text:
5 Things You Shouldn't Miss at the Book FestivalThe historic Decatur GA courthouse
By Ralph Ellis, contributor
Decatur's Book festival returns this weekend, and there's a lot of things to do. You can see the complete schedule for the Decatur Book Festival schedule at the festival website, but here are five events that could be very entertaining.
1) Dog stories. William Wegman is famous for creating photo compositions with his pet Weimaraners in costume, but he's also an author of children's books, including the best seller "Puppies." At the festival he'll launch his latest book, "Flo & Wendell Explore." 1:30 pm Sunday at the Children's Stage. For more information, click here.
2) Two parades. Musician Kebbi Williams will lead the Whistle Blowers parade, starting at 9:30 am Saturday. At 11:30 am Sunday, the Serenbe Playhouse cast of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" will lead the parade, with help from the Center For Puppetry Arts. Both parades start at the Children's Stage. For more information, click here.
3) Andre the Giant. Box Brown is an award-winning cartoonist and a long-time fan of pro wrestling. That's why he's produced a graphic novel about Andre Roussimoff, a massive real-life wrestler who played the lovable giant in the movie "The Princess Bride." 1:15 pm Sunday at the Decatur Library. For more information, click here.
4) A bootstraps story. Talk about inspiring. Louis Sullivan grew up in the Jim Crow South but rose to become the founder of the Morehouse Medical School and the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services under the first President Bush. He'll talk about his autobiography, "Breaking Ground." 10 am Saturday at Decatur First Baptist. For more information, click here.
5) Southern-style crime. If you like mysteries set below the Mason-Dixon Line with female private eyes, this is your ticket. Amanda Kyle Williams, a Decatur resident, just published her third mystery set in Atlanta. Margaret Maron has written more than two dozen novels, mostly set in North Carolina. Mary Kay Andrews, who wrote her own mysteries under the name of Kathy Hogan Trocheck, will moderate. 1:15 pm Sunday at Decatur First Baptist. For more information, click here.


text:
Get ready for cooler weather with Bev, a cozy mule finished with a woven trim. Perfect for fall, this style features Danskos patent pending stapled construction, linings with Aegis Microbe Shield for odor control, Nubuck uppers treated with 3M Scotchgard protector for stain resistance, and a lightweight patent pending EVA outsole for long-lasting wear.
- Leather uppers. Nubuck treated with 3M Scotchgard™ protector for stain resistance
- Leather and textile linings with Aegis® Microbe Shield odor control
- Leather covered dual density EVA footbed with memory foam for cushioning and support
- Patent-pending lightweight EVA outsole for long lasting wear
Not sure of your European Size? Here is Dansko's recommended sizing chart:
|EU Size
|US Size
|4.5 - 5
|5.5 - 6
|6.5 - 7
|7.5 - 8
|8.5 - 9
|9.5 - 10
|10.5 - 11
|11.5 - 12
|12.5 - 13
We understand that buying shoes online can be difficult. We do our best to simplify the process by making sure everything we sell is new and in perfect condition.
In the situation that a shoe does not meet your expectations, we are happy to assist with an exchange or return within the first 30 days of your purchase.
Sale Items
Sale Items are not eligible to receive money back. If you order a Sale item and need to return it, you will receive a Walking Depot Online Gift Card in the amount due. The Gift Card will be issued when we have received and verified the merchandise is in the proper condition.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
Locations & Services
Career Sectors
Quick Links
Advertise With Us
Interested in advertising on greater.jobs?
Find out how to advertise with us.
Want to know more about living in any of the areas on this site? Then search the content of the site using the keyword search below. This search won't bring up any jobs relating to your keywords. To search for a job, please go to the Search and Apply page.
Career Sector
Finance, Audit
Finance and auditing in the public sector is a constantly evolving challenge. One that's about managing limited funds, delivering value for money and doing the right thing – with passion, expertise and skill.


text:
Cabinet of Wonders
Esteemed Jewellers Bentley & Skinner will present the stunning work of art jeweller Maxim V in London through June.
London Jewellers Bentley & Skinner, jewellers by Royal Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, will this month host Maxim Voznesenskiy's stunning new collection of jewellery, named Maxim V's 'Magical Cabinet of Vivid Treasures' inspired by the timeless work of Carl Fabergé. The Russian art jeweller has created a gorgeous collection of sumptuous jewels based on the timeless Fabergé eggs. Maxim is showcasing his new collection in collaboration with Bentley & Skinner owing to the jeweller's 'enchanting atmosphere'.
The jewellers, established in 1880 and specialising in antique and period jewellery, specifically Fabergé , will host the 'Magical Cabinet of Vivid Treasures' at their store from 17th June until 23nd June 2015. They are jewellers by Royal Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and have provided Royal jewels since the reign of Queen Victoria.
Mark Evans, Managing Director of Bentley & Skinner, declared: 'The jewellery of Maxim is not just a creation, but rather the vision of a man seeking beauty in life. Each of his individual jewels is a work of art in its own right.'
Voznesenskiy, in addition to being a highly respected artist and jewellery creator is also as a philosopher, a discerning collector and creator of outstanding art projects. The London based artist and jeweller is a huge admirer of the work of Fabergé, creating his first piece inspired by the eggs over twenty years ago. He created a stunning pearl "egg" pendant which was presented to Queen Letizia of Spain as a wedding gift. In addition to Fabergé, Voznesenskiy is also an admirer of many bastions of Russian art such as Diaghilev, Kandinsky and Malevich.
Voznesenskiy's works are timeless, exquisite individual pieces designed to be passed through the generations. The jewels represent more than something to be worn: they are something to be cherished and remembered.


text:
- XRP has been able to firmly establish its position within the lower-$0.20 region throughout the past several days, even climbing higher today
- In spite of this, analysts are still wary of its mid-term outlook, with one going so far as to say that he anticipates it to decline towards $0.05 in the months ahead
- This comes as reports surface of Ripple's co-founder offloading roughly $400,000 worth of the token every day
XRP's technical weakness throughout 2019 led it to severely underperform the market throughout the first part of 2020. It was, however, fully exposed to the downside seen by Bitcoin and altcoins in mid-March.
This bout of market-wide capitulation sent the token reeling down to lows within the sub-$0.10 region, marking the lowest price levels it had seen since prior to its parabolic rally in 2017.
One analyst who has a track record of predicting XRP's downside price movements is now claiming that its "high time frame correction" has yet to be completed, meaning that it may soon drop to $0.05.
This movement could be perpetuated by the massive amount of daily selling pressure that the now-estranged Ripple cofounder is placing on the token.
XRP Shows Signs of Underlying Weakness as Selling Pressure Mounts
At the time of writing, XRP is trading up just under 2% at its current price of $0.22.
This marks a slight climb from daily lows of $0.21, and a massive rally from its multi-month lows within the sub-$0.10 region.
Although XRP has been able to show tempered signs of strength against its USD trading pair as it stabilizes within the lower-$0.20 region, it has been underperforming Bitcoin in recent times.
Part of the reason why it may be failing to gain the same momentum as the benchmark cryptocurrency is due to Ripple co-founder Jed McCaleb reportedly selling $400,000 worth of the token every day.
The report that initially broke this news explained that an analysis of the wallet to which his token settlement from Ripple was paid to shows that he sold 1.8 million XRP per day in April.
One analyst spoke about this in a recent tweet while referencing a chart showing that massive sell walls the token is facing, sarcastically noting that McCaleb is going to "send XRP to the shadow realm pretty soon."
This Analyst Thinks the Token May Soon Hit $0.05
Another popular analyst who forecasted XRP's previous capitulatory decline recently spoke about the token, is now noting that he believes a high time frame correction will lead it to $0.05.
"XRP: Htf correction doesn't seem completed. Potential bottom: $0.05," he said.
The technical weakness that could spark this decline may be perpetuated by the large selling pressure that is currently being placed on the token.
Featured image from Unplash.


