text:
Some of that can be caused by having the front of the deltoids more developed than the middle and back of the deltoids, which leads to a resting state with a slight forward pull on the shoulders.no mike wrote:daverupa wrote:...The trick is to get your knees to rest comfortably below your hips so that your back curves properly.
Any other tips on proper back curve? I catch myself slouching forward at times.
I have a few heuristics, and maybe they're useful. First, as above, I ensure that the knees are below the hips. Then, I make sure that my ischial tuberosities are pointing downward, making subtle adjustments here based on the sitting surface. This has a direct effect on the lower back.
In my sitting posture, at this point have considered three sections: the angle between the lower and upper leg to ensure knee alignment (it didn't really come up yet, but it's very important with cushions and lotus postures, while a bench largely avoids trouble here), the angle between the sitting surface and the hips, and the angle between the hips and the knees. I consider this the base.
Now the arms: the hands rest in the lap of the base, and the line from the ears to the shoulders is allowed to lengthen by relaxing the shoulders. It is here that I pay attention to what the deltoids are doing; shrugging in different circular directions can help loosen the area. This all has a direct effect on the upper back, but here as earlier, you'll notice that my attention is on the back only indirectly; mess with the peripheral ratios and the back fixes itself while staying relatively relaxed (but being upright means it's tense to some degree no matter what, so don't think that a relaxed posture is one without some muscle tone).
The head I treat like a bowling ball which I balance over the above base in whichever way requires the least muscle tone throughout the breathing cycle, while relaxing the jaw and smoothing the brow, and otherwise gentling the muscles around the ears generally.
I then do a pass where I relax my body from the head down, settling each body part as though they were hanging ornaments on a tree that's just entered a field of gravity. In this, the tree is the spine, and the ornaments the rest of the body, the first time I consider the spine and its tone in a direct way. (If you like, the breath can be noted as a somewhat bulbous ornament at this point, and if you were paying attention to the breath the whole time anyway, you're now well on your way through the first tetrad of anapanasati.)
Anyway, these are just some of my ruminations on it. Fiddle with your dials with patient joy, eh?


text:
Our Three-Fold Mission: SUPPORT: To help patients and their families cope with scleroderma through mutual support programs, peer counseling, physician referrals, and educational information. EDUCATION: To promote public awareness and education through patient and health professional seminars, literature, and publicity campaigns. RESEARCH: To stimulate and support research to improve treatment and ultimately find the cause of and cure for scleroderma and related diseases.
Tax ID
P.O. Box 601313
Sacramento, CA 95860-1313

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Super Nintendo Games
NBA Give-N-Go Questions for Super NintendoHome / Super Nintendo /
Game Questions & Answers (Q&A) service lets you ask questions about video games for game consoles or PC games. So ask your NBA Give-N-Go question for Super Nintendo and get answers from real gamers or answer questions and share your insights and experience with the rest of the gaming community.
Ask a Question
Stuck in this game? Set a specific, clearly defined question and let other gamers answer your question or view answers to previously asked questions. If you think you are an expert then please try to help others with their questions.
Your Question
More Options
Games You May Like
Released Games
- Star Fox 2, (SNES)
- Unholy Night: The Darkness Hunter, (SNES)
- Dorke And Ymp, (SNES)
- Apocalypse 2, (SNES)
- Classic Kong, (SNES)
- Nightmare Busters, (SNES)
- DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure, (SNES)
- Sutte Hakkun, (SNES)
- BS Special Tee Shot, (SNES)
Popular Games
- Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, (SNES)
- Strike Gunner S.T.G, (SNES)
- Captain America And The Avengers, (SNES)
- Smash Tennis, (SNES)
- Undercover Cops, (SNES)
- The Lion King, (SNES)
- Hyper V-Ball, (SNES)
- Todd McFarlane's Spawn: The Video Game, (SNES)
- Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, (SNES)
- Captain Tsubasa 4, (SNES)
Sponsored Links


text:
DENVER Gov. John Hickenlooper announced plans Tuesday to improve the states psychiatric-crisis care and keep mentally unstable people from buying guns.
Hickenlooper and his Cabinet began working on the plan just days after the Aurora movie theater massacre in July, and they scheduled Tuesdays announcement well before a gunman killed 20 children and seven adults and himself last Friday in Connecticut.
We have a duty after tragedy to look at what we do, how we act and how we help others, Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper wants Colorado courts to send mental-health commitment records to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in real time so they can be used for background checks of people who want to buy guns. Currently, the CBI gets the information twice a year on a CD-ROM.
Hickenlooper could not explain why it has taken so long to send the information to the CBI.
There are too many things like that in government, he said.
The governor wants to make several other changes that will cost $18.5 million and will need approval from the Legislature.
More than half the cost will pay for a statewide mental-health crisis hotline and five new walk-in centers where people can go during a mental-health crisis. Police could also bring people to the centers, which are supposed to take the pressure off jails and emergency rooms to provide mental-health treatment.
The Department of Human Services has not figured out what towns will get the centers.
About $4.8 million would be used for better services and housing for people rejoining the community after a stay in the psychiatric hospital.
Colorado currently has three laws for committing people to psychiatric treatment against their will. Hickenloopers plan would consolidate the laws into one statute, and it will protect the civil liberties of patients, said Reggie Bicha, director of the Department of Human Services.
No system will work perfectly to keep unbalanced people from hurting others, but this plan should reduce the risk, Hickenlooper said.
We believe these policies will reduce the probability of bad things happening to good people, he said.
On Thursday, just a day before the massacre in Connecticut, Hickenlooper said it was time to talk about gun-control laws. He has not offered a specific proposal on guns, but Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, said the Legislature could consider a ban on assault weapons.


text:
The Random generator has picked The Navy Wife for our winner of two sheets of digi stamps congrats hunny...please e mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com with your sheet numbers.
The challenge this week is set by the uber talented Natalya Any shape but Square ...You can get out all your die cutters....and have a real old play.
The Daisy Diva's have really excelled this week with their variety of shapes and different projects sooooo Lets Get Crafing


text:
Lebanon's Maronites used to play a crucial role in the region, but their power and sense of identity are waning. One organization hopes to reverse that by reviving their ancient language, Syriac.
Lebanon's most prominent Christian group, the Maronites, used to be so influential that the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat reportedly quipped that "The road to Jerusalem passes through Jounieh," referring to a town north of Beirut that was a stronghold for Lebanese Christian militias.


text:
Her big sis Beyoncé might be taking over Europe with the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, but Solange was busy wowing the crowd in Brooklyn this past Friday night (April 26).
The neo-soul indie diva headlined the second night of the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry Festival at BAM, curated by Aaron and Bryce Dessner from the National, and let everyone know they were not excused from dancing. And we're not just talking about swaying from side to side. No, Solange wanted to turn the concert hall into a junior high school dance.
Solange even called out a guy in the front row, shouting, "This fella in the white shirt, you are not exempt from grinding, baby!"
While Beyoncé won't let professional photographers into her show for fears of an unflattering photo being taken, Solange wasn't afraid to show a little sweat. Before the encore, Solange ran off stage and when she returned she let the crowd know that she wasn't looking for a big applause or anything to bring her back out, she just needed a little breather. "I'm just an out of shape b****!" she said with a giggle.Check out the full story on Radio.com.


text:
Had your photo taken in the park? Please search here.
There are 75 photos, type and select from the dropdowns below to further refine the search results.
Buy your Team GB Official Licensed Souvenir Photo Products.
We offer you unique access to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Search for photographs and souvenirs of athletes, sports, countries, events, venues, Sochi 2014 & London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games medals and other ceremonies. We offer prints, framed prints, photographs, athletes' montages and our online Create your own Collage.


