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Wal-Mart's (WMT) surprise drop in sales caused considerable tension in the market, as stocks took their biggest five-day tumble of the year last week. This unsettling news could have serious ramifications for investors of every stripe. So what gives?
Wal-Mart's recent trouble may be due to lower income consumers having trouble with cash flow. During the same quarter, car sales have been very strong, as has consumer discretionary spending. It may be that people are simply putting their money elsewhere.
Or, the problem may be with Wal-Mart itself. The company has been criticized for years about the dismal conditions at its stores, poor wages and declining customer satisfaction. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Wal-Mart placed last among discount stores in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, the sixth year in a row the company has either tied or taken the last spot. It could be that shopping at Wal-Mart just isn't fun anymore.
Finally, the economy could be foundering. Worries over rising rates have caused headaches in the mortgage market and made corporate purchasers pull the breaks on future expenditures. The resulting uncertainty should naturally put a dent in the willingness of consumers to spend.
So which of these scenarios are most likely? We probably won't know until next quarter's earnings come out, and as a result, the buying and selling you'll be seeing in the meantime are traders positioning for the most obvious outcome. Those with short-term objectives may want think about buying at the low end of the range and selling tops for the next few months. Longer-term investors will want to take a serious look at their holdings with an eye toward capital preservation and portfolio risk levels as the scenario unfolds.


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In the late 1980s, Nintendo's internal development teams set out to make two games that would forever define its classic Super Nintendo Entertainment System. One was Super Mario World. The other was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
Work on both games began almost simultaneously.
"At Nintendo, we don't spend a long time or have a lot of employees working on the development of a single game", Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto said in a 1991 interview, lovingly translated by Glitterberri. "We start by having a few people developing a title, which lasts about a year. Then we add some more staff who spend about 8 months putting in the finishing touches. It was November, 1990 that more members were added to Zelda's development team."
"Basically, we begin by doing a bunch of silly experiments with a small number of people, then, once the project begins to take shape, we put a larger amount of staff to work on it", he continues. "If you start out messing around with a large number of people, you'll end up with a bunch of employees with too much time on their hands. Specifically, we eke out what system the game is going to use by testing the hardware limits early on, then incorporate things like the enemies and the scenario afterwards."
Moving from the NES to the SNES, and resuming the top-down adventure stlye of gameplay from the original Zelda (which by 1991 was already five years old), also presented a series of challenges for the team.
"In addition, back when LoZ was being made, having a world based on swords and magic was still a fresh idea, as was the concept of being able to save your game", Miyamoto said. "A system that allowed you to buy items in-game was also new, not to mention solving dungeons."
"However, in the 5 years since the game's release, a lot of titles have appeared on the market that do the same sort of thing, so the sense of innovation has disappeared entirely. I thought hard about what we could do next that would entertain the players. Just because it was no longer innovative didn't necessarily mean that we should have cut out the shopping and dungeons entirely."
One area they decided to innovate was with the game's visuals, which thanks to the SNES' increased horsepower could look much better. They could also take advantage of the SNES controller, as more buttons meant more actions could be added to Link's repertoire.
Another challenge Miyamoto and his team were presented with was one that still plagues the franchise today: the mix of people playing, and what they're expecting from the game.
"For some people, Zelda is an adventure game in the guise of an RPG", Miyamoto says. "For others, it's an adventure game in the guise of an action game. The latter might not be able to get away from the preconception that they have to use the strongest weapon to fight the boss. For example, you can damage the Helmasaur King with bombs or the hammer. Originally, we had it so that the hammer didn't do anything, but because we went to the trouble of putting a hammer in the temple, we went back and reprogrammed it so it could be put to use as well."
Interestingly, the game's cut content included something we wouldn't see properly implemented until the next century in titles like Far Cry 2 (and Four Swords Adventures!): proper fire.
"There were a variety of ideas that didn't make it into the game. Using the lantern on a grassy area to cause an endlessly expanding fire, for example". That feature wasn't cut for lack of ambition, either: Miyamoto reckons that with another six months development time they could have got it working in the game.
You can read the full interview at Glitterberri's site, here.

subset: commoncrawl


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So I've just visited the superuser.com beta site and I must say I really like the color schemes and the way everything are so light and bright and just get out of the way for most things.
I feels like, why didn't StackOverflow use that scheme?
Which site, in the SO trilogy, do you like best design-wise?


text:
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S: approx. 5.5 UK - 7 UK
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Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed
Marques is back this week with a short review of his favorite image manipulation program – Gimp. Gimp is free cross-platform software that can help you complete a variety of image tasks with ease.
Gimp is a very powerful piece of software. Marques uses this program for all of his graphics on his site instead of using the expensive Photoshop software. You can do anything with Gimp that you can do with paid alternatives.
It is a raster editor, which means that it performs operations directly on the pixels that make up the image, and not a vector editor. Other (proprietary) raster editors include Adobe Photoshop, Jasc Paintshop Pro and the humble Microsoft Paint. An alternative free editor is the KOffice project, Krita. Users wanting to edit photographs will certainly want a raster editor like GIMP. Graphic designers and illustrators may prefer a vector editor depending on their tastes.
Gimp is a fantastic alternative to Photoshop or other titles you hear people raving over all of the time. It's great for everyone from beginners up to experts and will be able to handle any project you can dream up.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


text:
The HP Pavilion g6 notebook is unable to boot from bootable USB stick created with Linux Live USB Creator. I was able to boot other systems using the same pendrive.
I have changed the boot priority using F10. When I restarted, it didn't ask for any message like
Press any key to boot from
When I press F19, and selected the pendrive from the available options to boot from, while restarting it gives me a message:
error while trying to boot selected boot image
Though I looked into the possible suggestions here, none of them worked. Looking for any help?
EDIT: I was able to fix the first issue, i'e ubuntu could be installed as secure boot option in the bios was not allowing the pendrive or cd/dvd to be detected. Now once i have successfully installed ubuntu 12.04, after the restart i was unable to find it in the os menu for selection and windows8 loaded by default
Ubuntu version: 12.04


text:
Elderberry, elder
Sambucus species
Trees and Shrubs, Fruits and Vegetables, Herbs
Seed is soaked then stratified, grow in sunny spot, rich, well-drained, moist soil, or may be sown in fall. Grow also from cuttings in summer or winter. While self-fertile, elderberry benefits from cross-pollinating with its neighbours. Sambucus canadensis, sweet elder, hardy zones 3-9. Sambucus nigra, European elder, hardy zones 5-8
Sambucus racemosa is easy from seed, or grow from cuttings as above, sun to some shade. Well-drained fertile soil. Zone 4-7
Related Topics
|Copyright © 2020,
All rights reserved


text:
|System: X360, PS3, PC, Wii
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Ubisoft Romania
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Ubisoft
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: March 3, 2009
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-16
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Teen
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Jonathan Marx
When thinking of next-gen air combat titles, the Ace Combat series inevitably comes to mind. As such, Ubisoft decided to put the power of the Tom Clancy brand behind their latest aerial effort. One of the stiffest challenges the development crew at Ubisoft Romania had to face was walking the fine line between simulation and arcade air combat - something Ace Combat titles have done magnificently. I'm happy to report that H.A.W.X. does an excellent job of making their title seem incredibly real without getting bogged down in technical minutia. Also, the unique ERS and OFF control systems and broad multiplayer offering make Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. a contender if not the outright champ of the air combat genre.
Set over the course of the next couple of decades, much of the world's military might is in the hands of private military corporations (PMCs), these guns for hire are neutral entities that win defense contracts through skill and performance. Taking on the role of retired USAF ace David A. Crenshaw, players will lead a squadron of hotshot fighter jocks on mission after mission, defending the world from rogue threats and collecting huge paychecks in the process. Of course, what would be a Clancy game without a major twist - the game has a doozy which will test your flying skill from the Persian Gulf and mountains of central Asia to cities in the Far East, South America, and the U.S. of A.
H.A.W.X. was touted early on as ramping up the realism by including extensive satellite imagery of real-world locations. Taking advantage of technology from NASA as well as the U.S. Geological Survey, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. does make for breathtaking vistas while dogfighting at supersonic speeds. Whether flying at high altitude or coming in for tight bombing runs, the open landscapes and urban backdrops really do look solid and help to cement the game in reality. As such, the graphics do a great job of propelling the narrative and making the story feel important and plausible - something with which Ace Combat still struggles. In addition to the sharp look of the varied, globe-spanning environments, H.A.W.X. also has a very user-friendly HUD, Radar, and tactical mapping system that give players the information they need to successfully down their foes. What's more, graphics remain stable despite a lot of onscreen action. My only visual complaint would have to be directed at the somewhat lackluster explosions.
Combat missions in H.A.W.X. are varied. Players will take on air-to-air targets, go on bombing runs, perform escort missions, protect cities from full-scale assaults, even participate in a covert assassination mission. All of these assignments do a good job of testing different skills, and they become progressively more challenging as the game goes on. Thankfully, players won't have to go it alone during the campaign. Should you so choose, you can hop online with up to three other friends and take on these objectives together. Best of all, co-op is jump in jump out, so it's easy to find willing wingmen to take on a mission with you. Sometimes it can be difficult to get missions accomplished, though, simply because everyone wants to be the hero. But, the increased numbers of targets ensures everyone will get their fair share of hot-dogging should they work together. If you can find a few restrained players and strategy and covering tactics are employed, the enemy doesn't have a chance. This is quite satisfying, making this co-op functionality what sets H.A.W.X. apart.
H.A.W.X. standard flight controls are similar to those found in Ace Combat. Players will accelerate and air-brake via the triggers, steer with the left analog stick, and control yaw via the shoulder buttons. The right analog stick allows players to glance around all sides of the aircraft, the D-pad switches weapons and delivers tactical advice to your wingmen, and the face buttons switch targets, fire your cannon, and loose missile and bomb payloads. The only truly unique mechanic is activated via the X or Square buttons - depending on whether you're playing on the Xbox 360 or PS3. This is known as the Enhanced Reality System (ERS). What it does is map a virtual flight path on the HUD made up of triangular gates. If followed, these gates will help pilots vector appropriately to a specific target, or to evade incoming missiles. ERS even lets you know the approximate ETA to target. It's a pretty nifty way to get used to the plane in standard control mode, but it becomes much less useful as you progress through the game. In fact, advanced players will almost never use it except for steep bombing runs and for evading incoming.
Outside of ERS, H.A.W.X. also distinguishes itself through its advanced flight controls embodied by the OFF mode. As players advance through the campaign to the year 2020, they will be able to manually override the flight computer and put the aircraft into potentially fatal maneuvers. Mastering manual control becomes imperative as you advance, as enemy pilots no longer pull punches. Pulling off physics-defying, hairpin turns and sliding into a better vector toward your targets will be the only way to succeed. OFF can be initiated or deactivated at anytime by simply double-tapping one of the trigger buttons. Bopping back and forth between the two modes is crucial. On the downside, OFF forces players to control their aircraft from a third-person perspective rather than the more comfortable first-person viewpoint - this makes controlling your aircraft nearly impossible in the beginning. In fact, switching between the two modes requires a good deal of concentration, leading to a fairly steep learning curve. On the other hand, once mastered, pulling Top-Gun air-braking techniques becomes addictively sweet! Still, I can see some gamers getting fed up with frustration, especially on higher difficulty settings.


