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Michelle Obama Hilariously Breaks Down Why Melania Trump's Inauguration Gift Exchange Appeared So Awkward
The former FLOTUS also explained to Ellen Degeneres how Barack stepped in and saved the day.
Jestina Clayton braids the hair of her daughter, Esther Clayton, 5, at her home. (Photo: AP Photo/Jim Urquhart)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A part-time hair braider sued Utah on Tuesday, claiming the state's requirements to obtain a cosmetology license are irrelevant to her job and an unconstitutional infringement on her right to earn a living.
Jestina Clayton learned how to braid hair as a 5-year-old in her West African home country of Sierra Leone. Now living outside Salt Lake City, the 28-year-old said she braids hair as a side business to support her two children while her husband finishes school.
Last year, Clayton discovered her business was illegal without a license. Utah law requires anyone working with hair, including hair braiders, to take about 2,000 hours of coursework in order to obtain a cosmetology license. Industry representatives say tuition for such classes could cost between $9,000 and $19,000 nationwide.
Clayton, who makes up to $4,800 on a good year, said that even if she could afford the classes, the courses in Utah do not specifically address hair braiding.
"It is ridiculous to force people trying to put food on the table to go into debt just to do so," said Clayton, who fled her war-torn home country for a better life in America. "I can understand if the state required us to take some health and sanitation courses, but taking cosmetology classes that don't even involve hair braiding doesn't make any sense."
Her lawsuit alleges that the requirement unnecessarily threatens her livelihood and infringes on her right to earn a living free from unreasonable government interference.
Clayton said the law is archaic and stems from a misunderstanding of safe African hair braiding practices, which do not include the use of chemicals or heat that can damage hair or cause injury.
Paul Avelar, a lawyer for the Arlington, Va.-based Institute for Justice, which filed the federal lawsuit with Clayton, said state laws requiring the arduous licensing process were born "out of ignorance."
Several states have laws regulating cosmetology and barbering that include hair braiding. Eight states, such as Utah and Iowa, require full cosmetology licenses, according to the Institute for Justice. A dozen states, including Texas and Florida, require specialized training, such as more than 30 hours in the classroom.
In 2005, Mississippi removed a requirement that African-style braiders complete 1,500 hours of cosmetology classes or 300 hours of wig course work. Professional braiders there now must take a self-guided test and pay a $25 fee.
Up to 10 states, including California and Arizona, exempt braiders from such laws.
Cosmetology industry representatives say the licensing requirements protect the public.
"If they don't have a license, then anyone can say they are a hair braider, and it's hard to say that person is only going to be braiding hair in a private business," said Brad Masterson, spokesman for the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Professional Beauty Association.
In recent years, there have also been accusations from the braiding community that governments were unfairly targeting the African art. In 2006, a Philadelphia law requiring hair braiders to get special licenses spurred debate over the plight of immigrant braiders, many of whom came to America with little money and often don't speak English, a skill they would likely need to get through certification.
Gov. Gary Herbert's office refused to comment Tuesday, saying the law is a legislative issue.
The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing told The Associated Press its board discussed Clayton's concerns but didn't have authority to change existing state law.
The former FLOTUS also explained to Ellen Degeneres how Barack stepped in and saved the day.
"When my teacher asks me a question thinking I'm not paying attention, but I get it right."


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Microsoft continues to humiliate Apple in both the desktop and server markets, with Apple's market share stuck stubbornly below 5 percent in the former, and hovering a fraction above 0 percent in the latter.
But when it comes to the mobile operating system market, it's Microsoft that's eating humble pie of a brand with a distinctly Apple flavor.
That's because despite its domination of desktop and server room operating system sales, Microsoft's attempts in the mobile arena have been lame, lame, lame, to say the least: After years of laboring, Microsoft's Windows Mobile managed a smartphone OS market share of just 9 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to Gartner. By contrast, Apple's iPhone has already bagged over 13 percent in just two years - and that figure is rising fast.
So the obvious question that comes to mind is this: Why does a company like Microsoft one that is so successful at selling desktop and server operating systems do so dismally in the mobile arena, and why does a company like Apple ome that is such a dismal failure in the desktop and server operating system market do so well in the mobile arena?
One reason the iPhone has succeeded so remarkably is because the competition's OSes are so bad. Symbian? Blackberry? Windows Mobile? Oh please! These fiddly little mobile OSes might have seemed acceptable until Apple burst onto the scene, but once the iPhone was released the game was over. Apple's mobile OS is so easy to use that anything else looks ridiculous in comparison. Even if it's not quite ready for enterprise prime time, it's changed the game and sent the other mobile OS makers scurrying to follow Apple's lead.
Will that stop the iPhone? Probably not. If we take a look at the desktop market, a major reason Microsoft's Windows has protected its position as top dog for years is because of the huge range of applications that run on it, including old, bespoke apps that won't easily run on anything else. Linux and OS X may be "as good" or "a little better" than Windows, but that has proven not to be enough to erode Windows' market share significantly.
So even if the other mobile players do manage to make an OS "as good" or "a little better" than the iPhone OS, they've probably missed the boat. It's the plethora of iPhone apps that are out there and that are still coming in droves that will likely ensure that the iPhone continues to thrive. Apple's App Store has tens of thousands of apps to run on the platform, while the numbers offered by the competition are laughable.
Market leader Nokia's market share is dropping rapidly, and if you're wondering why and want a laugh go visit Ovi, Nokia's app store. You'll find a few wallpapers and ringtones, but apps? The paucity of what's on offer beggars belief! Microsoft hasn't even gotten around to building an apps store for Windows Mobile yet, and Blackberry's App World is little better than Ovi.
What this means and you have to love the irony is that Apple's iPhone OS has become the Windows of the mobile world, the OS of choice for developers of consumer apps. But what must be troubling for Nokia, Research in Motion and Microsoft is that despite the considerable work they have put in over the past few years to establish their mobile OSes in the enterprise with centralized management and provisioning, encryption, remote device wipe, and so on Apple is also already attracting considerable enterprise user interest despite having done comparatively little in this regard.
A quick look at Apple's App Store shows plenty of business apps from the likes of Oracle, Salesforce.com, SAP and others that demonstrate that enterprise users are being wooed by big business.
What all this goes to show is that if you build an OS that blows away the competition in terms of looks and ease of use, as Apple has discovered with its iPhone OS, users will adopt it and developers will come. As Apple has learned to its cost in the desktop OS arena, being as good or a little better than the market leader simply isn't enough to avoid humiliation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pick your top 3 favorite episodes from Season 4!
Time to vote for season four! Timmay Timmay!
Fan Question: Is The Stick Of Truth the first official South Park game?
While there were previous South Park games, South Park: The Stick Of Truth was the first time Matt and Trey were directly involved in the development process of any South Park game.
South Park Fan Conspiracy: Craig Tucker
According to internet rumors… Craig's parents aren't really his genetic parents. We can neither confirm nor deny this, but here are the reasonings behind the theory.
Fan Question: When does the next season premiere?
Mark your calendars!
Fan FAQ 4/20: What's the deal with Towelie?
Don't forget to bring a towel!
Fan Question: Where did the idea for Sexual Harassment Panda come from?
Who lives in the east 'neath the willow tree?
Sexual Harassment Panda!
Fan Question: How does someone as awful as Cartman always avoid punishment for his behavior?
He's evil, but fortunately, he is also his own worst enemy. Here's just a handful of the times Cartman's got his privilege checked.
Fan Question: Why haven't you made an episode where butters has a girlfriend?
Check out this list of Butters' sordid love affairs.
Fan Question: Do you hand draw every scene?
Answer: South Park is not a traditionally animated show, and the "drawing" is only done in the very early phases of productions…
Fan Question: What's the episode with Crack Whore Magazine?
I remember seeing an old episode with Cartman's Mom on the cover of Crack Whore Magazine. What's the name of that one?
Welcome to the all new southpark.cc.com!
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After Sandy, Wi-Fi Becomes Precious Commodity
During an emergency, one of the most precious commodities is information and the ability to communicate it without impediments. When the old reliable phone networks are creaky and central offices are flooded and wireless phone networks are strained to the breaking point with demand for voice calls, one of the most precious things someone might be able to find is an open, free and reliable Wi-Fi connection.
With power out south of about 34th Street in Manhattan and throughout much of New Jersey and Long Island, it seems a little ridiculous at first to wonder where the steadiest free and open Wi-Fi hotspots are. But the need is there. The U.K.'s Daily Mail noted clumps of people in Manhattan huddling around working power outlets to charge devices, and also gathering near working Wi-Fi coverage outside, of all things, the closed Starbucks coffee joints.
I'm starting to gather as much information as I can find about available Wi-Fi. Here's what I've got so far:
Cable giant Comcast has opened up to anyone the Wi-Fi hotspots it usually reserves for its home broadband customers. Wi-Fi hotspots in Comcast territories in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine are open to anyone. Look for the xfinitywifi network name and when prompted click the "not a Comcast subscriber" link at the bottom of the sign-in page and then select "Complimentary Trial Session." You'll have to renew your session every two hours, and the offer goes until Nov. 7. You can find a map of working hotspots here.
In New York City, free Wi-Fi is usually available in city parks in partnership with AT&T, but since the parks are closed, and just getting close to one isn't exactly a good idea right now what with the falling trees and all, that's not much of an option.
There is a network of free and documented open Wi-Fi hotspots all over the city at NYCwireless.net, but the map appears not to be working. Instead I found a link to a PDF document that claims to be updated as of today, showing known hotspots around the city. Know this: Your mileage may vary.
Today, the Electronic Frontier Foundation announced a new organization called the Open Wireless Movement, dedicated to convincing people to take advantage of the guest networking functions on their Wi-Fi routers so that people can use them.
Adi Kamdar, writing for the EFF today, argues that people shouldn't have to skirt the rules of their wireless phone company's restrictions to tether their smartphone for wireless access. "And tethering would not be necessary if there were ubiquitous open wireless, so that anyone with a connection and power can share their network with the neighborhood."
Not a bad idea. I'll keep updating this post as I learn more about what's available and where.
Here's an update: I just got off the phone with a contact at Boingo Wireless, the WiFi service. The company operates a bunch of Wireless Hotspots in and around New York City, some in cooperation with a company called Towerstream. (See the Boingo map here.) I'm hoping to learn more about the conditions of the Towerstream hotspots shortly. [Update: As I suspected, since there's no power south of 34th St. in Manhattan, there's no Wi-Fi available from these hot spots.]
It turns out that Boingo has some promotions running. Through the end of today, it is running a deal with AOL. So look for a network named "Free AOL Wifi." I asked if it was possible to know for certain if the hot spots are working in areas where power is down — implying that maybe there's backup power — and the fact is it's hard to know so as I mentioned above your mileage may vary. But now you know that if you see that network name, you can use it for free."
Starting Thursday — tomorrow — Boingo is running a promotion with Microsoft. The network name is "Free Wifi by Microsoft." So look for that one then. Again, it's hard to know exactly where these hotspots are located, but if you're stuck in New York and looking for WiFi, keep an eye out.


