text:
Pseudopod 314: What Happens When You Wake Up In The Night
First published as a chapbook from Nightjar Press, September 2009, this story won the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Story in 2011 and appeared in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR for that year. The fee for this story has been generously donated to Cats Protection League – please click the link and consider making some cat's life a little easier.
MICHAEL MARSHALL SMITH is a novelist and screenwriter. Under this name he has published over seventy short stories, and three novels — ONLY FORWARD, SPARES and ONE OF US — winning the Philip K. Dick, International Horror Guild, and August Derleth awards, along with the Prix Bob Morane in France. He has been awarded the British Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction four times, more than any other author. Writing as MICHAEL MARSHALL, he has published six internationally-bestselling thrillers including THE STRAW MEN, THE INTRUDERS and KILLER MOVE. His next novel, THE FORGOTTEN, will be published in 2013. He is currently involved in screenwriting projects including a television pilot and an animated movie for children. He lives in Santa Cruz with his wife and son. Check out his website at the link under his byline above.
Your reader this week is Donna Scott – Donna Scott is a short fiction writer, editor, performance poet, storyteller and comedian as well as Awards Administrator for the British Science Fiction Association. She has recently worked with Northampton Museum and Art Gallery to produce an exhibition on the 1612 Northampton Witch Trials and a number of spin-off projects in the region. To find out about her latest projects and appearances check out her website here
"The first thing I was unhappy about was the dark. I do not like the dark very very much. It is not the worst thing in the world but it is also not the best thing in the world, either. When I was very smaller I used to wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and be scared when I woke up, because it was so dark. I would go to bed with my light on, the one light that turns round and round, on the drawers by the side of my bed. It has animals on it and it turns around and it makes shapes and patterns on the ceiling and it is pretty and my mummy's friend Jeanette gave it to me. It is not very too bright but it is bright enough and you can see what is what. But then it started that when I woke up in the middle of the night, the light would not be on any more and it would be completely dark instead and it would make me sad. I didn't understand this but one night when I'd woken up and cried a lot my mummy told me that she came in every night and turned off the light every night after I was asleep, so it didn't wake me up. But I said that wasn't any good, because if I did wake up in the night and the light wasn't on, then I might be scared, and cry. She said it seemed that I was waking every night, and the she and daddy had worked out that it might be the light that kept me awake, and after a while I was awake I'd get up and go into their room and see what was up with them, which meant she got no sleep any night ever and it was driving her completely nuts.
So we made a deal, where and the deal said I could have the light on all night but I promised that I would not go into their room in the night unless it was really important, and it is a good deal and so I'm allowed to have my light on again now, which is why the first thing I noticed when I woke up was that is it was dark.
Mummy had broken the deal.
I was cross about this but I was also very sleepy and so wasn't sure if I was going to shout about it or not.
Then I noticed it was cold.
Before I go to bed, mummy puts a heater on while I am having my bath, and also I have two blankets on top of my duvet, and so I am a warm little bunny and it is fine. Sometimes if I wake in the middle of the night it feels a bit cold but if I snuggle down again it's okay.
But this felt really cold.
My light was not on and I was cold."


text:
São Paulo. September 3, 2012.
Wood is a hygroscopic material, i.e. it exchanges moisture with its surrounding environment. As a piece of wood loses moisture it shrinks and as wood gains moisture back it swells.
Dimensional changes due to moisture exchange in wood can lead to defects, such as warping, checking or splitting, that may compromise the performance of the wood piece or product. Hence, most of the challenges of utilising wood in architecture or engineering involve understanding wood-moisture relationship and its influence in wood properties.
This work intends to provide a more comprehensive form for visualising how different climate conditions influence different wood species regarding their dimensional stability. Nevertheless, it also aims to provide a design tool for most wood-workers (from architects to cabinet-makers) that could quickly estimate the behavior of some wood species in a specific location along the year and, then, implement necessary design modifications in order to accommodate dimensional changes.
When sheltered from direct sun and rain, a given piece of wood will attain a specific Moisture Content (MC), depending on relative humidity and air temperature values. Wood's MC is expressed as percent and measured as the ratio of the weight of water in the piece to the weight of wood when it is completely dry [1,2].
The following diagram shows values for temperature, relative humidity and MC by month in different cities.
Green wood refers to a condition in which the cell wall fibers are fully saturated with water and it starts about 30% MC for most wood species. This condition is usually seen in freshly sawn wood or wood that has been directly exposed to water. Any increase in MC over 30% will not affect wood dimensions. However, under the conditions in which wood is commonly used, its MC drops bellow 30%; as wood loses moisture bellow fiber saturation point it starts shrinking [1].
The amount of shrinkage will vary according to the wood species and, due to wood's anisotropic behavior, direction. Basically, there are three main directions: perpendicular to the growth rings (radial direction), transverse to the growth rings (tangential direction) and parallel to the fiber orientation (axial or longitudinal direction). For longitudinal direction dimensional changes are very little, at most about 0.1% [1,2], they are left out.
The following diagram shows the absolute the amount of linear shrinkage as a percent of Green Wood's dimensions by month in different cities.
After a certain time wood will reach a state of equilibrium with its surroundings. In this situation wood is neither gaining or losing moisture to the environment [1]. Nevertheless, this equilibrium is dynamic: whenever the weather condition changes wood will try to reach achieve a different equilibrium MC value. As a given piece of wood loses moisture it shrinks and as wood gains moisture back it swells.
The following diagram displays the amount of dimensional changes (swell, shrinkage) by species in different cities, within a selected month and the maximum amount of changes along the year from that month.
[1] FOREST PRODUCTS LABORATORY (FPL). The wood handbook: wood as an engineering material. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Wisconsin, 2010.
[2] HOADLEY, B. R. Understanding wood: a craftsman guide to wood technology. The Tauton Press: Newtown: 2000.
[3] HERZOG, T.; et al. Timber construction manual. Birkhäuser: Munich, 2008.
[4] IPT - Instituo de Pesquisas Tecnológicas. Madeira: uso sustentável na construção civil. IPT: São Paulo, 2003.
Temperature and humidity data were retrieved from weatherBase.com. The equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was calculated using EMC formula [1]. The relative and absolute dimensional changes were calculated using wood data from [1,2,3,4].
This project was done using d3.js, the raw code is available at gitHub
Copyright © 2012 Luis Carli and Rafael Passarelli

subset: commoncrawl


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Q&A: Investors are wary of the outcome of the Italian elections and the effect on the eurozone
FRANKFURT, Germany – Investors are keeping a wary eye on Italy as the country heads to the polls Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament. They fear that a new government and prime minister could weaken or scrap the economic reforms and budget cuts begun by outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti during his 15 months in office and hurt Italy's chances of recovering from a decade of low growth.
While the markets are unlikely to punish Italy as they did in 2011-12, they will want to make sure a new government doesn't mean a return to Italy's bad old days.
Here are some questions and answers about this weekend's elections matter for Italy and the rest of Europe.
Q: Why all the worry?
A: Italy's economy — the third-largest among the 17 European Union countries that use the euro — has only grown less than a half percent a year on average for a decade. That is compared to 1.25 percent in other rich Western countries. Faster growth is needed to shrink Italy's mounting debt burden, which already equals 127 percent of its annual gross domestic product.
Because of its size, Italy's problems can dent market confidence in the whole eurozone. Doubts about Italy's ability to manage its debt caused markets to question whether the euro could survive in 2011-12.
Q: What's wrong with its economy?
Before it joined the euro in 1999, the country used to give its economy a boost by to devaluing its old currency, the lire — a trick that used to make its exports cheaper.
Devaluation helped mask underlying problems such as labor rules that favor vested interests such as unions and established workers, which kill off job prospects for younger people; a high business tax burden and heavy cost to businesses from expensive public utilities and red tape.
Italy "remains in dire need of structural reforms to boost competitiveness and improve trend growth," wrote economists Norbert Aul and James Ashley at RBC Capital Markets. They noted that the only economies that have grown more slowly in the past 12 years are Zimbabwe, San Marino, and Portugal.
A growing economy would increase government revenue from business and income taxes and the country's debt.
Q: Where does Monti come into all this?
A: Italy's political parties installed Monti, a former EU commissioner and academic, as prime minister to lead a temporary crisis government of financial experts in November, 2011. His predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi, resigned after high borrowing costs, fed by fears Italy would not pay its debts, threatened the country with financial ruin and rattled confidence in the eurozone.
Monti set about easing some of Italy's anti-business practices, such as labor laws that made it extremely difficult to fire longtime workers. He reduced the budget deficit with the help of an unpopular tax on homes.
Italy's deficit is down to around 3 percent of gross domestic output for last year — not great, but it complies with the official limit for eurozone members.
However, in January, Monti resigned as Prime Minister after Berlusconi's party withdrew its support and criticized his cutbacks - hence the new elections.
Q: So now the elections are under way, what are investors afraid of?
A: Italy's Byzantine election laws could mean many different outcomes. The worst result would be no party or coalition being able to form a government, leading to new elections.
Researcher Vincenzo Scarpetta at the Open Europe think tank says the probability of this is "very low" but that re-run elections could mean "potentially, huge market pressure, which Italy can hardly afford." This pressure would come in the form of rising interest rates on government debt.
Another possibility could be a parliament so divided that it can't govern effectively, or a shaky coalition of parties with clashing agendas — meaning that any policies would be the result of endless compromise and back-room deals. A badly split parliament "would surely affect investors' confidence as Italy's political future would remain unclear," said Aul and Ashley.
The return of a government led by Berlusconi's center-right coalition — regarded as unlikely — could also dismay markets given his call to repeal Monti's home tax and the lack of confidence markets showed in him in 2011.
Q: What do markets want to see?
A: Analysts say investors seem to be anticipating that the center-left Democratic Party, led by Pier Luigi Bersani will win. Bersani opposes budget austerity but is regarded as not totally against all efforts to improve conditions for business. Markets would like it best if he wins but still needs the seats won by small parties led by Monti to govern. That would mean the government might continue with some of the reforms.
Q: So should we expect market chaos and the eurozone crisis to erupt again?
A: Not right away, no. Italian law requires extensive consultation, so it could take weeks to tell who is in charge. In 2008, it took 24 days for Berlusconi to be sworn in despite a landslide win.
However, an anti-reform result could mean Italy's borrowing costs could rise in the days and weeks following the election.
That would be a sure sign that bond investors are more skeptical of the country's long-term ability to pay.
But it's considered unlikely that the yields would immediately rise to the record levels of last year that threatened to push Italy to default. That is thanks to the European Central Bank, which has done much to calm fears that a country will be unable to pay its debts. In September, the ECB offered to buy unlimited amounts of bonds issued by indebted countries, if they agree to reforms and to cut their deficits. No one has used the program yet but its mere existence has lowered Italy's borrowing costs.
Nonetheless, a new Italian government that rejects reform "will lead to more uncertainty, higher yields and a gradual process toward the situation we had last year," says Carsten Brzeski, an analyst at ING in Brussels.
The big problem is the long-term absence of growth rather than what the markets do next week.
Economists Aul and Ashley warn: "Whichever party ends up in power... needs to focus upon Italy's economic frailties as a matter of priority."


