text:
My lover is radiant and ruddy
outstanding among ten thousand.
~ Song of Songs 5:10
Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest
is my lover among the young men.
I delight to sit in his shade,
and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
~ Song of Songs 2:3
What can we learn from the Song about how we as men need to think and behave in order to have a great sex life with our wives?
Commitment, Companionship and Closeness
Men, I am about to tell you the most important fact you will ever learn about how your wife thinks about sex. If you get anything out of this book, get this! Blessed is the man who understands, accepts and lives in harmony with his wife's God-given sexuality.
Here it is, Love Lesson #1:
For her, sex is about your total relationship.
Her sexual union with you is based upon, nurtured and inspired by commitment, companionship and closeness. The only way she can fully respond to you sexually is if she believes and knows in her heart that the two of you have a sacred and secure relationship of love. For your wife to be excited and motivated sexually, she must feel close to you, and be confident that you deeply and dearly love her.
Sex proceeds out of this commitment, not the other way around. And guess what? God has designed it this way. The need for closeness before sex is not a feminine foible or weakness. It is a divinely-given gift, a gift that you as a husband must understand and respect, and with which you must work in harmony.
Women want to know that they are the one and only woman in your life—for all of your life. Listen to this request made by the bride in the Song:
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.
If one were to give
all the wealth of his house for love,
it would be utterly scorned. (Song of Songs 8:6–7)
So how do we assure and reassure our wife that she has our full commitment? One of the most powerful ways is with our words. The husband in the Song excels in assuring his wife of her unique place in his life.
He lets her know that she owns his heart:
You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride;
you have stolen my heart
with one glance of your eyes,
with one jewel of your necklace. (Song of Songs 4:9)
He lets her know that, though there may be other beautiful women, she is unique, one-of a-kind. He assures her that there is no one else like her in his life, that she has no competition for his affections, desires and love:
Sixty queens there may be,
and eighty concubines,
and virgins beyond number;
but my dove, my perfect one, is unique. (Song of Songs 6:8–9)
He warms her heart with his endearing names: six times he calls her his "bride." [1] What does that say to her? It says he still regards her as the beautiful bride with whom he fell in love, and to whom he made a marriage vow, and pledged life-long fidelity.
Nine times he calls her his "darling." [2] This Hebrew word also has in its meaning the concept of "companion." In other words, he recognizes that his wife is not just there to meet his sexual needs—she is to be his best friend, lifelong partner and closest confidant.
But he does more than talk. He takes action. He invites her to go away alone together:
"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.
See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me." (Song of Songs 2:10–13)
His first recorded request is not, "Hey baby, let's get it on!" No, he asks her to go away with him, and in so doing gives her the message that he wants some time with her all to himself. He wants to be with her, away from people, pressures and interruptions, to enjoy the beauty of the spring countryside with her.
Most wives love to be alone with their husbands—especially when they know that you are just as excited about it as they are. They long to know that their company is all you need to be happy, and that you like nothing better than spending time with them. What you do is not of first importance—what is essential is that you are together. Some women are especially desirous of "quality time" with their husbands. If your wife is one of those women, and if you are a man who bears a lot of responsibility and who is easily distracted by worry, you especially need to follow the example of the husband here in the Song as he initiates to have undistracted time alone with his wife.
Let's gain additional insight into the wife's desire for companionship as she requests a romantic getaway:
Come, my lover, let us go to the countryside,
let us spend the night in the villages.
Let us go early to the vineyards
to see if the vines have budded,
if their blossoms have opened,
and if the pomegranates are in bloom—
there I will give you my love. (Song of Songs 7:11–12)
Does this sound like a boring bird-watching trip or shopping expedition? Read on. The invitation ends with her saying: "There I will give you my love." Now we're talking!
Here is how it works: in the privacy of a country retreat, your wife will be able let her worries drift away. She will be able to put aside her concerns for the kids, the house, her to-do list, her job and her friends. She will be able to relax, enjoy herself and give you herself and her body without distraction and without reserve. So are you making reservations for the Bed and Breakfast yet?
But let's note one other important detail: the husband, when he extended his invitation, did not say, as she did, "Let's go away to make love." He tactfully and wisely left that out. Are we learning anything, guys?
Your wife wants to know that she is close to you and valued by you as a person, for who she is, and not just for giving you sexual release and pleasure. Really, isn't this a more godly way to look at sex? Because the male sex drive is usually more inflammable than that of women, men must take care or we can become more focused on sex than on our friendship with our wives. Men might have to make an effort to think about what women instinctively dwell upon. And while God purposefully designed the male gender with stronger passion, he never intended sexuality to overshadow the relationship of love and companionship.
So men, here is your wife's motto:
This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
She must have you as friend and lover. "Lover" alone won't cut it. Be her best friend. Then, and only then, can you also be her exciting lover. [3]
[1] 4:8–12; 5:1
[2] 1:9, 15; 2:2, 10, 13; 4:1, 7; 5:2; 6:4
[3] We have mentioned some important ways to make our wives feel loved, but we have not exhausted the subject. Study your wife and learn just what it is that makes her feel secure and special. A recommended book on coming to understand your wife's needs is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, (Chicago: Northfield Publishing, 1995).
Known for his spiritual wisdom and insight, Sam Laing has ministered to people for more than thirty-five years both in the US and abroad. He is the author of numerous books including Be Still My Soul, the Guilty Soul's Guide to Grace and Friends and Lovers. He and his wife, Geri, have a passion to help others find the joy and meaning that they have found in their marriage. They live in Georgia where Sam is a teacher and an evangelist with the Athen's Church of Christ.


