not thousands of visitors to the Royal events she attends and backs which does much for the British economy.
I am not saying the Monarchy does not have its faults, but please do not criticise someone for doing their job the way they always have.
a resident of Community Center
on May 9, 2007 at 9:51 am
Resident--that is all fine and good for her and the british people. However as an american, I feel no need to bow to her or show her any deference to her royal state. if I would meet her, I would address her as Elizabeth and leave it at that.
a resident of Los Altos Hills
on May 9, 2007 at 10:08 am
I would add only two words to Ken's five words describing the Bush presidency:hubris, corruption.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 9, 2007 at 12:32 pm
yes, I am positive that none of you critics have ever mangled a number or a sentence. Especially in front of millions. Glass houses etc.
Give me an honest and sincere person who makes human errors that I may disagree with on some issues but I can trust, over glib, slick and double talking person that I agree with ( when s/he is speaking to my group).
Especially when such honest but erroneously speaking person recovers with such a great sense of humor.
a resident of Menlo Park
on May 9, 2007 at 12:58 pm
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of another community
on May 9, 2007 at 1:07 pm
This thread displays an infantile mentality that one would think beneath the dignity of the average 6th grade class - let alone residents of supposedly sophisticated Palo Alto.
There is SO much real room - and need - for substantive criticism of Bush and his policies. Are people around here really so warped in their hatred of the man that they lose the ability to think rationally and critically and resort to juvenile ad hominem as a substitute?
a resident of College Terrace
on May 9, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Bush is sincere; he believes what he's doing. He's not a bad person, but he is probably the worst President in American History, given his recent gaffes, and the surely negative long-term fallout from his military and budget decisions. His tenure has been a disaster.
The one positive thing about Bush is that his service will speed America's decline to a point where our wonderfully diverse culture will rebound with new solutions. Without Bush, this process might have taken another decade.
a resident of Midtown
on May 9, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Saddam could not have said it better. A pity he is not around to agree with all of you. Whatever happened to him, anyway?
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 9, 2007 at 5:46 pm
even many republicans admit now that bush has been the worst and most embarrassing president in our history. the damage he has caused to our strategic standing in the world,to our military, to our reputation and to our long term financial stability is incalculable. the only positive that may come out of this dark age in our history is that the public will be extremely cautious from now on when voting in the presidential elections. of course, there's the small detail of how in the world do we survive 20 more months of this.
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 9, 2007 at 6:29 pm
I find the hate Bush crowd's discussion a good example of what hatred can do to one's ability to discuss the issues rationally.
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 9, 2007 at 7:25 pm
"Hate Bush crowd'? It's like saying the hate Stalin or hate Idi Amin crowd. Bush, in his incredible immorality, hubris, ignorance, stupidity and incredible incompetence and buffoonery is the one responsible for the 'hate Bush crowd'. He and those who forced him on us are to blame, we are only the victims.
a resident of Midtown
on May 9, 2007 at 8:13 pm
I don't hate Stalin as much as I hate the US commies who did everything they could to advance Stalin and cripple the US because of their failure to comprehend that freedom and capitalism go hand in hand. I have contempt for the well meaning but really stupid one man one vote one time advocates who robbed Africa of the order so necessary for human progress. I have contempt for the idiots who, by banning DDT in the face of evidence that Carson was a twit, condemned more people to death than Stalin did. The nadir of my regard is reserved, however, for those who would have left Saddam in office and given reliance to the promise of a liar to preserve just a bit more of "Peace in our time."
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 9, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Yes, Stalin called them "useful idiots" if I recall. ( Or was that another dictator? Can't remember)
Many books about this era, by people who came to understand they were being duped. The first one that comes to mind is David Horowitz's book, "Radical Son". A somewhat boring, but fully enlightening read. Of course, he has been skewered by the far left of his generation, but oh well.
Another one is by a gay man called "Coming out Conservative", and his journey from left to right. Can't think of his name right now.
Another one is by a lesbian, named Tammy Bruce, and her more recent journey from left to right-ish. Read her first one.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on May 10, 2007 at 7:02 am
The Buffoon-In-Chief is just as mean and immoral as Stalin, Idi Amin and Saddam have ever been. The B-I-C however is far more dangerous, because none of them had the arsenal of weapons he has at his disposal.
a resident of Barron Park
on May 10, 2007 at 7:28 am
Bush didn't invite any writers or academics to the white house dinner he gave for the Queen. he invited football players, a used car dealer from Arizona and a number of Texas oil tycoons. he also invited the jojocky who had won the kentucky derby. George W. invited the jockey, because the Queen likes and knows horses. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
She was very brave even to come here. I hope she is safely back home in her civilized country, out of G.W. Bush's grasp.
a resident of Stanford
on May 10, 2007 at 10:50 am
You guys are amazing. Where is your outrage at Obama's "slip" in saying 10,000 died in the Kansas tornados? Or Sharpton saying that people who REALLY believe in God will defeat a Mormon who runs for President. Or the same dude saying certain names for Jews that I can't even write here ( and wouldn't want to).
