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There is so much to be said about the uprising in Syria and the extremely brutal suppression by the Assad regime. And as usual, most of it is not said in the mainstream media.
So I thought I give you some pieces that are to the point and that give you some perspective of this slaughter of civilians. In other words, some insight into the world of real politics. This is a different universe that the normal platitudes and declarations our political elites are so good at excelling at.
I have so much material, all from public and open sources, that it is ridiculously big and unwieldy. Therefore, I have to drastically cut it down. Otherwise, it would become a book. The focus is therefore going to be on some countries and international organisations and what they have done or not done in 11 posts.
Part 1- Introduction. Part 2-Repports/Videos/Photos, Part 3- Russia, Part 4- Iran, Part 5- China, Part 6- Turkey, Part 7- Arab league, Part 8- UN, Part 9- EU/NATO, Part 10- US and the Obama administration and Part 11- Paul Conroy
The explanation for the headline you get at the end of this post.
This Syrian uprising started little over a year ago. The movement began in Syria on March 15th of 2011 with spontaneous demonstrations that demanded that the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad reform Syria to a free and democratic state. Assad responded, as usual, with relentless force and a brutal crackdown. Which led to the people to call for the president to step down, and heed to his people's will to relinquish his power. And for a peaceful transition to democracy.
All reasonably demands wouldn't you say?
And from this start the Assad's regimes force and a brutal crackdown have just intensified and widened. The death toll is around 11 000. Mostly civilians: children, women, families, elderly etc. Many of them executed in the most barbaric way.
On top of that, the deliberate destruction of WHOLE blocks of cities, Block after block, neighbourhood after neighbourhood.
Turning of electricity, water, telecommunications etc for cities and neighbourhoods. Destroying hospitals and preventing medicine and food to reach these areas etc.
I can add systematic rape to that mix of systematic violation of human rights.
Wouldn't you say that this regime seems utterly barbaric and worthy of world condemnation?
And wouldn't you have thought that the world would have done something by now?
And the answer to these questions is of course – YES ands as usual NO.
NOTHING have in realty been done except some cheap and empty rhetoric. A lot of grandstanding as usual with these people. And of course a lot of meetings, summits, conferences etc. Usually in very nice places very far from the reality they are supposed to talk about.
EU the other day "strengthened" sanctions, the 13 in a row, banned Assad's wife from shopping on the Continent. Yea, I bet Syria's dictator Bashar Hafez al-Assad felt threatened to his core!
Some of these people, for over a year now, have assured us that the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is about to fall. These assurances from the so-called "experts" are always delivered with great confidence.
And yet Assad, hangs on, slaughtering his own people, destroying and despoiling whole neighbourhoods, calling the bluff of the Arab League, Turkey, UN, USA and EU/NATO.
Helped to a very large degree by the enormous material support, weapons, training, intelligence, troops, personal etc. from Russia, Iran, China and Hezbollah.
And by a traditional policy of dived and conquer the different ethnic and religious groups in Syria. And of course by terror and fear.
Nonetheless, this is a regime, with an enormous arsenal of heavy weapons, which in a year has not been able to dispatch a divided, badly organized, having hardly any weapons, and disparate opposition. It can be defeated and it will implode from the inside. The slaughter would end much faster if the people got some, any support, from abroad. And the fear is gone.
It is also very interesting to compare how eager the Obama administration, EU and NATO was to go into Libya with their do nothing attitude with Syria.
The dictator Gaddafi had not killed as many civilian people as Assad's regimes have by a long shot. Or destroyed as many neighbourhoods as Assad. Nor did Gaddafi support so many terrorist groups as Assad. Or had the same strategic value for USA as Syria.
Nor did Gaddafi kill so many Americans as did Assad (Bashar and Hafez al-Assad – It is A Faimly affair). Etc. Etc.
So in every way and shape or form, in comparison Libya under Gaddafi doesn't even come close to Syria under Assad.
Samantha Power, a prominent advocate of humanitarian intervention and the principle of "responsibility to protect", is considered to be the key figure within the Obama administration in persuading the president to intervene militarily in Libya.
Power, was a senior foreign policy adviser to senator Obama, and now a Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Senior Director of the National Security Council.
But on Syria? NOT A PEEP!
And some of the "excuses" for not doing anything, like "the arms could end up in the wrong hands", become ABSOLUTELY mind-boggling hypocritical when you remember that NATO and US special operations troops together with their intelligence operatives in Tripoli, armed and put Al-Hakim Belhadj in control over Tripoli. And gave him "the keys" to Gadhafis armoury.
Those arms were advanced items which British and French special operations forces gave the rebels, according to "a senior" American source.
Who is Al-Hakim Belhadj you may ask. He is a leader and commander of LIFG, the Al Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Which by the way is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. He is an al Qaeda veteran from Afghanistan, he joined the Talliban etc.
He was first captured in Pakistan 2001 and handed over to US security officials, he was repatriated to Libya two months later. Later CIA captured him in Malaysia in 2004. He was then transferred to Bangkok, where he was then placed in the custody of the CIA. Later they extradited him to Libya where he was kept in prison for six years by Qaddafi.
According to the Spanish, Al-Hakim Belhadj was suspected of complicity in the 2004 Madrid train bombings etc. etc.
For the first time, therefore, the armies of Western members of NATO took part and helped directly in a bid by extremist Islamic forces to capture an Arab capital and overthrow its ruler.
As for the do nothing as usual UN, it "proudly" upholds its tradition of doing ABSOLUTLY NOTHING when it really maters, like Rwanda, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Bosnia (Srebrenica anyone?) etc.
Refusing to arm or help the opposition will not end the conflict or limit it, it will drag on as all the above examples shows.
And by waiting the situation gets worse and much more complex, then "they" used its complexity as an excuse not to intervene while decrying the lost opportunity for intervention. And ALL this time the killing and atrocities committed by Assad's regime just continues as nothing has happened.
On the contrary, the Assad regime has increased it's attacks since Bashar al-Assad agreed to implement the "new" peace plan.
From Kafrnabel, Idleb
A snapshot from Idlib province
"The feeling here is one of desperation — and steadfast defiance"
"They are planning to retake the region piece by piece," said Abu Hamdo, a member of the Revolution Command Council in Idlib. "But there is no going back, because if they catch us we are dead, and if we fight them we are dead."
It is a scenario that is playing out repeatedly here: The army and security forces sweep into village after village, leaving behind bodies and burned homes, and the routed rebels must regroup.
Mazen Arja, an agricultural engineer "We have to organize anew and figure out who was killed and bring people together to begin the liberation of the northern region," Arja said. "If we're not patient and fight, we're all dead anyway."
"When we first went out in protests, we had hope for foreign support, but that hope was dashed. We had hope for buffer areas; that was dashed. We had hope for support for the Free Syrian Army, and that was dashed," said the militia's 25-year-old leader, Bilal Khabeet, who like Free Syrian Army members is a military defector. "A rifle and 120 bullets, that's all I have. Once they are finished, I am finished."
Or as Ammar Abdulhamid a liberal democracy activist said:
"Of April Fools and Useless Tools!
The irony involved in holding an international conference on Syria on April Fools is all too noticeable, and the fact that just on the day before, an Assad official would claim victory simply adds a certain "je ne sais quoi" to the mix. But the Revolution-cum-Devolution goes on, no amount of irony or wishful thinking will make it go away."
"Whatever the geopolitical calculations of Arab, regional and international leaders may be, ours is still a revolution for freedom, dignity, justice and equality. Is there any power in heaven or earth whose basic interests are commensurate with these aspirations of ours? If so, act now! Or forever be damned."
Another snapshot from Daraa province:
"Sayyed Mahmud, an activist in Daraa reached by Skype, told AFP the situation was extremely tense in Dael.
"They burned down 14 houses yesterday. They are arresting people and have sent in troop reinforcements," he said.
"As part of the regime's campaign to starve the people, troops are raiding homes, destroying food stocks and equipment," he added. "For example, if they see a sowing machine, they destroy it.
"They go into bakeries and destroy the dough. There are 15-hour power cuts a day."
You REALLY get "impressed" by these "brave soldiers" who "attacks" and destroy dough and sowing machines. Not to mention killing unarmed civilians.
That is really a "worthy" adversary for a real soldier.
And the endless deception and chicanery, round 27, of the Assad regime continues. Making a mockery of all so called "peace" deals. In addition, the world let him get away with it again and again. Without doing ANYTHING except generate "new peace" plans.
With all the usual strong and optimistic words and platitudes. Or as one Syrian said:
"As Obama and Erdogan talk, Assad kills"
You can put whatever country and organisation there instead, it doesn't change anything.
Assad's Vision for Reform
Here is the latest:
Damascus sees no deadline to withdraw troops
"The Syrian regime is not bound by a deadline to withdraw its troops from strife-torn areas, pro-government daily Al-Watan on Thursday quoted a government official as saying.
"There is no set date or deadline," the unnamed official said.
"April 10 is the date set for the beginning, not the end, of the withdrawal of troops and it does not constitute a deadline."
Before that:
Syria says army will not be first to lay down arms, rejecting appeal by UN chief
"Syria rejected international envoy Kofi Annan's call for the regime to halt violence first just days after the government agreed to a cease-fire plan. A senior official declared victory over the opposition.
It was the government's first response to an appeal by Annan, the U.N.-Arab League envoy, to stop military operations first as "the stronger party" in a "gesture of good faith" to the lightly armed opposition. Annan brokered the agreement aimed at stopping the bloodshed and Assad agreed to it on Monday.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi said the government will not pull tanks and troops from towns and cities engulfed by unrest before life returns to normal there.
"The battle to bring down the state in Syria has already ended and the battle of reinforcing stability has started," Makdessi said in an apparent reference to a string of recent regime offensives that drove rebels from key strongholds. He spoke on state TV late Friday."
An to rely prove this point :
"Certain he is safe from Western-Arab intervention, Bashar Assad Sunday unleashed an across-the board air and ground offensive against the last surviving rebel locations.
Starting Sunday noon, April 8, 30 towns and villages were hit simultaneously. For the first time since the outbreak of revolt thirteen months ago, heavy long-range artillery and air force helicopters pounded the rebel positions remaining in the northern mountains of Idlib near the Turkish border. The scale of the onslaught was such that it is hard to come by casualty figures, but they certainly run into hundreds.
As he lifts all restraints, the Syrian ruler is also certain he is backed to the hilt byTehranandMoscow."
And today, April 9 Assad's forces attacked a Syrian refuge camp in Turkey.
Turkey: Three wounded as Syrian forces fire over border
"A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, saidTurkeyimmediately protested the incident to the Syrian charge d'affaires and asked that the fire be halted, the Associated Press reported.
Two refugees and one Turkish citizen, a translator, were wounded inside the camp near the town of Kilisin the southwestern Gaziantep province, he said."
Yeap, that's REALLY showing respect for the "ceasefire" and UN "peace plan". And the "world" will let Assad get away with again, and again.
Waiting for Syria's regime to Change
And another snapshot from Kastanaz:
"The army is destroying buildings and bombing them till they turn to charcoal," said Mohammed Khatib, a refugee who said he came from Kastanaz, a Syrian town of 20,000 people.
"The army wants people to move out of their houses. If the residents refuse, they destroy them with the people inside."
"For the past three days there have been bodies lying in the streets. Around 200 have been killed. The town is now abandoned."
I could go on an on to give one witness after another of atrocities and planed destruction.
Another from Sarmin:
"Using information stored on laptops, army intelligence officers detain all manner of people. Bad-mouthing the regime? Arrested. Seen at a protest? Arrested. Got an internet connection? Arrested. The list goes on.
"The shabiha (pro-government militia) came to my house and took my children," said Fatoum Haj Housin, a resident of the town Sarmin, five miles north-west of Saraqeb, which had been attacked a few days earlier.
"They took all three of them. They were young men in the army but they defected in January. The militia shot them in the head and burned their bodies in front of me in our courtyard. In the name of God, bring me a Kalashnikov and I will kill Assad myself!"
There was still scorching and ash in front of her house – and much evidence elsewhere in Sarmin of destruction by ground forces. The field hospital had been torched, walls and houses sprayed with AK47 fire and the mosque smashed by three shells.
When the tanks leave the city centres and the ground forces come in, this is what happens – with nobody from the outside to see.
Yet for every person killed the rebels' resolve seems to grow day by day.
"We can never go back now," said Feras Mulheen, a student from Saraqeb who had just seen his house destroyed by the tanks. "There's nothing to go back to. We either win or we die trying. There's nothing in between."
The situation for the FSA (Free Syrian Army):
"We are getting money mainly from individuals, from Syrians living abroad. We hear a lot of promises from the international community, but nobody will support us," said Mohammed.
His unit has 50 men and two satellite phones in a country where mobile telephone networks are down, security forces tap landlines, and the Internet is dysfunctional.
As for the guns, Mohammed said, his unit has just light weapons, not enough to confront the Syrian army.
"The air force attacks us and we do not have artillery to fight back," said the commander.
He said there are a lot of soldiers in the regular army who are too afraid to defect, but help the FSA from the inside.
"Our unit exchanged a carton of cigarettes for 200 bullets; we get gasoline from a soldier who steals it from the tanks in the bases," he said.
Other local commanders described their constant hustle to-and-fro across the Syrian-Turkish border to secure money for their supplies.
"We have enough men. The defectors' numbers have increased. But they do not have weapons. If they have a gun, they do not have ammunition," he said while busily working on his laptop.
Communications technologies are a precious commodity. Asked about internal FSA communications, Abu Muhammed, commander of a unit in the Idlib countryside, replied with sadness and irony, "We use pigeons."
"There's not a lot of direct communication between the ground and the leadership," he said, explaining how his men do not take specific daily orders from the officers sitting in the Turkish camps, like Col. Riad al Asaad, nominal head of the FSA.
"With the means we have, this is only self-defense," he admitted.
See also (excerpts):
Undergunned and Overwhelmed
"It's a view widely shared by defectors, arms dealers, and refugees alike here along the Turkish-Syrian border. For months, Assad's opponents have been buying black-market weapons from the countries bordering their volatile state — from Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan — as well as from within Syria, primarily from members of the corrupt regime or military sympathizers who remain embedded with loyalists. But it's getting harder. Money doesn't seem to be the main problem. Securing supplies is.
Nor have Assad's staunchest enemies — the Arab Gulf kingdoms — opened their armories to the rebels. In late February, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal raised the FSA's hopes when he said that arming Assad's opponents was "an excellent idea." Yet, more than a month later, Saudi supplies have not made their way to the front, according to the FSA leadership as well as numerous rebel commanders inside Syria.
Still, the ire and resentment of many activists and fighters on the ground is directed primarily toward the so-called leaders of the opposition, all of whom are in exile. The depth of anger was perhaps best expressed in a short video in which a small group of men in civilian garb stand in two neat rows in front of an olive tree, scarves concealing their identities. The clip is not unlike countless others purporting to show members of the FSA, except that none of the nine men featured in it holds any weapons. Some carry lemons instead of grenades; others hold sticks as if they were rifles. One wields a hammer.
"In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate … We, the free men of Idlib, announce the formation of the 'We Hope to Be Armed' brigade," the speaker says. "We do not have any weapons. We ask the National Council and the commander of the Free Army to fulfill their lying promises and to stop serenading the revolutionaries on the ground without sending weapons, because your serenades are killing us."
Col. Ahmad Hijazi, the FSA's chief of staff, says he can understand the resentment. "I don't blame them," he says. "The people are angry and they are taking out their frustrations on us. But what can we do? They are asking us for more than what we can do. Governments must support the Free Army."
In the absence of such aid, Syria's military defectors just wait. The camp housing the FSA officers looks just like the others Turkey has established for the thousands of civilians who have fled across its border — rows of white tents are neatly pitched along lanes of uneven loose white gravel. But unlike most of the others, the officers' camp is isolated from nearby towns and villages. It's in the middle of a lush agricultural plain in Apaydin, about 12 miles from Antakya, where verdant fields abut plowed, upturned earth, and snow-capped hills rim the horizon.
The FSA may claim to be operating a "command and control center" for the anti-Assad military effort from the camp, but it's unclear whether they can control much of anything from a base with regular power cuts. Its critics, like the "We Hope to Be Armed Brigade," say it has offered little to the men fighting and dying inside Syria in its name. How do the FSA's commanders account for their seeming lack of impact on the ground?
Hijazi shifts uncomfortably in his plastic chair inside one of the many identical tents in the officers' camp. He doesn't like the question. Nor does his fellow officer, Major Maher Nuami, who is seated on a single bed (the only one) in the tent. "It's sensitive," Hijazi finally says. They won't say if the FSA has sent emissaries to Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Libya — which recently pledged $100 million to the Syrian opposition — but insist that they have received no help on the ground from these states.
If the international community doesn't arm them and provide logistical support, "everything" the world fears from the fall of Assad will come to pass, Nuami argues.
"The people will get weapons, one way or another, so help us," Nuami continues. "If you give us weapons, we can control them. We want the fall of the regime, not the fall of the state. If the international community helps us, we'll help them. If it doesn't, our people offer no guarantees."
