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How to Communicate With the Dead
Posted 08 November 2009 - 05:41 PM
I dont know what my dad wants either. I can sense guilt from him. I dont know if its possible to get a sense of the feelings coming from the figure you see...but thats what usually works best for me. It helps me to understand at least what they are feeling, and that gives me a better idea of what they want, and if they are bad or good. Does anyone else have any suggestions about this?
Posted 09 November 2009 - 07:47 PM
Posted 29 November 2009 - 05:39 AM
I have seen spirits most of my life but i have never tried to contact with them. Then today i got the curage to call some one that dose contact the dead and ect. and she said that i have spirits all around me. I just want to be able to hear them when they speek to me. What should i do to hear them.
Have you heard of EVP? That's one way to communicate with spirits. You take a recording device such as a voice recorder or a microphone and plug it into your computer. Download a program such as Audacity and start a recording session. Introduce yourself and ask politely for your friendly spirits to introduce themselves to you, ask why they are here and how you can help them. Ask 2-4 questions and always like 15-30 seconds between each question to allow the spirit to respond. Then save the file as *.wav and play it back and listen to the file using your headphones since messages can be very faint. Sometimes you need to amplify the recording to hear better.
Post back with your results. Good luck.
Posted 29 November 2009 - 05:48 AM
Meditation and other relaxation techniques as well as an open mind, as others have already pointed out, helps establish communication. Listen to your dreams and don't shrug off a touch you feel after calling out a name as "just your imagination".
I have seen shadow people, white, thick, floating mist and sometimes I can hear words without recording an EVP first but what I personally am very good at is sensing when a spirit is around me. I believe it's easier to sense and see a spirit in your mental awareness than see a spirit while awake.
Posted 15 December 2009 - 12:14 AM
Posted 01 January 2010 - 01:11 AM
Posted 30 January 2010 - 05:14 PM
My grandfather had just passed away two weeks before this night I'm telling about. My grandmother, his wife, (now deceased, too) was asleep for the night. I slept on the floor next to her bed. In the morning, I woke to her screams. I tried to calm her and find out what was wrong. She said that she dreamed of my pap had come to her and asked her to please come with him. She said that he took her hand and kind of tried to pull her toward him while begging her to come with him. She said she kept saying, "No, not yet." to him in the dream. But, he kept tugging her arm and squeeezing her hand tighter and tighter. She again told him, "No, not yet." and she said he finally let go and she woke up. OK....odd or maybe even normal type of dream to have when you have just lost your spouse of 30-some years. So then why was she screaming. When she woke up she automatically touched and rubbed the hand that he held in the dream. She looked down at her hand (it was the right, BTW, the one that was closest to the door). What she saw and also showed me still gives me the chills. On that right hand of hers she wore 3 rings that she never took off....ever. All three of those rings were bent into her fingers. As if someone grabbed her hand and fingers and squeezed extremely hard and bent them all out of proportion. Which is EXACTLY what my Pap was doing to her hand in the dream. Or was it a dream? Was it reality, and he stood at the side of her bed pulling and squeezing her hand....begging her to go with him? I literally had to get a pair of vice grips from the basement, and pry those rings back into some kind of normalcy so she could get them off. I truly believe my Pap was there that night and did that to her. Because they had a stormy relationship, and 8 months before he died they made amends and had trips planned and everything. Two months after that he was given 6 months to live due to a liver disease. They had just started getting along and had fallen in love w/ each other all over again......and he died. I think that he really did want her to go with him because of the improvement of their relationship. They loved each other so much again, and he just wanted to continue it with her.....and tried to do just that by visiting her.
I know, it's sounds hard to even consider believing. But, I swear it's the honest trutth. I was there.
Posted 18 February 2010 - 03:00 PM
Southern Charm
Posted 20 February 2010 - 09:49 AM
Take my hand and we'll go riding through the sunshine from above
Posted 19 June 2010 - 07:52 PM
Hehe, truth be told I'm kind of jelous (excuse my spelling) that so many people here have gifts for communicating and even seeing the dead.
Although, I would be really scared if I ever did see a spirit in real life.
I, if you couldn't tell, don't think I have any gift for this kind of thing.
I'm just hoping I'm wrong, because I would love to be able to help dead ones connect with living people they once knew, like to relay a message.
I don't really have any stories, sorry to say except this one about my 'family curse' (or so my crazy grandpa says)
Supposedly, there is this kind of warning spirit. He's a man who wears all black (a cloak perhaps?) and has a black dog. He will come to your door, knock three times, and will be pacing when you open the door. He doesn't say anything, but he'll just disapear a couple seconds after you see him. When that happens, the oldest man in your family will die soon. It's happened only twice, when both of my granpa's brother's have died.
Posted 17 July 2010 - 11:45 PM
My name is Eddie Sinekiewicz and i'm 14 turning 15 in 3 months
i ask on tips on how to communicate with my uncle more and other spirits
thank you
Posted 18 July 2010 - 05:54 PM
Posted 20 July 2010 - 06:43 AM
Eddie, all you need to do to communicate with them is just talk to them. It's as simple as that.
thank you petunia4998
Posted 20 August 2010 - 05:29 PM
Posted 08 October 2010 - 10:20 AM
Gracie H.
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Cumin Scented Sweet Potatoes & Wild Rice
We have had an abundance of sweet potatoes this winter. I'm okay with this. I love sweet potatoes.
Usually, we poke them with a fork, and throw them in the microwave until they are 'baked' and cut a cross in the top, pinch the sides, mush up a bit with a fork and then top with salt, a pat of butter, and maybe some chives or other fresh herbs. Nothing more is necessary. I decided to mix things up a bit.
Dice the sweet potato into ½ inch cubes. A simple way to get an (almost) perfect dice is to start with peeled potatoes, slice them lengthwise, then lay flat to cut strips. Rotate 90º, and cut into small cubes.
Next, slice up some onions. Now, usually, I'm a believer in cutting ingredients in a dish into similar sizes – this can be important for cooking times, texturally important and visually important as well. Except, there are always exceptions. I sliced the onions (rather than a dice) for all of the same reasons mentioned above. With such a simple recipe…the difference in texture and variety of size does more for the dish.
Toss it all in a sauté pan with a fat of your choosing (bacon fat, olive oil, butter…it's up to you) and shake to coat. You want the sweet potato to brown, and then onion to soften so keep the heat on medium. If it's browning too much, but the veggies are not tender, add a little broth or water to help steam and let it evaporate to bring back some of the caramelized goodness!
Season well with salt and pepper. Now it's time for the cumin, one of my all time favorite spices. Sprinkle in up to a teaspoon of ground cumin…the aroma should soon fill your kitchen. I added a twinge of oregano as well.
In the meantime, or the day before, or whenever. Cook up some wild rice. I'm lucky enough to have a Minnesota source for real wild rice…and let me tell you…it is worth the extra effort and the extra cost to find the real, true WILD rice. The wild rice grain comes from a long-stemmed grass that grows in shallow lake waters or slow-moving streams and was/is typically harvested by Native Americans in canoes by bending the stocks over an open canoe and whacking the grass to knock the grain out. It can take close to an hour to cook, and if added to a soup will continue to soak up liquid…the next day, you might look in the fridge for leftovers, and be confused when instead you find a thick and hearty stew. Not to worry, a little stock or milk will thin it right down. Soaking up liquid isn't an issue for this dish, but you will want to make sure that you have cooked the rice to your liking. I like it a little toothy still.
Throw it all in one big bowl together…and mix well. Make sure to taste for seasoning again…adding all that rice will require some additional salt and pepper, and maybe a bit more cumin.
This was one of many dishes (our contribution to a potluck) that we enjoyed alongside a wild-shot, home-smoked and roasted goose. Delicious all around!
Bon Appétit!

subset: commoncrawl


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The Advocate
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Shareology is in a state of shock; she's just back from a trip to Southdale's just opened Heberger's store. The shock is the traffic in that store on a Thursday afternoon; lines were 8-10 deep at most checkout counters!!! It looked like traffic in a Halloween store on the morning of the 31st!! And yes, the rest of Southdale still looks sad:
The perennially dark Abercrombie & Fitch is still non-welcoming and, well… dark. The contrast couldn't be more apparent: next door is the light-filled, welcoming Herberger's newly opened two days ago. This corner was so drab that Shareology once did an article on What Shopping Center is this and included a grim shot of the A&F corner of Southdale before Herberger's opening:
A miracle has occurred; Herberger's was full of shoppers on all three levels. Surprise: you now have another Micheal Kors choice besides the newly minted store at Mall of America:
Brands, brands, brands!! Michael Kors is not alone. Shareology spotted Ralph Lauren, Coach and an imposing Calvin Klein presence:
Halston once said that the basic fashion neutrals are black, white and red. From the look of the Calvin offerings in Southdale Herberger's, that mantra is still going strong. But wait, one more Calvin Klein display stopped Shareology dead in her tracks:
OMG!!! A plus size on a mannikin!!!!! Behind it, sizes up to and including 20!! In the $150 price range….. So if you're larger than a size 0, run, do not walk, to Southdale Herberger's!!
Lesson: Hell has apparently frozen over: Shareology saw many sizes of the same magnificent red dress on store mannikins, backed up with merchandise to buy! Happy Holidays, indeed!!
Kay Roseland @KayLoire


