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3 pressure points that could force a fiscal cliff deal
The odds of reaching an agreement aren't great, but here's what it might take.
What will force the hands of Congress and the president to make a budget deal before taxes shoot up and spending slams down? What inputs do they need?
I see three pressure points.
The first is a precipitous decline in the stock market. We have two precedents for the market to matter: the TARP vote and the deal in Europe. After TARP initially failed, the market took a real hammering, and that was because sellers knew they had to get out before the banking system collapsed.
You have heard a series of banking CEOs say their institutions wouldn't have collapsed if TARP had failed to pass. That's nonsense. Short sellers controlled the market, and they could bring stocks down, which then caused ratings agencies to panic, which then stopped funding to banks and then brought collapses. The bank CEOs couldn't stop that trend. They should stop pretending they did. Congress swung into action only after the hideous sell-off.
There's no secret to the when the central bank got a deal to move along: when the stock markets collapsed and the bank stocks looked like they would be rolled.
So my simple take is a 1,000-2,000-point bone-crusher comes first and a deal later. Chances: 50/50.
The second? The beginning of a shoot up in employment claims as everyone from the biggest executives to the smallest of small-business men know it is time to fire. Why not? We rewarded executives who "saw it coming first" with higher stock prices, and "saw it coming" meant who fired the most the fastest. You will see that from the claims. I don't have to put odds on that. The game is already happening.
Third, in order to stop the fiscal cliff jump, CEOs who contributed to the Romney campaign and to opponents of the Democrats recognize they backed losers and actually ask the congresspeople they invested in to make a deal rather than have a recession that will kill profits, lower stock prices and maybe affect CEO compensation. This may not happen, because No. 2 says they can slash hiring and still do well personally and with their stocks, but there have to be some executives who say they are not going to continue to front losing, divisive leaders.
Of course, the Tea Party people are willing to crucify hiring upon a cross of 15% tax rates for hedge fund managers, perhaps the greatest bit of Grover Norquist-inspired insanity yet. But as a former hedge fund manager who paid ordinary income, I could see selfish hedge funds really funding financial Armageddon because they can get short and make up the lower tax rate that way.
Oh, come on, that's not cynical, that's good business. The prospects of business leaders actually helping to get a deal done has increased to 50% also simply because they are money men and backing losers turned out to be a really bad strategy.
So there are the players. That's the game plan. I don't like the odds, because issue two has already started and you can gift-wrap a 2013 recession come no deal by Christmas.
That means staying lean, investing with companies that don't have to rely on U.S. consumers, who will be hammered, and just waiting for the punishment from having Congress sink into partisan politics instead of rising above to get a deal done.
Jim Cramer is a co-founder of TheStreet and contributes daily market commentary to the financial news network's sites. Follow his trades for Action Alerts PLUS, which Cramer co-manages as a charitable trust.
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Some Dweeb just HAD to put an expiration date on the Bush tax cuts to make it more palatable to the fools who had no idea what was going to go down in 2008. Trickle Down Economics. YAY! We won't NEED the cuts by 2010 and they can safely expire. No need to worry about silly deficits said Cheney the Fool-- surpassed ONLY by Rummy the Dummy and his Iraq War assertions---- Reagan proved we will GROW our way out of them!--- Yeah right ya Chump
Until Republicans face their demons, nothing will change. Like drug addicts they wander around blaming everybody else for their degradation. They say we have a spending problem when clearly they are the only users in town.
2002 total Federal spending $2.011 trillion
2009 total Federal spending $3.518 trillion, a $1.507 trillion dollar increase by Republicans
2012 total year end projection $3.627 trillion, a $109 billion increase, almost 15 times less than Republicans, the only way to cut spending is keep Republicans out of office.
This has been a public service message.
If you didn't like the ideas in my last post, we could always take our 'one time' dividends pay out now to avoid the tax increase, and invest them offshore in Jamaica's new casino ventures- they just approved them; So its either you work with us to help maintain America's strong economy with multi pronged approach by reducing the entitlements & taxes or we'll go - you know-
Be sure to tell your congressperson that !!
In reality the Tea Party was a pseudo- Libertarian coup of the GOP lead by " mavericks" like Palin who took great issue with their Old Guard. Did it work? The outcome is still somewhat in doubt. Ryan or Christie who will it be next? The GOP has a BIG choice to make. Already the Tea Party, Rush and Fox News have been publicly repudiated by Moderates in their ranks like Steve Schmitt, Michael Steele and David Brooks
To all who receive SSI & SSDI : ( regardless of disability or developmental disability)
I & my peers will be pushing for you to enter the work force in either self employment or wage employment. Provisions already exist in the SSA for you to do this without jeopardizing your cash benefits until you reach the 'break even' point in which you no longer need them.
You voted for Obama, now it's time to do your part and go to work for the America you voted for !
Last election , the same crap, different words... oh the government is going to shut down , no budget deal, blah blah blah..
Someone tell our PAID EMPLOYEES< CONGRESS AND SENATE, that enough is enough. Do your job or we will recall you, one by one , and replace you with people that have a unified , strong and health America in their heart and mind. With Actions that prove it.
Here's a clue GOP. Get rid of your Bible Thumping Akin types. The Liberal Women just put a stake in that dinosaur's heart for good
Craig, We don't have a spending problem you do, incompetent fiscal policies from the last three Republican Presidents have lead us to the Greek Shores.
GDP to debt increases by Presidents,
Reagan + 21% increase Carter - 3% decrease
Bush Sr. +14% increase Clinton- 10% decrease
Bush Jr. + 28% increase Obama + 16% increase
Total Republican increase 63% Total Democrat increase 3%
Your the problem Craig, because you just don't get it, the road to Greece runs through the Republicans.
With the Speaker of the House and the President saying they are ready to compromise it sounded like there was hope, until the Speaker said to raise revenue without any tax hikes and the President said there must be tax hikes on the "rich". Each poisoned the process, dooming it. Hope everyone has a parachute, it is a very tall cliff and we are going over it.
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US markets were able to rally hard and largely trim the day's losses. Meanwhile, a bounce in crude oil could be in the offing.
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iRollout of iPads | Mr LovegroveSee on Scoop.it - #iPadChat
Over the last few days I've been working with my school's technician to rollout 30 iPads; 10 for staff and 20 for pupils. We'd both never done this before, and didn't really know what we'd find along the way. But we finished today, and I wanted to share the process we went through.
See on mrlovegrove.net


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Daz getting into the groove.
© Joss, Dec 2010
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A fugitive on the Texas Department of Public Safety's 10 Most Wanted sex offender list has been captured in Longview.
DPS on Wednesday announced the arrest of 57-year-old Michael Wayne Hopson, who formerly lived in Tyler.
Hopson was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender in Anderson County and for indecent exposure in Payne County, Okla.
DPS agents had searched two homeless shelters when they located Hopson around midday Tuesday at a soup kitchen. Investigators did not immediately provide further details on what led them to Hopson but say his arrest was not the result of a tip.
DPS had warned that Hopson should be considered armed and dangerous.
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Amalfi Coast Walking Tour
Walking in the Footsteps of Gods
To see Amalfi in travel-mag spreads is to glimpse at its beauty: those ruin-topped cliffs on chic Capri, the rugged mountain trails lined with chestnut groves and rosemary around Ravello; and the famed Path of the Gods above Positano are more than any page could cover. On this Amalfi Coast walking tour, with private boats and insider knowledge, we'll explore these majestic hills with a local naturalist, take lunch in a mountain hut with our pal Salvatore and sip a drink poolside in Italian luxury at the Hotel Caruso.
