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LOOK at who has registered so far and we still have room for more Exhibitors at the Breedables Fair @ the Home & Garden Expo! and we are about to make it even better! Do you have a Breedable Blog or Publication? We're making a display area at the Fair .. just.. for .. you! We want to know who you are AND we want to give you a FRONT ROW SEAT to cover the Breedable Fair in all its glory! Follow this link to register for YOUR space at the Fair and for an early admission BREEDABLE FAIR SNEAK PEEK .. time is running out, so get those registrations in soon.
the Breedables
|ABC – Awesome Breed Creations
|BattleBeast Breedables
|Gaia Breedables
|Krazy Kittys & Blooming Butterflies
|Ozimals, Inc.
|WTTJ Welcome To The Jungle
the NEW Up & Coming Breedables
|Bog Alley Breedables
|Fantasy Breeds
|Oceania Breedables
|Team Fennux
the Markets
|Apache CatSmart
|Blue Fusion Breedables
|Brune's Auction House
|GeneSys Breedables
|Kitty Kottage
|Meeroos Temple
|Mystic Seaport
|Petable Prims
|Redbarn Horses & Breedables
|the Breeders Burough
|The Chickens Coop!
|Too Adorable
It's going to be a fantastic Breedables Fair that will be a new addition to the Home & Garden Expo, opening on May 19th. The Expo is in its 5th year and has grown in popularity and in size. This year it will encompass an amazing 14 Second Life regions, with more than 100 Exhibitors, a Builders Brewery Classroom, lots of live music, tribute shows, a special Relay For Life shopping plaza and more. and NOW for the first time, a Breedables Fair will be joining the Expo. This fair will bring the incredible world of breedable creations to an already fun event. Breedable creators will have very ample sized display areas to set up, showing guests and shoppers the fun that is SL breedables. Breeder markets will have an area for display and up and coming breedables, who have yet to release their product, will also have a very special section at the Fair.
Creators are busy making their own interpretation of a special Relay For Life Limited Edition breedable who will make their debut at the Breedables Fair and all sale of these special creations will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Each day of the Fair, a breedable creation will be featured in a Q&A Feature Show, where breeders, fans and new converts will be able to learn more and ask questions. Keep an eye here at Breedables Central to stay updated on all of the Fair happenings and promo's!
There are still display areas available at the Fair, and a couple Sponsorships, too, but we do expect to fill, so anyone wanting to participate is encouraged to register soon. Click HERE to see who will be at the 2012 Breedables Fair @ the Home & Garden Expo!


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Honda Develops Faster, Eco-Friendly Paint Process
Jan. 2, 2013—Honda Motor Co. has developed a new painting system to make the automobile painting process more efficient and environmentally friendly.
The system, called "Honda Smart Ecological Paint," uses new technology that eliminates a middle coating process compared to traditional methods. Honda said the traditional painting process uses a four-coat, three-bake auto body painting process, while the "Honda Smart Ecological Paint" process uses a three-coat, two bake water-based painting process.
Honda said eliminating the middle coating process would normally restrict the paint colors that can be used. The new system, however, includes a highly-functional material for the color base coat used in the final coating process, which makes it possible to use any exterior paint color.
In addition, Honda will also introduce a wall-mounted paint robot system with a built-in quick load, quick wash paint tank. The company said the technology will lead to a significant improvement in painting efficiency and pollution. It will reduce the amount of paint materials used, eliminate 40 percent of painting processes, and reduce 40 percent of CO2 emissions compared to traditional painting methods.
Honda will begin production using these technologies at its Yorii Plant in Japan in July.
Comment Guidelines
FenderBender encourages readers to comment and engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue with their peers on the issues that are important to them. Comments that include profanity, vulgarity, or personal attacks will be removed. Repeat violators may be banned from commenting. All comments are eligible for inclusion in FenderBender magazine.

subset: commoncrawl


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He's believable as a hip-hop star because nothing he says is true
Despite every living rapper seemingly being just a phone call away, Miami radio personality/record executive/professional shouter DJ Khaled has never once put out a good album. He's been 0-for-5 (yes, DJ Khaled has released five albums), and Kiss the Ring, his sixth record, is on the horizon. Khal ... More >>
As traditions go, XXL's annual "Freshman Class" issue is neither all that time-honored or worthwhile. The magazine's been putting rappers it calls freshmen on its cover since 2008, but hasn't exactly been kingmaking or future forecasting in doing so: 2008's list featured Crooked I and Joell Ortiz, h ... More >>
You guys drank the Kool-Aid, didn't you? Now all you can rave about is Rick Ross. Tsk, tsk. The guy told you himself, in no uncertain terms, that he's caught up in a fantasy. Yeah, he's got a talent for picking huge, cinematic beats, and he strings words together nicely from time to time. Pro ... More >>
It's been almost 5 months, or 141 days, or 3384 hours, or 203,040 minutes since Lil Wayne got out of jail. And in that time, by our count, he's made 26 new musical appearances. A few of these might have been recorded before he went to jail (pre-probation-Wayne's maniacally hoarse voice genera ... More >>
Big year for metal, hip-hop, and Paul Simon/pigfucker reconciliation
Does a black television network have a responsibility to do better?
DJ Khaled is taking over, 200 words a minute and one guest-star at a time


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Given the recent turn of events concerning the lawsuit filed by the former Career and Technical Education (CTE) Supervisor against the director of schools and board of education, a commissioner's questions about CTE's future seems almost to foreshadow the events to come.
District 14 Commissioner Jeff Joines' questioned Dr. Tim Setterlund, the director of schools, following his education report to Wilson County Commission at its monthly meeting about the future of the CTE program.
'ÄúFolks out in my district, we'Äôre a rural area. The CTE program is very important to me,'ÄĚ Joines said. 'ÄúI'Äôve had a lot of folks that are concerned with what the Common Core may do to the CTE.'ÄĚ
Joines went on to say that Wilson County has 'Äúthe finest program in the state. We have the highest graduate rate in the state.'ÄĚ
He also commented that one of the graduates of the CTE program is currently the executive director over the grounds at the Congressional Golf Course in Bethesda, Md.
'ÄúThese kids, some of them come from farms. Some of them come from subdivisions, and they might not have a chance to see how beehives work or have a chance to pick up a hammer, but when they do, they find their calling for life. I think their graduation rate shows the success of what we'Äôve been doing.'ÄĚ
Joines then asked Setterlund to explain a quote he saw attributed to the director, who has been on the job since July 1.
'ÄúIt says, 'ÄėIf it ain'Äôt broke, break it.'Äô That was a quote from you in the paper, and I want to just get you to tell me what you meant by that,'ÄĚ Joines said.
'ÄúI think that was a misquote by me,'ÄĚ Setterlund replied.
'ÄúThat'Äôs good. That'Äôs good,'ÄĚ Joines said.
Setterlund then explained that the "intended message, when that was taken out of context, was if there are things we need to look at from different angles, we need to look at them from different angles.
'ÄúIf your question, commissioner, is CTE one of those things, I would say absolutely not.'ÄĚ
The director said there are benefits from the CTE programs for all students, whether they intend to leave high school and go straight into the workforce as a career or whether they intend to go on for advance training, be it through technical training or college.
'ÄúCTE is an integral part of what we do,'ÄĚ Setterlund said. 'ÄúDo we often times not utilize it in ways we should? I would be the first to admit that. Do we need to constantly be revamping and tweaking that program to make it better for all students, just as we do for all our other academic programs? Absolutely.'ÄĚ
'ÄúThat'Äôs the meat and potatoes right there,'ÄĚ Joines said. 'ÄúWith a 99.5 percent graduation rate, that'Äôs important not only to CTE, but to graduation rates school wide.'ÄĚ
He then asked Setterlund to explain what he means about tweaking. 'ÄúIf we'Äôre going to tweak the best program in the state, it'Äôs very important to me that we don'Äôt tweak the wrong way.'ÄĚ
Setterlund said the system doesn't have the data they should have, such as what do those students do once they leave high school.
'ÄúDo they enter a job on a career path or are they taking a minimum wage, hourly gob that really doesn'Äôt lead to a career,'ÄĚ he said. 'ÄúWe'Äôve got to make sure that we provide them with the internal programs that they can have and receive high school credit for and place them with employers who will put them on a career path if they'Äôre not going to go to college.
