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Paris Lockdown (UK - DVD R2)
Reviewer Marcus Doidge takes a drill to French crime thriller Paris Lockdown...
Paris Lockdown (or Truands in France) claims to be about Veteran mob boss Claude Corti (Philippe Caubere) who rules over his pack of power hungry thugs with an iron fist in his empire of fast cars, upscale drugs and expensive women. When his boys betray his trust, he makes them wish for death and begins a crime spree set to send Paris into total lockdown. Yeah, it wishes it was this exciting… Paris doesn't even get locked down.
This is essentially one big fat cliché of a movie. Taking elements of Michael Mann and mixing it with some classic Scorsese, it relies very much on the audience's knowledge of how crime supposedly works without giving you much in the way of actual details. It fills its criminal world with characters, which include the uber-gangster clichés of 'the crazy boss', 'the cool hitman', 'the loyal best friend' and so on. Unfortunately all of these characters are pretty hollow with the director, Frédéric Schoendoerffer, choosing to show all of them as evil, insidious, brutal men and never giving you anything to connect to. The big boss Claude is at the top of this pile of nasty. He's a brutal uncompromising character who has zero in the way of redeeming features except being convincingly psychotic. The makers don't even attempt to paint any of these characters as misunderstood. All of their development into more than one dimensional criminals takes a huge back seat as the story develops and by the time you reach the big finale, you're pretty much invested in nobody, especially the guy I think you were meant to be totally invested in, Franck. (He's the cool hitman by the way).
The story moves at quite a slow pace, introducing you to this cliché gangster lifestyle. You go through the drug deals, the guns, the orgies and murders, but you never really feel part of it and it sort of falls into a series of scenes that feel disconnected and paint by numbers. That's not to say that it's dull. The movie is an easy one to watch and just as you think it's about to get dull, something happens to click you back in. There's a pretty realistic shoot out at the supermarché in the opening twenty minutes which really smacks the movie to life, along with a few pretty brutal murders as well. The scene with the drill in the knees that leads to the eye gauging is pretty damn gruesome and the gun scenes in general are never shy of using plenty of blood. There's also the final part of the triple header for the gangster movie genre, the final tick in the big list of clichés: nudity. Most of it is peppered in the background of clubs, but in the handful of sex scenes that the movie does have, are some seriously dark, twisted stuff that is just about as uncomfortable as the murder scenes. Let's just say that this movie doesn't really have any positive roles for women to play and is strictly a male dominated crime tale.
The whole of Paris Lockdown just feels very much like a tepid affair really, never actually exploring anything more than what's on show and rarely doing anything to get noticed. I wish I could say there were plenty of scenes like this:
Or like this:
Sadly the majority of the movie looks like this:
The movie's presentation is much like a regular television drama, rarely does it do anything to impress. Some of the night scenes in Paris shine that nice bronze glow, showing off the dark blacks in the frame but it's nothing really to rave about, it was just noticeable against the bland daytime backdrops of the rest of the movie and in all honesty there's not too much in the way of variation to most of hundred odd minutes run-time.
Only in French Dolby Digital 5.1, I was initially impressed with the sound mix. The opening music worked very well with the abstract visuals as the credits ran. Unfortunately it ends about there. There is nothing in Paris Lockdown that impresses the ear, despite the shoot out, the shouting and the mix of locations. This makes the movie feel quite low key and as it never uses the power of surround sound to hammer home any of it's set pieces it just feels a bit of a let down.
The disc throws a few trailers at you before the animated menus pop up, nothing really of note, some European films that did little to raise any interest. As for the film's features, you get the international trailer and English trailer, both never really caught the mood of the film and sold it more as an action movie, which it ain't. Other than that, you get a documentary which runs just under fifty-twominutes. It's actually quite a cool documentary with a lot of on set footage of them filming in Paris and a lot of insight from the cast and crew. The talking-head interviews sort of reminded me of the Reservoir Dogs special edition, in that it's all quite low rent and probably never intended for more than an extra feature on the DVD, but because of that it feels quite personal and made for anyone that might actually be a fan of the film.
Paris Lockdown claims to be 'a stylish and brutal glimpse into the intense violent underbelly of the ruthless Parisian underworld'. Only some of that is true. It isn't stylish, unless stylish means looking like every half decent TV drama out there, but granted this is very, very brutal when it wants to be, never tripping into off-putting but some of it is certainly uncomfortable. I'm not really one that hypes up a movie because of its extremities, I'd much prefer if I actually cared about what was happening, which I totally didn't.
This is a run of the mill gangster movie that brings absolutely nothing new to the table and just doesn't provide enough character to be memorable. It's not a terrible movie by any stretch, but it's pretty far away from one I could whole heartedly recommend to anyone who isn't a massive fan of the gangster genre and wants to see how the criminals roll in Paris (SPOILER: Much the same as they do in every other gangster movie, but in Paris).
Review by Marcus Doidge
Suitable only for persons of 18 years and over
Disc Details
Release Date: 23rd June 2008
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: PAL
Aspect: 2.35:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 French
Subtitles: English
Extras: Making of, English Trailer, International Trailer
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Frédéric Schoendoerffer
Cast: Benoît Magimel, Philippe Caubère
Genre: Crime
Length: 103 minutes
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text: Latest Video News Neocon news outlet The Washington Free Beacon was origin of Trump dossier The Washington Free Beacon was the original funder of the anti-Trump opposition research paper with Fusion GPS. Published 1 year ago on October 28, 2017 By Alex Christoforou 3,202 Views Share Tweet The Washington Free Beacon informed House Intelligence officials on Friday that it was the original funder for the anti-Trump Fusion GPS opposition research. The news site is funded by neoconservative leader Paul Singer, who was an anti-Trumper and Marco Rubio supporter. Neocon chief, and Iraq WMD architect, Bill Kristol is also rumored to be behind the publication. Kristol was a very public Trump hater during the primaries, and is a vocal anti-Trumper advocate to this day. The Gateway Pundit reports… Singer reportedly donated $2.5 million to the Marco Rubio campaign. Paul Singer is also a top Paul Ryan donor. Singer has donated millions to Paul Ryan over the years. .@SpeakerRyan needs to disavow his mega donor Paul Singer for funding anti-@realDonaldTrump research. https://t.co/UkYf6Ha78U — Tim Donnelly (@PatriotNotPol) October 28, 2017 Byron York broke the story, and appeared on Fox News' Hannity to provide some more insight into what The Washington Free Beacon was aiming to accomplish with its opposition research on Trump, and what changed when the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaign took over the research and proceeded to work with Fusion GPS, and British agent Steele. The Washington Free Beacon issued the below statement regarding its involvement in the original drafting of dossier, and its collaboration with Fusion GPS. Fusion GPS and the Washington Free Beacon A note to our readers Since its launch in February of 2012, the Washington Free Beacon has retained third party firms to conduct research on many individuals and institutions of interest to us and our readers. In that capacity, during the 2016 election cycle we retained Fusion GPS to provide research on multiple candidates in the Republican presidential primary, just as we retained other firms to assist in our research into Hillary Clinton. All of the work that Fusion GPS provided to the Free Beacon was based on public sources, and none of the work product that the Free Beacon received appears in the Steele dossier. The Free Beacon had no knowledge of or connection to the Steele dossier, did not pay for the dossier, and never had contact with, knowledge of, or provided payment for any work performed by Christopher Steele. Nor did we have any knowledge of the relationship between Fusion GPS and the Democratic National Committee, Perkins Coie, and the Clinton campaign. Representatives of the Free Beacon approached the House Intelligence Committee today and offered to answer what questions we can in their ongoing probe of Fusion GPS and the Steele dossier. But to be clear: We stand by our reporting, and we do not apologize for our methods. We consider it our duty to report verifiable information, not falsehoods or slander, and we believe that commitment has been well demonstrated by the quality of the journalism that we produce. The First Amendment guarantees our right to engage in news-gathering as we see fit, and we intend to continue doing just that as we have since the day we launched this project. Matthew Continetti Editor in Chief Michael Goldfarb Chairman Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Related Topics:'Trump dossier'Fusion GPSWashington Free Beacon Up Next Former Trump Adviser CRUSHES Clinton campaign staffer, who practically cries out of fear (Video) Don't Miss Paul Joseph Watson: "Obama's FBI colluded with Russia to fund fake pissgate dossier" Advertisement You may like House Republicans launch last minute Hail Mary to uncover Deep State crimes (Video) Questions grow about FBI vetting of Christopher Steele's Russia expertise Fusion GPS founder trapped in legal jeopardy, bets on Democrat midterm win to bury Russiagate hoax (Video) Click to comment Leave a Reply This comment form is under antispam protection This comment form is under antispam protection Subscribe Notify of new follow-up comments new replies to my comments Latest Russia calls on US to put a leash on Petro Poroshenko The West's pass for Mr. Poroshenko may blow up in NATO's and the US's face if the Ukrainian President tries to start a war with Russia. Published 21 hours ago on December 13, 2018 By Seraphim Hanisch Russia called on Washington not to ignore the Poroshenko directives creating an active military buildup along the Ukrainian-Donbass frontier, this buildup consisting of Ukrainian forces and right-wing ultranationalists, lest it "trigger the implementation of a bloody scenario", according to a Dec 11 report from TASS. The [Russian] Embassy [to the US] urges the US State Department to recognize the presence of US instructors in the zone of combat actions, who are involved in a command and staff and field training of Ukraine's assault airborne brigades. "We expect that the US will bring to reason its proteges. Their aggressive plans are not only doomed to failure but also run counter to the statements of the administration on its commitment to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine by political and diplomatic means," the statement said. This warning came after Eduard Basurin, the deputy defense minister of the Donetsk People's Republic noted that the Ukrainian army was massing troops and materiel for a possible large-scale offensive at the Mariupol section of the contact line in Donbass. According to Basurin, this action is expected to take place on 14 December. TASS offered more details: According to the DPR's reconnaissance data, Ukrainian troops plan to seize the DPR's Novoazovsky and Temanovsky districts and take control over the border section with Russia. The main attack force of over 12,000 servicemen has been deployed along the contact line near the settlements of Novotroitskoye, Shirokino, and Rovnopol. Moreover, more than 50 tanks, 40 multiple missile launcher systems, 180 artillery systems and mortars have been reportedly pulled to the area, Basurin added. Besides, 12 BM-30 Smerch heavy multiple rocket launchers have been sent near Volodarsky. The DPR has warned about possible provocations plotted by Ukrainian troops several times. Thus, in early December, the DPR's defense ministry cited reconnaissance data indicating that the Ukrainian military was planning to stage an offensive and deliver an airstrike. At a Contact Group meeting on December 5, DPR's Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova raised the issue of Kiev's possible use of chemical weapons in the conflict area. This is a continuation of the reported buildup The Duran reported in this article linked here, and it is a continuation of the full-scale drama that started with the Kerch Strait incident, which itself appears to have been staged by Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko. Following that incident, the president was able to get about half of Ukraine placed under a 30-day period of martial law, citing "imminent Russian aggression." President Poroshenko is arguably a dangerous man. He appears to be desperate to maintain a hold on power, though his approval numbers and support is abysmally low in Ukraine. While he presents himself as a hero, agitating for armed conflict with Russia and simultaneously interfering in the affairs of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church, he is actually one of the most dangerous leaders the world has to contend with, precisely because he is unfit to lead. Such men and women are dangerous because their desperation makes them short-sighted, only concerned about their power and standing. An irony about this matter is that President Poroshenko appears to be exactly what the EuroMaidan was "supposed" to free Ukraine of; that is, a stooge puppet leader that marches to orders from a foreign power and does nothing for the improvement of the nation and its citizens. The ouster of Viktor Yanukovich was seen as the sure ticket to "freedom from Russia" for Ukraine, and it may well have been that Mr. Yanukovich was an incompetent leader. However, his removal resulted in a tryannical regíme coming into power, that resulting in the secession of two Ukrainian regions into independent republics and a third secession of strategically super-important Crimea, who voted in a referendum to rejoin Russia. While this activity was used by the West to try to bolster its own narrative that Russia remains the evil henchman in Europe, the reality of life in Ukraine doesn't match this allegation at all. A nation that demonstrates such behavior shows that there are many problems, and the nature of these secessions points at a great deal of fear from Russian-speaking Ukrainian people about the government that is supposed to be their own. President Poroshenko presents a face to the world that the West is apparently willing to support, but the in-country approval of this man as leader speaks volumes. The West's blind support of him "against Russia" may be one of the most tragic errors yet in Western foreign policy. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading Latest Second Canadian Citizen Disappears In China According to the he Globe and Mail, the man was identified as Michael Spavor, a Canadian whose company Peaktu Cultural Exchange brings tourists and hockey players into North Korea. Published 1 day ago on December 13, 2018 By Tyler Durden Via Zerohedge… For a trade war that was supposed to be between the US and China, Canada has found itself increasingly in the middle of the crossfire. And so after the arrest of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in retaliation for the detention of the Huawei CFO in Vancouver, Canada said a second person has been questioned by Chinese authorities, further heightening tensions between the two countries. The second person reached out to the Canadian government after being questioned by Chinese officials, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said, at which point Canada lost contact with him. His whereabouts are currently unknown and Global Affairs Canada said they are in contact with his family. "We haven't been able to make contact with him since he let us know about this," Freeland told reporters Wednesday in Ottawa. "We are working very hard to ascertain his whereabouts and we have also raised this case with Chinese authorities." According to the he Globe and Mail, the man was identified as Michael Spavor, a Canadian whose company Peaktu Cultural Exchange brings tourists and hockey players into North Korea. He gained fame for helping arrange a visit to Pyongyang by former NBA player Dennis Rodman, and he met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on that trip, the newspaper reported. Attempts to reach Spavor on his contact number either in China, or North Korean went straight to voicemail. Spavor's personal Facebook page contains several images of him with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un including one of him with both Jong-un and former Dennis Rodman at an undisclosed location. Michael P. Spavor, right, pictured here with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, second from right, and Dennis Rodman. Another image shows the two sharing a drink on a boat. The unexplained disappearance takes place after China's spy agency detained former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig in Beijing on Monday, who was on leave from the foreign service. The arrest came nine days after Canada arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. DOJ. While Canada has asked to see the former envoy after it was informed by fax of his arrest, Canada is unaware of Kovrig current whereabouts or the charges he faces. "Michael did not engage in illegal activities nor did he do anything that endangered Chinese national security," Rob Malley, chief executive officer of the ICG, said in a written statement. "He was doing what all Crisis Group analysts do: undertaking objective and impartial research." One possibility is that Kovrig may have been caught up in recent rule changes in China that affect non-governmental organizations, according to Bloomberg. The ICG wasn't authorized to do work in China, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing in Beijing Wednesday. "We welcome foreign travelers. But if they engage in activities that clearly violate Chinese laws and regulations, then it is totally another story," he said, adding he had no information on Kovrig specifically. As Bloomberg further notes, foreign non-governmental organizations are now required to register with the Chinese authorities under a 2017 law that subjects them to stringent reporting requirements. Under the law, organizations without a representative office in China must have a government sponsor and a local cooperative partner before conducting activities. ICG said this is the first time they've heard such an accusation from the Chinese authorities in a decade of working with the country. The company closed its Beijing operations in December 2016 because of the new Chinese law, according to a statement. Kovrig was working out of the Hong Kong office. Meanwhile, realizing that it is increasingly bearing the brunt of China's retaliatory anger, Trudeau's government distanced itself from Meng's case, saying it can't interfere with the courts, but is closely involved in advocating on Kovrig's behalf. So far Canada has declined to speculate on whether there was a connection between the Kovrig and Meng cases, with neither Freeland nor Canadian Trade Minister Jim Carr saying Wednesday that there is any indication the cases are related. Then again, it is rather obvious they are. Indeed, Guy Saint-Jacques, who served as ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016 and worked with Kovrig, says the link is clear. "There's no coincidence with China." "In this case, they couldn't grab a Canadian diplomat because this would have created a major diplomatic incident," he said. "Going after him I think was their way to send a message to the Canadian government and to put pressure." Even though Meng was granted bail late Tuesday, that did not placate China, whose foreign ministry spokesman said that "The Canadian side should correct its mistakes and release Ms. Meng Wanzhou immediately." The tension, according to Bloomberg, may force Canadian companies to reconsider travel to China, and executives traveling to the Asian country will need to exercise extra caution, said Andy Chan, managing partner at Miller Thomson LLP in Vaughan, Ontario. "Canadian business needs to look at and balance the reasons for the travel'' between the business case and the "current political environment,'' Chan said by email. Chinese officials subject business travelers to extra screening and in some case reject them from entering, he said. Earlier in the day, SCMP reported that Chinese high-tech researchers were told "not to travel to the US unless it's essential." And so, with Meng unlikely to be released from Canada any time soon, expect even more "Chinese (non) coincidences", until eventually China does detain someone that the US does care about. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading Latest Multipolar World Order in the Making: Qatar Dumps OPEC Russia and Qatar's global strategy also brings together and includes partners like Turkey. Published 1 day ago on December 13, 2018 By Federico Pieraccini Authored by Federico Pieraccini via The Strategic Culture Foundation: The decision by Qatar to abandon OPEC threatens to redefine the global energy market, especially in light of Saudi Arabia's growing difficulties and the growing influence of the Russian Federation in the OPEC+ mechanism. In a surprising statement, Qatari energy minister Saad al-Kaabi warned OPEC on Monday December 3 that his country had sent all the necessary documentation to start the country's withdrawal from the oil organization in January 2019. Al-Kaabi stressed that the decision had nothing to do with recent conflicts with Riyadh but was rather a strategic choice by Doha to focus on the production of LNG, which Qatar, together with the Russian Federation, is one of the largest global exporters of. Despite an annual oil extraction rate of only 1.8% of the total of OPEC countries (about 600,000 barrels a day), Qatar is one of the founding members of the organization and has always had a strong political influence on the governance of the organization. In a global context where international relations are entering a multipolar phase, things like cooperation and development become fundamental; so it should not surprise that Doha has decide to abandon OPEC. OPEC is one of the few unipolar organizations that no longer has a meaningful purpose in 2018, given the new realities governing international relations and the importance of the Russian Federation in the oil market. Besides that, Saudi Arabia requires the organization to maintain a high level of oil production due to pressure coming from Washington to achieve a very low cost per barrel of oil. The US energy strategy targets Iranian and Russian revenue from oil exports, but it also aims to give the US a speedy economic boost. Trump often talks about the price of oil falling as his personal victory. The US imports about 10 million barrels of oil a day, which is why Trump wrongly believes that a decrease in the cost per barrel could favor a boost to the US economy. The economic reality shows a strong correlation between the price of oil and the financial growth of a country, with low prices of crude oil often synonymous of a slowing down in the economy. It must be remembered that to keep oil prices low, OPEC countries are required to maintain a high rate of production, doubling the damage to themselves. Firstly, they take less income than expected and, secondly, they deplete their oil reserves to favor the strategy imposed by Saudi Arabia on OPEC to please the White House. It is clearly a strategy that for a country like Qatar (and perhaps Venezuela and Iran in the near future) makes little sense, given the diplomatic and commercial rupture with Riyadh stemming from tensions between the Gulf countries. In contrast, the OPEC+ organization, which also includes other countries like the Russian Federation, Mexico and Kazakhstan, seems to now to determine oil and its cost per barrel. At the moment, OPEC and Russia have agreed to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day, contradicting Trump's desire for high oil output. With this last choice Qatar sends a clear signal to the region and to traditional allies, moving to the side of OPEC+ and bringing its interests closer in line with those of the Russian Federation and its all-encompassing oil and gas strategy, two sectors in which Qatar and Russia dominate market share. In addition, Russia and Qatar's global strategy also brings together and includes partners like Turkey (a future energy hub connecting east and west as well as north and south) and Venezuela. In this sense, the meeting between Maduro and Erdogan seems to be a prelude to further reorganization of OPEC and its members. The declining leadership role of Saudi Arabia in the oil and financial market goes hand in hand with the increase of power that countries like Qatar and Russia in the energy sectors are enjoying. The realignment of energy and finance signals the evident decline of the Israel-US-Saudi Arabia partnership. Not a day goes by without corruption scandals in Israel, accusations against the Saudis over Khashoggi or Yemen, and Trump's unsuccessful strategies in the commercial, financial or energy arenas. The path this doomed trio is taking will only procure less influence and power, isolating them more and more from their opponents and even historical allies. Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi, the Eurasian powerhouses, seem to have every intention, as seen at the trilateral summit in Buenos Aires, of developing the ideal multipolar frameworks to avoid continued US dominance of the oil market through shale revenues or submissive allies as Saudi Arabia, even though the latest spike in production is a clear signal from Riyadh to the USA. In this sense, Qatar's decision to abandon OPEC and start a complex and historical discussion with Moscow on LNG in the format of an enlarged OPEC marks the definitive decline of Saudi Arabia as a global energy power, to be replaced by Moscow and Doha as the main players in the energy market. Qatar's decision is, officially speaking, unconnected to the feud triggered by Saudi Arabia against the small emirate. However, it is evident that a host of factors has led to this historic decision. The unsuccessful military campaign in Yemen has weakened Saudi Arabia on all fronts, especially militarily and economically. The self-inflicted fall in the price of oil is rapidly consuming Saudi currency reserves, now at a new low of less than 500 billion dollars. Events related to Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) have de-legitimized the role of Riyadh in the world as a reliable diplomatic interlocutor. The internal and external repression by the Kingdom has provoked NGOs and governments like Canada's to issue public rebukes that have done little to help MBS's precarious position. In Syria, the victory of Damascus and her allies has consolidated the role of Moscow in the region, increased Iranian influence, and brought Turkey and Qatar to the multipolar side, with Tehran and Moscow now the main players in the Middle East. In terms of military dominance, there has been a clear regional shift from Washington to Moscow; and from an energy perspective, Doha and Moscow are turning out to be the winners, with Riyadh once again on the losing side. As long as the Saudi royal family continues to please Donald Trump, who is prone to catering to Israeli interests in the region, the situation of the Kingdom will only get worse. The latest agreement on oil production between Moscow and Riyad signals that someone in the Saudi royal family has probably figured this out. Countries like Turkey, India, China, Russia and Iran understand the advantages of belonging to a multipolar world, thereby providing a collective geopolitical ballast that is mutually beneficial. The energy alignment between Qatar and the Russian Federation seems to support this general direction, a sort of G2 of LNG gas that will only strengthen the position of Moscow on the global chessboard, while guaranteeing a formidable military umbrella for Doha in case of a further worsening of relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Liked it? Take a second to support The Duran on Patreon! Continue Reading JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL Your donations make all the difference. 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subset: commoncrawl