text: In today's scene, busty pornstar Susana Alcala comes home to discover that her two live-in boy toys, Pablo Ferrari and Markus Dupree, have gotten drunk and fallen asleep while she was at work. Darn them, they were supposed to clean the apartment and run errands, these lazy oafs!! Oh well, she has a hard time remaining angry at guys whose cocks give her and her 36D tits so much pleasure... And sure enough, once she awakens the guys from their nap, they're ready to suck on her nipples as an appetizer to this Spanish beauty kneeling between them and taking their rods in her mouth. She gives Pablo a titty fuck between her big natural boobs and blows Markus, then takes Pablo's prick in her pussy from behind before laying down between the guys and giving Markus some cleavage plowing in this Full HD big breast sex video. In fact Susana keeps switching between the guys for the titty fucking, until they finally make her the meat in their threesome sandwich with Pablo cramming her asshole while she sucks Markus. Until they switch again and Markus is in her ass while she throats Pablo. Of course, with a gal this experienced and hot, you just know a double penetration is in the offing, and Susana soon takes both their shafts in pussy and ass simultaneously until it's "cum on tits" time at the end!


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Comprehensive DescriptionRead full entry
DescriptionTrees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, rarely subopposite or opposite. Cymes arranged in lax or dense panicles, ebracteate, terminal or axillary. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic. Calyx tubular or ± campanulate, usually splitting irregularly, 3-5-toothed, usually accrescent and cup-shaped in fruit. Corolla 4-5(-7)-lobed, funnel-shaped to salver-shaped, white or yellowish. Ovary 4-locular (abortive in male flowers). Style terminal, twice 2-fid with 4 slender or clavate, stigmas. Fruit drupaceous, partially or wholly surrounded by the enlarged persistent calyx.


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In 2013, Dr. Sonya Christian became the 10th President of Bakersfield College. Under her leadership, the College has focused on improving student achievement and learning by engaging faculty and the community.
By making data and information available, Christian has cultivated campus-wide ownership of advancing the college's mission. Christian was a math faculty prior to moving into the administrative ranks of dean, vice president, and now president.
An advocate for continued education across social and economic boundaries, Dr. Sonya Christian has worked tirelessly to uphold and further that mission during her tenure as Bakersfield College President.
Christian began her three-decade career in education at BC in 1991, first as a math faculty member and later as division chair, then Dean of Science, Engineering, Allied Health and Mathematics. In 2003, Christian joined Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon as associate vice president for instruction, then vice president of academic and student affairs and chief academic officer. Christian returned home in 2013 after being selected as the 10th President in Bakersfield College's prestigious history.
Under her leadership, Christian has maintained the institution's 100-plus year history of quality instruction while shepherding BC through an exciting phase of expanded opportunities for current and future students. Accomplishments during her time in office include BC being awarded permission by the state to begin offering a Baccalaureate degree in Applied Science in Industrial Automation, one of only 15 California community colleges selected to feature a four-year degree program; and earning a 2015 Exemplary Program Award from the Board of Governors for California Community College's for BC's ground-breaking "Making It Happen" mentoring program. Also in 2015, Bakersfield College was recognized by the non-profit Brookings Institute as the best community college in California and among the top 10 in the U.S. for value-added mid-career earnings for its alumni.
In 2016, Christian was nominated as "Woman of the Year" by Californian Assemblyman Rudy Salas for her accomplishments at Bakersfield College. She currently serves as a Commissioner on the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
Christian earned her bachelor of science degree from University of Kerala in Kerala, India; a master of science in applied mathematics from University of Southern California; and her doctorate from University of California, Los Angeles.
Greg A. Chamberlain
William Andrews
Sandra Serrano
Richard Wright
John J. Collins
Burns Finlinson
Edward Simonsen
Ralph Prator
Grace Van Dyke Bird


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Counselling in Southwood Worcester
Counselling in Southwood Worcester
Individuals needing counselling services are presently effortlessly reachable. For instance guiding is frequently made accessible to the two youngsters and grown-ups in case of a separation. Accomplices have a tendency to be given marriage directing in case of a conceivable separation and guiding is accessible for a few diverse passionate and physical issues. The accompanying are some breathtaking reasons why directing can be exceptionally favorable if the likelihood is accessible.
Counselling can give a man a genuine feeling that all is well with the world which makes it amazingly helpful. For instance if a child is having issues at home, going to directing can bode well secure and sufficiently agreeable to have the capacity to go over anything that may trouble them. In the event that some person is incorporated into a marriage and is having issues that makes them perhaps worry for their security, guiding can enable them to feel sufficiently safe to talk about their feelings of dread and get the assistance that they may frantically require.
What are the aims and benefits of counselling in Southwood Worcester?
Southwood Worcester Counselling
Counselling can offer a forum for people to be capable to talk about any problems that they may be having. Professionally trained counsellors can implement any number of exercises and techniques to get a couple near divorce to start speaking to each other again. Family counselling is accessible to assist families that are coping with serious issues be capable of start coping with them and start to function as a delighted family again. People that require some type of support will even find counselling very useful since they will be able to talk with somebody about their problems without the fear that they are being assessed.
Also, it can help reinforce the bond between a parent and a kid. Kids will have the capacity to see that their folks truly do regard their privateness by allowing them to take an interest in individual advising sessions. By asking how their children is cherishing their directing sessions, they'll be introducing the issues the kid requests help with managing while putting their children responsible for the amount they're secure imparting to their parent at that moment and possibly influence them to feel sufficiently good to raise these issues alone.
What about online counselling
Find Counsellors in Southwood Worcester
Guiding can likewise assist give people and families to be skilled to continue adapting to issues after their chance in directing completions. Advisors can give their patients assets like group associations or telephone hotlines that can be utilized should some kind of assistance be required when a patient isn't getting guiding administrations. Advisors could likewise teach sufferers strategies to manage issues like anxiety diminishment, outrage administration and the best approach to effectively impart, to enable them to have the capacity to adapt to potential issues in consistently life.
So when you need to have counselling, don't be afraid to take the next step and consider the benefits to be gained with these counselling sessions. Counselling can show to be very useful in dealing with lots of issues.
Southwood Worcester counselling Services was formed in order to give economical psychotherapy, counselling and life-coaching services to the Southwood Worcester community. In getting the most effective services regarding counselling services Southwood Worcester
More Info: What is counselling ?
For more areas of Worcester counselling
Your ready to book but what happens during a first counselling appointment?


