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An excerpt from Laurence Freeman OSB, "Ash Wednesday, Lent 2008," pp. 2-3, www.wccm.org.
Lent is a time when we refine and purify the spiritual senses and identify the habits or patterns that pollute them. The means of doing this are the exercises we undertake in this season. It is not a time for self-punishment or repression.
Today especially the human psyche is too fragile for that. But when a friend summons up the courage to tell you something you would rather not hear, some exposure of a fault or dishonesty you have been guilty of, do you not (in the end) feel gratitude for their expression of love and concern for you? It is not condemnation but "repentance" that works to accelerate the spiritual journey. To repent means not to feel guilty which is a waste of time and spirit. It means to be honest, clear-sighted and courageous enough to change direction.
Before changing direction it is best to pause. Lent is a time above all to give more time than we normally think we can afford to the mechanics of our spiritual life. It is not only about giving up but doing something more or less. Sometimes the two can be nicely balances—less time watching television, more time readings, going earlier to bed, getting up earlier to meditate, listening to the news just once a day, praying the hours more often, eating less and better, living and communicating more healthily.
Of course, good intentions are more likely to be sustained when they are realistic. It is better to slow down gradually before changing direction or you may simply go into a spin. The aim of Lenten discipline is to reverse the momentum of actual or implicit self-rejection and to allow the experience of knowing that we are loved to arise and envelop us. This knowledge (however it comes to us) is in fact the "knowledge of God." The changing of momentum is stillness. Thus,
Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 39)
After meditation: An excerpt from William Wordsworth, "Tintern Abbey" The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. 2 (New York: Norton, 1979) p. 156.
That blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and the weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world,
Is lightened—that serene and blessed mood,
In which the affections gently lead us on—
Until, the breath of this corporeal frame
And even the motion of our human blood
Almost suspended, we are laid asleep
In body, and become a living soul;
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things.
Selected by Carla Cooper - email@example.com


text: No bad guys will be allowed in your neighborhood when Cyrus 'Cy' Wren is on duty! Use one hand to manipulate the puppet's mouth and facial expressions, while gesturing with the removable wooden stick with the other. Detachable rod is suitable for lefties or righties! Dimensions: 15" x 5" x 6.5". Recommended Ages: 3+ years

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Acne (ak-nee) Another word for pimples, or bumps that you get mostly on your face. Most acne happens when your skin makes too much oil. The oil mixes with dead skin cells and germs called bacteria to plug up the little holes in your skin called pores.
Allergic reaction (al-ur-jick ree-ak-shun) When your body reacts to something that most people would not react to. Sneezing, itching or getting a rash are some ways your body can overreact.
Allergy (al-ur-jee) Your body overreacts to something that doesn't cause a problem for most people. Sneezing, itching or developing a rash are some ways your body can overreact.
Aloe vera (al-oh veer-a) A plant that is used to make a gel that treats burns, including sunburns.
Alopecia (al-o-peesh-a) A disease that can cause your hair to fall out.
Angel kiss (ain-jel kis) A type of birthmark that is pink or red and usually shows up on your face at birth. It's also called a salmon patch.
Antibiotic (an-ty-by-ah-tik) A medicine that treats infections caused by germs called bacteria.
Asthma (az-muh) A common disease that affects your lungs and makes it hard to breathe. A lot of kids who have asthma also have eczema.
Atopic dermatitis (ay-tah-pik der-mah-ty-tis) The most common kind of eczema, a disease that causes itchy, red, irritated skin.


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OCZ fails to kill off Blue Screen Of Death issue
SandForce-powered SSDs still failing
Despite firmware upgrades, some OCZ Agility and Vertex SSD users are still suffering Blue Screen of Death episodes.
We came across Vertex BSOD episodes in June and have been told by Gym Ratz, our poster, that he is still BSOD'd but that a replacement Crucial SSD is working perfectly.
To get my PC back in action and prove it wasn't my hardware at fault, I bought a Crucial C300 SSD and stuck it in in place of the Vertex. Guess what, Windows 7 (first release) was installed in 15 minutes, fully patched within the following couple of hours, and the system was overclocked to the max and still rock solid.
I have since fully populated every SATA II and SATA III port on the board with drives and done pretty much everything I can to try and force a BSOD or system hang, all to no avail.
Agility 3 and Vertex freezing and BSOD occurrences are still being noted on OCZ's forum. A stream of firmware upgrades, from v2.06 to v2.09, has reduced the number of users experiencing the problem, but 33 per cent of respondents on a forum poll are still faced with non-working drives. Another 20 per cent don't get BSODs but do experience freezes when the system hangs.
OCZ Technical Support Forum poll concerning SSD BSOD episodes.
Of the 47 per cent who found that firmware upgrades fixed their BSOD problem, 12 per cent of them found their system subsequently ran slower.
OCZ said it had contacted the forum poster JamieG "to acquire more information so our support team can assist them with troubleshooting". It added: "Additionally, we do have a clear warranty policy and are always happy to provide an exchange or refund to this person should the product not meet their expectations for whatever reason."
Poster GymRatz told us he is in the process of getting a refund from OCZ.
When complex goods fail in certain circumstances involving complex and hard-to-fix problems involving interaction between controller hardware and firmware, host PC BIOS cards and operating system drivers, then internet-based support processes, multinational and multi-step product RMA and return processes can become stretched to the limit.
It is such consumer SSD support issues that concern some commentators looking at OCZ's move into supplying enterprise SSDs. Hopefully they will get fixed and greater testing of consumer SSDs will stop the OCZ Sandforce controller-related BSODs happening again. ®
Sponsored: What next after Netezza?


