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Update: 11/15/2011 3:57pm - Added info on the iPhone 4S launching in new regions.
As of this writing, the iPhone 4S has officially sold more than 4 million units in 3 days, and is on track to become the best-selling iPhone ever. It's also arguably the most popular smartphone in the world at the moment, based on individual hardware sales (not OS market share, a metric that Android still owns).
Best Buy is reporting that it is having a hard time keeping the new smartphone in stock, other stores are reporting demand that is outstripping supply, and iPhone 4S preorders in Hong Kong have sold out in just 10 minutes. South Korean news outlets are also reporting that the iPhone 4S outsold the Samsung Galaxy S II when launched in South Korea, moving 200,000 units in a single day. (It took the Galaxy S II three days to reach 120,000 units sold.) The iPhone 4S will also be rolling out in additional markets over the next few months, with a November 25 launch in India.
Analysts are also chiming in on iPhone 4S sales, with Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore predicting that Apple will sell 28 million total iPhones in the current quarter, while Canaccord analyst Mike Walkley is reporting that the iPhone 4S is currently the top selling smartphone on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon.
The iPhone 4S (from our iPhone 4S unboxing gallery)
So despite critics claiming the iPhone 4S was doomed to fail because it didn't have a new form factor, NFC support, or bear the iPhone 5 moniker, the iPhone 4S has proven to be the most successful smartphone that Apple has ever produced. AT&T seems to agree, releasing a statement that said that the iPhone 4S launch was their most successful iPhone launch ever.
So why has the iPhone 4S been so successful? Here's my analysis of the factors that helped propel the iPhone 4S to the top of the smartphone sales heap.
1. Best iPhone Ever
Despite the mountains of hype that the Internet rumor mill generated over the imaginary iPhone 5, the iPhone 4S is still the best iPhone ever made, with specs that exceed, equal, or are very close to the best Android smartphones currently available. The iPhone 4 was beginning to look long in the tooth, but the iPhone 4S helps keep Apple competitive with other leading smartphone handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Motorola Droid Razr. That said, Apple now has a host of competitors – namely LG, Samsung, and Motorola – that can produce hardware that meets or exceeds what the iPhone can offer. While the iPhone 4S may be the best iPhone ever, Consumer Reports recently rated several Android OS devices higher.
2. Upgrades that Count
The iPhone 4S may not have had a bigger screen, universal 4G support, a new form factor, or any of the many things that the internet rumor mill predicted it would have, but it did have significant upgrades where it counted: a faster, dual-core A5 processor; up to 64GB of storage; a vastly improved camera that is arguably the best smartphone camera now available; and Siri, a voice-recognition/personal assistant app that -- while still effectively in beta -- is a big step forward for voice recognition software.
3. Contract Math
Millions of iPhone 3GS users signed up for two-year contracts in Q4 2009, and all of those contracts are now expiring. I definitely fall into that camp, having purchased my 3GS back in October 2009. I could care less if its called an iPhone 4S or an iPhone 5, since the 4S represents a huge upgrade over my existing 3GS. I think millions of other 3GS users are in the same boat as me.
4. The Implosion of Blackberry and WebOS
Blackberry-maker RIM has been beset with falling market share, management failures, and highly-publicized service outages. The technically impressive WebOS had the rug pulled out from under it after only months under the HP umbrella, a costly, schizophrenic management decision that contributed to Leo Apotheker being bounced from the top post at HP. The smartphone world is now increasingly looking like a two-horse race between Android and Apple, with RIM and Microsoft battling for a distant third, and WebOS already a sad footnote to what might have been.
5. Android Woes
Speaking of Android, the world's most popular smartphone OS is quickly becoming a victim of its own success. Android hardware and OS fragmentation gives both Android developers and users headaches, and could potentially pose problems for the popular OS in the months and years to come. Android is also becoming the platform of choice for malware aimed at mobile devices, with more malware being developed for Android than all the other mobile OSes combined.
More trouble for Google and Android could come in the form of patent litigation, with both Microsoft and Apple doing their best to extract royalties from Android handset makers. The late Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he believed Android was a "stolen product" that benefited largely from Apple's work on the iPhone, telling Isaacson that he would burn through Apple's 40 billion in cash reserves and go "thermonuclear" against Google to "right this wrong."
6. Simplicity
Many of the analysts, reporters, bloggers, and journalists in the technology press – myself included -- love gadgets and gizmos and don't mind fiddling with settings, trying out new hardware, and tinkering with other options. As much as I can appreciate the iPhone 4S on its aforementioned technical merits, Apple excels at producing products that are easy for non-technically inclined people to use. There are dozens of stories about how the very young (and the very old) have quickly adapted to using an iPhone or iPad. Compare that to the often bewildering complexity of Android: dozens of devices from different manufacturers running slightly different version of the Android OS. Windows Phone promises to offer a happy middle ground between Apple's walled garden and Android's sprawling, chaotic jumble of an ecosystem, but still lags behind both Android and the iPhone on hardware and software feature parity.
7. The iPhone Ecosystem
Apple has many iPod and iPhone customers, and they've collectively purchased millions (if not billions) of songs, ebooks, games, videos, apps and other content from Apple. I definitely fall into this camp, with dozens of purchased iPhone apps and hundreds of songs. Granted, I could move my song and video collection to other mobile devices, but I'd have to repurchase all my apps for Android or Windows Phone 7. Who wants to go through all that hassle, especially when the iPhone 4S offers a significant phone upgrade while keeping all of your legacy investments intact? It's a strategy that has worked extremely well for Microsoft for the Windows ecosystem, and Apple is clearly taking a page from their playbook here.
8. New Carriers
The iPhone 4S is the first iPhone to ever be available on Sprint, which now joins AT&T and Verizon as the three largest iPhone carriers in North America. The iPhone 4S is also available on CSpire (formerly Cellular South), the largest privately-held wireless carrier in the U.S. Millions of Sprint and CSpire customers now have access to the iPhone 4S, and that previously untapped customer base undoubtedly helped the push the iPhone 4S into sales record territory.
9. The Legacy of Steve Jobs
The death of Steve Jobs was tragic news, but it also had the unintended effect of monopolizing news coverage for the weeks leading up to the launch of the iPhone 4S. Thousands of stories sang the praises of Jobs and the iPhone, which were soon followed up by a rising flood of excerpts, leaks, and commentary from Walter Isaacson's excellent Steve Jobs biography. All of this Apple-focused news sucked up all the oxygen in the room around competing mobile devices, and undoubtedly helped the iPhone 4S receive more press coverage than it would have normally.
10. Apple is the Mass Market
What many Microsoft and Apple zealots fail to understand is that Apple is no longer just a niche computer manufacturer known for a distinctive design aesthetic. Apple is the world's most valuable tech company and a producer of millions of goods – from iPods to iPhones to laptops – that are aimed squarely at the mass market. Microsoft fanboys overlook that Apple isn't a niche provider solely of expensive computers for self-absorbed people who only care about proving their superiority over others, and Apple zealots often don't understand that the overwhelming majority of Apple customers don't wear pajamas festooned with the Apple logo, or troll forums looking for Microsoft products to bash. The mass market wants consumer products that look good, work as advertised, and are simple to learn and use – and Apple understands and profits from that need better than any other technology company in business today.
What are your thoughts on the iPhone 4S? Let me know what you think by adding a comment to this blog post or starting up a conversation on Twitter.
- Follow Jeff James on Twitter at @jeffjames3 – Google+ add Jeff to your circles
- Follow Windows IT Pro on Twitter at @windowsitpro


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Hope you bought national security companies' stocks last week. Boston's unfortunate 26.2 mile misadventure will be good for their businesses and likely bring you a handsome profit.
If you are a conservative pundit with your own radio, TV show – or podcast – your ratings will soar as you excoriate the government and the liberal and medias elites for failing to protect America, giving that terrorist his miranda warnings, or refusing to send him to our tropical gulag. If you inhabit the conspiracy theory suburbs, you can raise cash by darkly impling it was all an Obama plot.
Of course, if you are xenophobic, you now have an explosive new argument t0 blow away immigration reform. If you are a staunch defender of the Glorious Second, you can claim it would have been great if every Boston citizen had had an AR-15. Of course, Islamophobes are in hog heaven… It is sad for racists that those boys were white…
Then there's West, Texas. Just a tragic accident. nonexistent inspections? Please, this is Texas. Even the West victims don't blame the company. Just one of those things. Could have happened anywhere. Who could have foreseen it wasn't really such a good idea to store tons and tons of fertilizer in the plant – or build a school, houses and a nursing home within a stone's throw of that plant?
Strengthen regulations? That would only take away jobs. Jobs sorely needed by the folks in West. What they really need is fast federal funds to rebuild. I mean, unlike those whining folks in New York and Jersey who were hit by a little wind and rain then got greedy, the good Texans in West are true blue Americans and are only asking for what they deserve – and to get back some of their tax money from the feds (and some more from Jersey, New York, and all those other liberal states where everyone has more money than patriotism).
Congress gets such a bum rap. Supposedly deadlocked, our brave and caring legislators rose up en mass and, in a magnificent show of bipartisanship, and did something about the senseless budget cuts mandated by the Sequester. With the across the board cuts crippling things like chemotherapy treatments for poor cancer patients, Head Start for poor kids, and nutrition programs for poor old folks, the Senate and House chose to give relief to the real victims of those draconian cuts: airlines and their customers. Who says Congress doesn't care…?
Those cancer patients are likely going to die anyway. Poor kids and seniors will always be with us (and besides, they're just moochers). Businessmen – makers not takers – trapped in Duluth for three hours must be rescued from that near literal hell on earth…