According to the FSA officers, the claims of foreign fighters in Syria — eagerly touted by the Assad regime — are wildly overblown. A lone Libyan had reportedly volunteered to fight with their FSA unit recently, but left after a few days. "He said, 'You guys are crazy, this is suicide, you don't have weapons'," Mokbat said. "He was right. I wish the revolution would go back, it was better before. We used to shoot into the air, we didn't worry about ammunition. Now we think twice about using each bullet."
Although Turkey houses the FSA, it "does not allow any weapon to be transferred to Syria in [an] illegal way," a Turkish government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. Anyone caught trying will be arrested and the weapons confiscated, he added.
That's exactly what many Syrian refugees, defectors and civilian revolutionaries accuse the high-level defectors in the camp of doing — just sitting there. In the absence of an organized military effort, the burden of securing weapons and funding has fallen to lower-level officers like Alaa, as well as ordinary Syrians like Abdel-Salim, a taxi driver turned thuwar who commands the "Free Syrians," a ragtag bunch of farmers, taxi drivers and other civilians from a string of villages abutting the Turkish border. Abdel-Salim, a 40-year-old with a bushy salt-and-pepper beard and high cheekbones, had crossed the border into southernTurkey to try and secure supplies for his group: 3,000 bullets, to be precise.
The "Free Syrians" are under the FSA banner, he explains, and are in regular communication with its leadership via a few defectors in his group. "We ask the defectors to go to the officers' camp to ask for help but we haven't got anything from the Free Army yet," Abdel-Salim says. "But to be fair, I don't think the Free Army has anything itself."
Abdel-Salim recalls that he participated in peaceful protests for months, and only picked up a weapon four months ago, when he "lost hope" in protests. He was shot about a month before that, in his stomach and his right leg, and spent 10 days recuperating in a Turkish hospital. He walks with a limp, but that didn't deter him from crossing back into Syria to fight Assad's army. "I didn't want to pick up a weapon," he says, "but I think Israel is more honorable than the Syrian regime."
The longer Abdel-Salim speaks, the angrier he gets. "Where is the money the Syrian opposition got from the Libyans?" he seethes. "We haven't seen any of the [Syrian] National Council members down here. … What is Riad al-Assad doing in Turkey anyway? Army commander? He should cross the border, lift people's morale. What is he scared of — dying?"
The Assad System – to kill more
Another from defected soldiers:
Defectors: Torture of children, rape by #Syrian army 'routine' !
In addition to shooting unarmed civilians, Syrian military personnel routinely have raped women and girls, tortured children and encouraged troops to loot the houses they storm, former foot soldiers say.
"What I have seen with my own eyes, it was indescribable," said Rolat Azad, 21, who said he'd served as a master sergeant in Idlib province in the northeast of Syria. There, he commanded 10 men who'd break into houses seeking to arrest men whose names they'd been given by the country's intelligence agencies. "They gave us orders: 'You are free to do what you like,' " he recalled.
Starting last July, he said, his unit arrested and tortured five to 10 people daily. "We had a torture room on our base," he said. "There was physical torture — beatings — and psychological tortures," said Azad, a Syrian Kurd who deserted and fled in March to the Kurdistan region of Iraq. "They also brought women and girls through. They put them in the closed room and called soldiers to rape them."
The women often were killed, he said.
Azad — as with other former soldiers here, the name is a pseudonym assumed to protect his family, still in Syria — was interviewed at a camp that Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government set up for Syrian army deserters. He recalled the torture of two young teenage boys. He said they'd been arrested either for shooting videos of the military or showing disrespect for the military and the regime, something that wasn't uncommon, even among children. "I once asked a small kid why he wasn't going to school," Azad said. "He said, 'We won't until this regime is gone.' "
One boy, about 13, was brought into the torture room and given electrical shocks, Azad said. Another, 14, was brought into the room in late February. His screams could be heard in the camp outside the town of Jisr al Shughour. "It was painful for all the soldiers," he said. Azad said he had no idea of the boy's fate. "They held him one or two days. Either they killed him or sent him to military security," he said.
Even worse, he said, was hearing the wailing and screaming of old men being tortured: "When they tortured old men, I couldn't stand it. I went outside. Others closed their eyes. I could not stay."
An independent U.N. commission of inquiry has described the Syrian government's offensive against civilians as possible "crimes against humanity." The commission, which reports to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, detailed arbitrary arrests, disappearances and torture, including the torture of children, in its latest report, issued in February, but it didn't detail the practice of rape. Commission officials said they had yet to talk with a rape victim.
He was assigned to a military construction unit but was ordered to the scenes of demonstrations, where troops would shoot at civilians.
"It was an ugly scene. We were at the top of a building and would shoot at civilians: children, women, men, anyone against the regime." He said the Syrian intelligence agencies stationed personnel to make sure they shot civilians. "They were watching anyone not shooting and taking down names," he said.
Several soldiers said Kurdish and Sunni Muslim troops tried wherever possible to fire over people's heads, but Alawites — members of the sect related to Shiite Islam that President Bashar Assad belongs to — boasted about how many demonstrators they'd killed.
"We had an order to shoot and kill," said Khaled Derecki, 20. "But some of those demonstrating were my friends, and we fired over their heads. "But the Alawites in my unit were very proud. They'd say: 'Today, we killed seven or eight.' "
240mm mortar bombs
One of the weapons used by the Assad's regime in "attacking" and destroying cities and neighbourhoods is the Russian SM-240 (2S4) 240-mm self-propelled mortar known to the West as the M-1975.
This systems fire the world's largest high explosive mortar bomb (240mm F-864), designed to "demolish fortifications and fieldworks" according to a Russian arms merchandizing catalogue.
It is the largest mortar bomb known to be in production and use. It weighs 130 kilograms and contains 31.93 kilograms of TNT as an explosive charge.
Other munitions used by Assad's regime on the "attack" is Russian 122mm howitzers and 120mm mortars and 121-mm and 81-mm shells.
You REALLY get "impressed" by these "brave soldiers" who attacks civilian cities and destroy whole blocks and neighbourhoods by using among other things 240mm mortar bombs. Designed to "demolish fortifications and fieldworks"
That is really a "worthy" adversary for a real soldier – killing unarmed civilians in their homes.
This is a photo of the 240mm mortar bomb. I cut it from a Russian instructional video.
So who are these "brave" men slaughtering unarmed civilians?
The main force is Assad's loyal shabiha, a militia of an estimated 35,000 Alawites who have pledged loyalty to Assad and are his regime's key prop.
The Syrian opposition refers to this ragtag band of Assad loyalists as jaysh abu shahhata— or the "army of the sandals," referring to its shoddy equipment and lack of discipline.
Another one is the infamous Fourth Armored Division, under the control of the president's brother, Maher. The Syrian 14th Infantry Division and the 40th and 90th mechanized brigades has also taken part.
In addition, they are not very "professional" or good at their work, except of course to destroy cities and kill civilians.
For example when the 4th Armored Division were sent (February 28) to the Baba Amr district of Homs, after Syrian forces failed in their three-week long offensive (including intensive shelling) to enter the city. It wasn't until the army shut off the last supply line that it was able to enter Baba Amr—spearheaded by nearly 7000 soldiers from the 4th Armored Division, which is roughly the entire unit.
The resistance there was carried by one of the most professional Syrian rebel group, The Al Farouk Brigades, which kept the Syrian military at bay for nearly a month although they have no ties with the FSA and number no more than 300 to 400 fighters. The rebel movement has some 40 small "brigades", mixed freelancers who fight at random here and there but demonstrate little operational ability.
And what did this "glorious elite" Armored Division do after the capture?
Well one of the first thing it did was to behead 17 civilians.
A "normal routine" for any professional soldier wouldn't you say?
"Assad's security forces have just beheaded – yes, beheaded – 17 civilians in Baba Amr, according to the human rights group Avaaz. I have been speaking to Will Davies, Avaaz's media campaigner, who confirmed with me that he is "100 per cent" sure that this story is true as it's been corroborated by independent sources. In fact, he provided a list of all the victims:
1. Abdul-Haleem Sabouh 2. Abdul-Naser Sabouh 3. Abdul-Hameed Sabouh
4. Abdul-Rahman Sabouh 5. Abdul-Baset Sabouh 6. Amer son of Omer Sabouh
7. Abdul-Moueen Daboul 8. Abdul-Salam Kujuk 9. Barri al-Akidy
10. Ez al-Deen al-Akidy 11. Ahmad al-Akidy 12. Abdul-Rahman Jneed
13. Abdul-Kafi Juneed 14. Radwan Bitar 15. Mahmoud al-Zoubi
16. Mahmoud al-louz 17. Alaa al-Ali"
But for the most part, most of the army stays out of this. They have "defected in place"
From division level down to battalions and brigades level. Entire units from commander down defy orders from the General Staff in Damascus to fight the rebels without crossing the lines to the opposition. To keep the spreading passive mutiny, Assad keeps the defiant units supplied in their barracks with funds and food.
Another example of this passive mutiny by the Syrian army, was when the five Syrian divisions stationed on Syria's Golan border with Israel and its frontier with South Lebanon; were told by their commanders in beginning of March to ignore orders from Damascus to join the crackdown on rebels because their mission was "to defend the Syrian homeland from external threats" – another form of "defection in place."
In other words, we are so "busy" protecting the borders so we don't want to and don't have time for this kind of "nonsense".
For the most part, the Syrian army is a declining, anachronistic force, whose high officers is afraid of the leader, and watch each other's backs. The problems with corruption, nepotism, poorly organized technical and maintenance support etc. This keeps much of the army paralyzed.
Some Special Forces and armored units are exceptions, but promotion is highly dependent on favoritism and nepotism.
That is why – contrary to what the West believes – Assad is not using his army to crack down on the uprising but the loyal Alawite Shabiha brigades and battalions.
Many artists, writers etc have taken part in the protests and uprising. To name some:
Samar Yazbeck, Ibrahim Qashoush, Rasha Omran, Ali Farzat, Mai Skaf, Khaled Khalifa, Samih Shqair, Fadwa Sulaiman —there's an impressive list of Syrian writers, musicians and artists who have bravely and unambiguously supported the people's aspirations for dignity.
As the Alawi actress Fadwa Sulaiman, on November 8, 2011, leading the crowd in besieged and blood-soaked Homsin chants of "No Muslim Brotherhood, No Salafis, We All Want Freedom." And "One, One, the Syrian People are One."
A video statement she made on November 10, 2011, excerpts :
"Districts are being raided since last night, searching for me. People are being beaten to reveal my hiding place. In case I get arrested by the security or army forces, who might force me to appear on Al-Dunia channel to make me to admit that I am part of the conspiracy against Syria the way they did with the honorable Sheik Al-Sayasneh and the brave officier Hussein Harmoush. If they hurt me or any members of my family in any way, then I hold the government and its security apparatus and thugs fully responsible."
"I urge the great Syrian people to continue their peaceful struggle until they topple the regime and achieve the democratic civic state that all Syrians dream of. And I invite you to unite and stand together to overthrow the regime which lost its legitimacy the moment the constitution was changed to accommodate the appointment of Bashar Al-Assad as president ofSyria, for no reason other than being the son of the late president.
I urge you to come out to the streets and squares today and every day to declare civil disobedience and hunger strike until the withdrawal of the security and military forces from the streets and the release of all the political and opinion prisoners which are currently in the oppressive jails and to spare the blood of all Syrians.
I urge all the Syrians around the world, and all people to support us and stand in front of our embassies around the world declaring hunger strike to express the right of people to express their opinion about their regimes without being killed by these regimes."
"Baba Amr is living a real humanitarian disaster. Stand by Baba Amr, because no district or road in Syria is exempt from a fate similar to that of Bab Amr, as long as the Arab league is providing the regime with one extension after another so that it continues repressing the Syrian people, and depriving them from their freedom, dignity and life, and peace be upon Syria and its people."
And journalist, writer and screenwriter Samar Yazbek speaks up on Syria in an Italian magazine, April 24, 2011
"I'm not optimistic, to the contrary. In recent weeks people have finally broken the silence and fear, I myself have participated in the demonstrations", she says. "We have found the courage to ask for freedom and democracy, an end to emergency laws that oppress us since 1963. We demand real political parties and elections, the right to express ourselves. But the repression is very hard, with many deaths and arrests. As always, the regime makes promises, but does not maintain them. The army and security forces control everything."
"The regime has indeed destroyed the Alawite religion, a peaceful religion, as it engaged in things foreign to the faith, leading some to become its Alawite thugs. But many of us are opponents, in jail, in exile, or banned from travel. The regime is playing with sectarianism to terrify "its" minority and get support. A game that will end, but first, I fear, there will be clashes between the communities. "
In Syria, Holding a Camera is a Death Sentence
Most of the documentation, videos, photos etc from the Assad's regimes slaughter of it's own people has been documented by very brave civilians who risk their life every time they try to document and record what is happening. Many has paid with their life for this "crime"
Here is an interview with the founder of the of Syria's Dier Press Network. How a group of doctors became the vanguard of Eastern Syria's free press.
"In the town of Dierez-Zour on the road from Syria to Iraq, a doctor, who we'll call Kareem, put down his medicine bottles. It wasMarch 15, 2011. The media blackout in Syria had just begun. Kareem had no experience as a journalist. But when he turned on the TV and saw the blackout, he picked up the phone. On the other end is his cousin, who we'll call Ahmed, a young law student in theUK.
When Syria's crackdown on protests began to intensify, Ahmed and Kareem made a commitment to respond. On March 21, they formed a network of smugglers, cameramen, and tech support that has become known as the Dier Press Network (DPN.), Syria's first citizen-journalist media company.
One year later, Ahmed and Kareem reflect on the small company that has grown into a satellite TV network, the colleagues they've lost, and the future of the Syrian free press. Their names have been changed to protect their families."
"Guernica: How did you start?
Ahmed: Kareem gave me a call one day. The government started using live ammunition on protesters, beating them up, and if you were caught you risked torture. You could hear the metal clang of tanks outside the classroom windows, the drone of airplanes above the teacher's voice, the plodding of artillery, like footsteps of a faraway giant. I had already left the country about a year ago. But he was seeing all these things with his own eyes and he wanted to show the world what he saw.
Kareem: Most news was on the Western side ofSyria, but the East was rebelling and no one knew about it. I wanted to do something, but I was really starting from zero. It was a process of trial and error at the beginning.
Guernica: How did you build a citizen-journalist network? How would others do so?
Kareem: First thing was to start a Facebook page. The problem with this, we found out, was that Facebook was heavily monitored by the government. But still, we felt the most prominent way to spread the news during the media blackout was through Facebook."
"Guernica: What is DPN exactly?
Ahmed: It stands for Dier ez-Zour Press Network. Dier ez-Zour is our province in Syria. DPN. is a non-partisan, non-sectarian news group. We rely on a mix of volunteers within and without the company. It is a sort of crowd-sourced journalism that relies on ordinary citizens.
Guernica: What are the next steps in expanding this kind of media network?
Ahmed: You need a lot of public support. We had it. But after the media blackout worsened, we depended less and less on trusted friends and more and more on anonymous volunteers. Basically, we went from one cameraman and Kareem to hundreds cameramen and hundreds of Kareems [smugglers]. The problem was that when the army entered towns like Dier ez-Zour, filming any citizens getting killed was very dangerous, and yet DPN. was carrying all of these videos. Carrying a camera was a death sentence."
Some recent headlines from local media:
Al-Arabiya: Saturday's death toll in Syriareaches 133 people (April 7)
Turkeysays 2,800 fleeSyria in one day (April 5)
More than 1,000 Syrian refugees flee toTurkey in single day (April 4)
Al-Jazeera: Wednesday's death toll in Syriarises to 92 (April 4)
Al-Arabiya: Sunday's death toll in Syriarises to 57 people (April 1)
Al-Jazeera: Syrian forces kill 50 people on Saturday, activists say (March 24)
Al-Jazeera: Syria's Thursday death toll rises to 81, activists say (March 22)
Wednesday's death toll in Syriarises to 70, Local Coordination Committees say (March 21)
Al-Arabiya: Syrian forces kill 55 people on Tuesday (March 20)
Monday March 19, 2012
Death toll: 52, including 6 inDeraaProvince, and 6 inDeirEzzorProvince. Explosions were heard in Arbeen and Harasta inEastern Ghoutah region ofDamascus, as well as in Qaboun District inDamascusCity itself. The pounding of Old Homs continues, as locals find 6 bodies belonging to local women killed by pro-Assad death squads.
Al-Arabiya: Friday's death toll in Syriarises to 41 (March 16)
Al-Jazeera: Thursday's death toll in Syriarises to 72 (March 15)
Syria planting border mines to stop refugee flight,Turkey says (March 15)
One thousand Syrians flee toTurkey in single day, official says (March 15)
More than 9,000 killed inSyria violence, monitors say (March 15)
Syria– one year after the revolution: 10,000 confirmed dead.20,000 missing / 120,000 detained / 230,000 internally displaced / 150,000 refugees(Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Egypt, Gulf, Europe) / 1,400,000 at risk of famine(according to FAO).
Wednesday March 15, 2012
Tuesday: Forty people were executed by pro-Assad death squads near Bilal Mosque inIdlibCity. But ten loyalist troops were killed in an ambush in the city of Ma'aratAl-Nouman. In Homs City, the pounding of Jub Al-Jandali Neighborhood continued,leading to the death of at least 5 residents. In nearby Talbisseh, poundingleft 14 locals wounded. In the town ofDa'el,DeraaProvince, 12loyalists were killed in an ambush by local FSA units.
Wednesday: 85 people were killed mostly inIdlib City as pro-Assad death squads took controlover the city. The death toll also includes 6 who died under torture in HamaCity (3) and AleppoCity (3), 6 killed inDamascus and suburbs, and 11 who werekilled in a renewed incursion intoDeraaCity.
Thursday: 91 people were killed including at least 23 who were executed by pro-Assad death squadsinIdlib City. Death toll also includes 5 children and 4 defectors.
Al-Jazeera: Syrian security forces kill 76, activists say (March 14)
And by the way, the headline Vladimir Putin 'The Butcher of Homs' was given by the people on the streets in Homs and Babr Amr. That's as he so "fondly" known on the streets of Babr Amr.
Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om<a href=" http://bloggar.se/om/yttrandefrihet" rel="tag">yttrandefrihet</a>, <a href="http://bloggar.se/om/fri-+och+r%E4ttigheter" rel="tag">fri- och rättigheter, Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om <a href=" http://bloggar.se/om/USA" rel="tag">USA</a>


