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As many of you know, we have been having growing pains in regard to our hosting service and have received numerous complaints, especially in the last week. We have been on a waiting list to be moved to a "private" (actually a semi-dedicated) server for some time now and today we got the notice that we are being moved!
The cost is higher, but hopefully the service will be far superior! PLEASE post here and let us know if you ever get a "500 Internal Server Error" on your site, or can't log in, or your site is really slow, or really ANY problems at all... This will help us determine just how much of the server resources need to be dedicated to our site.


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|Fri 22 Feb 2013, 9:00pm–1:00am
Eventfinda tickets no longer on sale
Gypsy Fever is back!
After a years hiatus, Gypsy Fever is back for some knees-up summer shenanigans around festivals and venues of New Zealand. The headline act is once again 9 piece Wellington balkan brass band Niko Ne Zna, who will also be releasing their highly anticipated debut album in time for the tour. Join them at Kings Arms for what is bound to be a wild intoxicating night of celebration with special guests The Jews Brothers, DJ Balkanetic and your MC for the evening Benka Boradovsky.
Niko Ne Zna are a world class act with exotic tunes, fantastic grooves and exciting solos. With a line-up comprising two trumpets, saxophone, vocals, accordion, trombone, sousaphone, percussion, Balkan bass drum and snare drum, they are a truly authentic ensemble. They can roam while playing, and enchant the audience into dancing, singing, clapping and stomping all night long. The band consists of some of Wellington's finest instrumentalists who come from a wide array of musical backgrounds that unite together to produce an intoxicating cocktail that will make your ears rise to attention and your feet move in a frenzy. Niko Ne Zna's selection of traditional and original tunes is high energy with dark undertones and sexy gypsy style.
Since their inception 6 years ago, the band has played extensively around New Zealand with two national tours and performances at The Wellington Fringe Festival, International Jazz Festival, Cuba Street Carnival, Wellington Summer City Festival, Prana Festival and Taranaki Arts Festival to name but a few.
Joining them on the road will be Berlin-based DJ Balkanetic, champion of all things balkan and veteran of four other Gypsy Fever tours who will be bringing back a bag of fresh balkan/gypsy tunes and cutting edge globaltronica from his travels in the old countries.
This tour also marks the release of the first ever limited edition (200 copies) Gypsy Fever compilation CD compiled by DJ Balkanetic featuring 12 of the best gypsy/balkan bands in Australia and New Zealand.
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subset: commoncrawl


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See images from Himawari-8 in the new satellite viewer
This demonstration product is most suitable for people
with fast internet connection and high data allowance.
Low-definition satellite images
Satellite View Selection
00:30 AEST on Thursday 29 June 2017 | Cloud/surface composite, Australia
Images from Japan Meteorological Agency satellite Himawari 8 via Bureau of Meteorology.
IDY28000 Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology Bureau National Operations Centre Satellite Notes for 0000UTC Chart on 29 June 2017 Issued at 11:27 am EST Thursday on 29 June 2017 An extensive band of middle and high level cloud, due to the interaction between a surface trough and an upper level trough, extends from southern Queensland and northern NSW out over the Tasman Sea. Isolated thunderstorms are occurring on the northern edge of the cloudband off the northern NSW coast. Low level cloud is evident near the tropical Queensland coast and along parts of the south coast of WA and SA and is due to onshore flows driven by a ridge of high pressure. A cold front and associated middle level cloudband is crossing Tasmania and southern Victoria. A pool of cold air following the front is indicated by the patchy cloud. This cold air is expected to result in snowfall across Tasmania and, to a lesser extent, Victoria. Some thin high level cloud is streaming over northern parts of the continent. Otherwise skies are mostly clear over northern and western parts of the continent under the high pressure ridge.


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|China Expat Forum for Expats Living in China If you are an Expat living in China or are thinking about immigrating to China then please feel free to join in the discussions on the site. Click through to read and take part in our new China Expat Forum.
Postal Service During New Year Break
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To list and sell your products or services, get instant access to private messages, post links, larger avatars, promotional signatures and more for only $19/month.


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And it's that combination of high quality and low cost that caught the attention of the non-partisan Concord Coalition, who began a partnership with the University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative to study how Iowa's successes may be relevant to the online national debate.
Back in July, the committee formed through these partnerships -- the Iowa Committee for Value in Health Care -- put out five principles for value-based health reform. The list includes:
• Achieve fiscal sustainability through high-value health care.
• Innovation through collaboration.
• Expand the role of primary care.
• Increase wellness and prevention.
• Promote individual involvement in obtaining high-value health care.
Although the principles are broad enough to be endorsed by nearly everyone along the reform spectrum, the committee is scheduled to release a report Monday that will flesh out those principles using specific Iowa examples. Hopefully this collaborative approach will prove to be infectious within the broader debate.
On today's Opinion pages, three of the active participants in the committee provide a sneak peek at some of the information in the report. Each presents his or her individual perspective, and not that of the committee.
Sara Imhof, Midwest regional director for the Concord Coalition, stresses, "More needs to be done to ensure that reform is fiscally responsible -- not just over the next 10 years but far into the future."
UI professor Brian Kaskie focuses on how reform needs to include programs that improve the nation's "health literacy" so that patients can take a more active role in their own health care.
Christopher Atchison, director of the UI Hygienic Lab and associate dean for Public Health Practice, takes a more personal route as he describes the anticipation and hope that initially accompanied President Bill Clinton's failed attempts at systematic health care reform 16 years ago.
"Most of us were disappointed with the outcome of those reform debates because we saw then many of the same needs for improvement that we see now," Atchison writes. "The cost of health care is consuming more and more of our nation's gross domestic product (more than 16 percent). It is draining state budgets and causing businesses to reduce coverage and limiting individual access to care."
We thank the committee members for working hard to inject some Iowa commonsense into the national debate.
And we hope they help persuade all the stakeholders that the nation can't wait another year -- let alone another 16 -- to reform its health care system.


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What is Environmental Enrichment?
Simply put, enrichment is anything that changes an animal's environment. Enrichment is a dynamic process for enhancing animal environments within the context of the animals' behavioral biology and natural history. Environmental changes are made with the goal of increasing the animal's behavioral choices by drawing out their species-appropriate behaviors and to improve their social, cognitive, and psychological well being.
To help in this process, zoos and aquariums often use environmental enrichment devices (EEDs), which are objects that animals can manipulate. EEDs can either be novel or pre-existing and can range from natural to man made. Each department within our Animal Husbandry program has its own unique enrichment program that is provided for its animals.
Below is a link to a list of items that each department can use as EEDs. By donating money or directly buying one of those items, you can help to enhance the enrichment programs at the Texas State Aquarium. You may even be able to see your donation when visiting us!
Click here to see our Animal Enrichment Wish List and help today!


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Well it finally happened. While sitting on the shore of my buddy's pond this morning, I turned around to see a grouse on a log behind me and to my left. After quickly ID'ing it I wasted little time and got off one clean shot before I short shucked... The first shot did it's magic and she was down for the count. It was the first taken off the land since Sept. 17th, and my first ever! A pretty sizeable one at that!
Now I'd like to mount the fan. Do any of you know where to get a fan mounting kit? Cheaper ones would be preferred, bbut I will look into 'em all. Thanks for your help.


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'"It's exciting for sure, really exciting," Rivet said before the game. "It's my first time back in almost two years. When we got off the plane [Friday night] and drove to the hotel, a big smile came to my face because I had a lot of good memories in Montreal."'
Rivet savors his return to Montreal
November 30, 2008 Submitted by
Via: Buffalo News


text: Has anyone heard anything from FP? I've sent some pm's and emails and haven't heard back. I thought that he had some family stuff going on, so I'm just curious as to how everything is going. Also about how much does his armor cost, is it similar to bobamakers's prices?


text: Draped Neckline Chemise Style: 570085258 Out of Stock Love it? Everyone else did too. This item sold out! Use our search tool, chat online or call 1.877.948.2525 to find something equally desirable. There's an urban rhythm to the sweeping lines of this modern print on stretch matte jersey. Striking on a simple silhouette with draped neckline and slightly bloused waist. Shell: 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex. Lining: 100% Polyester. Machine wash. Imported. Pullover style with elasticized waist. Knit-lined bodice. Bra strap guides. Length: 38" from shoulder. Read More… Share on Facebook Tweet Pin


text: That's the part that makes me go and and . Many morbidly obese people cannot move around on their own. They certainly can't go out to the store and acquire/make 10,000 calories worth of food. Someone has to be helping them eat that much. IMO the enablers are just as much to blame as the eaters. Just what would the eaters do exactly if they didn't get their 10,000 calories a day? Pull off a tantrum that would make a 2-year-old blush?


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This is a free genealogy resource that contains an index of the names and relationships that appear on grave monuments. This information is of especial interest to anyone researching their family history as information on tombstones is rarely listed and it is often hard to find a grave.
What a wonderful idea, well done the authors of this site! If you have taken any photographs of gravestones please consider donating a copy to this site, be marvelous to see it grow in the years to come.


