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I was watching some clips from your show on Youtube. I am always interested in the challenges presented by differing views. Your hosts make some compelling points about what seems to be a great injustice in the belief in hell.The problem with most of the anti-religion views is that they focus on the unknowable or unprovable. Atheists don't have answers but they are always challenging points within religion that even the practitioners don't know or can't prove.The problem with most of religion is that it intentionally deals with the unknowable or unprovable. Atheists don't claim to have certainty about the answers, but we object to unjustified assumptions about subjects that people do not and cannot know about — by your own statements.
You're atheists so you've probably heard the statement, "even if you know 1 percent of all that is to be known in the universe couldn't God exist within the 99 percent of everything you don't know."You are not wrong to question, only wrong to think you know everything there is to know in this universe to the exclusion of God.
I think you may be working with a misconception about what atheists actually claim. No atheist I know think that we know everything in the universe to the exclusion of God. That would be absurd. Rather, we say that, given what we do know about the universe, there is no reason to believe in a God, and certainly no reason to confidently claim knowledge of what a god would want us to do. To my mind, that's terribly arrogant.We are so limited in our understanding and even our language fails to grasp even the simplest of ideas. I would suggest the book Godel Escher and Bach to challenge your idea that science has the answers.
Godel Escher Bach is my favorite book. I'm not exaggerating; it is probably the single most influential book on my way of thinking. So needless to say, I've never claimed that science answers everything — only that the alternative that theists propose to believe things by faith does not appear to lead to anything that can be justifiably considered true.
And by the way, you should know that Douglas Hofstadter — while he has never explicitly claimed atheism to my knowledge — has declared himself to be non-religious and a materialist.
http://www.celebatheists.com/?title=Douglas_HofstadterThe short version of that book is a story from China.A Chinese Teacher was walking with his student and the student said, " teacher what is the meaning of life?"The teacher picked up a stick and said, "is this a stick? If you say no you ignore the fact. If you say yes you deny its existence.The "stick" has length, weight, color, history, shape, produces heat, floats, water content, etc, ad infinitum. Our words like "stick" don't even begin to describe the simplest item and yet we try to use them to grasp an infinite universe or the meaning of life or the existence of God.When it comes to the big questions humanity is vastly under-equipped to meet the challenge with our short lives and inadequate language.My own view is that God exists and I am only beginning to begin to understand his unknowable greatness.
How are you beginning to understand this if it's unknowable? That doesn't make sense to me. Your claim that the subject is incomprehensible cuts both ways, you see. If we have no way of understanding anything about god, for what reason would you conclude that one exists?Your host made a very unprofessional and offensive comment about "handjobs for God." I'm paraphrasing from the "why are you a christian youtube video."The reality is more likely that those who are faithful and given understanding sing out praise to God and his majesty. Your hosts description imagines that God is unworthy. I can assure you he is worthy. If you want to know how I know God exists I would be glad to share that with you.
Sure, I'd love to know how you know something that you previously stated was unknowable. What changed?For now you would be better served to seek answers than to dissuade others from seeking answers in their own way. The answer may be in your 1 percent (more like .0000000000000000000000000000000000001 percent and even less) or another persons "1 percent."
We are seeking answers. If you have a better reason to believe in God than the ones I have been presented with in the past, please feel free to share it.Why should it offend you if God exists?
It doesn't offend me. As it happens, I just don't think a God does exist.
Second exchange:
Thanks for the decent replies. I wasn't sure if the rude statements were limited to the youtube videos.
You're welcome, but I can certainly get ruder if you'd prefer, so as to match your expectations. 😉I appreciate your honesty. It is said that the beginning of wisdom is a recognition of our ignorance. When I said unknowable I meant in this lifetime. One lifetime is not enough to know everything or even a fraction of the universe let alone the nature of God. When we prove to be eternal we have a chance.
Are you dead, then? You appear to be very much alive as far as I can tell, and yet you're still claiming that there are things that living people cannot know, and yet you think you know them. I'm finding this curious.Explaining faith with words is futile for the reasons I outlined before. I think Chinese thinkers have come the furthest in understanding the limits of words. A Chinese philosopher/teacher would probably answer your question by saying Mu.
Okay then, but saying Mu doesn't actually help to resolve the question. You're stating that you know you are right and I am wrong. I don't actually know that, and I am still trying to sort out what appears to be a distinctly Western sort of positivism on your part that you know this thing that you called unknowable.How do I know God exists? The same way you know that God doesn't exist. A lifetime of searching for answers. You found your .0000000000000001 percent and I have found mine.
I'm sorry, but I can't seem to shake the feeling that you weren't actually paying attention to what I said in my first reply. I specifically rejected the idea that we know God doesn't exist. Yet here you are trying to make me relate to your claims by asserting that I have this "knowledge" in the same way that you do.
What I find curious about the approach you've been taking is that you've accused me of doing something that I don't do, and then you've gone ahead and done that very thing yourself. When you claim that you "know" God exists, but you can't seem to muster up any reasons and merely dismiss the question, it seems to me that you're the one who is taking a limited set of facts and drawing a definite conclusion that would require a lot more information than you currently have. Am I wrong about that?I can't create God as a reality to you anymore than you can prove Gods lack of existence. Read Godel Escher and Bach again and you will find the same logical flaw explained in the book.
Again: Hofstadter's position on God seems to be pretty close to my own, so I'm very sure that reading the book again won't get me any closer to understanding this knowledge that you claim to have. Why are you trying to make your case by referring me to the work of a non-religious materialist, rather than just saying it yourself? If it can't be put into words, then how would reading Hofstadter's words change the situation?Or check out Stephen Hawkings Quote below.Up to now, most people have implicitly assumed that there is an ultimate theory that we will eventually discover. Indeed, I myself have suggested we might find it quite soon. However, M-theory has made me wonder if this is true. Maybe it is not possible to formulate the theory of the universe in a finite number of statements. This is very reminiscent of Godel's theorem. This says that any finite system of axioms is not sufficient to prove every result in mathematics.
That may well be true, but this time you've definitely picked a self-identified fellow atheist to support your belief in a God. Listen to what else Hawking had to say:
"I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
Isn't it curious that all the people you cite to explain the ineffability of the universe, seem to have also reached the conclusion that there is probably no God? What is it that you think you know that they don't?Like I said words fail. If it's impossible to formulate a theory of the universe in a finite number of statements then the same goes for an infinite God. Neither of us will be able to use words or logic to "prove" one way or the other. Not in this lifetime.
All right, then in the absence of any new reasons to believe in any gods, I will continue to reject the idea. Thanks again for getting in touch.
Russell,From your answers I think we are talking on two different levels. M-theory, theoretical math and Zen/Eastern philosophy don't seem to be in your background.Best of luck. I hope you find what your looking for.
We have come to an impasse. You claim that you don't know everything in the universe but you know with certainty God and heaven and hell do not exist. You have that belief without any scientific proof. You have that belief without ever traveling beyond this planet or beyond death.Congratulations you have faith.
M-theory, theoretical math and Zen/Eastern philosophy don't seem to be in your background.
And basic critical thinking doesn't seem to be in yours. So that's a pretty big impasse, all right.


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Gainesville Police are searching for a man suspected of robbing an Internet cafe at gunpoint.
Gainesville police are searching for a man who robbed a 13th Street Internet cafe at gunpoint Wednesday.
The suspect wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and pointed a gun at a cashier after he entered the Gainesville Internet Center, 4158 NW 13th St., at around 2 p.m., according to the Gainesville Police Department.
No one was hurt and none of the patrons were robbed, GPD said. The suspect ran off after the robbery, and officers set up a perimeter around the area — utilizing a helicopter and police dogs to aid in the search. The suspect remains at large.
He is described as a thin, younger black man in a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, around 5 feet 11 inches tall and 140 pounds. The suspect got away with an undetermined amount of cash, according to police.
After the robbery, officers taped off the entrance to the establishment and dusted the side door for fingerprints. Patrons waited in the parking lot to re-enter the business, and one said she didn't even notice there was a robbery until she was told to leave.
Another woman, who did not want to be identified, said she walked in as the robber walked out, and she noticed him carrying a small black bag.
The robbery only took about 20 seconds, police said. In a surveillance video, the suspect quickly walked up to the counter with the gun pointed sideways in his right hand, and he threw a black bag at the cashier, who rapidly filled it.
Anyone with information on the crime can call GPD detectives at 393-7670 or crimestoppers at 372-STOP (7867).

