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Paul Ryan's new budget? Sounds like the old Paul Ryan budget to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
"The Paul Ryan Budget 3.0 uses the same fuzzy math as his previous two budgets. It relies on accounting that is creative at best and fraudulent at worst to inflate its claims of deficit reduction," the Nevada Democrat said.
Ryan, R-Wisc., unveiled his new plan Tuesday, and while it's expected to pass the Republican-run House of Representatives, Reid made it clear it would go nowhere in the Democratic-run Senate.
Here are Reid's comments:
"Early this year, with November's election losses fresh in their minds, top Republicans promised a kinder, gentler Republican Party – a Republican Party that cared about "every American…achieving their dreams." Republicans bandied about words like fairness and opportunity. They made overtures toward women and Hispanics. They promised cooperation and an end to brinksmanship. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor even spoke of, "an agenda based on a shared vision of creating the conditions for health, happiness and prosperity for more Americans and their families." The rebranding was under way.
"Then a few weeks passed. And the Republican emphasis on fairness and equity passed along with them.
"Today House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan will unveil an extreme budget that is anything but balanced. This budget reflects the same skewed priorities the Republican Party has championed for years – the same skewed priorities Americans rejected in November. The Ryan Republican budget will call for more tax breaks for the wealthy, an end to Medicare as we know it and draconian cuts to education and other programs that help America's economy grow and prosper.
"As Yogi Berra famously said, "It's déjà vu all over again." We've seen this show before. The Ryan Republican budget will shower more tax breaks on millionaires and continue to tilt the playing field to the advantage of big corporate interests, while raising taxes for the middle class. And, like last year, the plan refuses to close a single tax loophole in order to reduce the deficit.
"Meanwhile it guts investments in education, health care, public safety, scientific research and job-creating clean energy technology. The Ryan Republican budget would end the Medicare guarantee and force seniors into a voucher program. It would ax preventive health care such as cancer screenings and charge seniors more for prescriptions. And it would further reduce funding for food inspectors, police officers and first responders.
"And as if protecting wealthy special interests while shifting the burden to seniors and the middle class / wasn't bad enough, the Republican budget also devastates the economy, costing jobs and slowing growth. Not only is this the wrong approach, it's the same old approach.
"And to make matters worse, the Paul Ryan Budget 3.0 uses the same fuzzy math as his previous two budgets. It relies on accounting that is creative at best and fraudulent at worst to inflate its claims of deficit reduction.
"Democrats believe it is critical that we stabilize the deficit. But it will take more than accounting gimmicks to achieve real deficit reduction. And at a time when corporations are making record profits, the stock market is soaring and wealthy Americans' income continues to rise, that deficit reduction shouldn't be come at the expense of middle-class families, senior citizens and the poor.
"Americans have demanded a fair approach to deficit reduction that makes sensible cuts, but asks profitable corporations and the wealthiest among us to share the burden. Democrats have been listening. That's why this week Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray will introduce a budget that reflects those balanced principles. The Democratic plan will cut wasteful spending and reduce the deficit, close tax loopholes that benefit the rich and invest in what the economy needs to grow. It will encourage a strong middle class.
"Congressman Ryan and his Republican colleagues in Congress have taken a different approach – an approach that makes it plain they missed the message of the November elections. Their budget will once again put moneyed special interests ahead of middle-class families. And no amount of rebranding will hide that."


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Glaze Simulator
This is an interesting website: www.glazesimulator.com which is free. It helps to combine glaze analysis software with an empirical approach for both glaze properties and color effects.
Developed by Fraser Forsythe he comments "About 10 years ago I wrote software called glazesimulator and sold it for about three years. It was profiled in Ceramics Monthly along with Insight and Matrix. I found that most people really don't like calculation or chemistry in the same sentence as creative or art. I thought, fair enough. There is a more empirical approach to making and testing glazes exemplified in a book like the Ceramic Spectrum. The website is an attempt to combine the two approaches.
My goal for the next year or so is to get the site out there and people going to it regularly. I would like to develop the site in conjunction with feedback I receive. The suggestions links on the site do not generate revenue. They are intended to send users to resources that would help in the learning and research process. It is worth a look I suggest and i am sure Fraser would welcome any feedback.

subset: commoncrawl


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Proclamation highlights benefits of outdoor recreation
TOPEKA -- Gov. Mark Parkinson wants Kansans to get out and have some fun. To this end, Parkinson recently proclaimed June "Great Outdoors Month." His proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, Kansas citizens have a proud tradition of both safeguarding the environment and enjoying the outdoors; and
WHEREAS, A clean and sustainable environment contributes to our quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation promotes health, fitness, and environmental awareness; and
WHEREAS, Outdoor recreation is an ideal way to exercise and enjoy memorable experiences with family and friends; and
WHEREAS, It is up to all of us to maintain and enhance our legacy of environmental stewardship and enjoyment of the great outdoors; and
WHEREAS, It is our duty to leave a well-tended legacy to those who will follow us.
"Now, therefore, I, Mark Parkinson, Governor of the State of Kansas, do hereby proclaim June 2010 as Great Outdoors Month and June 12, 2010 as Great Outdoors Day in Kansas and urge all citizens to join in this observance by taking the time to enjoy our state's various state parks and outdoor activities, to share them with family and friends, and to make outdoor activities a regular part of their lives."
There may not be a better time to be outside, enjoying Kansas state parks. Each state park selects two Free Park Entrance Days and many schedule them in June, but trail rides, kids fishing derbies and fishing tournaments, and music make June special at Kansas state parks. And many parks boast historical or geological attributes that are fascinating anytime.
The popular Country Stampede, featuring three days of live music at Tuttle Creek State Park, is the largest June event and will take place June 24-27. In addition, June 5-6 are Free Fishing Days statewide, and June 5 is National Trails Day. Other events will be featured, depending on the park. Many are educational and all make visiting Kansas state parks more fun. For more information on state park events, phone individual parks or click the "Event Calendar" on the "State Parks" page of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us.
Park goers are urged to phone the park they intend to visit before traveling. Telephone numbers of all state parks offices may be found on the KDWP website. Click "State Parks" at the top of the page, then "Locations" in the left-hand column.
The following is a list of events for June:
- June 4-10 — Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue & Retirement Trail Ride at Perry State Park;
- June 5 —Y Bar H Outpost & Pet Trail Ride at Hillsdale State Park;
- June 5 — National Trails Day and Free Park Entrance Day at Cross Timbers State Park;
- June 5 — National Trails Day at Fall River State Park;
- June 5 — OK Kids Day at Fall River State Park;
- June 6 — kids fishing derby at Lovewell State Park;
- June 12-13 —Free Park Entrance Days at Cedar Bluff State Park;
- June 12-13 — Twin Rivers Bass Club of Emporia fishing tournament at Wilson State Park;
- June 12-13 — Catch For a Cause Fishing Festival at Hillsdale State Park;
- June 12 — kids instructional shooting clinic at Tuttle Creek State Park's Fancy Creek Shooting Range;
- June 12-14 — Hooves of Heaven horseback trail ride at Cedar Bluff State Park;
- June 12 — Poker Run Watercraft Race at Cedar Bluff State Park;
- June 12 –– the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita will host Walk With Wildlife
- June 17-20 — Eastern Kansas Arabian Horse Association trail ride at Hillsdale State Park;
- June 19 — Kansas Bowfishing Classic tournament at Eisenhower State Park;
- June 19 — Kansas Draft Horse Association horse pull and demonstration at El Dorado State Park;
- June 19 — OK Kids Day at Wilson State Park;
- June 20 — Free Park Entrance Day at Hillsdale State Park;
- June 20 — OK Kids Day at Hillsdale State Park;
- June 24-27 — Country Stampede music festival at Tuttle Creek State Park; and
- June 24-27 — Miami County Cancer Foundation trail ride, dinner, auction and dance at Hillsdale State Park
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks offers 25 state parks, five nature centers, more than 40 state fishing lakes, and 100 wildlife areas for Kansans to enjoy and explore during the Great Outdoors Month. For more information on Kansas Department and Wildlife and Parks, visit www.kdwp.state.ks.us.


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In this Issue:
New old stocks. Tested on and off road: Ducati's multistrada Enduro. Each issue of Motorcylist combines the excitement and color of today's cruisers, sports bikes, naked bikes and touring machines with credible information on road tests, riding gear, safety issues, riding skills and new products. Take a look for yourself.
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Motorcyclist Magazine fuses the excitement and color of today's bikes, touring machines, cruisers and more. Find information road test results, suitable riding gear, safety concerns, riding techniques and new products. This digital magazine is now available on the Texture Magazine App for iPad, iPhone, Android Tablets and Windows 8 devices.
Also try other popular digital magazines like Hot Rod, Truck Trend in our Automotive Magazine section.
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MotoHeroz 69p
Inspired by the WiiWare game, MotoHeroz is a frantic rally game from RedLynx, the people behind Trials HD. You can race against your friends plus find hidden treasure and coins or beat opponents to unlock up to 30 tracks.
Flixel £Free
GIF alert! Flixel turns your iPhone's photos into GIF animations with loop delays, paid-for filters, and forward or backward loops. You can choose which parts of your image to 'animate' and waste tons of time perfecting your creations. Stuff Office Cat GIF anyone?
Beatstream 69p
We like rhythm based iOS games, they just seem to have more soul than most. But what if you're not into the same music as the devs? Not the hardest thing to imagine. Beatstream is a rhythm game that uses tracks from your iTunes library and speeds them up as you blast through the barriers with your arrow. Groovy.
Angry Birds Space 69p
It's Angry Birds. In space.
Read the full Angry Birds Space review
MotionX Sleep 69p
We didn't know there was so much information out there about our quality snoozing time until we clapped eyes on MotionX Sleep. The app follows in the footsteps of other sleep apps by monitoring your nighttime movements, providing a gentle 30 minute alarm and rating how efficiently you slept. Napping never felt so 007 before.
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Fire damages town's fire station
Fire damages town's fire station
BELLEVUE, Iowa —
Schroeder says the truck wasn't burning, but its cab was filled with smoke.
No injuries have been reported from a fire that forced an Iowa firefighter to drive a firetruck out of a station so he could turn around and fight a fire inside the station.
The fire erupted about 7 a.m. Thursday at the station in Bellevue, a city of about 2,200 people that sits along the Mississippi River. Fire crews from three other departments were called in to help put down the flames.
Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Schroeder told the Quad-City Times that he saw the firefighter stick his head out of the firetruck as he drove it out of the station.
Schroeder says the truck wasn't burning, but its cab was filled with smoke.
The fire cause is being investigated.