text:
Rest assured, Landon Donovan is "ready to go" and set to participate in the United States' National Team's upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Antigua and Barbuda on Oct. 12 and Guatemala on Oct. 16.
Donovan was called up on Monday to the U.S. National Team's squad by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who raved about the Galaxy captain's condition during a 40-minute long conference call with reporters. Donovan's participation in the U.S. squad seemed doubtful after last Saturday when he was forced to leave during the latter stages of Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Real Salt Lake.
READ: LA Galaxy Captain Landon Donovan Called Up to the U.S. National Team
However, Klinsmann laid many of the concerns to rest during Monday's conference call.
"We were in touch over the last few days, obviously. He was supposed to do an MRI this morning in L.A. and he skipped it because it improved a lot during the day," said Klinsmann. "We spoke last night and he said that if [the knee issue] is even better in the morning then he would skip the MRI and come straight to Miami, which is the case."
"We have been in touch with [the Galaxy] medical team, our trainer Ivan Pierra (a member of the Galaxy staff from 1996-2007) knows everybody really well so they communicate back and forth," added Klinsmann. "We communicated with Landon back and forth. So, first thing he comes in here this afternoon, we'll check him out, but as he said to us, the reason why he's on the plane [to Miami] is because it looks really good."
This is the first time Donovan has been called up by the national team since the U.S.' victory over Mexico in an August friendly when the Galaxy captain picked up a hamstring strain that caused him to miss three MLS matches as well as the U.S.' qualifying matches against Jamaica.
With Donovan finally back on track, Klinsmann admits that he may have to shuffle his lineup to find a place for Donovan on the field.
"[He will be used] definitely as an attacking player," Klinsmann said. "If he comes wide or if he comes behind two strikers, what we need in these two games is to create chances and we need to score goals.
"Obviously, we are happy that Landon is part of these two games. He kind of shook off that knee issue that he experienced on Saturday night so he's ready to go, if he plays wide or comes through the middle, as long as we create chances and we score goals then its all fine with me."
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Vine Line: Draft Day Memories
For some, it's a big deal -- for others, not so much
By Michael Huang / Vine Line
"My parents were pretty proud," Sean recalled. "It was kind of funny, though. We were listening to it on the radio at home. Teams would call ahead to tell you they were going to pick you. When the Red Sox took Brian, they said they were taking 'Marshall, a starting pitcher from VCU.' Well, I was the starter and Brian was a reliever. Obviously we are twins so we were joking that the Red Sox took the wrong player. Ten minutes later, the Cubs called and said they were taking me."
For several hundred young men, being drafted on June 7-9, will be the culmination of all the sweat and hard work poured into the batting cage or bullpen, the countless grounders and fly balls taken in practice.
"Yeah it was a fun day," Marshall said. "My parents took pictures and everything. Both Brian and I wanted to start playing right away, so we talked things over with our adviser. When the contracts came, we signed them right on the kitchen table."
In the month leading up to the draft, the scrutiny can become excruciatingly focused. Scouts evaluate everything from pitchers' velocities and hitters' swings, to the size of their hands, or width of their shoulders.
And the intensity of the spotlight has only increased over the years. Cubs farmhand Josh Vitters was selected by the Cubs as the third overall pick in the 2007 draft. Vitters was part of the first televised draft, after years on the radio, like when Marhsall was drafted just four years earlier.
Tyler Colvin said he paid little attention to criticism during the season or after he was selected. Colvin, for example, was deemed a "reach" by some baseball publications. "Going into the draft, I didn't really know where I was going to go. But I didn't pay much attention to what people were saying," recalled Colvin, who was taken 13th overall in 2006. "I was more concerned about helping Clemson into the College World Series."
After being taken by the Cubs, Colvin hit a walk-off grand slam against Oral Roberts in the CWS Super Regionals. Talk about making a good first impression.
Colvin was not heavily recruited coming out of North Augusta (S.C.) High School, but Xavier Nady was. As a senior at Salinas (Calif.) High School, Nady was a first team all-state player after hitting .719 with 12 home runs. Draft day was exciting for Nady the first time when he was taken by St. Louis in the fourth round in 1997. He didn't sign and went on to play baseball at Cal. When he was taken by the Padres in the second round of the 2000 draft, he was at home ... he thought.
"Honestly, I'm not sure where I was for the second time," Nady laughed. "Because I had been through it already in high school, it wasn't really that big of a deal. I just knew my adviser was going to update me and my parents on what to do. So for kids who are able to go through it in high school, getting drafted out of college isn't so nerve-wracking."
Colvin and his Clemson teammates watched the draft on MLB.com.
"When the day came, I heard there was a chance I might go early, so we set up a computer in the clubhouse and watched the first few rounds online," Colvin said. "Then we had to go practice."
Michael Huang is the editor of Vine Lines. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Kanye West Wears Red Mask to Fashion Show
Who is that masked man? Why, it's Kanye West! In another bizarre stunt from the mercurial artist, Yeezy was spotted semi-incognito wearing a red ski mask while attending the Maison Martin Margiela fashion show in Paris on Wednesday (Jan. 23).
West's eyes were the only visible feature seen through the mask, as if he was trying to hide from the paparazzi. The producer-rapper completed the look with a white suit, black trench coat and grey-colored moccasins.
The only explanation we can think of for his, um, unique outfit is that he must have been really, really cold in Paris. We checked weather.com and temperatures in the City of Love are hovering around 25 degrees. So, yeah, Yeezy had to bundle up just a bit.
But we should be familiar with this behavior by now. Last month, 'Ye rocked a few masks during his concert at the Revel hotel in Atlantic City, N.J. He looked like the Abominable Snowman onstage, but in Paris, he looked more like a dandy caped crusader in his latest get-up.
Oddly, later in the evening, while taking mom-to-be Kim Kardashian out to dinner, West dressed like a normal rap star. He wore skinny leather black pants, a matching sports coat, grey scarf and moccasins. Talk about the ying and the yang when it comes to Yeezy's fashion choices.
It will be interesting to see what Kanye West will wear when he performs at the Governors Ball, which takes place in New York June 7-9.
Watch Kanye West's 'Lost in the World' Video