subset: commoncrawl


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Master Conductors: Dr. Harry BegianTim Lautzenheiser - GIA Publications
Master Conductors: Dr. Harry BegianTim Lautzenheiser - GIA Publications
This one-on-one conversation between legendary conductor Harry Begian and Tim Lautzenheiser is an insightful portrait into the experiences and life of one of the most important wind band conductors of the 20th century. From his childhood through his careers conducting at Cass Technical High School, Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and then succeeding Mark Hindsley at the University of Illinois, Dr. Begian's passion for excellence infused every aspect of his life. At the same time, Dr. Begian exhibited a remarkable humility and hunger to simply make great music. Recorded in Dr. Begian's home in Alpena, Michigan, this DVD beautifully captures the remarkable spirit of the American wind band, and will be an inspiration for anyone who seeks to make great music.
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text: Actually, I think the opposite of what he said, our society right now is stagnant. When money is talking, advances are slowed down or downright ceased. Plus look at what competition brought us: Arguments, conflict, war, lying, cheating, stealing, killing.....just to be/stay #1. Plus I am sure we'd have better energy, medicines, and so on if competition and money were not the focus....since I feel there's more to gain by NOT advancing than advancing. Big oil's making billions in profits....you think they'd congratulate whomever brings out a superior energy source and kindly step down? I doubt it. You think big pharma would allow a cancer cure be known if it was something as simple as a mixture of a few herbs or minerals, something that you can't patent? I doubt it. Also, one day of war is a lot more profitable than an entire year of peace time. Now I might be called a loony, but if I was to discover something like free energy or some miracle cure, I would only patent it to keep big business from exploiting it and post the design or formula on the internet, on TV, on printed media so everyone and anyone could get it. I'd not make a cent off it and the greedy power mongers could not legally touch it. If I were to make such a discovery, I'd not want a single penny from it, I don't put progress/salvation on a check book or whatever, it's to be used by everyone and no one has ANY rights to them whatsoever, not me, not you, not politicians, especially not military, no one....it's to be used by everyone.


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|December 14, 2017
|8:00 pm
|Brisbane, QLD
|The Tivoli
After a sold-out run of ROY – A Tribute To Roy Orbison at metropolitan centres in 2016, revered singer-songwriter Damien Leith is gearing up to revisit the music of his idol in 2017 for a special The Hall of Fame Tour. Taking the show to regional Australia, the tour is an opportunity for Damien to perform in towns he hasn't played in for years if at all. When the ROY show toured the capital cities earlier in the year, it was always his plan to take it on the road to country Australia. 'I'm a country boy at heart, originating from a small village in Ireland called Milltown, so regional tours are special to me' he says. 'Touring in regional areas around Australia is an amazing experience. I always meet great salt of the earth people and the whole vibe and atmosphere in a show is electric. Audiences really appreciate you being there and there is always a great sense of community.' The tour commemorates 30 years since Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock n Roll and Songwriters' Hall of Fame. Damien says he will be performing songs such as In Dreams, Crying, Running Scared, Oh Pretty Woman and Blue Angel, to name a few. The show is jam-packed with as many Roy songs that can be fitted into the set list.


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Hi all
I had a power surge during upgrade from ZA Firewall 2012 to 2013. Means ZA was never correctly installed.
It now doesn't run even though it is sitting on the HDD. I can not uninstall it or install it completly. The half installed program loads the user interface but options such as load new version don't work. Grateful any assistance to uninstall (with view to re-install a fresh copy).
The details:
When trying to install the latest version from the internet it stops at 20% done. System is still running fine and doesn't lock up, just stops.
When uninstalling (either via Clean.exe or via Windows Remove Programs) it appears to uninstall fine but on reboot Windows hangs just after i enter my password. (Not blue screen of death but a black screen. I can load Task Manager but there is nothing for me to shut down or tab across to.) Thereafter I have to reset my PC, load Safe Mode and load a previous Restore Point.
I've gone through this loop around 10x now. Going nuts. The ZA online chat team suggested a few basic things - such as uninstalling in SafeMode, loading with nil user programs via MSConfig, disabling other firewall and virus checker software (which I dont have) - but never worked. Then they actually suggested I post here...!!!
IMO the only option left is a full manual uninstall. Deleting all files and modifying Regedit. Grateful advice to go down this path as I don't really know how.


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Norfolk grandmother's lucky escape after car crashes into her bungalow
PUBLISHED: 16:24 11 December 2012 | UPDATED: 16:35 11 December 2012
A Norfolk grandmother has spoken of her good fortune after a car ploughed into the front bedrooms of her Wymondham home just minutes after she had been inside moving Christmas presents.
Devastated Jan Julian, 62, had been moving presents from the front bedroom to the lounge of the bungalow she shares with her husband Jim, 63 in Lime Tree Avenue when a Vauxhall Zafira slammed into the building just before 5pm on Monday, destroying the couple's bedroom and the bedrooms used by their grandchildren and other relatives, who were not staying at the time.
She said she had only finished moving presents from the bedroom to underneath the Christmas tree in the lounge five minutes earlier and was in the lounge filling up the Christmas stockings when the crash happened.
The impact completely destroyed the two bedrooms and a dividing wall and caused cracks in the lounge wall to the rear of the bungalow.
The couple have had to use borrowed clothes since the crash because they had not been able to retrieve their possessions from among the debris in the bedroom and were awaiting the visit of a loss adjustor on Tuesday to determine whether the property could be repaired.
The hole where the Zafira crashed has been boarded up, but the couple were unsure whether they would have to move out.
For the full report on the crash, see tomorrow's EDP.


text: Well - I think it would be mostly the same every generation, maybe with some small fluctuations. Take cancer, for example. Although cancer doesn't always run in families, you are certainly more likely to get it if a family member had it, but a family member having had it doesn't guarantee that you will by any means. Cancer rates, despite this, aren't to my knowledge skyrocketing, though (at least, not singlehandedly due to genetics). I think colourblindness works the same way. This is how I'm assuming the metamorphmagi-gene works.