text:
Contact us now!+39 0721 35123
Get an extra 10% discount with reservation made thru our website only!
Why your vacation in Hotel Capitol ? down here you can find good reasons to enjoy us:
– We are old hotelier tradition and we put passion in all we do.
– In our restaurant we offer high quality meals (breakfast and dinner), with fresh seasonal products, mostly from local farmer' markets and producers.
– We take particularly care at the cleanliness of all our environments.
Hotel Capitol Pesaro © 2023 - Web site by RossoZingone


text:
Exquisitely dipped. Handcrafted to perfection. Eye catching. These are all ways to describe the works of art that Traci Moore, a Plano resident of four years, creates. Don't be confused though, this artwork is also edible.
Moore Twisted Berries has been making and selling stand-out chocolate dipped treats since 2014 and it is shimmering with sweet success.
"I began Moore Twisted Berries by pure happenstance in the middle of 2014," Traci explains. "My dear friend Yolanda texted me a few images of decorated chocolate dipped strawberries along with a message attached that said 'You can do better than this!'"
Traci did just that. She went into her kitchen and started to create. The ease with which she was able to dip strawberries in chocolate and hand paint stunning desserts even amazed her.
"Surprised and tickled at the fact that my strawberries did look better than the images Yolanda sent, I posted them [to social media]," and received unanimous praise, Traci recalls. With each dipped creation, she would post images of her unique eats. Orders started to roll in. "Before I even knew it, I had a business," Traci says.
Two years later, Traci is still running a successful culinary business that carries eight varieties of "twisted berries." The selection ranges from bacon coated chocolate dipped berries (which makes Traci go "weak at the knees") to chocolate dipped Oreos, topped with sliced nuts and gold leaf to chocolate dipped grapes.
The fruits Traci dips in chocolate beautifully done and eye-catching. The handcrafted details and adornments added to the berries are mesmerizing––sparkling jewels, gold leaf and ornate decorations. Her berries range from the most basic to the outrageous, all in order to please the customer.
Traci explains that one of the most sought after of Moore Twisted Berries is the custom berry: "Custom berry is a fan favorite because it allows the fans the opportunity to get involved by choosing colors and to personalize the berries." One of the most outrageous and fun requests Traci has had a chance to create was for a group going on a hunting and fishing trip. "I created beautiful deer heads, rifles and fish molds to add to the strawberries."
With such hand crafted treats, it would be expected that Traci comes from the most prestigious of culinary backgrounds. In a way, she actually has.
"Some would say I wasn't formally trained, but I beg to differ…I spent my life with hands-on training from three generations of 'Kitchen Queens.'" From the age of 8, Traci would help prepare Sunday dinner with her great-grandmother Ora and grandmother Pearl. Granny and Ninny laid a culinary foundation in Traci beginning with the "cornbread bowl," a hand-painted Mexican pottery, where they would stir meal, flour, baking powder, eggs and milk.
Traci's mother instilled in her an appreciation for the finer details of food—herbs, spices and all the little things that make food special. "On regular days, she would create an elaborate tablescape with nice linens, cloth napkins, beautiful place settings with serving platters of food for just little old me and my sister, Sibil. The effort she put into cooking and plating food would make anyone want to learn the art of cooking and entertaining."
Traci has mastered her artistic skill in more areas than Moore Twisted Berries. "My career as an award-winning international nail artist unknowingly prepped me for what I am doing today––creating mini masterpieces of art on dipped fruit and sweet treats and loving it!"Place an Order > Moore Twisted Berries on FB> Moore Twisted Berries on IG >


text:
Having a cottage surely is all about sharing the experience—with friends, neighbours, and even the odd passing raccoon, all of whom regularly drop by to enjoy a slice of heavenly life at the lake. And with a liquor store just 15 short minutes away, you can be assured of a warm welcome. Cheers!
To accommodate a steady stream of visitors, the measure of a good cottage is often attributed to the number of bedrooms therein. And, as is often the case, from the number of beds fitted into each sleep zone. Hey, some cottages even dedicate another building to nothing more than sleeping accommodation. Enter the ubiquitous bunkie and its pile-'em-high bunk bed quotient. Yup, some cottages can accommodate an entire hockey team…
Little surprise, then, having decided to add a dormer in our cottage's roof space, the initial response from Randy Blain, our superstar contractor, was that the extra bedroom would indeed be a useful addition. He even joked that a few of his guys would be thrilled to book in as our first guests!
The idea of "guest winging" our new space was actually the last thing on our mind. Yup, plans for our extension were entirely selfish—we aspired to an ensuite shower room to service the dramatic attic bedroom next door. The combination of stone, tile, wood, and glass (not to mention the awesome sightlines and natural light passing through our own private attic) would create a personal eerie of which even Batman would be jealous. With three other bedrooms—and our own four-bed Canada Builds bunkie—we already had plenty of crash space at Grey Gardens…
With the new configuration already in place (from the bedroom reno') and the amazing wall of Rebarn vintage barn doors waiting to slide backwards and forwards in a monolithic woody sweep, we set about the installation, choosing to divide the space into a shower cubicle, a focal point sink and window area, and a walled off toilet, modestly tucked out of the way to tinkle on one's tod.
With the barn doors creating a semi-open concept feel between our new wash zone and bedroom, the idea was to create a stylish intersection where repeated design "mediums" would merge. The transition of flooring is a perfect example—in the bedroom, wide plank oak Kentwood Barbican boards yield to timber effect ceramic tiles from Saltillo—the former is the real woody deal, while the tiled pretender is simply an entirely waterproof "interpretation."
With the squared off metal and timber bed looking directly onto the vanity area, we echoed the bed's industrial strength with a long stone sink and sleek steel vanity by Unikstone. Topped with a Rubinet custom black faucet, the sink positively oozes 'modern cottage', while at the same time providing an amazing place to wash up at the end of the day and the best wake-up vantage point to enjoy the sun bursting through the trees each morning. Yes, our stone sink rocks.
Positioning a sink in front of a window does present certain challenges, but by installing retractable wall mirrors from Ikea paired with bulkhead wall lamps (a steal from the outdoor section in Home Depot) either side, we're assured of a well lit place for shaving and teeth cleaning.
Wrapping the timber effect ceramic around the shower cubicle proffers a modern cottage vibe whilst keeping it all simple with a glass screen increases the feeling of space and allows unrestricted viewing of the custom shower mechanism with matching black drain. Yup, designers like us love to add detail.
With the emphasis on "four seasons," under floor heating by Warmup allows us to pad about barefoot in the winter without the slightest fear of frostbite, while the double-glazed window baffles even the coldest chills. We wintered in Haliburton last year (lol: from October to April) and really reaped the benefits of our very own "Kozy Korner." Kozy Korner being a play on words that references a wickedly good breakfast restaurant in Haliburton.
If you follow our work, you'll know we love to spend on build quality. And you'll know we love to save money by shopping thrift stores and antique barns (for items to upcycle) to create our own style. Here, a trio of ten buck wooden shoe molds was sanded, sprayed black to match the window frames, and then hung in a row as a fun place to hang towels.
So c'mon Canada: why not take a little 'me time' and reward yourself with something you really want? Hmm? A dreamy bathroom or a dressing room for the fashionistas out there: you know you deserve it! And as for the guys? Go on fellas: tell your wives Colin & Justin promised that a new flat screen TV and a subscription to Rogers HD hockey channel are the perfect ways to attract guests to the cottage. And that really is what "cottage life" is all about.
Watch the latest episodes of Colin and Justin's Cabin Pressure below and stay tuned for new episodes, Sunday at 9pm et/pt. Find your channel here.