'ÄúI don'Äôt think that it'Äôs the instruction that they receive that is at fault. I think it'Äôs the guidance and the direction and the helping coordinate job placement for them when they leave us if they choose not to go on to school.'ÄĚ
Joines then asked about how Common Core is going the change the CTE program and the change away from block scheduling.
'ÄúCommon Core doesn'Äôt have anything to do with the length of class,'ÄĚ Setterlund said, explaining that Common Core is a set of standards regarding things that students should know at various grades, and that it changes the standards 'Äúto more critical thinking, problem solving, researching other than just the memorization of facts.'ÄĚ
Setterlund said Common Core and the shift from block scheduling are two 'Äúunrelated,'ÄĚ and that he would be happy to discuss privately with Joines the change in scheduling, as it would take considerable time to explain. Joines thanked him for his time.


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Why SouFun Holdings (SFUN) Stock Is Rising Today
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of SouFun Holdings Ltd.
(SFUN) are up 1.72% to $10.03 after China's leading real estate Internet company announced a five year plan with a new flagship website called, Fang.com.
SouFun said it believes that the new and simplified address, Fang.com, will be much easier for Chinese users to remember and access, thereby improving its brand recognition, the company said.
Must Read: Warren Buffett's 25 Favorite Growth Stocks
Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates SOUFUN HLDGS LTD as a Buy with a ratings score of B-. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
"We rate SOUFUN HLDGS LTD (SFUN) a BUY. This is driven by multiple strengths, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, solid stock price performance, compelling growth in net income, expanding profit margins and impressive record of earnings per share growth. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had generally high debt management risk by most measures that we evaluated."Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
- The revenue growth came in higher than the industry average of 21.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues rose by 33.2%. This growth in revenue appears to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, improving the earnings per share.
- Powered by its strong earnings growth of 41.17% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 102.04% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Regarding the stock's future course, although almost any stock can fall in a broad market decline, SFUN should continue to move higher despite the fact that it has already enjoyed a very nice gain in the past year.
- The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Internet Software & Services industry. The net income increased by 46.1% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from $28.41 million to $41.52 million.
- The gross profit margin for SOUFUN HLDGS LTD is currently very high, coming in at 81.78%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 34.25% significantly outperformed against the industry average.
- SOUFUN HLDGS LTD has improved earnings per share by 41.2% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. However, we anticipate underperformance relative to this pattern in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, SOUFUN HLDGS LTD increased its bottom line by earning $0.71 versus $0.37 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 1.1% in earnings ($0.70 versus $0.71).
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: SFUN Ratings Report
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Narrow your search
The following cars represent the most technically advanced available.
The 2013 Scion FR-S is a fun sports car, excellent in the turns but lacking big thrust, while the cabin tech upgrade looks intriguing for iPhone users.
Choose the spartan 2013 Subaru BRZ Premium if you're looking for a fantastic driver's car that carves corners with unmatched precision, but steer clear if cabin tech and "premium" comfort top your list of requirements.
The EX-FR10 is capable of switching from a normal shooting mode to a selfie camera, and even splitting into two for remote shooting.
Pricing not available
The twin sports coupes from Toyota and Subaru earn the Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, making each a solid consumer choice in both safety and performance.
The Laguna Seca racetrack, a sports coupe, and a PlayStation 3 racing sim come together to demonstrate the future of tech at Toyota.
The Toyobaru twins get reasonable EPA fuel economy estimates, but we expected better results from their novel D-4S powered boxer engine.
We waited years for a new take on a fun, affordable RWD Toyota sports car. The wait, thankfully, was worth it.
Samsung releases more tablets than any other device in its Galaxy. We highlight the differences between its three premium lineups.
See how LG's latest flagship smartphone compares to the other top smartphones of 2014.
See how Apple's smartwatch compares to the other latest wrist wearables.


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|01 Sep 2011
Unable to move program in taskbar
I've seen a very recent change in behavior in one of my programs in the taskbar. Firefox is no longer creating a window on itself but instead creates a new taskbar icon at the end of the list when I click it. Also, I cannot relocate the new icon by clicking and dragging until I pin it to the taskbar. I have two separate FF icons instead of one icon with multiple windows or shadows or whatever they're called. Hope that makes sense. When I click the original icon, an additional window or shadow icon is added to the 2nd one.
I've tried to pin the new icon to the taskbar and delete the old one, but when I close out FF, the icon disappears from the taskbar.
Any suggestions?
|My System Specs
|01 Sep 2011
Is the task bar locked..
Taskbar - Lock or Unlock
|My System Specs
|01 Sep 2011
What the....? I never lock the taskbar. Do some updates automagically do this?
Unlocked now. Thanks.
Edit: However, I still have the same issue as before with Firefox and it opening a 2nd icon as in the image above.
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
My issue with Firefox continues. I cannot seem to figure out how to pin a single icon that opens windows on itself. This never used to be a problem with FF. The only program I can think of that did present this issue was Process Explorer and we figured out how to fix that here at the Sevenforums.
When I right click the primary FF icon in the taskbar, I see this:
When I right click the secondary FF icon in the taskbar, I see this.. and safe mode?
I've tried to pin the 2ndary icon and deleting the primary, but the 2ndary disappears when I close FF. And I can't move the 2ndary FF icon within the taskbar unless I pin it to the taskbar first.
Did FF make a change that would cause this with the recent upgrade to 6.x? Is my system just flaky?
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
Win 7 Pro x64 / Win 8.1 Pro
See if this thread will help New icon appears on Taskbar
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
Thanks Jerry. Unfortunately, it doesn't solve the issue, but does make me think this is a FF issue and not a new computer issue on my end.
I'll add to that discussion there.
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7600
Speedlever, if you close firefox then unpin all ff icons from the taskbar then open firefox from the start search ,then pin it again then that should do it.
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
I've done that multiple times without success. Maybe I haven't been holding my tongue just right.
I'll try it again just for grins.
...back shortly.
|My System Specs
|03 Sep 2011
I can pin the secondary icon to the taskbar and delete the primary, but when I run FF from the new icon, it opens in safe mode.
Here's what I see (and get) when I pin the new running icon to the taskbar and delete the old one.
Here's a screen shot after I:
1) shutdown all running instances of FF
2) unpinned all FF instances
3) searched progams and files for FF
4) right clicked the search results and pinned the normal (not the safe one) to the taskbar
5) left clicked the FF icon in the taskbar... which generated a running program icon at the end of the list
6) rt clicked the running icon and pinned it to the taskbar
7) unpinned the original FF icon which resulted from step 4
8) moved the new and running icon where I wanted it
9) Rt click to start another FF window and only have the safe mode as an option, as per the image below.
Edit: as an interesting aside, if I go back and search for FF again and pin the normal mode FF, it appends it to the end of the taskbar list, as expected. Now when I left click on this icon, it appends a new window to the earlier icon I moved beside the TBird icon. It still refuses to add a new window to this icon. And there's no option to close the window from this icon either.
|My System Specs
|05 Sep 2011
So are you not seeing the same issue I do following that process?
As long as I leave a running window open, I can open another normal FF window from the newly pinned icon, even though it says safe mode when I right click it... I still get a normal mode FF window. But once I shut down all open FF windows, any subsequent FF windows I open are in FF safe mode.
Right now, I see no way to kill the first icon and be able to save normal FF mode.
|My System Specs
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Braden - Local Information, Resources & Photos
Braden - Searchable Map, Aerial Photos & Driving Directions
Alternate Unofficial Names: Concordia.
Braden is an incorporated place (Class Code P1) located in Fayette County at latitude 35.3795 and longitude -89.5681. (Braden Panoramio Photos). The elevation is 315 feet. Braden appears on the Mason U.S. Geological Survey Map. Fayette County is in the Central time zone (GMT -6). Observes DST? Yes. Current Time. | Mason, TN ZIP Code Maps | Braden local area photos
Photos of the Braden Local Area
Braden had a population of 282; a land area of 3.83 sq. miles; a water area of 0 sq. miles; and a population density of 73.57 people per sq. mile according to the US Census Bureaue estimate of July 1, 2009. Latest Census Estimates for all incorporated places in Tennessee.
Fayette County: Cities & Towns | ZIP Codes | Schools | Features (airports, churches, hospitals, etc.)