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It's the most personal part of your PC. The spacing and height of our keys are specially designed to be comfortable to use and to increase accuracy.SEE MORE REASONS
27" Multimedia Touchscreen All-in-One
The award-winning IdeaCentre A720 is a rare combination of up-to-the minute technology and contemporary style. While it boasts a large, 27" screen, the A720 All-in-One is ultra-slim — the slimmest 27" desktop on the market at the time of its release — and a delight to use.
Interact with your A720 by using simple, intuitive gestures directly on the 27" screen. The A720 uses 10-point multitouch technology for greater accuracy and flexibility.
The A720's smartly designed display mount allows you to adjust it across a huge range — from -5 degrees to 90 degrees. That means you can watch it in a vertical position like a PC or television, slope it gently for relaxed touchscreen use, or slide it into a full horizontal position to play two-person touch games.
Watch movies, listen to music, and burn discs with the A720's integrated Blu-ray Disc™ drive.
Enjoy incredible multimedia and gaming with discrete NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics with DirectX® 11.
The IdeaCentre A720's 27" Full HD (1920x1080) frameless display with 16:9 widescreen delivers stunning video.
Featuring a modern look and feel, the AccuType wireless keyboard has island-style, ergonomic keys that allow a more fluid, spacious, comfortable and accurate typing experience than standard keyboard designs. With optical mouse pairing, you'll enjoy all-round precision navigation.
With OneKey® Rescue System, recovering from viruses or other technical difficulties is a snap. The IdeaCentre A720 also makes it easy to back up your system and scan for and kill viruses.
With 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connectivity, 10/100 LAN, and Bluetooth® 4.0, you'll be able to connect seamlessly with your network and other devices.
The A720's speakers deliver rich stereo sound, while Dolby Home Theater v4 provides an immersive audio experience.
Move data between the A720 and other devices quickly with USB 3.0 – it's up to 10 times faster than previous USB technologies.
The A720's integrated 720p HD webcam will help you enjoy web conferences or online video chats like you're really there.
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3230M (2.60GHz, 3MB Cache)
|Operating System
Windows 8 64
27" HD Multitouch (1920x1080)
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT630M 2GB
|I/O Ports
1TB (5,400 rpm)
|Wireless Connectivity
Blu-ray Disc™ combo
|Security Features
Lenovo Rescue System
The Lenovo Headphone P950 delivers more powerful bass, enhances the audio experience when gaming, listening to music, and watching movies. Its noise-cancelling microphone provides clear communication, and it's easy to adjust and comfortable to use.
An upgrade to the popular Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard N5901, this enhanced version gives you more function and fun. Now you can control your PC with a palm-sized wireless and backlit keyboard. There are no drivers to install. Simply plug in the USB nano dongle and you are ready to go. With the 2.4GHz radio frequency, you can control your PC as far as 30 feet away.
|Protect Your IdeaCentre Desktop With Lenovo Services
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Lenovo Services Premium Support provides access to expert technicians when you need them most, from the comfort of your home, with convenient over-the-phone or remote session support. We offer you a one-stop solution for issues beyond your standard hardware warranty, including:
It's the most personal part of your PC. The spacing and height of our keys are specially designed to be comfortable to use and to increase accuracy.SEE MORE REASONS


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Okay! I'm not quite sure, but at 01:49 into the trailer it looks like there is a Republic Commando standing to the left of Anakin. It's difficult to tell because the clip is dark and there is a lot going on in the scene.
Would do you think, vode an? :fettrotj
P.S. And if that wasn't enough, they're finally representing Mandos!


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Nissan Maxima Models and Maxima History
The 1998 Nissan Maxima added an optional side-impact airbag safety feature to several trims in addition to a new color, Sterling Mist. Optional traction control as introduced in 1999, with subtle interior updates being made and four new body colors. An all-new design was unveiled for 2002, boasting more interior room and more features. The V6 engine got a power boost to 222 hp, and a new Bose 200-watt sound system was introduced. The 20th Anniversary was launched in 2001, offering a faster 220 hp V6 engine, and signature interior and exterior styling. In 2002, a revamped V6 engine was added, offering 255 hp.
Some minor shuffling between different trims and optional packages occurred. No major changes took place for 2003, but an all-new design was introduced in 2004. It was wider, longer and had more power under the hood than previous models. The 2005 Maxima offered a smoother transmission, upgraded (optional) leather seating and all-new chrome accents. For 2006, the audio controls on the steering wheel got backlights, and satellite radio, GPS and Bluetooth integration were now offered as available options. A CTV manual transmission debuted in 2007, alongside a reduced horsepower V6 that had ten fewer horses under the hood. While 2008 saw no changes, 2009 would introduce a completely redesigned Maxima with added luxurious features and more amenities.
Model years 2010-2011 saw only minor tweaks made to trims and packages. The 2012 version got a redesigned grille and taillights, as well as some minor updates to the interior. 2013 saw no notable changes. But 2014 saw standard features added that included a 7 touchscreen, USB inputs, a backup camera and xenon headlamps.
New and Used Maxima Prices, Nissan Maxima Model Years and History
2017 Nissan Maxima
Nissan's flagship Maxima provides an elegant, luxurious and comfortable ride, priced well within competition, available with plenty of addable options.
2016 Nissan Maxima
The ever popular and stylish Maxima is Nissan's best-selling sedan for a long list of reasons, as is demonstrated in the feature-rich 2016 model.
2014 Nissan Maxima
A five passenger sedan, the 2014 Nissan Maxima is noted for its sleek styling and comfortable luxury features.
2013 Nissan Maxima
Now available with altered packages, the 2013 Nissan Maxima is a FWD five passenger sedan powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produces 290 hp and 261 lb-ft of torque.
2012 Nissan Maxima
A competitively priced sedan with seating for five, the 2012 Nissan Maxima produces up to 290 hp while achieving up to 26 miles per gallon.
2011 Nissan Maxima
A five passenger sedan, the 2011 Maxima is a practical option for anyone who seeks comfort and convenience in an affordable package.
2010 Nissan Maxima
A stylish five-passenger sports sedan in the second year of a redesign, the 2010 Nissan Maxima now comes standard with Bluetooth and a USB port.
2009 Nissan Maxima
An entry-level luxury sedan, the 2009 Nissan Maxima features precise handling, a capable power train, high-quality craftsmanship and an array of high-tech features.
2008 Nissan Maxima
A mid-size sports sedan, the 2008 Nissan Maxima is powered by a 255 hp 3.5L V6 which is mated to a continuously variable transmission to help boost fuel economy.
2007 Nissan Maxima
A full-size sedan with a sports car attitude, the 2007 Nissan Maxima gets updated styling and a more powerful V6 for the model year.
2006 Nissan Maxima
A mid-size sedan with a sportier attitude then the Altima, the 2006 Nissan Maxima seats five passengers and comes well equipped with items such as navigation and heated seats.
2005 Nissan Maxima
Larger and sportier than the Altima, the 2005 Nissan Maxima is a five-passenger sports sedan powered by a 265 hp 3.5L V6.
2004 Nissan Maxima
A five-passenger sporty mid-size sedan, the 2004 Nissan Maxima has received updated styling for the new year and is powered by a 265 hp 3.5L V6.
2003 Nissan Maxima
The 2003 Nissan Maxima is a mid-size sports sedan that seats five passengers and boasts a 255 hp/246 lb-ft of torque 3.5L V6 engine that is available with an automatic or manual transmission.
2002 Nissan Maxima
The 2002 Nissan Maxima is a mid-size sports sedan that can sit five passengers and it has received updated styling treatments and a new V6 engine for the new model year.
2001 Nissan Maxima
The 2001 Nissan Maxima is a stylish and sporty mid-size sedan with seating for five passengers and a 222 hp V6 engine under the hood.
2000 Nissan Maxima
A true sports sedan, the restyled and updated 2000 Nissan Maxima seats five passengers and houses a 222 hp 3.0L V6 engine under it's hood.
1999 Nissan Maxima
The 1999 Nissan Maxima is a mid-size sports sedan that features a 190 hp 3.0L V6 engine and the choice between a manual or automatic transmission.
1998 Nissan Maxima
A mid-size sports sedan that features a 190 hp 3.0L V6 engine, the 1998 Nissan Maxima seats five passengers comfortably.