subset: commoncrawl


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I know you probably have realized this about me by now and I should too, yet I still do it. Today I got to thinking when I watering my beautiful blooming flowers about how people react to other people, namely me.
Do you ever wonder if you made a positive impact on someones life? There are days I ask myself this question. Why?
Well, I look at life today through many people's eyes. Then I like to look at life back in the 1980's, when I was growing up. Yes, I know I should keep today in today, but it is worth a look.
I personally think that people today have gotten so selfish and caught up in the "things" that they forget about the lives and souls that they could touch. I try to remind myself of this daily. My dear bloggie buddy MckMama, over at MyCharmingKids.net reminds me ever so often of this thought as well as my father in law. My father in law, a veterinarian, takes a mission sponsored trip every Feb. to countries like Haiti, Kenya, Brazil and others to help teach people how to care for their animals ( Goats, Cows, Pigs and such) so that their families will have milk, cheese, meat and other things. He encourages them to chose the right animals for their families as well as how to keep them healthy. When he returned to an area previously visited and was remembered. He made a positive impact on someones, many someones lives in Kenya. Mckmama has done the same when she too traveled to Kenya to help bring water to a community and shoes to children. When she goes back she will be remembered, she will have made a difference, a positive impact on someone Else's life.
I try to do this without traveling to other countries. With an active duty husband who goes TDY seemingly all the time, I do not have the opportunity to travel to these areas to make a difference. I feel my calling is to make a difference here at home, in my community, on our base and in the states we visit and live.
I get frustrated with those people, you know the kind I'm talking about, that are in it for themselves. I try to pray for those people that God will bring them a situation they can't resist and allow them to reach out instead of take in. I know people that think children get in the way. I know people that would rather text on their phones than carry on a conversation with those around them. I know people that would rather ignore their neighbors than to reach out and be kind. I know people that cannot accept people with flaws. I know people that show up to volleyball games and walk out if they can't play the entire game or if they don't start the game. I know people that complain about the offense that is run on the court. I know people that own four cars and only need one. I know people that want a bigger house just so it can be bigger than their brothers. I know people that refuse to help out a distressed driver on the road. I know people who chastise others for living sinful lives.
Enough is enough. Look at all the thousands and I do mean thousands of people that no longer have a home because some random tornado decided it wanted the house more. Missouri, Illinois, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Georgia and others each were devastated by massive, destructive tornadoes just this week. Be thankful you still have a home. Now, put down your dang phone and talk to those around you. Walk across the street and say hello to your snotty neighbor. Stop your car and help the woman put the tire on her car. Call a friend who might need a babysitter and help them out. These are the simple things each of us can do to make a positive impact on another person's life.
So today I ask myself and you, are you making a difference? Are you engraving yourself into someones mind? I hope somewhere along the way I have made someone feel special. I hope I encouraged someone. I hope I helped them pick up something on a bad day. Today I sit here and hope that when I leave this earth that I was able to touch just one life. No car, computer, phone, flowers, house, vacation or clothes will make that happen any better or easier, if at all.
So ask yourself are you in it for you or are you in it for all?
I won't throw out all the religious scripture and teachings at you as I am not the bible pusher. I just believe we can each make a lasting impact on a life around us, if we just try.
Join me again soon here at the Haskins House. Blessings
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thinking, Thinking, Thinking.
I know you probably have realized this about me by now and I should too, yet I still do it. Today I got to thinking when I watering my beautiful blooming flowers about how people react to other people, namely me.
Sweet writings of HaskinsHouse at 11:40 PM 0 comments
Labels: community service, love, selffishness, tornados
Sunday, April 10, 2011
A mother's love along with a wife's love
Today as I watched my husband play and interact with our children I begin to think about the day when they are all five foot something and have their own kids to play with. Someone reminded me that the day that happens will be amazingly beautiful. But until then I think about something near and dear to my heart. What is the difference from a mother's love of her son and a wife's love of her husband who just happens to be the same man.
I think about my husbands love for his mother and her love for him and I shed tears. My mother in law is a true blessing. She loves her son. She loves her grand babies. She loves me. She is an amazing part of who he is today. I owe her a lifetime of thanks for raising a man that is my everything. She is so kind and loving. A mother's love is endless and a wife must be sure to understand this extreme love. The mother gave birth to this man. A mother raised this man. She will be connected to him for life. She was his first love.
A wife is bonded to her husband through marriage. She promises to love him. She promises to take care of him. She bears and raises his children. She is connected to her husband. But she must remember that a mother must not and can not be replaced. A wife and a mother should be on the same level. The man would not be here without the mother and the mother grateful that the wife cares and loves her son.
This relationship is not an easy road to traverse. A mother may not think the best things of the future daughter. She may have concerns. She may worry if he is picking the right girl. She may think he is making a huge mistake. She may fear for his heart. She may not agree at all. But she has but one choice, to continuing loving her son and make room for his wife. She is HIS MOTHER for a lifetime and even when she passes. He will always love, cherish and put his mother on a pedestal. But that pedestal just grew by two feet because he added his wife to it. Mom must be happy to make room as wife should smile that she has gained a new position.
A wife will struggle to share her husbands love with another woman but she must always remember that neither woman will replace the other. They both are important with separate yet equal roles in the man's life. Both women must work to make the relationship work for the man in their lives.
Arguing is unacceptable.
Giving him an ultimatum is a death sentence.
Bashing the other is shameful.
Refusing to get along only causes stress.
Agree to love.
Agree to share.
Agree that he is God's son.
I am most grateful that my husbands mother has chosen love. She accepted me. She made room on the pedestal for me. She intrusted me with her precious blood. Today my mother in law has become my second mother. I love her, I trust her, I can talk to her, I can lean on her and she doesn't judge me. She gives good advice that I don't always follow. She supports our decisions however bad they are. She loves my children no matter how many I create. She loves her son more than anything. She supports her son in everything. And she hangs our family picture on her wall for all to admire.
Today, I hope that you wives and you mothers will search your hearts to make your husbands and sons lives complete by loving and accepting each other and understanding that you will not replace the other but both of you are just as important as the other and neither is any better for him than the other. Agree to love equally and agree to understand that you are both in love with a man who is the same person.
Once you are the mother of a son you will soon understand the role you will take and you will hope your future daughter will accept you.
Blessings on a loving life as a mother and a wife.
Thank you L, I appreciate your acceptance and love of me as a new part of your family when Zeus chose me. I accept you and gladly and proudly share this pedestal with you as we love a very special Man.
Happy Haskins House
Sweet writings of HaskinsHouse at 9:33 PM 1 comments
Labels: Family, love, motherhood, sharing, wife
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Government Shutdown
Today I was sitting and thinking about all the latest news and outrage or lack there of, of this impending Government shutdown. Have you read about it? Do you understand what it entails? Will this affect you?
Well let me give my opinion, thoughts and some facts on this situation.
OK, Let me get this straight we are going to shutdown certain portions of the government and let other portions remain. How is this even logical? First, we can't agree on a budget for Fiscal year 2011 which is already half over. Yes the government runs October to September. That's the official calendar. So we have been running on borrowed time for half the year why not do it the whole time? I do not know the answer to that question. But I sure would like to know. But what I don't understand is the Congress and the President along with his administration will receive a paycheck! They do not worry about shutdowns. What is wrong with this picture? They get paid but the United States Military at all levels will not get a paycheck. Hmmmmm. What kind of message is this sending to the American people. All National Parks will close. Sorry, no recreation for your families either. Medicare and Social security will be paid, no worry there. I'm wondering who decides who gets pay and who doesn't?
You send our troops into foreign lands without their families and in very hostile situations and then you tell them that their family back home will not have money to buy groceries, pay the bills or buy gas to get where they need to go. So here you have a young serviceman who has not had the time or money to build a nest egg and you tell him hey keep doing what your doing but do it for FREE. Good gracious, nobody I know would work in those conditions for FREE. I tell you what, it doesn't matter how long the government shutdown lasts one minute or one month it will have a lasting affect on all Americans. More lives are at risk as many families will not be eating properly because they will not be able to afford the food, the serviceman overseas will be stressed about their family not having what they need. He will be fed as he eats at a dining facility. But his wife, children may go hungry for who knows how long. Then he worries about what happens when he can not pay the bills. This is a snowball effect. Then he has to go before his commander because his bills are not being paid. Does it stop? No, it goes on and on. Then when the pay is finally reinstated they have overdraft fees to pay, late charges on rent and all the other issues for not paying on time. OH, Credit Score hits that took years to build will suddenly crash no fault of your own. What gives? I was not old enough to really understand the last government shutdown. So I do not have anything to go by there. However, I do understand being a military family and knowing that my husband will continue to bust his hiney for freedom and protection and he will not be paid because of a stinkin disagreement. ABSURD!!!!
Look, USDA would be partially open but those of you who need farm loans are out of luck. The education department will close but the Highway administration will be open. Bureau of Engraving and printing including tours will remain open but the National Park Service will close. Meaning you will not and can not visit Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Alcatraz, Independence Hall, Washington Monument, and Mount Rushmore. Your vacation will have to wait because the State department will not be issuing passports either. So if you think this shutdown does not effect you or your family because you do not work for the government you are wrong. I urge you to call your congress official and complain. The more calls and emails the more they listen. We have the duty to help solve this problem. Make and effort, I'm calling on you!
I just do not understand how congress can let this happen. I realize they want to stabilize spending and yada, yada, yada. But I bet you that if their money was on the line they would be fighting a heck of a lot harder than they are now. They would be more willing to stay later and work until a deal could be reached.
We have become so greedy that even the Billionaire Football team owners want more money. GREED
God Bless America.
Start praying!!!
Sweet writings of HaskinsHouse at 11:35 AM 0 comments
Labels: air force, anger, Government Shutdown, military


text: The young Verona based designer Paolo Cappello created this beautiful dining room table for the Italian company miniforms. The wooden base is made from round timber composed into an axis-symmetric construction. The ramified major knot which connects four elements seems to be CNC-milled. The organically shaped table top is made from tampered glass.