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Homecoming Timber Ridge Cemetery Assoc., in cooperation with Antioch Christian Church, invites all to its homecoming celebration Sunday, July 28, at Antioch Christian Church beginning at 2 p.m. Included will be gospel bluegrass and Southern gospel music and a memorial message followed by fellowship at the adjacent pavilion. Meat, beverage and paper products will be furnished. Please bring favorite covered dish and lawn chair. RSVP and questions to 717-573- 2133.
Bible School Vacation Bible School will be held at New Grenada Church of God July 15-19 at 6:30 p.m. for the kids. Adults classes will begin at 7 p.m.nightly. All school-age children and adults welcome. Call 814-685-3399 or 814-448-0060 for more information.
Bible School Wells Valley Community Vacation Bible School will be held July 8-12, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Wells Tannery Community Park. This year's Bible School will be led by summer missionaries from the Child Evangelism Fellowship ministry. All children up to and including 12 years of age are welcome. For more information call Pastor Cross at 685- 3081,
Special Services God's Love On Wheels (G.L.O.W.) wil be held Friday night, July 5, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at the former Richards Auto Sales parking lot. G.L.O.W. will offer music, worship, food, prayer availability, kids games, Love's Closet items, door prize drawings and much more. G.L.O.W. is an outreach ministry arm of McConnellsburg and Cito United Methodist churches.
Homecoming Come celebrate homecoming Sunday at Dublin Mills Community Church for the 40th anniversary on Sunday, July 7. Sunday School will be at 9 a.m., worship services at 10 a.m. and a picnic at noon. Please bring a covered dish to share and spend the day. Please call 814-685-3910 for more information.
Summer Tent Revival Mountain View Baptist Church invites all to attend its summer tent revival July 14-19. Service times are Sunday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday through Friday, 7 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Special music will be provided by the Hoy Family from West Virginia. The church is located at 12107 Walnut Point Road, Hagerstown.
WAYS Sign-up Warfordsburg Area Youth Soccer (WAYS) fall registration will be held Monday, July 15, at Gordon's Cruise-In, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Questions or a form contact Lauren Mosemann at 717- 573- 2524 or kids- email@example.com.
Wells Tannery Homecoming The Wells Tannery Homecoming will be held July 27, at Wells Tannery Community Park. The parade starts at 11 a.m. Food, including chicken barbecue, will be served throughout the day starting at noon. Come listen to local, live music groups that will play until the raffle drawing at 9 p.m. Fire companies, marching groups, cars, floats, decorated bikes and 4-wheelers are encouraged to participate in the parade. For more information call 814- 685-3399.
Senior Center Activities July activities for Warfordsburg Senior Center are as follows: July 4 – closed; July 5 – club meeting at 10 a.m.; game night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; July 8 – program "Seniors vs. The Heat;" July 9 – trip to Bedford shopping; July 10 – trip to Belleville; July 13 – open mic night from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; July 15 – nutrition class; July 16 – trip to Rockwood; July 18 – photo workshop from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m; July 19 – trip to winery and Franklin County and singles mingle from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m; July 24 – trip to Shade Gap Picnic; July 26 – social night; July 30 – trip to Cumberland. For more information call 294-6020
Mic Night Mic Night will be held at Warfordsburg Senior Center July 13, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Food and drink will be available. Donation is a $1. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 717-294-6020.
Car/Truck/Motorcycle Show McConnellsburg Alumni & Friends will sponsor a car, truck and motorcycle show behind the old school July 13 beginning at 8 a.m. Registration is over at 11:30 a.m. Sixty awards will be presented, along with 100 dash plaques. The old gym will host a flea market. Chinese auction, breakfast, dinner and 50-50 will be offered. A $10 entry fee day of show and $8 earlybird week before show. Raindate is July 14. All proceeds go to the community center. Information may be obtained by calling Dick at 485-3412.
Path Valley Picnic The 106th annual Path Valley Picnic and Homecoming will be held rain or shine August 14-17, at Hammond's Grove, Route 75, north of Spring Run.
Ben K-5K The eighth annual Ben K-5K will be held Saturday, July 27, with the race beginning at 8 a.m. at Center United Methodist Church community building. Registration prior to July 6 is free. Forms received following that date or on race day should include a $5 fee. Forms are available at Knepper's Mill, Newman's Market, Hustontown Country Market and Fulton County News or by e- mail at email@example.com or email@example.com.
Game Night Game night will be held at Warfordsburg Senior Center July 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Seniors 60 and older are welcome to come and join in the games. There are card games (hand and foot, SKIP-BO, Phase 10 and 31) dominos (regular or Mexican), Scrabble or play the shuffleboard. All are welcome to bring a game. Light refreshments will be served. Bring a bag of chips or something and join the fun. Call 717-294-6020 for more information.
Fulton County Fair Participants Attention all fair exhibitors: Premium books are no longer being mailed to exhibitors. Please see local businesses to pick up this year's copy. Reminder: Livestock entries must be received by July 15, 2013. Please mail to Fulton County Fair, PO Box 246, McConnellsburg, PA 17233. Rabbit check-in will be Saturday, August 11, at noon. All other entries will be accepted starting August 11, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, August 12, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, August 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, at the fair office.
Love's Closet Love's Closet will be held the first Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. July-October, at 117 West Market Street, in the alley behind the McConnellsburg United Methodist Church. Clothing, shoes, cleaning supplies, toiletries, toys and more absolutely free. Sponsored by United Methodist Churches of McConnellsburg.
Veterans Assistance Dan McIntyre, assistant state service office of Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be at McConnellsburg VFW to assist veterans with service-connected disability claims. Primary day is the second Wednesday of every month and the alternate day is the fourth Wednesday of the month. Also available by appointments. Contact 717-414- 0674 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Nutrition Class Fulton County nutrition awareness classes are held at Warfordsburg Senior Center on the third Monday of every month. When the third Monday is a holiday, they are held the fourth Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. To register or sign up for lunch call 717-294-6020.
Power Clinic Reaching Wellness Power Clinic: Building Strength and Speed will be held each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 a.m. July 15-26 at MHS track from grades 9-12. Cost is $50. Two weeks of intense training geared toward maximizing power by teaching athletes to become more strong, agile, explosive and determined. Preregister with Catherine Washabaugh at 717- 816- 4331 or email@example.com.
Women's Running Club Reaching Wellness Women's Running Club will be held July 29 thru August 12, at 6:30 a.m. Runners will be led through an invigorating morning run by a certified personal trainer. Course routes will begin with more relaxed routes and gradually increase in difficulty as the session progresses. Meet at Lions Park walking trail. Cost is $50 (includes fluorescent running shirt). Participants must preregister at 717-816-4331 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Zumba Classes Zumba classes will be offered at Mc- Connellsburg Firehall Wednesday evenings at 7:15 p.m. More information may be obtained by contacting Sarah at 814-259- 3667.
Nutrition Awareness Program A community-based nutrition education program in collaboration with Penn State which provides nutrition education through monthly and individual classes is offered to help those interested in nutrition and safe food practices. Please call 717-485-5688 for times and locations in Fulton County.
McConnellsburg AA Meetings The McConnellsburg Chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous will meet on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. every week at the Alumni Building basement, McConnellsburg.
Community Wellness/Silver Sneakers/Prime Community Wellness/Silver Sneakers/Prime will be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Fulton County Medical Center cardiopulmonary rehab gym. The cost is based on insurance. Call Kim or Patti at 717-485- 6149 to see if insurance provider is accepted. Community Wellness is $40/month/person or $70/month/couple.
Zumba On Break Reaching Wellness Zumba at the alumni building will be on break until July 19.
AA Meetings AA meetings will be held every Monday at 11 a.m., at Fulton County Medical Center, Second Floor, Pearl Room. More information may be obtained by calling 485-6115.
Farm Women Picnic Farm Women of Fulton County will hold their family picnic July 7, at Buchanan's Birthplace, at 12:30 p.m. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m.
First Friday Lunch First Friday lunch deals will be held at McConnellsburg United Methodist Church across from the courthouse. Meal will be held Friday, July 5, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. First Fridays are an outreach meal being provided by McConnellsburg and Cito United Methodist churches on the first Friday of each month. Cost is free and donations are accepted. Dine-in or carryout. Donations this month benefit "Faht's Love Banquet."
Ham Potpie Fundraiser In place of the free meal on the second Tuesday in July, a ham potpie fundraiser is planned for Friday, July 12, at 5 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 220 North Third Street, McConnellsburg. Proceeds from the meal will be donated to the Cody Trail family to help with medical costs. Cody is a student at Central Fulton who has been fighting cancer for the last several months. Cost of this meal will be by donations only. Please plan to attend and help.
Ice Cream Festival An ice cream festival will be held at Richvale United Methodist Church, Saturday, July 20, at 4 p.m. Served will be barbecue chicken, homemade pies, soup, sandwiches and nine flavors of homemade ice cream. Music will be Chapt. VII Gospel Quartet. Bring lawn chairs. Church is located eight miles north of Shade Gap on Rt. 35.
Chicken BBQ/Open Stage Hustontown Area Volunteer Fire Co. will sponsor a chicken barbecue and open stage Saturday, July 27. Chicken will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open stage begins at 6 p.m. Kitchen opens at 5 p.m.
No Free Meal There will be no free meal the month of July at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 220 North Third Street, Mc- Connellsburg. Free meals will continue the month of August as usual.
Ice Cream Festival Center United Methodist Church will hold an ice cream festival Saturday, July 13, starting at 4 p.m. Turkey dinners will be available with filling, mashed potatoes, green beans or corn, applesauce or coleslaw. Also available will be sandwiches, soup, pie, cake and ice cream. The church is located one-half mile off Waterfall Road, five miles north of Hustontown on Dublin Mills Road (Doran Road). Mark calendars for next festival on August 24.
Singles Meeting Knobsville Singles will meet July 8, at 9:30 a.m., for breakfast at Crampton Manor. Must have reservations and $10 by July 5. Call Melvina at 987-3806 for more information.
Bingo Shade Gap Fire Co. will hold bingo at the Shade Gap Ladies Auxiliary building every Thursday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and games start at 6:30 p.m.
Mellott Reunion The descendants of Clarence/Thorton and Mabel Mellott will hold their annual reunion at Needmore Community Center scoutgrounds in Needmore, Sunday, July 7. Lunch will be at 1 p.m. Bring a covered dish. Friends and neighbors are always welcome.
MHS Class Of 1983 Reunion McConnellsburg High School Class of 1983 will hold its 30th class reunion August 3 at American Legion Post 561. All class members are urged to attend this milestone class reunion. For more information call 407-761-7580.
Green Hill Reunion Green Hill School Alumni will hold its final reunion August 17, at Sideling Hill Christian Fellowship, 10424 Sipes Mill Road, at 5:30 p.m. Send reservations and remittance of $14 each to Sally Gress, 13465 Sipes Mill Road, Harrisonville, PA 17228, by August 10. Please notify classmates as this will be the last reunion.
Strait Reunion The Henry Strait family reunion will be held Sunday, July 7, at Fort Loudon Community Center. The meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. Please bring a hot and cold dish. There will be an auction and door prizes. Tell family members and plan to attend.