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55 rabbits found abandoned in foreclosed Manchester home
The surviving 49 rabbits, who were surrendered to the Manchester Animal Shelter, were found in what was described as deplorable conditions with all suffering from varying degrees of urine scald from living in their own urine and feces. The Friends of the Manchester Animal Shelter are providing the medical care for the rabbits.
All of the rabbits should be ready for adoption next week.
"My first thought was, 'Where are we going to house them?' " said Shelter Manager, Shelley Greenglass. "We're accustomed to housing and caring for an influx of stray cats or dogs, but rabbits are not something we are prepared for, but we make it work."
After a plea for assistance was placed on the shelter's Facebook page, they received an outpouring of food, hay and financial donations. Another rescue group has taken 12 of the rabbits at their facility to care for them.
The shelter continues to seek financial donations, primarily to offset the rising cost of the rabbits' medical care and sterilization.
Donations can be made to: FMAS, P.O. Box 393, Manchester, 03105 or through the shelter's website: www.manchesteranimalshelter.org.


text: I'm with Annette. I like to watch a good movie and munch on popcorn. The nice thing about getting old is you can watch all the movies you've seen before (some not even that long ago) and you don't remember what's going to happen next. :shock:I also love to read. And especially, I love to get on this board and read all the posts and read anything I can find on the internet about bees. (My husband is hoping this will wearn off soon/someday?????


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Gills lose, Vale hammer Rovers
League Two leaders Gillingham lost 3-2 at home to Exeter, while second-placed Port Vale thrashed struggling Bristol Rovers 4-0.
Last Updated: 20/11/12 11:22pm
Jamie Cureton scored his 14th and 15th goals of the season to grab victory for the improving Grecians despite Chris Whelpdale putting the leaders in front with just four minutes on the clock.
Alan Gow struck a 27th minute equaliser then Cureton hit his first in the 54th minute before Danny Jackman equalised for the hosts on 79. Cureton converted a Liam Sercombe cross from close-range to take the points.
Second-placed Port Vale took full advantage, celebrating coming out of administration this week by hammering Bristol Rovers 4-0 at Vale Park. Tom Pope scored a hat-trick and Ben Williamson also got on the scoresheet.
Third-placed Cheltenham were thrashed 4-1 at Chesterfield, for whom Chris Atkinson and Sam Togwell scored to give them the half-time lead. Kaid Mohamed briefly reduced the deficit before the hosts scored further goals through Marc Richards and Jack Lester.
But fourth-placed Fleetwood failed to make the most of their rivals' reversal as they were also surprised 3-1 at home by Accrington Stanley.
Stanley sailed into a 3-0 lead with a James Beattie penalty and further goals from George Miller and Romauld Boco before Jamie McGuire grabbed a late consolation for the hosts.
Wycombe moved off the bottom of the table with an excellent 3-2 win at Rotherham, who had taken a first minute lead through Daniel Nardiello.
Wanderers responded with a Dave Winfield equaliser and a double from Matt McClure, before Mark Bradley gave the home side a glimmer of hope late on.
A fourth minute goal from Dani Lopez proved enough to give fellow strugglers Aldershot a precious 1-0 win at Burton, sending Barnet back to the bottom despite their 2-2 home draw with Oxford.
Jake Hyde put the Londoners in front in the fifth minute but Sean Rigg quickly equalised and Andrew Whing put Oxford in front, only for Hyde's second of the night to take a share of the points.
Southend eased to a 4-0 win at Wimbledon with two from Gavin Tomlin and further goals from Ryan Cresswell and Barry Corr.
Meanwhile Northampton boosted their play-off ambitions by easing to a 3-0 win over Morecambe at Sixfields. Adebayo Akinfenwa, Ishmel Demontagnac and a Kevin Ellison own goal proved enough for the Cobblers.
Plymouth slumped dangerously back towards the drop zone after a 21st minute goal from Gary Jones gave Bradford a 1-0 win at Valley Parade.


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Click on the above images to get a readable page.
I saw the above article a couple of days ago in our local paper, The Antelope Valley Press. I was going to make a few comments about how Mayor Parris is so concerned about his own religious views not being allowed as official policy, but sure seems to be eager enough to trample all over Lancaster citizens religious rights. I was going to comment about the list of "approved" churches in the Antelope Valley being the only ones to participate. But reporter, Bob Wilson beat me to it.
Dave Dionne, president of the Antelope Valley Freethinkers posted this article from yesterday on the AVF meetup site. Thanks Dave.
City Officials Admit Violating Prayer PolicyI just knew this was going to happen.
By: Bob Wilson
LOS ANGELES - Lancaster officials on Tuesday acknowledged in federal court that the city twice violated its policy governing the selection of persons scheduled to offer invocations at City Council meetings.
They also acknowledged the city's prayer policy was authored by Vice Mayor Ron Smith, not City Attorney David McEwen.It appears the city is not too interested in what it's lawyers think. Actually, Mayor Paris has stated publicly that he knows all about church-state separation issues and he is sure he will prevail in court. Never mind that even though he is a lawyer, he is an ambulance chaser and not a constitutional lawyer. I guess the Dunning-Kruger effect happens in the law profession as well.
The acknowledgments were part of testimony elicited by Roger Jon Diamond, an attorney representing two women who have sued Lancaster over its policy on invocational prayers.
The city's policy, adopted in August 2009, asserts intent to provide equal opportunity for representatives of all faiths to say prayers calling for divine guidance for the council at the beginning of its public meetings.Really, all faiths are treated equally? The evidence and testimony shows that this is not true.
A decision on whether U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fischer will issue an injunction barring the city from allowing such prayers or, in the alternative, will issue a declaration stating at least one of those prayers was unconstitutional is pending.Why does the city council need to have public prayers before their meeting? Don't theyget enough in their places of worship? I have always thought that public piety is a show of insecurity. If you need to be reminded constantly of what you believe in, then your beliefs must be very fragile to begin with.
The policy was the City Council's response to an April 2009 demand by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California that Lancaster officials put a stop to prayers being routinely offered in the name of Jesus Christ.
The lawsuit's plaintiffs, Shelley Rubin of Los Angeles and Maureen Feller of Lancaster, are seeking an injunction requiring the city to end its practice of allowing ministers and other church representatives from naming specific deities such as Jesus Christ when offering prayers at the beginning of government meetings.
If they fail to obtain an injunction, the plaintiffs are asking Judge Fischer to at least issue a declaratory judgment stating that an April 2010 invocation given by Bishop Henry Hearns was in violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the California constitution.
In his prayer, Hearns closed with, "In the precious, holy and righteous and matchless name of Jesus, I pray this prayer. Amen and amen."
The bishop's recitation of the prayer was displayed on a screen in Fischer's courtroom along with other invocations offered at Lancaster meetings.In a previous post, I covered the Mayor's mingling of his religion with city business. He was caught using public money to pay for the meeting with local church leaders. He was caught lying about it, and had to reimburse the city out of his own pocket.
Diamond told Fischer the city's prayer policy is a smokescreen meant to obscure its efforts to promulgate Christianity.
"Basically, the city is pushing an agenda of aligning itself with Christianity," Diamond said, pointing to a January 2010 address where Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris told a group of Christian ministers, "We're growing a Christian community, and don't let anybody shy away from that."
Even if the city is not taking a pro-Christian stance intentionally, it is failing to adhere to its own policy concerning how and when people are permitted to offer such prayers, he said.Another case of Lancaster Baptist Church running the city council. They get first dibs on the city's invocation, in direct contrast to the city's official policy of a random choice of religious leader.
Under questioning by Diamond, City Clerk Geri Bryan acknowledged that her written declaration that the city's policy had been unerringly followed was incorrect.
Instead of selecting a person at random to give the first invocation after city voters approved a referendum in support of the council's policy, Bryan said she invited Hearns to lead the prayer at the suggestion of Paul Chappell, pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church.
Chappell was supposed to give the April 27 invocation but ultimately could not, so Chappell asked that she invite Hearns to give a prayer in his stead, Bryan testified.
When asked how a Los Angeles-based member of the Sikh religion council came to offer the first invocation after the filing of the lawsuit against the city, Bryan said she was asked by City Manager Mark Bozigian to find a Jew, Muslim or Sikh to offer the prayer.Yeah, when pressed, the city needed to look for "some Jew, Muslim, or Sikh"as a token minority when it became obvious that the invocations were given only by Christians..
When asked if that move was contradictory to the city's prayer policy, Bryan said, "It is."
She found the Sikh minister through a contact provided by a member of the city's Planning Commission, she said.
When called as a witness, Parris said his use of the word "We" in the phrase "We're growing a Christian community" was intended to refer to efforts by himself and the ministers present at the January 2010 address and not to efforts by himself and others at City Hall.I guess it's not now since the Mayor was caught red handed paying for the meeting with city money and had to pay it back once the truth came out.
Parris also said the comment was made "at a private meeting with the ministerial association that I paid for."
Supporting the growth of a Christian community "is not an official city position," Parris said.
The comment was made at a time "when Muslims were threatening one of our councilwomen," the mayor said.Muslims threatening the council woman? As I recall, she was posting highly inflammatory comments on Facebook and was slammed back by the Muslim community. I guess she could dish it out but couldn't take it.
Arguing for the city, attorney Alison Burns said previous federal cases have determined that prayers at the beginning of government meetings are constitutional.So the city council should not be accountable for not following city policy?
Burns also said that as long as persons giving the prayers neither exploit the opportunity in an attempt to convert others nor disparage the faith or beliefs of others, the city cannot impose prior restraints on the language of those praying.
"The city has and is complying with the policy," Burns said. "The policy is now being followed to the letter."
Past errors should not be used as a basis for issuing an injunction against the rule, she said.
Instead, the city should be, at most, directed by the court to follow the rule, Burns said.
"If any (past) invocation did not follow (the city's) policy, it should not form a future restriction on the city of Lancaster," she said.
The city can ask those who offer invocations to adhere to its policy, but it cannot retract the words of those who fail to do so, Burns said.Then perhaps they should have followed official city policy to stay out of trouble. This is what happens when they ignore the city's attorney.
Diamond said the city's policy of allowing numerous prayer-givers the chance to possibly offend listeners of different religions was not a defense.Hopefully, the judge will throw out Lancaster City council prayers. The city council behaved exactly like I predicted they would act. The whole selecting random religious leaders was a smokescreen and was deliberately ignored, so that the city council's favorite church, the huge mega church compound Lancaster Baptist, could continue to give the invocation. Lancaster Baptist Church is very active in Lancaster politics and giving the invocation week after week is a reminder to the city council of their political clout in Lancaster.
"This is not an isolated slip-up. They have a history of this sort of conduct over a long period of time," Diamond said. "The practice and custom in Lancaster is to violate the establishment (of religion) clause."
Diamond asked Fischer to provide the same ruling that was issued in a state-court case he won against the city of Burbank when it was allowing sectarian prayers in the name of Jesus Christ.
Fischer told Diamond she was not bound to follow decisions reached in state courts, including the one against Burbank.
"There is no (previous federal) case exactly on point" that serves as a precedent for the Lancaster lawsuit, "so we are swimming in new waters here," Diamond told Fischer. "It will be up to the court" to set the precedent, he said.
The judge agreed, noting that a precedent "would make my job easier."
"I will do the best I can," she said, noting that she had a prior matter on which to rule before turning her attention to Rubin v. Lancaster.