Trip Details
We use premium hotels that are unique expressions of the region. Often they've had a previous life as a monastery or a castle, but in every case they offer an exceptionally comfortable stay.
These are stylish 4-star properties that offer a casual and comfortable stay. Often without a 24-hour concierge or room service, they tend to be smaller family-run hotels that are perfect for the region.
"I can't say I really 'work out,' but I'm in good shape and am relatively active."
"I enjoy a good walk or ride, and feel comfortable while on the move."
"I get moving at least once a week, and don't mind a little sweat."
"I get moving a few times per week and enjoy some exertion."
"I want to feel invigorated each day and going hard how I like to do that."
Small group
The right number of like-minded travellers to make new friends.
Your dates. Your group. Your way—always.
Combines the hallmarks of any B&R itinerary (excellent hotels and beautiful routes) with the freedom of pacing each day exactly the way you like.
Locally Supported
Our friends on the ground are there to set you up with insider access and expert tips—then disappear when you'd prefer to be on your own.
Our B&R guides are with you throughout, anticipating needs, translating languages, providing advice and—above all—facilitating fun.
6 Days / 5 Nights
See departure dates for exact pricing Request aDETAILED ITINERARY
Limited Space / Waitlist
This departure is almost fully booked, but upon deposit we will request additional rooms from our hotels.
Have a group already?
Day by Day
Arrive in Capri by private motorboat, disembarking on the elegant Marina Piccola. Hike paths perched high on the mountainside while soaking up the stunning views of the islands of Ischia and Procida.
Explore Villa Jovis, the summer residence of Emperor Tiberius in the morning and spend the afternoon walking a coastal trail with exquisite views and, if you're lucky, a few curious goats.
Walk the fabled Path of the Gods over Positano with local naturalist Nicola. This evening cocktails on Le Sirenuse's terrace with stunning Positano as your backdrop.
Scale challenging Monte Pertuso, tour the town or lounge about at Le Sireneuse, once rated the world's best hotel by Condé Nast Traveler. Tonight's dinner is in the town's top restaurant.
Tour Amalfi with charming and knowledgeable local guide, Michelangelo before hiking uphill through lemon groves and waterfalls. A fitting final celebration to an unforgettable week!
Breakfast in Ravello and arrivederci in Naples. For those staying on, join local resident Michelangelo on our private city walk including the Villa Rufolo and the Villa Cimbrone gardens.
Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri
The center of Capri, just steps away from the Piazzetta, has been the site of the Grand Hotel Quisisana, a historic establishment and flagship of the Italian hotel industry since 1845. This exclusive 5-star hotel is a veritable oasis of relaxation, surrounded by lush greenery. Its elegant rooms are the perfect expression of Capri's dolce vita, famous throughout the world. View hotel website »
Le Sirenuse, Positano
Overlooking the sea on the cliffs of Positano, Le Sirenuse was rated the best hotel in the world in Condé Nast Traveler. B&R is the only active travel company invited to stay at this luxurious hotel thanks to our friendship with its charming owner, who can suggest many great walks in the area. Best of all, every room faces the sea offering views of the mythical islands of the Sirens. View hotel website »
Hotel Caruso, Ravello
Hotel Caruso sits high above the Mediterranean with breathtaking views of the water below. From its heyday at the turn of the century when it was very sought after as a residence to the stunning property it is today, guests continue to delight in the views, amenities and service. Here azure dreams are sure to accompany your stay and you will simply never want to leave. View hotel website »
Activity Level
It is a walking trip that covers a variety of terrain that at times is challenging. The landscape can be quite mountainous, so be prepared for plenty of ups and downs. Those with vertigo may find some of the walks uncomfortable. Daily distances average 5 to 8 km (3 to 5 mi.), with some options for less (or more) challenging hikes. A number of our walks are on narrow footpaths through woods and along mountainsides, while others follow well-surfaced roads. Hiking boots are required on some walks. Please note that van support is limited on this trip due to the inaccessibility of trails by vehicle.
Walking Sticks &
Hip Holsters
Included with all walking trips are Leki telescoping walking sticks and custom-made padded hip holsters, which comfortably carry one full half-litre water bottle. And while the walking sticks get "recycled" for use by another B&R traveller, the holsters are yours to keep at trip's end.
What's Included
- All hotel accommodation
- All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners, including wine
- Services of B&R guide(s) and support van
- Use of two lightweight, telescoping walking sticks
- Waist pack with water bottle and holder
- Detailed maps and route suggestions
- All special events, private tours, guest experts and entrance fees
- All transportation from rendezvous to drop-off
- All baggage transportation
- All gratuities for baggage, porters and hotel service
At Your Service
We take pride in choosing guides who are not only exceptional travelling companions, but who'll go far beyond the call of duty to ensure an unforgettable experience.
"The immersion into the local's lives was the best part - the family restaurants that opened just for us; the conversations about what local life is really like."
— Stan King,
Amalfi Coast Walking, 2012
Amalfi Coast Walking
Notes from the Road
Reading for the Road: Books About the Amalfi CoastMany of these works capture the special qualities of a particular region and will provide you a much deeper sense of history and its people.
more »
Limoncello: Authentically AmalfitanoA tart, refreshing and infinitely satisfying after-dinner liquer, limoncello provides the perfect end to a hot Amalfi day.
more »
At Le Sirenuse, It's
Stop me if you've heard this one before. Fleeing Naples to avoid the bombing during the Second World War, the Sersale family took refuge in its summerhouse in Positano, perched above Italy's Amalfi Coast.
All in the Family
more »
More stories from our blogREAD THE SLOW ROAD
Related TripsItalian Lakes Walking
6 Days / 5 Nights
Milan / Milan
Price from: $6,795
Tuscany Self-Guided Walking
6 Days / 5 Nights
Terontola / Chiusi
Price from: $2,995


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Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > Untitled(so far)
Introduction0 Reviews
Isabella Daae... one very lucky girl... has the adventure of a lifetime. While lost in Paris she encounters some very interesting people. (Rating is because I have no idea what may happen in this s...
Hello there! I'm Isabella Daae and this is my story. Now, this isn't one of those full life stories, it's about how I got lost an Paris. It's a comedy and a love story, but mostly it's a mere coincidence. This is the story of how I got my career in the music and fashion businesses.
[The lights dim as Isabelle walks off stage.]


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Visit a dude ranch on your vacation. Experience western hospitality and true ranch life by staying at one of our Mexico guest ranches. Discover your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) and learn what it's like to work on a real ranch. Most of our Mexico ranch vacations are all-inclusive and perfect for family vacations and getaways. Horse camps are great learning experiences for children of all ages. Enjoy horseback riding, riding lessons, rodeos, hiking, swimming, fishing, square dancing, cattle drives, wrangling and more on our horse vacations. Browse our Mexico dude ranches and plan your western vacation today!
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Tulum, Mexico Bike Tours - Cycling on flat paved and unpaved roads. Walks through ruins and along jungle paths. Explore Mayan archaeological sites with guides. Snorkel and swim in clear freshwater grottoes and warm beaches.
Abasolo, Mexico Sailing & Yacht Charters - Private Sailing Charter in the Mexican Caribbean and Belize, 52 feet Classic Sailboat. . Scuba Diving & Quality Food.
La Paz, Mexico Kayaking & Canoeing - We will be stand up paddleboarding in the beautiful clear waters off Baja, hoping to paddle with gentle whale sharks and grey whales in the Sea of Cortez. Adventure is for all levels of paddlers and is led by trained lifeguards.