text:
About a week ago Tracy Morgan's homophobic riff-slash-rant at a stand-up gig created a ruckus. The reviews were worse than Spider Man on Broadway.
"Mean-spirited" — Olivia Munn
"Can I go to the Tony awards without getting my ass kicked?" — Chris Rock
All told, he probably lost some Twitter followers, and the boundaries on anti-gay humor in the it-gets-better era. Still, if you already knew Tracy Morgan, likely it didn't budge the opinion-meter too much. Crazy insane or insane crazy.
See, everyone knows Tracy, but no one really gets Tracy; the loose cannon from Brooklyn is one of our prolifically chatty personalities and dominates in the war to leave others speechless. He's ethered the whole A-list of professional smooth-talkers: burner-at-the-side-of-your-dome, formerly unflappable Jon Stewart; get-out-of-my-throne, once-unstammerable Terry Gross; eat-this-blast-of-flabbergast, previously unflabbergastable Conan O'Brien. Tracy Morgan leaves them all shook. And after throwing maverick elbows to clear space like Dirk in the high post, he's also down to give up the body like Brian Cardinal and draw the charge and shift momentum. Clean or dirty (mostly dirty), anything for the laugh. That's why hoods respect him, hipsters adore him, and even pedigreed
white boys literary types such as New Yorker editor David Remnick don't just like him
as Tracy would say, it's all loooove.
So, yo: Anyone can see Tracy Morgan has layers on layers, like a pregnant onion. Let's grab some three-ply with Aloe and let our eyes feel the burn as we decode the Marshall McLuhan of mixed emotions.1 Behold: The Nine Circles of Tracy Morgan, in ascending order of entertainment value.
Circle 1: Tracy Morgan as Professional Hell Raiser
This is the stage we're all currently in. Tracy Morgan's balloon has lost its string. Even Liz Lemonade was forced to put on her Bossypants in protest. Hell is a misguided rant hung over your head while the blog-media hits accumulate like exponents. The aftershock effects of a hurt locker like this (hint: the media is the suit, the story is the bomb) can linger for years. Little is worth the price of engagement.
Bottom line: Tracy Morgan is one in a long line of fearless shock comics. The art of shock-comedy constitutes sizing up the moral consciousness of the collective public, and finding the perfect space for a punch line that just crosses the line. Do it right and you end up in the company of controversial legends like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Redd Foxx. But play the cards wrong and you end up in racist rehab with Michael Richards.
Entertainment Value: 0
Circle 2: Tracy Morgan as Professional Apologizer
My bad, this is the stage we're currently in. The Media Apology Tour, also known as the most boring part at the Celebrity-Bullshit Olympics — Tracy Morgan is an old pro at events like the 100-interview relay, the free speech javelin throw, and the apology floor exercises (back handspring into the truth, catapulting off the moral high ground, stick the landing). Tracy is always quick to apologize. Dude's like the fast food of apologies. Have it your way. Every day. McMea Culpa to go. #overabillionserved.
Entertainment Value: 2
Circle 3: Tracy Morgan as Professional Crier
A couple of years ago, when Tracy was promoting his memoir I Am The New Black, we pretty much lived in Stage 3. From Oprah to NPR to plenty of interview stops in between — T-Mo had a little TMI for everyone about the horror that was his growing up in the Coney Island projects. Man, I haven't seen that kind of crying since 'Nam! Can you imagine just going bookstore to bookstore, blog to blog, stranger to stranger and just crying about your childhood constantly? No, you can't. You can't imagine that. Stop imagining. Let's just shut up and toast Tracy Morgan's Epic Vulnerability, right now! I'm not trying to front on all you droopy eyed, snarky girl-bloggers out there, but 30 Rock and SNL may have robbed us of the greatest emo-blogger of all time!
(Note: If crying gets out of hand, proceed directly to Circle 2, and if it continues, to Hell.)
Entertainment Value: 4
Circle 4: Tracy Morgan as Professional Meme (or, "Someone's getting pregnant!")
This used to be a really fun circle! Did you imagine the day when you could say, "Yo, middle school pregnancy is some funny shit"? But a joke premised in pure nonsense doesn't preserve this long. Over the years of repetition and awkward, overzealous, make-you-want-to-go-back-to-Africa-even-if-you're-not-black usage of this once-flighty meme has turned a ditzy one-liner into social commentary and an obligatory lesson on the Moynihan Report. Pregnancy in the black community is not the word to play! Please take the escalator down to Circles 3, 2, 1.
Entertainment Value: 5
Circle 5: Professional White Person Discomforter2
Halfway from hell and we start getting some LOLs. Tracy Morgan may very well be the no. 1 draft pick for the Making White People Uncomfortable Fantasy Draft. He's Flirty. Obnoxious. Touchy-Feely. Incoherent. Racialized. Lascivious. Very lascivious. The best public illustration of this circle was a "gaff" on TNT's pregame show that had Ernie Johnson freezing up and Charles Barkley unable to repress his laughter, "Sarah Palin is good masturbation material."3
Ebonics joke: "Yo discomforter is made of down and bubble wrap!"
While TNT apologized for Morgan's remarks, the comedian himself was unrepentant — taking the time at an awards show a few days later to reiterate that Sarah Palin is a MILF. It's telling that Tracy did not proceed to Contrition and Hell in the Palin backlash. He draws the moral distinction between homophobia and MILF-mongering.
Entertainment Value: non-white, 8.5; white, 6
Circle 6: Professional Actor
First of all, we're very happy to plug the movie 30 Years to Life. I hazard a finger-wag and proclaim you unfit to comment on Tracy's acting chops without seeing this movie! 30 Years features Tracy playing the role of a 30-something stand-up comedian, and came out before he got the 30 Rock break. It's no Will Smith Six Degrees of Separation, but it's refreshingly watchable/charming, obscure, and now on Netflix instant; so, problem solved.
True, the bulk of his filmography is meh. But on TV? Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock balls like Dirk in the 2011 playoffs. Tracy's Jordanesque creation rivals Kramer, Homer, Cartman, Ari Gold, Anthony Weiner, and any other perfectly drawn male caricature of the past 20 years. Dude is method, improv, and theater of the absurd all at once. Juggling counts for something.
Entertainment value: 6.5
Circle 7: Professional Comic
Tracy is a purebred Ghetto Hood Humorist. And Ghetto stuff rarely crosses over. But this humor cuts right to the risible essence of the Black experience in America. Riffs about being an A-list celebrity and the Burger King girl throwing a couple extra Whopper Jr's in the bag for free. The dissonance you hear is the sound of Tracy Morgan's belly, erm, comedy.
It's interesting that Tracy hasn't been able to elevate his stand-up set to Chappellian or Rockian levels. Both Chris and Chappelle seem to have something larger to say, and desire to use the medium to say it. With Morgan the medium is us. If Chappelle and Rock paint on a cave for us, Tracy Morgan paints us.
Entertainment Value: 7.5
Circle 8: Professional Idiot-Savant
"You have to be highly intelligent to get away with a dumb joke." Tracy Morgan said this to NPR. He said it to Time. He said it to The Onion A/V Club. It's a talking point, a reminder, a mantra: You have to be smart to play stupid.
When Tad Friend profiled Steve Carell in the New Yorker he said comic actors come in three flavors: "The wild man who creates chaos (Jim Carrey, Sacha Baron Cohen); the straight man who tries to repress it (Ben Stiller, Paul Rudd); and the devil-may-care man who savors it (Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn)." But he's missing the artful absurdists like Morgan, Zach Galifianakis, or Sarah Silverman. Talking to them is like keeping score a game of intellectual 52-card pickup.4
A "Tracy Morgan" as a unit of comedy might have 4 to 5 parts: the spontaneous farce of Zach Galifianakis, the grotesque raunch of Sarah Silverman, the silly-smart physical comedy of Carrell, Carrey, or Ferrell. It is also defined by what it lacks: twee stuff. No Michael Cera or Demetri Martin bits, which is all frowned and farted upon.
Entertainment Value: 8.5
Circle 9: Tracy Morgan as Professional Rorshach Test
The most broadly appealing circle — since, as Friedrich Nietzsche's inner Black comic once said, "Nothing succeeds if prankishness has no part in it." Tracy is the human Rubik's Cube with all black pieces, daring you to mix it up. By the time we get to the surface we realize Mr. Pregnant's got enough going on to petition for a full-time Chief of Hermeneutics position down at NYU. A ridiculous petition, no doubt. One which reminds us life can take you to hell and back. That there will be crying, for sure. That it might be complicated, difficult, and — LADIES, MY MERCEDES — unpredictable. But it can always be funny.
Entertainment Value: 9.5
Patrice Evans is a Grantland Staff Writer. His book Negropedia: The Assimilated Negro's Crash Course on the Modern Black Experience will be released October 4.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When Apollo 8 launched for the moon in 1968, the heavens were primarily the domain of the two superpowers. Today space has been opened to myriad nations by vast technological advances and increased international cooperation. A telling example of the new celestial order came two months ago when India launched its first moon mission, the unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft. The satellite, now in lunar orbit, carried Indian instruments as well as those from the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and Bulgaria—an arrangement far removed from the nationalist striving of the U.S.–Soviet space race.
As the world's numerous space agencies turn their attention back to manned space exploration of the moon and beyond, the future taking shape reflects space's democratization over the past 40 years. It is not clear whether the next country to land humans on the moon, a feat that has not been accomplished since 1972, will be the U.S., China, Russia or some other nation. Perhaps it will be a collaboration among nations or even a private firm operating outside the usual constraints of a nationalized space program. Although the specifics of manned lunar exploration over the coming decades are unclear, many experts see vast opportunities for space-faring bodies to work in concert toward loftier goals.
"The basic science and technology [of space travel] represents a major area of cooperation between countries," says Charles Vick, a senior technical intelligence analyst at globalsecurity.org, an Alexandria, Va., think tank. "I don't consider it competition; I consider it laying the foundation, ultimately, for manned expeditions to Mars."
Vick echoes a statement made by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin last year that China, should it choose to do so, could land a manned mission on the moon before the U.S. returns, which is currently slated to happen by 2020. "I would have to agree with that," Vick says, calling the Chinese space program "very well planned, very well thought out." China has already put astronauts into orbit, becoming only the third country to do so in 2003; this past September, Chinese astronauts completed their country's first spacewalk.
Vick believes a Chinese voyage around the moon, much like Apollo 8, could happen even sooner. "They already have the capability," he says, "to do a lunar circumnavigation mission just about anytime they want to in unmanned form, and then ultimately fly it manned."
Russia could also pull off a manned circumlunar mission in the coming years, Vick says. Space Adventures, Ltd., a Vienna, Va., space tourism company that has sent six clients to the International Space Station, even advertises a circumlunar trip aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for $100 million per seat. And the head of the Russian space agency last year announced plans to send cosmonauts to the lunar surface around 2025. But Anatoly Zak, an expert on the Russian space program who runs russianspaceweb.com, thinks those projections are a bit inflated. He does not think that Soyuz will be ready for a lunar flyby anytime soon, and says that "without a significant increase in funding and drastic reforms within the industry, any manned lunar mission could not be achieved by 2025, in my opinion."
Other nations with lunar ambitions include India, Japan and the ESA, all of which have proposed, at least informally, manned moon missions in the next two decades or so. But none of those space agencies has yet achieved independent manned spaceflight, and many technological and economic hurdles stand in the way of a moon landing. "They're really just getting started," Vick says. "I don't see those nations being able to do such a thing without cooperation."
Jim Bell, a professor of astronomy at Cornell University and newly named president of the nonprofit Planetary Society, predicts NASA will return to the lunar surface before other comers get there. "It would be great to see other nations do this, but I think that for the most part the other countries are pretty far behind in terms of technical capabilities," he says. "We have the infrastructure and, frankly, more experience to tap into." But Bell also hopes that cooperation will be on the agenda and stresses that the U.S., having already planted its flag on the moon, should not rush to get back at the expense of other priorities. "I don't think it's productive to try to re-create a conflict or a space race that is really the product of a bygone era," he says. "If we can find a way to do it together, it will cost each of us less and we will gain more."
Bell finds the 2020 deadline for reaching the moon, established as part of President Bush's 2004 Vision for Space Exploration, troublesome. "It was a best guess—it was set out as a goal, initially," he says. "And it seems to be still being treated as a mandate." Vick also bristles at that timeline, fearing that a hastily assembled deep-space transport system would be irredeemably dangerous. "It's time to step back and slow down and do this job right," he says. "It needs to be re-thought out."
Many believe that by the time humans return to the moon, private agencies be part of the cooperative effort. "I think that commercial enterprises...are extremely well-positioned to be not a competitor to government missions but sort of an add-on," says William Pomerantz, senior director of space projects for the X PRIZE Foundation. The foundation offers monetary prizes to privately funded teams that can reach certain targets—including a $20-million purse for the first robot that lands on the moon, traverses 500 meters (1,640 feet) on the surface and sends data back to Earth.
Pomerantz envisions a future in which governments stretch their budgets by contracting out certain preparatory or support activities to more streamlined private operators. "If you think about a future wherein a commercial capacity to go to the moon for tens of millions of dollars rather than billions of dollars exists," he says, "I think that space agencies are going to find it in their best interest to engage those commercial companies." Private support, Pomerantz says, "will allow the government space agencies to do what they do a little bit better, a little bit faster and a little bit cheaper."