text:
Safe Use of Grooming Products
- Jun 1, 1999
- Topics:
No matter how you use your horse, you want to enhance his natural good looks and keep his "outside" healthy. With a companion animal or sport horse, you also assume the role of equine beautician. Even if your horse never enters a show ring, you could be a big-time consumer of grooming aids. You can choose among hundreds of products, in the bottles, tubes, and cans packed on the shelves of your tack shop. Which ingredients do you want on your horse?
We'll explore the lotions, creams, and ointments you wipe, spray, or brush onto hair and hoof, along with grooming tools and beauty wraps. Although the substances might boast therapeutic benefits, they aren't in the same category as medications. And realize that even though these are cosmetic concoctions, anything you use on your horse can lead to harm.
Off The Shelf And Into Action
To groom your horse, you aim to clean, condition, polish, and protect his coat, skin, and hooves. Cleaning comes first. Before you reach for topical solutions, you clean with traditional grooming tools--curry, body brush, or a textured cloth. These hand tools remove dirt and scurf from hair and skin through pressure and friction. The massaging and stroking stimulate circulation.
You can save time by splurging for a specialized vacuum. Choose a model built for the rigors of sweeping dirt off the horse's coat.
Horses don't need to be bathed, but you probably include shampooing in your grooming regime. Like other grooming products, the shampoo you apply is a surfactant, or a surface-active substance. It cleanses by lathering and dispersing the soap evenly. A good equine shampoo cleans without removing natural oils of the skin. Some therapeutic shampoos might "degrease" an oily coat. Stain lifters remove brown blotches from light-colored hair.
To condition the coat, you soothe and moisturize hair and skin. Although a well-fed horse will have a shiny coat naturally, conditioning and polishing can make him gleam even more.
Conditioners might contain emollients, or agents that soften skin. These products also rehydrate, to replenish body fluids. Those for mane and tail will detangle twisted hairs.
To revitalize and rejuvenate hair and skin, you might choose a therapeutic conditioner. Some might be exfoliating, or remove dead cells from the skin.
After cleaning comes polishing. Increase the shine with "rubbing" (vigorous brushing or rubbing with a cloth). Use a finishing brush, rub rag, or grooming mitt to distribute oils throughout the coat.
Here you're faced with a barrage of brand-name products, all promising to make your horse shine like no other. The result of polishing is a haircoat (or hoof) that reflects light in an attractive luster. You also can apply cover-up products to alter the appearance of the color of hair or hoof, along with a gel or mousse to smooth and style mane, tail, and forelock.
Another aspect of polishing is trimming excess hair. You'll probably pick electric clippers to take hairs off the muzzle, ears, face, jawline, and lower legs. You might even shave the horse's body, shortening the winter coat to make him easier to cool out after exercise.
With the coat clean, conditioned, and polished, you'll feel the results of grooming by stroking the smooth hairs. Along with admiring the sheen of a finely groomed animal, you appreciate a pleasant fragrance. Brand names add fragrances to please the human, not the horse.
Products also protect from the effects of environment and insects. Sunscreens can shield the hair and skin from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the sun. They have SPF ratings or contain PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid).
Insect repellents ward off flies, mosquitoes, gnats, and other bothersome creatures. Insects irritate the horse by landing on him, and their bites can sting or even inflame the skin. The horse reacts by rubbing to alleviate the distress.
In your grooming tasks, you look at the results on the surface. Yet what you do to the hair coat affects the skin as well, and contributes to its well-being.
Grooming helps you manage your horse's health. "We look at grooming as a part of groundwork," said Tom Tweeten, PhD, a biochemist with About the Horse Science, Inc. "You get a feel for the horse on the ground, before you ever get on its back. It's part of the warming up process."
So what's good, and what's potentially harmful? Time to read the fine print on product labels!
What's In The Bottle
You don't need to interpret every aspect of a product's formula, but you should examine the label. Because these aren't products intended for human use, manufacturers don't have to declare components. Some label their products with the list of ingredients, along with dosage and administration, and precautions. Other companies protect their trade secrets with vague statements (such as "patented ingredients") or no information.
Brand-name recipes are produced by combining materials of different chemical formulas. The resulting solutions are compounds.
Organic compounds include lipids (such as fats, oils, waxes, sterols, and triglycerides) and proteins. Your horse's living cells are made up of these organic compounds. His hair and hooves consist of the protein substance keratin.
As you read labels, consider the roles of ingredients. Each ingredient contributes a function, and the ingredient should be compatible with the hair's keratin structure. For example, does the product contain a solvent? The American Heritage Dictionary describes a solvent as "a substance in which another substance is dissolved, forming a solution; A substance, usually a liquid, capable of dissolving another substance."
Examples include alcohol, used as a solvent or cleaning solution, and glycerin, both a solvent and an emollient. Acetone can be used as an organic solvent.
Making a typical product involves extracting raw material to blend it into a formula. Many liquids begin with oil and water. With the popularity of "natural" products, you'll see essential oils as ingredients. These are distilled from a plant, and usually mixed with a carrier oil.
Citronella, from a tropical Asian grass (Cymbopogon nardus), is one such oil. The aromatic oil obtained from this plant is used in human and equine insect repellents. Cedar oil also adds a fragrance that can repel insects.
In conditioners, you'll see examples of humectants, or substances that promote retention of moisture. Glycerin is from glycerol, a liquid obtained from fats and oils. Cy Faries, of Exhibitor Labs, Inc., explained, "Glycerin is a wonderful humectant. Used in the same material with alcohol, you maintain the balance and still get rapid drying, as in hair spray."
Another popular moisturizing ingredient is aloe vera, from the plant Aloe barbadensis. Aloe is known for its soothing and healing properties. Surprisingly, nettle is another ingredient that soothes the skin.
You'll also see moisturizers containing oils from avocado, lavender, almond, rose, rosemary, pine, and wheat germ. Lanolin, fat extracted from wool, is another natural ingredient.
David Fletcher, of Unanimous, praised jojoba for its properties. "Jojoba is a therapeutic agent, which prepares skin for growth. It removes sebum. The skin retains proper moisture."
Vitamin E is added to moisturizers, and Panthenol (vitamin B-5) is used in repairing dry, brittle hair. Jim Cummings, of Cowboy Magic, explained, "Panthenol is vitamin B-5 made from rice bran pantothenic acid. Panthenol attaches to hair shaft barbs to fill in and add smoothness, plus other benefits." He also described silk protein: "A byproduct of vaporized silk molecules, recondensed into a liquid form to add strength, shine, texture, and ability to hold moisture."
Petroleum-based products also can function as emollients. Petrochemical, or a chemical derived from petroleum, doesn't mean harmful. Petrolatum, known as petroleum jelly, remains a staple for many uses. Mineral oil is an effective lubricant.
Cindy Carfore, president of Shapley's, described how an oil-based product balances a drying or healing action with moisturizing. "M-T-G has a drying agent and conditioning agents to keep the skin moist and conditioned. It protects against the elements that cause fungus." This conditioner is designed as a leave-in product, to condition the hair and skin.
The lubricant silicone comes from the mineral silica. Used on hair, this substance improves how hairs slide against each other, remaining slick and reflecting light. It also repels dust and dirt.
Shampoos are detergents, made of chemical compounds. Many contain sodium laureth sulfate and/or sodium lauryl sulfate. Both are derived from lauric acid, and they are found in top-quality salon products.
Cocamide is a detergent product, made with coconut oils and an organic compound, amine. You'll see cocamide MEA (made with the amine, monethanolamine) and cocamide DEA (with diethalolamine).
Products might contain astringents, to dry and tighten skin. Witch hazel can help relieve itching.
Antiseptic, antimicrobial, or antibacterial properties of some products can prevent or treat minor skin irritations. Examples of natural ingredients include thymol (of thyme oil), eucalyptol (oil from eucalyptus), and the popular tea tree oil (from Melaleuca alternifolia).
Pyrethins are compounds found in many fly repellents. They form the active ingredients of pyrethrum (from chrysanthemum flowers). One brand of repellent contains DEET, a colorless, oily liquid that earns its name from d.t., or diethyl toluamide.
Products benefit from added fragrances, to improve the smell of the formulation. Natural fragrances, such as verbena or chamomile, can please your nose without irritating the horse.
Lotions And Potions
You'll read confusing product claims as you explore brands. To stand out in the marketplace, companies present their product's features and benefits. Marketers want to convince you to buy the bottle, rather than the actual contents. Be a smart consumer by examining claims to separate objective fact from subjective opinion.
Some manufacturers have experience making human personal care products. You'll see the adjectives "human-grade" or "salon-quality" applied to equine products.
A relevant definition is "pH balanced" or "pH neutral." The pH value indicates acidity or alkalinity, with 7.1 as neutral. A horse's skin is in the range of 4.5 to 6, or more acid than alkaline. A high alkaline soap affects the skin's protective acid mantle. Some name-brand human shampoos are as high as 11.
You'll see the claim "mild but effective." As in the "gentle but spirited" horse for sale, a product must strike a balance between safety and action. You want to buy a product that works on your horse, without damaging hair or skin.
What if you want to color hair harmlessly? Try a tack shop alternative to the drugstore to match your horse's shade. Carfore described Show Touch Up as a temporary coloring. "It's a color pigment, not a paint or a lacquer. It coats the surface of the hair shaft, to cover temporarily a blemish or scar." This product washes out with soap and water, or, as in the case of the darker pigments, washing with baby oil. (A permanent dye would strip hair color.)
How do lotions and potions really work? Most often, the answer is subjective, as you won't be able to obtain proof. For example, you'll see combination products, such as a shampoo that washes in a fly repellent, or a fly repellent doubling as a sunscreen and also polishing the coat. You won't know how the product really works on your horse until you buy it and try it.
You might see the terms "harsh" or "gentle" to describe cleansing substances. A detergent, like the compound you scrub on your skin, is harsh on the skin. Soap, made from natural oils and fats, is most likely gentler than the sink cleanser or solvents found in dishwashing liquids. Propylene glycol, a shampoo ingredient, has been linked to sensitivity reactions in humans.
A product might coat the hair, or actually penetrate it. Faries explained how the body of the hair shaft, the cortex, is soft. He described the cuticle, or the sleeve around the cortex, as follows: "The cuticle is like snake skin, with embriations like scales. It's a tough material, and very flexible. It can bend without breaking."
He described how his color-intensifying Quic Color works by penetrating between the embriations, and through the translucent cuticle, refracting light outward. The result is a richer color to the human eye.
Fletcher explained how an agent can penetrate into the hair. He uses biotin in the product Restoration. "It's hydrolized, which means the molecular structure of the biotin ingredient has been reduced down to absorb into the cuticle layer. It stimulates the skin so the papilla of the hair will grow."
Fletcher added, "It's expensive to penetrate the hair shaft. It's cheap to coat it. A product may contain four ounces pure product, and the rest is filler."
As a consumer, you're bombarded with ads for "natural" formulations. What does a "natural solvent" or "99% natural" really mean? In some cases, either could represent plain water. And when you read "aloe-enriched," you might infer a thick gel of moisturizing aloe. The enrichment can be a very small percentage of this essential oil.
Investigate the facts behind "miracle" or "revolutionary." For example, just because a product has a connection with NASA doesn't mean it helps animals on Earth.
Find out which manufacturers maintain their own laboratories, and how they conduct product research. In most cases, research consists of testing the product on a range of horses. Research rarely is conducted according to scientific protocol.
You'll read lots of negative claims, too, as in "non-greasy" or "non-oily." Oil and grease imply messy, yet oils--especially the popular extracts from plants--are present in many products.
Equine Cautions
How much can surface treatments change the horse? As you examine products, remember medicine's guideline to "first do no harm." For that balance between mild yet effective, you need to groom with care.
Follow the application directions, such as diluting a concentrate with water at recommended proportions. To mix a concentrate with water in an emulsion, as with a fly repellent concentrate, shake the bottle of mixture well before use. Shaking disperses the concentrate through the water.
When using a potent shampoo, like an antibacterial brand, leave it on the coat for the specified time before rinsing. Manufacturers also might specify frequency of treatment, and restrictions on using conflicting grooming products.
Investigate possible side effects. Applying too much product can backfire, as in improper use of polishes. Silicone has been linked with skin problems, because it tends to build up on the coat. It's hard to wash out the residue. Faries noted, "A molecule of silicone will attach to itself. It forms almost a vacuum, and it's not water-soluble." He added that a hybrid silicone and organic formula, an organic molecule, has the advantages of silicone's sheen and detangling, without sealing off the hair.
Individual horses can have sensitive skin and can react to ingredients. Just because a horse is a large animal, he's not insensitive. A typical horse has more than 50 square feet of skin, and an uncomfortable sensation on all that area could create quite a feeling of irritation.
A grooming product might be the cause of irritation, itching, burning, heat rash, or hives. Although it's difficult to trace a specific skin condition to a product, high alkalinity in a shampoo can cause a horse to rub.
A horse might have an allergic reaction to a certain substance. If you suspect your horse might be allergic, look for hypoallergenic products and read labels carefully. You also can conduct a test by applying a small amount of product on a patch of the horse's skin.
A dry skin condition might be traced to alcohol's drying effect. Alcohol rapidly evaporates and cools the skin, reducing the oil on the skin. Dryness also could be caused by overuse of shampoos formulated for human use. Tweeten noted, "Human care products are used daily. Humans shower every day. Do we want to use a human care product that will be put on the horse one day, which is designed to be replenished 24 hours later?"
Products can pose more serious dangers to the horse. Just as in household products, many of these are hazardous to health.
Read the label of any repellent. Fly repellents can contain toxins that cause a poisonous effect through physical contact, ingestion, or inhalation. The herb pennyroyal is toxic. One gel cautions against contact with the skin--and yet it's made to apply onto the horse's skin.
Some brands are labeled nontoxic. The label might imply the product is safe to ingest, but don�t do it or let it get in your horse�s drinking source.
Try to keep a repellent out of the horse's eyes. If you apply a gel to the inside of the ear, realize that it's likely to melt and run down inside the ear.
Show horses undergo special beauty treatments. With some breeds, it's a standard practice to sand the hoof walls smooth, then apply a shiny hoof polish for a slick appearance. Remove the polish after the show, so the wall doesn't dry out.
If you use a facial highlighter on the muzzle and around the eyes, apply only enough for the effect. If the oil or cream gets too hot, excess product will melt. Remove highlighting products after a show.
The tools you use also affect the horse's well-being. A sensitive horse might object to the stiff fibers in your body brush. Rubbing the hair and skin with a metal-toothed currycomb can cause pain and irritate the skin. Clipper blades get hot with continued use in a body-clipping session, and the blades can burn the skin.
Use grooming appliances with care. Stand the horse on a dry surface, and keep an eye on the appliance. Never allow the cord to contact water on the barn floor or be in the way where a wayward metal-shod hoof can cut into the cord.
With any scissors or blade, watch the horse's movement when you use the instrument. He could spook while you're scraping off bot eggs, and you could lacerate the skin.
Grooming wraps can cause discomfort and injury. Incorrectly applied, a tail wrap can inhibit circulation and actually cause permanent damage. A mane tamer or hood of stretchy fabric might smooth the mane, but fabric or fasteners can snag on objects in the stall or pen. Close observation is necessary to avoid problems when extra horse "clothing" is being used.
A neck sweat, used in combination with a sweating lotion, "reduces" the neck by creating heat. If you combine the sweat with an attached hair dryer, blowing hot air, you can overheat the horse, cause dehydration, or even give him an electric shock from the appliance. The sweating lotion can run into his eyes and burn. Rinse all lotion off of your horse when you remove the wrap.
Human And Environmental Cautions
Grooming-related accidents usually involve a product. Any of these items can harm you--directly or indirectly. Whenever you groom the horse, position the animal in a restricted area. Tie him so he remains in one place.
The horse can hurt you as he evades a grooming treatment. Train him to accept the noise of clippers and pump spray bottles. Avoid startling him through the static shock of rubbing. If he spooks, he can step on you, or hit you with his head or body.
Watch for dangers in the barn while you're grooming. Hoses and electrical cords involved in grooming can entangle you or the horse.
Many of these products aren't "green" (good for the environment). Fly repellents are considered hazardous materials when shipped, and many labels note, "Do not recycle bottle." Many also are labeled as "Flammable."
Products can include chlorofluorocarbons, known to attack the ozone layer. However, most brand-name products have become less harmful. Look for biodegradable solutions, which means that microorganisms can break down the prouct into compounds found in nature. A green product contains no phosphates, chlorine bleach, or dyes.
By using products with care, you'll enjoy admiring your well-groomed horse. His smooth skin, a gleaming coat, and a silky tail will reflect your concern.
About the Author
Charlene Strickland
Award-winning writer Charlene Strickland lives in Bosque Farms, N.M. She has published 8 books and over 600 magazine articles, and is a member of the International Alliance of Equestrian Journalists.
Related Content
Hoof Care and Disease (AAEP Convention 2012)
Complicated Equine Skin Diseases
Study: Zebra Stripes Deter Horseflies
Support Strategies in Chronic Laminitis Cases
Cryotherapy Methods to Treat Laminitis
Biosecurity for Hospitals and Horse Farms
Electrochemotherapy Successful in Treating Equine Sarcoids
Solid Tumors in Horses: Characteristics and Treatments
Heritable Equine Skin Disorders
Equine Pythiosis: Unsightly, Deadly, and Spreading