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text: Welcome to the White Mountain special collection of highest quality and best value shoes. Find luxurious leather sandals with molded footbeds, leather boots and clogs along with special occasion elegant and dressy heels and shoes all in one place. White Mountain shoes makes it easy to find the perfect pair at an exceptional value. Shop our top rated shops above or the entire selection below.


text:
I mean, he's all soft side, isn't he? He's basically the human equivalent of a puppy's belly. But our most recent exposure to Hiddles was via Jaguar's serial killer makeover, so it's nice to be reminded that this is the same Tom Hiddleston who danced his way into our hearts (and funnybones). He's an eager-beaver people pleaser, Saint Tom the Huge Dork.
Today he's here to send us off to the weekend via his upcoming Elle UK profile, which, after a lot of hyperbolic buildup that had Hiddlestoners believing he was going to make major personal revelations via a magazine, is being teased on Elle's website, complete with a faux-artsy video and behind-the-scenes photos. First, there are no major revelations, unless you count the story of his first kiss. Second, based on the running video, I give it eighteen months, maximum, before Hiddleston is a full-blown parkour junkie. (I wonder how his running gait looks to Lainey?)
So, no, not revelatory. But did you really expect it? For all that he's twee and bouncy and "has no boundaries", Hiddleston isn't actually that forthcoming, is he? His private life is relatively low key, and at this point, I'd say dropping major life announcements in a magazine is not his style. As I read through Elle's new sound bites, it occurred to me that he has a knack for talking a lot and saying nothing at all. Elle is touting this as an "incredibly candid" interview, but so far everything he's saying is just reinforcing what we already (think we) know. You know who else is good at doing that? Ryan Gosling.
It's Friday, and for much of North America it's been a hellish week in which warmth and sunshine seem like distant memories from a long-ago time before we were reduced to living as roving bands of ice mercenaries. Let Saint Tom the Huge Dork play us out while I contemplate how much I loathe the term "casual urban-wear".


text:
A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia: A Comprehensive Collection of the Views of Thomas Jefferson. Classified and Arranged in Alphabetical Order Under Nine Thousand Titles, Relating to Government, Politics, Law, Education, Political Economy, Finance, Science, Art, Literature, Religious Freedom, Morals, etc. Edited by John P. Foley (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1900). https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/2373,
|Available in the following formats:
|Facsimile PDF
|This is a facsimile or image-based PDF made from scans of the original book.
This is a 1,000 page alphabetical compilation of the thoughts of Thomas Jefferson. The entries are taken from the 12 volume collection of his works edited by Paul Leicester Ford. It also includes numerous illustrations of Jefferson and a detailed Topical Index with cross-references to other entries in the cyclopedia. The volume is also an excellent source for quotations by Jefferson on thousands of topics.
The text is in the public domain. It was scanned and originally put online by one of the collaborators in the Internet Archive project [archive.org] for scholarship and research purposes. We have added tables of contents, pagination, and other educational aids where appropriate.
This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.


text:
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Tag Filter: Flaming River - clear tag filter
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Showcase Your Vehicle in Our Customer Rides Photo GalleryFiled under Vehicles
We know the restoration of a classic vehicle takes a lot of time, money, and effort. That's why we've created our Customer Rides photo gallery to give our customers a place to show off their vehicles.
If you've got a vehicle with Flaming River parts in it, post a picture of it to our Facebook page and include your full name, where you're from, the make/model/year of your vehicle and what Flaming River parts you have installed in it. From there, we'll add it to our photo gallery and write up a brief description for all of our website visitors to see!
If you've got some time, take a look at our Car Corral, our Customers' Rides photo gallery, or catch up on the latest Flaming River news at our Facebook and Twitter pages.


text:
🤝Work as a team to fulfill food orders. 🏠Use your work earnings to upgrade your house and buy furniture. Staff @RBXZach: Lead Builder Contributors KyleAllenMusic: Soundtrack Composer ID0ntHaveAUse: Game icon artist @RobloxLocalize, @PeteyK473 - Translations @MikeCatSU: Comic and sticker artist @MrJesseh, @iStratixRBLX - Community Managers
Private Servers
There are currently no running games.


text:
Nordend Climber's Log
boriskrielen - Feb 6, 2018 8:14 am Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2011Normal route solo
Climbed the normal route solo.
SarahThompson - Sep 7, 2013 6:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2013South Ridge
Made a quick trip up the sharp South Ridge from Silbersattel after climbing Dufuorspitze. Very nice! Had perfect weather.
atavist - Jul 29, 2013 1:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2013Bonus peak
I spent a day in Zermatt waiting for my luggage to catch up from a missed connection in Moscow. Once received I hiked up to camp at Gornegrat. The next day was light as I just moved camp to 3310m above Monte Rosa hut. The following morning I got started at 5:45, made it up to Silbersattel and Nordend (9:20am) before ascending the descent gully to Dufourspitze. I went down the opposite ridge and back to the hut by 2pm. Then back to town same day by 7pm. Good conditions all day.
slantycheese - Jun 24, 2013 5:17 am Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012My first 4000er! Normal Route
Done on the same day as the Dufour, approaching from the Silber Sattel. The last portion is more interesting, with impressive drops right down into Italy, but reasonable rope skills suffice.
More here: http://www.ansgarschanz.de/dufour.shtml
Valtho - Sep 9, 2012 9:40 am Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2012via Silbersattel
Climbed Nordend after Dufour on a day with perfect weather conditions. 5 days before 1 meter fresh snow was fallen at the Monte Rosa summits.
andrea.it - May 9, 2011 8:20 am Date Climbed: May 7, 2011Ski route
Ski route from Monterosa hutte. 5.45 hours.
JanVanGenk - Aug 13, 2010 12:32 pm Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2010Normal route from Silbersattel
Fresh snow and very strong wind on the ridge. Summit rocks icy. Approach route to Silbersattel is quite spectacular - zigzagging between huge seracs.
mulidivarese - Jul 28, 2008 2:29 am Date Climbed: Jul 27, 2008Normal with too much snow
After 2 days of stroms and snowing, we reached the top.
Just few (following our path) tried to reach dufour, unsucesfully for the too much snow.
Over 4000 meters more than 40cm of fresh snow required all our energy to reach the top.
Cornices, steped rocks full of snow: wonderfull but exhausting
Valerio, Carlo, Marco
Griffiths - Jun 5, 2007 8:05 am Date Climbed: Aug 28, 2005Arete
Clmbed after Dufourspitze, very long walk out when exhausted
Britette - May 25, 2007 2:35 pm Date Climbed: Aug 18, 1996Arete S
Ascended and descended the S arete. Sumited around 11am.Beautiful weather and a great but long day. This was the last of seven 4000ers I climbed in 12 hour period. Left KM at midnight and hit everything along the way to this point. I was toast.
Samuli Mansikka - Jul 18, 2005 4:59 amRoute Climbed: From the Silbersattel Date Climbed: June 18th 2005
After our retreat from the Monte Rosa traverse we descended from the summit of Dufourspitze to Silbersattel where we camped.
It wasn't a long way from the sattel to the summit of Nordend.
Achtung! There is a huge cornice in half way of the snow ridge. In June you could not easily see it because of the icy surface of it and it's surroundings. Try to keep a good distance to the edge. I accidentaly pushed my foot though the cornice and it would have been a long and steep way to Italy.
kmjones - Sep 1, 2004 7:37 amRoute Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: summer 1998
A few years ago now ... basically a big snow walk, a long way up from the Monte Rosa hut especially if you're the first up for some days and there's new snow. The ridge towards the top is sensational and the summit feels like a fairly far-out place to be. There is a small turret of rock at the summit -to the amazement of me and my mate, a pair of french-speaking mountaineers who had followed us up the route didn't fancy the last climb up the (snowy) rocks and turned back. I hope that was a joint decision ...
Mathias Zehring - Apr 25, 2004 10:58 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 1997Route Climbed: normal route Date Climbed: August 9th 1997
Nordend was the unplanned end of a one-week-trip that started at Simplon pass and that was changed several times in between. 4 of our group of 8 reached the top. We choosed Nordend because it is more easy than Dufourspitze and we did well. Only 2 other climbers did it and the final snow ride was extraordinary.
kletterwebbi - Aug 21, 2002 4:07 amRoute Climbed: Cresta Santa Catherina Date Climbed: Juli 1998
We climbed the Cresta Santa Catherina from Città-di-Gallarate Bivy. An awesome, epic route. There are some really great pitches.