text:
Two weeks ago, I couldn't find the aisle that is home to eggs and milk in my local supermarket. I walked in circles, desperate to locate what was needed for the Novio to make me croquetas.
The aisle where they normally resided, next to the sliced meat and dry pasta, was empty. Gutted (as was I). The following day, the milk aisle was replaced by my worst nightmare: the Christmas goodies aisle.
If Spanish sweets disappointed me, Spanish Christmas treats take it to the next level.
As a child, we'd spend hours baking cookies and cakes to leave for Santa or hide under the tree for my dad. My Christmas memories are flavored like peppermint and fudge, not sugar and egg yolks. Spain's sweets leave me with much to be desired, sadly, and any time I bring them for my family to sample, they go uneaten.
Far and away the most common treat you'll find, turrón is a nougat bar made from sugar, egg whites and honey, and are most traditionally made with nuts. The most celebrated types are hard (Alicante sort) and soft (Jijona type), though you can find them made of chocolate, infused with liquor, containing candied fruit or puffed rice or even with candy brands inside.
A traditional shortbread in Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, this almond paste-based confection is often shaped into bite-sized morsels and have sugar or egg yolk filling.
So, I hate eggs, and they're about the only food I can't stomach. What say you, then, about a traditional Christmas sweet that's called Yolks?!
Mantecados and Polverones
Made of pig lard (sorry I just ruined them for you, but the clue is in the name people!) and olive oil, mantecados are quite popular in Andalucía and mass-produced here. These crumbly cookies are often sold like we sell Girl Scout cookies, and come in a dozen varieties, like cinnamon, lemon, chocolate and anisette. Polverones take their name from dust, as these small cakes often break apart as soon as they're out of their wax wrapper.
If you're in Seville and love them, consider taking a day trip to Estepa, where you can visit the factories and sample until your heart's content. About 95% of the workforce in their traditional despensas are women, and the city has earned the moniker of 'Ciudad del Mantecado.'
Las 12 Uvas de Nochevieja
As per tradition, Spaniards leave room in their bellies for 12 grapes, which are to be eaten on New Year's Eve at the 12 strokes of midnight for good luck in the coming year. During my first Nochevieja in Seville, my family and I didn't know about this, so the Novio grabbed 48 grapes and a small bottle of champagne for us from his own family's stash.
New Year's is a holiday that's most often spent with family, but my parents, sister, cousin and I braved the rain last year in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, where the official ball drop happens. Most of my grapes ended up on the ground, but I'd say 2013 has been pretty awesome.
Roscón de Reyes
Among one of the strangest traditions in Spain is the Three Kings parade on the evening of an epiphany. The three kings and their pages ride through the streets on elaborate floats, throwing candy and small toys to bystanders. The following day, families eat a flaky pastry cake with candied fruit, called the roscón. Two figurines are hidden within the cake – a toy or Christ figure, to be given to the king (who also gets the crown), and a bean. He who finds the bean must pay for the following year's cake.
Other popular dulces are nuts and mandarin oranges, and it seems that there's always a box of the mythical Caja Roja chocolates. Thankfully, I tend not to overeat when it comes to sweets at Christmas. I save my calories for the G&Ts after dinner.
Do you like Spanish Christmas treats, or do you tend to stick to your home country's traditional sweets?