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Are you looking for new ways to generate leads with social media?
Could your online lead generation program use an upgrade?
If so, you're not alone. Only 40% of marketers feel their current online marketing mix meets sales pipeline needs.
In this article, I'll show you three ways marketers can increase and track qualified leads via social media.
What's the Real Lead Generation Problem?
B2B marketers often peg social media as a brand awareness vehicle, not a lead generation tool. But if you haven't given social lead generation a shot, your business is missing out on a lucrative marketing channel.


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Following up on Microsoft's announcement yesterday describing their sheer delight in being able to drop prices for enterprise Office 365 plans by between 13% and 20%, I wanted to write an upbeat note to congratulate Office 365 for delivering a successful six months of flawless service since their last major outage on September 8/9 2011. Although six months is nothing really to boast about in an era when Service Level Agreements (SLAs) call for ongoing and consistent delivery of well over 99.9% availability, I think it's still important to acknowledge progress and say that Office 365 now exhibits signs of a mature and reliable service in which customers can have confidence.
And then my confidence was shattered by the Microsoft Azure outage (or rather, a service disruption) that was apparently caused by a software problem dealing with leap years. I respect Bill Laing, Microsoft Corporate VP for Server and Cloud, and am sure that his blood pressure was raised when he was forced to report that the problem appeared to be due to a "time calculation that was incorrect for the leap year", later detailed as "the leap day bug is that the GA calculated the valid-to date by simply taking the current date and adding one to its year." Ahem!
Of course, leap years only occur every four years and February 29 2012 was the first time that a Microsoft cloud service woke up to find that February and 29 was now part of its reality, but wouldn't you have thought that someone like a software architect might have taken leap years into account when Microsoft designed the service?
The net result was an outage over two days that affected users worldwide. Ouch! To their credit, Microsoft has published a full blow-by-blow description of how the problem arose and how it impacted the fabric of the Azure service. They've also offered affected customers a 33% refund of their February subscription charge.
My battered confidence in cloud services was then further assailed when Facebook suffered what seems to have been a DNS problem that affected services to European users over a two-hour period on March 7. I'm a European Facebook user but I must have slept through this outage as I didn't know anything about it until I read the news. This must reflect the sad lack of activity within my Facebook account!
Neither Azure nor Facebook have anything whatsoever to do with Office 365 so you might well be wondering why I seek to associate a successful six month operating period with no outages with some recent problems for other cloud services. Well, I think the two outages serve as salient reminders that one swallow doesn't make a summer and that six months of flawless operation of any cloud service isn't an indication that it's time to discard every on-premise deployments of technology because the cloud is safe, secure, and ultra-reliable. Safe and secure - yes, at least in terms of data integrity; but ultra-reliable – maybe not quite yet.
I was also reminded quite bluntly at a recent technology conference that some companies still operate in Internet-deprived parts of the world, including in parts of the United States. If you're in a situation where your connection to the Internet functions across two pieces of knotted twine capable of delivering a steady 32 kbps connection, it might not be time to plunge into the cloud. It came as quite a surprise to me to discover that such a situation is not unique and that people who work in these companies are pretty tired at hearing all the fuss and commotion that surrounds the cloud ho-ha at conferences these days. I guess those of us who have decent Internet connectivity lose sight that this is a sine qua non to be able to use a cloud service.
I'm an Office 365 subscriber (but only plan P, so didn't enjoy any benefit from the recent price decreases announced by Microsoft) and the performance of Office 365 against its SLA is important to me. Although I cheer and applaud Office 365 on achieving six months of reliable service, it seems that the complexity of running large-scale cloud services coupled with the Achilles Heel of a dependency that no one controls will continue to represent huge operational challenges for cloud services going forward. Even as I look forward to what I hope will be the next six months of uninterrupted service from Office 365, my advice of "look before you leap" advanced in an article dated October 17, 2011 remains valid.
Follow Tony's ramblings via Twitter.


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Key moments in black U.S. political history
Key moments in black U.S. political history
See some of the milestones were set in black political history:
- The first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Va., in 1619.
- The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 declared all men "born free and equal." On this basis, a slave named Quork Walker sued for, and won, his freedom. Shortly after, slavery was abolished in Massachusetts.
- In 1787, Congress passed the Northwest Ordinance. It barred slavery from the Northwest Territory.
- In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves.
- In 1865, the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution outlawed slavery in the U.S.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1866 gave further rights to the freed slaves after the American Civil War ended. The act declared that all persons born in the U.S. were now citizens, without regard to race, color or previous condition. As citizens, they could make and enforce contracts, sue and be sued, and inherit, purchase, lease, sell and hold property.
- In 1868, the 14th Amendment granted full U.S. citizenship to black Americans.
- In 1870, the 15th Amendment gave black males the right to vote.
- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed in 1909.
- In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education. The decision led to dismantling legal segregation in all areas of southern life, from schools to restaurants to public restrooms.
- In 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock, Ark., to ensure integration of the all-white Central High School. The students, known as the Little Rock Nine, were the first black students to attend the school.
- President John F. Kennedy integrated the concept of affirmative action into Executive Order 10925, which he issued in 1961. Affirmative action is intended to promote access to education, employment, or housing among designated groups, predominantly minorities and women.
- The Civil Rights Movement march in 1963 brought more than 250,000 marchers to Washington, D.C. It was at this event that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
- President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination in public accommodations, employment and labor unions.
- The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices.
- From the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, the Black Power movement emphasized black solidarity, rather than integration.
- Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson ran for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. Although he didn't win the party's nomination, he did usher in unprecedented support and influence to black Americans in politics.
- In 1989, Douglas Wilder not only became Virginia's governor, he also became the first black governor in U.S. history.
- In 1992, Carol Moseley-Braun of Illinois became the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
- Barack Obama, junior U.S. senator from Illinois, became the Democratic Party nominee in the 2008 presidential election and then beat Sen. John McCain in the general election.