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UNDP Resident Representative submit the 1st two years Progress Report 2012-2013 of Transition PlanFeb 18, 2014
Sana'a, during a meeting with Dr. Mohammed Al-Sa'adi, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Mr. Ismail Ouldcheickh Ahmed, UDNP Resident Representative handed over copy of a progress report on UNDP support during the first two years (2012-2013) of transitional period.
The report is outlining realignment of current Country Programme Document (2012-2015) of the Government of Yemen to address the Transition Plan for Stabilization and Development. In order to ensure effective response to the Government of Yemen requirements during the transition period the country office enhanced its capacity through recruitment of additional professional staff and articulated a resources mobilization strategy.
Country office also participated in setting out 2012-2013 transition period agenda resulted in the articulation and implementation of the country most critical interventions like supporting the electoral cycle in order to build a new legitimacy; setting up the bases for transitional justice; supporting national dialogue in order to create solid bases for Yemen's future; strengthening the State's national capacities to manage the transitional period and enhance coordination between different actors; enhancing capacity of civil society organizations, youth and women groups for their active participation in the national dialogue conference; bolstering genuine national ownership for the transitional plan; and stimulating the local economy in order to accelerate peace dividends, especially for the youth and women.
During these two years, the Progress Report indicates how UNDP Yemen was able to double the number of development partners (including new donors to Yemen) and tripled its financial resources in support of Yemen and its people. Moreover, the progress report acknowledge that the Government of Yemen leadership and trust during these two years has been essential to the achievement of critical milestones and building a promising and lasting partnership.
Dr. Al-Sa'adi acknowledges and appreciates the role and the support that UNDP has provided during the transition period and on the same time wishes Mr. Ahmed a successful reassignment to other country. The minister concluded that UNDP will remain a strategic partner to the Government of Yemen and we are looking forward working together with the UNDP Country Office to support on the implementation of the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference.
The meeting was attended by officials of the Ministry of Planning and UNDP country office.
Contact information
Abdo Seif, Advisory Team Leader, UNDP.