You don't know about that because moveon.org and dailykos don't mention that.
WAKE UP. YOU ARE BEING MANIPULATED. Read Horowitz's book
a resident of Barron Park
on May 11, 2007 at 7:30 am
[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 11, 2007 at 10:23 am
At what point is Bush actually guilty of treason? What about the apologist for him like Roger Ailes and others? Are they traitors too? Bush has done more to undermine the United States than any other politician but he has been good for Saudi Arabia and Iran.
a resident of Duveneck/St. Francis
on May 11, 2007 at 11:41 am
Lying and deceiving yur nation into war is an act of treason. Trampling all over the Constitution is an act of treason, since it is the legal foundation of our nation. Prohibiting the FBI from questioning the Bin Laden family members who were present in the US during 9/11 and then providing them with a chartered plane so they can flee to Saudi Arabia, the only plane allowed to fly over US skies on 9/12 by the way, is an act of treason. The only issue is:will the US Congress fulfill its sworn duties and obligation and do the right thing once and for all and remove Bush/Cheney and Co from office so they can be tried for treason.
a resident of Stanford
on May 11, 2007 at 11:56 am
Looks like world opinion is turning against you Bush haters.
A Conservative just won France's election, and publicly declared his liking of Bush, and stated he wanted America and France to be friends. And he got a standing ovation.
Germany's Merkel is pro-Bush and pro-America.
England looks set to elect another conservative.
Italy went more conservative with Berscollini ( spelling?).
Australia is unabashedly pro-Bush, pro-American.
And, of course, all the recently ex-communist states of the former Soviet Union are unabashedly pro-Bush, pro-American.
The facade of "right-hating" by the world that the left has tried to build is tumbling down. It is being proven wrong by democracies voting, not by riots and bombs. What is truly interesting is that not one of these countries has the freedom of speech we have, not one has any alternative in news to CNN/BBC, and they still have managed to figure out the truth.
a resident of Portola Valley
on May 11, 2007 at 1:05 pm
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
I've recently been to all the countries mentioned and their population is overwelmingly ant-Bush. As a matter of fact, you can't hear or read even one comment that is supporting of Bush anywhere in Europe, Latin America, Africa or Asia. Don't confuse effection for the USA, the American people and American values with support for Bush, which is practically non-existent anywhere in the world, and it rapidly vanishing even in the US. Gordon Brown has already hinted that he will oppose Bush's Iraq policy,Tony Blair in his resignation speech yesterday has hinted that he may have been wrong about Iraq. Merkel in germany is against the Iraq war. The Italian government is opposed to the Iraq war, Sarkozy in France, although pro-American values, is firmlyopposed to the Iraq war and just issued a scathing criticism of the Bush administration's postion on global warming. The Australian prime minister is a far right goon who is a clone of Rupert Murdoch and is certain to lose the next elections to Labor. On a recent visit to Australia, I read very harsh criticism of Bush even in publications that support the right wing prime minister Howard I and didn't hear or read even once a view that is supportive of Bush. Even in Israel, Bush is ridiculed everywhere and the prevailing view, exluding predictable government statements is that the Iraq war has been a total and unnecessary disaster.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 11, 2007 at 1:14 pm
Britain is not having an election. The prime minister has resigned and there will be an election within the parliamentary Labour party to see who will become leader of the party and thus Prime Minister. I am glad to see that you said he is conservative, but be careful because if you had said he was Conservative, you would have got it all wrong.
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 11, 2007 at 2:03 pm
DTL, Blair's successor, Gordon Brown, is also a member of the labor party, is to the left of Blair and has already indicated that he will oppose Bush more than Blair. He's expected to pull out all British troops from Iraq fairly soon. Berlusconi has lost the elections in Italy to the Center-Left, has been indicted for massive corruption and is widely considered to be the most corrupt prime minister in Italy's post WW2 history, quite an achievement. The Italian public as all polls indicate is overwhelmingly against the Iraq invasion. Sarkozy in france has reiterated is opposition to the Iraq war. Poll after poll in Australia have indicated that the public is against the Iraq war by wide margins. In the UK, every poll since 2002g has indicated that 90 percent of the population is against the Iraq invasion and against Bush, the same is true for France, Germany and the rest of Europe. In other parts of the world, bush is despised even more. In the US, bush approval ratings are at 28 pecent, the same as Nixon the day he resigned in dosgrace. His ratings seem to keep going south to the point where he would be the most despised president in US history when he leaves office, if he isn't already.
a resident of Stanford
on May 11, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Resident - yes, I didn't go into the detail and I should have. Thanks for clarifying.