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Aisha Tyler has landed a guest role on an upcoming episode of Glee, TVLine reports.
Tyler, who is a co-host of The Talk and also voices Lana Kane on Archer, has been cast as the mother of Jake Puckerman (Jacob Artist), according to the report. Last week, Adam Shankman tweeted a picture of himself, Tyler and Artist in a Breadstix restaurant, "considering cheesecake."
New Glee photos: New Directions takes on Grease and Brody takes off his shirt!
Perhaps she's been brought in to smack some sense into her brooding, bad-boy son? Only time will tell.
What do you think of the casting?


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Total posts: 1
*waving to everyone* I just moved in excuse the boxes and mess LOL am new to the area and thought I would make myself known to the neighborhood. Have noticed that there are others having issues with the chat window,am curious as to how to operate it.
Am looking forward to getting to know some of you, always looking for new friends since a person can't have enough friends. Knowing some girls to chat with is always a good thing, to bounce ideas off of.
I live in Missouri(or Misery as some of us like to call it LOL) and would like to do some travelling in the future :)
Total posts: 2
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Scientists exploring Gulf shipwreck discover frozen tar volcano
Scientists using an underwater robot to explore three shipwrecks off Galveston have found what looks like a solidified eruption from a deep-sea volcano, according to KHOU-TV.
A team of researchers working at a command center at Texas A&M Galveston saw something that looked like a fourth shipwreck, but as the robot got closer, they realized it was an eruption of tar that solidified when it hit the water.
Thomas Heathman, a marine biology student working on the project, told KHOU that the team had never seen anything else like it in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
The shipwrecks, within about five miles of each other, are in about 4,300 feet of water some 150 to 170 miles off Galveston.
All three wrecks were found at the same time in early 2011 by Shell workers conducting an oil and gas survey for a proposed pipeline in the company's Monterrey development tract, researchers told the Chronicle last year.
In July 2013, the exploration ship Nautilus brought back 60 artifacts from one of the sunken ships to Galveston.
Among the 60 artifacts were four to six different styles of firearms, porcelain plates, a leather shoe sole, bottles, cups and a cantaro (a clay pot used as a musical instrument).
Earlier this month, the team spotted an old clock that remains underwater.


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Canon PowerShot A2300 Compact Digital Camera (Silver)
Product Code: 641161068
Availability:Out of stock
Canon PowerShot A2300 Compact Digital Camera (Silver)
Product Code: 641161068
Availability:Out of stock
- Digital IS reduces the effect of camera shake and subject movement.
- Shoot brilliant 720p HD video with a dedicated movie button.
- 16.0 Megapixel Image Sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- High Resolution, Highly Advanced Performance
- 5x Optical Zoom with 28mm Wide-Angle lens and Optical Image Stabilizer
- Lithium-ion battery makes it easy to recharge your batteries.
Advanced to Make Shooting Simple
Simple and stylish, this chic compact camera is packed with advancements that make it easy to get a great shot every time. Smart AUTO recognizes 32 predefined shooting situations, then automatically picks the proper camera settings for you. Saving memories in breathtakingly realistic 720p HD is as easy as pressing the dedicated movie button. You'll see extraordinary resolution and fast performance with the 16.0 Megapixel Image Sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor, and capture more dynamic, exciting images with the 5x Optical Zoom with 28mm Wide-Angle lens. New Digital IS greatly reduces blur by recognizing the main subject and applying the best camera shake correction. Easy quality that's easily affordable: that's the PowerShot A2300 digital camera!
- Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper camera settings based on 32 predefined shooting situations for capturing spectacular images with ease.
A Smarter Camera Means Better Photos
Photographers of all levels appreciate a camera especially a go-anywhere compact digital that takes the hassle out of capturing beautiful images. The PowerShot A2300 gives you Smart AUTO sophisticated Canon technology that makes getting that great shot as simple as pressing the shutter button. Smart AUTO automatically detects scenes by assessing various factors in both the background and the subject. Detected scenes are analyzed using 32 predefined shooting situations. The camera then makes optimal settings to ensure the best possible image capture when shooting still images. Smart AUTO also includes Advanced Subject Detection, which allows the camera to detect and track non-human moving subjects like animals and vehicles. With Smart AUTO, all you have to do is frame your shot and capture away.
- Shoot brilliant 720p HD video with a dedicated movie button.
Gorgeous HD Video From Your Still CameraYou can shoot high definition video anytime, anywhere right from the pocket-sized A2300 digital camera. With a simple push of the dedicated movie button, you'll be able to instantly record every moment in motion. 720p HD video is smooth, vivid, and beautifully lifelike, making it an ideal way to capture special memories. In addition to being able to shoot 720p HD video at 25 frames per second, the PowerShot A2300 can also shoot 640 x 480 VGA video at 30* frames per second.
- A 16.0 Megapixel Image Sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor for exceptional performance.
High Resolution, Highly Advanced Performance
With the camera's 16.0 Megapixels of resolution, your images are rich and clear, with textures and tiny details faithfully reproduced even at the long end of the 5x Optical Zoom. This high level of resolution is ideal for creating the largest prints, and allows you the flexibility to blow up and crop any section of an image to express your creativity. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor powers the camera's advanced systems and features, ensuring fast, reliable performance with low battery consumption.
DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Canon DIGIC Image Processors have set the standard for functionality and performance since their groundbreaking introduction in 1999. With each successive generation, DIGIC processors have brought elevated performance and powerful new features to PowerShot digital cameras. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor has ushered in a new level of picture quality and accelerated processing, making possible features such as high-speed continuous shooting, HD video and Face Detection Self-timer.
- 5x Optical Zoom with 28mm Wide-Angle lens delivers stunning images.
Zoom in on Wider, Steadier Shots
The 5x Optical Zoom (35mm equivalent: 28140mm) in PowerShot A2300 digital camera delivers outstanding optical performance and versatility. It gives you a great range of potential images from a single location, which is perfect for sporting events and other occasions when your shooting stance is fixed, or times when moving in too close might disrupt the action you're trying to capture. The lens's 28mm wide-angle perspective puts more image in every frame for dynamic, exciting shots.
- Digital IS reduces the effect of camera shake and subject movement.
Say Goodbye to Blur
Digital IS beats the blur that mars many shots by recognizing the main subject, then automatically applying the camera shake correction that best suits the situation. If the subject is a person, blur reduction processing is performed. For landscapes, cityscapes and other still scenes, the camera takes 3 quick successive shots and composes them into a single clear image. If the subject is moving, the camera takes 3 successive shots, then automatically saves the clearest image.
- Help Button provides simple explanations and easy controls of your settings.
Help You Won't Need Help to Find
The PowerShot A2300 digital camera is designed to be fun and easy to use, even for beginners. A new Help Button on the camera's exterior brings up the help menu any time you need it, right on the LCD screen. From here, you can scroll through a variety of topics that answer your questions with clear explanations, offer helpful shooting advice, and show you diagrams highlighting the position of any buttons you'll need.
- Lithium-ion battery makes it easy to recharge your batteries.
Charge Up and Go!
The Canon PowerShot A2300 digital camera uses a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. This compact, powerful battery helps make it a lightweight and slim camera. Charge-up is quick and easy, so the PowerShot A2300 will be ready and waiting for those special moments.
- Available in black, silver, blue, and red.
A Color Just Right for You
While the classic black camera will always be right for a lot of photographers, Canon recognizes that others will long for colors that express their individuality. Accordingly, the PowerShot A2300 digital camera is offered in a range of hues from subtle to vibrant, fun to chic. Take your pick from black, silver, blue, and red.
Canon PowerShot A2300 Digital Camera Specifications
- Type: Compact digital camera with built-in flash, 5x Optical, 4x Digital, and 20x Combined Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer
- Type: 16.0 Megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD
- Total Pixels: 16.6 Megapixels
- Effective Pixels: 16.0 Megapixels
- Focal Length: 5.0 (W) - 25.0 (T) mm (35mm film equivalent: 28 (W) - 140 (T) mm)
- Digital Zoom: 4x
Focusing Range:
Normal: 2.0 in. (5cm) - infinity (W), 3.9 ft. (1.2m) - infinity (T)
Auto: 1.2 in. (3cm) - infinity (W), 3.9 ft. (1.2m) - infinity (T)
Macro: 1.2 in. - 2.0 ft. (3-60cm) (W)
- Autofocus System: TTL Autofocus
- Optical Viewfinder: N/A
- LCD Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle
- LCD Pixels: Approx. 230,000 dots
- LCD Coverage: Approx. 100%
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8 (W) - f/6.9 (T)
Shutter Speed:
1 - 1/2000 sec.
15 - 1/2000 sec. (Total shutter speed range)
- Sensitivity: Auto, ISO 100/200/400/800/1600 (in P mode)
Light Metering Method:
Evaluative*, Center-weighted average, Spot**
* Facial brightness is evaluated in Face Detect (Face Detect AE)
** Fixed to center
- Exposure Control Method: AE Lock
Exposure Compensation:
± 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments
(Not available when shooting movies)
White Balance Control:
Auto*, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom
*Facial color is evaluated in Face Detect (Face Detect WB)
Built-in Flash: Auto, On, Slow Synchro, Off
Facial brightness is also evaluated in Face Detect.
- Flash Range: 1.6 - 9.8 ft. (W), 3.3 - 6.6 ft. (T) (50 cm - 3.0 m (W), 1.0 - 2.0 m (T)
- Recycling Time: 10 seconds or less (Battery Voltage: 3.7V)
- Flash Exposure Compensation: N/A
Shooting Modes:
Auto, P, Live View Control, Digital IS, Portrait, Face Self-timer, Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome,
Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, Discreet, iFrame Movie*
*Shooting movies is possible with the movie button.
- Photo Effects: N/A
Self Timer: Approx. 10-sec delay/approx 2-sec delay/custom*
* Delay time (0 - 15 sec. (in one-second increments), 20/25/30 sec.) and number of shots (1 - 10 shots (in one-shot increments) can be specified.
- Wireless Control: N/A
Continuous Shooting:
Approx: 0.8 shots/sec. (In P Mode)
Approx. 2.8 shots/sec. (In Low Light Mode)
- Storage Media: SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card
- File Format: Design rule for Camera File System, DPOF (Version 1.1) compliant
JPEG Compression Mode:
Still Images: Exif 2.3 (JPEG)
Movies: MOV (Image data: H.264; Audio data: Linear PCM (2 channel monoaural))
Number of Recording Pixels:
Still Images:
[Large]: 4608 x 3456
[Medium 1]: 3264 x 2448
[Medium 2]: 1600 x 1200
[Small]: 640 x 480
[Widescreen]: 4608 x 2592
[Miniature Effect]: 1280 x 720*1, 640 x 480*2
[iFrame Movie]: 1280 x 720 (25 fps)
[Other than the above]: 1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps*3)
*1 Shooting: 5 fps / 2.5 fps / 1.25 fps Playback: 25 fps
*2 Shooting: 6 fps / 3 fps / 1.5 fps Playback: 30 fps*3
*3 Actual frame rate is 29.97 fps.
- Playback Modes File:
Still Images and Movies:
Discreet, Auto Rotate, Rotate, Search Jump (Shot Date, 10 images, 100 images, Movies, Still Images), Slideshow
Still Images:
Single, Index (4-100 Thumbnails), Magnification (Approx. 2x-10x), Information Display, Histogram, Overexposure Warning, Resume Playback, Red-Eye Correction, i-Contrast, Resize,
Normal Playback*1, Pause, Skip Backward*2, Previous Frame*3, Next Frame*3, Skip Forward*2
Displays playback position and shooting time
*1 Audio settings available in 5 levels
*2 Approximately 4 seconds
*3 Rewind and Fast-forward are also available
- Erase Modes:
Single Image*, Erase All
The image data in the memory card stored with the design rule for camera file systems format can be erased (however, protected images cannot be erased).
* Movies can be erased individually.
- Computer Interface:
- Video Out: NTSC/PAL (unified type dedicated connector (female)) with digital, audio and video
- Audio Out: Monaural (unified type dedicated connector (female)) with digital, audio and video
- Other:
- Power Source:
- Shooting Capacity: Approx. 210 shots
- Playback Time: Approx. 5 hours
Hi-Speed USB*1 (Dedicated connector (female) with unified type of digital, audio and video*2)
*1 Use of USB logomark is not allowed.
*2 mini-B compatible.
Memory card slot; direct connection to Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Inkjet Photo Printers and PictBridge-compatible printers via camera's USB 2.0 Hi-Speed cable
1. Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery NB-11L
2. Compact Power Adapter CA-DC10 (included with AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC90)
- Operating Temperature: 32-104°F/0-40°C
- Operating Humidity: 10-90%
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.72 x 2.13 x 0.79 in. (94.4 x 54.2 x 20.1mm)
- Weight:
Approx. 4.41 oz./125 g (Including the battery and memory card)
Approx. 3.84 oz./109 g (Camera body only)
Note: 30 display languages provided (English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Ukrainian, Malaysian, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Greek, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Farsi, Hindi, Vietnamese, and Japanese) All data are based on Canon's Standard Test Method. Subject to change without notice.
- PowerShot A2300
- Battery Pack NB-11L
- Battery Charger CB-2LD
- Wrist Strap WS-800
- USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
- Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM


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A quick look at the elliptic exp and elliptic log
Here is a quick look at the two components of the elliptic exponent and its derivative. All of the following graphics use the parameters . The double periodicity of the function and the poles of order 2 to 4 are clearly visible.
The last pair of graphics shows the elliptic logarithm over the complex ‐plane. Compared with the direct function, it is relatively structureless.


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How long will the boom in the display market last?February 22, 2015The year 2014 had been a meaningful and remarkable year for the display industry. For the first time in four years, LCD fabs around the world ran above 90% of their full capacity. Panel prices started to rebound in the first half amid various demand-push factors. In results, many panel manufacturers began to see their profitability improving, which in return helped lift their stock prices.
[Display Dynamics] Three issues surrounding the AMOLED market in 2015January 16, 2015In 2014, the AMOLED panel industry was apparently baffled by an unexpected dip in demand. Many of the flagship smartphones featuring AMOLED were not welcome in the market, and AMOLED for TVs and tablets, though launched as an ambitious bid, also fell flat due to its weak price competitiveness not matching up to that of liquid crystal display (LCD). That is why the year 2015 is going to be a very important year for the AMOLED panel industry. First of all, it would need to regain the lost pride in the smartphone panel market and strengthen the price competitiveness of the AMOLED for TV and tablet use.
A year after large OLED TV launch, what is the future direction of OLED TV market?April 28, 201455" OLED TV has launched in 2013, but its impact did not meet the expectation of market. So we need to consider why OLED TVs was not so attractive now, and what will be the key factor of market changer. And IHS show the market forecast of OLED TV panels.
Samsung and LG explore alternative AMOLED strategiesFebruary 24, 2014The move by Samsung Display and LG Display to explore other avenues for AMOLED use comes at a time when the panels, delivering high contrast ratios and superior images, may have hit a wall in the smartphone space. Performance has been lower than expected for some flagship smartphone models in the high-end segment, where AMOLED panels are used in the largest volume, and the panel market has suffered as a result.Subscribers Only
Challenges and solutions for AMOLED panel makersJanuary 15, 2014Competition in the AMOLED panel market will be intensifying between Samsung Display and latecomers who want to catch up. In particular, close attention needs to be paid to Chinese panel makers, including BOE, EDO, Tianma, and Visionox, as they are moving to mass produce AMOLED panels to meet domestic demand. IHS has published a report as update to the 2013 edition to analyze technologies, issues and trends facing the AMOLED panel industry in the display panel market and look at corporate strategies for the future market growth.
South Korea to Lead AMOLED Panel Industry through 2015April 01, 2013The AMOLED panel market posted sharp growth in 2012: Shipments jumped 65.9% to amount to $15.3 billion while sales hiked 75.6% to more than $9.5 billion, compared to 2011...Subscribers Only