text:
Rally/Picnic Marks 35th Anniversary of Historic Protest
More than thirty people of diverse ages rallied outside the Seabrook nuclear power plant today to commemorate a historic demonstration 35 years ago and to support efforts to block the plant owners' bid for a 20-year license extension.
With twenty years still to go before its operating permit runs out, NextEra (sounds like "Next Terror") already seeks to extend the reactor's operation an additional two decades. Doug Bogen, Executive Director of the Seacoast Anti-Pollution League, says, "These guys don't know what they're doing." SAPL, Beyond Nuclear, and other groups maintain the NRC has no business considering a license extension 20 years before the old one expires, especially in the wake of revelations that the plant's concrete foundations may be crumbling.
Bogen urged those concerned about Seabrook's operation to attend a public hearing, September 15, where the plant's environmental impact will be discussed. Bogen says that all Environmental Impact Statements are required to examine alternatives, a topic given insufficient attention by the operators of Seabrook Station.
In fact, he says an offshore wind generating plan with four times the output of the Seabrook reactor is slated to go online in 20 years, right when the Seabrook license should expire. SAPL is prepared to argue that the availability of wind energy provides reason enough to deny Seabrook a license extension. The hearing will take place at 1 Liberty Lane in Hampton, with sessions running from 1:30 to 4:30 PM and again from 7 to 10 PM.
The timing of today's rally, billed a "Picnic at the Plant," or "Lunch at the Dump," was meant to coincided with the 35th anniversary of a Clamshell Alliance demonstration on Aug. 22, 1976, when 180 people were arrested while planting trees on the nuclear plant's construction site. That event brought nonviolent training and the "affinity group" concept into the growing No Nukes movement. Eight months later the construction site was occupied by a couple thousand people, 1415 of whom (myself included) were arrested.
The spread of No Nukes demonstrations, coupled with extensive grassroots education, paved the way for a change of consciousness that put the nuclear power industry into a coma. But the pro-nuclear bias that has afflicted the federal regulatory apparatus from the beginning is still there, hence the NRC's record of re-licensing every reactor that has asked for it. And the profits the nuclear industry stands to gain if it can persuade the government to grant it massive taxpayer subsidies create incentives that could waken the industry from its deep sleep – if we let them.
Willow Mauck, one of the organizers of today's rally and a similar picnic three weeks earlier, was a child when she was arrested after climbing over the fence at Seabrook in the final phase of demonstrations before the plant went into operation. With her mom, a No Nukes veteran, and a handful of young activists from the Northwood area, Willow spread the word that brought 33 people to the plant gate today. Today's crowd included people who were not yet born when the plant opened, some like Willow who are children of Clamshell activists, and some who were already experienced activists when the No Nukes movement was born.
After she applied for and received a permit, Willow says she was twice visited by FBI agents who wanted to know what she was planning. Although it was "a bit intimidating," she said she told them what the plans were. "It's not a secret," she said.
FBI interest may indicate an enhanced concern about nuclear plants as targets of terrorism, or it might just represent the agency's historic suspicion of protest movements, even those explicitly dedicated to peaceful methods.
Nevertheless, Willow and the See Life Affinity Group deserve credit for re-awakening Seabrook protests. The re-awakening is just in time to add energy to plans to step up protests at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant next spring. The Vernon, Vermont plant received its license extension right after the Fukushima reactors started melting down. But in this case, the State of Vermont insists it gets a say in the matter. And so far, Vermont's governor and legislature are committed to the plant's shut down when its 40 year license expires next March.
Organizers in Vermont are making plans to launch nonviolent protests to prevent the reactor from operating if its owners insist on keeping it going beyond the license expiration date.
Seabrook Station is not as unpopular as its Vermont cousin. But its location across the harbor from a busy beach community and the impossibility that the area could be evacuated in the event of an accident make its operation controversial. Today's rally received many friendly waves and honks from motorists on busy Route 1.
Beach-goers facing the ocean may have been unaware of the potential danger lurking across Hampton Harbor. But they might have seen an unobtrusive sign on the bath-house. "If you hear a steady siren, 3 to 5 minutes" it warns, tune into the Emergency Broadcast System for instructions. Then, hop in your car and join the traffic headed back toward the reactor in order to reach the major roads.


text:
Ben Meadows:
- Price:
- $706.00
- Description
- Specifications
- Reviews
Each net comes complete with heavy-duty Nitex® nylon net, a stainless steel ring and bridle, and PVC cod end assembly. The high efficiency cod end is a two-piece design with stainless steel fasteners. The lower collection cup is lined with Nitex® mesh where the entire sample is concentrated and easily removed. Made in the U.S.A.
We encourage our customers to let us know what experiences they have had with our products, whether good or bad. By submitting a review, you can share your experiences with others and also provide valuable feedback to us as well. With just a few simple steps, you can add your review of this product.
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text:
Hi, About six years ago, I directed Life on the Douro, a documentary about the history of the region and Port wine. Several Port Forum members came to a London screening, but due to a variety of circumstances, it never got a lot of play after that. I am now reviving it, and will be showing it again.
On June 12, there will be a screening on Percy St, W1, shown in four parts with a matching Quevedo Port and chocolate for each part. Event description, trailer, and tickets are here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/life-on- ... 4286663333
I hope that some of the members here can make it to the event. Between the film, Port and chocolate is an excellent way to get others interested as well. The more successful it is, the more events I can do in the future.
Life on the Douro screening, Port and Chocolate tasting
Organise events to meet up and drink Port.
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1
- Cruz Ruby
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 07:26 Fri 05 May 2017
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


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Vanderbilt University and Bristol-Myers Squibb Sign Collaboration Agreement to Develop Novel Treatments for Parkinson's Disease
The Parkinson's Unity Walk is proud to have supported this research, led by The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Vanderbilt University, toward a new class of symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's disease. Read more about this "win for Parkinson's patients" now advancing to the final stages of pre-clinical development with support from Bristol-Myers Squibb.
The Parkinson Alliance is the umbrella organization for PUW, the largest single-day grassroots awareness and fundraising event for the Parkinson's community which takes place each spring in New York City's Central Park.
For additional information, read the official press release from Bristol-Myers Squibb.