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The Gift of God's Grace
We experience God's grace each day that we open our eyes. Each day we should devote time to God and thank him for another day in this world. Our children are the future and it is our duty to instill God and faith within them. Here are scriptures, that redefine God's devotion, from Max Lucado's new book Grace for the Moment: 365 Devotions for Kids.
As you read these scriptures allow them to refresh your soul and attitude.


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Media Buzz: The FHA Bailout of 2013Posted by on September 26, 2013
Update: Chairman Hensarling Comments on Obama Administration's Confirmation of $1.7 Billion Taxpayer-Funded Bailout for FHA
The Hill | FHA may need $1 billion bailout
Washington Times | Rising mortgage defaults may force FHA to request bailout from Treasury: report
Bloomberg | Federal Housing Administration Said to Take Taxpayer Subsidy
How Did We Get Here?
While FHA has historically served targeted populations, like first-time homebuyers and credit-worthy low and moderate income Americans, it has strayed far from this historical and well-intentioned goal. Today, FHA can insure loans as high as $729,750. Such a home purchase is far beyond the reach of those truly earning low and moderate incomes. This mission creep has enabled FHA to crowd out its private sector competition and seize control of more than 56% of the mortgage insurance market, all the while leaving homeowners with fewer choices and exposing taxpayers to excessive risk.
America deserves better than this. Hardworking taxpayers are sick and tired of having to bail out Washington's failed housing policies, whether it's the nearly $200 billion bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or a bailout of the FHA. That's why the PATH Act includes critical reforms to right-size the FHA. These reforms include:
You can find more information on these and other FHA reforms in our Executive Summary of the PATH Act (.pdf).


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TDF News: Basso & Ulrich out!
Pre-race favourites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso are out of the Tour de France after both were named in an anti-doping investigation in Spain.
Ullrich, team-mate Oscar Sevilla and team manager Rudy Pevenage have all been suspended by the T-Mobile team.
Basso has now been excluded by organisers of the Tour, which starts in Strasbourg on Saturday.
All four denied any wrong-doing when allegations first began to emerge earlier this week.


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"American Horror Story: Coven" followed up its info packed premiere with a fun second episode called "Boy Parts." But once again, the girl parts were the best parts. There are so many bitchy, powerful women in this series.
[Spoilers ahead it you are not caught up!]
Everything about "Boy Parts" furthered the season's themes of our obsession with youth and beauty and how we could be abusing out ability to control such things. At least that's what I think is going on here. You agree?
When Zoe (Taissa Farmiga) totally cracks and rats out bus flipper Madison (Emma Roberts) to a couple of New Orleans detectives—not to mention tells them that the school is a front for witches—Fiona (Jessica Lange) steps in to save the day.
But she's pissed, and she schools Zoe and Madison about how witches should close ranks and protect each other, not fall apart, when facing a crisis. She puts an exclamation point on the lesson by telekinetically throwing them up against a wall.
"The only thing in this whole wicked world you have to fear," she spits, "is me."
The bitch witch is fierce!
Turns out Lilo Jr. just can't not cause trouble, because she drags Zoe to the morgue to make a Frankenboy out of Kyle (Evan Peters). Madison decides to grab the best parts of the boys from the bus crash, not giving a thought to what will be on the inside when they bring him back. She's obviously in the "Put a bag over his brain and do your business" camp.
The girls' necromancing brings gator-reviving, Stevie Nicks-loving Misty Day (Lily Rabe) out of the swamp into her back seat. She scars the crap out of Zoe, but they go to Misty's cabin to listen to Fleetwood Mac. There's a great little joke about Stevie Nicks being a witch, or just "the Stevie Nicks from 'Idol,'" as Zoe says.
Damn kids today.
Misty thinks Zoe is an all-powerful witch and gets a little stalkerish on her when Zoe says she has to get back to school. But they agree she'll come back because she's going to leave Frankenboy there so Misty can rub gator dung on his stitches and maybe teach him how to walk instead of doing the Frankenstein dance. (So if he's made out of the body parts of several boys, why's he still look he's got the same body as before? Just saying.)
Meanwhile, Fiona has her hair did at the salon run by voodoo witch Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), who somehow manages to not pull the witch's hair out. There's not love lost here; these two come from covens that have been warring forever.
Fiona offers up a trade and we learn why she dug up Madame LaLaurie (Kathy Bates), who by the way has been set free back at the school by empath Nan (Jamie Brewer), who said she was thinking too loudly. Fiona will give stinky Madame LaLaurie to Marie if Marie gives Fiona her secret for staying young.
Bassett, by the way, does look ageless. And she's rockin' those "Strange Days" braids. Fiona is right, "good black don't crack."
In the least interesting storyline, Cordelia (Sara Paulson) and her hubby, Hank (Josh Hamilton)--wait a minute, where did HE come from?! And what's up with that jean jacket? Anyway, they're trying to have a kid and she doesn't want to use her magic to make it happen. He talks her into it anyway and they have a crazy night of circular, snake-charming sex.
This episodes take-aways:
- When you put a bull's head on a man, it apparently cannot be removed in 180 years. (Unless the minotaur thing just turns Marie on?)
- Snakes can help you get preggers.
- If you're buried alive for 180 years, you should take a bath when you're dug up.
- Don't try to get a free piece of fried chicken from Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe)
- Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac still rock.
"American Horror Story: Coven" returns at 9 p.m. CT Oct. 23 on FX.
What did you think of the episode? And how would you build your perfect celebrity boyfriend?
Want more? Discuss this article and others on Show Patrol's Facebook page.


text: Power Hour: Which is a Better Investment: The Stock Market or Farmland? August 15, 2012 09:31 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Jeanne Bernick Top Producer Editor Email Hot money keeps hunting farmland. It's as good – if not better -- than gold. Investors ranging from Wall Street securities brokers to affluent retirees continue to seek farmland as a good long-term bet, with more out-of-state investors vying for farmland, according to auctioneers, land brokers and assessors. Now, even some of the world's biggest pension funds say they are dumping money into farmland as they seek to diversify portfolios. At an ag investment summit in London this summer, leading U.S. and EU pension funds are looking for the only tangible asset they can find to avoid the volatility in world economies. In 2011 pension funds invested $5 billion to $15 billion globally in farmland, according to Grain, a non-governmental organization that promotes sustainable use of resources. It predicted the figure would double by 2015, reports Reuters. Over the past decade, U.S. farmland has returned an average of 15.5% a year, notes the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries. That compares with about 4.1% for the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index and about 1.8% for 90-day government bonds. Gold is returning about 19%. Iowa farmland values have shown yearly increases for 11 of the past 12 years, says Mike Duffy, ag economist and land specialist with Iowa State University. The values remain at record high levels where they have been for the past nine years. Based on the Iowa State University Farmland Value Survey, the 2011 estimated average farmland value in Iowa was $6,708 per acre. This was an increase of 32.5% from the 2010 estimate. In 2011, Iowa land values set two more records previously set in the 1970s, Duffy says. The 32.5% increase is the largest yearly percentage increase for Iowa land values. By comparison, the composite value of the stock market, as measured by the Standard & Poor's Index average, has started recovering from the disastrous 2008 year. The S&P lost 34% of its value between 2000 and 2008, but its overall record has been impressive since 1990, Duffy notes. Stock values rose from 328.75 in 1990 to a December 2011 close of 1,255.20, an increase of nearly 300 percent in spite of the decline in 2008. Better or worse? So which is a better investment – land or the stock market? "It is a complicated question and one for which there is no one best answer," offers Duffy. Several factors need to be considered when trying to answer this question and several assumptions have to be made. In simple terms, real estate taxes, a management fee, insurance and maintenance must be subtracted from the return to land; but there would be other costs that would vary with the individual circumstances, he says, including transaction costs. Investors also have to keep in mind that land is on a roll, while the performance of the stock market for the next few years is also not clear. The U.S. stock market will be impacted by what happens in the European Union and China, as well as other places in the world. "We are no longer insulated from the economic conditions throughout the world," reminds Duffy. Another uncertainty in the land market is the changing landowner demographics. In 1982, 12% of the farmland in Iowa was owned by someone older than 75. By 2007, this percentage had more than doubled to 28%. In 2007, over half, 55%, of the farmland in Iowa was owned by someone over the age of 65. "Whether they will they want to continue to own the land or sell it is unknown. Too much land being offered for sale is not a problem at this time, but it could become one if the next generation doesn't want to hold on to the land," he says. The reality is that land and the stock market are different types of invest¬ments and assets, Duffy says. "There are a number of individual stocks that perform better than the S&P, but there are some that don't perform as well," he adds. "Anyone contemplating which is a better investment needs to know their goals." Land's performance relative to the stock market over the past few years has been spectacular. Will this trend continue? Time will tell. Which is the better investment? As the old saying goes, timing is everything. Read and watch more Power Hour news, blogs and videos. Related Video Report : Brian Basting of Advance Trading says high land values will be dependent on two things: high commodity prices and low interest rates. Back to news


