text:
By Helen Murphy
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Wednesday opened the door to a popular vote on any peace accord negotiated and signed with FARC rebels, but rejected a guerrilla demand to change the constitution if a deal is clinched.
Talks to bring an end to Latin America's longest-running insurgency began in Cuba in November, when the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as the FARC, sat down for the first round of talks.
Ivan Marquez, head of the Marxist FARC negotiating team, has called for a national assembly to change Colombia's constitution and ensure any agreements would be set in stone.
The drug-funded group, which has fought a dozen governments during a half-century conflict that killed tens of thousands, reiterated their demand on Tuesday. But Santos rejected the idea.
"It's very possible that we could find a way to seek popular approval for any accord," Santos said during an address in the Norte de Santander province. "That's still to be discussed. But I want it to be very clear that we will not end these agreements with a national assembly."
Santos has ruled out discussing major changes to Colombia's economic or political model, saying that if the guerrillas want to modify the system, they should run for election.
More than 20 years ago Colombia held a nationwide assembly to rewrite the 1886 constitution. Demobilized rebels from smaller groups participated, but not the FARC or the National Liberation Army, another left-wing group.
Harvard-educated Santos urged the FARC on Wednesday to keep discussions between negotiators strictly confidential until the accords are reached.
"The dialogue has to be serious. It has to be a discreet dialogue," said Santos, 61. "Only when there are agreements, important advances ... only when those advances exist will we inform the public, the national and international community."
The FARC was angered by a recent newspaper column written by Santos' brother, who detailed the background of his involvement in the secret negotiations to bring the two sides to the table. The FARC threatened to ignore a confidentiality agreement during the negotiations.
In the last few days, the rebels have provided details of their proposals to resolve problems with land distribution in Colombia, the thorniest of issues on the five-point peace agenda.
Santos said a lack of discretion helped accelerate the collapse of the last peace talks more than a decade ago.
As defense minister under former President Alvaro Uribe and later as Colombia's leader, Santos has dealt the group some of its biggest blows, killing senior leaders and hitting units responsible for financing operations.
The FARC has said it will lift its two-month-long unilateral ceasefire on Sunday, raising concern a re-energized group will launch new attacks against military and civilian targets.
Negotiations were formally launched on October 18, but the talks got off to a rocky start after the guerrillas said they wanted to discuss a range of topics not mentioned on the agenda.
(Additional reporting by Jack Kimball,; editing by Philip Barbara and Stacey Joyce)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ryan Dempster Still Undecided About Returning to the Chicago Cubs in 2012
Change is in the air in Chicago, with new President of Baseball Ops Theo Epstein and presumed-new-GM Jed Hoyer on the way, ushering in an era of player development, free agency conservatism, and redirecting resources wisely away from the big-league payroll.
Here's the thing: none of those hallmarks square particularly well with retaining 34-year-old starting pitcher, Ryan Dempster.
But the decision is not entirely up to Epstein and/or Hoyer, because Dempster holds a $14 million player option for 2012, so, if he wants to be a part of the Cubs next year, he can be. Despite the value of that option – no one is going to argue he could get more for 2012 on the open market after a few years of decline and a rough 2011 season – Dempster is still not ready to confirm he'll be back with the Cubs next year.
"You know what's funny is people sit there and you see the kind of money that it is and automatically you just assume that it's a no-brainer," Dempster said of his 2012 option. "And to me, I never played the game for money. I never do. It's a great byproduct of what we do, but I play to go out there and try and win, and win as a team. I don't know what the direction of the team is with somebody [new] in charge …. Do they want to go younger? Do they want to go older? Those are questions that obviously I gotta ask.
"But I love playing in Chicago. I love being a Chicago Cub, and I want to be here for the rest of my career. I'm happy that Theo is going to be in charge now and really looking forward and excited and getting an opportunity talk with him. And hopefully it's not just picking up an option for this year, but I'll go out there and play the best I can and be here for a long time."
In other words, Dempster would like to remain with the Cubs in 2012 and beyond, but he'd prefer that it was on a multiyear extension, rather than a one-year option, even if that option is for great money.
The Dempster decision marks just one of many difficult spots facing the new men in charge. Dempster, who will be 35 for most of the 2012 season, is well-liked both by the fans and by his teammates. He's been in a steady decline since the 2008 season, posting ERA+ numbers each year worse than the previous year, culminating in an 81 ERA+ this year (suggesting he was 19% worse than the average starting pitcher). Would the Cubs commit to Dempster beyond 2012?
As I see it, the Cubs have three choices when it comes to Dempster:
1.) Negotiate a two or three year extension, which reduces Dempster's 2012 take-home to something more reasonable than $14 million, and adds a couple of years at no more than $7 to $9 million per year. That gives Dempster the security of knowing he'll be in Chicago for the next few years (he said it isn't about the money, though this would guarantee him more than the $14 million option), and could give the Cubs a reasonably-priced back-end starter who can simultaneously mentor the young pitchers the Cubs will hopefully soon be accumulating; or
2.) Let Dempster pick up his $14 million 2012 option, but do not extend him at this time. After 2012, depending on his health and performance, his future with the Cubs can be addressed at that time; or
3.) Gently discourage Dempster from picking up his option by informing him that the team will not be resigning him after 2012 under any circumstances. Would Dempster take the money for 2012 and leave his future uncertain? He wants to stay in Chicago, but, were he a free agent, he could probably get a two or three year deal elsewhere. This, you'll note, is the kind of tough love Jim Hendry never had the stomach for.
Ultimately, it feels like the first is the best option. If Dempster's annual salary is within reason, the Cubs could do a lot worse when it comes to a back-end starter over the next few years. If you take out his disastrous April (which, I know, is never a fair proposition), he had a 3.94 ERA and a .740 OPS-against this year. If he could duplicate that in 2012, he might not be worth $14 million, but he'd have a great deal of value.
As for the better of the latter two choices, number three is probably it. The Cubs are unlikely to be a top contender in 2012, and that $14 million could be put to better use, either on the amateur side, or in 2013. But, like Hendry, I'm not sure I'd have the stomach to say it, either. That's why Epstein and Hoyer will get the big bucks.
For whatever it's worth, Dempster sounds ready to turn things around.
"I just had a subpar year and I'm gonna go out there and bust my tail this winter. And I'm gonna … do the best I can to go out there and have a better year next year."


text:
By Alan Baldwin
(Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton is ready to take an unfamiliar bull by the horns this weekend as Austria's revamped Red Bull Ring returns to the Formula One calendar after an 11-year absence.
The Mercedes driver, a teenager when Austria last hosted a grand prix in 2003, needs to win at Spielberg to rein in championship-leading team mate Nico Rosberg after the blow of retirement in Canada 10 days ago.
"I've never driven the circuit but I've been working on it in the simulator and I'm sure I'll learn it pretty quickly when we get out on track," the 2008 world champion said in a team preview.
"It's always exciting to go to a new venue, so it should be an interesting weekend. I'm feeling good in the car right now and I'll be pushing flat out to come away with maximum points this time around."
With Rosberg finishing first or second in every race so far this season, while Hamilton has retired twice, the German now has a 22-point lead as the championship arrives at Red Bull's home track for the eighth race of 19 this year.
Hamilton may have to win another four races in a row, as he did earlier in the year, just to regain the upper hand if Rosberg stays that consistent.
"There is a long, long way to go. I caught up before and I'll catch up again," said the Briton, who started the season with a retirement in Australia that left him 25 points adrift.
"It's going to take another four wins to make the difference so I'm going to do my best to get those results."
Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff was not discounting that possibility.
"Obviously, Nico now holds an increased gap at the top of the championship but Lewis is a fighter and I have no doubt that he will come back stronger than ever," he said.
Mercedes have been dominant this season but Austrian-owned Red Bull broke their winning streak in Canada when Australian Daniel Ricciardo took his first F1 victory ahead of what amounts to a home race for the team.
The short but scenic track, in the southern Styrian mountains, remains largely the same as the old A1 Ring and is set to be a big celebration of motorsport in Austria with every living Austrian F1 driver taking part in a legends parade.
How much of a celebration it will be for Red Bull remains to be seen.
"We're going to have a lot of home support. There's still a gap to Mercedes, we are working on closing that down," team principal Christian Horner said after Montreal.
"To have a race at the Red Bull Ring as Red Bull Racing - with that comes a bit of pressure but it will be fantastic to perform in front of effectively a home crowd."
Quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel has driven the circuit on a number of occasions but only four current drivers - Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen - have raced there in Formula One.
None have won and only Raikkonen has stood on the podium.
The last winner at the track was Michael Schumacher, the seven times world champion who is now in hospital in Switzerland after recently emerging from a coma following a ski accident at the end of last year.
Schumacher also had one of the most controversial wins of his career at the circuit in 2002 when Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello was ordered to let him pass despite dominating the race.
Of the newcomers, McLaren's Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen and Toro Rosso's Russian newcomer Daniil Kvyat are those with the freshest experience having raced there last year in the Renault 3.5 World Series and Formula Three respectively.
"It's a very cool place - it's a circuit where you never really get to rest in the cockpit because the track is always going somewhere," said Magnussen.
"Every lap is a real adrenaline rush because the corners never stop coming."
(Editing by John O'Brien)