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We've teamed up with a bunch of campsites across OZ - book in with your Wicked Camper and get a discount off your stay today!
The Advantages of Hiring in Australia -- Instead of Purchasing
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There are so many benefits of leasing over buying.Primarily, try before buying. Go for a good run to find out how you enjoy the relaxation of driving, how it is to reside in and function, and also to iron out any problems you might have.
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subset: commoncrawl


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uu•Ü•uu 7"
Stream It:
"With an impressive roster of veteran musicians, San Angelus has overcome many obstacles to document this sonic endeavor with members living in various locations. Drummer Larry Herweg (Pelican, Aeges) lives in Los Angeles, while singer/guitarist Kim Kinakin (Sparkmarker, Strain) and newest member bassist/vocalist Jahmeel Russell (Black Halos, Red Vienna), live in Vancouver. The new dynamic 3-song San Angelus release (mixed by ISIS drummer Aaron Harris and mastered by Chris Common), picks up where their debut album "Soon We'll All Be Ghosts" left off and is due out June 3rd, 2014 via The Mylene Sheath. Previous San Angelus members include, Jason Craig (Sparkmarker, Narrows, SS Warhead, Dust Moth) and Mark Holcomb (Undertow, Shift, Aeges, Dust Moth, Heiress)."
Side A
1. Continuum (3:03)
2. Ümlauts (2:58)
Side B
3. Vacuum (4:45)
- Recorded by Kemble Walters
- Mixed by Aaron Harris
- Mastered by Chris Common
- Artwork Direction & Layout by Kim Kinakin
Pressing Info (1st press):
- 100 baby blue w/grey & white splatter
- 100 half grey/half baby blue
- 300 grey/cyan blue swirl