text:
Consistency has been George Karl's forte.
Under the watchful eye of the acute head coach, the Denver Nuggets are always in the mix to make a championship run because of their chemistry and attention to detail.
How else could this team make it to the playoffs nine years in a row?
Denver came on strong at the end of the lockout-shortened season by going 10-4 in April and winning eight of the last 10 games. It ended the season at 38-28, finishing with a winning percentage over .500 for a ninth straight campaign, before losing in seven games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Nuggets, who led the NBA in scoring (104.1) and last made nine straight playoff runs from 1981-1990, only are one of three teams to make the postseason in each of the last nine years (Dallas, San Antonio). But they haven't moved on to the second round of the playoffs since 2008-09.
So, the Nuggets decided to make some noise this offseason by dipping their toe in the trade pool and made a splash by dealing for Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers in a four-team trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers. Denver shipped guard Arron Afflalo and forward Al Harrington to Orlando, and was ecstatic to acquire the defensive-minded Iguodala.
"It's not often you get the opportunity to improve your team by adding an All- Star player like Andre Iguodala," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said. "He's an Olympian, a great defender and a great all-around player. We think he fits in really well with the type of system coach George Karl runs and the team we have here in Denver."
Iguodala is not known as a scorer, especially in the clutch, but brings veteran leadership and is one of the top perimeter lockdown defenders. The Nuggets are a team that lacks an individual superstar, but can bring it all together with depth and versatility. Karl seems excited about the new look.
"They're a lot of interesting pieces, a lot of interesting scenarios," Karl said. "The process just begins. It'll be fun to see where it goes."
Karl said this bunch is just as good as the one he had a few years ago when Chauncey Billups ran the floor. He added that the NBA is "obvious to us" with what the team is capable of accomplishing this season. The Western Conference is difficult to succeed within, but Karl feels the Nuggets can be a top four team behind San Antonio, Oklahoma City and the Lakers. The Nuggets will be ready for the challenge.
"We have a lot of talent, we have a lot of depth," Iguodala said. "This is going to be an important training camp for us."
Iguodala is looking forward to get on the court and believes he fits well in the system. Defense and teammates meshing will be key, which is why it's so important for center JaVale McGee to have an impact season. Acquired from Washington in a multi-team deal, McGee averaged 11.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.16 blocks last season. He also inked a new deal this summer.
"JaVale did a tremendous job for us after the trade," Ujiri said. "He worked hard on the court and did everything our coaches asked of him. Plus, he's only 24 years old. With our coaching staff, he's only going to get better."
Karl, however, said that in order for McGee to excel he must understand fundamentals and be "more consistent" with the basics. A good training camp and preseason will surely aid McGee.
The Nuggets were a high-scoring team last season and hope that trend continues in 2012-13. They posted an 18-2 record when scoring 110-plus points and sport an impressive 72-1 mark since 2008-09 when registering that many points at home. Denver was 20-13 as the host a season ago.
Injuries always play a factor in team's plans for success. The Nuggets' upcoming season will be determined by how healthy they can stay because this squad is not short on talent by any stretch of the imagination.
2011-12 Results: 38-28, second in Northwest, lost in West quarterfinals to LA Lakers
ADDITIONS: G Evan Fournier, G/F Andre Iguodala, F Wilson Chandler, F Anthony Randolph, F Quincy Miller
PG- Ty Lawson SG- Andre Iguodala SF- Danilo Gallinari PF- Kenneth Faried C- JaVale McGee
KEY RESERVES: F Corey Brewer, G Andre Miller, C Timofey Mozgov, F Wilson Chandler, C Kosta Koufos.
FRONTCOURT: Perhaps Denver's biggest weapon is second-year forward Kenneth Faried, a first-team All-Rookie a season ago with averages of 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds. Faried had his third-year option of his contract exercised and will be with the team through 2013-14. A great presence down low and outside, Faried will be making All-Star teams in the near future and recorded 12 double-doubles as a rookie. The energetic Faried stepped up his play against the mighty Lakers in the playoffs. McGee has a lot on his shoulders this season and Karl is his top supporter. Teams will think twice about driving the lane with the lengthy McGee setting up camp in the paint. Pounding the glass and blocking shots will be Denver's mantra this season.
You can't forget about smooth-stroking small forward Danilo Gallinari either. Gallinari said he is excited about this group's chances and was pleased to see everyone returned to training camp in shape. The Nuggets have to be in tip-top condition for how much running they'll be doing. And that means Gallinari has to stay out of the trainer's room.
BACKCOURT: Ty Lawson is a reliable point guard and enjoyed a productive run in the playoffs against the Lakers. Quick off the dribble and highly durable, Lawson averaged 16.4 points and 6.5 assists during the regular season. He was one of seven players to average more than 10 points. A student of Karl's unconventional wisdom, Lawson is the glue that keeps the nucleus intact. Iguodala said it was important for this team to mesh and who could make that happen better than Lawson?
Karl said the deal for Iguodala was good "for all teams" and made the Nuggets better on the other end. Known for his defensive prowess and taking on opposing teams' best scorer, Iguodala is aware how tough the West can be and how important it is to win games against inferior teams. Denver is a surprise team to move up the conference ladder in 2012-13, and the addition of Iguodala makes that even more possible.
BENCH: The Nuggets' reserves were arguably the best in the NBA last season, as the bench averaged 41.6 points per game -- good enough for second in the league. Denver's "other" guys were tops in the NBA in assists (10.0) and rebounds (18.6) and second in field goal percentage (.470). Led by the likes of Andre Miller, Timofey Mozgov, Corey Brewer and Kosta Koufos, the Nuggets' bench netted 50 or more points 13 times in 2011-12 and outscored the opposing reserves on 40 occasions.
Miller is back to lead the young corps, while Wilson Chandler, Anthony Randolph and rookie Quincy Miller are expected to keep the tradition going from the pine. Chandler and Randolph were acquired in the offseason and provide depth and experience.
COACHING: Karl is simply one of the best coaches in the NBA and in the history of the sport. He stresses how important it is to win games at home, as the Nuggets are 221-77 under Karl at the Pepsi Center. Karl, who signed a contract extension with Denver on March 8, 2011 and is the 19th head coach in franchise history, has a plethora of talent at his disposal this season. Blessed with a deep roster and an ability to run the break with any team, the Nuggets are fortunate to have such an inspiring coach in Karl. Look for Karl to finally get his team over the hump in the playoffs and continue his success without a big-name superstar (i.e. Carmelo Anthony).
OUTLOOK: When gazing over Denver's coaches, roster and overall talent, it's difficult to discover any weaknesses. Better three-point shooting and creating shots could be difficult to come by, but every team has its flaws. The Nuggets should have no trouble scoring the ball or sizing up on defense. Are they ready to move past the likes of the Spurs, Thunder or Lakers? Not just yet, but after the big three the Nuggets are right in the mix. A strong run at the end of last season will catapult this bunch to a 10th straight playoff appearance and perhaps homecourt advantage in the opening round.