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Interesting Developments at the Leading Edge of Lithography from SPIE 2014
By Michael Lercel, senior director of Lithography, Metrology and Nanodefectivity, SEMATECH
The SPIE Advanced Lithography conference is always an interesting place to hear about leading-edge developments in lithography, network with experts and listen to the undercurrents coming from what is presented (or not presented) at the conference. 2014 did not disappoint. There was excitement about directed self-assembly (DSA), disappointment about extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV), and some real progress on enabling technologies for continued dimensional scaling of the semiconductor roadmap.
Concern about EUV source power was heard from several fronts this year. Although ASML reported progress on shipping its NXE:3300 scanners and Cymer showed improvements in collector lifetime, overall progress in source power — particularly in the field — did not meet the expectations of the industry. That set a somber tone for EUV, and unfortunately, overshadowed major improvements in other key EUV infrastructure elements.
Following source power, the development of defect-free EUV mask blanks has always been the next major challenge. SEMATECH's Mask Blank Development Center (MBDC) showed a 40 percent reduction in so-called "killer defects" (i.e., those that are too large for repair or compensation and must be removed) [Antohe et al, 9048-16]. With a median of killer defects now down to six per blank, this achievement is critical to yielding production-quality substrates. Other areas of improvement in EUV mask blanks, including blank stack material and cleaning for blank production, were also demonstrated in SEMATECH's presentations at SPIE. In fact, eight of the nine oral presentations on EUV mask blanks involved the SEMATECH MBDC.
Progress was also demonstrated in the development of an EUV actinic aerial image metrology tool, one of the key mask metrology tools required to fabricate defect-free patterned masks. A program to enable this tool, the EUV Mask Infrastructure (EMI) initiative, was started several years ago between Carl Zeiss, SEMATECH and future users of this tool. At SPIE this year, Carl Zeiss and SEMATECH reported the first imaging results from the AIMS tool for 16 nm half-pitch node structures [Hellweg et al, 9048-32]. Image quality is ahead of what was projected at this stage of the program and demonstrates that most of the technical risks in this program have been overcome.
Another challenge to enabling EUV in manufacturing has been the quality of EUV photoresists. This is another area where progress was reported this year by SEMATECH and its partners. Most exciting (to me) was the nanoparticle photoresist work sponsored by SEMATECH at Cornell, where initial results were presented for 20 nm resolution at a dose of <2mJ/cm2 [Chakrabarty et al, 9048-47]. The line width roughness is still high, but think of the implications of a photoresist with a dose this low — EUV source power requirements could be reduced by a factor close to 10! Maybe that is a bit optimistic, but any relaxation in source power will greatly benefit the adoption of EUV into manufacturing.
As the required resolution decreases, the numerical apertures (NA) of EUV lenses must increase. However, it will take many years to engineer the high-NA production lenses, so SEMATECH started a program to update its micro-exposure tools (MET) with 0.5NA lenses. Those lenses are nearing fabrication and the reports on optics and wavefront quality presented at this year's conference show that we're on target to enable the upgrade of the METs later this year. [Cummings et al 9048-57, and Holger et al 9048-55]. With LBNL, SEMATECH also reported the latest results from the high-NA upgrade to the aerial imaging microscope that enables work on developing EUV masks for high-NA [Goldberg et al, 9048-33].
As for other lithography techniques — whether alternatives or complementary to primary techniques — directed self-assembly (DSA) was very hot this year, with the number of papers almost doubling from 2013. This is consistent with prior rapid ramps in exploring new lithography technologies (193 nm immersion comes to mind). There are encouraging results in DSA with very high resolution achieved by pattern multiplexing (as demonstrated by TEL and others), as well as improvements in defect levels.
However, the metrics to close on a manufacturing DSA solution still are a little vague. For all the difficulty in enabling EUV lithography, the lithography community set a number of clear key performance indicators (KPIs) early on for EUV regarding source power, mask blank defect density and photoresist CD/dose/LWR tradeoff. So, for good or bad, it has been fairly clear in tracking progress for EUV. It would be very helpful to have a similar set of KPIs for DSA.
Lithography usually gets top billing, but progress can't be made without the right metrology (doesn't help to print <10 nm lines if you can't see them!). Again, SEMATECH presented on several programs to enable future metrology capability. The SEMATECH CD-SAXS work presented in conjunction with NIST has shown the technique can provide fine precision and accuracy on small structures, assuming there is enough x-ray flux [Settens et al 9050-35; Sunday et al 9050-33]. So, the search is on for a fab-size high-brightness source (maybe we'll present on that in 2015). In addition, SEMATECH also reported how optical scatterometry models can be adapted to achieve better measurement on the key structural parameters of a DSA structure [Sarma et al, 9050-23]. And finally, addressing questions about CD-SEM (the workhorse for CD metrology), a SEMATECH study clearly identified some of the requirements and options for extending this critical technology [Bunday et al 9050-28].
So, although there were some rainy days at SPIE this year (literally as well as figuratively) and some real concerns about certain aspects of the lithography roadmap, overall progress was demonstrated by some major improvements. The semiconductor lithography roadmap does have some clouds over it, but there are a lot of good ideas to keep it going for several more generations.
Michael Lercel is senior director of Lithography, Metrology and Nanodefectivity at SEMATECH. As a member-driven global consortium, SEMATECH's role is to align roadmaps, R&D and financial investments on behalf of our members, partners and the industry. With a focus on both early development and manufacturability, we drive technical consensus, pull research into the industry mainstream, and lead major programs to address critical industry transitions.
April 1, 2014


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NEW ORLEANS (WBRC) - Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart spoke Saturday to reporters in New Orleans as the Crimson Tide prepares to play LSU for the BCS National Championship on Monday.
Smart was asked what it was like to work for Nick Saban, if he thinks he is ready to be a head coach (which he said he is ready,) and what it will take to stop LSU on Monday. Below is a transcript of his comments as provided by the Sugar Bowl.
Q. Question about the morphing sort of ability of your players and that versatility of your players on the defense, how that sort of aids the overall cause and scheme of what you try and accomplish.
KIRBY SMART: Each guy kind of has his own traits and talents. Big man over here likes to stop the run, and we've got some pass rushers. We've got Mark, who plays a lot like a linebacker in the box at times, and then he's also deep part safety.
So each guy has special attributes that we try to use to make our defense special.
And we have a lot of personnel groupings, more than most people have in college, and that's because we have some good players and we try to utilize their skills in every situation in the game.
Q. Kirby, could you talk a couple of the younger guys on the defense, Trey DePriest and how he's come along and how Bradley Sylve transitioned since moving over?
KIRBY SMART: Both those kids are talented kids. Trey's a young guy who came in early, so he's ahead of most young guys, he's got a spring extra on everybody. He's really learning the defense. Plays hard. Has great speed.
Again, he's got to get bigger, stronger, but he's a fast guy that can fly to the ball. We're looking for good things. He played really well on special teams. Glad we got him. He's the backup right now to Dont'a [Hightower].
And Bradley did a great job transitioning over. He didn't go to camp with us. He was a wideout, and now he's becoming a good corner for us, taking a lot of reps. Reminds me of a lot what Dre [Kirkpatrick] did when he was a freshman when we have Javi [Javier Arenas] and Kareem [Jackson] and all those guys. He's taken a lot of reps in learning the defense, which is really important, and we haven't had to play him.
Q. Kirby, what in your mind was the biggest key to neutralizing LSU's offense last time? Do you expect the same kind of game?
KIRBY SMART: Certainly don't expect the same kind of game. I think it will be a very different game this time. Think they'll do some different things; we'll do some different things defensively.
I don't think they'll play as conservative as they did last time. They were in quarterback flux. They were in transition. They've got a stable guy now, so obviously they may have more game plan for him.
But for us it's not really about what they do; it's going to be about what we do. And we gotta execute. We've got to stop the run. Can't give up big plays.
It's that simple, and that's hard to do without taking chances to do both. So we'll put some pressure on the edge guys. We'll put some pressure on the inside guys and ask them to stop the run and see if we can.
Q. Kirby, how is their offense different preparing for them over the last four games with [Jordan] Jefferson as the starter as opposed to preparing for them last time?
KIRBY SMART: Absolutely none for us. I think it's a misnomer to think it's different, because we knew Jordan Jefferson was there before we played them the last time. We knew what plays they ran when they had Jordan Jefferson last time. It wasn't like we didn't practice with those plays.
I think if you ask our kids, they've seen the same plays they saw last time. Will they do something different? I'm sure they will. But so will we.
So for us the preparation is do what they do, do what we do, and then adjust to what they do new. And that's kind of the way we're looking at it. So we've prepared very similarly.
And gotta be prepared for the option. Everybody makes a big deal about the option. They ran the option last time. Everybody forgets we played Jordan Jefferson a year before in Baton Rouge and they ran a lot of plays that Jordan runs.
We're excited about the opportunity.
Q. Kirby, how demanding is it coaching for Nick Saban and how has he prepared you for possibly being a head coach one day?
KIRBY SMART: When you say "demanding," to me the definition of demanding is they require you to do what you're supposed to do, when you're supposed to do it, and how you're supposed to do it. That's what he does. So is he demanding, yeah, he requires you to do your job.
And I appreciate that. That gives me job security knowing that everyone in the organization is held accountable. And he holds everybody accountable. When he's demanding he's usually right.
To me that's probably the greatest feature I've learned or will take with me when I become a head coach, is you have to be demanding. You have to be able to confront people if they're not doing their job or not doing it the way you want it.
It's hard sometimes. Just like asking these players to be leaders to go in front of their peers and challenge a guy, that's tough. And these guys have done it. Coach Saban does it and it flows down into our organization. He's been a great asset to me, and I'll take a lot of things with me if I ever get the opportunity.
Q. Do you think you're ready for that next step?
KIRBY SMART: Yeah, I definitely think I'm ready for the next step. I think it's got to be the right place, the right opportunity. And it's not really presented itself. Not something I think about a lot.
I'm completely happy at the University of Alabama being the defensive coordinator. It's the greatest non?head coach job in the country and it's a great place to be. Great players here, great support system.
But, yeah, certainly think I'm ready.
Q. People have made a big deal all year about how athletic and big and physical your defense is, but I wonder how you rate this group maybe compared with some others with their ability to diagnose quickly, like do they know it's the run quickly, are they going to know it's the option quickly. How are they in diagnosing?
KIRBY SMART: They're very instinctive, is what we use as coaches, is the term we use, instinctive in play recognition, formation recognition.
Chapman's in there ?? yesterday I go down the hallway getting ready for practice, and he's in there watching tape. Our kids do a good job watching tape and seeing things. They like football. They enjoy the game. That's the reason they've been successful.
This defense is as good as any I've ever been around. Obviously the 2009 group was really special. And this group is kind of different because we're really good on the edges. And really stout inside with Chap and got some good backers and got good secondary.
It's similar to the other team, the only difference is I think this one has a little more speed on it.
Q. Kirby, as a guy who studies for a living and tries to come up with answers for a living, how do you explain this run by the SEC with going for the sixth straight title, just the high rankings by three or four teams every year?
KIRBY SMART: Well, I think regionally, when you look at it, high school football, in my opinion, it's so great in the SEC states, the high school football is at a higher level. Coaches are paid more. So the more you pay the coaches, the better quality players you get, the better quality programs you get, the development of players.
Spring practice, a lot of places don't do spring practices. By the time Mark Barron and Josh Chapman are seniors in high school, they've had four spring practices. That's almost like an extra season.
I think it's just more advanced. My dad's a high school coach. I've always felt that way. So I think that has made football better in the South, therefore there's more players. And everybody talks about the "D" line. So there's obviously a difference in the "D" line. But there's other skilled players.
In the South, if you're a really good athlete, you may play corner. It's not necessarily true everywhere else, they're wideouts. So you get lesser athletes, lesser DBs in some of the other regions, whereas in our region it's okay to play corner. You've got to have good athletes playing corners because they're good athletes at wideout.
Copyright 2011 WBRC. All rights reserved.