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Investment Benefits Of Advanced Energy From Waste Reported By Eunomia
The Renewable Energy Association (REA) welcomes the analysis of Eunomia Consulting's Advanced Combustion Technology (ACT) sector, which points out the benefits for the UK by these innovative second generation energy-from-waste technologies.
As demonstrated in the report, this is an industry ripe for investment as the successful deployment of commercial projects will take the waste sector well beyond renewable power generation and into the production of renewable transport fuels and green chemicals.
Eunomia's report Investment in Advanced Conversion Technologies (ACT), released Wednesday, demonstrates that 200 MWe of localised base load capacity could be quickly realised from the deployment of consented ACT projects, which are ready to be built. The delivery of these through next year's Contracts for Difference allocation round will push the industry forward, leading to a declining cost base, expanding product ranges and improved performances; overcoming the problems of the past and allowing the UK to realise the wide range of benefits this technology offers.
Mark Sommerfeld, Policy Analyst at the Renewable Energy Association said:
"The UK has world-leading ACT expertise and the Government should act to ensure that a full suite of ACT renewable products are developed for domestic use and, eventually, for international export. ACT can produce green chemicals and renewable transport fuels, including valuable aviation fuel.
"ACT is a cutting-edge means of turning wastes into renewable gas and products, and should be supported. We hope that this report will be taken on board by Government and used to inform the future Industrial Strategy.
"The beauty of this technology is that it's by-products include expanding our waste management capacity and reducing the amount of trash heading to landfill."
7 New Technologies That Could Radically Change Our Energy Consumption
Most of our focus on technological development to lessen our environmental impact has been focused on cleaner, more efficient methods of generating electricity. The cost of solar energy production, for example, is slated to fall more than 75 percent between 2010 and 2020.
This is a massive step forward, and it's good that engineers and researchers are working for even more advancements in this area. But what about technologies that reduce the amount of energy we demand in the first place?
Though it doesn't get as much attention in the press, we're making tremendous progress in this area, too.
New Technologies to Watch
These are some of the top emerging technologies that have the power to reduce our energy demands:
- Self-driving cars. Self-driving cars are still in development, but they're already being hailed as potential ways to eliminate a number of problems on the road, including the epidemic of distracted driving ironically driven by other new technologies. However, even autonomous vehicle proponents often miss the tremendous energy savings that self-driving cars could have on the world. With a fleet of autonomous vehicles at our beck and call, consumers will spend less time driving themselves and more time carpooling, dramatically reducing overall fuel consumption once it's fully adopted.
- Magnetocaloric tech. The magnetocaloric effect isn't exactly new—it was actually discovered in 1881—but it's only recently being studied and applied to commercial appliances. Essentially, this technology relies on changing magnetic fields to produce a cooling effect, which could be used in refrigerators and air conditioners to significantly reduce the amount of electricity required.
- New types of insulation. Insulation is the best asset we have to keep our homes thermoregulated; they keep cold or warm air in (depending on the season) and keep warm or cold air out (again, depending on the season). New insulation technology has the power to improve this efficiency many times over, decreasing our need for heating and cooling entirely. For example, some new automated sealing technologies can seal gaps between 0.5 inches wide and the width of a human hair.
- Better lights. Fluorescent bulbs were a dramatic improvement over incandescent bulbs, and LEDs were a dramatic improvement over fluorescent bulbs—but the improvements may not end there. Scientists are currently researching even better types of light bulbs, and more efficient applications of LEDs while they're at it.
- Better heat pumps. Heat pumps are built to transfer heat from one location to another, and can be used to efficiently manage temperatures—keeping homes warm while requiring less energy expenditure. For example, some heat pumps are built for residential heating and cooling, while others are being used to make more efficient appliances, like dryers.
- The internet of things. The internet of things and "smart" devices is another development that can significantly reduce our energy demands. For example, "smart" windows may be able to respond dynamically to changing light conditions to heat or cool the house more efficiently, and "smart" refrigerators may be able to respond dynamically to new conditions. There are several reasons for this improvement. First, smart devices automate things, so it's easier to control your energy consumption. Second, they track your consumption patterns, so it's easier to conceptualize your impact. Third, they're often designed with efficiency in mind from the beginning, reducing energy demands, even without the high-tech interfaces.
- Machine learning. Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have the power to improve almost every other item on this list. By studying consumer patterns and recommending new strategies, or automatically controlling certain features, machine learning algorithms have the power to fundamentally change how we use energy in our homes and businesses.
Making the Investment
All technologies need time, money, and consumer acceptance to be developed. Fortunately, a growing number of consumers are becoming enthusiastic about finding new ways to reduce their energy consumption and overall environmental impact. As long as we keep making the investment, our tools to create cleaner energy and demand less energy in the first place should have a massive positive effect on our environment—and even our daily lives.
Responsible Energy Investments Could Solve Retirement Funding Crisis
Retiring baby-boomers are facing a retirement cliff, at the same time as mother nature unleashes her fury with devastating storms tied to the impact of global warming. There could be a unique solution to the challenges associated with climate change – investments in clean energy from retirement funds.
Financial savings play a very important role in everyone's life and one must start planning for it as soon as possible. It's shocking how quickly seniors can burn through their nest egg – leaving many wondering, "How long your retirement savings will last?"
Let's take a closer look at how seniors can take baby steps on the path to retiring with dignity, while helping to clean up our environment.
Tip #1: Focus & Determination
Like in other work, it is very important to focus and be determined. If retirement is around the corner, then make sure to start putting some money away for retirement. No one can ever achieve anything without dedication and focus – whether it's saving the planet, or saving for retirement.
Tip #2: Minimize Spending
One of the most important things that you need to do is to minimize your expenditures. Reducing consumption is good for the planet too!
Tip #3: Visualize Your Goal
You can achieve more if you have a clearly defined goal in life. This about how your money can be used to better the planet – imagine cleaner air, water and a healthier environment to leave to your grandchildren.
Investing in Clean Energy
One of the hottest and most popular industries for investment today is the energy market – the trading of energy commodities. Clean energy commodities are traded alongside dirty energy supplies. You might be surprised to learn that clean energy is becoming much more competitive.
With green biz becoming more popular, it is quickly becoming a powerful tool for diversified retirement investing.
The Future of Green Biz
As far as the future is concerned, energy businesses are going to continue getting bigger and better. There are many leading energy companies in the market that already have very high stock prices, yet people are continuing to investing in them.
Green initiatives are impacting every industry. Go Green campaigns are a PR staple of every modern brand. For the energy-sector in the US, solar energy investments are considered to be the most accessible form of clean energy investment. Though investing in any energy business comes with some risks, the demand for energy isn't going anywhere.
In conclusion, if you want to start saving for your retirement, then clean energy stocks and commodity trading are some of the best options for wallets and the planet. Investing in clean energy products, like solar power, is a more long-term investment. It's quite stable and comes with a significant profit margin. And it's amazing for the planet!


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Crew defender/midfielder Kevan George earned his third cap for the Trinidad & Tobago National Team on Tuesday night as the Soca Warriors drew New Zealand in a friendly, 0-0, in Port of Spain. George entered the match in the 83rd minute, replacing Khaleem Hyland in the T&T midfield.
George is expected to be back and available for selection for the Black & Gold's match against New England on Saturday.


text: Except they were shown to wield virtually ALL political power in the empire in both the 22th AND the 24th centuries; and much supports this for the 23rd, as well (in this era, though, the smooth forehead klingons did seem competent; they at least had a vocabulary consisting of more than 100 words+snarls). This is the opposite of a quarantined 'societal pocket'. Except the klingons WERE shown to be stupid (the gang of bikers 'macho' flavor). And not even close to 'efficient'. That's why they building and having a high-tech interstellar empire lacks credibility. A 'stable' society declines, in actuality. Look at the chinese and their lacking mastery of knowledge and skills their ancestors acquired and mastered, by the time the europeans arrived.


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The neighborhood around the intersection of of Colony Street and Sierra Vista Avenue may have 33 new households soon, the City Council decided Tuesday.
Developer City Ventures is set to build 33 attached row houses on the 1.8-acre site, replacing a pair of industrial buildings at 1951 and 1941 Colony St. that's home to several businesses with expiring leases. The three-story homes in the development, dubbed "The Collection," are expected to sell for $850,000 each.
Council members had almost universal praise for the design, with member Chris Clark calling "a great project" and member Jac Siegel saying it was "overall good -- I like the architecture."
It avoids design pitfalls of a comparable development at the corner of Dana Street and Calderon Avenue, planners and council members said.
"The corners weren't done well at Wild Orchid," council member Ronit Bryant said of the three-story town homes homes at Dana and Calderon. "I live close by and it annoys me everyday and I know it annoys my neighbors too."
"It is nice to have a project that will be ownership," said council member John McAlister. "It balances out all the apartments" in the city.
Bryant said that more attention needed to be paid to connecting such developments to nearby trails. The Permanente Creek Trail is nearby, but access requires walking on a very busy and "amazingly unattractive" portion of Old Middlefield Way, Bryant said.
"When we have a trail so close to development there should be some thought given to a connection," Bryant said.
The developers said they worked with an auto shop just south of the site to build structures at the shop to reduce noise from their air-powered tools. There will also be an eight-foot tall sound wall along the southern edge of the site.
A neighbor complained about noise from early morning trucks making pickups or deliveries to a warehouse south of the site. "I'd gladly see that go somewhere else where there's more room for that kind of stuff," he said.
The project features solar panels and all electric appliances. No gas lines are planned for the homes.


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No Hidden Fees - No Credit Card Surcharges - Low Shipping Rates
Images shown may not be an exact representation of the actual product.You may contact us if you have questions about the exact specifications of this item.
Receiver machined from solid-steel bar stock. Cylindrical receiver design provides a solid bedding area in the stock for consistent shot placement. Carbon steel barrel with satin blue finish. Recessed bolt face locks up inside the counter-bored breech of the barrel which is surrounded by the receiver forming three rings of steel that enclose the cartridge case head for unparalleled strength. Integral extractor is set in a groove inside the rim of the bolt face supporting the cartridge head. X-Mark Pro externally adjustable trigger system. American walnut stock with satin finish.
Express orders for items available to ship the same business day must be placed by 1 PM MST. Express orders received
after 1PM ready for immediate shipment will not be shipped until the following business day.
Note: Delivery times are approximate and although generally accurate are not guaranteed. FFL transfer issues may affect
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Express shipping is only available in the continental US to non-PO Box addresses. AP/FPO addresses may add to the
delivery time.
Impact Guns is the gun shop for all your shooting needs. We offer a wide selection of firearms, including: handguns, shotguns, rifles, ammunition, rifle scopes and optics, as well as collectible machine guns and other NFA/Class 3 guns. Impact also services the needs of law enforcement and military with our wide variety of tactical weapons and accessories. Shop online through our 256-bit Secure Sockets Layer encrypted online gun store 24 hours a day!


text: Re: Hallowe'en Reading and Viewing, 2008! Today's Bela Lugosi's birthday. I'm already a third of the way through Dark Harvest since starting it yesterday, which isn't surprising, given the book's pace. I'm reading as fast as I can, because I've got at least two other books I'd wanted to cram in. Man, there's just never enough time, is there? Because of a recent Amazon sale, I double-dipped and ordered Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / House of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein / The Ghost of Frankenstein, even though these films appear on the Legacy sets. I did so after learning that they're double-layer, but one-sided DVDs. I've had problems with double-sided DVDs before when one side would get scuffed in some way and basically ruin the disc. So I might be just feeding my paranoia, but I wanted to get these single-sided ones while I still could. Amazon also just recommended The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard, which comes out on the 28th. You know I'll be snatching that up.