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Look at who they are electing, not who is screaming the loudest. Disagreeing about Iraq, either then or now, is not Bush or America hating. Reasonable, intelligent and well-meaning people disagreed then and still do about Iraq. However, having the press/media/"street" in any country sound like our far left Democrats is no surprise. Our far left Democrats like Kennedy, Reid, Kerry, Pelosi, and the Screamer, all sound like Chavez and Al-Qaeda leaders, which sound like "street", so what do you expect? I think most people are recognizing this.
Sorry, same things that are repeated ad nauseum now were said during Thatcher and Reagan..I was one of those who bought into the chronic brainwashing, but I no longer buy it.
I believe the results of votes, and the actual consequences of actions. Pay attention - notice which way Europe is going with Iran and illegal immigration now. I think they have learned something.
We/Bush have been a nice little lightning rod to take the heat of the left in the world, but while the left/fascists have been screaming, the rest of the people of the world have been noticing what is happening all around the world in their own countries, who is the greatest threat to them, and reacting.
Laugh and deride if you want, but my prediction is that by the time this President dies ( may he live long!!), he will be honored as the President who turned the tide against this brand of terrorism/fascism, just like Reagan was honored for bringing the cold war to an end. He will be remembered for turning around our economy, which had inherited the beginnings of a recession. He will be remembered for trying to establish standards in education and tying the standards to federal funding, and as the president who prophesied, correctly, the demise of social security if we dont fix it now. People will look back and wonder what was wrong with us that we didn't listen, as they turn social security into a strictly means-tested system in order to make it solvent without burdening our children more.
Are you old enough to remember all the screaming about Reagan?
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 11, 2007 at 3:25 pm
The fact is that the whole world population, laymen, intellectuals, campesinos, upper middle class, blue color, rich and poor, is united on only one thing:the opposition to the criminal and fraudulent Iraq invasion. Bush is the most hated individual in the world. The British Labor party has lost most of its huge advantage in the UK because of the perception that Blair is 'Bush's lapdog'. Reagan was one of the worst presidents in our history, responsible for mamouth deficits and social cruelty, he has failed in everything and had nothing to do with the end of the cold war, it was ended by Gurbachev who knew that his nation had to end communism. The only president worse than Reagan is Bush who has always been a disaster trying to walk like a cowboy.
a resident of Stanford
on May 11, 2007 at 4:04 pm
[Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]
Bush is the most hated individual in the world?
No, there are many hated much more, but people can't speak out about them or they are "disappeared".
Got a good book for all of you. By ex Muslim-terrorist Whalid Shoebat. "Why I left Jihad" He, of course, along with every other Muslim or ex-Muslim who speaks out, has been completely vilified, and has to hide to preserve his life.
He writes simply, clearly, no emotional manipulation, about his life growing up in Jordan/Palestine, how he became a terrorist, what he did, and how he came to understand that he had been lied to his whole life. He is trying to wake us all up.
a resident of Midtown
on May 11, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Why does the Bush basher crowd resemble British soccer mobs so much? When they lose, they tear the place down. Incidentally, the folks citing Bush low ratings don't mention that the congress ratings are as low or lower, and the left bent press is going out of business.
a resident of Portola Valley
on May 11, 2007 at 6:11 pm
No, Bush is hated even more than Bin Laden, and for good reasons. Osama is a Sunni wahabbist thug who is holed up in the mountains someplace. Bush is an imbecile who hallucinates about conversations he has with god, believes in armageddon and has control of the largest stockpile of WMD in the world, capable of destroying the planet a 1000 times over. Osama is a fanatical terrorist, bush is a moronic hallucinator capable of destroying the world. Any American traveling around the world is immediately aware of the colossal hatred for Bush, not the American people. Bush represents everything that is wrong with our nation, and people realize that he is an aberration, not the rule. The US people are lining up to come to is the exact opposite of Bush'e America. Bush is the real Anti-American
a resident of Midtown
on May 12, 2007 at 4:31 am
Jeff, you left out eating children alive and setting the elderly afloat on melting ice floes.