text:
* These settings are pre-configured in the TO v3.4+v3.5 Fixed Pack.
1. DirectInput and Mouse Smoothing:
In Tactical Ops configuration menu make sure you have Direct Input enabled and Mouse Smoothing disabled.
Allthough some players actually prefer to have Mouse Smoothing enabled.
Enabling DirectInput will activate the ALT+TAB Crosshair / Buyscreen bugs.
For ''optimal'' mouse tracking without DirectInput check this out: http://donewmouseaccel.blogspot.nl/2010/03/markc-windows-7-mouse-acceleration-fix.html
2. Make sure SwapInteral is set to 0 and not -1 or 1 o anything else. (Allready set to 0 in the TO 3.4+3.5 Pack)
At the Main Menu of Tactical Ops go to Tools -> System Console
In the System Console type: Preferences
When you opened the Config Screen, select Rendering -> OpenGL Support -> and scroll down to SwapInterval.
Report Article


text:
She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements. Sh[1]
Tara is a meditation deity whose practice is used by practitioners of Buddhism to develop certain inner qualities and understand outer, inner and secret teachings about compassion and emptiness. Tara may more properly be understood as different aspects of the same quality, as bodhisattvas are often considered metaphors for Buddhist virtues.


text:
Going out on a leash and harness accompanied by your valued purrson can be a fulfilling experience. It allows you to sniff the breezes and inhale the many scents wafting through the air, improve your birdwatching skills, not to mention chase the odd bug. Along with the environmental stimulation this can provide, going out will give you some badly-needed exercise (physical and intellectual) - to keep you in top shape.
But Is Walking on Leash and Harness Right For You?
In spite of all the benefits, not every cat likes to go outside on leash and harness. As with most things, we adapt better when we are kittens than when we are adults. And some, like those of us who cannot stand touch or are very anxious, may find that harness training just doesn't cut it. There is no point in pursuing something that doesn't suit you. But you might just want to give it a try first – before you dig your claws in and refuse to budge.
Of course to do so you will need the cooperation (and longer-term commitment) of your purrson, both to help you adapt and then to accompany you on excursions. The adaptation phase can take up to several months so make sure you choose the more patient human family member and enlist him or her in this process.
The biggest hurdle deals with the harness. Those of you in need of harness selection and adaptation can refer to Harness Facts (April 26/10).
It's likely that your folks will purchase a leash along with the harness. Basically there are two types of interest: one that is a fixed length and one that is flexible. I started with a fixed length lead first until I got more confident in exploring; then I graduated to a flexi-lead (also know as a retractable lead). Each of us is different and each of our folks is different too. The flexi-lead requires more control and vigilance on the part of your purrson (so that the lead doesn't suddenly snap back, for example). So make sure your purrson is well-trained in the fine art of lead management.
Leading Up To Your Walk
When your are comfortable in the harness, your purrson should attach the leash and take you for a walk IN your home. Now most humans think they are walking a dog and so they will attempt to take the lead. Fat chance! The smart human will go where want to go, at your pace. A small but very delicious food treat placed about a foot in front of you will encourage you to walk there and get it.
Once this has been accomplished you are ready to try it outdoors. And by trying it outdoors, I mean going for a walk. Get fastened up - leash and human attached - and have a brief outdoor trip, starting with short periods of time and working to longer periods as you are able to tolerate it. Again your human will have to learn that you are NOT a dog and thus that you will set the pace and the direction for the walk. It may only be a few metres (yards in American), followed by a pause to sniff carefully and purrhaps reassess the situation. But so what? It will also be wise to start this at a quiet time of the day, when distractions (loud traffic, inquiring children, and bossy dogs are not about).
Thanks to the proper training of my humans, I now have leisurely strolls about the property and near neighbourhood, accompanied by my human. This version of going outside does have some advantages. First, I have whoever gets the honour of the moment all to myself. Second, I have the chance to instruct them on matters of importance, like that caragana bush the wild hare brushes past and the corner of my house that is marked by other cats. And third, I have someone to protect me should a growler come along.
And I have taught my humans very valuable lessons. They used to think they could multi-task while walking me. The minute Herself got her nose in her book while out with me, I leapt over the neighbour's fence. Now she focuses on the details around me, watching for cues that I'm about to be up to no good. When I demand a walk she may moan about having to go outside, but once we are there she gives up all thought of the tasks she wanted to accomplish and plunges herself into the moment. I understand humans pay a lot to learn how to de-stress and focus on the present. You'd think she'd give me an extra helping of catnip for teaching her – for free!
Should your humans so require it, I've listed a few more resources to help the process. The first ones are those also mentioned in the entry Harness Facts. But there are several others which show cats in action - walking - and they are also worth a look.
The article, Train Your Cat to Walk on a Leash (article available at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=104 ) is reasonably clear and complete.
Teach Your Cat to Walk on a Leash Tutorial by FBBMyspace. Click on the link Cat Walking Tutorial to see the best video, by far. The purrson stresses the importance of patience and the length of time involved (about 2 to 3 months of training) and the demonstrations are clear and careful. The cat wears a walking jacket, so it's a good demo of how that works, too.
Vega's Walk (Cat on a Walk) by IACBY. Vega's Walk has wonderful footage (or is it paw-age) of Vega the cat getting ready for then going on a walk. Vega ponders when the door is open, sizing up her options. She stops and starts depending on whim. It's real and it's obvious she has a caring purrson. Four paws up!
For those of you of the Oriental purrsuasion (Siamese, Tonkinese, Burmese, Abysinian), My Cat Walks (really, my cat runs or trots) and Kira Walks show another facet of the experience.
So if you are eager for outdoor experience, this is one option to try. I'll write later about cat enclosures and fences because, of course, we cats love choice!


text:
African leaders adopt experts report to end AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030Published on Tuesday, 16 June 2015 21:16
Recommend extension of AU Roadmap on Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity to 2020 Sandton–16 June 2015: African leaders on Sunday during the statutory AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) luncheon meeting adopted the report of AIDS Watch Africa Member States Experts on AIDS, TB and Malaria. The report comes at a critical juncture when the the African Union is reviewing its key health frameworks that will come to an end in 2015.
At the global level countries are finalising negotiations for the Sustainable Development Goals that will supersede the Millenium Development Goals at the same time. "Both the African Union Common Position on the Post 2015 Development Agenda and the 2013 Abuja Declaration prioritise health as central to Africa's development" said the Chairperson of AIDS Watch Africa President Robert Mugabe. "These frameworks recognise the urgency of speeding up action to strengthen our health systems, provide comprehensive and integrated health care services and improve universal access to essential services, with a focus on elimination of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030" he added. The Victoria Falls experts report highlights the key progress and challenges in the implementation of the African Union roadmap to end the three diseses and provide key recommendations for addressing AIDS, TB and malaria. The African Union has already started the process of developing the new framework to end AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030 in line with the 2013 commitment by the African leadership in Abuja, Nigeria.
"While it is indisputable that the last decade has seen unprecedented decline in the incidence of these diseases, we cannot be complacent. In fact, we need to redouble efforts and embrace ambitious targets, so that we can succeed in eradicating the three diseases" said Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, the Chairperson of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance while urging the African Union Commission to prepare a roadmap, with clear targets and timelines on eliminating malaria. The meeting recommended the extenstion of the African Union Roadmap for Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity for AIDS, TB and Malaria Response to 2020 to ensure its full implementation. The three pillars of the AU Roadmap are diversified, balanced and sustainable financing models, access to medicines through local production and regulatory harmonisation and leadership, governance and oversight for sustainability.
For further information contact Mrs Wynne Musabayana | Deputy Head of Communication and Information Division | Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00 | Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44 | E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com | Web: www.au.int | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia Mr. Tawanda Chisango I AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) Program Advocacy & Partnership Expert | Social Affairs | African Union Commission | Mobile +251934167052 | E-mail: email@example.com | Web www.au.int | Addis Ababa | Ethiopia
About the African Union — The African Union spearheads Africa's development and integration in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens. AU Vision An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena. Learn more at: http://www.au.int/en/ About AIDS Watch Africa Created at the Abuja 2001 Special Summit, AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) is an Africa-led instrument to stimulate leaders into action and mobilize the resources needed to address AIDS, TB and Malaria in an effective, sustainable and accountable manner. Learn more www.aidswatchafrica.org
Source: African Union