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Modern 'til Midnight
- October 11, 2013 6:00 PM
Modern 'til Midnight
Friday, October 11
6 pm to midnight
Admission is $20; advance tickets no longer available, please buy at the door.
Free for Modern members
In the case of inclement weather, concert will be moved inside. Program schedule subject to change. No refunds.
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is proud to announce the ninth annual Modern 'til Midnight on Friday, October 11, from 6 pm to midnight. An eclectic array of live music will be featured during the Modern's extended, late-night hours. In addition, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy unique gallery activities, films, and exceptional cuisine from Café Modern. Admission is $20; free for Modern members.
Live music from local and national artists
The following lineup of musicians will perform outside against the Modern's reflecting pond:
Dan Croll
"He could have been a rugby player, but this boy From Nowhere has turned to folkie-endorsed electronic music instead. Think Paul Simon jamming with Prince." Paul Lester, The Guardian.
Ronnie Heart
Fantasy space funk from a cosmic era. Body music.
Yells at Eels
Yells At Eels, led by world-renowned trumpeter Dennis Gonzalez, is Dallas's premier family jazz trio, and this is their 14th year of existence, having traveled all over Europe, the US, and Mexico to spread their message of music and high-energy fun.
Steve Watkins of DFW.com writes, "Some bands I have to warm up to, but these guys won me over right off the bat with killer jazz/prog rock instrumental sound that woke up the room. [Kyle] Harding's bass work is phenomenal; and while I am most familiar with Landon [Cabarubio]'s keyboard work . . . his guitar leads were at once frantic, precise and tastefully done." Watkins goes on to say, "There are a lot of musicians that can play fast, but it's rare to find a band so unbelievably tight and intricate."
Film Program
Modern 'til Midnight features a screening of Sinfonía de Opuestos (Symphony of Opposites) in the auditorium at 8 pm.
Diana María González Colmenero works on archival projects through the appropriation of visual material and pre-existing information - film photograms, images, video clips, texts, quotes, etc. - which she fragments, classifies, and rearranges into a video essay.
Sinfonía de Opuestos
From 27 Mexican films made between 1919 and 2005 with plots and characters directly relating to Mexico City, Diana María González Colmenero has developed a chronicle of the city through its cinematic representation. From these films, she has extracted sequences starring the city itself, disregarding each movie's plot. These sequences, shots, frames, and atmospheres have been reconstructed in video by reshooting the exterior locations of the films in the present. González Colmenero uses this material to create a video essay that analyzes the transformation of the city through changes in the landscape, transport, industrialization, costumes, traffic, modes of behavior, and groups of people in public spaces, among other aspects.
Café Modern and Lobby Bar
Cash bars are available from 6 pm until last call at 11:30 pm. Enjoy a global assortment of Modern appetizers and Café Modern food service in the restaurant from 5 to 9 pm. The Modern Grill will offer hamburgers, hot dogs, and picnic fare available for dining outside on the lawn from 6 to 11 pm. Beverages and food are not included in admission price. Bars are cash only.
Café Modern will have picnic basket dinners for two available to preorder for $40.
Baskets include:
Antipasto Box – Assorted Meats, Cheeses, Marinated Vegetables and Olives
Chips & Dips - House-made Potato Chips with a Duo of Fresh Dips
Mini Sandwich Box – Grilled Steak & Horseradish Sandwich with Arugula, Fall Chicken Salad with Apples & Pecans
Baguette, Cookies, Bottled Water
A choice of wines is available with the basket, starting at $28 per bottle. Call 817.840.2174 to reserve your basket by October 10.
The Modern Glow-in-the-Dark Pop Up Shop
The Modern Shop moves outside! Visit the Shop by the pond. Purchase a t-shirt at the Pop-Up Shop during Modern 'til Midnight, and get a free tote bag!
Happenings in the Galleries
The special exhibition México Inside Out: Themes in Art Since 1990 will be on view, along with select works from the Modern's permanent collection. Throughout the evening there will be special activities in the galleries, including spotlight tours, and art explorations. Modern 'til Midnight admission includes access to the galleries.


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At least that is what I am telling myself when I get around to kicking myself in the ass for spending an entire evening playing with timewasters. But they are the cream of the crop when it comes to timewasters. Nothing but the best for you, my friends!
Star Trek Yourself - Need I say more? For those of you who really do not have a clue, I am a Vulcan.
MadMen Yourself - Set in 1960s New York, the sexy, stylized and provocative AMC drama Mad Men follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell. The series also depicts authentically the roles of men and women in this era while exploring the true human nature beneath the guise of 1960s traditional family values. I think it made my butt look big so I cut that part out of the end result.
Be Funky Yourself - A photo app that lets you do everything to your pics from going Warhol to charcoal-drawing to stencil. I went with the charcoal-izing feature.
Pho-ho-oto Booth Yourself - Are you still searching for the right caliber of cheesiness when creating your own gawdy retrofied look?
Create Your Very Own Donut - This is such a tease, you get to create your own donut - type of dough, filling, frosting, etc. - and then they leave you a drooling donut junkie with a photo of your creation to haunt you until you can't take it anymore and you get in the car with the photo of the damn donut and you drive all over town looking for a donut shop that will let you make your own donut and . . .
Well now that I have that out of my system, I am ready for some serious genealogical research. Now where did I put it........
Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. ~ Yeats
01 January 2010
Oh Yeah, I Am Off To A Great Start For The New Year
5 comments:
Awesome!!! Am now busy wasting time so can't write a long comment! :-)ReplyDelete
Well, I see what I'm going to be doing with the rest of my all-day-long-in-my-pajamas day.ReplyDelete
You make a pretty cute Spock. Happy New Year.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2010 at 12:33 AM
Amazing as alwaysReplyDelete
Unreal. Like, the time you waste, where did it really belong? Sleeping, researching, writing, shopping, cooking, walking the dog? Not fair. I want time to do this. Habby Dew Year you bundle of energy.ReplyDelete
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Roaring house fire engulfs Carnegie home
Investigators say couple on Howard Avenue used propane instead of gas
Huge flames engulfed a house in Carnegie on Thursday morning.
The fire on Howard Avenue was reported at about 7:15 a.m. Cellphone video shot by a witness shows the flames roaring in the front of the home.
Photos: Large fire rattles Carnegie neighborhood
"I heard what I thought was a car hitting the building, my building shook. I ran outside and the building across the street was on fire. The house was engulfed in flames," said witness Karen Seibel.
A neighbor reported seeing a propane tank flying several hundred feet into the air. Investigators said the couple living at the home used propane instead of gas.
Neighbors identify the couple as Andy Welsh and Colleen Rohm. They were taken to a hospital to be treated for minor burns.
Investigators say the gas had been shut off for a while but the couple had electricity. They were sleeping in the living room and were awakened when they noticed their couch on fire.
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal said small propane cylinders were in the house and they exploded, which caused the alarming booming sound heard by residents nearby.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. Right now, investigators say it looks like an accidental electrical fire.


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1622-1644 * Powhatan Wars Jamestown settlers and Powhatan Indians clash several times.
1637 * Pequot War Pequot Indians and Puritan settlers battle in the Connecticut River Valley region.
1675-1676 * King Philip's War Indian leader Metacomet (known as King Philip) organizes several New England tribes in a revolt against Colonial expansion.
1676 * Bacon's Rebellion Nathaniel Bacon leads two unauthorized expeditions against American Indians.
1677-1679 * Culpeper's Rebellion Albemarle, Carolina-area colonists imprison the deputy governor, convene their own legislature and run the government.
1689-1697 * King William's War The French and their Indian allies attack British settlements in New York, New Hampshire and Maine.
1689-1691 * Leisler's Rebellion Militia captain Jacob Leisler proclaims himself governor of New York and tries to organize an expedition against French Canada.
1702-1713 * Queen Anne's War French and Indians attack British settlements including Deerfield, Mass. The British capture Acadia (later renamed Nova Scotia).
1711-1713 * The Tuscarora War Tuscarora Indians attack settlers living along North Carolina's Neuse and Pamlico rivers. Colonists end the uprising aided by troops and Yamasee Indians from South Carolina.
1715-1716 * Yamasee War Fed up with dishonest deerskin traders, the Creek, Yamasee, Apalachee, Savannah and Sarraw attack South Carolina settlements.
1739-1742 * War of Jenkins' Ear England declares war on Spain as both nations try to expand their interests in America. Fighting ends in a stalemate.
1744-1748 * King George's War French, Indians and Spanish fight the British from French Canada to the Caribbean Sea.
1754-1763 * French and Indian War British regulars and American colonials square off against the French and their Indian allies. The capture of Quebec ends French rule in Canada.
1760-1762 * Cherokee uprising A breakdown in relations between the British and Cherokee leads to fighting in Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas.
1763-1766 * Pontiac's War Led by Pontiac, the Ottawa, Wyandot, Pota-watomi and Ojibwa attempt to drive British settlers out of former French territories.
1763-1764 * Paxton Boys Uprising Pennsylvania frontiersmen march on Philadelphia and raid the Conestoga Indians.
1765-1766 * Stamp Act Revolt The Sons of Liberty resist the Stamp Act, which the British repeal in March 1766.
1768-1771 * Regulator War Colonists in western North Carolina fight government officials and militia troops.
1770 * Boston Massacre British soldiers kill five Boston residents.
1773 * Boston Tea Party Colonists dressed as Indians board ships in Boston Harbor and dump tea into the water.
1774 * Lord Dunmore's War Shawnee Indians fight Virginia settlers over colonists' expansion into the Appalachians.
1775-1783 * American Revolution The 13 Colonies fight for independence from Great Britain.
1786-1787 * Shays' Rebellion Suffering from a harsh economy, Massachusetts farmers march on Springfield; the state militia defeats the uprising.
1790-1812 * Ohio Valley campaigns US forces fight sporadic battles with Miami, Shawnee and other tribes in present-day Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
1794 * Whiskey Rebellion Western Pennsylvanians protest the government's new tax on whiskey.
1798-1800 * Quasi-war with France French privateers prey on US merchant vessels, prompting an undeclared naval war between the United States and France.
1801-1805 * First Barbary War The US attacks the Barbary state of Tripoli after refusing to pay tribute to pirates.
1812-1814 * War of 1812 The United States takes on British forces, which burn Washington, DC.
1815 * Second Barbary War Algiers declares war on the United States.
1817-1818 * First Seminole War Conflict begins after US authorities try to reclaim runaway black slaves living among the Seminoles.
1832 * Black Hawk War Illinois and Wisconsin militia, supported by the US Army, take on the Sauk, Fox, Win-nebago, Sioux and Chippewa tribes.
1835-1842 * Second Seminole War War erupts after Seminoles refuse to relocate west of the Mississippi River.
1836 * War of Texas Independence American settlers in Texas fight Mexico for independence.
1838-1839 * Trail of Tears US soldiers relocate Cherokee Indians from eastern states to territory in what's now Oklahoma. More than 4,000 Cherokee die during the journey.
1838-1839 * Aroostook War Maine farmers and Canadian lumbermen clash over territory along the border.
1839-1846 * Anti-rent War New York farmers rebel against a feudal landowner system.
1842 * Dorr Rebellion An attempt to reform Rhode Island's 1663 charter, which gives only landowners the right to vote, becomes an armed uprising.
1846-1848 * Mexican War Mexico cedes present-day California, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada to the United States.
1864-1868 * Navajo wars After a series of treaties fails, Col. Kit Carson begins a scorched-earth policy that forces the Indians to surrender.
1855-1858 * Third Seminole War The Seminole Indians are defeated and moved from Florida.
1857-1858 * Utah War President Buchanan sends troops to enforce his appointment of a non-Mormon governor.
1860-1900 * Plains and Western Indian wars Western states witness conflicts between US settlers and American Indian inhabitants.
1861-1865 * American Civil War Southern states secede over states' rights and slavery issues. The North fights to keep the Union intact.
1866-1871 * The Fenian War An Irish-American movement launches five unsuccessful raids in Canada.
1898 * Spanish-American War America declares war on Spain and launches offensives in Cuba and the Philippines.
1899-1902 * Philippine Insurrection US ground troops clash with Filipino freedom fighters.
1900 * Boxer Rebellion The United States is part of an international force that ends a siege of Beijing.
1898-1934 * The Banana Wars Marines deploy to quell revolts in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama and Cuba.
1916-1917 * Pancho Villa Expedition Thousands of US troops enter Mexico in pursuit of the bandit and revolutionary Pancho Villa.
1917-1918 * World War I More than 4 million Americans serve in the "The Great War."
1919-1920 * Russian Revolution US forces deploy to Vladivostok and Siberia to support anti-Bolshevik forces.
1941-1945 * World War II More than 16 million Americans fight in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific.
- US Military Records Family Tree University Independent Study course download
- Online Military Records: Document Your Ancestor's Service on-demand webinar
- Step-by-Step Guide: Civil War Genealogy Research