text:
Morning Five: 03.09.10 EditionPosted by rtmsf on March 9th, 2010
- The rush of conference awards are rolling in… here are some conference POYs that were announced on Monday: James Anderson, Oklahoma State (Big 12); Jerome Randle, California (Pac-10); Evan Turner, Ohio State (Big 10); Darington Hobson, New Mexico (Mtn West); Kevin Anderson, Richmond (A10). As for conference COY: Matt Painter, Purdue (Big Ten); Steve Alford, New Mexico (Mtn West); Herb Sendek, Arizona State (Pac-10), Frank Martin, Kansas State (Big 12), Fran Dunphy, Temple (A10). The ACC, Big East and SEC are expected to announce their choices on Tuesday.
- At the national level, The Sporting News has selected Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim as its national COY, and has listed their all-americans. Their first team has five guards on it — John Wall, Kentucky (also FrOY); Greivis Vasquez, Maryland; Evan Turner, Ohio State; Scottie Reynolds, Villanova; James Anderson, Oklahoma State. Of course, we think that's cheating, and RTC will have its position-specific AA team later this week. Watch for it.
- Next year's Coaches vs. Cancer Classic will feature Pittsburgh, Maryland, Texas and Illinois as the four regional hosts who are slotted into the semifinals at Madison Square Garden the week before Thanksgiving. This could be a very interesting and talented field if the majority of underclassmen on these teams decide to stick around, as they should. Maryland and Texas lose some key pieces in Vasquez, Milbourne, James and Pittman, respectively, but there are a bunch of really good underclassmen on all of these teams.
- Talk about really early entry. Seattle University's Charles Garcia is wasting absolutely no time in declaring his intention to go pro this spring. Seattle is an Independent, so their season is now over unless the Redhawks are invited to one of the lower postseason tournaments such as the CBI or CIT. What is most notable about Garcia aside from his 19/8 scoring/rebounding average is his ability to draw fouls from the defense. Garcia picks up an astonishing 10.6 fouls per game on his defenders, which as you may imagine, puts the 6'9 forward at the line nearly ten times per game.
- As always, here's some great analytical work from Vegas Watch, who takes an alternative (and much more defensible) approach to seeding the field of 65. Keep fighting the good fight, VW, with logic, reason and most importantly, data.


text:
Minimum wage hike would do more harm than good
GOV. SCOTT WALKER SAYS he isn't focused on raising the state's minimum wage but rather on boosting wages for family-supporting jobs.
That's good to hear, particularly when a bill introduced in January would push Wisconsin's minimum from $7.25 to $10.10 per hour and when President Obama approved a $10.10 minimum wage for government contractors and wants to spread that to all workers.
Much evidence suggests raising the minimum harms rather than helps the poor. A new survey shows that while 53 percent of Wisconsinites favor the increase, support drops to 39 percent when they learn it would cost the state 27,000 jobs.
The Tarrance Group of Virginia conducted that survey for the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. The 27,000 figure comes from a study by the nonprofit Employment Policies Institute and is consistent with findings of a recent Congressional Budget Office report that predicted 500,000 jobs lost nationwide if the minimum rose that much.
When its costs rise, a company can get creative. They might be the financial incentive that business needs to further automate work.
``The fact is, a small business can't just come up with the money to pay for a mandated wage increase out of thin air,'' Ed Lump, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, said at a news conference last week with WMC and the Wisconsin Grocers Association. ``The increased wages can really only come from two places_ price increases and cuts in employee hours and jobs. In this economy, the potential for price increases is very limited, so hours will be cut and jobs will be lost. It's that simple.''
Calls for raising the minimum make great political theater. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke and her party's legislators are clamoring for the boost. How can you claim to care about job creation when you're willing to sacrifice so many jobs?
Sure, raising the minimum would lift some people out of poverty, but it's a small minority. Economists at the Federal Reserve Board and the University of California-Irvine say most empirical research shows increasing the minimum reduces employment for the least skilled while having little to no effect on poverty rates.
Boosting the minimum encourages more people to enter the labor market. Employers will choose skilled applicants over those with few skills.
It's a myth that employees are stuck in minimum-wage jobs and need legislation to earn raises. These are starter jobs. Anyone with gumption, ambition and intelligence won't stay at such a wage long. A study shows the vast majority of workers who start at the minimum get raises within a year.
Besides, 28 states raised their minimums between 2003 and 2007, and Cornell and American University economists found no associated reductions in poverty. The Congressional Budget Office says only 19 percent of benefits from a minimum wage hike would help households in poverty. Most gains go to households above the poverty line. Households already earning more than three times the poverty level capture 29 percent of total gains. Census Bureau data show the average family income of a beneficiary from the last federal increase was more than $47,000 a year.
Wisconsin has worked hard to improve its business climate and position itself for job growth. Still, stories or rumors about a business closing or idling workers are frequent. Soaring heating costs this winter have left more businesses teetering on the brink.
Raising the minimum would deal a similar blow to job prospects for low-skill workers. - Janesville Gazette, March 10
At issue:
$10.10 Minimum wage
Bottom line:
Worse, not better for poor


text:
You've read the stories, I'm sure: you've probably got, as I have, a mental picture. The mailcoach rattles through the arch into the straw-strewn innyard, chickens flying out of the way, the outside passengers ducking to avoid losing their hats – or heads. The ostler and stable-boys, alerted by the sound of the guard's horn as the coach came down the High Street, rush to unhitch the old, tired, sweat-spattered team of horses and lead them away, at the same time bringing out a fresh team. The red-faced landlord, in tan breeches, black waistcoat, white shirt and white apron, his hair tied back in a short ponytail by a black bow, hands up a yard-long glass brimful of ale to the overcoat-laden mailcoach driver, who has no time in his schedule even to get down from his box. In a swing perfected by daily practice, the driver drains the long glass without a spill, hands it back down to the cheery publican and, refreshed, whips up his new horses, who gallop off back out onto the highway, the passenger-laden coach bouncing behind them and 10 more miles of muddy, rutted road ahead before they can all rest at the next stop. If there's not a painting of that scene on the oak-panelled walls of some pub dining room with 18th century pretentions somewhere in England, I'll swallow the nearest tricorn hat.
It's a great tale, repeated often, and I never dissected it until I read it again in the Oxford Companion to Beer, where it appears in the entry for "drinking customs":
"The diarist John Evelyn (1620-1706) mentions a yard of ale being used to toast King James II but the vessel has more plebeian origins. It was designed to meet the needs of stagecoach drivers who were in a rush to get to their final destinations. At intermediate steps the drivers would be handed ale in a yard glass through an inn window, the glass being of sufficient length for the driver to take it without leaving his coach."
Perhaps because this occurs just four paragraphs after a claim that King Edgar, a pre-Conquest king of England, tried to limit villages to only one alehouse each in an attempt to cut drunkenness, which is definitely a pile of Anglo-Saxon pants (the permanently established alehouse as a village institution was probably at least three centuries away when Edgar was on the throne, and there wasn't the infrastructure in his time to enforce such a law anyway – and nor is there a single parchment scrap of evidence for such a decree), myths were at the front of my brain, which is why this time when I read about coach drivers and yards of ale I finally went: "?"