Los Banos, Mexico Horseback Riding - Pristine 30,000 acre guest ranch wilderness area at the foot of the Sierra Madres, offering world-class horseback riding, with unique scenery and landscapes in a remote, rugged and serene natural setting. If you love riding, this is the ranch for you
San Francisco Soyaniquilpan de Juarez, Mexico Horseback Riding - Riding at its best!
Acapulco, Mexico Scuba & Snorkeling - Join us on an exciting day, Dive sunken ships, walls, sea mountains, Roqueta Island (shallow & calm dives), caves (rock formations), also Sailing & Snorkeling tours. PADI courses available
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Valle de Bravo, Mexico Horseback Riding - Best riding holidays in Mexico.
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Black Jade Chinoiserie in the Bath
Color Therapy
Longtime readers of this column will know that I redo my bathroom more often than I run out for eggs, so for bathroom renovation month at Apartment Therapy, let's look at my latest foray. File this under "Why Not."
I love the idea of this, but I wish I liked it just a bit more. The base is actually a striè of two similar colors, which you could only see in hard, raking light for two weeks until the emulsion glossed out. I wanted the blackest underwater blue-green, like black jade. The ornament is the color of patina bronze, and none of this made sense until I got the birds up and running, which have Phthalo blue and a bit of coral. I like the samples I made more than the actual thing itself; it sat unfinished for six months, and now I've finally polished it off. Sort of... It's also so dark, shiny and small that it's nearly impossible to photograph; and, as always, the walnut-colored tile remains a liability, but it is a rental.
My inspiration was some little mid-century mini-survey of Chinese watercolors that I picked up off the street. I can't quite tell if this is cheesy; but, as I say, it was an experiment for future potential projects I may someday take to market.
(Images: Mark Chamberlain)
11 Comments
I like it but not forever. So if you're a serial renovator, great! How about skin tone lighting, though?
ehhh, I disagree. not just no for me, although it's not my taste. I think it would have been more successful in a bigger space, though. In a bathroom that size (or at least from the pictures), I don't think you can appreciate the depth of the color.
It's perfect. Small bathrooms are exactly the right-sized canvas for such a decorative project -- in larger bathrooms, not only are the material costs often out of reach (in this case, it would be just too much work), but high glamour is best in small doses otherwise it risks being tacky.
there is nothing cheezy about chinoiserie. ever!
I like the theory of it. I love painted wallpaper above the wainscot. I admired Chinoiserie hand painted wallpaper for ages, even considering forking over the money for enough for just one wall and thinking I just might paint some myself. Then I chickened out and bought
some rolls of Osbourne and Little Summer Palace, in cinnabar red-orange, like your door. I love it.
Very well executed. You could do my powder room anytime!
I like it. I might have gone a big less dark on the background, but I'm intimidated by very dark walls, I guess. Nicely painted! (Love the birds.)
Beautifully done. I'm really into the drama of it. How would it look with different colored trim around the door and medicine cabinet, perhaps a glossy coral or blue to match the birds?
I think your design would make a nice wall focal point on a very large moveable canvas or screen in another room like a living, dining, or bedroom.
Cool as heck.
I like.


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'The Finest Castle in the World'
Robert I. Burns, S.J., and Paul E. Chevedden describe how a much-besieged citadel became the focus for Christian-Muslim co-existence in medieval Spain.
Medieval Christian and Muslim powers lived by a web of pacts, truces, and alliances, not only among their own religious-ethnic group but frequently with the 'infidel' powers around them. Each contestant in the struggle between Cross and Crescent had to be capable of negotiation. Each treaty or truce represented a unique circumstance, a tangle of options, dangers, opportunities and historical and geographical contexts. The principals in this diplomacy were negotiating to keep or to surrender elements of their identity and their culture. Since Islam and Christendom embraced radically different belief systems, legal assumptions and rhetorical traditions, a Christian-Islamic treaty was not truly a meeting of minds but rather a clash of cultures and political psychologies.
Out of the many Christian-Islamic surrender pacts of the crusader era, only one--the 1244 surrender pact of the city and castle of Jßtiva--survives with a bilingual Latin-Arabic text. It comes from the mountainous country in the southern coastal part of Mediterranean Spain, which Muslims called Sharq al-Andalus and the Christian conquerors called the Kingdom of Valencia. The document gives a glimpse into the mentality of the signatories and reveals very different understandings of their shared procedure. A wealth of sources exists to help us interpret it: archival, chronicle-based, archaeological, and legal. Prominent among these is the autobiographical Book of Deeds of King James of Aragon-Catalonia, the Christian protagonist of the treaty--a remarkable work and the only autobiography of a medieval European monarch, save for the imitative memoir of his descendant Peter the Ceremonious.
The collapse of western Islam in the early thirteenth century forms the background. After the Christian victory at Las Navas de Tolosa in 1212, the Almohad empire of Spain and North Africa was plunged into confusion, factionalism and civil war. As Moroccan Marinid and Tunisian Hafsid dynasties struggled to construct new empires from the wreckage, Islamic Spain fragmented into mini-states unable to present a common front against the Christian invader, or even to sustain their own borders. The extensive coastal regions below Tortosa and above Murcia were caught up in these storms [Figure 1: Map of the Realms of Aragon-Catalonia, c. 1250].
An anti-Almohad hero, Ibn Hud, managed to rally most of Islamic Spain around his standard at Murcia, which town he entered in August 1228, proclaiming himself emir of al-Andalus under the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad. Just north of Murcia lay the only Iberian fragment still loyal to the Almohad cause, the Valencian province under its original wali or governor, Abu Zayd. At this very moment, however, Valencia produced its own rebel: Zayyan, a local aristocrat of the Banu Mardanish lineage, drove Abu Zayd to the north and entered Valencia city in triumph in 1229.
While Zayyan fought both Abu Zayd and James, Ibn Hud ineffectively besieged Zayyan in Valencia city. As circumstances dictated, both Abu Zayd and Ibn Hud made overtures to James's rival Christian kingdom of Castile. While Ibn Hud called upon the Baghdad caliph for legitimacy and help, and Abu Zayd looked to the disintegrating Almohad caliphate, Zayyan got his backing and fleet from the Tunisian Hafsid dynasty.
The confusion was even worse at local level. Ibn Khaldun described Islamic Spain between the Las Navas disaster of 1212 and the fall of C¾rdoba in 1236:
These were evil days for Islamic Spain. Fernando III of Castile had conquered C¾rdoba in 1236, and in 1237 James had established his advance post at Puig to besiege Valencia. The turning point came in 1238: early in that year Ibn Hud fell to an assassin's knife; in September Zayyan finally surrendered Valencia to the Christians. The old qa'id of Jßtiva had died in May 1237; his inexperienced son Abu Bakr backed a brief adventure by Zayyan at Murcia. Zayyan lasted less than two months, however, as 'emir of the East' in 1239. Castile was moving purposefully into Mediterranean Murcia; by 1243 Murcia would submit to Castile as a Mudejar kingdom. James the Conqueror, king of the federated kingdoms of Aragon and Catalonia, meanwhile, came from a dynasty that had long claimed the right to conquer down the coast as far as Murcia.
This movement of expansion, or the Spanish Reconquest, is commonly portrayed as a steady recovery of lost territories over eight centuries, but was rather a series of border brawls and opportunistic seizures, punctuated by radical expansion in the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. The main surge saw the thirteenth-century crusader kings of Castile-Le¾n and of Aragon-Catalonia conquer systematically all the heartlands of Spanish Islam leaving only the rump of Granada. From 1229 to 1245 James subdued and absorbed the Mediterranean provinces of Islam from the Balearic Islands to Murcia. This took fifteen years of diplomacy, military manoeuvre and bluff with, very rarely, a prolonged siege or pitched battle. Surrender agreements left many local Muslim leaders in a strong position, and James had to fight on, sporadically, long afterwards--in a decade-long crusade against an Islamic mini-state in the south of Valencia; in the conquest of Murcia to help Castile; in repression of local revolts; and finally in confronting a major counter-crusade by the Marinid Maghrib empire joined to Andalus rebels.
