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Post source: Gail'sNew MediaBlog
I enjoyed the clips shown in our group this week: Woody Allen and Marshall McLuhan in Annie Hall and the Mad Men clip spouting "the medium is the message." I did not realize Marshall McLuhan and his writings were such a large part of the cultural/social landscape back in the day.
As I told my group, when I read the first part of "The Galaxy Reconfigured" excerpt, I really thought McLuhan must have been on drugs when it wrote this. More probably, it was over my head. The latter part of the excerpt, however, made more sense to me. He put the history in perspective when he pointed out, "that every generation poised on the edge of massive change should later seem oblivious of the issues and the imminent event would seem to be natural enough." … "It is felt at those times, that the future will be a larger or greatly improved version of the immediate past."
The second excerpt, "The Medium Is the Message" was interesting. While we must, of course, pay attention to the content of messages, McLuhan was correct, in a sense, that "the medium is the message". He said "the 'message' of any medium or technology is the change of scale or pace or pattern that it introduces into human affairs". The adage McLuhan pointed out "if it works, it's obsolete" rings doubly true today than it did then.


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Travel from Ischia to Ercolano and discover Campania city of 53.6 Thousand inhabitants. The distance from Ischia to Ercolano is 36 kilometers; with Wanderio you can compare the available treno so that you can organize your trip choosing the fastest route, the most comfortable or the cheapest one. For example, by choosing a treno from Ischia to Ercolano, you'll get to your destination in about 2 hours on average; the average treno ticket prices are 3 €.
Compare flights, trains, buses and transfers to get from Ischia to Ercolano
2h 20m
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€ 15.6
per adult
You can get from Ischia to Ercolano by train, thanks to the 16 daily routes provided by Metropolitano. The train ride from Ischia to Ercolano takes about 2 hours on average and the average train ticket is 2.6 €. Travelling Italy by train can often be cheap.

subset: commoncrawl


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I go on and on about the folly of trusting word meaning. Yet, I write. That feels odd, if not hypocritical. How do I get away with that, and still maintain intellectual honestly? That isn't difficult really. Indeed, it is no different than being engrossed in a movie, and yet knowing that it is 'make believe' — an illusion. In the case of a movie, I suspend belief for a while. In writing, I suspend disbelief for a while. I trust word meaning as it exits my consciousness and lands on this computer screen. After that, there are no guarantees. I suppose it all depends on what I want to see.
I experienced both sides — that of a believer and now of a disbeliever. The latter is more comfortable by far. Why didn't I opt for disbelief sooner? As far as I can tell, believing in anything, even raw word meaning, gives us a cognitive sense of security — a fortress of belief if you will. The drawback is that belief establishes a range of opposites, a yin to every yang, or vice versa. The result is endless contention, making chapter 81's The holy person's way acts, and yet doesn't contend a bridge too far. Belief offers us a fortress to hide within; disbelief offers a bridge over which to cross to the The gateway of the manifold secrets, as chapter 1 hints.
Interestingly, when I get emotional, my visceral belief in word meaning increases. The same occurs if I seriously feel a movie I am watching. I suppose life is like a movie, and emotion is the real power behind the throne of word meaning. Life never ceases to fascinate.


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Contact Jim Tacy
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High on a hill with fabulous views and high end homes all around. 5 acres completely board fenced on horse trail. Wonderful place to build your dream home. Pine Ridge is a deed restricted equestrian community with over 27 Miles of Riding trails. Owner financing possible. See deed restrictions at www.pineridgeassn.com. Survey available. See aerial view on documents pdf file.
- Street Address: 3663 Yacht Terrace
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MLS#: 725095 ( Land )
- County: CITRUS
- City: Beverly Hills
- Zipcode: 34465
- Subdivision: Pine Ridge
- Elementary School: Citrus Springs
- High School: Crystal River
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In the Australian Financial Review (13/7/14) – you can find a copy of his essay here – DL outlined his argument for removing the qualification that marriage is exhaustively a relationship between the sexes. What is his argument? Well, it is actually difficult to grasp.
He begins his essay by comparing 'arranged' marriage with 'modern' marriage and invites us to consider how the former is any different an interference than our existing situation where marriage is defined as a relationship between the sexes. He presses this claim by then arguing that just as arranged marriages might have been a norm of the past, so too now can we say that marriage being a relationship between the sexes is also a norm of the past. However, what DL fails to do is distinguish between aspects of marriage that are accidental/incidental (changeable) and those that are essential (unchangeable).
The implication of his argument is that any and all aspects of marriage are accidental/incidental. Indeed, he says in one passage that "human societies have had every form of marriage imaginable". But what is the form, marriage, he is talking about that remains unchanged while other aspects change or 'evolve'? If there no essential characteristics to marriage, then how could we identify – or fail to identify – marriage in this or that historical period or different culture despite all these incidental changes? On this he remains silent, even suggesting at the end of the essay, "If there are to be 'definitions', let them be drafted widely" as if any definition is onerous and restricting. But why? I will answer that shortly.
The next move of his argument, however, is strange indeed. Having argued that marriage has taken every 'form' imaginable he then declares that Roman law has an important lesson to teach us: that marriage is private. Wait a minute, his argument so far was simply to say that marriage was, so to say, this in Rome, that in Athens, and so in. How, then, could Rome have anything to teach us about marriage now even if we do accept arguendo that marriage was simply a private matter in Rome two thousand or so years ago (it wasn't, that is why concubines were subordinate to wives in Roman law)? All we could say is that marriage was a private matter in Rome then (though it wasn't); not that it should be in Rome or anywhere else now, or that marriage per se just is private.
At one point in his essay he turns up the rhetorical dial to eleventy when he writes that laws defining marriage as a relationship between the sexes are akin to past common-law restrictions on marriage between different religious confessions or races. But, again, not only does he not present an argument which shows that these restrictions are similar -they're not – he completely misses the point that Jews, Catholics, Protestants, whites, or blacks could marry among themselves and that they were recognized as marriages by all. The analogy is simply not there. And the simple fact that they could marry among themselves suggests that any restrictions on marriage between Catholics and Protestants, and so on, had nothing to do with the nature of marriage itself at all.
To put it bluntly, DL's argument is incoherent. Its plausibility depends upon a sustained equivocation about what marriage is by repeatedly referring to various incidental changes to marriage that give the illusion that marriage itself has changed over time or was different fundamentally in certain places. Truth be told, DL is not concerned with marriage at all, he is concerned simply with relationships; he is noting that historically and culturally there have been different forms of adult relationship. And there have been, who would deny it? But so what? Moreover, what else explains his reluctance to define marriage? What is at issue here is not whether there have are different types of relationship, but whether the changes he provides as examples, or the change he proposes, changed, or will change, marriage?
If, as I suggest, marriage has always been an exclusive, permanent relationship between the sexes orientated towards unifying the couple and the children that may arise therein, then the answer is that the examples he provides are all compatible with the form and purpose of marriage as outlined, whereas the alteration he proposes is not. If marriage is not a relationship between the sexes then it is not orientated towards children and therefore there could not be an in-principle reason that it be permanent and exclusive. DL remains silent on what marriage is and this silence means that he can provide no in-principle reason why he proposes this alteration alone but not one that also extends the number of persons in a marriage to more than two, and so on. It is as if he never asked himself the question, What is marriage?


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Some of my friends are tearing up their beautiful green front lawns and replacing the lawn with native plants. And of course, like all converts, they are trying to get me to do the same -to go green. Here is some of their logic. If you are paying $100 a month to have the front lawn mowed and then another fifty per month to water the lawn and more for the fertilizers and pest control? You are paying $1,800 per year for lawn. Actually you will be able to replace the lawn for about the costs of one year of lawn maintenance costs.
After visiting one of the local nurseries that feature native plants, I am beginning to be sold. I think after this non-winter we had, it has got me thinking seriously about it. That is as long as I can have color and not a desert look which I do not care for at all. I live on the Ventura Coastline and that is the type of landscape I enjoy.