Braden Local Resources
Braden Arts & Culture
Braden Community Organizations
Braden Data & Demographics
Braden Entertainment - Movies
Braden Environment & Science
Braden Government
Braden Health & Medical
Braden Newcomer Information
Braden Newspapers, Radio & TV
Braden and Greater Tennessee Parks & Recreation
Braden Pets & Hobbies
Braden Schools & Education
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Braden Travel & Tourism


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if u use a felt typing quirk i will kick you in the goddamn teeth
I like the new joke better, I think it fits with the aracial thing better
and like
andrews a really cool guy. I've met him, and he doesn't seem like a malicious fellow at all. So while i'm glad people are accepting his apology, i'm frustrated that people are surprised that he's apologized
he's a human being, he makes mistakes, and he's not unapologetic or anything, becuase his comic is about making people laugh. He's not trying to cover his ass as some sort of "now they wont give me money" stunt.
I've made social justice mistakes too
doesn't mean i'm a bad person
also he's dating rachel, and rachel is pretty good at this stuff, so he's not being like cyberbullied into it either.
those are my thoughts.
lmao at the music team getting their panties in a twist about owl city
more proof that musicians are literal children.
> makes AU where bad guys are good guys
> makes fanart of au bad guys if they were bad guys
> what
> what
in a post about headcanons for actors, they picked-
- an actor born in 1954 for Slick
- an actor born in 1952 for Boxcars
- an actor born in 1944 for Deuce
- an actor born in 1981 for Droog
a++ casting you really put some effort into balancing things out
Oh man do you guys remember all those horrible abuses Jack Noir suffered under the Black Queen's rule? Like when he had to wear the same uniforms as everyone else? Or that time she told him to wear his uniform? And that time she went to his office and gave him about a fifty different variations of prototyped uniforms to wear, and when he refused to wear any of them, she threatened him and he murdered her? God, what an awful bitch. Just look at that long list of awful indignities suffered by poor Jack Noir.
and carapacian fans continue to be incredibly entitled and to act like children because hussie won't spend a ton of money have items manufactured that we all know will never sell out or even sell enough to recoup the costs.
how dare he focus on characters that the bulk of the fanbase gives a fuck about and are willing to pay money for


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Awesome, awesome article, Frostheim, thank you for writing it. In fact, I vote for an overall skill-versus-gear article, for all classes!
More than once I've gotten questions about how the hell do I manage to do the dps I do (one particular Marksman guildie of mine is astounded that I work the Survival spec so well XD ), and all I can tell them is I've been playing SV for years now; it's practically reflex.
And yet I'm still learning, and I know I still make mistakes. There are some fights where I lose track of my rotation/priorities and end up so focus-starved that it takes 1.5-2 Cobra Shots to regen enough to use Explosive Shot. >.< Plus I need to practice switching between Hawk and Fox as necessary (any advice?)
But overall, I can pretty easily top the meters in either 5-mans or raids, and really it all comes down to knowing my class as well as I do. I wish more people would realize that.


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Tornadoes, Severe Weather to the West
By Quincy Vagell on January 29, 2013, 2:30pm Last modified: January 29, 2013, 3:33pm
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories.
Severe and even tornadic thunderstorms are developing across the lower Plains and Mississippi Valley today. These thunderstorms are moving along a strong cold front that is moving from west to east across the area.
Many Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Watches were posted as of Tuesday afternoon.
(Red boxes indicate Tornado Watches and blue indicate Severe Thunderstorm Watches)
A strong cold front is combining with strong upper level winds and warm, moist air near the surface to promote thunderstorm development. In fact, winds aloft are very strong, with a 130+ knot jetmax projected across the lower Great Lakes later today. In addition to strong wind speeds and shear aloft, a juicy slug of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico is being drawn northward. Dew-points are in the low to mid-60's across much of the area, fueling instability to the atmosphere.
The entire area of thunderstorms is expected to move east tonight and into the Eastern Seaboard for the day on Wednesday.
Stay tuned to WXedge.com for the latest discussions and forecasts.
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories.


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'Apprentice' winner Pinkett to speak at JSRCC forum
Henrico Citizen Staff Reports 01/18/11
Randall Pinkett, an entrepreneur, author and winner of the fourth season of NBC's "The Apprentice," will speak at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Black History Month forum on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Lipman Auditorium of Georgiadis Hall on the Parham Road Campus.
Pinkett is the founder, chairman and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar consulting firm based in Newark, N.J. that specializes in program management, information technology and public policy. As a result of his victory in Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" he was offered the opportunity to run one of Trump's companies.
Born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey, Pinkett has received numerous awards including the following: National Society of Black Engineers–Entrepreneur of the Year Award, National Urban League–Business Excellence Award, Information Technology Senior Management Forum–Beacon Award, and he has been recognized by USA TODAY newspaper as one of the top 20 scholars in the country.
Pinkett is the author of "Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur's Guide to Launching a Multimillion-Dollar Business," "No-Money Down CEO: How to Start Your Dream Business with Little or No Cash" and his recently released book "Black Faces in White Places: 10 Game-Changing Strategies to Achieve Success and Find Greatness" that presents 10 strategies African-Americans can use to successfully navigate today's rapidly changing professional landscape.
The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the JSRCC Multicultural Enrichment Council.
Lions Club donates backpacks to elementary school
The Richmond West Breakfast Lions Club (based in western Henrico) recently donated 59 backpacks to the Westover Hills Elementary School on Jahnke Road.
Above, club members display some of the backpacks prior to their distribution. > Read more.
Glen Allen student to perform at Carnegie Hall
Thanks to a first-place win in The American Protege International Vocal Competition 2014, Glen Allen High School student Matija Tomas will travel to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall in December.
At the first-place winners recital in Weill Hall, Matija will perform Giacomo Puccini's opera aria, "Chi il bel sogna di doretta." She will perform with other vocalists from around the world and have the opportunity to win other awards and scholarships.
Locally, Thomas has performed with Richmond's renowned Glorious Christmas Nights, Christian Youth Theatre, and WEAG's Urban Gospel Youth Choir. > Read more.
Gayton Baptist Church dedicates new outreach center
The John Rolfe YMCA and Gayton Baptist Church have partnered in an effort to bring greater health and wellness opportunities to the community.
Through this partnership, the John Rolfe Y will run Youth Winter Sports programs, including basketball and indoor soccer, in Gayton's newly renovated $5.5 million outreach center that features a new gymnasium, youth and teen space, social space with café, meeting space and full service commercial kitchen. > Read more.
Page 1 of 118 pages 1 2 3 > Last ›
Film industry training program planned for this weekend
The Community College Workforce Alliance (CCWA), in partnership with the Virginia Film Office, will offer "Get Your Start in the Film Industry," a two-day seminar designed to prepare workers for film, television and commercial projects in Virginia. The course will be held Oct. 4-5 at the Workforce Development and Conference Center, 1651 Parham Road in Henrico, on the campus of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
The training will be taught by Gary Romolo Fiorelli, an accomplished assistant director for film and television projects, which include the television series Sons of Anarchy and ABC's current drama Mistresses. > Read more.
The Boathouse to open at Short Pump Town Center
The Boathouse restaurant will open at Short Pump Town Center in the spring, its third location in the region.
"People have asked us to come to the West End for years," said owner Kevin Healy. "When the opportunity arose, we knew had to jump on it."
The new restaurant will be located in a 5,800-square-foot space under the Hyatt House Hotel at the town center and will include a large outdoor patio. > Read more.
Getting a 'mouf'-ful
Boka Kantina exceeds its strong food truck reputation
Already a fan of Boka fare from outdoor events with the Tako Truck, I was delighted to learn of the new restaurant, and eager to see if its reputation held up after putting down brick-and-mortar roots.
Would the food lose its zest if I wasn't enjoying it in the great outdoors? Would it seem pedestrian served from an ordinary kitchen instead of a truck?
Would the tacos be less satisfying as an antidote to normal lunch hunger – instead of being ingested to stave off desperate hunger after a long afternoon of crowds, sun, and tedious lines? > Read more.
Shots from the past
3 Henrico schools receive school security equipment grants
Business in brief
Unexploded Civil War artillery shell discovered at Fort Harrison
Newly discovered Civil War photos show Henrico battlefield
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Pronto-Stuffed Pasta Shells Menu
We used half of one of the Herb-Roasted Chickens in this recipe.
1. Prepare pasta shells according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, drain chopped spinach well, pressing between paper towels.
3. Stir together spinach, chicken, basil, and next 4 ingredients. Spoon mixture evenly into shells.
4. Spread half of jarred Alfredo sauce in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta shells over sauce, and pour remaining sauce over shells.