Valencia had three regional centres, Burriana, Valencia city, and Jßtiva, and James's main sieges centred on them. The first two brought bloody victory and expulsion of their Muslims. The Jßtiva siege, though, resulted in a qualified surrender, which ceded considerable powers of autonomy to the Jativans. Despite subsequent expulsions, a Muslim population remained, and the celebrated paper industry continued to flourish. Jßtiva would serve as a Mudejar centre for generations to come, and was the most populous Mudejar centre in Valencia into the sixteenth century.
James had launched an abortive crusade against Pe±Ēscola in northern Valencia in 1225, wresting an illusory 'vassalage' and an annual tribute from the beleaguered new Almohad wali of Valencia, Abu Zayd. The young King's crusade roused concern in Castile, which already had its eye on the region. Fernando III of Castile also welcomed a visit and 'vassalage' in 1225 by Abu Zayd. Three years later a desperate Abu Zayd, seeking allies against the triumphant Zayyan, opened negotiations with Castile fruitlessly, and even sent secret agents to the Pope.
In 1229 Abu Zayd entered into an alliance with James, by which the King was to keep in vassalage all he could conquer from Zayyan plus a fourth of Valencia's general revenues. James imposed a second agreement in January 1232, reducing Abu Zayd to little more than a puppet of the Christians. By this time the King had embarked on his crusade against Valencia. In 1236 he convened a parliament at Monz¾n to formalise the crusade again, to rally all his resources, and to begin his drive to take Valencia's capital.
When Valencia city fell in 1238, Jßtiva remained under the successors of Ibn Hud as a semi-independent entity. With Zayyan removed as a major player, Jßtiva was now a tempting target for both Castile and Aragon-Catalonia. At first James moved south only tentatively, but the involvement of Castile soon made it necessary to make haste. From the south, the Castilians saw Jßtiva as a relic of Ibn Hud's Murcia-based realm. As they consolidated their conquest of Murcia, their intentions towards Jßtiva itself became ever clearer.
By stages Jßtiva passed under the Christian yoke. James, despite treaties with Castile marking out respective paths of conquest, had to cope with Castilian intrigue, Castilian alliances with James's Muslim enemies, and even Castile's invasion of his agreed zone. At the same time, he was opposing the French occupation of territory in Occitania (southern France under Catalan patronage), while domestic turmoil, too, deflected his energies.
James besieged Jßtiva briefly and without success in 1239 and 1240. For his efforts, he obtained a palace in the city and extracted from the ruler of Jßtiva, Abu Bakr, a treaty and a demonstration of loyalty in which 'he accept[ed] Us as lord' in a formal ceremony of submission. Innocuous enough for the Muslims since it entailed no real curtailment of Jßtiva's autonomy, this action became for the King a true feudal vassalage, and when James next laid siege to the city he would attempt to force Abu Bakr to acknowledge a state of vassalage towards the King in order to gain Jßtiva's submission. This episode illustrates mutual incomprehension over the relationship established by the treaty and 'submission' of 1240.
James conducted a third and more determined siege of Jßtiva in 1244, but he could conquer it only by diplomacy. Jßtiva lay along a crest in a tangle of mountains. Strung out from east to west, its lofty battlements and multiple towers comprised a main castle and a conjoined lesser castle. Further down the slope from the two castles sprawled a large town, enclosed within its own extension of concentric walls [Figure 2: Jßtiva, Town and Twin Citadels, 1563].
These defences have been described as the most formidable of Islamic Spain's freestanding castles. Jßtiva's 'strength and beauty' were deemed 'proverbial' by the twelfth-century geographer al-Idrisi. According to the contemporary Bernat Desclot, Jßtiva's castle held provisions for three years, had its own abundant spring, and a single approach, so narrow that 'twenty men could hold off ten thousand'. Nowhere in the world, he claimed, was there 'a castle so strong or regal'. James has left us his own impressions. At first sight of this 'castle so noble and so beautiful and its countryside so captivating,' the King experienced 'great joy and great happiness in my heart.' Then and there he resolved 'to take the castle for Christendom' and for God's service, and of course for himself. His Hungarian queen, the well-traveled Violant, echoed the King's jubilation: 'It is the finest castle in the world and the wealthiest I or any person has ever seen.'
James laid siege to the city in late 1243 or early 1244. Jßtiva mounted a defiant defence until James compelled the future King Alfonso of Castile to abandon his own plans for the city in March 1244. Deserted by Castile and cut off from potential Muslim support in Murcia, Jßtiva now stood truly isolated. It could either allow the war to drag on or negotiate a compromise peace.
Abu Bakr proposed a surrender agreement that gave the semblance of political subjugation while leaving the city with its ruling house, its population, its defences, and its army all intact. Jßtiva would concede only modest territorial concessions to the victor: the smaller or outlying of the two castles of the town would be handed over to James while the larger castle would be kept by Abu Bakr for two years more. At the final transfer in two years, the King would choose for the Muslims a replacement castle to substitute for Jßtiva's major castle.
James was apprehensive about leaving Abu Bakr behind the formidable defences of Jßtiva. When presented with Abu Bakr's surrender proposal, James deliberated before reaching a decision. The queen advised him to accept Abu Bakr's offer and 'not to delay for one castle or two'. After the King's counselors all agreed, James was won over and accepted Abu Bakr's terms. His memoirs express great confidence:
Abu Bakr probably feared that the continuation of resistance would result in a less favourable outcome in the future. He decided to reach a settlement while he still retained substantial bargaining assets. Surrender may also have appeared attractive to him as a means of gaining a temporary respite, during which he expected the balance of power to shift in his favour.
The treaty survives in fragmentary form. The charter appears to have separated into two or more sections along fold lines, and the surviving portion was subjected to further ravages by wear and water damage that reduced it to its present state: a crude L-shape with uneven widths (Figure 3: The 1244 Jßtiva Treaty).
A total of thirty-three treaty provisions have been recovered from this tattered and torn document. Fifteen of the provisions are found only in the Arabic text; thirteen appear only in the Latin text; and five are common to both texts. This lack of congruity between the bilingual texts may be because the order of the items differ in the two texts (with a number of elements in one that are missing from the other) or because each side merely included representative items to convey the common Mudejar privileges or situation.
The treaty allows us to comprehend more broadly the Islamic-Christian confrontation in the Mediterranean world, and to appreciate the world in which the two parties manoeuvred. The Spanish Reconquest was no omnipotent and relentless force, but succeeded by accident as it lurched haphazardly, sometimes blessed with good timing, but more often than not in a messy process of advance, retreat, reorganisation, then advance in a different direction. Only in retrospect does the conquest of Jßtiva appear as a watershed. In 1244, James had to put the best face on a surrender that was less than a capitulation and had to disguise by bravado his true anguish about conceding considerable autonomy to Jßtiva.
The provisions of the treaty reveal that James was in no position to dictate terms, but was compelled, on the contrary, to offer incentives to entice Jßtiva to surrender. Thus, less than a third of the provisions concern duties and obligations of the new subject community. The exemptions, privileges, and rights safeguarded by the treaty attest to the capacity of the Jativans to salvage and preserve their identity and institutions even as the integrity of their society was threatened by political domination. The concessions granted to the Jativans, as well as the obligations placed upon them, illuminate both the common features of Christian-Islamic surrender pacts, as well as special and distinctive elements peculiar to the circumstances facing James and the Jativans.