I am amazed that such preposterous bilge is allowed to stay while inconvenient descriptions of liberal causes are erased.
a resident of another community
on May 12, 2007 at 8:11 am
I don't think it matters how smart Bush is, although it might be harder for the machine around him to function if he questioned his scripts.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 12, 2007 at 10:29 am
Bush is smarter than the act he puts on. He was born into a political family and inherited his roledex and his oil connections. But he does the "everyman" act to make himself seem more sincere and likable. It's a cynical acting job but apparently very effective.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on May 12, 2007 at 10:32 am
Weekly editors
This is shocking. Walter has it right. If you allow this sort of tirade about the president, why don't you allow even mild criticism of a local person aiming at political office. Conversely, if you won't allow any criticism at all of a local personage putting their feet in political waters for the first time, why do you allow this hateful criticism of the president.
This sounds very much like double standards. What is said on this thread is way over the top and you know it. The thing is that this president, even though some may say was not fairly elected the first time round, was elected not once, but twice, by the American people. Like it or not, it was the people who not only elected this president to office, but elected him to be the one on the ballot. He was not a vp who got their because of his office. Any criticism of the way he is doing his job is also a criticism of his electorate. I do not hear anyone saying that they voted for him and now feel that they made a mistake. I think the Bush supporters are for the most part still Bush supporters, at least those I know personally.
And before someone calls me a Bush supporter, I am not. I am just a supporter of the democratic way. (I was not a Kerry or Gore supporter either, although I think Gore was a much better choice all round).
a resident of Southgate
on May 12, 2007 at 11:18 am
Resident is right.
The infantile commenters here, and the semi-psychotic conspiracy mongers on other threads (See the "Bush is responsible for Tillman's death" guys), are way over-the-top, and out of place.
There is plenty to criticize about Bush and his policies, but this name-calling demeans those doing it much more than it does Bush.
a resident of Crescent Park
on May 12, 2007 at 12:19 pm
What nonsense. There are many millions of former Bush voters who are now against him. His approval ratings are the lowest of any president in the last 100 years.There's a reason is support pummeled so mcu and a eason the democrats regained control of the Congress. Every person I know who voted for Bush is telling me now what a terrible mistake they made. Bush definitely lost the 2000 elections, and even if he somehow didn't lose Florida, he certainly lost the popular vote. As far as 2004, there was massive Democratic voter suppression in Ohio, some in Florida(as usual) and great suspicion that many electronic voting machines had been hacked in favor of Bush. Areas, especially in Ohio, which were polling for Kerry a day before the lections, turned out with a majority for Bush, with no paper trail to examine them for hacking. The notion that it's not permissble to criticize bush is a manifestation of his fascist rule in which the opposition to his policy is immediately equated with treason and support for terrorism.
a resident of Midtown
on May 12, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Criticize Bush for his faults, which are many. When you descend into insulting his dog and his bicycle you say much more about your own deficiency. This is the enemy of free speech and responsible government. It is also, just incidentally, an insult to half the electorate. Mocking is acceptable and encouraged, but blood feud rhetoric poisons the well of compromise, and without compromise no nation is governable.
a resident of Ventura
on May 12, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Attention editors, and Walter -
Someone is posting using Walter's name. The Walter I know would never say what was attributed to him above. The Walter we all know is the kind of guy who labels war critics as Saddam lovers, and civil libertarians as Al Qaeda sympathizers.
a resident of Midtown
on May 12, 2007 at 8:31 pm
People who would have preferred Saddam be left in office must account for that preference, and people who lack the discrimination to tell the difference between cutting off someone's hand and cutting off his TV privileges needs guidance.
a resident of Stanford
on May 13, 2007 at 8:21 am
Jeff - You and people who talk like you crack me up. You talk like Bush was not elected by a majority, as if he forced himself on the poor, stupid, unsuspecting American people, therefore is an "aberration". No, he IS the president, albeit he has moved a little too far to the left, that I voted for. Get used to it. There are a lot of us.
Ahmadinijad - Now HE is an aberration, forced on the Iranian people. Saddam was an aberration, forced on the Iraqis ( who are now voting for what they want), Assad is an aberration, the poor North Koreans are forced to starve under an aberration, shall I continue?
Your rage at losing the ability to brainwash the American people through the Walter Cronkites of the nation has you all tied up in knots. Your fury at having true and open information in the USA, so that the American people are better informed than they were in my Vietnam generation, has blinded you to the reality that the rest of the world does NOT have free information flow, and therefore we pity them, and regard their opinions with the same attitude we regard the opinions of an uninformed and brainwashed 15 year old.
Better get used to it, and start learning to speak intelligently about facts and ideas and visions, not hate and name-calling and tantrums, if you wish to ever win the American people back.
a resident of Stanford
on May 13, 2007 at 8:24 am
Skeptical Al: This whole thread has the same Walter on it, you just haven't been able to understand his pithy comments. They all boil down to the same thing. Defense of the basic human liberties and rights guaranteed in our constitution and bill of rights, not for just some here, but for all here: not for just some nations, but for all nations.
a resident of another community
on May 13, 2007 at 9:08 am
Draw the Line,
To address the first point: If I felt that Bush had been elected, his holding the office would have to be acceptable. But there are reports of disenfranchisement that occurred and still persist. How can one not wonder after reading reports such as this, that millions of votes were not counted in 2000?