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Source: http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,58310,00.html
I'm sure this guy will be swamped with law suits in no time.John Fraser, a 21-year-old engineer from Chanhassen, Minnesota, is finalizing the design for his flat "pizzabox" Mac and hopes to go into production in three to four months. If successful, Fraser will be the first third party to make a Mac since Apple shut down its three-year experiment in clone licensing in 1997.
Unlike the world of Windows PCs, which has many hardware makers, Apple is the only company making Macs. Apple doesn't license its operating system to outside hardware manufacturers.
Fraser hopes to sidestep the licensing issues by using older, off-the-shelf parts made by Apple and sold to computer repair outfits as spare parts. He will use Apple-made motherboards preloaded with Macintosh ROMs -- the vital piece of hardware-***-software that makes a Mac a Mac. Customers will supply their own Mac operating system....


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In the wake of the unfathomable tragedy at Sandy Hook School Friday, people all over the world have been aching to do something, anything to help. The following are a few organizations that are accepting donations for the community:
The United Way has set up the Sandy Hook School Support Fund.
"United Way extends our most sincere condolences and prayers to all those families affected by the devastating events in Newtown/Sandy Hook, Connecticut. While the eyes of the world may be on Newtown/Sandy Hook, to several staff, volunteers and contributors, Newtown is home. We will stand with the community and everyone affected directly and indirectly by this tragic event as we face the days and weeks ahead," the United Way of Western Connecticut's Web site says.
Check donations may be mailed to:
Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470
You can drop a donation off at any Newtown Savings Bank branch location.
Or you can donate by credit card online.
Plus: Should You Tell Your Kids About the Connecticut School Shooting?
The American Red Cross
The American Red Cross of Connecticut provided more than 50 units of blood platelets and plasma to the Danbury Hospital, where some of the victims were transported, spokesperson Melanie Pipkin told the Huffington Post. The organization has also distributed food and water to first responders and is setting up a family reception center that will provide initial grief counseling, but they do not anticipate needing any more blood donations going forward. More here.
Newtown Youth and Family Services
Newtown Youth & Family Services, Inc., a nonprofit mental health clinic, will be open this weekend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide emergency counseling to families, community members or staff. All donations made to the organization will benefit those affected. Find out how you can help here.
Newtown Parent Connection
The Newtown Parent Connection, a nonprofit that addresses issues of substance abuse, also offers bereavement group counseling and will to try to bring in additional counselors to accommodate the needs of those affected by the shooting. More here.
New York Times "Your Money" Columnist Ron Lieber posted the following suggestion on his Facebook page this morning:
Buy the community of Newtown, CT some breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can call King's Breakfast & Lunch at 203-426-6881 or call My Place Pizza at 203-270-7061. I told them to send pizzas and give meals to whoever needs it. I just called Kings and they were unbelievably grateful. Or look on Yelp.
Loved ones of victim Olivia Rose Engel established the Friends of the Engel Family Fund. All proceeds will go toward Olivia's final expenses and assisting her family during their time of grief.
Friends of victim Noah Pozner set up the Noah's Ark of Hope Fund:
"This link has been set up to accept donations to this irrevocable trust specifically for Noah's surviving siblings, two of whom were also in the school that day, in different classrooms.
The funds received will be used to provide counseling services, education and basic needs for the children at this time of grief. Noah leaves behind his twin sister and three other siblings, and is the youngest victim in this horrible tragedy."


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Moving back to Cali from Salt Lake City and will be down there this week looking for places to live. Ironically, it wasn't until I moved here, to Utah, that I picked up kiteboarding.
As such, I don't know the area with a kiter's perspective. I searched around the forum but am still a little lost.
As I'll be in the Santa Cruz/San Jose area which launch sites are going to be best for me and what wind directions am I looking for in these areas? As I'm still new to ocean riding I'd like something with a slight onshore or solid sideshore wind. I do have about 40 days on the snow and about 25 on water (the lake riding is actually superb here), so don't worry too much about my kiting skills when suggesting a spot.
Also, what kite sizes do you mostly use down there? Here we use mostly 12m to 17m...just curious as to which kite to bring as I may only be able to fit one of them.


text: Nash looking forward to 2008 January 26, 200812:00AM PST Previous Next 2008 is shaping up to be a big year in the distinguished career of Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Martin Nash. Though 2007 proved to be a disappointing season for the Whitecaps, the Victoria, BC, native remained a very reliable servant for both club and country last year. The 32-year-old set a new ironman record after playing in 77 consecutive games for the Whitecaps, with the streak only coming to an end when Nash was called up to Canada's squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals in the United States. His return to the Canadian national team fold in 2007 came after an absence of more than three years. After Canada's controversial Gold Cup exit to the USA in the semifinals, the former Rochester Raging Rhinos and Montreal Impact player went on to start in a further 19 games for the Whitecaps last year. This included the November 7 international friendly against David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy at BC Place. With the 2008 campaign still to come, Nash was pleased to have a well-deserved break in Britain and Europe with his family over the holiday season. "We always go back and spend Christmas with family there, as we've been doing it for a few years now," he told whitecapsfc.com. "With it being the off-season, it's the best chance of the year for us to go on a family trip." Though only weeks into the New Year, Nash was quickly back in training mode after being called up by Canadian national team head coach Dale Mitchell for a winter training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Both Nash and Whitecaps teammate Adrian Cann have been training twice a day with a predominantly North American-based squad this past week, as Canada gear up for World Cup qualifying in June. The camp includes a trip to the Caribbean for an international friendly with CONCACAF rivals Martinique next Wednesday. "It's been going well so far," Nash said of the training camp. "It's nice to see some of the guys again and I'm enjoying it. The goal here is to do well and be chosen for the World Cup qualifiers." The camp not only gives Nash the chance to put his best foot forward in terms of World Cup qualifying involvement with Canada, it gives him the opportunity to be in top fitness for the new Whitecaps season in April. "I'm just trying to get some fitness now and hopefully, I'll keep things ticking over until we start our training camp in March." Like many of his returning teammates, Nash is excited by what lies ahead under new Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson. "I'm looking forward to seeing how it all comes about," he said. "Obviously, there are a lot of changes occurring, but hopefully, we will have a good team on the field that can be successful this coming season." The Whitecaps men started preseason training this past week, with locally-based players to work under the guidance of Thordarson and assistant coach Todd Wawrousek for the next few weeks before training camp officially begins on Monday, March 3. The Whitecaps open the 2008 regular season at Swangard Stadium in an all-Canadian tilt versus the Montreal Impact on April 12. Season tickets are on sale now and start at $199. All season tickets include a bonus ticket to this year's international friendly. For more information, CLICK HERE or call the Whitecaps office at 604.669.WAVE (9283). Previous Next


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Courtesy Head and Shoulders
Heads up NFL. Opposing teams had better mind the hair pulling–Head & Shoulders has taken out a $1 million Lloyds of London policy protecting their spokesperson, Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu's famous ringlets. "It's like J.Lo's insured butt!" he jokes, comparing the famous urban legend surrounding the singer's derriere to learning about his own very real insurance policy. The beauty brand has reason to keep Troy's 35″ tresses under lock and key: Women and men across America are desperate for the secret to those Samoan curls, with some of his manliest teammates even trying to score the secret. "One guy in particular… is stealing all of my Head & Shoulder products," he laughs. Taking 45 minutes pregame to care for his hair has become a ritual for the all-pro safety, who explains, "It's correlated to what a warrior in the past would do to prepare for war. You have the Mongolians, the Japanese Samurai, the Spartans–all of these warriors with long hair…and in that way you can almost get into the mind-way, preparing for some type of battle when you are doing your hair." After eight years without so much as a trim, would Troy ever consider cutting his signature locks? "With this big hair insurance–I don't think so!" he says. –Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester


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WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 2,000 police officers from across the country have been sworn in ahead of Monday's presidential inauguration.
The officers were sworn in as deputy U.S. marshals during a training session Sunday at American University. The oath, administered by the U.S. marshal for the District of Columbia, authorizes them to work security for the event. Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier attended the ceremony.
Authorities haven't revealed the precise number of law enforcement officers working Monday, but a Metropolitan Police Department spokesman says about 2,600 officers have arrived from out of town. That will supplement the department's roughly 3,800 officers, as well as agents from the Secret Service, the FBI and other agencies.