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No Hidden Fees - No Credit Card Surcharges - Low Shipping Rates
Images shown may not be an exact representation of the actual product.You may contact us if you have questions about the exact specifications of this item.
Scope, mount and grip/bipod not included.
It features our new midlength short-stroke gas-piston system that is the perfect blend of tactical carbine and sniper-capable rifle. The midlength operating system's softer recoil allows for faster return-to-target and follow-up shots.
The M6A3™ rifle features our adjustable gas system. Four positions - (O-Off, S-Suppressed, N-Normal, A-Adverse), which allow for optimum performance in any situation.
Designed with optics in mind, the M6A3™ rifle is perfectly suited to accept a red dot sight or a high-powered scope. It features an integrated flip-down front sight and patented ARM-R free-float rail system. The easily removable top platform gives quick access to the barrel and piston system and reinstalls in seconds with no tools required.
The new M6A3™ rifle is the perfect all-purpose weapon for the modern warfighter or law enforcement professional.
Impact Guns is the gun shop for all your shooting needs. We offer a wide selection of firearms, including: handguns, shotguns, rifles, ammunition, rifle scopes and optics, as well as collectible machine guns and other NFA/Class 3 guns. Impact also services the needs of law enforcement and military with our wide variety of tactical weapons and accessories. Shop online through our 256-bit Secure Sockets Layer encrypted online gun store 24 hours a day!


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Free Plants!
by Pearl Sanborn
Related Articles
How to Start and Grow Plants from Seedlings
Gardening on a Dime
Gardening for (Almost) Nothing
This winter, I spent many nights dreaming about what my garden might look like this year. While thumbing through all of the colorful catalogues, I noticed how quickly my little here, little there started adding up to big money! Spending a king's ransom on a few plants is not my idea of gardening fun! As you've probably discovered, one little pot can run between $4 to $45!
Here are a few ideas that will help you have beautiful plants for free this year! Frugal gardening at its best!
Spring Clean Up
I always keep my eyes open during spring clean up time! You know how I love to get great finds in the dumpster. This time of year, some people are especially prone to changing their whole garden scheme. If you keep your eyes open, you'll find tons of discarded plants out by the curb just because someone got tired of having them in their yard and decided that it was time for a change. Hey, change is good - for you.
Either from your own plants or from your friend's, small cuttings are a great start for frugal gardening! Just cut a small piece of the stem of most any plant. Pull off all but the top few leaves and insert it into some moist sand. In no time, you'll have roots and a free plant! Mint, tomatoes, roses, hydrangeas, holly, and butterfly bush are all examples of plants that will grow from cuttings.
Discards From Stores
Become friends with the person in charge of your local flower department in the big super centers. When plants get a little tired looking, they may give them to you free! All you need to do is give the plants some TLC!
Recently in our local grocery super center, they were selling spring bulbs. In a short while, the flowers had faded and the plants were no longer wanted by shoppers. Most folks have no idea that these plants can be planted outside for spring flowers next year. Just ask if you can have the "old" flowerpots after the flowers fade! Keep your eyes open for Easter lilies. When placed outside, they can grow up to 4 ft. with many more blooms than you see in that little pot!
My poinsettia is also still doing great from Christmas! I pinch back the stems as the red flowers (actually leaves) dry out. New beautiful sets of leaves have budded out already! I will plant it outside as soon as the danger of frost is past, then bring it in for a new round of Christmas blooms. I also broke off a few of the longer stems and stuck them down in the soil. They have already grown roots!
I know everyone throws out their poinsettia plants after Christmas. But when I went to Africa some years back, one of the most amazing memories I have were the huge poinsettia trees! So I am going to see how far I can take this little beauty.
Restaurants and Parks
Most businesses replace their plants as the flowers fade. This year, start a relationship with the businesses in your area. Let them know that you are willing to take the unsightly plants off of their hands after they are finished blooming. We don't mind since we know they will bloom again next year in our gardens!
While walking around larger greenhouses, I've noticed all of the large garbage cans throughout the place filled with soil, clippings, and old plants. Ask for their clippings for your compost pile, then use what you can to make new plants by rooting them, and throw the rest into the compost heap.
Remember, as in the case of an African Violet, it may only take one leaf to start a new plant!
Garden Exchange
Get free plants and seeds by trading them for plants that you already have. You could do this by starting a garden exchange in your area. Newspapers are always looking for news to print. Since a garden exchange is an event, you can even get your advertising free of charge!
Do a quick search and you will see many websites that post listings for free plants and seeds. Many times you can get wonderful, expensive plants for free!
There are many, but some of the larger ones are:
Get free shipping supplies to ship all of your plants! Call 1-800-222-1811. You can get free boxes, mailing labels, tape, etc., from the post office. It's great to have these items delivered right to your door free of charge! Take a moment to see what other items you may need, by going to: http://supplies.usps.gov/
Live Way Better for Far Less With: LittleCountryVillage.com. Homesteading, Cottage Gardening, Frugal Living - Get Your free Newsletter Overflowing With Goodies Like Today's Article! Copyright (c) of Pearl Sanborn
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ALAMEDA — An explosive device was found and detonated by authorities at Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda on Sunday morning, police said.
The device, which appeared to be some sort of firework, was found on the ground about 10:30 a.m. by a park ranger who was doing maintenance work near the restrooms at Shoreline Drive and Park Street, said East Bay Regional Park District Lt. Jon King.
Portions of Crown Beach, Shoreline Drive and Park Street were closed during the investigation.
The Alameda County bomb squad responded to the scene and determined that the device was potentially explosive in nature. The device was safely detonated in place and no injuries were reported, King said.
"We're not exactly sure what it was, but it appears it was possibly some type of firework that was concealed," King said. "I understand it made a pretty loud sound when it was detonated."
As of 5:30 p.m., the park and nearby streets had been reopened. The incident remained under investigation on Sunday evening.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 510-881-1833.
Contact Natalie Neysa Alund at 510-293-2469. Follow her at Twitter.com/nataliealund.


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Brother of Cubs' Guzman shot to death
Daniel Guzman victim of alleged assault in Venezuela
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Daniel Guzman, a drummer for a Venezuelan rock band, was traveling in a Grand Cherokee in Las Mercedes, located within Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, on Monday morning with at least two other people. Three armed men intercepted their SUV and one of the armed men shot towards the car, injuring two of the three people. Daniel Guzman died shortly after sustaining the gunshot wounds.
The newspaper's report stated that suspects and motives of the shooting are still unknown.
Angel Guzman was not in the vehicle. Cubs officials have talked to the 28-year-old pitcher to offer condolences. Guzman made 55 relief appearances for the Cubs in 2009.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Arkansas Tech moved up one spot to No. 8 in this week's American Football Coaches Association NCAA Division II top 25 poll, which was released on Tuesday.
The Wonder Boys (8-0 overall, 7-0 Gulf South Conference) remained undefeated with a 28-14 home win over Arkansas-Monticello last Saturday. Tech is 8-0 for the first time since 1971, when the Wonder Boys won their first 12 games and advanced to the NAIA national championship game.
This week's ranking is the highest for Tech since it moved from NAIA to NCAA competition in 1995. The Wonder Boys cracked the top 10 of the NCAA football poll for the first time in school history last week when they were ninth.
Tech is joined in the AFCA NCAA Division II top 25 poll by fellow GSC members Valdosta State (fifth) and the Central Arkansas (23rd).
Pittsburg State (Kan.) maintained the No. 1 national ranking for a second consecutive week by defeating Missouri Western 48-21 on Saturday.
Texas A&M-Kingsville (second), Northwest Missouri State (third), Albany State (fourth) and Valdosta State round out the top five.
Now third in region
After two consecutive weeks in the No. 4 position, Tech has moved up one spot to third in the latest NCAA Division II Southeast Region football rankings.
The Wonder Boys (8-0 overall, 7-0 Gulf South Conference) were able to advance in the rankings thanks to their 28-14 win over Arkansas-Monticello and the 42-35 victory that Tusculum (Tenn.) posted over Catawba (N.C.).
The loss dropped Catawba from second to fourth in the regional rankings. Albany State (Ga.) remained in the top spot, followed by Valdosta State (Ga.) and Tech.
Fayetteville State (fifth), Carson-Newman College (sixth), North Carolina Central (seventh), Wingate University (eighth), Central Arkansas (ninth), Shaw University (10th), Miles College (11th) and Kentucky State (12th) complete the Southeast Region rankings.
The Wonder Boys will take on Harding University in a 1 p.m. contest Saturday at Buerkle Field. It will be Tech's final regular season home game.