Web Link
a resident of Midtown
on May 13, 2007 at 1:17 pm
How many unvotes were counted for Sanchez in Orange County and for Greigore in Washington State last year?
And remember that special team of lawyers dispatched to Florida to throw out military absentee ballots. Crooked elections are as American as apple pie, and democrats discover them quicker because they know what results they paid for and get upset if they don't get the votes they bought. There are just a really large contingent unclear on the concept of representative government.
a resident of Stanford
on May 13, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Been down this before. Newspapers from all over the nation went to Florida to recount..not one found that Gore won the counties in question.
Note, Gore didn't try to recount any counties but a few select ones. He knew that ALL counties have errors in both directions, and feared recounting the ones he narrowly won for fear it would be revealed that he hadn't actually.
In any case, noone can dispute the clear win in 2004.
a resident of Ventura
on May 13, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Walter, I appreciate your follow up. You couldn't have proven the point for me any better than that.
a resident of another community
on May 13, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Actually, Draw the Line, many do dispute the clear 2004 win. Doing on a search on the words "disenfranchisement 2004" turned up dozens of references at this url alone:
Web Link
Just saying.
a resident of Midtown
on May 13, 2007 at 5:52 pm
When was the last time anyone was prosecuted for voting illegally? When was the last time someone was prosecuted for registering illegally? Don't come whining to me about voting irregularities until you are ready to punish illegal votes and registrations.
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Jun 5, 2017 at 3:10 pm
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Department of Homeland Security:
Progress Made and Work Remaining in Implementing Homeland Security Missions 10 Years after 9/11
GAO-11-881: Published: Sep 7, 2011. Publicly Released: Sep 7, 2011.
PODCAST: Homeland Security 10 Years after 9/11
Audio interview by GAO staff with Cathy Berrick, Managing Director, Homeland Security and Justice
Additional Materials:
- Highlights Page:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
(202) 512-3404
Office of Public Affairs
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The events of September 11, 2001, led to profound changes in government policies and structures to confront homeland security threats. Most notably, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began operations in 2003 with key missions that included preventing terrorist attacks from occurring in the United States, and minimizing the damages from any attacks that may occur. DHS is now the third-largest federal department, with more than 200,000 employees and an annual budget of more than $50 billion. Since 2003, GAO has issued over 1,000 products on DHS's operations in such areas as border and transportation security and emergency management, among others. As requested, this report addresses DHS's progress in implementing its homeland security missions since it began operations, work remaining, and issues affecting implementation efforts. This report is based on GAO's past and ongoing work, supplemented with DHS Office of Inspector General reports, with an emphasis on reports issued since 2008. GAO also analyzed information provided by DHS in July and August 2011 on recent actions taken in response to prior work.
Since it began operations in 2003, DHS has implemented key homeland security operations and achieved important goals and milestones in many areas to create and strengthen a foundation to reach its potential. As it continues to mature, however, more work remains for DHS to address gaps and weaknesses in its current operational and implementation efforts, and to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of those efforts to achieve its full potential. DHS's accomplishments include developing strategic and operational plans; deploying workforces; and establishing new, or expanding existing, offices and programs. For example, DHS (1) issued plans to guide its efforts, such as the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, which provides a framework for homeland security, and the National Response Framework, which outlines disaster response guiding principles; (2) successfully hired, trained, and deployed workforces, such as a federal screening workforce to assume security screening responsibilities at airports nationwide; and (3) created new programs and offices to implement its homeland security responsibilities, such as establishing the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team to help coordinate efforts to address cybersecurity threats. Such accomplishments are noteworthy given that DHS has had to work to transform itself into a fully functioning department while implementing its missions--a difficult undertaking that can take years to achieve. While DHS has made progress, its transformation remains high risk due to its management challenges. Examples of progress made and work remaining include: Border security. DHS implemented the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program to verify the identities of foreign visitors entering and exiting the country by processing biometric and biographic information. However, DHS has not yet determined how to implement a biometric exit capability and has taken action to address a small portion of the estimated overstay population in the United States (individuals who legally entered the country but then overstayed their authorized periods of admission). Aviation security. DHS developed and implemented Secure Flight, a program for screening airline passengers against terrorist watchlist records. DHS also developed new programs and technologies to screen passengers, checked baggage, and air cargo. However, DHS does not yet have a plan for deploying checked baggage screening technologies to meet recently enhanced explosive detection requirements, a mechanism to verify the accuracy of data to help ensure that air cargo screening is being conducted at reported levels, or approved technology to screen cargo once it is loaded onto a pallet or container. Emergency preparedness and response. DHS issued the National Preparedness Guidelines that describe a national framework for capabilities-based preparedness, and a Target Capabilities List to provide a national-level generic model of capabilities defining all-hazards preparedness. DHS is also finalizing a National Disaster Recovery Framework, and awards preparedness grants based on a reasonable risk methodology. However, DHS needs to strengthen its efforts to assess capabilities for all-hazards preparedness, and develop a long-term recovery structure to better align timing and involvement with state and local governments' capacity. Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. DHS assessed risks posed by CBRN threats and deployed capabilities to detect CBRN threats. However, DHS should work to improve its coordination of CBRN risk assessments, and identify monitoring mechanisms for determining progress made in implementing the global nuclear detection strategy. GAO's work identified three themes at the foundation of DHS's challenges. This report contains no new recommendations.