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NEW: Smiley Releases Jobs and Economic Development Plan
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Smiley's plan promises to make Providence an attractive place to start or grow a business by changing the way City Hall interacts with the business community, focusing on the following seven areas:
Smiley's plan includes automating licensing and permitting services, ensuring equal access to city projects for minority and women-owned businesses, working in close partnership with our hospitals and universities, promoting local sourcing of labor and goods, investing in the thriving culture and tourism sector, encouraging the growth of entrepreneurial activity in arts and design, taking advantage of the short-sea shipping potential of Providence's port, and recognizing and utilizing the economic power of the entire region.
"All the elements are present to bring about an economic renaissance, and with the solutions I've outlined in this plan, I know we can realize our full potential as a hub of arts and culture, innovation and entrepreneurship, manufacturing and design and more," Smiley commented.
He added, "The City of Providence already has great businesses, nonprofits and citywide initiatives focused on creating jobs and growing the economy. We need a mayor with a vision for how to capitalize on these strengths - a mayor who recognizes his role as the Chief Economic Development Officer for the city. That's the kind of Mayor I'll be."
Smiley released his plan at the offices of TRAC Builders on Wolcott Street in Providence. This site is the first "net-zero" building in Rhode Island, producing all of its own energy from renewable sources. Additionally, TRAC Builders invests heavily in energy-efficient buildings and affordable housing.
Two elements of Smiley's "Jobs & Economic Development Plan" were already released last month - proposals to take the politics out the revolving loan functions of the Providence Economic Development Partnership (PEDP) and to create an Office of Strategic Partnerships to bring new resources into the city.
Related Slideshow: Rhode Island's Highest Paid Mayors and Managers
The Rhode Island Department of Revenue's Office of Local Government Assistance, for the past 23 years, has conducted an "annual salary survey" of municipal positions in the state.
Below are the salaries reported for chief executives -- Mayors or Town Managers ranked by municipalities (with the position) in 2012, from lowest to highest. According to the survey, the amount "does not include fringe benefit data."
Positions appointed are indicated with an (A); positions elected are marked with an (E).
#33 Central Falls
Chief Executive Pay: $26,000 (E)
#32 Richmond
Chief Executive Pay: $51,500 (A)
#31 West Greenwich
Chief Executive Pay: $60,866 (A)
#30 Cumberland
Chief Executive Pay: $67,799 (E)
#29 Warren
Chief Executive Pay: $70,000 (A)
#28 North Smithfield
Chief Executive Pay: $71,289 (E)
#27 North Providence
Chief Executive Pay: $75,000 (E)
#26 Johnston
Chief Executive Pay: $75,000 (E)
#25 Lincoln
Chief Executive Pay: $78,677 (E)
#24 Woonsocket
Chief Executive Pay: $80,000 (E)
#23 Cranston
Chief Executive Pay: $80,765 (E)
#22 Bristol
Chief Executive Pay: $81,162 (E)
#21 Tiverton
Chief Executive Pay: $83,900 (A)
#20 Pawtucket
Chief Executive Pay: $84,253 (E)
#19 Hopkinton
Chief Executive Pay: $89,000 (A)
#18 Charlestown
Chief Executive Pay: $93,000 (A)
#17 New Shoreham
Chief Executive Pay: $95,146 (A)
#16 Warwick
Chief Executive Pay: $100,000 (E)
#15 Smithfield
Chief Executive Pay: $100,940 (A)
#14 Jamestown
Chief Executive Pay: $106,957 (A)
#13 Burrillville
Chief Executive Pay: $110,520 (A)
#12 North Kingstown
Chief Executive Pay: $111,394 (A)
#11 Westerly
Chief Executive Pay: $117,305 (A)
#10 West Warwick
Chief Executive Pay: $120,000 (A)
#9 Coventry
Chief Executive Pay: $122,000 (A)
#8 Providence
Chief Executive Pay: $123,762 (E)
#7 East Providence
Chief Executive Pay: $125,000 (A)
#6 Portsmouth
Chief Executive Pay: $126,000 (A)
#5 East Greenwich
Chief Executive Pay: $131,005 (A)
#4 Newport
Chief Executive Pay: $135,000 (A)
#3 Barrington
Chief Executive Pay: $143,977 (A)
#2 Middletown
Chief Executive Pay: $147,350 (A)
#1 South Kingstown
Chief Executive: $153,853 (A)
Related Articles
- RI PowerPlayer: CFO Consulting's Brett Smiley
- NEW: GOP Names Smiley Chair After Chaotic Vote, Harrop Unaware
- Smiley Unveils Plan for Prov. Office of Strategic Partnerships
- NEW: Mayoral Candidate Smiley Unveils Plan to Make City Safer
- The Scoop: Mayoral Candidate Smiley Runs for a Good Cause
- NEW: Mayoral Hopeful Smiley Raises $100K+ in First Quarter
- NEW: Smiley Calls for All Providence Police to Carry Naloxone
- NEW: Smiley Calls for Reform to PEDP Loan Process
- NEW: Smiley Opens Committee to Explore Providence Mayoral Run
- NEW: Smiley Reports Raising $75K in Q4, Now $150K Cash on Hand


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A pedestrian in London's wealthy Kensington neighborhood captured intense footage of a Lamborghini Aventador catching air as it plowed into three other vehicles. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the accident. Lila Afshar, an art consultant and owner of the parked BMW in the video, said the owner of the Lamborghini apologized for the accident by leaving a note on the windshield:
"We showed up about three hours after the incident and there was a letter on the windshield. The Lamborghini was being towed away and the owner came up and explained what had happened. He was really apologetic about it."
What a nice guy.


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Modeling time-dependent behavior of soft sensitive clay
Yin, Zhen-Yu and Karstunen, Minna and Chang, Ching S. and Koskinen, Mirva and Lojander, Matti (2011) Modeling time-dependent behavior of soft sensitive clay. Journal of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, 137 (11). pp. 1103-1113. ISSN 1090-0241Full text not available in this repository. Request a copy from the Strathclyde author
The paper focuses on investigating the destructuration process during time-dependent stress-strain evolution. For this purpose, various oedometer tests and triaxial tests on intact and reconstituted samples of soft sensitive Vanttila clay were carried out. Based on experimental observations, a new elastic viscoplastic model, extended from the overstress theory of Perzyna, is developed. The proposed model accounts for inherent and induced anisotropy, interparticle bonds and bond degradation, and viscosity. The determination of model parameters is discussed, demonstrating how all model parameters can be determined in a straightforward way and no additional test is needed for the proposed model compared to the modified Cam clay model. The model is implemented into a finite-element code, which enables coupled consolidation analyses. The model is used to simulate various strain-rate and creep tests under one-dimensional and triaxial conditions on the intact samples of Vanttila clay. The comparisons between experimental results and simulations show that the model has good predictive ability on the time-dependent behavior of a soft sensitive clay.
|Item type:
|ID code:
|creep, clays, time dependant, anisotropy, viscoplasticity, Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General), Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology, Environmental Science(all)
|Technology > Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
|Faculty of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering
|Depositing user:
|Pure Administrator
|Date deposited:
|13 Jun 2012 10:15
|Last modified:
|08 Oct 2018 07:47
|Related URLs:
|Export data:


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Topic: Alexandra Street, Christchurch Street
Topic type:
Runs between Stanmore Road and Fitzgerald Avenue in Richmond.
Formerly Victoria Street, after HM Queen Victoria (1819-1901). Re-named Alexandra Street. Named after HM Queen Alexandra (1844- 1925), consort of King Edward VII.
Victoria Street first appears in street directories in 1892. Re-named Alexandra Street on 7 March 1904. [In 1926 the council proposed changing the names of 29 streets. 21 streets only were renamed after protests from the public. Alexandra Street was to have been re-named Ashby Street.]
- Source: Christchurch City Libraries. Christchurch Street and Place Names.
was the last to edit Alexandra Street, Christchurch Street
on Apr 12th, 2017 at 1:36 PM
created Alexandra Street, Christchurch Street
on Feb 11th, 2017 at 5:27 PM


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Pretty much anything! That is one of the reasons that they are so popular. A few ideas are pizza, bread, sauces, soups, stews, ribs, cakes, cobblers, poultry, meat, pies and cookies.
You're probably thinking 'How could I cook a cake in a stew pot?' but with a Dutch oven, you can!
There are two methods of cooking. One is when food is placed directly into the pot. Cakes can be cooked in this way but the second method makes it easier to get them out! This is when a trivet is placed in the bottom and the food to be cooked is in a dish or pan which is placed on the trivet – cakes, biscuits, bread, pizza etc.