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NetBeans 731 NewAndNoteworthy
Java EE 7
Java EE 7
- Java EE 7 version is available in New Project wizards for Java EE projects (And and Maven based)
- GlassFish 4 is supported, and the Java EE 7 projects can be deployed to GlassFish 4
- Bundled Java EE Javadoc was updated to Java EE 7
- CDI is enabled by default for new Java EE 7 projects
- New deployment descriptor and configuration file formats are recognized and supported by all Java EE features
- New Java EE 7 sample projects
- JAX-RS version 2.0 is now supported
- Existing JAX-RS service wizard now generates JAX-RS 2.0 code
- JAX-RS Java client wizard now generates code that uses the new JAX-RS Client API
- New wizard for JAX-RS Filter and Interceptor
- The Cross-Origin Resource Sharing Filter wizard now generates standard JAX-RS code using new JAX-RS filter APIs (not Jersey-specific code as previously)
- New action to convert existing REST method to asynchronous, accessible via Insert Code... -> Convert Method to Asynchronous
- New wizard to create a WebSocket Endpoint (or more generally Server Endpoint)
- JPA version 2.1 is now supported
- table names and ASC/DESC completion in @Index annotation
- bundled eclipselink is updated to 2.5 version with jpa 2.1 support
- new "Persistence|DB Script from Entity Classes" wizard to generate sql create tables script for tables represented by entities in a project, it work on compiled classes.
- JMS version 2.0 is now supported
- MDB wizard got 2nd page for specifying standard Activation Config Properties defined by specification
- MDB wizard's Project destinations lookups @JMSDestinationDefinition of the projects
- Portable way for JMS destination registration using @JMSDestinationDefinition in case of JavaEE7 projects
- Send JMS Message insert code action can generate simplified, JavaEE7 specific code (and enables CDI if necessary)
- EJB version 3.2 is now supported
- JavaEE7 web projects are able to use non-persistent TimerSessionBeans
- Few new hints:
- Persistent timer can't be used in the project targeting EJB lite platform
- Incorect usage of the @Asynchronous method invocation
- Editor supports new Expression Language 3.0 syntax and structures
- Resource bundles completion and hints newly available for "#{bundleRef.key}" syntax
- Completion for EL 3.0 operators on the Iterable properties and elements
- Completion for static methods, fields invocation
- Go to declaration for Resource Bundles files and keys
- JavaServer Faces 2.2 is now supported and bundled with the IDE
- JSF Template Client wizard supports ResourceLibrary contracts in external .JARs or in the 'contracts' folder of the WEB-ROOT
- Support for @FlowScoped beans from the editor and wizards
- Editor supports http://java.sun.com/jsf, http://java.sun.com/jsf/passthrough namespaces
- Tags, namespaces definitions using @FacesComponent
- Bundled PrimeFaces upgraded to version 3.5
- Few new hints:
- Namespace http://java.sun.com/jsf is intended for non-JSF-aware markup
- @FlowScoped bean in the non-CDI capable project
- Annotations from the package javax.faces.bean will be deprecated in the next JSF version. CDI ones are recommended instead.
WebLogic 12.1.2
Development of Java EE 6 applications with the upcoming WebLogic 12.1.2 release is now supported.
JBoss AS 7
It is now possible to register and use JBoss AS 7 (including 7.2) with NetBeans for Java EE (up to Java EE 6) development and deployment.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville judge signed off Wednesday on a deal between two-time Olympic gold medallist snowboarder Shaun White and prosecutors to settle public intoxication and vandalism charges.
Susan Niland, the Nashville district attorney's spokeswoman, said prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges if White completed alcohol treatment, performed 24 hours of community service and paid restitution.
But White appeared in court a day early, and the judgment signed on Wednesday did not include the alcohol treatment provision. After the prosecutor who had worked on the agreement learned of the discrepancy, she talked with White's attorney and they agreed to return to court on Thursday to amend the conditions to include treatment.
Niland said White has shown proof that he already completed the treatment.
The public intoxication charge remains open with White required either to complete 24 hours of community service or to serve 42 days in jail. Niland said White opted for community service. He was scheduled to return to court on Jan. 25 to show that he had completed that provision.
The vandalism charge was dismissed on Wednesday because White already has paid restitution to the Nashville hotel where police say he drunkenly destroyed a telephone. Court documents do not indicate the amount of restitution paid, but the charge was vandalism under $500.
White's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
According to police and witness accounts, White pulled a fire alarm in a Nashville hotel at about 2 a.m. on Sept. 16, forcing all guests to evacuate. He then tried to flee but ended up in the hospital after he hit his head while trying to fight another guest who had called the police on him.
A police photo of White showed him with a black eye.
White later posted an apology on his Facebook page, saying he was truly sorry for what he called his "poor behaviour."
White won a gold medal in Turin at the 2006 Olympics and in 2010 at the Vancouver Games, and he is an action sports superstar also known for his skateboarding. He's also a multimillionaire with a clothing line and signature video game.
White expanded his brand last year with a company selling skateboards, BMX bikes and other equipment.
Once the charges are dismissed, White could ask to have his record expunged.


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Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Reaches Minus One Year Milestone!
Feb 07, 2013, 12:22 ET
Excitement fills the air as nine OMEGA Countdown Clocks tick away the seconds to the 22nd Olympic Winter Games
MOSCOW, Feb. 7, 2013 /CNW/ - The 365-day countdown to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games officially began with the unveiling of new Countdown Clocks in eight cities across the Russian Federation. The excitement and anticipation for the next Olympic Winter Games grows as the days, hours, minutes and seconds tick away to 7 February, 2014 when the Opening Ceremony begins.
To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:
In May 2011, OMEGA revealed its first Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Countdown Clock in the host city. In addition to Sochi, the new cities that are now home to an official countdown include Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Ekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov-on-Don, Pyatigorsk, Novosibirsk and Khabarovsk.
The clock's design is intended to capture and reflect the spirit of a dynamic and diverse region which is defined as much by its history and tradition as by its contemporary outlook.
With their vibrant colours and transparent elements, OMEGA's Countdown Clocks will have a noticeable presence in their respective cities and contribute to the energy surrounding the Olympic Movement. The clock's appearance communicates the contrasting landscape in Sochi which features both the majestic mountains, where many of the events will take place, and the coast of the Black Sea.
OMEGA is proud to serve as Official Timekeeper at the upcoming Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it will be the 26th time we have assumed the role since 1932. We look forward to serving the world's finest winter athletes in Sochi at these Games marked with tradition, culture and the spirit of modern Russia.
As Official Timekeeper, we are proud to work with the IOC, sporting federations and athletes to ensure that the timekeeping technology used at the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games continues to fuel the Olympic spirit and captures every fraction of a second that defines an outcome.
Video: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58690-sochi-OMEGA-olympic-winter-game-countdown
For further information:
OMEGA International Press Office
[email protected]


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Ravens-O's conflict causes season opener conundrum
Games scheduled for same day; Both sides have excuses to not switch
The next time the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens take the field, it may be on someone else's home turf due to a scheduling conflict with the Orioles that, so far, has yet to be resolved.
Traditionally, the NFL gives the Super Bowl champs the season-opening game at their own stadium. This year, that would be on Thursday, Sept. 5. But the Orioles, who share a parking lot with the Ravens, already have a game scheduled for that night.
It's an issue that has sparked a lot of discussion but, so far, has no compromise. Both sides have their arguments against changing the date of the game.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to reporters Monday, describing the NFL's attempt to compromise with Major League Baseball.
"We're trying to work out an accommodation to allow the Orioles game to happen earlier in the afternoon and for the Ravens to celebrate their Super Bowl championship with their fans at home on Thursday night," he said.
The accommodation Goodell was speaking of would also include a financial offer, but a baseball source with knowledge of the discussion told 11 News that the Orioles don't see the offer as a compromise at all.
The source said the team feels that the NFL could just as easily move the opening game to Wednesday, as it did the New York Giants game last year during the Democratic National Convention. However, Goodell said the NFL doesn't want to do that because of Rosh Hashanah.
The source also pointed out that the Orioles play a night game in Cleveland on Wednesday, so a late-night flight and day game in Baltimore on Thursday would put the team at a competitive disadvantage in a potential playoff race.
Goodell said the only other option would be to take the Ravens on the road for the season opener.
Ravens President Dick Cass said Monday that they're leaving it up to the commissioner to find a solution.


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Pet adoption can save the life of an animal. There are about 78.2 million dogs and 86.4 million cats owned by people across the country, reports the Humane Society of the United States. About 20 percent of those animals are adopted from a shelter. To adopt a pet, several steps must be followed.
Research. It's important to know which type of dog or cat breed best suits your home and lifestyle. A large breed dog such as a German shepherd may not be comfortable in a small apartment without a back yard for exercise. Allergy sufferers should opt for cat breeds with shorter hair or even no hair such as the Sphynx. In addition, some dog and cat breeds are better for families with younger children, while others are best suited to homes without children.
Commitment. A pet is a huge commitment. When you adopt, you're accepting responsibility for another life. Many animals live 10 to 15 years, and some cats may live as long as 20 years. If you can't commit to taking care of the animal for its full life expectancy, then you're not ready to adopt.
Visit the adoption facility. Before making the commitment to adopt a pet, visit that animal more than once at the adoption facility. Spend time with it at different times of the day, handle the pet, and observe its eating habits and how it interacts with others to ensure you and the animal are compatible.
Paperwork. Most adoption centers require several forms to be completed before the adoption process can be approved. You may be asked to provide personal information including:
- Income (to ensure you can be financially responsible for the animal)
- Type of dwelling (apartment, house, rented, owned)
- How many people in the home (including the number of children)
- How many other pets in the home (breeds, indoor or outdoor pets, their ages, their temperaments)
You also may be asked if you plan to move in the near future, go on any extended vacations and how often you plan to take the pet (if it's a dog) outside to allow it to relieve itself and for recreation.
After your paperwork has been approved—and it may take several days—an adoption date and time will be set.
Fees. Most adoption facilities charge fees to adopt dogs and cats. The fees include the cost of basic medical care (vaccinations and flea treatments), the cost to spay or neuter the pet, plus a fee for microchip placement within the animal (if this is done in your area). Microchips allow an animal to be identified if it becomes lost.
Once your forms and fees have been processed, it's time to bring home your new pet. Please note that not every facility has the same adoption process. Some rescue shelters require applications to be completed and approved before you can even view animals available for adoption. Certain adoption centers also may require a home visit before you are allowed to bring an adopted animal home.