text:
Just beneath the surface of this week's Parshah is an exceptionally poignant story. It occurs in the context of Moses' prayer that G‑d appoint a successor as leader of the Jewish people.
One hint is given in the words of G‑d to Moses: "After you have seen it, you also will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was." Rashi is intrigued by the apparently superfluous word "also," and makes the comment that "Moses desired to die as Aaron had died."
In what sense was Moses envious of his brother? Was it that he, like Aaron, wished to die painlessly? Surely not. Moses was not afraid of pain. Was it that he envied his brother's popularity? Of Aaron it was said that when he died, he was mourned by "all the children of Israel," something the Torah does not say in the case of Moses. This, too, cannot be the answer. Moses knew that leadership does not mean popularity. He did not seek it. He could not have done what he had to do and achieve it.
Ketav Sofer gives what is surely the correct interpretation: Aaron had the privilege of knowing that his children would follow in his footsteps. Elazar, his son, was appointed as high priest in his lifetime. Indeed, to this day kohanim are direct descendants of Aaron. Accordingly, to Ketav Sofer, Moses longed to see one of his sons, Gershom or Eliezer, take his place as leader of the people. It was not to be.
Rashi arrives at the same conclusion by noting a second clue. The passage in which Moses asks G‑d to appoint a successor follows directly after the story of the daughters of Tzelafchad, who asked that they be permitted to inherit the share in the land of Israel that would have gone to their father, had he not died. Rashi links the two episodes: "When Moses heard G‑d tell him to give the inheritance of Tzelafchad to his daughters, he said to himself, 'The time has come that I should make a request of my own—that my sons should inherit my position.' G‑d replied to him, 'This is not what I have decided. Joshua deserves to receive reward for serving you and never leaving your tent.' This is what Solomon meant when he said, 'He keeps the vineyard shall eat its fruit, and he that waits on his master shall be honored.'" Moses' prayer was not granted.
Thus, with their ears attuned to every nuance, the sages and Rashi reconstructed a narrative that lies just beneath the surface of the biblical text. What happened to Moses' children? Was he, the great leader, inwardly disappointed that they did not inherit his role? What deeper message does the text communicate to us? Is there something of continuing relevance in Moses' disappointment? Did G‑d in any way provide him with consolation?
Moses and Aaron epitomize the two great roles in Jewish continuity: horim and morim—parents and teachers. A parent hands on the Jewish heritage to his or her children; a teacher does likewise to his or her disciples. Aaron was the archetypal parent; Moses the great example of a teacher (to this day we call him Moshe Rabbenu, "Moses our teacher"). Aaron was succeeded by his son; Moses, by his disciple Joshua.
The sages at various points emphasized that Torah leadership does not pass automatically across the generations. The Talmud (Nedarim 81a) states:
Be careful not to neglect the children of the poor, for from them Torah goes forth, as it is written, "The water shall flow out of his buckets," meaning that "from the poor among them" goes forth Torah. And why is it not usual for scholars to give birth to children who are scholars? Rabbi Joseph said: that it might not be said that Torah is their legacy. Rabbi Shisha son of Rabbi Idi said: that they should not be arrogant towards the community. Mar Zutra said: because they act high-handedly towards the community.
Were Torah leadership to be dynastic, a matter of inheritance, Judaism would quickly become a society of privilege and hierarchy. To this, the sages were utterly opposed. Everyone has a share in Torah. It is the shared patrimony of every Jew. Nowhere is this more clearly stated than in the great words of Maimonides:
With three crowns was Israel crowned: with the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of sovereignty. The crown of priesthood was bestowed on Aaron . . . The crown of sovereignty was given to David . . . The crown of Torah, however, is for all Israel, as it is said, "Moses commanded us the Torah, as an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." Whoever desires it can win it. Do not suppose that the other two crowns are greater than the crown of Torah, for it is said, "By me, kings reign and princes decree justice. By me, princes rule." Hence we learn the crown of Torah is greater than the other two crowns.
This is one of the great egalitarian statements in Judaism. The crown of Torah is available to whoever seeks it. There have been societies which sought to create equality by evenly distributing power or wealth. None succeeded fully. The Jewish approach was different. A society of equal dignity is one in which knowledge—the most important kind of knowledge, namely Torah, knowledge of how to live—is available equally to all. From earliest times to today, the Jewish people has been a series of communities built around schools, sustained by communal funds so that none should be excluded.
The sages drew a strong connection between home and school, parent and teacher. Thus, for example, Maimonides rules:
A duty rests on every scholar in Israel to teach all disciples who seek instruction from him, even if they are not his children, as it is said, "And you shall teach them diligently to your children." According to traditional authority, the term "your children" includes disciples, for disciples are called children, as it is said, "And the sons of the prophets came forth" (II Kings 2:3).
In the same vein he writes elsewhere:
Just as a person is commanded to honor and revere his father, so he is under an obligation to honor and revere his teacher, even to a greater extent than his father, for his father gave him life in this world, while his teacher who instructs him in wisdom secures for him life in the world to come.
The connection runs in the opposite direction also. Consistently throughout the Mosaic books, the role of a parent is defined in terms of teaching and instruction. "You shall teach these things diligently to your children." "It shall come to pass that when your child asks you . . . thus shall you say to him." Education is a conversation across the generations, between parent and child. In the one verse in which the Bible explains why Abraham was chosen as the father was of a new faith, it says, "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the L‑rd by doing what is right and just." Abraham was chosen to be both a parent and an educator.
Moses was therefore denied the chance to see his children inherit his role, so that his personal disappointment would become a source of hope to future generations. Torah leadership is not the prerogative of an elite. It does not pass through dynastic succession. It is not confined to those descended from great scholars. It is open to each of us, if we will it and give it our best efforts of energy and time. But at the same time, Moses was given a great consolation. Just as to this day kohanim are the sons of Aaron, so are all who study Torah the disciples of Moses. To some is given the privilege of being a parent; to others, that of being a teacher. Both are ways in which something of us lives on into the future. Parent-as-teacher, teacher-as-parent: these are Judaism's greatest roles, one immortalized in Aaron, the other made eternal in Moses.


text:
Study finds on-the-job secondhand smoke still a problem in certain occupations
MONDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) — State laws have reduced the overall rates of secondhand-smoke exposure for many workers, but people in certain occupations are still vulnerable, according to a new study.
Researchers looked at worker exposure to secondhand smoke in Massachusetts after the state implemented its Smoke-Free Workplace Law in 2004. They found that the overall percentage of people exposed fell from 8 percent in 2003 to 5.4 percent in 2010.
However, the investigators found that workers in three job categories still had much higher rates of exposure to secondhand smoke in 2010: installation, repair and maintenance (about 37 percent); construction and extraction (nearly 23 percent); and transportation and material moving industries (almost 20 percent).
These three occupational groups often work in settings not covered by the law — such as outdoor space or private homes — or in which the law is difficult to enforce, such as vehicles, the study authors pointed out.
Exposure to secondhand smoke at work was more common among male, non-white and younger workers, according to the study, which is scheduled for presentation Monday at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association in Boston.
"We're seeing a steady decline in prevalence of exposure, but it's clear that there are still specific groups of workers that deserve our attention," lead researcher Kathleen Fitzsimmons said in an association news release.
"Findings like these that combine information about occupation and environmental tobacco smoke provide helpful information for evaluating comprehensive, statewide smoke-free workplace laws and for targeting interventions to reduce risks," added Fitzsimmons, who is an epidemiologist in the Occupational Health Surveillance Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in Boston.
The data and conclusions of research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about the dangers of secondhand smoke.
About Karen Cohen
Karen Cohen, RHIA, President and Owner of Corporate Health Resources, Inc., has over 30 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing occupational health record keeping systems and medical surveillance programs to meet the needs of clients in industry.
- Web |
- More Posts(163)


text:
Mom Better Than Dad
Designed by
1186 8
Tittle " Mom better than Dad" , this design is created using Photoshop . It is Created in high resolution format PSD. the illustration is originaly hand drawing.Enjoy.
Included file typesPSD
This product is electronically distributed and your order can be downloaded only after the payment is complete.
License type – Extended License
License type – Extended License
Report copyright complain
Be the first one to review this item


text:
Addisyn Benzel, 11, was thrown from the cargo area of the vehicle after a driver of a car heading the other direction crossed over the center line on a roadway in Columbiana County, about 40 miles south of Youngstown, said Ohio Highway Patrol Staff Lt. Anne Ralston.
The driver of the SUV, 39-year-old James Nign and his 27-year-old wife, Meghann Nign, were also killed in the accident around 11 a.m. Sunday. Six other children in the Chevy Equinox, including a 6-year-old sitting on Meghann Nign's lap, were taken to area hospitals, police said, but their conditions were unknown Sunday night.
Highway Patrol said that none of the three who were killed were wearing seat belts. Three children, ages 9 months to 4 years old, were in child safety seats, but two other 11-year-old victims were not wearing seatbelts.
Ralston said the driver of the Jeep Cherokee that struck the Nign's car, Rachel Lindesmith, 31, of Hanoverton, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, along with her 9-month-old son. Lindesmith was wearing her seatbelt and her son was in a child safety seat, police said.
Ralston said an investigation is ongoing and Lindesmith has not been charged.
In the second fatal car accident, three people were killed after a car ran off the road and crashed into a tree in central Ohio Sunday night. The Ohio Highway Patrol said that three people in the car died at the scene on state route 229 in Delaware County, 40 miles north of Columbus. Video from WBNS-10TV in Columbus shows snow blown onto the roadway where the crash occurred.
Driver James W. Wyatt III, 33, died along with his sister, Elizabeth Wyatt, 28, and her daughter, Isabella Zins Master, according to Highway Patrol Sgt. Robert Curry. Elizabeth Wyatt and her daughter were sitting in the back seat of the car and all three lived in Marion, Curry said.
The front-seat passenger, Jessica Wray, 22, of Alexandria, Va., was James Wyatt's fiance, Curry said. She was listed in critical condition at the OSU Wexner Medical Center.


text:
Charpy Test Kit for ASTM E23-12C
Includes Charpy Impact Striker (8 mm Radius), and Charpy Anvil Inserts (1 mm Radius), and Shrouds.
Certificate of Dimensional Conformance is provided.
Also complies with ISO 148-2:2009
For use on SI and MPX Series Pendulum Impact systems.
Specimen Support not included and are sold separately. See W-3585, W-3594, W-3595, and W-3596.