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48 User Reviews of Majesty of the Seas Cruise Ship
My mother-in-law purchased a cruise vacation for 7 family members, spanning 4 generations (4 of whom include veterans). We drove 6 hours from Tampa to Miami to catch the Majesty of the Seas for a cruise from 12/13/2010 to 12/17/2010. Both the deposit and remainder of the balance were paid ahead of schedule. This was her first experience with Royal Caribbean, whom she booked with on a referral. Myself, my fiance, and his 7 year old son had never been on a cruise, and we were so excited and had been looking forward to this trip for months. We had issues with our GPS, and were running behind schedule, but we finally arrived at the dock at 4:40, and the departure time was 5pm. We were already checked in (we had done so 2 days before online) and had our luggage tags on our bags. Our documentation failed to stress that if we were not at the port a minimum of 1 hour before departure, we would not be allowed on the ship.
The security supervisor explained this regulation, and without much outward sympathy suggested we call customer service. In a stateof disbelief that they could do nothing to help us, we got back in the car and drove another 6 hours back home, not getting in the door until midnight. When my mother-in -law called customer service the next day, she was told that not only was she not eligible for a refund, she also was not eligible for a credit to use towards a future cruise. The only thing she can do apparently, is call for a refund of the taxes she paid, once the ship docks back in Miami on the 17th.
The customer service agent would not refer her to a supervisor, even though she requested to speak with one. I have worked in customer service for over 10 years, and I have never heard of such a shocking lack of empathy from a company, especially around the holidays, and towards a family of veterans. We were not looking for a refund of the more than $2,000 she spent, we were asking for credit with the company to be used for a future trip. I do not believe it is right that Royal Caribbean should be allowed to keep so much money without providing any services, and such appalling customer service.
Neglecting to inform the customer of the importance of the deadline for boarding is one thing, but then refusing to work with that customer to rectify the situation by at least honoring the money they have spent is reprehensible.
My wife and I just got back from our anniversary cruise with Royal Caribbean on Majesty of the Sea. This was our first trip with them and most definately our last. We were supposed to leave out of Miami on 4/26/10, but due to thunderstorms over Miami we had two cancelled flights and about a four hour delay on our last flight. We knew at the time of the delayed flight that we were going to miss our ship. I had to scramble to find a flight and hotel in Nassau. This is a complicated process in the airport with just a cell phone. This is the point where my disgust with RCCL began.
I contacted a representative of RCCL and told them my situation. I was told that there was nothing they could do execpt notify the ship that we may be boarding in Nassau. The trip was paid well in advance and I would have been out of $1200 if we were unable to make the cruise. Its hard to muster the thought that RCCL had no concerns or help a paying customer in a time ofneed. Well we made it to the ship in Nassau, and had more trouble with guest relations pertaining to all necessary doucments needed on board. There were several other guest that had missed their flight and ended up in Nassau. Before we boarded the ship, the other guests all recieved envelopes but there was not one for my wife and I.
Later we found out the envelope would contain the nessary information on how to deal with US Imigration in Key West since we missed them in Miami. There were also several small issuse dealing with paper work not being delivered to our state room on deck 8. Guest Relations keep blaming this on the state room attendents, my thought was, who was suppose to give the attendent the paper work anyway! When we arrived in Key West and waited in a long line on deck 3 to get onto the island, my wife thougth she heard them call our name to go to guest relations. Because I did not want to lose our place in the long line, I went up to guest relations to inquire.
When I approached guest services, the line was extremely long so I asked nearby crew member if our name was called. He didn't know and told me to wait in the guest services line. Thinking our name was not called (why would it be) I proceded to find my wife still waiting in line. About 15 minutes later, we tried to exit the ship. We were then pulled to the side when entering our seapass card and were escorted to immigration, just to be told that we could have been in really big trouble for trying to exit the ship. My wife,in tears, he then looked at our passports, told us we are ok to exit but to get in the next line for non-US citizens, that took us another 20 minutes to go through.
Shooken up we made a day on the island. Upon reboarding the ship from Key West, we asked to speak to a guest relations manager. One was not available and we were told they would call us in our room. We have not heard from them yet! Then, on departure morning, we received a statement of charges to our seapass card. It told us to visit guest relations to settle our account, even though we had signed up online to link our seapass to our credit card, just like most people do.
Later we found out that guest relations should have asked to see our credit card upon boarding to execute that process. Upon returing home, we called a customer service supervisor that seemed unconcerned and proceded to tell us that most individuals are happy with a simple apology.
Each of these items in itself seems miniscule, but Royal Caribbean did not show proper customer service in any of these situations, which added up to be one big dissapointment in the company. If it were not for the friendliness and professionalism of the wait staff, security, and shore excursion staff, this trip would have been a complete waste of money. What if someone was unable to pay or find a flight and hotel to board to ship at the next port of call, would RC have any more concern or help since they already had their money in hand? I doubt it!
We did learn two valuable lessons. One, fly to your departure city the day before. Two, don't depend on RCCL to assist you in any way if trouble arrises!
By the way, there were other couples in the airport in the same situation but were traveling with Carnival. Carnival scheduled their flight and hotel in their next port and paid for it. And no, they didn't have travel insurance either!
This was the 4 night Bahamas cruise. This was our 7th RCI cruise and 5th time on the Majesty. Left out of Miami and went to Nassau, CocoCay and Key West.
We did the online checkin so embarkation was quick and smooth. No lines. Got there about 12-12:30pm. Had to wait a bit for room to be ready at 1:00pm. The room was nice, Deck 8 out side cabin, but view was obstructed by lifeboats. A lot of water and soda on the desk/vanity. Had to move them so we had room for our stuff. Bathroom showed signs of age, wastebasket bin was chipped and some tile in the shower and the towels looked old and some edges were frayed and they were a little rough, not soft. No more chocolates at night on the pillows and the couple of towel animals we got were nothing special and were made with frayed towels.
Entertainment was good. Enjoyed the magician and the 2 shows with the RCI singers & dancers. The ship was decorated in the centrum area very pretty for Christmas. There was a big christmas tree, photos with Santa andchristmas carols sung and gingerbread houses on display.
The Windjammer food was the usual, except now they charge for fresh squeezed orange juice. The fresh omelet made to order station is great. There was always a good variety of food, but not always very hot.
The dining room food was good. Also not very hot, some things were just warm. Variety was pretty good. Shrimp cocktail two nights for appetizers, but no more lobster on formal night. The last night was Italian night and the crew sang for us. No more theme nights and costumes like before and no more dancing and congo lines with the crew performing for us.
We are Platinum members, so we did get coupon books for various discounts on the ship. But no gifts like the tote bags we got the last couple of years.
We had to do the muster drill before we left port. You don't have to wear your lifejacket any more. Just go to your muster station and listen to the instructions. Much easier than going to your room, getting the lifejacket and then fighting the crowds going back to your room to return your lifejackets.
Disembarkation was crowded. We kept our luggage and just walked off the ship in the morning. The line was all through the centrum and circled around the whole dining room to get to the exit and then there was customs. It was time consuming and it seems the line didn't move very fast. Not like the last time we left the ship this way.
All in all, we had a great time as usual. We do this cruise pretty much every year because it is so affordable and just enough time for a quick getaway. The Majesty may not be big and new and have all the amenities of the newer ships, but it is still a nice relaxing little vacation, especially the day on CocoCay with the BBQ lunch. It's still cruising, and a lot of it is what you make it. Do a lot or do nothing. It's up to you and you can still have a great time.
This was the 8th cruise on RCI for me, and my 3rd cruise on the Majesty of the Seas. This cruise was scheduled for 4-nights in the Bahamas embarking from Miami, FL, with stops in Nassau, Coco Cay, and Key West. I was part of a travel agent group for this cruise, and thus my wife was not along for the cruise. My wife and I cruised together on the Adventure of the Seas to the Southern Caribbean about 5 weeks ago.
Embarkation I flew in to Miami on Monday morning and caught a taxi for $24 to the pier. I did the online check-in and once again made my check-in time with the clerk only about 2 minutes. I arrived about 12:45pm and was through security, through the line and onboard by 1pm. A very easy embarkation, my cabin was ready when I walked on the ship.
Ship My 3rd cruise on the Majesty OTS (2nd since she was dry docked and had a $40 million refurbishment) and she was just as beautiful as ever! The Majesty OTS was built in the early 1990's, but received the massive makeover inFebruary 2007. The public areas were clean and spotless. The crew keeps the ship clean, polished and up to date. Because I was part of a travel agent group on this cruise, we were treated to some special tours of the ship's bridge, the ship's galley and the crew's quarters. All these tours were very eye opening and spectacular!
Cabin I was booked into a Category I, oceanview cabin on deck 8. I was in the very forward part of the deck in cabin 8002. My actual oceanview was pretty limited by the lifeboat right above the window, but the cabin itself was very nice. The cabin has the flat screen TV mounted high up on the wall, the upgraded bedding, decent closet space and a small desk/vanity.
Staff Of course the highlight of any RCI cruise is the service. Every crewmember had a smile and a greeting for me morning, noon and night. My stateroom attendant did spectacular, kept the cabin spotless and handled my simple requests with ease. The dining room staff were the true stars of our cruise experience. Our entire wait staff performed superbly. They were very efficient, did their jobs well and I enjoyed the dining room experience every night. Everywhere we went the service from the RCI crew was great.
Ports of Call I have been to all these ports multiple times, so there were no surprises here for me. Our first stop was Nassau, Bahamas. I took an excursion called "Forts and Pirates". The name turned out to be a little misleading. It turned out the excursion was really a bus tour of Nassau itself. We did stop by two forts, saw the Queen's staircase and ended the tour at the Nassau Pirate museum. The second stop was the RCI private island of Coco Cay. I spent the entire time, about 5-1/2 hours, on a hammock in a secluded spot on the island. I alternated between napping and reading! The third stop was Key West. I just wandered around Duval Street all day, in and out of the shops, bars and museums.
Dining The upward trend in food quality from RCI was evident on this cruise as well. I really enjoyed the dining room menu and selections. There seemed to be a nice variety of menu choices every evening. I usually ate breakfast in the Windjammer, which seems to be limiting the time the food is spent out and under the warmers, which makes it much better to eat. I also ate in the Johnny Rocket's venue, very good burgers and shakes! I also ate at the Compass Deli, which I had never eaten at before and I really enjoyed the selection of sandwiches and soups. Also, the Sorrento's pizza was really good too. The Johnny Rocket's, Compass Deli, and Sorrento's Pizza are all one deck up from the Windjammer at the forward end of the ship. Windjammer is on deck 11, and the others just above it on deck 12.
Entertainment Our entertainment was good. I only saw one production show and saw the same comedian twice. I thoroughly enjoyed the cruise director, Ricky, and his staff. I am proud to say that yours truly was part of the gold medal winning team at "The Quest"!
Disembarkation As usual, the disebarkation process was simple and quick. I placed my luggage with the colored tags outside my cabin, and I was out of my cabin by 7:30am the next morning. I ate breakfast and during my meal my luggage tag color was called. After I finished, I simply walked off the ship, with no line at all to get off, went to the luggage claim area and collected my luggage, got in a taxi and it was off to the airport I went!
Overall Evaluation I would definitely give this cruise an 8 out of a 10. I had a very relaxing cruise, and my only complaint was the cruise was only 4 nights -- way too short! I really love the Majesty of the Seas. She may not have all the activities and amenities of Royal Caribbean's other big ships, but she makes for a nice relaxing cruise ship for those looking for a nice getaway to the Bahamas.
We had a fantastic cruise on Majesty of the Seas!
Flew into Miami the night before and stayed at the Holiday Inn Port of Miami. It was just ok. I wouldn't stay there more than 2 nights, but for one night and the great location -- it was doable.
Got to the ship Monday morning at 10 a.m., and we were on the ship by noon. Had our Welcome Aboard photo taken and then went straight to the Windjammer! Everything was ready, and with being among the first onboard everything was plentiful, with plenty of seats available. Everyone seemed so happy! The waitstaff was very polite right from the beginning! At 1 p.m. our cabins were ready. Inside cabin is small, but very sufficient. I was with my two nieces (18 & 14) and you'd think with 3 females in one cabin, we'd be cramped, but we had plenty of room and there is plenty of room under the beds for suitcases.
Our first stop was Nassau. First of all, I've been to Nassau at least 7 times. If I never see the Straw Market again, I wouldn't be upset. It wasmore crowded than ever. It was so hot in that tent also. Everyone looked miserable! If you stopped to touch something, the workers tried to get you to buy it. After going down just two aisles, we left. We went down Bay Street, which didn't look as nice as I remembered it either. It seemed really quiet, even with 3 ships in port. I guess people just don't like this area of Nassau and made other plans. We went on a water taxi to Paradise Island. Believe me, just when you think they can't fit another person on the ferry, they shove in 10 more. It was a hot miserable ride for everyone. There is a man who gives you a history of the Bahamas on board, and he expects a tip at the end. We took a regular taxi back to the ship!
On Paradise Island, we stopped at the Atlantis resort. Pricy shops and people asking for wrist bands to see if you were a guest. We left there and went to Cabbage Beach. Beautiful, if not crowded, beach. We had a nice afternoon here. There are plenty of water sports available. No facilities, though.
Back on the ship everyone was getting ready for Formal Night. I must admit, everyone looked really nice. I didn't see anyone in the dining room who wasn't dressed really nice.Our second stop was CoCoCay. We were lucky to be able to tender here. Sometimes, the ship can't let the guests off to tender because of the waves (which happened on my last cruise). The island is really pretty. A very nice little straw market, where you can buy the same stuff that is at the straw market in Nassau, but with a lot less hassle! We walked past the Kids Aventure area, and the beach is less crowded there. We rented floating mats right at the stand, and spent the day floating in the water. This was really, really nice, and the CoCo Loco drinks are the best!
We didn't try the barbeque lunch. By the time we got to it, it had been out over an hour and was really picked over and messy. So we headed back to the ship for lunch.
Our third and last stop was Key West. You have to go through Customs in the morning at this stop. It only took a few minutes. Once we were off, we walked around and visited all the shops. We stopped at the Ripley Believe It or Not Museum. It was alright. It took us out of the heat at least! It was so hot outside. After we visited some shops, we went back to the ship and had lunch in the Windjammer, then headed off the ship again with our swimsuits. We jumped in the first taxi we saw and went to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park/Beach. What a great way to spend our last afternoon. The beach is really rocky and we wished we had our water shoes with us. The water was so warm and nice though.
Once back on board, everyone was busy packing and getting ready for the departure. We had our last dinner in the dining room, and walked around the ship a little. Everyone was bummed out. The next morning, luckily, we got to use the Private Departure Lounge, and we were off the ship by 7:20 a.m. It was a long wait at the airport, but I didn't mind.
All in all, this was a fantastic cruise. The Majesty is a very nice ship. We had great weather each day. There were plenty of chairs by the pool. Frozen yogurt by the pool was a nice treat! Food was ok -- not fantastic, but good.
Time to plan the next cruise!
I'm just coming back home from my three days cruise to the Bahamas. For my surprise, once back I received an e-mail from Royal Caribbean to let me know that they are working with the Center for the Disease Control and Prevention at Atlanta regarding two confirmed and one possible case of Legionnaires' disease (a serious type of pneumonia) associated with travel aboard in July and October 2015. They also informed that in recently water samples the bacteria was present!!
My goodness!! These guys having the information in advance, waited until we finish our cruise to let us know. This was an ABUSE since they put in risk our most valuable possession; our life!!! These guys manipulated the information in favor of their business. They need to inform about this type of situation upfront and let the guest to take the decision if he/she wants to take the risk or not. I'll be consulting my lawyers about this abuse from Royal Caribbean.
Blatant Misrepresentation by RCCL.
Poor ship. Poor food. Poor entertainment.
After 4 previous cruises on Princess and Celebrity (all 7 nights or longer) we opted for a last minute short cruise on Royal Caribbean (RCCL). Since I knew that this was an older smaller ship, I first checked the RCCL web site to view the cabins to determine if they would be acceptable. I went to RCCL, then to plan a cruise, then to ships, then to Majesty Of The Seas, then to deck plans deck 3, then to interior cabin, then selected view cabin.
The cabin shown for THIS SHIP lowest possible category shows a 2 seat sofa and room to walk around both sides of the bed. The actual cabins have no sofa and no room to walk around bed. In fact the bed was bordered on 3 sides by wall so the inside person had to climb over the outside person to get out of bed. This is a total misrepresentation by RCCL designed specifically to procure business. In discussing this matter with RCCL customer relation after the cruise, I was told that all this was acceptable andno adjustment would be made.
Other problems:- Food was of poor quality and poor selection. Entertainment included a good comedian, a hypnotist who had to keep sending people back to the audience because he could not keep them hypnotized, and a juggler who dropped his items 5 times. The review on the last night was quite amateurish.
The toilet did not work in the cabin the first night. One of the public bathrooms remained flooded for hours with no one attending to the problem. During the Muster Drill old and infirm people were forced to stand for 45 minutes. When they tried to sit, the chairs were taken away from them.
This is my second cruise with Royal and my first time aboard Majesty of the Seas. It was a four night cruise leaving Miami and going to Nassau, Bahamas; Cococay, Bahamas and Key West, FL.
I have absolutely no complaints about this cruise, including the itinerary, the ship, the food, the entertainment or the excursions.
The ship did not show its age at all and I think that RCI did a great job keeping this ship in good shape considering its age. The food was outstanding and I couldn't ask for more. The entertainment was good, and the staff does a great job especially with the "Love and Marriage" game, the "Quest" game and the Family Feud-type game show they did. The cruise director was very energetic and funny and did a great job keeping people entertained and informed.
Cococay was delightful and Key West was a wonderful place to walk around and people watch. The straw market in Nassau was like others have described but it wasn't that bad to navigate through the pushy salespeople.
All in all I would take this cruise again and I am now a loyal Royal Caribbeanfan. I highly recommend this cruise for a great four night getaway, it is a great deal.
We just returned from a 3-night cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas. It was our second cruise with this line, for no better reason than a holiday weekend getaway. Our first cruise with Royal Caribbean 6 or 7 years ago holds memories of a forward verandah cabin, impeccable service, and a quaint promenade that mimicked a small town main street, complete with street lamps. This is what we were looking forward to. Surprise!
Embarkation was fast and easy – no lines, no waiting. Our cabin on deck 2 was ready when we boarded sometime around one o'clock. Our assignment to cabin 2026 on deck 2 was a shock, disclosed at check-in. We made the mistake of allowing the Royal Caribbean agent who booked the cruise to talk us into an open booking. The "guarantee" was at least an ocean view cabin on deck 6 – no lower, but likely higher. The offer of an even better cabin was too tempting to pass up, hence this note to selves: remember open booking lesson. The ocean view on deck 2 is through a porthole!
The cabin staff was pleasant butunreliable, and complained of being tired all the time. Twice we were given only one towel, once we did not receive the day's Cruise Compass, and finally, we were not given a guest survey form. On our second day, the shower drain backed up and flooded the bathroom floor. Though we reported the problem, it was still backing up when we disembarked. Just like camping. This very small cabin was packed with cases of water, bottles and cans of soda, and snacks that were available for sale. This clutter left very little table top space for our use.
We routinely had breakfast and lunch at the buffet, where the service was good and the choices were adequate. We noted that very little food was wasted, maybe because there were no food trays. The staff was polite and pleasant, but not too engaging with the guests.
My Time Dining was a new cruise dining experience for us. Prepaid gratuities allowed us to have dinner in a designated dining room at whatever time we chose. One night we shared a table for four, one night we shared a large table with seven other guests, and on our last night we requested a table for two at the window. We got it.
Disembarkation was as well-organized and easy as embarkation. No lines, no waiting.
This was our least enjoyable of over a dozen cruises, but it could have been worse. The surprise cabin assignment was a major disappointment and colored the entire weekend. When the shower backed up, my husband decided that he'd had it with Royal Caribbean. Maybe after another 7 years he'll change his mind.
My husband and I decided to try something new for Cristmas and traveled with our two teenagers (ages 17 and 16) on the Majesty. This was our 3rd cruise but our first with RC.
We flew into MIA the night before and had a great stay at the Marriott in Biscayne Bay. Boarding the next day (Monday) was a breeze, we were on the ship and eating lunch by 1:00.
I can't speak to the ship's renovations as I never saw it before, but overall it looked clean and refreshed. Our cabins, both located on deck 2, were small, but adequate.
We had dinner every night in the main dining room, largely in part because of the service of our waitstaff, Nitin and his assistant Edgar. They did an outstanding job of getting to know our drink preferences and making the kids comfortable. The food was above average most nights.
We did have breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer, which was fine, but could have used a bit more variety.
The shows were all pretty good, particularly Arturro (sp?), though the last night's show was a bit ho-hum.
The cruise director, and generalstaff, did a great job of injecting a sense of fun into activities. Quest was a blast, and the kids even joined us at Bingo.
Coco Cay was a gem, weather perfect. Husband and son rode waverunners; daughter and I snorkeled. Food could have been a bit better, more plentiful on the island.
In Key West we again had great weather, and did our share of trinket shopping, etc. Did the train tour around the island, which was a nice history lesson, but a bit pricey.
Debarkation was pretty painless, we chose to carry off our own luggage.
All in all, a very relaxing way to spend the holiday; great ship and staff.
What is it about cruising that as soon as you get off the boat you're already thinking about your next cruise???