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Photo of Salon de Thé Facebook, Tunis, shared on Twitter by @WadhahJebri on February 16, 2011 and recirculated with the #16juin2014 hashtag.
It sounds, at first, like something out of H.G. Wells. On February 16, 2011, a person opening a Tunisian newspaper or website might have come across an article dated more than three years in the future.


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Glaucoma is a health problem where the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly builds up and doesn't drain properly. Instead, the fluid collects and causes damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the retina with the brain. This damage leads to loss of eyesight.
There are many different types of glaucoma:
The causes of glaucoma are unknown. Even people with normal fluid pressure inside the eyes can lose their eyesight from glaucoma.
Anyone can develop glaucoma. However, some people are at higher risk than others. The risk factors for glaucoma are:
Anyone in these risk groups should get an eye exam with dilated pupils every two years.
Most people who have glaucoma do not notice any symptoms until they start to lose some of their eyesight. As optic nerve fibers are damaged by glaucoma, small blind spots may begin to develop. They usually happen on the side or in their peripheral vision. Many people do not notice the blind spots until significant optic nerve damage has already happened. If the entire nerve is destroyed, the person becomes blind.
One type of glaucoma, called acute angle-closure glaucoma, does produce noticeable symptoms. This is because there is a quick buildup of pressure in the eye. These are the most common symptoms of this type of glaucoma. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
The symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma may look other eye problems. Get medical attention right away if you notice symptoms in order to prevent blindness.
Your eye doctor may do the following tests to diagnose glaucoma. He or will take your complete medical history and examine your eyes. You may also have the following tests:
Your health care provider will figure out the best treatment for you based on:
The symptoms of glaucoma sometimes look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see your health care provider for a diagnosis.
While glaucoma can't be cured, early treatment can often control it. Treatment may include:
In some cases, a single surgery isn't enough to slow down the progress the glaucoma. In those cases repeat surgery and/or continued treatment with medicines may be necessary.
Without treatment, glaucoma can cause permanent blindness.
To help prevent your glaucoma from getting worse, it's important to follow your health care provider's advice. If you have already lost some of your eyesight, ask your health care provider for information on services for people with low vision. There are devices that may help you with your everyday tasks.
If your symptoms get worse or you have new symptoms, call your health care provider.
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your health care provider:
Vidant Health can connect you to health care professionals to help you understand your condition and guide you through the treatment process. Let's chat.


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The beginning of the year is a great time to muzzle some of the most common excuses for not working out — "I'm so busy!" "The weather is so bad!"
By investing in home exercise gear. In one study, people with home gyms were 73 perfect more likely to be active than those without one. Don't worry about knocking down walls, either; you need only one tool to get your heart rate up for a cardio workout and some strength equipment to firm up.
We have pinpointed the best options for your budget, along with some extras to help you meet your workout goals.
Choose at least one, and do 30 minutes five or more times a week.
Budget buys between $20 and $80
Burn 110-plus calories in just 10 minutes with the Reebok Adjustable Speed Jump Rope. You can also add weight to the handles to sculpt shapelier arms. You'll need at least a 9-foot ceiling and a body that can take high-impact exercise. ($20; amazon.com)
An indoor alternative: Step while watching TV, or pop in a DVD for a challenge. Reebok's Incline Step includes slanted risers (for variations that target different muscles) and a 20-minute DVD. ($80; amazon.com)
Exercise DVD fans can spice up their routine with Gliding Discs. Stand on them and slide around the room for a low-impact workout that hits underused muscles like the inner thighs. ($23 for discs and 3 DVDs; glidingdiscs.com)
How to shop for cardio equipment
Mid-priced between $599 and $1,000
Pedal off pounds pain free with the Vision Fitness R1500 bike. There's no hunching over handlebars on this recumbent ride, and the cushioned lumbar supported seat is so comfy, you may not want to get off. ($599; visionfitness.com)
Baby your knees and burn megacalories. A no-impact elliptical trainer like the Nautilus E514 mimics running, and you can reverse directions to work more muscles. This model is so smooth, it feels like high-priced gym models. ($999; nautilus.com)
Fair-weather walkers and runners will like the Horizon Fitness T203 treadmill. Its cushioning system provides more shock absorption at the front of the belt where your foot lands and is firmer at the back where you push off. ($1,000; horizonfitness.com)
Choose at least one product, and do 2 or 3 workouts a week.
Budget buys between $5 and $35
For a high-intensity strength and cardio routine, grab a kettlebell. In just 20 minutes, you can burn up to 400 calories and firm all over. GoFit offers a 10-pound kettlebell with a beginner DVD. ($35; gofit.net)
Rubber resistance bands and tubes mimic machine moves and target back, hip, and inner thigh muscles that are hard to hit with dumbbell exercises. Braided Xertubes are a bit pricier but more durable than traditional models. ($30; spri.com)
Perfect for beginners, dumbbells are easy to use. Choose lighter ones for small muscles like triceps, heavier ones for larger muscles. (from about $5 a set; available at retailers such as Sears)
Mid-priced between $30 and $300
Make body-weight moves like planks and leg lifts more challenging with Contour-Weights (you'll probably want two). Secure the long neoprene tube around your waist, drape it over your leg, or hold it like a bar for upper body exercises. Available in 6, 9, 12, and 15 pounds. ($30 to $57; spri.com)
Avoid dumbbell clutter but still challenge yourself with heavy weights (key for fast toning) with Stamina's Versa-Bell weights. You get 9 dumbbells in 1: A simple click transforms the weight in Q 2.5-pound increments, from 5 to 25 pounds, m ($300 per pair; staminaproducts.com)
This portable device is like a gym in a bag. Attach the TRX suspension trainer to a door, put your hands and feet in the handles, and you can do more than 300 exercises. ($200, includes guide and DVD; fitnessanywhere.com)
Excellent extras
For a flatter belly: Exercising on a stability ball activates more ab and back muscles for faster firming. The TrainerBall makes it easy: Moves are printed right on the ball. ($30; trainermat.com)
For better balance: Basic moves like stepping forward and back become more challenging on the 6-inch-wide Beamfit Activity Beam. The result is a gentle strength and flexibility workout that targets your core and improves stability. ($125; beamfit.com)
For cyclists: Turn your bike into an indoor cardio machine by hooking it up to the CycleOps Magneto bike trainer. It even provides progressive resistance: As you pedal faster, the difficulty increases without you having to shift gears. ($270; cycleops.com)
More from Prevention
17 ways that exercise sends your health soaring
5 workout mistakes that slow down results
10 ways to get fit and firm at home
8 fat-minute blast
Copyright© 2012 Rodale Inc.All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Rodale Inc.


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The Rum Diary Reunion: What Do You Want to Hear?
The Cotati Sound Machine is back! Well, for one show, at least.
As announced today, the very great Rum Diary are playing this year's C.A.M.P. Festival in Guerneville, which is this weird-ass type of hippie-indie-spiritual-DIY-new-age-yoga-craft-rock campout amid the redwoods lining the Russian River, outdoors under the stars. In other words, the absolute perfect place for the Rum Diary, who broke up in 2007, to reunite.
What songs do you want to hear? Why not go to this handy survey they've created and vote? (I'm currently Googling "Survey Monkey hack" and voting for "Greasers Win" 1,000 times.)
Here's the funny thing: "Reunion" is a bit of a misnomer, because the lineup features the same exact members of Shuteye Unison—the band that's still playing every month. Plans were initially made for original Rum Diary drummer Joe Ryckebosch to make it down from Portland, but now it looks like that won't happen. But Shuteye's Jake Krohn played briefly in the Rum Diary after Joe left, and "Shuteye Unison to me is basically the same band with a different drummer," says Daniel McKenzie. "People just want to hear the old songs, you know?"
McKenzie also notes that at C.A.M.P., "the 'vibe' is pretty out there at times." When C.A.M.P. originated last year, we at the Bohemian had no idea how it was going to turn out. A bunch of people from Oakland getting high on the old J's Amusements site? A mix of bands from Sonoma County, Oakland and Portland? A harmonic convergence to the great savior music?
Alas, watch the video below to get an idea. Tickets are on sale now.
Tags: C.A.M.P., Guerneville, J's Amusements, Reunion, Rum Diary