The standard elements of this pact include the conferral of crown protection for person and property; protection for Muslim travellers; freedom of worship; preservation of religious endowments necessary for the maintenance of Islamic religious institutions; and retention of an Islamic legal system.
The crown protection pledged in Arabic identifies the Jativans as mu'ammanin ('those under the protection [of the King],' or 'those given protection by means of an aman'). The use of this term defines the Jativans as Mudejars for the first time and establishes 1244 as the year Jßtiva became a subject community. The safe conduct bestowed upon the principal men of Jßtiva while travelling throughout James's realms and beyond guarantees a degree of protection seldom made explicit in Islamic or Christian pacts of protection (aman/guidaticum). It provides for a protective escort, or actual physical accompaniment under guard, to the leading men of the city.
The religious freedom granted to the Jativans safeguards the fivefold daily prayer of the Muslims, together with the sermon, or khutbah, on Fridays and on canonical feasts. It also confers the right to make the call to prayer from minarets. Muslim communities that surrendered to James commonly requested that the call to prayer be preserved, and James routinely guaranteed that it would be. As a public profession of the Islamic religion, the call to prayer fostered Muslim solidarity and permitted a vanquished community to survive in a mosque-filled milieu apparently unchanged.
The Latin text protects endowment properties supporting mosques in Jßtiva, while both Latin and Arabic texts safeguard the Islamic non-shari'ah judicial system and most of the jurisdictions affecting the Muslims of Jßtiva. The Latin text prohibits Christians from bringing lawsuits against Muslims during the period of the agreement, while the Arabic text mandates that lawsuits involving Muslims and Christians are to be adjudicated on the basis of the testimony of two approved male witnesses, one Muslim and one Christian. The Latin text renders the testimony of alien Muslim witnesses in local courts inadmissible unless certain conditions are fulfilled, and recognises the validity of Muslim testimony in Christian courts.
The elements of the treaty that were dictated by the circumstances of strength on either side constitute the distinctive features of the document. These include several provisions pertaining to Muslim and Christian captives, a number of entries regarding taxes and fiscal exemptions, several items dealing with military privileges and responsibilities, articles concerning territorial concessions, provisions pertaining to intercommunal acts of violence, and terms safeguarding political authority and intra-community autonomy.
The provisions pertaining to captives indicate that James was willing to offer generous concessions to facilitate and hasten surrender. The Jativans were granted impunity from prosecution for hiding fugitive Muslim captives and were permitted to retain possession of their Christian captives. The captives were even prohibited from objecting to their captivity. The Jativans skilfully pressed their demands regarding their Christian captives upon James at the eleventh hour, knowing that he was in no position to haggle.
The Christians claimed a modest share of taxes and conciliated the Jativans with some tax exemptions. All the revenues of the markets were to go to the new Christian regime, as well as the tax on livestock, and other unrecoverable taxes. The tax concessions granted to the Jativans provided financial relief to the people of the city. Military obligations were minimal. A requirement of military provisioning and military service was imposed, but only in case of a local Muslim revolt. The Jativans were permitted to undertake construction on the urban defences of the city provided they inform the King of such activity. Allowing the Jativans to undertake military constructions was a significant concession, since any augmentation of the urban defences could be used to good advantage in a future revolt. Even in peacetime, formidable urban defences could enhance a city's diplomatic bargaining power. The King appears to have gained public acknowledgement of Jßtiva's Mudejar status by granting the Jativans the right to rebuild their military defences. It was a Devil's bargain for James, but he could not attain a better settlement.
Modest territorial concessions were demanded: the immediate transfer of the smaller castle of Jßtiva to the King and the surrender of the castles in the region of the city. The treaty also confirmed the King's ownership of some item or property in Jßtiva, perhaps the palace that the King had acquired in 1240.
Two provisions attempt to contain inter-community violence. The first makes attacks upon Muslims a capital offence, and the second stipulates that a Muslim may not be killed for killing anyone who attacks the Muslims. These provisions were included in the treaty to prevent blood feuds from breaking out between Christians and Muslims.
Though the treaty gave the appearance of political subjugation, it guaranteed political succession in Jßtiva in the lineage of the Banu Isa, thus maintaining the city's ruling family in power. The inhabitants of Jßtiva remained in place, and its military forces and defences were left intact. Christians were prohibited from residing in or operating shops in the city, and the Islamic character of the city was thereby preserved.
The Jßtiva treaty is an
important document. Firstly, it supports the veracity of James's autobiography,
which is particularly detailed for this incident. Secondly, it concerns
the most powerful entity James had confronted in Valencia outside the capital
city. Thirdly, it is the only treaty for Mediterranean Spain in that century
of conquest to survive with a Latin-Arabic text. Fourthly, this treaty
marks the beginning of a major multicultural society in the kingdom of
Valencia below the J·car River, where the mass of Muslims remained
uneasily subject to a colonial class of Christian administrators and settlers,
and where the Jews fleeing persecution converged to constitute a valuable
bridge between conquerors and conquered. Fifthly, the conquest of Jßtiva
played a key role in the evolution of the colonial-warrior society, with
its osmotic interpenetration of three cultures, which was to define Spain
and to colour Spain's actions and institutions in the New World. Finally,
this treaty marks the start of the intransigent defence of a Muslim enclave:
Jßtiva/Montesa remained for some time the cultural and political
centre of Mudejar Valencia, a beacon for the conquered everywhere in James's
new kingdom. The treaty even has significance for our own day, when some
twelve million Muslims reside within Europe, so that the Muslim presence
and multiculturalism of James's day is once again, over seven centuries
later, deeply marking today's Europe.
Robert I. Burns, S.J., is professor emeritus in the Department of History at UCLA and Paul E. Chevedden is a visiting scholar at UCLA's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. This article is adapted from their new book, Negotiating Cultures: Bilingual Surrender Treaties in Muslim-Crusader Spain under James the Conqueror (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1999).
[The] King--may God support him!--[shall be bound to] this agreement by [all of] its articles, as shall the exalted queen, Dona Violant. His son, the Infant Don Alfonso, and all of his descendants shall also be bound to it . . . [and they shall take an oath of fidelity to it in all of] the kingdom. By God Almighty; by the Cross and the Gospel; by all that by which perjury by the oath-taker is prohibited in his community. The King--may God support him!--and his successor the Infant, his son, and his successors shall undertake [all that has been specified.]
[The two qa'ids--may God glorify them!--shall be bound to this agreement by all of its articles. The people of distinction and the leading men of] Jßtiva and its district [shall also be bound to it], and they shall make it binding on men of lower rank, and they [the leadership of Jßtiva] shall take an oath of fidelity to it [the agreement]. By God the [Generous; by Muhammad his Messenger--may God bless him and grant him salvation!; by the Koran which was revealed to him. The two qa'ids--may God glorify them!--and their descendants shall undertake] all that has been specified. By God, praise Him!
From the Arabic text of the 1244
Jßtiva treaty
1. The Realms of Aragon-Catalonia, c. 1250, showing the major components of the medieval dynastic federation: the upland agricultural Kingdom of Aragon; the urban-commercial sovereign County of Barcelona/Catalonia; the two conquests of James the Conqueror (Kingdom of Valencia and Kingdom of Majorca/Balearics); and holdings in Occitania.