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Turkey Passes New Net Censorship And Surveillance Laws; West No Longer In A Position To Criticize
from the awkward dept
Last week we discussed the Turkish government's bizarre campaign about the supposed "problems" of online freedom. Maybe this was an attempt to blunt criticism of its new online censorship law, which has just been passed by the Turkish parliament, as the Wall Street Journal reports:
The law, which must be approved by President Abdullah Gul to take effect, will allow the Presidency of Telecommunication and Communication, or TIB, to block access to Internet sites within four hours of receiving complaints about privacy violations. Turkey's web hosts will also have to store all traffic information for up to two years, according to the measure adopted as part of a legislative package.
That is, not only does it bring in harsh and swift online censorship, but requires online surveillance too. As the Guardian points out, this makes a bad situation worse:
Censorship and a very tight control of the internet are already a reality in Turkey. According to Engelliweb.com, around 40,500 websites were blocked in Turkey by the beginning of February -- 10,000 more than in April last year. The latest Freedom of the Net report published by Freedom House describes the Turkish internet as "partially free".
Despite that, Turkey's deputy prime minister, Bülent Arınç, is quoted as saying:
"We are freer and have more press freedom than many other countries in the world," he said.
The sad thing is, he may be right. Now that Western countries have lost the moral high ground when it comes to censoring Web sites and carrying out blanket surveillance, others plainly feel they have a free hand to bring in even more repressive laws clamping down on Internet freedom. Turkey's move is just the latest in a growing series.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and +glynmoody on Google+


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Alps Guide Table :: If you're looking for the ultimate camp table for all your outdoor activities, this is the table for you! Unlike any other design on the market, this table has two adjustable height levels and a hard table top, so it's certain to be the most sturdy, portable table available. The extended table height is great whether you're serving food, tailgating, or cleaning fish. The standard height is perfect when it's time to pull up a chair and eat dinner or play games. If you're serving messy food or cleaning fish, no worries... it features a special "easy clean" top that wipes up easily. When it's time to pack up and head home, the table folds up and fits into an included carry bag that is easy to transport and store.
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BANGKOK, Thailand, July 30, 2012 – Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Thai Honda), a Honda motorcycle and power products production company in Thailand, today held a ceremony to commemorate the 20 million unit milestone in power products production that was reached on July 28th, at the new production plant opened last August. The ceremony was attended by dignitaries and guests representing the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand as well as Honda executives and associates, including Hiroshi Kobayashi, chief operating officer for Honda's regional operations in the Asia Oceania Region and Yuji Shiga, chief operating officer for Honda's power product operations.
Thai Honda, which began power products production in 1987, achieved the 20 million-unit milestone only four years and nine months after achieving the 10 million-unit milestone in October 2007. At the new power products plant, Thai Honda is producing Honda's bestselling GX engine series which are small-sized, lightweight, highly compatible and durable, as well as water pumps and trimmers, and currently has an annual production capacity of approximately 2.7 million units.
Power products manufactured by Thai Honda are not only being sold in Thailand and the Asia Oceania region, but also exported to 80 countries worldwide including North America, Europe and Japan.
Further, in addition to its global production responsibilities, the power products development function of Honda R&D Southeast Asia Co., Ltd. will be transferred to the new plant. Through the integration of development and production, which enables Honda to deliver good products to its customers with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions, Honda will continue its effort to increase the size and efficiency of its power products operation.
Exterior of New Power Products Plant
Aerial View of New Power Products Plant (sketch)
<About Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd.>
|Bangkok, Thailand
|Shunichi Eguchi, President
|Capital Investment:
|150 million baht
|Capitalization Ratio:
|83% Honda group companies
|Production of motorcycles, power products and components
|Start of Production:
|Motorcycles: May 1967, Power products: Feb. 1987
|Production Capacity:
|1.5 million motorcycles per year
2.7 million power products per year
|Approximately 8,100 associates
|Production models:
|Motorcycles PCX (125, 150), CBR250R, Wave α, etc.
Power products GX engine series, Trimmers, Water pumps, etc.


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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) - July 21, 2013 --Authorities are searching for the driver of a sport utility vehicle that struck and injured a northern New Jersey police officer.
Washington Township Officer Heather Castronova was walking back to her squad car after issuing a summons when she was hit around 3:45 a.m. Saturday. Authorities say she didn't have time to avoid the speeding, dark-colored SUV, which fled from the scene.
Castronova was treated at a hospital for injuries to her head and right arm and later released. She is expected to fully recover, but will likely be out of work indefinitely.
The police union in the Bergen County community is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the SUV's driver.


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Digital Economy Bill: Proposed By The Unelected, Debated By The Ignorant, Voted On By The Absent
from the buffoonery-in-action dept
And yes, it was proposed by the unelected Lord Mandelson, who has had to resign from the Government twice before due to accusations of corruption or influence peddling. And, of course, as many have noted, he only became interested in the whole Digital Economy Bill thing after vacationing with David Geffen, the former recording industry and movie industry mogul. After that, he suddenly pushed through the bill which went directly against the recommendations of the Gov't's own Digital Britain committee.
Then we get to the ignorant. Perhaps the most stunning is that, via Kevin Marks, we now learn that Digital Britain Minister Stephen Timms, who was in charge of pushing the bill through, didn't even understand what an "IP address" means. In a letter to an MP, he explained "IP" as an "Intellectual Property Address."
And the folks involved in the debate don't seem to be too keen on understanding details either. During the debate, one MP, Michael Connarty had a bizarre take on the situation:
"People are not talking about co-operating and sharing their own thoughts and content, but are stealing someone else's content and sharing that. There is an Armageddon, which has partially arrived in Sweden, where the Pirate Party, whose leader is in jail, won seats in the European Parliament on the basis that everybody's work--including MP4's--should be free."Can you count the number of mistakes there? Of course, the big one is the idea that the leader of the Pirate Party in Sweden is in jail. He's not. My guess is that Connarty thinks The Pirate Bay and The Pirate Party are the same (they're not even connected) and that the jail sentences handed down to some of the folks who worked on The Pirate Bay applied to The Pirate Party's head and that someone was actually in jail (they're not). But, you know, who needs details when you're just setting the framework for all internet connectivity and rights across your country?
And, finally, there are the absent. During the little time put forth for debate -- where many were vehemently opposed to the bill, notice that the House of Commons was basically empty:


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42 U.S. Code § 7263 - Capital fund
The Secretary is authorized to establish a working capital fund, to be available without fiscal year limitation, for expenses necessary for the maintenance and operation of such common administrative services as he shall find to be desirable in the interests of economy and efficiency, including such services as a central supply service for stationery and other supplies and equipment for which adequate stocks may be maintained to meet in whole or in part the requirements of the Department and its agencies; central messenger, mail, telephone, and other communications services; office space, central services for document reproduction, and for graphics and visual aids; and a central library service. The capital of the fund shall consist of any appropriations made for the purpose of providing capital (which appropriations are hereby authorized) and the fair and reasonable value of such stocks of supplies, equipment, and other assets and inventories on order as the Secretary may transfer to the fund, less the related liabilities and unpaid obligations. Such funds shall be reimbursed in advance from available funds of agencies and offices in the Department, or from other sources, for supplies and services at rates which will approximate the expense of operation, including the accrual of annual leave and the depreciation of equipment. The fund shall also be credited with receipts from sale or exchange of property and receipts in payment for loss or damage to property owned by the fund. There shall be covered into the United States Treasury as miscellaneous receipts any surplus found in the fund (all assets, liabilities, and prior losses considered) above the amounts transferred or appropriated to establish and maintain said fund. There shall be transferred to the fund the stocks of supplies, equipment, other assets, liabilities, and unpaid obligations relating to the services which he determines will be performed through the fund. Appropriations to the fund, in such amounts as may be necessary to provide additional working capital, are authorized.
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Locke may start Wednesday night for Pirates
July 02. 2013 9:55PM
Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said Conway native and pitcher Jeff Locke could get the start Wednesday night in a home game against Philadelphia. Locke was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday against the Phillies. The Pirates recalled Brandon Cumpton from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Tuesday's game in place of Locke, who is 7-1 with a 2.06 ERA.
The reason Locke didn't pitch Tuesday was because he warmed up extensively Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers and was set to enter a 1-1 game in the 15th inning. But it never happened because the Pirates won the game in the 14th frame when Russell Martin drove in the winning run.
"Jeff was obviously very aggressive in his bullpen because he was going in to pitch the 15th inning," Hurdle said. "He's been a very honest self-evaluator for us."
Hurdle said if Locke doesn't start tonight, Jeanmar Gomez will likely get the start. Gerrit Cole will still make his scheduled start Thursday against the Phillies.


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Chris of The Games Cabin reviews Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale on the Playstation Vita.
And so it begins....
Anyways, this was a pretty good review, made me laugh :D
Glad to hear the SP isnt bad. Oh and this was for the vita version :)
I agree with the score, but I would like to change 2 things
Presentation should not be an 8, the menus are bland, and should have scored a 7
NOTHING was wrong with the graphics. Graphics should only grade a game down if it looks bad. Should have gotten a 9 for graphics. It looked great, that is all that matters.
If you think a game has gorgeous visuals and details environments, why would you give it an 8/10 in the graphics department? I mean, really?
8.5 is good, but...why?
Three 8's and a 9 actually average out to 8.25, but that is still a great score. Please change it to 8.25