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Any season is a great time to notice nature's beauty and to make it come to life with amazing works of art! In the Spring series, we'll use collage and various materials to make wonderful 3-D landscapes of places we like to play in and faraway worlds we've always wondered about.
Summer Series: Get Into Nature Collections
- July 10: Summer 1 -Nature Treasure Box
- July 17: Summer 2 -Fairy House Terrarium
- July 24: Summer 3 -Mini Herb Garden
- July 31: Summer 4 -Tabletop Zen
- Registration not required.
- Suitable for children ages 6-13 yrs
- Materials will be provided.
- Parents are welcome to stay during this program.
- Bring a smock or wear clothes that you can get messy in.
- If parents will be dropping off children, please complete and submit the health form that accompanies your registration confirmation.
Thursdays, July 10-31, 2014 3:45-5:15 pm
Children: Members: $14; Non-Members: $18
Adults: FREE


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Tabitha Vos has not received any gifts yet
Hi there and welcome from The Girlz Korner where you'll find light, witty and rather entertaining articles on every topic imaginable from beauty, health, fashion, parenting, recipes and everything else in between. So if you get a chance to kick back and exhale, if only for a brief moment, we'd love to have you. Hope you enjoy your stay :) http://www.thegirlzkorner.com
Thanks Tabitha! Very glad to meet you and looking forward to reading more. Got the pinterest link now. Thank you for following me :-)
Hi Tabitha! I just visited your blog and great ideas. I just read the one about tips for shopping with kids. I am also following on twitter. Couldn't get the pinterest link to work though. Here are my links if interested:
Blog: http://cmsfamilyblog.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/organicngreen
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/organicngreen/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Live-And-Look-Healthy/109257605793108


text: I recently sent in a new multi hide that incorporates various types of caches including a word puzzle to give folks coords. However, I requested that certain key words and phrases be italicized and it appears as though they are not . . . which will probably make solving this puzzle to get the first set of coords darn near impossible. Is there an easy way I can do this on-line myself or should I send GPSFun the words again and ask him to make sure they are in italics?


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Lowepro Inverse 200 AW Camera Bag Review
The Lowepro Inverse 200 AW (as in "All Weather") is a versatile waist mounted bag with tons of pockets and features. Offering a customizable main storage compartment, a water resistant cover for downpours, tripod straps, and even a water bottle holder, this camera bag has nearly everything you could want.
Aimed at professionals and amateurs alike, this bag is designed to handle almost any situation, and fit in any budget with a retail price of $89.99.
Lowepro Inverse 200 AW Specifications:
- Interior size: 12″ x 6″ x 8.3″ (WxDxH)
- Exterior size: 12.9″ x 8.6″ x 8.8″ (WxDxH)
- Outer fabric: 420D Nylon and 600D Polyester
- Interior fabric: 200D Polyester and brushed Tricot
- Weight: 2.12lbs
- Capacity: One pro DSLR with medium zoom lens attached plus two additional lenses; or a 70-200mm attached lens in horizontal position plus one additional lens; charger and cords; filters and memory cards
Design and Construction
The design of the Lowepro Inverse 200 AW beltpack (which also comes in a smaller 100 size) is very rugged with function placed well above form in the design phase. At first glance you see a camera bag with numerous straps, clips, and zippered pockets with loops hanging off of every open space. It's as if Lowepro designers wanted every square inch of fabric to offer a feature or play into user comfort.
Lowepro offers this bag in three different color combinations; blue and black, green and black, and all black. The color patterns go well together, although I really prefer the all black design over the green and black model that I received for review.
Build quality and construction is top notch, with durable fabric and strong plastic clips used throughout the bag. Stitching looks very solid with no stray threads, and all vital attachment points are thoroughly sewn in place. Even with the bag fully loaded to the bursting point, the Inverse looks stress free, without a hint of seams wanting to burst or straps sagging when securely fastened to your body. It is easy to see that Lowepro wanted this bag to stand up to the abuse from day to day use in any environment.
Pockets, Pockets, and More Pockets
For a camera bag that could be described as an oversized fanny-pack, the Inverse has an impressive number of pockets for everything you could want to carry with your camera. It has eight main compartments that are either zippered, velcroed, mesh pocketed, or secured in place with latches.
The first section is the main storage area that houses the camera, lenses, or other large accessories you might want to carry. In this section I had enough room to hold my Pentax K20D body with 16-45mm f/4 lens attached in the middle, a 200mm f/2.8 lens on one side, and a 100mm f/2.8 macro lens on the other.
The next two pockets are on the zippered cover to the main compartment that are designed to hold flash memory. Each pocket is pretty small, allowing for two SD cards in a plastic holder, or three to four loose cards.
Each side of the Inverse 200 has an elastic mesh pocket: one large enough to hold a water bottle and a smaller one hold a cell phone.
The front of the bag has one large open storage area that is held together with two adjustable straps with quick release latches. Each side has some mesh webbing to keep loose objects from slipping out, making this area perfect for holding documents or maybe a GPS receiver.
The outer flap contains two pockets, one large zippered section for thin valuables like a wallet, and a smaller velcroed section that contains the all-weather shield.
The water-resistant nylon cover easily pops out when rain is about to start, and is permanently secured to the bag with a thin elastic strap.
Attachment Points
Lowepro added numerous attachment loops around the bag making it easy to secure additional equipment to the bag. The Inverse 200 features two adjustable straps with clips on the bottom of the bag to secure a small tripod or monopod.
Basic attachment loops are found all around the case: one on the front, another on the zippered flap to the main compartment, and even some on the waist strap. These would be perfect to clip small items such as car keys or a small flashlight.
User Comfort
With everything set up perfectly, the bag is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time, even with tons of stuff packed inside of it. The broad straps spread out the weight on your back and also help to prevent anything form pinching your skin. Wearing it is fine, but getting it set up for the first time can be challenging.
The main strap has adjustment points on each side to increase or decrease tension around your waist. I found the straps to loosen each time I removed the bag, requiring a retightening every time I put the bag back on.
The front of the bag has two tension adjustment straps that help to adjust how the bag sits on your waist or hips.
The Lowepro Inverse 200 AW held up well in our testing, offering plenty of storage space to hold many accessories, as well as a large DSLR body with lens attached, and two additional lenses stowed to the side. Even with it filled to the brim user comfort was excellent when the straps are properly tightened on your waist. The only complaint I had with the design were the waist straps, which had to be readjusted every time I put the bag on as they loosened every time the bag was taken off. Overall the bag worked quite well in use, and easily adapted to different mounting positions with simple adjustments.
- Enough pockets to make MacGyver smile
- Wide, padded straps keep heavy loads supported comfortably
- Attachment points for tripod and other accessories
- Storm resistant shield
- Waist strap clips loosen easily and require readjustment
- Rain cover can be a hassle to install and prevents you from accessing components while on


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When Guiding Eyes for the Blind dropped off Saki at Bridget Kennerley's house, they made sure to tell her what to expect from the young golden retriever on that first night. What they couldn't tell her, however, was how different her life would be every night after.
"It was interesting at first, especially before she was trained," said Bridget. "I would have to hold her up and sprint downstairs before she had an accident at three in the morning."
After attending foundation training classes every week for the first few months, Bridget and Saki now attend the next level of classes every other week. This past December Saki was one of the youngest dogs in the region to become a jacketed guide dog, meaning Bridget can now take Saki with her into public buildings, restaurants, church and even out on the family boat.
"We want to expose her to every possible situation a blind person could take her into," said Anne Kennerley, Bridget's mother.
The Kennerleys' ultimate goal is to have Saki get through the formal training and pass the test this August to become an official guide dog for people with visual disabilities. Anne said the reason they chose to work with Guiding Eyes for the Blind was that the non-profit organization gives the guide dogs up for free to those in need.
"It's amazing how many people are involved in this," Bridget said. "We met a referee at an ice hockey game, a couple at the ski lodge, a lady on the metro … it's an experience you can bond over with people from all over the area."