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« Guest Blog: He Absolutely HAD to be a 'Community Organizer' | Main | The Luxury of Serendipity »
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Thought for the Day: Second Class Citizenship
Courtesy of the pioneering Kate Clinton, lesbian standup comic extraordinaire. I saw Kate perform a bunch of times, and even emcee, at the now defunct Wimminfest -- an annual music-comedy-art-dance and more event held for years at the KiMo and the historic hotel that used to be called La Posada in downtown Albuquerque. She was always fabulous, and brave in the early days of the gay rights movement. Back when downtown Albuquerque still had angled parking places on Central, the long Wimminfest weekends in May filled the otherwise rather empty streets with lesbians galore (and some straight feminists) from all over the country. Quite the scene.
Of course we never contemplated marriage back then. Licenses issued by the state were considered tools of the establishment to be avoided at all costs. We weren't part of the mainstream -- we were rebels living risky lives outside the lines. We weren't thinking ahead to the time, decades later, when we'd be worried about visiting our partners in the hospital, getting joint health care coverage with COBRA, inheriting one another's survivor benefits from pensions or Social Security or making sure our families had adequate legal protections.
Now most of us are smack dab in the middle of the mainstream in most ways, but without the civil rights taken for granted by other citizens of the republic. It's a crime, literally. We work hard for Dem candidates, expanded civil liberties and wide-ranging progressive causes, but too few politicos return the favor.
I'm still waiting for the day when some prominent Dem politician or officeholder outside of San Francisco or Boston will have the nerve to state the obvious, flat out: civil law providing for gay marriage is the only equitable solution to the current injustices experienced by 8-10% of the American population. Hey Barack -- why don't you start? Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Lujan and Harry Teague -- what about you? What about the Dem caucus in the New Mexico Legislature? Is it acceptable to you that so many fellow New Mexicans and Americans are treated like second-class citizens? Speak up for what's right. Our time COULD be now. Now that would really be the Change We Need.
Want to help? Sign the Courage Campaign's to help repeal California's Prop 8.
November 11, 2008 at 12:05 PM in 2008 General Presidential Election, GLBT Rights | Permalink
Democratic politicians need to have our backs like we have had theirs. We stick up for them and they need to stick up for us. It is long past the time to get real about this and do what is right. We will now have an African-American president and it is time African-Americans and other people of color support us too. It is not about what churches say it is about equality under the law. African-American and Hispanic politicians need to lead on this with their people too. No more bigotry should be acceptable in a nation where Obama is president.
Have you all seen Keith Olbermann's special comment on gay marriage and prop 8?
Posted by: Brett | Nov 11, 2008 2:37:26 PM
Depending on politicians to support marriage equality is short sighted. It wasn't that long ago that Sam Nunn was measuring the distance between bunks on a submarine to determine how straight men would feel sleeping next to a homosexual if DADT didn't pass. Homosexuals are often lulled into feeling "ok" because more and more we seem to be "accepted" by those close to us -- family, friends, co-workers. This is a lovely bubble to live in but two powerful institutitions -- religion and politics -- stand together to burst that bubble. The NM Dems you mention hide behind serving us a watered down version of "rights" in domestic partnerships. Not good enough. Unless and until gay men and lesbians take to the streets, from marching to going door to door, and demand equality it isn't going to happen on a scale that is meaningful. So much money poured into CA to defeat Prop 8 and now it appears that much of it was spent on media and little if any was spent on community organizing. Mormons and Evangelicals went door to door. Gay men and lesbians did not. And once again the Human Rights Campaign Fund sucked up a bunch of money, enlarged their donor pool, expanded their email list and made nice inside the beltway. Beware when the HRCF comes to your town and has a fundraiser that takes money away from local grassroots organizations doing the real work. Community organizing is at the heart of change and we all need to get out of our bubble and do the hard work.
Posted by: Kate Stone | Nov 11, 2008 3:03:10 PM
Nobody's "depending" on politicians but I do think it's a good idea to remind them who helped them get elected. Contrary to what you say there is not only one way to effect change.
Progressives worked from many angles for years to get the victories on November 4th. Grassroots, netroots, nonprofits, candidates, elected officials, party people, you name it. It's the same for gay equality and marriage.
I don't think "demanding" is what's needed. Persuasion and education are much more effective with many people who don't get it about gay rights. The rest won't support us no matter how much we demand.
Politicians are only as brave as the voters allow. The voters have to be convinced even if it's one at a time. Convincing our families, friends and work colleagues IS important because they vote.
I agree more grassroots is crucial but I understand why many GLBT people are fearful of doing that especially in some neighborhoods where it's needed the most. It can be dangerous. The Mormons and the Catholics have the churches as their meeting places and the worshippers as their captive audiences. That's a big advantage.
I say we need to keep working on all levels. I don't agree that the HRC is the enemy either. In fact, they trained and supported a number of grassroots campaign workers here this year.
It's also important to donate money and time to EQNM.
Posted by: Greg | Nov 11, 2008 4:03:49 PM
What do you all thing about this angle?
It seems intuitive to me that rules have been, if not broken, than stretched thin. Isn't an investigation worth a try?
Posted by: | Nov 11, 2008 4:49:35 PM
"Demand" doesn't have to be a negative. During Reagan's tenure he never once mentioned HIV/AIDS even though the epidemic was killing thousands. It took the demands of Act Up! to get recognition (as in funding for research and medication) to help people. Forget about dangerous neighborhoods. Take a straight person with you. I disagree on HRCF. Very inside the beltway and very mainstream. The real work for rights is being done by Lambda Legal Defense Fund.
Posted by: Kate Stone | Nov 11, 2008 5:09:19 PM
Um, Greg, does EQNM still exist? I thought they had a going out of business sale about 7 months after filing a DP bill that included a definition of marriage. Haven't heard from them except to beg since then.
I'm not suggesting cause and effect are at work, but what exactly is this 'equality' for which that organization advocates? We have employment and housing discrimination protections, which means 'equality' should be modifying something...can't think what it is, but same sex couples can't walk up to the county clerk's office and pay $25 for it? It'll come to me.
Meanwhile, it's time to stop hoping that our professional queers are planning to become useful.
I'm going to make a big ugly sign for the protest, displaying the names of some local contributors who paid for the broadcast of lies about our families on CA's airwaves. Like the owners of Blake's Lotaburger and Dura-Bilt Construction, for example. Maybe we should burn some Bacon Green Chile Cheeseburgers!
Posted by: | Nov 11, 2008 10:46:29 PM
President Obama is not going to defend the gays per se. Why? Timing, timing. Bill Clinton was hit with gays in the military right at the very beginning of his first term. Clinton failed to control the timing of the agenda on the left on several issues. This allowed the GOP to attack from day one. It appears that half the population is still against equality so the gays need to back off the national front and build a grass roots movement from the bottom up. The advocates for equality need to time their moves carefully. I suspect that these issues may be resolved once the WWII era elderly and front end of the boomers pass on to oblivion.
I tell you that THIS up and coming generation that is just coming into the work force and in college accept gay people as peers and friends like no other generation. I do not see segregation of gays and straights in modern social setting and colleges. I am very hopeful in the evolution and enlightenment of our coming generations.
Posted by: qofdisks | Nov 12, 2008 12:48:18 PM
That's all well and good gofdisks. You have your rights while so many of us are aging and need protections that you take for granted. We don't have the retirement fund, Social Security, health insurance, tax or other protections under the law that everyone else has. I'm tired of being "patient." I'm too old to wait for people who are young now to take over.
Some of the ads used to convince people to vote for discrimination in California used a clip of Obama stating he opposed gay marriage. Thanks Barack. It's high time for him and other African-American leaders to educate their people and the black churches that is is wrong and illegal to discriminate in civil law. Same with Catholic Hispanics.
All people hear are arguments from the right while the Democrats cower in their doubletalk and refuse to lead. Everyone knows most Democratic officeholders support gay marriage or whatever they want to call it. Everybody knows they lie about it to try and pander. Stop pandering.
Bringing up an issue from the beginning of the Clinton admin isn't helpful. It is long ago now and was handled very badly by them.
Politicians are all too ready to take the money of GLBT people but they do absolutely nothing to support us. In New Mexico we can't even get a simple domestic partnership bill passed because Democrats always stop it. Ask Carlos Cisneros about that one.
There have been many grassroots efforts on the gay rights front but until Democrats in power decide to take a stand on civil law principle, we cannot match the hate campaigns of the right and the Mormon and Catholic Church.
Posted by: Out Gay | Nov 12, 2008 1:55:44 PM
Kate Stone: I don't happen to know many straight people who would go door to door for gay rights. It's easy in places like Santa Fe, San Francisco and Boston but very hard in other places.
gofdisks: What makes you think the crazy right won't attack no matter what Obama and the D congress does? If there's nothing there, they make it up. Appeasement doesn't work.
LopsidedMom: Great idea. Fire up the litigation.
Posted by: Greg | Nov 12, 2008 2:04:13 PM


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Today's guest in our Entrepreneurship and VC class was eBay CEO, Meg Whitman. We get a fair share of CEOs visit us at Stanford, but I found Meg to be especially sharp and eloquent.
In class, I asked Meg the following question: "In strategy class we learn that companies are typically either great at executing or great at innovating. When I compare what the eBay's site does now to what it did five years ago, it's not much different. How do you think about innovation at eBay and, indeed, is eBay an innovative company?"
Essentially, she said sort of. In her mind there are three types of innovation: evolutionary, synergistic, and revolutionary.
Evolutionary innovation: These are incremental changes a company makes to its core business. eBay is constantly doing stuff like this, often behind the scenes, which is why the general experience is much different now than in 2002. eBay, like many big, well managed companies, does this well.
Synergistic innovation: These are innovations formed by bringing different companies and services together. How eBay has done this is by letting sites speak with eBay, Skype and Paypal. So eBay has allowed other sites to access its product listings, Skype may be integrating with other services such as Yahoo IM, and Paypal can be used by smaller commerce sites. Meg feels that eBay has been a leader in enabling others to leverage its services.
Revolutionary innovation: These are major disruptive companies which change markets, like Skype, YouTube, Paypal, and, indeed, eBay. Meg's belief is that these types of companies do not emerge from within larger companies like eBay and should therefore be acquired.
Sorry for the long post, but I don't have time to write a shorter one.


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The NFL analyst on why it's OK to be critical of the things you love.
"Failure is necessary for success," and more advice from the hilarious actor and author.
Pictures about what we become when the sun goes down.
October's theme is SPIRIT. For details on how to send us your work, please read our Submit page. ✴
Rookie is an online magazine and book series for teenagers. Each month, a different editorial theme drives the writing, photography, and artwork that we publish. Learn more about us here, and find out how to submit your work here!