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September's Caption Contest Winners!
12 comments post a comment
A winner is picked and 25 Adafruit Tinker boards are given away!
With over 100 captions submitted this month, it was incredibly difficult to choose a winner. To be completely honest, I picked about 10 that I liked, wrote their names on a piece of paper, and drew one from a hat to choose. If you don't like it, blame the hat.
Our lucky winner is mftkoehler, who will be receiving one of the Adafruit Tinker Boards as well as a color original of this comic with his caption on it from the very talented Daniel Guidera.
I also had the wonderful task of naming 24 more fledgling caption writers to receive one of these cool little prototyping boards. And in no particular order, here they are:
- Doug_S: "Bob knew immediately he should expect quite a bit of biting sarcasm from his new officemate."
- Rick_Hille: "Funny, when I saw in his resume that SeaWorld was his last employer, I just assumed he was in the IT department."
- Wnderer: "This isn't what I meant when I said we should throw our startup into the shark tank to get some venture capital."
- David Ashton: "Send it back! I asked for a Bluetooth tester!"
- engunneer: "I thought you said, 'Where's the Shark?' not 'WireShark'."
- lightmanca: "Edgar finally figured out how to use Arduino to Jump The Shark!"
- kpferg: "Yes Henry, I do think that is the sawtooth waveform we were looking for, but you're going to have to attach the probes yourself."
- tritonesub: "That's a great white noise generator you have there, Phil!"
- bnowak0: "This was no bauding accident!"
- NoNIckName_#2: "Is it time for performance reviews again already?"
- M1Dave: "You might want to set this new O-scope display resolution back to SD-2D."
- harryjree: "Your delivery from SharkFun is here!"
- jjulian274: "That's the answer! Change the signal to a sawtooth wave to give it more bite!"
- big Chano: "At what point do we decide this is really more of a bug than a feature?"
- mvsopen: "You said your mod would prevent phishing, not fishing! Big difference. Huge!"
- AbramsonCraig: "Yes, this is the version of the SHARC that has an ARM in it. And a few LEGS. And a SNORKEL. "
- PhilT_#1: "Oh Sorry, this is the lab. By the way, I'm the new guy from legal."
- mlubert: "Try as they might, nobody could ever reproduce the infamous 'Shark Bug'."
- johnventions: "BE HONEST, GUYS. Who drank the last of the coffee?"
- WireMan0: "Which one of you ordered two $100,000 scopes?"
- pruden: "The ONE day we wanted a byte cap."
- MKolb: Old engineer to young engineer: "This is what happens when you have visibility to upper management!"
- Paul JM: "When Bob's fingerprint identified him as a Samsung employee, he realized the true purpose of the new iPhone security feature."
- Frank Eory: "That moment when the development team realized that marketing had finally jumped the shark with it's latest product idea."
For those of you who won, email me your physical address and I'll make sure you get the board! They were all hilarious though, so if you've got a few minutes, you should jump over and just read them all.


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Latest News
AJR Glasgow Dinner
Every picture tells a story. Steven Anson's photograph captured the mood at the Glasgow AJR dinner as members mingled over cocktails at the reception, ensuring a great atmosphere at the start of a wonderful evening.Thereafter a three course dinner was served on tartan laid tables in true Scottish style and was enjoyed by all.
Ethne Woldman, former Chief Executive of Jewish Care, Scotland, spoke about her work with the Targa Mures Community of Romania. Ethne first came across the tiny Jewish community in 1992. The two hundred strong Community, mostly survivors of Auschwitz and Dachau were aged 75 and over and lived in appalling unimaginable poverty. Most were unable to afford the most basic necessities such as medicines, dentures and glasses. One old lady lived in a chicken coup with no electricity or running water, buying one slice of bread at a time.
Ethne and her colleagues formed the Targa Mures Trust and over the last ten years have supported and helped the remnants of what was a Community which once numbered over six thousand. Sadly there are no children or grandchildren to help.The Jewish School of 350 children were all taken and murdered by the Nazis. It is terribly sad that Holocaust survivors having endured the cruelties of the Holocaust were faced with further terrible hardship. Our thanks reach out to Ethne and her colleagues for all the wonderful work they have done to improve the lives of the Targa Mures community, who are still in need .


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CMSE is a Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
CMSE has a special mission: to foster collaborative, interdisciplinary research and education in the science and engineering of materials that will address the future needs of society. CMSE promotes collaboration among MIT faculty and between MIT faculty and researchers of other universities, industry, and government laboratories.
Junior Faculty Award Application
IRG-I leader, Prof. Marin Soljacic, and his team simulate the first system in which particles can be manipulated by a beam of ordinary light as opposed to specialized light sources
Watch IRG-II faculty, Profs. Bradley Olsen and Jeremiah Johnson, demonstrate their new theory for quantifying how various defects in polymer networks affect their elasticities
IRG-III leaders, Associate Professor Bilge Yildiz and Professor Krystyn Van Vliet, and former IRG-III postdoc Mostafa Youssef explain how insulating metal oxides may be key to technical defects performance for a variety of high-tech applications
WCVB-TV Bostons Chronicle highlights the work of MIT MRLs research scientist, photographer, and image specialist, Felice Frankel, exploring how she engages audiences in scientific advances through the visual beauty of science
CMSE welcomes new CMSE director and MRL co-director, associate professor of Materials Science and Engineering Geoffrey S. Beach. Prof. Beach succeeds Professor of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering, Michael F. Rubner, who retired this year after 16 years as CMSE director
Introducing the Materials Research Laboraratory The Center for Materials Science and Engineering and the Materials Processing Center merge to form the Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), bringing together formidable resources for advancing next-generation materials
CMSE congratulates Profs. Jennifer Rupp, Robert Macfarlane, Luqiao Liu, and Riccardo Comin on winning this year's seed competition!
CMSE Commemorates the Legacy of Former Director, Mildred Dresselhaus, the "Queen of Carbon Science"
CMSE launches 2016-2017 Seed Funding Competition
CMSE IRG leaders, Profs. Brian Wardle, Robert Cohen, Gareth Mckinley, and Michael Rubner devise a new technique for trapping hard-to-detect molecules, using forests of carbon nanotubes
CMSE IRG leader, Prof. Marin Soljacic's work on Weyl points named as "Top 10 breakthroughs of 2015" by PhysicsWorld.com
IRG-III researchers demonstrate nanoscale cation motion in memristive systems
CMSE sponsors a live global event where CMSE Research Specialist, Felice Frankel, conducted a one-hour online conversation on cover art and graphics for science and engineering publications with Kelly Krause, Art Director of Nature magazine. See a recording of the event here.
Boston Globe spotlights CMSE Research Specialist, Felice Frankel, whose revolutionary approach to photographing scientific data changes the way we view science.
Changing the Energy Landscape: Yogesh Surendranath takes a molecular-level engineering approach to global energy challenges.
CMSE Professor Polina Anikeeva and her team of researchers use a new wireless technique to produce long-lasting, localized stimulation of brain tissue
Professors Michael Rubner and Robert Cohen team with University of California Santa Barbara researchers to employ cellular backpacks and white blood cells in navigating drug delivery to treat inflammation and its underlying cause
Professor Polina Anikeeva and 10 others reveal a revolutionary fiber that can transmit drugs, light, and electrical signals through the brain without harming brain tissue
CMSE Research Scientist, Felice Frankel, inspires a passion for science, technology, and the natural world through her photography featured in the Images of Discovery exhibit at the MIT Museum
CMSE Research Scientist Felice Frankel's course Making Science and Engineering Pictures is now available on MIT OpenCourseware
Michael F. Rubner, the TDK Professor of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, develops water-based, non-toxic coatings with special properties.
Katharina Ribbeck named a Popular Science "Brilliant 10"
Congratulations to CMSE Director, Prof. Michael Rubner for being named a 2014 MRS Fellow! This recognition honors 22 MRS members who are notable for their distinguished accomplishments and their outstanding contributions to the advancement of materials research, worldwide, out of 16,000 materials researchers from academia, industry, and government.
Marin Soljacic, CMSE-funded researcher publishes new study in Nature on transparent displays. Also featured on MIT, Popular Mechanics, and BBC.
CMSE, in conjunction with the MRSEC at Harvard University, is sponsoring the 7th Annual Future Faculty Workshop for underrepresented minority senior graduate students and postdocs at MIT's Endicott House, July 20-22, 2014. For more information and applications, please visit http://chemistry.mit.edu/outreach/future-faculty-workshop.
Former CMSE director and current Dean of the School of Science, Prof. Marc Kastner, nominated to head DOE Office of Science.
MIT Features work by two CMSE researchers, Angela Belcher and Yang Shao-Horn on building better batteries through biology.
CMSE SEFs cited in CMSE researcher Nuh Gedik's latest work on coupling of photons with electrons on the surface of an exotic crystal.
CMSE Researcher Angela Belcher wins $500,000 Lamelson-MIT Prize, and will use a portion to help get youth excited about science. (Boston.com)
MIT News Release here.
Congratulations to CMSE Researcher Markus Buehler who has been named a recipient of the Robert Lansing Hardy Award from the Mineral, Metals, and Materials Society!
CMSE Director Michael Rubner has been selected to the 2013 class of the ACS PMSE Fellows, and will be inducted on April 10, 2013. Congratulations Prof. Rubner!
CMSE funded research on anti-frosting and anti-fogging coatings by Professors Cohen and Rubner published in ACS Nano
CMSE funded research by Prof. Young Lee published in Nature.
Read more...
Felice Frankel's book, Visualizing Strategies, highlighted at MIT.
Read more...
Yang Shao-Horn, CMSE researcher, has paper highlighted at MIT.
Read more...
CMSE Research Scientist, Felice Frankel, has book featured in the New York Times Science section.
Read more...
CMSE funded faculty, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Timothy Lu among PECASE (Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers) winners.
Read more...
CMSE funded research by Yoel Fink and his group featured in Nature.
Read more...
CMSE researcher Prof. Paula Hammond profiled in the Boston Globe.
Read more...
CMSE Funded Faculty Members Caroline Ross and Alfredo Alexander-Katz Research Highlighted at MIT News.
Read more...
Silvija Gradečak Wins Nano Letters Young Investigator Award
Read more...
Angela Belcher elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Read more...
Markus Buehler, CMSE faculty member, to receive Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the MRS
Read more...
We're excited to announce CMSE researcher, Prof. Robert Cohen, has won the Paul J. Flory Polymer Education Award and will be presented with this honor at the Spring ACS meeting. This award is to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding achievements by an individual or team in promoting undergraduate and/or graduate polymer education. Congratulations Prof. Cohen!
Read more...
Research Experience for Teachers at CMSE
Click here for information and an application
Nuh Gedik selected as a Sloan Research Fellow for 2012.
Read more...
Initiative and Seed Proposal Competition Winners Announced
Click here for information.
CMSE funded Paula Hammond has work featured in Nature Materials.
Read more at MIT... The letter is located here.
CMSE funded research by Prof. Silvija Gradecak highlighted at MIT and published in Nano Letters.
Read more...
CMSE funded research by Prof. Markus Buehler and a CMSE/MPC sponsored REU student has been published in Nature.
Read more...
CMSE funded research published in Nanoscale Research Letters.
Read more...
CMSE funded Caroline Ross has paper published in Nature Photonics.
Read more...
IRG Researcher, Krystyn Van Vliet, spotlighted at MIT.
Read more...
IRG Leader, Yang Shao-Horn, and her group published in Science
Read more...
MRSEC Supported Faculty Highlighted in MIT's Spectrum Regarding Their Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research
Pablo Jarillo-Herrero
Krystyn Van Vliet
Yang Shao-Horn
US News and World Report Summit "Making Science Cool" to feature CMSE Research Scientist Felice Frankel
Read more...
IRG I Research Update: Improving Batteries' Energy Storage
Read more...
Shao-Horn group fuel cell research published in Nature Chemistry
Read more...
Yoel Fink and His Group Spin New Materials in a Thread
Read more...
Two CMSE Faculty, Nuh Gedik and Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, Receive DoE Early Career Research Grants
Read more...
CMSE Faculty Research is Highlighted at MIT
Read more...
Initiative Research is Highlighted at MIT
Click here to read more.
IRG Research is Highlighted at MIT
Click here to read more.
Four CMSE Researchers Named In Top 100 Chemists and Top 100 Materials Scientists in the World
Click here to read more.
May 3, 2018
William Chueh
Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering
Stanford University
Chipman room, 6-104 @4 PM
Title of talk to be announced
Online Suggestion Box For CMSE Shared Experimental FacilitiesClick here to submit feedback.