text: In this screen shot provided by Volkswagen of America, Max Page stars as a "Little Darth Vader" who thinks he's used "the force" to start a VW Passat. AP hide caption toggle caption AP The Two-Way 'Little Darth Vader' From VW Ad Is Having Open Heart Surgery June 13, 2012 Seven-year-old Max Page needs to have his pulmonary valve replaced and to have a hole in his heart repaired. The ad he starred in was one of the most popular spots shown during this year's Super Bowl.


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Can you feel the love???
Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama with racial epithet - Yahoo! News
Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama in new audio message
CAIRO,Egypt – Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri insulted Barack Obama in the terror group's first reaction to his election, calling him a demeaning racial term implying that the president-elect is a black American who does the bidding of whites.
The message appeared chiefly aimed at persuading Muslims and Arabs that Obama does not represent a change in U.S. policies. Al-Zawahri said in the message, which appeared on militant Web sites Wednesday, that Obama is "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X, the 1960s African-American rights leader.
Al-Zawahri also called Obama — along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice — "house negroes."
Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."
The message also includes old footage of speeches by Malcolm X in which he explains the term, saying black slaves who worked in their white masters' house were more servile than those who worked in the fields. Malcolm X used the term to criticize black leaders he accused of not standing up to whites.
The 11-minute 23-second video features the audio message by al-Zawahri, who appears only in a still image, along with other images, including one of Obama wearing a Jewish skullcap as he meets with Jewish leaders. In his speech, al-Zawahri refers to a Nov. 5 U.S. airstrike attack in Afghanistan, meaning the video was made after that date.
Al-Zawahri said Obama's election has not changed American policies he said are aimed at oppressing Muslims and others.
"America has put on a new face, but its heart full of hate, mind drowning in greed, and spirit which spreads evil, murder, repression and despotism continue to be the same as always," the deputy of al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden said.
He said Obama's plan to shift troops to Afghanistan is doomed to failure, because Afghans will resist.
"Be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them," he said.
Al-Zawahri did not threaten specific attacks, but warned Obama that he was "facing a Jihadi (holy war) awakening and renaissance which is shaking the pillars of the entire Islamic world; and this is the fact which you and your government and country refuse to recognize and pretend not to see."
He said Obama's victory showed Americans acknowledged that President George W. Bush's policies were a failure and that the result was an "admission of defeat in Iraq."
But Obama's professions of support for Israel during the election campaign "confirmed to the Ummah (Islamic world) that you have chosen a stance of hostility to Islam and Muslims," al-Zawahri said.