text:
Why Im no longer a Christian
Posted in the Top Stories Forum
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#1 Jul 3, 2008
Why should you care in the slightest about my religious views?
I cannot possibly imagine.
Several people on topix, though, in the wake of various postings Ive made on religious subjects, have asked me for an explanation of just how I arrived at my present agnosticism, or atheism, or whatever it is. So rather than answering these various people individually Ive elected to start this forum and direct the interested parties here.
What follows is nothing more or less than a summary of my personal experiences as a Christian, related about as honestly as I know how to do it. Im not hoping for contributions, followers, or enlightenment, and I dont claim it to be momentous or universal or significant to anyone but me. But it is genuine.
Dearth of Couth
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#2 Jul 3, 2008
Why Im no longer a Christian, Part One
I was raised from my infancy by deeply religious people, surrounded by a family full of Baptist preachers, deacons and missionaries. I myself was baptized, as well as I can recall, at about the age of ten.
I can remember being struck by the fact that everyone around me at the time and I do mean everyone kept telling me that what I had just experienced was the most important event of my life, and that everything else I would ever do would shrink to insignificance alongside it. I was receiving the power of the Lord. It was a special time for me.
Well, I enjoyed all the attention, as any kid would, but I remember wondering: Why dont I feel any different, myself? I thought about my attitudes, my perceptions, the circumstances of my life, and I couldnt think of a single thing that was any different, now that I was one with Jesus. No matter how hard I tried to find something new and meaningful, there was nothing. It was a hollow, empty, and lonely sensation, and surprisingly so. It was not what I had expected at all.
I concluded after a time that I must not be doing something right. Everyone around me seemed so confident and secure in their faith and mine so tenuous in comparison, I felt left out. The shortcoming, I decided, must be mine. I must be missing something.
I resolved to try harder. I devoted myself to Bible study and prayer. I sensed that everyone around me would be horrified if I were to express any of these reservations I was feeling, so I kept them to myself. I suppressed them, and did my best to forget them altogether.
The years went by and I attended services regularly but somehow I never quite shook the uneasy sense, in the back of my mind, that I had never truly felt the presence of a transcendent being Jesus, God, or anyone at all.
I remained outwardly compliant, but inwardly I began to feel isolated and as much as I tried to banish this feeling, it persisted. As I reached adulthood it intensified until I became aware that, despite my best efforts, it was not going to go way. More troubling still was the bulk of doubts I began to feel about matters of doctrine. I began to doubt, among many other things, the true value of grace.
But I tried to put these issues out of my mind. What I was doing, of course, was not avoiding a crisis but merely postponing it When it finally arrived it hit so suddenly, it startled me.
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#3 Jul 3, 2008
Why Im no longer a Christian, Part Two
I mentioned my doubts about the value of grace. Let me try to explain:
I learned early on that I, as a rather perceptive and articulate kid, wielded the power of language. I was able to wound someone deeply with a well-timed and chosen, derisive remark. Im ashamed to say that I flung these about, at an early stage of my life, freely and easily. These thoughtless barbs of mine were the cause of a lot of needless pain. I believe they were the greatest sins of my commission, ever.
I was assured that my sins were forgiven me but I became aware after a time that the targets of my derision, once hurt or offended, remained hurt or offended for a very long time. Jesus forgiveness of me, I noted, made no difference at all to the people I had hurt. Things changed for me as I approached adulthood and began to feel genuine empathy for other people. In time I came to feel an element of real remorse for the thoughtlessness of my adolescence, and when I felt these regrets I still feel them today -- I realized that Jesus grace made no real difference to me, either.
Grace was like the presence of God; everyone said it was real. But no matter how I tried, I was not able to feel it myself.
My crisis arrived one day at a church prayer service when the minister asked us all to recall our thoughts and feelings on the day we were saved. Surely we remembered the day vividly. It was the most important day of our lives.
People around me began standing, one at a time, and giving witness. The recurring phrase, as I recall it, was the weight of mountains off my shoulders. I sat there in my pew and reflected in private silence over the vague, unfulfilled void I had experienced in the wake of my own baptism, by this time some ten years in the past.
The minister went on to inform us that we, as the committed Christians we were, ought still to enjoy that same exultant, liberated feeling today. Didnt we?
Again the witnessing from the pews around me, everyone standing in turn to give solemn testimony that they did indeed feel the power of Jesus in their lives, each and every day. It was profound, they said. It was moving. They were touched, one and all, to the very core of their existence and the strength of their inspiration did not dissipate as time elapsed, but rather grew stronger.
It went on this way. I turned this way and that to listen as the faithful on all sides of me rose and gave vivid testimony. The passion of Jesus, apparently, was with everyone in the assembly. Except me.
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#4 Jul 3, 2008
Why Im no longer a Christian, Part Three
Then it hit me: We were moving around the congregation as if someone were taking role, and we were not leaving anyone out. More and more of them had begun to turn their attention toward me, wide-eyed and expectant. Any minute now it was going to be my turn and I would be expected to offer my personal testimony. What was I going to say?
My options, it seemed to me, were as follows:
1. Come clean with everyone and confess my innermost doubts, to admit that I had searched diligently but in vain over the years for some evidence of an impact that Jesus had had upon my life. Or
2. Make something up. I could, I was certain, blather something about a luminous presence, something affecting every aspect of my life and making it better. In short, I could lie.
Lying seemed the easiest solution, and it tempted me. But it occurred to me to whom would I be lying? Jesus? Am I honestly contemplating an attempt to con Jesus?
Then I thought, Who is it that Ive been deceiving for the last ten years with this elaborate pretense, sitting here in this church? Who am I fooling? Jesus? God? My family? The congregation?
The witnessing continued and the population of remaining, un-testified Christians was dwindling by the minute. I was going to have to reach a decision and very soon. I sensed that the choice I was about to make was going to influence the rest of my life, and I was at once relieved and energized to have reached a culmination and resentful that I was being compelled to reach it hurriedly, in a public forum.
My time was running out. What was I going to do?
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#5 Jul 3, 2008
Why Im no longer a Christian, Part Four
Finally, struggling with my private predicament in that pew during prayer service, I knew what it was that I had to do. I came to the realization that there was only one possible course of action that seemed to offer me any degree of self-respect, and there was no other course to take, so at long last I took it. I stood and walked out.
I did not look anyone in the eye as I passed and I have no idea whether anyone registered surprise, hostility, concern, or anything at all. For all I know they all faced forward and ignored me as I turned left at the end of the aisle and made my final exit from the building. The moment I reached the open air outside I was astonished to find that I was finally, after all this time, experiencing something that was vivid and genuine and undeniable. In fact it was nearly overpowering. It crested over me like a breaker:
From now on, I resolved that day, I will not stop and examine my innermost thoughts and evaluate, whether they are appropriately reverent and sanctimonious. I will admit my doubts and reservations and when people ask me for my thoughts I will express them respectfully but openly, as I am doing now.
If everyone around me seems confident and secure where I am irresolute and sceptical then I decline to acknowledge this as a problem, for me or for anyone else. Thats just the way it is.
Leaving the prayer meeting that day was a liberating, exhilarating, and truly life-changing experience for me. It was my baptism and I will never forget it.
Im free.
If I have to account someday for the decisions Ive made and the actions Ive taken, then I will. But I wont again lie to anyone that Im feeling something or sensing something when Im not. I wont try to deceive anyone around me but most importantly I wont lie to myself. Life is too short to waste it that way.
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#6 Jul 3, 2008
Because Jesus Christ cares....because He cared about me and I now know the life and hope he brought me I share my faith...
It is our first commision as christians to reconcile man to God...
We do this because we value love and being loved...
To love is noble and to touch lives is a quest to the end!!
I love you although you might not love me back!!
Jesus loved us first so that we can go and love others...
This has nothing to do with education, wealth, status, race what ever it has all to do with being loved...
The Father your Creator wants your heart through His Son Jesus Christ....
And whats wrong with that!! He loves you my brother of another mother!!
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#7 Jul 3, 2008
Relationship with Jesus Christ is on a personal level and that is how you seek Him.... first personal before Church Jesus Christ to the Father...
Love you brother dont care how tacky it sounds!!!
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#8 Jul 3, 2008
Repent and return to your first love.
"my paradise"
Since: May 08
Location hidden
#9 Jul 3, 2008
That was a very well thought out testimony. I understand how you feel. I too was baptised, first as an infant in the Catholic church, then being dunked under water in my young adulthood in a Baptist church and finally in an Evangelical church. I too never felt any different or special. I never felt comfortable in any church or gathering among Christians and decided that if I would communicate with my Creator, it would be in my back yard or in the woods or beach where I could enjoy the wonders of nature. I've always tried to believe in the promise of Jesus because the words attributed to Him are very wise. I just never felt any power of the Holy Spirit in the way that most Christians proclaimed they did. Maybe because I'm a skeptic at heart. My older sister is a bible thumping born-again Christian and we butt heads all the time. Her faith is blind and accepting of all. I question everything, maybe too much.
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#10 Jul 3, 2008
Thanks, NatureLover.
I can't tell you why, but it means something to me that someone took the trouble to read that whole thing.
I suspect it's something that we'll never know for sure -- whether we're missing something or "they" are missing something.
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#11 Jul 3, 2008
I love people and I live in a diverce society with many differnt people groups... the thing is to touch to give to love... you know that when you reject your wife she is going to let you know...if we do not give of ourselfes through JesuS Christ we are like a dam thats water only rot... we have to give then you will discover how wonderful life can be.
I also stood still for a long time always waiting for something to happen...we are different and that is beautiful because we were made different...
Dont get discouraged with faith it is a beautiful jurney filled with life
What changes do you need to make ask the Lord perhaps you where stuck in a rut for to long... Call out for help He says seek Him and you will find Him.
"Text OR drive...can't do both!"
Since: Oct 07
Location hidden
#12 Jul 3, 2008
I agree with NatureLover. Very well thought out. Posts like that come from the heart. I think I understand how you feel as well. I was baptized Catholic. I believe my parents did this for no other reason than to keep their parents happy and because it was "the thing to do." We didn't attend church regularly, and when we did I was counting the minutes until it was over. I can honestly say I've never been comfortable in church, ever. It's not that I don't believe in some higher power...I do. But I can't (and won't) be a part of something I'm not comfortable with.
#13 Jul 3, 2008
Well, that may be in fact true, but if you die in a car accident or some sort of brugadung in an armored personnel carrier, you're on your own because the lord is powerless against iron chariots. You'll be ok in plane crash however, because aircraft are made out of aluminum.
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#14 Jul 3, 2008
I started out without any influance from the church... my parents did not care wether we went or not no traditions what so ever. I chose Jesus Christ in my twenties and do not look back... most of my brothers and sisters also has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
We are not religious but enjoy the liberty to love and be loved...
"What do I know?"
Since: Apr 08
Rings of Saturn Emporium
#15 Jul 3, 2008
My thanks, Moncie.
"From the heart" is exactly what it is.
#16 Jul 3, 2008
I was brought up a Catholic too. I was sent to catechism classes and even attended Catholic school for three and one-half years. Some of the most adamantly anti-Church former Catholics I have met went to Catholic school through high school so maybe I was saved from an obsessing all-abiding hatred of the church by going to public school.
Anyway, I joined the local Newman Society at college, but the new liturgy, especially the new hymns, had a negative effect on me. One day as I was singing, "Eat his body, drink his blood" I was suddenly revolted by the meaning of those words. I was married in the church but as I began to read about the history of the Bible I became more and more skeptical about the existence of gods. I thought of myself as an agnostic for a long time while I spent a lot of my time just working without further study. With the internet I have had the opportunity to learn more details about Bible history and science which has made me even more skeptical about the existence of the supernatural. The hardest part for me was letting go of the idea of an afterlife. Many protestants may have deep fears that they will end up in hell, but as a Catholic, heaven seemed a sure thing as long as I confessed my sins with a firm desire for atonement. But I have come to the conclusion that nature doesn't deal in the supernatural, at least not the sort of thing that religion preaches about. Heaven is a nice childish fantasy, and if you need it to make you a good person, please continue to believe.I don't feel the need for it. I was taught by the church to be selfless and humble and concerned for others and a lot of that is still with me even though my comments may not always seem that way.
The description of the public testifying required of some church-goers sounds a lot like the public confessions that were/are required of people in nations like the old USSR and China. I feel fortunate that I never had to do anything like that. The church I grew up in was pretty quiet and introspective with everyone just reading their missals at Mass.
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#17 Jul 3, 2008
Religion is confusing and contradicts everything God is about...
#18 Jul 3, 2008
"DearthOfcouth"You say in your first post you were "BAPTIZED"at age ten.My questions are this,did your SOUL get saved at age ten?Were you under "CONVICTION" or just did what you were told or what was expected of you by(well meaning) loved ones?In my opinion,you have to be ready to be saved before you can be.Did you feel any different "before" you were baptized.When you were ten did you know what the word"SIN"really meant?The bible says you MUST BE born again!If you didn't feel anything different BEFORE (if the LORD wasn't dealing with your heart)and no different AFTER you were "BAPTIZED".Maybe you need to go to Church NOW!When the LORD starts knocking at your heart(and you WILL know when this happens).You can and will be saved and you WILL feel different!!
I'm not trying to be smart or a know it all.but I just think given your background of going to Church as a child,if you will go back now you WILL REALLY find REAL Salvation!!It's never to late to be saved.In My Honest Opinion!!MAY GOD BLESS YOU!!
Congo, The Democratic Republic of the
#19 Jul 3, 2008
Death has no sting... life is not about the life we have now but only getting to the place we choose to live eternaly... Eternal life is in Jesus Christ...
Death has no sting... Why shouldent there be a plan for you and me... you dont sound happy and free... There is liberty in seeking this Truth
If you seek Him you will find Him...
I live everyday not just some days I enjoy ABBA FATHER and I go before Him boldly and He touches me...
"Saw 'em April 15th 1977"
Since: Mar 08
Location hidden
#20 Jul 3, 2008
Hi Couth.
I want to tell you that I have enjoyed each and every post of yours where I've seen them. I appreciated this one of yours probably more than any other, for several reasons - you've taken the time to really explain how you got where you are is one of them, and I thank you for doing so.
I was raised Catholic like Moncie, and now consider myself a "secular humanist". Several things happened to lead me this way which I probably will explain at some point on this thread. I'll come back here this weekend and post some more but thank you very much for this thread and your thoughts in general. They're always appreciated by me.
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Brian A. Dawson is among a very select group of major appliance service technicians in the United States to be certified as a Certified Appliance Professional with a Master Technician rating.To achieve this status, Mr. Dawson has taken and passed eight different comprehensive examinations, that measure the individuals skills in consumer relations, diagnostic techniques and repair ability for all types of domestic major appliances.The Master Technician rating is the highest available level of recognition for technical expertise given by the major home appliance industry.Diagnosing and repairing today's sophisticated appliances requires special skill and constant training to keep abreast of changing technologies. Technicians that make the effort to maintain the high level of excellence necessary to become a Certified Appliance Professional are proud of their skills and deserve to be recognized by their profession.Certification is strictly voluntary and only those who possess extraordinary skills in the field of appliance repair will attempt the rigorous testing procedure.The Professional Service Association (PSA) is a not-for-profit National Trade Association representing independent appliance and electronic service centers. The Certification programs developed by PSA are designed to encourage excellence and pride in our industry.
I would recommend Certificate training to anyone interested in Appliance Repair. The new appliances have a lot more on the electronic side, and though many parts can be tested or diagnosed easily it's good to know some of the technical stuff. Makes it easier to understand, a bit difficult at first but after some study it gets easier. Of course I don't have the intensive training you have but what I have learned has helped quite a bit. Good Job. That's something to be proud of.