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By Ken FickettPresident, Mirage Manufacturing
Mirage has been a leader in advanced composites in the marine industry and in the aircraft industry for more than two decades. Understanding technology only goes so far. It is the ability to bring new materials and processes to the marketplace that separates the professionals from the dreamers. All too often, start-up companies building boats fail to integrate the appropriate technology in their boats.
Lets start at the same place everybody does when they build a fiberglass boat, the Gelcoat. There are many to choose from and each can differ in color retention, ease of patching, and resistance to crazing. From worse to best, the per-gallon cost of gelcoat doubles. And yet the total cost of gelcoat used in a Mirage trawler is insignificant in proportion to the cost of the vessel. Why our competitors continue to use cheap gelcoat is beyond understanding. Next time youre in the market for a new boat, demand that the manufacturer use Isothalic-NPG. Thats what we use, and its the best.
Once the gelcoat is sprayed into the mold, the lamination process can begin. Our opinion is that this is no place for a chopper gun spraying in short-strand fiberglass for the structure of your hull. Mirage trawlers are 100 percent hand-laid. Using fiberglass weaves means each layer is consistent throughout the hull. Each layer is individually wet out with resin with all air bubbles rolled out by hand. Our engineering department carefully monitors the number and placement of layers rolled into the hull. Both the style of the fiberglass weave and the type of resin that saturates the fiberglass is important to the overall quality of the hull.
We use vinylester resin in our hulls to preclude any potential osmotic blistering below the waterline and back that up with a five-year warranty against hull blisters. While some of our competitors follow suit, many do not. Make certain your next boat uses vinylester resin in the hull because the difference can mean tens of thousands of dollars in repairs down the road.
We do not use core in our trawler hulls. Although Mirage remains one of the industry experts in cored construction, we do not feel that it is appropriate in a vessel that will likely spend some portion of its life bouncing off rocks, gunkholing in the great cruising areas of the world. While coring the hull of some boats is the right thing to do we believe there is no place for it in the hull of a trawler. Take a core sample from the bottom of one of our hulls and youll find solid fiberglass laminates of more than an inch thick. Ask our competitors for a core sample from the same place, and be prepared for a surprise.
Once weve completed the basic laminates of our hull we begin to install the interior structure. Mirage uses full-length longitudinal stringers with transverse frames to provide a structural grid pattern in the bottom of the hull. This grid provides the framing to support floors, mount engines and, very importantly, to provide the perimeter shape for our highly touted integral fuel tanks.
Most trawlers use aluminum or steel fuel tanks that have an undeniable history of failure. Some metal tanks may last up to twenty years, but many fail after only a few years in service, necessitating repairs that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Mirage builds only vinylester/fiberglass structural and integral tanks. The fuel tanks built this way and so are the water and holding tanks. Lifetime tanks. The only way to go. Believe it.
Besides unparalled longevity, fuel tanks do double duty as a structural grid work to further reinforce the hull. The fuel tanks are heavily baffled to stop fuel from sloshing and their fiberglass construction greatly reduces water contamination from condensation. And finally, there is no way to nest tanks any lower in a vessel then by making them integral. This lowers the center of gravity in our trawlers, increases stability and thus makes for a more comfortable ride.
After the basic hull is complete, we begin building the superstructure. The superstructure is constructed very differently from the hull. Between the layers of fiberglass is a thick, lightweight core that is impervious to rot. The material is called Nida Core and is essentially honeycomb in section. This material is the best sound-deadening core available and additionally provides thermal insulation.
The entire deck and pilothouse are constructed with core materials adding a huge amount of buoyancy to the vessel. This additional buoyancy overcomes the weight of the hull and machinery, which adds up to a huge plus-unsinkability. Most other fiberglass trawlers use plywood in the core of their decks because it is cheap. The problem is that it rots. Ask any repair yard what happens with plywood core, and then ask our competitors what they use. You will be surprised.
Another one of the outstanding differences in construction between us and our competitors is the degree of fiber glassing that is used to attach not only decks to hulls but also bulkheads to the decks and hulls. On many trawlers, structural bulkheads are in no way attached to the decks and even the hulls. This practice is completely unacceptable in a vessel that your life may some day depend on. All Mirage trawlers have all bulkheads bonded to hulls and decks with a special knitted biaxial fiberglass designed specifically for that purpose. Stop by at a boat show or come to our factory, and well be happy to show you what you should demand in the way of bonding.
When all of the fiberglass work is complete, and decks and bulkheads are installed, rigging and finish interior begins. We have often been called to work on competitors boats with molded inner liners. While there is nothing inherently wrong with an inner liner if executed properly, it is imperative that there is no hidden rigging. This is a process many builders use to shave time off the construction process, but trust me it is completely unacceptable. The builders will actually install plumbing and electrical to the backside of a liner and then glue the liner in place, rendering the rigging absolutely inaccessible. The only way to remedy the inevitable failures that come with age in hidden rigging is to saw away the fiberglass liner that hides it, a nasty, expensive job. Dont let it happen to you. Make sure all rigging is installed after all fiberglassing and bonding is done. Look at the systems that are used on Mirage trawlers to carry electrical wiring. They are easy to access, add to, and repair. Make sure your boat is done the same way.
While were on the subject, we at Mirage have strong opinions about rigging itself. We believe in using the best materials because, again, the difference in cost in inconsequential compared to the benefits in longevity. All wiring is tinned double-jacketed boat cable. End terminals are high quality and well crimped with the proper crimping tool. Electrical systems are well thought out and laid out for ease of troubleshooting. Engine mounts are through-bolted, not installed with lag screws. We use dripless shaft seals on all of our trawlers to go the extra mile in our top-notch engine installations. Our fuel systems offer several layers of protection against fuel contamination and are easy understand. Fresh water plumbing is accessible; hot water hoses are identified. We install redundant bilge-pumps with the best automatic bilge pump switch money can buy.
At Mirage Manufacturing, we dont like to use the word overbuilt for our trawlers, because tough construction and quality hardware are standard practice.
Our boats are not overbuilt - THEYRE BUILT RIGHT!.
[Mirage HOME] [Mirage Trawlers] [Company Info] [Archives] [Contact] [Sport Fish Boats]


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You start to put your life back together. You come back from this incredible darkness, so dark that the light on the other side actually looks appealing. But you don't go towards it. You have responsibilities here, a tiny life that is depending on you and only you. So you pull yourself up. You go from being unemployed to working full time, all the while taking care of this tiny life. You find yourself incredibly lucky with this job, blessed, because they realize that family is important. And you carve a niche for yourself in this company, where they realize what you have to contribute. Probably more than most other people in your life, they realize your potential, your value, and do what they can to help it blossom, all the while allowing you to balance this new life you have. Pretty soon the darkness starts to fade. You start to discover who you are. Not the person you were pretending to be for the majority of your adult life, but the real you. Not long after you realize that the dark days, the truly dark days, are becoming a mere memory, almost one you have to remind yourself actually happened. There are times when it does get cloudy again, but that's all. A shadow. One that is fairly easy to fend off now. You feel strong. And while with this whole parenting alone thing you still aren't completely stable on your feet, you don't feel like a complete failure.
Don't be a hater, dear.
7 hours ago


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Holland & Faraday Associates Ltd regularly delivers a variety of UK and Internationally compliant Accredited QHSE Training Courses and Seminars.
Our Training department provides INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AND ACCREDITED courses such as:
- NEBOSH National and International Certificates
- NEBOSH National and International Diploma`s in Occupational Health and Safety and in Environmental Management
- IRCA accredited Internal Auditor
- IRCA accredited Lead Auditor
As well as QHSE AWARNESS AND UNDERSTANDING TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS aimed at Company`s heads` of Department, Quality Managers, Internal auditors and anyone who feels they need to increase their awareness of Quality Assurance, Environmental Management compliance and Ocupational Health and Safety. We offer residential and non-residential Courses in LONDON, THE MIDLANDS, MANCHESTER and LEEDS.
We also offer ALL INCLUSIVE RESIDENTIAL 3 day and 5 day Courses in MILAN and ROME . Where you can combine your training and development with the Italian Sunshine and an all inclusive Gastronomic Menu.
We are currently taking bookings for LAKE COMO (near Milan) and for ROME.


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At any parrillada, you can count on one side dish being the same, no matter what kind of meats are chosen for the main dish: cebollitas.
I love grilling. The smell of the charcoal, the crackling sound of the fire roasting the food and the anticipation of what's about to land on my plate. And whenever we grill in Mexico, my suegro (father-in-law) is the king of the barbecue.
This dish is so simple and easy (and almost totally impossible to mess up even if you're not a grilling pro), it's the single dish that most reminds me of a Sunday parrillada in Mexico.
You can add as much or as little lime juice and salsa Maggi, a Worcestershire-style seasoning sauce, or soy sauce as you like – it all depends on your taste buds. The Maggi sold in the U.S. doesn't taste the same as salsa Maggi sold in Mexico, so I sometimes substitute soy sauce.
Not only is this dish often served at barbecues and family gatherings, you can also often find them at little street food stands around Mexico. I especially love to pair this side dish with tacos de rib eye and my Mexican chimichurri-marinated flank steak….


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When I was young and started practicing 30 years ago, Zen was not a fad. It was gaining in popularity, but the number of books on the subject was in the tens, not thousands.
Similarly, there weren't so many teachers, and certainly not so many made famous by media. Now it seems like there's a teacher du jour – Eckhart Tolle this month, Adyashanti the next, and on and on.
I actually love those teachers. I love many teachers. But at some point you know you've heard everything there is to say. Intellectually, you get it. I don't need to cram any more information in my head. As Steve said, what I need to realize is that I don't know anything. As every teacher I respect would say, it's not about learning what to do to get to a place of peace. It's realizing that who I am IS peace. I am not these thoughts rushing around in my head. I'm not I'm not I'm not.
I believe Cheri would say I'm in the grips of conditioning, because the last thing I want to do is just let go and be happy. It's time to take myself in hand.
So here I am again, putting something forth that I can practice today. And the winner is . . . "the one you're looking for is the one who's looking." Hopefully I'll get another glimpse of the truth of who I really am and report back soon.


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Hi There,
New to this forum but by no means new to vehicle diagnostics or infact Pico, however I am becoming slightly stumped to with this particular vehicle. Wondered whether anyone has perhaps seen this before, or heard anything about this particular fault.
P0132 Oxygen Sensor Upstream High Voltage.
Consulted with the customer after half an hours diagnostic, and fitted a lamdba sensor just to rule out a faulty sensor. Fault remained. Checked continuity between the ECU multiplug and the Lambda sensor and couldn't find any issues, however on one of the three pins for H02S1 I found a short circuit to positive, which would correspond to the fault code.
However, the voltage appears to be coming straight out the back of the ECU. Is this 2.49 volts (shown in live data and verified on a multimeter) normal? I would guess not. Would this indicate a short circuit inside the ECU?
I have contacted several ECU testing companies and no-one will touch this ECU, too new, apparently! It's a big call for me to tell the customer the vehicle needs a new ECU at COST of £900. I can't even dissassemble the ECU to have a visual check for faults on the circuitry.
Just having a google of P0132 Micra comes up with plenty of questions but unfortunately no outcomes, just a whole lot of return to dealership comments.
Anyway, any ideas anyone?