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Can Prison Be a Healing Place?
When Warden Mark Kawika Patterson started work at the Women's Community Correctional Center (WCCC) outside Honolulu, he made a discovery that upended his ideas about prisons. Fully a third of the inmates at Hawaii's only women's prison were on medication for psychiatric disorders, 90 percent of their crimes were drug related, and, of those who were addicts, 75 percent had a history of emotional, physical, or sexual trauma.
These women don't need punishment, Patterson realized. They need a place to heal. He set out to reinvent the WCCC as a pu'uhonua. In traditional Hawaiian culture, a pu'uhonua is a sanctuary where those who break a taboo or rule, or are fleeing violent conflict, can go for forgiveness and transformation.
Like many prisons, the WCCC had few programs for the inmates when Patterson arrived. Although most of the inmates were incarcerated for minor infractions and classified as minimum security, the entire inmate population of 270 was treated like the 80 prisoners requiring higher security measures. In spite of the large number of women with psychiatric ailments, there were no full-time mental-health professionals, just a part-time psychiatrist. The correctional officers were helping as they could, says Warden Patterson. Some bought crayons and coloring books with their own money so the women with mental illness would come out of their cells and join other women at tables in the courtyards.
But apart from funding for a substance abuse program, there was no money for programs to help the women rebuild their spirits and learn the job and life skills they would need to succeed on the outside. In fact, the prison budget was being cut.
So the warden turned to the larger community for help and found people in all walks of life prepared to step in.
One of the groups that responded was the Lanikai-Kailua Outdoor Circle, a local conservation group that helps inmates grow vegetables in hydroponic gardens. The greens they raise go to the prison kitchen. And together they build small, portable hydroponic gardens that inmates can take with them when they are released.
A culinary arts instructor from the Kapiolani Community College teaches cooking, and inmates who earn certificates are getting good job offers when they're released. A welding instructor has also been teaching a class.
Although they represent only 20 percent of the state's population, Native Hawaiians comprise 43 percent of the prison population, so Patterson, who is himself Native Hawaiian, looks for ways to help the women learn their traditions. With the help of the Honolulu Garden Club, the inmates raise taro, bananas, and sugar cane, incorporating traditional Hawaiian agricultural practices.
"We've forgotten how to be a village—how to depend on each other," Patterson says. "We used to take care of the kolohe, the people who are hardheaded," he says. "But now we don't rely on our neighbors anymore. It's easy to take the kolohe person and just throw them away.
"My idea is to get the community involved in bringing [the women] back into the community."
For the Children
More than half of the women at WCCC are mothers. Children can visit the prison on weekends, if their caregivers bring them. Counselors from a local nonprofit, Keiki o ka 'Aina —Children of the Land—observe the interactions and coach the mothers in effective parenting. The same group co-hosts picnics for the inmates and their children several times a year, featuring barbecues prepared by the inmates, games, and time for quiet conversations and hugs.
Sometimes the children's caregivers ask the warden why the women are getting such good treatment. Many of these are relatives angry about the burden of raising children while their mothers serve time behind bars.
"I tell them it's for the children," the warden says. "So the children won't wind up in prison, too."
But the women must be making progress with the issues that got them locked up if they want to participate. "Because I've sent these women out, sad-faced, with seven or eight kids," Patterson says, "and then they're back in a week or two."
Getting Free
One of those recently released from the WCCC is Daphne Ho'okano, who served four years for trafficking in methamphetamines. Ho'okano started selling drugs at age 12 and began drinking with other members of her close-knit extended family when she was 13.
"When I first came in, I pictured myself behind bars, in lockdown," says Ho'okano, as she recalls a map of her life she drew when she first came to prison. "There was just me all by myself, and there was no sunshine."
At first she resisted the treatment programs. "We go through stages in prison," she says. "Denial, grief, anger, ... and then freedom."
Today, she's setting up a mentoring program to help others getting out of WCCC. "Life doesn't get easier just because you're out of prison," she says. "You need help out there, someone who walked the same walk as you, to hold your hand and guide you. That's what drives me—to be part of the solution."
Ho'okano points to her new map showing her life beyond addiction and criminality. "This is me, soaring in the light," she says. "I got free in prison."
With teachers and mentors from the community pitching in, Patterson believes other inmates can likewise find their way to freedom.
"I like to take first steps that have never been done before," Patterson says. "Then, if no one slaps my hand, I just keep on going." The warden's next project? Tear up the pavement in the prison courtyards and transform these outdoor areas into lush, green gardens.


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Happy Wending!
So Jen and I are in Texas, a state which apparently holds a deep and sordid hatred for me. See, I'm sick. Not dying-in-the-hospital sick but sick, nonetheless. And it's cold. And wet. And in the past week, we've moved ten thousand pounds of knick-knacks across Texas which, it turns out, takes approximately 7,000 hours to drive through, the whole time praying we don't plow into some random cow or windmill. Oh yeah... did I mention Jen's a bit grumpy?
So I'm doing today's wreck, and I'm pretty much just gonna rant. Let me set the stage:
Expensive wedding in the Philippines.
The finest catering.
The perfect beach setting.
And this:
I know, right? I feel the same way. But what I want to know is how hard is it, when you're on a freaking tropical island, to find fruit that isn't so close to being rotten that it makes your kids tipsy. And what's with the icing?!? I've iced a few cakes in my time and I've never seen anything like that. I take that back. Last week, my cat licked my shmeared bagel when I wasn't looking and it looked a lot like that. I mean seriously people!
*propping self up in hotel bed*
And another thing!
Nah... that's enough. Just one last thing: I've met a ton of Texans while I've been here and one thing is true of them all: they're all so stinkin' nice. What I want to know is how do you stay that way when your state is constantly trying to KILL YOU?!?!?!?!
(yet again)
Related Wreckage: Tour Wreck


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Current and historical meeting information for Council and all its committees.
Learn about Council's structure, and our vision and community outcomes
To know where we're going, we've got to know where we've come from...
Find out what's happening: project plans, milestones, and completion dates.
We have a 24-hour, district-wide service for all dog and stock control calls.
All building work requires approval by Council through a building consent.
18/01/2011 1:00 p.m.


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There is this third grade class with this kid named Rotten Reggie in it. One day, the teacher decides that she will ask the class one question every Friday and the student who gets it right can stay home from school on Monday. The whole class thinks this is a great idea -- especially Reggie. On the first Friday, the teacher asks the kids how many buckets of sand are in the deserts of Egypt. No one knows and the kids are very pissed off. The next Friday, the teacher asks who was the first sailor to sail arround the world. No one knows again. Rotten Reggie is getting real pissed off now, so he goes home and spray paints two golf balls black. The next Friday right when the teacher says it is time for the question, Reggie rolls the two balls to the front of the room. The teacher picks the balls up.
"All right, who is the comedian with two black balls?"
"Eddie Murphy! See ya on Tuesday!"


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Retailers are optimistic about the Christmas holiday season ahead, despite warnings in other sectors about a potentially worsening global economy.
Department store operator Kohl's Department Stores said it expects to hire 10 percent more workers this year, or about 52,700 workers, to support its business during the holidays, which tends to be the busiest time of the year for retailers.
On average about 41 associates will be added to each of Kohl's stores, or an increase of 4 percent from 2011. The remaining workers, about 5,700 in total, will be added at its distribution centers to help support its ecommerce business, while more than 30 will be added to its credit operations.
The news from Kohl's follows a Hay Group survey issued earlier this month that predicted that retailers would be looking to hire more permanent and seasonal workers to handle the holiday rush. (Read More:Happy Holidays! Retailers Are Looking to Staff Up)
About 57 percent of retailers polled by the consulting firm said they would keep holiday hiring at about the same level as a year ago, while about 36 percent said they planned to hire more. That was a shift from last year, when about 10 percent of retailers said they would hire more seasonal workers than the prior year.
According to Hay, the retailers it polled offered a fairly consistent view of their expectations for the holiday season.
Kohl's announcement comes at a time when the retailer has been battling disappointing sales and weakening profit margins. However, the company said in a statement that the additional staff was needed to make sure the company provides "excellent customer service" during the holiday season.
In general, most of the holiday sales forecasts issued to date have been rather upbeat.
One of the latest, issued by BDO, was based on discussions with 100 chief financial officers at leading U.S. retailers conducted in August and September. Based on these conversations, retail CFO's are expecting an overall increase of about 4.5 percent in total sales in 2012 and a 3.6 percent increase in same-store sales for the second half of 2012.
Last week, ShopperTrak forecast a 3.3 percent increase in sales during the November and December holiday shopping period. The people-counting firm said the number of shoppers at stores will grow at a less robust pace than sales, but traffic to stores will still be up 2.8 percent from the year-earlier period.
The BDO forecast is an improvement over recent years. In 2011, the survey of retail CFO's resulted in a projected 3 percent gain in retail sales. That was far below the 7.3 percent gain in retail sales that occurred last year, according to the Commerce Department.
What's surprising about these forecasts is that they come at a time of increased concerns about the U.S. labor market and amid gloomy projections about the global economy.
Earlier today,FedExcut its fiscal 2013 outlook, citing a slowing world economy. FedEx has benefited from the shift by consumers to online shopping, which is expected to continue this holiday season. Still, the company has seen a drop in demand for its air express shipments as corporations look to save money by shipping through less expensive methods.
So far, U.S. consumers have shown themselves to be resilient to any potential slowing in the economy. This was made clear by robust back-to-school sales, which have in turn helped fuel optimism about holiday sales.
Still, Doug Hart, a partner in BDO USA's retail and consumer product practice, said retailers "aren't counting their dollars just yet."
"Forecasts are cautious as retailers closely watch unemployment, election results and inventory levels — any of which could throw a wrench in holiday results," Hart said.
One factor that is on the side of retailers is that the industry has maintained tight inventory levels for the holiday 2012 season. In the BDO survey, only one-in-four said they boosted inventory this year.
Retail CFOs are more willing to take a risk on not having enough product in stock and thereby losing sales, rather than risking having too much inventory and putting margins at risk if items are overstocked. This is a change in sentiment. In the 2011 survey, 53 percent of retail CFOs said insufficient inventory was a bigger risk than having too much on hand.
These executives overwhelmingly expect that unemployment will have the biggest impact on how consumers feel heading into the holiday season. About 60 percent said unemployment levels will have the biggest impact on consumer confidence, while only 29 percent said the presidential election and its outcome will be the biggest challenge.
At the moment, U.S. consumers seem to be remaining confident. The latest read on consumer sentiment as measured by the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan showed the gauge at its highest level in four months.
Separately, a consumer survey conducted by Chase of more than 1,000 adults said about 64 percent of consumers believe the economy is either at a bottom or is getting better. Last year, only about 33 percent of consumers felt this way at this time.
One factor in the Chase survey was that consumers felt better about their own personal finances, with nearly eight in 10 consumers saying they have changed their spending habits and are spending less on everyday items. More than three-fifths said they have been paying down their credit card balances and more than half have created a monthly budget.
-By Christina Cheddar Berk, CNBC.com News Editor
Questions? Comments? Email us at email@example.com. Follow Christina Cheddar Berk on Twitter @ccheddarberk.
Questions? Comments? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow Christina Cheddar Berk on Twitter @ccheddarberk.