text:
Skip to page content
Whilst walking along the southwest coast path yesterday just west of Abbotsbury, we found 3 large bees resting on the grass. They were totally black, furry all over and each very large - over an inch long. What is this bee We cant find a match on the web as it doesnt seem to match the native black bee due to size and furriness...
How about a carpenter bee?
Xylocopa violacea seems to be the only species of Xylocpa that occurs in the UK (much commoner in other parts of Europe; I have seen them in Switzerland and Cyprus)


text:
Skip to comments.Prius Outdoes Hummer in Environmental Damage
Posted on 03/14/2007 2:00:06 PM PDT by tcrlaf
The Toyota Prius has become the flagship car for those in our society so environmentally conscious that they are willing to spend a premium to show the world how much they care.
Unfortunately for them, their ultimate green car is the source of some of the worst pollution in North America; it takes more combined energy per Prius to produce than a Hummer.
Before we delve into the seedy underworld of hybrids, you must first understand how a hybrid works. For this, we will use the most popular hybrid on the market, the Toyota Prius.
The Prius is powered by not one, but two engines: a standard 76 horsepower, 1.5-liter gas engine found in most cars today and a battery- powered engine that deals out 67 horsepower and a whooping 295ft/lbs of torque, below 2000 revolutions per minute.
Essentially, the Toyota Synergy Drive system, as it is so called, propels the car from a dead stop to up to 30mph. This is where the largest percent of gas is consumed. As any physics major can tell you, it takes more energy to get an object moving than to keep it moving. The battery is recharged through the braking system, as well as when the gasoline engine takes over anywhere north of 30mph. It seems like a great energy efficient and environmentally sound car, right?
You would be right if you went by the old government EPA estimates, which netted the Prius an incredible 60 miles per gallon in the city and 51 miles per gallon on the highway.
Unfortunately for Toyota, the government realized how unrealistic their EPA tests were, which consisted of highway speeds limited to 55mph and acceleration of only 3.3 mph per second.
The new tests which affect all 2008 models give a much more realistic rating with highway speeds of 80mph and acceleration of 8mph per second.
This has dropped the Priuss EPA down by 25 percent to an average of 45mpg. This now puts the Toyota within spitting distance of cars like the Chevy Aveo, which costs less then half what the Prius costs.
However, if that was the only issue with the Prius, I wouldnt be writing this article. It gets much worse.
Building a Toyota Prius causes more environmental damage than a Hummer that is on the road for three times longer than a Prius.
As already noted, the Prius is partly driven by a battery which contains nickel. The nickel is mined and smelted at a plant in Sudbury, Ontario. This plant has caused so much environmental damage to the surrounding environment that NASA has used the dead zone around the plant to test moon rovers.
The area around the plant is devoid of any life for miles.
The plant is the source of all the nickel found in a Prius battery and Toyota purchases 1,000 tons annually. Dubbed the Superstack, the plague-factory has spread sulfur dioxide across northern Ontario, becoming every environmentalists nightmare.
The acid rain around Sudbury was so bad it destroyed all the plants and the soil slid down off the hillside, said Canadian Greenpeace energy-coordinator David Martin during an interview with Mail, a British-based newspaper.
All of this would be bad enough in and of itself; however, the journey to make a hybrid doesnt end there. The nickel produced by this disastrous plant is shipped via massive container ship to the largest nickel refinery in Europe.
From there, the nickel hops over to China to produce nickel foam. From there, it goes to Japan.
Finally, the completed batteries are shipped to the United States, finalizing the around-the-world trip required to produce a single Prius battery. Are these not sounding less and less like environmentally sound cars and more like a farce?
Wait, I havent even got to the best part yet.
When you pool together all the combined energy it takes to drive and build a Toyota Prius, the flagship car of energy fanatics, it takes almost 50 percent more energy than a Hummer - the Priuss arch nemesis.
Through a study by CNW Marketing called Dust to Dust, the total combined energy is taken from all the electrical, fuel, transportation, materials (metal, plastic, etc) and hundreds of other factors over the expected lifetime of a vehicle. The Prius costs an average of $3.25 per mile driven over a lifetime of 100,000 miles - the expected lifespan of the Hybrid.
The Hummer, on the other hand, costs a more fiscal $1.95 per mile to put on the road over an expected lifetime of 300,000 miles. That means the Hummer will last three times longer than a Prius and use less combined energy doing it.
So, if you are really an environmentalist - ditch the Prius. Instead, buy one of the most economical cars available - a Toyota Scion xB. The Scion only costs a paltry $0.48 per mile to put on the road. If you are still obsessed over gas mileage - buy a Chevy Aveo and fix that lead foot.
One last fun fact for you: it takes five years to offset the premium price of a Prius. Meaning, you have to wait 60 months to save any money over a non-hybrid car because of lower gas expenses.
I've often wondered what the resale value of this particular vehicle will be as well--what with the limited-life batteries costing thousands of dollars...
"I keep finding them stuck to the skid-plate of my Suburban..."
Of course, that's why they look so much like cockroaches.
I think the Prius is great and I don't understand why Rush hates them so.
The last time my liberal brother and I both visited my mother at the same time, I drove there in my gas-guzzling truck and he drove in his Prius.
He's a noted tightwad but whenever we needed to go anywhere, he volunteered to drive us all in his Prius (he probably thought he was helping to save the planet). So, I didn't need to fill up my truck once the entire trip until heading back.
So I have first-hand experience how the Prius saved me on gasoline... just by having a liberal brother than owned one.
Global Warming on FreeRepublic
Latest from Global Warming News Site
Latest from Junk Science (scroll down)
Smithsonian Scientists Report New Carbon Dioxide Study
John Kerry Starts 'Global Warming' Book Tour
This poor journalism student will get an "F" for not being politically correct and following the party line, which is "perception equals reality".
This reminds me of the time I looked up and found those old hippy wagon VW busses put out more pollution than your SUV. They have no cadilladic converters so they belch smoke.
Pray for W and Our Troops
This is an opportunity for me to bare my soul on this issue. I've been feeling really guilty about the brand new Excursion I bought for my wife this summer that only gets about 12 mpg.
It came time for my new vehicle this month, so to make amends to Mother Earth I made a concerted effort to get a more efficient means of transportation. My new F250 crew-cab that I bought Sunday gets 15mpg and I feel much better now.
Sudbury Ontario
South Park has shown us that the real name of this car is the "Pious".
I just wish the damn things would get out of the way. They seem to delight in creeping along holding up traffic.
I wonder what gas price is used to calculate the 60 months recoup figure? And sometimes you pay a little more to burn less gas.
stick with the Yaris. way cheaper and 40mpg.
Oh for heavens sake please use a spell checker or maybe get some brains before you post messages here:
cadilladic converter? It's called a catalytic converter for cryin out loud!
I'm a naturalized american citizen and some of you folks who were born here make us conservatives look like freegin idiotic rednecks.
I know, it was a play on words! Cadillac/catalytic. What Country do you come from so I make sure never to go there. Perhaps you can import a sense of humor.
BTW Lecture Spellcop, freegin is spelled friggin.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Ironically, the only reason to buy either is for ego trips. They're just off to different ego destinations.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Netsh Commands for Windows Hypertext Transfer Protocol (WINHTTP)
Atualizado: fevereiro de 2008
Aplica-se a: Windows Server 2008
You can use commands in the netsh winhttp context to configure proxy and tracing settings for Windows HTTP. The Netsh commands for winhttp can be run manually at the netsh prompt or in scripts and batch files.
To run these commands from the command prompt, you must either enter the netsh winhttp context or prepend the context to the command. For example, if you are at the command prompt but have not typed netsh and then winhttp to enter the netsh winhttp context, you must type:
netsh winhttp command
Where command is the command that you want to run, including all of the required parameters for the command.
For information on how to interpret netsh command syntax, see Formatting Legend.
This section contains the following commands:
flush logbuffer
import proxy
reset proxy
reset tracing
set proxy
set tracing
show proxy
show tracing
Netsh winhttp commands
The following entries provide details for each command.
flush logbuffer
Flushes the internal buffers for the log files.
flush loggbuffer
import proxy
Imports the proxy settings in the Internet Explorer Web browser's Internet Options. Importing settings from IE is the only available option
import proxy source =ie
reset proxy
Resets the WinHTTP proxy setting to DIRECT.
reset proxy
reset tracing
Resets the WinHTTP trace parameters to the default settings.
reset tracing
set proxy
Configures the WinHTTP proxy setting.
set proxy [proxy-server=] ProxyServerName [bypass-list=] <HostsList>
- Proxy-Server
- Required. Specifies the proxy server to use for http, secure http (https), or both http and https protocols.
- Bypass-list
- Optional. Specifies a list of Web sites that should be visited without utilizing the proxy server. Use "<local>" to bypass all short name hosts.
Following are three examples of how to use the set proxy command.
set proxy myproxy set proxy myproxy:80 "<local>bar" set proxy proxy-server="http=myproxy;https=sproxy:88" bypass-list="*.contoso.com"
set tracing
Configures the WinHTTP tracing parameters.
set tracing [output=] file | debugger | both [trace-file-prefix=] FilePrefix [level=] default | verbose [format=] ansi | hex [max-trace-file-size=] FileSize [state=] enabled |disabled
- Output
- Optional. Specifies whether tracing data is exported to a file, a debugger, or both.
- Trace-file-prefix
- Optional. Specifies a string value that is a prefix for the log file. The file prefix can include a folder location/path. Type "*" to delete an existing prefix.
- Level
- Optional. Specifies the amount of information to log.
- Format
- Optional. Specifies the display format of network traffic (hexadecimal or ansi).
- Max-trace-file-size
- Optional. Specifies a numeric value that is the maximum size of the trace file in bytes.
- State
- Required. Specifies whether tracing is enabled or disabled.
Following are two examples of how to use the set tracing command.
set tracing trace-file-prefix="C:\Temp\Test3" level=verbose format=hex set tracing output=debugger max-trace-file-size=512000 state=enabled
show proxy
Displays the current WinHTTP proxy setting.
show proxy
show tracing
Displays the current WinHTTP tracing parameters.
show tracing


text:
copyright the Chronicle March 26, 2014
This week, March 28, is the Chronicle's fortieth birthday. Chris and Ellen Braithwaite produced that first edition on typewriters in an Albany farmhouse. It had stories about Orleans Village winning a lawsuit, cuts to the Lake Region Union High School budget, an obituary, a review of a gardening book written by former West Glover resident Carey Scher — in other words, pretty much the same sort of things we're still writing about all these years later.
That first paper was by no means fancy. It was a mere eight pages, put out by relative newcomers to the area on antiquated equipment amidst small children, a mongrel dog, and, according to its first reporter, Colin Nickerson, monstrous spiders that the Braithwaites refused to kill on the grounds that they were natural insecticide.
But some people bought that very first Chronicle — and much to our surprise, some of them have continued to buy it every single week for the past 40 years.