Sep 24, 2020
Department of Homeland Security:Assessment of Air and Marine Operating Locations Should Include Comparable Costs across All DHS Marine OperationsGAO-20-663: Published: Sep 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 24, 2020.
Sep 10, 2020
Natural Disasters:Economic Effects of Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Harvey, and IrmaGAO-20-633R: Published: Sep 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 10, 2020.
Sep 2, 2020
Facial Recognition:CBP and TSA are Taking Steps to Implement Programs, but CBP Should Address Privacy and System Performance IssuesGAO-20-568: Published: Sep 2, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 2, 2020.
Aug 19, 2020
Immigration Detention:ICE Should Enhance Its Use of Facility Oversight Data and Management of Detainee ComplaintsGAO-20-596: Published: Aug 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 19, 2020.
Jul 15, 2020
Southwest Border:CBP Should Improve Oversight of Funds, Medical Care, and Reporting of DeathsGAO-20-680T: Published: Jul 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 15, 2020.
Southwest Border:CBP Needs to Increase Oversight of Funds, Medical Care, and Reporting of DeathsGAO-20-536: Published: Jul 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 15, 2020.
Jul 14, 2020
COVID-19:FEMA's Role in the Response and Related ChallengesGAO-20-685T: Published: Jul 14, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 14, 2020.
Jul 8, 2020
2018 Pacific Disasters:Preliminary Observations on FEMA's Disaster Response and Recovery EffortsGAO-20-614T: Published: Jul 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 8, 2020.
May 14, 2020
Critical Infrastructure Protection:Actions Needed to Enhance DHS Oversight of Cybersecurity at High-Risk Chemical FacilitiesGAO-20-453: Published: May 14, 2020. Publicly Released: May 14, 2020.
May 7, 2020
DHS Service Contracts:Increased Oversight Needed to Reduce the Risk Associated with Contractors Performing Certain FunctionsGAO-20-417: Published: May 7, 2020. Publicly Released: May 7, 2020.
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It's been a hot minute since we heard anything about "Ouija" but according to the producers the film, based on the classic board game, is moving ahead swimmingly and may even hit theaters next October if all goes according to plan. I sounded really cool there for a second with my hip lingo right? "Hot minute". I'm like Eminem or something. I think I may have ruined it with "swimmingly" though. Old people say that.
Fox has dropped word that they'll be putting out a gaggle of new Blu-Ray releases next week, most notably for this sassy news writer is the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" which will be available at the rock bottom price of $13. The disc will hit shelves on September 11 and I'm not 100% sure what sort of special features will be available but if I was to guess, the $13 will get you the movie, a trailer and if you're lucky a DVD case. The last one might be pushing it though.
If there was ever a movie that didn't need a sequel it's "I Spit On Your Grave" but it looks like "Saw IV" writer Thomas Fenton has been tapped to pen the script for just such a film. No word as of yet on what the plot of the second installment of the "guys do awful things to a woman and then she kills them" flick but I can't imagine anything good will come from it. I would be nice if there was some actual spitting on graves though.
A while back we talked about Award Pictures and their quest to make an "Evil Dead" sequel without Sam Raimi or anyone else giving their sweet approval. Well after some paddling and what I assume was some pretty hefty lawyer bills it looks like Raimi has officially shut down production on the film. So I'm sorry folks. You will not get to see an "Evil Dead" that Sam Raimi has had nothing to do with and there is no chance of Bruce Campbell popping up in. I'm sorry.
A guy in Oregon who caught his wife sexting is under arrest after he shot a gun at her, just barely missing her head. In his defense he did consult with his cats before pulling the trigger. You know cats though, they have 0 tolerance.