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Men's Team
The List: International caps
As we are in an international break, The List this week looks at who is City's most capped player to date. So who has more caps than anyone else representing their country…?
1 Kolo Toure 103 caps, 6 goals (2000-present)
King Kolo easily tops our list with 103 caps won for the Ivory Coast. A veteran of World Cups and Africa Cup of Nations, he shows no sign of international retirement having represented his county for the past 13 years.
2 Yaya Toure 74 caps, 12 goals (2004-present)
Yaya may catch his brother who is three years older – depending on when Kolo stops playing for The Elephants. He started four years later than Kolo at international level and remains an integral part of the Ivory Coast squad.
3 David Silva 69 caps, 18 goals (2006-present)
David Silva is well on his way to clocking up a century of appearances for La Roja with 69 already under his belt. No mean feat, either, when you consider he is competing with Xavi, Inietsta, Fabregas, Alonso, Busquets, Mata, Santi Cazorla… the list goes on!
4 Carlos Tevez 62 caps, 13 goals (2004-present)
It's over 18 months since Carlos Tevez last played for Argentina but there is a possibility he will play for his country again one day. A regular for more than seven years before falling out of favour with the national team, his 62 caps are a source of great pride, nonetheless.
5 Gareth Barry 53 caps, 3 goals (2000-present)
Gareth may have been left out of the last few England squads but he will hope to add to his tally of 53 caps won so far. With another impressive season so far, it's something of a mystery that he's been overlooked in the latest squad for England.
6 Edin Dzeko 51 caps 26 goals (2007-present)
Nobody has a better goals-to-games scoring ration than the Bosnian Diamond. With a rate better than one every two games, no wonder he is idolised in his homeland.
7 Sergio Aguero 42 caps, 17 goal (2006-present)
Sergio is one of the first names on any Argentina manager's team sheet and has won 42 caps to date. Argentina strikers are not in short supply, but Kun is one of the most popular for Argentina supporters.
8 Aleks Kolarov 39 caps, 1 goal (2008-present)
The only surprising thing about Aleks Kolarov's international record for Serbia is that he's only managed one goal to date. Aleks has managed 10 in 65 starts for City which suggests he isn't the dead-ball specialist for his country.
9 Samir Nasri 35 caps, 4 goals (2007-present)
Samir's relationship with the national team has blown hot and cold of late and he recently served a three-match international ban, but his 39 caps prove what an important member of Les Blues he is.
10 James Milner 33 caps, 1 goal (2009-present)
You'd expect James to climb this list steadily in the next few years after becoming a regular for Roy Hodgson's England. The record cap-holder at Under-21 level is now powering towards his half-century and will likely add many more after that.
The next best three are… Joe Hart with 28 caps (2008-present); Joleon Lescott with 23 caps and 1 goal (2007-present) and Gael Clichy who has 16 caps and no goals for France (2008-present).


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Dietary reference intake (DRI) is a set of guidelines that the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine created in the 1990s for the United States government. These guidelines incorporate:
RDAs and AIs tell you the amount of that nutrient you should try to get each day. These values are based on scientific evidence. The amount of evidence will determine whether an RDA or an AI is given for a specific nutrient.
RDA is the average daily dietary intake level that meets the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy people in a specific life stage and gender group. The RDA is based on the estimated average requirement (EAR), which is calculated from scientific evidence.
When there is not enough scientific evidence about a specific nutrient to calculate an EAR (and therefore an RDA), an AI is estimated instead. The AI for children and adults is expected to meet or exceed the nutrient needs of all members of a specific healthy population.
The AI is based on the scientific research available. But it is an indication that more research is needed to determine, with some degree of confidence, the necessary amount of a specific nutrient. When more research is done, it should be possible to replace AI estimates with RDAs.
UL is the highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risks of adverse health effects in almost all people in the specified life stage group. The UL is not a recommended level of intake. There is no established benefit for healthy people if they consume a nutrient in amounts above the RDA or AI.
These recommendations are for healthy people. People with diseases or conditions that affect their nutrient intake should work with their doctor or a dietitian to determine their specific nutrient needs.
For more information about DRIs, visit the US Department of Agricultures's Food and Nutritio...ducation Program.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
US Department of Agriculture
Dietitians of Canada
Health Canada
Dietary reference intakes. United States Department of Agriculture website. Available at: http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/dietary-guidance/dietary-reference-intakes. Updated March 12, 2014. Accessed March 13, 2014.
Smart nutrition 101: commonly asked questions. Nutrition.gov website. Available at: http://www.nutrition.gov/smart-nutrition-101/commonly-asked-questions-faqs. Updated March 11, 2014. Accessed March 13, 2014.
Last reviewed March 2014 by Michael Woods, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