text:
God is "beyond" science!
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, fst.
Yeah, if you think I'm talking about David Copperfield then you're in the wrong conversation.
You say that science will, but can you explain how? I, however, can explain why it will not. Because magic is inherently non-empirical. Science cannot make any comment on the non-empirical. Case closed.
Hey, bio.
Thanks for the explanation. It was very clear and very informative.
"Residue" seems a little spurious to me. What does that actually mean?
For real, that femto-photography stuff is mad crazy awesome. But there's an issue. It is a new technology that is better at doing the exact same thing that every single scientific experiment, calculation and piece of equipment has done since the dawn of science; observe the empirical. So I have no doubt that we'll have better technology and better gadgets in the future. But it's not a question of better. It's a question of limitation. No scientific experiment, calculation or piece of equipment has ever made a single statement about the non-empirical. Because it cannot. Not ever.
Hey, Phaedrus.
I'll have you know, good sir, that I have had sex with several very attractive oscilloscopes... wait... that really should have stayed a secret... yikes...
Peace and Love and Empathy,
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Special pleading, Ghost.
"It's exempt from the rules because I say so!"
Sorry, we haven't found anything exempt from these rules yet, so far every magical phenomenon science has investigated so far has been investigated pretty much successfully, and by the way, so far none of them have been magic.
Just FYI.
E 2 = (mc 2)2 + (pc )2
614C → 714N + e– + ̅νe
2 K(s) + 2 H2O(l) → 2 KOH(aq) + H2 (g) + 196 kJ/mol
It works, bitches.
The following 2 users Like Phaedrus's post:2 users Like Phaedrus's post
amyb (30-12-2012), fstratzero (31-12-2012)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(30-12-2012 07:27 PM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, bio.Hey Ghost.
Don't want to come off as spurious. I simply meant residue in the sense that a force that is acting on a physical system should leave traces of its presence (e.g. scarring, cellular regeneration, cellular disruption...etc.). Those traces, ideally, will lead us back to the source.
Yes, of course, I agree that science and technology has nothing to say about the non-empirical. My point is essentially that what is non-empirical at the moment could be empirical at a later time, provided there is a sufficient operational definition. For example, disease and its causes could have been considered non-empirical in the past, especially if you thought that they were caused by the supernatural. Along comes germ-theory and we have an empirical question and with that question comes technology that allowed us to observe micro organisms directly. Do I think that there are some questions that may always remain non-empirical? Sure. However, I also think that the better our questions get, the better our definitions get and the better our technology gets there becomes fewer and fewer things that can't be an empirical question. Especially as it relates to a "GOD" intervening in a physical world.
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fstratzero (31-12-2012)
30-12-2012, 08:18 PM (This post was last modified: 30-12-2012 08:23 PM by Ghost.)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, Phaedrus.
Uhhhh, how the fuck do you get special pleading from me fucking an oscilloscope?????
I agree. Those magical phenomenon that are not magical are not magical.
This does not take away from what I've been saying in the least. If something is not magical, if it's material, then yeah, science can talk about it. When have I said otherwise?
The issue is that if something were magical, science would be mum. Nothing special about it. If you think I'm the only person on the planet that thinks that science can only comment on empirical evidence, well, what can I say?
I have laid out a very careful framework for why it cannot comment on the empirical. How am I the one saying it is so because I say so?
Hey, Bio.
You've missed a step. The forces of the universe can be measured empirically. They all function within very specific parameters. If God snaps his fingers, there is no force to trace back to. He didn't use gravity, or the weak force, or joules or anything material. He just did it. The only thing traces could lead us back to is incomprehensible nonsense.
And to be clear, I'm not talking about things we don't know about yet. If it's material, it's material, whether we know about it or not. I'm not talking about mistaking something material for being something magical. I'm talking about things that are magical. Period. The magical is never empirical. Not ever. Namean?
Peace and Love and Empathy,
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Lies. "God is beyond science" translates into "do what we say and don't question it." Ask the w... aunt to explain Job, wanna talk about "god being beyond science."
Fucking Ghost...
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(30-12-2012 08:18 PM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, Bio.Hey Ghost.
Traces would provide evidence that SOMETHING happened, not necessarily what caused them, but evidence nonetheless. That aside, I think we are at an impasse because there is no "magical" IMO. There are illusions performed by magicians and there are things we don't understand but that in no way makes them magical therefore knowable.
RE: God is "beyond" science!
The special pleading comes in that you are creating your own special category of phenomenon that cannot be proven or disproven in any way we know of, which is magically immune to empirical study "because". That's special pleading. Everything that's ever been put to the test has turned out to be empirically testable eventually. You are declaring that your phenomena are not and never can be empirically tested on the basis of...
You can come at it from another direction, as it being that if this special category were real and could not be empirically tested then we would have no way of knowing whether it existed or not. Sure. But ol' William's razor says that's multiplying entities without necessity. If the world can be explained without supernatural phenomena, then either supernatural phenomena don't exist, or else their effects are so meagre and unmeasurable that they might as well not exist.
E 2 = (mc 2)2 + (pc )2
614C → 714N + e– + ̅νe
2 K(s) + 2 H2O(l) → 2 KOH(aq) + H2 (g) + 196 kJ/mol
It works, bitches.
The following 2 users Like Phaedrus's post:2 users Like Phaedrus's post
amyb (30-12-2012), Chas (30-12-2012)
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(30-12-2012 07:27 PM)Ghost Wrote: Because magic is inherently non-empirical. Science cannot make any comment on the non-empirical. Case closed.The problem with this is that it assumes a belief in magic, and not everyone believes in magic (usually due to lack of evidence for it).
RE: God is "beyond" science!
Hey, Cantor.
Who's fucking me? Is that why I have trouble sitting down?
I grant you that people can take this sort of thing and use it as a support for unquestioned authority. Absolutely. Not only can people do that, people HAVE done that. But that doesn't take away from the reality. We can't deny reality just because we don't like her pitfalls. That is as bad a thing, if not worse.
Hey, Bio.
Yeah, that's what I said. The fact that a phenomenon occurs is not necessarily controversial. How it occurred is.
We're not at an impasse. I have no idea whether or not there is magic. How could I? It can't be tested. I'm just making the point.
And once again, I'm not talking about Davids, either Copperfield or Blaine. Illusions are illusions, not magic. If someone makes a claim that something is magic and we prove that it isn't, then nowhere in there was there ever actual magic. I'm only talking about the limitations of science to comment on honest to goodness magic; were such a thing to exist.
Hey, Amy.
It makes no such assumption. In order for magic to be magic and not just some nifty parlour trick, it has to have certain properties. That's not saying that it exists, it's saying that if it does, then it is X. Magic, true magic, whether it exists or not, is by definition non-natural and non-empirical. If it is either of those things, then it isn't magic. I have no idea if magic exists and neither does anyone else. And that's the whole point.
Hey, Phaedrus.
I have done no such thing. You accuse me of something that is demonstrably false. I would appreciate a retraction.
Science cannot comment on anything non-empirical. That's a fact. A straight up fact. An irrefutable fact. If you have some evidence that speaks to the contrary, I'd love to hear it, but as far as I know it doesn't exist. There's no special pleading here. This is a long-established limitation of science. I have created nothing.
If the supernatural leaves empirical data, then it is not supernatural. The only thing that leaves empirical data is the material; the interactions of matter and energy as governed by the natural forces of the universe.
If the supernatural leaves no empirical evidence (which is a prerequisite for it BEING supernatural) and science cannot comment on anything non-empirical, then science cannot comment on the supernatural.
I have made no special pleading. I have invented nothing. This isn't even my idea. This is a long-established idea.
Not only this, but I have stated this CLEARLY many times before, so I find your assertion that I have never supported my opinion, that all I've ever said is "because", offensive.
Now lets get specific.
Phenomena occur. That's a fact. The question of importance here is, is a given phenomenon natural (ie, material) or is a given phenomenon supernatural (ie, above or beyond the natural, non-material)?
Science has clearly established one thing. Most of the phenomenon we've investigated are natural. Science does this by examining and testing empirical data.
Many times, people have made the claim that a phenomenon is supernatural and science has torn that bullshit claim apart and demonstrated that the phenomenon was in fact natural. Ie, David Copperfield never made the Statue of Liberty disappear, it was just a trick.
Say I see what I think is a ghost. A specter. A free-floating spirit. That is a phenomenon. I have experienced it. Now the question is, was that phenomenon natural or supernatural? THIS is where science's limitation is felt. If it was just old man Trewilliger using a projector to try and scare me away and Scooby Doo finds it and he's like, "It would have worked too if it wasn't for these pesky kids," then poof, empirical evidence discovered, question solved. Because all natural phenomenon leave empirical evidence. But if it's an actual ghost, like no bullshit, the soul of some dude returned from the dead, then it will leave no empirical evidence. Period. You can test it all you want. You can run any experiment, perform any calculation, scan with any piece of equipment and you're gonna come up empty because there is no data. So how can science comment on it?
It cannot. And I agree, we have no way of knowing whether or not the phenomenon was in fact supernatural because we can't test it scientifically. But anyone who experienced the phenomenon knows that something occurred.
Even if science could comment on the supernatural, science doesn't want to comment on the supernatural. This is because of methodological naturalism:
Quote:Its main point is that a difference between natural and supernatural explanations should be made, and that science should be restricted methodologically to natural explanations.[30] That the restriction is merely methodological (rather than ontological) means that science should not consider supernatural explanations itself, but should not claim them to be wrong either. Instead, supernatural explanations should be left a matter of personal belief outside the scope of science. Methodological naturalism maintains that proper science requires strict adherence to empirical study and independent verification as a process for properly developing and evaluating explanations for observable phenomena. The absence of these standards, arguments from authority, biased observational studies and other common fallacies are frequently cited by supporters of methodological naturalism as criteria for the dubious claims they criticize not to be true science.
Occam's razor is another matter entirely. Occam's razor works in service of methodological naturalism; the working assumption that naturalism is a correct assumption and that every single phenomenon has a material cause. If every phenomenon has a material cause, then sure, cut out all the angels and miracles and Gods and all the rest. But that has nothing to do with science's inability to comment on a genuinely supernatural phenomenon.
And once again, I'm not suggesting that the supernatural actually exists. I am an Agnostic and I know that the supernatural is indemonstrable, so I have no choice but to reserve my judgement. All I am saying is that the awesome capacity of science is known to us, as are its limitations. If there are supernatural phenomenon in the universe, science is not the way we will be able to tell.
Whether or not the supernatural exists, whether or not God exists; these are metaphysical questions, not scientific ones, and I have no answer for them.
Peace and Love and Empathy,
RE: God is "beyond" science!
(31-12-2012 12:50 PM)Ghost Wrote: Hey, Phaedrus.
Quote:Science cannot comment on anything non-empirical. That's a fact. A straight up fact. An irrefutable fact. If you have some evidence that speaks to the contrary, I'd love to hear it, but as far as I know it doesn't exist. There's no special pleading here. This is a long-established limitation of science. I have created nothing.
You are factually incorrect. Of course you did not invent the notion of the supernatural, thus you lack even the status of having invented something new. I meant you "invented" the supernatural within the context of this debate. You invented the supernatural from whole cloth within this debate by claiming it exists, then declaring it to be completely undetectable, untestable, and unprovable. You have "supported" your opinion by saying the same thing over and over, that this category you're glomming on is immune to all rational inquiry and empirical investigation by definition. You haven't provided any reason why it should be so, you've simply declared that it is. Examine your own arguments and you'll find that you're talking in circles. "The supernatural is not empirically testable. It's not empirically testable because it leaves no evidence, and it leaves no evidence because it is not empirically testable."
Here's the problem, Ghost
Without being able to empirically test it, there is no way to distinguish your "supernatural" phenomena from hallucination or delusion.
That's all it comes down to.
And if I can't distinguish your special non-testable magic class of reality from you being a crazy person, I'm going to choose the least hypothesis, mkay?
By the way, Okham's razor does not favor naturalism inherently, Okham originally proposed it as an argument for god; why suppose the existence of all these fairies and pixies and trolls and goblins when everything can be explained solely by god? Unfortunately for Okham, it turns out we can PROVE things exist, like atoms and quarks, and these things reduce god's domain more and more with each experiment. So the Razor supports naturalism not because it was designed to, but more because science and rational inquiry are, you know, right.
E 2 = (mc 2)2 + (pc )2
614C → 714N + e– + ̅νe
2 K(s) + 2 H2O(l) → 2 KOH(aq) + H2 (g) + 196 kJ/mol
It works, bitches.
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text:
Delaware County Histories
The following county histories are located in the microfilms area on the second floor of the library. Please ask a librarian at the microforms desk or the reference desk if you need assistance with these materials.
F-2270 (vol. 1, A-K)
F-2271 (vol. 2, L-Z)
Title: Delaware county, Indiana, index of names of persons and of firms.
Author: U.S.--Works progress administration--Indiana.
Published: Indpls., 1939.
AGLL Reel 2
Title: An atlas of Delaware county, Indiana.
Author: Griffing, B. N.
Published: Philadelphia : Griffing, Gordon & Co., 1887.
Reel 23 No. 82
Title: Our county; its history and early settlement by townships, Entry of public lands, present owners, reminiscences of pioneer life, etc. With original poems.
Author: Ellis, John Seymour, 1839-.
Published: [Muncie, Ind. : Neely Printing Co., 1898?].
F-2273 (vol. 1)
F-2274 (vol. 2)
Title: History of Delaware County, Indiana. In two volumes.
Author: Haimbaugh, Frank D., 1856-1924.
Published: Indianapolis : Historical Publishing Company, 1924.
AGLL Reel 3
Reel 30 No. 112
Title: History of Delaware County, Indiana : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.
Author: Helm, Thomas B., 1822-1889.
Published: Chicago : Kingman Brothers, 1881.
F-2275 (vol 1)
Reel 48 No. 170 (vol. 1 & vol. 2)
Title: Twentieth century history of Delaware county, Indiana.
Author: Kemper, G. W. H. (General William Harrison), 1839-1927.
Published: Lewis pub. co., 1908.
Title: Manufacturing and mercantile resources and industries of the principal places in Wayne, Henry, Delaware and Randolph counties, Indiana. With a review of their manufacturing, mercantile and general business interests, advantageous location, &c.; including a brief historical and statistical sketch of their rise and progress.
Author: Historical and Statistical Publishing Company.
Published: [n.p.] : Historical & Statistical Publishing Co.], 1884.
Reel 57 No.227
Title: A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, Indiana, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States. And biographies of the governors of Indiana.
Published: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Bowen, 1894.
Title: Emerson's Muncie directory ... together with a gazetteer of Delaware county ... .
Published: Muncie, 1895-1896.
Title: Emerson's Muncie directory ... together with a gazetteer of Delaware county ... .
Published: Muncie, 1897-1898.
AGLL Reel 2
Title: Souvenir of Muncie Indiana; illustrating some of its industries, public buildings, churches, schools, parks, public utilities, retail houses, financial institutions, homes and its exceptional interurban and railroad facilities.
Author: Fish, Henry R.
Published: Muncie, [1914].
Title: Delaware County in the World War, 1917-1918.
County Council of Defense ; edited by Lannes McPhetridge.
Published: Indianapolis, Ind. : Enquirer Print. and Pub. Co., c1919.
AGLL Reel 5
Title: Muncie of to-day; its commerce, trade and industries, descriptive and historical.
Author: Muncie Times.
Published: Muncie, 1895.
Title: Muncie, past, present, future.
Published: Springfield, Ohio : Winters art litho co., n.d.
Title: City directory of Muncie, Indiana, being a complete index to the residents of the city, also a classified, to which is added an appendix containing useful information of city, county, state and miscellaneous matters, together with a business directory, street directory, and a gazetteer of Delaware county.
Author: Stackhouse, Creasey & co.
Published: Muncie, [1888].
Title: History of the Mississinewa church of the Brethren, Delaware county, Indiana.
Author: Rarick, Ralph G.
Published: Elgin, Ill. : Brethren pub. house, 1917.