If I hadn't already received multiple emails from BGH's own Mark this morning I would be worried half to death right now. A Montana man was struck by 2 cars and eventually died after he dressed up as Bigfoot and tried to frighten oncoming motorists. Of course it would take at least 3 Mark's to equal the size of one Bigfoot so that should have been the first give away. He's so tiny.


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Gutter guard protection and gutter guard installers have come a long way in the last 10 years. Now days it is important to select a Gutter guard business in Bondi Beach that has professional height safety equipment and state of the art training for all of their professional gutter guard installers. Here at Geoff Moyle Property Services, when we undertake a gutter guard installation job in Bondi Beach we ensure that we have all of these bases covered to guarantee you a professional, high quality, satisfaction guaranteed result. We only supply and install the LeafStopper® Gutter Guard Mesh system which carries a 15 year manufacturers warranty.
When it comes to supplying you with a price and options for your gutter guard or gutter mesh it is our preference to come to your property to meet you, inspect your property in Bondi Beach, hear out your requests and to get to understand your expectations. Your quote takes into account the product type, gutter length, roof type, roof pitch, access, cleaning, etc.
We would love the opportunity to take you on as a client and have the privilege to be your Professional Gutter Guard Installers in Bondi Beach.
If you would like to see why our clients have chosen us to be their preferred Gutter guard suppliers in Bondi Beach you can view our client testimonials here.
Felt respected from beginning to end. Quote was great - Geoff then followed up by phone and arranged service promptly, called to tell me where he was and when he was on his way. Our gutters were fully loaded and Geoff sorted it professionally and payment was sorted on the spot leaving me no more to do. Geoff understands his business and it's customers. Will use again.
the professionalism, politeness and good work ethic of the company and the people I came in contact with. I was very happy with the job done.
When it comes to having contractors work on your valuable property, you want to ensure that you are using a business that you can trust. Check us out below.
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02-9188 3950
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Mid North Coast Office
0423 093 153
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You have selected to view our Arteon Estate car leasing deals.
We offer a vast range of Volkswagen Arteon Estate car leasing, all of which come with a full UK manufacturer warranty and optional maintenance packages.
For more information on any of our Volkswagen Arteon Estate car leasing, click the links below or contact our friendly leasing specialists on 0131 622 6425.
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Edinburgh's Luxury Car Village
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Registered Office : Eastern Holdings Limited, 8 Westerton Road East Mains Ind Estate Broxburn West Lothian EH52 5
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I struggle with trying to find healthy food options for breakfast and snack time. When I'm hungry, quick and easy is the best. I'm particularly fond of smoothies, but I don't often make them because either I don't have all the ingredients needed or I'm feeling too lazy to locate them and put them all in the blender.
Recently, thanks to MyBlogSpark, I had the opportunity to try out Yoplait Frozen Smoothies. This smoothie mix is found in the freezer section of the grocery store. The smoothie package contains Yoplait frozen yogurt chips and frozen fruit -- everything needed to make your own fruit smoothie, with the exception of milk. All that you need to do is dump the contents into your blender and add milk (the package says to use skim, but I used 2% because that is what we had on hand.) It only takes a couple of minutes to make a delicious drink.
The mix comes in four different flavors: Blueberry Pomegranate, Triple Berry, Strawberry Banana, and Strawberry Mango Pineapple. One package makes two servings and each serving contains only 110 to 120 calories.
We tried out the Triple Berry flavor containing strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, and I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the package and noticed the large frozen real fruit chunks. Instead of adding 1 cup of milk, we added a little more to make a thinner smoothie that the kids would be able to drink with a straw. I like my smoothies thicker so next time I'll follow the package directions. It only took a minute for the blender to mix up the batch, and we had a nice, frothy cold drink to enjoy. It's an easy, peasy, no fuss way to a yummy smoothie. The smoothie tasted as good as anything I've made from scratch, and I love that it contains calcium and live and active yogurt cultures. My son loved his "shake." Unfortunately my daughter was less excited about it because it contains seeds. Someday soon I hope she'll get over her seeds in food issue! I plan to keep a few packages on hand for when I'm craving a light and cold fruit-filled snack.
Even though MyBlogSpark sent along an awesome 3-speed KitchenAid® Blender to use, we decided to use our own, not-as-fancy blender to review the product and will donate the lovely new KitchenAid to a charity. I'm sure a deserving family will really appreciate receiving it during the holidays.
Follow Yoplait on twitter or facebook for all the latest information and click on the widget below for coupons and more information.
Yoplait wants you make your holidays a little brighter and has offered to giveaway a gift pack to a Brimful Curiosities reader. This awesome prize pack includes two VIP coupons to try Yoplait Frozen Smoothies and a 3-speed KitchenAid® blender with a special smoothie setting.