text:
If you're flying to the 2011 AIA National Convention, choose a window seat. As you approach New Orleans, look out at the land below. From the air, the landscape resembles the circulatory system of a living creature.
Of course that's the point: It is a living system—a dynamic ebb and flow of nutrients and life. If you can for a moment edit out all traces of human intervention, the equilibrium struck among the competing forces of water, land, and air in a system that stretches to the horizon is astonishing.
So is the beauty of a landscape laid down layer by layer since the last ice age. Even this high up, you can sense the pulse of life below.
The moment passes. Your eye now catches the straight lines of canals cut through the tissue of fragile wetlands; the refineries that choke the banks of the river; the gray sprawl of uncontrolled suburban development that covers what was once fertile land. If you had access to time-lapse photography, you'd see the Gulf of Mexico eating away at the grassy marshes that for centuries absorbed the storms that hurl themselves at these shores. It's a system under stress.
Here in the Mississippi Delta, where a sustainable balance of the region's abundance of natural resources is so delicate, the footprint of piecemeal exploitation is especially heavy. Here the lack of a comprehensive vision of how the cities, villages, woodlands, farms, and open land can reinforce rather than compete with one another has locked the region in a zero-sum game in which the gain of one constituency is purchased at the cost of another.
If the story is familiar and the consequences of exhausting the abundance we inherited predictable, why is it so difficult to change course? The evidence of our own eyes—whether it's gridlock or the increasing occurrence of 100-year floods—should be enough to throw down a penalty flag on our play. Could our inability as a society to take meaningful collective action be less a failure of will or leadership than the way we talk about the threat?
One approach that does not work is scare tactics. Whether it's scenes from the aftermath of Katrina or recent footage of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated communities in Japan, scaring people into doing the right thing seldom leads to positive long-term change, especially if a change in direction appears to entail sacrifice.
What's called for is a vision—a way of looking at possibilities that energizes the public and invites its enthusiastic participation. Change is not the offspring of despair; the necessary precondition of meaningful change is hope.
What inspires me as an architect, what gets me out of bed every morning, is the belief that we are at one of those rare tipping points in history where the core competency of our profession—design—can make a difference in how our great-grandchildren tell their children the story of the 21st century. Where others would have us fear for our children, architects instead offer hope.
Like passengers on a plane, design lifts us and those we serve beyond what has been a zero-sum game to a place where we can see the interconnectedness of people and place. Rivers are not patches of moving water; they are highways that sustain and carry life. Cities are not mere aggregations of buildings; they are the creative nodes of a region that make efficient use of energy and celebrate diversity.
Towns are not shapeless developments that compete for tax dollars, but vibrant compact communities that support and in turn are supported by the city. Open spaces are not merely land waiting to be developed, but the lungs and breadbasket of a region. If there is any one lesson that can and must be learned from natural disasters, it's how we are connected to the land and the land is connected to us.
The hope inspired by design offers a comprehensive vision for a future not of more or less, but of better. Exploring the shape of such a vision is the agenda of the 2011 AIA National Convention, "Regional Design Revolution: Ecology Matters." The goal? For architects to take the lessons of New Orleans back home to be leaders of their own design revolution.
Clark D. Manus, FAIA, 2011 President