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106893 - Throttle Cable 1983-1993 240 with LH-Jetronic - 1389722
Adding items to your shopping cart and placing an order is only an intent to purchase. We will not charge you for anything until we can ship the products you ordered (if paying by credit card. PayPal is a prepayment method.) We will do everything we can to fill your order in a timely manner. You can cancel your order at any time prior to shipment.
The supply of this item is erratic. If you need more than we currently have available, we recommend you either buy what we have or check back later. We do not take back orders on this item.


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Congratulations to Fordham Law School Professor Susan Scafidi and the other faculty and staff at the Fashion Law Institute!
Fordham Law School is featured by the Hollywood Reporter as one of America's Top 10 Entertainment Law Schools (subscription required). The Hollywood Reporter notes that the Fashion Law Institute "is the first of its kind in the nation."
You can find more information about the Fashion Law Institute and the Summer Intensive Program (Fashion Law Bootcamp) in Commandress' Daily Reports from the 2012 Fashion Law Bootcamp program.


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Keeping tabs on the Ultimate Oscillator reading for Navigator Holdings (NVGS), we have recently seen that the Ultimate Oscillator is presently higher than 60. Traders may be tracking the UO reading to gauge if the stock has entered the overbought range.
When it comes to investing, people are generally told to make sure that they don't put all their eggs in one basket. This saying can apply to investing in the stock market as well. Keeping the stock portfolio diversified can greatly behoove the individual investor. When hard earned money is on the line, individuals may want to pay extra attention as to how their equity holdings are spread out. Many investors will choose to pick stocks that combine large cap, small cap, and even international stocks. Although stock portfolio diversification does not eliminate risk, it can help reduce it during tumultuous market conditions.
Interested investors may be watching the Williams Percent Range or Williams %R. Williams %R is a popular technical indicator created by Larry Williams to help identify overbought and oversold situations. Investors will commonly use Williams %R in conjunction with other trend indicators to help spot possible stock turning points. Navigator Holdings (NVGS)'s Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -11.04. In general, if the indicator goes above -20, the stock may be considered overbought. Alternately, if the indicator goes below -80, this may point to the stock being oversold.
The 14-day ADX for Navigator Holdings (NVGS) is currently 28.87. Many chart analysts believe that an ADX reading over 25 would suggest a strong trend. A reading under 20 would suggest no trend, and a reading from 20-25 would suggest that there is no clear trend signal. The ADX was created by J. Welles Wilder to help determine how strong a trend is. In general, a rising ADX line means that an existing trend is gaining strength. The opposite would be the case for a falling ADX line.
Narrowing in on moving averages for Navigator Holdings (NVGS), the 200-day is at 11.86, the 50-day is 11.96, and the 7-day is resting at 11.98. Moving average indicators are popular tools for stock analysis. Many traders will use a combination of moving averages with different time frames to help review stock trend direction. One of the more popular combinations is to use the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Investors may use the 200-day MA to help smooth out the data a get a clearer long-term picture. They may look to the 50-day or 20-day to get a better grasp of what is going on with the stock in the near-term.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a momentum oscillator that measures the speed and change of stock price movements. The RSI was developed by J. Welles Wilder, and it oscillates between 0 and 100. Generally, the RSI is considered to be oversold when it falls below 30 and overbought when it heads above 70. RSI can be used to detect general trends as well as finding divergences and failure swings. The 14-day RSI is presently standing at 57.13, the 7-day is 64.53, and the 3-day is resting at 65.84.
In terms of CCI levels, Navigator Holdings (NVGS) currently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of 94.77. Investors and traders may use this indicator to help spot price reversals, price extremes, and the strength of a trend. Many investors will use the CCI in conjunction with other indicators when evaluating a trade. The CCI may be used to spot if a stock is entering overbought (+100) and oversold (-100) territory.
Accumulating knowledge about the stock market can be a big part of the investment planning process. Proper allocation of equity investments is also an important factor. Finding the proper mix of stocks may end up being more important than the single stocks added to the portfolio. Determining the correct asset allocation can depend on variables such as risk appetite and financial goals. These goals may be short-term, medium term, or longer-term. Investors will often have to determine how aggressive they will be when buying stocks. This can also depend on the overall time horizon and risk tolerance. Some investors might be unfazed by continuous market fluctuations. Others may be much more sensitive, and they may need to adjust their plans accordingly.


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Natalia Vodianova, speaking at a CFDA panel on eating disorders in September 2007, on being told to lose weight off her 5'9",112-pound frame because designers were calling up her agency to complain that she wasn't as thin as she'd been before :
"I defended myself, saying it was crazy to consider measurements like 33-27-34 to be normal. I think because I was one of the girls most in demand it helped me to be able to forget the incident quickly. On the other hand, it makes me think that if I had been weak at the time, I can really imagine how it could have helped me endanger myself."
Natalia Vodianova, speaking at a panel discussion at the British Vogue Festival in April 2012, in response to the following question by Vogue fashion director Calgary Avansino: "It's undeniable that models are very thin, expected to be very thin, and thinner than 99.9 percent of the population. What message should you be sending out?":
"Come on, guys, it's better to be skinny than to be fat! We eat well, we exercise — please, do the same and you will look like this. I'm sorry, but today the NHS [Britain's National Health Service] are fighting against obesity, children are taken away from their parents because they're too fat … And here we are, defending that we are healthy and skinny."
On one level, I'm not surprised by this (she later claimed on her Facebook page that her quotes had been taken out of context because of their format - audience interaction, as opposed to a prepared speech - and blamed the food industry, among others, for provoking eating disorders by constantly pushing food at consumers, ending with the statement: "I assume there is very little Anorexia or Bulimia issues in countries like Africa, China and Russia today!"). It's not at all unexpected for a model to defend the practices of her industry, or the state of her body - a model's body is her livelihood, after all - and the "but people are so fat nowadays!" style of logic seems to be an increasingly common defence against any criticism of the demands the fashion industry places on models, with everyone from Anna Wintour to Vodianova herself eventually resorting to it.
And even though I do think that expecting models - who are, more often than not, teenagers and very young women - to police their bodies for whatever "message" their appearance sends out is unreasonable to say the least, it still doesn't address the question of why so many young women (including Vodianova, who has said she did not get enough food as a child in Russia) are encouraged to compromise their health in the interests of a modelling career - especially now, when models are the youngest (and thinnest) they've been in years, and even taking into account the fact that many models are naturally thin to begin with. But in an age when no one wants to take responsibility for contributing to this phenomenon and instead chooses to shift the blame (by implication) to the models themselves, it's hardly surprising that Natalia Vodianova is defensive of her looks. All that saddens me is that statements like hers just allow the fashion industry to bury its head in the sand and continue to hold models up to a standard of skinny that is ultimately good for no one, least of all models themselves.


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The original 1950's cereal toy!
Powered by household baking powder, it surfaces and dives over and over again.
Sometimes the simplest experiments are the most impressive. Watch as the density of the sub changes causing it to float and sink in the water.
For children aged 6 and up.
Choking hazard: Not suitable for children 3 years and under.
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GEOINT Shield -- Defense and Intelligence
Marv Gordner
GEOINT Shield -- Defense and Intelligence is a column by Marv Gordner, Program Manager, Intelligence Solutions Division, MorganFranklin. Mr. Gordner is a retired Military Intelligence Officer (Retired Lieutenant Colonel) who shares his knowledge and insights into the Defense and Intelligence side … More »
OSINT Unlocks Key, Reliable Intelligence for Decision Making at All Levels
November 28th, 2011 by Marv Gordner
By nature, the intelligence community (IC) thrives on the ability to uncover key data and intelligence from classified sources for the entire chain of command—from senior policymakers down to the warfighter. One area of intelligence gathering that is potentially just as valuable is open source intelligence (OSINT). While OSINT is certainly not new to the IC, it can be highly effective and is often overlooked as an ideal intelligence discipline.
As a discipline, OSINT extends beyond information that any citizen can access via sources such as Google or public data from government reports. The most robust OSINT programs utilize these techniques while also tapping into subject matter experts and members of academia. These individuals can provide deep understanding and ultimately actionable intelligence that can help the IC and the U.S. government make effective foreign policy decisions. In addition, OSINT data can augment intelligence gathered through other disciplines, providing a more comprehensive view for enhanced decision making.
Looking ahead, a new form of OSINT is emerging in the form of "crowdsourcing" data to provide better accuracy of intelligence forecasting. The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has been actively seeking solicitations from members of industry and a pool of open source experts to help the IC make better informed decisions.
Members of academia are also helping the IC tap into the "wisdom of crowds." The phenomenon is based on statistical evidence that large crowds of average folks are often capable of better predicting unknown events than individual experts. Via the Internet, researchers at George Mason University are assembling a team of more than 500 forecasters who will make educated guesses about a series of world events. The effort is actually part of an academic competition between universities that are vying for a grant from the IARPA.
In the face of future budget cuts that will task the IC with "doing more with less," OSINT is a cost-effective way for the community to tap into and leverage data from open resources and crowds. While much of this data would be considered unclassified, it does not diminish its true value. The combination of classified and unclassified intelligence will provide the intelligence community with a complete set of data for decision making that will always be needed—even in the face of lowered budgets.
Tags: GEOINT, IARPA, Marv Gordner, Marv Gordner and MorganFranklin, MorganFranklin, Open Source Intelligence, OSINT, OSINT and MorganFranklin