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Think you'll always pick chocolate over a bag of chips? Don't be so sure. Researchers have found that if they can get people to pay more attention to a particular type of junk food, they will begin to prefer it—even weeks or months after the experiment. The finding suggests a new way to manipulate our decisions and perhaps even encourage us to pick healthy foods.
"This paper is provocative and very well done," says Antonio Rangel, a neuroeconomist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, who was not involved in the new study. "It is exciting because it's a proof of concept that a relatively simple intervention can have this long-lasting effect."
Economists who study decision-making had previously found that, when deciding between multiple items, people tend to let their gaze linger on the things that they end up choosing. This observation has motivated companies to pursue flashy packaging to attract consumers' eyes. Tom Schonberg, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas, Austin, wondered whether people's preferences could be changed before being faced with such a decision by training their brains to pay more attention to certain items.
His first task was figuring out what kind of junk food people preferred. He and his colleagues recruited more than 200 university students and set up an auction-style program that asked them how much they were willing to pay for 60 different kinds of snacks, from M&M's to Fritos. Then, the participants went through a 30- to 50-minute computer training program that showed photos of foods that the participants had already rated. When some treats appeared on the screen, a short tone would play and signal the subject to press a button as fast as possible. When other treats popped up, the computer remained silent and the subject refrained from pressing the button.
After the training session, Schonberg's team gave the subjects a new test, asking them to choose between two foods. Two-thirds of the time, the participants chose a snack that had been associated with a sound during training, even if they'd rated the food equal or slightly lower than the other food in the pairing in the initial auction. Moreover, when the researchers repeated the auction, the participants were willing to pay more than they'd bid previously for the items that had been accompanied by a sound and button-press, Schonberg and colleagues report online today in Nature Neuroscience.
When the researchers brought the subjects back as much as 2 months later, they found that the altered preferences remained: Subjects were still more likely to choose an item that had been associated with the tone during training. "The novelty here is that, without any external rewards or incentives, we've managed to influence people's values and choices over a long time period," Schonberg says.
How the training affects parts of the brain associated with decision-making isn't yet known. Waiting for a beep and pressing a button requires high levels of attention, Schonberg says, and it's likely that demand teaches someone to favor certain items they see while completing the task.
The results don't just hold lessons for advertisers trying to sell junk food, but also suggest a way to alter people's behaviors to make them healthier, says Nathaniel Daw, a computational neuroscientist at New York University in New York City who was not on Schonberg's team. "It's one thing to do this with different types of junk food," he says. "But could you do this to drive people away from Snickers bars and get them more interested in kale?"
He cautions, however, that—at least so far—the effects of the training are relatively small. It can't make someone like something that they previously disliked. (Kale, anyone?)
Schonberg's team is now pursuing ways to make the effect last even longer, and studying how well the training works to alter preferences of items other than junk food.


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The Professional Vehicle Install Bundle includes everything needed to make your SIRIUS or XM Radio vehicle install look and sound great. The radio mount that is included in this kit allows you to mount your Radio next to your factory radio with a semi custom mount. The kit also includes a FM Direct Adapter that allows you to hardwire your FM output directly to your vehicles stereo along with a power hardwire cable that can be toggled between 5V and 12V, allowing it to be used with most SIRIUS and XM Satellite Radio Systems.
If you plan on using the FM Direct Adapter with this kit, please check to see if your vehicle will require an additional FM Antenna Adapter.
If you are not sure which FM Antenna adapter you will need, a PDF application chart can be found HERE.
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(Pocket-lint) - Nokia made some nice high-end phones in years gone by, like, for example, the N95. But Nokia was never really about those phones, it was about affordable, reliable phones that everyone wanted to own, and that everyone could afford. There's not always money to be made at the top and bottom of the market, but if you can sell a lot of mid-range devices, you're likely to do well.
The Lumia 620 is something of a return to form. Removable covers, a sturdy feeling device, reasonable price and a solid operating system. It's all here, but with Nokia struggling to capture the market it used to dominate, does the 620 offer enough to lure people from those mid-range Android phones, or is it on a hiding to nothing?
Xpress-on covers!
We never understood the hysteria about interchangeable phone covers. Perhaps it's aimed at a demographic in which we do not belong. But they were a big deal on Nokias of old. And here, on the 620 they're back, to some extent.
Now, of course, covers are all about the back of your phone, because there's no front that isn't just screen. Nokia makes several different covers for the 620, but there's likely no end in sight for what third-party manufacturers will come up with. And, with the 820 Nokia has released 3D printing information, so customers can design and manufacture their own covers. It's only a matter of time before 620 owners can do the same.
READ: Nokia Lumia 820 review
What we love about the Nokia-supplied rear covers is that they have a two-tone free. This is most obvious on the lime green and yellow cover, where the outside is a fabulous bright green, but visible around the bezel is an inner yellow line. It looks top-notch and although green wouldn't be our first colour choice, it looks amazing.
Nokia sent us cases in white, bright blue, a pink and solid yellow. We liked them all, and they all cheer up the phone a great deal. Interestingly, all have a matte feel to them, except the lime green and yellow, which is very smooth and shiny.
Compact and solid
As for the rest of the design, beyond the cover, it's all quite standard.
On the right-hand side, there is a button for controlling the volume, power button and a hardware camera button. The micro-USB is at the bottom, leaving the left-hand side free of controls and sockets. On the top, there's a headphone connection and slip off the cover and you'll find the removable battery, microSD card slot and micro-SIM tray. We like how the 620 handles your SIM - it sits in a pull-out metal holder - it's a much more sensible method than others we've used and feels much less likely to get caught with hand-cut SIM cards.
The speaker is concealed at the bottom right of the phone, on its rear case. Covers therefore need to have a hole of some kind to allow the sound out unimpeded.
Interestingly, the headphone jack also forms part of the case, it connects to the phone with some recessed connections. This is worrying because if you pop the back on and off a lot, it could stop the headphone jack from working. And second, anyone who does want to make third-party or 3D printed cases will need to include this, adding to the complexity.
Screen and shout
The smallish screen was actually quite a surprise to us. At first glance, there's a little flicker and it looks like it might not be that good. But given a few moments during set-up - perhaps the coldness of the day and newness of the phone have a bearing - and things soon settled down. The screen is actually bright, more than bright enough to be seen outside, and reasonably detailed. We're not talking about high-end type resolution, but it's certainly good enough to use for any purpose.
Video looks great too. Fire up Netflix or any video app and you're looking at some really impressive quality within minutes. The screen also manages to control its brightness well - it's much less flighty in auto mode than most Android handsets we've seen and used.
Sound too, is an area in which the phone seems to punch above its weight. When it first rang, we were amazed by the amount of sound that came flooding out of the small speaker. It's loud enough to be heard in a busy room, or when tucked in your pocket. And when it comes to watching video, it's loud and clear too, so if you don't have headphones, or want to share with a friend - not on the N71 please - then that's an option too.
Via headphones, music sounded good, but not amazing. We flicked on Dolby Mobile though, and that seemed to improve the situation. Further improvements were to be had from tweaking the full EQ, and eventually we managed produce a sound that was very nice indeed. It might not be good out of the box, but there's certainly scope to get the sound you want from the 620.
Windows Phone 8
We've written about Windows Phone 8 at length, so there's no point going over it all here again. Let's say though, that we're fans. This might not be an operating system awash with third-party apps, but the favourites are here and work as well, or better, than they do on Android.
There are quirks, of course, but these are mostly quite minor troubles. We noticed that contacts from Google would sometimes be a bit sketchy. One of our friends, for example, could be found via the phone portion of the handset, but not via the SMS bit. Once we tweaked the options in his number to be a "mobile" not landline, we could see him in the text messaging area. It's sort of obvious why that's happening, but it still doesn't make any real sense.
In terms of apps, there's pretty much everything you want, although some parts are dire. Games, for example, are still a bit of a mess. But there are games, and when you play them there's no difference to how they work on Android or iOS. We love the fact that there's a Netflix app - that's a big part of our video-based entertainment these days. Twitter has an official app, it's beyond hopeless. When we tried it, it wouldn't let us sign in because our phone's clock was "set to the wrong time zone". It wasn't, but the Twitter app would have none of it, and refused to work.
READ: Windows Phone 8 complete review
Aside from that, the things you really want to do with the phone can be done out of the box, for the most part. Email support is utterly brilliant, with Hotmail - or Outlook.com as it's becoming - Gmail and Exchange support all provided without any real need to configure settings. It has to be said too, you'll love the Windows Phone email interface. It's clear, crisp and makes a lot more sense on these phones than the equivalents do on Windows 8.
The built-in keyboard is really good too, and that's something that honestly surprised us with a phone this small. The correction seems to get it bang on, most of the time, and the keys, while small, don't seem very hard to hit. It's actually just about the best virtual keyboard we've used, honestly. And voice recognition is good - actually, really good. In fact, it's usable for replying to text messages it's that good.
Navigation is good through Nokia Maps. It's a little less easy to use than Google Navigation, and it never feels quite as slicks as Google's app. But there's traffic information and the usual map and satellite views, which make it a decent tool for getting around. We like that you can download maps too, for when you're not in the UK and don't want to pay for data. Oh, and don't forget to download a voice pack too, so the phone can yell instructions at you.
The SD Card
It's a bit confusing how Windows Phone handles SD cards. It turns out you can put music on your phone by simply chucking it on to a microSD card. Although the music app is, honestly, a little confusing and reluctant to tell you where it's sourcing its music. If you have an XBox music subscription, you can listen to lots of music while online. If not, then you'll be restricted to files on the phone or SD card.
If you're Windows 8 user, there's a "Windows Phone" app that allows you to copy data to and from the phone. It's a bit iTunes in some ways, as it also makes back-ups of your photos while you're syncing, which is nice. Music can be selected from your PC and synced via the app too, and it's both quick and easy to use, although it obfuscates what's going on, as is the current trend in Windows.
There's also Nokia Music, which is another way to get loads of free music. We love this service, and while it's somewhat limited, it's such a nice free benefit that it makes us smile every time we use it. Just as well there's Nokia Music though, because there's still no damn Spotify app. Boo!
When the phone detects a new SD card, it will also ask you if you'd like to use it for storing new photos and video. This is actually a very neat little feature, and we're pleased to see the phone using its brain, and asking logical questions, something that's all too rare in mobile devices.
The battery is our one area of real concern. It's a modest, 1300mAh pack, which we think will struggle to get you through a whole day, especially if you're using push email and surfing the web a lot.
The good news is that you can just plop it out, and shove a new one in if it does die. That won't suit everyone, and it's a massive faff, but it's a lot better than on most phones these days, with their absurd sealed-in cells.
We actually like the camera on the 620. It's not going to blow your socks off, but neither is it a disappointment. One of the things we like is that its modest megapixel count make images fairly small but the detail in them is good, colour natural and there is much less of that smooshyness you get in the fine detail on budget Android cameras.
Video at 720p is fine, especially for YouTube and Facebook. Detail isn't amazing but, we have to say, the autofocus is exceptionally good. It's both quiet and quick, and within a few seconds has a lock. It's also good in close up mode, so there's more to the video of the Lumia than perhaps we expected.
For anyone looking for the right Windows Phone to buy, we honestly think this is the handset for you. We loved pretty much everything about it - the battery is a concern though - and Windows Phone 8 is a more mature and enjoyable OS than any previous version of Windows on a phone.
While Windows Phone gets some stick it's only when you spend any time using it that you realise it's a complete and competent mobile OS. Apps can be an issue, but if you honestly think about the software you use on your Android or iOS phone in any given day, it's a fair bet that Windows Phone has apps that do the same.
Nokia is struggling right now, but phones like this have the skills to appeal to all manner of people. It's sensibly priced, while having more than enough hardware features to make it flexible and versatile. If you're looking for a good mid-range phone, this little Lumia deserves some real consideration.