text:
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Watch us on YouTube
Chuck Missler explorers the awesome, often hidden power behind the Federal Reserve system, and how this power can potentially threaten our financial and personal freedoms.
Chuck Missler examines the dangerous games played by the Federal Reserve, and how the huge national debt and federal deficit are leading inxexorably to national catastrophe.
Chuck Missler examines the state of this country's media, and how it has forsaken its watchdog role of the past to become a mouthpiece for political spin machines. What can we do as individuals?
John Loeffler details the insidious agenda behind Outcome Based Education (OBE) and Goals 2000. Hidden curriculums and positive-sounding legislation mask a dangerous trend in our educational systems.
Commentator Paul Harvey discusses how one vote - yours - can make a difference. Our republic funtions correctly only if the people VOTE for their leaders. It is a unique privledge is this world. Don't waste the chance.
Chuck Missler examines the process of Impeachment, and reveals how this is a very real tool for American to use in taking back its government!
John Loeffler exposes the insidious nature of Outcome Based Education and School-to-work. A wake-up call to the quietly growing dangers to the Christian faith and family.
Chuck Missler examines the many parallels between the Nixon impeachment and Clinton's laundry list of impeachable offenses.
Chuck Missler examines in detail the state of our nation, and how different we have let it become from the dream of our forefathers. We have given away valuable rights without a fight.
Chuck Missler briefly discusses the impeachment charges brought against William Clinton, why we should care, and what you can do.
James Hirsen examines the roots of our Executive Order process, and how this effective tool of government has been dangerously corrupted.
James Hirsen relates the history of executive orders in America, the way they've been used to increase presidential authority, and the possibility for corruption.
Charlton Heston gives a speech to the Harvard Law School Forum, decrying the tyranny of political correctness and calling us out to stand up for justice.
John Loeffler lists evidence that the FBI attempted to cover up their responsibility for the deaths of dozens of innocent men, women, and children in Waco, Texas.
Chuck Missler examines our scriptural and moral obligations to be informed and active participants in our own government.
John Loeffler describes the various means the governments of the world, including America's, have of invading their citizens' private lives and databasing everything about them.
Did Thomas Jefferson intend the rigid refusal of anything religious down the halls of government when he wrote his famous letter in 1802, or has the 'Wall of separation' been built on faulty grounds?
John Loeffler discusses the liklihood of Elian's being better off in Castro's Marxist Cuba.
Dave Barton of WallBuilders looks closer at the Election 2000 'fiasco' and points out the extremely positive effects that the tight presidential election had on America.
Are we facing an energy and an economic crisis or is this just a bump in the road being exploited by politicians to further an agenda?
It has become obvious that the future E.U. will involve the loss of much national sovereignty for member nations as that power is transferred to the politicians and bureaucrats in socialist Brussels.
The relative stability of the Middle East during the 1990s was bound to deteriorate as questions regarding final borders, refugee return, and Jerusalem were thrown on the negotiating table.
While some might consider the trial of Slobodan Milosevic a positive event, it should be seen as negative because the precedent it is setting in global law is dubious.
Will the 'War on Terrorism' - the reaction to the September 11 WTC-Pentegon attacks - effect healthy or destructive changes, and what will it cost in the end? Will the new legislation and improved international relations increase our safety?
Issues such as control of an undivided Jerusalem, final borders, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees were bound to rupture the fragile no-war brought by the Oslo Peace Accords. A year of escalating violence has made it clear that Oslo
What really happened at Roswell, New Mexico, in July of 1947? What about the the Rendlesham Forest incident in Great Britain? People continue to be fascinated with the mystery surrounding the subject of UFOs and aliens.
A group of highly classified scientists known as Majestic-12 allegedly met to investigate the UFO which crashed near Roswell, N.M. in 1947 - however, documents supporting the existence of MJ-12 have long been debunked. Is there evidence that the dis
Operation 'Iraqi Freedom' was well-planned and implemented, leading to the fall of Iraq. However, our true victory comes from prayer and true dependence on God.
Chuck Missler was an invited participant in the National Security Forum at the Air War College.
As Poland and other former Soviet bloc nations join the EU, they promise to be at odds with western Europe in a variety of ways.
The first major 'strategic trend' is Weapons Proliferation. The acquisition of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons by both terrorists and rogue nations is perhaps one of the greatest threats to our national security.
Rise of a European Superstate. The European Union has moved forward in its attempt to unite Europe politically and economically. It has succeeded in unifying and strengthening its economic market, creating a common currency, etc.
Global Pestilence involving Biological Terrorism and Genetic Engineering, The Struggle for Jerusalem, and the Magog Invasion are discussed in this third installment in the Strategic Trends series.
Global Governance, Ecumenical Religion, and America's Challenge are discussed in this final article in the Strategic Trends series.
Chuck explores what has been called ''the greatest betrayal of Israel committed by any American president in history.''
Bruce Malone, of Search for the Truth Ministries, explores the subject of guilt in the context of the value of life.
Gordon McDonald writes about a changing of the times a new paradigm.
Steve Elwart writes about, 'The Reluctant Hegemon'.
Personal Update, eNews, and more…
Shop Now →
"The Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed." A wealth of perspective and understanding at your fingertips. This is a perfect study tool for the serious Bible student. This comprehensive verse-by-verse collection will provide hours of uplifting and transforming Bible study and insights.
Buy Now →
Copyright © 1996-2018 by Koinonia House Inc., P.O. Box D, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816


text:
Submit News
Fisker Appoints New CEO, Eliminates Battery/Engine Compartment as Causes for Fire
Tiffany Kaiser
August 14, 2012 10:49 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
Fisker's new CEO Tony Posawatz
(Source: media.gm.com)
Tony Posawatz is replacing Tom LaSorda after only six months as Fisker CEO
After only six months of service and a laundry list of troubles, Fisker Automotive's CEO has been booted from his position.
Tom LaSorda, who was named CEO of Fisker back in February 2012 when founder Henrik Fisker stepped down, is leaving the company, but will still be an adviser. He is being replaced by Tony Posawatz, who was the former head of
Chevrolet Volt
production for General Motors.
Posawatz has 30 years of experience at General Motors, and was a large part of bringing the Volt from concept to production.
"We are delighted to be adding an executive of Tony's caliber to the Fisker Automotive leadership team," said Fisker. "His depth of knowledge and experience in this innovative field of new technology means that he is one of the world's most experienced leaders in vehicle electrification technology and the plug-in ecosystem. In the long-term, he will ensure that Fisker is well positioned to maximize the potential of not only
the Karma sedan
, but also bring the Fisker Atlantic smoothly to market."
Just last week,
Fisker had its second incident where a Karma plug-in caught fire
while in the possession of a customer. The first occurred only four months sooner in a customer's garage in Houston, causing a house fire.
Last week's incident happened in a Woodside, California grocery store parking lot while the customer was inside shopping. When he came outside, his Karma was on fire and had to be put out by the Woodside Fire Department. There was considerable damage to the vehicle.
There are many speculations as to how the fire started, such as issues with
the lithium ion battery
(which the company had to recall in December 2011) and the "crowded" engine compartment/exhaust routing method.
Fisker recently confirmed that none of these rumors are true. The automaker has started investigating the cause of the Woodside fire, and while there is no set conclusion yet, it has ruled out those possible sources.
"The area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment," said Fisker in a statement. "There was no damage to the passenger compartment and there were no injuries.
"Continued investigative efforts will be primarily focused within the specific area of origin, located forward on the driver's side front tire. Further details will be announced after a full report is completed."
In addition to Karma-related issues, Fisker has had troubles with its Atlantic hybrid, which
may have to be built outside of the United States
because of its lack of access to government funds.
In April 2010, California-based Fisker Automotive received a total of $529 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for clean vehicles, but in May 2011, DOE froze its loans after
delivery of the Karma plug-in was delayed and ended up falling behind schedule. DOE said Fisker did not meet the milestones previously promised, and since then, Fisker has not been able to access the DOE loans.
The loans were also meant to revamp a closed General Motors plant in Wilmington, Delaware for Fisker auto production. So far, Fisker has drawn down $193 million from its loans, but there's a chance that the company may never see the rest of it.
In February 2012, Fisker was forced to
lay off 26 factory workers at the Delaware plant
In addition to the CEO shake-up, Fisker appointed Joe Chao to executive vice president and CEO of Fisker China and Asia. Also, Alberto Gonzalez was named vice president of Manufacturing.
Fisker Automotive
"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." -- Scientology founder L. Ron. Hubbard
Related Articles
Round Two: Fisker Karma Goes Up in Flames in California
August 13, 2012, 3:49 PM
Sales of Chevrolet Volt Surge as Nissan Leaf Sales Wither
August 2, 2012, 9:43 AM
Fisker May Build Atlantic Hybrid Outside of U.S.; Generates $100M in 2012 Karma Sales
May 31, 2012, 8:31 PM
Fisker Loses Access to DOE Loan, Lays Off Delaware Factory Employees
February 7, 2012, 11:31 AM
Fisker Recalls More Than 200 Karma Plug-In Hybrids Over Battery Concerns
December 30, 2011, 9:25 AM
Latest Headlines
BMW 530e hybrid will get Wireless Charging Pad in 2018
September 26, 2017, 8:02 AM
Lyft Steps into the Autonomous Car Market
July 22, 2017, 7:02 AM
30 People will get new Tesla Model 3 vehicles on July 28
July 11, 2017, 8:24 AM
Dubai announces passenger drone plans.
February 14, 2017, 7:56 AM
Lucky LA Residence
January 28, 2017, 4:00 AM
Debuted at CES 2017 - Corning Gorilla Glass Concept Car
January 7, 2017, 3:02 AM
More Headlines
Most Popular Articles
Latest Blog Posts
Google Amazon Feud affects Customers
Elroy Bethell
Dec 6, 2017, 6:55 AM
Amazon Marketplace – Now Features Pet Profiles
Elroy Bethell
Dec 5, 2017, 6:17 AM
Apple iOS 11.2 – Fixes bug in iOS 11
Elroy Bethell
Dec 3, 2017, 7:02 AM
Amazon Alexa – Recognizes Different Voices & Gives Different Reponsesma
Elroy Bethell
Dec 2, 2017, 9:25 AM
Kardiaband – FDA Approved Medical Device for Apple Watch
Elroy Bethell
Nov 30, 2017, 7:45 AM
Samsung Graphene Batteries – Promise 12 Minute Charging
Elroy Bethell
Nov 29, 2017, 7:20 AM
Samsung Galaxy S9 - May Launch with on-screen fingerprint sensor.
Elroy Bethell
Nov 28, 2017, 6:25 AM
Cyber Monday 2017 – Do's and Don'ts
Elroy Bethell
Nov 27, 2017, 7:38 AM
Givenchy VR Googles – Fashion Reality Meets Virtual Reality
Elroy Bethell
Nov 25, 2017, 8:40 AM
Firefox Quantum Browser – Soon to Detect Hacked Websites
Elroy Bethell
Nov 24, 2017, 8:45 AM
Elon Musk Completes World Largest Lithium Ion Battery
Elroy Bethell
Nov 23, 2017, 8:45 AM
Uber hacked – Pays Hackers for Secrecy
Elroy Bethell
Nov 22, 2017, 7:25 AM
German Regulators ban Children's smartwatches
Elroy Bethell
Nov 21, 2017, 7:30 AM
Fake Mobile Apps – Black Friday Shoppers Beware
Elroy Bethell
Nov 20, 2017, 6:54 AM
Quantum Chips and Google
Saimin Nidarson
Nov 12, 2017, 6:45 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2018 DailyTech LLC. -
RSS Feed
About Us
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information
Kristopher Kubicki