text:
Following last night's loss to the Mets, the San Francisco Giants made a few roster moves. Hector Sanchez, who was out with a left knee strain, was activated and caught Barry Zito's start today. In a corresponding move, the Giants optioned Eli Whiteside back to Triple-A Fresno. Additionally, Justin Christian was optioned to Fresno, with Shane Loux reinstated to take his spot on the roster. In other words, the Giants will go with a 13-man bullpen for now. Lastly, Emmanuel Burriss, as expected, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Fresno.
For the first time in what seemed like forever — it had actually been a month — Brandon Belt and Hector Sanchez were both in the starting lineup. The last time it happened, Barry Zito tossed seven scoreless innings and the Giants ended up defeating the Dodgers by a score of 8-0. Today's game was like the polar opposite of that.
Zito's first inning included three consecutive three-ball counts, followed by a David Murphy HBP and back-to-back hits from Jason ".157 average" Bay and Ronny Cedeno — although in all fairness to Zito, Cedeno's double arguably should have been scored as an error on Melky Cabrera. Melky was able to get to the ball in time, but failed to snag it. Anyway, Zito miraculously pitched into the fifth, but ended up finishing today with the following line: 4.1 IP, 7 ER, 6 H, 1 K, 3 BB. He brought a shiny 3.89 ERA into this start, but it seems like that didn't entirely reflect how bad he's been. Before today, his ERA+ (90) was the second-worst mark he's ever had over a full season, the worst being the 85 ERA+ he carried in 2008. And after today's showing, which raised his ERA by 38 points, Zito's ERA+ has assuredly dipped below 85.
The lone bright spot in today's blowout was Melky Cabrera, who collected three of the Giants' four hits. With a triple, an opposite-field ground-rule double, and a single, Melky fell a homer short of the cycle — which was refreshing to see, considering he's been pretty quiet lately. Before today, Melky had gone 10 for 37 on this homestand without a walk or an extra-base hit.
But of course, it wasn't nearly enough. And so the Giants finished this disheartening homestand 3-7, with those seven losses having come over their past eight games. The D'backs have quietly cut the Giants' division lead to two games, and the Dodgers remain just half a game back. I wrote a week ago (over at Beyond the Box Score) that Arizona is still in the thick of the playoff hunt, and it's pretty clear at this point that they pose a big threat to San Francisco. Both Arizona and Los Angeles have the day off, though.
- The 13-man bullpen is excessive, but I think it makes sense for the Giants right now. They're about to start a three-game series at Coors Field — and knowing how those games tend to go, it'll be convenient to have an extra arm in the 'pen. After the Colorado series, they'll begin a four-game set at St. Louis, against an offense that has been historically good thus far — so again, it makes sense to have some extra help. Besides, Justin Christian had been utterly worthless during his brief major-league stint.
- The only non-Melky to get a hit was Brandon Belt, who obliterated a ball into right field for a triple. He later deposited a ball into the bay, but it was foul (and he ended up striking out on a weak-looking hack).
- For someone that hasn't played third base since 2008 (when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays), Marco Scutaro has filled in pretty nicely there for Pablo Sandoval — he made a couple good picks there today. And this was just the first time since joining the Giants that Scutaro has failed to get a hit. It occurred to me that I never got a chance to write up my thoughts on the Marco Scutaro trade, so to quickly sum it up: I loved it. I don't think the Giants gave up much of anything in Charlie Culberson, who couldn't even muster a .700 OPS in the PCL; and in return, San Francisco got a decent and necessary contact bat that can play third, short, and second without looking silly.
- Have we reached the point where Andres Torres is having a better season than Angel Pagan? Torres is hitting .238/.352/.323, 94 wRC+. Pagan is hitting .272/.317/.389, 94 wRC+. And there's no question that Torres is the far superior defender.


text:
Jennifer Lopez Regrets Taking Emme to Fashion Show
Jennifer Lopez bares her midriff while leaving her hotel with beau Casper Smart on Monday evening (October 22) in London, England.
The 43-year-old entertainer was spotted walking around the city in sweats earlier in the day.
Jennifer recently talked about regretting taking her daughter Emme to the Chanel fashion show earlier this month.
"From the time [Emme] was little she was always in the wardrobe trying something on. So recently, when I was invited to the Chanel fashion show in Paris, I thought it would be nice to take her with me," Jen said. "I hadn't been to a fashion show for ages and I forgot people could rush you. They were so close and I got so full of anxiety, thinking, 'What am I doing here with my daughter?' But she was fine. I was the one freaking out. I don't think I'll do that again."
15+ pictures inside of Jennifer Lopez out and about in London…


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text:
Yoome Women Genuine Leather Designer Handbags Purse Top Handle Tote Satchel Shoulder Crossbody BagsBlack Black -
CHIC STYLE: Our bags are elegant, fashionable, and upscale. We are always looking for the newest boldest styles that adds that little extra sparkle to help you stand out from the crowd yet classy. Whether it's for a night out of town with your friends, fancy dinner party, or just your daily bag
ABSOLUTELY DURABLE MATERIAL: Cowhide leather with delicate and clear textures, elegant appearance! Handles are durable with excellent bearing capacity. Polyester lining
INTERNAL STRUCTURE: This bag contains 2 main pockets + 1 zipper sandwich pocket + 1 side zipper pocket + 1 phone pocket. Large capacity designed, this bag comfortably holds an iPhone X, wallet, cosmetic, and other daily things
FASHION FOCUS: We have many colors, all kind of colors are beautiful and stylish, you can choose any color you like. Hand made by professional artisans. Clear fashion texture, with simple styling, the handbag appearance concise and atmosphere, powerful at the same time. Fully lined interior includes inside pocket, detail stitching matches the bag color
DIMENSION: 24*18*12 CM (L*H*W) removable and adjustable strap, can be carry as shoulder bag, cross body handbag bag, tote bag


text:
MATERIAL: Oak
CORE CONSTRUCTION: Solid Engineered Core
JOINT CONSTRUCTION: Dowelled
DOOR THICKNESS: 35mm
FINISH: Pre-finished with clear lacquer
GLAZING: Clear Glazing
TRIMMING: 6mm per side
24" x 78" (610mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
27" x 78" (686mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
30" x 78" (762mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
33" x 78" (838mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
726mm x 2040mm x 40mm
826mm x 2040mm x 40mm
This door comes pre-glazed filled with clear 4mm thick toughened glass.
27" x 78" (686mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
30" x 78" (762mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
33" x 78" (838mm x 1981mm x 35mm)
This door comes pre-glazed filled with obscured 4mm thick toughened glass.
In the interest of environmental concerns and improved performance, products may contain engineered timber components including laminated Timber, MDF or Particleboard.
When trimming an internal door to fit, it may be reduced by a maximum of 12mm in both width and height: The reductions must be split equally from each edge, i.e. to reduce the door width by 12mm, remove 6mm from each side of the door.
Manufacturer door instructions: view here
How to install your door guide: view here
FSC certified
For a further explanation on our door terms and types, check out our 'Door Lingo' guide here