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Chairwoman Garza, Vice Chairman Yarowsky and distinguished members of the Antitrust Modernization Commission (AMC), good afternoon. My name is Steve Blust and I am Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. I am pleased to discuss with you today the Federal Maritime Commission's (FMC or Commission) oversight of agreements between and among ocean common carriers and U.S. marine terminal operators under the Shipping Act. I believe that the Shipping Act and its recent modifications are working as they were intended by Congress. To the extent that any future reforms may prove warranted, Congress has provided the FMC with exemption authority that can be, and has been, used for that purpose. I hope I can assist the AMC as it strives to fulfill its mandate by clarifying and elaborating on the FMC's controlling statutes and the state of international ocean shipping generally.
The Commission is the independent regulatory agency which administers the Shipping Act of 1984, most recently substantially amended by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) in 1998. 46 U.S.C. §§ 40101-41309.[1] The FMC was established as an independent agency in 1961 and has administered the Shipping Act, 1916 ("1916 Act") as well as the Shipping Act of 1984. Prior to 1961, the Shipping Act, 1916 was administered by three other agencies: Federal Maritime Board (1950 – 1961); United States Maritime Commission (1936-1950); and the United States Shipping Board (1916-1936). Significantly, the FMC's predecessor agencies were responsible for both the regulation of ocean commerce and promotion of the U.S. merchant marine. Congress divided those two functions in 1961, and tasked the FMC with sole responsibility for the regulation of international ocean commerce and the Maritime Administration with the promotion of the U.S. merchant marine.
The Commission is headed by five presidential appointees serving staggered five year terms. The FMC is currently operating with approximately 123 full-time employees and is funded at a level of $20,294,010 for Fiscal Year 2006. Most of the agency's employees are in its Washington office, with area representatives in New York, Los Angeles, South Florida, New Orleans and Seattle.
The Commission's regulation of cooperative arrangements among ocean common carriers (also known as vessel-operating common carriers or VOCCs) and marine terminal operators (MTOs) ("agreements") is an important part of a comprehensive maritime economic policy established by Congress in the Shipping Act. As stated in the Shipping Act, that comprehensive policy has several aims:
The FMC is also authorized to protect the shipping public by taking actions to correct unfavorable shipping conditions in the waterborne U.S. foreign commerce, whether caused by the actions of carriers or foreign governments, pursuant to section 19 of the Merchant Marine Act, 1920, 46 U.S.C. §§ 42101-42109, and the Foreign Shipping Practices Act of 1988, 46 U.S.C. §§ 42301-42307. Also, the Commission assures that passenger vessel operators provide evidence of financial responsibility to indemnify passengers for personal injury or death or to refund passenger fares for nonperformance of a cruise. 46 U.S.C. §§ 44101-44106.
Immunity from the antitrust laws for cooperative agreements under the Shipping Act today differs dramatically from the immunity regime laid out under the 1916 Act. For example, agreements prior to 1984 were given limited immunity only if the agreement parties demonstrated to the Commission, after an often lengthy process, that their agreement was in the public interest. These agreement filings were often challenged, not by customers but by competitors. Also under the 1916 Act, all carriers were required to adhere to common carrier principles and strictly charge the rates in tariffs which were required to be filed with the FMC. Moreover, the 1916 Act did not prohibit conference agreements from denying member lines the right to take "independent action" from conference established rates.
Congress completely changed this regime in 1984.[2] The Shipping Act of 1984 sharply altered the nature of the limited immunity and greatly reduced the time within which agreements became effective from that which existed under the 1916 Act. The Shipping Act used a Hart-Scott-Rodino model for agreement effectiveness, whereby agreements would become effective forty-five days after filing unless the Commission takes action to prevent them from doing so. This change shifted the emphasis from pre-effectiveness review to ongoing monitoring of the impact of filed agreements as implemented. Further, conferences were prohibited from denying member lines the right to take action deviating from conference tariff rates or service items.
In 1984, service contracts between shippers and individual carriers or conferences permitted some differentiated treatment of shippers, but common carriage remained substantially intact as such contracts were required to be afforded to all "similarly situated shippers." This was significantly changed by OSRA.
OSRA, effective in May 1999, was Congress's modernization of antitrust issues with respect to liner shipping and U.S. marine terminal operators and the most recent deregulatory step in what amounts to two decades of researching, debating, and revising the limits of Shipping Act antitrust immunity. The regulatory changes introduced by OSRA have been remarkably successful in achieving the legislative intent of Congress, and removed many of the major concerns that the affected parties (shippers, ocean transportation intermediaries, U.S. ports, U.S. maritime labor organizations, and ocean common carriers) had about the 1984 Act's original regulatory structure. In crafting OSRA, Congress well understood that in a dynamic, international industry like liner shipping, additional future efficiency-enhancing, pro-competitive reforms might be warranted and desirable. Consequently, Congress specifically provided for the FMC to identify, evaluate and introduce such reforms without forcing interested parties to seek legislative intervention. The Shipping Act specifies that the Commission "may by order or regulation exempt for the future any class of agreements between persons subject to [the Act] or any specified activity of those persons from any requirement of [the Act] if the Commission finds that the exemption will not result in substantial reduction in competition or be detrimental to commerce." 46 U.S.C. § 40103. In effect, Congress has said that if and when future reforms may appear warranted, the FMC should, where appropriate, use its exemption authority to promote such reforms.
The limited antitrust immunity contained in the Shipping Act extends to carrier operational agreements that enhance efficiency and maintain competition by acting as a constraint on industry mergers and acquisitions, and to marine terminal agreements that promote landside transportation efficiency, reduce costs, facilitate projects designed to reduce congestion in and around port cities, promote environmental clean-up measures, and help fund critical freight infrastructure. The impact of this immunity is mitigated by several realities:
Antitrust Immunity under the Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Sections 4 and 5 of the Shipping Act, now codified at 46 U.S.C. §§ 40301-40303, require all agreements among ocean common carriers in U.S. foreign oceanborne commerce permitting concerted activities involving rates, service, capacity or division of markets to be filed with the Commission. Agreements among MTOs (and among MTOs and ocean common carriers) to regulate rates or services, or engage in other exclusive, preferential or cooperative working arrangements, must also be filed with the Commission. Once effective, the parties to the agreements receive a limited grant of immunity from otherwise applicable antitrust laws for activities authorized by their agreements. 46 U.S.C. § 40307.
Pursuant to its regulatory process, the Commission has categorized agreements based on their potential for competitive impact. The first, and most heavily regulated, category includes pricing agreements, either among VOCCs or MTOs (or both), where the main focus is the discussion and/or agreement on policies with respect to pricing. The most common types of agreements with such authority are conferences and voluntary rate discussion agreements. Conferences are defined by the Shipping Act as those agreements which provide for the collective discussion, agreement, and establishment of ocean freight rates and practices by groups of VOCCs. Conferences publish a common rate tariff in which all the parties participate. 46 U.S.C. § 40102(7). Currently, there are eight VOCC conference agreements on file with the Commission.[3] See Appendix A (describing currently filed agreements).
Discussion agreements with rate authority focus on the members' pricing practices, but any consensus reached under these agreements is non-binding on the parties; each party publishes its own tariff. In addition to non-binding agreements on rates to be reflected in members' individual tariffs, discussion agreements may adopt Avoluntary service contract guidelines,@ relating to terms and procedures of service contracts. Voluntary guidelines must be filed with the Commission, but are accorded confidentiality by statute. There are also non-rate discussion agreements, which are not geared to rate matters, but generally provide a forum for discussing matters of mutual interest; in some instances, they operate much like a trade association. There are currently 29 rate discussion agreements and eight non-rate discussion agreements on file with the Commission.
Vessel-sharing agreements (VSAs), alliances and other operational agreements make up the largest group of VOCC agreements on file with the Commission comprising approximately 74% of the agreements currently on file. These agreements range from those that involve a high degree of operational cooperation with respect to space and services down to the simple swap of container slots. At one end of the spectrum of these agreements are the so-called "alliances", with a substantial degree of operational integration of vessels and terminals on multiple trade lanes, while at the low end are routine space charters and slot swaps. Most VSAs authorize some level of service rationalization; of a total of 155 VSAs currently on file with the Commission, eight have the authority to discuss rate matters. The objective of these agreements is to improve the scope and quality of the lines' service offerings, while limiting the individual members' operating costs. Joint service agreements allow the parties to operate a joint venture under a single name in a specified trading area. The joint venture issues its own bills of lading, sets its own rates, and acts as an individual ocean common carrier.
Finally, there are many other agreements which do not fit under any of the foregoing agreement types. These cooperative working arrangements, 46 U.S.C. § 40301(a)(5), b(2), generally deal with unique management arrangements between carriers, sharing administrative services, agency, transshipment, and equipment interchange agreements.
The Extent of Shipping Act Antitrust Immunity
The Shipping Act provides that, once effective, the above types of cooperative arrangements are immunized from prosecution under the antitrust laws. 46 U.S.C. § 40307. Furthermore, this immunity is specifically limited by the Shipping Act; none of the following cooperative arrangements are immunized, regardless of whether they are filed with the Commission:
Acquisitions are also outside the limited immunity provided by the Shipping Act. 46 U.S.C. § 40301(c).