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Seoul: North Korea said on Friday a satellite carried by a rocket it launched earlier in the day did not enter orbit, confirming neighbouring countries` claims the long-range rocket launch ended in failure.
"Scientists, technicians and experts are currently verifying the cause of the failure," North Korea`s official KCNA news agency said.
Earlier, US and South Korean officials said North Korea`s much hyped long-range rocket crashed into the sea a few minutes after launch.
Pyongyang had defied international pressure from the United States, the United Nations and others to push ahead with the launch timed to celebrate the 100th birthday of Kim Il-sung, the deceased founder of the state.
Even close ally China had warned against the launch and South Korean intelligence officials have said North Korea may be ready to follow it up with a third nuclear test as it did after a rocket launch in 2009.
"South Korean and US intelligence understand that North Korea`s missile launch failed," a spokesman for the South`s Defence Ministry told reporters at a briefing.
North Korea said it wanted the Unha-3 rocket to put a weather satellite into orbit, although critics believed it was designed to enhance its capacity to design a ballistic missile to deliver a nuclear warhead capable of hitting the continental United States.
The rocket crashed in a sea that separates the Korean peninsula from China off the west coast of South Korea after flying 120 km (75 miles) from its launch site close to the Chinese border, officials in Seoul, Washington and Tokyo said.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command, NORAD, said the first stage fell into the sea west of South Korea, and the remainder of the satellite-carrying missile was deemed to have failed.
"No debris fell on land," NORAD said. "At no time were the missile or the resultant debris a threat."
North Korea`s Space Agency said it had no information on the launch, which triggered an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The launch was announced just weeks after a "Leap Year" deal that saw Washington agree to provide food aid. Among the promises made by Pyongyang in return was that it would not launch a long range rocket or undertake nuclear tests.
The United States, South Korea and Japan condemned the launch, with Washington, Seoul`s major backer saying it would remain vigilant after North Korea`s "provocative" action.
Price of failure for "Supreme Commander"
Now led by 20-something Kim Jong-un, the third of his line to hold power, North Korea had planned to make 2012 the year in which it became a "strong and prosperous nation" and the launch was part of a program to burnish its credentials.
It even invited foreign media in to cover the birthday celebrations and showed them the launch site.
"(There is) no question that the failed launch turns speculation toward the ramifications for the leadership in Pyongyang: a fireworks display gone bad on the biggest day of the year," said Scott Snyder of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Eyes will be on how North Korea handles the failure internally. In order to show that it remains powerful, it could undertake a third nuclear test that would again ratchet up international tensions and damage any prospects of a resumption of denuclearisation and aid talks.
This is North Korea`s second consecutive failure to get a satellite into orbit, although it claimed success with a 2009 launch.
Although North Korea is one of the most tightly controlled states on earth, with no free media and a tight grip on its population, such a high profile failure could trigger a backlash among the country`s elite.
"This is the first crisis for the new leader that has just taken over," said Lee Jong-won, a professor at Waseda University in Tokyo.
"It is inevitable that they will look to find who is responsible for the failure, and I wonder what the treatment will be for those in the military and the hard-line officers who have pressed for the launch."
Bureau Report


text:
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If the SEGA booth had a single theme at this year's Tokyo Game Show it would have to be an obvious desire to bring their biggest games to DS. One of these titles was the highly anticipated Phantasy Star 0. We teamed up with four other players to move through a level of the game and take on a dragon.
The gameplay experience started out in a hub area where the four of us teamed up and exited out to the wilderness. My character was a large human equipped with a gun, ideal for ranged attacks. I mostly supported my teammates and stayed out of trouble while they did most of the up-close and personal work. The outdoor environments were colorful and filled with fauna and floating platforms. The enemies we encountered mostly appeared to be wild life like giant snakes and bugs.
I should note that attacks were dealt using the face buttons, and centering the camera was relegated to the L button. The touch screen is reserved for chat and character customization.
After shooting and slashing our way through a few areas we encountered a large boss in the form of a dragon. Up until this point the combat involved mashing the attack button until enemies were reduced to floating gems that we collected. The dragon presented more of a problem with large sweeping attacks that took off significant chunks of health and knocked our character backwards. The boss also taught us to take full advantage of our dodge move that allows your character to dive in any direction.
My team spent a good amount of time pelting the dragon with attacks, but eventually he was conquered and using the touch screen we were able to share our congratulations through word bubbles. Phantasy Star 0 presented us with both a familiar and enjoyable experience on the DS, hopefully it's as lengthy and satisfying as the other games in the series.


text: I typically don't embed Youtube clips, but for this one, I'll make an exception. This is by far the best interpretation of the second movement of Shostakovich's 10th symphony I have ever heard (I have about seven or eight on CD). I'm almost surprised at the end, the roof didn't come off. I had read about the Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela before, but I had no idea they were this excellent. It's almost a bit unfair to do this, but simply compare it with this other interpretation, which pales in comparison. Needless to say, one could argue about interpretation here, but given that Shostakovich used to play his own compositions at break-neck speed, and given that the movement is intended to be a portrait of Stalin (who had just died when the symphony was premiered), Dudamel's interpretation appears to be what the composer might have wished to hear. Unbelievable.


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This five-day instructor-led course provides in-depth training on implementing, configuring, managing and troubleshooting Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 environments. It covers core AD DS concepts and functionality as well as implementing Group Policies, performing backup and restore and monitoring and troubleshooting Active Directory related issues. After completing this course students will be able to configure AD DS in their Windows Server 2008 and Windows server 2008 R2 environments. The course also provides a direct mapping to the objective domain of the 70-640: TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring exam.
Basic understanding of networkingIntermediate understanding of network operating systemsAn awareness of security best practicesBasic knowledge of server hardware Some experience creating objects in Active DirectoryBasic concepts of backup and recovery in a Windows Server environment A good knowledge of Windows Client operating systems such as Windows Vista or Windows 7
5 Days/Lecture & Lab
This course is intended for Active Directory Technology Specialists, Server and Enterprise Administrators who want to learn how to implement Active Directory Domain Services in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 environments. Those attending would be interested in learning how to secure domains by using Group Policies, back up, restore, monitor, and troubleshoot configuration to ensure trouble-free operation of Active Directory Domain Services.


text:
Chaps Mini Check Woven Shirt
$16.50SALE orig. $55.00 70% OFF
Out of Stock
Crafted from easy to care for poplin, this Chaps woven shirt is sure to become part of your weekly rotation. A versatile mini check print adds classic style that pairs effortlessly with jeans, khakis or slacks.
- Long-sleeves
- Button front with fold-down collar
- Left chest pocket with Chaps logo detail
- Red, black and white mini check print
- 60% cotton / 40% polyester
- Machine washable
- Imported


text:
Universal Fans offer a number of wall mounted fans.
PWTPXXW wall mounted fans:
- PWTPXXW wall mounted fans have an energy efficient, precision built motor with safety thermal cut-out and quiet operation.
- They feature easy plug in installation and stable Oscillation of 0-90º. They have a powder coated safety grille and an adjustable angle to 40º downwards.
- The Pull Cord controller has three speeds
- There are two models - 30 and 40 cm diameter blades.
- They feature a tilt adjustable oscillating head and a steel wall mount bracket
- There are three Operation modes ( natural, sleep and strong breeze) as well as three speed settings
- They have a safety fan guard and a remote clips into base of fan


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For those people who use Microsoft FrontPage 2000 or 2002, you may have seen Runtime Error 5 before (or Runtime Error 440). These two errors can occur when either the add-in of the Windows registry is corrupt or damaged, or the Microsoft bCommerce Manager add-in is installed. When these errors occur, the user must remove the bCommerce Manager registry entry and add-in.
Click \"Start\" on the desktop and then select \"Run.\" When the \"Run\" window appears, type \"regedit\" in the search bar. This will load the registry key.
Scan through the registry key and select \"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\FrontPage\Addins\FPE.com.AddIn.\"
Click \"Delete\" on the Edit Menu, then click \"Yes\" when asked if you sure you want to remove the registry item.
Video of the Day
Quit the registry and restart the computer.
Click \"Start\" and then \"Control Panel\" once the computer has rebooted.
Select \"Add or Remove Programs\" and select \"bCentral Commerce Manager Add-In for Microsoft FrontPage.\" Click \"Remove\" and then \"Yes\" when asked if your sure you want to remove the software. The Runtime Error 5 will now be corrected