5. Bake, covered, at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is hot and sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven, and let stand 10 minutes.
Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step 4. Cover and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake, covered, for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Southern Living AUGUST 2007
The combination of grape juice, honey, and ginger adds punch to whatever fruit you have on hand. Serve it alone or over yogurt or warm biscuits.
1. Combine grape juice, honey, and ginger in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, tossing to coat. Serve immediately.
Southern Living AUGUST 2007
Pronto-Stuffed Pasta Shells
Garlic bread
Fresh fruit or
Honey-Ginger Fruit
Southern Living
Garlic bread
Fresh fruit or
Back ToPronto-Stuffed Pasta Shells Menu


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Princes Town is located 5 km east of Fort St. Antonio on Manfro Hill in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of Ghana. It lies between Axim to the west and Takoradi to the east. The original name of this West African town was "Kpokezoe". On 1 January 1681, a Brandenburger expedition of two ships commanded by Otto Friedrich von der Groeben, arrived in the Gold Coast, and began to build a strong fort between Axim and the Cape of Three Points. The fort was completed in 1683 and was renamed Fort Gross-Friedrichsburg in honor of Prince Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg. Because the Fort was named after a Prince, it has been referred to as: Ft. Friedrichsburg/Princes Town. The fort was to be the headquarters of the Brandenburgers in Africa.
In 1708, an Ahantan slave trader, Chief John Kanu learned that the Germans were going to sell the Fort to the Dutch. In protest, he waged a war that managed to stave off fleets of battleships for almost 20 years. The Fort was eventually captured in 1725 by the Dutch and renamed Ft. Friedrichsburg to Ft. Hollandia.


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The top time-tested mutual funds
Want to get the most for your nest egg? These funds are the best performers by category over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year stretches.
Here are top mutual fund performers over the past one, three, five, 10 and 20 years, in 11 categories -- 10 stock-fund groups and one group for alternative investments -- along with a few suggestions on funds you should consider buying.
The lists consist of funds that require only modest initial investments and are available to all classes of customers.
Large-company stock funds
Growth funds dominate the list of leaders over the past 12 months, which is not surprising given how slowly the economy is growing.
Over longer periods, a few value-conscious managers, such as Donald Yacktman, stand out. With his son Stephen, Yacktman runs two eponymous top performers: Yacktman (YACKX) and Yacktman Focused (YAFFX).
Many of the category's top funds, including Yacktman's, hold relatively few stocks or make big sector bets. Of course, a focused strategy can backfire, as it has in 2011 for Fairholme (FAIRX), which is heavily invested in financial stocks.
Fidelity Contrafund (FCNTX) is a growth-oriented fund that's been deftly run by Will Danoff since 1990. Two funds that adhere to Islamic investing principles -- Amana Trust Growth (AMAGX) and Amana Trust Income (AMANX) -- benefited during the financial crisis by shunning ownership of companies that lend money.
- Large-company funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Midsize-company stock funds
Midsize companies are in the market's sweet spot. They are small enough to be able to grow swiftly, yet they are less risky than small-company stocks.
The longer-term winners in this category have excelled in a variety of market climates.
Rick Aster, who has run the Meridian Growth (MERDX) fund since 1984, sniffs out fast-growing, high-quality companies and hangs on to them. Appleseed (APPLX) is a socially screened fund with a value bent and a sizable gold stake among its 20 holdings.
This category also includes funds, such as Fidelity Low-Priced Stock (FLPSX), that invest in companies of all sizes. This fund typically buys stocks priced at $35 a share or less. Joel Tillinghast, who has run it since its 1989 launch, holds nearly 900 stocks.
- Midsize-company funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Small-company stock funds
This has been the strongest part of the U.S. market over the past year. Small-company stocks, particularly those of fast-growing companies, have been on a tear since the bear market ended in March 2009. The Russell 2000 Growth index was up 34% in 2009, 29% last year and 8.6% in the first half of 2011.
That not one of the top one-year performers appears on the list of three-year winners underscores the risk of investing in this volatile category of funds.
Intrepid Small Cap (ICMAX), which seeks value stocks, has been a consistent performer, but it recently had a change of managers. The T. Rowe Price Equity Income (PRFDX)and Baron Small Cap (BSCFX) funds have stellar long-term records -- each has returned an average of 8.4% a year over the past decade.
- Small-company funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Hybrid funds
This hodgepodge category includes convertible-bond funds, balanced funds and others whose common denominator is that they are not fully invested in common stocks.
Among traditional balanced funds -- those that have about two-thirds of their assets in stocks and the rest in fixed-income securities -- two standout value-oriented choices are Dodge & Cox Stock (DODGX) and Oakmark Equity and Income (OAKBX).
The Vanguard Wellesley Income (VWINX) fund is the mirror image of typical balanced funds; it allocates two-thirds of its portfolio to bonds, and the rest is in stocks. The Permanent Portfolio (PRPFX) fund invests in, among other things, stocks, Treasurys, Swiss francs and gold.
- Hybrid funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods on Kiplinger.com
International diversified large-company funds
A sagging dollar has aided recent returns of funds in this category, although there have been plenty of land mines for managers to navigate, including the sovereign debt crisis that continues to roil Europe and the threat of inflation that prompted some emerging economies, including China and Brazil, to take measures to blunt economic growth.
The value-oriented Dodge & Cox International Stock (DODFX) fund and the growth-oriented Harbor International (HIINX) fund have been solid long-term performers. Harbor hasn't faltered since the death last year of its founding manager, Hakan Castegren.
Another well-run value fund worth noting is Oakmark International (OAKIX), run by David Herro since 1992.
- International diversified large-company funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Small- and midsize-company international funds
Investors were rewarded for taking risks over the past year, and this was as true in overseas markets as it was on the home front. While the winners in this group soared, they generally charged high annual fees. Over longer stretches, it pays to pay attention to expenses.
A favorite in this category is the T. Rowe Price International Discovery (PRIDX) fund, the granddaddy of small-company overseas funds. The 20-year figure is meaningless, given that Discovery is the only fund in this group with a record that long. But being a 10-year winner speaks to the fund's consistency. The fund has been in the top half of its category in six of the past nine years, as well as in the first half of 2011.
The value-oriented Oakmark International Small Cap (OAKEX) fund beat its peers by an average of 23 percentage points in 2009.
- Small- and midsize-company international funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Global stock funds
Funds in this category can invest anywhere.
Morningstar puts the little-known Encompass (ENCPX) fund in this group. But Encompass also resembles a sector fund about 75% of its assets are in small and micro-cap companies in the energy and precious metals sectors, and 14% of assets are in U.S. stocks. Encompass plunged 62% in 2008, soared 137% in 2009 and gained 60% last year. Since it can go into any sector, if its managers identify the next big thing, we'll know they weren't just lucky.
Among the category's more sedate offerings is the Oakmark Global (OAKGX) fund. An intriguing fund is Old Westbury Global Small and Mid Cap (OWSMX), which is sponsored by old-money institutional manager Bessemer Trust. The fund uses Dimensional Fund Advisors as one of its four managers, so you can tap DFA's expertise without hiring a DFA-approved adviser.
- Global stock funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Diversified emerging-markets funds
After a torrid stretch, investments in places like India and Brazil have cooled off a bit. The MSCI Emerging Markets index soared 79% in 2009 and gained 19% last year, though it earned a mere 1% in the first half of 2011.
Emerging-market stocks are about 50% more volatile than U.S. stocks, so tread cautiously here. Speaking of volatility, take a Dramamine before buying the Wasatch Small Cap Growth (WAAEX) fund, which invests in fast-growing companies. It soared 118% in 2009 and 41% last year but plunged 57% in 2008, its first full year.
If you can buy the Oppenheimer Developing Markets (ODMAX) fund without paying a load, go for it; it has been a relatively steady performer and has a fine long-term record. Another favorite in this category is the T. Rowe Price Emerging Markets Stock (PRMSX) fund, which barely missed making the winners list over five and 10 years.
- Diversified emerging-markets funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Regional and single-country funds
This category could be a good place to look if you want to add spice to your portfolio.
One-year figures say Europe is on the march, but short-term results can mislead. Looking ahead, you're almost sure to earn more in faster-growing regions, namely Asia and, to a lesser degree, Latin America.
Another option is the 5-year-old Royce European Small Companies (RISCX) fund -- the Royce fund family has a long and distinguished record of investing in small, undervalued companies in the United States.