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LL.M. Degree Overview
The philosophy of the LL.M. program is to offer our students a broad platform to design their own course of study within parameters set by the Harvard Law School faculty. Those parameters include some exposure to U.S. law, some writing experience, and, in the case of students who hold a J.D. degree from a school in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, a recommended exposure to legal theory. See Degree Requirements. Within this framework, LL.M. students have enormous latitude in planning their year. Interested faculty, the Graduate Program staff, and special student advisors work hard throughout the year to help students identify and refine their study objectives, then develop an appropriate sequence of courses and other work.
Most of a student's program will be drawn from the regular Harvard Law School curriculum — some 500 courses and seminars each year, offered to J.D. and graduate students alike. Students also have the opportunity to pursue a limited number of credits at other faculties within Harvard and other area schools and a variety of writing projects. About half of the LL.M. class each year writes an extensive research paper of approximately 50 pages on a topic the student develops in consultation with his or her faculty supervisor. Other students write shorter papers of some 25 pages in length, whether independently or in conjunction with a course or seminar.
Given the flexibility of the program, the range of curricula students design is enormous. Some students take a varied curriculum, with courses ranging from environmental law to corporations to public international law. Others select courses primarily in a single area, such as constitutional law, business organization and finance, legal theory, or human rights.
Finally, our students participate in a variety of extracurricular and co-curricular offerings on a not-for-credit basis. Graduate students participate in the full range of student organizations at the Law School. The Graduate Program and the Law School offer a multitude of other opportunities as well. For example, in a typical year, the Graduate Program offers between two and four Byse Workshops, taught by specially selected S.J.D. students and treating such disparate subjects as game theory and the law, police misconduct, feminist approaches to law and development, and the history of private international law. We also feature a series of information sessions highlighting various aspects of law teaching — an interactive forum for students from the various Law School degree programs — known as the Law Teaching Colloquium.