text:
Submit News
Japan Plans Curvaceous Maglev Train to Connect Osaka and Tokyo by 2045
Jason Mick
November 29, 2012 5:23 PM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
(Source: Phys.org)
Train will speed along at 311 mph, will carry 900+ passengers
Maglev trains represent a perplexing puzzle to civil engineers. While the price of entry
can be much higher
than traditional rail based trains, maglevs -- trains held aloft by powerful electro magnets -- experience no friction, meaning they cost far less to maintain.
But the high construction costs have meant that only two commercial maglevs are currently in existence. Now the home nation of one of those two high-tech rail systems -- Japan -- is dreaming of a far more ambitious maglev line connecting Tokyo and Osaka with trains travelling safely at 311 mph.
Japan's current maglev system is only 8.9 kilometers (5.9 miles) long, and is located in Aichi, near the city of Nagoya. Dubbed "Linimo", the line operates at a "lowly" cruising speed of 62 mph. The line has struggled with losses in recent years and cost over $100M USD per km to construct.
But those struggles have not swayed Central Japan Railway Comp. (JR Tokai) (
), which
plans to deploy
the sleek Series L0 prototype in 2027. The front car will stretch ninety-two feet, with over half of that length devoted to an aerodynamic nose cone. It will haul 14 carriages, each with 68 passengers in rows of four seats, with the exception of the last carriage, which seats only 24 (for a total of 908 passengers).
The first engineering mockups of the train were unveilled earlier this month.
The Series L0 Train [Image Source: Phys.org]
The train is planned to initially travel between the Shinagawa Station in central Tokyo to Nagoya, cities separated by roughly 218 miles on Japan's eastern coast. Today the trip would take four hours by car or 90 minutes on the
fastest rail-based bullet trains
, but travelling at a blistering 311 mph, the next-generation maglev rail is expect to deliver passengers there in just 40 minutes.
JR Tokia plans to eventually extend the system to connect to Osaka by 2045. Lead developer Yasukazu Endo comments, "Through the test runs, we will make final checks to ensure that commercial services are comfortable."
Long a leader in high-speed rail, Japan has recently seen
fierce competition
from its rival, China. China currently owns the only other active commercial maglev system in the world, a line in Shanghai. China is moving aggressively forward with its
high speed rail expansion plans
, despite the embarassing setback of having to
scale back its line speeds
record paces
due to allegations of contractor corruption leading to shoddy construction.
The U.S. is currently
pondering a maglev system of its own
, but such plans remain in their early infancy, with few large commercial backers.
"Nowadays you can buy a CPU cheaper than the CPU fan." -- Unnamed AMD executive
Related Articles
China Unveils 310 MPH High-Speed Test Train
December 26, 2011, 9:51 AM
China Slows High Speed Trains Amid Reports of Shoddy Construction
April 28, 2011, 6:27 PM
China Breaks Its Own Train Speed Record, Will Spend 1 Trillion USD on High Speed Rail
September 30, 2010, 10:11 AM
U.S. Left in the Dust as China Unveils World's Fastest High Speed Train
June 7, 2010, 7:08 AM
U.S. Maglev System One Step Closer
June 9, 2008, 5:50 AM
Latest Headlines
BMW 530e hybrid will get Wireless Charging Pad in 2018
September 26, 2017, 8:02 AM
Lyft Steps into the Autonomous Car Market
July 22, 2017, 7:02 AM
30 People will get new Tesla Model 3 vehicles on July 28
July 11, 2017, 8:24 AM
Dubai announces passenger drone plans.
February 14, 2017, 7:56 AM
Lucky LA Residence
January 28, 2017, 4:00 AM
Debuted at CES 2017 - Corning Gorilla Glass Concept Car
January 7, 2017, 3:02 AM
More Headlines
Most Popular Articles
Latest Blog Posts
Google Amazon Feud affects Customers
Elroy Bethell
Dec 6, 2017, 6:55 AM
Amazon Marketplace – Now Features Pet Profiles
Elroy Bethell
Dec 5, 2017, 6:17 AM
Apple iOS 11.2 – Fixes bug in iOS 11
Elroy Bethell
Dec 3, 2017, 7:02 AM
Amazon Alexa – Recognizes Different Voices & Gives Different Reponsesma
Elroy Bethell
Dec 2, 2017, 9:25 AM
Kardiaband – FDA Approved Medical Device for Apple Watch
Elroy Bethell
Nov 30, 2017, 7:45 AM
Samsung Graphene Batteries – Promise 12 Minute Charging
Elroy Bethell
Nov 29, 2017, 7:20 AM
Samsung Galaxy S9 - May Launch with on-screen fingerprint sensor.
Elroy Bethell
Nov 28, 2017, 6:25 AM
Cyber Monday 2017 – Do's and Don'ts
Elroy Bethell
Nov 27, 2017, 7:38 AM
Givenchy VR Googles – Fashion Reality Meets Virtual Reality
Elroy Bethell
Nov 25, 2017, 8:40 AM
Firefox Quantum Browser – Soon to Detect Hacked Websites
Elroy Bethell
Nov 24, 2017, 8:45 AM
Elon Musk Completes World Largest Lithium Ion Battery
Elroy Bethell
Nov 23, 2017, 8:45 AM
Uber hacked – Pays Hackers for Secrecy
Elroy Bethell
Nov 22, 2017, 7:25 AM
German Regulators ban Children's smartwatches
Elroy Bethell
Nov 21, 2017, 7:30 AM
Fake Mobile Apps – Black Friday Shoppers Beware
Elroy Bethell
Nov 20, 2017, 6:54 AM
Quantum Chips and Google
Saimin Nidarson
Nov 12, 2017, 6:45 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2018 DailyTech LLC. -
RSS Feed
About Us
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information
Kristopher Kubicki


text:
|Related Sections:
|Ocean County
Metedeconk National Golf Club - Back/Third Course55 Hannah Hill Rd
Jackson, NJ 08527
Phone: (732)928-0111Fax: (732)928-1838
This course recently expanded to twenty-seven holes. The three nines are played in three eighteen hole combinations. The new nine holes on the Third Course are very similar in design and layout, except that the greens are a little larger than those on the original eighteen holes. They also have a little more undulation. The fairways are narrow, putting an emphasis on accuracy off the tee. The signature hole is #7, requiring a tee shot up a dogleg right fairway. Water hazards come into play on seven holes. "Golf Digest" rated this as the 6th "Best in State" course for 1995-96, and the 8th best for 1997-98. The club opened a new 20,000-square foot clubhouse in 1997. Due to the private nature of the club, greens fees and cart fees are not available for publication.
|Holes: 18
|Greens: Bent Grass
|Fairways: Bent Grass
|Greens Fees:
|(subject to change)
|Course Type:
|Dress Code:
|No denim, collared shirt and bermuda shorts required
|Mar 15 to Nov 30
|Guest Policy:
* Update this Course: Update/modify the details for this golf course's listing.
*All Greens Fees provided are subject to change. Please call the golf course to confirm the current fees.


text:
In a program I'm working on, I have a header file which defines some structs. In that same header file I have 2 pointers:
I want to use these pointers globally throughout the program, so that wherever I include the header file, I have access to them. However, while linking I get these errors:Code:
Window* gwindow; // global pointer to core Window obj
Settings* gsettings; // global pointer to core Settings obj
multiple definition of `gwindow'
first defined here
multiple definition of `gsettings'
first defined here
It must say that about 5 times each for gwindow and gsettings. What does this mean? I'm guessing everytime I include the file, it redefines the the pointer or something? How do I get around this?