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10524 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530
7512 Fairmount Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530
6500 Fairmount Ave Ste #1, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Birthdays are a time to celebrate the joy of life. Surprise someone with birthday flowers and make their birthday a wonderful day to remember. Choose from colorful birthday arrangements that will brighten anyone's day.
Show your condolences with beautiful funeral and sympathy flowers, thoughtful and heart-felt way to express your sympathy and support to a grieving friend or relative.
Santa Barbara where the Conception Charter Boat was scheduled to return Monday night.In what is now one of the worst boating tragedies in California history, the United States Coast Guard has confirmed that 25 people are dead and nine are still missing.The five crew members who survived — two with leg injuries — were brought to safety by a pair of good Samaritans who happened to be anchored nearby."I heard 'Help,'" Shirley Hanson said. "And my husband got up, and I followed him and he opened the door and saw the flames.Shirley and her husband Bob said some of the crew members who were able to get to safety attempted to return to the burning vessel to help those still aboard, but were thwarted by the sheer size of the flames."And he cried, because he said they celebrated three birthdays that night, and one of them was a 17-year-old girl who was there with her parents," Shirley said.As word of the fire got out, families with loved ones on the boat rushed to the harbor, including a heartbroken couple whose son they said was on the boat.Diane McCullough who lives in Santa Barbara fears that she will know someone who was on the boat, but she said the com... https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/09/03/boat-fire-victims-mourned-as-rescue-operation-continues-off-ventura-coast/
For the last few years, Ramstine has been employed full-time at Longmont Florist in Longmont, CO.CalFlowers Scholarship Recipient: Helene Dondero, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoA senior majoring in agricultural science with an emphasis in ornamental horticulture and a minor in agricultural business, Dondero grew up in the floral industry. In addition to working in her family's business, Fiore Floral and Gifts, Dondero is active in numerous student and industry organizations with CalPoly and FFA.John Carew Memorial Scholarship Recipient: Mary Lewis, University of GeorgiaLewis expects to complete her master's degree program in horticulture in December 2019. Her focus is on ornamental plant breeding, specifically eight native Asclepias species.Earl Dedman Memorial Scholarship and National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association (NGMA) Scholarship Recipient: Gergely Motolai, Kansas State UniversityGergely Motolai is a senior majoring in horticulture science and minoring in entomology. His focus is on in greenhouse production and entomology. Motolai is working at Bird's Botanicals and at the Kansas State University Greenhouses.Long Island Flower Growers Association (LIFGA) Scholarship and Long Island Flower Growers Association Bob Gunther Scholarship Recipient: Cassandra Castano, Farmingdale State CollegeA senior in landscape development at Farmingdale State College majoring in horticulture technology management, Castano is planning further education to become a landscape architect, working on urban projects.Richard T. Meister Scholarship Recipient: Emily Teng, University of Hawaii at ManoaTeng is obtaining her Ph.D. in tropical plant and soil sciences, and plans on working in floriculture production and variety improvement research. In her dissertation research, she is analy... https://www.greenhousegrower.com/management/a-closer-look-at-15-american-floral-endowment-scholarship-winners/
The designer said his inspiration was the California super bloom, a phenomenon that leads to an unusually high proportion of wildflowers blossoming at once.That's what happened on Gordon's runway under a tent overlooking the water at the tip of Manhattan. He sent out a succession of dresses both very long and very short with dramatic bursts of florals. One typical print was a bright yellow background populated with large blue flowers. Another striking look was a belted minidress with an impressionistic mix of flowers in hot pink, green and purple.Gordon was also fond of polka dots – big and bold, and in black and white. And he sent a number of plaids down the runway, for example in a miniskirt and jacket with billowing sleeves, or in a long strapless belted number in blue and tan plaid.Glam eveningwear finished out the collection, and here too Gordon indulged his fondness for both colour, as in a shimmering green number, and for those polka dots. One of the most striking designs consisted of a sheer layer of black polka dots on white, over a light pink layer underneath – all adorned with a black bowtie sash, and a bow-like flourish on one shoulder.The evening styles managed to be both luxurious and playful; the final number resembled a skirt but with the waist at the shoulder line, again with a sheer layer of black polka dots on white, this time over a bright yellow layer underneath."I am a big fan ... https://lethbridgeherald.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2019/09/09/at-carolina-herrera-wildflowers-bloom-on-the-hudson-river/
Victoria regulars, Bob and Jan Fleming are selling their famous Tulip House on Beach Drive.The couple are Americans who split their year between Oak Bay (near downtown Victoria) and Marin County, California. They've spent many months here every year since they bought the home in 1989. And they've worked tirelessly on the home, especially the flower beds, reaching a point of local fame."It's been quite a pleasure being part of the community," Fleming said. "It's been very satisfying to see so many people being pleased with the flowers. People take pictures and send them to us, with thank yous, and we've had people knocking on the door, thanking us."READ MORE: Famed 'Tulip House' goes for new record But the future of the flower beds are now in question as Bob Fleming blames B.C.'s new speculation and vacancy tax for forcing them out of the country. As a foreign owner, the couple are charged a two per cent tax on the assessed value of the house. B.C. Assessment's 2019 assessment for the property is $1.368 million, which amounts to $27,360, annually.Bob Fleming prepping the flower beds in the fall of 2018. (Keri Coles/News Staff)"I'm sorry to say it, but it puts us in an unfortunate position," Fleming sa... https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/speculation-tax-forces-sale-of-greater-victorias-iconic-tulip-house/


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Plan your week with our guide to everything going on this week
MOVIES OPENING (Friday unless otherwise noted)
The Debt (Wednesday)
Apollo 18
Seven Days in Utopia
Shark Night 3D
Basketball Wives LA (series debut; 8 p.m. Monday; VH1)
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (mid-season finale; 8 p.m. Monday; ABC Family)
Man vs. Wild (season finale; 9 p.m. Monday; Discovery)
RuPaul's Drag U (season finale; 9 p.m. Monday; Logo)
Ridiculousness (series debut; 10 p.m. Monday; MTV)
Death Valley (series debut; 10:30 p.m. Monday; MTV)
50 Documentaries to See Before You Die (miniseries finale; 9 p.m. Tuesday; Current)
Flipping Out (season finale; 9 p.m. Tuesday; Bravo)
9/11: Where Were You? (special; 10 p.m. Tuesday; TLC)
Big Sexy (special; 10 p.m. Tuesday; TLC)
Quirky (series debut; 10 p.m. Tuesday; Sundance)
Royal Pains (mid-season finale; 9 p.m. Wednesday; USA)
The Franchise: A Season With the San Francisco Giants (season finale; 10 p.m. Wednesday; Showtime)
Hard Knocks: Anniversary Special (special; 10 p.m. Wednesday; HBO)
Hot in Cleveland (season finale; 10 p.m. Wednesday; TV Land)
Dark Matters: Twisted But True (series debut; 10 p.m. Thursday; Science)
Ugly Americans (season finale; 10:30 p.m. Thursday; Comedy Central)
Childrens Hospital (season finale: 11:59 p.m. Thursday; Adult Swim)
Man, Woman, Wild (season premiere; 9 p.m. Friday; Discovery)
The Good Wife special (9:30 p.m. Sunday; CBS)
NEW ON DVD/BLU-RAY (Tuesday)
90210: The Third Season
Desperate Housewives: The Complete Seventh Season
Detroit 1-8-7: The Complete First Season
House, M.D.: Season Seven
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Movement
Madea's Big Happy Family
Nikita: The Complete First Season
Parenthood: Season 2
The Perfect Host
Sons of Anarchy: Season Three
Storage Wars: Season 1
The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Second Season
ALBUMS DROPPING (Monday, unless otherwise noted)
Beirut, "The Rip Tide" (Tuesday)
Blood Orange, "Coastal Grooves"
Butch Walker, "Spade"
Cobra Starship, "Night Shades"
David Guetta, "Nothing But the Beat"
Devon Williams, "Euphoria"(Tuesday)
Doug Benson, "Potty Mouth"
Edwin McCain, "Mercy Bound"
Glen Campbell, "Ghost On the Canvas"
Hella, "Tripper" (Tuesday)
Jacuzzi Boys, "Glazin'"
Lenny Kravitz, "Black and White America"
Lil Wayne, "Tha Carter IV"
Male Bonding, "Endless Now"
Mike Doughty, "Yes and Also Yes" (Tuesday)
Red Hot Chili Peppers, "I'm With You"
Rene Lopez, "Els" (Tuesday()
Ry Cooder, "Pull Up Some Dust & Sit Down"
The Latebirds, "Last of the Good Ol' Days" (Tuesday)
Tom Morello and the Nightwatchman, "World Wide Rebel Songs" (Tuesday)
Tommy Keene, "Behind the Parade" (Tuesday)
SONAR: Million Proof (Friday); Royce Da 5'9"
TALKING HEAD: Vinny Vegas (Friday); The Deadstock Event (Saturday); Venia (Sunday)
GOLDEN WEST: Freezepop (Wednesday); Cute Lepers (Saturday)
MARYLAND STATE FAIR: Blake Shelton (Saturday); All Time Low (Sunday)
RAMS HEAD ON STAGE: Ty Herndon (Wednesday); Bob Baldwin/Marion Meadows (Thursday); Marcus Johnson (Friday); Eric Lindell (Saturday); The Baseball Project (Sunday)
WINDUP SPACE: Hunx & His Punx (Sunday)
POWER PLANT LIVE: Hyjinx (Friday)
RECHER: Bella Versa, Rome Apart, et al (Saturday)
OTTOBAR: Social Repose, The American Scene, et al (Monday); Phone Calls From Home, Divided By Friday, et al (Tuesday); Diamond Head, Radical Discharge, et al (Wednesday); 98 Rock's Revenge of the Riff w/ Periphery, et al (Friday); Emmanuel & guests (Saturday); Polar Bear Club, Fireworks, et al (Sunday)
9:30 CLUB: Vieux Farka Touré (Tuesday); The Hold Steady (Thursday; sold out); Umphrey's McGee (Friday and Saturday); Bright Eyes (Sunday; sold out)
JIFFY LUBE LIVE: Uproar Festival w/ Avenged Sevenfold, Three Days Grace, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine, etc. (Wednesday); Stevie Nicks (Saturday)
DAR: B.B. King/Buddy Guy (Tuesday); The Script (Thursday)
BLACK CAT: Maple (Tuesday); Suns of Guns (Wednesday); Guttermouth (Thursday); Black Cat 18th Anniversary Party (Friday); The Ettes (Saturday); The Fordists (Sunday)
Maryland State Fair (through Sunday)
The Charles Theatre revival series — "The Man Who Fell To Earth" (Monday; Thursday)
Adobe Road Wine Dinner (Wednesday; Morton's The Steakhouse)
"Scarface" screening (Wednesday; Columbia AMC 14)
28th Annual North American Miniature Art Exhibition (opens Wednesday, on view through Sept. 25; Art Gallery of Fells Point)
Mondo Baltimore closes out summer season (Thursday; Windup Space)
WTMD First Thursday Concert Series (Thursday; Mount Vernon Park)
Comedian Justin Schlegel (Thursday-Saturday; Baltimore Comedy Factory)
The Final College Night (Thursday; Bourbon Street)
Comedian Rob Maher (Thursday-Saturday; Magooby's Joke House, Timonium)
Baltimore Grand Prix (Friday-Sunday; Inner Harbor)
"Grease" Sing-A-Long (Friday-Sunday; AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center)
Race to Little Italy (Friday-Saturday; Little Italy, High and Stiles streets)
"Wait Until Dark" (opens Friday, runs through Sept. 26; Vagabond Players)
The Charles Theatre revival series" — "Cluny Brown" (Saturday, Sept. 5; Sept. 8)
Maryland Renaissance Festival (Saturday and Sunday; Crownsville)
Mount Vernon GhostWalk tours start (kicks off Saturday, runs through Nov. 26; The Owl Bar)
Olivia Newton-John and Terrell Owens host cancer awareness event w/ the Kelly Bell Band (Saturday; Rams Head Live)
11th Annual BikeAbout and Walking Tour (Saturday; Columbia Town Center Lakefront)
Comedian Joe Clair (Sunday; Baltimore Comedy Factory)