text:
Great stuff and advice. I think some people focus so much on doom and gloom and saving more and more and more that they fail to recognize when they are doing well and enjoying the voyage.
"Eventually, you can afford to better your life."
You've worked hard all your life, saving up while making sensible decisions about your finances. You built a sizable nest egg and is currently in a stable job, earning doodles of money.
Now what?
If you've been reading personal finance literature for a while, you might have thought that you live amongst a bunch of money slaves. And who could blame you? We talk about saving, getting out of debt and never spending a dime more than our fair share of the time. Sometimes it seems there are no other pastimes than checking our bank balances.
But what if, after years of saving, you are actually on track for a comfortable retirement? Is there anything you can do to make your life just a little bit better?
The answer, of course, is yes. Here are a few suggestions, and while this is by no means a comprehensive list (nor something you might want to do), it will get you started on the right track.
Quite a few of you already go on vacations every once in a while, but I know of too many people who are always stuck in their hometown using staycations as an excuse for their laziness in organizing a trip somewhere fun. Experiencing different cultures could be a life changing event. If you are worried your new passion may cost too much, here are 50 ways to save money on your travels.
Strong entrepreneurs understand the importance of getting help for their businesses, but few apply the same concepts to their everyday lives. With the internet these days, you can pretty much find someone to do virtually anything you ever want for a small fee.
Do you not like to clean the house? Find a house cleaner. Can't cook? Look for a chef that will come to your house. You can even find people to sort through mail for you. It's amazing how much better life could be if you pay a bit of money for someone else to do what you hate. This whole "expense" may sound ridiculously to you, but when you are happy, you may spend less on stuff, or you might end up being more energetic at work and get a promotion! After all, it's your money, and your choice!
You may think that more money will make you feel richer, but chasing a number is really a never ending game. Feeling rich is all about not worrying about money, and one way to do this is to hire a financial adviser who will worry about your money for you.
Now, this isn't as easy as it sounds of course. It takes considerable effort to find a competent individual who is at least somewhat interested in helping your finances. But once you find that person you can bond with and trust, they are worth every penny he/she will charge for managing your assets.
All wealthy families have wealth managers. If they are willing to pay a much higher amount than you for the same privilege, shouldn't you at least consider the same?
Finding another job, especially in this economy, might sound drastic. But if you can afford it and you aren't happy at work, perhaps this is the best advice anyone could ever give you. For most of you, 40+ hours feeling miserable every week is just way too much! If you can find another job that you can be passionate for, even if it pays less, why not?
Think of it as an expense. You buy something because it makes you happy. How much is working in a happier environment worth to you?
Look. Everyone's situation is different, so it's hard for general advices to always make sense. All I ask is for you to look, think about the pros and cons and make a conscious decision. If you can practice that all the time, you are well on your way to financial freedom.
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Great stuff and advice. I think some people focus so much on doom and gloom and saving more and more and more that they fail to recognize when they are doing well and enjoying the voyage.
I am a big believer in the concept of hiring people to do things that you do not like to do. For example, if dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning your house each week is the "bane of your existence," it probably makes a lot of sense to hire a house cleaner vs. spending the money elsewhere.
I wonder how many marriages are saved by hiring a house cleaner. Rarely has money been more well spent than to eliminate an eternal source of bickering over when something is truly dirty enough to need to be cleaned, has been cleaned enough to be considered clean, and has had its cleanliness addressed in the proper timeframe.
David -
I think the "giving away 1%" is not what I'd suggest. That is a drag on one's wealth that is a huge percent of the 4% withdrawal rates we all discuss. If the planner uses average expense funds, you may have a 2% total cost which can easily be beat in the long run with the simplest mix of index funds.
I choose 40 years of OK and 10 years of OK, over 40 years of suck and 10 years of great. LEARN WHAT YOU LOVE, THEN DO WHAT YOU LOVE! Some people say they do it for others, but their enjoyment or "lack thereof" comes home ten times over. There are NO guarantees of tomorrow. If you hate your job, everyone "who is not playing you" knows it. Congrats to everyone who became rich or well off early. The question then would be how many people as a percent would you estimate your economy/politics would support being in that rich/well off category?
Hi David, I agree with the "hiring" if you are an entrepreneur, and also the travel (as I love to travel). But the most important advice is to spend on things and experiences which will give you lasting memories and pleasure. Spend in accord with your own values.
My husband got both our families together for a vacation to celebrate the new millenium. It was expensive, but a memory that will last forever.
Best regards,
Barb Friedberg


text:
As the scale of the epic security fail at the Equifax credit bureau comes into focus, El Kaiser and J.D. throwback to Episode 159 and a previous conversation about freezing your credit to ice out identity thieves. Among other headlines this week: The end of NASA's historic Cassini mission to Saturn. Later in the show, El Kaiser shares his tips for dumping useless followers on social media and J.D. has advice for parents dealing with new teenage drivers. Oh, and Apple did a thing a few days ago, too. Spin up Episode 247 and join in!
Links to Stories in This Week's Episode
- Pop Tech Jam Episode 159: Put Your Credit on Ice…Online
- Failure to patch two-month-old bug led to massive Equifax breach (Ars Technica)
- FTC probes Equifax; top Democrat likens it to Enron (Reuters)
- Ayuda! (Help!) Equifax Has My Data! (Krebs on Security)
- Congress will hold two hearings on the massive Equifax data breach (Recode)
- Equifax's credit report monitoring site is also vulnerable to hacking (ZDNet)
- We tested Equifax's data breach checker — and it's basically useless (ZDNet)
- Here are all the big products Apple announced on Tuesday (CNBC)
- iOS 11 to be released to the public on September 19 for iPhone and iPad (9to5Mac)
- October 4th is new Pixel day, confirmed by Google with video and billboard (Android Police)
- Privacy enhancements coming to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (Windows Experience blog)
- Trump administration orders purge of Kaspersky products from U.S. government (Reuters)
- DHS Statement on the Issuance of Binding Operational Directive 17-01 (Department of Homeland Security)
- Mueller Probe Has 'Red-Hot' Focus on Social Media, Officials Say (Bloomberg)
- Facebook bans monetization of violence, porn, drugs, hate (TechCrunch)
- Cassini Spacecraft Makes Its Final Approach to Saturn (NASA)
- Excitement and Tears as NASA Goddard Team Prepares for Cassini Finale (NASA)
- Cassini's End of Mission (NASA)
Social-Media Ghostbusting Services
(Hopefully) Helpful Hint
- Apps to Provide Peace of Mind With a Teenager Behind the Wheel (The New York Times)
- Eyes on the Road, Not on the Phone (The New York Times)


text:
A fire-breathing "Dragon" flew atop a "Falcon" that was granted its powers by "Merlin." Though the scene could be out of a fantasy novel, it is also literally true.
On Friday (May 25), a robotic spacecraft called Dragon docked at the International Space Station three days after launching on a Falcon 9 rocket driven by nine Merlin engines. The mission is a test flight for commercial company SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.), which became the first company ever to send a private spaceship to the space station.
Though many pieces of SpaceX hardware have fantastical monikers, company spokeswoman Kirstin Brost Grantham said they weren't all planned to fit a theme.
"They are named independently, the rule is names must be cool," Grantham told SPACE.com.
SpaceX's billionaire founder and chief designer Elon Musk has said that he named his spacecraft Dragon after the fictional creature "Puff the Magic Dragon" in the song by Peter, Paul and Mary. According to Musk, he chose the name because at the time he started the company in 2002, some critics considered his space goals fantastical. [SpaceX Dragon Arrives at Space Station (Video)]
Falcon 9 and its smaller sibling booster Falcon 1 are named in honor of the Millennium Falcon spacecraft flown by Han Solo in the sci-fi classic film "Star Wars," Musk has said.
The rocket's Merlin engines may be allusions to the wizard Merlin of Arthurian legend.
And those aren't the only whimsical names in SpaceX lore.
A navigation sensor called DragonEye was tested in 2009 on the space shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 mission, when the shuttle used it while approaching the International Space Station.
The Dragon capsule currently in orbit has 18 thrusters called Draco (after the constellation for Dragon) for maneuvering in space — a name that happens to be shared by one of the antagonists in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" novel series. The spacecraft also uses a communications system called CUCU (pronounced "cuckoo") that stands for COTS Ultra High Frequency Communication Unit (COTS, or Commercial Orbital Transportation Services, is the name of the NASA program sponsoring Dragon's test flight).
An engine used to power the upper stage of Falcon 1 rockets is called Kestrel, which is the name of several species of birds in the falcon genus.
The spirit of SpaceX names so far appears to differ significantly from the monikers bestowed to spacecraft by NASA. While SpaceX is flying Falcons and Dragons, the U.S. space agency is working on a new rocket called the Space Launch System(SLS) and a capsule called the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), though this spacecraft is also known by the more user-friendly name of Orion.
The giant government-built space station goes by the straightforward name International Space Station, while our country's last spacecraft bore the only slightly more creative title space shuttle.
These naming trends may be just one more difference on the long list of ways that commercial spaceflight differs from the modus operandi of government space agencies.
SpaceX has grand aims to eventually build more rockets and spacecraft to explore the solar system beyond Earth orbit. Who knows what they'll be called?
You can follow SPACE.com assistant managing editor Clara Moskowitz on Twitter @ClaraMoskowitz. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.


text:
Word Out Weather Level 56 Answers
Please find below all the Word Out Weather Level 56 Answers, Cheats and Solutions. This is a brand new game developed by EasyBrain who are a well-known company when it comes to word games and other puzzle related apps. Word Out is a minimal word game without a lot of fancy graphics but what we like about this game is the words you have to find are spot on and difficult since the beginning. Without wasting any further of your time here are all the Word Out Word Out Weather Level 56 Answers Answers. If something is wrong or missing kindly let us know and we will be more than happy to help you out.
Word Out Weather Level 56 Answers
4 Letter Answers:
5 Letter Answers:
6 Letter Answer:
7 Letter Answer:


text:
Friday, February 22, 2013
Google has said for years that selling links that pass PageRank violates our quality guidelines. We continue to reiterate that guidance periodically to help remind site owners and webmasters of that policy.
Please be wary if someone approaches you and wants to pay you for links or "advertorial" pages on your site that pass PageRank. Selling links (or entire advertorial pages with embedded links) that pass PageRank violates our quality guidelines, and Google does take action on such violations. The consequences for a linkselling site start with losing trust in Google's search results, as well as reduction of the site's visible PageRank in the Google Toolbar. The consequences can also include lower rankings for that site in Google's search results.
If you receive a warning for selling links that pass PageRank in Google's Webmaster Tools, you'll see a notification message to look for "possibly artificial or unnatural links on your site pointing to other sites that could be intended to manipulate PageRank." That's an indication that your site has lost trust in Google's index.
To address the issue, make sure that any paid links on your site don't pass PageRank. You can
remove any paid links or advertorial pages, or make sure that any paid hyperlinks have the
rel="nofollow" attribute.
After ensuring that no paid links on your site pass PageRank, you can submit a
reconsideration request
and if you had a manual webspam action on your site, someone at Google will review the request.
After the request has been reviewed, you'll get a notification back about whether the
reconsideration request was granted or not.
We do take this issue very seriously, so we recommend you avoid selling (and buying) links that pass PageRank in order to prevent loss of trust, lower PageRank in the Google Toolbar, lower rankings, or in an extreme case, removal from Google's search results.