text:
Surgery not necessary for Strasburg
Right-hander to rest injured left knee, undergo therapy
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will not need surgery on his left knee, according to a baseball source.
After Strasburg went to see Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles, it was determined Strasburg needs to rest the knee, put ice on it and undergo therapy. Strasburg and general manager Mike Rizzo were not available for comment.
Strasburg was scratched from Saturday's start in the Arizona Fall League championship game because of the twisted left knee, suffered during a Phoenix Desert Dogs workout on Thursday afternoon.
An MRI showed inflammation in the knee.
Strasburg, who was the first overall pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, made five AFL starts, going 4-1 with a 4.26 ERA. He struck out 26 batters in 19 innings for the Desert Dogs.
It marks the second time Strasburg was injured during the AFL season. Previously, a neck injury forced him to miss a start.
Strasburg reportedly hurt his left knee while shagging fly balls.
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Los Angeles - Tinseltown's A-list stars offered up a healthy serving of old-school Hollywood glamour on the Oscars red carpet on Sunday, with strapless gowns and pale colours most definitely in vogue.
Best actress nominee Jessica Chastain, a frontrunner for Oscars gold for her role as a CIA agent tracking Osama bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty, sparkled in a strapless, beaded flesh-coloured Armani gown, her red tresses flowing.
"It's a 'Happy birthday, Mr President' kind of dress," Chastain said, referring to a classic Marilyn Monroe fashion moment. "It's an honour to wear a dress that evokes old Hollywood."
But she told CNN her chances to win were slim: "I just don't think it's my year... I don't think I'm going to win."
Chastain's main rival, Silver Linings Playbook star Jennifer Lawrence, strutted her stuff in a strapless cream Dior gown with a full puffy skirt.
"This was such a passion project for all of us," she told E! television on the red carpet, referring to the romantic comedy with an edge that earned a total of eight nominations, including one for best picture.
Nine-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, the youngest ever best actress nominee, for Beasts Of The Southern Wild, wore a bejewelled navy blue Armani dress -accessorised with an age-appropriate fluffy puppy purse.
"It has been crazy!" Wallis said of all the attention given to her breakout performance, adding that her fellow nominees were "more sophisticated".
Amy Adams, a best supporting actress nominee for her performance in The Master, was on trend in a strapless pearly grey Oscar de la Renta princess gown with soft layers of tulle floating to the ground.
Reese Witherspoon got the strapless memo, but changed up the colour palette in a cobalt blue and black Louis Vuitton, and glammed it up with some old-school Veronica Lake curls tumbling down.
Les Miserables star Amanda Seyfried opted for a pale purple halter neck Alexander McQueen with a sexy keyhole neckline and upswept hair.
Best supporting actress nominee and two-time Oscar winner Sally Field, who starred opposite Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln, made a bold statement in a signature Valentino red dress with sheer long sleeves and a train.
And she definitely won the award for best accessory of the night - she arrived with Lincoln co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays her son in the film, on her arm.
For fashion and jewellery designers, having an A-list star show up on the Oscars red carpet in one of their creations is worth more than any print advertising - thanks to the global coverage of Tinseltown's biggest night.
Last year, Angelina Jolie's leg-popping appearance in a strapless black velvet Versace gown with a thigh-high slit went viral - and gave the Italian fashion house unbeatable media exposure. - Sapa-AFP


text:
Email Address:
Our Privacy Commitment: We will not sell or give your e-mail address to any other person or company. We will only send you our This Week in Congress Newsletter, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Liberal Actions Taken by Congressman Sensenbrenner during the 113th Congress of 2013-2014:
H. Amdt. 308 to H.R. 2609
H.R. 2609 (the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act) is a cash cow for connected corporations in the fossil fuels industry. These hugely profitable companies like to complain about government regulations that would limit the pollution that comes from burning oil, gas, and coal, but they love the money that the federal government pays them to help to boost their corporate profits. These subsidies come as a result of a concerted lobbying and campaign contribution effort by fossil fuel corporations. The subsidies that Congress awards to these corporations more than compensates those corporations for their costs in deploying lobbyists and writing checks.
In introducing an amendment to H.R. 2609, Representative Jackie Speier attempted to interrupt this flow of funds. If passed, Speier's amendment would have removed $30 million in extra government payments to oil, gas, and coal corporations that had been added on at the last minute by recipients of fossil fuel corporate largesse. A majority chiefly made up of Republicans, but also including 38 Democrats, voted down Speier's amendment.
Rep. Sensenbrenner has taken a liberal course of action by voting for this bill.


text:
FRASER, Mich. - Fraser police said a 22-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly stabbing her boyfriend with a kitchen knife.
Police said officers were called to a home near Utica and 15 Mile roads on March 23 for a domestic disturbance and found the 25-year-old boyfriend with two stab wounds. His live-in girlfriend, Tanisha Shenae Lewis, was arrested.
Police said three young children were also taken from the home.
Lewis is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and aggravated domestic assault.
Read more Local News headlines:
- Police: Thief dubbed 'funeral bandit' nabbed in Colorado
- 1 injured in explosion at Harrison Township apartments
- Good Samaritan saves newborn's life along roadway
- Second no-parole sentence tossed in Matt Landry murder
- 2 Warren police cars crash during chase
- No-parole sentence tossed out in Matt Landry murder case
- Workers protest in Warren over federal cuts
- Deputy charged with filing fake breathalyzer tests
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Church and state clashes are common. Solutions that satisfy are not.
Several recent local conflicts have tested the relationship between church and state and challenged those involved to defend or disparage the role of religion in public life.
An organization of atheists and agnostics asked the Aiken City Council to end the prayers that traditionally open its meetings. A week later, a letter to Augusta's government followed.
Last week, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Christian student at Augusta State University who contends she would be required to change her beliefs in order to graduate.
People of faith can find comfort in the fact that "the system is meant to work this way," said Michael Broyde, a professor of law at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University in Atlanta.
"It's a tension that comes from two competing values. We have an anti- establishment clause which mandates the federal government never pick one religion over another. We also have another, which says anyone is free to worship as they choose," he said. "Very few countries have both provisions."
In the eyes of the church, it's more than a clash of values. It's a collision of world views.
The Rev. David McKinley highlighted the ASU conflict from the pulpit of Warren Baptist Church last Sunday. He played a clip of 24-year-old Jennifer Keeton describing her convictions in a video for the Alliance Defense Fund, which filed the suit.
McKinley thanked God for a young lady who is unwilling to violate the authority of God in her life.
"She has been confronted with what I would call a form of academic bias and coercion. And that coercion has ultimately led to this basic premise: The practice of the Christian faith disqualifies a person from a credible practice of counseling. That is the foundation of this debate," he said. "There is a Greek word for that, spelled B-A-L-O-N-E-Y."
Her lawsuit, he said, is part of a larger cultural debate between the authority of God and the voice of culture.
"While our culture has clearly become more secular, you cannot take an eraser to history," McKinley said.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit, sent letters to Aiken and Augusta this month, asking that the cities no longer pray before meetings. They are two of more than 200 letters the group will send to municipalities across the country this year. Some letters are ignored; others are resolved; and still others become lawsuits.
Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor helped found the organization more than 30 years ago because she and her mother, Anne Nicol Gaylor, felt the First Amendment was being degraded.
"Our respect for our secular way of life is at stake," she said. "You have people talking about the nation's founding in faith. It's not true. They're going to win if no one stops them. We have a hostile Supreme Court. It's more important than ever to speak out."
The group celebrated a landmark success in April, when a U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of the foundation, which had filed suit claiming the National Day of Prayer, held in May every year since 1952, was unconstitutional.
A media firestorm resulted, drawing attention to the group's other causes.
"I have to tell you, the best way to end a violation is to go public, go to the media," Gaylor said. "We realized that if we let the public weigh in, sometimes it might not be in our favor, but these things work out."
IT'S TROUBLING TO THINK important matters are left to sways of popular opinion, said South Carolina Rep. J. Roland Smith, R-Warrenville, who is an ordained pastor in the Pentecostal Holiness church.
"There's such a thing as truth. Too few people believe that these days," Smith said. "There are warring factions in the U.S. There's an attempt to drive God out of the public sphere, which is ludicrous considering this nation was founded for the freedom to worship."
He said freedom of religion isn't the same as freedom from religion.
"We open the day up with a prayer and the pledge. We open up our assembly with a prayer and the pledge. We have our caucus meetings on Tuesday mornings, and those start with devotions," he said. "People don't have to participate, but you have to realize, these things are ingrained into public life. I resent being told I can't pray."
When conflict arises, courts should be a last resort, Smith said.
"The problem is the folks on the other side aren't willing to compromise their beliefs against religion but can't understand that we aren't willing to compromise our beliefs in that religion," he said.
The ASU case in particular rings of hypocrisy, said Dr. John Hill, the director of the Center for Care and Counseling for the CSRA, a nonprofit supported by churches to provide discounted mental health care and counseling.
In her suit, Keeton alleges that she is required to complete a remediation plan to alter her views against homosexuality if she wants to remain in the college's school counseling program.
"They want her to respect other views but won't respect her own," Hill said.
Keeton has said professors felt her Bible-based views in opposition to homosexuality are incompatible with the prevailing views in the counseling profession.
Yet, Hill said, it's common for counselors to work with clients they disagree with.
"There are lots of counselors who treat people with views very different than their own," he said.
Hill said the situation amounts to a clear case of discrimination against Christians.
"There is such a clash of world views, and people who have a traditional Christian view are being persecuted," he said. "There are nurses who are fired for not participating in abortions."
Christian pharmacists have also been fired for refusing to dispense birth control.
Broyde, the Emory professor, said such outcomes are to be expected: "I have the right to believe what I want to believe. I don't have the right to have a job with the same protections as my belief."
He says, for instance, that he could choose to be racist, but becoming a police officer and acting in accordance with racist beliefs would not be protected under the First Amendment.
"Just because an idea is protected doesn't mean my job is protected," Broyde said.
IT'S TROUBLING to call such conflicts "persecution," said John Macaulay, who teaches church history at Erskine College, a Christian school in Due West, S.C.
"There's a feeling that the church and Christians are under attack. Is it the persecution of the church in China or Pakistan? No, but in the U.S. it doesn't have to be because there are so many other examples degrading the church's authority," he said. "Historically, the church is at a point that it's never been before."
Since the Roman Empire, the church has gained power and influence and only recently experienced significant decline in authority, Macaulay said.
"I am concerned about the trend. It's not militant persecution, but it's in a form that seeks to take away power that Christians once had," he said.
Warren pastor McKinley hopes and expects a more vocal church body emerges from these conflicts. On Sunday, he reminded the congregation that their tax dollars support the school and they are not without a voice.
"There has always been a conflict with those who come under and receive God's authority in their lives and those who rebuff that," he said. "We're living in a day where the conflict of world views is the most vivid it's ever been. ... What is sufficient and authoritative for life? That is the debate. We won't accept anything less than the word of God."