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It is possible that the main title of the report Orocraniodigital Syndrome is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Orocraniodigital syndrome is an extremely rare inherited disorder characterized by multiple malformations of the head and face (craniofacial area) and the fingers and toes (digits). Major characteristics may include a vertical groove in the upper lip (cleft lip) and/or the inside, upper portion of the mouth (cleft palate), an abnormally small head (microcephaly), widely spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism), improper development (hypoplasia) of the thumbs and/or toes, and/or webbing (syndactyly) of the toes. In some cases, malformations of certain skeletal bones may also be present. Mental retardation has occurred in the majority of cases. Orocraniodigital syndrome may be inherited as an autosomal recessive genetic trait.
Children's Craniofacial Association
13140 Coit Road
Suite 517
Dallas, TX 75240
Tel: (214)570-9099
Fax: (214)570-8811
Tel: (800)535-3643
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.ccakids.com
FACES: The National Craniofacial Association
PO Box 11082
Chattanooga, TN 37401
Tel: (423)266-1632
Fax: (423)267-3124
Tel: (800)332-2373
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.faces-cranio.org
Forward Face, Inc.
333 East 30th Street, Lobby Unit
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212)263-6656
Fax: (212)263-7534
Tel: (800)393-3223
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.forwardface.org
Post Office Box 751112
Limekiln, PA 19535
Tel: (702)769-9264
Fax: (702)341-5351
Tel: (888)486-1209
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.ameriface.org
Cleft Palate Foundation
1504 East Franklin Street
Suite 102
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-2820
Tel: (919)933-9044
Fax: (919)933-9604
Tel: (800)242-5338
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.cleftline.org
Wide Smiles
P.O. Box 5153
Stockton, CA 95205-0153
Tel: (209)942-2812
Fax: (209)464-1497
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.widesmiles2.org/
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
Email: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email email@example.com
Last Updated: 3/2/2008
Copyright 1996, 2004 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.


text:
Visionary Design: Antoni Gaudí
When I plucked the new Anthropologie catalog from my mailbox, I immediately recognized the cover's backdrop as Barcelona's Park Güell. Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, the park and its organic shapes and colorful mosaic work reflect his playful, visionary style.
Born in 1852, Gaudí is the best known architect of "Modernisme," a movement associated with the search for Catalan national identity in Spain which paralleled the Art Deco period elsewhere.
Gaudí infused his passion for nature into his craft as a highly creative and technically gifted architect. Especially later in his career, you'll see few straight lines or sharp corners in the parks, homes, and churches he designed — instead, his walls, balconies, and roofs undulate. The shapes are reminiscent of seashells, waves, tree canopies, and animal scales. Gaudí was also skilled in his use of stained glass and mosaics, and his highly ornamental creations are interesting down to the last detail.
Gaudí's other passion, for his Roman Catholic faith, takes shape most ambitiously in his still incomplete masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia (Images 1 and 2). While any cathedral can make you feel insignificant and awed, for me visiting the Sagrada Familia was a unique, almost magical experience. Despite its unfinished state, the basilica is one of seven Gaudí creations considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
1. Sagrada Familia, "Passion façade"
2. Sagrada Familia, nave detail
3. Casa Batlló, façade
4. Park Güell, colonnade
5. Casa Mila, rooftop
6. Park Güell, mosaic benches
7. and 8. Park Güell and Casa Batlló, respectively, in Anthropologie's October catalog
• A Design Lover's Guide to Barcelona
• What Does a Gaudi Kitchen Look Like?
• Antonio Gaudi: At the Gene Siskel Film Center
(Images: As linked above)