text:
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William Makepeace Thackeray
Vanity Fair
> Biographical Note
William Makepeace Thackeray.
Vanity Fair.
The Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction.
Biographical Note
was born at Calcutta, India, on July 18, 1811, the son and grandson of officers of the East India Company. His father died when William was six, and the following year the future novelist was sent to England to be educated. After some years at private schools, he entered the Charterhouse in 1822, and remained till 1828. Neither there nor at Cambridge, where he was a member of Trinity College for a year and a half, did he distinguish himself as a scholar; and he finally left the university because he felt he was wasting his time, and determined to finish his education by travel. During a stay of several months at Weimar he met Goethe, and years afterwards used his reminiscences of the Grand Ducal Court there in his description of Pumpernickel in Vanity Fair. On his return to England he took up the study of law, and though he was later called to the bar he never practised.
Thackerays father had left him a considerable fortune, most of which had disappeared by the time he was twenty-three, part lost in an unsuccessful newspaper, part in unfortunate investments, and part through gambling. Finding that he had to earn his bread, he resolved to study art, and in 1834 went to Paris for this purpose. Two years later he was appointed Paris correspondent of a short-lived paper, The Constitutionalist, and on the strength of this he married Isabella Shawe, the daughter of an Irish officer. After four years of happy married life, Mrs. Thackerays mind gave way, and though she lived till 1894 she never recovered. For a number of years he had to struggle to keep his head above water, writing for newspaper and periodicals and doing a good deal of illustrating. Though he never acquired great technical skill as a draughtsman, he had a gift of turning out amusing sketches, and for ten years he was on the staff of Punch as both artist and author. It was in that publication, with The Snobs of England, that he first achieved popularity, his earlier novels, Catherine and Barry Lyndon, having failed to hit the popular taste. In January, 1847, Vanity Fair began to appear in monthly numbers, and by the time it was concluded in the July of the following year he was generally awarded a place in the first rank of English novelists. Dickens was then at the height of his fame, and, though the two men appreciated each others work, their admirers were fond of debating their comparative meritsa form of criticism which, though futile enough in the case of talents so dissimilar, has not yet entirely gone out of fashion.
Pendennis, the most autobiographical of Thackerays novels, came out in 184850, and still farther strengthened his reputation. In 1851 he took up lecturing, beginning with the series on the English Humorists of the Eighteenth Century, which he delivered first in London. These were in a sense a by-product of Esmond, published in 1852, in the autumn of which year he carried them across the Atlantic. He lectured at Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, Charleston, and Savannah, was received with great hospitality, made many friends, and went home the next spring the richer by some $10,000. A second tour in America, with The Four Georges, followed in 1855, and was also successful. Meantime he had completed The Newcomes, and while in Rome with his daughters for the Christmas season of 1853, he wrote and illustrated for some children the amusing burlesque of The Rose and the Ring.
Thackeray was now one of the notable figures of English society and was financially at ease. In 1857 he stood for Parliament for the city of Oxford, but missed election by a narrow margin. Apparently little downcast, he returned to his literary work and issued The Virginians, 185759. It is commonly felt that with this book the quality of his work begins to fall off, and none of his subsequent novels achieved great success. In 1860 he undertook the editorship of the newly founded Cornhill Magazine, and to it he contributed his delightful essays, The Roundabout Papers. But his health, which for years had been far from good, unfitted him for the labor of editorship, and he resigned in 1862. On the morning of December 24, 1863, he was found dead.
The death of Thackeray was keenly felt through a wide circle both in England and abroad. His striking figurehe was six feet, three inches in height, with a massive headhad become familiar not only through his appearances on the platform but through the caricatures of himself that he had whimsically introduced into many of his drawings in Punch and elsewhere; and he was held in affectionate reverence by thousands who had never seen him. Though he first made his reputation as a satirist, he was a man without malice and of extraordinarily tender sensibilities. He had had to struggle hard to gain a footing in letters, and suffered more than his share of domestic sorrow; but he was generously helpful to others, even when he could little afford it, and found his greatest delight in brightening the lives of children. He used to be blamed for cynicism, but it has long been clear that it was the keenness of his appreciation of the loftier possibilities of human nature that lay at the root of his sadness that these possibilities are so seldom realized.
Though he achieved brilliant success in the fields of the burlesque and the essay, it is, of course, on his work as a novelist that his great reputation is chiefly based. But when the attempt is made to rank his novels among themselves, great diversity of opinion appears. Some specialists would give first place to the comparatively little read Barry Lyndon; more favor The Newcomes. His style nowhere reaches greater perfection than in the astonishing reproduction of the diction of Queen Annes reign in Esmond. Yet, all in all, it is safe to say that he never surpassed his first great success, Vanity Fair. Here we find at their height his distinguishing qualities: his power of conveying the spirit and atmosphere of an epoch, of delineating a throng of people and making them all living men and women, of conceiving great dramatic situations and presenting these so as to display character with the utmost vividness, of stripping away the veils that hide our motives not only from others but from ourselves. It is doubtful if any English novel possesses a heroine more completely vitalized than Becky Sharp, a creature so amazingly real that critics are occasionally to be found taking sides with her against her creator. And in his description of such figures, in his painting of their backgrounds, and in his characteristically intimate discussion with his readers of their faults and follies, he wields an English style unsurpassed for clarity, ease, and grace, capable of lofty eloquence, extreme tenderness, and fiery scorn, but always appropriate and always sincere.
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text:
– The Miami Herald has a new article up with WWE Diva Alicia Fox talking about her career and plugging the Divas Fashion Show at tonight's WrestleMania Premiere Party. The Divas will be modeling clothes designed by top South Florida designers.
– WWE creative head Michael Hayes turns 53 years old today.
– The Usos vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Epico and Primo has been discussed as the dark match for WrestleMania 28.
A Brodus Clay match was suggested for the dark match but at last word, he still may get a spot on the main WrestleMania card.
(Partial source: F4Wonline.com)


text:
Michael McIntyre invites you to celebrate 30 years of Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity with a block party!
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text:
Diseñadores de todas las partes del mundo están proponiendo diseños creativos a olivyann en la categoría de diseño logotipo - custom.
We are looking for a unique logo to compliment our unique business and concept which is innovative and high tech. We are a new startup. Our business is akin to that of swoopo.com, but comprising even more features for a wider market.
We are building a brand: bidzi.com. We are aim to provide a unique, worldwide business model. All of our auctions will be buzzing from the first to the last second. Every user can get top of the range, brandname products for extraordinarily low prices. We need to reflect this in our logo.
We have nothing in particular in mind and are open to any creative, fresh ideas, the logo has to reflect integrity and also have a corporate feel to it.
It is important that users easily remember the logo, an icon is not a prerequisite, but can be used along the logo with or without the text.
We have selected some logos which we find interesting with regards to their approach and originality. You may download these at the following link: http://www.kotao.net/yannleroquais/Logos.zip
Other logos we like are swoopo.com and deenero.com
The logo must reflect the identity of the website, as it will be the brand name of the company. This is why users must easily remember the logo. Creativity is the key word for this project.
The logo can be capitalized or lowercase depending on what you think is best.
To grasp our market and how bidzi.com will work, please check out the following website: http://www.swoopo.com
We will require a favicon also. We are undecided on colour selection for the logo.
The logo must look good on both white and dark backgrounds.
- Clean- Rich- Professional
- Powerful
- Unique design
- Nice font treatment - don't want just a plain font
- Company name "bidzi" (can be capitalized or lower case depending on what you think looks best)
- No Clipart
- No Sloppy design
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Herta Mueller, the 2009 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, says the choice to give this year's award to Mo Yan is a "catastrophe" that never should have happened, and accuses the Chinese writer of praising the Asian country's tough censorship laws.
In an interview published in Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter on Saturday, the Romanian-born author — whose struggle under Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorship has influenced most of her works — says she wanted to cry when she learned of the 2012 laureate choice. She says she feels "it's a catastrophe," and an "incredibly upsetting" choice.
Mo, the first Chinese writer to win the literature award, has been criticized for compromising his artistic and intellectual independence by being a Communist Party member and vice president of the official writers association.


text:
nesgirl wrote:Yes that's the idea. Basically you are keeping your eyes focused on the TV, but very still. You need to, prop your pillows just right so you can see. Then focus your eyes so that you can see, and keep your body still, not moving it for anything. After a while you may suddenly without reason if you are still feeling awake and alert see a bit of a blur of the TV, and will automatically lose focus of the TV. If you are still feeling awake and you see that happen, attempt to move your body at this point and see what happens. If you cannot move, then conclude you have fallen asleep, repeat this to yourself over and over again and prepare yourself. If you can move, perform a reality check (I would recommend the clock)
I would more or less recommend this as an early morning method, and unless like you are willing to rigorously exercise to induce body fatigue until then, you might want to wake yourself up and try that.
Because in fact it is possible to sleep with your eyes open during the other stages of sleep, your body and mind should interpret this as sleeping while you are watching TV if you keep your body perfectly still. As for the watching TV, as long as you keep your mind completely focused on the TV, your body will think of this as random thoughts/daydreams rushing through your head, as sometimes that can very well happen during a stage of sleep, although they are a bit artificial. Your eyes will automatically shut when you go into REM, so don't fret.
Okay, so, about five hours from the time I go to sleep? I'll try this on the weekends, returning to my normal routine on the weekdays. Hopefully alternation will prove successful.