text:
HT4100 4.1, 4.5, 4.9 Discussion, 4.9 performance in Cadillac Engine Discussion; Has any one here done any kinds of updates to the 4.9 motor for more performance? I'm going to put ...
- 09-24-03 10:00 PM #1Cadillac Owners Member
- Automobile(s): 1993 Sixty Special
- Join Date
- Sep 2003
- Location
- Pittsburgh, Pa
- Age
- 35
- Posts
- 44
4.9 performance
Has any one here done any kinds of updates to the 4.9 motor for more performance? I'm going to put a K&N in but is there any other little tricks that can be done.
Re: 4.9 performance
reprogrammed chip - if i remember right, they add 15Hp...
I have the K&N air filter i.....$60 had to be specail order.....next will be the $160 Fast Chip, after that, your on your own, and gotta be creative, I know really sucks.....
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by Night Wolf
Well, a buddy of mine wants to put a supercharger on it.
Re: 4.9 performance
IF YOU GUYS WANT A SERIOUS PERFORMANCE UPGRADE YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT ASG HERE http://www.angelfire.com/stars/mycaddy/asg.htm THEY BASICALLY TAKE A 4.9 BUMP IT UP TO 5.0 AND A FEW OTHER PERFORMANCE INTERNALS AND THE END RESULT IS 285 HORSE @ 5000 RPM AND HERES THE BEST PART :::: 321 LB-FT TORQUE @ 4000RPM THE PRICE IS A B*TCH , PROBABLY MORE THAN YA PAID FOR THE CAR LOL BUT TAKE A LOOK
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by caddypimp93
give me that much money, and I'll be sure to get an exra 100hp out of a 4.9 too....
Plus, Cadillac 4.9 sounds better then Cadillac 5.0.... there are too many 5.0's aorund, and most people think of the Ford 302 when you say it...
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by Night Wolf
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by Night Wolf
I wasn't talking out of my ass!
Re: 4.9 performance
For several hundred bucks stick a 125 NOS shot on it. Cheap, easy and effective and it doesn't hurt the motor...unless you use it....LOL
Instead of spending money on a "chip" find a timing light, go into the "set timing mode" and bump the distributor reference setting (the "timing" of the distributor) up 3 or 4 degrees. Set it at 14 instead of the factory 10 degrees. That is the only thing any chip can do...and it is free. The factory "chip" has the correct fueling for power in the 4.9....but the spark cal is a little conservative because the 4.9 does not have a knock sensor to protect the motor from detonation. Set the timing up and use good gas and you can pick up some free HP with the 4.9. Hint...that is why the aftermarket "chip" says you HAVE to use premium....LOL.....they just bump the timing up in the chip....and charge you $$$$$. No mystery there.
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by bbobOriginally Posted by bbob
Re: 4.9 performance
I too was thinking of a chip but what about the firmer transmission shifts that they claim too?
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by Msilva954
Depends on the model year of car but , unless it is an electronically controlled trans, there is no way the chip can do that. With the electronically controlled trans the chip could firm up the shifts a bit...but....the production controller will compensate to some extent for HP gains that tend to run the shifts longer...it looks at the shift time required and adjusts line pressure to firm up the shifts.
Yea, unfortunately, the only way to get the speed limiter removed is with an aftermarket chip.
You can get the engine performance gains for free but if you really want to race top end you'll have to get the speed limiter removed another way.
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by 99Zee28
:rolleyes2 :rolleyes2 :rolleyes2
That is a seperate company that reworks the Cadillac 4.9....
Nobody EVER said they were gonna spend $10k on the 4.9 and make it a race car :rolleyes2
A family friend owns a machine shop, if I REALLY wanted to, for a couple grand I oculd have him rework the entire engine, to a valve job, port and polish, among many other things, and that would get alot of extra power.... then another family friend owns a tranny shop, and for $150 I can have a shift kit installed as well as a fluid/filter change, and cange the FDR from the 2.73 it is now, to 3.11 or so, as well as beef up the tranny over all for less then $600 I could get a high-flow cat and bigger piping, rework the whole exhaust system, Then I could work on freeing up the air intake setup, re-route the duct work for that, get more air into the engine, that woudln't be too much money, just alot of time getting custom stuff done, Then I would get an MSD ignition system, I would bump the timing up, use high performance parts where ever possible, get some Z rated tires, few other things etc...
...all said and done I would have spent $5k (not $10k like you claim) and be in the low-mid 14's (not low to mid 15's like you say)
^ Now you are gonna be like, "hahahahaha, $5k to get your Cadillac to run a low 14 in the 1/4 my Camaro runs that stock" <--- that isn't the point, my Cadillac also has many, many qualities a Camaro will never have.... the point is, with the correct connections, and knowladge you CAN get power from it and make it fast....
....then there is the question... would *I* personally spend $5k to get my 1993 Coupe DeVille to run...say a 14.5 or similar?
... I would simply save up another $3k, buy a nice '98+ STS that has everything I want, and enjoy that... it is a low 14-second car from the factory, and can handle higher speed and more power better then the older DeVille....
Anyway, you talk about spending $10k to be in the low-mid 15's..... my car is already a high 15s car... I don't see how I would have to spend $10,000 to shave off 6 tenths of my 1/4 mile time :rolleyes2
Just for the count, I have nothing against Camaros, infact I really like them (SS, Z28 etc...) but I would NOT want one as a daily driver, for many reasons... I have a Cadillac DeVille... live with it....
For the ultimate Cadillac hot-rodding, check this out (something I would like to do one day with my mothers car once she gets a newer one:
IIRC he spent $10-$12k on that, and runs low 12's (?) in a big body Fleetwood, 4600lbs, almost 20 feet long.... hell yeah..... I'd like to see you tell the guy that he was stupid for modding a Cadillac (even used a Cadillac engine, which you said you can't get big power form a Cadillac engine) He is on this ofrum, is user name is Ultra_Slow
IMO if I had $15k to spend on a fast car, I would MUCH rather get the big body RWD Fleetwood/Brougham and dump a 500 in that, and have a very, very uniqe (and fast) car, then buy a Mustang or a Camaro and be just like everyone else....
Re: 4.9 performanceOriginally Posted by Night Wolf
Porting and polishing your heads isn't going to do much but waste your money if you don't get a cam/intake/headers to get the extra airflow in and out. You can port and polish your heads till the cows come home but if you want to see a difference you're going to need everything else to accomidate it before it would actually be beneficial. I can only imagine how restrictive those exhaust manifolds are. Actually, if you were to do it, the proper thing to do is get a cam and then work the heads around the cam.
You also don't need a shift kit on your Caddy. I had my tranny re-programmed with a program called LS1 Edit for Camaros/TA's and Vettes. You can totally adjust the firmness of the shifts, when it shifts, etc. I'm sure you can probably get something like this done. My trans shifted so hard after the settings were changed I could burn out when it shifted into 2nd gear, worse than if it were a M6.
Oh, and LS1 Camaro's don't run low 14's stock, they run low 13's.
That guy with the hot rodded Caddy runs High 12's not Low 12's, plus he has never even been to the track so his estimates with the G-tech might be false. He is also a different story than you! A 500CI engine is no laughing matter, you can make that into a monster, something you cannot do with a 4.9. Plus (I may be wrong) but I'm sure there are tons of performance parts out there for the 500CI that are also used in other big blocks. If I'm not mistaken lot of the older stuff was universal. Also, the car is RWD which helps out greatly in the traction department.
But again, because of the weight it's slowing him down. My buddy has a 70 Chevelle which he just put a 502 in. He's making 750HP naturally aspirated and 1000HP on spray. He should be in the high 9's.
Another thing to point out. Lets say you get a chip. Then you do your heads, now you need another chip burned. Then later you do a gear, then you need another chip burned. Almost everything you do effects the computer, and if not programmed to accomidate the mod, your car will not maximize power or run correctly. OBD I may not be as sensitive to mods as OBD II, I don't know, but I know whenever I had something done to my Camaro the computer always needed to be reprogrammed.
Re: 4.9 performance
Not again..lol..
Lets just open the old thread again.