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Hello, I am Shintaro. I am here to talk about the greatest band of all time, the Smiths.
I first heard the Smiths in 1983, didn't become a big fan until 1985, and even got too meet the band a few times in 1986 onward.
I think Johnny and Morrissey had a true partnership and complimentary talents that were rare and unique.
I have also been consistently disappointed with much of Morrissey's solo work and his attitude towards the Smiths legacy. I also find his fans that exclusively prefer his solo work to be mindless lemmings and devoid of any objectivity.
As you can tell I don't hold back, I am looking forward to many lively discussions.


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Byrd homer lifts Phillies over Nationals 2-1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Marlon Byrd hit a tiebreaking home run in the sixth inning, Roberto Hernandez pitched eight strong innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 2-1 Friday night.
Grady Sizemore and Cody Asche had two hits apiece for Philadelphia.
Hernandez (6-8) allowed an unearned run on five singles. He retired the last 10 batters he faced and 17 of the last 18. Over his last four starts, Hernandez is 3-0 with a 1.88 earned run average, including two wins against Washington while allowing no earned runs over 15 1-3 innings.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 26th save. He allowed a pair of one-out singles before striking out Bryce Harper and Nationals newcomer Asdrubal Cabrera.
NL-East leading Washington has lost four of five.
Doug Fister (10-3) took his first loss since June 15, allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked two, and has allowed three runs or fewer in 13 of his 15 starts.
Byrd struck out his first two times against Fister before sending an 0-1 pitch to the opposite field with two outs in the sixth for his 21st homer.
The Phillies took the lead in the second. Sizemore hit a deep drive to left and Harper raced back, got a glove on it at the warning track, but didn't make the catch. Sizemore ended up with a double and scored on Asche's single.
Washington tied it in the bottom of the inning after a Philadelphia error. Adam LaRoche led off and hit an infield pop-up. Hernandez and third baseman Asche had a play on it, but the ball dropped between them.
Asche picked it up and threw wildly to first, allowing LaRoche to go around to third. Ian Desmond then bounced a single up the middle to score LaRoche.
Phillies: Cliff Lee was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an elbow strain and the team recalled left-hander Cesar Jimenez from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Lee will be examined by the team doctor Saturday. Manager Ryne Sandberg said he was considering starting left-handed hitting outfielder Dominic Brown against righty Fister, but Brown was suffering from a sore throat and fever.
Nationals: Jordan Zimmermann (6-5, 3.17) makes his fifth try for his 50th career win Saturday. He allowed four runs over 3 1-3 innings in loss at Philadelphia on July 11.
Phillies: A.J. Burnett (6-10, 4.15) looks to rebound from last start, when he allowed seven runs in five innings against the New York Mets on Monday. His last win came July 11 against the Nationals and Zimmermann.


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Links to Federal and non-federal information about research into rare diseases including ORDR-supported research. When you enter most of the Web sites listed below, you will leave the ORDR Web site. Please return to find more information about research resources, scientific conferences, genetics information and services, and other related information.