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The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library is pleased to announce the opening of our Library Gallery and our first exhibit: Mauger: A Father and Son Dabbling in Landscape, a collaborative exhibit of watercolors and acrylics by John W. Mauger, Ph.D., Professor, College of Pharmacy, and Associate Vice President of Health Sciences for Special Projects, and his son, Jeffrey R. Mauger, M.F.A., Project Administrator, Facilities Management, University of Utah.
Join us for the exhibit's opening reception on Friday, May 11, 2012, from 4:00 – 5:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served, and no RSVP is required.
Questions? Contact Joan M Gregory, 801-581-5269,


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October 9, 10 & 11, 2015
Friday 7-10 pm, Saturday 12-3 pm & 4-7 pm,
Sunday 12-3 pm & 4-7 pm
RSVP for addresses at firstname.lastname@example.com
people: LaBerge, Kristen E. Nelson, Teresa Carmody, Andrea Quaid, Angel Dominguez, Tom Trudgeon, Gil Gentile, Pablo Lopez, J. Gordon Faylor, Emji Spero, Joel Gregory,Ted Rees, Emerson Whitney, JH Phrydas, Ivy Johnson, Joseph Mosconi, Andrew Maxwell, Sueyeun Juliette Lee, John Cleary, Kristine Leja, Jason Snyder, Stephanie Sauer, Sunyoung Lee, Neelanjana Banerjee, Amanda Ackerman, Harold Abramowitz, Henry Hoke, Marco Franco Di Domenico, Janice Lee, Carribean Fragoza, Scott Esposito, Michelle Detorie, Lindsay Preston Zappas, Ariel Evans, Megan Whitmarsh, Jade Gordon, Mathew Timmons, Jessica Smith, Kristin Cammermeyer, David Shook, Chris Heiser, Gallagher Lawson, Kim Schoen, Ginny Cook, Robert Russell.
The Poetic Research Bureau hosts a reading/performance with Timeless, Infinite Light.
ENTROPY will be joined by ENTER>text, South El Monte Arts Posse, Two Lines Press, Hex Presse, for a panel related to the theme of planetary bodies.
Insert Blanc Press (2806 1/2 Lincoln Park Ave) presents performances and readings with Contemporary Art Review Los Angeles (ed. Lindsay Preston Zappas) readings by Catherine Wagley and Tracy Jeanne Rosenthal; Insert Blanc Press (ed. Mathew Timmons) special guest reading from Jessica Smith and a screening by Kristin Cammermeyer (plus Cammermeyer's exhibition at Outside Gallery adjacent to the space); Pastelegram (ed. Ariel Evans) screening by Megan Whitmarsh & Jade Gordon; Unnamed Press (eds. Olivia Taylor Smith and Chris Heiser) readings by Gallagher Lawson; Phoneme Editions (ed. David Shook) screening with Mario Bellatin; Material (eds. Kim Schoen & Ginny Cook) reading by Robert Russell
eohippus labs will be joined by Kaya Press, Sidebrow, Copilot Press, Corollary Press for a panel thatwishes to question the role of rhetoric within any kind of literary practice.
Les Figues Press will be joined by Basic Editions, Casa Libre, comma, poetry, Tract/Trace: Bodies/Pages for a collaborative textual engagement. During the reading and performances, we will invite the audience to "make" along with the author. Followed by conversation.


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- 2 large Idaho potato (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cubed
- 12 ounces prepared *Salt Cod, shredded (about 2 cups) 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (green and white parts)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 5 teaspoons Essence [2]
- 6 tablespoons milk
- 1 1/2 cups fine dried bread crumbs
- Bring the potatoes and enough water, to cover, to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook just until fork-tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Mash the potatoes with a fork until fairly smooth. Add the salt cod, green onions, parsley, 2 eggs, the salt, and cayenne, and mix until well blended.
- In a large, heavy pot, heat enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides to 360 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon of the Essence. In another bowl, whisk the remaining eggs, the milk, and 1 teaspoon Essence until combined. In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 4 teaspoons Essence.
- Form the cod mixture into balls about 1/4 cup each. Roll first to coat evenly in the flour. Shake to remove any excess, dip in the egg wash, dredge in the seasoned bread crumbs, and place on a baking sheet.
- In batches, deep-fry the fritters until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to a paper towel–lined baking sheet.
- Season lightly with Essence and serve immediately.
- *Salt Cod: 1 pound salt cod, cut into 4-inch pieces
- Lay the cod in a single layer in a large glass or ceramic dish. Add enough water to cover the fish by 1 inch. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.
- Drain the fish in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Place on a work surface covered with paper towels. Press each piece of fish firmly with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and return to the dish. Cover with fresh water, soaking and draining a total of 3 more times. (Don't worry if you stretch the soaking times to 8 hours.)
- Put the rinsed salt cod in an airtight container until ready to use. It can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- Yield: 1 pound
Recipe Details
- Source: Emeril Live EM1F77e [5]
- Dish Type: Appetizer [6]


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This should be a dandy
Thursday at approximately 4 PM
D4 state semi: McComb (27-0) vs. Marion Local (25-1)
Started by Joshua_Morgret, Nov 02 2013 03:03 PM
6 replies to this topic
Posted 02 November 2013 - 03:03 PM
Follow me on Twitter, @joshuam2007
Posted 03 November 2013 - 10:59 AM
Who did ML loss to?
Posted 03 November 2013 - 05:35 PM
Marion lost to Bishop Hartley, a division 2 team, in a tournament in Cincinnati. This should be a really good matchup, worthy of a trip to the finals.
Posted 04 November 2013 - 10:19 AM
I'm so happy for the seniors at McComb...I had the great pleasure of getting to know them and their family over the past years and I hope they win the State Title....MADE THE BVC PROUD!!!!
Posted 07 November 2013 - 10:27 AM
Go get'm Pantherettes!
Posted 07 November 2013 - 06:03 PM
Working on the Chain Gang
Posted 07 November 2013 - 07:51 PM
Sadly, ML wins 3-1 Great run lady Panthers heads held high plenty to be proud of!!!!
Not sure which is dumber... An idiot or one who argues with an idiot!
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The Fingerboard Workbook for the Fourth Position: Map the Violin for Good maps out the fourth position visually, aurally and kinesthetically.
Students will drill: key signature reading, note reading, note placement on the fingerboard, finger placement on the fingerboard, intervals from half steps up to an octave, ear training and muscle memory.
Combined with your careful work and dedication this workbook promises to give you a firm foundation of the notes in fourth position.
173 pages
Paperback $34.95PDF $34.95


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News: The resources on this site are now also available on iTunes U. You can download them for free to your computer, iPhone, iPod or other mobile player. Visit http://itunes.southwales.ac.uk for more information.
Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps a decade or a century from now, scientists may make the most shattering discovery of all time: the detection of thriving, extraterrestrial life. As agencies such as NASA and ESA prepare missions and telescopes in space to search for life in this unearthly universe, each new generation awakens to the revolutionary possibilities that such a scientific discovery would bring.
This website presents first-class animations to help introduce our current understanding, from eclipses of our Sun and Moon to our place in the Milky Way.
The question of what life lies beyond the Earth has fascinated us since ancient times. In that time creative minds from scholars and philosophers to film-makers and writers have devoted their energies to imagining life beyond this Earth. Only recently has such speculation been called astrobiology — the interdisciplinary study of the possibility of life on other worlds: alien worlds.
Astrobiology can be thought of as a field of natural philosophy, speculating on the unknown but grounded in known scientific theory. And much of that theory is based on our common understanding of stars and their systems of planets and moons — a common understanding which you can explore through the pages of this website.
Would you like to explore this subject further? For the latest news see Astrobiology Magazine. You could also visit the NASA website where the Origins program "takes up the challenge of answering questions as old as our species" and Planet Quest will "measure the distances and positions of stars with unprecedented accuracy", while the European equivalent, ESA, is using Mars Express to "search for signs of life around the Red Planet".