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When you book one of our Kerry cottages, expect sublime scenery and outdoor adventures. Throw in a good sprinkling of visitor attractions, plus fantastic food and drink. What more could you want?
Outdoor fun for everyone in County Kerry!
With outstanding natural landscapes all around, Kerry's 'great outdoors' awaits! Explore the Killarney National Park with its craggy peaks and tranquil lakes. Walk the Beara Way. Find your sea legs and head off-shore in search of dolphins riding the waves. Or jump in and join them and learn how to surf. If your idea of heaven is a relaxing day with a rod, our Kerry rentals are all close to some kind of fishing (deep-sea, shore, coarse, game), while golfers will find top-class courses - just remember to pre-book tee-off times.
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If time is short, simple pootle around Kerry by car - highlights include the Ring of Kerry, the Ring of Beara or the Dingle Peninsula. Other places of interest include Ross Castle, an imposing fortress on Lough Leanne, the Blasket Heritage Centre at the tip of the Dingle and Crag Cave, thought to be one million years old!
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Special Report falsely suggested Fannie and Freddie chief perpetrators of "financial mess," Rep. Frank opposed stricter oversight
Research ››› ››› JEREMY HOLDEN
Fox News host Brit Hume and correspondent Bret Baier suggested that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were heavily involved in the subprime mortgage market "years ago," and falsely suggested that Rep. Barney Frank has opposed stricter regulation of Fannie and Freddie. Neither Hume nor Baier noted that Fannie and Freddie were not active in the subprime market in 2003, or that Frank has supported and authored bills to strengthen oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
During the September 24 edition of Fox News' Special Report, host Brit Hume said, "Many financial analysts are saying that if mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been effectively regulated years ago, the supercharged subprime mortgage meltdown that led to the current financial mess would either never have happened or would have been nowhere near as severe." Purporting to, "examine the timeline. What were those warning signs? Who raised them? And who disputed them?" chief White House correspondent Bret Baier then falsely suggested that Rep. Barney Frank opposed stricter oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Baier aired two comments Frank made in 2003 expressing confidence in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and asserted that oversight legislation "was blocked," while omitting entirely any mention of Frank's support for a bill in 2005 and, as chair of the committee, his spearheading legislation in 2007 to strengthen oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Contrary to Hume's suggestion that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are largely responsible for the "current financial mess," economist Dean Baker recently reported that the accusation that "the financial crisis is attributable to the close government relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac" is "obviously not true." He wrote: "Fannie and Freddie got into subprime junk and helped fuel the housing bubble, but they were trailing the irrational exuberance of the private sector. They lost market share in the years 2002-2007, as the volume of private issue mortgage backed securities exploded."
Indeed, in a 2006 Securities and Exchange Commission filing covering its activities in 2004, Fannie Mae stated (report available here): "We did not participate in large amounts of these non-traditional mortgages in 2004 and 2005." In the report, Fannie Mae also noted the growth of subprime lending and reported, "These trends and our decision not to participate in large amounts of these non-traditional mortgages contributed to a significant loss in our share of new single-family mortgage-related securities issuances to private-label issuers during this period." In a 2006 Federal Reserve analysis, Souphala Chomsisengphet, a financial economist at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Anthony Pennington-Cross, a senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, reported that the value of the subprime market had increased from $65 billion in 1995 originations to $332 billion in 2003.
Moreover, Baier and Hume completely omitted any mention of Frank's efforts in passing legislation providing greater oversight of Fannie and Freddie. In 2005, Frank, then the ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, worked with committee chairman Rep. Michael Oxley (R-OH) on the Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2005, which would have established the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to oversee the activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. After voting for the bill in committee, Frank voted against final passage of the bill on the House floor, stating that he was doing so because an amendment to the bill on the House floor imposed certain restrictions on the kinds of nonprofit organizations that could receive funding under the bill.
Frank also said during the House's debate on the bill:
The committee voted on this bill. It is contentious as anything I would write, as anybody would write. It is a good bill which sets up a world-class regulator. Much of what has been said on that side I agree with. Then the Republican Study Committee, the most conservative Members of the House who appear to be able to run the House by using their influence with the majority leadership, an influence which does not seem to have changed since the majority leadership changed, they were able to take this bill hostage.
They tried to kill this whole thing. Members on their side now say, we are for doing this affordable housing. Well, then why did they try to kill it? There was an amendment to kill the whole affordable housing fund, not restricted. It lost 53 to 17, and so then they went to the majority leader and said we cannot win a fair fight. Hijack the bill.
In early 2007, as Media Matters for America previously documented, as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Frank sponsored H.R. 1427, a bill to create the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), granting that agency "general supervisory and regulatory authority over" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and directing it to reform the two companies' business practices and regulate their exposure to credit and market risk. Among other things, Frank's legislation, titled the "Federal Housing Finance Reform Act of 2007," directed the FHFA director to "ensure" that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac "operate[] in a safe and sound manner, including maintenance of adequate capital and internal controls" and to establish standards at those two entities for "management of credit and counterparty risk" and "management of market risk."
The legislation also required the FHFA director to "establish standards by which the portfolio holdings, or rate of growth of the portfolio holdings, of the enterprises will be deemed to be consistent with the mission and the safe and sound operations of the enterprises." In addition, it authorized the director to "require" a regulated entity "to dispose of or acquire any asset, if the Director determines that such action is consistent with the purposes of this Act or any of the authorizing statutes." In May 2007, the House passed H.R. 1427. The Senate did not act on the legislation.
The FHFA was eventually created after Congress incorporated provisions that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said were "similar" to those of H.R. 1427 into the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which the president signed into law on July 30.
From the September 24 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:
BRIT HUME (host): Many financial analysts are saying that if mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been effectively regulated years ago, the supercharged subprime mortgage meltdown that led to the current financial mess would either never have happened or would have been nowhere near as severe.
Chief White House correspondent Bret Baier rejoins us now to examine the timeline. What were those warning signs? Who raised them? And who disputed them?
[begin video clip]
BAIER: The Bush administration raised red flags starting in April 2001. The '02 budget request declares that the size of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is, quote, "a potential problem" because financial trouble and either one of them could, quote, "cause strong repercussions in financial markets."
In 2003, the White House warning about Fannie and Freddie was upgraded to a systemic risk that could spread beyond just the housing sector. In fall of '03, the Bush administration was pushing Congress hard to create a new federal agency to regulate and supervise Fannie and Freddie, both government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs.
JOHN SNOW (former Treasury secretary): We need a strong, world-class regulatory agency to oversee the prudential operations of the GSEs and the safety and the soundness of their financial activities.
BAIER: But then-Treasury Secretary Snow was getting a lot of pushback from then-ranking member, now chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Democratic Congressman Barney Frank.
FRANK: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not in a crisis.
BAIER: In fact, Frank said the federal government should be encouraging Fannie and Freddie to do more to get low-income families into homes, and he believed too many people had a "sky is falling" mentality.
FRANK: The more people, in my judgment, exaggerate a threat of safety and soundness, the more people conjure up the possibility of serious financial losses to the Treasury, which I do not see. I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially and withstand some of the disaster scenarios. And even if there were a problem, the federal government doesn't bail them out. But the more pressure there is there, then the less I think we see in terms of affordable housing.
BAIER: The legislation was blocked. In 2005, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan added his voice on Fannie and Freddie, after Fannie leaders admitted major accounting screwups. Quote, "Enabling these institutions to increase in size -- and they will once the crisis in their judgment passes -- we are placing the total financial system of the future at a substantial risk."
Adding later at another hearing on the topic --
GREENSPAN: If we fail to strengthen GSE regulation, we increase the possibility of insolvency in crisis.
BAIER: But the two mortgage giants had staunch defenders. Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said, quote, "I think Fannie and Freddie over the years have done an incredibly good job and are an intrinsic part of making America the best-housed people in the world. If you look over the last 20 or whatever years, they've done a very, very good job."
Senator John McCain co-sponsored legislation pushing for regulation, delivering a speech on the Senate floor in 2006. Quote, "For years I have been concerned about the regulatory structure that governs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And the sheer magnitude of these companies and the role they play in the housing market, the GSEs need to be reformed without delay."
[end video clip]
BAIER: That bill made it out of the Senate Banking committee with a party-line vote. All of the Democrats voted against it. But fearing that they didn't have the votes to pass it, Republicans didn't even bring it up on the Senate floor. Senator Obama did not weigh in on that bill. Brit.
HUME: All right, Bret. Thank you very much.
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Laws, Regulations & Annotations
Property Taxes Law Guide – Revision 2011
Revenue and Taxation Code
Property Taxation
Part 2. Assessment
CHAPTER 1. Taxation Base
Article 1. Taxable and Exempt Property
Section 214.01
214.01. Welfare exemption; irrevocable dedication. (a) For the purpose of Section 214, property shall be deemed irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable, scientific, or hospital purposes only if a statement of irrevocable dedication to only these purposes is found in the articles of incorporation of the corporation, or in the case of any other fund or foundation, limited liability company, or corporation chartered by an act of Congress, in the bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution, or regulations thereof, as determined by the State Board of Equalization.
(b) If, when performing the duties specified by Section 254.6, the board finds that an applicant for the welfare exemption is ineligible for an organizational clearance certificate, because at the time of the filing of the claim required by Section 254.6, the applicant's articles of incorporation, or in the case of any noncorporate fund or foundation, its bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution or regulations, did not comply with the provisions of this section, the board shall notify the applicant in writing. The applicant shall have until the next succeeding lien date to amend its articles of incorporation, or in the case of any noncorporate fund or foundation, its bylaws, articles of association, articles of organization, constitution or regulations, and to file a certified copy of these amendments that conform to the provisions of this section with the board, and the board shall make a finding that the applicant, if otherwise qualified, is eligible for an organizational clearance certificate and forward that finding to the assessor.
(c) The amendments made by the act adding this subdivision shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on and after January 1, 2005.
History.—Added by Stats. 1966, p. 656 (First Extra Session), in effect October 6, 1966. Stats. 1967, p. 1311, operative March 1, 1968, added "or corporation chartered by an act of Congress" and "as determined by the State Board of Equalization" to first paragraph and added last paragraph. Stats. 1969, p. 264, in effect May 27, 1969, substituted "until the next succeeding lien date" for "six months from the date of the mailing of such notice" and revised, without substantive change, the second and third sentences, of the second paragraph. Stats. 2003, Ch. 471 (SB 1062), in effect January 1, 2004, added the subdivision letter designations; substituted "Section 254.6" for "Section 254.5" after "duties specified by", substituted "for an organizational clearance certificate" for "therefor" after "exemption is ineligible", substituted "claim" for "affidavit" after "filing of the", and substituted "Section 254.6" for "Section 254.5" after "required by" in the first sentence, and substituted "these" for "such" after "certified copy of", and substituted "an organizational clearance certificate and forward that" for "the welfare exemption and forward such" after "is eligible for" in the second sentence of subdivision (b). Stats. 2004, Ch. 354 (AB 3073), in effect August 30, 2004, added "limited liability company," after "fund or foundation" and added "articles of organization," after "articles of association," in the first sentence of subdivision (a); added "articles of organization," after "articles of association," in the first and second sentences of subdivision (b); and added subdivision (c).