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For the Horizon Christian High Hawks, participating in high school basketball's version of "March Madness" is something that they've become accustomed to in recent years, and this year is no different. The Hawks, guided by coach Darrin Lingel, advanced to the OSAA 1A state tournament quarterfinals for a fourth straight year following a 67-27 second-round home playoff win Saturday over the Crane Mustangs (14-12).
"We're excited to have another trip to Baker and it's exciting to have an opportunity to possibly win a state championship," said Lingel, who led the Hawks to a state title in 2012 and a second-place finish in 2013. "Anything can happen there and we're looking forward to the challenge."
The No. 1-ranked Hawks (23-1) face the No. 3-ranked Imbler Panthers (21-4) Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in their opening matchup of the Elite Eight tournament March 6-8 at Baker High School. If Horizon wins Thursday, it'll play the winner of a quarterfinal contest between Crosshill Christian (18-6) and Jordan Valley (22-4) in a 3:15 p.m. semifinal Friday. If Horizon loses to Imbler, it'll play in a 9 a.m. consolation round game Friday.
The championship game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. March 8. Along with Horizon, another favorite to make the championship game is the the No. 4-ranked Columbia Christian Knights (22-5), who are the Valley 10 League Champions from Portland and have remained undefeated against all 1A opponents they've faced. Horizon is also unbeaten against 1A teams, as the Hawks' only loss (67-51) was to Class 2A Irrigon in their season opener back on Dec. 7.
"Columbia is a good team and they have two kids (6-8 Kameron Chatman and 6-8 Arkadiy Mkrtychyan) who have scholarships to NCAA Division I schools," said Lingel. "Chatman is going to Michigan and Arkadiy is going to Idaho. If we have the opportunity to face Columbia, it could be a huge challenge, but we'll have to win two other games first."
As usual, Saturday's game saw the potent and effective one-two scoring punch of junior Mason Bloomster (18 points, five rebounds, six assists) and senior Matt Totaro (19 pts., 10 rebs., two blocks) lead the Hawks to the win.
"It's my third straight year going to Baker City to play in the quarterfinals, so that's pretty exciting," said Bloomster.
Crane, guided by first-year head coach Hector Martinez and assistant Mathieu Zander, responded to Horizon's pressure well initially and even held a small lead for a couple of minutes in the second quarter.
"We're really proud of our team for making it to the Sweet 16," said Zander, whose squad traveled six hours from Eastern Oregon. "If you're going to lose in the playoffs, then it might as well be to the No. 1 team in the state. We have no reason to hang our heads. Our kids played the best they could and we just lost to a better team. I hope they (Horizon) win it all, because then we can say that we lost to the state champions and they have a really high-class group of kids."
Horizon regained an edge at 17-16 with 5:34 on the scoreboard clock, when Totaro sank an 8-foot jumper in the lane. From there, the game went the way of the Hawks, who found their rhythm and built a 33-19 halftime lead and a 55-21 lead after three.
"Our game plan is apply defensive pressure as often as we can, while utilizing our quickness advantage to get steals and convert fast-break scoring opportunities," said Engel. "We always force a lot of turnovers and that helps get our transition game working very well … I love going to Baker and it was one of our goals at the beginning of the year to win the championship and we're hoping to achieve that goal on Saturday."
All 11 players on the Hawks team competed in the playoff game, including junior Ryan Aldrich, who played in his first home game of the season after recently returning to the team. Aldrich played for the first time this season in the Big Sky Conference District Tournament, Feb. 21-22 at Hermiston High School. For seniors Totaro, Engel, Amar Mann and Austin Requa, it marked the final home game of their career at the "Hawks Nest."
"I'm really proud of all the guys for doing such a great job tonight, especially our seniors," said Lingel. "It was their last home game, so it was somewhat of an emotional day for them. They're really the core group and heart and soul of the team. They helped build a winning basketball tradition here."
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As part of his solution to America's energy woes, Barack Obama wants to phase out the common light bulb in six years.
The Democratic senator's solution – under current law they phase out in 12 years – is taking place here where a city contractor is busy replacing incandescent bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent models. The goal: reduce power consumption so the city doesn't have to build another power plant.
John McCain's energy proposals include nudging Detroit to build vehicles more quickly that run on multiple fuels, such as ethanol or biodiesel.
The Republican senator's solution is also taking place here, where city vehicles can use one of six alternative fuels instead of conventional gasoline. The city's goal: lower greenhouse-gas emissions.
Welcome to the sweltering laboratory for some of the energy solutions proposed by both candidates in an election year when the economy and energy are the top issue for voters. For months – including this week – the candidates have been sniping away at each other over gasoline taxes, energy rebates, and offshore oil drilling.
Like many of the candidates' ideas, some of Austin's plans won't have an immediate effect – it could be 10 years or more until some of the efforts reduce the city's energy consumption in part because the technology is just not sufficient yet. But other ideas, such as a real push for conservation, are already paying dividends, reducing some of the need to build new power plants. In some cases, the city has thought about some of the candidates' proposals and already rejected them.
The basic thrust of the McCain approach is to encourage private enterprise, via tax incentives and other lures, to solve the problem. He sees energy as a national-security issue and wants to encourage more production of oil. Senator Obama's push is for a stronger Washington hand combined with new technology. He wants to break the United States of the oil "habit."
Nationally, the energy challenge for the candidates is Texas-size.
Every day, the US consumes 20.6 million barrels of oil, burning through $125 million an hour. Emissions of carbon dioxide are up 19.3 percent from 1990 to 2006. And neither candidate can get around the fact that the price of gasoline is way up over last year.
The economy is the No. 1 issue for voters this year, say pollsters. And for the pocketbook as well as for policy, energy leads economic concerns. "It will be a key driver to decide who wins," says Dennis Jacobe, Washington-based chief economist for the Gallup Organization.
In some ways Austin is ideal as a lab for clean energy: The city is the capital of the nation's most polluting state.
If Texas were a country, it would be the sixth most polluting nation on the planet, just ahead of Canada, says Austin's mayor, Will Wynn. "We are not only No. 1 in terms of carbon emissions, we emit more carbon than No. 2 California and No. 3 Pennsylvania combined."
Moreover, Austin's energy mix, supplied by a city-owned utility, is relatively close to the nation's power supply. Austin Energy, the municipal utility, gets 35 percent of its energy from low-sulfur coal (50 percent nationally), 29 percent from natural gas (20 percent nationally), almost 26 percent from nuclear (20 percent), and 8 percent from renewables (3 percent).
Austin has set a goal of being carbon neutral (removing as much carbon as the city is adding) for all city-owned vehicles, buildings, and operations by 2020. Technology for elimination of all carbon emissions may not be possible by then, so Austin is studying offset strategies – such as planting trees or prairie grass – that can remove the remaining emissions.
One way the city is trying to lower carbon emissions – an effort suggested by both candidates – is the use of flex-fuel vehicles.
Senator McCain would jawbone auto manufacturers to make more vehicles that run on various types of fuel. That's actually happening in Austin where a city fueling depot gives city vehicles the option of six different fuels. Some of the options are less expensive than gasoline, such as propane, which costs about $1.90 a gallon, says Will O'Connor, a fleet and fuel manager.
But, for the most part, the main advantage of the flex-fuel fleet is a reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions, he says. "Some of the alternative fuels result in 30 percent less carbon per mile than regular gasoline," he says as he watches a tanker at the depot unload biodiesel made from cotton seeds.
Mayor Wynn, a Democrat, has talked energy in person with both candidates. He says he has "steered" Obama's advisers to programs the city is enacting. And, two years ago, he met with McCain, whom he calls "a breath of fresh air" for his interest in the environment.
Both candidates envision major investments in "clean coal" technology that turns carbon from coal into gas through a chemical process. The gas may get stored underground or deep in the ocean. So far, the technology for storage has not been proven. McCain proposes spending $2 billion annually for the next three years on developing this technology. Obama says he will "significantly" increase the resources devoted to the technology.
Between now and 2020, Austin is not planning on clean-coal technology to help it reduce its emissions. "We do not see that technology being available for actual commercial use in the next decade at least, possibly longer," says Roger Duncan, general manager of Austin Energy.
McCain is proposing to build 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030, with the ultimate goal of constructing 100 of them. Obama foresees a role for nuclear power plants but first wants to sort out controversial issues such as long-term storage of radioactive waste. Unlike McCain, Obama opposes using Yucca Mountain in Nevada as a repository for such waste.
Austin is already a partner in a nuclear power plant in Bay City, Texas. But the city turned down participation in the expansion of the facility for financial reasons.
Both candidates are also planning on some form of cap-and-trade legislation, a system of setting a limit on carbon emissions and allowing companies to buy and sell the right to emit, Several bills are being considered in Congress.
Wynn estimates that cap and trade, which he favors, could cost Austin Energy as much as $2 billion for the right to burn carbon, depending on which version Congress passes. In a worst-case scenario, this would cost residents 13 to 20 percent more for their electricity. "I tell people we have to stop acting as if climate protection doesn't cost anything," he says. "Price signals are how we change habits."
Both candidates envision a nation turning increasingly to renewable sources of energy. That's already happening in Austin through the use of wind generators located in west Texas. By the end of this year, the city utility will expand its green power from 8 percent to 11 percent of the total – mostly from wind.
The problem with using Texas wind is that it mainly blows between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Austin Energy has purchased a Toyota Prius with a special plug-in kit. Right now it's trying to time charging the car with when the wind is blowing.
Eventually, the hybrids may plug back into the system when they are parked, adding electricity back into the system.
How the experiment goes in Austin will be important because both candidates want to see an increase in plug-in vehicles. McCain, in fact, is proposing a $300 million prize for a new battery that will "leapfrog" commercially available plug-ins. McCain will give a tax break that depends on the amount of carbon emissions removed from each vehicle.
The city is also installing "smart meters," endorsed by both candidates. Starting at seven in the morning, installer Brian Evans rings doorbells to tell homeowners he's there to replace their old electric meters with digital versions that will radio the electric charges to a computer.
"You won't need a meter reader anymore," he tells homeowners before he disconnects their power for a few seconds.
Digital meters may also be the foundation for a "smart" electric grid so homes with solar cells can sell power back. But a smart grid has even greater potential. For example, Austin has installed 70,000 radio-controlled digital thermostats in homes. When it needs to reduce its electrical load, it signals units to shut off the air conditioning for 10 minutes.
"It drops demand by 25 to 40 megawatts, enough to eliminate the need for a gas turbine," says Mr. Duncan.
But Austin's most successful effort so far is in energy conservation, a major goal for Obama but mentioned in McCain's proposals only as "common sense conservation." Duncan estimates such efforts have reduced electrical demand by about 700 megawatts, which is equal to a medium-sized coal-fired power plant.
The conservation ethic extends to Austin's new housing codes, which mandate that by 2015 all new residential buildings must be zero energy capable – that is, consume no more energy in a year than they produce. Obama would give builders until 2030.
In Austin's case, this means homes built in 2015 will be up to 70 percent more energy efficient than homes built in 2007 and earlier. The remaining 30 percent would be achieved by on-site generation such as solar panels.
How this is working in Austin can be seen in how home builder Matt Risinger is erecting a 2,830-square-foot home that will get him close to the city's new code. As carpenters work around the site, he shows his metal roof (a radiant heat barrier), spray foam insulation that will keep the attic at 80 degrees F. on the hottest day versus 130 degrees, and superefficient heating and cooling systems.
"My big thing is doing everything possible to make this house as energy efficient as possible," he says.
To reduce electricity demand, Austin Energy has given out coupons for compact fluorescent light bulbs and will pay a significant amount of a homeowner's conservation efforts. Sometimes the city does the work free of charge.
That's happening on a hot day in July at an apartment complex, where project manager Gerald Elrod of Advanced Energy Services arrives with a crew. While one of them replaces incandescent bulbs with lower-energy compact fluorescent models, he begins to patch up the leaky central air-conditioning system.
"We've had grandmothers come up and kiss us for cutting their electric bills in half," he says.


text: Small campus type network (a half dozen buildings or so). I have network panels throughout, within what was supposed to be a range reserved for us (172.28.10.x). Friday, the client turned on a video conferencing unit that was programmed with the same IP as one of my panels. So, my server lost comm with that panel. After we tracked down the device with the duplicate IP and changed it, the network can no longer see my panel (with the same IP). I try pinging, and two different IP's reply. I changed my panel for a new one with a different IP, and was able to communicate with it over the same wire/port/switch the previous panel was using. And, as soon as I changed the new unit to the previous IP, I lost comm with that one, too. I know changing the IP didn't fry the new board, so why is the network not able to tell where that IP address is located? I rebooted the panel a few times before replacing, even changed the port the panel was plugged into.