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The New York Times
House Approves $310 Billion in Cuts, but Passage in the Senate Is Very Unlikely
Editorial: The Human Cost of Ideology
Bullying Story Spurs Apology From Romney
Obama Campaign Pushes the Issue of Gay Marriage
Obama's Stance Is Significant, if Not Bold Leadership
Once Hailed as Army Pioneer, Now Battling to Stay on the Job
F.D.A. Advisory Panel Backs Preventive Use of H.I.V. Drug
In Reversal, Espada Jurors Indicate a Verdict Is Near
The Christian Science Monitor
Justice Department sues Joe Arpaio for discrimination: Is he cornered? (+video)
Panetta: No hitches in military's repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell'
Trayvon Martin case: Online fund for George Zimmerman now being tapped
The Star Ledger
Obama's declaration doesn't change Gov. Chris Christie's opposition to gay marriage
Grand jury in New Brunswick fatal police shooting case does not bring charges against officers
Hess power plant gets approved for Newark's Ironbound despite outcry from residents
Prominent N.J. pastor applauds Obama but stands against gay marriage
Bill offering N.J. teachers $10K loans to live in poor communities clears Assembly panel
N.J. Department of Education deems two Mercer charter school applications as qualified
The Detroit Free Press
A simple errand turns into nightmare when 6-year-old is shot in carjacking attempt
Kwame Kilpatrick will have to pay to fight new lawsuit
Michigan 8th-graders' scores improve on national science exam, but most still below average
With video: 84-year-old security guard fatally shot outside Detroit church
New Detroit CFO has expertise to help city solve problems, Mayor Dave Bing says
Detroit proposal calls for transforming health department into an institute
The Washington Post
Evolution on gay rights was long for Obama
Biden apologizes to Obama on issue
Romney's school pranks had edge
Harvard University isn't only employer to describe Warren as a minority
George Clooney's $12 million Obama fundraiser to break campaign record
Reid: Lugar 'drummed out by tea party zealots' for willingness to cooperate
Gay marriage is tense issue for Kaine
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
More cheating teachers punished
Carters return to Haiti building projects
State board urged not to delay vote to shut down Fulton Science Academy
The Chicago Tribune
One year in: Mayor Emanuel tightens ties with business
Emanuel, suburban mayors join forces on pension reform
Chicago teachers conduct 'dry run' for strike vote
Lawmaker says he'll fight to clear name
USA Today
Groups start voter drives earlier
Texas program links veterans to jobs
National Cathedral dedicates stone carving of Rosa Parks
The Miami Herald
Embattled longtime FAMU band director resigns amid turmoil
Pressure mounting to keep FAMU band suspended
South Florida's private sector getting less help from the public


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For a project concerning a planning application, we encounter major WPF performance problems.
The application has to show a grid-like presentation of persons on the Y-axis and dates on the X-axis,
and every "cell" represents a duty or task for the person on this date. The presentation of one cell is graphical,
drawing a rounded rectangle and some lines and text.
Now we have to be able to show a full month for around 200 persons, yielding a total of 6000 cells. (so this means 6000 rectangles, 24000 textblocks, 12000 lines). Of course this is not shown onscreen all at once, only around 5 days on the X-axis and 10 persons on the Y-axis (so 50 cells at once on-screen)
we have tried a multitude of approaches, ranging from drawing everything upfront in a grid/canvas within a scrollviewer. It takes over 10 seconds before anything is shown on screen (no doubt due to the layouting) but once
it was shown, scrolling was really fast.
Then we tried an approach with itemscontrols/listbox of listboxes/virtualizing stackpanel, which made that the grid
was initially shown much faster, but then scrolling was unacceptably slow.
Can anyone give some starting points on how to tackle this problem ? We looked at some third party grid controls,
and also the WPF toolkit grid on Codeplex, but it feels like this would not be an adequate solution to our problem.
Kind regards,


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ROCHESTER — Twenty-six extraordinary talented pets perform amazing tricks and skits, when the curtain rises at the Rochester Opera House for the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
International award winning circus performer Gregory Popovich wows audiences with the awe-inspiring antics of his world-famous menagerie of adorable cats, dogs and birds. The unique comedy, combined with the astounding juggling skills of Mr. Popovich, is a delightful evening of entertainment for kids, teens, families and adults.
Popovich rescues all of his pet stars from animal shelters across the country. When asked how he trains his dogs and cats, he explains, "Each animal has a special quirky thing they naturally like to do. I figure out what this trick or talent is, and then I just encourage them to do it in my show. When my pets are performing, they are showing off their favorite tricks!
Reserve tickets ($25/$27/$32) online at www.rochesteroperahouse.com or call/stop by the box office (603) 335-1992, M/W/F from 10-5 and two hours before the show.
The Rochester Opera House is located in City Hall, 31 Wakefield St.
The season continues with Hypnotist Frank Santos Jr. on Feb. 16.


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Here's our daily recap of last night's action with the highlights you won't see on SportsCenter…
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Here's our daily recap of last night's action with the highlights you won't see on SportsCenter…
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Catwalk cam would be perfect for giving us all the shifts.
I am really surprised the rays TV broadcasters have actually downplayed the degree to which the Rays are shifting against almost everybody.
I think for every batter they should be showing us the defensive shifts at the beginning of every at bat either visually or by telling us where a signifigant shift is taking place.
So many times the other team bats the ball and I have no idea if its good or not because I have no idea of our everchanging positioning.
I noticed the radical shifting in the Yankees series since the first game I attended this year (game2) in person
If this time would be taken from the endless minutes of closeups on every pitchers face it would be informative and make the game more aesthetically pleasing to experience, especially in Hi Def.
By the end of each season I have become intimately acquainted with every pore and blemish on the face of every starting pitcher in the american league.
Dave L, I could not agree more ! ! I love being in the seats for the simple reason that I can look at what "I" want to see. . . I am certainly hoping that the "out of the box" thinking exercised by the entire organization will quickly work it way into the Sun Sports folks and provide us many more details when we aren't able to put our butts in the seats. .


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So, aphids. Ticklish ant-cows! What's not to love? Their rampaging vegetarianism, for one thing. These chaps eat whole lettuces for elevenses. If you yourself had an eye on a whole lettuce for elevenses, you might be a tad peeved.
I know this about you because I myself have been peeved. Herds of ravenous aphids marauding up and down the cucurbits, the tamarillo, the roses, the silvanberry, the lime, the Japanese quince have precipitated many a peeve. Peevishness 'r' us, in fact. But in my customary fashion (too busy and/or lazy) and according to my horticultural family crest (Natura Indolentibus Favet), I have abandoned the cucurbits, tamarillo, roses, etc, to their hideous fate and left these aphids to their 300 square metre salad bar.
And you know what? This has led to the most wonderful thing EVERRRRR: ladybirds, who eat aphids like I eat ... whatever comes my way ... are romancing their spots off. All over the garden. Fornicating coccinellidae. I couldn't be happier.
|Ladybirds having sex, ideally positioned for their post-coital snack.


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Guest of a Guest's Rachelle Hruska's Wild Hamptons Night
Uh oh. Guest of a Guest blogger Rachelle Hruska just Twittered that she spent the end of her July 4th celebration filing a police report in the Hamptons this morning. So: what happened? The mysterious Twitter and answer, here!
We saw the following come up on our Twitter feed and almost choked on our coffee.
Is she okay? Brawl at The Talkhouse? Throwdown at The Surf Lodge? Crossbow attack on Matt Levine at Georgica? We contacted Hruska for comment, because we care about our bloggy bretheren. The answer? A Mr. Toad's Wild Ride-esque accident that could've potentially injured Hruska and her crack team of (unpaid, but fairly compensated) Guest of a Guest reporters:
Hruska, stop scaring us like that. We need our crack-like Hamptons coverage and our new media compensation beefs alive and well. Glad all involved are okay. Dramatic reenactment below:


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Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon would not be the first person with sports ties to make the leap into politics.
Actor and former professional body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of California. Retired professional wrestler Jesse "the Body" Ventura was the governor of Minnesota. NBA Hall of Fame Bill Bradley was a New Jersey senator for 18 years. And who can forget former NBA guard Kevin Johnson was elected as the first African American mayor of Sacramento?
But Linda McMahon certainly has the most interesting story.
ABC News produced a very good piece highlighting the complexities of McMahon's run for U.S. Senate in Connecticut. Forget about the beer-chugging, ball busting kicks she has delivered in the ring for a moment. There are far bigger questions than ringside manners.
As the story pointed out, the WWE does not have steroid testing, there is no penchant or medical care for former professional wrestlers and the overall image of the WWE is anything but conservative, which is important to point out because McMahon is a Republican.
On the other hand, McMahon and her husband are business geniuses turning the WWE into a billion dollar industry.
McMahon's successful track record as a business woman may be enough to overcome her critics considering boosting economic stimulation is the No. 1 issue facing most Americans.
An interesting side note: Should Linda McMahon win the U.S. Senate race, she would become Connecticut's first female senator and the 39th woman in history to serve the U.S. Senate.
Based on your knowledge of the WWE, would you want to see Linda McMahon in the U.S. Senate?
For your daily dosage of interesting local and national sports news, log onto Shannon J. Owens' blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/sentinelsportsnow. If you have a newstip, e-mail Shannon at email@example.com. Follow her on twitter @shannonowens and friend Sentinel Sports Now on facebook at www.facebook.com/sentinelsportsnow.