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2016 Sea Ray 210 SPX @ Cancun
The Sea Ray SPX 210 is the embodiment of pure adrenaline. Great looks and loads of seating combine with a 200-horsepower MerCruiser engine and smooth, easy handling to ensure your day is a blast and a half. Thanks to a choice of smart options packages, it's never been easier to deck out your boat: Whether you favor fishing, watersports or cruising all day in comfort, there's an SPX package that's perfectly suited. And with a price geared for family budgets, the SPX 210 is remarkably accessible.Key Features
Not all accessories shown or described herein are standard equipment or even available as options. Some features and options may not be available when a boat is built for outside North America and/or has CE Certification. Options and features are subject to change without notice. Not all model-year boats may contain all the features or meet the specifications described herein. Confirm availability of all accessories and equipment with an authorized Sea Ray dealer prior to purchase.
La Empresa presenta la información de esta embarcación de buena fe
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Cancun, Valle Bravo, Acapulco, Ixtapa, Pto. Vallarta.
Mexico City


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Wednesday, June 9, 2010
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Federalist 9 was discussed earlier in this blog; the complete text of Federalist 10 is here. I am only writing on the first paragraph of Federalist 10, and this may undergo major revision later. I'm not sure about a few of my arguments —
1. On the significance of faction: Madison begins by setting up "faction" as a general problem – "a well-constructed Union" can "break and control [its] violence." Why is the problem of faction so important?
He goes on to claim that the "violence of faction" is a "vice" which has affected the "character and fate" of "popular governments." It requires a "cure," but one that does not involve a betrayal of principles.
Now Madison does not say that "faction" is a "disease," curiously enough. He instead says that "popular governments have everywhere perished" because of the "mortal diseases" of "instability, injustice, and confusion introduced into the public councils."
Already he has made "faction" blameless twice: it is, in-and-of itself, not a "vice," just its violence. Nor is it a disease, but it can introduce "diseases."
We must keep in mind that faction had caused the destruction of all previous popular governments. The most notable classical example of its effects of which I can think is in Thucydides' Peloponnesian War, 3.70 – 3.84, the revolution at Corcyra.
The Left, through Progressive beliefs, seems to hold a curious view of faction implicitly. Progress is tied to populism: that's the more fundamental sentiment that spurs things like the candidacy of Senator Obama. Diversity can show up as a means to progress, as it might create thoughts that would not be had otherwise, and perhaps also reveal itself as an end to progress. After all, if all minority groups get the rights they demand, we will be more diverse, no? (Or will we all be homogeneous, thinking that nothing really makes a difference?)
I bring up the Left to suggest that the difference between an utter fear of faction and an almost nonchalance about faction came about because of the success of the Constitution thus far. This is not meant to slight the thought of the modern Left in the least. (It should be noted that for Aristotle, however, political life is defined by something like faction – there will always be democratic and oligarchic elements in a regime, never just one).
2. The problem of majority faction: "The American constitutions" have made "valuable improvements on the popular models, both ancient and modern," Madison states. In doing so, he shows respect for the governments of the States, but for a very specific criterion – they have avoided the "violence of faction" and its "mortal diseases." Have they been effective enough in doing so?
Of course not. "Considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith and of public and personal liberty" have complained "that our governments are too unstable, that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties, and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority."
Now above, it was "adversaries to liberty" who liked to point out "the instability, injustice, and confusion introduced into the public councils" through faction. Here, it is "considerate and virtuous citizens" who are complaining.
The first list compared with the second list tells all – instability matches in both lists. But the "public good" is what confusion does not allow one to realize. The first list ends with "confusion" – it is that confusion which the "adversaries to liberty," we can presume, deplore above all. What "considerate and virtuous citizens" deplore most is "the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority:" the elaboration on this last point must have some significance. We are told injustice is explicitly tied to the use of force and abuse of rights of a minor party, and comes from "disregarding" the "public good."
So what is happening? The second list drops the word "confusion" entirely: we are already virtuous, we are already considerate, we are already "knowers" – we could regard the public good if we so chose (take note of the relation between reason and self-love later in the essay – that indicates this is a dark joke of Madison's). It is not government's job to educate, but rather to manage forces so none of us are tempted to violence.
The former list is a list of complaints by those of us who are skeptical the mass of people knows everything. We may feel government has some role educating, and that if it doesn't take that role seriously, or pretend that it doesn't educate, it will end up doing things like enforcing Political Correctness or funding the alienation of Christians while promoting other beliefs all while claiming it is value-neutral, only doing the "education" the people asked it to do via the law. You may argue that schooling can be taken wholly out of the hands of government, but as long as there is Law, the government educates by the fact of Law, even if there is no explicit mandate.
Even though Madison's logic is the logic of the Constitution, I am taking especial care to point out that any complaint against another person for "not knowing" ultimately hearkens back to classical thought. If you think someone should know better before participating in political life, then do recognize that the grounds of such a claim transcend the logic of faction.
We must wonder now about what was said of Progressive thought above – does Progressive thought embrace majority faction? In some sense yes: the popular will knows best, always. But in another sense, challenges to the popular will aid it in knowing itself, and finally, it does seem freedom via progress could mean a heterogeneous society ultimately. It could also mean everyone is made to be the same, and so the problem introduced above still remains. It looks like Progressive thought dodges this problem entirely, the problem of what society will actually be, for the problem of remedying injustice now.
And that really is the deep problem of faction – "factions" make competing claims about what is the Good, even in advancing their own interest. In ignoring this more significant claim, Madison and Progressive sentiments are united, strangely enough. Madison is pushing us to look at factions as motivated by self-interest, and to worry about a majority faction bullying everyone. The "Progressives" seem to be more partial to what would be a majority faction in effect, because of its greater significance of being the popular will. Neither seem to hold the Good as an end: the end is liberty, whether it is conceived through government's restraint (majority faction prevented from dominating) or government's ability (majority faction allowed to rule supremely). Liberty is looking a lot like "control," whether it is the control of the individual or the popular will.
3. Public, private and the states: Madison says that the existing governments have been "erroneously" blamed for some problems, but the "heaviest misfortunes" are definitely ascribable to them in part. The biggest problems are the "distrust of public engagements" and "alarm for private rights" – a "factious spirit has tainted public administration," and the effects are "unsteadiness" and "injustice." This is a third "list" of sorts: "unsteadiness" mirrors "instability" above, "injustice" has stayed constant. "Confusion" and its counterpart, an overbearing majority ruling all, are not discussed explicitly. The important thing is how the "public" is matched up with stability/security, and how "injustice" is a matter of "private rights."
Whose rights are being trampled by the States? People who are wealthier – creditors who loaned to farmers and were forced to accept money made worthless through purposely artificial inflation. Certainly there are plenty of poorer people losing their land and ending up in massive debt, but they're the ones who have recourse to "public engagements" ultimately, as they are literally the "many" – if they don't push the legislature to act, they can band together and march with those guns they had left over from the Revolutionary War.
I am not saying that the Constitution was imposed on Americans by members of a wealthy class. Rather, the perpetual political problem has always been few vs. many, and if you look at Thucydides above, you'll see that the poor can threaten to take away everything and force the rich to do something drastic. Usually that "drastic" thing does not involve fashioning a Constitution which is extremely responsive to the popular will – usually it involves killing some demagogue who was getting everyone riled up.
We know the end of this story. We know that property will be discussed in this very essay, and that property will be seen not merely as the guarantor of liberty but as the instantiation of liberty. All people will be free to acquire what they want and the amount they want, without threat of it being taken away. The term "faction" is purposely generic, as there is no more a substantial difference between the oligarchic and democratic element. They are not motivated by different principles. All men desire to be wealthy, and so the policies that would benefit the oligarchy are extended to all for the sake of equality of opportunity. The only twist I'm adding to the story is that equality of opportunity is tied to the chaos of factions being multiplied purposely (enlarged orbit) and the distance between those factions and those who would rule (representative gov't): it seems equality of opportunity, which our very existence as a public relies on, is only really provided for by overemphasizing the private. We get an efficient government at best when all is said and done, one that commands loyalty by being mainly in the background.