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opspelende endometriose...
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text:
Uncle Owen needs a resculpt in the worst way. However, old man figures without lightsabers probably will not get released anytime soon.
Honestly I think the Rots #41 clone needs a resculpt. The armor is way to thick on his thighs making it impossible to make him sit without slightly pulling the leg out of its peg. I also think Zam needs a resculpt,Hoth Rebel, Endor Rebel, Tantive rebel, and Hoth Luke.
Neimoidian Warrior (SA)
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Shaelyn Holmes, Pratt, announces the birth of a son, Parker Landon, at 6:41 p.m. April 9, 2013, at Pratt Regional Medical Center. He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and was 20 ½ inches long.
Caedence, age 3, welcomes her brother.
Grandparents are Debra Holmes, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Eric Holmes, Pratt.
Great-grandparents are Louise Holmes and Leo Holmes, both of Pratt, Debra Hoyt, Cheyenne, Wyo., and the late Ned Pokeshi.


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Style # 229911
Make no mistake - this mesh mini dress was made to absolute perfection. With see-through appeal across the front shoulder, bodice, full back, and wrap-neck detail. Bright hue color option, just in time for Spring!
- 96% Polyester, 4% spandex
- Hand wash
- Imported
- Center back to hem: 32" (81 cm)
- Model is 5'10" and wears a US size S
Metallic Ottoman Mesh Dress is rated out of 5 by 1.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Kristin1228 from Gorgeous!!! I'm shocked this hasn't received any reviews yet. It is absolutely stunning on, especially on blondes! True to size and it has nice padded bra cups. This will be a great dress for spring and summer.
Date published: 2014-05-17


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This isn't a traditional coffee cake—it's a cake in which cold coffee is an ingredient. It seems a lot of older recipes used coffee in cakes, and I'm kind of surprised that Starbucks hasn't capitalized on this, what with America's newly developed love of all things java.
To me, this cake is reminiscent of gingerbread, but the office foodies say it has a more complex taste, thanks to the coffee, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, in addition to the ginger, molasses, and brown sugar. The cake flour gives it a light and very delicate crumb. I bake it in a Bundt pan and sprinkle coarse sugar over it because it reminds me of Christmas ginger cookies. But you can also dust it with confectioners' sugar.–Melissa Gray
LC Any Way You Slice It Note
According to the author—and she ought to know—this cake "has a delicate crumb" and "doesn't slice thinly." May not seem like life-alteringly profound information, but it's critically useful insight for those of us who suffer from phobias pertaining to public displays of cake slicing. And we greatly appreciate it.
Special Equipment: 12-cup Bundt pan or 10-inch tube pan
Coffee Spice Cake
- Quick Glance
- Serves 16 to 24
- 3/4 cup cold strong coffee
- Baking spray
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1. Obtain coffee. This is the dark roasted stuff, not watered-down diner coffee. Brew it yourself, or use this as an excuse to run down to your local coffee shop and treat yourself a grande mocha Frappuccino or a chi latte because you simply haven't had enough go-go juice today and would like to spend the next few hours bouncing off the walls of your kitchen.
- 2. Center a rack and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray or line the bottom of a 10-inch tube pan with parchment paper and spray the sides and bottom with baking spray.
- 3. Cream the shortening with the mixer on medium speed, and add the brown sugar gradually. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, roughly 3 minutes.
- 4. Shift the mixer to low speed. Add the molasses, then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- 5. In separate bowl, dry whisk the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and spices together.
- 6. Add a third of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, beat, then add 1/4 cup of the coffee and beat on medium until well blended. Repeat 2 more times.
- 7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake tests done.
- 8. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes in the pan, unmold onto a cake rack, and cool completely.
- 9. Sprinkle with coarse sugar or dust with confectioners' sugar.
Mocha Coffee Spice Cake Variation
- Even though the original recipe got the official "mmm, mmm, good cake!" designation from the staff, I decided it was just a little too close to gingerbread and not close enough to coffee, or at least grande mocha Frappuccino. I did want a dash of barista added to this baby, I have to admit. So, I decided to re-cake. The addition of chocolate and a richer, moister crumb was generally welcomed by all.
- For the cake
- Follow the main recipe to bake and cool the cake, making the adjustments below.
Ditch the 3/4 cup shortening and use 3/4 cup unsalted butter instead. Also ditch the ginger completely. If you wish and have the option, use a Bundt pan that has a lot of vertical ridges in it. (Vertical ridges = more places for the chocolate drizzle to run into and stick.)
- For the chocolate drizzle
- Two 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cups (about 1 small can) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons cold strongly brewed coffee
In the top of a double boiler (or an improvised one made from a bowl set over but not touching simmering water), melt the unsweetened chocolate until smooth.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.


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Skip to comments.Appeals court to hear challenge to gay therapy ban [Freedom Under Assault in California]
Posted on 04/17/2013 2:20:24 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
A federal appeals court is to hear arguments Wednesday on whether a first-of-its-kind law that prohibits licensed mental health professionals in California from offering therapies aimed at making gay and lesbian teenagers straight violates the civil rights of practitioners and parents.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering two legal challenges to the ban on "sexual orientation change efforts" that was passed by the California Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last fall.
(Excerpt) Read more at m.fremonttribune.com ...
Seems to me a clear violation of the First Amendment.
BUT, only if you reside in a state that acknowledges and ACCEPTS the U.S. Constitution.
So in Cal. it is legal for a male to have therapy and/or surgery to become a female, but it is not ok for a male to have therapy to be a male. That makes zero sense; not that I except anything but political expediency from the ruling class nowadays.
Then gay they must stay.
Something does not seem right....
It is OK to have a sex change from a man to woman, woman to man. It is OK to dress like a man to woman, woman to man.
It is NOT OK to try to stay a man or a woman.
Something does not seem right...
Whatever happened to people's right to choose
I has gotten to the point in this country that if any argument or debate point uses the US Constitution as its starting point you have lost before you even started.
The left has been completely successful in rendering this document as simply a historical curiosity with no force of law behind it.
Even the USSC has corrupted their own responsibility from what was to "determine if laws/regulations/EOs of Congress or the Executive branch were ALLOWED by the Constitution" to "Interpreting the Constitution" as if it were written in Vulcan and we were not sure what the hell it means.
When the laws of the country are dictated by mostly 5-4 decisions of 9 alleged most brilliant legal minds in the country, you know you are in trouble and these Black Robed political hacks are simply ultra good politicians who found a job from which they cannot be fired. It is by far the worse run branch of government and that is saying a lot.
Even when the 5-4 decisions align with my way of thinking I know for a fact we are one political hack appointment away from turning this upside down. The 9 members of the USSC do not ALL use the Constitution in their decision process.
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McDonald's Meat Supplier Pulls Chinese Plant's Products
OSI Group to Probe Possible Management Failures at Shanghai Husi Unit
U.S.-based meat supplier OSI Group Inc. said it would withdraw all products manufactured by its embattled Shanghai unit from the marketplace, a move to control damage that has hit fast-food companies across China, in Hong Kong and in Japan.
Chinese authorities have accused the U.S.-based company's subsidiary, Shanghai Husi Food Co., of intentionally selling meat beyond its shelf life to restaurant companies. Shanghai Municipal Food and Drug Administration said that the supplier forged production dates on some products, such...


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Markham Civic Centre
101 Town Centre Boulevard,
Markham, Ontario, Canada
Phone: 905-477-5530
Email: email@example.com
Business Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with extended Contact Centre and Cash Counter hours until 7 PM every Thursday (excluding statutory holidays).
Switchboard: If you know the extension of the person you are trying to reach or calling after hours, dial 905-477-7000.
Transportation by air and land is convenient as Highways 404, 7, 48 and the 407 ETR run through Markham and Pearson International Airport is only 20 minutes away. Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport is a local private airport serving small aircraft and corporate jets.