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Gifts & SurprisesbyP4U©
After another bout of love making, we were exhausted and fatigue had taken over our bodies. We showered together in the lavishly sinful bathroom, dressed again and left the place along with James, who drove us back to her place. On the way back to her place, she promised me another good time, and we fixed the appointment, and scheduled our program. We planned out where and what we would do for that next evening. James glided the car to a stop at her apartment gate. I pulled her in, as she was about to alight from the car. I kissed her on the lips, while my other hand went to my pocket to pull out money. I pushed the notes (bills) into her palm as she disengaged from the kiss. She looked at the money and gave me that fiery look she had given earlier when she had thrown the money on my face. I gave her a sly smile and added for effect, "I love giving gifts and I welcome surprises."
Her fire like anger changed to a cool smile, she promised me a meeting and added to my excitement, "wait for the next meeting, I would get my friend Gautami, she is my age, you would like making it with her." Saying this she ran into the gate and disappeared.
I was caught puzzled about the name game, Anu or was it Gautami, James had said that the real name of Anu was Gautami, now who the hell was Gautami that Anu wanted me to bed. I looked up front at James quizzingly and James stared back at me with the same puzzled look.
Gautami or Anu, the name game and the personality game would come to an end that weekend. I was waiting for the next few days in anticipation for my date with Anu, aka Gautami. It was past 10:00 pm on Thursday night while I was traveling back home when Anu called on my cell and fixed up an appointment for Saturday. I likewise arranged for her to be picked up from her place and brought to my penthouse.
Despite my various business interests to keep my mind busy, I was still waiting in anticipation for the weekend to arrive and to have an opportunity to take to bed another young girl. However on Saturday evening when she walked through in through the door of my penthouse, my house of pleasure, she was alone, Gautami was not with her.
"I suppose you promised me that you were to get a friend of your...what was her name?" I mocked, putting an act of having forgotten the name.
"Gautami," she reminded, adding, "Gautami, she had to go out with her family for the weekend," she told me.
I left the subject and made a drink for us and then we proceeded to the bedroom to indulge in the act we had both arrived in this place for. The next three hours we had passionate sex, taking and giving the best to each other that our bodies had to offer. After the hot lovemaking we left the place, James drove us back to her place where I kissed her goodbye, not before pushing a wad of notes (bills) in her palm. This time she did not complain, but smiled back at me, kissed me on the cheek, shoved the money in her purse, promised me once again that she will have Gautami with her next weekend, got of the car and disappeared through the gate of her apartment.
In the next six months, we met each other every Saturday to have wild sex. With every hot session I found her getting better at the act of satisfying me, while I found myself getting attracted to her. A point came when it was no more sex alone that I needed from her, but also her presence, her company for those few hours. Needless to say, that every time we departed and said goodbyes to each other, I would push notes in her palm, each time I would increase the sum to double of what I had given her last. She would promise me every time that Gautami would be with her for the next week, but would site some excuse when we would meet again, and thus kept Gautami an elusive factor, so I presumed.
Initially Anu hesitated when I gave her a copy of the keys to the penthouse, and the permission to use it at her free will. But like a good house maker, she made sure that the house was in good order. She would drop in when the housekeeping staff would come for cleaning the place, giving them instructions and ensuring that the cleaning was to her satisfaction. Like a good consort she would make sure that the bar was filled with my choice of wines and liquor and the fridge filled with food. She would personally go to do the purchases for the penthouse. She had literally become a taskmaster as far as the penthouse was concerned.
As time passed, she got more involved with the house. On certain weekends, she would reach there during afternoons and prepare meals for me, then wait for me to arrive. Though her overtly concerned acts made me uncomfortable at times, I did not complain. Somewhere in the corner of my heart, I also liked her being extra concerned; for the first time in my life I was enjoying somebody other than James caring for me. However, all her concern was associated for and limited to the penthouse and those few hours of the weekends. In no way was she demanding on me, she had never asked for my company other than on Saturdays and that too was always a polite request. She had never asked me for money either, that I put money in her hand was absolutely my privilege.
Anu had almost become my live-in girlfriend when she told me that she could now stay over nights. She had cooked up some story for her nanny she told me. Since she started spending the nights with me, I started paying her more and she started spending more, but nowhere other than over the necessities for the penthouse. Over a period of time, she had refurnished the penthouse in a more exotic pleasure house, all of it from the money I paid her every Saturday for her service. This was the very reason I kept on increasing the amount I paid her for her services. Anu was almost my unofficial weekend wife, for she would prepare elaborate dinners for me and then give me the best sex.
But good things do come to an end and so it did when our relationships went in an eclipse one faithful Thursday when she called me to reconfirm our Saturday date.
"Hello, this is Anu," she said.
"Yeah, so what's the surprise girl?" I asked her.
"No nothing special," she said, "I just wanted to know if we are meeting this weekend."
"Oh! Anu when are you going to get that pal of yours," I teased her, "Gautami. Right?" I asked her. I had already presumed that there was no Gautami and the young girl trying to trap me had played a little name game.
"Well, I talked with my friend Gautami about you, she has agreed for the date with you," she said stretching on the word 'date'. I was taken aback by the sudden twist, but presuming that she was still playing her game, I continued.
"So, when am I meeting her? This weekend?" I asked.
"No, she has got a problem, maybe next weekend," she replied, adding rather non-coherently, "I would like to meet you this Saturday if you are free."
I was only happy to hear her say that, I vehemently agreed to it saying, "Oh dear, sure we can meet, I would be rather happy to meet you girl."
"Can you send over James to pick me up, I will be ready by 5:00 pm...so you can ask him to be here by 5:30 in the evening," she requested.
"Fine, he will be there at 5:30 pm, but tell me Anu, what's the surprise? You sound excited so very excited." I asked her.
"Oh nothing special, I am excited about meeting you anyway," she said, "Anyways, can I ask you one thing?" Anu asked me.
"Shoot," I replied.
"Have you never ever thought of getting married?" she asked me.
"No never," I replied.
"Oh I see, so girls like me who are fast..." she started.
"No Anu! Not always, most of the time I used to pick girls or use the service of a call girl," I said, and added "I would love to have a regular relationship with someone like you, but I cannot commit to it. You see that is the problem."
"What sort of commitment you are afraid of?" she questioned me, delving into a subject that no one had ever pondered to talk with me about, an orphaned rich child. It was the first time somebody had asked me these questions and I realized that I did not have valid excuses.
"I don't know, I don't want to be committed." I said
"You mean you cannot take care of one single person, a person who belongs to you, and who you belong to," she asked me.
"Not that Anu, I can take care of maybe thousand people, run their households, provide for their education, food and other necessities, I would like to own a person and call her mine, but I don't want another person to own me, I am non-committal in that expect." I told her clearing myself to her as much as I cleared this fact to myself. Yes! That was it, I wanted to own Anu, or a girl like Anu who I could call mine, but I was afraid of somebody else having a claim on me. "Forget this Anu, I am not gonna marry, neither you nor anybody, at least for now." I finally told her, if that was what she wanted to hear.
"Aaye! Don't you get ideas; neither am I interested in marrying you. You are one brat and I don't like to own brats." She said laughing. We continued chatting over an hour on this subject, and finally before hanging down reconfirmed the time that James would pick her.
On Friday, at work, I was almost feeling like an excited teenager at school, trying to finish his homework as fast as he could to keep up the date with the girl next door. It was even surprising to me how I finished the day's work by 4:30 pm, allocated work to the managers and having said my goodbyes to them I was in the elevator with James behind me by 4:45 pm, I was in my car by 4:50 and the car was parked before the gate of Anu's apartment by 5:15, waiting for the angelic Anu to walk out of that portico towards the car.
I, a billionaire business tycoon, was waiting for a girl, half my age, at her door! Surprising, but true. I who never had a minute of my time to spare over such trivial matters was wasting a full 15 minutes for a girl who I paid for her company and the use of her body. Was I going crazy or was I in love.
My thoughts trailed off when I saw Anu walking down the portico towards the car. She was wearing a Shalwar Kameez, a beautiful peacock blue in colour. It was the first time I saw her in the ethnic attire, with a beautiful bindi of the same shade as her dress on her forehead. She looked a pretty picture of a perfect girlfriend. My perfect girlfriend.
As she neared the car, James got off and opened the door for her. She had not seen me sitting in the car because of the tinted panes, however as she bent to get in, she saw me and jumped back.
"Oh aha!" she exclaimed. "Its you, I was not expecting you coming to pick me up," she said getting in the car and settling next to me.
"I finished my work early, so I thought why not join James and pick you up," I explained.
"Ah! I thought you would not be free before 7 pm, so I was contemplating on going for a little shopping with James before I reach your place," she said as she put her hand on my thighs, caressing it, trailing it to the region between my legs.
"But," she said moving her dainty little fingers over the bulge in my pant, "I presume I have to leave the shopping for some other day." Saying so she stroked my cock through my pant.
"No!" I said, shoving her hand off, "we go shopping first, tell me where should James take us?" I asked her as James started the car.
"To your place." She replied, as she crushed into me, pressing her taut tits into me, reaching with her lips for mine.
We kissed passionately for a few seconds; Her tongue darted into my mouth, snaking over my gums and dueling with my tongue as I gestured James to drive. James and I have a good tuning and understanding, to this day and time, there has hardly been a time when James may not have understood my spoken and unspoken words. Just a gesture, a nod or even a flip of the eye is enough to tell him of my needs.
We cuddled, kissed and felt each other for the next twenty minutes till James finally brought us to our destination. Once in the apartment, we did not waste time and went straight to the bedroom. No sooner had we shut the door of the bedroom behind my back, I pulled Anu to me, swirling her on her heels as she crushed into me. I held her tight with my one hand around her waist as I raised her face to me with the other seeking her luscious lips. I kissed on her lips and then suck them in my mouth as I disengaged my hand from her face to rest it on her buttocks. Through her clothes I massaged her lovely buns, pressing her further into me. I could feel my cock pressed tight against her tummy, as she darted her tongue in my mouth, dueling with mine.
One thing about Shalwar Kameez (Pajama like Indian dress) is that it does not give easy access to ones private parts and is cumbersome when you are trying to disrobe your partner. However, I could not wait any longer and I urgently required this lovesome girl, I wanted to possess her, I wanted to be in her, I wanted my cock in her soft pussy, I wanted to suck her enormous breasts that were now pressed tight to me.
With our lips still locked to each other, I rapped her firm buttocks with the flat of my palm to make her shiver and squeak. As a counter reaction she left one hand from around my neck to seek the bulge in my pant. She pressed the bulge with the flat of her palm and then held it through my trouser as she hissed and continued to suck my mouth. My hand left her buttocks to lift her kameez to get access at her shalwar. I fumbled for a while with the knot not able to find the right chord that needed to be pulled to undo the bowknot to release her shalwar. But help was at hand as Anu's hand joined mine, she broke the kiss and handed me the end of the string.
"This is the one, dear," she laughed slyly handing me the end of the chord that needed to be tugged to release her shalwar. I tugged on the chord and it gave way, I pulled it all the way to loosen the shalwar and it slipped off her to gather at her feet in a heap of raffled clothes. With my one hand still around her waist, she stepped out of the heap, with a little fumble, as the shalwar was caught in her stiletto. I pulled her back to me, but she pushed herself off me and slipped down to kneel at my feet. Then with her small hands and delicate fingers she worked on the belt buckle, the catch that held the trouser and then unzipped the zipper. The she looked up at me, in my eyes as her hands traveled ones more up my waist to pull down my underwear and with it she had my pants all the way to my feet.
"Now, that is fair," she said looking up at me as she lightly caressed my hard cock that stood out of me like a pole. She looked at it with awe, as she traced the vein of the cock with her fingernails. She then caressed the cockhead with her fingers, and then wrapped her fingers around it, lightly stroking it around, as one would a doorknob. Satisfied with this she was about to get up and I pressed her applying a little pressure to her shoulders.
"You want me to take it in my mouth," she asked staring at me with wide eyes. As a response, I just nodded back at her in affirmative.
"Tell me, do you like this better than fucking?" she baffled me with her question.
I did not know what to say, so, as a response I held her by her shoulder and brought her up to stand by me as I started to step out of the heap, which was my trouser and underwear a few moments before. She stood there bewildered.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked me, tears gathering up in her eyes. "I will take you in my mouth, you can even come in my mouth if you want," she said at the verge of crying.
I pulled her to me and held her head up, and then looking deep in her eyes I told her, "Anu, I like everything about you, your mouth, your pussy, your tits, your ass. I would like to make love to every part of you...but, I think first we should be out of all these clothes, right?" And I kissed her on the lips as a reassurance that my action was not out of dejection; it was just an action for a better reaction.
As we broke the kiss again, we helped each to disrobe the rest of the clothes till we were absolutely naked. I just had my watch on my hand while she vouched to keep her stilettos on. I once again held her in my arms and kissed her as we hit the bed together, with her on top of me. She held my cock, caressing it while I played with her nipples, twitching and pinching them, making her squeak and hiss.
"Do you want me to suck your cock?" she asked, her face telling me that she was still feeling the guilt of having asked me a question earlier, "I love your cock, I would like to suck it, can I do that now?" she reframed her question, making me smile back at her.
"You like to suck cock, fine, you can suck my cock, but..." I said, as I was trying to think of a task that would throw her off balance.
"But what?" she asked still stroking my cock.
"You will have to agree to give me your virginity," I had finally got that bright idea.
"Virginity? How can I still give you that? You have already taken my virginity." She responded.
"What I want of you is still virgin, are you ready to give me that, then I will let you suck my cock." I quizzed her once again.
"Still virgin...?" she wondered aloud.
"Okay, Anu let me fuck you in your ass hole today," I finally let off the goose.
"What?" she asked probably shocked at the unexpected demand.
"Yeah girl, let me fuck you in your anus," I exaggerated on my demand.
She looked back at me with her eyes wide open in shock, in bewilderment. Her hand had stopped stroking my cock as it just held it loosely; her body suddenly seemed to have become heavy on mine as her mind delved into a deep thought, probably deciding whether she wanted to do this.
Moments later she suddenly looked away from me, pulled her hand of my cock, got off the bed without a word and rushed to the bathroom. Before I could even call her out or ask her if this demand troubled her, she had disappeared behind the ornamental partition that separated the room from bathroom and then I heard the bathroom door shut with a slam. A slam that meant that she was angry, raged, unhappy with the unexpected twist to my demand. I knew I had done it; here was a girl who was ready to be a whore as long as I wanted and freelance as a pimp getting me fresh young girls to wench my sexual appetite for young girls. What an ass I had been; demanding her, for a piece of her ass.
I got off the bed and gathered my clothes, sure now that this was the end of the day, end of the relationship. I sat back on the bed with my clothes in my lap thinking of how this girl in such a short span of time had become so close to me. I had lost the hardness of my cock, it lay now between my legs, limp and defeated. I wore my shirt and as I was buttoning it, I heard the bathroom door slam once again. Then I heard her stiletto, tik-toking its way behind the partition, I looked up in that direction and saw her naked form appear from behind the partition, as enticing and exciting as ever, her tits juggling on her lithesome body, the flare of her hips swaying as she walked towards me.
I looked up at her face to read her mood, there was nothing, it was blank, her beautiful round eyes were staring back at me. However, her walked seemed confident, business like, firm, as she walked the distance to the bed where I sat with my shirt on. Then she slowly lowered herself to kneel at the foot of the bed, while her hand went to my thighs caressing them. All the while she sported the blank look, staring deep in my eyes, reading me from within. She then moved her hand up my thigh to hold cup my limp cock in her soft velvety hands. She rolled my cock in her hand and it started to grow, she then wrapped the fingers of her right hand around the cock and pushed me back on the bed with the left as she bent over my cock and took it in her mouth.
Without exchange of a single word, she started sucking my cock back to its full hardness. Not wanting to loose on the double benefit of watching her while I felt her mouth on my cock, I propped my head up, supporting it on my hands. With the cock in her mouth, she looked up to stare back at me, reading my reaction to her oral manipulation of my love pole. She them took her mouth off the cock and masturbated me with long strokes, her silky hand wrapped in fist and her sleek saliva working a lubricant. Then she shifted her hand from the cock to my balls and played with the sack and she put her lips back to work on my cockhead. She then gave some more licks long and slurpy ones licking the length of my cock right from the base to the cockhead, the tip of her tongue paying extra homage to the rim of my cockhead. She then once again took my cock in the cavity of her mouth; as she took it deeper then before, bobbing her head over it, fucking her mouth with it.