text:
Let me share my feelings on Apple products. I don't like them period. It is not because they suck or are not easy to use. Clearly they are user friendly and from what I hear do not suck. That is why they are so popular. But the company is so controlling about what you can do with their products. And make no mistake it is their product even after you put down your hard earned money for it. Sure you can use it when you want, take it where you want, even sell it when you get ready to do so. But try to alter it or use it in a way Apple does not care for, then you have trouble. And they can even disable your device in cases like the iphone. Try to move your itunes library to another computer or media device not made by Apple and you will see who really owns "your" stuff. I tried to get my wife's songs from her itunes library into mp3 format so I could place them on a new Creative Mp3 player. Well if I wanted to burn cds of all the songs and go on a digital adventure that would last hours I would have went ahead. But I just gave up. I understand why they create a walled garden. It is to keep people using their devices the way Apple deems appropriate. But it also keeps people like me who like a little flexibility in their tech devices from buying Apple products. I know Steve Jobs will make it without my few dollars though:) .
The story Todd did on the last podcast about some people's iphones getting disabled because they had an unauthorized application loaded on it really got to me. Either the phone is yours or it is not. The fact that a small percentage of people may get over in some way by not giving Apple more money does not justify keeping every single user from using their property how they want. When you by a new Dodge truck you have the ability to get accessories after the fact that were made by companies other than Dodge. When you buy a house from a builder he does not lock you out of your home when you don't let him build on a new deck that your brother will do for free. I understand this is comparing apples to oranges but the principle holds true. Just because Apple can lock you out because it is a digital product does not make it right to do so. Wikipedia defines ownership as "the state or fact of exclusive rights and control over property". If Apple controls your iphone or ipod after you bought it do you really own it?


text:
Return & Exchange Policy:
Download our Required Returns & Exchanges Form
NOTE: All forms of payment referenced are US Dollars.
It is important to us at DGS Gymsupply.com that you are completely satisfied with your purchase. If however, you find any problems with your order it is important that you contact us and are issued a Return Authorization Number (RMA#) by our customer service team.
RMAs are actively open for a 30-day period.
Items that are returned to us without an accompanying RMA# will not be accepted. Returns or exchanges must be completed within 30 days of receipt of your order.
Orders not returned within 30 days are NOT eligible for return.
All orders returned at any time will be subject to a 1% re-stocking fee.
Items that have been washed, worn, or damaged in any way cannot be returned or exchanged. All items must be returned in their original individual packaging, along with any tags, printed materials, labels and accessories. Software, DVDs, and CDs must be unopened and in its original packaging. Sale, demo and clearance items, due to their limited nature are sold as-is and are not eligible for return.
Grip Returns
1. Regarding finger holes, we will not accept grips back after finger holes have ripped.
2. When using a grip brush keep brush away from threads that attach the dowel , dowels will fall off and we will not replace or credit the grips.
The customer is responsible for shipping charges and insurance. C.O.D. will be refused. If making an exchange and you would like to know current shipping charges, please contact DGS Customer Service at 800-932-3339. Thank you.
For international customers making an exchange, please enclose $20.00 for return shipment.
You do not need to enclose any money if returning for a credit. It is recommended that you use a shipper that provides shipment tracking, like UPS or Priority Mail, as we are not responsible for lost return shipments. Please allow 1-2 billing cycles for your return refund to appear on your credit card statement. If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact DGS 9.9 – Gymsupply.com customer service at 1-800-932-3339 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com. Our normal operating hours are 8 am - 5 pm EST.
If you do not have the enclosed return shipping label, you may call us at 800-932-3339, and we will issue a RMA# and provide instructions:
Deary's Gymnastics Supply
17 Lucienne Avenue
P.O. Box 688
Danielson, CT 06239


text:
"Winter Memories – Stowe"
Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas
Framed Size 15″ x 27″ $495
Framed Size 25″ x 45″ $1,250
Framed Size 35″ x 65″ $2,300
"Evening Choir Practice, Stowe Community Church"
Limited Edition Giclee on Canvas
Framed Size 10″ x 12″
To view Fred's complete collection click here.
Fred Swan
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Fred Swan is completely self-taught as an artist. His meticulous attention to detail gives his paintings an immediately recognizable style. His paintings are filled with nostalgia and warmth. The extreme realism and beauty of his creations cause others to look to the future and remark, "Now that is the kind of peaceful setting I want when I retire."
Fred's paintings are found in many private and corporate collections including those of Johnson and Johnson and the estate of Malcolm Forbes. He has been a Yankee Magazine feature artist, is a past winner of The Saturday Evening Post Cover Contest, and has been featured in many national publications.
Due to the length of time necessary to complete a painting (500 hrs. on average) he is often unable to fulfill the demand for his original acrylics. Each image is richly rural, a way of life experienced by few, but fondly remembered by many. These qualities have earned Swan a lofty reputation as one of our nation's finest landscape artists.
Robert Paul Galleries is proud to be the largest distributor of Fred Swan's artwork in the world.


text:
Equipping Catholic Leaders
Tim Busch is the founder of the Napa Institute, a new organization that aims to equip Catholic leaders to advance the Catholic faith in today's secular society.
When Catholic businessman Tim Busch read the article "Catholics and the Next America" by Archbishop Charles Chaput, he was inspired. Busch is the founder of the Napa Institute — a new organization that aims to equip Catholic leaders to advance the Catholic faith in today's secular society. The group's annual conference is marked by a commitment to the Church's intellectual tradition and an ability to cultivate a community.
The organization has already established itself as a center of knowledge and hope for American Catholics, attracting great Catholic leaders such as the institute's ecclesiastical adviser, Archbishop Chaput, and its president, Jesuit Father Robert Spitzer — the former president of Gonzaga University and head of the Magis Center of Faith and Reason.
Busch is also a member of Legatus, a Catholic group of businessmen launched by Catholic billionaire and founder of Domino's Pizza Tom Monaghan. Busch credits Legatus with the most influential Catholic formation he has received in his adult life, and he has been inspired by the commitment of Monaghan, who also founded Ave Maria University.
The Napa Institute has risen to the challenge to meet the new adversaries and adversities of the "Next America" and is calling fellow Catholics to live a bold and informed Catholic life. Busch spoke with Dan Burke, the Register's executive director, about Napa's mission.
I suspect you were already active in your faith before you read Archbishop Chaput's article. Was there ever a time when your faith played a less significant role in your life — and, if so, what was the turning point for you?
Well, I've always been committed to the faith. I was a cradle Catholic, and I started attending daily Mass in third or fourth grade — continuing through college to go occasionally during the week. I returned to daily Mass when I became involved in Legatus, and Legatus became the next critical step of formation for me. I've been involved for about 21 years now.
The idea of the Napa Institute hit me like a ton of bricks while I was vacationing in Hawaii. I felt there needed to be an intellectual Catholic apologetics conference on the West Coast. Archbishop Chaput's article came as both an encouragement and a nucleus of thought that inspired some of the content of the conference.
Did you then further develop the conference idea with Archbishop Chaput?
Yes, and he also came up with the tagline: "Equipping Catholics in the 'Next America.'" I also spoke to Mark Brumley, the president of Ignatius Press, about bringing a conference to Napa, where he lives. I started writing and creating this conference in August of 2010 — and we were blessed to hold our first conference at the end of July 2011.
In reviewing your many business and philanthropic efforts, it seems that your faith permeates all that you do, as with your winery, Trinitas Cellars. You regularly work with secular entities in the course of business, so how does your faith impact your business dealings?
As you say, my faith does influence all of my business dealings, and I've never really been criticized for it. The only time it ever comes up is in interviews, when people ask: "How can you do that? Aren't they [non-Catholics] offended?" I actually have people come up to me all the time — not necessarily Catholics, though most are Christians — to say, "Thank you" for bringing God into what is otherwise a secular environment.
I think the majority, a silent majority, is yearning for faith to be returned to the marketplace. We need to be brave and stand up to the evil one that inspires this secularism — and we need to arm people with testimonies and content. This is what the Napa Institute is about. It exists to show people what you can do when you give them the wherewithal to explain the faith. It inspires them to see that God is not just about religion, but about art and music and relationships and family. Somehow we've gotten distracted about that in this country over the last 25 years.
Many of our readers are Catholic leaders of influence who work entirely in the secular world. If you could offer them a word of advice about integrating their faith into their business life, what would that be, and what would be the essential elements to do that very thing?
It can be simple things, like leading prayer before a meal, either in a business luncheon or any company function. The prayer can be generic, approaching and addressing God. In your office, you can have elements of your faith, such as a crucifix or religious art. In our office, we have a chapel. We are very blessed to have daily Mass, and we have a priest, Father Robert Spitzer, who is actually the president of Napa Institute and head of the Magis Center of Faith and Reason. We have daily Mass, but nobody has ever said anything about it. There are fellow Catholics who worry that someone is going to object, but we have never received a complaint. We have a chapel. So what? You don't have to go to the chapel if you don't want to.
Now, I'm assuming you have non-Catholic people who work for you. Do you invite them to Mass and to other religious activities — or do you feel like the presence of these things is the invitation?
The presence is the invitation. Often, when we have a Mass in the chapel for a mother or father who is sick or recently deceased, Catholics and non-Catholics both attend out of respect for their fellow employee.
The Holy Spirit does a much better job of inviting than we can, so all we need to do is celebrate our faith, and people will respond. People regularly comment to me, "Your courage in commitment to your faith has changed my life" — and I'm not even saying anything! They want the faith, and the Holy Spirit inspires the faith. Each of us, especially people like your readers, have the opportunity to push it up a notch. Don't be afraid. It's not going to be a negative. People aren't going to think you're silly. People will respect you.
How have Catholic leaders responded to the Napa Institute launch? How many were in attendance at your last event?
Two hundred fifty people were there, so it was a good start. Everybody that came said they wanted to come back. We have really stressed that we want speakers to deliver powerful content on the themes of faith and reason, Catholic education and religious liberty. In addition — though there is no requirement to attend Mass — we have five Masses a day. The informal social aspect of the events is also distinctive. Many conferences require business attire and formal sit-down dinners, but our events are more causal. Just show up in jeans and mingle with the prelates and speakers. We want the thought-provoking Q-and-A to continue throughout the social time. It's that interaction and sharing of ideas that can help to form and inspire Catholic leaders for the next generation.
To find out more about the Napa Institute, go to Napa-Institute.org.
- Keywords:
- May 6-19, 2012