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George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in connection with the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida, sued the parent company of NBC News on Thursday, alleging that the network intentionally edited reports on the case to depict Zimmerman as a "racist and predatory villain."
Zimmerman, who is of Latino origin, is charged with shooting and killing Martin, 17, who was African-American, on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla. He faces trial on a second-degree murder charge next spring. The case became a rallying point for activists protesting what they said was the targeting of an unarmed black youth because of his race. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Seminole County, Fla., Circuit Court against NBCUniversal Media, alleges defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
NBCUniversal Media, which owns NBC News, said in a statement Thursday: "We strongly disagree with the accusations made in the complaint. There was no intent to portray Mr. Zimmerman unfairly. We intend to vigorously defend our position in court."
The lawsuit alleges that in reports aired in March the network intentionally misrepresented audio of Zimmerman's call to a police dispatcher on the night of the shooting, leaving viewers with the impression that Zimmerman was "motivated by racial stereotypes." The goal, the lawsuit alleged, was to "exploit the national attention surrounding this tragic situation" for ratings.
The lawsuit alleges that in the first report, on March 19, the call was intentionally edited to make it sound as though Zimmerman had volunteered the information that Martin was black, when he actually was responding to the operator's question about Martin's race, which was omitted. A similar report ran March 27, it said.
On March 20, the lawsuit alleges, the network incorrectly and intentionally stated Zimmerman used a racial epithet on the call.
In a statement on April 3, NBCUniversal Media apologized for the editing of the call, calling it an "error" that it "deeply regrets."
It dismissed three employees of the network and a local NBC station, according to published reports. Two of them are named in the lawsuit as defendants, along with NBC News' Ron Allen, the on-air correspondent for the March 20 report.
Attorneys for Zimmerman didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. But in the suit, they alleged that the apology was "bogus" and that NBCUniversal has "failed to broadcast an earnest and legitimate apology, retraction or correction."
The suit seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- 2012 warmest year in US? Odds rise to 99.7 percent
- Buzzkill: Feds fire warning shot over pot legalization
- Abortion mandate costs Planned Parenthood a few affiliates
- Contest to kill Burmese pythons in Everglades includes $1,500 grand prizes
- Video: $45 million worth of cocaine hauled in from sea


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The Blacklist season 4 is available in: Spanish English on Netflix Philippines
The Blacklist
Raymond "Red" Reddington, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, surrenders in person at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He claims that he and the FBI have the same interests: bringing down dangerous criminals and terrorists. In the last two decades, he's made a list of criminals and terrorists that matter the most but the FBI cannot find because it does not know they exist. Reddington calls this "The Blacklist". Reddington will co-operate, but insists that he will speak only to Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler.
After turning himself in, a brilliant fugitive offers to help the FBI bag other baddies, but only if rookie profiler Elizabeth Keen is his partner.
From 5 to 5 Seasons
2018-02-03 20:38:53


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The battery capacity is typical of the factory laboratory, the specific charging speed, the length of use, and other data, the actual situation will be slightly different due to the power cord, power adapter, ambient temperature. When the phone is completely out of power and automatically shuts down, you need to charge your phone for more than 10 minutes to boot. It is recommended to charge when the battery is less than 20% charged.
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Where the Wild Dads Went
We have run out of stock for this item.
Lovingly illustrated by the award-winning Sholto Walker, this little book is the perfect gift for new dads – or any parent who's ever wanted to run away from it all.
In this hilarious, touching homage to Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, a tired and emotional dad finds himself drifting off to the place where the Wild Dads went. 'Now PARTYYYYYYYYYY!' he said. In a riot of headbanging, air guitar and table football he finds himself at the centre of a great escape, but pretty soon he begins to miss the place he left behind . . .
Author bio:
Katie Blackburn is the author of Where the Wild Mums Are, a humorous homage to the children's bestseller Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Katie lives in London with her husband and young child. Katie has also written a picture book that helps children to fall asleep, Dozy Bear and the Secret of Sleep which has received rave reviews from C4's Three Day Nanny, Kathryn Mewes and a clinical hypnotherapist. This is her third book. Sholto Walker is based in a village near Bath. Sholto trained to be a painter, but his talent for drawing led him into illustration. He's happiest when he can take an idea and turn it into a picture. Cycling is one of Sholto's main passions and for a while he even thought of becoming a professional.


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T-Mobile Opens Wireless Floodgates in New OrleansBy Larry Loeb
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, T-Mobile USA Inc. said it will offer its Wi-Fi services without charge to the general public of the tri-state area, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. T-Mobile said that the services will be free until the end of the week, and possibly beyond that if the situation warrants it.
T-Mobile service locations include Borders, FedEx/Kinko's, Starbucks, Hyatt Hotels, Red Roof Inn motels, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and US Airways. According to the company there are 66 locations in the affected area, some of which may have intermittent hours due to storm damage inflicted during the hurricane and the subsequent flooding. A complete listing of hot spots is available at here.
Hurricane Katrina highlighted the greater risk small- and medium-sized businesses face compared with their larger counterparts. Click here to read more.
The service gives people displaced by the hurricane a welcome a chance to log into their networks and check e-mail. According to a company statement: "The free service is intended for those who have been displaced from their homes or are seeking refuge from the hurricane."
While the statement sounds inclusive, users with Internet voice communications shouldn't count on T-Mobile to provide these kinds of services for their mobile phones. The free Wi-Fi service is meant for data only. "This free offer for the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama is for Wi-Fi service only, not T-Mobile voice services," the company said.
The status of a Wi-Fi-enabled cell phone in such an arrangement was unclear at the time of this article.
But, the company's Web site stated: "There will be no charge for T-Mobile HotSpot service, at these [open] locations, through the end of day Friday, September 2, 2005. The situation will be re-evaluated at that time to determine if the free service will continue."
Check out eWEEK.com's for the latest news, reviews and analysis on mobile and wireless computing.