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Straight for the art: Alt-comix trading cards
AdHouse publisher Chris Pitzer has put up a Flickr set of his Alternative Artist Trading Card Series. What exactly is that you ask? I'll let Pitzer explain:
Back in the mid-90's, before AdHouse, I was a grade-A fanboy. As such, I thought up a project where I would send my favorite artists a blank trading card for them to illustrate. I created the back, which had a brief bio, sample art, and more than likely typos. There were three volumes of these cards. And by "volumes" what I would do is make a mini-book of each series that I would then send out to each participant of that volume.
It's an impressive who's who of the then-burgeoning alt-comics scene, including folks like Joe Matt, Xaime Hernandez, Jim Woodring, Evan Dorkin, Jeff Smith and many, many more. The art's rather spiffy too. Chris Ware's in particular is rather eloquent. (via Tom)
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text:
Casting Cost
Card Type Creature
Sub Type Human Knight
Battle cry (Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.)Whenever Hero of Bladehold attacks, put two 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.
Power/Toughness 3/4
Artist Austin Hsu
Rarity Mythic
Brand Magic: The Gathering
Copyright © 2002 - 2018 MTGMintCard.com


text: Well! Today, I write an article on Horoscope Compatibility — in which I describe the best and worst matches of all horoscope. Here is a great chance to see or select the best Sign for yourself— I explain all the active and negative ability of all signs. For more detail keep reading… Aries Horoscope Compatibility Aries is Keep Reading


text:
- Overall Length:7.00"
- Blade Length:3.25"
- Blade Thickness:0.12"
- Blade Material:8Cr13MoV
- Blade Style:Drop Point
- Blade Grind:Hollow
- Finish:Satin
- Edge Type:Plain
- Handle Length:3.875"
- Handle Thickness:0.62"
- Handle Material:Stag
- Color:Brown
- Frame/Liner:Stainless Steel
- Weight:4.00 oz.
- User:Right Hand
- Pocket Clip:Tip-Down
- Knife Type:Spring Assisted
- Opener:Thumb Stud
- Lock Type:Liner Lock
- Brand:CRKT
- Model:M4
- Model Number:M4-02S
- Designer:Kit Carson
- Country of Origin:China
- Best Use:Everyday Carry
- Product Type:Knife
The M4 is a Kit Carson designed knife from CRKT, in a smaller every day carry (EDC) size. The M4-02S Stag is a deluxe model with the traditional look of stag scales and brushed stainless steel bolsters.
The Carson M4 has the CRKT OutBurst® assisted opening mechanism and bronze and Teflon® bearings at the adjustable blade pivot for smooth, fast action. The dual thumb studs for ambidextrous one-hand opening and the patented LAWKS safety for a virtual fixed blade when actuated after the blade is opened and locked.
The high-hollow-grind drop point 8Cr13MoV stainless steel blade is satin finished, as is the heavy-duty InterFrame, which is built true to Kit's design, with dual stainless steel liners, one locking, and a stainless steel back spacer.
Custom knifemaker and Knifemakers' Guild member Kit Carson is widely known for his M16® design, which is offered in many CRKT production models. Since 1990, Kit's most consistent selling custom model has been his classic M4.