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KMOVE Radio
KMOVE Radio is for people who are always on the move!
''Our guests and listeners are active, busy, progressing, advancing...you know, on the move! Listen in to our wide variety of podcasts! We're always looking for an adventure!''
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PALM HARBOR, Fla. (WFTS/CNN) - The odds may not be in favor of a dog and a 75-year-old man in a fight against an alligator, but both got away and lived to tell the tale.
"All of a sudden, I see the water rippling right along in here - almost seemed like an explosion," said Buddy Ackerman on Wednesday.
Ackerman says that explosion out of the pond behind his home was an alligator grabbing hold of his daughter's dog, a golden retriever named Osi. He was watching the dog while she was on vacation.
"He was squealing a good bit when the thing grabbed him," Ackerman said.
Osi was in the middle of doing his business when the 7-foot-7 gator chomped down on the dog's hindquarters.
"I go up and slip and fall on my rear end, and the two of us are tugging," Ackerman said. "Alligator is going one way, I'm going the other."
Ackerman says he kicked the gator in the snout, and that's what finally got Osi loose. The pup is sore but otherwise OK.
Trappers eventually pulled an alligator out of the pond and took it away.
Florida Fish and Wildlife says to keep pets on a leash and away from the water. Gators have been active in the Tampa Bay area lately.
A neighbor took video of one that snatched a turtle and brought him back into the pond. No one is sure if it's the same alligator that grabbed Osi.
Ackerman is just glad the dog wasn't bite-size.
"I don't know what would have happened with people with little Pekingese or something running around," he said. "I guess we'd say goodbye."
Copyright 2019 WFTS via CNN. All rights reserved.


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Washington and its universities have been awarded almost $816,000 for pest prevention and management projects by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The money was made available in the recently approved federal farm bill.
(Dean Fosdick/The Associated Press)
KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — Recent federal grants will help Washington continue to send out a SWAT team to go after snails and evasive moths that like to munch on grapes.
State agriculture officials say those pests can cut billions out of Washington's exports each year, The Tri-City Herald reports.
The state and its universities have been awarded almost $816,000 for pest prevention and management projects by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The money was made available in the recently approved federal farm bill.
The state used to get money from the USDA's Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey to pay for pest detection, but that program has been cut.
A $50,000 grant will pay to eradicate vineyard snails, which destroy wheat and grain crops and have set up temporary digs at the Port of Tacoma.
The snails attach themselves to objects such as cargo containers and vehicles and then get carried along, said Jim Marra, the state Department of Agriculture acting pest program manager.
The pest has not spread into agricultural areas of the state yet, and it's important to get rid of them before they can get that far, Marra said.
If the snails set up residence permanently, Washington could face trade restrictions. Wheat is the state's second-most valued commodity after apples, with a 2012 value of $1.2 billion, according to the USDA.
The infestation has shrunk from about 300 acres to about 20 acres owned by the port and adjacent to port property. The effort has involved removing debris, wood piles and garbage and cutting back vegetation that allows snails to hide, Marra said.
Officials have used a pesticide. It still may take a couple more years to completely kill off all of them.
"Snails are very difficult to eradicate," Marra said.
A $94,000 grant will pay for setting traps to detect pests in grape-growing areas, where invasive insects might enter, such as near nurseries. The idea is to detect them early, before they gain a foothold.
The European grapevine moth is of particular concern because it's already established in California, Marra said. While officials haven't found any so far, it is among the most likely to travel into the state.
The moth is very destructive, with larvae penetrating into grapes and destroying the fruit, he said.
A $139,000 grant will help the Western States Lepidoptera Diagnostic Center help other state identify moths.


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The past two weekends were particularly busy ones for Penn State campuses statewide, as the University held nearly three dozen commencement ceremonies, including roughly a dozen on the University Park campus.
Penn State Altoona and the Dickinson School of Law got things started, as both held commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9. The rest of the campuses and Penn College held ceremonies May 15, 16 or 17. In all, the University awarded approximately 10,875 diplomas to students University-wide who are completing 588 associate, 8,627 baccalaureate, 1,083 master's, 131 medical, 212 law and 234 doctoral degrees.
While not all Penn state campuses or colleges were able to provide photos of their commencement ceremonies, quite a few have sent them to Penn State Live. In addition, Penn State Public Information photographer Andy Colwell made it to several commencement ceremonies at University Park. To view the photos, click on the links below:
— Penn College: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2072
— Graduate School: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2067
— ROTC Commissioning: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2073
— World Campus: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2062
— Penn State Abington: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2052
— Penn State Altoona: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2042
— Penn State Beaver: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2053
— Penn State Berks: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2074
--- Penn State Brandywine: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2086
— Penn State Dickinson School of Law: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2043
— Penn State DuBois: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2054
— Penn State Erie: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2060
— Penn State Fayette: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2055
— Penn State Great Valley: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2070
— Penn State Greater Allegheny: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2056
— Penn State Hazleton: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2057
— Penn State Hershey: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2071
— Penn State Lehigh Valley: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2058
— Penn State Mont Alto: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2059
— Penn State Schuylkill: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2063
--- Penn State Shenango: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2075
— Penn State York: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2064
— College of Agricultural Sciences: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2069
— College of Arts and Architecture: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2065
— College of Engineering: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2068
— College of Information Sciences and Technology: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2061
— College of the Liberal Arts: http://live.psu.edu/stilllife/2066


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I write, I read, I teach writing, and I work as a freelance editor and manuscript critiquer. If I review books, it's from the perspective of a writer. My comments on teaching writing are all my own, garnered from being in the classroom and in workshops.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Expanding Writing Horizons
Every now and then it's good to try something new. A while ago, I volunteered to be part of an art "experience". I wasn't quite sure what it would be but I'd done other stuff - writers sports, poem writing at exhibitions, performance writing. This was a bit different. Power to the People is part of the Melbourne Arts Festival and "presents works from over 15 Australian and international artists who have revisited, revised and revitalized these art-making strategies. Works shown by artists including Dora Garcia, Fiona Macdonald, Jonathan Monk and Mario Garcia Torres, demonstrate a move away from the art 'object', into more performative, documentative, research and participatory modes of art making."
This is another work in the exhibition. People can try on the animal costumes if they want. Most didn't. But one big group of Asian students had a wonderful time. Nothing quite like a penguin wearing a gorilla's head!
Basically I, and about 20-30 others (we work in shifts), am part of the Dora Garcia artwork (installation?). While people visit the exhibition, we sit at the table with the laptop and write about what we observe - and we are observing the people. The idea is that whatever we write appears above us on the projected image, and that they should at some point realise that we are writing about them.
That's when it gets interesting ... or confronting. For both sides. As the writer, I am not allowed to use my point of view or say I or me. I can only be the "objective witness". As the words appearing on the wall above me are the only things that move in the room, most people notice and then realise what is going on. Then they watch you watching them and writing about them.
It takes the role of the lonely writer in the garret and blows it out of the water, although my understanding of the instructions we are given is that it's the audience who are important. The writer is just part of the installation. I did find it hard to keep a straight face some of the time. I am only doing two shifts - all I have time for - but next time I'm going to have a closer look at some of the other works so I can "interpret" some of the body language I'm seeing in response to what is around me!
4 comments:
- Sharon Welgus said...
That sounds a very scary thing to do, Sherryl! Congratulations on 'Dying to tell you'. The cover looks great.
Sharon Welgus
- 9:23 am
- Desiree Middleton said...
That sounds like it was an amazing experience. The chance to really dig deep into the character of a real person, while they are standing right in front of you and seeing the expression on their face when they realize you just wrote about them. Bet it helps with crafting imaginary characters--making them real.
- 5:31 am
- Angela Sunde. said...
Fun and intimidating at the same time, I would've jumped at the chance to be involved in such an installation. However, it must've been difficult to keep focussed on observing and not let the muse wander. Touch typing would also be useful.
- 11:18 am
- Sherryl said...
Angela, the first hour was interesting but after that, unless lots of people were coming through, it was a bit mind-numbing. I found a well-thumbed novel in the desk drawer so I think that was everyone's "time out"!
- 7:51 am


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Manuscript Score for the Fifth Symphony
ABSms9. This 66-page score, in the hand of at least two different copyists, originated from the lending library of the publisher Breitkopf & Härtel. The source was likely the first edition of the orchestral parts that Breitkopf & Härtel issued in 1808. In 1994, Ira Brilliant and Max Bloom acquired this manuscript for the Beethoven Center from Rhonda Bachmann. Her husband obtained it from Albert Ganz, grandson of the composer and conductor, Adolf Ganz (1795-1869). M1C0001.