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How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Jul 17, 2011 2:10 PM (in response to margaret)
Hi Margaret,
I see this post was from late April, so you may have already figured all of this out. But if not, the total tax rate for Pawley Island is 10%, which is comprised of SC state sales and accommodations tax totaling 7.0% and a local Pawley Island accommodations tax of 3.0%. You would need to register for an SC sales tax license and also register with Pawley Island. Once registered then, generally, each month you will need to file one tax return with SC and one tax return directly with Pawley Island to report your rentals and remit the taxes.
Good luck renting and if you would like more information about tax compliance or our service that will handle all of these requirements for you visit www.hotspottax.com.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmountainmomma Dec 4, 2011 1:22 PM (in response to hotspottax)
We have an interesting problem for you. We own and live year round in a home in the mountains of North Georgia. Our vacation rental unit is the lower level of our home. We are totally confused about what we might need to do on the tax scene.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmarym Dec 4, 2011 2:27 PM (in response to mountainmomma)
My first thought - see a tax professional! I'm wondering if it's a similar situation as having an "office" in your home, i.e., you measure square footage and the percentage of the rental compared to the total of your entire home is the percentage you use to all your expenses. Please share what information you find out!
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmountainmomma Dec 4, 2011 4:14 PM (in response to marym)
I've already got an e-mail query into HotSpot Tax Services and will see what they say. Should be interesting. I know there are other homes out there who rent one of the floors. I investigated one myself a year or so ago. We've been pretty casual about it and haven't collected taxes but we're still pretty new and wouldn't have that much to pay if we decided to come forward and declare before they contact us. We heard that our county is going to start becoming more agressive about collecting occupation taxes from our cabin rental community. I'll be sure to keep everybody up to date on this.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Dec 5, 2011 11:59 AM (in response to mountainmomma)
Hi mountainmamma,
I just sent you an email with the tax requirements for Blairsville, GA. There is a combined 12% tax (7.0% state and county sales tax remitted to Georgia, plus a 5% local accommodations tax) that you are required to collect from your guests on the rent you charge.
Generally, the laws and codes are written very broadly to define hotels as any structure or room where accommodations are being provided for consideration. The fact that you live there does not effect the taxability. Even if you were renting a spare bedroom in your home, that is typically subject to the hotel/occupancy taxes. To confirm you could call the city clerk in Blairsville, I would be interested if they gave you conflicting advice.
I hope that helps.
Rob Stephens
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmountainmomma Dec 6, 2011 9:41 AM (in response to hotspottax)
Hi Rob,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Last night I spoke with our county tax person, Susie Philips, as she's in our church choir with me. After explaining that our rental is the lower level of our home and this year we had a total of 6 weeks rental Susie said that we shouldn't worry about asking for taxes. However she said it might also be a good idea to talk with our county commissioner to make sure.
We're a very small community and everyone is just trying to make a living while the economy is so crappy. They are pretty forgiving up here but we have heard thru the grapevine that the Chamber of Commerce was pushing the commissioner to up the tax from 5% to 7% and people heard about it, complained bitterly and he decided to keep it at 5%. We also heard from fellow cabin owners that the county were going to start going after them to start collecting taxes and paying them.
Currently as 2011 has been our first full year this will be the first time we are going to declare earnings to the federal govt.
Does your firm give advice as to deductions etc when filing federal? I've dealt with Georgia sales tax office before as I owned a retail store back in the 90's. If we decide to start down this road of creating an LLC company, all the taxes etc we need to have all the info up front. Govt can't keep their noses out of anything we do. No fun anymore.
Trish Kane
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Device
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Dec 9, 2011 11:59 AM (in response to mountainmomma)
Hi mountainmamma,
A couple of comments....
First, if you are in the city limits of Blairsville you would pay the 5% tax to the city, not Union County.
Second, Susie Rice works for the Union County tax assessor office and deals with property taxes. The hotel/motel tax is handled by a different department in the county, she may not be knowledgible about the specific rules. Also, as I mention above if you are in the city limits of Blairsville the tax is paid to the city and has nothing to do with the county. I would caution you about relying on anecdotal conversations regarding these compliance issues. Many of our customers routinely recieve bad advice from friends or others and then end up paying the consequences with penalties and interest if they get caught. Also, we recommend you recieve guidance in writing whenever a tax jusisdition provides you verbal information that is inconsistent with their written laws and ordinances.
We believe non-compliance is a problem for the vacation rental industry. We are seeing tax jurisdictions accross the U.S. struggle with trying to get the industry compliant. Partly they are seeking additional tax revenue and partly it is a fairness issue. Rental owners and managers that are paying the tax do not like the fact the many are not, and put pressure on officials in their community to crack down.
Finally, we do not handle income tax related matters, our expertise and business is to assist property owners and managers comply with the state, county and city room and occupancy taxes.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmountainmomma Dec 9, 2011 4:13 PM (in response to hotspottax)
Hi Rob,
Thanks again. No we are not in the city limits, so our tax is definitely county driven. My husband and I are talking it over to see what we want to do.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalpiavian_43 Dec 7, 2011 5:07 PM (in response to margaret)
Reply to Margaret
My wife has the same problem as you except that her rentals are in Litchfield Beach. She has an appointment with a CPA tomorrow to discuss sales tax as well as if state tax is owed by non-residents... from a review of the federal return there was little and none for the most part of income left after expenses and depreciation. Would like to know what you have done as well. I assume you are in Pawleys Pier
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Dec 9, 2011 12:10 PM (in response to piavian_43)
As your CPA may have confirmed, there are a series of state and countly sales and accommodation taxes that you will need to collect from your guests and remit each month to SC. Additionally, there will be a local accommodations tax, likely due to Georgetown County, depending on your location.
If you would like more specifics about the tax requirements for your location, please contact me. We will give you the info for free so you don't have to pay a CPA. We currently handle the sales and accommodations tax filings for hundreds and hundreds of vacation rentals in SC.
Best regards,
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmarilyn Apr 18, 2012 3:52 PM (in response to hotspottax)
Are taxes only for short term rentals less than 30 days or also payable on monthly rentals as well?
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Apr 18, 2012 10:57 PM (in response to marilyn)
Hi Marilyn,
Most states exempt rentals of 30 days or longer from the tax, but some are 90 days and some states are as long as six months (like Florida and Hawaii), so it depends on where your rental is located. Simarly, some locations are required to pay the taxes only monthly and other locations are quarterly. Again, it depends on the location of your rental and how much tax you pay. Let me know the city and state of your rental and I can be more specific.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmarilyn Apr 19, 2012 8:17 AM (in response to hotspottax)
Hi Rob
Six of my homes are in Hamptons Bays, New York 11946 and one home is in Southampton, New York 11968.
Would appreaciate your response.
Thank you
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Apr 19, 2012 12:27 PM (in response to marilyn)
Hi Marilyn,
NY is complicated, but recently became less complicated. Last month NY Taxation issued a ruling that basically exempts vacation rentals from the state and county sales tax (based on a lawsuit). You still need to collect and remit the Suffolk County hotel motel tax, which is filed and paid quarterly to the county. Also, in Suffolk County rentals of 30 days or longer are exempt from the tax.
For the state taxes, the length of stay had to be 90 days to be exempt, but the NY state sales tax is basically not applicable anymore. We recently notified all of our NYS customers of this development and removed the state and county sales taxes from their accounts. They all do need to continue filing and report the county hotel tax, but that is a much lower rate.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmarilyn Apr 19, 2012 12:54 PM (in response to hotspottax)
thank you so very much
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalmsdebj Mar 1, 2013 3:49 PM (in response to hotspottax)
Question. I know Hotspot has been on forums for some time , and I now see them as a 3rd party vendor on VRBO/HA.
Is HotSpot now the recommended vendor of HA/VRBO for taxes?
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Mar 8, 2013 3:25 PM (in response to msdebj)
Hi Debj,
We have been a partner with HA/VRBO regarding taxes since HA was formed in 2004. We were actually partners with many of the early vacation rental websites that preceeded HA, including VRBO. You may be seeing more messaging about HotSpot or taxes because it is becoming an increasingly important and sometimes problematic issue in the industry.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalcmarch Jun 10, 2012 2:16 PM (in response to hotspottax)
I currently have a property management company handle my sales taxes for me (in Kissimmee, FL). I collect a total of 13% which I believe is split between state and county??
Due to a deterioration in our working relationship I am looking into handling this myself. Do I need to apply for a new account or should I be able to take over the existing account(s)? Where would I find the account numbers (assuming the management company won't tell me)? Where do I go to apply to take over this task?
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Jun 10, 2012 6:52 PM (in response to cmarch)
Hi cmarch,
Yes, for the 13% tax, 7% is paid to Florida each month and 6% is paid to Osceola County each month. If your manager was handling the taxes correctly they should have most accounts for you already set-up.
You will need/have the following:
1) Florida sales tax account/certificate
2) Osceola Tourist Development tax account
3) Osceola County Business Tax Receipt (license)
4) Florida Resort Dwelling License
If you call the FL DOR they should be able to give you the sales tax number for your location (address). They should be able to unroll that number from your managers account so you can now file on it. Also, call the tourist tax group/tax collector at Osceola County and they can provide you with the county Tourist Tax number and your Busines Tax receipt number. They may be able to help you with a FL DOR contact too, if needed. Finally, you will likely need to obtain a Florida Resort Dwelling license when the one your manager has expires.
Alternatively, HotSpot will handle all this for you and the monthly filings for a fee of $12 per month ($6 each tax return) plus an annual fee of $19.95.
I hope that helps.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalwest_twinner Jun 11, 2012 12:47 PM (in response to hotspottax)
Hi there, we have just started renting our our cottage in Northern Michigan. I am guessing(hoping) we will only get about 6-8 weeks of rental this year. We included the taxes in our rate but have no idea of what the tax implications are. Can you give any advice. We are in Lewiston (Albert Township) MI. Thanks
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Jun 11, 2012 3:27 PM (in response to west_twinner)
For most locations in Michigan the only applicable tax for a single unit or one vacation home is the state 6% sales/use tax, including Lewiston. You will need to register with the Michigan Dept of Treasury for a sales/use tax account/license. Most of our MI customers are required to file quarterly with the state, plus an additional annual filing. If you want to do this on your own either call or visit the MI Dept of Treasury website to get registered and start the filing process.
If you prefer, HotSpot will file the required returns for $11 per quarter, plus a $19.95 annual fee. I hope that info helps, let me know if you have other quesitons.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax Services
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentallzim Mar 1, 2013 2:56 PM (in response to hotspottax)
Mr. Stephens,
You are very knowledgeable, so I thought I would go straight to the source. We recently purchased a condo in Myrtle Beach, SC as our vacation home and on occasion rent it out via VRBO. Are we liable for any kind of taxes?
Thank you in advance.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalbeachbumz Mar 1, 2013 6:29 PM (in response to lzim)
LZIM - I'm a MB homeowner who also rents out. You'll need an Horry County business license, you'll need to file SC DOR Sales Tax, plus Horry County accomodations tax. For one of the taxes, if you're in MB proper, you'll need to file an extra 1% for commerce and development. Total is 12% between the two. Mr. Stephens appears to be very knowledgeable and you may feel more comfortable relying on his recommendations. If you need some help, feel free to email me at my profile address and I'll be glad to provide more detailed information.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Mar 2, 2013 8:30 AM (in response to lzim)
Hi Izim,
Thanks for asking, I'll try to be concise about the requirements, it's a bit complicated:
If you are in the city limits the tax is 13%, if you are in unincorporated Horry County the tax is 12%. We verify each location we handle the taxes, for obvious reasons. Below are the basic requirements if your IN MB city limits:
- 10% tax paid monthly to the SC DOR. This is the sum of five different sales and accommodations taxes.
- 1.5% hospitality/accommodations tax paid monthly to MB
- 1.5% accommodation tax paid quarterly to Horry County
As you can see that if you are in MB city limits the taxes are paid to three different agencies. Also, if you are in MB city limits you need an MB city business license and you do not need an Horry County business license. HotSpot will handle all of these filings and licenses if you prefer, once you are set-up we charge about $200 per year to do all this ($15 to $16 per month).
If you are not in city limits then the tax is 12% and paid to SC DOR and Horry County, so you don't have to worry about anything with MB. Also, I believe you don't need an Horry County business license unless your rentals exceed $10,000 per year. Our fee for Horry County (not MB) is $135 per year to handle everything.
Hopefully that helps, let me know if you have other questions.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalnorthmb Aug 12, 2013 10:02 AM (in response to hotspottax)
The Horry County receptionist told me the same information, but as I sit down to fill out the forms - everything from the state's paperwork and website says 7% (5+2). Did something change recently? I know there is still 1.5 and 1.5 for county and city (I'm in North Myrtle), but I have been collecting 12% for the last month and that's not what I'm supposed to pay out. How do I go about resolving it now?
How much would hotspottax charge to get me started so I can do this right from now on? We've only been renting a month.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Aug 12, 2013 10:57 AM (in response to northmb)
I think I understand what you are asking. Of the 12% tax, 9% is paid to the state (5% sales, 2% accommodations plus two Horry County location option sales taxes of 1% each). Then 1.5% is paid seperately to Horry and NMB. I hope that helps.
If you want HotSpot to handle we charge $6 for the monthly SC return, $6 for the monhtly NMB return and Horry we can file quarterly for a fee of $11 each quarter.
If easier to discuss on the phone you can reach me at 303-220-0183.
HotSpot Tax
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentaljmhumitz Jul 22, 2014 6:21 PM (in response to hotspottax)
I am a new property manager for my sisters new home in Leland Michigan. When she set up the site with VRBO someone told her 8% was for taxes,I thought maybe there was a township/county the additional 2% above Michigans 6% rate so I did not question it. Am I correct that this is wrong, we will have to refund some people if so.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentaldgermain88 Jul 3, 2018 7:45 AM (in response to hotspottax)
thanks for this answer but a question is, which revenue do we report? The so called "taxable" revenue or including fees? And do you declare on cash flow basis or when you actually have renters in your property?
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalgreggt Jul 3, 2018 10:59 AM (in response to dgermain88)
In our location in Florida they give specific instructions on what to include. We pay 7% state and county tax to the state of Florida, this includes Transient Rent, Cleaning Fees, Administrative Fees and all other charges that hit our bank unless Florida tax has already been paid like our Parking Passes we have to obtain from the HOA. Our TDC tax of 5% is figured the same way.
Getting our taxes set up was a piece of cake, most locations are more than helpful. It really bothers me to see people running a VR and not paying taxes. It bothers me worse to see VR's collecting taxes but not paying them in, just putting that percentage in their pocket.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhomeaway_community_manager Jul 5, 2018 7:43 AM (in response to dgermain88)
Hi dgermain88,
This topic is worth starting a new thread for. Please create a new discussion. Thank you.
HomeAway Community Manager
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalgoliathslw Apr 4, 2013 4:01 PM (in response to margaret)
If I have a home in Hunter, NY 12450 that I wish to rent out short term, what are the tax rates, and how often do I need to file? And what is the definition of short term?
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalharry2010 Apr 16, 2013 2:19 PM (in response to goliathslw)
I am considering short-term rental of my home in Harpers Ferry, WV and until I saw this forum, I never even thought about taxes. Can anyone help with rules/law for West Virginia?
I think of short term rental as weekend up to 1 week.
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalevan Apr 16, 2013 5:18 PM (in response to harry2010)
I believe in many states the definition of short term is up to months were one collects taxes. I know it i in fla. i'm sure theres psters from every state on here who can guide you
Re: How do I handle tax for my rentalhotspottax Apr 17, 2013 3:12 PM (in response to harry2010)
In WV rentals of less than 30 days in duration are considered short term and subjedct to the state 6% sales tax. There likely may be an additional local city or county tax too. Jefferson County does have a hotel tax that may apply to your rentals. If you register for HotSpot we will confirm the exact tax requirements for your location and then register you for any required account and licenses, then file and pay the taxes when due each month or quarter.
If you want to figure this out on your own my suggestion would be to contact the WV Dept of Taxation and Jefferson County Finance or Tax Collector.
I hope that helps.
Rob Stephens
HotSpot Tax