text:
Government of Ireland
|This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
the Republic of Ireland
Administrative geography
The Government of Ireland (Irish: Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland.
Members of the government
The structure of the Government of Ireland is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach. The deputy prime minister is called the Tánaiste, and is nominated by the Taoiseach from among the members of the Government.
The Government must consist of between seven and fifteen members, according to the Constitution of Ireland.[1] Every member of the Government must be a member of the parliament of Ireland, called the Oireachtas. No more than two members of the Government may be members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas.[2] Therefore, all other members of the Government must be members of Dáil Éireann, the lower house. The Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil.[3] The 7 to 15 Members of Government are generally referred to as "The Cabinet".
The Taoiseach is nominated by Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, and appointed by the President. Other members of the Government are nominated by the Taoiseach, approved by Dáil Éireann, and appointed by the President. Members of the government are often styled "cabinet ministers", as opposed to Ministers of State (before 1977 Parliamentary Secretaries), called "junior ministers", who are not in the cabinet. A minister is usually in charge of a Department of State and thus technically a "Minister of the Government" (before 1977 a "Minister of State").[4] Occasionally a minister without portfolio is appointed who is a minister and a member of the Government but not a "Minister of the Government".
Non-members attending cabinet
Non members have no voting rights at Cabinet but may otherwise participate fully and normally receive circulated Cabinet Papers on the same basis as a full member of Government.
The Government is advised by the Attorney General, who is not formally a member of the Government, but who participates in cabinet meetings as part of her role as legal advisor to the Government.
The Chief Whip may attend meetings of the cabinet, but is not a member of the Government.[5]
In addition, the Government can choose other Ministers of State (junior minister), who may attend cabinet meetings. This person is informally known as a Super Junior Minister".[5] The current (2016) Super Junior Ministers are Paul Kehoe and Finian McGrath.
The President of Ireland is not a member of the government. The Constitution of Ireland does not make the President the nominal chief executive officer of the government, instead it explicitly vests executive authority in the cabinet. In addition, the President does not have discretion in appointing a Taoiseach; this is a constitutional obligation which must happen upon the nomination of the Taoiseach. A similar obligation exists for the appointment of members of the Government; they must be appointed upon nomination by the Taoiseach and approval by the Dáil.
Term of office
Normally, the Government serves in office until the nomination of a new Taoiseach by Dáil Éireann.
The Government must enjoy the confidence of Dáil Éireann if it is to remain in office. If the Taoiseach ceases "to retain the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann", either Dáil Éireann must be dissolved or the Taoiseach must resign.[6] The President may refuse to grant a dissolution to a Taoiseach who does not enjoy the support of the Dáil, thus forcing the resignation of the Taoiseach.
When the Taoiseach resigns, the entire Government is deemed to have resigned as a collective. However, in such a scenario, according to the Constitution, "the Taoiseach and the other members of the Government shall continue to carry on their duties until their successors shall have been appointed". The Taoiseach can also direct the President to dismiss or accept the resignation of individual ministers.
Upon the dissolution of Dáil Éireann, ministers are no longer members of the Oireachtas, and therefore ineligible for office. However, under a different clause in the Constitution, they "shall continue to hold office until their successors shall have been appointed".[7]
Authority and powers
The Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Government, not the President. In other parliamentary regimes, the head of state is usually the nominal chief executive, though bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet.
The executive authority of the Government is subject to certain limitations. In particular:
- The state may not declare war, or participate in a war, without the consent of the Dáil Éireann. In the case of "actual invasion", however, "the Government may take whatever steps they may consider necessary for the protection of the State"[8]
- Treaties must be laid before Dáil Éireann.
- The Government must act in accordance with the Constitution.
Government ministers are collectively responsible for the actions of the government. Each minister is responsible for the actions of his or her department. Departments of State do not have legal personalities. Actions of departments are carried out under the title of ministers even, as is commonly the case, when the minister has little knowledge of the details of these actions. This contradicts the rule in common law that a person given a statutory power cannot delegate that power.[9] This leads to a phrase in correspondence by government departments, "the Minister has directed me to write", on letters or documents that the minister in question may never have seen.
When one of the Government's ministerial positions ceases to exist (as distinct from being renamed, which occurs more frequently), its powers are transferred to those of other ministers. "Defunct" ministers include the Ministers for Communications, Labour, Posts and Telegraphs, Public Service and Supplies. The office of Minister without portfolio has not been held since 1977.
If the Government should fail to fulfill its constitutional duties, it may be ordered to do so by a court of law, by writ of mandamus. Ministers who fail to comply may, ultimately, be found to be in contempt of court, and even imprisoned.
The Government was created by the 1937 Constitution of Ireland; the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 and amendments, contains the detailed provisions regarding status and functions of the Government in general.[10] The Government was preceded by the Executive Council of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State.
All Governments since 1989 have been coalitions of two or more parties. The first coalition government was formed in 1948. The Taoiseach has always been a member of the largest party in the coalition. The Taoiseach has almost always been the leader of that party, with John A. Costello the only exception to this rule.
Public sector
The Government is a significant employer in the state, because of its control of the civil service, the public service, and the state-sponsored bodies. These three sectors are often called the "public sector". These bodies are managed in different ways. The civil service features clearly defined and standard hierarchies of management, while among the public services, a sponsoring minister or the Minister for Finance may appoint a board or commission. The state's commercial activities are normally managed through the state-sponsored bodies, which are organised in a similar fashion to private companies.
A June 2005 report on public sector employment,[11] shows that the numbers employed in the public sector stood at 350,100. By sector, there were 38,700 in the civil service, 254,100 in the public service and 57,300 in state-sponsored bodies. The total workforce of the state was 1,857,400 that year. Thus, the public sector comprised approximately 20% of the total workforce.
Civil service
The civil service of Ireland consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State. While this partition is largely theoretical, the two parts do have some fundamental operational differences. The civil service is expected to maintain political impartiality in its work, and some parts of it are entirely independent of Government decision making.
Public service
The public service is a broad term, not clearly defined, and it is sometimes taken to include the civil service. The public service proper comprises Government agencies and bodies which provide services on behalf of the Government, but which are not part of the civil service. For instance, local authorities, Education and Training Boards and the Garda Síochána are considered to be public services.
Current Government of Ireland
See also
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 1.
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 2, Subsection 2.
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 2, Subsection 1.
- ↑ "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1977 (Section 4 – Amendment of Interpretation Act, 1937)". Attorney General of Ireland. 1937. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
- 1 2 "The Appointments". The Irish Times. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 10.
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 11.
- ↑ Constitution of Ireland, Article 28, Section 3.
- ↑ Devanney v. Shields [1998] 1 IR 231
- ↑ "Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 (Section 2 – Ministers to be corporations sole and to have certain powers.)". Attorney General of Ireland. 1924. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
- ↑ Central Statistics Office Public Sector Employment and Earnings (June 2005)
External links
- Government of Ireland website
- merrionstreet.ie – Official government news service
- – List of ministers and ministers of state, the department of the Taoiseach
- – Search formal Government of Ireland sites and documents
- – Ireland's Government and Economy at EuroLearn.org