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|This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
Several food and drinks with the same name appear throughout the series. For specific information on a food/drink in a particular game, choose the appropriate article:
- The Witcher food and drink in The Witcher
- Also see: alcoholic beverages
- The Witcher 2 food in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (has no drinks)
- The Witcher 3 food and drink in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (includes alcohol list)
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Dismissed: Judge tosses Grisham suit
One of Charlottesville's longer-running legal dramas ground to a halt– temporarily– July 8 when a judge dismissed Katharine Almy's lawsuit against second-only-to-Harry Potter best-selling author John Grisham and four other defendants.
Retired Judge William R. Shelton said that Almy's claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress and conspiracy to intentionally inflict emotional distress would not survive demurrer.
That means that even if everything Almy alleged were true, there is no legal basis for a lawsuit.
Before the defendants could rejoice too much at the possible end to the case, which celebrates its fifth anniversary August 11, Almy's lawyer vowed to appeal the decision to the Virginia Supreme Court.
Not disputed in court June 22 was that Donna Swanson– wife of St. Anne's-Belfield development director and Grisham buddy Alan Swanson– received graphic anonymous letters in 1996 that were designed to break up her marriage.
When Grisham received anonymous letters in 1998, he and Alan Swanson compared notes and decided Almy was the author. They sent samples of her handwriting– including her application for her son to attend St. Anne's– to handwriting expert David Liebman, who reported he had no opinion whether Almy wrote the letters, but it was "possible" she addressed the envelopes.
Liebman consulted Cina Wong, another handwriting expert, who said that Almy "appeared to be" the author, according to court filings.
Grisham and Swanson went to a private attorney, the commonwealth's attorney, and then the police, who showed up at Almy's house August 13, 1998, a visit that caused her extreme emotional distress, according to her suit. Almy took a polygraph and submitted handwriting samples to the state forensics lab, and no charges were filed against her.
In court, Almy's lawyer, Michael Lieberman, described her devastation at being accused of writing the letters: "absolutely hysterical," "distraught," "almost catatonic," and at times "curled up in fetal position."
The defense contended that Almy's consultations with a licensed therapist did not meet the Supreme Court of Virginia's requirements for medical treatment, and that the defendants' behavior did not meet the definition of "intolerable" and "outrageous" in a civilized society, another criterion for an intentional emotional distress ruling.
Shelton apparently heeded the suggestion of the Swansons' lawyer, James H. Revere, to return a decision so simple it could be written in half a page.
The defendants– through their lawyers– were uniformly "pleased" by the decision.
"They're glad they've reached this point," says Revere of the Swansons. 'They're private people who don't appreciate their lives being played out in the press or in court."
As for whether they still believe Almy wrote the letters, "I have no comment on that," says Revere. "The Swansons have never publicly accused her of writing them."
"It's been a tremendous emotional and financial expense," says Don Morin, Cina Wong's attorney. "She feels vindicated."
"This has been dragging on for too long," says Tom Albro, Grisham's attorney. However, "We can't be sure this is the end," he cautioned– before Lieberman declared his intention to go to the Supreme Court.
"We invited the court to make this ruling early on if something were lacking," says Lieberman. "This gives the Virginia Supreme Court the opportunity to make clear what infliction of emotional distress is."
The argument of the defense, he says, is that Almy didn't suffer enough. "We think she met the standards," he says. "Now it's up to the Supreme Court to define it so we all know."
Almy v. Grisham et al. misses trial for the second time in two years.


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particle accelerator
particle accelerator, apparatus used in nuclear physics to produce beams of energetic charged particles and to direct them against various targets. Such machines, popularly called atom smashers, are needed to observe objects as small as the atomic nucleus in studies of its structure and of the forces that hold it together. Accelerators are also needed to provide enough energy to create new particles. Besides pure research, accelerators have practical applications in medicine and industry, most notably in the production of radioisotopes. A majority of the world's particle accelerators are situated in the United States, either at major universities or national laboratories. In Europe the principal facility is at CERN near Geneva, Switzerland; in Russia important installations exist at Dubna and Serpukhov.
Sections in this article:
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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Go Bright For Baby
Photo credit: adventtr/Vetta/Getty Images
Bright bedding set
Take your little one under the sea with this adorable Finding Nemo bedding set. The cute characters give baby something fun to look at, and the vibrant colors set a great palette for the rest of the room. Plus, it's perfect for a boy or a girl, so it's great for parents-to-be who plan to be surprised. (Babies R Us, $100)
Crib sheets
You're going to be changing those crib sheets often, Mama, so you might as well get some that are fun to look at. This Sweet ABC fitted sheet will add a pop of color to your little girl's room. (Buy Buy Baby, $22)
Cozy blankets
Believe it or not, they do make boys' nursery items that aren't covered in puppies and firetrucks. Break away from all that with this super soft and bright chevron blanket for your baby boy. (Babies R Us, $13)
Give your baby something bright to look at while she drifts of to dreamland. This rainforest mobile fits the bill perfectly, with soothing music and soft lights to illuminate the nursery. (Target, $44)
Changing pad cover
It doesn't get much sweeter than this cupcake changing pad cover. We recommend picking up a few, since these tend to spend a lot of time in the laundry. (Baby Depot, $15)
Diaper caddy
Have all your diaper changing essentials on hand, whether you're in the nursery or not, with this stylish diaper caddy. (Babies R Us, $30)
Laundry hamper
Whether you have a boy or a girl, this adorable elephant laundry hamper is a nursery must-have. (Buy Buy Baby, $30)
You only need a little bit of light for those late-night feedings and diaper changes, and this brightly-colored lamp can do the job. (Baby Depot, $45).
This post was sponsored by Disney.
More for baby
Top 6 parenting books
How to stimulate your baby's brain
10 Things you didn't know about newborns