The Matthews funds, including Matthews Pacific Tiger (MAPTX) and Matthews Asia Dividend Investor (MAPIX), are run by veteran managers who live in the Asia-Pacific region and focus on regional investments, making these funds less risky than single-country funds.
If you want to bet on one country, consider the Fidelity Canada (FICDX) fund. Canada is no longer being overlooked by investors, who are drawn north by abundant natural resources and a strong currency. In addition, Canada's banks are in decent shape.
- Regional and single-country funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Sector funds
The category has been a mixed bag for investors over the past year, with energy and natural resources funds providing the most consistent returns.
Funds that invest in a single industry or segment of the economy carry above-average risk and are meant to be used for side bets rather than as the core of a portfolio. You can make a long-term case, though, for owning a fund that invests in the beneficiaries of rising oil prices.
One fine choice is the Vanguard Energy (VGENX) fund, which focuses on large energy companies.
Health care is another sector worth holding for the long run, and the Vanguard Health Care (VGHCX) fund is a strong entry. Manager Edward Owens has been on the job since 1984.
After performing brilliantly for a decade, gold funds cooled off in the first half of 2011. Gold is a good hedge against a weakening dollar. If you believe that trend will continue, you might consider Tocqueville Gold (TGLDX), a fund invested in mining companies of all sizes, most of which are headquartered in Canada but explore and develop mineral deposits around the globe.
- Sector funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
Alternative funds
This category consists of funds that invest in assets other than stocks or bonds. Used judiciously, these funds can boost your portfolio's returns and help smooth out its ups and downs.
Among notable funds in the category are Harbor Commodity Real Return (HACMX) and Merger Fund (MERFX). The Harbor fund, as well as a nearly identical Pimco fund, use derivatives to track a commodity index. Pimco managers, who run both funds, seek to bolster returns by actively managing the bonds that back the derivatives. Merger invests in takeover targets after a deal is announced in hopes of capturing the final bit of appreciation before the deal is finalized.
Another nontraditional fund worth considering is Wasatch Long/Short Fund (FMLSX), which, as its name implies, owns stocks that it thinks will rise in value while selling other shares short, betting they will fall in value.
- Alternative funds: See the 10 top performers over the past one-, three-, five-, 10- and 20-year periods at Kiplinger
This article was reported by the editors of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.
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[BRIEFING.COM] The stock market finished an upbeat week on a mixed note. The S&P 500 shed less than a point, ending the week higher by 1.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (+0.1%) cemented a 1.7% advance for the week. High-beta names underperformed, which weighed on the Nasdaq Composite (-0.3%) and the Russell 2000 (-1.3%).
Equity indices displayed strength in the early going with the S&P 500 tagging the 2,019 level during the opening 30 minutes of the action. However, ... More
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Building a sub $250 PC (summer 2013 edition)
Summary: Sometimes you just want a cheap and cheerful PC to handle some simple tasks. This build – excluding Windows, a display, and peripherals, comes in at under $250.
2 of 7Image
Sometimes, you just want a cheap and cheerful PC to handle simple tasks. Maybe you want a kitchen PC, or a small PC for a study or bedroom. You don't want a behemoth capable of running Crysis 3 with all the controls turned up to the max, and you're not going to be rendering the next Pixar movie on it.
Here's a blueprint for just such a PC to get you started. Feel free to customize the build to suit your needs or budget.
This build — excluding Windows, a display, and peripherals, comes in at under $250.
(Image: AMD)
Let's start by looking at the heart of the system — the processor. In this case, the processor is not going to be just the CPU, but also features a built in GPU. This makes the build both cheaper and easier.
For this build, I've chosen AMD's A4-3400 Llano APU. This is a 2.7GHz dual-core part, which also comes equipped with a DirectX 11-enabled Radeon HD 6410D.
Price: $45
(Image: MSI)
The AMD Llano APU needs a motherboard with a Socket FM1 connector for the processor. I've chosen the MSI A55M-P33, which is a cheap, yet fully-featured board.
Along with the raft of stuff you expect from a motherboard, this board offers some other cool features:
- OC Genie II: Auto OC to boost performance in 1 sec
- ClickBIOS Concept: Easy-to-use UEFI BIOS interface
- Super Charger: Fast charge iPad/iPhone/smartphones.
Price: $50
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Find an expert Tremont City real estate agent to help you navigate the home buying or selling process today.
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- Casey Kitchel
- Grosse Pointe, MI
- United States
This conversation is closed.
When fighting for rights, which is tougher: a battle against an oppressive government, or a battle against an oppressive society?
Manal al-Sharif opens her TED talk by asking the audience a question.
"You know that people all over the world fight for their freedom, fight for their rights. Some battle oppressive governments. Others battle oppressive societies." And then she asks, "which battle do you think is harder?"
Fellow TEDers, which do you think is a tougher battle? And why?
Jun 28 2013: Repressive regimes come and go, as tyrants rise and fall. On the whole, societies either revolt against their repressive governments or they empower them. But when a repressive regime is overthrown, the replacement may be just as ruthless (e.g., Louis XVI vs. Robespierre, Nicholas II vs. Lenin, Batista vs. Castro, the Shah vs. the Ayotollah, etc.). The governments of post-Hussein Iraq and post-Gaddafi Libya, among others, have their work cut out for them, if they don't wish to repeat history. And what will become of Saudi Arabia if the House of Saud ever loses its grip, or of North Korea when that bizarre dynastic Communist dictatorship finally falls?
Repressive societies, on the other hand, don't need the support of their governments for their intolerance and injustices. Here we find the usual culprits of religion and ethnicity, as well as class distinction being at the center of the repression. And in many cases, those who hold power do not see themselves as repressing the powerless. Where a despot no doubt realizes how tenuous his control may be, societies are often indifferent, if not completely apathetic to the inequities felt, and sometimes voiced by minorities within their ranks. And it is this attitude of denial that makes societal change so daunting.
Tify Ndanoboi 50+Jun 27 2013: I think that one is not tougher than the other, if and only because, the two are inherently intertwined. Is there ever an oppressive society that does not so some degree have an oppressive government. Equally does not an oppressive government create through enforcement and selective authoritarian institutions / people propaganda and thus create oppressive societies.
What I think is hardest, is not what most people would see as hard. That being, that a right that is taken away after years of having it, is probably the hardest to regain, if ever at all. And there recently have been many examples of that in in recent years in many a democracy.
An example. The UK used, note, I say used, to have the law that it seeded to many other places, that if you were tried and acquitted, you could not be tried for the same crime twice. A law that had been around for about 1000 years. The removal of that law went hardly unnoticed in the UK, how hard will people have to fight to get it back...
As for America and many of it's laws that have been removed / superseded due to certain wonderfully ironic titled 'patriot' act(s). Will those freedoms ever come back?
Jul 1 2013: To put it simply, society. Because as social creatures our society helps define us and forms a network within which we are comfortable, and to start shaking that up divides the population. Whereas a oppressive government often vitalizes reformation movements to turn them into popular movements.
Micah EatonJun 29 2013: I think the difference between fighting an oppressive government and an oppressive society is mainly down to how long it takes to achieve victory over them. Oppressive governments can be defeated within a person's lifetime, or the frame of a few lifetimes. Oppressive societies take generations to overcome, and can defy even the most highly organized forms of opposition because of that.
Also, the period during which old behaviors still have power is greater under an oppressive society than an oppressive government. New ways of thinking have to be taught, they don't just arrive out of thin air. Unfortunately, we tend to fall back easily onto the readily perceived points of bias, which form the basis of oppressive society. The kind of universal education required to prevent that doesn't just arrive upon the defeat of an oppressive society. Until it can be developed many amongst the new generations are likely, ironically, to embrace the old instead of the new.
Oddly, oppressive societies probably suffer the fatal aspects of their fall, relative to their lifetimes in comparison to those of oppressive governments, about as quickly as oppressive governments do. It's just that oppressive governments fall with the work of a shorter history of defiance, fewer generations of nameless people are ground under opposing them. To fight an oppressive society it takes many more people who stand up and are willing to watch their work seemingly go nowhere.
Elizabeth Gu 30+Jun 27 2013: I think it's easy to become rebellious against an oppressive government than it is to become defiant against the pressure of society.
The former makes you a person who tries to retrieve the sense of justice, the latter makes you an 'idiot' or an official 'outsider'—quite often, if you ask me.
'God, peer pressure….!'