text:
Full of Hearts Return Address Stamp
Come enjoy this new Full of Hearts Return Address Stamp! Made just for our amazing customers, we have more than enough stamp designs to assist you find your dream match! Each of our custom address stamps has been exquisitely crafted by our seasoned manufacturing employees and designers. Available to you in a variety of sizes and colorings and good to give as a house warming gift! Each and every of our self inking stamps are composed of top-notch part promised to provide you with the absolute best impression over and over! Purchase your brand new custom stamp now!


text:
Archive for April, 2008
Love The OpportunityPosted by: | Comments
Somebody said you have to love what you do, but that's not necessarily true. What is true is that you have to love the opportunity. The opportunity to build life, future, health, success and fortune.
Knocking on someone's door or making that extra call may not be something you love to do, but you love the opportunity of what might be behind that door or call.
For example, a guy says, "I'm digging ditches. Should I love digging ditches?" The answer is, "No, you don't have to love digging ditches, but if it is your first entry onto the ladder of success, you say, 'I'm glad somebody gave me the opportunity to dig ditches and I'm going to do it so well, I won't be here long.'"
Divorce, Find a New Job, and Move on in LifePosted by: | Comments
There is a great life that lies head after divorce. You will be able to move on with your life. You can get up and move to a new place and start a completely new life. Some people will do just that. They will change jobs, they will refinance, and they will begin to date again. Just because the divorce is done and is final, this doesn't mean that you have gone through all the steps. You still have to pick up the pieces and try to move on. It's hard for many to move on because they have spent so much time with that person and it can be hard to break up someone who doesn't want to. There are a lot of feelings that you will go through, however you will find that there is a lot of hope that lies in the bounds of the aftermath.
Dangers of Using Laxatives For Weight LossPosted by: | Comments
One popular weight loss supplements available in the market today take the form of tea. Stores all over sell slimming tea, dieter's tea and others but all of them are actually the same. They may appear to be effective, but what is not seen may actually harm you.
One of the effects of drinking dieter's tea is frequent bowel movement. This gives people the feeling of body cleansing. These people may get toxins out of their body but it isn't exactly the only thing that slimming tea actually does to the body. Slimming tea contains herbs which are natural laxatives. These include aloe, senna, rhubarb root, cascara, buckthorn and castor oil. These are products which are derived from plants and are used since the ancient times because of their potency in treating constipation and to inducing bowel movement.
Chinese AstrologyPosted by: | Comments
Chinese Astrology
According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever was to reach the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.
All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon his back. As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race. The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last. That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.
A Guide to the C VitaminPosted by: | Comments
The c vitamin has got to be the most widely known vitamin these days. It is not surprising because the body needs c vitamin for over 300 functions. In fact, the c vitamin has been proved to help protect against heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses. Without the c vitamin the body would not be able to heal itself either. This is because the c vitamin is vital for the formation of collagen. Whenever a person has a cut or an injury it is the collagen that helps repair the damage and without sufficient c vitamin this would be almost impossible. Collagen has a multitude of functions in the body, including keeping the organs in place, and it would not be able to do this without sufficient c vitamin.
Helping you with Healthy AgingPosted by: | Comments
Helping you with Healthy Aging
Wouldn't it be great if we could go to a fountain of youth and stay young forever? Yet, we all have to face the fact of getting old, since it's a part of life. We have nil control over aging, since each year, you will get older on your birthday. Until we are no longer, able to be here on earth we have to work to have a degree of control over healthy aging. Nevertheless, you have choices, which include some of the things you can do to help you feel younger. Do you recall that saying you are only as old as you feel? If so then take care of yourself so that you will feel younger than you are.
ReflexologyPosted by: | Comments
Reflexology, an ancient art practiced by early Egyptians. Reflexology is a science founded on the basis that areas of the feet, hands and ears are comprised of zones and reflex areas that correspond to all glands, organs, and bodily systems.
Reflexology is a technique whereby pressure is applied to these areas resulting in stress reduction by using thumb, finger and hand methods. Using reflexology promotes physiological improvements in the body.
Reflexology is the correspondence of the reflexes in the feet and hands to the organs and all parts of the body. Stimulating these reflexes with this unique technique can promote the body's own healing potential to promote better health. Reflexology is primarily used for relaxing tension.
10 Ways To Find Investment PropertiesPosted by: | Comments
If you really want the best deals in investment properties, you have to increase your odds by finding more deals. Who is more likely to get a cheap apartment building, an investor that looks through the MLS listings and calls it a day, or the one that uses ten resources? Here are the ten:
1. Talk. Let people know you are looking and sometimes the properties will come to you. There are a lot of owners out there who want to sell, but haven't yet listed their property.
How Do I Choose the Right Site For Me?Posted by: | Comments
With the explosion of online dating sites has come a virtual smorgasbord of choices. There are free sites… I don't recommend those but if money is a real concern, they are better than nothing. There are the large paid sites with many and varied features like chat, IM and even matching using profiles. There are the less expensive paid sites with few features.
There are special interest sites for almost any thing you can think of…outdoor enthusiasts, couch potatoes, religious, non-religious, gays, lesbians…like I said…almost anything you can think of. So what's a girl to do? A girl should choose the site or sites that best fit her needs.


text:
The Embedded World exhibition and conference takes place on 1 – 3 March 2011 at the Exhibition Centre Nürnberg Messe. Embedded World is the World's biggest exhibition of its kind and the meeting place of the international embedded community. The event showcases modern, leading-edge ideas and solutions to global challenges for which engineers and especially the developers of embedded systems bear special responsibility. The accompanying conference is the leading European event for the embedded industry and covers all fields of embedded system development. Toumaz will be exhibiting at the event for the first time and will be located at Stand 367 (Hall 12). On the show floor, attendees will be able to see demonstrations of Toumaz's innovative products, including wireless 3 axis accelerometer using the TZ1053TDK boards at 868MHz.
Toumaz has recently added to its expanding 'Connected Consumer' and Connected Healthcare product portfolio with the launch of TZ1053 TELRAN – an ultra-low energy radio for wireless sensor networks, environmental monitoring and smart metering. The portfolio also includes the SensiumTM vital signs monitoring platform, FENIX DAB+/DAB/FM CMOS RF IC and the XENIF all-in-one internet connected and broadcast audio SoC announced in September 2010.Feb


text: A Youtube video published by Zero Hedge. Tells the horrible story of Jeff Baron, an internet pioneer caught up as a victim of a Kangaroo Court. How the corrupt justice system hurts American Citizens. The corruption is widespread from coast to coast. I freedsom Project is gearing up to fight this corruption.