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Hayhurst And Miller
Bulletin news from the esteemed author and DL'd pitcher of the Toronto Blue Jays, Dirk Hayhurst. The Bullpen Gospels is no longer a cult classic. It is not only going to stay on the best-sellers' list of The New York Times, it is going to move up on it. It is now considered the 15th best selling non-fiction paperback in the country.
The venerable organizer of the first successful players' association in sports turned 93 today and if there was justice, he would be starting to prepare his speech for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies over the summer.
As Joe Morgan so aptly noted on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, it is not just the players who should thank Miller for increasing rookie salaries from $8,000 to $400,000, and the top end of the equation from $100,000 to Eleventy Billion. The owners, despite doing everything possible to stop Miller before he started, then stop him while he was dismantling their plantations, then roll back his accomplishments, saw similar income explosions, and the growth of franchise values from a high then of around $12 million, to the fact that a couple of clubs are now worth a $1.6 billion.
That's what the owners were fighting.
It is literally true that when Miller came to the MLBPA in 1966, the most expensive seat in any big league stadium was $3.50 or $4. The seat that now goes for a couple of grand in a luxury box, or for $1250 in the front row in the Bronx, was $4 – or less – before Marvin Miller almost single-handedly changed the nature of the business of the equation, and thus of the sport.
It can be rightly argued that fans don't get to see players playing as long for one team as they used to (although I suspect a thorough study would indicate the change is a lot less than people think). They also don't see many players spend their careers on the outside looking in, enslaved to one club literally forever, and never even getting to the post-season (Ernie Banks). The free agency that Miller rightfully won has not contributed to the small market/big market dilemma, it has only redefined it, and more importantly it has provided for the first time in the history of the game, the opportunity for less robust clubs to climb out of their holes through shrewd spending of the dollar (Cleveland in the '90s, Tampa Bay today).
I don't know what parallel there is to Marvin Miller among the players. I guess you'd have to start with Babe Ruth and double his longevity. Miller's influence has been that strong. Was it painless? No. Was Ruth's? The new game he created turned bunting, running, sacrificing, and hitting-and-running – and the men who excelled in them – into afterthoughts. It killed off John McGraw and "Inside Baseball" and for all we know led to the New York Giants moving out and the Dodgers going to LA, too.
But ask the players of today, and the fans of today, and the owners of today, if they'd really like to go back to, say, the '60s, before free agency. It cost less to get in. And each team and each player lived on the margins of financial collapse. Is it just a coincidence that the geographical chaos of the time ended four years before free agency began? Between 1953 and 1972, Boston became Milwaukee, St. Louis became Baltimore, Philadelphia became Kansas City, Brooklyn became Los Angeles, New York became San Francisco, Washington became Minnesota, Milwaukee became Atlanta, Kansas City became Oakland, Seattle became Milwaukee, and Washington became Texas. Cleveland nearly moved. Oakland. San Francisco. Cincinnati. The Cardinals were going to Dallas.
In the 38 years since, for all the other turmoil, one franchise has moved.
Marvin Miller is a Hall of Famer, and with the special elections afforded Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente as precedent, he should be sent to Cooperstown now, not later – now while he can still enjoy it, and now while we can still honor him.
9 Comments
You always have the most interesting stories to tell… thank you. And yeah, I will be reading The Bullpen Gospels one of these days soon, when I get home. I think perhaps you need to write another book, though, and tell us more of the interesting stuff you've given us here. I've learned so much from you, while being thoroughly entertained in the process – which is a very neat trick. I have to say, I hope you're wrong about Milton Bradley – that he'll grow up or some such crazy thing… but I fear you are likely correct. Wish us Mariner fans luck, though… if you would, please. Thanks! Go Yankees! Go Mariners!
Keith, you make baseball history interesting. Right now I'm reading the 2000 edition of Ball Four, so I'm undestanding about what baseball was like for the players before free-agency became the rule…..nope, I wouldn't want to turn back the clock, either. Marvin Miller SHOULD be inducted for the positive changes he made in the game.
As to The Bullpen Gospels, I'm recommending it to my friends and library…….excellent book 😉
That's a lazy, superficial analysis to credit Miller and free agency with ending the so-called "geographical chaos" that existed between 1953 and 1972 without any empirical evidence. Five of the franchises that moved during this period were moving from markets that had more than one team (Boston Braves, St. Louis Browns, Philadelphia A's, Brooklyn Dodgers, and NY Giants). Oversaturation was the cause, not the reserve system, and part of the reason you see franchises moving so infrequently now is because MLB has not attempted to create any new two-team markets since 1972. If they attempted to, say, plop another team in Boston, Philly, Houston, or wherever, I'm sure the result would be much the same.
Of course, the other prime reason why teams moved so much between 1953 and 1972?indeed, by far the biggest reason?is that baseball was finally expanding westward. Teams started moving because they had unchartered territory to move to. Now that MLB is a 30 team league and all the major markets are occupied, what viable alternatives are left? Jacksonville? Indianapolis? None, really. (And don't give me Vegas, where no professional sports team is going, or Puerto Rico, which lacks the per capita income to support a competitive team).
Finally, it makes little sense for you to even mention the teams that "thought" of moving during that time period. Teams have always threatened to move as a means of exerting leverage in stadium negotiations. So what that "St. Louis was going to Dallas" or "Cleveland almost moved?" Since 1972, the Yankees have at various times "threatened" to move to Jersey and the Giants did the same with St. Petersburg. Threatened relocations were nothing unique or peculiar to the time period between 1953 and 1972.
How you overlooked these rather obvious explanations in favor of heaping unwarranted credit on Marvin Miller and free agency with ushering in geographic stability is incredible.
Breathing a heavy sigh of relief.Remember the Righteous Brothers' song, ?You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'?? Well, I've lost that ?queasy feelin'? at not having a copy of The Bullpen Gospels. Just ordered it from Amazon and it should be here within a few days. Giddy with excitement? In some ways, yes . . . and in others . . . well, let's see.
Kinda unrelated . . . today, I had a conversation with a visitor in my office, who was born and raised in New York and was a Yankees fan as a child (he saw Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle play at Yankee Stadium [have no idea if it was the one currently being dismantled]); he lived in Ohio for a time and was a total Indians fan; and then moved out West and through natural progression became a diehard Dodgers fan.
Is all of this loyalty to certain teams so geographic and ephemeral? Just wondering . . .
I agree on Marvin Miller, games and careers have improved since ballplayers became full-time professionals, and not pipefitters, mechanics and car salesmen who played ball for afew years in the summer. The game is better for him, by miles.
Speaking of the Hall of Fame, is it not time for Vin Scully to go in through the front door, with a proper plaque as a contributor to baseball? Clearly he has done more for the game than the racist T.A. Yawkey, the pathetic Happy Chandler or the inane Bowie Kuhn.
This popular mythology that someone who has won the annual award handed out to broadcasters is a "hall-of-famer" ought to be rejected out of hand. It is not Hall of Fame membership. As with the writer's award, somebody wins it every year, while there is no guarantee that anyone will be enshrined in the Hall in any given year. Scully belongs on the list with Campanella, Koufax, Vance and Snider, not Bob Wolff and Lon Simmons.
To be sure, putting Vinnie in the Hall itself will mean the fan clubs of all sorts of announcers will clamor for their guy, but there has never been any who has done it as well, or for as long, or who has so personified a franchise as Scully; nobody has created fans of the game in a new market as he did in Los Angeles; and nobody has added as much dignity to the sport as he. Scully can and should be elected to the Hall of Fame as a regular member without it being presumed that just because someone who spent a long time as an announcer is similarly entitled, and the Frick Award for announcers is little more than a longevity honor.
Vin Scully has broadcast major league baseball games for a single franchise for longer than anyone else has been associated with the sport, never mind with a single team. Connie Mack was a short-timer next to him.
For me, one of the most memorable innings from Ken Burns's Baseball was the one dealing with the influence Marvin Miller had on the game – he belongs in the Hall. RIP Curt Flood.
As a long MST3K/CT fan, I wished to express my sincerest appreciation to you for spotlighting and giving "Cinematic Titanic" a well-deserved national platform. Great fan boy interview with Trace, Joel, and J. Elvis.
I do have one request: it is my most fervent wish that you nobly refrain from attending the show gratis on Saturday, since CT is wholly artist-funded (i.e., under no network or cable aegis) with the support of its faithful and loyal fan base.
One last thing: love the picture of you sticking your tongue out?but only because you were wearing the Pirates shirt (number? Maz? Clemente? The Flying Dutchman?). Go Bucs! And get to PNC Park if you?ve not yet been there (though sadly Pittsburgh no longer has your beloved trolleys).
I leave you with one challenge ? at some point use an image from the following on "Countdown":
Time for Tor to go to bed.
Thanks again. Jan in Santa Clarita
There's an implication there that Ernie Banks would have wanted to move. Don't think that's the case.
Well, Keith, I have to say it: spoken like a man who can afford season tickets to Yankee stadium…
I wonder how you'd feel if you couldn't afford to attend even one game anymore.
Can you even imagine the feeling?


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Salvation Army warns of fake bell ringers
Aprons, bells stolen from organization
Bells from the Salvation Army can be heard ringing this time of year, but officials warns that not everyone is who they seem.
Salvation Army officials warn people to pay attention to where donations are placed.
At least one person was posing as a Salvation Army volunteer on Thursday and taking the money for himself.
The Harrisburg Capital City Chapter of the Salvation Army noticed 10 red aprons and bells were missing from its inventory.
Someone called the organization and said a man was wearing a similar apron, ringing a bell and holding his own bucket on Market Street in downtown Harrisburg and collecting money.
Officials said the man was not working on behalf of the Salvation Army.
Police did not catch him in time and the aprons are still missing.
"When someone does something like this, they're not just stealing from the Salvation Army, but they're stealing from the children who are depending on us for help, for food, the elderly who are depending on us for a hot meal and that's sad and that's tragic because they are the least of those among us," said Kathy Anderson-Martin of the Salvation Army.
Officials are concerned because the Salvation Army relies on holiday donations to fuel the organization for the entire year. They don't want potential donors to hold off.
Only bell ringing stations with an official Salvation Army sign should be used for donations.
Anyone who poses as a bell ringer without the sign should be reported to police.
Salvation Army volunteers in Lancaster County will also have an ID badge with a contact number. The Lancaster Salvation Army uses chimneys most of the time instead of red kettles. The chimneys allow donations at all hours.
Most of the volunteers in York County will have IDs as well. Those who don't are supporting the Salvation Army through another charity. York County uses the red kettles with tripods.
In Carlisle, volunteers do not wear aprons, but they do have Salvation Army name tags. Carlisle uses red kettles with tripods.
In Lebanon, volunteers wear aprons and ring bells. They use red kettles with tripods.