text:
Posted by Editoress on 10/15/13
Once again, the UCI has selected the top Mountain Bike World Cup events this season, as chosen by riders, the teams, sponsors and the media (our editor was one of the media selectors). There are three awards for the three disciplines - Cross-country, Downhill and Eliminator.
Cross-country - Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic. For the third consecutive time, Nove Mesto has been selected as the top XC race of the year. Despite being over 90 minutes from any major center, the fans come out in droves - primarily to cheer local heros Jaroslav Kulhavy, Ondrej Cink and Katerina Nash, but they also encourage each and every rider; most by name. The course is a combination of long open climbs and technical rock sections, and every year produces excellent racing. Albstadt (Germany) finished second in the voting and Canada's Mont Ste Anne was third. Our editor chose Mont Ste Anne first for Nash's first ever WC win and Absalon's comeback win, followed by Vallnord (Andorra) and Albstadt (Germany).
Downhill - Fort William, Scotland. This was the second consecutive win for Fort William, this year hosting its 12th World Cup. Fort Bill is the Downhill mecca, with the longest run on the DH circuit testing riders. It also has some of the craziest fans and the extremely annoying 'midgies' - tiny no-see-ums that get into all clothing and bite you all weekend... This year it was the opening round of the DH series, and the Atherton duo - Rachel and Gee - took a joint win, to the delight of the partisan crowd. Leogang (Austria) and Vallnord tied for second. Our editor picked Mont Ste Anne for the incredible home win by Steve Smith (the first of three that would eventually see him crowned World Cup champion), and the first time this season that Rachel Atherton was beaten. He picked Vallnord second and Hafjell (Norway) third.
Eliminator - Nove Mesto and Vallnord, Andorra (tie). This is the first year that the Eliminator has been a full World Cup series, and it proved to be very successful. There were a few complaints about wildly differing styles of courses, but that just meant no one rider was favoured. Nove Mesto can be thought of as the home of the Eliminator, with very strong fan support. Vallnord put together one of the most interesting courses of the year, which saw multiple lead changes and exciting action in both the men's and women's races. Albstadt took third in the voting. Our editor picked Vallnord for exactly the reasons listed above, followed by Albstatd and Hafjell.
|Return to Cycling 4 Women homepage | Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


text:
October 14, 2009
Use Google's Document Viewer to Read PDF Files Online
A Greasemonkey script automates the process by replacing all the links to PDF, PPT and TIFF files from a page with links to Google's document viewer. To use the script, you need to install Greasemonkey in Firefox or use a dev build of Google Chrome. It should also work in Opera, Safari + GreaseKit and Internet Explorer + IE7Pro.
Hopefully, the future versions of Firefox, Chrome and other browsers will allow users to associate content types with web services, so that you can open KML files in Google Maps, iCal files in Google Calendar or Microsoft Office files in Google Docs.
10 comments:
I've used the PDF viewer several times. It works fine, but images in PDF tend to be displayed at reduced quality compared to the same PDF downloaded and viewed as locally. This seems to be because the Google Document Viewer displays each PDF page as an image, and this is slightly more lossy than the original images in the PDF. Otherwise, a neat feature.ReplyDelete
Here it is as a bookmarklet!!ReplyDelete
This would be even better if it changed the links' onclick events to open the PDF viewer, and left the actual hrefs unchanged. That way, you could still copy/paste the URL of the PDF from the link if you wanted.ReplyDelete
Note there seems to be an issue with the embedded version of the Google PDF Viewer when used in IE8. There is apparently a cookie problem that can only be solved by first invoking www.google.com , then the website with the embedded viewer.ReplyDelete
Google Docs earlier showed the same problem with IE8 when documentes would be shared fore vieweing or editing without the need to sign in...
- AnonymousOctober 14, 2009 at 4:39 PM
What I'd really like is the ability to save any PDF to my Google Docs.ReplyDelete
Regarding your last paragraph: crbug.com/11359 -- we'd like to see it happen too. Patches welcome!ReplyDelete
Adam: As requested, I wrote an event driven version for you based on the original: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/59870ReplyDelete
Also, if you'd like a bookmarklet for it: http://chibu.net/bookmarklets.html
For FF users, I'd instead recommend:ReplyDelete
View and edit PDF files for free in your browser. A lot more features than Google's offering.
- AnonymousOctober 16, 2009 at 3:07 AM
doesn't work with noscript enabled...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 13, 2011 at 2:52 PM
Having problems with it under Mac OS X, Firefox 4 rc 1. I get a broken link icon :-/ReplyDelete


text:
Eye Diseases Commonly Associated With Diabetes
Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems experienced by people with diabetes, which can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. However, diabetic eye diseases can often be treated before vision loss occurs. We recommend that anyone diagnosed with diabetes have an eye examination, with the eyes dilated to check the back of the eye, at least once a year.
Diabetic Eye Diseases Include:
- Diabetic retinopathy (the most common eye disease in people with diabetes)
- Cataract
- Glaucoma
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, retinal blood vessels may swell and leak fluid, while in others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These changes may result in vision loss or blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy cannot be completely avoided, but the risk can be greatly reduced. Better control of blood sugar levels slows the onset and progression of retinopathy, and lessens the need for laser surgery for severe retinopathy.
What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
There may be no symptoms or pain in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, and vision may not change until the disease progresses.
A condition called macular edema may occur when the macula, a part of the retina, swells from the leaking fluid and causes blurred vision. When new vessels grow on the surface of the retina, they can bleed (hemorrhage) into the eye, blocking vision.
Who is at risk for diabetic retinopathy?
Anyone with diabetes is at risk. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely that he or she will develop diabetic retinopathy.
Can diabetic retinopathy be prevented?
Although diabetic retinopathy cannot be prevented, the risk can be reduced by:
- Dilated eye examinations once a year
- Strictly managing diabetes by:
- Taking medications as directed
- Using insulin as directed
- Eating appropriate foods to manage blood sugar level
- Exercising to lower and help the body use blood sugar
- Testing blood sugar levels regularly
- Testing urine for ketone levels regularly
How is diabetic retinopathy diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and eye examination, your eye care professional may perform the following tests to diagnose diabetic retinopathy:
- Visual acuity test - the common eye chart test, which measures vision ability at various distances.
- Pupil dilation - the pupil is widened with eye drops to allow a close-up examination of the eye's retina.
- Tonometry – a standard test to determine the fluid pressure inside the eye.
- Ophthalmoscopy - a doctor performs a detailed examination of the retina using a special magnifying glass.
Treatment for diabetic retinopathy
Specific treatment will be determined by your doctor based on:
- Your age, overall health and medical history
- Extent of the disease
- Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies
- Expectations for the course of the disease
- Your opinion or preference
According to the National Eye Institute, part of the United States National Institutes of Health, even people with advanced retinopathy have a 90% chance of keeping their vision if they seek treatment before the retina is severely damaged. Treatment may include:
Laser surgery
Often used to treat macular edema and proliferative retinopathy; involves shrinking the abnormal blood vessels or sealing the leaking ones.
A procedure that involves removing the cloudy vitreous (the clear gel that fills the center of the eye) and replacing it with a salt solution. Vitrectomies are particularly effective in persons with insulin-dependent diabetes, who may be at a greater risk of blindness due to a hemorrhage in the eye.


text:
Crucial launches m4 SSD with more capacity and faster Performance
Next-generation SSD builds on the award-winning and popular Crucial RealSSD C300
Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced the immediate availability of Crucial m4 solid-state drives in capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB. Designed for both business customers and general consumers, the Crucial m4 SSD product line incorporates Micron's industry-leading 25-nanometer (nm) NAND flash technology in a 2.5″ form factor. Like its Crucial RealSSD C300 predecessor, the Crucial m4 also supports the SATA 6Gb/s interface, opening up the data path between the host processor and the SSD, and resulting in improved overall system responsiveness, including faster boot times and application loads.
The new Crucial m4 SSD reaches read speeds of up to 415MB/second, a 17 percent increase over its predecessor. Likewise, write speeds on the new 512GB capacity have demonstrated increases up to 260MB/s, a 20 percent boost over the fastest C300 drive1. Ideal for client computing, Crucial m4 SSD products provide benefits for notebooks, desktops, workstations, and industrial applications, including low power consumption, lightweight construction, and resistance to shock and vibration.
Robert Wheadon, worldwide senior product manager, said:
The new Crucial m4 SSD builds on the enormous success of its predecessor, the Crucial RealSSD C300. As a subsidiary of Micron Technology, we're in the unique position of leveraging Micron's NAND development and manufacturing expertise for our Crucial branded SSDs. These next-generation m4 SSDs offer customers higher capacities and even greater performance at affordable prices.
Competitively priced at US$129.99 for a 64GB SSD; US$ 249.99 for a 128GB SSD; US$499.99 for a 256GB SSD; and US$999.99 for a 512GB SSD, the Crucial m4 SSD product line is backed by a three-year warranty and available now at www.crucial.com/ssd, or through leading channel partners worldwide.


text:
Matt had a fun time in Louisville earlier this week, taping a WLKY's Real Deal segment.
He filled Maxine in on lots of fun Happy Halloween Weekends details – and also offered a "real deal."
Wondering what that deal might be? Take a look here.
Still need discounted tickets for your visit? Here you go.


text:
Paul Gregg's Home Page
Welcome to my machine-generated, generic home page. There is nothing here yet. In the meantime, let me suggest some other pages:
Nyx Home Page
Nyx WWW FAQ
A Primer on writing HTML documents
Yahoo Web Searcher
The Yanoff List
finger me
About the World Wide Web
Lynx home page
Mosaic What's New on the Web
Searchable Meta-Index of WWW resources
last modified 970714
machine generated
home page is maintained by
Paul Gregg
. Please email
with comments and corrections.
Disclaimer: This document in no way represents Nyx Net Public Access Unix. All opinions and errors are mine alone.