text:
September 12, 2022 - Bar- Wine shop - Restaurant | No comment
Maud fell in love with natural wine from her first glass, "it opens up your mind and takes you on a trip." So in 2015, she began to import natural wines in the Netherlands. Today, Maud is now the proud owner of Blije Wijnen wine shop & bar in the Fenix Food Factory of Rotterdam!
Blije Wijnen neighbors a sourdough bakery, Dutch cheesemaker, bookstore, and craft beer bar who are all part of the space that make up a thriving atmosphere - and there are DJ's too! Once a month, Maud invites a winemaker who she works with to join them for a tasting, course, and a little party. Maud says, "I truly believe in my winemakers and their wines so I think people will come to our place because they only want the best!"
Even with restrictions, the factory seats 100 inside and 150 on the waterfront terrace. Check it out on the Raisin map Rotterdam, and raise a glass with Maud for us!


text:
The 2018-19 Ryerson Rams Men's Hockey Alumni Game was held on Saturday, February 2nd, 2019. Since the first annual RRHA Alumni game was played in 1999, this marks the 20th anniversary for this event.
February 2nd is also the late John Saunders' birthday and John's team mates from the 1970's got together for "The Birthday Game" and announced the recipient of The #4 Award, which is awarded annually in John's memory to the current Rams most valuable defenceman. Gregory DiTomaso was this year's recipient. You may read about the #4 Award here.
- Kevin Krasnowski
- Stew D'Eall
- Chris Sturino
- Jay Kotack
- Alex Sharpe
- Louie George
- Alex Fex
- Dan Care
- Don Wilson
- Frank Sheffield
- Troy Boudreau
- Pete Hoppe
- Josh McNair
- Dan Collins
- Kole Bryce
- Darren Mattias
- Chris Corrigan
- Andrew Buck
- Jason Cassidy
- Kevin Day
- Ian Richardson
- Scott Brown
- Steve Bewley
- Greg Baiden
- Austin Vandenboom
- Felix Shterenfeld
- John Arbour
- Mike Barrett
- George Cowie
- Glenn Sisson
- Larry Arsonault
The agenda for the day was as follows …
2:15-4:30 = Women's Varsity Rams 6 vs UofT 5 (OT)
4:30-4:40 = Flood (immediately following Women's game)
Family skate (cancelled due to lack of interest)
4:40-5:50 = Alumni game (immediately following flood) Team Blue 8 – Team White 6
6:15-9:00 = Alumni Lounge Open To Paying Participants & Their Guests
7:05-9:00 = Men's Varsity Rams 4 vs UofT 5 (SO) (#4 Award Presentation at Puck Drop)
More Details …
A reception was hosted after the Alumni Game in the Alumni Lounge with food, drinks and giveaways and the former Rams enjoyed some very entertaining hockey with the Rams crawling back from 4-1 to force overtime and a shoot out, but would eventually lose 5-4.