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In the weeks leading up to her first day of college, Lauren Serrano had the typical jitters.
She was afraid of getting lost on campus, unsure about what her professors would expect from her, and nervous about taking on a full course load her first semester.
All of those anxieties aside, what Serrano, 18, felt more than anything was pride. The daughter of Cuban-born parents, Serrano has become the first in her family to attend college, and with that accomplishment, has fulfilled her parents' greatest wish for their child.
"They always told me they wanted me to do better than they did, that if they had the opportunity to go to college they would have and that I shouldn't pass it up for anything," Serrano said. "They want me to do something with my life and get farther than they did."
As the fall semester commenced Monday at Georgia Regents University, it brought more than 760 freshmen to campus, many of them first-generation college students.
These students, widely defined as those whose parents did not receive a four-year degree, are attending college at higher rates than ever before, but require more support to complete a degree than traditional students.
Today about 30 percent of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions are first generation, but 89 percent of them will not complete a bachelor's degree within six years from graduating high school, according to I'm First, an initiative out of the non-profit Center for Student Opportunity.
Chelsea M. Jones, associate director for student programs at the Center and I'm First, said the low completion rate is often a result of students being unprepared leaving high school. Without an example in front of them, students can also struggle with the entire college experience - from registering for classes to time management.
"A lot of times first generation students feel alone in the process," Jones said.
However, Jones said there are proven strategies and outreach programs colleges can implement to boost graduation and completion rates.
She said summer bridge programs can help acclimate students to a college setting, and advisement programs on campus can track students' progress and help them feel supported.
"One major thing is making students feel welcome as soon as they get on campus," Jones said. "A lot of times people celebrate first generation students for getting into college, and once they get to school it's kind of like they're on their own."
Last year GRU implemented its 4 Years 4 U program that pushes all students to finish a degree in four years. In 2012, the year before GRU was formed, only 7 percent of students at the former Augusta State University graduated in four years while only 25 percent completed a bachelor's degree in six years.
The 4 Years 4 U program pairs each student with an adviser who monitors progress and encourages students to take on full course loads every semester so they graduate on time.
Benjamin Evans, 18, said as a freshman he is already preparing for graduation by taking five courses his first semester while also working two jobs.
The first generation student said both of his parents pushed him to attend college even when Evans said he wanted to follow his father's footsteps and join the military.
"My dad wouldn't hear it," said Evans, a Harlem High School graduate. "He made it pretty clear that if I'm going to join the military, I had to go to college first. He didn't go to college, and he wants that for me."
Now Evans, a communications major, plans to follow his passion and pursue a career in theater performing in plays or on television.
He said he's ready for the high-rigor of college and hopes it's all he has expected it to be.
"In college, from what I've heard, you're not only taught by professors but you ultimately teach yourself," he said. "It's a more grown-up way of learning, and I'm ready for that."


text:
Hi All
I want to use this thread to post news about the latest TBS software released and release notes. New public release notes will posted here with a new post for discussion and also on the product specific thread on the first post.
Let's get started:
New update for TBS Agent V1.28:
- added: Beta release for everyone. Press F1 oder click on the version indicator on the right bottom and check the "Include Beta Releases" check box.
- added: Beta release notes if unlocked for beta releases
- added: Exmaps support ( https://www.exmaps.com/ ). Use TBS Agent -> Blackbox -> Export Raw Data and upload the generated .csv file to Exmaps
- removed: Flytrex direct upload button for TBS Blackbox
TBS CORE PRO V1.35 beta version online. Please see beta release notes by TBS Agent for more details.


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Fresh is always best in your makeup bag
MAKEUP, like food, has an expiration date.
That's because bacteria can accumulate in foundations, or eyeshadows and mascaras and, the result can be rashes and irritation.
So before we hit the new year, take some time to sort through your makeup drawer and cosmetics bag.
Bin anything that is older than these guidelines:
Mascara - three months
Liquid foundation/tinted moisturiser - 12 months.
Cream Products (Eye shadows, blushes) - 12-18 months.
Lipsticks and Lip Pencils - two years.
Powder products (face powders, eye shadows, blushes) - two years.
It also pays to check the use by date on skincare.
Using something other than your fingers to dip into pots of creams can also stop bacteria breeding.
If you use brushes for your makeup, these should be washed and thoroughly dried regularly as they, too, can harbour bacteria.
Remember makeup should always be stored in a cool, dark place, not left in the car or on a windowsill.
Some skincare will keep better in the fridge, especially if it is low in preservatives and chemicals.


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Cousin Jonnie's Red Velvet Whoopee Pies2016-03-18
- Course: Dessert
- Skill Level: Easy
- Add to favorites
- Yield : 24 sandwich cookies
- Prep Time : 25m
- Cook Time : 45m
- Ready In : 10m
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- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cups canola oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), softened
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening (recommended: Crisco)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step 1
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. Sift the flour, baking soda, and cocoa together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla.
Step 3
Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until they turn pale and double in volume. Add the oil mixture and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 5 small additions, starting and ending with the flour.
Step 4
Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the baking sheets, allowing 1-inch between drops, as the cookies will spread. You'll be making 48 cookies. Bake until the cookies are firm but not crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to racks to cool.
Step 5
Step 6
Put the flour into a medium saucepan and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until very thick, about 3 minutes. Remove the flour mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
Step 7
Cream the sugar, butter, shortening, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the cooled flour mixture and whip until fluffy. Spread some filling onto 1 cookie and top it with another to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Cover the filled whoopee pies with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