text: Student Profiles Darren Fishell '09 Darren Fishell '09 Major: English with an Italian minor Hometown: Diamond Bar, California Why did you choose to come to Bowdoin? It would be a long story, and arrives only at a guess, but I distinctly remember feeling some kind of comfort as I wandered around the Quad after my tour. I had decided to tour colleges in April after all of the responses had rolled in, and was fairly nervous because it was only my second time on the east coast. Really, the whole visit was a big question mark. Yet there was something about the size of the campus, the atmosphere, and the food in the dining hall that eased the tension of the college tour. I took that as a good sign, whatever its causes. Darren in Washington, D.C., during the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Why did you choose your major? I've had an interest in literature and writing since my sophomore year of high school, so the decision seemed natural when I arrived at Bowdoin. My pre-major and now major advisor, David Collings, told me that I was certainly an English major, based on my pre-major profile form. For a while though, the decision seemed too natural, and I considered majoring in history instead. I took [retired professor] Kidder Smith's course Modern China in my first year, which didn't make the decision easier in the least, but I knew from my first-year seminar, The Thirties, that Kidder's course was not the best indication of what the rest of the major would be like. Ultimately though, I wanted to write journalism and decided based on what I believed would prepare me best for that. Now, I think the right answer may have been physics! What has been a course you especially enjoyed at Bowdoin? I took an independent study in Woody Allen films with Professor Bill Watterson last semester that was great. I had not previously taken a film class (though I am a big fan of Allen's), and it was nice to be able to discuss his work in great detail. I'm working on a video project now that looks at the films I watched this semester. It is to be titled "What I Like About Woody Allen." It could, alternatively, be titled "What I Like About Bowdoin." What professor or professors have especially inspired you during your time at Bowdoin? I still remember Peter Coviello's class Introduction to Poetry, which I took as a first year, being particularly inspiring. It was a good time for receiving inspiration, I suppose, and it made a lasting impression. In fact, I have heard a few non-English major friends echo that sentiment when they took the course the following year. As for a list, I would say Arielle Saiber (Italian), Aaron Kitch (English), David Collings (English), Bill Watterson (English), Kidder Smith (Asian studies), and Dan Levine (history) have all been influential. Still, I can't help but think of the words of one of my professors on the matter: "The idea that professors are to provide students some kind of Promethean spark of inspiration is a bunch of [crap]." What extracurricular or work experiences have you had at Bowdoin? Working at Bowdoin is great; there are interesting and peculiar jobs a-plenty. I've worked at Thorne Dining Hall, Hatch and Hawthorne-Longfellow libraries, Studzinski Recital Hall/Kanbar Auditorium, and Bowdoin magazine — all of these rewarding in their own ways. (At Thorne, I learned how to cut pineapple.) The most rewarding extracurricular activities for me have been freelancing for the Brunswick Times Record and the Maine Democrat, editing and writing for the Bowdoin blog at bcuria.com, and writing for Bowdoin magazine. Working with the Bowdoin Democrats was also really rewarding at times. Oh, and I was in a short-lived campus band called Octopus Junk, which played at two parties. That was fun. Did you study abroad during your time at Bowdoin? Yes, I was abroad for one semester in Bologna, Italy — the fat and learned city. To show for it, I have two semesters worth of fat and one worth of learning. It was my first time in any European country and I cannot say enough good things about it. I began thinking while I was there that one could easily construe my academic pursuits as entirely directed by food — first Bowdoin, then Bologna — an idea that does hold water. But there was much besides food that was great about the city. The courses, students, and surrounding areas were all fantastic. What have you done during your summers? The first summer I returned home to Diamond Bar, California, to wash dishes at the Diamond Bar golf course and file patient registries at an optometry office. After that, I decided to stay at Bowdoin the next summer. Following my sophomore year, I worked at H-L during the morning and Hatch in the afternoons, freelancing for the Times Record when I could — mostly on weekends. I also started collecting the memoirs of a local jazz musician named Brad Terry in a project that has since fallen by the wayside, but still may have potential. The summer following my junior year, I worked on Bowdoin magazine. What is your best Bowdoin memory? Driving from California to Maine with my friend Dustin. I don't know that this really counts as a Bowdoin memory, but it certainly would not have happened had I decided not to matriculate at Bowdoin. You can read about it at quest.ethicka.com; we blogged the whole trip. It was just like Travels with Charlie, but more interesting. Other than that, my best memory definitely comes from a video called "Workin'" that I recorded during my sophomore year. What are your plans for after graduation? I am currently looking for a job as a reporter for a newspaper or magazine. My goal, ultimately, is to help save local news and local newspapers, most likely by finding a way to move them online and still turn some profit. I'm currently looking at journalism programs that cost less than Columbia's. What advice would you give to a prospective student or first-year about the Bowdoin experience? Don't take yourself too seriously. Just in general. At the same time, don't be afraid to be passionate about something. Above all, as Mr. Vonnegut writes, "peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God." What quirky or fun thing did you wish you knew before you came to Bowdoin? The Brunswick Diner has hot turkey sandwiches and they are delicious. Story posted on February 19, 2009 « Back | More Student Profiles | Go to News Home


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Gallery of images.
Simply click on the thumbnail to view the image full size and use the "Back" button on your browser to return to this page. It should be noted that these images are Gifs, and will not take to being blown up too far. If you would like full spec JPEGs or Tifs then drop me a line


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One more faction before spring break ends...
The Solar Federation is tied together by trade; certain planets have resources that other worlds need, and merchants who know their astronomy can become quite wealthy if they play their cards right. This flow of resources attracts parasites: the feared Space Pirate fleets!
Here's a group shot:
Since MOCPages has had some outages lately, here's a picture from BrickFair (not as much detail, but everyone's in it):
And here's a convoy (I've got two of these):
Notice that all angles are covered as they trundle through the blasted wasteland.
And finally, a photo of all of my creations, as the Pirates are ready to defend their base:
Command Units:
Captain Frederick Lumi
Lumi was once a good friend to Commander Frigus, when both of them were working on the Ice Planet project. As the project concluded, and the Ice Planeteers became the first Solar Federation Space Marines, Lumi began to sour on the idea of the Solar Federation, as it seemed that only those already in power benefited, and only at the expense of the common citizen. His suspicions were further deepened by the revelation that the Solar Federation Marine Corps would be responsible for internal security as well as external defense, and when his ship, the Liberty, was ordered to halt a rebellion, he turned pirate rather than execute his orders. "I bow to no man!"
Kyla Nix
Also known as "the Ice Queen" for her cold-hearted dedication to herself above all else. "Of course it's all about me – why would I involve myself, if not for my benefit?"
Amos Teplo
The sneakiest, most devious tracker in the Sector. Amos made a name for himself for a string of covert killings while employed with the SF Medical Service, convinced that he was killing secret agents who were out to get him; he was so sneaky that he only came under suspicion because his paranoia forced him to flee under suspicious circumstances. "Now you see me...now you don't...now you won't see anything ever again!"
Core Units:
There isn't any room for slackers on a Pirate crew; everyone is expected to be able to at least pilot a vehicle so that their more skilled comrades can join the fray. "Arr!"
Assault Units:
Living in the wilderness for months gives a man a lot of things. Some amount of mental instability, of course, but also epic mastery of tracking, trailblazing, and stealth. "Shh...be very quiet...we be huntin' Feds!"
Easy to make and easy to use, the Trike is the most common assault vehicle among Pirates and other guerrilla movements.
Creation Notes: I deliberately avoided using the one-piece trike; I figured the post-apoc dudes would have to improvise.
Assault Speeder
Counter-grav plates are hard to come by for illegitimate buyers, but opportunities to loot them do present themselves from time to time. A crew lucky enough to come by such a haul will often employ them by fitting them with a couple of jet engines, some rockets, and a laser turret.
A more exotic unit, as it is rather unwieldy; nevertheless, having an eye (and a gun) in the sky can be extremely valuable to a raiding crew.
Support Units:
The standard heavy cargo hauler among Space Pirate crews, typically consisting of a converted civilian utility vehicle with a looted laser turret and pair of missiles bolted on.
Base On Wheels
When engaged on long migrations, Pirates like to bring their headquarters with them, using Bases On Wheels to provide a secure shelter and fire support for convoys on the move.
Dakka Tank
Some Pirates feel self-conscious about their lack of military might compared to the proper star nations; they make themselves feel better by mounting impractically large weapons on tracks.
Pirate Cave
A lucky Pirate crew will have a semi-permanent headquarters on an out-of-the-way frontier world, for rest and recovery after a raid.
The laser and shield render the Pirate Cave impervious to orbital attack -- indeed, it was that very laser which brought down the SFS Phalanx!
Let's have a look inside, shall we?
This hallway is for repairs, sleeping, sheltering from sandstorms, whatever the pirates need to do.
Hey, what's that? Another reason for those blasted Feds to steer clear, that's what! Yarr!
Here's the control panel to arm the missile, and a stretcher -- mostly for laying Pirates on it and shouting at them until they feel like getting back into the fight.
On the other side of the hallway is tool storage and a gizmo whose power only exceeded by its mystery, and whose mystery is only exceeded by its power...
And the control tower, with the Big Red Button, viewscreen, control panel, and makeshift scanner output for monitoring local airspace.
Specialist Units:
Bounty hunters who fall on hard times may find work as a Ranger for a Space Pirate Crew – crews are always on the lookout for such highly trained specialists. "I'm not here for your revolution – I'm here for the pay!"
Pack Mule
Years of hauling gear makes these Pirates much stronger than the norm, which lets them wield heavy weapons with ease. "Heave ho, ya scallywags!"
When Pirates get hurt, it's faster to fix him with machines than wait for him to heal, hence the Cyborgs. A Cyborg's enhanced body makes him faster, tougher, and smarter than his fellow Pirates, and it gives him an intuitive affinity for vehicle-mounted weapons. "I compute that you will soon be walking the plank."
So, these were originally going to be Space Pirates, but they ended up looking very Mad Max-y (especially that tank). So, do you think they are more Piratical or Post-Apocalyptic?
Like the Dungans, I've got a few hundred CP worth; enough for a good skirmish, or even a straight-up battle, especially if I get all four of my factions involved.
Other factions:
- Solar Federation (Good Guys, with an emphasis on mobility, flexibility, and the color blue)
- Ever-Builders (think Blokbots, coming soon)
- Imperium Constructor (Bad Guys, with an emphasis on lots of identical soldiers, big APCs, tanks, and the colors black and red)
- Jovian Alliance (seceding from IC, using stolen IC and loaned SF equipment and hybrids thereof, most likely CAD only for a while)
- Dungan Swarm (think Space Locusts)