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
My wife won't even take the helm in open water for a minute, never mind handle a line. Something about her nails.
Originally Posted by arbarnhart
America's "real" Cup or at least, it appears, the one America will be hoisting today:
and if you have too many of these, you will see double...
Yeah, me too.
The only rope burns my wife is likely to encounter are the ones on my wrists and ankles. Oops, gotta go now, she's cracking, 'er, she's calling, i mean.-bye
waaaaiiiiiittttt a minute...
you mean to tell me your SPOUSE HELPS YOU?????
nawww, can't be, you're kiddin' right?
wait till TheCuban hears about this!
JK...The lasso thing takes a lot of practice..not much good at it myself. Dock guys play with ropes all day and I've even seen some "lasso" a cleat and tie a figure 8 knot on it one handed! ....But you CAN learn to throw a line over a piling (not a loop...the line) pretty easily IF you rig LONG lines that are capable of RETURNING to your boat from the piling. Then when you leave...you just loosen one end on your boat and pull in the line.
The trick for throwing the line over he piling is to split the coiled line into TWO sections with one section in each hand. Throw the coil in one hand at a spot OVER and BEYOND th piling and as you toss, open the palm of your other hand so the line can play out easily.
Finally... if you do use a loop...have a nice long boat hook handy and use that to place the loop on the piling. Once you have one piling done...leave the line VERY long on the cleat and use the boat hook to push off the 1st piling and drift the boat over to the other piling where you can put the other loop on. Only once you have both loops on should you adjust the lines on deck. In most slips with rear poles to tie to...you will NEED a line from ONE pole to the mid-ship cleat on your boat to preven the boa from going further forward into the slip and hitting the front of the dock. This will need to be a very long line and it is a pain rigging it one the stern is all tied off...so be prepared with three lines to begin with and rig them all at once!
Hope that helps a bit. The key is having the right tools...long lines and long boat hooks! If HE can afford a chartplotter he can afford to make YOUR job easy and safe!! Never jump off the boat if it is moving...it is the captains job to put her in the slip without risking your safety. Fiberglass repair guys are still slightly cheaper than surgeons!
4. "Don't yell at your wife. Sorry guys but too often I see a lady who clearly does not know what she is doing...trying to lasso a piling or hold a boat"
I was thrilled to see the above post. I am one of those women who clearly does not now what she is doing when it comes to those lasso's. Most times, I just have to jump off onto the dock and there are cleats waiting for me. We recently visited a marina were there were a few young men waiting for our arrival. They grabbed the lines that I tossed and they did an interesting cowboy-lasso move, that resulted in the lines lassoed around the piling. This technical is unfamiliar to both my husband and myself. The highlight came, when it was time to leave and we had our boat attached to four pilings with no help in sight. We ended up pulling away with our lines still attached to the pilings and the other end in the water.
I would be very grateful if you could share the secrets of this technique, especially the secret to getting the lines off the piling with me not falling in the water.
Thanks in advance,
|Well said Cam. One other point, as breast cleat or mid-ship cleat is a damn handy thing to have on any boat.
Jas...brings up a good point. Working the docks here I have seen it all and sometimes you can see it unfolding in slow motion in your mind before it actually happens. (G)
Since we're on the topic of docking I'll hijack this a bit and make some comments abut coming into a dock in a marina as a TRANSIENT.
1. Ask the dockmaster WELL in advance what the tieup will be and carry lines of sufficient length to tie yourself intro any slip. It is difficult to tie up a 27 foot boat in a 4 point tie in a 40 foot slip with 8 foot docklines!!
2. Rig the lines (and fenders) BEFORE you enter the marina.
3. If the dockhand tells you to do something...don't play "captain". He's docked 1000's of boats in those slips and is aware of tide, current and wind. Chances are you'll be better off if you listen. YES...there are LOADS of know nothings on docks that will do nothing except what you tell them to do (if that)...but when someone TELLS you to do something...chances are they know what they are doing.
4. Don't yell at your wife. Sorry guys but too often I see a lady who clearly does not know what she is doing...trying to lasso a piling or hold a boat from crashing into the dock....and a guy at the wheel who can't control the boat yelling at her. Always says more about the captain than the mate IMHO. Docking is the toughest part of handling any boat...mistakes will be made by all. No need to assign blame in public. You won't be getting any tonite if you do!! (G)
I've always felt that watching others dock their boats has a similar entertainment value to sitting in the clubhouse bar watching golfers approach the 18th green. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you murmur "Well done!"
Sometimes you just cringe.
|I didn't think of the Super Bowl comparison. I read it in an article about kegs being sold for scrap; people leaving a $10 deposit and then finding out it is worth 4 or 5 times that at a scrap yard. It was mentioned in that article; one reason for the industry pushing that story out now was because so many kegs would be disappearing on the 4th. Just as an aside, what they mentioned in that story is that forfeiting the deposit does not make the keg yours; it is still illegal to sell it. Anyway, that is what I read, but I am now venturing into guesswork of my own - Super Bowl parties run about 6 hours, don't have quite the broad spectrum appeal, the party goers aren't out in the hot sun and there is a lot of wine and mixed drinks at Bowl parties that aren't as legally portable as beer. By legally portable, I mean in most states you can't carry open containers like a corked wine bottle or a liquor bottle with the seal broken. Getting a cold one out of the cooler is just more of a Summer thing. But that last bit is guesses.
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Posted by Nigel Fenwick on January 30, 2012
It's time to re-think the report card used by CIOs to report on BT performance – tomorrow's BT CIOs must look beyond the traditional IT Balanced Scorecard (BSC).
I realize this is sacred ground for many people in IT (and some of my colleagues here at Forrester), so let me explain myself before I receive a barrage of complaints. The philosophy behind Business Technology (BT) recognizes technology as integral to every facet of every organization – as such, IT is very much an integral part of the business; we can no longer talk about "business" and "IT" as if referring to two distinct things. I'm suggesting that in the age of BT, we need a new scorecard that better reflects the impact of BT on the business.
A great deal has been written and published on the Balanced Scorecard, including many great pieces of research by my colleague Craig Symons, such as his recent report "The IT Balanced Scorecard: Customer/Partner Metrics Revisited." I'm not suggesting we throw this out by any means – CIOs absolutely need to use a balanced scorecard to run an efficient and effective BT operation (see fig 1).


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Forums Home » Dogs and a Clean Home
Shedding.... how do you deal with it?This forum is for discussing all topics related to the challenges (and joys!) of keeping your house clean while living with dogs. Here you can share tips, recommendations for products and techniques, and more!
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|by Christina Escobar
|Date Added: Friday 25 October, 2013
The product was great and it came on time. The laces were the color we wanted and they are very durable. We bought them for our football team to wear in honor of breast cancer awareness month
|by lauren
|Date Added: Wednesday 12 October, 2011
Purchased pink shoelaces for my son's soccer team. It was my son's idea to do a fund raiser for Breast Cancer research. I would purchase and donate the shoe laces and he would ask for a donation from teammates to wear the shoelaces.The shoelaces shipped immediately- and arrived in 2 days. Which was 2 days sooner than the anticipated delivery date. They were of good quality and an excellent price.The fund raiser was also a great success.
|by Busy mom to 2 boys
|Date Added: Monday 10 October, 2011
I bought these for my son's football team to wear during the month of October for Breast Cancer Awareness. This was a cost effective way to buy in bulk without sacraficing quality. I'm very pleased with the product.
|Items 1 - 3 of 3 reviews


text: Santorini Color Wheel Scarf Style: 570067994 Out of Stock Love it? Everyone else did too. This item sold out! Use our search tool, chat online or call 1.888.855.4986 to find something equally desirable. The spotlight-worthy scarf with a retro-inspired kaleidoscope print. Measurements: 18" by 72". 91% rayon, 9% silk. Machine wash. Imported. Read More… Share on Facebook Tweet Pin


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Nope. Weather didn't look too good for an air show this morning. Been to many, many air shows over the years. I usually just go to Wings Over Wayne at Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro.
Just wondering if anyone will be heading out for this this weekend? I'll be there sometime tomorrow. Looking forward to it, never been to an air show before.
Nope. Weather didn't look too good for an air show this morning. Been to many, many air shows over the years. I usually just go to Wings Over Wayne at Seymour Johnson in Goldsboro.
I haven't been in a few years but they are a blast to me anyway. If the AF Thunderbirds or the Navy Blue Angels are there you will be amazed at what they can do. Their the best in the world. Have fun and enjoy.
SuckLead: Ma'am; take a blanket to use no, not for a nap
find the right spot, and you can lay on the ground and look up at the sights.
had flights in and out of there before your parents thought of you.
Was at Pope [outside] couple weeks ago; brought memory's back; Use blanket well
Take Pictures; and POST THEM
My brother just got back from working the 4 days of the "Gathering Of Warbirds" in Ohio. He's an airplane nut and mechanic.
Bring the blanket, sunglasses, binoculars, and your ear protection.
I gave him some ear muffs for when working around those planes, and he likes them. Even though they have "S&W' on them.
Got lots of pictures, but will also be posting up links to video I shot that I am currently uploading. I think only one is over two minutes, the rest are only a few seconds a piece as my camera isn't strong enough to keep the planes in view when they get to certain heights.
Didn't stop moving the entire day. Too much stuff to look at on the ground and too much in the sky, too. I managed to get pictures of just about every plane on the ground. LOL! I'll be posting pictures and video later on tonight.
Regardless of the amount of sunblock I wore, I still came home with a bad sunburn on my face and chest. Not in pain yet, but I'm sure I will be in the morning.
SuckLead: Ma'am; where can we find your pictures of the Air Show
She posted a thread with links in "the sound off room"where can we find your pictures of the Air Show
USAF Thunderbirds Air Show
Yep, fallow the link Bruce posted. I wanted to post them there because I know not a lot of people outside NC check in here and I wanted to share.