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Better Together
From April 2017, all of the separate organisations that made up the Accord Group have come together to form a single business.
To ensure that we provide excellent customer service and that our services continue to offer value for money, we are now Accord.
We aim to be a great housing and care provider, delivering value at all times and providing excellent services. Our customers told us that they wanted to see:
- Consistency across services
- Improved communication
- A more responsive repairs service
- Simpler ways of getting things done.
A note for customers
Please make sure that any rent or licence fee payments are made payable to Accord Housing Association Ltd. Please take particular note if you pay us by cheque. If you pay your rent by direct debit we will make the necessary changes to ensure payment is safely received by us. If you use electronic banking or bank transfer to pay your rent, please ensure you have the correct details:
Account Name: Accord Housing Association Limited
Account Number: 11438260
Sort Code: 30-80-12


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There were also two weekends of talks and debates. Activism Weekend featuring the Guerrilla Girls, the launch of new book Let's Start a Pussy Riot and more. The Future Now weekend opened with Yoko Ono in conversation with Serpentine Gallery curator Hans-Ulrich Obrist.
Also at the festival, Peaches performed Yoko Ono's seminal performance art piece, Cut Piece, therewere installations across the site and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus came to visit, running an intensive programme for groups of local young people on how to make music videos and reportage films.
As part of Yoko Ono's Meltdown our neighbours at the BFI (British Film Institute) also put together a selection of Yoko's favourite films, including an exclusive screening of Battleship Potemkin with an introduction by the Pet Shop Boys, plus rarely seen films by John and Yoko.
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Learn more about Business Administration
"Education at Siena takes place both inside and outside the classroom. Our students are challenged to become experts in their major area of study as well as refining their communication and writing skills. They develop an awareness of the ethical issues facing the accounting profession today. Through special seminars and internships, our students are positively influenced by their interaction with professionals from our community who present fine role models by continuing to maintain the highest ethical standards along with their professional accomplishments."
"One of the things I think is very special here at Siena Heights is that we're a community. We care about our students. If you miss class, we notice. If you have a problem you want to discuss, we're there for you. We care about you, we care about your academics, we care about your personal life, and we care about your future."
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Posted: 2007-01-26 19:52:39
Dynamic DNS at DynamicSide.NET
I've put up a working Dynamic DNS solution. Record update is immediate. Though your ISP/system/browser DNS cache might make you wait 10-15 minutes.
Mail and Web-Forwarding functionality have been temporarily disabled. But the dynamic dns part is good to go…
Create an account, and try it out.
*.dynside.net sub-domains are out for the time being — as I deal with our new DNS situation… but if you have a registered domain name, and can point it with your registrar to nameservers ns1.dynside.net and ns2.dynside.net, you are good to go.
I'm going to have to lose the Host's nameserver entries for dynside.net, and just do my own authoritative DNS entirely. Not the best situation, but its the only way I can give away sub-domains, without entering a wildcard record with Linode DNS and delegating all unknown hosts back to me [there system will not accept an '*' type of record].
I think I can get that up tomorrow.
Update 01/28/07
DNS for dynside.net sub-domains has been enabled.


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What is grand, red, deep, orange and brown, with cacti all over?
The Grand Canyon of course! Just this last spring break, six SMU students and 3 SMU alums decided to spend their Spring Break testing their mental and physical strength as they backpacked down, through, and back up the Grand Canyon on a 6 day trek. And I'm happy to say they were not disappointed.
All of us were tested in just the first two days, and it was not because of the Canyon, but because of the 16 hour drive. Over the course of two days of travel, we all got to know each other very well…almost too well sitting in the 12 passenger van. Finally though, we reached the Grand Canyon, and the view over the rim into the canyon was incredible. Everyone was getting excited for the hike to begin!
So, on Monday afternoon, we descended into the canyon with our first campsite to be the glorious Horseshoe Mesa. Our hike was only to be 2 1/2 miles, but in those two miles, we dropped almost 2600 feet. Not to mention, we were greeted on the trail by thick layers of ice that made the trail slightly treacherous, especially when you are carrying a 50 pound backpack. The instep crampons helped though. As we hikers tend to do, we braved the decent and were treated to a glorious night full of delicious backcountry cuisines and a bright, nearly full moon that followed us through the week.
On Tuesday, we hiked nearly 6 miles to a secluded spot along the Grapevine Creek, where we would spend the next two days. Here, we were able to relax and converse along the creek as we began to really come closer as a group. Also, many people took the opportunity to get some sun in, read, or simply explore the area. We even took a day hike down the creek and got to see what it looked like to be really deep within the canyon itself. Some participants even decided to take a quick dunk in the creek, just to see what it was like.
After our break, we took off once more, this time headed for long tree canyon. I hate to say it, but there happened to be a multitude of trees…well at least things that looked like trees. Again, we enjoyed the view of the canyon and even got to spend some time with some hikers from the University of Arizona who gladly shared some of their delicious food with us. Again, we enjoyed some delicious foods as we watched the moon ascend into the sky and enjoyed the glorious view of the canyons still surrounding us. We even got together to play some epic games of cards until we could no longer stay awake.
The last day was spent getting prepared for the long hike out of the canyon. We tried to get as close to the starting climb as possible…well, almost too close. Most of us decided to sleep outside that night. We woke up at 6:00 and began our long journey back to the rim of the canyon. From the bottom to the top, we climbed around 4-5 miles in distance and 3200 ft. in height. All the way, day hikers were encouraging us, telling us we were just about there. So, after 4 hours of hiking, we finally reached the top! Looking back down we could see where we had just camped and we could not be any more proud of our accomplishment of hiking through the Grand Canyon!
After getting everyone back in the van, we all took the shower we deserved and satisfied our hunger with a little grub from a real restaurant. Then, we began our journey back home to Dallas, and sadly, back to the reality of the front country. I know though, as I'm sure everyone on the trip knows, that this trip will always live within us, and it will always be a great reminder of what a group of 10 people can actually accomplish.
Jeremy Rechtien,
Outdoor Adventures Trip Leader