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Hey Guys!this is a recording from a set i did during the july full moon!
It consists mainly from unreleased sounds from HSS upcoming va "Odyssey"
and some tracks from Releases like Typhoeus Vritra,NOM-From life to light and Annunaki freaquences!
Listen to it if u like!
Have an excellent weekend hermanos!
http://soundcloud.com/heliconsoundshss/ ... j-set-july
Helicon sounds july 2011 set!
Post links to DJ mixes, Live act sets here. hard psy trance, darkpsy, psystomp, psycore etc.... (no fluffy music please!)
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Emad Burnat, Bil'in resident and film Director, along with co-Director Guy Davidi and Producer Christine Camdessus, won the award for Best Documentary at the 41st International Emmy Awards, last Monday 25th November in New York, for their production of 5 Broken Cameras.
Starting in 2005 and continuing for several years, Mr Burnat decided to shoot his son Gibreel's childhood in connection with the non-violent resistance efforts of his fellow Bil'in villagers against the construction of Israel's Apartheid Wall on their land. This opposition was never welcomed by Israeli forces nor acknowledged for its attempt at being peaceful. On the contrary, it was received with violence, with tear gas grenades, rubber bullets, occasional live ammunition, beatings, arrests, and the breaking of cameras as an attempt to destroy any evidence of such aggressive behavior.
But resilience and persistence succeeded. After the first camera was broken, Mr Burnat acquired another and kept recording, and so on, one after the other until all the footage collected of his friends' efforts became substantial enough to create a documentary and all the broken cameras became unique pieces of evidence worth sharing. By then, he had witnessed the injury of numerous relatives and friends duringconfrontations with Israeli forces. In such extreme circumstances of violent attacks, the cameras had become secondary to his will, nothing stopped him from filming and despite all the difficulties he managed to get the message across successfully.
Appearing in the documentary's footage is the death of Bassem Abu Rahmeh in 2009, after a tear gas grenade was fired at him from a short distance. With the help of NGOs Yesh Din and B'Tselem, Bassem's family have ever since tried to investigate the truth of the persons responsible, yet the investigation was closed earlier this year by the Military Advocate General (MAG) on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence. In 2011, Bassem's sister Jawaher Abu Rahmeh died from asphyxiation after inhaling a large amount of tear-gas likewise at a protest in Bil'in. This caused further sorrow to the family and community, and enhanced the response of anger to the Israeli forces' use of violence on peaceful protestors.
The documentary has already been screened at a number of film festivals. It won the award for best Israeli Documentary at the 2012 Jerusalem Film Festival (Athough Burnat is Palestinian, the Documentary received Israeli funding. The Israeli media's advertisement of the production as Israeli during its first released,caused great debate.).5 Broken Cameras also won an award for best Documentary Directing in the World Cinema category at this year's Sundance Film Festival; and though it did not get the title, it was nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Feature earlier this year.
Residents of Bil'in are known to resist and fight for what they believe in. The small village has has become a symbol of the weekly Palestinian protests against Israeli policies in the West Bank, protests aimed at regaining land annexed by Israel's Apartheid Wall and removing the occupation as whole. Residents of Bil'in along with international and left wing Israeli supporters march to the fence every Friday to meet heavily armed Israeli soldiers with their bare hands and their bare hearts, with such spirits as worthy of more than any number of awards combined.
On the 24 June 2011, after six years of ongoing protests, their efforts were partially rewarded and protest turned into celebration with the Separation Wall being pushed back several hundred meters. The Israeli Supreme Court ordered the section of the wall built on Bil'in land to be moved further back, returning a portion of the stolen land back to the people of Bil'in.
Their resistance even goes beyond direct protests and transforms into practicality, as over the years they have tried to maintain their presence between the fence and the rest of their village by planting trees. They have also collected the tear gas grenades fired each week and planted flowers and plants inside, creating a garden in honor of the Palestinians killed during protests as well as a sign of life and perseverance.
"We turn their grenades into a source of life," says a Palestinian activist for Friends of Freedom and Justice in Bil'in. He told Palestine Monitor earlier this month that members of the organization as well as Bil'in residents are very proud of 5 Broken Cameras, adding that it is all part of a longer story for them. No matter what happens, they will never give up their fight.
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Second Session
Civil Society Forum Sudan and South Sudan - May 2013
The Second Session of the Civil Society Forum on Sudan and South Sudan convened in Addis Ababa on 16 – 18 May 2013. This three-day event was organised by Darfur Relief and Documentation Centre in collaboration with the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, Darfur Bar Association, Human Rights Institute of South Africa and South Sudan Human Rights Society for Advocacy. The Forum was organised as a civil society contribution to the 21st ordinary session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
About 100 participants attended the second session of the Forum. They represent independent NGOs from Sudan and South Sudan as well as Sudan-focused civil society groups from Africa, the Middle East and Western Europe. A number of African diplomats as well as senior officials from the African Union Commission, Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the United Nations attended the second session of the Civil Society Forum on Sudan and South Sudan.
The key objectives of the Forum are:
The Forum adopted 11 (eleven) Resolutions addressing an array of issues in Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan.
The resolutions adopted addressed the following matters:
The African Union High-Level Implementation Panel : Four Years of Existence !
|Click Here
|>>> Report of the African Union High Level Panel on Darfur, 29 Oct 2009
>>> Report of the Elders' Mission to Sudan: Bringing Hope, Forging Peace, Nov 2007
>>> Report of the High Level Mission on the Situation of Human Rights in Darfur, March 2007
>>> Report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, Jan 2005, (English)
>>> Report of the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, Jan 2005, (Arabic)
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|Darfuri students sit for their annual exam,
12 March 2012


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Coronavirus - We are working tirelessly to keep our colleagues safe and deliveries operating as normal where-ever possible to support your business.
Duplex stainless steel offers a superior resistance to corrosion especially in aggressive water areas, compared with some grades of stainless steel, glass-lined steel and copper. Because Duplex is a low carbon, high chromium content alloy, it resists all forms of corrosion including pitting, crevice corrosion, uniform corrosion and stress corrosion cracking without the use of a sacrificial anode. In addition, the tungsten inert gas welding coupled with the special post-weld processes ensures the welded area has the same level of corrosion resistance and mechanical strength as the parent metal. This ensures the longest possible working life for every cylinder.
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Encouraged by SBU to "keep doing what you're passionate about," Griffin Kramer is majoring in chemistry and music.
St. Bonaventure's School of Education is one of the nation's top 25 innovative teacher education programs, according to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). Learn more.
Application forms, procedures and additional information
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St. Bonaventure for yourself
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Smeg TSF02WHUK Retro White 4 Slice Toaster
The Smeg TSF02 2-Slot Toaster adds a retro style to any kitchen. Beautifully made in deep drawn sheet steel it features 2 extra wide slots, perfect for thick cut bread, with automatic centering racks to ensure your bread toasts evenly. It has 6 browning levels, 4 functions (defrost, bagel, cancel & reheat) and it's non slip feet will make sure it stays safe and stable on any kitchen surface. The removable crumb tray keeps mess to a minimum and the toaster can be tidilly stored away with the integrated cable storage.
Stainless Steel Body - Made to be strong & Durable
Extra Wide Slots - Perfect for chunky bread
Illuminated Controls - Designed to feel stylish & responsive
Bagel Function - Perfectly toasts on one side
Reheat or Defrost - Provides ultimate convenience
Crumb Tray - Keeping things clean & tidy
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Water Damage Restoration in Gambrills
Handling water damage in your home or business can be stressful but it's something that require your immediate attention. Fortunately, you don't have to wait too long for help.
At ServiceMaster by Singer, we are there for you when your Gambrills house or commercial property is affected by water damage. The ServiceMaster by Singer team will complete a full inspection of the property, and propose an effective plan in removing water, and drying out the affected area.
It is very important to contact a trusted insurance restoration company as quickly as you can, which is why we offer 24/7 emergency water damage restoration service. Contacting a damage restoration company is crucial to reducing the loss of items, and the cost of replacing them.
| Our Water Damage Restoration Service
Every job is unique, and we've seen almost everything involving excess water in Gambrills, and the damages it can inflict. Our immediate response team can be there to immediately assess the situation, and provide a plan of action.
We provide restoration and cleaning for situations like:
- Aftermath of putting out fires
- Floods
- Heavy rainstorms
- Leaking appliances
- Leaking water heater
- Overflowing toilets, bathtubs, and sinks
- Plumbing issues
- Sewage backups
- Piping issues
- Sump pump failure
Water Removal & Cleaning Company For The Gambrills Area
We have several locations with equipment and a team of trained restoration professionals ready to help! Our water damage restoration services include water extraction, and salvaging water damaged items. No job is too big or small, as we handle projects of all sizes. We will help you get through this tough time and eliminate all water damages! Contact Us or call 1-855-574-6437 immediately and you will not be disappointed.


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By the time early settler Hugh Taylor Birch purchased the Bonnet House site in 1895, the grounds had already witnessed 4,000 years of Florida history. A shell midden left by the Tequesta people indicates that human activity on the site dates back to 2,000 B.C. while further archeological evidence suggests that the grounds were one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the New World. This eclectic house with its unique art-inspired rooms and magnificent gardens is a must-see for anyone visiting the area. Bonnet House is closed on Mondays.
Tours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Sunday 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM


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Cup of Swiss Miss Cocoa Costume
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Cup of Swiss Miss Cocoa Costume
This beautiful little girl is Mei Lin and she is 3 yrs.old. She is joining this Contest as a Cup of Swiss Miss Cocoa... with REAL Marshmallows!
This is Mei Lin's first Halloween because it is her first year in the United States. She was adopted from China last summer. Mei Lin is EXCITED about Halloween and all of the Goodies to be had for Trick or Treat in S. Dakota. Ü
Thank you Sheri Not only for the entry...
but also for sharing a bit of Mei Lins story. It is a wonderful thing you and your family have done for Mei Lin and I wish you all the BEST of life. Ü
Great Kids and...
|Costume type:
|Costumes for Girls
This homemade costume for girls entered our 2008 Halloween Costume Contest.


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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Rascal Flatts Wake-Up Calls
Now, this is some good marketing. Maybe last year during the sales the day after Thanksgiving one of the major retailers offered a service like this.
On September 25, the release date for their new album, you can sign-up for either your favorite member of the band or the entire band to call your cell phone with a reminder that the album is now in stores. Of course, its going to be a recorded message type auto-caller, but what a great use for this service. Unless you check my album release dates every Tuesday morning or a Rascal Flatts super fan, it is easy to have the release date slip your mind. I have a feeling that this service is actually going to help first day sales a little bit.
My Coke Rewards
Here is another cool thing, My Coke Rewards members get the chance to hear the album on September 23 on their website. Also, they will replay it on the release date.
In these days of high competition, you have got to be creative. Whether you like the band or not, got to admit that their marketing staff have been hard at work. Now, of course, I always like the idea of just clicking over on Amazon, pre-ordering, and having new music delivered to my front door.