text: Norfolk Southern debuts TV spot Published on May 13, 2013. Norfolk, Va.—Norfolk Southern Corp. introduced a new TV spot May 11 in recognition of National Train Day. The ad, created by RP3 Agency, Bethesda, Md., celebrates the role of rail in building the nation's economy. The spot is supported by online and events. The budget was not disclosed. Most Popular In this article: BtoB


text:
A steam-ship period tactical naval simulator focusing on fleet-scale battles in real time. Manage financial and strategic aspects while planning your squadron's structure. Scramble your fleet to gain sea supremacy.
The game allows you to set up battles squadron groups, their formations and management, with realistic ship models and characteristics, as well as advanced ballistisc and weapon models.


text:
Work hard, sparkle harder!
--Twitter, July 21, 2014
Johnny Weir
Whether witty or wise, controversial or charming, shocking or silly, sweet or sassy, provocative or profound, inspiring or infuriating--or any combination of those--Johnny Weir, the three-time U.S. Champion, two-time Olympian, and World medalist figure skater, almost always says something worth quoting whenever he commentates a skating competition, makes a TV appearance, gives an interview, holds a press conference, writes, tweets, or is caught on video. His quotes needed to be collected and shared; hence this blog.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Posted by Nancy Knisley at 2:55 PM
Labels: behavior, philosophy, Twitter
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text:
Former prostitute: Kern County Fair hotspot for illegal sex activity
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Rides, fried food and families are generally thought of in association with the Kern County Fair.
Dana tells a different story of what goes on when people from all across the county gather at the fair.
"There's an increase in women out (at the fairgrounds). They're coming from other counties. There are paying customers out there, unfortunately," describes Dana, claiming the Kern County Fair also brings a spike in prostitution.
Dana, a former prostitute, spoke to Eyewitness News on condition that her last name not be used. She says she spent many days and nights herself walking up and down Union Avenue - a prostitution hotspot - in Bakersfield.
"I spent a great part of my youth prostituting. Prostituting for pimps, pimps that would threaten me by physical harm," says Dana while reminiscing about the 30 years she'd spent working on the streets.
Prostitution hotspot Union Avenue also happens to border the fairgrounds, which makes the county fair a great place for the illegal business to spill over, she says.
"They'll rent a hotel, the whole hotel. Seven to 10 rooms. They'll put a girl in each room, and they'll work them for days on end," says Doug Bennett, the founder of Magdalene Hope, an organization that works to help victims of sex trafficking and prostitution.
Bennett says many women are forced into the lifestyle, by human sex traffickers and pimps who physically and mentally harm the women.
"From Canada to Mexico, they"ll stop at every major city along the way, and Bakersfield's one of the stops," says Bennett.
Through Magdelene Hope, Bennett says he's worked to rescue many other women who confirm the Kern County Fair is a booming time for the sex business.
"We see the corn dogs, and we see the grandstand, the Budweiser Pavilion, and that's all good if you're coming there for a family event, and that's what it should be. But, you also have the pimps that will bring in carload, van-loads of women," he says.
Dana says she has since turned her life around, and she's been off drugs and off the streets for the past year and a half. She credits Magdalene Hope for her recovery.
"I felt that i was spiritually dead before. I felt lost and in fear. Everything, I was afraid of everything," she says. "I just walked out the door and said, 'That's enough, I've had enough.'"
If you are a victim of human trafficking, or if you know someone who is, you can seek help from the National Trafficking Hotline by calling (888) 373-7888. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


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NC woman killed, mother injured in drive-by shooting
NC woman killed, mother injured in drive-by shooting
Authorities are investigating after a woman was killed and her mother was injured in a drive-by shooting at a Garner apartment complex.
Police say the shooting happened just before 9:30 p.m. on Friday.
Authorities say 31-year-old Latoya McNeil died at the scene. Her mother, 48-year-old Angela Harding, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Both women lived at the complex and were in the same vehicle arriving home when they were shot. Police say a young child was also in the car but wasn't hurt.
Investigators say they received a tip that two men were spotted running from the scene after the shots were fired. Anyone with information is asked to call police.


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NEW YORK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - The average U.S. gasoline price in 2012 was a record-high $3.60 a gallon, topping the previous high of $3.51 in 2011, travel group AAA said on Monday.
AAA blamed refinery outages, major hurricanes and unrest in the Middle East for the rise.
Drivers in states like Hawaii, Alaska, California and New York paid the highest prices.
However, the price fell to $3.30 a gallon in December, the lowest monthly average for the year, AAA said.
(Reporting by Selam Gebrekidan)
12 Things That Will Be More Expensive In 2013: DealNews


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February 2013
February 23, 2013: After we sent the issue live, Chrysler revealed official photos of the new Jeep Cherokee. Rather than wait until next week, we thought we'd being them to you now. Click the link to go straight to the story.
February 22, 2013: It's a big truck issue this week. First we look at the speculation surrounding the next Ford F-150. Will it be the Atlas Concept in aluminum, or will Ford supplement it with a unit-body F-100? Maybe… not. Check out what we hear Ford might have up its sleeve. Speaking of pickups, Al Vinikour takes a spin in the 2013 Chevy Avalanche, a SUV/pickup combination that started fast, but faded quickly. Chris Sawyer, meanwhile, tests the Ford Flex. Part minivan, part SUV, it's a unique market entry that isn't quite what the Fairlane Concept promised. Also, we take a first look at Toyota's new RAV4. It's a huge improvement over its predecessor, and enough to make folks in Korea nervous. We also review actor James Garner's memoir, and discover what Steve McQueen really thought about Garner replacing him in the movie Grand Prix. And we round out the week with another Tirade by Al Vinikour. This time he harkens to those days of yesteryear when your car's interior was as dangerous to your health as a gun-toting maniac.
February 14, 2013: There's a lot in the Driver's Seat this week, starting with the new Ram ProMaster. A modified Fiat Ducato, this front-drive cargo van replaces the Dodge Sprinter, and competes head-on with Ford's new Transit. Continuing with Fiat, the production-ready Alfa Romeo 4C makes its debut at the Geneva Auto Show next month, and we have the details of the carbon-chassis sports car to be built by Maserati. Yes, Maserati. Speaking of carbon fiber, McLaren has released pictures of the P1 supercar's interior, which is a textile weaver's dream. Next up is an American diesel… from GM. It's taken decades to overcome the Oldsmobile V8 diesel debacle, but GM's finally ready to offer a diesel in an American car. The Cruze Diesel looks ready to take on VW's Jetta TDI, and exorcise some old demons. Even more shocking (sorry) are the new electric police/security bikes from Zero Motorcycles. Available in Street and Dual Sport versions, they are aimed at the global police, security and military markets. Finally, Al Vinikour writes an open letter to municipalities suffering from the economic downturn. You might not like his ideas, until you realize he says nothing about speeding…
February 8, 2013: Al and Chris are back from Scottsdale where they drove the 2014 Kia Sorento. It my not look different, but nearly everything is new under the skin, including new engines and drivetrains. Al does something unusual this week — a technology piece! He talks to the folks at Energy Power Systems about the "new" technology of lead-acid batteries for hybrids and EVs. Speaking of technology, Chris discovers a new safety system that, in essence, taps the driver on the shoulder to get his attention. Finally, Mercedes-Benz furthers the cause of keeping the public informed about its history by selling a comic book about company founder Carl Benz.


text: This is a very suspense ,dramatic and cinematic piece. It is based on a percussion loop. Percussion includes djembe, bongos ,congas etc. In te background there are electronic pulsating loops, some sections of symphonic orchestra, and big hits. File is meant to be a background for a video. It can be editable and can be looped cause it includes following : 1. Action Movie Trailer 2 (1:05), 2. Loop 1(0:06), 3. Loop 2 (0:12), 4. Intro (0:15), 5. End (0:10)