text:
The lowest order mass for a KK graviton, as a non-zero product of two branes interacting via a situation similar to Steinhardt's ekpyrotic universe is obtained, as to an alternative to the present dogma specifying that gravitons must be massless. The relative positions as to the branes give a dynamical picture as to how lowest order KK gravitons could be affected by contraction and then subsequent expansion. Initially we have bulk gravitons as a vacuum state. The massless condition is just one solution to a Stern Liuouville operator equation we discuss, which with a non-zero lowest order mass for a KK graviton permits modeling of gravitons via a dynamical Casmir effect which we generalize using Ruser and Duerrer's 2007 work. In particular the blue spectrum for (massless gravitons), is revisited, with consequences for observational astrophysics.
Gravitons, Blue Spectrum, KK Theory, Casmir Effect
Share and Cite:
1. Introduction
We make use of work done by Ruser and Duerrer [1] which is essentially a re-do of the Steinhardt model of the ekpyrotic universe, with two branes, one of which is viewed to be stationary and the other is moving toward and away from the stationary brane.
The construction used, largely based upon the Ruser and Duerrer [1] article makes use of a set of differential equations based on the Sturm Liouville method which in the case of the zeroth order mass being zero have in usual parlance a zero value to lowest order KK graviton mass [1] . We will turn this idea on its head by having a non-zero graviton mass, zeroth order in the KK construction as to show how graviton mass, lowest order is affected by a Casmir plate treatment of graviton dynamic.
2. Setting up a Casmir Effect for Zeroth Order "Massive" KK Gravitons
What we will do is to examine the physics of what is mentioned via figure 1 as in their article as given in [1] the dynamics of the two branes with one stationary and the other moving, which influence a close form solution of the zeroth order graviton mass problem. Figure 1 in this case refers to a figure given in [1] which is not contained in this text.
Using Ruser and Duerrer [1] what we find is that there are two branes on the space-time so that with one moving and one stationary, we can look at figure 1 as reproduced below which is part of the geometry used in the spatial decomposition of the differential operator acting upon the Fourier modes of the operator [1] . As given by Ruser and Duerrer, [1] we have that
Spatially, (1) can be, in its configuration as having
What we will do, instead of looking at a Sturm Liouville operator, as was done in [1] is instead to look at an inner product treatment of the zeroth order mass as can be accessed in a KK decomposition of a graviton, and to consider though using
Standard treatment of the problem represented in (3) is to use the RHS of (3) as set equal to zero. That allows for the "solution" to (3), namely constant with respect to space. Our substitution is given below:
An ansatz can be placed into the (3) results above, with, say,
Our next approximation is to keep the product real valued and do a power series expansion of (4) above. Also, we keep the following normalization intact from [1]
The right hand side is a Kroniker delta, and so it is equal to zero often. So we look at, then if we take an "inner product" procedure as to (4) above we have then the zeroth order mass for a graviton as written up as
The time dependence as to the above zeroth value comes from looking at if, and are such with having, by figure 1 above, moving not able to move, so that (6) definitely has a time dependence. The term is a term which can be fixed by requirements as to the initial conditions in (5) are met, and equal to 1 when and = 0. The end result is that the (6) is the zeroth order mass term which is not equal to 0.
3. Lessons from Gryzinski, as Far as Semi-Classical Derivation of a Usually Assumed Quantum Derivation of Inelastic Scattering in Atomic Hydrogen and Its Implications as to (3) and (6)
We will review the derivation of what is normally assumed to be a quantum result, with the startling implications that a cross section formula, normally quantum, does not need usual Hilbert space construction (usually Hilbert space means quantum mechanics). We will briefly review the Gryzinski result [2] [3] which came from something other than Hilbert space construction and then make our comparison with the likelihood of doing the same thing with respect to forming the zeroth order value of a graviton mass, as not equal to zero, by (3) above without mandating the existence of Hilbert spaces in the electroweak era. Gryzinski [2] [3] starts off with what is called an excitation cross section given by
The write up of (7) to (11) has, and being energy of level n, and being the energy of the bound electron, and being the energy of the incident electron. We refer the reader to [2] as to what the value of the Born approximation used as a comparison with (11) above. The result was that the Gryzinski's approximation gives scattering cross sections lower than those of the Born approximation although the shape of the curves for cross sectional values are almost the same, with the difference between the Gryzinski approximation and the Born approximation in value closed in magnitude, with principal quantum numbers increased The net effect though is that having a Hilbert space, i.e. assuming that the presence of a Hilbert space implies the Quantum condition, is not always necessary for a typical quantum result. Now, how does that argument as to Hilbert spaces not being necessary for presumed quantum results relate to how to obtain (3)?
4. In Particular the Blue Spectrum for (Massless Gravitons), Is Revisited, if Gravitons Have a Slight Mass with Consequences for Observational Astrophysics
We refer to (3) and (6) as giving a non zero value of the zeroth order mass of a graviton in KK theory, and then try to refocus upon the more traditional 4 space definition of GW expansion in order to come up with normal modes. To do this, look at the mode equation in 4 space and its analogy to higher dimensions. In 4 space, the mode equation reads as
Usually, but if it is not equal to zero, then (12) has a more subtle meaning. Consider from Ruser and Duerrer [1] what (12) is turned into, in a more general setting. It gets exotic, namely
The obvious connection between the two (12) and (13) is that one will have if, then one observes
So, does one have, then, that.
We have, through (13) above outlined an application of Mach's principle as far as the constant value of. Next will be describing how and why Mach's principle can be applied to the gravitino. Note, Mishra [4] used a spin 3/2 particle, and we suggest this is in sync with using a Gravitino.
Mishra, and Mishra & Christian in [5] came up with a Fermionic particle description of the number of particles in the universe, and since gravitons have spin 2, we are lead to gravitinos of spin 3/2, a super partner description many times larger in mass than the super partner graviton. The Mistra approximation was for a fermionic treatment of kinetic energy as given by as a single particle distribution function, such that Mishra used [4] , where, and, with a variational parameter, and we have that kinetic energy KE is written as given by [4] [5] and [6]
This has a normalization such that
Furthermore, the potential energy is modeled via a Hartree-Fock approximation given by
These two were combined together by Mistra to reflect the self-gravitating fictitious particle Hamiltonian [4] [5]
So then a proper spatial averaging of the Hamiltonian will lead, for quantum energy of the universe given by [4] [5] and [6]
Note that the value m, is the mass of the fermionic particle, and that (26) when minimized leads to a minimum energy value of the variational parameter, which at the minimum energy has for which (26) becomes
The tie in with Mach's principle comes as follows; i.e. Mishra sets a net radius value [4] [5] [6]
This spatial value is picked so that the potential energy of the system becomes equal to the total energy, and note that a total mass, M of the system is computed as follows, i.e. having a mass as given by Mistra, [4] then next assumes that then, there is due to this averaging a tie in, with M being the gravitational mass a linkage to inertial mass so as to write, using (28) and (29) a way to have inertial mass the same as gravitational mass via
This is for total mass M of the universe, and so if we wish to work with a subsystem as what we did with gravitinos, in the electroweak era, we will then change (31) to read instead as a sub set of this Mach's principle, i.e. an electroweak version, i.e. a subset of the Mach's principle
We shall outline the consequences of the Machian equation, of the sort given by (32) and from there say something about the limits, next of the Wheeler De Witt equation.
5. Machian Physics and the Linkage to the Wheeler De Witt Equation and the Limits of the Wheeler De Witt Equation
Barbour and Pfizer [7] write a very interesting and useful document and interpretation as far as Hamiltonian systems and general relativity. According to [7] , the dynamics of general relativity can be written up in terms of a constrained Hamiltonian "with the configuration space for pure gravity being given by the space of all Riemanian metrics on a 3 dimensional manifold of fixed but arbitrary topology. We call this topology and have that is the trajectory (of all paths) on. In their derivation the vacuum Einstein equations take the form of
This has a Hamiltonian constraint given by
And a momentum constraint given by
Here, is the Levi-Civita for a metric with a corresponding Ricci scalar and Ricci tensor with the terms associated with the De Witt metric [20] . As cited by [7] , if (25) and (26) are satisfied initially, then by (24), (25) and (26) are continually satisfied Now in what Barbor calls the Machian derivation of General relativity [7] [8] there is one constant linkage of his formalism with the Wheeler De Witt equation, which is that there is no formal time flow, i.e., that the Wheeler De Witt equation in its classical form as in [9] has NO time component added to it. Note that in [8] it is stated that there is no general flow of time, at best there are what Barbor called "time capsules" and that Quantum physics is a way of giving "high probability" to "time capsules". What the author has proposed doing with the Machian perspective is to give a dynamical trajectory as to the Hamiltonian and momentum constraints given as (25) and (26). Needless to say though that what is attempted by (23) is to set up a precondition, independent of (25) and (26) as to set up a configuration for the set of (24), (25) and (26) via (23), and that we regard (24) as a precondition for fulfilling (25) and (26) which are then dynamically satisfied via (24). The idea is that (1) which forms as a byproduct of result of (23) is a precondition for then the formation of the WdW equation as we know it, which we accept as a time independent quantity [9] .
This construction of the WdW equation leads to the following question. If Barbor is right about there not being a "flow of time" as we think of it, can we interpret (1) and then (23) as a Machian set up of the WdW equations via (24), (25) and (26)? We submit that what is happening is that if there is no flow of time, that still there is a dynamical set up period, and a conservation of information flow as represented by the formation of as given in (21) and (22), with then (1), (24) to (26) as preconditions as to keeping the same value of during cosmological evolution, with the WdW equation forming after the setup of the initial which then remains constant.
6. How to Outline the Resulting Precondition for Constant Value for
In this note what we do is to organize the interrelationship of the formation of Planck's constant with a necessary and sufficient condition for Quantum processes to form. In a word what we are seeing is that when Planck's constant is being formed, as in the electrodynamic argument given in this paper, that a boundary condition created by Octonian space-time physics exists, which is a boundary of where orthodox QM does not apply and that then later we are applying QM with the formation of Planck's constant after we enter in the regime after the formation of Planck's constant. After the formation of Planck's constant we then are in a position where the Machian relations between gravitinos and gravitons exist, which we claim is a necessary and sufficient condition for a no changing value of. What is done below is to summarize a very sophisticated interrelationship of formation of Planck's constant, the zone of where Octonian geometry no longer holds as separated by a boundary from where Octonian geometry does hold as a necessary and sufficient condition for the onset of using this boundary between Octonionic and non Octonionic geometry as the necessary condition to use relic electromagnetic fields to construct Planck's constant. Note that we are assuming very high electromagnetic fields during and before the electroweak regime [10] which allows, with the presence of a boundary between Octonionic and non Octonionic geometry Planck's constant to form. We summarize our findings as to the results of our discussion in Table 1 as given below.
We have that the formation period for is our pre quantum regime.
Table 1. Time Interval Dynamical consequences Does QM/WdW apply?
This is incidentally the boundary region before the break down of Octonionic gravity, to our present cosmology. When we get to the present era, and the breakdown of Octonionic geometry, exemplified by spatial commutation relations equaling zero, is when QM applies. Before that regime, QM does not apply Furthermore, with the formation of a WdW cosmology, we then have confluence with Barbor's dismissal of the flow of time, as given in [7] and [8] which is in adherence as to [9] in its treatment of the WdW equation as time independent.
7. Conclusion: Getting the Template as to Keeping Information Content Available for (32) Right
The Machian hypothesis [7] [10] and actually (9) are a way to address a serious issue. The issue is how to keep the consistency of physical law intact, in cosmological evolution. So far, using the template of gravitons and their superpartners, gravitinos, as information carriers, the author has provided a way to argue that Planck's constant remains invariant as from the EW (electroweak era) to the present era. As one can deduce from physical evolution of the cosmos, time variance of Planck's constant and time variation of the fine structure constant would lead to dramatically different cosmological events than what is deduced by observational astronomy. What we are arguing, using Mach's principle is:
a) Physical law remains invariant in cosmological evolution due to the constant nature/magnitude of h bar, the fine structure constant, and G itself.
b) The linkage in information from a prior to the present universe can be thought of as far as the constancy of (19) concerning gravitinos. While we are aware that gravitinos have a short life time, we argue that (19) would have significant continuity at/before the big bang, and also that this is a way of answering the memory question as to how much cosmological memory is preserved from a prior to the present universe structures. Needless to say though there is a complete breakdown in causality before the formation of the gravitinos which is incidentally the pre-quantum regime of space-time, i.e. where Octonionic geometry predominates.
The main task the author sees is in experimental verification of the following identity. See (27) as below.
The motivation of using two types of Mach's principle, one for the Gravitinos in the electroweak era, and then the 2nd modern day Mach's principle, as organized by the author, is as seen in (27) as re-stated below [10] .
Once making the double Mach's principle with (27) equal to a constant is done, with M = N times m, where N is the number of a particular particle species, and m is the net mass of the particle species, then an embedding of quantum mechanics using Mach's principle as part of an embedding space can be ventured upon and investigated experimentally. Also, we will be then getting ready for the main prize, i.e. finding experimental constraints leading to Planck's constant being invariant. That will do researchers a valuable service as to forming our view of a consistent cosmological evolution of our present cosmology from cycle to cycle. It also would allow for eventually understanding if entropy can also be stated in terms of gravitons alone in early universe models as was proposed by Kiefer & Starobinsky, et al. [11] . Finally, it would address if QM is embedded in a larger deterministic theory as advocated by t' Hooft [12] , the end result would be in examining the following, in terms of values as influenced by massive gravitons. We can use this Machian relationship to understand the values as influenced by massive gravitons. As read from Hinterbichler [13] , if, and we look at a mass induced suppression factor put in of, then if
Here, we have that these values are solutions to the following equation, as given by [13] [14] , with D a dimensions value put in.
To understand the import of the above equations, and the influence of the Machian hypothesis, for GW and massive graviton signatures from the electroweak regime, set
And use the value of the radius of the universe, as given by , and rather than a super partner gravitino, use the If the values are understood, then we hope we can make sense out of the general uncertainty relationship given by [15]
The hope is to find tests of this generalized uncertainty due to values and to review [13] , i.e. to find experimentally falsifiable criteria to determine if Quantum mechanics is actually embedded within a semi classical super structure.
In doing this, we should keep in mind that what Corda brought up in [16] needs to be looked out, i.e. the interferometric tests of general relativity would be an outgrowth of such investigations.
Furthermore, [17] [18] should be kept in mind in terms of experimental constraints. Gravitational waves have been discovered, and it is opportune for us to keep [17] and [18] in mind when considering the applications of Equation (27) to whatever forms of data sets which may be achievable via experimental gravity.
Last but not least, the author has already had his own version of Equation (33), as seen in [19] . It remains to be seen if [19] is in line with the data sets we may be able to obtain, as well as fidelity with procedures which may allow the issues given in [20] [21] [22] [23] and [24] to be thoroughly looked at from an experimental stand point, as well as [25] for the mass of a graviton.
Finally it would be the gold standard, of determining if initial conditions can be ascertained by data sets to see if [12] , as given by t' Hooft holds, i.e. the idea of deterministic conditions for quantum gravity. And possibly the constructions of [26] , and [27] as well, provided gravitons having a small pass are not experimentally ruled out.
Thanks to Dr. Corda to suggesting expansion of an initially very incomplete article. The main point of the Gryzinski derivation is that one does not need Hilbert space (usually associated with QM) to obtain what is thought to be a quantum physics result.
This work is supported in part by National Nature Science Foundation of China grant No. 11375279.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


