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GateHouse Media
July 13, 2019This week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court decided to weigh in on the use of cash bail in the city of Philadelphia. In March, attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of 10 inmates, arguing that "bail magistrates in Philadelphia's First Judicial District have failed to consider alternatives to cash bail and have assigned cash bail to people who are too poor to afford it."
According to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, ACLU Executive Director Reggie Shuford said, "People who have not been convicted of a crime are sitting in Philadelphia jails only because they are too poor to pay the bail they've been assigned. The Philadelphia courts have effectively criminalized poverty."
As advocates scramble to find alternatives to pretrial detention, one option may be as detrimental to the accused as incarceration.
The movement to overhaul cash bail by challenging the constitutionality of jailing defendants pretrial, has pushed judges, prosecutors and law enforcement to turn to electric monitoring as a "humane" and cost effective substitute.
Electronic monitoring is a method of supervising an accused pre-trial without housing the individual in a costly jail or prison. The defendant wears an electronic GPS monitor, housed in an ankle bracelet, permitting court or law enforcement personnel to can keep track of their movements. The monitor provides a layer of public safety that doesn't exist when a defendant is simply walking free pending trial.
States and cities incur the brunt of the costs for jails and prison. In an effort to cut down on government expenses, more and more local policymakers are passing the financial burden of the monitoring devices onto those who wear them.
A recent investigation by ProPublica and the New York Times cited a 2014 study by NPR and the Brennan Center that found, with the exception of Hawaii, every state required defendants to pay at least part of the costs associated with electronic monitoring.
As the cost of incarceration has soared, and state and local budgets have shrunk, electronic monitoring—paid for by the accused—must have seemed like a life preserver floating in a sea of government debt.
Yet as ProPublica and the New York Times suggested, "like the system of wealth-based detention they are meant to help reform, ankle monitors often place poor people in special jeopardy."
Many local government agencies engage private entities to operate and manage pre-trial monitoring programs. These for-profit entities often charge defendants more over time than the cost of cash bail at the outset. Private companies set their own rates and charge interest when defendants fall behind in payments. Defendants can pay with a credit card or utilize financing set up through the company and often rack up debt they can never repay.
In some jurisdictions the expanding use of electronic monitoring has outpaced court rules. Some judges do not, nor are they required to, conduct hearings on a defendant's ability to pay for private supervision before assigning them to wear a bracelet rather than sit in jail.
It's not only debt that can send defendants back to jail. Individuals being monitored can be punished for breaking the rules that come with the devices—things like curfew, use of alcohol or maintaining a job.
In 2011, then U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder stated that keeping people awaiting court dates in county jails costs around $9 billion a year. The urgency to address those costs and the concern that cash bail disproportionally affects the poor has created a form of "debtor's supervision."
Today, eight years after Holder's admonition, policymakers risk further exacerbating the plight of the poor by forcing those merely accused of a crime to choose between financial stability and freedom.
(Matthew T. Mangino is of counsel with Luxenberg, Garbett, Kelly & George P.C. His book The Executioner's Toll, 2010 was released by McFarland Publishing. You can reach him at www.mattmangino.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewTMangino)
To visit the column CLICK HERE


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UAW appeals Volkswagen union vote
The United Auto Workers will appeal its loss in a unionization vote at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., claiming it faced "extraordinary interference" from Republican politicians like Sen. Bob Corker and Gov. Bill Haslam.
The vote, held last week, was UAW's best opportunity in 40 years to organize a Southern, foreign-owned auto plant. Volkswagen, which has German-style works councils at most of its factories throughout the world, had decided not to oppose the union drive. But Republican politicians and outside conservative groups, led by Corker (R-Tenn.), helped persuade workers to reject the union, 712-626.
"It's an outrage that politically motivated third parties threatened the economic future of this facility and the opportunity for workers to create a successful operating model that would grow jobs in Tennessee," UAW President Bob King said in a statement.
( Also on POLITICO: Bill Haslam on UAW fight: Blame Washington)
"It is extraordinary interference in the private decision of workers to have a U.S. senator, a governor and leaders of the state Legislature threaten the company with the denial of economic incentives and workers with a loss of product," he added.
The appeal, filed with the National Labor Relations Board, cited as evidence of interference state politicians' threats to withhold tax incentives from Volkswagen and Corker's claims that a rejection of the union would lead to a new SUV being built at the plant.
The "threats were a constant presence in the minds of [Volkswagen Group of America] voters in the period immediately before and during the Election, and were a blatant attempt to create an atmosphere of fear of harm to VWGOA employees, their jobs and the viability of their employer, all in order to influence the outcome of the election and cause VWGOA employees to vote against UAW representation out of fear," the appeal claims.
Corker quickly blasted the UAW's appeal as a self-centered action.
( Also on POLITICO: Volkswagen workers reject United Auto Workers)
"The workers at Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant spoke very clearly last week, so we are disappointed the UAW is ignoring their decision and has filed this objection. Unfortunately, I have to assume that today's action may slow down Volkswagen's final discussions on the new SUV line," he said.
"This complaint affirms the point many of us have been making: that the UAW is only interested in its own survival and not the interests of the great employees at Chattanooga's Volkswagen facility nor the company for which they work," he added.
Corker, a former mayor of Chattanooga, played a leading role in wooing the German automaker to the city. After initially saying he would stay out of the union vote, he instead held news conferences and released statements in the days before the vote, claiming a "no" vote would guarantee the SUV would be constructed in the city. While Volkswagen denied his claims, Corker said they were "1,000 percent accurate."
( Earlier on POLITICO: UAW's Tennessee surge brings Beltway backlash)
The appeal takes direct aim at the senator: "Sen. Corker's conduct was shameful and undertaken with utter disregard for the rights of the citizens of Tennessee and surrounding states that work at VWGOA Chattanooga." Corker's statement didn't directly respond to the UAW's claims.
Corker's senior colleague, Sen. Lamar Alexander, broke his relative silence on the vote with a statement critical of the UAW.
"Labor laws are written to allow employees to decide whether they want a union, not to ensure that unions win," said Alexander, the ranking member of the Senate committee with oversight of unions.
"For thirty years, tens of thousands of new auto jobs have raised Tennessee family incomes and our workers have decided in almost every case that they are better off union-free. The UAW may not like this, but that is the right of employees in a right-to-work state like Tennessee."
The appeal also puts major pressure on the NLRB, which now operates with a Democratic majority after being paralyzed because of the absence of a quorum for much of President Barack Obama's tenure.
In a statement, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation said its attorneys would "exercise every legal option for workers who support the election's result because they are concerned that Volkswagen will not actively defend the employees' vote."
"UAW union officials are blaming everyone but themselves for swaying the vote against the union, while neglecting the fact that members of VW Germany management threatened workers to unionize or miss out on more work," foundation President Mark Mix said in a statement. "Even President Obama weighed in with support for unionization. Obviously, the UAW's complaints about 'outside influences' only apply to those that oppose the UAW."

subset: commoncrawl


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For most of this year, stocks had been moving in pretty much one direction: Up. But June was a tough month for stocks. And after a rally in July, sellers have returned with a vengeance in August.
Experts say that these ups and downs could continue. Volatility is back.
The key metric for measuring market volatility, the VIX (VIX), has spiked nearly 40% since early August. The index jumped 12% Tuesday as the possibility of a U.S.-led military strike on Syria rattled investors.
And CNNMoney's Fear & Greed index, which tracks the VIX and six other gauges of market sentiment, has swung into Extreme Fear mode. Just a month ago, it was showing Greed.
"There are a combination of headlines that are all hitting the market simultaneously and resulting in increased volatility," said Todd Salamone, director of trading at Schaeffer's Investment Research.
Related: Investors are overreacting to Syrian fears
The tension in Syria is just the latest thing to spook the market.
Investors' nerves had already been frayed by concerns about when the Federal Reserve will begin to taper its $85 billion a month bond buying program. The Fed's policy committee meets next month and may decide to pull back on its asset purchases then.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's warning that the United States will hit the debt ceiling in October is also making investors nervous. The debate over raising the debt ceiling is likely to be tense and messy as its gets tied into the broader budget battle this fall.
Related: Syria fears awaken gold bugs
Given the heightened uncertainty in the market, "it wouldn't be surprising if volatility remain elevated," said Salamone, though he doesn't expect a dramatic increase from the current levels either.
The last time the market faced a sudden rise in volatility and fear was in June, when the Fed tapering fears first began to take hold. That month, the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged their first monthly declines for the year, falling more than 1% each.
Stocks bounced back in July, but August is shaping up to be the worst month for the market in over a year. Barring any major rally, the Dow is on pace to end the month with a 4% drop, while the S&P 500 is on track for a nearly 3% slide. The tech-heavy Nasdaq has held up well, and is down less than 1% for the month.
For Kim Forrest, senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group, the spike in volatility isn't the worst thing in the world. If stocks continue to pull back, that may create buying opportunities.
"I have a lot of stocks that I've been wanting to work into my portfolio but thought [they] have been overvalued," she said. "I want to buy a great company, but I need to buy it at the right price."


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11 accessories have been included in this set (See below *).
* The B9852HF contains the following eleven(11) kinds of accessories. (Insulation cap, IC cap, BNC adapter, Rigid tip, Spring tip (Ø: 0.80 mm), Spring tip (Ø: 0.38 mm), Ground spring, Adjustment tool, Pincher tip, Standard ground lead, Color coding rings)
Looking for more information on our people, technology and solutions?


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Sharing enables a clinician to get a full picture of all elements that affect your treatment.
Data shared with who and why?
Many GP practices in Leeds, the out of hours on-call Doctor service and any other organisation who need to provide you with medical care.
This allows for safer care and means you have to repeat your storey less often.
What is shared?
All data unless specific items are marked as private.
How is the data shared?
Access is restricted to NHS Smartcard holders in Hospitals, Out of Hours Services, Community Health and GPs.
How is consent given?
Initial implied consent with explicit consent for a share in and out at each organisation.
How do I get more information?
We are in the process of asking your sharing preferences regarding your full detailed electronic record. We are telling you about this, as you have a choice to make. You can choose to share or not to share your full electronic record with other NHS care services where you are treated and whether we can view records held by those other services.
If you choose to make your record shareable, your clinical details will only viewable by clinical teams who are treating you.
Each clinical team which cares for you now or in the future will ask your permission to view your shared record. You can also ask for part of your record to be made private – not shareable. All record accesses are recorded and auditable. If you choose not to make your records shareable, we will respect your wishes and will do our best to make your care safe and efficient. However, denying the clinical teams caring for you the ability to access important clinical details could compromise your care.
You Have Two Choices:
- Sharing Out – This controls whether your full electronic patient record can be shared with other NHS care services where you are treated.
Let us know if your records should be Shareable or Not Shareable.
- Sharing In – This controls whether you agree for this service to view the information you've agreed to share at other NHS care services.
Let us know if we can view your shared record from elsewhere or if you do not want it to be viewable to us.
In the event of an emergency: In certain circumstances, such as if you are unconscious or there is a court order, healthcare staff may look at your record without asking you. If they have to do this, a note will be made on your record. If we share information without your permission, we will make sure that we keep to the Data Protection Act , the NHS confidentiality code of practice and other national guidelines on best practice.


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The Mischievous Cats
In the style of John Williams.
A mischievous orchestral and filmic piece, also ideal for festive or Christmas music, orchestrated with a flute melody and air of mystery from the celeste. The bass clarinet adds the mischief, with the tubular bells giving the idea of a midnight or late night setting as the cats explore the house. The pizzicato Double Bass and Cello keep the piece moving along. Orchestrated using Vienna Symphonic Library MIR, Vienna Symphonic Library, Cubase 6 and mixed on ProTools 9 with Waves 9 Plug-ins.In 2011, my dance track 'Del Gibbons – "Freedom"' made it onto MTV Dance, KISS100, BBC Radio 1 Xtra, Ministry of Sound, HedKandi Radio, and into DJs Tiesto (Club Life 216) and Stonebridge's sets. Click here to listen to that track
Like The Mischievous Cats? You will love The Cheeky Mouse too!


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WASHINGTON – Bob Dole lay in state Thursday at the U.S. Capitol, as the president and others gathered to pay tribute to a "giant of our history" who served the country in war and in politics with pragmatism, self-deprecating wit and a bygone era's sense of common civility and compromise.
President Joe Biden, a longtime friend, said Dole, the former Republican senator, presidential contender and World War II veteran, should have the final word as he read from his colleague of 25 years' own observation that he had served the country best when putting "principles over party."
"Truth of the matter is, as divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity — consensus — the only way," Biden told those gathered. "We may follow his wisdom and his timeless truth and reach consensus on the basic fundamental principles we all agree on."
The morning ceremony brought about 100 invited guests and congressional leaders as Dole's casket, draped with the American flag, sat under the dome. Dole, who served nearly 36 years in Congress, died Sunday at the age of 98.
Biden said Dole "belongs here, in this place, this temple to liberty and temple to possibility." The president said of Dole, "He, too, was a giant of our history."
The service will be the first of several in Washington commemorating Dole's life and legacy. Thursday's event at the Capitol and Friday's funeral at the Washington National Cathedral are closed to the public. But Dole's funeral will be livestreamed at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, and his motorcade is expected to stop by later at an event with actor Tom Hanks honoring his life and military service before the casket travels to his Kansas hometown and the state capital. He is to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Dole was being honored among the "pantheon of patriots" — his casket placed atop the Lincoln catafalque that has been used since 1865.
Pelosi kissed the hand of Dole's wife, Elizabeth Dole, and greeted his daughter, Robin Dole, who were seated near Biden, before telling those gathered that Dole's "principled leadership" was long respected "on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the Capitol."
Black draperies hung on doorways under the Capitol dome in preparation for the service. The chairs were set up, socially distanced for COVID-19 protocols. A lectern was positioned in a way that the statue of another Kansas stateman, Dwight Eisenhower, would be seen in the background behind the day's speakers.
Elizabeth Dole appeared to cry as she approached the casket and reached out her hand. She and first lady Jill Biden blew kisses to one another before the president spoke.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, now the longest-serving Republican Senate leader, said earlier that Dole idolized Eisenhower, calling the former president and general a hero who embodied "the finest qualities of the American people."
"We can say with certainty that Eisenhower isn't the only Kansan who meets those standards," McConnell said in a speech earlier this week.
McConnell had raised concerns that an event planner for the memorial service, Tim Unes, had been subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol about his role planning that day for Donald Trump, the former president, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation. Trump had urged his followers to head to the Capitol to fight the certification of Biden's election victory.
Dole family spokesperson Steve Schwab said in a statement Thursday that Unes' role had been terminated.
Schwab said Unes, a former Dole campaign staffer, had "volunteered his time to serve on the advance team for this week's memorial events." Schwab said Elizabeth Dole "was previously unaware" of Unes' participation in the January event and once he made her aware she "terminated his volunteer role."
Unes did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The story was first reported by The New York Times.
Born a child of the Dust Bowl in Russell, Kansas, Bob Dole suffered paralyzing and near-fatal wounds after being shot in World War II that sent him home with a severely damaged right arm that he could not use to shake hands. Instead, Dole held a pen in it and reached out with his left as a way to put greeters at ease. His town had raised funds to help in his recovery.
After earning a law degree, he worked as county attorney and served as a Kansas state legislator before running for Congress in 1960, joining the House for eight years then going on to win the Senate seat. He was the GOP's presidential nominee in 1996, his third and final campaign for president — a race he never won.
Dole's quick wit was on display after losing the presidential contest to incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton, who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom days before the 1997 inauguration.
McConnell said this week that when it was time for Dole's remarks, he stood at the podium and began: "I, Robert J. Dole … do solemnly swear … oh, sorry, wrong speech!"
But that humor was rarely seen on the campaign trail or in his public pronouncements, where it could have helped him win more votes.
Instead, Dole was seen as a GOP "hatchet man," a mentee of Richard Nixon and chairman of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era. He went on to become the sharp-tongued vice presidential running mate to Gerald Ford, another lost race.
On Thursday, McConnell noted that Dole was "the last of the greatest generation to run for president."
But it was Dole's long career in the Senate where he grew to see the value of reaching across the aisle to Democrats and secured his more lasting achievements — most notably the Americans with Disabilities Act that to this day ensures a level of accessibility as a civil right.
At times, Dole bucked his own party, particularly on a landmark tax bill, and helped create the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Dole during Thursday's service as an American "who redefined and elevated what it means to serve country."
Current and former lawmakers from both parties joined the service. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy joined but did not speak.
Dole announced in February 2021 a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer. Biden visited him at his home at the Watergate complex.
After the memorial events Saturday in Kansas, Dole's family plans to return with his casket to Washington. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, though the date for the burial has not been set, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation said.
A few hours before the memorial was set to begin, Capitol Police locked down part of the Capitol complex after a staffer walked into an office building with a gun in his bag. The man was arrested on a charge of carrying a pistol without a license.
Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Colleen Long, Mary Clare Jalonick and Michael Balsamo in Washington and John Hanna in Topeka contributed to this story.


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Monday, September 23, 2013
Rainbow Cake with Jelly Beans
49 comments:
It's great starting the week to see something like this. So much happiness. Love the rainbow layer cake and decorations.. and seriously, those layers - amazing!ReplyDelete
This cake is so freaking fun!! Love all the colours!ReplyDelete
FREAKING AWESOME!!!! Best cake ever thanks Steph :-)ReplyDelete
This. is. just. GORGEOUS!ReplyDelete
beautiful cake!! so neat, clean ... you are very talented baker..ReplyDelete
Where was this for my birthday?? Wow that must have been a ton of work but it sure paid off!ReplyDelete
I have made this cake before too but god do I know the pain of icing! I did a rainbow ombre icing for the outside of the cake too (you can find it on my blog if you like, I made it a rainbow party!) and being a messy baker make for more problems!ReplyDelete
I think the main thing also with neat layers and perfect icing is practice. This give you the excuse to make more right? Hehe
Lovely pictures Steph!
How do you make such perfect cake every time? Wow! It's just amazing, I have no word!ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness! I had never seen the double rainbow video before! My husband and I watched it and just laughed until our faces hurt. The cake is also wonderful too, obviously. :) Thanks so much for sharing!ReplyDelete
You've taken the already brilliant rainbow cake to the next level with these oh-so-even layers and lovely decoration. Nice!ReplyDelete
I love ıt...
LOOOKS AMAZİNG,I WANT TO EAT ALL..ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 23, 2013 at 7:25 PM
This is just beautiful - it's up there with Kaitlin's. I remember seeing hers early on in my blogging 'career' and just being blown away by it - I'm sure yours will do the same for a whole new load of people! Really well done petal. It is perfect.ReplyDelete
Love this cake!! it´s really pretty!!ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness!! This is incredible!! LOVE!ReplyDelete
Those colors are so vibrant and beautiful. Happy colors:) I'm always super impressed with how neat and precise your layer cakes are, thanks for the tips!ReplyDelete
waaaaauuuuv I love it. colours is great.ReplyDelete
Oh, this is the cutest thing! I've seen many rainbow cakes, but I love the Jelly Beans on the top of this one! So cute. :)ReplyDelete
My birthday is coming up in a few weeks and I think I found my cake! What a stunning creation and lesson in precision. I am in awe.ReplyDelete
I need to know, do you make your own birthday cake? I usually end up making my own. I used to think it was kind of sad to have to bake your own birthday cake, but now I see it as a joyful celebration of life!
Better late than never!! Perfectly executed, as always.ReplyDelete
PS. I see you watermarking girl :'( but I'm glad those tumblr dorks will now know where to find the original source. :)Replies
Ughhh the watermarks make my eye twitch! And added extra time to photo editing too :( I dunno if I can be bothered doing it again in the future.Delete
- AnonymousSeptember 26, 2013 at 3:18 AM
keep watermarking!!! as much of a pain as it is, your cakes are too beautiful and amazing to be stolen by idiots all over the world. :(Delete
Thanks so much for the links on layering cakes - much appreciated! I'm making a four layer carrot cake in a couple of weeks, and previously I've always used wooden skewers (trimmed to the right height) to keep the layers in place. Is this necessary? I'm terrified I'll lose the top half of the cake if I don't do it....ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Jane, I've never used wooden skewers myself but if they work for you I don't see any reason to stop using them! Whatever helps calm the nerves and helps avoid a cake disaster is good in my books :)Delete
- AnnaliseSeptember 24, 2013 at 3:09 PM
I have tried many of times to make a rainbow cake but this one is beautiful! I love the touch of jellybeans I wouldn't have thought to add though. It looks simply delicious. I must try to recreate this masterpiece! Although it won't be anywhere as beautiful it'll be worth the challenge!ReplyDelete
So freaking cute!! Love the jelly beans atop! Pinned!!ReplyDelete
Completely awesomeReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 25, 2013 at 2:53 PM
Just letting you know that I have turned your purple ombre sprinkle cake thing into a rainbow cake on many occasions. I had already assumed you'd done such a thing! But this one just looks so amazingly tall that I must try it.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 26, 2013 at 3:16 AM
two things:ReplyDelete
1. i can't BELIEVE you even dare to call yourself a "messy baker". you are on crack.
2. i'm really happy that you linked the double rainbow video.
I want to make this sooooo bad!! One day, thanks for the inspiration!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 28, 2013 at 1:00 PM
I love how colorful this is! Rainbow cakes are the best :)ReplyDelete
This cake has just put the biggest smile on my face. I'm SO impressed by how even your layers are too- mine are never as perfect as that! Oh well- I'll just keep practicing (and I'm sure no-one will complain about the extra cake...!!) xxReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 1, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Steph this cake is amazing just like everything else on here! I was just wondering what kind of mixer you use?ReplyDeleteReplies
My trusty KitchenAid stand mixer, Lady Mix-a-lotDelete
Thanks for all that link love, Missy! <3 Your cake is beautiful and I'm surprised too that you hadn't made one like this before!ReplyDelete
PERFECTLY stunning, and gorgeous photos! I also love your purple ombre sprinkles cake!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous! You are a master of layered-colored cakes :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 14, 2013 at 2:46 PM
Wow!!! There are not enough words to explain!! This cake is amazing! I was drawn to this blog when I saw the image of the rainbow cake, as I have been seeing them everywhere lately… But have to say, this is the most beautiful and most creative one I have seen yet! The use of the jelly beans really tops it off and I love how beautiful and clean the icing is. I know how much work would have gone into baking this one, and only wish I had the time to attempt it! However I have also noticed that there are some other equally as creative and beautiful creations on this blog, I think I will be attempting some others that I have seen. However I would also LOVE to have something like this at my wedding... Thank you for the inspiration ReplyDelete
I am going to attempt to make this cake for my boys birthday party. Just wondering what types of jelly beans you used?
I used Jelly Bellys but any brand will do!Delete
Yay, Yay, Yay!!ReplyDelete
This looks amazing! I have eaten plenty of rainbow cakes (all less good looking than your own) but have never baked one myself because they have always seemed impossible to bake. This recipe however makes it look a lot easier than I thought which is great for a newbie to the baking world. I was wondering however if you could recommend any other type of icing for the cake as I want to try something other than lemon icing.
Once again yay! I can't wait to try this!
- AnonymousMarch 23, 2014 at 4:45 PM
Hi Steph,ReplyDelete
Pls check your recipe about the eggs. The other recipes I have seen all call for whites and I made yours with whole eggs because you have more volume in your recipe and I wanted thicker layers, but my first try with whole eggs turned out horrible. second try with only whites turned out fantastic and was a huge hit at my good friend's 40th. -LeanneReplies
Not sure what you're on about Leanne, I make this with whole eggsall the time.Delete
Made this for my daughters 6th birthday and it was fantastic!!! Followed all of your tips and links and it was beautiful. No one knew what was inside until I cut it - cannot believe it looked just like the picture, I just popped a ring of Crispy M & Ms around the top and the bottom but it looked beautiful. Thanks for the recipe :) Am not choosing something from your site to make for myself for mothers day!!ReplyDeleteReplies
NOW choosing :) not NOT choosing!! Cant decide between speckled egg and brown butter and caramel... decisions :)Delete
Impressive. I love the simplicity on the outside but when you cut it it takes on a whole new dimension.ReplyDelete
Made this yesterday for my daughter's ninth. Adorable!ReplyDelete
Comments are moderated and will be published ASAP. If you are viewing this on your phone, you might have to click the Preview button before posting your comment for it to work. People who comment make my day! ♥


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Welcome back to #55WordChallenge!
For those that are uninitiated, the 55 Word Challenge is a contest to write a story in 55 words or less. Not an easy task, but fun and I have been blown away by some of the entries. See for yourself, past contests can be found here. (I am a bit behind in getting this updated.) The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday and ends at noon Thursday. The story is based on one of three photo prompts. My only request is no porn. I don't want to hear graphic details. If it is erotic, make it titillating, not obscene. I know that can be done and done well.
The story is to be posted in the comment section below, along with your twitter handle or email address, so I can contact you if you are the winner.
And what does the winner get? Besides bragging rights? This badge, which can proudly be displayed on your blog or website. You can even have it tattooed onto your body, but that might be a little weird.
If anyone is interested in contributing a prize, a book, cover art, whatever you want, let me know and we will work something out. If you are an artist that would like to have your work featured, let me know!
Photo Prompt:


text: Luke Combs is extending his headlining Beer Never Broke My Heart Tour with five new dates this fall and winter. New dates on the tour include stops in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Antonio, Louisville and Nashville. Special guests throughout the tour include Morgan Wallen, The Cadillac Three, Flatland Calvary and Jameson Rodgers. For the…… MORE


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My new favorite podcast is Making Embedded Systems, which is hosted by Elecia White, and while it's described as a "podcast about gadgets", I've found it to be much more informative and entertaining than just talking about gadgets might be.
If I remember correctly, I found the podcast because I read about the FadeCandy on the Adafruit blog, and I was already familiar with Micah's work (ahem) and saw this post on her blog mentioning the podcast.
After listening to episode 41 with Michah, I noticed that the previous episode featured Lenore from Evil Mad Scientist. From there I moved one more episode back for Jen Costillo talking about Bia Sport, which was also quite enlightening, and then, to top it all off, how could I not listen to Jeri Ellsworth talk about CastAR? I mean. whatever Jeri talks about is going to be fascinating, but honestly, I didn't have much interest in CastAR before listening, because I thought it was just a gaming system, and gaming systems don't interest me too much, but the technology and possibilities of what CastAR could be are pretty amazing.
Maybe there aren't enough women in engineering, but it seems like the ones we do have are pretty awesome!


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School Counselor Tweet Chat: Effective Professional Development for Professional School Counselors
The topic of School Counselor Tweet Chat this month is Effective Professional Development for Professional School Counselors. Jenn Grossman (@MSCAJennifer) will be our moderator for the #scchat!
Join us and share ideas about professional development for professional school counselors! Participating in #scchat is a great way to build your own professional learning network!
For directions on how to participate in a School Counselor Tweet Chat, click here.
Join School Counselor Blog and SCOPE for #scchat the first Tuesday of the month @ 8pmEST! View the School Counselor Tweet Chat schedule for dates and topics!
Click here for a list of past School Counselor Tweet Chats and full transcripts.
If you are interested in moderating a School Counselor Tweet Chat, direct message me on twitter!
Erin Mason is a former Middle School Counselor, now Counselor Educator who manages SCOPE, a group blog dedicated to chronicling the positive impact of School Counseling professionals. Connect with Erin via email, follow her on Twitter, add her on LinkedIn or Google+, and become a fan of the SCOPE Facebook Page.
Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Connect with Danielle via email, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.


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Hello, friends. And I mean that.
In the years since I started this blog, I've made real friends around the world.
The time has come for a hiatus. Possibly permanent.
It takes an incredible amount of time to digitally restore these backgrounds. I've loved every minute!
But, my life is in a state of evolving and transition, and I need to focus on that.
I'm going to leave the blog online for your reference. And mine too!
Thanks for your support and encouragement over the years. Over TWO MILLION people have visited this blog.
Amazing. It's a tribute to the artistry of the talented people in the animation industry.
For the moment... that's all, folks.
Thanks again for your interest!
Rob Richards
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Posted by ROB RICHARDS at 12:42 AM 103 comments:
Labels: ROAD RUNNER AND COYOTE, Warner Brothers
Friday, September 24, 2010
Posted by ROB RICHARDS at 11:29 PM 88 comments:
Labels: OLIVER AND COMPANY
Monday, September 6, 2010
BAMBI Winter Pan B/G
Posted by ROB RICHARDS at 7:35 PM 92 comments:
Labels: BAMBI
Here's a gorgeous digitally reconstructed pan B/G fro BAMBI:
Left side detail:
Right side detail:
Here's more, single frame size, very lovely:
Left side detail:
Right side detail:
Here's more, single frame size, very lovely:
Posted by ROB RICHARDS at 2:08 AM 92 comments:
Labels: BAMBI
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
BABES IN THE WOODS (Disney, 1932)
Here is a huge re-constructed pan B/G:
Left side:
Right side:
Now, for viewing even greater detail, I've broken the B/G into four quadrants:
Here is another re-constructed pan shot:
Left side detail:
Middle detail:
Upper right detail:
The gnomes' homes - re-constructed B/G:
The witch's candy house re-constructed pan B/G:
The witch's candy house and nearby land, re-constructed pan B/G:
And finally, a closer look at the delicious candy house doorway!
Gorgeous artwork!
Posted by ROB RICHARDS at 1:05 AM 71 comments:
Labels: Disney, SILLY SYMPHONIES, SILLY SYMPHONY
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text:
Energy Innovations in the 21st Century: Role of ARPA-E
Licensed under General Performance Usage.
Published on
We are living through a Sputnik moment in our nation's history, where we have witnessed multiple wake up calls with regards to the need for innovating in energy technologies. ARPA-E was created to address this need by investing in high-risk/high-impact projects, with a mission to: (i) reduce energy imports; (ii) reduce energy-related emissions; (iii) improve energy efficiency of all economic sectors; and (iv) to ensure US technological lead. This mission is at the heart of our national, economic and environmental security. This talk will first briefly explain the history of the agency and then focus on new technical programs that have been created to address the mission, as well as a few scientific ideas that capture the imagination of what is technologically possible. The talk will also explain how it is planning for the future, both in terms of technologies as well as an organization.
Dr. Arun Majumdar received a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) in 1985, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1989, for research conducted in the laboratory of Professor Chang-Lin Tien. After being on the faculty of Arizona State University (1989-92) and University of California, Santa Barbara (1992-96), he began his faculty appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where he held the Almy and Agnes Maynard Chair Professorship in the College of Engineering till October 2009. In addition to his faculty appointment, he was the Associate Laboratory Director for Energy and Environment at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dr. Majumdar has served in an advisory role to many federal agencies including the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. He also served on the editorial board of Nano Letters, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, and Nano/Microscale Thermophysical Engineering. Dr. Majumdar has received many awards, and was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2005. In October 2009, President Obama appointed him as the first Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to create an organization within the Department of Energy dedicated exclusively to developing high-risk/high-reward disruptive energy technologies.
Sponsored by
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
Fowler Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN


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Microsoft last week took the unprecedented step of requiring customers to have up-to-date antivirus software on their personal computers before it would hand over a critical security update.
"This was unique," said Chris Goettl, product manager with client security and management vendor Ivanti. "But there was a danger here."
Goettl was talking about the emergency updates Microsoft issued last week to bolster Windows' defenses against potential attacks leveraging the vulnerabilities labeled Meltdown and Spectre by researchers. Operating system and browser makers have shipped updates designed to harden systems against the vulnerabilities, which stemmed from design flaws in modern processors from companies such as Intel, AMD and ARM.
The danger, according to Microsoft, is that the updates might brick a PC because of antivirus (AV) software that improperly tapped into kernel memory.
"Microsoft has identified a compatibility issue with a small number of antivirus software products," the company wrote in a support document. "The compatibility issue arises when antivirus applications make unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory. These calls may cause stop errors (also known as blue screen errors) that make the device unable to boot."
"Stop errors" and "blue screen errors" are Microsoft euphemisms better known to Windows users as "Blue Screen of Death" or BSOD, a nod to the color of the screen when the OS falls and can't get up.
Even though Microsoft downplayed the extent of the problem - citing a "small number" of AV products causing the BSODs - it wielded an enormous hammer in response. "To help prevent stop errors ... Microsoft is only offering the Windows security updates that were released on January 3, 2018, to devices that are running antivirus software that is from partners who have confirmed that their software is compatible with the January 2018 Windows operating system security update [emphases added]."
In other words, unless the installed AV title has been updated since Jan. 4, when Microsoft, along with a host of other vendors, went public with its fixes, the Meltdown/Spectre update for Windows won't be offered to the PC.Likewise, a Windows personal computer without an updated AV program won't be served the security update.
To get January's security update - which contained other, more typical patches as well as those designed to address Meltdown and Spectre - Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 users must have an AV product installed and up to date.
Well, sort of.
Microsoft has told AV software developers to signal that their code is compatible with the update by writing a new key to the Windows Registry. Users can sidestep the AV demand by manually adding the key. The technique is legit: Microsoft instructed customers to add the key if they "can't install or run antivirus software."
Even as he acknowledged that the move was groundbreaking, Goettl said Microsoft had little choice, what with BSODs looming. "They have done a good job of due diligence at protecting customers from a bad experience," he said. "There wasn't an option to ignore this."
[Ironically, BSODs weren't kept at bay by the AV mandate. Buggy patches have blue-screened and crippled an unknown number of PCs equipped with AMD microprocessors; early Tuesday, Microsoft yanked the updates for "some AMD devices."]
One point of pain for this head-turning tactic is not knowing whether an AV product has been updated and will insert the new key in the Windows Registry. Microsoft, for reasons unclear to customers, has not created a list of compatible AV programs. Perhaps in lieu of such a list, it has simply steered users to its own titles, Windows Defender (installed by default in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1) and Microsoft Security Essentials (Windows 7).
Fortunately, security researcher Kevin Beaumont stepped into the breach with a spreadsheet that lists AV vendors that have complied with Microsoft's order. (Beaumont has also written a comprehensive piece on the Windows' updates and their link to AV on Medium.) While some AV products set the necessary key, others, such as Trend Micro's, do not; instead they require users to do the job themselves by diving into the Registry or, in an enterprise environment, using Active Directory and group policies to push the change out to all systems.
Just as important, however, is a detail even those who read the Microsoft support document may have overlooked. At the end of the document, Microsoft puts it in stark language: "Customers will not receive the January 2018 security updates (or any subsequent security updates) and will not be protected from security vulnerabilities unless their antivirus software vendor sets the following registry key [emphasis added]."
Because Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 are now all serviced with cumulative security updates - they include not just that month's fixes but patches from past months - if a PC can't access the January update, it won't be able to access the February or March updates either. (The exception: Organizations able to deploy the security-only updates for Windows 7 and 8.1.) That situation will continue as long as Microsoft keeps the AV and registry key requirement in place.
Microsoft's not said how long that may be, preferring instead a nebulous until-we-say-so timeline. "Microsoft will continue to enforce this requirement until there is high confidence that the majority of customers will not encounter device crashes after installing the security updates," the company's support document stated.
"It's hard to say how long this will last," admitted Goettl. "I think it will be at least a few patch cycles."
Or longer.
IT should immediately begin to evaluate their organization's AV situation, if necessary deploy the required key using group policies, and start testing the Windows updates, with emphasis on the expected performance degradation. Goettl argued that while general users may not notice any difference in day-to-day activities, some areas of computing - storage, high network utilization, virtualization - may.
"Corporations need to be cautious, and thoroughly test before rolling this out," he said. "[The updates make] fundamental changes to how the kernel works. Before, kernel conversations were like talking face-to-face. Now, you and the kernel are a room away from each other."


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I have a Boost i415 which includes all accu tracking software, car charger, usb cable, and wall charger for sale. I have had the phone about 1 month and have used it 3 times. Everything is in perfect condition. Please let me know if you are interested.
Please note, the only thing you will need to buy is a new SIM card for the phone. They are anywhere from $10-$15 on ebay.
Used Starter Kit for Sale
All other non-technical questions and discussions.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Used Starter Kit for Sale
why u need a sim card??
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Pizza is the first food of independence. A few bucks enable a kid to enter the free market economy, and the words, "I left money for pizza," kickstart life unsupervised. It's a hunger equalizer, powering campaigns, construction sites, term papers, mega-mergers, and eight-hour shifts. But given New York's pizza heritage (the birthplace of American pizza) and proficiency at styles (Sicilian, grandma, neo-Neapolitan), comparing pizzas fairly can be challenging. How do you rate a classic slice against a Neapolitan pie?
Then there's the minutiae we pizza snobs obsess over: coal, wood and deck ovens; dough hydration; house-ground flour. Basta! We won't even talk cheese and sauce. Three shiny quarters can be the price difference between dollar slices that are ruining the city's rep for great pizza and an amazing spot that's been slinging for nearly 100 years. In order to restore some order, we compiled a ranking of best pies by price.
That's to say: this isn't a list of pizzas by quality, but the best pizza (slices and full pies) of any style topped with anything on the table, at dollar increments from $.99 to $30.
We should note some figures. First, after examining prices across America, NPR determined you almost always get a better deal when you buy a bigger pie. Having said that and researched the pizza economy, some price lanes:
- $.99/Dollar Slice Pizza: A subgenre of slicerias that sell dollar pizza (or pizza for $.99) using inferior techniques and ingredients.
- $2.75 The Pizza Principle: A correlation posited in 1980 by patent attorney Eric Bram in The New York Times. He postulated that since the 60s, a slice costs about the same as a subway ride. After the MTA voted not to raise fares to $3, that means $2.75 for the average quality slice.
- $5-6 Pizza Deals & High-End Slices: Pizzerias typically offer deals of a slice and soda (sometimes even two slices and a soda) for $6 and under. The city's most expensive slices also top out here.
- $7-$9 Pizza No-Man's-Land: While not bereft of pizza, a quasi-wasteland: too much for a slice, too little for a pie.
- $10-12 Cheese-less Neapolitan Pizzas: Marinara pies that don't pass on cheese costs.
- $13 Average Neapolitan & Baseline Chain Pizza: When Eater crunched numbers years ago, the average American VPN Margherita cost $13.21. Not that you have an excuse to order from Domino's if you live in New York, but ironically, their large, 14-inch "hand-tossed" cheese pie? A close $13.49.
- $13-$18 Neapolitan Sweet Spot: Hours of examining menus reveal this sweet spot for the Naples import.
- $15-$20 New York Style Pizzas: According to NPR, the price of Manhattan's average pizza range, depending on the neighborhood, from $12 to $23. By my last calculations, examining the top 10 to 30 pizzerias in each borough, the average prices for Gotham's best large plain cheese pizzas are: Manhattan $19.13; Queens $17.61; Staten Island $17.21; Brooklyn $17.15; the Bronx $15.83.
- $21-$30 High-End Toppings & Pricy Pizza: Neapolitan and New York-style pizzas with expensive toppings like freshly shucked clams can send Neapolitan pies above $20. This slot is reserved for pies from pricier, lauded joints.
Some ground rules. Prices are pre-tax: menu prices, not check prices. Next, because slices and pies are intertwined with our associations with pizza, and given you can't find pies under $7.50, we included both. To avoid pizza pedantry and search for the best pie at every dollar level, we examined every style and eschewed a baseline. This is a snapshot of pies in relation to each other, but just as you can expect your average slice to soon cost $3, what you shell out for the following tangle of slices and styles may quickly change!
Check out the best pizza at every price point, from $.99 to $30.


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Earth Changes
China's inflation accelerates as 'abnormal' weather boosts food prices
Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:33 UTC
The consumer price index rose 2.5 percent in December from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said today in Beijing. That compares with the 2.3 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 42 economists and a 2 percent gain in November. The decline in the producer-price index eased to 1.9 percent.
Chinese stocks headed for the biggest drop in eight weeks on concern that the quickening in inflation makes further policy loosening less likely, after data yesterday on exports and credit growth underscored the strength of the economic rebound. Chen Yulu, a central bank academic adviser, said Jan. 8 that price gains may become a concern in the second half.
"With growth momentum firming up and inflation picking up, the likelihood of any further easing has disappeared and the next interest-rate move will probably be an increase," which could come as early as the fourth quarter, Zhu Haibin, chief China economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Hong Kong, said in a telephone interview.
The Shanghai Composite Index, China's benchmark stock gauge, fell 1.3 percent at 2:02 p.m. local time. The yuan strengthened beyond 6.22 against the dollar for the first time in 19 years.
Holiday Impact
Inflation may temporarily accelerate to more than 3 percent next month, Zhu said, reflecting the impact of cold weather on food prices and the weeklong Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in January last year.
Even so, for now, policy makers are more focused now on "how to balance growth with the need for economic restructuring," Zhu said.
Food prices rose 4.2 percent in December from a year earlier, the most since May, the data showed. Vegetable prices increased 14.8 percent from a year earlier and contributed 57.5 percent to the total 0.8 percent month-on-month gain in the CPI, the bureau said. Pressure on food costs may ease after the holiday, it said in a statement.
Inflation pressure may be spreading to other parts of the economy. Prices of services rose 2.5 percent in December from a year earlier, the fastest rate since October 2011. Factory-gate prices of daily-use items increased the most since June.
Consumer inflation has held below Premier Wen Jiabao's 2012 target of about 4 percent for 11 months, aiding the government's efforts to engineer a growth recovery without triggering price gains. Producer prices dropped for the 10th month. For the full year, the CPI rose 2.6 percent while factory-gate prices declined 1.7 percent.
'Abnormal Weather'
China's vegetable prices may surge in some regions in the short term because of "abnormal weather," the Ministry of Agriculture said last month.
The price of cabbage, a winter staple for Chinese households, jumped 9.3 percent in the last week of December from a week earlier, according to Ministry of Commerce data from 36 Chinese cities.
Snow had left about 180,000 head of livestock dead in northern China by Jan. 4, while icy weather in the subtropical Guangxi region damaged 8,310 hectares of crops, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
McDonald's Corp., the world's largest restaurant chain, raised some menu prices in China because of higher labor and input costs, the company said Jan. 7.
The People's Bank of China has refrained from adjusting interest rates since cuts in June and July and it last reduced banks' reserve requirements in May, preferring to control the amount of cash in the economy through bill sales and purchases.
Liquidity Control
"The PBOC will continue to keep the liquidity under control," maintaining a lid on "the most important driver for Chinese inflation," Chang Jian, a Hong Kong-based economist at Barclays Plc, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.
Data yesterday showed signs of an improving economy, with exports up 14.1 percent in December from a year earlier, the most since May, according to customs administration data. Imports grew 6 percent after being unchanged in the previous month. Aggregate financing rose 28 percent from a year earlier a year earlier, according to the central bank.
The government will release fourth-quarter gross domestic product, December industrial production and retail sales and full-year fixed-asset investment on Jan. 18. Economic growth probably accelerated to 7.8 percent in the quarter from a year earlier, up from a three-year low in the previous period, according to a Bloomberg News survey.
Reader Comments
might explain the quadrupling of rice purchasing.


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Does your site have the text "Just another WordPress site" in the header or title…
What's the Difference Between Domain Name and Web Hosting (Explained)
We are often asked by our readers to explain what is the difference between a domain name and web hosting? Many beginners don't know that these are two separate things. In this beginner's guide, we will explain the difference between a domain name and web hosting.
What is a Domain Name?
Domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser's URL bar to visit your website.
In other words, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.
Now let's get into the detailed explanation.
Internet is basically a giant network of computers connected to each other through cables. To easily identify them, each computer is assigned a series of numbers called IP Address.
This IP address is a combination of numbers separated with dots. Typically, IP addresses look like this:
Computers have no problem identifying and remembering these numbers. However, it is impossible for humans to remember and use these numbers to connect to websites on the internet.
To solve this problem, domain names were invented.
A domain name can have words which makes it easy to remember website addresses.
Now if you wanted to visit a website on the internet, you don't need to type a string of numbers. Instead, you can type in an easy to remember domain name, for example, wpbeginner.com.
To learn more about domain names, take a look at our beginner's guide on domain names and how do they work.
What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is the place where all the files of your website live. It is like the home of your website where it actually lives.
A good way to think about this is if the domain name was the address of your house, then web hosting is the actual house that address points to. All websites on the internet, need web hosting.
When someone enters your domain name in a browser, the domain name is translated into the IP address of your web hosting company's computer. This computer contains your website's files, and it sends those files back to the users' browsers.
Web hosting companies specialize in storing and serving websites. They offer different types of hosting plans to their customers. See our article on WordPress hosting to learn more about choosing the right hosting for your website.
How Domain Names and Web Hosting are Related?
Domain names and web hosting are two different services. However, they work together to make websites possible.
Basically a domain name system is like a massive address book that is constantly updated. Behind each domain name, there is an address of the web hosting service storing the website's files.
Without domain names, it will not be possible for people to find your website and without web hosting you cannot build a website.
What do I need to Build a Website? Domain Name or Web Hosting?
To build a website you will need both a domain name and web hosting account.
Buying a domain name alone only gives you right to use that particular domain name for a specific period (usually 1 year).
You need web hosting to store your website's files. After you get hosting, you need to update your domain name settings and point it to your web hosting service provider.
You can also buy both the domain and hosting from the same company. Typically a domain name costs $14.99 / year, and web hosting normally costs $7.99 / month.
If you are starting your first website, then this may sound like a lot.
Thankfully, Bluehost, an official WordPress recommended hosting provider, has agreed to offer our users a free domain name and over 60% off on web hosting.
→ Click here to start with Bluehost ←
Once you have purchased hosting and registered your domain name, you can start building your website. For complete step by step instructions, see our guide on how to make a website.
Do I have to buy them together? Or can I buy them separately?
You can buy domain name and web hosting from two different companies. However, in that case you will have to point your domain name to your web hosting company by editing its DNS settings.
On the other hand, if you purchase your domain name and web hosting from the same company, then you will not have to change domain name settings.
It is also much easier to manage and renew both services under the same dashboard.
If you want to buy domain names separately, then you can do so from top providers like: Godaddy and NameCheap.
Can I Move My Domain Name to a Different Company?
Yes, you can. Normally when you register the domain name, you own the right to use it and transfer it anywhere you want.
For example, let's say you purchased your domain name from Godaddy and bought your hosting from Bluehost. Now you want to move your domain name to Bluehost, so that it is easier to manage and renew.
You can easily do that. Both companies have detailed step by step instructions that you can follow to transfer your domain name.
Note: We recommend you to wait at least 45 days after the registration or renewal to initiate the transfer. ICANN the international organization that oversees domain names, requires one year renewal whenever a transfer is initiated. By transferring your domain name before that period you could lose that year's renewal fee.
Can I Move My Website to Another Web Hosting Company Without Changing Domain?
Yes, you can do that as well. You own the domain name and can change its settings to point it to any web hosting company.
For example, you purchased your domain name and hosting from Godaddy, and now you want to move your web hosting to Bluehost. You can move your site from one host to another by simply transferring files and data. After that you need to edit your domain name settings and point them to your new web hosting provider.
Another example, you purchased your domain name from WordPress.com (See our guide on the difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org). Later you wanted to move to self hosted WordPress.org website.
First, you will need to sign up for a WordPress hosting account. After that you can move your site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. Lastly, you will just edit your domain name settings on WordPress.com and point them to your new WordPress hosting provider.


text:
This article is more than 1 year old
Sun's JavaFX to hoover-up user data
Spirit of McNealy lives
JavaOne Sun today announced the yet-to-launch JavaFX programming language will gather data on end-users activities to help developers monetize software, by selling ads for instance.
The company's Project Insight will see "instrumentation" added to PCs, mobiles and Blu-ray devices that run JavaFX, which feed data back through a special data stream to a hosted service. Codenamed Project Hydrazine, the service is run by Sun for the benefit of third parties.
Sun, meanwhile, also promised a JavaFX Desktop SDK will be available in early access in July, JavaFX Desktop 1.0 this autumn, and JavaFX Mobile 1.0 and JavaFX TV1.0 in spring 2009.
Hydrazine's core features will include instrumentation"and the addition of "FX-type capabilities" to Sun's existing online services. This will create a "new strategy for ad placement," Sun software chief Rich Green told JavaOne, the company's annual gig in San Francisco.
In a nod to where this is really being targeted, Green demonstrated JavaFX running on the emulator for Android, the mobile platform from online ads powerhouse Google.
A Sun spokesperson later said this was not a product announcement and "Sun has no plans around Android at this time".
Eager to head of concerns about invasion of privacy associated with Insight and Hydrazine, Green and chief executive Jonathan Schwartz said data would be aggregated and anonymized. Also, they said, Sun would not own data.
"We are simply a technology provider," Schwartz told JavaOne. He said the Java FX platform would enable developers to escape the clutches of a hostile operating system, browser or technology provider. No names mentioned, but that's Microsoft, Microsoft and, er, Microsoft. With Google maybe thrown in for good measure.
After Green's keynote, Schwartz told press that Hydrazine could also update user's applications in the way Sun updates Java through Sun.com, "providing runtime services for others to build compelling services that hook into a variety of outlets."
As ever there's the question of how Sun expects to make money from its software and planned service. In this case, Schwartz said Hydrazine would be free for some developers while for "some portion of the commercial community, probably not."
Schwartz indicated Hydrazine would be useful to developers in the broadest sense, meaning individuals and also big-name application and content providers such as cell phone company Verizon.
Providers such Verizon are big Sun customers when it comes to licensing Java - a nine figure business for Sun - and use of Sun's hardware and software to run and provision services.
Whether Hydrazine can be of any realistic value to advertisers in anonymized form is open to question. Also, it's only a mater of time before either Sun yields or turns a blind eye to making data identifiable or some enterprising advertiser makes it possible to identify individuals.
A bigger problem for Sun in the short-term is getting JavaFX - the building block for Hydrazine and Insight - out the door. A year since announcing JavaFX, Sun had nothing to offer JavaOne but shipment dates and shaky demos based on Java SE 6.0 update 10, which kept crashing during the JavaOne keynote.®


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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Daniel Coursey scored 17 points and Mercer pulled off the biggest upset in the NCAA tournament so far by knocking off Duke 78-71 Friday.
Jakob Gollon added 20 points for the 14th-seeded Bears.
The senior-laden Bears were simply too much for a Duke team with stars Rodney Hood and freshman Jabari Parker.
Mercer scored 11 straight points during the late 20-5 run that clinched the biggest victory in school history. It's the second one-and-done in three years for the third-seeded Blue Devils.
Mercer won the Atlantic Sun conference championship. That's the same league that produced 2013 tournament darling Florida Gulf Coast.
Quinn Cook scored 23 points, Rasheed Sulaimon added 20 and those two guards combined for 12 of Duke's season-high-tying 15 3-pointers.
But the Blue Devils' defense — an uncharacteristic weakness all season — did them in again while all those Mercer seniors picked Duke apart down the stretch.
Duke went up 63-58 with 4:52 left after Parker converted a three-point play and Tyler Thornton hit three free throws.
Duke didn't score again until the final minute.
Coursey countered by rattling in a jumper in the lane, and after two empty possessions for Duke, some slick ball rotation by Mercer set up an open 3 from Anthony White Jr. that tied it at 63 with 2½ minutes left.
Hood picked up his fourth foul on the Bears' next possession and Gollon hit two free throws to put Mercer ahead for good.
By that point, Duke — in the midst of an untimely run of empty possessions — could do nothing right. Parker missed a 3-pointer in traffic before Hood was called for walking, leading White to give a fist-pump to the Mercer fans who stood all day.


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This gallery is a collection of photos from our Cattle Dog events. The gallery displays either as a slideshow or as a list of thumbnails you can select and scroll through. You can select how you view the photos by clicking the [Show Slideshow] or [Show Thumbnails] to change the view.
Each photo is from one of our sheepdog events and is dated, but we're working on more descriptive labels. We'll also be adding many more photos in the near future, so stop by again.
Thanks so much for visiting our site, we hope you enjoy these two dimensional representations of a number of our recent competitions. Please see the bottom of the home page for our newsletter signup so you can find out more about the US Border Collie Association. Relax and enjoy the show!


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|Version 36 (modified by 13 years ago) (diff),
Graphviz Plugin
The GraphvizPlugin allows for the inline creation of diagrams for abstract graphs and networks using the Graphviz programs.
Bugs/Feature Requests
Existing bugs and feature requests for GraphvizPlugin are here.
If you have any issues, create a new ticket. Be sure to mention which version of Trac and which version of the plugin you're using. If the version number ends with '...dev', then please also specify the changeset number corresponding to the version you're using.
The programs from http://www.graphviz.org.
- Install
- By hand:
- See source:graphvizplugin/0.11/README.txt for details on installing the plugin on Trac 0.11.
- See source:graphvizplugin/0.10/README.txt for details on installing the plugin on Trac 0.10.
- Using easy_install:
$ [sudo] easy_install http://trac-hacks.org/svn/graphvizplugin/0.11
sudois optional case you already have enough authority to modify your server.
- By hand:
- Restart your web server (this example command line for Apache on Ubuntu).
$ [sudo] /etc/init.d/apache2 restart
- Enable the plugin.
- by updating your trac.ini with this:
[components] ... graphviz.* = enabled ...
- or accessing your Admin panel (
- by updating your trac.ini with this:
- Configure your environment
- by modifiying
- by accessing your Admin panel case you have WebAdminPlugin enabled;
- by modifiying
Source and Download
You can check out the source for GraphvizPlugin from Subversion at http://trac-hacks.org/svn/graphvizplugin.
Or you can download the zipped source from here. Note that this contains everything regarding the Graphviz plugin including tagged releases and branches. The 0.10 directory contains the latest released version of the code for Trac 0.10 and the 0.11 directory contains the latest code for Trac 0.11.
- [download:graphvizplugin/0.11-0.7.5 download] latest stable version (0.7.5) for Trac 0.11
- [download:graphvizplugin/0.10 download] latest version for Trac 0.10
That version has some trouble with
rsvg support for creating anti-aliased images. The upcoming version contains a few related fixes:
- [download:graphvizplugin/0.11 download] latest unstable version (0.7.6dev) for Trac 0.11
If you want to have anti-aliased images, it might be a better option anyway to get/build a recent version of graphviz tools, which support producing anti-aliased images directly (through pangocairo support).
{{{ #!graphviz digraph G {Hello->World->Graphviz->Rules} }}}
would produce an image like:
Note that you can insert TracLinks like this:
{{{ #!graphviz digraph G { rankdir = "LR" GraphvizPlugin [ URL=GraphvizPlugin ] Trac [ URL="http://trac.edgewall.org/" fontcolor=red ] GraphvizPlugin -> Trac } }}}
This produces an image like this, but with the nodes are clickable, unlike here:
More examples at: http://www.graphviz.org/Gallery.php
Recent Changes
- 18539 by jun66j5 on 2023-04-07 00:08:42
TracGraphviz 126.96.36.199dev: Prepare for development
- 18538 by jun66j5 on 2023-04-07 00:02:57
TracGraphviz 18.104.22.168: Prepare for release
- 18525 by jun66j5 on 2023-03-19 14:22:48
Make compatible with Trac 1.5.4 and Python 3, and remove Genshi from dependencies (closes #14173)
Author: pkropf
Contributors: cboos
Attachments (6)
15e8018d3d66075049024de6864339724b78c365.png (1.6 KB) - added by 18 years ago.
Sample outout from the graphviz plugin.
bf7ef5a481ccb22c85f25a2da9a84b29d6ccf860.png (1.2 KB) - added by 17 years ago.
second example, this time with colour and TracLinks
first-example.png (16.4 KB) - added by 15 years ago.
Sample outout from the graphviz plugin, produced with graphviz-2.20.3 with pangocairo support
second-example.png (9.3 KB) - added by 15 years ago.
second example, this time with colour and TracLinks, also produced with graphviz-2.20.3 on Linux
graphviz_logo.png (3.5 KB) - added by 7 years ago.
Graphviz logo
graphvizplugin.diff (2.5 KB) - added by 22 months ago.
Patch to make GraphvizPlugin work with trac 1.5.3 (python 3.10.0)
Download all attachments as: .zip


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|honey quince tea.
You know it's the season for quince when you see these large, yellow, knobbly, apple-like fruits popping up on the bargain table at the markets near closing time, bundled together in a bag with the more common fruits like apples and oranges. Except, wait, hang on - we're right smack in the middle of winter now, so this is actually an unusually late appearance. But I am not one to reject unexpected blessings.
I wanted to make something easy (so what else is new?), so I decided to brew a quince tea. I had a quick search online for recipes, and most of them involved macerating thinly sliced quinces in sugar or honey for weeks. I didn't want to wait that long. I found a quick, simple one, where boiling water was simply poured over chopped quince, but I wasn't quite sure if it would be flavourful enough as I've heard that quince gets sweeter and more fragrant when you cook them for an extended period of time.
I decided to go for a middle ground with the good old poaching method. I chopped up the quince into little cubes, inhaling their fresh apple-pear scent. As they simmered, they released beguilingly sweet honeyed floral notes, and I would poke my nose where the steam escaped, to breathe it in, deeply.
The end result was a humble affair: a mellow tea to be sipped, with bits of quince to be chewed... and on that cold winter's night, it brought a much-welcomed warmth to our bodies.
|a lone quince.
honey quince tea
(makes about 4 cups)
1 generously large quince, or 2 small ones (approximately 450g / 1lb)
Honey, to taste
Peel, core and chop quince into petite chunks of about 1 cm / 1/2 inch. (To keep the quince fresh and bright, soak the pieces in a bowl of water with a dash of lemon juice as you chop them up.)
Place 6 cups water and quince pieces in a saucepan and bring to boil. Turn down to a simmer and let it cook gently, partially covered, for 40 minutes, or until the quince flavour has sufficiently infused in the water, and/or the quince pieces are sufficiently tender to your liking.
Remove from heat and add honey to taste. Serve with a spoon for scooping up the cubes of quince.
Other ideas:
Simmer with a small knob of ginger, a pinch of nutmeg, or a vanilla bean.
Add in a squeeze of lemon juice or mandarin juice in the end.
Mix in some freshly brewed green tea in the end.
|honey quince tea, with a touch of lemon.
Click here to read the rest of the post!


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Online Privacy Policy
Thank you for visiting Longwood's web site. Ensuring the privacy and security of your personal information is very important to us. We will never share, sell, or rent your personal information with anyone in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement, or unless ordered by a court of law. We maintain a variety of physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your personal information. We have created this online privacy policy to explain our commitment to your privacy and the protection of your information.
Restrictions on Use
This site is owned and operated by Longwood Gardens, Inc. The information on this site is provided to assist you in planning your visit to Longwood Gardens, and it is for this purpose only that the site may be used. While we encourage you to print information which will help plan your visit, no photographs, images or other materials from our site may be copied, downloaded, transmitted, distributed or used in any other way, including for any commercial use. Also, you may not alter or attempt to alter any materials or information on the site, or the site itself.
Your Privacy
Longwood Gardens and its online partners are committed to maintaining the privacy of those who visit our websites.
Longwood Gardens is the sole owner of the information collected on this site. This information will not be sold or rented to others in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement.
Longwood Gardens collects information from site visitors at several different points on this website.
This notice applies to all information collected by or submitted to our websites or through other purchases. On some pages, you can opt in to receive email communications, register for events, or send communications to your colleagues. The types of personal information collected on these pages varies, and can include:
Name of recipient/s of gift memberships (if applicable)
Names of family members
Email address
Phone number
Credit Card Information (although this data is not stored)
If at any time you would like to obtain the information we have stored or have the information removed, complete this brief survey. If you do submit personal information to us, we will use that information for the purposes for which it was submitted and also for any one or more of the following reasons:
a. If you join our email list, we will have a record of your email address and all other information you choose to provide. We may send you email from time to time about our activities, as well as any specific issues or publications you have subscribed to. You will have the opportunity to unsubscribe from our mailing list.
b. If you obtain or renew a Longwood Gardens membership, your information will be used to fulfill the financial transaction you have initiated, and your information will be added to our membership database for maintenance and communications to you regarding your membership.
c. If you make an online purchase, your information will be used to fulfill the financial transaction you have initiated, and your information will be added to our database for communications about the Gardens.
d. If you use our tell a friend (optional), the email address(es) you provide will only be used to send your message – these contacts will not be added to our organizational lists or receive any further communications from us unless they separately decide to join our organization.
Be advised that we use third-party vendors to provide services on this site and in our offline business operations. The information that you submit on this site may be provided to those vendors on a confidential basis so that those vendors can provide services (such as maintaining our database, sending email messages, facilitating our online activities and campaigns, or processing credit card transactions) on our behalf.
From time to time, we partner with other carefully selected cultural organizations in the Philadelphia and Delaware Valley area, so that these organizations may advise you of their events. This gives you the fullest knowledge of cultural happenings in our area. If for any reason you would like to be removed from this partnership list, complete this brief survey and we will take your name off of the list immediately.
We use cookies to store visitors preferences, record session information, such as items that consumers add to their shopping cart, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, alert visitors to new areas that we think might be of interest to them when they return to our site, record past activity at a site in order to provide better service when visitors return to our site , ensure that visitors are not repeatedly sent the same banner ads, customize Web page content based on visitors' browser type or other information that the visitor sends.
Links to other Web sites
This Web site may contain links to other Web sites for additional products and services. Longwood Gardens is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites. We may place advertising on our Web site that originates from third party advertisers and/or advertising agencies. Even though these advertisements are embedded in our Web site cookies may be assigned by the advertisers and not by Longwood Gardens. Longwood Gardens does not control those cookies.
Financial Transactions
In order to process a membership, it is necessary for Longwood Gardens to gather the member' and/or payor's name, mailing address, phone, and credit card information. This data is used to verify identity and execute the financial transaction.
If you choose to make a purchase online, you will also have to provide a name, mailing address, phone, as well as your credit card billing information. As this information is collected and transferred over the Internet to our secure server, it is encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, the industry standard security technology that is designed to protect sensitive information. We display the GoDaddy SSL Seal to assure you that our web site is authentic and that all transactions are secured by SSL encryption. The credit card information that you provide at the time of purchase is used only to process your renewal or purchase and will not be used for any other purposes. The credit card information is not stored in our systems.
Changes to this Policy
Longwood Gardens reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without any obligation, to modify or correct any errors or omissions in any portion of this web site. If our information practices change at some time in the future we will post the policy changes to notify you of these changes and provide you with the ability to opt out of these new uses. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our Web site periodically.
Contact us for questions:
regarding this policy statement,
the practices of this site,
if you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy,
or to review or request changes to your contact information,
Please contact: Longwood Gardens, Marketing and Communications
E-mail: email@example.com
Mail: P.O. Box 501
Kennett Square, PA 19348
To view our full terms and conditions, visit longwoodgardens.org.


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Cyril Tahmassebi is a French concept artist and visual designer who has worked on games like Darkworks, I'm Alive, Project Kane and, most recently, Dishonored and Cyanide's Game of Thrones RPG.
While that lost one might not have been much of a game, the art Tahmassebi put together for it is terrific.
Every piece you see here is for Game of Thrones, but you can see more of Cyril's work at his personal site.
To see the larger pics in all their glory (or so you can save them as wallpaper), right-click on them below and select "open in new tab".
Fine Art is a celebration of the work of video game artists, showcasing the best of both their professional and personal portfolios. If you're in the business and have some concept, environment or character art you'd like to share, drop us a line!


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Sale price
Regular price
Why Buy from Ultra Game?
- Easy Return
- Free Shipping
- COMFORTABLE FIT - Athletic fit, tagless neck and rib knit collar provide added comfort.
- SOFT FABRIC - The cotton/polyester blend gives this tee a soft and comfortable feel.
- STYLE AND DESIGN - Perfect shirt to wear on game day or any day of week. Designed by fans for fans.
- SCREEN PRINT GRAPHICS - High quality graphics of your favorite NBA team in official team colors.
We accept all major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal,and Ultra Game Gifts Cards.
Orders are shipped through FedEx and USPS. Once orders have been packaged at our warehouse, they will go into the carrier's hands to begin the shipping stage. Once we have confirmed that your order is with the carrier you will receive an email that says SHIPPED and you will see the tracking number.
Transit times vary from carrier to carrier, shipping method chosen at check out and location for delivery. We offer FedEx Ground Shipping which takes 4 to 5 Business Days, FedEx One Rate which is guarantee 2 Business Day shipping at a flat rate, FedEx 2 Day, USPS First Class Shipping which takes 5 to 9 business days and USPS Priority which takes 3 to 4 business days. We do ask that all customers give our warehouse team a day to process all orders to prepare for shipment.
We ship internationally through USPS First Class International Package within 5-7 business days, not including foreign custom processing. Duty and import taxes are determined by the local authorities. These additional costs are responsibility of the recipient. The international countries that we ship to are Canada, Mexico, Europe and Australia.
**Please note: Due to the heavy costs of international shipping all sales are final. Please reach out to customer service if you have any questions**
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Love this!! Fits perfect. Got a Large .
fits good very comfortable
I've had the long sleeve for a couple of months wear it pretty often. the logo hasn't faded yet even though I wash it after ever use. I think it's a great buy for the price!
Bought this for my dad. He loves it!
Perfect gift!


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Obama to Luda: Respect Your Elders!
Obama to Luda: Respect Your Elders!
It appears that Barack Obama is going to have to distance himself from yet one more supporter.
Ludacris has just released a new rap where he calls Hillary Clinton a "bitch" and says John McCain "don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed" and also throws insults at Jesse Jackson and George W. Bush. The only logical explanation has to be that Ludacris is a McCain mole!
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement, condemning Luda for his ridiculous lyrics.
"As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn't want his daughters or any children exposed to. This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.


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Douglas College Poem of the Month: February 2016
Poem of the Month showcases outstanding work written by Douglas College students.
Each month, the Creative Writing Department displays posters across both campuses featuring a new poem.
Click on the image to the right to see an enlarged version of this month's poster, featuring "Not a Lie in Sight" by Kyle Marentic.
All Douglas College students are eligible to enter the Poem of the Month competition. Featured poems are selected by a committee of instructors.
To learn more about submitting poems, contact the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts at 604 527 5465.
More information about the Creative Writing Department is available on the Douglas College website.


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3/4″ UV Pink polypro hoop
General informations
▹3/4″ OD Polypro hoop.
▹Tubing Color : UV pink. Glows under black lights.
▹Hoop size: We use the outer diameter (OD) for measurment.
▹Travel mode: All hoops 24″OD and over come standard with a push button connection (coils down to reduce size for transport). Our "sectional" option will turn into 4 detachable pieces for easy transportation. See photos for reference.
▹Different grips available (see photo for reference) : none / 3M grip tape (on the inside rim) / sanded (on the inside rim)/ clear medical tape (on the inside rim) / gaffer tape (on the inside rim) / spiraled gaffer tape
3/4" OD Polypro hoop, tubing Color : UV pink
|184 g
|50 × 50 × 3 cm
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Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.


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Foreign Policy
Stephen M. Walt
April 4, 2011
The United States started out as 13 small and vulnerable colonies clinging to the east coast of North America. Over the next century, those original 13 states expanded all the way across the continent, subjugating or exterminating the native population and wresting Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California from Mexico. It fought a bitter civil war, acquired a modest set of overseas colonies, and came late to both world wars. But since becoming a great power around 1900, it has fought nearly a dozen genuine wars and engaged in countless military interventions.
Yet Americans think of themselves as a peace-loving people, and we certainly don't regard our country as a "warrior nation" or "garrison state." Teddy Roosevelt was probably the last U.S. president who seemed to view war as an activity to be welcomed (he once remarked that "A just war is in the long run far better for a man's soul than the most prosperous peace"), and subsequent presidents always portray themselves as going to war with great reluctance, and only as a last resort.
In 2008, Americans elected Barack Obama in part because they thought he would be different from his predecessor on a host of issues, but especially in his approach to the use of armed force. It was clear to nearly everyone that George W. Bush had launched a foolish and unnecessary war in Iraq, and then compounded the error by mismanaging it (and the war in Afghanistan too). So Americans chose a candidate who had opposed Bush's war in Iraq and could bring U.S. commitments back in line with our resources. Above all, Americans thought Obama would be a lot more thoughtful about where and how to use force, and that he understood the limits of this crudest of policy tools. The Norwegian Nobel Committee seems to have thought so too, when they awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize not for anything he had done, but for what it hoped he might do henceforth.
Yet a mere two years later, we find ourselves back in the fray once again. Since taking office, Obama has escalated U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and launched a new war against Libya. As in Iraq, the real purpose of our intervention is regime change at the point of a gun. At first we hoped that most of the guns would be in the hands of the Europeans, or the hands of the rebel forces arrayed against Muammar al-Qaddafi, but it's increasingly clear that U.S. military forces, CIA operatives and foreign weapons supplies are going to be necessary to finish the job.
Moreover, as Alan Kuperman of the University of Texas and Steve Chapman of the Chicago Tribune have now shown, the claim that the United States had to act to prevent Libyan tyrant Muammar al-Qaddafi from slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent civilians in Benghazi does not stand up to even casual scrutiny. Although everyone recognizes that Qaddafi is a brutal ruler, his forces did not conduct deliberate, large-scale massacres in any of the cities he has recaptured, and his violent threats to wreak vengeance on Benghazi were directed at those who continued to resist his rule, not at innocent bystanders. There is no question that Qaddafi is a tyrant with few (if any) redemptive qualities, but the threat of a bloodbath that would "[stain] the conscience of the world" (as Obama put it ) was slight.
It remains to be seen whether this latest lurch into war will pay off or not, and whether the United States and its allies will have saved lives or squandered them. But the real question we should be asking is: Why does this keep happening? Why do such different presidents keep doing such similar things? How can an electorate that seemed sick of war in 2008 watch passively while one war escalates in 2009 and another one gets launched in 2011? How can two political parties that are locked in a nasty partisan fight over every nickel in the government budget sit blithely by and watch a president start running up a $100 million per day tab in this latest adventure ? What is going on here?
Here are my Top 5 Reasons Why America Keeps Fighting Foolish Wars :
1. Because We Can.
The most obvious reason that the United States keeps doing these things is the fact that it has a remarkably powerful military, especially when facing a minor power like Libya. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, when you've got hundreds of planes, smart bombs, and cruise missiles, the whole world looks like a target set. So when some thorny problem arises somewhere in the world, it's hard to resist the temptation to "do something!"
It is as if the president has big red button on his desk, and then his aides come in and say, "There's something really nasty happening to some unfortunate people, Mr. President, but if you push that button, you can stop it. It might cost a few hundred million dollars, maybe even a few billion by the time we are done, but we can always float a bit more debt. As long as you don't send in ground troops, the public will probably go along, at least for awhile and there's no danger that anybody will retaliate against us -- at least not anytime soon -- because the bad guys (who are really nasty, by the way) are also very weak. Our vital interests aren't at stake, sir, so you don't have to do anything. But if you don't push the button lots of innocent people will die. The choice is yours, Mr. President."
It would take a very tough and resolute president -- or one with a clear set of national priorities and a deep understanding of the uncertainties of warfare -- to resist that siren song.
Of course, like his predecessors, Obama justifies his resort to force by invoking America's special place in the world. In the usual rhetoric of "American exceptionalism," he couched it in terms of U.S. values, its commitment to freedom, etc. But the truly exceptional thing about America today is not our values (and certainly not our dazzling infrastructure, high educational standards, rising middle-class prosperity, etc.); it is the concentration of military power in the hands of the president and the eroding political constraints on its employment. (For an elegant skewering of the "American exceptionalism" argument, see Andrew Sullivan here ).
2. The U.S. Has No Serious Enemies.
A second factor that permits the United States to keep waging these optional wars is the fact that the end of the Cold War left the United States in a remarkably safe position. There are no great powers in the Western hemisphere; we have no "peer competitors" anywhere (though China may become one sooner if we keep squandering our power foolishly); and there is no country anywhere that could entertain the idea of attacking America without inviting its own destruction. We do face a vexing terrorism problem, but that danger is probably exaggerated, is partly a reaction to our tendency to meddle in other countries, and is best managed in other ways. It's really quite ironic: Because the American homeland is safe from serious external dangers (which is a good thing), Americans have the luxury of going abroad "in search of monsters to destroy" (which is not). If Americans were really worried about having to defend our own soil against a powerful adversary, we wouldn't be wasting time and money on feel-good projects like the Libyan crusade. But our exceptionally favorable geopolitical position allows us to do these things, even when they don't make a lot of strategic sense.
3. The All-Volunteer Force.
A third enabling factor behind our addiction to adventurism is the all-volunteer force. By limiting military service only to those individuals who volunteer to do it, public opposition to wars of choice is more easily contained. Could Bush or Obama have kept the Iraq and Afghanistan wars going if most young Americans had to register for a draft, and if the sons and daughters of Wall Street bankers were being sent in harm's way because they got an unlucky number in the draft? I very much doubt it.
By the way, I am not saying that the AVF is a bad idea that should be chucked, as there are a number of good arguments in its favor. Nonetheless, the AVF is one of those features of the contemporary U.S. national security order that makes the frequent resort to force politically feasible.
4. It's the Establishment, Stupid .
A fourth reason we keep meddling all over the world is the fact that the foreign-policy establishment is hard-wired in favor of "doing something." Foreign-policy thinking in Washington is dominated either by neoconservatives (who openly proclaim the need to export "liberty" and never met a war they didn't like) or by "liberal interventionists" who are just as enthusiastic about using military power to solve problems, provided they can engineer some sort of multilateral cover for it. Liberal interventionists sometimes concede that the United States can't solve every problem (at least not at the same time), but they still think that the United States is the "indispensable" nation and they want us to solve as many of the world's problems as we possibly can.
These worldviews are developed, promulgated, and defended by a network of think tanks, committees, public policy schools, and government agencies that don't always agree on what should be done (or which problems deserve most priority) but that are all committed to using U.S. power a lot. In short, our foreign policy is shaped by a bipartisan class of foreign policy do-gooders who spend years out of power maneuvering to get in, and spend their time in office trying to advance whatever their own pet project(s) might be. Having scratched and clawed to get themselves on the inside, the people who run our foreign policy are not likely to counsel restraint, or to suggest that the United States and the rest of the world might be better off if Washington did a bit less. After all, what's the point of being a big shot in Washington if you can't use all that power to try to mold the world to your liking?
Compared with most Americans, this is a wealthy, privileged, highly educated group of people and most of them are personally insulated from the consequences of the policies they advocate (i.e., with a few exceptions, their kids don't serve in the military -- see No. 3 ). Advocates of intervention are unlikely to suffer severe financial reverses or face long-term career penalties if some foreign war goes badly; they'll just go back to the same think-tank sinecures when their term of service is over.
By the way, lurking underneath the Establishment consensus on foreign-policy activism is the most successful Jedi mind trick that the American right ever pulled. Since the mid-1960s, American conservatism has waged a relentless and successful campaign to convince U.S. voters that it is wasteful, foolish, and stupid to pay taxes to support domestic programs here at home, but it is our patriotic duty to pay taxes to support a military establishment that costs more than all other militaries put together and that is used not to defend American soil but to fight wars mostly on behalf of other people. In other words, Americans became convinced that it was wrong to spend tax revenues on things that would help their fellow citizens (like good schools, health care, roads, and bridges, high-speed rail, etc.), but it was perfectly OK to tax Americans (though of course not the richest Americans ) and spend the money on foreign wars. And we bought it. Moreover, there doesn't seem to be an effective mechanism to force the president to actually face and confront the trade-offs between the money he spends on optional wars and the domestic programs that eventually have to be cut back home. Which brings me to No. 5.
5. Congress Has Checked Out.
The authority to declare war is given to Congress, not the president, but that authority has been steadily usurped ever since World War II. Although the Constitution could not be clearer on this point, modern presidents clearly feel no constraints about ordering U.S. forces to attack other countries, or even to fully inform Congress as to what we might be doing in secret. In practice, therefore, the vaunted system of "checks and balances" supposedly enshrined in our Constitution simply doesn't operate anymore, which means that the use of America's military power has been left solely to the presidents and a handful of ambitious advisors (see No. 4 above). This is not to say that public opinion doesn't figure into their calculations (i.e., they've got pollsters and political advisors too), but it is hardly a binding constraint.
I've no doubt that one could add more items to this list (e.g., the passive press, the military-industrial complex, etc.), but the items already noted go a long way to explaining why the supposedly peace-loving United States keeps finding itself in all these small but draining wars.
Back in the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama said that his favorite movie was The Godfather . And if I recall correctly, he said his second favorite movie was The Godfather, Part II . But his presidency is starting to play out like Part III of that famed trilogy, where Michael Corleone rails against the fates that have foiled his attempt to make the Corleone family legit.
I can just hear Obama saying it: "Just when I thought I was out … they pull me back in." Precisely.