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"I take that store-brand medicine. It's for a runny nose, or cough, or allergies, something like that. You know what I mean, all the stores have it."
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Not Helpful, Either
"I take that store-brand medicine. It's for a runny nose, or cough, or allergies, something like that. You know what I mean, all the stores have it."
14 comments:
- Samsmama said...
You don't know? And you call yourself a doctor...
- November 7, 2009 at 10:38 PM
You know! It's that little white pill, or maybe it's a yellow caplet, no I use that one for my allergies, but it could be used for a runny nose if it was really a problem. I gave it to my dog once when he kept slobbering all the time. No, that was the blue tablet that the vet gave me. Well, I took it once and it worked for me. And, I gave it to the little girl that delivers the paper one time. Actually, that was the round red coated tablet I had in my pocket at the time--oh, yea, those were M&Ms. Well, you know! Don't you or your wife use when raking leaves at this time of year?
- November 7, 2009 at 11:01 PM
- Nae said...
Oh! I'm on that one too. It's little and comes in a container... :P
- November 8, 2009 at 1:02 AM
She's probably the one that decides what the best thing is for her, walks up to the pharmacist's counter and asks if it's what she needs. Pharmacist tells her a better recommendation, she sticks with her first choice regardless.
Comes back next week with the same problem...
- November 8, 2009 at 1:48 AM
That's as good as "I need to refill my little white heart pill." or "My doc told me to pick up a vitamin, but I can't remember what it was called." And after asking a dozen clarifying questions, "I thought you were a pharmist (yes, pharmist). You're useless."
- November 8, 2009 at 2:01 AM
- Frank said...
Such an informative person. I bet she also takes that prescription pill for Cholesterol or Blood Pressure or something like that...
- November 8, 2009 at 3:39 AM
- ian in hamburg said...
You should have told her that medication is contraindicated when taken with stupid pills.
- November 8, 2009 at 3:46 AM
Oh yes, that one. You know it, right? I know it. So you must know it too, being a doctor and all that.
- November 8, 2009 at 5:56 AM
- ShrinkingDoc said...
You know, it's that white pill...
- November 8, 2009 at 7:07 AM
Come ON, doc, you know what she means. She started taking it the same time as that pink heart pill and that white one for her high blood.
Pattie, RN
- November 8, 2009 at 7:30 AM
Heh. It was probably orange and round. Or was it a white oval? Heck, for all you know, it could have been purple and diamond-shape.
- November 8, 2009 at 8:46 AM
"Uhhh, Rock and Roll Doctor, like, I had these, um, pills, and I took them, I think, and, um, like, do you know what they were, man?"
- November 8, 2009 at 10:45 AM
- Dragonfly said...
Aisle 5!!!! (Even Australians know that one).
Or more commonly "I don't know, why don't you look it up?"
- November 9, 2009 at 7:41 AM
- Unknown said...
My personal favorite response to "what do you take for pain?" is: "I take equate"
- November 9, 2009 at 10:03 PM


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We blaze the trail and create new things through science
LUT research focuses on topical issues requiring action. We seek solutions to get climate change under control, to promote wind and solar power, for the recycling of nutrients and waste, for the continued access to clean water and energy, and for sustainable business activities.
Our strengths are an understanding of the system level of energy systems, the digital design and production of machinery and equipment, as well as demanding metal structures, especially in Arctic conditions. Green chemistry, separation technique, and scientific calculation are special strengths of ours.
We also produce new methods for refining data faster and with greater versatility. In an increasingly digital world, value-added is created through software which is capable of combining data and services in new ways that have not been seen before.
Entrepreneurial university
The creation of sustainable competitiveness requires close cooperation between enterprises and universities. Our goal is to be Finland's first entrepreneurial university that meets the OECD criteria (link to press release on gauges for business education).
Our economic research focuses increasingly on responsible business activities and support for the internationalisation and growth of SMEs. Among the key questions in our research is finding out what kinds of strategies, business models, and networks will allow for sustainable creation of value in the future.
With the help of research, we also create new models and processes for use by organisations. We also study procurement, the spread of innovations, the development and commercialisation of the cleantech field.
Our geographical location and our long-standing experience have made LUT a Russia expert. The focus of our research in this area is in the development of the potential of Russia's economy.
Our goal is to continually boost the quality, influence, and visibility of our research and the amount of funding under competition, and in that way to solidify our position internationally. Already now we are among the best universities in the world (THE World University and QS rankings).
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Here's a holiday travel forecast you probably won't read anywhere else: look for lower prices on everything from air fares to hotel room rates, smaller crowds and a more pleasant overall experience.
Am I nuts? Couldn't I just write the same story everyone else is? You know — the holidays are coming! The holidays are coming! They'll be busier than ever this year. So here are a dozen tips on how to stay sane, but really, you're better off just staying home.
That's how the facts seem to line up. Consider:
Airlines will pare their domestic flights by 8.1 percent during the last four months of the year. That's a total of 25 million fewer seats, according to an estimate by OAGback Aviation Solutions and reported by my colleague, Msnbc.com columnist Rob Lovitt . It's the biggest pullback since 2001 — and perhaps ever. Drivers are making similar cutbacks. Since last November, Americans have driven 53.2 billion miles less than they did over the same period a year earlier, according to the Transportation Department. That's a bigger drop than the one in the oil crisis of the 1970s, which precipitated a decline of 49.3 billion miles. As a result, Labor Day travel by car was basically flat compared with last year, and car rental rates have remained more or less unchanged since 2007. Hotels are feeling the pinch, too. They were about two-thirds full, on average, during the second quarter of this year, down by more than two percent from the same period a year earlier, according to Smith Travel Research. The only bright spot — at least for the hotels — is that they've been able to squeeze more money out of each guest. Average room rates are up by almost four percent for the same period. That's bad news and more bad news for travelers. Panicky hoteliers are cranking up the fees and rates on their remaining guests. That's no fun.
You don't have to be a snarky travel columnist to connect the dots and conclude that this is going to be the worst fall for travel ever and that the upcoming holidays will be completely unbearable.
But that would be nonsense. The fall of 2008 and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years might be among the best for travel in recent memory. Certainly, the best since 2001. It could even be the best ever.
I've come to this contrarian conclusion after talking with a lot of folks in the travel industry and with you, dear travelers. You are not barricading yourselves in your bedrooms like extras in a zombie movie. You have no problem scheduling a trip during the holidays. No, you are actually looking forward to this fall. Here are five reasons why I am, too:
Behold, a president bearing gifts
Regardless of who wins the presidential election in November, travelers can probably expect a change for the better. Practically speaking, it could mean lower fuel prices (after all, both candidates say they want to lessen our dependence on foreign oil) and a higher dollar (both candidates have pledged to control spending and jumpstart the economy). Author and blogger Janet Groene is upbeat about travel after the presidential election, adding that her optimism holds true, "no matter who wins." I agree.
A more civil flying experience
Air travelers are adjusting to the historic airline cuts by flying less. So it's unlikely that flights will be more crowded than ever. In fact, it's possible that more air travelers will forfeit their trip than the airlines expected, which could translate into smaller crowds at the airports and possibly even lower fares. There's some evidence this is already happening. Expedia says in certain markets, prices are dropping precipitously. Fall fares between Denver and San Francisco are down 32 percent and those between Denver and San Diego are down 30 percent. How about airline delays? "Passenger trip delays will remain at the same levels as 2007," Lance Sherry, executive director for the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at George Mason University, told me. That's not exactly good news, but then again, at least it won't be any worse.
Some cruise prices are sinking
The cost of a Caribbean cruise is falling to levels not seen since 2001, according to Sharon Emerson, a Seattle travel agent and blogger. Why the slide? She speculates that there are overcapacity issues — too many berths, not enough cruisers — or that it's just the slow season in the islands. Either way, there are deals to be had. "For instance, Royal Caribbean has cruises from under $700 to the Caribbean," she says. "Carnival has many under $600."
Smaller crowds overseas, too
The fall and holidays were already a great time to take an overseas vacation — it's a slow time of year, and most of the rest of the world has never heard of Thanksgiving — but this year it could be even better. "There will be a lot less traffic to international destinations," predicts Michael Stone, a travel consultant with Gestation, Inc., in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "This will likely mean better service as employees in international destinations will be happier to see American travelers." His personal favorite is the Caribbean, but my colleague Tim Leffel favors Central American destinations like Panama, Ecuador and Belize.
Don't miss these Travel stories
Lords of the gourd compete for Punkin Chunkin honors
With teams using more than 100 unique apparatuses to launch globular projectiles a half-mile or more, the 27th annual World Championship Punkin Chunkin event is our pick as November's Weird Festival of the Month.
- Airports, airlines work hard to return your lost items
- Expert: Tourist hordes threaten Sistine Chapel's art
- MGM Grand wants Las Vegas guests to Stay Well
- Report: Airlines collecting $36.1B in fees this year
- Lords of the gourd compete for Punkin Chunkin honors
Cheaper hotel rooms? You got it!
John Boyd, the founder of MeetingWave, an online networking service for business executives, believes hotel room availability and pricing should improve as occupancy rates slide later this year. "Both corporations and individuals are cutting back on travel," he says. "They should find better deals at domestic travel destinations such as Las Vegas, Miami and New York." But what about the holidays, when hotels are typically sold out? They'll still be full, but the chances of finding a last-minute deal through a site that sells distressed room inventory, like Hotwire.com or Priceline.com, will probably be better than it's been in years. So spending a long New Year's weekend at a bed and breakfast (New Years Day falls on a Thursday in 2009) may not be out of reach.
Now let me connect a few dots. During the last four months of 2008, prices for almost every travel product could drop. There will be fewer passengers crowding the airport terminals, fewer motorists on the road and fewer people on cruise ships. What's not to love about that?
This reminds me of the fall of 2001. Right after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, travel fell off a figurative cliff. I flew a week after Sept. 11, and truth be told, I haven't has such a good flight since airline deregulation. I was one of only a few guests in my hotel. The staff and flight attendants were friendly. What a pleasure.
The fact that people are comparing this fall to 2001 gives me hope. It should give all of us hope.
Every Monday, my column takes a close look at what makes the travel business tick. Your comments are always welcome, and if you can't get enough of my column, drop by my blog for daily insights into the world of travel.
© 2013 msnbc.com. Reprints