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Serves: 4-6 | Preparation Time: 60 min
- 3 cups lowfat milk
- 1 cinnamon stick, 3 in. long
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
- 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed well and drained
- Zest from 1 small lime, removed with a vegetable peeler
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 11⁄2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1⁄4 tsp each vanilla and coconut extract (or 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 large firm-ripe mango (not overripe or it will be too soft to dice)
- Garnish: lime slices and grated lime zest
Bring milk and cinnamon stick to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cover, remove from heat and let steep while cooking rice.
Bring 2 cups water and the salt to a full boil in a 2-qt saucepan. Stir in rice. Place strips of lime zest on top. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Discard zest. Fluff rice with a fork; leave in saucepan.
Pour warm milk over rice. Stir in sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. When small bubbles appear around edge of pan, reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until pudding is thick and creamy. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice and extracts. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick.
Holding mango firmly on a cutting board, cut a single slice along each side of the long flat seed so you have 2 halves. Cut side strips from seed. Remove peel from halves and strips. Dice 1⁄2-mango and side strips; cut remaining 1⁄2 crosswise in 10 thin slices for garnish.
Stir diced mango into pudding. Let pudding cool about 20 minutes if serving warm.
Garnish each with a mango and lime slice and grated lime zest.


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Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Baseball Hall of Fame's Shameful Frick Sham
Before we go further, let's take a second to lay out precisely what the process for the Frick Award is: The fans click and click and click away over the next month, voting for their preferred candidates from the hundreds of broadcasters with more than 10 consecutive years of broadcasting experience. At the end of that month, someone scrapes off the top three names, and they are added to seven other finalists (whose provenance is unclear). Then, a jury of 20 individuals, including former Frick winners and baseball historians enters a star chamber and they select one of the ten names from that list.
And none of this is to suggest that the name that they will select this year will be someone who is unworthy. We're certain that there will be a segment of the baseball community who will be overjoyed at the selection, and somewhere deep down, we still carry a barely-flickering light of hope that Tom Cheek will be the name that they announce when that group emerges from behind closed doors.
If there were overwhelming support for a particular candidate amongst the fans, we suspect that it would only create more distance between their candidacy and the jury's affirmation. After seeing both Cheek and former Expos announcer Jacques Doucet fall short last season, in spite of outpacing the field with vote totals almost four times larger than the third place Joe Nuxhall, we can't imagine what sort of a groundswell of popular support would be necessary to put them over the top in the eyes of those who hold the only 20 votes that matter. We can't imagine a scenario where our votes are going to positively influence the voters towards our particular choices, and we actually fear that the fan's choices on the final ballot may carry a certain taint to them in the eyes of that august group
Call us cynical, but after years of hoping and wishing and campaigning for Cheek, we find ourselves unable and unwilling to participate in a program which is meant primarily to give the fans an illusion of input. There's nothing about the Hall's campaign that makes us think that our input is necessary or desired by anyone but a junior communications officer with the responsibility for social influence marketing. And we're not going to play along with this charade any longer.
If you feel like you want to contribute to the candidacies of Cheek, Doucet, Don Chevrier or any other baseball voice that you hold dear, and you feel as though the Facebook voting is the best that you can muster, then go ahead and vote. It sucks to feel as though you have no voice in something like this, and if the illusion set forth by the Hall of Fame is enough to assuage you, then have at it.
But if we're being a little more pragmatic about it, there are really only 20 people who are going to make the decision this year and for the years going forward, and the best bet that anyone has to get sneak Tom Cheek through the front door in Cooperstown is to positively influence those individuals.
So if you happen to run into Marty Brennaman, Jerry Coleman, Gene Elston, Joe Garagiola, Milo Hamilton, Jaime Jarrin, Tony Kubek, Denny Matthews, Dave Niehaus, Felo Ramirez, Vin Scully, Lon Simmons, Bob Uecker, Bob Wolff, Bob Costas, Barry Horn, Stan Isaacs, Ted Patterson or Curt Smith in the coming months, then put in a good world for your candidate of choice. It will be a much more effective use of your time than indulging the Hall's PR machine with your interest.
How wrong can one tweet be?
Speaking of the Frick: Yesterday, noted SPORTS JOURNALIST Steve Simmons tweeted the following:
"For the 8th straight year, the late Tom Cheek is nominated for Ford Frick HOF award. Maybe this is the year he finally wins."
Let's take a second here to break down all 140 characters here. First off, Cheek hasn't been nominated for anything yet. He's just eligible to be nominated, as are literally hundreds of other active and retired broadcasters. (Chip "Fisted!" Caray is on the same footing as Cheek at this point, just for the sake of clarity.)
Secondly, it is not the eighth year that Cheek has been nominated. Cheek has been eligible since 1984, and has been a finalist for the past five years.
But then again, we're just a blogger, so what do we know?
11 comments:
- September 1, 2010 at 11:15 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Fuck you and fuck your link, you cock-jawed fuckhole.
- September 1, 2010 at 11:26 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
And you know what? Fuck Rogues Baseball Index, and their smarmy fucking post intended to blanket-smother any sort of discussion.
"OOOOH...Look at you, Mr. Uppity Blogger! Expecting that the mainstream media is going to take a second and get some insignificant fact right! You're such a loser, because no one cares! It's just stuff that people say to fill the emptiness, and you're being such a nerd by expecting it to be factual! NERD! LOSER! Get some perspective! Now, back to my very culturally important and unassailable marathon of shitty Argento movies!"
Seriously, if no one cares, let's just end it all now. Drop a fucking nuke on all thirty stadia, and call it a day for Major League Baseball.
Seriously. Just fuck you and fuck everybody and fuck everything.
Fuck it all.
- September 1, 2010 at 11:33 AM
- Chris said...
Did Stoeten hack Tao's account?
- September 1, 2010 at 11:36 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Nope. Just having a bad day.
Probably need to walk away from this for a while.
- September 1, 2010 at 11:37 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Tao, props for FJM'ing Simmons' tweet, and letting Anonymous have it.
- September 1, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Tao, do you need a hug? And yeah, Simmons is a hack.
- September 1, 2010 at 11:41 AM
- Drew GROF said...
There's a big difference between the Bill James Disease described above (F.D. - I contribute to the Rogues Baseball Index) and lazily throwing out information as Simmons.
He's in front of a computer and doesn't have to fill dead air immediately. LOOK IT UP!!!
- September 1, 2010 at 11:46 AM
- Tao of Stieb said...
Oh yeah, I forgot that you contributed to RBI. Hopefully, that wasn't one of your contributions that I just lost it on.
- September 1, 2010 at 12:01 PM
- Darren Priest said...
"Cock-jawed fuckhole!"
So this is how the emperor felt when Luke gave into his anger.
- September 1, 2010 at 12:10 PM
Praying that Cheek gets in. Between Cheek and Alomar it would be a Jays weekend down in Cooperstown next year.
- September 3, 2010 at 10:54 AM