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Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), also known by his stage name Diddy or P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and businessman. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally known as Puff Daddy and then as P. Diddy (Puff and Puffy being often used as a nickname, but never as recording names). In August 2005, he changed his stage name to simply "Diddy", but continues to use the name P. Diddy in the United Kingdom as the result of a lawsuit. He formed and recorded with the group "Diddy - Dirty Money".
Combs was born in Harlem and grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. He worked as a talent director at Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records in 1993. His business interests under the umbrella of Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide include Bad Boy Records; the clothing lines Sean John & Sean by Sean Combs; a movie production company; and two restaurants. He has taken the roles of recording executive, performer, producer of MTV's Making the Band, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and Broadway actor. In 2011 Forbes estimated his net worth at $475 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
Sean Combs was born in a public housing project in Harlem, New York, the son of Janice, a model and teacher, and Melvin Earl Combs. He grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. When Combs was a child, his father, aged 33, an associate of Frank Lucas (the New York drug lord), was shot to death in his car at a Manhattan park after attending a party. Lucas and rival gangster Nicky Barnes both publicly state that they were close to Melvin.


text: Turfway Aftercare Program Mails First Checks Thursday, May 17, 2012 12:00 AM General FLORENCE, Ky., May 17, 2012 – The Turfway Aftercare Program has written its first checks, sending funds to four racehorse adoption groups in April and May. The program was developed last year to assist groups that accept retiring racehorses, prepare them for life off the track, and place them in new homes. For 2011, a total of $11,818 was distributed among New Vocations, Second Stride, the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, and, due to special circumstances, Old Friends. The distribution was determined by the number of retiring "Turfway" racehorses each agency accepted during the calendar year 2011. A "Turfway" horse is one that either was stabled at Turfway Park at the time of its acceptance into an adoption program or ran its final race at the track. Altogether 37 horses met the criteria to be included in the 2011 accounting.The Turfway Aftercare Program is funded by horse owners, who pay $1 each time one of their horses runs at the track, and by Turfway, which matches the per-start fee. While the program did not officially begin for owners until September 2011, Turfway added its share retroactive to January 1, the start of the 2011 Winter/Spring Meet.The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association worked with Turfway Park management to define contributions to the opt-out program.All agencies that receive funds must meet standards determined by the track, be based in Kentucky or have an established satellite location in the state, and be able to take physical possession of horses. Additionally, in the future agencies must also be approved by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, part of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance.Turfway has been accredited by the Safety and Integrity Alliance since that organization began accrediting racetracks in 2009. The track earned reaccreditation in 2011.While the Turfway Aftercare Program is now in its second year as a funding mechanism, Turfway has maintained a surrender stall since 2008. The surrender stall program gives owners the option to leave a retiring horse in Turfway's care, provided certain conditions are met. The track then works to place the horse with one of its partner agencies. Although track employees have physically cared for perhaps half a dozen surrender stall tenants since the program began, most owners have opted to continue to pay their trainers to keep a surrendered horse in familiar surroundings while Turfway arranges placement and transportation.While Old Friends has long provided horses a home in retirement, the group does not place horses for adoption. Old Friends was included in the 2011 distribution in appreciation for the group's willingness to accept Stormy Passage, a claiming horse in the surrender stall that required immediate and intense veterinary care and lengthy rehabilitation at a time when adoption agencies were filled to capacity.###


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Every Cologne resident has more than their fair share of zest for life and partying spirit – it's in their DNA. After all, Cologne is more than just a city – it is a matter of the heart, an emotion and an unfalteringly positive state of mind. At the root of this outlook are carnival, kölsch beer and, of course, Cologne Cathedral.
When you hear cheers of "Kölle alaaf" across Cologne, it can mean only one thing: the mayhem of carnival has arrived (or Fastelovend as it's also known). 'Completely crazy' or 'out of its mind' don't even come close to describing the scenes in the cathedral city the week before Ash Wednesday. Carnival season begins in Cologne on 11 November at 11.11am and finishes on Ash Wednesday as it does everywhere else in Germany. But that's where the similarities end. As everyone can see, Cologne carnival is in a league of its own, especially in the final week when the street carnival has the city firmly in its grip. To experience Cologne's unique exuberance at any other time of year, drop in to one of the traditional and welcoming bars in the area around Alter Markt and Heumarkt square or the large brewery taverns scattered throughout the old quarter. Kölsch – the city's signature beer – never stops flowing there, the kitchens dish up Rhineland specialities and there is so much friendly and light-hearted revelry you would think it were carnival all year round. Every type of kölsch has its own distinctive flavour – and, of course, its own brewery. The beer waiters, known as Köbes, remain immune to the general merriment: a certain gruffness is the hallmark of a genuine Köbes. The only thing that can dim the exuberance of Cologne's residents lies some 30 kilometres up the river Rhine in the form of Düsseldorf, whose reserved character couldn't be more different to Cologne's wild exuberance.
The scores of clubs, pubs, bars and restaurants in the city are heaving with locals and tourists, young people and students, particularly at the weekends. Popular haunts are the student district Kwartier Latäng, Friesenviertel, Belgisches Viertel, Südstadt and – increasingly – Ehrenfeld, traditionally an industrial quarter. Prices are surprisingly reasonable, especially for a city of this size. But it's not just carnival, bars and breweries. Cologne's vibrant arts and music scene also encapsulates the city's lust for life. The Cologne Musical Dome is the city's biggest theatre, with 1,700 seats, and is famed for its spectacular productions. Then there's Christopher Street Day, Germany's largest event for the gay and lesbian community. Alternatively, a home match for the city's Bundesliga football team never fails to entertain – even if the club's position in the league table doesn't always live up to the fans' high hopes.
Something guaranteed to surpass expectations, however, is the city's museum scene, in particular the magnificent Ludwig Museum which features works by Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein. There's also the Romano-Germanic Museum, where the exhibits span 2,000 years of history, the Wallraf Richartz Museum, with art from the Middle Ages through to the 19th century, and the chocolate museum for sweet-toothed visitors. If the culture and excitement of Cologne takes its toll and you need some time to relax, head to Rhine Park, one of the largest and prettiest in the city. Locals describe this park on the eastern bank of the Rhine as being on the 'wrong' side of the river. Nevertheless, you can get over there on the cable car. And if, after all that, you still have some time to spare, why not head to KölnTriangle? At a height of 100 metres, the observation deck offers probably the best view of Cologne old town and its . On a fine day, you might even see as far as Düsseldorf – just don't tell your friends in Cologne!
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Favorite Post Secrets: (Twelve Out Of Fifty Two)
Posted by Shannshine at 8:44 PM 2 comments
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"You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class-time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but high school does." -Tom Petty


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The Missouri House has passed legislation attempting to make criminals out of U.S. authorities who enforce federal firearm laws in Missouri.
Democrats noted Wednesday that the legislation likely violates the U.S. Constitution, which gives supremacy to federal laws over state laws. But Republicans pressed forward anyway while asserting that President Barack Obama's gun policies and proposals infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
The bill makes it a felony punishable by up to four years in prison for federal agents to try to enforce any federal laws or regulations relating to firearms and ammunition owned by Missouri residents.
The House already has passed numerous pro-gun measures this year. The latest legislation was approved 117-43 and now goes to the Senate.