Further, the Shipping Act contains prohibitions on what any conference or group of common carriers may do.[4] There are prohibitions against concerted boycotts or unreasonable refusals to deal, conduct that unreasonably restricts the use of intermodal services or technological innovations, predatory practices against competitors, denying compensation to OTIs, allocating shippers, and discriminating against shippers on the basis of their status as OTIs or shippers' associations. 46 U.S.C. § 41105. The immunity has been interpreted narrowly. United States v. Gosselin Worldwide Moving, 411 F.3d 502 (4th Cir. 2005)(two NVOCCs not immunized from criminal antitrust prosecution by sections 7(a)(2)(B), 7(a)(4) or 7(c) of the Shipping Act).
Review and Monitoring of Agreements
Agreements filed with the Commission are reviewed and monitored on an on-going basis by the Commission's Bureau of Trade Analysis (BTA), a staff of expert trade specialists and maritime economists. Over the past five years, an average of 252 agreements and modifications have been filed and reviewed annually by the Commission; in FY2006, the Commission received 284 such filings.
As noted above, modeled on the Hart-Scott-Rodino pre-merger review, a Shipping Act agreement generally becomes effective forty-five days after filing, unless it is rejected by the Commission for technical deficiency (46 U.S.C. § 41304(b)), made the subject of a formal Commission request for additional information (46 U.S.C. § 40304(d)), or enjoined by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (46 U.S.C. § 41307(b)) when the Commission can demonstrate that the agreement is likely to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or an unreasonable decrease in transportation service by reason of a reduction in competition. 46 U.S.C. § 41307(b) ("section 6(g)").
The Commission regularly uses the pre-effectiveness period to encourage parties to correct technical deficiencies, substitute clarifying language for vague or confusing language, and to amend provisions with potentially unacceptable anticompetitive effects under the section 6(g) standard described above. Necessary adjustments to agreements are generally made during the pre-effectiveness period with a minimum of procedural delay and legal expense to the industry. As such, to date the Commission has not found it necessary to resort to a petition for injunctive relief under section 6(g), either prior to an agreement becoming effective or at any time during its effectiveness.
The Commission has other tools under the Shipping Act to address agreement activities which may violate the Act. The Commission is authorized to initiate investigations with respect to actions by agreement parties which violate the Act as well as disapprove, cancel or modify any agreement found to violate the Act. 46 U.S.C. § 41302. The Commission may also compel common carrier agreement parties to provide information on any matter pertaining to the business of that common carrier. 46 U.S.C. § 40104.[5]
The Commission requires the filing of substantial information regarding the participants' market share and service plans when an agreement is filed, in order to permit a thorough review ("Information Forms"). 46 CFR Part 535. In addition, the Commission requires periodic reporting of information concerning on-going activities under certain classes of agreements once an agreement becomes effective, such as minutes of meetings of conferences or discussion agreements or periodic monitoring reports for such agreements as well as significant VSAs and alliances. This ongoing monitoring enables the Commission to carry out its responsibility for continuing oversight of carriers' concerted activities within the limited antitrust immunity conferred by the Shipping Act.
Recent Pro-competitive Changes: Law and Regulation
As noted above, significant pro-competitive changes were made to the Shipping Act by OSRA. The most notable of these was the shift away from public tariffs and publicly available contract rates to the confidential rates in individually negotiated service contracts. This significant change was accompanied by prohibitions limiting conferences' ability to enforce rate adherence by their members; OSRA now prohibits conferences from preventing or impeding member lines' individual contract negotiations with shippers. Further, a common carrier agreement cannot compel member lines to reveal information related to individual contract negotiations. OSRA also liberalized independent action allowances that conferences must make.
Since 1999 the Commission has revised and updated its rules on its own motion to modernize, streamline and focus its review and monitoring of agreements. On October 27, 2004, the Commission adopted a Final Rule to amend its regulations on the filing of ocean common carrier and marine terminal operator agreements, and the reporting requirements for those agreements. 69 Fed. Reg. 64298 (November 4, 2004). These revisions modified the monitoring reports and clarified the minutes filing requirements for agreements that included any kind of pricing authority. Carrier agreements of less than 30% market share that do not include any pricing or capacity rationalization authority are now effective upon filing.
OSRA also augmented the Commission's ability to make de-regulatory changes itself by amending the Commission's exemption authority. 46 U.S.C. § 40103 ("section 16"). In the Committee Report on the bill that was to become OSRA, the Commission was encouraged to "examin[e] through the regulatory process specific regulatory provisions and practices not yet addressed by Congress to determine where they can be deregulated consistent with the policies of Congress." Report of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on S. 414, S. Rep. No. 61, 105th Cong., 1st Sess., July 31, 1997 at 30. The Commission may "exempt for the future any class of agreements between persons subject to [the Shipping Act] or any specified activity of those persons from any requirement of [the Shipping Act] if [it] finds that the exemption will not result in substantial reduction in competition or be detrimental to commerce." 46 U.S.C. § 40103.
The Commission has used its exemption authority to institute pro-competitive reforms as recently evidenced by an exemption from tariff publication and adherence requirements granted to NVOCCs. On January 19, 2005, the Commission's exemption for Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier Service Arrangements became effective. 46 CFR Part 531. While OSRA had expanded the types of entities which may be party to a service contract,[6] it only extended confidential service contracting authority to one type of common carrier, namely, VOCCs. NVOCCs continued to have only one method of pricing with their shipper customers, through a publicly-available tariff. The Commission determined that it could exempt NVOCCs from the requirements of the Shipping Act that all common carriage be provided in accordance with the terms and conditions of the public tariff. Instead, NVOCCs are now permitted to enter into confidential arrangements in much the same way that VOCCs do with their shipper-customers. As a result of this exemption, NVOCCs can enter into NVOCC Service Arrangements ("NSAs"), which permit NVOCCs and their shipper customers to confidentially agree upon the rates to be charged for international oceanborne transportation. As a condition for entering into an NSA, these arrangements must be filed in the FMC's secure, confidential, internet-based "SERVCON" system. Rates in NSAs may be kept confidential by the parties if they are filed with the FMC.[7]
Changes in the Industry Since 1998
In September 2001, the Commission released a comprehensive study on the regulatory and economic impact of OSRA on the U.S. ocean liner industry during the first two years of its implementation. Federal Maritime Commission, Impact of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, September 2001 ("OSRA Report"). In the area of agreements, the OSRA Report noted a number of significant changes: the deregulatory nature of OSRA, rapidly expanding global trade volumes, and the improved service of traditionally non-conference carriers, have contributed to the restructuring of the U.S. liner shipping industry. OSRA Report at 24-30. Broad-based rate discussion agreements with non-binding ratemaking authority have essentially replaced traditional conferences as the primary forum for collective carrier pricing activity in most U.S. liner trades. There are currently 29 VOCC rate discussion agreements on file with the Commission. See Appendix A.
Rate discussion agreements provide members with the opportunity to exchange commercial information and, on a voluntary basis, discuss market conditions and pricing policy. Unlike conferences, which saw a marked decline in their numbers (almost one-third either disbanded or were suspended following OSRA's implementation), the number of rate discussion agreements remained somewhat stable during the first two years of OSRA. As provided in Appendix A, there are a total of 47 filed agreements (these include conferences, rate discussion agreements, VSAs and joint services) that authorize some sort of sharing of rate information. Further, the number of efficiency enhancing operational agreements on file with the Commission continued to rise as carriers sought to maintain a competitive market position by expanding their individual service networks through cooperative arrangements. The trends described above have continued into 2006. Along with the decline of traditional rate-setting carrier conferences, there has been a notable rise in the use of creative cooperative arrangements to address infrastructure, equipment and environmental issues. The Commission has noted the use of agreements by VOCCs and MTOs to address infrastructure limitations and constraints, such as agreements to share chassis equipment, and to make technological advancements to provide better service to their customers, as in the internet portal agreements.[8]
Carriers and MTOs have also used agreements to address and coordinate their mutual efforts on the implementation of security measures. Recently several West Coast MTOs amended a general operational agreement to include the ability to collectively address port and inland congestion issues. Known as "PierPASS," MTO members of the West Coast MTO Agreement in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have agreed to a standard charge that has enabled each MTO to operate day and night shifts and has resulted in encouraging shippers to move their cargo in the off peak hours, thereby reducing congestion on the busy highways used by commuters and cargo movers alike. Similarly, in August, 2006, the Port Authorities of Los Angeles and Long Beach filed an agreement that includes authority to discuss rate issues, to coordinate their efforts to develop inland infrastructure and capacity.
The Shipping Act of 1984 as amended by OSRA and implemented by the FMC has created a regulatory environment that has successfully achieved Congress's intent and contributed to today's relatively harmonious relationship between shippers and carriers. To the extent that shippers and carriers need help from Congress, it is with the pressing problems of the maintenance and expansion of freight infrastructure, the reduction of port-related congestion, and the environmental concerns related to international transportation. The Shipping Act is being utilized currently to provide the opportunity to discuss solutions that can make significant contributions in just these areas
Thank you for your kind attention. I will be happy to address any questions you may have.
Agreements filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (as of October 1, 2006)
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