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UnNews:Mercenaries release Somali pirates after ransom returned
This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-microsecond misinformation.
14 May 2010
MOGADISHU, Somalia – The mercenary crew of a British chemical tanker have released captured Somali pirates after receiving the return of a ransom payment made on another ship hijacked last month, the European Union Naval Force said Friday.
The St. James Park tanker was safely on its way after ransom was delivered Thursday, the force said. It had been anchored in Garacad, Somalia when its crew captured the pirates.
Officials did not say how much ransom was returned or where the ship was headed.
A spokesperson said the released pirates were grateful to the crew for not killing them. They were captured when they tried to hijack the ship, which was a trap set to capture the pirates.
|The motherfuckers are worthless dead, so we let 'em off easy; but next time they hijack one of our ships there's gonna be a shit-load-a whacked niggers!
A spokesman for the the mercenaries told CNN, "We let 'em off easy, but next time they hijack one of our ships there's gonna be a shit-load-a whacked niggers!"
The ship was on its way to Thailand on May 9, 2010, when the ships crew, all special-forces mercenaries commanded by legendary soldier-of-fortune, Dirk V, lured and captured the pirates in the Gulf of Aden, a body of water between Somalia and Yemen, the naval force said.
Twenty-six crew members onboard -- including Bulgarians, Filipinos, Georgians, Indians, Poles, Romanians, Russians, Turks and Ukrainians, were all heavily-armed mercenaries, according to the naval force.
- Wire Staff "Somali pirates release ship after ransom payment". CNN, May 14, 2010


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Possible Duplicate:
Validation Meta tags for search engines
I verified ownership of a domain for Google Apps with the text/html file option. Now I need to permanently redirect the domain to another server with .htaccess. Obviously google won't see file anymore.
So I have two options:
- Do nothing (same as deleting verification code).
- Move file to new server where htaccess is redirecting to.
Do i really need to drag around that file so my account stays verified? Or is it a one-time process?


text: SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Shares of Activision Blizzard Inc. ATVI, -0.30% jumped nearly 10% to $13.22 in early trades on Friday morning after the videogame publisher reported better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter, driven mainly by its "Call of Duty" and "Skylanders" franchises. Analysts from Macquarie Capital and Sterne Agee upgraded the stock to the equivalent of buy ratings before the opening bell, citing the results. "With the initial 2013 guidance now official, continued strength in core franchises, a solid pipeline of new IP, and the increased likelihood of a more shareholder-friendly capital structure, the next catalysts for Activision are likely positive, in our view," wrote Ben Schachter of Macquarie in a note to clients.


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Browsing British Columbia » Armstrong » Active Living » Home Modifications
There aren't currently any listings for Home Modifications in Armstrong. Please refine your search above, or check back soon as new listings are constantly being added.
Is there a listing we don't have in the directory? Suggest A Listing


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The Australian Government is courting disaster with its approach to this country's largest-ever defense program, the purchase of new submarines. The government seems determined to spend over $30 billion designing and building in Australia 12 new submarines that will almost certainly have serious flaws, will be delivered late, will be unnecessarily expensive and will be inadequate for our defense needs.
How could the government get itself into such a bad position? Some key decision-makers have failed to appreciate that Australia now faces a much more demanding security future. As the Pentagon's recently released annual report on China's military development makes clear, Beijing's surveillance, missile, air and naval developments are transforming the strategic balance in the Western Pacific. Indeed, by 2025 China's military power will be predominant in parts of our region.
There's also a need to take account of China's much more aggressive recent military operations, especially in disputed areas of the South and East China Seas. Australian security planners should do everything in their power to negotiate peaceful resolutions of these issues. They would, however, be naive to neglect strong investment in defense capabilities that can deter coercion against us in the 2025-2050 timeframe.Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
Advanced submarines offer special strategic leverage in the more demanding security environment that's in store. The best submarines are highly survivable in intense military operations and have the potential to force the leadership of even a major power to pause and think carefully before attacking Australia or our key interests. They are one of only two or three military capabilities that carry this game-changing leverage. So, while Australia will always need some surface warships, armored vehicles and transport aircraft, the truth is that advanced submarines offer unique strategic advantages for us in the troubled times ahead.
All this means we need to get the new submarine program right and do so quickly. Australia has three main submarine options. The government currently favors designing and building our own unique, rather large, diesel-electric submarines, essentially a Collins Mk 2. Second, we could purchase much smaller diesel-electric submarines that are currently in production in Europe. Third, we could purchase or lease from "hot" production lines advanced nuclear-propelled submarines from the United States or Britain.
Designing and building a Collins Mk2 would probably eventually deliver a class of the largest diesel-electric submarines in the world. However, given that the government has yet to launch even preliminary design work, the first of these boats couldn't be delivered until at least 2028 and more likely 2035-2040. Because they would be a completely new design, they would inevitably experience technical problems, would probably possess some unreliable systems and we should expect them to have relatively low availability. As these Australian-designed boats would be "orphans," they would also be expensive to maintain and update.


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PIERRE, S.D. -- South Dakota State University is getting its first commitments from donors to help build a proposed $7 million facility that will be used for teaching and research about hogs.
The SDSU Foundation says First Bank and Trust, which operates in eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota, has committed $250,000 to the project. The South Dakota Pork Producers Council also has pledged support.
Officials hope the first funding commitments will encourage other organizations to pledge money to build the Swine Teaching and Research Facility.
Barry Dunn, dean of SDSU's College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, says the facility will provide cutting edge research and education in the swine industry.


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Looking for PETER J JOHNSON .PETER WAS BORN IN 1870 IN NC (Clevand/Shelby) area. He died in SC in 1937. Was married to Emma McElrath. Children were Willie Stanley, Claude,PJ,Mark,Clemmon,Raymond,Erwin,Minnie,Estelle,Ellie,and Onnie
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Every week, FOOD52's Senior Editor Kristen Miglore is unearthing recipes that are nothing short of genius.
Today: Scallions graduate from garnish to side.
- Kristen
We hear braise and we think pot roasts, ragus, and other long-burbled pots of meat that fall to pieces. And, like Pavlov's dogs, we get deeply excited. But too often, we bookmark the idea of braising for some faraway weekend or the day we might finally break down and buy a crock pot.
But that all changes with Molly Stevens' book All About Braising, where she begins the conversation not with the typical well-worked cuts of meat or tough old birds, but with vegetables, then fish. Chicken fricassee and coq au vin don't even start to show up till chapter 4; beef debuts on page 214. The book rightly won both James Beard and IACP awards in 2005.
It is with these earlier chapters that braising is opened up to us even on the weariest weeknight. Short-braising, as Stevens calls it, gives us the same benefits as the longer version -- the ease, the single pot, the self-basting and concentrated flavor --- with much less advance notice required.
The Vegetables chapter is particularly inspiring, as Stevens braises endive with pancetta, leeks with cream, fennel with thyme and black olives -- and whole scallions with water, and very little else.
Scallions are usually just a pretty face. Sliced into dainty coins, they doll up a homely bowl of chili and float like lily pads in murky dipping sauces. But treat them right and they're proud and delicious, all by themselves.
Here's how: Lop off the roots and tops, pile them in a buttered baking dish, and scatter on a bit more butter and either tarragon or parsley, depending on your mood and your herb supply (not to be confused with your Air Supply). Pour in just enough water to get them steaming, then stick them in the oven to brew, tightly covered.
Half an hour later, an oniony-rich perfume will be wafting about and your scallions will have mellowed and collapsed. Crank the heat to boil down the glaze and roast the tips. The final, non-negotiable step is squeezing on some lemon.
What remains is sweet, soft middles, blurred herb-smoked edges, and sparks of lemon, which you can twirl around your fork like linguine. Or, I'm guessing, you could cut them up like a proper vegetable side, especially if you're already slashing through your ribeye or lamb chop with a sharp steak knife.
But I wouldn't know, because every time I've made them, whoever is nearby simply crowds around, plucking whole scallions from the pan and stuffing them into their mouths. They're not the most delicate finger food, but neither are buffalo wings. Lemony juices and roasted bits of tarragon cling to your fingers and the pan is quickly emptied.
So you may want to plan on a backup vegetable side. Preferably something braised.
Note: Molly Wizenberg is also a big fan of Stevens' braised vegetables. Hear an early Spilled Milk podcast on braising and this recipe here (then subscribe the podcast quick, if you haven't already). Per her co-host Matthew Amster-Burton, "We're in for a meal of garnish."
Molly Stevens' Sweet Braised Whole Scallions
From All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking (W.W. Norton & Company, 2004)Serves 4
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 pound scallions (about 5 bunches, or 3 dozen) 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 lemonSee a slideshow and the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
Got a genius recipe to share -- from a classic cookbook, an online source, or anywhere, really? Please send it my way (and tell me what's so smart about it) at [email protected].
Photos by James Ransom
For more of Molly Stevens' genius, don't miss last year's follow-up gem: All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art
The Genius Desserts cookbook is here! With more than 100 of the most beloved and talked-about desserts of our time (and the hidden gems soon to join their ranks) this book will make you a local legend, and a smarter baker to boot.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.