2. Jßtiva, Town and Twin Citadels, 1563, detail of view by Anton van den Wyngaerde, one of the many drawings of Spanish cities that Philip II commissioned from the artist, now in the ųsterreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna (Cod. Min. 41, fol. 70r). In the centre of the town stands the Seo or main church, a fifteenth-century edifice of Gothic design that was built upon the congregational mosque of the city. The view shows the church and the remains of the mosque before the structure was rebuilt in Renaissance style at the end of the sixteenth century. Looming above the town is the rocky ridge of Monte Bernisa with its twin citadels, both of Islamic origin. By the terms of the 1244 Jßtiva treaty, the smaller citadel, to the left (east), was to be handed over to King James, while the larger citadel, to the right (west), was to be kept by Abu Bakr for two years more. At the final transfer in two years, the king would choose for the Muslims a replacement castle to substitute for Jßtiva's major castle. The twin citadels have been described as the most formidable of Islamic Spain's freestanding castles.
3. Detail
of the Jßtiva Treaty (1244): top right section of the surviving
portion of the document; interlinear bilingual Latin-Arabic text on paper.
The treaty survives in fragmentary form. Its present uneven appearance
is due to the disappearance of portions of the document and extensive deterioration
over the centuries. The document appears to have separated into two or
more sections along fold lines. Once this original dismemberment occurred,
the surviving portion was subjected to further ravages by wear and water
damage that reduced it to its present state: a crude L-shape with uneven
widths. Part of the original bottom edge of the document is preserved,
stretching for 29.8 centimetres. Ruled lines that guide the layout of the
bilingual texts begin a centimetre above this edge. Twenty-nine lines,
spaced at 1.2 to 1.3 centimetre-intervals from left to right, extend across
a surface that now reaches a height of 37.2 centimetres. The document is
horribly worn along its right and left sides, leaving its width uneven:
maximum width, 33.2 centimetres at line twenty-one; minimum width, 19 centimetres
at line fourteen. The ruled lines drawn across the page from left to right
are unusually prominent. These were laid out before any text was emplaced.
The Arabic text occupies the first twelve lines. An Arabic witness list,
beginning on the right at line eighteen and ending on the left on line
seventeen, is especially conspicuous. The first eleven Latin lines of text
are positioned interlinearly between the first twelve ruled lines on which
the Arabic text is placed, suggesting the sequence as Arabic followed by
Latin. Thereafter the Latin is laid out on the ruled lines. The sequence
suggested by the notary's clause at the end of the treaty, that he had
caused the agreement to be translated from Arabic to Latin, is confirmed
by the layout of the texts. An analysis of the content of each text, however,
confirms that neither text is a translation of the other. The ur-text for
both was the terms brought from Jßtiva's leaders, as modified during
the final acceptance by the king's advisors. The Arabic text then selected
and embodied those elements of the accord that were most crucial to the
Muslims, not omitting some elements of common interest to both peoples.
The Latin text similarly would have emphasised those points basic to the
Christians' interest, modelling their text somewhat on the genre of such
surrenders in Latin. Thus the notary could honestly feel that he had "translated"
or more exactly selected out a Christian counterpart of the Arabic text
from the notes constituting the ur-text. Arxiu de la Corona d'Arag¾,
Barcelona; Cancelleria Reial, Jaume I, Pergamins: ApĶndix 41. Photo
courtesy of Paul E. Chevedden.
****** Copyright of the publication is the property of the publisher and the text may not be copied without the express written permission of the publisher except for the inprint of the video screen content or via the print options of the software. Text is intended solely for the use of the individual user.
Orgininally published in History
Today, vol. 49, no. 11 (November, 1999), 10-17.
Copyright of "The Finest Castle in the World" is the property of History Today and its content may not be copied without the copyright holder's express written permission except for the print or download intended solely for the use of the individual user. Content provided by EBSCO Publishing. The article is reproduced here with the permission of History Today.


text: Implementing Reduced Work Hours to Improve Patient Safety Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (PIPS)Christopher Landrigan, M.D., M.P.H., Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA AHRQ Grant No. HS015906-01 OverviewThis project implements evidence-based work schedules to help reduce work hours for extended shifts for residents to reduce errors from sleep and fatigue and also from a lack of continuity of care. Toolkit resources include:Ready-to-implement circadian-based work schedules.Evidence-based guidelines for successful shift changes and safe handovers.Target AudienceSupervisors of medical residents, medical residents, health care executives and administrators, quality and safety professionals, medical accreditation organizations.Health Care SettingTeaching hospitals, hospital care units.Toolkit Web Sitehttp://workhoursandsafety.orgProductTo Err is Human: Building a Safer Health Systemhttp://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309068371Press ReleasesNational Study of Medical Interns Finds Majority Exceed Work Hour Limits; Link Made Between Needle Stick Injuries and Long ShiftsSeptember 6, 2006Limiting Medical Interns' Work to 16 Consecutive Hours Can Substantially Reduce Serious Medical Errors in Intensive Care UnitsOctober 27, 2004PodcastsLong Hours Worked by Medical Residents Examinedhttp://healthcare411.ahrq.gov/featureAudio.aspx?id=910IOM Report on Resident Work Hourshttp://healthcare411.ahrq.gov/radiocastseg.aspx?id=911&type=segJournal ArticlesEffective implementation of work-hour limits and systemic improvements. Landrigan CP, Czeisler CA, Barger LK, Ayas NT, Rothschild JM, Lockley SW; Harvard Work Hours, Health and Safety Group. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2007 Nov;33(11 Suppl):19-29.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18173163?dopt=AbstractPlusWhen policy meets physiology: the challenge of reducing resident work hours. Lockley SW, Landrigan CP, Barger LK, Czeisler CA; Harvard Work Hours Health and Safety Group. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2006 Aug;449:116-27.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16770285?dopt=AbstractPlusReturn to Contents Current as of October 2004 Internet Citation: Implementing Reduced Work Hours to Improve Patient Safety: Partnerships in Implementing Patient Safety (PIPS). October 2004. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/patient-safety-resources/resources/pips/landrigan.html


text:
Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire returns to Fort Myers.
Gardenhire signed a 2-year contract extension and looks forward to some down time at his Fort Myers home. Video by David Dorsey.
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text:
- Morgan Barnes
- Sydney Nsw
- Australia
Law Enforcement Officer, government agency
This conversation is closed.
Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?
After yesterdays tragic shooting in Newtown CT and the worst year ever for firearm related deaths and mass killings , has the time for the US Government to tell the Gun Lobby it is over and repeal or amend "the right of the people to bear arms".
Should it be repealed on the grounds that when originally written it was for a smaller population to defend the "State" and meant for Muskets and flintlocks not semi automatics and military hardware, which makes it no longer viable on account of relevance to this day and age.
That Militia should be held to Law Enforcement agencies, Military and government controlled Para military agencies, with a show need, clause for people such as certain Primary producers etc.
Is it time to tell the NRA and the Gun Lobby there will be no more "collateral" damage no matter how much you donate to the "Party"
What would be the best way for the government to enforce such a law???
And please no Guns do not kill people, people kill people debates it was people who invented firearms in the first place.
The time has come to realise it is mainly our children who pay the ultimate price for lack of diligence in monitoring a problem that has been there for far too many years.
Closing Statement from Morgan Barnes
Firstly I would like to say I did not flag or delete anyone's comments I am perfectly capable of speaking for myelf however I did get frustrated and had some comments deleted myself.
As I write this President Obama has signed 23 executive orders inline with Colleen's post from yesterday from New York.
I have to admit I am a little disappointed that we could not of just discussed the issue in a more calm, critical and logical manner and be able to offer solutions as well as recognised the underling causes, as this is a forum for open ideas and thinking, Then again we are dealing with human nature.
To those of you from the International community thank you for your imput and allowing people to see the different views helds in different parts of the world on this subject.
I will not deny that the Constitution and The Bill Of Rights are the backbone of America, but remember it was written by man not given by god and man can take it away or amend it, if he really wants too.