Although the context of it is slightly different from what we're talking about here, even among our peers, we get careful about challenging their pressure.
Surely not an easy task with loneliness.
adesh saxena 30+Jun 23 2013: It does not matter who is the oppressor.
What prevents us from standing against the oppressor ....FEAR
Fear to loose...
When one is fearless, oppressor has no purcahse on you, you are their toughest opponent.
They have the power to destroy you , you have the power to show them and the world and make them understand that they are wrong and unjust.
Battle is won and that too permanently if that brings change of heart in oppressor whether its a governement or a society , it does not matter who is the oppressor.
Jul 6 2013: The battle against oppressive societies are tougher; in oppressive societies the victims are usually a part or group that is weak. The oppression may not even be seen as oppression because of the tyranny of the majority. In nations where women are oppressed for example, a change of government offers no hope if it is just a transfer of power to a custodian of the old order.
Jul 2 2013: In my opinion a battle against oppressive society is more tougher than fighting against government for your rights because It is the society that is more closer to you, It can either encourage or discourage your fight.
Continuous motivation and a strong inspiration are two essential things before you start your fight for your rights, which you can get them easily from your nearby society.
If your society is cooperative you may finally win your battle, but if it doesn't promotes you you will feel tired soon and that's all it takes to lose a battle.
Bob SchotmanJun 30 2013: The short answer from me is: Oppressive society. The argument is that if we did not have the multitude of tendencies and actions that could collectively be called oppressive, we would probably not have as many people in governmental leadership positions exhibiting these same attributes.
Jun 29 2013: I think you have your answer Casey. Most societies are formed around religion, and as such have the ability to become very oppresive. Governments have been formed around common sense, and the rights of the people, but can easily become corrupted and the history rewritten so that it looks like the religion was always in charge. This is the case for the U.S. The moral majority has taken control of the republican party, and Barry Goldwaters nightmare has come true.
Peter Mullen 10+Jun 29 2013: Just remember Tim, they, (The moral majority) (???) are, first of all (not moral ) as i'm sure you've noticed. Secondly they are simply the "pigeons", (water boys) who will be crushed and discarded by the real power brokers when they have outlived their usefulness. The entire facade of "conservatism" is a (racket), Want proof? Look at the "denotation" in the dictionary, and a few "academic" descriptions of the meaning, then ask someone who identifies themselves as a conservative. You will find that most have no idea what they even stand for. It's true for the reality of "Capitalism" most conservatives have no idea what that means, no clue about the reality, and mechanisms of capitalism. If they actually understood the realities of rampant, predatory unrestrained capitalism, they would probably jump off a cliff in horror. These people have been brainwashed. and the rest are simply creatures of self indulgence who have lost whatever humanity, or compassion they may once have had. It doesn't mean that millions are not sincere, or even wonderful people, They're just really messed up, and confused. The real liars, thieves, torturers, murders, are a different kettle of fish all together.
Jun 30 2013: I agree Peter, I come from a very conservative democratic family, old time conservative, not new. I always found myself siding with the old time republicans on business but I was very liberal when it came to erring on the side of helping my fellow man. I am apalled that the new republicans would rather force someone to have a child, then refuse to help them out. Just doesn't make sense to hurt those really in need to weed out the bad.
Jun 27 2013: Uniqea stated: "...I dont believe everyone who doesnt believe in religion is bad or immoral. But I do have the morals, values, and ethics that I learned while studying religions, and I do believe in a higher power which keeps me in line and it helps me keep those morals..."
This is good for you Uniqea. If you need this higher power to keep yourself in line it is good for you to remain attached to it. It works for you.
However. I am a distinctly moral person and do it without any help from any higher power. To me this is proof the real action necessary to be moral and upright in the world is somehow innate within all healthy human beings. No higher power is necessary. If you remove all the writings relating to a higher power from many of the religious books, what you are left with is a fine, secular description of what is required for all human beings to live together in harmony. Further: it is good guidance for being a moral human being. A higher power is not necessary to enforce this upon humanity. Those who turn away from such religious influence discover this fact as they grow and become decent secular human beings.
Many of the laws we follow in the US and many other modern countries were, in fact, the Laws developed and instituted in the Nation of Babylon, many centuries ago. Their laws, for the most part, were alienated from their religious beliefs.
"Hammurabi was a king of Babylon and was best known for his 282 laws some of which we still use today. The oldest-known legal code, even older than the Ten Commandments, is credited to Hammurabi.
He lived from 1818 B.C. to 1750 B.C. "
Many of the ten commandments are based on these laws. Isn't that interesting?
Jun 29 2013: Great comment John. People who do not believe in god, are not necessarily anti god , or bad people, in fact many agnostics I've met were "some" of the most moral people I know. I would say to all my brothers and sisters who are believers in some god. Look at (your concept of god). Think of that entity as a friend. (theoretically) Understand that entity may be your friend, but at the same time wouldn't that god also have a relationship with all other human beings from a different angle, and perspective? It's not simply 2 sides to a coin but 7,000,000,000 sides 1 for every human on the planet. One person's infidel, is another's saint. Jihad, is a concept, "NOT A PHYSICAL BATTLE PLAN". Cristian's have the same concept from a different perspective. When you grow older as I have, if you've read and studied and had lots of great cups of coffee or tea with intelligent people, an amazing thing happens. "WISDOM" it teaches you that onward christian soldier doesn't mean killing infidels, it means go within yourself, inside your deepest darkest parts of your soul and rid yourself of all that is impure and against health, piety, and compassion. "That is Jihad" it happens inside your mind, inside your being, your soul, if you wish. He that kills, kills all of humanity, he that saves a life saves all humanity. Everybody just mellow out for Pete's sake. "Have a cup of tea."
Jun 30 2013: Thank you Peter.
I'm 62. While I have not dined with billionaires I have with Millionaires.I've had no knowledge imparted my way that was new or insightful. I have shared thoughts with Priests and Rabbi's. I have read every religious book that is considered meaningful. And yes, I do drink tea.
If the life you save is that of an evil person you have allowed evil to endure, along with it's impact on humanity.
Any form of Jihad, or righteous action of God, in my opinion is nothing more but the workings of the minds of men. There is nothing saintly nor holy about it. There are two paths towards peace for mankind to take on this planet:
1. Peace through Communication
2. Peace through superior fire power.
Given man's record, I'm putting my money on option two. When we have rid our minds of the fantasy's of men, perhaps we may find peace. Until then, piety, compassion and impure thoughts will be with us for a long time. We can regulate them and corral them to some degree, not necessarily all.
The world is partitioned into separate social and cultural divisions. When we have eradicated these barriers, we may enjoin with one another to create a one world, Class I civilization. Right now we are Class zero and stand on the threshold of extinction by way of our technologies. We've loads of work ahead of us.
We can follow the ways of ancient people who never shared our body of Knowledge and wisdom or we can put it aside and trust in the wisdom and Knowledge we have at our disposal.
Everyone appears mellow to me. Did I miss something?
Jun 30 2013: You're absolutely right John. I get really pissed when someone starts to force their religious opinion on me, particularly when, someone has been told politely on many occasions that i'm not interested. What I meant in my last reply was that the concept of Jihad isn't exclusive to islam. It goes way back in human history. It's a concept that began long before so called modern religious practices, before Mohamed, Jesus, Buddha or Solomon. It's much the same process a world class athlete goes through, before they climb Everest, or win the decathlon. What I mean is that these guys running around talking about killing infidels,don't know the first thing about the concept. They just pervert it to suit their own fantasie of hate and revenge or what ever else makes them think it's allright to murder people. I'm not one to pussy foot around with thugs, and murderers. I say drop em where they stand when it's perfectly obvious they're trying to kill you. I simply feel Americans, and these fundamentalist wackos are way to trigger happy. There are so many ways to disarm these nut jobs, without starting wars, and dropping bombs. I have never had a problem with a Spiritually /Religiously oriented person as long as they respect my personal space and my view. Live and let live. I've know many a deeply spiritual person who lived dignified pious lives without ever advocating hate, violence, or anti agnostic, anti social behavior. We used to call it wisdom, dignity compassion and being civilized , being and adult.
Jun 24 2013: I would like to add,
that it depends in which country we live in ....... but i think that it would be tough to fight against society in country like SAUDI ARABIA , INDIA, CHINA and many more .................. but in country like America it would be tough to fight with Government .... hope you all will understand what i said.