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The move to telework is working. This month we recognized the third anniversary of the Telework Enhancement Act and OPM issued its report to Congress that shows the progress we're making on satisfying the requirements of the Act.
The share of federal employees eligible to telework has reached 47 percent, an increase of 49 percent from 2011, according to the report. This shows that federal agencies have made significant strides in increasing the use of telework, both to ensure that the vital operations of the federal government continue during emergency conditions and that such flexible work arrangements help federal employees better balance their work and personal life obligations.
I'm proud of how far we've come since 2010 when the Act was passed. But there is still more to do and we will continue to work with the agencies to spread the telework word.
Let me highlight some more of what's in the report. There was a 30 percent increase in the number of eligible employees who teleworked throughout the fiscal year. And among all federal employees, those eligible to telework and those who are not, the use of this flexible work practice increased from 8 percent to 10 percent.
The report also says that in 2012, 76 percent of reporting agencies allowed eligible employees to telework and 88 percent of agencies let their employees know about their eligibility to telework. Further, 91 percent of agencies report notifying new employees of their telework eligibility.
The total number of employees eligible to take advantage of this flexible working arrangement increased significantly from 684,589 in 2011 to 1,020,034. The number of employees who had written telework agreements also rose in 2012, up to 267,227 from 144,851 in 2011.
This year's report also points out how important the use of telework is when it comes to being prepared for emergencies. Overall, 81 percent of agencies have included information for the use of telework during emergencies in their telework policies and almost 50 percent provide training to employees on what is expected of them in an emergency. In addition, more employees are doing unscheduled telework, suggesting it is being used as a strategic tool for maintaining agency productivity and continuity.
Please take a look at the 2013 Status of Telework in the Federal Government Report to Congress at www.telework.gov.
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Your error has been logged and the appropriate people notified. You may close this message and try your command again, perhaps after refreshing the page. If you continue to experience issues, please notify the site administrator.


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 11th Jun 2013 08:10 UTC
Sony just won the console war for this generation. Not only is the PS4 going to be cheaper, Sony's CEO gloated on stage last night at E3 with the biggest possible grin as he detailed that all that nonsensical DRM crap that Microsoft is pulling, like blocking used games sales and stuff like that? Yeah, Sony's PS4 will have none of that. Sony even made an instructional video to explain how sharing games works.
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You know
by deathshadow on Thu 13th Jun 2013 03:24 UTC
It often seems to be like Microsoft intentionally tries to "throw the race" -- kind of like the last US presidential election where I've never seen two political parties try so hard to lose the presidency.
First Windows 8 being a giant middle finger to Desktop users with the bleeding edge of 1997 AOL Games design style, and now micro-managing themselves right out of the games market with something that has XBox fanboys in a froth long before it's even released.
Kudos to Sony for putting out a video that's a genuine kick in the crotch to Microsoft.


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Fifty such ships arrived in the islands 6 months ago and were barely defeated by a combined fleet from Maui and the Big Island. But the oracles and refugees all say this is just a scouting party. Most of the great kings think the islands must unify, but they all have differing opinions about who should lead.
Oahu is lead by the incompetent and decadent king Elani. But Oahu is wealthy, and heavily populated and despite its weak ruler, crumbling economy and disorganized army is considered the heart of the islands.
Pi'lani is the current Mo'i of a unified Maui and Moloka'i. Highly respected as a skilled administrator with great acumen he is credited with the completion of the highway around the island as well the great temple. Maui is currently well organized and wealthy, but also extremely rigid in its religious views resulting in much resentment among the oppressed menehune. Other kings sneer at Pi'lani as untrained in the art of war as the inhuman denizens of Lanai still harass his shores.
Kamehameha is the new king of a unified Hawaii. He personally crushed the rival chiefs in battle and sailed the combined fleets out to meet the foreign threat. His kingdom is new and untested, and despite his personal strength he is not considered a serious contender for unification. He has been eyeing the great drifting hulk of nine masts that drifted into the water. The ghosts that are seen haunting it at night do not frighten him, for he wants the magic it displayed when it first limped into the islands.
Kaumuali'i is the King of Kaua'i and also claims suzerainty over the feuding chiefs of Ni'hau. The far islands are considered somewhat 'different' from other Hawaiians due to their accent and Kaumuali'i aims to keep it that way, calling the foreign threat no concern of his people. He has rallied some of the isolated north western isles into an alliance against any attempt to "unify" them into a greater Hawaii. He has even been rumoured to be in talks with the dreaded Elves who tried to conquer the islands a thousand years ago. Their floral banners have been seen on his island.
The Empire of Tongo has sent emissaries to the courts of all of the major kings and is keenly interested in the events unfolding. The instability on the island and the increased trade has seen an erosion to the feudal system to include more of a monetary economy and more class mobility than usual. Golden coins of Elven or even stranger origins are now in circulation, traded for a dozen engraved pearls each. The more mundane transactions involve simple polished stones of vivid colours, twenty to a pearl. And this is where the adventurers come in, enterprising low caste individuals with nothing but the shirts on their backs looking to become landed nobility or respected kahunas but probably winding up dead.


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Just wanted to say its about time that he gets this page running again... Just kidding hun. I know there was a problem and it wasn't your fault.
Oh yeah... don't expect an update during the weekend of Dec 9-10... not if I have anything to do with it...
Well... better get going since I have MY finals next week... Catch you all on the flip side.
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"To get the best out of a man, go to what is best in him." -David Considine


text: #lang scheme ;;; PLT Scheme Science Collection ;;; gamma-sf-plot-example.ss ;;; Copyright (c) 2004-2008 M. Douglas Williams ;;; ;;; This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or ;;; modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public ;;; License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either ;;; version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. ;;; ;;; This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, ;;; but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of ;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU ;;; Lesser General Public License for more details. ;;; ;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public ;;; License along with this library; if not, write to the Free ;;; Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA ;;; 02111-1307 USA. ;;; ;;; ------------------------------------------------------------------- ;;; (require (planet "gamma.ss" ("williams" "science.plt") "special-functions")) (require (lib "plot.ss" "plot")) (plot (line gamma) (x-min 0.001) (x-max 6) (x-label "X") (y-min 0) (y-max 120) (y-label "Y") (title "Gamma Function, gamma(x)"))


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For more information, contact:Gary YoungPhone: 612-247-8123Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
ELIZABETH, NJ (September 5, 2011) — Hayward® Commercial Pool Products has added a new model to the Hayward Commercial Controller product line, the HCC 2000 Complete Package. This "Complete Package" provides the ultimate one stop shop experience, one unit pre-configured with everything required to make water chemistry management simple, convenient, and affordable. This package includes the HCC 2000 Controller, flow cell, and flow sensor, all NOW pre-mounted on a backboard with peristaltic feed pumps for pH and chlorine adjustment.
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The controller features our advanced, fully programmable microprocessor-based technology which is extremely user-friendly with easy to read display of chemical readings and/or status. The controller also incorporates overfeed time out alarms to provide an extra layer of protection against overfeed of chemicals.
According to General Manager Patrick Sweeney "This powerful controller offers everything a pool operator and/or manager needs to make their maintenance simple and affordable without compromising performance. The only difference between the HCC 2000 Complete Package and the HCC 2000 is the addition of the peristaltic pumps. We want to make things convenient with an "all in one" unit. Adding the peristaltic pumps to the backboard provides the ultimate in convenience for chemical automation."
Key features and benefits of the HCC 2000 Completed Package include:
About Hayward CommercialHayward® Commercial Pool Products was officially launched in January 2010 by Hayward Industries Inc. as a business serving the commercial pool and spa market. Building on an 80-year heritage of producing high quality products for the pool industry and its reputation for customer satisfaction, Hayward's new business offers a line of technologically advanced commercial products for aquatic facilities and businesses. To ensure pool and spa operators keep their facilities running smoothly, Hayward Commercial also provides direct access to the continued support of a dedicated team of knowledgeable representatives.
Hayward's commercial products include a line of pumps, filters, heaters, automation, cleaners, valves, sanitization, safety, and color LED lighting products. For more information, contact Hayward Commercial at 1-800-657-2287 or visit www.haywardcommercialpool.com


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posted by Adam S on Tue 23rd Sep 2008 14:50 UTC
According to Microsoft beat writer Mary Jo Foley, word is that "Windows 7's mail, photo-management and movie-maker subsystems applets are all being replaced by optionally installable Windows Live equivalents." To many, replacing subsystems with services is a good thing. But what will the self-professed geeks think? Cnet seems to think that "Windows 7 must appeal to geeks--or else!"