I am a believer that in the 21st Century we should use it to advance humankind to address the problems of the world and improve it for all. It won't be easy but we have to start somewhere or we risk implementing our own destruction.
I hope that this be a positive start and and an even more positive step in which the US can show the way.
Once again I thank you all for your contributions
"In a progressive country change in constant : change is inevitable "Benjamen Disraeli
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Adriaan Braam 30+Dec 21 2012: Personally I believe a governments priority should be the safety and comfort of the citizens. Not their sports and entertainments.
So limit the ownership and thus use of assault weapons, unless one is paid to use them. To see that as an infringement on one's freedom is selfish.
Otherwise I may just have to get a tank to drive around. Come to think.. no more line-ups.
Kurt VolmerDec 22 2012: Some people think of statist viewpoints as progressive; many of us think of them as regressive (and repressive). Progressives believe that the "comfort of the citizens" should be a governmental priority. Comfort is subjective, and as such can only be dealt with by the individual. A statist is comfortable living within a controlled environment as long as the zookeeper continues to toss the food and give fresh water. An individualist doesn't want to be "kept".
As far as the "safety" goes, some of us believe, as the founders did, in personal responsibility. Also, that the protection of it's citizenry should be broken down amongst its inhabitants: The military exists to protect the country from the world outside its borders, federal police agencies exist to deal with law enforcement on a national basis, state police exist to protect their namesake, county and local police likewise, and should conflict drill itself all the way down to my property, and should I not have the time to call on my local police, I'll protect it myself. With my guns, if need be.
Furthermore, independent people don't depend on the government for their "sports and entertainments"; they can do that themselves and don't want the government interfering in that, either. For those of you who seem to think that the government exists to dole out "freedoms" as they see fit, who feel the need to have Big Daddy Government control your lives, you're free to lament the rest of us who wish to live in The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Do you really think that a nation that was founded on the principles of individual liberty and responsibility is going to change to meet your idealistic statist views because of your wish to be guaranteed "comfort" from cradle to grave? I hope not.
Dec 22 2012: Right, let's get back to the way it was in the pioneer days and call it progress.
"and should I not have the time to call on my local police, I'll protect it myself. With my guns, if need be."
After your wife and kids have been shot by an idiot that had no trouble getting an assoult rifle.
In those early days individual protection was, indeed, needed. Now it is just an excuse to go excessive in all we do (and want).
Assault rifles do not make us more human, they allow the animal to come out.
A Merry Christmas to all!!
Dec 22 2012: I am fascinated by your viewpoint on this issue, so a question, if you wouldn't mind answering: Do you think the cause of this tragedy at Sandy Hook was because this mentally ill man had access to guns, or was the cause the illness itself?
Also, what do you mean by "...get back to the way it was in the pioneer days..."? The scenario of divided security is in effect today.
greg yDec 23 2012: Assault weapons are not the problem, Adam could have killed those people with revolvers simple enough. Adam was the problem and his ability to obtain access to guns (any) that should have been locked in a safe. Ban assault rifles, ban high capacity magazines and the next Adam will use what ever weapon is available, be it a gun, propane tank, chemicals or fertilizer.
I don't think the "state" is always around to assist in protecting my safety either. If an intruder broke into my house I could dial 911, but I don't know how long it would take for help to arrive. With budget cuts and too many people not wanting to pay taxes, there are not that many deputies on call and I don't live in the city. Many people live in rural areas where a response could be 30 to 60 minutes.
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text:
Lorde is fond of referring to herself as "weird" and she says that applies to her current U.S. headlining tour as well.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal about how her live shows compare to those of other contemporary pop artists, the 17-year-old singer insists, "I'm too weird as a performer to copy anyone else. I kind of thrash around [on stage]. It's unsettling to look at. But I can't dance."
Despite her unique performance style, Lorde has been receiving great reviews for her tour, which just kicked off this past week in Austin, Texas. Rolling Stone , which put Lorde on its cover not long ago, praised the "power and conviction" in her "short but strong" set on that opening night.
Despite all her success, Lorde continues to be an interesting mixture of supreme confidence and insecurity.
Speaking about songwriting, she tells the Wall Street Journal , "I'm afraid I'll wake up one day and it'll be gone. I still ask myself: Is my life interesting enough to write about?" Yet, she also tells the paper, "If you believe in yourself, you think what you've done is all right. And then other people might think it's all right too."
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio


text:
22 U.S. Code § 269c - International Statistical Bureau at The Hague; authorization of appropriations
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any sums in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, sums not exceeding $2,500 per annum to enable the United States to maintain membership in the International Statistical Bureau at The Hague, such sums to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of State.
Source(Apr. 28, 1924, ch. 136, 43 Stat. 112.)
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text:
Mandate of the Tsuruoka Karate Organization
We the members of the TKO, shall endeavour to promote, with guidance, openess and cooperation, the development of Tsuruoka Karate-Do, which embodies the spirit and methodology of its founder,
Masami Tsuruoka
Copyright © 2014 Tsuruoka Karate Organization. All Rights Reserved
The Tsuruoka Karate Organization has existed in many forms over the years. Starting as just Tsuruoka Karate School, the Tsuruoka Karate Federation was founded in 1995 and was renamed the Tsuruoka Karate Organization in 2009.
Tsuruoka Karate is named for it founder O-Sensei Masami Tsuruoka, 10th Dan. Tsuruoka Karate is not a style of Karate-Do. Its foundation is in Chito-Ryu and Shotokan and it blends in effective techniques from many martial arts. The goal of the Tsuruoka Karate Organization is to improve communication between well established provincial Tsuruoka organizations across Canada, while at the same time offering a sense of unification for all karate-ka (students). "Learning budo or bushido through camaraderie" is the underlying goal that all members try to achieve. Sport karate also plays a part of our development, but is meant as a recreational break from the everyday rigours of hard training.
We are a very proud and unique organization by the fact that our roots trace directly to the founders of traditional Karate-Do in Japan and Okinawa. Karate was founded in Canada by O-Sensei Masami Tsuruoka in 1957 and he is recognized as the "Father of Canadian Karate."
The Tsuruoka Karate Organization is dedicated to the continuous development of Karate and it's members. In 2008 O-Sensei Tsuruoka celebrated 50 years of karate instruction in Canada. O-Sensei Tsuruoka is still learning and still teaches regularly at various dojos in Toronto, Ontario and conducts clinics across Canada.
For more information about the Tsuruoka Karate Organization please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
celebrating the life of Masami Tsuruoka through family interviews and photographs from Tsuruoka Sensei's sixty year archive.


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Sep 24, 2012 | 03:35 PM
| Suzy Waite
Skana Aluminum,
Scott Aluminum,
West Virginia Economic Development Authority,
Suzy Waite
NEW YORK Skana Aluminum Co. has signed a letter of intent to purchase Scott Aluminum Corp., a cold-rolling mill in Clarksburg, W.Va.
Manitowoc, Wis.-based Skana expects to complete the transaction by the end of the month, a spokesman told AMM. Skana said the transaction would not include the assets of Scott Aluminum sister company Scott Brass in Cranston, R.I.....
NEW YORK Skana Aluminum Co. has signed a letter of intent to purchase Scott Aluminum Corp., a cold-rolling mill in Clarksburg, W.Va.
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We recognize that it takes time to learn to make good, quality steel. And we're not underestimating the need to do that and do it right.