Jun 26 2013: Which situation would you prefer? Strong government, *relatively* free of corruption and oppression or a weaker government, with more corruption and oppression in the government and society? There used to be another aphorism in Russia: "severity of Russian laws is compensated by the lack of their enforcement."
Jun 23 2013: Is one really worse than the other? I also listened to this talk and pondered over this question. Trying to imagine myself fighting for my beliefs seems like it would be hard whether my battle was against government or society, especially government and society. It must especially be hard when you are lacking support from others. Or when your family is at risk for your beliefs. I've never been put in this type of situation yet but I can only imagine that either battle is hard regardless of who it is against.
Jun 23 2013: Indeed.
I wonder if there is some manner to measure the distinctive influences within these societies? We can perceive the incidental affects by merely observing. How could we develop a scale of measure and compare the Government vs. society, Oppressiveness variable?
Could the number of citizens in the Prison system be an indicator? Government controls the prisons but not all prisoners are there due to collisions with the government. Most are there due to social trespasses.
Another question: Are a countries Laws a true indicator of the wishes of a Society?
Ash BillJun 18 2013: Definitely an oppressive society. As a Pakistani, I usually have to deal with this. Fortunately, my family and friends are very supporting and allow me to drive, be educated and even be friends with boys, but I know that there are people who aren't so lucky.
Fighting against the government is easy. They don't watch you all the time. A society is around you all the time and judge you all the time.
Uniqea MonieJun 18 2013: A oppressive society is much harder. To be in a society where everyone is screaming freedom, but only certain groups of beliefs are able to publicly share their opinions and beliefs is sickening. Once that other group of people try to speak their beliefs they are sued or told to be quiet or immediately accused of being the oppressor.
Its a larger crowd to fight against, its a crowd who doesn't care about professionalism because they aren't under that kind of spot light.
I would say a oppressed society is harder to speak to. Americans are so swooped up in their own personal crap that they don't want to believe the truths, they want to keep being fed lies as long as it will keep them happy and care free.
Jun 24 2013: So, how can you attempt to compare us to others? Most people I know abhor lies and earnestly desire to know the truth. It's the "fool me once; shame on me: fool me twice: shame on you" way of looking at life that give rise to the idea we like being fooled.
The whole idea of "Oppression" is to force people to live and behave in a certain way. We could all stand up and protest but the blunt truth is: we will be arrested and go to jail. What mother or father can afford to be separated from their children in such a way?
Yes. American are oppressed, but it doesn't necessarily follow that we enjoy it or are content with the situation.
Jun 24 2013: I don't see how i was making a comparison, I was just using Americans as an example. But an example on how the american society oppress people would be Christianity. Christians are ridiculed and oppressed, their religion calls them to spread the word of God, not to influence but to inform. Society is always trying to sue other parents and schools for providing info or even speaking of God, around the holidays it is no longer appropriate to say merry Christmas, and laws are being passed that demean christian values, traditions, and practices i.e. marriage.
I dont see where you thought I was comparing America to any other country, I was simply answering the question of is the battle tougher against an oppressive society or government and america was my example. But my honest opinion, compared to other countries, we're a few amended rights from being no different.
Just because you and the few like minded people you surround yourself with feel oppressed doesn't mean everyone in america feels that way. There are some people who are happy rights are being taken away, they feel safe, some people want more rights taken away from other groups of people, we still have racism here, we have people who are pro abortion and others who are pro life, we have people that believe certain classes in society should have more rights than others, we have people who believe gays should be brainwashed straight, its some people who want all immigrants to go back to their countries. And some people are just indifferent to it all. To say our society can't be oppressive is absurd, I mean, if that's what you're saying...
Jun 24 2013: I was in a bad situation in Virginia one day in my life. It was Christians who helped me out. I didn't see anyone else trying to help.
I've been in many bad situations in my life, always, it was Christians who were willing to help. No one else was willing. Now, we have Atheist churches. At last there is some competition for doing good in the world.
I hear how Christians are brutalizing all of society everyday, yet, I never see it myself. I sometimes wonder if I'm blind? I'm not a Christian and doubt I could ever be one.
I know some of them can be a pain in the behind but why throw the dog out with the wash-water?
I understand that you don't see the comparison I was alluding to Ms. Monie. It is more of an inference in your writing, rather than an outright testament in what you said.
Think of it this way. How do you know that sugar is sweet unless you have bitter to compare it to?
You said: "Americans are so swooped up in their own personal crap that they don't want to believe the truths, they want to keep being fed lies as long as it will keep them happy and care free."
I noticed that the word Americans was plural, indicating all Americans or at least a whole bunch of them. I also notice that the mental attribute you were attaching to them was not good one:
"...swooped up in their own personal crap...", "they don't want to believe the truths, they want to keep being fed lies as long as it will keep them happy and care free..."
It's not a good description of a harmonic society. The comparison appears almost immediately as you compare good to bad. "Good" was not necessarily mentioned but, "inferred" by contrast.
It just kinda jumped out at me as I read your comment. So that is how it appeared to me that you were making a comparison. :)
Jun 26 2013: Re: "Americans are so swooped up in their own personal crap that they don't want to believe the truths, they want to keep being fed lies as long as it will keep them happy and care free."
Does it apply to "other Americans" or to you as well? How do you know that information on which you base your statement is not a lie? You speak of "society" as of "them". Aren't you a part of "society"?
Re: "laws are being passed that demean christian values, traditions, and practices i.e. marriage." Marriage is not exclusively Christian practice. Non-Christians marry as well. Every culture has its own traditions around marriage. It would be absurd to force everyone marry "Christian way". Nobody forces Christians to marry same-sex partners or force the Church to conduct same-sex weddings. So, why do Christians feel compelled to dictate how and whom to marry to non-Christians?
How do you interpret the following quote from New Testament:
"Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."
Do you think, this Christian tradition needs to be kept (even within the Church)?
To whom does this passage apply - to others or to ourselves?
""Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Well, actually, to say "you hypocrite" to another person is hypocrisy and judging. Something to think about.
Jun 27 2013: Uniqea, I understand the utter despair of seeing a world you grew up in desegregate around you, being ridiculed for enjoying things you were brought up to believe. It's a form of heartbreak, especially if that world appeared full of love, affection and joy.
It was the society I was raised up in when I was a child. During a few brief years as a young man, not long returned the War in Vietnam, there was a time of great salvation in the whole country of the United States of America. It was a time when it appeared the whole country was turning back towards it's religious, christian roots. The Out-Law-moteorcycle gangs were converted to Christianity. It was a time when John Leneon was singing spirituous songs and the whole word appeared long for peace on earth.
It all fell apart in the 80's. Religion in schools was questioned heavily and the secular movement came in full force. It was the beginning of the decline for religious zealotry.
I understand it is only natural for someone to want to preserve that which felt good in their lives. But, times change. We live in progressive times and we are looking for solutions that are not so sacredly defined. We don't wont to wait for a solution we want to build one ourselves. It is only natural to want these things also. To those of us who see a increase in secularism, it is just as joyful and comfortable as it is for those who live a different way.
Living without a faith in the hereafter or a godlike being is not something to be afraid of. It just taking responsibility for your own actions. We are still human with human emotions like love and affection and an Ernest desire to help others.
Yes, I miss Christmas, not the sacredness of that day; I miss the joy and family gatherings associated with that day. We still practice Christmas but we don't use the religious trappings. It has no religious meaning to me. I still like to see people smile and be happy.
Jun 27 2013: This country was founded and fought for on the basis of religious freedoms. The laws placed and the rights given are on the basis of religion. You take out our foundation, and now we have a mess of corruption and devil worshiping propaganda all over the place. Smh. You can't just pull out a bunch of blocks at the bottom of the tower and expect the tower to remain standing.
I do not believe everything I hear regarding religion, i do not believe everything in the Bible or any religious book is entirely true. I dont believe that I should just wait around for God for things to happen, or that I can do wrong all day and ask for forgiveness later, its unrealistic. I am accountable for my own actions. I dont believe everyone who doesnt believe in religion is bad or immoral. But I do have the morals, values, and ethics that I learned while studying religions, and I do believe in a higher power which keeps me in line and it helps me keep those morals. I feel that everyone should have that, and they dont, and they're being shielded away from it. The government can't teach morals, and Christians are ridiculed and ignored for doing so, other people are labelled paranoid conspiracy theorists.