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I seem to be having vacuum issues on my 2003 Audi A4 1.8T Tiptronic(AMB motor). To get to the chase Ill state what I think is wrong and the symptoms/testing Ive done; then Ill list everything else Ive done. Its important to note that this is ***NOT*** a vacuum leak (as in hoses or intake/TB gaskets etc etc). I am also not having any misses or anything of the sort. I am on a stock tune, no chip. The car otherwise runs great and pulls hard. I've been working on turbo cars since I was 17 (1996) and am very familiar around cars.
My vacuum is the following:
In park: 19-20in/hg
In park with AC: 15-16 in/hg
In Drive: 15-16 in/hg
In drive with AC: 11-13in/hg (sometimes 14).
I also notice that my fuel economy at a stop seems to be pretty crappy. Highway driving will net about 25-32mpg, depending on how heavy my foot is that day. The car still has power and runs great, but I notice issues at idle, no one else notices anything wrong. I love this car but this vacuum at idle issue is just driving me up the wall especially with gas prices these days city driving does not have ideal fuel economy, but not absolutely horrible (20mpg on average.. 24mpg if I grandma it around).
I do not have any issues with boost. It comes on good and strong. No boost leaks.
Ive done a compression test a few times without adding oil and once with adding oil, results:
Without Oil (with oil in parenthesis):
Cylinder 1: 170-175 (210)
Cylinder 2: 145-150 (210)
Cylinder 3: 175-180 (210)
Cylinder 4: 175-180 (210-240, not sure why this one got up so high).
I do not have a leakdown tool, but I felt the compression tests gave decent indication of what may be wrong.
In addition to this I have noticed bubbling /overflow in my coolant reservoir, but only with the cap off and not very consistently. I would say I've seen it maybe 5-10% of the time out of all the times I've monitored it. I do not have any loss in coolant, but I did notice some white smoke after changing my fuel filter. It was the only time Ive seen/smelled it. I do sometimes, as of late, have misfires at cold start up. This seems to have really only started after doing the timing belt and CCT. I have no codes and everything was torqued to spec. Cam and crank both line up perfectly.
So I believe I have a combination of a headgasket issue and bad rings on cylinder #2. I have not pulled the head yet, and while its possible I may have a valve issue or cracks, I do not think its likely. On the dry test compression would drop off slowly after cranking was stopped, on the wet test the compression would hold fairly solid.
Does this seem like a likely scenario?
Now some things Ive already done (listing because I dont want to hear Search the forum or that I have a vacuum leak. I absolutely do not have a vacuum leak so take it somewhere else). This list is not necessarily in the order that I did it:
- Replaced the MAF
- Replaced MAF wiring and connector
- Cleaned MAF
- Replaced Coils
- Replaced intake manifold gasket
- Replaced all exhaust gaskets
- Replaced VC gasket
- Replaced TB gasket
- Cleaned Throttle Body
- Performed TB alignment via VAG
- Replaced Oring on IAT
- Cleaned IAT
- Replaced both Coolant Sensors (back of head.. used green top, and at the Radiator)
- Replaced Turbo inlet pipe (forge)
- Disconnected N75 from Turbo and capped off(still plugged in) for XS HPBC (set to 8psi)
- Replaced stock intercooler and hoses with FMIC
- Replaced Turbo (running K04 now)
- Replaced clogged cat with Test Pipe
- Installed EGR block off plate. Also replaced O-ring twice just in case.
- Performed Vacuum/check valve simplification
- Serviced Vacuum Pump (remember I have a Tiptronic aka sucktronic)
- Replaced Crankcase breather elbow for 034, ring, etc (currently vented to atmosphere until Catch can comes in. Pancake valve is out of the picture)
- Completely disconnected **ALL** vacuum sources and capped/clamped outlets on intake manifold
- Replaced Serpentine belt
- Replaced Timing belt, tensioner, roller, Cam seals, and Cam Chain tensioner. Checked timing and it is correct when rotating the engine, Still have 16 rollers between the cams.
- Replaced water pump
- Replaced Thermostat
- Replaced spark plugs (NGK BK7RE) several times, tried .032, .030 and .028 gap
- Read spark plugs, ground strap and porcelain base do not indicate lean or rich. They also are not wet from coolant or covered in oil. Ive read the plugs when they were semi new (2 weeks old) and when theyve been run for 3-4 months.
- Replaced fuel Filter
- Cleaned injectors
- Performed Trans adaptation via VAG
- Check countless blocks throughout a significant amount of time.
- Block 032 averages about -3.4% and -1%-2% on the respective fields.
- MAF reads about 3g/s in park. Goes up to 4-5g/s in drive and about 6g/s (up to 6.8-7 sometimes) when in Drive and the AC is on.
- Changed oil numerous times (not necessarily for this but thought Id add it. Using Castrol Syntec 5-30w I believe might be 40w).
- Checked voltages and resistance across MAF, Coils, Injectors, Alternator, a/c (probably anything electronic I could find in the engine bay.) And everything is within specs
- Tested all grounds (they were ok)
- Performed pressure test from TIP while spraying soapy water. No boost leaks.
- With the car running, sprayed Brake Cleaner, Carb Cleaner, Propane just about anything you can think of with no change in idle or vacuum. Checked hoses, intake manifold, injector seats . Everywhere.. hell I even tried it at the brake booster, both in the battery tray and from inside the car at the firewall.
- Replaced Dipstick and tube.
- Ive tried several attempts at seafoam through the intake and fuel tank. Tried it in the crankcase and changed the oil as a last attempt at seafoam.
- Replaced oil pick up tube (no sludge issues.. just did it as a precaution)
- Tested Fuel Pressure at rail, tests good.
- Tested oil pressure, tests good.
- Tried Idle adaptation. No change in vacuum no matter where I set the idle.
- (Thats just off the top of my head. The list goes on, if you want to know something more specific then just ask me. Ive probably done it and can tell you the results).
So with that said, I have a Polydrive tool on the way. The head gasket and bolts will need to be changed regardless, but does my primary diagnosis of piston rings and secondary of head gasket sound accurate? If the rings dont have a good seal then I piston wouldnt be able to draw as much vacuum as it moves up and down in the bores.
What gets me is that while cylinder #2 is lower than the others, it doesnt seem like it is low enough to create a 9-10in/hg drop in vacuum when going from Park with the ac off to going into drive with the a/c on.
As I drive and the car gets hotter (temp gauge is where it should be.. just mean as I drive the car for more than 10 minutes) the vacuum, in Drive with the AC on, will go from 10 to 13-14in/hg. I believe this is because the seals expand a bit more and create a slightly better seal.
I also know that an automatic will put more load on the engine since it is always engaged, but going from 19-20in/hg in park, to 15-16in/hg in drive (AC off) seems drastic. Another 5-6in/hg drop just by turning the AC on seems ridiculous.
Please tell me, what are your thoughts on this? Again I am getting no codes, timing is not being pulled. If you want specific logs then please let me know and Ill happily provide them. Most importantly this is not a vacuum leak, at least not in the way that everyone is so quick to jump to (remember I completely blocked off all vacuum locations and had the same vacuum pull).
Again, any genuine thoughts on what the issue may be in relation to everything Ive outlined above would be appreciated.
Thank you very much.. also please dont be annoyed but I will be cross posting this on other audi forums as well to try to pool together as many great minds as I can.
Thank you,


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Richard Johnson: Everybody loves to grill out. What do you do about dessert? Well, how about some grilled pineapple? Yeah, you can grill fruit on the grill as well. We have a real quick, simple recipe for you.
We start off with a little bit of olive oil, some ground cloves, some cinnamon, some dark honey. Let's help that out a little bit. Dark honey is a really good ingredient for us — wonderful flavor. And I'm also going to add juice from half of a lime, about a tablespoon, and squeeze that in real good. Now that's ready for some pineapple.
So, let's set that to the side for a minute. We've got a nice, fresh pineapple. This looks really good. We want to just trim the top and the bottom. Stand that up. And then we just want to trim the outside, just following kind of an arch motion. You can get about 20 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C from just a half a cup of pineapple. That's pretty good. Now, we're going to want to cut right through the center. Lay that down flat, center again, center one more time. Let's do that to the other half. And let's trim a little bit of this core. Now you can keep the core in if you want to, some people really enjoy it. Now you also have the option of using skewers for your pineapple. Today we're not going to do that because I don't think we're going to need to. We're going to keep our pieces fairly large so they're not going to fall through the grill (grates).
So let's just toss that around in our marinade just a little bit. Now the juice from the pineapple is going to also work down into that marinade and work really well for us. Now let's just let the pineapple and the marinade get to know each other for just a minute, and let's check our grill. We want to make sure that we have a hot side and a cool side when we're grilling just because we get a little bit more control from that way. If it starts to cook a little too fast, we can move it to the cold side or vice versa. Now fruit will cook very fast because it does have a lot of sugar in it. This fruit, even though it's thick like this, is not going to take very long to cook because our grill is nice and hot. You can hear that sizzle. That's what we're looking for.
Now after you have all your pieces on the grill, just close that lid down, but don't throw away the rest of that marinade. We're going to use that to glaze our pineapple as it cooks. Alright, so let's check our pineapple. Now we've been cooking this and turning it and basting it for the last few minutes and also moving it around the grill as we're noticing where those hot spots are. And this is really looking terrific, and it's smelling just wonderful. Let's look at our pineapple a little bit. That's a nice golden brown color, and it smells good, and it's really looking nice and shiny, too.
Now we've prepared a plate to go to the table. Just using some of the pineapple top, now let's just arrange that on our plate. Now, how are we going to finish this off? One option is a little bit of dark rum; just pour that over the top while it's still nice and warm. Beautiful, beautiful. And we'll finish it off with a little bit of fresh lime zest. And we're going to get a lot of flavor out of our lime, and grating our lime zest at the very last minute.
Now we have a nice low-fat, low-sodium dessert, and we cooked it on the grill. How about that?
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Think you might be renting Unit 7a/12 Sutherland Road, Chatswood soon? Check out the stats below to get a feel for the neighbours within the pocket highlighted. Check out the neighbourhood pockets for all rental listings on realestateVIEW.com.au to find out more about that part of the suburb.