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The Financial Management Services Department of the City of Winston-Salem provides assistance to city administrators in maintaining the city's overall financial stability through sound financial planning and management. The department has over 80 employees divided into seven divisions: Administration, Revenue, Treasury & Financial Systems, Risk Management, Accounting Services/Payroll, and Purchasing.
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Financial Management Services, City of Winston-Salem
Suite 244, City Hall, 101 N. Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
P.O. Box 2511, Winston-Salem, NC 27102-2511336-727-8000 | Finance fax: 336-727-2566


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After suffering a roughly 4% loss last week, gold prices headed even lower overnight and this morning as further erosion in crude oil and the euro and further advances in the US dollar made life more difficult for the few remaining bulls in the market. Bullish sentiment had already dipped to well under the ten percent mark late last week, giving rise to hopes that a counter-trend rally might finally emerge today after six-plus brutalizing trading weeks and a ten-week-old chart downtrend but the flight to (US) cash has prevented that event from materializing as the new trading week got underway overseas during the night. Spot gold dealings witnessed a low on gold at $1,554 per ounce while silver fell as low as $28.20 the ounce.
In the market background, the US dollar reached well above the 80.50 mark on the trade-weighted index while the euro got clobbered once again and dipped to $1.283 against it. Crude oil provided further comfort to OPEC spokesmen who had expressed a desire to see black gold trading in and around the century mark per barrel with a near-$2 dip to close to the $94 level this morning. On a "normal" morning, the news from China over the weekend would have brightened trading spirits and would have lifted the precious metals and the commodities' complex overall.
China's central bank announced late Saturday that it would loosen monetary policy in a clear effort to stimulate the economy after the release on Thursday and Friday of a batch of economic indicators for April that were considerably weaker than most economists had expected. Reaction? Not visible. Not today. Welcome to the "new" normal…where the perception that China is experiencing a worrisome deceleration supersedes the possible benefits of an accommodative stance by the government.
The Dow lost more than 115 points in the first 15 minutes of action this morning as the euro-centric gloom once again dominated investor sentiment. Commodities have now wiped out their year-to-date gains and are in the midst of their longest losing streak since 2008. Commodity exchange-traded products (ETPs) witnessed $1 billion worth of outflows in April, led by withdrawals from precious metals and energy, said Societe Generale SA analysts to Bloomberg News. As a result of the above, we now find that players in this niche have slashed their bullish bets on "stuff" by the most (19%) since last November.
Gold and precious metals funds shed $467 million in the reporting period ending on May 9th. According to Bloomberg News, "bullish gold bets plunged 20 percent to 92,498 contracts, the lowest since December 2008, CFTC data show. Wagers on a silver rally tumbled 32 percent to 7,159, the biggest decline since late December. Gold prices dropped 3.7 percent last week; the most in two months, as the dollar rose, curbing demand for the precious metal as an alternative investment. Silver declined 5.1 percent to $28.89 an ounce."
This, too, will be a statistics-laden week in the US and the markets will have plenty of fodder for wild and woolly action, depending on the tilt to be gleaned from the numbers as regards the US economy. We will be digesting the key April retail sales figures and the CPI temperature's reading (tomorrow) along with the Empire State index, and inventories. On Wednesday we will read about housing starts, industrial production, and capacity utilization in the US. Finally, on Thursday, the markets will learn about the weekly jobless claims filings levels, the US' LEI and they will hear from the Philly Fed. Meanwhile, commodity bulls continue to desperately hear that which they must hear in order to survive, from the actual Fed. Suddenly, that June FOMC meeting seems so darn far away…no?
New York-based spot precious metals dealings opened very weak amid a plethora of bearish news and statistical revelations related to the markets. Gold started the week off at $1,555 - $1,562 per ounce (now down $23) with technical indicators still pointing toward an important support shelf below, at $1,527 the ounce. Silver lost more than half a dollar and was quoted at $28.35 per ounce. Our friends over at Standard Bank (SA) in their weekly futures market and ETF positioning report note a couple of things about the current status quo in gold and in silver. Not good things, mind you. Read on:
As regards the speculative paradigm in gold, they see that "Net speculative length appears decidedly weak compared to historical norms, signaling a continued lack of confidence. What is more disconcerting is that while investors have over the past few weeks appeared cautious of running too short on gold, this fear seems to have evaporated." As for silver, the analytical team finds that "The abrupt increase in shorts is a cause for concern, as a bearish view on silver appears to be gaining traction. The paradoxical increase in longs does not provide much comfort, falling far short of the decline in the previous week.


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State Champions
OKLAHOMA CITY — There were many naysayers out in the Oklahoma high school softball world which doubted the Panama Lady Razorbacks would be the one team holding the Class 2A State Tournament championship trophy Saturday afternoon at Hall of Fame Stadium. But holding the trophy they were.The Lady 'Backs, behind the pitching of Taylor Eaves, blanked the Oktaha Lady Tigers 1-0 in the Class 2A State Tournament title game."We had a goal at the start of the year," Panama Coach Grant Ralls said. "It was one of those things that you had to believe, and these girls believed. The longer we went (into the season), we kept getting better. About LeFlore County Tournament time (Sept. 12-15 at the Poteau Area Recreational Complex, in which the Lady Razorbacks were runners-up to Poteau), we started peaking — and believing. When you get believing you can win, you can do a lot of things. They really did an outstanding job. They got after it. They didn't come in here and get shook up. That's what it was all about. They got the goal they wanted to get."


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Event: The Chivas Studio Spotlight party saw many Bollywood biggies grace it some of them being Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Nargis Fakhri, Malaika Arora Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Neha Dhupia, Adah Sharma et al.
Guest List: Deepika Padukone, Riya Sen, Ranbir Kapoor, Mugdha Godse, Lisa Haydon, Malaika Arora Khan, Neha Dhupia, Nargis Fakhri, Soha Ali Khan, Adah Sharma, Manjari Fadnis, Sophie Chaudhary, Kalki Koechlin, Anurag Kashyap, Abhay Deol, Arjun Rampal, Mehr Rampal, Sandeepa Dhar, Dipannita Sharma, Prachi Desai, Genelia D'Souza, Soha Ali Khan
Venue: Grand Hyatt, Mumbai
Date: 16-Nov-2011
Bollywood celeb Aamir Khan along with wife Kiran Rao were spotted at PVR.
Bollywood producers-directors Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Krishan Kumar, Ravi Bahl, Divya Khosla Kumar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala celebrate diwali with Bhushan Kumar
Bollywood celebs Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Sonali Bendre, Nimrat Kaur among others were snapped by paparazzi.Bebo looked super cool in a casual look. She wore a white t-shirt with yoga pants...
Bollywood actress Shama Sikander celebrated Diwali festival at her residence.
Bollywood celebs Aamir Khan, Zaira Wasim, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Anil Kapoor, Nitesh Tiwari, Aparshakti Khurrana, Bhushan Kumar, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Sachin Tendulkar, Rajkumar Hir...


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08-05-2018 02:04 AMArchaicFaggot
10-26-2009 12:58 PMDiablowdenz
10-13-2009 07:27 PMClintEastwoodi want yer cawk
07-23-2009 02:35 AMItachi UchihaAre you fucking stupid? demod that idiot Multi aka Alborosie (his current nickname) He just closed another of my threads, AGAIN, for completely no reason, AGAIN....
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01-22-2009 11:36 AM~Barz~Hey Denz...for real Pholl AKA Scientologist keeps hitting me with 10 point infractions left and right tryna ban me for no reason and its old. Just wondering if you can talk to him about abusing his power cuz it ain't cool at all. If I did something aight, but he infracts me for no reason but I guess for a cheap laugh and I'm a pretty active member who don't start trouble. So could u tell him to stop or something please?