text:
Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb.
The 30-year-old two-time World Series champion hit .301 with nine home runs, 42 doubles and drove in 84 runs last season, earning him an All-Star selection and Gold Glove.
Pedroia added 15 hits in 63 at-bats (.238) along with seven RBI in 16 postseason outings for the Red Sox.
Original Document:
Display Section:
MLB Teams:


text:
NCUA Approves 17 Mergers in August
The NCUA said it approved 17 mergers in 13 states in August, bringing the total number of approved mergers to 172 so far this year.
The August merger number is lower than August 2012 when the NCUA approved 24 mergers, according to the agency's monthly Insurance Activity Report. This year's August merger number is also lower than the 23 mergers in July and the 19 mergers June that were approved by the NCUA, the agency said.
Fourteen credit unions with less than $50 million in assets and one with $60 million in assets were merged out of existence, the report showed. California, Virginia, North Carolina and Utah each had two mergers.
Though NCUA approved the merger of two credit unions with more than $100 million in assets, one of those merger agreements had been cancelled, according to the agency.
The $139 million USU Charter Federal Credit Union in Logan, Utah, merged with the $849 million Goldenwest Federal Credit Union in Ogden, Utah. The combined credit union will manage assets of nearly $1 billion and serve more than 106,000 members.
The NCUA had approved the $168 million ICON Credit Union in Boise, Idaho, to merge with the $487 million Connexus Credit Union in Wausau, Wis. Despite the approval, the merger was called off, Connie Miller, president/CEO of ICON CU, told Credit Union Times Wednesday.
Meanwhile, 13 of the small credit unions merged with larger counterparts to expand services to members, while two credit unions consolidated because they were in poor financial condition, the NCUA said. One credit union merged because of lack of growth and one consolidated due to the inability to obtain officials, according to the NCUA report.
The $9.1 million, 3,077-member Westco Federal Credit Union in Greensburg, Pa., which merged citing poor financial conditions, posted a net worth of 6.49% in 2012, far below the peer average of 14.65%, according to NCUA financial performance reports.
From 2008 to 2012, Westco FCU posted declines in loan, fee and investment income, NCUA financial performance reports showed. The cooperative recorded a net income gain of $34,889 in 2008, but posted net income losses of $108,859 in 2009 and $93,361 in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, the credit union had net income gains of $41,161 in 2011 and $25,618 in 2012, according to NCUA data. Westco is expected to merge with the $54 million, 10,222-member Westmoreland Community Federal Credit Union also in Greensburg.
Poor financial conditions forced the tiny $40,946, 210-member St. John's Ame Birmingham Federal Credit Union in Birmingham, Ala., to merge with the $131 million, 18,770-member Alabama Central Credit Union also in Birmingham, the NCUA report noted. St. John's Ame Birmingham CU had declines in loan, fee and investment income as well as net income losses from 2008 to 2012.
The $19.7 million A M Federal Credit Union in Gardena, Calif., cited lack of growth for its reason to merge with the $366 million Skyone Federal Credit Union in Hawthorne, Calif.
In 2003, A M Credit Union was serving 8,216 members but that number dropped to 4,679 members by June 2013. Skyone FCU serves 28,008 members.
A M Credit Union's lack of growth in membership resulted in reductions in loan, fee and investment income from 2008 to 2012. In those same years, the cooperative posted total net income losses of more than $2.4 million, its NCUA financial performance report showed.
An inability to find a qualified president/CEO compelled the $2 million, 641-member North Andover Municipal Federal Credit Union in North Andover, Mass., to merge with the $22 million, 2,787-member Andover Credit Union in Andover, Mass., the report revealed.
Other mergers of note included:
- the $17 million, 2,484-member Rome Credit Union in Royal Oak, Mich., with the $495 million, 50,479-member Community Choice Credit Union in Farmington Hills, Mich.
- the $60 million, 10,927-member United Services Credit Union of Asheville, N.C., into the $583 million, 40,111-member Self-Help Credit Union in Durham, N.C.
- the $4.2 million, 433-member Asheville Postal Credit Union in Asheville, N.C., into the $2 billion, 106,520-member Atlanta Postal Credit Union in Atlanta.


text:
I have a warm spot in my heart for the Boy Scouts of America. My four years with Troop 66 in Affton, Mo. — many, many camp-outs ago — were a memorable mix of outdoor fun, life lessons and a sense of accomplishment.
I still can tie a bowline and a clove hitch. I know the difference between a square knot and a granny. If you want a knot to grow tighter the more you pull on the rope, two half-hitches is the way to go.
I remember an exhausting 21-mile hike along the Lincoln Trail on a blustery winter day, starting a campfire with flint and steel and learning to cushion my sleeping area with a drop cloth over a pile of fallen leaves.
I remember the responsibility of being a patrol leader, the last-minute cramming with my mother before merit badge exams and the pride of climbing the ranks from Tenderfoot to Eagle. Many thanks are owed my scoutmaster, Jim Fox, one of nicest men on earth.
The Boy Scouts have flourished for more than 100 years because they excel at schooling young men in a code of conduct and providing them a sense of purpose. America would be a better place if everyone lived by their reminders to "Do a good turn daily" and "Be prepared."
So it pains me every time the organization steps on its kerchief with a public display of discrimination against homosexuality. The Silverado Council is taking the heat right now for expelling 18-year-old Ryan Andresen of Moraga, who qualified for his Eagle Scout award, but the fault runs deeper. Organizational policy is to blame.
Andresen fulfilled every requirement for scouting's highest rank except for being straight. You see, a Boy Scout must be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. But he can never, ever be gay.
If that sounds like wrongheaded thinking, it's because it is. Even the military now welcomes gays. There are gay politicians, gay athletes, gay movie stars and gay business leaders, but the Boy Scouts have distanced themselves from reality by pitching a tent on He-Man Island.
Scouts have always come from different walks of life, with varied interests and backgrounds. President Gerald Ford earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Ditto for director Steven Spielberg. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and James Lovell both belong to the club. So do legendary journalist Walter Cronkite and former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, who was a basketball star before becoming a politician.
But Ryan Andresen will not be allowed to join them because of his sexual orientation.
That flies in the face of the values I've always associated with the organization — responsibility, integrity and fairness. It's especially strange because it has been surprisingly progressive on many other fronts, adjusting as society has evolved.
The organization's website (www.scouting.org) has links to its YouTube channel, Twitter and Facebook accounts. To retain the interest of older scouts, it created Sea Explorers, Venturing and Varsity programs. And it broke down old barriers when it welcomed coeds to senior groups.
Among the updated merit badges it offers are robotics, environmental science, disabilities awareness and nuclear science. Soon to come will be merit badges for game design and animation.
But there's one thing that's still missing and dearly needed: tolerance.
Contact Tom Barnidge at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at twitter.com/tombarnidge.


text:
LONDON, May 30 (UPI) -- Britain and Spain vowed to work together to protect business assets and investments under threat of nationalization and unilateral seizure by governments in Latin America.
The two governments announced their agreement after Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo met with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in London.
The ambitious plan was seen by analysts as a response to Spanish frustration over Argentina's confiscation of Repsol's local energy company YPF and Bolivia's nationalization of Red Electrica de Espana's local unit.
Spain is reported content with Bolivian assurances that Red Electrica will be adequately compensated but is battling to keep its temper over Argentine actions.
On the government's bidding Spanish King Juan Carlos intervened to resolve differences but was rebuffed by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who spearheaded a swift takeover of YPF Repsol with legislative support from the national congress. No compensation was offered despite repeated Spanish demands.
Britain's support to the planned pooling of political clout, such as it may exist, follows what London sees as Argentine government-backed harassment of its South Atlantic territory, the Falkland Islands.
Argentina invaded the islands in 1982 but was repulsed by Britain in a 74-day conflict that caused 907 deaths.
Argentina is pursuing an international campaign to force Britain into talks over Falklands sovereignty, which Argentina disputes and claims as its territory.
It was unclear if Garcia-Margallo's gesture signaled the start of a strategic alliance between Britain and Spain in Latin America or was part of rhetoric aimed at Buenos Aires.
"We have agreed on defending and mutually protecting each other in Latin America," Garcia-Margallo said.
He said the two countries will "join forces and keep talking over their policies in Latin America, defending judicial security and protecting the interests of Spanish and British companies whenever they are under attack."
Britain has been angered by Argentine blockade of shipping to and from the Falklands, Argentine sanctions and threats of lawsuits against companies exploring offshore for oil and a government-led call to Argentine businesses to boycott British goods.
Argentina is facing international condemnation and is at risk of losing preferential trade with Europe and the United States in separate U.S. and EU actions.
The planned British-Spanish collaboration contrasted with recent heated arguments between the two countries over the status of the British territory of Gibraltar, which has been at the center of negotiations over "shared sovereignty." Britain is a major creditor of Spain, its current financial restructuring a source of major worries for British banks and other investors.
It also sees Spain as a valuable interlocutor in Latin America because of its historical links, even as they don't always work to Madrid's advantage.


text: I have a 1984 R80RT and noticed a few drips of transmission oil at the clutch release lever boot, at the back of the transmission. Looking at parts fiche, I can't find a seal in the lever assembly, nor on the transmission shaft at the rear. Is it "normal" for a bit of oil to seep into the release lever assembly? If not, where is the seal? Thanks!


text:
American Airlines FCU Helps Create 'Something mAAgic' for Deserving Kids
Thirty-six children with life-threatening medical conditions are heading to Orlando, Fla., Friday for a week-long vacation and the American Airlines Federal Credit Union will be there to cheer them on towards their fun-filled getaway.
The Something mAAgic Foundation and American Airlines have teamed up to provide the children and their families with the mAAgic flight to Kissimmee, Fla., to lodge at the Give Kids The World Village, a 70-acre storybook resort that neighbors popular Orlando attractions.
During their stay at, the families will enjoy accommodations in their own villa and meals onsite at the Gingerbread House Restaurant and Katie's Kitchen. The village includes a number of entertainment options for the children, including a wheelchair-accessible splash park, an ice cream palace, a wishing well that burps, a dinosaur miniature golf course, and the world's largest and only life-sized version of the children's game Candy Land.
The annual event is sponsored by the Something mAAgicFoundation, with travel for children and their families provided by the American Airlines Kids In Needprogram. To date, more than 400 children have participated in the event.
Thirty-one airports throughout the American Airlines and American Eagle network will celebrate the children departing from their home cities.
Something mAAgicvolunteers made up of American Airlines, American Eagle and the $5.7 billion American Airlines Federal Credit Union in Fort Worth, Texas, employees will work together to create themed send-off celebrations for the families at the participating airports, customized to feature each child's favorite things.
"The bravery of the participating families and the selfless commitment of our people and the volunteers who make this event possible are humbling," said Jon Snook, American's senior vice president of customer service. "I'm both proud and grateful that American is once again a part of mAAgic flight."
Last year, more than 900 employees from around the world gave their time to support mAAgicflight. This year, the foundation said it is sponsoring children from the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Spain and Trinidad.