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Area Obituaries
Nathan Alan Overstreet, 16, of Grove Hill died June 25, 2006 in an automobile accident.
He was born Mar. 5, 1990. He was a student at Clarke Prep. He attended Thomasville Church of God.
Survivors include his father, Nathan Calvin Overstreet, Grove Hill; his mother, Paula Ann Overstreet, Lenox; one sister, Ashley Ann Overstreet, Grove Hill; maternal grandparents, Walter Gibson Jr., Frisco City, Glenda Huckabee, Jackson.
He is preceded in death by his brother, Jeremy Calvin Overstreet and paternal grandparents, Dorothy O. Weaver and Woodie C. Overstreet.
The service was June 28 at 11 a.m. at the chapel of Lathan Funeral Home in Grove Hill. Burial was in the Cantuche Cemetery in Salitpa. Lathan Funeral home directed.
William Cole Armistead, Sr. died June 17, 2006, at Shelby Baptist Medical Center in Alabaster. The longtime Thomasville resident had been a resident of the Shelby Ridge Nursing home in Alabaster for the last few months.
Mr. Armistead was born on August 14, 1911, in Campbell and was the son of the late Dr. Livingston Lee Armistead and the late Olie Williams Armistead of Campbell. He graduated from Thomasville High School where he met his wife of 73 years, Emma Belle Overstreet Armistead, who continues to live in their home in Thomasville.
After years of farming and running a country store in Campbell, Mr. Armistead moved his family to Thomasville in 1952 where he became well known throughout southwest Alabama as a car salesman. He had many repeat customers over the years with second and third generation family members buying cars from him. According to his son, Bill Armistead, the repeat business came from his father's honesty in telling customers the good and bad about every car he sold. "I recall as a youngster hearing my father tell a potential car buyer what he thought was wrong with the car they were considering buying. He might tell them about an engine oil leak or a noise in the transmission. He just never wanted to misrepresent anything. He believed that everyone should be honest in everything they do. In fact, he was the most honest man I have ever known."
Many people in the Thomasville area will probably remember him best as a meticulous keeper of his yard. There was rarely a day, other than Sunday, that he could not be found in his yard racking leaves and pine straw, pulling weeds, picking up limbs or anything to keep his yard looking good. He continued his yard work up until January of this year.
He was a long time member of Pineview Baptist Church in Thomasville where he served as a deacon. He is survived by his wife, Emma Belle Armistead; one daughter, Audrey Evans of Thomasville; one son, William C. (Bill) Armistead, Jr. and his wife Emily; four grandchildren, Donna Fiore, Jerome Anthony (Tony) Fiore and his wife Tammy, William C. (Beau) Armistead, III and his wife Ashley; Allyson Allred and her husband John; and eight great-grandchildren, all living in the Birmingham area.
A memorial service for was held on June 19, 2006, at Forest Springs Baptist Church in Morvin with burial in the Forest Springs Cemetery. O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers the family requested that memorial gifts be sent to the Lone Sheep Ministry, P.O. Box 59312, Birmingham, AL 35259. The Lone Sheep Ministry is a ministry to young people throughout the country and is led by Mr. Armistead's grandson, Beau Armistead.
Crystal Ray Chapman, 23 and baby Zachary Ray Chapman of Sweet Water died June 17, 2006 at Providence Hospital in Mobile.
She was born March 25, 1983 in Meridian, Miss. She was a member of Hope Baptist Church in Sweet Water. She was employed by Theo Ratliff Activity Center as an office manager.
Mrs. Chapman's survivors include her husband, Christopher W. Chapman, Sweet Water; her father, Johnny M. Ray, Sweet Water; her mother, Samantha B. Ray, Sweet Water; two brothers, Matthew Brooks Ray, Dillon Barr Ray, both of Sweet Water; grandmother, Ada Ray Dubose, Sweet Water; grandfather, Joel Dubose, Sweet Water.
Zachary Ray Chapman died with his mother, Crystal Ray Chapman, June 17, 2006. He is survived by his father, Christopher W. Chapman, Sweet Water; maternal grandfather, Johnny M. Ray, Sweet Water; maternal grandmother, Samantha B. Ray, Sweet Water; paternal grandfather, George Wayne Chapman, Prattville; paternal grandmother, Jean C. King, Pennington; two uncles; one aunt.
The service was held June 23 at 2 p.m. at the Hope Baptist Church with Revs. Randall Smith and Scott Armstrong officiating. Burial was in the Geneva Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Sweet Water. O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home of Thomasville directed.
Active pallbearers were Ryan Morgan, Shannon Smith, Johnny Thompson, Dewayne Tolbert, Travis Harrington and Davis Robinson.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the South Marengo Rescue Squad, employees of Theo Ratliff Activity Center and employees of the Demopolis Parks and Recreation Department.
Rayford Allen McKinley, 57, of Thomasville died June 18, 2006 at his residence in Thomasville.
He was born Aug. 30, 1948 in Fulton. He was a member of the Liberty Baptist Church in Thomasville. He was self-employed.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Crenshaw McKinley, Liberty community; four daughters, Christy (Kerry) Knight, Kimberly (Terry Lee) Overstreet, all of Thomasville; C.J. (Brooke) McKinley, Mobile, Racy (Jason) Howell, Liberty community; one brother, Connie (Jade) McKinley, Grand Bay; two sisters, Janell (Ralph) Hudson, Saraland, Betty Jane (David) Brown, Axis; seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, Underwood McKinley; his mother, Doris Parker McKinley; one brother, Gordon Lamar McKinley.
A memorial service was June 22 at 10 a.m. at the Liberty Baptist Church with Revs. David Grayson, Larry Darden and Bill Faircloth officiating. Burial was in the Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery in Thomasville. O'Bryant Chapel Funeral Home of Thomasville directed.
Honorary pallbearers were Donnie Fendley, Cecil Richardson, Bernard Pugh, Marcus Milstead, Kevin Robertson, Randall Robertson, Jerry Drinkard, Mike Larrimore, Gary Gates, Donnie Powell, Buddy Wilson and John Eanes.
Massey Palmer Bedsole Jr., 77, died June 24, 2006 at his farm in Monroe County.
He was born July 21, 1928. He was a native of Mobile with homes in Mobile, Gosport and New Orleans, La.
Survivors include his wife, Ann Smith Bedsole; his children, Raine Bedsole and George Demmas, Mary Martin Riser and John Henry Martin and his seven grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Massey Palmer Bedsole and Mabel Bedsole Hall.
A memorial service was held June 28 at 4 p.m. at the Dauphin Way United Methodist Church in Mobile. Pine Crest Funeral Home directed.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to The Centre For The Living Arts, P.O. Box 198, Mobile, AL 36601.
Bernard Davis, 63, of San Bernardino, Calif. died June 13, 2006.
He was born July 20, 1942. He was owner of O & B Towing and Auto Sales.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Davis, California; his mother, Stella Mae Weatherly, Lower Peach Tree; two daughters, Tunisha (Baby) Davis, Angie Carson of California; two sons, Marvin Young, Donnie Davis of California; five brothers; six sisters; five grandchildren;
The service was June 24 at 12 p.m. at the chapel of Thomasville Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. D.L. Russell officiating. Burial was in the St. Thomas A.M.E. Cemetery.
Quenterrio L. Jackson, 7 mths. died June 16, 2006 at Southwest Alabama Medical Center. He was born Oct. 20, 2005.
Survivors include his mother, Linda Jackson; his father, Dewayne Kennedy; one brother, Dewayne Jackson; one sister, Belinda Jackson, both of Thomasville; grandparents, Robert and Estella Madison, Thomasville, J.C. and Juanita Kennedy, Dixons Mills.
The service was June 24 at 2 p.m. at the chapel of Thomasville Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. Michael Williams officiating. Burial was in the First Baptist Cemetery.


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BERLIN (AP) — Industrial production in Germany was flat in January, falling short of expectations for a small increase — but the previous month's figure was revised higher.
The Economy Ministry said Friday that production was unchanged compared with the previous month. Economists had expected a 0.4 percent increase.
That followed a 0.6 percent rise in December, revised from an initial reading of 0.3 percent.
On Thursday, official data showed an unexpected 1.9 percent decline in industrial orders in January, caused by lower demand for German exports and an unusually small number of big orders.
That was a disappointment after other recent indicators pointed to an upturn in Europe's biggest economy, widely expected to return to growth in the current quarter after shrinking by 0.6 percent in the October-December period.


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Shop By Collection
Shop By Fragrance Family
Bath and Body
Home Fragrance
Gift Ideas
Discover Thymes
With a crisp, just-cut forest fragrance that evokes seasonal celebrations, Christmas holidays and the winter solstice, this festive VOC-compliant home spray sets the mood for those special moments that make up our life stories. An air freshener unlike any other—by a mile!
A tradition that feels right at home.
The aromatic snap of Siberian Fir needles, heartening cedarwood and earthy sandalwood combine to create a just-cut forest fragrance that evokes warmth and comfort.
View the Frasier Fir Collection.
Product is Not the same
I have been purchasing Frasier Fir Mist for many years, however, about 4-5 years ago the aroma was predominantly baby powder-ish . Therefore, I did not order it again until last week. It arrived today and I cannot even describe the predominant note, and there is no Xmas tree/Frasier Fir/Evergreen aroma whatsoever. Sad to "smell" how this once unique product has changed!
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Best scent ever
This scent reminds me of Christmas but I also use it all year around. I can't wait to see what other products come out in this scent!
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Double D
My absolute favorite!
I first found this in a gift shop in Leavenworth WA. while doing some Christmas shopping. I thought this would be great to try out in my cabin. I absolutely love it and have received compliments from friends that stop by. Some sprays can be over powering but not the frasier fir. I was starting to get low on the product so I took a picture of the can and googled the company. I was able to order online and the shipping turn time was very good! Definitely a good buy! I would reccommend it to anyone! This product is not just good to have around the holidays or for a cabin but for use all year round!
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Fabulous Spray
Just the perfect fragrance to spray at any time of year. I love the way it makes my house smell.
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Tawny Lion
Christmas Year Round
This fragrance mist is amazing! So sweet smelling, it reminds me of Christmas or even better, a hike among a pine forest. :)
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Update: This giveaway is now closed…winner is: Brenda! Congrats, we've sent you an email!
What would you do with an extra $100 to spend on groceries in the new year? Are you planning on hunkering down and tightening the dollar bills in your grocery budget? The new year is always a great time to re-organize your spending and channel your energy and motivation to spending less on groceries. I love working with Hurst Beans and am thrilled that they are offering a $100 grocery gift card to one of you…to help get started on your new year's grocery budget! We've got a slew of great (and very inexpensive!!!) beans recipes for you to try out…$100 will go a long way when cooking with beans, ya know!
Here are a couple of my recent recipes, featuring Hurst Beans:
- 15 Bean Pot Pie
- Spicy Calico 15 Beans
- Rice and Pinto Beans with Andouille Sausage
- Spicy 15 Bean Chili (shown above)
They have graciously offered to give away a $100 grocery store gift card to a friend of $5 Dinners…to help get you started on your rice and beans budget for the new year!
Christmas Tree Photo Contest – Win $100!!!
And also…Hurst Beans has a simple way you can enter to win an additional $100 extra grocery money this holiday season…submit a photo with any package of Hurst Beans under your Christmas tree and you could win a $100 grocery gift card! Check out the Hurst Facebook page for all the details on how to enter to win! (Note: This is a completely different contest than the one here…so you can enter both!)
Before we get to the giveaway, I thought I'd share a few of the helpful links for cooking with dried beans…
Helpful Dried Beans Recipes
Here are the details on this giveaway $100 grocery card giveaway…
Contest Details
1. Contest ends on Monday, January 7th at 9 am EST.
- Entry #1: Leave a comment below and tell me which one of the Hurst Beans recipes you'll be adding to a future meal plan!
- Entry #2: Follow me on Pinterest and repin a recipe from my "Rice and Beans Budget" board.
- Entry #3: Like Hurst Beans on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.
- Entry #4: Sign up for free email updates, or RSS posts from $5 Dinners.
2. Winner will be selected by Random.org. Winners will be announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions.
**NOTE: If you receive the email newsletter and wish to enter this giveaway, click on the title of this giveaway to get to the site and leave a comment on the site with your name and email address to be entered!