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A treasure-trove of ZX Spectrum games reviews, images, interviews, videos and misty eyed reminiscing. Come on in, you know you want to.
12 Nov 2010
Spectrum Games - Programmer Interview - Alberto Gonzalez (Joe McAlby)
Alberto Gonzalez went under the name of Joe McAlby during his days as a developer on the ZX Spectrum.
He worked with New Frontier software and programmed the graphics and AY music for many arcade games such as The Light Corridor, Hostages, North and South and many more. In my opinion his game music was amongst the very best and really pushed capabilities of the AY hardware.
I was lucky enough to be able to speak to Alberto who was more than happy to discuss his days making those wonderful graphics and music on our beloved Speccy...
1: What was the first computer you ever programmed on, and how old were you at the time?
My first computer was a Casio PB-700, which was not very powerful but at least it ran on batteries, so I was able to bring it everywhere with me. I was 11 at the time.
2: How did you get into the games development scene? Did you have an interest in programming as well as music?
I learned some BASIC with the PB-700's operating manual (that's when they were useful) and I started to program my first games on it.
But, at that time, my main interest was graphic design, since I used to draw a lot on paper. I programmed a small program to make graphics with my PB-700, and the first sprite I made was the soldier of Raffaele Cecco's Exolon; I copied it pixel perfect from a screenshot I found in a Spectrum magazine I used to buy (Microhobby).
At some point I changed that computer for a Spectrum +2 and that was incredible, I could play real arcade games and make true useful graphics! Then I continued making graphics with the Spectrum, and some more BASIC coding.
When I was 16 (in 1988) I found a letter-box with the name 'New Frontier' on it. I remembered it from a game named 'Time Out'. I Knocked their door, they liked my graphics and the next day I was in.
At first I started as a graphic artist, then some day a fellow lent me a copy of the Music Box program for the Spectrum. I started to make music, all sort of melodies, experiments... it was amazing to me. They liked how my music sounded, so I started officially making music too. The next step was learning assembler so I could have all the control over the music, and write my own sound driver and utilities.
Music and programming were both incredible experiences to me, I had much to learn and I was highly motivated.
3: Can you tell me a little about your musical background and knowledge?
Until I started making music with my Spectrum I had no knowledge or interest in music, in the sense that I didn't know I was capable of composing, I had never tried. I played some flute at school when I was 8 but that was all.
I'm not a good student, I need to make things myself to learn, so I never studied music. I always composed instinctively, without knowing much about what I was doing, or how that thing was named. If it sounded good then it must be OK!
It is now that I'm slowly learning some music theory. Now I know what a chord is! But I'm still unable to play any instrument properly.
4: How was programming the single channel Spectrum beeper?
I only made one song with the beeper, for the Light Corridor 48k version, but I didn't write the sound driver; actually I ripped it from another musician (guess who!)
At the time I had enough assembler knowledge to disassemble and understand the code, so I adapted the driver for my own music. I'm a bit embarrassed about that, but I learned a lot from the experience. You know, there was no Internet, or books about that; you had to learn many things that way.
5: How good was it when the machine was released with the AY chip?
Well, I started working professionally at 1988, and my first Spectrum was a +2 which already had the AY, so I didn't experience the transition from the beeper. I enjoyed both sounds, some programmers and musicians did a wonderful job with the beeper that couldn't be replicated on the AY.
6: Was programming the AY chip the same across all machines that used that piece of hardware?
My Spectrum and MSX soundtracks sounded almost the same. The Amstrad versions sounded a bit different. The sound driver was exactly the same, only with small changes to the code used to write to sound registers.
7: I see you also did some graphics work. Can you tell me what sort of things you worked on?
At New Frontier I was responsible of all the sprites and animations of the games. There was other fellow who made the backgrounds and fixed screens. So, I did the sprites for Hostages, North & South and Magic Johnson, in the Spectrum and Amstrad versions. I also made the music for those and other games, as well as some utilities.
Later we started to make Game Boy games, and I did the sprites of Asterix and The Smurfs for the Game Boy and NES consoles. Those were my last graphics, since I had to focus on composing and programming music only for our increasing production.
8: Which game on the ZX Spectrum are you most proud of?
It's hard to say, it depends. I really liked the graphics I did on Hostages and North & South. Both games were fantastic and got very good reviews, specially North & South.
On the other hand there was the Light Corridor, which I really loved to compose the soundtrack.
I'd rather say which one I'm not proud of (except for the music), and that was Magic Johnson. I did a terrible job with that one.
9: Which programmers or musicians impressed you most at the time?
I could name all of them! Some of the favourite programmers that come to my mind just now were Jon Ritman, Mike Lamb, Jonathan Smith (RIP, always remembered), Don Priestley...
About the musicians, many more: David Whittaker, Jonathan Dunn, Ben Daglish, Matthew Cannon, Fred Gray, Dave Rogers... each one had their own techniques and style I loved. But the one who I got most inspiration of is Tim Follin, even now!
10: How was life at Infogrames during the early 1990's?
I didn't work at Infogrames, my company was New Frontier, and we made games for them. Being a Spanish company published by a French one made us almost invisible to the world and even to our own country.
But in New Frontier life wasn't as good as It could have been. I was very young and motivated to learn and experiment with coding, music, and all sort of game things, but we didn't get a good payment for any of our games. The bosses took all the money, and made all sort of never-ending and agonizing excuses not to pay us. But what to do? We wanted to make games, and there was no other game company in Barcelona.
We couldn't earn a salary until we took the control and founded Bit Managers.
11: Do you have any anecdotes or funnies from your Spectrum days that you can tell me about?
There must be some, and good ones, but I can't recall any right now... sorry.
12: How did you come up with the name 'Joe McAlby'? for you Spectrum work?
At New Frontier all of us had nicknames for the games. "Alberto J. Gonzalez" is a name so common and Spanish sounding that I had to find a better alternative. At the time there were lots of famous Mc names (MC Hammer, McDonalds, Paul McArtney, Marty McFly...), so I thought I could use that before my own name, "Alby". Some time later I added the first name Joe, which is almost my second real name, "Jose". I take MC as Music Creator :)
Once I started making music for consoles I dropped the nickname, but I'm still not getting used to hear my real name pronounced in English! Sounds very weird to me.
13: Finally, can you please let us know what you are up to these days?
Actually I haven't stopped making video games since the Spectrum days. At some point the last New Frontier team (4 people, including myself) founded Bit Managers, where I did dozens of soundtracks for game consoles such as the Gameboy, NES, Master System / Game Gear, SNES, Game Boy Advance... Later I left Bit Managers and founded Abylight with some fellows (at 2003) , and started making more games for Mobile Phones, Nintendo DS / DSi, Iphone, Wii....
Now I'm more focused on game design, but I still do a bit of everything. I'm also still in charge of sound design and programming, but usually music is produced externally.
Cheers and good night!
Many thanks Alberto for talking the time to chat.
A nice mix of strategy and arcade action:
One of the greatest ever tunes in an arcade game:
Classic Games, Arcade Games and ZX Spectrum Games
4 comments:
"The Light Corridor" - one of the best ZX BEEPER songs EVER!
- 14 November 2010 at 01:25
I won the competion for this when the company was promoting it (at Olympia?). The highest score won. I got a free Amiga copy (no Amiga) so I had to give it away.
- 16 December 2010 at 20:29
- Unknown said...
I am really happy to say it's an interesting post to read . I learn new information from your article , you are doing a great job . Keep it up. Visit Wood Fence
- 7 July 2020 at 14:05
- Wayne Ogilvie said...
Thank you Alberto for developing ZX Spectrum, me and my kids are having a good time playing this wonderful game you created. Are you looking for residential window tinting service in your area? Check https://www.tintingstlouis.com/ and to them about your plan.
- 2 September 2020 at 05:14
The Retro Brothers Favourite ZX Spectrum Games...
Jetpac Remake
Hit The Big Hitters
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OEF Summary, Nov. 20, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Kill Militant, Detain Suspects
Dispatches from the Front:
KABUL, Nov. 20, 2009 -- Afghan and international forces in Afghanistan killed an enemy militant and detained several terrorism suspects today, military officials reported.
A combined Afghan-international security force killed an enemy militant in Takhar province while pursuing a facilitator for the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan terrorist organization who is responsible for financing militant activities and transporting foreign fighters into the region.
The force searched a compound in the rural Bangi district east of Kunduz City. During the search, the enemy militant displayed hostile intent and was killed. The search was completed without further incident.
There has been an increased presence of Uzbek fighters in northern Afghanistan, and a number of foreign fighters within the Taliban ranks who are from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, International Security Assistance Force officials said.
In a separate operation today, an Afghan and international security force detained several suspected militants in Khost province while pursuing a reputed Haqqani terrorism network commander suspected of having links to several local senior Haqqani leaders.
The force searched a compound near the town of Zambar in the Sabari district without incident, recovered several assault rifles and bolt-action rifles, and detained three suspected militants.
Also today, a combined force in Wardak province detained a suspected militant during a search of several compounds near the village of Darmandyan in Nerkh district known to be used by a Taliban facilitator reportedly responsible for numerous small-arms and roadside-bomb attacks in the area.
No civilians were harmed in any of today's operations, officials said.
(From an International Security Assistance Force news release.)
Labels: Afghanistan, Dispatches from the Front, GWOT, Military, NATO, OEF, Terrorism


