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Of all the myriad scandals of the Obama administration, there is one, largely ignored by the mainstream media, that could actually be its worst.
That scandal is the operation run from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the Justice Department, known as "Fast and Furious," through which the federal government actually encouraged and even ordered American gun shops to sell guns — against the store owners' better judgment — to "straw" purchasers who were funneling guns to Mexican drug gangs while the ATF sat back and watched and did nothing.
As Katie Pavlich shows in her remarkable and eye-opening new book, "Fast and Furious: Barack Obama's Bloodiest Scandal and Its Shameless Cover-Up," the whole scheme was either absolutely harebrained or, as some have more ominously theorized, intentionally designed to manufacture "evidence" for tightening gun control legislation.
Pavlich exposes how extreme gun control measures have been a top political goal for President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and other important leaders within the administration — and she draws the lines that link this goal directly to the implementation of Fast and Furious. Just as importantly, she shows how the administration has shamelessly tried to obscure those links.
The operation resulted in the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the murder or wounding of some 200 Mexican citizens.
In the operation, there was no attempt to track the weapons sold, and some agents who tried to follow the purchasers were told to stand down. Not only that, but our government kept Mexican authorities wholly in the dark about the operation. Allowing these guns to "walk" into Mexico without surveillance and behind the backs of Mexican authorities guaranteed they would end up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels and only be recovered after crimes had been committed, which is exactly what occurred.
As one ATF agent testified to Congress, "you can't allow thousands of guns to go south of the border without an expectation that they are going to be recovered eventually in crimes and people are going to die."
In their reports on Fast and Furious, congressional investigators concluded that the Department of Justice "had much greater knowledge of, and involvement in, Fast and Furious than it has previously acknowledged." Indeed, Attorney General Holder claimed that he had been unaware of Fast and Furious until a few weeks before May 3, 2011, but it was shown that he had received numerous memos about it much earlier, which he later insisted he had not read.
Rep. Darrell Issa has said that the DOJ has spent more time and resources trying to protect the careers of its officials who knew about the operation than in holding accountable those who were involved. In fact, the evidence shows that the only ones who have been punished are those who blew the whistle on the operation, while those who were engaged in wrongdoing have been rewarded — reassigned or promoted with their pensions still intact.
Meanwhile, the DOJ, according to the committee report, "has blamed everyone except for its political appointees for Fast and Furious." Ken Melson, then the ATF's acting director, said that the DOJ is "circling the wagons to protect its political appointees."
Though Holder told the House Judiciary Committee his office was working "tirelessly to identify, locate and provide relevant information" to Congress, Republican representatives and senators say he and his department have been stonewalling their investigation. Sen. Charles Grassley said that Justice was withholding some 74,000 pages of relevant documents from the investigators.
The ongoing investigation also reveals a disturbing lack of coordination and cooperation among the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI, all of which are under the domain of Holder's DOJ. One deputy attorney general, upon being confronted with this issue, just casually replied, "We will look into it."
The committee's report said that everyone involved was blaming others: The ATF pointed the finger at the Justice Department for encouraging the operation, and Justice blamed the U.S. attorney's office in Arizona for implementing it. DOJ officials who could have stopped the operation blamed their staffs for not bringing critical facts to their attention. Making matters worse, U.S. attorney's office personnel have taken the Fifth Amendment in refusing to testify before Congress, or the DOJ has prohibited them from appearing before Congress at all.
Katie's book is a real reporter's book, loaded with interviews with inside sources, including conscience-stricken government agents who are appalled by the politicization of the ATF. She quotes ATF agent John Dodson, who says, "I have never heard an explanation from anyone involved in Operation Fast and Furious that I believe would justify what we did."
This book, which is the best reporting yet on the Obama administration's bloodiest scandal — and its most unconscionable one — will make your blood boil. You should purchase and read it.
David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. His latest book, "Crimes Against Liberty," was No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list for nonfiction for its first two weeks. Follow him on Twitter @davidlimbaugh and his website at www.davidlimbaugh.com.


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George M Taber, A Toast to Bargain Wines: How innovators, iconoclasts, and winemaking revolutionaries are changing the way the world drinks. Scribner, 2011.
George Taber knows something about how seemingly small events can sometimes turn the world of wine upside down. He was the Time magazine reporter who covered the famous 1976 "Judgment of Paris" tasting where top French wines were matched against California Cabs and Chardonnays in blind tastings evaluated by famous French critics. The New World wines held their own and even took the top prizes in both red and white categories. Thus was a fermenting revolution recognized and encouraged.
Now the issue isn't so much Old versus New as it is Expensive versus Cheap and Elites versus Masses. Taber sides with a democratic vision of wine and this book is a celebration of the fact that there are more drinkable bargain (less than $10) wines in the world now than ever before. The glass is more than half full. Drink up!
What to Drink (for $10 or Less)
Taber's celebration comes in two parts. The second half of the book is a bargain wine buyer's guide. Taber provides top 10 lists of his favorite "$10 and less" wines and wine brands sorted by grape variety and region. He also recommends a couple of splurge wines in each category for good measure.
My, what a lot of inexpensive wine George Taber must consumed to write these recommendations. Bottoms up, indeed!
Here's what I mean. The section on blush wines highlights 10 wines including a $3 Oak Leaf White Zinfandel (from Wal-Mart) and a $6 Riunite Strawberry White Merlot. I assume that Taber tasted the big selling Sutter Home White Zin and found it wanting since it does not appear on the list, but he doesn't list all the wines he tried in each category, only the best ones, nor (and this would be particularly useful) the really really bad ones to steer clear of.
Revolution from Below
The first half of the book makes the case that maybe you should take bargain wines more seriously (and not just because of the current economic situation). Taber sets out to undermine the conventional wisdom about wine. Maybe wine judges are as confused as the rest of us. Maybe taste is so subjective that your opinion really is all that matters. Maybe (gasp!) bottles and corks are a pointless anachronism when it comes to everyday wines and you should reconsider your prejudice against "box wines," which have changed a lot since you tried them in college.
My favorite chapters are the profiles of the iconoclasts who are leading the wine revolution. Taber's reporting skills are put to good use in telling the tales of Fred Franzia (the godfather of Two Buck Chuck) and John Casella (the father of Yellow Tail wine). Both wines changed the world in important ways and it is interesting to have their stories told so effectively and to be able to see these two phenomena side-by-side.
The final chapter (before the buyer's guide) examines China. Will it too change the wine world? Maybe – that's the answer here. China is still a work in progress and perhaps it is too soon to draw many conclusions. Taber does a good job pulling together different trends and facts.
What's a Bargain?
One of the ironies of this book comes from the fact that Taber needs to define what he means by "bargain wine" and value (like taste) is pretty subjective. He draws the line at $10, which is a good thing I believe since this allows him room to include a lot of pretty good wines in his lists and not just focus on extreme values. Ironically, however, a $10 wine is classified as "premium" and sometimes "super-premium" here in America. The majority of American wine drinkers think of a $10 wine as a splurge.
I have friends who are afraid to try a $10 wine because they fear that they will be able to taste the difference and be forced to turn their backs on the $6 wines they've been enjoying for years.
I wonder if wine snobs will be annoyed by George Taber's book? After all, with this book Taber seems to suggest that democratic wines deserve the same respect as those Judgment of Paris aristocrats. Me? I'm just grateful that he's done the dirty work of tasting and sorting all those really inexpensive wines so that I don't have to! Bottoms up!

subset: commoncrawl


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Stop by one of our showrooms and see firsthand just how much better car buying can truly be.


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January 20, 2013
Blog Awards, Gratefully Received
7 comments:
Congratulaions, Shelley, on your well deserved awards.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you, Sue, and thanks for reading!Delete
Shelley, I'm came to give you an award -- but I see that you just received it! Still, I've already written the post naming you and your blog as recipients of Wonderful Team Member Readership Award and I'm sticking with it! Thank you for your support in both reading and commenting at my blog. I appreciate receiving your thoughtful insights. Thank you. (If you want you can read my post at http://nancysfamilyhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-favorite-award-to-give.html.)ReplyDeleteReplies
Nancy, that's so funny, because if I had gotten around to naming people to give awards to, I would have given you the Wonderful Team Readership Award! So thank you very much for the honor. It's always a pleasure to read your blog and discover what you've been reading or thinking or working on. I really appreciate the nomination coming from you.Delete
Shelley, thank you for your kind words. And congratulations on the awards you've received. They are very well deserved!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks, Jana. You don't know how much I look forward to your Fab Finds post each Friday. You always seem to find the neatest things. I'm thrilled whenever I see my name on there, believe me!Delete
Oh, Shelley, I so much agree that we are a lucky community of readers and writers, all sharing insights and discoveries about family history.ReplyDelete
When you describe Margel as "a delight to read, warm and full of good humor," I believe this could also be a description of yourself and your own blog. A good fit for a Kinder, Gentler Approach to Genealogy Goals.
I'm glad to learn about other blogs through these awards, and have expanded circles of sharing. The only part I didn't like was "having" to single out people for awards and thereby leave out others. But we don't have to follow such rules, as you point out. We can just widen our circles of appreciation --- to the extent that there is world enough and time! Very much fun.


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We are open - safety is our top priority!
Posted on: January 14, 2015
9 Anti-Halitosis Tips for Beating Bad Breath
Everyone has experienced the embarrassment of having bad breath. Doctors and dentists call the problem halitosis. It affects people of every age and background. It can make your social life difficult, cause poor self-esteem, and even affect your professional life. Fortunately, once you understand the causes of bad breath, you can learn simple and effective ways to get rid of it. The following suggestions can help you pinpoint the cause of your bad breath, and find a solution that gives you back your fresh mouth and your self-confidence.
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene. Bacteria-laden dental plaque is one of the most common causes of breath odor. To keep your teeth clean, brush at least twice a day, and floss every day. If you have bad breath, brush more often.
- Clean your tongue. Bacteria and residual food debris in the coating that covers your tongue's surface can produce halitosis. Brush your tongue gently with your toothbrush, or use a tongue scraper.
- Manage gum disease. Periodontal disease causes breath odor when bacteria accumulate in the pockets at the base of your teeth. If you have severe gum disease, see a periodontist for treatment.
- Skip foods that cause breath odor. Onions and garlic are top offenders, and even brushing after you eat them won't eliminate the smell. If you have an impending social engagement, avoid eating strong-smelling foods beforehand.
- Stop smoking. Cigarettes give you very bad breath. They also stain your teeth, cause respiratory problems, and increase your risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Increase hydration. A dry mouth due inadequate saliva production can promote bad breath. Drink plenty of plain water to keep your body hydrated.
- Rinse your mouth. Use an anti-bacterial mouthwash after brushing to kill odor-causing germs. Swishing with plain water after you eat can also help improve your breath by washing away food particles.
- Replace after-dinner mints with sugarless chewing gum. Chewing sugarless gum stimulates saliva production, which combats plaque acids and helps keep your mouth cleaner and fresher.
- Ask your doctor for help. If there is no improvement despite your efforts, report your symptoms to your doctor. Bad breath can be related to medical conditions such as diabetes or gastrointestinal problems.
To learn about our family dentistry practice in Miami, call Miami Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry today at (305) 306-9250 or make an appointment.
Miami Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry offers affordable family dentistry and gentle, compassionate dental care in Miami. Our offices are conveniently located with extended hours to meet your needs. At Miami Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, we provide most dental services, from basic preventative care and general dentistry to specialized procedures and complete dental reconstruction. We accept most dental insurance plans and offer affordable financial solutions for any budget. Patient satisfaction is our top priority and we strive to provide the exceptional, affordable dental care and personal touch that lead to lasting relationships. A smiling patient is our greatest reward and we look forward to keeping those smiles healthy, beautiful, and bright. Discover an affordable dentist who truly cares at Miami Center for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry.


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September 12 2012
LOS ANGELES – LawFuel.com – American Law News – Federal agents this morning arrested 10 defendants who worked at a Rancho Cucamonga-based business that allegedly offered bogus loan modification programs to financially distressed homeowners. As a result of the scheme allegedly run out of 21st Century Real Estate Investment Corp. and several related companies, more than 4,000 financially distressed homeowners lost at least $7 million in fees they paid to the company, and many homeowners lost their homes to foreclosure.
Those taken into custody this morning were among 11 defendants named in a federal indictment unsealed today following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; IRS-Criminal Investigation; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP); and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General.
According to the indictment, during an 18-month period that began in June 2008, a Rancho Cucamonga woman – Andrea Ramirez – operated 21st Century and several other companies. According to the indictment, 21st Century "defrauded financially distressed homeowners by making false promises and guarantees regarding 21st Century's ability to negotiate loan modifications from the homeowners' mortgage lenders, falsely representing that 21st Century was operating a loan modification program sponsored by the United States government, instructing homeowners to cease communication with their mortgage lenders and to cease making their mortgage payments."
"The housing crisis provided fraud artists a new avenue to exploit people in financial distress," said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. "Many of the victims in this alleged scheme were in desperate financial straits, and shameless financial predators promised relief they could not deliver. As a result, many homeowners went into foreclosure and now have to deal with the ramifications of losing their homes."
Ramirez and the other 21st Century employees contacted distressed homeowners through cold calls, newspaper ads and mailings, and various 21st Century-controlled websites that advertised loan modification services. Once they contacted the distressed homeowners, according to the indictment, Ramirez and other 21st Century employees often falsely told clients that the company was operating through a federal government program, that they would be able to obtain new mortgages with specific interest rates and reduced payments, and that attorneys would negotiate loan modifications with their lenders. Ramirez and other 21st Century employees regularly instructed financially distressed homeowners to cease making mortgage payments to their lenders and to cut off all contact with their lenders because they were being represented by 21st Century. On some occasions, Ramirez and other 21st Century employees would tell homeowners that 21st Century was using the fees paid by the homeowner to make mortgage payments, when in fact Ramirez and 21st Century simply were keeping the homeowner's money.
Christy Romero, Special Inspector General at SIGTARP, stated: "Ramirez and her co-conspirators are charged with fraudulently operating 21st Century to exploit the hardships of homeowners fighting to keep a roof over their head. As alleged, these con artists swindled distressed homeowners by lying about their affiliation with federal housing programs and giving money-back guarantees that the homeowners would get a lower mortgage payment if they paid an advance fee. SIGTARP and our law enforcement partners are committed to shutting down schemes that prey on those who can least afford it by falsely claiming an affiliation with TARP's housing programs."
Leslie P. DeMarco, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office, said: "Using the guise of a federally sponsored loan modification program, and the assurance of a qualified legal team, the defendants preyed on financially distressed homeowners allegedly depriving them of much needed money and property. Those who find ways to fraudulently benefit from government programs meant to help struggling homeowners keep their homes will be brought to justice."
The 11 defendants named in the indictment are:
Andrea Ramirez, who also used the names Andrea Parker and Lisa Evans, 44, of Rancho Cucamonga;
Christopher Paul George, 42, Rancho Cucamonga, who surrendered this morning to authorities;
Michael Bruce Bates, who also used the names Michael Bruce Myers and Robert Allen Castro, 61, of Moreno Valley;
Crystal Taiwana Buck, 37, of Long Beach;
Michael Lewis Parker, 34, of Pomona, who is currently a fugitive being sought by federal authorities;
Catalina Deleon, 35, of Glendora;
Hamid Reza Shalviri, 50, Montebello, who self-surrendered this morning after being contacted by federal agents;
Yadira Garcia Padilla, 35, of Rancho Cucamonga;
Mindy Sue Holt, 53, of San Bernardino;
Iris Melissa Pelayo, 42, of Upland; and
Albert DiRoberto, 59, of Fullerton.
The defendants arrested this morning are expected to be arraigned this afternoon during their initial court appearances in United States District Court in Riverside.
"Fraudulent loan modification scams affect consumers at the most basic level, jeopardizing their ability to retain ownership of their homes," said B. Bernard Ferguson, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Los Angeles Division. "The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will investigate these crimes to protect consumers and when the nation's mail system is used for illegal or dangerous use."
Steve Linick, the Federal Housing Finance Agency Inspector General, stated: "The government created programs intended to assist homeowners by allowing them to remain in their homes during these troubling financial times. Anyone attempting to engage in schemes designed to exploit struggling homeowners and the government programs created to help those same homeowners will ultimately be brought to justice."
All 11 defendants are charged with nine felony counts – five counts of mail fraud, three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. Each count in the indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
This prosecution is part of efforts by President Obama's Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 United States Attorneys' offices and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants, including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Stout
(951) 276-6938
Release No. 12-122


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This is legacy information. If you are using Eclipse 3.4 and WOLips 5640 or later, servlet deployment is significantly less complicated, and described in Servlet Deployment Setup.
WO developers have been able to deploy their applications as a WAR bundle in a J2EE container since WO 5.1, and as an independent SSDD (Servlet Single Directory Deployment) bundles since WO 5.2. There is some documentation out there already for preparing your apps for this if you use XCode, but more and more developers are ditching that in favor of the vastly superior (in my opinion) Eclipse/WOLips IDE. For more information on XCode, start here. This article is all about how to do things in Eclipse, and then as a bonus, how to create a deploy a project wonder application so that it runs in tomcat. I had a fairly miserable time figuring all of this out, but there's really not that much to it once you have all of the information in one place. Read on...
You really ought to know how to create a regular standalone webobjects application before you dive into this article. It helps if you understand the basic servlet container file structure, and you should also have the container of your choice installed. I'm using Tomcat 5.5.9. I'm also using WebObjects 5.3 and Java 1.5.
For an example of how this works, we're going to do the most boring little hello world app imaginable from scratch. Don't fret though, you can apply the same set of changes to any existing app and it should work. After getting Hello World working, I applied the changes described here to a fairly complex existing project full of Ajax and project wonder fanciness, and it worked just as expected.
First create your hello world just like you would In this tutorial. I called my project JSPHelloWorld, and all I did after the WOLips wizard finished guiding me through the project was to edit the Main.html component to say HELLO, WORLD! About as boring as it gets, but go ahead and run your application as a WOLips WOApplication run configuration (the beauty of all this, as you'll see, is that you can develop your applications as you normally would, and in the end, you only have to think about the tomcat stuff when you're actually ready to deploy):
There are really just a few steps you need to go through to make a plain WebObjects application deploy on Tomcat from here:
1) Open up the build.xml file for editing. It should be at the project level. If you don't see it, it's probably just hidden. To show it, click the down triangle at the top of the Package Explorer, and select the "Filters" menu:
Uncheck the item labeled build.xml (WOLips). Now you should see it in package explorer.
Note: If you are converting an existing project to deploy in a servlet container, you may have an older version of the WOLips build.xml file (this happened to me when I started playing with things, and it was all kinds of confusing). Lots of work has been done by the community in the last year to bring this up to speed. To get the recent good stuff, you can right click on the build.xml file and choose WOLips Ant Tools->Replace with latest build.xml. Take care to back up your original version somewhere first though, if you've made any modifications, because you will lose those changes.
If you are using the ant editor to edit the file, you will see a nice summary of your targets in the Outline window:
Click on the 'ssdd' target (If you are not in the and editor, you can just scroll down in the file until you see '<target name="ssdd" depends="build.woapp">').
The directions in the comments above the target are fairly self-explanatory, but here is the more verbose rundown:
By default, the target tag for ssdd has an attribute that looks like
. Just delete that, so that the target will execute next time you do an ant install.
A couple of targets up in the file, you will find the build.woapp target (<target name="build.woapp">). Within that tag, you will find several 'frameworks' tags. By default, these will have an embed="false" attribute. For each of them, change the "false" to "true". This is important because you are want a self contained thing to go in your servlet container, so everything you reference needs to be included. embed="true" makes the ant task copy all of the referenced frameworks out of /Library/Frameworks/ and /System/Library/Frameworks and into the folder that will ultimately move to your tomcat 'webapps' directory (by default, this folder will be created within your project, within a folder named 'dist'. More on this later).
At the root level of your project, you need to create a text file and name it LICENSE. Within this file, you are going to paste the contents of your WebObjects license key. For WebObjects 5.3, this can be found in the file at /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaWebObjects.framework/Resources/License.key. More on the whole license key thing here. Here's what my project directory looks like after I created the LICENSE file:
Now you need to modify your build path to include the framework that lets your webobjects application behave in the servlet world: JavaWOJSPServlet. It's in /System/Library/Frameworks. If you don't know how to modify your build path, go read this.
Now open up your build.properties file, which also resides at the root level of your project. If you don't see it, it's probably hidden from view. Open up the Filters window in package explorer (just like you did above to see the build.xml file), and uncheck build.properties (WOLips). Double click the build.properties file to edit it. There will be a line that looks like "webXML = ". Make that line read 'webXML = true' and then save the file.
That's the long and short of it if you don't want to include wonder in your app. All you have to do is do an ant install (right click on your project folder and choose WOLips Ant Tools->Install. A bunch of stuff will be compiled into the proper exploded WAR directory structure in a folder called 'dist' in your project. If you don't see it, it could be hidden. Open up the Filters window in package explorer again and make sure dist (WOLips) is unchecked. If you still don't see it, it could just be that package explorer hasn't picked up on it yet. Right click your project and choose 'Refresh' and it should appear.
Let's have a quick look at what's in 'dist':
There are two top-level folders. The first is the one you will copy into the webapps directory of your tomcat installation. Inside it is the WEB-INF folder containing an auto-generated web.xml file (more on this later), the bundled frameworks (because we set embed="true" in our build.xml), a tld file that you don't really need to know too much about, a lib directory that contains, as far as I can tell, every jar resource that you have installed in /Library/WebObjects/Extensions (does anyone know how to prevent the unnecessary stuff from being copied in? If so, please edit this article), and your .woa folder, which is an exact copy of the second folder under dist, JSPHelloWorld.woa, in this case.
If this were not a project wonder project (that is, if its Application and Session classes did not extend ERXApplication and ERXSession), we could copy over the JSPHelloWorld folder from dist into tomcat's webapps folder, restart tomcat, pull up a browser, type in http://localhost:8080/JSPHelloWorld/WebObjects/JSPHelloWorld.woa, and see the same boring hello world page we saw when we ran the application as a standalone WO app. If you really want to verify this, just make your Application and Session classes extend WOApplication and WOSession instead, rebuild the thing, deploy it into tomcat as described above, and have a go.
But SINCE we're trying to incorporate project wonder (and what sensible WebObjects developer tries to live life without project wonder?) we instead get this awesomely helpful message back:
Servlet WOServletAdaptor is currently unavailable
Man, that tells you a lot. Checking the logs (tomcat-root/logs/catalina.out) tells you little more that makes any sense. But I've done the desparate scrounging on Google, so I'll spare you the suspense: it's because Project Wonder does a lot of early intialization and patching of terrible WebObjects code, and the process of patching is broken when you run things in a servlet container. When you're running them as a standalone app, you have a static main method in your Application class that calls ERXApplication.main(), which in turn does all that cool pain saving patching. But the main method does not get called in a servlet container because things just operate differently in this world. So we have to do a few extra things. There's a pretty good thread on the whole business here.
Before I get started with what worked for me, I want to give a hat tip to Henrique Prange, who came up with a bunch of code that I cobbled together and modified only slightly to get things working. Without his guidance, I'd still be scratching my head and staring at my computer screen with bloodshot eyes wondering what is going on.
The gist of what we're about to do is that we're going to be writing a new ServletAdaptor, which is a subclass of WOServletAdaptor, which is a subclass of javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet. This is just a special kind of class that sits around and listens for HTTP requests, and hands them off to the right place when they come in (fairly similar to the WO HTTP adaptor). If you look at the documentation for WOServletAdaptor, it says it is not intended to be subclassed, and I think what they mean by that is that all of its methods except the constructor and one other special method are static. But we're going to subclass it anyway, and override the one non-static method (named init()) to setup the project wonder initialization stuff that usually happens when we call ERXApplication.main().
Henrique created a class called ERXServletAdaptor and it is submitted as a pending project wonder patch as we speak (or as I type, as the case may be). I could not get the code in that patch to run as is, so I have changed it just a bit. Here is my version of the class that works for me. Something very similar to this may soon be bundled with project wonder, but for now, you can just toss this class into your project's Sources folder:
package er.extensions.jspservlet; import java.lang.reflect.Method; import javax.servlet.ServletContext; import javax.servlet.ServletException; import javax.servlet.UnavailableException; import com.webobjects.jspservlet.WOServletAdaptor; import er.extensions.appserver.ERXApplication; /** * This class is just a wrapper around WOServletAdaptor. * ERXServletAdaptor must be used to make Wonder applications * compliant with WAR deployment. *
 * This class is responsible to invoke the * {@link ERXApplication#setup(String[])} method before the application * initialization. * * @see WOServletAdaptor * @author Henrique Prange */ public class ERXServletAdaptor extends WOServletAdaptor { /** * Overrides the _appliationInit and invoke the * {@link ERXApplication#setup(String[])} method before the application * initialization. * * @see WOServletAdaptor#_applicationInit(ServletContext) */ /* * * @param servletContext * The servlet context to get the application class * @throws UnavailableException * If something wrong happens while trying to invoke the * application setup method. */ static void invokeApplicationSetupMethod(ServletContext servletContext) throws UnavailableException { ClassLoader classLoader = WOServletAdaptor.class.getClassLoader(); try { String applicationClassName = servletContext.getInitParameter("WOApplicationClass"); if (applicationClassName == null || "".equals(applicationClassName)) { throw new UnavailableException("WOApplicationClass must be defined. Verify your web.xml configuration."); } Class applicationClass = classLoader.loadClass(applicationClassName); Method method = applicationClass.getMethod("setup", new Class[] { String[].class }); method.invoke(null, new Object[] { new String[0] }); } catch (Exception e) { e.printStackTrace(); throw new UnavailableException("Error initializing ERXServletAdaptor: " + e.getMessage()); } } public ERXServletAdaptor() throws ServletException { super(); } @Override public void init() throws ServletException { ERXServletAdaptor.invokeApplicationSetupMethod(getServletContext()); super.init(); } }
When you plop this into your application, it is not going to build. The reason is that it references classes that are bundled in jar files that aren't in your build path yet. The two files you need to add to your build path are
I'd like to have a quiet, respectful, polite but stern word with whoever at Apple decided to put the first one in WebServerResources. Very confusing.
Now your project should build.
That is pretty much the trick, but there is one last catch. Somehow, tomcat has to know to use your version of the ServletAdaptor, and not the WebObjects version that breaks with wonder. The container gets this information from the web.xml file that we saw magically generated for us in dist/JSPHelloWorld/WEB-INF after we ran our ant task. If you go into the dist folder and open up this file, you will see the following near the bottom:
 <servlet> <servlet-name>WOServletAdaptor</servlet-name> <servlet-class>com.webobjects.jspservlet.WOServletAdaptor</servlet-class> <load-on-startup>5</load-on-startup> </servlet>
For our little trick to work, we need to change the class to reference our class, so we change it to look like this:
 <servlet> <servlet-name>WOServletAdaptor</servlet-name> <servlet-class>er.extensions.jspservlet.ERXServletAdaptor</servlet-class> <load-on-startup>5</load-on-startup> </servlet>
We can just edit the file by hand and save it, but next time we do an install, we're going to blow that change away and then have to remember all this minutia again to figure out what's going on. So I just modified the build.xml file to make the change for us whenever we do an install. Place this at the bottom of the build.woapp target, and next time you do a build, you'll be in business:
 <replaceregexp file="${dest.dir}/${project.name}/WEB-INF/web.xml" match="com.webobjects.jspservlet.WOServletAdaptor" replace="er.extensions.jspservlet.ERXServletAdaptor" byline="true" />
That's it! Now, just do an ant install, copy the JSPHelloWorld folder into the webapps folder of your tomcat (or whatever) installation, restart tomcat, and load it up in your browser!
Now go make billions of dollars deploying WebObjects apps on Tomcat. I'm going to bed.


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Sports haven't looked the way they typically look this year, with pandemic bubbles all around and games cancelled and postponed due to COVID infections.
But as 2020 draws to a close, the NHL and Adidas have teamed up to bring a little bit of flair to the sports world with a series of 31 "Reverse Retro" jerseys. According to the NHL, it's the first time all teams in the league have participated in the initiative. Each jersey represents "unique and historical moments in each club's history, while refreshing the colour and design combination for an all-new presentation."
REMIXED TO PERFECTION 🙌@adidashockey brought the 🔥 with these #ReverseRetro jerseys. pic.twitter.com/zfmPuSS6bB— NHL (@NHL) November 16, 2020
Perhaps most pertinent for British Columbians is the Canucks retro jersey. The team had quite a few to choose from, having worn seven logo variations and 21 different uniforms over 50 years. Although it's faced some criticism on social media for not harkening back to the popular Black Skate jersey, the retro version is a play on the gradient orca jersey. That jersey was the alternate from 2001 to 2006, and according to the Canucks "marks a shift in Canucks hockey and the start of a new era."
What do you think?
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The outbreak of swine flu has caused the World Health Organization to steadily raise its alert levels. But what do they mean? Weekly World News breaks it down.
Phase 1
Outbreak is contained within a single bedroom. Ginger ale, chicken soup, and DVDs of Bridget Jones' Diary and The Princess Bride are readily available. Recommendation: saying 'Bless you' when patient sneezes.
Phase 2
Disease spreads to workplace through prolonged exposure with the infected. Tissue boxes begin to become exhausted; toilet paper takes up the slack. Recommendation: use as excuse to miss work.
Phase 3
Virulent agent has demonstrated resilience to all brands of decongestants. Patients suspect drug company conspiracy to sell placebos for incurable ailment. Recommendation: loss of patience, profanity.
Phase 4
Outbreak spreads to news outlets and human interest stories. The public is warned not to be afraid, but 'pandemic' continues to be a really scary word. Recommendation: water cooler conversation, unnecessarily canceling trips abroad.
Phase 5
Virus remains persistent and continues to mushroom in at least three distinct areas. Symptoms become exaggerated by telephone game effect, and healthy people begin to fear the menace of purple monkey dishwasher. Recommendation: cut off contact with outside world, barricade doors, stock up on canned goods, drink plenty of fluids.
Phase 6
Mankind is wiped out with the exception of Will Smith and a Brazilian supermodel. Repopulation of race begins with exciting results. Recommendation: keep cameras rolling and hope for a better day.


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The history of caring in America
Should there be a pauper among you . . . you shall not harden your heart and clench your hand against your brother the pauper. But you shall surely open your hand to him ... (Deut. 15:7-8; Alter trans.) A recurrent question about modern America is to what extent we have adhered to this and similar admonitions to care for the least of these.
The question is prompted by a new book from Katherine Newman and Elisabeth Jacobs, Who Cares ?: Public Ambivalence and Government Activism from the New Deal to the Second Gilded Age. Newman and Jacobs present evidence that now widely-hailed parts of the safety net woven during the New Deal (particularly poor relief, job creation, and old age support) and then during the Great Society (particularly Medicare and poverty programs) at the time faced considerable public ambivalence and even resistance. Roosevelt and Johnson just drove ahead anyway and later Americans were thankful that they did. One implication is that todays backlash against the Obama health initiative is nothing new.
Another implication is that Americans caring for the least among them was not much more enthusiastic 50 or 80 years ago than it is now. Had Newman and Jacobs looked back farther back in time, they would have only reinforced their argument. It has always been hard for Americans to meet those religious injunctions.
Politics and Caring
Newman and Jacobs draw on early survey research and on archives of letters to government officials to show how much hostility Roosevelts programs faced. In the late 1930s, when the real unemployment rate was still about one-in-eight, about half of Americans wanted to cut federal relief spending. Letter-writers not only complained bitterly about lazy people being on the dole, many considered even the New Deal work projects projects that involved everything from cleaning park trails to building libraries as make-work for the shiftless. They also complained that spending for these purposes was draining taxpayers and creating insurmountable debt.
FDRs team made sure that their proposals would be seen as providing insurance for workers, not as providing support to people as a human right (as the Europeans did). Thus, for example, old age support came largely in the form of Social Security, something that looked like a pension workers had earned, not a universal benefit for all the needy elderly.
In the mid-1960s, Newman and Jacobs show, even as Johnson pushed taxpayer-financed health care for the elderly (Medicare), as well as jobs programs and other elements of his War on Poverty, public support for such initiatives was moving in the opposite direction. Welfare meaning financial assistance to poor mothers with children became anathema. (In the early 1970s, 86% of respondents to one poll agreed that There is more concern today for the welfare bum who doesnt want to work than for the hard working person . . . .) Ironically, despite majority opposition to Richard Nixons plan for a guaranteed annual income (Yes, Nixons plan!), one of the most effective anti-poverty measures did pass in the 1970s: the earned income tax credit which supplements the income of low-wage earners.
Thus, the historical story Newman and Jacobs tell is one of popular antipathy to welfare expansion in the United States even for programs that later became staples of American society. And that antipathy is rooted in concern that undeserving people will live on the tax money extracted from the deserving. Sound familiar?
And the antipathy goes back further.
Caring for Our Own?
A conventional reply to much of this story is to state that, back before the national government got involved in caring for the needy, we Americans took care of our own, neighbor-to-neighbor. Some argue that the governments involvement actually sapped Americans personal care of the needy. Thats not what the historical record shows. (See Ch. 2 of Made in America for details.)
Yes, in 18th and 19th century America, neighbors and, importantly, fellow church-members did pitch in to help friends, family, and co-congregants out in hard times. But that help was typically circumscribed: If the needy person was a respectable, long-term member of the community who was suffering due to no fault of his or her own say, orphaned by an accident then help came. If, on the other hand, the needy person was relatively new to town or marginal (say, a recently emancipated servant or slave), or had some flaw, such as a tendency to drink, then help was not forthcoming. In the colonial era, many towns warned out the poor, basically sending them back to the towns from which they had come. For example, Charleston, SC, in the 1770s explicitly excluded from public assistance immigrants from France, Ireland, Germany, and the neighboring colonies; also migrants from other Carolina towns; and families of men who were in the Revolutionary army. As the poor congregated in the growing cities during the early 19th century, punitive attitudes and measure grew yet harsher.
For those who did get help, it was often in the form of providing cheap labor to a local family. For example, Chauncey Jerome, who grew up to be a noted clockmaker, recalled in his memoirs the death of his father in 1804:
The day of his death was a sad one for me, for I knew I would lose my happy home, and be obliged [at age 11] to leave it to seek work for my support. . . . [P]oor boys were obliged to let themselves to the farmers, and it was extremely difficult to find a place to live where they would treat a poor boy like a human being. . . . I knew that the rest of the family had got to leave soon, and I perhaps never to see any of them again.
Neighbor-to-neighbor charity did not usually provide the objects of charity with dignity and autonomy.
Caring Developments
Americans have clearly resisted the notion of helping those whom they considered to be the undeserving poor. The undeserving certainly included any man and more recently, any woman, too who was healthy enough to work. Even in the midst of the Great Depression, Newman and Jacobs point out, critics of the New Deal claimed that anyone could find work if he really wanted to, that the relief rolls were full of malingerers. Other needy people, also, raised suspicions that they were undeserving blacks, immigrants, strangers, unattached women, people who seemed insufficiently dutiful, and so on.
Yet historians note that this orientation has changed over the centuries. While majorities of Americans still reject European notions of universal rights to health, housing, jobs, and income, most Americans have accepted in fits and starts, to be sure a more expansive sense of who are the deserving and what they deserve. Old people deserve financial support and medical treatment not to mention discounts on all sorts of services and taxes because they (presumably) earned it by decades of earlier, honest work. Poor children deserve food stamps and school breakfasts, because they are innocents poor by no fault of their own. Injured workers deserve disability pay. Even people who get welfare are allowed the sorts of normal accouterments of life others have, such as telephones and televisions. And so on. Moreover, this help is usually provided nowadays without requiring the head-bowing, foot-shuffling self-abasement that receiving help required generations ago. Who is worth caring about is still an issue, but there has been an evolution.
For all of todays grumbling about loafers and leeches and about the costs of social support programs American institutions and practices today actually display more caring than was true generations ago. We are a bit closer to following the directive I started this post with and this one I close with: And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not finish off the edge of your field in your reaping, nor gather the gleanings of your harvest. For the poor and for the sojourner you shall leave them (Lev. 23:22, Alter trans.).
Cross-posted from Claude Fischers blog, Made in America: Notes on American life from American history.


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Roti Jala, direct translation will be "Netty Bread", is one of the popular Malay dishes. Found a few names for this roti online, such as lacy crepe, fish net bread and spider pancake.
So, pick a name that you like. Roti Jala is often served with curry or sambal, obviously I had mine with chicken curry.
I tried to cook this crepe without the special mould before but the results were disappointed. This round, since I am in Malaysia and the mould is available at reasonable price, I bought one for myself (one for the special someone) and look at my crepe, beautifully netted!
Ingredients (+-12 pieces):
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups water
- ¼ cup coconut milk or fresh milk
- ½ tsp tumeric powder
- ½ tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- Bring all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, mix until well blended.
- Heat a non-stick pan. Fill the mould with batter and make circular motion over the pan to make crepe.
- If the batter does not flow out smoothly, add a bit more water to make the batter thinner.
*** Chicken curry recipe updated on 5 November 2008. ***
- 1 whole Chicken, chopped into serving size
- 2-3 Potatoes, peeled and quarted
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- 3-4 cups Water
- 4-5 tbsp Curry Powder (I used Babas' brand, my favourite)
- 2 tbsp Chili Paste (I used sambal belacan)
- 2 stalks Lemongrass, crashed
- 3-4 bulbs Shallot, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped
- 8-10 Curry Leaves (add more if you have plenty)
- 2-3 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Salt to taste


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It is almost time, but not quite yet, that anhydrous ammonia (NH3) applications could begin (remember 50○F and continued cooling 4-inch soil temperature, and the colder the better). However, some areas of Iowa have dry soils this fall. Can anhydrous ammonia be applied to dry soil? Will it be held in dry soil?
Can anhydrous ammonia be applied to dry soils?
Yes. Dry soil can hold ammonia. Even air dried soil contains some moisture, although quite low. Ammonia dissolves readily in water, but it is held or retained in soil by clay and organic matter. The problem with dry soil and low moisture is that soil moisture is needed to temporarily hold ("go into solution") the ammonia so it can become attached to clay or organic matter as ammonium. If dry soils are cloddy and do not seal properly, the ammonia can be lost at injection, or seep through the large pores between clods after application. Therefore, proper depth of injection and good soil coverage are a must for application into dry soils. Wing sealers immediately above the outlet port on the knife can help close the knife track, limit the size of the retention zone, and reduce vertical movement of ammonia. Closing disks can reduce ammonia loss by covering up the injection track with soil that traps the ammonia as it moves to the soil surface. Reducing the application rate or narrowing the knife spacing reduces the concentration of ammonia in each injection band.
What happens when anhydrous ammonia is injected into soil?
Several physical and chemical reactions take place: dissolution in water, reaction with soil organic matter and clay, and attachment of resulting ammonium ions on the soil cation exchange complex. These reactions all tend to limit the movement of ammonia, with water having the greatest initial effect. The highest concentration of ammonia is at/near the point of injection, with a tapering of the concentration toward the outer edge of the retention zone. Usually the greatest ammonia concentration is within the first inch or two of the injection point, with the overall retention zone being up to 3-4 inches in radius in most soils. The size and shape of an ammonia retention zone vary depending upon the rate of application, knife spacing, the soil, and soil conditions at injection (soil texture, soil structure, organic matter, and moisture status).
Ammonia moves farther at injection in coarse-textured soils and soils low in moisture. Also, if the injection knife causes sidewall smearing (when soils are wet), then ammonia may preferentially move back up the knife slot. Movement toward the soil surface can also occur for some time after application if the soil dries and the knife track "opens up" as the soil dries (also less soil moisture to retain free ammonia in solution with drying soils). A similar movement within the soil can occur if the soil breaks into clods at application and there are large air voids left in the soil and poor knife track coverage. These conditions can result in greater ammonia concentration toward the soil surface, and greater potential for loss to the atmosphere at or after application.
When ammonia is injected into soil, the initial reaction at the point of release is violent. The ammonia reacts and binds with soil constituents such as organic matter and clays. It reacts with water to form ammonium (NH4+). These reactions help retain ammonia at the injection point. With the high affinity for water, soil moisture is important for limiting the movement of ammonia, but does not ultimately determine retention in soil. After conversion to ammonium, which is a positively charged ion, it is held on the soil exchange complex and does not move with water. Only after conversion to nitrate (NO3–), via the nitrification process, can it be lost from soil by leaching or denitrification.
Chemical and biological reaction of anhydrous ammonia in soil
This is chemical reaction of ammonia with water and causes an initial alkaline pH in the ammonia retention zone (pH can temporarily rise above 9 at the point of highest concentration). It is free ammonia and not ammonium that can be lost from soil at application and is damaging to microorganisms and plant seedlings. As pH goes above 7.3, the equilibrium between ammonium and ammonia results in increased free ammonia (the percentage as ammonia would be 1% at pH 7.3, 10% at pH 8.3, and 50% at pH 9.3).
These two reactions are the steps in the biological nitrification process that occurs with ammonium in soil, and ultimately results in a lowering of pH back to the original pH or lower. Nitrification occurs first at the outer edges of an ammonia band, and progresses inward as the initial effects of ammonia injection decrease and the soil conditions become more conducive to microbial growth. Nitrification rate will slow in dry soil, which increases time for high ammonia concentrations, but will resume quickly when soils rewet.
What about damaging corn next spring?
The potential is usually low for fall-applied ammonia to damage corn seed or seedlings. However, if the soil remains dry (and limits nitrification), the ammonia is injected shallow or there is poor soil structure (ammonia placed near the seed location), or the rate of application is high, then it is possible for ammonia damage to occur. The best cure is to inject deep enough with friable soil coverage to get adequate soil separation between the point of ammonia injection and the depth where corn seed will be planted, or offset ammonia bands from future corn rows. For example, if the injection point is 6 to 8 inches in depth, the outer edge of the ammonia retention zone (which would be low in ammonia concentration) is 4 inches from the point of injection, and seed is planted at a 2-inch depth directly over the ammonia track, then the seed would be outside the applied ammonia band. Shallower injection, greater ammonia movement upward from the injection point, wider knife spacing, or higher rates can lead to ammonia being in the seeding area at rates high enough to cause damage.
Bottom line
Be mindful of what is happening at application, especially if soil conditions are not ideal. If you make an application round in the field, and you can still smell ammonia from that application, then you should make adjustments or wait for better conditions. If the soil is breaking into clods, there isn't good coverage of the knife track with loose soil, and ammonia is escaping (remember your nose tells you if ammonia is escaping; a white vapor is condensed water vapor, not ammonia which is colorless), then stop and either change the way the equipment is working or is set up, or wait until the soil has better structure or moisture.


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[Page 107]
Menachem Kazimierski
Translated by Sara Mages
For many generations the Jews lived in the Diaspora within their organizational frameworks. They developed intensive community life, cared for the religious needs of its members, established different charitable organizations to help the poor, and engaged in actions that were caused by time.
In ancient Poland, the community councils were composed from the best in the city, its scholars and its rich, and they decided and determined who deserves to lead the community. The supreme organization of the communities was in the hands of Va'ad Arba' Aratzot [The Council of Four Lands], which was divided into state councils and into a more limited framework the region councils. The community of Wislica belonged to the Szyd³ów region and to the Kraków-Sandomierz state council.
This organizational framework was abolished in 1772 with the first partition of Poland, but the communities continued to act independently without an organizational connection between them.
On 1.1.1822, the Russian Tsar issued an order that also abolished the organizational framework of the community, and in its place he allowed the organization of The Synagogue Committee" which was led by Dozór Bóżniczy. Despite the change in status, the community continued with its regular activities, and was also given the right to impose a community tax Skaldka Bóżniczy.
After the First World War, with the establishment of independent Poland, the authorities recognized the communities as free religious associations headed by elected officials. This situation was reflected in a special law one of the first in independent renewed Poland in the matter of community organization. Already in 2.7.1919, that is, less than a year since the establishment of the country, the Jewish communities' law was published. Later on, in 1927, the Polish government gave the Jewish communities the right to impose tax, care for the education and social aid.
The community election law was adapted to the social situation that prevailed at that time in the Jewish street. According to that law, only men over the age of 25 had the right to vote (not women), and the right to be elected from the age of 30. The elections were secret and proportional and were held once every five years.
The control on the organized community activities was in the hands of the Staroste (appointed by the district government). The government policy toward the organization of the community life gave them the possibility to manage the communities independently and enabled them to provide religious, national and cultural needs. Great prospects were opened before the communities for a widespread independent action
[Page 108]
in all spheres of life, mainly in the field of education, but the development was different. The difficult economic situation, the impoverishment of the Jews, the severe disappointment from life in the Diaspora, etc., influenced to such an extant that the expectations didn't meet the community development and its work was limited - especially in the small towns almost exclusively to ensure its existence, and the fulfillment of services and religious needs, sort of a frame of protection against influences from the outside.
But the community also had a great social importance. The elected community leaders represented us not only internally but also externally, and negotiated with the authorities about their various demands and claims. There was a great public awakening before the election to the community council. But, if at the beginning the organization was by local interests or the various rabbinical courts, later the elections were done according to party division as it was reflected in the Jewish street, or by economic organizations like the merchants association, or the craftsmen. The election war was very lively and sometimes brought serious attacks between the community members, and quarrels that left their marks for a long period of time. As we see, the community activity concentrated mostly in providing and maintaining religious services. Also the official name of the community points to this purpose, the community name was Gmina Wyznaniowa Zydowska (the religious Jewish community). All the villages in the area, where Jews lived, were affiliated with Wislica's Jewish community. The official name of the community's geographical region was Wiślicki Okręg Bóżniczy (the region of Wislica's synagogues). This is also a proof that defines the character of the community in the treatment of religious matters. Although the community work was limited to providing religious services, it was still divers in its activities. All the legal matters - the various types of Jewish registry - birth, death, marriage, divorce etc. were registered in the community offices. The marriage registry books were in the hands of the town's Rabbi who was recognized by the authorities. Only after entering all the details in the community's books according to an authorized confirmation, the details were registered in the town's offices. Among the other duties of the community were the maintenance of the synagogues, the purchase of Torah scrolls and Holy Scriptures, and the proper maintenance of the cemetery. The community council paid the salaries of the rabbis, slaughterers, inspectors, cantors, the beadles and their staff. Supervision of the slaughter was in the hands of the community, and most of its revenue came from the slaughter of cattle in the slaughterhouse and poultry by the slaughterers. It should be noted, that only kosher slaughter was done in Wislica, so, also the gentiles ate kosher meat. There was a gentile kosher butcher shop that the majority of its customers were Jewish. Apart from the community income from slaughter, a yearly tax, which was called Rozklad, was imposed on the Jewish population by the community council. The community council prepared an annual budget to fund its programs, and it had to be balanced and approved in advance by the Staroste in the district
[Page 109]
city of Piñczów. What we remember and know is, that the community leader before and during the First World War, was R' Yotze Schwager, one of the town's rich dignitaries.
The first community council, after the establishing of Poland, was appointed by the authorities. In 1926, the first democratic elections, according to the new Polish constitution, took place. HaRav R' Chaim Shlomo HaCohen Schwartz was elected as the community leader. His deputy was R' Yosef Topf.
In the elections of 1931, R' Wolf Bornstein was elected as the community leader, and in the elections of 1936 Yoske Flaum. In 1939, the Germans dispersed the community and established a Jewish Council Judenrat in its place. Yoske Flaum was placed as its leader, and fulfilled this tragic duty until the expulsion of Wislica's Jews.
With all the deficiencies in its activities, as they are seen now in the perspective of time, it is possible to say that the Jewish community in the Diaspora was like an autonomous state, which provided needs and services as they were understood at that period of time. With the extinction of the Jewish communities in Poland also the community of Wislica was annihilated with its beloved Jews.
|Zisel Kleinplatz, Shimon Silberstein,
Mindel Borenstien, Matel Fridman
JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of
the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material
for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.
Wislica, Poland Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page
Copyright © 1999-2023 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 10 Dec 2010 by LA


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Android TV/Google TV FAQ - Connect to the Internet and other devices
Read an in-depth article or use our Bravia connectivity guide for help connecting your Google TV™ or Android TV™ to a home network, the internet and other devices such as headphones, soundbars, stereo receivers and more.
Try our BRAVIA connectivity guide
Get help with connections to the internet, peripheral devices, as well as various audio and video devices
Article topics
- Audio and video devices
- Bluetooth devices
- Connect to Internet, network, Wi-Fi
- Troubleshoot Internet, network, Wi-Fi
- Screen mirroring
IMPORTANT: For any model-specific information regarding any of the steps in these solutions, refer to the supplied operations manual. Manuals are posted on your model support page.
Audio and video devices
- Connect a sound bar to your TV
- How to hear the television sound through the speakers of a stereo receiver or home theater system
- Cannot hear the TV sound from the Sound Bar, Home Theater System, or Home Audio System
- [VIDEO] Can't connect the laptop to the Sony TV with HDMI
- There is no system sound or voice response sound from the TV when connected via eARC.
Bluetooth devices
- Bluetooth connection: Frequently Asked Questions for Sony's Android TV™/Google TV™
- Does Android TV™/Google TV support USB or Bluetooth keyboards and mice/mouses?
- Can I use Bluetooth audio devices with my Android TV™ or Google TV™?
- Cannot pair any Bluetooth devices with the Android TV™ or Google TV™
Connect to Internet, network, Wi-Fi
- Tips to maximize the Wi-Fi performance in your home.
- How to connect the BRAVIA TV to a network using a wireless connection (Wi-Fi network)
- Connect your Android TV to a hidden Wi-Fi network
- How to manually set an IP address on an Internet Video device.
Troubleshoot Internet, network, Wi-Fi
- How to connect the BRAVIA TV to a network using a wireless connection (Wi-Fi network)
- How to & Troubleshooting for internet connection
- The Android TV™/Google TV™ cannot be connected to the Internet: how to perform a network diagnosis
- The Android TV™/Google TV™ Wi-Fi signal drops or intermittently disconnects
- I Can't find the WPS network setting on my Android TV
- Error: 1107, 2123, 3218, 5010 or 7003 appears during the network setup or when attempting to access Internet Content on the TV
- How to connect the BRAVIA TV to a network using a wired connection
Screen mirroring
- What is Screen Mirroring?
- Does my TV support Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit?
- How to display the screen of other devices on the TV wirelessly / Solution when the screen cannot be displayed
- The Wi-Fi Direct or Screen Mirroring function doesn't work.
- How to display the image from the Windows 10 computer on the TV using the screen mirroring feature


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Mirror is one of the most effective, fastest and cheapest way to get the maximum of your home space as well as increase the amount of natural light entering the room through the window. If your living space is quite small and you can't afford a room extension by breaking the walls, mirrors can be a solution helping to create a visually greater space.
Surface regularity is an important feature whilst making a mirror design. In your home interior, mirror should be of roughly the same specifications as window panes and picture frame glass whereas the glass sheets should be reasonably flat and durable. Thicker mirrors are not only more durable but also heavier.
The main component of the mirror is glass. As glass posssesses the property of uniformity, it forms a base for a reflective layer of metal. Glass is a suitable material for mirrors due to the fact that it can be moulded into various shapes for specialty mirrors. Glass sheets are made either from natural crystals of silica or synthetic fused silica. The mirror design will also specify the type of coating to be used. The choice of coating material is made upon the required durability and reflectivity as well as the intended purpose of the mirror; it may be applied on the front or back surface of the mirror. The most common coatings are the metal ones, such as silver, gold, chrome or alluminium.
As mirrors come in different shapes and sizes, it is important to choose the one that is of a high quality, i.e. isn't divided into a few parts, does not deform the image and fits your home interior most. You should make sure you hang the mirror in a correct way to make positive changes to your living area. It should be noted that mirrors should not be fitted with a corner going to the wall flat. It is recommended that one room would contain only one mirror, whereas the bedroom would not have any mirrors at all. Though, the space containing a number of mirrors creates a clean and free space atmosphere.
When the room lacks natural light, you can hang the mirror opposite to the window. In this way, twice more light will fill the room as the mirror reflects even the smallest amount of light. You could also create more space and balance for your living area if you fix a few narrow oblong mirror sheets in one of the room corners with no furniture, one next to the other, so that the corners would meet athwart. An oblong horizontal mirror could help you widen up the narrow hallway. If you do not fancy an oblong mirror, an alternative option is a line of a few small mirrors. Whereas, if you want to divide a room into two areas you should hang the vertical narrow oblong mirror panel in parallel with opposite walls to make the room bigger. Thus, it should be mentioned that the walls should not be too much filled with furniture so that the mirror panels would be clearly visible.
Mirrors can also be used as a decorative element in your home interior design by hanging the assymetric mirror of an original shape to create a modern interior or a mirror with elegant ancient frames to create a classical interior. If you have a large cupboard in the room you could visually make it smaller by emptying a few of its shelves and fitting a mirror wall in its deph; all you need to do is cut the mirror of the required dimension. Once you fill the shelf with a few small items, the cupboard will get a lighter effect, whereas the room will get more spacious.
As mirrors come in different sizes and shapes, it is known that round and oval mirrors help to create a more feminine atmosphere, whereas angular mirrors refer to more dynamic atmosphere. Mirrors are most often used to adjust the movement of energy flows, to balance the energetics of the rooms of a wrong shape, to attract natural positive energy through the windows, to see who enters the room, when we sit back towards the doors.
Wardrobe with mirror doors from both sides or even with a mirror frame is even more efective than simple mirror panels or fitted mirrors not only due to functionality but also due to ability to visually increase the space. Rectangular shape is most common for mirror wardrobes. The classic example of a mirror wardrobe is a three part cupboard with a large mirror in the very centre and two smaller mirrors, normally turned in angle from corners. More complex versions are also available, for example, the main mirror wardrobe is supplemented with open interjacent shelves and one or two small mirror cupboards. Ligting is an important part of mirror panels and mirror wardrobes not only due to functionality aspects but also due to the fact that the light reflected on the mirror strenghtens its effect and makes it as part of the interior element.
Whilst making a bathroom mirror solution, it is important to choose the one that is damp proof. Such type of mirrors are made of special materials that prevent the mirror from the effects of dampness. It is possible to choose a mirror made of a silver amalgam with a few layers of protective varnish which increase the level of dampness resistance. Thus, the mirror does not deform the image or get stained by the passing of time. Bathroom mirrors are normally fitted above the sink as it is functional as well as aesthetic. The best position for the bathroom mirror is the vertical one, whereas the mirrors fitted on the hinges help to control the leaning and turning angle. It is also very convenient to have an additional mirror with a handle as you can see the view from the back.
Enlarged mirrors are known as trendy and stylish accessories, therefore they come in different designs. Enlarging mirrors are of an oval shape; can be either freely placed or stationary. Stationary mirrors, built in a set with the main large mirror or with bathroom furniture are fixed to a telescopic or sliding bar. Enlarging glass effect can be strenghtened with a tight halogen lighting tug.


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Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing Fall Bomber's Moon Hangar Dance-- Saturday, Sept 6, 2014.
The Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing's Fall Bomber's Moon Hangar Dance was a GREAT success! We couldn't have asked for better weather or for a better crowd!
All of the photos have been posted! Thank you for your patience and for supporting the Commemorative Air Force. If you were photographed but don't see your photo here, please use the "contact" button at the page bottom to send us your question.
You may download the photos for free. Simply right-click on the image you want to download. Click on the "Share" button (bottom left of photo) to share the image. You may also purchase prints and other merchandise--just click on the "BUY PHOTOS" button.
Learn more about the Commemorative Air Force Minnesota Wing at their website.


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Disney Just Became a Screaming Buy
In TV and film, franchises are rare. Writer and director Joss Whedon has already created two in the television version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its long-running spinoff Angel. With better luck, he would have had a third in Firefly.
Soon, he'll get a shot at creating another.
Walt Disney (NYS: DIS) subsidiary Marvel Studios has booked Whedon to write and direct the sequel to this summer's billion-dollar blockbuster, Marvel's The Avengers. Here's how Disney chief executive Bob Iger explained the deal in last night's conference call with analysts:
When Marvel took the stage at Comic-Con last month to announce the new slate of films that will keep the momentum going, the reaction was huge. Iron Man 3 opens on May 3, 2013 followed by Thor: The Dark World in November of next year. Captain America: The Winter Soldier will be in theaters in April of '14, and as I mentioned in our last call is the sequel to Marvel's The Avengers in the works. In fact Marvel has just signed Joss Whedon to exclusive deal and he will write and direct Avengers 2 and help develop a Marvel based series for ABC.
Notice the scope of this arrangement. While Iger isn't explicitly saying so, Whedon is being handed a large measure of creative control over the on-screen future of Marvel characters. Is that a reason to buy Disney now that the stock has reached a new 52-week high? Absolutely. Here's why.
I got your leverage right here, pal...
Serializing is what made The Avengers such a success. Marvel gave itself five films to build up the characters into a known commodity for moviegoers who might not be comic book fans. And Whedon, as a writer of both television series and comic books knows better than most how to map out a plot that unwinds slowly and with purpose.
He's also a fan of comics and knows the Marvel Universe. Don't believe me? Check out Morgan Spurlock's documentary Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope, which features Whedon talking about his love of the medium. Or you could head to comiXology and pick up digital copies of the acclaimed 24-issue run of "Astonishing X-Men" he wrote for Marvel.
As a franchise builder, my guess is Whedon is already asking Iron Man 3 director Shane Black about his plans for that film in order to make the Avengers2 a comprehensive sequel. I'd expect similar conversations with Alan Taylor, who's leading the Thor sequel, and Anthony and Joe Russo, who've signed on to bring Captain America back to the Big Screen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Or perhaps I'm being presumptuous. Either way, Whedon is far too smart (and too proven) to overlook what's come before in creating a follow-up. Witness Serenity, the 2005 sequel to the unfortunately short-lived Firefly television series (yes, I'm a fan), which received critical acclaim for allowing familiar characters from the TV show to grow and advance themes and plots introduced in the series.
Big Pictures produce big numbers
For investors, the practical effect of this style of working is that it can make the whole greater than the sum. The Avengers has taken in more than $3 billion in worldwide box office receipts if you count up the six films as a series.
About half of that is attributable to Whedon's film, which helped Disney's studio division generate $313 million in operating profit during the just-completed fiscal third quarter -- up more than 500% year-over-year and equal to about 10% of Disney's aggregate operating earnings for the period.
A series of successful Marvel franchises for both film and TV could further boost the studio division's contributions, increase overall margins, and help Disney grow earnings much faster than the 12.5% annualized rate Wall Street is expecting.
Peers know it, too. It's why Time Warner (NYS: TWX) is stretching Peter Jackson's take on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit into a three-film series. Lions Gate (NYS: LGF) has a four-film plan for cashing in on author Suzanne Collins' best-selling trilogy. The finale, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, will be released in two parts.
Like a tech stock, except different
Disney differs in that it isn't just prolonging a known story. Think of it as similar to Apple's (NAS: AAPL) strategy. By giving its different products and software a similar look and feel, the company entices Mac owners to buy iPads, iPhones, and related accessories. Combined, it's an ecosystem that continues to produce billions in annual profits.
Video game publishers take a similar tack. Take Activision Blizzard (NAS: ATVI) , which issued higher full-year guidance last week because of gamer enthusiasm for upcoming titles and a strong reaction to the third installment in the company's Diablo franchise. Create a worthwhile, immersive experience and audiences will always come back for more.
With great power comes great profits
With Marvel building valuable new franchises to complement its crown jewels, Disney looks like a powerhouse stock worth buying and holding forever. Similarly, given the incredible performance of Apple's product lines, you could argue that it's earned that buy-and-hold status as well. With a new iPhone and iPad expected to be only months away, as well as the potential for an Apple television in the future, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the company for the long term. Read all about these opportunities, as well as the key threats facing the company, in our brand-new premium research report on Apple. It comes loaded with a full year of updates, too, so make sure to click here and grab a copy today.
The article Disney Just Became a Screaming Buy originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Tim Beyers is a member of the Motley Fool Rule Breakers stock-picking team and the Motley Fool Supernova Odyssey I mission. He owned shares of Apple, Time Warner, and Walt Disney at the time of publication. Check out Tim's web home, portfolio holdings and Foolish writings, or connect with him on Google+ or Twitter, where he goes by @milehighfool. You can also get his insights delivered directly to your RSS reader.The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Activision Blizzard, and Walt Disney. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Walt Disney, Activision Blizzard, and Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a synthetic long position in Activision Blizzard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Properties Up to 1,500 sq. ft.
Properties up to 1,500 square feet. Professional RE Photography by KDelaney. Serving Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic. Still photography and slideshows, featuring post processing with HDR (high dynamic range) and Photoshop software. 24 - 30 image packages starting at $200. Email email@example.com or go to our CONTACT page for more information or to receive a quote.Read More


text: Jimmy isn't excited about the idea of his wife Cherry spreading her pretty pussy for another man, but as long as his dick refuses to cooperate, that's just the way it's going to have to be. It isn't going to be any easier for Jimmy's ego when he sees the big black dick Cherry's picked to be his stunt cock. If anything, that black monster is going to make Jimmy's dick crawl further back inside!