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On January 13, 2011, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted to authorize the use of tradable renewable energy credits,1 which will facilitate a California TREC market subject to temporary price and quantity caps.
The CPUC provided the structure and rules for the integration of TRECs for compliance with the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS), and largely reaffirmed the previous order issued in March 2010, which was subsequently stayed. The new order imposes two temporary caps on TREC use: 1) California's three large investor-owned utilities (IOUs) may use TRECs only for up to 25% of annual procurement targets for RPS compliance, and 2) all IOUs are permitted to pay only up to $50 per TREC. These two caps are intended to balance the promotion of renewable energy with protections for California ratepayers while the TREC market is being developed; the caps are set to expire at the end of 2013.
Bundled transactions, whereby the renewable energy credit is sold together with the underlying renewable energy, will continue to be the primary means for IOUs to achieve RPS compliance. The CPUC also narrowed the definition of what constitutes a bundled contract for out-of-state renewable energy, as compared to the CPUC's prior approvals of bundled contracts. However, the temporary 25% limit does not apply to deliveries under such previously approved bundled contracts that would cause the utility to exceed the limit.
This new restriction reflects a growing divide among stakeholders on the objective of the RPS. Labor representatives, politicians, and some developers view the RPS as a vehicle to promote in-state economic development, including job creation associated with project development. IOUs and other project developers view the RPS's primary drivers as emission reduction and resource diversification.
Ultimately, the two TREC caps will be a test case for future legislation or regulatory action. The decision applies only to the 2010 20% RPS mandate and the RPS program going forward.2 Further legislative or regulatory action will be needed to address the use of TRECs for meeting the California Air Resources Board's 33% Renewable Electricity Standard.
A. Defining a TREC
A TREC, which is equivalent to 1 MWH of renewable energy from a qualified source,3 is an unbundled purchase of a REC by a load-serving entity (LSE) for RPS compliance, without the accompanying energy. Conversely, a bundled transaction includes both the REC and energy from a renewable energy facility. Prior to this order, only qualified bundled transactions could be used by LSEs for RPS compliance. By permitting the use of TRECs for up to 25% of RPS compliance, IOUs have an additional method for meeting part of their RPS obligations.
The order set forth additional rules governing the use of TRECs. First, only RECs associated with renewable energy generated on or after January 1, 2008 may be used for compliance. Second, only RECs tracked by Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS) are eligible. Third, the RECs from bundled contracts may be unbundled by the purchasing LSE unless, for contracts signed before January 1, 2005, the contract did not explicitly transfer ownership of the RECs to the LSE. Last, RECs that are associated with contracts pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) signed after January 1, 2005 cannot be traded by the purchasing LSE.
B. Qualifying out-of-state generation as a bundled transaction
In its most controversial aspect, this decision limits the ability of LSEs to use out-of-state renewable energy generation for RPS compliance. Prior to this decision, the CPUC approved firm transmission agreements4 as bundled transactions from out-of-state renewable energy facilities. However, future firm transmission contracts will require CPUC review to ensure the renewable energy generated is delivered and consumed in California, and some may not qualify as bundled.
LSEs have other options to qualify out-of-state renewable energy projects as bundled transactions. First, dedicated transmission lines can be constructed to connect the out-of-state facility with a California balancing authority. Second, either a dynamic scheduling agreement or pseudo-tie arrangement will qualify as a bundled transaction.5 Third, and most importantly from an LSE's point of view, contracts for energy and RECs approved by the CPUC prior to March 10, 2010 are grandfathered as bundled transactions.
Dynamic scheduling agreements and pseudo-tie arrangements
These two types of transactions ensure that the energy produced out-of-state is consumed in California, by mimicking in-state generation. Qualifying for either of these transaction types may be a hurdle for LSEs because both are relatively new concepts. The California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO), the balancing authority which oversees 80% of California's electricity consumption, only recently completed its feasibility study for implementing dynamic scheduling agreements for intermittent resources (which includes most renewable energy generation).6 Moreover, CAISO only piloted its first pseudo-tie arrangement in June 2010 and has yet to pilot a project utilizing a dynamic scheduling agreement.7
While this decision narrowed the definition of a bundled transaction, the CPUC will allow previously approved firm transmission agreements to count as bundled contracts. In the original order,8 only out-ofstate energy transactions that had either a dynamic scheduling agreement or pseudo-tie arrangement qualified as bundled.9 This excluded transactions for renewable energy that IOUs contracted for after January 1, 2005 but before March 11, 2010.10
As the IOUs pointed out, the CPUC previously approved these contracts as bundled contracts; denying these contracts bundled status would unfairly hinder their RPS compliance strategies as well as the expectations of the renewable generators. To address this concern, the CPUC grandfathered all transmission contracts for energy and RECs approved prior to March 11, 2010 as bundled contracts, with a few caveats. These contracts will be treated as bundled only if the IOUs exceed their TREC allotment by accounting for these previously approved contracts as REC-only contracts. Moreover, to prevent LSEs from exploiting the grandfathering, the CPUC imposed restrictions that will prevent LSEs from modifying those contracts for increased RPS compliance:
- The contract cannot be extended past its expiration date that was in effect as of March 11, 2010;
- The maximum amount of energy contracted for delivery cannot be increased beyond the maximum delivery quantity defined as of March 11, 2010.
C. TREC price cap
The CPUC temporarily capped the price the three largest IOUs can pay for TRECs at $50 per MWH. The CPUC asserted that a temporary cap was required because of the infancy of the TREC market (the cap is set to sunset on December 31, 2013). The cap also matches the penalty for not achieving RPS compliance. This avoids providing IOUs an incentive to pay more for the TREC than the RPS compliance penalty since IOU ratepayers pay for TRECs whereas penalties are paid for by IOU shareholders.
D. Future legislation or rulemaking
This decision establishes rules only for TRECs for the initial 2010 RPS target of 20%, and both the price and usage caps will sunset on December 31, 2013. Still unresolved are the rules governing the use of TRECs for compliance with the Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) of 33% mandated by the California Air Resources Board. Although the TREC caps will expire, it remains a question whether the next stage of the TREC market will be less constrained by usage and price caps. It is likely, as seen through this order, that the strength of the California economy will play a significant role in determining what, if any, future restrictions govern the use of TRECs to meet California's RPS and RES objectives.


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Monday, 29 July 2013
Playgroup art & craft: Paper cupcakes
Rummaging through the art cupboard today I found a packet of multicoloured craft 'sprinkles'. I don't know what they are made of, but the resemblance to their edible counterparts gave me the idea of making paper cupcakes.
I put out coloured patty cases and showed the children how to put a blob of glue inside their case before filling it with scrunched-up tissue paper (an A4 sheet is about the right size for a small cupcake). More paste on top of the tissue paper 'cake' secured the sprinkles and some glitter shapes for decoration.
We ended up with a couple of plates of very pretty cupcakes, so delicious-looking that R even had a lick of one... just in case they tasted as good as they looked.
4 comments:
Great idea. I will have to try this with my little ones. They love using glue. I loved the skirt you made too.ReplyDeleteReplies
R's are already well-played-with, having been served to various toys at a tea party yesterday. I suspect the more glue you use on the tissue paper the better it will hold together, so tell your glue-loving kids to go for it!Delete
K is awesome but great ideasReplyDelete
- Anonymous26 August 2013 at 07:39
great ideasReplyDelete
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Starting in the second quarter of 2012, the Department of Labor will require all 401K plan sponsors to disclose investment and administrative fees charged to plan participant's retirement accounts.
The new regulation is intended to help employees understand where their money is going and help them make decisions that are more informed.
The concern among plan sponsors is that next year may be the first time many investors are even aware the fees exist.
Don't let the newly disclosed 401K fees discourage you from saving for retirement.
Prevent savers remorse by taking the following into consideration:
Use the Disclosed Information to Your Advantage
Under the Department of Labor's new regulations, plan participants will receive data regarding their investment options, including plan costs and comparison charts. Use the information to your benefit.
Review your quarterly statements with the fee disclosures to see exactly what you are currently paying and to compare fees. A fund with a higher expense ratio may be worth it if it meets your long-term needs.
Take the time to educate yourself with the new information so you can fully understand your investment options.
Forget the Myth that Retirement Plans are Free
401K plans and similar retirement plan options, like an IRA, are not free and never were. A recent AARP study revealed that seven in ten Americans are not aware they pay 401K fees. That is an alarming number of people who may be surprised by the new fee disclosures.
It's important to remember that those fees have always been there, the only difference is that now they are disclosed and you don't have to calculate your 401K fees manually. To better understand the costs, here's a brief breakdown of some fees associated with 401K plans:
- Plan Administrator Fees – These expenses cover the everyday costs of a 401K plan including record keeping, accounting and legal costs. The costs associated with educational software and electronic access to your plan can also be bundled under this heading.
- Individual Service Fees – Some plans have additional fees for special features and options. These are usually applied to the specific participants who elect a special feature – not to all plan holders. An example would be a fee associated with a 401K loan.
- Investment Fees – These cover the highest percent of your 401K fees and are generally assessed as a percentage of assets invested. They're usually investment and management related expenses stemming from trades, loads, redemption costs, account maintenance and transfer charges.
Blooom: 401k Management Service Price: Free analysis, then $10 per month Online 401k Management for $10 per month. Link up your 401k and maximize your investments.
Good News Could Result from the Fee Disclosures
The increased 401K transparency has the opportunity to bring down fees. Service providers disclosing more information about employees' retirement account charges will be accountable for providing employees with plans that have cost-effective investment and administrative fees.
The New Year will bring new fee disclosures, but don't let sticker shock affect you and your retirement future. Use the available data to compare investment costs, reevaluate your portfolio's performance and make the information work for you. Though these disclosures may be surprising at first, you'll have a better idea of where your money is going and that's certainly a good start.
Scott Holsopple is the president and CEO of Smart401k, offering easy-to-use, cost effective 401K advice and solutions for the everyday investor. His advice has been featured on various news outlets, including FOX Business, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.
Image by Gabriel Porras


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Glen Barrett, head professional at Glenn Dale Golf Club, knocked three strokes off par in his final three holes and vaulted into the lead after two rounds of the 73rd annual Maryland Open tournament at Crofton Country Club yesterday.
The 3-under-par 69 left him at 140, three strokes ahead of his closest pursuer heading into this morning's final round. Webb Heintzelman had the day's low round, a 68, and moved into second at 143.
Amateur Del Ponchock, the defending champion, and Buddy Sass each shot 70 and were at 144, followed by first-day leader John McNaney, 145.