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Selena Gomez's scheduled Sunday appearance at Santa Monica Place Center Plaza has been rescheduled for Monday, FOX confirmed to Access Hollywood on Saturday.
The singer was hospitalized in Los Angeles on Thursday night following an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and forced to pull out of a promotional appearance for her new film, "Monte Carlo," on Friday.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Top 10 Young Fashion Icons
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Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
"Last night, after Selena's appearance on 'The Tonight Show,' she wasn't feeling well and was taken to the hospital," a statement from Selena's rep to Access on Friday noted. "She is currently undergoing routine tests. Unfortunately due to these unforeseen circumstances, today's scheduled appearance in Santa Monica has been canceled."
Further details of Gomez's condition have yet to be released.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Boy Who Makes The Tweens Swoon — Justin Bieber
As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Selena had been due to take part in a performance of "Who Says," with her band The Scene, and take part in a fan Q&A session at the Santa Monica Place Center Plaza beginning at 4 PM on Friday.
The 19-year-old singer and actress — and current girlfriend of 17-year-old pop star Justin Bieber — was taken to a LA-area hospital following her visit to "The Tonight Show…" where she was a guest alongside Jim Carrey on Thursday evening.
Selena appeared fine on the program, talking about getting her driver's license, and her new film, which is due out on July 1.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Designed By Disney! Stars Who Started In The Mouse House
The star's boyfriend, Justin, later Tweeted "getwellselena" on Friday afternoon.
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Adorable Disney Darling Selena Gomez
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: 2011 MTV Movie Awards: Selena Gomez Sizzles On The Red Carpet
PLAY IT NOW: Can Selena Gomez Distinguish The Real Justin Bieber From His Wax Figure?
More from Access: [ Selena Gomez Health Scares Justin Bieber ]


text:
Latest Cold and Flu News
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Oct. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Austin Booth was a three-sport high school athlete who never missed a day of school for illness. So his parents could never have foreseen the nightmare that would unfold in January 2011 when the 17-year-old Colorado teen would die of the flu just five days after developing symptoms, four days of which were spent on life support.
"It was unreal to see this kid on life support who a few days before was playing in a basketball game," said Austin's mother, Regina Booth. "Even to look back on it, it's still just an unreal situation for us. To think that something as simple as a flu shot could have saved his life is hard to think about as a mom, but we had not ever gotten flu shots."
As flu season gets under way, health officials are urging people of all ages to get vaccinated against influenza regardless of whether they have any high-risk conditions, such as asthma or diabetes, that predispose them to worsened bouts of the illness. Indeed, Austin Booth's story is not unusual, with a new study indicating that healthy children who die of the flu have a shorter period between symptom onset and death than children with underlying conditions who succumb.
The research, presented Thursday at the Infectious Diseases Society of America's IDWeek in San Diego, found that healthy children died within about four days of flu onset, compared to seven days for kids with high-risk conditions. A complementary study presented at the conference that looked at school-based vaccinations determined that unvaccinated children were nearly three times as likely to get the flu than vaccinated kids.
Between 3,000 and 49,000 Americans die of the flu each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This may surprise a lot of people who think of influenza in the same box as children having colds," said Dr. Karen Wong, author of the first study and an epidemic intelligence service officer for the CDC in Atlanta. "I think our study is important because it reminds people that influenza is a really serious disease. The vaccine is the best prevention tool we have."
During influenza seasons between 2004 and 2012, almost half the children who died had previously been healthy, according to the study, which reviewed flu-associated deaths among children younger than 18 as reported by city and state health departments and confirmed through lab testing. More than 800 children died of the flu in that span.
In addition to vaccinations, parents can promote other measures to help prevent their children and themselves from catching the flu, Wong said, including washing hands often, covering coughs and keeping any sick family members at home. Talk to the child's health care provider if he or she shows signs of the flu instead of simply loading up on symptom-relieving medications, she advised.
"Early warning signs can be really difficult to pick up on, especially in young children, which is why prevention is the best defense," Wong said. "If your child is irritable, isn't interacting as they normally would, and symptoms get a little better and then markedly worse, talk with a doctor."
Regina Booth, who is expecting the couple's sixth child in December, now makes sure she, her husband, Carl, and Austin's siblings are vaccinated before flu season each year. A flu vaccination drive was recently held in Austin's name at his high school football field.
"I try to explain to people, without pushing it on them, that I was one of those parents who didn't think it was needed," she said. "Now, if I can help someone, I definitely want to. We feel it's the only thing we can do that's positive out of what's happened."
Research presented at scientific conferences should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


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Hi. I dont have the pleasure of owning both sets since 6085 BMC was my first full-sized castle set and 6080 was already discontinued.
Would anyone who owns both sets be willing to post pics of the two castles together and provide a review of how they compare with each other, and which is better and why?


text:
[Joe Budden]
How y'all feelin out there?
Maybe y'all ain't hear me...
I said how is everybody feelin out there! ?
Y'all aight?
I'm feelin...
Dub B is sooo soulfulllllll
Nah mean...
This is what you call mood muzik right here...
I'm feelin...
[Chorus: sample voice]
Whoaaaaa... That's what the future holds in meee...
Don't you wanna seeeee
[Joe Budden]
I feel like I'm ahead of my time, like I'm ahead lets rewind
I feel like I've never felt feel like I'm ahead of my prime
I feel like my feelings feel like they maybe feel intertwined
'Tween incognito and shine I'm being caught in the lime
Feel like I'm stuck in a fight when the future ain't feelin bright
I put the pencil down, feeling unwanted, and go on strike
But then I'm struck by the light that ain't how you properly strike
But the ball be over the plate and they still don't call it a strike
Start doin a lil different shit always just stay the same
There's a good in every bad when there's loss I know there's gain
I appreciate the love but I'm living with all the pain
I hate when the sun is out, but love whenever it rains
And God be sending me signs like my future is preordained
My timing keep gettin fucked, the wires still haven't came
And all I do is object but my shit ain't never sustained
Wonder if I keep on trying then will I finally attain
Wonder if I'll ever feel like I got nobody to blame, mayne!
How's everybody doin out there?
Y'all good?...
I'm great
[Joe Budden]
I told mommy when I was five that I would strive to be a lawyer
Or a doctor took the opt. To hangin out with the mobsters
Now he's a hip hop'sta, no more general Tso's
Orderin shrimp and lobster mommy look at how I prospered
Look at what I've become but still I feel like a bum
Emotional strain can't be replaced by any son
Emotionally drained, insides prolly look like a slum
Just give me a bag of weed, just give me a shot of rum
No better yet give me none, no mommy I won't succumb
Not that- almost forgot I stopped that when I was young
Some people do it for pleasure some people do it for fun
But I remember it well, that dust used to have 'em strung
I wonder what I've become but why am I overlooked
I want 'em to understand but still I'm misunderstood
I keep on taking suggestions I'm wondering if I should
I know you see the potential, I know you see that I could
Bumpin Ludacris, 'Child Of The Night' was well put
Why is everything so bad for me feel so gooooodddd
I hope everybody still aight...
[Joe Budden]
I know niggaz that never made it everybody would sweat him
He jumped out the whole park, nba never met him
What good is being open if the guards never fed him
He'd have been the illest nigga but niggaz just never let him
Maybe Trey'll grow up and be somewhat of a star
Wearing all the latest things and pushin the latest cars
Maybe he'll hold me down same way I do for my father
Or really resent me feel like why should he even bother
Maybe me and his momma will finally jjust get along
Maybe not- but the idea sounds good in a song
Maybe one day the world'll see how great he performs
Long journey to walk on my feet to take the corns
Open my mind, say you was right and I was wrong
Nah that's wrong one day I'll rightfully right my wrongs
And start over anew like that one night I was born
Show a girl I really care, one day that pride'll be gone
See he overcame alot, he just the same as his pops
So one day he'll be alright when that rain finally stops, C'mon!
How's everybody feelin out there?
Are you in that mood yet?
Maybe y'all ain't hear me
Are you in that mood yet!
I know I am
Talk to 'em
Let my beat ride out C4


text: What is the proper amount of indoor humidity? It is generally recommended that a home's humidity level be between 30 and 60 percent. However, during extremely cold weather, a home loses humidity to the outdoors and the level may drop to as low as 10 percent. When humidity levels drop, we suggest you have a whole-home humidifier to help ensure that the proper level of moisture is available throughout the house. Not having enough moisture in the air can cause dryness in the membranes of the nose, throat and bronchial tubes and can be the source of several health-related problems. Relative humidity also has a significant effect on controlling the occurrence of airborne infections. In addition to the health benefits, humidifiers are an easy way to keep room environments comfortable. Whole-house humidifiers work like old-fashioned room humidifiers. They put moisture into the air, making harsh, dry air easier to breathe, however, they work on a larger and more efficient scale. A humidifier uses from 1.5 to 12 gallons of water per day — just enough to raise the humidity in the home to the desired level, but not enough to make a difference on the water bill. And because a humidifier is installed into the ductwork, there is no need to carry one from room to room. Back To Frequently Asked Questions