--Mark Bula, Big River Steel


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2015 Ford F150 Redesign and Concept
2015 Ford F150 is predicted to follow the style lead foreshadowed by Ford's atlas plan, that bowed throughout january's northern us worldwide automated show in detroit. elements of one's atlas plan often is seen peeking through pcs of one's cover up. as essential as consecutive F-150′ ;s design is what can be'>it'll be designed of. we hear gossips of comprehensive use of steel, that may result in massive fat loss. queries keep on simply how so much honda is willing to reach in its use of one's expensive, challenging steel. we see a few exciting factors all around the back rim bore holes of the F-150 model, unpainted steel with the planning of while not treatment steel all around the back bed, that offers us our 1st hint in the metallurgical cosmetics of the extremely essential item among the honda kingdom.
meanwhile a few rumors told that 2015 Ford F150 unleash date can maintain late this year. you'll fall into bit with certified traders of one's Ford to discover out a lot of concerning the 2015 Ford F150 value. there can be no purpose why you ought to be eventually missed when one thinks of the high-class and relaxation that goes with Ford vehicles. this car is created within the method that they will can give you even more often you predicted. we promise we simply can update soon once Ford announces 2015 Ford F150 unleash date.
possibly the greatest unidentified all around the 2015 Ford F150 is what, precisely, its body system will just be designed off. previously reviews have instructed that lightweight and portable steel elements could be applied throughout, providing a serious decrease in bodyweight compared to past designs. however Ford technicians can would like as being cautious, though, as they will would like to maintain a restricted management on costs whereas protecting class-competitive, if not class-leading, hauling and payload potential.
the 2015 F-150 supercrew seen examining here in cover up is predicted to flourish upon its ecoboost turbocharged motor promotions, given the success the twin-turbocharged v-6 has seen within the present style. new vehicles can seemingly cut back a large amount of bodyweight and implement effective the rules of aerodynamics inside an try to increment gas usage and maintain mpg brilliance having since been treated in the ram 1500 and chevy silverado 1500. a diesel energy possibility hasnot been verified, however we wouldn't be amazed to check out one a few time within the vehicles lifecycle. mum's the phrase on in the event the 2015 Ford F150 will just be exposed, however our best assume may be that we can see it along at the 2014 detroit motor show.
The long tradition of the Ford F-Series, from which came the most popular vehicle in the U.S., definitely continues. For 37 years, Ford produced pickup trucks which is unsurpassed. After this year's motor show in Detroit, the company General Motors threw a shadow, a new generation of the Ford F-150 series, with the concept of 2015 Ford F-150 Atlas, rose to a new level. All the attention of those present was fixed on a concept called Atlas, which resulted in the award for the design of the largest auto show in the world. Although shown only as a concept, 2015 Ford F-150 Atlas meets the expectations of fans and Ford confirms a previously mentioned innovations in the F-series, which Ford engineers was reminded after the launch of the 2014 Ford F-150. About 80% seen in the 2015 Ford Atlas concept, we will be able to expect in the final version of this vehicle.
Although the laity might look just like the model of 2014, the real connoisseurs F-series in many ways, you'll find the 2015 Ford F-150 Atlas redesigned vehicle with a series of improvements that enhance their productivity and make it more powerful. Popular American Grill is now even bigger and special technology its purpose is enhanced by adding special vents that open and close depending on the speed at which the vehicle is moving, and they make a 2015 Atlas extremely aerodynamic. New design contributions and new LED headlights that are specially designed for the model to one that can be seen in the larger Super Duty models (F-250, F-350, F-450). 2015 Ford Atlas is considerably larger than its predecessor, it can be argued that a more aggressive look, which does not mean that the weight is greater, as it would certainly affect his opportunities. In favor of the power and speed of the new Atlas, Ford's team is particularly chose the type and amount of much lighter materials for its construction. Moreover, aluminum and o


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Results 6 to 10 of 62
July 15th, 2014 11:21 AM #6Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Posts
- 4,276
Vercingetorix, anyone?
July 15th, 2014 03:53 PM #8Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2014
- Location
- England
- Posts
- 2,734
@nooshi, same here! I basically describe my naming style as whimsical. :P These are my GPs, but I'm considering moving some to usable.
Firsts (girls): Lothira, Elendra (these are the two I'll most likely move), Arsinoë, Cadmium, Reverie, Phyllis.
Middles: Belladonna, Medea
Firsts (boys): Hemlock, Alchemy, Pippin, Orchard
Middles: Icarus, Cobalt
Tbh, I'd probably use Icarus, Cobalt and possibly Belladonna as middles for non GP firsts.Wholocked, history and chemistry loving teenberry (16).Hoping to be a mummy in the very distant future. Dreaming of...✦ Pandora Valencia Fae ✧ Evanthe Lyra Annabeth ✦
✦ Little Misses ✦
✧ Caspian Sherlock Walter ✦ Phoenix Arthur Blaise ✧
✧ Mister Men ✧
"'Mycroft' is the name you gave me; if you could possibly struggle all the way to the end."
• Mycroft Holmes • Sherlock (BBC) • His Last Vow •
July 15th, 2014 04:53 PM #10
Florence, Edith, Doris, Alice, Elsie, Lillian, Violet, Mabel, Ada, Evelyn
Eva, Edna, Minnie, Martha, Amelia, Phoebe, Sylvia, Hazel, Agatha, Beatrice
Matthew, Ernest, Louis, Christopher, Andrew, Albert, George, Joshua, James, Harry
Freddie, Henry, Adam, Teddy, Daniel, Percy, Mark, Walter, Stanley, Liam
when you've been fighting for it all your life, you've been struggling every day and night,
it's how a superhero learns to fly
July 15th, 2014 08:55 PM #12Junior Member
- Join Date
- Jan 2014
- Location
- Somewhere between Kansas and Scotland.
- Posts
- 4
Names of philosophers are mine.
Girls: Adrastus, Aedesia, Aenesidemus, Agrippa, Alcinous, Alexamenus, Amelius, Anniceris, Arete, Aristoclea, Aristotle, Aspasius, Attalus, Boethus, Callistratus, Chrysanthius, Cleomedes, Diotima, Echecrates, Eurytus, Geminus, Hecataeus, Hypatia, Isidore, Melissus, Porphyry, Phyrro, Simmias, Socrates, Sphaerus, Theon, Tisias
Boys: Aetius, Alexicrates, Alexinus, Anaxagoras, Anaximander, Antipater, Archedemus, Archytas, Aristoxenus, Asclepiades, Athenodorus, Bion, Cassius, Cratylus, Dardanus, Democrates, Epicurus, Hegias, Herminus, Lysis, Metrocles, Panthoides, Philodemus, Phintys, Protagoras, Thales, Theano, Thrasymachus
I can only imagine those conversations.
"You named your son Democrates?!"
"You should meet his sisters, Porphyry and Aleximenus."Have a Lisabetta Colleen and a Benvolio Taylor.
Getting paperwork done for a Diotimus Ryan.
July 15th, 2014 09:14 PM #14


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- About the SSI
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Brian Laird is Co-Director of the SSI, and in addition to working on the overall advancement of the program, focuses on supporting the SSI Project Coordinators in developing and implementing effective campaigns and projects. His involvement with sustainability at OSU began in 2008 as an intern with the Environmental Affairs Taskforce at ASOSU and a volunteer for the SSI. He then served as the Political Engagement Coordinator for the SSI during the 2010 academic year, and Program Faciitator for the SSI during the 2011 academic year. Some of his favorite experiences with his work have been attending the 2009 Power Shift conference in Washington D.C., helping organize the Power Shift West conferences in Eugene, and participatin in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as a youth delegate in Copenhagen, Denmark. Brian is a senior in Psychology and hopes to study public interest law at Lewis and Clark. In his spare time he enjoys quality time with friends, watching movies, hiking, and working even more to advance the SSI.