text:
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Losing Their Way
Its got to be tough being a mainstream, reasonable, rational Republican these days.
The party which embraced fiscal restraint is now spending like a drunken sailor, charging it to our kids' and grandkids' (and so on) credit cards. And by selling this historic debt to foreign governments, some of whom are a looming threat, they're compromising national security to a far greater degree than a group of al-Qaida operatives. Even worse, this deficit spending is not being used for investments in our future, such as infrastructure improvements, education, or health care. It's instead being pissed away to bloated defense contractors and other DOD waste that is well beyond most citizens' imagination. We spend more in sheer dollars for "defense" than the rest of the world combined, and it's increasing every year. This is on the back of ever shrinking expenditures on education and social safety net programs such as Medicare.
The party that self-identifies with morals, principles and values is now mired in scandal, hypocrisy, corruption and a cynical regard for the law. And since we have the fox guarding the henhouse, there's not likely to be any serious oversight in the near future.
The party which used to be for smaller government, state's rights and a reduction of federal intrusion into individuals' lives has now built the largest government infrastructure in the nation's history (per capita spending). It is in the process of building huge bureaucratic organizations spying on ordinary citizens to an extent that even George Orwell could not have imagined, away from the prying eyes of a bipartisan congress and pesky federal judges ensuring virtually no meaningful oversight. They govern with a fascist flair, creating knee-jerk policies which will do little to stop well funded al-Qaida operatives, but will continue to shrivel the rights of law-abiding Americans. State's rights? Can you say Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage?
The party of bold, forward thinking ideas has now degenerated into a three-word culture, winning elections solely by sliming their opponent with misleading information and outright lies. "Stay the course", "cut and run", "tax and spend", "war on terror", "September the 11th" and many other phrases that play well on Fox "News" do not describe sound, intelligent public policy.
Lastly, the party which claims to be the gatekeepers for our security has accomplished just the opposite due to the unprovoked invasion and occupation of a sovereign Arab country and our "my way or the highway" attitude toward the rest of the world on this and other issues, according to many ex-generals and other non-partisan security experts. And just as important as what they are doing is what they are not doing, the behind the scenes blocking & tackling like tightening cargo port security.
To the group I identify in the opening? It's no longer enough to say "this is not my Republican party", hold your nose and pull the "R" lever hoping you might actually get to pay a couple of bucks less tax someday or because you believe that bigger international problems just require bigger bombs (that's the naive notion, not the other way around). This is not just a couple of bad apples in the West Wing, this is Senate leadership, this is House leadership and it is increasingly State leadership. This is your party in the 21st century, denial is futile.
This is not the party of Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, or even George the first for that matter. And it's not going away soon. This is your party, that's the name on the door, and you're enabling it to thrive and grow. Before you vote this fall, I'd ask you to read two of the most poignant and learned speeches of the 20th century and decide if the current bunch really represents you: Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1953 "Chance for Peace" speech and his 1960 "Military Industrial Complex" speech. He was a real Republican, and a true American.
Posted by sooray at 6:02 PM
No comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
I've been playing around with the same exit poll data that Pollster.com's Charles Franklin has been looking at, on the percentage of the white vote received in different states by John Kerry and Barack Obama, respectively. Franklin has identified a correlation between the percentage of voters in a given state who are black and the share of the white vote that Obama received: essentially, the blacker the state was, the fewer whites voted for Obama. This correlation existed for John Kerry too, although it's a bit stronger for Obama:
My focus is on the South in particular, because it's not clear if there are especially meaningful patterns in this data outside of that region; Obama had no trouble winning over white voters in relatively black non-southern states like Michigan, New York, or Maryland. There are fifteen states that I define as Southern. Obama drew a larger percentage of the white vote than John Kerry in five of them, a smaller share (sometimes substantially smaller) in four of them, and got exactly the same percentage in the other six.
The driving factor in determining how Obama performed vis-à-vis John Kerry, however, appears as though it might not be race, but rather how much Obama camaigned in a given state. According to the New York Times candidate tracker, Obama campaigned extensively — by which I mean, he actually went out and spent a lot of time on the ground — in 6 of the 15 Southern states. These include Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and Missouri (where Obama campaigned extensively in the general election cycle), as well as South Carolina and Texas (where Obama campaigned extensively in the primaries). The other nine Southern states, Obama did not have more than a couple of apperances in, and several he did not visit at all.
In the states where Obama campaigned extensively, he drew, on average, 3.3 percent more of the white vote than John Kerry did. In the states where he did not campaign significantly, on the other hand, his percentage of the white vote dropped by an average of 3.3 percent. The differences are highly statistically significant.
Now, the difficulty here is that we don't know which way to draw the causal arrow. Did Obama campaign more in states like North Carolina because he knew that white voters would be more receptive to him there — or, were white voters more receptive to Obama because he campaigned more in North Carolina?
I think the most telling example might be South Carolina, which Obama did not campaign in because of any particular demographic strengths, but merely because it happened to enjoy an early position on the primary calendar. In that state, Obama did 4 points better than John Kerry among white voters, even though he didn't really visit the state after January. (Interestingly, it did not seem to matter whether Obama visited a state during the primary cycle or the general election; merely spending time on the ground there was what counted.)
The question, really, is to what extent Barack Obama's underperformance among certain types of white voters was a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you're not asking for somebody's vote, you're usually not going to get it. This may be particularly true if you're a black person and the voter is a rural Southern white person.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that the voter is hellbent against you. I tend to think that racism runs along a spectrum. Many, or perhaps even most white voters are a little bit racist, but for relatively few is race a complete deal-breaker. Many of them will vote for you if you're actively soliciting their votes, and they've had time to grow comfortable with you. If Obama had been targeting Georgia's or West Virgina's electoral votes as actively as he sought Florida's or North Carolina's, might he have won them? I don't know, but I think he'd have had a fighting chance.
There are some analogies here to homophobia, in that people become much more tolerant of gay people once a friend, workmate or family member has come out to them. The idea that you can say, Greg is gay, but guess what — I know Greg, and he's a pretty good dude is very powerful. Prejudice is global, but tolerance is local.
This also has some interesting implications for 2012, in that by virtue of having become President, Obama will have spent four years in the living room of every American. That doesn't mean that Obama is going to win, say, Alabama. But it might mean that if he has a successful presidency, he can become — well — everybody's imaginary hip black friend, at least up to a point. I hope I'm not being too optimistic by suggesting that our country will be a bit less racist four years from now than it is today. If so, then states like Georgia and West Virginia should be given careful attention once Obama begins to plot out his 2012 strategy.