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Three Piece (2008) - Stephen Cornford
A kinetic sound sculpture for two electric guitars and one electric bass. Taking its name from the classic rock combination of guitar, bass and drums, this fairground-esque installation invites the audience to navigate the space around and between the instrument-machine band members and wander through their perpetually aleatoric song.
The Gamelatron (2009) - The League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR) and Zemi17
The Gamelatron at Galapagos Art Space from Zemi17 on Vimeo.
Modeled after traditional Balinese and Javanese gamelan orchestras, the GamelaTron is an amalgamation of traditional instruments with a suite of percussive sound makers. MIDI sequences control 117 robotic striking mechanisms that produce intricately woven and rhythmic sound. Performances follow an arc similar to classic Indonesian gatherings, where stories from great epics, such as the Ramayana, are told and settings given in words that are continued in music.
Max Neuhaus (1939-2009)
1. Part I [listen]
2. Part 2 [listen]
Audio: Max Neuhaus, Radio Net, 1977
This week marked the passing of a true visionary of contemporary art, Max Neuhaus. Originally an accomplished solo percussionist who toured with Boulez and Stockhausen, in the late 1960's Neuhaus moved his practice out of the concert hall and into the public sphere, setting up numerous sound-based installations in and around New York City.
Perhaps his most famous installation is Times Square, consisting of a large speaker emitting a resonating drone from beneath a traffic island grate in the heart of the spectacular crossroads. The work is remarkable for its ability to carve out a meditative sonic chamber amongst the clamor and saturation of its surroundings.
Neuhaus's work spans many mediums and technologies, from installations to performances to network-based compositions, such as Public Supply, made for telephone lines, Radio Net, made for broadcast radio, and Auracle, a voice controlled instrument played and heard over the internet. He even designed and patented a unique siren system for emergency vehicles that creates an "aural image" of the vehicle so to inform the listener of the vehicles direction and proximity.
You can find his writings and examples of his work, including a great video about Times Square, here:
Processing 1.0 Launched
Processing, the open-source programming language and production environment developed by Ben Fry and Casey Reas, turned 1.0 yesterday. While it started off as tool for sketching and teaching the fundamentals of programing, Processing has developed into a full-fledged alternative to expensive proprietary software for the creation of everything from data visualizations and interactive installations to music and video. In just 7 years, Processing has grown into one of the primary tools used by contemporary artists working on digital projects, and stands as one of the finest examples of the power of open-source development.
Visit the Processing website to download the 1.0 version and start making things!
Read more about the 1.0 Release on Casey Reas' blog.
Tools of the Trade: Nick Hasty, The EM Brace
In this new series, Rhizome invites artists to explain the nuts and bolts of their work. Our first contribution comes from recent ITP graduate and Rhizome's dynamo former Technology Assistant Nick Hasty. Here, Hasty describes his project The EM Brace.
The EM Brace is a wearable device for physically engaging with electromagnetic radiation emitted by the consumer and communication technologies that constantly permeate our bodies. The device attunes the body to the presence of electromagnetic frequencies through amplifying these frequencies and turning them into powerful sound waves that vibrate the wearer.
The EM Brace consists of a metallic enclosure that is worn on the back (fig a) attached to a pair of antenna gloves that fit on the hands (fig b).
Extending from the metallic enclosure are four flexible metal arms which wrap around the ribcage. The enclosure and arms are secured to the body via four straps that connect at the chest (fig c) through a four point harness. Putting on and using the EM Brace has been described as a mix of being strapped into a roller-coaster, scuba diving, and getting a massage.
Since the majority of our interactions with electronic objects involve the use of the hands, the antennas that pick up ambient EM frequencies have been embedded within a pair of gloves. These antennas consist of four inductive coil antennas, specifically telephone pickup coils. When the antennas enter an electromagnetic field, an inductive voltage signal is created within the coil. The frequency of this signal is the same frequency as the electromagnetic field in which it's produced, so the antennas' signal directly corresponds to the electromagnetic frequencies of nearby electronic devices.
The signal created within the coil is then sent from the antennas into a preamplifier circuit located within the metallic enclosure (fig d ...


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The growing popularity of dynamic languages, such as Perl, Python, and Ruby -- which are popular for building Web applications -- has caused companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems to stand up and take a look. Although Microsoft has championed development using traditional Windows development languages such as Visual Basic and C#, the company has recently made accommodations for dynamic languages, with projects such asIronPython and Phalanger hosted on Microsoft's CodePlex site for community development. Still, Microsoft is largely leaving it to the community at large to provide the dynamic-language capabilities on the .Net Framework. InfoWorld Editor at Large Paul Krill and Test Center Executive Editor Doug Dineley spoke this week to Jason McConnell, the Visual Studio product manager responsible for all languages at Microsoft, about the state of dynamic languages on .Net.
InfoWorld: What is Microsoft's official stance on enabling dynamic languages such as PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby and JavaScript to run on .NET and the CLR, the Common Language Runtime?
Jason McConnell: We always want to enable as many languages as possible for the .Net Framework, especially the ones that our customers are demanding. Dynamic languages like those you mentioned have gained popularity of late, and so officially, there's no official stance except to say that we're looking into how we can enable languages like that to be a great programming experience on the .Net Framework.
IW: So when you say you're looking into it, what steps do you think Microsoft might take? Obviously you're getting some feedback from customers and developers that they want this sort of functionality?
JM: Right. We're looking at those new languages that people are using now. For example, we have a project called the IronPython project that recently went to Release Candidate status. It's kind of like a community project, but it shows early efforts to enable a dynamic language on the .Net Framework. So we've used that as kind of our poster child, if you like, for our strategy or our work into that space.
IW: Do you believe the traditional Microsoft-friendly languages such as Visual Basic or C# offer advantages over these dynamic languages?
JM: Well, they're kind of different beasts. C# is a strongly [typed] static language if you like. VB could be considered a dynamic language; it's always had dynamic aspects to it. [Dynamic languages are] most suited for quick, rapid application development, whereas the statically [typed] languages are for building larger systems with well-defined interfaces. So it really depends on using the right tool for the right job. I think it's unfair to compare a statically [typed] language to a dynamic language.
IW: I'm looking at a definition of dynamic programming languages on Wikipedia here. What would be your definition?
JM: A dynamic language is one that can resolve types and kind of compiles on the fly; in that way it's very dynamic. So, at runtime, the compiler does type-checking and syntax-checking as opposed to a static language, which is done at compile time, which is not at runtime.
IW: To what do you attribute the popularity of these new languages? Their advantages in Web development, perhaps?
JM: Definitely the Web has made an explosion of these things possible. I think Web services as well, not just Web sites and scripting engines like JScript and the engines that are embodied inside of browsers, but also the ability now to stitch together components on the Web, like Web services. If you look back in the mid- to late-90s, scripting was really popular as a macro language behind Office. And we were sewing together, from the COM (Component Object Model) days, we were sewing together components that were just Windows-based and stitching them in together to make applications for Office and end users. And we see the same trend happening now for the Web. So I think it's about sewing together almost like Web mash-ups, you know? Sewing together services and making composite applications, which has really started to reignite this area.
IW: How does Microsoft feel about some of the third-party efforts going on for dynamic language supports on .Net, such as Ruby in Steel or the Phalanger project for PHP?
JM: We're very supportive, as always, of encouraging a third-party ecosystem of languages. This has been true since 2001 when we first envisioned this CLR. So we're very supportive of that and in fact our Lang.Net symposium that was run a couple of weeks ago was kind of like a first try at trying to corral some of the ideas that are out there and foster the idea of a community to build languages around .Net.
IW: What would you say was the major feedback from that event?
JM: Oh, it was overwhelmingly positive, from what I can tell. We actually had industry spokespeople, we also had people that do this for a hobby. [There was] lots of just sort of intellectual discussion. And it was a great forum for early thinking about emerging technologies. So I think it went over very well.
IW: Was there any major concrete policy stance that Microsoft has made based on that event?
JM: No. It was really just to bring the industry together and have a chat, if you like. It was kind of elbow patch-wearing academics as well as some of the industry people. So it's kind of seeing where the trends are emerging. So obviously we'll take some of that back in-house and think about it, but we haven't actually made any stance as a result.
IW: Are the days numbered for Microsoft traditional languages and the rival Java language, with the growing popularity of these dynamic languages?
JM: I think I'd term Java and C# and C++ as system programming languages, and there will always be a place for system programming languages because they're well suited for rigid, well-defined, industrial-strength programming stuff. Downstream from that, the good system programming languages will be used to bubble up and surface macro functionality. So [there will be a] larger logical box of units of work, if you like, and they'll be stitched together using scripting. And that's where these dynamic languages are really going to play strongly.
IW: Is the CLR unfriendly to dynamic languages?
JM: We made improvements in the .Net Framework 2.0 to be able to do dynamic calls. We're looking at ways that we can make dynamic languages friendlier, but it's certainly not unfriendly to dynamic languages right now. If you look a Jim Hugunin's work in IronPython, you'll see that there's some really good things. In fact, that's why he came to join Microsoft.... He turned around IronPython in a pretty short time frame, so it shows you that it's not unfriendly.
IW: With these projects Phalanger and IronPython, does Microsoft actively support those with developer resources?
JM: No, we don't. They're very much driven by the community.
(Editor's note: IronPython started as a community project but has since been brought into the Microsoft fold).
IW: Is there a short list of specific dynamic languages that you guys are working to extend support for or to make easier to run on .Net?
JM: Not at this stage. We're kind of looking at how dynamic languages in general can run better. So it's really done in exactly the same way as CLR is common across languages. But that's same sort of work we're doing, or thinking of doing, for the runtime.
IW: So whatever improvements or tweaks you make to the CLR for dynamic languages should extend to any dynamic language?
JM: Yes.
IW: So you don't envision a Microsoft version of PHP or Perl or any of these? You're going to let pretty much the outside developers take care of that?
JM: We haven't made any firm plans in that direction right now…. The .Net Framework should really be seen as an industry leader in enabling these sorts of languages. We're constantly evolving it. It's at Net Framework 2.0 right now, 3.0 will be out with Vista. [Version] 3.5 or something like 3.5 will be out with the next set of tools that we release. So we're constantly improving, always looking for what's important in the industry and from our customers. And you'll always see us evolve this and do some innovative work.