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Windows NT & 2000 Systems Management and Automation
by John Loomes
About the Authorhe release of Windows 2000, along with the much touted Active Directory, gives Systems Architects and Administrators unprecedented opportunity for managing every aspect of an environment...
Jon Loomes is a Senior Consultant and MCSE with a London based IT Consultancy. He has many years experience working in Microsoft environments, and he specialises in NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 infrastructure design and Systems Management. Areas of expertise include SMS 1.x and 2.0, SMS installer, WSH, vbscript, infrastructure design and software deployment/management. He is currently involved in several Systems Management projects including the development of a powerful server management and reporting system using vbscript.
WMI, ADSI, WSH - The New Windows Management Framework
The release of Windows 2000, along with the much touted Active Directory, gives Systems Architects and Administrators unprecedented opportunity for managing every aspect of an environment. The sheer scale and flexibility of Active Directory, with its extensible schemas and group policy objects, presents the Administrator with a new problem - how to populate, manage and leverage such a powerful information store. For any but the simplest environments, some kind of automation will be required, unless the administrator actually LIKES spending days on end keying in information and trawling through property sheets looking for a piece of information.
Now with the emergence of technologies such as WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation), ADSI (Active Directory Services Interface) and WSH (Windows Script Host) all the internal mysteries of a Windows-based infrastructure are accessible via a single programming interface. This gives the Administrator of both Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 environments a very powerful set of tools for managing enterprise wide systems automatically, by scripting common and repetitive tasks, and allowing manipulation of very large numbers of directory objects that would otherwise be impossible to manage.
This new(ish) addition to Windows based systems brings the O/S more into line with the kind of power the UNIX environments have enjoyed for some time, and is therefore a very important step in the systems' growth into a robust, scalable, enterprise strength platform.
This is the first in a series of articles about Windows Systems Management that aims to provide an overview of these new technologies and gives an insight as to how they might be used in 'real-world' situations. We'll begin this week with an introduction to the various elements that make up the new management framework and then go on to cover each of the technologies in more detail later on with example code you can use right now to manage your environment.
WSH - Windows Script Host.
WSH is available as an add-on to NT 4 and is included in Windows 2000 and Windows 98 out-of-the-box. WSH is essentially a scripting engine that allows execution of scripts written in vbscript, jscript, perl, rexx and python to be executed within the Windows shell. Previously such scripts would only run in web pages through Internet Explorer.
WSH users standard Microsoft COM and Active X objects. This means that virtually any part of the system can be accessed through a script, and that WSH is extensible via additional Active X controls. Reuseable Windows Script Components (WSC) mean that commonly used routines can be encapsulated and re-used in different applications.
WSH is at the heart of Microsoft's new Windows Management framework. Using WSH as the tool, it is possible to automate virtually anything with in the Windows environment, from creating printers through to deleting inactive user accounts.
ADSI - Active Directory Services Interfaces.
ADSI available as an add-on to WSH. It exposes several common directory services via set of COM objects. These being either the SAM database from NT 4.0, the Active Directory from Windows 2000, IIS, Exchange, LDAP, Novell NetWare 3.11 and NDS. The programming interface allows manipulation of directory objects from a script or application. The benefits of being able to do this are huge, it allows developers and systems administrators to write customised administration tools tailored to a specific requirement, or to process large volumes of directory objects for either administrator or reporting purposes. In Windows 2000 environments in particular ADSI will become an essential tool with which to automate systems administration tasks, given the potential wealth of data the Active Directory is able to hold. For example, you might want to add uses to a group depending on which server their home directory is stored. With ADSI, this becomes a fairly trivial task of searching for users with a given server in their home directory path, and then adding each member of the resulting user list to a group. This would be very tedious to do by hand, but ADSI and WSH can process thousands of users on seconds.
As a taster of what's possible with ADSI, have a look at this function to add a global group into a local group on a computer. Call this function repeatedly with a list of machines, and you just changed a local group on every computer on you network in one go! The possibilities are endless.....
'This function takes the machine name,groups to change and group
to add as arguments.
Function AddAccount(ServerName,GroupName,szLocalGroup)
' this line users ADSI to access the local
group on the machine
Set objGroup = GetObject("WinNT://" & ServerName & "/" & szLocalGroup)
' add the global group into the local group on this machine
objGroup.Add ("WinNT://Domain" & "/" &
< ' clean up by removing the connection to the local group
Set objGroup =
End Function
WMI - Windows Management Instrumentation
WMI is the Microsoft release of WBEM or Web Based Enterprise Management (nothing to do with THE WEB, as the name suggests).
WBEM is a standard desktop management framework designed by the Desktop Management Taskforce (DMTF). What this does is exposes the hardware and software on a PC or Server to an API, allowing remote retrieval of all kinds of information such as Processor Type, Memory, System Board etc etc.
WMI is installed as an add-on service under NT4 and again, is native to Windows 2000. Once WMI has been installed, it is possible to make calls to it from WSH.
WMI is at the heart of SMS 2.0, and an understanding of hw to access it programmatically gives one a greater insight as how how parts of SMS 2.0 function, and indeed it creates the opportunity for SMS 2.0 Administrator to extend SMS 2.0 by making calls to WMI as the Windows Management Service is installed as one of the Core SMS 2.0 client components.
The following is an example of using WMI to obtain informtaion about Windows NT Services installed on a remote computer, and write it to a text file.
Dim strTextStream
Set strTextStream = objFS.OpenTextFile(strLogFile, 8, true)
for each Service in _
GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!//" & StrNextServer).InstancesOf ("win32_service")
' Log Results
Set objFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
strTextStream.WriteLine(Service.Description & " " & Service.PathName & " " & Service.Status & " " & Service.State & " " & Service.StartMode & " " & Service.StartName)
End Function
VBScript - Visual Basic Scripting Edition
VBScript is the programming language I shall concentrate on in the examples. It is a subset of the popular Visual Basic language. Until recently, usage of VBScript has been confined to web pages, but now with WSH VBScript can be used within the Windows shell environment as one of the many languages supported by WSH.
VBscript is fairly straightforward to learn for anyone with previous programming or scripting experience, and its use of COM and Active X makes it extensible and powerful. Whilst these articles do not aim to provide training in VBScript, commonly used functions and standard practices will be explained as we go along.


text:
Just choose a date and a model and drive it!
Dickran Ouzounian & Co. Ltd, Grivas Dighenis Avenue, P.O. Box 21567, 1510 Nicosia Cyprus, and Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA ("TME"), Avenue du Bourget / Bourgetlaan 60, 1140 Brussels, Belgium, as "Data Controllers", will collect your Personal Data (as indicated below) for the purposes as described below.
When you contact us with a request for test drive, quotation, brochure, appointment or any other request for information on Toyota/Lexus products, services or apps via our Toyota/Lexus website or a Toyota/Lexus application via, the following rules will apply:
- You will be asked to provide us with the following Personal Data: name and email address, and telephone number;
- We will use that Personal Data only for fulfilling and following up on your requests;
- Your Personal Data will not be shared with any other company, except that certain of your requests may be fulfilled using your selected Authorised Retailer/Repairer (https://www.toyota.com.cy/dealers/centers.json); and
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Anchor Bay has decided to thrust their revenge flick "Girls Against Boys" NYC and LA theaters on February 1st, 2013. The film stars Danielle Panabaker as a girl who finds herself being tormented by a number of different men before she finally snaps and goes on a killing spree. There's a time of the month joke here, right? I'll let you make your own.
I'm pretty sure at some point I mentioned the new flick "The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes" but in all honestly I huffed A TON of different things when I was in High School so some of the old brain beans are pretty fried at this point. Anyway the film, about a reporter who puts together a team to investigate the happenings in the famous house, has finally be slapped with a January 3rd, 2014 release date. I look forward to catching up with you again on this topic in 6 to 7 months.
"Texas Chainsaw 3D" doesn't hit theaters for a couple weeks but star Alexandra Daddario is already excited to get a sequel going. Not that one has been confirmed or anything. Apparently she just wanted to make sure everyone knew she doesn't die in this one. So um, spoiler alert or something.
Damon Lindelof has dropped word that he will not be returning to pen the script for "Prometheus 2". Apparently he's just too swamped right now with his other projects to dedicate what he expects to be 2 years worth of production to the sequel. Oh and he wasn't asked yet either. But ya know, he's got hand.
I've never hidden that fact that I want to make a sweet sweet baby with the original "The Amityville Horror" and now I'm giddy with delight over the green lighting of "The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes". The movie, which is set for a 2012 release, will focus on a journalist trying to uncover the true story behind the house after the events of the first film. Will it be awful? Mostly likely but F you, I want to see some bleeding walls!
Universal has decided to push the start date of Ron Howard's adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" after rumors were flying around that they might pass on the 3 movie series all together. Why would they do this? I don't know, I'm not allowed in these meetings. Have you seen my wardrobe? They're not going to let a jackass in dirty jeans and a "Don't Mess With Texas" t-shirt into a big fancy executive meeting.
I'm a cynical asshole, by nature, and because of that it pains me more than anything else in the world to admit the trailer for the "Fright Night" remake actually looks really really good. And I'm not even saying that because Colin Farrell is a dreamy SOB. On a side note. When the hell did we find out this movie was going to be in 3D? I could have sworn two weeks ago we found out the cast. Now it's releasing in August? Where the hell have I been?!
Danielle Harris has become the go to gal for horror movies that aren't going to be released in theaters so here's the trailer for "Shiver", a horror movie she stars in that I'm 99% sure is only going to play in 17 theaters across the country. What the hell do I know though, it's got the guy from "Starship Troopers". Anyway the film focuses on a secretary who fights back after being assaulted by a serial killer. Rae Dawn Chong is in it too... take that however you want.


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While Facebook continues to ban Autism Investigated from sharing in groups, it is rerunning this post from one year ago. The editor has reached out to Milo Yiannopoulos for help, long shot that it is. Please send feedback to Facebook letting them know you are dissatisfied with its ongoing censorship of Autism Investigated.
Breitbart Tech editor, political provocateur and LGBTQ Nation's 2016 "Person of the Year" Milo Yiannopoulos has confirmed to Autism Investigated that a post of his condemning the transgender lobby's targeting of autistic kids for genital mutilation has been censored by Facebook. A frequent critic of social justice movements like third-wave feminism and Black Lives Matter, Yiannopoulos slammed this disturbing new trend of abuse after it was glorified in the pages of The Atlantic and further encouraged by the usual suspects of the autism community's own social justice movement: neurodiversity.
Like the bizarre "fat acceptance" movement of third-wave feminism that seeks the normalize the obesity epidemic, the neurodiversity movement seeks to normalize autism – now the fastest growing neurological disability among children in the US. The primary instigators of this campaign are the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) and its appallingly dull founder Ari Ne'eman, who served as the first autistic member of the National Council on Disability under President Barack Obama.
Since leaving the council, Ne'eman has remained an autistic darling of the left: continuing to voice his fringe opinions on the platform of victimhood, grievance culture and political correctness that characterizes the feminist and Black Lives Matter movements criticized by Yiannopoulos. Such opinions of Ne'eman's include accusing Donald Trump of suggesting autistic people should be dead when he said vaccines are linked to autism. Ne'eman has also opposed measures to stop autistic children from elopement and drowning by claiming that tracking devices used for such purposes are oppressive to autistic people with a tendency to elope. Given Ne'eman's already twisted vision for the autism community, it would only be a matter of time before neurodiversity would join forces with the transgender lobby Yiannopoulos vocally opposes.
That trans-neurodiversity alliance formed last year on the heels of a terrible tragedy. Danielle Jacobs – a 24-year old woman with Asperger Syndrome in Arizona – committed suicide by cop after complaining that her doctor would not prescribe her testosterone for her desired gender "transformation." Given her issues of aggression as further evidenced by her complaints of suffering "meltdowns" and a widely viewed video of her hitting herself, more testosterone was probably one of the last things she needed. Nonetheless, Ne'eman and associated LGBT groups pounced on her death with a joint statement, proclaiming:
Trans and gender nonconforming autistic people—and all transgender and gender nonconforming people—have have a right to:
…make medical decisions and access affirming health care, including transition-related medical care and trans-competent services related to autism
(boldface mine)
Ne'eman and friends assert that Jacobs and other "trans autistics" should just be allowed to go ahead with their plans of genital mutilation, castration and deformity, and that critics like Yiannopoulos are presumably just "ableist" and "transphobic." Yet even though Ne'eman supports giving more testosterone to autistic people who if anything have extremely elevated levels of the hormone already, he has condemned lowering elevated testosterone levels found in autistic children. When he has, Ari Ne'eman was quick to point out that the drug used to lower their testosterone has also been used to chemically castrate sex offenders. Never mind that he has partnered with the trans lobby to actually castrate autistic people.
And now with the censorship of Yiannopoulos' post that called out this horrific new form of abuse against autistic people, so has Facebook.


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Our personal approach to research allows us to develop programs that can best serve the physical, emotional and financial needs of patients and their loved ones.
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Don and Norma Smith couldn't understand why their sheep stopped producing lambs in the mid-1990s. When half the animals died mysteriously over one winter, they gave up on the profitable hobby that had won blue ribbons for their kids at the Minnesota State Fair.
It was only later that they figured the problem might be connected to chemicals used on the potato fields that had grown up around their small farm here on the sandy soil in west-central Minnesota.
"Many Minnesotans are regularly exposed to [it] in the air they breathe," said Emily Marquez, a scientist at PAN. "Even at low levels, airborne pesticides can raise serious health concerns."