text:
How Children Learn
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995 - Education - 303 pages
This enduring classic of educational thought offers teachers and parents deep, original insight into the nature of early learning. John Holt was the first to make clear that, for small children, "learning is as natural as breathing." In this delightful yet profound book, he looks at how we learn to talk, to read, to count, and to reason, and how we can nurture and encourage these natural abilities in our children."
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LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - cmccaughren - LibraryThing
I read this from the perspective of a potential home-schooler, and it did give me some encouragement. The main message of the book is 'trust your children' - they are natural learners, and you are not ... Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - rbtanger - LibraryThing
I remember my mother reading this when I was a child. She referenced it often... and now I do the same. Thirty years after it was first published, this seminal work is still worth reading and then ... Read full review
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The rivalry on Super Bowl Sunday is already shaping up as a battle between puppies and kittens.
Hallmark Channel says it's introducing an annual "Kitten Bowl" on Feb. 2. It's a three-hour showcase of feline agility, but the network says any form of cuteness is key to the game.
Cat contenders will be recruited from animal shelters. The prize will be a loving home for these orphans.
"Kitten Bowl," produced in partnership with the American Humane Association, will be vying for viewers with Animal Planet's 10th annual "Puppy Bowl," which features its own "Kitty Half-Time Show."
Hallmark's "Kitten Bowl" will air at 12 noon Eastern time, then encore twice immediately after.
Of course, viewers who don't care about puppies or kitties won't be forgotten. There'll be football on another channel.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


text:
'Take vow to make developed Bangladesh'
Published : 18 Mar 2017, 20:36
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged Awami League leaders and workers to take a fresh vow to build Bangladesh as a developed and peaceful country in South Asia.
"Bangabandhu dreamt of establishing Bangladesh as Switzerland of the East. We want to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu when the nation would celebrate the birth centenary of the great leader in 2020," she said.
Calling upon all associate bodies of Awami League and party's rank and file to take preparations for grand celebration of Bangabandhu's birth centenary and work together to make Bangladesh a middle income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041 the Prime Minister said, "It should be our pledge on the birthday of Bangabandhu."
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, was addressing a discussion organized by party's central committee on the occasion of 98th birthday of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Sheikh Hasina presided over the function held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) at Agargaon here while Awami League presidium member Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, AL advisory council members Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofael Ahmed, advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, presidium member Syed Ashraful Islam, general secretary Obaidul Kader, senior party leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and noted Islamic cleric Moulana Golam Mowla Sugandhi took part in the discussion.
AL Organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, office secretary of Awami League Abdus Sobhan Golap, president of Dhaka North unit AKM Rahmat Ullah, MP, central committee member Prof. Rafiqul Islam, general secretaries of Dhaka South and North units of Awami League Shahe Alam Murad and Sadek Khan also spoke on the occasion.
Publicity Secretary of the Party Dr Hasan Mahmud and Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam conducted the discussion, while Ahakamullah recited a poem on Bangabandhu.
Paying rich tributes to Bangabandhu, the Prime Minister said Bangabandhu had immense love for the people of Bangladesh. So he dreamt of changing their fate to ensure their access to prosperous life, she said adding "I think it's our duty to materialize this dream to take forward our nation."
The Prime Minister candidly said Bangladesh would never be a place for militants and terrorists. She called on all to be alert against the anti-social and anti-religious elements. She particularly urged the Awami League leaders and workers to remain careful about the existence of any militant in their respective areas.
"You have to collect information about existence of any militant or terrorist in your area so you can inform law enforcement agencies to hand them over to law," she said.
Highlighting the country's current development, the Prime Minister said the tremendous success could be possible because of the Awami League remaining at helm of affairs since 2009. If the Father of the Nation were alive for at least five more years, Bangladesh would have been a prosperous nation much ago, she said.
During the Bangabandhu era, she said, Bangladesh for first time achieved 7 percent economic growth which never exceeded six percent during long the span of time after Bangabandhu's killing. Now, the country again is on trajectory of 7 percent economic growth as Awami League government remains in power, she said.
Sheikh Hasina said BNP, Jamaat and Ershad never wanted to make the country reliant in food production as they wanted to keep the people under poverty line showcasing them before the foreign donors to get aid. Only Awami League can do anything better for the people of Bangladesh than anybody else, she said.
Criticizing the BNP chairperson for her apolitical activities in the name of movement against the government, the Prime Minister said the BNP had left no stone unturned to dislodge the Awami League government in 2015.
During their five-year rule from 2001 to 2006, BNP carried out endless torture on people killing thousands of Awami League leaders and workers. Again from 2013 to 2015 the party showed their mayhem in the name of movement to oust the Awami League government and boycotting the election.
But they could not succeed due to lack of public support, the Prime Minister said adding that Bangladesh would not have seen the current pace of development if Awami League failed to retain power in 2015.
Sheikh Hasina said country's development is now visible and people are getting its benefit. People have regained confidence in their ability to do something for their own development, which Khaleda Zia did not like. So she pursued the path of destruction to take revenge on Awami League government.
Pointing out the allegation of corruption in Padma Bridge project, the Prime Minister said conspiracy against us is unbounded. But finally the allegation proved false in the Canadian court, she said adding she is not afraid of any false allegation as she is ready to make any sacrifice for the nation.
Sheikh Hasina said honesty is the best strength of a politician, which she learned from Bangabandhu. But, Khaleda Zia and her son are afraid of appearing in the court as she lost her strength of honesty through plundering the orphans' fund and being convicted on charge of money laundering.
The Prime Minister said her government is making constant efforts to strengthen the defense forces befitting an independent country. In this regard, she said, the defense policy framed by Bangabandhu is a guideline for us.
Sheikh Hasina blasted BNP for doing politics with India on various bilateral issues saying BNP talks well with India when it remains in power and pretends to be opposing when out of power.
BNP could not resolve a single bilateral issue with India, but speaks a lot when Awami League comes to solution over an outstanding issue, the Prime Minister said.
Source: BSS
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House Beautiful's 2012 Kitchen of the Year
For the last five years shelter magazine House Beautiful has collaborated with a renowned kitchen designer to create and build a Kitchen of the Year, which goes on display in Rockefeller Center for one week every July. This year "America's Dream Kitchen" was designed by Mick de Giulio, and I had the pleasure of walking through the kitchen on Monday - well, if you can call it simply a "kitchen," and I don't think you can!
This 1,000-square-foot "kitchen conservatory" is actually two fully-functioning kitchens (indoor and outdoor) with a separate butler's pantry, "morning area" bar, and top-notch detailing. (The sinks and tile are stunning.) It's really a full-on living space, where food and cooking anchor the home.
First of all, a little about designer Mick de Giulio: Mr. de Giulio has two Chicago area showrooms, including one at LuxeHome in Chicago's Merchandise Mart. He founded his kitchen design company 25 years ago and is internationally respected for his innovative kitchen architecture and product designs. His inspiration for the Kitchen of the Year came from his own kitchen, the central place in his home: "The hierarchy of the home is changing because of the design of kitchens," he told us. "The kitchen is #1 in the house - i'ts not the living room, it's not the dining room, it's not the family room. Those are [from] years past. Today it's the kitchen."
Close up of the shimmery Ann Sacks tile in the "morning area."
This year's Kitchen of the Year is classic, with a little bit of glam: white Ceasarstone countertops, shimmery white and gold leaf tiles, mirrored backsplashes, and glass shelving make the space feel light and open. But lest you forget it's a custom kitchen, the finer details make all the difference: a moving backsplash behind the stove hides a shallow pantry perfect for keeping spices within reach; the "appliance" garage on the side breakfast bar also slides to both reveal and hide appliances; special "whisper touch" technology on the Kraftmaid cabinets ensures a soft close; and a built-in office cabinet in the front of the kitchen island enables you to bring your office to the kitchen.
If you see something you like, the resource list below should cover it!
Cabinetry:: "White Dove" color with door style "Sedona" by Kraftmaid. Price varies.
Appliances and Induction Cooktop: The Ice Collection from Whirlpool, which is special because of its brushed silver accents (like the handles) against a white body. (This as opposed to an all-white or an all stainless-steel appliance, which is more standard.)
- Side-by-Side Refrigerator, $2,299
- Gold Series Dishwasher with Sensor Cycle, $599
- Gold 30-inch Electric Induction Cooktop, $1,399
- Combination Microwave Wall Oven with Convection Cooking, $2,849
Countertops: "Fair Lady Supremo 1650" by Caesarstone, $75-$100 per square feet installed.
Sinks and Faucets: Kohler with colors by Jonathan Adler.
- Whitehaven Self-Trimming Under-Mount Single-Bowl Sink with Tall Apron in Greenwich Green, $1,795
- Iron/Tones Kitchen Sink in Annapolis Navy, $1,295
- Riverby Kitchen Sink in Annapolis Navy, $1,395
Paint "White on White" by Glidden and "Arctic Night" by Glidden (on ceiling in butler's pantry). Price varies.
Flooring: "SW183 Gold Rush Walnut, color 940 Klondike Walnut" by Shaw, $8.00 - 8.99/sq. ft. Made with 50% recycled wood materials. The herringbone pattern in the butler's pantry is also by Shaw, the it's a custom design by Mr. de Giulio.
Tiles: "Davlin in white goldleaf" by Ann Sacks, $116.28 per square foot.
Drawer Inserts and Shelving: Container Store
Outdoor Wood-Burning Oven and Stones: Belgard, price varies.
Read More: 2012 Kitchen of the Year at House Beautiful
Related: A Peek Into House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year 2010
(Images: 1, 3, 7, 11, 16. Sarah Bonk for House Beautiful; all others by Cambria Bold)