Every other country keeps their religion(s) in the positive light, we dont, we celebrate removing religion from things... We celebrate removing morality from our lives, everything is about sex and drugs and gluttony and now we praise satanic symbols in our media. Our government is full of sociopaths, our military and police is full of psychopaths, we have the most incarcerated people in the world, our country is going straight to hell, you dont see that?
It's not about being against change, Im all for change, we don't need to go back to killing people in the name of God, but we have no guidance for our behaviors as a whole.
Karmel BlueJul 13 2013: Both the same.
Many tell me 'there is nothing you can do' governments will always win and abuse their power. So stick your head in the sand do nothing just suck it up.
Personally I hate this attitude. A complaint is a way of making things better for all.
We need a complaints process that is allowed to Enforce their own Act. Australia's Human Rights process cannot Enforce its own Disability Discrimination Act 1992 as it is mediation only. Just about no one bothers to do a HR complaint anymore because. Council's - complaints process is just as dismal, as the supposed watchdog is just an excusionist .
People are afraid to support + join those trying for better rights as they get retribution, payback, blacklisted etc.
Sad and counterproductive system run by a few with vested interests.
We'd be better going back to a time when the Elders of the village/community all sat down and heard complaints and made a joint decision.
Adam ReadJul 13 2013: If we are ever going to get to the bottom of real issues, we need to be able to go much deeper than this.
Society is actually grown, not built. We cannot simply stack independent blocks on top of or around each other in an array and say that it is truly representative of reality. On the contrary, evolution suggests it is a multi-causal process, and not by any means a linear one.
Ideologies branch off of each other like roots in the ground, and roots seek out water and nutrients in order to survive. People are no different...for where people feel fed, they will congregate and attempt to flourish. This is a major draw to religion. However, the unchangeable ideologies and stories contained within their scriptures presents a naturally fractal pattern from developing, and intellectual evolution ceases to exist because the stories are merely repeated over and over again, while those that follow them continue to expect a different result by repeating them even more.
People will fight as long as they feel threatened. It's a primal instinct, and it will cause them to increase in size, volume, and motion, just as any threatened animal does. So, at the core of feeling threatened is fear, but there are many types of fear.
A few fears readily evident by the tunnel vision that is mimicked by the pattern of the "straight and narrow" are these:
1. The Fear of God
2. The Fear of the Devil
3. The Fear of Change (which is firmly embedded into the idea of an unchanging and invisible deity, as it is the classic presentation of the flight response).
...and ultimately, a society that cannot bring itself to change is subject to the final occluding fear:
4. The Fear of Things Staying the Same.
Address fear, and you will address the problems people have with government, for at the end of the day, people simply want to feel as if they truly matter.
Jul 6 2013: In my humble opinion, they are essentially one in the same. I believe the real fight against oppression starts with our 'oppressive' human nature that forms CULTURES of oppression.
The logic; oppressive relationships form oppressive cultures, which develop into oppressive societies which establish oppressive institutions such as 'governments.'
My logic is from a post-modernist point of view, (give me a case for another one, and I'll consider it.) Governments are 'constructs' of people. We had to collectively agree on what a government's form and function was before we established one, with power to oppress its constituency. Who decided we needed one? Look at the definition of 'govern' and you'll see, its arguably a synonym for 'oppress.'
Likewise, the constituents, had to agree collectively on what 'society' was before it became so powerful. The definition of society is "a group of humans broadly distinguished from other groups by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, and a common culture."
Our culture too, was formed by people with mutual interests, participating in characteristic relationships right? One mutual interest was survival, relationships are essential for survival. (Contrary to the myth of 'Independence' propagated by white Western culture) Relationships are oppressive when one individual or group has power over the other by physical force and or by controlling resources needed for survival.
Look around, relationships commonly involve an imbalance of power. Historically, it was physical dominance of man over woman, so he got to set up the first institutions. Maybe its oil or education now, but its still power, don't be fooled by the 'curtain' of democracy used to hide the great and powerful Oz calling the shots.
So... until we create truly egalitarian relationships, we will always develop oppressive societies and governments. The oppression to fight is in our nature,the man in the mirror
Pamela KewinJun 28 2013: They are intertwined because the government comes from the people and if society is oppressive the government will be. On the other hand, power can corrupt the most honest people and they can become oppressive governments. Society has to be strong enough to resist corruption from the government. Life is a struggle and we cannot sit back and not take part. Everyone needs to be alert so that oppression can be stamped on if it rears its' ugly head.
Jun 27 2013: battle against society will be easy because no one will readily oppose such movements, but history tells that they will be long battles but not so fruitful.
In case of battle against oppressive government, they will take some time but surely fructify in the course of time.
Governments[even oppresive ones] are vulnerable to social dynamics or "The Change". Societies can change their way of oppresion with time.
regarding the refered article, islamic world now need another hero like "kamal pasha" of turkey.
Jun 27 2013: Casey, I am from the USA. Not generally known as a oppressive society. I can only guess at the real truths. It would be my opinion that a oppressive government is dependent upon the oppressed to assist in its control. If stories I have heard of Russia during its darkest periods are true, then the government had people (party members) who were stationed at bus stops, depots, etc to report any and all events. Also party members would "spy" on their neighbors and report their actions to the party.
If I were to use strict definations: A coup can be conducted against a repressive government .... however .... a repressive society would mean that the majority of the society favors the status quo. Thus making the society the tougher battle.
I can however, be thankful for where I am.
I wish you well. Bob.
Jun 26 2013: I view government in a (socio-mathematical) way sometimes. Our governments are composed of our (beliefs& superstitions) + (our individual participation) + (aggregate advantage) divided by (reality) X (force). Simply put, it means you have to fight for what you want. The milk of human kindness though a real phenomena, is overshadowed by the mad rush for our individual piece of the survival pie. There is a COSMIC SIZED GAP of wealth in the world , particularly in the UNited States between the insanely, absurdly rich, and the middle class. Median income is $40,000. Try living on that in most cities, especially if you have children. The actual poor, which now represents 26% of children in the US, and 40%+ of families are never even discussed, or represented in the corrupt, insipid main stream media, and certainly not in congress. The constant drum beat of (government good), (government bad) glides over the virus attacking us. Government is neither good, nor bad, but a tool of (organization). Currently it has become an insidious tool of repression, and theft of biblical proportions. It has become a growing (neo fascist international conspiracy) to extract trillions of dollars worth of human, and natural resources to enrich the narrowest of corporate elites, criminal cartels, inhumane self serving banks, and their minions in congress. It is an amalgam of high stakes corporate greed and international criminal cartels, who skirt the laws of every nation. We are currently in a headlong rush to corporate feudalism, and extinction. You have to take what you want! They will never give up their power without a vicious fight. "Peaceful resistance will defeat them, but it's gonna hurt." "Peace!"
Bryan Maloney 30+Jun 26 2013: The only difference between an "oppressive government" and an "oppressive society" is that an "oppressive government" is merely a more visible arm of the underlying "oppressive society". Thus, in theory, since the "government" is less than the whole of a "society", the "government" would be easier to fight.
Jun 24 2013: Hi Casey,
I think in either case, so much is dependent on how the battle is fought - alone, or as a group.
A single individual fighting against an oppressive society or government, is in a weak position, unless that person has a following of passionate believers (I'm thinking especially of Mandela right now...)
Freedom Fighters initiate resistance movements, as a group:
I think the 'harder battle' comes down to support, or lack of it. Someone can feel strongly about a cause, but fighting a battle alone - regardless against whom - is in my opinion the hardest.
Jun 23 2013: oppression is indeed very hurting, none would accept it whether from government or from societies, however when it comes from government the only thing that they can give back to you in return on maximum is to put you in jail, but in societies things are more tougher, the prison of government is always better than societies' prison.


text:
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Pepin County (WQOW) - A county could get more time to do homework on frac sand.
An extension of Pepin County's one-year moratorium is on the table. The moratorium expires in December. A number of towns felt a six-month extension was needed to help them come up with regulations for frac sand operations. That proposal will go before the Pepin County Board of Supervisors next week.


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the kid from the nanny mcphee movie is no longer a kid
he's 23
i see no difference
I've never seen a grown man look so disturbingly like a small child.
(via madeinlithuania)
Extremely personal piece. Doesn't really need that much explanation.
*apologies if it turns up pixelated, just click the picture for a full res. view
(via madeinlithuania)—
Submitted by MuteMice - nice one, mate! Want a beer for submitting? Just say so.
Many people see me like this:
Who I think I am:
Who I really am: