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By William Fisher.
During my years in Cairo, I was often invited to dinner at the apartments of Egyptian colleagues. On this night, the apartment building was a high-rise located in a middle class neighborhood close to downtown. As we entered the tiny lobby, I couldn't help seeing that it was littered with a smorgasbord of junk, making it all but impassable.
Old fridges. Baby beds. Huge concrete boulders from construction. Toys. Books. You name it. The junk continued to block our way as we headed for the flight of stairs that led to my friend's apartment. It was the same between apartment doors on the first floor.
"Why are all these things here?" I asked.
My colleague answered: "This is how most Egyptians think of one another. Inside our apartments everything is neat and modern. Out here – in the halls and lobby – everything belongs to all the residents and none. No one has any obligation to help anyone else."
And then he added this really strange remark: "That's why the NGOs are so important to this country. We don't have a long or strong history of voluntarism yet. People helping people is a Western – mostly American – concept and it's still young and fragile. And it has been fighting for freedom since Mubarak took over from Sadat. That's why the current persecution couldn't have come at a worse time." (we had been discussing NGOs earlier in the day.)
- If this were a discussion of American NGOs, we'd be mentioning names like the American Civil Liberties Union, Save the Children, the Sierra Club and the American Cancer Society. Not only are they not persecuted, these names are the epicenter of our civil society. These are the groups that don't work for a profit, and raise billions for their constituents and those who represent them in the Government. They're the outfits that remind us of what Franklin Roosevelt told a group of reformers in 1932, Roosevelt told them: "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it."
- By which he meant to use the power of the people to take up those causes that demand action by political leaders who would rather play it safe and do as little as possible.
But in Egypt, the persecution of NGOs was indeed nothing new. Egyptian NGOs had been battling government political interference from Day One of the Mubarak regime. There had been NGO shutdowns and court trials and first the conviction of Saad Eddin Ibrahim followed two trials later by his exoneration. One of the country's human rights pioneers was accused of accepting a European Union grant to make a film about political parties. A coup in the US; a criminal offense in Egypt.
Supporters of NGOs were looking toward a new spirit in the land and a new lease on life for their organizations. Now, on the cusp of the January 25th Revolution, things were about to get a lot worse. A new NGO law was being drafted and, from the sound of the gossip, it would stifle freedom even more egregiously than the expiring law.
There were some 30,00O NGOs in a country of 83.6 million — a relatively small number – and many of them were NGOs on paper only. They needed funding, training, field experience. This new law was going cut their possibilities substantially. There are 1.5 million NGOs in the US.
While advocating for human rights may make the most noise, the names of these organizations are mostly unknown except to those in the NGO field, Egypt's 30,000 NGOs are dedicated to a wide variety of causes – from politically charged situations such as the Nile water supply to community gardens being planted by neighbors. Obviously the political causes are those that give the government the biggest migraines.
We are still a decade away from January 25, 2012 and the fall of Mubarak. Before the election of President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt was ruled by the military following Mubarak's fall from power. And it was the military – the temporary SCAF – Supreme Council of Armed Forces — who initiated arguably the most severe punishment in the history of the NGO movement. There would be arrests. There would be a new NGO law even more draconian than those of the past two decades.
This ominous portent triggered perhaps the most furiously frustrated statement ever issued by the blue-chip Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) in 2012.
Here's part of the unsigned statement the Institute wrote:
- 'For the past year and a half, Egypt's NGOs have
been targeted through a systematic chain of repressive violations, culminating in an orchestrated smear campaign led by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) and its interim cabinets. During this transitional period, the prospects of civil society and human rights advocacy in Egypt faced several endangering threats. The current government is now faced with archaic laws that are in need of change if civil society is to thrive going forward.
- 'Various NGOs were targeted because of their role in exposing human rights violations committed by the former regime. It was these very violations that paved the way not only for the January 25th Revolution, but also for continuous pressure towards fulfilling the people's demands after Mubarak's ouster.'
The statement got more apoplectic as it progressed.
"Under SCAF's rule, human rights organizations tried to contribute to what they hoped would be a democratic transition. NGOs advocated for the adoption of several democratic initiatives aimed primarily at providing a legislative and reformist platform for the restructuring of state institutions, the statement said, adding:
"SCAF's lack of political will to restructure state institutions on the one hand, and NGO pressure from the other is believed to be one of the main reasons behind SCAF's smear campaign against civil society groups, which was put into motion by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation."
The CIHRS statement charged that the government never intended to encourage a freer civil society. The. former Minister of International Cooperation, Fayza Abul-Naga, said that an NGO's 'real' role is "helping the government in developmental fields which is more beneficial than just criticizing the government's policies." This was the road the government had in mind for NGO. It would effectively shift their focus away from advocating for basic human rights – the most serious and most dangerous task taken on by NGOs in a country whose police and security forces were corrupt and whose prisons were poster children for torture and death in detention.
The government's standard trojan horse against violations by NGOs was legitimized by whitewashing the regime's appearance. "A repressive NGO law regulated civil society and ensured NGO's human rights advocacy programs had limited impact. The law guaranteed that conditions under which the NGOs operated were restrictive, with sources of funding and all activities monitored and subject to state security approval," the statement said.
It continued: "The wording of the law was intentionally ambiguous, making it easy to prohibit organizations from engaging in political or trade union activities, facilitating state repression of NGOs. It also prohibited foreign funding in all its forms (donations or grants without advance approval of the Minister of Social Affairs)
After Mubarak's ouster, NGOs tried to change the law, to ensure it respected the universal standards of freedom of association and guaranteed the existence of a free civil society in Egypt that could advocate for human rights. Some 39 NGOs signed a new draft law that met these standards, while also removing the power of the Ministry of Social Affairs over NGOs.
The CIHRS statement alleged that "at around the same time, the government launched an investigation into several organizations following a statement by US Ambassador Anne Patterson that local groups had received more than $40 million in funding from the US government." It added that her statements "galvanized suspicions about NGO funding, and were a major push for what came next."
Last December, while security forces were trying to discover documents supporting their view that foreign donations were funding the protests in Tahrir Square. The Government said the protests were "spreading chaos and inciting violence."
Measures were taken to limit NGO funding of organizations, as was the case with the "New Woman Foundation", CEWLA, a feminist organization, and the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists, the statement charged.
This reporter is without first-hand information about Ambassador Anne Patterson and why she disclosed the funding of $40,000 for the two small women's programs.
But I can report based on first hand observation my attendance at one of the US-sponsored "democracy" Institutes, where senior officials of the Mubarak regime were seated in the audience listening to a very professional English-language lecture on modern political parties and their care and feeding.
I can also report that in about this same time period, approaching the turn of the century, USAID launched an NGO Center to teach local NGO officials about administrative tasks such as planning special events, launching fund-raising campaigns, and holding elections. Given the Government's attitudes toward NGOs, it is just about impossible to understand why this NGO Center ever got off the ground (though it had a very short life). It is inconceivable that the Government was unaware of its existence, since every program introduced by USAID must be "requested" by the host government.
The attack on the foreign funding issue reached a head during a raid on several international NGOs, the CIHRS statement said. The Government was shifting its emphasis toward a more aggressive approach in dealing with civil society in Egypt, and "resulted in the referral of several employees from these organizations to criminal prosecution in a trial that is ongoing to this day," the statement read. The trial has been postponed a number of times, while non-Egyptian defendants have flown back to their home countries but have sworn to return for the trial. Meanwhile, NGOs are drafting "a new law that would put an end to state repression of these organizations."
With the election of President Mohamed Morsi, "NGOs hoped that the president's promises would be fulfilled, and that he would break from an inherited restrictive legacy, which includes the notorious NGO law,' the statement said, adding:
"The first 60 days of his presidency would prove otherwise. Security forces have continued to violently disperse protests, watched over the displacement of Christians, and detained dozens of civilians following bloody clashes between citizens and the
POMED, the Project on Middle East Democracy, told this reporter, "The so-called 'foreign-funded' NGO trial is still moving its way through the Cairo criminal court. In February 2012, 43 U.S. and local NGO workers were charged with receiving foreign funding without proper government approval in violation of law no.84/2002. The defendants' lawyers were able to present documents that detailed the expenditures of the NGOs involved in the case, to try and disprove government claims that the funds were used for nefarious purposes. Documents further showed that the Egyptian government had prior knowledge and approval of at least $33 million of funding to the accused NGOs."
But many, in Egyptian as well as foreign government circles, are hopeful that this trial will never happen. The US has made it clear that such a trial could have a negative effect on the current $1.3 billion in military aid it has been giving Egypt since Egypt and Israel signed their peace treaty in 1979.
In a letter to the SCAF (the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces), Daphne McCurdy, a Senior Research Associate with POMED said: "These groups have worked transparently and in cooperation with Egyptian authorities to help support Egypt's democratic transition—a goal to which the ruling military council purports to be committed. Sixteen of those charged are American citizens, seriously threatening the future of the U.S.-Egypt relationship."
Internally, the new Egyptian government seems set on passing a new NGO law that is widely criticized as more restrictive, according to POMED – the Project on Middle East Democracy, a credible US-based NGO.
What's the bottom line here? It is that we can't want representative government more than the Egyptians want it. And, at least in respect to NGOs, they don't appear to want it.
They are not the least bit interested in having creative, vibrant organizations capable of improving on government-fashioned policies and practices. If the good ideas aren't coming from the government, maybe there aren't any good ideas!
My friend Lu Rudel, one of our very first Foreign Service Officers, is fond of telling me about another Arab Awakening) in which it took Ataturk 100 years to bring law and order to Turkey.
Well, it looks like the Egyptians are going to require the same degree of patience.


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I'll have a full write-up later today, but if you've been itching to get your hands on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), it's available now from the Microsoft Download Center in 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) variants:
Brief Description
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is an update to Windows Vista that addresses key feedback from our customers. SP1 addresses specific reliability and performance issues, supports new types of hardware, and adds support for several emerging standards.
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an update to Windows Vista that addresses feedback from our customers. In addition to previously released updates, SP1 will contain changes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues; supporting new types of hardware; and adding support for several emerging standards. SP1 also will continue to make it easier for IT administrators to deploy and manage Windows Vista. Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Five Language Standalone version can be installed on systems with any of the following language versions: English (US), French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional).
Read the overview of Windows Vista SP1, including what's new, technical details, guidelines and notable changes.
Read the Deployment Guide for Windows Vista SP1. This guide includes technical information, procedures, and recommendations for installing Windows Vista SP1 in a business or corporate environment.
DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER: A smaller, more appropriate download is available on Windows Update.
Looks like the x86 version is 434.5 MB, while the x64 version is 762.5 MB.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vandals fall to Utah St. in shootout
MOSCOW – Stacey Barr and Christina Salvatore helped the Vandals to a program-record 15 3-pointers, but the Idaho women's basketball team couldn't outscore Utah State in a 91-85 loss in the Cowan Spectrum Saturday.
Barr and Salvatore each tied their career-highs by draining six 3-pointers, the second-highest single-game total in Vandal history. Barr made five straight 3s and added an old fashioned 3-point-play to score 18 points during a 21-0 Idaho run early in the second half. She finished the game 6-of-10 from long range and matched her career-high with 23 points. Salvatore scored 18 points, two shy of her career-high, and added eight rebounds and four assists.
Connie Ballestero became the third Vandal in the last two games to record a double-double, as she finished with 10 points to go along with career-highs of 11 rebounds and six assists. Alyssa Charlston had 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Vandals, Addie Schivo had five points, and Ali Forde, Krissy Karr and Jessica Graham each finished with four points.
The Vandals (4-10, 1-2 Western Athletic Conference) hit 15-of-39 (38.5 percent) 3-pointers, breaking the previous school record of 14, first set in 2005, and matched earlier this season. Idaho shot 41.3 percent from the field overall but Utah State (6-9, 2-1 WAC) hit 47.7 percent of its shots, including 50 percent, 13-of-26, from 3-point range. The Vandals went 8-of-12 from the free-throw line, but two of those misses came on the front end of a 1-and-1in back-to-back possessions with Idaho trailing by seven with just over a minute to play.
The Vandals led by as many as 13 points in the first half, at 23-10 with 10 minutes left, but the Aggies went on a 13-2 run to make it close and eventually took a 42-40 lead into the break. After a 3-pointer from USU's Makenlee Williams to give the Aggies a 45-40 lead to open the second half, the Vandals, led by Barr, went on their run. First a layup turned 3-point-play by Barr cut the lead to two, then Salvatore's 3-pointer gave Idaho a 46-45 lead on the next possession. Barr then hit five consecutive 3-pointers to put Idaho ahead 61-45 with 15 minutes to play. The scoring barrage gave her 18 points in a five minute span.
"Our point guard was getting me the ball," Barr said. "We were getting through their press, slash zone, whatever they were playing, and the shots dropped tonight."
Idaho's 21-0 run was immediately followed by a 23-7 run by Utah State that tied the game at 68-all with just less than eight minutes to play. The Vandals scored the next bucket to lead 70-68 but on the next possession Utah State's Devyn Christensen hit a 3-pointer that gave the Aggies the lead for good. The Aggies grew their lead to as many as nine points in the final minute before winning 91-85.
"We went on our run and instead of putting our foot down and increasing our lead, we just didn't play the best defense and let them back in it," Barr said.
Christensen, the WAC Preseason Player of the Year, finished with 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting and added two rebounds and two assists. Williams added 21 points for the Aggies, and Jenna Johnson scored 19.
The Vandals had 20 turnovers in the game, compared to just 13 for Utah State, but Idaho outscored the Aggies 21-20 in points off turnovers. Idaho's 48-36 advantage on the glass, and 20-9 lead in offensive rebounds, aided its slim 13-12 edge in second-chance points.
The Vandals hit the road for a pair of WAC games next week as they visit Denver on Jan. 10 and New Mexico State on Jan. 12. Idaho's next home action is Jan. 17 when it hosts Louisiana Tech, and Jan. 19 when UT Arlington visits the Cowan Spectrum.


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See some of the jobs just completed on Truckit.net
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Know your booking with the best by having a read of our ratings and reviews - there's a few hundred there so we don't expect you to get through the whole lot. We do want our customers to feel like they have an open forum to review us fairly, this keeps everything transparent and keeps us and our service providers accountable on quality.
You deserve to have options no matter how organised or disorganised you may be - let us get your Boats to where they need to get going asap. One of the most annoying elements to moving, sending or shipping anything is organising the transport and sometimes it gets missed. If this is you, don't sweat it, you can find bookings on TruckIt no matter the tight turnaround.
We aim to give our customers the best experience possible, this means our customer care team needs to be up to scratch for every single enquiry. We also recommend when you're checking out with your booking to consider adding Single Transit Insurance for Transport, this will ensure you've got all your bases covered if there were to be an accident.


text: Why Buy A Used Car From Us A Car Dealer You Can Count On!If you're in the market for a used car, look no further than our premier used car dealer. With an extensive inventory of reliable and high-quality vehicles that have been thoroughly inspected to guarantee customer satisfaction, we provide a hassle-free experience so you can easily find the perfect car for you or your family. We make it our mission to exceed expectations and provide each customer with personalized attention and exceptional service. Whether you're looking for something small and economic or luxurious, we are sure to have something within your budget as well as fitting all preferences. So if you need a great ride at an even better price, let us be your go-to used car dealership!Need Auto Financing? We Can Help!Are you ready to purchase a car but feeling overwhelmed by the financing process? Car financing can seem daunting and complex, especially for first-time buyers. Fortunately, there are lots of resources out there that can help simplify the process so you can get your dream car with ease. Take advantage of our car loan calculator and make smart decisions when it comes to navigating the innovative world of cost-effective car financing!Highly Rated Car Dealer With so many car dealerships to choose from, it's important to know how to assess a dealership's reputation before you make a purchase. Not all car dealers are equally reputable and trustworthy; some may have unreliable customer service or wonky products that could leave you feeling frustrated and disappointed with your purchase. So, if you're in the market for a new set of wheels, read on for tips that can help you determine which dealer will provide the best value and experience as well as ensure an enjoyable buying experience.Looking To Sell Your Car in? We Want It!Are you thinking about selling your car? There are many reasons why someone may decide to sell their vehicle, ranging from needing cash in a pinch to wanting a newer model. Selling your car can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be with the right information and planning. Fill out our easy trade form and we will get you the best value for your vehicle. If you are looking for a new car we may not have in stock? Use our car finder and we will help get you into the perfect car.Come See Us At Our DealershipStop by today and meet our staff and learn more about our dealership or feel free to send us a comment. Posted 06/15/2023 in Car Buying Tips


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A member of the B.C. Wildfire Service has been fined after they broke a province-wide campfire ban.
A photo of five firefighters enjoying their campfire on Adams Lake in the Shuswap region last month was posted on Facebook, going viral and garnering much criticism.
The wildfire service has since investigated, and officials said Wednesday they've been handed one firefighter a fine of $1,150 and three others a warning.


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inkl. MwSt. zzgl. Versandkosten
Lieferzeit 5-20 Werktage
- Artikel-Nr.: FERG0041CL
R&G Fender Extenders offer additional protection to front-mounted coolers, downpipes and fairing panels from debris, road grit, mud and water kicked up by the front wheel. Attaching to the motorcycle's front mud guard / fender via included adhesive strips and push rivets, installation takes only minutes. Designed to mate exactly to the front mud guard / fender, thanks to the latest 3D scanning technologies. Each design is bespoke to its intended fender and offers tailored protection for best performance and aesthetics. Made from ABS plastic and available in Black or Carbon Fibre effect finish. This R&G Fender Extender is compatible with the BMW K1100 LT models. **Picture is for illustration purposes only**


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The New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) is encouraging smokers to make a commitment in recognition of the 2012 Great American Smokeout today, November 15, to quit smoking and make a plan to quit for good. Quitting can be difficult, but help is available that can increase smokers' chances for success.
DOH provides smoking cessation phone counseling services to all New Jersey residents through NJ Quitline at 1-866-NJ-STOPS. Smokers can get the help they need free of charge by calling specially trained Quit Coaches who are available seven days a week.
"Our Quitline is an important part of New Jersey's efforts to provide smokers with help to beat an addiction that takes the lives of approximately 11,000 residents of our state each year and causes devastating illness to thousands," said Commissioner of Health Mary E. O'Dowd.
The NJ Quitline service is confidential. Counseling is provided in English and Spanish and a translation service is offered in 120 languages. Quit Coaches work with smokers on the process of quitting, developing a personal quit plan, and reviewing medications that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help smokers quit. Coaches can also discuss ways to help cover medication costs.
NJ Quitline also can mail a free Quit Kit with additional information and tips on quitting.
The Great American Smokeout is almost here. If you are considering quitting, are ready to quit or have quit and are struggling, help is available. Call 1-866-NJ-STOPS (1-866-657-8677). Monday through Thursday the hotline is open 9am to 9pm and Friday through Sunday it is open 9am to 5pm. Help is just a call away.


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Free home based business is today opted for by many people due to various challenges in the job market. There are no jobs for many qualified people who are willing and ready to work. These people have skills. They also have good knowledge and mastery of what they have acquired in learning institutions. It is with this that finding a home based business has become part of job search. People are scanning the job market and realizing opportunities through gaps that need to actually be filled. Many such people who scan the market and identify ideas have finally landed themselves jobs. They are self-employed and more interestingly at their convenience, their homes.Finding a free home based business may as well disturb your mind. Considering the extent and nature of the job market today, competition is very high and really rising every day in every sector. Many people are coming up with good ideas on business creation and actually getting their businesses set from these wonderful ideas. This competition should and is worth considering when finding a business to start freely from home. You definitely have to pick a relevant and ready-to-compete business idea that will help your business compete fairly in the market.People tend to fear the cost of starting businesses which is usual. Essentially, you cannot start some business with less capital and expect to gain handsomely from that investment. In some cases it may, but in most cases this is not realistic. There are free home based business opportunities that fit such situations. With a home based business, one can utilize his or her skills to come up with a viable opportunity which can turn into a great business enterprise. Commitment and hard work are important stabilizing such businesses.Free home based businesses beneficial in many ways. One important advantage of this business is that you can actually do whatever you like whenever you feel like it is right. Self-discipline is however very essential in guiding your success and the business for a better place in the competitive market. As you enjoy the fruits of being your own boss, you also enjoy the tax benefits. The business is ideally flexible. You set your own timetable and there is no one around to move you as the case in the offices. For some home based business owners, the fact that they can save much on expenses like traveling expenses is just enough to convince them set a home based business.
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Setsuko Large Oval Footed Platter with Leaves
Grand Plateau sur Pied Ovale avec Feuilles
Dishwasher safe on a moderate wash cycle. Not microwave safe.
Astier de Villatte's ceramic pieces are handmade in Paris of black terracotta clay with their signature glossy white glaze. Inspired by 18th and 19th century designs, each piece is entirely unique.
A sneak peek into the delightful world of Paris-based ceramics company Astier de Villatte.
ASTIER de VILLATTE | A Week In Paris from NØRTH SEA AIR on Vimeo.


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I finally broke down and bought a Nuvi. I have found some pretty cool stuff on the internet about it, but I'm still curious what can be done with these little gems. I picked up the 255W. Also, I found a very helpful page about getting caches loaded on it. Here's the link.
So tell me, what model do you have and what can your Nuvi do?


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No one ever wants to drink too much, but sometimes festivities happen. Keep this guide handy for preventing and dealing with the horrible hangover.
Preventing a Hangover
Know this: if you're going to go out and toss back more than a few drinks, you're going to pay the price; the body isn't designed to binge on bad stuff and feel great the next day. But before you even get to the worst-case scenario, there are a few things that can help you prevent a hangover altogether – or at least make it a bit more manageable.
- Don't drink, or at least drink less: Instead of giving yourself unlimited access to the champagne bar, limit yourself to one or two cocktails. Drink slowly, and as a rule, don't consume more than one drink per hour, which helps give the body time to metabolize the alcohol. Also, one drink does not mean a Long Island Tea. We're talking a beer, a glass of wine, or roughly one ounce of hard liquor.
- Drink water, and lots of it: Since alcohol dehydrates the body, begin and end your night of drinking with plenty of water, and for every alcoholic beverage you consume, match it with another glass of water. An easy trick is to alternate between a cocktail and a glass – or two! – of water while you are out for the night.
- Don't drink on an empty stomach: Having food in your stomach helps dilute the concentration of alcohol in your belly. Fill up on good-for-you foods with an emphasis on complex carbs.
- Be choosy with what you drink: Whenever possible, stay away from sugary and carbonated drinks, since they speed up the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, and opt for choices that have a low alcohol content, like sake, soju, or low-cal vodka. Drink clear liquors over colored ones: darker alcohol like bourbon or red wine contain more congeners, a substance that help contribute to hangovers.
Too Late! What to Eat Once a Hangover Hits
If the old adage everything in moderation was tossed out the window, next-day food choices can be your saving grace. Even if a greasy breakfast sandwich is the only thing you're craving, make sure to eat; food helps break down the alcohol in your system. Once you've eaten, ward off a headache with some OTC ibuprofen (avoid pain relievers containing acetaminophen, like Tylenol, because they may cause liver damage), and don't skip that cup of coffee; aside from being a little pick-me-up, it's been shown to help ward off a hangover-induced headache. If you had a few drinks too many and are suffering from specific symptoms, here's which foods to reach for.
- Dehydration: You need to hydrate. Your throat and mouth are dry due to dehydration, which is caused by the diuretic properties of alcohol. Dehydration also affects your muscles, making them feel weak. Drink plenty of water, and replace lost electrolytes with a low-sugar electrolyte-replacement drink or coconut water.
- Upset stomach: Excessive alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach, causing nausea, digestive issues, or, in really bad cases, vomiting. Start with some Alka Seltzer, and eat bland and easily digested foods like bananas, saltine crackers, or broth.
- Irritability and fatigue: Because the liver gets backed up trying to metabolize the alcohol, you might be experiencing low blood sugar, which can result in you feeling irritable and moody. While most any food can help spike up sugar levels in the body, in small studies, fructose has been shown to speed up the body's ability to metabolize alcohol. Give yourself a tall glass of orange juice after a night of drinking, or press your hangover away with this fresh juice recipe.
The Best Exercise Remedies
Before you hit up that hour-long indoor cycling class, you may want to think twice. On its own, exercise is not an effective cure against a hangover, said Ruth C. Engs, RN, Ed.D., a professor at Indiana University who has done extensive research on the effects of drinking. While the endorphin rush can counteract the pain (albeit momentarily), the dehydration that comes along with an intense exercise session can worsen symptoms. Take into account how bad you're feeling, and if you can't bear to miss a workout, then opt for a light cardio session or restorative yoga class. But what your body probably needs right now is rest.
Alcohol does a number on sleep patterns; the pituitary gland becomes confused and releases the wrong amount of hormones that regulate sleep; the central nervous system also becomes overexcited, causing sensitivity to light, sound, and touch. All of the above means you do not get a good night of quality sleep. If your hangover is really bad, don't feel guilty for taking the day off to relax and get some shut-eye.
Source: Pop Sugar


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In October 1987, stock markets around the world crashed, with the Dow Jones droping 22%. The causes of this crash are still unclear, but one of the suspected causes was computer automated trading. This concern lead attempts to design mechanisms to break potential viscous cycles by creating 'circuit breakers', rules that halt trading if the Dow rapidly . However, as financial engineers innovate, new risks are emerging. The Financial Times writes Computer-driven trading raises meltdown fears:
An explosion in trading propelled by computers is raising fears that trading platforms could be knocked out by rogue trades triggered by systems running out of control.
Trading in equities and derivatives is being driven increasingly by mathematical algorithms used in computer programs. They allow trading to take place automatically in response to market data and news, deciding when and how much to trade similar to the autopilot function in aircraft.
Analysts estimate that up to 60 per cent of trading in equity markets is driven in this way.
… Frederic Ponzo, managing partner at GreySpark Partners, a consultancy, said: "It is absolutely possible to bring an exchange to breaking point by having an 'algo' entering into a loop so that by sending them at such a rate the exchange can't cope."
Regulators say it is unclear who is monitoring traders to ensure they do not take undue risks with their algorithms.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed new rules that would require brokers to establish procedures to prevent erroneous orders.
Mark van Vugt, global head of sales at RTS Realtime Systems, a trading technology company, said: "If a position is blowing up so fast without the exchange or clearing firm able to react or reverse positions, the firm itself could be in danger as well."
For more details on current problems see the Financial Times article Credit Suisse fined over algo failures
NYSE Euronext revealed on Wednesday it had for the first time fined a trading firm for failing to control its trading algorithms in a case that highlights the pitfalls of the rapid-fire electronic trading that has come to dominate many markets.
The group, which operates the New York Stock Exchange, said it had fined Credit Suisse $150,000 after a case in 2007 when hundreds of thousands of "erroneous messages" bombarded the exchange's trading system.
Asked if the exchange's systems could have been knocked out, he said: "If you had multiplied this many times you'd have had a problem on your hands."


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Carl Reiner, beloved creator of 'Dick Van Dyke Show,' dies
NEW YORK (AP) — Carl Reiner, the ingenious and versatile writer, actor and director who broke through as a "second banana" to Sid Caesar and rose to comedy's front ranks as creator of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and straight man to Mel Brooks' "2000 Year Old Man," has died. He was 98.
Reiner's assistant Judy Nagy said he died Monday night of natural causes at his home in Beverly Hills, California.
One of show business' best liked men, the tall, bald Reiner was a welcome face on the small and silver screens, in Caesar's 1950s troupe, as the snarling, toupee-wearing Alan Brady of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and in such films as "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."
In recent years, he was part of the roguish gang in the "Ocean's Eleven" movies starring George Clooney and appeared in documentaries including "Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age" and "If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast."
Tributes poured in online, including from Steve Martin, who said: "Goodbye to my greatest mentor in movies and in life. Thank you, dear Carl. Actor Josh Gadd called Reiner "one of the greatest comedic minds of all time" and Sarah Silverman said "his humanity was beyond compare." Actor Alan Alda tweeted "His talent will live on for a long time, but the loss of his kindness and decency leaves a hole in our hearts."
Films Reiner directed included "Oh, God!" starring George Burns and John Denver; "All of Me," with Martin and Lily Tomlin; and the 1970 comedy "Where's Poppa?" He was especially proud of his books, including "Enter Laughing," an autobiographical novel later adapted into a film and Broadway show; and "My Anecdotal Life," a memoir published in 2003. He recounted his childhood and creative journey in the 2013 book, "I Remember Me."
But many remember Reiner for "The Dick Van Dyke Show," one of the most popular TV series of all time and a model of ensemble playing, physical comedy and timeless, good-natured wit. It starred Van Dyke as a television comedy writer working for a demanding, eccentric boss (Reiner) and living with his wife (Mary Tyler Moore in her first major TV role) and son.
"The Van Dyke show is probably the most thrilling of my accomplishments because that was very, very personal," Reiner once said. "It was about me and my wife, living in New Rochelle and working on the Sid Caesar show."
The pilot, written by Reiner, starred himself as Rob Petrie, and aired in July 1960. When the show was reworked (CBS executives worried Reiner would make the lead character seem too Jewish), Van Dyke was cast and the program ran from 1961 to 1966. One famous fan, Orson Welles, was known for rushing to his bedroom in the afternoon so he could be near a TV when the show was on.
"Although it was a collaborative effort,″ Van Dyke later wrote, "everything about the show stemmed from his (Reiner's) endlessly and enviably fascinating, funny, and fertile brain and trickled down to the rest of us."
The story line had Petrie as the head writer for "The Alan Brady Show," a comedy-variety series not unlike "Your Show of Shows," in which Reiner, as Brady, was the egocentric star. Petrie's fellow writers were character actors Morey Amsterdam as Buddy Sorrell and Rose Marie as Sally Rogers.
It was an early parody of the Caesar show, which would later be dramatized in the film "My Favorite Year" and Neil Simon's play "Laughter on the 23rd Floor."
Besides acting in and producing the "Van Dyke" series, Reiner wrote or co-wrote dozens of episodes. Although the show was the very best of good clean fun, it wasn't clean enough for network censors. Reiner often battled network officials over the sleeping arrangements of Rob and his wife; the Petries slept in twin beds. He wanted them to sleep in a double bed.
Reiner had joined the classic comedy revue "Your Show of Shows" in 1950 after performing in Broadway plays. Much of Reiner's early work came as a "second banana" — although, as Caesar once put it, "Such bananas don't grow on trees." He performed in sketches — satirizing everything from foreign films to rock 'n' roll — and added his talents to a writing team that included Brooks, Simon, Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart.
"As second banana," he told TV Guide, "I had a chance to do just about everything a performer can ever get to do. If it came off well, I got all the applause. If it didn't, the show was blamed."
It was during the "Show of Shows" years that Reiner and Brooks started improvising skits which became the basis for "The 2000 Year Old Man." Reiner was the interviewer, Brooks the old man and witness to history.
Reiner: "Did you know Jesus?"
Brooks: "I knew Christ, Christ was a thin lad, always wore sandals. Hung around with 12 other guys. They came in the store, no one ever bought anything. Once they asked for water."
After the pair performed the routine at a party, Reiner said Steve Allen insisted they turn their banter into a record. The album, "2000 Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks," appeared in 1960 and was the start of a million-selling franchise.
The duo won a Grammy in 1998 for their "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000" and Reiner won multiple Emmys for his television work. In 2000, he received the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for Humor. When the sound system failed at the start of the ceremonies, Reiner called from the balcony, "Does anybody have four double-A batteries?"
Besides "All of Me," Reiner directed Martin in "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," "The Man With Two Brains" and "The Jerk."
Reiner is the father of actor-director Rob Reiner. The younger Reiner starred as Archie Bunker's son-in-law on "All in the Family," and directed "When Harry Met Sally …" and "The Princess Bride." Rob Reiner said in a tweet Tuesday that his "heart is hurting. He was my guiding light."
Carl Reiner was born in 1922, in New York City's borough of the Bronx, one of two sons of Jewish immigrants. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood, where he learned to mimic voices and tell jokes. After high school, Reiner attended drama school, then joined a small theater group.
During World War II, Reiner joined the Army and toured in GI variety shows for a year and a half. Back out of uniform, he landed several stage roles, breaking through on Broadway in "Call Me Mister."
He married his wife, Estelle, in 1943. Besides son Rob, the couple had another son, Lucas, a film director, and a daughter, Sylvia, a psychoanalyst and author. Estelle Reiner, who died in 2008, had a small role in Rob Reiner's "When Harry Met Sally…" — as the woman who overhears Meg Ryan's in a restaurant and says, "I'll have what she's having."
His greatest disappointment was "Bert Rigby, You're a Fool," a 1989 musical he wrote and directed that starred Robert Lindsay, a British actor Reiner believed could be a new Dick Van Dyke. The film flopped, and Reiner's career as a director faded.
Reiner, inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame, remained involved in other entertainment projects. In the 1990s, he reprised the Alan Brady character for an episode of "Mad About You."
His death was first reported Tuesday by celebrity website TMZ.
AP National Writer Hillel Italie and Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy contributed to this story.


text:
|Stanislaw Lem
|E2 clueless (newbie) mistakes to avoid
|Maxwell's demon
|I love Jesus! If you love Jesus, post here too!
|Raising the bar
|Famous people who can run a marathon
|Too much information
|The Cyberiad
|Everything2 is NOT a BBS
|Tell me about your secret places
|Node for the Ages
|Perpetual Motion Machine
|Connecticut Sun
|E2 Link and Logger Client
|Turkish Bath
|CHINA CLIPPER CALLING ALAMEDA: Opera, Britney, and a really big snake
|Pirates and Sailors
|plaster of Paris
|The Second Jungle Book
|pick-up volleyball
|I will kill that rooster, if it doesn't shut up


text:
Natural Coral and Pearl Stud Earring 925 Silver
E1667CRL-OZRegular price $201.10 Sale price $60.33
Coral & Pearl Oxidized Silver Handmade Stud Earrings
Approximate Earrings Size: L x W (20.9 mm)
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1st Gemstone: Coral
Stone Cut: Cabochon Round & Pear
Gemstone Color: Red
Setting: Bezel
Gemstone Quantity: Round 2 & Pear 10
Approximate Stone Size: Round 6.5 mm & Pear 4 x 3 mm
2nd Gemstone: Pearl
Stone Cut: Cabochon Pear
Gemstone Color: White
Setting: Bezel
Gemstone Quantity: 10
Approximate Stone Size: 4 x 3 mm
Metal: 925 Sterling Silver
Back Finding: Push Back
Style: Stud
Jewelry Type: Earrings
Care & Guidelines to keep your jewelry intact & glistening
Jewelry is designed to last for many years to come but all precious jewelry will naturally tarnish and look dull if proper care have not been taken. Always protect your jewellery from knocks, scratches, chemicals, sunlight and heat/cold to minimize these effects.
• Remove jewelry when showering or bathing. This is particularly important when on the beach, in the sea and in chlorinated water.
• Avoid wearing jewelry when doing physical work such as housekeeping, gardening or exercise.
• Never expose jewelry to household cleaning products, especially bleach and highly reactive solutions.
• Avoid spraying perfume, hairspray on the gemstones or pearls as it jeopardises the integrity of the material.
• Remove jewellery when applying make-up, creams to avoid the residue getting into the texture or gemstone setting.Any residue dulls the shine of your ring.
• Keep away from extreme temperatures and humidity.


text:
China sends warplanes into air defense zone
BEIJING - The Associated Press
This file photo shows a Jian-10 fighter jet of China Air Force. REUTERS PhotoChina said it sent warplanes into its newly declared maritime air defense zone days after the U.S., South Korea and Japan all sent flights through the airspace in defiance of rules Beijing says it has imposed in the East China Sea.
China's air force on Thursday sent several fighter jets and an early warning aircraft on normal air patrols in the zone, the Xinhua agency reported, citing air force spokesman Shen Jinke.
The report did not specify exactly when the flights were sent or whether they had encountered foreign aircraft. The United States, Japan and South Korea have said they have sent flights through the zone without encountering any Chinese response since Beijing announced the creation of the zone last week.
Shen described Thursday's flights as "a defensive measure and in line with international common practices." He said China's air force would remain on high alert and will take measures to protect the country's airspace.
While China's surprise announcement last week to create the zone initially raised some tensions in the region, analysts say Beijing's motive is not to trigger an aerial confrontation but is a more long-term strategy to solidify claims to disputed territory by simply marking the area as its own.
China's lack of efforts to stop the foreign flights - including two U.S. B-52s that flew through the zone on Tuesday - has been an embarrassment for Beijing. Even some Chinese state media outlets suggested Thursday that Beijing may have mishandled the episodes.
"Beijing needs to reform its information release mechanism to win the psychological battles waged by Washington and Tokyo," the Global Times, a nationalist tabloid published by the Communist Party's flagship People's Daily, said in an editorial.
Without prior notice, Beijing began demanding Saturday that passing aircraft identify themselves and accept Chinese instructions or face consequences in an East China Sea zone that overlaps a similar air defense identification zone overseen by Japan since 1969 and initially part of one set up by the U.S. military.
But when tested just days later by U.S. B-52 flights - with Washington saying it made no effort to comply with China's rules, and would not do so in the future - Beijing merely noted, belatedly, that it had seen the flights and taken no further action.
South Korea's military said Thursday its planes flew through the zone this week without informing China and with no apparent interference. Japan also said its planes have been continuing to fly through it after the Chinese announcement, while the Philippines, locked in an increasingly bitter dispute with Beijing over South China Sea islands, said it also was rejecting China's declaration.
Analysts question China's technical ability to enforce the zone due to a shortage of early warning radar aircraft and in-flight refueling capability. However, many believe that China has a long-term plan to win recognition for the zone with a gradual ratcheting-up of warnings and possibly also eventual enforcement action.
"With regard to activity within the zone, nothing will happen - for a while," said June Teufel Dreyer, a China expert at the University of Miami. "Then the zone will become gradually enforced more strictly. The Japanese will continue to protest, but not much more, to challenge it."
That may wear down Japan and effectively change the status quo, she said.
The zone is seen primarily as China's latest bid to bolster its claim over a string of uninhabited Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea - known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Beijing has been ratcheting up its sovereignty claims since Tokyo's nationalization of the islands last year.
But the most immediate spark for the zone likely was Japan's threat last month to shoot down drones that China says it will send to the islands for mapping expeditions, said Dennis Blasko, an Asia analyst at think tank CNA's China Security Affairs Group and a former Army attache in Beijing.
The zone comes an awkward time. Although Beijing's ties with Tokyo are at rock bottom, it was building good will and mutual trust with Washington following a pair of successful meetings between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, the zone feud now threatens to overshadow both the visit by Vice President Joe Biden to Beijing next week and one by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop expected before the end of the year.
China's defense and foreign ministries offered no additional clarification Thursday as to why Beijing failed to respond to the U.S. Air Force flights. Alliance partners the U.S. and Japan together have hundreds of military aircraft in the immediate vicinity.
China on Saturday issued a list of requirements for all foreign aircraft passing through the area, regardless of whether they were headed into Chinese airspace, and said its armed forces would adopt "defensive emergency measures" against aircraft that don't comply.
Beijing said the notifications are needed to help maintain air safety in the zone. However, the fact that China said it had identified and monitored the two U.S. bombers during their Tuesday flight seems to discredit that justification for the zone, said Rory Medcalf, director of the international security program at Australia's Lowy Institute
"This suggests the zone is principally a political move," Medcalf said. "It signals a kind of creeping extension of authority."
Along with concerns about confrontations or accidents involving Chinese fighters and foreign aircraft, the zone's establishment fuels fears of further aggressive moves to assert China's territorial claims - especially in the hotly disputed South China Sea, which Beijing says belongs entirely to it.
Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun confirmed those concerns on Saturday by saying China would establish additional air defense identification zones "at an appropriate time."
For now, however, China's regional strategy is focused mostly on Japan and the island dispute, according to government-backed Chinese scholars.
China will continue piling the pressure on Tokyo until it reverses the decision to nationalize the islands, concedes they are in dispute, and opens up negotiations with Beijing, said Shen Dingli, a regional security expert and director of the Center for American Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University.
"China has no choice but to take counter measures," Shen said. "If Japan continues to reject admitting the disputes, it's most likely that China will take further measures."


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Here's Are BTS's V's Closest Friends He Spends Time With During His Breaks
1. Ha Ji Won
While Ha Ji Won and V may sound like an odd combination, the two were recently spotted enjoying brunch together while mulling over some photos and other works in progress.
Ha Ji Won showed that she was good friends with V when she nominated him and two others to participate in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics & Paralympics Success Relay.
2. Park Seo Joon
Those who've watched Hwarang are already aware of V and Park Seo Joon's close friendship. The two starred in the series, where Park Seo Joon revealed that V looked to him quite often for acting advice.
Park Seo Joon even thanked V for watching his new movie Midnight Runners with him and described him as "such a beautiful kid" in a recent Instagram post.
3. Park Bo Gum
Park Bo Gum and V are already quite well-known in the industry to be best friends. The two first started becoming close after they hosted KBS's Music Bank together.
Since then, they've stayed close and have even taken a trip to Jeju Island together!
4. Jang Moon Bok
Former Produce 101 contestant Jang Moon Bok and V actually attended the same high school but were in different classes. They met for the first time in a school bathroom, where V decided to strike up a conversation with him.
We met for the first time in a bathroom. We were in different classes, but the bathroom was on the floor between us and that's where we met. V suddenly approached me and said, 'I saw you on Superstar K, you did well.' I was taken aback because he came in so suddenly, but after that, we grew close.
— Jang Moon Bok
5. BTOB's Sungjae
Sungjae and V revealed that they also first met in the bathroom. While waiting backstage on the set of Music Bank, Sungjae approached V in the bathroom and asked, "Are you a 95-liner? Want to be friends?"
Since then, V and Sungjae have been good friends, and V also thanked Sungjae for approaching him first as it gave him the confidence to make more friends.
Thanks to him, my confidence grew and I was able to make more friends.
— BTS's V
V and Park Hyung Sik also became friends through Hwarang. Not only is he friends with Park Hyung Sik and Park Seo Joon, but he's also very close to the other stars like SHINee's Minho.
It seems that V's optimistic and friendly personality ultimately helped him become friends with the whole cast!


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In mathematics, an isomorphism (from the Ancient Greek: ἴσος isos "equal", and μορφή morphe "form" or "shape") is a homomorphism or morphism (i.e. a mathematical mapping) that admits an inverse.[note 1] Two mathematical objects are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between them. An automorphism is an isomorphism whose source and target coincide. The interest of isomorphisms lies in the fact that two isomorphic objects cannot be distinguished by using only the properties used to define morphisms; thus isomorphic objects may be considered the same as long as one considers only these properties and their consequences.
For most algebraic structures, including groups and rings, a homomorphism is an isomorphism if and only if it is bijective.
In topology, where the morphisms are continuous functions, isomorphisms are also called homeomorphisms or bicontinuous functions. In mathematical analysis, where the morphisms are differentiable functions, isomorphisms are also called diffeomorphisms.
A canonical isomorphism is a canonical map that is an isomorphism. Two objects are said to be canonically isomorphic if there is a canonical isomorphism between them. For example, the canonical map from a finite-dimensional vector space V to its second dual space is a canonical isomorphism; on the other hand, V is isomorphic to its dual space but not canonically in general.
Isomorphisms are formalized using category theory. A morphism f : X → Y in a category is an isomorphism if it admits a two-sided inverse, meaning that there is another morphism g : Y → X in that category such that gf = 1X and fg = 1Y, where 1X and 1Y are the identity morphisms of X and Y, respectively.[1]
Logarithm and exponential
Let be the multiplicative group of positive real numbers, and let be the additive group of real numbers.
The logarithm function satisfies for all , so it is a group homomorphism. The exponential function satisfies for all , so it too is a homomorphism.
The identities and show that and are inverses of each other. Since is a homomorphism that has an inverse that is also a homomorphism, is an isomorphism of groups.
Because is an isomorphism, it translates multiplication of positive real numbers into addition of real numbers. This facility makes it possible to multiply real numbers using a ruler and a table of logarithms, or using a slide rule with a logarithmic scale.
Integers modulo 6
Consider the group , the integers from 0 to 5 with addition modulo 6. Also consider the group , the ordered pairs where the x coordinates can be 0 or 1, and the y coordinates can be 0, 1, or 2, where addition in the x-coordinate is modulo 2 and addition in the y-coordinate is modulo 3.
These structures are isomorphic under addition, if you identify them using the following scheme:
- (0,0) ↦ 0
- (1,1) ↦ 1
- (0,2) ↦ 2
- (1,0) ↦ 3
- (0,1) ↦ 4
- (1,2) ↦ 5
or in general (a,b) ↦ (3a + 4b) mod 6.
For example, (1,1) + (1,0) = (0,1), which translates in the other system as 1 + 3 = 4.
Even though these two groups "look" different in that the sets contain different elements, they are indeed isomorphic: their structures are exactly the same. More generally, the direct product of two cyclic groups and is isomorphic to if and only if m and n are coprime.
Relation-preserving isomorphism
If one object consists of a set X with a binary relation R and the other object consists of a set Y with a binary relation S then an isomorphism from X to Y is a bijective function ƒ: X → Y such that:[2]
S is reflexive, irreflexive, symmetric, antisymmetric, asymmetric, transitive, total, trichotomous, a partial order, total order, strict weak order, total preorder (weak order), an equivalence relation, or a relation with any other special properties, if and only if R is.
For example, R is an ordering ≤ and S an ordering , then an isomorphism from X to Y is a bijective function ƒ: X → Y such that
Such an isomorphism is called an order isomorphism or (less commonly) an isotone isomorphism.
If X = Y, then this is a relation-preserving automorphism.
Isomorphism vs. bijective morphism
In a concrete category (that is, roughly speaking, a category whose objects are sets and morphisms are mappings between sets), such as the category of topological spaces or categories of algebraic objects like groups, rings, and modules, an isomorphism must be bijective on the underlying sets. In algebraic categories (specifically, categories of varieties in the sense of universal algebra), an isomorphism is the same as a homomorphism which is bijective on underlying sets. However, there are concrete categories in which bijective morphisms are not necessarily isomorphisms (such as the category of topological spaces), and there are categories in which each object admits an underlying set but in which isomorphisms need not be bijective (such as the homotopy category of CW-complexes).
In abstract algebra, two basic isomorphisms are defined:
- Group isomorphism, an isomorphism between groups
- Ring isomorphism, an isomorphism between rings. (Note that isomorphisms between fields are actually ring isomorphisms)
Just as the automorphisms of an algebraic structure form a group, the isomorphisms between two algebras sharing a common structure form a heap. Letting a particular isomorphism identify the two structures turns this heap into a group.
In mathematical analysis, the Laplace transform is an isomorphism mapping hard differential equations into easier algebraic equations.
In category theory, let the category C consist of two classes, one of objects and the other of morphisms. Then a general definition of isomorphism that covers the previous and many other cases is: an isomorphism is a morphism ƒ: a → b that has an inverse, i.e. there exists a morphism g: b → a with ƒg = 1b and gƒ = 1a. For example, a bijective linear map is an isomorphism between vector spaces, and a bijective continuous function whose inverse is also continuous is an isomorphism between topological spaces, called a homeomorphism.
In graph theory, an isomorphism between two graphs G and H is a bijective map f from the vertices of G to the vertices of H that preserves the "edge structure" in the sense that there is an edge from vertex u to vertex v in G if and only if there is an edge from ƒ(u) to ƒ(v) in H. See graph isomorphism.
In mathematical analysis, an isomorphism between two Hilbert spaces is a bijection preserving addition, scalar multiplication, and inner product.
In early theories of logical atomism, the formal relationship between facts and true propositions was theorized by Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein to be isomorphic. An example of this line of thinking can be found in Russell's Introduction to Mathematical Philosophy.
In cybernetics, the Good Regulator or Conant-Ashby theorem is stated "Every Good Regulator of a system must be a model of that system". Whether regulated or self-regulating an isomorphism is required between regulator part and the processing part of the system.
Relation with equality
In certain areas of mathematics, notably category theory, it is valuable to distinguish between equality on the one hand and isomorphism on the other.[3] Equality is when two objects are exactly the same, and everything that's true about one object is true about the other, while an isomorphism implies everything that's true about a designated part of one object's structure is true about the other's. For example, the sets
- and
are equal; they are merely different presentations—the first an intensional one (in set builder notation), and the second extensional (by explicit enumeration)—of the same subset of the integers. By contrast, the sets {A,B,C} and {1,2,3} are not equal—the first has elements that are letters, while the second has elements that are numbers. These are isomorphic as sets, since finite sets are determined up to isomorphism by their cardinality (number of elements) and these both have three elements, but there are many choices of isomorphism—one isomorphism is
- while another is
and no one isomorphism is intrinsically better than any other.[note 2][note 3] On this view and in this sense, these two sets are not equal because one cannot consider them identical: one can choose an isomorphism between them, but that is a weaker claim than identity—and valid only in the context of the chosen isomorphism.
Sometimes the isomorphisms can seem obvious and compelling, but are still not equalities. As a simple example, the genealogical relationships among Joe, John, and Bobby Kennedy are, in a real sense, the same as those among the American football quarterbacks in the Manning family: Archie, Peyton, and Eli. The father-son pairings and the elder-brother-younger-brother pairings correspond perfectly. That similarity between the two family structures illustrates the origin of the word isomorphism (Greek iso-, "same," and -morph, "form" or "shape"). But because the Kennedys are not the same people as the Mannings, the two genealogical structures are merely isomorphic and not equal.
Another example is more formal and more directly illustrates the motivation for distinguishing equality from isomorphism: the distinction between a finite-dimensional vector space V and its dual space V* = { φ: V → K} of linear maps from V to its field of scalars K. These spaces have the same dimension, and thus are isomorphic as abstract vector spaces (since algebraically, vector spaces are classified by dimension, just as sets are classified by cardinality), but there is no "natural" choice of isomorphism . If one chooses a basis for V, then this yields an isomorphism: For all u. v ∈ V,
- .
This corresponds to transforming a column vector (element of V) to a row vector (element of V*) by transpose, but a different choice of basis gives a different isomorphism: the isomorphism "depends on the choice of basis". More subtly, there is a map from a vector space V to its double dual V** = { x: V* → K} that does not depend on the choice of basis: For all v ∈ V and φ ∈ V*,
- .
This leads to a third notion, that of a natural isomorphism: while V and V** are different sets, there is a "natural" choice of isomorphism between them. This intuitive notion of "an isomorphism that does not depend on an arbitrary choice" is formalized in the notion of a natural transformation; briefly, that one may consistently identify, or more generally map from, a vector space to its double dual, , for any vector space in a consistent way. Formalizing this intuition is a motivation for the development of category theory.
However, there is a case where the distinction between natural isomorphism and equality is usually not made. That is for the objects that may be characterized by a universal property. In fact, there is a unique isomorphism, necessarily natural, between two objects sharing the same universal property. A typical example is the set of real numbers, which may be defined through infinite decimal expansion, infinite binary expansion, Cauchy sequences, Dedekind cuts and many other ways. Formally these constructions define different objects, which all are solutions of the same universal property. As these objects have exactly the same properties, one may forget the method of construction and considering them as equal. This is what everybody does when talking of "the set of the real numbers". The same occurs with quotient spaces: they are commonly constructed as sets of equivalence classes. However, talking of set of sets may be counterintuitive, and quotient spaces are commonly considered as a pair of a set of undetermined objects, often called "points", and a surjective map onto this set.
If one wishes to draw a distinction between an arbitrary isomorphism (one that depends on a choice) and a natural isomorphism (one that can be done consistently), one may write ≈ for an unnatural isomorphism and ≅ for a natural isomorphism, as in V ≈ V* and V ≅ V**. This convention is not universally followed, and authors who wish to distinguish between unnatural isomorphisms and natural isomorphisms will generally explicitly state the distinction.
Generally, saying that two objects are equal is reserved for when there is a notion of a larger (ambient) space that these objects live in. Most often, one speaks of equality of two subsets of a given set (as in the integer set example above), but not of two objects abstractly presented. For example, the 2-dimensional unit sphere in 3-dimensional space
- and the Riemann sphere
which can be presented as the one-point compactification of the complex plane C ∪ {∞} or as the complex projective line (a quotient space)
are three different descriptions for a mathematical object, all of which are isomorphic, but not equal because they are not all subsets of a single space: the first is a subset of R3, the second is C ≅ R2[note 4] plus an additional point, and the third is a subquotient of C2
In the context of category theory, objects are usually at most isomorphic—indeed, a motivation for the development of category theory was showing that different constructions in homology theory yielded equivalent (isomorphic) groups. Given maps between two objects X and Y, however, one asks if they are equal or not (they are both elements of the set Hom(X, Y), hence equality is the proper relationship), particularly in commutative diagrams.
See also
- ↑ For clarity, by inverse is meant inverse homomorphism or inverse morphism respectively, not inverse function.
- ↑ The careful reader may note that A, B, C have a conventional order, namely alphabetical order, and similarly 1, 2, 3 have the order from the integers, and thus one particular isomorphism is "natural", namely
- .
- ↑ In fact, there are precisely different isomorphisms between two sets with three elements. This is equal to the number of automorphisms of a given three-element set (which in turn is equal to the order of the symmetric group on three letters), and more generally one has that the set of isomorphisms between two objects, denoted is a torsor for the automorphism group of A, and also a torsor for the automorphism group of B. In fact, automorphisms of an object are a key reason to be concerned with the distinction between isomorphism and equality, as demonstrated in the effect of change of basis on the identification of a vector space with its dual or with its double dual, as elaborated in the sequel.
- ↑ Being precise, the identification of the complex numbers with the real plane,
- ↑ Awodey, Steve (2006). "Isomorphisms". Category theory. Oxford University Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780198568612.
- ↑ Vinberg, Ėrnest Borisovich (2003). A Course in Algebra. American Mathematical Society. p. 3. ISBN 9780821834138.
- ↑ Mazur 2007
Further reading
- Mazur, Barry (12 June 2007), When is one thing equal to some other thing? (PDF)
External links
|Look up isomorphism in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Hazewinkel, Michiel, ed. (2001), "Isomorphism", Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Springer, ISBN 978-1-55608-010-4
- "Isomorphism". PlanetMath.
- Weisstein, Eric W. "Isomorphism". MathWorld.


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Unlike the first Fort Hood mass shooting, yesterday's tragic incident has no apparent connection with terrorism, but instead seems to be a case of mental illness. Spec. Ivan Lopez had been under evaluation for "behavioral health and mental health issues," perhaps related to his four-month tour of duty in Iraq three years ago:
Unfortunately, the intervention did not come in time to prevent his attack on fellow soldiers, which stopped when an MP confronted him:
An Iraq war veteran who was grappling with mental health issues opened fire at Fort Hood, Tex., in an attack that left four people dead and 16 wounded Wednesday afternoon, according to preliminary law enforcement and military reports. The gunfire sent tremors of fear across a sprawling Army post still reeling from one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.
Many basic details about the shooting remained unclear in the chaotic hours after the first calls for help around 4 p.m., but senior U.S. law enforcement officials said the incident did not appear to be linked to any foreign terrorist organizations. The shooter was among those who died, the officials said. …
Milley said the shooter "had behavioral health and mental health issues." He said the soldier, who self-reported a traumatic brain injury and was taking anti-depressants, had been under examination to determine whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder. "We are digging deep into his background," Milley said.
Milley said the soldier opened fire with a .45-caliber Smith & Wesson semiautomatic pistol that was purchased recently but was not authorized to be brought on the post. He was eventually confronted by a female military police officer. He put his hands up but then pulled out a gun from under his jacket. "She engaged," Milley said, and then the soldier put the gun to his head and shot himself.
Why didn't the Army identify Spec. Lopez as a threat? The Pentagon is already asking itself that question, the Washington Post reports:
It unfolded just two weeks after the Defense Department unveiled the findings of three investigations into last year's fatal shooting at a Navy Yard building by a contractor and four years after a similarly extensive probe into a massacre at Fort Hood by an Army psychiatrist led to vows of sweeping reforms.
Although there was little information late Wednesday about the possible motives of the gunman or the circumstances that preceded the shooting, former and current service members were shocked to learn that the Army post where Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan fatally shot 13 fellow service members in Nov. 2009 had once again become the scene of carnage.
"We do not yet know how or why this tragedy occurred, but nearly five years after the Nidal Hasan shooting at Fort Hood in 2009, it is clear that we must do far more to ensure that our troops are safe when they are at home on base," Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.), a former Army lawyer who was based at Fort Hood, said in a statement. "We must thoroughly investigate what happened today, so that we can take whatever action is necessary to prevent something like this from ever occurring again."
Four years ago, the DoD pledged to "develop a scientifically based list of behavioral indicators of potential violence," based on what it had learned from the Nidal Hasan attack. However, as last year's Naval Yard shooting and yesterday's incident demonstrates, they have yet to develop a predictive model. Perhaps that's because all three were perpetrated by very different kinds of attackers, with what seems to be different pathologies. While these predictive models may hold some value, it seems unlikely that it would achieve significant protection without becoming a kind of "pre-crime" unit, accusing people who will never act out violently at all and ruining lives in a different way.
If Lopez suffered from PTSD from his service in Iraq, though, the answer might be the fact that it took this long to identify it, let alone treat it. At least according to the Post's report, he left Iraq in 2011, meaning that the Army had more than two years to detect and treat the issue. That might be one place to start in looking to prevent these kinds of incidents in the future, although it has to be stressed that even though they are tragic and shocking, they are also exceedingly rare — which is another reason they are difficult to prevent.
The local CBS affiliate updated viewers on the sixteen wounded in the shooting, three of whom are in critical condition:
For those who want to assist but live outside the area, a donation to the local Red Cross might be one option.
Update: The Army refutes the claim that Lopez was being treated for PTSD, or that he was a combat veteran at all. He was being evaluated for PTSD unrelated to combat, but was being treated for depression, and prescribed Ambien while the Army evaluated his claim that he suffered a traumatic brain injury while in Iraq:
Army secretary: Fort Hood suspect treated for depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances; was prescribed Ambien. http://t.co/JDz2pTAo2v
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 3, 2014
But behind Lopez's smile lay a history of depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders, according to Milley, and he was receiving treatment and taking antidepressants.
He had served for four months in Iraq in 2011. And while Army records don't show him as having been wounded there, Lopez himself reported that he had suffered a traumatic brain injury, Milley said.
And he was undergoing diagnosis procedures for post-traumatic stress disorder.
"He was not diagnosed, as of today, with PTSD," Milley said.


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The 64-year-old Rockefeller's death was confirmed to the Portland Press Herald in Maine by family friend Fraser Seitel.
Seitel told the Portland (Maine) Herald Press that Rockefeller traveled to Westchester on Thursday for a family gathering.
"He had dinner last night with his father, David Rockefeller, who was celebrating his 99th birthday," Seitel said. "The family is in shock. This was a terrible tragedy. Richard was a wonderful cherished son and brother, father, husband and grandfather.He was an experienced pilot and a respected medical doctor, who most recently was working on treating PTSD in veterans. And it's just horribly sad."
According the airport's air operations office, Rockefeller's Piper Meridian turbo prop plane crashed at 8:08 a.m. just after taking off for a scheduled one hour and 14 minute flight to Portland, Maine. The plane fell on to Cottage Avenue in Purchase minutes later.
Rockefeller, the fifth of six children of David Rockefeller of Pocantico Hills. David Rockefeller, 99, is the only surviving son of world-renowned financier and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and grandson of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. the founder of Standard Oil.
Richard Gilder Rockefeller was a physician and philanthropist; chairman of the United States advisory board of the international aid group.
Rockefeller practiced and taught medicine in Portland, Maine from 1982 until 2000, and has remained involved in a variety of health-related nonprofit activities since then.
Rockefeller chaired the board of Maine Coast Heritage trust from 2000 until 2006 and is past president of Rockefeller Family Fund. He has two grown children and lives in Falmouth, Maine.
He founded and served as president of Health Commons Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving American medicine through the use of computer-based information tools and informed shared decision making between patients and physicians. He chaired the U.S. Advisory Board of Doctors Without Borders from 1989 until 2010, and served on the board of Rockefeller University until 2006.
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A traffic shift on Poplar Road at the Interstate 85 bridge that was scheduled to take place today had actually already occurred by 5 p.m. Thursday. Both lanes were shifted to the north, to make room for crews to do work in preparation for construction of a new bridge. Westbound traffic was shifted to what was the shoulder of the lane. Because Poplar will become a four-lane at the interstate, with the new interchange, a new bridge will be build. Half of the new bridge will be built, and traffic will be moved onto the new bridge, said Tod Handley, Coweta's director of Transportation and Engineering. Then the old bridge will be demolished and the new bridge will be widened.
Ginger Jackson-Queener, left, and Walter Jones, right, present Fill the Stocking checks to Alison Wallace, second from left, and Heather Creech. The funds went to Bridging the Gap, the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots.
Dr. Blanche Wallace, mentorship program chair, welcomes everyone to the Stepping into Success kick-off event Tuesday.
Left to right are Samantha Brazie, Tiffany Bello, Gwen Garrison, Dr. Blanche Wallace, Cynthia Bennett and Jenny Paul. These women serve on the mentor program planning committee and some serve as mentors as well.
Mentors stand and "step," into success during an ice breaker at the Stepping into Success Mentorship Program inaugural event on Tuesday at the Newnan Country Club.
Judy Cunningham (left) and Mike Cunningham (right) hold a sketch of a teaching pavilion they are raising money to complete by the summer at their farm on Highway 154 in Newnan.
Cabbages are starting to sprout at the Cunningham's Country Gardens Farm in Newnan.
Theresa Mulvenna, left, and Christine Kendall of the Coweta Recovery Community Organization met with State Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, during Addiction Recovery Awareness Day at the Georgia State Capitol. They were the first constituents to visit Brass, who took office Monday.
Christine Kendall shows one of the overdose rescue kits given out by Georgia Overdose Prevention at Addiction Recovery Awareness Day at the state capitol.
Members of the Coweta Recovery Community Organization attended Thursday's Addiction Recovery Awareness Day at the state capitol. Left to right are: Christine Kendall, Theresa Mulvenna, Hank Arnold and Shelly Muller.


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Hehmsoth named MacDowell Colony Norton Stevens Fellow for 2012
Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
June 7, 2012
Hank Hehmsoth
Hank Hehmsoth, a faculty member in the School of Music at Texas State University-San Marcos, has been selected as the MacDowell Colony Norton Stevens Fellow for 2012.
Hehmsoth was selected for this honor based on the spirit of his work and importance to the world community of artists.
In 1975, in honor of Colony fellow Aaron Copland, the Norlin Foundation established an endowment to provide the fellowship for composers. The MacDowell Colony Norton Stevens Fellowship is one of the highest awards given in the United States to artists. The MacDowell Colony is the nation's leading artist colony. The Colony nurtures the arts by offering creative individuals of the highest talent an inspiring environment in which they can produce enduring works of the imagination. Hehmsoth was awarded a MacDowell Fellowship in 2011.
In May Hehmsoth was U.S. ambassador of good will and representative of the Texas State School of Music during an international lecture/performance tour in Chile. He conducted a lecture/clinic at the Instituto Profesional Projazz in Santiago, and was guest artist with the jazz ensemble, performing in Santiago and Valparaíso.
Audiences heard the first public performance of Freedom STOMP April at the Mysterium for New Music in Evans Auditorium. Hehmsoth's Freedom STOMP composition was written specifically for the Common Experience theme for 2011-2012: "Freedoms: The First Amendment," and is his personal artistic expression of the basic freedom of speech.
Hehmsoth is a National Endowment for the Arts fellow in jazz composition, placed first in the 2010 National Association of Composers, USA, Texas Composition Competition, and was runner-up for the 2011 Texas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarly/Creative Activities.