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Additional information
A3 Print, A4 Print, A5 Print, Original
8€ – 50€
The original painting size is 26x18cm
In the printed versions the color may vary with respect to the original painting. All the works are printed on 300gr matte finished paper.
In the panoramic formats, A3, A4 and A5 refer to the height of the painting. In square formats, the width of each model is used as a reference (e.g., if you choose the square A4 format, the measurements would be 21x21cm).
A3 Print, A4 Print, A5 Print, Original


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SBR: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The first thing to say about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is that it really is as good as the reviews say it is. I put it on my library list when I first heard about it, but when I got it last week, I wasn't sure I was really up for diving into a story about science and race. But I was concerned if I didn't start it right away, I wouldn't finish it within the 3 weeks the library allows, and that I wouldn't be able to renew it. So I started reading it Friday evening… and finished less than 24 hours later. I literally can't think of the last nonfiction book that I read that way — it's that good.
Henrietta Lacks developed cervical cancer in 1951, when she was just 30. She lived in Baltimore, and so went for treatment at Johns Hopkins, which had a ward for black patients. The doctors there removed her tumor and treated her with the best practice of the day — sewing radium packs into her cervix. But the cancer recurred and spread rapidly to pretty much every organ in her body, and Lacks died. But meanwhile, scientists at Hopkins had attempted to grow the cells from her tumor in culture — and discovered that unlike almost every other cells they had tried, these cells reproduced indefinitely. The cell line was dubbed HeLa, and was freely shared with labs around the world, and has been critical to the biological sciences ever since.
Skloot carefully lays out multiple entwined stories around Henrietta Lacks and HeLa — what is known of her short life, how her children were affected by her early death, and again how they were affected years later when they learned about HeLa, and how Skloot came to win their trust, but also about the doctors who treated Lacks, the scientists who reproduced and shared her cells, the ways they were used, the development of modern medical ethical standards around informed consent, the history of abuse of black patients in the name of science, the discovery that most of the cell lines used in research had been contaminated by HeLa cells, and present day controversies over patenting genes and whether donors have any financial claim on products made from their tissues. These multiple stories could easily have become too much, or totally confusing, but they don't.
This story is fascinating in large part because the answers to the ethical questions are far from obvious. There are some people in the book who were clearly wronged by scientists. Henrietta's oldest daughter had epilepsy, and was institutionalized, dying shortly after her mother. Skloot goes with Henrietta's younger daughter to that institution, and finds that she was almost certainly mistreated and experimented upon in ways that were harmful to her. Scientists also injected HeLa cells into patients without informing them in order to see what would happen. But Henrietta was not harmed by the cloning of her cells, and anyone who has benefited from a drug that has been tested in the past 50 years has benefited from the HeLa line. The Lacks family has been very poor — and struggled to get health care at some times — and some people have gotten rich off of HeLa, but neither Hopkins nor the scientist who first reproduced the cells appears to be among them. (Skloot has set up a foundation to benefit Henrietta Lacks' descendents and you can also give directly to the family through their website.) Medical ethics rules have gotten a lot stricter since 1951, but even today, it seems likely that something like this could well happen again — except that with more concern for patient privacy, it's even less likely that the donor would ever know.
When N was born, I had the umbilical cord blood collected and donated to a public bank. This means that it's not reserved for our use, but in theory will be available to us if we ever need it and there's any left. (It's not at clear to me that umbilical cord blood is actually useful, but it clearly has potential, so there didn't seem to be any downside.) It occurs to me that I have no idea what the conditions of my donation were — whether it's only available for direct use by a patient, or if a researcher could apply for a portion of it. I'd be happy to have it used in any way that would be helpful.


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Less than a year after losing his eyes in a battlefield explosion, Navy Lt. Brad Snyder on Friday felt the wall, heard the cheers and tasted gold, beating the world's best blind swimmers in the 100-meter freestyle final at the London Paralympics.
In a race only the Aquatics Centre spectators (and none of the eight competitors) could see, Snyder, a former Naval Academy swimmer and an ex-Navy bomb defuser, posted a winning time of 57.43 seconds. He finished more than one second faster than China's Bozun Yang, who took silver.
"It was my first final, it was my first medal," Snyder said after the race. "It's an immense amount of relief. There was a lot of uncertainty this morning as to whether I'd be fast or not, a lot of uncertainty whether I'd be able to come in front of this crowd and keep my wits about me and keep a good race plan. We succeeded on both counts today, came out of the gates with a gold medal and now I'm looking forward to maintaining that as much as possible throughout the week."
Earlier in the day, during his qualifying heat for the 100-meter free, Snyder set a new Paralympic record of 57.18 seconds — more than a half second faster than his previous personal best (which already was the No. 1-ranked time in the world.)
"I have six more events, some better than others, but I'm prepared by good nutrition and good rest.," he said. "As soon as we're done here we'll head back, grab some dinner, go to sleep and kinda just get into this rhythm of competition — swimming each morning, swimming each evening — and see if we can keep that performance at a high level."
Before today's races, Snyder said his busy London swim schedule shapes up perfectly for potential success.
"I'm actually really excited to have one of the preferred events up first, so I have something I'm targeting and feeling good about and looking forward to," said Snyder, who lives in Baltimore. "Hopefully, I'll get the butterflies out in prelims and then be ready to rock at night."
Lt. Brad Snyder lost his sight in an IED explosion in Afghanistan last year. The Navy officer will once again represent the U.S., this time at the London 2012 Paralympics in September.
During a patrol last Sept. 7 in Afghanistan, Snyder was rushing forward to help two Afghan soldiers wounded in an initial IED blast. While sprinting, Snyder tripped a second hidden bomb in a farm-field irrigation ditch. His eyes were irreparably damaged by the detonation and later were removed by a surgeon.
Entering the London Paralympics, Snyder trained for months with his coach, Brian Loeffler, to shave split seconds off the world No. 1 times he already had set this year in three freestyle events — the 50 meters, 100 meters and 400 meters.
But trying to cut through the water more quickly caused Snyder to crash hard into the lane lines during some of those practice sessions.
Lt. Brad Snyder, blinded by an IED explosion in Afghanistan, trained hard for the London 2012 Paralympics.
"I started wearing compression sleeves in practice because I started beating my arms up pretty bad," Snyder said before Friday's race.
Related: From darkness to gold: Blinded swimmer ready to race
Related: Iraq vet: 'Now it's time to win at Paralympics'
Related: Ex-Marine's journey from homelessness to Paralympics
Related: 'Superhuman' Paralympians burst onto world stage
"We've put a lot of emphasis on quality. I've put a lot of work into just being as symmetrical as possible and really working on a quality stroke and trying to find ways to maintain good technique ... That way we can avoid crashing and losing speed due to fatigue.
"I've been doing a lot of kick and strength work to hopefully be able to control the speed of the sprint with my legs as opposed to trying to do it with my arms which I think lends to me crashing."
Centra "Ce-Ce" Mazyck, who was paralyzed during a parachute jump with the 82 Airborne in November 2003, will compete in the javelin at the London Paralympics. "This is my second chance," she tells NBC News' Jamieson Lesko.
Like all blind Paralympic swimmers, Snyder competes while wearing blacked-out goggles — a Paralympic rule to ensure no athlete in the field can see even a glimmer of light. He also relies on Loeffler, the swimming coach at Loyola University, to stand at the end of his lanes and tap him on the shoulders with a walking cane to alert him that a flip turn or finishing kick is needed.
The 100-meter free was the first of seven events Snyder will swim in London. Depending how well Snyder performs in his preliminary heats, he could race 14 times in nine days.
"It's spread across so many days. And there's one event per day. And my coach and I have strategy on that: it behooves me to use the opportunities to race just to get accustomed to the pool, the setup, the sound of the start, and walking around," Snyder said. "If I can make finals in an off event then it gives me the opportunity to go through the ready-room system.
"It actually works out great to just kind of make the extraordinary ordinary. Just get accustomed to being in front of the people, hearing the noise, hopping in the pool and racing."
Some of the hottest tickets at the London Paralympics are for wheelchair rugby. The sport is so violent and fierce, that it has been dubbed "Murderball". ITN's Lewis Vaughan Jones met Team Great Britain's inspirational captain.
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