text:
July 2, 2015
9 comments:
I didn't know that fairtrade is such an important value to them, i love to hear that! Delicious ice cream and fair trade at the same time!ReplyDelete
OMG!!!! need to taste them NOW!!!!! ❤ReplyDelete
Ben and Jerry's is my favourite, especially Cookie Dough! What better way to cool yourself down on a hot summers day? :)ReplyDelete
- Sarah LJuly 2, 2015 at 1:57 PM
It's so good that they work fairtrade! I checked the website, and they really make a big effort. And well, they are just delicious!ReplyDelete
That looks so good!! That fudge brownie is speaking to me Hahaha now I want ice cream. I didn't know they were fair trade. How cool.ReplyDelete
Mooi kleedje op de laatste foto!!! :-DReplyDeleteReplies
Zo oud haha! Maar wel luchtig voor in de zomer!Delete
I want them allllll!ReplyDelete
Ben & Jerry's is een grote favoriet van mij! Als ik zo'n grote pot, kan ik niet stoppen met eten ervan haha.ReplyDelete
I love reading your comments,
if you have any questions you can ask me here or email me at: email@example.com.
Follow me with Bloglovin' - Follow me on Facebook
- Follow me on Instagram


text:
Conceptual design
Media Analysis
Structure and conception
Content, form and interpretation
Interdisciplinary perspectives
Media aesthetics and design
Media history; History of Scripture
Aesthetics in literature and visual arts
Language, image and shape
Advanced Typography: Designing and
Interpreting Content I-II
Picture competence
Content and formal image analysis
Photo Editor
Formats and colour spaces
Production preparation analogue and
Digital image data
Digital design
Image editing digital I-II
Set and layout digital I-II
Analogue design
Analogue Bookbinding and Printing Techniques I-II
Project management
Economic calculations
Tender, price level, award
Quality assurance
Project implementation
Production support
Schedules and content management
Publishing and manufacturing
Guest lectures
Book designer, publisher, photographer
Practical implementation of a book project
(for participants without prior knowledge)
Typography, typesetting and layout
Image editing
Introduction to publication design
Introduction to media aesthetics
The basic module »Book Design« takes place on four weekends (Friday afternoons and Saturday all-day), presumably from mid-September to mid-October. For the base module there are additional costs of EUR 950, -.
Please note that the basic module can only be booked in conjunction with the academic course »Book Design«. The basic module only takes place when the minimum number of participants has been reached.


text:
Let's Get Cookin'
Hi there, and welcome to The Chicken Thigh Guy.
I'm Drew, a cook , writer, and food photographer living in Columbus, Ohio. A couple years ago, some friends joked that, because I was always posting recipes featuring them, I should write a cookbook about Chicken Thighs. So I did. I spent a year cooking thousands of chicken thighs, testing and retesting, and learning the ins and outs of photographing food as I went. I don't have a publisher yet, and I'm still working on the book, but that's not going to stop me from sharing the recipes, tips, tricks and techniques I developed in the process. I hope you'll cook along with me and enjoy some really tasty chicken.
How this all started …
Sometime in the late winter of 2019, while working on an unrelated project, I began looking through my kitchen notes, photos I had posted to social media, and my own recipe files. I discovered that I had collected more than 40 recipes and dishes that specifically called for chicken thighs and even more that could be easily modified to be made with that thrifty cut.
There are several reasons for that surplus. In some cases, I was looking for an economical protein on which to experiment with a novel preparation. In other cases, chicken thighs were simply the right pieces of meat for the particular recipe.
The real reason is that chicken thighs are simply delicious. They are the most unctuous, flavorful, and forgiving cut of this most versatile bird.
The dark, flavorful meat, marbled with fat and collagen-heavy cartilage, gives sauces a rich mouthfeel, and can withstand the long, slow cooking that would turn a chicken breast into stringy paste.
On the grill or in the fryer, the rich meat of the thigh does not dry out and become tough, and the meat soaks up marinade flavors, yielding some of the best tasting pieces you will ever have – all without the stringy tendons and extra bones of the drumstick.
The chicken thigh is a perfect canvas on which to experiment, and I hope that the recipes in this book will give you the confidence to experiment with recipes and new preparations yourself.
And finally, yes. It is affordable and readily available. Most of the recipes on this site utilize ingredients that can be found in any large grocery store (though in a few cases you will have to venture into one of the specialty aisles) and utilize techniques that are easy to learn and to prepare in a home kitchen. This simple approach means you can build a quick, home-cooked, and delicious meal for yourself, your family, or your friends with confidence.
Be sure to check out my other food project, The Weekly Menu!


text:
Popular tips for same day plastering applications
Howdy guys and gals, in this video my son Jason Giordano and I explain one way in which to apply both coats of Portland cement on a detailed porch with a texture to match the original finish.
Please Note: for the average home owner, I recommend doing a scratch coat 2 days before trying to apply a brown coat. Same day scratch and brown cements, take years to learn how to apply properly.
Please also see our web site at https://stuccoplastering.com
Kirk Giordano Plastering Inc.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!
Kirk & Jason Giordano's DIY plastering network
Plasterers forum, plastering information, plastering methods
Popular tips for same day plastering applications


text:
Tia Chucha's
Graphic Designer
Skills: Graphic Design, Page Layout, Visual Hierarchy, Print.
Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop
Team: Myself and Luz Rodriguez as graphic designer.
The Client
Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural is a non-profit organization in the Northeast San Fernando Valley that is dedicated to transform the community and beyond through ancestral knowledge, the arts, literacy and creative engagement.
The Challenge
Design and illustrate invitations and event programs for their Quinceañera Gala. A 15 year celebration to commemorate the significant impact the organization did on the community.
The Outcome
Successfully created invitations for the event. In collaboration with designer, Luz Rodriguez.
Event Program