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Food, glorious food
- Zucchini Soup
- Orange Carrot Rucola Salad
- Lemon Sorbet with Champagne
- Chicken breast with pistachio sauce, filled Tomato and grilled Potato disks
- Home made Panna Cotta with forest fruit sauce and chocolate sticks
16 comments
Wow Simone! Congrats! The second and the last pics look so yummy!!ReplyDelete
Thanks for your suggestions, I'll try to prepare something like this (even if I know that it will be a big mess...)
Looks delicious! Did you make the sorbet yourself as well? I haven't dared to buy ice-cream machine; I fear that I wouldn't eat anything but sorbet if I did. :P Pistachio sause sounds lovely, too bad that it's hard to find reasonably priced unsalted pistachios in Finland. What did you fill the tomatoes with?ReplyDelete
Yummie! Very beautiful and delicious sure! Congratz Simone!ReplyDelete
wow! is great! I love you so much Simone! You are the best singer from me... you are perfect woman! Kisses from Uruguay! :)ReplyDelete
Do not give importance to people who do not know you and says many things that are lies ... :) ♥ReplyDelete
Nice. I had to google what Rucola is. We call it Rocket Salad over here. I like the nice touch of the mint leaf on the Lemon Sorbet, interesting infusing it with Champagne, bet it tastes unique. I want to try some pistachio sauce I love pistachio nuts so much & pistachio flavoured ice cream is amazing.Looks like Parmesan cheese in the tomato. Are those Mikado chocolate sticks used in the dessert? We didn't celebrate the festive period because my Mum died at xmas, not really in the mood for celebration.ReplyDelete
I hope you are doing well Simone. Thank you for sharing this I do appreciate it. A lot of hours in the gym to burn off all the calories from the from five delicious courses lol.Replies
I'm sorry about your loss Shaun. That is awful! Be strong!Delete
Thank you Simone. My Mum was happy to meet you in Glasgow.I got her a vip ticket as her B'day present, she was also a fan. I'm sorry I sent you a email when I was drunk,sorry about that.I'm assuming that address is for fan art & stuff,not my drunken ramblings.Delete
Speaking of the dishes, you inspired me to cook similar dishes. I made a cuecumber soup, it did not turn out well. Thought it would be similar to Zucchini soup.Althoug it was my fault it turned out to thin. Months ago I also was inspired by your chicken zucchini & rice video. I made an insanely spicy version of it with quorn rather than chicken(not a veggie,I just love quorn)made it several times actually.I really need to try pistachio sauce it looks amazing. I make lots of egg dishes since I have about 40 chickens as pets. I think you would like my famous haggis or black pudding ommlette. (not sure about the spelling sorry)
Thank you for your reply.It's simple but it does mean a lot to me.Hope you are doing fine.
Hi, Simone!)) I thought you had gone to restaurant with your family before I read the text. Because it looks like high-grade restaurant food. Really impressive!) It will be super if you post recipes.ReplyDelete
These look absolutely delicious. I'm glad the meal was a success! Happy New Year.ReplyDelete
Omg, that food looks so profesional! Your are excellent as well cooking! :)ReplyDelete
Looks so yummy :) You are a great cook! Singer, musician, photographer, cook, makeup artist, beautiful... what else? You are perfecto, Simone!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous9.1.13
It looks very tasteful, i'm waiting for the courses!!ReplyDelete
Greetings from Medellín, Colombia


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EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day to Drive Real-World News into FIFA Soccer 13
EA SPORTS™ has developed a new feature for FIFA Soccer 13 called EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day that will drive the deepest and most meaningful connection yet between a videogame and the real world of sport ever achieved. FIFA Soccer 13 and the real-world soccer season will be completely connected for the world's top leagues. EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day will drive real-world news ripped from the headlines around the world into FIFA Soccer 13. Real-world drama such as injuries, suspensions, team form, and media gossip will be reflected through in-game commentary and play out in-game.
This is a huge technological innovation that will make every match feel like a seamless extension of the headlines ripped from the sports pages around the world," said David Rutter, Executive Producer of FIFA Soccer 13. "There is nothing bigger in the world of sports than match day. It brings together the emotions, passion and drama of the world's sport for players, pundits, managers and fans alike. We are going to capture that experience and bring it to life in-game."
Through EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day, fans will be following the heartbeat of soccer and their favourite club. Real-world fixtures and upcoming clashes of their favourite club in the top leagues will enable them to play right along with the beats of the season. Player form—displayed in detail within the team management screens—will change frequently, so players in form, or players struggling to keep form, will see their stats change throughout the season based on their real-world performances. Plus, Games of the Week will highlight the top global matchups for fans to enjoy.
EA SPORTS Football Club Match Day will be available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system, and PC, and will be included in a FIFA Soccer 13 demo for all three platforms that will launch around the world on September 11.
EA SPORTS also revealed today that it has expanded its most popular and addictive online* mode, now called Seasons, to include 2v2 guest ranked online play where friends can battle together in ten game seasons to win promotion in league divisions. Division Titles have been added to every division, and a new Trophy Cabinet enables champions to showcase their silverware. Players can perfect their line-up and tactics across multiple Seasons matches, save the squads, and use them for every match. Plus, new match-making options enable fans to fine tune their Seasons experience.
The popular Seasons format has also been developed for FIFA Ultimate Team, bringing ranked online play with seasons, promotions, and relegation to the mode for the first time. In FIFA Ultimate Team fans can earn, buy, trade and bid for coveted players to build a team of the world's best soccer stars. Fans can create and manage multiple squads and take them into competition in online and single-player tournaments. It's now easier than ever to play Ultimate Team with a re-designed navigation system and the Icebreaker Flow, enabling inexperienced players to choose a team captain, such as Messi, Karim Benzema, Jakub B?aszczykowski or Claudio Marchisio, to begin a guided Ultimate Team journey.
Winner of the prestigious E3 Game Critics award for "Best Sports Game", FIFA Soccer 13 captures the unpredictability of the real-world sport, ensuring no two matches are ever the same. The game features breakthrough gameplay innovations such as FIFA 13 First Touch Control and the Player Impact Engine that create a true battle for possession across the entire pitch, and features like Complete Dribbling and Attacking Intelligence that deliver freedom and creativity in attack. FIFA 13 is Football's Social Network, where fans connect, compete and share with millions of others around the world.
FIFA Soccer 13 will be available in stores on September 25 in North America and September 28 in the rest of the world for the PlayStation®3 PlayStation Move support, Xbox 360® with Kinect™, PlayStation®Vita, Nintendo Wii™, PC, PlayStation®2, Nintendo 3DS™, and PSP® – and later this year on Nintendo WiiU™. The game will also be available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and later this year on Android. The game has not yet been rated.


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Print PDF of recipe here.
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Antipasto Salad:
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup smoked turkey, cut into strips (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 tablespoons green olives, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve.


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Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank
"New York Times bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank is back home in the Carolina lowcountry, spinning a tale that brims with the warmth, charm, heart, and humor that has become her trademark. Porch Lights is a stirring, emotionally rich multigenerational story—a poignant tale of life, love, and transformation—as a nurse, returning to Sullivans Island from the Afghanistan War, finds her life has been irrevocably altered by tragedy…and now must rediscover love and purpose with the help of her son and aging mother.
An evocative visit to enchanting Sullivans Island with its unique pluff mud beaches, palmetto trees, and colorful local lore—a novel filled with unforgettable characters, and enlivened by tales of the notorious Blackbeard and his bloodthirsty pirate crew and eerie Edgar Allan Poe stories—Porch Lights stands tall among the very best works of not only Dottie Frank, but Anne Rivers Siddons, Rebecca Wells, Pat Conroy, and other masters of the modern Southern novel as well."
Hardcover in dust jacket, light wear from use, previous owner initials inside front cover, binding tight, pages bright, a very nice copy!


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Juice Box globalization was one of three wine market scenarios that I proposed in a talk I gave in January 2013 at the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento (you can read a brief summary of my remarks here). I was inspired by the Minute Maid apple juice box pictured in the slide above.
You think of Minute Maid as an American brand and goodness knows that we grow lots of apples here, but in fact it has become a globally sourced product. The generic apple juice in that box could come from the U.S. or Argentina, Austria, Chile, China, Germany or Turkey (or any combination of them, I suppose). The brand is the thing here — country of origin is almost literally a footnote and apple variety is a complete non-issue.
Is juice box wine possible — wine pretty much stripped of variety and place of origin? Many heads nodded yes in the audience as I asked the question. Just a matter of time as global sourcing of wine becomes a key supply side factor and strong brand identity continues to grow in importance on the demand side. Juice box wine isn't the only direction wine is headed, I suggested, but it is one possibility.
Barefoot Makes an Impression
And now it is here (although perhaps not for the first time). Gallo's Barefoot brand has introduced a new red blend wine, Barefoot Impression, made from grapes grown on four continents, according to a recent report in the Modesto Bee.
Impression Red Blend is the 22nd product from Barefoot, which Gallo has built into the nation's top-selling brand. The blend includes grenache from Spain, shiraz from Australia, malbec from Argentina and tempranillo from California.
Impression joins 14 still wines and seven sparkling wines, all made from California grapes, in the Barefoot portfolio. Barefoot winemaker Jennifer Wall describes the new wine as "a smooth red blend with dark fruit flavors, framed by notes of sweet vanilla and spice." It has a suggested retail price of $6.99.


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Click for full product description
Product Description
Quick Hits
The Black Iron Strength® - Lat Pulldown Cable Attachment is the highest quality cable attachment available on the market.
Premium IGUS® Bearings allow for superior rotation (most attachments on the market have no rotation)
Handles are solid steel with chrome finish
Handle diameter - 1 1/2 inches
Independent rotating handles to ensure symmetrical training
Precision comfort knurling for a positive grip
Also available with CuLEAN® Antimicrobial Copper Gripping Surface
Quality Manufactured in the USA
Additional Details
Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments have become a popular choice for the gym user looking to enhance the use of their cable units because Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments are the highest quality available in the worldwide market.
There are distinct features, which make Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments stand out from our competition. All of the Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments rotate and most attachments made on the overseas market do not rotate. The rotation is smooth and fluid because IGUS® Bearings are used, which are the highest quality bearings on the market and these are used in all of the Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments. By using Cable Attachments with rotating handles, the user ensures symmetrical training, which obviously enhances the user's results. The rotating handles also reduce the stress on the user's wrist, elbows, and shoulders.
Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments have a knurling pattern, which is the perfect depth for the user. The pattern is not too shallow where the user can lose their grip, which can often happen with sweaty hands. If the knurling pattern is too deep, it can cut into the user's hand leaving blood on the handle. Our engineers have developed the perfect knurling pattern, which has become the industry favorite.
Like all Black Iron Strength® products, Black Iron Strength® Cable Attachments are manufactured in the USA to the tightest standards with the highest quality materials available. The finish on our Cable Attachments is a matte stainless steel, which is highly resistant to rust or corrosion. This is the top finish in the world.
No engraving available for this product.
Custom Racks
Attachment Management System available for this product. Click here to learn more.