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Power distribution technology is creating specialized products for specialized applications, and many of these products are automated for energy management or ease of configuration.
If opto-isolators aren't on your hot list of high-voltage equipment to include in your design, it's time for a second look. A new compact, low-cost, high-voltage isolator uses the latest opto-coupler technology to bring you maximum high-voltage isolation in combination with high frequency response and optimum accuracy. We're talking about 4000VAC rms isolation with up to 35 kHz frequency response at 0.1% full scale accuracy. This is beyond the capabilities of all previous opto-isolator designs. This latest generation has been tested to 5300VAC, and its 2 megohm input resistor can continuously sustain a 1500VDC over-voltage surge for up to a full minute. This opto-isolator protects meters, computers, SCADA systems, and other equipment from being damaged by voltage overloads.
What's new in panelboards? Integral surge suppression, that's what. It makes good sense to have surge suppression right at the service entrance or main distribution panels. However, retrofitting existing panels and switchboards to include surge suppression isn't always an easy thing to do. That's why manufacturers have put a lot of thought into surge protection and have introduced integrated boards and panels. One such panel, for example, has the surge unit mounted directly on the busbar - no leads to consider whatsoever. With active hybrid filtering, it filters to 55dB at 100 kHz, effectively removing such disturbances as high and low energy ringing transients.
Residential power distribution refuses to be left behind in this age of innovation. For example, consider one manufacturer's residential load center. The latest model has an extra 2-in. knockout for wire bundling; adjustable trim for flush leveling; increased wiring gutter space; a large variety of concentric knockouts at the top, bottom, rear, and sides; drywall markings on the sides; and predrilled mounting holes. The manufacturer even ships the cover in a protective cardboard wrapper. The whole focus is on helping the installer do a fast, professional job.
Now available is advanced power distribution monitoring for residential applications. One system, for example, has peak, instantaneous, and accumulated demand metering; a manually or remotely reset non-volatile display; a percent load meter; interface capability for energy management systems; and compatibility with plug-and-play products (appliances, TV's, VCR's stereos, security systems, thermostats, lights, switches, HVAC, etc.) of various manufacture.
Optical metering of transmission currents solves many problems. Optical meters have wide sensing ranges, no requirements for oil or gas insulation systems, no mechanical parts, total isolation from surges, no magnetic core ferroresonance, and no saturation limits. They are significantly smaller than their predecessors. Perhaps that's why one manufacturer introduced optical meters with just these capabilities. A transducer (suitable for outdoors) uses light to accurately measure current on high-voltage systems. One sensor is accurate from less than 5A up to 4000A. The system provides a low energy analog voltage output proportional to the current flowing through the sensor.
Category Two
These items have appeared over the past year in EC&M's Product News section and received the highest reader response in their category.
Nonfused disconnect switches
This new line of compact enclosed nonfused disconnect switches, 30A and 60A versions, catalog symbol BDNF, is used in manual ON and OFF control of single- or 3-phase AC motors. They have standard or optional (field-installed) auxiliary contacts rated 6A at 250V, and they can signal PLCs.
Bussmann/Cooper Industries
Nonmetallic compact disconnect switches
The NRS nonmetallic compact disconnect switches provide manual ON and OFF control of single- and 3-phase AC motors. Offered in a 30A fused and 30A and 60A unfused version, the product meets NEC requirements for a separate disconnect means within sight of all motor loads. The operating handles can be locked in the OFF position to meet OSHA lockout/tagout regulations.
Crouse-Hinds/Cooper Industries
Enhanced loadcenters
The enhanced version of the Type CH premium loadcenter features an all copper bus and a high series-rated single-phase 200A main breaker. Uses high-quality materials, is easy to install, and is manufactured to ensure consistent product quality. Also features more wiring room making the installation faster and easier and allows space for special wiring needs.
Controller panelboard
This panelboard offers a controllable breaker system for use on 120V and 277V, 20A circuits. It incorporates a networkable, microprocessor-based controller and communicates over a twisted pair. The controller and breakers work together to switch branch circuits for lighting and small power without a computer to run the system.
Automatic transfer switches
Representing a major advance in automatic transfer switching technology, a new 1000A to 2000A line of Automatic Transfer Switches for critical power applications is offered. The design allows for field conversion to open, closed, or delayed transition transfer modes of operation, and also offers higher withstand current and extended short time ratings for optimum circuit breaker coordination. Also, the new ASCO SSTS (Solid-State Transfer Switch) is designed to assure the uninterrupted transfer of power between two AC power sources in critical load applications; and the new PULSAR line of high-performance surge protection devices, rated from 40kA to 400kA, provides facility-wide protection.
Automatic Switch
Remote power switching system
The POWERLINK remote power switching system has been enhanced with a firmware download kit. The new capability helps users stay technologically current by providing the ability to install upgraded features into an existing POWERLINK panelboard. The system eliminates the need for separate relay or contactor panels to control loads. Motor-operated circuit breakers are used to switch individual branch circuits.
Square D
Category Two
Manual disconnect switches
This line of 30A and 60A manual disconnect switches is available in nonfused and fused (30A only) models. The non-fused switches combine a 120V- to 600V-hp-rated switch in a durable, watertight enclosure rated NEMA 3R, 4X, 12 for reliable performance in outdoor, washdown, corrosive, and dusty applications. The nonfused and fused manual disconnects are UL 508 and CSA C22.2 No. 14-M91 certified.
Arrow Hart
Current transformers
The Enercept KT directly accepts 208 to 480VAC without a costly potential transformer and can accommodate up to 2400A. Can produce 4-20mA output for instantaneous kW demand or pulses for kWH consumption. The 3-phase mode automatically scales output for balanced loads. Combines a kilowatt transducer with a split-core current transformer in a single compact power sensor. Since the transformer and transducer are mated and tuned, the Enercept KT boasts [+ or -]2.0% accuracy.
Veris Industries
Current transformer
The Model No. HACT-1/10 is a jumbo current clamp capable of encircling busbars measuring approximately 5 x 1 1/4 in. and cables up to 2 3/4 in. dia. This clamp can handle up to 3000A with [+ or -]1% accuracy over its entire range down to 5A. The output is 0.1 mV per amp, and it conforms to IEC 348.
Amprobe Instrument
Medium-voltage switchgear
SafeGear, the new arc-resistant medium-voltage (5 to 15kV) switchgear, is available in the full range of ANSI preferred ratings through 15kV and 1000MVA. Features both 1-high and 2-high (stacked breaker) configurations for maximum economy of floor space. The product is also available with advanced protection and control technologies, including a 3-phase multifunction protection and metering device.
ABB Power T&D
Current transducers
Model HACT-100/1 is a miniature current clamp with resolution down to 50mA, suitable for measuring the current on CT secondaries. Also, its small size enables placement in tight locations. Capable of up to 10A, its output is 100mV per amp. Conforms to IEC 348.
Amprobe Instrument
Transfer switches
This new line of solid state transfer switches (SSTS) utilizes fast, solid-state switching devices to provide virtually uninterrupted transfers of sensitive loads between two AC power sources. Features fast, 1/4-cycle maximum, break-before-make, automatic transfers between two independent AC power sources, even under power system fault conditions.
Automatic Switch
Enhanced switchboard
The AV3 Access, with maximum 5000A main and 1200A feeder breakers, complements existing AV3 switchboard with the added capability of using 100% rated, individually mounted Spectra rms circuit breakers, resulting in cost savings because users can specify these compact breakers instead of using larger frame sizes. There is a 30-cycle withstand, short-circuit tested bus that is designed for up to 85kA, offering improved system coordination.
GE Electrical Distribution & Control
DC watt-hour meter
This versatile watt-hour meter simultaneously views volts, amps, watts, and watt-hours while an optional external counter provides DC watt-hour readings. Model WM accurately measures DC bus power while automatically calculating energy consumption. May be used to drive an optional external electromechanical counter for watt-hour readouts or other remote equipment.
LEM DynAmp
Automatic transfer switches
This new line of automatic transfer switches is designed to provide synchronized power transfer without interruption between a utility and an in-house engine generator. The 956 SLTS (Soft Loading Transfer System) provides a Make-Before-Break transfer of a building's load from a utility to an in-house engine generator. This system brings the engine generator into synchronism with the utility source, then gradually shifts the load over to the engine generator with virtually no voltage or frequency fluctuations, thereby assuring a "seamless" transfer of critical loads.
Automatic Switch
Knife disconnect block
New Knife Disconnect Block for the Din Rail mounted Series No. 280 incorporates the most popular features required for circuit testing. The color knife switch provides a clear indication as to whether it is opened or closed and fully disconnects before allowing access to the blades to ensure a touchproof device.
Electric meter
The 2-phase, 3-wire Transmeter-12 is an electric meter with spread-spectrum power line carrier for automatic meter reading. It communicates over existing distribution wires, eliminating the need for additional wiring. Its PLC automatically bypasses interference by adapting frequency, modulation, and baud rates.
Quadlogic Controls
High-speed source-transfer switching system
The system maintains power to all equipment served by the medium-voltage distribution system. Such continuity of service is crucial for continuous-process industries, where even momentary voltage fluctuations can ca use major disruption and financial loss. The system transfers between preferred and alternate power sources in 4 ms to 8 ms.
S&C Electric
Easy-to-install switch
The Sentron HCP Switch has a compact design and is available in a range from 1200A down to 400A. The high contact pressure unit is available as an F2 panelboard main or as a branch or main in a new switchboard lineup. It can be installed anywhere in a cabinet (top, middle, or bottom), wherever it is needed. Provides circuit breaker-style, butt-type contacts for a secure, solid electrical connection.
Siemens Energy & Automation
Transfer switch control panel
The MX200 microprocessor-based control panel is available for this manufacturer's line of ZTS automatic transfer switches. These control panels monitor line voltages and control the operation and display of the ATS. As an embedded digital controller, device offers high reliability and ease of unattended operation across various applications.
Zenith Controls
Disconnect switches
A new 600A variable depth flange mounted disconnect switch, Bulletin 1494V, has the same footprint and mounting location as its 400A counterpart, allowing for easy upgrading and installation. Incorporates a quick-make, quick-break, snap-action design with a visible blade construction. Available in a fusible or nonfusible version and accepts Class H, J, or R fuses. The switch is UL-listed and CSA-certified.
Transfer switches with UL rating
This series of 5kV 400A and 600A contactor-type automatic transfer switches is labeled and listed under UL Standard 1008. The high-speed, electromagnetically actuated contactor assembly is sealed in an epoxy resin enclosure that provides high strength, resistance to electromagnetic stress, and superior dielectric strength. All operation functions are controlled by a programmable control system that uses industry standard open architecture communication protocol for high-speed serial communications.
Transfer switch with bypass/isolation
A new combination subcycle static transfer bypass/isolation switch, Model RSTS, completes an open transition (break before make) transfer of the load to the alternate (standby) source in 2.4 ms: well below the Computer Business Equipment Manufacturers Association power interruption guideline of 8.3 ms. Also provides a convenient means for manually bypassing and isolating the static switch for maintenance.
The new NF Panelboard is field-convertible from main lug to main circuit breaker and from top to bottom feed. It can be configured to include a split bus with an in-line lighting contactor or two split buses. Field installable options include sub-feed lugs, sub-feed breakers, and feed-through lugs. Optional 200% neutral loading through 600A accommodates nonlinear loads and reduces negative harmonics.
Square D
Digital power meter
The new 7300 ION digital 3-phase power meter features more than 100 revenue-accurate measurements. Measures volts, amps, power, energy, demand, min/max, and more. Compact size, simple installation, and high reliability make it ideal for panel-boards, switchboards, switchgear, gensets, or energy management networks.
Power Measurement