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Butlins, a set on Flickr.Didn't we have a lovely time at Butlins, Skegness. Such a photogenic place to be on holiday.
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Butlins, Skegness
9 comments:
- coombemill16 February 2013 at 16:09
I agree a hard choice! Do join me on Country Kids though, looks like you had a lovely time.ReplyDelete
was thinking this would count!ReplyDelete
- Glitzy Gleam16 February 2013 at 16:55
aww it looks such an amazing place, the photos are beautiful xxReplyDelete
- shahnaz Janglitz16 February 2013 at 22:42
what fab picture looks like sooo much fun xReplyDelete
nice to show the stuff outside the site! will blog about what we got up too next weekReplyDelete
Looks like a fun. time xReplyDelete
Wow, what an incredible day to be out enjoying the scenery. I've never mentioned up north to that area but it's definitely one to bear in mind for the future.ReplyDelete
Nipping over from Country Kids.
Worth travelling forReplyDelete
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Been here nearly a month now, and we're getting settled in more and more each day. I'm shooting some photos every day, whatever strikes the mood...
I love the third picture!!
Originally Posted by Debbie
I love the third picture!!
Thanks Deb Our son-in-law got those for my wife for Mother's Day (Lisa's been wanting ducks for awhile), and we've spent the last couple of days putting up a pen to house them in...hopefully have it finished by this weekend


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Andrew Sullivan, Calling Out Sarah Palin: I Know You Read My Blog, Sucka!
Our favorite gay, British, libertarian-conservative High Ganja Priest of Political Commentary, The Atlantic's marathon Daily Dish blogger (and lovah) Andrew Sullivan, is calling out Sarah Palin. For what, this time? For reading his blog, son. SHOTS FIRED. This shit's gangsta:
The terrifyingly prolific Sullivan took one of the 73 or so posts he penned before lunch to quickly frisk today's Wall Street Journal piece on Sarah Palin's web strategy for her Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Bullshit, Going Rouge (©McSweeney's, 2009). And what is Sarah Palin's web strategy for her book?
Among the features of this new strategy: buying Internet advertising based on Google searches of her name, and using Facebook as a key means of communicating with voters. Her team also has considered filing libel suits against bloggers who spread rumors about her family.
GAMECHANGER. Not exactly the VBS.tv campaign I was hoping for, but still: damn. Sullivan, however, took this opportunity to note his (and my) favorite part of what's otherwise a snoozer of a filing. Which was this gem:
Ms. Palin was particularly angry at bloggers and the media, associates said, for speculation that her baby Trig was really the child of Bristol, her daughter. At one point, according to people familiar with the discussions, Ms. Palin considered pursuing a libel suit against at least one blogger, the Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan. Ms. Palin decided against such a move because of the publicity it would bring. Mr. Sullivan, in response, said asking "factually verifiable questions is obviously not libel." A spokeswoman for Ms. Palin didn't respond to email requests seeking comment.
Oh ho ho. Christmas came early for Andrew (though the trees stay year-round, thug). Sullivan's been a veritable thorn in many sides of many Palins, but naturally, Sarah's the big game. And let's be clear about this: people who have bloggers who write nasty things about them should never, ever, ever admit that they read that blogger. Because that blogger now knows they have a mainline to their target's face. And like she's gonna stop reading. What does Sullivan have to say about this? Besides hysterically prefacing what's probably his favorite block of text ever with the words "Money quote," he basically goes for the jugular while victory dancing on her face. This is basically the political blogger's version of the Dirty Bird, in a post titled Sarah Palin, Obsessive Daily Dish Reader:
Sources with access to Palin have indeed told to me that the Wasilla whack-job was an obsessive reader of this blog as it dared to ask factual questions about her past that could be easily answered. I have no way of knowing this myself, and regard it as odd that a vice-presidential candidate would be hell-bent on suing a blogger who, presumably, was merely making a total ass of himself in wondering if Palin's surreal account of her last pregnancy was factually accurate. Or is there something there - of some unknown sort - that she desperately wanted to intimidate and suppress? As Bubble would note: "Who can say?" What can Levi possibly mean that "she knows what I got on her?" The MSM won't touch this, of course.
Ho! We'll take some of that, please. Move it on your left, Andrew. Shit's bomb.
Meanwhile, if Sarah Palin or Bristol Palin admit to reading this website—operative term: admit—please give us a shout and let us know so we can dedicate a tag to them or something. In the mean time, here's the latest update on
your son-in-law's your ex-boyfriend's Levi Johnston's penis.


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What will you be cooking this summer?
We have an ever-growing list of recipes and ideas that we want to crank through over the next few months. They're everything from canning projects we'd like to undertake to ideas for original recipes to some pretty out-there stuff from food magazines.
And there are some other things we just looking forward to eating. More ice cream. More grilled foods. And, believe it or not, more raw foods, too.
We spent some time this week updating the page that features Our Favorite Summer Recipes.
We love this page, not only because it features recipes that we've made (and loved) ourselves, but also because it's a minefield of great memories, happy times in the kitchen and fun with friends in the backyard.
We hope the page is useful to you, that you can use it as a resource when you find yourself in need of inspiration this summer.
Do you have a favorite summer recipe, or have something in mind that you're looking forward to cooking this summer? Leave a comment. We'd love to hear it.


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Artistic Pedal Technique
(Lessons for Intermediate and Advanced Pianists)Katherine Faricy - Fred Harris Music Co. Ltd.
Artistic Pedal Technique
(Lessons for Intermediate and Advanced Pianists)Katherine Faricy - Fred Harris Music Co. Ltd.
We piano teachers spend so much time working with students on finger technique. What about the feet? �Here's a method suitable for intermediate and advanced students! �Even elementary students can benefit from the first exercises, and gradually progress through the method over the succeeding years. Informative and insightful, this comprehensive book presents pianists with lessons for developing an artful pedal technique. Features include exercises to develop control of the damper pedal at various depths; and lessons in playing with such techniques as syncopated pedal, simultaneous pedal, flutter pedal, and legatissimo pedal. An entire unit discusses the stylistic principles of applying the pedal to Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, and Contemporary music. �Examples are provided from the music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, and others. Examples from the music of North American composers such as Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland are also found in this unique volume. Highly recommended.
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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Though it's still possible lawmakers could cut a deal and distribute a second round of stimulus checks before the end of this month, the timeline appears highly unlikely.
That means millions of Americans eyeing a second $1,200 direct payment from the government will most likely have to wait until September. And whether or not a deal can be reached another check remains a big "if" at this point.
Amid a negotiation stalemate over a new coronavirus package, President Trump issued four executive orders over the weekend designed to provide temporary relief. The orders didn't include checks because federal funds have to be authorities through legislation passed by Congress.
"The constitution mandates that only Congress has the power of the purse — the president cannot unilaterally tax and spend," said Kris Cox, senior tax policy analyst for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, in an interview with CNBC.
This means it will take additional negotiations and a new law to get stimulus checks to Americans. Following Trump's executive orders, negotiations between the White House and Democratic leadership came to a halt. Both sides would need to come back to the table, and Forbes reports Mark Meadows, Trump's Chief of Staff and a key GOP negotiator, is out of the office this week.
Even if a deal was quickly reached and approved next week, it would take the IRS two weeks to organize and begin distributing the funds. That would take the direct payment timeline to the final days of August.
And the likelihood a deal being reached next week doesn't seem too strong.
The Associated Press reports House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats are holding firm in their negotiations.
With many Republicans balking at more big government spending, Democrats are using their leverage to force Trump into a politically risky standoff over help for millions of Americans.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin told governors on Monday that passing congressional legislation remains the "first choice."
Trump has said he's still quite open to a deal with Congress.
President Trump wanted larger checks?
During a recent visit to west Texas, Trump hinted that a second round of stimulus checks could exceed the $1,200 payment amount issued in the first COVID-19 stimulus package.
When asked if $1,200 was enough, Trump said, "We're going to see. It may go higher than that, actually."
"I'd like to see it be very high because I love the people, I want the people to get it, you know, the economy is going to come back," Trump continued. "We saved millions of lives, but now we're bringing (the economy) back … We gotta take care of the people in the meantime."
How much money would I have received?
Outside of the dependent payment, here's how the GOP-backed payment proposal up to $1,200 broke down, according to CNBC:
- Individuals earning a gross adjusted income of up to $75,000 per year in 2019 will receive a $1,200 payment.
- Couples earning a gross adjusted income of up to $150,000 per year in 2019 will receive a $2,400 payment.
- The checks will be reduced by $5 for every $100 in income, phasing out completely at $99,000 for individuals and $198,000 for couples.
- Individuals with no income and individuals who rely on benefits such as Social Security are eligible for the full $1,200 payment