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Inkjet printers, are rather common in households and small scale offices. These printers are cheap because the technology used in them is cheap — ink spraying. There are cartridges filled with ink and an electrical circuit to control which pores are opened and which are not. And it generates the characters and images on the paper.
Why you should refill ink in the cartridges yourself?
Because, it's cheaper, and you do it properly. A lot of shops can be found offering cartridge refilling services, but they charge like $1 or more for refilling a cartridge and don't do it properly. I've often had to buy new cartridges due them filling poor quality ink and choking or spoiling the electrical circuits.
The refill kit is available for around $10 and half a litre of black ink costs around the same, $10. So if you calculate, you can refill the cartridge 50 times (assuming each refill takes 10mL) and the cost per refill comes out to be $0.4, including the equipment cost as well. If you don't include that, then it's $0.2. Very cheap!
Refilling cartridges may void warranty of your printer, so you better check with manufacturer's terms before attempting this.
For the environment enthusiasts, I would like to point out that refilling cartridges is environment friendly — because every time you buy a new cartridge, the product has gone through various industrial processes, new plastic is used, etc. Also, when you dump your old cartridge in garbage, it simply goes into dumping grounds and as you might be knowing, plastic takes ages to decay, so why not recycle it?
As of writing this, I myself have refilled my printer's black cartridge about 5 times, which means I saved $15 * 5 – $20 = $55.
Some printers have detachable print heads and others have non-detachable print heads. In printers with detachable print heads, the electrical circuits to control pores along with the ink supply are enclosed in one single detachable part (that's why detachable head). In printers with non-detachable heads, the electrical circuits to control pores are fixed with the printer, while the ink supply is a different unit and can be replaced.
If you have a printer with a non-detachable print head, make sure that you buy good quality ink, otherwise the pores could get blocked and would cost you a lot to get it repaired. You should be concerned about the ink quality even with detachable print heads, because the print heads cost around $12 or above, depending on the quantity of ink, the make, and other factors. You don't want to spend on new cartridges because the pores got choked due to bad quality ink, do you? But in general, if you have a printer with a detachable print head, you're on a safer side, in the sense that you can buy a new original cartridge if for some reason the one you're using gets choked.
Enough of discussion about print heads and stuff, now let's come to the point — how do you refill the cartridges?
In this article I'll be covering the refill process only for detachable heads due to certain limitations, which should give you an idea about refilling non-detachable heads as well. It's quite simple, there are holes provided to inject ink into the cartridge. The photo below is of a HP 21 cartridge (black). The top sticker has been removed and you can clearly see the hole.
Color cartridges have three holes instead of one, because they contain inks of three different colors – Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. If you want to refill color cartridges, you have to buy inks of all three colors separately. To refill the cartridge, you simply need a syringe, a needle and a bottle of ink. Yes, that's it! But, as I stated earlier, refill kits are available, which do a much better job. They come with a syringe and a blunt needle, so that you don't inject ink into yourself! Also, a case (box) to carry out the process so that spilling does not occur. Below is a photo of the ink refill kit I bought from eBay.
The process is very simple. You fill the syringe with ink and then inject it very slowly into the cartridge. If you bought a refill kit, then follow the kit's instructions.
That's all, enjoy refilling and saving the money as well the environment :)


text:
"Change of plans, carrot top."
Suitcase in tow, Lauren Bates smiled at Grandpa Lem's voice coming through her cell phone. "What, you're picking me up in your tractor?" She exited Refuge Airport. Southern Illinois welcomed her with breezy warmth and a bouquet of bright June colors she wasn't accustomed to in Texas.
Lem chuckled. "Ought to since you haven't come to see me in five years."
Guilt whooshed in like planes on runways nearby. "I know, Grandpa. I'm sorry. What's this plan change?"
"Accompany me to the ribbon-cutting of a new trauma center Doc Wellington founded at Eagle Point? Starts in half an hour."
Anxiety knotted her gut. Not only was she weary hearing about Dr. Wellington, a medical facility was the last place she wanted to be. She sighed. "For you, Grandpa, I'll endure it."
"Good. We're in a blue Dodge Ram. See you in a few."
"We?" She maneuvered past people cluttering the sidewalk.
"Yes. Dr. Wellington's helping me pick you up."
"Why would you need help?" Lauren canvassed curbside cars and spotted a spiffy blue truck near the front.
"I don't drive on streets anymore. Only fields."
Alarm slowed her steps. "Why not?"
"In case you forgot, I'm nearing a hundred."
She almost pointed out he was only turning seventy, but swift remembrance of her reason for this spur-of-the-moment trip halted her. Anticipation spiked as Lem exited the truck.
"Look who's here!" Grinning and hunched, he seemed older and slower than she remembered. Lauren rushed him with a hug. His bear strength was gone. Tears welling, she squeezed thin ribs.
She'd come because of his sudden uncharacteristic fear over turning seventy. Terror struck her now, too, but according to that Dr. Wellington he always spoke of, Lem was healthy. Still, she'd had to come see for herself. She should've come sooner.
"I'll take your bags," a deep voice said behind her. Strong hands reached around and deftly lifted Lauren's purse and colossal suitcase from between her and Grandpa.
Lauren turned. Grandpa leaned aside. Up stepped the most gorgeous creature ever.
Lauren gulped then remembered her manners. The tall man looked less like a doctor and more like a landscaper, with his deep tan and fit build. Intense and chiseled, yet polished like an airbrushed movie star. And he was her age. Not Grandpa's.
The doctor's easy smile tilted her world. His eyes were a stunning mixture of mostly silver with hints of blue. She gawked like a junior high geek facing the football captain.
"Mitch, this is my granddaughter," Lem said.
"Lauren, pleased to finally meet you."
Ooh, his voice! Pleasant. Deep. And, wow. He knew her name? She blinked. He blinked. Her gaze inched to the hot pink handbag draped over his manly shoulder. She tried not to laugh at the sharp contrast of megamuscles toting a tiny pink purse.
As though the striking doctor with the black hair cut in a military buzz and epic eyes suddenly caught on about the purse—and also diagnosed this weirdness between them as attraction—he lowered her handbag. He offered a sheepish grin and a masculine hand. When she settled hers into the strength of his, the warmth flowing from it enveloped her entire being.
No dead-fish handshake here. His was firm. Confident. Alabaster teeth gleamed from a mouth framed by a strong jaw. His grin gave way to a shy laugh.
She knew the feeling. She'd been bamboozled by attraction, too. "Nice to meet you, Dr. Wellington." She rescued his endangered ego by retrieving her purse from his fingers.
"It's Mitch." He tilted his head, openly assessing her. His hearty smile expanded and he seemed in no hurry to look away.
She cleared her throat and searched for something else exciting to stare at. Unfortunately, sidewalk cracks weren't near as interesting to behold as the dashing doctor.
Observing them, Grandpa chuckled as if having a private party with himself. Mitch moved first. He placed her suitcase behind the seat then assisted her in so she sat in the middle of the truck's seat. His grip was as sturdy, warm and steady as his fond gaze.
Mitch approached Lem. "Up you go, Gramps."
Lauren's irritation overrode Mitch's appeal, as he helped Grandpa in, then approached the driver's side. His shoulders were broad enough to require a rather pleasant pivot to enter the vehicle and, once inside, for her to move closer to Grandpa.
Not that she noticed.
"Where to?" Mitch asked Lem.
"Since Lauren's flight was delayed, she's coming to the ribbon-cutting so you're not late to your own party," Lem said.
Mitch laughed. The sound both grated and soothed. Grated because of the closeness he obviously shared with her grandpa, which stirred a surprise pot of jealousy. Soothing because Mitch's Grand Canyon voice could make a typhoon swoon.
At a red light, Mitch caught her stare. The corner of his mouth slid into a colossal smile.
"I expected you to be older," Lauren explained. "Grandpa talks about you nonstop."
"Likewise," Mitch said. "I feel like I know you."
Yikes! What all did he know? The failure she'd been?
"So, Lauren, how long will you be in town?" Mitch asked.
"Three months!" Lem announced. "I couldn't be happier." He beamed. Mitch did, too, which meant he obviously cared about Lem. How close were they? Drizzles of dread seeped into her stomach.
"How'd you manage to get so much time off?" Mitch asked.
"I'm between jobs right now. I'm opening a specialty shop in Houston with a friend this fall. We started the business from scratch in her home a year ago. Our client list and workload grew to the point where we needed more space."
"What's the specialty?" Mitch kept a keen eye on traffic.
"Sewing. We're leasing an historic building in town after receiving permission from local government and the Historical Society to open it. It'll be called Ye Olde Time Seamstress Shoppe. We're restoring the building's nineteenth-century period decor. Took a lot of wrangling and red tape but it's in the renovation stage now, so this was a perfect opportunity to finally visit Grandpa."
"She's getting over a much-needed breakup," Lem inserted.
Lauren smirked. "Grandpa's not letting me live it down."
Lem harrumphed. "Told you from the start he was no good."
Lauren noticed that Mitch navigated the roads with extra care. "You're a very safe driver," she commented. "I like that."
"A welcome change from her ex who regularly drove ninety. I know because she called me, often upset," Lem announced.