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In his Friday Sermon today Huzur said it was a hundred and twenty years ago, on 23rd March 1889, that the magnificent prophecy of the Holy Quran which the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) foretold was fulfilled. It was after a thousand years of spiritual darkness during which the religion of Islam remained but in name for the majority of its adherents that the luminary arose who was to seek light from the luminous sun that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was.
With the beauty and the light of the Shariah brought by his master, the followers and those who learned from the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) are ever engaged in spreading the message to the world.
The first era of the community began on 23rd March 1889. Allah revealed to the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) that once he had resolved to undertake the service he should put his trust in God Who would steer the vessel Himself.
According to the commandment of God, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) took his baiat (pledge of allegiance) on 23rd March 1889 and hundreds embarked his vessel. The community grew in hundreds of thousands during his lifetime. His followers honoured the baiat and traversed spiritual stages. Meanwhile there was considerable opposition and many were martyred for the crime of entering into baiat. Notable among the early martyrs was Sahibzada Syed Abdul Lateef shaheed whose death was ordered by the King of Afghanistan after the maulwis issued a fatwah. He was martyred in a merciless way reminiscent of the persecution the early Muslims endured. Despite all opposition the movement grew from strength to strength until on 26th May 1908 the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) passed away. Then, just as he had assured his community about a second manifestation that was to follow him, the second era of the community began. Some unfortunate people were embroiled in egotistical matters and were admonished by Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him). However these ill-fated people, despite possessing intellect and wisdom, rejected the second Khilafat e Ahmadiyya. They did not realise that only those will be saved who will stay on the vessel and adhere to the second manifestation and that the significance of the term second manifestation was not an executive body but was Khilafat.
Huzur said we are fortunate that today we are on board this vessel and are thus saved from drowning and Allahs hand is on us. Since 1908 the opponents have tried all sorts of different and varied ploys to obliterate us but Allah has always saved us from the bad consequences of these trials and tribulations. As we continue to grow all over the world, the envy of the opponents is also mounting and wherever in the world the mullah can wield some power, he does not desist from committing cruelty in the name of God, against the Ahmadis. However, each such act of the mullah only increases Ahmadis in their faith.
Expounding the matter through the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) Huzur said the Quran makes it clear that it is essential for the completion of faith that one faces trials it is stated in verse 3 of Surah Al Ankabut Do men think that they will be left alone because they say, We believe, and that they will not be tested? (29:3). None who joins this community remains free from trials. Some have to endure separation from parents. When severe trails are faced and one stays steadfast and patient for the sake of God, the spiritual rewards are immense. It is not possible to develop in spirituality without trials and tribulations. Huzur said this is the counsel of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) which the Ahmadis adhere to and they realize that they stimulate and nourish their faith during opposition.
Huzur said last Friday he mentioned the opposition faced by the community in Bulgaria. On the behest of the Mufti of the country the police are harassing the local Ahmadis. When Huzur sent his Salaam to the Bulgarian Ahmadis the local murabbi sahib contacted them individually. In response the Bulgarian Ahmadis said they remained firm of faith some became emotional and said that Huzur should not worry, they will endure all hardship. Huzur said those who ask what revolution did the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) bring should say if this is not a revolution, then what is? These Bulgarian Ahmadis who have lived their lives in Europe and under Communism - have truly understood the teachings and are granted the insight that in order to have Divine nearness they have to go through trials. This only comes about with the grace of God and this grace is through joining the community of the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him).
In India, those who have newly come into the fold of Ahmadiyyat are also being persecuted. This is again done on the behest of the mullah and the government is not taking any concrete measure against it because this is an election year and they are interested in the votes of the mainstream Muslims. Those who persecute and those who turn a blind eye to them should remember that although we do not have any worldly power, but Allah is our Lord and when His help comes everything is blown away like dust. Huzur urged the Indian Ahmadis to engage in sincere prayers.
In Pakistan the opposition is at its height. It is astonishing that each time the mullah has driven a government towards persecution of Ahmadis in the Indian sub-continent in particular the community has moved towards greater progress. This proves that this community has been formed by God and is a sign among His many signs. Addressing these people Huzur said they should come to their senses and desist from contending with God and should becomes helpers of the one who God has sent. However, Huzur said their eyes are shut, they are in fact perpetrating the injustice in the name of God. They are forgetting that when cruelty exceeds all limits the believers raise the call when will come the help of Allah? to which the response is Yea, surely the help of Allah is nigh. (2:215).
After the partition of India the majority of the mullah came to Pakistan and have always created some form of mischief or the other in the country. Currently, a furore is being raised and the persecution of the Ahmadis aside, the country is suffering huge notoriety. The Ahmadis in Pakistan are given the option to either abandon their faith or leave the country otherwise risk losing their lives. The worst aspect of it all is that this is being done in the name of Islam and to establish the status of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) as the Khatamun Nabiyeen (Seal of all the prophets). These killings are being carried out as an expression of a sense of honour for Islam in the country that was specifically created in the name of Islam.
The truth is that it is the Ahmadis who are demonstrating a sense of honour for religion while the others are not even achieving a fraction of it. The oil-rich Muslim countries are helping the mullah but the mullah is either using that for his personal gain or channelling it towards terrorism while there is no effort to spread the message of Islam. Let it be very clear to the mullah who today exerts the greatest claim on Pakistan that Ahmadis made great endeavours in the creation of Pakistan and this is acknowledged by all decent people, regardless of religious persuasion. While these endeavours for the creation of Pakistan were being made the mullah was even against the very concept of Pakistan. Putting the matter in context Huzur said 23rd March is also commemorated as Pakistan Day. Huzur quoted from the writing of renowned academics and journalists of the time (Muhammad Ali Johar, Maulana Abdul Majeed Salik) who acknowledged the esteemed contribution of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) to the world of Islam. Huzur said everyone is aware of the participation of Qaid e Azam [Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the state of Pakistan] in the creation of Pakistan. However, there had come a time when he too was disheartened by the circumstances and went to England with the thought that he could no longer help. The Muslims were badly shaken by this. Hadhrat Khalifatul Maish II (may Allah be pleased with him) made great effort in the matter and through our resident Imam in London at the time, Maulana Abdul Raheem Dard sahib he pressurised Qaid e Azam and convinced him to return to India. Indeed Qaid e Azam himself acknowledged that it was the persuasion of Maulana Dard that left him with no option but to return to India and resume his efforts for the creation of Pakistan. Justice Munir, who presided over the judicial commission regarding the troubles of 1953 in Pakistan also spoke up against the ill-founded allegations against the community.
History bears witness to the endeavours of Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) and other Ahmadis in the creation of the state of Pakistan (land of the pure) that was created for Muslims and thus called while the ilk of the mullah labelled it land of the impure at the time. Khilafat e Ahmadiyya has been at the forefront of efforts made for people of Kashmir and Palestine etc. On the other hand, if one is to look at the statements of our opponents they speak for themselves. Ata ullah Shah Bukhari, a leader of the Ahrar Movement, said that the state of Pakistan was like a prostitute that the Ahrars had accepted. He also likened those who associated with the Muslim League to swine. Maulana Maudoodi opined that in the state of Pakistan there would be Kafirana (impious/based on unbelief) government of the Muslims. Huzur said now they are trying for the very Kafirana government. Whoever comes in power [in Pakistan] makes alliances with the mullah and foremost on the agenda of the mullah is to oppose Ahmadis. Huzur said during the troubles of 1953 there were some fair-minded people around but in 1974, the government of the time joined the mullah and in the name of Islam committed grace injustice and barbarity. Equitable future historians will chronicle that period as a dark chapter in the history of Pakistan. In 1984, a despot made a further amendment in the legislative alternation of 1974 and claimed that he would obliterate Ahmadiyyat. While Ahmadiyyat is going from strength to strength those who committed grave injustices against us are either eliminated or are being grinded down. The Ahmadiyya community, gathered on the hand of Khilafat and demonstrated -and indeed is demonstrating - steadfastness which is a proof that it is fulfilling the pledge of the baiat of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).
The provincial and the central governments of Pakistan should remember that if the permanence of Pakistan is dear to them for which the Ahmadis sincerely pray then they should establish the principles on which Qaid e Azam wanted to establish the country. Indeed the Qaid e Azam said that if Pakistan was to flourish then the prosperity of all the people, rich and poor was significant. He aspired to break the chain of prejudices and the differences of those in the majority and the minorities and have no disparity between different sects. He spoke of independence that enabled people to go freely to their temples, their mosques and their places of worship. He said he believed that this should be kept in view as the ideal. However, Huzur said, the legislative body of 1974 worked completely contrary to this. Huzur said it is not the task of a legislative body to determine and decide on the religion of people. The day the government of Pakistan comprehends the principle and starts working on it will be the day of establishing progress of Pakistan. When the sectarian divisions will break then alone will the Pakistanis be able to see the real Pakistan. Huzur said neither Islam nor the great personality who gave the Muslims a separate country gave the permission to pass verdicts on the religious faith of others. Each Pakistani should have the basic rights of citizenship, the law should be the same for all. Peace will only be achieved when equal rights are given to all. Since the legislation of 1974 and the amendment of 1984 the country has been in decline. Ahmadis are going to but pray for the country despite the persecution. However, those who persecute Ahmadis should be mindful that Allahs decree shall certainly get even. As it is cited in verse 94 of Surah Al Nisa, And whoso kills a believer intentionally, his reward shall be Hell wherein he shall abide. And Allah will be wroth with him and will curse him and will prepare for him a great punishment. (4:94). Huzur said a Hadith cites that the most excellent part of faith is La ilaha illala (there is none worthy of worship except Allah). The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was furious when a Companion killed a disbeliever during war despite the person professing to accept Islam. The Companion thought the man was so professing only to save his life. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) however was indignant and asked whether the Companion had torn the mans heart open to see what was in it. Huzur said despite these blessed models the Muslims today continue to take the lives of Ahmadis. Last week they martyred a young couple, both doctors, only because they believed in the Imam of the age. Dr. Shiraz Bajwa was 37 years old and Dr. Noreen Bajwa was 28 years of age which makes her the youngest female Ahmadi martyr. Both were well-liked and popular. On 14 March 2009 their bodies were discovered by their housekeeper at their home. The body of Dr Shiraz Bajwa was found lying in the bedroom, hands tied behind his back, mouth gagged, eyes blindfolded and with visible marks of strangulation. The body of Dr Noreen Bajwa was found in the living room. Huzur said they lived in a gated residential area with security arrangements, so it seems as if it was an inside job.
Huzur said the Ahmadi are being martyred for a reason however, due to the rejection of the truth that the true and ardent devotee of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has come the disorder and multitude killings in the country is natures vengeance. As a result, although they do not recognize us as Muslims, other Muslims are killing Muslims, what would then be Allahs treatment with them in light of the aforementioned verse (4:94). There is much conflict in the country and the government has conceded in the Swat Valley (a region of Pakistan) and has let the mullah implement Shariah system there. The mullah has now decreed that no judicial judge should try and intervene. Huzur said this is not a matter that can be halted; it can engulf the whole country ensuing in loss of peace and terrorism. The British Foreign Secretary has recently said that Pakistan should unite against the internal mortal threat of extremism. As the mullah once labeled it the land of impure Allah have mercy if it stays in their hands then will they let the name of Pakistan be? The Ahmadiyya Khulafa have been cautioning them against the mullah. They aspire to democratic ways yet they do not identify the dangerous alliance of the mullah.
We can but pray for the country, that may Allah save it. If the mullah thinks they can achieve something by the martyrdoms of Ahmadis, it is a vain and crude notion. The vessel that was made by God will be protected by Him alone. As for the martyrdoms, yes, there will be trails and those who are sacrificing their lives are attaining the love of God. Pakistani Ahmadis should pray for the country which stands on the edge of fire, the prayer of Ahmadis can alone save the country. The Ahmadis had a great share in the creation of Pakistan and it will be the prayer of Ahmadis alone that will be useful in saving it.
Huzur said he would lead the funeral Prayer in absentia of the two martyrs as well as a Dr. Aslam Jehangiri and a Syeda Nasira Begum sahiba. Huzur prayed may Allah elevate the status of all the deceased.
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