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Our research has shown that a significant minority of children in the UK have low levels of well-being. This will have severe impact on their childhood and life chances, as well as on the families and communities around them, and the agencies that support them.
We also now know that policy makers can do something about this. Our evidence shows that external factors play a major role in determining children's life satisfaction and life chances. From this evidence, we have identified six priorities that promote positive well-being for children and can make a real difference to their lives.
Read the full report, Promoting positive well-being for children
The six priorities for children's well-being are:
- The conditions to learn and develop
- A positive view of themselves and an identity that is respected
- Have enough of what matters
- Positive relationships with family and friends
- A safe and suitable home environment and local area
- Opportunity to take part in positive activities to thrive
Promoting positive well-being for children requires a radical new approach, using these six priorities to make decisions which work for children. This will help make the UK the best place in the world for children to grow up, and give every child the best possible chance of having a good childhood and a positive outlook for their adult lives.


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The Democrats continue to press policies on the American people of which most voters don't approve. The latest evidence is from today's Rasmussen survey, which finds 53% of voters saying that more government spending will hurt the economy:
In the early days of the Reagan administration, I recall a pundit being asked on television how President Reagan was doing. The pundit replied that he was riding the horse in the direction it wanted to go. The Obama administration and the Democrats in Congress, in contrast, are certainly astride the horse, but they appear to be facing the wrong end. It's likely to catch up with them before too long.


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You are here: Root > Programming Languages > Common Lisp > ANSI Standard > 11: Packages
A tutorial by Ron Garret on Common Lisp packages. It covers symbols, values and the REPL loop, interning, home packages, exporting symbols and using packages, shadowing, and DEFPACKAGE.
Document location: http://www.flownet.com/ron/packages.pdf
11: Packages | 10: Symbols | Learning | Papers
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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Shootings erupted over the weekend in three Mexican cities where drug gangs are fighting turf battles, killing at least nine people and wounding six more, officials said Sunday.
Gunmen on motorcycles arrived at a bar in the resort city of Cuernavaca and opened fire, killing three young men and a 22-year-old woman, the Morelos state prosecutor's office said. The attack near midnight Saturday also injured four people, who were recovering in local hospitals under police guard, a common practice when officials consider victims' lives still in danger.
In the northern city of Fresnillo, a group of armed men shot three people dead Saturday afternoon outside a convenience store. Federal and local police launched a wide search in the city of about 230,000 people that sits on a main drug trafficking route, but the attackers were still at large, the Zacatecas state attorney general's office said in a statement.
In the northern industrial hub of Monterrey, attackers shot at a group standing outside a bar in the early hours of Sunday, killing two men and wounding two. The shooting came three days after two masked gunmen killed four people and wounded two others inside a bar in a nearby suburb. Authorities have not said whether the shooting were related, but the assailants in both attacks arrived in taxis.
The weekend bloodshed raised fears that drug cartel violence may stir up again in areas where authorities had already applauded a reduction in drug-related homicides.
Meanwhile, the gangs continue to plot new ways to take over corridors into the United States.
Authorities in the northern state of Coahuila said over the weekend that police detained nine boys, two young women and 12 men who had arrived from different cities in northern Mexico on behalf of the violent Zetas cartel seeking to seize control of a city near Monterrey from a rival gang. Police confiscated 17 high-caliber weapons and ammunition.
In his first state-of-the-nation address earlier this month, President Enrique Pena Nieto reported a significant drop in drug-related killings, citing Monterrey and Torreon, a city in Coahuila state, as examples. Many experts have expressed skepticism about the statistics used by the president.
Violence in Monterrey and in Fresnillo stems from a fight between the Zetas and the Gulf cartels, which were allies until they fell out in 2010. Cuernavaca, a retreat for U.S. retirees and favorite weekend getaway for Mexico City residents, has seen drug gang shootings involving remnants of the Beltran Leyva cartel.
Associated Press writer Porfirio Ibarra in Monterrey contributed to this report.
Adriana Gomez Licon on Twitter: http://twitter.com/agomezlicon


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Factors that increases the severity or culpability of a criminal act, including, but not limited to, heinousness of the crime, lack of remorse, and prior conviction of another crime. Recognition of particular aggravating circumstances varies by jurisdiction.
Illustrative caselaw
See, e.g. Magwood v. Patterson, 130 S.Ct. 2788 (2010).
See also
- 18 U.S.C. § 3592(b)–(d), aggravating factors to be considered in death-penalty cases
- Death penalty
- Mitigating circumstances


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Database Results for Your Selections
Results 1 - 10 of 10
Georgia Attorney General's Office
Georgia Attorney General's Office maintains a web site of information on its staff, history, mission, organization, etc. Also provided is the ability to search the opinions of the Attorney General (1994-1997).Expand
For help using this resource, contact Chris Palazzolo, Political Science and International Documents Librarian.
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Law
Georgia Census Data Map
Quick statistical facts about the state and all Georgia counties.Expand
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Statistics and Demography
Georgia Code
The unannotated Georgia Code on the Georgia General Assembly's web site is updated through the 2005 extraordinary session. The unannotated Georgia Code, consisting only of Code text and numbering, is in the public domain and may be copied from the web site at the reader's expense and effort without need for permission.Expand
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Law, Multidisciplinary Databases
Georgia General Assembly
Georgia Legislative Services provides access to both Georgia House and Senate bills. The database is searchable by keyword, bill number, code section, authors, co-signers, and committee sponsors.Expand
Also provided are the governor's budget and committee meeting schedules.
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Multidisciplinary Databases
Georgia Government Publications
Georgia Government Publications contains scanned images of public documents of departments or agencies within the Georgia state government. Coverage encompasses audit reports, budget documents, monographs, newsletters, periodicals and serials from agencies including agriculture, arts, community affairs, courts, education, human resources, industry and trade, labor, legislature, natural resources and recreation.Expand
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Multidisciplinary Databases
Georgia Historic Books
The Georgia Historic Books database contains full-text, fully searchable books related to Georgia's history and culture. Most are from the 19th to early 20th century and focus on Georgia history, biography, and literature.Expand
The database will contain approximately 300 selected books when complete. These have been selected using bibliographies on Georgia history and in consultation with historians, librarians, and other experts on the literature and history of Georgia. The focus of the selection favors history, biography, and literature, but other subject areas related to Georgia are also included. The books may deal with Georgia history as a subject, or they may have been important for the cultural and intellectual development of the state.
In the database, to see a list of all books currently available, choose the option for "Browse by Title, Author, or Date."
Subjects: Archives and Primary Sources, English and American Literature, Georgia, History US
Georgia Historic Newspapers
Currently includes these newspapers: The Cherokee Phoenix, Colored Tribune, and The Dublin Post. Other papers will be added when available.Expand
Coverage varies from paper to paper.
Subjects: African American Studies, Archives and Primary Sources, Ethnic Studies, Georgia, History US, News Sources
Georgia Legislative Documents
The Georgia Legislative Documents provide access to three legislative resources: Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia, Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, and Journal of the Senate of the State of Georgia.Expand
The Acts are the actual text of the laws and resolutions as they were voted upon by the General Assembly. The Journals outline the passage of bills and resolutions through each chamber of the General Assembly.
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information, Multidisciplinary Databases
Georgia Reference Shelf
An online collection of ready reference materials pertaining to the state of Georgia, and particularly to its history and culture.Expand
Subjects: Georgia, Reference Sources
georgia.gov is the online connection to the State of Georgia. It provides to access information on the many services and programs available in Georgia. In additional to legislative and government agency information, there are links to resources for travel information about the state, local and regional government, and the governor's office.Expand
Subjects: Georgia, Government Information


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Seahawks don't change approach heading into playoffs
SEATTLE -- There's the regular season and then there's the playoffs. While we as fans and broadcasters make a big deal about the postseason, the Seahawks treat their preparation like it's just another week.
"If we keep it in the locker room, it's just another game," said wide receiver Golden Tate. "We're just going to prepare the same. We're not going to do anything different."
You hear all the cliches coming from the Seahawks. There's the good old-fashioned "take it one play at a time," and Russell Wilson's favorite, "The separation is in the preparation." But to the Seahawks, these aren't just words -- they're fundamental beliefs.
"We've had that championship mentality all year," said Wilson. "We try to have a 1-0 mentality going into every game, and we treat every game as a championship game. Our preparation is the exact same."
Why would you change anything when you're 13-3 and the top team in the conference? You don't -- even though everything changes around you.
"The stage grows with ESPN pumping it up and there's the cool commercials, but it's still 100 yards at the end of the day," said Tate. "We've done a great job of staying on an even keel this year. Emotions never get too high. Emotions never get too low."
The Seahawks want to be a special team, and that's something Pete Carroll has preached since he arrived in Seattle in 2010.
"More and more guys have bought in every year since I've been here," Tate said. "We're to the point where everyone believes what we're doing right now."
Tate added that the Seahawks want to "win forever." That's why they're constantly competing and trying to be better than the day before.
"Nothing's too big for us," said Wilson. "That's the way we prepared all year. The laser focus that we've had on one practice at a time, one day at a time, one game at a time, has really elevated our play. Hopefully, we show that (this weekend)."
The Seahawks open the postseason against the Saints on Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1:35 p.m. at CenturyLink Field. The winner advances to next weekend's NFC Championship.