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WellSpring represents a unique vision of patient care, designed to change the delivery system for patients with many types of cancer.
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PSI CHI Journal of Psychological Research
Volume 2.3 |
Fall 1997
Perceived Control and Distraction in the Cold-Pressor Test
Michael Bennett and Larry Boehm, Thomas More College
ABSTRACT: The
cold-pressor test was used to evaluate the effectiveness of perceived personal
control in the reduction of pain ratings. Forty-seven college students were
divided into three groups. Participants in the perceived-control group were
subjected to the cold-pressor test and were led to believe they could control
the temperature of the water. Participants then rated the pain they experienced
on a scale of 1-20. Their results were compared to a group using a distraction
task (letter shadowing) and a traditional control group. Pain ratings for both
the perceived-control and the distraction conditions were significantly (p < .05) lower than the control
group. The mechanism for this reduction in pain intensity may be the
stress-reducing properties of perceived control and its mediation of stress in
the pain experience.
Behavioral Evaluation of the Stargazer Mutant Rat in a Tactile
Megan A. Kazlauskas and Mark D. Kelland, Saint Anselm College
ABSTRACT: The stargazer rat
displays abnormal behavior characterized by pronounced arching of the neck,
head tics, and hyperactivity. Thus, stargazer rats may provide a behavioral
model of Tourette syndrome (TS). The responsiveness of these rats to tactile
startle stimuli was examined. Littermate controls showed significant prepulse
inhibition and habituation over repeated startle sessions. Stargazer rats did
not exhibit startle responses, even under conditions of haloperidol-induced
reduction of abnormal behavior. These data disagreee with the hypothesis that
stargazer rats would have increased responsiveness to startle stimuli due to
their hyperactive dopamine systems. However, the reduction of head tics by
haloperidol suggests stargazer rats are a model of TS. Thus, the mechanisms by
which dopaminergic hyperactivity enhances eithe rhead tics or startle
responsiveness appears distinct.
No Suicidal Contagion in High School Students Who Knew a
Suicidal Person
Camille L. Foster and Lillian M. Range, University of Southern
ABSTRACT: To ascertain
whether high school students report being adversely impacted by knowing of a
suicide, 88 mainstream (n = 20) or
disaffected (n = 68) high school
students from four different public high schools in the Southeast answered
questions about their personal experiences and reactions to stressful life
events. During school, students recieved parental consent forms (approximately
44% of which were returned completed). Those who then assented themselves
completed the Impact of Event Scale about a suicide (or another stressful
event), the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, and the Suicidal Behaviors
Questionnaire. Disaffected students were enrolled in an in-school program for
at-risk students. Average scores, consistent with research on college students,
reflected a low level of suicidial ideas. Thode who knew someone who attempted
or committed suicide (n = 19) were no
more suicidal than those who reported a different stressful life event (n = 64), and all were impacted about the
same in terms of both intrusion and avoidance. Disaffected students were no
different from mainstream students in suicidality or impact. Apparently, high
school students report moderate amounts of intrusion and avoidance following
stressful events, whether the stressful event is knowing someone who commits
suicide or something else such as death or divorce in the family.
Field Independence/Dependence: A Hypothesized Relationship With
and Academic Spheres of College Students
Carolyn C. McNamara and Eileen M. England, Ursinus College
ABSTRACT: This study
related field independence/dependence to leadership and academic realms. One
hundred and twenty-two upperclass students, who were science majors, humanities
majors, campus leaders, or leadership scholars, completed the Group Embedded
Figures Test (GEFT) as a measure of field independence/dependence. Bennis's
(1989) theory of leaders versus managers was applied to field
independence/dependence to test the hypothesis that leadership scholars would
be comparable to Bennis's managers and would be field independent whereas
campus leaders would be comparable to Bennis's leaders and would be field
dependent. Although both leader groups did not differ significantly, natural
science majors were more field independent than humanities majors, no sex
differences were found, and switching majors was unrelated to field
independence/dependence. Finally, participants accurately related their own
analytical ability as measured by the GEFT but not their interpersonal ability.
Although field independence's relation to the academic sphere has been
reaffirmed, the manner in which leadership reflects cognitive style remains an unanswered
question for future research.
Attitudes of Older and Younger Adults Toward Mental Illness
Mental Health Services
Kelly A. Fischer and Heidi M. Inderbitzen, University of
This study investigated the attitudes of both younger and older adults
toward mental health professionals and people with mental illness, as well as
their willingness to seek help from mental health services. The Mental Health
Services Questionnaire was administered to 49 college students (18-24 years)
and 65 older adults (65 years and older). A series of 2 (age group) x 2 (sex)
multivariate analyses of variance revealed that older adults had more postive
attitudes toward mental health professionals than did younger adults. Older
adults had more accepting attitudes toward the utilization of mental health
services than younger adults. Results also indicated that older adults do not
harbor negative attitudes about mental health services that impede them from
utilizing mental health professionals.
Going the Extra Mile: The Rewards of Publishing Your Research
Sheila Brownlow, Catawba College
The Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research educates, supports, and promotes professional development, and disseminates psychological science. Only original, empirical manuscripts that make a contribution to psychological knowledge are published. Authors are Psi Chi members at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty level.
Remember Me
9/16/2020New Chapter Chat Series for Officers!
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7/7/2020New Annual Report: Great Strides to Diversify Psychology
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Phone: 423.756.2044 | Fax: 423.265.1529
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AAMFT's Approved Supervision program is integral to the profession of marriage and family therapy (MFT). It ensures that the next generation of marriage and family therapists receive the highest level of mentoring and supervision available to help guide them early in their careers. Paramount to this success is the training that Approved Supervisors receive.
In accordance with AAMFT's commitment to maintaining the highest level of training for supervisors, AAMFT will offer three options for Approved Supervision instructors to be approved for teaching training courses. One of these approvals must in be in place to teach courses after June 30, 2015.
For complete details about pre-approved supervision courses, please review the Approved Supervisor Designation Standards and Responsibilities Handbook.
The options are outlined below:
Starting July 1, 2017, COAMFTE programs that wish to offer their students the additional benefit of AAMFT Approved Supervisor training in the context of their COAMFTE required clinical supervision course, must receive pre-approval from AAMFT, including syllabus submission to AAMFT to ensure that it meets the required elements of the AAMFT Approved Supervision Handbook. The review process will be open to programs between May 1st and July 1st each year for the Fall, Winter and Summer sessions.
Review full information and pre-requisites here.
COAMFTE Pre-Approved Supervision Courses
For further questions, please e-mail Dorothy Bose at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is providing this Approved Supervisor Directory (Directory) as a benefit for AAMFT members only. Access to and use of this Directory or any of the information contained in this Directory by persons who re not members of AAMFT is prohibited.
Understanding the Benefits of Marriage and Family Therapy
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, therapy with a marriage and family therapist (MFT) can help.
Find an MFT
Continuing education designed specifically for MFTs. Explore the 85 online courses offered and expand your knowledge on a variety of topics. Start your personalized online classroom and earn CE credits at your own pace.
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At a pre-scheduled time, your Decorating Consultant will visit your home to discuss style options, show you the range of possible fabrics and materials, and help you decide on the perfect choice of window treatments to style your home.
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Human beings ascribe natural causes to everything. The logic of "shadows are caused by the presence of the Sun" prevents people from seeing the miracles in life. For most people, miracles are "a chain of natural causes." Here is an example of how this chain comes about:
Bread is made in a bakery. Bread is made from flour in the bakery. The flour is brought to the bakery from the factory. The factory receives the flour in the form of wheat from the distributor. The distributor obtains the wheat from the farmer. And the farmer obtains the wheat from his soil... There is a system of natural causes that people find perfectly credible. However, looked at with an open mind, this chain is in fact "a chain of miracles" every detail of which is created by Allah.
Allah reveals in one verse how He made the Sun their natural cause after first creating shadows:
Do you not see how your Lord stretches out shadows? If He had wished He could have made them stationary. Then We appoint the Sun to be the pointer to them. (Surat al-Furqan, 45)
Thought of in terms of causes, it might be seen as quite unremarkable for a flawless human being to form from the combination of a sperm and an egg, but in fact it is nothing of the kind. Anyone reflecting honestly on the subject will realize what a great miracle it is for a single drop of fluid to turn into a human being with a mind and soul. They will clearly see that Allah has created a human being by manifesting a great miracle. Allah's sublime creative artistry is obvious, looked at with an open mind, no matter what the sequence of natural causes may be. As Allah reveals in another verse:
… "Do you then disbelieve in Him Who created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, and then formed you as a man? He is, however, Allah, my Lord, and I will not associate anyone with my Lord." (Surat al-Kahf, 37-38)
Looked at anew, the Earth seems to be suspended in the huge emptiness of space. It might seem unremarkable for the Earth to remain suspended in the profound voids of the universe through the effect of various forces of attraction, but it is nothing of the kind. Under normal circumstances, one would expect the Earth to be dragged into the Sun because of its gravitational attraction, or for its equilibrium to be completely impaired. But that is not how things stand. The way that our huge planet has remained in the same orbit, with the same balances, unharmed for billions of years in the boundless universe, never being damaged by any other celestial body and with all the conditions necessary to support life, cannot be explained away in terms of natural causes. That is because natural causes are dependent on very delicate balances, and that equilibrium could go wrong at any moment. Indeed, looked at through the logic of "natural causes," it would seem more reasonable for the Earth to be damaged and obliterated. The fact that no such thing happens is due to Allah's sublime compassion and protection. In another verse, Allah reveals:
We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our Signs. (Surat al-Anbiya', 32)
The heat of the Sun reaching the Earth at just the right level to meet human beings' needs might also be regarded as unremarkable. The fact is, however, that the way the warmth of the Sun reaches our Earth despite the great distance and emptiness between them is a most important phenomenon. In double glazing, there is a space between the two surfaces in order to prevent the transmission of heat. This gap is intended to reduce loss of heat. Looked at in those terms, and bearing in mind that a vacuum cannot transmit heat, it is harder to understand how the warmth from the Sun reaches us without disappearing. Natural causes should make it impossible for the heat of the Sun to move through a vacuum. It is through the will of Allah that the heat of the Sun moves through space to the Earth, as if locked onto its target.
What people think of as "chains of natural causes" are in fact signs leading to faith requiring profound reflection. These signs are very important as instruments drawing believers closer to Allah.
Of all the countless signs leading to faith, just thinking about the eye alone is highly enlightening. The eye provides us with a clear image at all moments. Not even the most perfect camera can perform the same automatic optical operations as the lens in the eye. Even the automatic focusing of a camera requires a special effort and takes time for a clear image to appear. When a human being looks somewhere, however, he never thinks "I must now adjust the lens in my eye for looking into the distance." It is of course impossible to imagine that such a detailed creation is performed by an unconscious lens. Allah has made the lens the natural cause of the clear images perceived by the eye. But it is our Lord, Almighty Allah, Who creates a bright, colored and vivid world in our minds. There is no doubt that with His creation our Lord is the Praiseworthy.
If Allah so willed He could have created everything with no natural causes. The existence of natural causes is important in order for us to comprehend the infinite wisdom of Allah. The way that natural causes are made interdependent on one another is proof that nothing can be the result of chance. With His sublime wisdom, Allah determines all things most exactly right down to the finest detail.2008-11-02 06:21:16


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In the large auditorium where I teach one of my classes, I constantly stop my students midsentence so I can run up and down the aisles to get within hearing distance.Turns out, of course, that she needed hearing aids. The column takes a humorous and heartfelt look at what it feels like to go from not hearing much of anything to hearing even the smallest sounds, such a revelation that Lim began announcing her new aids to all and sundry. And apparently, she's not the only speaker in her department who needs them:
At my department's holiday party, I sat between two longtime professors.Read this one if you--or a fellow speaker--complains about your audiences, and take Lim's advice: Be a healthy speaker and get your hearing checked!
"Look, I have hearing aids!" I greeted them. Then I told them how tough it had been to hear my students.
One of them nodded. "I can't hear my students," she said. "They all mumble."


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We believe technology should promise convenience, which is why we're excited to work with Amazon to bring Prime Music to Sonos.
Amazon shares our quest for the everyday simple. Prime members already enjoy seamless shopping, the ability to magically make any product on earth show up at your door in 2 days or less. Sonos speakers and software are designed to blend into our lives, leaving just the simple everyday pleasure of music everywhere. Now in Beta on Sonos, Amazon Prime members can magically stream more than a million songs into their home, in an instant, for free.
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Plus, there are more than one thousand expertly curated Prime Playlists to make yourself "Happy & Upbeat" or you could unleash your inner "Boss, not Bossy" while doing your 'better' half's dishes, again.
Try it for yourself today in beta on Sonos (available in the US only). Sign up for the Sonos Public Software Beta, add Amazon Music from the Music Menu and enter your Prime account info. If you're not a Prime member, Amazon offers a free 30-day trial. To sign up, visit www.amazon.com/prime.