text:
Spend Your Dream Holiday in Lapland
Lapland is the largest, most genuine experience park in Finland. Its unique nature, diverse activities and fascinating attractions offer unique holiday experiences throughout the year. Experience the moments of twilight in mid-winter, northern lights, autumn colours and the midnight sun that shines day and night.
This section contains information on the activities and
experiences awaiting you in Lapland and introduces you to
different areas and their holiday destinations.
The Path is Yours to Find
Nature and its four seasons create an ideal backdrop for the wide range of travel services available in Lapland. The twelve tourist areas of Lapland offer guests unforgettable experiences all year round. Winter's white snow and the drifts of spring give way to the awakening of nature as Lapland is illuminated with summer light. Summer bows to the colourful array of autumn and the magical polar nights of Christmastime.
The culture of Lapland is a mixture of north and south, east and west. The culture of Lapland is broadly understood as the way of life and how to make a living. Sámi people, living in Lapland, are among the largest indigenous ethnic groups in Europe. And let's not forget - Finnish Lapland is also the home of Santa Claus and his reindeers.


text:
Okay, so onto the 30 DOI...I was reading THIS post by Dawn the other day and she enabled me...lol...I mean inspired me to purchase some of those Martha Stewart lace tags and play! So here is what I came up with...
A fun card set with a different opening than "normal". I dry embossed a small white card, embellished with the lace tag and heart and then attached it to a FLAT notecard so only the white part opens. Just mixing it up.
I used LOTS of distress inks to color the lace tags and hearts. There is just something special about distress ink mixed with Hero Arts goodies. :) I also sprayed the hearts with pearlized water. I love that look....
Here are the distress ink colors I used...
First Card: Lace-Tumbled Glass, Heart-Wild Honey
Middle Card: Lace-Chipped Sapphire, Heart-Barn Door
Last Card: Lace-Faded Jeans, Heart-Shabby Shutters
First Card: Lace-Shabby Shutters, Heart-Broken China
Middle Card: Lace-Scattered Straw, Heart-Dusty Concord
Last Card: Lace-Chipped Sapphire, Heart-Spun Sugar
Well, I hope I inspired you to do some creative play. I'm off to spend some time with my son and hubby. Have a great weekend!


text:
|"Are you a wizard or not?"
The title of this article is conjectural. Although it is based on canonical information, the actual name is a conjecture and may be supplanted at any time by additional information released from canonical sources. If this occurs, please move this page to the appropriate title.
- "Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers--"
- —The portrait screaming when Nymphadora Tonks knocks over the troll-leg umbrella stand with a crash[src]
A portrait of Walburga Black (1925—1985) was a life-sized, very realistic painting hanging in 12 Grimmauld Place, the house in which the real Walburga raised her sons and lived in with her husband. Claiming that it was the "house of her fathers", it is possible that she grew up there as well. Walburga was the mother of Sirius Black and Regulus Black and the matriach of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black pure-blood family, thus, her pure-blood supremacist views while she was alive clearly live on through her portrait.[1]
It is unknown exactly when the portrait was affixed permanently to the wall of 12 Grimmauld Place. The portrait depicts Walburga as an "old woman in a black cap", suggesting that it was painted in the last years of her life, when she was in mourning for her husband and her youngest son (both died in 1979). If this assumption is correct, then the portrait dates to the late 1970s or early 1980s.
Order of the Phoenix Headquarters
During the time in which the Order of the Phoenix used 12 Grimmauld Place as headquarters, the portrait was mostly an inconveinence as it meant everyone would have to be quiet in the halls so as to not awake the portrait of Mrs Black. Also, as Sirius Black detested his mother and living in his old house, the portrait was just a further reminder of the misery of being cooped up there again (on Albus Dumbledore's orders). The portraits's screams would often add to the chaos if something loud or exciting was going on at the house.[2][3]
During the Horcrux Hunt
- "Mudbloods, filth, stains of dishonour, taint of shame on the house of my fathers -- "
- —Walburga's portrait's attitude toward Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they stay in Grimmauld Place during the hunt for the Horcruxes[src]
When Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger fled to 12 Grimmauld Place after the news of the Fall of the Ministry of Magic interrupted the Wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour, the portrait of Mrs Black began to scream her usual "Mudblood" and "filth" insults when the dust-composed form of Dumbledore rose from the carpet which disintegrated when the person it advanced upon said the word kill or a variant as a precaution against Severus Snape returning to the house. Also, when Harry and his friends thundered down the stairs noisily they woke the portrait of Sirius's mother as they passed through the hall, who screamed "Filth! Mudbloods! Scum!" after them as they slammed the door behind them into the basement kitchen.[4]
Following the end of the Second Wizarding War, it is unknown if Harry Potter and his family moved back to 12 Grimmauld Place, nor is it known whether or not they ever managed to remove her portrait from the wall.
Walburga Black
- Walburga Black (1925 – 1985) was a pure-blood witch, the daughter of Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe and sister of Alphard and Cygnus. Walburga was probably raised in Grimmauld Place, since she called it the "House of my fathers". She married her second cousin Orion Black, thus her married name was the same as her maiden name, and had two children, Sirius and Regulus Black.[5] She died in 1985.
The Portrait
- "The moth-eaten velvet curtains Harry had passed earlier had flown apart, but there no was no door behind them, For a split second, Harry thought he was looking through a window, a window behind which an old woman in a black cap was screaming and screaming as though she was being tortured -- then realised it was simply a life-size portrait, but the most realistic, and the most unpleasant, he had ever seen in his life."
- —Harry's first experience with the portrait of Walburga Black[src]
- "The old woman was drooling, her eyes were rolling, the yellowing skin of her face stretched taut as she screamed, and all along the hall behind them, the other portraits awake and began to yell too, so that Harry actually screwed up his eyes at the noise and clapped his hands over his ears. Lupin and Mrs Weasley drated forward and tried to tug the curtains shut over the old woman, but they would not close and she screeched louder than ever, brandishing clawed hands as though trying to tear at their faces"
- —Description of Walburga Black's portrait screaming[src]
This happened several times when the Order of the Phoenix use Grimmauld Place as their headquarters after her death, and they tried unsuccessfully to remove the portrait for quite sometime.[2] She survived the deaths of her family, but the destruction of it may account for her final madness. After their deaths, she was alone in the house except for the family house-elf, Kreacher, who seemed equally deranged due to his parroting her beliefs, until Harry Potter came to know and treat him better one year after inheriting him.
- "Hello, Harry, I see you've met my mother"
- —Sirius Black grimly introduces the portrait of Walburga to Harry[src]
- "Stains of dishonour, filthy half-breeds, blood traitors, children of filth!"
- —Portrait of Walburga Black screaming at members of the Order of the Phoenix[src]
The portrait of Walburga had the exact same beliefs as the living Walburga Black. She was obsessed with blood purity, and her portrait would often scream insults at blood traitors, half-bloods, or muggle-born wizards. She had little affection for her son, Sirius Black as he was viewed as a blood traitor by the Black family but appeared to have a fairly good relationship with Sirius' younger brother, Regulus and was proud of him when he joined the Death Eaters. Although she was not a Death Eater herself, she was convinced that Voldemort was doing the right thing by trying to eliminate Muggles and bringing wizards and witches out of hiding. Walburga was kind to her house elf, Kreacher who shared her views on blood purity. Kreacher was very loyal to her.[2]
It is probable that the portrait is not an accurate representation of Walburga's character and opinions and simply a depiction of some of her stronger opinions.
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Walburga's portrait is not heard screaming nor is she herself viewed, but she could be heard muttering behind her curtain; as Harry is going up the stairs, Kreacher is polishing her portrait, and she can be heard muttering "Filth."
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 4 (Number Twelve Grimmauld Place)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 5 (The Order of the Phoenix)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 6 (The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 9 (A Place to Hide)
- ↑ Black family tree


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The President of the United States of, well, not really all of America, but more the mid-face of America, probably from America's hairline (Canada gets to be the hair) to its alarmingly narrow chin, has very recently embarked on a much-derided "soft" media tour that has avoided more serious-faced news peddlers in favor of ESPN, Entertainment Tonight and People, the magazine in which America learns all about the intermarrying of its unofficial royal families. Though some critics have been extra critical of President Obama's banter-tour through ESPN's inane "Top Ten" lists or as a guest pop-culture critic on a local news program in New Mexico, Stephanie Cutter, the Obama deputy campaign manager, said that outlets such as People and ET were just as important as CNN, to name just one.
"I don't think that they're more important," Cutter awkwardly told CNN, "but I think they're equally important. I think that's where a lot of Americans get their news. And I think the president's going to continue doing that." Though the Prez (that's a cool abbreviation for President (you're welcome)) may just be scoring some easy goodwill points ahead of the Democratic National Convention, Cutter's right — a lot of Americans get their news from People. And before we all groan and ask, "But America, why do you continue to disappoint everyone with your parochialism?" consider the Wolf Blitzer, a gnome that reads the news on CNN, got smoked like a Black and Mild in Jeopardy by Andy Richter, a comedian and late-night show sidekick.
Obama adviser says People magazine 'equally important' as political media [WaPo]