To enter, leave a comment relevant to this post. Have you tried the Yoplait Frozen Smoothies? What flavor do you think sounds good?
• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.Four ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 5 - leave a separate comment for each entry):
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, December 6th, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random
1st extra entry: Follow Yoplait on Twitter or Facebook
2nd extra entry: Follow Me! or subscribe by email or RSS reader
3rd extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
4th extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
"Win a KitchenAid Blender and Yoplait Smoothies Prize Pack - Giveaway Ends 12/6 @iambrimful http://bit.ly/eYFs5Z"
Thanks to Yoplait and My Blog Spark for this review opportunity and for providing me with free Yoplait Frozen Smoothies coupons and blender for review. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)


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TR10: Cellulolytic Enzymes
Frances Arnold is designing better enzymes for making biofuels from cellulose.
Frances Arnold
In December, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which calls for U.S. production of renewable fuels to reach 36 billion gallons a year–nearly five times current levels–by 2022. Of that total, cellulosic biofuels derived from sources such as agricultural waste, wood chips, and prairie grasses are supposed to account for 16 billion gallons. If the mandates are met, gasoline consumption should decline significantly, reducing both greenhouse-gas emissions and imports of foreign oil.
The ambitious plan faces a significant hurdle, however: no one has yet demonstrated a cost-competitive industrial process for making cellulosic biofuels. Today, nearly all the ethanol produced in the United States is made from the starch in corn kernels, which is easily broken down into the sugars that are fermented to make fuel. Making ethanol from cheaper sources will require an efficient way to free sugar molecules packed together to form crystalline chains of cellulose, the key structural component of plants. That's "the most expensive limiting step right now for the large-scale commercialization of [cellulosic] biofuels," says protein engineer Frances Arnold, a professor of chemical engineering and biochemistry at Caltech.
The key to more efficiently and cheaply breaking down cellulose, Arnold and many others believe, is better enzymes. And Arnold, who has spent the last two decades designing enzymes for use in everything from drugs to stain removers, is confident that she's well on her way to finding them.
Cellulosic biofuels have many advantages over both gasoline and corn ethanol. Burning cellulosic ethanol rather than gasoline, for instance, could cut cars' greenhouse-gas emissions by 87 percent; corn ethanol achieves reductions of just 18 to 28 percent. And cellulose is the most abundant organic material on earth.
But whereas converting cornstarch into sugar requires a single enzyme, breaking down cellulose involves a complex array of enzymes, called cellulases, that work together. In the past, cellulases found in fungi have been recruited to do the job, but they have proved too slow and unstable. Efforts to improve their performance by combining them in new ways or tweaking their constituent amino acids have been only moderately successful. Researchers have reduced the cost of industrial cellulolytic enzymes to 20 to 50 cents per gallon of ethanol produced. But the cost will have to fall to three or four cents per gallon for cellulosic ethanol to compete with corn ethanol.
Ultimately, Arnold wants to do more than just make cheaper, more efficient enzymes for breaking down cellulose. She wants to design cellulases that can be produced by the same microörganisms that ferment sugars into biofuel. Long a goal of researchers, "superbugs" that can both metabolize cellulose and create fuel could greatly lower the cost of producing cellulosic biofuels. "If you consolidate these two steps, then you get synergies that lower the cost of the overall process," Arnold says.
Consolidating those steps will require cellulases that work in the robust organisms used in industrial fermentation processes–such as yeast and bacteria. The cellulases will need to be stable and highly active, and they'll have to tolerate high sugar levels and function in the presence of contaminants. Moreover, researchers will have to be able to produce the organisms in sufficient quantities. This might seem like a tall order, but over the years, Arnold has developed a number of new tools for making novel proteins. She pioneered a technique, called directed evolution, that involves creating many variations of genes that code for specific proteins. The mutated genes are inserted into microörganisms that churn out the new proteins, which are then screened for particular characteristics.
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This is an inventive and elegant love story set in the middle of an unnamed war zone. The author, who is best known for his book and subsequent movie The Reluctant Fundamentalist, has a strangely compelling writing style and a fanciful premise for this story which I will not mention since it is best discovered while reading. (Hint: think about something in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) Saeed and Nadia meet when their country is at the brink of civil war. Eventually their only option is to escape to an alien and uncertain future. Can their relationship weather such a huge transition? Issues such as the plight of refugees and migrants, as well as the anger of nativist extremists are all well portrayed, making this slim novel extremely current.
To be honest I loved the creativity of the first half of the book, but found it became a bit flat and less strong in the latter half. Nevertheless, I'm glad I read it for its quietly profound quality, its perspective on emigration, and because it covers the kind of events that are happening right now.